CAPITOL HILL NEEDS AN ENEMA!

Local elections are taking place and the commercials are all the same. Each candidate saying how bad the other is, but never really saying what he stands for or what his campaign is about. This is not new, nor is it confined to Tennessee local elections.

The issue with Mark Foley is a great example. I certainly am not condoning an adult having internet relations or any relations with minors, but if you were to look at the laundry list of cover-ups and illegal action committed by the posse on the hill, it's fascinating how quickly they can all jump on this fairytale bandwagon of morality and act so shocked about the 'whole filthy incident'. It's as though they all breathe a sigh of relief when they see a scandal like this because it shifts the attention from their malfeasance du jour.

The dirty politicians on the bench and the dirt itself goes so deep in the system there is never going to be any positive change in our government or in our society. There are simply too many people involved, with too many personal agendas, very few of which have anything to do with the real problem. And there are not enough fresh minds in the mix.

So, that said...I propose we perform the proverbial enema on Capitol Hill. Then after all the impurities have been flushed, we narrow down the governing body to 5 people. 2 republicans, 2 democrats, and an independent to break the tie. Done and done.

Happy Halloween kids, and may all your enemas be desired not required.

PEACE

JACK IS BACK!!!

I found my lost youngin'. Thursday I was walking Bouncer, aka TeaBag Jones...his nickname is a story for another time. I walked right where we usually walk, and as we passed these stairs going down to the river, I saw him. There's a chain link fence surrounding the stairs. He was just sitting there on the steps looking bored. I called him and he came running over to me. I carried him back home, he was dirty, tired, and kind of greasy. Not sure what he had been into but the last time I came home in that condition, I had been having a really good time.

Since then, I have decided I can no longer blame Walt Disney for influencing my chil'ren. I now blame Ike & Tina Turner. It's so clear to me. Jack has always loved Motown and all that groove about rollin' on the river sent him into a frenzy and he went off looking for this alleged Proud Mary.

ART IS ART!

My brother Art has been immortilized in a work of art! Elda Stilletto of the punk band The Stillettos has painted a portrait of Art, aka "Audie". This is amazing to me. I mean, Elda Stilletto started the band The Stillettos, a key player in the punk rock beginnings here in the US. She hung around with Andy Warhol for cryin' out loud!

The Stillettos, founded by Elda Stilletto back in the days of Max's Kansas City, have a glorious and notorious alumni including Debbie Harry and Chris Stein of Blondie, Dead Boy Cheetah Chrome, Heartbreakers, Walter Lure and Billy Rath, and those Manic Panic girls, Tish and Snooky. As for the 'greats' who just couldn't sit down when attending a Stilletto's gig and had to join them on stage the list includes: Johnny Thunders, Lenny Kaye, Robert Fripp, Ronnie Spector, Rick Danko and Genya Raven. http://www.thestillettos.com/

I'm always very proud of my big brother, he's an amazing guy. I love this portrait and it's especially cool that it's been completed so shortly after the closing of the punk rock holy ground, CBGB.

COME BACK JACK...

Last Thursday I lost my best buddy, BlackJack "Jack". I have 4 kidkats, all adopted at various times, and last Thursday they broke out of the house. I had the sliding glass door open with the screen door closed. I left to walk my dog and when I came back the screen was open and 3 of the 4 had made a run for it. The only one left behind was Mau. Perhaps because he was too fat to fit thru the opening, but I believe it's because he just couldn't leave me. He's the only one of the 4 that ever remembers my birthday.
So I go outside and immediately Bongo comes running back in, scared to death. He did not dig the cold, rainy, outside adventure glamorized by those Disney movies. You know, always showing the dog and cat on some adventure, white water rafting, eating spaghetti, getting tattoos, whatever. He came right back and hid behind the couch.
Gatto was another story. Gatto. A 7 year old indoor cat, declawed, is out back in the grass trying to pick fights with the stray cats that live in the bushes on the river. He's out there, ears back, making this howling noise. The other cats are out there looking at him like, "Bitch are you crazy?" I managed to grab him before they opened the can of whoop-cat.
But Jack...couldn't find him and he did not come back. I'm still believing he is playing in the bushes and will come back any day now. He's always been curious about the outdoors and loves to explore. He has his claws so he's not helpless. I love 'em all but Jack was my first. He's the only one I went to adopt on my own. I miss him terribly.
Oh, and I have also blocked the Disney channel on our cable lineup. No more of those dangerously influential movies for my kids. And as for you Walt Disney, evil pied-piper of peril...A pox on your entire Magic Kingdom!!!