Let Them Drink Tea

By Spin Doctor

Poor CNN. Nobody watches their news station because it has become news for the people by the people. If I want to know what regular people think about the news, I will email my dad, ask around the water cooler, or read a blog. I watch the news to hear the facts and learn what the subject matters experts have to say. CNN now saves time and money on experts by gathering its content from responses generated by readers.

From calling any loser with a webcam an “iReporter,” to giving airtime to texts, tweets, emails and voicemails from any average Joe with a wifi connection, the network has done itself in, and the ratings show it.

Add contempt for Republicans and common people, here, here, here, and here, and you have disenfranchised viewers. Ted Turner’s network has become unwatchable.

You know you’re in Lake County when…

So Ron Jawarski and I got together for our second Annual Pre-Easter Afternoon Drink-a-Thon on Saturday. We had originally planned on going to Panini’s, but needing an oil change and alignment on the Princess Jeep, Jaws was put in charge of locating a secondary establishment that would have wings, beer and High Def TVs, in proximity to the service station.

He chose the recently opened (we think) Cleats Club Seat Grill in the former home of a Hooter’s and a Denny’s in beautiful Mentor, OH (Lake County USA!). Now you know you’re in Lake County when you see either a mullet hair cut or hair teased in excess of two inches. [Check that, you’re either in Lake County or Parma.] Anyhow, we were in the right place because I saw this hair, a two-fer, if you will, which I can only describe as a ‘starburst’ – perfectly straight-out stringy blonde, mullet head and oh yeah, this same person was smoking outside (SURPRISE!) when we pulled up. This person was so bad, I thought it was a guy, before realizing later in the bar that it was a chick!

While we settled in for our first round, I was surprised to be greeted by PGA, who was in the bar as well, recovering from the night before, by tying another one on. [Oh to be young, with no commitments….]

Now Cleats bills themselves as “Home of the World’s Best Wings”, so you could imagine my anticipation. That being said, I knew that if I was ‘cheating’ and having wings, that I wanted to make sure they were good wings. I lobbied for the BW3, but Jaws informed me it closed years ago. [Yes, I need to get out more!]

So we ordered the nachos, with chili, in a lead-up to the wings. I ordered a dozen of their World’s Best Wings – cooked crispy, with the Hot sauce. Our mound of nachos arrived. They were stacked high and covered with shredded lettuce, black olives, tomatoes, jalapeño peppers, nacho cheese and somewhere buried in all of this crap was the chili. We soldiered on.



When our wings arrived, I knew I was going to be disappointed. Mine were drowning in sauce, so even if they were cooked crispy, I wouldn’t be able to tell. The ‘hot’ sauce, 3rd from ‘Red Death’, sucked! It had no kick, and was basically watered down base with too much butter. I later had one of Jaw’s ‘medium’ wings, it sucked too, but at least it wasn’t dripping sauce.

Well in spite of the crappy wings and a Tribe loss, I got to see PGA, got the oil changed, and most importantly talked political hot stove while slinging beers with Jaws. Now that’s a good afternoon.

POTUS

5, 4, 3, to (d)one

Thank God for the men and women of the 5th Fleet.

Here's hoping the 4th pirate, who left his comrades on the boat, doesn't get asylum.

Three shots. Piracy can be an ugly business. It ain't like knocking over an oil tanker.

And now its done. We don't have to worry about detaining them, a trial, and 'international outrage'. Well check that, I'm sure some group will come forward and say what a heartless act.

- POTUS

Irate about Pirates

Another guest post from Spin Doctor provided earlier this week and in light of today's developments, I'm getting Derby picks from her. - POTUS

By Spin Doctor

2008 could be called The Best Year Ever for Pirates. They made off with about $80 million in ransom last year, paid by shipping companies and their insurance agencies and ultimately footed by everyone one of us who buy imported goods that travel the world’s waterways.

Once the media caught wind of the growing problem last year, I could not hide my disgust. Granted, Somalia is a failed state. The amount of foreign aid that flows into the country is equal only to the amount of government corruption that steals from the millions of poor and hungry Somalis that the aid is intended to help. But this doesn’t excuse the Somali pirates who regularly target hardworking and unarmed shipping crews.

Pirates closer to home also make me mad. Take the case of a Cleveland man http://blog.cleveland.com/pdextra/2009/02/four_teens_arrested_accused_of.html worked two jobs to pay for his custom car. On his way to work one night, that car caught the eye of a few local pirates who decided to take the car and the life of the young man who was also working to put himself through school. It was not an even trade.

By all accounts, pirates in the Gulf of Aden have grown increasingly bold. After receiving a recent ransom (possibly $25 million) for a Saudi oil tanker, they used a satellite phone to call news outlets to let them know that they had the money and were safely home. Being cocky might also end up being their downfall.

The pirates’ winning streak came to a screeching halt this week with they made what could prove to be a fatal mistake: attacking a U.S. ship. First, the unarmed U.S. crew overtook the heavily armed pirates. Now, the U.S. Navy is on scene and managing the situation. My money is on the 5th Fleet.


Pirates, it’s time you get used to wearing orange.

Does Anyone Know the Heimlich?

Phil could use it...

--G

Happy Easter!

On this holyist of days, let's puts aside our differences and celebrate with family and friends. Happy Easter from SteakMatters.
- POTUS

Picture: The 2009 Lamb cake by Princess and First Mother-in-Law.

The Obama Foreign Policy Strategy

--G

Day 10--So far, So Good

Well folks, unlike past attempts to become a smaller, more compact me, this one seems to be sticking (No thanks to POTUS talking me into some fried fish and french fries for lunch last friday). As evidenced by his post this evening, he's a bad food-influence--not only on himself, but me as well.

Note to self: Do not have lunch with POTUS Monday--come up with good excuse--thinking, I have to wash my hair or something.

Anyway--I weighed in at a svelt 194 this morning--down 10lbs from the almost-obese 204/5.

Today was supposed to be my "free day". I allow myself to cheat a little. One, because no one is perfect--and if you try to be, whatever you do in life--you will inevitably fail. We're all imperfect creatures, you know.

My free day was shot to hell for three reasons: 1. I woke up and weighed in at 194. That's motivation to keep up the hard work; 2. I awake yesterday morning to find my daughter in the "man room" playing on the computer (at this point, I'm wearing shorts and nothing else)--and she says to me, "Daddy, what happened to your belly? It's gone!" Folks, that's a motivator too; 3. I felt like shit today--stomach ache of sorts. Consequently, instead of eating like a Viking, as I intended, i had a small breakfast, no snack, a dinner of grilled chicken and salad and i "splurged" for a late snack of a hotdog and a diet dr. pepper and some barbeque chips (a handful at most). That's it--the Vikings would roast me at the pit--a weak effort for sure.

Tomorrow we begin anew---on my way to 180lbs. Ten down, 14 to go. Go Tribe!

--G

Spring has Sprung

Life, as we enjoy, it has returned to the North Coast. The weekend was great (not just because of the Rock ‘n Roll inductions being in CLE for the first time in 12-some years). No the weather was great and I got to spend the entire weekend with the Prince and Princess – which included lunch at Maxx Doogans where we were treated to: Kids Slider Bucket for Princess; Double order Mac & Cheese for Prince; and a burger, medium-well, with hand-cut French fries. Oh those fries are soo good.

Today, Sunday, was especially good. We grabbed breakfast at Bob Evans – I got oatmeal w/ a side of fruit (I had made myself a ham and cheddar omelet earlier in the morning) – I ended up eating the balance of the Princess’ French toast and the Prince’s silver dollar pancakes…so much for the diet. Anyhow, we swung by Dick’s to get new cleats for the Prince and headed home, where the fun really began.

There’s nothing more American than a father and his son playing catch. Fast pitch, high flies, and grounders. Then some pass patterns to round it out. The Princess decided that it was as good a day as any to get a start on her tan…! Yes. Too funny.

The day finished with a nice read on the back patio with a setting sun and the backyard as a backdrop; Balsamic Chicken on the grill, and a superb al dente broccoli by FLOTUS.

Here’s to what spring has sprung.

POTUS

Pace Yourself

The Big Lebowski ain’t going out to pasture, but he is getting a pacer. Once he’s up and at ‘em, he promised a guest post on last night's sirloin steak, compliments of Rainbow Warrior.

POTUS

The Bell of the Ball

I read with disappointment that the 1920’s era Vernon Manor in Cincinnati closed on Tuesday. It was longer than I care to remember that I was staying there on a weekly basis while splitting time between C-Bus and the Nati.

[Sidebar: And as you continue to read, you will quicly determine, as I did, that here lies the foundation on which SteakMatters would years later be built upon, with a healthy support of maturity, of course. End sidebar.]

Having just graduated, I quickly discovered that immaturity and a corporate expense account is a receipt for disaster. Fortunately for me, it was only added lbs and a head that grew to be as round as a basketball. Throw in an Indian’s pennant run and a World Series and you can forget about it.

On game days, I’d skip lunch and couldn’t wait for the happy hour at Willie’s. (I had no idea at the time the place was owned by Bill Cunningham of WLW700 fame.) I’d park myself at the bar, next to the small TV (I didn’t want to be rude, I was in Red’s county) and settle in for the evening. A pitcher of beer (one glass, please), dinner and a ballgame. Then back to the VM.

As I had a standing reservation, they knew me and my preference for a city view room. The view was incredible. So there I would be, either on the famous roof top terrace, with the iconic red neon of the VM sign behind, or sitting in front of the nearly floor to ceiling window, enjoying a night cap and a picture perfect scene like no other.

Let’s hope for some New Market and Historic Tax Credits, and a developer with deep pockets – no ‘vision’ needed, the views speak for themselves.

POTUS

Tax Code [sp]insight

By Spin Doctor

What do these people have in common?

Tom Daschle, Former Democratic Senate Leader
The Honorable Kathleen Sebelius, Governor of Kansas
Nancy Killefer, Obama’s Chief performance officer nominee

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner

US Trade Representative Ron Kirk

Labor Secretary Hilda Solis
Dr. and Mrs. Spin Doctor

Answer: They are all honest, highly educated people who have devoted all or parts of their lives to public service and they also once made a mistake on their taxes.

There’s income tax evasion, and then there are honest mistakes. While I don’t subscribe to Veep Biden’s statement that paying my taxes is “patriotic”, in fact, the words “I hate paying taxes” have passed my lips a few times, I accept my responsibility to pay what I owe in full and on time.

A 2008 Taxpayer Attitude Survey conducted by the IRS found that most Americans agree with me—89 percent responded that is it unacceptable to cheat at all on your taxes.

Certainly, the evaders and cheaters should be brought to justice; however, we should not and cannot equate those who make honest mistakes with the bad guys. It’s not the honest people who made a mistake that should be maligned; it is our tax code that is the problem. I am puzzled that conservative commentators have ignored this opportunity to highlight the many problems with our current tax system in favor of pointing and laughing at “another Obama nominee in tax trouble.”

The bottom line is that our tax system is broken because even the most educated and best-resourced among us can’t get our filings right. The impetus is on each of us to not only figure out how much we owe, but also if the government owes us some of own money back. If we fail to the former, then public vilification is due; if we fail the latter, then Uncle Sam keeps your money. How much more broken can you get?

As long as our tax code is a political volley, we all will suffer. Lacking empirical data, political debate consistently centers on asinine discussions such as whether tax cuts for those making less then $200,000 or those making less than $300,000 is the proper route. For years now, Congress has failed to fix the alternative minimum tax until after I had started preparing my taxes. The rules change even when we’re in the middle of the game.

And this is a game that lasts three and half months. That’s more than 100 days each year devoted to tax season--the fruitless enterprise of figuring out how much we owe in taxes or are owed in refunds. After spending hours preparing my tax return, I usually get the feeling of ending up where I started. The time, energy and dollars spent just calculating how to fill in those pesky boxes with the proper numbers could be invested in enterprise, volunteerism or exercise.

One high-profile Administration nominee with a tax problem is an anomaly, but with the series of them we have seen since January, it is time to start looking at the real problem. I’m talking to you U.S. Tax Code.

Today’s guest post is by Spin Doctor, a recovering political junkie, who now removed from the fight, provides insightful perspective on mutually assured political destruction. We look forward to future submissions.