What should be a given for every woman in a civilized society and is disappearing faster than the rainforests?

The right to access reproductive options most appropriate for her situation.

I'm sure it's just because I've not been in the right place at the right time, but I just found out about the KC Pride Fest next weekend. Be there or be square!

I was talking with Jason (McCann) today, and he was telling me how annoyed he is when people spell the shortened version of compact discs "cd's." While I had never really thought about this, it made sense. "CDs" is not possessive and it's not a contraction. (A seperate discussion then insued about the possibility of "CDs" versus "C.Ds", but we never got that straightened out.) The same can also apply to the rampant poor grammar on college campuses; the abbreviation for "resident assistants" would not be "RA's," although I can't remember seeing it correctly--ever--except when Jason (Sheets) was writing his important memos, which he thoughtfully pointed out to me when we were discussing this. Also, "a lot" is always two words, and shouldn't really be used anyway. In the same vein, adverbs are your friend, and never end a sentence with a preposition.

NEWS FLASH: Retro song o' the day is "Rise" by P.I.L....yup. Download and enjoy.

Never assume that people know what they're doing. Never discount the importance of a fundamental understanding of spelling and grammar. Never hire people for health care jobs that are functionally illiterate. While in a training meeting today, I was lectured on the extreme importance of accurate and proper documentation in medical files (charted daily by the direct care staff), especially since these records are considered legal documents. Some examples from actual charts were given, and I just had to pass them on. Honestly...where do they find these people to work these jobs? Should I now make sure there is a dictionary next to the patient charts? Is it too much to ask for people to document with complete logical sentences? Evidently.

* "Patient can't here."

* "Has sore mussels."

* "Prompt to right side with pillow under left leg."

* "Nasogastric tube attacked the low-suction Gornco machine."

* "By the time he was admitted, his rapid heart had stopped, and he was feeling better."

* "After consultation, Dr. **** felt we should sit tight on the abdomen, and I agreed."

* "Left by self walking with prescription on foot."

* "Vaginal packing out. Doctor in."

"But people had exactly the same symptoms. I'm certainly not saying Afghanistan was a vast experiment with new uranium weapons. But use your common sense." Dr Asaf Durakovic, researcher from the Uranium Research Center, based in Canada. Evidently our great nation was liberating Afghanistan by experimenting with new and exciting radioactive weapons. Think about that this Memorial holiday while you're waving that flag, will ya?

(If reading that article doesn't encourage your blood to boil, I don't know what will.)

"I hate to disagree with your president. Yours is by no means a great nation. But you could be a great people. History is giving you the chance." A quote from a fantastic lecture given this weekend by Arundhati Roy. It was broadcast on C-Span, but I missed it because I slept through it. Because I was sleepy, not because I was bored, silly.

There will be a memorial vigil this Sunday at 4 pm in the JC Nichols Park to commemorate all lives and freedoms lost in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Check out the KC Iraq Task Force page for details. I hope to see you there.

I've always wanted to make a film about John Lennon, or say, Buddy Holly, namely because I knew people who looked incredibly like them and they had absolutely no acting experience (this follows in the grand tradition of "Sid and Nancy" and that horrific Jimi Hendrix movie). Now Scorsese is going to make one about Bob Dylan, and all I can think of is who's portraying him? It's going to bug me until it's announced.

"In the beginning, marriage was just another way of dating to me. Now I have a relationship that's going to last the rest of my life. This is the destiny I've declared for myself. I want to die in her arms."


-- GERALDO RIVERA, who plans to make Erica Levy his fifth wife despite a 31-year age difference, in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

For some reason this is funny to me. Can one declare their destiny? If so, I declare myself to be insanely rich with tons of time on my hands to hang out with friends, listen to music, read books...repeat quotations, etc.

Ari Fleischer resigns! Party at my place tonight!

"Eminem confesses to several murders in his lyrics (see Bonnie and Clyde '97) and after more than five years of an intensive homicide investigation, police still have no evidence that Eminem did not participate in the murder of rapper Tupac Shakur."


Yeah, well, I saw that damn Matrix movie. I have never professed to enjoy sci-fi, fetish clothing or Keanu Reeves, but I went to see this anyway to be a good sport. It really sucked. I was so bored, I almost fell asleep. And no, the car chase scene was nothing compared to the one in "What's Up Doc?". If it had a chinese dragon...that might have saved it for me...

And of, course, there was no Fredrick Larabee.

I do so enjoy Kurt Vonnegut, who does bear a striking likeness to Mark Twian.

Mac gives us all sound financial advice concerning West African quasi-human rights viloation scams! The last watchdog of our times...if that isn't on Mac's resume, it should be!

Shows you KC kids should be aware of:

Rev. Horton Heat, Thursday May 15, Grand Emporium

Nada Surf, Friday May 23, Bottleneck

Mike Watt, Saturday May 24, Bottleneck

The Cramps, Thursday May 29, Madrid

The Dismemberment Plan, Monday June 16, Granada

!!!, Wednesday June 18, Bottleneck

Alkaline Trio, Friday, June 20, Bottleneck

Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Saturday August 9, Starlight Theater

and oddly enough...

Crosby Stills and Nash, Saturday August 9, Missouri State Fair (snicker snicker)

Reggie and The Full Effect (just pretend they're a real band, please), Thursday, September 9, Liberty Hall

There's a rumor that Weird Al is coming, but that has yet to be verified. And Tabla Rasa is still playing anywhere anyone will listen, so keep your eyes peeled and support those nice young men.

Fellow Kansas Citian Paul Rudd is everywhere these days. I saw him first in "Wet Hot American Summer", and adored him...then remembered he was in "200 Cigarettes" and rented that last weekend specifically for his performance. Then...weird things started happening...he was everywhere! Within the last two days, I have seen him three seperate times....once on the "Isaac Mizrahi Show", again on some random episode of "Friends" (no, I'm not linking that one), and then again on...oh yeah, "Cider House Rules". It's beginning to freak me out. Next he'll probably come home for his high school reunion and I'll see him at P.F. Chang's or something.

Normally my hat's off to The Guardian, but this article has me a little stumped. It's starts off gamely enough with the preoccupation with celebrity backsides...then evolves into a rant ranging from anal sex to the black versus white female body appeal. I just don't know what to think about it.

Being that I am a PBS nerd, I was quite excited to learn that a follow up to last season's reality show, Frontier House, was being followed this season by Manor House. The experiment this season involved an Edwardian castle in Scotland - with the whole "upstairs downstairs" aspect. The ease with which the family slid into the "lifestyle" and the complete revolt from the servants is amazing to watch unfold. In the episode featured tonight, the male head of house, Sir Somethingorother, throws a charity bazaar, and benevolently allows the servants to invite family members (all of whom have not seen any friends or family for over six weeks). After weeks of 18 hour days 7 days a week, this is a much deserved break. The best part? The Socialist Party shows up from London to pass out literature and drum up support for fair labor practices and workers rights. The look on the face of Sir Somthingorother was completely classic, and I must say the mood was somewhat melancholy for a while upstairs. It's interesting to see how even modern folks can get sucked into that whole class thing, if given the chance.

God...when this happens, it's so embarassing.

"Should we not begin to redefine patriotism?" - Howard Zinn