Some Funny Stuff

And it's in good taste too.

To see a cartoon with the presidential candidates singing some modified Christmas carols, click here. Look for the Varvel's View section to the right, and click on Singing Candidates.

It's cute.

GHWB Working With HRC?

Can't help but wonder about this one.

Needless to say, I will be waiting to see what the former president's people will say about this comment by Bill.

Dan Fogelberg Dies At 56

Here is the story.

He had been battling cancer for quite awhile. But down the stretch, the "leader of the band" was not able to fight it anymore. He was one of the defining artists of the soft-rock genre and he will be sorely missed by everyone that knew him, as well as those that loved his music.







May he rest in peace.

Monday Morning Quarterback

Colts 21 - Raiders 14

First of all, I know it's still Sunday. But honestly I won't want to mess with this in the morning, before I trudge out in the ice and snow to go to work.

Secondly, the Colts deserved to lose to Oakland, but found a way to win. The Oakland fans have to be mad about that late no-call on Porter, in that final fourth down play for the Raiders. One offensive TD per game will not be enough to win another Super Bowl, no matter who the opponent is.

Thirdly, the Raiders deserve some real credit here. They have played their asses of defensively in a lot of games that could have gone either way. They are much better than their record indicates. They need offense. They need points. They have a way of controlling the game, but cannot score when they need to.

And finally, that's all I am going to say for now. Here is your weekly football, smack-talking, prognosticating, and arrogant bragging blog post. Now, how about those Dolphins?

New Blogroll Additions

During the last local election cycle I posted a lot on the Indianapolis mayoral race. I posted it mainly for my national and international readers; but to my pleasant surprise, it generate hundreds of hits from the Indy area (as well as hundreds from outside). Of those hundreds of hits, only one reader of those posts has commented and has become a regular.

So, today I want to introduce my readers to Obob's World, which is now a part of the PYY blogroll.



In November, I was a guest on the Blog Talk Radio program entitled The Gathering Storm, hosted by AOW and WC from The Gathering Storm blog. AOW has been on the PYY blogroll for over two years now, but I have been remiss for not showing my appreciation for the invitation, by blogrolling WC's blog. It has now been rectified.

Check them both out when you get a chance, and be sure to tell them LA sent you.

New Post at PPTOG

This past week, we endured the religi-fication of the GOP race. There was one particular instance where Rev. Huckabee posed a rhetorical question designed to cast a specific doctrinal tenet of the Mormon Church, in the same light as heresy.

What that question has to do with national security, healthcare, and other pressing issues on the horizon for the U.S., I do not not know. But my latest post at PPTOG makes an effort to answer the question. As always, feel free to read and comment if you so desire.

Another Blast From The Past

This weekend, I thought we'd promote the Christmas spirit by featuring some famous Christmas songs by some prominent rock artists from over the years. Keep in mind there are so many to cover, and choosing which ones to feature was a difficult task. Be that as it may, here are a few of my favorites:



Band Aid was one of those projects where the hearts were in the right place. I am not sure how much money this song raised at the time, or if any of it ever got to the people, it should have gone to. So, it's hard to say what effect (if any) it ever had (other than being a good Christmas tune to reflect by). The song, itself, is cause to look at how truly fortunate we are to be in the position we are in; and for sure, there's a larger question we can ask ourselves in this season. But this time it's the song that asks the question, not me. Do They Know It's Christmas Time?:



This next song is a catchy little tune that brings a positive feel to the season. The video is also worth a look. It shows a young man and his younger sister goofing around in a fun way. If you've ever had teenagers, you'll appreciate it, as it shows a true love and affection between these two siblings. But I have to tell you, if I had my brain today in their energetic bodies, I'd be dangerous. Here is Elton John's Step Into Christmas:



John Lennon was a peacenik. His vision of peace as the absence of war model, was the primary inspiration for this next song. No one with half a brain would prefer war over peace, but it's not always possible. (But still, we keep hoping.) Here is his famous Christmas song Happy Christmas (War Is Over):



One of the original rock and roll Christmas songs was by an artist by the name of Bobby Helms. When it came out, it no doubt got filed into "that loud music" category by most parents of that day. Now, those parents are mostly gone and those that first listened to this next song are now grandparents. It is now a classic, here's the one and only Jingle Bell Rock:



In a fusion of what was then old school and modern music, David Bowie and Bing Crosby sang a superb duet. It was an excellent blend of style that can live on down through the ages. Here is Little Drummer Boy/Peace On Earth:




Enjoy.

The PYY Global Warming Challenge

Give me Al Gore and this guy in a room and let me ask some questions.

Let's just see who wins the debate using real science. This link contains some in-depth analysis and is a lengthy, involved read. So, check it out when you are bored or snowed in.

But we all know Al wouldn't want to debate a scientist. His pastorship would be in jeopardy, his flock would be sorely disappointed, he'd lose everything and have to actually do some real work for a change.

I can almost bet that anyone that is a proponent of man-made global warming will take a look at this writer and disregard his credentials, because he "only has a master's degree". But that's okay, his masters is in science and he is using good scientific data to refute the entire crux of non-scientist theory like the ones put out by Gore Inc.

Message to Al: If I could rent a hall downtown--somewhere--for a debate with this guy (or someone else with a masters degree in science) are you game?

Recommended Reading

Mustang at Social Sense has made a good case, as to why socialism would not work so well here in the United States. If you have time, it's definitely something to read and consider.


AC at Fore Left tells us why he's disappointed in Congress and links to others that are too.


An editorial in the SD Union-Tribune sees the return of Czarist Russia, working it's way back to absolutism. The only thing missing is the principle of divine right. Or is it?


Tom Bevan of RCP has a question for Mike Huckabee. And from I am sitting, it's a valid one.


The big 2008 Election story of the week has to be the fall of Hillary Clinton. (That and the surge of Huckabee.)

Another Interesting Trans-Atlantic Discussion

Flocon never disappoints. Here, he has generated the makings of another interesting debate and discussion on imperialism. Take a look and drop a thought in the form of a comment, when you get time, if you wish.