John McCain is an iron

So yesterday, in response to a pointed question about his immigration policy, John McCain says you couldn't get Americans to do physically grueling work in hot weather for $50 an hour. The specific example was harvesting lettuce. The members of Union of Bricklayers, Hod Carriers and Masons in the audience wanted to know where they could sign up for the raise and better working conditions....

Y'know, there might be someplace you could sell that as straight talk, but not while talking to building and construction unionists. ;o)

aaargh!!!

I can't decide who I hate more, Aubrey Huff or Bryan Roberts.

Lilacs

When we moved in, it was gawdawful overgrown, so I hacked it down to size. Last year I had about three sprigs of lilacs. This year....

Volley and Bayonet - Auerstadt

Not a very historical result....


The initial setup:



Blucher and the AvantGarde, supported by the Right Wing make a combined arms assault on Gudin's brigade to the right of Hassenhausen instead of the historical all cavalry assault on Morand's division arriving to the right of the village.


I watched this come and thought that the brigade in the open might should turn to face the assault, but thought that would leave the other flank open. I later discovered that the adjacent unit to the left in the village would make that a "protected flank" by definition and thus not subject to the unfavorable flank modifiers. Didn't do it, got clobbered and then it just kept getting worse and worse.... Gudin got hustled out of Hassenhausen by the AvantGarde and suffered Division Exhaustion in the process. The Right Wing occupied the village.

Meanwhile, the AvantGarde, hardly damaged by the poor defense of Hassenhausen scattered Friant's division approaching to reinforce. Without Bernadotte, the situation is irretrievable for Davout....

Better out than in....

My gall stones....

And the Boss speaks.....

The quintessential spokesman of blue-collar bitterness and hope:

Dear Friends and Fans:

Like most of you, I've been following the campaign and I have now seen and heard enough to know where I stand. Senator Obama, in my view, is head and shoulders above the rest.

He has the depth, the reflectiveness, and the resilience to be our next President. He speaks to the America I've envisioned in my music for the past 35 years, a generous nation with a citizenry willing to tackle nuanced and complex problems, a country that's interested in its collective destiny and in the potential of its gathered spirit. A place where "...nobody crowds you, and nobody goes it alone."

At the moment, critics have tried to diminish Senator Obama through the exaggeration of certain of his comments and relationships. While these matters are worthy of some discussion, they have been ripped out of the context and fabric of the man's life and vision, so well described in his excellent book, Dreams of My Father, often in order to distract us from discussing the real issues: war and peace, the fight for economic and racial justice, reaffirming our Constitution, and the protection and enhancement of our environment.

After the terrible damage done over the past eight years, a great American reclamation project needs to be undertaken. I believe that Senator Obama is the best candidate to lead that project and to lead us into the 21st Century with a renewed sense of moral purpose and of ourselves as Americans.

Over here on E Street, we're proud to support Obama for President.

Bruce Springsteen

And that's the end of that.

Before the dawn

It's always darkest before the dawn and Obama has been hammered for a 'gaffe', implying that small town Americans in Pennsylvania are 'bitter'. Now, if you read the whole comment, it's surprisingly accurate assessment of WHY Americans are disillusioned with Republican rule and Clintonite triangulation before that, but look at the surprise endorsement he pulls out of his hat...

This is not something that I do regularly but as I listen to the candidates in this race, I am struck that we continue to hear about the problems and the same challenges that we have been talking about for decades. Protecting jobs here in Pennsylvania, breaking our dangerous and costly addiction to foreign oil, making health care accessible and affordable - these are neither new issues nor new ideas. And yet we have failed to make real progress.

As a grandfather and a citizen of this community I think Barack Obama's, thoughtful, strategic approach is important for America. When I hear how excited young people seem to be when they talk about this man, I believe he will do what is best for them which is to inspire them to be great Americans.

This time, we can't afford to wait. Our country needs a new direction and a new kind of leadership - the kind of leadership, judgment and experience that Senator Obama has demonstrated in more than 20 years of public service, and in a particularly impressive way in this campaign. Senator Obama has rejected the say-and-do anything tactics that puts winning elections ahead of governing the country. And he has rejected the back-room politics in favor of opening government up to the people. Barack Obama is the one candidate in this race who can finally put an end to business as usual in Washington and bring about real change for Pittsburgh and the country as a whole. He has inspired me and so many other people around our country with new ideas and fresh perspectives.

True sports fans know that you support your team even when they are the underdogs. Barack Obama is the underdog here but it is with great pride that I join his team.

Art Rooney, President and Owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, America's Blue Collar Team.... Heh.