HAPPY NEW YEAR

Not that I think that Pelosi and crew will accomplish ANYTHING in 2008, but the image of LBJ and his Great Society standing behind Pelosi was more than I could resist to end the year and wish each of you a very happy and prosperous 2008.

2008 will be very interesting and each of us will have plenty of material to write about. Always remember, though we write, we must always combine our thoughts with participation in our Republic. Vote for your candidate in the primaries and then the General Election in November.

If we expect Congress to represent , "We the People, " then each of us must hold them accountable as is our right and our obligation as their boss in our Constitutional Government! Be an activist in our Government in 2008. Happy New Year to everyone!

Ken Taylor

2008 A GLANCE FORWARD - THE SUNDAY COMMENTARY

As we come to the end of 2007 there have been a number of interesting developments throughout the year that have made this year one to remember. We have seen a complete change in the situation in Iraq, much to the frustration of the Democrats, the economy has remained stable with a few bumps in the road in the form of fluctuating energy prices and the crash of the mortgage market.

Congress has reached new lows, and deservedly so, in national approval while the President has remained in the lower range which is somewhat consistent with any President at this point in the second term. The Middle East is, as usual in turmoil, with the recent assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Bhutto adding to the confusion.

The quest for a new President has had many twists and turns and is still up in the air for both parties. So with 2007 coming to a close, 2008 will present, as with any year a myriad of interesting situations that will make it a year to remember as was 2007.

While I am not a professional prognosticator, nor make any claim to that type of fame there are a few things that 2008 will bring that can receive a certain degree of speculation that may very well hold true for the new year.

THE SUPER BOWL - While most of this post will deal with politics and issues I wanted to start on a little lighter note for what looks to be a rather obvious out come for the highlight of the sports world. The New England Patriots have completed the first 16 - 0 NFL season in history topping the previous record of the Miami Dolphins. They are a juggernaut that no one can stop. Unless Quarterback Tom Brady is injured to the point in which he cannot play the Pats, ( and this is hard for a Raiders fan to admit), will be the NFL champs and take home the Lombardi Trophy.

THE WAR - Iraq should continue to be a success, again much to the frustration of the Democrats. They had hoped to turn the perceived Iraq, "failure, " into a campaign coup for the 2008 Presidential run, especially since they still believe they are running against George Bush rather than whomever the nominee will be. I have always said success in Iraq means trouble for the Democrats since they have invested so much political capital into Iraq failure. This issue may very well comeback to haunt them at the polls come November. They must push for withdrawal to satisfy their left wing base while watching success change favorably change public opinion about US involvement in Iraq. All in all 2008 will be a bad year for Democrats concerning the war if things remain successful which they should.

THE ECONOMY - Every time the Fed or other economic entities have predicted gloom and doom for the current economy, they have had to regroup and admit that this economy is stronger than they had predicted. Unless a major crash in a vital part of the economy takes place in 2008, next year will be no different. The proof of the strength of the economy lies in the fact that we have two very volatile segments of the economy that are failing yet the economy remains strong. Energy is fluctuation and prices are consistently rising which in any other economy alone would have sent hings into a tail spin. Yet despite rising prices the economy has remained stable and on the up swing. The same thing holds true with the mortgage crises. Any other economy would have crashed under the strain of so many foreclosures and bad and shady mortgages, but again the strength of this economy has allowed it to survive and still grow.

Major indicators such as employment, job creation and consumer confidence have baffled the experts and again unless a major segment of the economy fails, 2008 should remain relatively strong.

THE MIDDLE EAST - This region has always been volatile and 2008 will be no different. Israel and the Palestinians will continue to bicker with the Bush Administration trying to broker peace between the two as it is obvious that this has become a legacy goal for the President.

With the assassination of Bhutto, Pakistan at least in the short term will be highly charged. But also remember that since it first broke away from India as they were seeking independence from Great Britain in the late forties, Pakistan has always been in an uproar in one way or another. Al Qaeda is trying to keep the country off balance in order to gain a foothold there as they had in Afghanistan, but Musharraf, though not the most favorable of leaders, lets face it he is a strong man dictator, but still pro-US and is a willing participant in the fight against Islamic fanatics. The Us will remain a backer of him regardless of how unfavorable he may be because of the lesson learned when Carter with a similar dictator abandoned the Shah of Iran which brought about the take over of that country by radical Islam and created an enemy that troubles both the US and the world today.

THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE - This one is very hard to predict, especially with all of the twists that have taken place in the last two months of 2007. On the Democrat side Hillary and Obama are fighting for the nomination with Edwards trying to creep into the picture. When all is said and done this writer still believes that Hillary Clinton will survive the liberal war and get the Democrat nod for 2008.

The GOP side is far less predictable. No one has received enough support from GOP voters to have a clear lead for the nomination. All of the primary States are up for grabs with a different leader in several of the key States. 2008 could very well be the first year since 1976 when Reagan had a strong challenge to the incumbent Ford and the nomination was decided at the convention. When the February 5th vote count is completed and most of the primaries are over, this writer believes that the question of who will be the GOP nominee will not be answered which will take the nomination to the Convention in September.

THE PRESIDENT - While the last year of a second term is considered the Lame Duck year for a President, Bush will be more of a player than most in his last year in the White House. Two reasons for this are:

1 - We are still at war and as Commander In Chief, he will be highly involved in both the war effort and the appropriations process.

2 - The Democrat Congress are still looking for a way to fight with Bush and as such the war between Reid, Pelosi and company and the President will continue. The backbone for limited spending that I wish he had during his first term will keep the Democrats fired up and as such Bush will still be a thorn in their liberal side throughout 2008.

As 2007 becomes history and 2008 begins anew we can look forward to a brisk campaign for President and in the final analysis, this writer will end this look forward by predicting that with Hillary or Obama as the Democrat nominee, neither can garner the support necessary to win the Presidency. While the GOP nomination is still a toss up between the front runners, any of them should be able to beat the Democrat nominee and keep The White House in Republican control. Happy New Year !

Ken Taylor

THE LIBERAL LIE CaRtOoN GaLLaRy AND YoU CaN't MaKe tHiS StUff Up

Huckabee in Arkansas - pro-illegal immigration, pro - instate tuition for illegals, pro - state and federal entitlements for illegals, pro - illegal employment with false Social Security numbers for illegals.......the only thing that can be said that he was con ....is the con job he is trying to tell the GOP about his stance over illegal immigration.


YoU CaN't MaKe tHiS StUff Up - Some gifts from Kris Kringle are better kept wrapped.
A man in a Santa hat was arrested Sunday night for investigation of drunken driving after he was spotted outside Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood wearing a wig, a red lace camisole and a purple G-string, police said.

"We are pretty sure this is not the Santa Claus," Deputy Chief Ken Garner said. I don't think this, "Santa, " will ever come down ant chimneys ! - YoU CaN't MaKe tHiS StUff Up

Hillary Carter ? If she thinks Carter had it right she would make an even worse President that I thought she would. Loser plus loser equals GOP in the White House!

YoU CaN't MaKe tHiS StUff Up - STEELE, N.D. -- Paul Smokov doesn't need radar or other high-tech equipment to forecast a major snowstorm on the prairie. He consults pig spleens.
"It looks like a normal year with no major storms," said the 84-year-old Smokov, peering at two of the brown, glistening, foot-long organs on his kitchen counter like a Gypsy gazing into a crystal ball. "That's what the spleens tell me."

Smokov and his wife, Betty, raise cattle on their 1,750-acre ranch north of this town of about 760 people. He is happy to share his forecast with his neighbors or anyone else willing to rely on the reading of animals' innards. If the spleen is wide where it attaches to the pig's stomach and then narrows, it means winter weather will come early with a mild spring, Smokov said. A narrow-to-wider spleen usually means harsh weather in the spring, he said.

The spleens obtained by Smokov this year are pretty uniform in thickness, which means no drastic changes. Wonder if the pigs feet will tell who the Democrat nominee will be ? - YoU CaN't MaKe tHiS StUff Up

Bush made his list, he checked it twice and found that Harry and Nancy were naughty not nice. Georgie Bush has whooped them again!

YoU CaN't MaKe tHiS StUff Up - NEW YORK -- A small monkey stashed in a man's hat during a flight to New York has died, but federal health authorities don't know why. The fist-sized tamarin showed no signs of illness during a quarantine period, Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention spokeswoman Shelly Diaz said Wednesday. The agency had lifted the quarantine and was trying to find the animal a permanent home when it died, she said.

The primate was seized as its owner got off a plane at LaGuardia Airport on Aug. 7. It apparently escaped detection during a flight from Lima, Peru, and a stopover in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The forest-dwelling creature was spotted after it crept out and perched on its owner's ponytail during the flight to New York.

The owner was questioned and released. He told authorities he didn't realize the monkey's voyage was illegal. Ah let's see if he didn't think it was illegal why did he put it under his hat. Cause of death ....duh.... suffocation under a hat. -YoU CaN't MaKe tHiS StUff Up

PC is so out of control that even Charles Dickens were he alive today would be taken to court because Scrooge said, "Bah Humbug, " since it might offend insect rights. Tiny Tim would be suspended from school for , "God Bless us everyone, " and Bob Cratchet would be arrested for child abuse for letting a crippled child sit on his shoulder in the cold!

Ken Taylor

TWAS THE CANDIDATES NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

A little Christmas poem I wrote based on the original for your Christmas and political fun. This link will remain at the top through Christmas. Merry Christmas!

THE BIRTH OF THE KING

Merry Christmas to each of you. As you share this time with your families, I share with you this and the Sunday Commentary below, celebrating the birth of the Christ, the King of Kings.

CHRISTMAS IS - THE SUNDAY COMMENTARY

There are many things from which I might have derived good, by which I have not profited, I dare say, Christmas among the rest. But I am sure I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round as a good time: a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time: the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. And therefore, uncle, though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it!''

So said Fred Holliwell, the nephew of Ebeneezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens," A Christmas Carol." Christmas is many things to many people. For some it is Santa Claus and toy building elves. For others it is a time to spend time with family and friends and for some a time to share, "Christmas spirits."

But amidst all of the festivities the one fact that must not be forgotten and cannot be denied is that Christmas regardless of ones spiritual beliefs or lack there of is a celebration of a precious birth. A birth, that though it did not take place in December of our calendar year, still effects all of mankind to this very day. A birth that changed history and in whose life all history finds its center.

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

So many years ago in Bethlehem this Child who was born, a Gift to all mankind in a lowly manger, who would grow to become the sacrifice that a just God required for the transgressions of man and in whose name forgiveness can be found. "And His name shall be called Jesus."

We in the United States have a particular reason to celebrate the birth of the Son of God for it is because of His birth, His death and His resurrection that this nation was born. The Pilgrims who landed at Plymouth in 1620 came to this land to find freedom to worship God as their hearts guided them and thus our Founding Fathers in their wisdom placed the freedom to worship according to ones heart and conscience as our first and foremost right in this nation that we love.

From the very birth of our nation Christmas has been a celebration of the birth of the King of Kings and though the politically correct have been trying to eliminate Him from our present day Christmas the fact still remains that He is the Reason for the Season. Without His birth there would be no Christmas nor the need for the celebration. Though we are a melting pot of many religions and many nationalities the underlying truth still remains that the birth of The Christ is why Christmas exists.

Yet in our freedoms this does not force anyone to celebrate His birth as Christians do for many in their religious or non-religious beliefs do not recognize Him yet we all live in the freedom and liberty that His birth allowed which in-turn gave life to our nation in the search for religious freedom. So as you join with your families and friends this Christmas and you are among those who believe in the Son of God then give thanks to Him for His coming and all that we are, who we are as a nation and His many blessings bestowed.

If your beliefs are of another nature then take a moment to reflect on this great land that we live in and give thanks in your own way for this land of the free and home of the brave. May the blessings of Christmas be yours now and throughout the New Year. Thank you each one for being a part of this blog. Merry Christmas to each of you and as Tiny Tim observed, " God bless us, everyone!"

Ken Taylor

THE LIBERAL LIE CaRtOoN GaLLaRy AND YoU CaN't MaKe tHiS StUff Up

Ah yes, Democrats in Congress. Iraq is now a success, yet they in their all powerful liberal wisdom still only see failure and the need to retreat and surrender. Had this Congress been around in WWII, when the Germans sat at the table to sign the document of surrender, Harry Reid would have said, " wait, we have lost the war and we must surrender first!"


YoU CaN't MaKe tHiS StUff Up - TOLEDO, Ohio -- Ronald Ramm was aware natural gas rates were going up, but his latest residential bill from Columbia Gas of Ohio still came as a shock. It was for $5,559.60, due Wednesday. Ramm, 55, said he'd never seen anything like it in the more than 30 years he's lived in his home on the city's south side.

"The highest gas bill I've ever had since I've been here was $310," Ramm said Tuesday, noting that that was a bill he got last winter. Columbia Gas investigated and determined that the eye-popping bill resulted from an error made when the company replaced Ramm's basement meter with an outdoor one in October, spokesman Chris Kozak said.

I guess you might say that the new meater was trying to, "Ramm, " it to 'em! -YoU CaN't MaKe tHiS StUff Up

When it's hot they claim it's Global Warming. When it's cold they claim it's Global Warming. When it's just right they claim it's still Global Warming. Hmmm, you think Al Gore and his Gorwellion followers might believe they are environmentalist Goldie Locks ? Except that with these wackos it's never , "Just right." By the way have you ever noticed that the middle of the word environmentalist describes their state of mind....."mental."

YoU CaN't MaKe tHiS StUff Up - AMSTERDAM, Netherlands -- A man being held in a Dutch police cell on suspicion of growing cannabis got an unintended treat in his lunch - a piece of hashish-laced cake, a spokesman said Thursday. "It was an accident," said Alwin Don, police spokesman in the southern province of Zeeland.

The cake had been seized by police in an unrelated investigation and stored in a refrigerator - close to lunch packets served to suspects being held in cells at the police station in Goes, 110 miles south of Amsterdam. "Clearly it looked a lot like the other lunch packets," Don said of the cake, which was served with a cup of coffee on Sunday.

"Officers returned to the cell a half hour later and the suspect told them: 'I think you've given me something you weren't supposed to,' " Don said. The man had only nibbled at the cake and a doctor who was called to examine him said he suffered no ill effects. "It was pure coincidence that this man got the cake," Don said. "What was in the cake had nothing to do with his case."

I guess the days of a hacksaw or a file in a cake are long gone. - YoU CaN't MaKe tHiS StUff Up

"And when they saw the Star, they rejoiced with great joy." Wise men still seek Him, for He is the reason for the Season. Merry Christmas

YoU CaN't MaKe tHiS StUff Up - LAKE ELSINORE, Calif. (CBS) ― Motorists who failed to stop for Santa Claus at a crosswalk near a Lake Elsinore, Calif. middle school were ticketed during a crosswalk enforcement program. Sheriff's officials targeted an intersection between 7 and 10 a.m. PDT.

An undercover sergeant dressed as Santa acted as though he was going to cross to see whether drivers would stop for him, said sheriff's Sgt. Ron Heim. Fifty-two motorists were given tickets for failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk, he said.

Seven vehicles were impounded and one motorist was served an arrest warrant. Some motorists told deputies that they never saw Santa, or they felt it was safer to keep going, instead of stopping suddenly and get struck from behind, Heim said.

Let's see a big man in a bright red suit and a long white beard walking across the street in front of driving motorists and fifty two people didn't see him. Wonder if they make seeing eye cars! -YoU CaN't MaKe tHiS StUff Up

The real torture is having to put up with Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi and their liberal cronies who whine and cry about everything done to keep this nation safe and protect our people from harm.

Ken Taylor

FRED THOMPSON'S REVIVAL

Many have already counted him out. In fact quite a number of the political pundits have not had much to say about Fred Thompson for some time. Not much except making comment about how his campaign seems lazy or that Thompson does not seem to have any energy etc.

Then came last weeks Iowa debate and Fred not only hit a home run but it was a Grand Slam and were it in a World Series it most likely would have been the game winner. He has been making the talking heads tour and added a visit to Fox News in which the hosts mentioned that Fred seems to have his energy back and his vigor.

Personally I do not believe that he ever lost it. Fred is a Southerner and as such his approach to things displays an easy going manner as do most true Southerners. The pundits and analysts have never understood this and because of his somewhat easy approach have counted him out thinking that because he was easy going and had that southern drawl that Fred just had no energy.

Yet his campaign has been touring by bus in all of the early primary states not to mention constant visits to the Super Tuesday States. For anyone who has traveled especially on a long bus trip it not only takes a considerable amount of energy but it is also very taxing on the nerves!

Fred is beginning a non-stop bus tour of Iowa this week taking him to nearly every nook and cranny throughout the state. Along with the bus tour he is kicking up his advertising a notch in States like South Carolina and Florida. In every instance his constant message is strong conservatism , US security and prosperity, fiscal responsibility and reducing the tax burden on the American people.

Fred is the only candidate to introduce common sense policy plans for Social Security, reducing the size and spending of the Federal Government and Immigration Reform that deals with border security first followed by specific plans to control the 12 million illegal aliens in the United States through a combination of employer penalties for hiring illegals and tracking them by following the money.

He is also the only candidate to frankly talk about and present programs that will tackle the out of control entitlement problems that are bankrupting this nation and must be either eliminated or brought under control.

This common sense approach and his strong conservative values and political philosophy will play very well as Fred tours extensively, personal meeting with people to bring his message. So for those who have counted Fred out, "don't count your chickens before they hatch."

There are still more than two weeks until Iowa and two weeks more before South Carolina and the big push before Super Tuesday. Every State is up for grabs and those who have been surging in the polls are starting to fade as records are revealed and voters are scrutinizing candidates to make their decision as to which Presidential hopeful deserves their vote.

Polls still have the undecided voters in the high twenties and in some States the low thirties. Which can put any candidate over the top. Fred has received a good bit of mileage from his Iowa debate win and there seems to be some momentum growing.

Time and the final vote count will be the only true indicator as to who will peak at the right time in order to win any particular State that is holding either a Caucus or Primary between January 3 and February 5. No one in the top five candidates can be counted out, especially when the undecided numbers are factored into any of the top fives polling totals, Fred included.

A strong Iowa finish for Fred will give him great momentum for South Carolina and Florida. Then with so many States falling on Super Tuesday, Fred still has a strong possibility of finishing the Primary push with not only several State wins but a strong enough position to take the nomination process to the Convention in September and then from there to the White House in November.

Ken Taylor


From Marie's Two Cents - Fred Thompson's endorsement from the troops !

ELECTION 08 - THE VOTERS STARTING TO PAY ATTENTION - THE SUNDAY COMMENTARY

It is mid December and we have been suffering through more than one year of Presidential politics and a total of more than two years of constant campaigning. The 2008 Presidential election is the first time since FDR first ran for President where either an incumbent President or Vice President are not on the ticket and as is well known everybody with an ambition for the White House threw their hat into the ring. Most extremely early.

As a result the campaign season between mid-terms and the Presidential election never ended which has made a somewhat weary public where politics are concerned. Sure, political junkies like we bloggers and those who are news hounds have enjoyed having something to continually talk about or write about but the average, " Joe and Jane Voter, " did not care whether Rudy or Mitt, Fred or Mike was in the lead for the GOP and on the Dem side of the political coin most had no clue who Obama was and Hillary was the former First Lady and they think she might be a Senator.

Now we find ourselves less than a month from the Iowa Caucus and right after that the primary season kicks into full swing with New Hampshire, South Carolina and Florida to start with culminating with Super Tuesday on February fifth leaving only a scattered few states left with primaries.

With Presidential politics now getting close to an actual vote, more average voters are beginning to sit up and take notice of the candidates. Without an incumbent the average voter who does not participate in primary votes are watching a little more closely since there are so many candidates to choose from. In most election years with primaries, many wait until the nominee is known before watching and choosing, but this year with such a wide field more are watching the primaries than is usual.

As such the names who have been dominating since last year, Rudy for the GOP and Hillary for the Dems are starting to take major hits in the polls, while up until now virtual unknowns like Huckabee and to a lesser extent Obama are starting to surge in the early states and nationally. In this writers opinion much of this is due to average Joe's and Jane's paying more attention to the candidates.

Adding to that, in the GOP, conservatives looking for someone to fit the bill as another Reagan and Dems getting tired of constant Clinton and leads as we approach primary season are shifting dramatically. While Huckabee is not even close as another Reagan his stance on moral issues plays well with especially Christian conservatives and this has accounted for his surge in the polls. Now that his record is being scrutinized this to will slow as the truth about his spending and taxing habits as Arkansas Governor are better known and his weak stance on illegal immigration is revealed.

This still leaves a hole in the GOP for someone to step into over the next few weeks. Fred Thompson, who I support, had a great showing during the Iowa debate, especially when he slammed the idiot moderator for her , "show of hands, " question on Global Warming. How much momentum he receives from this has yet to be seen, but he did attract a good bit of positive attention as a strong leader and conservative candidate in the after math.

Romney and Rudy are still dangling as their earlier momentum has ended and their showing in the first primaries will play greatly in their vote count on Super Tuesday. McCain to has lost the small momentum he had several weeks ago and whether he can garner enough votes to be a contender through the primaries is rather doubtful.

On the GOP side of the 2008 coin, we may very well be looking at the final decision for the nominee waiting for the Convention in September. If so it will be the first time since Reagan and Ford fought it out for the nomination in 1976 that the nominee was not a given before the GOP met. If this is the case there will be a much greater interest in the Convention and the fact that it is being held in September well after the Democrats meet in August will give the GOP nominee a definite advantage going into the final push before November.

A brief comment about the Democrats has a lot to do with the Oprah factor. Obama has surged since Oprah started campaigning for him. This combined with the Hillary debate gaffs, the scandals and the fact that Democrats seem to be growing Clinton weary is beginning to paint an Obama picture for the primaries and the nomination. Edwards is , well Edwards and though showing a strong third in most states and nationally he might as well get used to being behind Obama and Hillary because that is most likely where he will remain.

Over all the primary season is shaping into a very interesting run for both the GOP and Democrat nomination. The coronation of Rudy and Hillary that seemed to be a lock as little as six months ago has faded and the race is not only tight in both parties but still very much up for grabs by any of the top tier candidates.

Ken Taylor

FRED THOMPSON DOMINATES IOWA DEBATE ...INSPITE OF MORON MODERATOR

Fred Thompson dominated the GOP Iowa debate in a strong and decisive manner inspite of an idiotic moderator who has no business being an Elementary School hall monitor much less a moderator for a Presidential debate.

Take special notice of two items in the video:

1. When Fred slammed the moderator on the Global Warming hand raising, the other candidates applauded his leadership.

2. The thumbs up monitor peaks with every answer.

Fred will get a lot of mileage from this one!

Ken Taylor

THE LIBERAL LIE CaRtOoN GaLLaRy AND YoU CaN't MaKe tHiS StUff Up

So who's the candidate ? Obama or Oprah. Actually neither would make a good choice as far as I'm concerned!


YoU CaN't MaKe tHiS StUff Up - SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - A suspected drunken driver slammed her Lincoln into Santa Barbara's 50-foot Christmas tree. The Lincoln was heavily damaged, but the State Street tree emerged from Friday's crash unscathed and continues to spread holiday cheer.

Police Lt. Paul McCaffrey said Linda Teague Goggin, 66, apparently mistook the lights of the tree for lights strung between buildings. She drove the 1993 Lincoln through a ring of traffic cones and crashed into the tree's metal stand.

I hear they're singing a new Christmas Carol in Santa Barbara - "Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree, your trunk is made of concrete." - YoU CaN't MaKe tHiS StUff Up

Oh course she never stoops to personal attacks...no not the Hildabeast ! Yeah right and for those who believe that I have a blue dress for sale that is claimed to never have been stained!

YoU CaN't MaKe tHiS StUff Up - A Chinese woman has opened a mausoleum-themed inn to let people experience the feeling of death. Jiao Meige set up the Mausoleum Inn in a house in Lishui town, Jiangsu province, reports the Jinling Evening Post. The building is shaped like a Chinese mausoleum, and the beds are in the shapes of coffins.

"I rented this piece of land to put a farm there, but because there are many old graves in the field, no one wants to work here," she said. Jiao says the idea for the Mausoleum Inn came to her in a flash. "Since there are so many graves, why don't I give people a chance to experience death?" she asked.

"There are no services at night, and the guest can go nowhere, since outside is just a vast graveyard." Jiao says no residents with heart problems will be accepted, and mental patients must be accompanied by healthy people. Sounds to me like the owner is the real mental patient! - YoU CaN't MaKe tHiS StUff Up

I know I already have one about the Hildabeast, but this one is so much in tune with the real Hillary that I just could not resist!

YoU CaN't MaKe tHiS StUff Up - A parrot facing a parking ticket in the Greek city of Patras is at the center of a legal dispute regarding the bird's alleged extroverted nature. Local pet store owner Lambros Michalopoulos has alleged he placed Coco the parrot in a nearby metered zone so the bird could thrive in the busy thoroughfare outside his shop.

Michalopoulos alleged that even after the bird earned a $650 parking ticket, he refused to bring it inside for fear the animal would die without constant interaction. Patras Deputy Mayor Spiros Demartinos told the BBC the city council was very concerned for Coco's safety, but were concerned the unique situation may receive international attention.

The parrot's security is of paramount concern to the council, Demartinos said. The case will now move into a court of law, where Michalopoulos reportedly hopes the legal matter will simply fly away. - YoU CaN't MaKe tHiS StUff Up

In the movie, "Field of Dreams, " a voice told Kevin Costner, " If you build it he will come." That is somewhat the Democrat belief about Iran, " If you ignore it they will go away." NOT!

Ken Taylor

POPE BENEDICT CALLS GLOBAL WARMING SCARE MONGERING

Pope Benedict issued a statement in reaction to the Climate Change Conference taking place in Bali, scolding the Global Warming crowd for using the issue to substitute ideology and money for the truth in science fact about Global Warming.

Stating that we all need to be mindful of the environment, but not to the point where caring for animals and plants was given priority over mankind, the Pontiff warned that any, " solutions to global warming must be based on firm evidence and not on dubious ideology. "

Benedict went on to suggest that fears over man made emissions melting the ice caps and causing a wave of unprecedented disasters were nothing more than scare-mongering. His remarks reveal that while the Pope acknowledges that problems may be associated with climate change, he believes the case against global warming to be over-hyped.

This statement by Benedict adds to the mounting evidence that man made Global Warming is not only highly exaggerated but that the true scientific evidence points more toward the Earth experiencing a natural climatological cycle that is caused by the sun and other natural factors that the Planet has experienced before.

That plus the evidence that several other planets including Mars and Jupiter's moon of Titan are experiencing the same climate changes help to confirm the case that the Earth is in the process of a natural cycle and not a dramatic danger caused by man and our economic and technological progress.

Though not a Catholic myself, to the remarks by Pope Benedict I add simply this......."way to go Pope!"

Ken Taylor

THE DECLINE OF THE HILDABEAST,( HILLARY CLINTON) !

She is tied or slightly behind in Iowa. In New Hampshire she is only up by a few. South Carolina has her in the lead by only five points and nationally she has dropped from more than a twenty point lead to just ten points.

Hillary Clinton's drop in the polls as we get closer to the actual primaries in not only dramatic but could very well be an indication that the Democrat nomination is not as cut and dried as analysts, the Clinton campaign and Hillary fans have claimed since she announced her intentions to run for President soon after the 2006 election.

Three factors seem to be contributing to her sharp decline with voters.

1. Barak Obama is making strong gains in all of the early primary states and nationally as well. Whether this is due to Democrats somewhat embracing the untried Senator from Illinois or because media Mogul Oprah Winfrey has not only endorsed him but is traveling with his campaign and her presence alone is drawing huge crowds.

In fact her popularity and the minions who follow Oprah may very well be why Obama is rising so swiftly. After all many of her fans think, "if Oprah says he's OK, then he is OK by me." Her influence is that strong. So it may not be the Obama message as much as the Oprah stardom!

2. Democrats are beginning to understand that Hillary is not who and what she says she is. Her blunders concerning the New York move to license illegal aliens and others similar fowl ups by the candidate herself hurt her with voters. This combined with her flip flop in Iraq and other important issues to liberals have caused many on the left to stear away from the Hildabeast.

She has proven over and over again she will say what is most popular in the polls at the time and even liberals that may be slow to catch on, can see the inconsistency on the issues and have drifted away from the New York Senator.

3. The Bubba factor. During the 2000 election Al Gore chose NOT to have Bill Clinton campaign for him. Part was due to a falling out between President and Vice President but much of it was because Bubba has proven to be campaign poison.

In nearly every campaign where he has gone on the stump for a candidate that candidate either lost or lost BIG! Now that Hillary is in trouble she has leaned on Bill to campaign for her in all of the first primary states and has been running several campaign adds with Bubba as the star.

Adding to that the fact that when Bill speaks in public it is all about him. Even when campaigning for his , "wife, " Bubba talks far more about himself than the other Clinton who is actually running!

All of this has combined to bring the Hildabeast close enough to the Democrat competition that even her own campaign is concerned especially in Iowa. She has lost enough momentum in the Hawkeye state that most believe that Obama will come out as the winner next month.

Of course there is still a good deal of time and opportunities for Obama and Hillary both to make campaign blunders that will shake up the Dems even more, but if this trend continues the crown that was placed on the Hildabeasts head as the absolute nominee may very well become a dime store crown worth nothing but a seat in the crowd as Barak Obama is named the Democrat nominee at the Convention in August of next year.

Ken Taylor

THE CANDIDATE OF THE MONTH IS.......THE SUNDAY COMMENTARTY

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee is surging in the polls. At the end of October into most of November Mitt Romney was surging in the polls. In September Fred Thompson was surging in the polls.

Are these surges a trend for the candidates or are they a picture of an electorate in the GOP who still have not decided who they want to vote for ? On any given day the undecided in the GOP polling is around 22 -24 %. At no time throughout this long campaign year has any GOP candidate held polling numbers out of the 20's with the leader in the polls usually hovering around 25%.

While several candidates have had surges in the polls and have garnered headlines as a result, not one candidate even Rudy Giuliani, who has lead most of the year, had a strong lead or even anything close to a majority.

Part of this of course is the fact that there are a large number of candidates for voters to choose from. Yet those who are low in the polls are polling in the range of 5% or less and even with those low numbers, the top tier cannot get out of the 20's with most in the mid to upper teens.

While pundits talk about the candidate of the month who is experiencing the greatest surge in support, it seems clear that GOP voters are not at all sure of any of the candidates and as such seem to be shifting their support when one candidate makes a statement or proposes a policy that is somewhat in line with the voters political beliefs.

Conservatives are looking for a candidate to support that follows the Reagan example while the , "religious right, " is looking for a candidate whose stance on the moral issues best fit with their beliefs. The moderates are looking for fiscal responsibility and not so much as particular on the social issues.

This diverse break down of the GOP voter leaves a wide open opportunity for a candidate to step forward in a strong conservative manner that satisfies the majority of GOP voters, yet to this point even Fred Thompson whose conservative credentials are stronger than any of the top tier candidates has not caught on with the electorate.

The Romney surge that was in place in October and early November has faded as I believe the Huckabee surge that is taking place now will, most likely by the end of December if it follows the trend of the candidate of the month.

Analyst and pundits try as they may to predict who is going to come out on top by the end of Super Tuesday on February 5th, but just as they seem to think they have a grasp on the pulse of GOP voters the tide changes and another candidate experiences a surge of support and all of the analysis goes right out the window.

This is one reason why I believe that come the morning of the 6th of February the GOP nomination could very well still be in question. Most of the states that are in the early stages before the 5th are split as far as the top position is concerned in the polls and the large number of states on the 5th are showing the same diversity of leaders in the polling.

It may very well boil down to a close race between as many as four candidates, Giuliani, Romney, Thompson, and a toss up for the fourth between Huckabee and McCain. The primaries may just only narrow the field down to three or four and send the final choice for the Republican nominee to the convention in September.

With more than a month left before Super Tuesday and around a month left for the first primaries, the choice in the GOP is still very much up in the air and come February GOP voters may very well not know who the nominee will be. A clear leader has yet to emerge and the undecided vote has yet to commit. January will be a very interesting month in GOP politics!

Ken Taylor

REMEMBERING PEARL HARBOR

The Day Of Imfamy must never be forgotten. Notice the reference to the, "last traces of isolationism were to vanish over night." A lesson for today!

CAROL OF THE BELLS TRANSSIBERIAN ORCHESTRA STYLE

Enjoy the music, the lights and Transiberian Orchestra. MERRY CHRISTMAS

THE LIBERAL LIE CaRtOoN GaLLaRy AND YoU CaN't MaKe tHiS StUff Up

Never one to miss the spotlight, Bubba acts like HE IS the candidate. Of course that all depends on what your definition of IS , is !


YoU CaN't MaKe tHiS StUff Up - MADISON, Wis. -- A man accused of stealing several blow-up dolls from an adult novelty store says the burglary was a "drunken, stupid thing."

A criminal complaint filed in Dane County says Jose Sandoval, 26, of DeForest, smashed through the front door at Naughty Novelties in Burke last month and stole a talking love doll with a $270 price tag, along with other dolls and items.

Video surveillance tape gave investigators a look at the car outside the novelty shop, which they pulled over about ten days later. The complaint says Sandoval denied committing the burglary, then began to cry and led detectives to an abandoned semi behind a motel where the stolen items were recovered. Come on , they ought to give the poor guy a break...I mean he just lost his blowup girlfriend AND his own personal Breathalyzer all in one arresting blow, (no pun intended! ). - YoU CaN't MaKe tHiS StUff Up

Kind of puts a new twist on the book, "All I Really Need To Know I learned In Kindergarten."

YoU CaN't MaKe tHiS StUff Up - MONROE, La. -- A man was sentenced to more than four years in prison for bilking friends and family out of more than $800,000 by convincing them that his wife was a government agent who could arrange to have their medical problems diagnosed by satellite imaging.

Brent Eric Finley, 38, of Rayville, was sentenced in federal court in Monroe to serve 51 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. His wife, Stacey Finley, was sentenced in August to spend 63 months in prison and both are ordered to jointly pay restitution in the amount of $873,786.94.

The Finley's convinced their victims that, if any medical problems were found, secret agents would administer medicine to them as they slept in exchange for payment, according to a bill of information filed when the Finleys were charged in May.

Their MO is as follows, " My name is Bond, Doctor James Bond agent RX007." - YoU CaN't MaKe tHiS StUff Up

Democrats will always find a way to expose their own hypocrisy on any subject, any issue at any given time. Harry, Nancy, Ted and the rest of you moonbats, you can't have it both ways!

YoU CaN't MaKe tHiS StUff Up - TOPEKA, Kan. -- Firefighters said a grease fire that left $50,000 in damage to a Topeka home erupted after a dog shut a woman out of the house while fish was frying on the stove.

Authorities said the woman was taking garbage outside Tuesday evening when the dog somehow shut the door behind her. Firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke with flames shooting from the roof of the home.

Topeka Fire Department Capt. Greg Degand said residents tried to douse the blaze, which started on a stove in the kitchen. But the flames spread to the attic and fully engulfed the house.
The woman's husband said the important thing is that everyone made it out safely, including the dog and their pet bird. The moral to the story....when the dog doesn't want fish....HE DOESN'T WANT FISH!- YoU CaN't MaKe tHiS StUff Up

Brave Johnnie - first he berates the President, then the troops and finally when he is forced to admit the truth, along comes mother Nancy and big bad Johnnie says, "yes Mommy, " and changes his story again !

YoU CaN't MaKe tHiS StUff Up - HOUSTON , TX- A student driver passed his test today, then crashed the car into the Texas Department of Public Safety building. No one was hurt.

D-P-S spokesman Tom Vinger says the man was parking the car when the vehicle went over the curb and hit a wall of the brick building, creating a small hole. The driving examiner was not in the car. HMMMMM Ya think he got his license...I don't think so! - YoU CaN't MaKe tHiS StUff Up

The one campaign that the Hildabeast really deserves to win. Even I would vote her into this office.

Ken Taylor

MIKE HUCKABEE - THE ARKANSAS RECORD

This post was picked up by CNN. Scan to the bottom of the page and click on From the Blogs

With the surge in popularity that former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee is experiencing, the possibility of his gaining the 2008 Republican Presidential nomination has increased greatly along with his popularity.

Much of that popularity seems based on his out going and at times comically friendly approach in the debates as well as campaign advertising, like the Chuck Norris ad where Huckabee appears along with Norris and calls Norris his border security policy. This along with Huckabee's conservative stance on moral issues like abortion , gay marriage and his faith, being a former Baptist minister, have played well to some of the GOP conservative base and elevated him in the polls in Iowa and other early primary states as well as nationally.

While much has been said about Huckabee's stand on moral issues, there has been little scrutiny in the one area where Huckabee's record would be an indicator as to what type of President he would make and that is his eight years as the elected Governor of Arkansas.

My father and two brothers live in Arkansas. Dad is a GOP moderate along with my youngest brother with my remaining brother who is four years younger than me being a conservative though not quite as conservative as I am. Each have expressed to me their dissatisfaction with Huckabee as Governor with little tid-bits about his record and their reasons for their dislike of him. This sparked my interest into looking a Huckabee's Arkansas record

When one looks at the former Arkansas Governors record in many respects it does not paint a pretty picture. Following are a few examples from his tenure in the Arkansas State House.

Fiscal record - State spending increased 65.3% from 1996-2004. The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration states that taxes were cut ninety times for a savings of $378 million dollars, while taxes were raised twenty-one times for an increase of $883 million dollars. This is a net tax increase of $505 million dollars over eight years.

According to the Arkansas Democratic Gazette, ( a liberal newspaper), the, "average Arkansan’s tax burden, [increased] from $1,969 in the fiscal year that ended June 30, 1997, to $2,902 in the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2005 ". The Cato Institute, a non-profit public policy research foundation gave Huckabee an , "F, " for spending and tax policy in 2006.

In 1999 Huckabee raised the fuel tax by four cents per gallon stating that , "the fuel tax was a vote of the people—eighty percent of the people voted to improve roads ." Yet the measure was signed into law a full two months BEFORE a bond issue was voted on which DID NOT include the fuel tax increase. Critics have called Huckabee, "the biggest tax and spender in Arkansas history."

Illegal immigration - In his 2005 State of the State address to the Arkansas Legislature Huckabee complained that illegal aliens could NOT get state funded financial support for college tuition. He supported a 2005 bill that would allow illegal aliens to be eligible for scholarships and in state tuition while opposing a bill that same year that would deny state benefits to illegal aliens.

Huckabee's argument was that illegals pay more taxes than the benefits they receive, "They pay fuel taxes. If they're using a FAKE SOCIAL SECURITY number, they're paying Social Security taxes and will never receive any benefit."

In 2006 a Mexican consultant opened an office in the State Capitol of Little Rock to assist illegals in finding jobs and receiving benefits. Huckabee strongly supported the office. with $10, 000 dollars from his own pocket and another $50, 000 from the Governors state emergency fund in more than 20 contributions before he left office.

In a move that brought tremendous criticism to Huckabee during his 2002 bid for re-election, his wife was on the ballot running for the office of Secretary of State. Had she been elected two of the most powerful state offices would have been run by Huckabees which would have given the Governor a consolidation of State power and a possibility of running rough shod over the State legislature.

There are also numerous accusations many with damaging evidence concerning Huckabee's receiving gifts in exchange for state office appointments and friends appointed to state offices. Huckabee was also Highly criticized for his release of a convicted rapist who claimed to have converted to Christianity. Beleiving the claim of Wayne Drumond, Huckabee released him from prison. Drumond later raped and murdered a women in Missouri.

Huckabee has a less than stellar record as Governor of Arkansas. His tax and spend habits as a State Executive are a major red flag for a Republican Presidential candidate especially since that candidate, if elected, may have a tax an spend Democrat Congress. A GOP President who believes in tax reduction and limited government and spending is the only buffer for the people with a liberal Congress. Huckabee's Arkansas record shows he would NOT be that man.

His stance on financial benefits for illegal aliens in Arkansas also indicates that as President he would not support any legislation that would crack down on illegals. In fact it would indicate that he would be in favor of amnesty programs as well as government benefits at tax payers expense for those who have violated our laws.

While portraying himself as a strong conservative, Huckabee does NOT have a public service record that supports such a claim. He may be a strong conservative on moral issues but on fiscal and immigration issues he is decidedly a liberal!

Ken Taylor

HOW IMPORTANT IS IOWA ?

After more than one year of constant campaigning, the Iowa Caucus is only one month away. The first test in the quest for both the Republican and the Democrat nomination for President in 2008.

Over the past few weeks the numbers have tightened to the point that on the Republican side the race is a virtual dead heat between a surging Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney with Rudy Giuliani a distant third.

On the Democrat side of the coin, some polls have Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama in a statistical tie with Edwards only a few points behind. Other polls have Obama in the lead with Hillary second and again Edwards a close third.

How important then is Iowa ? Has the anticipation for real and solid numbers from the first actual vote given Iowa a greater importance that it actually is ? After all candidates in both parties have been campaigning for more than a year with no real results other than constant polls that at times change with the wind and as with any poll are only a somewhat weak indicator of real election results.

Remember the polls had President Bush and John Kerry in a dead heat in 2004, while exit polls had Kerry winning in a landslide. So has the anticipation for real numbers given a false significance to the results from Iowa next month ?

Looking at past Caucuses, a picture develops indicating that Iowa has a rather small significance in choosing the actual nominee. For instance, in 1972 Edmund Muskie defeated George McGovern by 13% but McGovern went on to win the Democrat nomination and lost to Republican Richard Nixon in the General Election.

In 1976 the , "uncommitted , " vote won over second place candidate Jimmy Carter by 11%. Carter claimed a victory as the named candidate with the highest vote total and won the nomination and the Presidency after his second place finish in Iowa.

In 1980 Carter beat Ted Kennedy and went on to lose re-election to Ronald Reagan. 1992 had Tom Harkin as the winner with 76% of the vote and eventual nominee Bill Clinton receiving only 3%.

On the Republican side the story is similar. Republicans have not participated in the Iowa Caucus as extensively as Democrats with 1976 being the first GOP caucus which had an extremely poor turn out. 1980 was the first push by the GOP in Iowa with George H. W. Bush defeating Ronald Reagan by 2%. Reagan of course won the nomination and the Presidency.

In 1988 Bob Dole took the Iowa Caucus with 37% to Pat Robertson's 25%. George H. W. Bush the eventual nominee was a distant third with 19%. In the last three elections, 1996, 2000 and an unopposed George Bush in 2004 the eventual nominee for the GOP won the Iowa Caucus.

From a historical stand point the Iowa Caucus has had little to do with the election of the eventual nominee especially in the Democrat Party. While Republican candidates have fared better, only two election years that held Caucuses with a candidate who faced party opposition since 1980 found the winner going on to the nomination. George Bush in 2000 and Bob Dole in 1996.

This year could very well follow the same pattern as the past. While Huckabee is enjoying a huge surge over the past few weeks. But based on an average of all polling Rudy Giuliani still leads nationally and in later primaries Huckabee is still down in the polls compared to Giuliani, Romney and Thompson both nationally and in early primary states like South Carolina and Florida.

The Democrat numbers are similar, based on an average of all polling, Clinton is leading nationally and Obama and Edwards are down in some cases by double digits in the early primary states.

It would seem that the anticipation of finally seeing solid results after a year of constant campaigning may be placing a far greater significance on Iowa than the , "Hawkeye State, " actually holds in Presidential politics. Will 2008 be a different story than actual results from past elections ? Possibly. Iowa could give a rather nice boost to the winners in both parties for later primaries, but the evidence from the past shows otherwise.




Ken Taylor

TWAS THE CANDIDATES NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS -THE SUNDAY COMMENTARY

Twas the night before Christmas when all through the land, the candidates were out campaigning to beat the band.

Their staffers were working hard into the night in hopes that their boss would lead in the polls, left or right.

The Congress was nestled all snug in their House, with visions of more bills to spend money, the people think they're a louse.

But Nancy was in her office with Harry and Ted trying to plan how the Dems would be head of the Feds.

When out on the mall there rose such a fuss that all three ran out thinking it might just be Rush.

They sprang down the steps, Ted fell being drunk, tripping Harry and Nancy crash, bang, pow, cur plunk.

The moon glistened bright in the pond out in front, so Ted took to swimming performing wet stunts.

When what to their glad eyes did appear but George Soros and Move On with Prez candidates in the rear.

With his chauffeur as driver and money in hand he claimed he would deliver the Dems as leaders in the land.

More rapid than lib lies and the deceptions they claim he laughed and he called each candidate by name ;

Come Barak, come Joseph, come Hillary , Dennis , Chris, John and Bill, I've got money for each if you'll but do my will.

They laughed and they cackled as they took loads of cash, filling their pockets and their campaign war chests.

When they met with an obstacle, it was Rush crying foul, "You can't buy elections, " he said with a growl.

Then Nancy spoke up sounding right cruel, "I'll get you my pretty and you radio show to! "

Rush said, "never mind, I've got right on my side." With him were conservative voters to help stem the tide.

"The people still have a voice in things around here and no one you buy will change that it's clear."

Well Hillary spoke up in her shrill of a voice , "We are Dems and we give them a choice."

"We'll give them all sorts of government delights and tell them we care and will help in their plight."

"The money it costs won't matter you see, because we are Dems and with us money is free."

Then Rush spoke again with a smile in his eye, and said, "That's you downfall with your liberal lie."

"The people will see that your programs are fixed, to tax them and rob them through your Socialist tricks."

"So don't count you chickens before they are hatched, come next year the voters cry, "we don't like to be taxed!"

The Dems all bowed down with a sigh and a whine, because they knew Rush was right as he is many times.

Their sadness was short lived as they left in a blur, cause Dems just don't get it and the people can see;

that spending and big government are not what we want, since less is much more as that makes us free.

Well Rush shook his head as he laughed at the left, for he new that the people would not fall for their theft.

Along with conservatives who believe as he does Rush winked as he walked away from the mall.

With a twinkle in his eye and smile on his lips, Rush proclaimed, " Freedoms will win each day of the year, that's why Americans have nothing to fear."

"So without hesitation I say without gall, Merry Christmas to each of you one and all!"


Ken Taylor