Personal News – Part XXII

Greetings to all! Sincere apologies for the long delay in getting out updated “personal news”. [Been busy with work, commitments, research, home repairs, etc.] I actually had one typed up over the past weekend and silly me accidentally deleted it. Duh! Now there is abit more news, so I’ll lump it all together. Ah yes, I can hear all my avid, devoted Duchess Blog readers saying “happy happy joy joy”. [smiling] So, without much further ado, lets get on with it.

Back on Tuesday, May 18th, I participated in my second “Tea Meetup” down in Greenwich Village. [Near West 4th subway stop.] I’d gone to the previous one in April and met Jill at the Saints Alp Teahouse on Bleeker Street. I highly recommend this place to all. [Delicious food, decent prices, good service & a wide range of cold/hot tea concoctions.] This time around it was again held at the teahouse on Bleeker Street. Unfortunately Jill couldn’t make it this time … I met Toija and Rodney. Two really cool, fun, groovy people. Arrived shortly after 7pm and sat down with the other two at a table near the big, open windows facing the sidewalk. The weather was warm, abit humid and a slight breeze. Typical of the funky Greenwich Village scene, there is always something going on and people milling about. Back at the teahouse I had a refreshing Passion Fruit Black Tea drink on ice. Then for the meal I noshed on Tea Eggs and Vegetarian Dumplings. Both items are yummers. The three of us hung out for about two hours talking about a number of topics. Everything from politics, meetups, 9/11, 2003 blackout, relationships, etc and we all had a delightful time. While walking to the subways in East Village we discussed relationships and politics. Their both Democrats and looking to become more involved [ie: volunteering]. I made a strong pitch on the Jereski For Congress campaign. Both expressed interest, we exchanged email addresses and I sent them info on Jereski that very evening. I’ve since exchanged emails with Toija and she’d sent Jereski info to a Progressive Democrat friend of hers. Awesome news!

Back during the weekend of May 15th it got abit warm, sunny and humid here in NYC. You know … summertime air conditioner weather and wouldn’t you know it my 14-year-old A/C unit died on me. The air conditioner unit was abit old when given to me by some NJ pals in 1990. It wracked up the electric bill every year, but when funds are tight, it’s not easy to purchase a new one. Well, this time, I had no choice. On Wednesday, May 19th, I ran into my neighbor John as we were heading into the apartment building. As he’s done every year for the last 4 years John starts lecturing me on air conditioners. Well, this year I surprised him and asked where can I purchase a small, inexpensive one. Told me one of the appliance stores in our neighborhood was having a sale [$79 for a 5000 bt unit]. Whoa! Sweet deal! Later that evening, before my power walk at local track, I stopped by the store he mentioned and checked out the unit. Then I had to figure out my finances, see if I had enough to swing the deal [I DID] and then stopped by on May 20th [after session with Personal Trainer] to purchase it. For a small fee or tip the store delivered it to my apartment that evening. John helped me take out that big, dirty old unit and helped me install the new one. It works perfectly! As a thank you to John for his help, I baked him a yummy batch of Oatmeal Raisin cookies on Sunday.

On Friday, May 21st, around 6pm I had a conference call with Cielito and Bill about the “forum” our committee is working on. Which will hopefully involve Kucinich, Nader, Dean and Sharpton as the main speakers before the Democratic Convention in July. If all comes together it’ll be an exciting project/achievement. Over the weekend I did much research on the office computer Internet relating to projects for “NYC Friends of Kucinich” and the “Jereski for Congress”. [And for those who read my Blog regularly, I also did much updating on that. Hope to have more interesting links listed in sidebar. Stay tuned…] Also during the weekend my landlady had work done on my bathroom ceiling, plus tub area.

On Monday, May 24th, I briefly attended a Campaign Petitioning Workshop down on 14th Street. Rob Jereski was there as well, so before the workshop started we discussed items relating to his campaign. Last evening I joined fellow Kucitizen BC for a drink and fun, interesting chatter down at a Union Square area bar. And finally … the Duchess Blog will be abit “quiet” over next few days … as I’m heading out of town for the LONG holiday weekend. For those of you who live in the US, I hope you all have a fun/happy/safe Memorial Day holiday weekend. May the sun’s warmth shine down on you. Peace & Solidarity!

Kerry Really Could Produce 10 Million New Jobs [So Could Bush]
ANNENBERG POLITICAL FACT CHECK
http://www.factcheck.org/SpecialReports.aspx?docID=178

Dean, Kucinich Delegates Hope Kerry Gets Message
BANGOR DAILY NEWS
by Jeff Tuttle
http://www.bangornews.com/editorialnews/article.cfm?ID=423202

Presidential Candidate Kucinich Spreads His Message To enthusiastic Supporters In Missoula
MISSOULIAN NEWS
by Ericka Schenck Smith
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2004/05/25/news/local/news02.txt

Message From MoveOn.Org Asking "What Do You Think About Iraq"

Yesterday, President Bush tried to respond to mounting criticism of his management of the crisis in Iraq. The American people were looking for a sign that Bush understands the situation and is adapting American policy to the realities on the ground. But in this speech, the administration just repackaged failed U.S. policy as a five-step plan. They obviously don't get it. We've got to do better. First, of course, we're demanding accountability from the Bush administration. We're demanding a change in leadership at the Pentagon. Without this change, nothing in U.S. policy will change. But the problem remains: even with new leadership, how do we get out of this disastrous situation?

Most of the people we've talked with share two conflicting instincts: (1) that the U.S. occupation must end before Iraq can move forward but (2) that we have a responsibility to the Iraqi people to protect them from a descent into civil war. The Bush administration has failed to project any plan ending the U.S. occupation, and instead is focusing on an almost meaningless June 30th turn over of "soveriegnty." Recently, two mainstream policy analysts, James Steinberg and Michael O'Hanlon, made an interesting proposal in a Washington Post Op Ed, a call to "set the date" for the end to the U.S. occupation. What do you think? We'd like to know where people stand, so that we can craft our campaigns going forward. Let us know what you think at: http://www.moveon.org/iraqsurvey.html

Do you support immediate withdrawal? Do you support setting a date certain to end the military occupation? Or do you support President Bush's call to "stay the course"? Or do you see a better way to proceed? Steinberg and O'Hanlon make the case that setting a date to pull out would (1) dampen the popular support for insurgency by demonstrating good American intentions, and (2) allow the establishment of indigenous Iraqi security forces, with international support, to avoid civil war between Shiites and Sunnis, which could grow into a broader Middle East crisis. The importance of a timetable is even more important now that it has become clear to everyone, and especially the Iraqis, that Bush's June 30th turnover of "sovereignty" is a sham.

The Bush administration's lack of a credible plan is almost shocking. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz recently told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee: "We don't know what it will be," he said. "We've had changes, as you know, month by month. We've had several different plans." Setting a real date for pulling out, and sticking to it, will almost certainly be opposed by the neoconservatives who have gotten us into this mess. Although they say that the occupation is about establishing freedom and democracy, their geopolitical calculus is far more cynical. Their agendas include long-term military bases, significant influence over Iraqi oil policy, and unrestricted foreign investment in Iraq. They still haven't faced the reality of the situation they've created.

An Important Message From Ohio Congressman & Presidential Candidate Dennis Kucinich

I just got off the phone with an ABC reporter from Anchorage, Alaska, who informed me that we took 50% of the vote in the Alaska state caucus. That is tremendous news for a campaign that has been growing with strength across this country, and now we've achieved a first place tie in a state, and I'm so excited about it! As you know in the last week we've had a lot of success. We started off the last week with 17% in Oregon. We went to 25% in the Maine state caucus. We went to 30% in the state convention in Colorado. And now we've received word of 50% in the state of Alaska. I'm in Montana now. I've been campaigning across this state for the primary, which is on June the 8th.

In the last 10 days, we've had stories in the LA Times, in the New York Times, in USA Today. I've been on Meet the Press, on Crossfire, on the Wolf Blitzer show, and on MSNBC. And there's more attention being given to our message. And our stand for peace and for civil liberties and health care for all and fair trade is finally beginning to resonate! Now, it's true, the direction of the nomination appears to be more or less decided. However, we're having an impact on the direction of our Party, and YOU'RE having an impact on the direction America's going to take for the next four years. So, it's not too late. And it's not too late to give us even more energy in the remaining primaries and caucuses. Our peace plan is finally getting the kind of national attention not only that it deserves, but that will serve to help spur a resolution of what's going on. And our call for universal, single-payer, not-for-profit healthcare is resounding from sea to shining sea because Americans are increasingly being driven into poverty because of this bad health care system. And so this is something that has been not just my accomplishment, but yours as well.

So let's get ready to take the next step for the next strong showing, and perhaps the next victory. Let's get ready to march into Boston, not only 2000 strong with our supporters coming from all over the country, but also with even more delegates. How to Join Dennis at the Convention: http://www.kucinich.us/convention/housing.php

So what an exciting windup as we move towards the stretch of this campaign and head towards the finish line! How exciting it is that we are finding an opportunity to at last make the country aware of the power of our campaign and the power of our message. So thank you! So help us keep it going! This is up to you! Let's continue our efforts and I couldn't be more proud of the campaign team that we put together in places like Oregon and Maine and Colorado and Alaska and all the other states where we gained delegates and all the other states where we have strong support! We're putting something together that's gonna change this country. You know it and I know it. So let's keep moving ahead. I look forward to seeing you soon! This is Dennis. Thank you!