HARK! I Hear DREADFUL Noises!

But alas, it was just a Christmas Eve nightmare.  At least Christmas gives us a nice 24-hour respite from the voices of the disgusting American politicians of both ilks who currently threaten to ram this country right straight down to hell.  But never fear -- they'll be right back at it come Wednesday.

No Country for Dart Fans Who Look Like Jesus: "Christ Lookalike" Gets Tossed from British Darts Tournament!

And right before Christmas!  No, this wasn't some public school event in the States, but instead a hugely attended and privately sponsored "darts tournament" in the UK...

And while it's not clear whether 33-year-old Nathan Grindal (a spectator at the event; pictured at top) intentionally sported his bushy divine get-up in order to distract the two championship round competitors, event staff said that was irrelevant...

That's since once the darts tournament crowd of 4,500 people burst into "raucous" chants of "Jesus! Jesus!", event organizers had heard and seen enough (link below), putting a bullseye on the joint's exits with this Fake Almighty's name written all over it.

But even this phoney Son of God's ejection hasn't stopped tempers from darting over the top.  Grindal is said to be "quite cross" over his treatment (Elton John over there!), while tournament champion Phil Taylor apparently wants a piece of the Lord:

"If I ever see Jesus [Grindal] again, I'll crucify him myself," this scrooge Taylor allegedly pledged.  Some folks just can't get into the Reason for the Season.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/15/nathan-grindal-jesus-kicked-out-darts-tournament_n_2307796.html?utm_hp_ref=weird-news

BROAD BLOTTER (Inaugural Edition): Coco Does Vegas; Kerry Defends Django; & Paz Poses in Playboy!

I'd like to introduce right now a new segment into TIR, as I give you my first dose of the "Broad Blotter" -- focusing on 2, 3 or more hot broads and providing an update on them and their ample assets...

This feature may (or may not) appear in this space from time to time (translation: when I gots nothing else or better to write about), but here goes the premiere installment (links at bottom):

1. Apparently leaving behind her recent controversy that saw her caught in a slew of "racy photos" with a rapper (AP.9) who's not her husband (Ice-T), bountifully bosomed "glamour model" Coco Austin has reportedly taken only too well to the leading role in a Vegas run of the show "Peepshow." No word whether Coco's "performance" involves much of anything other than her just strutting around and shaking her big bazooms, but does it really matter?

2. Gorgeous actress Kerry Washington has shown up as the cover girl on the new "Uptown Girl," defending in an interview her choice to portray a 19th Century American slave from Africa in Quentin Tarantino's new picture, Django Unchained.  I best know this hot little number Kerry from her lead role on ABC's "Scandal" -- although I do wish she and the other characters on that show would stop talking so damn fast all the time! I'm a Middle American anachronism -- you must talk slow to me.

3. "Boardwalk Empire" star and bona fide wildchild Paz De La Huerta is taking it all off for the January/February edition of "Playboy." The third season of "Boardwalk" just wrapped up, and while S3 benefitted enormously from the introduction of hilariously psychotic mafioso character Gyp Rosetti (actor Bobby Cannavale), it also suffered from the absence of Paz -- a dame who's not only extremely hot, but also (as a special added attraction) is half deranged, both on the show and in real life. BTW, is that seaweed tuft atop her upper melon actually real?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/18/coco-austin-hot-ice-ts-wife-strips-down-peepshow_n_2321873.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2249789/Cover-girl-Kerry-Washington-shows-perfect-figure-defends-decision-play-slave-Django-Unchained.html
http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2012/12/17/boardwalk-empire-star-paz-de-la-huerta-tells-playboy-celebrate-nudity-every-day/

"Where Have You Been?" Journalism Actually Breaks Out at White House Press Conference, as ABC Reporter (Obviously Having Read this Blog) Asks Obama Tough Question on Gun Control...

ABC News White House correspondent Jake Tapper won't be getting any Christmas cards from Barry and Michelle this year. For the last question at Obama's Wednesday "press conference," Tapper basically asked Obama why he's yakking up gun control now after basically never saying or doing shit about the issue until the Sandy Hook massacre occurred...

"Where have you been?", Tapper had the unmitigated gall to ask His Majesty. Can't have that. Wonder how long before either the White House or Tapper's employer puts the ol' kibosh on Tapper's current gig?

Obama, obviously taken aback and irritated by receiving a legitimate question from the press corps, had little in retort except to spout a variation of his tired old "we inherited this mess" talking point. Smooth!

Even if Tapper is allowed to keep his position, ABC should at least ban him from reading this blog -- where one of my immediate reactions to the Connecticut massacre was to question why leftists remain largely silent on gun control almost all the time except when some horrific mass murder occurs at the hands of a gunman.

So might as well have been Rager instead of Tapper asking that question. Regardless: B-U-S-T-E-D, Obama!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/19/jake-tapper-obama-guns_n_2333532.html?utm_hp_ref=media

[Late Thursday Postscript:  Looks like ABC won't get a chance to lower the boom on Tapper, since the news came out late today that he's jumping to CNN!  How ironic (or who knows, maybe not such a coincidence) that he'd make national news for sending a rare tough question Obama's way the day before he jumped ship to a new network.  Talk about goin' out with a BANG!]

AFTER Spending Last Weekend Worrying My Head Off, I'm Just NOW Seeing Where the Vatican Has Ordained that the World Will, In Fact, NOT End this Friday. Gee, Thanks for Nothin', Pope!

Talk about end of days late and a dollar short (link below) -- and this one has much more import than a damn tardy burger and mixed drink offering.  Where was Pope with this "no Mayan apocalypse" stuff when I and millions worldwide could've actually used it?  Before loading up on 15 giant salsa vats at Sam's Club...

Before clearing out Dirty Don's Bargain Center (Raytown, Missouri) of every single over-sized can of Campbell's Vegetable Soup on the joint's shelves...

Before telling the Aldi's at 95th and Antioch that if they gots an extra pallet of Spaghetti Rings, then I'll haul the damn thing away and give 'em 90 cents on the dollar (moving pallets without a forklift is a real bitch, BTW).

Or, before buying an old heap off that crazy coot Butch down at the junkyard to use for spare auto parts for my "bug out"...

A weekend wrecked (no pun intended). And a fine how-do-ya-do to start my work week, to boot.  Anyone need a 1982 Jeep CJ-5 (sans the U-joint, rear axle, and a few other things)?

http://www.myfoxny.com/story/20318206/vatican-world-not-ending-despite-maya-prediction

HORROR in Connecticut, as Subhuman Slimeball Kills 20 Little Kids and 6 Others at a Newtown Grade School...

In terms of the most horrific American events that I can recall in my lifetime, this one would probably be second only to 9-11.  And just like the sun came up this morning, American leftist 20 percenters immediately and predictably tried to politicize the massacre with highly original calls for more gun control (never mind that Connecticut already has strict gun control laws and the sleazebucket's guns were reportedly purchased illegally -- imagine that)...

You know, where in the hell are these leftists with their gun control cries whenever a massacre or mass murder hasn't just happened?  The silence is typically deafening.  Their viewpoint might garner a lot more respect from me if it ever came out their pieholes at any time other than times like today.

So they can talk their gun control, but here's where the focus of my thoughts lies tonight:  There's no greater human tragedy than the abuse, killing, sickness or death of a young child.  And the second greatest human tragedy occurs whenever a parent has to bury a child.  Here we have both 20 times over.  It gets no sadder.

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/12/14/police-respond-to-report-of-school-shooting-in-conn/

Why Couldn't They Have Come Up With This a Bit Earlier? "Fully-Loaded Cheeseburger-Bloody Mary Has Business Booming at Milwaukee Bar"!

They're now offering this culinary delight at Sobelman's Pub & Grill in Milwaukee -- complete with "drink/burger creation garnished with shrimp, Polish sausage, cheese, pickled asparagus and sticks of leafy celery."

But alas, due to recent dietary and lifestyle changes, I'm afraid I won't be able to avail myself of the merits of this wonderful concoction.  Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop eating leafy vegetables.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2246072/Sobelmans-Pub-Milwaukee-offers-fully-loaded-bacon-cheeseburger-Bloody-Mary.html

Dog Turd Tells Cow Patty It Stinks: Leftist Writer Claims "Single BIGGEST Story of 2012" Is the gop-er party Moving to the Right!

Two things here in response to the above claim from Huffington Post leftist 20 percenter "Dan Froomkin":  First, when a "story" is a big "No Shit, Sherlock" and has been ongoing for quite awhile, that ain't exactly "news" nor newsworthy.  The gop-er party's been moving more to the right?  Stop the Press!  The Biggest News Story of 2012!!  Or not.

Second, what we've consistenly seen throughout the 12 rotten years of the current century has been both of these two crummy parties moving incessantly farther towards their extreme bases.  In short, there's little place in either party for anything but the most devoted of ideologues anymore. 

And for a democrat party leftist to accuse the gop-ers of moving more to the extreme would be a bit like Henry "Pigsnout" Waxman accusing John "Party Time" Boehner's tan of impersonating a circus freak.  "Froomkin":  Hypocrite.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2012/12/the-single-biggest-story-of-151570.html?hp=l9

Letting the Nuts Run the Asylum: U.S. House Votes 398-1 to Eliminate the Word "Lunatic" from Federal Legislation, With Only One Sane Voice in the Joint...

$16 trillion in national debt, but gop-er and democrat party goofs in Congress have more important things to worry about, such as the presence of the word "lunatic" in federal legislation.  In fact, the measure passed 398-1 late last week...

Immediately one wonders, who was the "1"?  And is that person really a staunch proponent of the word "lunatic"?  Turns out that the one dissenting vote was from gop-er Louie Gohmert of Texas (pictured above), and dude's actually apparently no fan of "lunatics" -- leastways not the kind that he has to deal with.  Said Gohmert:

"Not only should we not eliminate the word 'lunatic' from federal law when the most pressing issue of the day is saving our country from bankruptcy, we should use the word to describe the people who want to continue with business as usual in Washington."

Right on.  Probably could've said it only a little better myself. But let's get past the issue of why in the hell Congress is wasting time on such silliness. Another issue: If you're to get rid of "lunatic," what should it be replaced with?

I guess "whack job," "nut job," "oddball," "kook," "creep" and "loon" are out of the question given the hyper-sensitivity and extreme political correctness of the current rotten age.  But how about "maniac"? Melikes it. Or "psycho"?  "Madman"?  Those ain't so bad, no?

Or, if we feel the need to be particularly courteous and overly respectful, then how about "odd fellow."  I'm really likin' that one. So there you go, Congress. Now how 'bout that debt?

http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/12/06/house-passes-measure-removing-word-lunatic-from-federal-law/

Fiscal Cliff/Schmiscal Cliff: My Best Advice on that Ongoing Story Is to Ignore It for the Next 2-3 Weeks...

We're not going off the "fiscal cliff."  The chances are about 95% or greater that the deranged right-winger gop-ers and Obama and his leftist 20 percenter democrat party will reach a compromise agreement to avert the full effect of the significant tax hikes and federal spending cuts that are currently set to take force in early 2013 (i.e., the so-called "fiscal cliff")...

But here's the thing.  That agreement is not likely to be reached until the very last minute, meaning the last week of December.  Until then, you'll see day after day of endless, sleep-inducing "stories" about partisan posturing, alleged "negotiations," and "fears" that we might actually "go off the cliff!"

Ignore it.  Pay attention in 2-3 weeks, but no need to waste your time now.  If the gop-ers had more of a hard-right-winger House Speaker than John "Party Time" Boehner, then there might be more of a risk of "going off the cliff."  But all indications are that Boehner and a strong sect of his fellow gop-ers are very committed to ultimately reaching an agreement, lest they be blamed by the advocate "mainstream" media for failing to do so (which they would be).

Regardless, once an agreement is reached, it still changes very little.  It doesn't change the stifling and ever-growing $16 trillion national debt and $1 trillion plus annual budget deficits amassed during the Obama and W Bush years that neither of these two awful rotten parties cares anything about getting under control.

So others can waste time following the daily minutia of the "fiscal cliff story" this month. I think I'll watch my DVR'd episodes of F/X's "American Horror Story" instead.  That show's not nearly as frightening, after all, as what's been going on in Washington the past 12 years.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57557326/fiscal-cliff-talks-frozen-obama-lobbies-big-business/

No Eats on the Streets: Huron, South Dakota Bans Eating While Driving As Part of Its "Distracted Driving" Ordinance. Good For Them!...

...But why stop there?  There are a lot of potentially "distracting" behaviors that can occur on the road that could also conceivably lead to an accident.  I would urge the City of Huron to consider the following 10 actions for inclusion in the City ordinance:

1.  Passing gas while driving (especially following a Taco Bell border run): Crassly cuttin' the cheese is sure to garner the scorn of most passengers, thereby distracting the driver while he tries to devise lame excuses for the stench he's just wrought.

2.  Whacking mailboxes with a bat while driving:  Those three seconds looking in the rear-view mirror to check out the carnage can make all the difference between life and death on the open road.

3.  Receiving a Lewinsky while driving:  It's akin to installing a small glass elevator on your lap with incessant traffic back and forth between the penthouse and the sub-basement. Who can focus on the road?!?

4.  Giving a Lewinsky while driving:  Might as well let Stevie Wonder take the wheel.

5.  Dancing pirouettes while driving:  And I don't care if you have the lead role in the local production of Don Quixote opening the next day.

6.  Popping porn into the DVD player while driving (especially at night):  Even if it's not distracting to you, just imagine the double-takes from passing motorists. We don't want to see that.

7.  Tossing a pie at an innocent bystander while driving:  Been there, done that. And we nearly hit the next telephone pole.

8.  Jumping over cricks and small streams while driving:  Sure, it always looked good on the old "Dukes of Hazzard" program, but do you realize how many hundreds of '69 Dodge Chargers they went through on that show?

9.  Taking gout medication while driving:  Look, if you have gout in one of your joints, you shouldn't be behind the damn wheel in the first place!

10.  Reading a newspaper while driving:  Nothing says distraction, after all, quite like cracking open the morning rag right in front of the steering wheel at 50 MPH.  But hold on a second: The linked story says the Huron ordinance already specifically bans this particular activity.  Gosh, that City sure has its ducks in a row.  Nothing gettin' past their watchful eyes over there!

http://www.keloland.com/newsdetail.cfm/huron-enacting-ban-on-texting-while-driving/?id=140742

Yawn at the Leftists: Some Left-Leaning Sports Talking Heads Predictably Try to Blame Lack of Gun Control for Jovan Belcher Murder-Suicide While Ignoring 1K-Pound Gorilla in the Room...

Perhaps even more predictable than the sun rising in the east yesterday, some left-leaning sports media figures like Bob Costas and Jason Whitlock immediately blamed the "gun culture" and lack of gun control laws for Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher whacking out his old lady baby mama and then offing himself.  How original!

Because, of course, anytime someone's killed with a gun in the United States, don't ever look to blame the slimeball perp, but instead look for an opportunity to try to fit the tragedy into the cliched, left-wing, agenda-driven, "gun control" talking point.  It's opportunistic, for sure, and it's also boring, tired, and exhibits all the original and independent thought of a first grader bathroom joke.

Not to mention, there was a report this week from Deadspin.com and the New York Post that Belcher's alleged struggles with "head injuries, alcohol and painkillers" may have played a role in his crazed, deranged behavior (link below)...

Now there, you might actually have something interesting, something worth pursuing from a journalistic perspective (leastways, I would, if I was still a journalist).  But let's not let completely fresh, cutting-edge issues (such as the expectation that NFL players play with incredible amounts of pain and lingering head and other injuries lest they wish to be released -- the "1000-pound gorilla in the room") get in the way of the same old stale talking points (e.g., "Gun Control, Baby!) that we hear every single time there's a gun-related murder.

After all, that would take a bit of effort.  A bit of individual thought.  An eschewing of the regurgitation of the typical ideology-driven talking points like so many mindless, group-thinking, Zombie-like creatures that we see in the partisan world.  But alas, that sort of thing is rarely an easy task for any person on the left or right, even if they hail from outside the political world.

In the sports realm, mind you, I would never call either the left-leaning Whitlock or Costas (both of whom I've always generally liked as sports talking heads) any sort of ideologue, but they still both disappoint here.  Whitlock usually seems to strive for original takes, even when they strain credulity -- but he utterly fails in this instance to even "sport" an ounce of originality.

And I'm disappointed in Costas too, who actually parroted a bunch of Whitlock's words instead of even coming up with his own.  You can do much better, guys, than simply sounding like everybody who's out there in the partisan hack universe.  Maybe stick to the sports next time.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/girlfriend_running_friends_belcher_OGIdPQMQWl3vKf4Jasj5EP

"Start Asking Real Questions": You Know It's Bad for the Left-Slanted "Mainstream" Media When Even a Largely Apolitical Entertainment Type Like Jay Leno Calls You Out...

During a "Tonight Show" monologue late last week, Leno noted, "This week CBS News became the first news organization besides [right-slanting] Fox News to ask President Obama 'Who changed the Benghazi talking points?'" 

[This was in reference to Obama's minions sending out flunky UN Ambassador Susan Rice to spout "The Video, The Video, The Video" as the cause of the Benghazi attack and murders on 9-11 despite the US intelligence community early on finding that it was a well planned out terrorist attack.]

Continued Leno:  "See, this is very dangerous to the White House if journalists should suddenly start asking real questions."  Ouch-O-Bama!  Since it's not exactly like Jay Leno is some bastion of right-winger groupspeak over there.

That one throws a little monkey wrench in the typical "World Is Flat" leftist 20 percenter contention that the ONLY major news outlet that's biased is Fox News -- just like the sun comes up in the west and the sun revolves around the earth, don't ya know.

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2012/11/30/leno-very-dangerous-white-house-if-journalists-should-suddenly-start

"Confident Obama Sees Path to Fiscal Cliff Win" Next Month, Is "Supremely Confident He'll Come Out on Top of a Fiscal Cliff Deal"...

[Preface: The "fiscal cliff," in a nutshell, refers to a group of federal tax hikes and significant budgetary cuts set to take effect in early 2013 if Congress doesn't act. Most economists agree these measures need to be tempered by Congress to avoid the economy slipping back into a definitional recession.]

Good to see Obama's priority is making sure he "wins" the "fiscal cliff" issue from a political perspective.  Couldn't have him out there, after all, placing his priority on such juvenile things as, say, the best interests of the American people "winning" out.

But alas, that's been the Obama we've seen for four (going on 8) devastatingly long years now:  His political fortunes first; his far leftist ideology a close second; and the American people dead last.  Not that W Bush, nor the current herd of gop-er assclowns, were/are any different or better, mind you.  These people all stink. Just wish more Americans could see and/or admit it.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1112/84333.html?hp=t1_3

A City Gone to the (Wild) Dogs? "Wild Coyotes Roam Chicago Streets," Including at the Legendary, But Now Overgrown & Dissipated, Wrigley Field...

I knew things weren't going so good in the Windy City. Hardly a day goes by when I don't read about some rampant crime story from Chicago or some other major economic or other crisis there (Tom Kane has been the worst mayor imaginable).  But I didn't know things were this bad...

The new fall NBC TV series "Revolution" exposed the sad dilapidated, overgrown state (pictured above) of historic Wrigley Field, but it gets even worse: Wild canines are now running the Chicago city streets in droves, including in and around the old ballpark (link below).

Reports MyFoxChicago.com, "wild coyotes" have been "roaming Wrigleyville streets" (pictured at top).  One local said, "I've lived here all my life and that's crazy," in response to the sight of a "pair of rather large coyotes hanging outside the ballpark looking for a snack."

And it's more than just a pair of dirty dogs:  There have also been reports of wild coyotes "running under the [Wrigley] marquee" and "near the [Cubs baseball legend] Ernie Banks statute."

Man.  Officially chalk up Chi-Town upon my list of cities where I wouldn't want to live, and damn sure don't want to visit, either. They could at least trim the damn ballpark overgrowth!

http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/20186889/coyote-sighting-in-wrigleyville-wild-animals-roam-city-streets

"BUSH III," Screams Drudge Report's Tuesday Headline Concerning a Possible 2016 Jeb Bush Presidential Run. No Thanks...

Bushes, Obamas and Clintons -- you can keep the whole damn partisan lot of 'em.  With Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton certain to seriously consider presidential runs in 2016, and with Michelle Obama likely to get involved in politics at a high level after 2016, is there any end to this American Nightmare in sight?

By 2016, we will have had nothing but Bushes, Obamas and Clintons as American presidents for 28 straight years.  America managed somehow to survive the first 12 years of what I'll call the BO-Complex (a term part in reference to the general stench of those three slimy political families), but the last 12 years of the BO-Complex have been an unmitigated disaster of horrific spending and debt (not to mention costly and ill-advised foreign wars and incursions) from which this great country may never recover.

I'm to the point where I might just take the likes of Kim Kardashian or a hairlipped hobo over another assclown president from within the BO-Complex. Enough already. And enough, as well, of gop-er threats this week as to whom they may run for president in 2016.  Don't we have enough to worry about the next four years already with a second term Obama running wild?

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/334085/exclusive-jeb-bush-meets-former-aides-near-white-house-robert-costa

Larry Hagman Passes, But the Show Will Go On: Season 2 of the New "Dallas" Still Reportedly On Track for Late January Premiere...

I was thinking about it this weekend after hearing the sad news of Larry Hagman's death: I'm not sure how they wheeled his old carcass out there at all in Season 1!  He was over 80 and has been in generally bad health for years now.  Hell, at one point in Season 1, his villianous "J.R. Ewing" character was tooling around the Cattle Baron's Ball with a damn walker!

True enough, Hagman's performance as J.R. was excellent and didn't suffer a bit, although it was clear that his poor health and age limited his on-screen time and limited his J.R. character to almost secondary character status (similar to that of fellow aging "Dallas" alum Ken Kercheval ("Cliff Barnes")).

So my initial gut reaction after hearing of Hagman's passing (i.e., "Well that's gonna be the end of 'Dallas'") was likely premature.  Indeed, word Monday (link below) is that TNT still plans to go forward with Season 2 starting January 28...

Hagman had reportedly finished shooting 6 of the new season's 15 episodes, and his death (or least that of "J.R.") will apparently be wrapped into the storyline for the second half of the season -- which itself opens up all sorts of possibilities, including (just a random guess) a "Who Shot J.R. Revisited" cliffhanger episode.

Something like that (and again, just my speculation) may necessitate partial use of a computer-generated J.R.  But that worked well for the final TV scene of Mama Soprano and all of the recent film appearances of Star Wars' "Yoda," so why not also for Hagman and his inconic J.R. Ewing?  Just please trim those nasty devil's horn eyebrows off the CGI J.R.!

http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2012/11/26/dallas-producers-at-work-on-hagman-farewell/

Politico.com From Over the Thanksgiving Weekend: "Republicans, 2016: In Full Swing"...

You know, Politico could have at least saved the threats until the holiday weekend was over.

 http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1112/84110.html

Happy Thanksgiving! Be Sure to Rack It In...

Of course I'll be having the typical Thanksgiving meal fare on Thursday afternoon, which always bores me a lot:  Turkey (tastes like cardboard); dressing (always too dry); cranberry sauce (never touch the stuff); and mashed potatoes/gravy (about the only thing I'll eat).  Banquet Meals just ain't what they used to be.  (OK, kidding.)  But...

What I'm really looking forward to are some of my own special eats on Thursday night.  I've got the following feast on tap:

• A McDonald's McRib sandwich purchased earlier this week. Nothing says holiday season quite like the McRib!


• Several leftover White Castle Slyders purchased in a Crave Case last December and since sitting and waiting in my freezer for a special occasion just like Turkey Day (!) (thinkin' of my friend Jim Gobble right now).


• Some Bloomin' Onion remnants (since frozen) from a late summer jaunt to Outback Steakhouse.  Giddy-Up.


• Perhaps a little Black Pepper Shrimp from Hy-Vee Chinese that I've been meaning to polish off over the past week. Me-needs to get that grub outtahere...


• And finally, for the coup de grace: A big box of fried chicken gizzards from local fastfood joint "Go Chicken Go." Dip them gizzards in some ranch or red sauce, and they taste just like chicken, baby!

I love Thanksgiving.

"PETA to Obama: Don't Pardon the Turkey"; Animal Rights Group Accuses Obama of "Being in Partnership with the Turkey-Killing Industry" For Going Forward with the Annual Ceremony...

[The turkey having wings is the one pictured above on the left]

That's rather odd.  While the effect of conducting the annual presidential turkey pardoning ceremony is actually to save one of "gentle, intelligent [yet tasty] birds," PETA wants Obama to have no part in the whole affair.

Obama for his part has always done the ceremony and probably will again this year -- although maybe his views have "evolved" in this area too, especially now that he's largely unaccountable (errr, in his second term).

Regardless, I have a separate question for PETA, which I've always sort of wondered:  I know your position against eating game and domesticated animals, but what say you, PETA, when it comes to the whole issue of human cannibals gettin' their grub on with fellow humans?

Do you turn a blind calf's eye to that sort of thing since there aren't really any "animals" involved (except in the most technical of senses)?

If not, and if you do oppose the practice of putting a grown man in a stew or through a meat grinder (it happens, as previously detailed in this space), then why have I never heard you say word one about it, PETA?  The silence is truly deafening over here.  Nary a gobble, gobble.

http://www.newser.com/story/157960/peta-to-obama-dont-pardon-the-turkey.html
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/268919-peta-calls-on-obama-to-skip-sorely-outdated-thanksgiving-turkey-pardon

"Why Are Retailers Ruining Thanksgiving?", Laments Website After Many Retailers Plan to Start "Black Friday" on Thursday This Year. But There's a Very Simple Solution (As Usual)...

I loved this foolishness from website Marketwatch.com early this week:

"Say goodbye to Thanksgiving -- and Black Friday while you're at it.  Retailers are wrecking holiday time for shoppers and shop workers alike. This year will see unprecedented move by the big boys of retail to open their stores earlier than ever on Thanksgiving Day, putting pressure on traditions -- from indulging in an oversize dinner to loafing around watching football -- that many families hold sacred."

Good Grief -- You'd think that "Christmas Break" had just been turned into "Winter Break" or something!

Memo to Marketwatch and anyone out there who's about to let retailers "ruin" their Thanksgiving by being "forced" to attend "Black Friday" sales on Thursday:  Then Don't Go, For Chrissakes! Stay the Hell Home! Only an idiot would let "Black Friday" sales on Thursday dictate his/her actions that day.

For the record, I'm all for finding cheap deals and sales (I Love that sort of thing!), but I've never been able to get into the mass hysteria and "everyone's doing it" mentality that is "Black Friday."  Thus, I've never gone out shopping that day. Not once. And I sure as hell won't be doing so on Thursday.

Nope, I'll be lying around stuffed, probably watching "Walking Dead" or "Boardwalk Empire" reruns, and laughing at local news coverage of all the fools out there standing in long "Black Friday" lines on Thanksgiving. I'd just like to thank them in advance for the entertainment.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/why-are-retailers-ruining-thanksgiving-2012-11-19