BETSY TAKES AL TO SCHOOL

Not only will you enjoy this post about Al Gore, but I think you'll enjoy the site as well. She's good.

Check it out.

STANDARD FORM 180 PROGRESSING?

Kerry and his problems signing SF 180 can't be mentioned enough. Since the MSM, Tim Russert, in particular, won't hold Kerry to his promise to sign the form and release his military records, it did me good to see Power Line's post this morning.

Read it here.

PLAY BALL!!

We're headed into a great weekend of baseball, starting with a match-up in Houston. I mention the Houston/Chicago game because it will be a long time before you see a match-up like this again.

Clemens and Maddux have a combined 634 wins and 11 Cy Young awards. Two 300 game winners haven't gone up against each other for 18 years, and this will be only the 5th time since 1900. This is a must watch game. Get out there and start tuning that dish.

I'm not betting the game. No way. This is a "watch only" event for me. But, I like the Cubs in this one. They're on fire now and Houston is struggling with run production. Both teams, however, will be up for this battle.

Did I mention betting?

This evening my money will be on the D'Backs in San Diego at +154 (a great price), and on The White Sox -130 at home against Detroit.

Enjoy the games!

UPDATE: I didn't enjoy the games.

OIL HEADED FOR $40?

I will admit my knowledge of commodities comes solely from the movie "Trading Places." Oil pricing is a mystery to me and to many in the biz. Who knows what really pushes the price up and down? I haven't a clue.

Since Bush held hands with the Saudi Crown Prince in Crawford, the price of oil has gone south of $50. In my not-so-expert opinion, next time Bush meets with the Crown Prince, I say he should kiss the S-O-B right on the lips. That ought to get us to $40 in a hurry!

Read it here.

"CHAPPY DAYS" PART 2

Ted Kennedy, in my opinion, is a dangerous man. In my day to day discussions with people, I have noticed that many don't really know much about his past, or any of the details of the incident at Chappaquiddick. To know and understand Chappaquiddick is to know Ted Kennedy.

Since Ted likes to take shots at our Nation, I feel it's my duty, my responsibility, to take a shot at him whenever I can. Don't get me wrong, Ted has every right to voice his objections concerning any mistakes we as a nation have made and the policies we put forth. However, when we have troops in harm's way, our young men and women, his ventings should be from behind closed doors and outside the media's attention. Attempting to do damage to any administration at the cost of troop morale and lives is unacceptable and unamerican.

After being released from the Army in the late '70s, I attended college and had a magnificent poli-sci professor, Dr. David Yamada. He exposed me to "critical thinking" and once had a retired CIA agent come to class to discuss JFK's assassination. It was an eye opening experience and one that would encourage me to do research on my own to understand the Kennedy family and what happened to them in the '60s. What the CIA agent said in class caused many of the older students to become upset. At the time I didn't understand why this was the case, but later it made sense. The agent was required to have a tape recorder running while he talked so there would be a record of everything he extended to us. I was amazed at what he said and it made me want to know more.

In this class we learned many things about the Kennedys, Chappaquiddick was part of the discussion, so I took the time to find my notes from class and found a website with the same information I received. To know and understand Ted Kennedy, you must read the information at this site. Afterwards, you will wonder, as I do, why his state feels that he's the best they can come up with to serve them in the Senate.

Chappy Days begins on July 18th.

MORE ON LT. PANTANO

Read the latest on Lt. Pantano's hearing.

(hat tip: Michelle Malkin)

"ALEX, YOU'RE FIRED!!"

Trump is the man. However, he was wrong tonight when he fired Alex. Everyone makes mistakes and that includes Trump.

Alex had a decision to make when they reformed the teams; he could choose Kendra to join him and make a very powerful team, or he could choose Tana, which would leave Kendra and Craig together to implode, since they hate each other. He chose Tana and I thought it was an ok decision, but I would've gone the other way.

Tana's team lost by a country mile and in the boardroom it was clear she was out the door. But, she brought to Trump's attention that she had a better record as a Project Manager than Alex had. Trump asked Alex what his record was as a PM and he answered incorrectly, making it appear that he had not lost as many times. It was an honest mistake, but Trump latched onto that mistake and sent him packing.

It was obvious their team lost because of Tana's lack of focus during the project, but Trump saw it differently. I think he was wrong. Last week I predicted Tana would be fired. I was so close.

My odds on favorite for the win is Kendra.

Trump, you're on suspension!!!

NEO-NEOCON AND VIETPUNDIT

I know I've mentioned Neo-Neocon before, but I just finished reading her last installment of the Vietnam series. It's called, "A Mind is a difficult Thing to Change." This is so good that her next project in this series should be writing a book proposal to a publisher. That good. She clearly has a talent for the written word, coupled with her passion for the subject matter, a book is the next logical step. Go forth, Neo. Her site is in my blogroll and once there, the series is in the right margin.

While at Neo's site, I ran across another great blog: Vietpundit. I like this blog for several reasons: One, he has some great posts; two, he embodies what America is all about; three, he's a great admirer of Ronald Reagan--what's not to like here? I'm adding him to my BLOGROLL and encourage you to venture over to his site.

ENRON-BY-THE-SEA

Watch for this story to bust wide open in the near future. A classic government mis-management of taxpayer money, where everyone gets screwed, especially the taxpayer, since they'll have to pay for it in the end. The buzz around the net: This is the tip of the iceberg----coming to your city soon.

Read it here.

"CHAPPY DAYS" ARE HERE AGAIN--PART 1

Just when you thought it was impossible for Teddy Kennedy to get any lower, he comes through with yet another embarrassment for him, his family, and, sadly, our Nation.

Ted felt so deeply about panty clad terrorists at Abu Ghraib, he made a speech yesterday marking the anniversary of the scandal. It's a long, blistering speech, detailing the events at the prison. However long it is, you are compelled to read the entire text simply to see if his next paragraph is more outrageous than the previous one. And, they are.

Teddy is marking the day for one reason and one reason only: To score points against Bush in a game of political one-upsmanship. Hurting our Nation is not a concern for Ted; hurting Bush is.

I'm convinced if Ted's brothers were alive today to witness what he's done to the family name, they'd slap him so hard that Rose would buy a new black dress.

Since Ted is in an anniversary mood, I think July 18th would be a perfect day to remember: The anniversary of Chappaquiddick. We'll call it "Chappy Days." It could be a week long celebration in remembrance of Mary Jo Kopechne. Ted could give one of his long speeches to open the weeklong festivities celebrating Mary Jo's short life.

If you've ever wondered why Ted is the way he is, an insider to the Kennedy family once put it this way:

Cleo O'Donnell, wife of a former Kennedy campaign aide, had this to say about Kennedy:

"Teddy Kennedy was the weak kitten in the litter, never able to measure up to his brothers. The accident at Chappaquiddick displayed his chronic immaturity. One problem Teddy has always had was keeping it in his pants - even when other people are around."

Weak kitten, indeed.

(HAT TIP: DRUDGE)

ONE OF OUR BOYS NEEDS OUR HELP

Lt. Pantano, I think, is getting screwed. I sent him some $'s a couple months ago, along with many others from across the country. His family can use the money to help pay for the attorney fees he's piling up. This is a life and death situation and he needs our help.

If you're not familiar with his story, read it here. A few bucks from each of us will make a big difference in his life. And, it'll do you good to know you're helping one of our boys when he's being fired at from all sides.


"A man who is good enough to shed his blood for his country is good enough to be given a square deal afterwards. More than that no man is entitled, and less than that no man shall have."

Theodore Roosevelt, 1903

(Hat Tip: Michelle Malkin)

FRENCH DON'T RISE TO OCCASION

I don't hide my dislike for France. The people are probably ok, as people go, but the government can take a flyin' leap. Anytime our great Nation can get the best of the French, I'm a happy little camper.

The US and the French don't compete in a lot of sporting events. There's tennis, soccer....and, well, I can't think of any others. We do go head to head in wine making, and some think Napa is topping the French wines across the board.

It seems there's a new type of competition that the US is waging with the French, along with 11 other nations. You won't see this event covered by Sportscenter, but the US won the event and the French are not pleased, since we won the thing on their home court. Yes, we were road dogs and pulled it out....of the oven.

Check it out.

A NICE CLINTON STORY

Dennis The Peasant has a great story about Bill Clinton, and yes, I'm posting a positive Clinton story. You won't see many of these, but what Clinton did with this group of kids is worthy of some praise. I hope all politicians, famous or not, are willing and able to give so generously of themselves.

Check it out here.

KERRY TICKED OFF

Early this morning, around 4 am, I heard a news blurb about John Kerry getting upset with someone at a function, where Hillary was introduced in a manner that suggested an endorsement for 2008. It got me to thinking about a post I made about him a couple months back.

In my opinion, Kerry isn't aware that he's washed up and, apparently, no one has stepped forward to inform him.

If he isn't washed up, then he's just one STANDARD FORM 180 away from being so. Why someone in the MSM hasn't had the strength to ask why he hasn't signed the form yet, is beyond me. Kerry told Tim Russert that he would release all his records through SF 180, but has failed to do so as of this date, and not one mention of it in the press.

If there was ever a "gotcha" story, and all reporters want one, this is it. Where the hell is Tim Russert? He cornered Kerry into making the statement, so where's the follow-up?

Does the bias in the MSM run that deep or is there another explanation for this?

COMMENTS SECTION

I turned the "comments section" back on. Let's see how it works this time around.

NEW BLOG: NEO-NEOCON

Dennis the Peasant turned me on to a new site: Neo-Neocon. It's a good read and it's authored by a lady from back east who finds herself moving from left to right.

Her writings about Viet Nam are touching. She describes how she felt about it back when it was happening, and then compares it with how she feels today. 9-11 had a big affect on her views and I suspect there are more people out there with similar shifts in thinking.

A must read. Her site is added to my blogroll of recommended sites.

"BREN, YOU'RE FIRED!!"

And he should've been. Bren and Craig's product to lessen office clutter was embarrassing, and since Bren was the PM, he should've been canned. By not properly doing a focus group question and answer session, they failed to get the proper info regarding office clutter and its organization. Actually, their product would've caused more problems with clutter than it solved.

On the other team, Craig produced a product that wasn't especially groundbreaking, but it was practical and you could see its usefullness just by looking at it. And, with the opposing team's poor product design, they slid into the winners' circle with no problem.

Now that Alex is the lone team member on his side, he gets to pick someone to come over and join him next week. If he has half a brain, he'll choose Kendra; she's clearly the most talented of the four remaining. Remember the Pontiac presentation she put together by herself after Craig and Tana bailed on her to get some sleep?

Out of the four left to fight it out, Kendra and Alex are clearly the odds-on favs to win this thing. Craig and Tana are a couple zeros in my book, and since Craig was PM last week, that means Tana will take on the responsibility next task.

Tana rides the elevator down by herself next week.

NEXT STOP: SCANDALVILLE. POP: HILLARY

This fund-raising scheme from Hollywood that threatens to entangle the Honorable Senator from the Great State of New York, Hillary Clinton, has all the signs of a scandal.

A govt secret witness turns out to be a guy by the name of Ray Reggie, Ted Kennedy's brother-in-law. Imagine that, a scandal brewing and a Kennedy not far from the action. Anyway, Reggie was recording conversations for the authorities, so this should get even better.

The bad news: Anytime someone is about to dump on the Clinton's, they end up dead.

I wonder if Ray Reggie is depressed?

Check it out at Michelle's site.

UNDERSEA DUTIES

You may remember this story from the movies about a WWll navy sailor performing an operation aboard a submarine. Here's the obit of the sailor that was "ordered" to perform the lifesaving procedure. Back then, while away from your base, there were few services in the event of a medical emergency, so sailors had to do whatever it took to get the job done.

Check it out.

FONDA GETS A TASTE

Read this article about Jane Fonda at her latest book signing. Even though I'm not a Fonda fan, the guy who spit on her is an idiot.

Read it here.

LOOKING FOR NEW WHEELS?

Bad news out of Detroit. GM posts a 1st quarter loss of over one billion dollars. Wow! There is, however, good news in this report. If you're looking to score some new wheels before summer hits, now's the time to meander down to your local GM dealer and talk turkey. I bet they'd be willing to knock a few bucks off that sticker price to seal the deal.

Read it here.

GREAT AMERICANS OF MAINE

This is a wonderful article about welcoming home our troops. I've heard of this happening in Texas, too, and I hope the MSM, especially tv, has enough sense to run with this story.

Kudos to the people of Maine. Read it here.

MALLS OF AMERICA UNITE!!

Here's an idea who's time has come. I wonder how long before the ACLU files suit against this policy? Check it out.

"TODAY" TENSION

Since I'm on a lib kick, it warmed my heart to see the "Today" show in a bit of crisis. Imus couldn't talk about it enough this morning, and such talk will fuel the press. Though the press is liberal, they love to report on this type of "in-house" squabbling.

It seems viewers are seeking other shows to view in the morning hours, and this has the brass at 30 Rock nervous. "Today" is still in first place for their slot but the numbers have fallen off over the past year.

Of the show's three stars, I like Roker the best. Katie and Matt, darlings of the Democratic party, can stew in the juices of this in-fighting.

Read it here.

THOSE CRAZY LIBS

For libs all over the nation, reality has set in: Bush really did win. After being knocked to the canvas last November, libs have gotten back to their feet and now are doing whatever they can to stop anything Bush, or any republican, proposes, even if it's the best thing for the nation.

Doing what's best for the nation is of no real concern to the libs, stopping Bush at every turn is the main goal of this party. Since they have no real ideas of their own, getting in the way of those who do is the next best strategy for them. And they're good at it. The liberal establishment is scared to death that Bush and the conservatives will end up doing great things during their term.

The libs in California are freaking out over Arnold and his proposals to bring the state's financial house back in order.

The Senate libs won't even vote on judicial nominees; they want to filibuster the process.

John Bolton is being attacked for not being as sensitive as the libs would like as a boss. This guy has been in a senior position for 16 years and confirmed 4 times by the Senate, but now that Bush has proposed him for a UN post, he's unfit for the job. Nevermind that he might just be the best person for the job.

The libs in the media are already posting stories that are less than flattering about the new Pope. He's conservitive, ya know.

And then there's the liberal flagship of talk radio, Air America. This ship is flying on its last engine and is looking for a place to crash land. The ratings numbers are not very good, unimpressive, to say the least, and are being beaten badly by conservative talk radio across the board. Libs are very nervous about the future of this lefty venture. The money isn't coming in from ads as projected, so it'll have to come from somewhere or the plug gets pulled.

If you haven't listened to Air America, I can tell you that it's painful to get through it. I recommend a couple beers before, during, and after. Lib talk radio doesn't work. How much whining can you stand? I will tune in for Al Franken's last show as Air America hits the end of the runway and breaks up.

And to make matters worse, Newt is beginning to show up on their radar screens. He's positioning himself ever so delicately, and he's got tons of juice, politically.

It's not a good time to be a lib.

FONDA ON HARDBALL

I was wrong about how Chris Matthews would treat Fonda the other night; he was harder on her than I ever would've thought. So far this interview was the toughest she'd faced since going public with the autobio. I was wrong.

At times I felt bad for Fonda when pressed into a corner by Matthews; it was obvious she was at a loss for words and a reasonable explanation for her actions. She didn't seem sure of herself when hit with follow-up questions, something she rarely has to face.

I couldn't put my finger on it, but she seemed to be getting old, dotty, as a friend put it, or medicated. She certainly was confused.

Fonda was trying to have it both ways, saying she made a mistake being photographed at the gunsite, but her motivations were correct. No matter how you cut it, treason is treason.

"CHRIS, YOU'RE FIRED!!"

The Apprentice is clearly the best reality show on tv. For weeks I've been waiting for Chris to get fired, and after 7 weeks of boardroom appearences, he finally got the ax.

Weeks ago it was clear Chris brought other things to the table besides his talent for business: Things like immaturity and emotional instability. Somehow he avoided firing though he was the focus of many boardroom brawls. I think Trump saw something in him and looked past the obvious shortcomings, waiting for him to blossom later on. Never happened.

By far the worst effort by a team was the soap commercial a few weeks ago. The product Chris' team put before Pontiac last night was a close second; it was horrendous.

And to prove how wrong Trump was all these weeks, Chris started crying when he was fired. I thought it would have been a great ending if Tom Hanks would've walked into the boardroom as the tears were flowing and said, "There's no crying in business, get outta here."

TREASON COMES TO HARDBALL

Since Jane Fonda dumped her latest installment of treason on us, she's hit all the unquestioning media outlet shows. Don't expect anything to change when she appears before Chris Matthews this evening on Hardball. If you find him pressing her, it'll probably be on a topic related to her ex, Ted Turner, not on the VN issue.

When it comes to the VN issue, irreverence will be the order of the day. They walk hand in hand on this one.

ONLY IN AMERICA

Few of us get to go through life doing what truly makes us happy. There's always something in our way, be it lack of money, jealous co-workers, or the boss that isn't happy until you're unhappy. It's always something. Walter Joe O'Rourke's life story is rare, but, yet, gives us all hope that someday we can enjoy some of what he's found. Read it here.

All Aboard!!

ANOTHER CAPTIVE AMERICAN

I knew the situation in Iraq was going too good for too long. It seems AQ has grabbed another American hostage and is parading him in the media. This is a very powerful tactic used by AQ and I wonder why they got away from it for so long. I mean, this brutality really gets us hot here in the states, and for good reason.

Let's face it, this latest abductee is a dead man. It's just a matter of time before they show him begging Bush to save his life, then his death sentence being carried out.

I've often wondered why we don't hold Al-Jazeera accountable for aiding AQ. After all, AQ links up with AJ at some point, so they can get their tapes on the air. Why don't we simply tell AJ to give up their sources or remove them from the US and render their broadcasting facilities useless? And each time they rebuild them, tear them down again.

It's possible we are infiltrating their organization, keeping tabs on their stringers, or all of the above. I hope this is the case.

WORSE THAN INSIDER TRADING

If you do any investing on the NYSE, read this article to see if your trading involves any of the companies mentioned.

Floor traders cheating investors has happened in the past. But, in this post-Enron-Worldcom business world, where investor trust has been diminished considerably, I doubt the courts will find it in their hearts to go lightly on these swindlers.

It's slammer time.

THAT SHOT

From a marketing standpoint, the shot Tiger made at 16 is priceless, right down to the Nike "swoosh" being lined up perfectly for the camera as the ball rolled in. Under the circumstances, this is probably the greatest shot ever made at 16, and there have been many great ones.

First, Tiger's lead was slipping, he makes a poor tee shot that makes bogey a real possibility, and to make matters worse, his ball is resting up against the fringe, thus making it difficult to get the club on the ball correctly. The last time a player felt this level of pressure was when Scott Hoch stood over a two-footer for his first Green Jacket, and gagged it.

"Jaffee Juice" made a 30 and 60 second Nike commercial out of the footage from 16. The 60 second spot is the best. Take note of the announcer's comment about Woods' chances of getting the ball inside of DiMarco's ball, which was 20 feet away. View them here.

THE MASTERS

Despite the weather, stop and go playing, and course conditions, the Augusta National Golf Club, again, brought us a Sunday finishing round that will go down in history. Somehow, some way, this course seems to always deliver a nail-biter on Sunday.

The worst Masters I ever saw was the one Tiger won by 12 strokes in '97, setting a record that will be around for many years. It was boring because the field, except for Tiger, was playing for second place. It was the same for our golf pools at work, too. Tiger was so dominating that we would remove him from the players' picks because it was a foregone conclusion who would win.

Before Sunday's Masters I didn't think Tiger had a shot at Nicklaus' records of 18 majors and 6 green jackets; I've since changed my mind. Barring injury, I think those records will fall to Tiger.

Tiger's goal is to break these records held by Nicklaus, and he may do just that. However, there's one record not even the great Tiger will break and, considering all the factors, I think it's Jack's best performance at Augusta without winning.

At the end of the final round, the leader board read as follows:

O'meara -9
Couples -8
Duval -8
Furyk -7
Azinger -6
Nicklaus -5.

The year was 1998. Jack Nicklaus was 58 years old. Tiger finished at -3.

Need I say more?

CHILI ANYONE??

I just heard an update about the "finger in the chili" story from San Jose. It turns out that the woman that reported the "digit" in her chili has had her house searched by authorities in Las Vegas.

The police didn't say what they found during the search, but they indicated they believe the finger could belong to her recently deceased aunt. Let's see: What would the odds be that this woman travels to San Jose, buys some chili and finds a finger in it that just happens to belong to her aunt? A billion to one?

Odds are, though, that this lady will need an attorney, a good one, before long.

This is just about as wacky as you can get.

PAPAL VIEWING OVERWHELMING

Drudge is reporting that the line for viewing the Pope will be cut off late Wednesday evening, Vatican time, because it could have one million people in it and is 24 hours long. Being at the end of the line at DMV doesn't look so bad now. Read here.

NOT SO FONDA JANE

Last Sunday Jane Fonda appeared on 60 Minutes, in part, to discuss her activities in North Viet Nam during the war, but mostly to sell a book.

In this interview she stated she had a lapse of judgement when she decided to appear along side an anti-aircraft gun battery. I agree it was a poor decision. Just going to Viet Nam and meeting with the enemy was a poor decision, but Jane doesn't see it that way.

You have to understand one thing about Fonda: She has never made apologies to veterans for her behavior when it didn't serve her best interests. Years ago she was working on a project in New England, when veterans protested so vehemently that she was forced to stand and apologize for her actions in North Viet Nam. The project went forward to completion.

Last Sunday Fonda's semi-apology for her actions at the "Gun" is all well and good, except for one thing: SHE'S SELLING A BOOK!!

Under these circumstances, I find nothing genuine about what she has to say on the subject; treason is still treason.

US DELEGATION TO VATICAN

The US delegation to the Vatican doesn't include Jimmy Carter. No room on Air Force One? That's a laugh. The truth is Carter is out to lunch, politcally. Not even Bush can afford to bring this whiney brat from Plaines along for fear he would embarrass the US with some impromptu press conference at St. Peter's. I'm sure his choice of seating at the Dem Convention didn't help his case either. Jimmy has never gotten over the spanking he received from Reagan in 1980, so he went to lunch and has been there since.

Carter, while President, had the opportunity to attend the funerals of Paul Vl and John Paul l, but decided against in both cases. So, missing this Papal funeral shouldn't be that big a deal for him.

It's too bad he's not in the group because I think all past Presidents should attend. However, I can't bring myself to blame Bush for the decision. Besides, you reap what you sow.

SCHWARTZENEGGER SWARMED IN SF

The pork buffet in California is getting shorter, less items are being offered, portions smaller, and many are not happy, even paranoid, about it. The protest in SF recently were large, loud and out of control. But these crowds of protesters were not your everyday citizen out there complaining that they are being short-changed by cutbacks in the state, these were the powerful unions protecting their turf.

The state's fiscal problems be damned. Unions want the status quo enjoyed under Grey Davis and if there must be cutbacks, let it be in someone else's programs. They are calling the Gov a corporate pig for fundraising. I say it's their world he's living in now and he's simply doing what they've always done: Raise money. It's a reality in all politics, he didn't invent it, however, he's good at it. Very good.

No matter where you stand on the issue of California's money woes, their will be cutbacks across the board. Business as usual is gone and the powers in the Dem party are understanding this all too well. They are forced to put on a good show for those that depend on them; a good show it was.

This is what happens when someone outside the political power grid comes to power, shakes things up, and scares the hell out of those controlling the flow of money. The Gov is beholden to few and will drag these squeeling little piggies to market whether they like it or not.

MSM OUT TO LUNCH

Since the Pope passed away, two things have grabbed my attention: One is the amount of non-stop coverage on the cable news outlets. I didn't think it would last past a couple days, but this fellow was special and the side-stories about him are almost endless.

The second is the MSM and its coverage. Of the three bigs, only NBC thinks the story is big enough to send their anchor to cover the story. Both CBS and ABC decided the Pope's passing only calls for underlings to cover funeral. What are these people thinking?

I'm thinking the MSM is in "faith shock" in that they had enough of this church talk with the Schiavo case dragging out for weeks, and then John Paul ll has the bad taste to die right on the heals of Terri's passing. Way too much talk of faith and believing for these libs.

This Pope's life story is absolutely amazing. His family went through the horrors of the Nazis in his home country of Poland, and when that was cleaned up they had to further endure the unending strife the Soviets brought to their doorstep. If that's not enough, he then went on to be Pope and was shot.

When the end of the USSR arrived, the wall came down and all of Eastern Europe was free of the Communist threat. There are four people you can point to that were directly responsible for ending the domination by the Soviets: Reagan, Thatcher, Gorby, and John Paul ll.

I listened to a story yesterday about a Bishop that was visiting the Pope a couple years ago. The Bishop was so upset over how ill the Pope was and how bad he looked, that he was in tears. When it was his turn to be before the Pontiff, he kissed his ring and said, "Holy Father, I fear this will be the last time I see you." The Pope's reply was, "Why, are you sick?" You gotta love a guy like that.

Anyway, the funeral will have over 200 dignitaries attending, the Royal Family postponing the wedding of Charles and what's her name, security issues that boggle the mind, and 2-3 million people expected at the Vatican this week to view the Pope.

Yea, I guess there's not much of a story here. Go figure.

UPDATE: Fox news just reported that Peter Jennings of ABC news has been diagnosed with lung cancer. Ok, ABC has an excuse, but that still leaves us wondering about CBS.

JACKO TRAVEL PLANS?

In an earlier post, I said I didn't think Jackson would hang around this country if convicted. No way would he ever go to jail. Today an article showed up on Drudge indicating Jacko has an invite if he chooses. Read it here.

Again, Jacko may be found guilty and sentenced to prison, but there's no way he goes.

MSO UPDATE

The bottom was called a little over a week ago at $20.66. Since then MSO has edged up to $22.32 gaining all days with the exception of last Friday. Not bad. Let's hope this week brings more of the same, however, I don't look for too much of a gain for a month or so, when the media begins talking about progress on her new show.

HARD ACT TO FOLLOW

I'm not a catholic nor do I practice a religion on a regular basis, though I should. That said, I must say I have enjoyed watching the Pope over the last quarter century, anyway.

I think we got lucky having this man as Pope, because most of the Popes have been rather quiet, boring men who stayed around the Vatican most of the time. Not John Paul ll. This guy is a true globetrotter, and a tough bird to boot. He reminds me of Reagan, in that you can shoot him and he still comes back, only stronger. Most men would've hung their hat on the hook and called it a career.

It looks like John Paul ll is doing badly with his health and it's quite likely we'll be losing him soon. The church will have a hard time replacing him with someone of his ability, intelligence, and stamina. Of the current Cardinals, JP ll appointed about 90% of them, so maybe there's one in there like him.

Those will be some big shoes to fill.