SEC on CBS

CBS has picked up the Georgia - Tennessee game to be the game of the week NEXT weekend. Lets all hope that Phillip and his Vols stay all sucky, and that we can get our collective heads out of our post Bama Spanking!

Happy Rosh Hashanah!

Man lets hope , for all of us, that 5769 is just a little bit less tense that 5768 was......

JENGA!

Once Harry, our host, got home, we watched the news...., well lets back up, Neil and I stopped and got wine and Lemonchello on the way back from our explorations, so, we were having a glass or nine of wine when Harry got home, he started to catch up. Hey, he didnt have to work today! So, after watching one economic expert after another tell us the exact opposite things, we went out for dinner. A very nice, VERY good priced , good food, Thai restaurant right in the Neighboorhood. I do love walking places. Then we hit the local Jenga bar. Then home to make smores on the grill! Its good to have a back yard!

What do New York and New Orleans have in common?

Why do I seemed to be the only one that finds it odd, that the Army is patrolling the streets of America with BIG ole guns.This is Wallstreet yesterday.

The Happiest Place on Earth....

So, on the other side of the Brooklyn Bridge is lower Manhattan. What a fun day it was to be there. WALLSTREET! What a mad house, every tv crew in the area seemed to be set up down there, reporters everywhere , and hundreds of people just sort of milling around. LOTS of police, which I guess in a post 9-11 world they are always there, but I think they added some extra yesterday. We also went by Trinity Wall Street, which is one of , if not the oldest Episcopal Church in New York, if not America. George Washington pew and all. It is right next door, literally to Ground Zero, but just like how I did not like going into the 9th ward in New Orleans, I don't like going over to Ground Zero now. After we got out of that intense atmosphere that was all around the Stock Exchange, we just walked around the tip of Manhattan, the Battery and all... caught the 4 train back to good ole Brooklyn.

Brooklyn Bridge

Yesterday , after our interview, we had some lunch at a yummy little southern/Jamician place. Jerk Chicken, some damn good collard greens, dirty rice and the best stewed okra I've ever had, It is a tiny little place rigth around the corner from Harry's apartment. We needed to walk after that meal, so across the Brooklyn Bridge we go! Neither Neil, nor I had ever walked across it before. It's fun, full of people, and some great views.

WE ♥ AMANDA

That is our little NYU student, we could not love her any more than we do. She is coming to Mendon in a couple of weeks to see us being the good Christians that we are....................
OK, she is a most lovely young lady who is doing her senior film project/ thesis on the split in the Episcopal Church. She is doing her best to get the point of view of both sides, BUT there is NO question of her being on the side of the Angels. After chatting with her for a bit today, I told her that it was her life story that would be a much better movie than ours, she is from a hard core Pentecostal background, but has grown in her brief 23 years to except , well.. US, go figure. The future is so bright , I have to wear shades.

WE'RE # 1 ( just add another 1)

ELEVEN. I guess it could have been worse. We lose to the #8 NOW #2 team in the country and fall to #11. The pretty boys at USC lose to an unranked team , that is still unranked and they land at #9. Makes perfect sense. Also think that Vandy should have been a little bit higher than 19.... We should go up this week, by NOT playing. But NO more Black Shirts for a while.......

1. Oklahoma Sooners
2. Alabama Crimson Tide
3. L-S-U Tigers
4. Missouri Tigers
5. Texas Longhorns
6. Penn State Nittany Lions
7. Texas Tech Red Raiders
8. B-Y-U Cougars
9. U-S-C Trojans
10. South Florida Bulls
11. Georgia Bulldogs
12. Florida Gators
13. Auburn Tigers
14. Ohio State Buckeyes
15. Utah Utes
16. Kansas Jayhawks
17. Boise State Broncos
18. Wisconsin Badgers
19. Vanderbilt Commodores
20. Virginia Tech Hokies

Good Morning, Brooklyn!

The reason we are in NYC , other than to just hang out with friends and be in New York, is to be a part of this NYU film students project. I am a little fuzzy on the details, Neil has met with her. From the little bit I do think I know, she is a very fundamentalist Christian who is making a film about gay marriage, and has picked Neil and I to be the the poster boys ! She wants to interview us, and then film us doing normal ( wtf?) activities. I really thought about going into full June Cleaver drag , pearls and all. But you try buying a nice cotton house dress in a plus size these days on the cheap. She should be here soon, I will keep ya'll posted.
I am ready for my close up , Mr DeMille

The Hudson by train.....

We drove from Albany down to Poughkeeosie and caught the the metro north train into Grand Central Station The train follows the Hudson River all the way down. Goes right behind the FDR home at Hyde Park. It is a very pretty train ride. The F train to Brooklyn.. not so much .

U-G-L-Y , You ain't got no alibi...

Spanked, whipped, beat, embarrassed, trounced, flogged ,pummeled on and on! In past losses I have said that Coach Richt was giving those boys too much Jesus and not enough football. Not this time. Saban out coached us, that front four out weighted us and the whole darn Alabama team just out played us! It did not help that we CONTINUE to lead the SEC in BIG penalties.. That one roughing the pass-er that cost us that early turn over was a game changer. We could have been back in it then... but, and but and but. We got flat out old fashioned BEAT by Bama. The Bear is back and he is angry! ( and strong and fast and fired up...)
So , after a drumming like that , whats a boy to to , but go out to a Big Bear Dance Party to forget ones sorrows. We were waiting outside our Albany , New York hotel ( right across the road from the University of Albany campus.. I don't think the fighting GREAT DANES had a home game.. they may not even have a football team..yankees, and their odd ways of Education) So, anyway we are waiting for our cab, when a young guy walks out, sees my G shirt and says: " WE'LL THAT SUCKED". Turns out he is from Lawrenceville , up here to do some sort of job with Dick's Sporting Goods and an '04 UGA grad! The Bulldog Nation is vast! Our heads were bowed, but we are everywhere! I am sure if our taxi had not pulled up we would have found at least one cousin in common....
The Big Bear Dance Party was fun, lots of guys. We go out to this sort of thing so rarely that I forget there is no smoking anywhere in New York State. It is great to come home from a bar and not have to leave your cloths outside or wash them like you do in Atlanta. Saw some friends, hung out, did not dance, came home to finish off the tailgate Pizza.
Now off to NYC for a few days.

I believe, I believe, I believe....

.... we have always been a 4th quarter team......

you KNOW its bad.....

Did anyone else just hear Saint Richt say : ASS ?? (31- ZERO at the half.....)

uummmmmmm..........

I do not have enough alcohol to deal with this.

NOT making it work!

Judge Blocks Weinstein Co From Taking 'Project Runway' From Bravo To Lifetime

I FELL Asleep!

OLE MISS 31 - Florida 30
darn! Who would have ever seen this one coming! I wonder when the last time Ole Miss beat Florida IN Gainesville??? Big weekend for Ole Miss!!

life well lived.....

Black Out Bama!

Myers quad is rocking!
This backdrop looks fantastic! I am in the lobby of a hotel in Albany, all sorts of people walking around, .. what is up with them? Don't they know GAMEDAY is on? This is the biggest game of the day in College Football....I'll live blog it.. be there cyber-ly!
GO DAWGS! ( and again, some of those folks are NOT going to make a 7:45 kick off.... pace yourself!)

• Those plucky little Vanderbilt Commodores are off this weekend, meaning, that come Monday, they should be in the top 20! ( then they play Auburn...)
  
• Tennessee v Auburn.. A LOT of Orange,... playing for a little pride in this one, who ever loses is going to have a bad year. I'm rooting for AU. Once, in like 1998 my tickets to the game were literally right in front of the Marching Smokies or what ever they are called... to this day Rocky Top gives me shivers, well that , and the fact that they used to own us.
• did anyone else see ESPN flash Michael on the screen verses Joe Namath? Nothing says GO DAWGS like the fey Mr Stipe..
• CORSO SUCKS.....picking Bama, but how cute were UGA and Kirk?
• Best sign at the game : LOW TIDE/7:45 , gO BAMA and Dawgs heart Zaxby's...... (?????)
• Now watching the hatedgators v Ole Miss... I hate having to root for them.. but it is better for us if they win.. Glad to see St Tebow getting smacked around.
  

about last night.....

I could not get on line last night post debate.... so I am here this morning, with a great nights sleep and a cool head.
No ones mind was changed last night, but that is a loss for McCain, last night was a home game for him. All the foolishness of not being able to make it to Ole Miss just made him look .. well silly. I think they both got in some good points, but just on demeanor, I thought Obama won. McCain seemed petulant and just plain bothered to be there, " who the hell is this young whippersnapper"was my impression. Why wouldn't he even look at Senator Obama? Just odd. John McCain is the pinnacle of power and influence in America, outrageously rich, been a Senator for ever , knows everyone, so he was bothered by Senator Obama. He is not accustomed to being questioned. ALL the upstairs staff at the many mansions he owns ( well, SHE owns) know not to look him in the eye.. ( a Miss Ross moment!)
The post debate spin room crap is just so so tired, why do the networks even carry it, from both sides. All that pablum is written before the debate, just stop.
Who knows what is going to happen this week in Washington, I do think that the crisis is starting to come into the real world. WaMu going under was real, Wachovia would be even more so. People are starting to understand just how horrible Geroge Bush has been for this country, and how John McCain would be four more years.
CNN poll last night:
• Was more intelligent: Obama 55%, McCain 30%

• Expressed his views more clearly: Obama 53%, McCain 36%

• Spent more time attacking his opponent: McCain 60%, Obama 23%

• Was more sincere and authentic: Obama 46%, McCain 38%

• Seemed to be the stronger leader: Obama 49%, McCain 43%

• Was more likeable: Obama 61%, McCain 26%

• Was more in touch with the needs and problems of people like you: Obama 62%, McCain 32%

Oxford in Albany!

Here I sit in my lovely Awe-benny New York hotel room getting ready to watch the debate. It is a very comfy bed and a nice wide screen tv! ( with a VERY fancy desk chair!) Bring on the debate! Turns out that Johnny boy is going to show up down in Oxford, looks like they are having a good time. LOOK how big the crowd is for the Obama-McCain show down, all the guys behind the MSNBC crowd, AND look how big the crowd will be tomorrow behind the GAMEDAY boys..... I am not judging, just making the point! There was already one broadcast from Athens on ESPN tonight, it looked great. I hope the weather holds...
One big ole gripe I have going right now is MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell all over the TV talking about the crisis, when LOTS of people ( also on the TV ) saying that Ms. Mitchell's husband,, Alan Greenspan, had a WHOLE lot to do with the current kerfuffle. I just think there should be some disclosure!
One hour to go......lets hope these are think walls in the Hilton Garden Inn....
( I can not upload any pictures ...)

E = Mc.... Cain is a dolt

Albert Einstein once said “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”.

This last night from CBS news:

KATIE COURIC: And, Bob, I understand that John McCain actually floated an alternative plan. What can you tell us about that?

BOB ORR: We're told at the White House Senator McCain offered an alternative plan that would include fewer regulations and more corporate tax breaks for businesses, kind of a private solution. But we're also told those ideas angered and surprised Democrats like banking chairman Chris Dodd who now says he thinks the White House summit was more of a political stunt for McCain.

Pretty much what got us all into this mess in the first place. Again, and yes, I know, I am sounding like some sort of drunk parrot : John McCain is not fit to become President. John McCain does not have a firm grip on reality. John McCain would be horrible for America.

WE'RE # 2 !!, WE'RE #2 !!

at least!
Those Giant Killing Beavers! NOW, lets see how far stupid USC drops!

1. U-S-C Trojans
2. Oklahoma Sooners
3. Georgia Bulldogs
4. Florida Gators
5. L-S-U Tigers
6. Missouri Tigers
7. Texas Longhorns
8. Alabama Crimson Tide
9. Wisconsin Badgers
10. Texas Tech Red Raiders
11. B-Y-U Cougars
12. Penn State Nittany Lions
13. South Florida Bulls

Wa Mu and Oregon State

Light blog day, just could not get up for it, the full outrage over the farce that is the McCain-Palin Candidacy is still there, but I feel like I am beating a dead horse. It is exhausting. McCain in his Superman undroos swooping into DC to save the American finical system. When from ALL reports he sat quitely at the photo op at the White House and introduced full blown partisan politics into the fold and oooops! There goes Washington Mutual! No, I so do not understand what is going on , I think very few do, BUT , we have to hope that those very few are , in fact, looking out for the rest of us. Zippy did not help things last night by coming on tv and screaming how bad the fire in the kitchen was.
SO! after all the news of the day , i spent the night watching Samatha Brown in the travel channel, it was the most my brain could handle, UNTIL, I came online and saw that #1 rated, the all high and mighty University of Southern California is DOWN 21 to NOTHING! I can not start watching now!

Henry is even older than John.....

" Why won't this stewardess bring me my drink, what time does this flight take off.... " ( with German accent)

"G", IT IS THE LETTER "G", FOR CRYING OUT LOUD

This is getting close to beyond the pale. 

Takin' , Findin' , Makin'.... and " I'll try to find some and I'll bring them to YA "

Just watch it.... and in all honesty, be afraid..

Watch CBS Videos Online

Is Ashton Kutcher running the McCain campaign ?

Pun'k-ing us all??
"McCain surrogate Sen. Lindsey Graham tells CNN the McCain campaign is proposing to the Presidential Debate Commission and the Obama camp that if there's no bailout deal by Friday, the first presidential debate should take the place of the VP debate, currently scheduled for next Thursday, October 2 in St. Louis.

In this scenario, the vice presidential debate between Joe Biden and Sarah Palin would be rescheduled for a date yet to be determined, and take place in Oxford, Mississippi, currently slated to be the site of the first presidential faceoff this Friday."

Give McCain more time to get ready or nap, and don't let Governor Palin debate at all. CAN THEY BE SERIOUS??

HOTTY TODDY

Are you ready?
Hell yes!
Damn Right!
Hotty Toddy, Gosh almighty
Who the hell are we?
Hey!
Flim Flam, Bim Bam
Ole Miss, By Damn!

Its one thing to mess around with the Columbia and Harvard grad, it's another thing all together to start messing with ANY of our S.E.C. brothers and sisters!

 Andrew Mullins, Special assistant to the University Chancellor Robert Khayat, told ABC news that postponing the Presidential debate would be "devastating for the university which has already invested millions in preparation for the debate." Mr. Mullins also noted that " if the Commission of Presidential Debates asks the campus to hold the debate at a later date, he is not sure that Ole Miss would be able to accommodate them" 

Maybe Mrs. McCain can just write a check...

Agnes Scott, Oglethorpe and S.C.A.D.

In an unprecedented move, the University of Georgia has decided today to NOT play Alabama, L.S.U. and Florida, and instead pick up games with Agnes Scott, Oglethorpe and Savannah College of Art and Design. Just seems like in these troubled times, when we have slipped in the polls down to number three, that they do not need to risk playing any real teams and just stick to the easy stuff.. it is for the betterment of all of football....

  DOESN'T THAT SOUND STUPID ?

McCain Seeks to Delay First Debate Amid Financial Crisis, REALLY ??

The McCain campaign has tanked in the last few weeks. The country is realizing that Governor Palin is a joke and that he and his de-regulation buddies are the reason we are in this mess. Naturally wants to run and hide. This sort of makes me insane. I JUST this second got a poll from the local tv station on this. I can not , to the best of my knowledge, think of anything like this every happening before. It is an outrage and a blatant political ploy from a desperate campaign. 

"The Fundamentals of our economy are strong"
"Republican presidential candidate John McCain announced Wednesday that he is suspending his campaign to return to Washington and focus on the "historic" crisis facing the U.S. economy." He is running scared. He thinks he can hide Sarah Palin from any press and now he thinks he can hide himself. He says he is suspending his campaign to work on the bill?? wtf? The man has not been in the Senate for a vote since APRIL 8th?  He has missed 109 of the last 110 votes. He admitted yesterday that he had not even read the Presidents proposal

This has to wake people up, this has to shake up any poor soul that is undecided. The man is in no way fit to lead this country, and is coming unhinged. 

Senator Obama has said that he will be in Oxford on Friday, I hope it is him for two hours on stage alone. No matter who wins in November ( please God....) the American People NEED TO HEAR from these two men what they will be doing about this CRISIS ( and on the crisis note... why haven't things gone to hell in a hand basket yet?)

UPDATE:   1) "The debate should take place as scheduled," Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in an interview with NPR to be broadcast this afternoon. "We have to be able to do a couple of things at once. That's what leadership requires."

2) per Harry Reid: "It would not be helpful at this time to have them come back during these negotiations and risk injecting presidential politics into this process or distract important talks about the future of our nation's economy. If that changes, we will call upon them. We need leadership; not a campaign photo op.

Econ 101

"While Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson worked on a bailout plan over the weekend to help the teetering U.S. economy, Georgia coach Mark Richt uttered the word Sunday evening that set in motion a frenzy of commerce locally : Blackout.

There has been a little mini boom all over N.E. Georgia as everyone goes out and buys their new black shirts for the game this weekend!

So, a national PINK out day for the country???

sky is falling..... sort of.

I love c-span.

This morning Congressman Brad Sherman from Los Angeles was on Washington Journal. A little bit of an eye opener, and raised an interesting question. Zippy the wonder President ( who is now polling at a 19% approval rating) is still up on the roof hollering at folks as they walk down Pennsylvania Ave. " Give me the money!"

BUT! Rep. Sherman said that the President has said that he will VETO the bill that gives him the money IF there is any thing put in the bill that in any way limits executive compensation. (Nancy Pelosi called the amount of money that some people on Wall Street earn : Obscene, and I agree. ) We are in this run-panic-run- Dick Cheney in the bunker crisis, but if the grossly rich are not allowed to get grossly richer, then its a no go?

Just asking the question!

HOPE! ( that someday the pizza guy will also deliver beer)

MIRACLE!

Chip Towers, in todays AJC asks "how we can honor Larry Munson's years at UGA?". Everyone is weighing in, name the Press Box after him ( duh! - although someone said it's already named for Dan McGill) , bring him out on the field this Saturday, on and on. 

I have an idea : a statue of a normal size-"life size" broken metal chair. "A metal steel chair with about a 5 inch cushion" Just put it out in front of the Tate Center.. or what ever the new monstrosity is going to be called. 

"Florida in a stand-up five, they may or may not blitz, Belue third down on the 8, in trouble, he got a block behind him going to throw on the run, complete on the 25 to the 30, Lindsay Scott 35, 40, Lindsay Scott 45, 50, 45, 40. ... Run Lindsay, 25, 20, 15, 10, Lindsay Scott! Lindsay Scott! Lindsay Scott! ... Well, I can't believe it. 92 yards and Lindsay really got in a foot race I broke my chair. I came right through a chair. A metal steel chair with about a 5 inch cushion, I broke it. The booth came apart. The stadium... well the stadium fell down, now they do have to renovate this place... they'll have to rebuild it now. This is incredible. You know this game has always been called the World's Greatest Cocktail Party, do you know what's gonna happen here tonight, and up at St. Simmons and Jeckyl Island, and all those places where all those dawg people have got those condominiums for 4 days. Man is there going to be some property destroyed tonight! 26-21, Dawgs on top. We were gone. I'd gave up, you did too. We were out of it and gone. Miracle!"

First day of FALL!

Movie Monday with Dahn!

BURN AFTER READING

 The latest from the Coen Brothers. It is TRIPPY... story turns on top of story turns.. and some hard core FUNNY moments. Also, with all that happened in the news today... a great analogy to how our Government works. If you like their movies, you will like this one... if " I need me a baby, HI" did not have you rolling.. then not so much. I really liked it

Larry......

We all knew it was coming, but can you ever, really be ready? 

"bailout"

"DECISIONS BY THE SECRETARY... ARE NON-REVIEWABLE ... AND MAY NOT BE
REVIEWED BY ANY COURT OF LAW OR ANY ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCY"

Read THIS.

and THIS.
What exactly are we , as a Nation, witnessing here??

ARE you listening FLORIDA?

money, money , money.....

CRISIS : 3 a: an unstable or crucial time or state of affairs in which a decisive change is impending ; especially : one with the distinct possibility of a highly undesirable outcome b: a situation that has reached a critical phase.

I have been reading and watching and listening all weekend about the BAILOUT. ( cue music from Jaws...) AND , I still do not understand anything more than I did last week. From what I can tell the Federal Government is going to buy up every iffy loan/mortgage in the world to save Wall Street, at TOP DOLLAR,  To the tune of ONE TRILLION PLUS dollars. If we don't do this horrible horrible horrible things will start happening. That is what Treasury Secretary Paulson said on George Stephanopoulos yesterday. 

My question is : define horrible? Is horrible your INSANELY rich wall street fat cat pals have to do with a somewhat smaller mega mansion in the Hamptons? Or is horrible , oh, I don't know... a large part of the country UN insured or under insured ? ,the country's infrastructure literally falling apart? Global warming ring a bell?

My old pal George asked him point blank yesterday: " What will happen if we don't do this?" He did not have an answer. From time in memorial the Republicans have SCREAMED SOCIALISM! at any sort of huge Government program that could help real people. Until Zippy does it, and now he is standing on top of the White House yelling " HURRY, HURRY, HURRY!"

 Man, I hope Congress will slow down, think this through... get to the bottom of the problem. We don't need a trillion dollar band aid ....

Hate is such a strong word....

Not what you think.

As a rule, I HATE the New York Yankees. I hate their little pin stripes, I hate their payroll, and mostly I hate those fans. But even if you only like baseball a little bit, and I like it a lot, tonight was a milestone. The last game in the House that Ruth Built.

85 years, EIGHTY FIVE years of baseball, Eighty five years of American history. Babe Ruth in the first game, " I I I I am am am the luckiest man man man alive....", " Mr. October" , Jim Abbott's no hitter , Don Larsen's perfect game. On and on and on...Including beating my Braves in the '96 and '99 World Series. 1923, two world wars, the depression, the space race, the cold war. 37 World Series!... again on and on and on. So, tonight was something special.

They started the pre game events tonight by bringing out Yankees from the past at each position, or their family members if they were gone. ( Anytime you get to see David Wells, its a good night)  Cried like a baby!  They start that tinkley piano " take me out", I tear up. I don't know if it was broadcast to a national audience, but we have YANKEE TV ( hate it , too. All Yankees all the time . Now it is nice in the depths of winter to watch old baseball games, but their own network?) Then its time for the LAST FIRST PITCH: BABE RUTH'S daughter! Talk about coming full circle. She threw that ball too!, I mean her son walked her right up to the plate, but it was over handed. 

I never ever watch Yankees games, so, I don't know any of these traditions that they have. Looks like fun. But, once this game is over, I can hate them again. Here is a really nice op-ed from the Times today by BILLY CRYSTAL, about the park. 

The Fabled New York Yankees will not see any post season play this year, but the Tampa Bay  Rays will. The entire Ray payroll is less than they pay the A-Rod. Whole team IN the playoffs , one guy who is not. Maybe it's not such a strong word after all... 

S.E.C. Fashion

Gameday Final

HOW BOUT THEM DAWGS!

( I love the colors in this picture from the AJC, that was some BRIGHT yellow!)

Much, Much better than last week, we came, we sweated , we won the game. AND, who knew you could watch a GEORGIA game with no beer, no bourbon, no bloodies, no tequila shots, no jello shooters just good clean wholesome living. I am guessing this was a one week event, but it was something everyone should try , at least once.

Bama looked GOOD today, so next week will be our biggest test so far. I THINK I heard Kirk say that GAMEDAY was going to be in ATHENS for the game. That should be fun, get the Bulldog Nation all fired up starting that early in the morning , and then not have the game till 7:45 that night. To quote Larry:" Man, is there going to be some property destroyed tonight"

We get passed the Roll Tide Roll crowd and it SHOULD be easy sailing till October 25th when we have to go to the other death valley. LSU at home. Both undefeated... no pressure or anything.... 

It's great to be a Georgia Bulldog! ( and MAN! sucks to be a Tennessee Vol! )

Gameday Three

THE J CREW BOWL!

How 'bout those Vandy Commodores! Beating Ole Miss tonight in what has to be the best dressed football game in the country. Just think of all the ozone that was killed today getting all those shirts starched for that game!  Vanderbilt is FOUR and Zero for the first time since... well, who knows, may be ever AND TWO and Zero in the S.E.C. They face an angry Auburn next weekend in Nashville, wouldn't that be a hoot if......

The Go Tigers lost a tough one to the Geaux Tigers tonight there in Auburn, that is a nasty long ride back to Atlanta after losing a close one like that.

Gameday Three

A darn good first half, hello!, It gets hot in Athens, too. AND it's not even close to a dry heat. Let's hope it stays like this. Turns out this is the farthest we have gone from Athens since FRIDAY (?) October 7th, 1960, when Fran and the boys lost to USC ... makes me nervous, stay home, play ClemPson more.....

The chili was.... a B+. A very grown up sort of taste, not to spicy at all.. very flavorful, but no heat.. you know, till I covered it in Texas Pete. I did like the squash, I will try that again.

Gameday Two

Lord, but let's hope that Tennessee is just that bad of a team, and the hated Gators are NOT this good......( we will always have last year....)

Gameday One

These late kick offs throw off my day. Goldilocks had it right... not too early ( noon, yuck! ) not too late ( 8:00 pm !! , who can put off drinking that long ) 3:30 is perfect. 

Gameday was in Auburn this morning, those folks were having a blast.. Corso picked AUBURN, then they threw toilet paper all over the set, very cute. GO TIGERS or GEAUX TIGERS.. We have to play them both so, I am rooting hard for the Tigers! ( Keeping John/Tommy and Brett happy!)  Tennessee is playing the hated Gators in Knoxville.. it is HARD to root for the damn Vols, but it's a no brainier! ESPN just said : " it's the first time EVER that one conference has has FIVE of the TOP TEN teams", and yes, we play them all... The current weather in Tempe AZ is : 87 degrees with 32% humidity.....

I added the squash to the chili a while back, it has sort of turned into a Frankenstein pot of food, I will keep ya'll posted.

Tailgate Time!

I was in the mood for something different tomorrow. SO: 

( I put mine in the cock pot, because I just didnt want to have to deal with it being in the oven for so long.) I will let you all know how it comes out. It was not hard to put together , at all.

FROM BON APPETIT:
Texas Beef Brisket Chili

A cold-weather favorite, this all-beef, no-bean chili gets added appeal from a seasonal ingredient: butternut squash. For best results, make the chili at least one day ahead so that the flavors have time to meld.
8 TO 10 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS
CHILI
6 large dried ancho chiles* (about 3 ounces), stemmed, seeded, coarsely torn
6 oz bacon, diced
1 1/4 pounds onions, chopped (about 4 cups)
1 5-pound flat-cut (also called first-cut) beef brisket, cut into 2 1/2- to 3-inch cubes
Coarse kosher salt
6 large garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1 1/2 10-ounce cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes with green chiles (1 3/4 cups)
1 12-ounce bottle Mexican beer
1 7-ounce can diced roasted green chiles
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro stems
4 cups 1 1/2- to 2-inch chunks seeded peeled butternut squash (from 3 1/2-pound squash)
GARNISHES
Fresh cilantro leaves
Chopped red onion
Diced avocado
Shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Warm corn and/or flour tortillas
PREPARATION
CHILI
Place chiles in medium bowl. Pour enough boiling water over to cover. Soak until chiles soften, at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Sauté bacon in heavy large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat until beginning to brown. Add onions. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle beef all over with coarse salt and pepper. Add to pot; stir to coat. Set aside.
Drain chiles, reserving soaking liquid. Place chiles in blender. Add 1 cup soaking liquid, garlic, chili powder, cumin seeds, oregano, coriander, and 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt; blend to puree, adding more soaking liquid by 1/4 cupfuls if very thick. Pour puree over brisket in pot. Add tomatoes with juices, beer, green chiles, and cilantro stems. Stir to coat evenly.
Bring chili to simmer. Cover and place in oven. Cook 2 hours. Uncover and cook until beef is almost tender, about 1 hour. Add squash; stir to coat. Roast uncovered until beef and squash are tender, adding more soaking liquid if needed to keep meat covered, about 45 minutes longer. Season chili to taste with salt and pepper. Tilt pot and spoon off any fat from surface of sauce. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Cool 1 hour. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled.
( and I will serve mine over rice, because thats the way I like it!)
*Available at many supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Latin markets

it’s a fungible commodity and they don’t flag,

Governor Palin was asked at a CHOSEN- FRIENDLY "town hall" meeting: "Once we drill-baby-drill and have all this new oil, how will we be sure that we keep it all here?" A perfectly good question for the GOP "More Profit for Exxon NOW" crowd. IT takes a sec to get to her answer ( Wolf will talk you through it) And Remember, SHE KNOWS MORE ABOUT ENERGY THAT ANYONE ELSE IN AMERICA!:
Come on, this is TO EASY:

PUMPKINS

The farm stand , here in Mendon, where I get my vegetables goes from Summer to Autumn over night!

" but, its a dry heat......."

Well, it will be down to that balmy 97 by game time, not the 101 heat of mid-day......

damn pomegranate seeds

Clawing my way back from the gates of Hades. I really am not a good sick person, should be back to 100% by the weekend, in time to watch the LATE game. There are freeze warnings all over the Finger Lakes tonight, like I said before, when Summer ends up here, it ends.

" did you take your pills, Nana? "

OK, I am 100% sure that John McCain should not be POTUS, and now I am leaning towards Cindy taking his drivers license. :

"John McCain recently did an interview with a large newspaper from Spain, El Pais, and seemed to not know that Spain was in Europe. The interviewer kept asking specifically about "Spain," and McCain kept responding about Mexico and Latin America and "the hemisphere." McCain then refused to say whether he would be willing to meet with the President of Spain should McCain win the presidency, oddly setting down the precondition that the President of Spain would first have to embrace democracy and human rights before McCain would meet him (the president of Spain already does embrace both of those, and in fact, this past April McCain did another interview with El Pais in which he said he'd be happy to meet with the President of Spain). 
It's clear that McCain had no idea she was talking about Spain, or the president of Spain, even though the interviewer repeatedly told him she was asking about "Spain" and "the president of Spain." This isn't a case of McCain forgetting something. He quite literally didn't comprehend what this woman was saying. His mind was gone, he was on auto-pilot, giving pat answers because he seemingly didn't understand what Spain was."

The whole story and an English recording is on AMERICABLOG. It is more than a little bit scary. I am sure the man did 300 interviews yesterday, and was tired.. BUT...

talk among yourselves, here is a topic:

 I am  close to being back up to full blogger strength, here is something to read ,while you wait:

http://melissacmorris.blogspot.com/

Where is the MOOPAH's for Obama..?

Tuesday

I have a cold. 

I hate being sick

It was such a pretty day, too.

Hoping for the best for tomorrow.

WE'RE # 3, WE'RE #3 !!!

We keep winning and keep dropping. Lets see HALF the top 10 teams are in the SEC, ( AND we play them ALL! ) but the national sports writers deem Oklahoma better than us. Time will tell. ( when was the last time Bama was rated OVER Auburn... some unhappy folks on the Plain today! )
1. U-S-C Trojans (61) 2-0 1,596 1
2. Oklahoma Sooners 3-0 1,485 3
3. Georgia Bulldogs (2) 3-0 1,437 2
4. Florida Gators (1) 2-0 1,414 4
5. Missouri Tigers 3-0 1,389 6
6. L-S-U Tigers 2-0 1,274 7
7. Texas Longhorns 2-0 1,140 8
8. Wisconsin Badgers 3-0 1,076 10
9. Alabama Crimson Tide 3-0 982 11
10. Auburn Tigers 3-0 958 9

Izzy's long lost brother.....

Meet CHOPPY! 

This is the new mascot for the brand new Gwinnett Braves! Puts me in the mind of Baseball , Hot dogs and apple pie. Could it be more generic. Seriously, did they just get a good deal on a used gopher suit?? Lets all think of some mascots that would have been better: 

•  STALLY! the car in traffic! 
• Bluey the Gweat Gwinnett water tower!
• Paco the undocumented house builder
• Snowy, the transplanted yankee

No matter who their mascot is, I plan on being there in late July of next year when they play my ROCHESTER REDWINGS, should be a blast!

" I am a bear of very little brain and long words bother me"

I have no idea what all this Wall Street turmoil is about. It is just above my pay grade. I do know A LOT of jobs were lost in New York City today. One of my favorite bloggers from there said, " its a good day to look for an apartment". I don't understand it, but I'm sure its not a good thing! And now the question is what and who next. Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch WERE BEDROCK companies, been around for ever and a day, not some risky upstart. As a rule I have to call Angela with financial questions, and she has to use small words.

I also know that , it seems to me, these things are little more important that who the baby daddy of any of the Palin children is, or who called who a pig.  That WRONG TRACK number should have shot through the roof today, and that John McCain is just more of the same. Real change is possible....

Breakfast in Geneva , New York.

Summer is holding on as long as it can here in Upstate New York. It is going to be close to 90 degrees today, with high humidty. MUCH better than , you know, what it could be , and will be too too soon.
I took Michael home ( to Geneva) this morning, and we had a lovely sidewalk breakfast at the WATER STREET CAFE. A huge concoction of eggs and peppers/veggies and meats! Such a nice morning to be outside. Geneva is such a nice little town, and rightfully so, has a real college feel to it.

why we do what we do:

Was it ugly day in the SEC and no one told me?

GOSH, I came with in an inch or so of saying " overrated" while watching the Georgia - South Carolina game, but once it was 00:00 and we had won, it really didn't matter. What in the heck was up with AUBURN? 3-2 ( yes, THREE to TWO) against Mississippi State in Starkville. Kentucky came with in one foot of losing to some high school team, and Vandy is Three and zip on the season, first time in for ever and a day. Wacky day, I tell you, BUT, it was most fun to just be at home with pals, relaxed, beer soaked and SEC filled!

Ouch... No doubt who is really #1 now either.. USC ( the other USC ) gave the script Ohio boys a most public spanking!

Yes, EVEN on a sacred Football Saturday in September:

From John Aravosis at Americablog
I'm a little confused. Let me see if I have this straight.....

* If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents, you're "exotic, different."

* Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, a quintessential American story.

* If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.

* Name your kids Willow, Trig and Track, you're a maverick.

* Graduate from Harvard law School and you are unstable.

* Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well grounded.

* If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership experience.

* If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, then you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive.

* If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian.

* If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.

* If you teach teach children about sexual predators, you are irresponsible and eroding the fiber of society.

* If, while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state's school system while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant, you're very responsible.

* If your wife is a Harvard graduate laywer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values don't represent America 's.

* If you're husband is nicknamed "First Dude", with at least one DWI conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that hates America and advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA, your family is extremely admirable.

OK, much clearer now.

Good Ol Columbia

A high of 93 degrees that feels like 97 degrees, humidity out the wah-zoo..... 

Go you sweaty Dawgs!

Pure Darwinism

Ike is now the size of the state of TEXAS, as it slams into TEXAS. 

There are people out on Seawall Lane ( or what ever it is called) on Galveston Island taking pictures of the Hurricane and stuff.  The gallant first responders there have to look out for these idiots. Second thing after the revolution. ( first goes chewing gum...) second thing: If you have a car or CAN get away from a storm, AND you don't, you are ON YOUR OWN... get that sharpie and right your ss# on your arm. Because no one is going to risk their lives to save yours. And this may go for these TV reporters that are telling us RIGHT NOW: " Look how bad the storm is!"....( other than Anderson, he is perfect... really...)

UN-Breaking up....

"What's the difference if I say
I'll go away
When I know I'll come back on my knees someday
For whatever my man is
I am his
forever more"

My now UN-exboyfriend is on a roll, he is sort of in shock about the turn in the GOP. Here are just two links from him today, Ill give the money quote from the first one: ( FROM JOHN McCAIN)

"I have had a strong and a long relationship on national security, I've been involved in every national crisis that this nation has faced since Beirut, I understand the issues, I understand and appreciate the enormity of the challenge we face from radical Islamic extremism. I am prepared. I am prepared. I need no on-the-job training. I wasn't a mayor for a short period of time. I wasn't a governor for a short period of time," October 2007

  The second thing Andrew Baby links to is today's THE VIEW. OMG, the women SPANKED him, right in front of his towel girl Elizabeth. Barbara is on a roll, Whoopie is MY HERO: watch all of THIS but pay special attention to clip #2. ( everybody, the entire liberal blog-0-sphere, is linking to this, but the HUFFPO is broken down, easier to watch)

Joy, hero #2, asks him about the OUTRIGHT lie that the LIPSTICK add is... he blows over it and they do not follow up, but still. He is grilled J-Mac today!

Georgia -V- South Carolina

Yes, It's that weekend: BEAT THOSE COCKS!

• 1 - 5.87# fresh pork butt
• 4-5 onions sliced
• 3-4 cloves garlic, just sliced
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• cup or so of water , or chicken stock, ( i just used a can full)
• tbl chili powder
• 2 tbl-ish Greek seasoning
• 3-4 bay leaves
• black pepper
• red pepper flakes

Start on high in the crock pot for an hour or so, turn to low then just leave it alone, 12-ish hours later, you get BBQ for the game tomorrow.

GOOOOOOOOOO DAWGS!

Home again, home again.....

"There's no place like....."

Home to a rainy cool Mendon, just as all that Ike rain hits New Orleans. ( and it looks like Ike is going to be a nasty one for Texas!...) A couple of little glitches getting back, almost had a night at the Lovell-Spencer guest house, but Delta got us out of Atlanta. We flew back in a small jet, the kind you have to walk outside and up some stairs to get into.. it was a very Ingrid Bergman moment.

New Orleans is such a unique city. I hopped in the car this morning , and drove across the street to my little uber clean, totally stocked Mendon Market, and just thought of the difference. Some people there just walk , to any market they can, and really, sort of have to take what ever is there. No stepping over big piles of banana plants , all clean and sterile here. One is not necessarily better than the other, just different.

The pups were happy to see us, Pookie had some adventures with some chicken bones from the trash, so we are dealing with the aftermath of that today. Just getting back in the swing of things.

New Orleans: Last Night

Darrell and Glen asked us to stay in and have dinner with them tonight. What a very nice way to end out trip, time spent with new friends. Turns out that the guys here know an old pal of Neil's so he and his husband came over and joined us. It really was a lovely dinner. A very special way to end out trip. Ended up the night slung up in their room watching Project Runway. Could not have felt more at home!
Tomorrow is all about travel, and we are having a very quick plane change in Atlanta. After Neil's last trip there , everyone send out good thougths for us!! Next post from good ole Mendon!

New Orleans: Last Afternoon

We came back from out lunch and just hung out here at the Inn with Glenn and Darell. This is such a wonderfully relaxing spot. Huge hot tub in the back that is kept sort of cool, there was a nice breeze today, bright beautiful blue sky, just me and banana trees!
Glenn asked did we want to see any of the parts of the city that were hit so hard by the flood. At first I said no, but then thinking about it more, we decided to go. If you had no idea what was ever there, it would just look like fields. There are a few houses pot marked around , but for the most part, just an open area.
New Orleans is a very small place in area, as well as being a very flat place. So here , at the very heart of the worst of the worst, the skyline of the city is in constant view. For those of you in Atlanta, just imagine if Midtown were just wiped of the face of the earth. Nothing left but the open area, and brick steps. That is what it is like. We were not there long at all, it was just too eerie, not in a spooky way, just in a sort of rude way, like we were there gawking. It is hard to explain. Brad Pitt came to town and started building these very cool houses in the area, but there are still just a few of them.
We then went to the Winn Dixie, to get some wine for tonight. It is quite a way from The French Quarter or The Marigny but it is the closest one to here. There was a nice one here, but it didn't make it back post Katrina. So, so much of the city is like that. If you were just here as a tourist (which we so were/are) but if you never left the big downtown hotels and the French Quarter, you would never even know that there was a disaster. But its things like not having a local market, or dry cleaners or what ever that have left a permanent scar. Its been three years and things are not back to "normal". Looks like they are going to have to just get a new definition for that word down here

New Orleans: Last Day

Our last day here, the town had a collective sigh of relief as this last storm is headed towards Texas. You don't wish a hurricane on anyone,BUT these poor people have had enough. We slept in this morning, then got up and went on another of our walks. I love a walking city, Atlanta is far from a walking town, nor is Rochester. Before Katrina , you could easily have lived where our friends live without a car, now, not so much.
We strolled around the Quarter, just taking it all in, there were so many more people out today than Monday or Tuesday. Had lunch at Central Grocery ( mmmmm, Muffaletta!) and then one last trip to Cafe Du Mond!

pay no attention to that man behind the cutain?

Question of the year: ARE AMERICANS THIS STUPID?
I have happily been on vacation, yes , I was all bitchy about coming down here, but HELLO, it takes an atom bomb to get me out of my house. I am SO happy I came, I needed this break, I needed to clear my head post the never ending campaign and both conventions. New Orleans is a great place to clear ones head. We are going home tomorrow, back to our so called reality, so I will ease myself back into things.
IF YOU PUT LIPSTICK ON A BUNCH OF DUMB AS HELL WOMEN WHO THINK BARACK OBAMA CALLED SARAH PALIN A PIG THEN YOU HAVE LIPSTICK ON A BUNCH OF DUMB AS HELL WOMEN , and men , I guess, but ya'll know how the GOP is against crossdressing and all.
I said it before, it needs saying again, the inmates are running the asylum. The McCain people are letting Carl Rove dangle shiny things in front of the American people and not see the real problems going on out there. This race is a NO BRAIN-ER, 1000% and NO I do not need to hear one more time about how sexist I am in not seeing the great strides made by women with the Palin nomination. That is a bunch of self serving bullshit served up by women who could not deal with Hillary as President - " just something icky" - but oh so love this woman because she is too stupid to take a pill or slide a rubber on her husband.
This from a lipstick wearing dumb as hell woman, Camille Paglia: "I am still waiting for substantive evidence that Sarah Palin is a dangerous extremist. I am perfectly willing to be convinced, but right now, she seems to be merely an optimistic pragmatist like Ronald Reagan, someone who pays lip service to religious piety without being in the least wedded to it. I don't see her arrival as portending the end of civil liberties or life as we know it.It is certainly premature to predict how the Palin saga will go. I may not agree a jot with her about basic principles, but I have immensely enjoyed Palin's boffo performances at her debut and at the Republican convention, where she astonishingly dealt with multiple technical malfunctions without missing a beat. A feminism that cannot admire the bravura under high pressure of the first woman governor of a frontier state isn't worth a warm bucket of spit."
There will be no proof, because she will not do ANY press, and gosh, the woman who's life ambition was to be on espn can read a teleprompter.
Hopefully this whole pig in lipstick thing will be the straw that breaks the camels back of Mrs Palins rocket to fame. She is a laughable choice for Vice President, no matter what her plumbing is and John McCain has proven himself unfit to lead by choosing her. LOOK what yall have done.. driving me to drink before 11:00... good thing I am in New Orleans!

New Orleans: Food

What says BIG EASY, like really good Vietnamese food? The best hosts ever, Glenn and Darrell took us out tonight to their favorite restaurant in town, that I can not remember the name of! It is on the west bank of the river and yes, it is Vietnamese! Started off with Real lettuce wraps and the best darn soup ever. Both were very good! The soup had shrimp and crab and octopus etc, AND every one's favorite whole quail eggs boiled in broth! Those Cajuns!
We all four got something different I got some kick ass coconut curry shrimp, Neil got some spicy beef, Glenn got duck, and Darrell got scallops. This was real Vietnamese , not really some watered down type. A very nice treat for the boys to take us out for the night.
Hit our current home away from home JOHN and PAUL's BAR for a night cap, where yes, people brought their dogs! I LOVE THIS TOWN!

New Orleans: ghost town

I went for a nice long walk this morning, from here in the Marigny all the over Canal Street, way downtown. What can I say, I like heat. I had a blast just walking around, but the city was surprisingly empty. It was a Wednesday morning in the French Quarter, but I think a lot of people just didn't come back from the last evacuation until they found out if that next storm was coming. So many people here are just beyond fried by the last few months and years, but they are a most hearty lot. And they do drink an awful lot.
When I got back, Neil and I went back to the little market/restaurant Schiro's, where we ran into two guys that we knew. We are more popular here than we are in the Finger Lakes! I had my second Fried Oyster Po' Boy, and I may go back tomorrow!

New Orleans: being a tourist

Today was tourist day, and it was most enjoyable. The temperature is hovering around the 97 mark with high high humidity. It is God's country.
Darrell kindly drove us downtown where we caught the street car to take to the end of the line and back. It is the best deal in New Orleans at 1.25 a person.
"The Saint Charles Avenue Line starts uptown, at South Carrollton Avenue and South Claiborne Avenue. It runs on South Carrollton Avenue through the Carrollton neighborhood towards the Mississippi River, then near the river levee turns on to Saint Charles Avenue. It proceeds past entrances to Audubon Park, Tulane University and Loyola University New Orleans, continues through Uptown New Orleans including the Garden District, and ends at Canal Street in the New Orleans Central Business District at the edge of the French Quarter, a distance of about seven and a half miles. Officially the St. Charles Avenue Line is designated as Route 12. Planning for the line began in 1831, and work began as the New Orleans and Carrollton Railroad in February 1833, the second railway in Greater New Orleans after the Pontchartrain Rail Road. Service began on September 26, 1835, originally without a dedicated right-of-way (it ran on public streets) although one was eventually established in the neutral ground (the median). Passenger and freight cars were hauled by steam locomotive."
It is a very fun time, but so so many of the big mansions along the way and the normal houses were all still boarded up, people are still waiting to see what that next storm is going to do. There were still lots and lots of downed limbs from the last storm.
We rode it to the end of the line, got off, went into a grocery store to look for some popcorn rice to take home ( they didn't have any) then got back on for the ride back into town. We walked back over the the Quarter to get some lunch at central grocery, BUT, they have yet to re-open from the evacuation. We went into St Louis Cathedral then went across the street to have some beignets and a cafe au lait at Cafe Du Mond!
Our tourist day was complete!

New Orleans : The Saints

These people love their Saints.
Hey, I am from Atlanta, what do I know about professional football - ( they do have a team still, don't they, or did they fold post M. Vick?? , the Fighting Home Depot's right??) The game was just in the air, with every tv and radio turned to it, you didn't have to be in a bar or restaurant, it was everywhere.
We started the Sunday meeting Brett for breakfast at a most cute little place right around the corner for where we are both staying. All the small places are running with a very limited menu because there have been no food deliveries yet. It was fine, everyone was happy. Then Neil and I went down to the quarter to look around, Jackson Square, the busy end of Bourbon Street, that sort of thing , before meeting up with all our friends again down on the homo end of Bourbon.
New Orleans bars are just trippy. I guess I had only been to sort of touristy ones before this trip. They all have lots of doors that they just open up to the street, and all have plain concrete floors that they just bring the water hose in to clean.( AND people bring their dogs to bars with them! )
With all the doors open it really does just seem like one big open bar, ( there are maybe 7 or 8 gay bars in a few block area) you just sort of wander from place to place.
We settled at "GOOD FRIENDS" to watch the game, free hotdogs and free shots of some sort of green drink, every time the Saints scored. People intently watch the game, everyone very into it. A very , happily mixed crowd, something that you would never ever see in Atlanta. Young , old, black white , girls , guys, gay straight, all together , which is so much better than the totally segregation that Atlanta bars have. ( _______ is a bar for left handed gay men that weight under 170# named Todd....sort of thing) Everyone was having fun, very friendly. We just had a blast, a little bit too much of a blast , because the day ended early for us! I blame the free green things....
Today we are off to ride the street car down through the Garden District and all.

New Orleans: Food

Adofo's ( I don't think I can link to this one.. it was a little bit of a wonderful hole in the wall)
Dinner on day two was every bit as good as day one, I am thinking it's a good thing that I don't live full time in this city. MUCH easier to NOT eat garbage plates in Rochester. We went with our delightful hosts here at the Sunburst Inn, Glen and Darrell. This is a restaurant that they go to all the time, trust me on this on, tourists would not find this one. It is upstairs over a dive bar.
The food is fantastic. We started off with mussels and snails for the table. garlic, garlic and then some more garlic! No vampires in Marigny tonight!
I had "fish Melissa" which tonight was snapper, tomorrow night, who knows, big side of snapper in a light cream sauce with crab, shrimp and crawfish. yummy! Darrel and Neil had veal ocean.. which was a lot like mine, but I think with out the crab. Glen had veal with garlic and spinach.
OK , seriously, this was a place that if you did not know it was there you could not find with a map..and tonight we had a star spotting! Yes, Hank Williams , Jr. came in and set at the table next to us. He is very big and looks a little bit scary. He kept his large black hat and sunglasses on.
Tomorrow is going to be all about salads and walking....

New Orleans: taigate!

56-17 !!!
That's more like it, see, we were just being neighborly last week with Georgia Southern! AND! and , and: How about that Knowshon jump! Wish I could have heard Larry " He's jumping over people!" I also LOVED this FSN "SEC SATURDAY" thing. Why oh why dont I have this in New York?
I got my KILLER Fried Oyster Po Boy and some tasty really spicy hush puppies from this cute little store/restaurant right around the corner. Ran into Brett again, he was there for the same thing we were. ALL in ALL, setting, Score and food, a damn good football Saturday
GO DAWGS!

New Orleans: Lodging

Sunburst Inn.
What a gem! I had never stayed in a bed and breakfast before, other than one time 100 years ago when Amy ran one on Ameila Island, but she made us mop and do the dishes, so it was not all that much fun. I was a little bit apprehensive, , not really knowing the set up. Neil had stayed here before, he just found it on the web It is very very nice. Super clean, very comfortable, great big bed, great napping sofa. Big very clean bathroom. Big TV, stereo, a couple of writing desks.
The guys who own it live in the back, but you would never know it, ( they do have wonderful dog!) They seem like really nice guys,I hope we get to spend some time with them. I'll post more pics of the rest of the place when we are with them and I can take some.
The ceilings must be at least 15 feet tall, the tallest in a private home I had ever seen. The windows are 12 feet, all on weights, with huge old working shutters. Its just a very southern, very classically romantic place to stay. So, so much better than some sterile hotel. Neil made a wonderful choice.

New Orleans: SCENE

O.K., this took a few seconds to get used too. HEAVILY ARMED SOLDERS patrolling, everywhere. Lots of them, on the streets, in trucks. BIG real guns! Most everyone here now is a local, since  tourists in their right mind... don't come into a city that is still half evacuated with curfews. The people that live here are OVERJOYED to have these men and women patrolling the streets. Heard a few horror stories about looting and such. SO, good for the people and troops, like I said just took me a second to wrap my brain around it.

New Orleans : FOOD

 

Last nights postings were a little brief due to... well, being in New Orleans. 

Frequent readers of the kyle+blog know that it is all about the food here and last night was a VERY nice way to start things off. : ORLEANS GRAPEVINE, WINE BAR AND BISTRO. YUM!

A Very tiny place that we so would have never found had we not been with two friends that live here. I do have to say that they were not really used to having someone plates of take pics of their food.. , they are skinny types,  who eat because they are hungry!?!

Cute as can be tiny little restaurant with a big bar, a couple of six or eight top marble tables, and then maybe 10 tiny little marble four tops. Exposed distressed brick walls, very nice low lighting, a very friendly helpful wait staff. ( Everyone here seems to be in a really good mood, all happy that they sort of dodged the last big storm, a sort of survivor , very jolly , esprit de coup, is everywhere).

Neil , Michael and I started off with the gumbo special of the day which was chicken and andouille. " Why cant I do this ??" I whined to Neil. "Why doesn't my gumbo have this  light richness of flavor this  yummy complex smokiness". It was just a wonderful dish. Served over some New Orleans Pop Corn rice, that I had not had in a long time. Brett had the Lobster Bisque, which he thoroughly enjoyed.

I had the special for dinner, which was REDFISH with Glazed Pecans and Lump Crab Meat. SO, SO , good... the texture of the fish was just perfect with the BIG hunks of crab. The very toasted buttery pecans gave a saltiness and level of texture that just set the whole dish off. It was just perfect on a warm late summer night. It was served with some yummy , some how spicy hericot vert and more of the local rice . Neil had the more traditional stuffed flounder and Brett had a killer double bone pork chop served over these tiny cubed sweet potatoes,something I had never seen, and will be trying at home. Really, a delight of a little local restaurant, that like I said, we would have never gone to with out the knowledge of locals, so many thanks to Brett and Micheal. 

Only day one of our little food Odyssey. Today might be the search for the perfect Fried Oyster Po Boy....

NEW ORLEANS !

we were on the way down, we were not on the way down, we were , we were not... on and on and on! In the end the dog sitter showed, and the pieces sort of fell in to place: Laissez les bon temps roules! Getting down here was not an issue, easy ride to our LOVELY B&B, then dinner out and drinks with friends! A very nice day one.

you KNOW this is what was going on....

" Dear God, in Heaven, will you please be quite, I so do not care how to skin a moose, and what the heck is a Hockey Mom. That son- of- a- you- know- what John, is going to owe me for this one, big time. Jeeze.. at least they left that poor baby at home tonight, I wanted to snatch her bald last night, tossing that tiny baby around like a volley ball. God, I hate this, why could he not have picked that nice Lieberman fellow.. we know all the same folks down in Boca, and really young lady.. is your jacket cut low enough, and what is that fabric? At least those dreadful Bush's are not here...."

Didn't really watch it....

It was on in the background... was a prisoner of war, and loves America ! zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Swelling with Pride.......

I am quite sure he LOVED Sarah Palin's speech last night.....
"Georgia Republican Rep. Lynn Westmoreland used the racially-tinged term "uppity" to describe Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama Thursday.
Westmoreland was discussing vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin's speech with reporters outside the House chamber and was asked to compare her with Michelle Obama."Just from what little I’ve seen of her and Mr. Obama, Sen. Obama, they're a member of an elitist-class individual that thinks that they're uppity," Westmoreland said.

Asked to clarify that he used the word “uppity,” Westmoreland said, “Uppity, yeah.”"

Here is a CLASSIC Steven Colbert interview with the distinguished Congressman from Georgia. ( sorry parts of it are not in English, it is the only clip I could find)

Michelle Obama is her muse!

I had been wondering who the designer of Mrs Obama's cloths were ,and found out today:

Local Chicago Designer. Maria Pinto. So, so many homeruns, and the times they they were not out of the park they were solid doubles or triples. I think her aesthetic is a little bit like Laura Bennett, clean, wearable, very American. 

Reason # 329

To fear ( fear? ) dread? abhor? a  McCain - Palin White House:

Cheney Backs NATO Membership for Georgia

Nothing like a little new cold war to start the day off right. Like I said, backwards and tired.

WE NEED A BREAK!

Sir Andrew to the RESCUE!

by dawns early light...

Cooler heads prevail this morning, well.. this noon. ( Pookie has decide that she needs to get up at like 4:am to pee and I have about a thirty second window to respond or clean up the mess.. old age is NOT for Sissies with dogs either..)

Last night upset me, really more than it should have. So, forgive some of my more colorful language from the post on the speech. Does the Republican Party not know about GOOGLE? They know all about e-bay with Miss Meg being front and center last night, but has GOOGLE just evaded them? So, so many things that Governor Palin said last night were proven to be false or lies or missteps or whatever by the morning.

The entire scope of the convention seems so backwards looking, so mean spirited , so tired. All over the Internet people are comparing what Giuliani did last night to what Pat Buchanan did in '92, and that is just ... well, odd. "McCain needs to be The President of the United States of America because he was a prisoner of war and hates the New York Times" ? That is really what I am getting out of this.

And , speaking of the Times, and the media there, LOOK AT WHAT KEITH HATH WROUGHT!.. oh my, but the assembled book burners HATE Keith Oblermann to the point of just out right malice towards all of NBC. I love it. Wish the the powers that be a GE had not wimped out and kept him in NYC this go round. And one other thing, Leave Rachel alone!  She is where she is because of who she is. I am so looking forward to her new show, but there are all these rumors around that NBC is de-dyke-ing her. My money is so on Ms Maddow in that fight.

I have no idea what Senator McCain will do tonight, I will watch it, but do not expect anything new. When the much GOP maligned event in Denver was over, I felt ( get ready to roll those eyes) HOPEFUL , honestly. Maybe the Clinton-Bush era of "salting the earth " politics could be over. Maybe there is a way to work together for a real common good. Not so much with these guys , its all " us and them" " San Francisco verses the rest of America"  not much ONE NATION but a WHOLE LOT of UNDER GOD.... 

Not that there is anything wrong with it....

 This is from Vanity Fair, and really 300K is 2 cents to her... but still..

POLITICS AND POWER
Republican National Convention
| The 2008 Election
Cindy McCain's $300,000 Outfit
by Vanity Fair
September 4, 2008, 10:29 AM
One of the persistent memes in the Republican line of attack against Barack Obama is the notion that he is an elitist, whereas the G.O.P. represent real working Americans like Levi “F-in’ Redneck” Johnston.
It caught our attention, then, when First Lady Laura Bush and would-be First Lady Cindy McCain took the stage Tuesday night wearing some rather fancy designer clothes. So we asked our fashion department to price out their outfits.
Laura Bush
Oscar de la Renta suit: $2,500
Stuart Weitzman heels: $325
Pearl stud earrings: $600–$1,500
Total: Between $3,425 and $4,325
Cindy McCain
Oscar de la Renta dress: $3,000
Chanel J12 White Ceramic Watch: $4,500
Three-carat diamond earrings: $280,000
Four-strand pearl necklace: $11,000–$25,000
Shoes, designer unknown: $600
Total: Between $299,100 and $313,100
Wow! No wonder McCain has so many houses: his wife has the price of a Scottsdale split-level hanging from her ears.
(All prices except Laura’s shoes and Cindy’s watch are estimates, and the jewelry prices are based on the assumption that the pieces are real.)

NOT that I am knocking  Oscar de la Renta, I am sure up close it is a very nice dress. I am just going to question wearing anything "slicker-esque" when the theme of the night was hurricane. Cindy wears that watch all the time, I had noticed it and wondered what it was, it is very lovely. But, the McCains are the SUPER rich, and Cindy always has been. Money does not exist to her, sort of like me, only different...

Harry and Loren

Governor Palin goes to town

I took Koda for his night time walk.
I took a shower.
I wrote Beth a letter.
I went to my happy place, embraced my tiger and returned to mountain
fucking OM, baby.. I am all about the ZEN.

ANYONE WHO WAS IMPRESSED BY THAT GROSSLY OVER REHEARSED, PEDESTRIAN, SOPHOMORIC, MEAN SPIRITED, HIGH SCHOOL DEBATE CLASS SPEECH IS A MORON. 

Returning to my happy place... ommmmmm, ommmmmm....

I was NOT the target audience, duh! But who was? Spiteful mothers who are fans of Dolores Umbridge who drive their kids to hockey practice? The CORE message of the Republican party is to drill more American oil there by making much more profit for oil companies? Am I wrong or did I see empty seats??? 

Lets take it step by step:

1. wow, lots of time with the introductions, skipped right over baby daddy. Husband is a proud Union Member, sure he felt pretty alone in that crowd.
   
2. WHAT THE FUCK WAS UP WITH PASSING THAT LITTLE BABY AROUND? JESUS H. CHRIST. It looked like a beach ball at a concert, to the point of handing Cindy McCain the little one... and yes, ALL I could hope for was not " drill baby drill" but " PUKE BABY PUKE" Did ANYONE see Mrs McCain's ( his mother) reaction to them playing hot potato with that poor child... She was mortified...AND come on networks, the seven year old spitting on the newborn as news????  ( happy place, happy place.. Sanford Stadium, third quarter , Dawgs way ahead... plenty of bourbon left... ommmmmmm)
3. BOLD FACED LIES: " if you say them often enough" she has a paper trail the size of my belt a year ago SUPPORTING the damn bridge to nowhere.... just stop, for the love of all that is good in the world, just stop. Obama on raising taxes. Obama on anything...Again with the Son leaving on September 11, .. plenty out there that he is not, and if he is , you are not supposed to talk about troop movements...
4. Vetos.. yes, she has vetoed a few things in Alaska. INCLUDING a big ole cut to funds for unwed teenage mothers... ( that one came back to bite her in the ass...)
5. there was one hard core religious buzz phrase, that i meant to write down as she said it and now I can't remember it, but that speech was for them, " SAN FRANCISCO! 'boooooo
6. She finished up with all the right things about John McCain, except for the part that he has been in Washington D.C. forever and two days, and is a part of everything she was railing about!

I am so not afraid at all of this parrot. To sort of  quote Zippy " bring her on" 

I didn't watch much of the first of the convention, it's just to stressful. I did see a little of Giuliani speech where he mocked all things COSMOPOLITAN. Mayor of New York .. Big Apple, Sex and the City... hello...  

Time management: there was supposed to be a movie , a film about Governor Palin, but they " ran short on time".. OR , gosh , just did not have time in the last week to make the damn thing?

The Republicans seem so angry, really... the whole show here just seems so negative, again, I am so not the target audience. Only one night left of this ... 
ok, and on the shallow front.. lets deal with the Levi issue.. TRUST ME, I would so rather not.. again, don't give a flying rats ass .. BUT, The McCain Campaign is the one thrusting the high school drop out that knocked up the 17 or 16 year old daughter of the Governor of Alaska onto the Nation Stage, NOT the New York Times, they are the ones that scrubbed him all up and bought him a suit. YES, I know this story is SO trivial, EXCEPT for the fact that this is the flag bearer of the hard core Christian RIGHT. Ummmm.. little Levi and Bristol are going to burn in hell for all eternity for being fornicators. Did I miss it, was he introduced?  Do you think that they really and truly are going after the " white trash voters who watch the political conventions" ???  ( wouldn't that be like ZERO people) Why was poor Levi Johnston there? 

He was as much a grossly political prop as that poor little football baby... Crazy, I tell you, Crazy

From your mouth to God's ears......

The Inmates are Running the Asylum..

Family Values

Focus on the Family

American Family Association,  etc....

(otherwise knows as the right wing nutjobs)

Here is the deal: It turns out that until Wednesday August 27th, last Wednesday!, Senator McCain had planned on picking JOE LIEBERMAN for V.P.  Get it? All Mavrickie.. .AND , how could the Democrats go at him, cause guess what kiddies, "YA'LL PICKED HIM LAST TIME". I think its off the charts brilliant. Would have cut SO many arguments , OTHER THAN THE WAR, off at the knees. BUT, all those FAMILY groups got wind of this and did what it is they do! The batshit crazy hit the fan. ( Trader Joe is pro-choice, and you know not one of us - hello! "Lieberman".. you can just hear the minor keys!). 

So, on Thursday, before the big roll out on Friday, Governor Palin was very seriously considered.  A whole day , MUCH better than being Miss Alaska....

BUT! now is where the story just gets too good to look away from. Those self same right wing nutjobs have never liked ole John, and he for the most part has stood up to them MANY times in the past ( KENNEDY/McCain immigration bill would have given AMNESTY!) So, there was never ever any love lost UNTIL he needed them to have any chance at all against Barack Obama. Thus we have Wonder Sarah. BUT, crotchety ole John could not just let them dictate the who whats and whens of his life. Ergo: this picture!

How better to smack the family first crowd than to VERY publicly embrace the high school drop out baby daddy of the knocked up teen age daughter of your Vice Presidential Candidate.

Why else, would he be here, AND on the freaking tarmac with John McCain ??

THIS is a massive soap opera, and not Dallas .. but something on the CW. Some show you have never ever heard of. Now McCain is all sorry to Bristol because she has been in such a media spotlight. "Sorry"..... ummmm, you , Senator, are in charge of all of this. Crazy is as crazy does.

Stories are coming out now, so fast and furious, that the McCain camp could not have known of, Now, its "Palin Lied about son's date to go to Iraq. She claimed 9-11, but that was wrong, and also it seems VERY illegal to tell when there are going to be massive troop movements to a war zone. Who the hell could have known that?  I do not know if she can survive all this, but nothing at all really makes sense this year.

The Misogynist Feminist, deux

"Then there’s the really interesting issue, the madonna v. political whore one. One of my very left friends made the unfortunate observation that, with 5 kids, Palin needs to decide if she’s a mother or a politician . . . if that’s true, it’s a shame. And shame on anybody who says it out loud. " - B.Day.

The Nation on whole, geared up for the coming catharsis on RACE that Barack Obama was gong to bring us.. the next "free at last" moment.  In one fell swoop of the Moose Antler the conversation has been switched to what appears to be gender. But, I do not think so, Sarah Palin's gender is not what is causing all the brew-ha-ha. Do you really think that if Senator McCain had picked Elizabeth Dole or Susan Collins or or if Senator Obama had gone with Clinton or Sebelis we would be having this discussion of Mother-hood verses Vice President ? Those women have answered the question " can a woman have it all" or at least they have all the pat answers down. Sure it's hard for them , but they know to make it look effortless.

It is not Governor Palin's gender that is the issue, it is the true third rail of any American discussion, political or otherwise : Class. 

It is not the fact that she is a mother, its the fact she had FIVE children and ONE at the age of 44. That is what appears unseemly, to what we have come to know as  the VERY buttoned down and matching pant suited Washington. She could not be anymore outside the Eastern Seaboard Establishment that runs things.

Yes, she is a woman, hear her roar, but she is a Bible beating , hunting, fishing woman who had big  hair in the 80's and was in tacky little beauty pageants. She has a knocked up 17 yo daughter . Juno in Juneau.!  The GOP talking heads even tout her " working class background". - ( Which if I am not mistaken, being in government is the whitest of white collar jobs.) - She is as far from the Smith/Wellesley/Vassar roots of Woman's rights as you can get, she is not of that mold. That is the issue. It is the fact that Roseanne Barr  is  running for Vice President,and not Mary Tyler Moore. ( well, Roseanne Conner and not Mary Richards) I think this election may take us places we are not prepared to go. Race , we at least have a language to use, and a history of discussing. We Americans, are not supposed to think that Class even exists......

I was somewhat of a coward tonight and did not watch every single moment of the Republicans like i did for MY PARTY ( but really, would anyone expect me to go to a GATOR pep rally?) I did watch some, and it was on in the back ground while I was doing stuff. I swear, every time I looked up or walked by, Martin Luther King, Jr, was one the BIG screen there in Minneapolis. Did not know he was a card carrying member! What I really wanted to do was skip over all the HOORAY Bush stuff, BUT from what I saw and read afterwards, I could have watched, he was only a blip!  Much more about 41 than 43. Smart move from the McCain team.

Tomorrow Night is PALIN night at the convention, and since they only started seriously thinking of her as the VP six days ago, I am thinking it will be petty hastily put together, but that I will be watching.

 

Levi-mania! Levi-mania!

Get the screaming girls ready, HE IS COMING! Dreamy Levi is coming to Minneapolis!  The Baby Daddy Tour '08. Seriously kiddies, the GOP has got the family on the stage thing OVER on the boring ole Democrats. 

Four years ago it was that sex kitten and GOP fantasy girl ( on girl) Heather Poe!

This year its that hockey playing , beer swilling , gun totin' POTENT heart throb LEVI JOHNSTON! It will be a media circus. The perfect storm

Who needed that pressure!

We're #2! , We're #2!

Stupid USC, It was pretty shocking that we stayed #1 as long as we did with all the blatant media bias toward the Southern California pretty boy school. I am all for it, gives us something to work towards!

1. USC (21) 1-0 1,539

2. Georgia (20) 1-0 1,506

3. Ohio State (15) 1-0 1,497

4. Oklahoma (2) 1-0 1,432

5. Florida (5) 1-0 1,415

6. Missouri (1) 1-0 1,301

7. LSU (1) 1-0 1,207

8. West Virginia 1-0 1,108

9. Auburn 1-0 1,033

10. Texas 1-0 1,028

11. Wisconsin 1-0 849

12. Texas Tech 1-0 842

13. Alabama 1-0 834

14. Kansas 1-0 748

15. Arizona State 1-0 672

15. Brigham Young 1-0 672

17. South Florida 1-0 588

18. Oregon 1-0 508

19. Penn State 1-0 467

20. Wake Forest 1-0 414

no way, no how, no McCain

Zippy is staying in Washington because he is VERY on top of New Orleans NOT being flooded. Lots to do when NOTHING really bad happens. SO, he will be addressing the gathered Pure Bloods in Minneapolis via video.. or a link or somehow , ANYTHING that will keep him off that stage ! 

BUT, we all know the truth!

gosh, Kyle, why all the outrage?

Everyone hopes I can get through the next few months with out having some sort of cardiac event or my head just blowing plum off. Yeah, me too. 

"really Kyle, why take it so personally, its only politics..."

From the freshly approved Republican Platform:

'Because our children's future is best preserved within the traditional understanding of marriage, we call for a constitutional amendment that fully protects marriage as a union of a man and a woman, so that judges cannot make other arrangements equivalent to it. In the absence of a national amendment, we support the right of the people of the various states to affirm traditional marriage through state initiatives."

My health insurance comes from Neil's school district. Luckily for me , and thank ALL the Gods, we live in an enlightened place that recognizes our marriage. Just like they would any opposite sex couple that got married in the oh so stylish Toronto City Hall. The Republican Party would very much like to BAN the state of New York through a Federal Constitutional Amendment from granting us this benefit. If you do not think that is the case look at what JUST happened in the schools and colleges in the state of Michigan. They had domestic partner benefits until an amendment went thought. Then Republicans in Michigan sued claiming it was unconstitutional for Michigan to give this benefit, and now LOTS of families and even -  precious to the GOP -  little kiddies don't have any, at all.

I am , for the millionth time , so passionate about this because it IS my future. And everyone reading this , who loves me or any other gay person out there needs to think about this as they cast their vote. For many gay Americans, this election really is about life or death, or at least how we are going to get there. 

NOT as important as who de baby daddy be, I know... but I am doing my best to try for some balance here. 

EXACTLY WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT

This can not , CAN NOT become the level of American political discourse!  But look how fast it has happened:

"Amy Gwin, 43, of University City, grew up in Alaska and competed in the Miss Wasilla, Alaska, competition in 1984 against GOP vice presidential choice Sarah Palin. Gwin said Friday that she won the Miss Congeniality award in the competition, although Palin's Wikipedia entry says she won the contest — and the Miss Congeniality award"

Shock and Horror! Who won the Miss Congeniality Award in the 1984 Miss Wasilla contest as a precursor to whom  - (who? I never get that right) -  should be second in command in the United States! 

THIS was the very first and most important decision John McCain made as the GOP Candidate.

tick, tick, tick.....

Levi and Bristol

"I'm a fuckin' redneck who likes to snowboard and ride dirt bikes, but I live to play hockey. I like to go camping and hang out with the boys do some fishing shoot some shit and just fuckin' chillin' I guess. Ya fuck with me and I''ll kick ass" [ Levi Johnston's  my space]

I have been called the king of hyperbole. If tweaking the facts will make my stories better then I tend to tweak. I would remind you that exaggeration in the defense of a good story is no vice!. That being said, and tongue firmly OUT of cheek: LEVI JOHNSTON is one of the most dangerous men in America .

NOT that the "ruggedly handsome Johnston, 18" [ ny daily news], is in any way a bad guy. I am going to go with he is the greatest NORMAL 18 year old kid in Wasilla, Alaska. Change snowboard to  water ski and hockey to football and it's Winder, Georgia. We all know Mr. Johnston, and harbor him NO ill will what so ever- Wish he and the "Doe-eyed Bristol Palin 17"  all the luck in the world with their new baby. BUT , they can be the downfall of American Democracy as we know it.

Has the American Media been in ANY way focused on any issues post the announcement of Governor Palin ?

"How do Obama and McCain differ on ways to curb green house emissions ?"

"How do Biden and Palin differ on the role of the U.S. in curbing Russian expansion and the threat of Soviet era nukes that are still in the area ?"

"How do the parties differ in creating new forms of energy for an oil starved world ?"

No!, They , and "we" are talking about when and how two perfectly normal teenagers in po dunk Alaska went at it. I DON'T CARE. I don't care when Mrs Palin had the lovely baby Trig, either . This race could, in the very short time left until November, just zip down that slippery slope and become nothing but the Jerry Springer Show. AND a great number of Americans will love it. Do you know how many people will embrace what Mr. Johnston wrote in his my space quote? How many votes that could get them??  Is it the slick talking talented HARVARD ( horror!) educated black guy or the FULL BLOODED AMERICAN PROUD REDNECK with poor syntax? To some, no contest, personality over ability, any time. Welcome to America in 2008.

The sex lives of Alaskan teenagers are so so much more interesting than knowing that the days of giant fast American cars is over. SO, much more fun than the fact that we are going to be a military presence in the middle east for a long long time. " Who is Bristol's baby daddy" is SUCH a more interesting question than: " how are we going to pay off the 9,659,313,537,344.27 dollar federal debt that George Bush has left us"

So, the election of the President of the United States becomes nothing more than a bad bad episode of GOSSIP GIRL or the new 90210. Maury Povich, not Jim Lehrer ,tells us who the winner  is. No facts, just personality. Nothing more than a high school popularity contest. If and when this happens , we will get the government that we deserve.

Hard Hearted Hanna?

For the love of your country:

"If the King’s English was good enough for Jesus Christ, it’s good enough for the children of Texas!" - Ma Ferguson, Governor of Texas, 1925-1927 & 1933-1935

"Q ( from an eagle forum candidate questionnaire ) : Are you offended by the phrase "Under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance? Why or why not? 

PALIN: Not on your life. If it was good enough for the founding fathers, its good enough for me and I’ll fight in defense of our Pledge of Allegiance. " - Sarah Palin, Governor of Alaska, since December 4, 2006.

Please, please Governor Palin, withdraw your name from consideration to become the GOP Vice-Presidential candidate.

a sure sign....

Summer ends right on time this far north. The nights are getting very cool, and look what was at the farm stand this morning. I LOVE AUTUMN!

Labor Day

The sun setting over Lake Ontario tonight, some serious beautiful, and dinner.

The Boys of Summer

Today was the last home game of the season for The Redwings, and a perfect send off, both weather wise and baseball wise. It may have been the most beautiful day I have ever spent at Frontier Field, not a cloud in the sky, mid 80's nice breeze... just lovely. 

It was also a very good baseball day, close back and forth game with our thruway rivals the Buffalo Bison. I took LOTS of pictures to remember how nice of a day it was come the cold dark Upstate New York winter!

Monday's paid attendance of 11,374 brought the season total to 490,806 - the third highest regular season attendance total in franchise history.

GARRETT!

Garrett Jones hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning today, powering the Red Wings to a 9-6 win over the Buffalo Bisons in the season finale at Frontier Field.

what really scares me

REALLY scares me!

This is a letter to the editor , well, it is a response to a VERY CONSERVATIVE Republican columnist in the Atlanta paper:
  "Don’t put Sarah Palin’s home state,. Alaska, as a small state. It is quite small in its population base, but big in territory and resources. While I had always planned to vote for Sen.McCain, Gov. Palin is the icing on the cake. She knows what it is like, I believe, to be concerned with every day things: the cost of groceries and school clothes,helpng out with fund raisers for school and children’s games, being sure that everybody has something clean to wear tomorrow, etc. On another front, time, she has taken on her fellow Alaskan Republicans and won. Big John surprised us all and he couldn’t have done better!"

Yes every woman out there who can match the GrrAnimals tags is fully prepared to run the country, fight our wars, deal with a floundering economy, contain militant Islam,  help slow global warming, and appoint judges that have a working knowledge of how tough " freedom" is.  Being The President of the United States is not about "every day things"

There are A LOT of shit for brains people out there , lots of them, and sadly they are allowed to vote, and even sadder, reproduce. Think what you want of GWB, at least he understands the scope of the job. He is just not very good at it. 

" The only thing we have to fear , is fear itself" AND voters like this one.

September

the misogynist feminist

Seriously, at least ten people have asked me, with a certain glee in their voices : " well! what do you think of McCain picking Sarah Palin as his running mate ?" 

Do I think people are interested in my opinion of this because as SUCH a huge HILLARY CLINTON supporter for so many years, would I be thrilled to have any woman on the ticket?

OR, was it, " Gosh, I so like to watch that vein in Kyle's forehead get all big, and lets see just how many shades of red we can get out of that mick face today!?" I am  going for the later. 

My thoughts on this most historic event in the history of the United States, only the second time that it has happened!  History in the making:

It is an insult. The most vile attempt at separation politics , pure disgusting Carl Rove backed attempt to sway enough simple minded women in Ohio to swing the election for McCain. Two years ago Governor Palin was the mayor of a town, that at most, had 8000 citizens, with less than 100 city workers. She won the Governorship with 114,697 votes. Let that sink in. A little over 0ne hundred thousand people elected her, 48.3% of the vote. SO, it's PTA, mayor of a very small town and an election to a very small state by about the the number people than live in Macon, Georgia. Also, Alaska is a VERY different place politically . Its small, it has ALL that oil money, it is corrupt on a level that in unheard of in the lower forty eight..

The ability to gestate does not , on its on, lend itself to running the Free World.

Nor does it prohibit it!  But, if one more story leads off with : "Palin mother of five" was chosen by McCain", I will just lose it. Does anyone think it would have been " Hillary Clinton, mother of one" ,or "Kay Bailey Hutchison , mother of four" or "Christine Todd Whitman, mother of two" ??  No, it would list their accomplishments, not their brood.

She is DANGEROUSLY FAR RIGHT. on every topic imaginable:

• Teaching Christian Creationism in public schools
• jailing doctors that provide abortions to rape or incest victims
• drilling in the Alaska wild life refuge and not having Polar Bears on the endangered animal list ( gosh! Hubby works for an oil company AND oil companies PAY every citizen of Alaska a check)
• she has less than zero knowledge of U.S. foreign policy , at a time when our country is at war on TWO fronts and RUSSIA is gearing up to do what Russia does every so often.. ( its all that vodka, makes you mean after a while.. you KNOW who I am talking about)
• McCain spoke with her TWO TIMES in his life before offering her the Vice Presidency!, reports are now coming out that she was vetted for FOUR DAYS. ( thus, ALL the rampant rumors all over the net...)

Also, what is the deal with the CONSTANT masculinzation of her? " SHE HUNTS!  SHE FISHES! KILLS MOOSE WITH HER BARE HANDS! .. they want a woman, but it has to be a damn butch woman. 
All this stuff is every where on the internets. Tons of facts a click away. I just can not understand this. I can not. It is beyond my reasoning to understand how any human, no matter how near brain death could EVER think this person is ready to be President of the United States in a heart beat.

And she just might win.