..........no internet at the Econlodge!

No post last night - no internet at the Econlodge. We stayed just a couple of miles away from Mt. Rushmore last night, and most of the hotels were booked-up pretty early in the day. The Econolodge in Keystone, South Dakota had a room with one queen bed (that means the girls slept on the floor in sleeping bags). At any rate, yesterday was a blast! We traveled through more of the South Dakota prairie lands and to Badlands State Park. What is really amazing about the geography out here is it just changes immediately to something that may be just the opposite of what you are presently in. I hope that made sense. After some walking around in the Badlands, we headed for Mount Rushmore. Amazing is the only word to use for this work of art! The carving was started in 1927, and was completed in 1941. We also got a chance to see the beginnings of the Crazy Horse Monument. It is a work in progress. When finished, it will include Crazy Horse on his horse.

Today found us heading for Devil's Tower. I was surprised to find out that this was our first national monument. Devil's Tower is located in Wyoming, and is a little over 1,200' high. It is a common trek for avid climbers during the summer months. Following Devil's Tower, we started our journey towards Yellowstone. Now, I'll pause here to tell you how much Wyoming reminds me of Ashe County - it is beautiful country, but there are no straight shots of highway to get anywhere! To get near Yellowstone, we had to cross the Big Horn Mountain Range (named after the Big Horn Sheep that live there - no, I didn't see any). It was a beautiful drive through the mountains. I was really impressed as to how high the elevation is at the top - over 9,600'. After we came through the mountains, we passed through almost desert conditions. There were oil pumps working in the desert areas. The temperature ranged from 69 degrees on top of the mountains to 100 degrees at the bottom! We are presently in Cody, Wyoming. We will see Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks tomorrow. Yesterdays milage was 298, and today we traveled 450.

Cool rock formation in the Big Horn Mountains.

Elevation sign at the top of the Big Horn Mountains.

Mount Rushmore National
Monument, a rock formation coming down from Mt. Rushmore, Devil's Tower (featured in the movie, Close Encounters of the Third Kind), and Big Horn Mountain.





Badlands National Park in South Dakota. Another picture from the Badlands.

An American bison (buffalo) in Custer State Park, SD. You have to watch out for them - they just wander around at their own will.

I sign that kept me on the trail an looking at the ground in the Badlands!!!

Prairie Dogs in the Badlands.

I wish I could have posted all the pictures. This is a facisnating trip. America is a beautiful place, and I hope that all of you have a chance to do this sometime. Don't wait until you have the time - take the time to do it. I'm sure there will be some great pics to post after Yellowstone tomorrow.

..........into the Great Plains.

We left Kansas City this morning on our way to South Dakota. To do so, we hugged the state line of Missouri, through part of Iowa, and into South Dakota. Many people have told me this would be a boring part of the trip - I loved it!!! I have never been so impressed with farming before. Fields seemingly go on forever! We took a few pictures when we got well into South Dakota. These are not real "primo" picture areas. We took these at a rest stop. The enormous open fields impress me. I can just imagine the buffalo herd on these grasslands.



We stopped in a small town tonight just a few miles from this spot. The owner of a restaurant were we ate told us that the town was originally built in 1906 as a watering point for the railroad. The timeline that separates Central Standard Time from Mountain Time used to run down their main street. This worked great until after Prohibition. When alcohol flowed leagally in downtown, half of the town could serve alcohol for an hour longer than the other half. The timeline was then moved west to the county line. Free enterprise!!!

There are miles and miles of this scene going west on I90. I read today that farms of 20,000 acres or more is not uncommon in South Dakota. One wierd thing we noticed - all of the cows are always together in a tight formation. I'm going to ask someone about that tomorrow. My speculation - coyotes.

We will go to Rapid City tomorrow and see Mt. Rushmore (I noticed in a brochure that there is a campground there called "Mount Rush-No-More"). We'll also see the Crazy Horse monument, Badlands Nat'l Park, and the Mammoth Site in Hot Springs. We were fortunate enough to get a room at Mt. Rushmore for tomorrow night. We traveled 575 miles today. Tomorrow should mean much less driving and more "boots on the ground".

I can't leave you without a great political video cartoon. You'll love this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wr0MLl-fxuo

..........day number two; through the gateway to the West!!!

Today, we left Clarksville, Tennessee and headed northwest. We traveled through western Kentucky, Illinois, and then into Missouri. This was the first time I have ever seen the big farms that are the life-blood of this part of the country. Corn fields literally went for miles on end. I would have taken a picture of it, but it was raining. Our primary destination today was St. Louis, where we went to the Gateway Arch.



Here's a shot of the Gateway Arch (taken by Lisa - as all pictures will be). Underneath the Arch is an area where you can learn all about the structure, see films about the Arch and the Western Migration, and, of course, go to gift shops. We bought tickets there to go up into the Arch. You get into what seems to be a very small escape module (it reminds me of Dr. Evil escaping from the rear of the Shoney's boy in the Austin Powers movie). Five people can fit in the module. Now I am only 5'-7" tall and I had to bend over slightly inside of the module. It takes four and one-half minutes to travel the 630' to the top of the Arch. At the top, you can get out and look out across St. Louis and the Mississippi River area. When you're done looking (which took about five minutes with the number of really stupid people present in the observation area), you board the same modules to the bottom. It takes three and one-half minutes to go to the bottom again. It was pretty cool. The Arch was built as the result of a design contest in 1947 to commemorate President Thomas Jefferson and his work to explore the western frontier. The Arch is made of steel and concrete; and is covered with stainless steel. It was raining when we got there. The resulting water running down the side of the Arch was cool looking. The Arch was designed to move a total of 18" from side to side at the top for wind. Again, this was pretty cool (amazing American design).

After touring the Arch, we traveled to Kansas City. The main purpose of this trip (279 miles from St. Louis), was to eat BBQ at Arthur Bryant's. We did just that. It was a very small "joint" in a not-so-great part of town, but the food was outstanding. It was really crowded on a Monday night. There were pictures on the wall of all the famous folks that have eaten there. These include: President Carter, Steven Spielberg, and Emeril; just to name a few. Like I said, the food was great. They offered ribs; as well as, pork, beef, and turkey BBQ. The portions were way over the top! None of us finished what we were served. All the meat was served with what we call here in NC as "light bread" (thin sliced white bread). The sauces were great, too. After Bryant's, we got back on the interstate and headed northwest to find a hotel for the evening. In doing so, we passed through part of Kansas. Wow, five states today!

Oops! This picture should have been right under the Arch. It is a picture of Busch Stadium (where the Cardinals play), that Lisa took from the Arch observation area.

We have to cover about 650 miles tomorrow. We are getting up early and heading for South Dakota. I forgot to get today's milage before leaving the car - I'll report it tomorrow, but I think it was in the neighborhood of 450 miles.

..........so, who's voting for Obama now???

Yeah, it's pretty narrow minded; but, this will get the guy some more votes. Amber Lee Ettinger is the gal's name, and there have been hundreds of thousands of hits on various websites/blogs to view the video. The little flick is getting a lot of comments on YouTube. One poster mocks the lyrics writing “anyone who believes universal healthcare will make them ‘warm’ has never sat endlessly waiting in a hospital gown for care.” That is a good one!

You can see much more than you want to see at obamagirl.typepad.com, where they are selling “I Got a Crush on Obama” t-shirts.

The lyrics to ‘Obama Girl’ are below:

Obama: “Thank all of you for your time, your suggestions, your encouragement, and your prayers, and I look forward to continuing our conversation in the weeks and months to come.”

Hey B, it’s me. If you’re there, pick up.
I was just watching you on C-SPANSigh. Anyway, call me back.

You seem to float on to the floor

Democratic convention 2004

I’ve never wanted anybody more than I want you

So I put down my Kerry sign

Knew I had to make you mine

So black and sexy, you’re so fine

Because I got a crush on Obama

[chorus]

I can’t wait til 2008

Baby you’re the best candidate

I like it when you get hot

With Hillary in debate

Why don’t you pick up the phone

Because I got a crush on Obama

I can’t wait til 2008

Baby you’re the best candidate

in the new oval office

you’ll get your head of state

I can’t leave you alone

Because I got a crush on Obama

You’re into border security

Let’s put this border between you and me

Universal healthcare reform

it makes me warm
You tell the truth unlike the right

You can love but you can fight

You can Barack with me tonight

I got a crush on Obama.

[chorus repeats]

Can you watch the video on BOTEITG? Of course you can. Just click on the link:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKsoXHYICqU

Okay, on a much different note, we began our trip today after our church service, and we are currently in Clarksville, TN for the night. We traveled 420 miles today, and we'll be in St. Louis tomorrow to see what's up with that arch. I'm sure a picture will follow tomorrow evening. After St. Louis, we're going to Kansas City for some ribs. After that, it's off towards South Dakota. Have a great week and decide for yourself if you're hooked on Obama!!!

..........Vacation!!!

Now is the time to take advantage of the fact that I work (technically speaking) ten months out of the year - we're going on an actual vacation! I've been looking forward to this for several months. Destination - BOTEITG is going from North Carolina to the upper west coast, through the lower southwest, into New Orleans, and back home. The entire trek should be about 9,000 miles, and will take three and one-half weeks. The only real time crucial thing is being in NOLA on July 15 (I have to be there for my BCS Bowl Game director's pre-trip at that time). I will, of course, post as often as I can; and will provide mileage traveled and pictures from the trip. I know you can hardly wait! My only hope - that this trip does not turnout like my friend, Clark Griswold. Wish us good fortune and safe travel.

..........Friday Funnies.

How 'bout a little Cowboy Diplomacy for those guys in Iran!!! In his latest press conference, President Bush said; "Just wait 'til you see the new mechanical bull that Dick and the boys in Texas got for me." To get the full story, take a look at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OH8WGjNf2A0

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is leaving the Republican Party and becoming an Independent, possibly to prepare for a White House run. Well nice try, Bloomberg. You can't just choose to be Independent. It's not like being gay." --Stephen Colbert

"Kind of a scandal brewing for presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani. ... Yesterday, a top aide to Rudy Giuliani was busted for possessing and distributing cocaine. When asked about it, Giuliani said, 'Cocaine? I asked him to get me Rogaine'" --Conan O'Brien

"President Bush was in Albania. He thought he was going to Albany. Anyway, he ended up in Albania ... and somebody stole his watch. Bush is upset. He is really angry. He said he now has no choice but to bomb Iran." --David Letterman

"I was going through the files and I believe he is the first president to be robbed since ... well, Al Gore" --David Letterman

"On Tuesday, Republican frontrunner Rudy Giuliani released a slate of campaign pledges he calls the 'Twelve Commitments,' including sets of gems as 1. I will keep America on offense in the terrorists' war on us; 5. I will impose accountability on Washington; 8. I will survive; and 12. I will issue commitments in easily mockable list form." --Jon Stewart"'Rudy's promises to America.' Yes, Rudolph Giuliani always keeps his promises, unless he makes them to you as you're marrying him" --Jon Stewart

"The Pentagon has admitted they once tried to develop a gay bomb -- a bomb that would turn enemy soldiers gay. They said their goal was to turn the Iraq war into a musical. ... Gay bomb? Talk about a troop surge. ... I believe the main ingredients in the gay bomb are an agent orange with a chartreuse accent." --Jay Leno

"Vice President Dick Cheney is going into surgery. He's having a new pacemaker installed. ... Doctors are confident that Cheney will be up and sneering in no time." --David Letterman

"After serving eight years in jail, assisted suicide doctor Jack Kevorkian was on 'Larry King Live.' When Kevorkian saw Larry King, he said, 'I swear, he was like that when I got here'" --Conan O'Brien

Congratulations to the Anaheim Ducks. They won the Stanley Cup Championship. I believe this is the biggest victory for ducks since Dick Cheney shot that lawyer in the face." --Jay Leno

Enjoy your weekend!!! Oh, and I almost forgot..........happy post #100 to Beware of the Elephant in Tall Grass!!!

..........is it popularity, or is it how America truly feels?

I wonder what Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi really think about Gallup's latest poll which shows that a record number of Americans disapprove of the job Congress is doing. Pelosi says that she wasn't overly concerned...yet. She said she'd be more concerned if this were mid-2008, instead of 2007. I don't know.... I think she's too smart for that. She must be concerned. Just 14% of Americans have a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in Congress. That's even worse than American confidence in HMO's, which stands at 15%. Can you believe that? Congress is less trusted than one of the most hated institutions in America. Score! The current 14% confidence rating for Congress is also down from 19% last year and is the lowest in Gallup’s history, surpassing the 18% confidence in Congress measured in 1991, 1993 and 1994.Across the board, the trend from last year is down, so it's not just Congress that Americans have less confidence in. But the drop from 19% to 14% is significant. That's a 26% drop. After the November elections I would have hoped to see the trend moving in the opposite direction. Despite the trend, I don't think this Congress is as useless as this poll would have us believe. I think part of the problem is that a disconnect exists betweens what politicians tell people to expect from them and what they are politically capable of accomplishing. Something that the newly unaffiliated Michael R. Bloomberg said yesterday really struck a chord with me. He was referring to the recent presidential debates and the job of the press to ask pertinent questions of the candidates. "The press really is not doing its job of holding their feet to the fire," Bloomberg said. "The tough questions are not what are you in favor of, but how are you going to get it through Congress?"Exactly. At this point, who really cares what someone says they stand for or intends to do? Speak to us (Americans) like we're adults and tell us how you're going to get the job done. Most of us already know what's wrong with our system. We know the influence special interest groups and corporations have in Washington, we know what a filibuster is, know what earmarks are, know how Congress holds symbolic votes, know what a presidential veto is, know how many votes it takes to override a veto -- what I want to know now is exactly how the candidates intend to actually do what they say they're going to do. Let's drag the whole filthy system out into the light of day.

..........possible cure for Iraqtile dysfunction???

Lets drop this loud mouth on Iraq! What is Iraqtile dysfunction? In my opinion, it is having control of only 40% of Iraq after five years of fighting and winning over the population! We move in, we push the insurgents out, we move on (not having enough troops to maintain the ground we gain), the insurgents come back. Don't tell me that doesn't sound like Vietnam! I don't fault us for the failure to maintain the ground we gain. Sure, it's the incompetent behavior of the Iraqi forces/people that creates our problems. Lets cut them some slack. These native Iraqi citizens are scared to death. They live in a constant state of threat if they side with the US. This battle for Iraq will only be won when the determination of the Iraqi people gets stronger than that of their enemies. I'm sure Rush Limpbaugh will blame it on the liberals; and maybe, specifically on Bill Clinton.

How about our mission s in Iraq and Afghanistan? What's in it for us? Well, the administration will keep telling us that we have to kill them before they kill us. This is my theory......we are killing the enemy and we are winning battles. Our enemies keep just enough insurgents in action to keep us busy. They are moving more and more of their operations outside of Iraq and Afghanistan each day to train, plan , and execute terror where it is safe and friendly for them. Sure, one of the problems is Iran. Can you also say Pakistan? But wait, isn't Pakistan our buddy....kinda? Look! I see something shiny! The Taliban fighters are getting large-scale weapon supplies from Pakistan, for which we seem to ignore. Move along, nothing to see here! And sure, Iran is providing fighters and military supplies to kill American soldiers. What next? Do we attack Pakistan and Iran? If we choose to attack all those who aid the terrorists and provide them with fighters and weapons; we will then have to fight the entire Middle East! The real problem? The definition of the Global War On Terror is a grave misconception among Americans. We view the definition as being the United States aganist terror throughout the world. The real definition (in order to win the fight), is to gain allies aganist terror (through negotiation and trustworthy actions) who will join forces with us to fight the terrorist movements on a global scale. Wake up America! We can't police the world ourselves! We don't have the people and resources to pull it off! Cowboy justice by one nation will not win the day! We need leaders who are willing to get us those allies. We currently don't have them, and I don't forsee us getting them out of the 2008 elections. To pull completely out of Iraq and Afghanistan will not solve the problem. We must gain allies and take the fight on terror to the entire globe. Give the terrorists very few places to hide and ruin those nations who choose to guard terror. Ruin them in the financial world, ruin their ability to obtain the resources to sustain themselves, and, if necessary, fight them with an allied force of nations who choose to stand aganist terror!

..........GOP debate.

Alright, I'm a nerd. I just watched all two hours of the GOP debate from NH on CNN. In my opinion, the Republicans just sank the Democratic battleship with their answers! Several things were as I had anticipated. One, it's Ronald Reagan's birthday. Several candidates referred to Reagan policy and how they would do as Reagan did if elected. I did, of course, like that. The Reagan legacy was not all about policy, but that of outstanding communication. When candidates were asked, "What was the biggest failure of the Bush Aministration?", the fact that little if any commuication had been used by the current administration, seemed to be a common theme. I've said that all along. I could have been more of a Bush supporter if he chose to communicate with me. On the few times that he tried, I was able to understand better what was going on and why. Immigration was a hot topic and the division was evident. John McCain is out of the race based on this issue alone. I thought the top three were: 1) Rudy Giuliani; 2) Mitt Romney; and 3) Mike Huckabee. Rudy has exposure by his high profile mayorship of NYC, and he will reach out to moderates and Dems. Mitt Romney has done some flip-flopping, but has some very good basic principals that I like. Mike Huckabee is articulate and communicates well. Who was the small woodland creature on the far right? It was the Rep. from TX - throw yourself on your sword tonight after the debate! Outside of the BOTEITG top three, the rest should drop out now and save their money, time, and efforts. I still look forward to Fred Thompson coming into the race. I will enjoy what he will bring to the debates. Just leave Newt in Georgia eating fried foods and womanizing. The next GOP debate will be on July 23. It will be interesting to see how many will survive until then. The GOP candidates offered something that the Cheney/Bush camp and the Democratic camp has not - some possible solutions for what can be done in Iraq. What a difference communication makes! Bush talks to Vladimir tomorrow - I hope he can pull that off without declaring war!

On a different note, Scooter Libby goes to jail for 2.5 years; at the hand of a Bush appointed judge. You're OK, judge - they would'nt dare fire you now. Now we debate presidential pardon. He'll be pardoned - right before Cheney/Bush leaves office. It will be too controversial for the GOP if it's done now. Scooter will serve some time. How do you like being the "Fall Guy", Scooter? I hope those whom he protected will reward him in the end. Scooter definitely "took one for the team". If he is guilty, he should serve the time; just like any of us would have to do. The law is for supposed to apply to us all, equally. Yes, yes, I know; Clinton did it, Clinton did it. If that's the case, he should have been in jail too! I don't support Clinton just because he's a Democrat.

I had a great time watching the debate. If I had to vote tomorrow; it would definitely be for one of the guys I saw tonight. The Dems don't have a candidate that would be good for America, and I recognize that. With that in mind, I will vote with the elephants!

..........Fred Thompson.

Relax, I'm not going where you think I am with this. Everyone knew months ago that Fred was going to throw his name in to the Republican ring; but, he is what the rest of the candidates are not - SMART. The field of candidates is now so large, Fred is doing the right thing by waiting. Rumors have it that July 4 will be the official day that candidacy will be declared - Fred says this is nothing more than a rumor. He is smart in that he will give the others more time to self-destruct. The early debates are giving room for that to happen, and Mr. Thompson should have no problem in becoming the Republican hero. Now, will he unify or go along? That's a good question, and the answer will decide wheather I will vote for him. Early indications are that he may get too close to Dubya and the Dark Lord of the Sith. If that happens, he will lose my vote, along with other moderates who are looking for intellegence over arrogance. Chew on that for awhile. The Republicans need to be unified, and they need it in a bad way. I respect Fred Thompson. He is a very well educated and intelligent man. He cut his teeth on the Watergate hearings, and; in my opinion, will see both sides of an argument. He was a lobbyist at one time, became a US Senator, and is a successful actor. His wife is hotter than the rest of the Republican crowd (25 years his junior) - go Fred!!! I don't expect another Ronald Reagan. President Reagan was one of a kind and will never be duplicated. Mr. Thompson has the experience of working with several factions of Conservatives (he worked closly with John McCain), and could be the unifying factor for their party. Now, back to his alliance with the current administration. The only thing that bothers me is his support of the current mess we have in D.C. Take this statement by Mr. Thompson as an example: "I have called for a pardon for Scooter Libby. When you rectify an injustice using the provisions of the law, just as when you reverse an erroneous court decision, you are not disregarding the rule of law, you are enforcing and protecting it."

Scooter Libby is of the Dark Side, (although not powerful enough to be a Sith Apprentice) and is not an honorable man. He should be in jail. I disagree with Mr. Thompson on this. And next, how about an answer to this interview question:

WALLACE: "What would you do now in Iraq?" THOMPSON:" I would do essentially what the president's doing."

Bad answer. If you, Mr. Thompson, agree with what this president is doing, you are clearly not in touch with the situation on the ground and you will not get votes from either the Republicans or the Democrats! Change your allegiance now while there is still time! It's not always smart to side with the current adminsitration on war. In the case of the present situation, it will cause you to lose. Save yourself Fred, let the Force guide you. Beware of the Dark Side, with their lust for power.

I really don't watch Fred on TV. I have seen him in a couple of movies - the one that comes to mind most quickly is The Hunt For Red October. His TV and film role may not really help things. For lack of a better way to say it, he seems to play many asshole roles. I know he will have the ability to speak well, and will be capable of what Darth Cheney and Dubya has not done - commuicate with the American people! I often hear Republicans say that so much in government (i.e. education) should be run like a business. Well, in a business, when something is not working, the CEO listens to the underlings to find the problems. When the problems are identified, changes are made for success. This, clearly, has not happened in this administration. And I'm not just talking about the war; the same is true with our domestic problems as well. Fred Thompson has the chance to change America for the best. He could be our "chosen one who will bring balance to the Force." Fred Thompson could also bring the United States back into a higher degree of respect in the world. There is nothing wrong with being respected for what you are rather than what others will fear you'll do. Move us away from "cowboy justice." I think Fred Thompson really does care about America. I'm anxious to see how he plays his cards in the coming months. Let the Force guide your actions, Fred.

.........."The shroud of the Dark Side has fallen. Begun, the Clone War has." -Yoda

Wow, it's been a month since my last post!!! "School's out, for summer....." - Alice Cooper. At last, a break. I'll start this post with the official post pic today. Is it a tribute to the 30th anniversary of Star Wars; or, is it a tribute to Mr. Five Military Draft Deferments, Darth Cheney? You can have your own with that one. How can someone be resposnible for sending so many Americans into war and have five military deferments? It's beyond me how the Dark Lord of the Sith can receive so much acclaim for his war strategies when he, himself chose not to serve. In my opinion, some of the bravest men and women of our time served in the Vietnam War. Darth Cheney said he was a supporter of the war, but at the time, he had "other priorities." Yes, other priorities like, "not getting killed while in service of your country." Enough about him; how about his "little buddy", Dubya? He was a trained fighter pilot, right in the middle of the Vietnam War. What did he do during the war? He took tens of thousands of dollars in military training and asked to be released from his duties early! I'm sure glad he was treated like all the rest of the boys! (I seem to be going into an uncontrolled rant.) Anyway, what is good for one is good for all. I love how Mr. Bush has said, "absolutely, not", in naming an exit from Iraq. BOTEITG has come across a couple of statements Mr. Bush made before becoming President of the United States: "Victory means exit strategy, and it's importantfor the president to explain to us what the exit strategy is." --George W. Bush, 4/9/99, criticizing President Clinton for not setting a timetable for exiting Kosovo. Here's another good one: "I think it's also important for the president to lay out a timetableas to how long they will be involved and when they will be withdrawn." --George W. Bush, 6/5/99 May we just call this "the shoe now being on the other foot." Enough of that. How about the latest "brought from Texas" advisor to resign. Mr. Bush started with eight in his innermost circle. We are now down to just two; and one of those is Alberto Gonzales (how long will he last???). (There's not even enough of the original inner circle left to play a good game of musical chairs.)The other; yes, it is the Sith Apprentice, Darth Rove. The Sith always exist in pairs - a master and an apprentice.

How about some Friday Funnies????? You've got it!

"According to a new study, Viagra cures jet lag. At least that's what Bill Clinton told Hillary when she found the pills in his luggage." --David Letterman

This next entry says it all.......................

George W. Bush and a Secret Service agent are taking a stroll when they come upon a little girl carrying a basket with a blanket over it. Curious, Bush asks the girl, "What's in the basket?" She replies, "New baby kittens," and she opens the basket to show him. "How nice," says Bush. "What kind are they?" The little girl replies, "Republicans." Bush smiles, pats the little girl on the head and continues on. Three weeks later, Bush is taking another stroll, this time with Karl Rove. They see the same little girl carrying the same basket. Bush says, "Watch this, Karl; it's really cute." They approach the little girl. Bush greets the little girl and asks how the kittens are doing. She says, "Fine." Then, smirking, he nudges Rove with his elbow and asks the little girl, "And can you tell us what kind of kittens they are?" She replies, "Democrats." Abashed, Bush says, "But three weeks ago you said they were Republicans!" She quickly says, "Yes, but now their eyes are open!!!"

Have a great weekend as you work three extra jobs to pay for your family vacation this summer. The elephant will be back soon.................