How do you know that you are desperate for friendship?

You invite yourself to be a "friend" on The Facebook!

I opened up my computer mailbox this morning, and discovered that I had invited myself to be my own friend on "The Facebook." Now, I have discussed my experiences with "The Facebook" once or twice before on this blog.

And truthfully, I had not looked at it in about a week. I normally only hit "The Facebook" when I receive some kind of invitation from users of "The Facebook." And this was an invitation that I just had to look into.

My first thought was, "Hey, am I a sleep-Facebook user? You know, kind of like a sleep-walker...doing junk in the middle of the night unknown to my conscious mind? Did I invite myself to be my friend during that dream last night while Abraham Lincoln and my Uncle Ross were pitching horseshoes?"

So, I hit the link, and discovered that I'm okay...for now. No, some fellow with my exact name invited me to be his "friend." So, I see that this fellow is 29 years old, lives in Del Mar, California, is single, is interested in "women, friendship, and whatever I can get." He is also ambivilent toward politics, and obviously not a Christian, Muslim, or anything else.

A link to his "parents" show that his father is also a Facebook member with 486 "friends." Interestingly, his father is a Vietnamese guy...I'm pretty sure he's a Vietnamese-American. But our shared name is in no way Asian...so, maybe it is a step-father. Dunno!

Maybe this fellow is trying to start some kind of an "Andy Reeves" club on "The Facebook." But honestly, I don't want to accept the invitation. So, I will not.

But if y'all want to do your good deed for the day, you can look this young fellow up and invite him to be your "friend." He doesn't seem to be too particular.

The only other thought I had about this was that maybe this boy doesn't know who his Daddy is, and is inviting everybody with a name similar to his in order to maybe find his Daddy. Maybe his Momma told him that he was named after his Daddy...who knows. I am about the right age to be his Daddy...but naaaaaaaaaaa. I'm a one woman man.

If any of y'all have experienced something like this, let me know, would ya'?

BEER SUMMIT...

Why it matters...

There has been an explosion of blog posts (on right wing blogs) over the last few weeks about the foolishness of pursuing the fact that President Obama may not be qualified to hold the Office of President due to his Constitutionally mandated "natural born citizen" status...or lack thereof.

The thrust of most of these posts is just shut-up and leave it alone. You "birthers" are making us look like lefty Moonbats. Go after Obama on his policies, etc. But I believe that Obama's policies are inextricably tied to his roots. I am not defending the "birthers," or dis'in' 'em either. I am just saying that I understand "why it matters," at least to what I believe to be the majority of them.

I have made mention of it two or three times on this meager blog, but haven't made a big deal out of it. I have, however commented on many threads on various blogs. I hope I have made it clear that I realize "this ain't going nowhere," and also that "it matters." It matters to me because our founders were wise men. And they feared the day that someone with "divided loyalties" would lead the nation...someone without a truly American foundation, and American DNA.

I am going to link to a piece at the American Thinker by James Lewis. Lewis explains my thoughts much better than I can. You know the old expression, "I couldn't have read it better myself."

From the article:

No judge is going to question the Constitutional qualifications of an elected president. I'm sorry, but that's the practical reality. The judge is going to follow stare decisis -- the sheer weight of commitments that cannot be reversed without creating chaos. Once the political system of the United States, the voters, the media, and the politicians themselves are all committed to the proposition that Obama is president, trying to reverse it would mean riots in every city in the nation.

And yet the Obama "birther" debate is important. What's important about it is the feeling a growing number of Americans have in their bones that Obama is foreign -- to our traditions, loyalties and shared understandings about the nature of America. In a way the legal debate matters less than that bone-deep sense that Obama is fundamentally "Other than American." Entire Article

RAINBOW MOONBATTERY...

Pinched from Classicaliberal

These people walk among us. They live in our neighborhoods. They vote.

"Best Husband in the world" week wraps up...

Well, today we unveil the "Best Husband in the world!"

I know that this has been a wildly popular feature. My computer letter box has been just flooded with notes of thanks! But all good things must come to an end.

All the entries were impressive, but the winner of the gold medal is...

Drumroll...

The Polocks!

Daiya is ONE LUCKY WOMAN to have a husband like Cerek.


In previous comments, Waltbasket noted that the Irish believe so deeply in sexual equality that men and women carry their own supply of beer...none of that chivalrous Southern US junk.

It seems that Poland shares that same societal liberation. Yet, you can see that Cerek is rushing ahead to unlock the van so that Daiya won't get as wet loading up her weekly supply. Now, that might seem like a lot of beer for one small Polish woman to drink in a week. But with a fabulous husband like Cerek...maybe not...

JUST IN CASE...

USA Today (nyuk) is reporting that Mt. Rushmore will soon be scanned with lasers!

According to the article:

This fall, crews from Scotland and California will shoot laser beams at the Mount Rushmore National Memorial as part of a project to create a digital three-dimensional model of the iconic mountain carving from all angles.

The effort, known as laser scanning, will give archaeologists and others the data needed to repair or rebuild the colossal monument in case it is ever damaged by an attack, an earthquake or some other calamity, says Navnit Singh, director of interpretation and education at Mount Rushmore.


C'mon! Gimme a stinkin' break! How would you ever rebuild, or even patch up Lincoln's mole, or Washington's wig in the event of an earthquake, or terrorist attack? Whatcha gonna do? Are we gonna force all the enslaved Jews to haul some granite/clay/straw composition junk up Jefferson's broad chest to re-establish his nostrils when the big'un hits?

I actually do see some value to this "project." It would be kinda cool to have exact replicas of US National Monuments, so that kids can maybe build 1/32 scale models of them...and learn a little bit about the guys and gals they memorialize in the process.

To my shame, I will admit that I had not heard about this until I was listening to the radio this morning. My News Radio station runs "Last Night on Tonight with Conan O'Brien." Conan told the story of this project, and then quipped..."The good news is that if the lasers work, Teddy Roosevelt will no longer need glasses."

I thought that was pretty funny. But that's just me.

"Best Husband in the world" week...Thursday edition.

I do not know much about Greece. But I think they speak Greek...the modern kind of Greek, not the kind of Greek that The New Testament was written in. It is called Demo-somethingoranother.

But the Greeks managed to pull off a silver medal in the "Best Husband in the world" competition with this entry.

It seems that Ghiorghos, and Constantina almost snagged the top spot...and it was a razor-thin margin to be sure. When I saw this photo, I wasn't quite sure what was going on. My first thought was that Constantina is hauling some kind of crop...maybe something like sugar cane.

But I don't believe that is it. I believe that her wonderful husband Ghirghos is simply ignoring her...trying to convince her of the folly of building their new house out of sticks. He obviously knows that the Big Bad Wolf will easily blow it down, and eat his precious wife alive.

I'm sure that he is on his way to the brickyard to arrange for suitable materials. And he is (I'm sure) on the lookout for the Big Bad Wolf, ready to poke him in the eye with the business end of a burning Karelia!

Congratulations to the Greeks! It's a shame that the home of the Ancient Olympic Games couldn't bring home the gold. But that's the breaks.

And the plot thickens...

Well, it seems that the porn film star gal that has been "exploring" a run for the U.S. Senate against my Senator David Vitter had a run-in with "The Man" not long before her political adviser cheated certain death when his car was fire-bombed.

XBIZ (I wonder what this website reports on...???) is reporting that Stormy Daniels was arrested by the poleeese on charges of "domestic violence" last Saturday night in Florida.

Yesterday, I told y'all that Stormy Daniel's "political adviser" had his vehicle go Kaboom!

I am starting to see a pattern here. I know I'm a "really slow, Uncle Joe" when it comes to putting two and two together...

But I'm just wondering if she beat down her husband...(some guy named "Moz"...nyuk), and old Mozie decided to blow up her "political adviser's" car just to show he's not intimidated one little bit? Hmmm....

The Smoking Gun has obtained a copy of the Tampa poleeese report. It looks like future Senator Stormy threw everything short of her head, and elbows at old Moz. "Hands/Fists/Feet" are listed as the weapons on the poleeese report.

Before gathering all the facts, it reminded me of this assault report filed a few years ago.



I was thinking, "maybe Stormy is doing the dirty deed with other guys, and her husband got wind of it...confronted her...and she threw a used rubber in his face just to humiliate him."

So then her husband got her arrested for domestic violence...hopped a Greyhound to New Orleans, and blew up her "political adviser's" car just to put an exclamation point on the whole deal.

But I don't know. As I said yesterday, I still don't have enough facts of the matter to come to a conclusion. But, it is going to be interesting to see how this all unravels.

But I've got me one stinkin' suspicion that the two events are related. Kinda like "Uno plus Uno equals Dos." I'll keep y'all in the loop...

"Best Husband in the world" week...Wednesday edition.

I love the Irish! Maybe I'm just a U.S. homer, but I don't really care to visit Europe. Oh sure, they've got old buildings, and ancient cathedrals, and history and junk over there that we do not have in the U.S.

But it's "Europe." And I'm just not that much into it... But I think I would like to visit Ireland. I could listen to those micks talk all day and never get tired of the accent. I actually have a little Irish in my blood, and according to The Mrs., plenty of blarney. She must be right. Witness that she said "yes."

And I love American descendants of the Irish. They make wonderful cops, firemen, and tenors. Now, I wouldn't give you a nickel for their food, but I shed a tear every time I hear "Danny Boy." In fact, there is a beautiful rendition of it by Michael Londra (heh! a "mick.") here, complete with gorgeous pictures of Ireland.

But I digress. Ireland's entry came in a strong third place. I can tell how much this mick loves the little gal. Every good husband knows that the wife appreciates the show of affection of holding hands while on an afternoon stroll.

BOOM!!!

I don't know if this story has had much national coverage, but down here in Louisiana it has. Porn star, Stormy Daniels, is crisscrossing the State "investigating" a run for US Senate against our Senator, David Vitter.

Now, I figure that she has decided to do this in order to promote her popularity in the porn community, or has been put up to it by someone in order to highlight David Vitter's connection to the infamous "DC Madam scandal" ahead of his re-election bid in 2010. She obviously has no more chance of winning a US Senate seat than some washed-up, failed comedian would!

Now, don't get me wrong. I am not excusing what David did. Cavorting with whores is not acceptable (even for a US Congressman). But I will say that I appreciate David Vitter's work in the US Senate. He has fought bravely against the "Law Of the Sea Treaty," illegal immigration, the "stinkulus bill," bad judicial nominations, gun control...and the list goes on and on. He has been spot-on right with every vote while serving as my US Senator.

In fact, of all the times I have tried to contact politicians, he is the only one to ever send me an e-mail (from his personal e-mail address btw), or personally return a phone call. I do not believe that his indiscretions (whoring around) of so many years ago will cost him re-election in 2010.

Anyhow, to the point! Stormy Daniel's "political adviser" had his car fire-bombed yesterday in New Orleans. And I truly do not know what to think about it at this point. I can not imagine even a right wing-nut taking her candidacy seriously. And I certainly can not wrap my head around "why" said "wing-nut" would go after her "political adviser," and not the gal herself.

So, it raises more questions. Maybe he owes somebody some money. Regardless of what you may hear, New Orleans still has a little bit of crime...and even some "organized crime." But it is possible that a right wing zealot wants to scare the living crud out of anyone connected to this poor, wayward girl. I dunno! But it will be interesting to see how this all shakes out.

WGNO in New Orleans reports...

Rainy Tuesday Image Dump...

Hey y'all! Hugs, kisses, yada yada yada...

I had asked y'all to pray for some rain here in NW Louisiana. And I truly appreciate all the help. It started raining Sunday morning, and ain't quit yet! Sometimes it's been light, sometimes heavy, sometimes torrential, and sometimes downright frightening. I think we're up to about 12 feet of rain in three days.

So, y'all can quit praying now...okay?

I'm cleaning out images that I thought I might one day use on this meager blog, or insert into a computer letter. Instead of just "recycling" like a good lib would, I figured I'd throw 'em out on the worldwide computer for all 8 of y'all that visit Andy's Place. You might be able to do something with 'em.

Woodstock ticket in "mint" condition

Ray Charles...no further comment

Somali canine

"Joe Pa...what are our chances this season?"

Only in Detroit

Congress revisits "Fairness Doctrine"

No comment

True Bravery!

Tax sushi!

LOST!!!

When I saw this article on FoxNews, I got tickled.

GPS Typo Leads Couple 400 Miles Off Course

ROME — Officials say a Swedish couple looking for the pristine waters of the popular island of Capri ended some 400 miles (660 kilometers) away in the northern industrial town of Carpi after misspelling the destination on their car's GPS.

Angelo Giovannini, a spokesman for the Carpi town hall, near Modena, said Tuesday the couple drove into the main square last week and asked the local tourist office how to reach Capri's famed Blue Grotto sea cave.

Giovannini said "we thought they might mean a restaurant. Capri is an island, they did not even wonder why they didn't cross any bridge or take any boat."

This Giovannini cat makes a good point. You would think that somebody would expect a bridge, or a ferry to reach an island. Ignorant....

It reminded me of the time that I was filling up at the Valero Gas Station on Benton Road, and this old pickup truck with Arkansas license plates and about 7 people in the cab pulled up next to me.

Arkie: "Hey buddy, you from around here?"

Me: "Yep."

Arkie: "We just come down Hwy 3 from Arkansas, and I think we're lost. Can you tell me how to get to Bossier City?"

(Now, before I go on, I must tell you that when you come south on Hwy 3 from Arkansas to Bossier City, at the city limits, there is an enormous sign that says, "Welcome To Bossier City!" Then, as you proceed down Hwy 3 to where this Arkie currently was, you pass "North Bossier Autoplex," the "Bossier City Civic Center," the "Bossier Library," and the "Pierre Bossier Mall.")

Me: (trying not to laugh) "Well partner, you are in Bossier City."

Arkie: (with a satisfied look on his face) "Really?" (to the crowd in the truck) "See, I told y'all I could get us here!"

Arkie: "So, can you tell me how to get to the airport?"

Me: "Sure, just take that ramp right there on to I-20 West, cross the Red River bridge into Shreveport, take the Monkhouse Drive Exit, and follow the big signs to the airport. You can't miss it."

Arkie: "No, I don't mean the Shreveport airport, I mean the Bossier City airport."

Me: "Wellsir, there ain't a Bossier City airport."

Arkie: (looking skeptical) "You sure?"

Me: "Lived here 49 years...trust me, there ain't a Bossier City airport."

So, he got out of the truck and walked inside the Valero. I saw him through the window talking to the cute little black gal that works there for a while, and then come back out.

Arkie: "Well, she backs you up on it! I guess there ain't an airport in Bossier City. Now, I don't know what to do. I was supposed to meet up with my nephew at the West Gate of the Airport in just a little while."

Me: (eyebrows raised as realization takes hold) "Partner, is your nephew in the Air Force?"

Arkie: (chest puffed out & smiling) "Dang right he is! And we're all danged proud of him, too!"

Me: "Are you sure you ain't looking for the Air Force Base, instead of an airport? I mean, there is a West Gate at Barksdale."

Arkie: "Barksdale! Yeah, he said the airport was on Barksdale! Can you tell me where that is?"

(My Christianity kicked in about that time, and I realized that somebody this stupid might end up in Jefferson, TX without some help.)

Me: "I don't live too far from it. Why don't you just follow me, and I'll point to it when it's time for you to turn left to the West Gate of Barksdale."

Arkie: "Man, I shore appreciate it!"

Me: "Now, you're gonna have to stay right behind me, because when we go up on that ramp right there we've got to take a loop that's gonna put us onto Barksdale Blvd. And if you miss which ramp, you'll end up on I-20 West, headed to Shreveport."

Arkie: "Okay!"

So, away we go...pull on to Benton Road...traffic light turns green...head up the ramp...look in my rearview mirror...Arkie truck stalled at intersection...7 cars behind me now, no way to wait on him...take the loop onto Barksdale Blvd, find a place to hang a U...head back around to hook back up with Arkie...get to the intersection...Arkie gone.

Maybe when he got about 20 miles down I-20 and saw that big "Welcome To Texas" sign, he figured out he ain't in Bossier City anymore. You know, some folks are just too dumb to help.

WHO SAYS NANCY REAGAN IS "COLD?"

She's a classy lady. I checked this out on Snopes, and it's true.

From the mailbag...

You might recall that John Hinckley was a seriously deranged young man who shot President Reagan in the early 1980's.

Hinckley was absolutely obsessed with movie star Jodie Foster, extremely jealous, and in his twisted mind, loved Jodie Foster to the point that to make himself well known to her, he attempted to assassinate President Reagan.

There is speculation Hinckley may soon be released as having been rehabilitated. Consequently, you may appreciate the following letter from Nancy Reagan to the staff at the mental facility treating Hinckley:

To: John Hinckley
From: Mrs. Nancy Reagan

My family and I wanted to drop you a short note to tell you how pleased we are with the great strides you are making in your recovery. In our fine country's spirit of understanding and forgiveness, we want you to know there is a nonpartisan consensus of compassion and forgiveness throughout.

The Reagan family and I want you to know that no grudge is borne against you for shooting President Reagan. We, above all, are aware of how the mental stress and pain could have driven you to such an act of desperation. We are confident that you will soon make a complete recovery and return to your family to join the world again as a healthy and productive young man.

Best wishes,
Nancy Reagan & Family

P.S. While you have been incarcerated, Barack Obama has been banging Jodie Foster like a screen door in a tornado. You might want to look into that.

"Best Husband in the world" week...Tuesday edition.

Now, I am not one to complain about judging in international competitions. Well, yes I am.

Over my lifetime of watching international competitions "judged," I have seen some true travesties. Everyone knew that the USSR was going to win pair figure skating, and gymnastic competitions. It was a rigged deal at the Olympics.

No matter how well an American, or French, or Canadian couple would skate, they all knew that they were competing for silver (or maybe even bronze if there were two commie couples).

Occasionally, a Nadia would come along that was so undeniably superior that the judges couldn't screw her out of a gold in gymnastics. But you could pretty well phone in the results before the opening Olympic ceremonies.

I say all that to say this: I believe that Serbia got screwed on this one! Serbia came in a distant 4th place with this entry.

Now, that's just not right. I mean, any husband who will give his wife and daughter a ride to town in his hog/goat trailer is a straight-up sport! I mean, after a long day of slopping the hogs, and milking the goats every good husband wants to reward the efforts of the "little women" with a little "joy ride." Just think, he put out good money on the diesel and everything, just so they could relax and enjoy the countryside!

Actually, it's kinda romantic...reminds me of that horse-drawn carriage ride The Mrs. and I took one evening in Quebec City so many years ago. Good memories!

I need to apologize for the quality of this photo. It is a little known fact that all remaining Polaroid cameras and film have been rounded up from around the world and shipped to Serbia. And the Serbian government has outlawed "going digital" until all supplies on hand have been exhausted.

But all in all, I'd say that Serbia did one bang-up job with what they had to work with! Congratulations Serbia! I know you were screwed...but the deck is stacked against you with the Greeks, Poles, and Irish in the game.

Does anyone know anything about this?

A friend sent me a link to something called usdebtclock.org The figures look about right on some of it, but others look screwy to me. I'm wondering if anybody knows whether it's the real deal or not.

Just asking.

It it's not the real thing, it still is pretty creative...

I'm wondering, "What demented fool thought this was a good idea?"

Thanks Walt!


It actually looks just like pictures of The Mrs. (the little girl, of course), when she was a kiddo.

"Best Husband in the world" week...Monday edition.

In this international competition for "Best Husband in the World," it seems that my homeland, The United States has finished a weak 5th place.

I must admit that my national pride is a little wounded. Even though I love competition, period, I always want my home team to win. Oh, I won't cry because Lance Armstrong didn't win the Tour de France, and was beaten by some worthless Spaniard. But I'm not happy about it...and might pout some.

It never bothers me when we get waxed in the World Cup, as Soccer is not really a sport. But when we lose the World Baseball Championships, or even the Little League World Series, I do feel a bit crestfallen. I want America to win. Okay, I'll admit it...I'm an America homer.

I believe our problem was that the selection committee didn't do a good job of screening our entry. I think we could have done better!

Now, this is a fairly good entry. But trust me, I have seen MUCH better husbands than this here in the good old US of A! Heck, I saw a MUCH better husband than this guy just the other day.

I was at WalMart on Friday, and ran into a really good husband. He looked somewhat like the guy in the rowboat, but his wife was not attractive...a skinny little thing. According to him (and everyone within earshot knew), she was a terrible cook, never bought the right kind of cereal, always picked up the wrong kind of beer, was hiding his Marlboros, and had hair like a mouse.

Now, it takes a really good husband to stay with a worthless woman like that! I wouldn't even be seen with such a female!!! But I guess he had to let her come along to WalMart. Somebody had to push his wheelchair...

I hope the marriage is as much fun as the wedding!

This is too cute not to post.

"Best Husband in the world" week...

I am a good husband. Just ask me. I show great respect and affection to my "one and only." I help out with all kinds of things around the house...heck, I'll even sometimes take The Mrs. a glass of iced tea while she's cutting grass.

This week, I'll be featuring photos from around the world of "Good Husbands," and their wives. I hope that this will inspire all of you hubbies to be the very best you can for the love of your life. She deserves it...

This is an international competition. The Brits only received an "honorable mention." Better luck next time...

"Iron Mike" Burghardt, and the "Single finger salute!"

This story has been around for a few years, but it is always inspirational. Just in case you missed it...

One of our bravest had just escaped death, and still had the patience to give a lesson in U.S. Military sign language to the "insurgents."




Leading the fight is Gunnery Sgt Michael Burghardt, known as "Iron Mike" or just "Gunny". He is on his third tour in Iraq. He had become a legend in the bomb disposal world after winning the Bronze Star for disabling 64 IEDs and destroying 1,548 pieces of ordnance during his second tour. Then, on September 19, he got blown up.

He had arrived at a chaotic scene after a bomb had killed four US soldiers. He chose not to wear the bulky bomb protection suit. "You can't react to any sniper fire and you get tunnel-vision," he explains. So, protected by just a helmet and = standard-issue flak jacket, he began what bomb disposal officers term "the longest walk", stepping gingerly into a 5ft deep and 8ft wide crater.
The earth shifted slightly and he saw a Senao base station with a wire leading from it. He cut the wire and used his 7in knife t o probe the ground. "I found a piece of red detonating cord between my legs," he says. "That's when I knew I was screwed."

Realizing he had been sucked into a trap, Sgt Burghardt, 35, yelled at everyone to stay back. At that moment, an insurgent, probably watching through binoculars, pressed a button on his mobile phone to detonate the secondary device below the sergeant's feet. "A chill went up the back of my neck and then the bomb exploded," he recalls. "As I was in the air I remember thinking, 'I don't believe they got me.' I was just ticked off they were able to do it. Then I was lying on the road, not able to feel anything from the waist down."

His colleagues cut off his trousers to see how badly he was hurt. None could believe his legs were still there. "My dad's a Vietnam vet who's paralyzed from the waist down," says Sgt Burghardt. "I was lying there thinking I didn't want to be in a wheelchair next to my dad and for him to see me like that. They started to cut away my pants and I felt a real sharp pain and blood trickling down. Then I wiggled my toes and I thought, 'Good, I'm in business.' "As a stretcher was brought over, adrenaline and anger kicked in. "I decided to walk to the helicopter. I wasn't going to let my team-mates see me being carried away on a stretcher." He stood and gave the insurgents who had blown him up a one-fingered salute. "I flipped them one. It was like, 'OK, I lost that round but I'll be back next week'."

Copies of a photograph depicting his defiance, taken by Jeff Bundy for the Omaha World-Herald, adorn the walls of homes across America and that of Col John Gronski, the brigade commander in Ramadi, who has hailed the image as an exemplar of the warrior spirit. Sgt Burghardt's injuries - burns and wounds to his legs and buttocks - kept him off duty for nearly a month and could have earned him a ticket home. But, like his father - who was awarded a Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts for being wounded in action in Vietnam - he stayed in Ramadi to engage in the battle against insurgents who are forever coming up with more ingenious ways of killing Americans.

For all Snopes-types (in fact, the Snopes authentication of the story has even more details about this real hero)

It is my obligation to make y'all aware...

I'm not really sure whether I will participate in this show of patriotism, or not. But I felt an obligation to pass along this patriotic call to action.

I just report...you decide. You know your neighborhood better than I do...

WALK NAKED IN AMERICA DAY

Don't forget to mark your calendars. As you may already know, it is a sin for a Muslim male to see any woman other than his wife naked. He must commit suicide if he does.

So next Saturday, August 1, 2009, at 4 PM Eastern Time, all American women are asked to walk out of their house completely naked to help weed out any neighborhood terrorists. Circling your block for one hour is recommended for this anti-terrorist effort.

All patriotic men are to position themselves in lawn chairs in front of their house to prove they are not Muslims and to demonstrate they think its okay to see nude women other than their wife and to show support for all American women.

Since Islam also does not approve of alcohol, a cold 6-pack at your side is further proof of your anti-Muslim sentiment. The American government appreciates your efforts to root out terrorists and applauds your participation in this anti-terrorist activity.

God bless America!

Love Song Saturday Night...

Because I am completely worn out from yard work in the demonic heat of NW Louisiana, I am not reaching deep into the roster for Love Song Saturday Night.

I'm going with Brit-born Aussies...always a good choice, since they are such great love song guys. In the mid-to-late 70's, the Bee Gees could do no wrong. I believe that at that point Robin Gibb could have spit grapes between his front teeth while singing "Mary Had A Little Lamb," and sold 12 million copies.

Add to that Travolta...in his full very cool white disco suit...with a bandage on his face no less! In my humble expert opinion, "Saturday Night Fever" is still the best "teenager hoping to get lucky, so take a girl to a movie" movie in history. Well, at least in the top 20.

So, put on your platforms, turn down the lights, get the ball spinning, and see what develops...

Obama, Gates, and the Poleeese

As of 9:58 this morning, I have read 722,841 blog posts concerning the flap between the racist black professor at Harvard, the Cambridge, MA Poleeese, and how BozObama has taken advantage of the situation to manage to hit every turd in the pasture.

So, I really don't have anything to add that would be of any value. I've just had this really cool picture in a file, and figured this was as good a time as any to post it.



Actually, I did read a couple of posts over at American Thinker this morning that I'll direct you to, just in case you missed them.

Jan LaRue seems to believe that Obama's apology was insufficient, and just a smaller-caliber shot at Cambridge poleeese.

And, Larrey Anderson (a black man) has been cuffed by the Cambridge poleeese himself. He has an interesting story, and an interesting take.

And, I may as well throw this one in, too...Obama is a racist!

Anyway, y'all have a good Satidy! Gotta go cut The Mrs. In-law's grass before it gets to three hundred four degrees.

"I pledge allegiance to The Bible,...

...God's Holy Word. I will make it a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my path, and hide it's words in my heart, that I might not sin against God!"

Growing up in The Bible Belt in a traditional Southern Baptist Church, this is a pledge that I recited as a little kid at summer "Vacation Bible School." I loved "Vacation Bible School." It always kicked off with a big "Bible School Parade" on the Saturday before VBS started the next Monday. Dozens of station wagons, pickup trucks, and vans filled with kids would drive through the neighborhoods around our little Southern Baptist Church. All us kids would be hanging out of the windows, screaming at the top of our lungs, "Come to Vacation Bible School! Come to Vacation Bible School!"

Then we would walk the neighborhoods putting invitation cards on every door in Waller Subdivision, and Coleman Park. Our reward was a Coke and hot dog party back at the church. It was a lot of fun on a hot southern summer Saturday...and it meant we didn't have to mow grass that day.

Every morning before you went to your individual Bible School class, all the kids would file into the sanctuary of the church. The Pastor would say a prayer. Then, we would pledge allegiance to The United States Flag. Then we would pledge allegiance to The Christian Flag. And finally, we would pledge allegiance to The Bible. Then the Pastor would normally tell us a story about a great American that had overcome struggles in life through faith in Christ, and the comfort of/obedience to the scriptures. Then we'd dismiss to our classes for the day (which was always really fun stuff...art projects, Bible stories, Kool-Aid & cookies, outdoor playing with your friends, Bible stories, little plays & songs, etc.).

And during VBS, Daddy didn't push me and my brother too hard about keeping the grass cut.

My folks were Christians...the REAL kind. I often tell people, "Most kids are born in a hospital...I was born in the church nursery."

The Anne & Don that folks saw on Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night, every night during "Revival" and "January Bible Study," at Deacons meetings, and church-wide potluck socials...was the same Anne & Don I saw all the rest of the time as I was growing up. They were the REAL DEAL. And they taught me a reverence for The Bible.

You were never to put any other book on top of your Bible. You were never to let anything spill on your Bible. You were never to drop your Bible on the floor, etc.

The Bible that I still read is one that I bought with my own hard-earned money (selling pecans I'd picked up, by the side of the road) for $50. I was about 12 or 13 years old, and $50 was a lot of money. But it was a leather-bound, Thompson Chain Reference Bible...a Cadillac. Well, I'd say that it's held up pretty well over 35 (or so) years. It's all marked up with notes I've written in the margins, and Greek and Hebrew definitions I've researched for particular words.

A little bit of Lamentations is torn out because my now 19-year-old son got hold of it one day when he was about 3 years old. I guess he didn't like all that lamenting stuff, and decided to take matters into his own hands. But all in all, the $50 bucks was a good investment.

I have been a life-long student of The Bible. There have been times in my life that it's pages consumed me...literally.

What brought all of this to mind was an article I read in The UK Times Online. Don't hit this link to the article until you finish reading my valuable commentary. (I mean, you've stayed with me this long, what's another couple of boring minutes?)

Gallery's invitation to deface the Bible brings obscene response

I am just bringing this article to your attention. I don't really want to comment much on it, but you might find it an interesting read. Just a couple of thoughts:

1) I don't know much about this "Metropolitan Church" that is hosting the "art" exhibit. But if this "Metropolitan Church" in Scotland is anything like the "Metropolitan Church" I've heard of here in the US...well... (Okay, I can't write what I'm thinking, because it ain't Christian)

2) One of the most daring, and powerful messages I have ever witnessed in a Christian church was when this old Pentecostal preacher thumbed through his Bible, reading particular passages, then ripping the page out of his Bible and slinging it in the air while shouting "We don't need this in there!"

As he covered a broad range of societal, political, and theological ills, the pages just kept flying! He was doing something that I learned as a child was "forbidden." He was ripping a copy of The Holy Bible to shreds as he illustrated that the church didn't seem to care much about "God's Holy Word" any longer. Did he go over the edge? I didn't think so. The old boy was really hoeing the corn, and speaking TRUTH about hypocritical Pharisees, doctrines of devils, folks wanting their sins called "okay," churches going soft on abortion, etc.

3) I have been a life-long student of The Bible. And there is MUCH that I do not understand. I have pondered, and researched the works of those that see it as pure fantasy...and those that believe it to be completely, totally, infallible. I'm sure that many of you have, too.

And I've come to the same conclusion of (I think) Samuel Johnson. "It is not what I do not understand about The Bible that worries me. It is what I DO understand about it that does."

4) And one more thing. Big KUDOS to the Catholics in Scotland...from the article: A spokesman for the Catholic Church said: “One wonders whether the organisers would have been quite as willing to have the Koran defaced.”

NEWSPAPERS...

Because I have my 4th new mail carrier this month, I received a subscription copy of the Bossier Press-Tribune that was addressed to some guy two streets over from me.

I was SHOCKED! I really had no idea that the Bossier Press-Tribune was still publishing.

Back when I was in High School, I was an aspiring journalist. I had seen "All The President's Men" on the big screen, and I bore a striking resemblance to Robert Redford btw. I was inspired to become a newspaperman. (Not the newspaperman that threw the newspaper from his '69 Ford station wagon on your driveway...I mean one of those guys that actually digs out the facts of the matter, types them all up, and heaves great sighs of satisfaction when his work hits the front page next morning...exposing all of the putrid corruption in this world).

The Summer before my Senior year in High School, I took my shot!!! I drove down to the Bossier Press-Tribune office on Barksdale Boulevard, and announced to the Editor that I would be more than happy to work for him. I was 16 years old, and I just knew he would be impressed! I already had a Summer job working at my Daddy's s Appliance & TV Store. But I figured I could squeeze in some time to blow the lid off of all the corruption, illegal gambling, drug dealing, and misuse of employees at the Library in Bossier City.

Well, it went REALLY GOOD! The Editor told me to go out, investigate things, and submit my stories all typed up (double spaced). He told me that for any article they published, I would receive a hefty check. I don't remember whether it was One, or Two Cents per word. But it sounded pretty good to me.

I made a whole $12.43 that Summer as a correspondent for the Bossier Press-Tribune. I guess it must have been One Cent per word...if it had been Two Cents, it would have been an "even" amount. But maybe not...I think they probably took out taxes, so who knows...

Anyway...I got a misdelivered copy of the Bossier Press-Tribune, and I'll swear, Nuthin' ain't changed! It is still cheesy "the Methodist Church ladies did good stuff for their Sunday School project," and "Bossier All Stars Win 'Machine Pitch World Series' at Minden," etc.

I was blasting back from the past while looking at this week's edition.

The "Classifieds" aren't even much different. In the "Classified ads" I see "Bengal kittens, & grown Cats free to good home"..."Cash for junk cars, free haul-off of old junk appliances"..."Free to good home: 1 year old 1/2 yellow lab, 1/2 German Shepherd. All shots, neutered. Very good with children. Needs fenced back yard."

(Hey! I might call that number...that sounds like a smart dog to me...might teach my stupid pure blood yellow lab Sadie a thing or two.)

But I think this was my favorite classified ad in the paper.

There ya' go! Always be willing to trade your camper, vehicle, and boat for cattle! (But y'all don't call him until after 5 pm, okay?)

Anyway, let me get to the point of this post...sorry for keeping y'all so long. In the Bossier Press-Tribune, one of the 12 pages of this weekly publication is completely occupied by an advertisement. (That's what we call a 'full page ad' in the newspaper biz) I can not show it to y'all, because my flatbed scanner will only hold up to an 8 1/2 x 11. So let me tell y'all what it says.

At the top, it says, in HUGE letters, "AMERICA'S FIRST PORTABLE INFORMATION DEVICE."

Then beneath that, it's got a picture of a man's hand holding a newspaper.

Then at the bottom it says, (and I am typing this verbatim) "The newspaper, yes the newspaper, is still America's best portable information device. In these complex times, newspaper newsrooms continue to produce the most trusted journalism available anywhere, thanks to teams of dedicated, professional reporters ane editors. That's why more than 100 million Americans pick up a newspaper every day. So impress your family, friends and co-workers by enjoying the most portable, easy-to-use information device available anywhere. No charger required.

Well, at the very bottom of this full page ad, there is a computer address to something called "Newspaperproject.org." I went and looked at their stuff, and I am impressed! It tells all about how newspapers are "very relevant," and how valuable they are, and junk.

Well, they might be right.

If one of my sons had been one of the Bossier All-Stars that was on the team that won the "Machine Pitch World Series" over at Minden, or one of my close relatives or friends was in the Obits, I'd probably buy up every copy.

Well, thanks for reading! I hope this don't sound arrogant...but I have a sneaking suspicion that more folks read this than the "Classified ad" for the free German Shepherd/lab neutered dog. I sure hope so...I've got a phone call to make...

THIS ALMOST HAPPENED TO ME...

Man sues Mission Viejo Restaurant claiming condom was in his soup

Several years ago The Mrs. and I were visiting our favorite Mexican restaurant in Shreveport. They made the greatest shrimp fajitas, and had the best chips and salsa I had ever eaten.

We don't go there now, because the food sucks, but that's another story.

On this particular visit, the waitress brought our shrimp fajitas (we always split an order because one order is enough after you've eaten a basket of chips, and a quart of salsa). So, The Mrs. started loading up a fresh tortilla with shrimp & veggies, and she stopped cold.

She reached into the plate, and lifted a rubber right smooth out of it. She held it up, and said, "Andy, you'd better call the manager." Now, The Mrs. knew what it was, but I did not. She knew it was a finger cot, because she knows junk about junk that I don't.



Man, I was SOME upset! Here my wife is dangling a rubber right in front of everybody, giggling, and I'm red-faced and fuming. So, I told the waitress to go get her manager. While she was gone, I got to looking at that thing, and I thought to myself that they must have some midgets or something back there doing the bump-bump in the closet!

And I was UPSET that a tiny Trojan had made it's way into my food...me being such a good customer and all. And a good tipper, too!

The little black lady that was managing that day got to the table, and I held it up and said, "One of your midgets put his rubber in my shrimp fajitas!" Now, the little lady was just as cute and apologetic as she could be, but she was giggling under her apologies. I didn't see anything funny about it at all, and about that time, The Mrs. just busted out laughing!

"Andy, it's not a condom. It's a finger cot. They wear them on their fingers sometimes working in a kitchen." Man, did I feel ignorant...

So, the manager and The Mrs. had a good "gals laughing at ignorant men" moment, and all was forgiven. She asked me if I wanted to get a replacement order. But I was hungry, and said, "No, I reckon it'll be alright." We ate, left a nice tip, paid the bill (which I was surprised that they did not waive), and left.

I have a pretty good idea that this is what happened to this fellow in Mission Viejo, California. Either that, or he brought the rubber with him looking for a lawsuit.

A statement, provided today by Gladstone International, a public relations firm that represents Claim Jumper, said no evidence has been found to support Hodousek's claim.

The statement acknowledges that Hodousek found a "foreign object" in his food, but that because he took it with him, there is no way to prove it is the same object that arrived at a lab for testing.

Additionally, the statement reads that Claim Jumper launched an internal independent investigation, which was completed April 23 and found "there was no wrongdoing by any employee."

The statement also reads that Hodousek was asked to submit to DNA testing, but failed to appear for his appointment Monday, the day before the lawsuit was filed.

I tend to believe the restaurant on this one. They're usually right when it comes to rubbers in soup and fajitas and junk...

Only in Monroe, Louisiana...

Some moron stole a squirrel monkey from the Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo!

When I heard that a squirrel monkey had been "kidnapped" in Monroe, Louisiana, I was not at all surprised. Monkey kidnappings are a regular happening in Monroe, LA.

I have been to the Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo before. They call it a "zoo."

Sure...

There are a few goats, chickens, cockatoos, and pigs...and about fifty jazillion monkeys. It really is just an ape-crazy place, masquerading as a "zoo."

Anyway, according to the article, some moron broke the lock on one of the 4,000 monkey cages, and "kidnapped" a stinkin' monkey! Now, how do you "kidnap" a monkey? I mean, do you send the ransom note, wrappped around a banana to Cheetah?

You just gotta love the way the Monroe NewsStar fish wrapper covered the most recent monkey kidnapping, and what Zoo Director Joe Clawson had to say about the whole thing:

Bartley said whoever kidnapped the monkey may have been planning to sell the animal. Zoo director Joe Clawson said there is a vigorous trade for pet monkeys.

"There is a demand for primates as pets," Clawson said. "But it is not advisable to keep one."

Clawson said people see human traits in primates, and their features appeal to them, not unlike a baby.

But Clawson said monkeys do not make good pets because, unlike dogs and cats, monkeys have not been domesticated over thousands of years by humans.

"They don't behave like normal pets," Clawson said. "They're very willful. They will hang from chandeliers. They're not obedient."

Clawson is right! Monkeys are very willful!...I mean, hanging from chandeliers and all like they do...

When I heard this story on the radio this morning, I thought to myself, "Now, how easy is this case gonna be to crack?" Think about it. If your next door neighbor came up with an extra squirrel monkey in the pecan tree, wouldn't you notice? If you dropped by your friend's house, and a squirrel monkey was hanging from the ceiling fan, would it not cross your mind that he might be the "kidnapped" primate?

Well, Monroe police were on top of this...and the kidnapped squirrel monkey has been released from captivity back to his cage.

All's well that ends well...

Clever...

Okay, so I had said earlier that I was finished posting junk about Apollo 11.

I am a miserable liar!

This video MUST be shared.

What if we finally answered JFK"s challenge to send a man to the Moon in 2009?

LOVING THE LIFE...IN "THE BAYOU STATE!"

Okay, before I share with y'all a computer letter that Two Dogs (I mean, Paul Mitchell) forwarded to me, I must disclaim.

(Disclaimer: Lafayette, LA is a wonderful city! It is just all filled up with great folks. Every coonass I've ever met from Lafayette makes you want to be one yourself!

Even though I'm a NW Louisiana redneck, every trip I've made to Acadiana has been just fabulous! Lafayette has some of the finest restaurants, and nicest people on the planet...and a "real" cajun flavor that you take back home with you.

Lafayette is a VERY progressive city. It is a conservative oasis in a liberal wasteland. The city of Lafayette is in many ways a model for other cities that are struggling.)

All that being said...in the words of the hokie Oak Ridge Boys, "...it gets real hot down in Louisiana."

So, here's the computer letter...

Dear Diary:

May 30th: My husband and I just moved to Lafayette , Louisiana from up North. Now this is a city that knows how to live! Beautiful sunny days and warm balmy evenings. What a place! Watched the sunset from a park lying on a blanket. It was beautiful. I've finally found my home. I love it here.

June 10th: It's really heating up. Got to 100 today! Not a problem. Live in an air-conditioned home, drive an air-conditioned car. What a pleasure to see the sun every day like this. I'm turning into a sun worshiper.

June 14th: Had the backyard landscaped with western plants today. Lots of cactus and rocks. What a breeze to maintain. No more mowing the lawn for us! Another scorcher today, but I love it here.

June 30th: The temperature hasn't been below 100 all week. How do people get used to this kind of heat? At least it's kind of windy though. But getting used to the heat and humidity is taking longer than I expected.

July 10th: Fell asleep by the pool. (Got 3rd degree burns over 60% of my body.) Missed 3 days of work. What a dumb thing to do. I learned my lesson though. Got to respect the ole' sun in a climate like this.

July 15th: I missed Morgan (our cat) sneaking into the car when I left this morning. By the time I got to the hot car for lunch, Morgan had died and was swollen up to the size of a shopping bag and stank up the $2,000 leather upholstery. I told the kids that she ran away. The car now smells like Kibbles and shits. I learned my lesson though. No more pets in this heat.

July 20th: The wind sucks. It feels like a giant blow dryer! And it's hot as hell. The home air-conditioner is on the fritz and the A/C repairman charged $200 just to drive by and tell me he needed to order parts!

July 21st: Been sleeping outside by the pool for 3 nights now. $1,500 in house payments and we can't even go inside. Why did I ever come here?

July 22nd: It's 105 degrees. Finally got the air-conditioner fixed today.It cost $500 and gets the temperature down to 85, but this humidity makes the house feel like it's about 295. Dumb repairman peed in my pool. I hate this stupid city!

July 23rd: If another wiseass cracks "Hot enough for you today?" I'm going to strangle him. By the time I get to work the radiator is boiling over, my clothes are soaking wet, and I smell like baked cat!!

July 24th: Tried to run some errands after work. Wore shorts and sat on the black leather seats in the car. I lost two layers of flesh and all the hair on the back of my legs. Now my car smells like burnt hair, fried ass, and baked cat.

July 25th: The weather report might as well be a recording: Hot and sunny.Hot and sunny. Hot and sunny. It's been too hot to do anything for two months and the weatherman says it might really warm up next week. How can it WARM UP when it's already 1000 freakin' degrees? Doesn't it ever rain in this desert?? Water rationing will be next, so I might as well watch $1700 worth of cactus just dry up and blow into the pool! Even the cactus can't live in this heat!

July 26th: Welcome to HELL!!! Temperature got to 105 today. Forgot to crack the window and blew the windshield out of the car. The installer came to fix it and said, "Hot enough for you today?"

*************My husband had to spend the $1500 house payment to bail me out of jail****************** Dang South! WHAT KIND OF A SICK DEMENTED PERSON WOULD WANT TO LIVE HERE!?!??!!

A BLOW AGAINST "GUN RIGHTS" ???

Can you have it both ways?

This afternoon, I heard on the Fox radio news that the US Senate had voted down an amendment to the Defense Spending Bill offered by John Thune (R- South Dakota)...the guy that beat Daschle...nyuk... that would have allowed people with a "concealed carry" permit to travel across State lines with their concealed weapon, and not be subject to the gun laws of the State they were visiting.

I will not discuss my disgust that stuff like this gets attached to a Defense Spending Bill at this time.

My knee-jerk reaction was, "GOOD!" Even though I heard a soundbite (sp?) from the miserable Chuck Schumer talking about how the defeat of this amendment would "save lives," (?) which made me want to vomit, my thoughts immediately turned to my roots as a "State's Rights" guy. It's interesting how the "big gubmit" guys get all "States-rightsy" on you when it comes to firearms.

I am a true believer when it comes to "States Rights!" My inital thought on the subject was, "What in the devil is Thune thinking? If we pro-gun guys can advocate for legislation from the Federal gubmit that will trump legislation in Baton Rouge, or Austin, or Concord, or Sacramento, or Denver...well, we'd better be willing to accept DC legislation that makes my State recognize gay marriages performed in Boston!

Hey...if California wants to legalize pot...FINE! If Florida wants to ban offshore drilling...FINE! If Illinois wants to ban "concealed carry"...FINE! If Louisiana wants to ban abortions (which we do btw)...FINE! If Arkansas wants to legalize sibling marriage...FINE! (which they do by the way...creepy, but FINE nonetheless).

But when I went to the FoxNews computer page and read the article, I got into a condurum (if you haven't visited "Andy's Place" for very long, you don't know what a condurum is. Use your imagination).

The article states, "Opponents say the concealed weapon proposal would force states with tough gun laws to accept gun-carrying visitors from states with weaker laws. The sponsor of the bill, Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., said that was not true and that gun-toters would have to follow the laws of the state they entered.

The gun proposal did not establish national standards for concealed weapons permits and would not have allowed those with permits to carry weapons into Wisconsin and Illinois, the two states that do not have concealed weapons laws."

So, I'm in a fix to figure out whether I'm happy, or upset. Of course, I can always reach down to rule #2..."If Schumer is happy, I should be really ticked!"

Okay...I'm REALLY TICKED!

HA! I JUST OPENED MY MY COMPUTER LETTER BOX...

You may have read my post about Going Postal from earlier this afternoon. If you did, you are my very best friend forever. I mean it.

Well, I finally got to my computer letters, and Cowdad had sent me this 'un...

There was a man who worked for the Post Office whose job it was to process all the mail that had illegible addresses.

One day, a letter came addressed in a shaky handwriting to God with no actual address or postcode. He thought he should open it to see what it was about. The letter read:


Dear God,
I am an 83 year old widow, living on a very small pension.
Yesterday someone stole my purse. It had $100.00 in it, which was all the money I had until my next pension payment. Next Sunday is my birthday, and I had invited two of my friends over for dinner. Without that money, I have nothing to buy food with, have no family to turn to, and you are my only hope..
Please help me?
Sincerely, Edna


The postal worker was touched. He showed the letter to all the other workers. Each one dug into his or her wallet and came up with a few dollars. By the time he made the rounds, he had collected $96.00, which they put into an envelope and sent to the woman. The rest of the day, all the workers felt a warm glow thinking of Edna and the dinner she would be able to share with her eldery friends.

A few days later, another letter came addressed to God and in the same hand writting. All the workers gathered around while the letter was opened.

It read:

Dear God,
How can I ever thank you enough for what you did for me? Because of your gift of love, I was able to fix a glorious dinner for my friends. We had a very nice day and I told my friends of your wonderful gift.

By the way, there was $4.00 missing. I think it might have been those bastards at the post office.

Sincerely,
Edna

Going Postal!!! Mildly amusing...

I was mildly amused this afternoon...

I own a business that requires an almost daily trip to the US Post Office. And I will give the folks at my Post Office kudos! They are some of the nicest, most patient and helpful folks you'd ever meet.

In fact, I've gotten to be good friends with many of the clerks, and occasionally meet one of the guys for lunch...have some on my computer letter address book, etc.

Each day, the clerk gives me a receipt for my check. When I came in this morning, I just threw the receipt on the desk and thought I'd come back later to enter the amount in my checkbook. I had never really looked closely at the receipt...only the amount...nothing else. But I noticed this afternoon that at the bottom of the receipt there is a computer page that you can visit to give customer feedback to the US Postal Service.

It says, "TELL US ABOUT YOUR RECENT POSTAL EXPERIENCE." Oh man, these three little black kids that live on the street behind me jumped my fence and came through my back yard trying to avoid walking half a block to get to the convenience store, sending Sadie into convulsions... I'll confess, it was a "POSTAL" experience for me. I was not particularly proud of myself when it was over.

So, I figured I'd screw around with the US Postal Service and send them a computer letter telling them about my recent POSTAL EXPERIENCE. I'm thinking, "I wonder if I'll get a response."

Regardless, this receipt gives you the computer address to visit if you want to tell about your RECENT POSTAL EXPERIENCE. I could not get past the first page, because you have to know ALL OF YOUR ZIP CODE...not just your zip code, but also the 4 digit deal behind it that identifies EXACTLY WHERE YOU LIVE!

Now, I will not confess that I don't know my 4 digit identifier. I certainly do. Kinda...it has 4 numbers, and one of them is a 2. Maybe...probably not.

I just don't want any retribution from my mail carrier when his/her boss-man/lady tells him/her to screw up my mail delivery for being a wiseacre. I've learned not to mess around with people that can make your life miserable.

But what really made me giggle about the message at the bottom of the receipt is the world wide computer page you go to in order to tell about your latest "POSTAL EXPERIENCE." It is: http://gx.gallup.com/POS

Heh! that gives me an idea for a bumper sticker...or a really good T-shirt that will sell millions, and make me rich! I'll get back to y'all later with that...

So, why don't y'all ring 'em up on the world wide computer and provide your input!!! It says right there on the receipt, "HELP US SERVE YOU BETTER."

The "Hole In The Head Gang"

There is a story out of metro New Orleans that is just funny. It's not hilarious, but it gave me a chuckle.

Armed Robbers in St. Bernard Forgot The Loot.

St. Bernard (yes, they named their town after a puppy dog) is a small town just a few miles Southeast of New Orleans. It seems that a clever band of thieves...lead by a real Butch & Sundance (or Paco & Luis) knocked over a restaurant.

And these Mexicans were were daring, too! This was a broad-daylight robbery (11 a.m.)...with guns and everything!

But they made a couple of mistakes. The first mistake was leaving anyone alive to identify them. Every good thief knows better!

These four amigos were compassionate, only tying up the employees and customers after having the safe opened.

Mistake #2. These geniuses forgot to appoint a mule to carry the loot. I can just see these guys, as they sped away from the scene of the crime, ready to divvy up the haul.

"Miguel, start splitting up the dinero." "Dinero? I don't have no stinkin' dinero, Pablo, I thought you had it."

"Excremento!"

Mistake #3. They forgot to cover up their license plate.

The suspects fled the scene in a 2006 white Dodge Durango with a Texas license plate reading TFR014 its registered to a Fernando Lopez. Officers believe the vehicle is still in the area.

So, if you know this Fernando Lopez, please have him call the St. Bernard Sheriff's Office at 504-278-7630. He won the drawing for the 2010 Sugar Bowl tickets, and they need him to come by the office to pick them up.

THEY MADE IT!!!!

One more time before the 40th anniversary of Apollo 11 falls off the newspaper pages & news broadcasts.

I like this video. The whole mission is condensed into a little over two minutes. The only bad part is that you'll have to look at Walter Cronkite's ugly mug for a few seconds.

I'll just never forget it. And I'll bet y'all never will, either...

SEND IN THE CLOWNS...

I always liked this song. I believe the first time I heard it sung, it was by Tony Newley.

But Sinatra, and Judy Collins "made it."

Cowdad sent me a link to a video set to the music. You might like it. Or not. But I thought it was worth passing along.

Love Song Saturday Night...

Okay, it's Saturday night again. "Love Song Saturday Night" has proven to be one of the most popular features of this little blog. I truly appreciate the millions of you that visit every Saturday night. I really do.

In the past we have featured The Uniques, James Taylor, Chicago, and even Barry White on "Love Song Saturday Night."

But I have received thousands of one complaint. It goes something like, "hey Andy...why don't you never git no kuntry muzik up on luv song satidy nite?"

Well, because we only have 8 visitors to this blog, I have to take every complaint seriously. So, tonight we will feature a Country Music classic.

Don't get your hopes up just yet. It will not be Patsy Cline with "I Fall to Pieces," or Ray Price with "Help Me Make It Through The Night," or Faron Young with "Four In The Morning," or even Willie with "You Were Always On My Mind...or Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground."

Nope! We are going to fast forward to nowadays. I hope y'all enjoy Gary Allan (heh! he has two first names) singing this uber-doober-fantabulous hit that made him a big ole pile of coins.

Pull down the shades, turn off the lights, and snuggle up with The Mrs.

It just duz not git no mor better than this! Don't bother to thank me...

40 years ago today...

Uncle Teddy went for a little swim.

While the world was occupied with the Apollo 11 Moonshot, Teddy got away with murder. I'm sure that she was just as excited as the rest of us, but Mary Jo missed the "Moon walk."

You know, sometimes I think Louisiana voters are stupid. Really stupid. But Massachusetts...Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! That orange thing on the street by Ted is what's known in Massachusetts as an "Election Day Hat."

Enjoy your remaining days Ted...

Saturday Morning... "Serenity"

If you can start the day without caffeine...

If you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains...

If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles...

If you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for it...

If you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time...

If you can take criticism and blame without resentment...

If you can conquer tension without medical help...

If you can relax without liquor...

If you can sleep without the aid of drugs...

Then you are probably the Family Dog!


Y'all have a good weekend!

This reminds me of a story...

It seems that a couple in Idaho have come up with a creative way to rid themselves of property they no longer want. The property has a pond, a shop, and a 3 bedroom house...a real paradise I'm sure!

Instead of just putting it up for sale, FoxNews is reporting that this couple has decided to conduct an "essay" contest. All you have to do is write an essay, and send it to them with a check for $150! That's all? Just $150 to enter their contest to win their fabulous property?

Really? Dang...I might giveratry myself! These folks promise that after the essays have been judged by a college English class, they will shore nuff turn over the deed to the estate to the winner! Now that's a DEAL if you axe me!

My Granddaddy once told me the story of Marvin Helms that lived down the road from his family in rural North Carolina. Marvin had a prized mule that died, and he didn't know what to do with it. So, Marvin (who was a shirt-tail cousin of Jesse Helms, btw) decided to raffle it off.

Yes, RAFFLE IT OFF! Of course, he didn't let on that his prized mule was dead.

Helms sold raffle tickets on his prized mule for 50 cents each to all the townfolk. Old Marvin collected about $42 in raffle ticket sales.

I asked Granddaddy, "Weren't they all mad when they found out they'd been cheated?" Granddaddy said, "Well Andy...Marvin only made one guy mad...and he gave him his money back."

WALTER CRONKITE DEAD AT 92...

...it happens.

Truly Impressive! DO NOT SKIP THIS BLOG POST!!!

This is something you just have to see to understand. We all know about the television shows "America's Got Talent," and "Britain's Got Talent."

Well one Kseniya Seminova was the winner of this year's "Ukraine's Got Talent." "Ukraine's Got Talent?" Who knew? Not that the Ukraine doesn't have talent, of course...I mean that they had their own talented folks TV show.

I subscribe on my Google Reader to "MilkandCookies." About one out of every 20 videos that they feature are worth posting. And I don't usually even post those. But when I saw this headline: "Sand Animation, Ukraine's Got Talent," and when I saw the run time was over 8 minutes, I thought, "I don't have time for that."

But I decided to hit the link, and check it out. About 45 seconds into the video, I was hooked! I did a little research on the world wide computer, and found that she won a first prize of roughly $125,000. I'd say WORTH EVERY PENNY!

I do not understand the words, of course, but evidently she is telling the story of the beginning of World War II, and life in The Ukraine during the war. In fact, here is a link to a blog post that has a few more details.

Trust me. Take 8 or 9 minutes to watch this. You. Will. Not. Be. Sorry!

Classical Music Friday...

I don't think this will be a regular Friday feature. But it's too cool not to share.

Quite possibly the worst idea I ever had...

Have you ever had a fabulous idea that you were sure would make you fabulously wealthy? I mean, like maybe inventing computer software, or a way to send letters without postage stamps?

Yeah...you know what I'm talking about.

Yesterday, several of the bloggers that I read paid tribute to the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon mission. They were all quite sentimental about the event. Most of them were kids, just like I was in 1969, and had similar remembrances.

Dadman, over at CosmicConservative mentioned that his Father invested in a Zenith Color Television, with a "clunky" remote control just to be sure to catch the whole thing in living color. My family was in the TV biz in those days, and it brought back good memories of those clunky "tuning fork" remote control units.

And I got to thinking...WOW! Here we were in 1969 with Americans walking around on the Moon, and "state of the art" in home video equipment was a remote control television that you could mess up by jingling your keys, or the change in your pocket.

So, I got this brilliant idea! That would make a great T-shirt! A fabulous one! It would sell millions to 40 & 50-somethings like myself. I probably wouldn't be able to have enough printed to keep up with the demand. It could become a global phenomenon!!!

So, I sat down and designed me up that bad boy this morning!

(click on it for the REALLY BIG version)

Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time.

Sigh...

In honor of the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Mission..

The Aliens are coming!

Yes, it is true! I have it on good authority that Aliens are coming to Earth on Friday, July 17 to steal away all of the smart, and sexy people.



Don't worry, you will be okay! I just wrote to tell y'all goodbye...

Good news! Al Gore is healthy enough to swim!

Fox News headlined this story from the Anchorage Daily News, Giant Mystery Blob Moves Through Alaskan Waters

Nobody knows for sure what the gunk is, but Petty Officer 1st Class Terry Hasenauer says the Coast Guard is sure what it is not.

"It's certainly biological," Hasenauer said. "It's definitely not an oil product of any kind. It has no characteristics of an oil, or a hazardous substance, for that matter.

"It's definitely, by the smell and the makeup of it, it's some sort of naturally occurring organic or otherwise marine organism."

Well, I guess it could be Ted Kennedy...but I don't imagine he's done much swimming lately, being sick and all.

I'll tell ya'! Sarah Palin calls it quits, and the whole place falls apart...

40 YEARS AGO TODAY...

(Let me thank Walt for reminding me!)

40 years ago today, I was 9 years old. I had finished the 4th grade, and was very excited to be entering the 5th grade in the Fall. I would be one of the "old kids" at Kerr Elementary School, and me and my buddies were gonna rule the school.

It was, as all Louisiana Summers are, real hot. We had a big old place with about 3 acres to mow, a big old vegetable garden to tend, bushels of peas to shell, peaches to pick, and about a dozen cows that Daddy kept in the back pasture. Yep, those were the days when you could have cows in town.

The boredom of Summer would have set in if it had not been for the fact that I was getting to watch history unfold before my eyes.

On July 16, 1969, these three fellows climbed into a little bitty spacecraft set up on top of a big old rocket down in Florida, and blasted off to do something that not many folks really thought was possible only a few years before.

Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, Edwin (Buzz) Aldrin

Apollo 11 Crew

At 9 years old, I really didn't understand all the significance of man's first trip to the surface of the moon. It was a time of turmoil in our nation (well, when hasn't it been?). The Cold War was cranked up in full cold mode. Boys were being drafted into the Service, and a bunch of them didn't want to go. We were fighting what was becoming a VERY unpopular war in Southeast Asia. There were protests, and riots.

And it was still almost two months before football started.

But as I grew older, I have learned just how significant this mission was to our nation. It put an exclamation point on the technology that can be developed by a free people, and the great things that a free people can accomplish.

It was also just really way, way cool to a 9-year-old boy.

I can only remember a few times since then that the entire US (and quite possibly the world) was so riveted by unfolding events. Apollo 13. The US withdrawal from Vietnam. The Munich Olympics massacre. The Miracle On Ice (that was mostly just us, probably). The fall of the Berlin Wall. 9-11.

Boston.com has a nice piece that Walt sent me a link to about the Apollo 11 flight. The photos alone are worth hitting the link.

The moon is not quite "to infinity and beyond." But when you consider what NASA did in the space of a decade, with the technology they had...it's pretty astounding stuff.

"Toby" is in trouble...

A man was gunned down outside a liquor store in the Mooretown area of Shreveport, LA yesterday.

Now, there is nothing at all unusual about this. In fact, if you go through a week without somebody being gunned down in Mooretown, or Allendale, or Cedar Grove, it's time for a block party!

The murderer had been on the run all day when he finally turned himself in.

After running from police all day, Kunta Kente Green, 23, of the 4800 block of Kennedy Street, turned himself in to police about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to Shreveport police Cpl. Bill Goodin.

I reckon Kunta just got wore out.

They say his name is Kunta Kente...but I bet his slave name was Toby before he got it changed to his real name from his homeland of Mooretown.


Ignorant...

I'm gonna quit bitching about the weather...

My buddy Cosmic Conservative posted a call to start the "Obama Body Count." And that is TRULY fair. The lefties in the US seemed to smile with glee every time one of our brave young men and women were killed in Iraq and Afghanistan before January 20, 2009.

They seemed to be able to put the blame SQUARELY on "W's" shoulders with the most shrill, putrid commentary I've ever witnessed. It seems that every screwed in the head ijjit had a big poster board on his/her wall, and was doing the IIII IIII IIII IIII thing as each precious life was taken by subhumans that would love to kill every Jew, and Christian on the planet...and all the Hindus, Buddhists, etc.

Well, there's a new Sheriff in town. And Sheriff Obama is getting a dose of reality now that he's not just "trying to be something." He is "the something."

I've been bitching too much about how hot and dry it is here. I checked the weather report in Baghdad, and Kabul. It's just as hot there as it is here in NW Louisiana. But I am sitting in an air conditioned house, in a decent enough neighborhood, not wearing full camo and body armor, not dodging road-side bombs and sniper fire in a 140 degree hot tank or HUMVEE.

Aw crap!!! I'm starting to cry...again. I have posted this video before, and I probably will again.

The HIIIIIIIIIIGH cost of smoking...

Nyuk!

This is a bad idea...

It seems that Bill Gates has hatched a plan to build "hurricane killers." The concept is interesting. But it's a bad idea.

Hurricanes are good!

Certainly, hurricanes are hard on folks in their path, disrupt lives, destroy property, etc. But if we start monkeying around with the natural processes that God put in order on this planet...just for our own convenience...we will be sorry!

Why is it that we so often forget the law of unintended consequences in our quest to build a "perfect world?"

This is kinda surprising to me...

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has vetoed a bill that would have made possession of a firearm within 1,000 feet or a parade route, or permitted demonstrations a crime.

No, I'm not surprised that he vetoed it.

I'm surprised that the Louisiana Legislature passed it in the first place. If you've ever been to a Mardi Gras parade, or seen some of the morons that "demonstrate" in this neck of the woods, then you'd know that packing a firearm is a very good idea!

However, if you're stupid enough to go to a Mardi Gras parade...well, maybe you shouldn't actually own something with a bang-bang switch anyway...

HAVING A TOUGH WEEK?

By Wednesday, many of you may feel stressed. The work-a-day world brings us all challenges that can wear down our spirits. You know what I'm talking about. Sure you do. Come on...you know you do. Don't feel alone...it happens to the best of us.

Just in case you are having a rough day, here is a stress management technique recommended in all the latest psychological journals. The funny thing is that it really
does work and will make you smile..

1. Picture yourself lying on your belly on a warm rock that hangs out over a crystal clear stream.

2. Picture yourself with both your hands dangling in the cool running water.

3. Birds are sweetly singing in the cool mountain air.

4. No one knows your secret place.

5. You are in total seclusion from that hectic place called the world.

6. The soothing sound of a gentle water fall fills the air with a cascade of serenity.

7. The water is so crystal clear that you can easily make out the face of the person you are holding underwater.


There!! See?
It really does work... You're smiling already.

JUST IN CASE YOU FORGOT...

...David Letterman used to be funny!

Here he goes with the hungry Hungarian...

HAVE YOU EVER CARRIED A MATTRESS ON THE TOP OF YOUR CAR?

Or maybe a 27" console television in the trunk? Or maybe stuffed four under-aged friends into the trunk of your '73 Dodge Dart Swinger so that they could see the "R" rated movie at the Don Drive-In Theater...and for FREE at that?

Well, in my many years of traveling the highways and byways of the US, I have seen (and participated in) some rather odd ways to get some item transported from point A to point B. Some of them I am not proud of. But some, I felt bordered on ingenious.

Ya' know, sometimes you just can't find your buddy with the pickup...or your pickup just ain't running good enough to chance it. I'm sure we've all been there.

But some Okie has topped anything I've ever seen! Evidently, this Gomer bought a bull in Kansas, and set off to transport it to his place just outside of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Now, when a rancher buys a bull, he will normally transport it in something like this:



Evidently this Okie's buddy that owned the cattle trailer wouldn't let him borrow it that day.






















Well, he looks just as "pleased as punch!" So, I reckon if the buyer is happy, and nobody got killed it's all good...

By the way, if anybody knows who this guy is, let me know would ya'? I would like to send him congratulations for pulling off something I never figured could be done. I'll probably have to do it by phone though. I'm pretty sure this Okie doesn't have e-mail.

Tuesday Morning Chuckle...

Terror Alert!!! Be on the lookout for Osama bin Shoppin!

SO...JUST WHICH WELL KNOWN AMERICAN CARES ABOUT ENERGY CONSUMPTION THE MOST???

Truthfully, I really don't care so much about this kind of stuff. I don't care about it because I know that the die has been cast, and the entire mainstream media will never report the realities of the fake "global warming climate change" scare that has been foisted on us.

The very idea that mankind can somehow affect the climate is ridiculous, foolish, self-aggrandizing, and childish. Short of a world wide nuclear war that puts us all to death, darkens the planet for a few years, and leaves the cockroaches in charge...it is pure idiocy!

The FACTS of it all do not seem to matter. I have bled my fingers dry, and read my eyes red, while coming to the conclusion that it's all a CROCK! It is a CROCK, designed by very clever chess players to play on the emotions of nature lovers (like myself), in order to agree to hand over many hundreds of dollars every month in taxes...and what is left of their freedom to pursue their ambitions.

But, every once in a while it needs to be stated...or restated. The BTWIC (Big Tennessean Whats In Charge) is a hypocrite of massive girth. He's not only a big fat slob...he's a big fat liar, an opportunist, and is bordering on the demonic. There! Albert Gore, Jr. is a flim-flam artist of the lowest order. He has so given himself over to the underworld that he will say anything, do anything, and tell any lie...hoping that folks will swallow it...and he gets a pass from journalists because they are retards.

I got a computer letter from Cowdad about this all. When I got it, I was not surprised. I know Gore and his kind... "Do as I say...not as I do."

So, just which well known American cares about energy consumption?

House #1
A 20 room mansion (not including 8 bathrooms) heated by natural gas. Add on a pool (and a pool house) and a separate guest house, all heated by gas. In one month this residence consumes more energy than the average American household does in a year. The average bill for electricity and natural gas runs over $2400 per month.. In natural gas alone, this property consumes more than 20 times the national average for an American home. This house is not situated in a Northern or Midwestern 'snow belt' area. It's in the South.


House #2
Designed by an architecture professor at a leading national university. This house incorporates every 'green' feature current home construction can provide. The house is 4,000 square feet (4 bedrooms) and is nestled on a high prairie in the American southwest. A central closet in the house holds geothermal heat-pumps drawing ground water through pipes sunk 300 feet into the ground.

The water (usually 67 degrees F) heats the house in the winter and cools it in the summer The system uses no fossil fuels such as oil or natural gas and it consumes one-quarter the electricity required for a conventional heating/cooling system. Rainwater from the roof is collected and funneled into a 25,000 gallon underground cistern. Wastewater from showers, sinks and toilets goes into underground purifying tanks and then into the cistern. The collected water then irrigates the land surrounding the house. Surrounding flowers and shrubs native to the area enable the property to blend into the surrounding rural landscape. The heating/cooling system is so efficient that initial plans to install solar panels were cancelled.

HOUSE #1 is outside of Nashville , Tennessee;
it is the abode of the Environmentalist, Al Gore.

HOUSE #2 is on a ranch near Crawford, Texas;
it is the residence of the former President of the United States, George W. Bush.

Yes, it’s “An inconvenient truth.”

You can verify it at :http://www.snopes.com/politics/bush/house.asp

I am not sure of all the figures as laid out in the e-mail, but I do know that Gore is a real "user."

So, a question arises in my rapidly balding head... "What were the motivations of Gore and Bush when they built their houses?"

Because you asked, I will tell you what I think.

Gore built his enormous mansion because he knew he would one day be as fat as a Hippopotamus, and wanted plenty of room to wander around as he worked his old fat slob of a self into dementia.

Bush didn't plan on needing a bazillion square feet of roaming room indoors. He's a nature lover (like myself), and figured "nuff is nuff." And he probably wanted to save a few bucks on utility costs. Jeepers, I wish he had brought that "thrifty" attitude with him to DC.

Louisiana's "Second Amendment" Holiday...

Yep! We now have an official "Second Amendment" Holiday in Louisiana.

Well, it's not a real holiday, like you don't have to work or something. It's an even better holiday. It's a TAX holiday. The Louisiana Legislature passed, and Gov. Bobby Jindal signed into law, a bill that will exempt firearms, and ammunition from State sales taxes for three days in September (normally Labor Day weekend).

Now, that is one instance where I don't mind the gubmit getting involved!

Got a funny e-mail from Cowdad:

I called my stockbroker this morning and asked him what I should be buying.

He said, "Canned Goods and Ammunition!"

Y'all have a good Monday. And if you've got a spare prayer up your sleeve, we sure could use some rain in Northwest Louisiana. It's dry. Bad dry. Dangerously dry. It has been this way for WAY too long.

The forecast for every day this week is dry, with a high temperature of three million degrees (give or take a thousand). But it sure hasn't kept the grass from growing...

PICTURE OF THE WEEK...

I have linked to Girl On The Right before. She snapped this photo at a protest by Jooooo haters in Ontario, Canada. They were protesting an exhibition of The Dead Sea Scrolls. From her report, this picture pretty well sums up the collective intelligence (not quite reaching "maggot" stage) of the protesters.

This has to be the best photo I've seen on the web this week...even better than the "Barry doing Bubba impersonation." Her whole rundown of the protest is worth a read.

If you don't have Girl On The Right on your Google Reader, you're missing a treat.

WORLD LEADERS GATHER FOR G-8 SUMMIT.

SUNDAY MORNING QUIZ...

What are the chances?

a) One in a million

b) One in a trillion

c) Zero in hades

Polish woman's lawsuit explains why there are so many Polock jokes.

SATURDAY NIGHT LOVE SONG...

Put the dog out...let the cat in...and for Heaven's sake, keep up with your meds!!!



Seriously though...JT is probably The Mrs.' most favorite singer of forever...Well, him and Neil Diamond... I'll get to Neil on "Saturday Night Love Songs" pretty soon...but for tonight, it's JT...AND IT'S THE GOD'S HONEST TRUTH!

OBAMA "MORE CATHOLIC" THAN THE POPE...?

I don't talk much about religion on this blog. Truthfully, I don't care much for "religion" as it is commonly defined and practiced today. At the same time, I have not even one tiny bit of frustration with folks that adhere to a particular doctrine, either. (except for Muslims...I'm talking about Christianity here, not the devil's junk) That's where they are, and what they have come to in their spiritual journey...cool.

I am a Christian. I'm not a Baptist, or a Methodist, or a Pentecostal, or anything with a name other than a Christian. I believe that The Holy Bible is God's message to mankind, and I have found my truth in it's pages. I am "chiefest" among sinners, and fall short more often than not in following Christ. I could write for hours every jot and tittle of what I believe, and confess all of my failings, but I will not bore you all...plus, I don't really like confessing on the world wide computer. My failings should be very obvious to those of you who read this little blog already.

That being said, I am not a Roman Catholic, and I certainly don't play one on the internet, or have a deep knowledge of Roman Catholicism. So, it is from this position of ignorance that I read this article from Newsweek, written by none other than one of the Kennedy Clan (obvious devout Roman Catholics, and stalwarts of morality).

It seems that Ms. Kennedy Townsend believes that Barack Obama is more "Catholic" than Pope Benedict. The title of her piece is, "Why Barack Obama represents American Catholics better than the pope does."

(As a side note, one blogger quipped, "Obama more Catholic than Pope! What next, 'Obama more Christlike than Jesus?' ")

This Kennedy chick cites polling data from American Catholics, speaks to issues of birth control, abortion, etc. It is this kind of thing that causes a non-Catholic like myself to scratch his rapidly balding head. Once again, I am writing from a position of ignorance.

But it has always puzzled me that one will claim Catholicism, yet disagree so directly with the line of authority in the Roman Catholic Church. Why even be a Catholic? And why does the Catholic Church tolerate those that are so clearly anti-Catholic in it's midst. Why don't they "ex" legislators like Tom Daschle, Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, Mary Landrieu, Nancy Pelosi...etc. that support the crime of abortion? Why not?

I can no more understand an American Catholic that would support a pro-abortion/pro-gay marriage/pro-"sin" candidate than I can understand the American Jews that support our anti-Israel current President...and hundreds of other liberal politicians for that matter.

It really does beg the question..."Is the Catholic Church more interested in keeping the lights on than it is in being the light of the world?" Now, this question could apply to a WHOLE LOT MORE churches than just the Roman Catholic Church...so don't think I'm "Catholic-bashing." It's just a mystery to me from both angles.

Why would a pro-birth control, or pro-abortion, or pro-gay marriage person want to even identify themselves with a Church that proclaims those things to be wrong? Do they think they're going to change The Pope's mind with their opinions? Believe you me...I would not be a member of a Church that could be swayed in it's doctrines, or teachings by popular opinion. That church would suck. By the same token, I have never understood politically conservative Roman Catholics that support the death penalty (in direct opposition to church teachings). I have heard their justifications, but ain't buying.

I have read, (and attempted to understand) many American Catholics try to explain "why" it's okay to disagree with The Pope, or the priestly hierarchy, and still maintain that you are "Catholic." But truthfully, it's all pretty hollow. If I attended a Church...let's say a Southern Baptist Church...that taught that "speaking in tongues is demonic." I would leave that church immediately, because I know that it is not, and that teaching violates the Word of God.

If I attended a Church that taught that black folks are inferior to whites, I would leave that church immediately, because I know that they are not, and that teaching violates the Word of God. I could go on and on with examples, but I think you get my drift. I do not want to identify with a doctrine that I find in error...pure and simple...and will not pull a wagon for WRONG!

I don't know...maybe I'm just odd. But I believe, "in for a penny, in for a pound!" "Lead, follow, or get the heck out of the way!" "Piss, or get off the pot!" "See, raise, or fold Dangit!" I'm sure there are other cliches that I could come up with... But I mean, GET IN OR GET OUT...BE ONE OR DON'T BE ONE. But don't claim to be one if you ain't. You can live without the Catholic Church, and they can live without you.

Who knows? Kathleen Kennedy Townsend may be right. Barack Obama may represent the opinions of American Catholics better than The Pope does. If she is right, then what does that say about the structure of, and discipline within the Catholic Church?

I'm just asking...

Odd Creatures Week wraps up...

Well my friends, yesterday one of two things happened...and I'm not sure which it was. Yesterday was the first day of "Odd Creatures Week" that not one single reader took a stab at identifying this cute little gal.

Ha! Gotcha! Actually, The Mrs. looked at the picture this morning, and said, "Andy, that is a Frill-necked Lizard...or a Frill-necked Dragon as some call it." She was precisely correct. A regular walking Nancy Pelosi look-alike in my book.

So, I am assuming that either a) No one visited this blog yesterday. Or b) I stumped several million people who visit regularly. I'll just go with "B" for the sake of my ego.

It has been a really, really, really fun, and interesting time showing you all these odd creatures. Let's just dump the rest of them on you...no need to guess. I'll identify them for you, and you can research any that you like. I hope you've enjoyed playing as much as I have.

Yeti Crab
(wonder where they got that name?)

Sucker-footed Bat
(Holy dart-gun Batman!)

Komondor Dog
(Wouldn't you love to brush him?)

Blobfish
(Yes, it is a Blobfish...it's not Ted Kennedy)

Aye-aye
(Is that cute or what? I mean "cute," in a really ugly, weird way.)

Axolotl
(It's a Mexican mole salamander. Looks amazingly similar to a chemistry professor I had in college.)

And the "oddest creature" on the planet (now that Michael Jackson has taken the dirt nap.)

Chastity (Chaz) Bono
(it's the one on the right)

"I'M SORRY...."

...that evil bastard Reagan killed your baby girl. Heck, I was only 25, but I issued a statement condemning it. Heck, I might not have even been a citizen then. Reagan's dead now. There's a new sheriff in town. Sleep easy Muammar..."

IT'S THE TRUTH...

...I swear it is! Trust me! I am not a crook!

This article is worth a read. It seems that John Dean is once again threatening to sue someone trying to present the FACTS about his role in The Watergate affair. And this time, he's taking aim at a Texas Aggie...actually a professor of history at Texas A & M-Central Texas, in Killeen. But I'll give this Aggie credit for enough "smarts" to tread softly around Dean. His website is: www.nixontapes.org

John Dean is a ruthless rascal with DEEP pockets...

I was a young teenager when "Watergate" broke, but followed the hearings closely. (It was the only thing on any of our two television channels)

I never "bought" the notion that Dean was being completely truthful. And his behavior since those years has only cemented my skepticism. I always tended to believe Gordon Liddy in his legal battle with Dean. His narrative seemed to make more sense, and his statements carried "the ring of truth."

It was a long time ago, and I'm not sure how much difference it will make if the whole truth is ever known. But if you are fuzzy on that very troubling era in our modern US history, you'd do yourself a favor to read the linked articles.

THE MEDIA COVERS OBAMA'S BUTT (GLANCE) AGAIN...

CAPTION THIS...

You think Sarkozy's been showing Barry the ropes?

Odd Creatures Week...T.G.I.F. edition

I know that you are all enjoying this game immensely! So, don't bother to thank me...that knowledge is thanks enough. Walt correctly identified yesterday's odd creature once again! It was indeed the Star-nosed Mole.

His initial try was "the southern end of a northbound Nancy Pelosi." Nyuk! Well, today's entry truly does remind me of Nancy Pelosi...in more ways than one. Look at the little gal, all dressed up. Probably getting ready to suck up to the terrorists in Syria, or maybe to address the annual GLAAD convention!

Actually this little gal is Australian. She also is found in New Guinea. Wouldn't it be nice if Nancy were Australian?

Good luck!

CAPTION THIS!

Whatchoo talkin' 'bout Malia?????

WHAT 'S UP WITH THIS BULL FETISH IN SPAIN?

Well, we are deep into the annual "Running of the Bulls" in Pamplona, Spain. Which raises some questions that must be answered. "How freakin' crazy are the Spaniards?" "And what is this unnatural Spanish attachment to bulls?"

From the play-by-play of today's bull run: At one point a chocolate-colored bull fell and half a dozen runners tripped over it and went down. One man got up, turned back to toward the mass of oncoming traffic and was promptly run over by a black beast weighing around 645 kilograms (1,400 pounds). It was not immediately clear if this runner was among the five injured.

"...was not immediately clear if this runner was among the five injured." ?????

Spain...Bullfights, bull running, and bull jumping! Weird...



Guy Jumps Over a Bull - The best home videos are here

Odd Creatures Week...Thursday Edition

Well, shortly after posting yesterday's entry , The Mrs. informed me that it was too easy. Walt seemed to agree by immediately answering correctly. Obviously, I am the only one in my family that did not know about an Alpaca. I'm running out of good prize junk to send you Walt, but keep playing and we'll work something out.

So, on to today's "Odd Creature." This little guy lives in Eastern Canada, and in the US Northeast. He/she is a good swimmer (I guess you can tell that by those lovely fins), and can forage for food along the bottom of streams and ponds. So, dig in and identify this critter.

This one should be easy for some of you...but trust me, this really, really, really, fun and popular game is going to crank it up a notch into the weekend.

Good luck!

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...

...Michael Jackson died last week.

I have not personally weighed in on the death of Michael Jackson until now, because EVERYONE ELSE on the planet has. I thought I'd wait until the tide rolled out to share my thoughts with y'all.

As hard as I have tried, I have not been able to escape the continual media coverage of Michael Jackson's death. I guess I could have gone into a closet, shut the door, taken my Reese's Peanut Butter Cup stash, a case of Diet Coke, and a chamber pot to "wait out" the whole thing...but that really was not an option these last several days.

Let me begin by saying that I am not in any way "happy" about the death of Michael Jackson. It is always sad to me when a young man dies. Especially when that "young man" is roughly my age (just one year older than I am). I know for sure that his parents, children, and those that were his TRUE friends are grieving.

That being said, I really do not understand the world-wide hubbub about it all. I truly do not understand the fascination. I was never a Michael Jackson fan. When I was a little kid, I would see him and his four brothers on various variety TV shows...Jack Benny, and the like...and I did think to myself, "Cool...here is a guy my age on TV!" But I can't say that "A.B.C....1.2.3." ever really struck a chord with me.

About the only childhood memory I have of one of his songs I really liked was "I'll Be There." I liked it because there was this one girl I really liked, and she finally asked me to "slow-dance-skate" at the Hot Wheels roller skating rink...the song they were playing was "I'll be there," which was her "favorite."

Well, of course, it was MY FAVORITE, TOO!

But aside from that, I never really cared for his music. I can honestly say that I have never heard "Thriller," or "Billie Jean." I have heard "We Are The World." (I think he was in on that one...but if not, please disregard that).

And I certainly didn't care for his bizarre lifestyle. Maybe it was because I could find nothing in common with Michael that no connection was ever made. On a deep, mind-searching level, this is probably why.

He was black (for some of his life), and I am white (for all of my life to this point). He was talented, and I am not. He was famous, and I am not. He could dance, and I can not. He bore children by a women that he did not make a commitment to raise them with, and I did not. He lived in a mansion, traveled the world, was confused in his theology, was a prisoner of his family, was a prisoner of his fame, was a regular at "Plastic Surgery Tuesday in LA," was stuck in childhood, got young boys drunk, threw away billions of dollars, and was used like a cheap whore by "clingers" his whole life.

There is not one thing about his life that I can identify with. Therein lies my confusion as to why so many millions are seemingly distraught over his death.

Perhaps it is the "pain" of his life that so many identify with. I can not identify with that either...

I am much more saddened by his life than I am by his death.

I have watched the wall-to-wall media coverage of his death, and am sure that it will continue. I read in the news that the brilliant Congresswoman from Texas, Sheila Jackson-Lee has petitioned Congress to recognize Michael Jackson in a Congressional Resolution. I think that there are something like 42 "whereas clauses" in her resolution that point out why The Congress of the United States should honor him. Hmmmm... I'm wondering if it includes "Whereas Michael Jackson once held his helpless baby over a balcony rail several stories high in order to entertain his fans..."

I also see that Al Sharpton is calling for a National Day of Mourning over Michael, and for the US Postal Service to issue a commemorative stamp. I'm thinking that the stamp deal is not a bad idea at all. In fact, I think the USPS should issue an entire set...maybe 8 stamps showing Michael as he morphed from black to white, male to female, with a nose and without a nose, with girls and then with little boys, and maybe even the topper being Michael serving alcohol to little boys in Diet Coke cans. They could call it "The Jesus Juice Collection."

And I also read this morning that there is great anticipation among the media about where Jackson will actually be laid to rest. I don't know if the mystery has been solved yet, but it reminds me of the old Country Music song, "Prop Me Up Beside The Jukebox When I Die."

So much has been made over this guy since his death that I think they should do like the Brits did when the Queen Mother breathed her last. They hauled that old gal all over England for what seemed like eons, to make certain that all of her adoring public got a chance to "share the moment."

Maybe they should put Michael's casket on a cart, and haul it around to every town in the United States so that everyone can properly grieve over him.

He was a "King" after all.

It might take a while, but maybe by the time they get finished, someone with a half-a-lick of sense will have figured out his convoluted finances...what parents of former molestees he still owes...who gets the Fantasyland...who has to now get a REAL job because he's gone...what to do with his kids...and where to plant him. One can only hope...

I will wrap this up with a video. Since it seems to me that Michael Jackson's life was a true "bassackward" tale... If you've ever wondered what the "Moonwalk" would look like in reverse...well, this is the video for you!

By the way, I truly do hope that Michael has finally found some "peace."

Aggies...sheesh...

If you are not from Louisiana, or Texas, or any other State whose athletic teams compete against Texas A & M University, you may not know about "Aggie Jokes." They're kinda like "Polock Jokes," except they use true stories from lives of Texas A & M Aggies to make up Polock jokes.

I thought about posting a bunch of Aggie Jokes to illustrate just how ignorant the Texas A & M Aggies can be. In fact, I may do that one day. At one time, I had all 9 volumes of "101 Aggie Jokes." There were 909 jokes in those volumes that were gut-splitting funny.

One month after Hurricane Katrina hit the central Gulf coast, an even bigger mamma-jamma known as "Hurricane Rita" bore down on the coast near the LA/TX border. Emergency preparedness officials in Texas warned everyone hundreds of miles inland to prepare for Rita...torrential rains, high winds, tornados, etc.

Well, it seems that the good folks in Bryan/College Station, TX had seen all the damage that Katrina did to UNO, Tulane, Xavier in New Orleans, and other Universities in Mississippi, and Alabama, and took the warnings to heart...

(click on it to see it big)

Odd Creatures Week...Wednesday Edition

Well, since this is such a popular feature, I have decided to continue on with Odd Creature Week. Yesterday's entry drew two guesses. I think Walt was closest with his answer, "The Octomom in heat." Well done Walt! It is actually a "Dumbo Octopus," named so because the appendages resemble elephant ears.

So, maybe a few more clues might help all both of you that choose to play this really, really, really fun game!

This little guy is South American, like The Pink Fairy Armadillo from Monday. This is a photo of him/her after being shorn. His/her hair is used to make clothing, such as ponchos, socks, sweaters, and even blankets.

Below you will see him/her in full "really having a bad hair day" mode.

Good luck!

Ahhhh...they're cute when they're little!

As many of you know, three of our four sons are grown and on their own now. And it makes me a little sad occasionally. Oh, I'm proud for them, and I realize that it is part of the natural progression of life...but I do miss the little guys, and the funny junk they did as kids.

They are cute when they are little...

By the way, most of these look VERY familiar.

Odd Creatures Week...Tuesday Edition

Well, "Odd Creatures" Week is off to a rousing start!

All two of you that guessed at yesterday's entry are greatly appreciated! It is a "Pink Fairy Armadillo." From what I understand, it hangs out in Argentina. Hmmm...I wonder if Mark Sanford ran across one of the little guys while he was "hiking."

So, let's try one that might be a little easier (just so you can catch your breath). I am pretty sure that this is a little tyke, before maturing. Scroll down to see The Papa Bear version. The only clue I can give is that it has eight legs...darn, I gave it away. Good luck!

Wish I'd said that...

Odd Creatures Week...

Now that Independence Day is behind us, and things have slowed down a little bit, I'm cleaning out some old files. So, I figure what better way to close them than to find out just how astute all 7 of you are. So, I'll be posting photos of "Odd Creatures" this week.

No, Nancy Pelosi will not be one of them. If you know what this little guy is, you are a genius, or a zoologist. Or both.

I know it's a fake...

...But I'm wondering just how long it will be before we read the headline, "MICHAEL JACKSON WAS BREATHING JUST MOMENTS BEFORE HE WASN'T!"

Good Old Jap Ingenuity...

I'll bet you can ship a lot more in a truck, too...

A round watermelon can take up a lot of room in a refrigerator and the usually round fruit often sits awkwardly on refrigerator shelves. Japanese farmers have forced their watermelons to grow into a square shape by inserting the melons into square, tempered glass cases while the fruit is still growing on the vine.

FROM THE MAILBAG...

Well, they asked...

Polk County, Florida Sheriff Grady Judd

A dirtbag named Angilo Freeland in Polk County Florida who got pulled over in a routine traffic stop ended up 'executing' the deputy who stopped him. The deputy was shot several times, including once behind his right ear at close range. Another deputy was wounded and a police dog killed. A state wide manhunt ensued.

The murderer was found hiding in a wooded area with his gun. After he shot at them, SWAT team officers opened fire and hit the guy 68 times.

Now here's the kicker:

Naturally, the liberal media went nuts and asked why they shot the poor soul 68 times.

Sheriff Grady Judd told the Orlando Sentinel: 'Because that's all the ammunition we had.'

JUST A BUNCH OF SUNDAY STUFF...

Name This Tune: (title, and artist, please)

It begins,

You came riding in on the sunrise on a hot west Texas day.
A fancy man in a painted wagon with some fancy things to say.
'Looks like you folks need some water, well water is my game, and for the small price of $100.00. I bet you I could make it rain!' Step back non-believers or the rain will never come.
Someone start that fire a' burning, Somebody beat the drum!
He said "some may think I'm crazy for making all these claims. But I swear before this day is over, you folks are gonna see some rain."
I am posting this because we have been in a severe drought here in NW Louisiana for way too long. Our normal rainfall in June is about 6 inches. We have had about 1/2 inch this June. The garden is barely surviving. I have been watering it, but it still sucks! You can keep a garden alive with City Water, but only God Water makes it produce.

Well..."Look yonder there comes the rain!"

Thanks be to the Good Lord...it looks like we're finally catching a break! It's raining the "good kind" of rain today, with more coming (according to Mr. Weather). Fortunately, The Mrs. had the energy to cut all but one of her 5 yards (that she's committed to) before it set in. Hallelujah!

So, what did Andy do on Independence Day? I'm glad you asked. Me, and The Mrs. were knee deep in Purple Hulls. If you aren't from The South, you probably don't know what Purple Hulls are. The best way I can describe them is that they are like Heaven...except you run out of them eventually, unlike the Glory of the Lord.

We blanched, and froze FIVE BUSHELS of Purple Hulls on Independence Day. We are "set" until next Summer. Hallelujah!

Next subject: One thing I do not like about blogging is the fact that you can become part of an "echo chamber." So, I have learned to resist just posting stuff that others have. But my friend Paul Mitchell came across a post at Ariana Huffington's manure pile that MUST BE SHARED.

If you had any doubts that the lefties in our nation are truly demented, brain damaged, or not just PURE EVIL, this should change your mind. Before you read it, let me remind you that the Democrat Party candidate for President in 2000, Al Gore, referred to the opponents of his Massa', Bubba Clinton, as "missing a chromosome."

Sarah Palin has already had photos of her, and her Downs Syndrome child "Trig," photoshopped by heartless, evil subhumans that just hate her because "HATE" is all they know.

These people are PURE EVIL. Read this at your own risk.

Now, for a Sunday "Feel Good" post...

I'll bet this guy loves his job.

Here is your Sunday "Feel Good Story." This is a story without words.

Thanks to Cowdad.

Love Song Saturday Night...

Still my favorite...





Still Dadman's favorite...

INDEPENDENCE DAY...

In Congress, July 4, 1776

"When in the course of human events..."

What brave souls! Thank God for them, and for all the brave souls that followed.

INDEPENDENCE WEEK...THANK GOD FOR "INVENTIONS!"

I awoke this morning at about 6:00 am...and something did not feel "just right" in the house. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but when I went out back to feed Sadie I knew!

The AC condensing unit was buzzing loudly...kinda like when the condenser fan motor has locked up, and the compressor has gone into "shut-down" mode. Well, sure enough...SURE ENOUGH!

My first thought was, "The condensing unit fan motor is locked up." So, I pulled the fuses from the disconnect, fed Sadie, and went back inside to ponder my options.

Option 1) Replace my AC condensing unit fan motor today.

Option 2) Swelter in 100+ heat throughout the Independence Day Weekend.

Option 3) Blow my brains out.

So, I chose Option 1. I took the condensing unit apart...pulled the fan motor...and waited until the parts house opened at 8:30. I gave them a call, and sure enough they had a motor that would work. Halleluia! At 9:00, I picked up the FASCO (one-size-fits-all) motor. At 9:30, I was in complete confusion. This motor has wires not colored anything like the motor I pulled. Plus, it runs either way...and there are purple and yellow wires you hook up to something to make it run the right way.

I looked at the wiring diagram, and began to hook up the new capacitor, the power wires...and a voice from deep inside me said, "ANDY! STOP!!!! CALL VERNON!"

I have learned to trust that voice from deep inside me. So I stopped, and called Vernon...who knows everything...and told him about my problem. He told me to go ahead on and install the motor, fan blade etc., and he'd be around pretty quick. Vernon showed up in about 30 minutes.

He told me how to do it, and by 10:15 the AC was back in operation. By 10:35 the suction line was sweating like Barney Frank at Sturgis.

Do I live in a great country, or what??? The innovations that Americans have executed are truly astounding! Telegraph...telephone...airplanes...cotton gins...submarines...milk shake machines...

When my Papaw & Granddaddy were young men, everybody sweltered during the Summer here in the South. Productivity severely dropped off from May to October. The invention of air conditioning completely changed the dynamics of Industrial production, human ability (especially in the US South), and further advances in technology.

"Freedom, and the Good Old Quest for Success...fostered by 'freedom' " have lead to advances that my grandparents could barely imagine. Men on the Moon...microwave ovens...television...computers...the world wide computer...clean water...Lasik eye surgery...cancer treatments...and the list goes on and on...

AIR CONDITIONING!

Thank the Good Lord that my AC unit went out TODAY. If it went out tomorrow, on Independence Day, I would not be nearly so thankful...no parts houses open...102 on tap for tomorrow...

What a great country! I just pray that good old American ingenuity will never be stifled by the socialists/Marxists that are now in charge of things. I pray...

Good news from Monterey!

Hey y'all, hugs, kisses, yada yada yada...

Talked to eldest son Dean this evening, and he passed his final evaluation at DLI. He is officially a USAF Chinese Linguist. The highest mark expected for a non-native speaker is a 2.5 (whatever a 2.5 means)...He made a 2.5 on Comprehension, a 2.5 on Speaking, and a 2.0 on interpreting written Mandarin.

He was very relieved. It has been a long haul for him, made more difficult by other junk that many of you know about already. He told The Mrs. that he planned to celebrate by sleeping just as late as he wants to every day throughout the Independence Day weekend. He will be in Texas to begin Cryptology School on July 15.

Whew! Thank you all so much for your kind thoughts and prayers for the man. I know he felt them...and I know that I did.

"The Facebook," and my light bulb moment...

I hope this will be coherent.

As I have mentioned, I recently signed up on "The Facebook." I did it to educate myself on exactly what it is, and how it works. And, I did it because some friends recommended it for various reasons, which I have found to all be valid during my time on "The Facebook."

As of this morning, I have 48 "friends." And I appreciate each of them. But yesterday afternoon, within the space of two hours, I received three "friend invitations." As I looked at them, I realized that I really did not want to be connected to those people. It's nothing personal. I'm sure they are fine, decent people. But I really don't care to know what's going on in their lives, or what they are interested in, etc. I thought, "what in the world makes them think that I want to connect with them?"

Is that snooty? Then the "light bulb" came on. It dawned on me to ask the same question of myself. "What makes ME think that people want to connect with me? What makes ME think that others are interested in what's up with me, or what I'm thinking?" And when you turn the barrel toward yourself, things get more serious.

I have invited 5 or 6 people to enlist as my "friend" on The Facebook. They are mostly bloggers that I enjoy reading, and have made at least some level of personal connection with. So, I had to ask myself, "When I sent those friend requests, did they ask that same question..."What makes him think I want to connect...yada yada yada." Now, don't take my "projection" personally if you received a friend request from me...it is just something that I needed to examine internally.

This is not to be critical of anyone, but the "thing" that bothers me about The Facebook is the way that it works...If you decide to "Say Something," then every one of your friends (if they ever check their page) is pretty well forced to read it. Of course, "forced" might be too strong a word...but you know what I mean.

If I decide to, I can let all 48 of my friends know that I got a new puppy, or bruised my ribs, or cut my grass, or that Nancy Pelosi is an idiot, etc. So, I have to ask the question, "Andy...does anybody really care what you think?" If I have an opinion about politics, or religion, or whatever, I can post it, and all 48 are likely to read it.

Then my thinking expanded. "If you have something to say, is it not better to put it out there, and let those that are interested come to you, instead of putting your opinions, or personal news right under their nose?" That seems to make much more sense to me...and to be a much more "adult" way of connecting with others.

"Blogging" is much more like that. My silly little blog doesn't get much traffic. But, I know that I know that I know that those who do visit, do so of their own volition. Sure, some visit just because they feel sorry for me...or out of a sense of obligation...or to be reminded of how good their blog is in comparison to Andy's, etc.

But there are a few folks that really are interested.

The whole question of "Why would people want to connect with me?" continues to rattle around in my head. Since I began blogging in January '08, I have met some wonderful people. I have found so many diverse folks, with such like-minds, that it is truly surprising. If you are one of those that I have come to know on a deeper level than just "superficially," then you will know what I mean.

The question of "Why would people want to hear what I have to say?" neccesarily moves me to the next step in my thinking. "Why even have a blog? My friends all know how to get in touch with me. If they want to know what's going on with me, or what I think about something, they can ask me."

But that attitude is not the one of a know-it-all blowhard like myself. So, I will continue to blog. And I will continue to invite others to Andy's Place. And hopefully, I will continue to develop more than just surface relationships with visitors. I know that I have wormed my way into friendship with several bloggers that I would have never known, (or not known nearly as well) had I not gotten into this hobby.

But they were people that I actively pursued a friendship with. I saw something in their writing, their attitudes, their outlook on life and politics that I found attractive. They are a diverse group, and I wanted to be a part of the fabric of their lives...however small my little "patch" might be. It was a direct choice that I made, and pursued. And, I am grateful to so many of you for allowing me into your patch of ground. I mean it.

I hope that was coherent.

INDEPENDENCE WEEK...PATRIOTIC "HICKS"...

In this day of "uber-elitism" in the media, and politics, we may forget that "Hicks from the sticks" have done their fair share to preserve our freedom...and deliver freedom to millions of others around the globe. I get sick and dadgummed tired of hearing elitists deride "small-town-Americans" as ill-educated, hopeless, gun/God clingers (I'm looking at you Obama).

While looking back at the history of our great nation, we realize just how valuable the Hicks are...and how much they sacrificed to preserve the liberties that elitists enjoy.

Now, I am not putting down for one moment "City Boys." I know that millions from Brooklyn, The Bronx, Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Detroit, etc. have thrown in (with all their hearts) to defend freedom when it was threatened. But I really do get a full-blown case of the reds when guys (and gals) from Sterlington, WY, or Piggot, AR, or Dead Horse, AK, or Ramon, NM, or Clyde, WI, or Tightwad, MO, or Dry Prong, LA ,or Wink, TX are painted as something less than valuable when they march off to war to defend their friends, neighbors, and families. I get sick to my stomach when I hear politicians in DC...and uber elitist media types casting them as "cannon fodder, unable to make a living without the US War Machine." It makes me want to VOMIT!

My beloved Granddaddy (Billy Joe Austin...yes, his real name on his birth certificate was "Billy Joe") was a Hick from Monroe, NC (he was actually raised on a hog farm outside Monroe). Most of his brother-in-laws were raised in rural NW Louisiana (Mooringsport). After the Japs bombed Pearl Harbor they all went to Shreveport to sign up to go kick some Jap ass. My Great Uncles Earl, Ross, Lee, and C.H. (Uncle C.H. was a city boy from Chicago BTW...like I said...I ain't dis'in City Boys) knew what was at stake.

The story of America's freedom is rich with the sacrifices of "small town boys and gals." There are a gozillion others. Maybe it is because I saw the movie "Sergeant York," starring the great Gary Cooper on The Late Movie one night when I was a kid...but I've always been fascinated by this 'Hick" from Pall Mall, Tennessee. Yep...Pall Mall, Tennessee (I reckon that's where they growed the tubackey for makin' them Pall Mall cigareets.

Alvin York was a Christian that didn't really want to kill anybody. He was just forced (like we all are) to choose between evils because of the acts of evil men.

Sergeant Alvin York

From Alvin York's Wiki bio:

During an attack by his battalion to secure German positions along the Decauville rail-line north of Chatel-Chehery, France, on October 8, 1918, York's actions earned him the Medal of Honor. He recalled:

"The Germans got us, and they got us right smart. They just stopped us dead in our tracks. Their machine guns were up there on the heights overlooking us and well hidden, and we couldn’t tell for certain where the terrible heavy fire was coming from… And I'm telling you they were shooting straight. Our boys just went down like the long grass before the mowing machine at home. Our attack just faded out… And there we were, lying down, about halfway across [the valley] and those German machine guns and big shells getting us hard."

"And those machine guns were spitting fire and cutting down the undergrowth all around me something awful. And the Germans were yelling orders. You never heard such a racket in all of your life. I didn't have time to dodge behind a tree or dive into the brush… As soon as the machine guns opened fire on me, I began to exchange shots with them. There were over thirty of them in continuous action, and all I could do was touch the Germans off just as fast as I could. I was sharp shooting… All the time I kept yelling at them to come down. I didn't want to kill any more than I had to. But it was they or I. And I was giving them the best I had."

One of York’s prisoners, German First Lieutenant Paul Jürgen Vollmer of 1st Battalion, 120th Württemberg Landwehr Regiment emptied his pistol trying to kill York while he was contending with the machine guns. Failing to injure York, and seeing his mounting losses, he offered to surrender the unit to York, which was gladly accepted. By the end of the engagement, York and his seven men marched 132 German prisoners back to the American lines. His actions silenced the German machine guns and were responsible for enabling the 328th Infantry to renew its attack to capture the Decauville Railroad.

York was a corporal during the action. His promotion to sergeant was part of the honor for his valor. Of his deeds, York said to his division commander, General George B. Duncan, in 1919: "A higher power than man power guided and watched over me and told me what to do."

On June 7, 1919, York and Gracie Williams were married by Tennessee Governor Albert H. Roberts. They had seven children, most named after American historical figures: five sons (Alvin C., Junior; Edward Buxton; Woodrow Wilson; Andrew Jackson; and Thomas Jefferson) and two daughters (Betsy Ross and Mary Alice).

During World War II he attempted to re-enlist in the Infantry but was denied due to age. Instead he went on bond tours and made personal appearances to support the war effort. He convinced the state of the need for a reserve force at home and was active in the creation of the Tennessee State Guard in 1941, in which he served as a Colonel and Commanding Officer of the 7th Infantry Regiment. He was also involved with recruiting and war bond drives as well as inspection tours of American soldiers in training.

Alvin York died at the Veterans Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee, on September 2, 1964.

Rest In Peace, all y'all Hicks. And Thankee!

AND ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST...

Will the madness ever end? In a week when we lost Farrah Fawcett, Ed McMahon, and Fred Travalena, the march of death continues.




It seems that the great boxer Alexis Arguello (currently...well, formerly, the Mayor of Managua, Nicaragua) has taken the dirt nap...(maybe) at his own very/formerly quick hands.

I was stunned! Alexis Arguello was the mayor of somewhere. Who knew????

It seems odd to me that a Nicaraguan who spent his career trying to kill others in the boxing ring may have committed suicide. "Punch Drunk? Brain Damaged? Or killed by a very clever assassin sent by Chavez, or our US President?" These are questions that must be answered.

Regardless, we must conclude that South America is in true turmoil. The communist, Hugo Chavez, seems to be calling the shots down there. Honduras has decided to defy him, and his blood-brother Obama is just about to get racked when he finally falls off the fence he is straddling when it comes to dealing with dictators.

All I can say is that Cassius Clay had better not run for Mayor of Louisville, KY, or "Sugar Ray" Leonard for Mayor of Wilmington, NC, or Rocky for Mayor of Philadelphia.

It can be hazardous to your health...

If you like old cars, or old people...

...then this is 3 1/2 minutes of WAY COOL.

INDEPENDENCE WEEK...PATRIOTIC ANIMALS...

Nobody will ever convince me that American Animals are not in it for the "long haul" with the rest of us! Throughout the history of our great nation, animals have played an important role in our quest to remain free, and spread liberty to others.

Here is you a "Gubmit Mule." This is a photo from WW1. But I do know a wonderful man (still living) from Gem Village, CO that signed up to fight WWII. SW Colorado was "mule country," and he knew all about working with mules. He and his fellow "country boys" did their dangdest with what they knew...and the rest is "HISTORY."

Looks like we still got Mules in the Service.

Cavalry Horses...

Patriotic Black & Tans

Even Patriot Kitties...

And they tell me that this guy rode a horse or two in his day.