The Soap Box
A place for me to dump my brain and you to pick thru it

This Blogger is Sick
6:35pm

Come back later.

PS: Happy Birthday Dufus.

Entertainment News
1:06pm

Some old favorites of TV Land are scheduled to premiere for the last time this season including King of the Hill and Will & Grace. Personally, I think it's the last season of Will & Grace because they are bringing Harry Connick Jr back. That guy wouldn't know humor if it bit him on the ass. It will be interesting to see if Malcolm in the Middle lasts beyond this season as it has been moved to Friday nights -- aka the graveyard.

ER gets some interesting casting including Kristen Johnson from "Third Rock from the Sun" and John Leguizamo. Leguizamo? Of Spic-O-Rama fame? Yup! Same one. John Stamos appears here and there as a paramedic while Danny Glover will be part of sweeps month as Pratt's long lost dad. Noah Wylie will pop in during the second half of the season but no scripts have been written for him yet, reportedly. Lastly, there is a rumor of a return from one of the cast that has hit the road but no one's leaking who that may be yet. Oh yeah, and Sherri Stringfield is leaving, but that was known last season.

On the "Small Screen to Big Screen" category, it is rumored that there are both Futurama and Aqua Teen Hunger Force movies in the works. Gawd, I hope the Futurama part of that is true! That would so rock!

CBS's Head Cases, starring Jerry O'Connell, has already been cancelled. Wow! That was quick!

Hope & Faith is still on? Who knew? (Who cares?)

In other news, I'm thinking of nominating Jon Stewart for president. Anyone with me?

Lyrics of the Day
10:58pm

If I wanna be
Repeatedly shit on
I'll go make Dutch porn
      — Bloodhound Gang, "No Hard Feelings"

Musings
10:48pm

Ever get that feeling that Mother Nature is REALLY pissed off at the US? (Katrina, Ophelia, Rita) Here in NM, we have a fire burning called El Rito. I think it's Mother Nature's brother.

When you don't know what's going on, it is comforting when you find out those around you don't know what's going on either. Misery loves company?

I'll pay someone who can guarantee I get 10 hours of sleep tonight. Any takers?

Let's Play a Game!
8:46pm

The game is called "Allergies, Cold or Sinus?" I list my symptoms and you tell me if I'm suffering from allergies, a cold or a sinus infection (or all 3?). Doesn't that sound like fun?

here are my symptoms:

• nasal congestion
• sneezing
• extreme fatigue
• itching on the roof of my mouth
• itchy eyes
• occasional ear ache (as in "OW! Someone take that ice pick out of my ear please!")
• occasional eye ache
• occasional face ache
• occasional low grade fever

If you correctly diagnose my ailment you'll get a big prize...if you incorrectly diagnose it, however, you'll get my used kleenex.

WTF Happened to Courtney Love?
11:38am

Check out this picture! *blink* Leave your own caption in the comments.

Need a Vacation?
10:14am

Why not bid on this? It could be the vacation of a lifetime or a trip to hell. But you won't know unless you try it!

(feefed from Gerard)

An Open Letter to My Neighbors
11:39am

Dear Neighbors:

Do you think it would be possible for me to not be awakened by your yapping dogs just one morning a week? Is that really too much to ask for? I realize that you might either be deaf or just don't hear the barking anymore but it's really fucking annoying! Here's another possibility. Why not let your dogs in the house once in a while? You might realize that with a little affection from you, their caretaker, that they are called companion animals for a reason. They are supposed to be your companion, not your property, but that's a whole different debate. Anyway, if you could just let me sleep in once a week, I'd really appreciate it.

Sincerely,

Me.

WTF Is Wrong With People?
11:00pm

Renee Holcome, a vice president for the Greenville Technical College, has resigned after she made the comment that the school's busses were to be used to pick up children of the hurricane victims referring to them as "yard apes." Holcome claims she didn't mean it as a racial slur and is "numb and shocked" that such a fuss has been raised over her comments said at a meeting that included African American staff.

What a fucking idiot! How did she retain her job at a college for 19 years in the South with that kind of attitude? At least there was no financial package in the deal. That would REALLY piss me off.

More Ramblings
10:04pm

What's with the new Carl Jr's ads for milkshakes? There's a guy kinda doing something to a cow...like vibrating the side of it with Sean John playing over the ad - which is strange enough but he REALLY looks like he's into it, which is creepy if you ask me. (Sorry can't find a link to it.)

Oh goodie, Britney is a mommie. I thought for sure they were going to name it something like Trampus, the most white trash name Nick could think of. Instead, he's named Preston Michael Spears Federline (allegedly). Here's what kills me. Britney reportedly gushed, "The only thing I haven't done so far is experience the closest thing to God and that's having a baby. I can't wait." But then she decides the pain would be WAY too much so she has a c-section. Yeah, so, the closest thing to God is having a c-section? Whatever.

For you Blue Man Group fans, they will be giving out the best Reality Show Emmy this Sunday night. I haven't figured out how it's gonna work as the Blue Man Group don't talk! Also, the three founders are now wax figures in Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum in Las Vegas. How surreal is that? I can't decide if that's jumping the shark or a symbol that you've made it...uh...made it where, exactly, is unclear. Regardless, I already have tickets to their new show at the Venetian in Vegas which starts the end of this month.

Ramblings
10:35pm

Stupid TiVo cut the last minute of the season finale of Rescue Me. If anyone saw it, what happens after Tommy drives away from the train station and the two firefighters realize what was making the Madonna statue cry? And in case you care, there will be a third season of this wonderful show. Gotta wait 'till about next May for it tho.

The twins passed their mammogram test! Woohoo! For those of you who don't have a family history of breast cancer and female, you don't know what it's like to have to worry about such things. It seems so cruel. I mean, my breasts give me (and my husband) such enjoyment but could be a ticking time bomb. WTF is up with that?

mike asked me some time ago to list 5 random things about myself. I was too busy blogging about the hurricane to oblige but here it is now mike:

1. I tried out for the PBS children's show Zoom when I was a kid. I didn't make it. I was too shy (among other things).
2. I had a gyn make the initial cut for my appendectomy so my appendectomy scar is really a bikini scar, similar to what you would get from a c-section (That's the short version of a long story.) instead of the typical big vertical scar.
3. I hate bananas. I hate the smell of them, the taste of them, everything. PLEASE don't eat bananas near me. I've actually had to explain this strange fact to my new office-mate at school and ask him not to throw banana peels away in our office. I'm sure he thinks I'm psycho now.
4. I've been on the Olympic luge and bobsled runs in Lake Placid, NY. Both were very cool, but the luge was a little scary.
5. I've never been to New Orleans, which at this point I am regretting. I'll never know what that city was really like as it will never be the same again.

I think that's about it for now. is it Friday yet?

Not Much Going On
9:00pm

I think after blogging only about the gulf coast, I'm ready to move on. However, I have nothing exciting to say. My main goal in life is not paying $3 (or more) for a gallon of gas and so far I haven't. Other than that, I'm running a fever and just want to sleep. Gah. Just what I need.

UPDATE: I forgot to put a link to a remix of a Kanye West song that you might find entertaining. The song is subtitled, "George Bush Doesn't Like Black People." I honestly can't remember where I found this or I'd link back to it. Sorry about that.

OMFG
12:05am

From MSNBC.COM:

"Nagin has said the death toll in New Orleans alone could reach 10,000, and state officials were ordering 25,000 body bags."

Idiots On Parade
8:38pm

"What I'm hearing, which is sort of scary, is they all want to stay in Texas... And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this - this is working very well for them" - Barbara Bush, mother of the current president.

"Every person in that convention center, we just learned about that today." - FEMA head Michael Brown on THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1st. (No wonder they had no food or water or security.)

"I don't think anybody anticipated the breach of the levees" - George W. Bush.

"I understand there are 10,000 people dead. It's terrible. It's tragic. But in a democracy of 300 million people, over years and years and years, these things happen." - Jack Burkman, former RNC spokesman.

Moratorium
10:57pm

There is now a moratorium on the news at my house. I just can't watch it anymore. The hurricane news has really gotten me down. I need to get away from it. However, this is proving hard to do. My husband turned on David Letterman Monday night and the guest was someone linked to the hurricane relief effort. I had to ask him to turn it off. That's the last thing I need before I go to bed. I've had to change my radio listening habits also as I usually listen to The Al Franken Show on Air America on the way to school. Well you KNOW they are talking about the hurricane!

I seriously was finding it hard to function when I was a news junkie. (Same thing happened after 9/11.) I was weepy and couldn't sleep. I had no idea this catastrophe would affect me so hard. It's not like I know anyone there. I'm not missing any family or friends. I can't imagine what a mess I would be if I were.

I am happy to say that I am much more functional now that my news watching is down to less than 15 minutes a day. I wonder for how long the moratorium will need to be in place.

New Mexico Responds
12:05am

Governor Richardson has declared a state of emergency here to release up to $750,000 to help with the 6,000 evacuees New Mexico will be housing. We are expecting at least 1,000 within the next few days. I wonder what they are going to do with them. Place then in established shelters, farm them out to families with spare room, or some unknown third option. It will be interesting to find out. There is a New Mexico no-kill animal shelter called Watermelon Mountain ranch that I hear are going to take in pets from the Gulf Coast. I haven't been able to verify that one yet. I hope I will finally have the opportunity to do something productive to help alleviate the suffering Katrina has wrought.

Today's Charity of Choice
10:02am

I can't even think about the poor pets left in New Orleans. It makes me cry. I'm crying right now as I write this. Please donate to the Humane Society. They are in New Orleans now rescuing cats and dogs. Please give what you can.Then go here and let us (worldwide bloggers) know you donated. Thank you.

Various Storm Related Stories and Thoughts
10:25pm

A twenty-year old man hot wires a school bus in front of a cop who shrugs his shoulders and looks the other way with the young man loads people stuck in New Orleans after the storm and drives them to the Astrodome, confusing the hell out of officials there, as this is the first bus to arrive there, hours before any refugees are expected. Good for you! This "renegade" bus driver deserves a fricken medal for DOING SOMETHING POSITIVE.

Nurses trapped in a New Orleans hospital give each other IVs to keep them going after their food and water are depleted.

A reporter actually stops reporting long enough to give an elderly man on a stretcher on the floor of the New Orleans airport MREs and water.

And speaking of reporters, check out this cartoon. It's not for kids (language) so watch it after they go to bed.

Kanye West claims "George Bush doesn't care about black people" LIVE on NBC, USA, PAX and other networks during a telethon to raise money for the Hurricane victims. Watch the unedited video here. And just what is poor Mike Myers thinking during this tirade? I'd LOVE to know.

National Guard from the affected areas fighting in Iraq are called home to help. It must be a mixed blessing for them. "Yahoo! I get to go home...to find what?"

Don't forget to donate what you can to the charity of your choice. Here are links to the Red Cross and the Salvation Army.

Finally Found Something!
10:58am

I have contacted the woman in charge of Project Linus in the Houston area. For those of you who don't know, Project Linus is an organization that gives handmade quilts to children in need. I made a quilt for the NM chapter this summer but have decided to send it to Houston instead. I am told that blankets are not being brought to the Astrodome due to the amazing confusion that is going on there. However, quilts are being given to the children who are already enrolling in school and will be distributed as more shelters open in the Houston area. Anyway, I am volunteering to collect any handmade quilts from you, my reader(s), and pass them along to Houston. If you have a quilt that you have made and you want to donate it, contact me. If you need something to do this weekend, why not make a quilt? There are some very simple directions on the Project Linus web site. A very simple blanket can just take you an hour or so. (I'm not kidding!) If you are more artistically inclined, the quilt or blanket can be as fancy as you want.

Think how much a child who has lost everything...EVERYTHING...would love a handmade quilt or blanket that is theirs forever. It could be the first step toward normalcy. Read some of the letters from those who have received blankets from Project Linus in the past on their web site. It will truly touch your heart.

If you can't make a blanket or quilt, please consider donating money for the thousands of victims. The Red Cross and Salvation Army are on the front lines, as it were, on the Gulf Coast and need your help.

Doing What I Can
11:12pm

So I went down to the Red Cross office today to volunteer. Unfortunately my chapter was a little disorganized and I was told to come back on Wednesday. Wednesday? First of all, don't they need help NOW? Isn't there something I could do? I can spare a long weekend but Wednesday I'm supposed to be in school. They said they were out of volunteer packets and I wouldn't be able to do anything until they trained me and they really didn't know what was going on. Well shit, I can answer a damn phone without training! Was very disappointing. Regardless, if you have a few extra dollars, I recommend you donate to them or to another charity. (Nick and I donated to them on Wednesday.)

I had to find something else I could do. I found two things. They are small but it's better than nothing. I've joined the Blog for Relief weekend. Basically, a blogger picks a charity to ask his/her reader to donate. I've chosen The Salvation Army and here's why. They were on the scene on Tuesday with hot meals...thousands of hot meals for anyone who needed them. They are ready to feed a half a million people on the Gulf Coast as soon as they are allowed into additional areas. Those who know me know I'm not Christian and I tend not to promote organizations that have leanings toward any particular religion but if they are the ones getting the job done, then they deserve my respect and, at the very least, a mention on my humble blog. If you do decide to donate to the Salvation Army after reading this post, please go here so we can keep track of how much money is raised through this united bloggers effort. If you want other suggestions of where to give, take a look at the Instapundit as there is a very good list there.

I am also offering to call or email messages from survivors to their families. My email is listed on a New Orleans web site. If you are a survivor and need a message passed on your behalf, please email me at Jemjamm[at]yahoo.com

What I can do is so little. I wish I could do more but maybe my little part will mean something.Even if what I do inspires one person to contribute to the charity of their choice, then at least I've done some good.

Unbelieveable
9:18pm

I can't seem to tear myself away from the images of the poor people stranded in New Orleans. It's just unfathomable. The raping, the looting, the dying. Where is the national help? Why isn't Bush on the ground there? Why is Cheney still on vacation in Montana or Wyoming or wherever the fuck he is? Why is there not more help? I actually considered stocking my car up with bottles of water and baby wipes and driving to Louisiana and volunteering to do whatever I could. There's a long weekend coming up. I don't actually have classes on Friday or Tuesday. However, as much as my heart breaks for these people, I don't really like being shot at or sexually molested. My husband suggested I go to Houston and see if I can volunteer there. Great idea! But when I looked it up, it's a 14 hour drive. Fly there? $480. I figure the best I can do is donate money to the Red Cross and go down to my local Red Cross office and see if I can do anything there over the weekend.

I really want to know how there is not more help there. I can tell you some of the reasons. FEMA money has been diverted to the Iraq war. 40% of the Louisiana and Mississippi National Guard (and their equiment) are in Iraq. Money earmarked to shore up the levies were cut by the Bush (Jr) administration. And he has the audacity to say "No one thought the levies would break." No one? NO ONE? All the media outlets seem to know that the levies were only built to withstand a category 3 hurricane. I don't know why I'm surprised that the media would know more than the president. Knowing the storm was coming, there is no excuse for the national government to move so slowly. "Help is coming" is not good enough. People are dying every day. They need help yesterday.

My city of Albuquerque is ready to do what it can. It will take patients into it's hospitals. We have sent firefighters to help with search and rescue. New Mexico residents who attend gulf coast universities can enroll in UNM this semester and apparently they've had quite a few students take them up on it. Residents of Albuquerque have donated so much water that they have already filled 2 18-wheelers. You might not think that sounds like much but it's better than sitting on your ass, like all of DC seems to be doing.

And to President Bush who claims that NO ONE thought the levies would break, I leave you with lyrics to a song released in 1971:

If it keeps on rainin', levee's goin' to break,
If it keeps on rainin', levee's goin' to break,
When the levee breaks I'll have no place to stay.

UPDATE: The Salvation Army was on the scene on Tuesday, serving meals. They are now located in Hattiesburg, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans with mobile kitchens and can feed 500,000/day hot meals to people. They are waiting for the government to tell them that they can move to more gulf cities. The National Guard, on the other hand, started dropping a handful of MREs on people from the air just today. What's wrong with this picture?

Gas Prices in Albuquerque
8:45pm

8/31/05 9am: $2.74

8/31/05 noon: $2.99

9/1/05 9am: over $3/gallon

Blog Name: The Soap Box
Email: jenben[at]g-r-c.com
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