I'm shaking it's so exciting...

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0807409650/qid=1129929139/sr=8-2/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i2_xgl14/102-0424223-1375352?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

Birkon Mikdash M'at is available for pre-order on amazon.com. Wow.
It's $5 a copy, and has this description:
This pocket-sized volume of blessings and songs was compiled by a Reform Jewish teenager, making it one of the most unique benchers on the market today. Birkon Mikdash M’at promises to inspire a new generation of Reform Jews. Perfect prayer and song selections are sure to make this wonderful resource a popular addition to weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs, and many other celebrations. Throughout the Reform Movement, prayers such as Birkat HaMazon and Shabbat blessings are recited and then followed by communal singing. Birkon Mikdash M’at is designed to facilitate the joy of singing in groups, the ritual moments of holiday observance, and enhance the spiritual experience of Shabbat.

Go check it out!!! Plus, it's available for Free Super Saver Shipping...so if you buy 5 copies, they'll ship for free.

You can see it for yourself when it's officially released at the URJ Biennial!

Rice-a-VP? The San Francisco Treat?

From today's USNews and World Report
Sparked by today's Washington Post story that suggests Vice President Cheney's office is involved with the Plame-CIA spy link investigation, government officials and advisors passed around rumors that the vice president might step aside and the President Bush would elevate Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
"It's certainly an interesting but I still think highly doubtful scenario," said a Bush insider. "And if that should happen," added the official, "there will undoubtedly be those who believe the whole thing was orchestrated – another brilliant Machiavellian move by the VP."
Said another Bush associate of the rumor, "Yes. This is not good." The rumor spread so fast that some Republicans by late morning were already drawing up reasons why Rice couldn't get the job or run for president in 2008.
"Isn't she pro-choice?" asked a key Senate Republican aide. Many White House insiders, however, said the Post story and reports that the investigation was coming to a close had officials instead more focused on who would be dragged into the affair and if top aides would be indicted and forced to resign.
"Folks on the inside and near inside are holding their breath and wondering what's next," said a Bush adviser. But, he added, they aren't focused on the future of the vice president. "Not that, at least not seriously," he said.

Okay, good part about Condi possibly being Veep: A woman VP. It's about damn time.
Bad part: 'Nuff said... Even though the article says many Republicans don't think she should run in '08, the possibility is still out there. I think it would be funny (not funny "haha", but funny "whoa man, our country is going down the crapper") if a theory I heard came true: Dems put up Hilary for Pres; in response, Republicans put up Condi, arguing "Yeah, we've got a woman too. AND SHE'S BLACK!" Oy. I'm not saying I'm against a black woman president, in fact I think it'd be great for our country, but Condi's not the kind of president I want.

Thoughts? Yve?

Current Music Raves

I'm not usually one to tell you lovely, fantastic, loyal readers to go out and spend money on something. That is, unless I think it's really worth it. These two current music raves are TOTALLY worth the 99 cent cost.

1) Love Heals (From the upcoming movie version of the musical, "RENT"). The lyrics are great, and the song is actually one that Jon Larson wrote even though it didn't make it onto the stage version of the show. Even though the movie sound track is getting mixed reviews, I like it a lot...I almost think it's better than the broadway recording...but that could also be because I'm a production nut and this album is INCREDIBLY well produced. Anyway, the song is great and I highly recommend getting this track.
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playlistId=80447021&s=143441&i=80447008

2) Tears In Heaven by Various Artists. Somehow, they got tons of artists to record this great new version of the beautiful Eric Clapton song. And it makes you feel good when you download the song because all 99 cents will go to Save the Children, a group helping people in the Gulf Coast and the areas affected by the Asian tsunami. Great song, great cause.
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playlistId=82153265&s=143441&i=82153199

I really need to go back to writing a paper, but I wanted to update you all on this...

But in the style of Steve Jobs, I've got ONE MORE THING (and yes, there is a media event tomorrow for Apple where they will be showing the "latest pro innovations"...rumour sites say there will be new powerbooks and powermacs, and some are saying there will be a new software app called "Photo Plus" which is supposed to be "iPhoto on steroids." Who knows...we'll find out at noon tomorrow! Yet I digress...

This article was in the New York Times today:
Ms. Pirro Seeks an Unlikely Donor for Campaign Funds: Mrs. Clinton
By RAYMOND HERNANDEZ
Recently, Jeanine F. Pirro sent out letters to potential donors in her campaign to unseat Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton next year. But there is very little chance that she will get any help from one recipient of her appeal: Mrs. Clinton herself.
In a potentially embarrassing (albeit minor) gaffe, one of the Aug. 19 fund-raising letters that Ms. Pirro's campaign sent out was addressed to none other than Mrs. Clinton.
It would have been bad enough if the letter had been addressed to, say, Mrs. Clinton's home in Chappaqua. But this one was sent to her previous residence: 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, D.C. 20500-0030 - an address more commonly known as the White House. The letter was forwarded from the White House to Mrs. Clinton's Senate office.
"Dear Hillary, You and I have been through a lot over the years," the solicitation begins. "I need you and every New Yorker on my side. But most importantly in this difficult campaign, I need people like you who I can trust."
The Clinton campaign, which released the letter to reporters, said the misdirected solicitation could explain the Pirro campaign's anemic fund-raising pace.
"It's not surprising that they're having trouble raising money," said Howard Wolfson, one of Mrs. Clinton's advisers.
Last week, Ms. Pirro's campaign reported that she had collected slightly more than $400,000 since announcing her candidacy on Aug. 8. By contrast, Mrs. Clinton's campaign reported raising nearly $5.3 million in the three-month period that ended Sept. 30.
Ms. Pirro's campaign manager, Brian Donahue, said that the appeal was sent to Mrs. Clinton because someone registered on the Pirro campaign Web site. He speculated that the person who registered was out to create mischief. "If it was in fact Hillary Clinton, we'd be happy to have her contribution," he said.

Oh man...first the infamous "Hilary Clinton.....(48 seconds of silence and confusion later...)...Where's page 8?" and now this...my money's on Pirro to beat Clinton.  If Clinton doesn't turn this into a land-slide victory, she shouldn't even consider running for President at ANY time.

Back to my paper titled "The Right Boat" where I use a boat as a metaphor for the development of rights from the French Revolution to the Industrial Revolution. Yeah, I went there...