The Boys Were Busy Yesterday

There is nothing quite like the smell of fresh cut pine. The shelves are stout and plenty wide and make the beautiful Mrs grumps very happy, indeed.

A Question For The Ages

What is this, "leftover stuffing," of which the ancients speak?

Deep Thought

Should the Blogger spellchecker include the word, "blogroll?"

Things For Which I'm Thankful

Family. We have our times of craziness and selfishness but we also have times of laughter and grace. We are what we choose to be and overall we choose to be delightful.

Friendship. On several levels we have the chance to be more connected than ever before. I am grateful for the time and attention of wonderful people. Some of them are good enough friends to be able to say, "Stop." I value them.

Country. We live in one of the greatest countries ever to take a spot on the planet. Even when we wander off the path I'd choose it has the sense and ability to self-correct.

Technology. I would not have thrived at saddling a horse every morning to work as a scrivener at the chandler's shop. 'Nuff said.

Second Chances. Deserved or not, sometimes we all need a hand. Sometimes we're smart enough to use them wisely.

The Juice. The spin of the wheel, the field high in turn four with two laps to go, both bowers and the king, the phone ringing off the hook with one container lost in Long Beach and the airfreight needing to be cleared N-O-W, whatever it is. I love it.

The Opportunity. Sometimes it is an honor just to be nominated.

Too Big To Fail

Jib brings us a frightening vision of Christmas yet to come. Santa needs a bailout.

May I Make A Suggestion?

Now that they're looking for a real liberal to replace that milquetoast, Colmes, may I suggest...

Capper and Hannity

In Honor Of Birthdays, Cardinal Or Ordinal

McSweeney's has a list of texting shortcuts for the elderly. You know, those who may have just had their 40th birthday. My favorite is bolded.

New Texting Acronymsfor the Elderly.
BY TOMINDA ADKINS
- - - -
BIMD: Back in my day

ROFLACGU: Rolling on the floor laughing and can't get up

ML2N?: Matlock tonight?

OMGWTF: Oh my. Gee whiz. Tutti-frutti.

MBDC: My bad. Damn cataracts.

WIOLATS: Wore it out like a turn signal.

GTALNINFTCW: Gee, thanks a lot, now I'll never finish that crossword.

A Note To My Children

Just because Tim McGraw has a signature fragrance, that doesn't nean that it's the perfect gift for your dear old Dad.

Thank you.

Can We Agree On This?

Elvis Presley has, they say, been dead for 31 years. I'll let that sink in. Thirty.One.Years.

The Fireside is using an Elvis simulacrum in their ads and if a professional theater company can do no better than that they might consider turning the whole place into a used car lot. DeJope Casino is using an Elvis impersonator in their ads to little positive effect.

Digging around in the past a dredging up tarnished legend is not a good way to build an ad campaign. Show some originality, People. Show some style.

That's what Elvis did.

Happy Birthday

You don't look a day different from yesterday.

Analyze This

With a hat tip to Zach, I went to the Blog Readability Analyzer. The result is what the result is.

On Backs Scratched and Introductions Made

Once upon a time introductions were formal things involving footmen and silver salvers and white gloves and whatnot. Today they are much more likely to be a series of grunted, "Dudes,' and rather cursory gestures.



I'll take a moment to make an introduction to you, my four readers, of someone you should have been reading all along. I mean, for Heaven's sake, that he's been right there in my blogroll for the whole time. This introduction comes requested, but not coerced, by said gazetteer as a way of rolling new eyes across readily available opinion, occasional news and, from time to time, sensational photos meant solely to build traffic.



It is, with all that in mind, truly my pleasure to point you all to From Where I Sit, a blog written by an erstwhile wheel-chair equipped ex-cop turned shamus with the improbable name of Elliott Stearns, backed by his faithful, if merely mortal, sidekick Michael Caughill. To make matters even more untidy Caughill, in the manner of Watson, has written a book about Stearns who...Oh, bother. I'm sure I can't do it justice. Go see for yourself.

I'll leave you with these words from another who used both Stearns and Elliot in his names.

We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.

Go. Visit From Where I Sit and see if he doesn't bring us back to a better understanding of the place we started.

The Top Ten Questions You'd Least Like To Hear At A Job Interview

With all due respect to Dean, I offer the ten questions you hope to never hear at a job interview.

1. Does this chair make my butt look fat?
2. Do you have any experience with numbered accounts in offshore banks that don't exactly give receipts?
3. Are you allergic to phosgene?
4. Would you please pull my finger?
5. Don't you think that Michael Phelps is just the ginchiest?
6. Ginger or Mary Anne?
7. Are you willing to take a bullet for the company?
8. Boxers or briefs?
9. Is that a seed there on your lapel?

And, the worst possible question you can be asked at a job interview is...

So, have you met Cheney yet?

My Guess

My guess is that Hilary Clinton will be allowed to say she declined the position of Secretary of State.

Obama Upside
Party unity is restored.
He gets to look like a peacemaker. (see Lieberman)
He gets Bill Richardson as SoS.

Hilary Upside
She doesn't have to manage the snakepit at State
She gets the bump "Just to be condsidered."
She can blame Bill for her declination.
Since SoS is rarely a two term job she can stay in the public eye until 2016, the next realistic opportunity for a Presidential campaign.

No Bailout For Detroit!

The Lions got themselves into this mess. Let them get themselves out.

Presented Without Comment

A single-story home in Sargent was damaged by fire Wednesday morning
after the homeowner accidentally set the fire while cleaning cobwebs from the
eaves around the exterior of the residence with a blow
torch.

Why Do These Stories Come From Sheboygan So Often

After they exchanged words, the man asked, "What are you going to do about
it?" and Dodge head-butted him, breaking his nose and opening a cut that
required five stitches.

They say that basketball will face a surge in popularity across the country with the refurbishing of the White House court. Shall we assume these two will not be invited to any state dinners?

Keep Them In Your Thoughts

Local Judge John Shabazz is not well and may never take the bench again. Keep him and his family in your thoughts, please.

So Much For The "Loyal Opposition"

The "Impeach Obama" drumbeat starts 2 months before the inauguration and yet we're supposed to believe that these are Serious People.

I dunno. Seems like a stretch.

Funner and Funner

This fight just gets better and better as the powers that were scramble to lead the leavings into the future. The upside is huge for whoever has their hand on the tiller when the wind changes.

Today we get news that an ex-Presidential candidate with a popular following and a reputation for laziness wants to play, too. From the Rutherford County TN Daily News Journal.

Fred Thompson may try for RNC post

Those Republicans do like their movie stars, don't they?

It Ain't Strange If You're Paying Attention

Some people are bound and determined to find fault with everything. Excuse me a moment while I point out a couple of things.

1) SOLE didn't estimate costs for the dredging project at or around $2M. Engineers did that based on best practices and common experience. It's what's called an educated guess. No real costs could be known until after the bids were opened.

2) The bids weren't opened until Monday night. Before that nobody knew what the bids would be. That's why they call them sealed bids.

3) Get over the creek walls already. The creek walls are a separate project that was budgeted several years ago. They are near the lake but have no more to do with this discussion than the tank does.

4) In response to your questions to me. 1) It's a recession and somebody is looking for work for his crew. We got lucky. Enjoy. 2) No. 3) Please see all of the conversation above. There was an advisory referendum asking for $2M for the Lake Leota project. Because it was advisory it's not binding. See? 4) Authorizing an upper limit and taking out a loan are two separate things. Stop mixing things up. It's only stirring up your blood pressure.

Fighting Over Roadkill

From The Washington Times:

Gingrich, Steele duel privately for RNC job

Neither man is an RNC member but both are passionate about leading the rebuilding of the party.

I'm not putting money on either one of these guys but it's nice to see them fighting like Democrats for the position.

Good Numbers. Good News.

In the wake of last week's overwhelming vote of support for a Lake Leota dredging project costing no more than $2M the Public Works Committee held a special meeting last night (Monday) to open the bids for dredging.

6 bids were submitted, all with a base price for moving 200,000 cubic yards of clean dirt to the Every property and with a contigency cost for moving rock or weeds, if necessary, to some other location. On the high end was a bid of $1.8M with contigencies for as much as another million.

The bid which will be submitted to the City Council Tuesday night was a much more reasonable and far easier to swallow $885,000 with a contigency cost of $7/yd. That contigency cost would mean that, even if 10% had to be hauled offsite, the total cost for dredging would be $1.25M, far below the projected cost.

It's no secret that I'm an old softie. Our wedding was the last in Leonard Park with the Lake in place. The dam had already been opened when we had our service on the hill. I've seen and read about the meetings and celebrations held with Lake Leota as a focal point. These numbers are very good news, both for the lake and for the taxpayers of Evansville.

The company which submitted the low bid is a Wisconsin company with experience working in the cranberry bogs of the central part of the state. They know how to work if the water is rising.

This is exciting news. By this time next year we should have our lake back.

Remember

Today is Veteran's Day. Take time to say, "Thank You."

Then let your actions through the rest of the year show that you mean it.

7499th Composite Squadron

Wiesbaden, Germany

Mark Made A Funny

You all remember Mark Graul? Campaign manager for Mark Green's flop-run for Governor? Jack Abramhoff's little ticket buddy? He made a funny in my Sunday paper.

"Good policy is good politics and if that happens the Democrats are going to
have a good election two years from now," said Mark Graul, a Republican
consultant. "If they run hard to the left and exclude Republicans from being a
part of the solution they're going to be in a tough political environment two
years from now. With victory comes responsibility."

Coming from almost anyone else that might be considered as sage advice. Coming from "Scorched Earth" Graul it comes off as a bit tainted. Graul learned a lot of lessons in Washington. Reaching across the aisle wasn't one of them. Graul could be the poster child for the wing of the Republican Party that wants to veer off into territory where the CFG and AFP start to make sense.

I have a feeling that the Dems in the Assembly will be reaching out this session, looking to spread whatever it is that needs spreading as widely as possible. Let's just see how many of the Republicans that are left are willing to take the proffered hand.

The Roommate From Hell

'We knew that he was bored as the aquarium is closed for winter, and at two
feet, seven inches Otto had discovered he was big enough to swing onto the edge
of his tank and shoot out a the 2000 Watt spot light above him with a carefully
directed jet of water.'

What other trouble can a bored octopus cause?

'Once we saw him juggling the hermit crabs in his tank, another time he
threw stones against the glass damaging it. And from time to time he completely
re-arranges his tank to make it suit his own taste better - much to the distress
of his fellow tank inhabitants.'

A Good Way To Spend A Cold Afternoon

The Drama Department at Evansville High School has a matinee of Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon this afternoon.

I saw the show Friday night and it is very well done. It would be worth your while to take a couple of hours out of your afternoon to support these young actors and crew.

Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club Chapter Kickoff On Wednesday

One of the primary speakers at the Economic Summit was Terry Whipple of the Juneau County Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club. Mr Whipple is coming back to Evansville on Wednesday to kick off a new chapter of the organization.

On Wednesday, November 12, 2008, the newly formed Evansville Inventors
& Entrepreneurs Club (I&E) will host its first meeting at the Union Bank
and Trust community room.

In recognition of the event, Terry Whipple, creator of the nationally
acclaimed Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club model for rural economic development, will be the guest speaker for the kickoff meeting.Terry is the Executive Director of the Juneau County Economic Development Corporation and the critically acclaimed Juneau County I&E Club. He is the brain behind the
wildly successful Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club model. Terry’s goal was to
create a contagious innovative environment in which persons could investigate
the potential of their ideas within a supportive group of like minded
individuals. It has been amazingly successful in Juneau County and has spun off
similar clubs throughout the state and nation.

The Observer has the rest. The public is invited.

My Take- Winners and Losers

Winners

Everyone who cast a ballot. Record turnouts across the country show a renewed passion for participation.

Democrats. I'm not sure you can call it a landslide but it looks like a stampede from here.

Sauk County. Not only did they have the sense to elect a good man in the 50th, they also had the presence of mind to replace Doc with Fred Clark.

Brett Davis. In a year when the letter "R" was toxic Davis increased his MoV to 3700 votes this year after two squeakers.

Kim Hixson. Since he won't need the recount this year he can bequeath it to Trish O'Neill who'll want it to find those last 32 votes.

Evansville. A 1000 vote margin gives a clear mandate for restoring the lake. This should end the equivocation and tentativeness.

Losers

Cate Zeuske. Now she's facing months of job hunting for her husband. Can you imagine John Gard in his bathrobe hanging around your kitchen table smelling of Old Spice and flopsweat?

Movement Conservatives. It looks as if Grover Norquist and the Newtster have succeeded only in making the Reoublican Party small enough to drown in the bathtub.

Challengers. It was another incumbent year in the Assembly with only Hines losing his seat.

I Got My Flu Shot Yesterday.

Was there any other news?

Yes To The Lake

1742 Yes

749 No

Let's call that definitive and move on. Shall we?

Time To Get It Done

Reality Check

Christmas ads start in earnest on Wednesday.

Mazel Tov!

Proven, Indeed.

Heartwarming

This came in through the email from Richard. I have redacted the name in the story on the bare chance that the story might be true.

Enjoy
--
Local dancers will remember **** ****-****, who was known to get a tad testy from time to time. I just received this message from him about his latest run-in with the Big Blue Machine:

Yesterday I went downtown to run a few errands. I went into the local coffee shop for a snack.
I was only there for about 5 minutes, and when I came out, there was this cop writing out a parking ticket. I said to him, "Come on, man, how about giving a retired person a break?"

He ignored me and continued writing the ticket. His insensitivity annoyed me, so I called him a Nazi.

He glared at me and then wrote out another ticket for having worn tires. So I proceeded to call him a donut-eating Gestapo. He finished the 2nd ticket and put it on the windshield with the 1st.

Then he wrote a 3rd ticket when I called him a moron in blue.

This went on for about 15 minutes. The more I talked back to him the more tickets he wrote. Personally, I didn't really care. I had come downtown on the bus, and the car that he was putting the tickets on had one of those bumper stickers that said "McCain in '08".

I try to have a little fun each day now that I'm retired. The doctor tells me that it's important to my health.

Maybe So, Aaron. But Are You This Cool?

Guess Who

Guess who forgot to set clocks back before bedtime?

Pleasant Surprise

Somebody wrote a decent script for the opening of SNL and John McCain delivered it well. Score one point each for the candidate and teh funny.

If Denial Was A Pickle Eating Contest, You'd Be Queen Of The Fair

That's what the radio ad said this week.

In other news, Senator Stevens says that felony conviction wasn't really a conviction.

You Will Never, Ever Be That Cool