It's About Time!

Finally, this administration is sharing with us their plan to resolve the Iraq conflict by providing us a Strategy for Victory. Many of us, especially those of us that have supported this effort all along have asked for this. I believe it was even part of the resolution to use force. But the Bush administration has dragged it's feet, called us cowards and traitors for questioning them. They refused to provide any insight at all as to what their ultimate goal was, and what constituted victory.

I am going to take some time to look over this document, in hopes that I see substance, and not political spinmeistering to regain popularity. I am going into this report with an open mind, now let's read it together. The PDF is available here!

Flash

They Beat Horses, Don't They

In the wonderful partisan political world we live in, negativity prevails. Why tout positives; 'Dog Bites Man' doesn't sell, whereas 'Man Bites Dog' is front page news.

So today, each side will probably be beating the horse of negativity as they both have fingers to be pointing.

For the Left, we have:

Congressman resigns after bribery plea

and the Right:

Vote topples Canadian government

I know, all the Right has today is Canadian news, but they are perfect at the slight of hand game, and will manage to twist this into something here at home.

Now I'm off to the blogosphere to see how close I am!

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Holiday Weekend Recap!

It's kind of nice to just shut down the ole Blog and walk away for a few days, and this weekend was busy enough all on it's own.

Thanksgiving day I filled the house with the aromas of the holiday. I love to cook, and I do the full spread. 15+ lbs Turkey (stuffed), White Cheddar Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Corn, Cranberry Sauce (I'm a Jelly guy), and of course, Pumpkin Pie. For the first time, I boiled down the old carcass for turkey soup. I love making soup, but usually it is Bean soup, so this was my first attempt at Turkey Soup. MMmmmmmm Yummy!

Friday morning required at least one excursion to the Black Friday sales. I opted for a quick jaunt to Radio Shack to snag on of the 49.99 1 Gig MP3 players. Even though it was after 9:00, they still had two left, the last two. I bought them both. The stores was kind of dead, with 6 employees there to great me. My boys and I were the only customers in the store. We then ventured to Sears to check out some leather jackets, again the store was rather empty for the day after Thanksgiving, but I went on with my business so I could get out of there quickly.

Once home, the oldest boy prepared for his shift at Target, while the younger two made sure they were packed and ready for a day with their Auntie. My wife and I would be traveling to St. peter, MN for the evening and my FANTASTIC sister agreed to spend quality-bonding time with her nephews. I can't begin to tell her how much I appreciated her help.

With the boys taken care of, it was off to St. Peter, for the annual Govenaire end of the year Awards banquet. It was GREAT to see old friends that I spent all summer performing with. The banquet is the official end of the 2005 season. Most everyone dressed all fancy, which is always interesting since we have spent all summer seeing each other all sweaty and casual. I was fortunate enough to be honored as the 'Rookie of the Year'. But the big surprise was the second to the last award, the "Drum Major/Corps Director Choice" award. He hesitated briefly, stating he was unsure if he could give this award to the person he had in mind, because he has never given it to a Rookie before. He then announced the winner, 'FLASH'. What an honor, and what an end to a fantastic season. I had the time of my life this year, and after watching the video of our performance at Nationals, I realized what a fine Drum Corps we had!!

The remainder of my weekend continued to be non political and blog free. It was refreshing to clear the mind, and have a restful relaxing weekend. And the fact the ViKings made it four in a row, made it only that much sweeter.

I hope you all had as great a weekend as I!!

Flash

Happy Thanksgiving!

Have a safe and healthy holiday weekend. Being descended from Francis Eaton, a signer of the Mayflower Compact, this holiday is one of my favorites.

Enjoy the parade, the football, and the food. But most importantly, enjoy your family and friends, for that is what I am truly thankful for!

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He is T.O.ast

Terrell Owen's season appears to be over. The arbitrator has ruled in favor of the Eagles in not only the 4 game suspension, but their right to deactivate him and make him sit out the rest of the year (with pay).

It couldn't have happened to a nicer guy!!

Flash

Mr. Foreman!

John Kerry continues to show what an honorable man he is (via CNN).

Sen. John Kerry's public profile and prosecutorial past didn't spare him from performing that most mundane of civic responsibilities -- jury duty.

Kerry was not only chosen this week to sit on a jury in Suffolk Superior Court, but also was elected foreman.

I liked this part best:

I just found him to be a knowledgeable, normal person," said Cynthia Lovell, a nurse and registered Republican who says she now regrets voting for President Bush in last year's election. "He kept us focused. He wanted us all to have our own say."

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Readyyyyyyyyy DRINK!

Swiped from the Wege:



I'm hoping to make an appearance to balance out the 'Left of Wellstone' crowd. However, anything can change in a domestic household with 3 boys; two in Junior High and one in High School! Yes, it's the high maintenance years!

Flash

The Final Witness

Time continues to take it's toll:

The last known surviving allied veteran of the Christmas Truce that saw German and British soldiers shake hands between the trenches in World War One died on Monday at 109, his parish priest said.

Alfred Anderson was the oldest man in Scotland and the last known surviving Scottish veteran of the war.

"I remember the silence, the eerie sound of silence," he was quoted as saying in the Observer newspaper last year, describing the day-long Christmas Truce of 1914, which began spontaneously when German soldiers sang carols in the trenches, and British soldiers responded in English.

"All I'd heard for two months in the trenches was the hissing, cracking and whining of bullets in flight, machinegun fire and distant German voices. But there was a dead silence that morning across the land as far as you could see.

"We shouted 'Merry Christmas' even though nobody felt merry.

An article I found around Veteran's Day had these numbers

No one knows exactly how many of America's World War I veterans will celebrate Veterans Day, which marks the armistice of November 11, 1918, that ended what then was considered the Great War. An estimated 2 million Americans served in Europe after the U.S. entered the war in 1917.

Today, the Veterans Affairs Department lists just eight veterans as receiving disability benefits or pension compensation from service in World War I. It says a few dozen other veterans of the war probably are alive, too, but the government does not keep a comprehensive list.

The Census Bureau stopped asking for data about those veterans years ago. Using a report of 65,000 alive in 1990 as a baseline, the VA estimates that no more than 50 remain, perhaps as few as 30.

Most interesting, however, was the age of the final veteran to pass from each American conflict:

Long-lived veterans are common among America's warriors. The last veteran to fight in the American Revolution died at age 109 in 1869, according to Defense Department statistics.

Other wars and the ages of their last veterans the year they died: the War of 1812, 105, 1905; the Indian Wars, 101, 1973; the Mexican War, 98, 1929; the Civil War, 112, 1958; and the Spanish-American War, 106, 1992.

Remember, we don't have to wait for one day a year to honor the man and women who serve, and have served our country! We should do it every opportunity we can find!

But that's just me!

Flash

The Most Dangerous Cities

via CNN:

Listed as the most dangerous cities are:

1 - Camden, New Jersey
2 - Detroit, Michigan
3 - St. Louis, Missouri
4 - Flint, Michigan
5 - Richmond, Virginia
6 - Baltimore, Maryland
7 - Atlanta, Georgia
8 - New Orleans, Louisiana
9 - Gary, Indiana
10- Birmingham, Alabama.

At the other end of the scale, the safest are named as:

1 - Newton, Massachusetts
2 - Clarkstown, New York
3 - Amherst, New York
4 - Mission Viejo, California
5 - Brick Township, New Jersey
6 - Troy, Michigan
7 - Thousand Oaks, California
8 - Round Rock, Texas
9 - Lake Forest, California
10- Cary, North Carolina.

Hmmmm, Ironically, I have been to 8 of the 10 BAD cities, and only 2 of the good cities. Maybe it's me!

Flash

UPDATE: I'm getting a lot of visitors from this post. Welcome! Some have asked if the complete list is out there. All I can find is THIS ONE, which lists Top 25's and breaks them down by metro area and size. The Complete list is available for a fee.

Border Battle

I had a vision:

Queenies 28 -- Cheeseheads 23

But that's just me!

Flash

John Gallos; 1923 - 2005

Clancy is gone.

John Gallos, 'Clancy the Cop' on TV, dies at 82

John Gallos, former host of WCCO-TV's "Clancy the Cop," was recognized by Minnesota baby boomers years after the children's TV show, which ran from 1961 to 1977, went off the air.

Gallos died Tuesday in Minneapolis from complications of diabetes. He was 82.

His daughter, Nancy Gallos of Minneapolis, said he was born with a desire to entertain. He was known for reciting the classic poem "Casey at the Bat" from memory.

"He was always interested in entertaining people," Nancy said. " 'Clancy the Cop' stemmed from his love for children and entertaining."

Clancy, a policeman who befriended kids, was beloved by many children in the Twin Cities during an era when every city had its own "Mr. Rogers."

Mom tells me I had an Axel doll when I was just a wee lad. Axel was the man. But Axel passed while I was still little, and Carmen the nurse took over. That's when the crack detective team of 'Clancy the Cop' and 'Willie Ketchem' took over.

Oh the joys of kidcentric TV of the 60's and early 70's, until the networks went into full comercialization mode. I have fond memories of those days. Axel, Carmen, Clancy and WIllie on 'CCO. Casey and Roundhouse on WTCN (back then an independent station, but now NBC affiliate KARE).

I leave you with Clancy's final words, as he left the air back in 1977:

Typically, near the end of the program Clancy and Willie would talk to the kids in the studio, but on that melancholy occasion there was no audience. Instead, Willie soberly informed viewers, "This is the last day. We are closing the Agency here at old WCCO Television." He then introduced Clancy for the last time.

Clancy and Company"It has been a real pleasure and a privilege to have been a part of many of the routines in many homes around the Twin Cities, and Minnesota and Wisconsin, for lo, these past many years," Clancy declared. "We've had a lot of laughs over the years, we've had some ups, we've had some downs - and it isn't over yet, because I know I'll be looking for you on other programs here on Channel 4. I'd like to close with an Irish blessing that I think Clancy would enjoy:

"Wishing you always Walls for the wind And a roof for the rain And tea beside the fire. Laughter to cheer you And those you love near you And all that your heart might desire. May the road rise to meet you May the wind be always at your back May the rains fall soft upon your fields And until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of his hand."

Clancy and CompanyAs he recited the verse, the camera slowly moved in until at the finish Clancy's face filled the screen. He gazed steadily into the lens, forced a sad little smile, and said simply, "Good-bye."

I toured the studios back in the mid 70's. Maybe I'll dig out some of those pics over this weekend and post them.

Bye Clancy, you will be missed.

Flash

Guessing Game!

Guess what Mitch is talking about here. No cheating now:

Can Take No More

A group of ideologue activists, using borderline-fraudulent information, drive government leadership into an unpopular action that, months later, has been an unmitigated disaster.

But far from admitting their mistakes, the dogmatists - still lying about their information - press onward, demanding the government pour more treasure into the insanity - and wreck more lives in the process.

My guess was wrong, but seemed FAR more accurate.

If you give up, you can check here:

Flash

Down we go again!

Someone (I can't find where I saw it first) pointed us to this post by Powerline, trying to gussy up the pig that is Bush's approval ratings. Today CNN posts the latest results.

Beset with an unpopular war and an American public increasingly less trusting, President Bush faces the lowest approval rating of his presidency, according to a national poll released Monday.

Bush also received his all-time worst marks in three other categories in the CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll. The categories were terrorism, Bush's trustworthiness and whether the Iraq war was worthwhile.

Bush's 37 percent overall approval rating was two percentage points below his ranking in an October survey. Both polls had a sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points.

The Powerline folks, of course, are resting their laurels on the Rasmussen tracking poll, a Three day moving average. This poll tends to be 5-7 points higher then other polls, but it isn't the raw number itself, as much as it is the movement of those numbers. What did Powerline say in their screed:

Rasmussen shows President Bush climbing from his low point in October, to a current approval rating of 46%. That's his best this month, and, as Rasmussen says, it might be statistical noise. If it's for real, it's good news; 46% isn't great, but it's well out of the sub-40% danger territory. But, in any event, the upward trend since last month is good news for Republicans.

And what does Rasmussen answer with today:

Forty-three percent (43%) of American adults approve of the way George W. Bush is performing his role as President. Fifty-five percent (55%) of Americans Disapprove of the President's performance.

The 46% number held over the weekend and then dove three points. What that probably means, considering this is a rolling average, is that either Saturday's, or more likely Sunday's numbers took a nose dive.

This two term President and his administration needs to come to grips with a very disenfranchised and skeptical public. Even their own numbers (Rasmussen is admittedly Right leaning) are in the dumps. All we are asking for is honesty instead of arrogance. Is that too much to expect.

Flash

UPDATE: Today's Rasmussen holds at 43% with a dissaproval upticking to 56%

Tuesday November 15, 2005--Forty-three percent (43%) of American adults approve of the way George W. Bush is performing his role as President. Fifty-six percent (56%) of Americans Disapprove of the President's performance.

The Gloves are off!

Here we go!

In a two-decades old document, Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito voiced his support of the Reagan administration's fight to show "the Constitution does not protect a right to an abortion."

I'm not sure either side wants to alter the status quo, it would restrict one sides' ability to effectively fire up their base.

Expect an escalation in filibuster talk. Chatter that I will sit back and observe, but not participate in at this point. I will wait to hear from the nominee himself before I enter the fray to deeply.

Flash

THANK YOU . . . .

. . . . to all the men and women of our courageous fighting forces.

We honor you today for your commitment and determination to rid this world of evil, and protect our freedoms. Without you, we would not be able to enjoy the fantastic opportunities that exist. There have been many in my family who have served this country, but I especially want to thank my son, the Marine.


Thank a Vet today!

Flash

Kid Vote

I've been swamped today, preparing for conferences tomorrow, but I wanted to share the Kid Vote results from my Middle School.

The Right loves to lambast their perception of a 'Left of Wellstone' curriculum and staff in the St. Paul Schools. Even I can't do anything to set these Righties straight in this regard. But maybe the Kid Vote results will help them think past their prejudices.

During the course of the mayoral election, classes throughout the building would come down and review both candidates websites, looking for policy and issue statements to determine whom they would 'vote' for on election day. Most of the students took this seriously, and made well educated decisions.

What were the results? Well, not surprisingly, Chris Coleman won the Kid Vote. But what was surprising was the margin. Keeping in mind the actual vote was 69% to 31% in Coleman's favor, the Kid Vote margin was very slim. Only 21 votes. Now wouldn't you think if the SPPS staff was pushing some sort of 'Bright Green' / 'Left of Wellstone' agenda that these students would have been brainwashed to the point where Kelly would have only gotten 21 votes total, rather then darn near winning the thing!

I'm just saying!

Flash

Mayor-elect Coleman

It's official:

St. Paul voters punished Mayor Randy Kelly on Tuesday for standing with President Bush a year ago, denying the Democrat a second term in Minnesota's capital city.

Former City Council member Chris Coleman, also a Democrat, routed Kelly by a more than 2-to-1 margin in unofficial returns with most precincts reporting. Ahead of the election, independent polls showed voters were primed to fire Kelly, and most cited his 2004 endorsement of the Republican president as the reason.

Flash

Updated Returns

St. Paul mayor
St. Paul school board

Minneapolis mayor
Minneapolis City Council
Minneapolis Board of Estimate and Taxation
Minneapolis Library Board
Minneapolis Park Board

Suburban city races
Suburban school boards
Suburban school referendums

BEST . . . GRAPHIC . . . EVER

Without Comment (Click to enlarge):

Flash

Races to Watch

This off year election has more significance then usual. With the second term of President Bush proving to be more of a hindrance then a help to GOP candidates, the voters will now decide how much of a lame duck this current administration really is.

Governor's races in Virginia (Red State) and New Jersey (Blue State) may be our best gauge as to the accuracy of the sentiment toward the President, along with initiatives on the Ballot in California.

VIRGINIA
A blood bath of sort, pitting diehard conservative Jerry Kilgore against sitting Democratic Lt. Governor Tim Kaine. Current polling gives the Lt. Governor a slight 5% lead, backing off from the 9 point lead the precious poll showed. Virginia may be the best bell weather as Bush directly campaigned for Kilgore in the final days. The democrats welcomed the visit:

At a campaign event for Kaine, the Democratic incumbent, Gov. Mark R. Warner, welcomed the president's arrival. Bush, even in reliably Republican Virginia, suffers job-approval ratings of around 40 percent.

NEW JERSEY
The Blue state offers up US Sen. Jon Corzine and the GOP endorsed candidate Doug Forester. That polling also has the Blue Senator leading 50% to 44% in a poll concluding yesterday. The respective candidates had a slightly different approach to who to bring in for the final blitz:

In New Jersey, U.S. Sen. Jon Corzine campaigned with fellow Democrat U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg while Republican candidate Doug Forrester enlisted New York Gov. George Pataki for a frantic final day of campaigning.

There are also several mayoral races on the docket. Among them; New York, Detroit Kilpatrick-i 44% 0 Hendrix 51%), Houston, Boston, San Diego (Sanders-R 52% - Frye-D 47%), Atlanta, and of course St. Paul.

In California, traditional Republican initiatives are on the ballot in this bright Blue state, including:

Schwarzenegger's initiatives would cap state spending and give him more power to cut budgets, rein in public employee unions, and take away legislators' power to redistrict.

Proposition explanations and polling data:

Prop 73 -- Proposition 73 requires that physicians notify the parent of a pregnant minor at least 48 hours before performing an abortion. If the special election were today, and you were standing in the voting booth right now, would you vote Yes on Proposition 73? Or would you vote No?

Yes 51 (55)
No 47 (44)

Prop 74 -- Proposition 74 extends the probationary period for new teachers from 2 years to 5 years, and makes it easier to dismiss teachers with unsatisfactory performance evaluations. If the special election were today, would you vote Yes on Proposition 74? Or would you vote No?

Yes 48 (49)
No 51 (50)

Prop 75 -- Proposition 75 prohibits public employee unions from using union dues for political purposes without the written consent of union members. If the special election were today, would you vote Yes on Proposition 75? Or would you vote no?

Yes 45 (50)
No 54 (49)

Prop 76 -- Proposition 76 limits growth in state spending so that it does not exceed recent growth in state revenues. The Governor would be granted new authority to reduce state spending, [including school funding,] during certain fiscal situations. If the special election were today, would you vote Yes on Proposition 76? Or would you vote no?

Yes 39 (49)
No 59 (49)

Prop 77 -- Proposition 77 changes the way California draws boundaries for Congressional and legislative districts. District boundaries would be drawn by a panel of retired judges and approved by voters in a statewide election. If the special election were today, would you vote Yes on 77? Or would you vote no?

Yes 41 (42)
No 56 (56)

So there is more then enough excitement this evening to keep us night owls engaged. If I run across other interesting match-ups, I'll be sure to share.

Flash

Election Day!

My concern is not so much whom you vote for, it is that you VOTE!! These off year elections are sometimes decided by just a handful of votes. If there was ever a time where YOUR VOTE COUNTS, it is today.

Get off your butts, tuck away that keyboard, and get down to your polling place.

I'm on my way!

Flash

Janecek on Kersten on Wellstone

This woke me up faster than a second cup of coffee:

Shame on Katherine Kersten. The Wellstone service was not a "miscalculation."

Not only does she get her interpretation wrong, she also cheaply fans partisan flames that some of us -- both Republicans and Democrats -- have worked very hard to try to extinguish since the 2002 election.

Be sure you read the whole thing. The further Left you are, the more surprised you will be!

Thank you Sarah for stepping out of the political fray and up to the plate!

Flash

Sen, Coleman Votes to Strip Disabled of Insurance

See how stupid that sounds. The Senator kept his promise and voted against the budget bill today. An honorable choice considering his pledge, but a safe bet knowing the bill was going to pass anyway. But now the Left can turn the tables if they choose. They can take a page from the Rovian/Smear Boater handbook and start picking nits.

What else did Coleman vote against?:

--Doctors would get an $11 billion reprieve next year from a scheduled 4.3 percent cut in their Medicare payments.

--Dairy farmers won a $1 billion extension of milk income payments.

--College students would get more than $8 billion in new grants.

--More disabled children would retain Medicaid health coverage.

Will the Dems get the courage to run an add saying "Norm Coleman denies $8 billion to college students!" Unreasonable, obtuse, and ridiculous, but still fair game under the precedent set in the past.

Flash

Deer's Governor-Hunting Opener

Some things ya simply can't make up. Via the STRIB:

A big buck smashed in a window at the back of the State Capitol near the governor's office Thursday morning, then charged past a very startled Gov. Tim Pawlenty just as he was entering the building.

The episode coincided with the run-up to the Governor's Deer Opener, an event that Pawlenty launched three years ago and which he has turned into a rather big deal.

"Another five feet...if it wasn't out of season, we could have had the opener right here," Pawlenty laughed as he told the story at a press conference announcing judicial appointments. "If that's any indication, the deer hunting is going to go well this year."

Flash

Deja Vu and ANWR, too

As Smilin' Norm tries to wiggle his way out of his self induced pickle, I had to dig out this old post of mine from last March:

Remember all those slimy Kerry ads attacking him for being against the troops, and flip flopping. Most of them came from budget bills. Can Norm risk sticking to principle and vote against drilling, before voting for it. Or will he vote against the budget bill if it includes the ANWR leasing revenues, and face the same furor others do when they vote against the troops, and other budgetary provisions which will be gladly cherry picked by the Left for future campaign ads.

I have no sympathy for the Senator. In fact, I find it kind of amusing that the lead Senator of the Flip Flop brigade during last years' presidential race is backed into a corner like this!

Flash

My Endorsement for Mayor of St. Paul

When it came down to it, it was about philosophy.

This has been the most difficult electoral decision I have had to make in a long time. Many have said it is a slam-dunk, due to decisions Kelly made leading up to last year's presidential election, but that wasn't enough for me. It is important that I vote FOR someone, not against another.

I actively sought out information; met Chris Coleman at a meet and greet, and either watched or personally attended three debates. The more I watched both these gentlemen, the clearer my choice became. It wasn't about who supported who when. It was about philosophy, and how these two candidates were going to move this city forward, in a time of fiscal uncertainty.

One candidate thinks he can do this alone. The other wants to include everyone at the table, and have everyone participate in the process, that man is Chris Coleman, and he has earned my vote for mayor of St. Paul.

TAXES:

I've known Randy Kelly since the late 70's. At the time, I was interning at the State Office Building and Kelly was a young State Rep from the East side. Mayor Kelly has changed over the last 30 years, and his political ideology has been running Right over the last four. He claims he has kept his promise to not raise taxes but has increased fees and assessments by over 20%. Come on, a duck's a duck.

Don't think I don't realize that Coleman will raise resources to move this city forward, but at least he is being honest about how he is going to do it. He isn't wrapping his revenue needs in a political package with buzzwords that have been screened be focus groups. Chris Coleman needs 8 million dollars to hire 100 police officers. If he can't get the money through a restoration of Local Government Aid, he will add it to the Levy over the next few years causing an increase of 12.5 percent. Regardless of where you stand on taxes, you have to appreciate a man who will honestly discuss specifics about his plan, and not hide behind words.

PARKS AND REC:

Although the Mayor has repeatedly brought up that St. Paul received the 'Academy Award' for parks, beating out all other cities in the entire country, that isn’t enough for me. Anyone can write a fancy application, lobby the appropriate people, and show off the jewels of the city, but that doesn't make all the park and rec areas perfect. My oldest son spends more time at Langford Rec Center, than he does at the two parks closest to our house. The closer ones aren't open, or have limited/awkward gym schedules. This scenario has evolved over the last 4 years. My youngest two boys come home saying ‘there is nothing to do, no where to go' because without a draw to the public areas, kids are sitting at home, sometimes unsupervised, trying to find something to do.

Chris Coleman plans on changing that. He will take down the No Loitering sings at the Rec Centers. He supports a 'Second Shift' program for kids to have somewhere to go after school. These structured environments will keep these idle and curious hands occupied in a controlled setting instead of spiraling independently towards mischief. Randy Kelly has failed miserably in that area, at least from my perspective, within the Hamline/Midway neighborhood.

TRANSIT:

The final issue that I focused on was light rail. I am a strong supporter of the University Light Rail proposal. Mayor Kelly has dropped the ball on this project. As much as I love the Ayd Mill road access, he failed to give Light Rail the same attention. In 4 years I have seen NO progress in establishing what I believe will be a crucial link in our transit network. Now we are facing fiscal restraints that could further delay this project. Chris Coleman is committed to bringing community leaders, both neighborhood and business representatives, to the table to expedite this process. Kelly had his chance, it is time for new blood in the negotiations, and to have someone who is truly supportive of the project, not lip service from an individual who’s political ideology is not consistent with the success of the venture.

So I am voting FOR Chris Coleman next Tuesday, because I feel it is necessary to move St. Paul into the future, and I don’t believe Kelly, given his political ideological transition will have the resources to do it.

Oh, and Kelly supported Bush!

Flash

It was a dark and stormy night . . . .

Jeff from BotML is expanding his writing prowess by participating in National Novel Writing Month. Participants have the month of November to write a 50,000 word novel. For the mathematically challenged, that is about 1700 words a day.

Follow his progress at The Valkyrie's Tale's Blog.

Flash

What are they afraid of?

Why is the Right so adamantly opposed to an investigation of Pre War intelligence? Why are they being cry babies about Sen. Reid's insistence that an investigation take place?

If this administration has nothing to hide, nothing to be afraid of, and nothing to worry about, then they should demand this investigation take place. They should embrace the desire of the American people for wanting to know, and get ready to flaunt their exoneration in the very noses of the Left, right about the time of mid terms next year.

But the caterwauling that is going on right now makes this pro war supporter think that maybe I was duped, maybe there was a manipulation of the data. Maybe there was a concerted effort to fool enough Americans into thinking that SoDamn was a direct threat to American's at home?

If the Right would have simply said to the Left, OK, go for it, but you'll be cutting your own throat? I would have simply shook my head at the desperation of the Left, but now I shake my head at the Right, wondering, "What are they afraid of?"

But that's just me!

Flash

Mayoral Debate, TONIGHT!

This evening the mayoral candidates, Kelly and Coleman, come to my 'hood. A 7:00 debate at the Sundin Music Hall at Hamline University. I have made arrangments to attend, as I have a few more questions/concerns regarding my decision in this race. Hopefully, I can tie up those loose ends this evening and offer an endorsement by the end of the week.

Mitch!!, want to join me?

Flash

UPDATEMitch is in, with a possible debrief in the Drinking Moderately garage afterwards. Time permitting of course.

UPDATE II Mitch stood me up, something about not feeling well. If I were a Righty I wouldn't be feeling very well either. Broken Nails has an excellent synopsis of the evening, here!

Is It yours!

In the Have You Heard? column, we find this lucky tidbit:

Minnesota is holding $258 million in unclaimed property for about 1 million people. Check www.missingmoney.com to see it you're one of the lucky ones.

Be sure to check out 'Missing Money' to see if you have an unknown nest egg waiting out there. Be sure to forward me a 10% finders fee if you find your name on the list. Ok, just kidding . . . kind of!

Flash