In the last few days there has been a spate of email chain letters being posted critical of the current administration. As expected, the range is simple distortions to outright FUD. While mulling over several of them it occurred to me that while posts such as these often cross my email box, it is seldom that receive the contrary email in which Republicans are being attacked with absurdities.

While such seems true enough on this website, I wondered how this plays out on a larger scale. I visited SNOPES and went to their political section and gathered the metrics for any politician listed. As happenstance finds it, 4 listings were for the Republicans (W, Huckabee, McCain and Palin) and 4 listings were for the Democrats (Obama, clintons, Kerry and Pelosi).

The results were very interesting. Of the 69 entries for the Republican's, 29 were shown to be false. That represents a FUD rate of 42%.

Of the 144 entries for the Democrats, 121 were shown to be false - a FUD rate of 84%.

The numbers seem to support a notion that Republicans attempt to use FUD in their persuasive arguments more than Democrats - actually a lot more [84%] based on this sampling of data. In examining the aggregate numbers (69 vs 144), it also seems reasonable to draw a inference that Republicans find this method (email attacks) as an effective way to keep the pot stirred so to speak.

I can't say I find any of this surprising. While both parties have their 'entertainment' branch of screeching talking heads, it is the Republicans that elevate them to a 'partner' position within the party. While volumes can be written about the absurdities uttered by both Rush Limbaugh and Michael Moore, Michael Moore has never been considered a leader in the Democratic Party itself and most Democrats consider him to be a bit of a loon. Rush actually went toe to toe with the RNC chairman - and won. Amazing.

-J

I was reading King's post about spaghetti and chili and a thought hit me. What is your favorite comfort food and how do you make it. I love to cook and probably have 75 to 100 cookbooks, but I keep going back to my old favorite passed along recipes.

So will you please, please give me some new ideas? I would be most appreciative and would like one of each: appetizer, main food, and dessert. I am so excited so please show me those recipes!!!!

First of all, let me preface these ramblings by saying, I spent way too much time on youtube, lol.

Ive seen many concerts in my years. Ive seen many of the great artists, from B.B. King to The Eagles. From the great Johnny Winter to Etta James and Stevie Ray Vaughn. But in the fall of 1999, I packed a cooler full of beer and a little smoke and drove 300 miles to go see Carlos Santana.

Of course it was a sold out concert, SRO. It was his "Supernatural" tour and 'Smooth' was at the top of the charts. It was a great concert, He started out by playing every song on the Supernatural cd, and it all was so good. I kept hoping that Rob Thomas would walk out and sing with him, but that didnt happen. But that was ok, everything was perfect. The concert was amazing, the crowd was great, a totally perfect night. The crowd stood and roared at the end of every song. But one thing I will NEVER forget, was when he played the first 3 notes of "Black Magic Woman". It was like a friggin bomb went off inside there! It was just insane! He went on to play all of his classics the rest of the nite. It was an amazing nite, something I'll never ever forget.

One of the highlights was when he played "Blues For Salvador" (his son). You dont really associate Santana with the blues, but holy crap, he sure nailed this one...

http://www. youtube.com/watch? v=z7GP1nV44fE

"Hey pretty girl ... want to drink this?"

In the aftermath of Friday's arrest, Hilton attempted to explain her predicament by claiming that the purse, as well as the cocaine inside, belonged to one of her girlfriends.

Hilton told the arresting officer that she had borrowed the purse because the one she brought did not match her outfit.

She admitted to owning the money, credit cards, and the broken prescription drug pill inside, but not the 0.8 grams of cocaine which fell out of the purse while she was trying to retrieve her lip balm.

I hope she gets a cell next too O.J.

Oh shit! I used to enjoy the chatter here and hearing about furkids and sexy enounters. OOOOPs Is it still okay to say "shit" here (especially on a Sunday)? Three lashes with a wet noodle for me.

Thoughts, opinions.....

Glen Beck hosts a rally in D.C., Al Sharpton hosts a counter rally.

TURN ... AND COME ROUND RIGHT

Not long ago a commercial airliner, whose pilot was new to New York,
landed at JFK Airport. He steered the jet onto a taxiway and
stopped. Then slowly he began turning. First he nosed the aircraft
to the right. Then to the left. Then he turned the plane completely
around.

Finally, over the public-address system, a confused voice asked,
"Does anyone know where Gate 25 is?" Do you think that if he just
turned around enough times he would come out right?

Deciding to turn, though, is something we often have to do if we are
to live fully and live well. For each of us knows what it is to head
the wrong direction in life; and we also know how relieved we feel
to turn around again.

Do you remember the old Shaker hymn, written by Joseph Brackett, Jr.
over 150 years ago?

'Tis the gift to be simple,
'tis the gift to be free,
'tis the gift to come down where you ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
It will be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gained,
To bow and to bend we shan't be ashamed.
To turn, turn will be our delight,
'Til by turning, turning we come round right.

It's amazing how many times I turn in a day. I turn up to things I
want to attend and turn down others. I turn in at the end of the day
and turn over all night long. And when things are not right, I can
always turn them around.

Actually, turning is one of the most hopeful words I know.

When I'm not right, I can turn in a new direction. By turning, I do
something about the course I've taken. I may not be able to change
what I've already done; and I may not be able to fully escape those
unpleasant consequences of past choices. But I need not continue in
the same, destructive path. I can turn. I can find my way again.

Turning around is allowed in this life. In fact, it's necessary.
Especially after mistakes and failures. And that's like hope for me.
Like the song says, "'Tis the gift to come down where you ought to
be." But when we don't find ourselves where we ought to be, "by
turning, turning we come round right."

chocolate causes certain endocrine glands to secrete hormones that affect your feelings and behavior by making you happy. therefore, it counteracts depression, in turn reducing the stress of depression. a stress-free life helps you maintain a youthful disposition, both physically and mentally. so, eat lots of chocolate!

* Lerman's Law of Technology: Any technical problem can be overcome given enough time and money. Corollary: You are never given enough time or money.

* Murphy's First Law for Wives: If you ask your husband to pick up five items at the store and then you add one more as an afterthought, he will forget two of the first five.

* Law of the Search: The first place to look for anything is the last place you would expect to find it. Corollary: It will not be in the last place you expect to find it.

* Kauffman's Paradox of the Corporation: The less important you are to the corporation, the more your tardiness or absence is noticed.