Some News

Another month goes by without a post from me.  I wish I could say I've been busy, but the truth is I didn't want to post anything here until I had something meaningful to say.  I hope today's missive fills the bill.

I went to another job interview yesterday.  Yes, I went to a job interview on Saturday.  I thought it a little odd, but the unemployed don't complain about interview times.  I was happy just to have been called in for one.  I feel good about this one.  It's another hotel position, this time at a hotel in Quincy, which is about half an hour west of here.  They told me I can expect a call next week, Monday or Tuesday.

On the social side of things, I've made some new friends via Facebook.  One of them has put me in an awkward spot, though.  A couple of weeks ago, Keith Olbermann activated a fan page on FB for his forthcoming show on Current TV.  Shortly after that, I got a Friend Request from another fan.  I've built friendships out of less substantial connections than shared love of a celebrity, so I accepted the request.  My new friend is a gentleman in New York.  We've chatted online a couple of times, and the chats are a little disturbing (to me, anyway).  He's only seen the handful of photos I have online.  He knows I'm transgendered, but I think he's under the impression that I'm full-time.  I wish I was, but I'm not at a place in my life where that is yet feasible.  In our chats he's been hinting at wanting something romantic.  He said something the other night about "spooning while we watch the fireworks" on July 4th.  He seems like a nice guy, but I'm not looking for a relationship, not even a long-distance one.  I don't want to lead him on, either.  I'm not a gold-digger.  His attention is flattering, but how can I let him down easy?

I Was Wrong

I wrote last night's piece in anger.  I was wrong.  Comcast haven't taken control of anything at NBC yet, let alone given anyone there instructions about how to run their networks.  Apparently KO's been looking to get out of MSNBC for some time, and they didn't know he was going to leave until he said it on air.

Politics USA: Olbermann Wanted Out



I like the line, "Stop organizing life around the people who don't get the joke."

The World Turned Upside Down

So I haven't been able to get online from home since late Thursday night, and to add insult to injury, the cable was out most of the night and following day.  So I didn't know that Keith Olbermann is out at MSNBC until I came into work last night.  MSNBC came in clear for about ten seconds during Countdown, then the screen reverted to black.

I don't really watch much television anymore, and I suppose that frees up five hours to do something else, or discover another program.  I read that they're going to shuffle their evening lineup around to fill the gap, starting with moving Lawrence O'Donnell's program into Keith's slot.  Can they still call it The Last Word if it appears closer to the middle of the evening?  I'll still tune in to watch Rachel Maddow, but she's the only one who's not on during my normal sleeping hours.  Don't get me wrong.  I like MSNBC's other personalities, but I don't see myself rolling out of bed early to watch Chris Matthews or Cenk Uygur.  No offense, guys!

Mom was the one who turned me on to the show.  We used to laugh together over the phone during his Worst Person segments.  Watching the show the last few years has helped me retain a little sanity by continuing something I started with her.  Now that's gone.  Thanks, Comcast!

Another Sign of the Impending Apocalypse

I signed up for Twitter.

Yeah, I know I've said repeatedly that I wasn't going to, because I don't care that much about anything. Alas, last month Keith Olbermann, one of my media heroes, broke down and started a Twitter feed. Every night since, he's cited various people's tweets on the air. The chance to interact, even in so impersonal a way, was impossible to resist.

I don't plan to use it all that much, but then, that's what I said a few years ago when I started blogging. We'll see.

I Miss Keith Olbermann!

I've mentioned here a few times that I am a fan of "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" on MSNBC. I love the show, but it isn't the same without him, and it's been without him for a couple of weeks now. David Shuster had it for about a week, then Richard Wolfe. Lawrence O'Donnell's got it tonight, followed by a two-night run by former governor Howard Dean, then two more nights with Wolfe. KO's supposed to come back next week.

The man is entitled to take a vacation, I suppose, but look at all the news that he's missed: the 40th anniversary of Apollo 11, the passing of Walter Cronkite, the Henry Lewis Gates incident, and now the resignation of Sarah Palin. I can snark on the news as well as anyone, but I miss hearing his voice.

Crossdressing: Ur Doing It Wrong

http://www.whiotv.com/news/19702434/detail.html

Saw this last night on Countdown, and laughed. Not that I look any better in a swimsuit or anything.

On the serious side of things, this fellow dressed up in a bathing suit and went out to do bad acts. The report says he was wearing the offending suit when the police came to arrest him. Could they not have taken the suit as evidence and asked him to change clothes? Was it necessary to make him do the perp walk in the suit? I know the police have a soft spot for anyone they deem to be a perv, but was the humiliation really necessary?

I Totally Missed It

There's another news story in the title. A week or so ago, I wrote about Keith Olbermann's challenge to Sean Hannity, offering $1000 per second of waterboarding that Hannity had offered to endure. Well, the wait is over.

Last Thursday, conservative radio host Eric "Mancow" Muller submitted himself to waterboarding just for the experience. Mr. Muller is a brave man, as he nearly drowned as a child. After enduring 6 seconds of the "technique", he reluctantly agreed that it was torture, that he'd have done or said anything to make it stop.

I watched this on Countdown the other night, but I missed the part where Olbermann offered $10,000 to Mr. Muller's charity, and went on to declare Mr. Hannity unnecessary.

Bravo, Mr. Muller!

Bravo, Mr. Olbermann!

as for Mr. Hannity - Boo! Hiss!

I now return you to my irregularly scheduled blog about nothing in particular.

Waterboard Me!

Regular readers of this blog have probably noted that I am a regular viewer of the MSNBC program Countdown with Keith Olbermann. It hasn't always been so. I used to just watch "straight" news, with little or no commentary. Mom used to love watching Countdown, and it was something we bonded over. I became a regular viewer after I moved back to Virginia, and I try to not miss it. It's not always great, but it's rarely boring (except when Keith is off and David Shuster hosts, but that's a story for another time).



Keith Olbermann is frequently at odds with his "rivals" at the Fox News channel. One particular issue that sticks in his craw is our government's use of torture, contrary to international law. A couple of weeks ago, Sean Hannity, a Fox News personality, "jokingly" offered himself as a subject for waterboarding. Hannity's guest made an aside about using the occasion as a money-raising event for a military charity. The following night, Olbermann made the offer of $10,000 for charity, for every second of waterboarding Hannity endures. Sounds like a good deal, no? Apparently not, as Hannity has never responded to Olbermann's offer. Each since, Keith has counted the days since Hannity's offer, and his own counter-offer. I like Keith, but I'm a little tired of this shtick.

I have a proposal: waterboard me. Don't misunderstand. I KNOW waterboarding is torture, and I have no great desire to be tortured by anyone, for any reason. This ongoing dispute is standing in the way of Mr. Olbermann giving his money to charity. I see no reason to prolong the process. If Mr. Hannity will not submit himself for charity waterboarding, I offer myself instead. I'll admit, waterboarding me lacks the cachet of doing it to someone like Mr. Hannity. I'm just a half-out transgender blogger, while Mr. Hannity is a Fox News blowhard. I also don't represent any charity organization, but there are plenty of military/veteran charities out there, and I'm sure any one of them would stand up for Mr. Olbermann's money.

EDIT: I did not discover until very early this morning that Wanda Sykes covered this in her White House Press Association Dinner monologue. Just in case anyone thinks I was trying to steal her material.

Matthew Shepard Act Passes the House

The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007 has passed in the US House of Representatives. Now it goes on to the Senate, and from there to President Obama's desk. Obama wants to sign this thing, unlike his predecessor, so the Senate better not frak this thing up. Before the vote, Representative Virginia Foxx (R-NC) made a speech where she claimed that the 1998 attack on Matthew Shepard was a simple robbery, rather than a hate crime. Is she a Ditto-head? Or a Newscorp sock puppet? Matthew Shepard's mom was sitting in the gallery, not too far away. Keith Olbermann named her his "Worst Person in the World" tonight.