The Departed, Great Movie

I am a huge Jack Nicholson fan. This movie had to be built around him. The other cast of characters, Markie Mark, the successful Baldwin brother, Matt Damon and Leonardo DiCaprio takes the audience on scary rollercoaster ride providing a view of the mob and law enforcement with a comic twist.

The movie was long but anything but boring.

It was filled with blood and guts but it was fitting for the story. If you like action movies that you must pay attention to this is a must see. But not after dinner.

She's Back

After not playing tennis for two years and basically having a life, Serena Williams won her 8th Title. Rumors surrounded her return, she is fat and out of shape. What will she wear???

She marched through the seeded players without missing a beat.

Welcome Back, Lady!

Straight Talk Express Derailed

I love these old farts who are not interested in "civil discourse." People like McCain, Leiberman and Bush only want to talk to people who agree with them. My word, don't you know you are to be seen and not heard you silly little person. How dare you question Senator McCain.

Hopefully, this latest version of "The Three Amigos" will fade away before they blow up the planet.

Middle America Speaks Out Against the War

The last time Philly had a championship parade

The Royal couple arrived to Philadelphia today. HoHum. There was a parade.

The last time Philly participated in a championship parade is when we spanked the Redcoats.

Maybe I am exaggerating, it just seems that long.

I'm not bitter.

The pile of coaches grows

Bill Parcells had enough. The Hall of Fame coach clearly grew bored with his mentally challenged superstar wide receiver. Once it was evident, the drama queen would be back next season, Parcells wisely headed for the door.

Who the hell needs it? The Tuna will be scooped up by a national network and be given a boatload of money to share his wisdom. Good for him.

Jim Mora had it all wrong, Michael Vick is not a coach killer, the drama queen owns that special title. The locker room will be divided and the cancer will spread. It could not happen to a nicer team.

BOOOOOOOOOOOO

Only if you are an old white man

Our country just loves to build up then destroy their heroes. Redemption, forgiveness are bestowed upon the chosen few. If you say that you found Jesus and you are really, really sorry, all is forgiven, if you are member of the old white men's club.

If you don't fall under that category, you are a whore, loser, bad seed or just one of those people.

They are just beginning to attack the ambitious Obama. He has zero idea what is in store for him. Peace be with you, my brother.

100,000 citizens on parade

It is estimated at least 100,000 citizens converged on DC today. I am not optimistic that BubbleBoy will get the message.

The only good thing that has come out of this administration is the SURGE in civic participation.

More on the March

Yeah but, he is still in the driver's seat

The majority of the country has NO faith in the Bush administration. They even had a hard time empanelling a jury for the Scooter Libby case.

Yet, he is the decision-maker, a new moniker. When you have to tell people you are in charge, it is too late.

Georgie Boy reminds me of the kid who it too short to reach the peddles, too young to drive but accidentally starts the car.

Impeachment is the only way to take the keys away from him.

Taking it to the streets

Citizens who have had enough the dumbass who is POTUS have braved the cold to participate in a protest against this mindless war.

I thank you for your service.

Sex on the First Date

The netroots community channeled their energy into action with an eye on changing the landscape in our government. They raised a ton of money for the 2006 election. Additionally, they organized ground troops, who knocked on doors, performed lit drops and got out the vote. Mission accomplished. Sort of.

The Democratic party took their money and resources and continue to summarily dismiss them. It is appalling.

Before I proceed, here is my disclaimer: I have, what is deemed, a real job, with a great benefits package. I donate time and money to progressive causes and candidates. My best friend is a working class blogger. I love my newspapers. Because of my insane schedule, I began to rely on her blog for up-to-date, accurate information. As I watched her readership increase, she struggled physically and financially. Some of her readers responded when she held a fundraiser, a few subscribed. What I did witness, more often than not, was the annoyance from her readers at her inability to keep a real job. Or, they were inconvenienced when she did get a "real job." The dreaded Catch-22. Readers wanting the benefit of her labor but did not want to pay for it. Go take a paper from the local 7-11 and not pay for it and see what happens. HMMM a microcosm of the new political world order.

My point is, the Republicans are willing to support their worker bees and mouthpieces. Anne Coulter came out of nowhere to represent the voice of the neocons. Hell, Rick Santorum landed a job in a think tank after losing his job to a netroots supported candidate. My guess is they have health insurance.

What do Dems do when one of their own needs assistance? They provide the following lecture: " My goodness, if you just put together a prettier resume, you can get a real job with benefits like the grownups. In the meantime, give your time and money to the "Consultants" who have not won anything in years." This is intellectually offensive, pretentious, and just plain silly.

Political activism is a business and should be treated as such. What is so wrong with applying a few business practices to your cause? Provide a living wage with basic benefits to those working for the cause. Those who put their nose up at this model have no idea what it is like to be middle America.

The netroots gave their money to the Dems on the first date thereby creating the rules of engagement. The Dems now call when they are looking for in effect a "booty call." Unfortunately, there appears to be gratitude when the call comes. Your time and resources have value.

As my daddy always told me "Keep your panties up, girl. If you have sex on the first date, you have defined rules of the relationship." A good old-fashioned unfair double standard.

The next big event has begun. Now is time for the major players in the blogosphere to change the climate again. My advice to those who weld the most power in this community establish your rules and enforce them.

In the meantime, go find your panties and stop acting like the fat ugly girl in the corner grateful for male attention.

Thanks for the Memories

When I was a political science/history major, Art Buchwald was required reading. He was a humorist. A good humorist has to be smart. He was all that and more. I listened to his final interview on NPR on Thursday and it was funny and sad. He was generally annoyed that he stuck around as long as he did. He opted not to seek dialysis. His stinking around gave his peers and his fans an opportunity to show their love.

Even as he faced the end of this phase of his life, he kept his sense of humor. He will be missed.

Oh Whatever

Eyewitness to History

The second half of the Colts v. Patriots game was far better than the first. The Colts did not seize the lead until the last minute and half of the game. Marlon Jackson, not that Marlon, cemented the win by intercepting Tom Brady. The result was an exciting game.

Tom Brady has a collection of Super Bowl jewelery so don't weep for him. Peyton Manning, on the other hand, has finally rid himself of the "he can't win when it counts" albatross from his back. He shared this burden with coach Tony Dungy. Jon Gruden won his Super Bowl using Tony Dungy's Tampa Bay team.

Dungy will join his dear friend, Lovie Smith, coach of Da Bears in Miami. It will be the first time in NFL history, two brothers will face off in in the Super Bowl ensuring yet another historic event. The winning coach will have brown skin. Both are talented coaches who have earned their place in history.

It is not the Eagles but I can live with Dungy collecting a ring. Today is a good day for football.

A Surge in Deaths

Ugly Football

Da Bears are returning to the Super Bowl for the first time in 21 years. The so-called game against the Saints was just awful.

So far the first half of the Colts versus the Patriots is not much better......

Rich Little: Headliner and Legend

HMMM

I thought Rich Little was dead. I guess a tame near dead comic is safer than one who is SMART and funny.

Mr. Colbert your invitation to the White House Correspondent's Dinner is not in the mail.....

Sleeping with the President

Our gal Hillary has tossed her hat into the ring. So what!

It would be great to see a woman run the country but not this one, not yet. What have I missed?

This is worse than a spouse stepping in to run a company after the other spouse dies, because there is more at stake. Just because she slept with a President occasionally for eight years does not warrant an entry to your resume.' Bedroom experience does not translate into executive expertise.

The MSM has talked about everything BUT her lack of experience.

Don't get me wrong, she is very smart and has a machine that can raise money. Sure she was an active First Lady. But the horrendous way that she managed her health care program is an indication of her inability to manage a major project.

I would never put her in the same category as Fat Barbara. However, it was common knowledge Nancy was a key player in the Reagan White House. That doesn't mean she was electable.

Her resume is not much stronger than Barack "He is so fine" Obama. Worse she voted for the war and did not move off of that position until last week. Her current position is that she will support our troops but not the Iraqi troops. That sounds too much like a "Kerryism" to me.

In time, both MAY be qualified to serve as President. At this moment in time we can do better.

Our country is a mess and I would feel better with a man or woman with a little more wisdom running what is left of our country.

Hillary, you will serve your country well by being a team player. Build your resume' by serving your New York constituents. Raise a boatload of money for a qualified candidate.

These people are evil

According to former FEMA Director "Heckava Job" Brownie, the White House wanted to embarrass the Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco, who just happens not be a Republican.

This comes to as a surprise to no one. All of their decisions have been political in nature. The ninth ward remains in shambles. Even it this areas is not rebuilt, it needs to be cleaned up. Money poured into the region but it has eluded the folks who are actually in need. It is unlikely, the working and middle class population will return.

It is widely reported that it is an administrative nightmare to obtain federal money. This supports Michael Brown's charges. It is disgraceful how this segment of the American population has been exploited.

Instead of ascending to Heaven in rapture, Georgie Boy & company are on a fast track to Hell for their costly misdeeds.

Rev. Jesse Jackson

I grew up in the sixties, a very explosive time in our country's history. My parents were very active in the community and the Civil Rights movement. My father was involved in the self-help housing program, the PTA, the NAACP and of course the church. There is an unconfirmed rumor that he was a member of the Black Panthers.

Our home was the hub of activity. Local leaders such as Dr. Austin Meade were frequent guests in my home. Trips to the distant city of Washington D.C. were a common event for my Dad. He participated in these activities and held down his gig at the local steel mill. My mother took care of us while my Dad was trying to save our community.

My folks made sure that black reading material and the recorded versions of the King speeches were available to me and my brothers. The radio was always tuned into the local black radio station. All of the national figures and events were debated at the dinner table. Racial injustice, the loss of King and the Kennedys and the Vietnam War were the notable topics. Lectures by Alex Haley, Dr. Alvin Poussaint, Andrew Young and the eyewitness to history, Rev. Jesse Jackson were family field trips. Looking back, my Mom was more militant than my Dad. She preferred Malcolm X over King's non-violent style.

It has been over a decade since I have sat in the audience to listen Rev. Jackson speak. I grew up in the church, so he spoke to me on so many levels. He was smart and passionate. He looked like me and was someone other than family who moved me to be proud of my beautiful brown skin.

I loved it when he managed to make changes through economic boycotts of commonly used products. How awesome was it when he brokered the release of hostages? As I matured, and the good Reverend was in the middle of stuff, I began to question, sadly, his motivations. The recent Michael Richard rant comes to mind.

Is he a historical figure whose place is that of elder statesman? Is he still relevant? These questions are the foundation of my personal intellectual struggle with Rev. Jackson. The mere mention of his name evokes a response by everyone.

Rev. Jackson is on speed dial for what "they" have deemed black issues. I guess it is less sexy when he speaks to working class issues such as education, poverty and lack of jobs. These topics may show a less divisive side of his message. Maybe that is the point.

It makes me crazy when "they" say pick a leader.

Or begs the question, why are we as black people entitled to just one leader? How come we can't have at least two? Is this the same faceless group of people who have taken snippets of Rev. Jackson and made him a caricature of himself? Why doesn't the MSM reach out to less flamboyant leaders in our community? I guess that would require some effort on their part. These are the same folks who waved their flags while this administration lied us into a senseless war.

I read Chris Rabb's post this morning which reminded me of Rev. Jackson's good works.

Maybe it is time for me to spend more unfiltered time with Rev. Jackson.

Thanks for the reminder Chris.

Maybe Next Year

Maybe next year is the mantra of the Eagles fan. I really hate those three words. They rank up there with "it's not you, it's me."

The Eagles turned things around after stumbling in the middle of the season. The defense found their spirit. The offense rallied around Jeff Garcia after McNabb went down, again.

Instead of the Eagles management whining about about the fans not showing them love, they need to find away to keep Jeff Garcia next season. With McNabb's history of season ending injuries it would be a smart move. Lurie and Banner, two rich nerds who managed to pull together enough money to buy a team, expect the fans to genuflect in their presence. Worse they complained and it hit the papers today. The Eagles fans are making Dumb and Dumber a ton of money by supporting the team. Rich, socially retarded and just stupid.

Newsflash gentlemen, just because you own the team, doesn't mean you are the team. Your whiny-titty baby attitude reminds people why you were never picked to PLAY on a team. The women or the gay fans still don't want to have sex with you. Get over your unresolved high school issues. I digress.

The Eagles played one hell of a game tonight. It was smash mouth football at its best. Few mistakes were made. However, the penalties were costly.

Both teams ran a balanced offense. Reggie Bush and Deuce McAllister are young solid players. If they managed to stay healthy, they will cause a lot of problems for defenses for years to come.

Garcia and Westbrook performed well in a very loud stadium. In the end, it was obvious the Eagles defense ran out of gas. Playmaker Brian Dawkins was a non-factor.

I watched the final game in a small theatre with my best friend, two very handsome cops, the theatre owner and old lady who bragged about making out with deaf boys in her youth. (They did not hurt her reputation, because they didn't kiss and tell. Her words, not mine).

The cops were on duty. They managed to watch the game with little interruption. I guess the criminals were watching the game. To watch the game on a room size screen was awesome. We all moaned when Sheldon Brown drilled Reggie Bush on the first play of the game. It was fun watching the game with other fans, until the end. The mood of the room reflected the play on the field.

The Saints earned the win. I am not in that "zen" place of acceptance of how the Eagles came back from the dead this season. No Superbowl. No Championship. Season over.

Oh, well. Maybe next year............

Underachieving Spoiled Loser Brat

Sane adults are taught by family or peers that you can not always have your way. Life experiences generally teach normal folk that constant instance gratification is just not healthy.

43's need for instant gratification led to:

substance abuse problems

sudden departure from the military

career failures

surprising run for the White House.

the facata war in Iraq

play the guitar while a state was under water

abuse of signing statements

Every family has a underachieving spoiled loser brat. The USLB causes problems and the family SWAT team swoops in repairs the damage he or she has created.

Normal families would never leave a child alone or worse put him in charge of an organization that could jeopardize the lives of others people's children. Normal families is the key to this equation.

There always comes a time in the USLB's life that he thinks knows best. This is when the real problems start. Because the USLB never faces the consequences of his actions, the natural maturing and socialization process never occurs. Most USLBs never get in a position to cause real problems. The risk exposure is limited to a small arena.

It should be a surprise to no one that the nation's USLB authorized the military to stop Iranian support of Iraq. Whatever that means. Do you believe the cries of this administration? Weapons of Mass Destruction, mushroom clouds, grrrrrrrr.

Punks punch first. Adults start and finish with diplomacy. Military force is only used when necessary.

This is all part of our USLB's neocon driven foreign policy.

When a subtance abuser's family and friends have had enough they perform an intervention.

41 tried to orchestrate the intervention by coordinating the Iraq study group.

The USLB has to acknowledge his problem in order for the healing to begin. The USLB is slow to face his problem when he has surrounded himself with codependent advisers. Cheney, Rice, McCain and the every present Lieberman are the star enablers.

In order to save the world from the USLB, the citizens must demand an intervention by Congress with the only option available under our Constitution, Impeachment.

Can I get a recall?

Thanks for nothing Connecticut. The Democrats tried to rid the nation of this loser bastard. But nooooo, you sent him back to Washington.

Why does this jerk have a chairmanship post? I thought he was an independent?

During his independent quest to keep his job, in desperation promised to investigate the post Katrina activities. Now that he is in a position to do something constructive he flip-flops.

I guess he, like Bush doesn't understand how angry the citizens are with this administration.

Every time that fat bastard speaks, my head hurts.

Recall him Connecticut voters.....

Mercy Rule

My daughter was a cheerleader in high school. She had to cheer for the worst football team in the league. The football team was so bad, the "mercy rule" was used in every game.

What is the "mercy rule"? If the winning team is ahead by 30 points at half time, the clock will continue to run in the second half to speed up the game. The mercy is more for the fans than the players.

I gave my daughter and her posse of cheerleaders credit for smiling and cheering for a losing effort. At no time during the two wretched seasons did these kids give up. They showed up every game gave 100% with enthusiasm. The kids were talented but the coach of the team was incompetent. The fans knew the coach sucked and should be replaced. However, they paid their money to support the kids.

Finally, the fans rose up, made enough noise to have the coach removed. The next season, the football team won their league. Coincidence? I don't think so.

Watching the White House's head cheerleader, Condi Rice's performance during the hearings took me back to my daughter's cheering days. With a smile on her face she was trying to convince anyone within earshot, to rally around Bush's latest plan. I was waiting for her pull out her poms, poms and shout " Defense, Defense."

The plan is calling for more of the same. Bush is hell bent on starting the next world war. He even put Syria and Iran on notice. Did I miss something? We are not winning in Iraq. Our military is in shambles. They were sent to fight a manufactured war. One wounded or dead soldier is too many for this futile effort.

Bush refuses to listen to generals on the ground. He refuses to listen to the SWAT team sent in by 41. He simply ignores his employers who sent him a clear message in November. He is fucking crazy. What I don't understand is why Condi continues to cheer for this losing effort.

This is not a game.
This is not a cold Friday night in a stadium.
There is no mercy rule.
The cheerleaders and football team returned home after each game.
They were not forced to return to the stadium after their time was up.
The only thing at stake was school pride.

The threat to our national security does not reside in the middle east. He lives in the White House. Impeachment is the only option.

Impeachment is the only option

Ignoring the wishes of his employers, the voting public, Bush is forging ahead with this stupid war.

He and Cheney must be removed from office before they invade Iran with the local scout troop, because there are simply no more troops.

I hope it does not take a draft before, the citizens flood the offices our employees, that would be the elected officials, demanding Impeachment hearings.

The post-election honeymoon is over. Demand action.

Bush's Boy Speaks, Thanks Conneticut

Lieberman ran in the primary election and lost. Thanks to his buddies in both parties, he managed to get himself elected as an Independent. His sense of entitlement to the gig is appalling.

Worse, is his undying loyalty to Bush. Is this some sort of whacked crush? Or does Rove have photos?

He never ceases to amaze me. I just wish that he would enlist and get deployed to Iraq. Then maybe he would take this mess seriously. The military is broken.

It is clear, that he is lining up with the Repugs, why does he retain his leadership post?

Independent? Nah, a power hungry sissy boy in desperate need for Bush's approval.

How pathetic....

Lovestruck, as usual

I read Phil Sheridan's article with amusement. For years, I have said that my love for the Eagles is like an affair with a bad boy. You know the relationship is bad for you, but you keep going back. It is as if, he has overheard my conversations.

As the game came to an end, my daughter, the family optimist was a mess. I was holding her son, explaining to him why Andy Reid was letting the clock run down to 3 seconds. With the return of Koy Detmer, to the field goal unit, the knot in my stomach was loosening. Her son slobbered with a smile, as he watched his mother in prayer and ignoring me.

Blessedly, Automatic Akers delivered. He nailed the kick on the rain soaked field with room to spare. Eagles win by three.

Jeff Garcia has done an tremendous job of infusing passion into this team. He is passionate and fiery leader. The team has found their leader. Garcia's leadership coupled with a balanced mix of running and passing plays helped turn around the struggling offense.

The defense has returned to their deadly best. In the last quarter, Brian "Superman" Dawkins literally took flight to make a drive stopping tackle.

Tiki Barber cited playing against MLB Jeremiah Trotter as contributing factor to his early retreat to the broadcast booth.

McNabb was on the sidelines showing his support. When the Eagles offense struggled in the first quarter, the cameras panned to McNabb reviewing the photos. He was going to offer his wisdom, I guess.

A telling sight was Garcia politely retrieving the photos. The sight of McNabb pouting was not pretty. The transition is complete.

As the march to the Super Bowl continues, Garcia has earned the respect of his teammates and the passionate Eagles fans.

Fly Eagles, Fly

What they didn't say

Peyton Manning was so bad in the first half of the contest between Colts and the Chiefs, I had to make sure I wasn't watching his baby brother Eli.

What was anticipated, was a high scoring game. Both defenses have been criticized all season. They stepped up big time. The Chiefs did not get a first down the first half. Unbelievable.

With three intercepetions in the first half, compliments of Ty Law, the broadcasters were wondering if Manning was choking because it was a playoff game. Manning has racked up Hall of Fame numbers, but has found little success in the post season.

He was forcing passes into double coverage or when there were no Colts to be found. The stuff his brother does.

I am not sure what happened during halftime, but Peyton showed up the second half. He stopped channeling his brother. He used more running plays and short passes. The tight ends were his friends. However, he and Marvin Harrison, his primary target were not in sync.

They better get it together before facing the Ravens in the next round.

The Colts defense managed to shut down, K.C.'s major offensive threat, Larry Johnson. Johnson is the NFL's second-leading rusher this season with 1,789 yards. He did not even break a sweat.

Tony Dungy coaches the Colts and Herman Edwards commandeers the Chiefs, both had stellar careers as NFL players. They have emerged as respected coaches. Both are African-American.

Finally, the broadcasters did not mention it. Art Schell, lost his position as the coach of the Raiders. With a 2-14 record, he should have lost his job. Again, no mention of his race.

This is progress.

Don't let the door hit you in the ass, T.O.

The 'Boys crashed and burned last night. Before the HazMat team could clean up the wreckage, T.O. felt compelled to share with the world, quarterback Tony Romo was sobbing in the locker room. Was that really necessary?

If you are T.O. it is...

Only by leading this franchise to a Superbowl will stop the thought loop of the fumbled perfect hike.

As Seattle's coach, Mike Holmgren pointed out in his post game press conference, a short field goal is a pretty routine play.

Why was Romo the holder? He was the backup quarterback at the beginning of the season. This is part of the job description.
Until last night he was part of a near perfect field goal unit.

My heart aches for Romo. He is a young quarterback and may never recover from that play. He doesn't have the next week to exercise this nightmare. He has to wait an entire off season.

However, Jerry Jones, owner of the Cowboys gets exactly what he deserves. He brought in T.O., who became a major distraction.

From his Lance Armstrong imitation to his failed alleged suicide attempt, it was all T.O. His future contracts should come with the OSHA mandated MSDS labels.

Romo did not cost the Cowboys their season, Jones did. BOOOOOOO

GGGRRRRR

Thank God for Keith O

Ketih O kicks off the new year with a healthy dose of brains and controlled rage. His Special Comment challenges the sacrifice the volunteer military is supposed to make for his ego.

My question is why is it that he is the only one with such a forum that is willing to call Loser Georgie Boy out?

I wish we held our elected officials to the same standard....

I love sports. I have followed professional football and baseball as long as I can remember. I am not alone. Legions of fans saddled up to the tube to support their favorite football team this weekend to see who goes home or continues into the playoffs.

I thought I died and went to heaven when they created the NFL channel. All football all the time. God is good.

When a team performs poorly, it is no question a coach or coaches will lose their job. Yesterday the regular season ended. Arizona stunk, Dennis Green gone. Falcons were wretched, Baby boy Mora, gone.

In the middle of the season, Andy Reid changed how he managed his offense. He fired himself as offensive coordinator. He did not "stay the course."

Fans expect solid management from the coaches and high performance from the players. The sportscasters and writers function as quality control. Incompetence, poor leadership and management skills are simply not tolerated. The fan base are very vocal and are not above letting the owners of their favorite team know just how they feel. Grassroots democracy in action.

After a crappy performance, key players and the coach face the media. The sports reporters have done their research and ask the hard questions. At times it is painful, to watch the exchange. Reporter: " Ah coach, your team sucked today. What are you going to do about it? Coach: Yeah, you're right. They weren't prepared and that was my fault." Coaches and players are required contractually to make media appearances.

Three thousand citizens have lost their lives for this bullshit war. This administration lied about the war. The Congress gave Georgie Boy the authority to go to war. They also approved the Patriot Act which has deluded our basic rights afforded to us under the Constitution. If I hear another fellow citizen say "What's the problem? I am not hiding anything." I will scream.

In our desire to spread democracy, we have given away many of the freedoms we have sent our troops to die for.

To compound the problem, the MSM sat back and let it happen. They are lazy, unprepared and more concerned about Brittany's hoochie and Michael Richard's meltdown. God help us all.

Who has taken responsibility for this debacle?

Donald Rumsfeld's, the mastermind managing this mess, parting words were essentially, "Kiss my ass." The only thing he didn't do was drop his pants and moon the world on his last day of work. It would have been less offensive. Maybe.

Unfortunately, we do not hold our elected officials to the same standard as our sports coaches and reporters. When a sports reporter gets the facts wrong, before the ink is dry, the error is quickly corrected. The folks who have radio or TV shows have research teams and welcome callers. If there is not enough audience participation, they lose their jobs.

When was the last time a sports reporter resigned because his or her facts were wrong?

Most rabid fans can rattle off team statistics, player and team history. I wonder how many know who represents them in Congress. Or worse, still think or Iraq was tied to 9-11.

My wish for the new year, is that my fellow fans show the same passion for their country as they do for their team. By doing so, their elected officials will do better. The MSM will spend less time on Brangelina and more on the war, health coverage, loss of jobs.

Boo-Ya

Eagles peak at the right time

At the beginning of the season, I predicted the Eagles would go 10-6. What I did not predict, was that they would have a shot at going to Miami.

More than a month ago, I was just hoping the Eagles would end the season at .500. When McNabb went down and the defense's inability to find the stadium, I struggled to be optimistic.

In order to win the NFC division, the Cowboys would have to lose to Detroit or the Eagles would have to beat the Falcons. As hapless as the Cowboys have been playing of late, it was unlikely they would lose at home, thereby making the final game of the Eagles regular season significant. The minor detail often overlooked, is the Cowboys have T.O. in their locker room. He dropped more balls than he caught this season. Of course it is everybody's fault but his. Football is a team sport. Like a chain, it is as strong as it's weakest link. He doesn't care about the team winning, all he cares about it is his statistics. Go run track, get out of football T.O. you are bad for football. I digress.

Early in the first quarter, Andy Reid learned that the Cowboys choked at home, handing the Eagles the NFC East division championship and home field advantage. Wisely, Reid systematically replaced the starters giving them essentially a bye and a well deserved rest.

The second team, stepped in and stepped up. They performed well against the Falcons starters. A.J. Feeley ran the offense without missing a beat. My feared defensive unit has found their way home.

The final score, Eagles 24, Falcons 17.

Andy Reid has earned the right to be coach of the year. After a terrible start this season, he turned over the offense play calling to the Offensive Coordinator Marty Mornhinweg. For a control freak, this is a big step. Additionally, it takes a leader not to lose the locker room. It could have gone the way of the Cowboys. But the Eagles were smart enough to dispose of their Hazardous Waste last year.

The way this TEAM has come together, it is not too outrageous to think about Miami. But first up, Tiki Barber and the Giants. Let's send Tiki to an early retirement he so desired.

It is always good not to peak too soon.

Happy New Year!

This pretty much sums it up

Broken Promises

I grew up in a working class neighborhood. Not remote rural, certainly not suburbia. We had a nice yard and a driveway.

My father was one of the group of men who worked at the local steel mill. He managed to work his way up to Quality Control Foreman. He worked the plum day shift and wore a white shirt and hard hat.

By the time he returned from work at 4:20pm he smelled of the steel dust that coated his white shirt. The environment was challenging for a black man with just an associate's degree. He put up with far more indignities than I faced on my worst day.
The "rules" were to get an education, find a home at a good company, retire and die.

The steady income and the health insurance for us kept him loyal to his employer. The insurance gave him pride and security. With three children who participated in sports it was a nice benefit.

Eye care, medication and dental were included in the package. He would painstakingly sit at the dining room table and fill out the insurance forms. He paid a deductible.

Then came managed care. PPO's, gatekeepers, referral slips and co-payments. Has the cost of healthcare reduced in the last 40 years?

Insurance companies, healthcare providers and drug manufacturers are recording record profits.

The money not spent on healthcare went to our home, furniture, electricity, food, clothing, cars, gasoline. Products that stimulated the economy.

Most people in our country are closer to club poverty than club riches. Until people wrap their brain around this painful fact, nothing will change. A very dear friend of mine, whom I am convinced watches Fox News, is a very successful attorney. From his perspective he is the new middle class. Since when did making a income that exceeds six figures denotes the middle class?

Using the accounting principles of EBIDTA employees and their benefits lends itself to the outsourcing of jobs, to increase the profits for corporate shareholders.

After 35 years of service at the ripe old age of 58, Dad and many of his peers were given a package. He was not emotionally or financially ready to retire. Shortly, thereafter his company was sold twice. The community this plant supported looks like the retirees, tired and broken down.

Eventually, his life insurance was eliminated, pension and health coverage reduced. Try to find a life insurance policy after three bouts of cancer. I can't imagine it developed being exposed to steel dust for 35 years. Minor details. Familiar faces from the mill shared the chemo sessions with Dad. There are not many survivors.

Personal protection equipment mandated by OSHA was not a priority 40 years ago. The OSHA police continue to be underfunded.

My father worked everyday with his eye on the promise of a financially secure retirement. He makes too much money to receive Bush's donut hole prescription drug plan. His out-of-pocket expenses associated with the care of his health exceeds $700 per month.

He at least has what is left of his pension. The ERISA statue was created to make sure employers keep their promises. Employers are now whining that the pensions are killing their profitability. These are the same companies where the CEO's walk away with a platinum package. My daughter only knows of 401K plans.

If he had universal health coverage, he could die in peace.

OSHA and ERISA were created by the government to protect the employee from their employer. Both have failed due to lack of funding and enforcement.

I think it is great billionaire Mortimer Zuckerman writes on this topic. There is just one flaw in his essay. The middle class has already disappeared. No one wants to admit it.

The Lone Ranger

To the surprise and dismay of Washington Insiders are dismayed with Bubble Boy's bunker mentality. Bubble Boy should have spent this much time deliberating before he went to war.

What about the families of the deceased?

Bubble Boy has actively avoided the families of those soldiers killed in this debacle. News coverage of funerals has been frowned upon by this administration and complied with by the MSM.

I think the soldiers, who have managed not to die, would prefer to be home with their friends and family than to chat with their Commander-In-Chief.

I support the troops and the sacrifices of their families. However, it saddens me that their lives have been so casually been used in the family Bush war games. I am not so convinced that all members of this volunteer military new what they signed up for.

Could they know more than their fearless leaders?

Bubble Boy's stubborn resolve is an indication of a man so out of touch with reality, impeachment would be too easy. He should be imprisoned for sending these folks to Iraq and the lack of preparation for peace.

During your "thank you" calls, did you tell these folks when they could come home?

I will be the first to defend your right to be a dumbass, Virgil

I really have no patience for stupid people. What offends me more, is a stupid person in a position of power with a very large megaphone.

The winner this week is Rep. Virgil Goode from the great state of Virginia. All he has to do is read the the FIRST article of the Constitution, if his attention span does not permit him read the entire document. According to my history teachers, people fled to these shores to escape religious persecution.

Worse, Rahm Emanuel's solution is Virgil to meet with Rep-Elect Keith Ellison. I suppose once they meet Goode will see the light and stop being a racist. Who died and made Virgil that important?

Ellison, like it or not, was BORN in this country and really shouldn't have to defend himself to Virgil from Virginia. The voters from his district put him in office.

No one, other than the folks from his district, ever heard of Virgil before this infamous letter. Virgil needs to spend more time reading the document that he is supposed to protect.

BTW your ignorant commentary is protected in the same Article. Let me be the first in line to defend that right, VIRGIL.

If my momma named me VIRGIL I would be fearful too......

Look what's under the tree

Merry Christmas Philadelphia!

What a perfect Christmas present. The Eagles beat the 'Boys in Texas clinching a playoff spot. The bow on the gift was the camera focusing on T.O. pouting after he dropped yet another pass.

I give my future son-in-law credit for choking down this loss. He showed up wearing his Dallas garb. The blue stood out in the sea of Eagles green worn by the rest of my family.

Blessedly, my parents made the trip without incident. They took off before the game started because the weather was pretty crappy. Dad looked pretty good and ate too much. Everyone was glad to see him.

After eating dinner, we gathered around the tube to watch the game. It was cool having most of the family together. My kid brother called after dinner. All is well in his corner of the world. My ex-husband, a Philly native, who now resides in Texas called throughout the game to torment the lone Cowboys fan in the house.

All is well in my corner of the world. Merry Christtmas Jeff Garcia, Welcome to Philadelphia.

Eagles 23, Cowboys 7.

Daddy's Home

My Dad is resting an home today after four days in the hospital. According to my Mom, he is starting to look like his normal self today. A Christmas wish granted.

On Monday morning I saw my Mom's cell number flash on my cell phone. I knew immediately, something was not good. My mother never uses her cell phone, ever.

When I answered, Mom informed me that she and Dad were on the way to the hospital. Dad's heart rate was so low at his doctor's visit, he was instructed to go immediately to the local hospital.

My parents are old and have been married forever. I am not sure when they officially became old, but I am discovering that old people have rules. In my parents world, Dad always drives. Period.

Dad has a history of diabetes and high blood pressure. I knew that he was on a lot of meds but I did not know heart medicine was in the mix. Mind you, Dad could have had a stroke, seizure, or simply passed out. But there are rules. Mom rides shotgun.

Mom assured me that Dad was fine, under the circumstances and they would be at the hospital shortly.

During this brief conversation, I was not quite sure who to be annoyed with, the doctor or my folks. Fear was the best description of how I was feeling.

I love both my folks. I was terrified that they would, in this little 20 mile excursion, kill themselves and faceless strangers. Where my folks live 20 miles is local.

My best friend recently buried her father. His funeral flashed in my mind.

When I received the call, I was on my way to take an account that I actually like to lunch. Nice clients are rarity in my business. I would be two hours. Mom told me not to rush. Dad stopped taking one of his pills and it screwed up his system. The doctor told them once the old body was recalibrateted, he would be fine. The plan was to keep him at least overnight.

I called my older brother who was closer to the hospital at that moment. I told him what was going on and asked him to meet the folks at the ER.

I told him that I should get there in enough time to relieve him and chat with the doctor. He is money. "I got it, Sis," as he hung up.

It seemed like a week took place during the lunch. One member of my party was a nun. She sensed my anxiety and her words of kindness gave me comfort.

After lunch, I dropped off my employee who whispered a prayer for my family. The traffic gods shined on me. The route that i had to take always has either an accident or a construction project.

By the time I reached the hospital, Dad had been moved to a room and was hooked up to every machine imaginable.

By this time, Mom was worn out. My brother decided to take her home. I promised to wait for the cardiologist and call everyone with an update. With that my brother gave me a big old hug. I needed it at the time.

Dad was pretty spent, so we sat quietly as the sun began to fade into the evening. Before the doctor arrived I had to know why Dad was screwing around with his meds. He told me that the one pill "messed with my stomach." Unfortunately, it was his heart medicine and he didn't bother to tell his doctor until this morning.

I recalled my parents discussing the high cost of their medication. I could always talk to my Dad about sensitive stuff. Money is a sensitive topic.

I asked if he was he cutting back on his meds because of the cost. He said no. He is the collateral damage of the collapse of the American steel industry. After 38 years of service, he was forced into early retirement. They eliminated his life insurance policy, slashed his health coverage and cut his pension by 15%.

I made him promise if the cost of the meds were an issue to let me know.

Once we chatted with the cardiologist, we just sat with the sounds of the machines providing a break in the silence. I found comfort in the rhythm of the machines.

Finally, visiting hours were over.

As I was leaving, I told Dad " don't die yet, OK?"

With a big old grin, he told me "God didn't want him messin' up his Heaven."

Presumptuous aren't we? I responded. We both just laughed, and fought back tears.

Serenity Now

Because of my stressful life, my family doctor suggested, yoga or drugs. The whole zoned out approach to my life never had much appeal to me. So I opted to go the Yoga route.

I have been accused of being a quadruple" A " workaholic control freak. A harsh assessment. There may be a grain of truth to the label. Just a grain. What is so wrong with seeking spiritual enlightenment in a week?

Like any practice, you are to find the right form of yoga for your spiritual journey.

The teachers I encountered ask who you are and what you do for a living. Most of my classmates hailed from corporate America. The men in my classes were there with their wives or with the encouragement of their ex-wives or coworkers.

My first teacher looked at me with his piercing blue eyes and told me that the point of the class was not to be competitive and to work at sane pace. He warned me that if he sensed me being competitive, that he would make me face the wall. I tried to muster a smile but I did find myself looking away with a pout.

When I relayed this story to a friend of mine, he asked me "What color is the wall?"

Once I permitted myself to slow down, I found myself really enjoying the classes. The kinks in my body are worked out through a series of poses. By focusing on the poses it stills the mind in preparation for meditation.

After eight weeks with Francois, I moved due to life's circumstances, which left me without a teacher.

Once I settled into my new community I found a home to practice my yoga. To my delight, Francois was a student of the teacher who founded this institute. The same firm philosophy and gentle approach. You hear horror stories of psycho-nazi instructors that push folks and injuries occur.

I usually go to class on Sunday morning. It helps me through the week.

Each class begins with a word or concept to focus on. Non-violence is a concept that seems to surface in every class.

I never considered myself to be violent per se but I discovered, that when I make mistakes I have found myself assaulting me verbally. Wow. It is something that most of us do. A whacked version of humility or self-evaluation. We would never say to someone we love the things that we say to ourselves in a typical guilt ridden thought loop.

I found that each week, the word of the day always strikes a cord. One week it was aversion. According to my teacher, annoying people are sent into your life to teach you compassion. I guess that explains my current boss.

On this Christmas Eve the class was packed. I guess I wasn't the only one who needed a break from the holiday insanity.

Today the word was intention. My intention now and into the future is not to permit anyone take my joy.

I have let too many people or circumstances steal my joy. I recommend yoga for anyone trying to get through the day.

By the way, the wall at the yoga studio was baby blue.

Merry Christmas!

Dear Santa,

Dear Santa,

It has been a rocky season with my beloved Eagles. Tomorrow the Eagles will spend their Christmas in the Texas Stadium. They will square off against T.O. and the 'Boys. (BOOOOOO).

If the Eagles win, they will be in pretty good shape for the playoffs. They just have to win.

My family will gather at my place. Dinner will be served at 3:00pm. Standard fare: Homemade mac & cheese, mashed sweet and white potatoes, collards, corn, mushrooms, cornbread stuffing, turkey, gravy and ham.

Everyone should be ready for dessert and coffee around kickoff. My baby is making homemade sweet potato and apple tarts.

Here's the rub, my baby's sweetie is a fan of America's team. Of course, the trash talkin' has begun. You have to admire someone so arrogantly struttin' into enemy territory. At the end of the evening, there will be either 8 happy campers or one very happy soul. My Mom simply enjoys the insanity.

I hope the feared defense shows up and Garcia has the game of his career. If you recall, T.O. made Garcia' life a living hell in San Francisco. He even suggested that Garcia did not like the ladies. Finally, I want T.O. to continue to drop passes. No touchdowns in your stocking for you, just lumps of coal. He has been naughty his entire career.

Thanks Santa.

Love,

Sally

He is just crazy

The contest featured record-breaking field goal Morten Andersen, handing his wife his jersey after kicking one through the upright for the beleaguered Falcons. To everyone's surprise, there was lot of scoring by both teams. The dreaded Cowboys (BOOOOO) won, securing a spot in the second season.

If T.O. is anywhere in the state, he is the center of drama. This jackass was not happy to catch two touchdowns in this game. He felt compelled to share his saliva with Falcon's cornerback DeAngelo Hall.

Hall was talkin' trash, which is common in any sports venue, unless you are on a golf course. Poor TO he couldn't take it anymore so this is what he did. The handful of remaining T.O. fans has been reduced to his grandmom and agent.

He is a disgrace. The league will fine him less that what he pays in taxes in his weekly check. The best thing that could happen to him, is that the media simply ignore him. He is too old to spank, ignoring him would be the worst punishment in the world.

He needs the drama, we don't. Stop feeding the beast, let's go a whole week without talking about him. Jerk.

When was the last time you received a party when you got fired?

Last February, three competent employees were reorganized out of my company. In my president's brave new world, they were deemed expendable.

You know the deal when an employee leaves, LA riots ensue. Before the disposed employee reaches the elevator, the looting is completed. This process takes, oh, ten minutes max. Admit it, when one of your coworkers takes a week long vacation or is out sick for more than two days, your eye up their stuff.

The affect of their dismissal had such a profound impact, their work stations were treated like a crime scene. The only thing not present was the yellow crime tape. Only with the recent EBITDA driven renovations have prompted the actual touching of their remaining things.

On that cold morning, they received their final check and their personal belongings were packed up in a record twenty minutes. Many of the remaining employees had no idea what occurred until they were huddled into a conference room for a rare impromptu meeting. For some this was the first time they were introduced to my boss and his vision. His guarantees of continued employment fell on shocked deaf ears.

It has been ten months and the survivors only speak of that day in a whisper. When the HR manager and my boss pay a visit to our office, a good portion of the day before is spent promising no harm will come of their visit.

Real world response to the termination of three coworkers. Unless you work for Bubble Boy's White House.

It is bad enough, that Paul Bremer and George Tenant were given prizes after they left for their "hard work" and incompetence, our boy Rummy gets a party. He gets a forum to tell the soldiers he has not sacrificed and the world how much he will be missed.

All three no doubt were spared the "walk of shame." You may know what that feels like, walking past your now former work family with all of your crap in a bankers box. Unless you are in the ranks of the still employed. Then it is combination of sympathy but relief that you are still employed. Some look away or mouth from a distance "Call me."

Maybe thia trio will call Colin Powell and get together once a month like, the ex-employees of my company. Weird, huh?

Yep, once a month they get together at a local bar or restaurant. Some celebrate the freedom of not being employed by our organization. For others the bitterness is palatable, according to my sources.

Luckily, the now departed employees missteps did not cost any lives. I wish the same could be said for the gang that has left Bubble Boy's administration.

Unfortunately, MSM doesn't see the madness of this administration. Oh I forgot, they want to be invited to White House holiday party. While our citizens soldiers are dying in Iraq; the pundits wasted valuable air time frettin' about what Bubble Boy will say to them during their photo shoot at the White House party. These are same "journalists" who did not ask the hard questions when it mattered. They are now concerned if Bubble Boy is upset with them because they are finally questioning this disaster.

I am sure our battered troops would love to see the money spent on the White House party spent on body armour. After attending the grown up version of a high school party at the cool kid's house, they will return to the comfort of their homes. No fear of insurgents in the beltway.

Our founding fathers empowered the press with the freedom to hold our elected officials accountable. Instead of focusing on the loss of lives and injuries associated with this disaster, the press gave Rummy's termination party plenty of airtime.

Who wouldn't like a televised forum to tell a former employer how much they will miss you when you are gone, without the fear of being escorted to the door by security?

Baseball Hall of Shame

The nominees for the Baseball Hall of Fame are out. On the list, Jose "I watched everybody take steriods" Consaeco and Mark "I don't want to talk about the past" McGuire. The fact that they are on the list overshadows Carl Ripkin, Jr. and Tony Gwynne. A dilema for the members of the sportswriters selection committee.

Apparently, drug use in baseball was the worst kept secret on the planet. McGuire and Consaeco were lustly annoited the "Bash Brothers" by sportswriters. Fans love the long ball. There is a sexiness to watching the ball flying out of the stadium. Everyone gets warm all over.

Baseball purists know it is the short game, bunts, singles and doubles are what win games. It is inexplicable to me why every flippin' pitcher in the National League cannot lay down a bunt. Rarely does a pitcher stays in the batter's box beyond five pitches. The networks struggle not to go to commercial when they come up to bat. I digress.

Ripkin showing up to work everyday appealled to the workin' class stiff in all of us. This combined with the chase for the single season homerun record is credited with saving baseball after a long strike.

Sammy "corkbat" Sosa and Mark McQuire were everywhere. Everyone was caught up in the excitement. The teams and the networks made a ton of money. It was fun for sportswriters to prepare their essays.

Conseaco, McQuire and Sosa are representative of players who cheated. They all had excuses as to why but it is still cheating.

The naysayers say you still need bat speed and good eye coordiation to even hit the ball. I am not an expert on the drugs they may have taken but it just isn't right.

All parties were complicite, in this fraud that was perpertrated on the buying public.

Next year, if he doesn't get hurt, Barry Bonds will break Hank Aaron's record. Like the Bash brothers there is questions surrounding his sudden muscle development. Another dilema facing this institution.

What will baseball, the networks and the sportswriters do?

I really do not hear a drumbeat from the masses to vote McQuire or Conseaco into the Hall of Fame.

They are not the only members of this club whose reputation that has been tarnished by the worst kept secret on the planet.

The depature of A.I.

It is finally over. Allen Iverson has worn out his welcome in Philly. I do not blame him, the fault lies squarely with upper management.

Whether you manage an office or a basketball team, you are still managing people. The problem with the Sixers was they let the superstar man/child take over managing the team by default.

There was always a separate set of rules for Mr. Iverson. That is not his fault. He filled the arena so it was always, Allen just being Allen. Like the star employee who manipulates management, eventually the star either fades or bursts before crashing into the universe.

Basketball is a team sport. Mr. Iverson needed to be taught how to play within the framework of a team. To that end, he needed to be surrounded by skilled players and a management team willing to enforce standard rules. We are not talking extraordinary rules. Let's start with the basics, show up and on time. Practice is part of his job. After his infamous riff about practice, he should have been traded or deactivated immeditately.

He did not get it. But like most gifted athletes, from an early age, they are placed on a different career path or in a bubble. The rules are different for the Iversons in the world because schools, boosters and management created these rules.

When players continue to act "special," there is shock in management when the behavior of these "special" players bite them in the ass.

In the corner, sits the coaching careers of quality coaches, who pleaded with upper management not to undermine their efforts to enforce the rules to The Answer or ship him out.

The fans have voted with their feet. Management made a ton of money by tolerating Iverson's failure to follow basic workplace rules. Now they will lose money because, not only is the star gone, the supporting cast of characters are mediocore at best.

The Sixers should make additional changes. With the departure of Iverson, Billy King and Ed Snyder should do the honorable thing and resign.

I slept through the second half, so did the Eagles

After spending most of my weekend in the office serving in the capacity of renovations foreman, I was pretty wiped out when I settled in to watch the game.

The first half showed some promise. The Eagles were up 21-3 when I drifted off to sleep. As an Eagles fan, I have been conditioned not to celebrate until the game is officially over. Matt Bryant's walk off record tying field goal still haughts me.

When I emerged from my afternoon slumber, the Eagles were ahead by two lousy points. Ugh. Brian Dawkin's fourth quarter interception ensured a victory. It wasn't pretty but really awful teams lose games like this one. The Eagles managed to put in the books as a win.

The illusion of a fearful smashmouth defense is gone. Jimmy Johnson has aged 20 years this season with this gang. Brian Dawkins cannot be everywhere on the field even though he chalked up his first sack of the seasson.

Aging former Eagles defensive hero, Troy Vincent now plays for Washington. The mere mention of his name had me longing for the good old days of the dangerous tandem of Vincent and the oh so fine Bobby Taylor.

Because I can't help myself, I remain optimistic for a playoff berth. However, I am not so far gone that I will schedule a Superbowl party with an Eagles theme.

Next up the Giants.

Philly Love

Jeff Garcia lead the Eagles to a victory over the struggling Panthers. He efficiently managed Andy Reid's sacred west coast offense Monday evening. What could have been a prime time debacle turned into a competitive contest.

Before the game started, ESPN did the obligatory snowballing of Santa Claus story. It happened 37 years ago. Give me a break. It was just snow.

Unfortunately, the fans did not disappoint. When Garcia finally got up after a brutal hit, Philly's finest showed their love by booing. Nice.

For a player who had no snaps until McNabb went down, he has done a tremendous job. He even went long, which was concern about his arm strength.

I am not making reservations for the Superbowl, but we could sneak into the playoffs on the back of Jeff Garcia. He played with T.O. so he can handle the Philly fans.

Bring on Washington!

"What was the score?"

I had lunch with the folks today, a weekly ritual that I enjoy. Both of my parents are retired. It is my Dad's job to keep me informed of what he thinks is news worthy. It took me months to get him to stop watching the Devil news channel. The NY Daily News and the Star are his current alternative news sources. I am convinced that he reads this crap just to drive me crazy. He just laughs at me when he quotes something outrageous. So when he brings up a topic, I usually roll my eyes and ask him his source.

A group of college kids walked into to the local restaurant which prompted today's topic. "Did you hear about Lincoln's team?"
They scored over two hundred points.

Lincoln University in not known for sending athletes to ANY professional sport.

Apparently, they scored so many points, that the scoreboard did not have the capacity to add more than 201 points.

It was bad enough that there was such an imbalance in the final score. He shook his head in disbelief, when interviewed by a local reporter, the leading point scorer admitted that he could not add up his 21 three pointers in his head.

I suppose he is not majoring in math.

Another not so prime time game

After the debacle last week against the Colts, the Eagles will face the Panthers on MNF. The poor slob who scheduled this game was no doubt deactivated by the network.

The Panthers have looked as bad as the Eagles this season. John Madden and Al Michaels groaned very loudly after the first quarter of last Sunday's game. The game started and ended very ugly. I turned it off at half time.

Are you ready for some football? I am. I hope the Eagles are too.

True Love

A very dear friend of mine divorced his wife years ago. Two children were given life as the result of this union. While the marriage did not last their love has endured and grown.

When she was diagnosed with terminal cancer, he moved back in with her and their two children to assist his family with this phase of her life. This while working in this dreadful insurance business. He works all day then rushes home to relieve the home health care nurse.

He is being strong for her and their children. This process has been hard but he never complains. You can hear the stress in his voice. He always assures me that he is fine and that it will be over soon as his vioce trails off....

(Her life expectancy is six to eight weeks.)

Then he reminds me that she had become his best friend after their marriage ended. Funny how that works sometimes.

I pray for him and his family daily. I am blessed to know this man.

His vision

Eighteen months ago, my boss of the hour arrived on the scene. According to both of my outgoing bosses, "he has an impressive resume" and will be "great" for me and the company.

It wasn't the first time men have lied to me.

His vision included the streamlining of processes and cutting expenses. He never bothered to evaluate these procedures, his vision dictated these changes. His vision became my personal nightmare.

The collateral damage of his vision were the loss of institutional knowledge, talented staff, lost friendships and a 30% loss of revenue.

He summarily dismissed everybody's marketing plans. He wouldn't get mired in messy practices such cold calling or any standard forms of business development, because he had a vision.

He came in as the Chief Operating Office of two companies, was reassigned as a President of one company. His current role is Chief Account Executive of a product line.

The past two days he spent time in my office, his stated purpose was to discuss our marketing plan for the upcoming year.

I am convinced he retreated to our location to hide from our boss, the CEO.

After droning on about the new owners and upper management for two hours, he sat back in his chair and ask me who are the target markets and what is our message....

What is our message?

The only thing that prevented me from jumping across the desk and beating the crap out of him was the thought of ruining my new suit.

I just glared at him. Our services have not changed since he has joined our organization and this jackass is basically starting at square one.

I did not think he could surprise me. We have not had a dedicated salesperson for this product line for the four years that I have been here. What a shock! The only new business has been the low-hanging fruit.

Our pipeline has been retention.

My boss brought in one of his boys, who was supposed to be the answer for new business. They both have brought in squatta of new business but took down three times as much money as I find in my own check.

We are going to spend 100K on remodeling and I can only give my staff a 3% raise.

My best friend talked me down on my way to my massage. She reminded me that she could not find any job.

Reality check.

The pay is nice but I am on the front line and have had to implement the changes that my boss of the hour comes up with while daydreaming.

He speaks of all of his contacts who have made a lot of money. It is not lost on me that they are not working with him and no one took him along for their ride.

He is a wrecking ball with an impressive resume that will include the damage that he has done to his latest victim: our division.

What I am thankful for........

Thanksgiving officially marks the the start of the holiday season. Most people spend time with the folks that they love. If they are lucky, they like them too.

I must admit that I do enjoy cooking on Thanksgiving and Christmas, the only days that I committ to cooking. My Mom still brings her creamed mushrooms. My daughter prepares the mashed potatoes. When my kid brother lived closer, he prepared a killer cornbread stuffing. I took over the bulk of the duties from my mom, in time I will pass the baton to my daughter and her new family.

Dad will bounce in the kitchen and test everything to make sure it is OK. My Mom will yell at him for doing so. It is what they do.

We will eat too much, watch football and resolve the problems of the world.

Most stores used to close on this day. The supermarkets and convinience stores would open buit close early so that the employees could eat dinner with their families.

To my horror Kmart is open ALL day today. I am not much of a shopper but I think this is a little much. How much will you really save? What about the folks who have to work?

I am thankful for my good health, family and friends. I blessed that I have a job with benefits, a luxury in today's economy. I am blessed that my daughter, nieces and nephews are not in the military.

I very grateful that I do not have work for Kmart.

The Philly Hope

Ryan Howard has been named the National League MVP. He is a perfect match for Philadelphia. He has a working man's ethic coupled with a 1000 watt smile. No baby mama drama, no sit ups in the front yard, no posse, he just shows up to work.

Thank you Ryan for giving me something to look forward to in the spring. I wish you good health and continued success.

Spring training here I come.

Invade first, talk later

Rape is a violent assault. There is an aggressor and a victim. At times it is a random act of violence or there is a serious communications problem, with both parties leaving the encounter with a different interpretation of events. If the terms and conditions of the "act" are clear to the consenting parties, the experience can be a beautiful. Failure to engage in such diplomacy before the "act" can lead to serious complications.

Kissinger is now saying that that a military victory in Iraq is impossible. Is he suggesting diplomacy? Wasn't he the one freely welcome in the White House advising Georgie Boy to stay the course? He is either floating a trial balloon for Pappa Bush's HazMat team or he is joining the friends and advisors who running from Bush who lead the assault on this country. The victims are our brave soldiers, their families and the private citizens who just happen to be living in the wrong part of the world.

Damp, dreary and awful

At the beginning of the season, I predicted the Eagles would go 10-6 for the season. The down side of that prediction, is that I would have to suffer through six loses.

The Eagles are 5-5. On paper the Eagles should have be at least 7-3, going into the Colts game next week. Donovan McNabb is out for the season, AGAIN. The Eagles have not looked wonderful with the Syracuse Savior. When he wasn't throwing up at critical points of a game, he did manage to make something out of nothing.

The Titans struggle against the run, what does Reid do? Take a QB who has not played all season and utilize the West Coast offense. The Eagles version continues to be offensive. It was 7-3 when journeyman Jeff Garcia entered the game. THE RUN would have given him time to get in a rhythm.

The two killer running plays that Jeff Fisher's offense shoved down the once feared defense sealed the deal. Even the heart of the team, Brian Dawkins dropped a possible interception, which could have shifted the momentum.

When Automatic Akers and the field goal unit walks on the field, you can bank on those three points. Not today. A high hike?
WTF?

Fisher did begin his coaching his career under Buddy Ryan here in Philadephia. But instead of giving the young defensive coordinator a shot, Brahman promoted Rich Kotite....I digress.

Fisher's young team was prepared to exploit the weaknesses of this team.

Reid's team struggles to do the basics, catch passes, run the football and make tackles.

The Colts lost to the Cowboys (BOOOOO) today, ending their streak at 9-1.

The money men at the networks moved the Eagle v Colts game to prime time expecting a great game. They sold their sponsors the same bill of goods, that the Eagles sold their fans.

Unfortunately, this year my beloved Eagles are not ready for prime time.

Rajun Cajun

I am appalled by Mr. Matalin's behavior. Dr. Dean's 50 state strategy worked. If the time and money that was fueled by Dr. Dean's losing strategy was diverted to an independent party, what would Mr. Matalin and whomever he represents do?

Two Score and three years ago

My beloved Eagles finally showed up on Sunday and beat Washington 27 to 3. I was enjoying the win, until yesterday.

I am painfully aware of the fact that it has been two score and three years ago that ANY Philadephia sports team has won a Championship. I love the Daily News sports writers, but did they have memorialize this in a front page pull out section.

Sigh

Hidding in 'Nam

It is Shakespearean that Georgie Boy is running to Vietnam as the mess in Iraq is getting worse.

Maybe if he went to "Nam at taxpayer expense the first time, he MAY have learned something.....

Employee Misconduct

Two hundred and thirty years ago brave men seeking freedom from an oppressive King converged on Philadelphia. Jefferson and company were well read; open to other ideas; and showed a willingness to change their minds when presented withh new information.They debated their philosophies and prepared a business plan for democracy. An organizational chart and the policies and procedures were created to manage our country. Each branch has clearly definded roles and responsiblities.
Like risk managers they anticipated the damages if there were not clear separation of powers.

It was as if they divined this moment in our history.

The current adminstration admonished anyone who did not agree with them. Or worse they were labeled unpatriotic and emboldend the enemy. The only enemy that was emoldened resides in the White House. Before the election, American citizens were afraid to discuss the failings of this administration out of fear of retribution."

Actions speak louder than words. American citizens sent a very clear message to this adminstration. "You are not a king and we are no longer afraid of you." They voted most of the folks who supported this President out of office.

A mere four days after the election, a group of concerned citizens, including yours truly, gathered at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia to discuss impeachment of the vice president and the president. Radical stuff.

Before the discussion began, I struggled with where I stood on this issue. My practical inclination was why bother? Georgie Boy's daddy would find a means of getting him off the hook. The country is a mess. Time and resources should be committed to cleaning up the mess he created.

After listening to the speakers such as Cindy Sheehan and seeing the Veterans, I thought, how can we not?

Madame Pelosi does not have the authority to take impeachment off the table. This is not like the coveted voluntary sex act between two consenting adults. If Georgie boy's conduct does not fall under the categories of treason and/or high crime or misdemeanor I do not know what does. When an employee engages in misconduct or shows incompetence, an employer has procedures to rehab or rid the company of the corporate problem. If you or I lied and performed this poorly, our employers would not keep paying us.

Our founders gave WE THE PEOPLE, citizen employers, the mechanism to deal with a problem member of the executive branch. It's called Impeachment. There is plenty of evidence our citizentry can stomach a real impeachment proceeding.

Like a new manager taking over a division, a thorough assessment is mandatory before making any changes. How can the DEMs take our country in a new direction without investigating how the country ended up in its current state?

Impeachment hearings are the procedures available for Congress to perform their assessment and employee evaluation.

Yesterday was the beginning. The next step is writing to the folks that you just put in office; contact the MSM; and by all means sign the petition at Impeach for change.

Impeachment is mandatory in reclaiming our Constitution and Country.

Your life is not a reality show

It is no secret that the Bush Dynasty takes care of their own. Throughout Georgie Boy's life, when he managed to get in a bind, the family came along and made it all better.

There is nothing wrong with parents providing love, wisdom and where appropriate guidance. But there comes a time in normal families that a child is taught responsibility. If you engage in inappropriate behavior, there are consequences. The most powerful lessons are learned by screwing up and dealing with the fallout. It is called life. Clearly Georgie Boy was spared the rod and denied hugs.

The citizens have spoken by throwing out the Republicans. Rummy is gone, Cheney is shooting ducks some place and the military is periously close to a coup.

He behaved like a petulant child from the beginning. When they stole the second election, the next day he came out talking serious smack. A surprising attitude coming from a cheerleader. 51% is not a mandate. Looking at his resume' what has he done well? Nothing comes to mind. Our democracy was Georgie's latest toy.

Once again the matriarch of this horrible family will change his diaper; kiss him on the forehead and assure him that Poppa will make it all better.

Memo to Georgie:

41 will still like Clinton more than you. He will resent you for, once again, cleaning up your train wreak of a life again. Rest assured a Thanksgiving dinner invitation will not be forth coming from Jeb. Because of your need to get your way, you ruined his chances for a shot at the Presidency. Your goofy sister wrote a book to get some Daddy time on a book tour..
The Hulk Hogan reality show is less painful to watch. When it gets too ugly, changing the channel makes them go away.

Your life is not a reality show. Changing the channel does not make the problems that you created and/or ignored disapper.

I trust the White House's benefits plan makes an EAP program available to you. I think the average taxpayer would not mind paying for you to work out your unresolved family issues by going to family counseling. It would be a lot cheaper than how you have dealt with them to date.

Poll watching

I decided this year to take my role as a citizen more seriously. I joined DFA and MoveOn.org. I financially supported a handful of Congressional Candidates and signed up to be a poll watcher for the Sestak camp. With the shenanigans that have been reported in previous elections I figured that I would be useful in this role.

When I woke up at 5:45am, I questioned my desire to save the country. "I can't believe I agreed to this" I mumbled to myself.


I grabbed a large cup of coffee from Dunkin Donuts and a couple of newspapers. Our community had become so polarized I was not sure how I would be received. What shenanigans would I have to deal with? How would I respond? Too much to obsess about at such an ungodly hour.

I arrived at the local library at 6:10am. My neighbors were busy assembling the booths and performing the preliminary checks. I presented my official poll watcher certificate to the Judge. Introduced myself to the other volunteers, ran through the procedures and settled in.

I was a rookie. The more senior volunteers were old enough to be my grandparents. I am sure that I brought the median age down to 82. They shared with me the anticipated stretches of down time. In addition to my newspapers, I had my blackberry to deal with possble boredom.

Boy were we wrong. From the time the polls opened at 7 am until my shift ended at 6 pm, we barely had enough time to breathe. We were averaging 55 voters per hour. Everyone was stunned.

The drama was kept to a minmum. I was one of two Democratic poll watchers. The rest were Republicans. But we worked together to get our neighbors through the process. We did not have an electronic system or the dreaded chads. Our ballots were scanned.

Only a couple of folks showed up at the wrong location. The Judge was helpful in redirecting them.

What surprised me was the turnout of young and first time voters. They came with their parents or their friends. That did my heart good. It was an event.

The only thing that people complained about were the calls. They simply wanted them to end. One lady who appeared to be a doctor or nurse, said that her voicemail had 40 calls after a twelve hour shift. She looked more perplexed than annoyed.

According to some reports our precint had a 56% turnout from the living registered voters. Not bad for a mid-term election.
BUT where was everyone else?

Young people historically sit on the sidelines, turned out. They are paying attention. The state of affairs is their problem. Good for them. Good for us.

Poll watching was exhausting but I am glad that I did it.

It's so hard to say goodbye to yesterday

Politicians and sports stars have a lot in common. When do you walk away? It is a difficult decision. You are generally criticized for whichever road is taken. How many times did Michael Jordan retire? How dreadful was it watch Joe Montana in a Kansas City uniform after being a hero in San Francisco? Eagles castoff, Randall Cunningham found new life in Minnesota. The Giants running back, Tiki Barber is being criticized for walking away at the end of this year. His decision being labeled a locker room distraction.

This brings me to John Kerry and his flubbed joke last week. He was trying to help the party. Unfortunately, his nuances made him come off as an intellectual snob. In my opinion, the only person who should be apologizing to the troops is Georgie Boy. The situation that he put our brave soldiers and Iraqi civilians in is unforgivable. But that was lost in the fervor of the Kerry flub. After he was pushed under the bus by everybody, he quietly returned to safety and solitude of a very quiet D.C.

I attended two rallies this election cycle. You can see how the politicians soaked up the love being offered up by those of us in attendance.

In a sporting event, when an athlete performs well that same love is showered upon him or her. When was the last time your peers cheered when you filed a report? Or performed an endzone dance when you landed a new account?

Walking away from the spotlight and cheers is very hard to do for these competitive high achievers. You have to respect those who walk away at the height of their career. On the other hand, it is heartbreaking to watch a very public implosion when they stick around after their time has come and gone.

Eagles managed not to lose

My beloved Eagles managed not to lose this weekend. The fact that they did not play this weekend is a minor detail.

BOOOOOOOO

It is a good thing the Linc is an open air stadium. With next week being a BYE for the Eagles, there will be plenty of time for the stench to blow out of the stadium.

The Jacksonville offensive simply ran the ball and the Eagles defense could not contain them. The offense was well offensive.


The receivers rarely got open. When they did, they dropped four passes that were actually catchable.

I was not operating in that happy place that the Eagles would find their way to the Superbowl this year, other than as spectators. What I did expect was a professional football team to hmmmmm SHOW UP on a regular basis. Each week they are getting worse. Note to the Eagles: you were supposed to win this week.

Thank God for the BYE next week, I could use the break. I will spend my Sunday before the election doing something useful like assisting with a Democratic campaign.

Let's not talk about sex...

Chris Rabb, Chief Evangelist at Afronetizen.com asks the question: Is the RNC ad against Harold Ford, Jr.racist?

Harold Ford, Jr. Is in a tight Senate race in Tennessee. If he wins, it will be the first time that the South sends a black man to the Senate since the time of Reconstruction.

For the last week, the MSM has played segments of this ad over and over again. Ken Mehlman, head of the RNC, initially said that he did not have the authority to pull the ad. I guess he had to ask his supervisor, Karl Rove for permission. Then he downplayed the racial implications of the ad. This is the same man who has spent endless hours reaching out to the black clergy around the country to, at least, split the black vote. Chris Matthews and Tucker Carlson even expressed dismay with the party of Lincoln's need to stoop to such an ad. Eventually, the ad was reportedly pulled.

To respond to question, of course the ad is racist. The Republicans have always played the race card. In close elections, this is their hail Mary play. Why? Because it usually works. The impact will not be known until the ballots are counted.

Like it or not, we spend far too much time in this country worrying about sex. Mind you, in the right setting, I'd be happy to chat about it all night. The right for gays to marry; abortion; unmarried sex and the time tested favorite, black men sleeping with white women; always surface during the election season.

There is this group of self-righteous people who want to dictate when, with whom and how we have sex. They want to punish folks for having sex in a manner that they have deemed unacceptable. This distraction has become the centerpiece of the values movement.

The President with our inept Congress drug us into a war against a country that had nothing to do with the 9/11 attacks. The brave soldiers, whose lives are being sacrificed, in this game of democracy building last names do not include Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Frist or Kennedy.

Is this a moral value?

Bush baby has simply ignored the Constitution. Our Constitutional rights have been wiped out through a series of bad legislation; executive priviledge interpretation; and the infamous signing statements.

Are these moral values?

In order to give tax breaks to people like me, they have mortgaged my newborn grandbaby's future, by borrowing money from China.

Is this a moral value?

The healthcare benefits that my working class parents took for granted have become a luxury for the average American. The now popular consumer driven insurance products are DESIGNED to discourage use and increase profitability.

Is this a moral value?

Education is the great equalizer. No Child Left Behind has been improperly administered and chronically underfunded. Those who thought this was a good idea, including the yahoos who helped pass this bill, send their children to private schools. Or they live in a community whose property taxes are so high thereby automatically making the school system virtually private.

Is this a moral value?

Illegal Immigration has become the perfect means of outsourcing jobs internally. The employers who make profits by exploiting these workers should be tossed in jail next to gang from Enron. The billions of dollars that these employers do not pay in payroll taxes would finance the tax cuts the Republicans so dearly embrace. The illegals would not be running across the border if there were not jobs to run to. The jobs that Americans refuse to do, would be filled by Americans if they were paid a living wage.

Is this a moral value?

The demise of my marriage to a male was not caused by Fred and Barney's desire to formalize their love.

If Buffy gets an abortion that is between her and her God. It is none of my business.

The issues that are my business are: a bad war; loss of Constitutional rights; poor educational system; folks who are under or unemployed and lack of affordable healthcare for my fellow citizens.

Let's not talk about sex until these real moral value issues have been addressed.

"He has no choice, but to go for it"

There were four seconds left in the game between the Eagles and the Buccaneers. Kicking a field goal was Gruden's only option. Tampa's kicker, Matt Bryant's career best to date was a 50 yarder. He had to kick a 62 yarder to win the game.

Tom Dempsey and Jason Elam share the record for the longest field goal at 63 yards. Anderson, Ackers maybe. Matt Who? History was on our side.

When I told my daughter Tampa has to go for the field goal. "Mom you have just jinxed us" she said, clearly annoyed." No baby, it just makes sense" as I defended my commentary.

She refused to watch. " I'll just clear the lunch dishes". I paced for what seemed an eternity.

As the time ticked away, Matt @#$% Bryant lined up and kicked the ball. It was a scenario that he, no doubt, has played out in his head a thousand times. That ball cleared the goalpost with a few yards to spare. With my moan, my daughter knew the outcome. You have to give Bryant props, the kick was perfect. Bastard.

I made my obligatory call to my Dad. He just rambled. " I can't believe it. It had to be a record. Who is he? Never heard of him. I am too old for this.." He hung up to watch the interview with the man of the hour.

Maybe it was the Floridian heat, this week the Eagles offense did not get into a rhythm until the fourth quarter. It was just ugly. The Eagles managed to come back from a 17 point hole that they dug for themselves. With four seconds left the Eagles were up by one.

Who would have thought that a previously unknown kicker would have a SportsCenter moment at the expense of my Eagles?

Final score: Tampa 23, Eagles 21.

Sympathy for the She-Devil

Last Monday I received a call from my older brother. " Hey Sis, are you sitting down?" It makes me crazy when he starts a conversation that way. What follows is never good. I held my breathe and asked " Are there any accidents, pregnancies and/or dead bodies?" We are the sandwich generation. Harsh but fair questions. No, he assured me. But if you are not sitting down, you better.

I love my brother, but he can be sooo slow getting to a point. "Well?" I said trying not to be short with him. "Pop Pop left Grammy on Saturday. "Are you kidding me?" I couldn't contain my laughter. Pop Pop and Grammy are his in-laws.

I have known this pair for about 20 years. Grammy is bar none the nastiest person on the planet. Think about this for a second. I have worked in the insurance industry for 20 years and this in meanest person that I have EVER encountered. She reminded me of Roseanne Barr's TV character at her worst. My daddy once said " She will never die because God doesn't want her messin' up his Heaven."

From my encounters with Pop Pop he is a soft-spoken, loyal Eagles fan with a off beat sense of humor. My brother's children absolutely adore him. Behind closed doors he could be different. But, I doubt it.

Pop Pop and Grammy have been married for 56 years. It is my understanding that Grammy never had to work outside of the home. While they lived modestly, Grammy never wanted for anything.

As with most break ups it is usually what is perceived to most, a minor event that pushes a person into action. But, that event is the final straw. Pop Pop's straw came in the forms of dishes.

Pop Pop did not "do the dishes" to the satisfaction of Grammy. She felt compelled to bitch about it for two hours. Two flippin' hours. WTF?! I guess something snapped. He started packing his suitcase. He called a mutual friend and confided his woes. She said " Big Daddy, you've been putting up with her crap for too long, bring it."

Everyone was stunned. It did not stop the toxic waste that flowed from Grammy's mouth." You're children and grandbabies will never speak to you again," she screamed as he shuffled toward the door.

He called my brother from his new home. I am not sure of what the final chapter of this story will bring. If Pop Pop's new living arrangements bring him joy good for him. Life it too short to be miserable. He served his time in Hell.

Pop Pop is a diabetic. He told my brother that he was going to visit his doctor to get some of those little blue pills. I surmised that for the first time in a long time Pop Pop wants the intimacy that comes from sex. My brother's interpretation was a little different and probably more accurate. Hooray for him. Something we all can aspire to at 78. I think he will be ok. (I confess that chatting about these folks taking a tumble was a little disturbing.)

My brother is worried about his wife's reaction to this recent turn of events. She is upset. They are her parents. His kids wondered why it took so long.

However, after the amusement and sheer audacity of the event died down, I felt a sadness. A sadness for a human being to have lived for over seventy years and created a dynamic that has left her alone. I am sure there is more to her than I have been privy to.

My prayer for Grammy is that her heart softens and her tongue is less toxic. I hope that she finds if not joy, peace.

It's not easy being an Eagle's Fan

Ok, I must admit I have scheduled my weekends in the fall around my beloved Eagles for as long as I can remember. Due to life's circumstances, my friend and I traveled to New England Columbus Day weekend. We stayed with friends who converted a "cottage" bed and breakfast into a private home. This "cottage" which is located in Bar Harbor has seven bedrooms and bathrooms. Our host friends provided a wonderful place to stay, wonderful conversation and awesome food. We had such a good time it was really hard to leave. The original plan was to leave Sunday morning in enough time to land in Concord, MA to be settled for the start of THE game.

My friend and I hit the road after we had a wonderful lunch that included fresh popovers and tea a local favorite. The weather and the scenery were spectacular. At the mid-point of our journey, my baby called. She, rightfully, was concerned if I was going to see the kickoff. She was horrified that I was in a car and not in front of the tube. So she decided to provide updates. (I have a great kid.) So between her play by play and updates from the NY channels we could pick up, it was the best I could do. At one point we managed to pick up a Philly station for a fleeting moment. The voice of Merrill Reese was music to my ears. Because the universe has a cruel sense of humor we couldn't keep the channel. UGH.

My friend was equally amused and sympathetic to my plight. The game was back and forth. Each time there was a score my cell phone rang. My daughter has the makings of a play by play analyst. She was filled with glee when that former Eagle dropped a perfectly thrown pass AND he was wide open. The Philly fans responded appropriately with a BOOOOOOOO and the chant O.D, O.D. Brotherly love at its best.

The Eagles send the worst crybaby player and the dreaded Cowboys (BOOOO) packing. After we landed in Concord, MA, we found an adequate restaurant, then we retreated to our rooms. She blogged and I found a sports channel to watch the game highlights. Thank God for ESPN.


This past Sunday, the Eagles played the Saints. The poor young lady who braids my hair was stuck with me this week. My daughter tracked me down to make sure that I was near a TV. Unfortunately, I actually saw the game.

I guess the offense did not make the trip to New Orleans. Or maybe the playbook was lost in a piece of luggage. Philadelphia has to be the second worst airport in the country. Santa Barbara is number one. The first half was just awful. I guess the airport services finally delivered the offensive team and the playbook at half time.

Reggie Brown played a good game. The defense prevented the game from being a good old fashioned asswhippin'. The Saints are a good team. If there was a loss, this was one of the better teams to lose to.

Nah. A loss is a loss.

Final score Saints 27, Eagles 24.

To compound the problem, America's team (BOOOOO) won their game.

It's not easy being an Eagle's Fan.

Colin Powell, VP of Gov't Affairs

During the first Gulf War, I would rush home from work to watch the war. The voice of James Earl Jones, the faces of Blitzer and Powell became virtual guests in my home. I confess that the first time I laid eyes on Colin Powell, I was thrilled. How cool was it that someone who could have passed as a member of my family held such a prominent position in the military?

Clearly he did what he had to do to make it in an entity that is a microcosm of our society, historically racist. Good for him, good for the military, good for our country. Powell was articulate (code used by white folks to infer that he speaks English), smart and handsome.

A military rock star. When he retired from the military, he was paid well to speak at corporate events. He was recruited by both parties to run for elected office.

To the surprise of no one, Georgie the son added him to his team. A shameless, yet effective, means of recruiting minorities to the Republican party. The Powell addition was the lead story and front page news for the MSM. Little did the country know at the time, his selection was like corporate America's diversity practices in the early eighties. Minorities were recruited to positions such as VP of community or government affairs. Nice title, nice office, great photo op, no meaningful responsibilities. Rarely, were they groomed in operations or finance where the real decisions were made. When the "team photo" is taken, the appearance of diversity is captured. But if you remain on the bench and are not given the opportunity to contribute, what difference does it make?

The beauty about "making it" in our country, subjects one to criticism. I have read comments on some very popular blogs such as the Democratic Veteran suggesting Powell was used by this administration. Bullshit.

I respect Powell the man enough to question his judgment in joining this administration in the first place. Powell permitted himself to be used. According to excerpts from his latest bio he finally "blew up" on his last day of the job. Who cares?

In my opinion, Powell was clearly the only adult in the room. He was the only one who embraced his military responsibilities when Cheney was too busy being a husband, Georgie was tying one on and Ms. Rice was practicing the piano. He knew what a mess invading Iraq would be. Yet, armed with nothing but his credibility he passionately presented an argument to go to war before the UN.

I could be wrong, but I don't think he needed the money. He missed his opportunity to be the man we all hoped and thought that he was/is and resign in protest. If Powell walked away at that point, his departure would have raised eyebrows. Even if he said nothing, his silence would screamed volumes.

For him to him to pipe up now is a sad end to what could have been a wonderful legacy. Throughout history, men and women have stood up when it counted. Mr. Powell quietly sat on the bench.