A few short items (one of them ME!)

First on the list is our friend Marty of Heard at Starbucks. His father has had a heart attack, and Marty has flown to the East coast to be with him and their family. Marty is a great guy, so I'm guessing that his Dad is all that and a bag of chips. Please say a prayer for him, and if you like, stop by and give Marty some positive thoughts.

A big thank you to Hollie of Life in a Small Town, who has given me a "Friends" award. The award states "These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbon of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight more and include the cleverly written text into the body of your awards." I don't think my blog has ever been called "exceedingly charming" before, but I kinda like it! Thank you very much, Hollie. I'm going to break with tradition and not award this to any blog in particular. If I read you, you know I'm doing so for a reason, so grab this award for yourself.

I've written before about our lake effect snow in our area. It can sometimes be an extremely narrow band of snow, and we saw a prime example of that last night. Although we got a little snow at Nutwood, it wasn't anything major, and I was able to get out and about today. But not too far to the west of us, they were getting dumped on, and the Doppler picture was one of the most dramatic examples of lake effect I've seen. If the winds have shifted just a bit to the east, we would have been the "dumpees!"

When I was out today, I stocked up on bird food. Yikes! Ken just might have a cow (if not a cowbird)! Well, I haven't bought any for a while, and I'm getting ready for the Great Backyard Bird Count next weekend. I'll write more about it next week. I bought a bag of thistle seed to put in the feeder that Ken got me for Christmas (what's the point of having a feeder if you don't fill it, right?), and MAN, that stuff is expensive. I did get a deal on suet cakes, though--if you can find a 10-pack, it's worth it, because they were about 75 cents as opposed to $1.25 or thereabouts.

Did anyone see Rod Blagojevich on Letterman last night? Ken even stayed up for it. As Dave put it, and asked Blago, "Really...why ARE you here?" Blagojevich was smarmy, seemed a little arrogant (he said that a joke Dave had just made wasn't all that funny), and ultimately, clueless. He really seems to think that he's going to get people on his side by doing all these shows, and did not seem to pick up on the bad vibes coming from Dave and from the audience. Hell, I could feel it sitting here at home! I think that for much of the interview, I was sitting here with my mouth hanging open. I've said it before...the guy has got some brass balls. He's in for a rude awakening when he goes up on federal charges.

I was pretty disappointed to hear that Tom Daschle took himself out of the HHS cabinet position, but I was more disappointed that he was stupid enough to not pay taxes. What is up with these people? I was happy to see that Pres. Obama said in an interview "I screwed up" and took responsibility for it, although he wasn't the one who wasn't paying his taxes. I hope this sends a message to all politicians out there, that such behavior will not be tolerated. As the President said, there are not separate standards for politicians and for working people. Daschle had a chance for a Cabinet position, but he screwed it up, and he can just think on that for a while.

I'm certainly not condoning such behavior, and I really hope Pres. Obama can clean things up. If any of you are thinking that all these damn libby Dems are corrupt and don't pay their taxes, your logic is faulty. Obviously, Pres. Obama is nominating more Democrats, so there is going to be a greater chance that a Democrat will be tagged, simply due to numbers. Bad behavior is not a partisan domain. Spiro Agnew had to resign as Vice-President because of tax evasion, and let's not forget those stellar examples of Republican rectitude, Ted Stevens and Randy "Duke" Cunningham.

I'm just sayin'.

Odders and Enders

I just heard about the hackers that got into a traffic sign and reprogrammed it to display things like "Zombies ahead! RUN!!!" and "Nazi Zombies!"

Hahahaha! Okay, I totally do not agree with hacking and think it's wrong and dangerous (Remember what happened with WOPR in "War Games"? Bad!), but I have to say that is damn funny.



*****

Memo to Ted Haggard: Dude? You're gay. Get over it.

*****

Things were going pretty well today...I did my workout, took out the garbage, and tried to clear the driveway off a little bit so I can get out tomorrow (knock on wood). It's not bad, and Ken takes the truck to work so no worries there, but even a couple of inches can be a problem for the Mustangs. I really want to get to the grocery store tomorrow and get all the fixins for our Super Bowl Feast, and I hope the weather cooperates. I know Ken doesn't mind going on Saturday, but I'd rather we don't have to worry about it and can just enjoy the weekend.

Later on, though, I started feeling a little sinus congestion. I often have that in the mornings, but it clears up later on. Not today, and I think I've somehow managed to catch a cold. What the heck? How did I get exposed to a cold virus? Ohhh, I bet I know. It was at the Notre Dame game, and I bet those Marquette fans sitting behind us spewed their virus-laden saliva droplets all over me! [wink] Oh well, at least I don't have to dread catching a cold the way I used to when I smoked. It would always turn into bronchitis and linger for a month or so. I hope to be healthy by the weekend!

*****

The Illinois Senate is voting on Blagojevich's impeachment even as I type. It's unanimous so far. Honestly, what was the guy expecting? And 40 of 59 have voted so far, and that's enough to do it. I really do think the guy has some kind of delusions of grandeur, and could very well have delusional disorder. His constant insistence that he has done nothing wrong and his recent media blitz is just bizarre and crazy. He's out as governor, they're seeking to ban him from ever holding office in Illinois again, and soon he will face a federal criminal trial, and probably be convicted and sent to jail.

Do you think "The View" will interview him from his prison cell? Me neither.

*****

Remember when I wrote about one of our state representatives and her efforts to stop funding for Planned Parenthood offices in Indiana? I wrote a letter to her and I got a response today! Pay attention, boys and girls. This is how we duck and run:

Dear Beth R,

Thank you for contacting my office with your concerns. I am happy to be of help whenever possible.

I have forwarded your concerns to Representative Niezgodski so he is aware of your issues since you reside in his district, District 7. I am sure Representative Niezgodski will be more than happy to help you with this and any other future issues.

Once again, thank you for contacting me.

Sincerely,

Jackie Walorski
State Representative

I'm not kidding, I was so disgusted when I got that, I just wanted to HURL. I don't give a rat's ass that she's not MY representative--she is pursuing something that affects MY state and its inhabitants, attempting to do something that I strongly disagree with: cut off funding to a needed organization. How incredibly arrogant and irresponsible to ignore her own actions and pass it along to another Representative! Why not just say something like "I have taken your comments under advisement and will proceed accordingly." Even if she doesn't change her mind, at least she could acknowledge her own behavior, and maybe, just maybe, think about the greater good of the state and its residents!!! GAHHHHH!

It's that kind of bullheaded, clueless arrogance that makes me crazy. "You're not in my district, so I'm going to ignore what you said." Even though it's an issue that affects our entire state, not just your district. And yeah, I'm tagging you on this one, Walorski, and I hope someone in your office finds it. I may not live in your district, but I know plenty of people who do.

I haven't heard much more about this issue, so I'm hoping that it died the quick death that it deserved. Just in case, I'll write to my Representative tomorrow, tell him about my letter and the response I received, and urge him to not back Walorski in her efforts. I suspect I'll find an ear that is a little more willing to listen on this issue, because not only is he my rep, he's a Democrat.

Cowboy

Did you all happen to see Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich's press conference yesterday?

He went into this weird diatribe about how he's like a cowboy accused of stealing a horse, and instead of getting a fair trial, the other cowboys say, "Hang him!" There was something else about some of the cowboys being out on the range, while others stay in town, blah blah blah....

WTF?

Even Chicago's Mayor Daley came out and said that their governor is "cuckoo." I have to say, the guy really sounded nutty, and somewhat delusional. I'll give him credit, though, for one thing: the guy's got a set of brass balls! He talked a lot of nonsense about what he can and can't do legally, showing that he has a very tenuous grasp on the legalities of his impeachment and his criminal case. Unfortunately for Roddy-Rod, his chief defense attorney dropped out of the federal case, implying that his client did not listen to his advice. I can't say I'm surprised, because Blagojevich seems to have delusions of grandeur, and apparently believes that he knows better than anyone else what is good for his defense and good for his state.

In the meantime, watch for him Monday on "Good Morning, America" and "The View." That could be interesting.

All the cowboy talk made me chuckle, because it just sounded so crazy. It also made me think of Kid Rock and his song "Cowboy." I'm not putting up all the lyrics, because if you're familiar with Kid at all, you'll know that Kid has a potty mouth!

Cowboy...cowboy...Well I'm packing up my game and I'm a head out west
Where real women come equipped with scripts and fake breasts
Find a nest in the hills, chill like Flynt
Buy an old droptop, find a spot to pimp
Then I'm a Kid Rock it up and down your block
With a bottle of scotch and watch lots of crotch
Buy a yacht with a flag sayin' chillin' the most
Then rock that bitch up and down the coast
Give a toast to the sun, drink with the stars
Get thrown in the mix and tossed out of bars
Zip to Tijuana, I wanna roam
Find motown and tell them fools come back home
Start an escort service, for all the right reasons
And set up shop at the top of Four Seasons
Kid Rock and I'm the real McCoy

And I'm headin' out west sucker...because I wanna be a
Cowboy, baby
With the top let back and the sunshine shining
Cowboy baby
West coast chillin' with the Boone's Wine
I wanna be a cowboy baby
Ridin' at night 'cause I sleep all day
Cowboy baby
I can smell a pig from a mile away

Time to make this story sleep with the fishes

Obviously, the dominant story at the moment is the corruption case against Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich. (One thing I've learned from this story is both how to spell and pronounce Blagojevich.) I've been reading about how some people think that President-Elect Obama is lying about any contact with the governor; that Team Obama is dragging their feet after the P-E promised a thorough study of who talked to whom, and not releasing the report; and even a call for Rahm Emanuel's resignation as Chief of Staff...although he's not yet the official Chief of Staff, since Obama hasn't even been inaugurated.

Stop picking on Rahm, you big meanies!

In all seriousness, this is just getting stupid. This is a non-story. Let's review, shall we?

Blagojevich was taped by the Feds wanting money and/or lucrative jobs for both himself and his wife in return for the appointment to Obama's vacant Senate seat. No doubt about it, the guy is a slimeball and a crook.

In his press conference last week, P-E Obama stated that he had no direct contact with the governor concerning the Senate seat, and that his aides had "no inappropriate discussions" with the governor about it.

Emanuel spoke with the governor about a short list of people that Team Obama would like to see in the Senate seat. There is nothing untoward or inappropriate in such discussions, and it seems obvious to me that Obama--he's a Democrat, remember?--would want a Democrat in the seat, and preferably someone who he has worked with in the past and knows would be supportive of his policies. Illinois does not have a special election for vacant Senate seats: they are appointed by the governor.

U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald has said that prosecutors are making no allegations that Obama was aware of any nefarious plots, and Emanuel has been told that he is not a target of the investigation.

The governor himself--on tape--said that Obama wouldn't help him and called him a vulgar term (I'll let you know if I find out what it is). The governor went on to say that even if he did appoint someone on Team Obama's list, "they're not willing to give me anything except appreciation." There is a vast difference between speaking about who you'd like to see in the Senate seat and providing funds or appointments in return.

The report issued by Obama's team was ready today, but federal prosecutors asked them not to release it until at least the week of December 22, due to the ongoing investigation, and possible further interviews that they need to conduct.

There is nothing here that smacks of any wrongdoing by P-E Obama, Rahm Emanuel, or Obama's transition team. The attempt of the media to make a mountain out of this particular molehill is perplexing at best, and inflammatory at worst. I remember getting so frustrated at work, because the focus often ended up on some trivial issue, like where to put a new centrifuge, and I wanted to say, "There are bigger issues here--like how we don't have enough people to do the work!" The same concept applies here, and I'd like to see everyone focus on the dire economic straits our world is in rather than trying to make some nonexistent and nebulous connection between Obama and a corrupt governor.

I don't generally read comments on political blogs (But I cherish each and every one of yours, never fear! Well, except maybe for the lovely and charming Anonymous Troll.), but in reading some lately, it seems that there are quite a few people that will never accept Obama as their President. Hey, time to face reality, folks. He IS your President-to-be, like it or not. When I talked to my Mom last week, she told me that even my Dad is coming around. He's not happy about it, and like I've said, we had a couple of heated discussions about it, but Mom said he told her that Obama is going to be his Commander-in-Chief, he knows that's the way it is, and he will support him. When it comes right down to where the rubber meets the road, don't we all want our country (and our world) to see better days? Why on earth would you want someone to fail if it also means the failure and collapse of your country? That's insanity.

Okay, on to other things, and unless there's something really juicy that pops up, I won't write much more about The Little Story That Wasn't.

I hope you're all staying warm. It is freakin' freezin' out there! The winds were really strong today, and I had to wear my parka out and about. It gets too hot in the store, but it works for me when walking from the store to my car! I think I have everything taken care of for Christmas, and finished up with Ken's stocking stuffers. I got myself a couple of 10-pound hand weights because I'm ready to move on up from my wimpy little 5-pounders. Woohoo!

I've also started looking into which buffet to go to when we're in Vegas. Hard to believe that's coming up in just about 3 weeks! I'm reading that pretty much the best buffet on the Strip is at the Mirage, which is where we'll be going for the Cirque du Soleil "Love" show. However, it would be great to find a buffet that offers plenty of seafood, because we loves us our oysters on the half shell! Any ideas from you all? Miss Ginger? Katie? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

When we were there last, we went to the Sunday Champagne brunch at the Golden Nugget. We won't be getting into Vegas until Sunday night, so we'll miss the champagne brunches. Drat! I'm sure we'll muddle through somehow, though. I'm not usually a buffet kind of gal, because I feel like I can't really eat enough to pay for it. But high-end stuff like oysters and crab legs and lobster? Just stand back and watch me work. I'll get my money's worth, believe me!

Getting carded

All I have left to do on the Christmas cards is put the stamps on, and that's going to have to wait till tomorrow. I need a break.

Since I haven't put the stamps on yet, I don't know the final count...but I think I'm going to have to do a little culling for next year. I've never kept track of who we get cards from, and that has never been an issue for me...but when you're doing 100+ cards, it becomes an issue pretty effin' quick! Printing labels has helped, but that's just a lot of cards to mess with. I think there may be some cousins culled next year. (Watch...I won't be able to do it, and I'll send out even more next year!)

One thing I didn't mention is what I do with the cards we receive. I cut them into small gift tags. Find the parts that don't have writing on them (usually the top part), cut them into rectangles and fold. I can't remember the last time I bought gift tags. However, I'd be willing to bet that most cards just end up in the landfill, so that's another reason to reconsider cards. I don't mean to sound like a Scrooge, I'm just experiencing card fatigue!

I reluctantly admit that I'm kind of digging Facebook. It's short and sweet, and I don't think it will take up as much time as blogs. Earlier today, I figured out how to import my blog entries (I'm interested to see if this one shows up there with no problem), I've received some plants and sent one, I got hit by a snowball, I've gotten two Christmas presents under my tree (I haven't opened them yet), I got a kitten, and let's see...oh yeah, an In-N-Out burger! (Yum!) I also signed up as a supporter of Rahm Emanuel, and sent him a friend request. He hasn't accepted yet. [sniff] LOL Rahm Emanuel on Facebook? Who knew?! I will probably give up Myspace because I rarely go there, but I want to make sure I can still get into my pal Jimi's music site.

Speaking of Rahm Emanuel, Sheria wrote to me that she'd heard that he may have been the one who got the Feds to move on Blagojevich (who was, of course, already under investigation). I did a little looking, and I couldn't find any confirmation of that. In fact, that rumor was denied (but not emphatically) by Team Obama. Darn, how cool would that have been? A chance for a tough (some might even say ruthless) Chicago pol to stop the corruption, and prove that Chicago politics is NOT synonymous with dirty politics. For the record, I don't believe for a moment that Team Obama was trying to make some kind of a deal with the governor. Even the wiretaps had Blagojevich saying that he wasn't getting anything from them. And frankly, I think they're too smart to make such a bonehead mistake. Did they talk to him? Sure, and that is to be expected. The guy was going to be replacing Obama's Senate seat, so they'd want someone in there amenable to the party. (If I recall, Emanuel's seat in Congress will be filled via a special election.)

In the meantime, the Illinois Attorney General has asked the state legislature to remove the governor from office. I hope they are able to do so, but there are questions there about innocent until proven guilty. I would guess that they'd try to say that he is mentally unfit to serve and remove him that way. Anyone who knows they're under federal investigation and continues to have such conversations has got to have a screw loose!

There was no comment from the governor's hair.

No more politics as usual!

I've got this thing and it's f***ing golden and I'm just not giving it up for f***ing nothing. I'm not gonna do it.

~~Rod Blagojevich

Even aside from the ferret atop his head, Illinois's governor is one ugly bastard.

The guy was arrested by the FBI today because he has apparently been planning on putting his job of appointing someone to replace President-Elect Obama's seat in the Senate to good use by trying to leverage a chunk of money, a lucrative job for both himself and his wife, and maybe even--get this--a job in President Obama's Cabinet.

Well, I guess it's good to have goals, isn't it?

Blagojevich has been charged with two counts: conspiracy to commit fraud (a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison), and solicitation to commit bribery (up to 10 years).

I know that the reputation of Chicago politics rivals that of Tammany Hall, but as our pal Jody wrote, this is just embarrassing, both to the fine state of Illinois (and here in South Bend, we have a close connection to Chicago) as well as to the President-Elect. I don't believe that P-E Obama had anything to do with Blagojevich's machinations, and I don't believe my buddy Rahm Emanuel (I bet he's going ballistic right about now) did, either, but this has to be as irritating to both of them and all of Obama's advisors as fire ants down your pants. (I'll tell you my story about ants in the pants sometime.)

As always, it amazes me that these assholes think that they are untouchable--apparently Blagojevich has known for a while that he was under investigation for fraud, and knew that the Feds might be listening in...which of course, they were. Gee, didn't you think they might be listening to your conversations, you numbnuts? The conversations where you talked about how this thing was "f***ing golden?!"

I sincerely hope they throw his ass in jail for the maximum time allowed--I'm pulling for 30 years! I am utterly and completely disgusted at seeing this kind of Machiavellian maneuvering, and I hope the Feds send a clear message that it is no longer acceptable to behave in this manner. To Blagojevich and others of your ilk: if you didn't get the memo, it is no longer politics as usual, and the American people are engaged and ready to hold you to standards to which you seem to have a hard time holding yourselves. Consider this notice given!