I Would Vote For A Drunk George Bush Before I Would Vote For Obama

Extreme Foreclosure

LAKE CITY, Ga. (AP) - July 28, 2008 -- More than 1,800 people showed up to help ABC's "Extreme Makeover" team demolish a family's decrepit home and replace it with a sparkling, four-bedroom mini-mansion in 2005. Three years later, the reality TV show's most ambitious project at the time has become the latest victim of the foreclosure crisis. After the Harper family used the two-story home as collateral for a $450,000 loan, it's set to go to auction on the steps of the Clayton County Courthouse Aug. 5. The couple did not return phone calls Monday, but told reporters they received the loan for a construction business that failed.

What Is Going On?

Recently, two KY quarterbacks (one had a shot at starting) were arrested in separate incidents; and it's not just here. Follow this Google search link under COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYERS ARRESTED
These young men are given scholarships worth thousands of dollars and how do they respond? I know they're young and want to have fun, but the definition of fun has sure changed as far as I'm concerned.

When You Have 12 Minutes To Spare....

I Say McCain Picks Rudy As VP

Special bonds can happen at a baseball game. (McCain & Rudy at a recent Yankees game) I'm not a big Rudy fan but let's face it, the McCain campaign needs some star power and a boost of enthusiasm. Plus McCain is pretty old and if elected he really could kick the bucket during his term and somebody has to be able to take the wheel.

Space Cowboys

***** I give it 5 stars! (Just finished watching it)

From The Man I Consider The Smartest Man In The World

By Charles Krauthammer
Friday, July 18, 2008
Barack Obama wants to speak at the Brandenburg Gate. He figures it would be a nice backdrop. The supporting cast -- a cheering audience and a few fainting frauleins -- would be a picturesque way to bolster his foreign policy credentials.
What Obama does not seem to understand is that the Brandenburg Gate is something you earn. President Ronald Reagan earned the right to speak there because his relentless pressure had brought the Soviet empire to its knees and he was demanding its final "tear down this wall" liquidation. When President John F. Kennedy visited the Brandenburg Gate on the day of his "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech, he was representing a country that was prepared to go to the brink of nuclear war to defend West Berlin. Who is Obama representing? And what exactly has he done in his lifetime to merit appropriating the Brandenburg Gate as a campaign prop? What was his role in the fight against communism, the liberation of Eastern Europe, the creation of what George Bush the elder -- who presided over the fall of the Berlin Wall but modestly declined to go there for a victory lap -- called "a Europe whole and free"? Does Obama not see the incongruity? It's as if a German pol took a campaign trip to America and demanded the Statue of Liberty as a venue for a campaign speech. (The Germans have now gently nudged Obama into looking at other venues.) Americans are beginning to notice Obama's elevated opinion of himself. There's nothing new about narcissism in politics. Every senator looks in the mirror and sees a president. Nonetheless, has there ever been a presidential nominee with a wider gap between his estimation of himself and the sum total of his lifetime achievements?
Obama is a three-year senator without a single important legislative achievement to his name, a former Illinois state senator who voted "present" nearly 130 times. As president of the Harvard Law Review, as law professor and as legislator, has he ever produced a single notable piece of scholarship? Written a single memorable article? His most memorable work is a biography of his favorite subject: himself. It is a subject upon which he can dilate effortlessly. In his victory speech upon winning the nomination, Obama declared it a great turning point in history -- "generations from now we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment" -- when, among other wonders, "the rise of the oceans began to slow." As Hudson Institute economist Irwin Stelzer noted in his London Daily Telegraph column, "Moses made the waters recede, but he had help." Obama apparently works alone. Obama may think he's King Canute, but the good king ordered the tides to halt precisely to refute sycophantic aides who suggested that he had such power. Obama has no such modesty. After all, in the words of his own slogan, "we are the ones we've been waiting for," which, translating the royal "we," means: " I am the one we've been waiting for." Amazingly, he had a quasi-presidential seal with its own Latin inscription affixed to his lectern, until general ridicule -- it was pointed out that he was not yet president -- induced him to take it down. He lectures us that instead of worrying about immigrants learning English, "you need to make sure your child can speak Spanish" -- a language Obama does not speak. He further admonishes us on how "embarrassing" it is that Europeans are multilingual but "we go over to Europe, and all we can say is 'merci beaucoup.' " Obama speaks no French. His fluent English does, however, feature many such admonitions, instructions and improvements. His wife assures us that President Obama will be a stern taskmaster: "Barack Obama will require you to work. He is going to demand that you shed your cynicism . . . that you come out of your isolation. . . . Barack will never allow you to go back to your lives as usual, uninvolved, uninformed." For the first few months of the campaign, the question about Obama was: Who is he? The question now is: Who does he think he is? We are getting to know. Redeemer of our uninvolved, uninformed lives. Lord of the seas. And more. As he said on victory night, his rise marks the moment when "our planet began to heal." As I recall -- I'm no expert on this -- Jesus practiced his healing just on the sick. Obama operates on a larger canvas.

Puppies - A Great Way To Start The Week

Caesar has some competition.

Thanks to Mary for bringing this to my attention.

Billy G. vs. Billy D. - click

The season is close to 4 months away but here, basketball season never ends.

Whenever I see Al Gore back in the news I feel it's my responsibility to post something to the contrary of Gorology. (Not to be confused with Oprahology) I think it's partly a need to be responsible and partly a need to be sure I personally don't fall into the global warming indoctrination. 

Texting?

Recently returned from a business convention where it seemed everyone was texting. I was even forced to text a few times while I was there. Is it time for me to jump in with both feet and add the additional cost to my cell plan? Is it really that necessary? I could leave 3 voice messages in the time it takes me to send 1 short text - I'm all thumbs.

Happy Birthday Punkin!! We Love You And Miss You!!

Pictured from L-R - Woman who gave birth, Man who caused woman to give birth, Lyndsey (Birthday Girl / Young Lady)

Appreciation....

can take on different meanings. Give me some ice water when I'm thirsty and I appreciate it. We can have an appreciation for hard fought football games, a musician jamming at the top of their profession, a beautiful painting, nice people, a good joke, our homes, food, etc. You know what I mean. How about when things don't go as we anticipated? When we have pain - emotional or physical pain - or both. Today, I have a deeper sense of the word "appreciation." Today I can take walks with my wife and walk the dog, and I can walk up and down steps normally. Today, I no longer need a cane and I no longer need to take pain medication. I can walk a mile for the first time in 5 years. I would have appreciated being able to do that back in March or April after the first knee replacement. But now, I REALLY appreciate it. Today I visited Dr. Nichols and I reminded him that I told him back in January before the first surgery, that he would be my miracle worker. His surgical skills would allow me to walk without pain again. We both have had our doubts the past few months but today we both were all smiles in his office. I now have 111 degrees flexion (bend) in my knee and very little pain. The next 3-4 months will only bring more improvement. Would I have rather not gone through the second knee replacement? Yes. But ya know what? It's OK. Because it has brought me an even deeper sense of appreciation of being able to walk. Honestly, I don't always like the way God works. I guess it's because I often don't understand or even appreciate His ways. I'm not saying He necessarily orchestrated the difficulties. But I am saying He is faithful when we are faithful and sometimes even when we're not so faithful. Today, I have just a little bit better understanding of the word "appreciation" and the word faith.
Well, gotta run :) it's time for Mary and I to take Gracie for a walk!
Oh yeah...how could I forget? I appreciate your prayers more than you know. It's a huge part of the equation. Thank you! I "appreciate" it!

Golf

I went to the driving range this past weekend and was reminded just how simple and fun (and humbling) the game of golf can be.

One Tough Kid - Click

Adam Bender, who plays catcher for his Lexington Southeastern rookie team despite losing a leg to cancer.....

A Mural Painted On The Ceiling Of A Smoking Area

Parade & Neighborhood Fireworks

More Patriotic Marching Evidence

His Dad said "He couldn't help himself. What can I say?"

Meet Mary's Employer - Cool Story - Click

Evidence Of A Patriotic Marcher (See below)

Please Stand Up And March In Place While You Watch (it's fun, really, try it)

Charcoal vs Gas?

I'm still a charcoal guy. I actually enjoy the process of getting the coals ready and waiting for them to get just right. Mom has grilled the last few times and I must say, she is very good at it. I'm pretty sure some hot dogs will end up on the grill this 4th of July. This is a photo of our grill; a Weber.
Of course, charcoal grills have a few drawbacks:
They're fussier and messier. (Some grill jockeys might regard this as a benefit not a disadvantage.)
They're less predictable and require more attention.
They gradually lose heat and need to be restoked every hour.
The chief drawbacks to gas grills are:
A slightly diminished flavor in the end product, for unlike charcoal, gas imparts no taste.
It's harder and in some instances impossible to smoke on a gas grill (although many new models have smoker boxes with dedicated burners, which, theoretically at least, makes this task easier).
Gas grills deprive you of the primal thrill of lighting and playing with fire And...they can explode!

Get Your Flags Out....It's The Fourth!

We may try to make our way to downtown Lexington this year for a parade, concert (John Michael Montgomery) and of course fireworks. Oh yeah....a hot dog or two. I love this country!