More From Chicken Little (King George)

Speaking on Tulsa Oklahoma’s 1170 KFAQ, when asked who was behind threats of martial law and civil unrest if the bailout bill failed, Senator James Inhofe named Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson as the source.

“Somebody in D.C. was feeding you guys quite a story prior to the bailout, a story that if we didn’t do this we were going to see something on the scale of the depression, there were people talking about martial law being instituted, civil unrest….who was feeding you guys this stuff?,” asked host Pat Campbell.

“That’s Henry Paulson,” responded Inhofe, “We had a conference call early on, it was on a Friday I think – a week and half before the vote on Oct. 1. So it would have been the middle … what was it – the 19th of September, we had a conference call. In this conference call – and I guess there’s no reason for me not to repeat what he said, but he said – he painted this picture you just described. He said, ‘This is serious. This is the most serious thing that we faced.’”

Inhofe said that Paulson told members of Congress the crisis would be “far worse than the great depression” if Congress didn’t authorize the bill to buy out toxic debt, a proposal “which he abandoned the day after he got the money,” added Inhofe.

Inhofe is referring to the controversy last week when it emerged that the bailout money was not going to buy up toxic debt but instead Paulson, the former CEO of Goldman Sachs, had pulled a bait and switch and ordered the money be injected directly into banks.

Senator Inhofe has slammed the secrecy surrounding the destination of the bailout money, saying that Hank Paulson could have given it to his friends and that the “blank check” must be cancelled now.

Inhofe is now trying to rally support for a freeze on what’s left of the initial $350 billion of bailout money with his “roll back the bailout” proposal, which will also require an affirmative vote on the part of Congress to approve Treasury’s plan for the remaining $350 billion.

The Fifth Night of Hanukkah

Today, Christmas Day, is also the fifth night of Hanukkah.  The fifth night is considered to be somewhat special because at that point there is enough light from the candles to light the room. Hanukkah is also called the Feast of Lights.  The origin of the name may actually be due to Halley's comet, which would have appeared in the night sky in 163BC.  That's just about right for the rededication of the temple in Jerusalem.

Cell Phone = Brain Tumors?

From Popular Science Magazine:

Nearly five decades ago, Americans learned that one of their most treasured habits—smoking—was lethal. This year, we could get more scary news, when scientists announce the results from Interphone, the largest-ever study to investigate whether cellphones cause cancer.

Interphone researchers are pooling and analyzing the results gathered from studies on 6,400 tumors sampled from patients in 13 countries. If the final results mirror the preliminary ones, the world’s three billion cellphone users might want to dial back their talk time. Israeli researchers participating in Interphone found that people who use cellphones regularly are 50 percent more likely than non-users to develop brain tumors. And a joint Interphone analysis from the U.K., Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland reported a 40 percent increase in tumor risk in people who use cellphones for more than a decade; the study found no discernable risk for people who have used cellphones for fewer than 10 years.

George Washington's Gift

Did you know that after the Revolutionary War ended, George Washington witnessed a set of Hanukkah lights.  He was so inspired by the sight and ritual that he presented the owner with a gold coin engraved with a Hanukkah menorah.

Speaking of great generals, did you know that the Maccabbes, led by Judas Macabees, were able to defeat the Greek/Syrian army with just sticks and stones?  I guess they really do break your bones.  

Alexander, Alexander, Alexander...

Do you know your Bible?  Here's a question for you.  Where is the story of Hanukkah located in the Hebrew Bible?  Is it in Exodus?  How about Deuteronomy?  Maybe Numbers?  Or at the Golden Jade Chinese Buffet? 

Actually the story of Hanukkah is not in the Hebrew Bible at all.  It is, however, mentioned in John 10:22-23 wher Jesus goes to Jerusalem for the Festival of Dedication, or Hanukkah.

And did you know that Alexander the Great permitted the Jews to observe their religion after the Greeks conquered them.  In exchange the Jews promised that all baby boys born for the next year would be named Alexander.  So the important question here is, "How did the teacher take roll? Alexander?  Here.  Alexander?  Here....

Hanukkah, the 25th of Kislev.

Tonight, December 21, is also the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev.  Hanukkah!  The Maccabees overthrew the Greeks and rededicated the temple in Jerusalem.  There was only enough oil for the lamps for one day and it would take another eight days to make enough oil to keep the eternal lamp lit.  The oil burned for eight days, thus the miracle of Hanukkah.  

Martial Law

If you are not yet outraged by the $700 billion "bailout," then read on...

Senator James Imhofe of Oklahoma revealed that Hank Paulson, the Bush administration's spokesman, threatened martial law if the bailout was not put through.  In other words, the President, elected by the people of the United States, threatened those elected to Congress with the suspension of Constitutional law if the bailout was not passed.  So, to my way of thinking, Bush sees himself as a dictator.  Plain and simple.  He goes much to the right of Nixon's, "If the president does it then it's not against the law."  

Bush cannot vacate the White House fast enough.

The Constitution is Up In Flames

There is an alarming report coming from the US Army War College as follows (be sure to read the entire piece):

The report from the War College’s Strategic Studies Institute warns that the U.S. military must prepare for a “violent, strategic dislocation inside the United States” that could be provoked by “unforeseen economic collapse” or “loss of functioning political and legal order.”

Entitled “Known Unknowns: Unconventional ‘Strategic Shocks’ in Defense Strategy Development,” the report was produced by Nathan Freier, a recently retired Army lieutenant colonel who is a professor at the college — the Army’s main training institute for prospective senior officers.

He writes: “To the extent events like this involve organized violence against local, state, and national authorities and exceed the capacity of the former two to restore public order and protect vulnerable populations, DoD [Department of Defense] would be required to fill the gap.”

Freier continues: “Widespread civil violence inside the United States would force the defense establishment to reorient priorities in extremis to defend basic domestic order … An American government and defense establishment lulled into complacency by a long-secure domestic order would be forced to rapidly divest some or most external security commitments in order to address rapidly expanding human insecurity at home.”

International Monetary Fund Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn warned last week of riots and unrest in global markets if the ongoing financial crisis is not addressed and lower-income households are beset with credit constraints and rising unemployment, the Phoenix Business Journal reported.

Sen. James Inhofe of Oklahoma and Rep. Brad Sherman of California disclosed that Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson discussed a worst-case scenario as he pushed the Wall Street bailout in September, and said that scenario might even require a declaration of martial law.

The Army College report states: “DoD might be forced by circumstances to put its broad resources at the disposal of civil authorities to contain and reverse violent threats to domestic tranquility. Under the most extreme circumstances, this might include use of military force against hostile groups inside the United States.

“Further, DoD would be, by necessity, an essential enabling hub for the continuity of political authority in a multi-state or nationwide civil conflict or disturbance.”

He concludes this section of the report by observing: “DoD is already challenged by stabilization abroad. Imagine the challenges associated with doing so on a massive scale at home."

As Newsmax reported earlier, the Defense Department has made plans to deploy 20,000 troops nationwide by 2011 to help state and local officials respond to emergencies.

The 130-year-old Posse Comitatus Act restricts the military’s role in domestic law enforcement. But a 1994 Defense Department Directive allows military commanders to take emergency actions in domestic situations to save lives, prevent suffering or mitigate great property damage, according to the Business Journal.

And Gen. Tommy Franks, who led the U.S. military operations to liberate Iraq, said in a 2003 interview that if the U.S. is attacked with a weapon of mass destruction, the Constitution will likely be discarded in favor of a military form of government. 

The New King George

Our country was founded by men (sorry girls) who put their lives on the line for what they believed.  They at first did not think of creating a new country.  They tried to deal with King George and Parliament.  But their attempts at negotiation were ignored.  So they stood up to the most powerful force in the world at that time, the British.  Yes, they stood up for what they believed was right, even if it meant losing everything, including their lives.  As Benjamin Franklin said at the time, "Surely we must all hang together, or we will most assuredly hang separetely (or something like that)."

Well, I think We the People are being treated pretty much the same by the new King George. Lies, fake wars, and now the threat of martial law if this phony bailout is not passed.  Those in power are emptying the coffers.  How much are we supposed to believe from this pack of scoundrels?  Chicekn Little is screaming "the sky is falling1"  And while we all run to see for ourselves, Chicken Little (King George) is emptying the Treasury.

Merry Christmas!

Separation of church and state

Today I received an email which claimed (paraphrased), "Nowhere in the Constitution is there any  statement pertaining to Separation of Church and State."

    Amazingly, it seems that the sender has completely overlooked the First Amendment:

"Congress should not establish a religion and enforce the legal observation of it by law, nor compel men to worship God in any manner contary to their conscience, or that one sect might obtain a pre-eminence, or two combined together, and establish a religion to which they would compel others to conform (Annals of Congress, Sat Aug 15th, 1789 pages 730 - 731)." JAMES MADISON

Every time I receive one of these supposedly informed emails pertaining to religion, it makes my skin crawl.  If only these same people would actually read the Constitution and the words of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, among others, they would perhaps understand that the Founding Fathers wrote expressly that there should indeed by a separation of church and state.  It's right there in front of them, but they refuse to see it due to their blind faith in what they perceive as the only "true" religion.  

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

George W. Bush Library

Subject: G.W.Bush Library
I'm including an opportunity for you to donate to a worthy cause here below.

The G W Bush library....

Dear Fellow Constituent:
The George W. Bush Presidential Library is now in the planning stages and accepting donations.

The Library will include:
The Hurricane Katrina Room , which is still under construction.
The Alberto Gonzales Room, where you won't be able to remember anything.
The Texas Air National Guard Room, where you don't even have to show up.
The Walter Reed Hospital Room, where they don't let you in.
The Guantanamo Bay Room, where they don't let you out.
The Weapons of Mass Destruction Room, which no one has been able to find.
The National Debt Room, which is huge and has no ceiling.
The Tax Cut Room, with entry only to the wealthy.
The Economy Room, which is in the toilet.
The Iraq War Room. (After you complete your first visit, they make you to go back for a second, third, fourth, and sometimes fifth visit.)
The Dick Cheney Room, in the famous undisclosed location, complete with shotgun gallery.
The Environmental Conservation Room, still empty.
The Gift Shop, where you can buy an election.
The Men's Room, where you can meet some of your favorite Republican Senators.
The Decider Room, complete with dart board, magic 8-ball, Ouija board, dice, coins, and straws.
The library will feature an electron microscope to help you locate and view the President's accomplishments.

The library will also include many famous quotes by George W. Bush:

'The vast majority of our imports come from outside the country.'
'If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure.'
'Republicans understand the importance of bondage between a mother and child.'
'No senior citizen should ever have to choose between prescription drugs and medicine.'
'I believe we are on an irreversible trend toward more freedom and democracy - but that could change.'
'One word sums up probably the responsibility of any Governor, and that one word is 'to be prepared'.'
'Verbosity leads to unclear, inarticulate things.'
'I have made good judgments in the past. I have made good judgments in the future.'
'The future will be better tomorrow.'
'We're have the best educated American people in the world.'
'One of the great things about books is sometimes there are some fantastic pictures.' (during an education photo-op)
'Illegitimacy is something we should talk about in terms of not having it.'
'We are ready for any unforeseen event that may or may not occur.'
'It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it.'
'I stand by all the misstatements that I've made.'

PLEASE GIVE GENEROUSLY!
Sincerely,
G.W. Bush Library Board of Directors

Coldplay Viva La Vida

I thought this was a great song a while back, but I never knew who was singing.  I heard it maybe twice, but it stuck in my head.  Not being a rock fan, I didn't think all that much about it until today when I heard the band Coldplay was being sued by Joe Satriani.  Well, at least I found out who the artist is.  Then I found the lyrics.  Pretty great lyrics, too. If you can, give the song a listen. Powerful stuff, and here are the lyrics:http://www.metrolyrics.com/viva-la-vida-lyrics-coldplay.html

They seem to me to be a direct reference to pre-9/11 America, or perhaps even post-WWII to 9/11 America.  We once ruled the world with good intentions.  Everything went our way.  The world looked to us for the right path.  Then the world changed and America changed.  We live in a castle made of sand.  We buried the tyrant old kings, only to become tyrant kings ourselves.  

"People couldn’t believe what I’d become

Revolutionaries wait

For my head on a silver plate

Just a puppet on a lonely string

Oh who would ever want to be king?"

Let us remember the greatest VP in American history, #44 -- J. Danforth Quayle. I quote, explaining his views on deterring nuclear war: 

"Right now we have a theory of mutually assured destruction that supposedly provides for peace and stability, and it's worked.  But that doesn't mean that we can't build upon a concept of MAD where both sides are vulnerable to another attack.  Why wouldn't an enhanced deterrent, a more stable peace, a better prospect to denying the ones who enter conflict in the first place to have a reduction of offensive systems and an introduction to defensive capability.  I believe that is the route this country will eventually go."

"What a waste it is to lose one's mind. Or not to have a mind is being very wasteful. How true that is." J. Danforth Quayle USA Today 5/10/1989

"A politician is a person who approaches every subject with an open mouth." Adlai Stevenson

W Goes to Texas

As he prepares to leave office and head back to Crawford, let us not forget that W. was one of our funniest presidents.  Here is proof:

During a debate, Bush said to Gore: "Mr. Vice President, in all due respect, it is -- I'm not sure eighty percent of the people will get the death tax.  I know this: A hundred percent will get it if I'm the president."

When John McCain dropped out of the 2000 election, he and Bush had a meeting during which Bush said, "I think we agree, the past is over."

Bush to Chris Matthews on Hardball, ""I'm gonna talk about the ideal world, Chris.  I've read -- I understand reality.  If you're asking me as the president, would I understand reality, I do."

Asked once if he would take back any comments he made, Bush said, "I think if you know what you belive, it makes it a lot easier to answer questions.  I can't answer your question."

Bush was discussing Internet millionaires, those "who have become rich beyond their means."

One day before the 2000 election, Bush said, "They misunderestimated me."

"I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully."  Yes, he really said that.

Bush said this of Al Gore, "The fact that he relies on facts -- says things that are not factual -- are going to undermine his campaign."

"If you don't stand for anything, you don't stand for anything.  If you don't stand for something, you don't stand for anything."  Yep, he said it.

"Now, by the way, surplus means a little money left over.  Otherwise it wouldn't be called a surplus."

You can't make this stuff up!  We'll miss you W.  NOT.

Interesting Facts of the Day

Banging your head against a wall uses 150 calories an hour.
(Who volunteers for these tests?) 

The ant can lift 50 times its own weight, can pull 30 times its own weight and always falls over on its right side when intoxicated. (From drinking little bottles of?) 

Butterflies taste with their feet. (Ah, geez.) 

An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.
(I know some people like that.)

Starfish don't have brains.
(I know some people like that, too.)

And, the best for last?
Turtles can breathe through their butts. 
(And I thought I had bad breath in the morning!)

"Verbosity leads to unclear, matriculate things." Remember J. Danforth Quayle?

The Good Ol' Days

As I get "older" I find myself talking more about the good ol' days.  You know, like the 60s and 70s.  Well, here's some facts about the real ol' days, the 1500s:

Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May, and still smelled pretty good by June. However, they were starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor. Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.

Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children. Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water."

Houses had thatched roofs-th ick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof. Hence the saying "It's raining cats and dogs."
There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how canopy beds came into existence.

The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying "dirt poor." The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on the floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until when you opened the door it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood wa s placed in the entranceway.
Hence the saying a "thresh hold."

Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show it off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could "bring home the bacon." They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and "chew the fat."
Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or "upper crust."

Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky. The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of holding a "wake."

England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a "bone-house" and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 cof fins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive. So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell... Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the "graveyard shift") to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be "saved by the bell" or was considered a "dead ringer."

And that's the truth..... Now, whoever said that the good ol' days were really that good!

Heart Attacks and Drinking Warm Water

This is a very good article.  Not only about the warm water after your meal, but aboutHeart Attacks. The Chinese and Japanese drink hot tea with their meals, not cold water, maybe it is time we adopt theirdrinking habit while eating. 
                                                     
For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you. It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion.  Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food.  It will line the intestine.  Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. 
It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal. 

Common Symptoms Of Heart Attack... 
A serious note about heart attacks - You should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting. Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line. 

You may never have the first chest painduring the course of a heart attack. Nauseaand intense sweating are also common symptoms.  Sixty percent of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up.  Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware.  The more we know, the better chance we could survive. 

A Cardiologist says if everyone who reads this message sends it to 10 people, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life. Read this & Send to a friend. It could save a life.  So, please be a true friend and send this article to all your friends you care about. 
  
I  JUST DID -  -   
  

Bar Codes

If you want to know where that piece of junk you just bought was manufactured, take a look at the first few digits of the bar code.  Some countries are no longer placing the words "Made in ....." on their products due to problems inside their country, along with consumer fear of products coming from that location to the US.  You can get that information by looking at the bar code as follows:

00    ~ 13     USA & CANADA  
30    ~ 37     FRANCE  
40    ~ 44     GERMANY  
49    ~          JAPAN  
50    ~          UK  
57    ~          Denmark  
64    ~          Finland  
76    ~          Switzerland  and Liechtenstein  
471  ~         Taiwan
480  ~         Philippines         
628  ~         Saudi-Arabia  
629  ~         United Arab Emirates  
690 ~ 695   China
740 ~ 745   Central  America 

Black or Red?

My daughter and I did a bit of shopping this afternoon, aka Black Friday.  We drove north to Melbourne, Florida, about 25 miles from home.  From the looks of things this may well be a black day in quite another way.  The origin of the name comes from retailers going from the red to the black, from loss to profit.  Though the mall was busy, it didn't appear to be any more so than any other weekend.  We stopped in Circuit City to pick up an item I had ordered on line.  I had expected a huge line, but I walked right up to the register.  We went to Best Buy to get a couple of DS games for her, and again I was surprised by the lack of people in line.  We were fourth.  

Now both CC and BB did have lots of customers in the store, but compared to recent years it was obvious that business was off.  Much to my delight, one very hot item was the eeePC, on sale for $279 with linux os.  Lots of people seemed interested, and smiles were evident when they got there hands on one.  They went quickly, too.

So this recession may be deepening, but not unexpectedly.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Parrot

A young man named John received a parrot as a gift. The parrot had a bad attitude and an even worse vocabulary. Every word out of the bird's mouth was rude, obnoxious, and laced with profanity.
John tried and tried to change the bird's attitude by consistently saying only polite words, playing soft music, and anything else he could think of to "clean up" the bird's vocabulary.
Finally, John was fed up, and he yelled at the parrot. The parrot yelled back. John shook the parrot, and the parrot got angrier and even ruder. John, in desperation, threw up his hand, grabbed the bird, and put him in the freezer. For a few minutes the parrot squawked and kicked and screamed.
Then suddenly there was total quiet. Not a peep was heard for over a minute. Fearing that he'd hurt t he parrot, John quickly opened the door to the freezer.
The parrot calmly stepped out onto John's outstretched arms and said, "I believe I may have offended you with my rude language and actions. I'm sincerely remorseful for my inappropriate transgressions and I fully intend to do everything I can to correct my rude and unforgivable behavior."
John was stunned at the change in the bird's attitude. As he was about to ask the parrot what had made such a dramatic change in his behavior, the bird continued, "May I ask what the turkey did?"
HAPPY EARLY THANKSGIVING�!!

The Good Ol' Days

HIGH SCHOOL --  1957 vs. 2007 Scenario 1: Jack goes quail hunting before school and then pulls into the school parking lot with his shotgun in his truck's gun rack. 1957 -  Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack's shotgun, goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack. 2007 -  School goes into lock down, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.    Scenario 2: Johnny and Mark get into a fist fight after school. 1957 -  Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies. 2007 - Police called and SWAT team arrives -- they arrest both Johnny and Mark. They are both charged them with assault and both expelled even though Johnny started it.       Scenario 3: Jeffrey will not be still in class, he disrupts other students. 1957 -  Jeffrey sent to the Principal's office and given a good paddling by the Principal. He then returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again. 2007 -  Jeffrey is given huge doses of Ritalin. He becomes a zombie.. He is then tested for ADD. The school gets extra money from the state because Jeffrey has a disability.      Scenario 4: Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt. 1957 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college and becomes a successful businessman. 2007 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy is removed to foster care and joins a gang. The state psychologist is told by Billy's sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison. Billy's mom has an affair with the psychologist.   Scenario 5: Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school. 1957 -  Mark shares his aspirin with the Principal out on the smoking dock.  2007 - The police are called and Mark is expelled from school for drug  violations. His car is then searched for drugs and weapons.     Scenario 6:  Pedro fails high school English. 1957 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English and goes to college. 2007 - Pedro's cause is taken up by state. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against the state school system and Pedro's English teacher.  English is then banned from core curriculum. Pedro is given his diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.   Scenario 7: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from the Fourth of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle and blows up a red ant bed. 1957 - Ants die. 2007- ATF, Homeland Security and the FBI are all called. Johnny is charged with domestic terrorism. The FBI investigates his parents --and all siblings are removed from their home and all computers are confiscated. Johnny's dad is placed on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fl y again.   Scenario 8: Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary.  Mary hugs him to comfort him. 1957 - In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing. 2007 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison.  Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy.   Scenario 9: Mary burns the tip of her tongue on a cup of hot soup she buys at the school cafeteria, thus spilling a bit on her new dress which becomes discolored. 1957 - She wipes up the spill and continues eating her breakfast. 2007 - Her parents sue the cafeteria food supplier because the coffee was too hot, thus closing down the lunchroom and depriving others of buying a healthy lunch.  Her parents also sue the dress maker for manufacturing the dress off shore while hiring workers at barely sustainable wages. Scenario 10: Janice watches Ralph Cramden threaten Alice with "Bang Zoom!" 1957 - Millions watch and everybody thinks it's very funny.  Ratings soar.  Janice becomes a well known Senator fighting for equal pay for female teachers. 2007 - The Honeymooners is immeditely canceled due to complaints from NOW. Scenario 11: Jerry's parents allow him to watch one TV show each evening after he completes his homework.  Commercials advertising cigarettes and liquor are permitted on TV. 1957 - Little Jerry is exposed to cigarette smoking and whiskey commercials.  He later goes on to write situation comedies for TV. 2007 - Jerry's TV show cannot show anyone drinking a beer, but words such as fart, bitch, bastard are permitted, as are commercials featuring models from Victoria's Secret and ads for Viagra.     How stupid we have become!! Think about it!!

Message to Mr. Hank Paulson

Hey Hank, how's it goin' old buddy old pal?  I hear that you got $700 billion from your piggy bank, aka the Treasury Department.  Sweet. Tres sweet.

Now, old chum, I see lots of folks like your old buddies at Goldman Sachs have gotten lots of cash to play with.  Good deal.  Tres tres sweet.

Now, you and I go way back (I think).  So here's the gig...

I'm not asking for like say a billion or twenty.  I'm not even asking for like a million, though that would be sweet.

No, just like a half million would be so kewel.  Tres kewel.

Just enough to clear up a couple of bills, ya dig?  And I'd even be willing to go to DC to beg my case in front of the Senator dudes and that lady with the funny accent from NYC.

So are we on the same page Hank?

Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese.

New TV show reviewed

There's a brand new TV show, have you seen it?  It's the Four Stooges!!!  Yay!  Starring Larry G. EM, Moe Ford, Curly Chrysler, and Shemp Uaw.  Funny guys.  In Tuesday's episode, they go to a farmer disguised as poor little starving wolves.  

"Oh Mr. Farmer, we are so hungry and we know you have lots of little chickens.  If we don't get some chickens we will die and our little cute wolfie kids will die too."

"But you guys just gobble up all the chickens yourselves and don't know how to save some chickens for tomorrow.  You mismanage your chickens."

"Oh, we promise we won't do that any more. Hey Mo, quit poking me in the eye."

"I didn't poke you, nuck, nuck."

"Now settle down boys. I'll tell you what.  Give me some idea how many chickens you will need."

"Hmmm, how does 25 billion sound?"

After the Farmer is revived...

"OK, I'll tell you what.  You can have some chickens, but...

1) Mo, Larry and Curly, you are fired and replaced with Tin Man because he has a brain.

2) Shemp, you and all your little starving babies are fired.  I've seen your starving little babies and they look very plump to me.   So even though they are fired they can re-apply for their jobs as non-union and at minimum chickens per hour.  You, Shemp, will be replaced by Lion, who is brave enough to not be a suck up to the other three wolves.

3) And last, you Mr. Henry Paulson, hiding in the forest.  You started this mess.  You got 700 billion chickens.  Those were my family's chickens.  You promised that those chickens would keep the wolves away from my farm.  Now all the animal creatures are looking for a handout.  So you will be replaced by Scarecrow because he has a heart.

Now all of you get out of my sight and off my farm before I get Sarah Palin in here to shoot every one of you wolves from her helicopter!!!

Big Three Bailout? Or More Mischief?

This morning the CEO of Ford Motors came on CNN to enlightne us about the need for the company to get billions of dollars cash from the Treasury (we the people).  His plea was so heart warming I wanted to hurl.  Ford is losing money because they are so committed to the consumer and the environment.  Hurl.  They are losing money because they are working to hard on electric cars.  Hurl.  Blah blah blah.  

Now since they have lost billions in the last few months, it made me wonder where all that money went from car sales.  

But one important question wasn't asked, so I'll ask it.  "Mr. _______ (fill in the name of any CEO from a Forune 500 company), can you tell us exactly what your salary was, how much money you personally made, what your 1040 income was, for 2007?  And 2008, how much? Because if your company and shareholders are sorely hurting for cash, and your company is bleeding money, I would think that your poorly run cash leaking company would be paying an executive like yourself, oh, maybe $8.  an hour."

Hey, if the Big Three are that hard up for cash, how about this...oversight!!!  Avery informative senator, Mr. Inhofe, also appeared this morning on the same program.  He stated that he, a United States Senator, had no idea where the first installment of the $700 billion bailout, $350 billion, went.  That's right, a US Senator HAD NO IDEA WHERE THE MONEY WAS GOING.  So perhaps Senator Inhofe and the one or two other honest Senators would like to oversee the remaining $350 billion, and the possible bailout of the Big Three auto makers.  I would be happy to volunteer, but I owe American Express a few dollars so this might disqualify me.

Bogus Bigots

I was the unwilling recipient of some hate mail today, one that speaks of the "mistake" America made in electing it's new president.  The "mistake" implies that Mr. Obama, and all Muslims, seek the end of Western civilization and the destruction of our way of life.  I was thinking about putting the email directly on my blog, but that would only be giving credit to the small minded bigots who spread this trash.  

First of all, Mr. Obama is not a Muslim.  If he indeed was a Muslim I would not be bothered by that one bit.  This is America, and religion should not be considered for anyone running for office.If you don't know, it is specifically written in the Constitution that there shall be no test of religion for political office. And I do believe that if he was a Muslim he would be forbidden to attend a church of another faith.  And he is about to be sworn in as President, using a Bible.  Or so I would think.  

Second, these hate mongers need to read the Constitution.  They speak of Obama as if he were king.  Our government has three branches and we conduct our government through a system of checks and balances.  If any of these hate mongers could read, or would take the time to read, they might actually learn something about a Democracy and a Republic and how we are a country of laws.  

Third, this nonsense reminds me of the filth that Hitler and his hooligans spread about the Jews in Nazi Germany.  The Jews are trying to take over the world!!!  They aren't like us.  They live a strange and exotic way of life!!!  They kill babies for their sacrificial rituals!!!

And finally, our outgoing president made a major issue of his being a born again Christian.  I don't know much about his faith, but I do know that Jesus preached "turn the other cheek." I don't think Jesus ever said, "You're either with us or against us."  He probably just left that to the Romans.  

I also wonder how much of this hatred is directed at Mr. Obama because he is half black?  Hey, people, remember that he is also half white.  So when you burn a cross on the White House lawn, only let it burn half way.

Rahm Emanuel

President-elect Obama has chosen for his chief of staff Mr. Rahm Emanuel.  This is an interesting choice.  Mr. Emanuel is a native of Chicago and is the fourth ranking member of the House of Representatives.  His selection by Obama was expected by those in the know. However, it stands in stark contrast to some of the remarks that I read prior to the election as to Mr. Obama and his possible thinking about Israel. Many of the statements coming out of the Jewish community were anti-Obama.  Many believed him to be a secret Muslim, or at least favoring the Muslim viewpoint of Israel.  Of course he would be pro-Arab in any negotiations with the Arab world, and anti-Israel and anti-Semetic.  This can now be seen for what it was, hate mongering.  

Mr. Emanuel is not just a figurehead.  He will be Chief of Staff.  And he is very pro-Israel.  His father was a member of Irgun.  Mr. Emauel is by all accounts a practicing Jew and respected member of his synagogue.

So, here is the hope that being a Jew, Muslim, born again Christian, or whatever, is put aside and we can get down to bringing America back to a position of respect around the world.

The Randomness of Life

Just the other day I heard about this incident.  A hearse was driving a casket to the cemetary with the wife of the deceased sitting in the front seat next to the driver.  According to police reports, the hearse was struck in the rear, causing the unsecured casket to lurch forward.  The wife was struck in the head by the casket and was killed.  

This got me to thinking about one of my favorite pieces of literature, Samuel Beckett's stage work Waiting for Godot.  Beckett also directed a brilliant presentation of the play which I have viewed many times.  Both the written work and the staged presentation offer the reader/viewer an opportunity to decipher the meaning in many ways.  For me, the work represents the randomness of life.  We try to connect the incidents of every moment to bring meaning to the whole.  I suppose the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, or so we all would like to think.  Each moment is so random that to think of the parts as a whole with no connection to anything other than that moment is enough to make one crazy.  Surely we are all a bit of Estragon and Vladamir, the two main characters in the play.  They are connected to nothing, own nothing, and can only relate to what is right in front of them.  Their only purpose seems to be to wait for Godot.  Everything else is random.  But we do not really know who or what Godot is, but only that he is coming and has been there before.  Isn't that what every day is like?  

Imagine this woman disconsolate over the death of her husband.  Imagine the mourners waiting the arrival of the casket and the bereaved wife.  What meaning can one possibly attach to this event in order to understand it, other than randomness?  Perhaps, like Vladamir and Estragon, they simply sat down and waited for Godot.

Two Bees

Two bees met in a field. 

One said to the other, 'How are things going?'

'Really bad,' said the second bee. 'The weather has been cold, wet and damp, and there aren't any flowers, so I can't make honey.

'No problem,' said the first bee, 'Just fly down five blocks and turn left. Keep going until you see all the cars. There's a Bar Mitzvah going on and there are all kinds of fresh flowers and fresh fruit.'

'Thanks for the tip,' said the second bee, and flew away.

A few hours later the two bees ran into each other again.  The first bee asked, 'How'd it go?'

'Great!' said the second bee. 'It was everything you said it would be. There was plenty of fruit and, oh, such huge floral arrangements on every table.

'Uh, what's that thing on your head?' asked the first bee.

'That's my yarmulke,' said the second bee.  

'I didn't want them to think I was a wasp.

Fresh Air

The thought that went through my mind last night was how President-elect Obama came across during his press conference.  He was PRESIDENTIAL!  No guffaws, no malapropisms, no stumbles or bumbles.  He exudes confidence and intelligence, something we have sorely been lacking for eight years now, longer if you include the Republican attempt to impeach Clinton.  This comes at a time that we need to buckle down and get America back on track.  I don't belive that any miracle will happen.  He needs time and support.  I do think his leadership will be a welcome breath of fresh air, and that he will be a role model for many Americans.  And perhaps once again the rest of the world will look at America not as an aggressor, but as a land of opportunity.  

One state Two states

One state 

Two states

Red states

Blue states

Barack Obama

Road a llama

To the White House door

He heard a loud snore

Then he knocked twice

And heard some mice

Then he heard someone say

Go away! Go away!

Obama thought 

"How will I get in?"

"Hey Bushie it's me!

Sarah Palin!

Sarah Palin Sarah Palin

Did we win?  Did we win?

Can I stay Can I stay

Laura and I can we play?

Bushie please open

Cause McCain and I were hopin

To breakfast on green eggs

and ham

But I hate green eggs and 

ham-uh almost

As much as I hate

Barack Obam-uh

But Bushie Bushie

We did win win win

Just by the hair

On Sarah's chin chin chin

But I watched the TV

And what did I see

Lots too much blue

Nobody voted for you!

No Bushie I think

You had too much to drink

You had a bad dream

So that's what it seems

OK come on in

I'm so happy we did win

The TV was wrong 

The neo-cons are strong!!!

Come in come in

McCain and Palin

Here's ham and a green egg

But one question I beg

Sarah what did you do

To your hair

A second look at you

And I would swear

Oh no!  It's Obama

And his llama

Laura put down that cup

Go pack up

So Bush rode that llama

Right through Alabama

All the way home

To Texas he did roam

And here comes Michelle

She sure looks swell

Oh what happened to Palin

I'm not sure but I'll-aska

The Big Lies

The Big Lies will not go away.  I have heard from friends and neighbors whoi belive the election of Barack Obama spells doom for America.  I still hear that he is a terrorist in disguise.  I hear that he is part of a scheme to take over the world.  I hear that his friends blew up the Pentagon. I read signs that say he kills babies.  If you tell a big enough lie there are many people who will not only believe it, but stick with the lie even when it is proven to be a lie.

I am reminded of Donald Rumsfeld saying, "The lack of evidence does not prove the absence of evidence, it only proves that evidence is not evident."  Back when the powers that be decided to go after Al Quida, Powell and the rest of the insiders planned to bomb Afghanistan by air. Rumsfeld stated that Iraq should be the target.  He was asked why we should bomb Iraq.  His answer was that Iraq had better targets.  Huh?  A friend of mine dropped his car keys.  I asked if I could help him find the keys near where he was looking.  He said, "Oh, I dropped them in the bushes over there but I'm looking here because the light is better."  

Bravo

How many of us ever believed that an African-American would be President within our lifetime?  If nothing else, the election of Barack Obama shows the world that America is the land of opportunity. Mr. Obama represents much more than the sume of his parts, it is the culmination of a long struggle for justice for all minorities in this country.  And that is a sruggle that many of us are familiar with, whether it is the color of your skin, the church you attend, or even the size of your waist.  Bravo America!

IDIOT PARADE

As I drove to work this morning I saw the following two signs:

OBAMA KILLS BABIES

OBAMA'S FRIENDS BOMBED THE PENTAGON

So if you have nothing positive top say about yourself, throw everything aginst the wall and see what sticks.  Obviously these lame brains have nothing positive to say about McCain and Palin so they attack Obama.  

Hey numbskulls, go read a book!

The Future Phillies

One of the major things that stood out for me during the World Series was the confidence that Charlie Manuel displayed in his players.  He ran the same group out game after game, and it paid off in a big way.  There was no single hitter that consistently showed up for the Phillies.  In fact you could say that from top to bottom everyone had good days but mostly bad days.  And yet they won.  It was the pitching.  Other than a couple of bad outings from Jamie Moyer versus the Brewers and the Dodgers, and one from Brett Myers, the pitching was awesome.  Cole Hamels elevated himself from number one to NUMBER ONE!  He just may be the second coming of Steve Carlton.  Myers and Joe Blanton pitched well enough to win, and six innings of good pitching is all it takes these days.  And don't forget Moyer.  He was terrible against the Brewers and worse against the Dodgers.  But Manuel stuck with Jamie and he came through in game three against the Rays. And the bullpen!  Romero, Madsen, and Lidge.  What a fantastic performance.  And hats off to Eyre and Durbin, too.

Now for the lineup.  Two players came through in the clutch before the final out, Carlos Ruiz and Shane Victorino.  Both had some terrific at bats and clutch hits.  And lets not forget that Manuel went with Pedro Feliz in the last game and Feliz came through big.  But more important was that Manuel never wavered when Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Pat Burrell, and Jayson Werth were all terrible with men on base.  But each came through at important times, both offensively and defensively.  What a great play Utley made in the last game when he threw that Ray out trying to score from second on a ball hit in the hole.  Great play.

I look forward to more great things from this team.  The infield it set.  Ruiz will catch.  Victorino is set in center.  I don't think Burrell will be back, especially at $14 million a year.  Hoepfully the GM will bring in a big bat to replace Burrell.  And the pitching looks good.  Hopefully Moyer will again be back, Kyle Kendrick will return to his rookie form, and Myers will be consistent once again.  Add Blanton and that's five starters of quality.  

Last, had the Phillies not been in the series I would have rooted for the Rays.  They have a bright future ahead of them.  They played well throughout the playoffs, and Maddon is an excellent manager.  They, too, have much to keep them on top.

This off season should see the Mets, Yankees, and Red Sox spending lots of cash.  Each has some holes that need to be filled.  The Yankees need pitching, pitching, and more pitching.  The Mets need a bullpen.  The Red Sox, well they will spend money like they are printing it.  They need Lowell 100% and perhaps replace Veratek.  

Seed you next spring!

Your Bailout $ at Work

The Mail, a British/London newspaper, reports that Goldman-Sachs has set aside approximately $10 billion of bailout funds for salary and bonuses to its 443 "partners."  That will amount to about $4.5 million EACH for Christmas.  This comes as no surprise to me, since the author and main thrust behind the bailout is non other than Hank Paulson, ex CEO of...Goldman-Sachs.  So people of America, how do you like where your US Treasury funds have gone?  And remember that Paulson was appointed by our fearless leader, Mr. George W. Bush.  And remember that Mr. John McCain has proudly claimed that he has backed Mr. Bush almost 100% of the time.  Haven't the Republicans, Bush-Cheney-Rove, done enough to destroy the USA as we once knew it?  Isn't it time for the Republicans to pack up and leave Washington?  Oh, and take Dem. Pelosi with you.

BTW, New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has warned Wall Street that using bailout funds to pay salary and bonuses will be in violation of the law.  We'll see.

I am so lucky!

I wonder how many of you have been as lucky as I am.  Just read this list and you'll be astounded at my luck...

1) I have won the British lottery at least ten times

2) My name has been drawn from millions of emails sent and I've won!

3) My long lost Nigerian uncle has left me millions of dollars

4) I have been selected to receive millions from a Hong Kong account in my name

5) The Liberian government had awarded me ten million dollars

6) A CEO job is just waiting for me, and it pays millions

7) Wal-Mart wants to give me thousands of dollars

8) I get to keep a lap top for free

9) Eat this, not that

10) Vote for Obama

But, on the other hand...

1) I need male enlargement

2) But my breasts are too small

3) My wrinkles are too big

4) But my IQ is too small

5) My bank account has to be updated

6) But my bank account has been suspended

7) My bank account has been closed

8) But someone wants to meet me

9) My ebay auction winner wants their money back

10) But I should vote for McCain

I wonder what all of these people did before there was an Internet?

Chase Utley Drops An F Bomb!

In the excitement of the celebration, Chase Utley, the Phillies spectacular second baseman, let fly with an expletive which we all know and love! The greatest second baseman in Phillie history is hereby excused and will not get a reprimand from the teacher!  The only problem is that Chase did his thing in front of perhaps several million adoring baseball fans.  But hey, this is only the second World Series victory for the Phillies in their century and a quarter of existence, so Chase, we love you!  And drop another one next year, too.

Shameful approach by the McCain campaign

As the presidential election draws closer, it seems to me that the McCain campaign is getting uglier and uglier.  The truth is elusive, and at this point doesn't matter at all to the McCain people.  There only rallying point has become that Obama is inexperienced, that Obama is a Muslim, that Obama has ties to terrorists, that Obam this and Obama that.  Well, McCain, rather than dwell on Obama, how about telling us about yourself?  How about how you became involved in politics.  How about your ties to Charles Keating?  How about your lack of judgement in picking Sarah Palin as your running mate?  Just the other day I heard Rush gushing about Sarah!  That's enough to send me to the polls twice!  I've seen the TV ad where it is pointed out that the first time there is a crisis it will be the first time Obama occupies the Oval Office under heat.  May I ask, "How many times has John McCain faced a crisis in the Oval Office?"  And worse yet, what shape would our country be in if Sarah Palin sat in that chair?  The woman doesn't even know the contents of the First Amendment.  She recently used the First Amendment as an example of how the media has been critical of her.  Excuse me, Mrs. P., but the First Amendment allows the media to say exactly that.  So you obviously have it backwards. But she has shown a lack of understanding on the level of a grade school student when it comes to the Constitution, current events, foreign relations, the current financial crisis, and on and on. Now she seems to have disappeared as the last few days of the campaign wind down.  Obviously that have decided to shut her up before the other foot disappears down her throat.

While driving to work the other day I noticed a crowd on a major street corner near my work. They were McCain supporters waving their signs and having a great time.  That's fine.  But, one sign read, "Obama kills babies."  That's just obnoxious and reflects the mentality of so many McCain supporters.  Shameful stuff, indeed.

PHANTASTIC!!!

World Series!

2008 World champions!

A great day for Phillies fans the world over!

GO PHILLIES!!!

In anticipation of tonight's continuation of game 5 of the 2008 World Series, there is only one thing to write about...

GO PHILLIES!!!

The $1.99 special

We went to breakfast at a restaurant where the 'seniors' special' was two eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast for $1.99.

'Sounds good,' my wife said. 'But I don't want the eggs.'

'Then, I'll have to charge you two dollars and forty-nine cents because you're ordering a la carte,' the waitress warned her.

'You mean I'd have to pay for not taking the eggs?' my wife asked incredulously.

'YES!!' stated the waitress.

'I'll take the special then.' my wife said.

'How do you want your eggs?' the waitress asked.

'Raw and in the shell,' my wife  replied.

She took the two eggs home and baked a cake.

      

DON'T MESS WITH SENIORS!!!

WE'VE been around the block more than once!