Friday, October 31, 2008

The rumors are FALSE!!!!!!!!!!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


October 31, 2008


VOTER INFORMATION AND CORRECTION OF FALSE RUMOR

The Shelby County Election Commission announced today that voting on election day, Tuesday, November 4th, will be from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. for that day only A false and incorrect rumor is being circulated stating that the Election Commission has extended voting until the next day. This is not true. The dates and hours of elections are determined by federal and state laws and cannot be changed by the Election Commission.

Voting will be conducted at 274 voting locations throughout Shelby County. To find your voting location go to the election commission web site, shelbyvote.com, and look for “Where To Vote” on the left side of the home page. Information on other election topics, including lists of candidates and referenda language, is also available on the site.

Shelby County Election Commissioners

Myra Stiles, Chairman
Richard Holden, Secretary
Robert D. Meyers
O. C. Pleasant, Jr.
Shep Wilbun, Jr



Shelby County Election Commission
157 Poplar Ave
Memphis, TN 38103

It's Feel Good Friday, and you need a laugh

And you'll get one here, because this is REALLY, REALLY bad...

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

HERE'S why we CANNOT let up.

Hat tip to the remarkable Digby, you HAVE to watch this.

Barack also says DON'T LET UP

Hat tip to Joe at AmericaBlog. Barack would like to remind you to NOT LET UP:

Seven More Days

Again, don't let up.

The Election Commission has extended Early Voting hours from 8 AM to 7 PM through Thursday, when it ends. If you haven't been to vote yet, GO, and take someone with you.

Confused about the Charter Amendments? GO HERE FIRST! They will explain it all for you.

Then, vote YES ON THREE and YES ON FIVE.

VOTE DEMOCRAT, and that includes Paul Shaffer if you live in SD-9, because, even though this is technically non-partisan, we are backing Paul, and the Goopers are backing Kemp Conrad.

If you want there to be a future, VOTE DEMOCRAT, VOTE NOW, and TAKE SOMEONE WITH YOU.

Unless, of course, you LIKE the way things are going now.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

DON'T LET UP.

Sure, it looks great right now.

Don't let up.

They may tell you Obama has it wrapped up, you may read that McCain and Palin are at each other's throats. That hasn't stopped their people from stealing your Democratic signs over and over and over again; they're petrified because they KNOW the people are tired of Gooper incompetence and malfeasance.

Don't let up.

Barack and Joe and Michelle and Jill aren't letting up. The folks at Eastgate and the folks in Whitehaven aren't letting up, and neither can we. Let's get EVERY DEMOCRAT POSSIBLE to the polls, for EVERYONE on the Democratic ticket, including Paul Shaffer.

Oh, and YES ON THREE and YES ON FIVE.

But, whatever you do, don't let up.

When it is 7 PM CST on November 4, and the polls are finally closed, THEN AND ONLY THEN can you let up.

Because we MUST END the war in Iraq, the deregulated madness on Wall Street, the outsourcing of our jobs, the Republican attempts to loot our country and turn it into a third-world nation.

The assault on all those folks who make less than seven figures a year (99% of us!) that began with the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980 can finally brought to an end on November 4, and we can then begin the long, arduous process of rebuilding our country, restoring the faith of our citizens in its government and the faith of the free world in the USA.

JUST DON'T LET UP.

Our very way of life is at stake. If you haven't voted early, GO. Early voting is open at 9 AM Monday through Thursday, and it ends Thursday at 6 P.M. If you just can't make it, then vote on Election Day.

Thank you.

Friday, October 24, 2008

Today's FGF

Not only is she a legend, she lives in Kernell's district! I have also had the great fortune to meet her on several occasions through the Center For Southern Folklore.

So, because it's a great song and Lauren loves it, here's the remarkable Carla Thomas with B-A-B-Y!

Thursday, October 23, 2008

THIS is why we fight, and THIS is why he is winning this election.

Well, I'm coming back, albeit slowly

This has been a most stressful week for me personally, as I had a personal crisis which has been resolved and let's leave it at that. I have to be more careful, because I now know I'm being watched.

Now then, back to the action.

In my absence, the local blogosphere has been superb in documenting the backdoor actions of a certain part of the SCDP, with regards to BallotGate.

Just so you know where I stand: YES ON THREE, YES ON FIVE, and no to TERM LIMITS. Three is the MLGW amendment, which would require a public vote before it could be sold, and Five is the Instant Runoff Voting amendment.

Apparently Keith Norman got the hint and is having the ballots re-done, although not at the Party's expense. It should either be at their expense or the personal expense of the people who oversaw the printing of the ballots, and arranged for the NO ON REFERENDUMS to be put in error on them. Mistake, my ass.

One of two things need to happen next spring, when the biennual reorganization takes place for the SCDP. First, we need to organize so that the people causing the problems in that organization are swept out or marginalized to the point of non-influence.

However, if that fails, then it's time to walk away from it and let it die, and work independently. I mean don't go to Kennedy Day, don't do anything for them, pretend they don't exist. Work for the candidates of your choice and help get the best possible Democrat in every office.

As Chris Bowers says, More AND Better Democrats, because that's what it's all about.

At least in the SCDP right now, all we have is more, not better.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

More on the SCDP situation

First, allow me to apologize to most of the ExecCom, it appears you folks weren't even ALLOWED to vote on Amendment 5, the Instant Runoff Voting Amendment, or ANY OTHER amendment. Apparently when one of the members tried to bring it to the floor for a vote, the presiding officer didn't allow it to come up for a vote, stating theSteering Committee hadn't seen it.

SO? What the hell? If the ExecCom never voted on this, why then does the OFFICIAL SCDP Ballot say that you should vote NO on ALL referendums? REALLY?

Is it REALLY the official position of the Shelby County Democratic Party that you should vote AGAINST a referendum that says any sale of MLG&W has to be approved by the voters? REALLY?

It is REALLY the position of the SCDP that the County Charter Amendments should be voted down? REALLY?

Just who the hell MADE that decision if the SCDP ExecCom NEVER GOT TO VOTE ON THIS? THIS is the kind of BS that makes the Party look inept and ineffective, and Democratic candidates look to be not the beneficiaries of good candidates and good policies, but merely the beneficiaries of favorable demographics.

Yeah, that means what you think it does, and somebody needs to answer for this travesty.

If certain elected officials (and you know who you are) wanted the term-limits amendment to FAIL, why didn't you just say so? Hell, that was the ONE Amendment I voted against, no one could have argued that, not any Democrats.

ALL OF THEM? Without a vote of the Committee? For once, I wish Del Gill had been there to scream bloody murder, as he (and EVERYONE ELSE) should have done. This is backroom BS, and it needs to STOP. The ballots that are out there need to be DESTROYED and new ones with NO POSITION on the refenda need to be issued, because there are candidates on the ballot that NEED that ballot to go out, such as Paul Shaffer and Bob Tuke (even though I am less hopeful about Tuke than Shaffer).

To allow these ballots to stay out there obliterates any shred of credibility that the local Party has. This would never have happened if Keith Norman were still alive, by heavens!

Oh, wait.....

UPDATE 9:18 P.M. Happily, I stand corrected, Mr. Norman will have a press conference, per WTL, tomorrow at 11:30 at the IBEW Hall, 1870 Madison. I just might have to make sure I visit there before I go to work. It's about time...

Friday, October 17, 2008

It's not looking good for FGF; read these and you'll see why

Read Polar Donkey and Brad Watkins at West Tennessee Liberal; what kind of country bullshit is going on at the SCDP? Did the ExecCom even bother to vote on this?

After all, since the local Obama campaign is volunteer-driven and doesn't really need that bunch to go about the business of turning out votes, the SCDP has proven their irrelevance with this act.

Go read both of these to see what I'm talking about.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

THIS is why you also need to help every Democratic Senate candidate.

Janetta pointed out this Tom Udall ad, go get some tissues first....

The lines are LOOOONNNGGG

I early-voted today at White Station Church of Christ, and waited in line 50 minutes to vote (this was during the noon hour). The woman with whom I spoke said that 906 voted there yesterday, part of the 18,200 reported by the Election Commission. She also said that she expected that there would be a higher number than that for today!

It's not just here: Michael Silence and Tom Humphrey at the Knoxville News-Sentinel report that first-day early voting in Tennessee was up 32 percent over 2004, with over 100,000 casting ballots yesterday. WOW.

Go and vote as soon as possible, but be prepared to wait; it's going to be worth to produce the change we all want and need!

Why you should vote for Obama, Part 735



H/T to Sean Braisted

So why haven't we seen this on CNN, MSNBC or FOX NOISE?

H/T to Firedoglake..

Monday, October 13, 2008

Some FUN commercials

Former Cohen for Congress campaign manager Jerry Austin is back in his native Ohio working on commercials in a 527 with which he is assocated, Bring Ohio Back.

With thanks to Rick Maynard, check them out here, here, here and here!

Enjoy...

Thank you, Hillary!!!!

Preach, sister, preach!

Sunday, October 12, 2008

After a hiatus, we have RETURNED.

To remind you...

Ladies & Gentlemen, after a short absence, we are proud to announce the Memphis return of

DRINKING LIBERALLY!!!!!


We will begin again on WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15 at 7 PM with a DEBATE WATCH PARTY at our new home, the recently-renovated RP Billiards at 525 South Highland, on the Strip!

We will have a room with couches and a large TV, along with tables, food and Happy Hour prices from 7-10 PM this week, in following weeks we will run EVERY Wednesday from 7-9 PM. Please tell your friends and come join us this coming Wednesday, and EVERY Wednesday thereafter for the foreseeable future.

In addition to the renovated building, the menu is being upgraded; in addition to the great burgers you've come to know there and at the original RP Tracks around the corner, they have terrific pizzas and newer items, like blackened tuna. You will have a GREAT time!

Many thanks to David Holt for spearheading this project, as well as Rebecca Jackson, Rick Maynard, and Meg Seigenthaler for assisting in the reformation of DL.

Remember:

DRINKING LIBERALLY DEBATE WATCH PARTY

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15
7-10 PM
RP BILLIARDS
525 South Highland (between Midland and Walker on the Strip)

Be there as DL returns!!!!!

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Next Saturday night, come help out Mike Kernell!

Host:
Type:
Network:
Global
Time and Place
Date:
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Time:
5:00pm - 9:00pm
Location:
Raffe's Deli and Beer Garden
Street:
84 S Reese (at Poplar)
City/Town:
Memphis, TN
Contact Info
Phone:
9012835528
Email:

This sums it up for me

with a hat tip to the Arkansas Blog, and ode to Sarah Palin..

Friday, October 10, 2008

It's time for some Buck Owens

From the Jimmy Dean Show in 1966, here's Buck and the Buckeroos (featuring the great Don Rich), enjoy, this is for our old pal Papa Top....

Your FGF Roundup!

While I figure out what to use, we begin with a new blogger, Wandering Nate, whose initial entry is a movie musical classic from that noted songster, Lee Marvin!

Update: as you see above, we broke out some Buck Owens for your listening pleasure..

Pesky Fly - It's all about the Palin!

Sharon Cobb - Happy Birthday John Lennon (and Sharon!)

Newscoma - a VERY appropriate REM tune

Ginger Snaps - AC/DC

GoldnI - Pearl Jam

Monstermash40 - Garth Brooks

Brad Watkins at WTL - Scott Bowden!

Squirrel Queen - back to the 80s with ABC

Holly - Beck is Where It's At

Marc at Wild Tangents - No New Tale to Tell

Beth at Design Drama - B.B. King

My buddy Alex has no blog, but he enters the Troggs (NOT Wild Thing)

David Holt at WTL - A timely tune from Lefty Frizzell

Celtic Craichead - The Scottish Rogues

Thanks to Squirrel Queen for her list, more as they come in.

Thursday, October 09, 2008

And THE ENDLESS BLOGROLL grows again...

We welcome Heartbreaktown to THE ENDLESS BLOGROLL, she has great takes on country music and other such spectacles of life, go enjoy!

Your average group of McPalin supporters

With H/T to Kleinheider, here are the people who support McSame/Failin (as Ilissa Gold called them):

Wednesday, October 08, 2008

Early voting is at hand..

NOTICE OF EARLY VOTING
NOVEMBER 4, 2008
FEDERAL & STATE GENERAL AND MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS


Pursuant to Sec. 2-6-103, Tennessee Code Annotated, notice is hereby given by the Shelby County Election Commission of unrestricted early voting for the November 4, 2008, Federal & State General and Municipal Elections as follows:

Site Locations, Dates and Times
SHELBY COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSION
157 POPLAR AVE., SUITE 121
Beginning Wednesday, October 15, 2008 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Weekdays: October 16 through October 17, 2008 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Saturday: October 18, 2008 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Weekdays: October 20 through October 24, 2008 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Saturday: October 25, 2008 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Weekdays: October 27 through October 29, 2008 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Last Day: Thursday, October 30, 2008

Satellite Sites
Beginning Wednesday, October 15, 2008 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Weekdays: October 16 through October 17, 2008 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Saturday: October 18, 2008 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Weekdays: October 20 through October 24, 2008 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Saturday: October 25, 2008 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Weekdays: October 27 through October 29, 2008 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Last Day: Thursday, October 30, 2008

LOCATION NAME, LOCATION ADDRESS

Agri Center (Rotunda Hallway) 777 Walnut Grove Rd., 38120

Anointed Temple Of Praise(Youth Room) 3939 Riverdale Rd., 38141

Baker Community Center 7942 Church St., 38053

Bethel Church 5586 Stage Rd., 38134

Berclair Church of Christ 4536 Summer Ave., 38122

Bishop Byrne High School 1475 E. Shelby Dr., 38116

Collierville Old Town Hall 101 Walnut Street, 38017

Dave Wells Community Center 915 Chelsea Ave., 38107

Glenview Community Center(Replaces New Salem Church) 1141 S. Barksdale St., 38114

Greater Middle Baptist Church(Fellowship Hall) 4982 Knight Arnold Rd., 38118

Mississippi Blvd. Pre-School Cafeteria(Replaces Mississippi Blvd Church Counseling Center) 70 N. Bellevue Blvd. 38104

Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church(Fellowship Bldg) 3045 Chelsea Ave., 38107

New Bethel Baptist Church - Family Life Center 7786 Poplar Pike, 38138

Pyramid Recovery Center 1833 S. Third St., 38109

Raleigh United Methodist Church 3295 Powers Rd., 38128

Shiloh Baptist Church 3121 Range Line Rd., 38127

Westwood High School 4480 Westmont St., 38109

White Station Church of Christ 1106 Colonial Rd., 38117

Click to display map of the EV Sites

Pursuant to Sec. 2-6-102, TCA, a voter who desires to vote early shall go to the County Election Commission office or to any of the satellite locations listed above within the hours set out for the early voting period, sign an application for ballot and vote. Pursuant to Sec. 2-7-140 (c) (1) voters who are already registered can make address changes at an early voting site. For further information, call 545-2600.

SHELBY COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSION
Myra Stiles, Chairman
Richard L. Holden, Secretary
Robert D. Meyers
O. C. Pleasant, Jr.
Shep Wilbun, Jr.

Wow. Just wow.

Brother Watkins over at West Tennessee Liberal comments on the latest press release and recent actions by our former Councilor and erstwhile (and probably FUTURE) candidate for Mayor.

It's an interesting piece, to say the least; peruse at your leisure...

Tuesday, October 07, 2008

I had forgotten about this

Janetta reminded me of this...it's another reason why I can't wait for him to go.

Sunday, October 05, 2008

Gutless Punks.

No, I'm not talking about the Democratic Congressional leadership this time.

I'm talking about the Cubs, who are flying back to Chicago tonight to have their assholes surgically loosened. The Cubs had 97 wins in the regular season, the best record in the National League, and they got swept, they got OWNED, by the Dodgers, and their season is done.

Since James Loney of the Dodgers hit a Grand Slam to take the lead in Game 1, the Cubs have never led in the rest of the LDS.

This is a CHOKE of epic proportions, and they all need a swift kick in the ass.

Friday, October 03, 2008

And you thought I wasn't going to do FGF Roundup any more

Well, here we go; I started this with Don Henley...

Then the Craichead joined us with Old Blind Dogs

Sharon Cobb - Counting Crows

Russ McBee - Phoebe Snow

Ginger Snaps has TWO, a Wild Cherry classic and Kenny Loggins

Newscoma - The legendary Ralph Stanley!

Squirrel Queen - Fish Heads, Fish Heads!!!

GoldnI - Stone Temple Pilots

Kat Coble - an old Queen favorite

Ron of Subtle Bluntness - The Queers

Monstermash40 - Grease is the word..

Cluttered Brain - Kenny Loggins AND Steve Perry.

LeBlanc - SRV. 'Nuff said.

Nashville is Talking - Talking Heads

Sista Smiff - Eric Clapton

Scout About - Anyone for TOAST??

Jagadiah - MORE SRV. Yay!

Jim Voorhies - More Clapton, it's LAYLA..

Holly - Duran Duran

Gman - Weezer

Katie Didn't Do It - More Ralph Stanley!

Chez Bez - Peter, Paul and Mary

More as they come in; as always, thanks to Sharon and Ginger for their lists....

I present this for FGF!

It has been one of my favorites for years, here's Don Henley..

Thursday, October 02, 2008

Janetta sent this to me, and we all need to watch it

In other news

Big Z, it's on YOU, baby. You had better pitch the game of your life tonight, because if you guys choke this series away after having the best record in the National League all year, you really really suck.

Also, GO SOX against the Rays!

Now, then, back to politics. If Joe Biden actually WOULD say this tonight, I think I would empty my savings to max-out to the campaign. Damn, I love the The Rude Pundit!

Good morning campers...

Ilissa's right, I shoulda said Cynthia McKinney..

In any event, I am now referring to myself as a Bernie Sanders and Dennis Kucinich Democrat, and while I will probably hold my nose and vote for Obama, I'm not all that happy about it.

The best comment, from my buddy Tom Guleff, who said this:

This bailout is junk, and won't fix the problems.

It kind of feels like giving your keys to the biggest drunk at the party, and having him drive you home (and you're sober).


Amen, brother.

Wednesday, October 01, 2008

I need your help

I am thisclose to saying the hell with it and voting for Bob Barr for President. No, I'm not a closet Klansman and I haven't suddenly turned Gooper.

I want you to tell me why the hell I should vote for Barack Obama when he whipped this horrible bailout bill that A) rewards rich Wall Street CEOs for the greed and deliberate malfeasance, B) precludes ANY possibility of any New Deal-type programs that are so desperately needed right now by ensuring that our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren are going to be saddled with so much public debt that we will NEVER get out from under it.

I am stating now that despite the fact that my Congressman is my friend, if he votes for this garbage, I will write someone in for the 9th District. You read that right.

I will no longer stand by and be an enabler for weak-kneed Democrats who kowtow to authority and refuse to do what's right because they're afraid of losing campaign contributions from these evil financial barons.

What point is there in electing a Democrat to the Presidency if he's just going to roll over for big money every time they whine? Franklin Delano Roosevelt would not have done that, and I don't expect Barack Obama to do so either.

Our COUNTRY is at stake, this is life or death and the senate vote tonight pushed us closer to death. We will be little more than a third-world banana republic if this passes the House, and we will be buried in the debts of others for generations.

I want you to tell me why this giveaway should pass and why I should vote for Obama. At this rate, we won't survive either McCain OR Obama.

My last comment: You can represent people or money, but not both. With his support of the giveaway, I know which side Obama is on now.

Is the apocalypse at hand???


NO, I'm not talking about the Wall Street Giveaway, er bailout, I'm talking about the fact that, for the first time in 102 years, BOTH Chicago teams have made baseball's postseason.

The Sox, in winning a one-game playoff at US Cellular Field over the Twinkies last night, became the first major league team in history to defeat three different teams (Cleveland on Sunday, Detroit in a makeup game on Monday, and the Twins last night) in their last three games. If they had lost ANY of those three, the Twins would already be in Tampa-St. Petersburg preparing for the Rays.

So, they get for their troubles a best of five series with the team with the best homefield record in baseball, the surprising Rays. Who knows, they might surprise us all!

As for the North Siders, they open at Wrigley today against the Dodgers and Manny Ramirtez, whose presence revitalizedthe boys from Chavez Ravine. What, you say he's not important? Ask the Red Sox, who have not won a World Series without the ManRam since 1918; they are in Anaheim to play the Angels.

ALL LDS games are on TBS (27 on your digital cable!).

GO CHICAGO!!!!!!!!!