Barak, the Sure Bet

Palin has arguably little real foreign experience, other than being the governor of a state that borders Russia and Canada. She has a reasonable explanation for why she never got a passport until a few years ago. Maybe she just really liked Alaska. I mean, how could you not? Maybe there is something to the concern that someone with limited foreign experience could inherit the white house. (Although, really, is it so important that one leave the U.S. in order to have a clue as to how the world works? I wonder how many U.S. senators actually visited with foreign leaders before running for the senate? Is it not just as important for them, who have such influence in everything from who to ally with to whether to sign a treaty concerning the protection of migrating birds?)

But, see, Palin is not running for president. Nope, folks, she is seeking to be vice president. This means that, should her ticket win, a U.S. senator with a vast number of years of foreign experience, military training, and dedication to the best interests of his country will be the president.

It is conceivable that one day he will die. Perhaps that day will occur during his term as president. And it is, therefore, conceivable that Gov. Sarah will become our next president.

That makes some people feel a little uneasy. Understandably so. The concern is that we might have a president with only, by that time, a few years of foreign policy experience. What is not so understandable, however, is, if this is a concern of yours, why you would vote to guarantee that the next president will have very limited foreign experience. After all, how much possible foreign policy experience can a man get organizing a Chicago community?

I guess people just really don't like uncertainty.

Hawg Heaven Weekend

What a weekend!

Northwest Arkansas has always been home of the Hogs. This weekend, it is also home of the Hawgs. Bikes Blues & Barbecue (BBB) is an annual event for Fayetteville.

There are an estimated 200,000 motorcyclists here. They look like an ant colony. Dixon Street is nuttin' but noise, noise, noise, noise. The ground shakes a mile away in any direction. The smells of leather and exhaust are outdone only by the smell of...


Q!

Oh yeah! As in BBQ.

There is a BBQ cookoff going on just south of Dixon. I drove thru the smokin' camp late last night (about 3 in the a.m.), when all the crowds were gone and all that was left was pure smokin' enthusiasts, busily changing out meats, checking on temps, adding a splash here and there, downing a splash here and there, and grinning the whole time. These are the true Q-ficionadoes. There were teams with big banners and giant stainless steel commercial smokers and single folks with nothing but a small bullet or horizontal or two with a firebox attached. And there was smoke. Lots of it. Glorious, delicious smoke. Some piping out thick, others perfectly thin and blue. They were great folks to talk to.

Unfortunately, I had missed the public handout portion of the event. These guys were cooking for real. This was competition time. And it was on.

Well, naturally, you can't be exposed to smoke like that and get a hankering for Q. Mrs. dePracticalist told me about this restaurant up in Bentonville that had a big smokehouse. It had smelled so good, she had been wanting to try it for about a month or so. So we loaded up the truck and moved to Smokin' Joe's. Ribhouse, that is.

I was in hawg heaven!

First thing, of course, is to test the sauce. "Don't get your spit all over it!" (That was Mrs. the Practicalist.) The house sauce was pretty good. Had little bits of onion in it. A little sweetness. Nice REDNESS. The country style, my fave, was a little sweeter, but a little lighter. KC style... if you have to add smoke flavor to the sauce... uh, oh. And finally, the Spicy... not really all that spicy, which is fine, as it shouldn't take focus off of or try to cover up the meat.

The kid's plates came out first. We had ordered them each a rib plate with corn on the cob. They got two GIANT spare ribs each and a full-sized ear of corn! What would ours look like? Mrs. the P and I shared a plate of ribs, brisket, pulled pork, and sausage, along with beans and onion rings. Huge! Although we only got one rib each, the whole platter was so big, we couldn't have eaten a second rib if we wanted to (which I did... want to... and I could have... eaten another one). The ribs tasted terribly - familiar! They tasted like mine! Only not quite as sweet. They were perfect! Great smoke flavor, perfect tenderness, not too mushy. In a word - AWESOME!
The kids couldn't stop talking about them, or eating them. They didn't want to share with their old man. Dang kids. Staying home next time. They can have MY leftovers.

Next, we moved on to the brisket. Nice color. Warm gray. Good bark. Small smoke ring. Good texture. Melting in the mouth. Tender. Ohhh, so tender. Ahhhhh... flavor, flavor, flavor! Perfect. Absolutely perfect!

The sausage was good. Nice sweetness.

Pulled pork? Well, it was alright. Tasted like brown sugar. Not enough smoke flavor. But not bad. Made me feel good about my own.

Onion rings. Another hit. Sweet batter, bitter onion (not vidalia, which was actually kind of a nice surprise).

I'll pass on the beans. It was obvious the focus was on the meat.

This is my new favorite restaurant. Service was awesome. We even caught the waitress helping the kids cut up their food!

The price was surprisingly affordable. Especially considering the amount of food. We'll be back.

Follow that up with a 51-10 beating on Texas, and it was a heavenly hawg weekend!

(OK, so it was actually a beating by Texas, but whose really paying attention?)

Alpha and Omega, but more Omega than Alpha

The Book of Barak

Chapter 1

1. And on the Two million two hundred eighty one thousandth and first day, was Barak created.
2. And thus was he seen as alright.
3. And thus was it said that Barak has been created.
4. And thus was it said that in this Barak is given all wisdom, knowledge, and celebrity status
5. Yea, he shall lead his people, and shall show them the error of my ways
6. And the mantle of the world shall be upon his shoulders, and his fuzzy little head
7. And he shall be called negotiator and community organizer
8. Yea, verily, and even shall he be called presidential nominee
9. For many shall celebrate him, and shall faint at his presence
10. He shall proclaim, behold!
11. And as they behold, they shall hear his chants of change
12. Yea, the children of the world shall hear such chants, and shall give wonder at the meaning of these chants
13. Nevertheless, notwithstanding such wonderings, they shall say what meaneth these changing chants of change, which chants I like, albeit I know not why
14. Verily, let us go down from the mountains, and from the hills and the valleys, and the organized communities
15. Yea, let us go down to this community organizer who chants for change
16. Verily, let us chant with him for change, even to the chanting of change
17. Let us touch the very television screen from which his chants of change emanate, that perchance we might feel of this change of which he chants
18. Behold and yea, let us lift him even unto the seat of the president, and proclaim his diety to those unbelieving of the elephant persuasion; yeah even before the houses of government
19. Yea, let us paint the lips of swine
20. Yeah, let us sit with those who seek to destroy us, that we might console our souls with such sittings
21. Yea, let us raise taxes unto he who chants change, that we might bring low those who do actually create change.
22. And on the next day, well...

Duh Rules

Leave it to a liberal to be unable to ascertain between proper and repugnant conduct.

(Click to read the article.)

Must a candidate for public office hide his/her family completely from the public eye? Can a parent who is proud of her family not also insist on protecting her family? Must children be deprived of participation in the most proud and historic moments of their parent's life because they are then no longer "off limits" to the politics of personal destruction?

I will be graduating soon with a degree in law. This will be a proud moment for me, one which I would love to share with my children. They have sacrificed much along with me and my wife to help me achieve this success and bring honor to our family. I do not think, however, that my fitness to practice law can be measured by who my children are or by the decisions they might make in life. I would hope that when I apply for the bar, they will not pry into my children's relationships with each other or their friends. I see no value in future employers or clients snooping into my children's lives, either. In the course of my career, I will be engaging in some very contentious debates. I am certain that tempers will flare between myself and other attorneys, and I am sure that I will see cases that may inflame public opinion. Thru it all, however, I see no connection between what kind of a lawyer I may become and what kind of children I have.

This does not mean, however, that I will not proudly display them at my graduation, or for future employers or clients. They are a very big part of me, and I want them to be a part of my life. Why can't a candidate for public office enjoy the same pleasures with her family, without exposing them to personal destruction? It's not that hard to see the difference, people!

So let me lay out the rule:

Unless the family member purposely enters the public arena with a political
statement, and is of the age of majority (that means at least
18 years old) - STAY AWAY!!!!

Is it really that difficult? Really?