Craig Crawford's Trail Mix

Too Hoo to Woo...

So Hoffa sleeps with the fishes...?

Thanks for the history walk down memory lane. Hoffa's disappearance was the great mystery of the latter half of the 20th century.
Reuther and Hoffa...champions of the working man.

This is so cool .............

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/05/detroit-arsenal-of-the-future.html#comment-229197

Best Wishes to Bethy for speedo recovery...

This just great , Craig Crawford flogs books where Jimmy Hoffa disappeared, I love it ............... Old man falls out of chair in Texas.

You'll kill on Imus , next time, son. Don will eat this up.

By god, that was the best crime report since I sat in the old Sam Batts Restaurant at 22nd & Michigan in Chicago, at the New Michigan (nee Lexington) Hotel in 1969, listening to an old timer regale us with tales of the Capone days...The Lexington was one of Capone's HQs , his suite was room 538, and we got to see that, too.
You'll all recall the New Michigan Hotel as the place where Geraldo (Jerry Rivers) Rivera tried to find Capone's stash, and blew up a wall to find nothing at all.
The New Michigan is now dust...all gone forever.
Anyway, this old timer told us of an accessible stairwell where we could see bullet holes in the wall...so we sneaked over there and yessirree Bob! Several bullet holes from Capone's day....I wonder if Geraldo even knew about that.....

God -
I'm off to tell the internet about this post, this is just real proof that Washington hasn't ruined Craig Crawford.

Ivey, Dexter, CBob and all -- I consider this our Trail Mix mission: We will fi nd Jimmy Hoffa. But first, we must raise our blue corn to fruition.

I want Trail Mixers to welcome Norm Sinclair to our fold. This is the man who can find out what happened to Hoffa. You mark my words. My guess is that he already knows.

In Castle Rock, CO we usually walk to breakfast at the B&B Cafe. It bears the marks of its colorful history in the form of bullet holes in the ceiling and wall.

"Bits and pieces of the town's history are tied to Annabelle Matney's own past. The bullet holes in the ceiling of the B&B Cafe are a reminder of the murder of her uncle Raymond Lewis in 1946. Lewis was a peace officer killed inside the diner by an escaped prisoner. The holes in the tin ceiling never were filled, and a brief history of the event is printed on the menu."

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5166534,00.html

For starters, our Trail Mixers in South Florida should track "Chuckie" O'Brien. He is the the so-called "adopted son" of Jimmy Hoffa who is widely believed to know what really happened. He now lives in Boca Raton. KGC, that near you?

We'll need badges. Where's our stinkin' badges??

Darnit, Ivey, your're changing the subject. How is that going to help us find Jimmy Hoffa? Get on the case, gal. Let's find the ole SOB.

Absolutely, Ivey, we need badges. Trail Mixers will find Jimmy Hoffa. Somebody get us some stinking badges.

I want to hear some theories, foks. Get out there and google this Hoffa story. Work up some ideas. If we can find Hoffa, we're making history.

Oh no, what if Jimmy Hoffa already IS the stinkin' badges???

We gotta put all the possibilities out on the table here...

Boca...what a perfect place for Chuckie. Chuckie was Detroit's teflon man, the feds couldn't even hang an indictment on him.

Hoffa theory (scroll down)

"Just before he died, Frank Sheeran, confessed to author Charles Brandt that he killed Hoffa. According to Sheeran, Chuckie O'Brien drove Hoffa, Sheeran and another mobster Sal Briguglio to a house in Detroit. Hoffa and Sheeran went into the house and the other two men drove off. Sheeran says he shot Hoffa twice behind the right ear. After the murder, Sheeran says he left the house and was told Hoffa was cremated. The full story appears in Brandt's book I Heard You Paint Houses (2003)."

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAhoffa.htm

I mean, I want to believe Chuckie O'Brien, but I just can't believe he knew nothing about the disappearance of his "step-dad" Jimmy Hoffa.
I remember when the feds went after Frank Fitzsimmons in the Hoffa disappearance, but quickly concluded Frank F. was
not involved . I never believed that, cuz it was only Fitzsimmons who would lose if Hoffa regained the Teamsters presidency after Nixon commuted Hoffa's prison term to time served.
With Hoffa out of the way, it was clear-sailing for Fitzsimmons to retain the Teamsters presidency. But nothing was ever hung on Frank F either.

Here a thought -- Make Hoffa's daughter a Supreme Court nominee and everyone will be picking through everything...

"Barbara Ann (Hoffa) Crancer (born 1938), St. Louis County (Missouri) Associate Circuit Court Judge and daughter of former Teamsters Union president Jimmy Hoffa."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Ann_Crancer

you're on the "trail" folks. o'brien is the key, he's still alive and living in Boca. this is a job for KGC

i've asked Norm Sinclair to give us direction in this matter. If he appears, we'll take orders from him.

We never got to see the pistol duel between Bobby Kennedy and Jimmy Hoffa. No two humans hated each other as much as those two .

Bobby Kennedy berated Hoffa for years and never understood a damn thing about the difficulties of union organizing.
When it was Bobby's time to stand up, he let Eugene McCarthy do the leg-work in the chipping away of LBJ's presidency before jumping into the 1968 race. To this day I believe he should have got in behind McCarthy and supported him.

awaiting marching orders from Mr. Sinclair...we need to find out whodunnitt!!

Craig --

Maybe you could get Norm Sinclair to go on Imus with you to talk about searching for Jimmy Hoffa?

Here's where things stood (on the verge of a breakthrough) befoe 911, as reported by NPR.. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1128639

"Hold on a minute; I hain't had my say yit.
You listen to me. Shooting's good, but there's quieter ways if the thing's GOT to be done.
But what I say is this: it ain't good sense to go court'n' around after a halter if you can get at what you're up to in some way that's just as good and at the same time don't bring you into no resks. Ain't that so?"

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Chapter: "Better Let Blame Well Alone"

off to sleep now, counting on the night crew to maintain the search, you just know that Google can find Hoffa somehow

Craig - don't know if yer funnin' er whut, but KGC's out here in the wild west in wine country.

Had an 8 am doc appointment and left a message on an answering machine to cancel it. Hope that works but will try again before 8 in the morning if I can wake up.

I sure type more carefully when I'm afraid to move my hand.

Well, all your groupers ( groupers, get it? one last fish pun), I'm a gonna crash. Nitey nite.

And so the Great Hoffa Hunt began .............

You know who will have the real skinny on Jimmy ?

9/11 sort of, ,,,,,,,,,,,,, that guy will have a theory to bust all theories.

Norm Sinclair -
You'll do well here , if you've been poking into the Detroit mob.
But we temper it with bird stories.

DELBERT McCLINTON - I'm Dieing Just As Fast As I Can

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUgzsdqY1uE

Blues Brothers - Everybody Needs Somebody

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9-1jWAW4KA

Wilson Pickett- Everybody Needs Somebody

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9yIoVuUM-M

Bruce Springsteen - Pink Cadillac (Lost Masters Collection 1981/82) Audio

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Po7OrlvwNM

Bruce Springsteen - 57 Channels

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEl2HiSw0ho

I bought a bourgeois house in the hollywood hills
With a truckload of hundred thousand dollar bills
Man came by to hook up my cable tv
We settled in for the night my baby and me
We switched 'round and 'round 'til half-past dawn
There was fifty-seven channels and nothin' on

Well now home entertainment was my baby's wish
So i hopped into town for a satellite dish
I tied it to the top of my japanese car
I came home and i pointed it out into the stars
A message came back from the great beyond
There's fifty-seven channels and nothin' on

Well we might'a made some friends with some billionaires
We might'a got all nice and friendly if we'd made it upstairs
All i got was a note that said "bye-bye john
Our love is fifty-seven channels and nothin' on"

So i bought a .44 magnum it was solid steel cast
And in the blessed name of elvis well i just let it blast
'til my tv lay in pieces there at my feet
And they busted me for disturbing the almighty peace
Judge said "what you got in your defense son?"
"fifty-seven channels and nothin' on"

I can see by your eyes friend you're just about gone
Fifty-seven channels and nothin' on...

Timothy Leary - Legend of a mind

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLC-y3r66Ys

Tears for Fears- Everybody Wants to Rule the World

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ni_c0IMP-c

Tears for Fears - Shout (Extended Version)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwTrbF9CSs0

Chris Rea - Texas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMk208Op1Jc

Bob Dylan - Mozambique

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_scLrg7WQtY

Bob Dylan - Black Diamond Bay

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiRP4fkCMJw

I was siting home alone one night in LA
Watching old Cronkite on the seven o'clock news
It seems there was an earthquake that
Left nothing but a Panama hat
And a pair of old Greek shoes

John Wesley Harding - I Am a Lonesome Hobo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mQQiyTkUEE

Bob Dylan's 115th Dream
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7v-MBdG3Fc

After Hoffa is found we must press the search for Ambrose Bierce...............

I don't think KGC lives in Florida. Unless she has moved recently, I think KGC lives in Northern California.

dex.....in re. capone and his friends........when I played the Royal Hotel in Moose Jaw, Sask. I got to stay in the room capone used......corner room had views two ways......no bullet holes, but very interesting, nonetheless..... the hotel owner gave us a bit of history of the tunnels and showed some of them to us where they came into the Royal's basement............

http://www.virtualsk.com/current_issue/new_digs.html

between regina and the moose, I asked a Cree sitting by the stove in a service station, "How far is it to Moose Jaw?"
He says, "Moose Jaw six feet from Moose Ass." I imagine he sat in there all day just hoping for a chance to tell that to some ignorantus like me........lol

oh........when we were there in '82 there were no theatrics yet.....that's a more recent development

sturge....did you ever play Red Deer? I was there with the Dirt Band for a week cutting a live album. Cool place.

no......didn't make Red Deer......just Moose and Melfort....in december and january..........brrrrr.

saw the dirt band oncet though, at one of those outdoor pavillions at some amusement park.......good show.........

guy i know in town is going to be on the jerry springer show today........the great jerry springer sing-off.......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hh24LLA24G4

Greetings, Norm......wherever you are. :)

craig, when we welcome norm sinclair, do we get to yell out "norm" like they did on cheers?

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/05/detroit-arsenal-of-the-future.html#comment-229197

Bethy!

I know you really hurt from your mishap but as you and I know, it could have been much, much, much worse.

Hang-in there, recover rapidly, and know that we're all thinking of you.

"They don't even complain when I laugh at their imitations of other birds."

flatus, he probably was the rich little of birddom and thinks you're a great audience.

bethy, knowing the difficulty you have typing with your hurt paw, that makes your posts even more dear to us....

There's a really great letter in this morning's Journal from a doc contesting an earlier op-ed opposing single-payer:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124277312861336599.html

from flatus' wsj link, this is a good refutation to the tmrs here who argue against single-payer:

"......'s statement that "Medicare pays doctors 20% to 30% less than private plans" is dead wrong. Some insurance plans pay 5% to 10% more than Medicare rates. But this presumed advantage is negated by the aggravation and overhead expense of dealing with private insurers and their patchwork of unfathomable private plan coverage, co-pays, deductibles, exclusions, required preauthorizations and delays....

Medicare pays quickly, predictably and accurately, almost never making a mistake. Medicare's overhead is under 5%, compared to the 30% extracted from the premium payer's dollar for combined overhead and profit by the private medical insurance industry."

charles kuralt in his book Charles Kuralt's America has a chapter on charleston, some month in the spring, where he whistles back and forth with a mockingbird every morning......It's something i've been doing since i was a kid.....mostly best when i find them singing in the wee hours before dawn.........Kuralt's book describes certain favorite sections of america for each month of the year.....he swears in the book that he whistled the opening notes of beethovan's fifth symphony at this mocky-bird day after day and that the bird finally sang it back......I've never been personally able to duplicate that, but have found that whistling with a mocky-bird is a very satisfying conversation....
Lived in a condo once which had a mocky in the bush by the outside steps.....i was watching one morning as she flew over to the water spiggot next door and grasping the edge while upside down would stick her beak into the faucet for a drink.....[ah ha moment] I placed a big bowl of water on the railing about 2 feet from the nest and was treated for a year or 3 to the mocky-bird on my railing, wailing in the water..........

Sturg, this bird is especially for you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-a7xI33BYBk

I always enjoyed Charles Kuralt's marvelous visual essays.

All New Journeys From The New York Times Bestselling Author Of A Life On The Road.
I keep thinking I will find something wonderful just around the bend.

Ever since October 1967, when he set off in a battered motor home to explore America and talk to its people, Charles Kuralt has been one of our premier chroniclers -- a man who has helped us see and celebrate our country in a way we never had before.

After retiring from CBS News in 1994, he set out to spend a perfect year in America -- traveling to his twelve favorite American places, in just the right month for a visit to each. With his well-known warmth, humor and insight, he shows them to us now in Charles Kuralt's America.

From Montana in September and Alaska in June to winter in Cajun country and the North Carolina mountains in spring, Kuralt's accounts are filled with people, stories and experiences. Suffused by a poet's love of language and rich in the spirit and flavor of this infinite and varied land, Charles Kuralt's America is, like its author, a national treasure.

patti page......ah ye've touched a tender spot, mr flatus.......

met kuralt oncet when he came to the restaurant we played in.....got to thank him for the way he handled the news of lennon's death..........

flate......and then there's this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeuVBZZjz7k

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/05/jimmy-hoffa-and-me.html#comment-229287

Well this does quickly become a place where everybody knows your name.

Hi NORM!!

mornin'

Theories, Craig? You want theories?

The old bastard woke up nearly every morning around 3:45 a.m. just as the gunshots rang out. He was never quite sure at first whether the noise was real or part of some dream he couldn't quite remember more than bits and pieces of. As the fog of that rude awakening began to reside, he remembered and he smiled, wondering if anyone would ever find the old man on the bottom of lake St. Clair. " I never thought that asshole Gray would get the bastard after Hoover died and that asshole Felt got me railroaded, but I guess they owed Hoover one last favor. God knows they didn't do it for me. Well, tough shit, Jimmy - hope you enjoy the view from down there." He turned on the television and the late night CNN anchor was talking about Hillary Clinton's health care plan. He laughed to himself - "Hell," he thought, "we'll see a black president before they ever pass that socialist plan." He clicked off the tube and fell back to sleep.

Ah, the Dirt Band - saw them when they were still the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Doug Kershaw and Linda Ronstat do a free concert in the old quad back in the day. They did put on a great show - in one number (too many years, too many drugs to remember which one) they passed their instruments around and played each other's parts. But Kershaw stole the shoe. Green crushed velvet suit and wild fricking cajun fiddle.

The old Les Paul and Mary Ford show was good music and this was my favorite song: The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iGXP_UBog4

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/05/jimmy-hoffa-and-me.html#comment-229299

wow, pogo, was that your very own bete noir writing?
you must write a mean brief...

Yeah, Pat, it's mine. (Well, I do read a lot and probably stole every word of it from one book or another). One day I'll write the great American novel - I've always wanted to be more Stephen King than F. Lee Bailey -and die in obscurity with an unpublished manuscript.

WTF?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/20/us/politics/20detain.html?_r=1&hp

Or just cover?

pogo, f. lee, heck.... do a grisham...

and on that nyt story... admin. is having its cake and eating it too... gets pres off the hook for awhile.

Pogo,

Isn't that the true goal of most attorneys--- write the
great American novel, that is---or at least star in
the movie version!

And hope this makes you smile this a.m.----it was a
long time ago, but great memories.

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/20/namath-reflects-on-his-immigrant-forbears/?hp

What a group. Last night the topic was fish puns. Today it is fish food. Good thing the sun never sets on the Trail Mixers. And, good morning.

Pat, yeah, cover.

Coreen, I wish I could do a Grisham - he made more money than any of the lawyers he writes about would if they were actual, like, real people. Actually, I'd probably go more down the lines of a Patricia Cornwell - a little law, a little cop work and a little horror. Makes for interesting reading.

Funny, I had just read that from the Times. Joe Willy - Hell of a great guy.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/05/jimmy-hoffa-and-me.html#comment-229254

well how in the world did I get that wrong. All this time I thought KGC was in South Florida. There's another mystery right there.

Sorry - pat, I wish...

Coreen, Funny ...

(note to self - pay attention to who writes what)

No craig - that was you way back when, and a few others, among whose company KGC is not.

Craig,

Will you be doing more traveling and speeches any time soon?

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/05/jimmy-hoffa-and-me.html#comment-229256

So, C-Bob, you think we need the G-Man on the case?

http://www.paperlessarchives.com/hoffa.html

"Highlights from the files include: Files showing that in 1990 the FBI took a strong interest in Detroit area meat packing plants. Files show that the FBI checked out every meatpacking plant in the Detroit area. Files indicate an examination of a gun in Pittsburgh in 1990. The files show that the FBI interviewed more than a dozen people in late 2001 and 2002, pursuing leads in Florida, Indiana, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Kentucky. Documents chronicle the contention between Jimmy Hoffa and Anthony Provenzano. Details about Hoffa's activities in the days before his disappearance. FBI files tells of Jimmy Hoffa's growing disenchantment with Chuckie O'Brien and O'Brien's increasing devotion to Anthony Giacalone. FBI files showed that on August 4, 1975, O'Brien stunned then-Teamsters President Fitzsimmons by showing up at Fitzsimmons' office. Statements from an informant about Jimmy Hoffa's attorney Frank Ragano. Documents shows the Bureau's interest in a 7/24/92 airing of the television tabloid show "Current Affair", in which a man, whose identity was cloaked, claimed to be a mafia hitman and says he was present when Jimmy Hoffa was killed. The FBI was able to identify, interview, and give a polygraph exam to the man. Documents indicate a high power conference took place in April 2001 to discuss the status of the case and prosecutorial strategy. Files indicate physical surveillance dealing with the case as late as May 23, 2001."

"In an escalation of arguments over closing a prison facility at Guantanamo Bay, a top Pentagon official says members of Congress must rethink their opposition to accepting these detainees into the United States.

Michele Flournoy is President Barack Obama's new Pentagon policy chief. She says members of Congress need to remember that closing the stigmatized prison in Cuba will mean hard choices for everyone. She spoke after Senate Democrats said they won't pay for closure until the administration delivers a satisfactory plan for what to do with the detainees.

Flournoy says it's unrealistic to think that no detainees will come to the U.S., and that the U.S. can't ask allies to take detainees while refusing to take on the same burden.

Without singling anyone out, Flournoy said lawmakers need to think more "strategically.""

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090520/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_us_guantanamo;_ylt=AkTTvpTd62QXJDWgwpqH4F6yFz4D

Coreen - you are so right about every lawyer having a hidden (or unhidden) desire to pen the next Great American Novel.

Guilty as charged!!

Although I envision my novel having a lot more philosophy and humour than law...

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/05/jimmy-hoffa-and-me.html#comment-229312

Pogo --

I haven't been a suspense or crime novel reader since I quit Nancy Drew. But if I were to take up the genre, I would start with Linda Fairstein. Every time she appears on Imus, I'm enthralled by her tales.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linda_Fairstein

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/05/jimmy-hoffa-and-me.html#comment-229310

Coreen, LOL The goal of most attorneys seems to be to find some fun occupation where they can do honest work - or become a fiction writer. btw, in the middle of my UA shrine is the book I got last father's day - "Namath". A fun read - and has an accompanying DVD - The Legend fo Broadway Joe."

Okay, this is far-fetched, but...

I would like to see Cuba file a claim against the United States in the International Court in The Hague charging that, while the United States has sovereignty over Guantanamo by virtue of treaty, the United States has violated that treaty by carrying out activities (torture) that are illegal under international law. Obviously the claim will go nowhere, but it would open up an interesting second front in the debate. I've been surprised that the Cubans have been so compliant on this from the beginning.

Warren,

And mine would be more mystery, less law a little romance, and naturally with a female lead character. But that would mean I actually thought I could write a novel---which I do not.

That is why Craig, Patsi, et al, have my total respect.

http://www.justnews.com/news/9247357/detail.html

well we will start here...Chuckie's last interview
in which he says Hoffa junior is full of crap

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/05/jimmy-hoffa-and-me.html#comment-229324

Cuba gained its independence from Spain - May 20, 1902

kgc has started a trail of crumbs for us to follow... follow her lead, dr. watson

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/05/jimmy-hoffa-and-me.html#comment-229326

KGC --

Excellent work.

This is kind of interesting: a law professor in Tenn has won a hearing on unsealing the records of Hoffa's conviction on jury tampering.

"Even if Tabac can prove his theory, it’s unclear if that would lead to overturning the conviction.

“The problem is just that everyone is dead, so it is pretty hard to do,” Tabac said. “If there is perjured testimony, I think the relatives may have standing to bring some kind of ... name-clearing procedure.”
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/apr/10/professor-seeking-sealed-jimmy-hoffa-case-records/

Pogo,

I was given 2 copies of the Joe Namath book/dvd a
Christmas ago. All my friends know ---he was
my hero. The glory days of the NYJets--probably never to be repeated in the forseeable future.

Ivy, I got hooked on Cornwell's Scarpetta novels when I picked up "Blowfly" in an airport bookstore on one vacation. I'll have to check out Fairstein. (We don't get Imus here anymore).

Coreen, you can check out my comments about Joe and Joe worship at the Times online - mine are theLC comments.

cool.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/05/20/missing-link-found-47-mil_n_205625.html

The (a) missing link found in Germany?

"Craig, Will you be doing more traveling and speeches any time soon? Posted by: jamie44.myopenid.com"

not yet, Jamie, thanks for asking. this last one was unrelated to the next book, which comes out in the fall. so, this summer we'll start scheduling things.

anyone with an idea for an event can contact our agent Diane Nine at ninespeakers@usa.net

KGC, thanks for the Hoffa leads. Sorry i "mis-remembered" your location

Sturg,

Just got in from doing the yard--the only person within two miles who does it himself. :)

Here's another Les Paul/ Mary Ford that I really like. I think it's better than Patti's:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6geIf6z-Xw&feature=related

Where Detriot's very own conspiracy theorists hang out
(gross out warning)
http://hotfudgedetroit.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=82765&sid=1d59d0d6b78491648e4f9f330db628b9

It would be fun to be in Boca...

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,917718-5,00.html

the Time Magazine coverage from 1975

heheheh

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/05/19/the-best-of-lettermans-co_n_205091.html

Letterman - Conan has a big set of shoes to fill if he thinks he can go head to head with him and keep the larger audience.

flatus - I'm a lawn (well, yard) warrior, too. Probably explains why my yard looks merely acceptable. Not living in some highfalutin subdivision, acceptable is just fine with me as long as who it's acceptable to is Mrs. P.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/05/jimmy-hoffa-and-me.html#comment-229339

That is good stuff you've unearthed, KGC. I loved the guy's wisecrack about the giant **** fish in the backseat of Chuckie's car. I don't imagine Chuckie sleeps easy at night. Do Hoffa's children still push the agenda forward? I'm still wondering about his daughter who's a judge.

Craig,

Here's an easy one for you even if the new book isn't out by September. The kick off for "Fall of Books" at Politics and Prose in DC with other locations in Maryland and Virginia.

http://fallforthebook.org/?p=15

If some of us could get to the area, it would make a great time for a get together.

Pogo, isn't it about time for Lil P to belly-up to the mower?

max:

You should appreciate this:

U.S., Israel forming working group on Iran Set to assess progress of outreach, share intelligence

http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/may/20/us-israel-forming-working-group-on-iran/

Patsi -
In the summer of 1976 , Jeff Hanna had a girl friend that worked at the leather shop I was working at in Estes Park, The Dark Horse Leather.
He would come over from Aspen in his cream colored Porsche. He bought one of my leather vests, with buffalo nickel buttons.

Nitty Gritty and Friends "Will the Circle be Unbroken" live

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLD85G2jr-o
--------------------
Undertaker please drive slow.

Interesting study:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20090520/hl_hsn/beingapeoplepersonmaybeallinyourhead

(But I am always surprised at the sweeping conclusions made after studying a small sample. For example, here 41 people. I suspect that is because even science is a bit like reading a horoscope. The harder you search for the truth (or the greater the desire) - the more often you will find some truth that will resonate.)

Two More Bottles Of Wine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1yi9zYIcc8

Thought for the day :
" Where facts are few, experts are many. "

1734 1st Jockey Club forms in South Carolina
1927 At 7:40 AM, Lindbergh takes off from New York to cross Atlantic for Paris

Amelia Earhart - 1932

Blonde Wino sent me pictures of her offending turtle, and she also informs me she broke her hand. The women on this site, are in a really rough patch lately.

Buckle your chin straps girls.

I just came in from flip-flopping around in the creek...it was going good until I encountered "the snake." I don't know if it was THE snake or just a snake...

Looked like this guy, but I didn't see the face cuz he was high-tailing in the other direction...

http://www.outdooralabama.com/watchable-wildlife/what/Reptiles/Snakes/bws.cfm

yard work.........i heard that when charlie pride had a couple of hits under his belt he bought a new house in a high-end neighborhood.......first thing he did was bring in a lawn mower and start cutting his grass.......his neighbor looked on for awhile and then approached him with "that's good work....when you finish his lawn, what would you charge to do mine also?" Charlie told him $50 or whatever it was and then went and cut the guy's grass.......

Another shining day for " the church " -

DUBLIN, May 20, 2009 (Reuters) — Priests beat and raped children during decades of abuse in Catholic-run institutions in Ireland, a report said Wednesday.

http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre54j4gv-us-ireland-church-abuse/

Horsey on the torture debate -

http://www.seattlepi.com/horsey/viewbydate.asp?ID=1949

Craig, you're where everything's happening. And then there was the wedding party in Italy. What luck.

If Bush was the school yard bully, which he was, then the RNC are the kid tortureres who are always name calling. Boy are they floundering and immature.

The "Socialist Resolution" on the Dems.

How freakin' pathetic!

*NO social security for them*

tt

I would like to be in charge of the "Find Jimmy Hoffa" headquarters of West Michigan. I'm gonna need a box of donuts and a pot of coffee. It's gonna be a long day!

Hear and watch IT here.

http://americannewsproject.com/videos/republicans-socialist-resolution

MORONS.

tt

*L* @ Corey!

tt

I LOVE it when KO says, "Genius, I tells ya, genius!".

Morons, I tells ya, morons!

tt

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/05/jimmy-hoffa-and-me.html#comment-229349

Flatus, we're in negotiations about that right now. He's desperate for a way around child labor laws and spending money. (Plus I figure a couple or three years on the lawn tractor won't hurt when it's time to get behind the wheel of a car).

Ivy, thems is some mean looking snakes - pretty easily confused with a cottonmouth. I can't say I'd stick my hand out just to find out.

http://www.uga.edu/srelherp/SPARC/trip5.htm

Jesse Ventura on The View

Jesse Ventura debates Elizabeth Hasselbeck about waterboarding. Who do you think won the debate?

http://boingboing.hexten.net/2009/05/20/jesse-ventura-on-the.html

Hoffa disappeared in 1975. Who was our President in 1975? Gerald Ford. The Gerald R. Ford Museum is in Grand Rapids, 30 minutes from here. Guess, that would be the most likely place to begin my investigation. LOL!

Posted by: Corey Author Profile Page | May 20, 2009 2:08 PM

I think you are on to something!

Good deductive reasoning, Corey.

tt

I watched Scooby Doo. I learned things.

Retired military chiefs: Time to shift from oil

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30826253/

Charlie Pride was one of my uncle's favorite country singers - along with Johnny Cash, which was interesting since aside from a whip smart construction laborer who worked for him - strongest guy I ever met - who couldn't read but repaired televisions on the side - and Charlie, he was pretty much a dyed in the wool Southern Baptist racist.

Corey -
Old man falls out chair in Texas.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/05/jimmy-hoffa-and-me.html#comment-229367

The only one who made any sense at all was the gentleman from Oregon (there didn't seem to be any women or minorities for them to interview). Of course even the guy from Oregon neglected to mention that the party that had been doing everything he objected to for the last eight years was the Republicans.

Here's a question for all of you:

Which task sounds easier?

Finding out what happened to Jimmy Hoffa? or....

Finding out what happened to the Republican Party?

Corey - (b) - the republican party got Newtered.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/05/jimmy-hoffa-and-me.html#comment-229370

Going to peruse that well, Pogo, but gots to run right now...thanks for the link if you happen to be vamoose when I get back...

"He bought one of my leather vests, with buffalo nickel buttons. "

Cool...when we lost touch a few years back I was in the process of trying to buy a vest from you!

http://cbhopibluecornexperiment.blogspot.com/

CBob,
Nice picture of the turtle in full attack, as well as nice videos of yours.
.
I can't believe Blonde actually got a picture of her turtle 'in the act' of eating her corn. Ha, funny! Nice looking turtle though. Do you know how she broke her hand? (I hope it didn't involve the turtle) :)

"Which task sounds easier?

Finding out what happened to Jimmy Hoffa? or....

Finding out what happened to the Republican Party?"

Ha! Corey, You already know the answer to that one.

"Old man falls out chair in Texas. "

... watch out CBob. That's twice in one day.

Okay, as long as y'all are investigating the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa, could you expand your investigation to who was really behind the death of Arizona Republic journalist Don Bolles as well?

Chloe -
Sorry , it was just what I posted. No other details .

I think her tortise is munching on some sort salad plant.

death of Arizona Republic journalist Don Bolles -
------------------------
Yes, who killed that guy ?

Not so much who planted the bomb, but who was behind it?

I think Jimmy Hoffa as good as disintegrated immediately on disappearence...Finding him ain't gonna happen

.... someone's take:
"....this is the scenario which most parties, including the FBI, believe to be true: Anthony Provenzano, a mobster and New Jersey Teamsters boss, asked Hoffa to meet him for lunch to patch up their relationship, which had become strained while Hoffa was in prison. Anthony Giacalone had arranged the lunch, but neither he nor Provenzano showed up. Hoffa was picked up by several men in a maroon Mercury sedan, was murdered in Detroit and his body was disposed of at a mob-owned sanitation company in Hamtramck, Michigan. Hoffa was officially declared "presumed dead" in 1982.: http://www.answers.com/topic/jimmy-hoffa

... Hoffa is mentioned in a new book:
"How Congressional investigations of Marcello, Trafficante, and Rosselli for JFK’s murder were stymied by the murders of five witnesses, including Rosselli and Jimmy Hoffa." http://legacyofsecrecy.com/index.html

... a side note:
Friday, April 10, 2009
Professor seeking sealed Jimmy Hoffa case records
"A retired law professor has persuaded a federal judge to consider unsealing secret grand jury records to set the historical record straight. William L. Tabac wants to prove his theory that the Justice Department _ then led by Hoffa's nemesis, Robert Kennedy _ used illegal wiretaps and improper testimony to indict the Teamsters leader." http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2009Apr10/0,4670,HoffaCourtRecords,00.html

The current Tampa radar loop -

http://radar.weather.gov/radar.php?rid=TBW&product=NCR&overlay=11101111&loop=yes

"I think her tortise is munching on some sort salad plant."

Good. I assumed without taking a good look, I guess.

For those who may not know the story of Don Bolles:

http://www.ire.org/history/timeline.html

and

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Bolles

I know Jamie already posted Bill Clinton being named U.N. special envoy for Haiti, but there's a nice picture and a word from Hillary here, as well as mention of them going there on a delayed honeymoon long ago.

Hillary's husband gets new job as envoy to Haiti
"Haiti is a country with special significance for the Clintons. As newlyweds, they traveled there on a "delayed honeymoon." While there, the couple bought five Haitian paintings, which they've kept throughout the years in every house they've lived in, including the White House. "'I have a personal interest in Haiti going back many years," Secretary Clinton told the Miami Herald last month. She also said that she and Bill "have always been cheering for the success of Haiti against some pretty tough odds." http://hillary.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2009/05/19/hillarys_husband_gets_new_job_as_envoy_to_haiti

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/05/jimmy-hoffa-and-me.html#comment-229397

At least something was accomplished on that investigation , Joe. I just went over your links, and it looks like they put a lot of work into it. (not that they didn't on the Hoffa investigation, though.... just seems like a lot less leads)

yes, a great deal of investigation went on, but they never got past the 'triggermen.' The connection to Cindy McCain's father is an interesting footnote.

At that time, the mafia and the corruption in Arizona were rampant.

Chloe,

I kind of think of Haiti as being a microcosm of everything that can go wrong in a country. Hunger, health problems, formidable weather, poverty, self-serving leadership, illiteracy, lack of support from neighbors, isolated by language and religion,,,

There are two people up to such a challenge, Bill Clinton and Bill Gates.

credit card bill on way to pres.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/20/AR2009052002312.html?hpid=topnews

"credit card bill on way to pres."

Show me the money, show me the money...

Crude hits 6 mo. high just befor vaction season begins this weekend - What A Coincidence!!!

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/05/20/business/AP-US-Oil-Prices.html

You'd think maybe there's a pattern to these things.

I wish the pres would veto the credit card bill over the guns in parks rider.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/05/jimmy-hoffa-and-me.html#comment-229405

Flatus,

Don't forget the total environmental destruction of the country as all the native vegetation was destroyed in order to plant the slave grown, nutrient sucking sugar to make others wealthy while the native population descended into greater and greater poverty.

People tend to lump together the various colonial nations, but when you look at where the French were vs where the British went, there is an amazing difference.

Here is an environmental report on Haiti - Fixing it would almost require clearing out all the people and rebuilding it from scratch.

http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Americas/Haiti-ENVIRONMENT.html

I wish the pres would veto the credit card bill because it is crap legislation. I just got a notification that my rate would increase 75 days from now or I could opt out of the card. Bank of America, at least, is already giving advance notice of rate hikes - at least they did to me. And putting the contracts online - whoop-de-do. There may be good provisions in this bill, but they ain't many and ain't close. If you pay your CC bill on time, this bill hurts you more than it helps you from what I can tell.

http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=46721

This one is even more extensive as it lays out the problems likely in Haiti with this year's storm season

"Charlie Pride was one of my uncle's favorite country singers"

Same here Pogo. . When I'd go pick him up after he'd been out carousing, he hop in and be hum-singing his fave tune, 'Kiss an Indian good morning" rofl

Yeah, Rez, THAT was the song. (:-)

Pogo

There are a few things for the on time people. "on time" can no longer be arbitrary. It is now before close of business on due date. Also, if due date falls on Sunday and you pay by computer on Sunday, they can't charge you a late fee because they don't "record" it until Monday.

The notification period you already know about. Also, they can't raise your interest if you are late on another bill i.e. late on mortgage but on time for CC, they can't raise the interest.

There are some items about interest rates on old balances vs new balances but if you already pay off each month that doesn't help you.

May I suggest U.S. Bank as being ten times better than B of A every thought of being in their wildest dreams. I gave up on B of A about three decades ago as being a waste of time and money.

Pogo . . . Or, of course, I ran around with a Pima girl for a bit while when I was a ASU and her fave song at the time was, "Anybody Going to Sacaton." 8-)

Sorry Pogo, old tales. . .strange but true.

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/20/top-republicans-balk-at-democrat-social-party-label/?nl=pol&emc=pola2

"Top Republicans Balk at ‘Democrat Social Party’ Label"

Haiti would be the ideal market for cbobs solar oven
because of the deforestation and lack of fuel'''
did he get fully funded to build his prototype yet ?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124268952606832391.html

"Obama Avoids Test on Gays in Military"

"Last week, the White House was pressed to explain whether the administration would intervene to protect Lt. Dan Choi, a West Point graduate and Arabic speaker in the Army National Guard. He announced he was gay as part of a plan to challenge the law. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said the president believes the issue should be dealt with through legislation.

In the appeals court case last year, the Bush administration argued that Air Force Maj. Margaret Witt, who was discharged after authorities discovered she had a relationship with a woman, had no grounds to challenge her expulsion in light of congressional findings that gays and lesbians in uniform "create an unacceptable risk" to military morale and "unit cohesion."

But the court ordered the government to show why military discipline would be imperiled by the specific presence of Maj. Witt.

President Obama faced an early March deadline to file an appeal to the Supreme Court. Obama aides twice filed requests asking for a one-month extension, which the court granted. The administration let the most recent deadline pass without seeking another extension."

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-05-18/gops-torture-tricks-backfire/

"GOP's Torture Tricks Backfire"

"And here's where the right's tactical acumen comes up short. Various conservative commentators have expressed their hope that gunning for Pelosi will blunt progressive calls for a "truth commission" to thoroughly investigate what really happened on Bush's trip to the "dark side". Fox's Neil Cavuto said we might be in a "Mexican standoff" wherein Pelosi would agree to drop the idea of investigations to prevent herself from attracting scrutiny. Steven Hayes, Dick Cheney's official biographer, said, "Democrats who have been so enthusiastic about truth commissions have to be stopping and saying, OK, wait a second." What conservatives are missing here is that this is a fight they were winning before they started gunning for Pelosi. Their best ally in this fight was Barack Obama, whose desire to "move forward" rather than focusing on the past had been the subject of much consternation. Had conservatives simply reached out to grab the hand that was being extended to them, they could have gotten what they wanted."

Thanks for that link, Tony!

Governor Perry's campaign steps in it again

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D98A601G2.html

The letter the GOP ladies wrote about the "whorehouse" remark needed Patsi to really tear off his hide.

Maybe Texans really should elect Kinky

http://www.kinkyfriedman.com/

The Houston TV news reporter who closed the Chicken Ranch

"Marvin Zindler's trademark signoff at the end of each report was, nearly shouting: 'Maaarvin Zindler..... Eeeeeeeyewitness NEWS!' "

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvin_Zindler

Mqw -

The foremost design criteria for my oven is to build a cart that any street vendor anywhere in the world can push around. The proto-type will be constructed so that any Walmart manager would say, " Sure you can park it in front of my store. "
I'm buying the state of the art in solar reflective film for it, and it'll have nearly 60 sq feet of collector surface. I'm going for 400 degrees at noon on a sunny day.

And thank-you for asking about it, I hit 80 dollars in pledges today.
And I have just begun to beg. But I have been buying materials , ....insulation coming in tomorrow, & I have the steel already .

"I hit 80 dollars in pledges today.
And I have just begun to beg."

cbob, please post to whom exactly and where one can send their hard-earned treasure, their greedy haul, or their widow's mite as the case may be to help you on this noble joust against the cold dark windmills with only your solar oven lance and faithful sanchos and sanchas panza del tm at your side.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/05/jimmy-hoffa-and-me.html#comment-229426
Jamie
Ha,yes a few minutes with our Patsi would straighten him out!!

"The letter the GOP ladies wrote about the "whorehouse" remark needed Patsi to really tear off his hide."

Ha! I just heard about that when I got up from my afternoon nap. God, what a putz. And you know, I learned back during the 70s that there is a certain kind GOP woman that is formidable when it comes to women's issues. Those women are probably fewer now than then. But they were usually older, wealthy, social moderates -- and very headstrong. I suspect Texas still has a few of them here and there.

I cooked with solar over the years. The type of black box that the food cooks in is very important. I always liked cast iron, 'cuz it holds the heat. That is a fine quality to have, in case you're a little late in rotating lunch sunward.

I've also cooked in foil pouches on my cars' exhaust manifolds. This comes in handy when you want to move a lot of miles, and don't want to stop at a restaurant. It's a 2fer.

Btw, I don't think they deepsixed him or buried him in a concrete foundation. I think he went into 576 cans of 'chicken flavor' cat food bound for the Canadian market.

Coming hot on the heels of his inflamatory secession speech, perry is taking on a sort of wacko from waco personna. He's beginning to look like the Suthun Baptists' very own Daffy Duck.

If texans re-elect perry, we ought to force Mexico to take them all back.

a little musical charm to soothe the savage breast

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iP0q1xIkB4

We used to tie our c-rations to our truck engines. It helped (significantly) if we made a little vent hole in the can.

eProf has a nice blog today with a little assistance from deToqueville

http://eprof22.blogspot.com/

If you do the right thing & what you know to be right for the people you will be a great president.RIP Jimmy

The view and glenn beck

lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csTS7fk01iI

patd

I've always liked the French version of the song: Le Moulons de mon Coeur

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_JWSYesl8U

I wrote a blog article about Michele LeGrand with the lyrics in both English and French

http://jdurward.blogspot.com/2008/11/michele-le-grande.html

jamie, thanks. it's a fascinating song.

actually more like mesmerizing....

"Obama picks financial backer for UK ambassador post
Chicago friend Louis Susman chosen for plum posting despite president's promise to end cronyism in Washington"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/may/20/obama-uk-ambassador-louis-susman

This gets really scary sometimes. I've been thinking about posting a story re Don Bolles's death and the impact on me, when it pops up here. I feel I have a mandate now to tell you, but will keep it short (HA!) as I've decided to go to the local urgent care place for my pains.

In 1981 I left teaching to come to ca to live with my mom who was dying of cancer. Back in St Louis was an old student of mine who was probably dying of cancer. It was very depressing living with my mom and I wasn't working - I realize now I missed teaching. Then one day one of my few teacher friends called me and didnt't have to tell me that tammy had died.

Several years later after my mom died and all sorts of plans had gone awry, I hit what I thought was rock bottom (it never is) and was in bad shape. I went to a job counselor and how she did it I'll never know, but she got to to talk re those two deaths. She said she thought I was just terribly sad and hurting, and suggested I reading a poem written by Don Bolles's
brother, the author of What Color Is Your Parachute.
It was in the back of one of the issues of his book.

The result wascrying and crying and more crying, but it worked. I'm not saying things got better right away, but that poem got me past a log jam of emotions. I'll never forget it, or that woman - how did a job counseling interview at a library lead to that?

bethy, i agree it is scary here sometimes when all our disparate tho'ts and lives coincide unexpectedly. that must have been hard for you to post both emotionally and because of your injuries. how are those pains? is there swelling? hope that the care center has just the right palliative care for you even if they can't heal it.

Fascinating recollections, Bethy. And, of course, why did you head to a library for your session rather than some employment agency.

And, that path ultimately led you to us. And, for that, I'm thankful.

Bethy, Thanks for telling us that story.
Can you remember the name of that poem? The only one I could find was a poem he mentioned in an article he wrote. A poem by John Godfrey Saxe about the blind men and the elephant. http://www.jobdig.com/articles/349/Depression_and_the_job_hunt.html

If you remember the title, I would like to read it.

Also Bethy, I don't know if you saw CBob's post to you. He says he would like you to post a story about your corn plants that came up so fast. I know you can email your words to him if you want, and he will post it on his blue corn site.
http://cbhopibluecornexperiment.blogspot.com/

.... his email is on the site: coloradobob1 at mac.com

Bethy, I'm sorry about your injuries too. Let us know what the doctor says. Blonde Wino broke her hand yesterday - that was also in CBobs post.

"broke my left hand...5th metacarpal fracture...limiting at the moment...especially this typing! "

BW, how the devil did you do that? Was it from pounding your hand on the table trying to get our horse in front?

Hope you feel better soon. Fortunately you have Bethy to keep you company in sick bay.

just saw steve martin on the Idol show and it looked like he was in the company of some Dirt Band people.......they didnt credit them, what i saw, so I'm not so sure...........

Flatus, I must have missed Blondes post.... ouch!

Sturge, You sparked my curiosity... he'll also be on Ellen's show.

"Steve Martin will be performing with his banjo tonight on the American Idol finale program. He’ll be doing one of his songs from The Crow, officially released today (5/20) on Rounder Records."

Steve will be featuring music from The Crow on television a few more times this next two weeks:

* May 25 - Ellen DeGeneres Show
* May 30 - Grand Ole Opry
* June 2 - Jimmy Fallon Show
http://www.thebluegrassblog.com/steve-martin-on-idol-finale/

http://www.johnmceuen.com/

yep it was john mceuen........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2zMkZyZtsk

Bethy
I'm so sorry about your injury. I wish there was something I could do to help! I hope you heal soon....

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/05/jimmy-hoffa-and-me.html#comment-229452

patd

Don't be too hard on Obama for the St. James posting. That ambassadorship almost has to be a multimillionaire just to do the job. The private expenses above and beyond the embassy budget are incredible. I don't like the practice, but right now the US can't afford to increase the Embassy budget. and at 71 let's hope it is "just have a good time, I'll give you someone to do the work."

A lot would depend on who holds the number two spot given the UK importance in the Middle East.

Xrep -

I had little wire cages on the manifolds on my Chrysler 360 shot hole drills. I made Sloppy Joes and heated the buns.

The Amazon site has samples from "The Crow" . Sounds well worth buying

http://www.amazon.com/Crow-New-Songs-Five-String-Banjo/dp/B0026IZR3E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1242873477&sr=8-1

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/05/jimmy-hoffa-and-me.html#comment-229436

Patd-

All solar assistance will be of great help, I plan to open publish, on the site everything we do. I want to have people steal my work. I want people to advise my work .

Here's the site to see the drawings :

http://cbsolaroven.blogspot.com/

Here's the fund raising platform :

https://www.fundable.com/groupactions/groupaction.2009-05-15.2155051577?email=coloradobob1@mac.com

I'm going to rent this thing to fund raising groups, when I'm not using it.
The local pledges will have access to it.

And someone here has already helped, I can't match screen names to real names , but thanks, and you know who you are.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/05/jimmy-hoffa-and-me.html#comment-229454

Patd, Bethy --

Do you think there are coincidences? I've learned to think of them as "synchronicity," a term coined by Carl Jung to describe the meeting up of our inner and outer worlds.

Jungian analyst and professor Jean Shinoda Bolen writes in her book, "Crossing to Avalon," about liminal psychological states during which we are receptive and open to new growth. At these times, it is not unusual for there to be "coincidences between our inner subjective world and outer events." T.S. Eliot wrote, she says, about "the point of intersection of the timeless / with time." It is a "place of poetic sensibility where glimpses of the eternal and ordinary perception overlap."

Whatever it's called, I say go with it...

I have to buy $450.00 of the reflective film . That's 150 sq feet. but my first oven will use maybe 60 feet. That's what I'm fund raising for it.

Now, off to buy the wheels. Good ones.

“The greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults.” -Tocqueville

That is a great quote Jamie!

It is really provides a good perspective on the historal times we face.

It also speaks to the political troubles of the Grand Old Party. (No not Reagan's - Hannity's.) Many of their tone-deaf and counterproductive actions come from an inability to admit their faults.

Many of the Bush/Cheney loyalists refuse to pay anymore than lip service to mess this Country has gotten into over the last 8 years following some of the policies these blind partisans still champion.

But the new conservative generation is not as close-minded as the one currently in power. (They're just greedy and entitled.)

With up and comers like Paul Ryan, Jindal, Huntsman, Cantor - and yes - do not count out the formidable hockey mom (as much as the left wants you too ; ) - the GOP is down but not out.

Meghan McCain even provides a glimmer of hope that the Republicans can cut into the Democratic dominance in the youth vote - even though Obama still has it pretty much locked up for 2012. (And don't forget all the loyal supporters crazy old Ron Paul was able to garner this past election.)

But the old guard is not going to go down without a fight. The "barking class" will never cease to (attempt to) shout down anyone who challenges their power.

Alexis gave us another insightful take:

“There are many men of principle in both parties in America, but there is no party of principle.”

Heal quick bethy and blondie!!

(And you're right bethy - this place is like Lost!)

5th metacarpal fracture? Sounds like a boxer's fracture to me. Who did you deck Blondie? That turtle? What always gives it away at my joint is that a couple of days later someone comes in with a fractured jaw that they got falling up the stairs. Yeah right.

Had a busy couple of days. My Warden asked me to come to the annual two day correction's conference being held in town. He invited me just as the lectures were starting. They really think about us in medical a lot. I had just finished a telemedicine clinic and he didn't have to ask me twice since it was being held at one of our local casinos. I dropped my overwhelming patient load for the day and went.

Good info and I won a $50 gift card for Wally World at the post conference prize drawings. Didn't lose too much in the slots at the lunch break either.

I paid for that interruption big time today. Whew! But thinking about what I am going to blow that $50 on made it a little easier. Probably something in sporting goods....

Warren -
PBS ran a Nova on the last shuttle crash. The bottom line on that report :
"Management behaved as though there were no rules , while holding everyone else to a ridgid protocol."

I thought, " we can flop that template on every problem we face".

Well, did we find him???

CT -
Get a fish hook helmet.

I saw the loss of the Challenger.

NEW THREAD.. http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/05/garden-variety-politics.html

Good idea C-bob. If I get any fishing in this weekend I will keep an eye peeled for Jimmy.

Got my replacement seed today C. One project for the weekend is to come up with a fence for the corn before I plant it again. It will most likely include chicken wire. Hope it is not too late here but late or not it is going in the ground.

I finished all my yardwork today so it's planting, fence building and fishing scheduled for the weekend and whoopee it is a long one also

Don't know where that extra sentence fragment came from in my first post. From the ozone layer I suspect.