Joe Biden his time... back in Delaware?

Well, the press has itself a new John Kerry - a punching bag who will get every little thing he says micro-analyzed - and it's Delaware Senator Joe Biden. However, Biden, who earlier today jumped into the presidential race, brings a lot of this on himself, too.

Earlier today (well, now, yesterday), Biden, in an interview with The New York Observer, described fellow Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama as "the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy."

Ouch.

To his credit, Biden appeared on The Daily Show tonight to explain what he meant. "What got me in trouble was using the world 'clean.' I should have said 'fresh.' What I meant was he's got new ideas," said Biden.

Fair enough, but what about "articulate"?

Biden is simply a boob. Hey Joe, give John Kerry a call and ask him how to give an interview or tell a joke, and then do the exact opposite of what he says.

Hey Senator - if you have to explain what you meant by what you just said in an interview, you probably should have chosen different words.

Like Kerry's botched joke last fall, this is probably, in the end, much ado about nothing, but it's not the way to start off a presidential campaign.

His words of kindness weren't reserved for Obama, either.

On Hillary Clinton:

Referring to Hillary's proposal to cap American troops and to threaten Iraqi leaders with cuts in funding, Biden said, "From the part of Hillary’s proposal, the part that really baffles me is, 'We're going to teach the Iraqis a lesson.' We’re not going to equip them? O.K. Cap our troops and withdraw support from the Iraqis? That’s a real good idea."

Biden opined that Hillary's plan, would be "nothing but disaster."

On John Edwards:

Biden seemed to have plenty of bottled-up vitriol for Edwards. In the Observer interview, referring to Edwards' idea that 40,000 troops be immediately withdrawn from Iraq, Biden said:

"I don’t think John Edwards knows what the heck he is talking about. John Edwards wants you and all the Democrats to think, 'I want us out of there,' but when you come back and you say, 'O.K., John'" -- (according to the article, Biden used the refrain "John" in a mocking, derisive manner) "'what about the chaos that will ensue? Do we have any interest, John, left in the region?' Well, John will have to answer yes or no. If he says yes, what are they? What are those interests, John? How do you protect those interests, John, if you are completely withdrawn? Are you withdrawn from the region, John? Are you withdrawn from Iraq, John? In what period? So all this stuff is like so much Fluffernutter out there. So for me, what I think you have to do is have a strategic notion. And they may have it—they are just smart enough not to enunciate it."

Okay, then!

I can't say I completely disagree with Biden on Clinton or Edwards, but on a day where the media should have been focused on Biden's entry into the race and the substance of his comments, he proved hard to understand because of the foot in his mouth.

One thing is clear - today Biden picked up right where he left off in 1988 - trying to overcome stupid, self-inflicted distractions.

It can only get better from here, Senator.

Another example of our LIBERAL media

I have to confess, I got this from Crooks and Liars, an awesome Website where I find many issues that I blog about. So, I'm cribbing a lot from C&L about this post, so I wanted to give proper attribution. Here goes...

A Reuters story that appeared on Yahoo's Website last Friday carried this headline:

Bomb kills 15, Bush critic Pelosi visits Baghdad

Really? You've got to be kidding me. It's bad enough that the news stories about Pelosi have ranged from blatantly male chauvinist "Pelosi, dressed in Armani..." to the completely irrelevant (too many to list here), but this could be one of the worst headlines I've ever seen on the Web for a news story.

As Crooks & Liars rightfully points out, someone couldn't even write "California Congresswoman"? Or, here's a radical idea -- how about "Speaker Pelosi"?!?

Can anyone imagine, when Newt Gingrich was speaker, if this headline appeared? -- "Clinton hater Gingrich slams health care plan."

Imagine the outrage that would have followed that one. Bill O'Lielly would have declared a War on Irresponsible Journalism.

Hey conservatives, keep complaining about the liberal media. And when you get a chance, drop by Earth and let us know how the weather is in your parallel universe.

John McCaned - straight talk express derailed

I've been waiting for a video compilation like this for a looong time. (I need to work on getting some video editing skills so I can do these myself.)

When are politicians going to learn that one hasn't been able to get away with lying about your past positions since the dawn of the video tape era? Presidents and politicians of both political parties are just a few examples in a long list of people who haven't learned this valuable yet simple lesson.

I've been saying for months (wait, check that - since I started this blog a little over 10 months ago) that judas john mccain is a turncoat sellout who has done more flip flops than 10 John Kerrys and will say virtually anything to be elected president.

Well, here's a pretty good compilation to prove it (above). It's part of a pretty good Website that you should check out - lots of mccain double-speak and outright lies.

Politicians must think the American people are pretty stupid, thinking we'll forget about some of this stuff. Well john, we're not stupid, and many of us don't forget, either.

The only drama left regarding mccain is whether the mainstream media will continue to lick his boots by referring to him as a "straight talker" and "maverick." I'm betting yes.

Hey mccain - do yourself a favor and don't resign from the Senate - because if you do, you won't have a seat to sit in when the music stops in '09.

So long, sell out.

Okay, he'll probably still make a run, and maybe even a strong one, before the Republican primaries are over next year, but I don't think he'll get the nomination. To be honest, my dream ticket for the Republicans is mccain/Lieberman. That would be money, prove endlessly entertaining, and also pretty damn beatable in '08.

Haven't had enough of the straight talker? Okay, here's more...



This one is a bit of an oldie, but it's still a goodie. It's from last fall regarding the North Korean crisis. This clip is of mccain and college dropout Sean Insanity griping about what we gave the North Koreans in the early 1990s during the Clinton administration, and also mccain telling everyone, in effect, to just shut up and stop criticizing the president.

What's funnier -- mccain blaming the North Korea crisis on President Clinton, or Insanity griping about the approximately $1 billion we gave North Korea?

When Clinton was in office, at least we had a dialogue with North Korea, and we were actually in the country. We can say neither now.

And the $1 billion? That's about 1/400th of what we've spent in Iraq, and there's no end in sight to that particular disaster. Of Bush's stupidly titled "Axis of Evil," who is the biggest danger to us now - North Korea, Iran or Iraq? A distant third would be Iraq, and that was true even before we got rid of Hussein.

We invaded Iraq for a quick triumph - we needed a feel-good victory dance following 9-11, because Bush reasoned we needed to celebrate our military might (and show it to the world) after the embarrassment and tragedy of 9-11.

Guess we got a little more than we bargained for, eh, Mr. President?

Okay, one more, just because it's so fun. This is addictive...



Here's a recent Meet the Press clip where mccain claims that Jerry Falwell is not an "agent of intolerance," a 180 degree switch from his position in 2000. I love how host Tim Russert uses mccain's own words from six years ago against him.

Keep in mind, since 2000, Falwell has blamed 9-11 on homosexuality and abortion. He's more of an agent of hatred and intolerance than ever, yet there's mccain, bowing down to Falwell and the radical religious right.

My favorite moment is when mccain opines that "a visit to Liberty University [which Falwell founded] is no different than a visit to Ohio State." The only explanation I can come up with is that judas john is off his meds. Can a visit to Bob Jones University be far behind? When is the David Duke endorsement? (A quick aside - am I the only one amused by the fact that one of the most conservative, religious schools in the country is known by the acronym "BJU"?)

Anyway, is there any constituency on the right with a butt too small for mccain to kiss to try and win the nomination?

Nope.

Would someone please sock Wolfowitz?

Check out this pic of Paul Wolfowitz, president of the World Bank, and to many Americans, persona non grata, #1 neocon dirtbag.

These recent pics revealed Wolfie's inner slob during a visit to a mosque in Western Turkey. You'd think one of the principle architects of the Iraq War would have been taken care of by one of the war's many benefactors (most notably U.S. defense contractors).

Hey Halliburton, spare change for Wolfie's socks?

With Hallie the recipient of numerous no-bid government contracts, I'm sure it can spare a dime for one of its favorite war mongers.

At least there's one of the five senses is spared - we can't smell the stank.

Get your Bush War Tour t-shirt!

I found this most manly tee while surfing on the Internets today - now you can "Support the Troops" and our "Wartime President" the impending War with Iran by getting a t-shirt from a war mongering Website. Show your blood lust by clicking Here to get your t-shirt today!

Here's the description of the t-shirt from the Casual Conservative's Website:

At this point, there are few courses of action that could save Iran. Maybe Ahmadinejad will give up his quest for nuclear weapons. Not likely. Or maybe the young people in Iran, who realize what he is doing to their country, will overthrow the little terrorist dictator and save the day. I’m not holding my breath on that one either. Well shoot…that pretty much leaves us with the third option, as illustrated on this shirt!

Show those pussy liberals who's boss by bravely sporting your willingness to vaporize millions of humans in seconds, all for only $18.99, plus shipping. What a steal of a deal.

And you'd better take advantage of deals like this now, considering an Iran War will probably cost taxpayers another $500 billion, you'd better save the t-shirt as a hand-me-down for your kids, because you might not be able to clothe them when we have to pay off the Bush deficits.

Police reunite for Grammys

This is 'way cool news - The Police are reuniting to play this year's Grammys to celebrate their 30th anniversary. Not many things happen in the music world, or at the Grammys for that matter, that make the annual awards show a must-see for me, but this is definitely one of them. I've always been a pretty big fan - the band is one of the first bands, and the first records, I ever owned. I have one of their "Best of" CDs in my iTunes library, and it gets lots of play time.

The band, above, from left to right: Stewart Copeland, Sting and Andy Summers, are shown here in an unknown location in 1980. The group achieved super stardom in the late '70s and early '80s before feuds and dissension broke them apart. Sting went on to have a very successful solo career.

I just did a little more reading, and there are strong rumors of a reunion tour this summer. It's the top priority tour for me this summer, if that's the case. This summer, The Dave Matthews Band will take a very rare backseat if this tour is announced, but I'm sure I'll squeeze in my umpteenth Dave show, too.

The 49th Grammy Awards air live from LA on Feb. 11.

Vegas, Grand Canyon & Hoover Pix comin' later today

I promise I'll get some up today. And yes, I had to do an Oilers Grand Canyon picture. If I can wear a jersey as a joke during my wedding ceremony, I can wear one anywhere, right?

Air America lives

As a subscriber and listener of Air America since the network began, yesterday was bittersweet. The fledgling liberal radio network announced yesterday that it has been purchased by SLG Radio LLC, an entity controlled by Stephen L. Green. The sale is expected to close by mid-February. The announcement was made by Air America CEO Scott Elberg.

"We are extremely pleased to have reached this agreement with Mr. Green, which will solidify Air America’s future," said Elberg. "When you combine Steve Green's business skills and successes -- with his brother Mark Green's history as a respected progressive policy voice, including as a frequent guest and host on our network-- Air America will be in the best hands to sustain our powerful radio voice, expand our reach and broaden the audience."

I know I'M pleased about it. No one can tell me that there isn't a demand for a liberal radio network in this country, because there is. Look at all of the people who voted against Bush in '04 and against his party in '06? No one can make the case to me that this radio network can't survive. It's just been unfortunate that it's had poor management.

Yesterday also marked the announcement that Al Franken will be leaving Air America, effective February 14. That was a disappointment to me - I've listened to Al since day one. His material is good, but his voice and radio hosting skills are wanting. But, in the end, he brought me to the network, and I love his knowledge, wit and political smarts.

Fans of Franken shouldn't weep, though. We haven't heard the last of him, via his great books, or perhaps as a candidate. He has expressed interest in running for the Senate in his home state of Minnesota.

Yesterday, he said he will make his decision soon. I for one think he has as much smarts as many who occupy the Senate chamber today.

So long, Al. It's not an overstatement that if it weren't for your star power, Air America would have gone under probably long ago, so well done. And keep writing those books and engaging rightist blowhards.

And sorry, Matt Drudge, Bill O'Lielly, Rush Limbaugh and Sean Insanity - you don't get to have your Air American funeral. Boo hoo.

What a Rush - intolerance in the morning

My favorite drug addict is at it again.

Yesterday, I was listening to Howard Stern (as usual) on Sirius Satellite Radio while getting ready for work. I must confess that I don't always agree with what Stern says, but yesterday he took off on a rant about Rush Limbaugh, complete with audio clips from his show. His rants on Limbaugh and Republicans are usually worth the price alone for subscribing to Sirius, but yesterday's rant was sort of special.

The short of was this - Limbaugh was talking about Barack Obama getting a celebrity endorsement from actress Halle Berry. This is how Rush announced it on his show it:

"Halfrican American Barack Obama has received another endorsement, this time from Halfrican American Halle Berry."

I'm trying REAL HARD to stick to my New Year's resolution of not using profanity on this blog, but it's not easy when I hear stuff like this.

Stern wasted no time laying waste to Rush. ...

"He's such a f------ dickhead. I hate it that he's successful. I mean, what's your point?!?"

I think Howard missed the point about Limbaugh's mispronunciation, though. At best, Limbaugh was intentionally mispronouncing "African-American" simply to annoy people (unlikely, but it IS what he's best at), and at worst (likely), he was mispronouncing it because both Berry and Obama are half African-American.

His listeners must be awfully proud. Making fun of Michael J. Fox's Parkinson's Disease (which he can't help) wasn't enough - now Limbaugh's moved on to making fun of people's ethnic make-up (which they can't help, either [not that they would want to, I'm quite certain]).

It got me thinking - I listen to Al Franken quite a bit on Air America Radio, and I defy anyone to come up with an instance when he race-baited his audience (or his detractors), or made fun of people's diseases because he disagreed with them politically.

Granted, Franken did write a book called Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot, but that's really what Rush is. I wonder if Franken will write a sequel, Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Intolerant Drug Addicted Moron. Now that Franken is leaving Air America Radio (more on that in a minute), he'll have the time. Get going, Al.

Two funny animal stories

It's no wonder I'm petrified of snakes. Okay, I realize that no pythons are slithering along the streets of Philadelphia, but this is still pretty creepy.

Villagers in Malaysia discovered this 23-foot python in a village near Kalua Lampur after 11 guard dogs who were guarding a fruit orchard were missing. Soon, this mammoth snake was found, Reuters reported last Friday.

The snake was not harmed - it was turned over to wildlife officials.

I wonder what the late Steve Irwin would have done with a snake like this? Something tells me he wouldn't have been crawling around in the mud with it.

This next story had me laughing this morning, because it had me thinking about our temperamental, funny man - our cat, Jaws.

A depressed cat in England was recently perked up with the help of Prozac. Twiglet (right), a 15-pound, 12-year old tabby, developed strong anxiety after being attacked by another cat in the neighborhood. After coming home with a broken tail and clumps of missing fur, her owner took her to the vet and treatment, and the vet prescribed a Prozac-like medicine, amitriptyline, along with a strict diet.

The cat shed seven pounds, was administered one pill a day, and cheered up even more when the bully tabby moved away.

Can the "ask your vet about Prozac" commercials be far behind?

And, our Jaws weighs nearly 20 pounds. Is he obese? I'm always reading about how 15-pound cats are considered too fat. So, what's 20?

I'm back! First, a must-see movie

Last night, I saw a promo on HBO for Ghosts of Abu Ghraib, and it looks shocking, eye opening and haunting. It's directed by Robert F. Kennedy's youngest daughter, Rory Kennedy (interviewed above). It looks to be another must-see movie about the U.S. war machine, but this time it's about one of the most sickening displays of what a few rogues in the U.S. military can accomplish.

With a nod to the Haditha Massacre, has anything damaged our credibility abroad this much since My Lai?

I know I won't miss this - it premieres on HBO on Thursday, February 22. You probably have HBO for the great exclusive shows like the Sopranos. Here's another reason to have at least one pay channel, if you are trying to decide on one. The network also ran an excellent documentary called Hacking Democracy last fall, and you'll be hearing a whole lot more about that from me in the coming weeks -- by that I mean the movie and the movement to have a paper trail when we vote. My voice is going to be heard loud and wide on this topic (I hope).

Anyway, check out Ghosts of Abu Ghraib - it's certainly worth an hour and a half. Since the director, Rory Kennedy, is a Kennedy, I wonder how the right wing will attack her?

Like the promo said last night -- "because there is no such thing as 'a little' torture."

Lots more to come early next week

I was so busy before we left, I didn't even have time to post it, but we've been in Vegas since Wednesday. We're having an a great time, and the weather's been great ~ and from what we've seen on the news, much nicer than Philly.

I've got loads of pictures to post, which I'll get up on Monday and Tuesday early week. I've got some pretty good art from the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam, so of course I'll bring 'em to you.

Boy, do I have tons to blog about, too - from Bush's State of the Union Speech to An Inconvenient Truth's two Oscar nominations. I'll be doing lots and lots of writing on the plane on the way home - no doubt until my laptop goes dead. So, you've been warned - next week will see a torrent of posts.

Oh, and I'm in the black in Vegas, so far. I was in the Monte Carlo today to have lunch with my bro Todd, who's also in town for a conference, and I walked up to a roulette table, put down $50 on black and doubled my money. I'm not a gambler by nature, so it wasn't too tough to walk away. Now, if I can keep temptation at bay, I might walk out of Vegas without having blown lots of money at the tables.

And my conference went pretty well - it was my first academic conference, so it was a learning experience. My paper, "American Idle: How Pop Culture Pap is Hindering Real Debate in U.S. Elections" was pretty well received, but not by many people, because the conference wasn't well attended, from what I could tell. I'll have lots more on the conference as well when we return. My primary goal in coming to the Pop Culture conference was to get a conference on my resume and to get some experience so I'd know what to expect at future academic pow wows.

So, at least I've got one under my belt.

Okay, all for now - we're off to see the sights tonight and tomorrow before we catch our flight tomorrow late afternoon.

Talk soon...

Will Gore's "Truth" get an Oscar Nod? Will Dubya give Al props?

Academy Award nominees are announced this Tuesday, and I've heard and read rumors that An Inconvenient Truth might be up for an award(s). I sure hope so.

If you haven't seen this movie yet, what are you waiting for? The polar ice caps to melt? Get going and see it - I can just about guarantee that you will be a changed person after watching it.

It would be quite cool if Al Gore (above, presenting his global warming slide show in Japan) walked away with an Oscar. I hope he does. He deserves it for his dedication and perseverance in warding off critics, many of whom know about .10% as much as he does about the drastic changes that are happening all over the planet.

I'm still holding out hope that Gore enters the '08 race, but I also wonder if he could best serve our country by not running for president. Or, if a Democrat wins, maybe Director of the EPA? THAT would be incredible.

Al Gore deserves all the credit he's receiving for this important film. Whether you agree with the film or not (and I most definitely do), Gore has provided the US and the world with a pretty handsome benefit, and that's a greater amount of discourse on global warming.

##

In other news, I heard on Chris Matthews on Sunday morning that President Bush is prepared to make some major announcements about energy dependence during his State of the Union speech on Tuesday night. I'll believe those when I hear them.

But, what really caught my ear was Matthews' assertion that Bush might acknowledge Gore's important work on global warming (but I'm sure the president, in the off chance that he would address it, would refer to it as climate change). Matthews didn't sound like he was kidding, but there's no way Bush would give Gore any praise.

Is there?

If Bush does have kind words for Gore and indicates any change on his administration's position on global warming, I will be one of the first bloggers to praise him on the Internet.

That's a guarantee.

List keeps growin' - Richardson's in

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson has announced that he will seek the presidency in 2008.

Wow, it's been quite a week - Obama, Hillary and Richardson. Not bad for Democrats, and not a bad reflection of the party and its inclusion of minorities and strong feminist values.

Richardson, a Democrat, is an interesting man who has worn many hats, including Secretary of Energy, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and a two-term governor of New Mexico.

I like his ideas on energy dependence and on border security and immigration. He's uniquely qualified on both fronts - he was raised in Mexico City and he knows a great deal about America's energy challenges since he was Clinton's Energy Secretary for two years.

It's also a plus that he was Ambassador the the United Nations.

Other than that, I look forward to learning more about him, but it's a positive that he's in the field of candidates. If he comes out on top of the crowded field of Democrats, he would be the first Hispanic nominee for president from any party in our nation's history.

Blowhard Bill never runs out of gas

O'Lielly is at it again - he's now calling George Soros "the most dangerous man in America."

The sexual harasser is angry because Soros pays lots of his own cash to try to get Democrats elected. Seems to me that the "culture warrior" is also angry because Democrats now have their own Richard Mellon Scaife ~ that is, a man with deep pockets who isn't afraid to put his money where his political mouth is.

However, there's one big difference between Soros and Scaife - one has a soul, and the other, well, to call him soulless would be too kind.

Soros (right) has a bad hairdo, but is a self-made billionaire who knows what it's like to be persecuted, and have no money. (His family endured the Nazis in Hungary during World War II, and the Soviets afterward.) He became very wealthy by earning his money, not inheriting it. Yes, there have been some accusations of wrongdoing - he was convicted of insider trading in France, but he denies guilt and claims the information he knew was public knowledge.

Scaife (below) is another type of animal altogether. He's little more than a right-wing nut job with a fat checkbook. He inherited almost all of his wealth, and he's paid millions trying to defame and destroy those who differ with him politically, socially and philosophically. His funding of the Arkansas Project is the subject of many books, articles and even a few documentaries.

The best book about Scaife's b.s. is The Hunting of the President, an eye-opening page turner that is worth a read if you'd like to know how a billionaire with a hard on for Democrats will go to any lengths and will make up almost anything in an attempt to destroy someone.

Scaife's ties to Kenneth W. Starr are not well known, but they're not well-hidden, either. Starr was named the first dean of a new school on public policy funded by Scaife at Pepperdine University. When controversy arose over this appointment, Starr decided against taking the position. Of course, Pepperdine denied any link between Starr and Scaife. Ummm Hmmm. Once the controversy passed, Starr became dean of Pepperdine's School of Law in 2004.

Now you tell me, who is a more dangerous man in America - Scaife or Soros?

The biggest right-wing shill in America would be wise to rethink calling Soros "the most dangerous man in America" by looking inward toward his own twisted political party.

I've got my own nominee for the moniker Most Dangerous Man in America - how about Roger Ailes?

My 2¢ on coverage of Hillary's announcement

I woke up to the news this Saturday morning that former first lady and New York Senator Hillary Clinton threw her hat into the 2008 presidential race. I've written before at length (and I'll no doubt say it more than a few more times) that I have mixed emotions on her candidacy; there's no doubt that her name on any ballot will drive conservative morons crazy, such as Jerry Falwell (a.k.a. the great Satan) and his brother Pat Robertson; Bill O'Lielly; Rush Limbaugh (just hearing the news probably prompted him to take another 6 or 8 blue M&Ms); and all the rest.

Ultimately, I feel her candidacy will be good for the political process, though, whether she wins or not. She's one of the biggest leaders of the Democratic Party, and she'll bring on a lot of important ideas to the discourse of the 2008 race.

But, the garbage political coverage has already begun. I won't bore you with a recap of it all, save one example - MSNBC's mid-day coverage on Saturday.

Before I get to that, I have a confession to make - 1. I rarely ever watch cable news broadcasts these days - the coverage is atrocious, they focus on the superficial and idiotic, and I don't find them that informative, and 2. Of all of the cable news channels, MSNBC is the only channel I can stomach, but at times just barely. The lone bright spots seem to be Joe Scarborough and, of course, Keith Olbermann.

Just when I think that MSNBC isn't so bad, along comes Contessa Brewer (left), an MSNBC anchor who used to read the news for Imus in the Morning. (I won't even get started on Don Imus.)

Her coverage on Saturday primarily focused on two things (and I'm not exaggerating) - the Whitewater "scandal," and Bill Clinton and the Monica Lewinsky scandal. My first thought after watching about 10 minutes of this coverage was "Are you f------ kidding me?!?" I kept waiting for Brewer to get to the real story - that for the first time in our nation's history, a first lady was running for president. I could have waited hours, but I could only stomach about 45 minutes of her ranting and sewage about the Clinton administration's lowlights.

A stupid land deal, where the Clintons were ultimately acquitted of any wrongdoing, and an affair with a White House intern (and a consensual one at that). In the wake of 9-11 and all that our current president has done to royally screw this country for at least a few generations to come, spending even one minute on dead-and-buried political witch hunts is a profound waste of time, but then again, so is watching MSNBC.

So, I did what any sane, educated American would - I changed the channel. Brewer should go back to reading the news for recovering cocaine addicts and leave the real reporting to people who focus on real issues.

But, Hillary's coverage from this past weekend is certainly a harbinger of things to come. We are in for an onslaught of superficial media coverage, focusing on things that most voters care little or nothing about.

And Hillary won't be the only one who has to endure this kind of coverage. Barack Obama (above, outside his future residence?) has also had to tolerate similar blarney, most notably about his confessed drug use during his teenage years. I've also said multiple times, and I'll repeat it once more -- Obama has been a lot more forthright and honest than President Bush has been about his alleged drug use.

I can't wait for the primaries to begin, but I also dread it, too.

Hearing Hillary announce her candidacy had me thinking back to 1992, when President Clinton was elected. It was the first election I was eligible to vote in, and I was very politically active - I couldn't wait to vote against President George H.W. Bush, and it was a thrill when Clinton won.

Above, Hillary and Bill Clinton on election night, 1992. I think I speak for millions when I say that I was so full of hope when he was elected. Personally, it was a time of political naïveté for me, though.

I'm sure the Clintons would say the same - both were also marked by naïveté when they moved into the White House, but no more. Above, Hillary testifies on Capitol Hill before a committee on health care reform. President Clinton put her in charge of getting universal health care legislation passed, and it backfired, big time, due in large part to the railroading of Republicans, led by Newt Gingrich and Tom DeLay. Remember those two? Yea, I'm trying to forget, too.

The million dollar question that the Clintons will have to answer is what role will the former president have if Hillary triumphs? I'm sure the radical Republican religious right already has some made-for-hate radio answers on Bill's role. I look forward to hearing them, and laughing at them, too. How long do you think it will be before Pat Robertson is leading a prayer group, begging for Hillary's defeat?

XLI should be spectacular

Boy, the Colts have come a long way since the days of Jim Mora (above). What a great montage of his two memorable press conferences, one as coach of the Colts, and one as coach of the Saints.

What a fantastic game by the Colts to beat their chief tormentors: Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and all of the New England Patriots. It's been a long time coming, but Tony Dungy and Peyton Manning deserve the euphoria of their awesome victory today. Peyton Manning has overcome so much - how can anyone outside of New England not be thrilled for him?

Wow, I'm still blown away by what we just saw - one of the best NFL Conference Championship Games I've ever seen. And the cool part about it is that we saw history today, and that's always cool - the greatest comeback ever in a Conference Championship Game. Impressive. It just goes to show you the mental toughness that both Peyton Manning and Tony Dungy have (not to mention the rest of the Colts!). I'm very happy for them.

Even the most callous of NFL fans has to feel happy seeing the looks of joy on the faces of Dungy and Manning. (Althought the look on Manning's face could be better described as relief.)

It's gonna be an awesome Super Bowl with plenty of story lines. The one we'll hear most is how these are the first two black head coaches to make it to the Super Bowl. And one of them has to win, and that represents real progress for the NFL and all levels of football.

Although, I have to admit, I'm already sick of hearing about it. Reporters jamming mikes in the faces of both coaches after the game, asking them all sorts of questions about race was absurd. I'm sure this will be twice as bad as when Redskins QB Doug Williams led the Redskins to victory in Super Bowl XXII, when that was all he was asked before, during and after the game. I'm sure he was proud to be the first, but I also remember him being obviously sick of answering questions of race. Who could blame him?

Our country, and the press, are obsessed with race. A great deal of it is understandable, considering our country's racial past and oppression of Native Americans and African Americans, but I wish I could say it isn't going to be the predominant story of Super Bowl XLI, but I know it will be.

On another note before I get back to the game, I was happy to hear Bears Head Coach Lovie Smith refer to himself as a "black coach." The use of "African American" to refer to people of color is starting to get tiresome. Ahh, political correctness - don't you just love it?

Anyway, it's going to be awfully hard to root for a winner in the Super Bowl, but I'm going to have to root for Dungy, Manning and the Colts. Lovie Smith is a great coach, and he'll certainly get another shot at a championship after this year, the way the Bears are progressing, but Dungy (above, with the Lamar Hunt Trophy) and Manning have been left at the altar too many times. This is their year.

And don't feel too dejected for Patriots QB Tom Brady (above, after his interception late in the 4th quarter which sealed New England's fate) or Bill Belichick, both of whom are class acts and who know how to win. The Patriots will be back, but they need better players (Duh, right?). At 29 years old, Brady still has 6-8 great years left in him, barring injury. When he's finally finished, he could have more Super Bowl Rings than any quarterback in Super Bowl history.

If you need a good example of how much the Patriots' talent level has declined, look no further than their WR corps. Reche Caldwell has got to be the biggest goat in this game. He dropped a TD pass I could have caught, in the endzone. Caldwell was saved from Bill Bucknerdom one play later, when Brady threw a TD strike, but to Jabar Gaffney instead.

But, one of the biggest differences between this Patriots team and the one that one three Super Bowls in four years is their receivers. New England desperately needs new ones, and I fully expect Belichick and company to go get them this offseason, either in free agency or the draft.

Thank God for All-Star Weekend

This picture is a microcosm of the Oilers season thus far. It's as if the team hasn't been able to shake off the shock and disappointment of last June, when within the span of seven days, they lost Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals, and arguably the best defenseman in the game, Chris Pronger, who requested a trade 10 months after signing a four-year deal, and only a few days after the Cup Finals. That was not a fun week to be an Oilers fan, let me tell you.

Edmonton's season started out well enough - at different times, the Oilers were 6-2, and then 16-10-2, but since mid-December, this team has been in free fall. They got shut out against the Flames yesterday, 4-0, to drop to 23-21-4. Yikes.

The good news is that the team is only three points out of 8th in the Western Conference, but the Oilers now know how difficult of a road it is to win the Stanley Cup as the eighth seed. In fact, it's the toughest road to the Cup, and no eight seed has ever won the Cup, but last year's Oilers were the closest.

The first order of business after the All-Star break is for Oilers GM Kevin Lowe to pull off a trade for a top-flight defenseman. It's a must - this defense is just not getting it done, no matter how they want to spin it.

Thank God for G Dwayne Roloson, who has really had a great year, although his stats don't show it. But, he's being hung out to dry on many nights as the defense in front of him has all but crumbled.

It's not like I was expecting a Stanley Cup parade along the Blue Mile this year, but after coming within 60 minutes of sipping from the Cup, I expected Edmonton to at least be in a comfortable position to make the playoffs.

So, as usual, my favorite sports team on the planet will have drama and go right down to the gun as far as making the playoffs. Missing the postseason this year would be a disaster for the Oilers, so I don't even want to think about it.

In the meantime, I'll be treated to a special night on February 27, when the Oilers raise #11 to the rafters - the jersey of their former captain and warrior, Mark Messier (Above, that's Messier hoisting the Cup, in May 1991, after the Oilers beat the Boston Bruins in five games to win their fifth Stanley Cup in seven years. It's my favorite Cup win by the Oilers - so awesome and so sweet, especially after the team traded Wayne Gretzky. I love Messier and that Cup win so much, I have the exact authentic jersey that Mess is wearing here.)

In many ways, The Messiah is my favorite hockey player of all time, but my overall favorite player is (surprise) Wayne Gretzky. But, I can't wait for the pregame pomp to honor Mess, the greatest captain in the history of team sports. I won't keep going on and on about Messier - I'll do that later on, when they raise his #11 to the rafters. I can't wait to see it. So, if the season goes in the tank (and it had better not), at least there's that little gem to look forward to watching.

##

There's talk in Edmonton of a new barn for the Oilers, or retrofitting the ancient Rexall Place, where the Oilers play. The sentimental fan in me wants them to stay put, but the owners, players, coaches and fans deserve a first-class facility, and they are not playing in that now. So, stay tuned on that one.

I've vowed for years to get up to Edmonton to see the Oilers play a three-game set, and I'm renewing that vow now, especially if the city of Edmonton inks a deal to give the team a new playpen. I must get into Rexall Place, to "feel" all of that history and to see where four of those five Stanley Cups were won before it's too late.

One other quick hockey thought - things could be worse -- at least I'm not a Flyers fan. Man, does this team suck. I mean, they reeeeeeeeealllllllllllllly suck. I haven't seen a Flyers team this bad since this early '90s, before they got Eric Lindros. Not only will the team not make the playoffs, but Philly sports the worst record in the NHL, and they are in line to get the first overall pick in the draft. But, that's not much solace to Philadephians, who take their hockey pretty seriously, and the city's championship drought even more seriously.

I'm not too big into All-Star games - I usually catch the NHL's version of it if I'm around. (Actually, for the last decade, I've mostly worked on weekends, so this year it'll feel weird to have the opportunity to watch it.) But, I must say, I've never been happier to see hockey's All-Star Weekend arrive. The Oilers are banged up, big time.

So, I hope Edmonton gets healthy - right now, Jarret Stoll, Ethan Moreau and Ales Hemsky are just a few of the key players who are banged up. They are all needed for the stretch run.

It's unthinkable after last year that Edmonton could miss the playoffs. I hope this year I don't have to experience what that's like.

Go Oilers !!

Finally, a funny commercial during football

More than any other piece of video I've ever seen, the above FedEx commercial most effectively captures what it's like to work in corporate America. If you've ever had a corporate job, watch and appreciate this, and if you never have, this is what it's like, people.

Too bad Wendy's and General Motors can't take FedEx Kinko's lead and develop ads that you can watch without getting annoyed to death.

Da Bears go marchin' in

I defy you to try and sit through the whole six minutes of this video, the Super Bowl Shuffle, from the '85 Chicago Bears. At the three minute mark, I said to Vandra,"Okay, that's enough!"

Anyway, watching this video brought back lots of memories from the 80s.

Today's Bears/Saints game absolutely sucked. I'm happy for the Bears and their fans, but I was really pulling for the Saints, and I thought they'd run away with it.

But, you can't turn a ball over as many times as the Saints did today and expect to win a conference championship. I really hope the Bears offense looks better next week than it did today.

Chicago was opportunistic, and sometimes that's good enough, but the Bears were going against Sean Payton, a good but first-year coach. In two weeks, they'll face the Colts and Peyton Manning, and that's an altogether different animal. If the Super Bowl were based strictly on merit, it would be Saints QB Drew Brees (above, right) going to the show, and Bears QB Rex Grossman (above left) staying home, but, as we all know, it's never that simple. The best team and the most deserving players don't always get to go or get all of the accolades.

I am very happy for Lovie Smith, though - the first black coach to reach the Super Bowl. Congrats to the Bears - now give us a good Super Bowl!

Bears super linebacker Brian Urlacher lifts the appropriately named George S. Halas Trophy following the Bears' win.

It's been 22 long years for Chicago since the Bears last won the Super Bowl. They are one win away from re-livin' the Super Bowl Shuffle.

Pat O'Slimin' out of a job

Seems like every few years, America is treated to another Marv Albert. Now serving: television personality Pat O’Brien.

Last week, the New York Daily News reported that O’Brien has talked his way out of a job. (On a voicemail, that is.)

In 2005, the creepy host of The Insider and former CBS Sports announcer was caught leaving sexually explicit, drunken messages on a woman’s voicemail, and now it’s being reported that Paramount, the parent company that produces and distributes The Insider, is not going to renew his contract. Hey Paramount - what's your rush? It happened almost two years ago.

I realize that many companies don’t want to look insensitive when it comes to substance abuse, but I still can’t believe that this guy was allowed to stay on the air.

In the voicemails from March ‘05, O’Brien slurred to a woman (not identified) about getting a hooker and some cocaine, and the messages got much more explicit than that. I've heard the messages on Howard Stern, and they are pretty unbelievable. In the age of technology that we live in, you have to ask yourself how stupid people can be, specifically celebrities, with this kind of stuff.

If you are a talk show host, voicemails and e-mails are a reeeeeeeally bad idea.

Call it the Pat O'Brien Rule.

McNaught Comet - a beautiful sight

I wish I could be in the Southern Hemisphere this week. Today I saw some pictures on the Web of the McNaught Comet, which is shining brightly in many cities below the equator. Above is a view of McNaught over Perth, Australia. Now that's cool. I wish I could get some pictures like that, but it looks like it won't be visible (or barely) in Philadelphia.

Seeing pictures of McNaught also makes me remember Halley's Comet in 1986, and also the awesome Hale-Bopp Comet in the 1990s. I have to confess, I don't actually remember seeing Halley's, but I do remember seeing all of the news about it. But, Hale-Bopp I remember actually seeing, and it was a beautiful sight.

I hope to see another one in my lifetime, and I also hope to get some great pictures.

List of '08 prez hopefuls growing. Good.

Yesterday, Hillary Clinton declared for the 2008 Presidential Race. I still believe that she can't win the presidency; she's too polarizing of a figure, but I'll certainly support her if she's the nominee.

I found the timing of her announcement to be a bit curious, though. Saturday is typically the slowest news day of the week. I figured she would declare quickly after Barack Obama did last week, but I didn't think she'd pick a Saturday.

But, I can also understand why she chose Saturday, too; since it's a slow news day, she was going to get a lot of play in the news, and she sure did yesterday. How Hillary announced her candidacy, on the Internet, is a sign of the times, too. (I'll comment about the coverage of her announcement in a separate post.)

I don't see how her candidacy is anything but a good thing. How can eight, 10 or even 12 people running for president, on either side of the aisle, be a bad thing for America? It increases our chances of stimulating, informative discussions about a wealth of ideas, and we are in sore need of that.

However, for those of you who are bothered by so many candidates, fear not - the field will get diminish pretty quickly, and it will definitely thin out before the first primaries early next year. Presidential campaigns are extremely expensive, and if candidates have trouble raising money this year, they will quickly drop out of the race.

For financial reasons alone, Hillary wasn't going to waste any time getting into the race after Obama did. Both are high profile candidates who have rock-star recognition and tremendous fundraising abilities, so one wasn't going to let the other get any significant press time or financial advantage.

Hillary has a pretty nice war chest as it is - right now, she's sitting on about $14 million, and that number will grow substantially in the coming weeks. I hate to say it, but until we get significant campaign finance reform with some teeth, money means everything in presidential races. And that gives Hillary another advantage - the Clintons have an fundraising machinery in place that will serve Hillary well in this campaign.

One big name who immediately threw his support behind Obama -- George Soros, the billionaire Democratic philanthropist. Immediately after Obama announced his candidacy, Soros wrote a check for the $2,100 maximum individual contribution for his campaign. (More on Soros in a future post, hopefully later today).

The reason the field in all parties will thin even before the start of the primaries (and even before the end of this year), like I said, is money. Michael Toner, chairman of the Federal Election Commission, has predicted that the '08 race will be "the $1 billion campaign." He also predicts that any serious candidate will "have to have around $100 million in the bank by the end of 2007."

Other declared Democratic hopefuls in the field include Delaware Senator Joe Biden (left) and Connecticut Senator Christopher Dodd (right). I rate both as long shots, but trying to handicap the race at this point is an exercise in stupidity. I realize it's a big story, but trying to assess who's in the lead right now is meaningless, plain and simple.

One other candidate I really hope enters the race is Al Gore, but more on Gore in a minute, too. At this point, he seems to be the reluctant candidate, but he hasn't 100 percent ruled out a run for the presidency. I wonder if he wouldn't better be served outside of government though, working on raising awareness on the issue that matters to him most, and we all know what that is. If he's gonna declare, he'd better do it relatively soon, though. However, I would guess Hillary's candidacy makes a Gore candidacy less likely.

'07 and '08 are going to be very political years, and I look forward to most of it, but there's a downside to all of this, too -- the coverage (or lack thereof). But, I'd better save that for a separate post, which I'll begin writing in a minute.

3 tasty ways to cheat on your '07 diet

God, I have to get on track with my New Year's resolution to lose weight, eat right and exercise more. Of all of the goals I set for myself this year, this one will be the toughest to stick to, but I'm going to try.

But, today's football day, and that's often a trigger for me to eat junk food. And today's no exception. Already this year, I've developed an unhealthy habit of rewarding myself with food when I make it through a tough day or when my sweet tooth longs for comfort.

Anyway, if you're on a diet and love chocolate, slowly hit the BACK button on your browser and don't read any further. For those of you who have strong willpower or a resistance to chocolate except for the occasional treat, take a taste of these three beauties...

Häagen-Dazs has really outdone itself this time. I was browsing in the frozen section of Wawa the other day, and I had a hunger for ice cream. I've never been too big on ice cream, but I go through phases where I love it and have to have it. So, I found a flavor I figured was worth a try -- Caramel Cone. It's even better than I thought. I can't get enough! The first pint was gone about 1/2 hour after I opened it. And for the football games today, I bought even more.

I really am going to start walking after we get back from Vegas! And if my knees feel up to it, I may even start running again.

Yesterday, while picking up a few goodies for the games today, I saw something that caught my eye in the cookie aisle - Hershey's Milk Chocolate Layered Heath Cookies.

I'm drawn to anything Heath like a moth to light. Heath Bars are my favorite candy bars, ever. Nothing even comes close. Okay, Twix and 100 Grand bars round out my top three, but when I'm really in the mood to treat myself, a Heath Bar it is. Anyway, the cookies are great - I love them. They have a Girl Scout Cookie capacity for addiction, and that's saying something (Caramel Coconut cookies, anyone?).

My only minor complaint about the Heath cookies is that I can't taste the toffee enough, but eating pure toffee often isn't enough of a toffee taste for me.
Last, but certainly not least, is my favorite kiss of all, besides Vandra's. Hershey's Chocolate Cherry Cordial Kisses are the most addicting candy I've ever tasted, ever!

There's something about the cherry inside these kisses that makes 'em so you simply cannot eat just one. These kisses literally melt in your mouth.

My advice - don't eat these on an empty stomach, because the bag will be gone before you can say New Year's Resolution.

Anyway, try these three treats if you dare - enjoy the taste now, save the guilt for later. I should have gone into advertising.

Hitler Youth selling VO5?

Some will call me a politically correct, liberal nut when they read what I think after seeing this ad, and I don't care.

This commercial is stupid, mindless and it's a short sighted attempt to sell VO5 products.

I never cease to be amazed when mindless ads like this one hit the airwaves. When I first saw this tonight, I rewound it on our DVR to watch it again because I thought my eyes had deceived me. They hadn't.

The unfortunate symbolism in this ad is so obvious - you'd have to have zero knowledge of World War II to miss it. The ad gave me these two thoughts:

First, which ad agency thought this was a good idea? Talk about narrow-minded stupidity.

Second, the company that manufactures and distributes VO5, Alberto-Culver, should know better than to green light an ad like this.

What's next - going to Hiroshima, Japan to release the next version of Duke Nukem, the popular video game?

How people quickly forget that the Holocaust occurred less than 70 years ago. That's NOT a long time. (The 67th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz by the Red Army on January 27th, 1945, is next week.)

Alberto-Culver should know better, and victims and descendants of Nazi oppression deserve better.

Think I'm reaching? Does anyone remember the Starbucks ad (left) that the company pulled not long after 9-11? Many felt it rang a little too close to 9-11, with the bug diving into the drinks. Look at the ad for yourself (I know, it's hard to see, but this was the best copy of it I could find.)

And honestly, the VO5 ad is a lot worse than the Starbucks ad.

Just because 9-11 was five years ago and the Holocaust was nearly 70 years ago doesn't make the VO5 ad any less outrageous.
I understand that imperfect people make these ads, but the VO5 ad is so blatantly stupid, it just shows a profound lack of common sense and sensitivity.

I'm curious to see if there will be any sort of controversy in the US from this ad. I found it on YouTube, and evidently, it appeared in the UK before it did here. Stay tuned on this one.

Three tales of customer sub-service

I'm always whining and complaining about "terrific" customer service. (Insert sarcastic, snide tone of voice here.)

Well, I recently had a few very unpleasant customer services experiences that I want to share.

Judging from experiences I've had with JCPenny and Dell Computer lately, the two companies (specifically Dell) are really living up to their reputations as not-so-customer friendly. And DIRECTV is a whole other matter I'll get to after the other two.

We recently bought a Dell computer, despite the well-documented and oft-reported customer service and technical support complaints that I've read about. As much as I love the Macintosh, getting an Apple wasn't an option because of usage and software issues. So, it had to be a Windows computer. Despite Dell's customer service, I'm yet to meet someone who has had a bad hardware experience with Dell. And I can certainly do some minor technical support on my own, so we took the plunge and ordered a Dell.

Dell Tech Support From Hell

So far, the computer is working nearly flawless, and having a 24" LCD monitor is a treat that has wildly exceeded my expectations.

It's the nearly flawless part that had me on the phone with Dell Computer tech support not long after I took it out of the box. I tried to save us money on our new computer where I could & still get us a good set up, and I made a mistake. I ordered an el cheapo video card, and the one that came installed on our computer just could not get the job done. The screen redraws for jpeg thumbnails were awful and slow, and since photography is my thing, that wasn't going to suffice.

So, my first experience with Dell tech support went something like this, and I'll try to keep it short. I called the exact phone number from the Website, entered my account and service tag numbers while listening to the annoying phone menu. And then I waited, and waited. Ten minutes after being on hold, a CSR came on the line.

The CSR proceeded to immediately ask me for the same information that I entered with the phone menu when I first called. I don't think it's unreasonable that if I spend time entering information into the phone menu, then a computer should record it somewhere so I don't have to tell it to the tech answering the phone. But, my fun was just beginning.

There has been some controversy surrounding Dell's tech support, because the company moved some of its call centers to India a few years ago. Some customer calls were being rerouted to India, much to the dismay of customers for a number of reasons. After doing a little researching, I found out that Dell's customer complaints more than doubled in 2005, and the company has come under heavy criticism for their call centers, including wait times, and the quality of customer service once customers actually DO get through.

I experienced all of the above. When I finally got through after a long wait time, it's the voice of a man I can hardly understand. He had an accent that sounded Indian to me. Don't misunderstand me - I don't care if my call is routed to the South Pole, as long as I can understand the person on the other end of the line. Those of you who read this blog know that I'm on record against all of the xenophobia and jingoism that has taken hold in America lately about English being our official language. My position on that has not changed. Yes, everyone should be proficient in English, but I strongly feel that Spanish should be our second language, and all signs that are hung in America from here on out she be in both languages. I doubt we'll see it, but we should. I'd love to see us become a bilingual society, much like Quebec in Canada. I'm not holding my breath.

We now have tens of millions of immigrants living in our country, and for many of them, Spanish is a first language. Yes, they should learn English, but we could be more accommodating, too. The big firestorm, made worse by people like Bill O'Lielly fanning the flames, is a sad commentary on our society - we have one of the lowest rates of bilingualism of any developed nation on Earth. Call it arrogance, stupidity, ethnocentrism, shock and awe or whatever is the definition du jour. I call it all of 'em.

I have no problem with people coming to our country looking for a better way of life. I say bravo - if you get here legally, you should be given all of the opportunities in America. But, if you're working for a call center for Dell Computer or any other company, you should be able to be understood by the person on the other end of the line. After you spend thousands on a computer and you need help with it, that shouldn't be too much to ask. I spent nearly 10 minutes repeating information I had already entered into a phone system to a man who clearly had problems understanding me, and I could understand him even less. Then, he has the balls to tell me I called the wrong number, but the number he repeats back to me is the one I called. Then he tells me I should enter my service tag number. I tell him I've done that, and he is puzzled and tells me my call was redirected for some reason, and he gives me another number.

It got worse, though. I took a deep breath, called the new number, repeated all of the steps above, and when I finally got through and described my problem once more, the guy puts me on hold for 20 minutes. Yea, you read that right - 20 minutes. When I tell him what I'm going to be using my system for (basic computing with a lot of graphics programs, photography and web design mixed in), he proceeds to tell me about some other entirely new computer I should have bought. Unbelievable!

To draw an analogy, imagine you walk into a Toyota dealer, buy a brand new Toyota Solara, and when you return a few days later to the service department with a question, you proceed to hear a speech about how you might want to think about a Toyota Prius. You'd probably call the person a jackass at best. That's precisely what I was thinking when I got off the phone with Dell tech support. But, other than this blog entry, I will do my talking with a complaint letter to Dell. And when it comes time to buy another computer? I wonder if HP will have any good deals?

JCPenny Pinchers

We registered at Penny's for our wedding because we like their products, they carry much of what we like, and it would be easier for people wishing to get us gifts to shop there, since Penny's has so many locations. We received many fantastic gifts from our Penny's registry, but as is the case with many newlyweds, we had great fortune by receiving a few duplicate gifts. No big deal, we thought. Take them back to Penny's for a store credit.

I took three items in for a store credit, and I didn't have a receipt. An 18-year old kid, who I quickly realized didn't give a crap about customer service, told me that without the name of the person who got us the items or an invoice number, they could not issue me a store credit.

I explained to her that it was from our wedding registry. They pulled up our registry and a two of the items weren't on our list, so the girl refused me credit. Wrong answer. After demanding to see a manager, I had to explain my situation all over again, and then one more time to someone else.

This is a quick sampling of some of the things that were said to me:

"Well, the items didn't come from here then," the elderly woman intoned when they couldn't find them on our registry. I not so calmly explained to her that people can see what's on your registry and not buy them through your registry. It's entirely possible and happened to use quite a bit - not a big deal to us - we just updated our registry as Vandra got some shower gifts and after our big party where we got so many gifts. The manager just couldn't pick up this concept, at all. But, she wasn't wearing a wedding ring, so maybe she doesn't know about wedding gifts - who knows?

Then I got this: "These items aren't on your registry, so we can't give you credit." Again, I explained that if you register for Fiesta dinnerware, you may get some pieces not on your registry that either A. You don't care to have, or B. You already have. Again, I got a blank stare.

After all that, the most arrogant, condescending statement of all: "Normally, when you get a wedding gift, you get a card and a gift receipt." Really? I had NO idea. That enraged me, and I started raising my voice and considered smashing one of the items on the ground, telling the manager where to stick the broken pieces. But, thankfully, she smartened up and realized that I wasn't leaving without some satisfaction.

I have no idea what the people at JCPenny are thinking when they come up with these return policies. It's not like I was returning some unsaleable merchandise. I was simply returning items, in their original packaging, and was asking for the comparable store credit. All they needed to do was put another sticker on it and offer it for sale.

This rather remarkable woman then pointed out that the items I was returning "could have come from Macy's, Strawbridge's, a number of different stores." I then not-so-subtly pointed out to her that we were registered AT PENNY'S, not at those other stores, and that Penny's has been the beneficiary of additional business since we decided to register there. This seemed to finally, ahem, register with her, and she finally wrote me a store credit, but all the while taking great pains to let me know she was going out of her way and doing me a favor.

No more favors for you, Penny's.

James Cash Penny, the founder of JCPenny, once said, "A merchant who approaches business with the idea of serving the public well, has nothing to fear from the competition." Judging from the hassle I received when trying to return a few wedding gifts, Penny's has plenty to fear.

DIRECTV's Substandard Subcontracting

My unhappiness with DIRECTV is well documented. We had major problems getting the company's local subcontractor, Ironwood Communications, to come to our condo for installation. After many, many calls, we finally got another subcontractor to come out and do the job (After informing DIRECTV that those moronic idiots from Ironwood Communications wouldn't be setting foot on our property.)

For the first three months, no problems.

Then, on the same day that one of our neighbors in our building got DIRECTV installed, the DVR box in our living room stopped working. While investigating and poking around on our roof, I noticed that our box in the living room was hooked up to our neighbor's dish!

I called up DIRECTV and explained, and, after about 20 minutes of being on hold, I was told that the company would waive our $70 service call fee. Thank God for small favors.

So, I scheduled a visit for them to come out for a Wednesday, between 1 and 5 p.m. The genius that I talk to on the phone puts from 1 to 5 a.m. in the system, and instead of the local contractors realizing the mishap and calling me to clarify, they just show up at our building around 9 a.m., banging on doors and trying to get in. Later, I hear a message on my voice mail to call and reschedule.

Morons.

I called, raised a stink and rescheduled. Finally, the guys showed up, and they were nice enough, but I took them up to the roof and physically showed them how our one box was hooked up to our neighbor's dish, and they tell me, "You have to call them [DIRECTV] up to find out what's going on." Isn't that their job?

Whatever ~ they got the box working again. I don't care if our dish is hooked up to State Senator Vincent Fumo down the street, as long as our box works, and we get the programming we're paying for. However, I can see problems down the road, because if something goes wrong with our neighbors' dish, we're going to have a problem, through no fault of our own.

DIRECTV should thank its lucky stars that it has NFL Sunday Ticket; otherwise, we would have cancelled DIRECTV long ago. The subcontractor in our area that DTV uses, Ironwood Communications, employs pathetic, lazy, stupid people. The bad news for NFL aficionados is that the NFL recently extended its agreement with DTV for another three or four years. In the end, most are losing out in the deal - from the NFL, with a much more limited exposure; the cable companies; and most importantly, NFL fans - not everyone has the means or the will to get satellite TV.

And with customer service like this, they shouldn't be in any hurry, anyway.

I'm tired, disgusted and sick to death of dealing with companies acting like you're putting them out when you request a wrong be fixed, especially when you've paid for a service or product.