Millions of column inches and hours of airtime will be spent dissecting the various turning points as a result of the Florida primary yesterday (1/29).
Giuliani's 3rd place will probably overshadow McCain's win for a bit as people 2nd guess his 2nd guessing. No doubt his decision to put all his eggs in the one big basket so late (who'd have thunk late January would be considered late in a political campaign?) will be mulled over by many a pundit for days and weeks to come.
Huckabee is almost an afterthought now. While I'm sure they can't relate to him on any level, I still think it was more than just a slight that the NY Times on-line front-page mentions the GOP race being now down to two. Huckabee was just in Missouri yesterday talking about the importance of MO in his quest. Did he drop out sometime between 10 p.m. last night and this morning?
Here's my latest without any further on the events of yesterday.
I think in a head-to-head, McCain has a chance against Clinton. He's no Bob Dole if you remember that Clinton v. somebody election.
But in the event of a McCain v. Obama race (I know I'm getting ahead of myself here since Romney is still doing pretty well.) I think McCain does become Bob Dole and the election is over before it even starts. Unless ....
I've told a version of this story before but it was about Bush 43 and Karl Rove back near the end of his first term.
In my opinion, the only way, but a pretty sure-fire way for McCain to beat Obama, is to find and put a superb minority candidate on his ticket (and promise to only run and serve for one term.) I don't even know who this person is - a Hispanic? African-American? Woman? I'll bet if you can get two-out-of-three from this list it will be a landslide! This is not a racist statement - just an observation and hopefully good politics.
The GOP for too long has either ignored or taken for granted minorities. I'm still not seeing any grass-roots efforts to bring talented minorities up through the ranks. Why doesn't the RNC have a farm system and a program to recruit and train young minorities to be running for school boards, city councils etc.? I was just reading this week and was reminded of Bush 43's snub of the NAACP years ago. If I can still remember that, so can bunches of other folk.
So if McCain can keep up his momentum and not in a way that presumes anything, announce he'd like so-and-so to serve as his VP, and that so-n-so happens to be a minority, just imagine how galvanizing that would be. And while he is far from perfect the first name that pops into my head is Colin Powell. I know in many ways he's more like Giuliani, but he has so many other strengths.
Locally the rumors are that soon-to-be former Guv of MO, Matt Blunt is the likely choice for a VP if Romney gets the GOP nod. All I think of is that you have two pieces of white bread and no sandwich! I don't really know what that means but it sounded funny!
I've expressed some interest in McCain around my office and I am immediately greeted with the polite equivalent of hoots and hollers. But while he may not be my ideal person either, I think he has the Presidential stuff and just as important, I think he can win against either of the two Democratic possibilities. In the long and short term, that is hugely important.
I know I only have a few faithful readers but I'd really like to hear some minority names floated as possible VPs.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Over the Hill
Last Friday was one of those too rare occasions when my wife and I got out for an evening together. After a bite at her fave Steak and Shake, we headed to the movies. Our choices were limited somewhat by time unless we wanted to catch a really late movie. So we opted for the Bucket List. I'll not review that here; just that it is OK. You mostly get to see Jack Nicholson being Jack Nicholson. But it has its sweet moments. And I always like Morgan Freeman.
But my moment happened when I bought our tickets. My wife was in the car so I stood in line alone. I got to the window and said "Two for Bucket List please." and the nice young man on the other side of the probably unbreakable security glass asked: "Are either of you Senior Citizens?" Since it was just ME standing there, who else was he asking about?
I guess I have enough gray in my beard now to give away that I am no longer part of the younger generation. It is only fitting to reach the rank of "old fart" when I am going to see a movie that is basically about two old farts.
But my moment happened when I bought our tickets. My wife was in the car so I stood in line alone. I got to the window and said "Two for Bucket List please." and the nice young man on the other side of the probably unbreakable security glass asked: "Are either of you Senior Citizens?" Since it was just ME standing there, who else was he asking about?
I guess I have enough gray in my beard now to give away that I am no longer part of the younger generation. It is only fitting to reach the rank of "old fart" when I am going to see a movie that is basically about two old farts.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
911
I made my first-ever call to 911 today. And I have to say even in our dinky little town in our dinky little county, the guy who answered the phone was professional, asked all the right questions and we had someone to our place within probably ten minutes – maybe less.
I should back up.
I spent most of the day cutting firewood. My wife and oldest daughter were out with our mowers trying to knock down what is left of our pasture. Today was breezy, early-spring-like. Did I say anything about the wind blowing?
My wife decided to see if she could burn off some of the remaining stands of Johnson grass in our hay pasture. I didn’t know this until I saw some smoke on the far side of our pasture. She’s done this before so I wasn’t too worried. Except; have I mentioned it was a little on the windy side today?
After a few minutes it was obvious that the fire had grown a bit bigger than my wife had intended. So we broke out all our buckets, connected all our hoses and headed off to squelch the growing grass fire.
After about an hour of hauling buckets and trying to stamp it out it was obvious the fire was moving faster than we could put it out. It was never very big but spread out over a couple of hundred feet and moving east toward the woods and our neighbors beyond that.
So I break out my cell phone and call 911. Yep, we even have 911 way out here.
Two guys showed up with a pick-up that had a large tank in the back. For a minute it didn’t sound like their motor for their pump was going to start. But it did.
I had told the operator that I hoped this call wasn’t a false alarm and I was partly right. By the time the volunteer guys arrived, it was pretty well under control and only a few spots were flaring up.
They made couple of passes around the blackened area and sprayed water all around.
They chatted with my wife for a bit and were on their way. But they did ask her if we had paid our dues.
See, in rural areas most fire departments are volunteers. You typically pay a small yearly fee (I think ours went up to $50 this year.) I don’t know what happens if you don’t pay – I guess they charge a fee or send a bill or something.
The moral of course is to not burn when conditions are dry or windy. We are/were probably lucky. I doubt my wife will be so eager to burn off pasture anymore.
The second moral is to pay your Rural Fire Dues or whatever they call them. And next time they stop you at an intersection with a boot collecting change for whatever – toss in what you have.
I should back up.
I spent most of the day cutting firewood. My wife and oldest daughter were out with our mowers trying to knock down what is left of our pasture. Today was breezy, early-spring-like. Did I say anything about the wind blowing?
My wife decided to see if she could burn off some of the remaining stands of Johnson grass in our hay pasture. I didn’t know this until I saw some smoke on the far side of our pasture. She’s done this before so I wasn’t too worried. Except; have I mentioned it was a little on the windy side today?
After a few minutes it was obvious that the fire had grown a bit bigger than my wife had intended. So we broke out all our buckets, connected all our hoses and headed off to squelch the growing grass fire.
After about an hour of hauling buckets and trying to stamp it out it was obvious the fire was moving faster than we could put it out. It was never very big but spread out over a couple of hundred feet and moving east toward the woods and our neighbors beyond that.
So I break out my cell phone and call 911. Yep, we even have 911 way out here.
Two guys showed up with a pick-up that had a large tank in the back. For a minute it didn’t sound like their motor for their pump was going to start. But it did.
I had told the operator that I hoped this call wasn’t a false alarm and I was partly right. By the time the volunteer guys arrived, it was pretty well under control and only a few spots were flaring up.
They made couple of passes around the blackened area and sprayed water all around.
They chatted with my wife for a bit and were on their way. But they did ask her if we had paid our dues.
See, in rural areas most fire departments are volunteers. You typically pay a small yearly fee (I think ours went up to $50 this year.) I don’t know what happens if you don’t pay – I guess they charge a fee or send a bill or something.
The moral of course is to not burn when conditions are dry or windy. We are/were probably lucky. I doubt my wife will be so eager to burn off pasture anymore.
The second moral is to pay your Rural Fire Dues or whatever they call them. And next time they stop you at an intersection with a boot collecting change for whatever – toss in what you have.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Being stupid
I did my share of this yesterday. Went to the feed store to pick up some minerals for our sheep. They come in these metal tubs and weigh more than 125 lbs. I got two. Went on to work.
Later I had to go to the post office - can't believe we still have to do that - and on my way I needed to change lanes. I was next to a woman in an SUV talking on her cell. She was in no hurry but going just fast enough that I couldn't easily get around her. Behind her was a pretty long line of cars. So I decided to goose it a little (the old truck still has some get-up-n-go!) and get in front of her to make my turn. I did and soon pulled in to park at the P.O. While walking from my truck I noticed I had only ONE mineral tub. It took about two or three seconds to realize it must have slid out when I did my Mario Andretti thing. I hadn't gone far so I walked out to the road and sure enough, about a block back was my tub, sitting patiently by the curb.
I jumped back in, drove as close to it as I could get - this is a busy street and nowhere on the street to stop and park. I had to park at a Scrambler's. This sits up a small rise from the street where my 125 lb. tub lay. I was also decently dressed and had an event coming up in about 20 minutes. So I rolled the tub up the hill and then had to figure how to get it up into my truck. My 3/4 ton sits rather high up so I was looking at getting this thing up about waist high. Somehow I had to do that without hurting my aging back nor soiling or tearing my reasonably clean and nice clothes. I did it in stages. Got my spare tire out and set the tub on it. Then using a couple of blocks of wood, got it slightly higher. Then I used a 5 gallon bucket - there's a reason to keep all this stuff in the back of my truck. Finally I got it within dragging distance of the pick-up bed. I climbed up, bent way over, said a prayer that I wouldn't destroy my back, and dragged the thing into the bed. I can lift 125 pounds but this thing is about 2 or more foot wide, does not have handy handles and remember my clothes.
I drove back to finish my P.O. business and my cell phone rang. "Hi, this is Lee from SoMo. Do you still have your barrels?" I answered I did, then I didn't but then I did again and explained my story. He said one of his drivers somehow just happened along during the time I lost my tub until I recovered it (couldn't have been more than 5 minutes). Since I was the only person who had bought those on this day, he knew it had to be mine so he looked up my account and called me.
I'm reading a book now called Forty Acres and a Fool. Reasonably funny but the author talks about the advantages of living in a small town. Even though Springfield is 150K plus and not too small, I guess it is small enough for word to travel pretty fast about the stupid things people do. Next time I am tempted to be in a hurry, I'll hopefully recall this, my sore back and my good fortune.
Later I had to go to the post office - can't believe we still have to do that - and on my way I needed to change lanes. I was next to a woman in an SUV talking on her cell. She was in no hurry but going just fast enough that I couldn't easily get around her. Behind her was a pretty long line of cars. So I decided to goose it a little (the old truck still has some get-up-n-go!) and get in front of her to make my turn. I did and soon pulled in to park at the P.O. While walking from my truck I noticed I had only ONE mineral tub. It took about two or three seconds to realize it must have slid out when I did my Mario Andretti thing. I hadn't gone far so I walked out to the road and sure enough, about a block back was my tub, sitting patiently by the curb.
I jumped back in, drove as close to it as I could get - this is a busy street and nowhere on the street to stop and park. I had to park at a Scrambler's. This sits up a small rise from the street where my 125 lb. tub lay. I was also decently dressed and had an event coming up in about 20 minutes. So I rolled the tub up the hill and then had to figure how to get it up into my truck. My 3/4 ton sits rather high up so I was looking at getting this thing up about waist high. Somehow I had to do that without hurting my aging back nor soiling or tearing my reasonably clean and nice clothes. I did it in stages. Got my spare tire out and set the tub on it. Then using a couple of blocks of wood, got it slightly higher. Then I used a 5 gallon bucket - there's a reason to keep all this stuff in the back of my truck. Finally I got it within dragging distance of the pick-up bed. I climbed up, bent way over, said a prayer that I wouldn't destroy my back, and dragged the thing into the bed. I can lift 125 pounds but this thing is about 2 or more foot wide, does not have handy handles and remember my clothes.
I drove back to finish my P.O. business and my cell phone rang. "Hi, this is Lee from SoMo. Do you still have your barrels?" I answered I did, then I didn't but then I did again and explained my story. He said one of his drivers somehow just happened along during the time I lost my tub until I recovered it (couldn't have been more than 5 minutes). Since I was the only person who had bought those on this day, he knew it had to be mine so he looked up my account and called me.
I'm reading a book now called Forty Acres and a Fool. Reasonably funny but the author talks about the advantages of living in a small town. Even though Springfield is 150K plus and not too small, I guess it is small enough for word to travel pretty fast about the stupid things people do. Next time I am tempted to be in a hurry, I'll hopefully recall this, my sore back and my good fortune.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Ya'll come!
I was watching a video today on the website ted.com
which is a compilation of an annual conference focused on technology, the arts etc. and very expensive to attend. But they put all their speakers on the web and it is a good resource.
The speaker was from South Carolina but started talking about Hungary (for a bit). Now he admits he doesn't even have a drop of Hungarian blood. But his heavy southern accented speech reminded me of some old friends (both deceased) from back in the 70s.
Walter and Edelwiess Kaschel. They were Brazilians from Sao Paolo. They had come to my work in Akron, Ohio to help translate a TV program into Portuguese. Walter had spent years as the voice of Billy Graham in Brazil. He served as the on-stage translator for Graham's rallies in Brazil. They were the sweetest couple I may have ever known. By the time I met them both were in their 60s and I was a young man in my mid-20s.
The point of this is to remark on their spoken English. Both spoke impeccable English having been trained as translators and serving in this challenging profession for decades.
But in the 50s they came to the U.S. to study at a Bible school. It happened to be in southern Louisiana. If you've ever heard any native Louisianian speakers then you can appreciate the humor here. Here they were, temporary immigrants to the U.S., in northern Ohio which is known for its lack of discernible accent, and they would jump from their perfect Brazilian Portuguese into the patois of a Cajun and back to Portuguese. I guess just like a child grows up with an accent that reflects who he grows up hearing, some if not all non-native English speakers are going to adopt the cadences and accents of the people they hear speaking English. As a kid in Texas we used to see these commercials for Wolf brand chili and their spokesperson was Justin Wilson; a Cajun comedian. If you've heard Mr. Wilson, you know the accent I am talking about.
I only spent about a year or so working with them but they were and are special people.
God Bless both of them.
which is a compilation of an annual conference focused on technology, the arts etc. and very expensive to attend. But they put all their speakers on the web and it is a good resource.
The speaker was from South Carolina but started talking about Hungary (for a bit). Now he admits he doesn't even have a drop of Hungarian blood. But his heavy southern accented speech reminded me of some old friends (both deceased) from back in the 70s.
Walter and Edelwiess Kaschel. They were Brazilians from Sao Paolo. They had come to my work in Akron, Ohio to help translate a TV program into Portuguese. Walter had spent years as the voice of Billy Graham in Brazil. He served as the on-stage translator for Graham's rallies in Brazil. They were the sweetest couple I may have ever known. By the time I met them both were in their 60s and I was a young man in my mid-20s.
The point of this is to remark on their spoken English. Both spoke impeccable English having been trained as translators and serving in this challenging profession for decades.
But in the 50s they came to the U.S. to study at a Bible school. It happened to be in southern Louisiana. If you've ever heard any native Louisianian speakers then you can appreciate the humor here. Here they were, temporary immigrants to the U.S., in northern Ohio which is known for its lack of discernible accent, and they would jump from their perfect Brazilian Portuguese into the patois of a Cajun and back to Portuguese. I guess just like a child grows up with an accent that reflects who he grows up hearing, some if not all non-native English speakers are going to adopt the cadences and accents of the people they hear speaking English. As a kid in Texas we used to see these commercials for Wolf brand chili and their spokesperson was Justin Wilson; a Cajun comedian. If you've heard Mr. Wilson, you know the accent I am talking about.
I only spent about a year or so working with them but they were and are special people.
God Bless both of them.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Recession? What Recession?
First off I am no economist and don't really understand markets, commodities - how all the things are supposed to work. But I am hearing/reading that we are in or very near a recession once again. My limited vocabulary says that in a recession there is no growth. I believe that one - if it explains why I haven't had a raise of any decent amount in years. But I also thought that in a recession, prices remained stable or perhaps even dropped somewhat as interest went lower etc. I may have this all backwards.
But two major things jump out at me. 1) Gas prices. They are once again creeping down ever so slightly but this after a really big jump to almost $3/gal. late in 07. We are still only down to the low 2.70s now. 2) Feed.
I bought a ton (literally 2000 lbs.) of feed today for our sheep and 2 cows. In December I paid $4.75/50 lb. bag. Today for the same mix I paid $5.20. That's 45 cents or almost 10%! Holy cow! I tried to talk to the feed store people about commodity pricing and ethanol but I got in way over my head in a hurry so made a hasty and tactful retreat.
I guess I don't understand why if the powers-that-be want our economy to grow, why are prices going up? If they want to stimulate spending of the supposed tax rebate we may end up getting, shouldn't part of the goal be to keep prices at least flat?
And I am more confused than ever about ethanol. If indeed this is why my grain went up 10%, where did this extra go? If it went to a farmer who has been trying to make a living growing corn for his whole life, then you know what? I can handle that. But if it went to big corporate farms who are getting subsidized by the Govt. to grow corn, so they can in turn use up scarce groundwater to make a fuel that is only marginally cheaper but in the long run uses more resources and provide LESS mpg. than regular reduced octane unleaded already does - then I think that is patently unfair. I want my money back!
A politically savvy friend told me today that he thinks Romney is going to win because he is the one who can with some degree of confidence and believability, say to Americans, "I can get us out of this mess."
I don't know. I'm not a Romney fan but if he is the choice of the GOP against almost anybody from the other side, then ...
But two major things jump out at me. 1) Gas prices. They are once again creeping down ever so slightly but this after a really big jump to almost $3/gal. late in 07. We are still only down to the low 2.70s now. 2) Feed.
I bought a ton (literally 2000 lbs.) of feed today for our sheep and 2 cows. In December I paid $4.75/50 lb. bag. Today for the same mix I paid $5.20. That's 45 cents or almost 10%! Holy cow! I tried to talk to the feed store people about commodity pricing and ethanol but I got in way over my head in a hurry so made a hasty and tactful retreat.
I guess I don't understand why if the powers-that-be want our economy to grow, why are prices going up? If they want to stimulate spending of the supposed tax rebate we may end up getting, shouldn't part of the goal be to keep prices at least flat?
And I am more confused than ever about ethanol. If indeed this is why my grain went up 10%, where did this extra go? If it went to a farmer who has been trying to make a living growing corn for his whole life, then you know what? I can handle that. But if it went to big corporate farms who are getting subsidized by the Govt. to grow corn, so they can in turn use up scarce groundwater to make a fuel that is only marginally cheaper but in the long run uses more resources and provide LESS mpg. than regular reduced octane unleaded already does - then I think that is patently unfair. I want my money back!
A politically savvy friend told me today that he thinks Romney is going to win because he is the one who can with some degree of confidence and believability, say to Americans, "I can get us out of this mess."
I don't know. I'm not a Romney fan but if he is the choice of the GOP against almost anybody from the other side, then ...
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
The Wind That Shakes the Barley
I guess with an Irish-wife - OK almost Irish - red-head, great-grandfather (I think) from County Cork - that should count for something - somehow I heard about this movie; The Wind That Shakes the Barley.
OK caution - if you are offended by the "f-word" whether in English or heavily accented English spoken by Irishmen or in subtitles - then maybe you don't want to watch this. I didn't even try to keep count but next to "lads" and "grand" as in "I am grand," this has to be the most widely used word in the Irish vocabulary in the early 20th century. The Brits liked it too.
The story is way too complicated to recount. Suffice it to say it helps understand a little about the history of Ireland and her struggle with Britain. Trust me - if you don't already hate all things British, you will after watching this movie.
The history is way-too-complex to understand but it made me want to re-read Trinity by Leon Uris and to find another set of books by a woman named Morgan Llywelyn. Their titles are the numbers of years - 1916, 1921, 1949 and 1972 - which I guess are particularly significant in Irish history. I'll find out.
I know people will try to draw parallels and used the terrorism used by the IRA and others to in some weird way justify (or elicit sympathy for) the actions of radical Islamic terrorists but I would quickly point out that while I don't really care for the war in Iraq, our goal is not to run that country, occupy it for any longer than we have to and with few egregious exceptions, we don't rape and pillage the countryside in the name of democracy.
As I understand it, Ireland wanted to be free from British rule (does this story sound familiar?) and some - and you could call them radicals - used tactics that we could call terrorism. I'm not condoning what they did when lives were lost and property was destroyed but I can at least understand the desperate situation they were in. And while I'm sure some of the British soldiers were stereotyped, if they were half as bad as they were made out to be, then I can also understand the reaction of the Irish to these "occupiers" who made life miserable for the locals.
I plan to read up again on this situation and while I know I can never completely understand the two sides here, I'd like to have a better handle on this one. Maybe after this I'll tackle the whole mess in then-Yugoslavia, Bosnia, Croatia and what are now the - countries I can't name or pronounce.
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