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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-212868682014-10-04T22:55:10.007-04:00welovejohnkerryDemocraftyhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-21286868.post-1151089491303644832006-06-23T15:00:00.000-04:002006-06-23T15:28:30.023-04:00Kerrying On, Somewhere ElseDear everyone,

As much as we We Love John Kerry gals love Blogger, Blogger doesn't always seem to love us. So this week, we've decided to say goodbye to our current platform and reconvene at our own site:

http://www.welovejohnkerry.com

The regularly scheduled squee will continue, but in a more permanent location.

Please update your bookmarks, your blogroll, and/or your friends at the NSA.

And, because it's Friday, please enjoy one more picture of John Kerry in a tie:

Thank you and Kerry On,
The We Love John Kerry Dot CommersDemocraftyhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-21286868.post-1150909690676148602006-06-21T12:50:00.000-04:002006-06-21T16:36:53.046-04:00Okay, I have a lot to do today,and I'm feeling kind of prickly because, thanks to The New York Times, I have to come over here and make a short list of crap that I don't think I should have to take from some chick who is half the writer I am.

So, without further ado:

A Short List of Crap that I Don't Think I Should Have to Take from Kate Zernicke (Who Is Half the Writer I Am):

1. This hit piece about the Kerry-Feingold-Boxer amendment.

Okay, I know it's not a popular position to take, but, you guys: WE'RE AT WAR. And just because we never get to see any of it, doesn't mean there isn't blood and coffins and a GIANT UNWINNABLE MESS - and that much, at least is sinking in. A majority of Americans now appear to want to leave Iraq.

So what does John Kerry do? He works with other members of his party - popular, capable, principled members like Russ Feingold and Barbara Boxer - to present legislation that's never going to pass, but will at least provide an alternative point of view to the administration's "Stay the Bloody Hopeless Course Till We Get That Oil" Serenade. WHAT A BASTARD.

Last week, I started a PAC to help curtail the efforts of one John Kerry from putting country before party and generally trying to make the world a better place. The Times might have joined up, but, no, people are dying. Better to trivialize that fact as publicly as possible, right?

The Times has always been snarky on the subject of John Kerry, so I'm not going to deconstruct Kate Zernicke's lousy reporting and give it the skewering it deserves. I will just remind the average voter - particularly, the average Democratic voter - that we really ought to step back from the poison and anger and plain old gossip-mongering that fuels pieces like the one in question every now and again, and try to look at them with some perspective. If John Kerry stops the war in Iraq - which he won't - this year, yes, it will have a political impact. Yes, he will look better than a lot of '08 candidates. Because he's principled.

Suggesting John Kerry should abandon his principles on Iraq is wrongheaded. Acting as if John Kerry gaining political capital is THE WORST THING IN THE WORLD is just as wrongheaded. Progressive politics aren't supposed to be about what stands our leaders should be allowed to take, when it's their "turn," but what kind of leadership Americans require and deserve.Democraftyhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-21286868.post-1150900994162076262006-06-21T10:37:00.000-04:002006-06-21T18:31:55.313-04:00Don'tcha Wish Your President Was Hot Like Me?**With a grateful nod to the Pussycat Dolls...

Happy Solstice, everyone, and have a great summer! We feel this photo pretty much says it all. No matter what idiocies are thrown at him from both the Right and the Left, and MSM hacks of every stripe, this question remains eternal!

Kerryvisionaryhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-21286868.post-1150649064695909022006-06-18T12:35:00.000-04:002006-06-19T15:52:19.363-04:00Happy Father's Day!John Kerry is a great dad. I know this because I have a great dad. My dad is not perfect and neither am I, but I love him and I know he loves me. Who wants perfection when you can have that?

That's the feeling I get every time I see John Kerry with his daughters. Their lives have not been idealized or airbrushed, but they have triumphed over any difficulty through love. They tease each other, they laugh together, they are there in the hard times to support each other. They have a genuine bond, the kind of connection that it is just not possible to fake and that shows in every smile or hug.

We see them mostly in public situations, but their love and pride in each other is plain to see, even in the camera's glare. These two smart, beautiful, decent women Vanessa and Alexandra Kerry, each made heartfelt, affectionate speeches about their dad at the Democratic National Convention, testifying to their love for him as a father as well as affirming their belief in him as a principled public servant who should be president.

It is clear to any observer that his daughters have been John Kerry's greatest pride and joy since the day they were born. Whenever he mentions them, he is, just for a moment, not the vital, inspired politician; he is any fond, proud father.

 I honor John Kerry and the late Julia Thorne Kerry for dedicating themselves to the happiness of their daughters even as they were navigating the difficult waters at the end of a marriage and I honor John Kerry and Teresa Heinz Kerry for blending their two families and being loving parents to his daughters and her sons.

I also honor John Kerry this Father's Day for something I feel, though I cannot know it for sure. It appears to me that he and his daughters have let their relationships evolve and grow with time. In early photos (thank you, George Butler!) he appears as the strong, protective father supplying playfulness or comfort as needed. As adults, not only do his daughters repay that protectiveness and support with their own loyalty and presence, but I sense that he has allowed himself to learn from their wisdom as they learned from his.

 I recognize that quality of openness and respect in my own father as my sister and I have grown into that role with him and I honor every father who has the humility and grace to grow into equality with his children as they grow up.

Happy Father's Day to my dad, Alexandra and Vanessa's dad, and dads everywhere!Kerryvisionaryhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-21286868.post-1150597138257732272006-06-17T21:43:00.000-04:002006-06-17T22:20:45.873-04:00It's Cocktail Hour Here at We Love John Kerry!Today the Washington Post printed some fun gossip. Are you ready? John Kerry can eat a lot.

BFD. I am roughly pocket-sized, but I know my way around a bread basket. I think the WaPo approached this story from an entirely boring angle. And since when is the Road to Gluttony paved with radicchio?

The fact that JK and THK like to have cocktails on Thursday, however, is fantastic. I know Democratic drinking is just the sort of thing the RW blogosphere likes to poke fun at, but I find it really delightful and sort of college.

Or maybe it's just a normal, grown-up sort of thing to do. I wouldn't know.

And is it tiresomely obvious for Kerry fangirl to argue for the superiority of the Frenchified mojito, or "momo," over the Cuban version? For aesthtics alone, I adore the momo, and, have always felt that, if you're going to drink, for heaven's sake, you might as well try to be stylish about it.

And so, should you want a beverage as you peruse your blogroll this summery saturday night, here is a recipe for the Very Lovely French Momo:

Start with 6 large mint leaves - chopped a bit if you're a lazy muddler like me - and 2 teaspoons sugar or 1 tablespoon simple syrup. Lightly muddle with a bit of soda water in a mixing glass or shaker. Add 1.5 oz. light rum and the juice of one lime. Shake over ice. Strain into your highball over yet more ice. Add half an ounce of Chambord and let it sink to the bottom. Admire the loveliness of your cocktail. Enjoy, and remember - don't drink and vote!Democraftyhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-21286868.post-1150411817965809272006-06-15T18:33:00.000-04:002006-06-18T18:03:19.273-04:00John Kerry Rocks! Something Must Be Done! And Quick!According to an email I read yesterday from John Kerry's press office, on Wednesday, "the Office of the Secretary of Defense distributed a 74-page' debate prep book' to arm Republicans with material to help them defend the Bush Administration's Iraq policies in the Congressional debate on Iraq."

I'm trying to be more bipartisan lately, since, after all, admiration for a particular Senator's hair and height does not a political ethos make, so instead of greeting the news of the How to Fight Dems Right Off Their Precious, Peacenik Moral High Ground Manual with a hearty, "OMG WTF??? RUMMY, YOU A$$CLOWN," I tried to have some sympathy for the other side.

And lo and behold, I have a lot of sympathy - at least, for the poor interns who had to type, copy, and distribute that crap.

I also tried to have some sympathy for the poor Republican Senators (all a$$hat, no a$$cattle) who are feeling the pressure of that looming amendment to set a timetable in Iraq. Note to Republican Senators/future emperors: Rome wasn't built in a day. Squelching principled dissent is hard work!

You can read about the kerfuffle at the Democratic Daily, and if you want something visual (that's really TOO abysmal), you can check out JK's reaction to yesterday's phony debate by watching our video. Following that, don't miss the Dynamic Dems take on the sad situation.

So, if you're paying attention (or letting us pay attention for you) one thing has become clear: John Kerry is becoming a real problem. He will not shut up. He will not go away. He will not stop being an excellent, impassioned writer. And normally, for all this, I would cheer him on like a good groupie, but in the interest of bipartisanship, I have to remember that John Kerry's principled stances are pissing off both the right and the left, and I need to be a good citizen and DO something about this mad genius with his Senate resolutions and his Vineyard Vines Ties!

Which brings me to the point of this blog entry: to announce my intent to establish a new 527: The Fear Of John Kerry Political Action Committee. Not to be confused with the Friends of John Kerry PAC, which is just turning out to be a big enabler in the pernicious process of John Kerry SPEAKING and the American people LISTENING.

The mission of Fear of John Kerry is simple. I wish to provide Kerry-Fearers on the right and left with the following:

Smelling salts for those pesky vapors that seem to occur when John Kerry out-fundraises, oh, EVERYONE. Again.

A ginormous cane with which Harry Reid or his designee may yank John Kerry off the Senate floor any time he is speaking with too much intelligence, common sense, and/or moral authority.

Hackers to reduce the size of his email list.

Studio time for the right to record its hit song, "The Terror, Terror, 9-11 Cut and Run Serenade"

And, for every potential voter, a "John Kerry Irrelevance Kit," which includes: ear plugs for his tv and radio appearances, scissors for cutting his op-eds from newspapers, a pair of dark glasses to dull his dazzling smile, a picture of him windsurfing to remind us of his one great crime against humanity, and a lifetime subscription to The New Republic.

I hope you will all join me. We need to act fast, because John Kerry may save us if we let him. Can't have that.Democraftyhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-21286868.post-1150244585058055572006-06-13T19:54:00.000-04:002006-06-14T19:53:06.576-04:00Nail-biter in VirginiaThe polls closed in Virginia a bit over an hour ago, and Kerry lovers are on tenterhooks, pins and needles, or the edges of our seats, depending on personal preference. The lead in the Democratic primary keeps going back and forth between Miller and Webb. Why do we care so much? Merely because John Kerry endorsed Jim Webb? Well, yes, but it wasn't merely an endorsement. (Nor was it the fact that none of us were thrilled with Miller's condescending dismissal of Kerry's endorsement of Webb.) It was one of those jaw-dropping and then heartwarming endorsements, the kind that makes you sit up and take notice and then become emotionally invested in the outcome. See, back when JK testified before the Senate in 1971, Jim Webb was one of the people who was not at all happy about it. He made that clear in a column he wrote back in 2004: He did condemn the Swift Boat Liars, it's true, and we want to give credit where it's due for that -- but he also criticized JK for that testimony. Then there was the fact that, according to reports, he refused to shake JK's hand for 20 years because of his Senate testimony. He went on to vote for JK in the election, which helps, but still, there's only so much Kerry-dissing we can take.

Bottom line, when the Miller/Webb contest started heating up, a lot of Kerrycrats were not happy about Webb -- to put it mildly. Some of us snarked about Webb in public discussion threads. One thing you can say about Kerrycrats, we're loyal to our man. And then we heard that JK and Jim Webb had had a couple of long, heart-to-heart conversations and settled their differences, and that JK had agreed to endorse Webb. And why is that totally cool? Because finding the common ground, overcoming differences and focusing on getting the job done is what John Kerry is all about. John Kerry doesn't hold grudges; he holds a set of ideals. He isn't about living in the past, but about working for the future. If anyone could sit down with someone who refused to shake his hand for decades and help find enough common ground so that the two would end up feeling proud to campaign together, it's John Kerry. Obviously, Jim Webb is quite impressive too for being big enough to set aside differences and focus on what needs to be done, but around here, we're a wee bit partial to Kerry.

So there's a lot to be excited about. Pundits say that JK's endorsement may well be the factor that puts it over the top for Webb. I like to think that the Universe responds to positive efforts, at least sometimes, and JK's determination to build bridges and work things out with people would surely qualify as something that merits a positive response.

You can follow the action here: Virginia election results Click frequently for updates and curse or squee as appropriate; I've already crossed myself at least twice.

Or go to the DailyKos diary where it's being liveblogged. You can almost smell the adrenaline.

UPDATE: Webb won!!!! The final DKos post is here. Looking at the results, now it seems as if Webb won it in a walk. But for a while there it was going up and down, with Miller a few points ahead of Webb and then the lead switching back and forth. *whew*DreamingofKerryhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-21286868.post-1149647357485266702006-06-06T22:22:00.000-04:002006-06-07T13:08:55.483-04:00Out and About in the Kerryverse: Democrafty interviews DynamicDemsLike all bloggers, we at We Love John Kerry should probably get out more. But we've also discovered that it's tough to maintain a website from, say, a nightclub or a restaurant or the seat of one's bicycle. And while it would be a wonderful thing to connect with more Kerry loyalists in my community, I'm reminded of the time a few weeks ago that I saw a truck parked outside the Safeway with a "Lobstermen for Kerry."

I declared that I was going to hang around and make out with the owner of the truck, just based on his good taste in car decor. But my husband was there, and he had something to say about that - namely, that there was a vast universe of difference between parking next to a truck that reads "Lobstermen for Kerry," and parking with a guy who might handle lobsters all day. And so it was back home to the blogosphere for me.

But because we don't call her "Kerryvisonary" for nothing, with all this in mind, KV came up with the idea of getting Out and About in the Kerryverse - asking people not unlike us to stop blogging for our favorite Senator long enough to tell us a little bit about why they devote their keystrokes to democracy, justice, and really nice hair instead of, say, writing Harry Potter fanfiction.

For our first outing in the Kerryverse, we decided to talk with the creator of the Dynamic Dems website. We've been linking to her blog for months now, because we love her insights, but she's also got a lot more going on, including a line of politically-themed merchandise that's really creative - where else are those of you who actually make it to your rendezvous with the Lobstermen for Kerry going to get the proper undergarments?

So we hope you enjoy what our guest has to say, and if you'd like us to venture out into the Kerryverse and meet someone in particular, please drop us a line!

wljk: Tell us a little bit about your site. What does the name mean? What made you decide to start the site, and what are you hoping to do with it? And is that Batman?

DynamicDems: Sure is. Dynamic Dems is a take off on Dynamic Duo and the parody, ironically, was created during the primary. Something in the senator's vocal style and in his general manner reminded me of Batman: serious, honest and straight, but with a wry sense of humor. Watching Kerry and Edwards during the primary debates, something just clicked. John Edwards' upbeat message and his youthful good looks just cried "Boy Wonder." I also depicted Bush as the Joker and Cheney as the Penguin.

John Kerry still reminds me of Batman: a combination of the Adam West and the Michael Keaton characterizations. My site's tag line, "Never give up and Never Give In," was also inspired by the parody. The "Batman" TV series always ended on a cliffhanger with the heroes (having lost the current battle) about to be destroyed by the villains, while the voiceover asked, "Is it curtains for our Duo?" It never was, of course. Their loss was always a temporary setback. They always came back fighting. They never gave up, and in the end they won. But the show, as silly as it was in some respects, provided a powerful message: it's never just one battle. The fight against injustice is a constant struggle.

The focus of my site is on this fight for justice and fairness. The site is
Kerry-friendly and I never link to any (sites) that aren't.

wljk: What made you decide to start designing DD gear? Have you always been a stuff-maker, or were you more recently inspired?

DynamicDems: I've always been into painting and drawing, but the online Kerry shop came about because I was angry about the nasty, anti-Kerry merchandise that started appearing in 2004. This was my way of contributing a more positive message, of letting people know that there was (and still is) a lot of support for John Kerry.

wljk: What quality do you admire most in John Kerry?

DynamicDems: His unwavering commitment to justice! John Kerry's the consummate advocate. He embodies compassion, integrity and leadership and his fight for justice and fairness is nonstop. He's fought for us for over 35 years. I'm both humbled and inspired by his determination and by the integrity he has shown over the years. He isn't just Atlas balancing the world on his shoulders, he's bench-pressing it above his head. Now, that's commitment!

wljk: We noticed that you sometimes use the term "Kerrycrat" on your site and blog. What is your definition of a Kerrycrat?

DynamicDems: Kerrycrat is a political camp identifier, but I think it has come to mean much more. At least it has for me. Sure, it's about promoting John Kerry's positive agenda for our country but it is also about leadership and inspiration. We're bound together by shared values and by an optimistic outlook. Since the election, the term has taken on a deeper meaning because Kerrycrats have stood strong and unwavering in our dedication. To be a Kerrycrat, means we're in it for the duration. I feel the term is a badge of honor. To borrow from an old expression: when the going gets tough, the Kerrycrats get going.

wljk: How would you like to see Kerrycrats unite and how do you see their mission, now and in the future?

DynamicDems: Now: the Kerrycrat mission is exactly the same as Senator Kerry's: take back our country by promoting progressive candidates at all levels of government. For the future, I'd like to see Kerrycrats become the beginnings of a movement, a wave of grassroots support for a positive and pro-active agenda, promoting what Senator Kerry (and hopefully President Kerry) stands for. I'd like to see Kerrycrats at the forefront of heralding in what future generations will call "The Kerry Era."

wljk: Would you like to see John Kerry run for president again in 2008? Pretend you're a strategist and tell us what do you think a central theme of his campaign should be.

DynamicDems: Yes! John Kerry is the most qualified to lead the fight and he's the most qualified to lead our country. The last election forged the steel that he's always had at his core. Contrary to popular rhetoric, his campaign did very well in a nearly impossible situation. It was a damn good showing first time out, especially for someone who came from the back of the pack. I think he'll be more than ready for what they hit him with next time. I honestly don't see anyone else there who would be able to withstand the heat as well as Senator Kerry can.

For a central theme, I'm partial to something on the idea of, "Together we can make it right." The Senator should continue to frame his language in terms that the average American can relate to. He's been doing a great job of this lately, and new terms will be needed to market a 2008 campaign. The senator needs to co-opt the language of the debate early on. Bush didn't know squat about the issues but he said the same things over and over and over again until Americans internalized his words and start humming his tune like a song on the radio.

wljk: And, finally, just for the purposes of this blog: Do you love John Kerry?

DynamicDems: Absolutely! Doesn't everybody?Democraftyhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-21286868.post-1149307687066835242006-06-02T23:53:00.000-04:002006-06-04T16:57:18.323-04:00Tie Day: BREAKING NEWS EDITIONLadies and gentlemen:

JOHN KERRY APPEARS TO HAVE GOTTEN A NEW TIE.

Exhibit A:

Did he pick up an Equestrian? An orange Nantucket Isle and Whale? Anyone with information on John Kerry's new tie should contact Democrafty with The Scoop ASAP.

Until larger pictures or more information can confirm the newness of the tie in question, congratulations to Senator Kennedy on his nomination to the Senate. Judging by this pic alone, Massachusetts is really a gorgeous state.Democraftyhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-21286868.post-1149277076022747552006-06-02T15:37:00.000-04:002006-06-07T02:05:11.236-04:00"Our valiant soldiers have done their job."A month ago, I posted an entry calling for support for John Kerry's plan to withdraw from Iraq.

Today, John Kerry himself issued a similar call. If you don't receive emails from the Senator SIGN UP, ALREADY! the text is up at the Democratic Daily.

I'll call my Senators again, and maybe I'll even have a chance to bug them about it in person when I visit the Capitol in a couple of weeks, but in the  spirit of Making Art, Not War, I whipped out the old gluestick and cut up some junk mail and supported SJ Res 36 the best way I knew how: I did crafts.

These are the collages that are going to my Senators' offices today. And they weren't something I specifically designed because I'm naive enough to think a strategically placed Hello Kitty sticker can stop the war, but because I operate under the belief that we're all responsible for finding a way to make citizenship fit into our lives in a way that makes sense to us.

I like John Kerry and I like crafts. So I made a blog and some legislative-themed collages.

Did you do something today for Democracy? Peace? Justice? Leave us a comment about it.Democraftyhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-21286868.post-1148171565068226442006-05-20T20:26:00.000-04:002006-06-04T23:37:19.793-04:00Saturday Evening SqueeI got up at 7 today for the live webcast of Senator Kerry's speech at Kenyon today.

And it was so freaking worth it, I don't even know where to begin. So I won't.

Hopefully, in the near future, we or Kenyon or the Senator's office will be able to hook you up with some video in the near future. Until then, you'll have to read the transcript. It's not quite the same, but I promise: you'll laugh. You'll cry. You may take a baseball bat to a Diebold voting machine. (But you didn't get that idea from me.)

Also, remember my big basket o' kittens comment from yesterday? Don't squee too much; we have reading to do.

Class of 2006 -- fellow survivors of November 2, 2004,

I'm happy to be here at this beautiful school, which had my admiration long before that night when the country wondered whether I would win - and whether you would vote.

Your website has a profile of a very smart math major in the class of 2006. Joe Neilson. He said that once, after a statistics course here, he realized "the probability of any event in our lives is about zero." "I probably spent a week," Joe said, "annoying my friends by saying: "What are the odds?" Well Joe, what were the odds that we'd be linked by those long hours - not that I keep track - 560 days ago? Like everyone that night, I admired the tenacity of Kenyon students. But what you did went far beyond tenacity.

My wife, Teresa, is honored by the degree you grant her, today. But she's also here to honor you because when you grow up in a dictatorship as she did, when you don't get a chance to vote until you're thirty-one, when you see your father voting for the first time in his seventies, you know what a privilege it is to cast a ballot.

Through that long night, we in Massachusetts watched you in Gambier. We were honored. We were inspired. We were determined not to concede until our team had checked every possibility. If you could stay up all night to vote, we could certainly stay up that next day to make sure your vote would count. In the end, we couldn't close the gap. We would have given anything to have fulfilled your hopes.

And I also thank those who cast a ballot for my opponent. I wish all Republicans had been just like you at Kenyon - informed, willing to stand up for your views -- and only 10 percent of the vote. Actually, all of you, through your patience, and good humor showed Americans that politics matters to young people. And so I really do thank every student here.

I especially want to thank someone who isn't a student. Because at the meeting Hayes was kind enough to mention - and I did take notes -- the alums made it clear how much they'd been influenced by great friends, great teachers. Or a great coach.

I know what it's like to be on a team before an important game. I know how crucial that last practice can be. For the field hockey team, that November 2nd was the last day before the Oberlin game. Winning meant getting into the league championship - and from there to the NCAAs. So I can understand why players were upset after hours waiting in line at the polling place that afternoon. When Maggie Hill called her coach to ask if she should come back to practice - you'd expect the coach to say 'you better believe it.'

This coach had a different reaction. "I'll cancel practice," she said, "and I'm sending the whole team to vote." In that one moment she became a hero to me, and an example to many. It takes a special coach to know there are more important things than a big game. We should all express our gratitude to Robin Cash. Her values are the values of Kenyon.

By the way, for parents who may not remember - Kenyon played brilliantly - and won that Oberlin game 3-zip.

Now, it's not as if seeing brilliance here at Kenyon is a surprise. Like everybody, I know that when you look at a resume and see a Kenyon degree, you think, "Smart. Committed. Good writer." And maybe, "Likes to see a lot of stars at night."

But there's more. The Kenyon alums I met with were so eloquent about what it meant to be here, where all your friends live, study, and play along a one mile path in a town surrounded by cornfields. One said, "I came here on a cold, rainy October, but after my interview I saw professors having coffee at the deli, and heard everybody so excited about the Tom Stoppard play they were putting on - I fell in love with
the place." Someone else said, "Intelligent conversation permeates the whole campus." Another said -- and I don't think he was kidding -- "Nobody gets drunk at Commencement."

We talked until I got dragged into an intelligence briefing from the White House. Believe me, I learned more at the Kenyon meeting.

What they said sounded very familiar. And important. Because there are other places where you can find a small community - where the bonds you forge will never dissolve. You can find it on a tiny boat in the rivers of Vietnam's Mekong Delta. You can even find it in the Senate -- sometimes.

Someone described to me what it's like walking into Gund for dinner after your girlfriend breaks up with you. You see every single person staring to make sure you're all right. I thought, "Sounds like walking into the Democratic Caucus after that first New Hampshire poll."

The fact is, the Kenyon grads in Washington didn't agree on everything. But they agreed that Kenyon is a place where you have the luxury of examining an idea not for whether it sounds good but for whether it is good.

Actually, one Kenyon parent told me something that bothered him. His son took Quest for Justice his first semester here. That's not what bothered him. But, the class met early in the morning, and his son made every class. After years of pushing his kid to get out of bed, the father wanted to know, "What changed?" His son said, "Dad, I could disappoint you. But not Professor Baumann."

And that brings up one of the things I want to talk about. For the Election Day event that united us was a disappointment. There's no way around it. Even as we flew in over Columbus this morning, I was looking down at the Ohio landscape, thinking: we came so close. So what. You cannot go through life without disappointment. No team, no politician, no writer, no scientist - no one avoids defeat.

The question is: what do you do next?

It's simple: you pick yourself up and keep on fighting. Losing a battle doesn't mean you've lost the war. Whether it's a term paper, an experiment or a race for President, you will learn from experience, and experience breeds success.

That's important, because frankly there are so many things to fight for. By that, I don't just mean the things we fight over in the halls of Congress. Kenyon produces graduates that produce our literature and drama -- like E.L. Doctorow did with The March, 54 years after leaving Gambier. Or Allison Janney did on West Wing - the first show ever to portray politics with something approaching the complexity it deserves. Your challenge is to produce and perform the rich imaginative works that move and illuminate your time.

Kenyon has vastly expanded its science programs. And your challenge is to fight in laboratories against enemies like the tiny HIV virus that has created the most devastating epidemic in human history - killing more people every two hours than there are in this graduating class.

At a time when we read about the high-tech jobs of a globalized world, your challenge is to find a way to educate the millions of Americans who can't get those jobs because they can't read well enough to understand how to get online.

And now, we are engaged in a misguided war. Like the war of my generation, it began with an official deception. It's a war that in addition to the human cost - the tragedy of tens of thousands of Iraqis and Americans dead and wounded - will cost a trillion dollars. Enough to endow 10,000 Kenyons. Money that could fight poverty, disease, and hunger. And so, your challenge is also to find a way to reclaim America's conscience. I have no doubt you will.

For one thing you have great role models. Like your parents, sitting out there under the trees. You may laugh looking at the old photos of your dad in a ponytail, and your mom in bellbottoms and that crazy, tie-dyed shirt. But their generation too faced the task of ending a war. And they did.

And went on to invent Earth Day, march against racism, bring women into the workplace and become the first generation to usher in an acceptance for all people regardless of race, religion, gender or sexuality.

They honored democracy by making government face issues of conscience - and I ask you to applaud them for making the world better BEFORE they made it better by making you what you are!

And of course, in addition to those sitting behind you -- you have great role models sitting among you. Students from this class who had a dream, took a chance, and have already achieved great things.

I know, because sitting here is a student who dreamed of being published, and felt ambitious enough to send a poem he'd written for class to the Chatauqua Literary Journal. And so Sam Anderson became a published poet at the age of 21.

I know, because sitting here is a student who, watched a cousin struggle with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, dreamed of finding a way to help - and designed a project that involved her with the leading DMD researcher in the world. Now Amy Aloe's been invited to work in his ground-breaking lab.

I know, because sitting here is a student who dreamed of returning to the country of her birth, the country that shaped a part of my life. And in Vietnam, Nhu Truong could examine not just issues, but the more difficult job of examining herself..

They all took a chance. If you ever despair of making a difference you'll have Kenyon people to remind you of what's possible if you take that chance.

And not just from the class of '06.

One of the alums mentioned that every week, a group of them meet to talk about issues. They don't think alike about every idea, he said. But they share a passion for ideas they learned here. Another asked me to tell those of you suspicious of government, that "it's made up of a lot of people like us, trying to make things better."

The group included one alum who's well known here - and getting well known in Washington. But a while back he was just a nervous 24-year old, sitting silently in a meeting with a new Secretary of State. Until he got up the nerve to raise his hand and make a point. "Who's that young, red-haired kid?" Condoleeza Rice said afterward, to an aide. "Keep your eye on him." No, she didn't mean he was a security risk. He'd said something that, as a Washington Post reporter put it,
"crystallized her thoughts about foreign policy." And now Chris Brose, Kenyon 2002, travels everywhere with Secretary Rice, not just crafting her speeches but talking about policy. I wish the policies were a little different, but he's making a mark. He's making a difference.

You know, during World War II, my father was flying planes in the Army Air Corps. While he was away on duty, my mother was volunteering to care for the sick and wounded. She sent him a letter about it. "You have no idea of the ways in which one can be useful right now," she wrote. "There's something for everyone to do." She was right about her time. And what she wrote is right about yours too.

In a few minutes you will walk across this stage for your diploma. You'll line up on the steps of Rosse Hall to sing for the last time. You'll turn in your hoods, go back and finish packing. Maybe sell that ratty sofa to somebody from the class of 2007. And then you'll watch the cars pull away.

I know you've heard too many times the old saying that commencement is not an end but a beginning. The truth is, it's both. It is a day to feel sad about leaving Gambier. It's a day to feel eager about what lies ahead.

Because you have a special mission. Those who worked to end a war long ago, now ask you to help end a war today. Those who worked to end poverty ask you to finish what we have left undone. We ask you to take a chance. We ask you to work for change. Promise yourselves, promise your parents, promise your teachers that you will use what you have learned. Don't doubt for an instant that you can. Only doubt those
pessimists who say you can't. For all along the way, I promise, that while you leave the campus, Kenyon will never leave you.

You will be linked by the experiences vividly brought to life today by Hayes Wong, who experienced them with you.

As you fight for justice in this world, you will be linked by the insights you all had in courses like Quest for Justice. You will be linked to classmates whose success you predict will take the world by storm - and to some whose success takes you by surprise. You will be linked by the times you sat on a bench in Middle Path and argued about politics with people whose views you opposed - and learned you could
disagree and still be friends. At some point you'll see that this small campus that changed you has already produced enormous change in the world.

But much more is urgently needed.

Remember that the bedrock of America's greatest advances-the foundation of all we take for granted today -- was formed not by cheering on things as they were, but by taking them on and demanding change. No wonder Thomas Jefferson himself said that "dissent is the highest form of patriotism."

So if you're not satisfied with the dialogue today, if you feel your issues are being ignored, speak out, act out, and make your issues the voting issues of our nation.

You might say, "who's he kidding? We can't do that." Well, I remember when you couldn't even mention environmental issues without a snicker. But then in the '70s people got tired of seeing the Cuyahoga River catch on fire from all the pollution. So one day millions of Americans marched. Politicians had no choice but to take notice. Twelve Congressmen were dubbed the Dirty Dozen, and soon after seven were
kicked out of office. The floodgates were opened. We got the Clean Air Act, The Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water. We created the EPA. The quality of life improved because concerned citizens made their issues matter in elections.

So it's up to you now to take up the challenge of your times if you want to restore a politics of big ideas, not small-minded attacks.

Make no mistake -- you'll meet resistance. You'll find plenty of people who think you should just keep your mouths shut or that by speaking out you're somehow less than patriotic. But that's not really new either. When we protested the war in Vietnam some would weigh in against us saying: "My country right or wrong." Our response was simple: "Yes, my country right or wrong. When right, keep it right and when wrong, make it right."

Graduates of the Class of 2006, you know how to make it right -- and you will see that it came from what you learned here: from a class so compelling you were awake at the crack of dawn to learn... from that night Teresa and I will never forget when you waited patiently till 4:15 at a polling place in Gambier ... or from a coach who knew that her mission was to teach you how to win on and off the field.

Congratulations - and God Bless.

-John Kerry, Kenyon College, May 20, 2006Democraftyhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-21286868.post-1148019342361030872006-05-19T01:34:00.000-04:002006-05-19T13:41:07.273-04:00Tie Day: Tassel Edition
It's graduation season, which means lots of things, and if you're reading this, you probably know what all or most of them are.

If you liked John Kerry's speech at Emerson University, you're in luck, because this weekend, he's giving another one. You can watch it live during the Kenyon College webcast, this Saturday (tomorrow!) 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. EST, which means PDT disco dollies like myself have to decide whether to stay up all night tonight so as not to miss the ceremony, or show up to graduation with a hangover.

You know, just like college.

I know I'll be tempted to sleep through the whole thing, especially since we're already have video of the Senator giving a commencement speech on our very own webspace, BUT! I will endure the aural assault of the Hello Kitty alarm clock and make myself some coffee, because JK will not be the only incredibly amazing person whose picture we like to border gratuitously in Photoshop getting stuff conferred on himself.

Oh, no. Kenyon is doing us one better than Emerson. Not only is Kenyon using their commencement address to - and I believe this is a Senate term - Bring the Tall and Handsome, but, this weekend, Kenyon will truly show the world what to get the couple who has everything:

HIS AND HERS HONORARY DOCTORATES.

Yes, it's true. From the Senator's office:
"The College will confer honorary degrees on Senator Kerry; Teresa Heinz Kerry, chairman of the Howard Heinz Endowment and the Heinz Family Philanthropies; and Diane Ackerman, author of nonfiction works including An Alchemy of Mind and A Natural History of the Senses, as well as collections of poetry and several children's nature books."

Is it sad that I am CAPS-LOCK-EXCITED about this? I can't help it. It's adorable! And I realize "adorable" is a relative term, but for a recovering career student like myself, this is practically a big basket of kittens.

Poor Diane Ackerman. I hope she enjoys her accolades enough so as not to feel like the third wheel.

And I hope nobody minds if I don't talk about ties today. It's just not been that kind of week.Democraftyhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-21286868.post-1147894046518549382006-05-17T17:27:00.000-04:002006-05-19T14:28:41.453-04:00"Senator Kerry, this couldn't possibly be you, could it?" So asked a more-than-a-little starstruck Stephanie Millerthis morning, when our favorite Senator called in to her show.

You'll want to download the mp3 she's been good enough to provide, as the lovefest interview only gets cuter more informative from there.

The most essential moments of the interview - and I say this because it's important politically and historically, not because you shouldn't listen to the whole thing in all its senatorial splendor - are Senator Kerry's extensive comments on voter fraud and the Ohio recounts.

So check it out, pass it on, let us know what you think, and, if you listen in public on your iPod, try not to squee too loudly - I'm warning you; it's a struggle.Democraftyhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-21286868.post-1147899953732146252006-05-17T16:41:00.000-04:002006-05-17T17:29:03.193-04:00Big Oil, Brian, Clay and DaveOut in California, where we're represented so nicely by two immensely qualified Senators, we don't get a lot of love from east coast legislators. But since John Kerry is sort of a Senator to the world, we can count on him to chime in every now and again to help us vote for folks who support our Democratic values.

Yesterday in my inbox I found an email from my favorite out-of-state Senator, encouraging support of pro-environmental Democratic candidates. Here are the highlights for those of you in the other 49:

We know that the last thing we need in Congress is more Republican energy company lobbyists. So, let's say no to Brian Bilbray. And let's say goodbye to Clay Shaw and Dave Reichert. They're a couple of Republican congressmen with absurdly bad environmental voting records and connections to big oil that would make Dick Cheney blush, and their Democratic opponents are closing in on them every day. If we give these pro-environment Democrats the immediate help they need, we can win three of the most environmentally critical elections in the country....

Every day I become more hopeful that, thanks to you, our hard-driving efforts to deliver unprecedented levels of grassroots support to key Democratic candidates can turn the tide in 2006.

I'm tired of being forced to spend so much of our time just trying to stop bad things from happening in Washington.

If we can take back Congress in November, we can stop anti-environment Republicans from threatening the Arctic Refuge, selling off our national forests, weakening environmental standards, and we can finally do right by our national security by putting America on a path to genuine energy independence.

You and I both know that the best way to protect our environment is to throw ourselves heart and soul into winning these elections.

Think we can't do it? Think again. I believe in this cause with all my heart and gut. I know it's not easy, but I remember when you couldn't even mention environmental issues without a snicker. But then in the 1970's people got tired of seeing the Cuyahoga River catch on fire from all the chemicals. So one day millions of Americans marched. Politicians had no choice but to take notice. Twelve Congressmen were dubbed the Dirty Dozen, and soon after seven were kicked out of office. The floodgates were opened. We got the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Safe Drinking Water Act. We created the EPA. The quality of life improved because concerned citizens made their issues matter in elections.

We need to do this all over again.

Now, lovely as that was, I'm just going to be honest and say that my favorite part of the whole email was the subject line: "Big Oil, Brian, Clay and Dave."

You had better believe that if I didn't have this blog to help keep up, "Big Oil, Brian, Clay and Dave" would be half a folk song by now - perhaps quite a good one. By November 7, it could be the biggest hit written on the autoharp since "Ring of Fire."

But, since we can't take back Congress with hit songs, I will refrain from launching my music career, and instead encourage everyone to head over to Keeping America's Promise to see how you can help create an environmentally friendly Congress in 2006.Democraftyhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-21286868.post-1147814733740720102006-05-16T17:23:00.000-04:002006-05-16T23:12:15.936-04:00JK at Emerson College: Video!
Graduating seniors at Emerson College yesterday were treated to that special blend of mouth-watering hunkiness and soul-stirring patriotism that only John Kerry can provide. JK, looking resplendent in formal robes and towering over everyone else on the stage (of course), delivered a call to idealism and action. None of the Emerson girls threw panties -- I suppose they're too serious-minded for that, alas -- but several looked as if they wanted to.

For those who were unable to attend this august occasion or catch the live webstream yesterday, we have a WeLoveJohnKerry exclusive: video! The file is a bit large (almost 60MB), so it'll take a few moments to download, but that's the price we pay for decent resolution. (I should warn you that they broadcast the audio at very low volume, but the audio track is there, I swear. Just crank your speakers up to hear that lovely baritone voice.)

Click to download the video.

Oh, and let me take this opportunity to introduce myself: I'm DreamingofKerry (DK for short). I'm a fanatical JK supporter (but then, aren't we all?), and I'm very happy to be joining Democrafty and Kerryvisionary to help bring you the latest in Kerry-squee. I chose the name DreamingofKerry because to me, it alludes to what being a Kerry fangirl is all about: daring to dream that the patriotic ideals JK talks about will carry the day, that our country will get back on the right track, that our long national nightmare will come to an end and we can once again dream of a bright future. Naturally this includes high hopes for another Kerry run in 2008, but I'm an impatient sort -- I want Kerry's vision to become our national vision, and his dream to become our reality, *right now*. So I'm DreamingofKerry, and I'm very glad to have the opportunity to participate in this lovely blog.DreamingofKerryhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-21286868.post-1147723587875293812006-05-15T15:54:00.000-04:002006-05-15T20:22:55.083-04:00Letting those flowers bloom.In terms of comments, the Huffington Posters are not much for spreading the Kerry Love that has brought us so much excitement, comfort, and - oh look! A blog of our very own. But when it comes to coming around, those HuffPo bloggers really have been doing their part to remind us that the junior Senator from Massachusetts is still somebody to squee over.

(Or, if you subscribe to that silly notion that nobody in the whole history of the world EVER thought a President Kerry would be a good idea, he is now somebody to squee over. Whatever works for you.)

RJ Eskow address the concerns of his fellow HuffPo bloggers head on - and may I say, very effectively! - right here:

Would it be better for the Democrats and their core principles if Kerry held back and let Gore or Feingold carry the flag?  I don't think so. Why not let them compete with each other for the honor? Why not see who can be most effective at delivering the party's message - its real message of justice and fairness - effectively?

Let a hundred flowers bloom, as another political player used to say. Is Kerry the candidate to back? I don't know. I like Gore a lot, and Feingold's taking a lot of good positions. But I also like what I see coming out of Massachusetts lately.

Eskow's point isn't just a good one because I'm an unabashed Kerry lover. It's like BIg Eddie says: you have to focus on the issues. Focusing on something like "electability" may be pragmatic, but is it really a reflection of our true values? When you step back and follow the issues, John Kerry looks better and better. I know this, because I follow the issues, and they led me to, well, unabashed Kerry love.Democraftyhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-21286868.post-1147382021850438312006-05-11T17:12:00.000-04:002006-05-12T05:33:00.496-04:00New Kerry? Old Kerry? Either way, we heart him.John Kerry has been kicking the requisite ass this week, and we have tried our best to blog apace. Today, however, Senator Superhero is WAY the heck ahead of us. Try to bear with us.

First of all, I love the sight of a Kerry op-ed in my morning paper. The Senator writes:

Imagine telling women in 49 states that their insurance no longer has to cover mammogram screenings for breast cancer. Or taking away coverage of diabetes supplies from 5.7 million Americans living with the disease. Or dropping mental health parity protections in 39 states.

That's exactly what could happen if Republican leaders in Congress get their way. And that's just the risk for the Americans lucky enough to have health care coverage. For those Americans without coverage, the message is even worse. Read more...

Unfortunately, the Mercury News did not see fit to provide a picture along with the good Senator's op-ed. But who am I to look a gift horse in so massive a mouth? Especially when we have a Photobucket account for such things. See:

And that's not even from today. I'm just posting it because I like it.

In a piece called "The New Kerry" over at The Nation, Ari Berman is starting to sound like KV and me. Now, I maintain that there's no new Kerry, only new Kerry fans, but what do I know? Thank you for your insights, Ari. It's so good of you to join us.

And Taylor Marsh may have a little crush. Welcome, Taylor, to the club.

Also today, some lucky students at American University got to see the Senator in the flesh. No pics or video of the remarks are available yet, but, as always,  text is available at the Democratic Daily, as is an mp3 for your listening pleasure.

Fangirls who feel like throwing virtual panties today will want to head over to Daily Kos, where the Senator posted earlier, and has even responded to a smattering of comments. Good times.

And finally, I watched all five seasons of Curb Your Enthusiasm and became a big fan of star/auteur Larry David, but never a fangirl. Could his lending his voice - quite literally - to a new book by Greg Palast on how Kerry won the presidency in '04 account for my change of heart? Get the podcast here.Democraftyhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-21286868.post-1147323579688283332006-05-11T00:33:00.000-04:002006-05-11T01:20:45.790-04:00"There is no more pressing need than improving health care for our children."Earlier this week, I posted a press release from Senator Kerry's office regarding S. 1955, the Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act.

Today, Senator Kerry spoke on the Senate floor regarding the same legislation.

He appeared in a most fetching blue (Nantucket Isle and Whale?) tie and that striped shirt that photographs so beautifully, but really looks even better on the C-SPAN 2 live feed.

Not that you asked.

A full transcript of all 40 or so minutes of REALLY GOOD fashion (oh, and super important rhetoric!) is available at The Democratic Daily. My favorite bits are pasted here:

We need to chart real progress against America's health care crisis.

We need to finally pass a bill on stem cell research and to fully fund all research initiatives at the National Institutes of Health.

We need to take up real legislation to get at the heart of racial and ethnic health disparities.

We need to make it legal to import affordable prescription drugs from Canada.

We need to put medical decisions back in the hands of doctors, nurses, and patients -not insurance company bureaucrats.

We need to address our nursing shortage by fully funding all programs under the Nurse Reinvestment Act we fought so hard to enact.

We need mental health parity.

We need to address our growing childhood obesity epidemic.

We need to reauthorize the State Child Health Insurance Program.

And we need to give families and small businesses access to the same private health insurance that members of Congress give themselves. It's time we stood up and made it clear that every family's health care is just as important as a politician's in Washington....

Typically, the great thing about our democracy is that if we have a better idea, we are theoretically allowed to offer that alternative on the Senate floor and engage in a debate on the merits of each approach. That's what is so fundamentally frustrating about this week's discussion – that differing approaches are not allowed to see the light of day....

There are a multitude of other ideas on how we can go about providing access to more affordable health care for small businesses – ideas that will provide them coverage without harming everyone else. Ideas that will help small businesses maintain their current coverage – because I hear all the time from small business owners who are doing the right thing and providing coverage but are so crunched on price they fear having to drop their policies altogether....

In my time as Ranking Member on the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Senator Snowe and I have worked hard to find a compromise that would meet the needs of small businesses. We have held hearings on this issue, and have heard from countless small business owners on how this problem can be fixed....

In 2004, I presented America with a plan that would provide every American with the same health insurance enjoyed by members of Congress. Since that time, Senators Richard Durbin and Blanche Lincoln have taken that idea and turned it into a bill that creates the Small Employers Health Benefits Program. I am a proud cosponsor. Under S.2510, small businesses could join a national pool and take advantage of the same federal administrative functions and bargaining power that is enjoyed by eight million Federal employees across the nation. Most importantly, S.2510 protects every state mandate currently on the books....

Americans know we need to do better. They know there is no more pressing need than improving health care for our children. That is why nearly 25 national organizations representing over 20 million Americans have endorsed my Kids First plan to do just that.When I first I sent an email telling supporters about KidsFirst, within days over 20,000 parents phoned in recordings of why the KidsFirst health plan is important to their families. I want to read a few of them for you:
Jennifer from Central Islip, N.Y. called in and said, "I have a child who is on medication…that costs me $250 or more a month. I have children who can't go to the dentist. You know, it's the worst feeling in the world, as a mother, to know that in order to afford health care; you're not going to be able to afford the home you live in." Jordan from Reading, PA called in and said, "Nalani…my three-year old…was born with cataracts…Eventually chances are she will be blind. Unfortunately, times are really hard in my house and we don't have health insurance and I can't afford to give her the surgery that will fix the problem that she has. I just can't imagine growing up knowing that there was a way that you could have been helped. But because nobody thought you were important enough and because your parents didn't have enough money for health insurance…you went blind."

With calls like this, you must wonder how it is that Congress continues to turn a blind eye.

If you haven't yet figured out why we love John Kerry, you are almost certainly a lost cause! look at the remarks in full, or start paying some attention to what he does on the Senate floor, and think about the fact that every time he speaks, you can tell EXACTLY what kind of person he is.

How many people can you say that about, while meaning it in a good way?
Democraftyhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-21286868.post-1147290989692335792006-05-10T15:53:00.000-04:002006-05-10T15:58:45.396-04:00Mary Cheney adds insult to "injury"I'm going to level with you. I'm in a bit of a mood today.

It seems that David Wade is none too happy with Mary Cheney today, and neither are we.

And I can't speak from Mary Cheney's perspective. I've never been in her position. I'm not saying I "get it."

But maybe I do. I mean, I'm female. I write for a blog called "We Love John Kerry." And I have never written to any Congressperson opposing anti-gay legislation without mentioning that I am happily married and wouldn't deny that experience to ANY couple.

So the jig is up: I'm heterosexual. And having put that out there doesn't make anybody's mom a bitch. If John Edwards tells somebody I'm straight, it doesn't compel me to swear at him.

And I know all things are not equal, and that sometimes people like Mary Cheney have a tougher time of it than I do. But that doesn't make her the gatekeeper of tolerance in this country. And it doesn't make tolerance a buffet. We cannot sidle up to it and choose the item that says the word "lesbian" is an insult, while not acknowledging the "good" folks behind the Defense of Marriage Act. It is no more acceptable than making patriotism a partisan issue. It is no more acceptable than treating a Senate record, or Naval records, or any part of the public record as something that is up for political debate.

Granted, it's all protected under the Bill of Rights. So much the better. I'm not going to challenge Mary Cheney's right to say John Kerry injured and exploited her, even if it is a huge case of the pot calling the kettle black.

But I'm not going to lie. When I think about Mary's dad, and about the President of the United States sending thousands of American kids, most younger than I am, to fight and possibly die defending Mary Cheney's right to her crappy, crazy, ridiculously partisan logic...

well, it puts me in a bit of a mood.Democraftyhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-21286868.post-1147218956079114222006-05-09T19:55:00.000-04:002006-05-10T11:08:07.600-04:00"When right, keep it right and when wrong, make it right"So says our superhero senator to all who believe in blind nationalism and who suggest that those in power are always right, simply because they are in power.

His mission is to "make it right" and he pursues that mission with inexhaustible resolve.

This last Saturday, he was at Grinnell College, delivering a speech that took the best of his April 22 Faneuil Hall call to honor and combined it with the Ten Point Plan he unveiled in New Hampshire in March. Time Magazine considered him worth quoting (and they thoughtfully included a picture as eloquent as his words...)

The Grinnell speech was one of a series he is making on college campuses across the country.

This Thursday, April 11, he will be at American University in Washington, D.C., speaking at 1 p.m. in the Kay Spiritual Life Center, 4400 Massachusetts Ave., NW
CONTACT: April Boyd, 202-224-4159

Yesterday, our energetic hero was in Nashua, speaking at the Professional Firefighters of New Hampshire convention and examining the latest in firefighter bootwear.

Kerry told the firefighters that he had problems with the President's nominee to replace Porter Goss as head of the CIA because Hayden is "one of the main supporters representing Donald Rumsfeld who helped to put in place the programs of spying on Americans and has been one of the biggest defenders of it."

The Senator is asking us to take back our government, to "make it right." How fortunate we are that he is answering his own challenge with such vigor and conviction!Kerryvisionaryhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-21286868.post-1147219103706691322006-05-09T19:41:00.000-04:002006-05-09T20:09:46.546-04:00"Gosh, this is making for strange bedfellows!"Since today is apparently strange bedfellows day, I thought we could keep on with the "Fun with Fox News" for one more entry.

Ed Schultz had this to say on Rupert Murdoch's slated fundraiser for Senator Hillary Clinton, transcribed by me in orange to match Big Eddie's hair:

"Could you imagine John McCain or Bill Frist going over and having a fundraiser with MoveOn.org? I can't even get that out without laughing! I mean, this is the ultimate in forgiveness. This brings possible redemption to a new level. The big story - and there's going to be more talk about this, because a lot of folks on the left, a lot of folks who are liberal Dems who are wondering what the party is all about [are] saying, "You know, Hillary's too far to the center, in fact, she's been going to the right."

In case you hadn't heard, Rupert Murdoch, who is the owner of - well, the media mogul, I mean, he owns Fox - he's going to throw a fundraiser for Hillary. And I know how this is going to be received by some Americans out there who are trying to figure this whole political thing out right now. Gosh, this is making for strange bedfellows! I think this is going to alienate as many people as it's going to recruit...

This is where I draw the line. I have no love for Fox, and I know lefties don't, either... I'll never forget what Fox did to John Kerry and the Democrats in '04. I mean, it was a prime time constant bashing eight months out from the election - absolutely relentless. And now look where the country is! I think they influenced a lot of people in the middle of the road. And I think that that kind of media ownership, and that kind of driven agenda, and that kind of a mission is partly responsible for where the hell we are right now!

... Hillary, you don't need Rupert Murdoch."

Click here to listen to the rest of Big Eddie's podcast on this issue.Democraftyhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-21286868.post-1147208623665527822006-05-09T16:30:00.000-04:002006-05-09T17:17:14.123-04:00The Ick FactorHere at the We Love John Kerry blog, we sometimes operate under the belief that there are two kinds of people in the world: those who want John Kerry and know it, and those who want John Kerry and don't know it.

The theory pretty much originates with Rush Limbaugh. If Rush Limbaugh isn't obsessed with Kerry, then I sure as heck am not, either.

Floating in that gray area between Column A (a crush so huge and embarrassing that it has it own blog) and Column B (hating that election-losing bastard so much you've saved every picture you can find of him windsurfing, kiteboarding or swimming to your hard drive JUST so you can make fun of him every other day) is, according to today's Boston Herald...

oh, this is hard to type.

Bill O'Reilly.

O'Reilly told the Herald: "If he is more specific and does engage the folks, he's got a good shot. He's got a lot of experience. He's got respect abroad. I think he's a smart guy. We need some strong leadership in this country."

If a stopped clock weren't correct twice a day, I wouldn't even post this here. But when you think about it, even a first-class douchebag like O'Reilly is a citizen who is entitled to crave strong leadership as much as anyone else.

So, Bill O'Reilly, if you are reading this, I hope you're enjoying our moment of solidarity as as much as I am.

Or rather, was. Because now it's over.Democraftyhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-21286868.post-1147125522044581032006-05-08T17:39:00.000-04:002006-05-08T18:00:22.400-04:00JK and Small Business: The Lovefest ContinuesSenate Majority Leader Bill "Trust Me, I'm a Doctor" Frist has officially dubbed this week Health Week.

I hate to be so partisan, but, as far as I'm concerned when Senator Frist gets excited enough about something to give it a cute name, it probably means bad news for somebody. In this case, according to a press release from this afternoon, small businesses may face yet another hurdle in providing health care for employees.

Here's the low-down from JK's office:

Senator John Kerry (D- Mass.), top Democrat on the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, vowed today to oppose Republican legislation that will preempt state benefit and rating mandates. The Small Business Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act (S. 1955), approved by the Senate Health Education Labor and Pensions Committee last month on a party line vote, is expected to be brought up by the full Senate as early as tomorrow.

"Affordable health care should be a right for all Americans, not a privilege for the elected and the connected. But in our eagerness to fix the problem, we cannot let America's hard working entrepreneurs, our small business owners, be used as a political pawn to move legislation that will put health care beyond the reach of the very people who need it most," said Kerry, who put forward ideas in 2004 that are now included in the Small Employers Health Benefits Program Act (S. 2510). Kerry is a leading cosponsor of the legislation and does not support S. 1955 sponsored by Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.).

S. 1955 proposes sweeping changes to the insurance market that go beyond helping small groups, including placing a ceiling on which benefits have to be covered by any insurance plan. This would likely result in lower premiums for healthy workers and soaring premiums for those most in need of health care coverage.

"No one should be fooled by this wolf in sheep's clothing; striking down decades of consumer advocacy protections at the state level will prove to be a boon for the insurance industry, not small businesses and not the American people. Congress can and must act to make affordable health care accessible to small businesses and all Americans, and we have a real opportunity to cross partisan lines and get the job done," said Kerry.

In addition, the bill would establish new association health plans, which could be sold by business and trade associations to their member businesses. These health plans could erode important consumer protections by circumventing state benefits and rating mandates. The unintended consequence would be insurers that cherry pick healthy workers effectively pricing those most in need of health insurance out of the market.

"Under S. 1955, insurers would be free to discriminate, with virtually no restrictions, according to health, age, gender and more. That means that rates for many small business plans would increase, not decrease. If every small business is charged differently depending upon the age and health of their employees, every employer bargains alone, risk isn't shared, and there is no benefit to being part of a purchasing pool," said John Arensmeyer, Founder and CEO of Small Business Majority, a national small business advocacy group. "Moreover, in many states, valuable state benefit and service requirements such as preventive care, maternity and independent review procedures, would be eviscerated by the proposed legislation, weakening the ability of small businesses to offer meaningful health care to their employees."

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, since 2000, the number of small firms with less than 200 employees offering health coverage has declined from 68 percent to 59 percent while 98 percent of large employers provide health care.

Hundreds of small business and health advocacy organizations along with 39 state attorneys general have made their sentiments on the Republican health care plan clear.

"This bill will push consumers into barebones health insurance plans that contravene existing state laws guaranteeing coverage for such crucial services as cervical, prostate, and colorectal cancer screenings, as well as mammograms, mental health, and well-child care," said Ron Pollack, Executive Director for Families USA. "Anyone wishing to retain decent health coverage consistent with existing state laws, instead of barebones policies, will wind up with much higher premiums than they pay today."

In contrast, Kerry supports creating a national purchasing pool for small businesses that helps them get lower costs by establishing the Office of Personnel Management as the agency responsible for negotiating rates with insurers, which is included in the Small Employers Health Benefits Program Act. This bill would provide real relief for businesses with fewer than 100 employees, protect important state benefit mandates, stabilize premiums for small business owners, and establish subsidies to encourage participation.

Kerry is also advocating to help small businesses with the cost of health care premiums by giving those with less than 50 employees a refundable tax credit.

Democraftyhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-21286868.post-1147032072115362012006-05-07T16:00:00.000-04:002006-05-08T08:46:47.806-04:00Tie Day: Reading is sexy editionReading is sexy, and there's a t-shirt to prove it.

Exhibit A: This pic from Friday, of John Kerry with Douglas Brinkley's new book,
The Great Deluge : Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast tucked under his arm. (And Douglas Brinkley tucked nowhere, but wearing a fetching necktie. He must have known it was Tie Day.)

The book doesn't come out until Tuesday, but since JK was the subject of another Brinkley book, I guess I can't begrudge him his advanced copy.

(Truth be told, I can't begrudge him much of anything when he's wearing that graph paper shirt. Also - and it might seem totally obsessive to fangirl somebody's biographer, but I always forget how cute Douglas Brinkley is. For his part, let me say that writing is sexy, too.)

If you want to be sexy on your own before The Great Deluge hits the shelves, there's always Senator Kennedy's new book, which actually cost me $10 more at my local bookstore than it does on Amazon, but that's okay, because Kerry fans support small businesses!
And for free online, Bob's thoughts on The Imperial Presidency make for good, thought-provoking, start-the-week-off-ready-to-fight-evil reading.Democraftyhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-21286868.post-1146719650531857672006-05-03T21:11:00.000-04:002006-05-04T02:34:26.870-04:00"We regard men as infinitely precious and possessed of unfulfilled capacities for reason, freedom, and love.In affirming these principles we are aware of countering perhaps the dominant conceptions of man in the twentieth century: that he is a thing to be manipulated, and that he is inherently incapable of directing his own affairs. We oppose the depersonalization that reduces human beings to the status of things -- if anything, the brutalities of the twentieth century teach that means and ends are intimately related, that vague appeals to 'posterity' cannot justify the mutilations of the present. We oppose, too, the doctrine of human incompetence because it rests essentially on the modern fact that men have been 'competently' manipulated into incompetence -- we see little reason why men cannot meet with increasing skill the complexities and responsibilities of their situation, if society is organized not for minority, but for majority, participation in decision-making."

Don't laugh, but when I first read that passage of The Port Huron Statement, I immediately began dreaming of stitching at least some of it into a sampler.

And when I first learned that the primary author of the document had long been thought to be one Tom Hayden, I'll admit I was a little bit smitten. At least intellectually. He may not have been a gay, dead, French structuralist philosopher like Roland Barthes, but he sure could write.

I remember wanting so badly to join the Students for a Democratic Society and protest the war in loafers and pearls. Some of my classmates in grad school even thought about starting a chapter of the revived organization, but two things stopped us: we had to graduate. And then we had to do what we could to help make John Kerry President of the United States.

Two years have gone by since I got my MA, and in that time, I am sorry to say, the Port Huron Statement has become even more relevant. I still haven't joined SDS, but I do blog in loafers and pearls... for whatever that's worth.

Tom Hayden blogs, too, and all this is really to say that I CAN'T say how much kinship and gratitude I felt tonight when I saw that Tom Hayden had posted a rebuttal to George Packer's mischaracterization of John Kerry's Iraq withdrawal plan - the same plan for which I am encouraging endorsements.

Hayden writes at the HuffPo: "[Packer] cleverly alters Kerry's proposal by leaving out the international summit Kerry has proposed to address peacekeeping, reconstruction and other issues concerning the transition to a post-war period. Kerry thus is categorized as an uncaring advocate of 'out now', unlike Packer who at least cares about the killing he seems to support forever."

You may have to read the whole post to get the quote above. If not, I hope you'll read the whole post, because it's a heck of a lot better than anything I've got here.

So I'll leave you to that, except for this: We don't JUST love John Kerry - although, to tell the truth, just that takes up more than a little of my day. We also regard men as infinitely precious and possessed of unfulfilled capacities for reason, freedom, and love.Democraftyhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com


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The Federal Trade Commission today announced the following actions:
For Your Information
Public statement on the FTC's 2000 Online Privacy Survey:
- Later this month, the FTC will conduct a survey of U.S. commercial Web sites to determine the extent to which these sites are collecting personal information from online consumers and implementing fair information practices of notice, choice, access and security. The survey will include a random sample drawn from a list of the busiest sites on the World Wide Web, compiled by Nielsen//NetRatings, Inc., for the month of January 2000, as well as a census of all of the 100 busiest sites on the Nielsen//NetRatings list. Commission staff will assess Web sites' compliance with fair information practices by analyzing the sites' stated policies regarding the collection, use and disclosure of personal information gathered from consumers online.
Copies of this press release are available from the FTC's web site at http://www.ftc.gov and also from the FTC's Consumer Response Center, Room 130, 600 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580; 877-FTC Help (877-382-4357); TDD for the hearing impaired 1-866-653-4261. To find out the latest news as it is announced, call the FTC NewsPhone recording at 202-326-2710.
Contact Information
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subset: commoncrawl


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About Curtis Entertainment
Curtis Entertainment
Phone: 602-471-2500
Interactive DJ Host/Emcees with Personality. The entert... Read MoreRead More ainment for your entire Wedding is in the hands of experienced Professionals with extensive referrals available. Let us guide you through a stress free entertainment experience with DJ's who place your happiness and satisfaction at the very top of our goals.Curtis Entertainment provides extensive music libraries along with state of the art equipment featuring wireless microphones, great props, and interactive activities upon request. Remember, Let's have Fun....


text:
Search billions of records on Ancestry.com
Springfield Journal Register, date of paper which originally published the following is unknown.
(Lithograph courtesy of Mrs. Wilbur Hale)
Among the lithographs appearing in various souvenir booklets of Springfield in the Nineties, the one shown above is one of the most interesting groups of churches that we have seen. Here we see an artist's conception of three well-known downtown churches in that period - left to right: 1. First Presbyterian Church at 7th and Capitol Avenue. 2. St. Paul's pro-Cathedral at 3rd and Adams Streets. 3. First Christian Church at 5th and Jackson Streets. This was the second church building occupied by the First Presbyterian congregation, erected in 1868 and still in use, minus that noble spire. The organization dates back to 1823. Old St. Paul's pro-Cathedral was built in 1847, the first edifice of this denomination established in Springfield in 1835. It was razed in 1912. The Christian Church shown above was erected in 1890. It was the third building of this congregation - which was then the only one of this denomination in the city, organized in 1833. It was razed about the year 1913. This lithograph is typical of the fanciful illustrations in those quaint old souvenir booklets.
Submitted by:
Jeanie Lowe.


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The Osmonds Special Guest Stars in Boogie Nights the 70's Musical
LONDON, ENGLAND, January 24, 2013 --BOOGIE NIGHTS THE MUSICAL starts this January in the United Kingdom. Accompanied by an all-star cast, this musical is a must-see this season.
Originally written and released in 1997 by Jon Conway, this brilliant show has been known over the years as the first jukebox pop musical inspiring such Broadway shows as 'Our House,' 'We Will Rock You' and 'Mamma Mia'. The Boogie Nights 70's Musical is a renowned party extravaganza that has thrilled audiences for generations.
The 2013 rendition will feature several hit seventies songs such as 'Crazy Horses' and 'Love me for a Reason,' sung live by The Osmonds. Jimmy Osmond, who has performed in past tours of the musical stated, "I'm thrilled to once again be a part of the amazing energy of this great show. My brothers, Merrill and Jay and I had so much fun on our 2012 record-breaking tour, I'm excited they have agreed to join in on the fun and continue the party! They are really looking forward to doing a little something different than our usual concert appearances."
The musical will feature a full cast of fifteen musicians, singers and dancers, promising to provide audiences with the party environment they know and love. With featured songs like 'Y.M.C.A.', 'Happy Days', 'We are family' and 'Boogie Wonderland' every audience member will be jumping out of their seats to dance with the cast in the aisles. This musical promises to be one of the biggest all-star shows on tour this year, an essential must see event.
For More Information, Tickets and Venues:
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Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries concerning restrictive measures against Syria
Maja Kocijančič
EEAS spokesperson
+32 22986570
+32 498984425
Catherine Ray
Lead EEAS spokesperson
+32 22969921
+32 498969921
On 16 December 2015, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2015/2359[1] implementing Council Decision 2013/255/CFSP.
The Decision amends the list of persons and entities subject to restrictive measures as set out in Annex I to Decision 2013/255/CFSP.
The Candidate Countries the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, Montenegro*, Serbia* and Albania*, and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia align themselves with this Decision.
They will ensure that their national policies conform to this Council Decision.
The European Union takes note of this commitment and welcomes it.
[1] Published on 17.12.2015 in the Official Journal of the European Union no. L 331, p. 26.
* The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Albania continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.


text:
Hey everybody! I'd like to introduce the first episode of a new podcast that some friends and I are making. In our debut episode we discuss E3 2013, such a major topic seems appropriate for our first show.
You can listen to it right here:
Please feel provide feedback. We're new to this and we don't have much more than Audacity on my Macbook so we don't sound too great, yet. Any criticism and/or advice would be wonderful.
Please follow us on Twitter:
Zach (me) - @Zukkoyaki
Derek - @TheDtrain_
Zukkoyaki is a college student and an aspiring video game journalist. I write everyday to hone and improve my craft. Like what you read? Please check out some of my other blogs:
- Bethesda's rise to being a top tier publisher
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- Why I Love Atlus: Part 2
Follow me on Twitter: @Zukkoyaki and please listen to my podcast


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Section Menu
SJU Commemorates 20th Anniversary of Martyred Jesuits
Monday, October 26, 2009
PHILADELPHIA (Oct. 23, 2009) -- Rodolfo Cardenal, S.J., former provost of the University of Central America (UCA) in El Salvador, will present "The Message of the UCA Martyrs in Today's Reality" at Saint Joseph's University on Thursday, Oct. 29, at 11:30 a.m., to commemorate the murders of six Jesuit priests and their two colleagues at UCA in 1989.
The lecture, which is sponsored by the Office for Mission and Identity at SJU, will take place in the Banquet Hall of Campion Student Center located off of Cardinal Avenue near City Avenue. It is free and open to the public.
On Nov. 16, 1989, the Salvadoran army raided the Jesuit residence at UCA (Universidad Centroamericana, located in the capital, San Salvador) murdering the priests, their housekeeper and her daughter: an act of violence resulting from contention for social and economic power in El Salvador.
As professor of history and provost of UCA at the time of the slayings, Fr. Cardenal may have been murdered that night, had he not moved from the University's campus shortly before the attack.
"Through his close association with his brother Jesuits – professors all – who were tireless voices for social justice in El Salvador, Fr. Cardenal will offer deep insight into their legacy, and how contemporary Jesuit universities can be agents of change," said Daniel Joyce, S.J., assistant to the vice president for mission and identity at Saint Joseph's.
Fr. Cardenal will share his personal reflections on the 1989 killings and how they are relevant today, remembering his friends and colleagues: Ignacio Ellacuria, S.J., Ignacio Martin-Baro, S.J., Segundo Montes, S. J., Amando Lopez, S.J., Juan Ramon Moreno, S.J., Joaquin Lopez y Lopez, S.J., Julia Elba Ramos and her daughter, Celina Mariset Ramos.
A member of a prominent Nicaraguan family, Fr. Cardenal is currently a professor of history at the University of Central America in his native Managua, Nicaragua.
Media Contact
Patricia Allen, Associate Director of University Communications, 610-660-3240, email@example.com


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Pete Selleck: How do you make people less afraid to share ideas?
"This is very important in order to make progress, particularly if you are working on a tough problem with a diverse group of people. When brainstorming a difficult issue, you must explain and enforce clear rules, that people must listen and refrain from criticizing when others express their ideas. And protect people, and even reward them, when they take the risk of saying what they truly believe, even if they saying things that are unpopular and politically incorrect." — Pete SelleckAB


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My aunt just had her 74th birthday and I had this photo enlarged on canvas for her. She absolutely loved this clear and detailed photo of her youth and brought it with her to all the parties people had for her to show them.
Canvas On Demand was quick and accurate. They produced a product that was seamless and lovely.
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Maruti Suzuki is all set to resume production at its riot-torn Manesar facility from August 21, albeit on a small scale.
The production work at Manesar plant will take off under heavy security, with 300 workers working daily basis to roll out 150 Swift hatchbacks and DZire sedans from its two plants. Maruti had locked its Manesar Plant on July 21 after workers ran amok killing one official and injuring a hundred others.
The company has decided to axe at least 500 permanent workers, including the 154 workers who are in police custody now.
Maruti Suzuki has decided to take this action following police investigation and its internal enquiries. According to its findings, at least 500 permanent workers are alleged to be involved in the violence. Also, depending on further investigation, more labors could face the axe.


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In an effort to drive some badly needed interest in his fighter Manny Pacquiao's November 22nd fight against Chris Algieri, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum will be having a 6-city promotional tour for them starting on August 25th in Macao, China. Pacquiao and Algieri will then travel to Shanghai, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and New York.
With this fight, Arum probably should have thought of making it an 11-city press tour because it's going to need an awful lot of buildup in order to get boxing fans excited about it, especially if Arum fails to add a quality undercard.
Right now the talk is that flyweight Zou Shiming will be on the undercard. That'll obviously help make the fight a big deal in China, but for the fight to do well in the U.S, Arum is going to need to somehow convince the casual boxing fans in America that Algieri is an exciting fighter with a good chance of winning. Of course, Arum could also open up his piggy bank and put together a good undercard with some of his best Top Rank fighters appearing like Terence Crawford, Julio Cesar Chavez, Brandon Rios, Mike Alvarado, Miguel Cotto, Mikey Garcia and/or Nonito Donaire.
If Arum stacked the Pacquiao-Algieri undercard with good fights instead of with obscure guys, he might be able to get a lot of pay-per-view buys in the United States. But other than that, it's not looking like the Pacquiao vs. Algieri fight card is going to generate a lot of PPV buys in the U.S.
Arum picked out Algieri for Pacquiao because he liked the storyline that it would bring in. Algieri has a Master's degree and he's talked about wanting to go to medical school in the future. Arum believes the casual boxing fans will be interested in seeing a fighter like this fighting for a world title against Pacquiao.
Just how much mileage Arum can get out of Algieri's educational background is hard to tell. I'm not sure that fans will care much about how many degrees that Algieri has. If all they have to go by is his fight against Ruslan Provodnikov last June, a fight where Algieri was in high gear running for his life the last 11 rounds of the fight, then Arum could be very unhappy when the PPV results are less than what he'd hoped for.


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James Suckling archive
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The Danger of Smoking Cigars
Posted: Jun 25, 2008 10:20am ET
I had a nasty run-in with a Juan Lopez Selección No. 1 the other night! It was after a serious wine tasting dinner at my house with Bibi Gratez, the hipster winemaker/owner of one of my favorite wines in Tuscany, Testamatta.
A Saturday Morning Tradition in Havana
Posted: Jun 16, 2008 10:43am ET
I passed through Havana over the weekend on the way back to Europe, and I thought I was looking pretty rough after a few days in Hollywood with friends and family. What better way to freshen up, I thought to myself, than with a traditional shave in Old Havana on Saturday morning? I asked a friend if he knew a good barber who still did open razor shaves, and he told me to go to a small barbershop at the corner of Plaza de Armas and Obispo.
Another Flight from Havana
Posted: Jun 11, 2008 10:10am ET
Leaving Havana can be the worst experience at times. Sometimes you can take away things that you can't smoke nor bargained for. I flew to Los Angeles over the weekend from the island and I found that I brought back something that I didn't count on.
A Special Factory for Special Cigars in Havana
Posted: Jun 9, 2008 5:19pm ET
I thought I was going to the Partagas Factory on Friday but I was told it was closed. So I ended up hanging with some friends and smoking some cigars (as usual) in La Habana. It made me think about the new specialty factory that the Cubans are developing at the moment.
A Message for America
Posted: Jun 6, 2008 2:52pm ET
Manuel Garcia, the commercial director for Habanos SA., the global marketing and distribution organization for Cuban cigars, probably knows more about the Cuban cigar business than anyone on earth. He has been selling Cuban cigars for Habanos (and what it was called earlier, Cubatabaco) around the world since 1989, and he has seen amazing changes in the industry, both in production and distribution and marketing.
Cigar Morning Meeting in Havana
Posted: Jun 5, 2008 5:02pm ET
It's hot today in Havana. They say it's in the high 80s but it fees like the 90s. And it's super humid too. What a change from Europe, which has been cold, wet and miserable over most of the last few weeks.
Que Rico To Smoke in the José Martí Airport
Posted: Jun 4, 2008 4:41pm ET
I sat in the VIP lounge at Havana's José Martí Airport for about an hour waiting for my bags. Everyone was super friendly, super chilled. I made some jokes in my bad Spanish and just hung and smoked my Trinidad Fundadore.
The Right Smoke for Cuba
Posted: Jun 3, 2008 4:48pm ET
What would you bring to Cuba for your first smoke? I always have that "problem" when I go to cigar smokers' paradise. I like to light a cigar as soon as I arrive on the island, and that normally means at the VIP lounge in the José Martí Airport as I am waiting for my luggage.
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Deep Silver, the publisher of 2011's tragically disappointing open-world zombie game, have officially announced a sequel to Techland's Dead Island, entitled Dead Island: Riptide.
"The next battle between life and death" is currently in development for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC. A full reveal is planned for later this summer.


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Warsaw (Oct. 3)
A terrible tragedy was revealed here when a young woman who had fainted in the streets was brought before the local magistrate. She was clothed in rags, and had been observed wandering about the streets of Warsaw for several days, apparently homeless.
On inquiry it appeared that she was a Jewess by the name of Dr. Leopoldina Komet, a physician and a Doctor of Philosophy, who had escaped from Germany. She was the daughter of a wealthy Leipzig Jew, who had studied at the University of Vienna, and had then practiced as a doctor in Leipzig. When Hitler came into power, she was arrested and put in a concentration camp, from which she managed to escape to Poland. She got to Warsaw on foot, and had vainly been trying to find a position as a physician or even as a nurse. She had walked about penniless and homeless, until she fainted of hunger.
On being asked why she had not registered with the Warsaw Refugee Committee, she replied that she had not wanted to fall a burden to anyone, and she had been too proud to ask for help.
A sum of money was immediately collected among sympathizers and presented to her, but she refused to accept it, and walked back to the vaults in which she had been spending her nights. However sound may be the Aryan clause in robbing protective colorationist Jews of their mantle of convenience, it also takes away from honest converts their proven right to serve the Church in which they feel they belong. When a Jew becomes a Christian in order that he may qualify for the post of Privy Councillor, or conductor of the State Opera House, you may dispute his sincerity as an apostate, but when he becomes a Christian in order to serve as pastor in some humble little community, you have not the same right to doubt.
There is in Alexandria today, for example, the young scion of a rich Jewish merchant who played his part in the night life of the capitals of Europe. He also used to be an ardent Zionist. Today he spends his summers, not in Paris, but in Alexandria, in study and in prayer, a convert to Catholicism who now believes that the Jews will inherit Palestine only when, and if, they return to it as Catholics. One of the most saintly scholars of the Church of Rome in France still calls himself Max Jacob. There are apostates from Judaism who are really apostates against Judaism and not for Christianity. They are the ones who wish to revenge themselves for slights suffered and for the general sense of inferiority which the creed of Judaism sometimes inflicts upon its people. But there is no doubt that positive motivations have operated to make sons and grandsons of Jews honest servants of the Christian Church. There is in Brazil today, for example, a Russian Jew who is one of the most successful Baptist missionaries and writers of missionary tracts. He toils for his creed under his Jewish name. He ascended soapboxes for Christ on the streets of London when he could not yet speak the English language and used to be thrown down Whitechapel stairs for his proselytizing pains. He went into the wilds of Brazil and there encountered not only the normal disadvantages under which missionary zeal in the wilds suffers, but also the animosity of the predominant Catholic faith there. He may be a mistaken, but he is an honest, convert to Christianity.
The Aryan clause challenges the right of this man to serve an adopted creed. While it does, missionary organizations are right in protesting against its application, however divided in opinion Jews may feel about it. While the Aryan clause is bringing back to the Jewish fold Jews whose Christian veneer was thin, it is also compelling to return to Jewry many whose instinctive loyalty is not to Judaism. Jews should take them back with feelings that may be described as mixed.


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Richmond's Morrison at North American Indigenous Games
Annie Morrison is in Regina this week representing B.C. at the North American Indigeous Games.
Richmond teen Annie Morrison is competing at the North American Indigenous Games, which began this week in Regina.
Ojibway on her father's side, Morrison, 14, is a pitcher/first base player for B.C.'s under-16 girls' softball team, which was scheduled to play its first tournament game today. Morrison has played softball for seven years and is also active in basketball and volleyball.
The Games continue through July 27.
We encourage an open exchange of ideas on this story's topic, but we ask you to follow our guidelines for respecting community standards. Personal attacks, inappropriate language, and off-topic comments may be removed, and comment privileges revoked, per our Terms of Use. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.