From the Book of Lieberman [more]

Perfect.

I just have a hard time envisioning James Dean in “East of Bridgeport”

What? Joementum isn’t from God?

Mmmm . . . sacrilicious.

And the Lord said unto Adam: “Where did you learn to write like that, liebchen? I nearly soaked my robe! Oops, I did… damn me, I’ll be right back!”

And the Lord said, “Senator Lieberman, ever read the Book of Joe-b? All the names have been changed slightly so as not to unduly depress you.”

And then Mel said “It’s good ta be da King”

(sorry it was off topic, but I love that quote)

Off target. Adam, forgive me. I have a story I have to tell. This is not a humorous story. If you want humor, please pass on this one.

Jenny and Alyson met when they were 6 years old at the Third Presbyterian afterschool program in September, 1992. Both girls were above average in intelligence and below average in size, so they stayed out of the rough and tumble, off to the side playing with dolls, reading books to each other, telling stories and giggling as young girls will. For six years they were together five afternoons a week during the school year. They both aged out of the program when they turned twelve, but then found out they would be in the same middle school and also, the same Girl Scout troop. Jenny went on to earn her Gold Award in Scouting and Alyson the Silver Award before they both moved on the other interests. They were assigned to different High Schools, so they weren’t together as much after that. Alyson is my daughter; Jenny is her friend. The families no longer saw each other on a regular basis, but when we happened to meet in the neighborhood, Jenny would always come up to me, give me a big hug and one of her beautiful smiles. What a sweetheart!

Time moves on and years pass. Today there was a story about Jenny in the Charlotte Observer, so I was able to catch up with what she had been doing since we saw her last. She enrolled in the Midwifery program at UNC-Chapel Hill. She was smart enough to be a doctor, but didn’t want to have to live with the restraints and malpractice liabilities that doctors face in this society. She also wanted to have a more personal relationship with each woman, as she helped them through the birthing process. See, I told you she was smart! She’s been going to college full time and I mean full time - summers too - in order to graduate in three years. This summer it was a physics course she was getting out of the way. Oh, and she has been planning her wedding (June of 2007). Actually I know the groom, as well. Michael was in my son’s Boy Scout troop (3 years older) and though he was more of a cut-up and prankster than I usually tolerate, I was pleasantly surprised to see he got his Eagle Award, despite a very tumultuous domestic situation at home. His parents are both wacko (I know them, too) and during their long and bitter divorce procedings, they continued to flog and manipulate each other, with the kids in the middle, of course. Michael and Jenny began dating during their freshman year in High School, so I feel sure that Jenny had a big hand in keeping him centered and moving forward with his life. She’s that kind of person.

Friday night Jenny Zartman, 20 years old and a rising senior at UNC, was killed by a drunk driver, going the wrong way on I-40 in eastern North Carolina. Please - regular posters, friends and lurkers - please, do not drink and drive. If you want a new charity to donate to, please consider Mothers Against Drunk Drivers. We haven’t learned our lesson yet and we need help.

Cooper,

I gave up any and all forms of drunk driving 30 years ago, and prior to that it was drive slower, more carefully, away from traffic, and not seriously impaired. I used to have bashes at my hunt shack in the Ocala Forest. Like Felberpalooza, there was beer aplenty, but there was a simple rule to which everyone adhered. You get drunk, you go to sleep. You drive home when you’re sober. No one ever broke that rule, and no one ever had to face the tragedy you described, either as a victim or as the cause. I am now perfectly capable of taking someone’s keys away and/or insisting on driving them home. Love beer, hate drunk drivers.

Coop, I’m so sorry to hear about your young friend. I agree with David, if you’re gonna drink, dont drive. Do anything else, but dont drive.

My younger brother was killed by a young, reckless driver, when my brother was 17. I dont know if the driver was drunk, but he was reckless. It was over thirty years ago, but there isn’t a day that goes by that I dont think about him and miss him.

I’m sorry for your loss, Cooper. MADD’s done a lot of good work in the last few decades, but there’s still quite a way to go.

My condolences to you and your daughter.

So, back to Lieberman for a second. Cheney says that Al Qaeda is being emboldened by Lamont’s win. He’s really beyond parody, isn’t he?

(I feel weird switching from the current thread, which touches a nerve with a lot of us, back to the nominal topic, but it seemed the best place to post this.)

MaxBob - Of course they’re focussing on that primary. Nutmeg is an important ingredient in Middle Eastern cuisine and they’re afraid that supply lines might be disrupted.

cooper, so sorry to hear about Jenny. With this going on, why do we worry about the damn terrorists??