America

Mrs. Ada Nettles, of Darlington , South Carolina voted today. ( and knows how to dress to do so! ) Please watch this news story.

Trick-or-Treat-less

I am Charlie Brown and the football when it comes to the Mendon Trick-or-Treaters. I dutifully made my little candy/treat bundles, lit all the candles, Neil hooked up the scary fog machine... we were all set. Zippo, Nada, Null Set..not the first one. Koda did charge the door at one point, but that was just to distract Neil from the plate of chicken wings he had.
BUT, Smart Kyle.. I did buy candy that I don't like. NEXT year, I'll have MORE pumpkins, and more lights and better candy. Yes, Next year they will come.. I just know it

Mendon on Hallowe'en

flashback

A Democrat in Georgia, How ever did they get in?
Is Georgia turning slightly less bright red? perhaps a nice shade of pink?
As of this morning, per the AJC:
"The latest polls show the Obama-McCain race to be neck-and-neck —- one poll showed McCain ahead by 1 point, another had him up by 5 but yet another had him down by 3."
Come on GOP, if you can not be sweeping GEORGIA against a liberal African American canidate, give it up.....

F•O•U•R

The weekend before.
I am a mess, just worked myself into a slight frenzy. Maybe I am just more tuned in this election cycle, but that is pretty hard to believe, I've always been over the top obsessed with politics. ( the only kid in Winder-Barrow Elementary School staying up late to watch the Watergate Hearings - what WILL Mo Dean wear tonight??).
This year , more than any that I can recall is clearly about going forward or looking backward. Could be generational, there have never been this much of an age gap between the candidates, but the choice is just so clear to me.
It is looking good for MY side, Senator McCain is having to spend money in Arizona, his home state, what is up with that? New voter registration is off the charts in Pennsylvania and Ohio, but that falls back on the eternal question as to whether the damn kids ( CRAIG!) will make it to the polls on Tuesday. - [ what is up with this? I walked away from the kegger for ALL THREE of the Presidential Elections that went on while I was an undergrad....] The Clinton's and Gore's are all over Florida. The BIG MO is very much behind The Obama Campaign.
Are we as a country going to go towards the hope of change that Senator Obama represents or the same old, same old Republican trickle down ways of McCain/Bush. This can be a CHANGE Election, the cycle that has existed , pretty much since Carter-Reagan can end. We can move beyond the politics of blame and move into an era of GROWN UP politicians , who understand that there is real work to be done.
We are one country, and I think my side remembers that more than the flag waving-Bible thumping side does. You may hate me because I am a liberal Democrat, you may dislike me for being one of those that bleeds red and black ( if you bleed blue and orange!) , for being one of those obnoxious types that puts College Football before all else on sunny fall afternoons. You can hate me for being married to a man, for not going to the same church as you, for not raking my leaves up on time, for not ALWAYS picking up my doggie mess. Gosh, there are just LOTS of reasons that you can dislike me, but you have to respect my rights. We are all Americans. One nation and all of that. This to me is what Senator Barack Obama is trying so hard to get across. We don't have to keep fighting the wars that were started in the 1960's . It is not AMERICA: love it or leave it. It is AMERICA: roll up your sleeves and get to work.
Four days.....

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

SWEET HOME

( from my ex-exboyfriendandrewsullivan)

World's Largest Cocktail Party, ever....

It is nice to have the distraction of the looming grudge match in Jacksonville!
All the papers are saying it is the biggest Georgia-Florida game if not ever, then in a very very long time. One of these teams will go on to face, Alabama in the SEC playoff and then maybe to the National Championship game. Urban, Tebow and the boys are still all pissy cause we did our little dance last year. Out for blood and all.
Who is the best quarterback, their messiah like young Heisman winner or our spunky Texan?
Their numbers are quite comparable:

Stafford — 141 of 229 (61.6 percent) for 1,946 yards (243.2 pg) with 12 TDs and 5 INTs. 60 yards rushing.

Tebow — 104 of 164 (63.4) for 1,415 (202.1) with 12 TDs and 2 INTs. 227 yards rushing.

They’re even similar physically. Tebow is 6-3, 240; Stafford 6-3, 237.
We KNOW we have the better running game!
Just something else to add to the pressure of this week. GO DAWGS.....

Terminate Hate

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger joins his lovely wife Maria in coming out strong against Prop Eight in California. It is still a horse race out there. The wack job right and their new BFF the Mormon Church have thrown the kitchen sink at the gays. I am all the hopeful. We shall see....

PAROTT HEADS FOR CHANGE

JIMMY BUFFETT TO SING FOR OBAMA

TAMPA, Fla. — The mayor of Margaritaville is jumping into this year's political fray.
Jimmy Buffett plans a free concert Sunday in Tampa to urge people to vote for Democrat Barack Obama for president. The "Last Chance for Change" rally and concert is happening two days before the election at the outdoor Ford Amphitheatre.

I love the smell of irony in the morning.....

There is this Christianist woman who is part of the 700 Club universe named Cindy Jacobs. I am not going to link, because, I do not want to aid and abet the enemy. But , a little background. She is one of these Gospel of Prosperity types. Jesus wants you to be rich, rich, rich! (and he wants you to give LOTS of that money to me so I can be richer , richer,richer!). All that stuff in the bible about the poor and the meek should be skipped over, like the selling of your daughter and not eating shrimp! Rich I tell you!

  " Cindy is calling for a Day of Prayer for the World’s Economies on Wednesday, October 29, 2008. They are calling for prayer for the stock markets, banks, and financial institutions of the world on the date the stock market crashed in 1929. They are meeting at the New York Stock Exchange, the Federal Reserve Bank, and its 12 principal branches around the US that day.

“We are going to intercede at the site of the statue of the bull on Wall Street to ask God to begin a shift from the bull and bear markets to what we feel will be the 'Lion’s Market,' or God’s control over the economic systems,” she said. “While we do not have the full revelation of all this will entail, we do know that without intercession, economies will crumble.” Cindy is encouraging prayer groups to intercede for banks and financial institutions in your area. Cindy says each of us has to be accountable to the Lord. "

THEY ARE GOING TO GATHER AROUND A GIANT GOLDEN COW AND PRAY! It is almost more than this pure cynic's heart can take

FIVE

FIVE! 

See, we did survive Seven and Six... tick, tick , tick.

I LOVED the Barack Obama Show last night, but I would have. Even better was the Obama -President Clinton rally from Kissamee Florida at MIDNIGHT. Those were some fired up Central Florida Democrats!

The nay-sayers are all over Senator Obama for spending the money on a full half hour tv buy. Cry me a river on that one, John Kerry sat back on what he thought was a lead and DID NOT spend all the money he had in 2004 . The Obama people are not going to go down that road again. This is a fight to the finish. The once might GOP is just no used to the idea of coming in second in the money race. Some talking head said: " I as SURE McCain would have loved to have had that 8:30 slot. 

A couple of stories on the OBAMAMAINA periphery:

Obama Shakes up Georgia Senate Race, Go Jim Martin, now THIS would warm my heart.

Ted Stevens Receives a Hero's Welcome in Alaska, just stop. This is a win win for the Democrats EITHER WAY. He wins , and the smell of a convicted felon " OUR guys would never ever stay...." comes to Washington with their minority, or he loses and that is one more to get to the magic 60. 

YES WE CARVE II

BEST BARACK-O-LANTERN EVER

one of these things is not like the other.......

I told Hannah and Lily that they could pick any Jack-o-Lantern at all, and I would carve it for them. They could draw a picture, pick something out of a book they had, or find one on the internets. Hannah drew her pic and Lily went on line.
Lily is the fist one, Hannah is the second.
Not judging, just posting...

Pumpkin Carving Party

long lines?

B.Day Reports on the b.day bubble that she COULD NOT vote in COBBCO today, due to long lines? What is up with this? Why are there not simply MORE polling places? I commented on her blog that it seems like GOP backed county and state government voter suppression to me. It should NEVER be this hard to vote. ( story from the AJC)

SIX

This is like being a little kid and so so so wanting Christmas to hurry up!
I am watching a huge Obama Rally in Raleigh , North Carolina. "North Carolina" - with six days to go? A Democrat? Tick, tick, tick...
This add that came out from Senator Obama's campaign:

Sort of sums it all up

There is a new sheriff in town...

The past two election cycles Zippy the wonder President could do what ever he wanted to do in the Sunshine State, cause his very own brother was the Governor of the state! It's good to have friends in high places, and that Bush Brotherly Love paid off well for them! Not so much for the rest of us, but HAPPY DAYS in Kennebunkport !

Fast forward, 2008 and the now Governor Charlie- I- never -heard-of-the -GREEN IGUANA-Crist, is PISSED. He wanted to be the Vice President. He did ALL sorts of wild things to become the Vice President , and Camp McCain went with Governor Palin'. Hell hath no furry like a .....angry Governor!

 SO, Democrat in training Mr. Crist is KEEPING THE EARLY VOTING POLLS OPEN LATE! To the dismay of the local GOP. 

It's never to late to come out as a good guy Governor!  Keep up the good work!

Cold, Blustery Day

See all that white? That is a foot plus of snow, more or less, coming tonight and tomorrow. We are well to the west, not in one of the major snow belts. We are going to get a dusting to an inch or so. Dangerous this time of year, because most of the leaves are still on the huge old trees in our yard. 

YES, WE CARVE

BARACK-A-LANTERNS! ( this one is Neil's)

Seven

Just your average, calm, not-a-whole-lot-going-on week.......

It is a little bit rare, to sit, knowing that in one week, things will be different. Even if it is just the end of the ENDLESS campaign season, things will be different. Change is a good thing! ( unless it's not!) 

One week until we vote. One week to decide , really, the path of our country. The talking heads on tv always call elections " THE MOST IMPORTANT EVER " . Dole/Clinton!: MOST IMPORTANT EVER, on and on. But, this one is. This one is a clear, clear fork in the road. Are we going to stay on the path that George Bush II has us on.. or a break from it? That is the question. Simple, no Palin wardrobe, no Marxist Obama , one easy question.

One week until California votes on Proposition Eight. Again, one simple question. Are gay and lesbian Americans equal to all other Americans, or not?  That is it. The Mormon Church and the wack job Theocratic religious right are putting all their eggs in this basket. Their " line in the sand" . It's not. It will make life in American much easier for gays and lesbians, but its not the end all. How would Georgia and Alabama and Mississippi voted on Brown V Board in 1954?, and could that vote have stopped the advancement of human rights? Time is on the side of people who believe that " all men are created equal" not just some pigs.....

AND, last and well, very much least: GEORGIA - FLORIDA in Jacksonville. Not as important as the other two.. but, well, who ever wins it WILL win the SEC East and , in the long run, gosh, no, no where near as important , not in the same ball park, etc.. BUT, I want to win! It will just be a wonderful distraction to have Sunday and Monday, and Tuesday up until Keith tells me that all is right with the world. 

I am, as always: Hopeful.

Happy Halloween!

It is a heavy video day ..... 

COME HELL OR HIGH WATER

THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN!

the BIG TENT Bulldog Nation

my people....

I feel pretty, oh , so pretty.....

Phillies go up , three games to one, on the Rays in the World Series that I am not even watching. But , Could NOT pass up this pic. "There's no skipping in baseball......"

mad about it.

 MAD MEN, the end ( for now...) 

I really don't like getting hooked on TV shows, with the tivo it is all easier, but still I always forget etc. I am so hooked on this show, ( as I have said over and over, if you don't watch it , you don't care. BUT, if you can find AMC on demand on your tv, watch a couple of them. ) AND tonight, the season was over! NO!
The Russians are fixin' to blow up the world, people are saying and doing things KNOWING they might die tomorrow , Leave it to Beaver is on and it JUST ENDS! How can we go till next Summer with out knowing ANYTHING? Thank goodness it was picked up for another season! The writers of this show are just far , far from right. 

Don Draper is Michael Steadman, viewed from the Twilight Zone by way of Twin Peaks. One of the most real and yet MESSED up characters ever to be on  tv. AND Betty!  What was that all about? and every one's favorite Peggy ?? Man, the fear of that " burning in Hell for all eternity " thing, can make you do some strange stuff.... 

Find it, watch it.

" get your gloat on......"

OK, I promise this is the one and only spell of gloating, cause I may not be this happy in a week.

BUT! In the poll that matters......

B.C.S. 10-26-05

1. Texas Longhorns 8-0
2. Alabama Crimson Tide 8-0
3. Penn State Nittany Lions 9-0
4. Oklahoma Sooners 7-1
5. U-S-C Trojans 6-1
6. Georgia Bulldogs 7-1
7. Texas Tech Red Raiders 8-0
8. Florida Gators 6-1
9. Oklahoma State Cowboys 7-1
10. Utah Utes 8-0
11. Boise State Broncos 7-0
12. Ohio State Buckeyes 7-2
13. T-C-U Horned Frogs 8-1
14. Missouri Tigers 6-2
15. Florida State Seminoles 6-1

W.L.O.C.P. Day one

Not feeling the love, those jort wearing bastards jumped us, by beating KENTUCKY. 

Associated Press Top-25 College Football Poll

1. Texas Longhorns (65) 8-0
2. Alabama Crimson Tide 8-0
3. Penn State Nittany Lions 9-0
4. Oklahoma Sooners 7-1
5. Florida Gators 6-1
6. Texas Tech Red Raiders 8-0
7. U-S-C Trojans 6-1
8. Georgia Bulldogs 7-1
9. Oklahoma State Cowboys 7-1
10. Utah Utes 8-0
11. Boise State Broncos 7-0
12. T-C-U Horned Frogs 8-1
13. Ohio State Buckeyes 7-2
14. Missouri Tigers 6-2
15. L-S-U Tigers 5-2

Nine and Counting.....

The Euphoria of last night,( 52 - 38 ) wearing off slowly, we can , for a bit, go back to reality. NINE DAYS from now, it can all , HOPEFULLY come to and end. (The black horror of 2000 weighting on my mind.) 

Nine days out and Governor Palin will not have done a Sunday Morning news show , the bread and butter of any serious candidate. Senator McCain was on MTP this morning. I watched Fox News Sunday, because, I like to get the blood pumping! Even those parrot- ting lackeys were hedging their bets. 

After Faux News Sunday comes my old buddy George and his Sunday Morning show which really has become much better over time. Coming out for McCain was King Lemming, Senator Lindsey - I am sooooo NOT gay - Graham of South Carolina. ( date much,Senator?) Every word out of his mouth sounded so tired, so backward thinking, so Bush-esqe. Think what you want of Governor Palin, as wrong and uninformed as she may be, she is NOT old and tired thinking. No, I take that back, she does not sound Bush-like. Her rhetoric is much much OLDER.. she is flat out John Birch, Larry McDonald, Cummunist fearing , hate monger,but not a Bushy , at all. 

Can the Democrats still blow this ? I am going to say yes, up until about Wednesday, after that, people will stop paying attention. Halloween , the World Series that no one is watching. Dancing with the Stars, what ever will take over, until Tuesday. The thing about Tuesday is LOTS and LOTS of folks ( and A WHOLE LOT of African American folks) have already voted.

There is this documentary " THE WAR ROOM" all about the 92 election, it is where the famous "ITS THE ECONOMY , STUPID" line comes from. In it, we see , again, my good buddy George, talking the newly elected President Clinton off the ledge, over  if he has won Nevada.." Does not matter , Sir, its OVER.. you can stop, we WON" Think about it, these people have been in full VOTE FOR ME mode for two years, and then in one day, it stops. Cold Turkey, for them , and us. SO, lets not obsesses over this map TOO much... ( but Nevada, Virgina and North Carolina would be so so so nice to have in the family of blue)

A few more days. Cue Margo Channing: " fasten your seat belts........." 

A Cautionary Tale

THAT IS HOW YOU START A GAME!

Not sure if the rest is going to be as good, but a darn good start!

• THAT WAS A FIRST QUARTER!  Where has this team been?
• How could the first quarter go so fast and the second SO SLOW
• HALF TIME  24- 17
• OK, YES, I say this EVERYTIME, but come on, the CBS  guys LIKE LSU more than they do UGA. Why would you got to Coach Miles after our fantastic half? Why -o- why cant they all just be DAWG FANS! ( whiner Dawg Fan....)
•  Start of the third..... GO CLOCK
• CBS GUY : " that is why you ( LSU) has layers of DEFENSE!", no... THAT IS WHY WE HAVE KNOWSHON MORENO... 68 yards, baby.. 
• 4th quarter... up by 14... Man, I wish it was still, 21.... GO CLOCK, GO CLOCK.. I am going to take Koda for a quick walk... Don't let anything bad happen.
• damn... they just won't quit ....
• ummmmm... 8:47 left in the 4th... a GOOD GAME... are the L.S.U. fans LEAVING??? it sort of looks like it..
• this has to be the LONGEST 4th quarter in the history of football... tick tick tick,,, FIGHT!... what?  damn.... damn... don't fight boys
• tick tick tick...
• OK, Mr CBS is SO rooting for the Tigers.... 
• TOUCHDOWN TOUCHDOWN TOUCHDOWN....( I am not a fan of this jumping in from the three.. BUT...)
• oh yeah, there is hardly a Cajun left inside Death Valley West... those folks NEEDED a drink!...
• BAINBRIDGE!
• I WANT THIS GAME TO END
• 52 - 38......GO DAWGS

GAME DAY

All set here. It's a chilly rainy day here in upstate NY. I put a big pot of chili in the slow cooker last night, Red and Black Chili! 

• Coach and Mrs Richt are saints, we know. Also, Mark has very pretty teeth
• Kirk pics us!
• Lee Corso scares a Herbstreit child with the big Brutus head ( those are some blond children)
• OUCH!  Florida is SPANKING the poor wildcats.... 63 to 3 with time left
• this is the best Chili ever.... I should have done the play by play for it.
• this boxing thing is stupid
• KNOWSHON!
• that is A LOT Of cajuns
• LSUX
• yeah yeah yeah banged up
• KICK OFF  - 81 degrees, bright and sunny....woof woof woof!
• 
  

The Obama's

Meet Dr. Maya Soetoro-Ng, Senator Obama's Sister! 

SERIOUSLY, this family IS America. The salt of the earth all american grandparents ( Toots and Gramps) and the Indonesian-American Buddhist sister married to a Chinese Canadian. I CAN NOT wait to see them all at the White House. 

Born Maya Kassandra Soetoro
August 15, 1970 (age 38)
Jakarta, Indonesia
Residence Honolulu, Hawaii
Nationality Indonesian-American
Education B.A., Ph.D.
Alma mater  Barnard College ( JUST like Martha!) /University of Hawai'i at Manoa
Occupation Teacher
Religious beliefs Buddhist
Spouse(s) Konrad Ng
Children Suhaila Ng
Parents Lolo Soetoro and Ann Dunham

KYLET

To face book, or not to Face book ? , that is the question.

Whether 'tis nobler to suffer the slings and arrows of the outrageous under 40 types, or take arms against a sea of non communication. And by opposing said Facebook, end it?

I have been signed up to the Face book, a little bit against my will. All I know of the facebook is that it's where JJBSP meets all her mens, and Craig yells at me daily for not having an account there.

Let's just all take a deep breath and acknowledge the fact that this question will be typed in the coming weeks : " are you the same Kyle Crawford that I went to high school or college or college or college or college or college with?"

I will be setting up a pay pal account so that my many ( two ) fans can contribute to my future therapy.

returning the love...

We are an apple house, PC  is to Neil what the University of Florida is to me. SO, it is nice when those you love, show you some love back, in a big way. 

I get these APPLE UPDATES in my mail, all the time, I wish I could turn them off, but I can not figure out how. I am glad I did not miss this one:

Apple is publicly opposing Proposition 8 and making a donation of $100,000 to the No on 8 campaign. Apple was among the first California companies to offer equal rights and benefits to our employees’ same-sex partners, and we strongly believe that a person’s fundamental rights — including the right to marry — should not be affected by their sexual orientation. Apple views this as a civil rights issue, rather than just a political issue, and is therefore speaking out publicly against Proposition 8.

GO DAWGS

I love my Cajun brothers and sisters.

 We could not have been treated better by them when we visited New Orleans earlier this year. A nicer group of people could not be found on the face of the earth. That said , those bead wearing beer, gumbo eating , bud light soaked kitty cats  are going down this weekend. Knowshown is going to KNOW the end zone of Death Valley West, over and over and over.

Good ole Brett has already started the smack over in his part of the web. I'll get him to send us some pictures from the game, if he can take them through his tears.

well, duh!

Turns out it is HARD to get lipstick on a pit bull:

"If Palin's $150,000 shopping spree had Republicans disgusted, then the report that her makeup stylist cost $22,800 for the first two weeks of October should have them livid. The stylist, Amy Strozzi, was apparently paid more than any other McCain staffer during that period."

I 110% do not care how the GOP spends the blood money it gets from the poor misguided souls who chose of their own free will to give them money. Nor should anyone else. It is their money. BUT, here is the deal. These same GOP'ers had 17 and 1/2 caniptions when slut boy John Edwards spent his own 400$ to get a hair cut ( he DOES have pretty hair!) They do NOT get to have it both ways.

Think what you will of Governor Palin, with the sound on the tvbox turned down, she LOOKS fantastic, her hair is too big sometimes but the cloths are a clear over the center field fence home run. 

All that said , it is a perfect snapshot of the McCain/Palin campaign that the highest paid person they have is the make up artist. Making 72 and pasty look healthy and toning down those Alaskan winters is hard work.

There is also the idea floating around the internets tubes that Governor Palin is ever so slightly sniffing around as to where to land post Obama Electoral landslide. Where - 0 - where to put Miss Sarah on tv? Fox is the obvious choice, but a little limiting. I thought she looked and sounded fantastic on SNL , so its an obvious question.  Where will we see the Sarah Palin Show next.....??

The Reality of Hope....

This is jaw dropping, and I will be shocked ( in a very happy sort of way..) if it holds but:

InsiderAdvantage poll: Obama now has razor-thin lead in Georgia
Friday, October 24, 2008, 09:56 AM
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
InsiderAdvantage has a new poll up this morning, showing the U.S. Senate and presidential races in Georgia to be toss-ups.
In fact, the local polling firm says Democrat Barack Obama now has a slight edge over Republican John McCain, though within the margin of error. Both polls, conducted last night, are of 615 likely voters, with a margin of error of 3.8 percentage points.
In the presidential: Obama, 48%; McCain, 47%; other, 2%; and undecided, 2%.

I mean, just this headline in the Atlanta paper is ... well, shocking. A liberal , black,  could be a yankee Presidential Candidate ahead with 11 days to go. I do not think it is some sort of major ground swell in Georgia, I think its more of just the perfect storm against John McCain and the GOP. 

If this holds, I may have to come to Atlanta. Election night of 1992 was one of the most fun nights ever. There was literally dancing in the streets of Midtown Atlanta. So, get your conga shoes ready, Susan!.........

J.H.H. and his Prostate

It has been a while since we updated the kyle+blog readers to James Harvey's battle with all sorts of nasty things. GOOD NEWS! ( thanks to the b.day blog for keeping me abreast)

I said, it SUCKS to be.....

An Auburn Tiger! 

Is there some cosmic law that states that when one college football team in the Great State of Alabama is doing well, the other one has to SUCK. Auburn just lost to West Virginia 34-17 on National tv. Lots of toilet paper saved at Toomers Corner this year. 

Now, watch them lose all the rest of their games and beat the crap out of UGA. 

We ♡ Little Ronnie

See more Ron Howard videos at Funny or Die

WE ARE BREAKING OUT THE BIG GUNNS!

With the election winding down , and it really looking like we will be very happy come that cold Wednesday in November morning. I can turn my thoughts to obsessing over prop 8 in California. It really is coming down to Ellen verses the Mormon's. We just have to hope for the best on it, really all we can do from afar. ( other than give money.... ) 

  BUT: We are, as I said, BREAKING OUT THE BIG GUNN's!  Take that you sacred underwear wearing lemmings!

see, the G.O.P. NEEDS the gays....

Ok, so Senator McCain calls Governor Palin out of the blue and says " hey, I've got a wacky idea....." BUT, it turns out that Governor Palin only has parkas and muck lucks in her closet. What to do?

A 150 thousand dollar (150, ooo $! ) shopping spree at Neiman's and Saks. NOW, I am far, far away  from judging anyone for shopping. But once you go there, once you leave the Jaclyn Smith separates and k-mart and plunge head first into the non sales bin at Neiman's, you don't get to be " one of the folks" anymore. I am sure it did not mean as much to the McCain people, for Mrs Senator McCain, dropping 150 g at the mall is what you do before meeting your posse for lunch. I do wonder how Todd-n-Sarah will pay the taxes on 150, 000 worth of Craig Muller suits. and Christian Louboutin boots.

BUT, here is where they needed the gays! Don't be sending the church lady crowd ( or Cindiiii's pilled up lady pals) out to do your accessory shopping. LOOK at what they have put the REPUBLICAN Vice Presidential Candidate in: A VOTE DEMOCRATIC SCARF! little red, white and blue donkeys dancing all around the Governors neck. It is just wrong to let a straight man do a gay mans job, this is the sort of thing that happens ( that and some of Gwyneth Paltrow's red carpet looks)

thirteen days....

PENNSYLVANIA ?!?

Pennsylvania voted for Clinton, Clinton, Gore, Kerry.AND the polls look like this today. Do the McCain people know something no one else does? or is this just some strange madness?
One thing is, there are still LOTS of ways for Senator Obama to lose this election, most of which go through this state, but not all of them. Like I said to some folks last night, "It's OK to buy the champagne, and get it cold.. just don't think of popping it till around 10pm next next Tuesday"

Octobe-rrrrrrrr

First cold blustery day of the season.

American Taliban Update: Kacy's Revenge

I was wrong, she is all the cute. AND - you just know that it makes the Nutjob religious zealots even craizer than their norm for her to be on Ellen.
Romans 1:26, “For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature.”.... can be used to stop you from playing football or keep Portia and Ellen from getting married.

David Sedaris.... as always

"Some insist that there’s very little difference between candidate A and candidate B. Others claim that they’re with A on defense and health care but are leaning toward B when it comes to the economy.
"I look at these people and can’t quite believe that they exist. Are they professional actors? I wonder. Or are they simply laymen who want a lot of attention?
"To put them in perspective, I think of being on an airplane. The flight attendant comes down the aisle with her food cart and, eventually, parks it beside my seat. “Can I interest you in the chicken?” she asks. “Or would you prefer the platter of shit with bits of broken glass in it?”
"To be undecided in this election is to pause for a moment and then ask how the chicken is cooked." - David Sedaris, writing about undecided voters in New Yorker.

two weeks, ... TWO WEEKS.... TWO MORE WEEKS....

It's late in the 4th quarter, we are up by a touch down.... but they are a strong mean team, with a history of taking games at the last second. ( and not , I have to add,  not above cheating) Two words: GO CLOCK ! 

So much is surprising about this map. Colorado and New Mexico, which everyone is saying the GOP is giving up on. NORTH CAROLINA! if that stays blue, then the future of the now FAR FAR right Christianist driven GOP is just up for grabs. Senator Dole is in trouble there and weighing down the ticket from within. 

If the map stays just like this, ( and just for fun let's make Montana and North Dakota BLUE) it will be a huge electoral landslide. I need to look into some of these other Senate races. Jim Martin in Georgia is with in striking distance , and even in God's Country, Mississippi, the GOP is having to work to get Trent jr into the Senate. 

I AM NOT, going to break out the champagne yet.. But I am having a good day.

" I'm Heading down the Atlanta Highway, looking for a love get-a-way...."

The America Taliban at work

O.K...... This one is HARD to wrap my brain around.

There is an organization in the Atlanta area that sets up sports teams for home schooled kids and kids that go to very small private schools that, I guess are too small to field a team on their on. Sounds great on paper, right? Let the good spelling home school kids have some of the social interactions that "normal" ( it's in quotes... just like "women's health".....) kids have. Except, and this has to be the Devil at work, one of the football teams DARED to have an icky old girl come out for the team as a kicker , and she made it!  She was the best kicker!

Jesus hates her! That's all I can figure out, cause the he-men-woman-haters did not let her play at all last year, but this year DID! Progress.. or Satanic hi jinks with the workings of High School Football in the state of Georgia. Here is the entire story from the AJC. The Highlights:

"A female football kicker was let back on the field last weekend. But controversy keeps swirling around the decision to let her play football with home-schooled and private school boys.The Georgia Football League official who sidelined Spalding County kicker Kacy Stuart for most of the season based on her gender gave in and allowed her to play. But he doesn’t want to discuss it.
The first team Kacy faced relied on the Bible to express its beliefs about female football players in a pre-game statement, said New Creation athletic director Coach Ken Townley.“The East Atlanta Mustangs didn’t play us under protest but they were allowed to read a statement on their beliefs about female football players,” Townley said. “They used biblical verses from the book of Romans. I was very stunned by that.”

Kacy's team went on to win that game, you know, after the Bible reading, 39-8 with the young Miss Kacy doing all the kicking. ( including the other teams butt)" The Crusaders were slated to face the Bartow Generals Saturday for the last game of the regular season but that has been scrapped." Can't let those poor home schooled bible boys be beat by a girl!

There is just so much wrong with this. Could it be illegal in a post title Nine world? What year is this, and what the hell is this American Taliban doing thriving in the land of strip malls and traffic jams that is Metro Atlanta. Are we not fighting a couple of wars over this sort of thing, as I type??  Now, you just KNOW that these parents will ALL be voting PROUDLY for McCain-Palin. It is fine to have a woman as VP or POTUS, but not a kicker on a children's football team? Maybe poor Kacy just is not as pretty as Governor Palin.. not BABE enough for the red meat eaters.

BOO!

RACHELMAINIA!

From the NYT Sunday Magazine. I just don't think I can love her any more than I do. Well, maybe if she would just haul off and smack Pat one of these nights, but that really is much more me than her. The fact that the two of them sit together so much, in a post speech-of-92 world says volumes! 

First B.C.S. of the year

( and note to the stupid AJC, just print the list along with your story!!!! )
BCS Standings
1. Texas 7-0
2. Alabama 7-0
3. Penn State 8-0
4. Oklahoma 6-1
5. USC 5-1
6. Oklahoma State 7-0
7. Georgia 6-1
8. Texas Tech 7-0
9. Ohio State 7-1
10. Florida 5-1
11. Utah 8-0
12. Boise State 6-0
13. LSU 5-1
14. TCU 7-1
15. Missouri 5-2
16. South Florida 6-1
17. Pitt 5-1
18. Georgia Tech 6-1
19. Tulsa 7-0
20. Ball State 7-0

Tampa v Philadelphia

What an exciting ending to a series. Bases loaded, bottom of the eighth.. struck him out. RAYS WIN. Yes, indoor baseball makes the baby Jesus cry, but come on you have got to love this LOW PAID team. Take that evil empire!

I will miss watching Boston though. Just let me say that five of the prettiest words in the English language are : Jason Varitek in High Def

all Mavericky on yer' ass....

“I feel like I’m at home,” Ms. Palin said, looking out at a boisterous crowd of about 6,000. “I see the Carhartts and the steel-toed boots,” she said, the first reference being to a clothing brand favored by construction workers and the burly types who make up much of the “Sarah Dude” population.....In that case, Governor Palin would love most Leather Bars on any given Saturday night.

" The Dudes love Sarah!" . So say's the NYT today.

At last , butch gun lovin',beer drinkin',  Nascar watchin' America has its candidate, at least for two more weeks. At long last a person running for National office does not have to butch down to the public, they can be as rowdy and testosterone filled as they want to be, and the crowds love it. It just took a woman to have the cojones to do it.

I find this fascinating. I grew up with these guys. Men who have never once watched Meet the Press , and are not at all sure who George Stephanopoulos is. Not that they are , on whole, stupid, just guys who view the world from a totally different place. "Name a newspaper that you read" asked Katie Couric....... these guys don't read newspapers either. A match made in Heaven. All the so called smart conservatives are rats leaving the ship in droves, but the dudes have no idea who Peggy Noonan is, and for them the NRO is as far away from them as the moon.

Sarah Palin as the MAD MEN candidate! It's fine to call her hot! It's fine to think she is " a babe!" These guys ( and there are some women) hate Senator Hillary Clinton, on 3000 levels, but for the most part this stems from TOTALLY not understanding her. Sarah is NOT from the feminist 60's, all Wellesley ( the dudes have NO IDEA what this is.. they just know its NOT them..) and ball snipping. She is one of them... wet t-shirts in the white house and all. Like I said, I grew up with these guys.... and am DAMN happy that there are not enough of them to elect this Yeti to the White House. So, no dipping at Cabinet meetings....

Who's afraid of the B.C.S. ?

 The first BCS rankings of the year come out tomorrow.

Georgia squeeked by Vandy today to win it's Homecoming game. We were number 10 in last weeks AP poll. The only team in that poll that lost this week, was #9, BYU, so we can at least expect to be #9. BUT! you can never ever tell what WHIZZO the magical BCS computer is going to spit out. It really does not take almost losing ( Georgia AND Alabama today...). Our two biggest games of the season are coming up in the next two weeks, LSU and thehatedgators. I think it will help us that our only loss is to the #2 team in the country, unless they drop cause they almost loss to Ole Miss today, except Ole Miss beat the #5 hatedgators, but then why are we so far behind Florida if we loss to the #2 team and they loss to unranked OLE MISS. It can just make your head spin. 

SoCal went all BCS-crazy on poor Washington State today, running up the score to 69 to nothing, thinking that will give them more in tomorrows poll. There are still upcoming games that can and should help us out. Let's just hope for the best for the next two weeks. AND, SEC on CBS has TWO games next weekend, also hope that the local CBS station picks OURS! 

Dinner

Arroz con Pollo w/chorizo

Chicken and rice with Chorizo sausage.

This is an easy , very economical, one pot dinner.

• Chicken , dark meat works best, legs thighs, but a whole chicken, cut up is fine , too
• Chorizo, this is a dried Goya product, look for it with the pepperoni in the store (can be left out.. but adds good flavor)
• Veggies: onion, carrot, celery, garlic - you can also use any color bell pepper and I would have used a hot pepper if I had one...
• 14oz can tomatoes with chilies ( or just plain tomatoes)
• chicken stock, one can ( you can use two cans or veggie stock or wine or just water or any combo that you want , a total 3 1/3 cup
•  2 pks - Carolina brand saffron yellow rice mix. This is where I cheat, you could get all these spices etc, BUT, this costs 79 cents, and works really well. If you use regular rice, adjust the seasonings and water to match.
• vegetable oil 
• green olives and lime to garnish

1. wash , dry and season (salt,pepper, old bay) chicken. Just legs works great, legs and thighs, what ever...
2. chop veggies
3. heat oil, about a quarter inch...brown chicken, well...
4. pour off almost all of the oil, leaving any brown bits that stick, add Chorizo, cook for a couple of min
5. add veggies, again, cook for a few min
6. add rice, toss in veggie and oil to toast a little bit, then add tomatoes, cook a bit
7. add liquid, bring to rolling boil, stir well, add chicken back, cover , lower heat...
8. cook for about 20 min or so, scape the bottom of the pan a few times, I take the lid off half way through.. just cooks better
9. add olives and lime, can so be left off. Cover and let rest for a while...
10. ENJOY!

100,000 STRONG

GO YOU HAIRY ICONS

NOT FAIR..

Well sure, in the over all big picture it is all good, but for a pouty Dawg fan in Upstate New York it is just not right. I'm sitting here watching what was in the past UGA's two most hated teams play, ( Georgia Tech v ClemPson ) while GEORGIA is playing the surging Vandy's 'Tween the Hedges. 

At least we are on TV the next two weeks, BUT lets face it, its MUCH more fun to watch a VANDY game than an LSU (x) or the hatedgators......

HAPPY HOMECOMING!

This from today's Athens Newspaper: "Thieves damaged a fence to get into an outdoor storage area at Perry's convenience store, 1195 Cedar Shoals Road, between 6:30 p.m. Monday and 10:30 p.m. Wednesday and stole 10 kegs of beer with a total value of $5,000, police said."

Now we here at the kyle+blog in no way condone stealing kegs of beer, BUT, that is going to be one fun Homecoming party! Ummm... not real hard for the valiant Athens PD to find out who stole these.. I am guessing there will be LOTS of cars....

( this is a pic of the 1962 HCQ and the then Uga.)

rocking out ,18th century style

OK, so it turns out that organs are for more than a little "Love Lifted Me" on Sunday Morning and some 7th inning stretching at the ball park. This is some serious complex stuff, and we were at the epicenter of the pipe organ universe tonight! ( who even knew there was such a thing as a pipe organ universe??) We were invited to the Inaugural Concert of the giant new "old" organ at Christ Episcopal Church in downtown Rochester .

There were people from all over the world at this concert , all fired up about this. I was hanging out with the Lithuanian Ambassador to the United States, and by hanging out, I mean under the same roof in a very large room, but still , Jonas and I are tight. ( not a clue where Lithuania is...) There was a young lady in front of me writing like mad in her pipe organ journal in Chinese! Lots of Germans, guess they are big on organs.

The Craighead-Saunders organ is an exact copy of a 1776 organ that is , I guess, in Lithuania. So, it's part music program, and part history of music program. Some tall bearded German told us all about it, strong accent, so really all I got is that this is the only one in North America like this . The music that we heard was as close as they can get to what music sounded like in 1776. Which if you think about it is very cool, hearing things just as George and Martha ,kicked back with some ale , listened to. It was a very enjoyable night.

all good things.....

Looks like our amazing run of Indian Summer weather is coming to an end. We are getting our first hard freeze tomorrow night. It has been fun while it lasted. Now comes the raking!

Like we ever needed MORE reasons to hate Tech....

From the MOMania column in todays AJC:

Ga. Tech beats UGA for family-friendly football experience
Free ticket giveaways, a fantastic fanfest for the kids and less rowdy fans all equal a winning day for families at the Tech game.
By Theresa Walsh Giarrusso | Thursday, October 16, 2008, 07:00 AM
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Ga. Tech may lose to the University of Georgia at a lot of sports, but those Jackets win year after year at hosting the easiest, cheapest, most fun college football experience for families.
I’ve taken all three kids to both schools for game days, and despite being a University of Georgia graduate and a Bulldog fan, I have to say Ga. Tech is by far the more family-friendly experience. Plus, this year Tech is actually winning with their new coach!

OK, I should start this by saying that everytime I see someone with a tiny baby at a UGA game on TV I yell "wasted ticket". Sure bring the kiddies to band day or homecoming, BUT a four year old at at Auburn Game , in Athens ? 

But, lets examine a few of Mrs. Walsh-Giarrusso's points:

1) TRAFFIC AND PARKING- done and done.. Sucks in Athens on a Saturday, but that is because people with out small kids want to be there!

2) TICKETS - " wow, at Georgia Tech THEY GIVE THEM AWAY, in Athens you have to give them a healthy kidney, not some Jim Beam soaked " I saw Herschel play kidney", but a good one to get a ticket. At Tech they are free when you supersize your chic-fil-a.

3)FAMILY EVENTS CLOSE BY - I lived in midtown for many many years, LOTS of family events go on there! Some for as little as 10$ !  ( 4th and Juniper for the 10$ ones fellas)

4) the STANDS - I quote: "because Tech’s stadium isn’t usually filled to capacity, it is very easy for families to spread out. We sat in the top deck and had plenty of room." Enough said

5)THE FANS-  her kiddies saw drunk college kids! Yes, that is what one does on a football Saturday when you did not make a perfect score on your math s.a.t's.

My rule of thumb, leave the tiny ones at home..... now, once they get that learners license, it changes everything. " Little Erk, drive daddy home!"

How I spent the debate.

Sure, Beth and Butler and everyone down in Atlanta were whooping it up at the Democratic stronghold that is Manuel's. They drank beer, I colored. Its what I do, I always have, ( don't you judge me) ...somewhere in this is McCain's anger.

He is very famous!

The Real Joe-the-plumber. Start the 15 minute clock. He is kind of cute to, someone find out if he is single....HA! I had no idea what this guy looked like when I just googled plumber to get a generic pic. Look at that icon and then this guy.. too darn funny. 

LIVE FROM MANUEL's

Its Beth Day! ( and posse) 

Much more fun was had in the Highlands of Atlanta than in Mendon.

Debate Three, the gloves come off....

and we got to see all the Liver Spots.......

Senator McCain came out all piss and vinegar, and did land some blows on the first question. Went quickly down hill from there. No minds were changed tonight, at least not for McCain. All anyone is talking about is Joe the freaking plumber, when the dow tanked again today. Not to smart .

John McCain came off as out of control, again. Exactly what people DO NOT want in the coming depression. I say I am not going to watch the post debate spin, but I always do. Tonight feeling more masochistic that usual, I did the Fox News thing, Carl Rove and Mitt Romney, EVEN they had a hard time letting the bs fly.

The edge of the seat moment was not the Bill Ayres moment, BUT, when Pres...err.. Senator Obama was asked about Governor Palin. " Is she ready to be President?" He could have fallen off his chair, rolling on the floor laughing, BUT, he so took the high road. It is called PRESIDENTIAL.

One of , if not the worst part for McCain, was him putting air quotes around the word HEALTH when it comes to women and abortion , it looks even worse in playback. That one will come back to bite him in the ass, hope his 5000 per entire family insurance covers it.

AND THE WINNER IS:

A plumber in Oxnard,  California who owns the web site : JOE THE PLUMBER. 

just think about it, please

the world is watching...

This is from an al Jezeera news report. This is what the rest of the world sees in us. "Why do the wrong people travel, when the right ones stay at home..."

and where McCain/Palin ( and Bush) have taken the country....

McUGA

The University of Georgia has now got its own tartan! 
 From today's RED AND BLACK! ( yes, the RED AND BLACK!!!) "With the registration of the University's own tartan design by The Scottish Tartan Authority, students, sports fans and Bulldog wannabes can experience tradition through fashion." 

McWOOF, WOOF, WOOF....

Fall Color in Mendon

That internet phenomenon that has swept the nation!

you know it, you love it, you have all begged for more: DOG WITH STICK!

A Full Minute With Pookie

YES, WE CARVE!

PUMPKINS FOR OBAMA!

we don't need no education

Or as I keep telling my very good pal Mark Richt, Less Jesus, more football.. ( leave the face masks alone!)

Parts of the right wing bloggesphere went ballistic yesterday because Senator Barack Obama did the heretical thing of putting the BARACK OBAMA flag on par with OLD GLORY! That evil Arab was spitting on the American Flag. I am not going to link to the site where I read this , because I don't want the smell on my blog, or to show up on google searches for them. But just google OBAMA FLAG Ohio. ( and for any that don't know, that is the Ohio State flag...)

You just can not make this stuff up. 

Joe Six Pack

Governor Palin's favorite boys in Ohio give there take:

ummmm..... didn't we fight that whole cold war thing over this?

From the Washington Post, via Huffington Post: U.S. Forces Nine Major Banks To Accept Partial Nationalization. This is a Republican President doing this. Were this Bill Clinton or Barack Obama, the wing nuts would be insanely up in arms.

Socialism: a theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole.

Hey, I'm not saying this is a bad thing, but I do think that SOMEONE needs to explain it better to the American people. I mean, it sounds like something that happens in small South American Companies.. " they have Nationalized the banks......." 

Maybe the part of that sentence that is so scary is FORCES. Also, and again, this is speaking from little or no knowledge, but, if the tax payers are buying into these banks to save Wallstreet ( biggest dow jump ever...) isn't this the people taking on all the losses and getting none of the pay-offs? 

hate the sin, love the sinner

Ok, so far today, I have posted the ClemPson Paw and the old Gator logo, and now this.
I don't care for USC, they get to make their own rules as the darlings of the AP and Coaches polls. Can pretty much do no wrong, BUT , at least some of them are on the side of good! These are buttons being passed out at this weeks Homecoming Game : Beat Prop 8 and the Huskies!

GO TROJANS ( at least the ones wearing these buttons)

The wrath of the Nation....

I can handle it. I am rooting for Tampa Bay to win it all. DESPITE the fact they play indoors. I was in Atlanta the years that we went worst to first and it was the most fun the city ever had..well, the day we WON the Olympics was more fun, but those early World Series were more fun than the actual games. Let's share the baseball love and let another town have all the fun...

So, I am rooting for the (now) RAYS, but DAMN, Boston is NOT making it easy to NOT root for them. I LOVE ME SOME KEVIN!

Sunshine in the Sunshine State

I guess I have not been paying attention as closely as I should have , cause I missed this one all together : John McCain's plunging poll numbers in Florida have top Republicans second-guessing and starting to distance themselves from the campaign. My ex-exboyfriendandrewsullivan is claiming that the McCain Camp ( they have their OWN covered wagons... he is old... so old....) is all but conceding Florida to Obama.
Let's just vote tomorrow instead of in a few weeks.. We have all had enough time...

don't let the door knob...

Tommy Bowden out as Clemson coach
Just take your FOUR MILLION dollars and hit the road, go back down to Florida, take your daddy's job, he is like 120 years old now. So long, it's been good to know you...

Paul gets his Nobel on....

Congrats to my close personal friend Dr. Paul Krugman for winning the NOBEL PRIZE  in Economic Science ! Are you listening, Barack???

the lords day....

Man, the weather again. Just over the top chamber of commerce these last few days. Everyone up here is a little scared we will be paying for this soon.. glass half full! Went to church this morning so Amanda could film us being good Episcopalians. Interviewed some St. John's folks and Dahn, who as always was fantastic! I think Amanda got all she needed. She interviewed me tonight, I'm not sure how it came off, I seemed unfocused.( could have been the gin) But, in reality, I am sort of over the whole homo's in church brew-ha-ha. Sit in the pews with the gays, don't sit in the pews with the gays, but for all that will ever be Holy, decide already...

On the way home we stopped and took some beautiful fall foliage type shots then stopped off for PUMPKINS, turns out the farm stand lady was having a half price sell! I think the heat is keeping people from buying their Jack-O-Lanterns! I made us a very fallish dinner, Pork Roast, sweet potatoes, acorn squash, green beans, brown rice. Settled in to watch Man Men, and now off to bed.

Georgia 26 - Tennessee 14

Ugly win... blah blah blah. 

Come on guys , I sat through the dark ages when the hated Rocky Tops OWNED us for year after year after year after year. Peyton leading the band and all of that... SO, an ugly win is still very much a win.

Too bad about Vandy, I was so hoping for them to be undefeated next weekend , but this way we wont feel so bad beating them.

 Such a beautiful day up here with LOTS of good food at our tailgate. We won, life is good..

 GO DAWGS

Indian Summer

It has just been crazy pretty up here the past few days. Warm sunny days, chilly crystal clear nights. We need to enjoy it while we can....

A Gameday Good Morning..

From the blog: Catfish and Cornbread... on Earth as it is in Georgia: ( per B.Day special to the kyle+blog)

Greatest headline in the history of sports journalism...

"On the eve of the UGA/South Carolina game 41 years ago, I was hanging out with three of my fraternity brothers (the Hound, Tex, and Bake), drinking a few cold PBRs at the old Callaway Gardens Apartment on the Atlanta Highway. We were discussing the upcoming game against the Gamecocks and lamenting the fact that we were going in with several key players out with injuries, including our starting DE, Billy Payne and his roommate, MLB, Happy Dicks. ( continue reading here...)

word of the day : COGNIZABLE

 A non event.

The Connecticut Supreme Court has ruled 4-3 in favor of eight gay couples who sued on the grounds that the state's 2005 civil unions law did not provide equal protection under its constitution. Explode all you want , gay left, over what Gavin Newsome said, BUT he was right. The Connecticut Court used VERY strong language:

We conclude that, in light of the history of pernicious discrimination faced by gay men and lesbians, and because the institution of marriage carries with it a status and significance that the newly created classification of civil unions does not embody, the segregation of heterosexual and homosexual couples into separate institutions constitutes a cognizable harm.

How else would my people celebrate?  A SHOW TUNE!

<

My life in film.

Our sweet little NYU film student is coming back into the picture today. Amanda is coming to Mendon! Should be on the train now. 

Let's hope that she has , at least once in her life, been exposed to a Southern football game. If not, she can go to deviled egg-ed, pimento cheesed, beer soaked class tomorrow. She is coming to film us as: "The Good Episcopalian Gay Couple. " Gosh darn it, just like everyone else!....Ummmm. Guess, I should not tell her about the Vandy over Georgia Baptism on a bet.

( that is NOT my cake.. I just found the pic)

Dow 7000.....

Like I have any clue what exactly that means , but I can understand that it is , well, not a good thing. People are scared, people are confused and for GOOD reason. If ever we have needed real leadership it is today. I'm sure the damn thing will close above 7000 at days end, but to see the stock market of the United States cut in half , in about a week, is like I said, scary.

What is also scary is the fact that McCain Palin are doing NOTHING at all except screaming Bill Ayers, Bill Ayers, Bill Ayers. Are these two people - and this entire party - SO morally bankrupt that all they can do , in this time of real crisis,( not some made up Carl Rove, LEVEL ORANGE crisis), are they so out of touch with the American Peoples needs, so blinded by gross ambition that all they can do is fling poo? These next 25 days can not go by fast enough.

Not morally bankrupt but the real thing: The entire country of Iceland went bankrupt yesterday. What on Earth does that even mean? Did people there get up, eat their ice and seal meat breakfast and go off to work and school? How does a country go bankrupt? 

From the I've-got-friends-in-high-places file. (This one is a real head scratcher.) So, the basis of all this panic we are dealing with is the fact that there is this credit crunch, due to the entire country thinking they had to have a bathroom as big as what used to be a family of four house, and then could not pay their mortgage. No credit to be had any more ever. Double secret probation for you all... UNLESS you are the Republican Party! 

Bankrupt Wachovia lends Republicans $8 million

"The National Republican Congressional Committee, trailing its Democratic counterpart considerably in cash on hand, has secured an $8 million loan to spend on House races during the last few weeks of the campaign, according to sources. The NRCC reported $14.4 million in cash on hand as of Aug. 31, compared to $54 million in the bank for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. As it did last cycle, the NRCC is procuring its loan from Wachovia Bank, sources confirmed." 

It's good to be the King.

Lions of the Serengeti

Chinese for breakfast....

So, our country has been borrowing from the Chinese  for years to sort of "paper over" all the economic problems that we have been having. More, more, more, and maybe the chickens are coming home to roost. As western markets crash, some very smart looking guy on C-span just told us that China is sitting on close to TWO TRILLION liquid cash dollars, just circling, waiting for our markets to hit rock bottom and swoop in and go on an all you can buy Chinese Buffet. Meaning that those  oh so retro fears of the Japanese owing the US in the 80's were not so wrong, just the wrong Asian country.....䜲䝒䝑

put on your yarmukle it's time for.....

THE OBAMICA!

Just in time for the highest of high holy days! Atone in style tonight!

TWO things about that ONE

9%

Nine percent of Americans think that " we are on the right track / satisfied with the way things are going" - the lowest it has ever been in the history of the Gallup Poll. Really? I just have to wonder who and where these nine percent are?  Words are being tossed around that belong in movies. " Depression" , " Bank Failure" on and on. 

Something that has struck me as slightly odd over the last few days and then again last night: Other than Ben Bernanke ALL the rest of the high up muckity mucks that are " fixing the economy" are PART of the problem. They were all part of some failed Wall Street Firm. Let's don't turn to them for the solution. Let's turn to an ECONOMIST , someone who sees it as a science, NOT as a way to get a 35 million dollar apartment on Park Ave and a mega mansion in Greenwich. So, when the two candidates were asked last night, who they would pick as the new Secretary of the Treasury, I wish Senator Obama would have said that. ( and Warren - Warren? - is to old , although if the US Govt had been tied with Berkshire Hathaway, we would, I guess, all be sitting pretty....)

The second thing, and this is where things just go into Rod Serling territory, The hard core Racists who, due to the economy will have to hold their vile little inbred noses and vote for Senator Obama. My ex-exboyfrinedandrewsullivan has this to say this morning: 

 An Obama supporter, who canvassed for the candidate in the working-class, white Philadelphia neighborhood of Fishtown recently, sends over an account that, in various forms, I've heard a lot in recent weeks.
"What's crazy is this," he writes. "I was blown away by the outright racism, but these folks are f***ing undecided. They would call him a n----r and mention how they don't know what to do because of the economy."

"Racism is a luxury that, at this point, a lot of white voters can ill-afford. I think a crucial number of them know that." Bless their little hearts........

clear clear clear winner

I do not like the "TOWN HALL" format of a debate, even though the questions tonight were pretty spot on, but you know, the last time that the entire country was this focused on one subject was September 12, 2001.

Why on Earth did Senator McCain fight so for this type of setting? HE SUCKED! He looked like some old dottering man, " for goodness sake, Grandpa, close your robe". He needed to sit down and listen to what Senator Obama was saying. He has the body movements of a 72 year old man. Nothing wrong with that, but, is it what we want as a leader? Everyone is jumping all over the THAT ONE comment as being , at least , a little bit racist. I thought that the MUCH greater moment of stupidity and , well, racism was him saying to the young African American guy that " well, you don't know what or who ever Frannie and Freddie are" Cause black folks ain't got the cable or de newspapers...

What are the crowd over at FOX and Drudge and the right wing wackos going to say about Sentor McCain wanting to have bail out deux, the second round. An extra 300 Billion program to go along with that first 700 billion.... Hail Comrade. Also, why did John and Cindiiiii leave the hall with the Obama's still shaking hands and taking pictures and all? That just looked, odd.  

COME ONE PEOPLE, There is SO one so impossibly clear choice. Senator Barack Obama was spot on all night long. He gave real answers, to the questions that were asked. 

ALSO ,how much of a coward, how much of a ... well pussy, do you have to be to send out Sarah Palin every day for the last week and call Barack Obama a terrorist. She is rilling up crowds of carnivores into such frenzies that youtube is full of "KILL HIM", and "TERRORIST". But, when you are face to face with the man that your people have been doing nothing but pure trashing for the past few days, YOU do not have the ... guts? balls? courage? to say any of the things that Governor Palin has been saying. Makes you look weak.

The bottom line is Barack Obama is the future and John McCain is the past. He had a good run, but his time is up. Go to one of those many houses with your lovely family and spend some of that beer money. Senator Obama has real work to do.

lions and tigers and .....

OH MY!

Run, Pookie, Run

Darn good for a dog close to SEVENTEEN years old!

it's a beautiful day..

First frost was last night, this far north we have to enjoy these Indian Summer days to their fullest. That white iris is blooming across the street in a park. I don't know if it was the frost or just the flower, but it is a translucent bloom, looks very ghostly! Perfect for October.

E.R.M. is rolling in his grave.

This story is all over the internets , for everyone to see the full blown outragiouness of the McCain/Palin crowd:
CLEARWATER -- Constantly under the watchful eyes of security, the media wasn't permitted to wander around inside Coachman Park to talk to Sarah Palin supporters. When reporters tried to leave the designated press area and head toward the bleachers where the crowd was seated, an escort would dart out of nowhere and confront him or her and say, "Can I help you?'' and turn the person around.
When one reporter asked an escort, who would not give her name, why the press wasn't allowed to mingle, she said that in the past, negative things had been written. The campaign wanted to avoid that possibility Monday.

" Can I help you?"

"Yes, brown shirt, move your polyester ass so I can do my job!" What is up with this

NOT LETTING the press talk so people. Barge your way through, go all Sam Donaldson on

them and just start yelling questions. Show some backbone!

10 - 6 - 08, 11:30 pm

Had to wear a coat and hat  for the first time this season to take Koda for his nightly spin around Mendon! 33 degrees for the low... 

what those MAD MEN were doing....

AMC's MAD MEN is the best show to be on tv in a long time! The first MUST SEE TV that I've had in forever. ( thank you Harry! ) You SO can not figure out where they are going with story lines, that and the fear of someone losing an eye any minute to a very pointed boob. If you are not watching it FIND IT.

This is a link that Andy posted today, its what those mad men were up too. VERY funny/interesting stuff. A couple over the top creepy, all real.

Happy Monday

World Markets Plunge On Crisis Fears.

Gee, what would happen if you gave someone 700 billion dollars and , you know, they put it up their nose instead of buying milk for their baby? 

" or I'll lend you mine "

 Twenty Nine Days.

Can anyone even remember when we were NOT in this election cycle? What is that Chinese curse: " May you live in interesting times?" I would so choose slow and dull,but that is just me.

Senator McCain and Sarah-get-your-gun are out on the trail throwing everything AND the kitchen sink at Senator Obama, the things some people will do to win. It is getting to the point where it is just unseemly, That coming from a die hard Clintonista, who you know, are known for that. My brand new , close to all consuming pet peeve is journalistic passivism. I guess it was triggered by the usually wonderful Gwin Ifill the other night. 

Why?  Why on so called news shows, are talking heads, from EITHER SIDE, allowed to come on and just spew forth! No , follow up, no "prove it" , no questions. Is it the fault of the bloggers/internets? Here we can say ANYTHING AT ANYTIME, but this is pure opinion, not even anything close to facts here. Is it the fault of news shows having to be entertainment, keep it moving , keep it happy, go go go go, unbutton one more button on that blouse, bigger hair!

I can understand that in a post GWB world the news organizations are afraid of going to far on either side, because they will be frozen out of the white house, but so what? 

ASK QUESTIONS ! Demand that Governor Palin do a press conference, OR do not follow her campaign anymore. You have a choice , Senator McCain, Gov. Palin does an hour with Barbara Walters, or you get news blackout.

 I read the somewhere the other day that a political campaign is a VERY extended job interview. SO, who gets to walk into an interview and tell you future employer which questions he is to ask OR which ones you will answer. Demand the truth about Senator McCain's health, he as seemed very erratic lately, and we as his future employers need to know. Ask a question, and wait for an answer. What a concept.

B.Day has her own " LITTLE STARBURST" Moment

Rich Lowry, an editor at The Nationl Review, ( for those that don't know -the most conservative of conservative magazines and websites ) had this to say post debate:
"I'm sure I'm not the only male in America who, when Palin dropped her first wink, sat up a little straighter on the couch and said, "Hey, I think she just winked at me." And her smile. By the end, when she clearly knew she was doing well, it was so sparkling it was almost mesmerizing. It sent little starbursts through the screen and ricocheting around the living rooms of America. This is a quality that can't be learned; it's either something you have or you don't, and man, she's got it."

This is a pic of B.Day at Manuel's the other night, watching Mrs Palin sending out those starbursts. Looks like love to me... I'm sure it was the third wink that put her over!

S.E.C. still rules !

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

A great link to upcoming games,
OK, we beat the sad Tennessee Vols this week, Vandy Beats Mississippi State. I am working on a way to get Georgia - Vandy in two weeks to be two TOP TEN teams....

Gameday at Vanderbilt

OK, the BEST part of this video are the two co-eds who stumble out of bed and head to the site. THIRTY minutes later! Come on this is Vandy, hair and make up count!

1955.... NO MORE!

The last time that Vanderbilt beat Auburn. The 1955 Gator Bowl in Jacksonville. Sure, some folks are not going to like this.. but GO VANDY! And come on AU, once every 53 years!

THAT WAS S.E.C FOOTBALL! HOW BOUT THEM 'DORES!!  14 -13.... I AM WORRIED ABOUT US! What a great program. Sorry AU... but those guys were just having TOO much fun. Wait till Monday... Vandy #10!

Take Notes UGA, THAT is how you handle being down in the first Quarter! I am in love with this team.

SOME ORGAN

"The Craighead-Saunders Organ is the result of a six-year international research project on the processes of 18th centuary organ building and is a reconstruction of Adam Gottlob Casparini's 1776 organ, built during the Enlightenment Era in Europe, for the Holy Ghost Church in Vilnius , Lithuania. This two -manual thirty three stop 1776 recreation will undoubtedly renew organ music perspectives and appreciation to all of North America."

It's big! We had to go to some sort of swearing in this morning at Christ Church in downtown Rochester. I had not seen the organ in a few months. It just looks amazing. It is a project of the Eastman School of Music here in Rochester and the church is darn lucky to have it. After the service we got a tour of the workings . It really is built like a 1776 organ. It works with GIANT pumps!  We went back there and pumped them! If the electricity goes out, it still works! 

Fall at Last...

and Koda swims...

WE ❤ the Gays!

"Nina, Stop!" 

That was more than a little bit shocking ( in a dancing in the streets wonderful way) last night to have Senator Biden AND ( AND ) Governor Palin falling all over themselves to love the gays! What a long strange trip this has been. I think Joe Biden said it, because it is what he believes, BUT, Why Governor " say-it-ain't-so, Joe" Palin?? Her bread and butter is hating us...... 

BIDEN: "Absolutely. Do I support granting same-sex benefits? Absolutely positively. Look, in an Obama-Biden administration, there will be absolutely no distinction from a constitutional standpoint or a legal standpoint between a same-sex and a heterosexual couple.

The fact of the matter is that under the Constitution we should be granted -- same-sex couples should be able to have visitation rights in the hospitals, joint ownership of property, life insurance policies, et cetera. That's only fair.

It's what the Constitution calls for. And so we do support it. We do support making sure that committed couples in a same-sex marriage are guaranteed the same constitutional benefits as it relates to their property rights, their rights of visitation, their rights to insurance, their rights of ownership as heterosexual couples do."

PALIN:"...If there's any kind of suggestion at all from my answer that I would be anything but tolerant of adults in America choosing their partners, choosing relationships that they deem best for themselves, you know, I am tolerant and I have a very diverse family and group of friends and even within that group you would see some who may not agree with me on this issue, some very dear friends who don't agree with me on this issue."

But then again, tolerant could just mean," We are going to burn them at the stake fast, instead of slow...."

damn you , President Karzai!

He was the only square I needed last night to get my PALIN bingo!

New York, New York, a hell of a town..

We had a big ole storm in NYC Wednesday night and knocked out Harry's wireless, so , i could not post BUT, a unlike that falling tree, fun was had without blogging!

We were all a little fuzzy Wednesday morning... we saw in the Jewish New Year with several bangs.. or was that shots. Harry had to go back to work and Neil and I went over to Time Square to hit the TKTS for a matinee. 

YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN. Very funny, very BIG.. lots and lots going on, things go up and down, explode, big big cast. All singing, all dancing, big big show. Sort of the exact opposite of Gypsy that we say the night before. I'm sticking with Patti, but Young Frankenstein was fun. That was my very first matinee musical. I had been to some straight plays on Wednesday afternoons, but never a musical. Wow, the average age was three days older than Baseball. John McCain would have been the whippersnapper. The Hilton Theater is a BIG place, with a very low slope going down to the stage. The most heard comment of the day was " watch your step"/ " do you need help" Old people are fun.

After the show we went down to one of my favorite little shops but what I wanted had gone off sale! , and I am Mr Thrift. It was starting to rain, So, we just went back to Brooklyn, swung by the fablous new Trader Joe's and got some dinner for me to cook. Stayed in, watched our stories. 

Woke up this morning to FALL!  The temp dropped like 20 degress over night. Bright and sunny, a lovely train ride out of Grand Central and then a drive home through the Leather Stocking and all... 

VERY VERY VERY HAPPY TO BE HOME, as always.

BIDEN V PALIN

( we will be going back to the New York trip soon... BUT, it "IT" just ended....
Let's just start off by saying how insanely jealous I was of Beth and Butler ( and their Cobb County Posse) who were watching it at Manuel's in Atlanta! That would have been a blast ( for those that don't know it is a crazy Democratic Bar in the Highlands in Atlanta)
She did not start a fire on the set and run off screaming. and AND AND, If she winked one more time, Neil was going to have me committed. She did not come off as just a DUMB woman, like she so was with Katie Couric, but she came off as a silly, totally pandering person. A little bit better, I guess. It did not matter what the question was.... she was going to spout what ever talking point she had memorized.
MORE POWER FOR THE VICE PRESIDENT?
All the early polls are saying Biden won. Even well rehearsed, she is still very out of her league.
Somebody is going to have to explain what was up with Gwen Ifill.
No, wait... In watching some reviews on tv and some youtube posted here..... she is HORRIBLE. I think that everyone watching this was just waiting to see if she did just flat fall on here face. When she did not, we were all a little bit surprised. The surprise is wearing off, she was a blathering idot.

GYPSY!

What a wonderful, wonderful day. Capped off by seeing Patti Lapone in Gypsy. Can not say enough good things about it, other that I was darn lucky to get to see her in this role! More later on, sleepy now.... I LOVE NEW YORK!

"No matter how long you live, you'll never see a more exciting production."
-Terry Teachout, The Wall Street Journal

"LuPone brings unassailable talent and showbiz genius.
What a role - and what a musical!"
-Clive Barnes, New York Post