Barbara’s Back Page News

I haven’t written a blog in quite some time and I know you’ve been waiting with bated breath for my next entry. So, relax and breathe. I’m back.

Since I just finished writing and publishing my second Fredrickson Winery novel, Crushed, I haven’t really been keeping up on the news.

Sure, I’ve heard about all the Arab countries rioting and starting wars, I saw the horrible devastation in Japan from the earthquake and resulting tsunami, and then days later watched news stations cut into the less important news of Libya to announce the very, very important “breaking news” of Elizabeth Taylor’s death.

I guess what I’m saying is that I haven’t kept up on my trivial pursuit of interesting news tidbits that always make me laugh or scratch my head. So, today I’m sharing a few of my most recent favorites:

Lindsay, or as some people still refer to her–Lindsay Lohan– is dropping her last name and becoming yet another one moniker celebrity. (That doesn’t mean “open to mocking” but I’m going to do it anyway) Apparently she believes she is so awesome and unforgettable that no one would mistake her for the girl down the street, the lady at the grocery store, or the woman that cuts your hair. If anyone could be considered famous enough to have only one name it would be Elizabeth Taylor, yet she refrained from such nonsense. Maybe because there are a billion people named Elizabeth, just like there’s probably a billion more named Lindsay. But lets not burst little Lindsay’s bubble of importance. After all, she’s probably going to jail again and will be called, Hey you, or #412. If she really wants to be recognized, I would suggest she do a “Joan of Arc” type name. Lindsay of Hollywood or Lindsay of Alcatraz. Something like that.

I also heard today that our ex-governor Pawlenty has moved up from thinking about running for President and acting like he’s running for President, to actually launching a presidential “exploratory committee.” Wow, huh? Now I’m waiting with bated breath. Tell me when I can breathe again.

In Texas, Baby Jessica is now 25 years old. I guess that means she’s no longer a baby. I still remember the story all those years ago when she fell into a well and was stuck for days. It was a horrible experience that she has no memory of, but many of the people watching her ordeal apparently sent money. Now a wife and stay-at-home mom of two babies, she is allowed access to that money which was set aside into a trust fund at the time. She is now $800,000 richer. Just in time too, now that gas prices are soaring.

And last but not least, Republicans are pushing for photo I.D.’s at polling places to ensure that everything is on the up and up, but Democrats are against such a thing because they say it will disenfranchise the poor and minority voters. Well, today in Minneapolis, the IRS was allowing lower income people to come in and have their tax questions answered for free. The only qualification was a photo I.D. So–you can’t get tax questions answered without an I.D., but you can vote illegally. Sounds perfectly logical to me.

Have a great weekend!