He Understands What It Means To Be American More Than Most

BEIJING — Lopez Lomong has a life story that is a movie waiting to happen. Seven years ago he was a Lost Boy of Sudan, kidnapped at age 6 by Janjaweed rebels while at Sunday mass with his family. He witnessed friends die. He has seen his own grave. He carried the U.S. flag at the opening of the Beijing Olympics. "I have no words to describe it," he says of his emotions. STORY

52 Seconds of Why BO Won't Win

Special thanks to Ted for bringing this to my attention. (Ted should start a blog)
Hey BO - can you say "quadrennial?"
52

Set Your DVR - Tomorrow Night 8pm - MSNBC

It has taken a man of God, perhaps, to do what nobody else has been able to do since the general election season began: Get Barack Obama and John McCain together on the same stage before their party convention.
The Rev. Rick Warren has persuaded the candidates to attend a forum at his Saddleback Church, in Lake Forest, Calif., on Aug. 16. In an interview, Mr. Warren said over the weekend that the presidential candidates would appear together for a moment but that he would interview them in succession at his megachurch. ARTICLE

Interesting New Song From Bebo Norman

Someone else put the video together with his song "Britney" as the music bed.

Warning - Bill Maher - Coming To A Theatre Near You

Toughest Sports

Fishing was determined to be the easiest sport. Not so sure I agree. I went deep sea fishing once and worked my butt off bringing in king fish. COMPLETE LIST

Chillin'

Justin resting after a grueling 5 weeks of aircraft commander training in Altus, OK. (BTW - he aced his final check ride and it was in a thunderstorm) Gracie is resting after a grueling day of frolicking in the yard. She was very happy to spend quality time with Justin. Mary and I were too. Thanks Kacey.

Skum Bag Has An Affair On Cancer-Stricken Wife

Let him speak at the Democratic Convention. Aren't they the ones who believe it doesn't matter what happens in your private life?

What?

(CNN)—Academy award winning actor George Clooney is set to host a fundraiser for Barack Obama in Switzerland next month.
The event, taking place on the evening of September 2 in Geneva, Switzerland will be split into two parts: a reception and a dinner. According to Obama’s National Finance Committee, tickets for the reception where Clooney will speak are going for $1,000, followed by a dinner at the home of NFC member Charles Adams for $10,000 a plate. Space for the dinner is limited to 75 guests.

Milk Investigation Update

My State Representative, Bill Farmer, responded very quickly to my email concerning false advertising within the dairy industry. We spoke in length about the "expiration conspiracy" going on within the dairy industry. He has "his people" on it. Should be interesting....
(Scroll down 4 to original post)

I watched a couple of Ali fights over the weekend on ESPN Classic. Boxing has never been the same without him.
Muhammad Ali was raised Cassius Clay in a small home in Louisville, Kentucky. From those humble beginnings neither he nor any observer at that time could have fathomed the path he would carve through life. A Golden Gloves champion at age 17, an Olympic gold medal at age 18, and an undefeated heavyweight champion at age 22. Spurred by the theft of his prized new bicycle, he was out to get the person responsible. Ali was venting his anger at the local gym, when the perceptive policeman Joe Martin admonished, “You better learn to box first.” And box he did. Within a week he had his first match and first win. This feisty 89-pound young man was ready to take on the world. And before his career in the ring ended, the world would know his name as the man crowned heavyweight champion three times—the greatest. Yet, his greatest fight has not been in the ring. Ironically, after beating the world’s toughest opponents, it was Parkinson’s disease that would prove to be his greatest foe. But in true Ali style, he met this challenge head on. Instead of shrinking from this difficulty he has stepped onto the world stage once more as a champion. His tireless work raising money to fight this debilitating disease has inspired thousands and endeared him to a new generation of admirers around the world. (Ali bio info from www.forbetterlife.com )

Fun Day Trip

We went to Cincinnati to see the world famous BODIES EXHIBIT with our good friends Paul & Holly. If you ever get a chance to see the exhibit, go. There is no way to walk through that exhibit and not have God cross your mind over and over. It was incredible! The building that housed the exhibit was very cool too. This is a picture of the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal. Union Terminal was a happening place in 1933 when it opened as a train station. It's a beautiful building and the city has done a good job of utilizing it since the decline of the railroad. (That's my buddy Paul standing in the middle of the fountain with his arms extended. Click on the picture to enlarge and check it out closer)
We then enjoyed an early dinner at Mitchell's Fish Market in Newport, KY next to the Newport Aquarium and then strolled along the river front watching paddle wheel and tug boats float up and down the river. And if that wasn't enough we wandered right into the middle of the Goetta Festival. The Goetta is a peasant food of German origin that is popular in the greater Cincinnati area. It is primarily composed of ground meat and oats. I threw some cornhole and tried to win Mary something by throwing fake link sausages into small baskets on a board; close but no cigar. It was fun to get out on a short day trip with some ole' friends of ours and we hope to do something again soon.

I Want A Refund!

It's happening way too often! I have my toast timed perfectly in the toaster. I have my bowl of Crispix ready to roll, my cup of coffee is ready, the toaster pops up my toast, I butter it with my Promise - Cardiologist Endorsed - 60% Vegetable Oil Spread, and I get ready for the last step in breakfast preparation. I take the milk out of the fridge and after a quick glance I can tell there's enough milk not only for this breakfast but also for tomorrow's. I check the expiration date on the milk - August 5th. Cool; I have 3 more days before the milk expires, right? Wrong! Past experience has taught me to take the cap off and take a whiff just to be safe. Whew! Nasty! The milk is already sour - 3 days early! For one thing, obviously the expiration date stamped on the jug is false advertising. Plus, the cost of milk has increased over 26 percent in the last year. It's almost the price of gas. I'm seriously thinking about taking some serious action. If the milk industry can't get the expiration date right, they should pay! Send me a refund for the amount of nasty milk I paid for but can't consume. Where should I start my crusade? The state attorney general's office.? If I go directly to the milk industry officials they will just deny everything. In the meantime, I'll have to just have toast for breakfast this morning; without my Crispix!

Football Is In The Air

I turn on ESPN and see reports of NFL football camps. The Bengals camp is at Georgetown College, 20 miles north of Lexington.
(pic on left) I used to work at Georgetown College at their public radio station before the move to FL, and would visit the Bengals camp regularly. The ESPN training camp reports, air in between Brett "Baby" Favre updates. 20 million to go away! I'll take 1/10 of a mil. Anyway, football is back in the air and on the air. I pick up the Herald "Mis-Leader" (The Lex newspaper) and head straight for the sports section for updates on UK football, although the local paper is usually 2 days behind the chatroom "The House of Blue" on CatsPause Dot Com. I actually cut back our subscription to weekends only because of the inaccurate and imbalanced writing from one of the mis-leader's sports columnists. He gets his kicks out of writing "non-stories" and attacking his hometown basketball team. The mis-leader has forfeited thousands of subscriptions because of this one writer. Not a smart move when newspapers are declining rapidly anyway. I go to CatsPause Dot Com and the football stories are gathering momentum. KY's opener with "Loserville" is now only 29 days away! I can feel the pendulum of the deep dark hole of sports coverage beginning to swing back toward some meaningful coverage as football season is "back in the air."

He's Pulling The Race Card Again

The media is trying to say Obama saying "he’s black and that he doesn’t resemble past presidents" is a statement of fact, not a portrayal of his opponent’s beliefs.
That's NOT what happened. B.O. said that the McCain campaign will be saying "he’s black and that he doesn’t resemble past presidents." It's as if he's been "warning" people of the awful things the McCain campaign (White people) will say. He is trying to pull the race card in this campaign just like he did in the primary.
The good news in this election, is that in this day & age your race makes no difference. It's about your policies, morals and experience. There really is no need to try and pull the race card. I think it's a really dumb move from B.O. and the McCain campaign is absolutely correct to call him on it. I believe B.O's morals have been shaped a great deal over the last 20 years by his family's pastor - the Reverend Wright.

Here's Something You Don't See Everyday

Quarterback Will Fidler (One of the 2 UK quarterbacks having legal issues recently) wrote the following letter to the editor in his hometown newspaper. Apparently he had stepped in to help a friend who had found himself in the middle of a bar fight and Will was one of the guys who found himself in trouble.
I think this letter demonstrates the kid's true character.
Editor:
I'd like to address all Henderson County and University of Kentucky sports fans.
I have been fortunate to grow up in Henderson, Ky., attend Henderson County High School and the University of Kentucky and enjoy some exciting moments on the football field.
This town has given me its full support, and I'm privileged to represent Henderson as a student athlete at the University of Kentucky. It has been and still is my dream to play quarterback at UK and represent Henderson with a sense of pride.
Unfortunately, I have jeopardized all that I have worked for through a foolish mistake. Without making excuses for myself, I will just say that I was in the wrong place at the wrong time and have learned a valuable lesson.
I would like to apologize to my friends, supporters and all those who look to UK athletes as role models. I'm proud to have grown up in Kentucky and have the opportunity to play football for my state school, and that will not be taken for granted.
Will Fidler
Henderson

Just A Reminder...

I know I have posted this before but I think it is worthy of multiple posts.

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!

Is McCain Still Running? I Hardly Ever See Coverage Of Him

He's Sleepy....

The Reason They Met In Unity, NH Is Because There Isn't A "Dysfunctional" NH

Heard That Line On Fox News This Morning...

Possibly The Best Idea Ever For TV?

Nice Kid - Really Dumb Move

You grow up in Florida and decide to swim in a canal where you know there are alligators....in the middle of the night? Dude...

Question: Why Is Obama Supposedly Helping A Multi-Millionaire Family Pay Off Debts?

Maybe it's because he's such a nice guy, but I don't think so. Obama on Tuesday asked his finance team to help Clinton pay back at least $10 million from her failed presidential campaign, setting the stage for joint appearances by the two former rivals later in the week. The former first lady reported a $22.5 million debt at the end of May, more than half of which was a personal loan to her presidential campaign.
I think the answer to my own question is that Obama is using his supporters $$, not his $$, to buy the votes of people he thinks love Hillary so much that there's a good chance he might not get their votes unless he (although it's not really his $$) helps a multi-millionaire family pay off debts that they could pay off themselves. Do we really think the Clintons are struggling because of Hillary's debts from a stupid campaign? Bill makes approximately $200,000 PER SPEECH At that rate, if Bill would get to work, he would only need to make 112.5 speeches to pay off their debt. He could have it paid off in less than a year. But isn't it easier to find someone else to bail you out? Ask the people who are begging the federal government to pay off their stupid real estate moves with our tax dollars.

IT'S OUR FAULT

Save Trees! Stop Printing Newspapers!

I Needed A Fix -Music City Bowl 2007 - KY 35 - FL State 28

Next Opponent - Louisville - August 31st

I No Longer Like # 85

Headline You Won't See - "FEMA Doing Heck Of A Job"

Homeowners, politicians and community leaders in the flood-stricken Midwest say that so far, the agency is doing a HECK OF A JOB.

Deal Or No Deal?

Chrysler came up with its own plan to bring back $2.99 gas, which it hopes will spur lagging sales.
Chrysler announced a month-long "Let's Refuel America" program that will give buyers of most of its vehicles a card good for purchases of gasoline or diesel fuel that locks in the price at $2.99 a gallon for three years-12,000 miles per year. Best I can figure, I might save $900 a year in fuel (using $4.50 per gallon) which equals approximately $2700 over the course of the 3-year offer. Haven't they been giving cash back rebates for about the same amount prior to this gas crisis? A sucker's born every minute right? We never buy new anyway so it doesn't apply to us.

Why Aren't The Oil Companies Drilling On Land Where They Already Hold Leases?

This is the question the Democrats who oppose off shore and Alaska drilling keep throwing back in the faces of those who are saying it's time to release the restrictions and start drilling.
One of the problems is that the oil companies have to pay heavy drilling fees to state and/or federal government for any oil that is drilled in the US. They don't have to pay those fees for oil that is imported from other companies. This makes it cheaper to buy the oil and import it rather than to drill for it here. Boy is that stupid!
But the other issue is that the land granted to them is under a lease that expires in the near future. Until recently, this drilling was not necessary because oil was less than $40 a barrell. Now that it is over $200 a barrel, they do need to drill, but the lease on that land is expiring soon. So the oil companies are not developing the land in fear that it may be illegal to drill there once the lease expires. In the meantime we'll continue to be dependent and held hostage by the Middle East countries. So go ahead and extend the leases! While everyone is pointing fingers at each other, prices continue to creep up. I think the US should start tapping into the the oil in Iraq and call it payback.

How Much Would It Cost B.O.?

Everybody Loves A Parade (Most of the time)

Gay Pride banners went up on Lexington's Main Street for the first time Friday, a prelude to downtown's first public celebration of Lexington's gay community. Is it really necessary to throw a parade to tout your sexuality? Doesn't that tend to hurt your cause? I'm sure the streets will be lined with adoring kids for this one.

Cicadas Are Packing Their Bags

“The end is beginning,” says University of Kentucky entomologist Lee Townsend, adding that "in some places, it’s possible to hear birds singing again because the numbers of screeching insects are diminishing."
I personally think they sound like miniature weed-eaters. These once-every-17-year visitors that have inflicted themselves on Kentucky and parts of a dozen other states will be leaving soon. This will make Gracie sad. I bet she has eaten a bucket full. It's been fun watching her leap into the air, grab them in flight, wrestle them into her mouth, and take a big gulp. I've been waiting for her poop to start flying away. Wouldn't that be nice?

The News Tonight....

seemed almost like a comedy spoof.
Obama still arguing against offshore drilling for oil, Pentagon officials getting grilled for torturing terrorists; you know the guys that cut people's heads off, gay marriage making big headlines in CA although it's not marriage, and then a report that Anheuser Busch may be selling out to a company from Belgium. Oh yeah, there was a story from China about a funeral for a Panda bear. Where is Archie Bunker when you need him?

A Baller? I Think Not

1. He's wearing long pants
2. His shirt tail is tucked in
3. He's not sweating
4. No one else is even trying to get the ball

I Am The Most Blessed, Most Fortunate and Luckiest Dad & Husband In The World

I seriously do not know how any father or husband anywhere could ask for more. I am soooo proud of my family!!!

Mike's 1st Round of Medical-Land Tips - Helping You Navigate Medical-Land

1. Before leaving for your doctor's appointment, pray for patience and for your sense of humor to remain intact. There is humor in the land of pain & despair but you have to be on alert. Print out directions and know exactly where you're going; many of the buildings look the same in Medical-Land.
2. Leave early for your appointment. There is a very slim chance they can work you in before the person in front of you in the case they haven't arrived.
3. Upon arrival, use valet parking if they have it. That will eliminate the stress of finding parking thus helping your blood pressure reading. As the population continues to age, parking becomes more & more rare in Medical-Land and the people who govern Medical-Land don't care about parking; they have their own parking places.
4. Understand that striking up conversations with strangers on the elevator, in the lobby areas or in the 1st holding area within the doctor's compound, is risky. The people visiting Medical-Land (contrary to the people who run and work in Medical-Land) like to talk about themselves and their aches & pains. You may have to endure a long and intense discussion. I usually take the risk but that comes from the experience of being able to read people.
5. As you enter your particular ruler's kingdom, approach the glass in the first holding area, pray again for patience and then look for a sign on the glass in front of you instructing you how to sign in. Seeing that sign and obeying it can get you off on the right foot with the keeper of your records. Otherwise the record keeper could choose to place your file below other visitors to Medical-Land who happen to see the sign and obey it.
6. Choose a waiting seat in the first holding area on the end. This will give you more elbow room as the holding area begins to fill up. Make a note of the time you take your seat of waiting. I'll explain why later.

KY's Newest Recruit

President Bush Was Right

Over the top super hyper economist Jim Kramer said on the Today Show this morning: "I'm a conservationist but it's time to start drilling." I agree and disagree with Mr. Kramer. We do need to start drilling in Alaska, off the FL coast, etc. but the time to start drilling was years ago. This is from a Sierra Club article written in 2001. "Bush officials would love to explore our protected wildlands too--with oil drills. President Bush has already expressed his eagerness to drill for oil in the biological heart of a national wildlife refuge in Alaska's Arctic. But why stop there? Administration officials and their Republican allies in Congress have been poring over maps of public lands in all 50 states with the zeal of a family planning its summer vacation--except that these guys are searching for places to plunk down oil and gas wells."
Who is to blame that we aren't drilling for more oil in our own country to lessen our dependency on foreign oil? The environmentalist wing of the Democratic Party, the same people who said we were going to war for oil.
Although we took a drive into the country on Sunday, we are watching our driving habits more closely now. I haven't driven for almost 3 weeks so that certainly helps the budget. I don't know if the V-8 Jeep Cherokee will leave the driveway again.

Somebody's Going To Get Hurt

The Bluegrass has some of the most beautiful scenic roads in the country. We drove down to the Ky River this morning and watched cars cross the river on the VALLEY VIEW FERRY. On the way back we had to wait on a bicyclist on quite a few dangerous curves and then pulled around him when we felt it was safe. Should the bicyclist's right to "enjoyment" on the roads take precedence over the safety of motorists? I think that many of the roads around here should be off limits to bicyclists. We encounter them almost every time we are out for a drive on the back roads and it drives me crazy. Somebody's going to hurt; I just hope it's not us.

KY Basketball Rocks! They Continue To Lead The Nation

Cinderella...

I met Steven Curtis Chapman a few years ago backstage at a concert we did in West Palm Beach. He and I talked about how each of us grew up in Paducah, KY and were amazed we knew some of the same people. When you talk with Steven, you walk away impressed with his genuineness. He's the kind of guy that looks you directly in the eye and pays attention to what you're saying. That was a special meeting for me. His songs are powerful. The words to his song "I Will Be Here" are displayed on our bedroom wall in a frame as a special reminder to Mary & me that we will always be here for each other, even though the years make us older. Steven lost his 5 year old daughter MARIA in a terrible accident at their home on May 21st. His teenage son, backed over her in the driveway. I have prayed for him and his family. I can't even imagine what they must be going through. And I thank him for his music. His song "Cinderella" is special to me too. I can't listen to it without flashing back through the years and seeing Lyndsey. They grow up so fast. Unfortunately, Steven won't be able to dance at Maria's wedding.

NBA Championship Begins Tonight On ABC.....Only Thing Missing: Charles Barkley

The Democratic Nominee

Why hasn't Obama been crucified for this idiotic comment like Dan Quayle was crucified over telling a kid to add the letter "e" to potato?

Some Good Ole Fashioned Truth....

Jerry Mathers as "The Beaver" turns 60 today!