It's The Stupid Economy

In 1992 then Clinton advisor James Carville coined the mantra "It's the economy, stupid!" and it was that focus that helped lead to a democratic victory. Now 8 years of the Bush regime is leaving behind such a monumental mess that no catchphrase can hope to narrow the issues down to a singularity.



I have to hand it to both McCain and Obama though...wanting to preside over this is either a sign of great patriotism and leadership or deluded, masochistic, madness.



As always I like to look for the silver lining. It now appears that I, a musician with grade 10 math and no backround in economics could have done just a good a job at running the major US financial institutions as the now disgraced CEOs and their henchmen and from the looks of things I have more than what it takes to be vice president of the world's most powerful nation. Those are couple of pretty nifty feathers in my cap if I say so myself!!

Most of us are dazed by the continuing stream of bad financial news. I wouldn't know a derivative from a T Bill (but I could learn if the money was right!!) so here are a couple of educational clips: http://watch.thecomedynetwork.ca/the-colbert-report/full-episodes/#clip93989

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94928783 (click on "Listen now" for the story...warning: not funny but with moments of brilliance)



More troubling still is Sarah Palin and her visit to New York. It was a whirlwind trip with a visit to the UN (including a reporter free meet 'n' greet with several world leaders and a 40 minute interview with Katie Couric on CBS news).


Only a week earlier she sat down at ABC and blanked on the meaning of the term "The Bush Doctrine". I believe that the definition is "government by the doggedly dumb" or a stupocracy and if anything, the Couric stint proves that Palin lives by this philosophy in a way that neo-cons could have hardly dreamed of back when she was just a minor governor/former small town mayor/beauty queen/high school mean girl.
Check out the interview here: (warning: this is extremely painful and may cause gagging)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cP12aNzocSc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WkCZV83Cp8&feature=related

Remember that this woman, if elected, will be only a wayward blood clot or a piece of bad chicken (very bad chicken) away from being president. A bold but shortsighted gamble by McCain has failed...watch for Palin to drop out, ostensibly to devote more time to her family.
If they do win watch for tens of thousands of Americans to stream north of the border to escape the stupidity. I for one will welcome these "daft dodgers" with open arms.

A Dog's Life

My elderly neighbor Lily sent this along and it's so beautiful that I had to reprint it. Lily, pictured here with her dog Garner, is recovering from a hand injury she got while greasing a bundt pan. Garner is always at her side.....






The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker's Death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are Shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."
Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation. He said, "People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life -- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?"


The Six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."


Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.


Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:


When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure Ecstasy.
Take naps
Stretch before rising.
Run, romp, and play daily.
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you're not.
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.


ENJOY EVERY MOMENT





Hi....Nan here again and wasn't that beautiful. I cry every time I read it and look who's home!! PAM!! What's the matter honey??...you look a little glum.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Nan Wilkinson has stopped writing mid-post. Apparently the news is not good and unconfirmed reports assert that 16 yr. old daughter Pam is 4 months pregnant. As luck would have it Blob is leaving rehab after completing only 7 of the 12 steps and is prepared to wade back in, so without further ado:





Wow...it's great to be back but frankly, it's great to be anywhwere other than that Godforsaken rehab centre (BTW thanks to all the staff and especially nurse Gretchen for helping me get back on my feet). I'm deeply sorry about this whole Nan Wilkinson business but certain people who shall remain nameless made decisions without asking me first and they have been justifiably let go. So here I am once again and not a moment too soon!!
That dog post almost made me gag.....not that dogs aren't great, loyal, and loving creatures but the internet has way too much of that maudlin tripe flying around. Here are a few of my internet style Dog Rules for a Better Life:

• If you can reach your balls with your own mouth, go for it!!
• Being rubbed the wrong way is a perfectly good reason to maul a 2 year old.
• By all means...eat feces!
• Take time to stop and smell people's vaginas.
• It's OK if you don't understand anything.
• Just because you're tied to a tree doesn't mean you can't chase birds.
• If they put you in booties and a sweater don't bother marking your territory...you won't fool anybody.

I'll be back soon to tie up a couple of loose ends that Nan left and then hopefully things will be back to normal

Good Clean Fun

It's been a long weekend and frankly I'm exhausted from all the disclosing and explaining with regards to my family. I've taken a few minutes to look at The Blob archives and it seems like fun is right up there on the priority list even though there's alot I don't get and a certain amount of off-colored material that I simply hate. Nevertheless I can have fun too and with that in mind I'll tell you about our last vacation.
Jim and I went to the Atlantic City of Germany...Baden Baden, and had a wonderful time!! We saw among other things, Max Raabe and his fabulous orchestra that simply made me swoon. This is great music from the early 40's, the golden age of the German dance hall. Those must've been such wonderful and carefree days to be in Germany.
I also noticed that on The Blob there is a lot of information about the trombone, an instrument that frankly I had never paid much mind to. A while back on America's Got Talent I was amazed and amused by this young man http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=T9G3TPGGomI&feature=related who surely must be the best trombonist around judging by the audience reponse and the panel's reaction! Please notice as well the great botox job on David Haselhoff's (we saw his show in Germany too) upper lip. That man is a dream and a half with talent to spare!!!!
Well...enough fun for one night. I'll be waiting up for Pam who said she's out for a soda pop with her friend Sally (awfully late for a school night if you ask me) and in a few hours I'll be trying to wake Stephan again. Night all.

About the Boy

It seems there's been a general clamor for information about me from some of The Blob's regular readers. Granted, in my circle of friends I'm known as "the interesting one", but all this attention has got me a tad flustered.

The internet seems to attract the strangest people but I'll have none of it. Still though, that Sarah Palin is so inspiring and if she can come forth will all sorts of info about her family, the joys and sorrows, triumphs and setbacks, then so can little old I.

This brings me to my son Stephan. At fourteen he was an eager highschool freshman, husky and robust with a huge appetite for life and my famous sheperd's pie. He was a starting linebacker for the Saints and had a solid B average. Then came the hip pointer that never really healed. By 10th grade he had to give up football completely and now as a senior...well, things aren't going so well. He kind of got involved with some iffy kids. You know the type, rock music, permissive parents, video games etc. Now we barely ever see him, he comes home from school and holes himself up in his room, doesn't eat, rarely talks to us and when he does insists that we call him "Hunter" of all things!! Jim has taken the belt to him on more than one occasion but even that doesn't do any good. Our pastor says it's just a phase and has had Stephan over to his house for counselling...still no sign of improvement. If any of you out there have had similar experiences and can offer a mother some help it would be most appreciated. Frankly I'm at my wits end.

Jim even got him the manager job on the football team but Stephan would have none of it so in my desperation I let him do some scrapbooking. It's always helpful to me when I'm blue so I encouraged Steph to do a self portrait. I present it to you without comment but with a heavy heart. I get my strength these days from Governor Palin and the Lord. In my book that's a winning combination if ever there was one!!!

Wonderful Woman - Terrible Man

Before I get to the meat and potatoes of this post I'd just like to thank you all for bearing with me during this hectic "back to school" week. As busy as I've been though I've still managed to set aside some time for scrapbooking. It's an important activity that helps me to chronicle the everyday life of the Wilkinson clan in a fun and artistic way. The local craft store; "Crafty Lady" (don't you just love the name ;o) has all sorts of kits that help me with layouts and ideas. Here's a good example dealing with Pam returning to circus school for her sophomore year.

She's such a wonderful child and as limber as all get out...don't you think?? She always turns heads at Sunday sevices with her blond hair (courtesy of Jim) and her slim waist (thanks to yours truly I guess!!) and is quite popular at school or so I'm told!!

I do go on don't I but if a Mom can't brag about her own children then I don't know what this world's come to.

The real reason I'm writing today is because of how proud I am to be a woman in America after the nomination of Sarah Palin. Now I was as ignorant about her as anyone else just a week ago but she came on like gangbusters at the Republican national convention and her tough mindedness and homespun ways are just what this country needs!

As for the terrible man I mentioned in the title let's just say that staying up past 11 was a mistake. I just happened to flip over to the Comedy network when this Jon Stewart fellow was starting his show. I've seen him in some magazines but can't say that I've ever seen him perform...what a rude and obscene man. Here is a clip of him and let me just warn you that it is vulgar in parts and for adults only. I include it to educate the public about the trash that is out there....beware!!

http://watch.thecomedynetwork.ca/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart/full-episodes/september-4-2008/

MMMMM Cold Turkey!!!

This may have to be brief....the night staff is just coming on and I managed to get into an unused office. Still there will be mentors, janitors, and nurses lurking so let's get right down to it. I'm sorry....there I said it!! I apologize for being weak, caving into temptation and leaving all my readers in the lurch and what's worse, with that Nan Wilkinson creature.

I agreed to be part of that Better Homes and Gardens contest with the honest intention of increasing my readership but then the bad luck hit. You'd think that my editors in tandem with the magazine people would have done a better job at vetting my replacement and get someone who thinks a little more like I do but noooo...they had to get get some right wing Betty Crocker type and there's more. A simple google search would have indicated her German heritage (and I have nothing against the German people except the Holocaust and David Hasselhoff). It took me 30 seconds to find out that her maiden name was Goring, changed from Goerring, and while she was not related to the infamous nazi Hermann I still find it unsettling, especially in my fragile state.

Her grandfather, a traveling vaudevillian, went by the stage name of Baron Von Guggenheimer and performed as part of a comedy duo with the famed Jewish singing cowboy "Tuck" Weiner, so named for the habit of protecting his family jewels on stage after an unfortunate incident with a can-can dancer.

I'm not sure when I'll be able to get to a computer again but rest assured that I'll post. I've been clean for a week now and can go as much as two hours without anagramming in my head. To keep us from thinking about words they show us a lot of porn and give us nachos and it seems to be working!! Maybe I'll have a little look-see at my Facebook page while I'm here...see how my friends are doing....I wonder who's doing well in Scramble since I left??

Anyways....oh shit somebody's coming...gotta g

Another Public Service Announcement

With the Blobster still in rehab recovering from a scramble/boggle word game addiction relapse perhaps this is a good time to think about the issue. Sure The Blob is all about fun and games but as in all avenues of human pursuit, here too, moderation is the key.

If you find that you can't look at a word without trying to rearrange its letters, if the notion that there is no anagram for the word "sex" turns you off of sex or if the sight or sound of letter cubes give you an erection that last more than 4 hours then perhaps it's time for you too to seek treatment. Let's take a page out of The Blob playbook and take action before it's too late!!

New Beginnings

Greetings to all. Nan here with my very first post and I couldn't be more excited and more beholden to the good people at "Better Homes and Gardens" for choosing me to replace Blob while he's in rehab. You may have noticed some slight changes to the title area....just sprucing things up a bit with the famous Wilkinson touch (more to come as I familiarize myself with the computer...thanks to my son Stephan for his patient tutoring. An extra brownie in your lunch son!!)

Where to begin? I suppose labor day is as good a place as any and the holiday weekend was quite the celebration! We had the folks (Gramps and Sylvia) over and had our traditional backyard picnic BBQ with my famous One Bean Salad (I find mixing bean types to be extravagant) and enough chicken wings to fly us all to Kansas!! Jim was on BBQ detail as usual and managed to outdo himself once again! He is so deft with a spatula and tongs...it truly is something to see and was one of the reasons I was first attracted to him at the Mt. Pleasant High homecoming rally all those years ago.

Anyways, enough about me. September is upon us and so is a new school year. Stephan will be a senior at Mt. Pleasant and will be managing the Saints...the hip pointer is still bothering him so he won't be suiting up. It's quite a shame since he so loves football but at least he'll still be involved with the team.

Pam will be starting her 2nd year of circus school and her hip pointer is all but a thing of the past!!

On a more serious note the editors at The Blob had warned about certain contributors and their vulgarity. It's always been my philosophy that this sort of behavior is best disregarded...you wouldn't throw away a whole meatloaf just because a fly landed on it now would you?? People such as Maria Callous (Pam says she must be a slut) and the very strange Bonemikester (clearly under the influence of some unsavory beverage or another, probably a simpleton easily swayed towards viceful ways...I'll pray for them both) won't stop me from using this forum to spread good cheer and good recipes. Still though I must try to maintain a semblance of the tone that Blob established to keep his readers happy so here's a little off colored joke to close things out:

Incompatability is the secret to a good marriage...as long as he has income and she is "pat"-able!!

Have a great day!!