Rush is a racist... details at 11

For those of you who are familiar with extreme right wing radio host Rush Limbaugh, you must now know he is like a cat with 9 lives. His arrest for posession of Oxycontin & Vicodin were lives 3 & 4 at least. His unbearable attack on Michael J. Fox and his battle with Parkinsons Disease was probably Life 6. Let's not forget his racist comments about NFL Quarterback Donovan McNabb. Life 7 possibly. Let's not forget the finding of another prescription drug not of his, Viagra, after a trip to the Dominican Republic (Life 2, 5 or 1??) Any one of those escapades alone would be enough to fell a mere mortal but Mr. Limbaugh has a radio empire far sturdier than Don Imus.

His latest outrage is a parody song of Barack Obama called "Barack the Magic Negro" sung to the tune of Puff The Magic Dragon. He thinks it's okay to use this term because he saw it in the LA Times. But the song is sung in the "voice" of Al Sharpton. I won't bother to repeat the lyrics. They are simply the work of a fool.
There are those who think that in this new age of Imus that Rush will pay for this transgression. I have my doubts. He has a few more lives left. Rush Limbaugh will survive this tempest. Anybody who can survive the horrible oxycontin arrest must have a feeling of invincibility. Imus is a memory. There is no longer any talk of newfound respect for black women in our culture. We are in the last throes of discussing Virginia Tech and are moving on to the next "crisis" of our society.

In New York, that would be the Yankees & their continued collapse (7 in a row as of tonight!). Finally, a story I can get behind.

Amazing statistic I learned

I was watching Charlie Rose the other night and they had a panel discussion on with a group of oncology specialists from around the country (and a British doctor as well).

One of the oncologists said that if tobacco was eliminated in our society, then cancer deaths would drop 30%.

That may sound unimpressive to some, but if you know folks who have battled cancer (and if you are over the age of 40 you have) then that figure looms much larger.

There has never been a better time to quit smoking.

I Hate Imus

On a day when the airwaves should be filled with wonderful tributes for the late Kurt Vonnegut, we are instead treated to nonstop Imus TV.

Potty Training... diaper half full or half empty?

This week has been a turning point (for Grace, not me).

Essentially the last three + days she has been pull-up (for those of you non parents, a pull up is essentially a marketing ploy. It's a diaper that your child can supposedly easily remove to relieve themself. The reality is that it should be called a pull-down but I'm fairly certain the marketing boys put the kibbosh on that) free during the day. Sarah purchased some "big girl" underwear and that seems have helped her turn the corner. Crapping is still a pull-down affair, but one can hope for the best.

Diapers/pull-downs are so damn convenient I am surprised that we ever manage to toilet train our charges. Did I mention I have been working all week and only managed one bathroom visit with her on the highway tonight? Kudos to mum as usual.

Gators

After 2 Basketball National Championships and 1 Football Championship in the past year, I now have begun to understand how Yankee fans feel.

And I still hate them.