EastGirlsWest

I heart Maureen Dowd so much. Today’s column (”Wag the Camel”) is one of her recent best:

Speaking before a mural of fluttering white doves, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad bragged that his scientists had concocted enriched uranium… The nuclear doves announcement was embarrassing for Mr. Bush, who had said on Monday that he was determined to prevent Iran from getting the know-how to enrich uranium. But the Persian logic cannot be faulted. If you pretend to have W.M.D., the U.S. may come and get you. Ask Saddam. If you really have W.M.D., you’re bulletproof. Ask Kim Jong Il.

I know, I know. I hate to toture you if you don’t subscribe to NYTimes Select and can’t read online (which I do). But here’s the thing - I really think The Dowd is worth the price of admission. And when Frank Rich finally returns from book leave? Bonus.

Also, now would be a good time for my RAVE about the NYTimes online redesign launched last week. I have to admit, I wasn’t this enthusiastic the first 20 minutes into navigating through the new look. But that was just the shock. The fear of change. The nerves of a woman so settled into her morning ritual that having to actually open my eyes all the way and put some minimal effort into locating the Most Emailed Stories was too much. But now? I can see that a better NYT is the way to a better me. Really.

Read a much more eloquent toast to the improved NYT.com here.

Now, looping back to Maureen Dowd: Angela and I go to the gym together on Mondays and Wednesdays. We spend 40 minutes side by side on the elliptical…which is sometimes a challenge, because we go right after work and it’s crowded. We dart among the scores of machines, scouting for two empty ones next to each other. Sometimes we spot a pair, but then realize there’s another couple across the room vying for the same synched-up exercise session. Then we have to make the mad dash…

HUGE digression. Maureen. So, once we score the equipment, we obviously talk while ellipsing. Hence, a new topic I’d like to introduce called “From the Elliptical” (Angela’s idea). On Monday Angela mentioned that she’d seen a picture somewhere (Vanity Fair?) of Maureen Dowd, Bill Maher and Aaron Sorkin all sitting together at a post-Oscar party. Around minute 23, we decided that in terms of compelling and hilarious conversation, it probably couldn’t get much better than being seated at that table with that threesome.

There’s always a TV tuned to CNN while we’re on the elliptical, which has caused Angela to observe on more than one occasion that Nancy Grace looks like a drag queen.