What A Crock!

I am not kidding. This is not a fabrication. At a cost of 27.5 million dollars, NYC is switching the lettering on all of its street name signs from ALL CAPS to a combination of All Caps and lower case fonts.
Why?
FEDERAL REGULATION. I mean, Federal Regulation. This became a law in 2003 and municipalities have until 2018 to comply. Of course this was originally a pork barrel study. Some politician owed somebody a favor for getting elected and threw millions towards the donor’s kid who needed a grant and they put together a meaningless , but very, very scientific study which concluded that MORONS CAN’T READ THIS AS QUICKLY AS this.
I geuss tehy nveer hread or raed aoubt tihs sutdy.
Of, course the study is BS. They claim this is a “safety issue.” If it’s such a pressing safety issue why is there a 15 year grace period.
from Big Fur Hat

Kags Lake

One bucket list 'to do' and it's over. It was an eight day trip to the bush on lake Kagianagami, latitude of 50 degrees 57 minutes and longitude of 87 degrees 50 minutes. In other words, it was way up north.
I learned a great deal about myself on the fishing fly-in to northern Ontario....
I am not an outdoorsman. I have a new found respect for Lewis and Clark, Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone. By myself, with no one to guide and feed me, I would have been dead in twenty-four hours. My idea of roughing it is a Hyatt Regency with black and white TV. Thank God for Buff and Gator. These guys can make pancakes out of sticks. They can turn three fishes and two loaves of bread into enough to feed the multitudes. Seven men in a shack for eight days experienced head and chest colds, rain, cold weather and rough lake waters. Kags Lake is 20,000 acres large and we had it to ourselves. Recall that last year these fellas fished in Manitoba and caught nearly 4,000 fish in eight days. On this trip we might have, combined, pulled in almost 100. I added eleven of Ontario's best to the list: four walleye, three northern pike and four lake trout. I brought home three walleye and one trout for the dinner table. My computation is that each fish cost me $158.48 per. Time between catch averaged four hours and fifteen minutes. Bear in mind, three of the trout were caught in a fifteen minute period. I also learned that I do indeed have the reverse Midas touch. Common refrains from the other guys centered around a phrase like this, "I've never seen the fishing this bad". Well, guys, you never had me with you. I can take gold and turn it into coal.
I also learned that I'm not the fisherman I always thought I was. Buff is the king of fishing. He can tie knots like no one has seen. He catches fish when they aren't supposed to be there. On his first catch, a very nice walleye, I grabbed my newly purchased lip grabber. Oops! Lost it for my buddy. It was nice of him not to say anything. Buff can read a fish finder like Sutter could find gold. He marked a nice spot and had me throw a plastic marker in the water. I threw it but didn't drop a weight so it floated aimlessly around. I could see the look on his face: "what is this guys' problem"?
I thoroughly enjoyed the company, especially Gator. He's a true Okie from Muskogee. Southern boys can tell stories better than anyone. Gator tells good ones. He also makes biscuits and gravy for breakfast. It's supposed to be good. Just the thought of hot flour and water early in the morning makes me gag but the other men relished it. Just another reason I'm not outdoorsy. Here's a clue as to my worthlessness in the wild. The only thing I was capable of doing was wash and dry dishes. Pathetic aren't I?
There is a possibility that I was part of the group inclusion. On our last night I was summoned to the fire pit and given an eternal name. It is, Shi-ta'. I will forever be known by that glorious Indian name. If you can't figure it out the meaning is closely akin to CRS or "can't remember s**t" disease. You could place me in an 8X12 room with a Volkswagon and I'd find some way to misplace it.
Anyway, I had fun and met some wonderful people. It was worth the cost. Next stop on the bucket list; a Massey's pizza. Remember. I do best when I think small.

Communists, Socialists & Revolutionaries In DC

There's a new web site brought to us by Glenn Beck called www.theblaze.com. I was listening to Beck on my drive home from Racine, Wisconsin yesterday. There is a D.C rally this week-end bringing together groups of "Americans" to counter Beck's 8/28 rally. Take a quick peek at the attendees. If you think Beck or myself is making this up then check out the web site of President Obama. He openly endorses them. In my younger days bringing together groups of this ilk would have the House Un-American Activities Committee on the prowl, rounding up reactionaries and throwing them before a judgemental public for actions detrimental to the good of the nation. When the President openly aligns himself with socialists and communists he's(and we) have a huge problem. MJH

According to the One Nation Working Together site, “more than 400 organizations, representing tens of thousands of individuals who have endorsed the One Nation Working Together campaign” have signed on as partners for the Oct. 2 rally in Washington, D.C.

This movement includes human and civil rights organizations, unions and trade associations, nonprofit organizations, youth and student groups, religious and other faith groups, educational, peace, environmental, and ethnic associations, and any other groups and individuals who are committed to pulling our country back together now.

President Barack Obama’s own Organizing for America has praised the effort, calling it the “biggest progressive demonstration in decades.” The list of organizations offering their official endorsements for Saturday’s “One Nation” rally reads like a who’s who of the far-left in America, including some usual suspects:

AFL-CIO
American Federation of Teachers
Center for Community Change
Green for All
NAACP
National Council of La Raza
Rainbow PUSH Coalition
SEIU: Service Employees International Union
Sojourners
UAW, International Union
AFSCME
Alliance for Democracy
Campaign for America’s Future
Campaign for Peace and Democracy
Campus Progress
Chicago Democratic Socialists of America
Code Pink
Color of Change.org
Communist Party USA (CPUSA)
Democratic Socialists of America
Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)
Gray Panthers
Human Rights Campaign
International Socialist Organization
National Education Association
National Urban League
Planned Parenthood
United Steel Workers
Working Families Party
Ya Ya Network

PIGS!!!!!!

This is a nice photo of the little lady from Mexico who has raised such a ruckus. Leftist feminist women across America(can you say Joy Behar) are more than a little upset since Ms. Ines Sainz had the unmitigated gall to stroll into the New York Jets football team locker in suggestive attire and receive, are you ready for this, cat calls. She was made to feel like a cheap tramp. After all, what can one expect of GUYS hanging out in the showers with flip flops on their feet wrapped in(maybe) skimpy towels. Grown men in their twenties and thirties with volcanic testosterone should be ashamed. Strange! I can't remember the last time a hunk of a news reporter, a male for instance, invaded the locker room of, say,a team from the WNBA. Hmmm! Maybe there's a reason.
hat tip to weasel zippers for the pic

It's That time Of Year Again

With coffee in hand and writing on the computer at 6:30 am this morning I happened to gaze out the window at our Minnesota lake. The sun was just rising and the beauty of the scenery was over powering. A slight southerly breeze sent tiny ripples across the water. An azure blue sky complimented the beauty of the lush greenery of the pines. One single loon was on the water. It's a memorable sight. It also reminded me how quickly the seasons change. Just eight short weeks ago the sun was coming up at 4:30 and the last vestiges of light were erased around 11 pm. Sometimes, the northern lights can be seen. Today the sun will set and darkness will overwhelm us by 8 pm. And so it goes.
I will be busy the next two days getting the place closed for the winter. I've winterized the boat and put away various pieces of yard furniture. The dock will be taken in and I'll mow the yard. This seems sort of silly to do since dormancy is the law of the land but Lizzie likes things to be just so; not a single blade of grass taller than another. If it makes her happy it makes me happy.
There's a tradition in the family when we leave. We walk down to the shoreline, gaze at the water for a few minutes to remember, then say good-bye. It's a sad time, especially for the wife.
My big adventure begins on Wednesday. I will drive three and a half hours to a small community named Bewabik. It's the home of a golf course called Giant's Ridge. It is one of those 'must places to play' for golf addicts. Summertime fees run at around 230 clams but at this time of year it's $52 with a cart. That's my kind of price. After my round I'll drive 90 miles south to Duluth to hook up with seven men from Oklahoma for my first fishing fly-in to northern Ontario. From Duluth we'll drive eight and a half hours north to Armstrong, Ontario then hop a plane for another three hour flight in the direction of the Arctic Circle. I've never been in a cigar with wings so you can imagine I'm more than apprehensive. Last year the boys caught 4,000 various types of Ontario's finest in eight days. I hope it works out the same but, for some reason, I often times have the reverse Midas touch. Let's hope not.
A promise is a debt unpaid so I promise that this will be my last post until the very latter part of September. Gosh, I pray the plane doesn't go down in flames. Just to put my mind at ease, I'll have my rosary in my pocket.

A Real Ohio State Buckeye

I could care less if this lady is in here or not. I only did it for my buddy, The Dobber, who absolutely bleeds scarlet and gray. Pitiful ain't he?
photo:ace of spadesHQ

Former Adviser, Commie Van Jones, Behind Obama Day Of Service

Posted by Jim Hoft on Saturday, September 11, 2010, 4:23 PM
Today, in his weekly address Barack Obama marked 9-11 as a day of community service and soup kitchens.

SISU discovered who was behind this effort–
…Commie TRUTHER Van Jones.

On Aug. 4, 2009, the White House offered a glimpse into its plans to desecrate 9/11 for political advantage. Commie-TRUTHER Van Jones appeared in a 33-minute video posted on the official blog of the White House and spoke about the left’s plans to remake the tragedy into a day of community service.

Women: Most Overrated-Most Underrated

As determined by women.

@Lady_Patriot, @VidaEstrada, @snarkandboobs and other women came up with the following lists:

10 Most Over- and Underrated Women

Underrated
Angie Harmon
Carrie Underwood
Catherine Zeta Jones
Christina Hendricks
Heidi Klum
Jada Pinkett Smith
Padma Lakshmi
Rachel McAdams
Rachel Weisz
Sandra Bullock
Vanessa Williams
Shirley Manson

Overrated
Jessica Biel
Kim Kardashian (any Kardashian)
Megan Fox
Giada de Laurentiis
Sandra Lee
Penelope Cruz
Scarlett Johansson
Natalie Portman
Julia Roberts
Uma Thurman
Reese Witherspoon
Kirsten Dunst
As long as I'm on the subject of Hollywood starlets how about a quiz? What do the following all have in common? No cheating please. It shouldn't be that difficult.
Kat Dennings, Deborah Caprioglio, Kim Kardashian, Carmen Electra, Jessica Simpson, Shannon Elizabeth, Laetitia Casta, Christina Hendricks, Jennifer Connelly and Lynda Carter.

Obama Today: “We Knew” Health Care Costs Would Rise. Obama Before: Health Care Costs Will Go Down if We Pass This Bill…

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama told voters repeatedly during the health care debate that the overhaul legislation would bring down fast-rising health care costs and save them money. Now, he's hemming and hawing on that.

So far, the law he signed earlier this year hasn't had the desired effect. An analysis from Medicare's Office of the Actuary this week said that the nation's health care tab will go up — not down — through 2019 as a result of Obama's sweeping law, though the increase is modest.
written by Erica Werner and Calvin Woodward of Associated Press

A Tennis Tournament

We only get two TV channels at our lake cabin; CBS and Fox. I'm resting on the sofa and couldn't get excited about watching Judge Judy so I turned to a tennis tourney in which I am slightly less disinterested. Is it the US Open? The French Open? Some guy in the background sounds French. I don't know.
I'm not a good tennis player hence I have no desire to get involved. I have a better description about my ability. I'm horrible! I swing the tennis racket the same way I do a ping pong paddle. I have a word for this. It's called a thalidomide swing. i.e. I short arm it.
Venus Williams is one of the contestants in this match. She scares me except if I had to fight someone she'd be my first pick. The other girl is an anonymous to me. Her name is Clusters. There are two things I like about her: 1) unlike Williams, she doesn't grunt like a sword has been run through her abdomen when she serves and 2) she has smokin' hot gams. I'm rooting for Clusters.

War Of The Worlds

From the USAQ Today:
"…In a looming event already drawing protests in Muslim nations, a Florida church plans an “International Burn a Quran Day” on Saturday’s anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.

Louisville religious groups are planning events in opposition to that. Clifton Universalist Unitarian Church will host a continuous reading of the Quran on Sept. 11 from 9:11 a.m. to 9:11 p.m. The same day, Interfaith Paths to Peace plans displays and readings from the sacred texts of various world religions on such topics as peace and cooperation at 11:30 a.m. at Highland Baptist Church".

The Louisville group reminds me of a scene in the 1950's movie, War of the Worlds, with Gene Barry and others to obscure to mention. There was a scene early on when a minister confronts the martian space ship. He's walking toward them holding a Bible in the air and uttering those famous words, "Though I walk through the shadow of death, etc", when ZAPPO--he's vaporized! I think there might be a lesson in this.

What A Conundrum

Being a liberal means living in Dreamland. It forces a person to alter their value systems on a whim. They have to change a thought process on a daily basis.
Have you noticed lately I'm not doing much commentary on political topics. Mostly, I'm reprinting someones work. Fact is, since I'm not there, wherever that is, how can I justify what I write. It's only one man's opinion but I'll try this one time.
Since my next couple of sentences deal with the mosque problem and all the laundry that goes with it, I'll keep it brief. The mainstream liberal media and liberals in general have brought on this mosque brouhaha. I'm including the nut job minister(s) from Florida, Tennessee and Kansas in this, too. For a liberal, everyday is not a slow news day when ultra right wing goofballs, aka religious nuts looking for fifteen minutes of fame, are involved. The libs are so bent out of shape about this mosque thing it's frightening. It's an enigma for me. As far as they're concerned there is no problem with the mosque and there's a huge problem with the burning of the Koran because it'll incite world protest. Every US Embassy will be under attack. There will be massive protest around the world. American soldiers will be in more grave danger as if they weren't already. I've actually heard libs say this. Idiots! The Muslim world will hate us, libs say. Gasp!. The pansy libs then turn around and say it's the right of anyone to: (a)burn the American flag; (spit on the American flag; ((c) defecate and urinate on the American flag because we have freedom of speech. Sad to say, but it's also okey-dokey to do the same to statues of religious figures sacred to our western society. In case you've forgotten we are Christian, regardless that Obama did say we are not Christian, anymore. Face it. He's treading in deep waters anyway so he'll look to say anything hoping it's a life line.
So, the President and his minions keep on tripping over themselves looking for ways to justify solving their problem.
For me, regarding the terrorists, mosque problem, ridiculous ministers, etc. I say, "screw 'em". Now y'all go out and have a nice day!

It Was Too Funny To Pass Up

From the best site for humor---ever, iOwntheWorld

The Bloom Is Off The Rose

From Cleveland.com:
PARMA, Ohio – With less than an hour before President Obama's scheduled speech, 75 seats remained empty in the recreation center at Cuyahoga Community College's Western Campus.

So organizers went around campus and recruited more students to fill the seats.

Barry The Spendthrift

CNSNews.com) - In the first 19 months of the Obama administration, the federal debt held by the public increased by $2.5260 trillion, which is more than the cumulative total of the national debt held by the public that was amassed by all U.S. presidents from George Washington through Ronald Reagan.

A Class Act

Some people are criticizing President Barack Obama's handling of the economy, but George W. Bush will not be one of them, the former president said Tuesday.

One day after Obama announced a $50 billion plan to create jobs by rebuilding roads, railways and runways, Bush told an audience at the Omni Fort Worth Hotel that he doesn't believe that the federal government can "grow itself" out of the economic mess and should focus on stimulating entrepreneurship and small-business growth.
But he avoided directly attacking Obama's policies.

"I don't think it's befitting the office of the presidency to go out and be criticizing my successor," he said. "I didn't like it when some of my predecessors — a predecessor — criticized me".

I Lied

Okay, all right, I lied. One week ago I wrote that the "itinerary" blog would be my last for thirty days. Since then I've come across two cartoons and had a wife/hubby conversation that required postings.
In addition, I began thinking about the miles I'll be putting on the Mazda in twenty-four days; closest approximation is 3,500. You mere mortals would think this many klicks on the odometer would be horrid. But, for this Iron Man it's nothing, not even close to scary. E.g. I drove from Kansas City to Boone, Iowa last Friday morning. It's two hundred forty miles. Ah! It was such a relaxing drive I took a nap from Cameron, Missouri to Des Moines.
Understand this: For twenty years I drove, in my Buick LeSabre's, 70,000 miles a year-----every year. I was a road warrior. Did you know I used to keep a diary of weird and/or things of interest I witnessed. It's the stuff P.T. Barnum would treasure.
On May 15 of '98 I was on Interstate 71, an hour north of Columbus, Ohio. Ahead of me was a red pickup and in the window I spied what appeared to be an Irish Setter jumping around; back and forth , up and down. This piqued my interest so I sped up. It wasn't a dog. It was a she and SHE was in the lap of a guy doin' the nasty while he drove. Talk about having moxie. Both of 'em gave me the thumbs up as I drove by.
Some guys have all the luck!
March 7, 1990, Grayling, Michigan. It was one of those typical early March days in northern Michigan; winds of 40 mph, drizzling rain coming down horizontally, when a battered vehicle passed me on the on ramp as we entered Interstate 75. I knew someone was going to blow an engine and sure enough, five miles up the highway, this piece of junk was on the side of the road. Standing outside was a kid; long scraggly hair, greasy jacket, a real winner. Being the person I am, aka stupid, I stopped. He said his girlfriend was going to have a baby and they were on their way to the hospital. "Could we hitch a ride", he asked? He jumped in the front seat and what must have been a fifteen year-old junior high type waddled to the car and squirmed her way into the back seat. Ever seen a salesman's car? Clothes everywhere. Some were hanging on the bar rack and others strewn on the back seat. A couple pair of nice shoes were on the floor, one was suede. I had a beautiful leather(real leather) case right next to the lass. Hey! What do you expect? It was my mobile office. This girl, child is a better word, was not in my car thirty lousy seconds when her water broke. Mind you, I had forgotten about this magical wonder of nature. My clothes, I knew, would never be the same. The papers would be immediate dumpster material. My leather bag--I was near tears. My suede shoes had never once hit the pavement. I was furious and vowed to do something, anything, considered memorable by historians.
After arriving at the hospital and retrieving a wheelchair, the Boy took the Child to the maternity ward. For some reason I sat and I sat. I smoked a pack of Marlboros at the same time. And I fumed. Fifteen agonizing minutes later I heard a knock on the window and looked to my right. It was the kid. Down came the window so I could hear Socrates speak. He spoke: "Mister, I'm so happy that you saved us. I'm going to name my baby after you. What's your name"?
"It's Igor", I answered. And like the Lone Ranger I drove off with a huge smile on my face; satisfaction along with joy in my heart and mind.
"Hi-Ho, MJ, away"!

He IS A Dog

Photo:iOwntheWorld

"I Am Not A Crook"

Lizzie asked me a question: "Do crooks gravitate toward politics or does politics make crooks out of people"? She probably knows the answer. She's a smart lady. This was a part of a conversation we had about Congresswoman, Eddie Bernice Johnson(DIMWIT-CRAT), from Dallas. You might recall that 23 college scholarships through the Congressional Black Caucus were awarded to her two grandsons, two nephews and two children of top aides. Johnson, a few weeks ago, stated emphatically: "a mistake was made of which I was unaware". My oh my, it seems a letter has turned up with Johnson's signature on it requesting the 'gifts' be made on her behalf.
So, again I ask, "what is it that makes a crook"?

RINO'S

Ever wonder what a RINO looks like? A real RINO! Well, it looks like what's in this photo except males normally don't wear panties. This is a picture of a female RINO. You'll find two of them named Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe in Maine. Mike DeWine from Ohio is one but he was ko'd by the uber-socialist, Sherrod Brown, in our last senatorial election. Lindsey Graham from South Carolina and John McCain are the most influential RINO'S. There have been many occasions when both of those animals wore panties.They still do. RINO'S of any sex are not to be trusted. Luckily, they are also on the endangered species list.
hat tip to weasel zippers for photo