FRIDAY FROTH...

A good friend (and fellow Southerner) with a knack for picking books that you are sure to be seeing on all the best beaches, recently recommended Kathryn Stockett's fiction debut, The Help.  The "help" in the title refers to the household variety, and, because this book is set in 1963 Jackson, Mississippi, the help is black.  My friend promised me that this book was not a white bashing, southerners-still-want-slavery book, and that in fact, it takes a fair and honest view of blacks and whites and their relationship during the time it was set--and it does, for the most part.  One of Ms. Stockett's main characters is a woman that is hell-bent on making sure that all of her Jr. League friends have separate bathrooms in their homes for their "colored" help.  The problem for me with this book is that this character is more "mean girl" than she is racist.  She treats her mother as badly as she does her black maid, and she browbeats her white friends into submission.   The Jr. League girlfriends go along with varying degrees of malice toward their help to keep in good standing with Miss High-and-Mighty League President.  I might have enjoyed this book more if memories of my daughter's Jr. High school run-ins with mean girls wasn't so freshly splattered across my mind.  Mean girls are still aplenty in our society but thankfully we've made some inroads on racism.  If I had ever suggested that our "help" use a separate bathroom the "help" would have spanked my bottom, but not half as hard as my daddy would have when he found out.  Pick up The Help-- while it's neither profound nor poetic, it is a quick and entertaining read for the beach or poolside.

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Robin Hood could have been a great movie.  Its star, Russell Crowe, and its director, Ridley Scott, have made beautiful music before:  Gladiator was an award-winning work of art.  But alas, Robin Hood could not keep me from constantly moving my legs around--the more my mind is engaged, the less my long legs move around looking for a comfortable place to rest and vise versa.  You would not have wanted to sit in front of me during Robin Hood!  It's not that the movie was bad -- it was an okay to good film; however, I expected better from the talent involved in its production.  Surprisingly, Scott's new movie has caught some criticism because it's a prequel to the story that we are familiar with.  This current version of the story shows the events in Robin Hood's life that eventually led him to his mission of stealing from the rich and giving to the poor--I liked seeing the forces that motivated the man.  The essence of Scott's Robin Hood is that the former king has spent the nation into poverty with foreign wars, and the new king wants to tax everyone into poverty to restock the coffers -- sound familiar?  Robin Hood knows that taking from the rich and giving to the government, um, I mean king, never works -- a concept that clearly makes me very uncomfortable as well.  Now that I think about it, maybe my flailing legs were more of a reaction to the idea of wealth redistribution than boredom.

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My fall fashion prediction is that over-the-knee boots will be a must-have come September.  This ever-so-sexy footwear is showing up more than traditional boots.  There are lots of styles to choose from so don't be afraid that you can't make tall boots work for you--you can, just keep everything else simple.  Above:  Manolo Blahnik's lattice-top boots would look great with a grey wool sheath and pearls or black tights and a slim tunic.  Ralph Lauren's flat brown boots would make a great statement with jeans and a t-shirt or cords and a sweater.  Come on...don't be shy!

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They've arrived!  College students are home for the summer and they are tired and hungry.  If you have the male variety then you're exhausted from shopping and cooking (and let's face it, you're still cleaning up after him) to keep the poor baby from starving.  If you have the female variety your clothes and shoes are disappearing, or either dirty when you want to wear them.  With either variety your car and credit card are being requested daily and cash evaporates from your wallet.  They like to go out when you are going to bed and go to bed when you are getting up.  Hang in there.  September will be here before you know it and someday they will have their own teenagers returning from college for the summer and you can laugh out loud with delight when they complain about them.

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And now for a non-frothy item (because there are some plain-old black coffee drinkers out there):

What do you think about Joe Sestak being offered a job by the White House to not run against Arlen Spector?  It's all very fishy isn't it?  You can bet the administration's delay in talking to the press was so they could all get their stories straight.  While what went down may be illegal, it's probably nothing that hasn't been done by both parties many times before, but the bottom line is that people are tired of this type of shenanigans in government and Mr. Obama said that he was going to change things--he hasn't.

FRIDAY FROTH...

As the end of the school year approaches we can expect our kids to come to us with ideas for graduation/end-of-the-year trips.  If they suggest Mexico you should think long and hard before saying yes.  Its warring drug cartels have made Mexico a very dangerous place--I'm sure you've read about the murders, kidnappings, and innocent people being in the wrong place at the wrong time.  What you may not know is that Mexico now has one of the world's most liberal laws for drug users.  Roughly speaking, legally you can have four marijuana cigarettes, four lines of cocaine, 50 milligrams of heroin, 40 milligrams of methamphetamine, or 0.015 milligrams of LSD.  Maybe you are confident that your child won't be tempted by the legality of drugs while they are in Mexico--I'm sure they won't--but what about all of the other people that your child will be partying with in the clubs or on the beach?  Scary!

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Some of my favorite books are fiction with a strong historical component.  I've just finished The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff.  Mr. Ebershoff entertains as well as illuminates in his intertwined stories of polygamy.  In one story, Ann Eliza Young, 19th wife of Brigham Young, tells of life growing up in a polygamist world and her eventual apostasy from the Mormon Church.  This is not a love story.  Ann Eliza was at times in awe of Brigham as a leader, but most of her time as his wife was titular. The modern-day story,within-the-story, also involves polygamy, as well as being a murder mystery, and has its own apostasy--not regarding polygamy but gays, and the Mormon Church's rigid stance that has caused them to leave the church, if not the religion.  I like books with interesting finales and this author has a unique and clever way of integrating the two stories at the end.

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The recent gubernatorial debate between Meg Whitman and Steve Poizner offered little in the way of new information.  However, it did confirm that negativity is alive and well in politics.  Mr. Poizner came out slinging and Ms. Whitman found herself on the defensive, but she managed to throw a few feeble punches of her own regarding Mr. Poizner's flip-flopping on issues. Pundits quipped that Meg might not be tough enough to govern.  Tough may not be what we need.  Arnold is tough, yet he has had a hard time making an impact.  We need someone who can make Californians understand that we are in deep trouble and that it is not going to be pretty or fun getting out of this mess.  We need someone to instill pride and a sense of duty in Californians--not a sense of entitlement.  We need a leader.  Right now we have a state that is covered in a security blanket that has become threadbare by pensions, labor unions, and illegal immigration.  Our politically correct, freewheeling attitudes have taken us down the road to ruin.  The "right" candidate for California would be running ads of Greece's current nightmare with a voiceover saying, "California will be the next Greek tragedy unless we all pull together for the greater good."  Too many politicians cater to special interest instead of dedicating themselves to making tough choices.  They make promises to get themselves elected or reelected: solving problems is a distant second on their agendas.  I'm not optimistic--feta-stuffed grape leaf anyone?

PS--If you think Greece is not our problem think again.  The trillion-dollar bailout will be partially funded by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the largest contributor to the IMF is yes, you guessed it, America.  This  means Mr. and Ms. American taxpayer will not only be paying for health-care and other social services for Americans, but also Greeks.

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It was just me and my sometimes snuggly, always feisty, 16 year-old daughter on Saturday night so we went to the Jennifer Lopez movie, The Back-up Plan.  Ms. Lopez is not a great actress but she looked fabulous strutting around (pregnant, no less) in her five-inched Christian Louboutins.  And to be fair, her co-star, Alex O'Loughlin looked great too.  Mr. O'Laughlin doesn't need $1000 shoes because he has million-dollar abs that he flaunts while driving a tractor shirtless.  The movie opens with Ms. Lopez being artificially inseminated because she desperately wants to have a baby but has not met anyone who can fill the bill as father.  She leaves the doctor's office and meets the man of her dreams before you can say baby-daddy.  This is not a great movie--it's predictable, silly, overly sentimental and at times, gross.  However, if your daughter is in a snuggly mood it's a perfectly fine way to spend an evening.

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It would not have been hard to miss the news that there was major flooding in Tennessee earlier this month.  Even if you heard there was a flood, chances are you are not aware of how catastrophic it was.  The flood has gotten short shrift by the news media and the White House.  With few complaints about being over-shadowed by terrorist attempts in Times Square and an oil rig horror in the Gulf, the good people of Tennessee have pulled together to take care of themselves.
Check out this video:  YouTube - Nashville Tennessee Flood 2010

FRIDAY FROTH...

I think it was really big (no pun intended) for Britney Spears to release the unretouched photos from her recent Candies' ad campaign.  Ms. Spears is a young (28) and fit woman who is generally thought of as having a good figure--and she does.  These photos show the reality of a good body vs. the ideal of a body that is the norm in magazines, but is rarely seen at the beach.  If you have a daughter you should show her these photos and remind her that what you see in magazines is an image that has been enhanced by lightning, hair and makeup experts, and retouching.  You should also mention that it's a split second in time and life is not lived that way so she should go easy on herself.  If you have a son, you should show him these photos and remind him that what you see is NOT necessarily what you get--what you get is imperfect--yet it moves, breaths, and is infinitely more fun.  I've never thought of Ms. Spears as much of a role model for young girls but it looks like she's proving me wrong--check her out!

Britney Spears Reveals Unretouched Candies Ads (PHOTOS)

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Marriage can be a grind--kids, jobs, and endless trivial, but necessary, things "to do" around the house.  Marriage can be boring but sometimes boring beats the alternative.  This is the premise of the movie Date Night starring Tina Fey and Steve Carell as Phil and Claire Foster.  The Fosters love and are eager please each other, but when Claire hops into bed wearing her spit-laden mouth guard we know the thrill is gone.  In an effort to get the magic back, the suburban couple dresses up and heads to a fancy shmancy Manhattan restaurant.  A case of mistaken identity takes Phil and Claire on the ride of their lives and makes them almost appreciate their boring existence.  Tina Fey is very funny and Steve Carell is his usual nerdy, but hilarious self (Really, this guy is so un-sexy!  I'm betting the director gave Ms. Fey the drooly mouth guard to make his point but he probably told Mr. Carell to just show up in bed and act natural).  I laughed until tears streamed down my face; but I have to tell you, the two handsome men that I was with (one a teenager; the other not a teenager!) didn't laugh nearly as hard as I did.  Despite the pole dance, the car chase (both are departures from the normal fare), and the title, this is ultimately a chick-flick.

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David Benioff's City of Thieves is a great book that I hope will be made into a film (unfortunately, a quick search of IMDB didn't show anything currently in the works.)  City of Thieves is a buddy/odd couple/ road trip (minus the car)/ coming-of-age story that takes place during the Nazis' siege of Leningrad.  This compelling book is both frightening and funny with an underlying pathos.  Protagonists Lev Beniov and Kolya are both trying to balance staying alive with having a life when they find themselves in the same prison cell.  Their journey begins when they are released from prison to pursue an impossible task.  Mr. Benioff is an imaginative writer--he turned his novel, 25th Hour, into a screenplay that was brilliantly directed by Spike Lee and should have been nominated for an Oscar back in 2003.  Mr. Lee, if you are listening, I think Jude Law would be a great Kolya--and because he is one of he best actors out there, and he was amazing in your last novel-to-screenplay effort, Ed Norton would be a swell Lev!

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Check your mobile phone bills.  When you do you will probably notice that your teen is sending considerably more text messages than he/she is making phone calls.  When it comes to driving, both are dangerous but the combination of teenagers and texting is especially lethal.  You are 23 times more likely to be involved in a crash if you are texting and over 60 percent of teens say they text while driving.  Many states have laws that prohibit texting while driving, and there have been recent reports that they are stepping up the enforcement of these laws.  But, will knowing the statistics and law keep teens from texting behind the wheel?  Probably not.  It just doesn't fit with the "it won't happen to me" rebellious nature of the beast.  I have a few ideas that may help teens resist the temptation to text while driving:  1) Make them put their phone in the glove box and lock it before they start the car.  Yes, they can drive around the corner and turn the car off and get their phone out but at least you've made it more difficult.  2)  Show them this YouTube clip YouTube - Texting While Driving - British PSA (warning:  it's very graphic)  3)  Get them to sign a pledge to not text while driving and to wear one of the thumb rings that say, "texting kills" (think Lance Armstrong's yellow Live Strong bracelets, but black and for the thumb!) Thumbs Up to the Safest Holiday Ever - Take the Pledge.  4)  Cross your fingers and pray like crazy!

FRIDAY FROTH...

Despite my disappointment in the iPad, I'm a huge Apple fan and I am anxiously awaiting the release of the new iPhone OS 4 this summer.  (This will be Steve Jobs' chance to get the g [for genuflect] behind his name again in this blog.)  The new phone is promised to be more powerful and will be able to multitask.  There is a current limit of 180 apps that you can have on your phone but the new phone will be able to manage 2160 apps--amazing!  To get you started I thought I would introduce you to some favorites.  If you are already into apps, comment and let Qmuse know what your favorites are and why.

One of my favorites is Shazam--a great name and so fun.  If you hear a song you like or want to know more about it, just hold your phone up to a speaker and Shazam will tell you the name of the song you are hearing, who sings it, and more.  It will also connect you to iTunes to download the song.  You'll have to pay for the song download but the app is free.

Hungry?  Urbanspoon uses Wi-Fi to find you and then gives you restaurant recommendations in your area.  You can lock-in neighborhood, cuisine, or price and then shake your phone to find alternatives.  You can also get reviews and ratings and this app is also free.

 My Vacation will cost you $3.99 but it is worth it.  This application will help you plan your vacation, journal and then share your notes and pictures.  I want to go on vacation just to play with this app.

So many apps; so little time!

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And now for the HOUSTON WE HAVE A PROBLEM segment of FF...  Would you like to take a guess at the percentage of people that will be paying NO federal income tax this year?  The answer is 47 percent.  Yes, that means almost half of filers will pay nothing.  Most people that I queried guessed that the number would be in the in the 20 percent range.  It gets worse--of that 47 percent that pay no federal tax, 40 percent will actually get money back from the US Treasury.  Also interesting, the top 10 percent of earners pay 73 percent of taxes.  There are rumors that a VAT tax may be in America's near future.  It's controversial, especially now, because it's a consumer tax and it may slow consumption in an already slow economy.  Maybe, but I would be all for it if it replaced the income tax.  It makes no sense to me to penalize people for working and making money.

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If you are feeling down and want to wallow in your sadness then head to the nearest cinema and spend a couple of hours watching the recently released, The Greatest.  This film stars Pierce Brosnan, Susan Sarandon, and Carey Mulligan (An Education) and explores the different ways people grieve. There are no surprises in the ways that this families' grief is manifest, but there is a complication between the parents. The movie starts out strong--there is an especially good scene in the beginning of the movie of the family stuffed together in the backseat of a limo on their way home from a funeral.  The director keeps us in the car watching them for what seems like forever--it forces you to look at grief and feel just how uncomfortable it is.  There are some good moments throughout the movie, but it solves everything a little too fast and too tidy.  A good film if you need a good cry.

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In my continuing effort to keep us all feeling good and looking great, I have to report that an article in the New York Times this week suggest that when it comes to weight lifting, more weight is better: "...when women performed various resistance exercises at different weights and repetitions (85 percent of their maximum ability for 8 reps, versus 45 percent for 15).  Subjects lifting more weight fewer times burned more energy and had a greater metabolic boost after exercise."  Two other studies support this finding and one specified that the women who used the heavier weights lost more "intra-abdominal" fat.  So, the bad news is that your gym workout needs to be harder.  The good news is that you'll be out of there sooner and headed for that latte with non-fat milk, because we all know you need some protein within 30 minutes of a workout to really benefit those muscles.

FRIDAY FROTH...

If you think for one minute that the people representing us in Washington got there because they are smart, then you'd better think again.  Click on this link to hear Georgia congressman Hank Johnson expressing concern to Admiral Robert Willard about the addition of 5,000 Marines and their families to the island of Guam.  Representative Johnson is worried that the additional people may cause the small island to "tip over" and "capsize."  Notice the Admiral's face as he replies, "We don't anticipate that."  You have to see this clip to believe it--there is nothing remotely intelligent that escapes Mr. Johnson's lips!  Democrats seem to think they have a monopoly on intelligence; they love to roll their eyes at Sarah Palin.  Well, think again, Mr. Johnson is a democrat.

YouTube - Hank Johnson (Congress D-GA) - Warns Guam May Capsize

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And for the republicans that think they have a lock on morality, I beg you to reconsider.   What could possibly be moral, or even make sense, about gathering money to elect conservative candidates that want to put God and family front and center, and gays and lesbians on the back burner, and then spending that money to take donors to a lesbian, bondage-themed strip club?

Guam-gate and Bondage-gate have caused me to ponder which is worse: ignorance or hypocrisy?  I've decided that it doesn't really matter--both parties are rife with both.  But the thing that the two parties have most in common you ask?  Both proclaim to be fiscally responsible--neither is.

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If you want to see a movie that will be nominated for an Academy Award for best picture, best original screenplay, and have a couple of acting nominations to boot, then run, don't walk, to the nearest theatre showing City Island.  This charming and quirky film was a pleasure to behold from beginning to end.  City Island, an island on a spit of land in the Long Island Sound, is a part of the Bronx and a perfect setting to highlight the dysfunctional Rizzo family, given the island is quiet and quaint and the family is anything but.  For a movie with lots of unexpected twists, it ends a bit predictably, but I can't count that as a negative.  Andy Garcia is the patriarch having a mid-life crisis and Julianna Margulies is the tough-talking, sexy, but spurned wife.  And if you think hell hath no fury like a women scorned then you better get ready for a women scorned with a Bronx accent--it's a few degrees hotter.  We Southern women have to draw blood before anyone knows we're angry, all Italian women from the Bronx have to do is open their mouths.  Ezra Miller is fantastic as Vinnie, the teenage son--he had me laughing out loud.  He and the teenage daughter (played by Andy Garcia's daughter) gave me a whole new appreciation for my teenage son and daughter!  See this movie!!!

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The iPad makes its grand appearance on Saturday so I thought I would include my previous review.  Now that someone other than Mr. Jobs has actually seen the iPad, I've found out that it does have a dictionary built-in and you can buy iWork for word processing, but I'd like to have Word and I'll have to see the dictionary to believe it.  I stand by by first reaction--it seems like a big iPhone and I want more.  All of you app inventors out there, see below and get crackin'!

THE iPAD:

Dear Mr. Jobs,

i am your biggest fan. i love everything i! i awoke last Wednesday heady with anticipation--you were unveiling a new iproduct. i went to my desk, i kissed my Mac good morning and i logged on. i watched you unveil the iPad tablet.

"Oh," i said to myself as i watched. i was a little disappointed--i may have even cried a wee bit!

Mr. Jobs, i think we need to talk.

i have noticed two things: 1. The name iPad has received some criticism and even some laughs. it seems that the name makes some people think about feminine hygiene. Frankly, pads were my grandmother's generation and that generation still uses transistor radios, so i am afraid that the problem may be the lack of anything else to talk about regarding the iPad. 2. the iPad is being described as just a big iphone, and unless you are a big gamer, that's kinda what it is.

Here are some suggestions for the second generation iPad tablet from your humble igroupie: i want to be able to download books, magazines, newspapers and other reading materials and then not have to rely on any type of connection--i may be getting on a plane and you know how they feel about connections! i want to be able to highlight (via touch) passages from books, paragraphs from newspaper articles, or quotes from a blog, and then move them to a file so that I can refer to them at a later time. i also need to be able to make notes in the book or magazine. i would love for you to have a built-in dictionary so that i can point to a word, triple click and voila', the definition appears. i don't want to have to rely on the internet to look-up a word. i also need to be able to use the iPad as a word processor--i can use that great MobileMe to transfer what i write on my iPad to my computers.

i am sure that i will think of other things to make the iPad better and when i do, i will be sure to let you know.

Have a great iweekend Mr. Jobs

Warmly,

Qmuse

FRIDAY FROTH...

I loved watching Roman Polanski's latest film, Ghost Writer.  I was mesmerized by its look--moody, haunting, and great visual metaphors.  Mr. Polanski was clearly channeling Alfred Hitchcock in visual style, but also gave a wink and a smirk to his own life by placing Pierce Brosnan's character, former British Prime Minister Adam Lang, under virtual house arrest after he is accused of war crimes.  Mr. Polanski finished Ghost Writer while under house arrest in Switzerland.  A very good Ewan McGregor is the writer that Lang has hired to finish his memoirs after the original writer mysteriously dies.  Pierce Brosnan is also very good.  After appearing to be a pawn, Mr. Brosnan delivers a "checkmate" speech that galvanizes his performance and gives the movie perspective.

This movie is worth seeing for the performances and Mr. Polanski's visual style; however, the writing is thin at best.      

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If the stack of books on your bedside table is getting low, then consider picking up One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus.  I read this book several years ago and enjoyed it so much I'm tempted to read it again.  The premise of the story is based on an actual historic event from 1854 when an Indian chief asked the U.S. government to gift one thousand white women as brides for his young warriors.  The goal was to help assimilate the Indians into the encroaching white culture.  The protagonist, May Dodd is released from an asylum to go west and marry one of the young warriors.  But make no mistake, May is not insane.  This story mixes history, fiction, and passion in equal parts; a nice combination--enjoy!

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Well girls, I have good news and bad news.

The bad news:  There was a study released this week that indicates that as women reach middle-age they need to work out moderately--walking or a leisurely bike ride-- for an hour a day to keep from gaining weight.  The old recommendation was for thirty minutes of intensely working out five days a week.  Men only need a third of the exercise as women do to maintain their weight.

I know this doesn't seem fair, but life's not fair.  Studies have shown that shoes and handbags do seem to help with the inequities...

The good news:  I have the perfect thing to motivate you to get cracking on those workouts.  Check out this new see-through handbag from Prada.  I love the diamond shaped kiss closure, and it's waterproof so you can take it to the beach.

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Did you see the picture of President Obama on the front page of the New York Times today?  He's in a bookstore holding up two books--one by Karl Rove and the other by Mitt Romney.  I have to say I was put off by Mr. Obama's big smile/laugh.  In light of the huge success he has just had passing his legacy health-care bill, it looks like gloating to me.  On the campaign trail Mr. Obama stated that passing legislation with only 51 votes was NOT how he wanted to do business in Washington and he also said that he wanted to change the tone of politics.  He has to be aware of the deep divide this bill (that he passed with only 51 votes) has caused in this country.  Mr. President, wipe that smile off your face, show some graciousness, put your head down and get back to work.

FRIDAY FROTH...

The Green Zone is a new movie that deals with the war in Iraq, specifically the first months of engagement.  While it’s not nearly as good as last year’s The Hurt Locker, I did find parts of it interesting and most of it entertaining.  Matt Damon has the lead role as an officer who takes his team out in search of the now infamous weapons of mass destruction.  He soon learns that he is getting bad intelligence, and it’s too easy to tell that his Pentagon superior, played by Greg Kinnear, not only knows this, but also will do anything to prevent the world from finding out.  This is where the movie turns political, taking easy jabs at the Bush Administration and reducing the Green Zone to black and white.  It misses an opportunity to expand on an Iraqi interpreter, Freddy, who is helping Matt Damon’s character.  Freddy’s is an interesting perspective into a very complex situation and I would have liked to see it explored further. 

The camera work will make some seasick, but I liked its shock-and-awe movement.  If you can get past the politics and the incredulity of Matt Damon going rogue in Baghdad and just enjoy your popcorn and some good action, you’ll have fun.

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The tabloids were reporting yesterday that Sandra Bullock’s husband, Jesse James, was having an affair.  Mr. James has issued a statement saying that most of the allegations against him are untrue; he goes on to say that he is sorry for the pain that he has caused his wife and kids.  I’m betting the affair part of the story is true.  The “other woman” appears to be a tattoo model looking for attention and celebrity.  I won’t delve into the reasons Mr. James may have committed his infidelity.  What I do find fascinating and want to comment on are the women that go after the husbands of beautiful and successful women.  This phenomenon is nothing new, but as more women are becoming high profile, we are seeing an increase in this type of affair.   And, if the husband appears to be an adoring husband, these “other women” seem all the more eager.  It seems these women can’t find a way to be successful on their own so they think that by enticing a successful/beautiful/confident woman’s husband to pay attention to them, they have achieved success—that by slipping into another woman’s bed you also slip into her life.   Or, sometimes, these “other women” just want to take someone who appears to have too much going for them down a notch or two.  These are the same insecure girls that in jr. high made-up ugly rumors about other girls. These women are less interested in getting in bed with the husband than they are in “screwing” the wife.  Girls, where is the solidarity?

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It would be remiss to not mention HEALTH-CARE--a vote is expected on Sunday.  It is amazing how many people are paying attention.  Does anyone remember the Clinton’s health-care of the 90’s?  I have a theory that people were captivated by the 2008 presidential election because for the first time, we had a woman and a black man in serious contention for the White House.  Politics became captivating and we kept watching even after the presidential outcome was decided.  Then we became horrified!  Oh, the deficits, the bickering, and the utter contempt for the American public!  There is very little good news about health-care--it’s contentious and the process has been fraught with dirty deals.  The good news is that people are not only paying attention now, they are getting involved.  Warning:  Be very careful Washington, We The People are back, we are watching, and we will hold you accountable.