A Day in the Life of Dick Cheney...

My good friend Ghost travels often with the VP--one of his latest posts (on his blog), gives some good insight into a day in the life. Like him or not, the insight is fascinating--and Ghost can turn a phrase with the best of them. I hope you enjoy it...

--G

Longitude 26.13 Latitude 81.80, Part Dos

A day fit for a King

Just another day in paradise, or as we like to call it on SteakMatters – South Cleveland. Yesterday started off great and got better. Another 80 degree day, sun, and not a cloud in the sky, scattered t-storms predicted. We decided to do the beach, so we loaded up the truckster and headed out. Well we did have to stop at Target to get some essentials…oh my, kids are expensive.

[I’m sitting in the bloggers lounger, watching a pelican eat his breakfast. (as pictured above) He’s just sitting on the dock rail with a watchful eye and then splash! Right into the water. Pretty cool. Oh yeah, its Monday morning here. Don’t tell me there’s a recession. There is a ton of construction going on as noted by the rumble of work trucks and the sounds of truck back-up warnings. Or maybe it’s just the rich getting richer….]

But I digress. The checkout kid tipped us to a ‘locals’ beach not far from the store – Seagate. So we headed there. We had to pay to park, got a spot under a palm tree (to keep the car in the shade – did I mention its 80 and sunny) and headed to get the tram to the beach. It was pretty neat. The path to the beach was actually a .6mile boardwalk through a mangrove swamp (wetlands). The boardwalk was built with recycled material (over 4 million 1-gallon plastic jugs) according to a sign. Now that’s a lot of milk and a whole lotta cows and a WHOLE lotta STEAK…but I digress again.

At the end of the line there was a nice tiki bar and restaurant, beach rentals, facilities and of course the beautiful white sand beach and the aqua-blue Gulf of Mexico. While it was late morning and the sun was high in the sky, the sand felt cool and soft on the bottom of our feet. The crystal blue water was refreshing at ‘shrinkage’ temperature. We grabbed some beach chairs, lathered up the kids and ourselves and settled in. Oh yeah, Target boy got it right – the beach was pretty empty, mostly locals, so finding a nice spot was easy. We played in the surf – ‘playing dee futball with da boys’, looking for sea shells with the Princess, and just relaxing in general.

We headed back to the Royal Port with three exhausted kids and four adults looking for our beverages, if you know what I mean and I know you do. Once in Port the kids, in spite of exhaustion, were back into the pool. Lefty was mixing drinks in the blender and FLOTUS and Stretch were cracking Miller Lites. I headed out the back with Prince and Lefty Jr. to do some ‘fishing’ off the dock. What a fun and frustrating experience. (The lures didn’t work, so were going to get some bait today. After all, if that damn pelican can catch fish, so can we!)

At the recommendation of Ron Jawarski, who’s in-laws have a place down here, we ordered dinner from Joey’s Pizza and Pasta (sorry no website). We got salads, rigatoni’s, capellini, and 3 New York style (thin crust, BIG slices) pizzas – cheese, pepperoni, and veggie. The marinara, which I’m not usually a fan of, was great. It had a nice spicy kick to it and the rigs were cooked al dente. The salads were crisp with fresh veggies and the house Italian dressing. “Salad of the year” according to Lefty. The pizzas were the best part. The pizzas were 16-inch w/ 8 slices per. Do the math – it’s a big slice. The veggies were fresh according to FLOTUS, the kids loved the cheese, and the pepperoni was spicy. There’s a reason Joey’s has been voted the best pizza 5-years running.

The kids closed the night coloring and watching the satellite while we drank our beverages. The moment of the night was the emergence of ‘scotch Lefty’ singing U2. And with those scattered T-storms rolling in, well past pool time, I put a dent in my royal Crown and Lefty went on parade with the bagpipers, as evidenced above.

The perfect ending to a royal day.

- KOTUS (‘King’ of the United Steaks)

Spring is Here--and Now, So is Major League Baseball!!

I have good news friends. Even though the weather says otherwise, spring is in the air! The most convincing evidence of spring's arrival was at 8:04p.m tonight when President George W. Bush threw out the first pitch (of a game not played in Tokyo) of the 2008 MLB season.

Two things to note: Peter Gammons, in his pre-game comments, predicted that our Cleveland Indians would be playing in the World Series this October (with the Washington Nationals of the National League).

Secondly, the opening of the Nat's new stadium, Nationals Park, will forever be tarnished in my eyes. Why? Instead of politely clapping (or just not clapping at all), a good portion, if certainly not a majority of the Nats "fans" decided it was ok to boo as W. threw the first pitch. No class. Yea, yea, don't respond to this post with some bullshit about how it's their first amendment right--whatever. It was classless--it made me sad. It was a stark contrast with the first pitch he threw in Yankees Stadium post-9/11 when he received a warm, standing ovation from Yankee fans. Bush responded by throwing some high heat to Nats manager Manny Acta. It might go down as one of the best first-pitches by a President...EVER.

Anyway, raise a glass to Peter Gammons--I hope his prediction stands. Go Tribe!

--G

Longitude 26.13 Latitude 81.80, Part I

Greetings from South Cleveland, where its 8:53 am and a pleasant 70 degrees with blue skies and a slight breeze.

Landed yesterday, leaving Cleveland and its early spring freezing temps. Walking off the plane onto the jet way was great. 80 degrees and sunny. You could pick our fellow travelers out from everyone else in the terminal – jeans, long sleeves, pasty white skin. Those waiting to board the plane back to CLE – tanned, rested and relaxed. Except for the one guy arguing with the gate agent to get on the next flight (Dude, relax. Do you really need to get back to North that bad!?!)

The trip is the First Family and The Griswald’s. We’ve been talking about going on a family vacation together for some time, so when the opportunity presented itself to get a 4-bedroom, 4-bath house in South Cleveland for a very reasonable price, I laid down the cash and jumped at the opportunity…then I called Lefty with the news.

So while we got the bags, Lefty went to get the family truckster – a beautiful fire-engine red, 7-seat, Kia Sedona, minivan. (Actually, it’s a nice vehicle. Deep well in the back for our 10 suitcases (!), stadium seating in the back passengers, climate control for the passenger and the back seats, great sound system, due sliders with windows the roll-down. But I digress.) Lefty brought Navi-bitch to get us to our destination.

The house is located in an exclusive neighborhood of South Cleveland. Us pulling in was the Clampett’s pulling into Beverly Hills. Huge homes, Bentley’s, Ferrari’s, and Boats. As described about, the house is big. Bigger then we thought and more than enough room for the 7 in our traveling party. There’s a small, secluded pool, private dock, and satellite TV. The house is right out of the late 50’s, really 60’s. (Think of Michael Corleone visiting Hyman Roth in Miami.) Don’t get me wrong, the place is immaculate, and there have been updates – new kitchen, new windows, update and new baths in 3 of the four bedrooms.

After dropping the fams and the bags, Lefty and I head to Albertson’s. With two shopping cards and list written on the back of a boarding pass, we traversed the aisles. When we were checking out, this old bitty asked us if we were brothers because we looked alike, to which Lefty replied, “That was nicest thing anyone has ever said to me….” $300 in groceries, and $125 in booze and were back to Southern White House.

Mixing Margaritas and Kern’s apricot and run, drinking Miller Lite’s, we enjoyed the pool, the sun and the kids. We hit the jackpot when we found the gas grill in the garage (along with the ’88 5.0 drop top – Mr. Annoying would be envious.) We rolled the grill pool side, fired it up and grilled….sirloin burgers – medium and well, w/ cheese please. A couple more drinks and we called it an early night.

Today – The beach.

- POTUS

Ethan

Everyone have a nice weekend. I hope you have as much fun as little Ethan is having here!

--G

RE: Pure Delight

Sounds like it was a great evening of Scotch and Food. I, like GOTSOO, look forward to the next evening of fine Scotch and fine food. A tip of the SteakMatters platter to Chef, a friend of SteakMatters, for taking care of Lefty and for continuing to provide fine cuisine at one of Cleveland’s most famous addresses.

- POTUS

Pure Delight

As readers of this page know, I enjoy scotch. I wouldn’t say it is to the extent that POTUS enjoys steak – which is more important to him than the air he breathes…or to the extent that GOTSOO hates liberals – but all in all a single malt is a great way to end (or sometimes begin!) a day.

So when the Union Club announced one of their legendary scotch dinners, I couldn’t resist. Let’s just say that of all the meals I’ve had in the past couple of years, this was the most unique – and perhaps the most educational. Robert Sickler – Master of Scotch Whiskey – and Matt Fife – the Executive Chef of the Union Club combined efforts to come up with an incredible and historical culinary experience.

We were greeted with a Johnny Walker Red on the rocks witha splash of ginger ale and a lemon twist. Not my favorite way to drink scotch...but it certainly engaged the taste buds.

The Menu -

First Course - Grilled White Asparagus with egg, prosciutto, truffle vinaigrette served with Talisker Distiller’s Edition.

Second Course – Seared Sea Scallop with crispy chicken skin, adzuki bean porridge, red wine foie gras sauce served with Cragganmore Distiller’s Edition.

Third Course – Roasted Strip Loin Medallions with horseradish dauphinoise potatoes, baby carrots, au jus “ravioli” served with Dalwhinnie Distiller’s Edition.

Fourth Course – Apple Frangipane Tart with almond crème anglaise served with Johnnie Walker Gold from the freezer.

What a treat! Each whiskey blended perfectly with the food. The Talisker brought out the ruggedness of the prosciutto…the Cragganmore brought out the sea taste of the scallops, and on and on. The JW Gold from the freezer could have been a dessert by itself –as sweet as it was. Truly a meal for the ages.

The Education.

I was taught to never, ever put ice, water or any other foreign substance in a single malt. However, like a fine wine needs oxygen to bring out all the flavor, single malts need water to bring out the aromas, tastes and geographic uniqueness of each inspiration. Truly, the drinks tasted completely different with a hint of water – as opposed to neat.

I can't wait for the next scotch dinner - I hope the SteakMatters team will join me!
L

I did not have Text, with that women, Ms. Beatty...

RIP, Mr. Peterson

Let's have a moment of silence for Mr. Herb Peterson, creator of the famed, delicious Egg McMuffin. Mr. Peterson died at the age of 89.

Peterson came up with idea for the McMuffin in 1972. The egg sandwich consisted of an egg that had been formed in a Teflon circle with the yolk broken, topped with a slice of cheese (always got mine sans cheese and with sausage) and grilled Canadian bacon. It was served open-faced on a toasted and buttered English muffin.

God bless you and your innovation, Mr. Peterson.

--G

Surf and Turf

I can’t believe I forgot about Saturday’s dinner…it was probably the result of the gut buster Panini I had with Bernie, who from this point forward will be know as Ron Jaworski…it’s a Penguin thing.

Anyhow, while I was napping/recovering/digesting from lunch, FLOTUS took out the last four beef filets from Lefty and a bag of shrimp. She marinated them in her Tastefully Simple seasonings and skewered them. I moseyed out to the garage rolled the grill out and fired’er up, all while the Prince and Princess enjoyed the cleared blacktop on their scooters.

Once again, I got the grill up to 550 and placed the fridge temp filets on the hot surface, making sure that they were properly positioned over the LP flames. Same with the shrimp. As regular SteakMatters readers know, I’m not a seafood person, but I have been known to eat a shrimp or two. I do however, try to avoid them due to the high cholesterol. Three minutes on each side of the steaks and we were good to go. I moved them to the side to finish cooking the shrimp.

Once off the grill and on the plate, I couldn’t wait for the first bite. Oh so good. Even FLOTUS, who usually likes a steak cooked medium well to well, enjoyed the slightly bloody, medium filet. The downside to the meal…those were the last of the Omaha’s. Looks like I’m going to have to use the gift card I got from Billy Jean King for another order!

Happy eating.

- POTUS

And the Winner Is . . .

To answer POTUS' question from his most recent post: Is Hillary a Liar? Yes.

To be fair, as a politician, she doesn't have a monopoly on embellishment among her colleagues, R or D.

Sure, throughout history, politicians lie or embellish to make themselves look better in the eyes of voters. Someone once said, "How do you know if a politician is lying? If he(she) is moving their lips." I forget who said it, but Bob Novak uses that line every time he's on T.V.--which is like 27 times a day.

Unfortunately for the Hilla, this Democratic primary has actually resulted in a first for the mainstream media--they're actually running fact-checks on assertions made by these candidates. Billary isn't used to that.

The list of her lies and embellishments is endless. For example:

1. After the cowardly attacks on the Twin Towers in 2001, she claimed Chelsea was jogging around the towers when the planes struck. Chelsea refuted that herself--she was in bed watching it unfold on TV.

2. I won't recapitulate the whole Bosnia sniper event--you know the deal there. She lied.

3. She claimed she was named after Sir Edmund Hillary--when she was born, no one even knew who the dude was, he didn't climb Everest until four years after she was born.

4. She claimed she learned how to invest in the futures market by reading the Wall Street journal--only problem was the WSJ didn't report on the futures market back then.

5. The NAFTA deal--she said she opposed it, but recently released scheduling documents prove otherwise--she had pro-NAFTA meetings on her agenda.

6. She didnt know her brothers (George and...ummm..what's his name? i cant remember) were being paid by various people to get pardons from the Philander-in-Chief. C'mon, really?!?

7. She didn't know how the Whitewater billing records showed up in the White House residence...spontaneous appearance, maybe? I know, David Blane did it.

You can find details on any or all of these by googling "Clinton lies". I love the internet! Her hypocrisy would be another interesting google.

The first thing that comes to my mind is the Michigan/Florida "disenfranchisment". I find it HILarious that back when she thought she was going to skate to the nomination, she agreed with the DNC that Michigan and Florida should be "punished" for moving up their primary dates.

(God forbid we step on the toes of those omnipotent New Hampshire and Iowans--but i digress).

Anyway, now that she is behind in delegates (by an unrecoverable margin), she NEEDS Florida and Michigan to draw closer to BHO in both the popular vote and the pledged delegates. Now the argument is "We can not, as Democrats, abandon and disenfranchise the voters of these states--the franchise is our most sacred right, and we must protect that". Where was this concern when you thought you were a shoo-in. You were perfectly willing to throw these voters under the bus then, no? Am i missing something here?

I doubt my friend from a previous (Anti-Misogynist) post has made it all the way through this article. If so, I applaud her. Bottom line--Hillary is not fit to be dog-catcher, much less President of the United States. And again, my disdain is not based on her gender, it is based on her utter lack of honesty and complete willingness to do or say anything to further her blind ambition.

Keep beating each other up, guys. My man McCrazy will continue to keep his head down, raise some money and defeat the tired and bloody Democrat candidate, Al Gore.

--G

Is CBS Electioneering? Is HRC a liar?

I just don’t know where to go with this one. How can HRC’s memory be this bad? Maybe it’s PTSD from being in a ‘war zone’? At least she had time to hug a little girl and climb into a guard tower…it was sandbagged…kinda like this story. Which gets me to this question….how long has CBS been sitting on this story? Apparently HRC has told this ditty numerous times on the campaign trail. Are they hoping to help BHO in PA following the Wright wrong?

At least CBS didn’t have to create facts for this one, I guess because they were actually there. Maybe they were hoping to drop the story on Nov 3? The 2008 version of the November Surprise? What’s next from CBS on HRC? McCain? And dare we guess on BHO?

- POTUS

Look Out Hillary!!!!

Wait, that's just a kitten...my bad. I misspoke.

--G

At Any Cost...

U.S. news video contradicts Clinton on Bosnia visit

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - CBS News Video from Hillary Clinton's 1996 visit to Bosnia as first lady contradicts a more dramatic description the Democratic presidential candidate gave in a recent campaign speech.

In news video shown on CBS on Monday, Clinton is seen casually walking from her plane and greeting a young girl. CBS said the pictures were recorded at a greeting ceremony when the plane landed.

At a recent campaign event, Clinton, who was accompanied by her daughter Chelsea, said she remembered landing under sniper fire. "There was supposed to be some kind of a greeting ceremony at the airport, but instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base," Clinton said.

At the time of the trip, the Bosnia war was over but hostilities continued. CBS reported that Clinton aides said the video "was not quite as dramatic as Clinton put it." "She meant that there was fire on the hillside around the area when we landed, which was the case," campaign spokeswoman Lissa Muscatine told CBS.

(Reporting by Joanne Allen, editing by Vicki Allen)

--G

Detroit Shock City...Not

As expected (and deserved), "Mayor" Kwame Kilpatrick and his former Chief of Mistresses, Christine Beatty were indicted today on charges ranging from perjury to obstruction of justice to misconduct in office and misuse of public funds.

Don't expect a resignation anytime soon.

--G

GOTSOO called it Wright!

I went back to read GOTSOO’s ‘by the numbers’ post Billary v. BHO – the popular vote (it’s an excellent read if you haven’t already) and I came across this para on PA after the Illinois section:

BHO has a little more than 5 weeks to campaign his tail off. Barring scandal, and assuming he goes on the attack, he'll cut into her lead.

I’d say GOTSOO called it. The Right(?) Reverend Wright got it wrong and BHO has a scandal. One would have thought that he would have recovered with his 'address' on race, but he followed it up with this one on Philly radio:



Who’d a thought having your privacy breached would have been such a welcomed story!?!?

Hilla will win PA. BHO should save his money and stop trying to get R’s to switch parties in the Keystone State. He’s going to need it to fight for his Super Delegates in Colorado who are being op-researched by Clinton, Inc. as we speak.

- POTUS

Better Bushwood

Stretch and I decided to give Bushwood another go on Friday night...the storm was coming, we didn't have anything to eat in the house, I was craving a steak and Lefty Jr. loves the place. While I have been highly critical of Bushwood's culinary experience, I must say, the 8 oz filet I had on Friday was probably one of the better meals I have had there. It was cooked just a little too rare for my liking, but other than that, it was filled with flavor, juices, and had sauteed mushrooms on top (which is my favorite way to eat a steak). No doubt the Dewars and Talisker single malt helped with the flavor. But after a couple of good meals in a row, Bushwood has been upgraded to a B-.
L

Another Maurice Clarett?

I don’t want to rain on the Pryor Parade. I love Buckeye Football, but chew on Jason Lloyd’s February 21 commentary (no relation to Lllllloyd Carr) in the Lorain Morning Journal:

I don't want to compare Pryor to Maurice Clarett, but the similarities are already evident. Like Pryor, Clarett was USA Today's offensive player of the year. His mood swings were astonishing, as was his "fiery temper," which was on display during a heated shouting match with then-running backs coach Tim Spencer during a road game. Internet photos already show Pryor leaning on a flashy Corvette - sound familiar? - supplied by a family friend. Let's hope for his sake that's where the similar paths end.

243 days, 4 hours, 47 minutes ‘til Michigan.

- POTUS

The Smorgasbord

Bad blogger alert. I've been a deliquent poster. Deal with it…and enjoy The Smorgasbord:

Pictures (identities protected):
1) The First Dog following the snow storm of the year. She’s 50lbs and the snow was up to her neck. She never had so much fun.
2) My drive to work on Friday. Three Turkeys (real wild turkey - not Jennifer Brunner, Wayne Jones, and Sandy McNair) and another across the street (…not Marc Dann). I wish it was Thanksgiving and not Easter.

Recent Meals:
Beers with Bernie:

Special thanks to Bernie Kosar for lunch and beers. I took us a couple of months, but we got together to watch the NCAA’s at Panini’s. We got Loaded Nacho’s, ‘Buffalo Hot’ wings, and I got a ‘Jumbo’ Genoa Salami Panini. (If you don’t know what a ‘panini’ is: its 2 slices of hand 1 inch, hand sliced bread, with meat, cheese, tomatoes, coleslaw, and French fries.) Man, are those sandwiches good. Topped off with a couple, three Miller Lite drafts…life is good. I look forward to the next get together during baseball season on the back deck.

Johnny Be Good:

We hosted some folks for dinner at Johnny’s Downtown 10-days ago. I love Johnny’s. The food is always good and the drinks are always wet. This dinner was especially nice because we had a private room. I started with the pleasant house cab and a Caesar salad, light on the dressing. For my entrée, I ordered the ‘Filet of Beef au Poivre, sauce of Green Peppercorns, Cognac, Sherry and Demi Glace’, medium. The salad was excellent – the greens were crisp and the dressing fresh. The steak was classic Johnny’s. The peppercorns added nice texture and sauce, which I’m always suspect of, was excellent and added to the flavor of the choice cut of beef. A quick survey of the guests indicated their satisfaction with the meal as well. Capping the night with a cappuccino, it’s easy to know why Johnny’s continues to be one of Cleveland premier establishments.

Somer loving?:

I had breakfast at Somer’s diner. Some of you will know it as the old Ruthie and Moe’s at the corner of E. 40th and Prospect. The old R&M’s was a great place to see movers and shakers and this new version awaits their return. The Ham and Cheddar omelet was decent, as were the hash browns and coffee. It was nice to see some of the old staff back in the saddle. Here’s hoping the new owners, whose original diner is on the Westside, can recapture the vibe of the restaurant.

Snowbound:

During the Storm of 2008, FLOTUS and I did what any sane person would do - we caught a movie and dinner. We hopped into the Princess Jeep, dropped it into 4-wheel drive and braved the elements - blowing snow, freezing temperatures, and all. We caught No Country for Old Men, which was great film in the vane of Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction, True Romance, and the classic - Reservoir Dogs. After the movie, we shot across the parking lot to Jimmy Daddona’s. I have to be honest, I’m not a fan of Jimmy’s, but FLOTUS is, so sometimes you take one for the team. JD’s is known for their garlic bread balls and large portions. I think that, plus its location next to the movie theater is the only reason they stay in business. The food simply isn’t good. My salad was like any other – nothing inspirational. FLOTUS got a dish with angle hair and shrimp. She tossed the pasta to find the shrimp which was good. (She correctly predicted that the pasta would be better the second day.) I got the pork tenderloin, which disappointedly was severed pre-sliced with a port wine sauce. The temperature of the meat was not uniform, leading me to believe that the cook took a handful of refrigerated, pre-cooked, pre-cut tenderloin, micro-waved it, put into the bowl and covered in sauce. (As SteakMatters rules dictate, I didn’t send it back to kitchen.) As was noted days later by FLOTUS, “It must have been bad if you didn’t eat the left-overs.” Which reminds me, the one thing that JD’s does good, is pack up their leftovers – they get put into a clamshell and cling-wrap it. No leaks. When the bill came, I wished we would have gone to Guido’s. We would have gotten four-times the meal for the same price and believe me, no leftovers!

Big Red's Big Night:

We were in DC for LGA’s annual State Birthday party. (Another fine job!) Afterwards, me, Boss, Lefty, Big Red, Amelia Earhart, COS, and Ms. Balboa went to dinner at DC Coast. Unfortunately, The Dean of Cleveland Lobbyists was catching the late flight out of IAD and was not able to join us. This was a big night for two reasons: Big Red chose the location (under parameters set by me); and it was Amelia’s first trip to the Hill. Amelia, a fan of reds, chose a nice cabernet and Ms. Balboa a nice white (after the first one was sent back due to a bad cork which spoiled the bottle). As the name would imply, DC Coast is a seafood restaurant. So of course I got the Grilled Beef Tenderloin (cooked medium), served with Macaroni and Three Cheese Gratin, Creamed Spinach, with a Red Wine Sauce. The tenderloin was nicely prepared to my temperature and was tender, leaving it with juice enough to mix with the red wine sauce. As regular readers of SteakMatters know, I’m not a fan of sauces, but this one was excellent. There was a small amount, which was poured on the plate, with the finished tenderloin placed on top, which allows me to decide if I want to put additional sauce on it or not. The cream spinach was flavorful and the Macaroni and Three Cheese Gratin was awesome with a nice texture to the pasta, a broil char, and the flavor of the cheeses. I was a member of the clean plate club this evening. I later learned that Boss, who got a seafood dish, was disappointed in dinner and won’t recommend going again. Special thanks to Lefty, who picked up half the tab. As for Big Red’s selection, not bad under the circumstances, but we know you can do better. Next time – Ray’s the Steak.

Thanks for making it to the end. After all, it’s an all-you-can-eat smorgasbord.
- POTUS

Happy Easter from SteakMatters!

Cleveland - A partially eaten lamb cake by First-Mother-in-Law (FMIL).

Bracket-Busting Basketball

The NCAA Tourney is underway. The good news is that means spring is here and baseball is near. The bad news is my bracket looks like a southern family tree--not many branches.

I was hurt bad on day one--Kent State. Not only did I pick them to defeat UNLV in the first round, I took a flyer and picked them into the Sweet-16. Yea....no.

On the bright side, i did pick 12-seed Western Kentucky to beat Drake, but that's about the only good news I got for the day. UConn took it on the chin, but that wasn't a killer for me (as im sure 99% of folks didnt think San Diego had a prayer).

Lastly, 8-seed Clemson didn't do me any favors either. The Tigers lost to 9-seed Arkansas. Unfortunately for me, i had Clemson beating Vanderbilt (they lost too) in the next round and then losing to USC after that.

My only saving grace may be that I chose Memphis to win it all. 95% of the folks in our "league" chose North Carolina. Go Tigers!

More basketball tomorrow. Everyone have a happy Easter.

--G

Are you kidding me?

The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections is a joke--An absolute joke. I should have realized this the second they hired the worthless piece of garbage, the former "Deputy Treasurer of State", Patrick McDonald. McDonald couldn't find a hanging chad if it was dangling from his...ummm...toe.

I hope that Secretary Brunner (a.k.a, Mrs. Let's Bring Politics BACK to the Secretary of State's Office), has to cast the tie-breaking vote in favor of this witchhunt. Cleveland, Ohio, the new Salem, Massachusets.

--G

POTUS is alive and well and living in Cleveland….

Contrary to reports, I am alive and well, so please stop calling the number on the milk carton. As appropriate, a tip of the SteakMatters platter for GOTSOO for his multiple posts. He has kept me entertained and I hope he has done the same for you. And with all the sports and politics, I thought it appropriate to post about some SteakMatters….

I guess I’ve been in funk lately. I think it’s the end of winter, gray skies of the CLE. So what better to do to brighten one’s day, get me out of the funk and get me posting…then to eat steak? So in spite of winter’s last hurrah, I rolled out the mac-daddy grill, fired it up to 550 and threw on a couple 6oz filets.

Now I want you to know, these weren’t any filets, these were special filets. Christmas gifts from none other then Lefty and Stretch. Talk about a gift that gives the whole year long Clark, these were some fine Omaha Steaks.

Once I got the grill to temp, I cooked each side for about 3 minutes. When I put them on the plate, the juices were flowing – not only from the steak but in me. It was miraculous. I felt better just looking at these wonderful cuts of meat. And as my knife cut through them, I knew I was in for an uplifting experience. I couldn’t even pull a fast one on the princess who instinctively smelled the steak and politely requested one of the filets for herself…she settled for a couple of sizable pieces to go along with her alfredo noodles.

Thanks Lefty! Thanks GOTSOO! Thank you steak!

- POTUS

The Story That Started It All

Here's the ABC Story that started this mess. I actually find the comments of Revered Wright (as repulsive as they are) less offensive than those of the Pastor Manning (a supporter of Billary).

It appears we haven't made as much progress on race-relations as maybe sometimes we think we have.

The hatred is really quite sad--and disheartening.

--G

Hillary has her own pastor problems

Pastor James David Manning of Harlem, a Clinton supporter, is (to say the least), not a fan of Barrack Obama. I hesitated to even post this video because it is so outrageous. Just listen to this hate...it might be the most stunning thing I've ever seen from anyone, much less a Pastor who is preaching before a church congregation (full of, presumably, women and children). Absolutely stunning...I had to stop watching it.

--G

Terrelle Pryor Announces Tomorrow at Noon

I have yet to read an article that says he ends up anywhere but Ohio State. We'll find out tomorrow. Let the legend begin...

Gov. David Paterson admits to numerous affairs

I wish I were kidding. Check out the story from New York Daily News. Unbelievable. I think these New York "journalists" are just as wretched as those on whom they report.

New York, the new Rome (circa 30 B.C). Next Governor of New York, Priapus.

--G

Tiger's New Romp

Check it out...Tiger's latest acquisition:

TIGER WOODS' $65M SAND BUNKER
PGA CHAMP BUYS HAMPTONS SEASIDE ESTATE
By BRADEN KEIL

A PLACE TO HOLE UP: Tiger Woods and wife Elin have a new dream house that covers six acres off Southampton's posh Gin Lane and is "one of the oldest and grandest estates on the East End."

March 18, 2008 -- Tiger has a brand-new lair - a $65 million estate in the Hamp tons where he can send his chip shots flying into the ocean.

Located on exclusive Gin Lane, Tiger Woods' estate is on nearly six gated acres with a 13,200-square-foot Colonial Revival main residence, a 7,500-square-foot guesthouse and a four-car garage with staff quarters. The lush grounds feature an oversized seaside pool with spa, a tennis court, a lily pond and professionally groomed gardens.
PHOTOS: Inside Tiger's New Hamptons Home

And no doubt soon a miniature golf course, where he and wife Elin can teach their 9-month-old daughter, Sam Alexis, the basics. It's just the latest acquisition the greatest golfer in the world has scored. Woods' portfolio includes:

* A $40 million estate on Jupiter Island, Fla., which was partially destroyed last year in a fire.
* A 155-foot-long yacht, Privacy.
* A 16,500-square-foot palace with pool and theater that he is building at the golf course he has designed in Dubai.

His new neighbors in Southampton include real-estate developer Alfred Taubman, former New York Times publisher Arthur Ochs "Punch" Sulzberger and fashion designer Vera Wang.
Included in the recently renovated 19th-century manor home are six bedroom suites, a music room, a cypress wood-paneled library and staff quarters.

The guesthouse, which also features ocean views, includes three bedrooms, each with bathrooms, a den and a kitchen. "It's one of the oldest and grandest estates on the East End," one broker said. "As soon as something goes on the market on Gin Lane it gets snapped up quickly, even in this slowing economy." Woods' bid nearly landed in the rough. "Tiger almost lost the house," a source said. "Another buyer came in with a higher offer, but the deal was already sealed just hours before." The seller of the estate, known as "By the Sea," is Austrian-born leveraged-buyout specialist, Gerhard Andlinger, 77.

--G

Sunshine Express, My A$$

This from today's Columbus Dispatch:

Ex-New York governor's donation to Dann missing
Tuesday, March 18, 2008 8:04 AM

Ohio's hard-charging attorney general, Marc Dann, often has drawn comparisons to former New York Attorney General and now-former Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who left office yesterday because of a prostitution scandal. In one of those Dann-as-Spitzer stories, published in May in The New York Times, Dann boasted of getting a campaign contribution from Spitzer when Dann was running for attorney general in 2006.

The contribution, if there ever was one, appears to have vanished.

Campaign-finance records from the Ohio secretary of state's office show no contribution from Spitzer to Dann. Spitzer did give $10,000 to the campaign of Gov. Ted Strickland and $100 to an unsuccessful candidate for the state Senate from Cincinnati. Like Spitzer, Strickland and Dann are Democrats. Dann's spokesman, Leo Jennings III, said that his boss doesn't know what became of the alleged Spitzer check.

"Now, he can't remember if he got a check from Spitzer and kept it or if Spitzer promised it to him and it didn't come through," Jennings said. Dann might not have been allowed to hang on to the check without depositing it, however. Under Ohio law, all contributions must be either deposited or returned within 30 days. Jennings said that if anyone files a formal complaint with the Ohio Elections Commission on the missing check, Dann's campaign would testify under oath that it doesn't know whether the Spitzer donation came through.

When it is all said and done, this guy will end up being a bigger joke than Elliot Spitzer...

--G

John Adams

If you have HBO, you owe it to yourself to watch the new mini-series that began just this evening, John Adams. The series is based upon the book written by DavidMcCullough. I recommend the book as well. It's a great read--might be one of the best books I've ever had the honor of reading.

The story begins in 1770. Paul Giamatti portrays John Adams. I can't say he does it well, because i never had the honor of meeting Mr. Adams. His performance, nonetheless is impressive--as is the performance of Laura Linney as John's wife Abigail.

I'm still a little surprised at how Thomas Jefferson is being portrayed, but I'll leave it to you to draw your own conclusions.

So far, however, I highly recommend both the book and the mini-series.

--G

The Real March Madness Is Here

We're only halfway thru March and we've already had our fair share of madness, so to speak. Clear evidence of this can be seen in Obama v. Clinton (and the media's sudden attacks on the frontrunner), and most recently, the Spitzer fiasco.

Enter the Real Slim Shady, March Madness, NCAA style. Get your printable bracket here. This is, by far, my favorite sports-time of the year. You have baseball on the cusp of starting in April, you have NCAA March Madness, NBA Playoffs nearing, not to mention playoff Hockey. Playoffs? Playoffs? You wanna talk about playoffs?!?!

Conspicuously absent from bracketology are our Ohio State Buckeyes. A better season than what I expected, really, after losing so much young talent to the NBA.

As for predictions, I don't think it's going out on a limb by any means, but this is North Carolina's tourney to lose. Duke showed some vulnerabilities losing to Clemson. Of course, you can't count out UCLA, Kansas, Georgetown, Texas, etc. My sleeper--West Virginia.

Let the Madness begin--or continue, as it were.

Good lookin' out...

--G

Article: Why I Am No Longer a Brain-Dead Liberal

I wanted to pass this article along to our loyal readers. The author is David Mamet--a self-professed recovering liberal. David writes about his recent conversion from "brain-dead liberal" to conservative. It's a long article, but it's a very good read.

I really like the way this guy writes--not just his content, but his style as well. The comments to the article are almost as entertaining as the article itself. They're filled with liberals hating on him for turning "conservative", independents railing against any type of "label" and conservatives congratulating him on his ephiphany. I love it that there seems to be just as many conservatives reading the village voice as liberals. Lends credence to the 'ol saying "know thy enemy". Regardless of your political proclivity, enjoy the article.

Thanks to Spiderman for passing it along to us.

--G

Kilpatrick follow-up

Here's the latest on Mayor Kwame. The good news is, this guy makes Frank Jackson look like Ronald Wilson Reagan. Resign already, you thug.

--G

Billary v. BHO--The Popular Vote

The importance of the popular vote is becoming more important by the day. The D race is going to the convention. I challenge anyone who reads steakmatters to disagree with that assertion. I think we all agree.

Having said that, I think it's important to break it down. The following are just some musings on the issue. To see the entire state-by-state bre