Merry Christmas!

To All Of My Friends And My Family

Merry Christmas!

Who Better To Welcome
The King
Of Peace
Then
The
Queen Of Soul!

Enjoy!

See you next year!

d.

Tagged by Moderate!

This little cardboard Nativity is older than I am. I think my Mother bought it at the 5 & Dime. Funny thing is, Mag's Mom bought the same exact Manger at about the same time, over 50 years ago! What we have today is a combination of the two sets, thus continuing a Tradition that had been observed in both our households.

(Lifted directly from da Mod hisself! Hey I'm lazy!)

Got "tagged" by my buddy Chuck. So here are the rules for you to follow:

Da Rulez

1. Link to the person that tagged you, and post the rules on your blog.
2. Share Christmas facts about yourself.
3. Tag seven random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs.
4. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Welcome to the Christmas edition of "Getting to Know Your Friends."

1. Wrapping or gift bags?
Wrapped.

2. Real or artificial tree?
Real, well, they used to be. Now we just put up the little artificial one seen to the right of the Manger in the photo above.

3. When do you put up the tree?
Varies. I'm not big on decorations and usually won't do squat until Mag's makes me, lol!

4. When do you take the tree down?
I try to get it done before the 4th of July so I have room for those decorations!

5. Do you like egg nog?
Only if liberaly laced with Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
The Ballad of Davey Crockett and a "coonskin" hat. I don't know if I actually got these for Christmas. I do remember driving my parents crazy with the record, especially on Saturday morning when they were trying to sleep. (See Extravaganza below, For my Dad)

7. Do you have a nativity scene?
Yep. See the picture above!

8. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
Can't say I ever received a "bad" Christmas gift since every gift was given in love and appreciation. But if pressed, I'd have to say the one Senior Drill Instructor Staff Sargent Caywood gave us Christmas Day back at Parris Island: bends and mothers forever! (Ya gotta be a Jarhead to get that one, lol!)

9. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Both

10. Favorite Christmas Movie?
Miracle On 34th Street, the original

11. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Don't really have a time, whenever I see something I think someone would like or need. The nieces and nephews throw me off tho, because their parents don't know what they want until Thanksgiving. Then I try to shop for everything online.

12. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Whatever they are serving, lol!

13. Clear lights or colored on the tree?
Colored

14. Favorite Christmas song(s)?
See next post, the Extravaganza!

15. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
Christmas Eve at Mag's Niece Mare's, Christmas Day at her Nephew Jimmie's.

16. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer?
No, can you?

17. Angel on the tree top or a star?
Angel, when we have a real tree.

18. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning?
Well, I have a tendency to give Mags her presents as I get them, lol, but generally Christmas Day.

19. Most annoying thing about this time of year?
Gauche, obnoxious light displays and rampant commercialism.

20. Do you decorate your tree in any specific theme or color?
No.

21. What do you leave for Santa?
A glass of Johnnie Black, a Bud and a a "bud", lol!

22. Least favorite holiday song?
Grandma Got Runned Over By A Reindeer

23. Favorite ornament?
Huh? See picture below, lol!

24. Family tradition?
Setting up the Nativity in the picture above. Everything else is "freestyle".

25. Ever been to Midnight Mass or late-night Christmas Eve services?
Yes.

I will be passing this "tag" on to the following blogfriends:

To All and any that wish to participate! Like I said, I'm lazy!

Merry Christmas!

d.

Welcome to...deuddersun's Christmas Extravaganza!!!!

Don't even bother putting her under the tree!
I'll unwrap her myself!

Featuring:
An Allstar lineup of

Dean Martin
Frank Sinatra
Elvis Presley
Bing Crosby
David Bowie
Bono
Luciano Pavarotti
Mariah Carey
John Lennon
Yoko Ono
The Royal Guardsmen
Run DMC
Nat King Cole
George Thorogood & The Delaware Destroyers
Perry Como
Johnny Mathis
The Association
Bill Hayes
&
That Annoying House With Lights Set to Music!


First up isn't a Christmas song, but it is dedicated to my Mags in the Spirit of the Season.

Merry Christmas Baby!

(uh...the picture above???? Just a joke Dear....Ouch!)

The Association




OKAY!

Let's kick it off with those hard rocking boys from Delaware!
Ladies & Gentlemen,

George Thorogood and the Delaware Destroyers!
(with Hank Carter on sax and John Lee Hooker as Santa!)

Now here's one for the ladies,
Miss Mariah Carey!

Hey! Mag's thinks he's great, uh, Johnny, that is!

Christmas is a tradition with us, and since we're, uh, Children of the '60's, our fondest memories are often of that period of youthful innocence. The next series of performers reflect those cherished memories we hold so dear.

This next performance is dedicated to Sissy and Marge.

We still miss you and love you more than ever!

The King
Elvis Presley!

This next performance is for my Dad. While it isn't a Christmas song, it is one I know he will remember. If you sit there and replay it a couple of hundred times you may begin to realize it's significance here!

Bill Hayes!

The next song is dedicated to Muffin and Mo.

The Smoothest, the Coolest, the One & Only
Dean Martin

This next video brings me back to my teenage years.
It's a bit of fun and while not the original, it's still good.

The Royal Guardsmen!

No Christmas in the '60's or early '70's passed without listening to
the Incomparable
Nat King Cole!

Although it hasn't snowed in Philly yet, I'm still hoping it will by Christmas morn.
I guess
I'm Dreaming Of a White Christmas!

Bing Crosby & Frank Sinatra!

When I was a teenager, you couldn't pay me to listen to these guys, now, well, I just can't seem to get enough. So one more time!

Dean & Frank
Marshmellow World

And in case we forgot, there was always someone to remind us.
Ladies and Gents,
Perry Como

As time wore on, the songs changed, but the Love remained the same.
These guys brought Rap into the mainstream.
A great beat, lyrical magic and a fine sense of humor.

The originals,

Run DMC

It is evident now that Rock & Rap are here to stay. Some of the best Christmas performances combined the old with the new. And the results were truly amazing.

Bing Crosby and David Bowie

Not only did the Old and the New blend together beautifully, the performance below shows how a world renowned Opera Star and a world renowned Rock Star could somehow team up and teach us the meaning of Christmas.

For your listening and viewing pleasure,

Luciano Pavarotti
and
Bono

There was, however, one musical message, that to me at least, seemed to sum it up. It is as relevant today as it was when they made it. I met Yoko Ono in 1985 when I worked on "John & Yoko: A Love Story", for CBS. In spite of all reports to the contrary, I found her to be an amazing woman, full of love. She was kind, gentle and courteous and she believed in what she said.

Listen to her now, with the Light of her life.

John Lennon & Yoko Ono

The next and almost last video is a prime example of what Christmas is NOT about.
Glad I don't live across the street from

The Annoying House with The Lights Set To Music!

Let's all remember that this is a time for love and peace. Perhaps the Most Wonderful Time of 'The Year.

Mr. Johnny Mathis

Last my Friends, is a song I keep dear to my heart, and I hope it is so with you as well.
No matter what may happen,
No matter Where I end up,
Well, I'll let the
Chairman of The Board tell it:

Frank Sinatra

So to all of my friends and loved ones, may you all have a very Merry Christmas, and a safe, happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!

Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night!

(This post may undergo editing up to and including Christmas Day!)

d.

Defeat Mitch McConnell

Dear VoteVets.org Supporter,

How badly do you want to send Mitch McConnell, the Senate Minority Leader, packing? Pretty bad, right? Now, how badly would you love to see an Iraq War Marine be the guy who takes McConnell's place? If you're like me, the very idea of that has you pretty pumped.

Well, I have some good news for you. Lt. Col. Andrew Horne (Ret.), a Marine who served in both the current war in Iraq and Desert Storm, has launched his campaign to beat Mitch McConnell and take this government and country back for the people. The Louisville Courier-Journal wrote of the promise Andrew holds in an editorial this weekend, saying, "Mr. Horne is a serious man, and his candidacy should be taken seriously," and "He would be a credible alternative to the incumbent."

CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT ANDREW HORNE IN HIS RACE TO BEAT MITCH MCCONNELL

While Andrew holds great promise for us this cycle, he cannot do this without your financial help. Mitch McConnell is one of the best-funded politicians in 2008, because of the support he gets from his corporate buddies. So, what's all that special interest money gotten us? Let's take just a small walk through the record of Mitch McConnell (Warning: Hold your nose):

• He led the filibuster of the Webb-Hagel "Dwell Time" amendment that would have given our exhausted troops as much time at home as in the field.

• He led the all-night filibuster of legislation that would have set us on a real change of course in Iraq, that would have allowed us to give Iraqis more responsibility, while freeing U.S. forces to take on the real threat to America -- al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

• He consistently worked his side of the aisle against the same veterans he's been fighting tooth and nail to keep in Iraq, beating back amendments to ensure a funding stream for veterans' health care, increase Veterans' medical services by closing corporate tax loopholes, and guarantee full-funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

• And, most recently, he callously quipped that we ought not feel too bad about those who died in Iraq, because, afterall, "remember, these are not draftees, these are full-time professional soldiers."

CLICK HERE TO TAKE DOWN MITCH MCCONNELL AND SUPPORT THE TROOPS

We all know these issues are going to come up in McConnell's campaign. When they do, at the debate, who do you want on the stage with McConnell to challenge him face-to-face? A politician, or a genuine patriot who served our nation in Iraq? As Andrew says, "Simply put, while Mitch McConnell carries George Bush's water on Iraq, I carried a rifle in Iraq."

That's the type of opponent that Mitch McConnell fears the most, but this can only come to pass if you get into the fight. That's why today, I'm proud to say VoteVets.org PAC endorses Andrew Horne for Senate, and why I am asking you to please give him your support.

Sincerely,

Jon Soltz
Iraq War Veteran
Chairman, VoteVets.org

P.S. The above links will take you to Andrew's donation page. If you're in Kentucky and are interested in helping his campaign, or just want to find out more, you can go to his website - www.AndrewHorne.org

Mayweather Destroys Hatton in Stunning 10th Round Knockout

Be Careful what you ask for...

Floyd Mayweather Jr., left, knocks out Ricky Hatton, of Great Britain, in the 10th round of their WBC welterweight boxing title fight at the MGM Grand hotel-casino in Las Vegas, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2007. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

You may remember the post I had up here regarding Ricky "The Hitman" Hatton's destruction of Juan Luiz Castillo some months back. It was an amazing performance, not just in the ring, but in the stands as well, where thousands of Hatton's British boxing fans, who made the journey across the pond in support of their idol, had turned foreign soil into home court advantage. At that point, Ricky was the King of the Light Welterweight division and it is where he should have stayed. He could have continued his unblemished record and retired at some future point an undefeated champion. Instead, he called out Pretty Boy Floyd Mayweather and ended up a defeated chump.

"There was more action in those four rounds than you'd have had in Floyd Mayweather's last half dozen fights.", said a laughing Ricky Hatton in the Castillo post fight interview. Unfortunately, Floyd was watching the fight at home. After that, a retired Floyd Mayweather is said to have instructed his manager to "Make the fucking fight."

Be careful what you ask for, indeed.

I knew before the fight that Ricky was biting off way more than he could chew and Mags will tell you I pretty much called it earlier in the day. 9th or 10th round knockout by Mayweather. I knew Mayweather was too accurate a puncher. I knew he was also an under-rated puncher and I knew that unless Hatton got a lucky shot in, ending the fight, Floyd's precision would eventually wear "The Hitman" down.

Nevertheless, I tuned into the $55 pay-per-view event hoping that Hatton would shut the classless, arrogant Pretty Boy down. Hatton is like a bulldog after all, and Floyd had never fought anyone with Hatton's tenacity and aggresive style. Hatton had more than a chance to win if he could keep Mayweather bottled up in a corner and unload on him, as he has done to all his previous opponents. On the other hand, Hatton has never faced the quality of opponents that Mayweather had, so there was an unknown variable thrown into the equation. So I was hoping that Hatton could do what had never been done before, shut the Pretty Boy up. What changed my mind and loyalty happened before the fight even started though. It was the obnoxious behavior of the thousands of British fans when our National Anthem was sung.

They came with a brass band and a big bass drum. They sang and beat that drum constantly from the middle of the preceeding preliminary fight until they exploded when Hatton entered the ring to his trademark song, Blue Moon. They roared with derision when Mayweather entered to Bruce Springsteen's "Born In The USA". All well and good. Support your man and deride his opponent, fair enough. It's what happened next that turned me into a Mayweather man.

After standing quietly through the British National Anthem, which was sung by has-been Rock Star "Sir" Tom Jones, (Sir?), American fans' were shocked when their British counterparts booed so loudly that you couldn't even hear Tyrese Gibson sing the Star Spangled Banner. Maybe they're still upset that we are no longer "the colonies", (after all, we did dump a bunch of their beloved tea in Boston Harbor), or maybe, as some have suggested on British boxing sites, it's just what Euro's do to each other at international sporting events, but either way, "that shit don't fly here". By drowning out our National Anthem the Brits spat in the eye of every American and at that point, dam near every American wanted to shut them up. We Americans are fanatically territorial, as evidenced in all our sports. Just try to get into a Cowboys/Eagles football game in Philly wearing a Dallas jersey and see how far you get. Yet Hatton, with his down home, good ole boy charm had managed to bridge the international gap... until his fans ruined it for him. You just don't disrespect me in my own "house", son. Not if you don't want a good asskicking to follow.

Even Hatton was not above classless antics, when, after being docked a point for hitting behind the head, he bent over and in a stupid display of emotion, wiggled his ass at Floyd Mayweather. I hope he and his fans enjoyed the moment because he would be made to pay for it in the same fashion I described above, with a good asskicking.

While Mayweather was clearly the superior fighter throughout the early rounds, his dominance really began to show in the 8th round. By the middle of the 10th, it was over, with Hatton trying to get up off the mat, his face bruised and his eye leaking blood... and, if only for a moment, that goddam drum finally silenced.

I am not going to describe the action, tune in to HBO next Saturday and you can watch it for yourself. There are also countless other articles which do better justice to the round by round action than I ever could. My point here is an issue of "class", and Hatton and his fans showed little of it.

In the post fight interviews, Mayweather showed his true colors by endlessly showering praise on his vanquished opponent. The most we could get from Hatton was a weak apology for losing and mumbled excuses. Sure, Mayweather acted obnoxiously in the pre-fight lead-up, but, hey, the name of the game is putting asses in the seats and someone has to play the role of villian. A role Floyd is emminently suited for. As his post fight compassion for his vanquished foe clearly showed though, it was a role to sell tickets, nothing more.

So you see, in the end, it was the Brits and Ricky Hatton who showed little or no class. You don't go into someone's home and insult the host. You don't behave like obnoxious, rude drunks. It's not your house, after all. And all the singing and all the drum beating couldn't lift their man to victory over a clearly superior opponent. To paraphrase an old English nursery rhyme, "All the Queen's horses(asses) and all the Queen's men, couldn't put Ricky together again" And to paraphrase the Brit's own Ricky Hatton sing-a-long, (sung to the tune of Walking In A Winter Wonderland"):

There is one Ricky Hatton!
Now yer done Ricky Hatton!
Try talking yer smack,
From flat on yer back!
Mayweather's the Champion Of The World!


And Ricky, be careful what you ask for...you just might get it!

Now limp your tired, sorry, loser asses back across the pond, Brits. History has repeated itself and the mighty British Empire has lost to the "Colonies" once more.

Oh, and take that goddam drum with you.

d.

(Yes, I am once again crossing the picket line, but, hey, this was too important to me to pass on - sorry!)




Champ



































Chump

Here's a little treat for those of you who missed it! Enjoy! Note: Every time I post a video, YouTube deletes it. My guess is copyright infringement or maybe a bunch of pissed-off, hung over Brits are complaining, wah, wah. Well as long as they keep deleting them, I'll keep finding new ones!

"Best Ever" Mayweather can walk away in style

(Great article)

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays?

I am breaking my self-imposed "strike" to wish all of my friends a very Merry Christmas, a most Happy Chanuka, an excellent Kwanza...in short, a very Happy and Healthy Holiday Season!

There are, however, some Americans who will not be able to share these special days with those they love. Some, who, a million miles from home, will gaze at the stars and wonder if their loved ones are seeing them too. Wonder if some kind of heavenly connection can be made so that the one's they miss will "feel" their love.

Forget not those who serve.

Honor the Warrior. Not the War.


Merry Christmas.


Christmas In Fallujah
Cass Dillon & Billy Joel



This song will be available on iTunes December 4th. Net proceeds to benefit Homes for our Troops.
d.

PS: Notice the "Back-up" Group? Ooh-Rah! Hat tip to the Howard Stern Radio Program on Sirius Satellite Radio

Addendum

For my Brother Spadoman, Merry Christmas!

This Blog On Strike!

In support of our Brothers and Sisters in the Writers Guild of America, this blog is on strike!

The only thing I will attend to is the business of the American Patriot Institute. To that end, I recommend the inclusion of Wordsmith in the API. Welcome home Sister and Welcome aboard!

Cafkia, did you find a picture yet? (LOL!)

Now, for those of you who don't know much about the Writer's strike and how it affects all of us who work in the "biz", here's a short primer.




Stay strong WGA, we're in it to win it!

For more information on the Writer's Strike, visit UnitedHollywood.com!

d.

World Blogger Championship Of Online Poker

I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker!

This Online Poker Tournament is a No Limit Texas Holdem event exclusive to Bloggers.

Registration code: 2505611

Congratulations Al Gore!

Ozone Man Strikes Back!

From The New Yorker Magazine, by David Remnick:


In the 1992 campaign against Bill Clinton, George H. W. Bush mocked Gore as “ozone man” and claimed, “This guy is so far out in the environmental extreme we’ll be up to our necks in owls and outta work for every American.” In the 2000 campaign, George W. Bush cracked that Gore “likes electric cars. He just doesn’t like making electricity.” The younger Bush, a classic schoolyard bully with a contempt for intellect, demanded that Gore “explain what he meant by some of the things” in his 1992 book, “Earth in the Balance”—and then unashamedly admitted that he had never read it. A book that the President did eventually read and endorse is a pulp science-fiction novel: “State of Fear,” by Michael Crichton. Bush was so excited by the story, which pictures global warming as a hoax perpetrated by power-mad environmentalists, that he invited the author to the Oval Office. In “Rebel-in-Chief: Inside the Bold and Controversial Presidency of George W. Bush,” Fred Barnes, the Fox News commentator, reveals that the President and Crichton “talked for an hour and were in near-total agreement.” The visit, Barnes adds, “was not made public for fear of outraging environmentalists all the more.”

The article further goes on to say:

As President, Bush has made fantasy a guide to policy. He has scorned the Kyoto agreement on global warming (a pact that Gore helped broker as Vice-President); he has neutered the Environmental Protection Agency; he has failed to act decisively on America’s fuel-efficiency standards even as the European Union, Japan, and China have tightened theirs. He has filled his Administration with people like Philip A. Cooney, who, in 2001, left the American Petroleum Institute, the umbrella lobby for the oil industry, to become chief of staff for the White House Council on Environmental Quality, where he repeatedly edited government documents so as to question the link between fuel emissions and climate change. In 2005, when Cooney left the White House (this time for a job with ExxonMobil), Dana Perino, a White House spokesperson, told the Times, “Phil Cooney did a great job.” A heckuva job, one might say.

Well, as of this morning, Al Gore, "Ozone Man", along with the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, won the Nobel Prize for Peace.

This comes after Gore's documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth" won an Academy Award!

Read more about it here.

This is more than vindication. This amounts to a world-wide endorsement of the man who should be President of The United States of America, and who, I believe, could be the next President in 2008.

I have been undecided about who I will support in the upcoming Primary, (other than the fact that I can assure you it won't be one of the Always Wrong Right!). But now I think I will throw in with the Draft Gore folks and hope for the best.

I sincerely hope that Al Gore will rethink his position and take the lead, for that is what we lack, a true leader. Pelosi and Reid are major disappointments, no, they are traitors to those of us who gave them a mandate to end the war and bring the Republi-con criminals to justice.







I would rather have John Gotti running the country than




















anymore clowns like this!


















As for those Dems who are currently running, well, no-one has really inspired me the way Al Gore has.

So Congratulations, Mr. President! Now go get what is rightfully yours and lead our country back to the real leadership role it enjoyed the last time you occupied the White House.

DraftGore.com

d.

It's Anonymous

As an old, dear friend of mine, (who murdalizes the English language), would say, "Everybuddy agrees? Good, then it's anonymous".

Please welcome the newest member of the American Patriot Institute, a fine Sailor and a great American - Cafkia!

Make sure to stop in and visit him at Meanderthal!

Welcome Aboard Sir!

d.

Cafkia, of Meanderthal

I would like to sponsor Brother Cafkia for membership in the American Patriot Institute. Cafkia embodies everything that we stand for. He is a Veteran and a realist. He blogs constantly to support our troops and defeat the Right Wing Extremists who have taken control of our government. He has posted here and at Alternate Brain and many other blogs of note, but his home is Meanderthal. Please feel free to visit Meanderthal and acquaint yourselves with another fine website and another fine writer, striving to restore the United States of America to the glory and prestige it once enjoyed. His inclusion is long overdue.

All in favor, so indicate on your sites. (Somehow I think this is a shoe-in).

d.

Rush Limbaugh, selling Vet's honor for Republican donations

Oh, how low will they go? Wait! don't answer! Keith has it below:



d.

If You're Going To Be In New York City

on Friday, October 19, 2007, stop by and give these guys a listen...

Click poster to embiggen, (as they say at Alternate Brain)

And welcome georgeandjulius to the family!

If Theres A God In Heaven

d.

activism

I'm putting the Troll on Top

I just love these trolls. They find a post from out of the past and drop their comments like so much bird shit.

Below is a post I made in February of this year! This guy is only now getting around to reading it! From his inability to punctuate, spell or clearly and concisely state his case, I have every reason to believe that Mr. Whittington is actually George W. Bush, pretender to the Presidency of The United States of America and would-be dictator!

So I invite my readers to join in the fray and send this kool-aid drinker packing. I, for one, am tired of trying to talk sense to this guy. Maybe someone-else will have better luck, but I kinda doubt it. There is no shaking the remaining 27% of their misplaced convictions and belief in the Right Wing bullshit spread daily by Republi-con lapdogs like Limbaugh and O'Reilly. But feel free to take your best shot.

In the meantime, I have another post below regarding Bush's newest flip-flop. Gee, where have we heard that term "flip-flop before?

George W. Bush Flip Flops Again

What?!

Which is it, Georgieboy?

Or is it anyway you want it?

What the hell is up with Bush and Mexico anyway?

From statesman.com

Supreme Court case pits Bush against Texas in death penalty case

By MARK SHERMAN
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON — To put it bluntly, Texas wants President Bush to get out of the way of the state's plan to execute a Mexican for the brutal killing of two teenage girls.

Bush, who presided over 152 executions as governor of Texas, wants to halt the execution of Jose Ernesto Medellin in what has become a confusing test of presidential power that the Supreme Court ultimately will sort out.

The president wants to enforce a decision by the International Court of Justice that found the convictions of Medellin and 50 other Mexican-born prisoners violated their rights to legal help as outlined in the 1963 Vienna Convention.

That is the same court Bush has since said he plans to ignore if it makes similar decisions affecting state criminal laws.

"The president does not agree with the ICJ's interpretation of the Vienna Convention," the administration said in arguments filed with the court. This time, though, the U.S. agreed to abide by the international court's decision because ignoring it would harm American interests abroad, the government said.

Texas argues strenuously that neither the international court nor Bush, his Texas ties notwithstanding, has any say in Medellin's case.

Ted Cruz, the Texas solicitor general, said the administration's position would "allow the president to set aside any state law the president believes is inconvenient to international comity."

Read the rest.

d.

Kittens

This is the last post I will make and I want it to be joyful. About three months ago Mags rescued two feral kittens from the property she works at. We named them Maggie and Chrisy. they are both little healthy females, and while countless experts have told us that they can't be domesticated, somehow Maggie found a way. She is an incredible woman. As soft as she is hard.

Maggie grew up in the toughest Irish neighborhood in Philly, Kensington, and quickly earned a reputation as someone to respect. The rumor there is that she taught Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins how to throw the Philly left hook.

Once, when we were playing around, slap-boxing, I accidently caught her with a good one. While I was shocked, she ducked and drove her little left fist into my floating ribs, rapidly, twice, breaking two of them. She didn't realize what she had done, thinking I was faking as I slumped, holding my side in excrutiating pain, so she hit me three more times in rapid succession. Now that's a girl I can love!

Once, when we were in a Puerto Rican bar in Camden, NJ, a major fight broke out. We were there with a friend and she refused to leave. While the entire place was embroiled in a fist flying, bottle-throwing melee, I hustled her out the back door as weapons were being drawn. Drawing my own I headed back in to cover my friend, only to see the Magster flying back in thru the front door, blasting away with her own little pistola! LOL! If ever a chick had balls, she does.

But her other side is as soft as this one is hard. And that is what enabled her, in spite of all odds, to care for these two little lost souls. To shower them with the same love she gives to me. When my daughters asked her what she was doing with a piece of shit like me, she told them she loved me, and she never deserted those she loved. Kinda sounds like a Marine to me.

And so that is where I am going. To my Mags, to our kittens, to our Cappyboo, our 13 year old wonderful one-eyed dog, to Rachel and Pee, our older kitties, to the love that is true and won't desert me.

And to my business. It is high time I stopped waiting for my career to come to me. I must seek it out. There's a lot of schekels to be had in the Movie biz, as well as rewards uncountable in dollars and cents. I have sacrificed my entire life to get where I am and now I have to put the pedal to the metal and let it go.

I still have my "real" family who love me and I am responsible for them and their well-being.

Peace, Love and best wishes to all.

d.

Wish Me Luck!

As anyone who comes here knows, I love Texas Hold 'em!

That's why I have entered the Pokerstars World Blogger Championship Of Online Poker!

It's simple to register and is open to all bloggers who regularly update their blogs and have been blogging for at least two months! I encourage all of my blogging compatriots to enter.

First of all, Texas Hold 'em is a fun, exciting, easy to learn game. (You can play for free and learn the game at Pokerstars.com) .

Second, and best of all, there's a ton of cash to be won by some lucky player!

So, if you'd like to take a shot at $40,000 and the Title of World Champion, click on one of the links above and go for it!

Pokerstars is, without a doubt, the best Poker site on the web. I have been playing there for almost two years and have never had a complaint. There are more Pros playing there than anywhere-else! Where else can a guy like me sit down next to World Champion Katja Thater and play against a pro for pennies?

It's also the site where my sweetie, daMagster, came in First out of over 8,000 players! Now if daMagster can do it, so can you!

See you at the tables!

Good Luck To All!

Register at one of the links in the post above!

If anyone has any questions about Texas Hold 'em, PokerStars or the tournament, please post them in the comments and I will do my best to answer them.

d.

(This post and the one above, will remain on top until after the Tourney - hope to see you there!)

Rush Limbaugh...

...wouldn't make a pimple on a real soldiers ass!

In fact, that's the excuse this piece of shit chickenhawk used to avoid military service when it was his turn to serve!


Like most prominent Republi-cons, the only thing Rush ever served is his own best interest.

For all the hoopla about MoveOn's ad concerning General Betryaus, not one word was ever spoken against the disgusting attacks by Republi-cons against Max Cleland, Jack Murtha, John Kerry, or even one of their own, John McCain! Even though many Retired Generals and Admirals have spoken out against this incredibly incompetent Administration, those who drink the Right wing Kool-Aid continue their disgusting hate mongering spin. Like the loud, obnoxious schoolyard bullies of our youth, they strut and blather on about things they know nothing about, like patriotism and sacrifice, until someone stands up to them, upon which, they tuck their tails between their legs and run away with the piss from their frightened bladders filling their shoes.

And now, the biggest loudmouth of them all, the most bellicose bully on the always Wrong Right, (no longer content to insult prominent Democratic Veterans), the Allmighty Righty, Rush "The Oxycontin Hillbilly" Limbaugh, feels it is okay to disparage the honorable service of all Veterans who disagree with George "A'hm a rootin' tootin Connecticut Cowboy" Bush and the Neo-con plan for global domination!

But really folks, this is nothing new. This is how Republi-cons showed their respect for those awarded the Purple Heart at their Con-vention in New York City:


Looks like they're having a ball, doesn't it? And why not? They never served and neither will their children! It's so easy to be a tough guy when someone-else is doing your fighting for you!

Compare that with this:




If the above comparison makes you want to puke, as it does me, go to VoteVets.org and help us bring accountability back into politics!

I, for one, am tired of their stupid bullshit name-calling. I am tired of watching our most patriotic Americans dragged through the mud by the likes of Limbaugh. I will no longer stand by and idly allow them to disgrace America's War Heroes, who, more than anyone-else, have earned the right to express their just opinions.

If you agree with me - help us. Let's knock the wind out of the bully's sails like the flatus that oozes from his mouth. Let's call on Congress to adopt a resolution condemning the "Hillbilly Heroin Addict". Let's kick Rush (stupid fuckin name - who the hell names their kid "Rush"?) to the curb! If Congress won't do it, maybe his advertisers will! It's time to bloody the bully's nose and send him home crying to his mama.

If not, have another glass of Kool Aid! And while yer at it, eat a pretzel or two, maybe we'll all get lucky and you'll choke!

This is what Rush, the Republi-con lapdog actually said...and what we think of him...


To get Jon Soltz of VoteVets.org , take on this see The Huffington Post.

d.

Moneypenny, what gives?

Lois Maxwell

Bond: Moneypenny. What gives?

Moneypenny: Me – given an ounce of encouragement. You never take me to dinner looking like this, James. You never take me to dinner, period.

Bond: I would, you know, only M would have me court-martialled for 'illegal use of government property'.

Moneypenny: Flattery will get you nowhere. But don't stop trying.

At 80 years of age, Lois Maxwell, best known as Miss Moneypenny, has given us all her best.

Good night, Sweetheart.

I always loved you.

James was a fool.

(details)

d.

(Back on "Damages" for a while, catch up later! Yeah, I know, I know...lol)

Had The Day Off, so....

Mags thought she'd play a little poker...

PokerStars Tournament #61821685, No Limit Hold'em

Freeroll Super Satellite

8741 players

Target Tournament #61821531

27 tickets to the target tournament

Tournament started - 2007/09/25 - 08:32:00 (ET)

Dear Cappyboo,

You finished the tournament in 1st place.

You qualified to play in Tournament #61821531 and are automatically registered
for it.

If you decide to un-register, a tournament ticket will be issued in your name,
valid for the tournament #61821531.

See Tournament #61821531 Lobby for further details.


You earned 372.05 tournament leader points in this tournament.


Congratulations Magster!  You da Woman!


Good Luck Sunday!

Luv ya Baby!

d.

Keith Olbermann - Special Comment (9/20/07)

God Bless You Keith, you summed it up beautifully!



d.

MoveOn Fights Back!

Please go to MoveOn.org and help get this ad on the air. Now more than ever, it is important to get the facts to the American people. Now more than ever, we must hold our Elected Representatives accountable for their actions, or lack thereof. At the very least, become a member and sign the statement.

It's our country - let's take it back!


MoveOn

d.

The Moderate Man

Found this at Brother Mod's place.

Moderate is not only the Founder of the American Patriot Institute, in my opinion, he is one of the smartest members, (well, he's a lot smarter than me, anyway.) Lately he has had a series of posts dealing with our economy and the beating the "middle class" is taking. He also has strong opinions on Gen. Betray-us, the war, Bush and others.

If you've never been there, or haven't stopped by in a while, pay him a visit. You won't be disappointed. As an example, I offer this:

Sounds True To Me...

Semper Fidelis, Brother!

d.

Let's Review...

Now, please, who are the liars? Move-on? Or the Bush Administration?


Please read the post below.

Thanks.

d.

Moveon and Strike Back

Got this in my e-mail today and I wanted to pass it on. I realize that this will be the third time this week that I am asking you to support Moveon, but I firmly believe that this organization can make a real difference - the proof of this is the fact that now the Republi-cons are trying to shut us up. While they can smear real war heroes like Kerry, Cleland, Murtha and McCain, they are shocked and disgusted when someone points out the truth and supports it with facts. I'm not saying Petraeus isn't a real war hero, but I am saying that at this point, he is nothing more than a shill for George Bush.

So, I ask you to read the letter below and help if you can. So many times we say, "What can I do? I'm only one person?" Join Moveon.org. Even if you can't offer any financial support at this time, go to the website and join. There are 3.2 million of us speaking with one voice against the Bush madness, join with us and make your voice heard.

Thank you,

d.

Dear deuddersun,

The U.S. Senate just told you to sit down and be quiet when they passed a Republican amendment condemning MoveOn.¹

Every day, our brave men and women are dying in a bloody civil war this Senate has done nothing to stop. Yesterday, they couldn't even pass a bill to give soldiers adequate leave with their families before redeploying.² But they're spending time cracking down on a newspaper ad?

So, we're making clear where America stands. We're releasing a statement from MoveOn members—and anyone else who feels the same way—saying, "We will not be quiet, we will fight back. We will keep speaking out until Congress forces an exit plan for this awful war."

Clicking here will add your name:

http://pol.moveon.org/fightback/o.pl?id=11268-8552455-wB8jMj&t=3

Maybe you liked our General Petraeus ad.³ Maybe you thought the language went too far. But make no mistake: this is much bigger than one ad.

It's part of a larger campaign by Fox, the right-wing echo chamber, and Republicans like John McCain (who said we should be "thrown out of the country").⁴

They're doing it because they're hurting: Polls show last week's Bush Administration PR blitz increased the number of Americans favoring withdrawal⁵ and vulnerable Republicans are sinking lower and lower in the polls (or announcing their retirement).

And it has one purpose: to intimidate all of us. To send a message that anyone who speaks unpleasant truths about this war will pay. To make everyone—especially politicians—think twice before they accuse the administration of lying.

If it looks like we're on the run, people will think twice before they speak out. Will you send a message today to Dick Cheney, Fox, Bill O'Reilly, John McCain, Rudy Giuliani, Karl Rove—and the Democrats without the guts to vote against this—that it's not working?

We've changed our home page to just run the names of people who sign on. We'll report the totals to the media all day. And if we can find an electronic billboard in Washington, D.C., we'll run the names there, too.

And after you add your name, you can go one step further. We've put together a fair but hard-hitting ad that highlights how, yesterday, Republicans blocked a bill to give our troops adequate family leave before going back to Iraq. If we can raise enough money, we'll air this ad across the country and take the fight back to the real issues—this terrible war and its impact on our troops and the Iraqi people.

Clicking here will add your name to our statement:

http://pol.moveon.org/fightback/o.pl?id=11268-8552455-wB8jMj&t=4

This morning, the Senate didn't pass an exit strategy for Iraq. They didn't pass a bill to cover millions of uninsured Americans or combat the climate crisis. Nope—they condemned 3.4 million Americans for speaking out against the war.

Let them know them it's not going to work.

Thank you for all you do, every day, to get the truth out.

–Eli, Aaron, Adam G., Adam R., Anna, Carrie, Daniel, Erik, Ilyse, Jennifer, Joan, Justin, Karin, Laura, Marika, Matt, Natalie, Nita, Noah, Tanya, Tom & Wes
MoveOn.org Political Action
Thursday, September 20th, 2007

Sources:

1. You can see the resolution text here and the roll call of who voted for it here. Absurdly, it claims that MoveOn "impugns the honor and integrity of ... all the members of the United States Armed Force"—despite the fact that MoveOn includes hundreds of thousands of veterans and military family members, who've led our campaign to bring our troops home.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=2988&id=11268-8552455-wB8jMj&t=7

2. "Effort to Shift Course in Iraq Fails in Senate," New York Times , September 19, 2007.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/20/washington/20cong.html?hp

3. You can read the ad text and why we ran it here:
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=2987&id=11268-8552455-wB8jMj&t=8

4. "McCain To MoveOn: Get Out," CBS News, September 14, 2007.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=2973&id=11268-8552455-wB8jMj&t=9

5. "Poll: Most Say Bush Iraq Plan Falls Short," CBS News, September 17, 2007.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=2974&id=11268-8552455-wB8jMj&t=10

PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

---

New Item - Film & TV Credits

The Grand Ballroom from Enchanted, in theaters November 21st - don't miss it!

Four Legends in the Bizniz: deuddersun (aka Snaggle), Ed "Young Ed" Ferarro, Andy "Cowboy" Gangloff, and Glen "The Snake" Pangione

Many of my readers have wondered what kind of films I work on. To satisfy your curiosity I have included a partial credit list in the sidebar, all the way down on the left. The list is partial because it's all I can remember at the moment.

Look for Enchanted to hit theaters November 21st. It is a terrific film in the great Disney tradition and is sure to please both young and old. It's a great movie for kids, (and how many of those are there anymore?).

Now, about the gentlemen shown above. They are all legends. Cowboy has since retired and believe me we miss him sorely. Young Ed is my rabbi and mentor. Together we built OZ in six weeks, soup to nuts. Snake is not only a terrific craftsman and coordinator, but a good friend and hell on a poker table.

Hope you enjoy the list. I'm sure you've seen at least one of the shows listed.

d.

Jena, Louisiana - Enough Is Enough

Andrea Blalock, left, checks out a shirt for her husband Thomas Blalock, both from Stockbridge, Ga. as they prepare for a march in support of the Jena 6 in Jena, La., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2007. Hundreds of people dressed in black, from college students to veterans of the civil rights movements, boarded buses bound for Jena and a rally Thursday in support of six black teenagers who were initially charged with attempted murder in the beating of a white classmate. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)


It's time to bring the American South into the 21st Century. Blatant racism, ANY racism can no longer be tolerated. The Stars and Bars, a symbol of ultimate Racism and, by the way, the greatest act of treason in the history of our nation in the form of the Confederacy, must be struck forever from any Publicly funded buildings. The Stars and Bars are to Black people what the swastika is to Jewish people - a symbol of hatred, oppression and murder.

Justice must be blind, without regard to race, religion or economic status. Unfortunately, it seems "Justice" had one eye open in Jena, Louisiana.

My prayers and best wishes go out to all those demonstrating today. Enough is enough.

Thousands Rally in La. to Support Jena 6

By MARY FOSTER, Associated Press Writer

1 hour ago

JENA, La. - Thousands of chanting demonstrators filled the streets of this little Louisiana town Thursday in support of six black teenagers initially charged with attempted murder in the beating of a white classmate.

The crowd broke into chants of "Free the Jena Six" as the Rev. Al Sharpton arrived at the local courthouse with family members of the jailed teens.

Martin Luther King III, son of the slain civil rights leader, said the scene was reminiscent of earlier civil rights struggles. He said punishment of some sort may be in order for the six defendants, but "the justice system isn't applied the same to all crimes and all people."

(More)

d.