A thought now that Congress has rejected the buyout

Vegetarians Brain Shrinkage

In another fabulous study, scientists have shown that vegetarians are more likely to suffer from brain shrinkage than normal omnivores. Vitamin B12 (or a lack of this vitamin) is the cause of brain shrinkage in vegetarians and vegans (along with elderly, pregnant women and people who live strictly on Twinkies). Read more HERE.

I always was very smarmy with my veggie-swilling friends in college. They chastised me daily for my love of all things once mobile and breathing grilled, fried and broiled. I heard rant after rant about the healthy benefits of such a life style. Now, I know that there are benefits, but everything in moderation my friend. We have high schoolers drowning themselves in the "gotta Hydrate" frenzy, people eating so much soy that it gets bad for them and eventually the egg will surely be bad for us again, or is it bad now and it will be good for us again? Does anyone know about eggs? Am I supposed to eat them? Will I die if I do? Will I die if I don't? Damn science!

I always told my vegetarian friends in college that they were stupidly arguing with me...now I have scientific proof.

I am a Doctoral Student

Well, I had my cadre of interviews today. I spoke with the dean of graduate studies, my mentor and a few others. I have been "officially recommended for enrollment" in the program!!!

I will be studying, through the great works of western civilization, the relationship between God and Man. I hope to investigate how the western relationship between these two beings has molded modern American religious landscapes. I will get to go to weird churches, get to read great books and explore BIG ideas!

I should be getting my official enrollment packet soon and I will start my studies as soon as 2009 is here. The only thing now is to save a little coin to purchase the $1000 book set Great Books of the Western World.

So hooray for me! Hooray for reading! Hooray for school!

Remember this one...

My nephew says, "NO YOU DON'T!!! I will eat your face off!"

He looks like a little Hannibal Lector, doesn't he??? All he needs is a nice bottle of Chianti.

What a long strange trip...(it will be)

With such a kitschy title, this is obviously sophomoric...how apropos that this particular entry is about my upcoming trip to Ohi-A. During the first week of October I will be joining both family and friends for a rootin'-tootin' good time. High School Football games, pumpkin farms, cows and county fairs will fill a three day schedule.

Friday is the - wait for it - high school homecoming football game. Should be a hefty dose of mulletude kickin' in the ol' 43155. Probably "chaw" in the urinals too! If only I hadn't cut my horseshoe mustache.


Saturday is a fun-filled day (no sarcasm intended) with my seester and my nephew. My parents might tag along, but we are all off to a pumpkin farm to get the little one into some trouble. Yea childhood! This kid is cool! He is my number one bud!


Sunday is the Fairfield County Fair Preview Day. My buddy John, a PR rep from a small liberal arts college in central Ohio, is accompanying me to this lovely day (as well as doing the Friday football fun with me). It should be full of cows, chickens, 4-H projects, funnel cakes and little 4-inch mirrors enscrawled with Motley Crue and Poison album covers.

I will surely come home with a cane from the cane toss, a yard stick from the farm bureau and some salt water taffy. Oh yea, and probably some animal feces in my shoe treads.


I will surely be reporting about this weekend later in the fall.

R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

Ohio University deserves its respect. After decades of jokes and fans only going to the games for the halftime show (that was me!), the Ohio University Bobcat football team gave "No.3" THE Ohio State Buckeyes a RUN FOR THEIR MONEY!!! And they did this with a second-string quarterback (that that OSU).


According to an article in the New York Times, THE Ohio State University wide receiver Brian Hartline said, "O.U. should have won the game. I don’t know how we came out with it.” And I must agree! I have never been so riveted to a football game (and I was listening on the radio! I am not a sports fan and usually could care less so this is a big feat).

The article goes onto say that "Ohio’s inspired play quieted the fans as well as the Buckeyes." Again, I agree.

SO GO FREAKIN' BOBCATS! Get a little respect for some hard work and dumb luck. It goes to show that you can never underestimate the underdog!


UPDATE!!! The Bobcats helped knock old THE Ohio State University from No. 3 in the Coaches and AP Poll to No. 5 on Sunday! Way to go Green and White! Read more HERE.

KWAME IS GONE!!! (or going...)

Well, he is resigning, paying 1 million in restitution, spending 120 days in jail, losing his law license and spending the next five years reporting to his probation officer. Kwame Kilpatrick, soon-to-be-former mayor of Detroit, has pleaded guilty today just before 11 a.m.

Read more about Kwame's downfall HERE.

Second Temple Wall Found

According to the Jerusalem Post, the remnants of the southern wall of Jerusalem that was built by the Hasmonean kings during the time of the Second Temple was uncovered on Mount Zion by the Israeli Antiquities Authority.

The wall is over 2,100 years old and was destroyed during the Great Revolt against Rome in 66 CE. Hopefully, according the archeologists on the scene, they will be uncovering the first temple wall soon. Below is a picture of what the Second Temple would have looked like. Read more about the wall HERE.

RIP Jerry Reed

On September 1st, Jerry Reed passed away from complications with emphysema. Many know old Mr. Reed from his role in the Smokey and the Bandit movies. Known as "The Snowman", Jerry ran the hooch while Bandit took care of the smokies (highway cops). He even took the role of the Bandit on in the third installment of the truck-driving-trilogy.

With such great songs as "Amos Moses", "Eastbound and Down" (the theme from Smokey and Bandit), "She Got the Goldmine (I got the Shaft)" and "When You're Hot", Jerry was one of the true hillbillies of country music. He wasn't New Country and he wasn't a throwback - he was the real McCoy!

Here is a little film that someone posted to YouTube with a rendition of one of Jerry's songs. As I sit in my basement early this morning stranded (because my wife took off to mid-Michigan with MY car keys), I cannot help to think of Mr. Reed and this fabulous song.