FINALLY!!! A REAL CANDIDATE TO CHOOSE FROM!!!!

I'VE SEEN WORSE.........IN MY OWN BACKYARD!

When this news article popped up Friday, I thought to myself how I had seen the likes of this before; in my own backyard......My husband is a big ol' burly guy himself.....and when ya lawn mower starts givin' ya fits, you have a tendency to lose all sight of reality and something comes over you; kind of like when tweakers (in fact, this guy kind of looks like one of my neighborly tweakers) walk thru your yard and ya stalk them down to the tweaker house and threaten to whip 'em all with your bare hands in your speedo.....but that's another story. Anyways, this guy amazes me because he really got fed up with the fact that they just don't make lawn mowers like they used to. I got a John Deere from Home Depot about 5 years ago and my husband has taken everything except a shotgun and a sledge hammer to it, for the past 4 years; after he'd get mad he kind of resembled this guy in his looks, and frankly, he was quite scary, to say the least.....eventually, he finally got fed up and sent the Deere pack'n and got one of those zero turn Hustlers and now we fight to see who can get on it the fastest! My advice to Mr. Waldendowski is to lose the Lawn Boy and just release......live a little.....go for the 6 months free interest and jump in head first and get a real mower.......(picture courtesy of AP Photo/Milwaukee County Sheriff's department via the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel).

NEW WORD FOR THE DAY - ELECTILE DYSFUNCTION

Electile Dysfunction : The inability to become aroused over any of the choices for President put forth by either party in the 2008 election year.

From the Irish to the USA

An email from Ireland to the brethren in the States...a point to ponder despite your political affiliation:................

'We, in Ireland, can't figure out why people are even bothering to hold an election in the United States

On one side, you have a female pants wearing lawyer, married to a lawyer who can't keep his pants on, who just lost a long and heated primary against a lawyer who goes to the wrong church, who is married to yet another lawyer who doesn't even like the country her husband wants to run.

Now...On the other side, you have a nice old war hero whose name starts with the appropriate 'Mc' terminology, married to a good looking younger woman who owns a beer distributorship.


What in Lord's name are ye lads thinking over there in the colonies??

Hillary Clinton recalls SNL parody: Does Obama want pillow?

Is media playing fair in campaign coverage? By DAVID BAUDER, AP Television Writer
Mon Jul 21, 8:46 AM ET



NEW YORK - Television news' royalty will fly in to meet Barack Obama during this week's overseas trip: CBS chief anchor Katie Couric in Jordan on Tuesday, ABC's Charles Gibson in Israel on Wednesday and NBC's Brian Williams in Germany on Thursday. The anchor blessing defines the trip as a Major Event and — much like a "Saturday Night Live" skit in February that depicted a press corps fawning over Obama — raises anew the issue of fairness in campaign coverage.

The news media have devoted significantly more attention to the Democrat since Hillary Rodham Clinton suspended her campaign and left a two-person contest for the presidency between Obama and Republican John McCain, according to research conducted by the Project for Excellence in Journalism.

News executives say there are reasons for the disparity, such as the continuing story about whether Clinton's and Obama's supporters can reconcile. They even partly blame McCain. By criticizing Obama for a lack of foreign policy experience, McCain raised the stakes for Obama's trip, "especially if he winds up going into two war zones," said Paul Friedman, senior vice president of CBS News.

Obama has traveled to Afghanistan and is expected to go to Iraq. He is also scheduled to visit Jordan, Israel, Germany, France and England. Network anchors stayed home during McCain's recent foreign excursions.

"The question really needs to be posed: Is this type of coverage fair?" said Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va. "This is nothing but a political stunt."

Talk show host Rush Limbaugh said none of this should be a surprise.

"My prediction is that the coverage of Obama on this trip will be oriented toward countering the notion he has no idea what he is talking about on foreign policy and defense issues and instead will prop him up as a qualified statesman," Limbaugh told The Associated Press. "McCain, on the other hand, is a known quantity on these issues and his position does not excite nor fit the mainstream media's narrative on Iraq and Afghanistan, so they simply ignore it and him."

Along with newsworthiness, the question of fairness was discussed within ABC News before it was agreed Gibson would travel, said Jon Banner, executive producer of "World News." Also, if one network anchor decides to hit the road for a big event, chances are the others will follow.

"We have already been in discussions with the McCain campaign to try to afford them the same or a similar opportunity," Banner said. "We have gone to great lengths to be fair and provide equal time to both campaigns."

Shortly after Obama clinched the Democratic nomination, Gibson flew to Miami for a McCain interview, he said.

For each of the weeks between June 9 and July 13, Obama had a much more significant media presence. The Project for Excellence in Journalism evaluates more than 300 political stories each week in newspapers, magazines and television to measure whether each candidate is talked about in more than 25 percent of the stories.

Every week, Obama played an important role in more than two-thirds of the stories. For July 7-13, for example, Obama was a significant presence in 77 percent of the stories, while McCain was in 48 percent, the PEJ said.

Sure, there are some weeks Obama's going to make more news, said Tom Rosenstiel, the project's director.

But every week?

"No matter how understandable it is given the newness of the candidate and the historical nature of Obama's candidacy, in the end it's probably not fair to McCain," he said.

The Democrat has proven an attractive commodity; TV debates involving Democrats this campaign consistently drew more viewers than the Republicans. A Time magazine cover with Obama in 2006 was the second-best-selling of the year, and a Men's Vogue cover outsold every issue but the debut, according to circulation figures reported by Portfolio.com. Newsweek has done six covers with Obama over the past year, two with McCain. A Rolling Stone cover with Obama stopped just short of adding a halo.

If the attention gap continues, the campaign will essentially become a referendum on Obama, Rosenstiel said. While that may serve McCain's purpose — it beats a referendum on President Bush — it could leave the nation electing a president while the media are paying attention to someone else. Past press infatuations, like Howard Dean in 2004 and McCain in 2000, didn't turn into long-term affairs.

TV executives noted that Obama has courted attention, particularly for the overseas trip, more so than McCain. There's some danger involved, too. One Obama gaffe while overseas, or the appearance that he's not ready for an international spotlight, and the media's elite will be there to judge him, said Bob Zelnick, Boston University journalism professor.

Friedman cautioned against reading too much into things like PEJ's coverage index, noting that it's a long campaign. Yet it's an open question about whether Obama is simply a more interesting candidate at this point, partly because McCain has been on the scene longer.

While fairness is the goal, "what are we supposed to do, go gin up some story about McCain to get some rough equality of airtime?" he said. "I don't think so."

NBC News President Steve Capus said he finds it funny this is an issue, considering how much people have accused the press corps — and still do — of being too cozy with McCain. The Arizona senator had been a frequent guest of "Meet the Press."

"We're just trying to do our jobs," Capus said. "There's no question that there's great news value in Sen. Obama's trip overseas. That's why we are doing this."

___

Associated Press writer Ann Sanner contributed to this report.

JIB JAB SAYS IT ALL.......

On this date: July 14th, 1946 DR. SPOCK'S COMMON SENSE BOOK AND CHILD CARE BOOK PUBLISHED

Dr. Benjamin Spock, 1903-1998His life covered most of the last century. His influence will reach far into the next. He was, and will always be, a man for all children. I raised my first two children by this book, as did my mom on me and my sibling......if the world would use more of Dr. Spock's insight, we might have a better place to live these days! I think every hospital should give out this book when a child is born......don't get me wrong, some of the stuff I might not have agreed with; but for the most part, the tips were well received by myself and if I might ad, I think I turned out o.k.........(some of you may disagree; but then your parents probably didn't go by the book, now did they!!??) Oh, and by the way, I think I know some well to do people that currently reside in the Late Dr. Spock's Northwest Arkansas residence on Beaver Lake......I heard it's a gem!!!!

Inspirational Comic strip for the Day!!!!

I feel so close to the "Evil Yorkies"......they remind me somewhat of myself......they're so cute!!!!

Noth'n like a "QUEEN" - AND "ANOTHER ONE BITE'N THE DUST"!!! again........

2007 and 2008 Miss USA Rep's make us proud!!!!

NOTH'N LIKE A COUGAR FOR A BIRTHDAY PRESENT.....HERE'S TO YOU JIM!!!

A LITTLE PICTURE FOR JIM....BEING SINCE HIS FRIEND VIRG, HAS A FIXATION ON DARA; I THOUGHT I WOULD LET JIM FIGURE OUT WHICH ONE IS THE COUGAR AND WHICH ONE IS NOT??!!!!! IS IT THIS ONE???????

OR THIS ONE??????

DANA "COUGAR" TORRES SETS OLYMPIC HISTORY!!!

I love it when something like this happens....it makes us 40 something's feel like we're just as good as we think we are....because we ARE!!!! This news article that you're fixing to read from the AP writer Paul Newberry reports the stats.....what it doesn't report is what the typical 40 + woman is thinking......."YOU GO GIRL!!!" We, as mothers, workers, wives and taxi services work hard every day and I know that every man under the sun gets really tired of hearing that....however, when you see one of your "sisters" succeed as Dara has and still juggled all that other "fun, loving stuff"(toung in cheek, there...), it really makes us all proud that we're doing what we're doing as women; Because, in reality, how many men can actually say they do all that on a daily basis? Don't get me wrong; I know they're out there! I commend them....I admire them.......but it's "those ones" that really get under the skin when they freak because they have to "babysit their own kids for a night while their wonderful wives want to go out for a pedicure or movie"???? that really make me scratch my head........ALL COUGARS RAISE YOUR 'TINI GLASS TO DARA!!!!! SHE DESERVES A GOOD COSMO!!!!! I'm embracing my 40's and can only look forward to my 50's.......I think I'm gonna start taking better care of my body.........

TORRES SETS ANOTHER AMERICAN OLYMPIC RECORDBy PAUL NEWBERRY, AP National Writer Jul 7, 1:22 pm EDT

OMAHA, Neb. (AP)—Dara Torres already knew she was going to the Olympics.
That’s not good enough anymore.
The 41-year-old Torres won the 50-meter freestyle Sunday night with another American record, giving her the chance to swim two individual events in Beijing. She’s already done what no one thought possible, returning from her second retirement—and just two years removed from having a child—to reclaim her place as America’s most dominant female sprinter. She’ll be the oldest American ever to swim at the Olympics, but she wants so much more. “I can’t sit here and lie and say, ‘Oh, I’m just glad I’m going,”’ said Torres, who’ll be in her fifth Olympics. “I want a medal.” Having already won the 100 free Friday, Torres got off to the third-slowest start in the most frenetic lap in swimming. But she was in control midway through, touching in 24.25 seconds to eclipse the mark of 24.38 she set the previous night in the semifinals.
Jessica Hardy claimed the second Olympic spot in 24.82, beating Lara Jackson by six-hundredths of a second. Torres has raised the possibility of dropping the 100, worried her still-buff body can’t take the grind of two individual events, especially when she likely will swim two relays, too. “I’m hoping to go somewhat fast because they have girls in the world that are going 24.1 and 23.9, and I have five more weeks to try to drop a couple tenths to hopefully be in competition with those girls,” Torres said. “I’m very happy with my time, but I know I have more work to do.”

Sorry.....but today is a sad day......

Children should not lose parents at an early age......believe me, I've seen what it can do to a little girl....but she turned out o.k..(really, you did!!!) But, it's just not right for a parent to lose a child before they go....it's the hardest thing to watch parents go thru and my heart aches for parents when they lose a child....I've seen it all too often and it has hit so close to home more times than I can count, that I pray daily that my kids and my friends kids are safely watched upon daily on their travels....But nevertheless, we lose another. Parents will mourn this week and we will mourn with them....this shall to will pass? It never passes.....each day, you deal....you wake up, and it's there and they're not....but you deal! We love you all and we are thinking about each and every parent, child that has had a loss and I hope and pray that it never happens to me! Peace and love......Out.

Justify Who's Love??? Guy?? Alex?? Lenny???

I came upon a "FLASH" newsbreak today, you know those ones in the celebrity world that are like a train wreck and ya have to look; well anyway, in reading it, it said something to the effect about A-Rod (Alex Rodriguez, baseball super-hero)breaking up with his wife; then it went on to say that she had run off to Paris with Lenny Kravitz, which her mother adamantly denies! But then ya have the rumors of A-Rod slipping up to Maddonna's upper pad in New York, as of late and all the wispers of Maddonna and Guy's (Richie) problems.....And then it all goes back to this Song...."Justify My Love" which Madonna did in 1990 with Lenny Kravitz singing background vocals! My my!!! What tangled web we weave.......she wears me out and this homegirl will be 50 August 16!!!

WHIP THIS!!!!!!!

TO ANON: 7/2 2:09pm......either you are too young to remember, or smoked way too much in the 80's!!!! You know what to whip!!!!!!

CRAZY OFF!!

This reminds me of a couple of weeks ago when me and some friends got together.....minus the hair pull'n......

WHIP IT!!! WHIP IT GOOD!!!!! DEVO TO MICKEY D'S

Posted Jul 1st 2008 8:36AM by TMZ Staff

Devo -- yep, as in '80s Bar Mitzvah stalwart Devo -- is red hot over a McDonald's Happy Meal toy that they say co-opts their most famous get-up.

The New-Wave band is looking to sue Mickey D's -- though no suit has yet been filed -- over "New Wave Nigel," (left) a lil' singer guy who clearly wears one of their concentric "Energy Dome" hats. On their website, the Devo boys call the toy an "unbelievable rip-off."

The fast food behemoth had no comment as yet.