Fox News Hits a Home Run...The Left Goes Nuts

Another nice, sunny, near normal, temperature wise day in store here in West Central Ohio. And it looks to remain at or above normal for the next week or so...at least the last time I checked out the extended forecast on The Weather Channel....TWC, it has now become another News Arm of the left leaning NBC Nitwit Network....This morning the channel was commenting on nothing but Haiti and the Earthquake there. While the events in Haiti are tragic, I could give a rat's ass what formerly fat Al Roker and the Weather Channel chicks think of the efforts there...Give us the damn weather, I can watch Fox News for the events in Haiti!

Speaking of Fox News...the left is going bonkers, more so than ever. Fox has landed the left's nemesis, former Gov Sarah Palin...add Palin to Glenn Beck, and the loons on the left have to be gnashing their teeth in terror. Look no farther that the morons on MSNBC and CNN. The are scared shitless of Palin, Beck, Hannity, and O'Reilly. Not only are Billy Boy, Hannity, and Beck slaughtering them in the ratings, they are truly scared to death, especially of Beck, and now their number one hated honey, Sarah Palin.

What more can a true American ask for? Except maybe the deporting of Barry Soetoro back to his homeland of Kenya? {Insert evil Sarcasm here}

Palin on Beck's TV Show_____

Glenn Beck at 5pm on Fox News last night, decided to put Sarah Palin on for the entire hour....one can only imagine the losers on the left cherry picking the quotes from that interview. The 5' 5" runt Jon {Liebowitz} Stewart, on Comedy Channel has to have his staff working overtime to find stuff...and how about screaming Chris Matthews and freaked out Keith Oldblowaman? Too bad for them, their minuscule audiences have the combined IQs of the points scored by the Cincinnati Bengals in last Sunday's playoff game, so few care{besides the stonies who watch Stewart}, what they say.

Palin came across as honest, and intelligent...something the left is neither. But the best part is, she drives the left, especially Christian Hating, Abortion Loving, Obama Worshipping, dregs of the DNC, "Bonkers". Works for me....way to go Fox, keep up the good work. The good work of keeping the left off balance.

The Rest of the Blog____

Another exciting day in store for PRH...Patricia took the Intrepid, because I promised to wash and clean out her van. Basketball, boys Junior High, at Spencerville tonight.

That is about all there is for today....damn, I'm ready for spring! But that is 9 weeks away, at least on the calender, maybe more on the weather front.

Update on Blood Sugar Hemoglobin Levels...down from 7.0 in September to 6.3 yesterday...keep up the good work they say, and I plan on it{still with a beer in hand and a good cigar on occasion of course}.

back later>>>>

Photos-

Beck, Palin, and Fox News...what better way to drive the loser/Obama Kool-Aid drinking left nuts?

Back from the Docs.....

The deep freeze appears to be weakening, and we may hit 30 under sunny skies today. The next week to 10 days we will see highs in the 30s towards 40, but nothing out of the ordinary. Of course anything past 48 hours in the future is subject to change at the whim of Mother Nature.


It was 10 degrees and breaking sun when I headed to Minster this morning for my 6 month checkup....I had not been back to the office since my diagnosis of possible Diabetes 2. After weighing in, my weight was down 21 pounds since July{18 since I started the D2 Diet on Labor Day}...Blood Pressure was down from an average of 155/80 to 122/75, and my pulse was a nice level 62 beats per minute resting. Doc Bergman decided I should stay on the BP Meds for now{OK by me} and then they drew blood to see how my sugar levels were....I'll know more about that tomorrow. For now, turning 61 come March, I'm pretty pleased with the results so far....time/results will tell what lays ahead.


No games tonight...last night I did a Boys JH double header, with a female official, at Waynesfield. First time I worked with Jackie...and she was up with the game, and we got out in pretty good time. Both games ended up being wins for the home teams. Tomorrow night another Junior High DH at Spencerville, Friday a return trip to Lima Central Catholic for a JV Game, and Saturday it's back to Waynesfield for another Boys JV Game.


Out to feed the Birds and Squirrels....the winter of excitement continues.



Back Later>>>>

Projects On the Horizon....The Basement and Garage

Dartball last night...I came away with 4 for 10 to hold my average at .429, a drop of just a point from last week's .430...couple of triples and the same amount of RBIs....strange thing was, we stunk as a team, but managed to come away with 3 low scoring wins. This puts us at 4-2 and tied for 1st in the South Division in the second half of the season. Next week we face our old nemesis Mouth Carmel, who, like us, has a 4-2 2nd half record....I'll miss part of that series due to basketball, but Sam should be home for a day, due to MLK Day, and he can pick up the slack.

Basketball tonight, a Junior High double header at Waynesfield...some 35 miles to the east....then tomorrow morning it's my 6 month check up at the Doc's office in Minster. It will be interesting to see what the 20 pound weight loss over the past 4 months, has done to my BP and sugar levels. Still a ways to go on the weight loss, but the Holiday Season was not the disaster it has been in the past, as my pounds lost stayed off....now I can get back to losing the final 8 or 9 pounds, and see how things work out.Projects needing done____

Patricia and I had discussed cleaning the basement and garage of the collection of "stuff" we have accumulated over the past 30 years, since our first child was born....I'm sure anybody that has been together for more than a few years, would marvel at the amount of things, useful, and useless, they have accumulated.

We have a large deep 2 car garage...Patricia still parks her van in it during the winter months...I have room on "my half" for a vehicle, but this winter have chose to keep the Buick{with cover}, the Jeep, and the Intrepid, all outside....giving me time to take stock in what I need to get rid of, either by selling or tossing, and what to keep.

Meanwhile down in the basement, another collection awaits. The basement is unfinished...and looks today much like it did in 1923 when the First Church of God built the dwelling as a Parsonage for the Pastors that would serve it's church for the next 65 years, before they picked up stakes and built a new Church on the northwest side of Celina. We are the second owners of the old Parsonage since it was sold...purchasing it in 1995. The basement is under 80% of the house, the exception being the kitchen area, which was added in 1944....that has a large crawl space under it.

Although technically "unfinished", the basement houses my shower, a TV and Cable hookup, the Food and "survival" storage area, weight room, antiques from my Grandmother's place, and my clothes, cigars, and sports official equipment....it gets used to say the least. But it still has plenty of "stuff" that has to go. With the boys and Anissa moved out, more or less{Anissa home at least once a week, and Sam still residing here when Ohio State is out of session}...we have to figure out what to do with their "stuff" Most of Hal's is in the garage...and he can't take it to his apartment, just not enough room, meanwhile Sam's goods are in his bedroom, and the basement...so the logistics still remain to be worked out...but worked out they will be, by hook or crook.

Thus the projects that need to be taken care of before Spring has Sprung....The work in the basement has begun, the garage will wait until the ice melts....I'm not doing much in the unheated garage this time of year. Hopefully by the time Fall 2010 comes around...the photos you see, will show a lot less clutter.

Back Later>>>>

Photos-"Project Clear The Clutter"...Top-The Cigars will remain, but not sure what else will be kept in the basement and garage or sold or tossed....as you can see, much needs to be done, and many decisions to be made....Stayed Tuned!

Indisputable Facts of Life/Winter Stomps Out Global Warming!

The steady cold along with lite snow continued over the weekend....after the 6 inches of lite snow on Thursday into Friday Morning, the weekend saw some flurries, along with the cold weather...overnight temps hovering around the zero mark, while highs were in the teens and 20s. Yesterday however did see a warming sunshine, pretty unusual for a January day...the sun seldom seems to warm things, but yesterday appeared to be an exception.

The nation continues to be in a deep freeze, including south Florida. I remember growing up on the Gulf of Mexico city of Venice, Florida, back in the 1950s and early 60s...on occasion we would get a hard freeze, usually in the upper 20s, which would sometimes put the citrus crop in danger. Those days however, would usually warm to the 50s and 60s by mid afternoon, and seldom lasted more than a couple of days at a time. One of our kicks back then was for me and older brother Mike to grab a firecracker and set it in the front yard bird bath on School Street, light it, and blow up the ice on the top....if I were to do that today in western Ohio, our back yard bird bath would be blown up in total. No thin skin of ice in the dog dishes and outdoors these days...we have not been above freezing in quite awhile. We may however, hit the mid 30s by Thursday, but only for a day or 2. Man Made Global Warming Continues?... sure it does.

Europe is being beset by heavy snow and record cold temperatures...hope they love that Global Warming, after all, they love the socialised life over there, and fell into the climate change by man BS long ago.

The Weekend Past____

After getting my game snowed out on Thursday at St. Marys, the schedule returned to normal by Friday night...I traveled to Lima to officiate the Junior Varsity game between Lima Central Catholic and Delphos Jefferson. After a close first half LCC pulled away for a 14 point victory...the varsity contest went the same way. Saturday, Nick decided to go with me to Ottawa for a double header that I had slated at Ottawa-Glandorf High School. I was contracted to do a Freshman/JV Double Header, quite a workout was in store. Despite blowing a few calls, the games went without a major hitch, and O-G won both in rather easy fashion{the JV game was pretty close until the last couple of minutes}.

I did get a kick midway through the JV game...after a O-G player dribbled the ball on the side line, I gave the ball to Bowling Green...as I handed the ball to the BG player, some leather lung fan yelled out "terrible call, you're too damn old to be officiating" I smiled, looked into the second row, where I saw the loud mouth...about 40 years old, with 3 chins and out of shape as you could be...thinking to myself.."Yep, I'm 60 years old, 5' 11"/188 pounds, and running up and down a basketball court for 3 hours, and I'm too old. Meanwhile you sit on your fat ass, yelling insults and at 40 years old, you probably can't walk to the door without stopping for air". I looked him in the eyes, and just smiled.....

After the games, Nick and I headed north to the Corn City of Deshler, Ohio...where our old buddy Tom Friedly calls home these days, at least in the summer and fall. Tom grooms, and trains, trotters and pacers for a racing stable in Deshler, and we decided to crash there after a bite to eat and a couple of beers. Tom is set to head to Florida to winter train the nags this Wednesday, and will be there for a few months, returning some time in May.

Nick and I got an early start Sunday and headed home....the remainder of yesterday was spent watching the 2nd day of the NFL Playoffs, with the only good game of the weekend being the last...the Overtime victory by Arizona over Green Bay. With the Bengals eliminated on Saturday{glad I was working and didn't get to see that mess}, guess I'll have a rooting interest for the Cardinals, for as long as they make a run.

Indisputable facts of life{Sarcasm alert}____

While catching bits and pieces of news and viewing life in general, there are a whole bunch of morons walking around this world, and many of them are in high places and are held in high esteem.

(1) Senate Leader Harry Reid is a moron. How can anybody that is regarded as the leader in the US Senate call the President out...with the words "Negro Dialect" and Lite Skinned African American, keep his job?

Answer: Because he's a Liberal and gets a pass for his racism...just like a former Grand Wizard of the KKK, who went on to become a senior Senator from West Virginia. All Hell would have been let loose if a GOP member of Congress or a talk radio host had said those words. Hypocrites, F**king Hypocrites, are Democrats and the left, at the very least.

(2) Parents that can't stop protecting and coddling their adult children are morons. When is it time to cut the umbilical cord on Little Johnny and Jane and let them succeed or fail on their own?

Answer: Yes, you should always go to bat for your children when needed...but in the case of former NFL Player Craig James and his wife, when are you going to let your son make it on his own? He's not exactly 10 years old any more.

Craig James, now an analyst on ESPN when whining to Texas Tech University when his football playing son Adam, was allegedly locked in a closet while the team practiced. Head Coach Mike Leach, now fired, was accused to putting Adam, suffering with a concussion, into a non-windowed training room for a couple of hours....Adam went crying to mommy and daddy, and the most successful coach in Tech history was gone.

Question? Adam, an average player, could have transferred, quit the team, etc, etc. But nope, not the son of the privileged...Little Adam went running to daddy, and got the big bad coach fired...and thus pretty much ended the Texas Tech run of success, what good player would want to play in that PC mess? My question is...Why? James can name his college, his successful dad can pay his way through about any college, and I'm sure he could have ridden the bench at most. So why not 'man up', rather than go running to Big Daddy? Such is the world of parents managing their children's lives until they, the parents, die. In some cases this in necessary{trust me I know}, but this is not one of them...let Adam grow up and grow a pair, on his own, and fail/succeed on his own merits.

(3) Parents that name their kids after American Indians, are morons. What are the odds of Dakota Washington or Cheyenne O'Brien become President? You can bet, that folks that name their children Dakota, Cheyenne, or Sierra, are morons, and almost without a doubt the mother insisted on the name.

Answer...Would you vote for a kid named Dakota for President? My guess anybody with that name would change it before running for any high office...if not they lose. The same goes for parents that insist on naming their children a somewhat common name, but change the spelling to make them seem "unique"...fat chance! Here's a hint, stick to naming your offspring Sally, Bill, Ron, or Sue...makes their lives much simpler.

(4) The Global Warming Lie is losing steam____

Despite what Obama, Al Gore, and the main stream press would have you believe...the American Public is beginning to get the facts straight. There is no Global Warming, and what climate change there may be, is not getting us any warming, and is not caused by man.

Answers: Stop believing the BS thrown at you by the main stream press, especially that you get on the NBC owned Weather and History Channels. Bet you didn't know GE Owned NBC owned those far left slanted channels, did you? Yes, the History Channel has some good stuff...but stay away from the "climate change" programs...same goes for the Weather Channel, watch the local and extended forecasts, ignore the garbage about global climate change they spew out.

(5) A full 1/4th{at least} of Americans Are Morons_____

Despite the proof and knowledge that Barack Obama is not only a liar, but a full blown Marxist, a full 25% still "Strongly" approve of the way he is running{into the ground} the country...another 20% still support him in some way:

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/obama_approval_index_history

It is indisputable that those still sticking with/worshipping the Kenyan-And-Thief are Morons....

Just my biased observations on this cold Monday morning in La-La-Land, USA...Dartball tonight, basketball at Waynesfield tomorrow....

back later>>>>

Photos-me, this morning contemplating the meaning of my 3rd cup of coffee, and life in general. Busy basketball week, past and this coming one. Global Warming is still BS, this winter certifies that one more time. And Obama, Biden, and company are for sure bankrupting the country...and yet some fools, continue to believe.

Bets Paid Off... and The Storm's Aftermath...

We ended up getting right at a half foot of lite fluffy snow yesterday and last night...it did play havoc with roads and basketball games in the area...my JV contest at St. Marys was postponed by the schools at 2 o'clock or so....tonight's game, a Boys contest, at Lima Central Catholic with Delphos Jefferson, is still on as I type this afternoon. Schools were delayed in our area, and cancelled further south, where they just don't handle the snow quite as well.

I got out and about yesterday after the game was cancelled...fired up the Snow Blower for the first time this season. It ran and did it's job great....I had tuned it up and the blades reworked in the fall, and the $85 service job was well worth the cost, even it I don't have to use it again this season{fat chance of that}. After getting mine done, I headed over to mom's and used the old fashion way...Shovel! And when that was done, I went to Anissa's place and scraped off their driveway and walk. This morning, I re-did it all over again...took a total of less than an hour this morning, as the blowing and drifting were not as bad as I thought it might be.

Now that the snow is done{except for some flurries and the wind blowing it around}, we can prepare for another dose of "Anti Global Warming"....chill factors below zero by morning, and a low down to the same by Sunday Morning....

Tomorrow I will drag Nick along with me to Ottawa-Glandorf High School for the triple header between O-G and Bowling Green. I will be doing the first 2 games, the freshman and JV Boys contests...that should be a great workout, and I expect to be dragging by the time the JV contest comes to an end. Once that is over, we will head the extra 20 miles north to Deshler, Ohio, and hook up with our old buddy Tom, the Horse Man, Friedly. We will hit the local watering hole, and stay at his place for the night, before heading home on Sunday.

Tom is wrapping up work at the horse barn for winter, and will head for central Florida for the remainder of the cold season and into May, before he returns....pretty sweet gig for a bachelor. He grooms and trains trotters and pacers in Ohio from May until January, and then warms up in Florida for the rest of the cold season.

Bets Paid Off_____

I need to give a "shout out" {Obama the Idiot's Favorite Greeting} to Ohio State Quarterback Terrelle Pryor for the paid off bet I received today.....My umpire and football officiating buddy Garry stopped by the house at Noon today with the fruits of our Football Pre-Season bet. Garry had bet me a case of beer of choice that Pryor would finish the season as one of the top 5 quarterbacks of all time in passing yardage for a season of Ohio State Football. Now anybody that follows OSU Football knows that the Buckeyes seldom have passing as their number #1 play option. Coach Jim Tressel is no Woody Hayes when it comes to disdaining the pass, but he's no Passin' Pete Carroll either.

Anyway, Pryor got off to a shaky start and never recovered his passing touch{if he ever had one} until the Rose Bowl win last week...Garry says he finished only 286 yards shy of #5, which shows you that Ohio State Quarterbacks have never really been that prolific most years. We will make the same bet next year...but for this season I will enjoy my "prize"...a case, 12 Blue Moon, and 12 Sam Adams Winter Larger.....Garry was going to grab a case of Guinness, if he won, so I don't feel bad about getting a couple of 12 packs of quality brew.

Tonight I will head to Lima....will be gone most of the weekend, but Lord willing, I'll be back later>>>>

Photos-To the victors go the spoils/my stash of winnings for the Pryor Bet. The Snow Blower sets after it's first workout of the season...and Terrelle Pryor goes wild against Oregon in the Rose Bowl, thankfully it wasn't enough to put him in the top 5 of all-time OSU passers for a season, and the Brew Winnings were mine.

White Death....Overreacting to Snow in the forecast

It never ceases to amaze me these days when a forecast calls for more than an inch or 2 of snow....people flock to Wal-Mart and the grocery stores like the end of times are here to stay. Get Real!!

The forecast for western Ohio says 1 to 4 inches today, with a total snowfall of 3 to 6 inches...now excuse me folks, this ain't a Blizzard of 78 coming at us....I'm guess they might let schools out early, and it wouldn't surprise me if the area games are cancelled for tonight...I'm scheduled to be at St. Marys for a Girls WBL contest between Lima Bath and the home standing Roughriders...but I'm prepared to see it cancelled.

Yesterday I made another trip to Columbus, picking up Sam at Ohio State, then heading for the Dayton area to purchase his replacement car...a well kept 1999 Toyota Corolla, from the family of a girl that lives in the same complex as he does in C/Bus. We headed home, then Sam decides, after doing a couple of loads of clothes, to head back to Columbus, before the pending "Storm". So he is back at OSU ahead of the "White Death"

Today, not much going on...I'm off to George's to get a haircut..do the Dartball League stats/standing for the beginning of the 2nd half of the season. Then wait out the snow and see if the games are cancelled....

For now I'm debating driving the, not so great in snow, Intrepid, that is warm and cozy, or taking the Jeep, which while cold and drafty, is solid as a rock on snowy roads and highways. Decisions, Decisions....

A Hint(baseball) of Spring___

Although the calender says January 7th, last night's mail gave me a smile, and a hint of the warm weather which will be here in due time. The new rule books and changes in regulations for the coming High School season were in the mail box....The Local and State Rules Meetings begin the middle of next month, and I am only 9 or 10 weeks away from our first scrimmages of the coming season. Even though Basketball is less than half way done, the thought of baseball season gives me hope than winter will be ending, sooner or later.

Frankly, other than listening to the insane things coming out of Obama's mouth and the nutjobs in Washington DC...there isn't a Hell of a lot to jot down today....maybe my brain freeze will thaw out tomorrow, and I'll be back then...or maybe later tonight, a light bulb will go off in the old noggin.

Back Later>>>>

Photos-The Snow is coming down, and looking out our landing window, it appears at this point(11am) we have a good 2 or 3 inches...my have to use the Snow Blower for the first time this season...and the Rules books and material for the coming baseball season arrived in the mail last night. Can spring be far behind? {Yes!}

Winter Hangs On/Cold Night Photography

The only good things about the current cold snap in Ohio and the Midwest are....it continues to make Al Gore and his soul mates like Barry Barack Obummer, look like fools as they continue to pimp for the failed lie called 'man made global warming'...Global Warming my ass, I say...

This week continues to be busy....especially for this semi-retired type right winger...between trips to Columbus(another one in about 3 hours} to get Sam settled in and pick up his replacement vehicle in Dayton, and counting double headers, I have 8 Basketball games scheduled for this week. Last night I drove a slippery 55 miles north to Antwerp to officiate a boys Junior High double dip....and a Overtime contest in the 8th grade game pushed me home about 9pm...just in time to catch the Iowa victory over Georgia Tech in the frigid Orange Bowl(about 45 degrees by game's end, more proof of Global Warming no doubt?}...Iowa's victory pushes me up to 98th place in the ESPN.Com Bowl Mania contest...out of some 273,000 entries....wins by Central Michigan and a Texas upset of Alabama should put me in the top 20 or better....even it Texas would lose I would place in the to 1/2 of 1%....

http://games.espn.go.com/bowlmania/en/entry?entryID=204926

Picking the upsets has worked out for me this year....

Winter Night Photography___

When I slid back into Celina last night after the games....I stopped along Main Street and snapped a few photos around the Mercer County Courthouse...just to see how the Fuji would work with still night photography...the results are on today's blog.

Back to Columbus____

The roads were pretty awful heading down to Columbus on Monday, to Lima Monday Night, and Antwerp last evening...today a bit of snow on top of frozen roads won't help...and tomorrow we are expecting another round of snow moving in from the west....not sure how much, but they are calling for somewhere between 2 and 6 inches, depending on where the front moves through. Not that much by any means, but for some reason, the State and Local Road crews cannot keep the highways and back roads clear...$$$ or lack of it? Either way, the plows aren't getting it done. None the less, I will take the Intrepid, rather than the Jeep...which just doesn't warm up like I would like...I rather drive in comfort, and take my chances...might be time to consider selling the Jeep, the only time it seems enjoyable to drive is in the Summer, with the top off.

I will pick up Sam at 2:30, we will head west to the Dayton area, and pay off the lady for the Toyota, and hopefully get the license, etc, for it, so he can head back to Columbus...before the Snow sets in tomorrow...otherwise he will drive it home, get the license and insurance taken care of in Celina, and race the snow back to Columbus tomorrow.....

Rest of the Week_____

Tonight is the last non-basketball day until Sunday....Tomorrow a Girls JV/League game at St. Marys, followed by a boys JV contest at Lima Central Catholic on Friday evening. Then on Saturday I head north for a Freshman/JV Boys double header between Ottawa-Glandorf and visiting Bowling Green. Nick is going to drag along with me, we will hook up with Tom the Horseman at Deshler, and down a few beers...staying there overnight, before heading back on Sunday morning. Tom gets out of this icebox next week, as he heads to Florida{maybe it will have warmed up by then} to train the trotters and pacers down there until returning in early May.

That's about all the excitement for today....back with more later.

Photo-A couple of night shots of the Mercer C0unty Courthouse that I took last night/first is a north view of the front of the historic building along Main Street, followed by a view of the west(or back) side....and my Jeep sits in the drive...it goes great in snow, but not real comfortable on long, cold drives, I'll opt for the Intrepid for the Celina to Columbus, to Dayton and back trip today.

Global Warming/ Today's Misfired Blog Post....

Yes indeed...here I go with today's post...which I accidentally typed up on my Health/Back Pain Blog. One thing about it...I'm not going back and retype it...:) To read today wondrous post...click the feed below.

http://patsbackissues.blogspot.com/2010/01/more-global-warming-skating-to-columbus.html

Sometimes I amaze myself with my knuckle headed ways......read the above link if you please, and I will be ...

back later>>>>

Photos-more shots of frozen Grand Lake this morning....

Fantasy Football and other Weekend Wanderings

In spite of the Great Global Warming scare of the 21st Century by nutjobs like Al Gore and our Illegal Kenyan Prez who has turned the White House into a Socialist Whore House...Winter is in full swing in Ohio. Temperatures are hovering around Zero this morning under a clear, cold, sky.

Rather than watch a full day of Bowl Games yesterday, I called Nick and we headed to Lima and the Allen County Fairgrounds for the monthly Gun and Knife Show. We got there about 11am and the parking lot was loaded....all four buildings were busting with people...and sellers. Not a lot of hand guns, no major dealers, but plenty of long guns and "junk"...some ammo, at about the same prices as I paid last April when I purchased the new .38 and a few boxes of shells to resupply. We stayed for a 2 hour tour, which was about enough to see all the tables, as we fought and plugged our way around the buildings....I ended up picking up a couple of holsters for the snub nose and the 5" barrel Smith and Wesson .38s.

We left and Nick wanted to stop and Sam's Club, after that hour, we stopped by The Beer Barrel at the old American Mall, and downed a couple of drafts and watched a little football, with little interest. We were back in Celina by 5 and I settled in...still not ready to watch football, or anything else on the tube.

Back to the Gun Shows this morning...this time in Fort Wayne, Indiana. I'll meet up with Pearson at the Memorial Coliseum...parking is not free, and the entry is a little more expensive, but the atmosphere is better lighted, and the isles are more open....really nothing to buy, but what the Hell? This will be my last show until at least Spring. Despite the scare stories about lack of ammo, there is some to be found, and plenty of guns from private dealers on display, or at least there was in Lima...I expect the same in Fort Wayne. In my mind, folks are hording ammo{which is good}, but there is not a big shortage...plus, if you really are worried, buy yourself a home loader, and make your own.

Fantasy Football....I'm doing all right___

I jumped into the Bowl Mania Fantasy Football contest on ESPN.COM a few weeks back, and along with some 270 thousand other nitwits, decided to make my picks straight up....so far 29 games and out of all of those thousands of people, the top score is 25 of 29...and thanks to picking plenty of upsets, I stand in 347th place, which places me in the 99.8%...with 21 of 29. Now 21 or 29 usually would be average or slightly above...but with the underdogs winning 20 of the first 29{4 more to go}...21 is in the elite:

http://games.espn.go.com/bowlmania/en/entry?entryID=204926

And my Hoot Gibson persona is among the leaders....we will see how the final 4 games go...no chance of winning the top prize of $2000, but I've got a shot at the top 100, especially if Texas continues the year of the underdog in the Championship Game come Thursday.

Holiday Breakdown____

Since I went on the 2000 calorie/225 carb a day diet on September 5th(in response to the pre-Diabetes2 blood work) I figured the Holidays would be the hardest part in the battle to get from 208 to 183. When we left for Wisconsin 2 weeks before Thanksgiving until the end of today{final weekend of the "Holiday Season"}, I have battled the urges to "pig out" with more or less success. On the day we left for Oconomowoc, November 12th, I weighed 192 pounds..this morning I weighted in at 191.2...so a total loss of 4/5th of a pound during the Christmas season...I Win! Now I can go back to losing the additional 10-12 pounds. In addition, the Blood Pressure is down significantly...from the 150/80 range to the 125/70 range. I will seek to hit the 183 goal around March 1st, and by that time I will have had a check up(sometime this month)...to see how things are going overall...so far I'm pleased to say the least.

Time for a quick breakfast, then off to the Gun Show....

back later>>>>

Photos-Sitting at #347 out of some 270,000 in my play it straight up group on ESPN...4 games to go in the Bowl Season. Plenty of AKs, Shotguns, and other long guns at Lima yesterday, not so many handguns....and what I wouldn't give to have the old collection of dad's from back in 1960 in Venice, Florida. That's me and Nick the Beagle on the floor....some of those guns remain in the family, but most were sold or traded long ago.

Ohio State Wins Rose Bowl 2010

Getting the Monkey off their backs...The Ohio State Buckeyes ended 3 straight BCS{Bowl Championship Series} loses last night, with a convincing 26-17 win over the Oregon Ducks. Terrelle Pryor, the overhyped quarterback finally lived up to some of his potential, and head coach Jim Tressel let him loose to run roughshod over the Oregon Defense.....The Bucks dominated in almost all areas of the game...to go 4-3 all time in the BCS, and win their 7th Rose Bowl all time. So far the Big Ten stands at 3 up and 2 down in this years bowl contests, with Iowa and Michigan State still to go.

Make no mistake, Pryor still has a long way to go...he can't pass long, without "lobbing" the ball, and he sometimes holds on and locks onto receivers to long...but yesterday was a big step up....we will see what next year brings.

Meanwhile the Defense led the way....Ross Homan, the Junior Linebacker from our area{Coldwater}, was once again outstanding, with several tackles and a big interception just before half that resulted in 3 points to stake OSU to a 16-10 halftime lead.

More Bowl games today...not sure how many I can watch....there is only so much sitting one can do with eyes glued to the tube, plus, with the Rose Bowl out of the way, who cares?.....Lima and Allen County{Ohio} have a gun show this weekend, as does Fort Wayne and Allen County{Indiana}...I know I'm heading for the show in Fort Wayne tomorrow to hook up with Rick, since we didn't have our annual Bowl Day yesterday, I may head to Lima this afternoon...but that remains to be seen...I'm not really sure what is on the agenda, or what I want to do.

With no Indiana Bowl Bash yesterday, I headed over to Nick's for a couple of cigars and sipped some cognac and brandy....I headed home just in time for the Rose Bowl kickoff, and was in the sack before the Florida Gators got done thumping Cincinnati.

The Week and Year Ahead____

Monday Patricia heads back to school, Sam who is in Chicago this weekend, will head back to classes at Ohio State, and I will resume basketball officiating, with games at Lima Perry, Antwerp, St Marys, Lima Central Catholic, and next Saturday at Ottawa-Glandorf. With 3 of those sessions being double headers, including a Freshman/JV Boys twin bill at O-G next weekend...it promises to be a busy and challenging week. Dartball resumes Monday, and I'll arrive late, after the games at Perry.

2010 promises to be a make or break year for America....if the economy stays in the tank, we have a good chance of getting rid of many of the liberal assclowns in Washington DC...and hopefully destroy the Presidency of the Kenyan bastard in the White House....if for no other reason, I hope nothing improves until at least the end of the 2010 elections cycle. It might be bad in the short run, but good for the Republic in the long term. With the press running cover for Obama, don't bet the farm on anything.....The American public is still a "wake up" call away from figuring out this SOB and his Administration. Let's hope, the wake up doesn't involve more Islamic Terrorist attacks...although that is more than likely, with the White House refusing to admit they have been complacent in fighting the war on terror.

back later>>>>

Photos-Terrelle Pryor ran through and passed over the Oregon Ducks defense...and local{Coldwater} product, Ross Homan, led the strong Ohio defense in stuffing the Oregon running and passing game, in the 26-17 Buckeye Rose Bowl win.

2009 Year In Review/October through December/Happy New Year!

As 2009 slipped into 2010 last night, I slipped into bed....12:03 the upstairs bedroom clock read...I had made the New Year, and I was hitting the sack...Patricia had cashed in the evening around 10, and Anissa, home for the rest of the weekend, had went up even earlier than that....what excitement?I had spent most of the day sipping on a Guinness or 2, and eating Salsa and Tostito chips...watching football bowl games, the Twilight Zone Marathon on SyFy, and flipping it over to the Hitchcock Marathon on Turner Classics...probably more TV than I have watched in a month. Rick called and we agreed to call off our annual New Years Bowl Marathon at his place in Indiana. Rick and wife, Toni, have mowed into an apartment for the rest of the winter...waiting on their new home to be built outside of Auburn on 17 acres. Moving, especially after 26 years with kids at the same location is never an easy task...the kids are moved, or in college, but their "stuff" remains....so we decided to cancel the bowl events, and meet up at the Gun Show in Fort Wayne on Sunday morning. Speaking of Gun Shows...in addition to Fort Wayne, Lima has one this weekend as well...and I plan on heading on over to that one as well....just to see how the ammo supply is doing post Obama election. Marxist Bastard!

Rose Bowl this evening...will Ohio State break their 3 year BCS Slump, by defeating Oregon? Staff tuned....I don't know if they will win, but the Defense should keep it close....upsets have been the rule of the season thus far...and it's been to my advantage...I'm sitting in the top 3 percent of all players on the ESPN Fantasy board....

2009...the final months___

October began cool and dry{global warming?}...and pretty much stayed below normal, temperature wise, for the month...football officiating season wound to a halt for me...although the High School Playoff season extended into December....for the first time I got in a handful of Varsity contests, as close as Minster, and as far away as Toledo...it was a fun experience, and a eye opener for someone who is used to doing under varsity games. Big difference in my experience from baseball...in that sport I do almost all Varsity and higher levels, in football, and basketball, I'm all over the place, from low levels to highest, and it is a different view.

My Sunflowers came to harvest, and I came up with some large, productive ones. The squirrels and birds seem to be enjoying the fruits of my labor....I will plant more of them next season, which in my mind, can't come soon enough.

Nick and I planned our annual northeast Michigan fishing and beer drinking trip to the Au Sable/Lake Huron area....we left at the end of October. Unlike last year, this season we didn't hit the spot on time...so the fishing, while fun, was not productive. We did however find a new place to stay, right on the Lake, and just a stone's throw from Oscoda and the Au Sable River....plenty of good food, good cigars, Drambuie, and Beer were the fare of the 4 days....

November_____

When we came back it was November...a good month for Conservatives, as the Kenyan King, Barack Obama's poll numbers continued to fall, and many Americans realized he was nothing more than a Used Car Salesman with a cool suit....as a President, this guy is a major disaster for the Republic...throw in his Cabinet, Congress, and Harry Reid, you have a major Cluster Fox Trot ruining the country. The GOP made some inroads...but the fat lady hasn't sung just yet...more to come next November.

Patricia, Anissa, and I headed to Wisconsin mid month for our annual pre-Thanksgiving trip...my weight loss continued, and Blood Pressure numbers continued to fall. I was down to 190 by months end.

I headed to the Houseworth Family's old stomping grounds at Waldo, Ohio, on 2 occasions....once to meet up with an old friend who I had not seen in a decade...Bill Clem. We hooked up at the famous G&R Tavern, and down some beers, bs, and baloney sandwiches....good fare, and unlike your normal deli bologna. Later in the month, after oldest son Sam had totaled his car...Nick and I headed to Columbus, and made a stop in Waldo, so I could treat him to some of the G&R goodies....Sam survived his car crash...I'm sure when the insurance bill comes due, his wallet may not.

Ohio State defeated Michigan again...7 times in 8 years under Jim Tressel...and clinched the Big Ten Championship with a win over Iowa...the Rose Bowl is the reward, and that takes place this afternoon against Oregon.

December_____

December saw the holidays approach...Hal and Sam both made appearances home, Hal for a couple of short stays, Sam for the Fall/Winter break from Ohio State....Anissa had moved into a house of her own, with roommate, and 24/7 supervision in November, and now was spending only a night or 2 at home with us....after this weekend, the real empty nest will set in. Sam back at Columbus, Hal in the Dayton area, and Anissa home only 1 night or so a week....it will be different.

On the national scene...Islamic trash continued their assault on the American Republic, while Barry Barack Obama continued to insist that Islamics were peaceful and our problems were all Bush's fault....almost 1 full year in office, and this son of a bitch still doesn't realize...he, and his liberal buds, are all of our problems. First the Fort Hood massacre, then some African Islamic of privilege, burns his balls off over Detroit as he was trying to set a planeload of passengers on fire. Meanwhile, The Obummer, and Queen Michelle Antoinette, play in Hawaii on the Tax Payers dime.

Dartball, which started in November, finished up the first half of the season...St Johns did not have a good half, the older players were not hitting to par, and the younger kids, are, well, still kids....I did alright, hitting .427 for the first half, and sitting in 3rd in batting average at the end of the first half.

2010____

Who knows what might lay ahead for the coming year...one thing for sure is, Obama and Company will continue their assualts on the American people and our rights, under both the 1st and 2nd Amendments. They will also continue, along with Pelosi and Reid, to make inroads into our pocketbooks...health care, and cap and trade, are coming at the American people like a freight train...be prepared.

Personally, I make no predictions or resolutions....however, I will continue to be trying to control the weight(down 20 pounds so far) and Blood Pressure(down from 150/80 to 125/75)...in the battle to stave off Diabetes 2.

My best to all(except Liberal politicians and burea-rats who can roast in Hell for all I care)...who may stop by these pages...

back later>>>>

Photos-I managed to shed 20 pounds(10 more to go) and my facial hair(for only the 3rd time in 40 years) as fall turned to winter...I've since decided to grow the mustache back...for now. The largest of my 30+ Giant Sunflowers I grew in the back yard and kennel area....Sunrise on Lake Huron and a early November morning on the Au Sable River...Nick and me enjoying a Drambuie and Cigars on our Michigan Fishing Trip. And the Famous G&R Tavern and some of the fare on one of my 2 visits to the old family town of Waldo, Ohio.