Vic Thinks: December 2008

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Not only did Obama give his Dem nomination acceptance speech on the anniversary of Martin Luther King's infamous "I Have a Dream" speech...BUT the B Man is also being sworn in on the same bible as Lincoln the day after MLK day.

Coincidence? I think not.

Help Damon!

Let's help get Damon Weaver (a cute-as-a-button Florida fifth grader) to DC to interview President Obama on Inauguration Day. Click here to sign in/register and vote! (Then just search: Damon Weaver.)

Here is his video plea. Too cute!!

I still throw like a girl

First day of school

First grade.

Baby News

Bristol Palin, 18, daughter of former (wow, there is a God) VP candidate Sarah Palin gave birth to a baby boy -- Tripp Easton Mitchell Johnston -- with beau Levi Johnston. Nuptuals are pending.

What the...

Blagojevich is set to appoint our old Comptroller Roland Burris* to fill Barack's Senate seat!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? This afternoon. I thought he was stripped of that privilege?????

I guess we'll see if the Senate confirms him.

*Oh, he was also Atty Gen -- in his 70's...

What is going on here? Lt. Gov Quinn just said on Sunday that Blago would be gone by mid-Feb...maybe he's trying to do something while he still can?

Monday, December 29, 2008

New Colors!

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. I thought I'd make things bright and cheery for the new year.

Friday, December 26, 2008

Question of the Day

Do you have any fusable webbing?

Say what?

Monday, December 22, 2008

The Hawk

That's what we call the brutal winter wind here in Chitown. I hate it. How can air literally cut your face? It makes me want to cry, but the tears would just freeze.

Next up: an ode to how your nose hairs freeze with every inhale...

Topless

Friday, December 19, 2008

DWTS Next Celeb Contestants?

Thanks Mary!

Caylee

The remains found in Florida are hers.

R.I.P.

NBC Chicago reports

Mayor Daley's car got stuck on a side street today on the South Side.

Ha ha! How's that budget cut on plowing working out for ya?

Mmm...

I'm thinkin' Arby's.

Blago lingo

This is from a TPM reader:

Bill Simmons, a sportswriter for ESPN, coined the term "Tysonic". It refers to Mike Tyson, and applies to anyone who has entered a sphere of existence so bizarre, you will believe any news you hear about them, no matter how absurd. Aside from Mike Tyson, Britney Spears is Tysonic. After the turkey interview, I classify Sarah Palin as Tysonic.

As a native Chicagoan, I say Blogo is definitely Tysonic. If someone told me, "Hear about Blogo? He dressed himself up as Elvis, highjacked an Air Yugo flight from O'Hare to Belgrade, and is now living under the protection of Serbia... And he's formed an exploratory committee for 2016."

I'd pause for a moment and say, "Yeah, that sounds right."

*My bet is he offs himself rather than go to jail. He keeps saying "I'm dying to talk about...", "I will fight until my dying breath"...foreshadowing? He ain't right...I'm just sayin'. That or an insanity plea.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Angels

My Mom sent me one of those email chain forward thingies today. This one is about how grade school kids define angels. This one is my fav:

"Some of the angels are in charge of helping heal
sick animals and pets. And if they don't make the
animals get better, they help the child get over it."
-Vicki, 8

Really. That could've been from me at that age. Wierd.

Immigration

in quick time. Andrew Sullivan posted this video on his blog today. It's pretty amazing.

BHO Pics

Who's cool?

Time magazine put up a photo gallery of our Pres-Elect from college.

Monday, December 15, 2008

Yee Haw!

It's official!

Of course Congress still has to tally the votes in early January. How come I don't remember the process taking this long...let's go!

Friday, December 12, 2008

Making News

These were four of the top headlines this morning on Google News:

"Obama Worked To Distance Himself from Blagojevich Early On" - Washington Post

"Man Behind Curtain is Wizard of Rod, Rahm" - Chicago Tribune

"Blagojevich Chief of Staff Resigns" - CBS2Chicago

"Tribune Subpoenaed in Blagojevich Probe" = CBS2Chicago

There is a strange double standard with corruption in Chicago politics. Some (myself included) seems to be proud of the shadiness - like some sort of badge of honor. Maybe it's left over from the drama of Al Capone's days...and the Daley's. Chicago does have a history.

I've worked in state politics (for a former IL Gov that did NOT get indicted for anything...although there was a rumor he was gay and his wife went to rehab) and I've seen/heard things. In fact I got my job through a favor from a friend that worked in the Patronage Office (that didn't officially exist). "Don't ask questions - do what you are told." Fair enough. In those days I still thought the good being done outweighed the way it came about. Maybe I still do...(although my long political absence and re-emergence in another party probably indicates otherwise).

The thing that is so shocking about this particular scandal is the sheer arrogance and stupidity involved. And wondering "who's next?" Who else is going down...Rahm? The Mayor? Jackson Jr? Sam Zell?

I hope Obama uses this as an example and an opportunity to bust out his reformer instincts and clean some shit up.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

'Tis the Season

"It is in giving that we receive." -- Saint Francis of Assissi

If you're feeling extra generous this holiday season (along with that xmas card you'll be sending to Walter Reed), here are some thing overseas soldiers are requesting:

letters
nutrition bars
ground coffee
flavor packets for water
dvds & cds
AT&T global calling cards
personal-hygiene supplies
blank card to send to their loved ones
*per RealSimple, December issue

Go here to give.

Blago fun

I thought I'd have some fun at our Gov's expense -- I think he's earned it. First of all, his approval rating (was 13%) has now dipped below W's!!! Schmuck.

And this is just hilarious! Lego Man!

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Input

Here is a link to the new web page on the Obama/Biden transition site:

http://change.gov/page/content/openforquestions

Pretty cool.

Four

Happy Birthday to my fairy goddaughter REESE!!

Selfish?

Here's a little insight into how our currently-under-indictment Gov thinks...

http://obsidianwings.blogs.com/obsidian_wings/2008/12/blagojevich.html

Apparently only of himself.

Scandalicious!

Thank goodness for Blagojevich. I was so freakin' bored and then he goes and does the most incredibly stupid shit -- made my day. This stuff is better than General Hospital (almost). And it couldn't have happened to a better crook, er, person.

As for the Senate seat hopefuls, we've figured out who Candidate #5 is...Jesse Jackson Jr. #1 is believed to be Valerie Jarrett, who wisely took her name out of contention. #2 is speculated to be Lisa Madigan (who I hope eventually runs for Gov.). Emil Jones is another. Does anyone know or have a guess as to who the other two are...Tammy Duckworth, and?????? Anyone? Beuller?

UPDATE: ok we can add Danny Davis (?), Jan Schakowsky (my rep!) and Luis Gutierrez...

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Sia Later

So, my new thing is weeknights after The Colbert Report I turn to CBS to see who is on Letterman (a couple of jokes to clear my head of politics before sleepy time). This chick was on the other night - and at first I thought "who is this freak?" and then I heard her sing...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHDHoyhm2QQ

Wow.