THE NOTION OF CERTAIN BLOGGERS LIKE YOUR CORRESPONDENT (OR, AS HIS FRAUDULENCY DESCRIBED IT TO THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION, "THE ANGRY LEFT") being a Clear and Present Danger to Our Antient and Pecuilar Soverignty and Soverign Identity as a Nation, methinks, is taking it over the top.

Especially from an element seeing journalism as nothing more than a tool which should serve the State's Greater Collective Good above all else, preferably through a greater emphasis upon propaganda above the facts (recall, for example, Nazi Germany's pornographically lurid weekly tabloid Der Sturmer, whose anti-Semitism was of a crude and spineless, "written-so-you-can-understand-it" stylee).

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AND TALK ABOUT DOUBLETHINK EXTRAORDINAIRE: The Log Cabin Republicans, a group of GLBTQ Republicans, gave their endorsement to the McCain/Palin Presidential ticket, notwithstanding its equating homosexuals as a Retrograde Species of Humanity and homosexuality as a Travesty and Perversion of Nature.

Let's not forget that the Nazis and the apartheid regime in South Africa staunchly opposed homosexuals and homosexuality as violating the Natural Order.

Did you spot the doublethink?

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VICE-PRESIDENT CHENEY IS LABOURING UNDER THE SAME DELUDED BELIEF FOX PROLEFEED HAD RECENTLY THAT IMPORTED OIL AND NATURAL GAS OF AZERBAIJANI ORIGIN (via the Caspian Sea, which is the only ocean lacking a natural outlet) is one with American energy self-sufficency, no doubt explaining the urgency of his talks in Baku with the Azerbaijani leadership on ways to defend its antient and pecuilar soverignty and soverign identity against renewed Russian territorial aggression as was shown most recently in the South Ossetia and Abkhazia districts of Georgia.

Which, as it turns out, have been declared "soverign entities" by Russia in a stylee not unlike apartheid South Africa's infamous "bantustan republics" of Bophutswana, Ciskei, Transkei and Venda--i.e., recognised as soverign only by its slavemasters.

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THE REMNANTS OF HURRICANE GUSTAV ARE PROVIDING THE SOUTHERN PLAINS AND THE LOWER BIBLE BELT WITH SOME RATHER UNNECESSARY(?) RAIN, doubtless including Branson and its idealised Muzikschaukultur preferred by the cultural-conservative camp as the One True Acme and Perfection of Amerikanischer Realkultur and its acid test.

Meanwhile, Hurricane Hanna (not to be confused with Hannah Montana or Hanna-Barbera) is over the Bahamas in transit to the Georgia-South Carolina region (preferably the likes of such areas preferred by the Christian Exodus Movement in the latter), Hurricane Ike is over Hispaniola with Cuba in its sights, and Tropical Storm Josephine is not that far behind.

No wonder the Elmer Gantry movement must be anxious all the more about opportunities for seeking Divine Wrath and Judgement, especially upon Cuba; the better to hasten a Spontaneous Popular Uprising against the Communist regime as would bring about not so much democracy (as Fox Prolefeed, already given exclusive coverage rights, wants us all to believe) as a Corporatist/Scientologist regime creating the aura of responsible government based on a "pure" free-market capitalist model.

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JAPANESE MEDIA REPORTS HATH IT THAT THE NORTH KOREANS ARE REASSEMBLING, BY WAY OF BACK-DOOR TACTICS, their atomic reactor among the Azaleas of Yongbyon after agreeing earlier this year with the United States to dissassemble said reactor and renounce its atomic-weapons programmes.

No wonder official North Korean propaganda is forever insisting that The Rest of the World is somehow "backward" and "impoverished" when in fact it's probably nothing but a case of officially-sponsored projection in propaganda form.

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NOW, THE SCOOP FROM DAY 2 OF THE JUST-CONCLUDED MINNESOTA STATE FAIR 2008, from the pages of the Minnesota State Fair Daily News:

Audrey, it's day 2 and ATT loves you!

Teflon: you rock my socks off!

Thank you to Kermit for the goodies from the gals in the payroll dept!

A big State Fair welcome to the Ed Deemer family. Now in its 5th generation of fair goers. Susie, Ed, Wendy, Chris, Angie, Olivia and Adam. Same old camper in the campgrounds. Thanks Bebe!

Make sure you say hi to B. O. B. in finance.

BD: thanks for the Tide stick, such a help!

Karen how many tums have you popped so far?

Can't wait to meet you Florian!

Andy: Let's see who can eat more calories in one day

Keep up the great work Steve

There are some grade-A creepers out there, better watch out!

To the Taste of the Fair Fairchild--you have small hands--BD

BES--Hope the evil trolls are under control--J&B

Sara--those Pickle Pops sure taste like pickles!

Ash--Hope you have a great visit to TGMnGT--L

KF--We don't know about you, but oxen are our favorite animals--your favorite mktg interns

BD--Congrats on the promotion! Sure didn't take much, but I'm proud of you anyways--JR

BES--loving the pumps

TJ--are you sure you're five feet tall? There has been some speculation ...

We love the scoop!--PQ girls

More to come.

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CONCLUDING WITH SOME PURELY PERSONAL PIFFLE: After nearly a year online with cable-based Internet on a leased modem @ 1.5 Mb/second, Your Correspondent has chosen to take on his own cable-Internet modem (a Motorola SURFboard, know) @ double the download speed of previously: 3 Mb/second.

Which, on a monthly basis, after the modem is paid for, will be slightly more than what he paid for (again, monthly) for 1.5 Mb/sec. Internet and the lease on the modem.

Even more interesting is where the local cable Internet supplier with whom Your Correspondent has his Information Stuporbahn connexion supplied some cable for what essentially was a DIY setup on the new modem, what with their installers rather busy having to fill installation requests among the collegiate crowd @ Winona State University, St. Mary's University of Minnesota and Minnesota State College/Southeast Technical to the point of orders being subject otherwise to delays.  

IN CASE YOU ASK ABOUT THE TITLE, SUCH IS INTENDED AS A TRIBUTE TO FILM TRAILER VOICEOVER ANNOUNCER DON LaFONTAINE, whose death @ the age of 68 years has been announced.

Mr. LaFontaine popularised the line "In a world where ..." to the point of its becoming catchphrase, thanks to his frequent use thereof in film trailers which he narrated in his rich baritone.

The Exaggerator extends its sympathies to the LaFontaine family.

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FIRST OFF, YOUR ATTENTION IS CALLED TO THE FOLLOWING VIDEO FROM BRAVE NEW PAC, which features Vietnam War POW Dr. Philip Butler explaining the clear and present dangers inherent in GOP Presidential wannabe John McCain's invoking his POW acts, deeds and exploits for political gain to the point of their being hackneyed and losing effectiveness:

(As a matter of fact, the whole notion of John McCain's invoking his POW adventures and experiences ad nauseum risks becoming all the more hackneyed, thereby creating a vacuum which Democratic Presidential wannabe Barack Obama will want to exploit. Perhaps even more hackneyed than the excesses of jingoist patriotism following 9/11's Unfortunate Events.)

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AND TALK ABOUT TITILLATION FOR THE SAKE OF POLITICS: ABC News revealeth where delegates @ the Republican National Convention in the Twin Cities went into full-on debauchka mode notwithstanding appeals by the GOP leadership to hold more somber celebrations in light of Hurricane Gustav's imminent devastation, preferably to include collections for Red Cross disaster relief:

So what gives?

And--to use one of the GOP's preferred catchphrases against Bill Clinton--"where's the outrage?!"

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RETURNING TO JOHN McCAIN FOR THE NONCE, RIGHT WING WATCH REVEALS JUST HOW the GOP Presidential candidate presumptive (to be formally "confirmed" tomorrow night @ Xcel Energy Centre) may have committed a flip-flop to outdo all his well-documented such--as in moving away from taking on the worst excesses of pseudoreligious "ministry" to becoming nothing more than their best and most faithful droog (or so they hope):

Back in 2000, John McCain solidified his "maverick" reputation by lambasting the Religious Right, labeling Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell "agents of intolerance" and decrying the Right's role within the Republican Party:

They are corrupting influences on religion and politics, and those who practice them in the name of religion or in the name of the Republican Party or in the name of America shame our faith, our party and our country.

Since then, McCain has been working hard to get back in their good graces, though the Right has been openly skeptical and their support for him has been lukewarm at best.  But all of that changed with his decision to name relative-unknown Sarah Palin as his running mate.

I can say without exaggeration that, in all my years of watching the Right, I have never seen them as excited about anything as they are about the Palin nomination.  Nor, for that matter, have I ever seen a prominent politician more blatantly capitulate to their demands:

James Dobson, Focus on the Family:  "A lot of people were praying, and I believe Sarah Palin is God's answer."

James Dobson: "[A]n outstanding choice that should be extremely reassuring to the conservative base of his party."

James Dobson:  I have only endorsed one presidential candidate in my life and that was George Bush in the second term after I had watched him for four years … So I'm very reluctant to do that … But I can tell you that if I had to go into the [voting booth today], I would pull that lever.

Tony Perkins, Family Research Council: "Senator McCain made an outstanding pick."

Connie Mackey, FRCAction:  "I am elated with Senator McCain's choice."

Mat Staver, Liberty Counsel: "Absolutely brilliant choice."

Richard Land: "Governor Palin will delight the Republican base."

Rick Scarborough, Vision America, "I'm elated. I think it's a superb choice."

Ralph Reed: "They're beyond ecstatic. This is a home run."

Gary Bauer, American Values: "[A] grand slam home run."

Phyllis Schlafly, Eagle Forum: "She is the best possible choice."

Janet Folger, Faith2Action: "[T]he selection of Sarah Palin is more than 'Brilliant!' 'Electrifying!' and 'Energizing!' The selection of Sarah Palin will lead to words like: 'Rejuvenating!' 'Victory!' and 'Landslide!'"

Wendy Wright, Concerned Women for America: "Governor Palin will change the dynamics of the entire presidential race."

Janice Shaw Crouse, CWA's Beverly LaHaye Institute: "She is an outstanding woman who will be an excellent role model for the nation's young people."

David Barton, Wallbuilders: "The talk won't be about, 'look at Sarah Palin' as much as 'look at what McCain's choice of Palin says about McCain's core beliefs."

Jonathan Falwell: "John McCain made it very clear that his administration was going to be a pro-life administration, and he proved that's his belief and his passion today with the choice of Sarah Palin."

Jerry Falwell, Jr.: "I think it's a brilliant choice."

Charmaine Yoest, Americans United for Life: "And then when [Palin] was announced — it was like you couldn't breathe. [We] were grabbing each other and jumping up and down."

Gary Marx, Judicial Confirmation Network: "I can tell you that this pick tells millions in the base of the party that they can trust McCain. More specifically that they can trust him with Supreme Court picks and other key appointments'"

David Keene, American Conservative Union: "The selection of Governor Palin is great news for conservatives, for the party and for the country. I predict any conservatives who have been lukewarm thus far in their support of the McCain candidacy will work their hearts out between now and November for the McCain-Palin ticket."

In eight years, John McCain has gone from attacking the Right's "corrupting influences on religion and politics" to answering James Dobson's prayers. Absolutely remarkable.

Perhaps it was time to ask Sen. McCain what explains this flip-flop on support from the Religiopolitical Right--and for Right-Thinking Americans to "swift-boat" McCain with in the now-compressed campaign schedule heading into Election Day.

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AND WITH THE REVELATIONS ABOUT THE 17-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER OF JOHN McCAIN'S VICE-PRESIDENTIAL DROOG, ALASKAN GOVERNOR SARAH PALIN, being great with child, the ConWeb is milking the doublethink angle on this story for great benefit, as per ConWebBlog:

Jacob S. Lybbert writes in a Sept. 1 NewsBusters post:

I think I've got it now. These are the MSM rules when dealing with the personal lives of national candidates and/or members of their family:

Given the chance to publicly embarrass and humiliate a Republican candidate's 17 year old daughter, do it.

If it's a moralizing former Democratic candidate for president, well, leave that to the National Enquirer.

Today, to head off the many tawdry rumors being passed back and forth between the Daily Kos diarists and their plagiarists in the MSM, the McCain camp announced that Governor Sarah Palin's 17 year old daughter, Bristol, is pregnant.

Um, when did the MSM report on any of the Palin pregnancy rumors? (The Times of London, right-leaning and Murdoch-owned, doesn't count.) Indeed, this story didn't make the MSM until the McCain camp made this announcement about the daughter's pregnancy.

Nevertheless, Lybbert goes on:

Unfortunately for the Palin's, they can count on increased scrutiny and criticism of their parenting and their daughter. Stay tuned as the schaedenfreudists of the left laugh about the "irony" of a social conservative with a pregnant daughter. The truth is, these types of things happen to the best of parents--even parents like the Palins.

How does Lybbert know that Sarah Palin and her husband are "the best of parents"? he doesn't say.

Besides, this newfound laid-back treatment of pregnant teenagers conflicts with the MRC's previous attitude on the subject. From MRC chief Brent Bozell's Dec. 28, 2007, column:

The year ended with the news that Britney's 16-year-old sister Jamie Lynn Spears, a star of the children's channel Nickelodeon, was pregnant.

Had the youngest Spears sister been cast as a tawdry teenage tramp on "Desperate Housewives," her real-world behavior would be seen as less scandalous. But Jamie Lynn Spears has been a fairly wholesome star on Nickelodeon since she joined the kiddie sketch-comedy show "All That" at the tender age of 11. She's currently the cool title character of the show "Zoey 101," set at a boarding school, a show watched by millions of grade-schoolers. So much for role models.

At the center of this vortex is the mother, Lynne Spears, who had her publishing contract "delayed indefinitely" for a book on parenting celebrity children, now that it's painfully apparent she doesn't know diddly about parenting celebrity children. The Spears family and their long trail of tabloid embarrassments make them some of 2007's biggest losers.

Got that? Jamie Lynn Spears is a "loser," but Bristol Palin is being unfairly embarrassed in public, even though both engaged in the exact same behavior.

UPDATE: Mark Finkelstein weighs in: "Yes, teenagers have sex, including children of the prominent and pro-life. Does ABC mean to imply that Sarah Palin is [a] poor mother? Bristol Palin ... is keeping the baby and marrying the father. Shouldn't we be celebrating those choices and the mother who instilled the values they reflect?" We wonder: Did Finkelstein celebrate Jamie Lynn Spears' choice?

As if that weren't enough, satirst Betty Bowers weighs in on her weblog, "The No Sin Zone," thus:

Candidate for "Vice" President Sarah Palin has finally fessed up that her unmarried teenage daughter has been running around town having unprotected sex. Truly, the Lord Jesus is showing us two things by this sad example of teenage harlotry:

1.  That a mother who also engages in sexual activity outside of a traditional, Christian marriage (if you doubt this, check out the birthday of Sarah's first son — April 20, 1989 — and the date she and her handsome hubby eloped — August 29, 1988!) sets an appalling example for her own children.  Indeed, studies from Focus on the Family have proven that harlot mothers wind up with harlot daughters 93.4% of the time.  Similar studies by the godly gals at Concerned Women for America have concluded that these poor, impressionable girls learn to strut, show inappropriate dιcolletage and beguile like pushy prostitutes in their very own living rooms.

2.  And a mother who values her career (to the point of abandoning a newborn to campaign 24-7 for a new job in another state) above raising her precious family should not be surprised when she FINALLY steps back inside her family home (if she remembers the address) to find that it has been filled with bastards in her shocking absence!

And, honestly, what is happening to our once-godly country when REPUBLICANS are getting all giddy over a unrepentant harlot?  I expect Demoncrats to go for that nonsense, but not the party of God.  Please join me in praying to the Lord Jesus that Mr. McCain kick this trash to the curb!

(Could we please have some independent, peer-reviewed substantiation of the studies in question about such women born in Sin all the more likely to live in a state of Sin?)

(Which brings to mind the fact that the Los Angeles Public Library actually banned Edgar Rice Burroughs' Tarzan of the Apes in 1929 because "Tarzan and Jane were living together in Sin.") 

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AND SO TODAY, SCHOOLS ACROSS MINNESOTA AND WISCONSIN BEGIN THE 2008-2009 SCHOOLS TERM in what could be seeing Interesting Times ahead, and then some.

As if that weren't enough, TGMnGT 2008 ended yesterday with a final head count of 1,693,263 visitors passing through the gates during its 12-day run, a gain of 11,585 visitors on last year but 69,713 shy of the all-time record of 1,762,976 back in 2001.

Those 1,693,263 visitors breaks down to an average of 141,105 visitors/day, further breaking down to 8,819/hour (allowing for the outside gates being open 16 hours/day) ... 147/minute ... or 2.45/second. And with 15 gates into the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, crowd control managed to proceed smoothly and efficently to achieve such numbers as discussed without serious problems. (For the record, the Saturday of the Labour Day weekend is usually the busiest, seeing 209,399 visitors this year; in contrast, the Tuesday and/or Wednesday thereof is slowest, with the latter being this year's slowest in the attendance department--88,288 through the gates.) 

As for next year's edition of TGMnGT, mark your calendars for 27 August to 7 September (Labour Day), inclusive.

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MEANWHILE, YOUR CORRESPONDENT CONTINUES A TRADITION ESTABLISHED @ HIS PREVIOUS BLOG FOLLOWING THE MINNESOTA STATE FAIR, as in featuring The Compleat Scoop Day-by-Day from the Minnesota State Fair Daily News, a two-page house organ on legal-size paper for State Fair workers, concessionaires and gadabouts.

Basically, "The Scoop" is a back-page compendium of chatty items submitted by the readership, or reasonable facsimile thereof.

And "The Scoop" from Opening Day (Thursday, 21 August) went thus:

Kermit Bischoff is back on machinery hill. He couldn't get his cell phone to work all morning and hehad everyone trying to figure out what was wrong. We found out finally that the man forgot to put a battery in it. It figures, he turns 80 on Aug. 24 so you'd better come in soon to say hello while he still knows your name.

For all your first aid needs be sure to check out Snyders on the fairgrounds.

Happy 53rd Wedding Anniversary to Joe and Ann Fox!

Happy Day 1 to Florian at Home Improvement from three generations of Daily News reporters who think you're the greatest!

I heard Fairborne and Fairchild were in fine form at the Taste of the Fair ... but what is it with the really small hands?

Good old woodcarver Bob is back on Machinery Hill. He apologized for looking so scruffy, dirty, unkept and unshaven (a general mess) while he was setting up. Heck, we thought he looked better than usual. You gotta hand it to him, though, he's going to keep coming back until he gets that woodcarving thing mastered. He will be cleanly shaved opening day and done correctly.

Be sure to watch out for flying squirrels RG!

How was AV TJ??

(More in this department tomorrow.)

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ALTHOUGH HURRICANE GUSTAV SAW MUCH LESS IN THE DEVASTATION DEPARTMENT THAN KATRINA DID UPON NEW ORLEANS THREE YEARS PREVIOUS, The Big Easy's Mayor Ray Nagin is urging the evacuated not to return until @ least Thursday; the better so city crews can clean up debris and check for damage and utility crews can restore service.

But then, on the other hand, the same areas of the Mississippi Gulf Coast as are recovering from Katrina (or trying to) saw their share of damage from Gustav's rain and winds, meaning that Biloxi/Gulfport may have all the harder times trying to rebuild in a cost-efficent manner consistent with free-market principles and characteristics.

As for how much relief will be needed for the afflicted of Louisana, Mississippi and Texas--notwithstanding the appeals of the GOP's Inner Circle for donations to the Red Cross as forced the first day of their confab in the Twin Cities to be limited to essentials, you have to wonder if relief agencies will deliberately withhold relief supplies from those who made good faith efforts to request help, and without good cause or justification. (Motherdear has this particular opine when it comes to the Red Cross, in contrast to the Salvation Army's relief efforts.)

Which just goes to show you what kind of mindset the Greater Conservative Agenda's Zealots and True Believers (Good Christians All, remember?) have when it comes to social welfare: Videlicet, deemphasising cash benefits as "wasteful, inefficent and counterproductive" in favour of an "in-kind" approach emphasising "industry, self-reliance, personal responsibility, thrift based on cash economy and a wholesome and simple home life" where ignorance and stupidity are seen as virtuous.

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STICKING WITH THE GOP'S CONFAB FOR THE MOMENT, IT'S EMERGED THAT THE UNMARRIED, 17-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER OF VICE-PRESIDENTIAL WANNABE SARAH PALIN has a nine months' dropsy and is expected to carry the child to term and marry the one who impregnated her.

On the other hand, Ms. Palin is a major supporter of the Junior Anti-Sex League having chapters in public schools to preach the doctrine that sex wastes physical energies necessary for Christian Witness work.

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NEXT THURSDAY WILL BE THE SEVEN-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNFORTUNATE EVENTS OF 9/11 ... no doubt guaranteed to be a major week of celebration among the forces of "healthy, patriotic" hate as a show of Christian Love.

Hate Week, in other words.

Not to mention the potential for using the Columbus Day observance as a Global Day of Solidarity for the Persecuted White Christian Peoples of European-American Heritage, as well as raising funds for front groups as are really diverting donations thus raised to their white-supremacist masters through innocent-looking street collections.

One likely cause: The "complete and final" evacution and resettlement of the Afrikaner Peoples of South Africa from Clear and Present Risk of Persecution by a Communist-Influenced Black Regime, to be further reinforced by appeals close to the traditional Day of the Vow observance on 16 December, a Holy of Holies among Unreconstructed Afrikanerdom and their Fellow Travellers among racists, bigots and the Archie Bunker/Alf Garnett crowd generally.

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WANNA BUY YOUR VERY OWN WEB DOMAIN?

Your Correspondent has decided to put up for sale, by way of this blog entry, the Internet domain thedailyphosdex.ws to a good party. The main reason behind this sale is to get rid of some debts on my part absent the likelihood of my coming into money within measurable distance, if the price is right.

Generously reasonable offers for the domain will be considered by e-mail, especially considering where the top-level domain of .ws is one of those you don't see much of in widespread use. Please let me know if you're interested in buying, and name your price--especially so one in @ least four figures. 

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HAT TIP TO "SANDY" OFF THE MESSAGE BOARDS @ HATEWATCH, THE SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTRE'S BLOG, for calling attention to these videos off YouTube as reveal a dark and dangerous side to Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, the Vice-Presidential choice of John McCain.

As in associations with the Alaska Independence Party, an Xtreme Right organisation with weird and unwholesome associations as include connexions to "militia" and "patriot" elements--and @ whose meetings these videos were made, revealing just how low Sarah Palin may be among the Dregs of Society as could be our nation's undoing @ the expense of the so-called "New World Order:"

Such videos need to be seen to be believed--and shared, come to think of it--vis-a-vis the clear and present danger of political depravity Sarah Palin may impose upon Our Beloved Nation in case she winds up assuming the Presidential role, and the powers and duties it carries.

Especially so considering John McCain's having hints of dementia which could pose their own antient and pecuilar dangers to Our Antient and Pecuilar Soverignty and Soverign Identity as a Nation, never mind the most paranoid in this respect suggesting that it's really the liberals who are prepared to sell Our Birthright to the "Evil Empire" of the "New World Order" just as Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for bread and soup ... or Judas sold the Christus to the Roman authorities for 30 pieces of silver, which he laundered in the collections of the Temple to avoid arousing suspicions (and would eventually go towards buying the Potter's Field for burial of strangers).

Or what exactly stands in the way of sharing political dynamite of the highest order such as this? Fear of Persecution and Betrayal?

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WITH THE HIGHEST OF SACHEMS AND POOBAHS OF THE GOP SITTING OUT THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION in the Twin Cities this week in response to the possible serious devastation of Hurricane Gustav across much the same areas of Louisana as were devastated three years back by Katrina and Rita (and still show the scars, by and large), it makes you wonder (as much as Your Correspondent) if the GOP Convention's truncated schedule is going to make this nothing more than a glamourised appeal for assistance to the victims (if any) of Hurricane Gustav.

As in the Belated Hurricane Katrina Appeal Telethon, pleading to the honour of G-d and Country for donations to the Red Cross and/or the Salvation Army (the latter preferred by the family out of motives dating back to my late father's service in World War II--as in the Salvos' frontline canteens offering coffee and donuts to Our Troops free gratis for nothing whereas the Red Cross charged 15’ for coffee and donuts @ their canteens), expecting them to provide the sole Government-Protected Monopoly on disaster relief, as if expecting such to be a show of how the McCain/Palin ticket hopes to provide disaster or emergency relief.

Let alone social welfare services in general, as in requiring such in need to show where they have exhausted all private-sector relief agencies for assistance before turning to the State for help--in other words, reducing the State to a "provider-of-last-resort" role under the banner of "building character" and "promoting personal responsibility."

And with His Fraudulency bivouacing @ his Crawford ranch, there's also the likelihood of a "Nero fiddled while Rome burned" scenario, using Gustav's devastation played out in endless worldcasts as an excuse to return to Al Cohol's worthy embrace and confort. And, in his maudlin stupor, appealing to the American People to "give until it hurts" as above suggested.

Let alone Neal Boortz once again suggesting to certain vulnerable specimens of Gustav refugees on welfare to consider Mrs. Warren's Profession as their best and only ticket out towards self-reliance. (Which actually happened after Katrina, in case you forgot History Recent by deliberate design or otherwise.)

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PERHAPS IT WAS TIME TO EXPLAIN TO YOU ALL THE LINK I HAVE TO SWISSINFO.CH FOLLOWING THESE POSTINGS, in case you were wondering:

Such goes back to my noting Stan Freberg's referring to foreigners, regardless of nationality, as "Swiss--that way, we don't offend anybody" on his summer-replacement radio comedy series in 1957, and its possibilities in this (presumably) "enlightened" age for deflating overzealous excesses of anti-immigrant sentiment crossing over into "patriotic" racism and White Low Church Christian Supremacy from time to time.

In effect, making immigrants otherwise @ risk of persecution Honorary Residents of The Fifth Switzerland (otherwise known as Swiss Abroad) by way of Mr. Freberg's avant-garde, if satirical, suggestion. (As reminder, "the Fifth Switzerland" is a popular term used to refer to Swiss expatriates, students, immigrants and travellers abroad, jokingly extending the traditional ethno-linguistic divisions of Switzerland vis-a-vis their four official languages of French, German, Italian and Romansh.)

In fact, Article 70 of the Swiss Constitution elaborates on the linguistic situation and rights related to the same, something for the Zealots and True Believers in the ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Fuerher vein seeing English as The One True and Approriate Language for All Americans:

(1) The official languages are German, French, and Italian. Romansh is an official language for communicating with persons of Romansh language.

(2) The cantons designate their official languages. To preserve harmony between linguistic communities, they respect the traditional territorial distribution of languages, and take into account the indigenous linguistic minorities.

(3) The confederation and the cantons encourage understanding and exchange between the linguistic communities.

(4) The confederation supports the plurilingual cantons in the fulfilment of their particular tasks.

(5) The confederation supports the measures taken by the cantons of Graubόnden and Ticino to maintain and to promote Romansh and Italian.

Now you know.

FIRST OFF, A REMINDER THAT THE VOTING IN THE BLOGGER'S CHOICE AWARDS WILL CLOSE FOR THE YEAR on 1 October, meaning you still have the entire of September to vote for me in the several categories wherein I have nominated this blog:

• Best Blog of All Time
• Worst Blog of All Time
• Freakiest Blogger
• Most Obnoxious Blogger

Your vote would be greatly appreciated in this the homestretch for the 2008 competition--and would be quite an achievement for this blog to win @ least one of the four categories as above. (You will need to register to vote, however; if not already, visit the Blogger's Choice Awards website, q.v.)

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TO THE MUSLIM READERS OF THIS WEBLOG, The Exaggerator extends best wishes for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, as begins tomorrow evening @ sundown.

Your Correspondent hopes that, in the name of Allah, the magnificent, the compassionate, and the merciful, your daytime fast will be an easy one throughout.

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

IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED THE ONLINE SHOPPING AREA OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE PAGE, Your Correspondent wishes to call your attention to a number of newly-added e-tailer affiliates as are worthy of your time and interest in your online shopping adventures.

One as may be of particular interest to the likes of the Jot-'Em-Down Store crowd (as in smaller country and small-town retailers struggling to stay afloat in a Wally World socioeconomic mindset, as in being able to get merchandise on competitive terms of wholesale pricing using the Information Stuporbahn):

Meanwhile, for those wanting to get into the cell phone game, might I suggest shopping around for the best equipment and the best plans as meet your requirements and budget. And the best places to start:

For our friends between Land's End and John O'Groats looking for another worthwhile online shopping experience, The Exaggerator is pleased to welcome:

And some other e-tailers worthy of your time and interest have made a return to this hallowed space; among them:

Remember that in any event, you're supporting this weblog and Your Correspondent by your online shopping adventures. Hopefully, you can make such something of a regular habit when you visit this weblog, the reasons of which are obvious(?!).

Thanks again for your support.

19 hours old

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YOUR CORRESPONDENT HAS JUST RETURNED HOME FROM THE REEDUNION 2008--AS IN THE FAMILY REUNION held on Friday and Saturday nights @ Camp Winnebago outside Caledonia, Minnesota, where brother Dennis serves as Head of Maintenance (and who made the choice of venue all the more possible).

The whole experience started Friday afterlunch when Dennis picked me up @ my flat for the Reedunion's venue, where, upon arrival, Motherdear agreed that it was alright if I stayed there throughout. Even if it was in a bunk bed in a cabin Dennis had set aside for the unmarried as had two foam mattresses stacked on top of each other to ensure some comfort and a couple of quilts sufficed as sheets, not to mention the window being open to get in some fresh air.

And was it quite the gathering: Not just the majority of my brothers and sisters, but also a few relatives from down Iowa way (Decatur County, in and around Pleasanton, to be exact) I probably hadn't seen since Dad's funeral in 1993; one such had a flowing beard for some reason or another, which I accepted for granted.

(As for those who couldn't come, brother Doug was preparing to evacuate himself from near Mobile in the wake of Hurricane Gustav's likely hitting the region, and Linda Rae was @ the alpaca interests booth @ TGMnGT. Now you know.)

Sheldon was seen with a thin gray moustache and a somewhat lanky build, and Shinko (Darrell's Okinawan wife) was starting to show her age with "salt-and-pepper" hair, a few wrinkles around her face ... but nonetheless, was as spry as ever. Motherdear, for her part, still needed a walker to get around, still managing to take her part on the ur-stage.

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FRIDAY EVENING DINNER WAS BASICALLY A COLD BUFFET to start with, just some sliced ham, roast beef and turkey breast, and some bratwurst Donna had grilled up; chips, salads, raw vegetables and bars rounded out the whole. Which I managed to follow with some cups of herbal (and basic) tea well until the bonfire started for the evening around twilight--and what a bullfest of nostalgia and memories flowed throughout!

Saturday morning started out rather foggy in the valley where Camp Winnebago is situated, and turned out rather bracing heading into breakfast--sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs, toast, juice (I had cranberry and orange such) and tea. (Much the same brekkie was had this morning, only whole-wheat pancakes with butter and syrup took the place of toast.) Followed by tea and conversation, which, for the most part, was by gender, discussing old family memories and plenty of doings; Your Correspondent served to correct some errors and offer some insight as required.

Midday: My Iowa kin with a Toyota Prius (that's a gas/battery hybrid auto) had me along for the ride as took much of the afterlunch, including a stop @ a cafe in downtown Caledonia where the ladies retired to for luncheon--and this just as the cafe was getting ready to close for the day, but was still willing to serve. And were the girls surprised @ our sight! (As for lunch, I had a special they had on the day: Grilled chicken breast sandwich and cup of chicken-noodle soup, with iced tea to drink. My hosts had the other special--BBQ beef and French fries.) Following, a browse of a boutiqueish store in Caledonia called Pine Cone Place was called for before the journey went underway.

After fueling up, this joyride followed County Rd. 249 east from Caledonia through Freeburg and Reno, down Minnesota/Iowa 26 to New Albin and Lansing, Iowa, then doubled back on 26, continuing to Brownsville to survey (or try to) what Dennis noted about flood damage when a number of bluffside and blufftop homes collapsed in June's heavy rains, tried looking for further such on County Rd. 7 towards Hokah, and paid respects @ Dad's final place of rest in Union Ridge Cemetery between Hokah and Caledonia, spotting the former farm as a windmill in an opening between two groves of trees as viewed from the cemetery.

Throughout, the fuel economy, helped largely by use of the front wheels as a flywheel of sorts to recharge the batteries, ranged around 65-75 mpg, with a short spurt of over 90 mpg between New Albin and Lansing, Iowa. (The two noted where they had taken the same earlier up on the Alaska Highway, getting quite the workout in fuel efficency throughout.)

Dinner that evening: Shredded turkey breast, au gratin potatoes, baked macaroni and cheese, bread, salads, vegetables and bars. And some more herbal tea. (Speaking of tea, one of the Iowa kin brought along an herbal blend known as Jason Winters Tea; I had a cup of it, and it wasn't half bad. Especially with sugar.) Following was an informal meeting, whence it was decided to hold the next such in two years' time near Leighton's new home patch of Necedah, Wisconsin, where Your Correspondent was appointed to maintain some correspondence and find out about some worthwhile lodgings for all.

And that evening, another bonfire as ran until late, with plenty of nostalgia exchanged among the men. (The ladies played dominoes back in the lodge uphill.)

And I swear that on both nights, the skies were so clear, you could see the stars in the skies above, even allowing for the pecuilarities of the valley translating into fog developing late of nights and continuing until sunrise on a regular basis. But then again, the shower took quite awhile to warm up in the cabins where I stayed.

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THIS MORNING, THE 2008 REEDUNION ADJOURNED, FOR THE MOST PART, after breakfast as the Iowa line of the family was packing up to return back to "the home patch." Adjourned to keep dates for later in the day down along the Iowa-Missouri line as is home to them.

Adjourned until the fourth weekend in July, 2010, near Necedah, Wisconsin, in the Castle Rock/Petenwell Lakes district of the Wisconsin Valley (Necedah closer to the latter).

"...and a good time was had by all in attendance," to translate the Afrikaans title of this item. Even if it meant that the older members felt rather tired out from the whole.

15 hours old

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