My Quick & Easy Chili Recipe

I was hoping to talk my wife into starting a blog on cooking since she is a better cook than I am, but so far she is not willing to start one. After all, I am a guy, and I mostly know how to cook guy food. That usually means steaks and burgers on the grill. However, since it is winter, and there is nothing I like more than a good bowl of chili (definitely a guy food) on a cold winter's day, I thought I would share my fairly simple chili recipe.

First the ingredients:

3-4 cloves of garlic

1 medium size onion

a little vegetable oil (how is that for specific measurements)

1.5-2 pounds of ground beef

1 can of tomato paste

2 cans of diced tomatoes with green chilis

chili powder

1 can of kidney beans (optional)

Directions:

Take a large pot (technically a Dutch Oven, but since this is a guy recipe we will go with large pot) and pour enough oil in to cover the bottom of the pot. Chop the onion and garlic, add them to the pot, and start to cook over medium/high heat, stirring frequently. Once the onions are tender, and the ground beef and cook until brown. Once the meat is brown, add the tomato paste and the two cans of tomatoes with chilis. Once all of this is mixed well together and hot, add chili powder to taste (I usually use around 2 tablespoons). Now as far as I am concerned, the chili is done, but my missus insists the chili needs beans (I keep telling her it is called chili con carne, not chili con frijoles), so if you are so inclined, add a can of red kidney beans.

Well, there you go. Dinner is served. Pour yourself a big bowl, open a beer (do NOT pour into a glass, guys don't do that) and enjoy.

Things You Don't Say to Your Wife

I saw this over on the Man In The Moon Blog and had to share it.  I think every married guy already knows not to say any of these things, but it kind of drives home the point that sometimes it is best to say nothing at all.  Here is Tim Hawkins:

Michael Steele

It is not often that we see celebrities out and about here in Bowie, MD.  I have occasionally run into a local professional athlete, mainly a couple of Washington Capital players like Dale Hunter or Kevin Hatcher when they played here.  Former Washington Bullet Manute Bol used to live in my brother's townhouse complex.  In fact, my brother got to play in a little pick up game with Bol.

That is why I was pleasantly surprised to see former Lt. Governor Michael Steele pushing his grocery cart through the local Giant supermarket.  Normally during these chance encounters, I do not approach these folks.  For instance, when I saw Dale Hunter in a grocery store, he was shopping with his family, and I just figured he would want his privacy.
 
Today, however, I could not resist.  I stopped and spoke with Mr. Steele in the paper aisle.  Steele was quite a gentleman and was gracious enough to take the time to have a brief conversation with me.  I expressed my support for him during his time as Lt. Governor and his Senate run.  I also wished him luck in his quest to become Chairman of the RNC.  The Republican Party could do a lot worse than having Steele in a prominent role in the future of the party.  Besides, you just can't go wrong with a guy that loves puppies.

What Color Christmas Lights

I saw this over at the Through the Rain Blog and thought it was kind of fun.  I am multicolored lights. What kind of Christmas lights are you?

You are Multicolored Lights

Your holidays are a time for cheer and excitement. You love so much about the holidays, and everyone perks up a little from your happiness. You try to be grateful for what you have this time of the year. Even if things have been tough, you can't help but be joyful.

What Color Christmas Lights Are You?

Google Chrome

So on Christmas day while I was getting tired of waiting for pages (including this blog) to load in Internet Explorer, I decided to investigate Google's new browser, Google Chrome.  I had seen banner ads for Chrome on several websites, and thought I would look for some reviews and found a few favorable ones on CNET. 

Google says it's new browser is a simpler, faster, and safer browser.  The download and installation were quick and easy, and I was surfing in no time at all.  I have to say, that the webpages loaded much quicker using Chrome than in Internet Explorer.  I was also able to import all of my stored passwords and bookmarks that I had in Explorer.  Another feature that I like about Chrome is that when you launch the browser, you see thumnails of your most frequently visited websites for quick access.

I have to say that I am very pleased thus far with the performance of Chrome.  So much so that I have made it my default browser.  About the only problem that I have encountered has been some errors when first attempting to visit some websites or blogs for the first time.  For instance, I tried to go to Yahoo Mail and it could not find the website on the first try.  If I refreshed the page or started over attempting to visit the site, it would load with no problem.  It happened with a few other sites as well.  I am not sure if it was a problem with the browser or if I was just having some problems with my connection, so I will keep using it to see how things go.

Winter's Bourbon Cask Ale

After treating myself to the Sam Adams Winter collection 12 pack a couple weeks ago, I decided I wanted to try some other winter style brews instead of just going back to Busch and Bud Lights of the world. So Christmas Eve I found myself in the liquor store looking for a fresh 6 pack.  The package that caught my eye was Michelob Winter's Bourbon Cask Ale.  A winter ale aged in Bourbon casks with whole Madagascar Vanilla Bean.  

The beer itself was OK.  It did not have as full a flavor as I would normally expect from a winter brew, however, it was definitely fuller than a typical Budweiser or Michelob.  You could definitely taste and smell the vanilla bean in the brew which gave it a bit of a creamy taste.  All in all, it was an acceptable beer.  I definitely will finish the 6-pack, and if I was offered from a friend or colleague, I would drink it.  However, I do not think it would be a beer that I would purchase on a regular basis.  All of the Sam Adams beers in the winter collection (with the possible exception of the Cranberry Lambic) were superior to the Winter's Bourbon Cask Ale. 

On The Twelfth Day of Christmas DRT Gave to You

Merry Christmas. Today we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. However, as a devout Parrothead, I also have to acknowledge the birthday of Jimmy Buffett.

Jimmy Buffet performs 'Christmas in the Caribbean'

HOA Bah Humbug!

As I have said before, I hate home owners associations. First, there was this HOA who told a homeowner what kind of car he could park in his driveway. Then there was this group who waited until the owner had nearly completed rebuilding his house (an airplane crashed into the house, killing his family) before telling him the house wasn't exactly like his previous house and he needed to start over.

Now, up the road from me, in Frederick, MD. the latest HOA from hell is the Worman's Mills HOA. They have informed three residents of the community that they need to remove their Christmas decorations from the outside of their homes. The HOA says that the decorations are in violation of the HOA contract. They say "The contract is intended to preserve the character of the community and the investment of the homeowners."

We are talking about temporary holiday decorations. These are not permanent structures that could deface or degrade property values. We are not talking about members of the community that have failed to keep up the appearance of their property.

On The Eleventh Day of Christmas DRT Gave to You

Olivia Newton John- Silent Night. Silent Night is probably by favorite traditional Christmas carol, partly because it was originally written for the guitar. It was first performed 190 years ago today in Austria.

On The Tenth Day of Christmas DRT Gave to You

Bing Crosby- White Christmas

A Mini Rant

It is pretty disgusting when you enter a stall in the office men's room to answer nature's call, and you discover that the person (and I use that term loosely) failed to flush. It is even more disgusting when you see that there is no toilet tissue among the waste in the bowl. Not only is this cretin an inconsiderate slob, but he is also walking around without having wiped his sorry ass. Sorry for the graphic post, but I had to get that off my chest.

On the Ninth Day of Christmas DRT Gave to You

John Denver & the Muppets-The 12 Days of Christmas

Wes Welker's Snow Angel

I love watching football games played in the snow. Here in Maryland, they broadcast today's Arizona Cardinals & New England Patriots game. It wasn't much of a game, a blow out for the Pats. The most entertaining moment of the game came when Wes Welker caught a touchdown pass on the play below and celebrated with a snow angel. It was harmless and it was fun. It drew a 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Yet another reason why the NFL often stands for the "No Fun League."

UPDATE:
In keeping in the holiday spirit, and their reputation as the "No Fun League," the NFL fined Wes Welker $10,000 for his celebration.

On the Eighth Day of Christmas DRT Gave to You

Snoopy vs the Red Baron (Snoopy's Christmas)

On the Seventh Day of Christmas DRT Gave to You

Hall & Oates-Jingle Bell Rock

On The Sixth Day of Christmas DRT Gave to You

John Lennon- Happy Christmas/War is Over

Sammy Baugh- 1914-2008

Hall of Fame quarterback Sammy Baugh passed away yesterday at the age of 94. He was the last surviving member of the inaugural class of the NFL Hall of Fame. Baugh began his NFL career in 1937 as a member of the Washington Redskins. He played in an era where players played in all facets of the game, not just offense or defense. Baugh was a stand out quarterback, defensive back, and punter. He still holds NFL records in punting with highest career punting average (45.1 yards) and highest single season punting average (51,4 yards). He revolutionized the passing game and earned the nickname Slingin' Sammy Baugh. He still holds Washington Redskins career records with 187 touchdown passes, highest single season completion percentage of 70.3% (which is 2nd highest ever in the NFL) and his 31 career interceptions is third highest in team history. His #33 jersey is the only Redskins jersey number that has been "officially" retired by the team.

On The Fifth Day of Christmas DRT Gave to You

Bing Crosby & David Bowie- "The Little Drummer Boy"

Rewarding Myself

Well, it is nearly 10:30 in the evening on a weeknight, and I am sitting here drinking a cold beer. Normally, I would not be having a beer this late in the evening. After all, I have to get up and make my hour long commute to work in the morning. Tonight, however, I felt like I deserved to reward myself. When I was loading the dishwasher, I heard one of the door springs fly off of the door. Fortunately, I had a replacement handy downstairs. After about 30 minutes (and probably twice that many foul words) I was able to get both springs connected and the door works like new. So, tonight I am feeling rather handy and proud of myself and therefore worthy of a small treat.

On The Fourth Day of Christmas DRT Gave to You

One of my wife's favorite songs, Kathy Mattea "Mary Did You Know?"

Phone Cards for Our Troops

A couple weeks ago I posted a link to a site where Xerox was sponsoring an opportunity to send thanks to our troops for all of their sacrifices. Now I would like to post a link for Newsmax.com where they are taking donations to send AT&T Military Exchange 300 phone cards to our troops stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan. For every $18 collected by Newsmax, they will send a phone card to a member of our armed forces overseas. Each card will give the recipient 80 minutes of phone time to call home for the holidays.

On The Third Day of Christmas DRT Gave to You

On the first anniversary of his passing, Dan Fogelberg "Same Auld Lang Syne"

Chuck Berry-My Ding-a-Ling

Chuck Berry is a rock-n-roll icon. The Beatles covered two of his early hits, "Roll Over Beethoven" and "Rock and Roll Music." With other big hits like "Maybelline", "Sweet Little Sixteen", and "Johnny B. Goode," it is hard to believe that "My Ding-a-Ling" was his only #1 hit. I remember this song from when I was an 11 year old kid in the summer of 1972. I vaguely remember thinking that it was "dirty" but funny. Years later, this song still makes me smile.

On The Second Day of Christmas DRT Gave to You

Jeff Foxworthy- Redneck 12 Days of Christmas

The Latest Government Bailout

Say it isn't so. Breaking news on the latest request for a government bailout.

George Bush Addresses Iranian President

Here is what President Bush would like to say to Iranian President Ahmadinejad. Caution for strong language.

On The First Day of Christmas DRT Gave to You..

Nat King Cole- "The Christmas Song"

Steve Goodman-How Much Tequila (Did I Drink Last Night)

Sometimes I am pleasantly surprised by what I have found on the net. This evening I was searching YouTube for some John Prine videos. I came across this song by Steve Goodman, and the title just caught my eye. In my younger days, there were a few occasions when I simply had too much tequila. I had heard of Steve Goodman, but I had not heard him sing. Goodman was a folk singer and songwriter who died of leukemia at the age of 36. His big break came when he sang the song "City of New Orleans" for Arlo Guthrie, and Guthrie made it a hit. Tomorrow, I am going to have to look for some more Steve Goodman.

Beer Update

As I mentioned last week, I went to the liquor store with the intention of treating myself to a better variety of beer and ended up settling for Bud Light instead of Busch Light. Well tonight, I stopped by to pick something up and ended up splurging on a 12-pack of Samuel Adams Winter Classics. This variety pack features 2 bottles each of 6 different Sam Adams beers; Boston Lager, Winter Lager, Cream Stout, Old Fezziwig Ale, Holiday Porter, and Cranberry Lambic. Tonight I enjoyed the two bottles of Winter Lager. I still like to have those everyday varieties of beer, but it was a real treat to enjoy a really good brew with the much richer flavor.

Civics Knowledge

I first heard of the American Civic Literacy test on the radio. Then I found a link to the test on The Conservative Cloakroom Blog. There is something about me that always makes me want to see how I stack up against the general population, so I took the test. I did fairly well scoring 84.7% correct. I encourage you to take the test here. Here is a summary of some of the findings of the study:

1. 71% of Americans failed the test and the average score was 49% correct.
2. Most Americans feel colleges should teach America's Heritage
3. College adds little to civic knowledge
4. TV-including TV news-dumbs down America (duh, why do you think they call it the "Boob Tube?"
5. One of the findings that I find particularly disturbing is that elected officials scored lower than the general population.

Clint Eastwood- Gran Torino

I don't get the chance to see too many movies these days. In fact, I can't remember the last time I went to the movies. To be honest, when I see commercials for new films, there aren't too many that make me want to hit the theater. However, Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino is one I really want to go see. The main reason being, Clint Eastwood gets to be Clint Eastwood again. I know Clint is getting up there in years, and the Dirty Harry type roles are for the younger stars, but it looks like Clint still has "it" in this trailer.

A Sign of the Times

I like beer. Always have. Ever since my grandfather gave me a Rolling Rock pony (I was way under age, but it was only 7 ounces) I have enjoyed having a cold brew. So Saturday night after working my part time job, I stopped at my favorite liquor store to pick up some beer. I decided that I wanted to treat myself to something a little more special than usual. In the past, that would mean picking up some Molson Golden Ale or maybe some Samuel Adams. As I looked around at the wide variety of brews available in this particular store, I kept going to some of the variety packs of seasonal ales like Sam Adams winter collection. I guess it is a true indication of the times and how tight money is these days when I walk out with a 12-pack of Bud Light and consider that a splurge over the usual 12-pack of Busch Light that I usually purchase. As a tribute to my love of beer, here is Tom T. Hall with his song "I Like Beer."

Coming Soon on Dickster's Random Thoughts

I have decided to try to do something special for the Christmas season. I am going to try to do a Twelve Days of Christmas theme. Right now, I think it will be a series of Christmas video/songs, some traditional, some contemporary, and some humorous. Each will start with "On the first day of Christmas DRT (Dickster's Random Thoughts) gave to you..."

Britney Spears In Playboy

Well, not yet, but after watching her latest video "Womanizer" embedded below, I can't help but think it is just a matter of time. It wouldn't be the first time that a teen singing star made the jump to Playboy. First we had 1980's teen queen Tiffany of "I Think We're Alone Now" fame appear in Playboy in 2002. Then Tiffany's contemporary, Debbie Gibson appeared in Playboy in 2005. If not for some strategically folded arms and legs, this could have qualified as her Playboy celebrity video centerfold.

Britney Spears - Womanizer

John Lennon 1940-1980

28 years ago today, John Lennon was shot four times by Mark David Chapman. Just three weeks earlier, John had released his first album in over five years, Double Fantasy. Lennon had always been my favorite member of the Beatles. I remember how excited I was that he had released new material and had started a musical comeback. I also remember how devastated I was at hearing the news of his death. In memory and honor of John Lennon, here is (Just Like) Starting Over.

SNL-Jizz In My Pants

Premature ejaculation is no laughing matter, unless you are Andy Samberg and Jorma Taccone. OK, this video is crude, but it is hilarious, especially some of the facial expressions from the guys. I still prefer "Dick in a Box" from Samberg and Justin Timberlake, but this one ranks right up there. By the way, look for a brief appearance from Timberlake swinging a mop, along with Molly Sims and Jamie Lynn Sigler as the triggers of their ecstasy.

Gift Ideas For Your Man

In the spirit of equal time, ladies here is a gift suggestion for that special someone in your life, put your box in a box for him.

Gift Ideas For Your Lady

Well, guys, it's that time of year again. Time to come up with the perfect gift for that special someone in your life. If you need some help, here is a suggestion.

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Christmas Shopping

If you plan on doing any of your Christmas shopping online this year, I recommend signing up at Mr. Rebates. Most of the major online shopping websites have links at Mr. Rebates. If you go to those sites through the link on the Mr. Rebates site, and make a purchase, Mr. Rebates deposits funds into an account that you can convert to cash. The amount varies by site, but in today's economy, every little bit helps. Happy shopping!

A Bailout Plan I Can Support-Part 2

As a follow up to my previous post regarding Congressman Louie Gohmert's two month tax holiday proposal, Redstate.com has an online petition you can sign.

Let's Say Thanks

I received this in one of the many chain emails I get from people. Most, I usually just delete, but this one I am glad I did not. Stop and give thanks to our troops overseas. Thanks to Xerox for making this possible and available.

A Bailout Plan I Can Support

Congressman Louie Gohmert (R-TX) has a new bailout plan for the economy that I can really support. After seeing that Congress and the Bush administration were committing nearly $7.7 trillion in bailout money to failing companies, and comparing that to the $1.2 trillion that the U.S. Treasury is estimating to receive in the 2008 tax year, Congressman Gohmert proposed a new, less expensive program: NO 2008 TAXES and a refund of any taxes withheld to date. Just imagine what that influx of funds back to all of us regular folk would do for the holiday shopping season, not to mention the ability to help those who have fallen behind in their mortgages.

Realizing that this proposal might be a little too aggressive, Congressman Gohmert came up with another proposal, a two month tax holiday for January and February of 2009. His new proposal calls for no federal income tax or social security taxes to be withheld for the first two months of next year. American Solutions estimates that Americans pay about $167 billion per month in income tax and FICA tax, so the cost of the tax holiday would be $334 billion. Gohmert proposes using the remaining $350 billion that remains in Treasury Secretary Henry Paulsen's original $700 billion bailout.

The first $350 billion has done nothing to help the economy. In fact, a lot of the money has not been used for it's original purpose. Some banks have used the influx in capital not to shore up the credit markets, but to aquire other, smaller competition. Then there is all of the other news about how some of these struggling enterprises are spending their money. If you really want to stimulate the economy, let the people who have earned the money decide where it should go.

If you think this is a better use of the money that has already been committed, then I encourage you to write your Congressman in support of Congressman Gohmert's tax holiday proposal. Of course the Democrats probably won't support such a proposal, because in their twisted mind it gives a bigger tax break to the evil rich, even though everyone gets a 100% tax cut for two months. I would prefer to see the FairTax implemented to replace the current tax structure, but any opportunity to get money back into our hands is better than what we have.

A Christmas Story-25th Anniversary

Every family has their Christmas traditions. One of ours is watching the holiday classic, "A Christmas Story." The story of Ralphie's quest to get his coveted "official Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle" BB gun. To which everyone replies, "You'll shoot your eye out." Everyone I have ever talked to about the movie always talks about how much they like the movie and watch it every Christmas. They all have their reasons for loving the movie and have certain scenes that are their favorites, whether it is the "major prize" leg lamp, Christmas dinner at the Chinese restaurant, or any scene with Ralphie. We loved them all. One of the reasons that it became such a favorite of our family was the resemblance we saw between the main character Ralphie and my younger brother.

The Way Things Should Be

I have had a job of some sort since I was 15 years old. I was raised to believe that if you worked hard and did a good job, then you would be rewarded. There were times when that belief held true, and I received better than average pay increases.

Unfortunately, all too often in today's corporate and business world the opposite took place. I can recall getting weekly department updates of record sales weeks during the course of the year only to be told at salary review time that salaries would be frozen because we weren't "profitable enough." Other times, we were rewarded with a coupon for 10% off of a grocery purchase during Thanksgiving or Christmas.

That is why the story of the Spurgen family is so special. The Spurgen's sold their family owned business, Peer Bearing Co., to a Swedish owned firm. Nobody would have batted an eye or even blamed the family if they just pocketed the profits from the sale, especially in today's economy. However, the Spurgen family decided to reward their employee's for their service and contribution to the company's success by paying out $6.6 million in bonuses to their 230 former employees.

It is nice to know that there are business people out there who still get that their success is contingent on those that work for them. Sure, the owners who take the risk should receive the largest rewards, and I am sure that the Spurgen family profited handsomely from the sale of their company. In a world where corporate executives fly on private jets to beg Congress for money to help them through tough times, it is nice to hear about a company that does the right thing.

Notorious Cherry Bombs-It's Hard to Kiss the Lips at Night That Chew Your Ass Out All Day Long

I first heard this song listening to an Internet radio station. I thought it was hilarious with lines like "Man, I remember when her eye were so blue and shiny. But, God, you aught to see what's happened to her heinie." Then I got to see the music video below and found out that the Notorious Cherry Bombs featured country stars Vince Gill and Rodney Crowell as the lead vocalists. This song is dedicated to married men everywhere.

Montgomery Gentry- Speed

It is a timeless theme in music. Trying to get over a lost love. Doing everything you can to escape the memory and the pain. Just get in the car and drive to escape. Combine it all and you get Montgomery Gentry and "Speed." The other reason that I am posting this video is because I believe the woman in the video is former Playboy Playmate Maria Checa, and I always thought that she was kinda cute and looked real.

Ron White

I admit it. I liked the Blue Collar Comedy Tour (well maybe not Larry the Cable Guy.) Here is a little bit of Ron White.

Happy Thanksgiving

Last night, as I was browsing around YouTube to try to find something cute or funny to use for my Thanksgiving post, it occurred to me that Thanksgiving has become just another holiday that has lost it's original meaning. Thanksgiving originally was a time to celebrate the harvest and to give thanks to God for the harvest and for continuing to sustain us. We continue to have a feast to commemorate Thanksgiving, but it has come to mean a lot of other things: a four day weekend for a lot of people, football, and the start of the Christmas shopping season (speaking of holidays that have lost their original meanings.) Not that there is anything inherently wrong with any of these things, but they do not remind of us the true meaning of the holiday.

So, instead of something funny or cute, I decided to reflect on the true meaning of Thanksgiving and post some of the things that I am truly thankful for.

• My son, who I love more than I ever thought I could love someone and has taught me a lot of valuable lessons about enjoying the moment, which I need to be reminded of more than I care to admit.
• My wife, who frequently thinks of little things that she knows I would enjoy, like the two pumpkin donuts I had for breakfast this morning.
• My family and friends, for being there with their love, advice, and support, both emotionally and financially, during tough times.
• My country, which in spite of her flaws is still the greatest place to live and provides us with a standard of living that is the envy of the world.

So this year, when you are gathered around the table stuffing yourself with stuffing and the rest of the bountiful feast, look around you, enjoy the moment, think about all you have, and truly give thanks. Have a very happy Thanksgiving.

Our Tax Dollars at Work

I probably should have commented on all of the business bailouts our fine federal government has committed the taxpayers of this country to fund. Our government keeps handing out money to troubled firms to keep them from having to face bankruptcy. So what do we have to show for our money?

First, we have AIG Insurance who received $85 billion from the government. A few days after receiving the money, AIG spent $440,000 for a retreat at an exclusive spa for some of it's agents. Naturally, that raised a few eyebrows as to how are money was being spent. It was not enough, however, to keep the government from "restructuring" AIG's bailout to make it a total of $150 billion. (More on AIG later.)

Next we have the CEO's from the big three American automakers, GM, Ford, and Chrysler, coming to the nation's capital to beg Congress for $25 billion to help them get through some tough times. Times are tough for the automakers, so tough that each CEO flew to Washington in three separate private corporate jets. Thankfully, they left without the money.

The latest to dip into the taxpayer's wallets is Citibank. Citibank has recently released 53,000 workers and had their stock price cut in half. The government has invested another $20 billion in Citibank on top of the $25 billion Citibank received in the initial "Troubled Assets Relief Program." Citibank, though, has no plans to try to get out of a $400 million deal for the naming rights of the New York Mets new stadium. Meanwhile, AIG intends to keep it's deal with the Manchester United soccer team to pay $125 million to have their logo on the team's uniforms.

I have no problem with company's having corporate jets, or sports sponsorship deals. However, if you are coming to the government for assistance, get your house in order. When money is tight for me, I have to give something up. I end up brown bagging it for lunch at work, and I give up those Starbuck's lattes. How many of those 53,000 employees at Citibank could have been kept with that $400 million they are going to pay to the Mets.

Maybe, GM got the hint from their trip to DC. They have retired 2 of their corporate jets. They also announced that they were ending their sponsorship relationship with Tiger Woods a year early. These are things they should have done prior to coming to Washington. These companies need to show the government they are taking steps to help themselves before they get any help from the taxpayers.

Flip Wilson Tribute

When I was a kid, the first comedy album I ever owned was Flip Wilson's Grammy winning "The Devil Made Me Buy This Dress" released in 1970. That same year, NBC launched The Flip Wilson Show which ran from 1970-1974. As a kid, I watched the show regularly. The show featured Flip's comedy routines, especially his popular characters Reverend Leroy pastor of the Church of What's Happening Now, and of course Geraldine Jones who popularized the phrase "The Devil made me do it." The show achieved high ratings and much critical acclaim with 11 Emmy nominations and won Flip a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Television Series.

Ten years ago today, Clerow "Flip" Wilson, Jr. passed away at the age of 64. With much respect to Flip on this the 10th anniversary of his death, here he is as Geraldine Jones with Bill Cosby.

A Good Sign?

My old friend, David Mills, over at the Undercover Black Man blog has tried to assure me that he believes that Barack Obama is too smart to govern from the far left, despite his record. About a week or so ago, I heard no less a conservative than former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich say the same thing on the Sean Hannity radio program. Gingrich has said that if Obama immediately begins trying to govern from the far left, that he could see the Republicans regaining seats in the House and Senate in 2010 and Obama facing a tough re-election campaign in 2012.

In what could be a sign that President elect Obama is serious about reaching across the aisle and developing solutions to the country's problems, he met today with John McCain to discuss ways to work together to fix the problems in Washington. The two men issued a joint statement vowing to work together to reform Washington and end the bitter partisanship that currently exists inside the Beltway. Obama has said that he intends to include a Republican in his cabinet, but aides to both men say there is no cabinet position in the works for McCain.

It is too early to tell what direction Barack Obama intends to take the country. We still have two months before he is sworn into office. Hopefully Newt and UBM are correct and that Obama is too smart to govern from the far left. Hopefully these are positive signs that Obama intends to work with both parties to find solutions. I want to believe this is the case, however, I can't seem to shake the lingering doubts.

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band-The Movie

It was thirty years ago today that Sgt. Pepper, the movie, with the Bee Gees and Peter Frampton was released and quickly became one of the worst movies of all time, and I SAW IT. I should have known better than to think anyone other than the Beatles themselves could make this film. At the time though, the Bee Gees and Peter Frampton were on top of the musical world. Most of the musical performances were solid. Some of it outstanding, like Aerosmith and their version of "Come Together," and Billy Preston performing "Get Back." Then you have performances like Steve Martin doing "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" that just make you cringe. The acting and storyline, however, was down right lame.

Below are the Bee Gees and Frampton performing the opening number and below that is the movie trailer.

Some Baysox Photography

I know that baseball has been over for a while now, but I just wanted to post a few photos I took during the last two seasons at Bowie Baysox games. One of the things I love about minor league baseball is that there really isn't a bad seat in the house.

Adam Loewen pitching.

Oscar Salazar makes contact.

Chorye Spoone delivers a pitch.

Nolan Reimold connects for a homer.

Welcome to the USSA

I hope I am wrong, but I can't shake the feeling that we are quickly headed to becoming the United Socialist States of America (if we haven't already gotten there with all of our bailouts). We are on the verge of electing the most liberal senator in the Senate and the least experienced candidate in history to the office of President of the United States. Combine that with Democrat control of the House under Nancy Pelosi and the Senate with Harry Reid and you have the potential for the federal government to grow beyond its already enormous reach.

We have a candidate that believes the Constitution is a flawed document that reflects the fundamental flaw of this country that exists to this day. He also has been quoted that he would not appoint justices to the Supreme Court who adhere to a literal interpretation of the Constitution. Yet we are to believe him when he takes the oath of office and promises to "defend and uphold the Constitution of the United States."

The Democrats believe they know what is best for all of us. Government is the answer to everything. The more we rely on government, the more they control us. The more they control us, the more power they get and the less freedom we have. Our founding fathers deliberately framed the Constitution to limit the power of the federal government. That is why we fought the Revolutionary War for our freedom, to escape an oppressive government and high taxes.

The Republicans have brought this on themselves by abandoning the conservative roots of Ronald Reagan. Though I am registered as a Republican, I don't think of myself as a Republican. I consider myself more of a Libertarian than a Republican, but unfortunately under our current system, there is little chance of a Libertarian having a chance at making a serious run at the Presidency. Until that day, I will remain a registered Republican, because they are closer than the Democrats to my beliefs. Maybe this will be a wake up call to the Republicans to return to the fiscally conservative ways of Ronald Reagan.

The Problem With America- Rant #1

God, I hate stupid people. OK, that may be a little harsh, but I think it really reflects the problem with this country in general. There are just too many people in this country who think they are entitled to get everything from the government. I think that may be the genius of Barack Obama. Cater to that mentality and promise to take care of their every need.

I truly understand what Neil Boortz means when he made this statement on his website today:

The last thing I would want to do is discourage any capable and qualified
voter from heading out today to vote. Now by capable and qualified I
mean someone who is actually a citizen and someone who has somewhat of a clue as to what is going on out there. The sad truth is that there are going to be legions of voters like that idiot woman at an Obama rally who thought that once Obama wins here mortgage payments and gas for her car were going to be taken care of.

Election Day

Well, I did my civic duty and headed to my local polling place and voted. I was running a little late for work this morning, so I drove by about 20 minutes before the polls were set to open. There were people parking two or three blocks away. I knew it would be crowded and a long wait, so I headed to work.

My wife called about 10:15 to tell me she had just finished voting. She said that our polling site was much more organized than in previous years, and it only took her 20 minutes to check in and get to the voting booth.

I left work around 4:30 and made my hour long trek home on the beltway. I got to the polls around 5:30 expecting to have to wait at least an hour to cast my ballot. In the past when I have arrived in the early evening it takes me over an hour to get to the booth. I was very pleasantly surprised to see very few cars in the parking lot. It took me all of 10 minutes to check in, get to the booth, and cast my votes.

My plans for the rest of the evening are to sit here on the couch with a bottle of wine and watch the results roll in. Hopefully, I will be celebrating a victory for my candidate.

Mike Singletary

As a Hall of Fame NFL player, Mike Singletary was an intense, hardhitting linebacker for the Chicago Bears. Whenever the cameras would zoom in close to Singletary's face during the game, you could see the intensity in his eyes. The man was a dominating force on defense for Chicago.

On October 20th, Singletary was named interim head coach of the San Francisco 49ers after the firing of head coach Mike Nolan. In his first game as a head coach in the NFL, Singletary showed that he is just as intense as a coach.

During the game, 49ers tight end Vernon Davis was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Singletary pulled Davis from the game and sent him to the locker room, benching him for the remainder of the game. Here are a couple of quotes that I particularly liked from Singletary:

"I told him that he would do a better job for us right now taking a shower
and coming back and watching the game than going out on the field. Simple as
that."

"It was something that I told everybody at the very beginning of the week. I will not tolerate players that think it's about them when it's about the team, and we cannot make - we cannot make decisions that cost the team and then come off to the sideline and it's nonchalant. No."

I love Singletary's attitude. If there were more coaches in the NFL that would demand the type of discipline and commitment from their players, the league would be better off. I hope that Singletary does a good job in San Francisco. If they don't improve, it won't be because of Singletary.

How Desperate Do You Have To Be?

In August, I posted about a Malaysian man who tried to enlarge his penis by attaching a metal nut to his penis. Now there is a story about a 29 year old Michigan man who was recently arrested for "receiving sexual favors from a vacuum."

A concerned citizen of Thomas Township in Michigan called police to report that somebody was acting suspicious at a nearby car wash. The officer parked his cruiser away from the car wash and approached on foot, where he caught a man in the act of trying to satisfy himself with a vacuum at the car wash.

My first question would be, "How do you get to the point that you think it is a good idea to try to achieve an orgasm through the use of a vacuum cleaner?" The second would be, "Once you get to the point where you decide it is a good idea to masturbate with a vacuum, why on earth would you do it in a public place instead of the privacy of your own home?"

Happy 47th Birthday Wynton

Happy 47th birthday to Wynton Marsalis. Marsalis has won Grammy awards in both Jazz and Classical music playing the trumpet. His music gave me my first appreciation of jazz. I am particularly fond of his traditional slow blues as featured on the Marsalis Standard Time series of discs.

I had the pleasure of seeing Wynton live at Blues Alley in Washington DC. There is nothing like seeing a legendary performer in an intimate setting like Blues Alley. At one point during the set, Wynton walked off the stage while the band kept playing. He walked through the crowd, shook some hands, as he made his way to behind the bar where he poured himself a beer before heading back to the stage.

Below is Wynton Marsalis with "Delfeayo's Dilemma", featuring Marcus Roberts on piano. Marcus had an awesome album called "Deep in the Shed" which featured some great bluesy jazz.

Kristen Pass & Hope

Every time I turn on the news I see all the bad things going on in the world. The country is in economic turmoil. We have two Presidential candidates that really don't have a clue as to what is really going on with the every day American. It is easy to get discouraged.

If you look hard enough, you can find something good. One of the good things is the story of Kristen Pass of Laredo, TX. Kristen is an 18 year old girl with Down's syndrome, and last week she was named her high school homecoming queen.

As the father of a child with special needs, the story touches me deeply. Not just because a young lady with special needs gets to experience something she will probably remember for the rest of her life, but because it gives me a feeling of hope that the future isn't all grim. These high school kids saw beyond the superficial and selected a homecoming queen based on her personality and friendliness.

Below is ABC news coverage of the story. As the story says, she hasn't taken the crown off since she was named homecoming queen. I dare you not to tear up when watching it. Congratulations, Kristen and God Bless. Don't ever take off your crown.

McCain-Palin Tradition

First, John Rich of Big & Rich fame released his John McCain campaign song and video "Raising McCain." Now we have Hank Williams, Jr. performing at a Sarah Palin rally yesterday in Richmond, VA reworking the lyrics of his classic country hit "Family Tradition" to become "McCain-Palin Tradition." The performance is below, and I think ol' Hank slipped into the original lyrics a couple times. On a side note, looks like Bosephus has on a Redskins jersey for the performance.

Exercise

For anybody that needs a little incentive to hit the gym.

Hangin' with Sasquatch

I just spent the last three days in Chicago to attend the National Association of Convenience Stores trade show. There were a lot of meetings, seminars, new vendors to meet, and new products to look at. While the show was mostly work, there were a few opportunities to have a little fun. Here I am getting to hang out with my main man, Sasquatch, and yes, he is giving me the old wet willie treatment. As you can tell, Sasquatch is just an all around fun loving guy, as long as you stay on his good side. It is much better to be Hangin' with Sasquatch than it is to be Messin' with Sasquatch like the poor sap below.

Joe Torre and the Yankees

I have always hated the NY Yankees. When my Washington Senators left town, I eventually adopted the Baltimore Orioles as my favorite team. That is until the Montreal Expos became the Washington Nationals.

While I have always hated the Yankees, I have always respected Joe Torre and his demeanor while in NY. Joe always exhibited a lot of class. In 1996, his first year as manager of the Yankees, Torre led the Bronx Bombers to their first World Series title in 15 years. They missed making the World Series the next year, but then picked up three straight titles.

During the remainder of his 12 year career, Torre and the Yanks wouldn't win another World Series. They would make the Series in 2001 and 2003, but ended up losing. In the last four years of Torre's tenure with NY, they would make the playoffs each year, but fall short of making the World Series. With each elimnination in the playoffs, the speculation began on whether or not he would be fired. Finally, after the end of the 2007 season, the Yanks offered Torre a contract with a paycut with incentives and bonus incentives for each post season series the team won. Torre turned it down.

That is why I take pleasure in the fate of the Yankees in 2008. Torre moved on to manage the LA Dodgers, and Joe Girardi took the helm in NY. During all 12 of Torre's seasons as manager, the Yanks made the post season every year. This year, they failed to make the postseason. Meanwhile, out on the left coast, Torre and his Dodgers have won the first three games of their playoff series against the Chicago Cubs. Nothing against Joe Girardi, but it serves NY right for getting rid of a class act who did nothing but get the most out of his team, and did it with class.

YouTube Educational Moment

I am a big proponent of education. I am always looking to learn something new. Whenever I can find something that I think will benefit others, I want to share it with them. Below is the demonstration of a lifeskill for anyone who does their own laundry: How to Fold a Shirt.

Blues Song of the Week-Eric Clapton "Worried Life Blues"

I have always been a huge Eric Clapton fan. Most of what I would hear on the radio would be songs like "Layla", "Wonderful Tonight", and other rock songs. However, through his albums I came to develop a deep appreciation for the Blues. Through Clapton, I came to appreciate Muddy Water, Robert Johnson, and B.B. King. Here is EC performing Maceo Merriweather's "Worried Life Blues."

RIP Paul Newman 1925-2008

Legendary actor Paul Newman passed away at the age of 83 after a battle with cancer. Newman became a star in the 1950's and never lost his popularity. He appeared in several classic movies like "Cool Hand Luke", "The Hustler", "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," and "The Sting." He won his first Oscar in "The Color of Money," a sequel to "The Hustler." He is survived by his long time wife, Joanne Woodward, and five children.

Newman became active in auto racing after playing a driver in the movie "Winning." He participated in the 24 Hours of Dayton at the age of 70 and continued racing into his 80's.

Newman was also well known for his philanthropic activities. In 1982, he and a friend founded Newman's Own, which has grown into a hugely successful natural and organic food manufacturer. All of the profits from that company go to his charitable foundation to support his charitable causes.

A few years back, my father in law was introduced to Paul Newman in Florida. Newman was looking for a fishing charter, and the marina recommended my father in law. They were able to go out fishing on a couple of occasions. As a thank you, Newman sent a ham to my in laws which we had for a holiday dinner. The world lost a great entertainer and a true gentleman.

McCain Suspends Campaign

John McCain announced today that he was temporarily suspending his campaign and would be heading back to Washington to work with the Congress and President Bush to try to help resolve the current economic crisis that the country is facing. McCain has asked Obama to do the same. He has asked his campaign workers to work with the Obama campaign and the Commission of Presidential Debates to delay Friday's first scheduled debate between the two candidates. McCain has also asked the president to call a bipartisan leadership summit, including McCain and Obama, to work on a bill that all sides can agree on. I have yet to hear an "official" response from Obama, but I did hear a report that an Obama "source" said there was no need to delay the debates.

I am not sure how I feel about McCain's suspending his campaign. On the one hand, I do agree with him that there is considerable debate on the current bailout proposals. Members from both sides of the aisle have issues with the current proposals. I also agree with him that it is important that whatever bill passes is one that the next president, regardless of who it turns out to be, can agree to support. There is a financial crisis and something needs to be done, and it is important to get it right.

It is somewhat curious that he made the decision right after the latest polls show that he is down by 9% in some polls. The one thing that keeps coming up about McCain is that he always puts his country ahead of his own needs. People could view this latest move by McCain as another example of that. It can also be seen as another example of John McCain reaching across the aisle to try to build bipartisanship, which has been a hallmark of his career. It could help him in the polls, but it also has the potential to backfire. McCain's decision could turn out to be political genius or it could be political suicide. Only time will tell.

UPDATE:
Barack Obama has come out with his response to McCain's announcement. Obama says that he approached McCain earlier in the day and they agreed to issue a joint statement regarding the proposed package. McCain brought up the subject of suspending the campaigns to which Obama wanted to have the joint statement issued before addressing that subject. McCain then came out with his announcement prior to the joint statement being issued.

Obama has expressed his willingness to be a part of the process of working on a financial proposal, including coming to Washington if it would help. He also wants the debates to also go forward because the next president will have to do more than one thing at a time. I am not sure that I disagree with him on the debates. Also, if the time line as laid out by Obama is accurate, then it casts a shadow on McCain's motives.

Barack Obama Test

I found a link to the Barack Obama Test in my email this morning. The test consists of 51 questions from an Associated Television News/Zogby America Poll conducted in July of this year. The question are broken down by a variety of subjects; Energy, Taxes, Felon Voting, 2nd Amendment, Spending, Defense, Trade, Health Care, Social Values, Justice, Crime, and Labor.

I already new that I disagree with most of Obama's positions, but out of curiosity I decided to take the test. On the 51 questions asked, I agreed with Obama on only 3 questions. So I disagreed with him 94% of the time. It was not a real big surprise to me that I would disagree with him so much. What did surprise me was that of the respondents in the poll, I agreed with the majority of the respondents 96% of the time. Also, on most of the questions, the respondents were significantly opposed to Obama's positions on the issues.

The poll of 1005 likely voters was conducted from 7/8/08-7/14/08. If I find a similar test for John McCain I will post it here as well. I should add one disclaimer regarding the Obama Test website. The site does promote the sale a book, "The Audacity of Deceit" which is an anti-Obama book that looks at Obama's policies.

There's a Tear in my Beer

There has been just too much bad news lately, so I have been sitting here crying in my beer trying to figure out where things are headed. Do either of the presidential candidates have what it takes to lead the country? I just don't know. I know that Obama scares the hell out of me. I have always admired and liked John McCain, and I liked the pick of Sarah Palin when it was made.

The current administration and Congress with their bailouts of big business are going to cost us taxpayers big time in the end (I feel a little like Ned Beatty in Deliverance.) I was listening to some radio station and Newt Gingrich was on the program. He made a lot of sense on energy and the current financial problems the country is facing. As polarizing as he has been in the past, I wish he were running.

So I just need something to make me feel a little better. So here we go;

I remember in the 90's when Natalie Cole released an album of songs performed by her father, the late, great Nat King Cole. Through technology, she was able to record a duet and music video with her father of his most famous hit "Unforgetable." It rightfully went on to win a Grammy and several other awards.

However, two years prior to that, the son of a legendary country singer (who also died before his time) recorded a duet and music video with his father. Hank Williams, Jr was only four years old when Hank, Sr. passed away at the young age of 29. That songs also went on to win a Grammy and several country music awards. So here is Bocephus with his daddy Hank singing "There's a Tear in my Beer."

Oh, what the hell. Since I am now feeling a little sentimental, here are Nat and Natalie with "Unforgetable."

Happy Birthday BB King

83 years ago today, B.B. King was born into a sharecroppers family in Bene, Mississippi. In 1949, he made his first recording, and he is still recording today. BB is best known for his biggest hit "The Thrill Is Gone" and his black Gibson guitar, Lucille. BB has won a total of 14 Grammy Awards, received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and was elected into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Below are two videos of the King in action. The first is from the Tonight Show and features BB with Jeff Beck performing "Paying the Cost to be the Boss." The second video is from a duet with two of my all time favs, Eric Clapton and BB King, with the title track of their joint effort "Riding With the King."

Obama vs McCain

A mother from Naperville, IL wanted to teach her second grade girl scout troup about the presidential election. So she contacted each of the campaigns to ask for a donation of small items like buttons or stickers that she could give to the girls to learn. If the girls did well, they could earn their "Ms. President" merit badge.

John McCain's campaign responded immediately by sending a box of stickers and signs to the girls. Barack Obama's campaign directed the scout leader to the Barack Obama website where she could purchase any of the items she needed for their project.

After visiting the website, she decided that given their budget, she would try the Obama campaign once more. She explained their situation and expressed how the McCain campaign gave them some items. She was placed on hold, and was told that they could sympathize but that the campaign was up against the machine and could not afford to give things away for free.

With this, the mother emailed What's Your Problem? a consumer advocate column for the Chicago Tribune. The reported contacted the Obama campaign, and was told the original campaign worker "misspoke." They then hand delivered a box of items to the troop.

Just remember this as the Democrats tell you how they care about you and your family and the Republicans only care about Big Business.

Dangerous Legal Decision

Regardless of where you stand on global warming or climate change, the news this week out of Great Britain is disturbing. Six Greenpeace activists were charged with causing property damage to a coal fired power plant in Kent, England. They were cleared of the charges by the jury.

The activists used the "Lawful excuse" defense under the Criminal Defense Act of 1971. That law states that a "lawful excuse" exists if damaged caused by an action can be shown to prevent greater damage, as in breaking down a door to try to keep a fire from burning the whole house down. Their "lawful excuse" was that by causing damage to the coal fired power plant, they were trying to prevent the greater damage of global warming.

There is still considerable debate (unless you are Al Gore) in the scientific community on how much of climate change is man made, and how much is natural weather cycles. In fact, you can find a lot of arguments against man made global warming at GlobalWarmingHoax.com.

There is a huge difference between vandalizing a legitimate business involved in a legal activity, and breaking down a door to fight a fire. It is too bad that a jury in Great Britain isn't intelligent enough to know the difference. My bigger fear is that we here in the states might eventually make the same boneheaded decisions.

The Freedom Flag

I saw this tonight on the Glenn Beck show, so in honor of those who perished seven years ago during the terrorist attacks in NY, DC, and PA please visit the Freedom Flag Foundation for more details.

Obama is Jesus, Palin is Pontius Pilate

The more the Democrats open their mouths the more I can't stand them. I knew they were pretty high on Barack Obama, but I never knew they thought that he was the Saviour of the World. Yet, on the floor of the House of Representatives, Representative Steve Cohen (D-Tennessee) compares Barack Obama to Jesus Christ, and Sarah Palin to Pontius Pilate, the man who killed Jesus.

A couple thoughts. First and foremost is the obvious attack against Sarah Palin. I can't recall a Vice-Presidential Candidate being attacked this much during a campaign. They must really be worried about her. She has re-energized the Republicans, and McCain/Palin are gaining ground or leading Obama/Biden in several polls. Second, the evangelical community, a key base to the Republicans, had not fully embraced McCain, though the selection of Palin helped him some. How much do you think the evangelicals will rally around McCain/Palin when the opposition is being compared to their Messiah?

I don't listen to Rush Limbaugh, nor do I agree with a lot of what he says. He is a little too far right for my taste, but I think he summed up the feelings of a lot of folks on this subject:

"I know Jesus Christ. I pray to Jesus Christ all the time," said Limbaugh." I study what Jesus Christ did and said all the time, and let me tell you something, Barack Obama, you are no Jesus Christ."

"I can't find any such references to Jesus promoting infanticide nor do I find any references to Jesus Christ suggesting sex education be taught to 4- and 5-year-olds, but I'm still looking in the New Testament and I'll let you all know if I come up with anything."

I guess when I don't vote for Barack Obama in November, not only will I be a racist (after all, any white man that doesn't vote for Barack must be racist) but I guess I will also be a blasphemer.

Another HOA From Hell

Last month, I commented on this lovely HOA. This one, may beat it.

In July of 2007, Joe Woodard of Sanford, Florida lost his wife and son when a plane crashed into their house. He has been building a new home on the lot for the past year. He has almost completed construction on his new home.

Now, the HOA (House of Management Enterprises) steps in. Woodard has received a letter from the HOA because he is "breaking their rules." They want him to tear down his nearly completed home. Here is what they say is the problem. His shingles and the elevation of his new house do not match the rest of the neighborhood. His new house is also a few feet longer in the back than their standards allow.

Woodard does not want to build the exact same house he had before, which is what he say the HOA wants. I fully understand why he would not want to relive the memories by moving into the exact same house he had before his world was torn apart. House of Management Enterprise, have a heart.

Joe Biden Can Kiss My Ass!

As the parent of a 14 year old boy with autism, I know all too well the joys and definitely the challenges of having a special needs child. I worry everyday about what will happen to him when he gets older and my wife and I are not around or can't take care of him. There is nobody who can question how much I love my son.

By now, we all know that the GOP Vice-Presidential nominee is the mother of a baby boy with Down's Syndrome. She is also the aunt of a child with autism. During her acceptance speech, Palin pledged to the parents of special needs children that they would have an advocate for their kids in the White House. We also know that Palin is an Evangelical Christian and for that reason does not support stem cell research.

So now we have Joe Biden with the following quote. “I hear all this talk about how the Republicans are going to work in dealing with parents who have both the joy, because there’s joy to it as well, the joy and the difficulty of raising a child who has a developmental disability, who were born with a birth defect. Well guess what folks? If you care about it, why don’t you support stem cell research?”

How is this anything but a direct attack against Sarah Palin and her moral and religious beliefs? John McCain has come out as being in support of stem cell research. Palin is the one who is opposed, and Palin is the one who has spoken of helping parents of children of special needs.

There are two things that piss me off here. First is the attack of somebody's beliefs that are not political in nature, but based on morals and religious code. Second, and maybe even more important to me personally, is the implication that parents of children with special needs don't care as much for their kids if they do not agree with Joe Biden's political policies.

Personally, I would support limited stem cell research under very controlled and specific conditions. However, I fully understand and respect anybody that is against stem cell research for moral and religious reasons.

So, if I ever have the opportunity to meet Senator Biden, I will gladly turn around, drop my drawers, bend over, and tell Biden to "KISS MY ASS!"

Fan Reaction and Tom Brady

I was driving to work this morning and listening to Mike & Mike in the Morning on my local ESPNRadio station, and they were talking about fan reaction to Tom Brady's injury. Now I understand that if you are loyal to a particular NFL team, and that team isn't the Patriots, then there is a pretty good chance that you hate the Pats. Especially if your favorite team is in the same division, or if your team was one of teams humiliated by them last year (as my Redskins were.)

It makes me wonder even more about the state of our society when I hear about the various fan reactions. When Brady's injury was shown on the jumbotron at the Dolphins/Jets games, fans cheered. At Fanhouse, there were several messages posted from Jets fans about how they cheered at the news of Brady's injury. A Pittsburgh Steeler fan site has started the "Bernard Pollard Fan Club" and is selling t-shirts commemorating the date of Pollard's hit on Brady.

I can understand if your reaction was, "Well this helps my team's chances this season." I don't understand the logic in cheering somebody's injury, and a season ending one at that. I mean it is football for crying out loud. It is supposed to be entertainment. It isn't supposed to so important that is skews our sense of right and wrong.

Jessica Simpson on Opry Live

Jessica Simpson made her debut on Opry Live on GAC (Great American Country) singing her first country song "Come On Over." According to People Magazine, her outfit raised as much discussion as her singing. Jess wore a short black dress with a plunging neckline that accentuated her cleavage. I can understand why she would choose such an outfit. It would distract from her singing (she really isn't very good.) However, I will let you be the judge.

Tom Brady Out for the Year

In the first quarter of the first game of the season, the hopes of the New England Patriots, not to mention several fantasy football teams including one of mine, took a severe blow when reigning NFL MVP Tom Brady injured his knee. Brady will have to undergo season ending surgery. The Patriots were the prohibitive favorites to win the AFC East, and most predicted another trip to the Super Bowl for the Pats. Those odds have been greatly reduced with the news. In fact, oddsmakers have reduced the odds of the Pats winning the Super Bowl from 3-1 to 12-1.

Olbermann, Matthews Out

Great news today. MSNBC has announced that Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews will be removed as co-anchors of MSNBC's political night coverage and will be replaced by David Gregory. Matthews and Olbermann each got a little snippy with each other on the air when Olbermann criticized Matthews for talking too much.

Olbermann did not even try to present an unbiased view, especially during the Republican Convention. When Joe Scarborough was presenting some positive developments in the McCain campaign, Olbermann was heard saying, "Jesus, Joe. Why don't you get a shovel." He injected his personal viewpoint when the Republicans played a video referencing 9/11 stating that MSNBC should not have aired it and apologized to viewers who shared his sentiments. Any positive comments by Republican supporters was usually met with sarcasm and disdain by Olbermann. I have said it before, and I will say it again, he was horrible doing sports for ESPN, and he has no business commenting on things of a weightier nature. What a dolt!!

At least with David Gregory, MSNBC will have a solid professional at the helm for the debates and election coverage. Unfortunately, they will still have Olbermann on hand as a commentator. For your entertainment, here is a montage of the recent meltdowns at MSNBC, including Joe Scarborough.