PERSONAL NEWS #55

On Sunday, May 1st, I headed up to southern CT to visit my good friend Katherine and take her out for a belated b-day lunch. Hopped aboard Metro North train at 9am and got off at New Canaan. Katherine picked me up and we drove over to Pound Ridge. This is our ole hometown and always interesting to check out now and then. [To purchase a house in this area you have to have a fat wallet, plus the taxes will give you a nasty nose bleed.] Weather was abit chilly with the sun trying to peep out from behind clouds. We found three "public" bulletin boards within Scotts Corners and posted flyers for Dept of Peace campaign.

Plus, we stopped by the Fire House and chatted with two volunteers. [My father used to be a volunteer for the PR Fire Department years ago, as well as Fire Chief.] Many of the volunteers, whom we used to know from childhood, have either retired or moved to Florida. We drove back to New Canaan to post flyers in main part of town. The only "public" bulletin board we could find was in a small grocery store near train station. New Canaan hasn't changed much over the years - it’s still a rich, sometimes charming and quite a snobby town. Whatever - from there we drove up the Merritt Parkway heading to Bridgeport. Checked out a Red Lobster for lunch - while noshing on some good seafood we caught up on news et al. We also did some clothes shopping at a Dress Barn before driving to her home in Shelton. Before you know it - time to take the train back to NYC.

On Tuesday, May 3rd, it started out with me at work and then changed quickly [around 10:30am]. Like on February 3rd and March 28th; I became ill with nausea, abdominal pains, sweating and vomiting. Then 3 to 4 hours later I'd be just fine, like nothing happened. My Administrative Manager at work on May 3rd, decided to send me home, via car service, to recuperate and then go to my gynecologist that afternoon at 4:30pm. I'd made the appointment to see my GYN a few weeks ago for yearly checkup and regarding this situation. After much discussion and tests my doctor strongly suggested I get a sonogram at eastside clinic. [On a positive note, I’m still not in the pre-menopausal stage & HIV test came back negative.] That evening, at home, I participated in the monthly National Dept of Peace conference call at 9pm. Discussion mostly centered on visiting Congresspersons and Senators near Mothers Day, in the "Peace of the Pie" campaign.

On Wednesday, May 4th, there was "training" for new timesheet/expense procedures at the office. [Abit of a yawn.] Later on that evening I attended the monthly Democracy for NYC meetup in Williamsburg [Brooklyn] at 7pm. Good turnout for the meetup with about 14+ from Williamsburg/Greenpoint/Bushwick neighborhoods. We were also honored with a guest speaker, Mark Peters, who's running for District Attorney in Brooklyn and he once worked for Elliott Spitzer. Mr Peters [http://www.petersforbrooklyn.com] is running against Republican Joe Heinz and he supports gay marriage. One of the statements he made, was an unknown fact to me, and that is "Brooklyn is one of the largest areas in US which is predominately registered Democrats". Hell Yeah! Other items on the evening’s agenda were: endorsing a Public Advocate, adopt an Influential Voter campaign and rezoning. Gary showed up again and while walking back to Greenpoint we discussed health issues, therapy and rezoning issues.

On Thursday, May 5th, I had my sonogram appointment at lunch time. Took a taxi over and back, as that was quicker than relying on the bus and the subway doesn’t go to 1st Avenue. First of all, getting a sonogram is uncomfortable and causes cramps in the abdomen. I won’t go into “procedure details”, but the end result is that I have a Cyst on my left ovary. Which I later learned is benign [not cancerous]. Amen! When I talked to my GYN the next day, he said there is no need for alarm. Let things run its course over next two months and then go for another uncomfortable sonogram in early July. If the Cyst is still there they’ll use medication to eliminate it. My doctor does not want to do surgery and that’s only as a last resort. After work that Thursday evening, I joined my acquaintance BC [fellow NYC Kucitizen] for drinks, nosh on nibblers and catch up on news. The restaurant/bar is on Fifth Avenue near Madison Square Park. Actually, BC was the one who had the Martini's. I just had Ginger Ale, as I was still on penicillin for the tooth infection. On the way to the subway, we stopped by her office, which is a small company that publishes books.

NYC FRIENDS OF KUCINICH WEEKLY DIGEST – MAY 7TH

Son of Gonzo
By Joshua Glenn
May 1, 2005
AlterNet and Rolling Stones
Journalist Matt Taibbi: Kucinich was the only candidate who defiantly refused to dumb his ideas down and make speeches full of mechanized platitudes. But there's a corrective instinct among the national press corps, which ends up subtly endorsing some candidates and picking on others – that's why Howard Dean was asked 30 times a day if he was too prickly or too leftist to be president. Also, I admire Kucinich for being an idealist, someone who questions our culture of violence and commercialism. But journalists painted him as a kook – because mature, sane people realize that force and commerce are the chief engines of social organization. That's why I came to see the primaries as a commercial for political consensus.

IDEAS: Are you suggesting the press has a conservative bias?

TAIBBI: It's not that simple. From the first moment I stepped onto Kerry's campaign plane; it was high school all over again. The popular kids, the reporters who covered the campaign like it was a rolling sports story, sat up front while the unpopular kids were relegated to the back. That's why the guys who win elections tend to be handsome, football-throwing types.
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2005/05/01/son_of_gonzo/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+Ideas+Section

Random Lengths News to Host Book & Media Fair
Association of Alternative Newsweeklies
May 2, 2005
The Random Lengths News Book and Media Fair will feature author talks and book signings by Dr. Michio Kaku, the world acclaimed physicist and author of “Parallel Worlds"; John Ross, an international journalist and author of “Murdered by Capitalism: A Memoir of 150 Years of Life and Death on the American Left," published by Nation Books; and Dennis Kucinich, the 2004 Democratic Presidential candidate and author of “A Prayer for America."
http://aan.org/gyrobase/Aan/ViewArticle?oid=oid:146253

Elders' Prescription
By John McCaslin
May 3, 2005
Nobody better than former Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders to headline the Marijuana Policy Project's 10th anniversary fundraising gala on Capitol Hill this week. Others speaking out in support of medicinal-marijuana patients are 2004 presidential candidate Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich of Ohio, and fellow Democratic Reps. Linda T. Sanchez of California and Sam Farr of California. (The latter is to receive a legislative leadership award). Meanwhile, Rep. Barney Frank, Massachusetts Democrat, is expected to begin a drive this week to prevent federal government "attacks" on medicinal-marijuana patients.
http://washingtontimes.com/national/20050503-120701-5213r.htm

Kucinich in Maine
May 4, 2005
MAGIC CITY MORNING STAR
Dennis Kucinich, 2004 candidate for president under the Democratic ticket, will be appearing at several Maine events this weekend:

May 6, 2005 (Friday) -- MPA Rising Tide Dinner, Keynote Speaker Dennis Kucinich -- Portland, 6 p.m., Woodfords Congregational Church; 202 Woodford.
May 7, 2005 (Saturday) -- Breakfast with Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich -- Brunswick, 9:30 a.m., Thorne Hall, Daggett Lounge, Bowdoin College.
May 7, 2005 (Saturday) -- Former Presidential Candidate and current Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich -- Deer Isle, 7-8:30 p.m. Deer Isle Elementary Schools' Reach Performing Arts Center.
May 8, 2005 (Sunday) -- Congressman Dennis Kucinich -- Bangor, 1 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Church, 120 Park Street.

Web site; Grassroots Organization Will Advocate for Media Deregulation
May 4, 2005
Legislation has once again been introduced to revive the Fairness Doctrine, sponsored by liberals including Reps. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) and Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio).
Contact: Christopher Butler of Americans for Tax Reform, 202-785-0266
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=46796

US Lawmakers Question Whether Merck Misled Doctors
May 5, 2005
By Susan Heavey, Reuters
Merck documents show company salespeople may have mislead doctors about heart problems linked to its once-popular painkiller Vioxx, U.S. lawmakers said on Thursday. “People are dying because of this,” said Dennis Kucinich, an Ohio Democrat. The documents, including misleading handouts and instructions not to discuss negative findings, raised questions about tactics the drug maker used in training its 3,000 sales representatives charged with promoting Vioxx, lawmakers said.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N05542368.htm

House Approves $82 Billion for Wars, Immigration Reform
May 6, 2005
The House easily approved $82 billion for Iraq and Afghanistan on Thursday, passing a measure that includes sweeping immigration reforms and boosts the total spent on fighting terrorism since 2001 to beyond $300 billion. Among Ohio members of the House, only Cleveland Democrats Dennis Kucinich and Stephanie Tubbs Jones voted against the bill. Democrat Sherrod Brown of Lorain did not vote - by Liz Sidoti
http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1115379093284710.xml

KUCINICH VISTING MAINE THIS WEEKEND
May 6, 2005
Dennis Kucinich became something of a fixture in Maine with repeated visits during last year's presidential campaign, and he gave a rousing speech at the state Democratic Convention in Portland. This weekend, the Ohio Congressman will be back in the state. Tonight, he speaks at a Maine People's Alliance Annual dinner in Portland at 6:00 p.m. He's due in Bangor on Sunday, where he'll talk about issues like Social Security reform at 1:00 p.m. That event is sponsored by Veterans for Peace, Penobscot County Democratic Committee, Maine Progressive Caucus and other organizations.
http://www.wlbz2.com/newscenter/article.asp?id=22459