Moira Doyle for Congress

I want to take this opportunity to plug my favourite candidate for congress in '08, Moira Doyle. She's brash, she's bold, she has no idea how to run a congress... But she's bought and paid for by the Big-Oil, and Yahoo-Iraq folks! Who better to take us into the next decade????

I say, NO ONE!

Vote for Moira! Give her money! Save us from the terrorists!

If you don't give money to Moria Doyle's Campaign... The terrorists' WIN!



--Tuckmac

Ramblings...

The Asshat's in town tonight. Raising money for our OWN asshat, Normie Coleman. GAH!

Traffic's a bear tonight. Thanks Dick-head.

Anyhoo...

One of my "blogger-circle friends" is dealing with homesickness. See, he's been away from the States, studying in Wales (of all places) for a year now.

I should say that Chris is a tonne more popular than I am. He's actually a real columnist and such. In fact, his Latest Column is out right now. And strangely enough... It deals with 'missing' home.

Normally, I'd respond to him directly, but... Actually, as the strange feelings that he's dealing with are quite universal, and also emotions that I've personally felt in much the same circumstances as he and his Child-Bride are feeling... Well...

(Okay, I've got nothing better to write about at the mo', so I'm stealing an idea... And butchering the English language, rather than tickling the keyboard with the smooth writing-style of a true writer. I hope, by giving him tonnes of links, he'll forgive me.)

It generally IS the 'year anniversary' of being far away from home, that one really gets it in the gut. I'm serious. The course I was taking in England had quite a few "International Students" on the program. The 'year' was the worst of the homesickness. And it's funny... I discovered there's two 'types' of reactions once that particular anniversary is past: One, you get over it, and begin to really feel as though your CURRENT place is your home; two, you never really do, and you begin the 'count-down' to returning to your former homeland.

I (luckily) found myself to be in the former group of ex-pats. After that first year in Canterbury, I discovered that I slowly began to 'fit in' in England. It's like, you pass some sort of exam after making it a full year. The 'natives' get used to you... The guy in the corner shop starts calling you by name. Nine of the 22 pubs you frequent have bar-staff that call you by name AND know what you're going to have when you darken their door... The homeless folk selling The Big Issue, knowing that: "Naw, he always buys from Shane, and doesn't need another one." Etc...

My former house-mate was one of the latter. She couldn't wait to get back to the States. She complained constantly about the small refrigerators in Britain, the Page 3 Girls in the Sun, the fact that the temps never seemed to get above 21° C (70° F) even in the middle of Summer... Constant rain... I could go on, but you get the idea.

I don't know, but for some reason, after a year, I became British. I embraced my new culture, I dealt with the fact that I always had to shop once a day for dinner, as my frig wouldn't hold very much food, and that it would allow produce to rot within three days even though it was meant to be a refrigerator... I started looking at the 'Page 3 Girls' with my lesbian friend and bartender Sarah, and discussing their, ahem, attributes. I gloried in the cooler Summers, as Minnesota has horrific heat and humidity throughout the season.

I don't know, I just really fell in love with England.

So, right now... You're all thinking... "Man, Tuckmac is lucky, he really enjoyed his last 14 months in Britain." or something like that. Well... You're right. I did have one hell of a good time my last months in England. However, there's dangers to 'becoming one' with a different place and culture. That danger is 'reverse-homesickness.'

I'm not pulling your leg... I've been back in the States for approaching two years now... And...

I'm homesick for Canterbury.

Dreadfully so.

Every day I think about 'home' in England. I think of all the friends I've left behind... I think about what they're doing, what they're thinking... Where they're living (as most of them have left Canterbury, and moved elsewhere).

My Lady and I are agreed to moving BACK to Britain in four more years... We're planning for it, and doing everything in our power to get skills and experience that we think will help us to find work in England... We're chaffing at the U.S. Government... the U.S. Heath-system (or lack thereof) we're chomping at the bit of time... Just waiting, sweetly and impatiently waiting for the time when we can return HOME to Britain.

So...

Yeah...

Chris... You have yet to discover which 'type' of ex-pat you're going to be. I have a feeling you're going to fall into my type... Becoming one with the place you're in, and not being the same ever again.

It's a sweet sort of pain, that you take on becoming British... But... It IS sweet. And you'll be an amazing person the rest of your life, not that you already aren't so...

Hang in there. It gets better, or it doesn't. Man... Does that suck, or what?

To my friends and family in Britain... Please!!!! Don't forget me! I'm coming home soon.

Smiles,
T

Linky Day Wednesday, again, wrong day:

I was going to post a "Linky Day Wednesday" yesterday on the actual Wednesday, but I got busy. Sorry. But here I am THIS week... All set to blow your minds, or at least not anger you too much, I hope.

• This one is mainly for My Lady, but I know others who will enjoy it's unique marvellousness. It's a bit hard to 'credit' this image, but I'll do my best.... OBEY, from Photobucket user khereva. Cheers for it. I laughed.
• Okay, a pithy graffiti artist is probably on the top of the list of folks that cheese off the police. Great Graffiti
• He calls it the "Worst Album Covers Ever?" with a 'question mark' in it??? YEAH they're the worst covers ever. But truly, they're a collection of SOME of the worst Album Covers Ever!
• F Minus is a wonderful cartoon. Here's a good one. Muahahahaha.
• Okay, really... The best one is the last one. IMHO. Things you don't see everyday
• Okay, okay... Another "SPAARRRRTTTTAAAAAAAAA" joke. But it was original, so... Yeah. This is Sparta

Well, that's it for today. Have a great night!

-- Tuckmac

Cheney, the two-faced bastid...

Every now and again, I receive a 'fund-raising' message from MoveOn.org. They send something highly inflamitory, you know, to get one's juices up... Then ask you for money. Now, folks... I'm all about being involved in the political process. I espouse the need for an informed and educated electorate. But... I'm not going to spend my money on this stuff. I think there's too much money floating around in politics as it is!

That being said... Today I got an e-mail from the MoveOn folks, and DARN if I didn't wish I had a bit of cash. Check this shit out:



Now, the thing that gets me, is how calm and cool and well ordered Cheney's argument is about why the first Georgie Bushie didn't go into Iraq, after "Desert Storm."

Everything this man said the second time around is a blatant LIE, and we actually have PROOF!

I love YouTube.

Just 'cause it's cheeky to not put the "fund-raising" link on my blog for MoveOn, I will do so... But don't feel as though you HAVE to click it, 'cause hell... Again, I'M not giving any money to 'em. Money Link

I hate my government at the moment. I really do. 523 days left of the current 'asshat' in the Whitehouse, folks... And it seems so far away, yet. Damn.

See ya soon!

-- Tuckmac

Physically ill, but... Really great mood!

"Whoa," you say... "How can you be feeling like crap, and yet be in such a glorious mood, Tuckmac?"

I say this:

Karl Rove, Bush's Brain, to his detractors; 'The Architect", as Bushy calls him, has resigned.

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this. I mean... Why? Why did Rove decide to quit right now? I'm really curious. Is there something that we, as Americans, don't actualy KNOW yet, that will be really scandalous? I hope so... I really do.

Also, now that he's no longer working (or not after August 31st, rather) Congress will be able to subpoena the bastid, and when he uses "Executive Privilege" to try to get out of it... They can get him with "Contempt of Congress" charges. See... When he's actually IN the office of the 'Man' then he's completely safe. However, Congress could (technically) get on him, once he leaves employment.

Of course... The law is fuzzy, and lord knows with our "current" limp-dick Democratic Congress that nothing will actually happen.

But it's fun to dream.

It's sorta like buying a lottery ticket when the PowerBall gets up over 100million. You KNOW you're not going to win it. I mean, the chances are SO slim... But... You still buy one, and then have really nice dreams that night before the drawing, just thinking about how wonderful it would be to win it.

Anyhoo... Yeah. I'm happy the fugger is out of office.

As to me being ill... Let's just say that it's a recurring complaint, and although it's not as often as my Lady's monthly-visitor... Well... This is a heck of a lot more painful and embarassing.

We'll just leave it there. I'm going to sit here doubled over, and try not to cry.

Smiles and Kittens...

-- Tuckmac

I heard it, but I didn't believe it.

Okay, so... I'm really really fucking pissed OFF right now.

Why? 'Cause of this:

What is this?

This is the voting roll-call for the VERY controversial extension of wiretapping anyone Bushie WANTS to wiretap. That's what this is. Yeah... See... This whole "Patriot Act" thing was being fought and over-turned by the courts... Spying on citizens USED to be illegal if the cops/gov/Feebs didn't have a warrant. And to get one of those things, well... You sort of had to prove that the person in question merited being watched. You know... Dodgy deals in the banks... Money transfers to parts unknown (like... Oh... Iran, or something)... Actual STUFF that the Government thought that you may be doing. And it worked. The Feds would go before a judge, say, "We have reason to believe that this person is a terror-supporter, and we'd like a warrant to wiretap them, to see if they are bad-guys or not." The judge would look at the evidence, and make a decision... Yeah, go ahead, or... No, you don't have the right to do it. Now... We all know that the judges probably just rubber-stamped these requests without really reviewing the evidence of "evil-do-ing" but... You know... There was still a bit of oversight.

Congress... MY congress... MY SENATOR, Amy Klobuchar, ran on anti-Iraq War, anti-Patriot Act, the DEMOCRATIC Senator from Minnesota... VOTED YEA to support extending the powers of our already corrupt administration... To give the shit-hole Whitehouse the power to wiretap and spy on any American WITHOUT burden of proof!

What sort of bloody country IS this ANYWAY????? I thought we believed in freedom and rights of the citizens and people in our country.

Obviously not. The "Rule by Fear" government has TRULY taken complete and total control of my country.

I'm actually beginning to get scared, here folks. I mean... I've been apprehensive, but... Now I'm honestly afraid.

I wrote back in 2004 (damn, can't find the link) that the "Jack Booted thugs were going to come to your door and kick it in, and take you away with a bag on your head" in response to my stupid country-folk voting in Bushie the second time.

I was angry.

I exaggerated.

But now...

Was I REALLY exaggerating? Was I actually just using hyperbole in my writing? Is it true? Are we heading towards the day that soldiers, dressed in black, kick in Tuckmac's door, and 'extraordinary rendition' me to Syria?

Man... This is bloody-well horrible.

And I have one thing to say to YOU Ms. Amy Klobuchar... FUCK YOU you FUCKING TRAITOR TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS! I thought you had a back bone. But now I see it was just BUSHIE'S ERECT DICK SHOVED UP YOUR ASS HOLDING YOU UPRIGHT!

-- Tuckmac

Linky Day Wednesday, a day late...

Okay, I admit that it's not actually a 'day' late... More like four weeks. Sorry. I'm really making the attempt, y'all have to admit!

I've found a few interesting places to view, and I hope my wonderful readers agree!

• Just the title... "11 Curiously Ironic Pictures" made me want to look... And, be honest... You do too. Irony
• Following the "ironic" theme... Ten Reasons 'Gay Marriage' is Un-American. Yeah... Guess which side of the aisle I'm on...
• There's been a thousand (that would be 'hyperbole') examples of 'Sand Art' floating around the 'tubes' as it were... And this isn't necessarily the 'best' example of 'Sand Art,' no... It's just yet 'another' example of a really interesting type of performance art... Just Imagine
• A rather brilliant ad for EuroStar, Bear-skin hats exposed
• And finally (this time around)... Google summed up my feelings of "America's 'IT' girl" rather well.

I hope you enjoyed today's "Linky Day" and I hope to 'see' you soon.

Smiles,
T

In thinking about terrorism...

Last week, when Prime Minister Gordon Brown came to visit Pres. Georgie-pordgy Bushie, he sparked some commentary because he reffered to terrorism as criminal.

"It is our shared task to expose terrorism for what it is -- not a cause but a crime. A crime against humanity," Brown wrote in The Post.(source CNN)

Mr. Brown is trying desperately to show the President in the States the error of his ways.

In today's New York Times on-line, WESLEY K. CLARK (former supreme commander of NATO) and KAL RAUSTIALA (Law Professor and head of the Burkle Center) wrote a very well thought-out piece explaining WHY making a "terrorist" a 'soldier' instead of a criminal is the WRONG thing to do: Why Terrorists Aren't Soldiers.

The idea that we're fighting some overwhelming force, is not only frightening, but wrong-headed. We're fighting criminals. Granted, well funded and well organised, but still just criminals. And frankly, NOT as organised as our own Organised Crime figures, the Mafia.

We can not continue to let the Bush Administration blur the lines between lawful "Soldiers" or even UN-lawful combatants. They are criminals. They do not deserve the right to call themselves soldiers. They are worse than scum. Giving them the rights and kudos of actually 'fighting as soldiers of Allah' is giving them WAY too much credit.

As Mr. Brown said... We're in a generational fight against criminals. As we have been since the Western Culture began. We need to focus our strength and energy towards combating these criminals in more ways than militarily. We must fight them financially, mindfully, and intelligently.

Thank you Mr. Clark. Thank you Mr. Brown. Perhaps with leaders such as yourselves coming forward in this struggle... The continued bumbling of the Bush Administration will not lead the West into the dusty pages of history just yet.

-- Tuckmac

35W Bridge in Minneapolis

Hi readers, well as far as we can tell, everyone that we know is okay. No news is good news in a tragedy like this.

Once My Lady and I discovered that we were both okay (as we weren't together) we started trying to get a hold of all of our friends and family. My Lady also works at the Soap Factory and her connection to that place is why I was freaked out.

Thanks to Google Maps I was able to recreate her route. She had just ridden underneath the bridge that collapsed at 6:05pm, 'cause she had to get home to walk our dog. If she hadn't needed to let him out to do his business, she may have been under that bridge when the incident occurred! Memnon may have saved her life, in his own "potty" way.


click to enlarge

My Lady's spent most of today trying to get a hold of her volunteers from the Soap Factory, and making sure that they're all okay too. Most of us ride our bikes, and most of us go under the 35W bridge every day. We're actually a bit confused as to how we're going to get to the Soap from now on!

For those whom have written, and called us... Thanks for your kind thoughts. We're all hoping and praying that everyone we know is alright, and we're also thinking of the families that have lost loved-ones in this horrible tragedy.

Peace,
Tuckmac

We're Okay.

Hi everyone... I'm sure that many of you have heard (since it made the BBC only a half an hour after it happened)...

A major bridge collapsed in Minneapolis.

NEWS

Fiona and myself are fine. As are most of the people we know that live in the Twin Cities.

At the moment, it's still a bit chaotic. We've been spending some time trying to get a hold of friends and family, and we're assuming that we'll hear soon, if someone is hurt.

But this is about me. Fiona is fine. My mother is fine. Our friends seem to be fine.

We're still waiting to hear from others.

Say a prayer/peaceful thoughts... To the families of the injured and missing.

-- Tuckmac