obama & me...

i'm sure some people reading my entries may have questions about my views of Sen. Obama and the people i've mentioned in various posts about Mr. Obama's campaign/history. i supported Mr. Obama in his bid for the U.S. Senate and was familiar with his work through my own work before retiring, as I was with Rev. Wright, Rev. Meeks and Father Pfleger. i have met David Axelrod* as well as a number of the other Chicago personnel in Obama's campaign through various ways both in political, work, or social instances. with the exception of Rev. Wright, whom I admired greatly, i found all of the rest to be carpetbaggers, eager to take advantage for their own purposes and aggrandizement.

it all boils down to trust for me. i have little with Mr. Obama.

there are three reasons. first, i was at a rally after he was elected to the U.S. Senate when he was asked if he would complete his six-year term. he promised that he would. of course, the thought at the time was that he would run for governor of Illinois because so many people in the state don't like Gov. Blagojevich. one year later, he announced for president. in addition, in an interview with his wife, she said that they had talked it over and decided that this would be the only chance he could have in running for president. why? this makes no sense. he's only 47-years old.

second, he has said nothing with substance about how he intends to do what he promises. he has no record to stand on either in the Illinois or U.S. Senates. he used his organizing expertise to further his own ambitions and said it was for the people. have doubts? ask State Senator Alice Palmer. Wikipedia and other sites say that he succeeded Sen. Palmer, the incumbent. actually, he challenged every nomination signature that she and the three others running for the office had, forcing them completely off of the ballot. that's the Chicago way of politics. check out this article from the Chicago Tribune - Obama knows his way around a ballot

finally, along the same lines but interpreting it as experience, what background and understanding does he have of how the federal government works. he promises to bring change to how Washington operates, but if you don't know how it already does, how can you make revisions. just ask Jimmy Carter...

the United States is in the biggest mess of its history, save the Civil War. Teapot Dome was a circus. the Depression was a walk in the park.

the Tsar has almost single-handedly brought the country to the brink of disaster economically, politically, internationally...

it's going to take more than words and present votes to bring us back from this perifery.

i don't believe Mr. Obama has it right just yet, but...

i'm always just asking...



[*a little known tidbit to go along with the previous post: David Axelrod, Obama's Communications Director, has been working on a documentary about Father Pfleger for the last few years. a coincidence? perhaps...]

and the reaction from Pfelger's boss..

Cardinal Francis George said Friday he deeply regrets the Rev. Michael Pfleger's videotaped "personal attack" on Hillary Clinton -- and has received assurances from the firebrand priest that he won't campaign for or publicly mention any candidate by name.

George, the head of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago, issued a written statement taking the St. Sabina pastor to task for mocking Clinton during a Sunday address at Trinity United Church of Christ -- home church of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

"The Catholic Church does not endorse political candidates," George said. "Consequently, while a priest must speak to political issues that are also moral, he may not endorse candidates nor engage in partisan campaigning.

"Racial issues are both political and moral and are also highly charged," he said.

"Words can be differently interpreted, but Father Pfleger's remarks about Senator Clinton are both partisan and amount to a personal attack. I regret that deeply.

"To avoid months of turmoil in the church, Fr. Pfleger has promised me that he will not enter into campaigning, will not publicly mention any candidate by name and will abide by the discipline common to all Catholic priests." Cardinal clamps down on Pfleger, Chicago Sun-Times, May 31, 2008

and this isn't the first time Cardinal George has had to do something like this with Pfleger.

Also, one of the ongoing battles that Pfleger has waged with Cardinal George [and previously Cardinal Bernardin] is over his tenure at St. Sabina. He has been there for over 20 years. Archdiocesan rules and procedures only allow a pastor to be in charge of a parish for ten years then he moves to another parish as pastor. Pfleger has continuously flaunted the rules and insisted that only he can run the parish. He has used tactics to remain that are, to say the least, not very Christian. It flies in the face of all the other pastors who obey the Cardinal and the rule.


AND NOW THIS:

From the New York times - Obama Quits His Church

Senator Barack Obama is ending his membership at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, a congregation he has belonged to for about two decades and one that had become a lightening rod in his Democratic presidential bid.

Mr. Obama informed his campaign advisers of his decision today, according to people familiar with the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak for the candidate. Mr. Obama is scheduled to explain his decision tonight in South Dakota.

mmmmmm?

kinda tough to argue with this one...

Indian Chief 'Two Eagles' was asked by a white government official, 'You have observed the white man for 90 years. You've seen his wars and his technological advances. You've seen his progress, and the damage he's done.'

The Chief nodded in agreement.

The official continued, 'Considering all these events, in your opinion, where did the white man go wrong?'

The Chief stared at the government official for over a minute and then calmly replied.

'When white man find land, Indians running it, no taxes, no debt, plenty buffalo, plenty beaver, clean water. Women did all the work. Medicine man free. Indian man spend all day hunting and fishing; all night having sex.'

Then the chief leaned back and smiled. Only white man dumb enough to think he could improve system like that.’


like i said, can't argue with this one...

weekender...

Some Days You Just Need Your Wife...




there is no other comment necessary...

Rev. Wright was tame to us in Chicago...

There was a large of brouhaha over the remarks made by Rev. Wright and all of the things that Mr. Obama had to do to extricate himself from the remarks to soothe nerves of white people and others. He, to those of us in Chicago, is something of an anomaly. He is a curmudgeonly old man who actually is lovable and has done a lot for the community.

There are others, however, who need to be watched. This has been making the rounds on Chicago news recently.



He is the Rev. Michael Pfleger. He has done things that are good for the community, but he has a certain brand of fire that more people here dislike than most others in the city.

Just today the ABC affiliate in Chicago tried to contact him for a comment on the above video. His spokesperson said that he was "recovering from a doctor's appointment."

huh? ever heard of someone recovering from just an appointment...?

Of course, Mr. Obama has, again, had to make a comment distancing himself from the man.

“As I have traveled this country, I’ve been impressed not by what divides us, but by all that that unites us. That is why I am deeply disappointed in Father Pfleger’s divisive, backward-looking rhetoric, which doesn’t reflect the country I see or the desire of people across America to come together in common cause,” Obama said in a statement… hotair.com

There is one other close religious advisor that Mr. Obama has - Illinois State Senator/Reverend James Meeks. He has actually kept his mouth closed and played a very careful game, to his credit, concerning national things, but as far as local he has attacked Mayor Daley racially and spouts off against gays as being an evil sickness. [not very christian, if you ask me, and i know you won't.]

For someone who said he had no religious affiliation until into adulthood, Mr. Obama sure has a way of picking 'em.

makes me wonder what kind of people he'll pick if he were to become president.

and the nightmares continue...

regarding gas prices.

Europe is worse than most places, but the price of gas itself is not the issue. In Paris, gas costs $5.54 per gallon. Of that, 70% is in taxes. That's $3.88!

The highest price is in Amsterdam at $6.48 per gallon.

The best? Caracas, Venezuela - are you ready? - 12¢ per gallon!

no, i have no intention of moving to Caracas. Hugo scares me more than the Tsar...
source: CNNMoney.com

what a crock...

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she will step in if necessary to make sure the presidential nomination fight between Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama does not reach the Democratic National Convention - though she believes it could be resolved as early as next week. (05-28) 20:17 PDT San Francisco Chronicle

Or else what?

This woman has done nothing to fulfill the promises she and other key Democrats made in November 2006. I don't think they ever meant to do it. It was all show to start a political move to attain power, not to accomplish the will of the people.

No matter who is the Democratic nominee, the first thing they should do is shake up the Congressional leadership and get rid of both Pelosi and Reid. They've been useless.

NYT and the Webb/Hagel GI Bill...

The New York Times hits the nail on the head with its editorial today - Mr. Bush and the G.I. Bill.

So lavish with other people’s sacrifices, so reckless in pouring the national treasure into the sandy pit of Iraq, Mr. Bush remains as cheap as ever when it comes to helping people at home.

The basic argument that he and Mr. McCain use is that with such a lavish gift of a college education, most service members will not re-enlist.

In fact, the Congressional Budget Office does predict that the number of re-enlistments will go down about 16%, BUT the CBO also predicts that the number of new enlistments, given the education incentive of the Webb/Hagel bill, will increase about 16%! It would be a wash. Of course, to finish his dirty little war, Tsar George would probably be happier if that would be 32%! Won't happen. No incentive; no increased enlistments.

One would like to think, given the bipartisan support of the GI Bill, that Congress will finally show the cajones the Democrats promised by overriding the threatened veto by the Tsar. It already is veto-proof given the support by which it was passed. The Republican wizards will be working overtime, you can be sure, to make sure the veto sticks if it comes to that.

The NYT's final say in the editorial is great:

By threatening to veto it, Mr. Bush is showing great consistency of misjudgment. Congress should forcefully show how wrong he is by overriding his opposition and spending the money — an estimated $52 billion over 10 years, a tiniest fraction of the ongoing cost of Mr. Bush’s Iraq misadventure.

Misadventure? They are too kind. Everybody else but the Tsar knows it's a total disaster...

Meerkat Manor...

If you haven't become addicted yet, you don't know what you're missing.

Animal Planet has been showing Meerkat Manor for the last three years. It makes any drama series, sitcoms or mini-series that broadcast stations or most cable stations air pale in comparison.

Tomorrow, continuing all week, Animal Planet is running the prequel to the series. It tells the story of Flower, the queen of the meerkats, who recently perished. You can hear about the movie here: Meerkat Manor: The Story Begins.

The new season, Meerkat Manor: The Next Generation, will begin on June 6th.


Below is a snippet from behind the scenes of the movie prequel.

Saturday gas price...

I have filled up my tank at the same gas station for the last 17+ years. I also can remember paying 36¢ a gallon back in 1970 when I owned one of the first two Pontiac Trans Ams in Chicagoland. You know, a car with 455 hp with an automatic back hood-scoop that sucked in air to give an almost a pure mixture of fuel with the air that kinda-sorta made the car go fast. totally sweet...

Today I paid $4.24 per gallon! The sign out front said that it was $4.29. It usually is 5¢ cheaper at the pump where I go but I don't know if that's because I use the station's credit card and thus get a break or because they just post it different for some reason. To keep people away?

The tank was half-full. Instead of waiting until the tank is empty, I've been refilling at the half-way mark. I'm sure that I'm paying the same per tank either way. Psychologically, it's easier to accept $45 rather than $80! I have to admit that I drive the SUV of my dreams so it is my fault. I intend to go smaller now that I don't work any more, but my lease isn't up until January and the leasing company will not let me break it before then. Until then, I think I may have to come up with an alternative like this one -








Jim Cramer over at TheStreet.com predicted when he appeared on MSNBC the other day that gas would reach $5 per gallon in June. He also said something very interesting about the gas companies not being able to keep up with their reserves by then.

I'm not actually sure what that means. Does it mean that they are trying to make as much money as possible now before no one can afford to do anything but walk? Could it be that we are in for a siege at the pump?

One other thing that Cramer reported was where the problem is originating - India and China. Seems that the demand in those two countries is almost to the point of overtaking supply. They have both become mobile societies.

The problem with this scenario is both China and India regulate gas prices. There is a lot of rancor and turmoil at the high prices over there. The populace is on the verge of riot if the prices don't come down or stay where they are.

Again, I'm not certain what that means for us but I'm wondering if we (Europe, U.S. and other industrial nations) are not in effect subsidizing this with our higher prices?

i'm just asking...

be careful what you wish for...

The headline screams over at Huffpost this morning.

Stop Yelling at Hillary to Stand Down and Start Yelling at the Superdelegates to Stand Up

and it's by Arianna herself.

Of course, like all the progressive pundits, the anxiety is to have the whole thing over and taut Mr. Obama as the definitive Democratic nominee. They are all pushing overtime for it to happen. They use arguments ranging from McCain having all this extra time in his run as the Republican nominee to it's destroying the Democratic Party. There is always the possibility that neither are actually done deal. Remember: In a world where carpenters get resurrected, anything is possible.

Well, that can go both ways.

What if the superdelegates are not leaning toward Obama? What if they are waiting until the convention in order to ascertain exactly what the best chances will be to win the White House? What if they actually are supporting Hillary?

Maybe, just maybe, the pundits might be very surprised by what the superdelegates could do? We have heard repeatedly from them that 25% of Hillary's supporters would vote for McCain rather than Obama in November. We have also heard that the African-American community will not vote at all if Hillary were to upset the Obamamania. We have heard a lot of other what if's.

So... what if the superdelegates pick Hillary?

again, be careful what you ask for...

weekender...

new buttons to wear to work...











and the best one...




this one is psycho-scary...

Senate passes GI Bill...

75 - 22 with half of the 49 Republicans thumbing their noses at Mssrs. Bush, McCain and Cornyn. It now will go to the House for approval as part of the large War Funding bill.

Though the bill is veto proof in the Senate, Mr. Bush has promised to veto it with the extra funding for servicemembers because he believes it's too much money and will cause members to leave the service after only one tour of duty, which most do anyway.

(The Politico) The Senate has overwhelmingly passed a new GI bill and billions in new domestic spending as part of the $165 billion Iraq war funding bill pending before Congress.

In two subsequent votes, the Senate passed the war funding portion of the bill, 70-26, and rejected an amendment that contained troop withdrawal language on a 34-63 vote.

The 75-22 vote on the GI bill and domestic spending marked a resounding victory for Senate Democrats as well as Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.), who has battled to expand the educational benefits for soldiers who served in Iraq. The measure also included a 13 week extension of unemployment insurance, home heating assistance and other domestic spending add ons. President Bush has threatened to veto the bill, which will top $200 billion with the extra spending.
Politico via CBSNews

It's a step in the right direction. Now we only have to see if the House will pass it and the entire Congress will have the cajones to stand up to the nitwit Tsar George. The one thing going for this is that it is election year and the Repubs are really afraid with the last few Congressional elections they've lost.

Congratulations to VoteVets.org, WesPac, and others who have been fighting for Senator Webb's bill.

fly versus drive...

I stopped driving vacations several years ago. The only reason we drove is because my sister, who was handicapped, couldn't/wouldn't fly. We had a large motor home that solved all kinds of problems. The number one problem being she had to go to the bathroom almost every 30 minutes. The mohome had a bathroom! She wasn't stable on solid ground; trying to get her to walk on a jostling airplane would have been a trip in itself.

On the other hand, it also allowed her to see country that she had never been able to experience before. We even got her to the top of Ajax in Aspen one year in the gondola! I can't describe the look on her face at that.

That aside, for the last several days we've been hearing over and over about the all-time high cost of gas. How it is effecting budgets. How it is raising fuel prices for the airlines. How it is going to put a damper on summer travel. Got that right.

So, I decided to look at what effect it would have on me.

Right now, I am thinking about going to Quebec for the 400th anniversary of Quebec City. I decided to compare what it would cost to fly or to drive.

On Orbitz, it would cost $602 for the only roundtrip flight. [Sorry, after a really bad experience, I will only fly nonstop if it is available.] For a 2-stop trip it would be $517.

On Priceline, it would be $595 & $506. Oh, and neither includes the new $15 cost for checking one bag. Going directly to United it was $595 no matter how many stops. On the Air Canada site is would cost $629.06. Where they get the $.06 is beyond me.

Now, doing some figuring on my own. I looked at driving my FX35 to Quebec and back. If you're not familiar with the Infiniti FX35, it cannot use regular. It has to run on mid-grade or high-grade. Consequently, filling up the tank with the price at $4.05/gallon this week costs approximately $72. I never let it go that low, so it usually is between around $55-$65 dollars.

Quebec City is 879 miles from Chicago. I'll round it to 900. On the highway, I usually manage 250 miles on a tank of gas. (sob) Using that as a figure (I know it will be closer to 300 on the open highway), it will probably take 3.5 tanks of gas. At $4.05, that would mean it will cost $252 one way and $504 round trip. I wouldn't use the FX in Quebec because it is really a small place and public transportation is available.

That is $2 cheaper than the Priceline lowest cost and $125.06 less than Air Canada. Except, I would not have to pay for an airport transfer that usually costs around $25 without tip. Of course, then there would be parking; except most hotels in this continent don't charge for that any more. I would have to buy food whether I drive or fly. (They only serve food in first/business class. For fun, I looked at business class. It would be between $1,938 - $3,044. The FX is as comfortable and I can stop whenever I want.)

Some may ask about the time it takes to drive. Doing a search on the iPhone to a specific hotel, it would be approximately 17 hours & 45 minutes. That would mean an overnight stay somewhere. However, time is not a problem for me. I don't work. The scenery would also be quite beautiful. The route follows the St. Laurence Seaway part of the time, though I don't know how close to it the roads are.

That brings up other possibilities. The drive would go by both Toronto and Montreal. I've been to Toronto and loved it. Stratford on Avon is on the way with its Shakespeare Festival, and I don't ever remember if I've been to Montreal. Of course, that would all cost more.

I've go to think about this. It has its plus and minus attributes.

The initial point I was trying to make was about the cost of flying versus driving. It would seem that driving would cost less, all be it not very much. So, I think I'll call it about even in price.

Senator Cornyn's office responds to VoteVets.org ads...

huh?

WASHINGTON - Veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan today expressed disappointment that Senator John Cornyn would belittle them and their service, because they asked him to vote in favor of a bi-partisan GI Bill for the 21st Century. That bill, offered by Senators Jim Webb and Chuck Hagel, would update the Montgomery GI Bill to keep education benefits for troops current with the cost of education.

In today's edition of Roll Call, Cornyn's spokesman responded to an ad launched by VoteVets.org calling on Cornyn to vote for a new GI Bill by saying, "The anti-war crowd is determined to use our men and women in uniform for their political advantage, even if our national security is jeopardized in the process."

News from VoteVets.org

ummm, VoteVets is an organization founded and basically supported by veterans. There are then the rest of us, who in turn, totally support them for the service they have provided even if they did not agree with it.

That makes them anti-war crowd? Does the senator remember that we have an ALL volunteer services. Everyone who serves does so at his/her choice?

The bill that Senators McCain and Cornyn want passed would limit the annual tuition benefit capped at $2,000.

Tuition for ONE three-hour class at Northern Illinois University for an in-state student this spring is $681.00! That is close to half of the total benefit the good senators want. It also does not include student fees, technology surcharges, textbooks, etc, etc., and NIU is a state school that is partially funded by government. Have they looked at places like Yale, Harvard, William & Mary? Wait. Maybe their kids went there?

What is Cornyn's reasoning behind not supporting Senator Webb's full tuition bill? More servicemembers would opt to leave the service if they knew they would get an almost free ride to college. This, in spite of the fact, that all research says that the majority already only opt to serve one term.

duh!


fight for us; kill for us; become injured for us; die for us...

just don't expect anything in return. it's not the American way. fend for yourselves.

MSNBC follows through...

MSNBC at exactly 6:00 pm CDT called the Kentucky primary for Senator Clinton as the coverage started posthaste. This is the second time that they didn't wait as in previous races in calling for Clinton. The first time was in West Virginia.

The margin is not very large at the moment, but they are reporting that they expect it to widen from the 5% it is with 13% of the precincts reporting.

Of course, one could get the impression that they would also like to call the Oregon primary for Mr. Obama right now even if there is still 3:51:32 remaining until those polls close.

i'm being snippy, i know, but if the shoe fits...



p.s. i have no intention of staying up to see MSNBC's coverage of Oregon. yawwnnn...

ask a lot...

and don't support or reward...

That's what the current administration and the powers that be think of the women and men who put their lives on the line for them. It's not just a crime it's an embarrassment to the memories of past veterans from all wars.

Senators Webb & Hagel have filed a bill that is just and reinforces the commitment that service members have made to us. Senators McCain and Cornyn have put forward their own bill that tells the veterans that their service isn't important. Of course, these are the same men who support the Iraq invasion and want it to continue.

Watch the video below that VoteVets.org is running this week asking Mr. McCain to do the honorable thing. Consider supporting the organizations efforts with a contribution to the work.




Donate here - VoteVets.org

Take a personal stand by signing the petition at The Real McCain: Why won't McCain sign the G.I. Bill?

monday morning mayhem...

Breaking News:

CNN reports that gas stations will start showing PORN movies on the screens of the pumps so that you can see someone else get screwed at the same time you do.






The Zen of Sarcasm

1. Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me either. Just pretty much leave me alone.

2. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a broken fan belt and leaky tire.

3. It's always darkest before dawn. So if you're going to steal your neighbor's newspaper, that's the time to do it.

4. Don't be irreplaceable. If you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted.

5. Always remember that you're unique. Just like everyone else.

6. Never test the depth of the water with both feet.

7. If you think nobody cares if you're alive, try missing a couple of car payments.

8. Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

9. If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is probably not for you.

10. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day.

11. If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably a wise investment.

12. If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.

13. Some days you're the bug; some days you're the windshield.

14. Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.

15. The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it back in your pocket.

16. A closed mouth gathers no foot.

17. Duct tape is like 'The Force.' It has a light side and a dark side, and it holds the universe together.

18. There are two theories to arguing with women. Neither one works.

19. Generally speaking, you aren't learning much when your lips are moving.

20. Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

21. Never miss a good chance to shut up.

22. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.


damn, missed it by two days...

Every year for the 17th of May parade the Swedes line up on one side of the road for the parade, the Norwegians on the other. Then, the Swedes throw firecrackers at the Norwegians. Then, the Norwegians light the firecrackers and throw them back.




sorry, i just can't help myself...





may the week go fast and find you chasing a glass of gin...


huh?

weekender...

in case you decided to stay home today to do some work, we all know what you're doing...

e-books...

I am a nut for technology and all its (de)vices. I readily admit it. They are both useful and a hobby for me.

One of the things that I have fought is e-books believing that it wouldn't satisfy the pleasure of holding an actual book in my paws.

On the other hand, I also was envious of seeing Jean-Luc Picard and his crew on Enterprise using e-books to read, even if sometimes Jean-Luc read antiques books for effect.

Well, I finally broke down, I bought Amazon's Kindle a couple of weeks ago.






It's amazing. For the first time in quite a while I'm able to read every word because I can change the font size for my tired, old, aging eyes. It's comfortable to hold, lightweight, easily transported, only the size of one of those fancy paperback books and comfortable on the stationary bike.

Current books cost $9.99; older books are cheaper; and I bought one for $2.39! It also makes my habit of reading more than one book at a time extra easy. I don't have to find a book when I want to read it. They are all there on the Kindle.

Of course, I know that I won't be able to give up hard copy books completely. There is just something about what Guttenberg gave us so many centuries ago...

what do you see?

I haven't seen a good optical illusion in a long time, so I haven't posted any in quite a while. I just got this one and must admit that I'm weirder than everyone else. I'll explain after you look at it.



When you look at this picture close up, you see its Albert Einstein. But if you stand 15 feet away, it will become Marilyn Monroe.

my weirdness?

When I first saw it I saw Marilyn Monroe for the first 5-10 seconds, then I adjusted and saw Albert Einstein. Also, if you look at it from the side, you can tell the difference.


i still wonder what makes people come up with things like this. it's kind of like, who came up with the original idea to drink cow's milk? and how did they first do it? bend over an pucker up? think about it. it's weird...

new Middle East warning...

WARNING FROM THE MIDDLE EAST

This morning, from a cave somewhere in Pakistan, Taliban Minister of Migration, Mohammed Omar, warned the United States that if military action against Iraq continues, Taliban authorities will cut off America's supply of convenience store managers, and possible candidates for President of the United States.

And if this action does not yield sufficient results, cab drivers will be next, followed by Dell and AOL customer service reps., and then Motel 6 managers.

It's getting ugly...........

our priorities ARE obvious...

While the national news networks, pundits, and blogs are salivating at John Edwards endorsing Obama for the Democratic nomination, we here in Chicago have our priorities screwed on straight. Note the front page of today's Chicago Sun-Times below.







You see, there are other things that are more important than the national beauty contest that has been driving the media rabbits into a frenzy.

Isn't it interesting that Obama's hometown paper would dare to cover the foie gras story as its lead over his move to garner support from working-class white voters?

just asking...

[Check out the little headline at the bottom center of the page: Sandi Jackson might run for Congress too. Why? Who is Sandi Jackson? She is the wife of Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. and the Alderperson for the ward my former school was in for just the past year. Another husband-wife dynasty in the making? you ask. Don't they live together?, you ask. Seems the law is you can run for any congressional district you want and not live in it. You have to move there if you are elected. hmmmm? You see, another case that points out that we have our priorities set in Chicagoland...]

silly laws...

There are a lots of silly laws on the books all over the country. I'm sure that you can name a few in your own town.

Two years ago, Chicago banned the sale of foie gras, a delicacy of duck and goose livers elevated to near cult status by the French, on restaurant menus. Consequently, there have been duckeasy's in the city either selling it on the qt or giving it away since the law only bans selling it. Even Mayor Daley thinks it is one of the stupidest laws passed in recent history.

Well, today, the Chicago City Council lifted the ban and are setting the ducks free. Well, letting us eat their livers, at least.

Didier Durand, chef/owner of Cyrano's Bistro on the near Northside, is leading the cheers. "Break out the champagne!" he cried.

Opponents to the delicacy, as well as to any animal-based food, were quick to cry out:

"To reverse a compassionate and admirable decision under pressure from political bullies and special interests shows a cowardly brand of cynicism unlike any we have seen in our efforts to give voice to the most vulnerable beings in our society - animals raised for food," said Julie Janovsky, director of campaigns for animal rights group Farm Sanctuary.

Pot calling the kettle burnt, you ask? PETA and Farm Sanctuary are political bullies and special interests, aren't they? I don't know of any other groups who physically attack their own species to make a point.

The nature of homo sapiens has been as hunter/gatherers for millenia. Much has been written of our current modern diet of grains and cereals and the problems they cause digestively. We are meat eaters.

I, for one, love foie gras and always have. I have had it many different ways, but the best is lightly seasoned and sautéed in butter, served with a good Sauterne.

I might be convinced that the method of force feeding the birds to produce larger, more veiny livers is harsh and, if someone could show me that a natural method of feeding produces the same flavors, I would go along with it.

but... i will stay my gross self, as some would label me, and continue to eat, not very often I might add, one of my favorite delicacies...



i'm almost drooling...

it's all in the way you view it...

Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John McCain were flying to a debate.

Barack looked at Hillary, chuckled and said, "You know I could throw a $1,000 bill out of the window right now and make somebody very happy."

Hillary shrugged her shoulders and replied, "I could throw ten $100 bills out of the window and make ten people very happy."

John added, "That being the case, I could throw one hundred $10 bills out of the window and make a hundred people very happy."

Hearing their exchange, the pilot rolled his eyes and said to his co-pilot, "Such big-shots back there. I could throw all three of them out of the window and make 156 million people very happy."

I'M VOTING FOR THE PILOT!!

Obama's West Virginia strategy...

Exactly why didn't Obama campaign in West Virginia? Is it because it is so white? Is it because it is so uneducated? Is it because most people voting are over the age of 50? What does this mean for November?

just asking...

MSNBC call on West Virginia...

6:30 pm (CDT) - They went to commercial at 6:26 until now! In previous Democratic primaries, MSNBC has called Obama the winner within 30 seconds of the polls closing and with 0% of precincts reporting. They never did that for any primary the Clinton won.

WOW! MSNBC actually called the West Virginia primary within 30 seconds of polls closing for Senator Clinton by a margin of 2 - 1 with NO precincts reporting and NO votes counted, using only exit polls.



6:15 pm (CDT) - Tweety has been interacting with Terry McAuliffe, Clinton Campaign Chairman, for the last 15 minutes, maybe I should say trying to badger him rather than interact. McAuliffe is the number one drumbeater for Clinton and will not be intimidated by Matthews. He put out a strategy how she can still win the nomination. Even Huckabee, now being interviewed by Olbermann, is saying that Hillary is in it because it is her longtime goal and she doesn't have to do it.

NO call yet with 14:38 until the polls close.

6:00 pm (CDT) - NO call from MSNBC yet but they continue talking about the whiteness of WV and how the education level is lower. Oh, and they keep wondering how far Hillary will go until she pulls out. MSNBC has also been showing a lot more commercials than usual...

5:41 pm (CDT) - MSNBC has not done anything yet except countdown the time [47:48] until the voting ends. I've been checking about every half-hour. All predictions say that Sen. Clinton will take the election by a wide margin, about 60%. One man that was interviewed for an exit poll said, "We are probably the whitest state in the country." You know what the spin on that statement is...

"Open the pod bay doors, please, HAL."

"I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that."

when fanatics are out of control...

it's not Obama; it's his "followers"...

I think I've decided what turns me off the most, lately, with the Obama campaign.

I've written in previous posts how he personally is a problem for me because of the turn he took against Illinois by backing out on his promise to not run for any other office before his 6-year term was up as U.S. Senator from the state. His wife, Michelle, confirmed what my thinking was on this during an interview when she related that the conversation she and Barack had was along the lines that if he didn't do it now, the chance will never come again for him.

To me, that stance shows that he is, in fact, a carpet-bagger.

I digress. What has been disgusting me a lot for the last couple of months is the rabid behaviors, talk and threats that his followers have been using. The intensity of their "I am right, and you are wrong!" voice is grating and unctuous*.

Case in point is this Huffington Post piece by Barbara Ehrenreich entitled Hillary's Gift to Women.

Hillary Clinton smashed the myth of innate female moral superiority in the worst possible way -- by demonstrating female moral inferiority. We didn't really need her racial innuendos and free-floating bellicosity to establish that women aren't wimps. As a generation of young feminists realizes, the values once thought to be uniquely and genetically female -- such as compassion and an aversion to violence -- can be found in either sex, and sometimes it's a man who best upholds them.

Another point is the Obamaniacs repeating over and over that Clinton supporters will vote for McCain if she doesn't get the nomination, no matter how many times Hillary has said that whoever is the nominee, a Democrat will be in the White House come January.

What do they believe? Hillary is another Joe Lieberman?

There are all kinds of other detritus out there that the pundits who support Obama are spewing. I won't mention any others. I'm tired of it.

Suffice it to say, Mr. Obama needs to do something quick, if he really wants to win in November, should he get the nomination: get his minions to cool the rhetoric, or he will lose to McCain.

my vote isn't in the bag [if he gets the nominations] until he proves that he can lead all Americans.

*haven't done a word lesson in a long time: unctuous: ˈəŋ(k)-chə-wəs; adjective; (1) full of unction; especially : revealing or marked by a smug, ingratiating, and false earnestness or spirituality; (2) a: fatty, oily b: smooth and greasy in texture or appearance.

monday morning mayhem...

Out of the Office messages...

all right! let's have some fun this week at work.

1. I am currently out of the office at a job interview and will reply to you if I fail to get the position. Please be prepared for my mood.

2. You are receiving this automatic notification because I am out of the office. If I was in, chances are you wouldn't have received anything at all.

3. Sorry to have missed you, but I'm at the doctor's having my brain and heart removed so I can be promoted.

4. I will be unable to delete all the e-mails you send me until I return from vacation. Please be patient, and your mail will be deleted in the order it was received.

5. Thank you for your e-mail. Your credit card has been charged $5.99 for the first 10 words and $1.99 for each additional word in your message.

6. The e-mail server is unable to verify your server connection. Your message has not been delivered. Please restart your computer and try sending again.

7. Thank you for your message, which has been added to a queuing system. You are currently in 352nd place, and can expect to receive a reply in approximately 19 weeks.

8. Hi, I'm thinking about what you've just sent me. Please wait by your PC for my response.

9. I've run away to join a different circus.

10. I will be out of the office for the next two weeks for medical reasons. When I return, please refer to me as "Tonya" instead of Tony.



drunks say the damnest things...

A woman was shopping at her local supermarket where she selected

A half-gallon of 2% milk,
A carton of eggs,
A quart of orange juice,
A head of romaine lettuce,
A 2 lb. bag of coffee,
And 1 lb. package of bacon.

As she was unloading her items on the conveyor belt to check out, a drunk standing behind her watched as she placed the items in front of the cashier. While the cashier was ringing up her purchases, the drunk calmly stated, "You must be single."

The woman was a bit startled by this proclamation, but she was intrigued by the derelict's intuition, since she was indeed single. She looked at her six items on the belt and saw nothing particularly unusual about her selections that could have tipped off the drunk to her marital status. Curiosity getting the better of her, she said: "Well, you know what, you're absolutely right. But how on earth did you know that?"

The drunk replied, "'Cause you're ugly."

My mother taught me an awful lot...

for Mother's Day...

My mother would be in hysterics if she could see this list.

I OWE MY MOTHER A LOT...

1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.
"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."

2. My mother taught me RELIGION .
"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL .
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

4. My mother taught me LOGIC.
" Because I said so, that's why."

5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC.
"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."

6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT .
"Make sure you wear clean underwear in case you're in an accident."

7. My mother taught me IRONY!
"Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."

8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.
"Shut your mouth and eat your supper."

9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
"Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"

10. My mother taught me about STAMINA .
"You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."

11. My mother taught me about WEATHER .
"This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."

12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.
"If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"

13.. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.
"Stop acting like your father!"

15. My mother taught me about ENVY .
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do."

16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION .
"Just wait until we get home."

17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING .
"You are going to get it when you get home!"

18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE .
"If you don't stop crossing your eyes they are going to freeze that way."

19. My mother taught me ESP.
"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"

20. My mother taught me HUMOR.
"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes don't come running to me."

21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT.
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."

22. My mother taught me GENETICS.
"You're just like your father."

23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS .
"Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"

24. My mother taught me WISDOM .
"When you get to be my age, you'll understand."

25. And my favorite: My mother taught me about JUSTICE.

"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!"


it's in lilac, because it was my Mother's favorite color...

weekender...

when it is okay to say...








sometimes, this is just what work feels like...


enjoy the weekend.

Bugatti Veyron Sang Noir...

In homage to the 1934 , Atlantique 57S Bugatti has another limited edition of the Veyron - the Sang Noir. It means Black Blood.

ominous...

and yes, as with all the others, i am moist...

cock o' the walk...

gas prices? what gas prices?

When I went by the BP Amoco station I always use this morning at 6:30 am the price was $3.84 per gallon.

When I returned home at 4:30 pm this afternoon, the owner was out putting up the new price - $4.04 per gallon!

In 10 hours it went up 21¢!

What did I miss in that 10 hours?

Oil reached an all time high of $123.53 today. That's twice what it was one year ago. It made the DJI tank under worries of the effect.

On the other hand, the Dollar is finally doing better against the Euro than it had been. What's it taking? threat of inflation and anticipated production increases that would cause inflation.

On an even more upbeat note, a painting by Monet, "The Railroad Bridge at Argenteuil", set an all-time high for a Monet fetching a mere $41.1 million. Also, a bronze by Rodin, "Eve, the Large Version", set a record for the artist's works at $18.9 million. So, you see, it ain't all bad news.

sounds illogical, doesn't it?

MSNBC reports - AS USUAL...

WITH 0% OF THE VOTE REPORTED IN NORTH CAROLINA, MSNBC HAS CALLED THE PRIMARY FOR SENATOR OBAMA SAYING IT'S 69% FOR OBAMA AND 30% FOR CLINTON.

AGAIN WITH 0% REPORTING!!!

WITH 35% OF THE VOTE REPORTED IN INDIANA, MSNBC SAYS THE RACE IS TOO CLOSE TO CALL WITH SENATOR CLINTON HAVING 57% OF THE TALLIED VOTE VERSUS 43% FOR SENATOR OBAMA.


i rest my case that MSNBC is biased in favor of one candidate over the other in the Democratic race for the presidential nomination. there is transparency it seems. right through the management of MSNBC.

calling for support...

THIS IS IN INDIA.

You know...

IT'S WHERE YOU CALL WHEN YOU HAVE A TECHNICAL PROBLEM WITH YOUR COMPUTER.

thought of the day...

Change is inevitable, except from vending machines.

monday morning mayhem...

It's been quite a while since I've picked on the little ones. I don't have as much contact with them anymore, so it makes a difference. Here are a few to make up for iy. They're probably ALL true too...

Children - Where Do They Get Their Ideas From?

A kindergarten pupil told his teacher he'd found a cat. She asked him if it was dead or alive.

"Dead." she was informed.

"How do you know?" she asked her pupil.

"Because I pissed in its ear and it didn't move" answered the child innocently.

"You did WHAT?!?" the teacher exclaimed in surprise.

"You know", explained the boy, "I leaned over and went 'Pssst!' and it didn't move."

****************************

A small boy is sent to bed by his father. Five minutes later.... "Da-d...."

"What?"

"I'm thirsty. Can you bring a drink of water?"

"No. You had your chance. Lights out."

Five minutes later: "Da-aaaad....."

"WHAT?"

"I'm THIRSTY. Can I have a drink of water?"

"I told you NO! If you ask again, I'll have to spank you!!"

Five minutes later......"Daaaa-aaaad....."

"WHAT!"

"When you come in to spank me, can you bring a drink of water?"

****************************

An exasperated mother, whose son was always getting into mischief, finally asked him, "How do you expect to get into Heaven?"

The boy thought it over and said, "Well, I'll run in and out and in and out and keep slamming the door until St. Peter says, "For Heaven's sake, Dylan, come in or stay out!'"

****************************

One summer evening during a violent thunderstorm a mother was tucking her son into bed. She was about to turn off the light when he asked with a tremor in his voice, "Mommy, will you sleep with me tonight?"

The mother smiled and gave him a reassuring hug. "I can't dear" she said. "I have to sleep in Daddy's room."

A long silence was broken at last by his shaky little voice: "The big sissy".

****************************

It was that time, during the Sunday morning service, for the children's sermon. All the children were invited to come forward. One little girl was wearing a particularly pretty dress and, as she sat down, the pastor leaned over and said, "That is a very pretty dress. Is it your Easter Dress?"

The little girl leaned over and whispered, directly into the pastor's clip-on microphone, "Yes, and my Mom says it's a bitch to iron.".

****************************

When I was six months pregnant with my third child, my three year old came into the room when I was just getting ready to get into the shower. She said, "Mommy, you are getting fat!."

I replied, "Yes, honey, remember Mommy has a baby growing in her tummy."

"I know," she replied, "but what's growing in your butt?"

****************************

A little boy was doing his math homework. He said to himself, "Two plus five, that son of a bitch is seven. Three plus six, that son of a bitch is nine."

His mother heard what he was saying and gasped "What are you doing?"

The little boy answered "I'm doing my math homework, Mom."

"And this is how your teacher taught you to do it?" the mother asked.

"Yes," he answered. Infuriated, the mother asked the teacher the next day, "What are you teaching my son in math?"

The teacher replied, "Right now, we are learning addition."

The mother asked, "And are you teaching them to say two plus two, that son of a bitch is four?"

After the teacher stopped laughing, she answered, "What I taught them was, two plus two, THE SUM OF WHICH, is four."

****************************

One day the first grade teacher was reading the story of Chicken Little to her class. She came to the part of the story where Chicken Little tried to warn the farmer. She read, ".... and so Chicken Little went up to the farmer and said, 'The sky is falling, the sky is falling!' "
The teacher paused then asked the class, "And what do you think that farmer said?"

One little girl raised her hand and said, "I think he said: "Holy Shit! A talking chicken!"

The teacher was unable to teach for the next 10 minutes.

are you turned on?

you may spot this in your doctor's office. it's a promotion that Pfizer is, ummm, handing out...




makes you want to put on a Trojan just to turn on the lights, doesn't it?

weekender...

just think, if you work, the next two days are yours.

if you live in Chicago, it's the weekend and, as usual, it's going to rain. again!

no matter what, this is the last day of the week - hooray!