Celebrity Look-Alikes

Flo Evans from "Good Times" (Esther Rolle) and David Ortiz.

p.s. - I'm not the first to make this connection. After some searching it turns out that one of David Ortiz's nicknames is "Flo," and several blogs have pointed this out. Still, when I saw a photo of Esther Rolle recently I couldn't help myself. It needs to be posted. As much as possible.

Here's another shot:

This thing is over

I have been following our election rather closely over the past month. Last week I came to the conclusion that this presidential race is officially over. I refrained from making any declarations for fear of sabotaging the outcome, but then realized that I'm not superstitious. Obama wins big. Anytime you hear pundits talking about Indiana being a possible swing state, you know that there is a lopsided victory in the making. It will be pretty historic, and McCain is digging himself into a deeper and deeper hole by going negative. Essentially he's saying: "I have no real economic plan, well, wait–I have a plan, but it's for the rich, and I can't get elected on that plan, so I'm going to attack the character of my opponent to try to cast some doubt." Maybe his campaign is confusing tactics with strategy. They trot out a lot of tactics, but they seem to have no real strategy.

One week it's about the economy, the next it's about character, then it's about abortion, and this week it will be about experience. But it's all based on fear, and I think people are tired of hearing it. I look for the McCain campaign to trot out about two or three more tactics before this is over, and I don't think it will make much difference. Their decisions have proven disastrous to the campaign, making Obama's look consistent and stable.

According to the polls (and my new favorite projection site, fivethirtyeight.com), McCain will have to win ALL of the swing states up for grabs, and then a current projected blue state or two to win. Thanks to Obama, McCain now has to spend a lot of time in traditionally red Virginia and NC, which cuts into his appearances in other swing states.

Overcoming a double-digit deficit late in the game isn't impossible, but it hasn't been done since Reagan over Carter in 1980, and that was the ONLY time since Gallup polling (1936) that it happened this late in the season. It looks like Obama's riding a wave that's bashing McCain. No matter what the Maverick does, he buries himself deeper. Where's Goose?

It's over, folks.

Six weeks on one tank of gas

I am undertaking a challenge to see if I can go six weeks before filling the tank on my Nissan Maxima. First of all, you should know that I live in the metro area, so everything is close by. I freelance out of my house, so I don't commute to work. Daycare is a mile away. School is a mile away. I have three grocery stores, a Walgreens, US Bank, Chinese take-out, 3 pizza joints, and a few liquor stores all within blocks of our house. So the challenge isn't as steep as it may seem.

But there are a lot of little trips. And those trips all add up and eat away at my tank. Right now I'm going about three weeks between refuels on what I would call "normal" usage. I think I can double that average if I plan out trips and eliminate unnecessary excursions around town.

I filled my tank on October 8th. That means I have to make it to November 19th before refueling. Look for super exciting weekly posts on my progress, because I know that this will be a compelling and gripping saga.

The Beekeeper

My wife wants to keep bees with Queen Latifah.

John McPenguin

This clip needs no introduction, nor does it need any explanation.

Is This Love

I wanna love you and treat you right;
I wanna love you every day and every night:
Well be together with a roof right over our heads;
Well share the shelter of my single bed;
Well share the same room, yeah! - for jah provide the bread.
Is this love - is this love - is this love -
Is this love that Im feelin?
Is this love - is this love - is this love -
Is this love that Im feelin?
I wanna know - wanna know - wanna know now!
I got to know - got to know - got to know now!

I-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i - Im willing and able,
So I throw my cards on your table!
I wanna love you - I wanna love and treat - love and treat you right;
I wanna love you every day and every night:
Well be together, yeah! - with a roof right over our heads;
Well share the shelter, yeah, oh now! - of my single bed;
Well share the same room, yeah! - for jah provide the bread.

Is this love - is this love - is this love -
Is this love that Im feelin?
Is this love - is this love - is this love -
Is this love that Im feelin?
Wo-o-o-oah! oh yes, I know; yes, I know - yes, I know now!
Yes, I know; yes, I know - yes, I know now!

I-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i - Im willing and able,
So I throw my cards on your table!
See: I wanna love ya, I wanna love and treat ya -
Love and treat ya right.
I wanna love you every day and every night:
Well be together, with a roof right over our heads!
Well share the shelter of my single bed;
Well share the same room, yeah! jah provide the bread.
Well share the shelter of my single bed

Sausagegate

I was just made aware of this video. It pretty much sums up our news coverage in Milwaukee, and is yet another reason why I love it here.


How about that Russ Kirkpatrick coverage? My favorite part:
"... as the sausages passed the pirates dugout, the first baseman Randell Simon took a swing at the Italian sausage. Now the Italian sausage tripped and fell under another sausage as you can see there..."