Continuing the Series

Thanks to my good (and now better) friend Sam, I am now the proud owner of the only Ezra Klein autograph in DC. I may have also earned the title of dorkiest dork that has ever dorkily walked the streets of DC. Next Monday, Jonathan Cohn at Politics & Prose. It's definitely my week for brilliant writers concerned with health care.

PS: Everyone should read Cohn's book.

Said I Promised to Never Fall in Love With a Stranger

For the record, I love Sacha Zimmerman. She makes me feel that my television addiction could lead to something in my life, although I know I'll never have a faction of her wit and charm. (And beauty- my goodness!) This is from her latest piece on American Idol (which, although still angry that it messed with House, I watch):

...America's newest sweetheart is by no means the best singer on the program. In fact, most people agree Sanjaya is the worst--and their hatred has caused quite a kerfuffle. And if "Idol" has always spurred the kind of civic participation most pols can only dream of, now it also mirrors the corruptibility of democracy just as well: Sanjaya is America's latest wedge issue.

This is where I admit that I like Sanjaya for one reason and one reason only. He's cute. I like Robbie Williams, too. Do you think it's because of his catchy, catchy tunes? Only partly. It's mostly because of this. Plus, Sanjaya laughs when Simon makes fun of him. He laughs. Then he smiles his cute little smile and someone less adorable with a mediocre voice comes out.

No one on American Idol really excites me. Granted, I haven't watched from the beginning, and I'm basing this on a few half hours caught here and there, but no one really blows me away. Or at least blows me away consistently. Sanjaya has a presence, he's silly, and he's cute. Oh yeah, and it's a TV show.

Open Letter to the Kucinich Campaign

Dear Kucinich Campaign,

I'm not going to give you money, if only for the fact that you're reduced to cold calling people from volunteer lists for fundraising.

Please, just stop. It isn't going to work.

<3,
Kristen.

AIDS Prevention 101

For a few months I go along pretty happily, then someone reminds me of this, and I get angry about it again.

Say you have $15 billion to give to help combat AIDS globally. 20% ($3 billion) of this is required to go to prevention, which is dandy because that's always important. Now, this is $1 billion can either go to

a) educate people about condoms and other preventive measures
or
b) educate people about how sinful sex is and how God wants you to have a big diamond on your hand before you have any devil rods stuck in your temptation hole. A method that has proven ineffective time and time again.

You'll never guess what route we taxpayers have chosen. Just read the article. It gets worse. Just because we're afraid of sex shouldn't mean that the rest of the world can't enjoy themselves openly. And safely.

Hopefully this and the Global Gag Rule will be fixed as the first order of business for President Someone Else in '08.

In other news, since today seems to have a theme, now there's an actual reason besides the "ick factor" to get your kids circumsized!

And women everywhere rejoice.

I Just Aw'd To Death

And you thought the hand-holding otters were heartbreaking. Normally I'm not one for feel-good stories (remember Lola?) but this video, via Andrew Sullivan is the sweetest thing you'll see all day.

I Hate Mondays That Involve Dead Dog Stories

I'm mostly posting this for Sam. But seriously...WTF.

A taste:

Feral said U.S. Surgical's demonstrations on hundreds of dogs each year through the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s were done to boost sales, not for medical research or testing.

Giuliani '08: Want To See How This Medical Stapler Works? Hand Me That Dog.

Well I Know Where I'm Spending Summer

In Baghdad! If only I can get a hold of McCain's “100 American soldiers, with three Blackhawk helicopters, and two Apache gunships overhead.”

Way to prove that point, Johnny, way to prove that point.

Rusty Will Kill You If You Like DC

Man, I can't wait to get here.

Hi-larious.

Alan Reynolds > You

via WSJ

Until January, President Bush seldom acknowledged the widening gap between the rich and the middle class. Then, in a speech, he declared: "I know some of our citizens worry about the fact that our dynamic economy is leaving working people behind. ...Income inequality is real." He has raised the subject several times since.

Doesn't he read?

QOTD

"The problem is, people look at us as if we're opposites. We're not. We're actually very similar people. We're both advocates. We're both passionate. We both like a good, fair fight. My opposite is someone who doesn't have a philosophy of life, someone who doesn't get fired up about anything."

- Mary Matalin, Republican strategist and wife of James Carville.