I was in Orlando this week (for less than 24 hours) and I couldn’t find a single station playing Southern Rock. I would have made do with even Molly Hatchett, but alas, it was all Hispano and rap and talk. That’s OK…I’m so old, I ate dinner in my room. I really should have emailed this one and dragged her out for a coffee, but it was one of those super-engaged sales dealios that are exhausting. So much so that I ate. dinner. in. my. room. Do you have any idea how lame that is?

My new little buddy the Genius Programmer was disgusted with me not having my tie wrapped around my head like a ninja in a disco until dawn. As I explained to him, I need someone to mentor, or all this learning I’ve done over 15 years is going to go to waste. I’m trying to convince him to be my associate and learn how to sell, but he resists me. To the point of getting his entire upper body tattooed. That’s how much he doesn’t want to sell, even though he’s a stinking natural — he’s got ink coming up his neck and stuff. All I can think of, when he tells me about it, is Ray Bradbury’s Illustrated Man. Mr. Original, they call me…

I must find a place in the country soon. City life is killing me. I want to listen to the birdies, and outwit the big bucks, and shoot a lot at paper. Some fly-fishing would be nice, too. I don’t care if I catch anything…just being able to lay it out there would be a Good Start.

I try to keep up with the smart kids, but it’s impossible.

Especially note Greenwald’s highlighting of Hugh Hewitt’s latest Stalinist ploy, and that “libertarian” Glenn Reynolds is all about it, because uttering “opposition to the surge is wrong” and Republicans who don’t see that must be punished.

I added the links to the above blockquote, because Mona didn’t. Please go and read them as they stand on their own without any additional commentary. But the bottom line here is that one guy (Hewitt) is not real happy with the Senate doing that non-binding vote dance about sending extra troops, and is asking people to withhold their dollars from any Republican Senator who votes for the non-binding resolution thingy.

So, if I understand Mona correctly, pledging not to give my own money to a political party because of a vote they are taking in my name is…Stalinist?

What, exactly, then, would the Jeffersonians, Franklinians, Adamsians, Washingtonians, Whateverians, Libertarians, have anybody do? How does a little man like myself make my voice heard? I feel like I’m on safe ground here when I say that my contributions towards a political campaign are one of the few ways I can do that, and I’m equally re-assured that Stalin wasn’t about to have a damn thing to do with such fiscal tomfoolery. Interesting Teddy Roosevelt quotes about criticizing presidential leadership aside, I’d sure like to see how Teddy would feel about one unelected man’s campaign for something he feels strongly about. I doubt TR would have much truck with it being called unAmerican, but I’m likely projecting or something.

I seriously give up. Henley has always run a clean joint, and I’ve always used him as a libertarian lodestar, but this is ridiculous. Stalinism – withholding your campaign contributions is now Stalinist. Pardon my French, but fuck that shit.

(Edited to fix a link.)