Author: Trish

Is That Christ I Smell?

Trish

Want to literally smell divine? Thanks to a new perfume, which supposedly mimics the scent given off by Christ and the saints, you can!

The makers of “Virtue” say they were guided by the Lord in picking their product’s name, ingredients — including apricot, fig, pomegranate, frankincense, and myrrh — logo and bottle design. Who knew Jesus was such a marketing whiz?

We turned to the Bible and let Spirit guide us through the process of picking and choosing the right elements to include in the fragrance…

What was right? When the Spirit let us know, through both, an inner knowing and outer worldly confirmation. The worldly confirmation was a process of holding to our Inspirations, even when our “deadlines” were not met. Holding our Faith, when money and circumstances were not always in alignment with our intent to move ahead. Even, when our suppliers delayed us by either internal practices or personal bias.

Well isn’t that commendable? These folks soldiered on because it was their mission to bring a new perfume to the world. A perfume that costs only $80 per 1.7 ounce bottle. And for which Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, and PayPal are accepted. I’m inspired!

The thing is, you want to smell right when you commune with your creator.

…if you choose to use is as it’s creators intended, it’s a simple matter. Spray your wrist(s) and prepare yourself to begin a spiritual practice that you are familiar with; prayer, meditation, contemplation, etc…

All the while, Feel, in the Stillness, the Presence that is your Spiritual Self. Smell your wrist. Let Virtue’s scent wrap this Awareness with it’s unique character that is slowly transitioning into your own Signature version of Virtue®. In time, your association with the fragrance will give you the ability to transition to a Spiritually Centered state, almost instantaneously. For Christians, we call this practicing the Presence of God, the Holy Spirit or Christ. Being Christ Centered.

Jesus should lead them to a good copywriter.

Fundraising opportunities are available, in case your church or faith-based initiative wants to buy into this hooey. In the meantime, the makers are getting on beauty pageant sponsor lists by awarding bottles to winners in the Miss Anaheim and Miss California contests.

The only fragrance I’m sniffing is horseshit — and bald greed.

Edwards to Bush: Fire Karl Rove

Trish

John Edwards will use the first national presidential debate tonight to call for Karl Rove’s job.

According to a campaign email, Edwards feels Rover has crossed a line.

New evidence shows that Rove has been methodically working to twist even the most impartial branches of the federal government—including the Justice Department—to serve the Republican Party at the expense of the American people.

Enough is enough. Impartial justice must be protected. Integrity in government must be defended. Karl Rove must be fired.

Tomorrow, John Edwards is going on national television to take part in the first presidential debate. And that night, he’s going to call on George Bush to fire Karl Rove.

The Edwards camp is asking that we sign a petition calling for Rover’s ousting, so he can say, “X number of Americans want this.”

Will Bush listen? Not to John alone. Not to you or me alone. But if thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of us speak out together to demand accountability for Karl Rove and end their era of cynical, destructive, partisan government—we cannot be ignored.

Wanna bet?

But hey, I certainly agree with what he’s saying so I signed the petition. It’s easy and you don’t even have to give your address, so go for it. It’s better than just wishing.

Update: According to the counter on the site, there are 42,000 signatures so far. I know there are more of you out there who want to see Rove go. Imagine if Bush had to think things up all by himself. The laughs alone are worth signing the petition!

New Mexico U.S. Attorney Fired for Being a Vet

Trish

Only in the George Bush years could something like this happen.

The Office of Special Counsel, charged with enforcing both the Civil Service Act and the Hatch Act, is looking into the firing of New Mexico federal attorney and Navy Reserve Capt. David Iglesias. If you recall, Iglesias was fired after Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) called him at home and blasted him for not speeding up fraud prosecutions of Democrats before the 2006 elections.

The Office of Special Counsel is also responsible for protecting the job rights of National Guard and Reserve members who are called away for military duty. In that capacity, [Agency Director Scott] Bloch is looking into whether David Iglesias, one of eight U.S. attorneys dismissed earlier this year, was punished for missing work to serve in the Navy Reserve.

Iglesias, who was the U.S. attorney for New Mexico until he was replaced in February, was cited as an “absentee landlord” in a Justice Department document laying out reasons for his termination. William Moschella, the No. 3 official at Justice, told a House subcommittee in March that Iglesias was fired because he delegated too much responsibility to his deputy.

Good lord. How low can these people go?

Checklist: Is Your Husband Gay?

Trish

As a public service to help other women avoid becoming the next Mrs. Gov. Jim McGreevey or Mrs. Rev. Ted Haggard, there’s a new book and handy checklist. Bonnie Kaye has produced, “Is He Gay? A Checklist of Women Who Wonder.”

Editor’s note: Shouldn’t that be, “A Checklist FOR Women Who Wonder?”

Anyway, listen up if you have that nagging feeling hubby just isn’t all that into you. Or your best friend. Or your sister.

“The Gay Husband Checklist”

1. If your husband thinks you are a nymphomaniac or “pushy and aggressive” because you want sex twice a week.

2. If sexual activity steeply declines within the first few years of marriage.

3. You’re always more sexually aggressive than your husband.

4. If your husband is turned off by the thought of touching your vaginal area or performing oral sex on you.

5. If his best friend is gay.

6. If he hangs out in gay bars.

7. If he enjoys watching gay porn movies and surfing gay porn Web sites.

8. If he is excessively homophobic, mocking and imitating other gay men.

9. If he brags about gay men complimenting him on his looks.

She left out number 10, but I think it’s, “If your husband has seen Brokeback Mountain six times but you’ve seen it eight.”

I have to ask about numbers 6 and 7. Can you say, “Duh?”

Subway Wants You to Eat Fresh, as Long as It’s Meat

Trish

As a vegetarian, I’m used to a little drama when I order food. But at Subway? You know, Subway, that has Jarrod, urging us away from Big Macs? Whatever.

Against my better judgment — as it’s never been exactly smooth at the Subway nearest where I work on Saturday — I decided to pass over Taco Bell and Burger King and “Eat fresh” for lunch.

Subway offers a veggie patty sandwich, but do they train their employees on what to do in case someone wants to eat one?

The line was to the door, full of big guys in matching t-shirts from the Fire Fighting program at the local training academy. I waited, and waited, and waited some more as each one ordered a double meat special with extra meat and a side of meat. There was a moment of entertainment when one of the Butthead-like kids making sandwiches forgot about one he was toasting and smoke poured from the oven. Twenty guys went for the fire extinguisher at the same time.

When I finally got my turn to order, it was from a sandwich maker recently returned from break, who put out her cigarette and popped in some gum just before donning her plastic gloves to smoosh meat, meat, meat into bread.

She asked what I wanted, knife poised to slash into whatever bread I chose, but I said first, “Could I get you to change your gloves?” She stared at me. The 15 people behind me in line paused in their conversations. “For what reason?” she finally barked. For what reason? How about because the nice customer lady asked you to?

As I debated on the quickest way to tell her I didn’t want beef blood and salami grease all in my veggie delight, she figured it out. “You a vegetarian?” she asked. I said yes, and she waved her finger at Butthead, and said, “You have to talk to him.” I looked at him, busy burning someone else’s meat sub on a meat roll, back at her, said thanks, and walked out. I went to Burger King, where I ordered a B.K. Veggie without so much as one eye batted.

So here’s my question. Does Subway really mean it when they say they are vegetarian-friendly? Yes, they offer a veggie patty sandwich, but do they train their employees on what to do in case someone wants to eat one?

I know many of you are thinking that if I want to be a pain in the ass and spoil everyone’s party by not eating meat, I have it coming. As I said before, whatever. But did you happen to catch the study from the University of Rochester Medical Center that shows pregnant women who eat a lot of modern beef are lowering their male children’s sperm count?

…among the 51 men whose mothers were the highest beef eaters, almost 18 percent had sperm counts classified by the World Health Organization as “sub-fertile” (20 mill/ml or lower). By comparison, sperm concentrations were 24 percent higher for men whose mothers ate less beef, and only about 5 percent had sperm counts that could be classified as sub-fertile.

Mothers who reported eating an average of more than one meal a day of beef were referred to as “high beef consumers.” The average number of beef meals was 4.3 per week. Researchers also examined the mothers’ consumption of other meats (pork, lamb or veal), as well as fish, chicken, soy products and vegetables, but did not observe a significant association between sperm count and these other foods.

I’m just saying.

NRA Lobbyist: “Lock and Load; We’ll Be Back”

Trish

Florida Republicans got sideways yesterday with an old friend, and she’s mad as hell.

Forced to make a virtual Sophie’s choice between the gun and business lobbies — and no doubt influenced by events at Virginia Tech — they defeated the so-called, “Take Your Gun to Work” bill. The law was expected to serve as a model for the rest of the country.

The NRA put the blame for the defeat on “Republican turncoats”

In a rare setback for the powerful gun lobby, a House council on Wednesday soundly defeated a bill that would have allowed employees to bring their guns to work as long as they locked them in their cars or trucks…

Mark Wilson of the Florida Chamber of Commerce said the committee voted to protect “the private property rights” of businesses and residents. He applauded the council members “for voting their consciences under such tremendous pressure.”

…Some lawmakers clearly wanted to avoid the showdown. Rep. Baxter Troutman, R-Winter Haven, asked that the vote be postponed, saying it was “highly inappropriate” following the massacre at Virginia Tech.

Actually, it couldn’t have been more appropriate. But that’s not how past NRA president and chief lobbyist, Marion Hammer, sees it. Floridians recognize Hammer for her place in the Florida Women’s Hall of Fame, where she was installed by none other than former governor Jeb Bush.

In an e-mail to supporters, the NRA put the blame for the defeat on “Republican turncoats.”

“We will not forget these anti-gun, anti-freedom, anti-constitution representatives,” said the message from Hammer, a former NRA president. “Most particularly we will not forget the Republican betrayers — some of whom have to run for re-election in 2008 and some are term-limited out but are planning to run for other offices.”

Actually it was large Florida employers, like Disney, who are more to thank. I can see why a parking lot full of loaded weapons would be unwelcome among the Mickey Mouse ears and strollers. But by all means, Marion, hammer away at those Republicans you don’t see as rabid enough.

She already is.

After the vote, Wilson, of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, tried to shake Hammer’s hand.

“Lock and load,” Hammer said. “We’ll be back.”

Attorney Pay-Back Firing Goo Bound to Stick to White House

Trish

Damn good editorial in the Palm Beach Post on the Attorney General hearings, now set for Thursday.

The vice president, speaking on Face The Nation, pronounced the official White House spin: “This took place inside the Justice Department. The one who needs to answer to that and lay out on the record the specifics of what transpired is the attorney general.” But Mr. Cheney’s claim that “this took place inside the Justice Department” is ludicrous.

Cheney’s claim that “this took place inside the Justice Department” is ludicrous.

Even though hundreds of e-mails concerning the firings might be missing, enough exist to show that the White House was heavily involved…David C. Iglesias of New Mexico was fired after Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., complained to the White House about Mr. Iglesias’ failure to indict Democrats before last November’s elections. Before the firings were announced, Karl Rove assured the chairman of the New Mexico GOP that Mr. Iglesias “was gone.”

Not only does Mr. Gonzales have to claim that the White House didn’t play an improper role, he has to repeat the equally unbelievable claim that he didn’t play a central role – despite testimony to the contrary from his former chief of staff Kyle Sampson and Michael A. Battle, director of the office in charge of U.S. attorneys.

Even as Mr. Gonzales prepared last week for his testimony, another cover story was contradicted. Bush administration officials had claimed that no replacements for the attorneys had been chosen in advance. In fact, they had been. The White House wants to confine the scandal to Justice. But in all this, Alberto Gonzales clearly isn’t on his own.

The big question is, how much less approval can George Bush earn and still finish his term? We’re betting his ratings will go still lower, as even Republicans are repelled by his incompetence and deceit.

Exxon Breaks All-Time U.S. Profit Record — Again

Trish

The usual suspects top the list of the most profitable companies in 2006, ranked by Fortune. Your friend and mine, Exxon Mobil, again headed the pack.

The oil giant racked up $39.5 billion in earnings last year, the largest-ever profit in U.S. history. That figure topped the previous record of $36.1 billion, also set by Exxon Mobil, in 2005. Profits were up 9.3% from the previous year, while sales rose 2.2%.

The rest of the top ten included:

2. United Airlines
3. Citigroup
4. Bank of America
5. General Electric
6. Pfizer
7. Chevron
8. Conoco Philips
9. J. P. Morgan Chase
10. AIG (American International Group) Insurance

Iraq Ministers Quit; Demand Timeline for Withdrawal

Trish

Iraqis want U.S. troops to come home too. Shi’ite ministers quit the al-Maliki government in protest over the lack of a timeline for American withdrawal.

The [Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr’s] Sadrists accused Maliki of “ignoring the will of the people” over the timetable issue and also of failing to improve basic services and security.

The Shi-ites say al-Maliki is ignoring the will of the people. Hmmm, why does that ring a bell?

Tens of thousands of Iraqis answered a call by Sadr to rally in the holy Shi’ite city of Najaf last week to protest against the presence of more than 140,000 U.S.-led forces in Iraq…

“The prime minister has to express the will of the Iraqi people. They went out in a demonstration in their millions asking for a timetable for withdrawal,” the head of the Sadrist bloc in parliament, Nassar al-Rubaie, told a news conference.