more the engrish!

AS OTHER THINGS WERE PREOCCUPYING YOUR CORRESPONDENT'S MIND EARLIER IN THE BLOGGING DEPARTMENT, he forgot to include The Compleat Scoop from the Minnesota State Fair Daily News of Day 9 earlier.

So, lest complaints and angry e-mails ensue, he will now comply:

The Education Superintendent says that Patty makes the best chocolate chip cookies in the world!

Well, you can tell Kermit is a little slower since his 80th birthday. Now it takes him an hour and a half to watch "60 Minutes."

The three wise men on Machinery Hill want you to know about "Grumpy's Grill," look for the sign.

Vicky was seen wearing a 100-year-old MSF pendant given to her by Al.

A big 'dill-lightful' thank you to all my picklettes in the Gedney booth! Until we meet again--relish the days!!--Debra

Dude! I can only read abbreviations!--Matt from the Fish & Chips in the Food Building.

Teflon looking good!

Blue tag people make the mistakes so black tag people can take awards away. Payback.

Where or when is my bride to be?? Saw you in the parade though ... you drove the golf cart very well!

BD when are we ever going to get that apple stuff?

Jess--we know we are crazy, but did you have to go to Japan to hide from us?

DB--today is your day and only today is your day.

BES you are like an iceberg that can't melt you're so cool!

De'Anna has hypnotized me with her beauty.

BM thank you for ll of the food! I actually feel like I ate something healthy for the first time in about two weeks!

Happy 64th birthday to "peg leg" Cheryl Ann in the Magnet Booth. We love you.

The 2008 MSF Marketing staff rules!

Carie: have a great time at school, we know you will do so well! We'll miss having you for the next few days down here but we know you're going to have a blast!

KF someone thinks that you are the cat's pj's....

Loving the stuff in Heritage Square ... all should go and check that out!

Day 9 Day 9! Where has the time gone, we had all better start living it up here at the fair!

Barb: welcome to marketing! we are oh so happy to have you here! Just hope you can put up with us.... 

Hopefully, things out to be back to normal tomorrow.

*************

IN CASE ANYBODY ASKS ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE, HOWBEIT REMOTE, OF THE IMAGE @ THE HEAD OF THIS BLOG ITEM, allow me, in a way:

People For the American Way wants you to know The Inconvenient Truths About Sarah Palin, over and above the fact than an overzealously charismatic display of perkiness can easily conceal psychopathic intentions (as numerous studies down the years will attest).

As if that weren't enough, Right Wing Watch makes note of the latest attempt @ bizarre Religiopolitical Right meme explaining why the Great Unwashed fail to see the proverbial forest for the trees vis-a-vis Sarah Palin:

Kevin Burke, co-founder of something called Rachel’s Vineyard - a “post-abortion healing ministry” run by the right-wing group Priests for Life - offers his explanation of why people might not like Sarah Palin.  It turns out that they are all traumatized by the “collective grief, pain and guilt” they feel over their pro-choice views:

The very personal and often uncharitable criticism of Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin and her family evident in recent media coverage, and the lack of support from many feminist and child advocacy groups, may have a relationship to the collective grief, pain and guilt from personal involvement in the abortion of an unborn child.

When an issue strikes at a deeply repressed sensitive wound in a person, often the initial reaction is anger.

…

Seeing the Palin family, in a very visible public forum, with an uncompromising and public pro life philosophy arouses deeply repressed feelings in post abortive parents, as well as media members, counselors, health care professionals, politicians and others who promote abortion rights, especially the abortion of children with challenges such as Down syndrome.

These powerful repressed feelings of grief, guilt and shame can be deflected from the source of the wound (i.e., abortion) and projected onto an often uncharitable focus upon the trigger of these painful emotions…the Palin family.

And all this time I thought it was because she was a one-term unknown whose sole qualification for John McCain’s ticket was her appeal to the GOP’s right-wing base.

Come to think of it: Haven't we had enough of the anti-abortionist meme about abortions causing psychoemotional grief, trauma and guilt when studies are extant disproving any perceived connexions? 

Mr. Jerome Corsi
c/o WorldNetDaily.com
PO Box 1087
Grants Pass, OR 97528-1017

Dear Mr. Corsi:

It's well-known and well-established that you've produced a highly-specious and laughable farce of "investigative journalism" whose purpose and intent is to undermine the Presidential campaign of Democratic candidate Senator Barack Obama by questioning his racial, religious and moral fitness against various "tests" lacking any serious credibility.

However, it's emerged that you've also published attacks in the "swift boat" vein against Republican Presidential candidate John McCain, howbeit during the primary season (in case you've forgotten about them by deliberate ignorance or otherwise, may I refresh your memory) by making equally specious claims against Senator McCain such as those suggesting that:

• McCain's fortune has direct connexions to criminal syndicates;
• the McCain Presidential campaign is receiving substantial support from al-Qaeda-affiliated organisations;
• Mcain is secretly receiving money from George Soros;
• McCain has serious credibility problems vis-a-vis lobbyists; and
• McCain's advancing a "Mexico First" agenda on international trade.

Which, in either case, is lacking any semblance of substantiation, let alone credibility.

And, IIRC, said atacks are designed (by your own admission) to serve the campaign of the Constitution Party's Presidential candidate, Mr. Charles (Chuck) Baldwin by name.

The fact of which, and the interconnexions thus raised, raises some serious questions which we Right-Thinking Americans want to ask of you:

• What assurances have we that your claims are sincere, genuine and in good faith, knowing (un)consciously all the while that these same claims you present as authentic are false or misleading?
• How do we know that your sources don't include certain weird and/or unwholesome types whose credibility is traditionally regarded as dubious or suspicious, among them:
• alcoholics?
• drug addicts?
• chronic spendthrifts and gamblers?
• those with known police records?
• sex fiends and maniacs?
• those with histories of mental and/or emotional disorders?
• racists, white-supremacists and bigots?
• veterans with Bad Conduct, Dishonourable, Less than Honourable or Section 8 discharges from the military?
• Have you done any careful and cautious background checks on your sources for the sake of credibility? If not, what prevents you from so doing--were you "only following orders" not to question their credibility, and accept their stories @ face value without question or reservation?
• What prevents your conducting careful and thorough research and cross-checking of claims made in these works prior to publication, online or otherwise, including careful and thorough substantiation from @ least two independent and impartial sources?
• Did you offer your sources any consideration, in cash or in kind, to supply such information, knowing full well their credibilty cannot be challenged because you were "following orders"? If so, what was offered, how was such paid, and were they instructed to keep the details quiet?
• Is the Constitution Party and/or the Chuck Baldwin Presidential campaign paying you to advance these rather incredulous (absent credible substantiation) attacks? If so, how much? How often were you paid? In what forms?
• Are your paymasters in the Constitution Party and/or the Baldwin Presidential campaign (if such be the case) asking you to keep quiet about any and all payments for the sake of advancing these unsubstantiated smears and attacks? What reasons are they giving you for such silence?
• Who exactly are these paymasters with the Constitution Party and/or the Baldwin Presidential campaign as are asking you to smear Barack Obama and John McCain for the sake of the Constitution Party's efforts and endeavours?
• Are you now, or have you ever been:
• an alcoholic?
• a drug addict?
• a gambler?
• a chronic and habitual spendthrift?
• a spousal and/or child abuser?
• a sex fiend, degenerate or maniac?
• a coprophile (in the sense of being addicted to pornographic or otherwise obscene materials)?
• a sufferer of a loathsome mental or emotional disease or disorder?
• a sufferer from veneral disease?
• known to the police (in other words, had a police record)?
• on probation or served time in prisons or mental institutions?
• discharged from the military on a Bad Conduct, Dishonourable, Less Than Honourable or Section 8 such?
• unemployable for extended periods for reasons other than because of illness, incapacity or disability?
• a card-carrying member of a known and notorious subversive or otherwise conspiratorial organisation(s)?
• Have you no sense of Decency, Sir, @ long last?
• Have you left no sense of Decency (let alone Morality)?
• What stands in the way of your providing clear, honest and logical answers to the preceding? Money?

We are entitled to an explanation of these issues thus raised, and based solely on facts rather than on carefully-scripted and -manufactured bromides and platitudes such as you're probably being advised to use. Until then, we cannot expect to reagrd your claims as authentic, credible or sincere.

sincerely,
ILUDIUM PHOSDEX
(die egte artikel--aanvaar geen plaasvervangers)

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FIRST OFF, MAY I CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO THE NEW LOGO FOR THIS WEBLOG @ THE HEAD OF THIS PAGE: Your Correspondent has taken the liberty of so redesigning in the interest of ensuring some continuity of imagery vis-a-vis this weblog and the merchandise on offer in its own freshly-launched online boutique, The Exaggerator Collection.

Thus, minimising confusion while still having the desired effect of calling attention to this blog among especially such of you seeing T-shirts and sweaters as "walking billboards" for this blog (cf. Stew Leonard's shopping bags and Wall Drug Store's signage), particularly so in "tourist trap" districts of the highest order. And remember, you're helping to support Your Correspondent and this weblog with your purchases from The Exaggerator Collection or any of the e-tailer affiliates this blog hath.

*************

ON TO BUSINESS, NOW, SHALL WE?

For starters, the big meme-generator currently in Indecision 2008is that inspireth by GOP VP wannabe Sarah Palin's bound-to-be-hackneyed line about the difference between a "hockey mom" (such as she hagiogaphically presents herself to be) and a pit bull (or, for that matter, some other class of vicious dog) is lipstick.

Prompting Democratic Presidential wannabe Barack Obama to respond by saying "if you put lipstick on a pig, it's still lipstick"--which the McCain/Palin camp quickly saw as Having Subversive Tendencies (as in implying that such was a veiled smear of Palin), and Obama responding by denouncing such as one with "lies and phony outrage and Swift Boat politics."

As if that weren't enough, it's emerging that McCain "himself" was himself using the "lipstick on a pig" metaphor-crossing-into-meme himself in Congressional debate several times just last year.

=============

AS FOR JOHN McCAIN'S NOTION THAT BARACK OBAMA IS SOMEHOW "NOT QUALIFIED TO BE PRESIDENT," SUCH A REMARK LEAVES YOUR CORRESPONDENT WONDERING if what McCain means as "qualified" is one meeting various (howbeit unconstitutional) acid tests to determine their willingness to receive superdivine revelation from G-d A-mighty and expect Congress to act as "rubberstamp" therefor.

As in expecting the President to be more in the vein of "Prophet, Seer and Revelator" who can be expected all the while to avoid dropping hints of hallucinogenic substances really being used to achieve the effect of being in such a mental state to receive Divine Pronouncement.

Which brings to mind the Assemblies of God's particular disapproval of such a notion as part of their general objections to "Latter Rain" teachings as expressed thus in their 2000 position paper "Endtime Revival--Spirit-Led and Spirit-Controlled" based on the risk of such crossing over into the undemocratic and dictatorial while all along claiming Biblical authority and power:

It is very tempting for persons with an independent spirit and an exaggerated estimate of their importance in the kingdom of God to declare organization and administrative structure to be of human origin. Reading in the Bible that there were apostles and prophets who exerted great leadership influence, and wrongly interpreting 1 Corinthians 12:28 and Ephesians 2:20 and 4:11, they proceed to declare themselves or persons aligned with their views as prophets and apostles. Structure set up to avoid a previous structure can soon become dictatorial, presumptuous, and carnal while claiming to be more biblical than the old one outside the new order or organization. Proponents of apostles/prophets leadership stop too soon in their reading of the Ephesians 4 passage, overlooking the high calling of every office and minister of the Church: "It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ" (Ephesians 4:11,12, italics added).

In Ephesians 2:20, Paul is talking about the historical fact of Jews and Gentiles having come together to form the Church. The aorist participle in verse 20 is best translated "having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone"–a past occurrence. The reference to apostles and prophets in Ephesians 3:5 speaks of their role in recording the inspired Scriptures as a past occurrence. The leadership of the local church, according to the Pastoral Epistles, is in the hands of elders/presbyters and deacons. These are the last of Paul's epistles. There is no indication in these last writings of continuing offices of apostles and prophets, though the ministry functions still continue.

Prophets in the New Testament are never described as holding an officially recognized position as in the case of pastors and evangelists. They spoke prophetically to the body for edification and admonition. When they prophesied under the inspiration of the Spirit, their ministry was noted. They could indeed have been called prophets without designating them as filling an office. A self-proclaimed prophet who dropped into a local church setting would certainly have been suspect until he was better known. And to guard against such abuses, Paul taught that all prophetic utterances should be tested by the Body (1 Corinthians 14:29). The humility that Paul taught and modeled should be a primary character trait of every spiritual leader. We affirm that there are, and ought to be, apostolic- and prophetic-type ministries in the Church, without individuals being identified as filling such an office.

The Shepherding Movement, a term not used as frequently now as earlier, is still a practice with close ties to the apostle/prophet excesses described above. The random and wrongful substitution of mutually appointed apostles and prophets to replace existing divinely appointed and duly chosen leadership is a circumstance open to abuse. In the past the shepherding teaching led to an artificial pyramid system of accountability, with each person responsible to a personal shepherd. The shepherd in turn is accountable to another shepherd for his guidance, accountability, and control. Although the example of Paul mentoring young Timothy is a good pattern for today, there is no biblical basis for a network requiring every believer to have a personal shepherd. The pastor, as shepherd of a local church flock, along with the spouse, can deal with even the most personal matters. The pastor in turn has a district superintendent, chosen for the position through a divinely blessed process, from whom help can be sought when needed. But to seek randomly, and with a sense of obligation, for someone to be a personal shepherd is not biblical. God-ordained leaders, chosen by Spirit-led colleagues seeking to build and edify the body of Christ, have the needed maturity, stability, and gifting by the Spirit.

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YOUR CORRESPONDENT ANNOUNCETH THE LAUNCH OF HIS VERY OWN CAFÉ PRESS STORE FOR THE EXAGGERATOR, henceforth to be known as "The Exaggerator Collection" by name and stylee.

Which, in case you ask, offers what could best be described as "wearable billboards" for this rather bombastic excuse for a weblog ... as well as coffee mugs, caps, wall clocks, journals, bumper stickers and even computer mouse pads for the discerning fan of this weblog. All helping to support Your Correspondent and this weblog, understand.

Come to think of it, these "wearable billboards" could be something of a fashion statement in all the popular "white trash" resort areas, certain to attract attention of the Johnny Bravo/Kanker Sisters crowd. Reports of sightings would be greatly appreciated--as would, most importantly, your purchases.

Soooo ... if you love The Exaggerator, you're sure to love The Exaggerator Collection! (And it might not hurt to get your end-of-year holiday shopping done right now, saving yourself bedlam and confusion in the process.)

Thank you for your support and patronage in advance. Now shop for once!

NO PUN INTENDED: NORTH KOREA'S SO-CALLED "GREAT LEADER" KIM JONG IL MAY BE ILL HIMSELF, what with his absence from ceremonies in beautiful(?!) downtown Pyongyang marking the 60-year anniversary of the so-called "Democratic People's Republic of Korea," replete with the inevitable displays of exaggerated military bravado in equally-exaggerated military lockstep and various missiles on 1950's-vintage heavy trucks.

No official details have been forthcoming from the highly-secretive Stalinist state; however, intelligence reports have it that "Great Leader" suffers from diabetes and heart disease, and may have suffered a stroke recently.

(His last documented public appearence was on August 14th.)

Some Japanese tabloids of a highly-incredible sort are reporting that the "real" "Great Leader" died in 2003 and that the regime was using lookie-likeys in public appearences to create the aura of stability and unity through deception and trick. Especially absent any clear signs of who may be considered "Dear Leader" (to use Kim Jong Il's pre-1997 title, when his late father Kim Il Sung, now considered "Eternal Leader," held the "Great Leader" title) to the extent of being capable enough to succeed Kim Jong Il in case the inevitable ensues.

That, and "Great Leader" being the subject of an officially-sponsored mythology as would make all the hagiographically-glowing excesses being force-fed on the Great Unwashed about Sarah Palin look like your typical Hanna-Barbera flicktoon for Saturday-morning FreeVee broadcast.

*************

THAI PRIME MINISTER SAMAK SUNDARAVEJ'S HOSTING A WEEKLY TV COOKING SHOW styled Tasting and Grumbling has been found to be in violation of a Constitutional proscription on working a second job while holding high office.

Ergo, according to a Thai court, Sundaravej and his cabinet will please resign their offices posthaste.

*************

MEIN INNKEEPER FRIEND IS OF THE OPINE THAT, IN THE EVENT OF A McCAIN/PALIN VICTORY COME NOVEMBER, we should essentially let things deteriorate all the further socioeconomically so things can eventually get better.

In effect, letting the debaucheries of His Fraudulency's Great Within run their course, mindful all the more that we maintain the que vive on the Government.

Breathes there a more logical argument of the need for realistic change come November?

============

BUT THEN AGAIN, ON THE OTHER HAND, WE AS A "MORALLY SUPERIOR" SOCIETY NEED TO BE ALL THE MORE WATCHFUL OF ELECTORAL INTEGRITY AND PURITY, especially so in light of the following videos released by the Security Group of the University of California/Santa Barbara as reveal where "touch-screen" voting machines are prone to hacking and manipulation as can only undermine electoral intgrity:

In support of these videos is this report which explains the modus operandi of the tests, and the damaging revelations.

Which no doubt confirms the apocryphal remark of Soviet-era dictator Josef Stalin suggesting that "it's not the one who votes that counts; it's who counts the votes."

Enough, then, to call upon such states still adamant in their use of touch-screen electoral technology to decertify said machines with celerity and dispatch, in light of the clear and present dangers so exposed as undermines electoral integrity and purity--and, to a larger extent, democracy per se. Especially when weird and unwholesome elements are involved in their programming and vote-counting, all the while expected to keep quiet and, if and when asked to explain, deny any and all knowledge thereof.

And, in the process, call upon them to reinstitute hand-counted ballot papers to ensure electoral integrity and purity all the more.

Unless they happen to have some cheap and cheerful patsy they can use to avoid liability ... or are otherwise asked to leave the country incognito and keep a low profile, reinforced by substantial "hush money" retainers.

For now, though, tell your friends.

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WITH THE REPUBLICAN VICE-PRESIDENTIAL WANNABE SARAH PALIN INSISTING THAT THE IRAQI FRONT IN THE UR-RAHOWA AGAINST TERRORISM is Divinely Authorised, may we be reminded, readers, that seeing world events through the narrow and badly-focused lens of Biblical interpretation borders on heresy and blasphemy.

As witness what the Assemblies of God had to say in their 2000 position paper "Endtime Revival--Spirit-Led and Spirit-Controlled," as reaffirmed its 1949 General Assembly declaration that "Latter Rain" doctrines were deviant and heretical:

There is certainly nothing wrong with finding parallels between historical biblical events and the application of biblical truth to life today–for edification and encouraging spiritual growth. But when those events are forced into a strained application of endtime events, thinking Christians should be on the alert. The Bereans of Acts 17:10,11 were commended because they "searched the scriptures daily, whether those things [that Paul was teaching] were so." A teaching announced as the revelation of a new truth should be checked out very carefully. Pentecostals have become accustomed to anointed and dynamic preaching. But hearing a teacher speak with authority and self-confidence does not make the teaching true. It must always line up with Holy Scripture. Personal charisma is no substitute for biblical authority.

That last sentence in the preceding may want to apply as a warning about the appeal of the aforementioned Sarah Palin; AlterNet elaborates in an interesting report as is definitely worth sharing to your friends, by e-mail and otherwise.

=============

AS FOR JOHN McCAIN, WHO SELECTED PALIN AS HIS RUNNING-MATE (AND PROBABLY PREENING HER FOR THE TRAVESTY OF THE PRESIDENCY in the form of a superdivine "Prophet, Seer and Revelator"), his temper could be a liability we may be all the more unaware of. Take this example in video form:

And it turns out that McCain's habit for tantrums may be of the sort as are known medically as "pe-existing." Witness what McClatchy Newspapers (via The Kansas City Star) had to say @ the weekend about McCain's propensities therefor being practically lifelong:

Historians point out that it's not unusual for a president to have a fierce temper, but most knew how to keep it under control.

"Harry Truman wrote scathing letters, but he almost never sent them," said author Robert Dallek.

"George Washington spent a lifetime trying to control his temper," added historian Richard Norton Smith.

But Washington didn't have YouTube replaying videos of his tantrums, nor did he have to make decisions about nuclear weapons.

At age 2, McCain's tantrums were so intense that he'd hold his breath for a few minutes and pass out. His parents would dunk him in cold water to "cure" him, he wrote in his memoir, "Faith of My Fathers."

"I have spent much of my life choosing my own attitude, often carelessly, often for no better reason than to indulge a conceit," he wrote. He conceded that some of his actions have been embarrassing, and "others I deeply regret."

He was a tough little guy. At Episcopal High, he was a 114-pound wrestler classmates called "Punk" and "McNasty."

Richey, though, noted that such monikers weren't unusual in those days. "There was a tremendous amount of sarcasm in the way we talked to each other at Episcopal," he recalled. "That's the way we all talked to each other."

McCain, Richey said, "was not looking for a fight. He was feisty."

McCain entered the Naval Academy in 1954, and he was popular, the leader of a group that Timberg described as the Bad Bunch, known largely for its ability to have a good time.

Malcolm Matheson, who knew McCain at Episcopal High and stayed friendly with him in college, said his buddy had no trouble controlling his temper in those days.

"He was a little guy, but he was tough, and no bully ever got in his face," Matheson said.

But as McCain ascended in politics, he began to acquire a reputation for hotheadedness. On election night 1986, then-Arizona Republican Party executive director Jon Hinz recalled, McCain was unhappy, even angry, even though he'd just won a U.S. Senate seat and his party had just made a virtually unprecedented sweep of state offices.

McCain had hoped that night would help launch him as a national figure. Instead, when the 5-foot-9 senator-elect spoke at the Phoenix victory party, the podium was too tall.

"You couldn't see his mouth," Hinz said.

A furious McCain sought out Robert Wexler, the Young Republican head in charge of arrangements.

"McCain kept pointing his finger in Wexler's chest, berating him," Hinz recalled. The 6-foot-6 Hinz stepped between them and told McCain to cut it out. "I told him I'll make sure there's an egg crate around next time," he said. McCain walked away angrily.

About a year later, McCain reportedly erupted again, this time at a meeting with Arizona's then-Gov. Evan Mecham, who was about to be impeached after being indicted on felony charges.

Karen Johnson, then Mecham's secretary and now an Arizona state senator, recalled how McCain told Mecham that he was "causing the party a lot of problems" and was an embarrassment to the party.

"Sen. McCain got very angry," Johnson recalled, "and I said, 'Why are you talking to the governor like this? You're causing problems yourself. You're an embarrassment.' "

Johnson would go on to work at three different jobs over the next five years, and she said that each time, McCain would contact her boss and try to get her removed.

The McCain campaign didn't respond to repeated requests for comment.

When John McCain came to the Senate in 1987, he quickly got two reputations: a Republican who'd do business with Democrats on tough issues and an impatient senator who was often gruff and temperamental.

In January, Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss., told The Boston Globe that "the thought of (McCain) being president sends a cold chill down my spine. He is erratic. He is hotheaded. He loses his temper and he worries me." (Cochran has since endorsed McCain.)

Added Sen. Christopher Bond, R-Mo., who has a long list of vociferous, sometimes personal disagreements with McCain, "His charm takes a little getting used to." (Bond, too, supports him.)

Democrats are less guarded.

"There have been times when he's just exploded, " said Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa.

"Look, around here, people lose their tempers once in a while. But it doesn't happen very often, and it usually happens in some contextual framework. A lot of times there's just not much of a contextual framework for his blowing up."

John Raidt worked for McCain more than 15 years. "Yeah, he could get prickly," he said. "Sometimes that's exactly what's needed to move an issue or get attention. I think he uses it as a tool."

Stories abound on Capitol Hill: how McCain told Senate Budget Committee Chairman Pete Domenici, R-N.M., how "only an a-hole" would craft a budget like he did. Or the time in 1989 when he confronted Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama, then a Democrat and now a Republican, because Shelby had promised to vote for McCain friend John Tower as secretary of defense, and then Shelby voted against Tower.

McCain later wrote how, after the vote, he approached Shelby "to bring my nose within an inch of his as I screamed out my intense displeasure over his deceit ... the incident is one of the occasions when my temper lived up to its exaggerated legend."

Cochran recalled earlier this summer that he saw McCain manhandle a Sandinista official during a 1987 diplomatic mission in Nicaragua.

Cochran told the Biloxi Sun Herald that McCain was talking, and, "I saw some kind of quick movement at the bottom of the table and I looked down there and John had reached over and grabbed this guy by the shirt collar and had snatched him up like he was throwing him up out of the chair to tell him what he thought about him or whatever."

McCain said the incident never took place. "I must say, I did not admire the Sandinistas much," he told a news conference. "But there was never anything of that nature. It just didn't happen."

Former Sen. Robert Dole, who led the mission, couldn't be reached to comment.

Families of POW-MIAs said they have seen McCain's wrath repeatedly. Some families charged that McCain hadn't been aggressive enough about pursuing their lost relatives and has been reluctant to release relevant documents. McCain himself was a prisoner of war for five and a half years during the Vietnam War.

In 1992, McCain sparred with Dolores Alfond, the chairwoman of the National Alliance of Families for the Return of America's Missing Servicemen and Women, at a Senate hearing. McCain's prosecutorlike questioning of Alfond - available on YouTube - left her in tears.

Four years later, at her group's Washington conference, about 25 members went to a Senate office building, hoping to meet with McCain. As they stood in the hall, McCain and an aide walked by.

Six people present have written statements describing what they saw. According to the accounts, McCain waved his hand to shoo away Jeannette Jenkins, whose cousin was last seen in South Vietnam in 1970, causing her to hit a wall.

As McCain continued walking, Jane Duke Gaylor, the mother of another missing serviceman, approached the senator. Gaylor, in a wheelchair equipped with portable oxygen, stretched her arms toward McCain.

"McCain stopped, glared at her, raised his left arm ready to strike her, composed himself and pushed the wheelchair away from him," according to Eleanor Apodaca, the sister of an Air Force captain missing since 1967.

McCain's staff wouldn't respond to requests for comment about specific incidents.

The which are hallmarks of what psychiatrists call Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), whose known symptoms include:

*Frequent temper tantrums
*Argumentativeness with adults
*Refusal to comply with adult requests or rules
*Deliberate annoyance of other people
*Blaming others for mistakes or misbehavior
*Acting touchy and easily annoyed
*Anger and resentment
*Spiteful or vindictive behavior
*Aggressiveness toward peers
*Difficulty maintaining friendships
*Academic problems

(For the sake of insight, perhaps it may be worth it to study Edgar Allen Poe's posthumously-published satire "Never Bet the Devil Your Head--A Tale with a Moral"--or, for that matter, listen to its excellent adaptation for The CBS Radio Workshop in 1957, as starred John Dahner, Daws Butler and Howard McNear.)

*************

AND LEST WE FORGET, TODAY'S CLOSER IS "THE SCOOP" FROM DAY 8 OF THE RECENT MINNESOTA STATE FAIR, as per the Minnesota State Fair Daily News feature:

Debbie, thanks for making sure the family is fed.--Mary M.

AH and JR are registered at Tiffany's, Nordstroms and Williams Sonoma if anyone should be so inclined to buy an engagement gift.

Marketing: giant slide soon, be there or be square people.

BD do you think you can tell the ages of peole just by looking at them? Oh wait, you better not answer that question.

I'm just a hopeless romantic ... or a grade A creeper, one of the two.

Fairchild ... it is on buddy!

Yesterday was Nathan's birthday but who knew? He helps clean the Food Building overnight so he was there at the beginning and end, Hope he did something fun in between.

A warm fair welcome to Rocky the Castle's new pet.

The Harley-Davidson booth attendant gave a guest some licorice yesterday afternoon and it helped with her low blood sugar. She wanted to express her appreciation publicly.

To Maggie Jo and J Lo from Klemrlle Sue: Tick ... Tick ... Tick ...

Attn.: Due to high demand, the sconeboys will be holding auditions.

All it takes to entertain Grandstand Treasury is a cracker and a squirrel.

T--thanks for the ride.

The Skyglider does not stop to load and unload passengers.

Quirk/Birk/Sackett got some O.J.T. putting "Rumey Pull" together. Now the engineer can have show time.

Brandon--your technical help is unforgettable.

Hey Betty! Got keys? Got gas? Shut your car off next tiume and don't let it run for over 12 hours!

World-renowned wood scultpting artist Perry has ageed to teach woodcarver Bob (the hackman) how to do the job right. Thanks Perry, from all of us.

Teflon: good call on running away from those creepers in the parade ... BD just didn't use her smarts on that one!

Rainboots are in quite the abundance today! Loving it!

KF you are such the rock star, keep it up!

RG thanks for the pillow, you saved my sleep!

Only six days left ... dun dun dun!

Sarah: go for it girl, you two would make an amazing couple! Even if he doesn't know who you are!

Who was that girl the Timberwolves mascot was eyeing at the parade ...?

Megan: I don't think eating every two stands is a great idea ... might want to reconsider that one....

More where they came from tomorrow....   

more the engrish!

APOLOGIES, READERS, FOR BEING TOO FOCUSED IN THE EARLIER POSTING TODAY WITH THE RELIGIOPOLITICAL BELIEFS OF GOP VICE-PRESIDENTIAL WANNABE SARAH PALIN, who, methinks, John McCain is preening for Presidential material, realising McCain's state of decline--and whose religious beliefs have been held to be heretical for nearly 60 years by the mainstream.

As if that weren't enough, Ms. Palin has been quoted as saying that the Iraqi Theater of the ur-RAHOWA Against Terrorism is one with G-d's Work; that, right there, is nothing short of blasphemy which ought be criticised, and strongly.

Equally galling, per Zennie's Zeitgeist, is this major lapsus linguæ on Ms. Palin's part responding to the Federal bailout of mortgage-loan originators Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac:

Well, McCain campaign advisor Todd Harris said they didn't want Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to make a mistake early on, and that's exactly what happened today.  Palin, commenting on the news that the Federal Goverment was going to take over the poortly performing loan organizations Freddie Mac and Fanny Mae, apparently did not know that the firms were privately owned and held.  Palin said this, as written by the McClatchy Washington Bureau:

McCain's running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, speaking in Colorado Springs, Colo., said Fannie and Freddie had "gotten too big and too expensive to the taxpayers." The companies, however, aren't taxpayer funded but operate as private companies. The takeover may result in a taxpayer bailout during reorganization.

It's this basic lack of knoweldge of Federal Government operation that both Obama/Biden supporters and GOP backers who questioned McCain's logic in selecting Palin are concerned with.  Palin has no experience in talking about, let alone working to solve, Federal Government problems and policy matters on a regular basis that many wondered if McCain would have to engage in "on the campaign trail" training.

It appears that's the case.

This comes a week before Palin's scheduled ABC interview.

Such mistakes need to be called out as they occur, and used as "swift-boating" fodder.

(BTW, can anybody confirm Ms. Palin's reputed boast of her being expelled from six colleges within the space of five years? And if so, for what--flashing her grodies inapproriately?)

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SPEAKING OF THE SAME UR-RAHOWA AGAINST TERRORISM (THIS TIME, IN THE AFGHANI THEATER), Human Rights Watch has come out with an indictment of the American-led Coalition of the Coerced for engaging in airstrikes as have resulted in substantial numbers of civilian casualties that, in their turn, translates into a loss of public trust and confidence in the post-Talibani Afghani government.

Many of the casualties in question being an indirect result of the Talibani practice of using civilians as "human shields" against aerial attacks real or imagined.

Further damming evidence against His Fraudulency's Great Within for such blunders as could, come November, be but one step towards the devastation of our Antient and Pecuilar Soverignty and Soverign Identity by the "New World Order."

Be careful who you vote for, in other words.

If your state allows early balloting without restriction, use this approach if possible to avoid the "dirty tricks" squads the GOP's droogs and lackeys are likely to unleash upon polling stations for unwarranted "caging" attacks. Which can also be prevented by updating your voter registry if:

• You have moved since the last elections to another precinct; or
• You have changed your name by marriage or court order.

And remain all the more vigilant to "patriotic" voter-intimidation campaigns targeting the poor, the vulnerable and especially so National Minorities; if you hear of any, contact your local law-enforcement agencies, and also the FBI. Reports in any case are kept in confidence.

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ON THE ELECTION-RELATED FRONT:

• Angola's Friday elections for Parliamentary seats, the first such in 16 years, saw an unannounced second day of polling in their capital city of Luanda on Saturday after "irregularities" were observed--as well as reports of vote-rigging favouring the ruling MPLA party as don't sit well with the opposition UNITA movement and rumours that MPLA operatives hauled in truckloads of "voters" from Congo (Brazzaville) to rig the vote in border areas. UNITA is asking the Consitutional Court to declare the recent vote as null and void and to call for a revote.
• In Canada, Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Conservatives have dissolved Parliament and called early elections for October to avoid a loss of confidence vote.
• And in Hong Kong, pro-democracy parties in the Chinese Special Administrative Region have won 22 out of 60 seats in their Legislative Council in Sunday elections, holding back a challenge from pro-China parties and ensuring their continued veto power over Beijing-influenced legislation.

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IT SEEMS AS IF HURRICANE IKE HAD A BETTER CHANCE @ WREAKING HAVOC AND DEVASTATION UPON CUBA THAN THE FLORIDA KEYS; Evacuation Orders for the latter have been cancelled in view of revised forecasts as have its track moving well to the south of the Keys after doing a number across Cuba, especially so in Havana.

Moving towards Gulf Coast offshore oilfields, which are already in lockdown after Hurricane Gustav passed through a week or so ago to the point of affecting production.

Back to Cuba: Just as relief supplies were being released to victims after Hurricane Gustav's passage, Ike made its presence felt--and only making a difficult situation for the Communist regime even more so with rivers flooded over and road and rail links washed out. Not to mention creating the climate for a Spontaneous Popular Uprising against the Communist regime over delays in providing relief supplies, food and construction materials.

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JUST SO I REMEMBERED, HERE'S DAY 7 OF "THE SCOOP" COMPLEAT from the Minnesota State Fair Daily News back page:

Happy birthday to Flo from all of your friends in the Education Building. You look like a million bucks!

I wish the ice men would come around once an hour!

I want me one of those scone boys!

All the girls in the Pronto Pup spearing room are really cute and the boys in the delivery crew are too!!

James (att) your "Fair Mom's" have you on speed dial now. What time do your classes start at St. Olaf's? Hopefully not at 7:30 p.m. cause you won't make it!

Happy birthday Ron! Thanks for the 20 years that you and Betty have worked at the Crossroads Chapel!

The short man with the cane says Bob "The Woodcarver" needs all the friends he can get. His problems started when he was born. He was so ugly the hospital tinted his incubator windows.

Bob "The Woodcarver" has old friends from Romania back short friend with cane is out.

Feeling left out of all the new weddings in the works, AH and JR would like to formally announce their engagement! Presents are welcome, attendance to the wedding is not.

Thanks for all your help everyone!

BES you are simply radiant!

KF whatever you had to say I'm sorry you couldn't think of it. But here is a shout out to you!

BD, I hope no eye juice got on you. That might not look so good in a couple of days!

More tomorrow....