No vote for Obama . . .

. . . Since Fletch asked, then why not indeed? Before I go further, please understand that my reasons are based on analysis, not simply membership or sympathies with the opposite party. I welcome responses, although I don't expect many, since my blog is essentially fog in the wilderness - noticed by no one.

A caution, though. I consider responses that start out with ". . . but Bush did " to be irrelevant and off point. There are two reasons. First, the discussion is about Obama. Second, even if Bush did <fill in something>, and whatever he did is stupid - a distinct possibility, I'll admit - one wrong is not justified by another. The "but Bobby did it first" excuse didn't work with our mammas, and it won't work with me.

Earlier this year, I posted this:

I fancy myself a centrist, although I'm probably a little right of center - essentially a moderate conservative. My concern with Obama is that he's inexperienced, is running primarily on words as opposed to platforms, and that his voting record is too socialistic for me. However, I do believe that he's an honest man who intends to do the right thing.

Over the last couple of months, have grown stronger in my feelings about the second sentence, and have completely changed my mind about the last. Before I go further, I will admit that Obama is a gifted speaker, very intelligent and a generally a likable fellow. He has the Bill Clinton ability to light up a room. However, after watching debates and press coverage, this is why I believe it would be a terrible mistake to elect Obama:

1. Experience - or lack thereof: Obama is a one-term senator elected in 2004. He has spent all but about a year of that term running for president. He spent some time as a lawyer, an Illinois legislator and a "community organizer," whatever that is. He has no managerial experience to speak of.

2. Senate record: Probably since he's spent most of his time on the presidential trail, he has a thin record in the Senate. His initiation and/or sponsorship of significant legislation is practically non-existent. He espouses bipartisanism, but his reaches across the aisle have been as hard to find as Osama (an obtuse paen to Ted Kennedy for those who notice).

3. Character: Obama dismisses his connections with Tony Rezko, Jeremiah Wright and Bill Ayers as "Fox News soundbites." But, ponder this. Rezko was under active federal investigation when Obama sought his advice, and Obama continued to take political donations from him. He paid $300,000 less for his house than the asking price, and the deal was sealed by Rezko's wife buying the adjacent lot. That was the only way for the purchase to succeed since the seller wanted to sell the both pieces of real estate.

His discussion of Jeremiah Wright morphed daily. First, "I never heard it." Next, "I disagree with what he said, but I can't disassociate from him." Next, "If he hadn't retired, I would have left the church." His "Typical white woman" comment about his own grandmother revealed a little more about his true colors - pun intended, I think. The truth of the matter is that Obama hung with Wright for 20 years, then tried to justify Wright's race-baiting, anti-semetic hate speech as "what goes on in a black church." Even Juan Williams blanched at that one. Consider the impact if John McCain spent 20 years in a church headed by David Duke and made a speech about the "typical white woman."

The Ayers connection is admittedly more tenuous. However, Obama's statement that the Weather Underground bombing happened when he was "8 years old" doesn't hold water - or if it does hold water, it's pretty leaky. It's true that the bombings happened when Obama was eight. However, he continued to serve on a board of directors with Ayers well into this century.

The significant problem with all this is that Obama's first response is always to minimize - a response that is, at the very least, untruth by omission.

4. Political stance: Obama is one of the most liberal members of the Senate. His politics indicate that he believes government is the best solution for all problems. I believe, as Ronald Reagan did, and as John Kennedy also proved, that lower taxes encourage growth. Although he has vowed that he will not raise taxes on anyone with an income less than $200,000 (or $250,000 - he didn't seem sure of the exact number) he is a strong advocate of letting the recent tax cuts expire. He keeps harping on the "tax cuts for the rich" theme, which has been thoroughly debunked. The top 5% of earners in the U.S. pay 60% of the taxes. He doesn't realize that the government has NO money to spend. What they do spend, they take from someone to give to someone else. I simply do not believe in advancing socialism in this country.

5. His position on national defense: There was a movie made about his position on national defense. Alicia Silverstone played the lead. I freely admit that the war in Iraq has been ill planned and badly executed. Unfortunately, that's OBE. I believe his "withdraw now" approach is untenable, detrimental to further progress, and likely to cause a complete meltdown in the area if realized. I would say more, but I don't want to turn this into an analysis of the war in Iraq.

That's my analysis. Your mileage may vary.

Guess who . . .

. . . is not getting my vote.

I'm an Avengers Fan . . .

. . . This is one reason

Music, music, music . . .

. . . take two.

I watched an Amy Winehouse special last night. That soulful voice is not what I expected. I loved it. But Amy, here's a thought. With that HAIR! and those random tattoos, you not only look like you just fell out of the ugly tree - you hit every branch on the way down. Girl, look in the mirror. Just sayin'.

Music, music, music . . .


. . . all kinds of it. I like it. From Robert Johnson to AC/DC. Ladysmith Black Mombazzo and South African township music. I have four Gregorian chant albums. Mountain music via the Stonemans. Flatt & Scruggs, Allison Krauss, Ralph Stanley and the Cox Family bluegrass. Anything Clapton. Satriani's Surfing with the Alien to Pachelbel's Canon in D major. Ludwig's Piano Sonato No. 14 in C-Sharp Minor (especially the Adagio Sostenuto) to Dark Side with Floyd at The Wall. (Can anyone play more music with fewer notes than Gilmour?)

Waiting for Wilson Pickett with The Committments. Unemployment and Red, Red Wine with UB40. From Winds of Change with the Scorpions to Dust in the Wind by Kansas. Crazy Patsy Kline, Crazy Fine Young Cannibals and Crazy Gnarls Barkley. Guns 'n Roses was One in a Million, but there was that Appetite for Destruction. Offset by Mancini and Days of Wine and Roses and Middler's . . . razor, that leaves the soul to bleed.

Riding the City of New Orleans with Guthrie and Dylan or the big waves with Dick Dale and the Deltones or with Wagner, Robert Duvall and Die Walkure. Standing before the Great Gate of Kiev or the front door of Hotel California or The Hall of the Mountain King. One with Metallica and One For My Baby with Sinatra.

I have tapes or CDs of all of this stuff. The music I don't have is from these guys. That's my dad on the left, a cousin in the center and my grandfather on the right. The photo was taken in 1928 when my dad was 14. I still have the banjo and the guitar. When I was trying to learn to play the guitar when I was in college, I played one song with my grandfather. You Are My Sunshine. I never played a song with my father . . .

This Weekend . . .

. . . in random order.

It's what's for dinner. Stir fried beef, green peppers, carrots, mushrooms and onions in a Mandarin orange sauce of my own invention. Korean-style sticky rice and Fuki on the side. Don't jump to conclusions on the Fuki until you check the last image below.

The idea for this dish did NOT come from that new Chinese cookbook entitled "50 ways to wok your dog."

I have no idea about the species of these birds. They have long necks and long bills, and look like waterfowl. But, I'm not aware of a waterfowl like this that hangs out in trees. This time of year, they congregate by the dozens in the tall trees around our neighborhood.

I won the battle with the evil dishwasher. In fact, I kicked its ass. I pulled it out for the fifth time, pulled the pump apart, installed a new seal and fired it up. No leaks. Zero, zip, nada.

Fu-Ki is the best plum wine on this planet. Bar none.

This Blogger . . .

. . . possibly under the influence, asked me for my Korean marinade recipe. It's used on barbecued ribs, sliced beef or chicken legs. The request isn't so odd, except that she asked in a comment on my blog entry concerning my 9th great-grandfather instead of an email. Well, maybe it's in my email . . . I haven't looked lately.

Anyhoo, here it is.

6 chicken legs, skin on.

Marinade:
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup soy sauce
2 stalks green onions, finely chopped
3 tbs brown sugar
1 tbs toasted sesame seeds
1 tbs sesame oil
½ tsp Accent
½ tsp black pepper

- Blast all the marinade ingredients in a blender.
- With a sharp knife, score the chicken legs to the bone in five or six places.
- Marinate the chicken legs overnight in the refrigerator.
- Cook quickly on a grill or under a broiler, turning frequently so the sugared marinade doesn't burn.

The same marinade can be used on beef short ribs . . .

- Butterfly the short ribs.
- Beat the bejesus out of the meat with a meat tenderizer or the back of a cleaver.
- Marinate overnight in the fridge.
- Cook on a grill.

. . . or on strips of sirloin or other prime cut of beef.

- Cut the flank steak across the grain into thin strips about a half inch wide.
- Marinate overnight in the fridge.
- Cook on a skewer on a grill, or in a very hot wok.
- If you use a wok, add a few more chopped green onions when the beef is about done.

Any of these dishes must, and I repeat MUST be accompanied with kimchi!