Schiavoni Files

I have no costume this year which is depressing.

Normally I always fall back on my beekeeping costume. It was super easy and high quality since we actually used it to take care of the small apiary we had in our backyard at home until two years ago when my mom found out the hard way she had developed an allergy to bees.

That costume was cool because we had the whole get-up including the veil, smoker and a red hat that said bee a badger with a picture of bucky badger the University of Wisconsin mascot. And I would go down to state street to the insane University of Wisconsin halloween celebrations the college kids thought it was so cool. Plus, I'd carry a jar full of honey which was always, um, a hit.

One year I had the insanely bright idea to wrap myself in a whole role of duct tape and go as "a role of duct tape." I actually got my friend Lizzie to do it because she's got artistic ability. I really wish we had taken pictures because it was an amazing wrap job complete with leggings and a mini-skirt. But it was really uncomfortable, tough to take off and I had to watch my liquid consumption. I really wish I had pictures of that one though.

The one I do have pictures of but would never show them here is my shishkabob costume. Think lots of real, raw vegetables. It featured the pepper-kini. Don't ask.

My Marge Simpson in high school was classic too. I was all yellow with the dress and a big paper mache' head of blue which I cried about because it didn't look real but I won the halloween costume hands down anyway.

Random costumes run in the family. I'll never forget my brother tony who went as the Denorex Man (note picture of above is not tony but is Onion's Guy of the Year 1996) "This side tingles, this side doesn't." Or tony had this really strange "juicer of the future" costume. Never mind, I'm not going to bother describing that one.

Happy Halloween. I'm off to drink wine and make fun of people (which will really just be thinly veiled jealousy that I didn't get my act together to find a costume this year).
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I often rant about how halloween is the average girl's chance to dress as slutty as possible for a night and get away with it.

Nice to see that the New York Times had a similar conclusion this year.

While I call it like I see it, that doesn't mean I don't embrace it. I thought seriously about being this woman on the right (a.k.a. Two Martini Schiavoni). But alas the costume was sold out. Plus, let's face it, I don't have olives like that.
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Okay, I need your help.

I am trying to beat my co-worker on the number of referrals to the NPC site from each of our blogs. Right now, he's at 14 and I'm at 11. I must win this for the sake of office bragging rights.

I need you to click here. Or here: www.newprogressivecoalition.com.

While you're at it, check out the shout out NPC got on Planting Liberally and cross posted on myDD.

I'll let you know if I win (I don't think my co-worker even knows we're in competition yet but he will soon!).
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Interesting McDonalds U.S. Regional Cuisine I have eaten:
McLobster sandwich in Maine
McBrat(wurst) in Wisconsin (not bad, it was a Johnsonville Brat)
The Gilbert Brown Burger when the Packers made it to the Super Bowl in 1997... Actually, that was Burger King...

International Specialities:
In Italy, the McDonalds carried pretty decent espresso and cappuccino.

In the Middle East, they had the McArabia sandwich which was "two grilled meat patties, Arabic bread, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, Tahena sauce" (which I actually tried in Jordan--it wasn't bad--the way they looked at me though I think I was the only one who had ever ordered it). Another interesting note is that all McDonalds meat served in the Middle East is 100% halal which means it is permissible under Islamic law.

I did not try the sandwich above but would like to. It's from Singapore and called the The McBeef Fantastic which is an awesome name. It is rice patties with sliced prime beef that's been marinated with an Asian sauce, and grilled with white onions.

Anyone else eaten crazy food at McDonalds? Anyone else out there who will even admit they've eaten at McDonalds?

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I'm on a political rant this morning. There's been SO much lately but I haven't felt compelled until this morning.

Here's another goodie that hasn't been picked up on any grand scale yet.

According to the Crooks and Liars Website:

David Kuo, who was the number two guy at the Office of Faith Based
initiatives in the White House writes a scathing account of how the
administration used Christians to grab and maintain power. This story validates Tucker Carlson's admission that: "The deep truth is that the elites in the
Republican Party have pure contempt for the evangelicals who put their party in
power."

According to Kuo, Karl Rove's office referred to evangelical leaders as 'the nuts.'

Bush's base is already down from 95% approval to 75%. How low can it go?
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Now if your name is Mark Warner and there was this big scandal surrounding a guy named Mark Foley, why would you choose that time to announce you weren't running for president?

I like Mark Warner, but even my first reaction was: "They must have something on him."

And by the way, can the New York Times ever print a good picture of Warner? He's not a bad looking man. Remember that New York Times Magazine cover story that made him look like Guy Smiley? This current story makes him look like a gangster from the Sopranos.

On a personal note, I am dissappointed he isn't going to run. Thought he would have made a good presidential candidate. I'm all for Democratic Governors (or former Governors) from red states running for President.
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