Wednesday, December 22, 2010
A Dog's Tail
There are all sorts of indicators or hints in one's life, each unique in its interpretation from multiple perspectives. Some are painful and blunt, like the sack of Bret Favre last week that, from my perspective, should be interpreted by Mr. Favre as the hint that his days of receiving brutal punishment are not numbered. They are over. Then again, that's my perspective. Within his own now rather muddled noggin, Mr. Favre may be thinking that until I'm out there in a walker, I'll keep on playing.
This interpreting thing has had me thinking recently as to the concept of timeliness or proper timing. Lingering on the stage too long is an immediate discomfort to the unfortunate audience and is usually realized embarrassingly late by the lingering actor. So, I'm looking around for the true indicators, ones that will minimize every one's empathetic supplies.
I've settled on checking with my dog. This inter-species barometer should do me right. I mean, how can you not trust your tail-wagging so-glad-to-see-you fellow resident? The day that the pull to stay home and tussle the dog's ears is stronger then the push to go out and do battle in the biz world populated now with whipper-snappers that believe face-to-face means text-to-text is probably the day that retirement is the sane option. I'm certainly not there yet, but I find myself some mornings struggling to leave the pooch at home by himself.....it's his company I'm preferring to that of the folks at work.
Perhaps if they waved their tails or communicated some other positive action, the dog's company would not be as enticing.
Ho. Ho. Ho.
This interpreting thing has had me thinking recently as to the concept of timeliness or proper timing. Lingering on the stage too long is an immediate discomfort to the unfortunate audience and is usually realized embarrassingly late by the lingering actor. So, I'm looking around for the true indicators, ones that will minimize every one's empathetic supplies.
I've settled on checking with my dog. This inter-species barometer should do me right. I mean, how can you not trust your tail-wagging so-glad-to-see-you fellow resident? The day that the pull to stay home and tussle the dog's ears is stronger then the push to go out and do battle in the biz world populated now with whipper-snappers that believe face-to-face means text-to-text is probably the day that retirement is the sane option. I'm certainly not there yet, but I find myself some mornings struggling to leave the pooch at home by himself.....it's his company I'm preferring to that of the folks at work.
Perhaps if they waved their tails or communicated some other positive action, the dog's company would not be as enticing.
Ho. Ho. Ho.
Labels: 2010: Are We Recovering Yet?, Idiosyncracies, Office Behaviour, People
Friday, December 10, 2010
(Seemingly Eternal) Life
Well...I'm looking forward to the time shortly after Christmas when I'll be able to curl up with a book, namely this one. Well, perhaps "curl up". I think "curling up with a book" was possible when bones & ligaments and joints were more pliable. Perhaps, I'll simply be lying down with Life.
Life, however, is not what the author, a certain Keith Richards, is leaving behind in his wake. On the occassion of a book reading at the NY Public Library, an orchid came too close to the aura (and the smoke aroma) of Mr. Richards. But then again, which was more rare, the now departed orchid or the unkillable Mr. "Nuke Coocroach" Richards?
Life, however, is not what the author, a certain Keith Richards, is leaving behind in his wake. On the occassion of a book reading at the NY Public Library, an orchid came too close to the aura (and the smoke aroma) of Mr. Richards. But then again, which was more rare, the now departed orchid or the unkillable Mr. "Nuke Coocroach" Richards?
Labels: 2010: Are We Recovering Yet?
Moody's Gone.....
Sad news this morning. James Moody, just Moody to his friends, died yesterday, December 9th. I was lucky enough to have caught his performamces a few times, usually in accompaniment with another group or singer. What always struck me, aside from his smooth playing (and I am NOT referring to Smooth Jazz!??!), was his self-effacing manner. No wonder everyone loved playing with him. If there was praise to be doled out, he always made sure it was shed on his fellow musicians, keeping only scraps for himself.
...and I never tired of his live versions of "Moody's Mood for Love". While his vocals weren't strong, they were passionate and earnest. Moody will be missed.
Here's another YouTube, a tribute to Mr. Moody for his 83rd birthday, as sone by that great jazz station, WBGO, out of Newark, NJ. He was 85 at the time of his death.
Labels: 2010: Are We Recovering Yet?, Jazz
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Each Morning I'm Closer to Thinking...
..that the terrorists have won.
Or, have we as a nation completely lost it as far as having a grip on common sense.
TOTH to Michael Wade over @ Execupundit for the link.
Next time I board a plane, I'll leave my nail clippers behind at home and pack this. I'll leave the bullets in check-in.
Or, have we as a nation completely lost it as far as having a grip on common sense.
TOTH to Michael Wade over @ Execupundit for the link.
Next time I board a plane, I'll leave my nail clippers behind at home and pack this. I'll leave the bullets in check-in.
Labels: 2010: Are We Recovering Yet?
Thursday, November 04, 2010
The Place to Be
So,
After being part of the Rally for Sanity And/Or Fear crew on Saturday, the day before Halloween, in front of 6 million people, where do you go next for your act?
Why, it seems Delaware & Punkin' Chunkin'. No word yet if the annual event will take up my modest proposal.
After being part of the Rally for Sanity And/Or Fear crew on Saturday, the day before Halloween, in front of 6 million people, where do you go next for your act?
Why, it seems Delaware & Punkin' Chunkin'. No word yet if the annual event will take up my modest proposal.
Labels: 2010: Are We Recovering Yet?
Wednesday, November 03, 2010
Delaware Results: A Slight Bit of Analysis for...
...those folks unfamiliar with the way our dinky (and I mean that in a positive way...the degree of separation in Delaware rarely exceeds 2 people) state works.
Here's how the final numbers shook out,
Total votes cast: 305,076 which represents about a 48% turnout rate.
US Senate Race:
Democrat Chris Coons won with 172,590 votes or 56.6%
Republican/Tea Party Christine O'Donnell trailed with 122,237 votes or 40%.
There are three counties in Delaware. The northern county, New Castle, borders New Jersey (the state that gave us O'Donnell) and Pennsylvania. The middle county, Kent, and the southern county, Sussex, border Maryland. Total votes cast in each county and for the 2 major candidates were:
Total Votes Cast Coons O'Donnell
New Castle 184,755 122,259 56,833
71% 31%
Kent 49,437 22,312 25,059
45% 51%
Sussex 70,844 28,019 40,345
40% 57%
So...you get the idea. Up in the northern part of the state, heavy Coons support. As you slip or drive south, Coons loses support and O'Donnell gains. In my district, Coons received 89% of the votes cast while O'Donnell received less than 9%.
In the southern-most district in Delaware, District #38, where O'Donnell received the most votes, 6,752, of any other district that had votes for her, she carried with 58% of total votes cast.
A canal splits Delaware in two. The C & D Canal served as the dividing point for political party favorites for a long time in Delaware. Above the canal, mainly Democratic. Below the canal, mainly Republican. With folks from other states, retirees (mostly) from New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, that distinction has changed over the years. In this election, 6 districts of the 17 districts below the canal ended up favoring Coons. This creeping Democratic party tendency is starting to worry folks here in the First State as it is a major, albeit a slow, change to the way things have always been.
But then again, what with the effect of the Tea Party in this year's national elections, change is certainly not just a Delaware phenomenon. Was it just a lot of noise? In Delaware, it seems so as both Tea Party candidates of national office lost, both by at least 17%. Otrher states were not so lucky. The next year or so will not be boring.
A tip of the hat to WP for inspiring this post as he commented, with apprehensive surprise, here as regards O'Donnell's grab of 40% of Delaware's votes cast. I'm hoping that by looking at the numbers and the distribution of the numbers a better understanding of how the 40% came about could be had.
Here's how the final numbers shook out,
Total votes cast: 305,076 which represents about a 48% turnout rate.
US Senate Race:
Democrat Chris Coons won with 172,590 votes or 56.6%
Republican/Tea Party Christine O'Donnell trailed with 122,237 votes or 40%.
There are three counties in Delaware. The northern county, New Castle, borders New Jersey (the state that gave us O'Donnell) and Pennsylvania. The middle county, Kent, and the southern county, Sussex, border Maryland. Total votes cast in each county and for the 2 major candidates were:
Total Votes Cast Coons O'Donnell
New Castle 184,755 122,259 56,833
71% 31%
Kent 49,437 22,312 25,059
45% 51%
Sussex 70,844 28,019 40,345
40% 57%
So...you get the idea. Up in the northern part of the state, heavy Coons support. As you slip or drive south, Coons loses support and O'Donnell gains. In my district, Coons received 89% of the votes cast while O'Donnell received less than 9%.
In the southern-most district in Delaware, District #38, where O'Donnell received the most votes, 6,752, of any other district that had votes for her, she carried with 58% of total votes cast.
A canal splits Delaware in two. The C & D Canal served as the dividing point for political party favorites for a long time in Delaware. Above the canal, mainly Democratic. Below the canal, mainly Republican. With folks from other states, retirees (mostly) from New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, that distinction has changed over the years. In this election, 6 districts of the 17 districts below the canal ended up favoring Coons. This creeping Democratic party tendency is starting to worry folks here in the First State as it is a major, albeit a slow, change to the way things have always been.
But then again, what with the effect of the Tea Party in this year's national elections, change is certainly not just a Delaware phenomenon. Was it just a lot of noise? In Delaware, it seems so as both Tea Party candidates of national office lost, both by at least 17%. Otrher states were not so lucky. The next year or so will not be boring.
A tip of the hat to WP for inspiring this post as he commented, with apprehensive surprise, here as regards O'Donnell's grab of 40% of Delaware's votes cast. I'm hoping that by looking at the numbers and the distribution of the numbers a better understanding of how the 40% came about could be had.
Labels: 2010: Are We Recovering Yet?
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
I'm Not Dead Yet...
....she says.
9:00 PM Tuesday night.
67% of the Delaware districts have reported results.
Coons is in the lead for the U.S. Senate position in question with 56.7% of the votes.
O'Donnell is trailing with 39.8% of the votes.
Reporters at the O'Donnell campaign celebration site in Dover are saying that the O'Donnell campaign is NOT conceding. The folks at that "celebration" are watching a video of their candidate. The video, professionally done, was never aired and the staff is suggesting a conspiracy with the local media as to why it wasn't shown. This train wreck of a political campaign is still chugging along, regardless of the fact that there is no track left.
The way her campaign's been managed, expect to hear tomorrow that there was a general conspiracy by the voters in Delaware who didn't vote for her as regards her campaign's failure. So, if you live in Delaware there's a possibility that 31,898 (a this point in time) of us will be served legal papers. hope they're serving Dogfish Head IPA at the courthouse.....
9:00 PM Tuesday night.
67% of the Delaware districts have reported results.
Coons is in the lead for the U.S. Senate position in question with 56.7% of the votes.
O'Donnell is trailing with 39.8% of the votes.
Reporters at the O'Donnell campaign celebration site in Dover are saying that the O'Donnell campaign is NOT conceding. The folks at that "celebration" are watching a video of their candidate. The video, professionally done, was never aired and the staff is suggesting a conspiracy with the local media as to why it wasn't shown. This train wreck of a political campaign is still chugging along, regardless of the fact that there is no track left.
The way her campaign's been managed, expect to hear tomorrow that there was a general conspiracy by the voters in Delaware who didn't vote for her as regards her campaign's failure. So, if you live in Delaware there's a possibility that 31,898 (a this point in time) of us will be served legal papers. hope they're serving Dogfish Head IPA at the courthouse.....
Labels: 2010: Are We Recovering Yet?
Hopefully, After Today This Will Be The Last Time...
... that I ever have to mention her name.
From FactCheck.org, this post today:
From FactCheck.org, this post today:
Monty Python Award for Illogical Witch finding
To: Christine O’Donnell, running for Senate in Delaware
Hoping to stem the flood of mockery resulting from footage of her claiming to have dabbled in witchcraft, GOP candidate O’Donnell went public with what may become the most enduring campaign slogan since "read my lips": "I'm not a witch … I’m you." As if mere denials ever got someone off the hook for witchery! Perhaps we need to break out the scales and the duck.
O'Donnell's ad steps into a logical minefield even more absurd than the classic Monty Python "if she weighs the same as a duck, she’s made of wood" argument (which, incidentally, we analyzed here). The 2001 American Religious Identification Survey found that 134,000 people in the United States identified as Wiccans — that was a fifteen fold increase over the 1990 survey, and by now may be much larger if the trend has continued. Even using 2001 numbers, if we assume a relatively consistent spread of Wiccans over the United States, there would be 400 people in Delaware who consider themselves witches. If Christine O'Donnell is them, then she is a witch, but she’s not a witch, she’s them, but they're witches, so she is a witch, and so on until your head explodes.
My take on the Delaware Senate Elections, with no slight intended toward Chris Coons:
1) Republican friends thought Mike Castle was too liberal.
2) Democratic friends thought Mike Castle was too Republican.
3) I thought Mike Castle was on the conservative side of Moderate
4) There was general agreement that Mike Castle was willing to work with the Other party.
5) There was general agreement that Mike Castle was a person willing to listen to opposing lines of thought.
6) Everyone agreed that Mike Castle was a fine governor.
Therefore, my preference and the person I would have voted for had I the opportunity in the Delaware U.S. Senatorial contest was Mike Castle, the unfortunate loser in the Republican primary here. It was a shame and an insult to a person who had provided years of responsible duty to this state. For Mr. Castle to lose to such a shallow and irresponsible person as O'Donnell was beyond logical comprehension. It was simply, IMHO, an embarrassment for the state of Delaware.
Hopefully, this embarrassment will be partially negated by Mr. Coon's victory tonight. It's time to send these unqualified, self-involved, clueless pretenders to power a clear message.
To: Christine O’Donnell, running for Senate in Delaware
Hoping to stem the flood of mockery resulting from footage of her claiming to have dabbled in witchcraft, GOP candidate O’Donnell went public with what may become the most enduring campaign slogan since "read my lips": "I'm not a witch … I’m you." As if mere denials ever got someone off the hook for witchery! Perhaps we need to break out the scales and the duck.
O'Donnell's ad steps into a logical minefield even more absurd than the classic Monty Python "if she weighs the same as a duck, she’s made of wood" argument (which, incidentally, we analyzed here). The 2001 American Religious Identification Survey found that 134,000 people in the United States identified as Wiccans — that was a fifteen fold increase over the 1990 survey, and by now may be much larger if the trend has continued. Even using 2001 numbers, if we assume a relatively consistent spread of Wiccans over the United States, there would be 400 people in Delaware who consider themselves witches. If Christine O'Donnell is them, then she is a witch, but she’s not a witch, she’s them, but they're witches, so she is a witch, and so on until your head explodes.
My take on the Delaware Senate Elections, with no slight intended toward Chris Coons:
1) Republican friends thought Mike Castle was too liberal.
2) Democratic friends thought Mike Castle was too Republican.
3) I thought Mike Castle was on the conservative side of Moderate
4) There was general agreement that Mike Castle was willing to work with the Other party.
5) There was general agreement that Mike Castle was a person willing to listen to opposing lines of thought.
6) Everyone agreed that Mike Castle was a fine governor.
Therefore, my preference and the person I would have voted for had I the opportunity in the Delaware U.S. Senatorial contest was Mike Castle, the unfortunate loser in the Republican primary here. It was a shame and an insult to a person who had provided years of responsible duty to this state. For Mr. Castle to lose to such a shallow and irresponsible person as O'Donnell was beyond logical comprehension. It was simply, IMHO, an embarrassment for the state of Delaware.
Hopefully, this embarrassment will be partially negated by Mr. Coon's victory tonight. It's time to send these unqualified, self-involved, clueless pretenders to power a clear message.
Labels: 2010: Are We Recovering Yet?
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Rally to Restore Sanity And/Or Fear - A Descriptive Part #1
A buddy and I drove down early Saturday morning from Delaware, passing by quite a few buses heading in the same southerly direction. On I-95, we zipped through Baltimore taking a fast glimpse at the O’s stadium, a venue yet to see post-season play. We veered south onto I-495 to catch the ingoing Metro line at Greenbelt, the first station on the Green line. The parking lot, holding about 4,000 cars was already about 2/3 full at 9:00. Hmmmmm, a lot of like-minded sane and responsible people, it seemed, had the same rational idea. We briskly strolled into the station which was already packed with queues of folks politely waiting their turn. The 200 or so folks all seemed to be brewing at a low level of excitement, containing their delight at seeing equally self-controlled low-level brewing individuals. We lucked out in catching a Metro as soon as we purchased our $12 round trip tix and in a half hour and 10 stops later we exited the subway and ascended into a beautiful day breaking out of the Chinatown station.
There were short lines everywhere. Queues for Starbucks or other cafes, lines at the corners as folks patiently waited to cross the streets, and even a group of folks one following another slowly passing a Vet with a cup asking for small change. Hmmm, queuing for coinage....it was going to be a rather different type of day.
We walked the 6 or 8 blocks down 7th Avenue, sun streaming down on the gradually warming day. From the feeding side streets, more people came. There was a giddiness flowing like first-date nervousness. Signs started cropping up, indications that folks had been heeding advice from Jon Stewart's Sanity site. Costumes here and there were also evident of fans of Stephen Colbert's site or, perhaps, merely early Halloween celebrants trying out their gear.
Vendors, vendors, vendors everywhere. Badges, flags, banners, water, and any other purchasable paraphernalia easily carried by the purchaser were offered. The closer you got to the mall, the steeper the same merchandise was priced. Good to see basic economic theory was being practiced here, straight out of the books. Free Rally towels promoting the event were being handed out by volunteers. Later in the day, I saw the same Rally towels, already classic collector items, being sold by folks not outfitted with the official Restore to Sanity volunteer t-shirts. Russian underground economic theory being put into practice; what was free for me will cost you.....comrade.
We ended up on The Mall around 9:30, folks already packed in behind sectional metal fencing. My friend and I, being bachelors at the event and thus not attached with women of social niceties and responsible behavior decided to see how far we can ooze ourselves to the front. Slithering through groups of folks who'd claimed their spots with blankets, fold-up chairs, coolers, or simply spread-out-like-snow-angels body frames, we worked our way from where 7th Avenue crosses through The Mall to 4th Avenue. There, we hit our first major issue, US Park Rangers and fencing. Like a creek around rocks (enough metaphors in here for ya?), we slipped off to the side of least resistance and continued on toward the Main Stage.
(to be continued.....)
We walked the 6 or 8 blocks down 7th Avenue, sun streaming down on the gradually warming day. From the feeding side streets, more people came. There was a giddiness flowing like first-date nervousness. Signs started cropping up, indications that folks had been heeding advice from Jon Stewart's Sanity site. Costumes here and there were also evident of fans of Stephen Colbert's site or, perhaps, merely early Halloween celebrants trying out their gear.
Vendors, vendors, vendors everywhere. Badges, flags, banners, water, and any other purchasable paraphernalia easily carried by the purchaser were offered. The closer you got to the mall, the steeper the same merchandise was priced. Good to see basic economic theory was being practiced here, straight out of the books. Free Rally towels promoting the event were being handed out by volunteers. Later in the day, I saw the same Rally towels, already classic collector items, being sold by folks not outfitted with the official Restore to Sanity volunteer t-shirts. Russian underground economic theory being put into practice; what was free for me will cost you.....comrade.
(to be continued.....)
Labels: 2010: Are We Recovering Yet?, Sanity And/Or Fear
Friday, October 29, 2010
Tentative Schedule @ The Mall, Washington D.C. October 30, 2010
"He was sweaty," Talley said. And "he wanted eggs really bad."
But this fellow? It seemed he understood the first part of his new career, namely nabbing the money. But the getaway part needs some serious work. Fortunately for him, he'll have some quiet time to mull over his next caper.
A lesson to be learned here is best stated by Liquid Planet's Nathan Talley who had served the Cash Transporting Specialist after his foray into a local bank.
"Liquid Planet's Talley had an additional theory. The suspect may have tipped the cab driver, but he left no money at the coffee shop. "
"Bad karma", Talley said, "That's why he got caught."
WP? La Vie Poème? Have any such shenanigans happened in your coffee & eggs experience? I'm sure you have tales to tell.
Labels: 2010: Are We Recovering Yet?
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Saturday on the Mall
Hey!? Anyone out there going to the biggest non-political Political Halloween Party this Saturday in D.C.?
Just wondering if I'll be able to recognize you by your sign or by your costume.
Labels: 2010: Are We Recovering Yet?
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
St. Georges, DE, Washington DC, The Morning After
Wow...what a weekend.
Helping a friend out with a live broadcast of his 33 1/3 year as host of "Red, Hot, & Blue", a blues show he started....33 1/3 years ago on WVUD. That's him just to the left of the lead singer, Garry Cogdell, strumming & singing. This'll be a performance @ the Cafe at the Country Store in (North) St. Georges, DE. 7 until 11 on Friday night, the 29th. Open invitation to all readers to drop on by for some free music, beer & wine, and NOLA type grub. The latter three items are NOT free but attendees are strongly suggested in partaking thereof. Feed the artists; keep the Country Store going.
Then, Saturday the 30th, if the body's recovered from all of the dancing, whistling, & general spiritual celebration and carrying on of the night before, it's off to D.C for the Jon Stewart Rally to Restore Sanity event and The Rev. Sir Dr. Stephen T. Colbert, D.F.A. Keep Fear Alive rally.
..Followed by a dj-ing gig on Sunday, October 31st on The Morning After on WVUD, the voice of the University of Delaware. If you're lounging at the house, flip on your PC and catch the show form 9:00 until 12:00 noon EST from this link.
Sleep seems like an option this coming weekend.
When it rains it pours and who wants an umbrella anyways.
Labels: 2010: Are We Recovering Yet?, Morning After
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Lookin'
...you knew what was coming. Anyone who winessed last year's World Series had a clue.
And so, Brian Wilson, he of the shoe-polished beard not he of the "Fun, Fun, Fun" fame, a left-handed pitcher did what lefties did to Ryan Howard all last year in the playoffs and the World Series.
He struck him out.
Lookin'.
Not good company to be keeping for one's baseball fame.
It's over 36 hours later and I'm still bummed. It's not that I'm laying the full blame of the loss on Mr. Howard; he ended the playoffs with the best batting average of the Phils. It's just that, well..... you don't end your season with the wood parked on your shoulder.
Next year can't come around any sooner. For the Phils this year, it's no longer GO! It's GONE!
Labels: 2010: Are We Recovering Yet?, Philly
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Gorgeous Day to Be Inside Perusing
...the Internet.
Gawd, it's beautiful out there! A brilliant and sunny Fall day requiring desired sweaters and pullovers. And, tonight, Game #6 of the NLCS. Should be a great night to be visiting a local establishment for brews and views.
But, now? Well, an unfortunate article appeared in this morning's NYT.
...and now I may be glued inside for a very, very long time. Addicting reading, this.
Well, at least I'm parked by a window so I can occasionally peak at the blue, blue day passing me by.
May you not be so similarly smitten.
Gawd, it's beautiful out there! A brilliant and sunny Fall day requiring desired sweaters and pullovers. And, tonight, Game #6 of the NLCS. Should be a great night to be visiting a local establishment for brews and views.
But, now? Well, an unfortunate article appeared in this morning's NYT.
...and now I may be glued inside for a very, very long time. Addicting reading, this.
Well, at least I'm parked by a window so I can occasionally peak at the blue, blue day passing me by.
May you not be so similarly smitten.
Labels: 2010: Are We Recovering Yet?
Friday, October 22, 2010
Philly...set to win in SEVEN!
O.k., the National League Champion Series is back in Philly for the last 2 games.
San Fran had its chance and they blew it. From losing the clinching game, with Lincecum pitching against (as we found out later) a Roy Halladay pitching with one leg as he'd severely strained his groin muscle in the 2nd inning, to tromping out a gal and a hat to do the 7th inning rendition of "God Bless America", it was a night to remember.....
....if you were a Philly phan and one to forget if you were a Giants fan.
So, Saturday night, game #6 yelling, screaming, and hooting 'n hollerin' will create some sort of bedlam in South Philly.
And, for the 7th inning, they'll be sending out the professionals to show....
that gal in San Fran what costumes are all about.
What an amateur!!
San Fran had its chance and they blew it. From losing the clinching game, with Lincecum pitching against (as we found out later) a Roy Halladay pitching with one leg as he'd severely strained his groin muscle in the 2nd inning, to tromping out a gal and a hat to do the 7th inning rendition of "God Bless America", it was a night to remember.....
....if you were a Philly phan and one to forget if you were a Giants fan.
So, Saturday night, game #6 yelling, screaming, and hooting 'n hollerin' will create some sort of bedlam in South Philly.
And, for the 7th inning, they'll be sending out the professionals to show....
that gal in San Fran what costumes are all about.
What an amateur!!
Labels: 2010: Are We Recovering Yet?, Philly
Thursday, October 21, 2010
A Modest Proposal : Chunkin'
The U.S. Senatorial elections are on November 2, 2010. The results should be finalized by November 3rd or 4th.
The World Champion Punkin' Chunkin' Festival east of Bridgeville, Delaware is from November 5th through the 7th this year.
Usually, pumpkins are the choice of items to be chunked or thrown.
How about (I can feel you getting the gist of where I'm heading with this) this year, the loser of the Delaware US Senate race be one of the items chunked?
If it happens to be Christine O'Donnell, I'm sure arrangements can be made to aim the pumpkin chunker winning entry over toward Jersey. The Delaware River is just a few feet wider than 4,483.51 ft...but it'd be the right general direction, right? We'd simply be returning to Jersey what rightfully belongs to Jersey.
Labels: 2010: Are We Recovering Yet?
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Dumb & Dumber
Christine O'Donnell, in a recent US Senatorial debate, proved she can be (at least) two people at once, namely someone Dumb and also someone Dumber. Should she try for the trifecta of Dumbest? Her claim to be following the US Constitution as her guiding light for legislating is a bit dim as she proclaimed, "Where in the Constitution is the separation of church and state?" in response to the Democratic nominee Chris Coons' statement that, "...private and parochial schools are free to teach creationism but that "religious doctrine doesn't belong in our public schools."
While her question is legitimate in that the phrase "seperation of church and state" does NOT appear in the US Constitution, her response to Coons' reply "...that the First Amendment bars Congress from making laws respecting the establishment of religion." of "You're telling me that's in the First Amendment?" took the audience by surprise....and not a pleasant one. Her security blanket of being all about the US Constitution seemed threadbare. Come on! This is the First Amendment we're talking about...didn't she even read that far into the US Constitution? When is this train wreck of a campaign going to end? How much more embarassment will she be directing toward the Delaware US Senatorial election?
Come on, she's been complaining about the Republican Party not supporting her monetarily. I'm sure she had enought money in her campaign to shell out for one of the Dummy books. Nope. Now, she's simply proved what Sanford's been spouting.
N.B> to Ms. O'Donnell, the Constitutional "expert", the actor in the YouTube is Redd Foxx...not President Obama. Just making sure you have your facts straight.
Labels: 2010: Are We Recovering Yet?
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Delaware Goes National
It was not a pretty evening especially for the young (oh, so very young) Ms. O'Donnell. She was prepped in the Sarah Palin manner and came on strong at first, taking the offensive, as she should have in order to hopefully make Delaware voters conscious of her serious nature. Unfortunately, like the town facade in Blazing Saddles, O'Donnell began to crumble with statements like "when we fought the Russians in Afghanistan", "the secret Chinese plot to take over our country by (not so secretly...in fact with our encouragement) buying our debt", and failing to come up with one Supreme Court decision that she disagreed with (when questioned by a student) after proclaiming during her campaign that she disagreed with Supreme Court decisions. The moderators, attack dog Wolf Blitzer and the always solid Nancy Karibjanian, kept the contestants in line, especially Ms. O'Donnell when she veered away from the point of a question into prepared speech land. Ms. O'Donnell did face more pointed questions than Mr. Coons but she had laid herself out for this path with her ads and her mis-steps.
An aside here, as a reminder of the TV ads, Ms. O'Donnell had a dark dress and a string of pearls.....waiting to cast a spell on her audience, perhaps?
In a bizarre turn (was she told to say this by her handlers?), she joked that Mr. Coons was jealous of her since she made it as a topic on Saturday Night Live. Hmmm...didn't she get the point of the parody? Does she know the definition of "parody"? We knew from the debate that she was weak on history (the "fighting the Russians in Afghanistan" and confusing Iraq & Afghanistan comments) and finance (her lack of knowledge on how bond ratings are established or how county governments are legally required to balance their budgets). Perhaps she didn't do too well in college in English and literature as well.
For his part, it must have been difficult for Mr. Coons to not subsume into Dan Akroyd vis-a-vis Ms. O'Donnell's Jane Curtin. When asked to respond to some of the fact-less claims and throwing-out-chum statements by Ms. O'Donnell, Mr. Coons tended to respond that there wasn't enough time to go point-by-point or where should he begin. At one point, he looked over at Wolf Blitzer and said that if he (Mr. Blitzer) could make sense of the contradictory things that Ms. O'Donnell had just spouted in response to a question then Mr. Blitzer was a much better journalist than Mr. Coons had given him credit for. At points, one almost felt sorry for Ms. O'Donnell as to her lack of sense and knowledge and this was a very dangerous place to be as she is counting on the "I am you" stance against the "elitist educated" opponent she's running against. Funny that the 2 President Bush's, representing her party, had both graduated from the the same eilitist institution of Yale.
In the closing statement by the candidates, Mr. Coons noted, "She's focused too little on the issues that really matter to Delawareans, and too much on the issues that make good soundbites," Coons said. "Ms. O'Donnell has experience running for office, but not really running anything." That pretty well sums up the evening and the campaign choices. Do you want a yappy dog nipping at your heels or a calm & collected Labrador guiding you.
The short of the debate matter was that Ms. O'Donnell spoke in generalities and with the insinuation that her judgements of error and lack of responsibility were traits that Delawareans would cling and claim to while Mr. Coons provided logical answers backed by experience and a hard-earned education. She was going for the sympathy vote; he for the thoughtful one. We'll see which voters show up in Delaware on November 2nd.
Labels: 2010: Are We Recovering Yet?
Monday, October 11, 2010
Creativity is Being Curtailed..
No participant in the debate (neither candidates nor questioners) shall be allowed to use props or visuals.
Bummer! This being October and all, I was fairly sure one of the students posing a question to the candidates would have been appropriately dressed for Halloween. Wonder what will happen if someone sneaks in and dons this or this? The latter link is related to the latest political ad by Ms. O'Donnell.
Should be interesting and, now that CNN will be broadcasting part of it nationwide, beyond the importance of this interim position post (only 4 years left in the 6 year US Senator term). Tune in @ 7:30 EST.
Everyone seems to be stirred up by tonight's happenings and, since the 1st round of baseball playoffs are over, folks in the First State should be tuned in. Hmmm...wonder if anything actually substantial will be debated or if the potential nastiness of the crowd will dominate the proceedings?
Labels: 2010: Are We Recovering Yet?
