The Office Is Bumped Thursday Night

Joltin' Joe Biden and Rootin Tootin Sarah Palin of Alaska, debate each other at 9 p.m. (EDT) Thursday Oct. 2 at Washington University in St. Louis.


I think it would be more fun to see an Office debate between Dwight & Jim

Katie Couric With Sarah

My Favorite Part

A Golfer Steals The Show

KY's 41-3 victory over Western KY was fun. I saw many Western fans wearing a blue UK hat and a red Western t-shirt. Western is like the little brother to UK so many of the Western fans have been rooting for UK since they were kids. Last night presented a dilemma for them. KY goes to 4-0 on the season and will play Alabama next week on national TV at 3:30 on CBS. Western lost earlier this season to Alabama 41-7. Western's coach says we'll be able to match up with Alabama. I'm not so sure. From what I've seen of Alabama this season, I would say they could beat the Cincinnati Bengals pretty handily. This was a good college football weekend. Louisville & Florida both lost while KY won big. What was really fun last night was when Ryder Cup champion, J.B. Holmes was introduced to the crowd. The crowd went wild and began chanting USA-USA-USA. He reminds me of a sober John Daily; just a good ole boy who can knock the cover off a golf ball. He even got a bigger ovation than when Rajon Rondo was introduced.

The Question

I played back a recording of an interview Greta Van Susteren did with Bill Clinton earlier this week and caught what was, in my opinion, the best question that has been asked in this entire political season. As soon as I heard the question I thought, 'whoa....no one has asked that question like that.' Greta Van Susteren asked Bill Clinton:
"What is the difference between an association with David Duke and an association with the Reverend Wright?" Clinton was stumped. The look on Clinton's face was priceless. After a long pause he answered "we don't have to go there because Obama left the church." Greta: "After two things happened; pressure from the press and after Reverend Wright took a personal strike at Obama at the National Press Club." Clinton: "That's correct, but to me, for those of us who are surrogates on either side, to wade into that now.... Bla bla bla....."
GREAT QUESTION GRETA! Ask that question to one of your Obama supporting buddies. (Just in case they don't know who DAVID DUKE is)

OOOHH YEAH! I'm There....

I had my fingers on the keys this morning at 6:58 ready to purchase free tickets (Big spender) and at 7:00am I got em! I do have to pay a $5.30 handling fee however. I'm pretty excited. I haven't been to what used to be called Midnight Madness since my days at UK. This will be fun. Big Blue Madness - Friday Oct 10th - Rupp Arena - 10:30pm (I may have to get a nap in)

How Did He Do That?

I was pretty impressed with the first debate. I thought the most impressive thing was that a 72 year old man stood in one place for 100 minutes. Not even a break to go pee. I'm not so sure I could do that. If I had to stand there like that for that long, I would have been leaning like crazy on the podium because my legs and back would be hurting and I probably would have been rocking back & forth waiting to go to the bathroom. Pretty impressive. He gets my vote just for being able to stand there that long.

From My Boy Dave Ramsey

Over the past month, we’ve witnessed the largest bankruptcy in history, the stock market dropping like a rock, and the talking heads on TV freaking out that the world is coming to an end. I’m here to tell you the truth—we’re going to make it. We’re going to be fine. Take a chill pill.

This month I’ve compiled some of the most-asked questions I’ve gotten recently from you:

Are we okay, Dave?

Definitely. Remember Enron and WorldCom in the recent years? We survived that. But much worse than all this was the financial crisis of the ‘80s – S&L collapse and 1,000 bank failures in 2 years. We’re nowhere near this type of thing; that was probably 50 to 100 times worse than all of this.

What does all of this come back to?

Greedy banks financing homes to broke people. It all seemed to work okay in their minds when the economy was booming, but when the economy slowed a little bit broke people quit paying on their subprime mortgages. DUH. No wonder they went out of business. Stupid decisions.

Is there anything we can do to fix this bailout mess?

YES! Here's a quick summary: Companies that had billions in subprime loans were feeling the effects of their stupid decision to make those loans in the first place, and practically gave them away for pennies on the dollar. But since no one wants these loans, and they've had to mark them down to market value, it has frozen the market. If we temporarily change the rule that forces companies to do that, that will free the market up.

This is an absolutely huge deal, and it involves everyone getting in touch with their congressperson before we spend hundreds of billions of dollars that we don't need to! LEARN MORE


Will the collapse of businesses and banks affect me?

No, not unless you work there. Thousands of stock brokers on Wall Street have lost their jobs in the past few weeks, but that happens in other industries across the country in good and bad times. This time it just happened in NYC where all the national news media is so they made a big deal of it.

If I have 401(k) money in a Merrill Lynch or AIG trading account, should I move the money elsewhere?

No. Your money isn’t with them; your 401(k) money is in the stocks. These big companies are just managers (unless you directly own stock in their company). The only thing that may be an issue is if they crash later, you may have some customer service issues, but your money is still safe. This is a good reminder to not have all of your money in one stock—that’s stupid. Always spread out your money in various growth stock mutual funds.

With these acquisitions, will my 401(k) account and entire portfolio with Merrill Lynch be lost?

No. They just own the company Merrill Lynch. Look at it this way—if I owned 6 rental properties and hired a management company that eventually failed, I would still own the properties; I just wouldn’t have a manager. Your broker doesn’t have title to your stuff. Your 401(k) is not a company asset; that’s the beauty of it.

Should I sell my US stocks to buy gold and foreign stocks?

Absolutely not! Why would you think foreign stocks are any better than US stocks? Again, diversify your money in good growth stock mutual funds instead.

What practical lessons should small business owners learn from these bank difficulties?

When you have no cash, you freakin’ go broke. You must keep some cash on hand, no matter what kind of business you have. Give yourself some wiggle room where you can take a hit and still be standing.

Remain calm, America. We’re in a slow time, but just pay your bills and you’re going to be fine. LINKY

FINANCIAL CRISIS SURVIVAL TIP

Great Example of Terrible Service

Here's the dialogue with an online "help operator" named Rajesh.

Please wait for a site operator to respond.
You are now chatting with 'Rajesh'
Rajesh: Hi James,
Rajesh: Welcome to Snapfish Live Help. How may I help you please?
James West: Every time I send an order to check out and submit I get an error message
Rajesh: Can you please tell me the error id?
James West: We're sorry-there's been a system error. Click on the button below to return to Snapfish. If you have a moment, please give us feedback on what you were doing when this happened. This will help us solve the problem. Thanks! Error Id : 10.50.9.71-09.25.2008-714568
Rajesh: I am sorry it is an unexpected error ,I will forward it to our technical support team .Please try to place an order after few hours and I assure you that it will be resolved soon.
James West: I already did that - I tried placing the order many times yesterday evening. I guess I'll just use another photo service
James West: Thanks anyway
James West: bye
Rajesh: I certainly regret any inconvenience this may have caused.
Rajesh: Thank you for using Snapfish Live Support. Goodbye and have a great day.

Don't Worry, I Have A Plan

In preparation for the financial collapse that will be taking place, I have been working diligently on putting together the "West Compound" in a secret location out in the countryside of KY. (see photo) Consider this an open invitation to all family & friends to join us at the compound for commune living at it's best. We'll be able to hunt squirrels, rabbits, deer and anything else we can find. There is a stream for catching fish and a flat piece of ground for growing some vegetables. So, now you can relax. When all the money is gone, don't worry. With all of us working together, we'll be just fine.

Big Blue Madness Tickets Go On Sale Saturday Morning

That's why people starting camping out last night. 70 tents set up as of noon today.
Big Blue Madness - the kickoff to the KY basketball season - Friday Oct 10th - 10:30pm - 23,000 people show up to watch a 2 hour practice session. Only in KY.

Lexington Man Poses For 1000 Mug Shots

He's hit another a milestone. A Lexington man, famous for how many times he's been arrested, took his 1,000th trip to jail.
Police arrested Henry Earl for alcohol intoxication, a charge he's faced hundreds of times before. Earl is a pseudo-celebrity because of his extensive record. He's been featured on late night talk shows and has several websites dedicated to tracking his arrest record. Earl's 1,000th arrest happened late Monday night on South Limestone. He'll be in court Tuesday afternoon to answer to this latest charge. If you're wondering what 1,000 arrests equals, here's a look at Henry Earl's history.
In all, he's spent 4,123 days in jail. 35 of his 1000 arrests have been this year alone, landing him behind bars 189 days in 2008.
On average, Earl is out of jail about two days before he lands back behind bars, although this time he was out for four days before his latest arrest.

I'm On A Banana Kick

Maybe it's psychosomatic but I really think I get these benefits when I eat one. 
Health Benefits of Banana :

• Banana is an energy booster.
• Banana contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin. Serotonin is a hormone that is known to make you feel happy and improve your mood.
• Banana is a rich source of iron, thus it is helpful in cases of anemia.

How Bout The KY Boys?

By John Clay
Boo Weekley, left, Kenny Perry and J.B. Holmes showed their colors after the American team won the 37th Ryder Cup at Valhalla Golf Club on Sunday in Louisville. Together, the three provided the spirit the United States needed to take back the cup in a matchup on Kentucky soil.
Those snooty, country-club golf types had racked their brains for nearly a decade trying to find some scenario to retake the coveted Ryder Cup from the hands of those dastardly Europeans, all to no avail. What they needed were some down-home, Southern-fried country boys to get the job done.
Kentucky boys. Two by birth, (JB Holmes & Kenny Perry )one by adoption. (Boo Weekley) Thanks to a duo of Kentuckians and a now-favorite son from the Florida panhandle, the United States upset the Europeans 16½ to 11½ to win the 37th Ryder Cup at Valhalla on Sunday, snapping a three-match European winning streak and claiming the precious trophy for the first time since 1999.

Need A Place To Stay When In The Bluegrass?

The CastlePost will be available for select events beginning in fall of 2008. Operating as a bed and breakfast establishment, double occupancy room rates begin at $1,000.00 per night and include a gourmet breakfast service and use of all property amenities. Turret guest suites are $3,000 per night. LINK
We drove by the empty castle for years. Lexington contractor Rex Martin Sr. began building the castle on U.S. 60 in 1969 but it was never completed and sat vacant for more than 30 years. (You can stay at our castle for free however)

Sunrise At The Waffle House

I haven't been in a while but I woke up this morning hungry for the Waffle House. "Mornin!" I love how the staff greets you as soon as you walk in. "How are ya?" As soon as I sit down, boom - there's the coffee. "Do you know what you want?" The assumption is I come here all the time like many of their regulars and would know right away what I want. "Give me a minute please." Sooo much to choose from but I settle on the cheese eggs, bacon, grits and raisin toast. They even have Worcestershire sauce on the table with all the other condiments. As I give my order she asks if I would like to substitute tomato slices for the grits. Suddenly, an image of Mary pops in my head (She didn't go with me this morning but encourages me to eat healthy) and I say "yes, that sounds good." I sit there quietly waiting on my breakfast, wishing I had brought along the sports section. I glance out the window toward Tates Creek Rd and I see an American flag, a church steeple and the big Waffle House sign with the sun coming up in the background. You had to be there. I felt like standing up and saluting. Suddenly, I'm snapped out of my daydreaming by a couple getting out of their car. I think I know him. They sit a few booths away, just close enough for me to observe a little better. As I'm checking them out, he looks right at me and I look away quickly. Maybe he recognizes me because now I know who he is. He's Mike Reilly, my resident advisor at Holmes Hall at UK when I was a freshman back in 1975. It's only been 33 years, surely he'll recognize me too. I'm finishing up my coffee and tomato slices thinking, 'should I say something before I leave?' "Excuse me....excuse me" I say loud enough for most of the people in the Waffle House to hear. "Weren't you an RA at Holmes Hall in 1975?" "Ahh...yeah." "You're Mike Reilly aren't you?" He's freaking out a little bit now. "Yes I am" he says. "I'm Mike West and was on your floor with the UK basketball players." "Mike West? I recognize the name but I would never have recognized you." I'm pretty good at recognizing people and knowing where I saw them. As I begin to walk out, I get up and shake his hand and tell him "you were a good RA." "I was scared to death when I first got to UK....you were a good RA." He is genuinely appreciative. As I walk to my car, I take another glance at the sun coming up behind the Waffle House sign and think to myself, next time, I'll know what I want to order right away. I like the Waffle House.

No Game Today But....

A Fix - From The Ky Sports Radio Blog - Featuring KY's Defense

With Friends Like These.....

Michelle Obama Pictured With Louis Farrakhan's Wife

By Vasko Kohlmayer
One of the most striking aspects of this presidential campaign is the enthusiasm the candidacy of Barack Obama has engendered among Muslims both at home and abroad. On April 13 of this year, Ahmed Yousef, a public relations man for the terrorist organization Hamas, said in an interview: "We like Mr. Obama and we hope he will win the election." He then gave the reason for Hamas' support: "He has a vision to change America." Earlier this month, Libya's strongman Muammar Khadafi gave an endorsement speech in which he called Barack Obama a "brother" and expressed his hope that he will "change America from evil to good and that America will establish relations that will serve it well with other people, especially the Arabs." He also said:
[A]ll the people in the Arab and Islamic world and in Africa applauded this man. They welcomed him and prayed for him and for his success and they may have even been involved in legitimate contribution campaigns to enable him to win the American Presidency. The Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan gushed "this young man [Obama] is the hope of the entire world that America will change and be made better." He went on to say that Obama "could turn out to be one who can lift America from her fall." In another appearance, Farrakhan stated that he "represents hope that the United States will change for the better."
STORY

Feeling Old?

Now ON DVD. I haven't rented it yet but I'm planning on it.

Political Speak Flags

In almost every interview, politicians and talking heads use the same deflective cliché's and as soon as I hear them I pretty much throw a flag in my mind and tune them out. Here's a few off the top of my head. "Look." This one is code for "I'm not answering your question because I would have to say something negative about the candidate I'm supporting." "At the end of the day." Please don't tell me about the end of the day because your day and my day are very different. "Look, you and I both know." Please don't tell me what I know and don't know; I don't even know what I know and don't know. I'll add more when I hear them.

Hollywood

Watching the actors and actresses in Hollywood react to the Sarah Palin nomination has been interesting to me. I think it shines a light on their fears. It appears to me they strongly dislike anyone who boldly claims a relationship with God as their foundation. Why? I think I have a clue. I believe deep down, everyone believes in God but they don't want to admit it. I believe deep down they are afraid that if they admit that there is a God who created this magnificent world and all it's creatures, then they would need to learn more about Him. If they learn more about Him, then they are afraid they would have to make changes in their lifestyle and that could threaten their standard of living; a living built in many cases, on the vices of the world that drag us down. So they conclude, "if I deny God and if i live by my own standards, I won't have to change anything and everyone will continue to worship me because I'm from Hollywood." I actually kind of understand that fear of knowing God. Politics for much of Hollywood is elevated to an extreme place of importance because in their mind, the buck stops with politics, not God. I actually kind of get where they're coming from because I felt the same fears they did for many years. The difference is; a life change for them is a major deal if they think they have to give up all their stuff and all the stuff they do. For me, a lifestyle change didn't mean giving up a bunch of stuff because I didn't have a bunch of stuff, but I did think it would mean no more fun because I viewed God as a cosmic kill-joy. But a life change for me gave me hope and meaning in life. When I see Matt Damon, Whoopi Goldberg, Chevy Chase, and what seemingly seems to be all of Hollywood and the liberal media detest Palin and all she believes in....I feel kind of sorry for them because deep down, I think I know just a little bit of what they fear.

Stand Up Chuck Report

ABC estimated the crowd at 10,000.

I Like This Video

I caught it when we went to the movies and I actually clapped in the theatre when it was over. Of course I was the only who did.

Whew....KY Over Middle TN - 20-14 - Goes 3-0 On Season

Middle TN is the real deal. They beat Maryland last week and Maryland beat 23rd ranked California this week. They have a good football team. We couldn't put them away and they almost beat us on a hail mary pass on the last play. The Middle TN receiver caught it but was tackled 6 inches from the goal line. Whew! We'll take it. Everyone was walking out of Commonwealth Stadium relieved to get the win. We're off next week and then have Western KY coming in and then Alabama.

Archie Talks Politics

Biden Asks A Gentleman In A Wheelchair to Stand Up

This cracks me up! It gets funnier the more I watch it.
CHUCK PICTURED BELOW

Chuck

Where's Joe?

Just curious. I haven't seen Joe at all lately. Also, I watch the evening news every night and I have not seen the story below covered at all. Have you? I recently turned off NBC once and for all and have gone to ABC Evening News and Good Morning America. I still check out FOX quite often but when it comes to the nightly news tradition, I still go with one of the three old networks. I boycotted NBC News for months once before but then started tuning in again. I think I finally got the last straw and the final bit of info I needed on NBC's management, ownership, etc and their hidden agendas. Cya NBC News!
Washington Post Sunday, August 24
A son and a brother of Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D-Del.) are accused in two lawsuits of defrauding a former business partner and an investor of millions of dollars in a hedge fund deal that went sour, court records show. The Democratic vice presidential candidate's son Hunter, 38, and brother James, 59, assert instead that their former partner defrauded them by misrepresenting his experience in the hedge fund industry and recommending that they hire a lawyer with felony convictions. The legal actions have been playing out in New York State Supreme Court since 2007, and they focus on Hunter and James Biden's involvement in Paradigm Companies LLC, a hedge fund group. Hunter Biden, a Washington lobbyist, briefly served as president of the firm. STORY

KY Has Gotten It Right Since 1964

KY Has Correctly Picked The President Since 1964 - Currently McCain is up 55% - 37% - Minnesota - Obama - 47% - 45% - Florida - Obama 45% - 44% - South Carolina - McCain - 53% - 40%

Shake Up At Liberal Cable News Network

NEW YORK - MSNBC is replacing Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews as co-anchors of political night coverage....STORY

FYI - A typical day of ratings in the Cable News World.
FNC – 1,053,000 viewers
CNN – 524,000 viewers
MSNBC – 348,000 viewers
CNBC – 268,000 viewers
HLN – 262,000 viewers

(TVByTheNumbers.com)

"Get the ball Gracie....get it..."

Dear Mr. Obama,

(Special thanks to my buddy Barry for bringing this to my attention)

Happy Birthday Rick!

Big Computer - Not To Be Confused With Big Oil

Google is celebrating it's 10th birthday. Google is worth $157.56 billion - more than Boeing, McDonald's & Fed Ex combined. Something should be done. Those evil hi-tech companies are making too much money!

2-0 Baby...Off To A Good Start

Freshman quarterback Randall Cobb turned upfield for an 18-yard touchdown in the first quarter against Norfolk State. Cobb added another touchdown run and a scoring pass to Dicky Lyons Jr., and Derrick Locke ran 68 yards for a score on the first play of the fourth quarter as KY rolled to a 38-3 victory.

Game Day! Home Opener - KY vs Norfolk State

I predict Dicky Lyons Jr. has a huge day today as KY's most experienced receiver. I will be at the game. KY is favored by 40 +. Should be a real nail biter. 6pm - local delayed TV. We're still enjoying last week's 27-2 victory over Louisville.

Obama In Trouble?

The New York Post - September 5, 2008
The convention floor was abuzz all yesterday with the news of the CBS poll showing a dead tie (42-42) in the presidential race. And the poll, conducted through Wednesday, couldn’t reflect the impact of John McCain’s speech, or the full impact of Sarah Palin’s late Wednesday night. It reflected opinions only after the Democrats’ convention, Barack Obama’s incredible speech, the Palin selection and the early, Gustav-depressed GOP gathering. That augers ill for the Democrats. Tonight’s polling could bring evidence that the Obama candidacy is in big trouble. STORY

It's Friday! Plug In Your Speakers And Enjoy...

Justin and I saw these guys in a smokey club in Charleston and I would have to say it was probably in the top 2 concerts I have ever seen. They are actually on tour with Third Day this fall.

"Sit Up Straight Johnny"

She's 96 and still going strong. And the libs are worried Palin is a heart beat away? Great speech little Johnny! You young whipper snapper.

In Your Face NBC, ABC, CBS, etc....

Wednesday night was a great night at the Republican Convention. Speaker after speaker nailed the old media types and I loved it! Palin hit a home run and it was a blast watching Rudy. Palin did not hold back on Obama. I loved it! The next 2 months are going to be the most interesting months in Presidential campaign history. Hang on.
"I was mayor of my hometown. And since our opponents in this presidential election seem to look down on that experience, let me explain to them what the job involves. I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a ‘community organizer,' except that you have actual responsibilities."
Sarah Palin

Republican delegate pictured above

Obama Doesn't Care About Children's Education

NORTHFIELD, Ill. — More than 1,000 Chicago public school students boycotted the first day of classes Tuesday in a protest over school funding and instead rode buses more than 30 miles north to try to enroll in a wealthy suburban district.
About 1,100 elementary students and 150 high school students from Chicago filled out enrollment applications Tuesday in the New Trier district in Northfield, New Trier Superintendent Linda Yonke said.
In a February 2008 interview Obama said that he supports charter schools "as a way to foster competition in the public school system." However, he said, he remains skeptical of private school voucher programs because they could lead to "further stratification of the schools … without any net improvement." Obama's campaign later clarified his stance, issuing a release saying that "Senator Obama has always been a critic of vouchers. … Throughout his career, he has voted against voucher proposals and voiced concern for siphoning off resources from our public schools.
Boycott organizers acknowledged the move was largely symbolic: Students would have to pay tuition to attend a school outside their home district. But the boycott of the nation’s third-largest school district was to continue, with organizers planning impromptu classrooms led by retired teachers in the lobbies of businesses.
State Sen. James Meeks is leading the boycott of the district, which has more than 400,000 students. He said he hopes the protest forces state officials to act.
“I do not believe that a child’s education should be based on where they live,” Meeks said. He said the circumstances made it more difficult for children to rise from poverty. “We undereducated these kids’ parents, we undereducated their grandparents and now we’re in the process of undereducating them,” Meeks said. In Illinois, property taxes account for about 70 percent of school funding, meaning rural and inner-city schools generally end up with less to spend on each student than suburban schools in areas with higher property values. Chicago Public Schools spent $11,300 a student last year. New Trier High School spent $17,500 a student, near the top in the state. Peggy Richmond, who accompanied her granddaughter Skyler Williams, 12, on the boycott, said she had to enroll Skyler in a private school because of the poor quality of the public schools. “I’m still angry,” she said of having to pay $650 a month in tuition for the private school. Chicago school officials did not immediately return a phone call Tuesday. They have said that they agree their schools are underfunded, but that keeping students out in protest was not the way to resolve the issue. Meeks said he expects the boycott to run at least until Friday, and some parents said they’re willing to keep their children out of school as long as it takes to get state action on the funding issue.

Too Fun To Not Watch Again

Notice the delight on the faces of the Louisville fans.

Liberal Democratic Heads Are Spinning

J Robert Smith writes:
Democrats and the left generally can no more accept a Sarah Palin vice presidency than they could Clarence Thomas as a Supreme Court justice. They can no more accept a conservative woman a heartbeat away from the presidency than they can a conservative African-American interpreting the nation's laws. Expect the long knives to be out, and stay out. Since the Clarence Thomas nomination fight in 1991, conservatives and fair-minded Americans have learned a bitter lesson: for liberals, it isn't about promoting the advancement of all African-Americans, but only those in step with their ideology and aims. The same can be said of women. Liberals believe they own the franchise, and it doesn't allow for baby-making, gun-friendly, God-fearing women, who, not incidentally, fight for lower taxes, smaller government and a strong national defense. They certainly can't be Republicans. Aside from her xx chromosomes, Governor Palin flunks the liberal litmus test. She presents a powerful and alluring role model for women, especially younger women, who are regularly bombarded with not just conflicting messages about their roles in modern society -- careerist versus mother -- but are regularly lectured by the left, politically and culturally, that if choices are to be made, then career, not family, is preeminent. COMMENTARY