I feel like such an utter fucking alien in my own country.

Nothing new here, have felt that way since November 04.

The hell? And for once I was pleased to find it the lead story on the news this morning.

I was late because Mister Kitty has his checkup/curve today and they forgot to tell me to bring in insulin and theirs was ooky and they didn't have anyone to run and get some more, so I had to run to the pharmacy and get some more (faster than going back home) and run it back to them and wow, that was a lot for me to do before 10 am.

I want to see the math on the backwards light to figure it out physically (sort of) but I suspect it would involve a lot of stuff I've completely forgotten.

When you put together all the powers than the Bush Administration claims, it could label a peace group a terrorist organization, find out you have made phone calls to it, detain you with no court intervention indefinitly. Not saying this is happening, but all the pieces are there.

Anyone else still watching Survivor? I failed to set my VCR properly last night. Please to give a recap.

What should the online fans of Snakes on a Plane be called?

I like Motherfuckers.

If you look at the full survey results, there's a question about whether it is more important for the government to investigate possible threats or to respect personal privacy. In 2002, 18% said privacy was more important; now that's at 31%. So you should probably find those numbers heartening.

I think the media has really fallen down on the job here... if most people were made aware that this is the most radical administration in history with respect to its views on the limits of presidential power, I think you'd see a much higher level of concern.

Some cheering news:

It's just another poll showing just another all-time low -- unless you're inclined to attach significance to round numbers and the breaking through thereof: The new Harris Interactive poll is the first to put George W. Bush's approval rating at below 30 percent.

Only 29 percent of the poll's respondents give Bush positive marks for his performance in office, and the poll was taken before USA Today reported that the NSA has been trying to collect information on every telephone call made in America. If current polling trends continue, most other major polls should have Bush in the 20s within a week or so.

One bit of good news for the president, if not for his party: Only 18 percent of the Harris poll's respondents approve of the job the Republican-controlled Congress is doing.

[link]

Anyone else still watching Survivor? I failed to set my VCR properly last night. Please to give a recap.

Oh, too bad -- it was a good ep last night.

Basically, Aras won the reward challenge, which was an overnight yacht tour of the Panama canal, with food. He was allowed to take 1 person with him and took Cirie. They decided they were going to be the final 2.

Meanwhile, Terry and Danielle were sent to exile island, which didn't really have a point since they both knew Terry had the idol, and there was nobody back at camp anyway. But they also started strategizing, except that they both SUCK at strategy, so it was more like "Well, T, you should win immunity tomorrow and then give me the idol." That was it.

So then Aras ALSO won the IC, which pretty much fucked up everyone's plans. Effectively, Aras and Terry both had immunity, so everyone knew it was going to be a tie between Danielle and Cirie. Why Terry didn't just decide to vote for Danielle and hope that Cirie or Aras would think they could beat him in the final 2, I have no idea. Oh wait, it's because he's an arrogant moron. Right. Anyhoo, Danielle spent the rest of the afternoon trying to get the idol from Terry, the idea being that if everyone thought he had it, they'd vote for her, and then she'd have it, and Cirie would go home. But Terry must have thought that she'd tell them if he gave it to her and then vote him off, so he didn't. So it was a two-way tie (Cirie and Danielle), and the tie-breaker was a fire-making challenge.

BUT!, to make sure everyone tuned in for the 4-hour finale EXTRAVAGANZA next Sunday, they ended the ep right before the challenge actually started, so we don't know who the final 3 are.

One bit of good news for the president, if not for his party: Only 18 percent of the Harris poll's respondents approve of the job the Republican-controlled Congress is doing.

This is even more heartening, though given how Bush is trying to beef up the presidency at the expense of the other branches - perhaps we should be calling his reign "The presindecency"? - taking back congress may not mean as much as it would have a few years ago.