Empty consumerism plays a large part in how we have arrived at this recession.  The focus for the last decade has been on the fake, the showy and the external with a complete disregard to the more soulful aspects of living.  It’s been a meaningless ride down the ‘look at me, look at what I’ve got’ road.  The truth is, we need art now more than ever.  Fine art, theater, music, dance, film.  The arts help us reconnect with our humanity.  It offers light in the darkness.

Now that he’s behind bars, I have four words for Bernie Madoff.  

Was It Worth It? 

sorry to hear about your son’s situation.  a letter directly to the prez might help.  he seems to respond to those individual pleas.  good pr.  if you can hang in thru this downturn and - continue picking up those "tasty" items, you will do well when HOPE actually returns. i have tons of friends selling their "tasties" at rock bottom prices.  people are in major purge mode.

as for me, all I can say is… I need more cowbell 

Bonnie Hunt made me laugh.  I just discovered her show this week because of the DTV transition.  ABC diminished their DTV digital signal when the transition was delayed and I no longer get ABC on my antiquated kitchen TV now connected to the new government mandated DTV converter box. Pissed me off at first, but from every negative comes a positive.  I am discovering all kinds of new fare.  Buh bye ABC loyalty.

Hunt is delightful and quick-witted.  She delivered four big guffaws within one half hour. 

No, she’s not insane, she’s unusual.  Idealistic, carefree, eternally optimistic and clearly not responsible in terms of financial preparation for her large family.  After watching an interview with her it became apparent that she is a right to lifer.  She did not expect all of the embryos to become viable because that "never happens" (her words.)  When they did, she refused to have any destroyed.  She was adamant about not killing them. —  Then, miracle of miracles, all of the feisty little embryos insisted on living to full term in her gifted womb.

No, she’s not prepared financially, and in her case it will — take a village.  But she is not insane by a long shot.  Just irresponsible and rebelling against her parental units.  Does a person’s carelessness in financial matters make them insane?  Especially when this irresponsibility impacts other’s lives?  If so, Bernie Madoff will have a strong insanity defense. 

Schlafly can eat my shorts.  … my hardcore feminist bleached, ripped and ass-revealing denim short-shorts.