Another One Bites The Dust

Ok, truth be told, I hate New Years Eve. I really do. The only good thing ever to come out of this day is that I met my husband on New Years Eve 1983. The following New Years we rang in at home in our first little house on Dunkeld Way as Mr and Mrs. D'Amico. We started our long tradition of just staying home on New Years.
I just always hated all the "what are you doing?" stuff. Why do you feel like a loser if you just want to stay home?
Anyway, for years we just stayed home and invited anyone over who didn't have babysitters to ring in the New Year with us. We always had a house full.

So Happy New Year to all of you.

Looking back at my blogging year, I started to wonder what my favorite post of the past year would be? I liked this one. Then I liked this one. And then there were the whole Sarah Palin series.My hatred for her fueled a few months of posts. So I guess they are like kids. You don't really have a favorite, but you like all of them the same for different reasons.

Any of you have a favorite? One that got your blood boiling? Made your heart melt? (I know, I usually have that affect on people) Let me know.

Momma's Boys

In my crazy family for some stupid reason, instead of taking individual pictures of each family we take only two pictures. One of all the boys and one of all the girls.

OK, here are the girls.

And here are the boys.

The moral of this picture story. Don't marry anyone in my family if you really, really have your heart set on having girls!
Here is the king of the boys. My father, in his Christmas throne. Hopefully the sisters will never see this picture. He has a can(gasp)of soda on the table. For shame. My father, always the rebel.

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas!
Boy, am I ever glad its over.

Yes Folks, There Really Ia A Santa Claus!

"DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old."Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus."Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.'"Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?
"VIRGINIA O'HANLON."115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET."

Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! How dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.
Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.
You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.
No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.
— Courtesy Newseum.org

left">

I remember years ago, my sister-in-law told me she told her 5 Year old that there was no Santa because she didn't want her to be disappointed Christmas morning when she didn't get everything she asked for. I thought that was the saddest thing I had ever heard. I bought my niece a copy of the above editorial and told her to read it every Christmas Eve.My kids are 21 and 23. They will never hear me say there is no Santa!!!!!

It's all in the heart folks!

Have a Merry Christmas. I hope Santa is good to you all this year.

And remember, if you didn't get all that you asked for this Christmas, it's because Santa is a little hard of hearing and he probably didn't hear everything you said. Explanation courtesy of my Nana, (1903-1961) when her kids asked her why they only got an orange for Christmas.My 7 year old Uncle Paul's response: "God Damn Sonofabitch must have been stone deaf, I didn't get a damn thing I asked for!

TRUE STORY and has been retold by my father every Christmas since!

Have a Blessed Christmas and A Happy Hanukkah

......And May All Your Christmas' Be Bright!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

When It Comes Down To It, We're All Just A Bunch Of Jagg-Off's!

Before I get into this story, can I just say that I can parallel park like I've been driving for 30 years. But where I seem to have a problem is the easy, pull into a parking lot stuff that it becomes clear I've only been driving for 3 years. So they don't teach you how to pull into a parking lot in driving school, shoot me.

I'm fessing up here, just so you know. When you are looking for a parking space in a crowded lot, you know that asshole who takes up two or three spots? Yeah, that's me. Sorry. I don't mean it. Really, I don't. I don't know what it is. I just can't judge accurately.
But hey, you should see the itty-bitty spaces I get that big ass Escelade into on a city street. Unbelievable.
Lately I have been having car problems so I've been driving either a pick up truck or an Escalade. Hmm, this could easily be a metaphor for my life.
Anyway, this morning I had to drive into town to speak before City Council (Another story I'll tell you all about later, I promise).
So I parked in the Kaufman's lot. I checked my parking job before walking away. It wasn't perfect, but hey, it was one of my better ones. So I went on my merry way.

Imagine my surprise when I return an hour later to find the following note on my car. I am quoting here folks:

'Hey- Jagoff! You made it pretty hard for me to get into my car by the way you parked. Have a little consideration for other people!! Hope your kindness all comes back to you in spades!! (insert happy face)
Merry Christmas!'

Ok Bitch, those are fightin' words. I sure hope your reading. Merry Fuckin' Christmas to you too! Thanks for understanding. Jagg Off!

He's A Sole Man

So Dumbo is not insulted that an Iraqi reporter would throw a shoe at him. Shucks, how nice of him. He thinks the guy just wanted to get on tv or something.......Again, he just doesn't get it.
In their world it is considered a huge insult to hit someone with the sole of a shoe.
Dumbo, he wasn't trying to insult you, what he was trying to tell you is you were insulting him.
Geeze oh man, ya just don't get it and never will.
Late Edition:
You know, if people wonder why I am outraged, it's things like the following. I am sitting here watching TV and they are talking about the bank bail out. It seems Bush added one little sentence before signing it.
Part of the bill puts caps on golden parachutes. Great. But as usual, all is not what it seems. It seems our beloved (cough, cough) president added just one sentence before signing. The cap only pertains to banks that were sold at auction.
The problem. There were no banks sold at auction, making the ban on so called golden parachutes worthless. Thus protecting Dumbo's friends.
Unfuckingbelievable.

So do ya think he did it?????

My mother was crazy. Everyone knew it, including my friends. It's ok. I've come to terms with her stealing my thunder by being crazy. Not certifiable crazy, but funny crazy. Of the hundreds of people who knew her well, most all have a crazy Harriet Story.
It's weird being in college and laughing with your friends over stories about your mother.
Before those of you who didn't know her think maybe she was a crazy drunk or something, she was crazy naturally. The woman never drank in her life until about a month before she died. She had a glass of cheap pink and loved it. It was her 70th birthday.
Her funeral was an event. With nearly everyone who attended the viewing telling me their Harriet Stories. I counted around 1200 people who signed the book. So that's a hell of a lot of crazy episodes in ones life. I believed all of them. And me being her youngest child, let me tell ya,I have a truckload of them.
So I couldn't let events of the weekend go without comment.
I am going to come right out and say it for those of you who didn't know my mother.
My mother was the only while woman in America who honestly thought OJ was innocent.
I know, I know. Can you believe it?
She was totally consumed with it. She watched every hour of the hearings. I swear. Then at night she watched all the talk shows about it. Esp. Giraldo. Pronounced by my mother with a hard G and just like I spelled it.
All conversations during that time somehow made their way to OJ and her BFF Giraldo.
After a few months of this, we couldn't take it anymore. We had to tell her to shut up. Literally. She was not allowed to talk about it to any of her family. (except for poor Aunt Babe who was too polite to tell her to shut up)
If you knew my mother, that was no simple feat.
She would ask complete strangers if they thought OJ did it.

The most outrageous part of this whole story came when my mother and I went to visit my sister in Washington DC. The Madonna was getting her house painted by people from Guatemala or somewhere. Anyway, they couldn't speak English. When we first arrived, we were sitting in the dining room and my mother started her whole OJ thing. My sister and I both yelled NO, we are not talking about stupid OJ. So we went into the kitchen to start cooking dinner. My mother stayed sitting at the dining room table. We were in the kitchen about two minutes when we heard her whisper to the Guatemalans "Do you think OJ did it?"

I almost fell over. I was hysterical. We all just laughed and laughed. They didn't even speak God damn English for cryin out loud.

So for the rest of the week, while they were supposed to be painting my sisters house, my mother cooked them lunch everyday and made them watch OJ's trial with her.

Yes, she was crazy. There was no reasoning with her. She was such a headstrong woman (humph, can't imagine who that sounds like). There was no talking to her on this or anything else for that matter. I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree! She had opinions, strong opinions on just about everything.

Anyway, needless to say, I've been thinking about mom alot this past week. First because of OJ and second because her birthday is this weekend. Wonder what she would have to say about OJ now? I can only imagine, and I'm sure she would have told us!

Happy 79th Birthday Mom, Grammy, Auntie, Sissy, Har, Hat, Harriet!

This Thursday we are celebrating Mary's Birthday at her old haunt The Elbow Room.
See you all there.

December 7, 1941

A day that will live in infamy.
I was just watching the news and they were interviewing a few survivors from Pearl Harbor. One 80-something man was telling his account of what happened that day. He said when the bombs hit his ship, the USS Pennsylvania, he was knocked overboard. He went on to say that the kids on deck were picking up the kids floating wounded in the water. And he thanked God he was one of those kids. Kids, he said kids. That's what they were...... Kids. Amazing.

While my father wasn't in Pearl Harbor, he was one of the kids who joined a short time later. He just turned 17 and was loading bombs on planes in Italy. The other part of his job was unloading the dead bodies. It took him 50 some years to talk about it. God, I couldn't even imagining sending one of my sons off to war at 17. They couldn't even find their way home from Oakland when they were that age for Christ sake!

My mothers brother George missed Pearl Harbor by 4 days. He was discharged four days before the attack. He was stationed in Pearl Harbor. He came home and quickly went back. I can't remember the exact battles, but I know he was in Japan because he had this huge Japanese flag. My grandmother kept it in her cedar chest. My cousin Jeff and I would stay overnight pretty much every Friday when we were kids. When we got bored, we would go through her cedar chest. That flag always scared me to death. It was huge and had blood and bullet holes in it. My grandmother would always tease him and tell him that she washed it to get all the stains out of it. He would tell her "Mom, if you only knew what I went through to get that flag."
I never got a chance to ask what he went through because when he returned home after the war, he and his young wife bought a house on 43rd Street in Lawrenceville. They were home from the war for about 10 weeks when they both were killed from carbon monoxide poisoning. Apparently,they got a new furnace for their house the week before and I think there was a leak or something. Even though my mom and aunt told me hundreds of times, I can't remember details. I'm sure George, Danny, Jeff or The Madonna could fill in much more detail than I wrote here. Feel free to add your two cents.

I always thought that was so sad he survived the whole war and came home and was killed.
He was 24, same age as my "kid".
The Greatest Generation? No doubt about it.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas......Ugh.....

So I figured I'd decorate my blog for the holidays..............can you tell I'm procrastinating yet again from doing what I'm supposed to be doing.....decorating my house.
Can't wait to take a new AMG picture this Saturday at Megs. The one on to the right is from last year.
Judi, hope you don't mind, I stole your Santa. The Ho's across it seemed pretty appropriate for this blog. Only joking girls.....

I purposely made it a little too busy in a tacky kind of way. Sort of like the Griswold's Christmas. Whadaya think? Personally, I think it needs more lights but I don't know how to do that. Judi, could you please put them on your blog so I can steal them for mine. Thank you.

Alrighty then, onto some rants that are taking up space in my brain.

How about this. Obama and Sarah Palin hold the number one and two spot on search engines for the year. Big difference in the two. People looked up Obama for information. They looked up Winky for verification that she really was as stupid as she sounded. I think half of the Sarah Palin hits were from me. Thank you. Yes folks, she really is as stupid as she sounds. Please, please check out my old friends Margaret and Helen. Gotta love them!

Target is planning to build a store in East Liberty. This dear people, is great news. Everything I need in life will be within a 10 block radius. Seriously. Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Borders, Walnut Street, Mardi Gras, Work,Church,hospitals and at least 30 bars and restaurants. And by living smack dab in the middle of the city, within walking distance. All of this and sidewalks too......I love it. No offense, but you couldn't give me a house in the suburbs. I love the city. But that's just me. To each his own--- It's the holiday season,see how nice I can be?

Speaking of the city, my annual trip to New York is coming up in a few weeks. Waldorf, here I come.

This evening I was watching KDKA news. They had on this whole segment about prescription labels. Dr. Maria, we are not this stupid. Who do you think you're talking to? No, were smarter than Sarah Palin. We know what "take with milk" means. It means take with milk. Dumb, dumb dumb. I turned the channel, again.

Last but not least, George Bush in a series of exit (thank God)interviews for ABC conceded that he was unprepared for war. "In other words, I didn't anticipate war," he said. Oh really now?????? That's the understatement of the century. Anyway, a good comedic read.

Did I forget anything? If I did, look out--I'll be back!

Next up---Christmas Stories.

Hey all, here's hoping you all have a Happy Thanksgiving. This holiday has always been my favorite for a few reasons. One, we always ate at our house. We did Christmas at my Aunt's. And two, it doesn't involve gift giving. You all got together to just eat. In today's over-booked lives, I'm sure it's one of the few times during the year that whole families get together to just eat dinner.
Everyone in our family would try to squeeze around the big table. It was quite the event when you graduated up to the big table. George,Cousin #2,somehow never made it there until his 20's. Maybe it was based on maturity level! No wait, that can't be it. If that were the case, cousin Danny would still be at the little table, he's 55 and still puts his finger up his nose right before someone snaps a picture. Needless to say, I have 105 pictures of him with his finger up his nose. Maybe they just didn't like Georgie. I don't know,I'll have to think about that for a while! But I'm guessing it had something to do with keeping him separated from Jeff, the chosen one. They still have that wrestling problem.
At our house, it seems like everyone is trying to out scream each other. My mother and aunt were always trying to get us to act like we had at least a little class because someone always had a new boyfriend or someone else just tagging along. And God forbid, we didn't look like the perfect family.
I can still hear my mother screaming at the top of her lungs, "Who wants pumpkin pie?" And we actually had to raise our hands and Aunt Babe would count them out loud and scream to my mother. 9 Pumpkin Pies! Who wants Jello? etc.......And they were trying to get US to act like we had manners!

I'm not even going to get into the stories about my brother bringing home stragglers from his basketball teams over the years.

My sister and her family are coming to Pittsburgh this weekend. They hadn't been here for a few years. It seems like after a mother dies, everyone just sort of does their own thing. But my niece wanted to have a big old Thanksgiving like we used to have. So we are. But on Friday.
Oh well, better late than never!

If you aren't able to come back to the Burg for Thanksgiving, I'm sure you all will be here in spirit. Below is Pittsburgh's version of the Thanksgiving Turkey: Isley's chipped ham, pierogi's and Iron city beer. It doesn't get any better than that!
Hopefully you all are spending the day with people you love.
Obviously, no Anger Management this week girls.
Happy Thanksgiving.

It's All In My Head?????

I look lovely, don't I? Talk about an unflattering picture for Christs sake. My son took this while lying on the floor. Don't ever let me hear any of you complain I put unflattering pictures of you all here. Let it now be known, I do it to myself too!

I am so miserable I can't stand it. The brain thing continues. Now they have me wearing these electrode things glued to my head that are connected to a monitor that I have to carry around my shoulder.
Here's the thing, I keep leaving my purse where ever I go because I think it is on my shoulder. It is not. It's that damn monitor.
I don't know where they put my hair. It doesn't seem to be on my head. They glue these electrode things on with airplane glue. Yes, airplane glue. I don't know why. But I imagine it's not going to be fun taking them off.
I had to leave work because people were looking at me like I had some incurable disease. So I come home and try to sleep. This damn thing is so uncomfortable, I can't get it out of the way to go to sleep.
Have I bitched enough yet?
Sorry.

So as they were putting these things on my head this morning, the FBI Agent who was shot this morning was there also. The place was buzzing with action. Agents everywhere. Employees were trying to whisper as not to alarm the other patients. They weren't doing a very good job of being discrete.
I guess I should buck up. That poor, poor agent had a wife and three year old. He was just doing his job and was an asset to his community and this country. It doesn't sound like the man who they were serving the warrant to and the wife who apparently shot him were much of an asset to anyone. He was serving a warrant to a low life drug dealer. For that, he lost his life. I guess we shouldn't take anything for granted.

In another lifetime, when I was at the FBI, my boss left to become head of the DEA. I briefly thought of going with him. I talked to a few agents. Got talked out of it pretty fast. Things have changed in Law Enforcement considerably since I left, but at that time, the DEA was probably the most dangerous. So I stayed in my safe FBI office.
Now, it's a different world out there. Although I loved it and truly miss it, I wouldn't want to be on the streets today with any Law Enforcement Agency. Years ago, it was a cardinal rule on the street-- never shoot a cop.
Today, they'll shoot you without a second thought. There's an all around disrespect for any life. They don't really care who you are.
Then there's the whole gun thing. This woman shouldn't have had a loaded gun handy. But that's a whole other sermon.

And to think, I'm here complaining about things being glued to my head. Sorry.
See you all tomorrow! Hopefully I will be all back to normal.
Whatever "normal" is.

On a whole different note, life just won't be the same for the thousands of loyal Burg Blog readers. It's funny that while no one knew her identity, we certainly knew her views on just about everything. Her take on all things Pittsburgh will certainly be missed. I don't read many blogs, but checking with Pitt Girl had become part of my daily routine. Hopefully she will ride into the sunset with one or all of her "self united" husbands!
Good-bye PittGirl. Sniff, sniff. I'm sure we'll be reading you in the future.( Although we may not know it.) And that's church.

Happy Birthday Lizzy!

OK Girls, this isn't really all that hard. Just click on PLAY above and get a message.
Oh, I know. You all are starting to shake. Get out the phones. Call me. Asking me what the hell this is. I probably have two, maybe three e-mails already.
Come on girls, I have faith. You CAN get the picture to move.
Put the glasses on, it will help. Finished digging for glasses in purse????

ITS AN ANGER MANAGEMENT GIRL MAKING A BIRTHDAY CAKE!!!!!!!

That was for your enjoyment only. That, and I should be cleaning, but just like finals week in college.(Which would be coming up if this week if I remember correctly) I'm finding anything to do but what I'm supposed to be doing, cleaning. Some things never change, even after 34 years. Did I say 34 years? Holy mackerel, 34 years ago I was a freshman at good old Mercyhurst College. My whole life in front of me. Full of ambition. HA! I can't believe I was ambitious. Maybe I wasn't. (That would account for me not remembering if I was or not) That, and my mother, Good ol' Harriet, telling me College was the most expensive good time I ever had! So, no I guess I wasn't that ambitious. Fun, definitely fun, but not overly ambitious.
Oh, I know, I had ambitious confused with adventurous. Now THAT I was! Still am, as a matter of fact.

Speaking of adventurous, this week we will be celebrating Lizzy's Birthday. She choose Silky's in Bloomfield on Liberty Avenue.
Lizzy's last name is Pascarella. You know what that means. Be there, or be dead to her!!!! 8:00.
Lizzy this is for you: Click on arrow below.


Wszystkiego najlepszego z okazji urodzin or Sto Lat! 100 More Years!

Damn Lizzy,your mother was right. Those Polish girls were the smartest, weren't they? Just ask Ski(aka Lubarski),or Mary Grace Dulski,Lee Ann Bartoczewicz,Linda Nowicki,any of the Lewandowski girls or boys or the Cygnarowicz'. I could go on and on.....

Damn,I finished this too fast, I guess now I have to start cleaning! Where's Hazel when you need her..........Hey does any one want to hear any Polish Christmas carols? I know some, really I do.

OK,ok, I'll clean.

But someday I'll write a post about my Polish girl friends. The "Girls of Holy Family"
Hell, I could write a book.
Geniusz, no doggie!!

Crow's Feat!

From here on in you can just call me Tippi Hedren.
I am going OUT OF MY MIND.
I know, I know, before you all chime in and tell me that I didn't have a mind to begin with, I know.
Last week I was talking to a few people at the Gras when the subject of birds came up. We all noticed the presence of birds in the neighborhood. A lot of birds. Like thousands of birds.
Crows, exactly.
Well, now those thousands of crows moved in to my backyard.
I haven't slept in days. The sonofabitches keep squealing and doing whatever crows do ALL NIGHT LONG.
I am seriously going crazy. And now I think they are taunting me. Last night I was out in my yard banging my feet on my deck trying to scare them off. I was in my underwear, by the way. Yeah, I thought that alone would scare them. That's when they started taunting me! Assholes.

So first thing this morning I look up how to get rid of crows on the Internet. Didn't find much in the way of help, but I did find a bunch of comments from people who apparently have never been kept up all night by crows.
I will share a few of them here with you all.
Here's one from George.

"on 7/20/2008 Karen, I applaud your advocacy of nonlethal methods of dealing with "nuisance wildlife". Too many people share the attitude of our friend "Cops....247." Wildlife is getting crowded out of existence because there are too many people. Frankly it's unfortunate that the "nuisance people" in this world can't be shot and tied to poles. (Just kidding, sort of.)"
-George

George, let me tell ya, you will be the first human I tie on a pole.

Here's one from Regan:

"Birds also have a right to live in the world as we have. Just because we have occupied every available piece of land we can not drive them out."

Regan, I presume you are Regan from Exorcist fame? They have no right to be in my back yard, just like you have no right to be in my back yard at 4:00AM.

Bla, bla bla........So there you have it. I did not find a way to get rid of the crows. But I came up with a solution of my own. I am going to set off firecrackers every couple of minutes tomorrow night. In Shadyside. Should go over big with the neighbors. Although, I suspect I'll be a hero once they know why I did it.
Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Please have bail money ready and accept collect calls from prison.
Thank you.

Sarah Palin won't hesitate to run for president in 2012 if it's God's will...

Oh really? God's will?
Oh. God. Help. Us.
Keep talking girl. I hope you talk for four more years. Keep showing us just what kind of person you are. Show us whats really in your head----hot air.

Love it.
As long as she keeps talking, we're safe, people.

"I think the economic collapse had a heckuva lot more to do with the campaign's collapse than me personally,"
Uh, it might have, but you put the nail in the coffin.

"I did not know that it would be as brutal a ride as it turned out to be," she said.
What kind of ride did you think it would be actually? Same as trying to win 900 votes for mayor? Boy, it's really cut throat up there in Alaska, they even reelect a convicted felon for cryin out loud.

"The New York stylists who were already there and already orchestrating what the wardrobe should look like. Just like they have people to figure out what the staging and the lighting and everything else, the wardrobe, I guess, was a part of that."
You guess???? You guess????? Well, why the heck didn't you just ask God for the answer. Hey, when is that tag sale? She keeps talking about the convention clothes. Read between the lines. She's talking about three days worth of clothes. She does not mention returning tour clothes.

She really reached out to the feminists also last night when she said that they have to quit being narrow-minded and listen to what she has to say.
WHICH IS NOTHING, by the way. Geeze, don't ya just hate it that those there feminists n'at are so friggin' narrow-minded? Gawwwdddd, that gets on my last nerve.

So not much else is new. Winky is still babbling away. Full of hot air. And we will continue to be grateful every time she opens her mouth. All of us in the lower 48who don't have brain freezes anyway.
Can't wait till she has a press conference for 20 minutes this weekend. 20 Minutes????? That should be a riot.

Funny afterthought: We were watching McCain's concession speech on TV on election night. When he said he wanted to thank Sarah Palin, the whole place yelled, "So do we." Funny.
Also, I tend to believe these "reports" about her. One telling sign, when her and McCain left hotel the day after election day, McCain secretly got into his car and drove himself home. Her? She went by 10 car motorcade.

Unbelievable!
Someone just said she was optunistic, that's an understatment if I ever heard one!

And finally, I want to leave you with some wisdom from Margaret and Helen

Folks, I may not be here next time so I want you to remember this. You really should strive for a Presidential nominee who is smarter than you… someone who understands you but doesn’t necessarily need to have a beer with you. Strive for a Renaisance man… someone who knows that Walt Whitman wasn’t a guy who made chocolate candy. And a good rule of thumb from this point forward: someone who fully understands that the Flintstones isn’t a documentary.

So lets all pray to our God that Sarah Palin keeps on talkin' and keeps on winkin' because smart finally won!

See you all Thursday.

And for the record, I am not writing this in my parent's basement. However, I am in my PJ's.

Dear Ol' Dad!

I often mention my mother on this here blog. Maybe it's because she passed away and I miss her.But this week I am going to change the pace a little and talk about my dad.
Dear Old Dad.
Alot of you reading here know of him and his antics over the years.
He's quite the character.
This is a man who most of my friends feared. He "asked" more than a few of my friends to leave the house when I would manage to get myself into trouble growing up. Which was quite often, unfortunately. Just ask my friend Mary. She'll tell you.
He knows half of Pittsburgh from his basketball playing days at Cenral and the other half he coached at one time or another.
That's a whole other post.
Kids I grew up with who are now in their 50's still say that they would still be afraid to ever smoke a cigarette in front of him.
Having said that, this is the same man that would yell at the top of his lungs when I did something wrong. But would never, ever go to bed without apologizing to me. Which got me every time. The yelling never did much good. The talk after the fight made me feel like shit for being such an ass.
One time he smacked me, then he cried and said he was sorry. (I deserved much more than a little smack, by the way)
His bark is far worse than his bite.
When Devin was born premature and had to stay in the hospital, he watched over him, and cried and cried.

The one thing I am grateful to him for is the gift for speaking my mind. Or as Richard calls it "Sitting on her right" Over the years he makes me look tame.

My dad now lives most of his time up north in Conneaut Lake. At first I couldn't imagine him being up there in the middle of nowhere, out of Lawrenceville where he spent all of his 80 plus years.It helps that a few nephews play basketball for Allegheny and Tiel. That keeps him busy.

Anyway, the reason I'm writing this is because tonight when he called to say hello, he started telling me about the headline in the Meadville Tribune. Gun sales up in Crawford county since election day. What. The. Fuck???
Unbelievable. Really.
Ya know, you really, really need that assault rifle in Conneaut Lake. Geeze-oh-man.
It's not like they cling to their guns or religion or anything!

So we started talking about the election. Again.

Every morning he has his coffee and rye toast at this little diner. It's sort of a Mayberry-like place. The same 5 or six guys eat there daily. My dad probably being the oldest.
Naturally, they were all rooting for McCain. Wednesday morning the place was buzzing with opinions. One guy walked in and threw watermelon seeds on the counter and said "You all better start planting watermelons, they are going to be the national fruit" Can you believe it?
My father couldn't either.
He looked at all of them, stood up and told them all "Say what you want, but in all of my 85 years, I have seen alot of elections. I have never seen ANYONE dancing in the streets after the results were announced. The whole world is celebrating.And you guys are just missing it."
That's my dad!!!!!

Things I'm working on----A test to see who's smarter than a former vice-presidential candidate.
Any ideas???

How About These Apples?

ONE BAD APPLE

DON'T SPOIL THE WHOLE BUNCH------GIRRRRRLLLLL!

I Can See A New America From My House...

...."And I've never seen anything so beautiful in my entire life", as General Waverly says in the movie White Christmas (Or something like that)

I wish I would have had time to write this post last night or this morning. When I still thought for a brief moment that everyone would feel like I did. That everyone would see how this country, and the whole world, for that matter, were dancing in the streets. And in DC,at the same site of the 1968 riots, thousands danced in the street. Even in my neighborhood, fireworks were set off, horns were honking, people were cheering. Neighbors were in the street celebrating.
I thought they would feel as proud as I did last night, as my son came up to say good night to me, he sat on the edge of my bed,gave me a hug and said "Mom, WE won."

I assumed they would also feel tears on their cheeks when they watched Jesse Jackson in the audience at Grant Park. While thinking that they too did not agree with some of his antics over the years. But they would suddenly realize it was a means to an end. And maybe he just isn't that bad after all.

Didn't every ones brother, sister, aunt and cousin call to just say "Isn't this wonderful?" And I just knew they were also amazed at the fact that all circuits were jammed when they tried to use their cell phones a few minutes after 11.

And I know at least everyone in my family wished our mother were alive to see this moment. And we could they hear the sadness in our father's voice when he wished she was here too.

I went to bed at 3:30 AM feeling all was right with the world. My children and I were a little part of history.
I knew I should have gone to bed earlier, but just couldn't turn the TV off. And when I did finally turn it off I still couldn't sleep.
As I laid in the dark, names started running through my head that I thought I had long forgotten. Names of victims from decades ago that were part of my daily vocabulary while working in the Civil Rights Division of the FBI. I sure they were smiling down on America last night.

Yeah, I just wish I would have written this post before I opened my first e-mail of the day and it said this:

Terrorists all over the world are rejoicing over the
American majorities choice of our next Commander In
Chief. They are astounded at our stupidity.

or this:

How dare they vote when they have no idea what they're voting for. What a shame, or should I say sham!

Boy, did they miss something great!

Oh well, I'm guessing they are a little stunned right about now. The country they knew is gone. Their little corner of self righteous, narrow minded christian right America is becoming as small as their minds.

Replaced by a more hopeful America. A more empathetic America. A more compassionate America. And in the end, a far better America. Filled with REAL Americans from ALL walks of life.
In the words of my friend Ruth: "Perhaps we need a news bulletin telling everyone that one-size fits all doesn't work in pantie hose or people."

OK, Enough touchy-feely stuff for now, I have a reputation to protect!

So did anyone get any info telling us when Sarah Palin's is having her tag sale for charity? Make sure you let me know. I wouldn't want to miss it.

I'll talk about her tomorrow---Oh yes I can!

So it's finally here. I feel like I should be writing something profound. Something meaningful. Something to get us all out there to vote. But really folks, I don't think there's much else to say that hasn't been said already.

How about we just practice. OK? Repeat after me: President Obama, President Obama, President Obama!

For those of you who need that extra push. This will scare you. Repeat after me:
President Palin, President Palin, President Palin.
Yep, I thought that would get you off the couch.

I do want to say one thing. My first thought upon hearing Obama's grandmother died was sadness that she couldn't have lived one more day. But after thinking about it, maybe she had to get up there early to use her influence. Because there is no doubt where that woman is. Any woman who raised her African-American grandson in lilly white Kansas, during the 70's. And did it as well as she did, surely that woman earned her way to heaven.

Happy Election Day! Get out there and vote. As Harriet would say every election day morning when we would arrive at the polls to start working, "It's going to be a great day for the Democrats!"

Say it again, President Obama!

While We're On The Subject Of Empty Heads-- Part II

So yesterday was our annual Pub Crawl for the LAOH. Yes, I am extremely hung over. The Old Grey Mare ain't what she used to be, that's for sure.
Anyway, after 25 rum and cokes politics came up. Imagine that! Me, talking politics.
I started talking to a group of people that I've never met before. I don't know who brought them or what their connection was to the LAOH. But they were hands down the most dim-whitted people I've ever met. ALL AT ONE TABLE. Wow.
The girl pictured here, with her 1989 hairdo, ripped t-shirt to show cleavage, (nice flashdance touch) and all the gold. Groovy. She actually said to me "Ewww, your voting for that N****R.
I know, I know,can you believe it? I am so appalled. I really am. I can't believe that in this day and age there are people that will say that out loud. The rest of the people at the special needs table were real proud of her. And told ME I was un-American.
Birds of a feather flock together.
This stupid, stupid woman made me physically sick. My son saw the look of horror on my face and just grabbed me by the arm and pulled me away.
Unbelievable. Just totally unbelievable and in this day and age totally unacceptable.I should have known better than to start talking to someone who was wearing white jeans in November. Really, what was I thinking?

I'm hoping if any of you reading this knows who she is, please forward this to her. I would love for her to know that her secret is out. All of the Internets are hereby notified. This is what stupid white trash looks like......

Late Edition: I just remembered something. While talking to the Mensa's at this table, one of them actually said that he wished Bush could run for a third term. He thinks he's one of our greatest presidents.
I know, I know. When I quit laughing I looked at him strangely and said "Soooo you're one of that 9%. I've never met one of you and often wonder just who the heck these people are that they talk about that view Bush favorably." Now I know. And they certainly are everything I thought they would be.

Here's a group picture of the pub crawl. Except for that small group, everyone else was great fun. The girl in the green to my left is another one in the Mensa group.

I'm going back to bed now. Good night. I feel better now having outed these people as the racist idiots that they are.

While Were On The Subject Of Empty Heads.....

While were on the subject of empty heads, I found athis great blog .Please check it daily because she is writing one post a day until the election.
I swear this woman is me. Maybe I have a split personality and this is my old woman alter ego. You think?
Na, her writing is grammatically correct. I bet she listened to her Sr. Angela in English class. Better yet,maybe she is Sister Angela?

My favorite part of the post:

Well imagine my shock and surprise today when I came across this little item. The latest polls show that only 55% of Americans think that Sarah Palin is not qualified to be President. 55%! FIFTY FIVE PERCENT! This about the woman whose best qualification for the job to date is that she can see Russia from her house. So what exactly does Sarah Palin have to do before the other 45% of this country is shocked enough to realize that she is a “whack job”? Please Lord don’t tell me she has to show her hoo-ha in public.

I want Helen to be an Anger Management Girl! She would so fit right in.

What If They Examine My Head And Find Nothing?

So a few months ago, as some of you may recall, I was hospitalized for a few days. They did tons and tons of tests and figured out that the blood sometimes has a hard time getting to my brain.
George (cousin #2), being the smart ass that he is, says that's because my mouth is always open and it can't get past that. Yeah, he's a smart ass.
Anyway, they have to do one more test tomorrow. I have been putting this test off for a while. It's not the test I'm worried about. It's what I have to do to get ready for the test. I cannot sleep the night before.
Which is now.
I am not allowed to sleep tonight. I have to stay awake using natural means. No caffeine. No drugs. Nothing.
I guess severe lack of sleep puts extreme stress on your brain. They want to see how my brain acts under severe stress.
I don't know why they have to put me through all this. Don't they know that the mere mention of the phrase "Vice President Palin" sends my brain in a tizzy?
So here I sit at 3:49 A.M. pretty damn delirious.
Let me just say that I am one of those people who has weird sleeping patterns. I get up sometimes at 3 or 4am and watch some tv or go on computer and then go back to sleep after a while. But when someone tells me I can't sleep. Well, let me just say I was ready to go to bed a 9:00 tonight.
So how am I passing the time?
I went food shopping around 10:00 tonight.
I figured I'll just cook all night and clean my kitchen.
At about 11:00 I put a turkey in the oven.
Yes, a turkey with stuffing to boot.
Made meatloaf.
Then make chicken with an orange glaze.
So far I burnt the meatloaf, the stuffing was a little burnt. And my kitchen is still a mess. Actually, it's a bigger mess now because I am too tired to clean up.

I did a few loads of laundry.

I'm fading fast.

I figured this would be the toughest part. 4:00 to 7:00 AM. And it is.

How about i just change the subject a little to keep my mind sharp( Yeah, like that would happen)

As I mentioned earlier, I went food shopping tonight. Do you know I paid 4.98 at Giant Eagle for aluminium foil? $4.98!!! It was a little roll. 75 feet. Geeze, I thought that was alot.

You know what's happening here don't you? I starting to babble. When I get tired or nervous, I babble on and on and on. Sorry.

Hmm, who knew the News started at 4:00 am. Certainly not me.

I'm a little tired to go on and on tonight. I am going to leave you with a blog I found that can rant about Winky for me. And she does it in much better English.

Margaret and Helen

Well it's now 5:20 AM. I am watching "Ryan's Hope" on the soap channel. It originally aired in 1976. It's fun if for nothing else than the clothes and the stupid story lines by today's standards.

Two and a half hours to go.

Think I'll make it?????

Were down to the wire people. Hopefully the Winky and Blinky show will be canceled one week from today! Dear Lord, I certainly hope so. For all our sakes.

We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun.la la la la la la la

God, I just love the fall. As I've written here before, it always reminds me of new beginnings. Pretty much every change I made in life with the exception of my kids was in the fall.
When I moved to DC it was in the fall. I can't believe it was 29 years ago. 29 years. I had my whole life in front of me. I remember my first paycheck. Going to Woodward and Lothrup and buying my first designer suit with the whole pay. It was a navy blue Sassoon suit. Boy, I thought I was hot shit. I wore than thing until it fell off my body.

I didn't know what life had in store for me yet. I was so ready for whatever it threw my way. I was thinking it would have thrown me something along the lines of the Mary Tyler Moore Show. Yeah, I was Mary......... For about five minutes.

Anyway--I'm just sitting here in my kitchen. Thinking what to write about this week. Then I remember my June Cleaver phase.
I have two dinners cooking on the stove. The fireplace is on. The dog is passed out in the middle of the floor and the kids are watching the original version of King Kong on TV. They have all the lights off and are laughing there butts off.

I just smiled to myself. I guess I already wrote it.

Sometimes parts of my old June Cleaver life come back to visit every once in a while. If only for a moment.Like a snap shot.Tonight was one of those nights. When I close my eyes, right now I can listen to the old movie coming from the other room. Smell dinner cooking on the stove. Hear my kids laughing. Maybe I can stretch it and pretend like we're just waiting for Dan to come home before we eat dinner. Because the only thing missing is his laughter mingled in with my kids.

Every once in a while my life doesn't seem as fucked up as it really is.
Then reality sets in.
It's fucked up.
It's then I realized I ended up Roseanne!

I think this article that I read today is responsible for this melancholy mood of mine.
Didn't every street have a lady like this. In my childhood it was Mrs. Siebert. In my childrens day it was Mrs. Krinsky and the two old ladies on private Mintwood that actually called me a Pig Shit Irish Bitch. (You think I would at least remembered their names after calling me such a thing)
So to all the Mrs. Sieberts, Mrs. Krinskys and "Wicked Witches of Sherrod St" out there. I only have one thing to say.
Nah-naah-naah-naaah-naaaaaah


Reminds me of my favorite SPUDS song.HEY YOU GET THE HELL OUTTA MY YARD

John McCain Debate Coach Finally Found!

Does anyone else think it's scary that the substance of the Republican Presidential Campaign is taken almost verbatim from a kooky comedy show over 40 years old.

Oh, wait a minute, McCain must think it's a fresh new idea. Wasn't this show popular during the years that he was a POW? You guys did hear that he was a POW, didn't you? I know, that's bad! On a Sunday yet.But I just can't help it.Remember I USED to be a Republican--so that mean, intolerant streak still shows itself from time to time!



Holy Obama Batman! I think the Democrats just might pull this off!

One last thing that is confusing to me. The Republicans and President Bush want to start taking over banks. Now, I have to admit, economics and banking are not my thing(you all have heard stories of my mishaps with money). But isn't that Socialism? Government running the banks?? Is that the ultimate in Socialism. The socialism that Republicans are warning us about if we vote for Obama?
Just askin'.

Joe the Plumber?????

JOE. THE. PLUMBER?????????????WTF???????????
Joe the effin' Plumber.
What's with the Republicans obsession with the Joe's?

Thank God this will be over soon. And hopefully Blinky will just have to settle for that statue of himself somewhere in Washington or Arizona. And Winky will be on a nonstop to Wallisa. Kids in tow.

The Madonna called about three minutes into this debate. Laughing hysterically. She brought up something that I forgot about years ago.

When Devin was about 7 or 8 years old we had to get a new gas pipe installed in front of our house. It kept my boys busy for days and days. They were in their glory watching the men from the gas company dig up our front sidewalk. Me, not so much.

After a few days my husband was sitting on our front porch. One of the worker's asked where his son "Joe" was. Dan said who? He said Joe, your son who's been watching us here all week. Dan told him we didn't have a son named Joe. Our son's names were Devin and Danny.
The man shrugged his shoulders saying that he told him his name was Joe.

So when Devin got home from school that day, we asked him if he knew why they would have thought his name was Joe. He looked up at Dan and said it was he who told them his name was Joe. He wanted to be Joe because Joe was a working man's name. And he wanted them to think he was a working man. Devin was not a working mans name, he informed his father.
My husband almost fell off his chair.
Devin was Joe the Working Man for quite a while. Not as long as Danny was Peter Venkman, but that's a whole other story.

A few weeks later we went to The Madonna's for Easter. Devin made friends with the kids across the street. He introduced himself as Joe the working man. But it didn't last long, especially when he realized that if your a working man, you actually have to work!

The following summer, we went back to DC and when one of the neighbors asked for Joe. Devin got all indignant. He said he is not Joe, he is Devin. And why are these kids calling him Joe. We laughed, asking him how the hell were they supposed to know. For months he was telling them his name was Joe and now he's suddenly Devin.

That's my Devin from Heaven. What a sweetheart.

This story has nothing to do with anything, I just thought it was funny. Just like this goofy reference to Joe the Plumber is funny and silly. I have a feeling Joe the Plumber won't help John McCain and his bid for the Presidency anymore than Joe the Working Man helped the guys in that hole in front of my house. Just be prepared. That poor plumber will be splattered over Fox News for the next three weeks.

I originally wanted to write this nice story about how October 16 is not only my birthday, but it's also my nephew Jeffrey Andrew David's (the rock star)birthday.
This is his 30th birthday. He was born on my 21st birthday. God,does that makes me old? It was also the same night John Paul II was made Pope. (Big day all around)
1978. Seems like lifetimes ago. I guess it was, now that I think about it.

I wrote a nice post last night about the night he was born. He was the best birthday present that I ever received. I was getting tired and my palm hit the wrong key and it erased everything.
So sorry Jeff, this isn't what I intended to write. Happy 30th Birthday sweet boy. You are finally older than Grammy! How can that be?

This is a picture of my birthday cake from the people at work. Can you believe them? Joanna had to convince them at the store that it wasn't a hoax and she will really pick the cake up.

Too Funny.
We will continue on with Birthday-Rama tonight.
And I am warning you all. NO PLUMBER JOKES. I already received two calls.
It's my Birthday. Be nice.

An afterthought: "Joe the Plumber" is making $250.000 a year? Really? As a regular plumber? Apparently he's single girls! Only one catch, you probably would have to move to Ohio. Ouch, Barb.

So Sherri and I ventured to town Friday to show our displeasure with the selection of Sarah Palin(aka Winkey) as the Republican Vice-Presidential nominee.
Let me just wonder out loud, how do all those radicals do it? I mean, really, that shit is hard work.
Sherri picked me up at 2:45. We found our fellow protesters and walked around with our signs for a while. It was then that you could tell we were pure novices.
First, shoes. We wore totally wrong shoes. Sherri had boots with heels, that looked great with her cashmere sweater. But weren't very practical about forty minutes into it.
I had on my Hermes scarf. Totally wrong for demonstrating in the sun. I was getting hot under the collar and it's wasn't for the right reasons.
But hey, we looked great.

Plus, let me just say, those signs get heavy after a while. Ya know, you hold them up and you start hurting under the arms. Then your thumb and index finger start getting numb.
It was right about then that we started checking our watches and asking our fellow protesters (who happened to be dressed as polar bears)when these things end.

But all in all, it was fun. Some great signs. My favorite being "I don't need boobs, I already have two. I need health care."
Learned a few things too.
Important things, like never wear heals to a protest. And it's best to wear t-shirts. Preferably ones that have something about what you stand for on the front.

The most important thing I think I learned. Two things, one, check your sign for spelling. Especially if you are running really, really late and you count on your kids to do the rough draft.
Two, it helps if you put your sign on a stick. It makes it easier to hold up higher and isn't so rough on your arms and fingers.
After the "Straight Talk Express" (Ugh) passed we went to Sonoma Grill and had a much needed drink and took the load off on some much needed chairs.
Three and a half hours later, I ended my radical ways over some sushi, wine and a beer.
Bitching on this site is a hell of alot easier I tell ya.
But we did have a fun day.
Below are two short clips taken from my camera.








Get ready. Birthday-Rama officially starts tomorrow. Can you believe its been a whole year since the big 50 blow out? Geeze. I'm turning 51. I don't feel a day over 50.
More on that later.

Peace, baby!

The Times They Are a-Changin' (I Hope!)

Protest at Sarah Palin's Visit/Fundraiser in Pittsburgh!
This Friday, October 10, 2008
Outside the Westin Convention Center
1000 Penn Avenue
Starts about 3:30 pm

Sarah Palin will be in Pittsburgh this Friday, October 10, for a fundraiser at the Westin Convention Center, 1000 Penn Avenue.
Last week, with only 5 hours notice, hundreds of protester's showed up in Philly. You can see the protest on video -- www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bloXWsV1-w.
Let's see what we can do this time in Pittsburgh with a week's notice! The Palin event starts at 5:00 PM. Please plan to arrive at the site around 3:30 pm.
You can help. Spread the word. Then on Friday, bring a friend, bring a sign (if you can), and most of all, bring yourself to the event!
For more information, contact
Michael Morrill, Executive Director of Keystone Progress

610-568-0469-office
mike@keystoneprogress.org

Now I've never been one to be confused with the Angela Davis types of this world.
Quite the contrary. My Friends.
But you all know I'm pretty outraged with the whole Blinky and Winky show.
So I'm puttin' on my best Afro wig and heading to town.
But whatever will I put on my sign? (If I'm protesting, I have to have a sign)
Any ideas??????
I saw one from a protest in Philly that said "Irish Pubs Do Not Count as Foreign Policy Experience" If that were the case, I'd be Queen of the World.

Not to get off track, but I am watching the debates right now. Blinky just referred to Obama as "That one" when referencing something he said. Unbelievable.

If McCain says "My Friend" one more time I am going to puke.
Let's get one thing straight Blinky, you ARE NOT my friend. Never have been, never will be. You do not represent anything my family or me stand for. I do not trust a word you say. I think you are a liar. And you sold your soul to TRY to become President of the United States. And I pray every night that you are unsuccessful. I am tired of seeing your blinking, lying eyes every minute of every day on tv. You condescending, miserable old coot. You keep saying you know everything. You know nothing. Nothing about the needs of me and people like me. Especially the needs of the African American woman who asked you a question during this debate. You just showed what a classy guy you really are by ignoring Sen Obama's hand at the end of your charade. Blinky, you have some 'splain' to do.
So there. Hmmmph.........

Let me know who wants to join Sherri and me on Friday. And start the protest slogans comin'. Don't e-mail me. Put them in the comments section. It's not hard. I have faith that my AMG's can figure it out.

Make love not war, baby!

*Note: If any of you receive a collect call on Friday, please accept. It might be me calling for bail money.

Sorry, I just couldn't resist!

Winky and Blinky

So The Madonna called me from "Our Nation's Capital" while I was at jury duty today. She leaves me a message to call her as soon as I can. I go to the lounge area to return her call, wondering if something is wrong.
She's hysterically laughing. She proceeds to tell me the new name her local talk radio station has given to McCain/Palin.
WINKY AND BLINKY.
Perfect. Genius. I love it.





I tend to think people that blink incessantly are not really telling me the whole truth. It just reminds me of a nervous twitch that people do when they lie.

And then there's Winky. I don't even have to comment further. Do I? I'm serious folks. What a kook! God, I wish my mother were alive. I would love to listen to her rip her apart as only she could do. That believe me, she would.

Irish Diplomacy: The ability to tell someone to "Go To Hell", and make them look forward to the trip.
That's what Harriet would do to little ol' Winky

Anyway, I looked up Winky and Blinky and found this

And how about the name? Three Dimwits. I nominate our current dimwit in office as Noddy.

Think about it. He's been sleeping through the last eight years. It seems so appropriate.
The Three Dimwits, Winky,Blinky and Noddy.
If our country wasn't in such a perilous state, it would be funny.

I didn't get picked for jury duty, by the way. Wonder why???????
Good night. (sorry, I lost steam in the middle of this post.)

ABOUT LAST NIGHT.....

I just wanted to give a "Shout Out" to all my blog readers.
To all you "Six Pack Sally's/Joe's, I am headed out of town and will not have access to my computer for the weekend. I just wanted to let you all know that you're going to have to wait for a few days for my commentary about last night.
But you betya, I'll have plenty to say at a later date.

Just one fast story before I go.

My favorite from last night began with Six Pack Sarah starting her statement with something to this effect:
"When I was speaking with Henry Kissinger about this............"
What the eff??????
Like she rings him up on a daily basis.

So I'm on the phone with "The Madonna" this morning while sitting in the Doctors office. (I'm sure all others were thrilled in the waiting room)We were going back and forth about what we thought about the debate. And I am telling her how funny I found that statement to be.
And I swear on Harriet's grave The Madonna said the following:
Actually I have spoken with Henry Kissinger a few times at work and I couldn't understand a word he said. I find it hard to believe she did either, because no one does."
Only the Madonna. I swear I could not make that up.
Only The Madonna.
If you guys think I have stories, you should hear some of hers.

Well folks, I have to get on the road, more about energy later!

OK, one more thing. Did she really wink? Did a serious contender for the office of Vice President WINK while in a SERIOUS DEBATE and give a SHOUT OUT to a third grade class? Could you imagine Dick Cheney giving a shout out to all his Homies at Ligioneer Country Club???? Either can I.

The Russian(experts) Are Coming, The Russian (experts) Are Coming!

JESUS MARY AND JOSEPH AND ALL THE SAINTS IN HEAVEN.
I can't even think of something to say. So I am just going to quote Sherry over at The Pittsburgh Woman's Blogging Society.
"This woman has a Journalism degree??????Maybe she should go back to Alaska and hunt for it."

She says to Katie in the clip that Alaska is not a foreign county. Listening to her, it certainly sounds like it, for cryin out loud!

No one could possible take this woman seriously. Could they???

This morning, they asked her about all the negative feedback she was getting from her interviews or lack thereof. Her response? America just isn't used to "Averege Joe Sixpack" representing them.
THANK GOD! There's a reason for that lady! I don't want an "Average American" representing me.
Please, can't we just get her to go back to Alaska? How about if we all take up a collection and get her an unlimited supply of lipstick and magazine subscriptions to "all" the new sources she reads and she can maybe babysit her new grandchild, (while her daughter is going to do whatever they do in Alaska after high school?) Maybe concentrate on her kids futures. Or try to prepare at least one of her children so that they can get into a college somewhere. She can go on play dates with her newborn son and talk foreign policies with all the other moms.
I can hear it now.
Sarah: Was that a plane overhead.
Mom #1: Yeah, wonder where it's headed.
Mom #2: It's headed west.
Sarah: I bet it's going to Russia. Isn't that west?
Mom #3: Boy you're smart. All that foreign policy experience sure paid off.
Sarah: I learned it in one of the hundreds and hundreds of magazines I read daily. I think it was the same issue of People that had me on the cover.Did my hair look OK?

Folks, if these people win, we are in serious trouble!
See you all tomorrow. We can watch Mensa do her stuff on the debates.

The Post Where I Don't Mention Sarah Palin

All week I have been thinking about this bail out for Wall Street mess and how I feel about it. Unfortunately I think it is necessary. But let's all be clear about what this really is. It is welfare. And it's as plain and simple as that. Welfare for those who were just plain greedy and should know better.

Over at http://kdiddy.org/, Kelly B hits the nail on the head. Saying everything I wanted to say, but in much, much better English. She is getting her Masters in Professional Writing from CMU, Smarty Pants.

I'm imagining her with her Irish face blotchy red from anger, one hand on her hip and the other index finger pointed at the face of a suit saying:

"So now that the richest among us are receiving it with the full support of the government, I demand that no broke person be given shit for the pittance that they receive. The next time that I pay for groceries with an EBT card, don’t glance at my selections and judge my character. The next time that I go into the hospital and have a baby and use my Medicaid, don’t bitch about “paying for my mistakes.” Don’t get all indignant about your tax dollars and don’t gripe about the irresponsible behavior of “those people.” Because what we’re seeing on Wall Street is the ultimate in irresponsible behavior and it’s not just fucking with the lives of one person or one family, it’s fucking all of us. We’ll pay for it. We’ll fix it because that’s what we need to do. Now hopefully that minuscule percentage of your tax dollar that goes toward social services won’t seem so outrageous. Because it isn’t."

Couldn't have said it better than that Kelly B!

As Har would have said "Hmmph.......guess you told them Briginkel."

I'll write about the debates when I get a chance to watch it again.
Were there two debates on last night by any chance? I swear Ski and I watched two different ones.

Maybe one was a repeat or something. Or maybe they used a split screen using a McCain from a debate 20 years ago.

Just trying to figure out how two people can watch same exact thing on tv and come up with two totally different conclusions.
Did anyone hear Obama specifically say when he became president he was going to invade Afghanistan and Pakistan?
I didn't think so.
And did anyone think that McCain sounded like a crotichey old man who just started rambling random countries to make sure we knew he knew. But ended up sounding like he just studied up on his High School Geography.
I thought so.

McCain should be part of our past instead of our future.

What bugged me most is John McCain didn't give Obama an ounce of respect. While Obama showed what a class act he is and didn't stoop to that level. And it showed.

The part I liked the best is when Obama actually said a few times "Yes John you are right, BUT" and went on to explain his take on the matter. McCain was all like Beavus and Butthead snorting hehe, told you, told you hehe. He totally didn't get it. And he never will.

A few poll numbers and observations by news agencies:

An instant telephone poll by CNN and Opinion Research Corp. after the debate scored a decisive win for Obama among 524 debate watchers. Asked who did the better job, 51 percent said Obama and 38 percent said McCain.

In a CBS News poll, uncommitted voters see Barack as the debate winner. When it comes to the economy, 66% say Barack would make the right decisions versus 42% for McCain.

David Gergen, CNN analyst, said, "McCain needed a clear victory tonight and I think that eluded him.

McCain's problem: Obama's obvious preparation and sharp answers contradicted McCain's frequent claims that the Democrat was uninformed and "didn't understand" key issues

The New York Times editorial board writes that Obama won the discussion of the economy and that McCain seemed out of step with the current moment

Dan Balz, providing analysis for the Washington Post, says there was no knockout punch Meanwhile his colleague Tom Shales sums up the night as 'McCain too nasty

A focus group of 45 voters with an "unmistakenly Republican tilt" believed that Obama won the night handily.

I don't think I need to go on.
Oh God, I pray John McCain goes back to just living off his POW experience. As David Letterman said, "Just give the guy a statue and move on."

One more thought, this past week, as well as during the RNC there were two instances where protesters interrupted campaign speeches. It's pretty telling how each candidate handled the situation.

Obama invited them in to hear what they were saying and maybe they could work the situation out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pod1Kr-q6us

McCain made a joke and ridiculed his protesters and everyone laughed and shouted USA. (What did that have to do with anything?)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9029bj4sZs

I guess I don't have to write a whole other post on debates. I inadvertently just wrote it. Oppps.
38 more days and I will leave you all alone!