Bye To Harvey

I was really sad to hear about the passing of Harvey Korman yesterday. I think he was one of the funniest guys ever to gace the small or big screen. I'll never forget that dentist skit that Korman and Tim Conway were in. One of the funnist things I've ever seen.

Korman was also stellar when he teamed with Mel Brooks. This is one of my favorite scenes from Blazing Saddles. Click HERE or below to see Mr. Lamar at his finest.

So long Harvey, you really will be missed. As Mel Brooks said, this world will be a much more serious place without Harvey Korman.

Evil Scarf

We are so afraid of the terrorists killing us in our beds as we sleep at night that the clothing police have taken aim at a scarf worn by TV cook Rachael Ray.



Take a look at this. I really think it's silly season. Scarfs don't kill people. People kill people!

Where's the Beef? (in China)

I have to say off the top that I'm a big fan of the beef rib. When cooked properly they are just great. You have to slow cook them and use just the right sauce. If you get it right, it's a great meal.

There's only one problem. The beef rib is getting pretty hard to find. The other day I was at the market and asked the guy at the meat counter what happened to the good old beef rib? He said "we don't carry them anymore." Being the curious type that I am I asked him if people don't want them anymore. He said "no, lots of people still ask for them." Well now my curiosity is really taking over.

"So, if lots of people still want them, why don't you carry them?" He said "we don't carry them because they are all getting shipped to China." With a perplexed look on my face I asked "why are they all getting shipped to China?" He said "because they really like them there." I just couldn't believe that some guy in China was eating MY beef ribs.

Wanting a second opinion I went to a small meat market today and bellied up to the bar. "Do you have any beef ribs today?" The butcher looked me in the eye and said "we haven't sold them now for about a year." I said "China?" He said "yup, China. They are buying them all up." He told me he could get them, but the price is so high that no one here would buy them.

I thought those folks in China all made 50 cents an hour, which is why we have them make all that poison stuff that gets shipped back here. How can they afford my beef ribs at 50 cents an hour? Seems to make more sense to me that they keep the poison dog food and toys and we keep the beef ribs.

Won't You Be My Friend?

Madison may have its problems these days, but putting on a happy face isn't one of them. On an NBC Today Show report Wednesday morning Madison will be named one of the five friendliest cities in the nation. I'm not really sure how they measure that, but it beats a poke in the eye.

Perhaps they went around and asked people if they'd give you two tens for a five. Now that's friendly. The report was compiled by Barbara Corcoran for NBC.

I do think we are a pretty friendly city. People still say "hi" on the street to strangers along with a nod and a smile. It took me a while to get used to that when we first moved to this part of the word from the Boston area all those years ago.

It will be interesting to find out why they bestowed this honor on Madison. Tune in to the Today Show Wednesday morning to find out.

Click HERE to view the NBC article.

Madison Falls Out Of Love With The Homeless

We've made the big time. Check out this article from this morning's LA Times.

We used to be known for best place to live and Farmer's Market. Now it's murder and the homeless. What a difference a couple of years make!

Stop To Smell

This is a great time of the year to stop and smell not just the roses, but lots of really pretty things that are growing along the highways and backwoods of Wisconsin.

I put about 100 miles on the bicycle this holiday weekend and noticed it's starting to look and smell very nice out there these days. The flox are starting to bloom across the rural countryside right now. They are purple and white flowers that give off a really great perfume as the evening hours approach. There are a lot of them along the Southwest Bike Path and the Military Ridge Trail.

Of course it's hard to beat the Arboretum for the sights and smells of late spring. I stopped off there today to catch the tail end of the lilacs in bloom. That's always a great show and this year was no exception. The picture above is of the blooming trees that grace the Arboretum.

Cheers,
gg

Sorry State Of Affairs

Something happened last week in the twilight of President Bush's last year in office that flew under the radar but deserves a second look. Mr. Bush was in Saudi Arabia last week on bent knee asking some two bit prince to pump more oil. Now keep in mind that for the past seven years Bush has been kissing the Saudi royal family's ass. This extends to giving them a pass after 9/11, despite the fact that most of the murderers were of Saudi heritage.

The President of the United States was told there would be no more oil. It's gotten to the point where Bush is now begging like a panhandler asking for spare change. What a sad and sorry day for America. All of Bush's arse smooching didn't get him so much as an ounce of crude, black gold, Texas tea. Forget about the fact that the Saudi royal family treats women like second-class citizens and would like to see Israel go the way of the buggy whip and the nickle cigar. When one is on bent knee it's hard to make demands of those you are hoping will throw you a scrap.

With all of Bush's foreign policy experience, the best he can do is go begging at the palace and be sent away empty-handed. What a proud day for America! I have to say that all Americans should be embarrassed about our national energy policy. It appears that policy has degenerated to the advanced idea of begging.

While on this trip Bush spoke about the need for the next president to be experienced at foreign policy. Well it looks like that experience certainly has paid off with four bucks at the gas pump and our good friends the Saudi princes telling the president they won't put any money in his little spare change cup. Bush is so desperate to renovate his legacy, that he is willing to swallow his (our) pride and beg at the Saudi royal table. Well, the Saudi princes won't play so it looks like old George W will be remembered for a failed war and five dollar a gallon gas.

We need a next president who has a real energy policy. We need a next president who will challenge the great minds in America to develop the next generation of technology that will move us away from oil. We need a president who's too proud to beg.