From President Bush

"She is a member of a labor union at one point." Announcing his nomination of Linda Chavez as secretary of labor. Austin, Texas, Jan. 2, 2001

"Natural gas is hemispheric. I like to call it hemispheric in nature because it is a product that we can find in our neighborhoods."
Austin, Texas, Dec. 20, 2000

"I am mindful of the difference between the executive branch and the legislative branch. I assured all four of these leaders that I know the difference, and that difference is they pass the laws and I execute them." Washington, D.C., Dec. 18, 2000

"The great thing about America is everybody should vote."
Austin, Texas, Dec. 8, 2000

"Dick Cheney and I do not want this nation to be in a recession. We want anybody who can find work to be able to find work."
60 Minutes II, Dec. 5, 2000

"I knew it might put him in an awkward position that we had a discussion before finality has finally happened in this presidential race."
Describing a phone call to Sen. John Breaux. Crawford, Texas, Dec. 2, 2000

"The legislature's job is to write law. It's the executive branch's job to interpret law."
Austin, Texas, Nov. 22, 2000

"They misunderestimated me."
Bentonville, Ark., Nov. 6, 2000

"They want the federal government controlling Social Security like it's some kind of federal program."
St. Charles, Mo., Nov. 2, 2000

"States should have the right to enact reasonable laws and restrictions particularly to end the inhumane practice of ending a life that otherwise could live."
-Cleveland, June 29, 2000

"Unfairly but truthfully, our party has been tagged as being against things.. Anti-immigrant, for example. And we're not a party of anti-immigrants. Quite the opposite. We're a party that welcomes people."
-campaigning in Cleveland, July 1, 2000

"The fundamental question is, 'Will I be a successful president when it comes to foreign policy?' I will be, but until I'm the president, it's going to be hard for me to verify that I think I'll be more effective."
-In Wayne, Mich., as quoted in the New York Times, June 28, 2000

"The only things that I can tell you is that every case I have reviewed I have been comfortable with the innocence or guilt of the person that I've looked at. I do not believe we've put a guilty... I mean innocent person to death in the state of Texas."
-All Things Considered, NPR, June 16, 2000

"I'm gonna talk about the ideal world, Chris. I've read- I understand reality. If you're asking me as the president, would I understand reality, I do."
-On abortion, Hardball, MSNBC; May 31, 2000

"There's not going to be enough people in the system to take advantage of people like me."
-On the coming Social Security crisis; Wilton, Conn.; June 9, 2000

BUSH: "First of all, Cinco de Mayo is not the independence day. That's dieciseis de Septiembre, and ..." MATTHEWS: "What's that in English?" BUSH: "Fifteenth of September." (Dieciseis de Septiembre = Sept. 16)
-Hardball, MSNBC, May 31, 2000

"Actually, I...this may sound a little West Texan to you, but I like it. When I'm talking about...when I'm talking about myself, and when he's talking about myself, all of us are talking about me."
-ibid

"This is a world that is much more uncertain than the past. In the past we were certain, we were certain it was us versus the Russians in the past. We were certain, and therefore we had huge nuclear arsenals aimed at each other to keep the peace. That's what we were certain of...You see, even though it's an uncertain world, we're certain of some things. We're certain that even though the 'evil empire' may have passed, evil still remains. We're certain there are people that can't stand what America stands for...We're certain there are madmen in this world, and there's terror, and there's missiles and I'm certain of this, too: I'm certain to maintain the peace, we better have a military of high morale, and I'm certain that under this administration, morale in the military is dangerously low."
-Albuquerque, N.M., the Washington Post, May 31, 2000

"He has certainly earned a reputation as a fantastic mayor, because the results speak for themselves. I mean, New York's a safer place for him to be."
-On Rudy Giuliani, The Edge With Paula Zahn, May 18, 2000

"The fact that he relies on facts...says things that are not factual...are going to undermine his campaign."
-New York Times, March 4, 2000

"I think we agree, the past is over."
-On his meeting with John McCain, Dallas Morning News, May 10, 2000

"It's clearly a budget. It's got a lot of numbers in it." -Reuters, May 5, 2000

GOV. BUSH: "Because the picture on the newspaper. It just seems so un-American to me, the picture of the guy storming the house with a scared little boy there. I talked to my little brother, Jeb...I haven't told this to many people. But he's the governor of...I shouldn't call him my little brother...my brother, Jeb, the great governor of Texas." JIM LEHRER: "Florida." GOV. BUSH: "Florida. The state of the Florida."
-The NewsHour With Jim Lehrer, April 27, 2000

"I was raised in the West. The west of Texas. It's pretty close to California. In more ways than Washington, D.C., is close to California."
-In Los Angeles as quoted by the Los Angeles Times, April 8, 2000

"Other Republican candidates may retort to personal attacks and negative ads."
-Fund-raising letter from George W. Bush, quoted in the Washington Post, March 24, 2000 (a LETTER!)

"People make suggestions on what to say all the time. I'll give you an example; I don't read what's handed to me. People say, 'Here, here's your speech, or here's an idea for a speech.' They're changed. Trust me."
-Interview with the New York Times, March 15, 2000

"It's evolutionary, going from governor to president, and this is a significant step, to be able to vote for yourself on the ballot, and I'll be able to do so next fall, I hope."
-Interview with the Associated Press, March 8, 2000

"It is not Reaganesque to support a tax plan that is Clinton in nature."
-Los Angeles, Feb. 23, 2000

"I understand small business growth. I was one."
-New York Daily News, Feb. 19, 2000

"The senator has got to understand if he's going to have...he can't have it both ways. He can't take the high horse and then claim the low road."
-To reporters in Florence, S.C., Feb. 17, 2000

"I thought how proud I am to be standing up beside my dad. Never did it occur to me that he would become the gist for cartoonists."
-ibid

"If you're sick and tired of the politics of cynicism and polls and principles, come and join this campaign."
-Hilton Head, S.C., Feb. 16, 2000

"How do you know if you don't measure if you have a system that simply suckles kids through?"
-Explaining the need for educational accountability in Beaufort, S.C., Feb. 16, 2000

"We ought to make the pie higher."
-South Carolina Republican Debate, Feb. 15, 2000

"I've changed my style somewhat, as you know. I'm less...I pontificate less, although it may be hard to tell it from this show. And I'm more interacting with people."
-ibid

"I think we need not only to eliminate the tollbooth to the middle class, I think we should knock down the tollbooth."
-Nashua, N.H., as quoted in the New York Times, Feb. 1, 2000

"The most important job is not to be governor, or first lady in my case."
-Pella, Iowa, as quoted by the San Antonio Express-News, Jan. 30, 2000

"Will the highways on the Internet become more few?"
-Concord, N.H., Jan. 29, 2000

"This is Preservation Month. I appreciate preservation. It's what you do when you run for president. You gotta preserve."
-Speaking during "PERSEVERENCE Month" at Fairgrounds Elementary School in Nashua, N.H. As quoted in the Los Angeles Times, Jan. 28, 2000

"I know how hard it is for you to put food on your family."
-Greater Nashua, N.H., Chamber of Commerce, Jan. 27, 2000

"What I am against is quotas. I am against hard quotas, quotas they basically delineate based upon whatever. However they delineate, quotas, I think vulcanize society. So I don't know how that fits into what everybody
else is saying, their relative positions, but that's my position."
-The San Francisco Chronicle, Jan. 21, 2000

"When I was coming up, it was a dangerous world, and you knew exactly who they were. It was us vs. them, and it was clear who them was. Today, we are not so sure who the they are, but we know they're there."
-Iowa Western Community College, Jan 21, 2000

"The administration I'll bring is a group of men and women who are focused on what's best for America, honest men and women, decent men and women, women who will see service to our country as a great privilege and who will
not stain the house."
-Des Moines Register debate, Iowa, Jan. 15, 2000

"This is still a dangerous world. It's a world of madmen and uncertainty and potential mental losses."
-At a South Carolina oyster roast, as quoted in the Financial Times, Jan. 14, 2000

"We must all hear the universal call to like your neighbor just like you like to be liked yourself."
-ibid

"Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?"
-Florence, S.C., Jan. 11, 2000

"Gov. Bush will not stand for the subsidation of failure."
-ibid

"There needs to be debates, like we're going through. There needs to be town-hall meetings. There needs to be travel. This is a huge country."
-Larry King Live, Dec. 16, 1999

"I think it's important for those of us in a position of responsibility to be firm in sharing our experiences, to understand that the babies out of wedlock is a very difficult chore for mom and baby alike...I believe we
ought to say there is a different alternative than the culture that is proposed by people like Miss Wolf in society...And, you know, hopefully, condoms will work, but it hasn't worked."
-Meet the Press, Nov. 21, 1999

"The important question is, How many hands have I shaked?"
-Answering a question about why he hasn't spent more time in New Hampshire, in the New York Times, Oct. 23, 1999

"I don't remember debates. I don't think we spent a lot of time debating it.. Maybe we did, but I don't remember."
-On discussions of the Vietnam War when he was an undergraduate at Yale, Washington Post, July 27, 1999

"It was just inebriating what Midland was all about then."
-From a 1994 interview, as quoted in First Son by Bill Minutaglio

"I think anybody who doesn't think I'm smart enough to handle the job is underestimating."
-U.S. News & World Report, April 3, 2000

FYI 

Words from Our President

"Well, I think if you say you're going to do something and don't do it, that's trustworthiness."
– George W. Bush [8/30/00]

"Teach a child to read and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test."—Feb. 21, 2001

"Well, I think if you say you're going to do something and don't do it, that's trustworthiness."
– George W. Bush [8/30/00]

"Free societies are hopeful societies. And free societies will be allies against these hateful few who have no conscience, who kill at the whim of a hat."—Washington, D.C., Sept. 17, 2004

"Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB/GYN's aren't able to practice their love with women all across the country."—Sept. 6, 2004, Poplar Bluff, Mo.

"That's why I went to the Congress last September and proposed fundamental—supplemental funding, which is money for armor and body parts and ammunition and fuel."—Erie, Pa., Sept. 4, 2004

"They've seen me make decisions, they've seen me under trying times, they've seen me weep, they've seen me laugh, they've seen me hug. And they know who I am, and I believe they're comfortable with the fact that they know I'm not going to shift principles or shift positions based upon polls and focus groups." —Interview with USA Today, Aug. 27, 2004

"I didn't join the International Criminal Court because I don't want to put our troops in the hands of prosecutors from other nations. Look, if somebody has done some wrong in our military, we'll take care of it. We got plenty of capability of dealing with justice."—Niceville, Fla., Aug. 10, 2004

"So community colleges are accessible, they're available, they're affordable, and their curriculums don't get stuck. In other words, if there's a need for a certain kind of worker, I presume your curriculums evolved over time."—Niceville, Fla., Aug. 10, 2004

"Secondly, the tactics of our—as you know, we don't have relationships with Iran. I mean, that's—ever since the late '70s, we have no contacts with them, and we've totally sanctioned them. In other words, there's no sanctions—you can't—we're out of sanctions."—Annandale, Va., Aug. 9, 2004

"Tribal sovereignty means that, it's sovereign. You're a—you've been given sovereignty, and you're viewed as a sovereign entity. And, therefore, the relationship between the federal government and tribes is one between sovereign entities."—Washington, D.C., Aug. 6, 2004

"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."—Washington, D.C., Aug. 5, 2004 (Thanks to Alicia Butler.)

"I mean, if you've ever been a governor of a state, you understand the vast potential of broadband technology, you understand how hard it is to make sure that physics, for example, is taught in every classroom in the state. It's difficult to do. It's, like, cost-prohibitive."—Washington, D.C., June 24, 2004 (Thanks to Michael Shively.)

The June 17th quote going around about Bush saying feces instead of fetus is false.

"I believe if you want to be negative you always can, no matter how hard you try."—Internationally televised News Event, June 15, 2004

"Karyn is with us. A West Texas girl, just like me."—May 27, 2004

"I'm honored to shake the hand of a brave Iraqi citizen who had his hand cut off by Saddam Hussein."—May 25, 2004

"In the last 32 months, history has placed great demands on our country, and events have come quickly." —Carlisle, Virginia, May 24, 2004

"Well, I think we need to work with governments and institutions and NGOs to encourage the institutions of a free society," Bush said. "See, one of the interesting things in the Oval Office—I love to bring people into the Oval Office—right around the corner from here, and say, this is where I [have an] office, but I want you to know the office is always bigger than the person." —The Washington Post, "Rocking the Vote in the Middle East," Feb. 20, 2004

“More Muslims have died at the hands of killers than—I say more Muslims—a lot of Muslims have died—I don't know the exact count—at Istanbul. Look at these different places around the world where there's been tremendous death and destruction because killers kill."—Washington, D.C., Jan. 29, 2004

"In an economic recession, I'd rather that in order to get out of this recession, that the people be spending their money, not the government trying to figure out how to spend the people's money."—Tampa, Fla., Feb. 16, 2004

"King Abdullah of Jordan, the King of Morocco, I mean, there's a series of places—Qatar, Oman—I mean, places that are developing—Bahrain—they're all developing the habits of free societies."—Washington, D.C., Jan. 29, 2004

"But the true strength of America is found in the hearts and souls of people like Travis, people who are willing to love their neighbor, just like they would like to love themselves."—Springfield, Mo., Feb. 9, 2004

"My views are one that speaks to freedom."—Washington, D.C., Jan. 29, 2004

"I love to bring people into the oval office...and say, this is where I office."—Jan. 29, 2004

"In my judgment, when the United States says there will be serious consequences, and if there isn't serious consequences, it creates adverse consequences."

"There is no such thing necessarily in a dictatorial regime of iron-clad absolutely solid evidence. The evidence I had was the best possible evidence that he had a weapon."

"The recession started upon my arrival. It could have been—some say February, some say March, some speculate maybe earlier it started—but nevertheless, it happened as we showed up here. The attacks on our country affected our economy. Corporate scandals affected the confidence of people and therefore affected the economy. My decision on Iraq, this kind of march to war, affected the economy."—Meet the Press, Feb. 8, 2004

"I was a prisoner too, but for bad reasons."—To Argentine President Nestor Kirchner, on being told that all but one of the Argentine delegates to a summit meeting were imprisoned during the military dictatorship, Monterrey, Mexico, Jan. 13, 2004

"[T]he illiteracy level of our children are appalling."—Washington, D.C., Jan. 23, 2004

"Just remember it's the birds that's supposed to suffer, not the hunter."—Advising quail hunter and New Mexico Sen. Pete Domenici, Roswell, N.M., Jan. 22, 2004

"One of the most meaningful things that's happened to me since I've been the governor—the president—governor—president. Oops. Ex-governor. I went to Bethesda Naval Hospital to give a fellow a Purple Heart, and at the same moment I watched him—get a Purple Heart for action in Iraq—and at that same—right after I gave him the Purple Heart, he was sworn in as a citizen of the United States—a Mexican citizen, now a United States citizen."—Washington, D.C., Jan. 9, 2004

"I want to thank the astronauts who are with us, the courageous spacial entrepreneurs who set such a wonderful example for the young of our country."—Washington, D.C., Jan. 14, 2004

"And if you're interested in the quality of education and you're paying attention to what you hear at Laclede, why don't you volunteer? Why don't you mentor a child how to read?"—St. Louis, Mo., Jan. 5, 2004

"So thank you for reminding me about the importance of being a good mom and a great volunteer as well."—St. Louis, Jan. 5, 2004

"I want to remind you all that in order to fight and win the war, it requires an expenditure of money that is commiserate with keeping a promise to our troops to make sure that they're well-paid, well-trained, well-equipped."

"See, without the tax relief package, there would have been a deficit, but there wouldn't have been the commiserate—not 'commiserate'—the kick to our economy that occurred as a result of the tax relief."

"[T]he best way to find these terrorists who hide in holes is to get people coming forth to describe the location of the hole, is to give clues and data."

"Justice was being delivered to a man who defied that gift from the Almighty to the people of Iraq."—Washington, D.C., Dec. 15, 2003

"[A]s you know, these are open forums, you're able to come and listen to what I have to say."—Washington, D.C., Oct. 28, 2003

"The ambassador and the general were briefing me on the—the vast majority of Iraqis want to live in a peaceful, free world. And we will find these people and we will bring them to justice."—Washington, D.C., Oct. 27, 2003

"[W]hether they be Christian, Jew, or Muslim, or Hindu, people have heard the universal call to love a neighbor just like they'd like to be called themselves."—Washington, Oct. 8, 2003

"See, free nations are peaceful nations. Free nations don't attack each other. Free nations don't develop weapons of mass destruction."—Milwaukee, Wis., Oct. 3, 2003

"[W]e've had leaks out of the administrative branch, had leaks out of the legislative branch, and out of the executive branch and the legislative branch, and I've spoken out consistently against them, and I want to know who the leakers are."—Chicago, Sept. 30, 2003

"Washington is a town where there's all kinds of allegations. You've heard much of the allegations. And if people have got solid information, please come forward with it. And that would be people inside the information who are the so-called anonymous sources, or people outside the information—outside the administration."—Chicago, Sept. 30, 2003

"[T]hat's just the nature of democracy. Sometimes pure politics enters into the rhetoric."—Crawford, Texas, Aug. 8, 2003

"I glance at the headlines just to kind of get a flavor for what's moving. I rarely read the stories, and get briefed by people who are probably read the news themselves."—Washington, D.C., Sept. 21, 2003

"I'm so pleased to be able to say hello to Bill Scranton. He's one of the great Pennsylvania political families."—Drexel Hill, Penn., Sept. 15, 2003

"We had a good Cabinet meeting, talked about a lot of issues. Secretary of State and Defense brought us up to date about our desires to spread freedom and peace around the world."—Washington, D.C., Aug. 1, 2003

"Security is the essential roadblock to achieving the road map to peace."—Washington, D.C., July 25, 2003

"My answer is bring them on."—On Iraqi militants attacking U.S. forces, Washington, D.C., July 3, 2003

"You've also got to measure in order to begin to effect change that's just more—when there's more than talk, there's just actual—a paradigm shift."—Washington, D.C., July 1, 2003

"I'm the master of low expectations."—Aboard Air Force One, June 4, 2003

"First, let me make it very clear, poor people aren't necessarily killers. Just because you happen to be not rich doesn't mean you're willing to kill."—Washington, D.C., May 19, 2003

"I think war is a dangerous place."—Washington, D.C., May 7, 2003

"I don't bring God into my life to—to, you know, kind of be a political person."—Interview with Tom Brokaw aboard Air Force One, April 24, 2003

"You're free. And freedom is beautiful. And, you know, it'll take time to restore chaos and order—order out of chaos. But we will."—Washington, D.C., April 13, 2003

"And most importantly, Alma Powell, secretary of Colin Powell, is with us."—Jan. 30, 2003

"I think the American people—I hope the American–I don't think, let me—I hope the American people trust me."—Washington, D.C., Dec. 18, 2002

"There's only one person who hugs the mothers and the widows, the wives and the kids upon the death of their loved one. Others hug but having committed the troops, I've got an additional responsibility to hug and that's me and I know what it's like."—Washington, D.C., Dec. 11, 2002

“We need an energy bill that encourages consumption."—Trenton, N.J., Sept. 23, 2002

"There's an old saying in Tennessee—I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee—that says, fool me once, shame on—shame on you. Fool me—you can't get fooled again."—Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 17, 2002

"There may be some tough times here in America. But this country has gone through tough times before, and we're going to do it again."—Waco, Texas, Aug. 13, 2002

"And so, in my State of the—my State of the Union—or state—my speech to the nation, whatever you want to call it, speech to the nation—I asked Americans to give 4,000 years—4,000 hours over the next—the rest of your life—of service to America. That's what I asked—4,000 hours." —Bridgeport, Conn., April 9, 2002

"Do you have blacks, too?"—To Brazilian President Fernando Cardoso, Washington, D.C., Nov. 8, 2001

"Brie and cheese."—Taunting a reporter who recently spent time on the West Coast, Crawford, Texas, Aug. 23, 2001

''I know what I believe. I will continue to articulate what I believe and what I believe—I believe what I believe is right."—Rome, July 22, 2001

"We spent a lot of time talking about Africa, as we should. Africa is a nation that suffers from incredible disease."—GW Bush, Gothenburg, Sweden, June 14, 2001

"Our nation must come together to unite."—Tampa, Fla., June 4, 2001

"If a person doesn't have the capacity that we all want that person to have, I suspect hope is in the far distant future, if at all."—Remarks to the Hispanic Scholarship Fund Institute, Washington, D.C., May 22, 2001

"I want it to be said that the Bush administration was a results-oriented administration, because I believe the results of focusing our attention and energy on teaching children to read and having an education system that's responsive to the child and to the parents, as opposed to mired in a system that refuses to change, will make America what we want it to be—a literate country and a hopefuller country."—Washington, D.C., Jan. 11, 2001

"I would have to ask the questioner. I haven't had a chance to ask the questioners the question they've been questioning. On the other hand, I firmly believe she'll be a fine secretary of labor. And I've got confidence in Linda Chavez. She is a—she'll bring an interesting perspective to the Labor Department."—Austin, Texas, Jan. 8, 2001

"I do remain confident in Linda. She'll make a fine labor secretary. From what I've read in the press accounts, she's perfectly qualified."—Austin, Texas, Jan. 8, 2001

"I mean, these good folks are revolutionizing how businesses conduct their business. And, like them, I am very optimistic about our position in the world and about its influence on the United States. We're concerned about the short-term economic news, but long-term I'm optimistic. And so, I hope investors, you know—secondly, I hope investors hold investments for periods of time—that I've always found the best investments are those that you salt away based on economics."—Austin, Texas, Jan. 4, 2001

"The person who runs FEMA is someone who must have the trust of the president. Because the person who runs FEMA is the first voice, oftentimes, of someone whose life has been turned upside down hears from."
Austin, Texas, Jan. 4, 2001

Bush's Bulge 

Radio, Fashion and More

Hippie Dippy: Wavy Gravy, who graced the Woodstock stage as announcer and tribe leader in 1969, now brings SIRIUS Satellite Radio subscribers a daily dose of his musings and meanderings. The humanitarian, author, entertainer, comedian and human ice cream flavor presents "The Wavy Files," vignettes that can be heard at times as randomly throughout the day as his chosen segment topics, on commercial-free music channel Jam_On.

Duran Duran Goes Hollywood: CD Signing at Virgin Megastore Hollywood to Celebrate Release of Astronaut (Epic Records) in Stores October 12, 2004 WHO: The five original members of Duran Duran: Simon LeBon (vocals), Andy Taylor (guitar), John Taylor (bass), Roger Taylor (drums) and Nick Rhodes (keyboards). WHAT: Duran Duran will sign copies of their new album Astronaut, the first studio album from the original members in 21 years. WHEN: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2004 6 p.m. WHERE: VIRGIN MEGASTORE HOLLYWOOD 8000 SUNSET BLVD HOLLYWOOD, CA

Ghost-ly Wear: Shannon Lucio, from the cast of “The O.C.” walked the red carpet at the Los Angeles premiere of “The Grudge” wearing a skirt by British designer Ghost. Lucio selected an ivory skirt in Ghost’s fabric of woven viscose, with tan trim and paired it with a solid tank. This skirt is from Ghost’s Spring 2005 collection. Ghost was founded by Tanya Sarne in 1984. The garments are manufactured in greige cloth (unfinished fabric) which transforms into a unique, vintage style fabric having gone through a specialized dyeing process.

Holding a “Grudge:” KaDee Strickland appeared at the premiere of her new film The Grudge in a cocktail dress by Sunny Choi, a cranberry satin dress with an off-the-shoulder tie at the shoulder and rusching at the side. She completed her look with a red crystal clutch by Daniel Swarovski Paris.

From Salon: Technical expert: Bush was wired
A Bush spokesman tells Salon there is nothing to the story. But as the final presidential debate looms, speculation grows about the mysterious bulge.

- - - - - - - - - - - -
By Dave Lindorff

Oct. 13, 2004 | Speculation continues to run wild about President Bush's mystery bulge. Since Friday, when Salon first raised questions about the rectangular bulge that was visible under Bush's suit coat during the presidential debates, many observers in the press and on the Internet have wondered aloud whether the verbally and factually challenged president might be receiving coaching via a hidden electronic device.

Now a technical expert who designs and makes such devices for the U.S. military and private industry tells Salon that he believes the bulge is indeed a transceiver designed to receive electronic signals and transmit them to a hidden earpiece lodged in Bush's ear canal.

"There's no question about it. It's a pretty obvious one -- larger than most because it probably has descrambling capability," said Alex Darbut, technical and business development vice president for Resistance Technology in Arden Hills, Minn. Darbut examined photographs of the president's back taken from the Fox News video feed at the first presidential debate in Coral Gables, Fla., as well as 2002 photos of the president driving and working in a T-shirt on his Crawford ranch, which were posted on the White House Web site.

Darbut speculates that the device the president wears is provided by the Secret Service, noting, "They're not going to have him driving around the countryside on his ranch without being in instant contact with him."

No one in the White House or Bush campaign, however, has offered such an explanation. In fact, the Bush camp has shed little light on the mysterious protuberance, turning aside questions with dismissive humor or rising tones of exasperation. The president is "a regular guy," White House chief of staff Andy Card told Salon's Tim Grieve before the second debate last week. "Maybe his suit had a little lump in it or something." Campaign spokeswoman Nicolle Devenish took the same line with the New York Times on Saturday: "It was most likely a rumpling of that portion of his suit jacket, or a wrinkle in the fabric." But Devenish, the Times dryly noted, "could not say why the 'rumpling' was rectangular." Campaign spokesman Scott Stanzel brushed aside a questioner in a Washington Post chat session by saying, "I think you've been spending a little too much time on conspiracy Web sites."

On Tuesday, in response to repeated questions from Salon, the Bush camp finally issued a flat denial. Campaign spokesman Reed Dickens denied that Bush has ever used an electronic device to aid his public speaking, insisting the president was wearing "nothing during the debates." When asked about the pictures taken at the Bush ranch, Dickens said the president has never used any devices except for cutting tools and earplugs to protect his ears from the high-decibel chainsaw. Nor has the Secret Service outfitted Bush with a hidden communications device, according to Dickens: "He doesn't need something like that because the Secret Service is always with him. They ride in the truck in the back. Wherever he goes, they're with him."

Despite the official denials, the bulge brouhaha is still ballooning. On Tuesday, the New York Daily News produced a master tailor named Frank Shattuck who, after viewing photos from both debates, confirmed, "There's definitely something there, in between the shoulder blades. I can't say what it is, but it's not hidden very well. They should have come to me. I can hide a pistol under the breast."

In Orlando, Florida, TV station WFTV polled its viewers, asking, “Do you believe the accusations that President George W. Bush was wired during the presidential debate?” Of 35,000 respondents, only 42 percent answered no, while 36 percent replied yes, and 22 percent said possibly.

Meanwhile, blogs, chat rooms, bulletin boards -- and Salon's letters pages -- continue to buzz with discussion about Bush's possible electronic enhancement. Reports are flying around the Web about earlier televised events where audio glitches allegedly permitted TV viewers to hear someone directing what Bush to say, including his public remarks at the Sea Island G-8 summit meeting in June, his D-day anniversary speech in France, and a New York speech following 9/11.

One thing is certain: During the final presidential debate in Tempe, Ariz., on Wednesday night, all eyes will be on Bush's back.

A Note: Frontline's special last night, "Choice 2004," in which biographical portraits of each of the candidates were depicted was incredibly enlightening, especially as to the dedication to serve and commitment of John Kerry. It was a very balanced and objective profile and yet it was crystal clear who is better suited to serve this country. They have a GREAT website, too: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/choice2004/ Check it out.

Fashion, Voting and More

New Store Opening: Fox, a leading equipment and apparel manufacturer in action sports, today announces the opening of its new 3,500 sq. ft. flagship retail store at California's Santa Clara’s Westfield Shoppingtown Valley Fair Mall.

Doors will officially open on Monday, October 25, 2004 with a massive grand opening celebration scheduled for the weekend of November 6th. An array of exciting in-store events are planned, highlighted by an autograph session with Fox’s team of world class athletes including the most decorated BMX rider in X Games history, Dave Mirra. The Fox store is located in the Westfield Shoppingtown Valley Fair Mall at 2855 Stevens Creek Boulevard in Santa Clara, CA.

Who's Carrying What: Kristin Davis strolled the red carpet at the 4^th Annual Jewish Image Awards carrying a crystal bag by Daniel Swarovski Paris. She accessorized her silver and black dress with a grey velvet “Magie” bag, featuring smoke and light green crystal fringe and crystal strap.


From Slate.com: Thank god Joyce Carol Oates, Amy Tan, Jodi Picault, John Updike and Lorrie Moore are voting for Kerry.

book blitz
Roll Call
Who are novelists voting for?
Posted Monday, Oct. 11, 2004, at 3:51 PM PT

Slate asked a variety of prominent American novelists, ranging from Edwidge Danticat to John Updike, for a frank response to the following question: Which presidential candidate are you voting for, and why? Thirty-one novelists participated, with four for Bush, 24 for Kerry, and three in a category of their own. Authors cited a range of reasons, from a vote for Kerry "because I have a brain and so does he" (Amy Tan), to a vote for Bush because "we're at war, and electing a president who is committed to losing it seems to be the most foolish thing we could do" (Orson Scott Card). Here are their answers.

Dan Chaon

I'm voting for John Kerry, who seems like a decent fellow—perhaps capable of rising to the occasion. There is so much damage to fix, I don't know who can do it. In a different sort of election, I might have voted for a Green Party candidate, or some such, but I think the current time period represents a state of true desperation. And living in Swing-State Ohio, I feel like my vote really counts for something.

Like many people, I'm casting a vote for Anyone but Bush. Back in 2000, Bush seemed like a joke—a smirking, callow, old-money twit with a fake Texas accent. Now, four years later, he seems truly, frighteningly dangerous and completely without scruples. I'm alarmed by his administration's attacks on civil liberties, by the deliberate lies that brought us into a poorly planned war, by the gleeful disregard for the environment, by the social policies—the tax cuts, which so nakedly benefit the very few to the detriment of almost everybody else; the ugly, merciless No Child Left Behind educational policy; the reckless budget deficit … I have found myself recoiling from the newspaper, and I dread where another four years of his administration would lead us. I find myself particularly repelled by Bush's professed "Christianity," even as his administration repudiates every value that Christ represents. He's probably not the Antichrist, but he comes as close as I've seen in my lifetime.

Amy Tan

I'm voting for Kerry, because I have a brain and so does he.

By Bush logic, I should vote for him, since he gave me a hefty tax cut. In fact, the greatest increase in our deficit comes—not from the Iraq war—but the tax savings to the upper income brackets, on average more than $50,000 a year. To those who say Kerry is elitist, I counter there is no worse elitism than giving the rich more riches, while draining the rest of the country of monies that should go to schools, health care, the disabled, and support for the arts. Kerry would remove most of the tax cuts to the rich and give more back to the rest of the country.

What's more, the current president has done more to damage our civil rights, our environment, our standing in the world, our work toward the collective good, our sense of security. He has used orange alert fear to instill obedience, has redefined patriotism as a willingness to sacrifice constitutional law. How can I not vote for a candidate like Kerry, who respects the Constitution, who respects the need for health care, and who is strong and rational enough to defend our country but without arm pumping and high fives when the bombs fall on another country?

John Updike

I look forward to voting for John Kerry, a man of exemplary intelligence who was brave in war and then brave in protest of war. I don't look for him to reverse our course in Iraq overnight, nor to provide quick fixes for global or national problems, but there are certain things I am sure he will not do: He won't try to pack the Supreme Court and other judiciary with anti-choice judges; he won't push for an anti-gay-marriage constitutional amendment; he won't try to perform voodoo economics with tax cuts and a raging deficit. The present president has his virtues and his good intentions, but I'm not sure the United States can afford four more years of his administration.

Jonathan Safran Foer

Kerry, because I want to be proud of the way I'm represented, within the country and to the world.

Rick Moody

John Kerry.

I actually voted for Nader in 2000, because I live in New York state, and it was clear that Gore was going to take the state, which freed me up to vote my conscience. My conscience, at the time, dictated that American party politics were inherently corrupt, because of, e.g., our inability to pass meaningful campaign-finance reform. In 2000, it seemed to me, the Democratic Party was only marginally less corrupt than the Republican Party. It also seemed to me that Gore completely abandoned his core Democratic base in the general election. I liked Gore on some of the issues, but I thought he ran a shoddy, misguided campaign.

However, everything changed over the next four years. It became self-evident, I think, that the Bush presidency is the most corrupt in modern history. Under the cynical disguise of evangelical Christian moralizing (and don't even get me started on Bush's moronic theology), Bush conducted (and continues to conduct) a fire sale, in which he auctioned off the entire nation to the highest corporate bidder, piece by piece. Well, that's not entirely true. Sometimes he didn't even bother to take bids. And this is not to mention a war based on outright mendacity, in which tens of thousands of innocent civilians have been killed.

Since it's now abundantly clear that Nader's reform message has been deracinated by his narcissistic Republican-financed campaign, I'm voting for the one guy who seems to be able to send Bush back to his pest-control cronies in the state of Texas. Hopefully, George can keep himself busy for a few decades clearing brush.

Joyce Carol Oates

Like virtually everyone I know, I'm voting for Kerry. And probably for exactly the same reasons. To enumerate these reasons, to repeat yet another time the fundamental litany of liberal principles that need to be reclaimed and revitalized, seems to be redundant and unnecessary. Our culture has become politicized to a degree that verges upon hysteria. And since I live in New Jersey, a state in which an "honest politician" is someone who hasn't yet been arrested, I have come to have modest, that's to say realistic expectations about public life.

Orson Scott Card

I'm a Democrat voting for Bush, even though on economic issues, from taxes to government regulation, I'm not happy with the Republican positions. But we're at war, and electing a president who is committed to losing it seems to be the most foolish thing we could do. Personal honesty is also important to me, and Kerry is obviously not in the running on that point, given that he can't keep track of the facts in his own autobiography.

Diane Johnson

I'm voting for Kerry. Because I'm not in the U.S. much of the time, I am apt to see current events as presented in the foreign press, and they differ a lot from the way things are spun here. From there, it is painful to see our country dragged through the mud because it has a leader who appears foolish, rash, and arrogant. Even the English, our supposed allies, sneer. Guns, the auto, torture, and war. One can't disagree with the things others say about Bush, but up till now, the rest of the world tends not to blame the American people (we didn't elect him).

After the election, who knows? I understand that lots of people don't care what the rest of the world thinks, but they ought to.

And, our world reputation aside, I find Mr. Bush embarrassing.

Jonathan Franzen

Kerry, of course. He's the candidate whose defeat Osama Bin Laden (if he's alive) is praying for. I trust him not to pour additional gasoline on the fires that Bush has set overseas. Also, since he's a Democrat, I trust him to exercise a modicum of fiscal sanity and to show a little compassion for the unlucky. Also, his wife is hot hot hot. She'd be a first lady for the ages.

Judith Guest

I'm voting for John Kerry because I'm tired of feeling like an alien in my own country, tired of being at the mercy of an administration that, even as it tries to get itself re-elected, exhibits on a daily basis a stunning level of arrogance, ignorance, and dishonesty. Kerry believes in a government by the people and for the people—all of the people, not just the fortunate few.

For a president who preaches democracy, Bush has an appalling lack of trust in its main tenet. My heart aches for the lost children in this pointless and unsolicited war. I can't talk politics any more with my Republican friends; they keep insisting it's all a game. They don't see that when Bush won, it was all of us who lost.

Edwidge Danticat

Kerry.

Why? If we ask ourselves the trillion-dollar deficit question, are we better off than we were four years ago, the choice seems to me very clear. The war in Iraq, and earlier in Afghanistan, has united more terrorist factions than ever before, so we are not safer than we were before Sept. 11. We have bankrupted our children's future, neglected the environment. Our educational system has left more children behind than we can count. Our civil liberties are being eroded. We can't keep going like this for another four years. We need a new start, new leadership.

Chang-Rae Lee

John Kerry. Why? Because in every regard vis-�-vis the policies of this country I support John Kerry instead of George Bush. I would be voting for Kerry as a protest vote against the Iraq war alone, but even without that horrid mess, Bush and his handlers are heading us in the wrong directions in energy policy, the environment, civil liberties, tax issues, health care, education, judicial appointments—the list is endless. Cheney is also right when he said at the Republican Convention that this is a historic moment—I've never felt so keenly motivated as I am now, to help make sure the country doesn't re-endow what could prove to be a truly disastrous Bush legacy.

Jane Smiley

I am voting for John Kerry. Would George Bush steal the election if he thought he could get away with it? The evidence is that he has (disenfranchising black voters in Florida in 2000) and wants to again (attempting the same trick already this year). That such a man, an amoral prevaricator and ruthless opportunist, actually has supporters in his bid to wreck American democracy appalls me. I think that the coming election will result in a constitutional crisis of unprecedented danger. I consider a vote for Bush a vote for tyranny.

Lorrie Moore

Are there really any novelists voting for Bush? I am tempted, since my vote is almost always bad luck, its recipients almost always losing.

Robert Ferrigno

Mark me on the Bush side of the ledger, a lonely side for this survey, I'm certain. Most novelists live in their imagination, which is a fine place to be until the bad guys come knock knock knocking. I don't agree with Bush on shoveling free meds to granny and grandpa, or his antipathy to fuel conservation along with opening up the arctic reserve, but this is small stuff. I'll be voting for Bush because his approach to stopping the people who want to kill my children is the right one, i.e., kill them first. Kerry will dance the Albright two-step with Kim Jong-il, consult with Sandy Berger's socks, and kowtow to the U.N. apparatchiks who have done such a fine job of protecting the Cambodians, Rwandans, and the Sudanese. No thanks. No contest.

Jennifer Egan

I'm voting for John Kerry. Not just because the Bush administration has plunged us into an opportunistic war that has needlessly killed thousands, wrecked the economy, widened the chasm between rich and poor, savaged the environment, tried to mess with our Constitution, swatted away the international community, and caused me to wonder whether I really am an American, if being American means having to embrace a man like George W. Bush as my proxy, the avatar of my wishes and beliefs in the wider world—not, finally, for any of those reasons, but because I believe that John Kerry might be a great president. I hope to God he wins.

Russell Banks

I'll vote for John Kerry. His election won't reverse our nation's rush to establish a fascist plutocracy, it's too late for that. But it may slow the process enough to let us over the next few decades build a viable alternative to the two nearly interchangeable parties that together in the last few decades have essentially stolen the republic. It's the only way we can avoid the necessity down the road of a Second American Revolution—a thing I'd dearly love to see, but I clearly won't live that long.

Daniel Handler

Anyone who reads my work knows that I favor de-escalation rather than inflammation of violence, the discouragement rather than the display of avarice and careful contemplation over rash action. For these reasons and more I am voting for Mr. Kerry and Mr. Edwards.

Roger L. Simon

I am a registered Democrat. I disagree with George W. Bush on gay marriage, stem-cell research, a woman's right to choose, and, to a lesser extent, a host of other issues, but I am supporting him unreservedly for president. We are in a protracted war with Islamofascism and I do not trust John Kerry to lead us in that war for one minute. Also, I think my party has been hijacked by a cult of know-nothing isolationism out of the 1930s. But if they win, I hope the hell I'm wrong.

George Saunders

I'm planning to vote for John Kerry, four times. Once for me, and once each for Jerry Smith, Jerry Smith, and Jerry Smith, three African-Americans in Florida who, unfortunately for them, have the same name as Jerry Smith, an ex-felon, and therefore won't be allowed to vote. So I'm going to level the playing field a bit.

No, just kidding. I am going to vote for John Kerry because I am deeply disappointed in the vision of America being advanced by the Bush administration. Let's think of this in terms of Huck Finn. Huck is generous, concerned about the suffering of others, generally pleased with life, and interested in it. Tom Sawyer, on the other hand, is obsessed with a highly conceptualized view of the world, and imposing this view on others (the Sunday school picnic, Huck, Jim), regardless of how this imposition might actually affect them. Huck is bold, curious, flexible. Tom is, at heart, afraid of the world, suspicious, ego-driven, incurious, and rigid. Our nation is engaged in a struggle to decide if it is going to be the United States of Tom or the United States of Huck. Is John Kerry, then, Huck? No, but he is more Huck-like than our current president, who, in an attempt to answer a complicated question ("What to do about terrorism?") with a simple answer ("Exterminate the brutes, or some of the brutes, or some other guys who basically seem similar to the brutes, or who are, at the very least, pretty brute-like themselves") has led us into one of the bigger and more tragic Sunday school picnics in recent memory.

Jodi Picoult

I'm voting for Kerry. In my opinion, too much about Bush is dead wrong—from the reasons we went to war with Iraq to his take on a woman's right to choose to the No Child Left Behind Act to the disservice he's done to our environment. The way he interweaves church and state frightens me, too—I think the founding fathers of this country went to great lengths to keep that from happening. And I think that globally, people think much worse of our country than they did four years ago. Under his leadership, I think this country has not just fallen into recession ... but regression.

A.M. Homes

Richard Nixon, because I found him so fascinating the first time around I'd be curious to see what he could do from the beyond … ?

Thomas Mallon

I'll be voting for President Bush. His response to the 9/11 attacks has been both strong and measured, and he has extended a once-unimaginable degree of freedom (however tentative) to Afghanistan and Iraq. I am unimpressed by the frantic vilification that has come his way from even mainstream elements of the Democratic Party. The rhetorical assault is reminiscent of—though it far exceeds—the overheated opposition to Ronald Reagan's re-election in 1984. Back then the intellectual establishment told us how repression and apocalypse would be just around the corner if the American "cowboy" were kept in the White House for another four years. Well (as Reagan might say, his head cocked to one side), I remember a rather different result from RR's second term. And I'm hopeful about another four years under George W. Bush.

Gary Shteyngart

Kerry.

I've been living in Italy for the past year so news of the election filters in through the occasional guest from the States and the lifeline that is the International Herald Tribune. Here's what I've heard and read about: the intimidation of elderly black voters, a successful attack on a decorated war veteran's bravery engineered by a team of cowards, and the mounting possibility that the American electorate, particularly the struggling working class, can in the end be duped by culture wars and evangelical hokum.

Being away from the United States for an extended period of time, even while surrounded by the beauty of Rome, a writer starts to miss out on our country's brilliant diversity, the rhythms of spoken American English, the back-and-forth of a crowded diner early in the morning. But living here in the shadows of a medieval theocracy on one side of the Tiber and the remains of a long-fallen empire on the other, one looks up the latest Gallup Poll numbers in the Tribune and wonders if the dark ages are imminent for our country as well. Even the Italians, who to be fair have elected their own homegrown monster Berlusconi, shake their heads and wonder what's become of us.

Jim Lewis

I'm not convinced that the political opinions of a novelist are any more significant than anyone else's, but as a citizen, a libertarian leftist, and a yellow dog Democrat, I'm pleased to say that I'm voting for John Kerry. Give me an hour and I can tell you all the reasons why, starting with John Ashcroft, who has defaced the Constitution; and Colin Powell, who lied to my face about weapons of mass destruction; and Bush himself, who's simply a disgrace. Moreover, I like and respect both Kerry and Edwards (as I didn't like Gore or Lieberman).

I should add, too, that the Republicans I know can't stand Bush, either, and I'm predicting that, barring an October surprise, Kerry will win.

Vendela Vida

John Kerry: If he doesn't win, I'll have to be Canadian for the next four years.

David Amsden

I'm voting for John Kerry. This will be my first foray into the voting booth, actually—for the most part I find politics alienating, difficult to process. I'll save the bulk of my anti-Bush rant for late-night bar chatter, and simply say that a cousin of mine spent a year fighting with the Army in Iraq. He was a harder man when he returned, tweaked, difficult to relate to. His stories were crushing—did you know that there are giant spiders that creep up on sleeping soliders at night? That this is the sort of thing that causes nightmares, even more than random mortar fire?—and didn't exactly bring hope that anyone understands what's going on over there. Does Bush care about any of this, the nuanced ways his global policies affect individuals—how this, really, in the end, is what politics is all about? Yeah, I believe he does, but I don't think he's got the gumption to talk about it—or, for that matter, anything—honestly. For all his swaggering bravado, the guy has no real backbone, no confidence in anything but his squinty little grin, which is frightening.

But why Kerry, aside from his status as Democratic Other Guy, which, frankly, would be enough for me this year? Well, I like his stoicism—he seems smart, and serious, and sort of boring, and exactly like the kind of man I can't relate to, which is what I want from a leader. I don't understand why we're so keen on having someone who seems cool and perfectly personable—I have friends for that, late-night TV, strangers in parks. Really, though, the clincher came when I stumbled across some excerpts of Kerry's Vietnam journals. I couldn't help but think: the writing, the writing, the writing. It was hard and real and surprisingly beautiful, which, for me, was something I could believe in.

Elizabeth Hardwick

I will vote for John Kerry, the political scene is distressing just now—vacuous speeches on both sides. G. Bush seems triumphant, but it's a long, long way to November!

Nicole Krauss

I'm voting for Kerry. I've just discovered that, through some unsurprising accident of the Board of Elections, I'm actually registered to vote in two different counties. So I'm considering voting for him twice. I really think it's not alarmist to say that if Bush is reelected to another four years, it may be the end of life as we know it. Certainly it will be the end of life for many species, including huge numbers of the species Homo sapiens. Nothing has ever caused me such sustained anger, fear, and sadness as the current administration, and the future they're driving us all toward.

Richard Dooling

More than any other election in recent memory, this one reminds me of Henry Adams' observation that politics is the systematic organization of hatreds.

The left-wing political road rage directed at George W. Bush for being dumb and lying about the war reminds me of nothing so much as the right-wing obsessive invective directed at Bill Clinton for being smart and lying about sex. Rush Limbaugh versus Michael Moore, and let the man nursing the most unrequited rage win. The DRAMA and spectacle of the election will be fascinating to watch, but novelists, even more than actors, should be political agnostics.

Thomas Beller

I'm voting for Kerry.

He isn't afraid of America. He understands that you can love your country and criticize it, too. In fact criticism, in the sense that it is articulated thought, is a form of love, at least when it comes to your country. (This logic may work less well with individuals.) I recently came across a copy of The New Soldier, a book that documents the Vietnam veteran antiwar movement, and, though he looked a lot less cool, a lot less tough, than most of the other guys pictured, his remarks were compelling. He seems to have sublimated most of that anger, which, though it's frustrating sometimes on the campaign trail, may be a positive development, because beyond a certain point of anger, you stop thinking, and being angry is the only comfortable point from which you can act.

The Bush-Cheney gang are the angriest guys in the country; fear is their weapon against thought, in whose light they do not look plausible as government. Bullying and slander is their modus operandi.

I saw the face of the Republican Party the other day at the Saratoga racetrack. It was the last day of the races, and a small woman with a big hat walked through the crowd carrying a handmade sign, written in script: "Little Old Ladies in White Tennis Shoes For Kerry," it said at the top and beneath it, "The best bet of the day." She moved through the crowd, a big smile, holding the sign over her head. I watched as she passed an old-young guy, mid-30s, already well-paunched, gold watch, smoking a cigar. He looked at her, at the sign, and then bent forward and spat out a nasty remark in her ear. I was too far away to hear it. But the way he shook his head after he passed her, his body language, maybe just the watch, I was sure it was nasty. She, however, didn't flinch—which in a way I took to be the best political news of the week.

BeansTalk's Back With Big News (Sort Of)

Peepsters: BBC AMERICA offers a new comedy, “Peep Show” Welcome to the private worlds of two very strange individuals - Enter the minds of television's most dysfunctional roommates in BBC AMERICA's U.S. premiere original comedy, Peep Show. Peep Show premieres Thursdays starting October 28, 2004 at 9:30 p.m. ET and 11:30 p.m. PT. Seen through the eyes of two roommates, Peep Show reveals the inner thoughts of the two central characters - whether they are dark, stupid or embarrassingly over-blown - as they go about their respective days.

Hendrix on DVD: Jimi Hendri: The Last 24 Hours is available on DVD. Offstage Jimi Hendrix was shy and reserved, but onstage he became a towering genius, whose performances and guitar mastery sparked a revolution in both music and fashion. Jimi was just 27 when he died. His death was never easily explained and to this day mystery still surrounds the death of one of the world’s greatest rock legends. Here, in Jimi Hendrix -The Last 24 Hours the producers explore and explain the reasons why Jimi’s demise became shrouded in rumor, gossip and falsehoods.

The authorities and media quickly dismissed the death of Hendrix as just another drugged rock star casualty; however for the first time, the circumstances leading to Jimi’s tragic death can be examined as the producers present new and compelling evidence. Evidence, which may reopen the inquiry into what may have been for certain parties, a convenient death. Viewers will have to decide for themselves just what happened on September 18th 1970 in a small, private hotel situated in the Notting Hill area of London.

The DVD also features contributions from other major music giants, including Jeff Beck, Pete Townsend and Eric Clapton. Bonus features include: The Hendrix Picture Gallery, Discography; Language English: Subtitled in French, German, Dutch, Italian and Spanish. Also included in the package is a 32 Page Color Booklet, featuring rare pictures detailing the life and times of Jimi Hendrix.

Item# GMVS003D

UPC# 022891770398

Street Date 11/23/3004

Prebook 10/19/2004

Audio 5.1

TR 58 minutes

Retail 16.95

Seasonal Makeup Tips: Season to Seasonal Makeup Tips from Artist Stephen Sollitto: When the weather cools down, winter wardrobes are a natural transition. Winter makeup should be too, yet some of us continue to O.D. on bronzer in an effort to carry on a sunny “glow” entirely too long. “In the summer you want to look sun-kissed, in the winter you want to look healthily flushed,” explains makeup expert Stephen Sollitto, whose client list includes Amber Tamblyn, Eliza Dushku, Zooey Deschanel and pop diva Christina Aguilera. “In the chilly months, the color palette also shifts from corals to reds.”

Stephen’s cool weather makeup tips include:

Summer’s peaches and bronzers are not appropriate in January, but by introducing browns to your cool palette you can help tone down a stark look.

Instead of lining the eye, try pairing a warm brown eye shadow with your red lipstick.

To tone down the lips, make sure natural lipstick isn't a blue-based brown. Try a berry instead. If it's too dark, add lip balm until it's diluted to your liking.

On cheeks a light brushing of an orange/ red blush will bridge the gap between a peachy summer and a glowing winter.

Foundation is fine, not too much powder! Think “healthy glow” even if you're freezing outside. So load on the moisturizer and sleep with a humidifier. As always drink lots of water.

Hot colors for winter:

Blush - keep it on the red side or a light brushing of a deep berry.

Eyeshadow - browns, purples and naturals

Eyeliner - Black or a deep cocoa brown

Mascara - Black, or for a holiday party black with a coat of maroon over it.

Lipstick - Reds, berries or your favorite lip balm. Stain the lips. Don't commit to lining and filling in.

<>Load up on your favorite moisturizer and or mix it with a dab of your foundation: Re-applying moisturizer during the day will help keep your skin nourished. An alternative to blush, just a speck of your summer foundation to your cheeks can give you a healthy glow.

Visit his website: www.sollitto.net.

Everclear on Tour: EVERCLEAR - TEN YEARS GONE TOUR

11/3 Philadelphia, PA Theater of Living Arts

11/5 New York, NY Irving Plaza

11/6 Hartford, CT Webster Theater

11/7 Washington, DC 9:30 Club

11/9 Sayerville, NJ Starland Ballroom

11/10 Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club

11/11 Reading, PA Club 1402

11/12 Binghampton, NY Magic City Music Hall

11/13 Detroit, MI St.Andrews Hall

11/15 Indianapolis, IN The Vogue

11/16 Chicago, IL House of Blues

11/17 Madison, WI TBA

11/18 Minneapolis, MN First Ave

11/20 Salt Lake City, UT The Velvet Room

11/23 Seattle, WA Crocodile Caf�

11/24 Portland, OR Bossa Nova

11/26 Spokane, WA The Big Easy

11/27 Boise, ID The Big Easy

11/29 Los Angeles, CA House of Blues

11/30 Las Vegas, NV House of Blues

12/2 Anaheim, CA House of Blues

12/3 San Diego, CA TBA

12/4 Tucson, AZ City Limits

12/5 Phoenix, AZ Marquis Theater

Dolce & Gabbana: The hot designer line has added funky accessories to their already cutting-edge fashions. Suits for fall/winter feature ¾” sleeves and animal prints – think 50s inspired, crossing Bette Paige with Audrey Hepburn. Handbags come in suede, patent and snakeskin and there’s a very old-school 60s style bag with huge D&G gold logos.

“Access” Anchor’s Secret: Weekend co-anchor and correspondent for "Access Hollywood," Shaun Robinson's cheeks get rosy from Black Radiance Sheer Finish Blush. Sheer Finish Blush comes in five long-wearing colors that the company says won’t fade or streak. Robinson's personal favorite is Spiced Ginger--a soft beige, bronze with a subtle hint of shimmer . Her makeup artist requests it in bulk to highlight Shaun's cheeks, contour her face and give her a natural looking glow.

Baby News: LA LA LING

a baby lifestyle boutique

presents

OCTOBER NEWS

La La Lessons

Due to the popularity of the Friday
“Arts and Crafts Around the World” class,
we’re adding a SATURDAY morning class starting October 16th!

Sign up now for the 10 week session,
Saturdays 10AM-11AM

The next 5 week session of
our “Baby Sign Language” class starts
October 8th, Wednesdays 11AM-12PM

(visit lalaling.com, La La Lessons for more info and registration)

HALLOWEEN
Come see our new Halloween tutus
complete with spiders to make it the creepiest tutu around!

Drop by on Halloween weekend
October 29, 30, 31st for treats and goodies.

If your little one is in costume
you get an automatic 10% off any purchase!

SALE
To commemorate our first 100 days of business
come visit the store to see the 100 items we have on sale!

Mrs. Governor’s Garb: Maria Shriver, wore a gown by Monique Lhuillier to accept the Alzheimer’s Awareness Award at the 20th Anniversary of the Alzheimer’s Association Rita Hayworth Gala. She’s being honored for her children’s book “What’s Happening to Grandpa?” which educates children about Alzheimer’s disease, will look chic in a black sleeveless Alencon lace gown with godet skirt and black velvet ribbon belt from Monique’s Fall 2004 collection. Princess Diana favored Brit designers. Now, as the wife of the governor of California, has Shriver started to wear California-based designers? She’s certainly turned to Monique Lhuillier, a Los Angeles-based designer, to dress her for several occasions.

Sunny Gal: Canadian actress Tamara Hope attended the premiere of Shall We Dance in a gown by Canadian designer Sunny Choi, a emerald green strapless taffeta gown that gathers to the left and is held in place with a gorgeous crystal brooch.