Yeah Tony, barry sure can pick 'em - I mean he's such a good judge of character and all. I mean, look who he had for a spiritual mentor for the past 20 years until he threw him under the bus for political expediency.

I get the sneaking suspicion that this "poet" is going lecture us all about the evil white man at the inaugural.

of Elizabeth Alexander's poetic skills, read
A Poem for Nelson Mandela

It is a whole poem though, and may not be of much use to those who focus on out-of-context minute details to validate their stance.

"I can't wait until tomorrow, because I get more lovable every day."

"The purposeless undriven life." What a sad existence; scour the internets and only come up with an excerpt from a poem. How unhappy and unfulfilled must this person be? Honest question. Anyway, it seems like with all of those hours scanning the internets, he would have come up with something more scintillating....

LIKE THIS

You can be such a hypocrite! Pointing out Fred as having a "sad existence; scouring the internet(s?) and being "unhappy and being unfulfilled" and then you bring up trash reporting on these other people, just to get another dig in, politically. I think I liked you better before your "pseudo-sex" change!

I liked your comments (won't make a values judgment on you personally) before you began throwing brave military veterans under the "sell out" bus for daring to not support your candidate. How you feel about me and my opinions is out of my control, but I'm quite comfortable with the opinions I hold and the company I choose to keep. And if you think Sarah Palin's daughter marrying a lad who apparently grew up in a drug home is not as news worthy as a poet for the inauguration, let's just see which story hangs around longer.

G'Day

your pseudo sexually changed queen "tucking" Diva

The mother of the boyfriend of the daughter of an former vice-presidental nominee is not national news, period. It's gossip, not news. Those kids have had more than enough "national attention", especially to not have any say in the matter. And it should be over. You and Jeff have every right to continue your petty gossiping, if you desire. It still doesn't make it right. But then, I guess you're " quite comfortable" with that, too.

A few lines taken out of context by a poet ARE news and blogworthy in your mind, but Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska, and ramrod of the GOP having a daughter marry into a drug manufacturing, possessing, and dealing household IS NOT newsworthy to you. Furthermore, you understand why the living conditions of one of Obama's 30 something step siblings, the words of a poet, and anything else "fred" dumps in the blogs is certainly not "gossip." Fine brat. Suits me.

Personally, I don't care anything about this issue. If he wants her to do a reading or if he wants Warren there, it is his business. It will be something that is broadcast around the world, so I hope it turns out well, for America's sake. I just wish these kids didn't have their lives "broadcast", too. The kid can't help he has a very lousy jerk for a mom and I'm sure he is dealing with enough right now. I have a feeling you are a pretty good father(for a Diva!), so I hope you can understand. I just hate to see kids get knocked around in the news (and the blogs).

...

From my perspective, diva's post was about a national news item, hardly what I would call trash reporting, it was much better than a few lines of a poem taken out of context, and scored much higher for its entertainment value. When you're talking about showtime, entertainment is everything. Watching someone spend so much effort and come up with little more than a poem snippet can evoke the emotion we call sadness in certain higher intellects, or so I have been told.

"I can't wait until tomorrow, because I get more lovable every day."

Let me see if I have this straight. You say the mother of the boy of the daughter of the VP Candidate who lost is more news worthy than the person who will actually have a national audience? The mother who did nothing during the election; she is only involved due to DNA. She is only involved because her son had sex with a candidate's daughter. But yet, a person who will have the opportunity to speak to millions through out the world is not news worthy. If I understand your thoughts correctly, then you have what I would call a strange perspective of what is really important or news worthy. That goes for you too Diva.

However, I think you have the right to feel that way. After all, tolerance is something I, as a conservative, do maintain. I just wanted you to reevaluate. If you still hold the same perspective, that is Okay with me.

Have a Merry Christmas!

Carbon and diva.

Oh give me a break. The mother of the boyfriend of the Alaska governors daughter in jail qualifies as news?

As much as the half-brother of a presidential candidate whom he never met living in Africa in what you called poverty yet he did not qualifies as news. Smell what I'm cookin "fred?"

barry could have helped his half-brother if he wanted to. After all, he is all about 'spreading the wealth', isn't he? Oh yeah, not his wealth, just the wealth of the little people.

That was a news story because it showed barry to be nothing but a lying hypocrite.

Sure, everything they do is now news in a National Enquirer kinda way. BTW here's their story: Levi Johnston's mother busted on drug charges

But as to the kiddies apparently it's really true love. Levi got Bristol's name tattooed on his ring finger: Levi Johnston's Tattoo

Ah, romance!

The hypocrisy? The Governor's daughter and her baby daddy both dropping out of school as teenagers and it's okay with all the adults and they're celebrated for their family values? But it's the Christmas season and I'm not gonna go there.

The next story of little interest and no importance will be the naming of the tot. The Sarah Palin name generator, given “Bristol Levi” yields “Shank Piston Palin”.

Hope it's a boy.

Whatcha reckon is the holdup about the Bristol Palin and Levi legalization?
I knew it wouldn't happen before the election was over and if they had won the election, (the Palins) I also knew it wouldn't be a White House wedding, but it seems by now it would have been prudent!

The name of the baby would be different if they had won than it will be now.
Winning: Caviar Samples Johnston
Losing: Polar Pipe Johnston

If no marriage occurs:

Polar Caviar Palin

I see no hypocrisy here with this situation. Dropping out of school and having sex in high school when you have a religious Mother is not uncommon.
Some of the meanest kids that I was raised with were the most strict Preacher parents of the evangelical, holiness, basic types! They really were fed up by 12-13!

I meant that sincerely.

How can anyone not appreciate someone who would actually post a name like "Shank Piston"? You made me laugh. Now if we can get more on here to laugh a little and get over meaningless junk, we could all enjoy a more pleasant Christmas.

And have a happy New Year also.....

"Now if we can get more on here to laugh a little and get over meaningless junk, we could all enjoy a more pleasant Christmas."

It just didn't come out of my keyboard as nice as it did yours. Have a Great Christmas, and enjoy your family and friends like there is no tomorrow.

We're all on pins and needles here anticipating a very Merry Christmas. My nephew's wife is in the hospital right now expecting a baby boy any minute!

I ran their names through the Generator and it came back "Rust Mustang". What a great name! I e-mailed it to my nephew.

Merry Christmas to all!

Jeff - Congratulations to your nephew on the coming of his baby boy. What an exciting time! Babies bring such hope and innocence into a world so tainted with skepticism. I hope your nephew and his wife don't have too much 'mustard colored poop' in their future.

I think Alexander's poem/excerpt is about the not-so-glamorous side to parenting. You know, the stuff that doesn't make it on a Hallmark card. Her style isn't to my particular liking, I like the dead poets ie: Whitman, Dickinson, Browning, Blake, Poe, etc..... But I feel pretty certain that Alexander will not be speaking of 'mustard colored poop' at the inauguration. Surely her judgment is better than that, and if it isn't - we'll all have much to laugh about - either way, it should be entertaining.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

"That it will never come again is what makes life so sweet."
- Emily Dickinson

Have a wonderful Christmas and a peace-filled New Year! By the way, I have admired your picture of your daughter since you put it on as your avatar. You have talent!

Thank you both for the nice comments.

Maybe, when the hectic pace of this season is behind us, we can all get together for another coffee meeting. I would enjoy that.

"That it will never come again is what makes life so sweet."
- Emily Dickinson

Will Latitude be open tomorrow? If so, are you working? I have something I would like to bring you, if you are. I work until between 5:30pm and 6:00pm. I can drop them off on my way home from work. Hint: They have chocolate and peanut butter!!! If I don't respond after you reply it is only because I have such a hard time getting into this site

BROWNIES!!!! It's your famous chocolate/peanut butter brownies!! Am I right? Oh, boy, I remember those very well!

No, we will be closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We just didn't feel that there would be any business Christmas Eve and decided it best to just spend the time with our families (especially after working ALL the time).

We'll be in Hampton at my mom and dad's house for dinner by 5:30, then we usually take the kids over to the Gaddys' house to see the awesome light display - that has become a tradition for us. Then we come home, set out cookies for Santa, and I read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas' to the kids.

Call the restaurant and ask Tim for my phone number - I'll tell him to give it to you (just don't want to put my number on this site). Call me and we'll see when we could get together. I'm glad to hear from you.

Merry Christmas to you, your sister, your nephews,and your mom and dad,

Shannon Dawn

A Merry Christmas and Happy Whole Next Year to you. Thank you for the greeting and well wishes. Your style and grace are a very welcome addition to The Citizen blogging community.

"I can't wait until tomorrow, because I get more lovable every day."

I hope everyone has a safe, happy and prosperous holiday season!!

MOC

Merry Christmas to everyone. Be safe.
Hutch, should I be concerned about you? Let me hear from you! I know this Christmas will be hard for you without your sister.

Tug

No worries Tug, I'm as good as I can be, considering. BTW people, our Tug makes amazing fudge and other goodies as us privileged folks can attest to.

I yam what I yam....Popeye

Our friend Hutch is too modest to tell you he makes beautiful things with wood. He has a way with words too.

Merry Christmas Hutch

Tug