Next Conspiracy?

As the Birtherzzz conspiracy is in a death spiral, it appears we have a related group offering a different angle to the challenge of Obama being a Natural Born Citizen.

A new group calling themselves "the Mainlanders" are threatening to file suit against the State of Hawaii, demanding proof that Hawaii is indeed a State. Where is the official paperwork?

Another group iis looking into the spell Obama cast upon the population. How was he able to mesmerize so many people with his words? This group is calling themselves the Cheerioers.

Billions of "O's" are made every day by General Mills, in the form of Cheerio's cereal. The plot to make Obama President, maybe goes back much farther than 1961. It goes all the way back to time Cheerio's were first introduced. People all across the country every day, look into their bowl of Cheerio's cereral, seeing those individual "O's" floating in their morning milk. The subliminal message is planted, "O's" are good.

There is also a Progressive group emerging calling themselves the B.O.ers. They are targeting the ad campaigns of Deoderant company's. Deoderant company's have been lobbying against B.O. for years, and the B.O.ers want to prove there was a conspiracy to counteract the effect of Cheerio's.

Time for a post

I've been on the sidelines for awhile. Reading a lot, digesting information, and doing hand to hand combat in my local online Forums, and LTE sections.

A few battles have to be fought, but most should be ignored. Not worth the trouble.

This is why I haven't posted much. I haven't seen THE battle that's going to bring me back into the fray.

It's coming though. Real reform has to happen on Wall Street, and our Financial institutions. They'll lobby the heck out of Congress to gut any real reform.

In the meantime, I'm auditing the proceedings, tending my vineyard, doing some house remodeling (an endless task), and focusing on Family.

Facebook & Stuff

Guess it's time for a post. I've spent a fair amount of time on Facebook. I only set up an account to see what's happening in my kids lives, since it is hard to get information otherwise. I have connected with some friends in the Bloggerworld on Facebook too.

I think I like Facebook given it's various capabilities. You can track down long lost friends, and it's easy to post pictures & video's. It's a pretty fast mechanism to display media in this rapidly proceeding Digital World.

It is not all Milk and Honey though. I get too many Friend suggestions. My Facebook is set up for Friends and Family. It is not for casual acquaintances. Plus there are too many "froo froo" thingees out there. I'm a Meat and Potatoes guy. Give me the basics, with just a few options.

How do people get so many supposed friends? I hear some people have 100's of connections via facebook. I think my sons each have 100+ "friends". What?

Maybe I'm a putz, but my true friend connection has always been a pretty "select" and disturbed group :)

In the real world, away from the Digital realm, I'm watching the country implode. I'm in constant battle with stupid people in local Opinion sections.

My Fall grape harvest is now safely tucked away in oak barrels, in essence like a Coccoon. My harvest is my larvae, and come next Fall, I'll have a beautiful new Butterfly emerge, my next bottling of wine. Every year the Butterfly that emerges is new and different from previous years. Instead of bright colors, we have subtle, nuanced flavors.

states

Copied from a humorous email. I couldn't track down the source, aside from the fact it came from my Nephew.

Dear Red States...We've decided we're leaving. We intend to form our own country, and we're taking the other Blue States with us.In case you aren't aware, that includes Hawaii , Oregon , Washington , Minnesota , Wisconsin , Michigan , Illinois and all the Northeast. We believe this split will be beneficial to the nation, and especially to the people of the new country of New California.To sum up briefly: You get Texas , Oklahoma and all the slave states. We get stem cell research and the best beaches. We get the Statue of Liberty. You get Dollywood. We get Intel and Microsoft. You get WorldCom. We get Harvard. You get Ole' Miss. We get 85 percent of America 's venture capital and entrepreneurs. You get Alabama . We get two- thirds of the tax revenue; you get to make the red states pay their fair share.Since our aggregate divorce rate is 22 percent lower than the Christian Coalition's, we get a bunch of happy families. You get a bunch ofsingle moms.Please be aware that Nuevo California will be pro- choice and anti- war, and we're going to want all our citizens back from Iraq at once. If you need people to fight, ask your evangelicals. They have kids they're apparently willing to send to their deaths for no purpose, and they don't care if you don't show pictures of their children's caskets coming home. We do wish you success in Iraq , and hope that the WMDs turn up, but we're not willing to spend our resources in Bush's Quagmire.With the Blue States in hand, we will have firm control of 80% of the country's fresh water, more than 90 % of the pineapple and lettuce, 92 % of the nation's fresh fruit, 95 % of America's quality wines (you can serve French wines at state dinners) 90% of all cheese, 90% of the high tech industry, most of the U.S. low- sulfur coal, all living redwoods, sequoias and condors, all the Ivy and Seven Sister schools, plus Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Cal Tech and MIT. With the Red States, on the other hand, you will have to cope with 88 % of all obese Americans (and their projected health care costs), 92 % of all U.S. mosquitoes, nearly 100 percent of the tornadoes, 90 % of the hurricanes, 99 % of all Southern Baptists, virtually 100 % of all televangelists, Rush Limbaugh, Bob Jones University, Clemson and the University of Georgia. We get Hollywood and Yosemite , thank you. Additionally, 38 % of those in the Red states believe Jonah was actually swallowed by a whale, 62 % believe life is sacred unless we're discussing the death penalty or gun laws, 44 % say that evolution is only a theory, 53 % that Saddam was involved in 9/11,and 61 % of you crazy b*****ds believe you are people with higher morals than we lefties.

Peace out,Blue States

2008 Harvest & Wine news

Enough of Politics for awhile. The Tsu-Bama-Nami happened. The Obama voters still have smiles on their faces, and we are enjoying the Post election "glow". The McCain voters are experiencing a range of emotions. I'm choosing to give them some space, but hope that they recognize Obama will be their President. I have had a couple of odd post election conversations though. I was talking to my next door neighbor yesterday, and he made an odd comment. He said, "are you still celebrating your victory". I stated that, yes I was happy but, that Obama is his president too. I received no reply.

2008 is proving to be a much different year than prior years. Light rainfalllin the Spring, a late frost, and an odd growing season, has lead to a very low yield. Comparing year over year, my own estate harvest yielded about half the grapes in weight and yield than last year.

Production and yield across Northern California is showing yields down about 25 - 30% year over year.

I have augmented the lack of my own vineyard by purchasing more grapes. I bought 1000 lbs of Tempranillo from a grower in Placerville, 600 lbs of Vermentino from a grower in Plymouth, 1150 lbs of Syrah from a grower in Plymouth, 1000 lbs of Malbec from a grower in Sheldon, and 1000 lbs of Petite Sirah from a grower in Lodi.

The grape quality this year is proving to be quite good. All the 2008 harvest has finished fermentation, and all has been pressed. These young wines are are currently settling (waiting for the solids to settle out), and some have finished this process, and been moved to Oak barrels.

I have tons of bottling to do. The 2007 wines were very nice. The 2006 Petite Sirah was double gold medals at two different competitions.

The winemaking has been a good release from the distractions from the electoral mud slinging.
It is good therapy for me. This time of year, I have a constant buzz. Since I'm doing something with the wine every day, I also happen to sample every day. As such, I have perpetual purple fingers, a purple tongue, and close to a constant hangover. I'm not complaining.

In Vino Veritas "in wine there is truth". Drinking wine with my conservative friends and neighbors reaches across the divide. Maybe I'll send Obama a case or two to share with the Republican leadership in the Senate and House.

Missed Line of the 3rd Debate

McCain: "I am not George Bush, if you wanted to run against George Bush you should have done it four years ago".

Obama: "If I had known you were going to be his lapdog the last four years, I probably "would" have run four years ago".

Are you smarter than a 5th grader?

This is probably a great title for some Op-Ed writer for a National Newspaper.

That is what this election boils down to.

Change. The Good, Old U S of A is just about in crash dive.

We need a wakeup call in the worst way, and I'm not sure even the wakeup call, and the right guy at the controls of the plane will be enough. I just hope so.

We have John McCain, and Barack Obama to choose from.

Both agree special interests are a problem. Both agree Healthcare has to get fixed. Both agree in many respects about energy independence.

The big differences revolve around Taxes, the Economy, National Defense, and Foreign Policy.

McCain has been championing de-regulation for his entire career up until a month ago.
McCain has scores of Lobbyists on his staff.

He is now saying "trust me", I've learned, I've changed.

McCain is just like Lucy holding the Football, and the Public is Charlie Brown.

A 5th grader understands this. We'll learn in the coming weeks how many Millions of Americans are not as smart as 5th graders.