The Nigh Seen Creeder

Here's what's new at A Man's Gotta Eat:

Bacon makes it better!
Varallo Famous Chili
A Sweet smoke
Swill is swill, fancy ad campaign notwithstanding
Gimme my white bread 'n' mayo, dammit!

What Bob Dole did to Lamar Alexander during the '96 GOP primary will probably look like child's play when the '08 campaign shifts into high gear:

"Mitt Romney is the target, abortion is the issue, and the $100,000 ad buy will change the tone of the Iowa and New Hampshire presidential primaries.

"This weekend marks the first negative TV advertising in the two early-voting states as the campaign headed into the critical weeks before the first voting, with an independent group's claim that the former Massachusetts governor has flip-flopped -- a sometimes crippling charge in presidential politics. Analysts say similar negative ads are likely against his chief GOP rival, Rudy Giuliani, whose positions on gun control and immigration are markedly different from those he espoused as New York mayor.

"The anti-Romney ad campaign, by a Republican group that supports abortion rights, is fairly modest in scope. But it may open the door to bigger ad buys targeting other candidates and topics, several campaign veterans said.

"'This will be the beginning of it,' said Patrick Griffin, a Manchester-based advertising executive who handled President Bush's 2000 media effort in New Hampshire."

FOX Sports' Jason Whitlock says hip-hop culture is the "black KKK." He makes a convincing argument:

"Let's cut through the bull(manure) and deal with reality. Black men are targets of black men. Period. Go check the coroner's office and talk with a police detective. These bullets aren't checking W-2s.

"Rather than whine about white folks' insensitivity or reserve a special place of sorrow for rich athletes, we'd be better served mustering the kind of outrage and courage it took in the 1950s and 1960s to stop the white KKK from hanging black men from trees.

"But we don't want to deal with ourselves. We take great joy in prescribing medicine to cure the hate in other people's hearts. Meanwhile, our self-hatred, on full display for the world to see, remains untreated, undiagnosed and unrepentant.

"Our self-hatred has been set to music and reinforced by a pervasive culture that promotes a crab-in-barrel mentality.

"You're damn straight I blame hip hop for playing a role in the genocide of American black men. When your leading causes of death and dysfunction are murder, ignorance and incarceration, there's no reason to give a free pass to a culture that celebrates murder, ignorance and incarceration.

"Of course there are other catalysts, but until we recapture the minds of black youth, convince them that it's not OK to 'super man dat ho' and end any and every dispute by 'cocking on your bitch,' nothing will change."

The Wall Street Journal never tires of telling its readers that politicians who propose measures to crack down on illegal immigration either won't get elected or will be turned out of office. Reckon what the folks at the WSJ think 'bout this:

"GREELEY, COLO. -- Tom Selders is still baffled at how quickly the city he served for years turned on him.

"The two-term mayor of this conservative farm town had been a political fixture for nearly two decades. A businessman who prided himself on bringing efficiency to city government, Selders infuriated his constituents after jumping into the national debate over illegal immigration. In May he spoke at an open forum in Washington about the effects of last year's immigration raid on a meatpacking plant here, which led to the detention of 262 undocumented workers.

"'Many families and children were devastated by parents being arrested and detained,' Selders said. "Children -- citizens of the United States -- were left without parents.'

"The reaction in Greeley, whose Latino population has nearly tripled since 1980, was swift and furious. Selders, who was seeking a third term as mayor, was overwhelmed with angry calls. He became a regular target on local talk radio. A mailer linking him to illegal immigrant gang members flooded mailboxes.

"Earlier this month Selders was ousted from the nonpartisan post, losing to a retired police officer by a 3-2 margin."

The very first video game console I ever owned - I think I was in 4th grade when I got it - was the Atari 2600. My buddy Keith, who was my surrogate older brother, and I would spend hours on Saturdays playing Yar's Revenge, football, baseball, Donkey Kong, and, well, I can't even remember what else. (My parents would only let me play video games for an hour each day during the school week. How many kids can say that these days?) We played for so long that I eventually developed a major callous on my thumb, which would sometimes split open when my bike grip rubbed it too hard.

Imagine the callous a feller could get from this thing:

The main reason why I don't ♥ Mike Huckabee is because his record as Arakansas governor leaves a lot - and I mean a lot - to be desired:

"[Earlier] this year -- anticipating criticism -- Huckabee's campaign set up a 'truth squad' to push his side of various stories. It often offers, at best, an incomplete account of his record.

"On major issues:

"-- The truth squad says the only finding by the Arkansas Ethics Commission that Huckabee accepted a gift improperly was tossed out by a state court. In fact, the panel investigated 16 complaints against Huckabee and found five violations. Only one, for accepting a $500 canoe from Coca-Cola, was tossed out.

"Two of the complaints against Huckabee pertain to unreported gifts -- the canoe and a $200 stadium blanket received by his wife, Janet. Two stem from cash the governor or his wife received but did not initially report. The panel also ruled in 2003 that Huckabee's campaign violated state law when it used its funds to pay for an event during the summer of 2002 called Gospel Fest

"During his tenure, Huckabee accepted 314 gifts valued overall at more than $150,000, according to documents filed with the Arkansas secretary of state's office. (He accepted 187 gifts in his first three years as governor but was not required to report their value.) ...

"-- Huckabee likes to say he was tough on taxes in Arkansas, noting a $100 million tax cut in 1997 that until this year was Arkansas' largest. When asked about a fuel tax increase he backed in 1999, Huckabee says incorrectly that he joined 80 percent of Arkansas voters in approving it.

"Huckabee in 1999 supported a $1 billion highway bond program, including costs for interest and lawyers' fees, but the question on the ballot was only whether the state could take on the debt, not how Arkansas would pay for it. Huckabee had signed the fuel tax increase two months earlier.

"Shortly after taking office, Huckabee took a four-day trip by bass boat along the Arkansas River to tout a 1/8th-cent sales tax increase for outdoor programs. (Two nature centers now carry the names of Huckabee and his wife.) Taxes went up $40 million in the months before the $100 million tax cut Huckabee touts.

"Other taxes went up as Arkansas changed its property tax system and made improvements to its school system.

"-- Huckabee's recent strong stand on immigration, including an intolerance toward companies that employ illegal immigrants, runs counter to the image he crafted in his final years in office. He was battling conservatives within his own party who were pushing for stricter state-level immigration measures.

"Huckabee opposed a Republican lawmaker's efforts in 2005 to require proof of legal status when applying for state services that aren't federally mandated and proof of citizenship when registering to vote. Huckabee derided the bill as un-American and un-Christian and said the bill's sponsor drank a different 'Jesus juice.'

"That same year, Huckabee failed in his effort to make children of illegal immigrants eligible for state-funded scholarships and in-state tuition to Arkansas colleges. At the time, Huckabee said he didn't understand the opposition to it."

What do Adam Sandler, Ben Stein, and Kelsey Grammer have in common?

"[Rudy Giuliani is] supported by Adam Sandler, Ben Stein, and Kelsey Grammer, three of the most admirable and witty men in the entertainment industry. The other Republican candidates, even Fred, have nothing going for them in Hollywood, and that’s, of course, to their credit."

Looks like all of those folks who never tire of telling me that a Hillary Rodham (Clinton) is The Next President are counting their chickens before they hatch:

"Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton trails five top Republican presidential contenders in general election match-ups, a drop in support from this summer, according to a poll released on Monday. ...

"Clinton, a New York senator who has been at the top of the Democratic pack in national polls in the 2008 race, trails Republican candidates Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney, Fred Thompson, John McCain and Mike Huckabee by three to five percentage points in the direct matches.

"In July, Clinton narrowly led McCain, an Arizona senator, and held a five-point lead over former New York Mayor Giuliani, a six-point lead over former Tennessee Sen. Thompson and a 10-point lead over former Massachusetts Gov. Romney.

"She was not matched against the fast-rising Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor, in the July poll."

The following letter, penned by a Mister Raymond Gilbert of Lansdale, Pennsylvania, appeared in the November 19, 2007, National Review:

"I am greatly distressed by the indulgence National Review has shown Republican presidential candidates of late ('A Second Look at McCain' by Kate O’Beirne, November 5). It has taken a heroic twisting of logic to produce some of the positive reviews that have appeared in your pages. Your lack of vision and leadership is stunning. NR has failed to support the clear alternative candidate that can return us to our conservative core — William Shatner.

"Mr. Shatner has a strong background in law enforcement (T.J. Hooker), extensive diplomatic experience (Star Trek), and proven leadership skills (Star Trek again). With worldwide popularity, Mr. Shatner is also the ideal candidate to rebuild the image of America that has been tarnished by the party of Halliburton."

Tee hee!

"A British primary school teacher is in a Sudanese jail facing 40 lashes if she's convicted of insulting Islam's prophet Muhammed by letting children name a teddy bear after him," the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

"Gillian Gibbons who's 54 is in a Khartoum prison cell after being arrested on suspicion of blasphemy on Sunday.

"Gibbons who taught primary age children at the Unity High School in Khartoum allowed her class of seven-year-olds to name a teddy bear Mohammed as part of a lesson about animal habitats.

"The name Mohammed is sacred to Islamic philosophy and the penalty for blasphemy is 40 lashes, a large fine or a jail term."

Ain't you glad you live in the U.S. of A.? Where a feller or gal is free to put a crucifix in a jar of urine and get a government grant to do so.

"The memoirs of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy ... have been acquired by an imprint of the Hachette Book Group USA," Yahoo! News reports. ...

"The book, currently untitled and tentatively scheduled to come out in 2010, builds upon the oral history project that Kennedy has been working on through the Miller Center of the University of Virginia. The project, launched in 2004 and expected to last several years, will include interviews with the senator, family members, colleagues, journalists, foreign leaders and others."

You know, if ol' Ted mentions every bar he's ever visited and/or every girl he's ever banged, his memoir will be 2,500 pages, at least.

Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear the case of District of Columbia v. Heller. The case should settle the decades-old argument whether the Constitution's Second Amendment is an individual right, or a collective right that states may freely regulate.

In March, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit declared unconstitutional Washington, D.C.'s ban on handgun ownership. That 2-1 ruling, penned by Judge Laurence Silberman, found - as the Wall Street Journal recently opined - that when the "Second Amendment spoke of the 'right of the people,' it meant the right of 'individuals,' and not some 'collective right' held only by state governments or the National Guard."

We all know that when the Supreme Court retires to chambers to decide this case, Justices Souter, Breyer, Ginsburg and Stevens will declare that the Second Amendment is a collective -- not an individual -- right. Before they do such, they should read the following, which was posted on the Nigh Seen Creeder in September:

Exactly four years ago this week, the liberal-led U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld the constitutionality of California’s Assault Weapons Control Act and refused to recognize an individual -- rather than a collective -- constitutional right to bear arms.

Federal Appellate Judge Alex Kozinski was one of six judges dissenting from the decision -- and his passionate and informed dissenting opinion is simply magnificent.

After boldly declaring that some anti-Second Amendment judges deliberately misread the Second Amendment in order to enforce their prejudices, Judge Kozinski finished with these ringing words that cut to the heart of why the Second Amendment is so very important to a free people:

"The majority falls prey to the delusion -- popular in some circles -- that ordinary people are too careless and stupid to own guns, and we would be far better off leaving all weapons in the hands of professionals on the government payroll. But the simple truth -- born of experience -- is that tyranny thrives best where government need not fear the wrath of an armed people. Our own sorry history bears this out: Disarmament was the tool of choice for subjugating both slaves and free blacks in the South. In Florida, patrols searched blacks' homes for weapons, confiscated those found and punished their owners without judicial process. In the North, by contrast, blacks exercised their right to bear arms to defend against racial mob violence. As Chief Justice Taney well appreciated, the institution of slavery required a class of people who lacked the means to resist. See Dred Scott v. Sandford, (1857) (finding black citizenship unthinkable because it would give blacks the right to "keep and carry arms wherever they went"). A revolt by Nat Turner and a few dozen other armed blacks could be put down without much difficulty; one by four million armed blacks would have meant big trouble.

"All too many of the other great tragedies of history -- Stalin's atrocities, the killing fields of Cambodia, the Holocaust, to name but a few -- were perpetrated by armed troops against unarmed populations. Many could well have been avoided or mitigated, had the perpetrators known their intended victims were equipped with a rifle and twenty bullets apiece, as the Militia Act required here. If a few hundred Jewish fighters in the Warsaw Ghetto could hold off the Wehrmacht for almost a month with only a handful of weapons, six million Jews armed with rifles could not so easily have been herded into cattle cars.

"My excellent colleagues have forgotten these bitter lessons of history. The prospect of tyranny may not grab the headlines the way vivid stories of gun crime routinely do. But few saw the Third Reich coming until it was too late. The Second Amendment is a doomsday provision, one designed for those exceptionally rare circumstances where all other rights have failed -- where the government refuses to stand for reelection and silences those who protest; where courts have lost the courage to oppose, or can find no one to enforce their decrees. However improbable these contingencies may seem today, facing them unprepared is a mistake a free people get to make only once.

"Fortunately, the Framers were wise enough to entrench the right of the people to keep and bear arms within our constitutional structure. The purpose and importance of that right was still fresh in their minds, and they spelled it out clearly so it would not be forgotten. Despite the panel's mighty struggle to erase these words, they remain, and the people themselves can read what they say plainly enough:

"'A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.'

"The sheer ponderousness of the panel's opinion -- the mountain of verbiage it must deploy to explain away these fourteen short words of constitutional text -- refutes its thesis far more convincingly than anything I might say. The panel's labored effort to smother the Second Amendment by sheer body weight has all the grace of a sumo wrestler trying to kill a rattlesnake by sitting on it -- and is just as likely to succeed."

Judge Kozinski knows, from personal experience, the helplessness of unarmed people in the face of brutal tyranny -- a native of Romania, he fled that country to escape the dictatorship of Nicolae Ceausescu.

There are two federal circuits in conflict over the meaning of the Second Amendment (the Ninth and the Fifth). The stage may be set for a momentous Supreme Court decision at some point in the very near future.

The full text of Judge Kozinski's dissent can be found here -- it starts on page 2, and ends on page 6 of this pdf file:

http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/ca9/newopinions.nsf/019661EF3BAAF4C488256D1D00793D3A/$file/0115098o.pdf?openelement

Coty, Inc. has announced that it will soon begin production of a men's fragrance inspired by country music superstar/douchebag (see above pic) Tim McGraw.

A celebrity cologne is supposed to somehow capture the personality of its namesake. My question for Coty is this:

How do you intend to make a cologne smell like 200 lbs of stupid?

Today in college football history:

1904 -- The University of Tennessee defeats the University of Alabama 7-0. The winning score comes when Tennessee fullback Sam McAllester is thrown for a touchdown. Wearing a thick leather belt with handles, McAllester is repeatedly hurled over the line of scrimmage during the game, including for the day's only touchdown. (The practice of throwing players was banned in 1910.)

Considering how strong college football players are these days, I'll bet a halfback or fullback could be thrown for a good 10-15 yards. A diminutive back, like Warrick Dunn, could probably be thrown for 20-25 yards.

Think about how much more exciting the game of college football would be if ball-carrying players could be thrown through the air! Don't know about you ... but I'd pay $10-20 more per ticket to witness such!

Again, I says: Bring back the belt!

I'll be honest: Angelina Jolie doesn't do a damn thing for me. She's weird (you can find just one example of her weirdness here); she's a home-wrecker; and she looks like if you touched her, she'd be sticky.

That said, I cannot vouch for the following story's veracity. If it's true, Chef Jamie Oliver has become my new hero! To wit:

"Celebrity chef, Jamie Oliver, phoned Angelina Jolie to congratulate her on her film Beowulf and in the process, mangled her daughter’s name when he asked how she was doing. Instead of calling her Shiloh Pitt, Jamie called her Piloh Shit. ...

"An insider said, 'It was just a slip of the tongue. But it did sound like he was dissing her first-born.'"

Tee hee!

"In a move that would make Homer Simpson green with envy, Family Guy will soon be the first animated show to ever have a beer licensee," G4 reports.

"Yes, a Rhode Island-based microbrew will be dubbed Pawtucket Patriot Ale after show patriarch Peter Griffin's libation of choice, and is set to appear in liquor stores and specialty outlets next year.

"'Even though it's animated, we've never looked for partners who are kid-based,' said Howard Nelson, VP-worldwide promotions at Fox Licensing & Merchandising. 'We want partners that embrace the show's edgy humor and target the young male audience.'"

Here's what's new at A Man's Gotta Eat:

Feast your eyes upon Joltin' Django's mac-and-cheese
Pour me a pint, mate
This Thanksgiving, [blank] the food fascists
How a man who's gotta eat makes mac-and-cheese
Ain't no taters like mashed taters ('cept for tater pancakes)

The folks over at the National Alliance have their panties in a twist 'cause several "Jews for Ron Paul" groups have formed.

It's no secret that Ron Paul is the National Alliance's choice for president; and it's no secret that the National Alliance has a deep hatred for anyone who's not blonde-haired, blue-eyed, and Christian. Considering the amount of anti-Semitic venom the National Alliance has spewed over the years, I can see why they abhor the thought of working alongside Jews who wish to see Ron Paul in the Oval Office.

You can read the story that got the National Alliance so worked up here. Here's a short statement 'bout the story in question that was posted on the National Alliance Web site:

"This story somewhat reminds some of the little discussed cooperation between the Nazi government and Zionist groups to relocate Jews out of Europe.

"One would suspect some of this story is 'embellished' because a National Alliance member would never refer to himself as a White Supremacist, but rather a White Separatist.

"Spokesmen for anti-immigration and other such groups could learn a lot about how to deflect charges of 'racism,' by how Paul’s campaign manager handles questions.

"Of course most Zionists understand the U.S. doesn’t push around Israel, because the Israeli Lobby pushes around the U.S."

UPDATE:

Creeder Reader Paul N sends word that the Jews for Ron Paul group is a fraud. Check this out:

"Ron Paul, the Anti-Republican candidate for President and a favorite of White Supremacists like David Duke, has unveiled a new defense strategy to counter charges of Anti-semitism. The campaign of the candidate who claims to disdain ethnic collectivism now boasts an organization called 'Jews for Ron Paul.'

"If Jews for Ron Paul puts you in mind of Jews for Jesus, you're not far wrong. Because Jews for Ron Paul is a scam.

"Jim C. Perry ... the Executive Director of Jews for Ron Paul and heavily featured as the spokesman for the front group. Like many Jews for Jesus figures, Jim C. Perry claims to be an Orthodox Jew. The JTA article featured many of Perry's grandiose claims.

"For Perry, an Orthodox Jew, there is a connection between his own religious beliefs about personal responsibility and the Libertarian philosophy underpinning Paul's candidacy.

"'It's the idea that people are meant to be equal and free in a just society. Those are the same things that draw me to be an observant Orthodox Jew,' said Perry. 'I believe Judaism puts strong emphasis on individual meaning, personal responsibility," he said, adding that God 'calls us to take responsibility for our own actions.'

"'Here I am a kipah-wearing, fringes-hanging Orthodox Jew.'

"The real Jim C. Perry though is not an Orthodox Jew, though he makes a point of dressing up like one until he's virtually a cartoon. He's gay and is currently married to a gay man and a self-identified Churchgoing Unitarian Universalist. Here he identifies himself as a Seminarian. He has another account where he calls himself Reverend Jim C. Perry H.P., M.D.A. (he also claimed to have a doctorate in English which he apparently modestly left off here all at the tender age of 22) and a Pagan Minister. Briefly he appears to have gone Ward Churchill and began calling himself Jim FlyingEagle. (He may have also used James L. Rush and posted at Cherokee Pride as James L. Rushing River pretending to be Cherokee)

"Now Jim C. Perry, Gay Pagan Unitarian Minister (possibly also Cherokee and Mormon), thanks to a few photos in costume, is being passed off as an Orthodox Jew. A clear and unambiguous lie. Like everything else in the Ron Paul campaign, Jim C. Perry and Jews for Ron Paul is a lie."

Things for which I'm thankful (in no particular order):

The 10-12 happy memories I have of my Granny Ruby each day
West End United Methodist Church
310 First Street, SE, Washington, D.C. (look it up)
Lekkerwear.com
Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.
Tabasco sauce
The Smithereens
My 22-volume Babylonian Talmud
The Andy Griffith Show
Thompson Cigar Co.
My 1988 sunburst Fender Stratocaster
The Wall Street Journal's editorial page
Hog meat (from the tip of its snoot to the end of its tail)
Carl Yastrzemski
Blogger.com
Gene's Barber Shop
The Station Inn
Bruce D (finest friend a feller could have)
My Cleveland Hibore XL driver
Publix Super Markets, Inc.
White onions (imagine Southern cuisine without onions)
The Military Channel
My 2000 Martin OMM acoustic guitar
Bob Mould
Hambone (my cat)
George Dickel Distillery
Twins Enterprise, Inc.
The Metro-Nashville Public Library
Arthur Laffer and Jack Kemp
Nathan's hot dogs
Dr. Leonardo Espinel (best surgeon in Nashville, TN)
My 900-item collection of political memorabilia
Les Canadiens de Montréal
Samuel Smith Brewery
Lenovo Computer Corp.
National Review
The Nashville Sounds
Ma mère et mon père

As far as I'm concerned, the Writers Guild of America can stay on strike 'til Doomsday.

I don't watch anything that appears on the Big Four networks; and since I don't subscribe to any "movie" channels on DirecTV, I won't shed a tear if HBO and Showtime's "edgy" scripted shows never return to ye olde boob tube.

That said, check out the sign Jenna Elfman is toting in this picture (pic courtesy of The Superficial):



Pen-clutching fists, superimposed on a red and black background ... looks like something one would've seen at a Moscow May Day parade circa 1936, n'est-ce pas?

"Republican Fred Thompson tried to rev up support for his presidential campaign Tuesday by comparing his Democratic rivals to race car drivers who only know how to turn left," GOPUSA reports.

"'It's like they're all in training for the NASCAR, you know, nothing but a left turn, just steady as she goes, all the way around,' he said at a coffee house in northeastern Iowa. 'And they're going to wind up kinda where they started from, too, like the George McGovern days, some of them driving a little faster than the others, but they're all going in the same direction.'

"Thompson continued the comparison, saying, 'I don't think the United States of America is prepared to turn the keys over to the most left-wing part of the left-wing party.'

[Editor's note: This article is also posted at my foodie blog, A Man's Gotta Eat.]

In addition to Thanksgiving Day itself, there are quite a few certainties during Thanksgiving Week: falling leaves, 14-pound day after Thanksgiving newspapers, Christmas commercials, football games featuring the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions, and "very special" holiday-themed movies on Lifetime.

Something else we can count on 'round Thanksgiving are bevies of "experts" coming out of the woodwork to tell us how much/what we should eat when turkey-time arrives. They say, "Don't overdo it" ... "Substitute [this] for [that]" ... "Avoid [this] entirely." If and when I ever come face to face with one of these food fascists, this is what I'll tell him or her:

Give me a blankin' break, you blankety-blank.

In the United States, there are two holidays during which food plays an important - nay, integral - part: Thanksgiving and Christmas. (While it's not an official holiday, I guess you could add Super Bowl Sunday to the list; but that day is known as much, if not more, for drinkin' than it is for eatin'.) Not only is food itself an integral part of these holidays, there are certain foodstuffs that are associated with 'em as well:

Turkey, giblet gravy, dressing, mashed taters, ham, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, rolls as big as your head, pumpkin pie, and assorted candies, cakes, wines and cheeses. We don't have a constitutional right to these things on Thanksgiving and Christmas, but we sure as hell should.

Which brings me back to the food fascists. This past weekend, MSNBC re-posted an AP story from 2004 in which an anonymous author made the following statement vis-à-vis Thanksgiving:

"[Here's] what your plate should look like: a serving of turkey no larger than a deck of playing cards and half a cup each of two starches. (A half-cup is about the size of a computer mouse.)

"And that’s being generous."

The above-mentioned article also features this little chart:

● Try eating a little of everything, but that means just a few bites.

● Eat only the unique foods. Mashed potatoes and turkey may be traditional, but they also are easily had any day of the week. Instead, use those calories for ... more seasonal items.

● Fill up on salad and vegetables before heading for the turkey and candied sweet potatoes. Then if you are still hungry, hit the vegetables again after the turkey to reduce the amount of dessert you eat.

● Visualize your stomach; it’s about the size of two fists. If the food on your plate won’t fit, cut back.

Slices of turkey no bigger than a deck of cards?! A half-cup of dressing?! No mashed taters?! Salad?! See what I mean about wantin' a blankin' break?

Look, I'm a big boy. I don't need anyone - anonymous online "experts" included - to tell me what to eat and/or how much to eat during the holidays. I'll admit, I usually eat too much on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, as well as each day after (them left-overs gotta go somewhere). I'm smart enough to know, however, that if I engage in a two-day pig-out twice a year, I'm not going to freakin' die as a result; and I know that I'm not going to contract diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, herpes, HIV, etc. if, at one sitting, I eat enough turkey breast to fill my 7 3/8-size Brooklyn Cyclones hat.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: when a man's gotta eat, a man's gotta eat ... especially at Thanksgiving and Christmas. I don't need no busybody, know-it-all food fascist to instruct me otherwise.

Pass the gravy ...

Actress Natalie Portman (seen digging for gold in the picture above) says the one thing that turns her off to the whole idea of marriage is that homosexuals in America cannot also partake:

"I’m not convinced about marriage. ... [The] fact that gay people are not allowed to marry takes much of the meaning out of it."

Way to take a stand, Miss Portman! I, too, shall do some stand-takin'. To wit:

I firmly believe that marital misery should be shared by as many individuals as possible. Thus, I ain't gettin' married until polygamy, polygyny, polyandry - you know, all those poly institutions - are legalized.

So there.

A couple of months ago, Hillary Rodham (Clinton) said that if she's elected president next year, she will end the Bush Administration's "practice of secrecy." She also stated that hers will be the "most honest, visible and open administration" ever.

If Hillary's truly into being open and honest, why hasn't she instructed her putative husband to release papers related to her stints as Arkansas' first lady? Check this out:

"It's unlikely that Arkansas papers on Hillary Rodham Clinton's years as the state's first lady will be released before the 2008 election, says the director of the Little Rock library that holds Bill Clinton's gubernatorial files. ...

"[F]ormer President Clinton essentially controls access to who can view the 2,000 boxes worth of documents on his 12 years as governor and two years as state attorney general. ...

"Under an agreement signed [between] the former president [and the Clinton Presidential Library] in 2003, Clinton or his designees must approve the release of any documents requested."

"Open" and "honest" ...? That's a good one, Hill!

Next to Ron Paul supporters and the members of MoveOn.org, there ain't a crazier lot of people on this planet than the folks who've supped from Al Gore's cup o' global-warming Kool Aid®. Think I'm being unfairly judgmental? Well, check this out:

"Heather Mills [Sir Paul McCartney's soon-to-be ex-wife] thinks the world should go vegan, because it's more eco-friendly. ... At [a pro-vegan rally] in Hyde Park in London, Heather said she had a good alternative to cow's milk.

"'Why don't we drink rat's milk or cat's milk or dog's milk?'

"Heather went on to say, 'The startling truth is that animals farmed for ... dairy are now one of the greatest threats to the planet.'"

Is that not the most insane f'ing thing that you've ever heard? Rat's milk is a good alternative to cow's milk? As my colleague Mr. Jimmy is wont to say, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?!

It's too bad that people drinking - and being disgusted by drinking - rat's milk has already been a storyline on The Simpsons. The producers could have a field day with Crazy Heather Mills' assertion that milk-drinkers should start drinkin' le lait du rat.

According to the Associated Press, Sen. John McCain has announced that, as president, he would support a scheme which would allow U.S. residents to import drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration, mainly from Canada.

I took the "importation" crowd to task 'bout this time last year, and I'm all too happy to do so again. To wit:

Ever since the cost of prescription drugs became a catch-phrase political issue, liberals (and a few Republicans who should know better) [see Sen. McCain] have been peddling the canard that rising drug prices are due to "greed" in the pharmaceutical industry. To say that prices result from greed implies that companies can set prices where they wish, that prices are not determined by supply and demand.

Economists tell us that prices rise when demand exceeds output. Demand for new drugs has increased dramatically in recent years; it was inevitable that drug prices would follow suit. It's also important to remember that developing a new drug often costs in excess of $500 million. Millions of dollars are also spent on drugs that never reach the market. Thus, an enormous amount of capital is invested in drugs BEFORE they ever fill the pill bottles of consumers. In our free market system, drug companies are just as entitled to a return on their investment as anyone. (Those who suggest that drug companies - nay any companies, for that matter - are "too profitable" are simply repeating outdated socialist nostrums.)

Canadian consumers pay lower prices for prescription drugs because Canada's government-run health care system employs price controls. When they introduce drugs into the Canadian market, U.S. drug companies can charge just enough to cover manufacturing costs. Most of the burden of paying for research, development, and distribution falls on American consumers. Those people who think that they're doing an end-around on the drug companies by running to Canada for prescriptions are only deluding themselves. Every American consumer who has purchased prescription drugs has already helped to subsidize those low prices. Indeed, the only reason Canadian price controls "work" is because the true cost of pharmaceuticals shipped into Canada has been shifted to U.S. consumers.

So, what's the easiest way to lower drug prices in the United States? The answer is not price controls, as [a bipartisan congressional group] suggests. Price controls will only create shortages (look back at the history of price controls for the past, oh, 2,000 years). U.S. drug companies should follow GlaxoSmithKline's lead and threaten to withhold drugs from Canada and Europe until they allow prices to rise to more sensible levels. We will all enjoy cheaper drugs if Canadians and Europeans are forced to pay free-market prices.

The Nanny State strikes again:

"Scores of grumbling parents facing a threat of jail lined up at a courthouse Saturday to either prove that their school-age kids already had their required vaccinations or see that the youngsters submitted to the needle.

"The get-tough policy in the Washington suburbs of Prince George's County was one of the strongest efforts made by any U.S. school system to ensure its youngsters receive their required immunizations."

If anyone ever tells you that you can't get the flu from a flu shot, kick him in the balls or slap the sh** out of her. I've had two flu shots in my life: one in 2001 and one in 2003. I got sick from both shots. In fact, the 2003 flu shot made me so sick I really thought I was dying. I vowed that I'd never get another flu shot ever again. And I haven't. And I won't.

Keeping that in mind I would have a major problem with anyone telling me that I had to force my children to get flu shots. I don't give a damn who was telling me such (bureaucrats, judges, politicians, people who don't know how to mind their own f'n business, etc.), it would make me and my best friend, Mr. Nine M.L. Meter, very angry. Nobody - and I mean nobody - would like us very much if we were very angry.

Here's what's new over at A Man's Gotta Eat:

Shoney's is back, baby
Don't want no stinkin' ham soda
What the world's crappiest pizza costs 'round the world
Fine phở in South Nashville (update)
Haricots rouges et riz à ma maison

Methinks John Francis Bongiovi, Jr., aka Jon Bon Jovi, is suffering from delusions of grandeur:

"People are starting to wonder if rocker Jon Bon Jovi might have future political ambitions. Jon regularly performs at Democratic fund-raisers and has recently hired p.r. superstar Ken Sunshine (who was once employed as the chief of staff for Mayor David Dinkins). The New York Post reports that Jon and family have moved to Soho but he kept their NJ home, which would still make him eligible to run in the NJ Gubernatorial race.

"Ken Sunshine ... says Jon has been approached many times about running for office."

It seems like every boob with a recording contract or a few acting credits fancies himself or herself as a governor, senator, representative, or the Next President of the United States.

John Bongiovi, Jr., ain't qualified to be his county's dog catcher, let alone governor of New Jersey.

Earlier this week, a substitute teacher in Macon, Georgia went, well, nuckin' futs:

"A substitute teacher who worked her first day Wednesday at Bruce Elementary School took off all her clothes from the waist down in front of a class of fourth-graders, according to school officials.

"'They noticed she started to disrobe,' said Bibb County schools assistant superintendent Sylvia McGee. 'From her waist down, she was totally nude.'

"McGee said the substitute, whose name was not released, may have been on medication at the time, because after students went to another classroom to tell another teacher, the substitute was found in the classroom 'nonresponsive.'"

Of all the substitute teachers I had when I was in elementary school, I can't think of a single one that I would've wanted to see partially naked. In fact, if any of 'em had decided to disrobe, I wouldn't be writing this now. I woulda had three simultaneous strokes and woulda given up the ghost right there in the middle of the floor.

Ron Paul's supporters need to worry about gettin' their guy elected before they go about sticking his face on currency:

"Federal agents raided the headquarters of a group that produces illegal currency and puts it in circulation, seizing gold, silver and two tons of copper coins featuring Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul.

"Agents also took records, computers and froze the bank accounts at the 'Liberty Dollar' headquarters during the Thursday raid, Bernard von NotHaus, founder of the National Organization for the Repeal of the Federal Reserve Act & Internal Revenue Code, said in a posting on the group's Web site.

"The organization, which is critical of the Federal Reserve, has repeatedly clashed with the federal government, which contends that the gold, silver and copper coins it produces are illegal. NORFED claims its Liberty Dollars are inflation free and can restore stability to financial markets by allowing commerce based on a currency that does not fluctuate in value like the U.S. dollar.

"'They're running scared right now and they had to do something,' von NotHaus told the Associated Press Friday. 'I'm volunteering to meet the agents and get arrested so we can thrash this out in court.'"

I couldn't find a picture of a Ron Paul Libery Dollar. Reckon it features ol' Ron wearing a tinfoil hat?!

Looks like the GOP race in Iowa is gonna be a real barnburner:

"Iowa Republicans have a recent track record of embracing the GOP's establishment presidential candidate in their leadoff caucuses. They've searched far and wide for a such a nominee for 2008 - but haven't yet found him.

"Less than seven weeks before the voting, the Republican race here is unsettled.

"Mitt Romney had held a double-digit lead in polls for months, but his margin is narrowing as voters begin to home in on their choices ahead of January's contest. ...

"Iowans long have been known for waiting until the final weeks and even days of a campaign before locking in on someone - and this cycle is proving no different.

"Polls show some 15 percent of likely Republican caucus-goers are undecided. And more than half say they could still change their minds. The lack of a clear-cut favorite seemingly presents opportunity for any of the strong contenders to emerge. ...

"Over the past few weeks, several polls have shown Romney's lead tightening to single digits as Huckabee, an underfunded though charismatic conservative who barely registered in polls this summer, leapt to a second-place showing. This week, a CBS News/New York Times poll found Romney with 27 percent to Huckabee's 21 percent, with Giuliani at 15 percent. The Research 2000 Iowa Poll showed Romney at 27 percent, Huckabee at 18 percent and Giuliani at 16 percent. Thompson and McCain lagged the others in both polls."

Wanna know how you can tell when I'm really, really sick? Here 'tis: I didn't read a page of nothin' on Wednesday or Thursday. No books. No magazines. No newspapers. No political Web sites. Nothin'.

Wednesday, at approximately 7:45 in the A.M., I was standing by my car on the shoulder of Bell Road and ... well, let's just say it wasn't a pretty sight. I spent the next, oh, 46 hours lying in bed, or on the couch, watching the room spin between bouts of ... again, let's just say it wasn't pretty.

I think the bug with which I've been suffering has just about run its course. Thus, I'll be resuming my "regular" blogging schedule later today.

Thanks for reading.

Remember the "Red sky at night, sailors' delight" quip? If'n you do, you should appreciate the hell outta this pic, which was snapped in my workplace parking lot bout 5:30 today:

Here we go again!

The following "poster" appeared in a South Nashville workplace today. I didn't know nothin' 'bout it until I seen it. I promptly removed it and placed it in File 13 (I think you know where that is).



If'n you can't read the quote, it says:

"My fellow Americans, this I pledge to you: As your president, I will be all things to all people. There shall be free everything for everybody. Common sense will be a thing of the past. And I shall banish the laws of supply and demand ... forever! I humbly ask for your support and your vote. Thank you!"

The quote in question did trip from my lips. But I was drunk off my ass when I said it. That don't mean that I didn't, well, mean it when I said it. Hell, I say a lot of profound things when I've had a snoot-full. Don't believe me? Well, let's go drinkin' ...!

Mitt Romney tain't sure if he'll make a speech in which he discusses his religious views:

"Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney said Saturday his political advisers have warned him against giving a speech explaining his Mormon faith.

"During a house party ... Romney was asked by voters if he would give a speech outlining his religious beliefs and how those beliefs might impact his administration, much like then-Sen. John F. Kennedy did as he sought to explain his Catholic faith during the 1960 election.

"'I'm happy to answer any questions people have about my faith and do so pretty regularly,' the former Massachusetts governor said. 'Is there going to be a special speech? Perhaps, at some point. I sort of like the idea myself. The political advisers tell me no, no, no -- it's not a good idea. It draws too much attention to that issue alone.'"

I'm of the opinion that Gov. Romney should address his chosen religion in a "major" speech, the sooner the better. Why? Well, I'll tell you ...

Most Americans know very little about the Mormon church, aka the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. What they do know, usually, is this:

● The Mormon church is a "cult"
● Mormons practice polygamy
● Mormons look down on anyone who consumes alcohol or caffeine
● All Mormons wear the same, church-approved style of underwear
● Mormons are not Christians

No wonder some 60+ percent of Americans have indicated that they'll never vote for a Mormon for President. Hell, if I believed all such scuttlebutt 'bout Mormons -- with nary an "enlightening" counter-view within earshot or in sight -- I might tell a pollster the same thing.

That said, let's take a look at the REAL Mitt Romney ...

Mitt Romney has a homelife most candidates would/should envy: He's still married to his college sweetheart; he has a stable of well-adjusted, smart-as-hell children; and he's never, ever been accused of taking a fat intern and ... well, you know.

In addition, Romney founded über-successful Bain Capital, saved the Salt Lake City Olympics, served one term as a fiscally conservative Republican governor of Massachusetts, and ... must I go on?

Mitt Romney is more than qualified to serve as the next U.S. President. When you look at his family/professional/governmental experience, he is the MOST qualified candidate currenlty running for president. However, there's the Mormon question ...

Unfortunately, most voters don't know **** 'bout the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. That's a shame. (Of course, if one wanted to fill a 100,000-gallon tank with what American voters don't know, one would find that he/she had a tank that was 50,000 gallons too small.)

Mitt Romney is going to win the Iowa Caucus and the the New Hampshire Primary. Bank it (apologies, again, to George Plaster). If'n he intends to win other primaries/cauci, he needs to - nay, he must - talk about his faith in a substantive, instructive fashion.

Again, Mitt must talk about "it" ... the current political sit-chee-A-shun dictates such, and then some.

The following story should be story number one on the Big Three's nightly newscast ce soir. Should, mind you, but such ain't gonna happen. Indeed, I'm sure tonight's nightly newscasters will be too busy cheerleading for a U.S. recession to even faintly praise this:

"Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Sunday suicide attacks and other bombings in the Iraqi capital have dropped dramatically since last year's high, calling it a sign of the end of sectarian violence. A top U.S. general here said he believes the drop is sustainable, as Iraqis turn away from extremists.

"Al-Maliki said 'terrorist acts' including car bombings and other spectacular, al-Qaida-style attacks dropped by 77 percent. He called it a sign that Sunni-Shiite violence was nearly gone from Baghdad. ...

"Before the arrival of nearly 30,000 U.S. reinforcements this past spring, explosions shook Baghdad daily - sometimes hourly. The whiz of mortar and rocket fire crisscrossing the Tigris River was frequent. And the pop-pop of gunfire beat out a constant, somber rhythm of killing.

"Now the sounds of warfare are rare. American troops have set up small outposts in some of the capital's most dangerous enclaves. Locals previously lukewarm to the presence of U.S. soldiers patrol alongside them. And a historic lane on the eastern banks of the Tigris is set to reopen later this year, lined with seafood restaurants and an art gallery."

Be sure to check out what's been happening at A Man's Gotta Eat (especially what's on the mene at my house ce soir):

Haricots rouges et riz à ma maison
Classic A Man's Gotta Eat (re: Duke's Mayo)
Fine phở in South Nashville
водочка!
Praise be to a Southern staple
Enjoyin' the Emerald Isle by way of A-town

In an interview published in the Weekend Wall Street Journal, Mitt Romney says he envisions a turnaround project for Washinton, D.C. A sample:

"Having established his biography, he turns without pause to the question, which he asks himself, 'Why am I running for president?'

"The answer to this question is as abstract as his overture was personal. The 'I' in the question seems to disappear: 'I think what America faces now are extraordinary challenges, which, if we deal with appropriately, will allow us to remain the world's military and economic superpower for an indefinite period of time.'

"Mr. Romney does then introduce a personal element, but it's not his own person. 'If we instead take the course that Hillary Clinton would prescribe,' he warns, 'it would lead to America becoming the France of this century -- having started as a superpower, ending up as a second-tier power.'"

Read the rest here.

I'm almost over the nasal passage-burning whatever with which I've suffered for the past couple of days. Hopefully, I'll be publishing original content again tomorrow -- Monday at the latest. Please to enjoy some more Classic Creeder (the last paragraph is the best):

Gray days for Tennessee Democrats

Gray Sasser, son of former U.S. Senator Jim Sasser, was recently elected chairman of the state Democratic Party. According to today's City Paper, Sasser is not only relishing his new job, he's "hopeful ... for the future" of the Tennessee Democratic Party as well. The obvious question is: Why?

Tennessee is not only a conservative state, it is a thoroughly Republican state as well. Yes, but, doesn't Phil Bredesen's big victory last year dispute this notion? Not at all. In 2002, Phil Bredesen was elected on a platform of low taxes and promises to use the power of the market to deal with issues like TennCare. That is, he more or less ran as a Republican. In fact, if an individual knew absolutely nothing about Phil Bredesen except what he or she had seen in the governor-to-be's 2002 television ads, the individual in question would've had to conclude that Bredesen is a card-carrying Republican.

Bredesen's 2006 re-election campaign was chock full of sloganeering on behalf of conservative causes (see illegal immigration), and he easily defeated an opponent will little money and no name recognition. Bredesen, however, had no coattails: Junior lost; Bredesen buds like Bob Rochelle, Mary Parker, and Vince Springer came up well short in their respective bids to defeat GOP members of the State Senate; and Democrats failed to pick up any seats in the State House of Representatives.

The GOP's gaining complete control of the State Senate for the first time in 130-something years has been the topic du jour in the blogosphere recently. Thus, I'll not dive into that subject here. I will say this, however: The fact that a down-the-line Democrat, i.e., Rosalind Kurita, crossed the aisle to support the Republican candidate for Speaker shows that state Democrats currently do not have their heads and their asses wired together. I'm afraid Kurita's defection is only the first crack of many cracks the Democrats will be trying to seal in the months ahead.

One of my fondest political memories is seeing Gray Sasser crying his eyes out during his father's concession speech on election night 1994. Sasser's no doubt a very smart individual, but a tough-talking, tough-minded politico he ain't. His selection as state party chief says a lot about the current state of Tennessee Democrats. Let's just hope, for Gray Sasser's sake, that they've put up a large supply of tissues.

Yours truly is suffering with some kinda head cold/sinus infection thing. I'll be back tomorrow. In the meantime, enjoy the following post from a few months back:

Wanna know why I detest left-wingers? Look no further than today's Nashville City Paper for your answer.

In a letter to the City Paper, Jim DeKornfeld says this 'bout the immigration issue:

"We should not use Gestapo tactics ... on millions of residents here as law-abiding, albeit, illegal immigrants."

Leave it to a liberal to reason that a person who is committing an illegal act each and every day that he or she stands on U.S. soil is "abiding" the law.

Furthermore, only a liberal would infer that a government agency, i.e., the Immigration and Naturalization Service, is engaging in "Gestapo" tactics when it enforces existing laws. (When the IRS goes after folks who, despite not paying their taxes, are upstanding, God-fearing citizens, is it engaging in Nazi-like behavior?!)

Mr. DeKornfeld is a dumbass, as are most liberals. Asserting that a person who's in the United States ILLEGALLY is a "law-abiding" citizen identifies him as such. Indeed.

I detest dumbasses; therefore, I detest liberals.

There you go.

Armstrong Williams has Hillary pegged, and then some ...

"A presidential candidate needs to be direct with the public; [Ms. Clinton's] Mean Girls strategy is unsustainable. Critics and proponents alike must realize she is not telling the public anything new. It really makes you wonder how strong a president they will be once the incumbent is out the picture. We have no idea what a Hillary Clinton administration would look like should she be elected, because she rarely discusses her own agenda.

"Here’s what we do know: Hillary doesn’t like President Bush, and she enjoys riding her husband’s coattails. As far as Social Security, illegal immigration and the war in Iraq, she shows no 'substance' there. Her ambiguous answers leave us only with our imaginations to figure it out. But if left up to our imaginations, some might believe that the Clinton’s return to the White House could be a prescription for scandal. As of this writing she has even started playing the 'gender' card. What a hoot!

"In Philadelphia, Clinton was railed by her colleagues during the debate and pretty much by everyone after the debate. Polls by CNN and the Rasmussen Report showed her lead slipped immediately after the debate - probably because of her evasive answers, tired tactics, and lack of ideas. At least supporters can be thankful that Clinton realized her strategy needs fixing. In an interview this week she said, “I wasn't at my best the other night," Clinton told CNN's Candy Crowley. 'We've had a bunch of debates and I wouldn't rank that up in my very top list.' Yeah right!

"During the debate, a question was asked of candidates about whether or not they support a plan in New York to offer drivers licenses to illegal immigrants. Clinton’s response was brutal from the beginning when she said that it's a question that doesn't allow a candidate to answer simply by “raising their hand.” Then she went on to say, 'It depends upon what state they're in, it depends upon what [governors] think the risks are,' Clinton said. 'The governor of New York has a lot of immigrants, many of whom we know are not there legally; [he] has to worry about security. A governor of another state where that's not a problem doesn't. This issue has been so politicized,' Clinton continued, 'and I understand that, because you can score points, you can score all kinds of political, demagogic points.' The fact is as she knows all too well you can lose them as well depending upon your geography, which thus explains her answer.

"It's no surprise considering she’s managed to defy all odds when people have been trying to determine where she stands on Iraq, national security, and Iran developing a nuclear arsenal. But what’s more scary than her answer if you’re a Clinton supporter is her delusions that she is in fact being straightforward most of the time. 'I've answered probably, I don't know, more than 5,000 questions over the last 10 months and I have been very clear about where I stand and what I want to do for the country.'

"Are you kidding me? If that is truly the case, then why does she keep harping on President Bush and why can’t most people tell you where she stands on the crucial issues facing our country today? The fact is that Senator Clinton started with a big lead in this campaign because of her name and her husband’s legacy. And slowly but surely she is losing that lead because she refuses, over and over again, to be open and honest with the American people. And also, the public is beginning to judge her based on her character, responses to the tough questions, and the fact that she continues to reinvent herself every week. That loud noise you just heard is Mrs. Bill Clinton’s stock continuing to plummet in the polls. Only time and the American voters can determine where it truly lands her. The White House anybody?"

A letter in yesterday's Wall Street Journal somehow escaped my attention. When I read said letter 'bout 2 p.m. today, I damn near choked on the bite-size Snickers I was eating.

Iran's U.N. "press counselor," a Mister M.A. Mohammadi, had a letter to the editor published in yesterday's WSJ in which he uncorked ... well, this is what he said:

"Unfortunately, the U.S., succumbing to the pressure of Israel and its supporters in the U.S. ... has conveniently ignored Iran's contribution to regional peace and security."

A person would have to be an Iranian mullah-loving sycophant -- or a dumbass of the first order -- to think that the Islamic Republic of Iran has done anything to foster "peace and security" in the Middle East. Think I'm talkin' outta my you-know-what?

Let's see:

Iran was responsible for the 1983 Beirut bombings (killing both U.S. and French marines); INTERPOL has placed Iranian agents on its "most-wanted" list for the 1994 bombing of an Argentine synagogue/Jewish center; Iran is the primary backer of Israeli soldier-abducting/Jewish settlement-bombing Hezbollah in South Lebanon; and Iran provides IEDs to Shi'ite militants in Iraq.

Tain't nothing "peaceful" about Iran's machinations these days. Again, only a dumbass would think otherwise. (Sorry, Press Counselor Mohammadi.) ((Sorry, sorry American Conservitive agazine.))

Just as one odious jackass, i.e., George Steinbrenner, is leaving the Major League Baseball scene, another may soon arrive to take his place:

"[A]t a speaking engagement in Chicago over the weekend Trump said that he was going to look into buying the Cubs to save them from a bid by Cuban. The Chicago Sun-Times breaks down his statement:

'"The ego man shot a barb at billionaire Mark Cuban, who is part of a group hoping to buy the Cubbies, by chiding him for not winning anything in his life. Trump told the audience he was going to look into buying the Cubs Monday morning.'"

GOPUSA's Grassroots Survey Team takes a fresh look at the GOP presidential race:

"Much has changed since our June survey. Since then, the biggest loser has been Thompson, and the biggest winner has been Huckabee. In our June survey, Thompson led all candidates with 45%. Huckabee, on the other hand, was far behind with 4%. It is well known that the Huckabee campaign has lacked financial resources, and his gain in the GOPUSA survey shows how important the presidential debates actually are. His performance in the debates, along with strong showings in other speeches and straw polls has vaulted him into top-tier status. Giuliani and Romney also gained ground among survey team members, and they along with Thompson and Huckabee, comprise the top tier."

Take a look at the full survey here.

Jonathan Berr says there ain't no way Fred Thompson's gonna be elected president (I tend to agree):

"Forget Macaca. Forget the Dean Scream. Fred Thompson's admission that he doubts he'll win the presidential race is a political gaffe that tops them all.

"The Thompson candidacy was fun while it lasted. I am not sure what I will miss the most -- the endless chatter about his laziness or the endless chatter about his attractive wife."

Read the rest here.

Each and every time the United States proposes a get-tough measure to deal with illegal immigration, a Mexican lawmaker - from the president on down - gets his panties in a major twist.

I have an idea: One or more members of Congress should introduce a bill to conform, if you will, U.S. immigration policy to the Mexican constitution. Why? Well, let's look at what the Mexican constitution says 'bout immigration (pay particular attention to Articles in bold):

* Foreigners are admitted into Mexico "according to their possibilities of contributing to national progress." (Article 32)

* Immigration officials must "ensure" that "immigrants will be useful elements for the country and that they have the necessary funds for their sustenance" and for their dependents. (Article 34)

* Foreigners may be barred from the country if their presence upsets "the equilibrium of the national demographics," when foreigners are deemed detrimental to "economic or national interests," when they do not behave like good citizens in their own country, when they have broken Mexican laws, and when "they are not found to be physically or mentally healthy." (Article 37)

* The Secretary of Governance may "suspend or prohibit the admission of foreigners when he determines it to be in the national interest." (Article 38)

* Federal, local and municipal police must cooperate with federal immigration authorities upon request, i.e., to assist in the arrests of illegal immigrants. (Article 73)

* A National Population Registry keeps track of "every single individual who comprises the population of the country," and verifies each individual's identity. (Articles 85 and 86)

* A national Catalog of Foreigners tracks foreign tourists and immigrants (Article 87), and assigns each individual with a unique tracking number (Article 91).

* Foreigners with fake immigration papers may be fined or imprisoned. (Article 116)

* Foreigners who sign government documents "with a signature that is false or different from that which he normally uses" are subject to fine and imprisonment. (Article 116)

* Foreigners who fail to obey a deportation order are to be punished. (Article 117)

* Foreigners who are deported from Mexico and attempt to re-enter the country without authorization can be imprisoned for up to 10 years. (Article 118)

* Foreigners who violate the terms of their visa may be sentenced to up to six years in prison (Articles 119, 120 and 121). Foreigners who misrepresent the terms of their visa while in Mexico -- such as working with out a permit -- can also be imprisoned.

* "A penalty of up to two years in prison and a fine of three hundred to five thousand pesos will be imposed on the foreigner who enters the country illegally." (Article 123)

* Foreigners with legal immigration problems may be deported from Mexico instead of being imprisoned. (Article 125)

* Foreigners who "attempt against national sovereignty or security" will be deported. (Article 126)

* A Mexican who marries a foreigner with the sole objective of helping the foreigner live in the country is subject to up to five years in prison. (Article 127)

* Shipping and airline companies that bring undocumented foreigners into Mexico will be fined. (Article 132)

We all know why Mexican officals are agin' U.S. attempts to crack down on illegal immigration: Remittances from the U.S. constitute the second-largest sector of Mexico's economy, just behind petroleum exports.

That said, it'd be interesting to see what'd happen if the U.S. aped Mexico's immigration policies. Would Mexican government officials object if such happened? And if they did, how could they logically explain their objection?!

Hillary Rodham (Clinton) has now been endorsed by two of America's biggest political losers. To wit:

● "[I]n Iowa, [Sen. Rodham] has received the endorsement of George McGovern, the 1972 U.S. Democratic presidential candidate defeated by Richard Nixon."

● "Former Vice President Walter Mondale is endorsing Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton for president."

I hate to be incredibly, well, full o' common sense, but I can't find myself votin' for a gal - or guy - who's ever been endorsed by GEORGE "STATIST LOSER" MCGOVERN and/or WALTER "STATIST LOSER" MONDALE.

Hillary ain't worth two squirts. You can quote me on that.

To say that the following is Orwellian is an understatement of the first degree:

"A mandatory University of Delaware program requires residence hall students to acknowledge that 'all whites are racist' and offers them 'treatment' for any incorrect attitudes regarding class, gender, religion, culture or sexuality they might hold upon entering the school, according to a civil rights group.

"'Somehow, the University of Delaware seems terrifyingly unaware that a state-sponsored institution of higher education in the United States does not have the legal right to engage in a program of systematic thought reform. The First Amendment protects the right to freedom of conscience – the right to keep our innermost thoughts free from governmental intrusion. It also protects the right to be free from compelled speech,' said a letter from Samantha Harris, director of legal and public advocacy for The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education to university President Patrick Harker.

"The organization cited excerpts from the university's Office of Residence Life Diversity Education Training documents, including the statement:

"'A RACIST: A racist is one who is both privileged and socialized on the basis of race by a white supremacist (racist) system. The term applies to all white people (i.e., people of European descent) living in the United States, regardless of class, gender, religion, culture or sexuality. By this definition, people of color cannot be racists, because as peoples within the U.S. system, they do not have the power to back up their prejudices, hostilities, or acts of discrimination.'"

Implying that someone is racist simply because he or she has white skin is inherently racist in and of itself. No? Well, consider this:

From 1994-2005, blacks "made up 40 percent of all cop-killers ... even though they [made up] only 13.4 percent of the American population."

If I implied from on high that "all blacks" are cop-killers, do you think that anyone on earth would take me seriously? What If I suggested that a U.S. college or university should instruct its charges to learn about cop-killing blacks and do what they can to "fight" such pernicious individuals?

I'd be run outta town on a big-ass rail, and any free-thinking/learned soul worth his or her salt knows it!

You know, any person who thinks that American colleges and universities are institutes of higher "learning" is deluding himself/herself. Indeed, tain't much thinkin' goin' on at very many schools these days ... see above.

Yours truly is heading to Atlanta. I'll be back late tomorrow night. In the meantime, be sure to check out the latest posts at A Man's Gotta Eat:

Red, red wine headache
The chili effect
Meatloaf!
Vive El Inca! (Actualización)
Vive El Inca!
Great-Aunt Caroline's beef and cabbage casserole

Oh, and if you're looking for something to do ce soir, wing over to the Exit/In at 9 p.m. to catch the They Might Be Giants/Oppenheimer show. If you like Nashville's Luna Halo, you'll freakin' love Oppenheimer. Gar-un-damn-teed.

"While their search for contraband cigarettes continues, state Department of Revenue agents also are seizing beer brought into Tennessee to avoid one of the highest malt beverage taxes in the nation."

-- Knoxville News Sentinel, October 8, 2007

Yours truly will be in Atlanta this weekend visiting friends. Mes amis generously offered to treat me to Sunday's Falcons-49ers game, and I accepted.

I'm not heading to Atlanta just to watch a football game. Oh, no. I'm also going to drive out to Buckhead to shop at the best damn liquor warehouse on the planet, Sherlock's.

As I do every time I go to A-town, I'm going to fill my trunk with four-packs of Samuel Smith's. You see, a four-pack of Samuel Smith's is about $3.50 cheaper in Georgia than it is anywhere in Tennessee.

I know important members of the Bredesen Administration read this blog. If any of 'em want to come over for a brew next week, all they have to do is drop me a line.

Duane "Dog" Chapman drops several N-bombs in a private telephone conversation and he loses his television gig:

"A&E has now pulled Dog the Bounty Hunter from the air indefinitely. 'In evaluating the circumstances of the last few days, A&E has decided to take Dog The Bounty Hunter off the network's schedule for the foreseeable future,' the network said in a statement Friday. 'We hope that Mr. Chapman continues the healing process that he has begun.'"

Halle Berry uncorked an anti-Semitic slur on NBC's Tonight Show, which was sanitized by the network, and then issued a half-assed apology in which she hinted at how many Jewish friends she has.

Is Ms. Berry's reputation ruined and her career over? Not by a damn site. Indeed, it's only a matter of time before we see her in another one of her craptacular big screen efforts.

So, you don't think the New York Times has an anti-U.S. military agenda?!

Check this out (from the November 5, 2007 National Review):

"The nation’s highest battlefield award, the Medal of Honor, was recently bestowed posthumously upon Lt. Michael Murphy for his military heroism. A native son of New York, Murphy is the first to receive this honor for action seen in Afghanistan. Taliban attackers surrounded a group of SEALs he was commanding and shot him in the back as he attempted to radio headquarters in pursuit of advice for his imperiled team. While the hero won the respect and admiration of his country and comrades, he did not, apparently, merit mention in the New York Times. Though other papers nationwide covered the story, the Times opted to ignore the hometown hero, and instead published on that day a story headed 'Marines to Conduct Inquiry into the Killings of Afghan Civilians in March.'"

During a recent interview with the Philadelphia Enquirer's editorial board, Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich questioned President George W. Bush's sanity:

''I seriously believe we have to start asking questions about his mental health."

Dennis Kucinich calling someone - nay, anyone - crazy is akin to Rosie O'Donnell calling someone fat. Indeed, Kucinich is perhaps the craziest sombitch who currently holds a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

During the 2004 presidential campaign, Kucinich.com posted this bit of, ahem, wisdom from one Rep. Dennis Kucinich:

"Spirit merges with matter to sanctify the universe. Matter transcends to return to spirit. The interchangeability of matter and spirit means the starlit magic of the outermost life of our universe becomes the soul-light magic of the innermost life of our self."

Sounds like a musing from the Natural Law Party -- or the Church of Scientology -- don't it?!

As if all that weren't reason enough to dismiss Dennis Kucinich as a first-class nut, check this out:

"Liberal (to say the least) Democrat and perennial presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich took time during this week's [Democratic presidential] debate to address his sighting of an unidentified flying object. The subject first came up in Shirley MacLaine's new book in which she wrote, 'He saw a gigantic triangular craft, silent and observing him. ... It hovered for about 10 minutes or so and sped away with a speed he couldn't comprehend. He felt a connection in his heart and heard directions in his mind.'"

UFOs ... Shirley MacLaine ... "transcending spirits": Again, Dennis Kucinich is a nut without peer. Indeed.