HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Well, this has been a helluva year. I won't bore anyone with a "year in review" post, since I've documented much of it here already. Suffice it to say there have been wonderous times, scary times and a few miraculous times. Thanks for hanging in there with me, and I hope y'all come back to this little corner of the blogosphere next year!!

My wish for you is to have a safe and happy new year!!!!

Utterly Disgusting

This is unreal.

PITTSBURGH — State police are trying to find a man who they say stole a hand-held video game system and accessories from the casket of a teen who had been killed in a traffic accident on Christmas Day.

State police are not willing to comment beyond a brief news release issued Wednesday.

In the release, police say 38-year-old Jody Lynn Bennett grabbed the items from the casket of 17-year-old Bradley McCombs during a viewing Monday night at a Montgomery Township funeral home, about 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.

The funeral home director and McCombs' mother aren't commenting. The suspect's aunt, Dianna Bennett, says her family is friends with the McCombs and are mortified by the theft. She tells The Associated Press she hopes police catch Bennett soon.

What kind of low-life bottom feeding piece of male bovine excrement would steal from a casket?? And it wasn't even a teenager - we're talking about a 38 year old man!!

I gotta tell ya, I often feel like nothing can surprise me anymore. And then I am once again proven wrong. *shaking head*

A Special Place in Hell - Part 1,502,307

Missouri Man Allegedly Admits to 500 Instances of Child Rape and Molestation

A Missouri neighborhood is stunned after police say a man admitted to more than 500 instances of statutory rape and child molestation, Fox2Now.com reports.

Corey Brown, 45, of Lake Saint Louis, allegedly confessed to sexually abusing two girls over the course of three years, beginning when the children were 8 and 9 years old.

Police say the confession came while Brown was being treated in a hospital this month after attempting suicide, according to the website. Authorities then launched an investigation into the alleged abuse.

"I feel so bad because those girls had to go through that," neighbor Jackie Binz told the website. "I could've done something if I had known."

"The girls were so polite and cheerful," added Binz.

The mother of the victims was not aware of the alleged abuse, according to police.

Brown is being charged with 10 counts of child molestation, statutory rape and statutory sodomy.

He remains in custody as his victims undergo counseling, the website reports.

This makes me physically ill. How can anyone...ANYONE...do that to a child? And for years?? While part of me wishes he would have been successful in his suicide attempt, had that happened this wouldn't have been discovered and those poor girls wouldn't be getting the help that they undoubtedly need.

My hope now is that he is convicted of these heinous crimes, gets the maximum sentence, and his fellow inmates do to him exactly what he did to those girls. Now THAT would be justice!!!

Another TSA FAIL - Misses Luggage Full of Explosives

Unbelievable!!

Despite a $98 million infusion for state-of-the-art baggage screening machines, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) somehow missed a suitcase filled with explosives that blasted after a three-hour domestic flight.

The shameful gaffe is simply the latest of many for the beleaguered Homeland Security agency charged with protecting the nation’s transportation system. A checked bag on a flight from Boston to Miami contained hundreds of bullet primers that exploded on the tarmac after the plane arrived in south Florida. Primers provide the spark that detonates the gunpowder in bullets.
...
The alarming event caps a series of never-ending TSA blunders that have severely compromised national security in the last few months. While the 50,000-member agency harasses honest citizens with invasive, genital-groping personal searches, it ignores real threats and persecutes its critics.

Just this week the agency went after a commercial airline pilot for exposing security flaws at a major U.S. airport. The veteran pilot from northern California actually posted video on the internet showing ground crews entering the airfield without undergoing any sort of screening process at San Francisco Airport. Now he’s the target of a TSA investigation for revealing “sensitive information.”

A few days ago a mainstream newspaper reported that the TSA fails to meet federal standards by not screening cargo and passengers on hundreds of thousands of planes that fly over the U.S. annually. This could allow a terrorist to explode a plane with a dirty bomb, biological or nuclear weapon, according to a veteran U.S. intelligence operative quoted in the piece. A few months ago bombs concealed in printer cartridges were designed to detonate during U.S.-bound flights from Europe and Dubai.

Other recent TSA lapses include guns and bombs regularly getting past inept screeners during random tests at major U.S. airports, approving background checks for illegal immigrants to work in sensitive areas of busy airports and clearing dozens of illegal aliens to train as pilots just as several of the 9/11 hijackers did. In the meantime, President Obama has given the agency more than $3 billion in recovery funds, including $98 million for “advanced technology X-ray units” that screen baggage.

So despite having to take off our shoes, carry no liquids, get groped and manhandled and/or have naked pictures taken, these yahoos STILL can't protect us?? Why does that NOT surprise me? TSA and the current Department of Homeland Security is an embarrassment.

Drinking Right Christmas Party Update!!!!!

From Fred

In their infinite wisdom the NFL has moved this Sunday's Packer game.

Accordingly we will adjust the starting time of the Drinking Right Christmas party from noon to 2:30 pm.

Spread the word folks

Merry Christmas

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. Luke 2:11

Merry Christmas to you all - May God bless you!

You Can't Buy Class

A few facts to begin:

Fact: I was born and raised in Illinois and I am an avid Bears Fan.

Fact: My husband of 16 years was born and raised in Wisconsin and is an avid Packers Fan.

Fact: I've lived in Wisconsin for 9 years.

Now, taking that all together you can imagine that football season in our house can get rather interesting. We along with our families have developed a mutual respect for the other's team. In fact, living in Wisconsin I know the comings and goings of the Packers' players more than I do my own players.

So what am I leading up to? Brett Favre.

In the beginning, I despised Favre. Couldn't STAND him. Over the next couple of years, I developed a grudging respect for the man. By the time he retired (the first time) from the Pack, my respect for the man and his skills was no longer grudging. And then...

His back and forth with the Packers got tiring. It was my opinion by the end of his Packer run that he was a spoiled little diva who wanted attention. In the years since, that opinion has only been confirmed. When he went to the Jets, I couldn't care less. I was actually surprised that Wisconsin media covered him as closely as when he was a Packer. And then...

The move to the Vikings was SUCH a "gotcha" to the Packers, I was surprised anyone still had any good opinion of him. And yet, the Wisconsin press still covered him as closely as when he was a Packer. In my eyes, his reputation was forever tarnished. And then...

The sexting. Apparently the NFL is still so enamored by Favre that there will be no repercussions because it's (almost) certain that he will retire after this season, and the "investigation" is ongoing. And the Wisconsin press, true to form, covered him as closely as when he was a Pack. And then...

According to NFL.com:

A concussed Favre still had the presence of mind following Monday night’s loss to the Bears to tell some of his opponents to put an end to the Packers’ playoff hopes. According to Michael Wilbon of ESPNChicago.com, via Judd Zulgad of the Star Tribune, Bears defensive lineman Julius Peppers was among them.

“I was happy Brett suited up,” Peppers said after the game. “I figured it might be the last time I got to see him across the field from me on the opposing sideline. Yeah, I talked to him after the game. I told him it was an honor to play against him. He said, ‘Likewise. … Go beat the Packers in a couple of weeks.’”

Seriously? Does he NOT remember how he was a god in Wisconsin? Does he NOT remember how the Packers organization and his fans stood by him through all his trials and tribulations? Does he NOT remember how so many would defend him against those like me who started calling him a whiney little bitch towards the end? If he does, it's obvious he doesn't care - not one little bit.

There are some who still say that years down the road all people will remember is his stats, his records, his skill. I respectfully disagree. There are several generations who will remember how Favre went from role model to a self-centered perverted bitter old man.

Goes to show you that regardless of how much money you have, you just can't buy class.

Tragic

2 firefighters dead, 17 hurt in extra-alarm blaze

Corey Ankum and Edward Stringer were among a dozen firefighters putting out a blaze in an abandoned building at daybreak today when suddenly the roof gave way.

Steven Ellerson, a 20-year veteran, and others swarmed inside to rescue them. "He heard someone calling for help and he looked for him," Ellerson's brother Maurice Matthews said.

Ellerson found Ankum on the floor, gasping

"He found him and knew he was struggling to breathe so he took off his mask to give him some oxygen," Matthews said. "Corey's head was stuck somehow and they couldn't get him out. So my brother went to give him his coat but they came and got my brother out of there. My brother didn't want to leave him, but there was no choice.

"It was a chaotic scene," Matthews said. "These guys put their lives on the line every day."

Stringer and another trapped firefighter was rushed to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, police closing ramps and clearing the way for the ambulances. Ankum was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.

Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford said both firefighters died of trauma. Ankum had been with the department less than two years, Stringer about 12 years.

The other trapped firefighter taken to Northwestern was "stable," according to Chicago Fire Cmsr. Robert Hoff. In all, 19 firefighters suffered injuries, Hoff said at an afternoon news conference. He said the injuries of those who survived were not considered life-threatening.

Read the rest at the link above.

That this happened at all is a tragedy...that it happened so close to Christmas makes it that much worse. Thoughts and MANY prayers to all those affected by this horrific event.

Just Because

A different take on Christmas

We all know about the war on Christmas. Those on the left want to take any and all Christianity out of Christmas; they want to make it a politically correct holiday. No more Merry Christmas, and heaven forbid there's a nativity scene to be...well...seen.

I found this article to be quite amusing. It's a bit of a different take on why the left should embrace some traditions of Christmas and toss some of the others.

...If one takes a closer look, however, at Christmas, he will see that a Nativity scene is far more politically correct than Santa Claus.

A sacred-themed Nativity scene is actually quite multicultural in nature. Such a scene features a Jewish-Galilean baby, born to a working class couple. The baby is serenaded by celestial beings and observed by bucolic shepherds, who are one with nature and the environment. The scene is framed by a very starry sky, unpolluted by industrial excess. Finally, to complete this diverse tableau, we see three philosopher-kings arriving from the East. They come peacefully to dispense gifts and mystical Near Eastern wisdom, far superior to the dry and linear Greek philosophy dominant in Western circles at that time.

A manger scene also stands as an indictment of the misguided capitalist system. The fact that Joseph, a general contractor, and his wife Mary, were refused accommodations because there was no room at the inn illustrates the failure of the free market to adequately address human needs. Granted, the fact that Joseph and his very pregnant wife were traveling to Bethlehem to pay their taxes is a tough nut to crack. If, however, working class folks like Joseph had willingly agreed to tax increases the Romans would undoubtedly have constructed homeless shelters, and provided a modest welfare safety net. The fact that men like Joseph resisted paying their fair share, thereby forcing the Romans to seek new revenue streams proves that Jean-Jacques Rousseau was right. Sometimes people have to be forced to be free! In addition, the nights in the stable really weren’t that bad. People returning to a state of nature and bedding down near the barnyard animals would warm the hearts of PETA
...
Santa Claus shows similar robber-baron tendencies in his approach to labor relations. He presses the elves into a state of serfdom, refuses to pay a decent wage, (thereby costing American jobs) and argues that he compensates for such shortcomings by providing good employee benefits such as free hot cocoa and gingerbread. Mr. Claus stubbornly refuses to bargain collectively with the duly elected representatives of the elves union. Furthermore, he will not allow OSHA inspectors free access to his toy factory and warehouse operations.

The animal rights lobby can also argue a good case against Santa Claus. His maltreatment of those eight tiny reindeer borders on criminality. This man “trains” reindeer to pull his bulk through the skies in an open sleigh. Quite disgraceful, isn’t it? Mr. Claus flies around in this contraption lacking seat belts, driver side air bags, anti-lock brakes, or any other safety devices. Meanwhile he cruises merrily along, apparently uncaring that reindeer flatulence contributes significantly to global warming.

You can read the whole thing here.

So how about it libs? Can we put the nativity scene back in Christmas?

Holiday Bloody Brunch - BE THERE!!

Time Sunday, December 19 · 3:00pm - 6:00pm

Location AJ bombers
1247 N. Water Street
Milwaukee, WI

Created By Bloody Brunch

Tis the season for sipping bloody marys topped with AJ Bomber burgers & bringing some good tidings & cheer to the community.

This time around all cash proceeds support the MACC Fund. Bring a toy to benefit Toys for Tots & get a swag bag filled with goodies from all your favorite local businesses....WOOT!

We'll have complimentary limo rides thanks to Blackline Limos...bring the family & take a ride in luxury to see the city's holiday lights!

Get your photo taken paparazzi style in front of our step & repeat courtesy of Rob Gustafson Photography!

Snack on the delicious pizza stylin's of Streetza Pizza!....AND MORE!

Stay tuned....tell your friends....& RSVP.....see ya on the 19th! :)

You can RSVP here
I will update this as more information becomes available.

It's Really Quite Sad

Yesterday, I saw a video that really moved me, so I posted it here. This evening, I watched it again and I started thinking (No Kate, I didn't hurt myself), and what crossed my mind really bothered me.

When I first watched the video, I was, quite frankly, overwhelmed by it. However the second time I watched it, my thoughts wandered a bit. Yeah, I know...big surprise. ANYWAY, one of my first thoughts was wondering how long until someone from Freedom From Religion (And NO, I will NOT link to them on this blog) will sue whatever organization was responsible for this heartwarming moment for "forcing" Christian religion on unsuspecting patrons of the mall.

Without getting into my personal views on this disgusting group, what I find quite sad is that during this wonderous season, the thought popped into my little brain and took root.

I really miss the country in which I grew up.

Drinking Right Christmas Party

Drinking Right Christmas Party.

Our Cheddarsphere Christmas party this year will be on Sunday, January the 2nd, from noon until whenever at Papa's Social Club, 7718 W. Burleigh Milwaukee .

Just like last year we'll be collecting predictions from the attendees for the coming year. (I'll be reposting last years predictions soon so we can see how we did.)

The Packers will be facing the Bears on the big screens. This game could very easily determine the NFC North Division Champion, come and watch it with friends!

Our White Elephant half-time gift exchange will also be revisited for a third straight year, just bring a gift to participate.

BLOGGERS, DO WHAT YOU DO, SPREAD THE WORD!!!

Head over to Fred's to RSVP.

In the Spirit of Christmas

Check out this video

NPD - No longer a personality disorder?

I found this quite interesting:

Narcissists, much to the surprise of many experts, are in the process of becoming an endangered species.

Not that they face imminent extinction — it’s a fate much worse than that. They will still be around, but they will be ignored.

The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (due out in 2013, and known as DSM-5) has eliminated five of the 10 personality disorders that are listed in the current edition.

Narcissistic personality disorder is the most well-known of the five, and its absence has caused the most stir in professional circles.

The article goes on to define NPD...

The central requirement for N.P.D. is a special kind of self-absorption: a grandiose sense of self, a serious miscalculation of one’s abilities and potential that is often accompanied by fantasies of greatness. It is the difference between two high school baseball players of moderate ability: one is absolutely convinced he’ll be a major-league player, the other is hoping for a college scholarship.

Of course, it would be premature to call the major-league hopeful a narcissist at such an early age, but imagine that same kind of unstoppable, unrealistic attitude 10 or 20 years later.

The second requirement for N.P.D.: since the narcissist is so convinced of his high station (most are men), he automatically expects that others will recognize his superior qualities and will tell him so. This is often referred to as “mirroring.” It’s not enough that he knows he’s great. Others must confirm it as well, and they must do so in the spirit of “vote early, and vote often.”

Finally, the narcissist, who longs for the approval and admiration of others, is often clueless about how things look from someone else’s perspective. Narcissists are very sensitive to being overlooked or slighted in the smallest fashion, but they often fail to recognize when they are doing it to others.

Sound familiar?

What a Punk!!!

Punks can be male or female, young or old. If this isn't the definition of a punk, I don't know what is!!

A 100-year-old woman who works as a greeter at a Milwaukee Wal-Mart said Monday she is bruised and sore but otherwise OK after a customer pushed her during a dispute Sunday.

In fact, Lois Speelman said she plans to return to work Thursday.

"I'm just stiff and sore," she said in a telephone interview from her Greenfield home. "I'll deal with that."

Speelman was working at the Wal-Mart at 3355 S. 27th St. when a 37-year-old woman pushed her after apparently becoming upset that Speelman was trying to verify that the woman had paid for water bottles that were inside her shopping cart, Milwaukee police spokeswoman Anne E. Schwartz said Monday.

The woman was arrested, and the Milwaukee County district attorney's office is reviewing the case, Schwartz said.

Speelman said she didn't want to discuss details of Sunday's incident until the investigation is complete, but she said she was simply doing her job by making sure the customer had paid for her items when she was attacked.

"That's our job," Speelman said. "That's what we're up there in front for, to watch people going and coming."

You can read the rest and see a picture of this spunky lady here.

Who would do this? I've said it before and I'll say it again...I have absolutely NO tolerance for those who abuse children, the elderly or animals.

To be honest with you, I wish I had been there. I'd like to give that b*tch a taste of her own medicine - see if she'd like to pick on someone her own size/age!

Why Conservatives are Happier than Liberals

A friend of mine sent this article to me the other day, and I found it quite interesting. Here's a snippet:

According to polls — Pew Research Center, the National Science Foundation — and studies such as Arthur Brooks’s Gross National Happiness, conservative Americans are happier than liberal Americans.

Liberals respond this way: “If we’re unhappier, it’s because we are more upset than conservatives over the plight of those less fortunate than ourselves.”

But common sense and data suggest other explanations.

For one thing, conservatives on the same socioeconomic level as liberals give more charity and volunteer more time than do liberals. And as regards the suffering of non-Americans, for at least half a century conservatives have been far more willing to sacrifice American treasure and American blood (often their own) for other nations’ liberty.

Both of these facts refute the liberals-are-more-concerned-about-others explanation for liberal unhappiness.
...
The unhappy gravitate toward the Left for a second reason. Life is hard for liberals and life is hard for conservatives. But conservatives assume that life will always be hard. Liberals, on the other hand, have utopian dreams. At his brother Robert’s funeral, the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy recalled his brother saying: “Some men see things as they are and say, ‘Why?’ I dream things that never were and say, ‘Why not?’”

Utopians will always be less happy than those who know that suffering is inherent to human existence. The utopian compares America to utopia and finds it terribly wanting. The conservative compares America to every other civilization that has ever existed and walks around wondering how he got so lucky as to be born or naturalized an American.

Read the complete article here.

In my experience, this article hits on a point that I've often noticed. It seems to me that liberals are always angry. If it's not one thing, it's another. They are perpetually offended. It's the left, for the most part, who resort to personal attacks and name calling. Sure, some on the right do that but in most cases, the most vicious personal attacks come from liberals.

Generally speaking, I'm a pretty happy person. Sure, I rant and rave on the blog, but ya know what? That's why I started blogging! It gives me a place to vent. I see or hear something that gets to me, I rant on this here blog, and then I let it go. There are also times that I can get pretty intense, such as the weeks just prior to the recent elections, but that's a pretty short-lived thing.

That's not to say I don't have my down moments. I was feeling pretty blah last Wednesday. There was no particular reason for it. However, rather than wallowing in my blahness, I decided to do something about it. What did I do, you ask? Well I'll tell ya! I wrote this post. Instead of whining and bitching, I decided to think about all those things that make me happy. As I thought over the past year, I realized how truly blessed I've been.

One thing I've learned is life ain't fair. Bad things happen to good people all. the. time. But I've also learned that life is what you make of it. If you choose to be miserable and/or a perpetual victim, you will be. If, however, you choose to take whatever life throws at you and make the best of it, you'll be a happier camper. Now, I'm not trying to get all "Pollyanna" on y'all, but it is what it is.

You see, I don't depend on others to make me happy or content. Nor do most conservatives I know.

A Special Place in Hell

I seriously hope there is a special place in hell for cretins who pull this kind of shit...

A heartless thief is believed to have crashed a fund-raiser and made off with a bag of cash meant to help a city firefighter pay for life-changing surgery for his 9-year-old son.
...
The Brewster third-grader has hemifacial microsoma, in which one half of the face doesn't develop correctly.

The Brewster third-grader has hemifacial microsoma, in which one half of the face doesn't develop correctly.

Last weekend family pal Peter Drake, a Ridgefield, Conn., firefighter, hosted a fund-raiser, collecting between $8,000 and $9,000.

But when the party at a Danbury, Conn., Irish cultural center was over, the money had disappeared.

"At the end of the night, all the money that was donated was put in a zippered bag," said Tim Sullivan. "A bartender gave the bag to Pete . . . He had it in his hands. He put it down to go do something, and when he came back, he saw that it was missing."

Sullivan said his longtime friend -- who has had fund-raisers to pay for Aidan's 10 previous surgeries -- is "devastated."

"Listening to a 47-year-old man cry, and not about his mother dying, was brutal," Sullivan said.

"Pete was so upset. He kept saying, 'I let Aidan down, I let Aidan down,' " Colleen Sullivan, 40, recalled.

How despicable!!! How disgusting!!! Good people are opening their hearts and wallets to help a child and some low-life pond scum steals it?? No offense to pond scum. I hope this POS gets caught, and quickly. And I hope that he's publically humiliated. I won't hold my breath on that one though - people with no soul most likely won't feel humiliation.

I wouldn't worry too much about Aidan, however. His reaction?

But feisty little Aidan Sullivan -- who was born with a facial defect and no right ear -- yesterday put up a brave front, with a message for the crook: "I'm going to kick your butt!"

Heh! I like the kid's attitude. I think he's gonna be just fine. Our prayers are with you kid!!

More TSA Madness

Last Friday, I was in the car listening to Charlie Sykes' show and he was talking about some of the crazy stories associated with the TSA and wondering where the madness will end. Because my mind tends to go off in all directions, when I got home I sent him this email.

Charlie,

I wonder what will happen to those who have incontinence issues or women who are flying at "that time of the month"...will they have to prove that they are using hygiene products to prove they're not carrying anything threatening??

Chris from Racine

Since I was busy doing things around the house, I have no idea if there was any follow up on the question and promptly put it out of my mind.

Well, I guess now I have my answer...

New York Times reporter Joe Sharkey wrote Monday that he was getting a lot of requests for information from female frequent fliers.

“Do the imagers, for example, detect sanitary napkins?” women wanted to know. “Yes,” wrote Sharkey.

“Does that then necessitate a pat-down? The TSA couldn’t say. Screeners, the TSA has said, are expected to exercise some discretion.” the article continued.

“And what about tampons?” asked the blog Feminist Peace Network. “They look kind of like sticks of dynamite. Are they going to ask us to pull them out and show them just to be sure?”

The answer, judging from one woman’s written testimony, seems to be yes.

A customer of popular women’s health company, Gladrags, relayed her recent experience at the hands of the TSA via email.

In short, she was asked to walk through a radiation firing naked body scanner and complied. The scanner produced a naked image of her, but because her sanitary towel was obscuring her most intimate parts from prying eyes, the TSA agents pulled her aside for a full groin search. Not something to be relished by any person, let alone someone who has previously suffered sexual assault.

Here is the woman’s email in full:

“This email isn’t going to be as polished as I would normally send, but I’m upset and I don’t want what happened to me to happen to anyone else (if I can stop it).

I recently traveled via air, and was subjected to that new scanning device. “No problem,” I thought. I was wearing jeans and a linen tanktop, bra, panties, and one camouflage pantyliner.

I’m a rule follower, so I never have any problems at the airport. Not this time. I was stopped, and then held for 15 minutes while they tried to find a female supervisor. I couldn’t get to my bag, my shawl or my shoes; just standing there while the TSA agents kept me in one place.

Now, I don’t want this to be about bad TSA agents; they were doing their job, they were as delicate as they could be, etc., etc. But what ultimately happened is that I was subjected to search so invasive that I was left crying and dealing with memories that I thought had been dealt with years ago of prior sexual assaults.

Why?

Because of my flannel panty-liner. These new scans are so horrible that if you are wearing something unusual (like a piece of cloth on your panties) then you will be subjected to a search where a woman repeatedly has to check your “groin” while another woman watches on (two in my case – they were training in a new girl – awesome).

So please, please, tell the ladies not to wear their liners at the airport (I didn’t even have an insert in). I’m a strong, confident woman; I’m an Army vet (which is why those camo liners crack me up), I work full-time and go to graduate school full-time, I have a wonderful husband, and I don’t take any nonsense from anyone. I don’t dramatize, and I don’t exaggerate. I’m trying to give you a sense of who I am so you won’t think that this is a plea for attention, or a jumping on the bandwagon about the recent TSA proposed boycott.

I just don’t want another woman to have to go through the “patting down” because she didn’t know that her glad-rag would be a matter of national security.”

Ladies - I guess we better plan our travels accordingly. *shaking head in disgust*

Giving Thanks

Today is about giving thanks. This year I have so much to be thankful for. I have been blessed with a beautiful grandson. My dad's chemo is going well, and his doctors are getting ready to give him a clean bill of health. I reconnected with some people I hadn't seen in decades, and am thrilled to once again be able to call them friends.

I also must give a shout out to all my "old" friends who are always there for me, as I try to be for them. To you I say a HUGE THANK YOU!! Y'all have helped me through some rough stuff. I hope you know that I will always be there for you too.

I'd also give special thanks to our military men and women, and their families, especially those who will be unable to be with family and friends on this Thanksgiving day. We all appreciate what you are doing and what you are sacrificing so we can be with our loved ones watching football and eating turkey.

I hope you all have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

November Storms

As most know, we had some pretty strange weather here in Southeastern Wisconsin yesterday. Rather than typical November cold, damp, ugly weather, we instead had...tornadoes??? Here are a few pictures from the storm.

This beautiful stormy sunset was taken in South Milwaukee by Penny Muten.

Photos courtesy of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal.

Although there is much devastation, as far as I've heard, no one was hurt. For that, I'm grateful.

What. The. F*ck?!?!?

I am going to try my best to contain my language, but it may not be possible. I simply cannot believe what I'm reading here. Unless you've been living under a rock, you know about the controversary surrounding the security at the airports - the pat downs, etc. Prepare yourself...

As the U.S. government retaliates against an American for refusing to allow airport security to grope his genitals, the nation’s Homeland Security secretary considers waving the intrusive “pat-downs” for Muslim women who consider them offensive.

The demand came last week from the politically-connected Muslim rights organization that serves as the U.S. front for the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas. Calling the searches “invasive” and “humiliating,” the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) advises Muslim women wearing religious head covers known as hijabs to reject full-body checks before boarding planes.

Those who are selected for the secondary screenings should remind Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers that they are only supposed to pat down the head and neck and that they should not subject Muslim women to a full-body or partial body pat-down, according to CAIR’s advisory. It further says that, instead of a body search, Muslim women can request to check their own hijab and have officers perform a chemical swipe of their hands.

While Americans are forced to deal with the degrading searches, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano is actually considering exempting Muslims as per CAIR’s demands. Madame Secretary confirmed this week that there will be “adjustments” and “more to come” on the issue of Muslim women in hijabs undergoing airport security pat-downs.

In the meantime her agency is targeting a San Diego man who received worldwide media coverage for refusing to let a TSA agent conduct a thorough body search that he felt amounted to a “sexual assault.” Referring to his genitals, the man told the TSA officer; “you touch my junk and I'm going to have you arrested.”

The head of TSA in San Diego called a press conference this week to announce that the agency has launched an investigation into the 31-year-old software programmer who was not allowed to board the plane. The feds plan to prosecute and fine him thousands of dollars for making them look bad. Actually, the official charge is leaving the airport’s security area without permission, which is prohibited to prevent terrorism.

Read the rest here.

Okay. Lemme get this straight. We AMERICANS are being subject to invasive body scans and groping searches. Check. It's gotten so out of hand that a 3 year old is being groped because of COURSE, she must be a terrorist. Check. There is a national outcry because these procedures are invasive and offensive. Check. A man who chose NOT to go through this and left the airport is now being investigated. Check.

Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but it was Muslim men who killed thousands of innocents on 9/11, right? And Muslim women and children are being recruited as suicide bombers, right? Yet MUSLIM WOMEN may be exempted from these same searches??? Because it is offensive??? Well dammit - I find it offensive too!! Yet will I be exempted from these searches??

Before y'all get on my ass about radical islamists and all that shit, I'm not saying that all muslims are terrorists. What I AM saying is that we don't know who is and who isn't a terrorist. We do, however, know that there are terrorists being trained right here in the good ol' U S of A. So why, pray tell, would we even THINK of exempting muslim women from these searches?

One other observation. Isn't this discrimination??? Aren't you singling out one group of people and treating them differently than others?? Where, oh where, is the outcry??

Whiskey. Tango. Foxtrot.

UPDATE: For a great post on the UNconstitutionality of these policies, check this out.

Some Happy in my Life

I've been having a bit of a rough week, so I thought I'd share some happy in my life - you KNOW what's coming! :)

I must say, I'm so fortunate that I can chat with the Elder and see my grandson grow up via Skype. I also chat with TSC nearly every day. But I gotta tell ya - it's no substitute for a real hug!!

Hope you got a grin out of these - I sure did! :)

Expectations

Last night I was listening to James T. Harris’ radio show on 104.1 FM - The Truth out of Tucson, Arizona. He posed a very interesting question. What are our expectations for the newly elected Republican officials.

Hmmmm. Expectations. I’ve learned that when one has too many expectations, disappointment is but a heartbeat away. Yet whether or not we want to, we all have expectations. So, what are my expectations for the incoming Republicans? The following are in no particular order, cuz that’s how my brain works. ;)

Secure our borders. Our borders are more porous than a sponge. In this post I wrote about the non-Mexicans who are sneaking across the border. Rather than enforce immigration laws, the current administration chose to sue Arizona for trying to enforce the laws that the Feds can't enforce!! Absurd!!!

Repeal and replace Obamacare. This unconstitutional piece of garbage which was passed against the will of the American people is a mess. It won't insure more people, it won't save money, and it WILL lead to rationing. While I agree that we need some sort of healthcare reform, this most certainly is NOT it.

Cut spending. Need I say more??

Now, these are all important issues to me, but I guess what I REALLY expect is for those we elected to actually serve those who elected them. Make decisions with the will of the American people in mind. Whether or not they agree with us is really rather irrelevant. There are far too many politicians in Washington who are pushing their own personal agenda, rather than listening to their constituents. There is a distinct disconnect between so many elected officials and those they are SUPPOSED to be representing.

Expectations? I expect those I voted for to represent ME. Is that too much to ask?

When I Grow Up

I wanna be Millie Bayha

Let's see. Her calendar's a bit full.

There's daily exercise, ceramics, weekly yoga, twice-a-week church services, occasional club activities with the 90s-plus group, the lifelong learning classes, her beloved bingo, arts and crafts, Friday night movie, time set aside to read the daily newspaper.

Is there room for a birthday party?

Millie Bayha turns 106 Monday. As the guest of honor at a birthday celebration thrown by The Arboretum senior retirement center in Menomonee Falls where she lives, she'll be the life of the party.

Remarkably fit for her age - mentally and physically - Millie was asked the inevitable question: What's your secret?

"I don't know the secret," she said this week, "but I was blessed with good health."

Good health, an active lifestyle, and a pleasant, optimistic disposition are perhaps all part of Millie's secret, said Thea Vorass, lifestyle director at The Arboretum.

Read the rest and see a picture of this incredible lady here. What a cutie!! :)

A Gentle Reminder - Don't Assume

I read this today on the editorial page of the Racine Journal Times...

Don't assume

On Nov. 5, at about 12:30 p.m., my fiancé and I went to pick up lunch at Subway on Lathrop Avenue. When I got back to my truck, I noticed a piece of paper on my windshield. The note read, "Which one of you is handicapped?"

I really would have wished you would have left me your name and phone number, so I could have answered your question and curiosity. For your answer, that would be me. I am an amputee. I didn't know I had to wear something to advertise my disability. I am trying to forget that awful accident that I was involved in three years ago and I am now finally learning to live with the fact that I am an amputee. Thanks to people like you, people who make me feel like I am doing something wrong by parking in a handicap parking spot. A parking spot that reminds me of everything I've gone through, every time I park my vehicle, mind you, with a handicap permit present. I guess I should take it as a compliment. So, I hope now, you have gotten your answer and your conscience is clear. I hope you can sleep better at night. So next time you decide to put another letter on someone's car or truck, be careful. Do not assume.

Ramona Barrientes

Racine

I will confess that I've gotten upset when I see people with no obvious handicap parking in the designated parking places. Now, I'm certain that often times those people really are NOT handicapped, or they're using the tag meant for a relative. HOWEVER, this is a good reminder that disabilities come in all forms, and before we jump to conclusions, we might want to think for a moment.

Thank you, Ms. Barrientes, for the reminder.

Just Because

Ryan Braun Thanks the Vets

What a great thing to do!

Milwaukee Brewers slugger and Wisconsin restauranteur Ryan Braun came up with a neat way to honor U.S. military personnel on Veterans Day.

He's going to feed them.

Ryan Braun's Tavern and Grill in the resort village of Lake Geneva, Wis., is offering a free lunch or dinner entrée to current and former soldiers. Braun said he and the staff had been brainstorming a way to give back.

From Braun's heart (and wallet) to their stomachs.

Braun's motivation is personal: His best friend since third grade is a Navy Seal.

Now that is one classy guy! (And kinda cute too)

H/T Kevin

To All Veterans

Thank you for your service and sacrifice. I, for one, owe you a debt of gratitude I will never be able to repay.

Not Just No - HELL No!!

This is just wrong...

A three-year freeze on basic pay and military housing and food allowances is among 58 recommendations contained in the draft report of President Obama’s National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform that was released Wednesday.

The Debt Commission, as it is informally known, said Regular Military Compensation — basic pay, basic allowance for housing, and basic allowance for subsistence, as well as the tax advantage of those two tax-free allowances — is expected to grow by $9.2 billion from 2011 to 2015.

“A three-year freeze at 2011 levels for these compensation categories would save the federal government $7.6 billion in compensation and tax expenditures,” as well as another $1.6 billion in future retirement pay, for a total of $9.2 billion in savings in 2015.

Combined, the 58 recommendations would save $3.8 trillion through 2020, mainly by making cuts to Social Security and Medicare, reducing income-tax rates and eliminating tax breaks, including the mortgage-interest deduction.

But the commission’s co-chairs, Erskine Bowles, former White House chief of staff under President Clinton, and Alan Simpson, a former Republican senator from Wyoming, had plenty of other recommendations for savings within the Defense Department budget.

The proposed three-year freeze on military compensation is the most eye-opening military-related recommendation in the report, and it could prove politically untenable. But other defense-related recommendations pick up on ideas that have been discussed before at length, some for years.

I just don't understand. We have men and women who are overseas, far removed from their families and the life they knew, and you want to freeze their pay??? That's insanity!!

We all know I'm a bit biased as I have family in the Army stationed in Germany, but I'd like to think that even if that were not the case, I'd be objecting just as strongly. When one looks at all the career choices out there, being in the military is amongst the most difficult. And not just for the person serving - for that person's family as well. While the Elder is in the field, TSC is for the most part raising Wiggleworm by herself. And when he heads to Afghanistan in February, she will in essence be a single parent for months on end.

I'm certain that if they dig deep enough, they can find some other place to make cuts. Do not...DO NOT...freeze the pay and allowances of these men and women and their families who are sacrificing so much all for the love of their country.

H/T Pete, via facebook

Happy Birthday

Happy 235th birthday to the United States Marine Corp.

Thanks for the pic Kate!

It's Personal

This was written by a very close friend of mine. We were sitting in my family room last night chatting, and since he NEVER blogs anymore, I wasn't aware that he wrote this a few days ago. Here's a snippet.

I have MS.

No, you don’t know what that is. You may know the dictionary definition of it, but you can’t ever actually know the affects or the consequences. Most do not.

You may have it or be close to someone who does. Even then, they will hold out on you about certain things. No, not because they want to, there’s just too damn much.

It can never be fully explained because it is constantly evolving. Consistently messing up different parts of your life.

There is no cure.

This is difficult for some to accept. No colored porch-light or trendy colored ribbon will hasten a cure. There isn’t a “magic pill”, either - even to make the symptoms go away or get better. None.

Go on - read the rest.

This friend wants NO sympathy, but I gotta be honest. It BREAKS. MY. HEART. when I hear of him falling, or dropping a glass, or what have you. It's a physical ache knowing that there isn't a thing I can do to help him, except be his friend.

Dude - you know you have friends who love you, and please never...NEVER...be afraid to ask for help. That doesn't make you less of a man. It just makes you human.

Yeah - it IS personal.

Is Anyone Surprised?

Note to all you bleeding heart liberals who allege that those of us who want to secure our border are "racists" and "bigots"...who contend that the "undocumented workers" (sweet way of saying illegal immigrants)are just coming here to make a better life:

THIS is what we've been trying to tell you!!!

The U.S. government is covering up the growing threat created by Middle Eastern terrorists entering the country through the porous Mexican border, according to a veteran federal agent who assures the area has never been secure.
...
A federal indictment filed in San Antonio Texas proves it. It charges a man named Ahmed Muhammad Dhakane for smuggling hundreds of people from Brazil to Mexico and into the U.S. Some of them were Somalis from a renowned terrorist group (Al Shabob) responsible for suicide bombings worldwide. Incredibly, U.S. authorities have no clue where the Somalis are today, according to a Texas congressman quoted in the story.

News of Middle Eastern terrorists using Mexico to enter the U.S. has trickled out in the last few years, though the feds have been largely silent on the matter. Earlier this year the Department of Homeland Security warned Texas law enforcement agencies that a renowned Al Qaeda terrorist is planning to sneak into the U.S. through Mexico. A few years ago the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) revealed that Islamic terrorists and violent Mexican drug gangs have teamed up to successfully penetrate the U.S. as well as finance terror networks in the Middle East.

I am baffled that any United States citizen would oppose securing our border!! Don't you people understand that if Mexicans who are "trying to make a better life" can sneak...well, practically just walk...across the border, then the bad guys who are TRYING TO KILL US can as well?? What about that is so difficult to understand??

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I have absolutely NO issue with immigration...LEGAL immigration. That is what makes this such an exceptional (though I know many of you don't like that word) country. But we simply cannot have people just waltzing into this country illegally, and one of the first steps in putting a stop to that is to SECURE OUR BORDERS!!!

What, pray tell, is so wrong with that?

Mz. Jones is in the House!!

My friend and fellow blogger Phelony Jones has once again opened up her blogging doors. Go on - read her!!!

Welcome back Phel! You've most certainly been missed.

Why Palin Petrifies Progressives

This cracked me up!!! Here's a snippet:

1. Palin’s hot and can rock a pair of heels, hunting boots, or any garment she dons. And you can tell she knows it and likes it. Most of the ladies on the Left, however, cannot—and we all know how jealous and petty some chicks can be when they’re aesthetically upstaged (cat fight).

2. They hate Sarah because she’s supposedly anti-intellectual. However, I’d love to see Tina Fey, Katie Couric or Joy Behag go mano a mano with her on any given topic and see who comes off looking like Snooki.

3. The feministas don’t dig SP because she’s had five kids (one of whom has Down’s Syndrome) and has never considered offing any of them in her womb.

The obviously chauvanistic slant in this article is too funny - and it's pretty darned accurate!! Read the rest here.

Full disclosure: I like Sarah Palin. I think she's a strong opinionated woman, and I agree with most of her views. BUT - do I think she should run for President in 2012? A resounding NO, for many reasons. First and foremost, she's obviously very polarizing. We need a candidate who can appeal to different demographics. I think Palin should continue doing what she's doing. She is very adept at rallying the base and fundraising for other candidates.

I have no idea what Ms. Palin's plans are for the future, but in the meantime I'm enjoying the HELL out of watching the left continue in their Palin Derangement Syndrome - ESPECIALLY the women of the left! *chuckle*

Mr. Tingles promotes...Glenn Beck?!?!

Via hotair What a difference 5 years makes!



Read the analysis here.

You STILL don't understand!!

After reading this interview that Obama gave to 60 minutes, my blood pressure is once again rising.

After suffering a “shellacking” in the midterm elections, President Obama acknowledges what many have seen as his chief weakness – failing to sell the importance of several legislative milestones to the American people.

“I think that’s a fair argument. I think that, over the course of two years we were so busy and so focused on getting a bunch of stuff done that, we stopped paying attention to the fact that leadership isn’t just legislation. That it’s a matter of persuading people. And giving them confidence and bringing them together. And setting a tone,” Mr. Obama told 60 Minutes’ Steve Kroft in an exclusive interview set to air Sunday.

“Making an argument that people can understand,” Mr. Obama continued, “I think that we haven’t always been successful at that. And I take personal responsibility for that. And it’s something that I’ve got to examine carefully … as I go forward.”

Mr. President, are you once again calling the electorate ignorant? Too simple to "understand?" I seriously wonder if you're being deliberately obtuse. The problem, sir, is that we DO understand. You see, WE read the bill that those in Washington failed to read. We understand, and we don't WANT it. It has nothing to do with your power of persuasion...you WILL NOT persuade us. I thought after this election the message was clear.

Mr. President, it is YOU who fails to understand.

Why Not Put the Fox in Charge of the Henhouse?!?!

This judge needs to be removed from the bench!!

A judge who used a skewed movie to determine that a fugitive child rapist was a victim of judicial misconduct has ruled that it’s unconstitutional to keep pedophiles and sex offenders away from schools and parks.

Ruling in favor of four paroled sex offenders, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Peter Espinoza said that a California law imposing strict residency requirements on sex offenders forces them to choose between prison and homelessness. Overwhelmingly passed by voters in 2006, the measure (Jessica’s Law) forbids convicted sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of any school or park frequented by children.

"The evidence presented suggests that despite lay belief, a sex offender parolee's residential proximity to a school or park where children regularly gather does not bear on the parolee's likelihood to commit a sexual offense against a child," the judge, who supervises the county’s criminal courts, wrote in his order. He also wrote that an increase in homeless sex offenders—supposedly an outcome of the law—would risk public safety.

Excuse me?? So he's saying that living in the proximity of potential victims does not bear on the liklihood to re-offend??  These are not your garden variety sex offenders here.  Some are pedophiles.  These are people who are sexually aroused by children.  I don't know about you, but I sure as hell don't want someone like that living near the parks in which my children play!!!  That would be like taking a child to a candy store, leaving him or her alone, and saying "now be a good boy/girl...don't take any candy."  

Seriously, on what freakin' planet does this judge live?? Oh. Right. California. 'Nuff said.

Happy Birthday

To my mentor, the truest of conservatives, someone I'm proud to call a friend, and a MOST unapologetic pain in the ass!!

Happy Birthday Kate!!

Yeah - I tried to get a birthday picture in there, but Blogger has been a hormonal bitch for the past few days.  Either that, or they know Kate quite well!!  LOL

Wow. Just Wow.

What a feel good story!

Canadian couple gives away entire $11.2M lottery jackpot

A Nova Scotia couple won $11.2 million from a lottery ticket in July and now every penny is gone.

But Allen and Violet Large of Lower Truro didn't spend any of it on themselves.

They say they decided to take care of family, organizations and institutions instead.

"What you've never had, you never miss," said Violet, 78.

Married since 1974, the couple does not live large. They don't travel, they don't gamble (beyond playing the lottery) and they don't buy what they don't need.
...
But the big win came at a difficult time in their lives: Violet was undergoing treatment for cancer that doctors discovered in the spring.

"That money that we won was nothing," said Allen, choking back tears. "We have each other."

Violet has been through surgery and finished her last chemotherapy treatment a week ago.

Go on - read the whole thing here.

Well Alan and Violet, thank you for reminding us what is important in life. God Bless.

Yeah - I'm OLD!!

I remember nearly every one of these!!

Hottest Gadgets from the 60's, 70's and 80's

What a riot!!!!!

H/T Owen

Donald "Skeeter" Johnston - Congressional Medal of Honor

Want an example of a REAL American Hero??? Check out this post about Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Donald Johnston...

Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sp4c. Johnston distinguished himself while serving as a mortarman with Company D, at a fire support base in Tay Ninh Province. Sp4c. Johnston’s company was in defensive positions when it came under a devastating rocket and mortar attack.

Read the rest and check out pictures of this hero here.

Thank you sir, for your service and sacrifice. And thank you to all who have served and continue to serve. God Bless You.

Dear Mr. President

Dear Mr. President
By now you must realize that the American people have spoken. There has been a republican tsunami, and as I see it, you have two choices.

You can bury your head in the sand, contend we are all ignorant and frightened, and continue in your course. Or you can take the message we've sent to heart, and finally open your ears and hear what it is we're saying.

Mr. President, you were elected to represent this country and her people. You were NOT elected to kowtow to the rest of the world. You were NOT elected to solve the world's problems as you perceive them. You were NOT elected to push your agenda while telling us that it's the best thing for us and we're just too simple to realize it.

You say we're scared. You're right sir, we ARE scared. We are frightened at the direction you are taking this country. We are frightened because you care not what the people of this country are trying to tell you. Well Mr. President, I think we sent a pretty clear message in this election.

Are we ignorant? Only if you define ignorance as speaking our hearts and minds. We have tried telling you time and time again that we the people oppose much of your agenda, yet you persist on passing legislation that not only do you and your puppets insist we're too "ignorant" to understand, but that your own people haven't yet read.

Sir, we are sick and tired of those in Washington trying to tell us what is best for us. WE know what is best for us, yet you fail to listen. You have consistently denigrated us...in your eyes we're the enemy. We're to sit in the back seat. Well Mr. President, I'm not willing to sit in the back seat. If that makes me your enemy, so be it.

Mr. President, I am an American. I love my country. I want my country back. I want government to represent ME. I want government to stop trying to take my freedoms by legislating what YOU think is in my best interest. I am an American, and I have the fundamental right to decide what is best for me and for my family.

Sir, I hope this message has been made clear to you. We are NOT your enemies...we are Americans and we want our country back.

I'm Celebrating!!

What - you thought I was talking about the election? Pfffft - there's plenty of time to bask in that warm glow. Nope - it was a year ago today that I opened up this little corner of the blogosphere. I have to say, I've enjoyed every moment of this...having a place to rant, to share, to try to help others...and the fact that y'all have spent a minute or two reading this is beyond amazing. For those of you who weren't here back then, here's the beginning...

Welcome to my new home! Let me begin by saying that I just moved here and I'm certain there will be some redecorating in the future, so please be patient with the appearance of my abode.

If you're reading this, I'm assuming it's because you've probably read my ramblings here, here, once in awhile here, or way back when, perhaps even here. Maybe you know me from Twitter or Facebook. Whew!! I certainly do get around blogosphere/internet, don't I??

After almost a year of squatting at other folk's sites and after some gentle (and not so gentle) nudging, I've decided to get a home of my own. Sure - I'll still post some rants on other blogs, but I needed a place to call my own. Somewhere to post random things that run through this crazy head of mine.

So - sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride!! I don't know where it will take us, but I'm sure it will be...interesting. Yeah, that's it - interesting.

Y'all come back now, y'hear??

Well, it HAS been quite an "interesting" ride...and I thank you for sharing that ride with me. :)

Election Night Media Spin Drinking Game

Good thing I took tomorrow off work!!!
From the Washington Examiner

RULES: Take a drink every time you hear an anchor, pundit, or other TV talking head...

Say "Anti-incumbent." No, this isn't an anti-incumbent year. The only Republican Senator even remotely close to losing her seat Tuesday is Lisa Murkowski, a write-in candidate who lost her primary for being too liberal. Somewhere from zero to three House Republicans will lose, and those include Hawaii and New Orleans. There might be one or two Republican governors fall, but in all likelihood, this an anti-Democrat year.
Suggested drink: A Hurricane or a Mai Tai, local drinks of New Orleans and Hawaii, respectively -- the only districts where GOP congressmen (Joe Cao and Charles Djou) are likely to fall.

Say "temper-tantrum." Recall this Peter Jennings gem from 1994: "Some thoughts on those angry voters. Ask parents of any two-year-old and they can tell you about those temper tantrums: the stomping feet, the rolling eyes, the screaming. It's clear that the anger controls the child and not the other way around. It's the job of the parent to teach the child to control the anger and channel it in a positive way. Imagine a nation full of uncontrolled two-year-old rage. The voters had a temper tantrum last week....Parenting and governing don't have to be dirty words: the nation can't be run by an angry two-year-old."
Suggested drink: A Jello Shot. Two-year-olds love jello.

Say "blind rage" Remember, rebuking Bush and throwing out Republicans was about finding our better angels. Rebuking Obama and throwing out Democrats is about blind range.
Suggested drink: Irish Whiskey

Blame Obama for not "getting his message out" Both sides do this: if my side is losing, it must be only because we didn't communicate our ideas and plans well enough -- it can't be because people didn't like what we were doing! With Obama, it's even more absurd. The man, famous for his eloquence, was constantly campaigning.
Suggested drink: spiked Slurpee

Chalk it up to voter racism: Americans figured out a black guy was running the country, and they freaked out, deciding to "take back America" for the white guys.
Suggested drink: White Russian.

Mention that one guy who owns a McDonalds who (possibly inappropriately) told his employees to vote Republican. Because we're sure that tipped the balance of the election.
Suggested drink: Spiked (flavorless) milkshake

Say "secret money" Because it doesn't matter that Democrats outraised Republicans from the most politically active industries in America, including Wall Street. It doesn't matter that K Street favored Dems 2-to-1 with campaign contributions. The public-employee unions don't count as a special interest. It's just that secret Republican money that's insidious.
Suggested drink: Rum-and-Koch

Drink for every block in which Christine O'Donnell is the most-mentioned candidate. Talking about Christine O'Donnell is very important therapy for liberals. First, it allows them to feel smarter than conservatives -- O'Donnell says a lot of silly things, and is a conservative woman, both of which make her a prime target of smug liberal mockery. Also, this is a rare open seat Democrats will win. Combine those two points, and it gives liberal anchors a chance to say their favorite line: Republicans need to be moderate to win.
Suggested drink: Witch's Wit ale.

And last suggestion? Definitely have a designated driver!!

Election Day Live Blog

For all the latest updates on elections across Wisconsin, tune in to MacIver Institute History as it Happens. This live blog will be running all day and evening to keep you up to date on exit polls, voter turnout, returns, etc.

You can keep the site open or check on the latest developments whenever you like. It's THE place to be for updated info!

And this ends the Election Day Public Service Announcement. ;)

They're just banning this NOW??

Why in the world was this allowed in the first place?

LOS ANGELES – Gov. Arnold Schwarzeneger says welfare recipients can no longer use state-issued debit cards at medical marijuana shops, psychics and other businesses whose services have been deemed "inconsistent with the intent" of the program.

The Los Angeles Times reports that Schwarzenegger sent a letter to county welfare directors Monday announcing that ATMS and point-of-sale card readers in such businesses will be removed from the network that accepts California's Electronic Benefits Transfer cards.

Other businesses affected by the ban include bail bond establishments, bingo halls, cruise ships and tattoo parlors.

In June, Schwarzenegger barred welfare cards at casino ATMs following a Times report that CalWORKS cards were being used to withdraw cash in more than half the casinos in the state.

Soooo, taxpayer dollars were used to visit psychics, casinos, tattoo parlors, and they WONDER why the state is broke?

Ya know, Im' not a monster. I really have no problem with welfare as it was INTENDED to be used. If someone needs a helping hand temporarily because of circumstances beyond their control, I don't have a problem with that. I have several friends who used the welfare system as it was intended. But the fraud that has been perpetuated with so many entitlement programs has gotten so out of control that I find myself thinking it's time to get rid of ALL of them.

It's too bad that the ungrateful scheming dregs of society ruin it for those who are really trying to better themselves.

We the People be Damned!!

This is un-freakin-believable

Just days before an election that could decide the fate of a planned high-speed rail line, state and federal administrators quietly signed a deal to commit the state to spending all $810 million of the federal stimulus cash allocated to the Milwaukee-to-Madison route, transportation officials confirmed Monday.

The unannounced weekend agreement frees outgoing Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle's administration to sign contracts for much if not all of the work. That could hamstring efforts by Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker and his fellow Republicans to kill the project and spend the money on something else if they take control of the governor's office and either or both chambers of the state Legislature and Congress on Tuesday.

Walker, the GOP candidate for governor, blasted the deal, saying, "This is just raw political power at its worst. This is why the Doyle administration is corrupt and unwilling to listen to taxpayers."

Please - go read the rest here.

This literally makes me sick to my stomach, in much the same way that pushing Obamacare made me sick. It has been patently obvious that the majority of Wisconsin doesn't WANT that boondoggle. But the hell with us, right? As long as Doyle and his little puppet Barrett get their choo choo train, who gives a damn. Doyle will go away smirking that arrogant little smirk and WE THE PEOPLE of Wisconsin will be left paying the bill.

What the f*ck is going on in this country??? Aren't these elected officials supposed to be representing those of us who voted for them?? And for the record, I didn't vote for Obama or Doyle. When did it become commonplace for elected officials to CRAM through their f*cking agenda regardless of whether the majority of voters wanted it or not? And, as a matter of fact, when they KNEW that the majority of voters were against that particular agenda??

Lord have Mercy - tomorrow is STILL too far away.

A Tea Partier's Sololiquy

A GREAT piece by my buddy J Gravelle and posted at MacIver Institute:

They’re not all Republicans. They’re not all Democrats. They’re not all Libertarians. And they’re not all independents.

But they’re all fed up.

And in their frustration, they are all united. And united, they are the “Tea Party”.

If you demand to know who their leaders are, then you just don’t get it. Tea Party members are TIRED of being “led”. They see government, rightly, as their servants and not their masters. It’s not that they reject being governed, but that they’re weary and wary of being OVER-governed (literally) from cradle to grave.

Read the rest here.

I think he pretty much nails it.

Make your list, but check it twice

So, I got this email just now. If this weren't so pathetic and if there weren't people who actually believe this drivel, it would be hilarious!!

fromBarack Obama
reply-toinfo@barackobama.com
toChris Krumenacher
dateMon, Nov 1, 2010 at 1:31 PM
subjectTomorrow
mailed-bybounce.bluestatedigital.com

Chris --

Tomorrow, you can help determine not just the outcome of this election, but our country's future.

You made the difference in 2008. Now, once again, you can defy the conventional wisdom that says you can't overcome the cynicism of our politics; you can't overcome the special interests and the big money; you can't tackle our biggest challenges.

This movement has never backed down from a tough fight -- and we're not about to start.

Chris, we've got to keep moving America forward -- but I need allies in the Senate and governing states to make it happen.

I need you to make sure you get at least three of your friends to vote with you -- it is simply the most important thing you can do to make sure we can keep bringing about change.

Find your polling place and the time polls are open here.

According to OFA's records, you live in Wisconsin. Please vote for:

Russ Feingold for Senate
Tom Barrett for Governor

If you have already voted, please click here to help in these final hours of our Vote 2010 campaign.

When we arrived in Washington, we knew the road ahead would be difficult.

Our country was facing the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression -- with 8 million jobs gone -- because of nearly a decade of policies that put corporations and special interests before ordinary Americans.

Two short years later -- together -- we have begun to rebuild our economy on the values of hard work and responsibility.

Private employers and small businesses have created jobs nine months in a row. And 3 million Americans would not be working today if not for the investments that you, and our Democratic allies in Congress, helped put in place.

Because of you, there are families all across the country who will never have to choose between losing their home and treating an illness. Because of you, millions of parents can look at their kids and know the opportunity of a college education is within reach. Because of you, a business owner got a small business loan and is keeping her doors open. And because of you, thousands of our brave men and women are home from fighting in Iraq.

I know that even with these changes -- and the progress you've fought for -- too many families are still struggling. We have so much more to do.

And that's exactly why America cannot afford to go back.

We must continue to move forward, and the decisions voters make in your area will determine which direction this country takes for generations.

We want to keep taxes low for the middle class, so you can pay your bills.

We want to give tax breaks to American companies who create jobs and spur innovation right here in America, not make it easier for them to ship jobs overseas.

We will fight efforts to privatize Social Security, and stop the other side from handing over the retirement savings of a generation to Wall Street.

We refuse to go back to the days when big oil and insurance companies wrote their own rules and ran up record profits, while you paid for it at the pump or faced bankruptcy as health bills piled up.

The other side has different ideas.

Washington Republicans have tried to block our progress at every turn. And worse, they're campaigning on taking us back to the exact same agenda that brought us to the brink of disaster: Cut taxes for the wealthy at the expense of the middle class while ballooning the deficit. Give free rein to Wall Street speculators. Lower the minimum wage for millions of hard-working families. Privatize Social Security. And allow insurance companies to deny children health coverage based on pre-existing conditions.

The problem is we know what this looks like -- and we know it doesn't work.

We cannot relive that past.

Don't let them tell you that change isn't possible. Because here's what I know: Nothing in America has ever been easy.

The only reason we're here is because, in past generations, Americans came together, even in the face of impossible odds. That's how we got through war. That's how we got through depression. That's why we have civil rights, and women's rights, and workers' rights.

We've asked you to do so much since we started this journey together, and you've always come through.

And now, I'm asking you to come together once more to cast your vote for Democrats tomorrow.

With your vote -- and the votes of at least three of your friends -- we'll continue to grow this economy and restore the middle class to its rightful place, and the American Dream will be alive and well once again.

Find your polling place and time here:

http://pollingplaces.RaiseYourVote.com

Thank you for all you do,

President Barack Obama

P.S. -- There are vital get-out-the-vote events happening across the country today and tomorrow. If you aren't already signed up to help, please find and RSVP for a GOTV event near you.

Oh HELL yeah! I'm most CERTAINLY going to vote.
SCOTT WALKER AND RON JOHNSON

Halloween Cuteness

As you all know, the Elder, TSC and Wiggleworm are half a world away, but that doesn't mean I can't throw out some Halloween cuteness!!

  Fierce, ain't he?? ;)

Remember - and Vote November 2, 2010

Found on facebook

Hey Feingold - You've been Dumped!

Though I think it's been obvious for a long time, this is good news.

The Washington Post says that the White House has a message for Wisconsin Democrats: You’re on your own. In a report on the desperate triage taking place inside the Oval Office, presidential advisers are attempting to find places where Barack Obama can’t hurt Democrats and where candidates have a reasonable chance for success. That means Russ Feingold and Wisconsin have seen their last of Obama in the midterm cycle

Read the rest here.

Well Russ - your days are numbered. Even the White House has written you off. Start packing your bags...you're OUTTA there!!! Wisconsin will finally be rid of the self-described "maverick" who was interested in one thing only - his own political career.

Vote Ron Johnson for US Senate on November 2!!!

Say WHUT???

Un-freakin-believable

Iran, where a woman convicted of adultery has been sentenced to death by stoning, is likely to become a member of the board of the new UN agency to promote equality for women, prompting outrage from the US and human rights groups.

Some rights groups are also upset that Saudi Arabia, where women are not allowed to drive and are barred from many facilities used by men, is also vying to join the governing body of UN Women.

The General Assembly resolution adopted in July that merged four UN bodies dealing with women's issues into a single agency with greater clout to represent half the world's population calls for a 41-member executive board, with 35 members chosen by regional groups and six representing donor nations.

The Asian group has put forward an uncontested 10-nation slate that includes Iran, UN diplomats said, and Saudi Arabia has been selected for one of two slots for emerging donor nations.
...
Mark Kornblau, spokesman for the US Mission, said Wednesday that Iran's membership "would send the wrong signal at the start of this exciting new initiative."

"UN Women is a vital new agency tasked with promoting gender equality and women's empowerment worldwide," he said. "We and many other countries are concerned by the negative implications of Iran's potential board memberships, given its poor record on human rights and the treatment of women.

"There are many qualified countries that would make positive and constructive contributions as board members," Kornblau said.

The stoning sentence against the 43-year-old woman, Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, has raised an international outcry, embarrassing Iran.

A resolution adopted by the General Assembly last year expressed "deep concern" at Iran's increasing use of executions, death by stoning, torture, flogging and amputations, and its increasing discrimination against religious, ethnic and other minorities.

Philippe Bolopion, UN advocacy director for Human Rights Watch, said "it's puzzling that Iran would have the nerve to be a candidate for the board of UN Women, and even more puzzling if the Asia group lets Iran get away with it."

"Having on top of it Saudi Arabia, a country with a track record on women's rights as horrendous as Iran's, would add insult to injury," he said.

A country whose views on women are positively neanderthal is going to be on a committee to "promote gender equality" worldwide?? This would be like making the president of NAMBLA in charge of the Center for Missing and Exploited Children, for cryin' out loud!!

I believe I've entered the Twilight Zone.