Celebrity Death: Teddy Kennedy

Yes i put this under the 'celebrity' category because - well lets face it - he was more of a celebrity than a politician.

Now don't get me wrong .... I understand that he had a outstandingly long and influential political career - but people need to also understand that had his name been 'Smith', "Jones', or "Bush" he would never have had that career.

He became the face of Kennedy .... if a senator wanted to get a bill looked at, they would go to him and ask him to put his name on the bill even if he didn't know what it was about.

He was one of the most polarized senators in my lifetime -- and the most contradictory.

I'm listening to the tributes to him ...

MSNBC is comparing him to Ronald Reagan .... what? They are saying that like Reagan he had to overcome adversity to get to his position -- WHAT??? This man was born into the position ... yes he knew tragedy - losing his three brothers, letting his lover drown in a car as he tried to figure out what to do, his addictions being made public, questions surrounding his sanity (which might have had something to do with his brain cancer, who can say at this point) .... whatever ... so not even close to Reagan.

Foxnews has even been going light on him out of respect...and surely you don't expect them to rotate him on a spit during this time of mourning out of respect for his family ... and I'm sure they have been working on what would be said over the past year or so - even more so after his sister Eunice's death.

But let's not forget that this man came from more money than people can shake a stick at -- his family was the new Rockefeller's, the new J.P. Morgan's ... most of it acquired through questionable means (means that would have been seized by the government these days - hello, can you say Madoff?) .... what have they done with it?

Well Eunice used her influence and finances to set up 'Special Olympics' ... a great organization which is exactly what you would expect someone with a ton of money to get going -- she used her money to help change the lives of millions, no billions, of kids/people around the WORLD.

Can someone tell me what Teddy has done with his share of the money? I just want to know one program that he himself thru his money behind and got it off the ground ... not something that he signed legislation on so that everyone else's money would be used for it -- his OWN money.

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couple of quick notes:

Dirty player: in 2004 when senator Kerry was running against Bush - Kennedy pushed thru (even though he didn't have a direct vote on the matter) changes to the way Kerry's successor would have been chosen had he won (snicker, snicker) ... instead of having the Governor appoint a replacement as it had always been - the new plan was to take the power from the Governor (then Republican Mitt Romney) and make a new appointee chosen by special election.

Well this was fine for Kennedy until just recently when it became very clear that he was not going to be able to make it to the next election cycle -- then he started the push to try to put things back as they were before (now that there is a Democratic governor), so that the state would have 'two senators serving during the health care debate' .... like it really matters!!

The Dems have the votes -- Mass. does not need to have two senators at this point...it will get thru without his seat filled -- having one seat for MA will effect them about as much as having one for MN didn't effect them.

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for the death in Chappaquiddick, Kennedy got only 2 months incarceration and that was suspended - that means he served NOTHING for the death of this woman. You really have to read the full article on this to see how there is no way he should have gotten off with less than manslaughter.

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Now don't get me wrong -- yes I realize this man has just died and should be remembered .... yes I realize that he has had a long political record and has one of the longest careers in congress ... but just like Michael Jackson, Kerbie Puckett, or any other celebrity with a checkard past -- just like they did with Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon -- I think the bad points must be remembered as well.

He was a man .... a very influential man ... who got away with stuff that he should have been thrown in jail for (the car was just one of them) .... and I think we do a large disservice to ourselves and our country to forget that stuff.

Celebrity Death: Gidget

I'm sad to let everyone know that the dog that did the Taco Bell commercials & played Bruiser's Mom in "Legally Blonde" (and I suspect she had a bit part in "Beverly Hills Chihuahua") ....


the bitch "Gidget" has passed away.

Yes -- though voiced by a man, the dog was actually a girl.

On of the biggest dog scandals since it was learned that Lassie was a boy!

The dog is credited with the growing affection amongst the public for the breed. While always considered a 'pocket pet', the commercials which were full of humor and cute shots of the dog lead to an increase in the sales of the breed prompting breeders & breed clubs to put out information of not only the good things about the breed but also warnings about the breeds downside.

The move is not uncommon for breed clubs who see a movie come out which seems to glorify their breed ... the Siberian Husky and Malamute Clubs of America did it after "Snow Dogs" & "Eight Below" and the Golden Retriever club did it after the releases of "Air Bud" and "Marley & Me", there was even a statement put out by the German Shepherd club after the rash of K9 cop films of the 1990's ....

Gidget RIP ... you will be remembered not just for "Yo Quiro Taco Bell" but also for all you have done for your breed thru education.