Dude. I have a Pro account with Flickr but today they are acting like my account is a free one and that I need to upgrade to Pro! WTF? Anyone else experiencing this?

Palin's getting a bang-up start with the press

[link]

The campaign had originally indicated that the print reporters following her campaign would be among the small group of journalists allowed to attend the so-called “pool sprays” before Palin’s meetings with dignitaries on the sidelines of the U.N. meetings.

Spray. Like a cat does on the furniture?

An articulate, smart, charismatic, uninhibited liar can actually do pretty well in this kind of debate format.

Hell, even uncharismatic people have been know to handle it. Think of what Bush did to Kerry when Kerry called Bush on deducting timber from his income tax. Bush pulled an exaggerated double take, and said sarcastically "timber?", and acted like Kerry had just make the most hilarious gaffe he ever heard. And throughout the debate he kept coming back to subject with little zingers like "got wood?". Anyone watching the debate who did not research later was probably convinced that Kerry had made a really hilarious and weird gaffe that came out of left field. And of course some of the papers had analysis on page 42 the next day that Kerry actually got it right. But how many people paid attention to that as opposed to the immediacy of the debate, or maybe the unfact-checked post-game analysis.

Biden against Palin worries me. Biden is snarky and smart, but he is from the old school where just pulling stuff out of your ass lost you points in a debate. Don't know if he is ready a fight where the other side lies to your face, and acts (in Palin's case with really good delivery) like you are the one lying. And the refs won't call her on it.

Is Biden ready to call her on lying? If necessary interupting her and taking the ding from the moderator rather than letting her lie stand unrebutted?

I know there is a real danger of "why is that cranky old Joe being so mean to that nice Mrs. Palin?". But better that than letting her bully him.

Even Faux News is getting annoyed at the Palin media blackout.

It is traditional for the press traveling with a candidate to have some relationship with the candidate and special access because of all the hours logged on the plane and on the campaign trail. But, Palin still has not come back to answer any questions or talk to her press corps. The only time the press has met the Alaska governor is on her first solo flight three weeks ago and it was off the record. We shook hands with Palin and she was quickly ushered back to the front of the plane behind a gray curtain where she has remained for the three and a half weeks she has been a candidate.

Re: Charm City Cakes - Joe has been told that my 40th birthday cake is to come from them. Red Velvet cake in the shape of ruby slippers.

Better order it now! They are booked wayyyyyy in advance these days.

Charm City Ordering FAQ: [link]

They don't really ship cakes, so you'll have to celebrate within 4 hours of Baltimore.

Birthday parties at Sparky's house.

I've had a lovely conversation going with the Isle of Wight Bat Hospital.

I'm still in breakdown mode on the book. If I didn't have a writing partner depending on me to pull my shit together, I'd have moved to Canada and changed my name by now.

Oh, and the best part of this birthday is, that this year my Hebrew birthday date coincides with the general date of today, which is Emmett's birthday. This is the Buffista Calendar's birthday present to me.

Awww, Emmett needs the special blessing of sharing a birthday with Nilly today. He's having kind of a crappy day.

And Matilda had a full on, separation anxiety, "Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!" meltdown and tantrum this morning. You know the kind where you have to shove a sobbing toddler into their car seat against their will or you'll be late for your temp job that you just started after an extended period of not-working so you can't afford to not be there? That kind of morning? Yeah.

Birthday parties at Sparky's house.

::giggles gleefully, calls DH to let him know we're having a party::