And by the way...

Happy New Year!

It's official: The 2007 'Knucklehead of the Year' is...

... Jimmy Carter!

Runners up are the New York Times and Mike Nifong.

The winners were all well deserved and the nominees were very competitive.

Visit The Florida Masochist for details. I can't wait to follow his 2007 'Knuckleheads of the Day' awards.

What is it about the season?

I must confess I've always had problems with Christmas except when I was real young. You know...good cheer, the world changing at least for a few days, giving spirit that stays at least thru January 1. Maybe I've expected too much. As I got older with no children that feeling intensified. Thing is I still want 'good will to men' and I hope it'll happen. Maybe that's good enough.

Then when I get to feeling this way I remember my Dad and how he loved family, God, Christmas, whatever. He had a love of life that I've always envied...and respected. Maybe I just get moody during the holidays.

Geez, that was a downer. Don't know why that came out now.

"Knuckeheads of the year"

I've had the great pleasure to be a judge of the "Knuckleheads of the Year" in 8 categories. Thanks to The Florida Masochist for this opportunity!

I thought a judging gig might be easy, but there were just too many deserving candidates in contention. TFM gives these awards almost daily and I know he had a hard time short listing them.

Thanks again TFM...you've honored me.

What a pain!

Well, another staff member turned in her resignation. She'll be gone in 3 weeks. She's been with me for over 4 years and is an outstanding person. Very bright and great people skills, which is great for someone whose job is to critique performance. I wish her the best. She turned 30 and it seems to have hit her pretty hard. Time to move on and conquer more of the world in a much bigger city. I'll miss her.

My favorite Christmas cartoon

Don't have it available right now, but

Rudolph the reindeer sitting in a smoking jacket reading a book.

Behind him are the stuffed heads of eight reindeer.

Caption: "All the other reindeer used to laugh and call him names."

Still gives me a chuckle.

Merry Christmas.

Charity Now

What's that, you ask?

Well, I'm trying to reach beyond myself again.

I'm on a charitable organization committee that determines which charity get how much money.

So much need, so much less money.

So I get to evaluate the financial needs of each organization, but mostly I get to pick apart their applications and financial conditions. You know, financial statements and tax returns. That's right, the fun stuff.

It's important and a good use of my (supposedly) free time. But it really sucks up a lot of time. If I believed in heaven I might think of it as a way in. But since I don't (well, not much, but I do believe in hell-isn't that odd?) I guess I'll try to find a warm feeling in the here and now.

No, it's really not bad. Just bitching.

Angel Nieves Diaz was executed

Here's something we here in Florida should do from now on when we execute scum: If it takes 15 minutes to kill a killer, let's drag it out to twice the time.

Here's the story:

Defense attorneys and death penalty opponents were outraged Thursday over an execution in which the condemned man took more than half an hour to die, needed a rare second dose of lethal chemicals, and appeared to grimace in his final moments.

Diaz's attorney filed a lawsuit that the Florida Supreme Court has sent to the 5th Circuit Court in Marion County.

Well, of course they did. Killer scum must be respresented by lawyer scum.

"I am definitely appalled at what happened. I have no doubt he suffered unduly," Angel Nieves Diaz's attorney, Suzanne Myers Keffer, said after Diaz died by injection.

Well, of course you are. Killer scum's lawyer scum are always appalled. Except, of course, at what their client did.

Executions in Florida normally take about 15 minutes, with the inmate rendered unconscious and motionless within the first three to five minutes. But Diaz took 34 minutes to die and appeared to be moving for most of that time.

The murderer is dead. He died legally. It took him twice as long to die and he 'grimaced' during the procedure. Boo Freakin' Hoo!

I think we should advertise that we have lengthy executions here in Florida. May be a better warning to certain people.

Answer: Florida Senator Bill Nelson

Question: Why I voted for Katherine Harris.

Seems like a better idea the more time goes by.

I forget-what was so special about Nelson?

Ah, well...nevermind. I've moved on.

"Snipes in Ocala to face charges of tax fraud"

Wow, Hollywood right here in our sleepy li'l town. Of course, Wesley Snipes called Orlando home, but I guess we'll take our celebrities as we find them.

Of course, John Travolta and Mel Tillis live here.

I feel like I'm better than most everybody else already.

Ah, yes...the touch of fame.

Where have I been?

Under the weather, actually. And Cox cable hs internet has been giving me trouble. Still not well, but have to be better starting tomorrow. Will blog soon.