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The Donnybrook
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
 
McCain Praises "Young Soldiers" Who "Have Lost Limbs", While Campaigning Against One...

He said the following while campaigning for Peter Roskam, the Republican candidate for Congress in Illinois' 6th:
"I go out to Walter Reed quite often and see these brave young soldiers who have served and sacrificed so much. Many of them have lost limbs, as you know. And it's a very sad thing to see. But at the same time it's very uplifting. Because these young people are so proud of what they've done... This generation of men and women who are serving in the military are the very, very, very best of us."
Roskam's opponent, Democrat Tammy Duckworth, lost both of her legs while serving in Iraq. It sounds like Sen. McCain supports her.

Maybe you should, too...

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Happy Halloween!!!

For an easy-going, apolitical All Hallow's Eve, answer me a few fun questions:

1. What is the best Halloween costume you've ever worn?

2. What is the worst Halloween costume you've ever worn?

3. What's your favorite Halloween candy?

4. Have you ever killed anyone?

5. Of the two jack-o-lanterns to your right, which one do you prefer?


Enjoy!!!

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Monday, October 30, 2006
 
Nearly 4% Of All Weapons The US Bought For Iraqi Army Are Missing...

Read that headline again. Pretty comforting, don't you think?
The Pentagon cannot account for 14,030 weapons — almost 4% of the semiautomatic pistols, assault rifles, machine guns, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and other weapons it began supplying to Iraq since the end of 2003.

The missing weapons will not be tracked easily: The Defense Department registered the serial numbers of only about 10,000 of the 370,251 weapons it provided — less than 3%.

Missing from the Defense Department's inventory books were 13,180 semiautomatic pistols, 751 assault rifles and 99 machine guns.

The audit on logistics capabilities said there is a "significant risk" that the Iraqi interior ministry "will not be capable of assuming and sustaining logistics support for the Iraqi local and national police forces in the near term." That support includes equipment maintenance, transportation of people and gear and health resources for soldiers and police.
P.S. 100 more US soldiers gave their lives for President Bush's failed war in the month of October. Here's the story of one of them...

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Rarely Does A Cartoon Summarize My Feelings So Vividly...

This one actually gave me chills...

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Friday, October 27, 2006
 
Time For A Fantasy Football Open Thread...

Any and all fantasy questions should be directed to this thread. This is a safe place.

I'm 4-3 in both of my leagues, so I'm eminently qualified to give barely-better-than-average advice in most situations.

In the meantime, some brilliant Philly emails from The Sports Guy.

On what level of losing does an "opposing kicker hitting a 62-yarder to win when he hasn't kicked one longer than 30 yards all year" game fall in the levels of losing? That's has to be a "swift kick to the genitals" game.--Jacob, Philadelphia

Don't think I wasn't shocked when Bryant hit that 62-yarder. This is what happens in this town. We invent new ways to lose. I think I'm actually beginning to hate sports.--Harris, Philly

It's time to rename this town Stomach-Punch City, U.S.A. What's the opposite of a Team of Destiny? --Eric Raskin

Seriously, what did we as Philly fans do to deserve this?????--Rob, Toms River, N.J.

I have just been informed Tampa Bay's kicker was previously cut by the 49ers. I can't get drunk enough to numb this feeling.--Stephanie G., Atlanta

After the Eagles took a 21-20 lead over Tampa, I still knew they'd lose. Even with :30 left. Why? Because Andy Reid can't hold a clipboard to save his life, Donovan McNabb's lost his MVP feeling and they just ... I don't know, it's a Philly thing. --Tim Malcolm, Philadelphia

We really will never win another championship. I'm completely convinced now. I've never seen a Philly championship in my lifetime and never will.--Dan S., Philadelphia

We can't even lose on the longest FG in NFL history. No, just the second longest.--Andrew, Haddon Heights, N.J.

I am taking an official leave of absence from caring about Philadelphia sports until next September.--Ken, Philadelphia

I hate my life as a Philly sports fan. I think I'm gonna go throw up all over the 45-yard line.--Adam, Philadelphia

God hates Philadelphia. --Justin C., Philadelphia

Wow...Quite a catharsis...

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"Three hun-dred six-ty five de-grees...burning down the House!!!"

Since there are 435 seats in the House, of which about 54 are legitimately competitive, I'm only going to list the seats I see flipping.

All in all, I don't see any Republican pick-ups in the House (or the Senate and Governorships, for that matter) this election cycle. The anti-GOP wave is just too damn big.

Here are the seats I expect to go from red to blue:

Arizona-01
Colorado-07
Florida-13 (Katherine Harris's old seat!)
Florida-16 (Mark Foley's old seat)
Indiana-02, 08, and 09
Iowa-01
New Mexico-01
New York-24, 26, 29 (Spitzer and Clinton's coattails come up BIG)
North Carolina-11 (Shuler will win, but sadly, Larry Kissell won't)
Ohio-2, 15, 18 (Nowhere is anti-GOP sentiment running higher than in Ohio)
Pennsylvania-06, 07, 10 (Coattails, baby!)
Texas-22 (Tom DeLay's seat!)
Washington-08
Wisconsin-08

A grand total of 22 seats picked up by Democrats in every region of the United States.

Suck it, Zell!

New Balance of Power:

224 Democrats
211 Republicans

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Thursday, October 26, 2006
 
An Idea Whose Time Has Come...


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NBC Gets Its Shit Back Together...

Brilliant move.

NBC is bringing back its trademark two-hour comedy block on Thursdays with freshman "30 Rock" and "Scrubs" joining "My Name Is Earl" and "The Office." Meanwhile, another new NBC comedy, "Twenty Good Years," is being pulled off the schedule.

"30 Rock" will be first to join the Thursday lineup Nov. 16 for a supersize night of 40-minute episodes of "Earl," "Office" and "30 Rock" leading into "ER."
I don't know if you guys have been watching "30 Rock", but it's friggin' hilarious...

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12 Days To Election Day...Let The Predictions Begin!

For some more in depth race information check out Tom's rundown over at Election Predictions.

Here's how I see things going in the Senate. I'll throw out my House predictions tomorrow.

Keep in mind, I'm only looking at the competitive races...

Democratic Pickups:

Pennsylvania-Bob Casey wins by about 12%
Ohio-Sherrod Brown beats DeWine by 8-10%
Missouri-McCaskill by a razor-thin 2-5%
Rhode Island-Whitehouse takes out Chafee by 5%
Montana-Tester takes out the trash by 7%

Close Democratic Holds:

New Jersey: Menendez will hold off Kean by 5+%

Close Republican Holds:

Tennessee-Corker will hold off Ford by 3%. Ford is the better candidate, but it's still Tennessee.
Virginia-Macaca will get another term, but just barely. His presidential ambitions are kaput.

Republican Pickups:

None

Make-up of new Senate:

50 Republicans
48 Democrats
2 Democratic-leaning Independents (Joe Lieberman and Bernie Sanders)

UPDATE: Learn a little about your friendy neighborhood Republican candidates...

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Wednesday, October 25, 2006
 
"I swear to Christ I heard a goddamn Dracula!!!"

A fantastic sketch from the short-lived Andy Dick Show on MTV.



Andy Dick: A man my own father once referred to as "just about the a-holest guy I ever saw".

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The Definition Of "Cringe Humor"...



An absolutely hilarious, cringe-inducing clip of degenerate comedian Jim Norton on The Tonight Show having a "moment" with Hilary Duff.

Get ready for the chills...

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Tuesday, October 24, 2006
 
A Long, Hot Day In America's Version Of Hell...

Before I continue that thought, I must thank my big brother, Lee, for getting me a ticket for the Eagles-Bucs game on Sunday.

It was a great time, and I'm sure the psychological trauma won't last for more than 3 months. 6 months, tops.

We parked right next to the spring training home of the Yankees, and proceeded to tailgate for a good 2+ hours in temperatures that first felt like a hair dryer on medium heat. Little did I know, this was a Floridian's idea of "a chilly morning".

Now to the pics. Left to right: My brother Lee, yours truly, and my nephews, Logan and Levi.



I call this one "Still Life With Chubby Forearms".



The Bucs' stadium is nice, but nowhere near as well put-together as Lincoln Financial Field. The biggest reason? It's way too Disney.



Just what you want at an NFL football game: To have strands of beads shot at you from a big fake pirate ship. Oy.

You know what else you want? 108 degree temperatures on October 22nd. That seems reasonable.

How close to the field were we? This close:



And now, the picture I wish I never took, taken right after Brian Westbrook's amazing go-ahead TD.



After that, the camera stayed in my pocket, for obvious reasons.

Add to that a flight home that was delayed 1 1/2 hours, diverted through Baltimore due to fog at RDU, and an arrival home shortly after 3 AM, and you've got one helluva day...

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Limbaugh: Michael J. Fox Is Faking Effects Of Parkinson's Disease...

After playing a campaign ad that Fox did in support of Missouri's Democratic candidate for the Senate, Claire McCaskill, ol' Hillbilly Heroin brain had this to say:
Now, this is Michael J. Fox. He's got Parkinson's disease. And in this commercial, he is exaggerating the effects of the disease. He is moving all around and shaking. And it's purely an act. This is the only time I have ever seen Michael J. Fox portray any of the symptoms of the disease he has.
True to form, Rush didn't stop there...
So this is really shameless, folks, this is really shameless of Michael J. Fox. Either he didn't take his medication or he's acting, one of the two.
Now that's an asshole.

Rush really should stop mixing Oxycontin and Viagra. All the blood that should be making his brain function properly is obviously stuck in his rotted member...

UPDATE: In another shining example of Republican compassion, Rep. Barbara Cubin (R-WY) had this to say to Thomas Rankin, the Libertarian candidate running against her:
"'If you weren't sitting in that chair, I'd slap you across the face...'"
The chair in question is an electric wheel chair. Rankin has multiple sclerosis...

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Monday, October 23, 2006
 
When A Metaphor Tells The Whole Story...

An interesting comparison from Talking Points Memo:
Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld were in the front seat.

They drove the Iraq car off a cliff.

Then they turned to the Dems in the back seat.

And said the Dems couldn’t complain unless they could come up with a plan of their own.

The tragedy is that there is no rational hope for a plan (any plan) that will work well. When you’ve driven the car off the cliff, your range of options is quite limited.

We’re in the hands of gravity at this point.
P.S. October's been a real treat over in Iraq...

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Tampa: The Worst City On The Planet...

And it's not just because of this:



More bile and pictures coming tomorrow...

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Friday, October 20, 2006
 
An Underappreciated Van Halen Classic, And A Question...

First the video, a tune that is rarely mentioned as a VH classic, but definitely fits the label.

"Feels So Good"



Now a question for you to ponder that comes from a comment in Dr. Masse's latest piece:

What is the greatest movie cameo ever?

I have to go with Lance Armstrong's ingenious turn in "Dodgeball". This was an amazing performance that finally answered the age-old question: Does super-human lung capacity automatically make you a quality actor?

The answer was a resounding "NO"...

P.S. I'll give a close second to David Letterman's cameo in "Cabin Boy"...

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Now It's On, Motherfucker...

Fellow Democrats, take heed: Sean Hannity thinks we should stay home on Election Day.

I don't think abandoning our troops on the battlefield or closing your eyes to enemy communications or listening to enemy communications in our country, or killing the economy, or supporting illegal immigration, I don't think that's something to run on. So I'm saying, for the sake of the nation, I think you Democrats should stay home. For you there's no reason to vote.
Obviously, the melon-headed prick sees the writing on the wall.

He sees what a mess his beloved Republican party has made in just about every aspect of their "leadership".

He sees a Republican Congress at a record low level of approval.

He sees the public rapidly turning on an ill-conceived war in Iraq.

He sees that just about every polling outfit, even the Republican ones, are predicting a Democratic takeover of at least one house of Congress.

Well, fuck you Sean. You've just put even more fire in my belly. You've re-committed me to finding as many Democrats as I can and getting them out to the polls in 18 days.

You're a spineless tool that needs to be matched up against a bizarre-looking Democratic dork in order to look good.

You spew lies and people that just don't know any better happily shell out cash to be preached at by a low-rent coward like yourself.

Enjoy your success...and the impending Democratic takeover...

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Thursday, October 19, 2006
 
Stingrays: This Year's Sharks...

If one of these things fucks with me, I've got two words for you: STINGRAY BACON...
An 81-year-old boater was in critical condition Thursday after a stingray flopped onto his boat and stabbed him, leaving a foot-long barb in his chest, authorities said.

"It was a freak accident," said Lighthouse Point acting fire Chief David Donzella. "It's very odd that the thing jumped out of the water and stung him. We still can't believe it."

Fatal stingray attacks like the one that killed "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin last month are rare, marine experts say. Rays reflexively deploy a sharp spine in their tails when frightened, but the venom coating the barb usually causes just a painful sting for humans.
We haven't even scratched the surface of the media circus on this one. Just wait until the made-for-TV movies start...

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Wednesday, October 18, 2006
 
Remember this Gem of a Prediction?...

If you recall I made NFL predictions back in July and projected the Raiders to finish last.

Hardly shocking news. However, "The Analyzer" disagreed and shot back with this gem:

"There is absolutely no reason to have the Raiders going 6-10. They could very easily end up with a 10 win season if Brooks pans out. The Chargers will be the last place team in the division with Rivers at the helm."

In a second post he came up with these great calls:

"Randy Moss and Jerry Porter will have big seasons."
"Here is how the Raiders will win 10 games."


And my favorite:

"DON'T IGNORE US OR YOU'LL BE SORRY!"....HA!

Uh, for those not following the NFL this season, the Raiders are making a good case for being one of the worst teams of all-time, are 0-5 and seem to have a legitimate shot at going winless.

Moss has been terrible and Porter has been on the bench all season for disciplinary reasons. And the guy the Analyzer built his bold claims around? None other than Aaron Brooks! The same Aaron Brooks who was atrocious with the Saints last year (boy, the Saints really miss him) and the same Aaron Brooks who fumbled and bumbled his way through a 27-0 opening-night loss to the Chargers and was fubmling around against the Ravesn before getting hurt in Week 2.

Wow, way to put me in my place Analyzer! You really called that one! Good call on the Chargers as well. You really showed some keen football intellect when you popped off about how the Raiders were going to be so great.

I bow to your superior football intellect.

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Commentary: Why Political Junkmail Works (cross-posted on Wulfie's Wurld)

I don't know about you, but I live in California. That means that almost any new proposition, whether added to the ballot by the State Legislature or by petition collectors who sit at little tables in front of super markets, results in ammending the State Constitution, which is now more of a confused Gordian knot than ole Gordo ever dreamed of.

But it's okay. I got my state-supplied "Official Voter Information Guide," all 191 pages. The damned thing looks thicker than the US Code. It's pretty daunting. It's the document I use to make my decisions. I can see the proposed text, the impartial summary, the impact, and arguments for and against as supplied by those individuals either for or against it. It's, in my opinion, the best way to make a decision. Weigh the relative merits and bad points, think about them, run over them again, do a gut check, then decide yea or nay, and vote that way.

But 191 pages?

I was thumbing through the mail, and scattered in amongst the bills and the people wanting me to refinance, were the slick, full-color "flyers" of the various candidates, all of whom are honest, have great values, tons of exeperience, and are not evil like their opponents. I noticed on one of the flyers a recommendation on how to vote for the various propositions. Wow, if I was to take those recommendations, I would save hours studying the issues and sweating over trying to make the right decision. Ah, but do I trust them? Or was that flyer from one of the evil ones?

Such an easy trap to fall into. Let someone else make the decision for me. But if I were to do so, how would I decide whether the recommendations were good or evil (after all, we no longer live in a full color society--everything is either black or white now)? If I was a Democrat, I'd suppose that the Democrats were good and the Republicans were evil, and vote the way the Dem party hacks would want. If I were a Republican, I'd suppose the opposite, and end up voting the way the Pubbie party hacks wanted.

I guess I'd better study the issues.

What about the candidates themselves. Should I examine the voting records (and probably the police records) of the various incumbants, and check out the positions of the challengers? That would be the right thing to do. That would also be an incredibly time consuming thing to do, and let's face it, my time is valuable. Really. Or do I remember that I'm a Dem or Pubbie and just vote the party, and give up my voice. I might feel guilty if I do that. I'd better read all the political flyers of my current party and get all the warm fuzzies that I'm making a good choice by voting their way, and decide that the others are evil.

Alas, as a moderate and affiliated with no party, I have to make an informed decision on my own. So I throw the political junk mail away, unread. I study the issues and candidates objectively. That means I have to understand them. That means I'm going to be spending many hours of my valuable time doing this. It could be as much as six to eight hours. Perhaps more. But you know, six to ten hours, once every year or two around election time, is not a bad price to pay for Democracy. In fact, it's a bargain.

I wish everybody felt the same.

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Let's Jump Back Into The iPod...

It's been awhile since we've talked music, so let's hear what you're listening to.

Here are my current top 5 song recommendations:

"Have A Cigar" by Pink Floyd
"Unknown Legend" by Neil Young
"Live Forever" by Oasis
"Be Quiet and Drive" by Deftones
"Ordinary World" by Duran Duran

What you got for me?

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Tuesday, October 17, 2006
 
Just How Deep Does Conservatives' Hatred Of Homosexuals Run?

To answer that question, one need go no further than the office of Republican Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas.

He's holding up the nomination of one of President Bush's picks for the federal judiciary because she...wait for it...here it comes...once attended a lesbian commitment ceremony.

According to Sen. Brownback, this could actually be an illegal act that would render Judge Janet Neff unfit for the federal bench.

There's more here...my head hurts...

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Curt Weldon's Defense Strategy: Mix Up A Paranoia Smoothie...

This clip of Crazy Curt crying conspiracy comes from The Daily Pennsylvanian:



Anyone else think he looks like Arnold at the end of Total Recall when he was exposed to the Martian atmosphere?

P.S. Lest any of you forget, Rick Santorum is still a tool, and Bob Casey is a mere 3 weeks away from kicking his ass out of the Senate...

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Monday, October 16, 2006
 
Will Curt Weldon Be The Next Republican Heading To The Slammer?

And why exactly does God like me soooooooooo much?
The Justice Department is investigating whether Republican Rep. Curt Weldon of Pennsylvania traded his political influence for lucrative lobbying and consulting contracts for his daughter, according to sources with direct knowledge of the inquiry.

The FBI, which opened an investigation in recent months, has formally referred the matter to the department's Public Integrity Section for additional scrutiny. At issue are Weldon's efforts between 2002 and 2004 to aid two Russian companies and two Serbian brothers with ties to strongman Slobodan Milosevic, a federal law enforcement official said.
Get all the icky details here...

UPDATE: This morning, the FBI raided Rep. Weldon's daughter's home. What a feeling.

Weldon's already trailing Democrat Joe Sestak in most polls. This little dust-up might spell the end for Crazy Curt...

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Friday, October 13, 2006
 
Finally, Wal-Mart is the one getting drilled in the tookis...

...it's just too bad this ruling will be DOA if it ever makes it to the Republican Supreme Court.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world’s biggest retailer, must pay at least $78 million for violating Pennsylvania state labor laws by forcing employees to work through rest breaks and off the clock, a jury said Friday.

Michael Donovan, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, had asked the jury for at least that amount for what he said were missed or shortened breaks, or time employees worked off the clock.

The class-action suit involves 187,000 current and former employees who worked at Wal-Mart and Sam’s Clubs in Pennsylvania from March 1998 through May of this year. The Common Pleas Court jury found Thursday that Wal-Mart violated state labor laws.

Lead plaintiff Dolores Hummel, who worked at a Sam’s Club in Reading from 1992-2002, charged in her suit that she had to work through breaks and after quitting time to meet work demands in the bakery. She said she worked eight to 12 unpaid hours a month, on average, to meet work demands.
I will now brace myself for the tsunami of conservative sympathy toward Wal-Mart that I see developing on the horizon...

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Criminal Republican Congressman Bob Ney Pleads Guilty To Conspiracy And Lying...

So why exactly is he remaining in the House of Representatives?

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Fantasy Football, Week 6

In my big money league, I'm off to a solid 3-2 start thanks to amazing starts by Donovan McNabb, Frank Gore, and Todd Heap (still underrated, in my opinion).

This week, I have some considerations at the RB & WR positions.

Here's what I've got at RB. I need two starters:
Frank Gore (Obvious start)
Cadillac Williams vs. Bengals
Cedric Benson vs. Cardinals
Here are my options at WR. Again, I need two starters:
Chris Chambers vs. Jets
Muhsin Muhammad vs. Cardinals
Bobby Engram vs. Rams
Hank Baskett vs. Saints
I'm leaning toward Cadillac, Chambers, and Muhammad, but I thought I'd open this up to the masses.

Feel free to bring up any questions you've got, as well...

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Thursday, October 12, 2006
 
The Giant "Groan" Of Disappointment You Heard Yesterday Around 3pm Coming From New York City...

...was the upper brass of Fox News coming to grips with the fact that the plane crash that killed Cory Lidle was an accident and not an act of terrorism.

They were inconsolable, but it certainly didn't stop them from showing a few clips of the WTC burning to accentuate their coverage...

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These Godless Communists Want The Minimum Wage Raised...

Who knew Nobel Prize-winning economists could be so vehemently anti-growth that they would actually support raising the minimum wage for the first time in ten years?

More than 650 economists, including five winners of the Nobel Prize for economics, called Wednesday for an increase in the minimum wage, saying the value of the last increase, in 1997, has been “fully eroded."

...

“We believe that a modest increase in the minimum wage would improve the well-being of low-wage workers and would not have the adverse effects that critics have claimed,” the economists wrote.

Won't somebody please think of the well-being of the poor multinational corporations?

After all, it's their future we're fighting for...

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Wednesday, October 11, 2006
 
Americans Are More Interested In Politics Than They Have Been In A Decade...

No matter which party benefits when the votes are counted next month, this is very good news for the democratic process in America.

Politics is a water-cooler topic, a dinner-table subject, an issue to discuss after Sunday services, and this year the interest of American voters is at its highest level in more than a decade.

That renewed attention could translate into higher voter turnout on Nov. 7, according to an Associated Press-Pew poll.

Seventy percent say they are talking politics with family and friends, and 43 percent are debating the issues at work. Among churchgoers, 28 percent share their political views, a number that rises to 34 percent among the congregations in the South.

Now, the bad news for you Republicans:
The level of interest outpaces 1994 when Republicans swept Democrats from power in Congress. It's a far cry from the weeks after the disputed 2000 presidential election when discussion of politics was verboten at many family gatherings, especially those with carving knives nearby.

The high levels of political interest are driven largely by Democratic anger and optimism that they can win in November. Republican interest is close to its usual levels, according to the poll of 1,804 adults, including 1,503 registered voters.
Anyone else absolutely dying to vote in four weeks???

UPDATE: The possibility of U.S. troop levels in Iraq staying the same through 2010 probably isn't going to make people feel better about their Republican leadership...

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Tuesday, October 10, 2006
 
That's Pretty Funny...


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GOP Speaker Of The House, Facing Political Death, Holds Presser From Graveyard...



Now that's PR!!!

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Reason #18368 Why Terrestrial Radio Is Garbage...

Station format changes that take place overnight and kill one of the few halfway decent stations in the Raleigh area.

The Who and Lynyrd Skynyrd are out at WRDU-FM. Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw are in.

After 22 years as a rock station, WRDU (106.1), WRDU has switched to a country format called “The Rooster.” Much of WRDU’s old playlist can now be heard on “The New River,” WRVA-FM (100.7). WRVA recently abandoned its adult-alternative format for classic rock, officially known as “rock-based adult contemporary.”

Both stations are owned by Clear Channel, which also owns top-40 station WDCG-FM (105.1) and soft adult-contemporary station WRSN-FM (93.9).
Get yourself an XM Satellite Radio, they have no less than 14 consistently great rock stations.

Or you could keep on listening to "The Rooster": Terry Taylor radio...

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So this is what's holding up a Police reunion?

Sting playing a friggin' lute?
Centuries before the world came to know a rock star called Sting - or any rock star, for that matter - another English troubadour traveled the globe, playing songs about love and yearning, isolation and despair.

"John Dowland was our first alienated singer/songwriter," Sting says. "A totally conflicted man but a genius musician. We're just following in his footsteps."

Mind you, Sting offers little evidence of personal conflict on this pleasant afternoon. The 55-year-old pop icon, whose early hits made him a poster boy for existential angst, chooses a chair on the sunny side of a garden in The Cloisters, a Metropolitan Museum of Art enclave showcasing works from medieval Europe. It actually was during the Elizabethan era that Dowland made his name as a composer and master lute player.
Get over yourself, and give Stewart Copeland a call, you self-indulgent ass...

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Monday, October 9, 2006
 
A Hypothetical For You To Ponder...

If the guy that killed those girls in the Amish school house in Lancaster, Pa. had been a Muslim, would every school in the United States have been on lockdown for the next 48 hours?

Think about it...

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38-24...You're Worthless, T.O...

Seriously...Who would you rather have on your team?

This mopey bitch?



...or this consumate professional, leader and all-around good guy?



UPDATE: I almost forgot, this guy deserves a lot of love today, and not just because he's wearing the coolest uniform in the history of the NFL...

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Sunday, October 8, 2006
 
No Evidence At All...
For the Record

There is no evidence that Congressman Patrick McHenry hasn't spent the last decade kidnapping babies, raping them, killing them, and piling them up in his basement shrine to Ronald Reagan.

No evidence at all that he hasn't done this.

Quite shocking, really.
Well done, Atrios...

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Friday, October 6, 2006
 
Why Doesn't North Carolina Have Happy Hour?


...and who do we need to contact to get this abomination changed?

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Eagles 31, Packers 9...

The view from Section 130, Row 7...

Old man Favre limping off the field with an 0-6 record all-time in Philly...

A city's obsession with a fictional boxer continues...

A couple of drunken Philly boys sort out their differences...

The final score...

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Thursday, October 5, 2006
 
A Headline That Will Warm The Cockles Of Your Heart...

It might even hit you in the sub-cockle area...
Voters just don't like Santorum

Rick Santorum has spent 12 years in the Senate -- and millions of dollars on TV ads for a third term. Yet a lot of Pennsylvania voters just plain don't like him.

Polls show Santorum's approval rating is in the 30s, just about what it was a year ago. Roughly the same number of voters view him unfavorably as favorably.

Questions over the use of Pennsylvania tax dollars to pay for the cyber schooling of his six children in Virginia continue to dog him. Anger lingers over comments he made in a book last year criticizing some working parents, as well as statements he made in opposition to same-sex marriage and in support of keeping Terri Schiavo alive.

"Santorum's real problem is Santorum," said Clay Richards, a Quinnipiac University pollster.
The private sector beckons, Lil' Ricky!

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Onward To Seattle!

As we made our way into Seattle from Portland, it became abundantly clear that the Seahawks' stadium was very close to the Amtrak station.

How close? This close...



We got into town right around the midway point of the 4th quarter with the Seahawks holding a decent lead, so the streets were already being flooded by jovial fans.

I can't say enough about the weather we saw in Seattle. Take a look at this view of Mt. Rainier from downtown.



Here's a good pic of me and Kerri right before we had the best sushi ever, the best crab cakes ever, and tied on a serious drunk.



We took a cool kayaking excursion that gave us a very cool view of the Seattle skyline.



We went up in the Space Needle at night, and unfortunately my pictures didn't turn out. Here's a pic from the following morning that, for some reason, scares the shite out of me.



Then there was the famous Pike's Place Market. Check out these crabs.



I got a few more good ones, but Blogger is being weird...

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Wednesday, October 4, 2006
 
This Is Still Going On, By The Way...

22 U.S soldiers dead in the last 4 days.
U.S. military spokesman Major General William Caldwell said the number of car bombs in Baghdad, both detonated and defused, hit their highest level of the year last week and that bombs reported in general were "also at an all-time high".

U.S. and Iraqi forces have mounted a major military operation in the past two months against militants in Baghdad.

For the second time in two days, four U.S. soldiers were killed in a single incident around Baghdad, this time in what appears to have been a substantial skirmish involving mortars or rockets and gunfire to the northwest. It took the death toll in four days of the month to 15 around Baghdad and 22 in total.
The passage of time isn't improving the situation in Iraq. It's time to go...

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I Wonder How Long This Will Stay Up...

From Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL)'s website:


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Some Highlights From Our Trip To The Pacific Northwest, Part 2...

Now, to the Columbia River Gorge. Pictures really won't do this thing justice...





As you can tell from the pictures that follow, I saw this trip as a sterling opportunity to wear as much Philly garb as I could. The locals were very confused.



Now, it was time to head up (the foot of) Mt. Hood!



I did surprisingly well, considering physical exertion ain't my bag.



Take a look at this view from the peak of our journey. What you're seeing, from left to right, are Mount St. Helens, Mount Rainier, and Mount Adams. Amazing landscape...



...and here's the view of Mt. Hood.



Damn, this thing will have to take 3 posts! Seattle's up next...

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A Brilliant Observation On The T.O. Situation...

From Ron & Fez last week:

Fez: Terrell Owens tried to committ suicide yesterday, he's in the hospital.

Ron: I know, there's a 6 1/2 mile Conga line going around Philadelphia right now.
I'm glad to report it was actually 8 miles long...still going strong almost a week later...

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Some Highlights From Our Trip To The Pacific Northwest, Part 1...

Where to begin?

First, I must thank our buddies, Lisa and Matt, for putting us up in their beautiful home in Portland. Thanks for your hospitality. We had a blast, and can't wait to hang out again.

Now to the pictures.

On our first day (stunningly, the only overcast day we had the whole week), we went to an amazing Japanese Garden in Portland.





There were some very cool fish swimming around the area.



We also came into the acquaintance of a chubby little squirrel whom I'm now dubbing "Speaker Hastert".



The next day, we headed out to Oregon's beautiful wine country.

Kerri and me at the Erath Winery.

Here's Matt and Lisa.

Our big hiking day was next. First, we stopped at Multnomah Falls.

Kerri at the falls.

Coming in the next post: Columbia River Gorge, Mt. Hood, and our excursion to Seattle...

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