Craig Crawford's Trail Mix

WOO WOO!

Craig,

Hope all heals well and that you will be in much less pain and on the mend soon.

Of course if you keep this up, the next President had better come up with universal health care or with your penchant for breaking pieces of your anatomy, you will turn into the six million dollar man.

When you get back to DC, find a good hypnotherapist. It really will make the quitting easier.

thanks for all the sentiments. we're now heading to historic Mt. Dora for some holiday time, where i will be enjoying the view from the hotel porch. back online monday.

if you're in the neighborhood, stop by and sit a spell:

http://www.lakeside-inn.com/

Craig,

If you're going to try to quit smoking, here's what to do. Go to the drugstore and get nicotene gum. The generic or drugstore brand is just as good as the Nicorette brand, and is cheaper. Get the MINT kind, the fruit kind is NAS-TAY. Also, get a box of plastic drinking straws, preferably the solid white or colored kind rather than the see-thru ones.

When you chew your gum, cut a straw to the size of a cigarette and "draw" on it just like you would on an actual cigarette, while you chew the gum. Trust me here, it may look completely retarded but the phsychological aspect is very helpful (and soothing). This method worked for me, but then I fell completely off the wagon and started smoking again after two years of being smoke-free. =/

Since you're giving quitting smoking a genuine go, you are legally able to punch anyone in the throat if they give you any shit! Okay, I'm not sure about that last one, but I've used it as an excuse before (not in front of a judge, tho) and it's also worked.

Congratulations and good luck to you! Keep us posted as to how it goes. I'm going to give quitting a go at New Years. We'll see.

ha, Julia, that is funny because Mom had already discovered the sawed off straw ruse and we are sitting here chomping on them. but had not tried the gum yet, will do. thanks.

I have known some people who have had success with the nicotine laced mints when they didn't like the gum. They switched to those white chunky Brach's mints gradually since they have a similar taste and texture. The stepdown nicotine patches worked for me.

It has been several years since I quit smoking but I still smoke in my dreams. The one thing that keeps me from starting up is I convinced myself I would become violently ill if I smoked a cigarette. Because of that I usually get a stomach ache when I am around someone who i smoking. I guess everyone has their own way of quitting and coping with being smokeless. The difficulty is finding what works for you. Just don't give up...keep trying until you find your way.

Craig,

I used the one step at a time patches to quit. Right before I gave it up, I smoked everything I had in the house one after another. Then I took a shower and changed clothes. At that point I put the patch on and I then emptied the ash trays and washed and put them away. First day was pretty easy because of all the nicotine I already had in me. It got a little tougher thru out the first week but then leveled off. After about 30 days I was not wearing the patches, in fact, I never bought any of the other lower dosed patches. So, really, after 10 days I quit wearing the patch. It probably took me 6 months before I decided that I was now a non-smoker. One goofy thing that happened to me is that the urge to smoke will come at the weirdest times. Outta no where even after a year. Resist the urge. That was 10 years ago. One last piece of advise. Just because you put the patch on does not mean that it is not your responsibility to not give in to temptation. I could do 3 or 4 pages but I will end now with Good Luck.

yo soy Horsedooty!

OMG, when I quit and would smell people smoking, I MISSED CIGARETTES LIKE A PHANTOM LIMB. *cries* It was so hard. But the gum/straw combo really worked, and what's nice about the straw is you can use it inside where you normally can't smoke: ie, in restaurants, movie theaters, at work, and so on. Good times, good times...not really. The patch didn't work at all for me, just ate the skin off my arm and made me wanna grab a rifle and find a bell tower. Ugh.

Hey, wait a minute. I don't see no mountains at Mt. Dora. What gives?

According to the Tivo Gods, Craig has an appearance coming up on C-SPAN 2 on Dec, 24, @ 8:22 pm, PST. It's a Book TV segment promoting "The Politics Of Life", and lasts about 7 minutes.

Check your local listings, kids!

No advice from me, I am too young to be sounding like a grandfather to the newly nicotine-free bossman! (I had my last cigarette December 19, 1981, 9:30 P.M. ...a Salem Light 100 mm I bummed from Missus Dexter.)

After 26 years, I still have one thing that sets me off into a nearly impossible craving...not for a cig, but for my pipe and a bowl of either Sir Walter Raleigh or Kentucky Club.

I walk my dog past the courthouse (the one some of you got in my Holiday Greeting via email.)

On the south side of the square, a giant , 25 foot snowman sits all winter with a beautiful giant pipe in his mouth.
It's easy in regular society, because pipe smoking has really fallen into disfavor, but when I see that daggone snow monster with that lovely, enticing pipe, I about go into shock from desire of the fragrant aroma and taste of prime burleigh tobacco.

Good luck, be careful on those crutches Craig, and maybe Mom saved one of Grandpa's tree limb canes you can use in your last stages of recovery from the ankle episode.

The last fracture in our family was a "Jones Fracture" suffered by my daughter when she mis-stepped an icy stoop. I wondered...which Jones had the honor, of all the Joneses, to have a fracture named after her/him.

I'd prefer to have a train engine named after me:
"Here comes old Dexter, right on time!"

hey, a favor...somebody please just try to get any Yahoo! page to appear on your screen. My computer seems fine, but Yahoo! seems to have crapped out...it's been half a day now...anyone else have any trouble accessing any Yahoo! page?

works for me at yahoo.com

yo soy Horsedooty!

The weirdest quitting smoking story I know is about a guy I knew in the European record business. He always smoked a LOT when he came to town. Then one time on a trip here, we had dinner and after about an hour I realized he had not lit one cigarette. When I asked him about it he told me that several months earlier he had inner ear surgery. When he woke up he felt like he'd never really been a smoker. On one level, he knew he had, but all urges and or triggers were gone.

Dex,
Works for me. What do you mean by 'crapped out?'

Can you get it through a link?

http://www.yahoo.com/

Dex

I had a similar problem with Google the other day. What I did was reboot my cable modem. Unplug for a minute and the replug. Problem solved.

Quit smoking two years ago New Years Day. I went cold turkey with the exception of a cheap, nasty cigar, the next weekend. I think that cigar was the clincher, no tobacco products since.

Thanks fellers: dnd, it just won't load. I just left it trying to access Yahoo! for 50 minutes and finally a funny-looking Yahoo page appeared, minus the safety seal .
I was warned about pirates(ARRRRRGH!) accessing people's email info , and was
warned to never enter my password unless I saw the safety badge (my own customized seal) .

So I entered a phony name and password and hell, it wouldn't even reject it.

I already shut down the modem twice and re-plugged it back in...did nothing good---now I am going to shut down the whole op and re-boot.

oh...dnd...TY 4 the link...it tries to load but I just get a purely blank page, with the motor runnin'.

no other machines here...no web acc. I am gonna try it again now...I just re-booted...TY

Julia and Craig quitting smoking? Huzzah! Good luck to both of you! If my friend wakes up from his nap , maybe we'll get out of the house tonight!

thanks...Eqifax verified everything...sent fingerprints and authenticity docus...it seems like it should be OK...more later

Ok..cleared cache and got onto only Yahoo! sports but couldn't sign in...was alerted that I had to unlock access lock and review validity certificates...nothing working at yahoo on this computer...giving up 4 today..TY 4 help....

Flashback to the long-awaited, post after the 2006 WH Correspondents Dinner. I'm glad you finally gave up on the OTC peas to heal you.

Must go back & read the last thread (I always look away during fight scenes) but Craig is givin' up the butts???

Simple way to quit, Craig. Check into a Marriot until the cravings subside.

Merry Christmas Everybody!

Just got back from Sweeney Todd. If you are familiar with the musical and know how dark it is, run don't walk to your nearest theater. It is well worth seeing there unless you are possessed of very large digital reception and a great surround sound system.

If you aren't familiar with the story, have someone tell it to you before you go. The blood is really flying and Depp makes you see Sweeney's madness while still making him sympathetic.

Helena Bonham Carter is an excellent Mrs. Lovett and the Tim Burton direction and camera work is astounding. The scenery becomes another character adding to the mood.

Normally I really like Rickman, but he seems a bit miscast as Judge Turpin. He's just not quite predatory enough. They have minimized the Johanna secondary story and removed some of her mother's presence except at the end.

The music is good. If you have seen the musical live, you might miss some of the power because while all the actors have adquate, pleasant voices, they don't have the range and strength.

OK folks.what happened was Yahoo! changed their look...totally new mail-page look....OK now.....

I'll chat if I'm not comatose from doing paperwork the entire effing day!!!

Lucky for us it was Truman rather than the current President in office when this happened:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/23/washington/23habeas.html?hp

In a fun twist, the Concord Monitor issues a non-endorsement:

http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071222/OPINION/712230301

Thanks Jamie for the review.

After hours in India, the Philippines and California, I'm up and running again at least for today.

Craig, did the docs set your foot, or what? Take care!

tt

dnd: I went back and clicked the link you posted for me just now...faster than a speeding bullet, I was on Yahoo! .

Dex,
Yahoo!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=KJHN3XnnlBk

Read the last entry and got the Craig & Mrs. C. updates.

TRY to stay healthy, y'all.

tt

gadzooks, dnd! A man makes a living out of doing that?
I tells ya, da woild iz comin' to an end!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I came to C'list right after Craig announced that he had started a blog, but did not jump aboard until months later. I was here when Craig posted weekly videos.
One such video was "We're All In This Together" by Old Crow Medicine Show.
Many of us were in that video in still camera shots.
It was a flashback , then, when tonight our local Bowling Green (OH) public TV gave us the episode of Austin City Lights which features OCMS. And they sang the Crawdads' song.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'll have bursts of craziness later today, but it gets intense early Monday morning when we travel to Columbus for a few days.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
See ya later, back to entering my info onto my new phone...I am not backed up so I could do it online. Oh, well...got nothin' better to do, and dealing with a 264 page instruction book ain't hard if ya just put it down and just play around the phone keys , happily thumbin' around.

That ain't right, is it? It's Austin City Limits, ain't it?

I've been thinking about the Republican candidates and the wish of some democrats that Huckabbee gets the republican nomination. I don't want to see Huckabee win the nomination, because there would be a chance (no matter how small) that he could become president. So if the republicans were to win, I would rather have the best of the lot. My process of eliminations is:
Huckabee-no dice, a religous wack job.
Romney-forget it, liar, liar
Guliani-nope, probably would start WWIII
Trancredo-quit be fore I could eliminate

So for me that leaves McCain - imperfect but much better than the rest.

That said, Richardson is my guy in the NH Primary

Nashau Telegraph editorial board has endorsed Obama in today's paper.

Joseph Wilson puts down Obama:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joe-wilson/the-real-hillary-i-know-_b_77878.html

Chaticleers: Had to go back out into the storm to rescue stranded daughter with my mechanical expertise.....sorry to have missed.......

Joe Wilson:
These basic facts, coming from a major foreign newspaper, are a sobering counterpoint to a gushing Boston Globe editorial that endorsed Obama for having "an intuitive sense of the wider world with all its perils and opportunities." Intuition may be a laudable quality among psychics and palm readers, but for a professional American diplomat like myself, who have spent a career toiling in the vineyards of national security, it has no relevance to serious discussion of foreign policy. In fact, Obama's supposed "intuitive sense" is no different from George W. Bush's "instincts" and "gut feeling" describing his own foreign policy decision-making. We have been down this road before.

Sturg, there is a remarkable amount of bridge-burning going on during this primary season. There is either a lot of confidence among the Clinton surrogates or a lack of interest in working in anyone else’s administration.

yep....it's all pretty contentious .........I'll be glad to see some hard results finally out of Ioway and NH......

Meanwhile: The trombone player was late to the gig in Iowa, and said it was because a bridge was out in Indiana........the stoned sax man looked up and said, " Hey.....there ain't no bridge in "Indiana"......."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HF_oBfItRO0

I'm with Bowmanc. It's important for both parties to nominate who'd be the best president, and at this stage, McCain is probably the pick of the Republican litter. I sure wish he'd change is position on Iraq.

I don't have a dog in the Clinton/Obama fight. While Joe Wilson's piece was eloquent, it was specious. While claiming that Hillary has the experience, his example showed that Bill -- who didn't have the experience -- relied on the expertise of those around him. Just what Obama is arguing.

Mad, interesting observation about the bridge-burning. I hadn't thought of that until you pointed it out.

Sturg, Thanks for the Louis Armstrong tune. Great way to wake up.

I think McCain will get it.....the other gop campaigns are almost hopeless.....rudi, mitt, and Opie are being crossed from the lists as we type......
I hope he ballyhoo's his opinions on Iraq and immigration....those issues along with the fact that he is creating at large a vague impression of "doddering" (which began in SC in 2000 when he rolled over and took it) would seem to lead to a Demo win November next........

but again I say that a situation where GOP voters have to choose between Ron Paul and Hillary would be just plain beautiful......

Part of the reason I love Bill Clinton...here's what he said in Iowa yesterday and he's on the money:

Republicans may hammer Hillary Clinton for being “polarizing,” but it’s simply a strategy to block independent voters from supporting her, former president Bill Clinton said today.

“You become polarizing not because of what you do (but) because of what people say about you. That’s all that’s going on here. She can win this race.”

He continued: “I believe, I would draw on today’s facts: all of our people could probably win.”

On the campaign trail in West Des Moines and Boone today, the former president tossed out words that his wife’s campaign staffers don’t like to even speak: “cold,” “calculating,” “polarizing.”

But he used them lightly, using humor to try to convince Iowans that his wife is the opposite.

“Now when people say how calculating she is and how she had a decades-long strategy to be president,” he told an audience in Boone, “I thought, ‘If that’s true then she ought to get 100 percent of the votes.’ Because she’s the only person in history to ever figure it out, that the best way to become the first woman president is .. not to run for office, but to go to small town in the Arkansas Ozarks, in a state that had never produced a president, and marry a guy who had lost his only election for public office, who was making $26,000 a year and was $42,000 in debt.”

If she was smart enough to figure that out, he said, she deserves to be president.

My thought: EVERY time you think something about Hillary Clinton's personality, try to go back to some specific incident that led to the perception, and ask yourself how someone might turn language against you if they needed. When, for example, did "pragmatic" become "underhanded"....when did "reserved" become "cold"....when did a hearty laugh become a witch-like cackle? When did "ambition" become a four letter word, right along with "liberal" and "feminist." Did the chatter start on talk radio and seep into the consciousness? Do the names Scaife and Murdock ring any bells? Did not Bush 41 threaten Clinton that if he ran against him he'd be destroyed? ....and yer old lady, too.....

Seattle PI editorial on Telecom immunity

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/344537_telecomed.html

By the way, that John Edwards ad about the guy who waited 50 years for a simple operation which gave him a voice (the cleft pallet case) is GREAT. The one that finishes with the concept that this man waited 50 years to get a voice, and now it's time to make our heard. What an ad!

Instead of Clinton being destroyed, Ross Perot decided to destroy 41.........like a circle in a spiral or a wheel within a wheel........

Anybody think that Ron Paul might run as a 3rd party candidate? He has quite a bit of money. I'm not sure who he would hurt most, probably the republicans.

bowmanC you read my mind.....I was thinking just now that that is a real possibility.........

Ron Paul keeps saying he won't run as an independent, but if his support continues to grow I could see him changing his mind. His fans -- and I think of them as fans more than supporters -- are rabidly behind him.

"Republicans may hammer Hillary Clinton for being “polarizing,” but it’s simply a strategy to block independent voters from supporting her, former president Bill Clinton said today.

“You become polarizing not because of what you do (but) because of what people say about you. That’s all that’s going on here."

Um, would that be a part of the vast right-wing conspiracy?

It's pretty insulting to have Clinton tell me I'm too stupid to make up my own mind and am just a gullible dolt controlled by the right.

dnd, If you don't think there is a real right wing machine out there changing the way people think, you might want to do some studying up on it, starting with Scaife and Co. You might also want to read the Lakoff book. And maybe some works on the history of propaganda. Maybe even a marketing text, because conservative talking points have been targeted at the American public for a long time.

It has been going on since the 1980s...brought to new heights with the advent of talk radio, and to no small extent by fundamentalism....why do you think we now use "partial birth abortion" instead of "late term" or "death tax" instead of "estate tax." Change the language, change the landscape.

We all do it...explain something from our personal perception rather that an intellectual one. It becomes like the old high school whisper game when the original thought is completely lost. Consider how you distorted Clinton's words: "It's pretty insulting to have Clinton tell me I'm too stupid to make up my own mind and am just a gullible dolt controlled by the right."

When exactly did he call you a dolt? Or stupid? He's talking about how thought and the public debate is shaped.

I think it all depends on who each party nominates if Paul decides to run as a 3rd party candidate. It would give voters an alternative to the "hold you nose" vote. And would send a signal to whoever wins, assuming they'd listen. I don't see it impacting either party.

Now if Bloomberg runs as a 3rd party candidate, all bets are off the table.

and let's not forget Chuck Hagel and Al Gore......

men of stature.....above the fray......

Congratulations to you and your mom on stopping smoking! I quit after over 40 years of smoking in late 2002 because of a 9 day hospitalization for 5 lob Viral Pneumonia. This is probably the best way to quit, assuming you live and recover, because you feel so bad you never notice the nicotine withdrawal. The pneumonia caused a lot of lung damage so I can’t go back to smoking. The HABIT is the hardest thing to break! I have been told by my doctors that the nicotine withdrawal only lasts for about 10 days. My doctors also informed me that the metabolism slows down after you quit smoking thus the weight gain. The HABIT goes on for years. To counter the HABIT I use stick candy that I get at Cracker Barrel Restaurants as a cigarette substitute. Similar to Julia’s straws but tastes better. I used 2 to 4 a day in the beginning and now, after over 5 years, I am at 3 to 5 a month plus my grandchildren like them. Another great thing is that they are cheep at about 10 cents each. AGAIN, GOOD LUCK TO YOU AND YOUR MOM!

Patsi,
I've read extensively about Joseph Goebbels, which prepared me for guys like Atwater, Mehlman, Rove and Clinton. It's also why I'm an independent, as I realized how easily bias clouds judgment.

Yes there is a right wing conspiracy. And they have a counterpart on the left. Smooth talker that he is, Clinton didn't call me stupid or gullible, but that's the implication e based on his assertion that as Republicans say nasty things about Hillary I'm going to believe them. If that were the case, he wouldn't have left office with such high favorability numbers after being impeached.

Which Lakoff book are you suggesting I read? He's written a bunch.

ps. If you're still looking for a new PC, CompUSA is going out of business, so you may be able to get a bargain when they start to liquidate.

Ron Paul on MTP!

Sturg, I'd vote for a Hagel/Gore ticket. In a heartbeat.

Huckabee should tell Condi he is only quoting Chuck Hagel.
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/politics/blog/2007/12/hagel_bush_white_house_arrogan.html

It's kind of ironic that Hagel is held up as a hero although his Iraq position is the same as Senator Clinton's.

Gore and Hagel agree on nothing except the incompetence of Shrubco.

ps

Happy Hoildays!

I think Craig should stay in Florida with his mom and let his dad go back to DC. It's only fair. Good luck on quitting smoking. It will be worth it. Think of all the money you will save!

"why do you think we now use "partial birth abortion" instead of "late term" or "death tax" instead of "estate tax." Change the language, change the landscape."

Thom Hartmann has a book out now "Cracking The Code" that is fairly light reading on a serious subject.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1576754588/interactiveda835-20

Republicans are just better at naming things and then using the right wing dominated radio and other media to force them into the publican consciousness. Like it or not language is thought. It takes real effort to look past the naming to see the reality behind it.

Frank Luntz helps the goopers frame issues

http://www.luntzspeak.com/whatspeak.html

KGC,
1. Hagel's position on Iraq is the same as Richardson's, not Clinton's.
2. Frank Luntz. You can throw him in the same pile as Atwater, Mehlman, Newt and Rove. Thanks for reminding me.
3. You are absolutely right that Craig should stay in Florida with his Mom. Walking on crutches in snow/ice/rain is dangerous. And until those nicotine cravings subside, his Dad needs to get out of town.
4. Happy Holidays to you too!

Richardson is for an immediate withdrawal.

Hagel like Clinton supports a phased withdrawal

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/24/AR2006112401104.html

My kids recently reminded me of what I had told them when I first put the patch on to quit. Seems I told them that if they came in the house and saw me sitting in my chair with a chain saw, just keep their mouths shut and keep walking.

yo soy Horsedooty!

Sturgeone, e-mail I sent to my Florida Senator Bill Nelson on Telecom Immunity. Senator Mel Martinez is a true Bushie so I didn't waste my time on him. I had to breakup my reference links so I wouldn’t be considered a spammer.

Dear Senator Bill Nelson:

With the Bill S. 2440 and/or S.2248 (To amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, to modernize and streamline the provisions of that Act, and for other purposes.) is up for floor debate this week, I would respectively request that any provision to give immunity to phone companies be stricken!

I am aware that “on October 18, 2007, the Committee rejected an amendment offered by Mr. Nelson to strike title II, entitled ―Protections for Electronic Communications Service Providers, from the bill, by a vote of 3 ayes and 12 noes.”

I am 64 years old and realized long ago that Congress does not represent the will or best interests of the people but the will and best interests of Big Businesses and Special Interests that provide the big bucks for re-election.

Senator John D. Rockefeller IV (D-WV), chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, emerged as the most important supporter of immunity in devising a compromise plan with Senate Republicans and the Bush administration.

A measure approved by the intelligence panel on Thursday [October 18] would add restrictions on the eavesdropping and extend retroactive immunity to carriers that participated in it.

Senate Judiciary Committee members yesterday [October 22] angrily accused the White House of allowing the Senate Intelligence Committee to review documents on its warrantless surveillance program in return for agreeing that telecommunications companies should get immunity from lawsuits.

Or is this the REAL STORY?

Executives at the two biggest phone companies contributed more than $42,000 in political donations to Senator John D. Rockefeller IV this year while seeking his support for legal immunity for businesses participating in National Security Agency eavesdropping.

The money came primarily from a fund-raiser that Verizon held for Mr. Rockefeller in March in New York and another that AT&T sponsored for him in May in San Antonio.

In either case it sounds like a quid pro quo to me. No wonder the Approval Rating for Congress is as low as it is. Please See the following:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/22/AR2007102202268_pf.html
Senators Say White House Cut Deal With Panel on FISA
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/23/washington/23nsa.html?ei=5065&en=3672dd31da5e0a6f&ex=1193803200&partner=MYWAY&pagewanted=print
Companies Seeking Immunity Donate to Senator

Wider Spying Fuels Aid Plan for Telecom Industry

AT&T engineer says Bush Administration sought to implement domestic spying within two weeks of taking office

Respectfully,

"Which Lakoff book are you suggesting I read? He's written a bunch."

"Don't Think of an Elephant"

He kind of wanders off at the end, but it's still right on.

KGC,
Hagel and Richardson are on the same page w.r.t. Iraq. Clinton has changed hers to adapt to the changing political landscape and the trends in her poll numbers.

Thanks Patsi. I'll check it out. I was reading the descriptions of some of his books on amazon and it sounds fascinating.

The rest of the reference links from the previous post.

Please See the following:

Senators Say White House Cut Deal With Panel on FISA

Companies Seeking Immunity Donate to Senator
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/16/washington/16nsa.html?ei=5065&en=03d7b2d9209d9d7d&ex=1198472400&partner=MYWAY&pagewanted=print
Wider Spying Fuels Aid Plan for Telecom Industry
http://rawstory.com/news/2007/ATT_engineer_says_Bush_Administration_sought_1216.html
AT&T engineer says Bush Administration sought to implement domestic spying within two weeks of taking office

dnd
"Hagel and Richardson are on the same page w.r.t. Iraq"

they are not. Richardson wants an immediate withdrawal. That is not hage's position.

You just cannot stand the idea that Hagel is more like Cinton although on Iraq it is true.

How can you make the argument Richardson is like Hagel.?

"Clinton has changed hers to adapt to the changing political landscape and the trends in her poll numbers."

dnd....I'll show you what it was like to be raised by my parents. We talked/argued politics a lot. And I had the right to contradict, question and disregard any of their theories. But on ANY topic, I could not say something like that. Because I didn't know. I might be able to speculate, and I had better say I was theorizing. My mother would have asked me to explain how I knew this for a fact.

Excellent. My son just kicked me out of the kitchen for the duration of the holiday. As I type he is mixing the dough for my grandmother's homemade noodles.

Patsi,
I'm going by what Hillary's said during the debates and what she's said to the press over the last six months. She's transmogrified from "I don't know what it'll be like in 2009, so I can't say we'll be out by the end of my term" to the more recent "a battalion/month."

I'll take a mia culpa. You are correct. It's not possible to show a causal relationship on her change is correlated to the prevailing winds. But it is suspicious...

ps. My parents met at the Denver Young Democrats Club. Discussing was always part of our household too.

KGC,
"Richardson wants an immediate withdrawal."

Nuh-uh. ASAP is not the same as immediate. Hagel wants us out ASAP. Richardson likewise:

http://www.richardsonforpresident.com/issues/iraq

"You just cannot stand the idea that Hagel is more like Cinton although on Iraq it is true."

I could stand it if it were true. But it ain't. Both Hagel and Richardson want ALL troops out. Hillary would leave some.

dnd
hagel does not want all the troops out. I posted the Wapo article that indicates his stand.

And I guess it is ok for Richardson to change his mind
Recently, Richardson released a commercial of Democratic bloggers praising the thoroughness of his anti-war position.

"It makes his message more distinctive," O'Hanlon said. "But I don't think he's going to have near enough traction to move up on that issue alone."

Richardson came to his position later than some of his competitors. He supported Bush's decision to go to war, and as late as November 2005 he said troops need to remain to secure the country.

Just popping in to wish everyone a Happy Holidays!
(so what.... I'm being PC.... :0} )

going to football party later this afternoon...... the Patriots are about to make NFL history by being the first team to win 15 in a row in the same season..... Go Pats!

Spend Xmas Eve with Rick's family ( plus it's his birthday).... spend Xmas with my family......

I hope everyone has a great time with their friends and family.....

Patsi....
here's a link to Larry Johnson's blog NO QUARTER....
in the article entitled "Am I a Hillary Cheerleader?".... he describes a meeting he had with her to brief her on the Middle East..... I think a Hillary supporter and fan would love to read it.....

http://noquarterusa.net/blog/

Patsi,
"Excellent. My son just kicked me out of the kitchen for the duration of the holiday. As I type he is mixing the dough for my grandmother's homemade noodles."

Have you put on the Leon Redbone CD?

I'm headed up to the library to get Lakoff's "Moral Politics." All copies of "Don't think like an Elephant" have been checked out. I guess all the local lefty operatives are cramming for their final exams...

I'm watching the Chris Matthews Sunday panel show. This is always so much better than his absolutely disgusting daily show, that I can't understand why he doesn't stick with what is obviously so much better of the two.

Renee,
The Broncos are playing San Diego on Christmas Eve, so I'll be watching your Pats this afternoon.

They-will-go-all-the-way!

Damn Craig, take care and have a good long weekend.

From my favorite curmudgeon, Ed Quillen, some happy holiday reading:

http://www.denverpost.com/quillen/ci_7773153

Apparently Hagel thinks he agrees with Senator Clinton

"Hagel at CFR: Would Consider Running on Dem Ticket, Calls Hillary 'Capable'

http://www.observer.com/2007/hagel-cfr-would-consider-running-dem-ticket-calls-hillary-capable?page=0%2C1

Oh what a difference 8 months can make. The old bob and weave, Harry Reid.

NOW
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/july-dec07/reid_12-21.html

THEN
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/20/washington/20cong.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1198437291-VNGhu329q0mmAxI5yPy0Yg

Did you see Ron Paul on Meet the Press? Of all the idiotic confusing things he said, and there are plenty to choose from, the oddest was the following: He crusades against big government, but will load up bills with ear marks, either the ones he sponsors or supports, that will benefit his constituents, BUT then he doesn't vote for them. He does this so he can say he doesn't support big government. Well you'll just have to read it yourself to see if you can make any sense out this.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22342301/page/3/

But please read the whole transcript for more confusing rambling rhetoric from Ron Paul.:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22342301

Russert said it best. " Well, that's like, that's like saying you voted for it before you voted against it."

dnd -- I'm saving Leon for Christmas Eve...also my son insists on watching/listening to football while he cooks....he did run into Gary Nicholson's son at a party here last night. Are you a Gary Nicholson fan? Bettcha are!

For your Sunday enjoyment... This is the simplest yet funniest gag I've seen in a while.

http://www.madmustard.com/Videos/Rip.wmv

Patsi,
"Are you a Gary Nicholson fan? Bettcha are!"

You'd win that bet!

Fry,
Paul told Russert that Reagan was a failure. I'd think a good Goldwater Republican like you could agree with that...

Renee....thanks for the link. Very interesting article, and in my opinion right on the money. Johnson is nobody's tool (OR fool), either. (And before anyone gets too excited, he says Edwards is probably the one who could be elected.)

reposting the article link:
http://noquarterusa.net/blog/

But be sure and click to read the entire thing....

separated at birth?

http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_7780242

dnd,

Love the "separated at birth"

Mad,

Can't get your site to open.

The Separated at Birth is funny....and funnier yet is the fact that the whole thing was no doubt put together so they could end it with the Fred Thompson joke.

Yeh, dnd, we did the Gomer/Huck thing just a short time ago.
We are experiencing horrible WINDS here...ripped some siding off my garage and my house...sounds like a freight train...

Everyone have a great holiday...we are off to Columbus at daybreak...see everyone later.

OMG OMG OMG...THAT'S who Mitt Romney looks like, LYLE WAGONER!!!

He also resembles every clueless father character from every After School Special I've ever seen. Which helps to explain why I don't like him.

sturg, for you. Love, love this song!

"Windmills of Your Mind"

http://youtube.com/watch?v=kb9dcv1xDiY&feature=related

http://youtube.com/watch?v=0TENBIrwOHU

tt

Separated @ Birth....*L*

tt

And one more....

"Michel Legrand - Windmills of Your Mind"

http://youtube.com/watch?v=2Txt4vXrDfg&feature=related

Il a écrit la musique mais pas le lyrique.

He wrote the music but not the lyrics.

tt

Happy Holidays.

"Big Broccoli Ocarina:Angels We Have Heard On High"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GabHGlGm14

tt