Takin' it back with Barack, Jack!

Yes. We. Can. - Yes. He. Did!

There's a new family heading to the White House in America.
Welcome!

Election Day 2008

Here it is, folks, the day we finally will find out who our next president will be here in the U.S. of A.

John McCain held a post-midnight rally at the courthouse square in Prescott this morning. He brought Senators Lindsay Graham and Joe Liebermann in with him and Hank Williams Jr. warmed up the crowd. I didn't attend because of the very late hour but the BRD's beau said he was going and might have some pictures for me.

Another note from a friend told me I had neglected to post about Sarah Palin's being cleared of ethics violations up in Alaska yesterday. So there. Now I have. The same day the governor released her long-promised medical records. Surprise. She's in good health.

As for the election, the first returns came in a little after 10 p.m. my time last night from Dixville Notch, New Hampshire. Obama had 15 votes, McCain 6. That's from the tiny settlement that hasn't voted for a Democrat since 1968 - - forty years ago.

So the day wears on. As for me, I am proud to say . . .

More Halloween horribles

These characters were all photographed wandering along Whiskey Row in Prescott, Arizona, on Halloween night, 2008.

Halloween on the row

As I mentioned before, the BRD and her beau went to Whiskey Row on Halloween night. I must say, I've never seen them looking better. (Click on the pictures for a magnified view. Especially note the BRD's eyes.)

She's ready to put the bite on someone.

The BRD and a couple of friends on the street.

Halloween - a bust!

Halloween at Catalyst's home was a bust this year. The doorbell only rang four times and only 8 trick-or-treaters were here for their candy. That's an all-time low for us but it's been gradually tapering off the last few years. There seem to be more and more community parties for the kids these days and a de-emphasis on door to door visits for hand-outs.

Except in neighboring Prescott, where the tradition continues on Mt. Vernon Street, where residents spend a lot of money on candy and decorating their homes for the literally thousands of Halloween trick or treaters. Granny J reportedly paid a visit to the street and has promised photos of the ghouls and goblins. There are some photos today on the Daily Courier website as well but many more of their own staff in costume.

Just talked to the BRD. She and her beau went, costumed, to Whiskey Row last night. She said he took lots of pictures of people in costumes so maybe I'll share some with you once they've recovered from closing all the bars in town!

Well, I've gotta go now. Y'know somebody has to eat all this candy left over from last night!

Spooky

Ladies and Gentlemen (My Friends), the next president of the United States of America.





Now if that doesn't scare the hell out of you, I don't know what will.

Happy Halloween, everyone!

Arizona - A Tossup State!

John McCain may not only lose the presidential race next Tuesday, he may lose his own state.

These are the results of a brand new poll in Arizona.

Cronkite - Eight Poll

Let there be joy!

Veggies

SWMBO made a pot roast a week or so ago. When I asked her today what we would have for supper tonight, she said "I think I'll run the pot roast past us one more time. But there's plenty of meat but I'm low on vegetables. Guess I'll have to cook some up to add to the meat."

A little while later, I could hear some sizzling sounds and smell a great aroma coming from the kitchen. On a trip through the room, I saw this wonderfully colorful melange in a large saute pan on the stove. I said "that deserves a photograph."


So click on that photo to enlarge it, view it's glory, then close your eyes, lean back and smell that flavorful aroma. Then . . . come on over!

Sam I Am

Prescott Valley's newest big box store opened last Thursday and judging by the crowds of people flocking to the store it's going to be a huge success.

Welcome Sam's Club, the warehouse outlet associated with the Wal-Mart empire and worthy competitor to the Costco store located just a few miles up the road toward Prescott. As I see it, the biggest disadvantage to the store right now are the lines and lengthy time it is taking to buy a membership. I had done a tour of the store last week and liked what I saw (plus it's closer than Costco to where I live) so today I grabbed a spot in line and waited. It took awhile but finally I had my membership card in hand and went to find SWMBO, who had been touring the store.

Sam's and Costco are very much alike in store layout, merchandise and price but I find the new Sam's Club to be much brighter due at least in part to a great number of skylights throughout the store. I had originally thought it was just more white paint and perhaps brighter lights but another shopper had noticed the skylights and called them to my attention. You can see a number of them in the following photos.

SWMBO also noticed that through the center part of the store the shelves are lower than at Costco, giving good line-of-sight and perhaps contributing to the brightness.

At any rate, it is a fine addition to the town and again judging by the crowds the economic downturn doesn't seem to be having a large effect in Prescott Valley.

Best of all . . . it's pretty much "one stop shopping."

T. Bone . . er, T. Boone

T. Boone Pickens is a man who has made many fortunes in the oil business.

He is now 80 years old and has changed his tune.

Now, he says oil isn't the answer.

Something he is famous for is the answer: wind power.

The rich windbag says we have to build many huge windmills across our country and link them to multi-million dollars worth of transmission lines to take our dependence away from . . . you guessed it, OIL!

Funny. This happened about the time the stock market crashed, reducing Pickens' hedge fund value by half.

While I favor solar power, wind power and other green sources of energy, I must say: Don't buy this charlatan's message. He is in it for his own pocketbook. Purely.

(This is the man who personally funded the lying, slime-covered Swift Boat attacks on John Kerry four years ago. He says he would do it again. He is an evil man. Reject him.)

I'm Worried

There are only 10 days to go to Election Day 2008 and the 3rd game of the World Series is in a rain delay. Is it a sign? Damn, I'll be glad when this is over.

(Not the World Series)
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A friend sent me this . . . maybe to cheer me up.

One day God was looking down at Earth and saw all of the rascally behavior that was going on. So he called one of His angels and sent the angel to Earth for a time. When he returned, he told God, 'Yes, it is bad on Earth; 95% are misbehaving and only 5% are not. God thought for a moment and said, 'Maybe I had better send down a second angel to get another opinion.'

So God called another angel and sent him to Earth for a time. When the angel returned he went to God and said, 'Yes, it's true.The Earth is in decline; 95% are misbehaving, but 5% are being good.'

God was not pleased. So He decided to e-mail the 5% that were good, because he wanted to encourage them, and give them a little something to help them keep going.

Do you know what the e-mail said?

Okay, I was just wondering, because I didn't get one either.

A Painted Fence

Tom Sawyer (SWMBO) has been busy in our back yard.

She decided the new fence was too stark with just the simple, unpainted wood. So she got some stain and some pigment, created her own colors and painted away.

She said tie-dye was her inspiration. I think those French impressionists may also have had an influence on her.

With that patio umbrella, it is a colorful back patio.

A Book Lover's Library

A friend sent me an e-mail with photos of strange buildings from around the world. Included was one that claimed to be a public library in Kansas City, Missouri. Here's the photo. It is truly an amazing bit of ingenuity . . . if it's real. Anyone actually seen it who can verify its accuracy?

Update: I went to the web and researched this. It's real! The books are actually on the face of the parking garage for the library. You can see many more pictures of this amazing library . . both inside and out . . by running the slide show here.

Going up!

Prescott Valley's new town library is steeling itself for the town's readers.

Funny. You'd think a building that used to house prim little ladies whispering "shhhhh" to noisy patrons wouldn't be made out of steel.

Anyway, here's a look at the project, which will also house some classrooms for the P.V. campus of Yavapai College.

Signs of Autumn

Ah, the days and nights are cooler, with crisp breezes blowing.

And the leaves are changing color . . from green to golden . . .

. . and red . . .

Some trees, like this big Globe Willow, are still in transition.

And there are other signs of autumn as well.

Note the young man who constructed this Halloween scene even dug a couple of graves with tombstones in his front yard. Ingenious!

But there are other less pleasing signs of the season.

They seem to appear nearly every year nowadays.

Call it "Campaign Clutter."


One candidate for state office used his garage door as his sign-posting space.

As always, clicking on the individual photos will render them larger!

Mac is back!

Word has it that John McCain is showing up Thursday night to make up with Dave on the Letterman Show.

Wonder if it will be something like this?

Beef on the Hoof

These pictures were all taken just a couple of blocks from where I live. It's a big open field and sometimes the rancher who owns it has his cattle grazing on it.

This big fella doesn't look pleased. I'm not sure whether he's got his rear foot tangled up in that brushy tree or if he's just thinking about taking on the wise guy with the camera.

At any rate he got his foot untangled and turned to give me this nice profile.

A handsome animal.

(Try not to picture where the steaks and hamburgers are going to come from.)

Just one picture

Jazz on a Mexican blanket.

The New West

Take a look at this. You might have to blow it up by clicking on the picture to "get the picture".

It's a little bit of "the Old West" sort of superimposed on "the new West". Those are the Bradshaw mountains in the distance, part of the town of Prescott Valley a little closer (where the trees are) and a small herd of cows on what apparently is still ranchland.

Kinda neat, huh?

Would have been better if I'd have stopped to take the picture when the cows were right up by the fence.