Just waking up. It’s a few minutes after 9 a.m. here. Not feeling real great, unfortunately. My throat is a little sore. Yesterday was kind of a work day. Got some breakfast at an amazing place called the Aloha Cafe, and ate out in an open air lanai. Then the highlight of the whole trip, coming up with questions for quizzo. After that, I had to get to work on my column for the Metro. Went into town to get some interviews about the new Hooters that opened downtown, officially killing any vestiges of soul this city still had. But it’s hard to do a really deep story in less than 400 words, and what I started to write was too cynical, so I sort scrapped it. Maybe I’ll post the cynical one on this site a little later. Was at a surf spot called the Banyans when I got the sunset photo above. It’s beautiful out today, so I’m gonna finally hit the beach. Aloha!

This morning on KYW there was a poll that said if the election were held today McCain would beat Clinton or Obama. And that Guiliani would win even more handily. I thought how can that be? The Drive-By Media is the propaganda wing of the Democrat Party! They spin the questions till they get the results they want! Ex: They ask if candidate A was a junkie would you vote for him? But they say 98% won’t vote for candidate A! So I looked at the local Propaganda leaflet aka the Inquirer to see what the percentages were AND IT WASN’T IN THERE! So if they can’t distort the polls to get the results they want they bury it. Of course if the poll was in favor of the Democrat Party it would be on the front page. Why people continue to be hoodwinked by these propagandists is beyond me but hopefully this will help enlighten them.

Ever since Andy Reid said Quit with 1:59 left in the season I’m been dreading more and more this coming season. From personal problems off the field to personnel decisions in the Front Office. this team seems to be heading in the wrong direction at full steam ahead. We have a Quaterback who’s one good hit away permanent retirement (or worse); a second-string Quarterback who did a good job for us years ago but that was with a better team; and a third-string quarterback whose main claim to fame is he can hadle a snap better than Tony Romo. Now I know a lot of people on this website know more about Football than me. Is it as bad as I think it is? I’m thinking a 6-10; or 7-9 record. Help me out here! Cheer me up!
It has come to my attention Andy Reid said Punt; not Quit. But to paraphrase my old friend Bill Shakespeare, Quit by any other name is still giving up.

My first day in the islands was pretty mellow. Went into downtown Kona and walked around, which was a pretty extreme feeling. I will give you my feelings for what has happened to the town in the years since I’ve been gone at some point in the near future, but for now I’ll just tell you that I had breakfast at a place called Durty Jake’s, where my ex-girlfrend used to work. That was pretty intense. I used to eat there all the time when she worked there (not so much to see her as it was that I got 50% off.) So that was a pretty intense trip. I thought about her a lot on the first day. I mean, we’ve been broken up for 4 years and I’m over it, but at the place and the time when I lived here, she was a vital part of my life. And I’ve got a memory for every place downtown, and most are connected to her.

You know that feeling you got when you went away to college and you retured home for the first time, and it was no longer your town or your school? I kind of got that feeling too. I mean, we were young and tan and beatiful dolphin trainers, so we felt like we were freaking rock stars. Now I just feel like a tourist. I don’t want to give you the impression that I’m sad or bummed out. I am absolutely thrilled to see the sights, hear the sounds, and most of all, smell the smells (something you never hear anyone say when they visit Philly.) I understand that time passes and that’s all part the process, but there is a certain bittersweetness, I suppose. But most of all there is excitement to see some of the incredible things that I had almost forgotten existed.

Oh, and I went ahead and upgraded the rental. I am totally kicking ass in a 2007 Mustang convertible. I rule!

Yo peeps, I ain’t gonna spend my whole friggin vacation working on questions, so everybody can only play once a week. Maybe. I gotta talk to Dark Horse John, and if he wants to use his old questions and do the joker round and such, then you can play again on thursday. I’ll keep you updated. Anyways, there is quizzo tonight at O’Neals and the Bards hosted by Jam Master Sean. Somebody knock off the Young, the Old and Restless!

The Presidential election is too far off to start predicting who will be the Nominees. Right now it would be McCain and Clinton but we have a long way to go. Closer to home and closer in time is the Mayor’s race AKA the Democratic Primary. Whoever wins this in May wins that in November. So, who do you think it will be? Who do you think it should be? Without comment (I don’t want to influence anybody) here are the nominees*: 1. Bob Brady 2. Darrell Evans 3. Chaka Fattah 4. Tom Knox 5. Michael Nutter
* At this time Milton Street is not eligible; For purposes of this post write-ins are allowed!

Hey gang. Got in at 8:00 p.m. last night. Staying with my friends Justin and Stephanie in a beautiful house that overlooks the ocean (above), though it is up mauka (on the mountain, makai is towards the ocean). I worked with both of them when I was a dolphin trainer at Dolphin Quest. It’s so strange how you see people you haven’t seen in over 6 years, yet after the first few minutes, it feels like you never left. However, a lot has changed. The development down in Kona is out of control, and I don’t know a single person currently working at the place we all used to work. Saddest of all, Kona is getting ready to open a Hooters, a sure sign that a place is headed downhill.

Got a great nights sleep, then woke up at 7 a.m. this morning. Think I’ll be fine with the jet lag. Gonna take it easy today. Gonna go down to town and walk around, then probably head to Captain Cook, a nearby town where a friend of mine owns a used book store. Possibly some beach today, but I’m not sure.

As everyone knows, after Wink Martindale, Johnny has the weakest mind of all game show hosts. Using an old Jedi trick I learned in 1st grade I had him reveal the secrets of his website. RESISTANCE IS FUTILE!
I stopped watching the Oscars after Bob Hope retired but I did read the orchestra cut Al Gore off. Once a windbag always a windbag. Anybody have any comments on the show (Good! Bad! So-So) let us know.
As for the winners…Best Picture: I saw about 25 movies better than “The Departed” this year. Overllong, a pointless love interest, and too much business with those cell phones. Good acting, though. My pick – “United 93”
Best Actor/Actress – I agree with Whitaker and Mirren. Three interesting things – 1. For the FIRST time in history NONE of the Beat Actor nominees were nominated for ANY of the Best Picture nominees. 2. Peter O’Toole is the most nominated non-winner for acting (8).. At 31 Kate Winslet is the youngest 5 time acting nominee in history.
Best Supporting Actor/Actress – I didn’t see “Dreamgirls” I don’t do Musicals! I liked Arkin but did he win because of his performance? His career? Or voters changed their ballot after seeing “Norbit”? Whatever, Murphy was the only favorite who didn’t win. My picks – Jackie Earle Haley – “Little Children”; Rinko Kikuchi – “Babel” Two depressing but well-acted movies.
The rest: I didn’t see the Best Foreign Language winner or the Best Documentary winner. My picks – “Apocalypto” and “The Heart Of The Game”
What do YOU think? Agree? Disagree? If YOU disagree who do YOU thinks should have won? Feel free to embellish!