I'll be updating this one regularly.  A few observations

Paper is giving him a "kept" on this one: No. 125: Direct military leaders to end war in Iraq.  As Orwell said, the qucikest way to end awar is to loose it.  This order is a disaster for the country if executed immediately.  Which it won't be.  There's a difference between ending the war and ordering someone else to end the war.

Along the same vein, Gitmo has NOT been closed.  I asked a dear liberal friend of mine yesterday: "Is Gitmo still open?  Are there still prisoners there?"  Obviously the answer was yes.  If it's open, then it hasn't been closed.  And it won't be.  Although the French (and John Murtha) have both volunteered to take some of the captives.  The nice ones.

Another writer I enjoy posts an annual review of "where he watched the Super Bowl" growing up. I know I've only missed one, but sadly I can't remember where I watched each of them. Here then are those I recall:

1
2
3
4 Chiefs v Vikings - My father's boyhood home on the Middle Pike where we lived for half a dozen years. TV was in the "sitting room.. Watched the Heidi Bowl in this house too, but the TV had been moved to the front room by then
5 Colts vs Cowboys - My Aunt Margaret and Uncle George's house, on Park Avenue in London. Sounds fancy, right? That's London, Ohio. Plush deep red carpet in the good room. Cornish game hen for dinner.

6

7 Dolphins vs Redskins, My maternal grandparents house on the Glade. Christmas tree was still up. Was only January 14! Garo The Tie Maker's pass attempt. Undefeated Dolphins

8

9
10
11
12
13 Steelers / Cowboys Stambaugh Hall @ Ohio Northen University. With Suzy Croft. She was a Steelers fan, but I liked her anyway. Jackie Smith's drop in the end zone

14
15 Eagles vs Raiders. ONU law library. Studying for exams
16 49ers vs Bengals My mobile home in Ada OH. Roommate was ONU TE Jim Percival...he and his eventual wife had fixed me up with Monica Miklos, and we had bbq rabbit in a crock pot!
17 Missed it. Studying for the bar. ONLY one I've missed. Passed the bar.
18 Raiders vs Redskins. Marcia Minnich's in Marion. TV in the back room. Marcus Allen's big cutback run.
19
20 Patriots vs Bears. Watched in a house on Godown road with Lisa Sharf. The Fridge!

21
22 Redskins vs Broncos. Alone in the room I rented on Annadale from Chuck. It was NOT a good time in my life. Or for the Broncos.

23 49ers vs Bengals again. At Mac's Cafe, after I got off work at the Short North Tavern across the street. Weren't half a dozen people there.

24  Short North Tavern.  Behind the bar.  Virtually empty.
25 Bills vs Giants. House on Westmont in Upper Arlington. Lived with Finn and Verno. Wide right.

26
27 Cowboys vs Bills.  With George & Trudy on Glenmawr.
28 Cowboys vs Bills. My first with D, on Ardmore.  She painted The Boy's face, a Dallas Star on one check and the Buffalo logo on the other. 

29 49ers/Chargers - George and Trudy's on Glenmawr. For some reason they went great guns for this one - bought hats and t shirts - the works.
30 Cowboys/Steelers.  G & T's again.  Brown's ints!
31  Packers vs Pats.  G&T's.  SOB from that school up north is the MVP
32
33
34
35 Ravens/Giants. Brommers, but this time on Noe Bixby.

36.  Patriots/Rams.  Was doing "Arthur and the Magic Sword" @ CCT, had the game on in the dressing room.  Scott Willis, Don Roberts and I kept track, giving each other updates between scenes.

37 Bucs/Raiders. Brommers, Noe Bixby. Sara and Corey were in Ohio, Brommers were in New York

38 Pats and Panthers. Back to the Brommers with my spot in the middle of the couch.

39.  Patriots/Eagles.  George and Trudy have moved to Hilliard, but a GREAT TV and I got a good seat.  Evderybody else stays in the other room, drinking wine.

40 Steelers/Seahawks. I was playing the father in Little Women at CCT. Missed the first half due to a performance. Nobody wanted to join me so I walked over to the little club across from the theater. Good crowd but too many Steelers fans. And no, he didn't cross the goal line.

41 Colts/Bears. George & Trudy's in Hilliard. Took spin dip from Ciao.
42 Giants/Pats Back to the Brommers, this time in front of the fancy BIG SCREEN, which Uncle Ralph won't watch because he knows Dick Chaney is watching back.

TV's Andy Levy has some GREAT advice for those on the right over at one of my new favorite sites, Big Hollywood ....

DON’T question the motives - question the policy. When you disagree with Obama’s policies, say so, and make it clear why. But remember that President Obama is doing what he thinks is best for the country, as President Bush did. Both men love America and want what’s best for her. End of story.

DON’T make it personal. We don’t need another Derangement Syndrome. We don’t need people doing things like emphasizing Obama’s middle name in a derogatory fashion. How anyone would think that’s beneficial to their cause, or to the country as a whole, is beyond me. Also, it’s not even clever. Neither are smushwords like BusHitler, or sillywords like Rethuglicans and Dhimmicrats.

DON’T cozy up to and champion foreign dictators and despots. Sean Penn is an ass. No reason to be like him. ‘Nuff said. (Corollary: Don’t cozy up to and champion foreign dictators and despots and then act outraged when people question your patriotism.)

DON’T pretend you’re being brave when you criticize your government. Not while people in other countries actually, y’know, DIE, when they do that.

DON’T use the word “divisive.” At this point, all that word means is “You disagree with me,” and the English language gets mangled enough these days.

DON’T use the phrase “speaking truth to power.” EVER.

DON’T move to Canada.

DON’T say you’re going to move to Canada and then stay here. (I know it’s too late for Stephen Baldwin, but not for the rest of you.)

DON’T apologize to foreigners and say things to them like, “I didn’t vote for Obama,” or “He’s not MY president.”

DON’T say or do everything in your power to drive this country apart and then claim you want unity when it’s your guy in power. This is like the convicted felon who conveniently finds God when he’s up for parole.

DON’T call people un-American one week, and then talk about how “We are not blue states or red states, we are the United States” the next. (This rule may only apply to Tom Hanks, but I put it in just to be safe.)

DON’T automatically think people who disagree with you are stupid or evil. Some of them are, of course. But most of them aren’t, and you might actually learn something if you listen to them.

And finally, DON’T use the fact that many on the left behaved abominably for the past eight years as an excuse to behave the same way. America needs adults. And if it bothered you when they did it, it’s a good sign that you shouldn’t do it.

 The good folks at the St. Peteresburg Times have set up an Obameter to track the over 500 campaign promises The One made prior to taking the oath of office earlier today. Here's how the list was assembled anbd here's the complete list So far he's kept two which is really pretty good, even if they were easy ones. Here's the ones I'll be keeping my eye on, either because they were what the Left was screaming for, it was silly or downright wrong.

1. Raise taxes on the rich (1, 2, 11, 12, 14, 17, 38, 39, 41, 42)

2. Close Gitmo (177)

3. 5 million green jobs (439)

4. “Transparency” (231, 234, 235, 237, 238)

5. Lower sea level (not on their list but sure made mine!)

6. End use of torture (175)

7. End use of extreme rendition (176)

 and I'll to add a few more in the coming days ... but so far we're about 12 hours in and NONE of these have happened.

here are my three additions, added 1/25.....

8.  No lobbyist influence in government.  #240.  The paper calls this one a "compromise."  IMHO it's like being kind of pregnant.  Either there ARE lobbyists in your administration or there aren't.  There are.  Promise broken

9.  Release medical records and college transcript, just like every other prsident has.  Not a promise but something that should be done.  It makes the list for the same reason #5 does.

10.  TBA.

Here’s the problem: I play on two poker sites (ujogo.com and clubcgn.com.)  These sites offer daily tourneys with prizes ranging from $10-$25 in poker accessories or Amazon cards to $50 in cash.  They also have a weekly game with a prize of $500/150/50.  In the last month I’ve hit for $25 in poker supplies twice, $50 in cash once and took 2^nd in the biggie once.  Not bad for 30 days of amateur play.  But I’ve been SECOND in the $50 game over half a dozen times!!!!!

That’s not good.  Second place is just the first loser.  Now I KNOW my heads up game is weak but that’s just crazy.  I THINK I’ve hit on an answer.  After looking back at the last 6 tourneys I find that I’m playing a tad conservative just to MAKE it to heads up.  My opponent usually has take out #3 and I find myself at a 3-1 or worse disadvantage.  Solution – when it gets down to about 4-5 get more aggressive.  If my assessment is correct I should finish second LESS often but first MORE often. 

Remind me.

Steelers and WHO?????

I'll be wearing Cardinal red and cheering for the birds......but

the line has opened with the Steelers as 7 to 7+ favorites, and an O/U of 47-47+..... don't like any of it! That 7 point spread is scary.  And the Total looks solid as well.  If you can get one of those zany "if/then" bets then take ARZ IF the game goes over or PIT IF the game goes under.....and in the propr bets - ARZ will have more 1st downs AND the longer FG.  PIT 27, ARZ 20

Bon Chance

Announcers generally suck.  Nothing brings that home more than the Bowl season when you listen to lots and lot's of "B" and even "C" teams.  Shawn King was a good college QB and had a nice cup of coffee with the Bucs, but should never be allowed near a microphone.  I actually heard one ex-jock (Brock Huard perhaps?) aver that in his particular Bowl game "points would count".

But the one that JUST got me was in the AFC Title game.  Jim Nance called a double reverse.  I clicked back on the TIVO - Flacco took the snap and dropped straight back, handed the ball to McGahee running r to l, who then handed to Clayton moving l to r.  That's a reverse, NOT a double reverse.  Had Clayton handed to Heap running back r to l THAT woulda been a double reverse.  Changing directions ONCE (which is what happened) is a reverse. 

I shall now dismount the soapbox/

Dinner last night ......

Started off with Champaign and an artisanal cheese and meat selection. Salad was simple: a feta, cucumber and cherry tomato with balsamic vinaigrette. The main course featured a sea food gratin with crab, shrimp and halibut <wow!> On the side - roasted green beans with garlic and a hint of red pepper. Dessert was a pomegranate panicotta with candied orange peel, served with a crisp pear cider.

all served at our dining room table with The Boy home from college and the warm glow of family. 

over at clubcgn.com....I'm in a free roll.....$500 top prize .....took 2nd two weeks ago.....21 other players

10d 5h, small blind, fold .... 3 good players at this table and 3 unknows

7s6h, button, fold

blinds are 20/40, we start with 10k, 10 minutes levels

folded to me with KcQh on the cutoff, raise 100, both blinds fold

4sQh, make it $80 to be a little aggressive...button calls, BB calls, limper calls 8h2dJs - I bet $40 with nothing, button calls ...Qc!  top pair, button calls, 10c, $500, he folds

7cAc, $100 bet, all fold

6hKs, I make it $80 UTG, all fold to me

Jc2s in BB, 1 limper, sb folds, 4c, 7d10h, all check, 3d check, 10d check, other player has better 4th card

Jh5d, fold sb

Jc2s, fold on the button

6s10c fold, still #1 on the leaderboard

Level 2:

Qd2d, 2 limpers, I fold

9dKh, fold

7dKd UTG, call, both blinds limp, 9h7hKc, checked to me I check, 4d, BB makes it 60, I make it 120, sb folds, bb calls, 2s, BB checks, I make it $400, he folds

3hQh BB, button limp, sb folds5cKd10d, I check, 7d, check, Ah, button makes it $150 and I fold to him

15 minutes in and haven't shown a hand

sb: 8hAd, button makes it 150, I call6dAc2h, b goes 60, I go 120 he calls, 4s, I check, he checks, Kh, I check, he bets 600, I double it, he calls and beats me with QA - again, the 4th card

Kh7c fold

ok, 20 minutes of this is enough...

LVL 3: that weak Ace dropped me to LAST! but it's early

LVL 4: had an "I gotta leave so I'll just go all in every hand" - I HATE that...but there's 1 gone and I'm up to 16th

LVL 5: 2 out, I'm at 17th...about 20 rounds in my stack so I'm still fine for another level or two

LVL 6: 14th out of 19 .... 14 rounds in my stack......starting to catch a few more cards but the big stacks are getting more aggressive

LVL 7: 15 rounds left, nut flush takes me to 5th of 19.......now playing JJ

(red) jacks hit A-2-5 all clubs on the flop and folded.....a dozen hands latter I'm UTG with AdKh.....all in.....sb calls, BB folds, sb has QQ....flop gives her trips and I'm out......from 7th to 18th with the turn of a card.......now on with my evening