Obama's Got Game

As many of the major newspapers are endorsing candidates for the presidential race these days, the Outsider can no longer remain mute. Most of you who know me wouldn't be surprised to hear that this blog whole-heartedly endorses Senator Barack Obama for the presidency.

Since Day One back in the spring, I've been in the Obama camp. Being stuck over in Ireland (not really stuck, it was actually a lot of fun), there was little I could do to support him at the time. I therefore sent out a mass e-mail to my friends and family to consider him as he took his first steps in the race. In the e-mail I wrote:

"The 2008 election will no doubt be one of the most important elections in which we will participate. Much is at stake and I feel that Mr. Obama has the skills, knowledge, and enthusiasm to lead our country in a better direction.

Living in Ireland for the past year I have been treated well as an American (especially on Super Bowl Sunday), but I can't help but feel that our country is losing much of the credibility and respect that generations before us have worked hard to achieve. The current administration's ineffective strategy for combating terrorism, global warming, and poverty is viewed with great suspicion and doubt by the rest of the world. Domestic policies such as tax cuts for the wealthy and limited health care for those who need it the most also do not reflect the best our country has to offer.

It is time to change this with new, creative leadership. I feel that Mr. Obama has the ability to restore faith in America. His beliefs in bi-partisanship, engaging respectfully with the rest of the world, and promoting government accountability and transparency are what we need to get our country back on track. Being an American is something to be proud of and I know that Mr. Obama can help us restore that pride and faith which has been severely lacking during the current administration."

That e-mail was sent on February 23 and in the time since, Obama has demonstrated the skills, ability, and personality needed to lead this country during these difficult times.

Plus, he's got game. Check out this photo essay from Sports Illustrated as Obama goes one on one with SI's senior writer S.L. Price.

So get to the polls when primaries roll around to your state. I'm getting the leftovers of Super Tuesday the following week on February 12. Better late than never...

How's That for a Silk Screen?

So 2007 is nearing an end. Time for New Year's resolutions, parties, and champagne. And of course, a look back on the past 12 months. Time.com has compiled 50 "Top 10" Lists of 2007 ranging from News and Business to Science and Pop Culture. One of the most amusing was the "Top 10 T-shirt Worthy Slogans" (see above). Whatever happened to that guy? Anyhow, to check out the t-shirt list, click here. And to see the rest of the lists, click here.

Enjoy the look back. And here's to an even better 2008.

The Outsider Hits the "Big Time"

My local newspaper published my op-ed posted on the Outsider a few weeks ago. Nice to see the article in honest-to-goodness ink. A little bit more legitimate than the online world, isn't it? If you want to see the article in its online form, click here.

Only a matter of time until the New York Times comes knocking? I'm not getting my hopes up...

Suspicions Confirmed!

I went to see Charlie Wilson's War last night. I had mixed feelings about the movie going in as you recall. Unfortunately, my suspicions were confirmed. The movie was a dud (with the exception of Philip Seymour Hoffman). Wait for video. Or better yet, just read the book.

The film ends with one of Wilson's quotes: "All these things happened, and they were glorious...and then we f*cked up the endgame." Wilson, of course, was referring to the mess that Afghanistan became after the Soviets left and US funding dried up. The quote could also refer to the book's adaptation into film.

It is very rare for a movie to match the quality of the book it is based on. I wasn't expecting that this film would be able to match the book, but I still felt let down. Timing in at 97 minutes, the film was lacking. It could have been a bit longer to really expand on the storyline and demonstrate how the blowback from the Afghan campaign relates to some of the things the world is dealing with today.

I also felt that the Stinger missile should have been a bigger part of the film. It is essentially a character in the book - the entire story is the search for the "silver bullet" to bring down the Soviet Hind helicopter. The film dedicates about 5 minutes to the creation of the Stinger and then shows a montage of helicopters exploding. Just plain weak.

The best (or worst) was the 2 mujahaddin who first shoot down a helicopter. For two guys who were supposed to be hiding out in the mountains for months on end, these two clean-cut dudes looked like they just strolled out of the costume department at Universal and onto the set.

So, the moral of the story is to spend your 10 books on the book instead:

http://www.amazon.com/Charlie-Wilsons-War-Extraordinary-Congress/dp/0802141242/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198530167&sr=8-1

Farewell, Oscar Peterson

Oscar Peterson, one of the all-time jazz greats, passed away yesterday at age 82. The man was pure legend, whose influence is still felt in the jazz community today. He used to get some heat for playing too fast, but that was the magic of it all. Jazz isn't meanto to sound like Kenny G. Here's Oscar in tip-top form back in 1958 with his trio which included Herb Ellis and Ray Brown. Enjoy.

And the Oscar Goes to...

Rogers Clemens yesterday professed his innocence about any wrongdoing involving the use of steroids. And, like anyone who is anyone these days, he used a YouTube video as his vehicle to make his point. If you haven't seen the video yet, check it out here:



Personally, I would have believed him more had he buttoned his top-button, as well. I feel it would have added even more legitimacy to his argument. Everyone believes a nerd, right? Maybe he'll do that when he sits down with Mike Wallace. But notice that Clemens said he would "answer them [the questions] again in front of him." He didn't really mention anything about answering them truthfully, though. However, the extreme close-ups were particularly effective, weren't they? I think this clip should be entered to the Academy for a "Best Short Film" nomination. It's got some great acting.

Here are some great "acting performances" of the DC area- they need no introduction. Enjoy the trip down memory lane...

Happy 300!

Sometime yesterday, the DC Outsider climbed past the 300 views mark. I'm not sure this is a historic milestone, but it's still worth celebrating. That's one page view for every Spartan that fought and died at Thermopylae. So thanks to all the readers out there (not just me hitting "refresh"). I hope to keep the blog fun and interesting for some time to come. And with the primaries coming up, there should be plenty of good material. So here's to the next 300!

Happy Holidays from the DC Outsider

Happy holidays! I was going to wax poetic about peace on earth and joy to all men, but I figured Bruce does a better job then I could ever do. Put on your Santa hat and enjoy:

Summer Vacation is Finally Over

That's right. I officially started my new position today. Yes, finally. Got the "first day jitters" already out of the way. New job tip - Start your job exactly one week before Christmas. Everyone is in a good mood and happy hour has already been planned. Couldn't think of a better way to meet everyone and break the ice. Hope the good times keep coming...

(12/21 - *End of the week update* Just finished my first week. A very fine start. Plus, on top of happy hour the first night, had a big end of the year 2 hour lunch on Wednesday, and then the holiday staff Christmas party on Thursday. "Reality" will set in after the New Year I'm sure)

Elvis Lives (In the Library of Congress)

The Library of Congress screened the 1970 documentary Elvis: That's the Way It Is tonight at their Mary Pickford theatre (which, on another note, needs a facelift - Congressional funding where are you?) The film was the final installment of a month-long festival of rock n' roll movies at the Library which included others about Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and the Concert for Bangladesh.

I hadn't seen the whole movie in it's entirety so this was a real treat. The film follows Elvis in his preparation for a big concert weekend in Las Vegas at the International Hotel in August 1970 (now the Las Vegas Hilton) as well as the live performances. These were his first major live concerts in almost a decade and in addition to the great music, the movie shows many humanzing aspects of the man. Particularly interesting was a short clip of him backstage with his band about an hour before showtime. He is visibly nervous and figgidty, and apparently a little unsure of some of the lyrics. Come game time though, he's ready for it. That scene was similar to parts of Jerry Seinfeld's Comedian, a movie which followed him restarting his stand-up career after the Seinfeld show. It was suprising to see both of these giants of their trade anxious before showtime but, after all, they are human just like the rest of us.

Now, enjoy a little "Polk Salad Annie" - looks tasty, no? And green.




Click here for a schedule of the other films playing at the LOC's Mary Pickford Theatre: http://www.loc.gov/rr/mopic/pickford/pickford.html

It IS a Wonderful Life

The holiday party season kicked off this past weekend, and what better way to celebrate than watching It's a Wonderful Life three times in one day? I went down to the National Archives with a friend to see it on the big screen. Supposedly it was Ronald Reagan's favorite movie of all time. I'm suprised. Personally, I thought he would have picked his own 1951 classic Bedtime for Bonzo. Well, as always, it was great seeing IAWL, projected up on the screen larger than life. That night, we hosted a holiday party at my place and had the film on in background to create "ambiance" - I think it did the trick. (For a recap of the party, check out a friend's blog entry. Overall a great evening, with the exception of a few "hangers-on" that inevitably show up).

So here's hoping you are getting into the holiday spirit as if the snow wasn't enough to get the vibe going. Check out one of my favorite scenes from the movie. I apologize it's one of those horrible YouTube clips where some genius decided to use their camcorder to record their TV, but this is all I could find on the web. Still, the poor video can't take away from the magic of the scene:

Déjà Vu All Over Again

I spent the day glued to ESPN and the internet to keep tabs on the Mitchell steroids report and the subsequent fallout from the findings. Luckily none of my favorites were implicated (whew!), but I had a "déjà vu" moment this afternoon once the report was posted on the web. Scrolling through the document - over 300 pages - reminded me of a time when another juicy (no pun intended) report was released to the public.

Remember September 1998 when the Starr Report hit the web? I vividly remember digging through it searching for "the best" parts and snickering online with my friends about some of the passages. "He did what with what where?!" I don't apologize for the immaturity, I was still in high school. Checking out today's Mitchell report and seeing the evidence of signed checks and anecdotes about steroid use was in some ways no less shocking, however. Public figures, which we hold in such high esteem, just aren't supposed to do these things, right?

At least no big current Sox players implicated. Mo Vaughn is from a few years back and Eric Gagné is already out the door to the Brewers, thankfully. All I can say is the way he pitched for Boston this season, I don't think he was taking vitamins, let alone steroids. And Brendan Donnelly was a bit of a no-show this year with injuries. Can't say the same thing about the Yankees, though. Sorry, kids.

Here's the report in its entirety - makes good bathroom reading:

http://assets.espn.go.com/media/pdf/071213/mitchell_report.pdf

Who's Going to Mow Mitt's Lawn?

Last week, presidential candidate Mitt Tancredo (oops, I mean Romney) fired his landscaping company because of their employment of undocumented workers. According to The Hill newspaper, Romney wrote a letter to the the owner of the company, Ricardo Saenz:

"Today, I fired a landscaping company that I learned was employing people who are not permitted to work here in the United States. After this same issue arose last year, I gave the company a second chance with very specific conditions. They were instructed to make sure people working for the company were of legal status. We personally met with the company in order to inform them of this matter. The owner of the company guaranteed us, in very certain terms, that the company would be in total compliance with the law going forward. The company's failure to comply with the law is disappointing and inexcusable, and I believe it is important I take this action."

Well there's Romney trying to "out-Tancredo Trancredo" again. After his spat with Giuliani a few weeks ago that looked like an elementary school playground argument, I guess he's trying to back up his words and cover himself.

I can just picture Mitt's cronies sitting down with Ricardo: "Don't blow this for us, Saenz. We're trying to win an election here."

There is no question that our nation's immigration policies need to be re-evaluated. And Congress tried to do it this past summer, but hit some turbulence from the Republicans. Still, let's be civil about the whole debate. Immigrants, whether here legally or not, are human beings that deserve the same respect as everyone else. I spent some time on the US-Mexico border a few years ago and was amazed at the courage many of these men and women have in risking their lives to support their family and pursue a better life.

This landscaping story reminded me of the film, A Day Without a Mexican. It's a satire that looks at how California can't cope with the loss of its Latino population after a fog builds and all people of Latino descent disappear. It's a funny, yet serious statement on the nature of our American economy and political system:

The Soundtrack of Your Life

Looking for great free music to accompany you when you're surfing the web? Check out these two sites:

Wolfgang's Vault (http://wolfgangsvault.com/) - Contains hundreds of live concerts recorded at classic Bill Graham Presents concerts. After a quick sign-up, you have access to The Allman Brothers, Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones, Steve Miller Band - the list goes on. They also have a country site linked to Silver Eagle Radio concerts from classic country shows. If you love music from the 60s, 70s, and 80s, this is a true goldmine.

Pandora Radio (http://www.pandora.com/) - I've never seen anything like this before. Part of the Music Genome Project, this site allows you to create your own radio station online. After a quick sign-up, all you have to do is type in a favorite band or song. What the system then does is find that artist, as well as others like him or her, and creates a playlist of crystal clear music for you to enjoy. According to the website:

"We ended up assembling literally hundreds of musical attributes or "genes" into a very large Music Genome. Taken together these genes capture the unique and magical musical identity of a song - everything from melody, harmony and rhythm, to instrumentation, orchestration, arrangement, lyrics, and of course the rich world of singing and vocal harmony. It's not about what a band looks like, or what genre they supposedly belong to, or about who buys their records - it's about what each individual song sounds like."

What that means is when you type in "Bruce Springsteen," it creates a playlist of music by Bruce, Bob Dylan, Dire Straits, and Neil Young just to name a few. Simply put, it's magic. A great way to hear amazing music and learn about some bands, as well.

So enough reading. Go check them out and enjoy.

Send Dana Perino Back to College

White House Press Secretary Dana Perino recently made a fool of herself on NPR by admitting she knows nothing about the Cuban Missile Crisis showdown. This embarassing story has been making the rounds lately, as it should. If you missed the whole thing, check out a clip here from CNN:

Can the Bush Administration do anything right these days? The mouthpiece for the president admits publically she doesn't know the facts behind one of the most important and influential events in 20th century American history? Eeesh. Bay of Pigs, Cuban Missile Crisis. Same difference, no? Just goes to show you can't always get by on your good looks.

So the DC Outsider would like to start the "Send Dana Perino Back to College" petition. It was called Colorado State University - Pueblo when she went there. I hear its quite beautiful this time of year.

Sure, this whole story shouldn't be taken too seriously, but in many ways it is representative of this administration not learning anything from history or recognizing that there even was a history before George W. Bush took office in 2001.

Mike Huckabee for Total Gym

I'm sure you have all seen Mike Huckabee and Chuck Norris' TV ad. If not, you can laugh at it (and I don't mean with it), here:



Oh Chuck Norris. I'm glad you could take some time away from working out on

your Total Gym to dive into presidential politics. I know there's been a lot of talk about celebrity endorsements lately, particularly with Oprah in there stumping for Obama. I'm all for it. If it gets people interested in the political process (perhaps for the first time), then that is a good thing.

I'm waiting to see if Mike Huckabee becomes the spokesperson for Total Gym if this whole running for president thing doesn't work out. He must have done something right to lose 110 pounds.

Happy Birthday, Joshua Tree

This year marks the 20th anniversary of U2's legendary The Joshua Tree album. It is hard to believe that it has been two decades since "Where the Streets Have No Name," "With or Without You," and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" first hit the airways. While my obsession with U2 peaked in high school, I still appreciate their music and the consistency of their recordings throughout their career. I've also got a few good "U2 inspired" memories from over the years. Here are a few of my favorites:

- Seeing U2 from about 15 rows back at the Continental Airlines Arena in June, 2001. Originally, we had absolutely horrible seats to see them in Philadelphia. My buddy went online and ends up contacting some guy who was willing to swap our horrible tickets for his floor seats in New Jersey. Supposedly he "had to see them in Philly." Long story short, my friend ends up meeting this complete stranger at a mall to exchange the tickets. Sketchy, for sure. But who cares?
- Going to a Salmon Rushdie lecture at Trinity College because there was a rumor Bono would be in attendance. Supposedly they are good friends. So I saw Salmon Rushdie, but was staring at Bono the whole time instead.
- Sneaking into the Clarence Hotel in Dublin (owned by Bono and the Edge) to use their restroom on a night out on the town. If you have to go, why not go in style?
- Taking a silly, yet fun duck boat tour of Dublin with some Irish friends which floated past U2's studio down near the Docklands

In honor of the milestone, U2 has released a new edition of the album with B-Sides, rare tracks, and a booklet. A perfect stocking-stuffer perhaps?

So happy 20th, Joshua Tree. Enjoy the video. Amazing how the band and Las Vegas have changed over the years.

Actually, I think we all have.

Cheney Still Doesn't Get It

(Vice) President Cheney did not receive a phone call from his daughter on the Ellen show. That was the other President. Instead, Cheney was giving an interview to Politico in which he had some harsh words about Democrats and some positive words about the future of the Iraq. Most surprising about the interview was his rosy predictions about the outcome in Iraq. He claimed that by the time he leaves office in January 2009,

"we [will have] in fact achieved our objective in terms of having a self-governing Iraq that's capable for the most part of defending themselves, a democracy in the heart of the Middle East, a nation that will be a positive force in influencing the world around it in the future."

What? Really? I sure hope so, but it seems like this is a statement Cheney would have made in December 2003, not December 2007 given the facts (and violence) on the ground in Iraq. For being such an intelligent and well-read person - apparently he's currently reading David Halberstam's The Coldest Winter: America and the Korean War - the man is just out of touch with reality. Maybe he's watching too much daytime TV.

To read the full interview, click here http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1207/7234.html

Journalists In the Line of Fire

On Tuesday night I went to a screening and discussion of Meeting Resistance dowtown at CSIS. It is a powerful documentary by journalists Steve Connors and Molly Bingham that has won numerous awards throughout the world. It tells the stories of members of the armed resistance in Iraq following the collapse of the Hussein regime. This documentary was filmed in the first few months after the invasion, when there was still an opportunity for journalists to mix and mingle relatively safely with the local population. A project such as this could never be filmed today.

(As a side note, there was no meal served at this event, but they did provide popcorn and sodas which struck me as kind of strange. Sure it's a movie, but it was bizarre to have people in the audience chomping on popcorn while watching the stories of men and women who believe their purpose in life is to kill American soldiers)

The film is composed almost entirely of interviews (blurred, of course) of these insurgents telling how they became involved with the insurgency, what type of operations they carry out, and their general philosophy on life which is predominantly shaped by religion and nationalism. I feel films like these are important to humanize the enemy and understand their motivations. This by no means justifies their actions, but in the current "war on terror" or "long struggle" or whatever you want to call it, winning hearts and minds and understanding why people are influenced to do what they do is crucial to combat the violence and terrorism.

Hearing the directors speak after the film about their experiences was amazing. These journalists definitely put themselves out on the line to get the story in a dangerous war zone. Molly Bingham commented that she didn't know when she went into an interview if she would come out unharmed. Their experiences reminded me of another conflict journalist, Kevin Sites (right), who goes to great lengths to report to the world about war torn societies. Sites, who signed a contract with Yahoo! (who would have thought?), has a great multimedia website where he documents his experiences in conflict zones. A must see.

To check out the website for Meeting Resistance, click here http://meetingresistance.com/

To check out Kevin Sites in the Hot Zone, click here http://hotzone.yahoo.com/

What's Iowa Got That We Don't?

I've always been jealous of Iowa and New Hampshire for their first-in-the-country caucus and primary status. Why do those folks (and I mean "folks"), get to have the candidates bend over backwards to make them happy? Why do they get to have Barack Obama at their picnic? Or Hillary at their school? Or even Huckabee on stage jamming with the local jazz band? Yeah, I know, "history and tradition," blah blah blah. Maybe I'm bitter because Virginia's primary is a week after Super Tuesday so the party will probably be over by the time I cast my vote. Kind of like walking into the Sportsbook to place a bet in the 4th quarter. Too late, kid.

Anyhow, enough sulking from me. Politico did a great issue today focusing on the Iowa caucus. Turns out it is more complicated than people standing in a farmhouse writing their ballot on a piece of paper. Or maybe its not...

Check out the article at http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1207/7219.html

Jenna Phones Home

You may have seen this already, but here is the clip of Jenna Bush on the Ellen show calling Mom and Dad at the White House. This will no doubt bolster W's image as a "family man" and save the legacy of his presidency. Some presidential historians are already calling it the key moment in his second term.

Forget the Iraq debacle.
Forget the Social Security mess.
Forget global warming.
Forget Guantanamo.
Forget the wiretapping.

Remember the Ellen show.



The funniest part is that Jenna thinks her parents would be asleep at 7:30 pm. So the rumors are true then?

Newsflash: Schilling Dons a Jacket for McCain

Curt Schilling learned his lesson from that botched premiere a few days back. He's on the campaign trail for John McCain in New Hampshire and left the jeans and flannels at home.

Read the full story at http://www.boston.com/news/local/new_hampshire/articles/2007/12/05/curt_schilling_pitches_for_john_mccains_presidential_bid/

What's in a Name?

I was reminiscing the other day with a friend about the "what's your soap opera name?" game kids used to do back in middle school. Remember? You would take your middle name and then add it to the name of the street you grew up on. Or at least it was some variation of that. I would be Michael Redwood. Sounds sexy, I know. And then there was the porn star version: your pet's name plus, hmm...can't remember all the details.

Anyhow, I was reminded of this game because I'm currently reading Jib Fowles' Starstruck: Celebrity Performers and the American Public, a light but somewhat academic study of celebrities and the role they have played in our society throughout history. Fowles writes:

Somewhere along the way, they [the stars] will change their name. In doing so they shuck an old identity ceded at birth and are reborn as the transfigured entertainer.

Fowles goes on to list 46 celebrities who have changed their names to cultivate and raise their star image. Here are a few of the best switcheroos from the classic Hollywood era:

- Frederick Austerlitz (Fred Astaire)

- Lucille Faye LeSueur (Joan Crawford)

- Doris von Kappelhoff (Doris Day)

- Archibald Alexander Leach (Cary Grant)

- Margarita Carmen Cansino (Rita Hayworth)

- Leonard Slye (Roy Rogers)

- Marion Morrison (John Wanye)

- Rodolpho Alfonso Raffaelo Pierre Filibert Guglielmi di Valentina d'Antonguolla (Rudolph Valentino)

That's a tongue twister if I've ever seen one, Rodolpho. I'm thinking the birth certificate must have been the size of a billboard. But I'm most surprised about John Wayne's name-change. Though I always pictured him as a 'Marion' to be honest.

On a similar note, Anna Jane Grossman in a recent New York Times article reports on newly married couples who are following these examples and taking on entirely new last names after marriage for a variety of reasons. As if hypens weren't enough.

Check out the article at http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/02/fashion/weddings/02field.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Kokomo, DC

First snow of the season today in the Washington area. A nice little storm, about 1-3 inches in and around the city. Stopped by Georgetown today and the campus looked beautiful - and this is coming from a certified beach kid who is more at ease during the summer months.

Business continued as usual, which is surprising for DC during the snow. Washington likes to believe it's still a "good 'ol Southern town" so most of the time when it snows, there is a major freak-out. But officials seemed prepared for this one and nothing was really sticking to the warm roads.

So hope you enjoyed the little piece of winter wonderland, but stay warm. And what better way to stay warm during the winter months than to put on an extra layer, turn up the heat, drink some hot chocolate, and, most importantly, blast some Beach Boys...

You're welcome:

What's Up with Iran?

On Monday, a new National Intelligence Estimate released by the US government made the surprising annoucement that Iran stopped its nuclear weapons program way back in 2003. This report contradicts a 2005 NIE which argued the contrary. The new NIE states:

"We judge with high confidence that in fall 2003, Tehran halted its nuclear weapons program...We judge that with high confidence the halt...was directed primarily in response to increasing international scrutiny and pressure..."

That is definitely good news for the Middle East and global security as a whole. So if Iran hasn't been trying to build nukes, what have they been using their huge laboratories for? Here are a few guesses:

1. A sound stage to film the new season of "Iran's Next Top Model"

2. A bowling alley for the ayatollahs

3. A 300 ft. Slip 'n Slide (left)

4. A toy factory to flood the American market with Cabbage Patch Kids

5. An ice rink to showcase the smash-hit "Ahmadinejad on Ice"

Personally, I'm pulling for the Slip 'n Slide, but we'll have to wait until the next NIE comes out.

In all serious, however, this is a big story that needs close attention and analysis. The labs are still being used to enrich uranium. But for what purpose? This report by no means will perfect relations between the US and Iran. Since 1979, the two nations have essentially been at war with each other, mostly covertly and through proxies. Still, let's hope that this news can create an opening for dialogue and perhaps a normalization of relations.

To read the NIE, click here: http://www.dni.gov/press_releases/20071203_release.pdf?ifs=1)

Cameron Diaz Snubs Ed Markey

One of the first posts on the DC Outsider described politics as "show business for ugly people." You recall that picture of Rep. Peter King I'm sure. However, every now and then (and particularly during campaign season), Washington and Hollywood embrace each other. Last night brought together both of those establishments for the annual Kennedy Center Honors. This year's honorees were Brian Wilson, Martin Scorsese, Steve Martin, Diana Ross, and Leon Fleisher.

In addition to the event (which will be broadcast on December 26 at 9 pm), there is a Sunday brunch where the honorees, other celebrities, and politicians mingle and schmooze. Those on hand yesterday at the Mandarin Oriental included Lyle Lovett, Steve Carell, Rahm and Ari Emanuel, Martin Short, Nancy Pelosi, and Alan Greenspan. However, the most shocking story to come out of the event was reported by Jeff Dufour and Patrick Gavin in the Examiner's "Yeas and Nays" column. According to Dufour and Gavin:

Cameron Diaz arrived late, dressed down in jeans and a black turtleneck, along with an aide. She refused to pose for photos, even when Rep. Ed Markey and wife Susan Blumenthal asked.

Whoa, Ms. Diaz. Don't walk in late and underdressed and then snub Ed Markey. Very un-Cameron Diaz-like. I saw Markey speak at an event at the National Press Club a couple of weeks ago and he was fantastic. Very generous and inspiring. So I must admit I'm disappointed that someone who is so laid back about what hair products she uses would be so uptight when confronted by one of Washington's friendliest politicians. Oh well.

Poor Bruce Jenner

It seems everytime I'm flipping through the channels on TV I come across E!'s "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" (see photo). No really, I come across it by accident... Anyhow, the show features the Kardashian family which is comprised of Mom (Kris), Dad (Bruce), daughters (Kim, Khloe, Kourtney, Kendall, Kylie), and son (Robert). Obviously big on the K's. The three oldest girls and Robert are children from Kris's first marriage to Robert Kardashian, the late Hollywood lawyer.

Step-dad Bruce is the Bruce Jenner, Gold medalist in the Decathlon in the 1976 Olympics. Okay, enough of the bio. Check out the website. My point is that every show follows an amusing (I'm embarrased to admit) formula:

1. The girls do something ridiculous
2. The girls don't tell Bruce about it
3. Bruce finds out and provides a moral base for the family

It's only natural that Bruce provides the solid foundation in the family, being the good conservative Republican that he is. Here's a sampler:

- Kris (accidently?) hires a stripper to be the nanny for the young girls
- The older girls go to Mexico for a photo shoot for Girls Gone Wild
- Khloe gets a DUI and ends up in jail for the night
- Kourtney almost gets married in Vegas, spur of the moment
- Khloe "adopts" a homeless man for the day, brings him home, gets him a shower, gives him some of Bruce's clothes, and makes Bruce take him to the dentist to get dentures

Of course Bruce eventually finds out about these things, but you can't help but feel sorry for the poor guy. A gold medal gets you crazy step-children and a homeless man wearing your best flannels? Amazingly enough, Bruce hasn't aged a bit since 1976 when he filmed this Wheaties commerical.



Can't say the same for John Belushi, though. Maybe the donuts were not such a good idea...

It's All Your Fault I Screen My Phone Calls

So this happened a few weeks ago, but I was still waiting to hear if I got a job from the offending party. Still haven't heard, so I'm guessing not. As you know, I've sent in tons of applications to different think tanks and non-profits over the past few months.

Remember that song, "Spiderwebs" by No Doubt from years ago? "It's all your fault / I screen my phone calls" - that's my new philosophy after this experience. On a Wednesday around 4:30 pm, my cell phone rang. For the previous four hours I had been staring at an Excel spreadsheet updating documents for my research assistant position (Full disclosure: Yes, I've had a part-time research position since October. Still, I'm looking for something more "career-oriented.") So my brain is completely fried and my eyes are burning from little white boxes when I make the mistake of picking up the phone.

Guy: "Is Brett there?"

Me: "This is him. What can I do for you?"

Guy: "This is ***** from the ******. Do you have a few minutes to talk?"

Me: "Sure."

That was my first mistake. I should have responded, "Sorry can you call back later? I'm being attacked by a grizzly bear." Or, "Now's not a great time. I'm rescuing a little old lady from a house fire." Anyhow, I said, "Sure" and he launches into what turns out to be a 25 minute interview about my resume, my goals, my thoughts on this and that, etc.

It honestly took me about 10 minutes to shake the funk that I had been in for the past few hours working on the spreadsheet. So I'm not sure exactly what I said in those first few exchanges. So, suffice to say, it doesn't appear that I received the job.

I'll admit I felt a little taken advantage of by this guy. A little "Pearl Harbor interviewing style" if you ask me. The irony is not lost on me that I've been desperate to get responses from these organizations (see "The Silence is Deafening"), but a sneak attack interview seems a bit unorthodox and unprofessional. Send me an e-mail and we'll set up a time to talk so I can answer the question, "How did you find out about our organization?" without me frantically digging through old e-mails to find out. Alas, the journey continues...

Who Says There's Such No Thing As a Free Lunch?

Yesterday I went to another conference downtown, this one at SAIS. It was the 25th Anniversary of their Conflict Management Program and they celebrated with a full day of panelists about topics ranging from Israel/Palestine to North Korea to the environment. These conferences and events have been great this Fall as I'm searching for a full-time job. Amazing free education. In some ways, it's still like being in college, but without the essays or the exams. This is definitely one of the perks of being in Washington - almost everyday there is an event or a speech or a panel talking about something interesting somewhere around town.

And then there's the free lunch. Most of the full-day conferences offer lunch (as they well should!). So it is possible to survive in this city attending conferences and eating free food and drinking free coffee. I think others caught onto this as well, as the number of people attending the panel right before lunch swelled considerably from other times during the day. So check out the newspapers, websites, and listservs for events to find out when and where you can expand your mind and your stomach...