tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55927302011-04-21T14:49:57.057-05:00(ex) Candidate's (ex) WifeIt's over.
http://www.wisconsinite.net/dairyconspiracyarchives/000565.htmlStacienoreply@blogger.comBlogger1481100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1085615135744702512004-05-26T18:43:00.000-05:002004-05-26T18:45:35.743-05:00Where Did I Go?
OK, so it's been a month. I'm over at the Dairy Conspiracy full-time now, and I think I can say this site's been fun, been useful, but I really can't maintain both of them. I'll keep this one up (so long as Blogger/Blogspot doesn't start charging), kind of as a "panic room." If the Dairy Conspiracy goes kaput again, come on over here and I'll let you know what's up. Deal?
It's notStacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1083106346770467412004-04-27T17:49:00.000-05:002004-04-27T17:55:30.716-05:00Still Stranded In Technical-Difficulty-Ville
I'm trying to transition fully to the Conspiracy, but we're still in tech limbo. I have TWO posts from today, viewable to me and the handful of others with access to the Moveable Type on the server, but they won't load. (Permissions problem.) Hopefully, somebody will load them for me soon, and you folks can all get in the habit of visiting there on a Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1081946541278732082004-04-14T07:37:00.000-05:002004-04-14T07:50:02.590-05:00Was I watching the same press conference they were?
Last night, I, like most of you, stared sadly at my television, wondering how we got ourselves into this mess and how, regardless of voter manipulation, tinfoil conspiracies or hanging chad, 50 million people voted for this nitwit in 2000.
I did find comfort in the fact that the other people at the forums I frequent (see DU and P4C, among othersStacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1081474797540468392004-04-08T20:25:00.000-05:002004-04-08T20:42:59.390-05:00Still Busted
I still can't access my other blog. I'm so wanting to transition there fully (and that's why I've been ignoring this site for weeks -- sorry about that), but it looks like it's not in the cards, yet. I miss my Moveable Type. Some short ramblings here, then:
I might write something tomorrow or this weekend about yesterday's MeetUp. (Unsolicited advice for Gary Kohlenberg -- Telling a Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1080828891076723672004-04-01T08:11:00.000-06:002004-04-01T08:17:29.030-06:00In Case You Were Wondering
We're having technical difficulties over at the Vast Dairy State Conspiracy. We hope to have that figured out soon, so we can get back to our regularly scheduled bloggy goodness.
In the meantime, happy I'm Embarrased By My President Day. Wear brown, to symbolize all of the crap coming from the White House.Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1079236829901252022004-03-13T21:46:00.000-06:002004-03-13T22:02:49.670-06:00Remnants
Today, we got a nastygram from the FEC. Apparently, we were supposed to include something called a 3Z-i with the end-of-year forms. (This is a new form, post McCain-Feingold, and the list of forms I was working with was, I guess, pre McCain-Feingold.)
But here's the kicker -- we needed to list the amount of money we had (almost none), the amount that came from the candidate (none) and doStacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1078929180829968552004-03-10T08:32:00.000-06:002004-03-10T08:35:16.590-06:00It's Vince's Birthday
It's his 29th. Wish him a happy one. (If anyone still reads this blog, anyway.)Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1078346076008610862004-03-03T14:30:00.000-06:002004-03-03T14:36:45.466-06:00And The Winner Is...
Wow. It seems like this last year never happened. A year or so ago, John Kerry was the front-runner, and Howard Dean was polling in single digits. And now -- unless, as the saying goes, they catch him with a dead girl or a live boy -- John Kerry's our nominee.
(Although Dean did win Vermont. That was nice.)
Congratulations, Sen. Kerry. Pardon me for, well, not being Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1078234057719614922004-03-02T07:21:00.000-06:002004-03-02T07:29:45.513-06:00Good (Super Tuesday) Morning!
What a difference two weeks makes! I haven't received any poll, GOTV or volunteer calls; we've only received one "we need money" call (from an Edwards phone bank). I also haven't done a heck of a lot of blogging here (check out my other place for lots of bloggy wonders).
I did try to predict the Oscars. Results? 16 out of 24. That's a D. (I did get both documentariesStacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1078093507143352522004-02-29T16:24:00.000-06:002004-02-29T16:27:13.340-06:00Still Here
Wow, balancing "business" and "personal" blogs is harder than I thought. Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1077562569086100662004-02-23T12:54:00.000-06:002004-02-23T12:58:09.076-06:00To The Guy Who Sent A NastyGram Addressed To Bryan Kennedy To info@vince4congress.com
Vince4congress.com, and all related e-mail addresses, have been retired. You can't reach me there any more. (And you never could reach Bryan Kennedy there, but I was nice enough to forward.)
Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1077285405214984682004-02-20T07:47:00.000-06:002004-02-20T07:59:07.390-06:00My New Project
The more observant among you may have noticed a cryptic conversation between Folkbum and me in the comments. Well, now, all can be revealed.
A small group of fed-up-with-media Wisconsinites have gotten together to produce their own paper, called, well, The Wisconsinite. It's intended to be a state-wide, left-leaning alt-weekly, but for now, they're distributing only in Madison. (Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1077205361714733412004-02-19T09:35:00.000-06:002004-02-19T09:44:37.403-06:00A Wise Architect
Anagrams are fun.
"Steady Leadership in a Time of Change" is the Shrub/Haliburton '04 slogan. The Blog of 4 and friends ran that slogan through an anagram generator.
I like #1 and #9.
I'm a hypertense, death-dealing fiasco
I am a deathless deafening hypocrite
I am a tone-deaf, highly-paid erectness
I'm the fanatic, grandiose sleepyhead
Oafishly indecent pig's ear meathead
Slimy,Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1077129250814422342004-02-18T12:31:00.000-06:002004-02-18T12:36:05.873-06:00It's Cold In Here, If Here Were Hell
It finally happened. My mom posted in the comments! (Read her words of wisdom in the comments to "Tuesday!".)Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1077123996058344602004-02-18T10:37:00.000-06:002004-02-18T11:08:31.310-06:00So Long, And Thanks For All The Fish
By all accounts, sometime in the next couple of hours, Howard Dean will take the stage in Burlington, Vt., and announce the end of his campaign.
It was harder than I thought, last night, to connect those two dots for Howard Dean. I told phone bankers I couldn't do the letter writing, couldn't stand the requisite 100 feet from the polling place with sign in Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1077073354389101672004-02-17T20:57:00.000-06:002004-02-17T21:04:29.123-06:00Update
With a quarter of the votes in, and Edwards running a slight lead, CNN, et. al., have declared the race for Kerry.
Huh? Are the precincts reporting all Edwards-heavy exit polling places, and the ones not yet reporting located safely in Kerry country?
Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1077069694567588102004-02-17T20:02:00.000-06:002004-02-17T20:03:29.700-06:008:02
Holy crap. Based on CNN exit polling, it's too close to call between Edwards and Kerry. (Dean in a distant third.)Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1077046101262893262004-02-17T13:22:00.000-06:002004-02-18T07:47:52.496-06:00Well, Then
Apparently, 8:02 was just too long for one TV station to wait.
Approximately 42 minutes after some polls opened in Wisconsin -- and up to an hour and 18 minutes before others did -- a CBS affiliate in Jacksonville, Fla., declared that Howard Dean had lost the primary.
Is that some spectacular exit polling or what?
Punx For Dean got a screen capture before (surprise, surprise) Clear Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1077025243984857142004-02-17T07:27:00.000-06:002004-02-17T07:42:37.640-06:00Tuesday!
Thank God.
The polls are open, except the ones that aren't (We've got staggered openings here.). I won't be voting until evening -- between work and a vet appointment (just a checkup), my day's pretty well booked. But I will be voting. I'm assuming the other Wisconsinites who read this are voting, too.
I heard on the radio this morning that the TV ad budget in Wisconsin for the Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1077024405845996242004-02-16T21:22:00.000-06:002004-02-17T07:28:39.670-06:00Test a theory for me, 50-something Jews
This is most specifically directed at my parents, but anyone fitting those criteria can answer. Without asking anyone, or looking it up, answer this question: What is AIPAC and why does it matter? Leave your answer in the comments section. If someone already put down an answer, ignore it. (I'll check comments here through the week, since I know my parents Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1076969265145187812004-02-16T15:56:00.000-06:002004-02-16T16:33:45.950-06:00So, I'm gone for four hours...
...and Steve Grossman up and (quits? gets quit?). Not that I didn't see it coming, except I saw it coming Wednesday instead of today. This really isn't looking good for Dr. Dean.
My really bad analogy, that I came up with in the car, so humor me: This is like the brother-in-law, that you really like, much better than your sister [who he's married to], in fact. Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1076890976218049192004-02-15T18:18:00.000-06:002004-02-15T18:33:15.170-06:00Is it just me...
...or is this debate really, really tedious? The Ex-Candidate's watching the debate from the Modjeska, but I still feel kind of cruddy from Friday and from too much wine yesterday, so I'm not at the Dean party (or anyone else's). Maybe the debate improves in the company of others? (Ex-Candidate? Folkbum? Anyone else?)
UPDATE: OK, I uploaded the previous paragraph about two Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1076774221910301212004-02-14T09:32:00.000-06:002004-02-14T10:10:51.750-06:00Love and Marriage
Here are some links to warm the cockles of your heart:
US teens celebrate purity day
...then may I suggest the all-new "don't laugh at my score" test for the clueless (and here's one for Seuss fans and another that I'm warning my mom, or anyone at work, not to click)
Bush likes abstinence education, even though it doesn't work
And here's a lovely consequence -- AIDS money is Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1076716731915044922004-02-13T17:57:00.000-06:002004-02-13T18:00:57.280-06:00Heh
My mom just e-mailed to tell me she read my blog and hoped I feel better. Which means two things:
My mom still reads this blog, even though I've used the word "penis" recently
My mom uses the word "blog" in a sentence. Correctly.
Fascinating. Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1076687182566853242004-02-13T09:38:00.000-06:002004-02-13T09:48:12.186-06:00Sounds of Silence
Is this really happening? Are the mainstream media actually sitting on the Kerry story, waiting to find out, oh, I don't know, the truth and not Drudge innuendo, before deciding whether to run it?
So far, all I've come across are right-wing screeds (not linking to Rush, sorry) and left-wing bitching-about-Drudge (put me in that latter category). A news search at 9:40 a.m. Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1076634023603177252004-02-12T18:55:00.000-06:002004-02-12T19:02:32.890-06:00Confidential To The Dean Phone Banker (A Different One) Who Called Me Tonight
I appreciate your committment. I understand how thankless a job political volunteering can be (especially phone banking). I did say I'm still voting for Dean.
But please do not tell me I "interpreted it that way." Dean is Kerry-bashing, as was his phone banker last week. They both went beyond compare-and-contrast Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1076611645980337912004-02-12T12:36:00.000-06:002004-02-12T12:54:56.106-06:00My Imaginary Press Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Howard Dean, John Edwards, Dennis Kucinich and Al Sharpton released the following joint statement in reaction to today's "news":
While we have our differences with John Kerry on the issues and our approaches to public policy, rumors and innuendo about anyone's personal life have absolutely no relevance in this debate.
We hope the media will soon Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1076610672557614512004-02-12T12:26:00.000-06:002004-02-12T12:33:01.606-06:00All In A Day's Work
If mainstream media starts reporting on the Kerry probably-non-scandal, then Drudge will have done his job. The media will have shifted its attention. No more AWOL. No more "Where's WMD?" No more massive deficit.
Nope, just Kerry. And Janet's boob. And Clinton's penis, I'm sure.
Well done, Matt.
Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1076605295412183792004-02-12T10:49:00.000-06:002004-02-12T11:07:07.640-06:00Addendum
OK, I know for a fact that this has nothing to do with why I'm not a Kerry fan. True or not. And saying something tawdry about a candidate does make it true, in the eyes of the public. Remember: "Would you be less likely to vote for John McCain if you knew he had an illegitimate black daughter?" (His daughter is adopted, from Bangladesh.) "Would you be less likely to vote for John Kerry Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1076600328101437712004-02-12T08:54:00.000-06:002004-02-12T09:42:31.983-06:00The Kerry Problem
It's looking more and more like a Kerry nomination. I say this as a formerly die-hard, and now deeply disillusioned, Deaniac (who, at this point, still plans on voting for him next Tuesday, my fed-upness with the damage-control-spin-cycle notwithstanding. Gotta dance with them what brung you, so says Molly Ivins, and Zak).
It's tough for me to get excited about Kerry. There's Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1076524868734427112004-02-11T12:36:00.000-06:002004-02-11T12:43:12.700-06:00Justicia
Since we're pretty much living in a corporatocracy (is that a word?), I thought re-brand myself. My brand, built on "progressive quality," is unique because it "denotes that sinking feeling."
Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1076471898245805332004-02-10T21:41:00.000-06:002004-02-10T22:08:23.890-06:00Taking It To The Street
We attended the Edwards primary night rally HQ thing tonight. There was a bit more of the rock-star energy in the room this time -- Vince suspects there are fewer curious people and more political junkies and die-hard supporters at something like this.
The speech was pretty much a shorter version of the one on Saturday, and my comments still apply. He needs to smile moreStacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1076432921766049162004-02-10T11:06:00.000-06:002004-02-10T11:10:28.903-06:00Bring in 'da noise, bring in 'da funk...
And bring in this Google query...Someone found me today using this very cool search string on Google.de. (I'm No. 1! I'm No. 1!) Sorry, friend, I don't speak German, but I hope you found what you're looking for.Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1076423562700529282004-02-10T08:27:00.000-06:002004-02-10T08:34:29.403-06:00Quick Prediction
Kerry wins Virginia and Tennessee easily. Edwards picks up delegates in both states. Maybe Clark picks up some in one of the states. Dean, Kucinich and Sharpton don't really register. Nobody drops out. (Clark's the one wild card. If he gets absolutely trounced, maybe.)
This prediction stuff is getting easier with Kerry clobbering everyone. Sigh.Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1076340984035936102004-02-09T09:21:00.000-06:002004-02-09T09:38:09.733-06:00Hey, Mrs. Regula, Wanna Link To Me?
There's an entire museum devoted to first ladies. The National First Ladies' Library is based in Canton, Ohio, and is run by none other than the wife of my friend Jeff Seemann's opponent.
The site's intro does mention "other important women," but I couldn't find a Candidate's Wife section (ex or otherwise). But you can order expensive, and IMHO ugly china from Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1076271659622536952004-02-08T14:18:00.000-06:002004-02-08T15:10:13.090-06:00Me: "OK, I won't."
Source: FoxNews.com, screen capture, edited for size, 2:14 p.m. CST Feb. 8, 2004Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1076256316040542272004-02-08T09:48:00.000-06:002004-02-08T10:15:55.390-06:00Enough
Today's Journal-Sentinel has a bit of a post mortem, in the context of a broader article on the declining power of unions against multi-national corporations.
This article, for a business-section write-up, is surprisingly sympathetic to the union. Here's the end:
Jeff Hynes, a Milwaukee employment lawyer and former staff attorney for the National Labor Relations Board in Washington, D.C.Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1076198682882536852004-02-07T17:58:00.000-06:002004-02-07T18:06:27.326-06:00So...
It seems AFSCME just withdrew its support of Howard Dean. While this is, of course, very bad news for the Dean campaign, this also calls into question AFSCME's credibility.
AFSCME, for the uninitiated, is a very large service union; it's second only to SEIU in size and growth, as far as I know. To pull an endorsement at this point is highly unusual, and not usually done unless the candidateStacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1076194364222746112004-02-07T16:29:00.000-06:002004-02-07T16:59:33.013-06:00Live From The UWM Student Union
Vince, Zak and I attended a rally for John Edwards (sponsored by a textile union, which is fitting) in the UW student union. I hadn't seen Edwards yet, and I do want to cover all my bases.
Edwards looks older, and shorter, in real life. Speech was standard stump -- two Americas, and with this accent, the South.
It was a far different crowd from the other ralliesStacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1076113433774027502004-02-06T18:21:00.000-06:002004-02-06T18:25:36.966-06:00Another Quick Question
This one's for the big spenders -- if I was to send $8,000 to each of the presidential candidates ($2,000 for the primary, $2,000 for the general, per adult household member, maximum allowed by law), would they stop sending us letters asking for more money?
Just wondering.Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1076083681795906732004-02-06T10:01:00.000-06:002004-02-06T10:13:34.763-06:00Quick Question
We're less than two weeks from the presidential primary, and I have yet to see a yard sign in Waukesha. (I haven't even been offered a yard sign, from any candidate, except some homemade signs at a "Kegger for Kucinich" we attended last year.) What's up with that?
Yes, I realize I live in Republican Hell™, but I'm still confused.Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1076023667764688502004-02-05T17:25:00.000-06:002004-02-05T17:29:46.966-06:00More From The Other Candidates' Wives' Files
Judith Steinberg Dean has an op-ed in the Bangor Daily News (courtesy of folkbum).
It's odd how much of a reflex "Candidate's Wife" has become for me. Folkbum even sent the link with a message -- "not you" -- but I did have to think for a second.Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1076002065272908582004-02-05T11:15:00.000-06:002004-02-05T11:29:27.233-06:00Such Pressure...
From the Dean blog and no fewer than three e-mails I got this morning:
The entire race has come down to this: we must win Wisconsin.
We must launch our new television advertisement on Monday in the major markets in Wisconsin. To do that, I need your help to raise $700,000 by Sunday. Please contribute today so that we can reserve the air time.
We will get a boost this weekend in Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1075989369149501642004-02-05T07:44:00.000-06:002004-02-05T07:57:50.403-06:00Out of the Spotlight
It was kind of neat. Last night was the first campaign-related event, for any candidate, that I've attended in awhile where I haven't really needed to be on my best behavior. I could have stood in the corner, getting sloppy drunk, hugging everyone in sight and shouting 50 Cent lyrics, and it wouldn't have reflected poorly on anyone other than me. Not that I would have done Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1075904248057932792004-02-04T08:07:00.000-06:002004-02-04T08:19:09.936-06:00Confidential to the Dean phone banker who called me last night
Thanks for the hard work you do. I know political volunteering, and phone banking in particular, is thankless work.
But: When I tell you I have a conflict and can't make the MeetUp, please take that at face value. I actually do have a conflict -- I will be furthering my duties as the (ex) Candidate Wife at the grand opening of Bryan Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1075903488736275882004-02-04T07:54:00.000-06:002004-02-04T08:19:34.153-06:00No Surprises
Everything last night pretty much came out the way I expected. Kerry hit 15% in every state, won five. Edwards won SC, Clark (apparently) won Oklahoma, with Edwards and Kerry not far behind. Clark, Dean, Edwards and Lieberman all got 15% in one fewer state than I expected -- I suppose this means Kerry's victories (and Edwards' win in SC) were more decisive than I thought they'd be. (Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1075820391152999982004-02-03T08:45:00.000-06:002004-02-03T09:01:30.436-06:00All Or Nothing
Hm. If Edwards loses South Carolina, he's going to drop out and endorse Kerry, or so says a WaPo article. So never mind my last if/then statements.
Here are my final predictions (yeah, yeah, I know what I said), answering "Who will still be in as of tomorrow morning?" and related:
Kerry -- In; will get at least 15% in every state; will win five
Dean -- In; will get 15% in two Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1075817032275064672004-02-03T07:51:00.000-06:002004-02-03T08:06:28.903-06:00On Boobs
So Janet Jackson flashed some skin on Big Game Sunday. The FCC is outraged. Congress is outraged. Blair from "The Facts of Life" is outraged. Within 12 hours of the boob shot, all three were calling for an investigation. We're sure it'll be swift and thorough, and the malefactors will be appropriately punished.
I'm so glad our government is on top of things, and is launching an Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1075749057832283412004-02-02T13:02:00.000-06:002004-02-02T13:12:55.903-06:00First Spouses (Yes, Spouses)
WaPo is having a chat, based on their Sunday Magazine article at 3 EST today. Should be interesting.
I just skimmed the article -- a panel discussion. Some good parts. They actually talk about more than the current crop of Candidates Wives, and even entertain the possibility of a First Husband, a single president or a same-sex partner.
The article does delve into Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1075729837666362282004-02-02T07:38:00.000-06:002004-02-02T07:52:16.060-06:00Well, I Got The Spread Right...
OK, so I got the wrong team. But I actually would have won if I'd bet Carolina would beat the seven-point spread. I think my football-predicting record is better than my election-predicting record.
Speaking of which, I'll revise my "who's going to drop out?" prediction -- Dean has written off Tuesday's primaries, and putting the rest of his dwindling eggs into Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1075646210021851352004-02-01T08:22:00.000-06:002004-02-01T08:41:53.420-06:00Oh No! I'm Writing About Sports!
Happy "big game" Sunday. I find it amusing that news, sports and entertainment outlets can, of course, call it "Super Bowl Sunday," but if those same outlets are running a promotion, they can't use the trademark. So we get: "Coming up on Fox 6 News At 9: We've got a complete preview of the Super Bowl. And we've also got your chance to win tickets to the big game Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1075580293230976622004-01-31T14:04:00.000-06:002004-01-31T14:19:50.326-06:00More From The Political Wives Files
The Nation has posted a column by Katha Pollitt, about Judith Steinberg Dean, and by extension, the other Candidates' Wives and first ladies in general. I like this part:
Don't you wish, just once, the questioners and pontificators would turn it around? After all, if a woman were running for President, would they expect her doctor husband to abandon his ailingStacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1075561813645546932004-01-31T09:04:00.000-06:002004-01-31T10:44:27.996-06:00It Would Have Been Funnier This Way
To the person who found me by searching for someone I've mentioned on this site + moron (I am apparently Number One on Google for that search, but I don't want to encourage anyone). Perhaps this was what you meant to search for?
(From a pro-war, pro-Bush rally some time ago. It's been floating around the Internet for awhile, so I don't know who gets credit.)
Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1075490402107076722004-01-30T12:57:00.000-06:002004-01-30T14:09:48.996-06:00Tyson Families Stand Up And Get Screwed
Tyson employees in Jefferson will be going back to work. The strike has ended. A contract has been ratified. The members did what they had to do to keep their jobs and their union.
This strike has been tough on everyone. We attended a couple of rallies. Jefferson residents and workers stood, side by side. Their message? "Don't give up." Their solidarity wasStacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1075418988192175552004-01-29T17:23:00.000-06:002004-01-29T17:32:35.543-06:00No Backing...er...In Now
I guess this makes it official.
Vince's withdrawal has made the press. Well, one part of the press, anyway:
With the retirement of Congressman Gerald Kleczka just announced, D.C.'s Political Report, the gambler's horse-race guide to upcoming congressional races, promptly gave the race a "four-star" ranking, which in D.C.'s Political Report parlance means "very Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1075394608382913812004-01-29T10:37:00.000-06:002004-01-29T10:51:12.513-06:00And, To Be Bipartisan
Salon has an article by a 28-year-old registered Democrat, female, who really likes Laura Bush.
Yes, I am, technically, a 28-year-old registered Democrat, female, who probably unfairly trashes Laura Bush based on the idiot she's married to. But I didn't write it. And I still don't like her. If she's as wonderful as this article suggests, if she's pro-choice, pro-eductation Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1075387857684285092004-01-29T08:43:00.000-06:002004-01-29T08:52:32.140-06:00Post-Hillarys, Trying To Be Post-Lauras
WaPo has a fluff piece on the Top Candidates' Wives. (Hadassah is missing. Hm.) The author, Tina Brown, tries to wrestle with contradictions -- falling in love, a bit condescendingly, with Judith Steinberg Dean on "Primetime" but still quietly insisting we need the glam and edge of Teresa Heinz Kerry. But she does call them "worthy women of politics," not Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1075342424533309272004-01-28T20:05:00.000-06:002004-01-28T20:15:18.996-06:00OK, Calmed Down
I'm still not thrilled about the deck-chair-reshuffling project on the Dean campaign. But that's small.
There was record turnout in Iowa. Record turnout in New Hampshire -- 15% of registered Republicans voted against W. Record turnout in DC -- and that one didn't even count.
The press is starting to finally, slowly get it, and report that either Bush lied about his motives for Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1075327638052915082004-01-28T15:57:00.000-06:002004-01-28T20:23:03.593-06:00So, Trippi's Out
It's breaking, but no links yet. Apparently he'll stay on the Dean campaign, but won't be managing day-to-day operations. This doesn't change my prediction below, but may be a sign. Reshuffling deck chairs and all that.
UPDATE: Drudge has his siren up. Apparently, the campaign is taking on a Gore insider. I don't know the details yet, but if this is any indication -- Al Gore ran Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1075303960097647182004-01-28T09:13:00.000-06:002004-01-28T09:34:13.950-06:00Better Late Than Never: New Hampshire
Well, I finally got one prediction right -- nobody dropped out. Everyone was spinning this to their own advantage. Hell, Lieberman even seemed to think he came in third... (Joe, I got news for you...)
So what does this mean? I'm still not predicting who will win. I'll predict dropouts after the Feb. 3 primaries, though (vague today, I'll try harder on Monday)Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1075211885733363652004-01-27T07:53:00.000-06:002004-01-27T07:59:38.076-06:00Heh. Imagine that.
This blog has had its best week ever this week, and its best single day. I've also cracked GoStats' Top 100 Government & Society sites for the first time ever. At least 10 hits yesterday came from people searching for Teresa Heinz Kerry.
Well, now that I've got so many new people stopping by, I'll pose a question:
What should I do with all of my free time now?
Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1075146495895992602004-01-26T13:46:00.000-06:002004-01-26T13:49:47.746-06:00Well, That's That
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Vince Whitacre Announces Withdrawal From Congressional Race; Endorses Bryan Kennedy
Statement of Vince Whitacre
WAUKESHA, WI -- Last July, I announced my intention to seek the the Fifth Congressional District's Democratic nomination. I entered the race for two reasons: first, I wanted to get rid of Jim Sensenbrenner; and second, I wanted to build the Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1074960672652571152004-01-24T09:53:00.000-06:002004-01-24T10:33:53.950-06:00Aw, What The Hell. New Hampshire Open Thread?
Or, because the horse race is much more important than actual issues...
Not much to report here on my end (we're doing the books this weekend... whoopee...), so hey...go wild in the comments.
New Hampshire predictions anyone? As I've stated, my crystal ball has been smashed, so I'm not predicting finishers. Right now, and "now" is still a few days Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1074702672284424642004-01-21T10:29:00.000-06:002004-01-21T10:36:42.700-06:00We Live Our Lives On Trial, We Are The Chimps Gone Wild!
A screen capture from last night's predictable (even with my track record) State of the Union, courtesy of Atrios:
And my personal response to the SOTU:
(Yes, mom, that is a nasty tangle of cords back there.)
Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1074608223410973462004-01-20T08:11:00.000-06:002004-01-20T08:18:50.046-06:00I am not Miss Cleo
That's it, I'm done with predictions. Not only did The Mandrakes not play "Come On Eileen," but John Kerry won Iowa. I know the polls showed him creeping up, but the last one I saw showed Gep, Dean, Edwards and Kerry all in a statistical tie. (I might have missed the last one or two.) I didn't expect his momentum to carry him to that much of a lead.
I'm about as good at this asStacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1074440672140543652004-01-18T09:44:00.000-06:002004-01-18T09:45:55.763-06:00Greetings From California
Good morning from the land of the Governator, six-lane (in each direction) highways that back up at 2 a.m. and myriad people proving I'm so, utterly, not cool. It's an ungodly hour here, but I'm on Wisconsin time in my head. There are people sleeping all over the house here. (I'm sharing a room with my 8-year-old cousin, 25-year-old sister and SpongeBob SquarePants.) Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1074188945344464422004-01-15T11:35:00.000-06:002004-01-15T11:50:39.216-06:00Loose Ends
A few random things before I leave for California. (I might have Web/e-mail access, I might not. I'm returning Monday evening.)
In the world of political wives: Maureen Dowd has a hit piece on Judith Steinberg Dean (free registration required). Not that I'm surprised, given that Ms. Dowd hates everything. For a better glimpse of Dr. Steinberg, visit People's profile of both Deans. Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1074125721859781202004-01-14T18:14:00.000-06:002004-01-14T18:17:15.360-06:00Press Release Time
For immediate release, and all that
WHITACRE URGES REP. SENSENBRENNER TO INVESTIGATE O’NEILL CLAIMS
WAUKESHA, WI — Fifth-district Democratic candidate for Congress Vince Whitacre sent the following e-mail to Rep. F. Jim Sensenbrenner:
Former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill has laid out damning allegations regarding the Bush Administration's handling of Iraq, including the Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1073945665954724362004-01-12T16:13:00.000-06:002004-01-12T16:17:33.700-06:00Awww....isn't it cute?
Vince's very first piece of hate mail, printed verbatim:
I read the article in today's news/sun in Spfld.I read that you went
to
St. Bernard's,but I assume you are not a practicing catholic since you
are
pro-choice. I also just checked your website where you state that since
only
a woman can become pregnant then it is her sole right to make the
choice.
Please Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1073922793162341722004-01-12T09:50:00.000-06:002004-01-12T09:54:31.560-06:00Go read
Click here.
(Hey, you wanted commentary? My name's not in it, so there's no freak-out opportunity. But it's a good profile.)
Moderate-to-liberal. Heh. Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1073836278826786632004-01-11T09:26:00.000-06:002004-01-11T09:52:35.483-06:00Darn. She got the domain name.
Oh well. There's still the blog equivalent.
Becky Whetstone recently divorced Rep. Charles Gonzalez (D-TX-20). It was apparently a nasty process. So, she created a Web site to tell her side of the story.
Oh, and she's considering running against her ex for his seat. Now that's one way to get a point across.
I'm not familiar with Rep. Gonzalez or the 20th District Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1073579927202072302004-01-08T10:34:00.000-06:002004-01-08T10:40:13.106-06:00Circulation 65,548
In this week's edition of the Shepherd Express:
Mission: Recognition
Thanks to the Shepherd Express and Doug Hissom for the positive coverage you've given my campaign ["Something About Saddam," Dec. 18].
I do wish to point out, however, that I also took the opportunity in my release to congratulate the American troops in Iraq on their success. In fact, my exact words were, "Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1073497879006569222004-01-07T11:33:00.000-06:002004-01-07T21:09:38.000-06:00Not Quite Lost In Translation, But Better Than Paycheck?
OK, so that was a stretch. And to be fair, I haven't seen either of those.
DC Political Report has given the 5th CD race an upgrade, from two stars ("Boring") to three ("Entertaining"). I don't know if that's because DC knows something we don't, or because there's actually a primary for once, or because DC finds this blog really neat-o. Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1073323673187966872004-01-05T11:26:00.000-06:002004-01-05T11:29:04.233-06:00As predicted...
Redeye noted in the comments to the last thread that soon, I will be No. 1 for "I love Frank James" on Google.
Check it out.Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1073064090773637692004-01-02T11:07:00.000-06:002004-01-02T13:21:41.390-06:00Thirty Ed Garveys Agree
Well, just one, but I liked that sketch.
But prominent Wisconsin progressive Ed Garvey and soon-to-be-prominent Wisconsin progressive Vince Whitacre do agree on something of paramount importance.
Ed wrote about Rehnquist and F. Jim's little tiff (as did a couple of you in the comments to my last post). Here's Ed's take:
Sensenbrenner and a guy by the name of Feeney from Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1072938942147884762004-01-01T00:20:00.000-06:002004-01-01T00:41:35.360-06:00OK, so "light" means "non-existant"
(Oh, yeah, and happy new year, too.)
Sorry 'bout that. (I apparently have fans who miss me [sniff! I'm all choked up!]. And Vince, who likes to whine in the comments, even though his computer is about 10 feet from mine and he can just tell me out loud to update my friggin' site for once.) Back now.
Things are starting to pick up around Campaign Central. We Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1072147090462504112003-12-22T20:34:00.000-06:002003-12-22T20:39:07.936-06:00It's a mac & cheese Christmas!
Okay, so color-coding one's food to the Terror Alert isn't one of the SOPs. And I doubt my mother-in-law will have any bright orange boxed pasta anyway.
Blogging will be light over the next week (not that I've been particularly prolific recently), as we enjoy some old-fashioned holiday cheer.
Happy Hanukkah, merry Christmas and a good Kwaanza to my readers. I'll Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1071769987485635712003-12-18T11:45:00.000-06:002003-12-18T11:54:00.450-06:00Vince gets bold
In this week's edition of the Shepherd-Express:
"Most of the state congressional delegation chose to congratulate the armed forces for their capturing Hussein and ignore the rest of the imbroglio in Iraq. Congressional candidate Vince Whitacre, who's running for the Democratic Party spot to challenge Republican Jim Sensenbrenner, took a different tact.
"We got him. Now let's findStacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1071526265900660552003-12-15T16:07:00.000-06:002003-12-15T16:12:57.840-06:00Want a .pdf of your very own?
Wispolitics.com posted Vince's release yesterday (warning -- clicking the link will bring download the .pdf version of yesterday's post). He's right up there with Reps. Baldwin, Green, Kind, and Vince's opponent, as Sen. Feingold and one of his opponents. (The full list is here, along with the rest of the day's news.) I was up at 5 a.m. yesterday worrying about Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1071416876707844792003-12-14T09:46:00.000-06:002003-12-14T09:49:18.606-06:00For Immediate Release
WHITACRE COMMENTS ON SADDAM HUSSEIN CAPTURE
WAUKESHA, WI — Fifth-district Democratic candidate for Congress Vince Whitacre released the following statement today on the capture of Saddam Hussein by coalition forces:
““We got him.” Ambassador L. Paul Bremer announced the capture of Saddam Hussein early Sunday morning.
“This is a joyous day for the Iraqi people and for Iraq's Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1071409627913896532003-12-14T07:23:00.000-06:002003-12-14T08:05:49.293-06:00Cognitive Dissonance
So, too late for the early papers but just in time for the Sunday talk shows, they got him.
I suppose later today we'll write a press release commending Saddam Hussein's capture. This will not be an easy press release to write (admittedly, it's one we should have had in the can a long time ago). It's difficult to write a release with three seemingly contradictory goals:
Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1070895230618600872003-12-08T08:48:00.000-06:002003-12-14T07:54:32.653-06:00The fundraiser is on!
UPDATE 12/13: I decided to stop stealing Jeff's bandwith, so I removed the graphic.
UPDATE 12/9: Charlie Crystle has bowed out of his race. Read Charlie's statement here, and leave a comment to let him know you appreciate all he's done for the progressive cause.
And back to the original fundraiser post (it is still on, with one less recipient):
Please, click here and read Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1070849357984324262003-12-07T20:06:00.000-06:002003-12-07T20:10:00.983-06:00Money Money Money!
The big DU fundraiser starts tomorrow. All proceeds will be split evenly between Vince, Jeff Seemann and Charlie Crystle, three DU candidates for federal office.
I'll update tomorrow with a link to the fundraising thread.Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1070636474946197992003-12-05T08:55:00.000-06:002003-12-05T09:01:55.640-06:00Go Margie!
At the risk of ending up with even more "Kucinich Wife" hits, I'd like to put in a plug for one of the finalists in the Who wants to be a first lady? contest.
If you haven't voted yet, please consider casting a vote for Margie. She is from Wisconsin, like me, and if you attend enough events in the same political vein (Michael Moore, party picnics, etc.), you begin to see a lot of the Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1070483026573713232003-12-03T14:13:00.000-06:002003-12-03T17:51:23.403-06:00Talking Point
I pulled this from a thread on my favorite partisan chat board, Democratic Underground.
America is a liberal country and it will stay that way as long as people are challenged to think about their true beliefs....we need to remind them there is an alternative every single day, and America will stay progressive.
---Jeff Seemann
It was in a thread about an upcoming joint fundraiser Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1070133554993814722003-11-29T13:11:00.000-06:002003-11-29T13:20:02.716-06:00Happy Belated Thanksgiving
So far, I have eaten too much, slept too much and blogged too little. But there's really not much to report. Vince is attending his official High School Reunion tonight. (Hopefully, he'll be able to spread the good word and get some contributions).
I'm also looking forward to taking a little time off from work. I've stockpiled my "use-it-or-lose-it" vacation time, and Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1069767343398306252003-11-25T07:33:00.000-06:002003-11-25T07:38:38.090-06:00Quote of the Day
"We've been here so long, my dad's aunt said the LaFollettes were carpet-baggers."
--A 73-year-old woman, daughter of a Congressman, granddaughter of a Lt. Governor, and life-long Democrat (whose last name no one in Wisconsin would recognize) at the Milwaukee County Democratic Party meeting last night.
Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1069612455351055482003-11-23T12:26:00.000-06:002003-11-23T12:35:01.560-06:00Checking In
Not much to report this weekend. Some technical upgrades at Campaign HQ (broadband!) will allow us to do things a bit more quickly now. So maybe this blog will get updated more often. (Well, no, probably not...)
Tomorrow, Vince has an appearance at the Milwaukee County Democratic Party's meeting at Long Wong's Chinese-American Sports Bar. He will debut his all-new speech, specificallyStacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1069356397598817772003-11-20T12:51:00.000-06:002003-11-20T13:34:25.403-06:00Family Values
In just about every campaign-biography page I've seen (except this one), members of the candidate's family are described as "lovely," "wonderful" and "beautiful." As in, "Candidate Homer shares his home with his lovely wife Marge, and his three beautiful children, Bart, Lisa and Maggie." (OK, I don't usually see, "Candidate Joyce is married to her lovely husband Ted," but you get Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1069209839038406162003-11-18T20:24:00.000-06:002003-11-18T20:44:22.796-06:00Welcome Beloiters, Part XXVI
There was a one-sentence blurb in the "Class Notes" section of the Beloit College alumni magazine about Vince's candidacy. They didn't include any Web sites or contact info.
So, Beloiters who read that tiny blurb in the alumni magazine (no link -- Class Notes is not online), then Googled Vince's name and ended up here (I'm No. 12 or so on Google for that search, Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1068826882568137512003-11-14T09:33:00.000-06:002003-11-14T10:27:58.356-06:00Thoughts on the big 3-0
I am a couple of years shy of 30. I, contrary to what Cosmo says I'm supposed to do, do not think that I'm going to freak out or fall into some weird funk when I hit the three-decade mark. In fact, two recent developments make me just want to pass that milestone and be done with it.
Exhibit A: That absurd Rock the Vote debate from a couple of weeks ago. It seemed to be Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1068582836703717882003-11-11T14:26:00.000-06:002003-11-11T14:34:04.420-06:00One more time: not that candidate's wife
People keep coming here with the search string "Kucinich wife." I don't know how; I just ran that search on Google and this site isn't even in the top 50.
To the 15 or so people who have stumbled upon this site in the last week using that search string, welcome. Stay awhile. I'd imagine, if you're Kucinich fans, you'd be interested in seeing another Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1068573336067982222003-11-11T11:54:00.000-06:002003-11-11T11:56:03.340-06:00To our veterans
Vince wrote about this more eloquently than I could, so I'll send you to his news page.
Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1068387007104444042003-11-09T07:53:00.000-06:002003-11-09T08:11:23.113-06:00The Most [?] Time Of The Year
One sign of a still-bad economy, regardless of that 7.2 percent GDP figure (that will be revised at the end of the quarter to reflect it wasn't as good as thought, but that news will be buried on page A-29 of the Washington Post):
The Christmas stuff came out in September.
The worse the economy, the earlier retailers try to salvage their sales with Christmas (at Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1067980262152918192003-11-04T15:03:00.000-06:002003-11-04T15:11:36.900-06:00I made the big leagues!
Too bad my name's spelled wrong...
I've joined my friend Folkbum in gracing the pages (well, pixels, anyway) of USA Today!
This is for my other job. A week or so ago, an interviewer from the Associated Press called to talk about the Wal-Mart bust. I thought the story, or at least my inclusion in it, got shelved, since I couldn't find my name anywhere on the wire.
Turns Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1067879635282935202003-11-03T10:44:00.000-06:002003-11-03T11:13:53.906-06:00Youthful Indiscretions
Or, it's laundry day...
For the record, I didn't write this letter (warning: naughty words contained therein/parental discretion advised). We do not live in the Bible Belt; my past isn't nearly as interesting as that woman's. But it still brings up an interesting question: To what extent is a Candidate's Wife's past important?
Truth is, for me, there's nothing to out. Very Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1067625829781179652003-10-31T12:32:00.000-06:002003-10-31T12:44:33.640-06:00Happy Halloween
This will be another quick one, since I'm busy. (I'm on my lunch hour.) Hope everyone has a safe and happy Halloween. What are you all giving (or did you give) to Trick-Or-Treaters? Find my answers here and here. The Sugar Police, we are not (sorry, parents).
I can picture the opposition research dossier on this: Vince Whitacre (codename "Cavity Creep") is a stranger who gives Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1067447772373837272003-10-29T11:12:00.000-06:002003-10-29T11:16:11.670-06:00Maybe it wasn't bad pizza after all?
Whatever it was, I think I gave it to Vince.
Oops. Sorry. Feel better.
Anyone want to make a get-well gesture?
Just asking.Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1067270207648397272003-10-27T09:38:00.000-06:002003-10-27T09:58:36.863-06:00Blech
I feel utterly crappy. I ate some bad pizza or something, I think.
But maybe I'm just nauseous for another reason. If Vince is elected, he will make at least $158,100 a year. That's the '04 salary. That's $3,400 more than the '03 salary. The 2005 compensation package could be even higher.
Even when I realize that Congresspeople have to keep two residences, have expenses we don't even know Stacienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5592730.post-1067008073035578102003-10-24T09:56:00.000-05:002003-10-24T10:10:22.280-05:00Welcome, Beloiters
There's been a post on the Unofficial Beloit Alumni Group on Yahoo about the campaign. Presumably, this blog was referenced too, since UBAD is showing up in my site stats. (I say "presumably" because the message is members-only, so I haven't read it. My membership is pending. It's restricted access/moderator approval, but since it is listed in the Yahoo! Groups directory, I Stacienoreply@blogger.com