This has to be a metaphor for something.

I'm always so excited when I pull back the foil on a new bottle of wine to discover a real cork. A cork made of actual cork, not plastic and certainly not a screw top. Do I realize that some of the best wines they are making today come in boxes? Yeah, I do. But there's something about that cork that feels special, somehow. It's like finding the prize in the cereal box. That is, until little bits of cork are floating around in your glass of Merlot.

Be careful what you wish for?

God Damn It.

So, tomorrow night, Jeremiah Wright is going to appear on Bill Moyers Journal. You know, not only do I wish I could vote for Obama, I wish I could vote for Reverend Wright. Two times. Looking forward to how the media will spin his statements to terrify "mainstream" America.

Happy Earth Day!

Go recycle or something...

Michael Moore speaking some truth.

Well, Michael Moore is voting for Obama...that is, if he could vote, being that he is in Michigan and all.

Is this preaching to the converted or will this help turn some Hillary supporters around?

I've bolded what I think are the most interesting sections.

---

Monday, April 21st, 2008
My Vote's for Obama (if I could vote) ...by Michael Moore

Friends,

I don't get to vote for President this primary season. I live in Michigan. The party leaders (both here and in D.C.) couldn't get their act together, and thus our votes will not be counted.

So, if you live in Pennsylvania, can you do me a favor? Will you please cast my vote -- and yours -- on Tuesday for Senator Barack Obama?

I haven't spoken publicly 'til now as to who I would vote for, primarily for two reasons: 1) Who cares?; and 2) I (and most people I know) don't give a rat's ass whose name is on the ballot in November, as long as there's a picture of JFK and FDR riding a donkey at the top of the ballot, and the word "Democratic" next to the candidate's name.

Seriously, I know so many people who don't care if the name under the Big "D" is Dancer, Prancer, Clinton or Blitzen. It can be Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Barry Obama or the Dalai Lama.

Well, that sounded good last year, but over the past two months, the actions and words of Hillary Clinton have gone from being merely disappointing to downright disgusting. I guess the debate last week was the final straw. I've watched Senator Clinton and her husband play this game of appealing to the worst side of white people, but last Wednesday, when she hurled the name "Farrakhan" out of nowhere, well that's when the silly season came to an early end for me. She said the "F" word to scare white people, pure and simple. Of course, Obama has no connection to Farrakhan. But, according to Senator Clinton, Obama's pastor does -- AND the "church bulletin" once included a Los Angeles Times op-ed from some guy with Hamas! No, not the church bulletin!

This sleazy attempt to smear Obama was brilliantly explained the following night by Stephen Colbert. He pointed out that if Obama is supported by Ted Kennedy, who is Catholic, and the Catholic Church is led by a Pope who was in the Hitler Youth, that can mean only one thing: OBAMA LOVES HITLER!

Yes, Senator Clinton, that's how you sounded. Like you were nuts. Like you were a bigot stoking the fires of stupidity. How sad that I would ever have to write those words about you. You have devoted your life to good causes and good deeds. And now to throw it all away for an office you can't win unless you smear the black man so much that the superdelegates cry "Uncle (Tom)" and give it all to you.

But that can't happen. You cast your die when you voted to start this bloody war. When you did that you were like Moses who lost it for a moment and, because of that, was prohibited from entering the Promised Land.

How sad for a country that wanted to see the first woman elected to the White House. That day will come -- but it won't be you. We'll have to wait for the current Democratic governor of Kansas to run in 2016 (you read it here first!).

There are those who say Obama isn't ready, or he's voted wrong on this or that. But that's looking at the trees and not the forest. What we are witnessing is not just a candidate but a profound, massive public movement for change. My endorsement is more for Obama The Movement than it is for Obama the candidate.

That is not to take anything away from this exceptional man. But what's going on is bigger than him at this point, and that's a good thing for the country. Because, when he wins in November, that Obama Movement is going to have to stay alert and active. Corporate America is not going to give up their hold on our government just because we say so. President Obama is going to need a nation of millions to stand behind him.

I know some of you will say, 'Mike, what have the Democrats done to deserve our vote?' That's a damn good question. In November of '06, the country loudly sent a message that we wanted the war to end. Yet the Democrats have done nothing. So why should we be so eager to line up happily behind them?

I'll tell you why. Because I can't stand one more friggin' minute of this administration and the permanent, irreversible damage it has done to our people and to this world. I'm almost at the point where I don't care if the Democrats don't have a backbone or a kneebone or a thought in their dizzy little heads. Just as long as their name ain't "Bush" and the word "Republican" is not beside theirs on the ballot, then that's good enough for me.

I, like the majority of Americans, have been pummeled senseless for 8 long years. That's why I will join millions of citizens and stagger into the voting booth come November, like a boxer in the 12th round, all bloodied and bruised with one eye swollen shut, looking for the only thing that matters -- that big "D" on the ballot.

Don't get me wrong. I lost my rose-colored glasses a long time ago.

It's foolish to see the Democrats as anything but a nicer version of a party that exists to do the bidding of the corporate elite in this country. Any endorsement of a Democrat must be done with this acknowledgement and a hope that one day we will have a party that'll represent the people first, and laws that allow that party an equal voice.

Finally, I want to say a word about the basic decency I have seen in Mr. Obama. Mrs. Clinton continues to throw the Rev. Wright up in his face as part of her mission to keep stoking the fears of White America. Every time she does this I shout at the TV, "Say it, Obama! Say that when she and her husband were having marital difficulties regarding Monica Lewinsky, who did she and Bill bring to the White House for 'spiritual counseling?' THE REVEREND JEREMIAH WRIGHT!"

But no, Obama won't throw that at her. It wouldn't be right. It wouldn't be decent. She's been through enough hurt. And so he remains silent and takes the mud she throws in his face.

That's why the crowds who come to see him are so large. That's why he'll take us down a more decent path. That's why I would vote for him if Michigan were allowed to have an election.

But the question I keep hearing is... 'can he win? Can he win in November?' In the distance we hear the siren of the death train called the Straight Talk Express. We know it's possible to hear the words "President McCain" on January 20th. We know there are still many Americans who will never vote for a black man. Hillary knows it, too. She's counting on it.

Pennsylvania, the state that gave birth to this great country, has a chance to set things right. It has not had a moment to shine like this since 1787 when our Constitution was written there. In that Constitution, they wrote that a black man or woman was only "three fifths" human. On Tuesday, the good people of Pennsylvania have a chance for redemption.

Yours,
Michael Moore
MichaelMoore.com
MMFlint@aol.com

Sugar. Water. Purple.

Ah, Chappelle. This does the trick whenever I need a belly laugh. The "drink" phenomenon is more about socioeconomic lines than racial lines, too. When my girlfriends from back in the 'hood (natch) watched this wee peed our pants.

For real.

Does anything say tired, played out, Boomer nostalgia more than a mediocre Beatles tribute band?

No.

I didn't think so.

Drones Club

I don't watch The Bachelor, but I just saw a commercial for it and is it just me, or does it look like 12 trampy blondes are all fighting over Bertie Wooster?

Her Mother thinks she looks like Bradley Whitford.

I totally see it! Wouldn't it be awesome if her first word was a cranky, yelled from another room "DONNA!"?

Check out all the pictures from Noix and Lauren's office visit this week here .

The Bluffs

It's easy to forget that Toronto and its surrounding areas have lots to offer in the way of "nature". I don't often go in for that nature stuff, but I do love being near the water and boy, there's nothing better than a little outdoor time in April after the long, punishing winter. And yeah, when I say punishing, I mean it.

This weekend The Robeau and I took a wee sojourn to Bluffer's Park in Scarborough. So nice to have this much scenery so close to home.

What I said to emphasize our differences before he rolled his eyes and walked away.

We are driving through Tim Horton's so the Robeau can get a Medium Regular coffee to bring back to the hotel room.

Him: Do you want anything?
Me: I want to go to that Starbucks over there.

In the parking lot outside the Starbucks, the Robeau spots a variety store.

Him: Do you want to get some snacks to bring back to the room?
Me: Do you want a couple of those Petite Vanilla Scones from Starbucks? I can grab a couple of those while I get my latte.
Him: They're like a delicacy...too fancy...
Me: You know what this is like? This is just like that video for Uptown Girl.

Where will we be in another 40 years?

Who's the Ad Wizard that came up with that one? (Baseball Edition)

Another sign of Spring: more in a series of HILARIOUS Toronto Blue Jays TV spots.



Aren't they great?

Caftan Woman and her boy.

Sound the trumpets! Alert the media! Caftan Woman, frequent clever and witty comment-maker here at my little corner of the intornet (and incidentally, my big sister) has started her own blog! Are you as excited as I am? I knew you would be. Check her out over here and stay a while, won't you?

I think you'll find her current post about her son Gavin insightful and poignant in its simplicity. Today, being World Autism Awareness Day, would be a good time to give some thought to the subject. You can learn more here .


Yours truly with Gavin when he was still a wee thing. Photo by another Nolan girl, Mo.

Derby Lemon Smash!

It's been a crazy busy couple of weeks. I've got lots of jazz projects on the go that I can let you in on in the next little while, so stay tuned.

The Robeau and I did manage to take some time this weekend to "chill" as Prezident Bubba suggests. We watched "Rendition" which I thought was really very good (have you seen it?) and then we chose to observe "Earth Hour" on Saturday by having cocktails at The Royal York Hotel. The Derby Lemon Smash is my idea of doing good for the environment. Check it out.

Also, wanted to share some pictures with you that I took last night of one of MTN Media Relations newest clients, the wonderful Toronto trumpeter, Jake Wilkinson. You can see them here . Let me know your favourites?