We Have Been Blogging for 11 Years..........But, the Comic Strip Mary Worth Has Been Around Longer.......

With images of Bill Clinton, Cornel West and Newt Gingrich, three guys who will probably NOT be spending Friday night drinking dry martinis together at Nicky Blaine's in Indianapolis, or anywhere else in the 317 area code. But, boy if that were to happen, we would love overhear that conversation.

We also sense all three men will be busy when shock stand-up comedian Margaret Cho performs a three-night stint at The Helium Comedy Club in St. Louis in late October, although Missouri is a swing-state that is likely to vote for Donald Trump, whom Gingrich is speaking with three or four times a day. Assuredly, Trump's promise to build a wall to stop illegal immigration from Mexico now makes Gingrich's speech about colonizing the moon seem a little less ridiculous.

It is a presumption on our part but we sense that Gingrich would be more comfortable watching Dolly Parton perform in the swing state of Nevada when she comes to Paso Robles on Sept. 30th. In fact, we assume that Bill Clinton and West would feel more at ease with Parton singing "Jolene" and "9 to 5" instead squirming with the risky adult jokes put forth by Cho.

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning will come into a swing state when his teams plays a road game versus with the Minnesota Vikings on Oct. 3rd. Since Minnesota even voted for their native son Walter Mondale in the presidential election of 1984, Gingrich would probably be wiser to stay home that weekend and watch his Atlanta Falcons host the Carolina Panthers.

We don't know what the Vegas odds makers are predicting as to when Trump will say something dumb again, but we sense it will be within 36 hours of this posting. Who knows maybe even Utah will be in play by the time Election Day comes around in November, which means we may have to quit making fun of Mormons.

We posted our first entry on Sept. 21st, 2005, which was 11 years ago yesterday. Thanks for tuning in. Now, you are free to go back to looking at photos of Margot Robbie in a bikini!

http://www.nickyblaines.com

http://www.margaretcho.com

http://www.dollyparton.com

DC Week Teaser (2 of 2) : So Much for a Political Fund-Raiser at the National Zoo

We are getting ready for DC Week, which will begin on Thursday. Our interview with Newt Gingrich has been postponed as has our interviews with Michele Bachmann and Clarence Thomas (yes, we are kidding, of course), but we hope to bring you an array of entries pertaining to Washington, DC, as the nation's capitals deals with lost tourism revenue due to the federal government shut down.

But, for right now, we leave you with this teaser, which features: 1) Chris Pontius, an American soccer player for DC United; 2) a giraffe to symbolize the National Zoo, which is closed due to shut down and 3) Cong. David Price (D-NC), one of the few Democrats in a 'safe district' in the increasingly right-wing Tarheel State (Price's district is in and around Chapel Hill and Durham, NC), which was the subject of a brilliant "Doonesbury" comic strip that was published yesterday. I'm sure at least one tea partier in North Carolina cancelled his subscription to the "Charlotte Observer."

http://price.house.gov/#dialog

http://www.dcunited.com/

http://www.gocomics.com/doonesbury

http://www.ncdp.org/ (NC Democratic Party)

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/

Where's Billy Bragg?

Somehow, we can't imagine that folk/rock singer Billy Bragg, also a left-wing activist, is one of Newt Gingrich's favorite singers. And, we certainly can't imagine Bragg would be in the former arch conservative house speaker's I-POD. But, several years, a right-wing prime minister of Australia said he was a big fan of Midnight Oil, a band known for their progressive politics as much as their awesome songs like "Beds Are Burning."

Tonight, Bragg is performing at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston, a city that is still recovering from a bombing incident at the end of the Boston Marathon. We personally can't imagine a better way to get away from it all than listening to Bragg, who in our views gives awesome concerts.

From Boston, he heads to the Southgate House Revival in Newport, Kentucky, on Tuesday.

Bragg then headlines at the  Ark in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Wed.,which is also home to WBCN, the student run radio station that was recently featured in a "Jeopardy" category because apparently the late Gilda Radner, an original cast member of "Saturday Night Live" got her start there.

Then Bragg, a British singer who was recognized earlier in his career for his outspokenness about the recently deceased Margaret Thatcher,  heads north to Canada for gigs in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal.


This entry is a slight take-off on "Where's Waldo?"

http://www.billybragg.co.uk/

http://www.wbcn.org

http://www.theark.org

http://www.southgatehouse.com

http://www.whereswaldo.com

Happy Children's Day, It's a National Holiday in Turkey

We are wishing everyone in Turkey a Happy Children's Day. 23 Nisan/April 23rd was first recognized by modern Turkey's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in 1920.

While figuring out which image to use, we stumbled across an image of this children's magazine with the Smurfs on the cover.

It was through another children's magazine "Tercuman Cocuk" (Cocuk is the Turkish word for children) that I first heard of the Smurfs, which were actually created in Belgium. In early editions, the Smurfs accompanied the Little Prince.

We recently found that particular magazine which came out on Feb. 25, 1978, some ten days before my eighth birthday.

Some right-wingers, perhaps someone like Cal Thomas or Newt Gingrich, has theorized that the Smurfs are a Marxist entity because they encourage community building.

Yeah, we think they are reading too much into it too.

10 People Who Will Decide the Election (5 of 10)

Name: Stephanie Montgomery

Age: 54

Race: White

Reisdency: Smyrna, Ga.

Job: Secretary

Will Likely Vote: Mitt Romney

At the outset of the election cycle, it seemed like Georgia, the home state of Newt Gingrich, might be a swing state since Barack Obama almost beat out John McCain in the Peach State's electoral college vote in 2008. But, it now appears to be safe for Romney, though given his latest rounds of serious gaffes, it does appear that if the election were held today, it would go to President Obama.

We should add that Stephanie Montgomery is a fictional character based on demographics, and that Smyrna, Georgia, is a bit of an in-joke. The actual Smryna is the city of Izmir, Turkey, my late father's country. Izmir is the third largest city in Turkey.

http://www.georgiademocrat.org

http://www.gagop.org

The Rabbit Ears Test (7 of 12)_ The Dukes of Hazzard

Thanks to everyone in Slovenia, where this blog is apparently very popular. Our sister blog seems to be well-liked in Slovakia. Since "The Dukes of Hazzard" (1979-1985) may not have aired anywhere outside of the United States or Canada, we are not sure this entry will help with our international hits.

Today, our focus is on Ben Jones, who played Cooter in the CBS show that was always more-watched in Atlanta than it was in Hartford!

Jones, 70, was born in Tarrboro, NC, but in recent years, he has lived in Georgia, Virginia and Tennessee.

Jones had a second life after television as he ran for Congress in Georgia as a Democrat, and then he actually won. Two years prior to Jones' entrance on Capitol Hill in 1989, Fred Grandy, the subject of our entry today on our sister blog "The Daily Vampire", who played Gopher on "The Love Boat" was also elected to the U.S. Congress as a Republican representing Iowa in 1986 (he was sworn in on Jan. 3, 1987).

Cooter/Jones was re-districted to a district with a veteran Republican Congressman named Newt Gingrich (yes, that Newt Gingrinch; I know I can't stand him either), and alas no amount of tv fame could assist him. In fact, according to Wikipedia, Jones only got 35 percent of the vote.

Ironically, according to "Mother Jones," Grandy endorsed Gingrich right before the Iowa Caucuses, but it appears not to have helped much since Rick Santourm edged out Mitt Romney in that political contest as Gingrich finished considerably behind them.

After his defeat Jones moved to rural Sperryville, Va., some two hours south of Washington, DC, and very close to the Shenandoah Valley, where he opened up the original Cooter's Place.

Amazingly enough, Jones decided to take on another powerful Republican in Eric Cantor (yes, that Eric Cantor; I know I can't stand him either) in 2002. Needless to say, Jones was defeated once again.

Jones is actually considered a conservative Democrat, and he even asked then-President Bill Clinton to resign following the Monica Lewinski sex scandal.

While in Sperryville, Jones also started a band called Cooter and the Band, which we gather is still active.

Since Cooter's Place was a success, but hard to find, Jones relocated the roadside attraction to the much more touristy Gatlinburg, Tenn., and then he opened up a second Cooter's Place in Nashville.

But, Jones still hasn't forgotten Sperryville, and this year, Jones will host Hazzard Homecoming in that zip code from Aug. 11-12.

Today, we are asking just how long Jones was a member of Congress, is the answer:

A) 2 years

B) 4 years

C) 6 years

D) 8 years

The winner will get an autograph of Gingrich that we do not have.

Top 10 Countries to Run To If GOP Whacko Becomes Prez

We will probably have better things to do on March 5th, when the remaining Republican candidates have yet another debate at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, Calif. One of those even better things to do might be to watch a marathon of the British '70s sitcom "Are You Being Served?" (the show airs on PBS stations in North Carolina on Saturday nights at 9:30 p.m.) on dvd.

Here is a list of possible countries to run to if the likes of Rick Santorum (pictured), Mitt Romney or Newt Gingrich becomes president:

1. Norway (pictured)

2. Argentina

3. Australia

4. Honduras

5. Chile

6. Greece

7. Denmark (yes, we like the idea of seeking political asylum in a Scandinavian country)

8. Canada (yeah, this is a bit of an easy choice)

9. Croatia

10. Poland

Yeah, we aren't quite zany enough to put North Korea on this list.

In the News_ American Postage Stamps Increase

On Monday, domestic postage stamp rates for letters go up here in the United States. So, if you want to send a congratulations card to Newt Gingrich for winning yesterday's South Carolina Republican Primary, you are already too late. Of course, those of you who know us well, realize we will not be among those sending the former House Speaker greeting cards anytime soon.

The Humphrey Bogart stamp (1997) shown here was part of a Legends of Hollywood series, which also included a Marilyn Monroe stamp.

SIDEBAR: Kudos to the nationally ranked men's basketball team from Harvard as they beat Dartmouth yesterday on the road in Hanover, NH, by a 54-38 score. But, interestingly enough, the school's Athlete of the Week is Haley Mendez, who plays women's squash?!

Also our congrats go out to the North Carolina State women's gymnastics team as earlier in the week sophomore Stephanie Ouellette was named EAGL Conference Gymnast of the Week. The Wolfpack also received honors for junior Rachel Fincham who was named EAGL Specialist of the Week, and freshman Lane Jarred who was named EAGL Rookie of the Week.

Over the weekend, the Wolfpack continued their success with a road victory over the University of Illinois-Chicago, which is, of course, located in the Windy City.

PSA_ No Newts in 2012

It is possible that at this very moment as we are blogging to you live from the Salt Lake City Library on 210 East 400 South Street (not really where we are at, but I hear it is one of the best public libraries in the country), that Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich is stumping at the Golden Corral in Rock Hill, SC, where Fred Thompson stumped four years ago (this part is actually true).

Hopefully, like Thompson, Gingrich will be defeated by a more moderate Republican. Though it seems like current front runner Mitt Romney may be too mainstream for the gunsGodncountry folks in the Palmetto State.

In the Sunday, Jan. 15th edition of the comic strip "Doonesbury," Garry Trudeau cited the following actual quote from Gingrich in reference to the Democratic Party: "As great a threat to America as Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union."

At age 69, Gingrich is the second oldest candidate in the field of what is now four candidates behind Ron Paul, who is 76. Interestingly enough, Gingrich, who became House Speaker in 1994 when he was in the House of Representatives as a Congressman from Georgia, was also a House Minority Whip as was former Vice President Dick Cheney, who is also out of favor with 99.9 percent of us on the center-left.

Today's "Washington Post" reports that in response to a comment from a man who is or was a Marine at a rally in Florence, SC, which said that 'I would like to see someone bloody Obama's nose,' Gingrich had the gumption and indignity to respond something to effect of: 'I don't want to just bloody his nose, I want to knock him out.'

In the current issue of the liberal magazine "The Nation," Ben Adler, who is covering the GOP race for the publication from places like Charleston, SC, on the campaign trial, said that the pit-bull tactics of Gingrich actually seemed to be helping him appeal to arch conservatives who might well want to hit people in my political spectrum over the head with a bowling trophy (my words, not Adler's).

Stephen Colbert, who is originally from Charleston, has even gotten into the Republican race discussion as the late night tv political comic told residents from his native state to vote for Herman Cain to throw a curve-ball into the race.

South Carolina allows Democrats and independents to vote in the Republican primary. Conservative radio show host Rush Limbaugh pulled a similar stunt four years ago when he encouraged right wingers to vote for Hillary Clinton in the Indiana primary to help prevent Barack Obama from winning the nomination; an effort which 'worked' in the short run, but in the end, Obama still won the nomination and if, of course, now president.

The South Carolina Democratic Party has actually told its members not to vote in the Republican primary as by doing so they will get a steady stream of campaign literature and phone calls for Republican candidates.

As for the reason, why we are highly opposed to Gingrich getting the GOP nomination, it is just mere political differences, but the venom and vitriol that he would bring into the Oval Office.

Many people from both parties as well as independents complain that it is agonizing to watch Democrats and Republicans not get anything accomplished on The Hill. Though no one person is to blame entirely, the conquer and divide mentality that Gingrich brought to the forefront of American politics when he became House Speaker in 1994 still remains in effect to this very day.

Happy Belated 50th Birthday President Barack Obama

Yes, this blog entry has political overtones. But, we are wondering, if any of the Republican presidential candidates (wow! No, I can't name them all in three and a half minutes) did send him one.

Here are our guesses; we will put an * besides the ones who have not announced if he or she is running or not:


Newt Gingrich: Hmmm. This is tough....I'll go with no.

Tim Pawlenty: Yes

Mitt Romney: Yes

Michele Bachmann: No

Jon Huntsman: Yes

Ron Paul: No

Herman Cain: No

* Rick Perry- No

Rick Santorum- No

*Sarah Palin-No

Status Update- I am NOT Erupting Like Mount Pinatubo

It was 20 years ago this month when Mount Pinatubo in the Phillipines erupted. The volcanic eruption killed 800 people in spite of evacuation warnings.

Thankfully, in spite of a very stressful, hectic week, I am erupting like Mount Pinatubo. Actually, I am not sure I would want to go near that particular volcano, but I would love to see those cool buses that the Phillipines is famous for.

We are also hoping to get some blogging in next month, and I have not forgotten about posting another people with long names list as I did back in May.

One person who would have to qualify would be Sonja Lyubomirsky, a professor of psychology at UC-Riverside who was interviewed by "Psychology Today," which is (amazingly enough!) not one of the eight or nine magazines I now subscribe to, and this is not a joke!

The article where...hmm, we'll break the rules and just refer to her as Sonja or Dr. Sonja was interviewed was about the secrets to finding happiness. Apparently, thanking people who've done nice things for you as opposed to getting iritated with people who almost ran over your golden retriever is one way of getting at this.

So on that note, I thank all of you reading this blog, and if you don't like this blog, then go follow Newt Gingrich as he stumps through New Hampshire and Iowa.

Special Quote of the Week- Bill Bradley

While the Republicans like Newt Gingrich are having their brewhaha this weekend in New Orleans, we thought we'd quip the NBA legend and former Democratic New Jersey senator Bill Bradley, who was among the first to endorse Barack Obama in his party nomination bid (I actually backed Hillary Clinton!).

While researching this piece, we learned that Bradley has a new book called "The New American Story" and he hosts a Sirius Satellite Radio show called "American Voices." Bradley is also the corporate director of Starbucks; we wonder if he has dropped into the Starbucks in Front Royal, Va., but he is probably a bit too busy for that.

Though he grew up in Missouri, Bradley came to prominence in New Jersey early in life as a member of the Princeton University Tigers. He won a team gold medal for the United States at the 1964 Olympics, and he was named NCAA player of the year in 1965.

Bradley then went on to play for the New York Knicks where he helped win NBA titles in 1970 and 1973, with teammates such as Walt Frazier and Willis Reed. Bradley's number 24 was also retired by the Knicks.

He was a senator for New Jersey from 1979 to 1997, and he unsuccessfully sought the 2000 Democratic nomination which went to Al Gore. Bradley was endorsed by none other than Michael Jordan, who is featured on our other blog "The Daily Vampire" today.

Here is the quote from Bradley who will turn 68 on July 28th:

"Ambition is the path to success. Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in."

Quote of the Week- Red Emma Goldman

Today, we conclude our series of quotes from left-wing radicals with a quip from Red Emma Goldman (1869-1940), who may even more lived a more interesting,well-travelled, and certainly less tragic life than her fellow Bolshevik Leon Trotsky.

Goldman is described by Wikipedia as being known for anarchism and giving fiery speeches.

She helped develop the anarchist philosophy of North America. Goldman was born in Lithunia, which became a republic of the Soviet Union (today it is an independent state). She moved to New York in 1885, where she would help create the anarchist journal "Mother Earth" (not to be confused with "Mother Earth News"). The publication lasted from 1906 to 1917.

Goldman was exiled back to the Soviet Union in 1917, but she was not impressed by what she saw. Though it did not change her political ideology, the experience lead to Goldman's penning "My Disillusionment in Russia" (1923), which was very critical of the violence that she witnessed there.

The anarchist leader eventually moved to Canada, where she died in Toronto at age 70.

We should add that while we find Goldman an interesting political figure, and we aren't certainly not in Newt Gingrich's corner (in fact, we think he and Goldman are more or less equally far apart from the political center), by any means, we think it is safe to say Goldman's views are startling to this day and we in now way endorse them. This quote by her illustrates that point quite vividly:

"We Americans claim to be a peace-loving people. We hate bloodshed; we are opposed to violence. Yet, we go into spasms of joy over the possibility of projecting dynamite bombs form flying machines upon helpless citizens."

SIDEBAR- It has been quite the scorcher in the states of Virginia and North Carolina since Sunday. Over the last two days, the following high temperatures were either reported or expected in Virginia: Richmond, 97; Roanoke, 92; Blacksburg, 90; and Appomattox, 100 (?!). Meanwhile in North Carolina, things are not any cooler: Raleigh, 98; Charlotte, 98, Greensboro, 97; Wilmington, 94----perhaps it is a good time to escape to Maine!

Quote of the Week- Lillian Hellman

Today, we continue quoting figures who were either socialists or communists this month since May 1 is associated with Marxism. Though I'm not one myself, I consider Marxists to be a bit more intellectually sound than the radical Chicken Little evangelists who are forecasting mushroom clouds on Saturday.

And, we turn our attention to the great playwright Lillian Hellman (1905-1984) who is best known for three plays in particular, "The Children's Hour" (1934), "The Little Foxes" (1939) and "Toys in the Attic" (1960).

According to Wikipedia, Hellman was blacklisted because her long-time lover the noir novelist Dashiel Hammett was a communist and because Hellman also refused to name names.

Here is her quote:

"Belief is a moral act for which the believer has to be held responsible."

SIDEBAR: I must profess that I could not agree with my friend Chris Knight in Reidsville, NC, who tweeted the following today: "Call me old-fashioned, but if a man can't be trustworthy with his wife, he can't be trusted with elected office." I think Knight was eluding to a certain actor/body-builder who became the governor of California, but it did remind me of current Republican presidential candidate newt Gingrich.

A former congressional rep from New York put in the former house speaker in his rightful place by saying: "Newt will be knocked off his message more times for his own actions than by others."

SIDEBAR TWO: Since there are times when I can be a bit overbearing around others, I was wondering if there was a term for a male diva. And, according to the Urban Dictionary, there is. We are divos. But, we should not be confused with people who can be called devo, though we love the '80s New Wave band Devo. That term refers to male divas are possibly homosexual or meterosexual!

The Best and Worst Films of the Coen Bros

We had the most trouble getting images for this entry! Whew!

First of all, we must admit that the idea for this blog came from a "Washington Post" article by Ann Hornaday, who is the paper's film critic. Like her, I was surprised that former arch-conservative House Speaker Newt Gingrich also thinks "Fargo" is the best Coen Brothers film (since when do Republicans watch art house movies?!).


But, here are my own choices from best to least favorite Coen Brothers films. Their most current film "True Grit" also made my top 20 films of 2010 list on our other blog "The Daily Vampire."


It's hard to believe that I saw one of these films in Paris, France, (O Brother, Where Art Thou?) in Paris, France, and another one of these films (The Ladykillers) at a second-run multiplex in Lynchburg, Va.!


Here is the list:

1. Fargo (1996)

2. Barton Fink (1991)

3. The Big Lebowski (1998)

4. Miller's Crossing (1990)

5. Raising Arizona (1987)

6. Blood Simple (1984)

7. No Country for Old Men (2007)

8. O Brother Where Art Thou? (2000).

9. A Serious Man (2009)

10. True Grit (2010)

11. The Ladykillers (2004)

12. The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)

13. The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)

14. Burn After Reading (2008)

15. Intolerable Cruelty (2003)

DC Diary- I Ate a Whole Anchovy Pizza

Well, we were going to give our crew a long-needed and well-deserved vacation, but then I listened to a Newt Gingrich speech on C-SPAN and decided "Bah Humbug! These guys need to earn their $3.22 an hour."

We haven't run into the former house speaker here in Washington, DC, today, but there have been plenty of things to write about.

I've decided it's perhaps best to have a day of reflection, so I will focus on yesterday which was our first official day in the nation's capital.

Along with my mom, my sister Eva and her husband Sven from Goteborg, Sweden, we went out to dinner at Red Rocks, a Nepalese pizzaeira in DC, and after looking over the menu items carefully, I decided to make the most radical culinary decision I made since I ate goat kebab in Denizli, Turkey, some 25 years ago.

I decided to order an 11-inch anchovy pizza! My feeling was: "You know, I am on vacation, and this is one of the few times I've been able to get out of Virginia and North Carolina all year (I live between the two states), so why not get an anchovy pizza?"

It was surprisingly delicious. The pizza also had several cheeses and peppers. And, I drank it down with some tangy pineapple juice.

But, anyone who has gobbled up an entire 11-inch pizza, irregardless of topping choices, should know full well that he or she will pay the consequences for it later that night. Sure enough, I was stuffed and I felt like a walking Sumo wrestler as we walked back to our hotel in Bethesda, Md. (forgive the DC humor which may not go over well to our readers in Tajikistan!).

Incidentally, I saw a guidebook for the remote former Soviet Republic of Tajikistan today, but that's enough for tonight's entry.... I need to go watch some "Sanford and Son" reruns on TV Land, a network I don't get at home!

Silly Photo to Fill Space- the Tom and Jerry Necktie

One of the items on my Christmas wish list that we published back on Dec. 5 was a Tom and Jerry necktie. We mentioned the same time several months ago when we quipped that a guy can know he's in trouble on a first date if the girl asks: "Which one is the mouse?"

For those of you in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, who were born when Bill Clinton (another saxophone player) was president, Jerry is the mouse (did we really need to say that?! Yes, we probably did).

The Tom and Jerry necktie retails for circa $15 on most online sites, like zazzle.com

An interesting historical note about the characters is that a new incarnation of "Tom and Jerry" appeared on a series with Grape Ape (who looks like a purple King Kong with a baseball cap) cartoons in 1975.

The producers who perhaps later went on to advise George W. Bush (forgive the center-left political humor, kids! and Newt Gingrich if you are reading this) thought it would be a idea to make Tom and Jerry friends instead of the bitter rivals they had been for four decades before. By doing this, they thus ruined the basic plot premise that drove the storyline. A familiar gag that worked as well for kids in Dubai as it did kids in Topeka. And, of course, the new 'toons flopped.

Actually, a Grape Ape lunchbox would be a nifty item to have as well, but there are folks starving on the streets, especially in Detroit (read a depressing, but well-written article in "Mother Jones" about that), so wanting such things seem pointless and trivial.

You can probably find the Tom and Jerry cheaper than $15 if you look hard enough:)

Five People You'll Meet in Hell (satire)

Before I start typing away here, I do want to mention that I am certainly NOT the first person to satire Mitch Albom's book "The Five People You Meet in Heaven." In fact, I found out while researching this piece that there is a satire book entitled (obviously!) "The Five People You Meet in Hell" by Rich Pablom.

I have read neither book, but I made a quick list of five people I would meet if well, things didn't 'quite work out:'

1) Jay Leno- Yes, like all Conan O'Brien fans I hate this guy's guts. My blogger friend Phil Nugent has a great link on his blog to another blog which proclaims that Leno is Satan himself. No disagreement here! The blog "Stuff White People Like" also has a feature on Conan. I think Leno is hip for those who always vote Republican, go to evangelical churches, or watch Lawrence Welk and reruns of "Are You Being Served?"
Even my 70-year-old mom prefers David Letterman.

2)Pat Robertson- He should be numero uno actually. A letter-to-the-editor in "The Roanoke Times" (Roanoke, Va.) actually praised this evil tv evangelist for his comments about how Haiti's earthquake disaster was caused by a pact with Hot Stuff. A letter I have written to a newspaper in Greensboro, NC, condemning Robertson has alas yet to be published?!

3) Recep Tayyip Erdogan- This man is the prime minister of my late father's country Turkey. People of Greek and Armenian heritage seem to arbitrarily hate anyone who is Turkish, which is of course NOT the reason I hate this man. In fact, they are the few people who have ever made me defend him! But, Turkey's first openly Muslim fundamentalist PM has been a nightmare from day one. A Turkish friend of mine called him "The Turkish Bush." His wife wears a head scarf and he can't speak English?! His diplomatic skills are horrible though like his American counterpart Erdogan does connect with rural people. Erdogan also made a bonehead remark on "The Charlie Rose Show" critisizing Israel while defending Ankara's working relationship with Iran. All of this makes me want to reach for the raki* bottle!

*-A Turkish alcoholic drink similar to the Greek drink Ouzo. It is potent to put someone on their %$&!

4) Dick Cheney- I think even if I were a Republican I would believe this man was an agent of Satan himself!

5) Sarah Palin- She is Dick Cheney minus the brain and .............well, this is a family blog! (see Cheney's first name)

My Top Ten Likely Republicans Likely to Run List

This entry will seem ironic to many of you who are familiar with my politics. I jokingly say that would likely vote for a Democrat over a Republican even if Howard the Duck* was the candidate though there are a select few GOP members who I might well pull the lever for including my good friend Cong. Frank Wolf (R-Va.) and Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine).

But, as a political junkie, I have to state who I think will likely run against President Barack Obama in 2012 since the process will get underway in a mere ten months, which illustrates how insane the American electoral process has become.

Most of these entries are either present or former governors of current senators, with the exceptions of Cong. Eric Cantor (R-Va) and former house speaker Newt Gingrich.

Here are my predictions (yes, #10 is a bit of a joke):

1. Mitt Romney (pictured)
2. Bobby Jindal
3. Tim Pawlenty
4. Sarah Palin?!
5. Mike Huckabee
6. Eric Cantor
7. Newt Gingrich
8. Lindsay Graham
9. Charlie Crist
10. Joe Lieberman

We are going to be adding some new links within the week to the liberal magazine "The Nation" and from the other side of the spectrum the intriguing, libertarian magazine "Reason," which is focusing on the late author Ayn Rand for its cover story.

*-Howard the Duck actually 'ran for president' during several issues of the Marvel Comics' series back in 1976.