Fred Phelps---Hit Him Where It Hurts, In the Pocketbook

A Grieving Father wins an 11 million dollar judgement against Fred Phelps and his fundamentalist church.
GREAT!

Why Waterboarding Isn't Torture

The Hardy Boys.....if you grew up boy you knew the Hardy Boys, Frank and Joe and their friends Chet and Brit plus a slew of others.
Somehow the boys always solved the caper in the nick of time. Often with a hint of wry humor.
In the course of our web travels we came across this entry: How gay were the Hardy Boys?. We read it and laughed and found inuendo in just about every sentence we remembered from the Hardy Boy books we read as a young boy and the 10 minutes episodes on the originial (sorry Britney and Justinyou two just don't compare) Mickey Mouse Club...Jimmy Dodd....Darlene, Annette, Tim Considine.... Spin and Marty (Way out west on the triple R, Yippee Yay, Yippee Yi, Yipee Yo).....and of course, the Hardy Boys.
Then, it hit us. We are about the same age as W, about 10 years younger than Cheney and the attorney general nominee, Mukasey. If we could remember the Hardy Boys with fondness and longing, perhaps they could too.
Destiny references "The Secret of the Caves" for its hidden homosexual agenda (not that there's anything wrong with that), we found it a lot more engorging for its defense of waterboarding:

They were just approaching the cliff that hid the cave from view when Frank halted and peered through the fog at the base of the rocks some distance ahead.

"Do you see somebody lying there, Joe...? Seems like a man sprawled on the sand...."

The boys hastened across the rocks in the direction of the figure on the shore...

They came up to the man sprawled on the sand. He was not dead. An empty bottle lying by his side told the reason for his slumber.

"He's drunk!"

He was quite senseless from the effects of the liquor he had drunk... "This is luck!" exclaimed Frank.

"What shall we do with him? asked Joe.

Frank groped in his pocket and produced a length of stout cord.

"We'll tie him up first!"

"What if he puts up a fight?"

"He's too drunk."

They throw hat-fuls of water into in his face to revive him — but when he wakes up, they keep throwing more water at him.
"Hey! What's this?" roared the car thief indignantly. He had just discovered that his wrists were bound.

"Just a little joke," said Frank.

Water was streaming down the man's face. He was thoroughly aroused by now.

"I'll say he is!" ejaculated Chet Morton.

Sounds like waterboarding to me, and it is just a little joke! A little joke is not really torture because if it were torture, the Hardy Boys wouldn't do it. We all know that.

Talking With Jesus

I have been having a difficult time lately. I retired a couple of years ago and life has not always turned out the way I thought my retirement should be lived. My grandsons are a tremendous source of joy to me although sometimes they wear me out. My children are all grown and have their own lives to live, sometimes we feel like the Harry Chapin song.

Many times when I am troubled or confused, I find comfort in sitting in my back yard and having a vodka and tonic along with a quiet conversation with Jesus. This happened to me again this evening.

I said "Jesus, why is life so hard?" And I heard the reply: "Men find many ways to demonstrate the love they have for their family. You worked hard to have a peaceful, beautiful place for your friends and family to gather."

I thought to myself, that is true, I have a nice house and my family and friends are always welcome to come and sit in the yard or in the hot tub.

Then I thought, and maybe said out loud, "Why am I not satisfied, why do I want more and more. I thought you said money was the root of all evil and still I want more." And the reply was: "No, the LOVE of money is the root of all evil. Money is a tool; it can be used for good or bad".

I was starting to feel better, but I still had that one burning question, so I asked it. "Jesus," I said, "What is the meaning of life? Why am I here?"

He replied," That is a question many men ask. The answer is in your heart and is different for everyone. I would love to chat with you some more, Señor, but for now, I have to finish your lawn."

It Depends On Who Does It

(Here is link for more information on this picture and waterboarding.)

Rudy Giuliani finally, in a clear, succinct manner, answered a question that explains why it's ok to take away habeas corpus, civil liberties, spy on Americans, eavesdrop, torture, invade, nation build, pre-emptive wars, etc, etc, etc.
He said, "It depends on how it’s done. It depends on the circumstances. It depends on who does it." Read the whole article from the New York Times here.

There will be a firestorm over this comment. There already is:

Laws Are for Other People

Whether he intended to or not, at a town meeting in Iowa last night Rudy Giuliani offered what may be the most honest defense of torture I've seen from an American politician. It is also, of course, a deeply immoral one. Asked whether waterboarding constituted torture, he replied:

It depends on how it’s done. It depends on the circumstances. It depends on who does it.

What the United States is doing isn't torture because it's the United States doing it. I suspect this is the way a lot of torture apologists feel, but give Giuliani credit for being (I think) the first to come out and say it.

--Christopher Orr

And this from Alex Massie

October 25, 2007
The Indefensible in Support of the Unspeakable
Rudy Giuliani in Iowa:

Asked at a community meeting here whether he considered waterboarding torture, Mr. Giuliani said: “It depends on how it’s done. It depends on the circumstances. It depends on who does it.”

I think what that means is that if the Iranians were to waterboard a captured US pilot it would be torture but if the Americans were to waterboard a captured Iranian intelligence officer it would not. Such is the moral clarity of our times.

And Andrew Sullivan posts this:

Giuliani On Waterboarding
25 Oct 2007 02:55 pm

He tells the truth about what Bush and Cheney believe. Asked in Iowa last night whether he believed that waterboarding was torture, he replied:

It depends on who does it.
If the Khmer Rouge does it, it's torture. If the United States does it, it's not. This man cannot be allowed to be president of the United States. He believes that the United States is above morals and the president of the United States is above the law. He is a tyrant to the depths of his being.

I can't help but feel that Bush and Cheney have the same opinion as Giuliani.

The death of habeas corpus.

More on waterboarding here.

Answer the @#)$(*)&* Question, Please

What are journalists for? Are they to analyze and interpret the news and arbitrate conflicting opinion for the public, or are they to act as mere carriers of other people’s messages?

As part of my employment before I retired, I was given quite extensive training in dealing with the media, as in media relations, by Spaeth Communications, the people who brought you the Swift Boat ads. Google them, they are very good at what they do. As a result of this training, I have become quite cynical when I read or hear public officials explaining actions. I can see that most of the time they follow textbook instructions on answering questions and dodging questions. I know, because I have done the same thing: Answer the question you want asked; tell them what you want them to hear; steer the conversation in the direction you want it to go.

I also notice that it takes a reporter with a sense of history about an area or institution to know what questions to ask and which to follow up on. You got to know where the bodies are buried.

A couple of blogs on our links, Branson, Missouri blogspot and The Turner Report, are having a cross blog discussion on the re-appointment of Peter Herschend to the Missouri State Board of Education and his political contributions to the foremost supporter of vouchers in Missouri, Jane Cunningham and her campaign for a senate seat. It makes for interesting reading, following the comments and blog postings.

As for me, I keep remembering something Herschend said back in 1990 about his "simple diversion": "What's good for the lakes is generally good for us, and vice versa." (Springfield News-Leader, September 25, 1990, page 8E).
Then there is this gem from the December 3, 1990 issue of Amusement Business (a trade publication for amusement parks and other entertainment venues). Herschend had just been appointed to the chair of the government relations committee of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions.

"So when year round schooling becomes an issue in your state, we have the studies, a history of what year-round schooling is doing," Herschend said.
The association has three functions--to keep the government out of business, aggressively support beneficial legislation and serve as a source of information for the membership.
Key issues facing the eight-member government relations committee include mandated health care, handicapped access laws, child labor laws, minimum wage, overtime pay, and year-round schooling and/or longer schooling.

Read this article.

And you wonder why I am so cynical.

Why I Don't Drink Milk (nsfw)

The Cow
We get milk from cows who live on dairy farms.
God made cows to give lots of milk.

This obviously comes from the Madison, Wisconsin. I don't know that for sure, but there are cows in the videos and Wisconsin has a lot of cows and cheese.

No cows were harmed in the making of this video. The cow must have liked it, it keeps giving milk.

Of course, when I was a kid, we had videos too, like this one that showed us how to have a wonderful time.

One portion of the cow film is a take off on this video, "Excuse me, Ricky."

Another Haunted House From The Ass of God

Springfield church offers “Nightmare” as Halloween alternative
© 2007, Springfield News-Leader

National Avenue Assembly of God will host a Halloween alternative this weekend that is meant to give young people a new way of looking at issues of today.

“Eternal Nightmare” will feature walk-through scenes that depict “the horrors of drugs, alcohol, abortion, self-mutilation” and more, said the Rev. Jim Cookson, pastor of the church.

The final scene will present the story of Jesus Christ as the answer to those horrors.

The free event is recommended for children over 12 years old, Cookson said. The program is being presented by the church’s youth department. This is the fourth year the church has presented the program.

Teens and adults are invited to tour the “Eternal Nightmare” Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. National Avenue Assembly is at 931 N. National Ave. For more information, call the church at 869-1860.

PLUNGE...Not Just For Buses Anymore

The Plunge....coordinated.
Now, fashion plunges deeply
...colors beautifully...
Lifts you, your spirits
And now, for something completely different.

HEY, Big Spender!

Rachetting Down Of Rhetoric???

Sunday Cheney is warning about Iran getting the nukes--serious consequences
Monday Bush threatens world war III if Iran gets nukes.
Today Rice says Iran's nuclear program and alleged backing of terrorism represent "perhaps the single greatest challenge" to US national security.

They are building up to something.....while Congress is allowing itself to be emotionally blackmailed by the Bush/Cheney crowd. Because the majority is razor slim, unless some republicans vote with the democrats, no veto will be over ridden.

However, that shouldn't stop the democrats from pushing and approving bills that Bush will veto....vetoing will back fire on him....sort of like the schip bill.

The Thompson Boys Ought To Be PO'ed For Sure!

"That's some Catch, that Catch-22."
"Yep, it's the best there is."

Life of Jason is live blogging the city council meeting.

Mostly mundane stuff except for the sewer cap fees.....(I got an estimate from the city for sewers that was almost $8,000 for my MIL's home on west sunshine. She didn't have that kind of money and was on a septic. I didn't know about no caps or loans and I don't recall the city telling me either. But maybe they did. Or maybe my name ain't JQH.)

And then there is the arena. If I were the Thompson Boys I'd be mad as hell. Chiles asked the question....well, here's Jason's take on it:

Councilman Chiles said the land was taken via eminent domain and used for a greater public purpose and asked how this is meeting that goal.
Ms. Smith deferred to an attorney.
The attorney who answered said the purpose for eminent domain during the actual eminent domain process was public use and that once the arena fell through the reason for public use doesn’t even factor into the situation.

Councilman Chiles asked Ms. Smith to address the News-Leader editorial about the process.
Ms. Smith said when she did official requests for proposals she said they asked for best proposals with no anticipation as to the proposals. She said they had it became clear keeping BKD downtown and a hotel to enhance the Expo center and said they were “community priorities.”
(How is an office building and a hotel really a priority for the average Springfield resident? I don’t see where it is. It seems the citizens really lost out on this deal because the average Springfield resident doesn’t get anything from this other than lower debt on the city. Will we get lower taxes out of it? I guess if the hotel actually pays decent wages a very small part of the community gains something.)

Jason, you are quite right, the average Springfield resident lost out on this deal. Especially the ones on septic tanks. Something stinks about this and it probably overflowing septic tanks.

What was this exchange all about?
"Councilman Chiles said the land was taken via eminent domain..." (remember, it used to be the cadillac dealership and the Thompson Boys sued the city and lost), "and used for a greater public purpose...." (Supposed to be for an arena) "and asked how this..." (JQH privately owned hotel)...is meeting that goal."

"Ms. Smith deferred to an attorney." (Meaning I don't want to say anything that can be held against me, I'll let an attorney do the speaking and use his weasel words.)

"The attorney who answered said the purpose for eminent domain during the actual eminent domain process was public use and that once the arena fell through the reason for public use doesn’t even factor into the situation." WHAT? DO-OVERS in City Hall? Gee, this is some highpowered attorney, what's his name? Graham ought to get him.

Wanda Sue, you ain't the only one smelling raw sewage.

Thoughts Rambling Through My Head After Reading This Morning's Newspaper

This photo was taken at Delaware School. A Springfield Republican, well known for radical right causes, put a Helms sign up. The tolerant Democrats let it stand, if it had been a democrat candidate's sign at a republican function, one of the young neo-cons would have torn it down I am sure.

Carl Schimek doesn't like the outcome of an election for a cause he supported that only garnered 49% of the vote. He believes the voters were lied to ..... Carl, I share your sentiments, afterall, how do you think Bush got into office?

The school district is backtracking fast over the rememberance program for the unfortunate death of the young man in a house fire. What aren't we being told? School's are safe, the problem is in the streets? Come on, Norm, even I find that hard to accept.

Dear Mitt, I can't hear what you are saying, your actions keep getting in the way.

Bishop, Williams Head Copacabana Show

Tips on Tables - By Robert W. Dana - June 12, 1959

Bishop, Williams Head Copacabana Show

Despite a line of girls as youthful and fresh as the girl next door in the old home town, two young fellows took the limelight in the show Joey Bishopwhich opened last night at the Copacabana. With Milton Berle at ringside and comedienne Jean Carroll applauding from the terrace, Joey Bishop was a debonair master of funny lines, while Andy Williams sang a round dozen of songs as if he were contending for the title of singer of the year.
Disarming Cushion

Bishop has a nonchalance that is a disarming cushion for his comic thrusts., When you least expect it, he'll throw out a telling line that has the customers fanning the air with delayed-action laughter when they had been looking for the change of pace. Funny thing about this fellow, different segments of the audience dig him at different times. Those who follow TV are well aware of Bishop's talent for ad lib. It's hard to tell where the memorized material stops and the ad lib begin. While most of his act is a monologue, he slips in a very funny impression of an East Indian. dancer's facial, expressions and sentimentalizes with a take-off of Ted Lewis.
Williams can sing soft of swing a tune with a robust voice and infectious sense of rhythm. Great credit for assisting his outstanding performance last night is due the Copacabana orchestra, with Sanford Gold conducting. With the exception of "Danny Boy," the oldtime ballad, which he sang to guitar accompaniment at his shoulder, practically all of Andy's numbers conclude with a rousing orchestral finish, with the trumpet player having a field day.

Rhythm Numbers.

My preference is for his rhythm numbers: "Just in Time," "Breezing Along With the Breeze," Bye-Bye Blackbird" (with a big introduction) and "Day In, Day Out." There were other standouts. One is the rock-and-rollish "I Like Your Kind of Love." "Jeannie," which he sings into a hand mike as he strolls around, is tender and winning. "Hawaiian Wedding Song" suggests the undulations of the hula girl, the rhythm of the waves. He sings "Steamboat for New York" from "Porgie and Bess" and Gershwin's "Love Is Here to Stay." Andy Williams was so great last night that I'd like to go right back to the Copacabana and hear him again.

Remember Those Nuclear Weapons That Got Lost????? Makes Sense Now!

We all were told it was a human error, the missing weapons.

The SOB had it all planned and Cheney was right there with him.
Congress has it's bluff called: if you don't support the war, you don't support the troops. He needs the money to fight terror. If you don't give him the money, you support terrorism.

World War III and Bush is starting it now.

We will all die. This is how our world ends. Bush up and kills us all. Today is the day America starts to die.

A simple google search on bush and world war III turned up this from 2006.

Bush Warns of WWIII If Iran Goes Nuclear

US President George W. Bush said Wednesday that he had warned world leaders they must prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons "if you're interested in avoiding World War III."
"We've got a leader in Iran who has announced that he wants to destroy Israel," Bush said at a White House press conference after Russia cautioned against military action against Tehran's supect atomic program.

"So I've told people that, if you're interested in avoiding World War III, it seems like you ought to be interested in preventing them from having the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon," said Bush.

Whole story here.

I want to be a cowboy. This has been brewing for a long time. Bush is as bad as all of them.

Nuclear and chemical weapons
Largest nuclear arsenal on the planet
large standing army
shoot from the hip leaders
invade 3rd nations without provacation
strong religious belief
strip citizens of civil liberties
practice torture on enemies
"If you disagree with me you agree with the terrorists"
believes he is above the law
principle of pre-emptive strikes

Re-read this post:Bush gearing up for war with Iran.

Christian Clown Busted for Kiddie Porn

Ministry and the Gospel Presentation

Klutzo is an ordained minister (formerly with the Church of the Nazarene, currently with the Missionary Church International). He has been involved in pastoral ministry, Christian education, Christian camping and evangelism since 1967.

Children's Ministries

Klutzo and Smilee are available for vacation Bible schools, children's crusades, Sunday school, children's church, church parties and special occasions. Programs and emphasis can be customized to fit your needs and purpose.

Bible stories, object lessons, gospel magic, skits, gospel balloon illustrations, bible games, and more can be used to present the gospel of Jesus Christ to your children.

In addition, these same techniques can be used to illustrate moral truths and life skills.

Klutzo is also a purveyor of pictures of naked little boys.

The Springfield (Il.) State Journal-Register has a new article about Carlock up today. The lede is a statement that should come as no surprise:

One thing appears certain. Wherever A. Paul Carlock Jr. was, children were not far away.

If This Is Pope John Paul Waving From Beyond The Grave, Where Is He?

This story is about what people see in fires. or what people can photo shop into fires.
a malfunction prevents us from uploading the photo at this time.

This Just In....Special for Mrs. Thurston Howell:

Airstreams in Branson

Last Thursday, we filled up the old suburban at fast bobbie's, hooked the the 31' Sovereign and took off for Branson to rondeeview with the other 27, maybe 28 trailers, hard to count there were so many of those ultra neat silver tubes who were meeting up at Compton Ridge Campgrounds. The goose flew all night Thursday, apple wine and chili....we won a pound of silver jack coffee...Trailer tours on Saturday....This is what our trailer looked like last month. See my wife sitting in the front room in a later pix.

There were at least four couples from Springfield there, one of whom won the chili cook off. Two of us Springfield Folks had vintage trailers, the other two had the new wide bodies.

We are reluctant to join any club (marx rules), but this is a laid back group. No mission statement, no dues, no committee assignments, just sitting back and watching the world go by.

I am a lucky guy.













"
"Great Jim, now everyone will know that I am married to an idiot."
"Not so, Mrs. Lee, just those with internet access."

For more pictures click on this link. Play around, you'll find lots of pictures of the Branson Rally.

Next Blog

On the top of the page this blog on which this blog is displayed, is a button named "next blog".

There are some interesting blogs out there.

This one, while somewhat un pc, made me laugh out loud. And here is the link

Airstream Rally In Branson, MO

There is a big Airstream Rally in Branson, MO this weekend at Compton Ridge Campground. We're hooking up the Suburban tomorrow and heading that way. Our first trip and the trailer is liveable, but not complete. It will be fun.
I am not too sure about joining the Airstream club, I sorta follow the Marxist philosophy.

Will try to post photos on the laptop while there.

Also working on a post about cats, biting, and the ten day hold, even if you have all the paperwork showing your cat is up to date re shots, etc, and nasty neighbors.

Newspaper At Fault For Downturn in Red Light Camera Ticket Proceeds

The SN-L has a story on the red lght cameras.

When intentions to install the cameras were announced, planners said revenues from tickets would likely cover the cost of the devices.
"I think because it was covered (by the media) so heavily, people know where that one camera's at," Springfield engineer Jason Haynesh said. "We kind of feel that as we start getting more of these in, people might forget which locations they're at. They may go back to running the reds."
An average of 1.5 tickets a day for each camera is needed for the devices to pay for themselves.
In addition to limiting a bit of red-light dishonesty, the cameras are intended to cut down dangerous accidents in Springfield, Haynes said.
Curiously, Haynes said that accidents often initially increase at intersections where cameras are placed.

The media is responsible for the lack of tickets? See Tony, people ARE reading the paper,your job is safe! (Or at least the criminal element who would run red lights is reading the paper.) The city is banking on putting up more cameras and people forgetting where they are at? You can see the dang things. There are cameras up at Kearney and Kansas Expressway (isn't that an oxymoron, Kansas Expressway).

Somebody thought this was a good idea to reduce red light violations and increase revenue. Then it was scaled back that the company that owned the cameras would get the revenue from the tickets to pay for the cameras. Now, the city is having to fund the cameras. When will somebody realize this isn't good stewardship of the people's money.

So the spy cameras:
1) Lose money for the city.
2) Cause more crashes.

Oh.
Posted by: Crawdad on Wed Oct 10, 2007 6:41 am

1949 Tappan Gas Range

I was born in 1949. I am 58 years old. The stove is the same age. The stove looks better than I do. But then I got the stove all cleaned up to sell. Like me, the stove has some parts that aren't as good as they were 30 or 40 years ago. The pilot light on the right side has been capped off and the stove lights with a match or bic. The oven light doesn't come on. The clock doesn't work but the timer does, as do the lights on the knobs.

Me, like these politicians, I'm not for sale at any price. The stove's $450.00.

Kept His Mother In A Freezer....Harrison, Arkansas

Google "mother kept in freezer". Many years ago, this sounds like an urban legend, there was this jack roll preacher down in Harrison, Arkansas, maybe first name Tony?. Anyhow, Tony's mother died and he put her in the chest freezer waiting for the rapture.

I can't find anything about this ..... does anyone else remember this?

What It Was, Was Football

What It Was, Was Football. Listen and Laugh.

It was back last October, I believe it was. We was a-goin’ t’ hold
a tent service in this college town.
And we got thar about dinnertime on Saturday And different ones
of us thought we ought to get us a mouthful to eat before
that we set up the tent.
And so, we got down off of the truck and followed this little bunch of
people through this small little bitty patch of woods.
And we come up on a big sign, says “Get somethin’ to eat here!”

And I went up and got me two hot dogs and a big Orange drink.
And before I could take ary mouthful of that food this whole raft of
people come up around me
and got me to where I couldn’t eat nothin’ up like—
and I dropped my big Orange drink. I did!

Well friends, they commenced to move and they wasn’t so much
I could do except to move with ‘em.
Well, we commenced to go through all kinds of doors and gates
and I don’t know what all, and I looked up over one of ‘em
and it says “North Gate”, and we kept on a-goin’ through there,
and pretty soon we come up on a young boy.
And he says “Ticket, please…” And I says “Friend, I don’t have a ticket.
I don’t even know where it is that I’m a-goin’.” I did!

Well he says “Come out as quick as you can.”
And I says “I’ll do ‘er—I’ll turn around the first chance I get.”
Well, we kept on a-movin’ through there and pretty soon everyone
got where it was that they was a’goin’ because they parted
and I could see pretty good. I could!

And what I seen was this whole raft a people a-settin’ on these
two banks and a-lookin’ at one another acrosst this purty little
green cow pasture! Well, they was! And somebody had took
and drawed white lines all over it and drove posts in it and
I don’t know what all! And I looked down there and I seen
five or six convicts a-runnin’ up and down and a-blowin’ whistles!
They was!

And then I looked down there and I seen these pretty girls
a-wearin’ these little bitty short dresses and a-dancin’ around,
an’ so I set down and thought I’d see what it was that was
a-gonna happen. I did!

And about the time I got set down good, I looked down there
and I seen thirty or forty men come a-runnin’ out of one end
of a great big outhouse down there! They did!
An’ everybody where I was a-settin’ got up and hollered!
And about that time thirty or forty come a-runnin out of the
other end of that outhouse and the other bank full—
THEY got up and hollered!
An’ I asked this feller that was a-settin’ beside me, I says
“Friend, what is it that they’re a-hollerin’ for?”
Well he whopped me on the back and he says
“Buddy, have a drink!”
Well, I says “I believe I will have another big Orange.”
An’ I got it and set back down.
An’ when I got back down there again, I seen that them men
had got in two little bitty bunches down there.
They had—real close together--and they voted! They did!

They voted and elected one man apiece.
And them two men come out in the middle of that cow pasture
and shook hands like they hadn’t seen one another in a long time.
And then a convict come over to where they was a-standin’ an’ he
took out a quarter and they commenced to odd-man right there!
They did!

Well, after a while I seen what it was that they was a-odd-mannin’ for.
It was that both bunches-full of them men wanted this funny-lookin’
little punkin to play with! They did, and I know friends that they
couldn’t-a eat it ‘ cause they kicked it the whole evenin’
and it never busted!

But anyhow what I was a-tellin’ was that both bunches-full wanted
that thang and one bunch got it an’ it made the other bunch
just as mad as they could be and friends I seen that evenin’
the awfullest fight that I’d ever seen in my life!
I did! They would run at one another and kick one another
and throw one another down and stomp on one another
and grind their feet in one another and I don’t know what all!
And just as fast as one would get hurt they’d tote him off
and run another’n on!

Well, they done that as long as I set there but pretty soon
this boy that had said “Ticket please…” he come up to me and
he says “Friend, you’re gonna have to leave because it is that
you don’t have a ticket.” And I says “Well, alright…” an’ I got up
an’ left. An’ I don’t know, friends, until this day what it was that they
was a-doin’ down there, but I have studied about it, and I think it’s
some kindly of a contest where they see which bunch-full of them
men can take that punkin an’ run from one end of that cow pasture
to the other’n without either gettin’ knocked down—
‘er steppin’ in somethin’ !

Fred's Lazy?

Fred's bored

And then there is Fred Thompson, who saw it as a waste of his time. Back in 1998, only four years after being elected, he was out of patience. "I don't like spending 14- and 16-hour days voting on 'sense of the Senate' resolutions on irrelevant matters," he snorted. "There are some important things we really need to get on with — and on a daily basis, it's very frustrating."

When his seat came up in 2002, the Tennessee Republican chose not to run again, which he now takes as a badge of honor. Asked recently by National Review to name his most important accomplishments in office, he replied, "You mean, besides leaving the Senate?"

Since he began toying with a presidential race, he has been accused of laziness. But no one who has made a living as a trial lawyer, as Thompson has, can be suspected of congenital sloth. In any event, Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush have proven that the presidency does not require a grueling work schedule.

The real question is whether Thompson really wants the office and all that comes with it for four long years. The Oval Office has its own quota of dull obligations — attending state dinners, signing off on budgets, traveling to countries no tourist would ever choose, trying to remember the housing secretary's name — which could be excruciating to someone with Thompson's low tolerance for tedium.

Americans, meanwhile, should wonder about entrusting the job to someone who has proven unable to sustain interest in the responsibilities that come with high federal office. In weighing his candidacy, they may find that the more they see of him, the less interested they are.

"I don't know why all of the pundits say Fred isn't doing well. He's in the top 3 everywhere I look," a local republican noted. "The majority of the people I talk to support Fred Thompson," he said.

Unity, Prosperity, Security....UPS, no wait, that's taken by the big brown trucks. How about Prosperity, Unity, Security.

Dead Beemer

cool old ragtop on ebay.......$3,500
new rack and pinion, struts, shocks........$1,000
money to ed to install.....$75
new paint, interior and misc repairs.....$3,200
new top....$750
gas for 8 years of driving....?
turning left on yellow and getting smacked by a 21 year old running the yellow...priceless

This is....was my little brother John's car. Nice car. Go for a long roof now John.

btw, what's in the garage under the car cover? And where's the beer fridge?
Trey and Austin started this stupid little game: anytime anyone says, "Jeff Gordon", everyone has to spit. The one who spits last gets thumped. Racedays around here are a lot of fun.

It's Even Worse Than It Appears, But It's All Right

Grateful Dead on PBS Pledge Week. From the KOZK website:

Dead Ahead: The Grateful Dead in Concert
Saturday, October 6, 9:00pm
CHANNEL 21 (KOZK)
The legendary rock band in a 1980 concert at Radio City Music Hall. Songs include "Bird Song," "Don't Ease Me In," "Franklin's Tower," "Fire on the Mountain," "Not Fade Away" and "Good Lovin'." Also: an interview with band member Bob Weir.

It's even worse than it appears, but it's all right.

What I Should Have Said Was......

David Cantonese on the KY3 Political Blog post: Steve Helms Unlikely To Run Against Lampe Again. A nice posting where Helms actually has some relatively nice things to say about Lampe for a change. It appears that he has finally accepted the results of the election and is able to get along with his life.

I was going to post a comment to that effect on Catonese's post about Helms but Helms posted a comment that made everything I was going to post moot (2).

This is what is great about blogging and this instantaneous access to information (it's even worse than it appears but it's all right): if you are Steve Helms and you don't like the way the reporter framed the story, you can say things like "I should have said". Helms actually framed his comment like this:

Just to clarify…
When I was quoted as saying that Lampe has done nothing for voters to vote her out, I should have said....

I am not sure if "do overs" count once the story has been published. But hey, if Bush can create his own reality, why can't Helms.

God's Telling Me To Deny Everything....Paradise By The Cell Phone Text Message Light

This was posted on the 2dollarbill blog. It's a post about the bright lights on the James River ASS.
Let the bright lights shine in at Oral Roberts University. God is telling Richard Roberts, University President and Oral Robert's son, to deny everything.
An ORU student repairing a laptop computer belonging to Stephanie Cantese discovered a document that details dozens of alleged instances of misconduct. Cantese is the sister-in-law of Richard Roberts.

- A longtime maintenance employee was fired so that an underage male friend of Mrs. Roberts could have his position.

- Mrs. Roberts - who is a member of the board of regents and is referred to as ORU's "first lady" on the university's Web site - frequently had cell-phone bills of more than $800 per month, with hundreds of text messages sent between 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. to "underage males who had been provided phones at university expense."

- The university jet was used to take one daughter and several friends on a senior trip to Orlando, Fla., and the Bahamas. The $29,411 trip was billed to the ministry as an "evangelistic function of the president."

- Mrs. Roberts spent more than $39,000 at one Chico's clothing store alone in less than a year, and had other accounts in Texas and California. She also repeatedly said, "As long as I wear it once on TV, we can charge it off." The document cites inconsistencies in clothing purchases and actual usage on TV.

- Mrs. Roberts was given a white Lexus SUV and a red Mercedes convertible by ministry donors.

- University and ministry employees are regularly summoned to the Roberts' home to do the daughters' homework.

- The university and ministry maintain a stable of horses for exclusive use by the Roberts' children.

- The Roberts' home has been remodeled 11 times in the past 14 years.

Text messaging "underage males"?????

Paradise by the Dashboard Light.

I Can't Drive 55

Jason said...

I have a problem with people driving around the area hauling trailers who show no respect for the other drivers on the road. Tuesday night I was driving on Republic Road and was in a line of 12 cars behind a guy in a pickup hauling a mower on a trailer at 20 MPH under the speed limit.

Instead of pulling into a shopping center lot to let the long line of traffic pass he just kept driving four miles along Republic Road just backing up more traffic.

Show some courtesy when you're on the roads. That guy created a potentially dangerous situation.

Patience, Jason, patience, we all will get there eventually.