Daily Archives: December 19, 2006

Before and After

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The work on Mom's house is done. It's an atypical house for its Salt Lake neighborhood: it's a Cape Cod in a sea of Prairie Bungalows and Brick Tudors.  

Before:

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 I can tell you from personal experience that the various patterns and strips of wallpaper were a bitch to get off. And Mom always hated that PINK! TUB! and the salmon colored toilet, which most emphatically did not match.

After:

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Very basic, very white. New tile in all the bathrooms, the kitchen, and the entryway. New flooring in the "family" room (which was the dining room, but oh well). My brother-in-law Frank worked like a dog getting a lot of the little things and big things done.  

I'm sure it's a big relief to my sisters Timmy and Tudy that the work is done; it's sure a relief to me.

Little Christian Soldiers, Toddling Off To War

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The Full Armor of God–Playset – – Christianbook.com

 

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Play and learn about Gods protection for Spiritual Battle. Complete set based on Ephesians 6:13-18, for ages 3 and up. Each item is made of molded, flexible plastic designed to fit most children. Adjustable straps and velcro allow children to wear certain pieces. Each item is labeled in order to recall Gods Word. The set includes: The Sword of the Spirit, the Helmet of Salvation, the breastplate of Righteousness, the Belt of Truth, the Shield of Faith, the Gospel of Peace Shin Guards, and a Parent-Teacher Guide with suggested activities and scripture verses.

Is it just me, or are the Gospel of Peace Shin Guards just an afterthought? And yes, the reviews are especially creepy.

Tony Snow Opens A Can Of Grammatical Whoop-Ass

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KRT Wire | 12/19/2006 | White House retreats from Iraq question

WASHINGTON – The White House refused Monday to characterize how the Iraq war is going as Americans' approval rating of President Bush's strategy hit a new low.

"I'm not playing the game anymore," White House spokesman Tony Snow said when asked about fears the U.S. is not winning in Iraq.

Snow's tactical retreat came amid questions from reporters who wanted White House reaction to former Secretary of State Colin Powell's assessment that the situation in Iraq is "grave and deteriorating," and "nothing seems to be improving."

"You're trying to summarize a complex situation with a single word or gerund, or even a participle. And the fact is that what you really need to do is to take a look at the situation and understand that it is vital to win," Snow said.

Snow's tap dance around the winning or losing question was a big step back from Bush's brash assertion two months ago that "absolutely, we're winning" in Iraq.

There goes Snow, blowing smoke again. It's a wonder the fire alarms don't go off during every press "briefing", what with his "liar, liar, pants on fire" press secretary schtick.

And would that gerund be "losing?" Probably, and it's the same with the participle. 

Guarded optimism on Sen. Johnson (D-SD)

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An Update on Senator Johnson – The Caucus – Politics – New York Times Blog

From my conversations with the doctors and based on the progress he has been making, I feel very confident that he is going to be getting back to work sooner rather than later. 

I've been watching this story out of the corner of my eye since it first broke – didn't want to jinx myself by blathering on without knowing too much.

How unbloggerlike of me.

Anyway, I hope Sen. Johnson continues to make progress. It's ironic that for the moment, the hopes of progressives are pinned on one very ill man who up until now hasn't made much of an impact on the national consciousness in his political career up til now.

UPDATE: forgot to blockquote the first paragraph, making it appear as if I had been calling Sen. Johnson's doctors personally.