Cardboard Clinton

This has to be one of the funnier things I've seen on the C-T Web site. Not quite sure where they got the cardboard cutout Hillary Clinton.

(Source: citizen-times.com)

Is it me or does this guy look like he's trying to give Hill a cardboard wedgie?

(Source: citizen-times.com)

Is she going in for some cardboard boobie tweekage?

Star-Strangled Banner

I have a lot of respect for anyone who agrees to sing the National Anthem in front of an audience. It is not an easy song to sing. I wouldn't want to do it.

But I wish some people (especially young people) would spend more time learning the words and practicing hitting the notes than they do trying to sound like Mariah Carey or some such nonsense.

Just sing it. Don't fancy it up.

Full of Spit

So Hillary won the Pennsylvania primary. No big woo. That was expected. She still needs to get over herself.

The woman talks out of both sides of her face, and if you want to talk elitist... well, she's the postergirl. And don't forget phony.

But I guess what I really can't stand the most is that seems to feel this sense of entitlement to be president. In her victory speech last night she lauded Pennsylvania voters for coming out because they knew their votes would count.

Well, excuse me, but if you want to go by vote count... Barack has garnered more votes in the primaries held so far. Hillary would like them not to count. She would like only the votes cast in the "big" states to count. Thus negating the millions of people who cast their vote for her opponent. Talk about elitist.

Last night she also said, "You know, the pundit’s question whether Pennsylvanians would trust me with this charge and tonight you showed you do." Well fewer Pennsylvanians showed they would trust her than if the election were held six weeks ago. And if independents had been allowed to vote, I'm sure the vote would have been much closer, if not an outright win for Obama.

She needs to get a clue. The Democrats have been talking unifying the country for the past two years and I don't see it happening. Hillary is like that kid in the schoolyard that no one likes and everyone pushes away, but who still doesn't get the clue that they're not wanted.

I've never contributed to a political campaign, but after last night and the Clinton campaign touting the $3 million they desperately needed raised last night, I'm going to contribute to the Obama campaign when I get paid Friday. Not much. Hillary's campaign was asking donors for $5. I'm going to donate $8 to help Barack win in '08. I know it's not much, but it adds up.

I'm an unaffiliated voter. I don't particuarly care for the politics of either party, but I particiapte in the process and I want my vote to count. I think it's time for the U.S. to ditch these antiquated systems of elections, yes I'm talking about delegates and electoral college systems. One person, one vote.

We celebrate when other countries hold "free and fair" elections that depend on voters casting their votes and not voting for delegates or electors. The United States even recognizes elections such as the recent one in Russia where many people were crying foul.

All right. I got that out of my system. I'll go now.

More Me on Monday

I got this from my sister's blog.

Two Names You Go By
1) Andre.
2) ‘Dre (mostly by the putzes back home).
Two Things You Are Wearing Right Now:
1) Jeans.
2) Nautica polo my mom bought me.
Two things you Want in a Relationship:
1) honesty
2) fun
Two of Your Favorite Things to do:
1) Read.
2) Watch TV.
Two Things you did Last Night:
1) Watched Napoleon Dynamite.
2) Cooked dinner.
Two things you ate today:
1) Ham and cheese sandwich.
2) Apple.
Two people you Last Talked To:
1) Kyle (my boss).
2) Sgt. Peggy Hannah at the sheriff’s office.
Two Things You're doing tomorrow:
1) Working.
2) Let the cat out. Let the cat in… ad infinitum.
Two Longest Car Rides
1) Though I don’t remember, I imagine it would be from Alaska to Texas.
2) Texas to New York and Maine via Chicago.
Two Favorite Holidays:
1) Halloween.
2) Thanksgiving.
Two Favorite Beverages:
1) Dr. Pepper.
2) Ginger Ale.
Two names you like for your children to have (Boy):
1) Spot.
2) Rusty.
Two names you like for your children to have (Girl):
1) Fluffy.
2) Nana.
Two Movies I would watch over and over:
1) Black Hawk Down.
2) LOTR.
Two places I have lived:
1) USAFA. Co.
2) Nacogdoches, Texas (the oldest town in Texas).
2 of my Favorite Foods:
1) Indian.
2) Puerto Rican.
Two places I'd rather be right now:
1) Skiing Keystone.
2) Manitou Springs.
Two of my favorite colors :
1) Red.
2) Blue.

I'm a Lumberjack

Well, kinda sorta in a way.

I'm an alumnus of Stephen F. Austin State University, I was at one time enrolled in the Forestry Program, and I have actually been out in the woods and cut some timber with real lumberjacks. It's hard work, especially in the summer in East Texas.

So my hat is off to the guys and girls who competed in this past weekend's Mid-Atlantic States Intercollegiate Woodsmen’s Meet held Saturday at Haywood Community College. These kids were some choppin', sawin', axe-throwin' fools, but it was fun to watch.

The highlight of the event was the Stihl Timbersports Collegiate Challenge, which will air later this year on ESPNU. An HCC graduate was last year's collegiate national champion and has gone on to the professional ranks.

Anyway, the Stihl Timbersports part of Saturday's event involved five competitors, one each from HCC Penn State-Mont Alto, Montgomery Community College, Allegany College of Maryland and Penn College of Technology.

The guys competed in the underhand chop (a more dangerous looking sport I have not come across), the stock saw and the single-buck saw events.

The winner was this impressive kid, Matt Slingerland, who turned 17 the day after the competition. He is dual enrolled at Montgomery Community College and Gray Stone Day School in Misenheimer, N.C. Who knew there was a Misenheimer, N.C.? His mother and twin brother, Eric, also compete in lumberjack games. His sister might, too. I know she has her own axe.

Matt Slingerland saws through an 18-inch white pine log on his way to a personal record with a little help from his teammates including twin brother, Eric, second from left.

Anyway, this kid probably has an advantage over a lot of the other competitors seeing as how his dad is Mike Slingerland, a second-generation world champion lumberjack who competes in the Stihl pro series.

Mike Slingerland

The aptly nicknamed Josh "Tiny" Roten, of HCC, took third place in the competition. Nice kid. Big kid.

Josh "Tiny" Roten

Supposed to be Spring

I thought it was supposed to be spring.

In fact Coll is on spring break this week, but it's snowing outside today. Not a lot or anything. Well at least not here, but they're calling for 1-2 inches in the higher elevations.

Apparently, last year there was a fairly significant snowfall in April, but I don't really recall. It's not unusual to get snow this late here, but I enjoyed a pretty nice day on Saturday (after the rain fell). I had all the windows in the house open and was enjoying the nice breeze.

Sunday started off pretty nice, but the temperature dropped in the afternoon right when I was making plans to mow the backyard. I decided to wait. No one can see our backyard anyway.

I'm ready for some warm shorts-wearing weather. I'm a fall guy. I enjoy the fall, but I'm ready for the summer.

Back from the Bridge

Well, the Bridge Run went better and worse than I expected.

This was our third year doing the Cooper River Bridge Run and I have to say I felt a lot better afterward than I did last year. Probably because I walked it with Coll and Em rather than running it. I felt almost crippled after last year's race.

I say it went worse because we got a really late start to the race. Much later than the first year. I think we were probably some of the last people to start the race. It was pretty discouraging to look behind and see only a handful of people and then get the first water station and the volunteers were already tearing it down and putting the tables away (hence, no water).

I thought a sweeper truck was going to come along and tell us we had to stop now, but it didn't and we didn't and the three of us finished our third Bridge Run Walk.

Interestingly, at the end of the race, I came across three Asheville firefighters who walked the bridge in full turnout gear, including air tanks. They were walking in honor of Paxten Mitchell, a 3-year-old leukemia sufferer who died the day after the race. Paxten's father is also an Asheville fireman. One of the firefighters, David Sauer, told me that even though they weren't walking the bridge to raise money, people along the race route gave them money for the Mitchell family.

That's what I love about this race: The people. The people are fantastic. I love all the people who come out to cheer and support the runners and walkers and all the volunteers who hand out water and offer words of encouragement. And I have heard of others talking about people giving them money for their cause during the race. I think it's great.

I'll have more photos and commentary on the race later.

Michael Timothy Danforth

Michael in 2000, the week of his wedding, before he got sick.

(Courtesy of Leslie Boyd)

Michael Timothy Danforth, 33, died Tuesday, April 1, at home after a three-year struggle with colon cancer.

Mr. Danforth was born Nov. 3, 1974 in Augusta Ga. He grew up in Fair Lawn, NJ, and Haverstraw, NY, and moved to Schenectady, NY, in 1998, where he met and married his wife, the former Janet Kraichy.

He worked as a chef in Schenectady and later in Savannah, Ga., where he lived from 2003 to 2007. He became sober on Nov. 10, 1997 and spent the final 10 years of his life active at the local and state levels of 12-step groups.

Mr. Danforth is survived by his mother and stepfather, Leslie Boyd and Robert Mikulak of Candler, NC; his father and stepmother, Hazen W. and Linda Danforth, of Brunswick, Ga.; his grandmother, Avis Boyd of North Attleoro, Mass.; two brothers, Scott Danforth and Hazen Danforth Jr., a sister-in-law, Jennifer Danforth, three nieces, Lauren, Peyton and Meghan Danforth and one nephew, Hazen (Trey) Danforth III, all of Brunswick, Ga.

A memorial service will be held at 5 p.m. Sunday at Savannah Unity Church, 2320 Sunset Blvd., Savannah, Ga. A reception follows the service.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Michael Danforth to Eblen Charities, 12 Regent Park Blvd., Asheville, NC 28806, or Duke University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duke University Medical Center, Box 3477, Durham, NC 27710.

Leslie's Angel

The Dalai Mama posted:

Goodbye, my angel
Michael died this afternoon. It was peaceful. He was here
and with us until this morning, and he just slipped away at about 4 o'clock.
We had that wonderful talk last night after watching two episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space 9. He told me he was at peace and ready to go.

It's too sad. Even when someone knows it's coming.

My friend Peter's dad passed away last year after a long battle with cancer. They knew he was dying, too, but I still can't imagine what that's like. Watching the person you love and who used to be so strong be so helpless.

Sad News

I got this e-mail a little bit ago from my editor:

"Michael, 33, son of Leslie Boyd and Rob Mikulak, died shortly before 4 p.m. this afternoon. Funeral arrangements are pending. We'll e-mail you more information as it becomes available."

Leslie is the Dalai Mama you see linked in my blogroll. I'm very sad for her (and Rob), but I know that this means no more suffering for Mike.

Mike's death probably could apparently have been prevented if a series of doctors hadn't made colossal errors and if Mike had healthcare like John, Hillary and Barack.

Sad.

I am Spider-Man

Click here to take the Superhero Personality Test

Hello from the Birthday Prince

(Photo by Lori Johnson)

The party was great. We had about 10 people there. I think everyone had a good time.

I wish I had more pictures to show, but most of the pics are on Coll's camera. I only had the one above and these two:

taken by Coll's teaching pal Terry. I guess she just wasn't used to my camera and pointed the camera down before the photos took. Unless she was really trying to get pictures of Colleen's fish tacos and Jaimi's legs.

I doubt it.

Oh, and I can't let this pass: The waitress we had that night has got to be the worst waitress I've encountered in forever. No one got refills. Colleen drove to the restaurant so I could get nice and toasty for my birthday, but I didn't even catch a buzz. I supposed I could have gone to the bar to get my own drinks, but that's not the point of going to a restaurant. She was pretty worthless.

It's a good thing for her that the restaurant automatically added an 18% gratuity because I don't think anyone there was in a very charitable mood. I don't think anyone added anything on top of the 18%.

I still had a good time, thanks to my honey.