Where's Everybody Going?

To Texas, Atlanta, and North Carolina. And they're leaving the NE. NO cities in the NE experienced growth in between 2006-2007.

According to this, "Detroit lost more than three times as many people as any other metro area -- its population declined more than 27,300"

I'm still hanging strong here in New Fallujah, but my youngest brother who graduated from college in December just took a job in Dallas and my other younger brother is heading down to North Carolina next week for interviews in Charlotte and Raleigh. And I don't even want to think about how many friends have moved out of state. It's downright depressing around here. Thank goodness for our sports!

Working for our enemies

This is rich. It turns out that a trip three anti-war Democrat congressmen made to Iraq prior to the war was funded by Saddam Hussein! I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that these congressmen had no knowledge that Saddam had any role in funding the venture. But it's very telling -we've long been making the point that the anti-US, anti-military, anti-war rhetoric and actions of many Democrat lawmakers gives aid and comfort to our enemies. Just listening to the latest bin laden speech is proof enough, as he regurgitates Democrat talking points. And now we see how Saddam tried to use these dupes to help his cause! He knew where to go for sympathies. He knew his great hope for continuing his brutal, murderous regime and reaching his dreams of WMDs depended on the Democrat party of the United States!

Update: Apparently, the senators knew they were being used, but didn't mind it...

The Best Team he ever Coached

Detroit still has much to be proud of - the Pistons, the Tigers, Ford Field, and of course, the Red Wings. Coach Mike Babcock calls them the 'best team' he's ever coached. This as he sets an NHL record for becoming the first coach to have his team score 50+ points in his first three seasons as their coach.

I'm trying to think back to the last few times we won the Cup for a comparison. Definitely a better team now than in '02. I want to say they're better now than the '97 or '98 teams, but that's probably a stretch.

Picking up Rafalski did more to improve our team than anything this season - he's a truely solid defenseman that has adapted perfectly to the Wings' style of play. (oh, and he's from Michigan!) Lidstrom is just a rock back there; he's been around since the '97 run, and is undoubtedly the team's most valuable player (as we learned the hard way when he was injured last month). Of course, we had the Russian Five back then and now we have the Swedes. And Steve Yzerman was irreplaceable for his talent and what he meant for the team as their captain. But I can't remember ever watching a player as exciting as Pavel Datsyuk. I can't describe it any other way than it's like watching a world class figure skater with a hockey stick. His moves are so slick, so graceful, he makes these incredible passes through four opponents to find the open man. He embarrasses defensemen. He makes goalies flop out of their crease like a beached whale. Maybe I'm just caught up in the moment, but I can't remember the last time I've enjoyed watching the Wings as much as I have this season. I actually want to see EVERY game.

Can't wait for the playoffs!!!

What's up with the Chi-coms?

I confess I haven't been following all of the details here, about why China is suddenly having issue with Tibet and the Dali Lama. But firing on monks and nuns??

Indicted

The Kwame Khronicles continue. Today Wayne Co. prosecutor filed charges (I lost track after count 10) against Kwame and former chief of staff Christine Beatty, related to the whistleblower's lawsuit and text message scandal that revealed both had perjured themselves under oath and led to suspicion of misconduct. They've been asked to turn themselves in by 7 a.m. tomorrow.

The question: Will Kwame resign before or after the verdict comes down in his trial?

I think he'll fight it to the bitter end, but we'll see how much more he wants to embarrass Detroit...

Suicidal Congressman

As if our state wasn't in bad enough financial shape - one-state recession, record forclosures, etc., we hear that the "Big Three" are counting on this being the worst year for auto sales in over ten years. Just what Michigan needs to hear!

So to make us feel better, our very own Rep. Dingell supports a $0.50 per gallon additional gasoline tax.

You know what my suggestion to Dingell is? He's so concerned with companies "outsourcing" jobs. How about this - we'll pay $0.50 more per gallon as soon as China and India start taxing their citizens to curb greenhous gas emissions, OK?

Record Breaking Wings

With their win over the Dallas Stars last night, the Red Wings earned a playoff spot. They also tied a record (with Montreal) for having 8 consecutive 100-point seasons. Impressive, but how about this one - 17 consecutive playoff appearances. That is the longest streak in all of professional sports.

Go Wings!!

Revealing Preaching of Jeremiah Wright

Recently videos of Obama's preacher and "spiritual mentor" have surfaced. I can't find the one FoxNews has been showing all morning where he claims the U.S. invented HIV AIDS in an effort at "genocide" against African Americans and then goes on to say that we brought 9/11 upon ourselves, but here's his "God D*** America" clip.

This is the man who married Barrack and Michelle Obama and baptized their children. This is a man who Obama tries to pass off as a "crazy uncle" who sometimes says things you don't agree with (which was why he went to hear him preach on Sunday for 20 years?).

Now that we know a little more about the Obamas' "spiritual mentor," Michelle Obama's statement that this (Obama's successful primary campaign) was the first time she has ever been "proud of her country" finally has some context, don't you think?

"Love Client #9"

Rush/Shanklin haven't had a paradoy this good in awhile... (click on "Love Client Number 9" in the parodies section on the left)

State of... Embarrassment

Did anyone in New Fallujah catch Kwame's State of the City address last night? What a joke! He lambasted the city counsel (we need to move on, we have more important things to discuss). I could maybe see the argument for that if, say, his offenses didn't include perjury as he tried to ruin the lives and careers of two upstanding Detroit police officers in the process! And I won't even talk about the taxpayer dollars he's wasted. The "text message scandal" is only the latest in a long line of Kwame's shady dealings. Oh- did I mention he threw out the "N" word? Talk about desperation...

This quote from the Free Press article sums things up nicely:

"The last five minutes of that speech was stupid, childish and in the vein of our gangster mayor," said Detroit resident Thomas Ward, 19. "When he was defending his position and his family he should have stopped right there, but he continued on in that strange manner. To have a press conference about the state of the city devolve into a circus does not look good. It only discredits him."

Here's further opinion of the mayor's defensive, desperate speech.

In Happier News...

It's March- that means only a month to go until the greatest season! (no, not spring - Stanley Cup playoff season!) Here's a Wings injury update. Personally, I'd scratch Lilja before Lebda, but that's just me...

And have you heard about this? They're planning an outdoor hockey game to be the last event at Yankee Stadium. Rangers v. "an original 6 team." Rumor has it the Wings are a top contender. (Duh. If they want the best, most exciting opponent, who else would they choose?)

The Kwame Khronicles

And the saga continues. (But hey, at least our governor isn't messing around with prostitutes!) According to this ex-city clerk, Tamara Greene (the murdered stripper ) wanted to press charges against CARLITA Kilpatrick for attacking her at the rumored Manoogian mansion party after she got a little too close to Kwame for his wife's liking. If true, this opens up a lot more questions about motivations for her murder.

In other happy news- Michigan still tops the country... in unemployment!

The Real Reason...

Dems don't like the Patriot Act. We're supposed to be spying on terrorist conversations, but you never know when we'll pop up with something like this... (of course, I'm sure they had a warrant for that, the heading was meant to be funny)

Ordinarily I might feel for a public figure caught up in such a scandal, but we're talking about Eliot High-Horse Spitzer here! Ha!

BTW- Spitzer is calling this a 'private matter.' It's always a 'private matter' we should not be concerned with when a Democrat is involved, but if it's a Republican, well then it's a huge, major deal worthy of non-stop negative media coverage. The Dems defend this by saying - well, we don't claim the moral high ground like Republicans do. (as if they're proud of not claiming the moral high ground) But they really can't say that with Spitzer, now can the?

Super Tuesday II

What do you know - our girl, Hillary, pulled through yesterday in TX, OH and RI. I wonder how many Republicans, prompted by Rush Limbaugh and others, crossed over to vote for her in the TX Dem primary... On Fox & Friends this morning, the hosts asked people to email them if they had done this and they had about 800 emails from Clinton-voting Republicans within about 20 minutes. She still has an uphill battle for delegates, but like I always say - never underestimate a Clinton!

In other news, McCain officially shored up the GOP nomination. He gave a very nice acceptance speech last night, I must say. It made me feel a little better about him (at least in comparison to his opponents...) And he needs to always keep his wife by his side to make him seem younger than 90; that helps.

End of an Era

Brett Favre announced he won't be back next season. Can't say I blame him,; he is 38 (though if he played for the Red Wings, I'm sure he would have stuck around at least 7 or 8 more years...), but we'll be missing him along with his faithful Cheeseheads.

The Kwame Chronicles

In case you're curious about Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's latest scandalous updates, the Detroit Free Press has a great "mayor in crisis" section with all of the relavent stories. Refresh for daily updates... In some of the latest news, the city will be missing out on all of the money and publicity they would have enjoyed from this April's mayoral convention. In light of the Kilpatrick scandals, the convention has decided to move to New Orleans. And more people are asking Kwame to resign... I'm losing track of them.

Michigan Speak

This is a completely frivolous post... The Free Press had this "Do you Speak Michigan?" article today with some "Michigan" words. Most of them were kind of lame and I've never heard them, but some were funny. For example:

Lionitis, n., the unshakable belief that the Detroit Lions will play in a Super Bowl in your lifetime. Usage: He knew he should have been at his son's concert, but the Lionitis took hold, convincing him this was the day the team would turn that big corner.

I have a brother who's been afflicted with "Lionitis" for years and years. No matter how we try to medicate him, he never fails to believe in August that this will be the year- the year they make the playoffs. (He doesn't think Super Bowl, just one playoff game- he must have a minor case of Lionitis.)

Here is some more "Michigan speak" I was razzed about when living out of state:

-We say "Quarter to" instead of "Quarter of" (It's quarter to three)

-Of course, it's POP - soda's something you mix with alcohol

-Our soft "a's" come off more as "ahhhh's" (would you like some balsaaaaaamic vinagrett with your saaaaaalad?) (for whatever reason, this "ahhhhh" phenomenon is far more pronounced in women)

-"Up North" is any place north of Saginaw

-And for the love, east coasters- it's U of M, not "U-mich!"

Out of Business

It's finally happened- popular Detroit Middle Eastern restaurant chain La Shish is out of business. When the owner flees to Lebanon to avoid millions in income taxes, then starts speaking at Hezbollah events, lets his wife go to jail for him instead of coming back and facing the music, and vouches for phony marriages so a woman can infiltrite the CIA and pass info on hezbollah- I can't believe they haven't closed sooner! Too bad, the food was great, but there are plenty of other tasty Middle Eastern restaurants in the area! (the new Ike's on Van Dyke in Sterling Heights is a favorite of mine - their hummus was much better than La Shish! )