The FDA is broken

About a third of the people voting on whether to reinstate drugs like Vioxx have industry ties (AKA used to work for them). Reinstating a drug, especially one like Vioxx is highly political and highly subject to bias.

The Times reports: "If the 10 advisers [with Big Pharma ties] had not cast their votes, the committee would have voted 12 to 8 that Bextra should be withdrawn and 14 to 8 that Vioxx should not return to the market. The 10 advisers with company ties voted 9 to 1 to keep Bextra on the market and 9 to 1 for Vioxx's return."

I really is disgusting to see such naked corruption. My doctor sister tells me stories about those drug reps who go into hositials and conventions and try to sell the drugs to MDs via freebies, sexiness, and maybe its clinical value.

The system is broken, and I don't trust the overly corporate cozy Bush administration to fix it.

The honeymoon is over

It seems like people in California realized that they have a Republican bodyguard for a governor. Arnorld's approval ratings are now 55%, which would be a gigantic mandate for George W. Bush but is an all time low for the Terminator.

And now there is more bad news for Arnold: "The Field Poll found voters approve of the idea of a special election 51 percent to 45 percent until they're told it would cost $50 million to $70 million. Then they oppose it more than 2-to-1 — 67 percent to 30 percent."

And my friends, the Field Poll never lies, it is ALWAYS right or the closest to dead on of any of the polls.

More interesting for me is that "The plan to take redistricting away from the Legislature and give those duties to a panel of retired judges was supported by 48 percent of voters and opposed by 40 percent." It might just pass, yes!

I think California is a prime example of how uncompetitive races can be if you get your computer programs right. I hate redistricting, but I don't think a special election is necessary. Let those incumbents sweat it out until November 2006.

vocab quiz

That's all that property really is, an elaborate method of confusing law students and clients so that law professors and lawyers can keep raking in fees and screwing people over for something they should be able to do by themselves.

If we stopped using terms from the 14th century, maybe more of this would make sense.

On a semi-related topic (at least in my crazed mind) those taped coversations with George W. Bush reveal to me that our current president is very smart/clever indeed. All these stupid things he says are done on purpose so as to build up an image of a "regular guy," especially amoung Southerners. After all, Bush is about as elitist and east coast establistment as John Forbes Kerry, but Kerry only speaks in Senate and Bush speaks in fake drawl. Look which one worked.

Quote of the day

"This notion that the United States is getting ready to attack Iran is simply ridiculous. Having said that, all options are on the table"--President Bush today.

Trying to have it both ways again George?

Draft Condi?

One of the weirdest and funniest things to me is conservatives' obsession with Condi Rice as a political candidate (before Arnold, they wanted her to run for governor in her native California). Sure she is good at lying through that big gap in her front teeth, and sure she is loyal to Bush, but what else does she have going for her? Being a black woman? Ask Carol Mosley-Braun how that worked out. Other black GOPers haven't fared so well, like Clarence Thomas (laughing stock of the supreme court), Colin Powell (laughing stock of the international community) and JC Watts (what ever happened to him?).

Condi's in love with GW, and that is about it. She's been dead wrong on nearly every call she's made in the White House, and incompetent to boot. If GOPers really think this is their best match-up to Hillary in 2008, we are going to win in a walk. [as is Hillary in 2006 in NY: she has 69% approval ratings, 49% among GOPers]

Among the highlights of the 32nd Annual CPAC [Conservative PAC] event was a WH '08 straw poll conducted by GOP pollster Tony Frabrizio and his firm. Rudy Giuliani came out on top with 19%, narrowly edging Sec/State Condi Rice at 18%. Rice was the beneficiary of "intensive campaigning by her supporters, who donned 'Draft Rice in 2008' buttons and stickers. Bill Frist tied for third place with George Allen and John McCain at 11%. Other GOPers on the ballot were Newt Gingrich and George Pataki. [American Conservative Union] ACU pres. David Keene said it was significant that no candidate topped 20%. And Keene emphasized that the question to CPAC participants was not who do you want to be the WH '08 GOP nominee, but who do you think will be the WH '08 nominee. Giuliani is "not considered conservative."

MSGOP's Scarborough: "I have got to tell you, again, I've been to CPAC before. These are the true believers. They drink the Kool-Aid" ("Scarborough Country," 2/21).


The Draft Condi Rice for POTUS folks were all over the CPAC conference, telling anyone who would listen that they were a serious organization (registered as a 527, no less) and that they were starting radio ads on 2/18 on every Clear Channel [read: Republican] station in IA. The folks at Americans for Rice-Dot Com have posted their 15-second radio ad. Full transcript:

ANNCR: "AmericansforRice.com is the website for the 527 organization dedicated to electing Dr. Condoleezza Rice President in 2008. AmericansforRice.com is not approved by any candidate or party. Visit AmericansforRice.com today."

In addition to the radio spot, one can download a rock song ("Condoleeza Will Lead Us") supporting Rice for just $.99 (Hotline reporting, 2/18).

AmericansforRice.com's Crystal Dueker, on their reception at CPAC: "And there were about 30 young women who came up to me, basically as a group, and wanted to get the campaign buttons, they wanted to get the bumper stickers"

Maybe they wanted them as memorabilia. I once thought of getting a Kuchinich sticker or a Braun button, but I would have never voted for those clowns.

Ranking the Presidents

In honor of the holiday which keeps me at home instead of in class this Monday I thought I would rank the presidents.

BEST

1. Lincoln: kept the border states from leaving, won the bloodiest American war, freed the slaves, had a crazy wife, and still managed to lead in tough times.
2. FDR: lead us out of the Great Depression, won WWII (at least with against the Nazis), created Social Security and many other New Deal programs.
3. Madison: saved the US from destruction at the hands of the British, Dolly risked her life to save Washington's portrait, created national pride and indirectly the national anthem.
4. Teddy Roosevelt: took on big monolopolies and other robber barrons, fought in the Spanish-American war. Downside: he named Taft his VP and ran as a "BullMoose" in 1912, ensuring Wilson's victory.
5. Kennedy (vis vis Johnson): his death and vision laid the foundation for most of what Johnson actually accomplished including the Apollo mission and Civil Rights.

WORST:

1. George W. Bush: plunged us from surplus into deficit, reversed safety measures and other sound policy to reward donors, ignored Al-Qaeda until it was too late, bungled the war on Terror, started an optional war and bungled that too, allowed a gay prostitute into the white house to ask slanted questions, organized a propagana effort that would make Kim Il-Sung blush. Plus: Signed McCain-Finegold, but then again he never vetoed a single bill.
2. Nixon: showed what the framers were worried about with tyranny and blind lust for power, started illegal wars in Laos and South America. Plus: signed bills keeping cigarette ads off TV.
3. Grant: twiddled his thumbs while the temporary progress in civil rights for blacks was underminded, a setback that would last a century. He also was ignorant of scandals going on all around him. plus: signed feckless anti-lynching bill
4. Andrew Jackson: personal slaughtered and promoted the genocide of hundreds of thousands of Native Americans in the biggest corrupt land grab of American history, destroyed the bank of US and set back commerce for decades.
5. Coolige/Hoover: sat around while the impeding/imploding doom of the Great Depression came.

HONERABLE MENTIONS (good and bad):

Washington: first president, walked away from life tenure to create the office. But was ineffectual to the growing partisan divide in his own cabinet and the nascent country.

Reagan: Conservatives love him, but do they know he raised taxes, unleashed homeless people upon our streets in the form of the mentally ill, was good pals with Saddam Hussien and Augusto Pinochet (at least his allies in Honduras), picked easy victories against weak dictators, funded and armed the Proto-Tailban in Afgahnistan, balloned the deficit, and was senile towards the end?

Clinton: Is the most talented and brilliant politican of our time and arguably the best American in these fields of all time. But couldn't make a decision promptly, couldn't control his desires, and tried too hard to please everyone-- leading to the 1994 debacle which cost the Democrats the house for at least a dozen years. On the other hand, he figured out foriegn policy by 1996 and created the environment for the longest lasting boom in American history.

Jefferson: bought 2/3s of this country from cash strapped France at a great price, promoted exploration and learning, pardoned those emprisioned by the Alien and Sedition Act. Minuses: the author of the Decoration of Independece fathered mullato children via his slave, never freed them like Washington did, and was deeply in debt from his Clintonian overexuberance.

Wilson: his 14 points presaged World War II. His arguments to the French and British, though they feel on deaf ears, where dead on. He stupidly hung his hat on the League of Nations which had no teeth and had a stroke towards the end.

2006 senate ruminations

There has been a debate about the PA senate race(s), should Senate Judicary Chair Arlen Specter retire. It goes like this: do you give state Treasurer and son of popular ex-Gov. Bob Casey Jr. a layup against and open seat and let some poor schmuck (probabbly) lose to Senate Buffoon Rick Santorum? Or do you pit Casey against Santorum and let either ex-GOPer Barbara Hafer or 2004 Senate Candidate and ex-Rep. Joe Hoeffel run for the open seat against either Club for Growth pet project ex-Rep. Pat Toomey or ex-DHS ex-Gov Tommy Ridge?

Personally, I favor giving Santorum the toughest battle possible, because he demeans the Senate and the Commonwealth with his presence, which means pro-lifer Casey jr. should take up the gauntlet. Hopefully Arlen will get healthy, but if he has to retire, or tragically dies, then whom should Governor Rendell appoint? Casey, so he can be an incumbent running against Santorum and be even stronger? Or Hafer/Hoeffel, so they will have a better shot at the open seat? I say let the H's have their fun, Casey already has tons of built in advantages, like his Pittsburgh base, which is the same as Santorum which really hurts the old dog-on-man-love guy (since you have to have either Pitts or Philly to be competitive statewide, and Lord knows Philly ain't going GOP on Rendell's watch).

Now on to other senate races, there will be lots to defend, but first and foremost, Democrats have to make sure golden oldies like Byrd don't retire. Stay on buddy, isn't it fun to make speeches against Bush on C-SPAN? Next, fill in some good people to protect open seats, like MN. After that, help the vulerable incumbents, like Ben Nelson in Nebraska, or Bill Nelson in Florida. Then you can target more folks like little Rhodie's Linc Chafee, or other blue state GOPers or DINOs/putzes like Joe Liberman.

cartoon of the day

from the "you've gotta be kidding" dept

Bush nominated Negroponte to be the Director of National Intelligence. That's right, the man whose prints are all over Iran-Contra and other fun, yet illegal covert activities is the man in charge of all our intelligence thanks to the 9/11 bill.

"Negroponte began his diplomatic career in 1960 and served in South Vietnam before becoming an aide to Henry Kissinger during negotiations in Paris with North Vietnam. From 1981 to 1985, he was U.S. ambassador to Honduras, where he helped carry out the Reagan administration’s efforts, using the Contra rebels, to oust the Sandinista government in Nicaragua. He also served as ambassador to Mexico and the Philippines."

This is just like Bush naming Kissinger as the head of the 9/11 commission. Yet somehow I doubt the media will make as much fuss. Why should Negroponte get anywhere near controlling intelegence information and resources, let alone have CIA director Porter Goss report to him?

The Bush Administration is getting closer and closer to fulfilling the fears of George Orwell's "1984" government. Where's the outrage? And why does everything Joe Lieberman touch turn to crap?

fed up with the lies

According to a Wall Street Journal poll, "1,008 adults, conducted Feb. 10-14, found that 51% Americans consider it 'a bad idea' to change Social Security by allowing workers to invest payroll taxes in the stock market, while 40% think it's a "good idea." That is essentially unchanged since January, despite Mr. Bush's attempt to drum up support for the idea in the State of the Union address and a cross-country tour. The margin of error is 3.1 percentage points." 60% of those say their position on the matter is "firm."

People are now finally amenable to my idea of removing the upper cap on Social Security taxes to fund the "crisis" by a 64%-32% margin. Why should Bill Gates pay less than one half of one 100th of a percent of his income and people earning minimum wage have pay much, much more than that (percentage wise)?

51% say the Iraqi election was legitimate...let's see what they think after Iraq turns into Iran, Jr. or there is a major civil war. Meanwhile, Bush is about where he was pre-9/11 50%. I still don't get how this guy won on some level.

the Net best thing

National Journal's Chuck Todd notes, "These 'netroot' groups will do the same for one or more of the candidates -- on both sides of the political spectrum -- in 2008. The netroot groups are as potentially powerful a base in a primary as labor and/or blacks for the Democrats. And this time, the media is going to take netroot groups more seriously, thereby increasing their influence in the next cycle." Todd points to Feingold, Gore, and Clark on the Democratic side and Brownback, Sanford & Schwarzenegger on the GOP side (as well as Thune and Toomey).

And given that Chris Bowers, Markos and other prominant bloggers' dream of Dean as DNC chair has come true, who will be the blogosphere's candidate in 2008?

Well according to a poll on MyDD, it's General Wesley Clark. This isn't a huge surprise since Clark was drafted over the internet and had the second best internet strategy going in 2004, raising tens of millions of dollars online, having his own MyDD/DailyKos style community (called ForClark), and generally a very enthusiastic level of support from bloggers everywhere, being the Deaniac's second choice mostly and the choice of internet folks who didn't jive with Dean like myself.

Feingold is a cool guy, and I liked him when I met him at a Matheson fundraiser in 2000. But he has a couple problems that will be hard to overcome: 1) he's short 2) he's a senator 3) he's jewish. Maybe Joe Lieberman made it ok for Jewish folks to run for the highest office in the land, but I still worry. The things he has going for him are 1) McCain/Campaign Finance Reform 2) no vote on the PATRIOT Act 3) he is from the swingable state of Wisconsin.

As for Gore, his biggest problem is 1) he's Al Gore, the most famous loser of our time 2) he's Al Gore, about as charasmatic as John Kerry [man, what is with Democratic primary voters? Why support such duds?] 3) He has gone off with the noisy but ineffectual MoveOn.org and become a screaming red faced banchee. Pluses, 1) he has a great accent that is coming back 2) When he trashes Bush, people listen 3) Hello, name recognition?

I don't want to go into all the same for the other side, other than Arnold has to get a consitutional amendment through before he can run for President or VP (plus, he is too far left on cultural issues to make it through the primary).

my fifteen minutes

This morning, I had my interview. Out of the 14 firms I applied to, it looks like this is the only one that wants to talk to me. Still, I am lucky and happy to have had it. It was a good idea to talk to this guy for a while during a on campus recruiting event and a good idea that I put my middle name (and my father's first name) on my resume, since the first question was "are you related to X from Y firm?" It was good to bring my transcripts and resume, because it showed that I had better grades in college and that college was Brown.

I tried to demonstate my knowledge of issues and the law and their firm and them personally. Hopefully, it worked.

Of course, everyone of my friends at law school came up and asked if I had an interview, and I did the same to people before and after. Everyone is a bit nervous about the whole situation and all have no idea what to expect. The interviews are so short (15 min.) and so high stress, combined with wearing suits and heals for girls.

Who knows...anyway, it is nice to have it over with and to have the opportunity to try to win them over. I figure it is hard to forget a 6'3" red head who is a flaming Democrat in a flaming GOP state. At least I stick out.

The fool and his money

Give to the DNC if you want. But don't give to it because of Howard Dean. A lot of Dean-o-philes have being pouring in money (about $100,000 via places like MyDD and DailyKos) to the committee over the weekend solely because the good doctor is now in charge.

The trouble is, Dean is now the chair of the entire big tent party. He can't and won't move the party ideologically. He might have some luck with some reforms, most of which will be giving some power back to the state parties. As far as consultants, he will not hire Shrum et al, but he will still hire the same old people that worked for his presidential campaign sans Trippi (I bet). I think will do a pretty job. I hope he keeps his word not to run for 2008. All democrats, even bitter Tim Roemer, should wish him well and good luck.

To Matt Stoller and Donnie's kids: good work, nice try, it might have happened but for Howard Dean. DFA was too big and established to counter with a overnight blog shop and personal connection. DNC members alright liked Howard since he gave his "Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party" speech as a candidate that launched him from obscurity to frontrunner in early 2003.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone. Even if no one got you flowers or candy or dinner or a card or whatever, remember: The Third Avenue loves you. In a Platonic way, but keep coming back and reading.

Clarke '08

As much as I like Wesley Clark, I think Richard Clarke would make an awesome presidential canididate. When he came out with his book and testified before the 9/11 commission, he blew everyone away with his story and the honesty of it all.

The Republican Noise Machine tried to drown him out and question his knowledge and motives, but they came off looking despirate and disjointed. Rice and Hadley (her deputy) had their hats handed to them on 60 minutes and in other forums where they were seriously questioned. The lies and incompetency of Rice and Hadley showed through, despite their denials.

It is too bad that Clarke foreswore working in another White House or running himself. Maybe we could draft him. Even though he is more like a old-fashioned George H.W. Bush-style Republican, I think those are the type of people Democrats need to win these days to recapture the presidency.

Remember his claim that he sent Condi a memo in January 2001 saying the terrorist are a real threat and this is what we need to do about them? And Condi claimed she got no such memo? Well the Times has the scoop on the now-declassified memo:

The 13-page proposal presented to Dr. Rice by her top counterterrorism adviser, Richard A. Clarke, laid out ways to step up the fight against Al Qaeda, focusing on Osama bin Laden's headquarters in Afghanistan. The ideas included giving "massive support" to anti-Taliban groups "to keep Islamic extremist fighters tied down"; destroying terrorist training camps "while classes are in session" and then sending in teams to gather intelligence on terrorist cells; deploying armed drone aircraft against known terrorists; more aggressively tracking Qaeda money; and accelerating the F.B.I.'s translation and analysis of material from surveillance of terrorism suspects in American cities.

Exactly like told us in his book and testimony, and exactly opposite of Rice's claims, not even close:

"the months before the Sept. 11 attacks, federal aviation officials reviewed dozens of intelligence reports that warned about Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda, some of which specifically discussed airline hijackings and suicide operations." The article explained that the Federal Aviation Administration "received 52 intelligence reports" that mentioned Osama bin Laden or Al Qaeda prior to September 11, 2001, and that the FAA warned airports that if "the intent of the hijacker is not to exchange hostages for prisoners, but to commit suicide in a spectacular explosion, a domestic hijacking would probably be preferable."

Fifty-two? What was she doing when Clarke was banging down her door, Tenent's "hair was on fire" and the FAA had sent her 52 warnings, which included a method and other reports which said SOON in the summer of 2001...clearing brush with Dubya in Crawford? She did call him "my husband" once. Did she not want to hurt his feelings, interupt his runs, naps or solitare games? (he used to play the windows version as governor)

At least some of the blood from those 3,000 people who died on September 11 is on her hands (and Clarke's hands as he will admit). At the very least, GOPers have to admit that it is oftly coincidential that all these damaging things were blocked by the Bush administration until after the inauguration.

If only the American people had had all the facts in front of them, the entire senate intelligence committe report, the entire 9/11 report, all of Clarke's memos...I wonder if voters would have still felt that George W. Bush had/would keep them more safe than John Kerry.

glad to be in UT

Today I went to an ABA thing at the law school; they are having their convention here in SLC this weekend. Anyway, they were supposed to tell us tip on how to get our first job and we were supposed to schmooze with the panelists.

Instead, 90% were windbags reeling off their resume and how great thier firm is ("the first law office in France, the first law office in Russia...and that was in 1987, when we weren't even sure if it would [go capitalist]") Who cares? There is another reason not to go to NYC and deal with pompous blowhards who think they are God's gift to the law and to you.

There were some interesting people who told of their tale of cold calling and tiny salaries. The trouble is, I am not that extroverted and have trouble going donwtown to chat up a buttload of attorneys this weekend, or anyone for that matter. I prefer small groups, where I can find out what interests them and mention my one bit of knowledge on their area of expertise and ask smart sounding questions. But going up to people is the hardest thing to me. I am no Bill Clinton, I sweat just thinking about picking up a phone, let alone getting high on going into a room filled with people.

I got to talk to my hopefully supervising attorney this morning and am pumped to try to get a fellowship to reform our attrocious election laws. Wish me luck.

Photo of the day

What happened to Al Franken? this morning I was so happy that he was running for Minn.'s senate seat and then he chickened out! Here's to you Al:

While you were sleeping...

Surprise! North Korea has nuclear weapons! Not surprised? Nor am I. They have been about a hairs breath from getting such weapons since 1994 at least, when Carter staved off a Clintonian military strike (AKA no ground troops) with an agreement that seemed to slow things down.

On Secretary of State Albright's exit in 2001, she warned the incoming Bush Administration that North Korea was probabbly the biggest threat to world peace and wanted nukes. So what did they do? Plotted to attack Iraq and ignored Korea until they jumped up and down in a meeting saying they had cheated on the 1994 agrement.

Did this sound the alarm bells? No, just a Condi Rice speech slamming the Clinton Administration for being soft on North Korea. Her solution? Just ignore them/refuse to talk with them until they give in to US demands and talk through China and with Japan and Russia (and the US and China). It also gave Bush the excuse to pump more money (at least 10 billion) down the toilet knows as Missle Defease.

The North Koreans starve their own people while building freeways for the Dear Leader's cars and nuclear weapons to threaten food support out of South Korea, Japan, and China. This guy is complete irrational, incompetant, and has built a cult around him filled with propaganda and lies...why does this sound familiar?

Real mature

This theory of mine that Republican elected officials and party operatives are fundamentally immature keeps getting backed up by events like this:

In Maryland, Governor Bob Ehrlich's longtime aide was caught spreading false rumors that (future Democratic gubinatorial candidate wannabe) Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley is having/had an extramarital affair. "I have always been faithful to my wife, from our first date to this date," O'Malley said.

Ehrlich, to his credit, fired that bum once it was obvious that his aide Joseph Steffen was the one doing the posting on conservative blogs and speading the rumors to TV stations, Annapolis lobbyists, etc. "Let me tell you, I don't put up with this, and I will not put up with this. Bottom line," Ehrlich said.

But was the whole thing sanctioned by Ehrlich anyway? "I began to suspect very strongly that it was something concerted and orchestrated and sustained," O'Malley said. "It became a drumbeat and then was relentless. And the common theme and language used to push it on Web sites and the like were some of the things about it that made me feel it was orchestrated." Steffen? "No Comment"

Steffen discussed the rumors on the conservative Web site FreeRepublic.com during the summer of 2004. He posted them under the name NCPAC, a reference to one of his early employers, the National Conservative Political Action Committee...."They call me the Prince of Darkness," Steffen said in the interview... Several of Steffen's co-workers said in interviews that he parachuted into agencies, set up an office with a statue of the grim reaper on his desk and began assembling lists of people who should be fired.

"I had been advised by my boss that he had a hit list," said Tom Burgess, a former state Department of Human Resources administrator who was fired after Ehrlich took office. "We were all very concerned about him."

Until yesterday, the Post Steffen was the spokesman for the Insurance Administration and made $72,453.

During the GOP convention in NYC, a delegate sold purple band-aids to make fun of John Kerry's three purple hearts. Every state of the union shows GOPers either booing loudly, pouting, or cheering wildly, depending on who is president. And then of course when Democrats try to boo this year, Republicans throw a hissy fit.

They called Al Gore "Sore Loserman" in November/December 2000, but they were the ones whining on every corner with their "Brooks Brothers Riot" about how the votes shouldn't be counted and complaining all the way to the US Supreme Court. I could go on, but I need to go to class.

that's why he said it

Remember back to the last SOTU? The one that nobody clapped at and even the GOP were wondering if they backed the wrong guy? George W. Bush talked about a fanatasy land he called "America" and some how manage to thrown in an attack on Major League Baseball and steriod use, which seemed like a cheap shot, equivant to saying "I am against these Catholic Priests who molest children."

Here's what Bush said last year: "The use of performance-enhancing drugs like steroids in baseball, football, and other sports ... sends the wrong message: that there are shortcuts to accomplishment, and that performance is more important than character." Takes one to know shortcuts to accomplishment, doesn't it?

But anyway back to the point. Today on Sportscenter, ESPN reported that ex-monster hitter Jose Canseco has a tell all book oh-so-subtley titled "Juiced" which recalls the days when he saw Mark McGuire shoot up, Jason Giambi shoot up, and the two shoot up each other (how cute), as well as Viarga spokesman and Texas Ranger Ralphio Palmero and MVP Ivan Rodregez. Then Canseco went on to say that Bush as the then-owner of the Texas Rangers knew or should have known this was happening.

Of course, they all deny it. But Steriod use was rampant in the MLB in the late 90s. Just like the stock market bubble and the resulting Enrons and WorldComs, everyone in the know could tell it was all too good to be true. But there was pressure to perform, and everyone with an interest looked the otherway.

There's no pretending anymore.

A note on spelling

Dear Brian Watkins (and other annoyed readers),

I am deeply sorry that I continuously have typos, misspellings, and improper diction in my posts. The causal style in which I write leaves much room for error. I would like to claim that is this is purposeful style and that, like e.e. cummings, I am rebelling in my own small way against grammar and spelling.

Unfortunately, I merely sloppy and unskilled. Please read in missing words, read out misplaced words, homonyms, and the like. I devout much thought to my posts as to their subject matter and general flow, but very little time actually typing them. True, this is deeply unprofessional but then again I have yet to see a penny from my Google Ads in the corner. Writing daily about my thoughts, "adventures" and frustrations is a joy that I am happy to share with all of you, but my spelling and grammar is not something I intend to inflict on anyone.

Please take this long rambling post as an apology for transgressions past and present. Hopefully, in the future I can devote more time to reading them over and correcting. But in the meantime, drop the red pencil and let me know more privately so I can fix the mistake(s) that bother you. Thanks again.