Today's Inspiration

TEMPER YOUR PASSION WITH WISDOM. PARTY HARDY BUT USE GOOD JUDGEMENT IF YOU DRINK AND DRIVE. :)

photo: F LoBuono Times Square at the stroke of midnight, 2008.

Just For the Fun of It: Today's Pic

How cool are they!

photo: F LoBuono Haverstraw, NY

Follow up on DOTD: She keeps stepping in deeper.

Have you caught yesterday's Douche of the Day, Christine O'Donnell's act trying to explain her campaign finance woes? She made the rounds on all of the news programs. PATHETIC!! I almost feel sorry for her. Almost.

HAPPYHAPPYHAPPYHAPPY

To Foes and Friends. To Proponents and Opponents. To Winners and Losers. To Strangers and Family. to All:

HEALTH - HAPPINESS - JOY - FULLNESS - PEACE

FOR THE NEW YEAR

photo: F. LoBuono New Years Eve, Times Square 2007

Today's DOTD: Christine O'Donnell

Today's Douche of the Day is Christine O'Donnell. O' Donnell is well known for her failed attempt to win the U.S. Senate seat for the state of Delaware. She was a surprise winner of the state's Republican primary and was heavily supported by the Tea Party. With their help, she raised a state record of $7.3 million dollars in campaign funds. She is equally well known for her quirkish behavior such as her admission to "dabbling in witchcraft". Perhaps more disturbing than the quirks are the inconsistencies in her finances and background. In fact, she has not held a full time job in years and has difficulty in explaining just how she supports herself.

And this isn't the only thing that she has had difficulty in explaining. During the campaign, when she wasn't ducking questions on her qualifications to become a U.S. Senator, she was often overwhelmed by questions on domestic and international policy - you know, things that you would want a Senator to be versed in, like education, and the economy, etc. She hung her hat with the Tea Party mantra of don't tread on me. Well that, along with a pretty face and bubbly personality (sounds like someone else I know. Oh, you betcha, wink, wink!) is not enough to get you elected - at least not in most states! She was soundly trounced in the general election.

Now the AP reports that she is the subject of a criminal investigation by the Federal Government into misuse of campaign funds. Adding fuel to a fire that was started long ago, 2 former campaign workers have claimed that she used campaign funds for personal expenses, particularly to pay her rent.

Of course, O'Donnell made the talk show rounds defending her position, denying any wrong doing, and claiming the charges were a political witch hunt started by powerful democrats and disgruntled employees. Of course, she's right (wink, wink). I'm sure that this is the way the game is played when there is this much political power at stake. So, you'd better have all of your ducks in a row.

I have always thought that the slogan, where there is smoke, there is fire, is quite telling. And in O'Donnell's case, I'm choking on the damn fumes! She claims that, since she used her apartment partially as a campaign office, she was told that she could use her campaign funds to pay her rent (remember NO VISIBLE MEANS OF SUPPORT). Ah, dah, no! Sorry, that's against the rules. And you should know the damn rules! Besides, how are you going to support your constituency if you can't even support yourself!!

Look, it's beyond the fact that she is ultra conservative and I, obviously, am not. I have always appreciated a good challenge from an astute political opponent. But this woman is a boob! Yes, she may have some charisma. Yes, she may have some "charm". But she can't think her way out of a paper bag (I find myself winking again)! Do you REALLY want people like this running the country? REALLY?

I wish that she would simply just go away. However, this will not happen soon as she has already signed a book deal (interesting that this women who, apparently, rarely READS one should WRITE one - oh, I'm winking again). I suppose that will be the end of her money woes, at least for the foreseeable future.

Let us add to her honors by naming her Douche of the Day Christine O'Donnell.

PS: you can read more specifics at The Huffington Post website.

Brain Droppings: A Glamorous Position

Many of you have seen my photos of beautiful and glamorous Hollywood film stars. I take them at Red Carpet movie premieres using a small, cheap camera, as an aside to my regular duties as a cameraman for a major news organization. Although the people in the photos may appear appear glamorous, the assignment rarely is. In fact, you've heard me use the term "pig fuck" to categorize them. It's an industry term used to describe the scene; lots of grunting and screaming signifying nothing! But, mercifully, the assignment rarely lasts more than a few hours in total.

Then there are the assignments like we had this past week, during and after "The Blizzard of 2010". It usually involves standing in driving snow, howling winds, and subfreezing temperatures with a reporter who tells you not to "stand in the driving snow, howling winds, and subfreezing temperatures"! And the assignments usually last for 12-15 hours and, often, for days on end.

So, in this case, we are in Times Square. And, surprisingly, despite the blizzard outside, it's actually crowded with people, mostly tourists having a great time. Of course they're having a great time; they're on vacation, can walk to wherever they need to go, and have no particular agenda. Plus it is that rare occasion when the City is virtually shut down. If I were a tourist, I'd love it too!

But I'm not a tourist. I'm working. And that involves mostly standing in one place in the driving snow, whipping winds, and subfreezing temperatures for 12-15 hours. The amount of "live" reports we do for stations around the country are coming so rapidly that there is virtually no time to eat OR use the bathroom. At one point, we did manage to sneak off to one of the fine Times Square eating establishments and I got a McDonald's cheeseburger which I stuffed in my mouth and ate in about 2 minutes. As for bathroom use, after peeling back the 4 or 5 layers of clothing I was wearing in an attempt to stay warm, I peed in a cup in the back of the production truck. It's lucky I didn't pee all OVER the truck because I had lost the feeling in my finger tips about an hour before my "bathroom break" (let's not talk about the OTHER extremities. Think shrinkage) Oh, yes, very glamorous indeed!

Look, this is my job and I'm prepared to do it, not matter the consequence. I'm not asking for sympathy. What I am asking for is understanding. It pisses me off to hear people to talk about the "liberal-elite media" like we were some prima donnas making up the news to serve some personal or political agenda. Most of us are honest, hard working slubs who dedicate themselves to providing useful information (useful most of the times) as a matter of public trust. Me and countless others have stood in the driving snow, howling winds, and subfreezing temperatures (not to mention fetid water, gale force winds, wild fires, etc., etc.) to do our jobs. Very glamorous indeed!

DTOD: DJ Cipha Sounds

Today's Douche of the Day is DJ Cipha Sounds (real name Luis Diaz) of NY Radio Station Hot 97. During his Friday morning broadcast for Hot 97, Diaz (a.k.a DJ Cipha Sounds), made a statement that he thought his listeners would find funny. He claimed that "the reason I am HIV negative is because I don't mess with Haitian girls". Oh Cipha, that's just hysterical!

In the first place, there is nothing funny about HIV. No matter how you play it, I can't find anything funny about that disease. And this is coming from a guy who loves base humor like that found in "Family Guy" and "South Park"! I just don't see any humor coming from a horrible death.

Secondly, Haiti has more than it's share of problems. They are well documented. However, I have to say that virtually every Haitian I have met in this country is clean, industrious, committed to improving his standing in this country, and dedicated to his culture and heritage. I'm sure that this doesn't describe EVERY Haitian, but, from my experience, it applies certainly to the great majority (why Haiti itself is mired in abject poverty is a discussion for another day). So, they don't deserve such a derogatory statement like that, especially since its not warranted. He apologized but the damage was done.

So, for his callous and insensitive remarks, DJ Cipha Sounds is today's DOTD. Congratulations.

PS: The Haitian community rallied and demonstrated Tuesday morning at Hot 97's studios. DJ Cipha Sounds was subsequently suspended by the station.

Pic of the Day

Since it's about 25 degrees here, this is just to remind us what a sultry, summer evening can look like.

Enjoy and Merry Christmas. :)

Thought for the Day

60 Minutes did an extremely interesting feature on people who can remember every single day of their lives! How remarkable is that? My only concern is this:

Where does that leave me who has spent a great deal of time and effort trying to forget most of mine?! :)

For Your Pleasure

Gentlemen (and ladies too - but I'm sure that you'll understand): these are for you. :)

photos: The very lovely Jessica Alba at the Red Carpet Premiere of "Young Fockers", The Ziegfeld Theater, NYC.

F LoBuono