  Just kidding. nbsp;  I have nothing to say about Martha or her corporation;  I just like saying " Omnimedia. nbsp;
nbsp; nbsp; Actually,  though,  it was a little weird that she plugged her magazines and products in her post- sentencing remarks.
nbsp;  In any case,  I just wanted to say hello to all of you and give you a tedious update. nbsp;  I am pleased to see that Derrcules has joined the blog,  but has he posted?
nbsp;  Are the Grranimal and Kate in Japan ( or,  should I say,  Nihon de)  &
nbsp;  I have forgiven Blogspot for getting a Trojan Horse onto my computer from a malevolently altered pop- up ad. nbsp;  Actually,  I'm still a little mad,
 but the allure of your witty remarks was too potent. nbsp;  Anyhoo,  here are a few things:  & nbsp;
 1.  I have been going to lots of weddings in California. nbsp;  This has adversely affected my finances,  although this impact is less severe than the negative financial impact of actually getting married yourself,  not that my finances have recovered from getting married,
 but at least I'm not& nbsp; getting married more than once this year or,  ideally,  in any future year or,  really ideally,
 not ever again.  & nbsp;  2. nbsp; I have long thought that conspiracy theorists give too much credit to the alleged conspirators by believing that they are actually both crafty and organized enough to execute something complicated,
 and that collusion is more likely to occur after something shifty has occurred. nbsp;  That having been said,  I find myself these days convinced that the Bush Administration is stage- managing intricate conspiracies at all times. nbsp;
 I totally buy this current rumor that Bush will dump Cheney late in the game ( for health or other reasons)  and replace him with someone more palatable,  thereby& nbsp; ensuring a victory.
nbsp;  I can only hope that McCain and Powell hate W enough that they'd never go for it. nbsp;  In any case,  I can't decide if I'm losing it and will soon be setting up a card table with pamphlets and diagrams& nbsp;
on the Grassy Knoll in Dallas,  or if our current President and his cronies are actually this clever after all& nbsp; and are managing to set in motion such plots while also managing to escape the notice of most people.  & nbsp;
 3.  The Terrapin in Iowa City has shut down,  but apparently the overcaffeinated owners won't admit it and keep telling people that it's " closed for remodeling,  when,  in fact,
 it's deader than a peeled egg. nbsp; nbsp;  I was away,  but I heard that an article appeared over the weekend in one of the papers,  and,
 in it,  the brothers contended that they were bought out or something because the landlord had received an offer he couldn't refuse. nbsp;  It's all strange. nbsp;  &
nbsp;  4.  There was a shooting in the Red Light District! nbsp;  A clerk at the Adult Marketplace was shot by a robber,  but he's alive and they caught the dude who did the shooting.
nbsp;  In other Iowa news,  some farmer near Pella was arrested for growing loads of poppies in the rows in between vegetables. nbsp;  Perhaps he can lend his business savvy to the owners of the Terrapin.  &
nbsp;  5. nbsp;  Back to politics. nbsp;  Are all you people registered to vote?
nbsp;  Are you volunteering with your local Democratic parties? nbsp;  Are you giving money -  even a pittance -  to campaigns?
nbsp;  I really hope so. nbsp;  Anyone in the Boston or NYC areas,  incidentally,  should check out the upcoming marches by Billionaires for Bush at urlLink www.
billionairesforbush. com . nbsp;  They're also doing a limo tour through the swing states,  and will be at the Iowa State Fair on August 18.  &
nbsp;  6. nbsp; This summer,  I have read Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem ( good,
 but not as good as I'd expected based on what people had told me -  it may just be a case of disappointment due to inflated expectations)  Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh ( loved it)  Little Children by Tom Perrotta ( enjoyable but ultimately sort of light,
 even though there were nicely surprising observations sprinkled throughout -  I just can't remember any of them after completing it)  and The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon ( felt sort of like some of the odd dreams -  and now conspiracy theories -  I have)
nbsp;  I am about to embark upon another Waugh novel,  Scoop. nbsp;  & nbsp;
 7. nbsp;  But no one reads else& nbsp; anymore. nbsp;
 What are we to do? nbsp;  urlLink http: www. nytimes. com/
2004/ 07/ 11/ weekinreview/ 11mcgr. html?
ex= 1090641600& amp; en= 48072a44fb858d95& amp;
ei= 5006& amp; partner= ALTAVISTA1 & nbsp;
 Your pal,  SER 
