Dog days of August – UPDATED

I’ve gotten a few emails from folks concerned that I’ve been laid up with another ailment. Sorry I’ve been so quiet or raised concern. I’m well…it’s just been very busy. (And of course really backed up on email, again).

So, we left Buster at dorm on Friday night, came home Saturday. I gave myself Sat/Sun/Monday to cry, be depressed and eat chocolate (I can’t seem to get enough…I feel too young to be at this “next” stage – the empty nester – of my life) and yesterday it was errand-running all day, including a trip to traffic court, where all I was trying to do was change a court date.

Because the court date had already been changed twice, I had to go before a judge, which seemed entirely reasonable to me. In my case, however, “the judge” was a snarling, hyperactive little chihuahua of a man whom I have nicknamed Ginger, because when I was a little girl I was bitten by just such a little mutt, and that was her name.

This dog bit, too. I tried to stare him down, Alpha-doggie style, and got him to look away once, but in the end he still made me cry. I hate that. Suffice to say I did manage to calm down (after spending some time in my car using language to make a sailor blush) and talk to God about Ginger with some rationality and charity. Barely. But I’m still very much a “work-in-progress Christian” with a lot of growing to do, as evidenced by the fact that I drove home imagining a snarling chihuahua flying through the air the length of a football field after having come into direct contact with my foot. Lord, forgive me.

The thing is I go away for almost a week…and once again I find that there is nothing new in the news.

To my way of thinking both the most entertaining (and, unsurprisingly, barely covered) story in the current cycle regards Mrs. Clinton will not be returning some questionable (or at least slightly stinky) funds donated to her presidential campaign. This is entertaining because Mrs. Clinton’s campaign has several times in the past months recommended that other candidates -both GOP and Dem – return checks contributed to them by sinister folks who have committed the unthinkable crime of not admiring Hillary.
From what I am reading there is lots to wonder about regarding these donors, and a smart campaign – particularly one married to past scandals involving names like John Huang, Charlie Trie and Johnny Chung – might want to just return the cash. (Good advice offered for free!)

Don Surber has more thoughts and Ed Morrissey is as usual, writing sensibly and well.

UPDATE – UPDATE – UPDATE: Hillary’s campaign is now going to give $23,000 of Hsu’s money to charity – again, I’d like to know what charities these pols gift with dubious funds and whether or not those charities somehow end up supporting these candidates. The Clinton campaign is not returning, however, “[does] not plan to return any money Hsu raised from other donors.” END UPDATE.

Glenn calls campaign finance regulations a sham.
And no wonder.

America Coming Together (ACT) raised $137 million for its get-out-the-vote effort in 2004, but the FEC found most of that cash came through contributions that violated federal limits.

Sheesh.

That was about the 2004 election, but egad, the stench of corruption is all over the ’08 elections, too, and we’re still over a year out from them. I told you this all started way too early. But maybe that’s a good thing for the pols; they’re scratching around and raising tons of money while no one is paying attention, and heaven knows the press won’t “press” on this story. Not when it concerns this candidate, anyway.

I wrote something a while back about Katie Couric, but it sort of applies to Mrs. Clinton, too:

We do women in general no favors…by continuing an “affirmative action” mindset that says, “aw, she’s a woman, and it’s a man’s world, so she gets extra forbearance.” That’s nonsense. Once you’ve reached a pinnacle, you can’t keep whining that you’re only teetering because you’re a woman. You’re teetering because the pinnacle is slim, sharp and lonely, and you can only remain there if you belong there, or if you have one hell of a safety belt supporting you. Those that belong there make the pinnacle look easy, the rest impale themselves or fall. Or they loll about in the safety belt, and stagnate.

Mrs. Clinton needs to give up her own questionable campaign donations and stop resenting it when other pols and contributors dare to dislike her, but she is by no means stagnating. She has that “hell of a safety belt” supporting her, in the press, as she nears a pinnacle upon which I am not so certain she belongs. This election is going to be interesting.

Oh…and it seems another Hillary donor is maybe also not so desirable. Mrs. Clinton’s campaign says his large donation will be donated to charity. Will we ever be told which charity? Can they donate it to a “charity” which is a front for the DNC? Does anyone know? Why not donate it to something transparent, like a cancer fund, a kidney foundation, an AIDS program, a school music foundation? I’m not saying Mrs. Clinton won’t do exactly that. I’m just wondering if we’ll ever know. I mean, the press is so selective, lately, about what they tell and don’t tell.

Castro says Hillary and Obama will be the winning ticket. Well, there’s a a questionable endorsement, or whatever. But yeah, I say bring that. I’d love to see Hillary/Obama against Rudy/Michael Steele. I’m up for that.

Meanwhile, a few days ago I gave you the death of Scarpia, now, thanks to the magic of you tube, I leave you with Bryn Terfel embodying the beastly baron as he lusts after Tosca, while in church. “Tosca, you make me forget God!”