Irene Saves Hundreds

The Telegraph lampoons the television and governmental coverage of Irene, calling it The Perfect Storm of Hype: 
The surf may have told a story but so too did the sight behind the reporter of people chatting and ambling along the sea front and just goofing around. There was a man in a t-shirt, a woman waving her arms and then walking backwards. Then someone on a bicycle glided past.

I realize there was flooding and property damage, and I'm still a little antsy having not heard from Grammy, but I do not believe that Irene lived up to her wall-to-wall coverage over the weekend.

In fact, my theory is this:  Irene saved lives. 

Think of how many people stayed home over the weekend and did not get killed on the highway.  The way Irene was hyped, I'm sure that every death that could possibly, in any way, be attributed to the storm was meticulously counted and placed in Irene's column.  But how many people didn't die by remaining safely at home with their rented DVD's and gratuitous groceries.

And what about all those people at home with no electricity?  What are they doing to amuse themselves?  How many unplanned pregnancies will be directly attributable to Irene?  Irene was most likely responsible for more new lives than lives taken.

So there you go!

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White Michael Vick

...to me, Vick seems to have a deeply African-American approach to the game. I'm not saying that a black QB who stands in the pocket ain't playing black. I'm saying Vick's style is so badass, so artistic, so fluid, so flamboyant, so relentless -- so representative of black athletic style -- that if there were a stat for swagger points, Vick would be the No. 1 quarterback in the league by far.

A decade after he became the first black QB to be drafted No. 1 overall, about one in five of the league's passers is African-American, compared with two-thirds of all players. But after his arrest for dogfighting, so many people asked: Would a white football player have gotten nearly two years in prison for what Vick did to dogs?

I don't know what it's like to be a black man.  I suspect it's like the proverbial monkey on your back... Always feeling as if you have to prove your character is above all the old stereotypes... laziness, dullness of wit... feeling as if you enter every arena of life painted with doubt and suspicion.

But articles, like this one in ESPN Magazine, that trumpet an unlevel playing field and that instill anger... and worse, discouragement...  They simply offer another excuse for failure and sub par behavior.

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Onions

It seems like every year the weather cooperates to produce a good crop in one or two areas of the garden.  This was the year for kale, corn, and onions.

These beauties are dried to perfection, and should last well into the spring.  They'll be used on sandwiches... pots of boiled arm roasts and pork roasts... scrambled eggs... vegetable soup and chili soup... and my hash brown casserole.

Click twice to enlarge... Because you know you want to.

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Romney vs Perry
For conservatives, the two front runners for the Republican nomination carry baggage from their days as governors.  As I've said before, you can't get elected governor of Massachusetts sounding like Lester Maddox... And you can't get elected in Texas with a hard line on illegal immigration.

I believe Romney has learned his lesson on health care... Romney-Care was a failure... His other problem is his religion, but I think a Mormon is preferable to Obama's religion... Which is the hate-filled rhetoric of Reverend Wright.  But then there is Romney's recent obsequence to the global warming idiots.... Very troubling.

From what I've read about Perry, he has much to answer for his stand on illegal immigration.  He is definitely a Christian, but so was George Bush, who really didn't represent conservatives on immigration.

There is no perfect candidate...  Just give me the one who can win.

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When Modems Die

My ability to enjoy the Internet at home is currently made impossible due to the death of my DSL modem which crashed late last week.  The good people at AT&T are sending a new one for free... which is supposedly faster... And they are giving me a discount  in monthly fees for my trouble...But they are wasting no money shipping it to me.

Thank goodness for the kindness of strangers who offer free WiFi.

I'll be back.

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Malott Spends Money

I recently gave (unloaded) my futon to my lovely niece and found myself without a couch in my Family (hah!) Room.

This is me and my lovely niece.

Anyway, I bought a sofa and a couple end-tables, (or is it in-tables?) choosing micro-fiber over leather because I am basically cheap at heart... And it looks like this:

Now I want to jerk up the carpeting, exposing the hardwood floor underneath, buy a thousand dollar rug, purchase the matching love seat, a flat screen TV with HD, two recliners, seating for seven or eight, though I have never entertained in the nine years I have lived here...

I figure I can do it for 5K... which I have... And since bachelors die young... It kind of makes sense...

Click on pictures to enlarge... because I  know you want to...

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