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Entries from December 2007

Republican Presidential Candidates: 2008 Astrology Predictions

December 31, 2007 · Leave a Comment

We decided to look up the 2008 astrological forecasts of the Republican Presidential race front runners.

Rudy Giuliani

From Astrofuture Trends:

Astrologer Phillip Brown, M.A. writes that Giuliani has a Mars-Pluto power conjunction in Leo and a Sun-Uranus conjunction in Gemini (see horoscope, although his birth time is not known so we can’t know his Ascendant or any of the house cusps). The conjunction of the Sun and Uranus does show his potential for strong leadership in emergency situations, although many of his 9/11 actions have since been inflated by him or have been called into question. Saturn will be squaring Giuliani’s Sun-Uranus conjunction during the February state primaries, so his candidacy may begin to dim around that time.


Mitt Romney:

From Accumind:

Uranus is leaving the 10th house of career, moving in on his sun – which could bring some sudden changes in April and August of 2008, but Neptune moves thru the 10th of career – not indicative of high public office.



Source – Alabe

Fred Thompson

From Circles Of Flight:

Thompson made his announcement just as transiting Pluto was turning direct while trine his Leo Sun. Progressing his chart reveals the strong role Jeri plays in this campaign, since his progressed Juno was exactly (to-the-minute) conjunct his Moon. Over the next few months, as transiting Pluto approaches the square to his Neptune, he will be challenged to better define his agenda, to get specific about his policy proposals.

Huckabee Natal Chart [Star IQ]

Mike Huckabee

Although Mike Huckabee was born with his Sun in self-effacing Virgo (August 24, 1955; Hope, Arkansas; time unknown), his Venus-Mars-Pluto triple conjunction in late Leo adds plenty of confident, mission-oriented optimism to his candidacy, with Venus providing the folksy, likeable, Southern charm. Over the last few months of his spectacular rise, slow-moving Pluto has been favorably trine his triple conjunction in Leo.

Huckabee’s Jupiter in Leo is exceptionally significant in his natal chart with its close square to Saturn in Scorpio. In the religious sense, it’s about knowing the difference between living faith and dead ritual. In the current campaign, Huckabee has gone from no hope (Saturn) to potential winner (Jupiter). Next week, Jupiter enters Capricorn and trines his Virgo Sun just before the Iowa caucus on January 3, a very promising sign.

In terms of his connection with the American people, his progressed Jupiter at 25º Leo opposes the U.S. Moon**, so that he taps into the religious faction, including the 40 percent of Iowa Republicans who call themselves evangelicals. As transiting Jupiter moves deeper into Capricorn, Huckabee’s strength will probably wane, unless he can broaden his appeal. However, with Pluto entering Capricorn and trining his Sun, he may remain as a power-broker within the GOP, a king-maker representing the religious right. Source – Star IQ – Jupiter-Pluto Lifts Mike Huckabee

Ron Earnest Paul

From Nafella:

Since we cannot find Paul’s time of birth we are unable to get a natal chart.

According to Wikipedia, Ron Paul was born in Greentree, Pennsylvania on August 20, 1935. Since no birth time is provided, we will make do with a Moon sign horoscope and not consider the position of the horizon (Ascendant) at the time of birth.

This is what we can see in his birth chart:

Mars retrograde in Gemini between now and end of January 2008 will give him considerable momentum towards achieving his objective. Mars moves out of Gemini towards the end of April. By mid May we will know how far Mars has carried him.

Saturn in Leo is not very helpful. It goes retrograde on December 20th and remains so until early May 2008. His campaign will face strong opposition from the establishment, which will work behind the scenes to put a stop to his campaign.

The net of all this is that Ron Paul will have Jupiter (intellect) and Mars (passion) working strongly in his favor, with Saturn (establishment) working hard to bring him down between mid December 2007 and mid May 2008. If his campaign (of intelligent and passionate people) is still holding strong towards the end of May 2008, we may see some very interesting and surpising times in the campaign for rest of 2008! Source – Nafella
There you go, astrological predictions for the Republicans.

Next up, the Democrats.

Groovy.

By Little Baby Ginn
Image [mikietyn]
Please note: All references, links and graphics from Political Astrology have removed due to the author’s request.


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Categories: Fred Thompson · John McCain · Mike Huckabee · Mitt Romney · Republican presidential candidates · Ron Paul · Rudy Giuliani

New Year’s Eve Countdown Clock and Map

December 31, 2007 · Leave a Comment

A Handy Clock to count down the seconds until next year!

Time Elapsed Since Happy New Year!

NEW YEAR’S EVE and NEW YEAR’S DAY MAP!

Leave everyone a message or picture or both!

Happy New Year!

From your Buddies at the
“Worldwide Leader in Weird”
*
Mondoreb, Little Baby Ginn & RidesAPaleHorse

by Mondoreb

[image: NyEveparties;lombard]

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Categories: Countdown · DBKP · New Years Eve · countdown clock

New Element "Heaviest Yet Known to Science"

December 31, 2007 · 1 Comment

New element “heaviest yet known to science

New Periodic Table lists latest element
discovered and its position on the table.

Research has led to the discovery of the heaviest element yet known to science.

The new element, Governmentium (Gv), has one neutron, 25 assistant neutrons, 88 deputy neutrons and 198 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312.

These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons.

Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert; however, it can be detected because it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact. A minute amount of Governmentium can cause a reaction which would normally take less than a second to take anytime from four days to four years to complete.

Governmentium has a normal half-life of two to six years; it does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which some of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places.

In fact, Governmentium’s mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause more morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes.

This characteristic of moron promotion leads some scientists to believe that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a critical concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as the critical morass.

When catalyzed with money, Governmentium becomes Administratium, an element that radiates just as much energy as Governmentium, since it has half as many peons but twice as many morons.

“One need only think of the weather, in which case the prediction even for a few days ahead is impossible.”

–Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

We don’t understand how we missed this.

by RidesAPaleHorse
[image:RAPH]

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Categories: elements · governmentum · periodic table · satire · science

Pixelaneous 23: New Year’s Eve Party Time

December 31, 2007 · Leave a Comment

It’s New Year’s Eve Limbo Time!

Are you ready to limbo?

Let’s Limbo!

Already in Limbo!

Pray for our Limbo sins, Sister
One foot in Hell!
Father forgive their sins!
Government cheese?

We have no idea who these people are but they’re going straight to Hell!

Venial Sin! (Forgivable)

Happy New Year from DBKP!

By Little Baby Ginn

Image [montrealmirror]
Image 1 [static.flicker.com]
Image 2 [forummd]
Image 3 [damncoolpics.com]
Image 4 [smokingmokey.com]
Image 5 [blogger.com]
Image 6 [billymackhill.com]
Image 7 [images.google.com]

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Categories: Happy New Year · Limbo · pictures · pixelaneous 23

The Economy: The Best and Worst of 2007

December 31, 2007 · Leave a Comment

The Century Foundation released it’s year-end economic assessment for the world and U.S. economy.

The study, by Bernard Wasow, is a mixed bag of economic indicators, signs, tea leaves and results. Wasow sorts them out and makes clear the decidedly unclear economic picture that was 2007.

The Best and Worst of 2007: The Economy

By Bernard Wasow

This past year may be remembered as an economic turning point for the United States. It was not a bad year, as far as production and employment go, but throughout the year, the signs of bad times ahead have been mounting.

And while the United States seems to be losing economic steam, European economic unity and cooperation has been gathering strength, with much of Asia continuing its sprint toward the head of the economic pack. In short, we end 2007 poised for economic troubles that may challenge U.S. economic supremacy.

On the good side, the U.S. economy has weathered continuing bad news without panic or collapse. On the bad side, we are likely to move into recession in 2008, from which the U.S. economy will emerge into a multi-polar economic world, with the United States only one of the big boys, not the dominant player is has become accustomed to being.


The Best

The best economic news of 2007 was the bad things that had not happened:

- Economic growth continued, though it will not reach 2 percent for the year. The unemployment rate for the year will come in below 5 percent, low by historical standards. The economy produced these respectable numbers even after the housing bubble burst.

- Household incomes continued to grow at the top of the income distribution and stagnate for the rest, the pattern of the past thirty-five years. The continuing growth of income inequality has produced rapid growth of federal tax revenues, delivering indirect evidence of progressivity in effective taxes, which is good news.

- In spite of a huge (though reduced) continuing U.S. international deficit, foreign wealth holders continued to absorb dollars, providing finance for our fiscal deficit and private saving shortfalls. As a result, while the dollar continued to decline, interest rates remained low and we were spared a currency crisis (for now). The falling dollar also stimulated U.S. exports.

- Outside the United States, the economic picture is promising (aside from the long run challenges of climate change and water scarcity). The economies of China and India continued to boom, joined at a more modest pace by much of the former Soviet block as well as several Latin American countries (notably Argentina).

- In much of Sub-Saharan Africa, economic growth continued to outpace population growth, which continues to decline.

- As in 2006, the threat of self-destructive anti-immigrant policy continued to find a large audience in the United States, but nativist action has lagged the rhetoric.

The Worst

The bad news for 2007 carries gloomy implications for 2008:

- As the financial industry chokes on the consequences of terrible mortgage underwriting, the threat of a liquidity crisis grows, putting at risk not only millions of ill-advised home buyers, but also financial institutions worldwide that acquired “contaminated” securities.

- The real consequences of the housing bubble – no more real estate projects entering the construction pipeline – together with the financial consequences, have made a recession in 2008 increasingly likely.

- Faced with the need to raise revenue, especially to reform the Alternative Minimum Tax, the Senate shied away from responsible Pay As You Go tax reform and jury-rigged a “fix.”

- Domestic infrastructure and social needs continued to go unmet while U.S. wealth, as well as blood, drained into the sands of Iraq.

- Wealth-holders the world around – notably our creditors in China – demonstrated declining faith in the dollar and a wish to diversify their assets into harder currencies, especially the Euro.

- The HIV-Aids crisis remained catastrophic in much of Africa and a growing threat in Asia.

- While the threat of global warming is causing real popular concern, public policy has shown more bark than bite. In the United States, as well as in China, even the bark lacks conviction. The Bali Conference avoided a public breakdown, but at the cost of not producing any substantive resolutions.

- In the United States, policy to promote corn-based ethanol will continue to raise the price of food, which, together with the rising price of energy, will hurt low-income families worldwide.

At the end of 2008, the news probably will be considerably gloomier. The “American Century” may be nearing its end.

We don’t agree with all of Wasow’s assessments, but he’s the economist. While we don’t agree with everything, the report does make interesting reading. There’s something for optimist and pessimist alike, particularly the pessimists.

Must be why Economics is referred to as “The Dismal Science”.

About the author, Bernard Wasow:

Bernard Wasow received his BA from Reed College and his PhD in economics from Stanford University. In between, he spent a year as a DAAD Fellow at the Free University of Berlin. He has been a member of the Economics Departments at the University of British Columbia, the University of Nairobi (five years), New York University (20 years, tenured) and, as a visitor, at Columbia University, Monash University (Melbourne, Australia), and the Central European University (Prague, Czechoslovakia). He also has worked in the research department of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and as a Program Officer at the Ford Foundation. Besides teaching overseas he spent a year each in Puerto Rico, with the Committee to Study Puerto Rico’s Finances, and Bangladesh, with the Harvard Institute for International Development. He has participated in two World Bank missions to Kenya and two to Mongolia, the second of these as mission leader. His publications are in the fields of international economics and development.

About the Century Foundation:
The Century Foundation conducts public policy research and analyses of economic, social, and foreign policy issues, including inequality, retirement security, election reform, media studies, homeland security, and international affairs. The foundation produces books, reports, and other publications, convenes task forces, and working groups and operates eight informational Web sites. With offices in New York City and Washington, D.C., The Century Foundation is nonprofit and nonpartisan and was founded in 1919 by Edward A. Filene.

NOTE: DBKP tried contacting Wasow for a little more detail to his assessments, but he was unavailable. We’ll try again after the first of the new year.]

notes by Mondoreb
[image:usinfo.org]
Sources:
* The Century Foundation: The Best and Worst of 2007: The Economy
* Bernard Wasow

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Categories: economy

The Day Calvin and Hobbes Died

December 31, 2007 · Leave a Comment

Twelve Years Ago, Comic Strip ‘Calvin and Hobbes’ Ended

The World Became a little less bright

Twelve years ago today, the world became a little more sober place. Twelve years ago, a tiny corner of joy was extinguished for millions of readers of the daily comic strip, “Calvin and Hobbes”.

Twelve years ago, the last Calvin and Hobbes episode appeared. The strip, created by Bill Watterson, was a small window on human nature.

We felt much the same way when G. Larsen’s Far Side ended earlier in the same year. One year and two of our constant daily companions were gone. The daily comics page hasn’t been the same since.

C&H had been out for awhile before we were converted, but once a convert, it quickly became a daily habit to find, no matter what the location, a newspaper to check out Calvin and Hobbes.

From Wikipedia:

Calvin and Hobbes is a comic strip written and illustrated by Bill Watterson, following the humorous antics of Calvin, an imaginative six-year old boy, and Hobbes, his energetic and sardonic—albeit stuffed—tiger.

The pair are named after John Calvin, a 16th century French Reformation theologian, and Thomas Hobbes, a 17th century English political philosopher. The strip was syndicated daily from November 18, 1985 to December 31, 1995. At its height, Calvin and Hobbes was carried by over 2,400 newspapers worldwide. To date, more than 30 million copies of the 18 Calvin and Hobbes books have been printed.

After delighting readers all over the world, Waterson sent this letter to newspaper editors who carried Calvin and Hobbes in 1995.

“I will be stopping Calvin and Hobbes at the end of the year. This was not a recent or an easy decision, and I leave with some sadness. My interests have shifted however, and I believe I’ve done what I can do within the constraints of daily deadlines and small panels. I am eager to work at a more thoughtful pace, with fewer artistic compromises. I have not yet decided on future projects, but my relationship with Universal Press Syndicate will continue.

That so many newspapers would carry Calvin and Hobbes is an honor I’ll long be proud of, and I’ve greatly appreciated your support and indulgence over the last decade. Drawing this comic strip has been a privilege and a pleasure, and I thank you for giving me the opportunity.”

Fans hoping Watterson would have a change of heart were greeted 12 years ago today by the following.

The 3,160th and final strip ran on Sunday, December 31, 1995. It depicted Calvin and Hobbes outside in freshly-fallen snow, reveling in the wonder and excitement of the winter scene. “It’s a magical world, Hobbes, ol’ buddy… Let’s go exploring!” Calvin exclaims as they zoom off on their sled, leaving, according to one critic ten years later, “a hole in the comics page that no strip has been able to fill.”

As the comment on our sidebar states so eloquently:

In 1995, Cartoonist Bill Watterson ends his “Calvin & Hobbes” comic strip.

Possibly the darkest day in American history.
Trench Reynolds

After thinking about it, we agreed. When the comic ended, we remembered feeling a little sad and a little emptier. It really was a little like someone you knew had passed away.

Somehow, one line in DBKP’s “Today in History” didn’t seem enough. Maybe a moment of silence was called for.

We really liked Calvin and Hobbes. It doesn’t seem like twelve years ago.

Sometimes it seems like a whole lot longer.

by Mondoreb
[image:raysflag; bebo]
Source:
* Wikipedia: Calvin and Hobbes

UPDATE:

We got this comment from pat:
“There were two types: the humanistic and the socio/political. Here is a selection of the latter:”

He then dropped a link at the Progressive Boink “25 Great Calvin and Hobbes Strips: Why Bill Watterson is our Hero”. Here’s how PB starts out:

Hundreds of comic strips have been published in newspapers. The majority are terrible, and almost all the rest are mediocre. There have been maybe four or five good comic strips in the history of the world. So saying that Calvin and Hobbes is the best comic strip ever doesn’t really hold a lot of weight.

They then present their picks. It gave us an excuse to feature one last look at C&H.

[Click on images to enlarge them.]

Time for a trip to my library for some Calvin and Hobbes.

UPDATE #2:

The best thing about winter used to be the Calvin and Hobbes “Weird Snowmen” strips. There were 100’s of them over the years and we loved every one of them. Someone else here must have liked them as well as we did.

RidesAPaleHorse sent in some seasonal Calvin and Hobbes. And the snowmen might have been the favorite part of Calvin and Hobbes. So we’re going to put these up for easy reference. Bill Watterson should release a book of nothing but Calvin and Hobbes Snowmen strips.

[Click on images to enlarge.]

As we said before, it’s time for a trip to our Calvin and Hobbes Library.

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Categories: demise · twelve years ago

Pope Benedict XVI News Picks Up DBKP Story

December 31, 2007 · Leave a Comment

Humbled.

That’s all we can say when we found out that a recent DBKP post had been included in Pope News.

The Pope Watch blog keeps track of all things about Benedict XVI.

And our story about the exorcist “surge” and its subsequent disavowal by the Pope, as well as our exclusive pictures from a Democrat Party exorcism was picked up. [Pope Disputes Exorcist Surge, DBKP Documents Political Exorcism]

We can’t say much except we’re honored.

And, Amen.

by Mondoreb

[image: popebenedictXVI]
Sources:
* Pope Benedict XVI News
* Pope Disputes Exorcist Surge

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Categories: DBKP · pope · pope benedict XVI · pope benedict XVI News · pope blog

Today in History: December 31, 2007

December 31, 2007 · Leave a Comment

WAR!, DISASTER, ECONOMICS, SMOKING, NANNY STATE, POLITICS, DICTATORS, IMMIGRATION, COMPUTERS, SCIENCE, SERIAL KILLERS, COUP, CULTURE, 2nd AMENDMENT, MAINSTREAM MEDIA, ROCK AND ROLL, BORN, DEATH

In 1991, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) last day of existence.

WAR!

In 406, 80,000 Vandels attack the Rhine at Mainz.

In 1775, Battle of Québec; Americans unable to take British stronghold.

In 1862, Union ironclad ship “Monitor” sinks off Cape Hatteras NC.

In 1946, President Truman officially proclaims end of WWII.

DISASTER

In 1986 Dupont Plaza Hotel fire in San Juan, Puerto Rico kills 97

ECONOMICS

In 1600, British East India Company chartered.

In 1776, Rhode Island establishes wage & price controls to curb inflation: Limit is 70¢ a day for carpenters, 42¢ for tailors.

In 1896, 25th auto built in US.

In 1961, Marshall Plan expires after distributing more than $12 billion.

In 1974, Gold legal in US, Franklin Mint strikes Panamá’s Gold 100 balboa coin.

In 1991, Dow Jones closes at record high 3168.83.

SMOKING

In 1910, US tobacco industry produced 9 billion cigarettes in 1910.
In 1930, US tobacco industry produced 123 billion cigarettes in 1930.

POLITICS

In 1857, Queen Victoria chooses Ottawa as new capital of Canada.

In 1862, President Lincoln signs act admitting West Virginia to the Union.

In 1897, Brooklyn’s last day as a city, it incorporates into NYC (1/1/1898).

In 1945. Ratification of UN Charter completed.

In 1984, US leaves UNESCO.

In 1978, Taiwan’s final day of diplomatic relations with the US.

In 1999, Control of Panamá Canal reverts to Panamá.

DICTATORS

In 1958, Cuban dictator Batista flees from advancing rebels led by Fidel Castro.

IMMIGRATION

In 1890, Ellis Island (New York NY) opens as a US immigration depot.

COMPUTERS

In 1997, Intel cuts price of Pentium II-233 MHz from $401 to $268.

In 1997, Microsoft buys Hotmail E-mail service.

SCIENCE

In 1879, Edison gives 1st public demonstration of his incandescent lamp.

In 1911, Marie Curie receives her 2nd Nobel Prize.

In 1923, 1st transatlantic radio broadcast of a voice, Pittsburgh-Manchester.

In 1924, Edwin Hubble announces existence of distant galactic systems.

In 1958, International Geophyscial Year (IGY) ends.

In 1968, 1st supersonic airliner flown (Russian Tupolev TU-144).

SERIAL KILLERS

In 1977, Ted Bundy escapes from jail in Colorado.

CULTURE

In 1907, for the 1st time a ball drops at Times Square to signal the new year.

1921 Last San Francisco firehorses retired.

In 1923, BBC begins using Big Ben chime ID.

In 1935, Charles Darrow patents Monopoly.

In 1990, The Sci-Fi Channel on cable TV begins transmitting.

In 1995, Cartoonist Bill Watterson ends his “Calvin & Hobbes” comic strip.

2nd AMENDMENT

In 1984, NYC subway gunman Bernhard Goetz surrenders to police in New Hampshire.

MAINSTREAM MEDIA

In 1981, CNN Headline News debuts.

COUP

In 1961, failed coup by Syrian group in Lebanon.

NANNY STATE

1938 Dr R N Harger’s “drunkometer”, 1st breath test, introduced in Indiana

ROCK AND ROLL

In 1963, Jerry Garcia & Bob Weir played music together for the 1st time.

In 1966, Monkee’s “I’m a Believer” hits #1 & stays there for 7 weeks.

DEMOGRAPHY

1997 More Swedes died than were born in 1997, 1st time since 1809

BORN

1880 George C Marshall Uniontown PA, authored Marshall Plan (Nobel 1953)
1892 Jason Robards Sr Hillsdale MI, actor (Acapulco)
1908 Simon Wiesenthal Polish/Austrian nazi hunter (Wiesenthal Center)
1921 Rocky Graziano New York NY, boxer (Middleweight champion)/actor (Miami Undercover)
1942 Andy Summers Blackpool England, rock guitarist (Police-Roxanne)
1943 Ben Kingsley Scarborough England, actor (Gandhi, Betrayal, Maurice)
1943 John Denver [Henry John Deutschendorf Jr] Roswell NM, singer/songwriter/actor (Rocky Mountain High, Thank God I’m a Country Boy, Oh God!)
1946 Patti Smith Chicago IL, singer (Radio Ethiopia)
1947 Burton Cummings rock guitarist (Guess Who-These Eyes)
1947 Tim Matheson California, actor (Animal House, Fletch, Up the Creek)
1948 Donna Summer Boston MA, singer (Love to Love You Baby, On the Radio)
1959 Val [Edward] Kilmer actor (The Saint, Top Gun, The Doors)
1959 Bebe Neuwirth Princeton NJ, actress (Lilith-Cheers, Damn Yankees)
1970 Bryon Russell NBA forward (Utah Jazz)

DEATH

0192 Lucius Aurelius Commodus Emperor of Rome (180-192), murdered at 31
1384 John Wycliffe English religious reformer/bible translator, dies
1862 Joshua Woodrow Sill US Union Brigadier-General, dies in battle at 31
1972 Roberto Clemente Pittsburgh Pirate slugger, dies in a plane crash at 38
1980 Marshall McLuhan Canadian cultural philosopher, dies at 69
1985 Rick Nelson singer/actor (Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet), dies at 45
1990 George Allen US football coach (Los Angeles Rams, Washington Redskins), dies
1995 Calvin/Hobbes (comic strip), dies
1996 61 law enforcement officers killed by felons in US this year
1997 76 law enforcement officers killed by felons in US this year

HOLIDAYS

Austria : Imperial Ball
Benin : Feed Yourself Day
Congo : National Day
Japan : Omisoka Day/Grand Purification
Scotland : Hogmanay Day
World : New Year’s Eve/Watch Night

December 31, 2007, the last day of the year. There are no days left in the year.

compiled by Mondoreb
Sources:
* Today in History
* Today in History

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Categories: IMMIGRATION · Nanny State · ROCK AND ROLL · SERIAL KILLERS · WAR. DISASTER · coup · culture · death · dictators · economics · guns · media · politics · science · smoking · today in history

Sic Semper Tyrannis

December 31, 2007 · Leave a Comment

Sic Semper Tyrannis

means

“THUS ALWAYS TO TYRANTS”

An apt reminder.

by RidesAPaleHorse

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Categories: Iraq · sadaam hussein · sic semper tyrannis · video

Real Housewives of Orange County: Dysfunctional Like the Rest of Us

December 31, 2007 · Leave a Comment

Image [tcvillas.com]

Into its 3rd season, the hit Bravo reality TV show, The Real Housewives of Orange County, has given us a glimpse into the lifestyles and mini-dramas of a Southern California gated community.

We’ve been following the “lives” of four “housewives”: Vicki, the driven to succeed Midwest transplant, Lauri, the elegant blonde bombshell engaged to George, the handsome millionaire. Tammy, the once married to a super-rich older man who filed for massive bankruptcy, and Jeana, former Playboy bunny, actress, now successful realtor, separated from her long time husband and ex-major league pitcher, Matt Keough.

In three seasons we’ve watched what the producers wanted us to know. The “real” lives lived in beautiful houses in the super-beautiful community of “Coto”.

We’ve followed the lives of Lauri, Jeana, Vicki, and Tammy along with their family members: kids, spouses, boyfriends, ex’s, decorators, and neighborhood “extras.” We’ve been privy to the nip and tucks, botox, boob jobs, hair dyes and the women’s bratty and not so bratty kids as they grew up before our very eyes.

Jo, the youngest “housewife” has moved on to LA; a new reality show in the works, her ex-older boyfriend, Slade, still “clinging” to her. When Jo and Slade “broke up” we thought we spied a tiny bit of spine in Slade when he grabbed a screwdriver and removed the license plate from Jo’s (leased) Mercedes. (A gift from him)

We watched Lauri work for Vicki and wondered how Lauri could stand having to spend so much time with the workaholic control freak Vicki without resorting to murder. We cheered Lauri when she met George, the successful down-to-earth developer. We were happy when Lauri moved in with George and then became engaged. We wondered why Lauri’s son, in and out of trouble, moved in with George’s ex-wife.

We followed Tammy and her two daughters as they learned how to readjust to living a “meager” lifestyle after Tammy divorced Lou, the much older husband. Lou knew how to get on the show by recruiting his, Lauri’s, and Vicki’s daughter to become the “spokesgirls” for his new bottled water drink. Unfortunately for Lou he dropped dead of a massive heart attack. Now Tammy is helping her daughters cope with the fact that their father “broke his promise” that “they’d never have to work for anything.”

What a bastard to drop dead before making sure his kids were set for life.

Then there’s Vicki. Vicki is not the best looking but she is the most fascinating of the “wives.”

We’ve watched Vicki’s drive to succeed and by all accounts she’s quite successful. We watched the bombastic workaholic bounce through life and wonder why her husband is so sarcastic and cutting to her. In Vicki’s favor she gives as good as she gets.

Last season she went on a “surprise” visit to see her son during his first semester of college in Colorado. You see his mortification when she showed off her set of boobs to his friends. At least she kept her shirt on. We cringed when she behaved as if she was the same age as her son. We felt immense pity for that kid and a little for Vicki, when, rebuffed by her son, she hid sobbing behind his shower curtain.

And then there’s Jeanna. For three seasons we’ve watched Jeanna in her real estate career, raising her three kids with ex-pro pitcher, Matt Keough.

The kids grew up. The oldest, surly, cocky, and unsure, is now busy establishing his own career in the major leagues and beginning to mellow.

A beautiful and grounded daughter who graduated from high school this year and decided to attend Berkeley. A daughter who hated to see her friends’ drink or smoke and was very adamant about it.

Jeanna’s youngest, her 14-year-old son, a cute kid already in sports, busy being precocious.

And then there’s Matt, Jeanna’s husband and father to the 3 kids.

Every now and then we’d see Matt around the house. We came to know Matt as “surly” and “sour” and mostly unseen. Jeanna mentioned when he was absent that he was away “coaching” or in Vegas.

This season Jeanna separated from Matt. Viewers knew Jeanna and Matt’s marriage was strained. What viewers didn’t see was Matt locked in his own battle, against the bottle, a fight to stay sober.

Matt is being currently held in the Orange County Jail without bail. The fifty-two-year-old was arrested December 18th after he had spent several days “binge” drinking at a local hotel.

Matt violated his probation from a 2005 DUI conviction. Just days before Matt’s arrest at the hotel he had been released from the Newport Beach City Jail where he had been incarcerated for 7 weeks. A probation officer caught Matt drinking at his home, a violation that put Matt in jail.

Matt tried the Betty Ford Clinic and a court ordered 3-month stint at an outpatient program.

We never got a glimpse of this, of Matt’s drinking, or how it affected his family. Or did we?

There was their daughter’s anger over “drinking.” Every now and then we’d hear a comment from the kids about their father.

A huge undertaking, to pretend your life is okay, while a member of your family is in the grips of a problem like Matt’s alcoholism. While cameras follow you around in your “perfect” life, in the “perfect” world of “Coto.”

KEOGH: Matt Keogh appeared in Orange County Superior

Court Friday morning where his arrangement for probation
violation was postponed until January 14th.

Matt’s next hearing is on January 14th. Matt could face up to five years in prison.


“Matt is committed to getting the treatment he needs and committed to getting well,” attorney Joseph McGinley said.



“There’s not much to comment on,” Jeana Keough said as she walked away from the courtroom.

By Little Baby Ginn
Image – Matt Keough [Andy Templeton, For The Orange County Register]
Source – OC Re

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Categories: Coto · Matt Keough · Real Housewives of Orange County · Southern California