307. Did you know today was a Holiday?

The Kentucky General Assembly was scheduled to meet for the 57th day of its 60 day Session today. But it didn't. It declared a Holiday instead. So, what were they celebrating? Was it the establishment of the forerunner to the NCAA, so done on this date in 1906? That would be appropriate given the role the University of Louisville has played in this year's NCAA brackets. Or maybe it was the acquisition and renaming of the United States Virgin Islands on this date in 1917? Daylight Savings Time was established on this date in 1918 (except in Indiana). It was on this date that LBJ announced that “I shall not seek and I will not accept the nomination of my party for another term as your president.” I always liked the way LBJ always referred to himself as "your president," usually by tugging on a senator's arm in a griplock saying, "Your president needs you on this vote, Senator." Johnson's Great Society programs weren't the best-administered, but their intent was heart-filled and heartfelt and he was one of the most important Americans in the latter half the 20th century. Today is the 60th birthday of once (and possibly future) Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore. Maybe that was the Holiday they were celebrating. Who knows? They stayed behind closed doors in conference committees doing work that should have and could have been done long before the last working day of the Session. Whatever they were celebrating on this March 31 Holiday, I hope it was worth it.

The space below is reserved for an update on this year's Legislative Accomplishments.
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The Session will come to an end in two weeks. There is one more working day (the 57th one which was scheduled for today, now to be taken tomorrow on April Fools Day), then a break for the governor to consider which, if any, of the good works of the legislature he might want to veto, then two more days to override him. And then the Republicans, who have added nothing to the cause, will force a Special Session. They cost about $60,000.00 a day.

A final legislative thought. I always found curious the pair of words vote and veto, which are spelled with the same four letters, and are sort of opposites, except that you can't really have a veto without a vote first.

306. Areas Codes

Let us say that if you wanted to place a call to Papa Hemingway whilst he was lounging about his favorite city in the United States, you would use the Area Code 305 to place the call. That was the significance of the previous entry's number to the previous entry's subject matter - the Area Code. Florida was one of the first states that put the North American Numbering Plan, designed by AT&T, into use. The original area code for Florida was 305. Florida now has seventeen. 305, then as now, serves Key West as well as other parts of far-southern Florida.

Area Codes were created in the late 1940s and first came into use in 1951. Kentucky's original area code was 502. We presently have four codes (270, 502, 606, and 859) and we are scheduled to get another one (364) in the far western part of the state next year. The original list of codes for all of the United States, Canada, and Mexico had a zero, and then later a 1, as the center digit. Codes for higher populated areas had all low numbers. This was in the days of rotary telephones. If you are under 40, you may not have any idea what a rotary telephone is. Suffice it to say that the two largest cities in the land have area codes of 212 and 213, which requires the least number of rotary clicks to make a long distance call. None of the original codes began or ended in a 1 which is still the case. For that matter, none of them begin or end in 11 either.


Of course now that the number on a phone is representative of an electronic signal, and not a rotary click, any number can pretty well be assigned anywhere. It seems to be with the advancement of cellular technology that, in all honesty, there should be no such thing as a "long-distance call." But then, those are money makers for telephone systems and I doubt they will go away.

One final note on Area Codes which bothers me. Calls can be made between Canada and the United States using the 1+the Area Code format. But, since 1991, there has been a wall erected between the United States and Mexico. To call "south of the border," one must use the International Calling Codes of 01+the Country Code of 52, as if calling from El Paso, Texas, USA to Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico is a lot different than calling from Detroit, Michigan, USA to Windsor, Ontario, Canada. You have to wonder why one is treated differently from the other.

*****

Bridget: Death in the Afternoon, but I've never had one. In my drinking days, I drank beer, except on payday weekends when Old Forester Bourbon was my drink of choice. In The Sun Also Rises, there is lots of alcohol consumed, mostly beer, but also liqueurs made with Absinthe, which is made with Anise. Death in the Afternoon is made with Absinthe.

Ben: Is that all you ever think about? Wait, I know the answer to that.

305. Call to Hemingway

Yes Ben, of course, you are right. The Basques on the bus with the wine are in The Sun Also Rises. And, the word bota is used one time (so far) in the book. I was wrong to suggest otherwise. I am up to the part where Brett (Lady Ashley) seduces the handsome nineteen year old torero, then Cohn gets mad over it and fights everyone, and then leaves the next morning, while everyone else finally rolls out of their respective rooms to - do what? - have another beer. Just like in the Book of Genesis, "Evening came and morning followed." I've a few more chapters left before I put the little book away for a minute.

Meanwhile, back along the Left Bank of the Ohio River near Milepost 606, it was also wrong of me to suggest that Spring had actually sprung. Very early this morning (around 4:45 am), the temperature was in the 60s. Then came along a front, knocking 20 or more degrees of mercury off into oblivion, leaving us with less-than-Spring like weather. But the sun has shown through here and there and April will certainly be here soon.

So, here is another end-of-entry trivia question. Why is the picture on the left appropriate for today's entry? Be specific. It isn't just because of Hemingway's fondness for the Conch Republic.

Lamentations

I've got too many irons in the fire - need to take a break, or break away from some of it.

I'm helping two different candidates for Metro Council, although I'm not doing either one of them a lot of good, but I think I am doing both of them some good. Both have been out walking their respective precincts. One has already begun putting up [the dreaded] yard signs and sent out some mail. He is at a neighborhood meeting this evening. The other is a little behind but is still working hard. We are meeting Sunday morning to work on a mail plan for him. Both will need to work hard to win. One is against an incumbent; the other in an open seat. For the one, though, winning the Primary will suffice. The district heavily favors one Party and he is a member of that Party. The other will have a whole 'nother race this fall, and his district doesn't lean too heavily either way.

I'm also helping a candidate for District Judge, although I admittedly know I am not an expert by any stretch of thought in her race. Her father has been a good friend, so I am helping. It is a problem in that she is running against another friend of mine and both are well qualified. Either will be an excellent choice.

I'm also helping a young friend in his run for one of the seats on the local Democratic Executive Committee. I'd like to have a friend there as my term as By-Laws Chair will expire in about two weeks and I do not anticipate getting re-appointed, which is good, I guess. But I am intending to seek re-election to the State Central Committee, where I serve on the State By-Laws Committee, but again, I do not anticipate getting reappointed to that committee either. Getting elected there requires staying involved in the LD elections which are coming up on April 12. Delegates to the State Convention will be elected on that date and it is the votes of those delegates I need for my re-election. I'm also answering questions of whoever asks about how to get to the National Convention as a delegate, which is not an easy task. And I'm still undecided about for whom I will cast a vote for President on May 20.

And, finally, I am going to be doing some work on behalf of the re-election efforts of Congressman John Yarmuth - not the role I played in 2006, but a similar if somewhat diminished one.

On an entirely different front, I've got two close friends out of work, including one who rents a house from me, and that is making life a little complicated. In my life, I've been in the exact same position as my tenant and I will be as lenient as were my landlords in my times of need, which was very. I am hopeful that situation will change but I am aware the economy just plain sucks right now and there is little room for hope, nor does hope seem to want to rear its head beyond the next horizon, so I'll just patiently wait.

Also, 2008 was to be the year I finished my journey through religion and either found a new church home or re-upped in the one I've had for nearly thirty years. I am no where near making a decision, but it is significant to me that on Easter Sunday I attended an Episcopal mass and not a Catholic one.

On the bright side, Spring seems to be finally springing. I rode the #17 bus into work this morning, but upon leaving the office about 5:10 this afternoon I decided to walk the fifteen or so blocks back home given the weather was so nice. It was a pleasant walk - one that I needed. I actually need to do a lot of that. This summer will mark the 30th anniversary of my high school graduation, one of the happiest times in my life. At the time, I weighed 135 pounds, had an enormous amount of hair [some of you have seen the pictures], and still had a considerable accounting of my senses. Today, the scales register about 90 pounds more pounds, none of which is hair as I have very little, and as for my senses, I can't remember where I've lain them.

Ok, that's the end of today's lament.

For entertainment and fantasy travel escape, I have been rereading at night my favorite novella for entertainment and fantasy travel escape. Some of the lesser characters of the book are Zizi, Georgette, Mrs. Braddocks, and the Basques on the bus with the wine. Do you know the book?

Happy Easter

It is snowing right now along the Left Bank of the Ohio River near Milepost 606, perhaps appropriate for one of the earliest Easter Sundays in decades. Snow is forecast for tonight as well and maybe into tomorrow. But this morning the sun was shining brightly while I attended services at the Episcopal Church of the Advent on Baxter Avenue at the top of Broadway. The sermon was all about Water and Light, based on the traditions assoicated with the Easter candle and the waters of Baptism. Jesus calls Himself the Bright and Morning Star in the Book of Revelation, the closing book of the Holy Bible. After the service, coffee and doughnuts were served while the youngsters spent twenty minutes or so seeking out Easter Eggs in the sidelawn of the church, a task made fairly easy since none of the grass and weeds have grown high enough yet this season to hide anything. After church I went over to my father's house, where a dinner was ready, but I wasn't hungry. My mother was there and promised to take all the leftovers to her house, so as to prompt a visit from me there, which I will do tomorrow. Also at my dad's was my oldest nephew Jacob and his latest girlfriend whose name I did not catch.

My friend Keith attended Easter services at Bates Memorial Baptist Church on Lampton Street where he saw his younger brother, who did not recognize him at first, as well as his mother, who was singing in the choir. Keith usually makes one visit a year to the church of his choice, this visit at this church being it. Keith's cousin Migael, a regular churchgoer, attended with our mutual friend Ken, attending to my knowledge his first church service in over fifteen years, at the Central Presbyterian Church on S. Fourth Street, a church neither one of them belong to.

One reason I was not all that hungry at my father's was my inclusion last night in a dinner at Louisville's newest four-star restaurant, Rivue, located on the 25th floor of The Galt House Hotel on N. Fourth Street. Beginning my evening with a glass of Pinot Noir, which I did not finish during the course of the three hour gustatory adventure, I had as an appetizer a triangular shaped (and not very deep) bowl of delicious Oyster Stew. For the entree, I had a Chicken Penne dish, with artichokes, which up until last night I do not think I've ever partaken of before. The meal was followed by some excellent coffee and chocolate delights. There was a young pianist playing a Baby Grand as we entered. Before the night was over, Migael, who can play most anything but excels in classical and jazz, played for nearly a half-hour. I followed him with a three-song set, the last of which was a jazzed version of my High School Alma Mater. I wish I could play as good as Migael, but just being able to say "I played Rivue" will suffice for now.

So, that's the catch-up for this Easter Sunday. Below are the lyrics one will typically hear at any Easter Sunday service, whether Catholic, Protestant, or otherwise. It is the Signature song for this Signature day.

*****

Jesus Christ is risen today,
Alleluia!
our triumphant holy day,
Alleluia!
who did once upon the cross,
Alleluia!
suffer to redeem our loss.
Alleluia!

Hymns of praise then let us sing,
Alleluia!
unto Christ, our heavenly King,
Alleluia!
who endured the cross and grave,
Alleluia!
sinners to redeem and save.
Alleluia!

But the pains which he endured,
Alleluia!
our salvation have procured,
Alleluia!
now above the sky he's King,
Alleluia!
where the angels ever sing.
Alleluia!

Words: Compleat Psalmodist, 1749

Easter Hymn (Lyra Davidica, 1708;
arranged by William Henry Monk, 1823-1889)

Happy Easter.

302. All Things Being Equal

Later tonight after you go to bed, around 1:58 a.m. here along the Left Bank of the Ohio River near Milepost 606, we will cross over one of those all important imaginary lines, the Vernal Equinox, causing the season to change from Winter to Spring and, because some church authorities so dedided, setting up when Easter will fall in a given year. Easter, a Christian celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus, falls upon the first Sunday after the first Full Moon after the Vernal Equinox, which occurs later tonight. Friday afternoon the Moon passes into its Full phase, and thusly Easter is to be celebrated this Sunday, about as early as it can possibly fall. It last fell on this date in 1913 and will not again until 2160. It can also fall on March 22, having last done so in 1818 and to do so again in 2285 - all of these dates are subject to the idea that I read all the charts correctly. If I did, chances are good none of us will ever see an earlier date for Easter in our lifetimes, whether we are celebraters of Easter or not. Easter originally always fell on 14 Nisan on the Hebrew calendar, a date which falls in preparation for Passover, a day which in Christian tradition will be celebrated tomorrow. Notice the difference between the words date and day. One is unmoving, the other movable. The point of all this is to say that my posting will in all likelihood be light for the next several days, all of which are a part of Easter Week which began Sunday. Surely Barack and Hillary can give it rest for a few days as well.

301. Obama's Speech

It occurred to me yesterday that if I send in my "Declaration of Candidacy" to be a Kentucky delegate to the Democratic National Convention, something I don't expect to do, in the blank where one is required to commit to one or the other of the two candidates, I will write the word "Uncommitted." A better word would be "Undecided." A better description would be "foolishly wishing there was some way out of this without some destruction to the Democratic Party."

I've listened to any number of people respond to Barack Obama's speech today of forty-five minutes of either capturing completely or explaining away his fate either to be or not to be the next President of the United States. I am amazed at the wide variety of responses - some happy, some mad, some who said he can't have it both ways with the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, to others who claim he now owns the preacher, lock, stock, and barrel, and does get to have his pie and eat it too. My father, who cannot stand Obama (and I am being very generous in my language) remarked that the senator did the honorable thing by not entirely disowning the reverend. A friend is a friend is a friend, even when they cross over lines you wish they would not have crossed, as Reverend Wright has done not only for Obama, but also for many of his supporters and most of the non-Obama supporters. Bloggers are falling all over themselves from hefty criticism on the Right, to the leftist Rude Pundit's blog entry title of offering some sexual pleasure for the senator in thanksgiving for his words. Ironically, there is no gray area in this mixed race man. It is all either black or white, while he is both.

I've crossed over, a little later than most, from my previous thinking that Mrs. Clinton will be the nominee and in turn the next president. I'm not sure, though, that Obama will be, although I am pretty sure he will be. I still think there is an outside possibility that after the 38th ballot is taken, and neither have moved much, that on the 39th ballot, like an angel descending from the clouds, a series of ropes and pulleys will lower Albert Gore, Jr. from the lofty heights of Nobel Laureatism down onto the playing field, in his role as Savior of the Party. Stranger things have happened, although not at a nominating convention and not in a long time.

It's a long way to Pennsylvania.

And, that's not the end of it. Sooner or later, both campaigns will be here along the Left (and Right) Bank of the Ohio River near Milepost 606 selling their wares. The longer the race goes, the less I am convinced I need to make a purchase.

300th entry - 10,000th hit

About an hour and a half ago, the Left Bank of the Ohio River near Milepost 606 recorded its 10,000th hit, someone visiting from Seymour, Indiana, a little burg just north of here in Jackson County, on the way to Columbus, Nashville, and Indianapolis. The county seat of Jackson County is Brownstown. Seymour is the hometown of one of my former employers, attorney Norma Carter Miller, as well as popular singer John Cougar Mellencamp. I assume some of those little pink houses Mellencamp sang about can still be found there. I used to go through Seymour every summer en route to camping at Redbrush Park, which is no longer there. A lot of Louisvillians venture up to Seymour during Christmas season to visit the Tanger Factory Outlet stores.

Whoever you are my reader from Seymour, feel free to come back and identify yourself. There aren't any prizes, just recognition.

Here is a copy of the capture from the 10,000th visit. Those of you who are learned in computer-talk can tell those of us who aren't what any of this means.

Domain Name comcast.net ? (Network)
IP Address 69.243.133.# (Comcast Cable)
ISP Comcast Cable
Location
Continent North America
Country : United States (Facts)
State : Indiana
City : Seymour
Lat/Long : 38.9385, -85.8896 (Map)
Distance : 48 miles (local visitor)
Language unknown
Operating System Microsoft WinXP
Browser Internet Explorer 6.0
Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; .NET CLR 2.0.50727)
Javascript disabled
Time of Visit Mar 17 2008 5:46:00 pm
Referring URL unknown
Visit Entry Page http://ohioriver606.blogspot.com/
Visit Exit Page http://ohioriver606.blogspot.com/
Out Click
Time Zone unknown
Visitor's Time Unknown
Visit Number 10,000



Here are the lyrics from Mellencamp's Little Pink Houses. Incidentally, to his credit, Mellencamp has asked the McCain for President campaign to stop using this song as part of its campaign, as Mellencamp identifies himself as "somewhat left of center and not in support of Senator McCain." The McCain camp has complied with the request.

Theres a black man with a black cat
Living in a black neighbourhood
Hes got an interstate runnin through his front yard
You know, he think, that hes got it so good
And theres a woman in the kitchen cleanin up the evening slop
And he looks at her and says: hey darling, I can remember when you could stop a clock

Chorus:
Oh but aint that america for you and me
Aint that america were someting to see baby
Aint that america, home of the free
Little pink houses for you and me

Well theres a young man in a t-shirt
Listening to a rockin rollin station
Hes got a greasy hair, greasy smile
He says: lord, this must be my destination
cuz they told me, when I was younger
Boy, youre gonna be president
But just like everyting else, those old crazy dreams
Just kinda came and went

Chorus:
Oh but aint that america for you and me
Aint that america were someting to see baby
Aint that america, home of the free
Little pink houses for you and me

Well theres people and more people
What do they know know know
Go to work in some high rise
And vacation down at the gulf of mexico
Ohhh yeah
And theres winners, and theres losers
But they aint no big deal
cuz the simple man baby pays for the thrills,
The bills and the pills that kill

Chorus:
Oh but aint that america for you and me
Aint that america were someting to see baby
Aint that america, home of the free
Little pink houses for you and me

Oh but aint that america for you and me
Aint that america were someting to see baby
Aint that america, home of the free
Little pink houses for you and me

*****

One final thought -- Happy Saint Patrick's Day.

299. Brackets, or in this instance, Lists.

It's March. March Madness. I'm not savvy enough to know how to put a set of brackets on here. So, you'll just have to follow the lists. I'm predicting a big year for our neighbor to the south of the 36/30 line.

FIRST ROUND

EAST
North Carolina
Arkansas
George Mason
Washington State
Oklahoma
Louisville
South Alabama
Tennessee

MIDWEST
Kansas
Kent
Villanova
Vanderbilt
Southern Cal
Wisconsin
Gonzaga
Georgetown

SOUTH
Memphis
Oregon
Michigan State
Pittsburgh
Kentucky
Stanford
Miami of Florida
Texas

WEST
UCLA
Texas Agricultural and Mechanical
Western Kentucky
Connecticut
Purdue
Georgia
Arizona
Duke

SECOND ROUND

EAST
North Carolina
Washington State
Oklahoma
Tennessee

MIDWEST
Kansas
Vanderbilt
Wisconsin
Georgetown

SOUTH
Memphis
Pittsburgh
Stanford
Texas

WEST
UCLA
Connecticut
Purdue
Arizona

REGIONALS
Tennessee defeats North Carolina
Vanderbilt defeats Georgetown
Pittsburgh loses to Texas
UCLA loses to Arizona

FINAL FOUR GAMES
Tennessee defeats Vanderbilt
Texas defeats Arizona

THE BIG GAME
In a game played in San Antonio, Texas, Tennessee defeats Texas in a game with a total of 191 points scored.

Go ahead and relearn the words to Rocky Top. We're going to be hearing a lot of it between now and April 7.

Here is a trivia question. Since the "brackets" began, what are the only two colleges originally and still eligible to be invited who still have never found their names on a Brackets page?

One final note. Our visitor-counter should trip over the 10,000 mark tonight or tomorrow. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Unsportsmanlike Conduct

About 42 years ago, my mother took me up to the old Okolona Fire House on Blue Lick Road, now home to the Wilderness Road Senior Citizen Center, and signed me up to play in the Minor-Minor League of the Okolona Little League Baseball organization. Okolona at the time played of fields which had been built on the farm of the late Shirley Neblett, located on the southwest corner of Blue Lick Road and Preston Highway. Mr. Neblett had also offered the land for the Okolona Fire House. The Minor-Minor field was located behind where the McDonald's now sits. Other fields were for the Minor, Junior, Big, and Senior leagues. Some of the fields were later moved for the building of the Tradewinds South Shopping Center which housed a Kroger and a drug store, among other things. Eventually the McDonald's sprung up out in the parking lot of that shopping center. While the McDonald's remains, the rest of the Tradewinds Center has been torn down. The Okolona Little League relocated to land on the west side of Southern High School, where some of the teams had played off-and-on for years. A Home Depot occupies most of the site of the old Okolona fields.

That year, 1966, I played on the "Colts" for Coach Doan and Coach McFee. We sometimes practiced at Smyrna Elementary on the Outer Loop, the Bethany United Church of Christ on Old Preston Highway, and Blue Lick Park on Mud Lane. Like little leaguers all over Jefferson County, we really didn't think much about the use of the parks and the fields, nor did it occur to us that there were costs involved in using those parks and fields. But, as adults, we do know there are. So the question arises as to what is expected from our government in the way of parkland and uses, expectations as to how those things are funded, and if there should be user fees involved for park usage.

When I was in college at Bellarmine College - now University (one of the five Centers of Higher Education I attended before one of them, Spalding University, decided to grant me a degree) I had as a Business Professor Dr. Bernard Theimann, an exceptional professor who was also a strict fiscal conservative, this in the early days of the Downfall of the American Republic initiated by President Ronald W. Reagan. Dr. Theimann was admittedly one of my very favorite professors in college although we disagreed on most economic policy and a lot of other things. He had a belief that everyone who uses any public facilities should pay a user fee to do so, especially parents with children. His typical rail was against those parents who used the parks as baby sitting facilities. He felt that above and beyond whatever those parents paid in property taxes, there should be additional money paid into the system when any government system was used. I thought he was nuts and told him so. I argued that property taxes are the payment he sought and those taxes were paid by both property owners on their mortgages and by those leasing through their monthly rent payments to landlords. As the son of a landlord of several properties, I assured him costs were always passed on. So, Dr. Theimann and I regularly agreed to disagree. To his credit, he never did use my disagreements with him to decide what my grades would be in his classes. I truly deserved the two Cs and two Bs I got from him, as well as the 2 As.

All this comes to mind today based on an email I read yesterday, the issue of which made its way into the Courier-Journal today. The Mayor of Louisville-Jefferson County Metro, in an effort to save costs, has decided to pass on to Little League players the costs associated with lighting ball fields and concession stands at area public parks used by Little League teams. I think that is preposterous and unworthy of a government. It is, in a word, unsportsmanlike.

Am I wrong? Should Little League players be expected, through the sign-up fees paid by their parents, grandparents, and guardian, to foot the bill for using the parks? If so, to what end does such a thought lead? Are all of us who use any government owned facility to pay user fees, as Dr. Theimann suggested in class twenty-five years ago(?), a suggestion I thought then was asinine and still do. I find the suggestion that Little Leagues (and others) pay these bills to be pathetic.

This idea is related to the argument I've heard all my life about folks who have no children in the public schools wanting to opt out of paying school taxes. For the record, I am one of those who have had no children in the public schools, although I myself am a product of them and my nieces and nephews all attend (or attended as two of them have graduated) public schools. Are we such a country that every penny we spend can only be on ourselves? Reagan and his ilk taught us that greed beginning in the late 1970s and through the 1980s and it is one of the most unfortunate things which has happened to American society. We are no longer societal, we are all individual.

When the American Republic falls, which it will, here along the Left Bank of the Ohio River near Milepost 606, one of the indicators will have been the day the Mayor of Louisville-Jefferson County Metro decided to charge Little Leaguers to pay for electricity to use the parks - truly unsportsmanlike conduct.

*****

According to the C-J, the following entities are known to be affected by this proposed policy:

Fairdale Youth Baseball, Nelson Hornbeck Park
Fern Creek Babe Ruth, Fern Creek Park
Optimist Club of Hikes Point, Des Pres Park
Jeffersontown Youth Soccer Association, Floyds Fork Park
Lyndon Recreation Association, A.B. Sawyer Park
Middletown Recreation Association, Crosby Park
Okolona Little League, McNeely Lake Park
Portland Youth Baseball League, Lannan Park
Rockford Lane Youth Baseball, Riverside Gardens Park
Southwest Baseball, Sun Valley Park
Southwest Youth Soccer League, Sun Valley Park
West Louisville Sports, Shawnee Park
Other organizations affected:
Berrytown/Griffytown Improvement Organization, Berrytown Park
Healthy Strides, Cherokee Park
Louisville Rugby Football, Hays Kennedy Park
Louisville Radio Control Club, McNeely Lake Park
Louisville Area Soaring Society, Charlie Vettiner Park
Trinity High School baseball, Thurman Hutchins Park

297. Pi Day and the Ides of March

Some housekeeping first. I sent an email to Dr. Jacob Payne of www.PageOneKentucky.com thanking him for linking my essay on the Metro Club Senatorial Debate and their "last night in Okolona" to his blog. Joe Sonka at www.barefootandprogressive.com linked to it as well, and Ben Carter at www.bluegrassroots.org followed suit. I've had my best two days of hits since signing on back on January 4, 2007. Thanks to all of them and to those of you who are reading my little place of thoughts here along the Left Bank of the Ohio River near Milepost 606. I may even have to increase my five faithful number up to six if the barrage of hits continues - barrage being a relative term. My average prior to yesterday was about 34. Yesterday I had 86, today in the high fifties, with some time left. But, enough of that self-gratification stuff.

*****

Today, March 14, is Pi Day, that is today is 3/14, the mathematical pi term representing the 3.14 more or less [3.14159265358979323846264338327950288419716939937510 is actually a closer approximation, but an approximation nonetheless] which equates out to the circumference of a circle divided by its diameter. I first learned that in some 8th grade Algebra classes, which along with some 9th and 10th grade (especially 10th grade) science classes, specifically chemistry and biology, were the cause of my less-than-perfect high school GPA at "Dear Old Durrett High School." Those reasons, along with simply having gone to high school in the late 70s, when nothing was really fashionable and every one was more-or-less laid back, usually due to some stimulant or intoxication or both, and some more than others, prefaced what has for me been a rather laid-back attitude toward a number of things in life. Or it may have been those lines, copied here before from James Whitcomb Riley's poem My Philosophy, counselling readers to "just do your best for praise or blame." While I haven't always done my best, I have at least tried to. The late monk Thomas Merton, for whom Louisville's Metro Council want to christen a downtown intersection at 4th and Ali as a means of diverting attention from their failure to adequately provide for a library system -- wait, I digressed way far from base there.

A Kentucky Historical Marker already commemorates Merton's revelation at S. Fourth Street and W. Muhammad Ali Boulevard in downtown Louisville.

There is a prayer attributed to the late monk Thomas Merton which hangs on one of my kitchen cabinet doors. Part of it reads (and I read it every day) that while I may not know if what I am doing in this life is actually pleasing to God, the fact that I believe that I am trying to do so, does in fact do so. That is what I ask of myself and tell others is acceptable. In one's life, trying to do your best, even if you do not always achieve success, is, in and of itself, a personal success. Of course, I am not the Maker they will Meet upon their earthly demise granting them eternal bliss or damnation, so they may or may not want to follow my recommendations.

Nonetheless, if anyone ever says to me that it is important to "Beware the Ides of March," which is tomorrow (3/15), as was written by The Bard to be said by a soothsayer to Julius Caesar in Act I, Scene II of the play named for the 1st Century BCE Roman military leader, I would more or less dismiss them. Well, at least I think I would. While I know there are outside forces at work intermingling the lives of all of us [think Six Degrees of Separation, or of the film noir Magnolia], I am content that each of us determine our own fates to the point that some Supreme Being grants us the personal free will to do so, rough-hewing them as we do.

Ain't life grand.

296. Last night in Okolona.

First, it being such a nice Morning in America today [that line has a ring to it], I thought I'd use some vacation time and go in late.

Last night in Okolona, the UAW Union Hall played host to the Metro Democratic Club's 2008 United States Senate Debate between the three candidates who reside in the Louisville Metro area. Except only two of them showed up, Dr. Michael Cassaro of Prospect and Mr. Greg Fischer of Louisville. The other Metro area candidate was not in the Metro area last night, but he did send a number of his staffers and supporters including my friend Taylor Coots. Cassaro and Fischer had their folks there as well - Dr. Ted Schlecter who serves as Cassaro's PR guy sat with several others from their camp. Fischer's presence was strong both from staffers and in the crowd, estimated by moderator Mark Hebert, at 200. Ben Basil, Dannie Gregoire, and Kyle Gott, among others were there from Fischer's office, as well as his campaign director, Mr. A. J. Carrillo. A number of "just regular folks" were sporting Fischer stickers on their lapels, many of whom would have been sporting Horne stickers had the retired Lieutenant Colonel been in this race. A number of local activists types, along with a handful of bloggers, hung around in the back. One of bloggers was Republican Jefferson Poole. Poole hasn't posted yet this morning but I'm sure he will make use of some perceived bloopers, one in particular, and I suspect if he caught them on film that Senator McConnell's campaign office is already making them into a commercial for this fall. But, there were only two by my count, and for an hour of very loose give-and-take, I thought both candidates made a good accounting of themselves. Cassaro offered some rather technical discussions here and there and some of his answers were somewhat more to the left than I had anticipated, which was a pleasant surprise. Fischer seemed to have taken a more middle ground, a more more cautious approach on issues, which also caught my attention. Hebert's closing question was sort of expected, but in my opinion not a proper one. He asked the two candidates who they would like at the top of ticket with them. Neither answered clearly, although Cassaro indicated he thought Obama was in tune with many of his concerns. Fischer did not offer a direct answer. In my opinion, neither of them should have. Such a question divides supporters, since I am sure both Cassaro and Fischer each have supporters of both of the two leading candidates. I am glad neither of them gave Hebert a direct answer.

Looking at the crowd, many members of the club attended as well as the requisite number of candidates seeking local office. But I was surprised that some of the Jefferson County Party leadership failed to show. A number of the County Executive Committee were not there, except for some who are also member of the club. Nor did I see our County Party Chair. On the other hand, the Kentucky Democratic Party Chair Jennifer Moore was there and was introduced to the crowd. Also in attendance was Heather Ryan, the Paducah woman who is seeking to unseat Florida-resident and Kentucky Congressman Ed Whitfield. We wish her well. Another U. S. Senate candidate, Kenneth Stepp, made his way to the Hall from Manchester, Kentucky down in the east. Both Stepp and Ryan were introduced to a round of applause.

All in all, it was a good night and I am hopeful there are more of these back-and-forth sessions between the candidates. And hopefully, there can be fuller participation. The Metro Club debate was intentionally only for those candidates from Jefferson County. There will be others in the state, as well as the usual KET show, so stay tuned.

On a different note, last night was the last night the Metro Club was to meet in the UAW Hall. Starting next month, the club will be meeting in the upstairs meeting hall of the American Legion Highland Post #201 on Bardstown Road, four blocks north of the Watterson near Assumption High School.

295. There he goes again.

United States Senator Barack Obama won another state - Mississippi. Remember the "follow the bouncing ball" rendition in the cartoons from a-hundred years ago. "M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I. It used to be so hard to spell, but now it makes me cry!" Senator Clinton must be trying to respell her way through this winter. It hasn't be easy on her. She may be crying at this point. And we've now six weeks of back-and-forth volleys between the two Democrats before voting commences in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania while Senator John McCain, Republican-nominee presumptive, makes his way between the two or three or four right wings of his Party, some more right than others, but none too much to the left, and all of whom will sooner or later make their way into McCain's Straight Talk camp.

Back on our side of the aisle, will it all be over before it is time for it all to be over come August in Denver? I doubt it, and that is beginning to look unfortunate. One Louisville blogger lamented earlier in the day that he was already sick of the Democratic Primary. Some wondered what took him so long. Will this long and winding road rend our Party into pieces - white and black, young and old, progressive, traditional liberal, and less-liberal, and J. R. Gray-type moderates? Will such a division delay or deny the Democratic Party the full ascension it began with the elections in November, 2006, elections which because of Kentucky's earliest poll-closing hour in the nation began right here along the Left Bank of the Ohio River near Milepost 606 with the election of John Yarmuth to the 110th Congress? (Across the river polls close at the same time as Kentucky but because part of Congressman Baron Hill's district is in the Central Time Zone, he had to wait an extra hour before his race was called. The only other place which closes simultaneous with most of Kentucky and part of Indiana (at 6:00 pm ET) is the United States Virgin Islands). But, I digress.

I've written elsewhere that both camps have followed an incomplete game plan and the result has been both are claiming some predominance which is honestly unfounded. Obama likes to point out he has won more votes and more states than Clinton. The former is probably a legitimate claim to a point; the latter clearly is not. Many of the states Obama was won are "caucus" states where a small percentage of the voting population determines that state's delegates for a large number of voters who didn't bother to show. And because caucusses are not like Primaries, where one is usually in and out in twenty minutes, many folks simply don't participate due to time constraints. Caucusses do not yield the best picture of how a state's Party-registrants feel - rather it is a very good picture of a few truly focussed and committed activists on both sides. Clinton's campaign seems to ignored them altogether, losing nearly all of them, and after an Obama sweep in the upper Midwest firing the campaign manager, although that wasn't the reason given for her departure.

Then there is the complaint of the Obama people that Clinton is going to steal the election by the votes of Superdelegates. If she does, it is only because her campaign realized from the start that this group of people were part of the process, just as they have been for most of Senator Obama's life. She's played to the big-state Primaries as well as the Superdelegates, who like those who participate in a caucus, have more power than they probably deserve - but not more today than they've ever had in the past, just today (and for all of the tomorrows until we get to Denver) they really mean something.

But neither the caucusses or the Superdelegates are new. Both have been part and parcel of the process for a generation and neither Clinton nor Obama have given all three parts appropriate attention. And the result is nightly bickering for everyone to see on their TVs, PCs, HDTVs, Podcasts, or whatever other means they have. And it is isn't pretty. And it isn't going to get any prettier between now and Denver.

Here is the schedule for the rest of the season.

April 22, Pennsylvania Primary, 188 delegates.
May 3, Guam Caucus, 9 delegates.
May 6, Indiana Primary, 84 delegates.
May 6, North Carolina Primary, 134 delegates.
May 13, West Virginia Primary, 39 delegates.
May 20, Kentucky Primary, 55 delegates. *-See note
May 20, Oregon Primary, 65 delegates.
June 1, Puerto Rico Primary, 63 delegates.
June 3, Montana Primary, 24 delegates.
June 3, South Dakota Primary, 23 delegates.

Kentucky's delegation, according to the Democratic National Committee website, will be made up of 31 Congressional District Level delegates, 10 At-Large Delegates, 6 Party Leader and Elected Official Delegates, and 8 Unpledged Delegates. Then there are those 9 Superdelegates. There will also be 8 Alternates. This number has changed over time, some of that change attributable to recalculations based on the reallocation of Michigan's and Florida's delegates, which may, in the end, be back in play. There is a process to become a national delegate, the first step of which is to make a filing with the State Party by May 15. Go to the www.kydemocrat.com for more information.

Hold on tight to your dreams. (That's ELO talk for those of you as old as me).

P.S. I've been to South Dakota once in my life with my grandfather many years ago. Not much happens there. That's likely to change come late-May and early-June. I would think that if one went to South Dakota on purpose, which I don't suppose many folks do, late-May or early June would be one of the best times of year to do so. Just a thought.

294. The Streets are Clear. Thanks Be To God.

I had to laugh at the preposterous statement in the paper. His Honor the Mayor of Louisville - Jefferson County Metro congratulated the City work forces for their quick clearing of the city's roads of snow and ice. He didn't mention the rising of the sun as well as the temperature as playing any role, divine or otherwise. But, I am sure if someone points that out to him, he will take credit for that too.

He seems to gotten himself mixed up with some other leader.

293. Not Much to Say

2-9-3 is one of those combinations of numbers which have a meaning for me. My birthday is 9-2-3 - mark it down for later reference. But, there is nothing of significance to write about today. I could write about the Kentucky highway bearing the number 293. I have driven parts of it - it runs from just north of Slover Creek in Webster County southwest through a wing of Hopkins County, then continuing southwest to Princeton, the Caldwell County seat where it wraps around the old Court House and follows south out Jefferson Street, under a railroad viaduct, and where for a few blocks it is co-signed with KY 139, about a 1/2 mile west of Eddy Creek, then at KY 903 bending to more of a due-west direction as it crosses over into Lyon County, where it comes to an end after intersecting with Interstate 24 at KY93, it so-called parent route. I've only driven on it twice, and then on different parts. But why bore the five faithful with such trivia?

292. Blizzards, Daylight Savings, and . . . . .

The blizzard is over. Just over nine inches officially registered at the National Weather Service. Some parts of the county reported up to twelve. Outside my back door, I measured eleven inches. All of those streets which were impassable this morning eventually became passable with the sun arising as well as the temperature. The sun is now setting over the west end of Market Street where the New Albany Power Plant stacks mark the end of civilization as we know it.

In protest to the early end of the blizzard, we will shave an hour tonight off our clocks. Daylight Savings Time, which gives Hoosiers something to talk about, begins at 2:00 am. According to police records, the hour from 2:00am to 3:00am on the Second Sunday in March records the least number of accidents on America's highways, mostly because it doesn't exist, except in Hawaii and formerly in some parts of Indiana.

Since I used the expression "something to talk about" in this essay, I am moving Sanjaya Malakar's picture up in the sidebar litany of photos. He gave us much to talk about up to just under a year ago. Where have you gone, Sanjaya?

291. Doctor My Eyes, the Snow is so Bright

The picture at right, taken earlier yesterday, is of headstones in Zachary National National Cemetery on Brownsboro Road.



I should begin this entry with my decision last night, whilst dining with a friend at Carly Rae's at 1st and Oak streets not to do something I really wanted to do, not doing it because I am apparently getting old and was afraid "how the roads would be" later on when the event ended. This morning I regret being a scaredy-cat.

It has been a long time since Louisville has seen a multi-day - multi-inch snowfall. A few hours ago, using a Ken Herndon for Council Magnet/Ruler, I attempted to measure the depth of the snow which has so far fallen, now nearing its fourteenth hour. But the magnet is only six inches long and the snow, at least here along the Left Bank of the Ohio River near Milepost 606, was more like 7 and 1/2. And it continues to fall and is scheduled to do so throughout the day, with forecasters predicting another 2 or 3 inches, depending upon how much coffee they've already had this morning.

I walked around my block about 6:15 am, coursing through the white stuff along S. Campbell, E. Madison, S. Shelby, and E. Muhammad Ali. Only Ali had been plowed. Of course, that block of Shelby is a residential pedestrian mall, so it doesn't count. Later on, not too long ago, I drove out and about downtown Louisville, where only Broadway, Ali, and Jefferson appear to be adequately cleared. But, they won't remain so as the snow is falling faster than the plowers can clear the streets. And since we now plow far more streets than in the past (in the past being before Merger) with the same amount of equipment, it takes longer, or in some cases, some things just don't get done like they used to, despite the fact that those receiving less services still pay two property tax bills while those receiving more services still only pay one. But, I digress.

Looking at the bright-white sights and sites in the city can be hard on the eyes. But it is all rather enchanting. There is nothing for me that brings back childhood memories any more than snowfall. In the neighborhood where I grew up, in southern Jefferson County off South Park Road between Fairdale and Okolona, there were probably 30 kids between the ages of 6 and 16 in the late 60s and 70s. Boys and girls, with last names like Priddy and Payton, Breed and Bowen, Jansing, Gutermuth, Kesler, Shumate, Vining, Woehrle, Mills, and me and my brother adding Noble. On snow days, we would sled on the very small hill right in front of my house, a hill that is otherwise ignored as a bump in the road until snow or ice make a grand mountain out of it. For big snows, we would walked down South Park toward the road that led up to the old Preston Street Road Water Company Tower, up on South Park Hill, the highest point in Jefferson County, rising to 902 feet, which is some 450 feet higher than the elevation of the Court House downtown on Jefferson Street. From the point at the top of the hill, you had three of four choices of which way to sled back down. Of course, all but one of those (the one being the way you came) led to a much longer walk back home. At the time, the Jefferson Freeway (later renamed the Snyder Freeway) wasn't there. One path led down into the property of the Trinity Pentecostal Tabernacle. Another would go over toward Granger Road in Coral Ridge. The best path led down toward Silver Lake at the South Park Country Club. This was the path we often took. After sledding back down, we'd walk back up the other South Park Road, the one that runs along side of the L&N Railroad and make a stop at the little market where the two South Parks split. This shorter road is now a dead end and has been renamed South Park Court. At the market, more often than not, we'd "borrow" the phone and call my grandmother, the one woman who didn't mind driving in the snow and had a big enough car to haul all of us kids back around South Park Hill and home to hot chocolate and other goodies. Such a sled ride took about three hours from beginning to end and was (I guess) well worth it as we did it every chance we could. It seems like there were more chances back then than there are now.

Back then, it would have never occurred to me not to do something simply because of the snow. Last night, I did not do something simply because of the snow. My very favorite singer was in Louisville for a concert. I had planned to go for weeks. Jackson Browne, who I've heard before in concert, when both he and I were much younger, has been my favorite singer since 9th or 10th grade. He played in Louisville last night and I didn't go. Damn. All because of a little snow.

290. Oh The Weather Outside is Frightful !

First, a comment on the number of today's entry. My number system has been off since entry #126. Wednesday's entry made the system two numbers off. That error is today corrected. Also, the accompanying picture of the Louisville-Jefferson County Metro snowplow was lifted directly from Jacob Payne's blog PageOneKentucky.com. I think that is the intersection of Payne Street (appropriate enough for Dr. Payne) and Baxter Avenue.

As I look out the window from where I sit here in the 1800 block of Brownsboro Road, about a mile and a half upriver from the Left Bank of the Ohio River near Milepost 606, the snow has tempered down somewhat from the earlier blizzard conditions which thus far have dropped a little over two inches since the white stuff started to fall right at 7:00 this morning. Through the day there have been predictions for up to thirteen inches of snowfall, although that number has (presently) been edged back to five to seven. Whatever the measure, we'll take it. Tonight's forecast calls for temperatures down in the low 20s and some additional accumulation into tomorrow - a weekend wonderland.

There is little else to write about. The legislature is in session but thus far haven't proven very productive. There have been exactly four bills signed into law by our governor during this legislative session so far. HB 168 concerns the drivers licenses of our Kentucky soldiers sent in harm's way to Iraq and other places by the McCain/Bush/Cheney junta, licenses which expired while they were on their tour of duty. It allows them 90 days of leniency in a traffic stop, giving them time to do what many of us stateside take for granted, renewing our licenses in a timely manner. They deserve this extra time. HB 284 is another measure for the military among us, aimed at reducing paperwork for those who are 100% disabled due to their military service. Another good piece of legislation. HB 366 has to do with storage units and making it illegal for people to "set up housekeeping" therein. The only instance I've read of this was that guy from Ashland, Kentucky who several years back won the PowerBall, proceeded to spend his way through his winnings, and ended up living in a rented storage space in Boca Raton, Florida. If I ever hit the PowerBall, one of my first calls will be to Don McNay in Richmond for advice. Finally, HCR 112 made February 12, 2008 the official kickoff of the two-year long Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial, who would have been 200 on February 12 of next year. These are the four pieces of legislation out of 1031 which have been introduced, which have found their way to the governor's office for inking.

Maybe snow on a Friday is a good thing. The legislature adjourned early.

Two notes - the snow has begun to pick back up while I've been typing. The Great Blizzard of 2008 is upon us.

287. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Convention

Yesterday was supposed to be the day a member of United States Senate pulled far enough away from his closest competitor to declare the Primary race over. Well, it did happen, but not to Barack Obama. It happened to John McCain, who with his wins last night in all four contests (Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Vermont) secured the necessary pledged delegates to win the Republican Party's nomination for the office of President of the United States.

Across the aisle, where Sunlight apparently breeds division, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton remain about as far apart after the four contests as they were before, which is to say not very far, and certainly not far enough for either of them to declare a victory. Neither of them can mathematically win enough delegates between now and the convention to do that.


So, what does that mean here along the Left Bank of the Ohio River near Milepost 606? Most likely that our May 20th Primary, considered late in the season, is suddenly a possible stop for both Obama and Clinton on their way to Denver. Both of them have been here before and I was honored on those occasions to have met them (and I want to insert here my thanks to Jerry Lundergan, John Yarmuth, and Jon Hurst for making those things happen. The three of them are also collectively responsible for my close-up meeting with former President William Jefferson Clinton during his visit in Louisville).

Imagine what it will be like come the First Saturday in May, a special day in Kentucky. It will be the Saturday before the Indiana primary, immediately across the river and fifteen days before Kentucky's. It is possible we'll see Obama and Clinton here in town for the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby. It's going to be an interesting next eight to ten weeks. Stay tuned.

An Historic Day

I know - all eyes are on Texas and Ohio and Rhode Island and Vermont. This may be the last day of the Primary season and the first day of the General season. More importantly, if that is the case, it would also mean that it is a great turning point in the history of our Republic, the day it became apparent that a mixed-race 46 year old black man from Hawaii becomes the first of his race (and of his state) to run as the nominee of a major political party for President of the United States.

March 4, 2008. Will it go down in history? I've said more than once on this blog that I thought his opponent would not only be the nominee but also the President. I've said this while being at times a supporter of hers, a supporter of his, and a supporter of Chris Dodd's, who last week endorsed tonight's would-be history-maker. And tonight, I am beginning to think I could very well be wrong.

March 4th used to be the day presidents took office. Only in the mid-20th century was that date changed to January 20th. Seventy-five years ago today, America embarked on another historic journey, one that would last fifteen years in its genesis, with social and economic programs and progress which continued for nearly fifty years, through Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson (especially Johnson), Nixon, and to an extent Ford, until their dismantling by one of America's most charismatic yet least qualified men ever to hold the office of president, Ronald Reagan. Reagan not only ended The Cold War (a good thing), he also ended once and for all The New Deal, begun in the first 100 days of the administration of Franklin Delano Roosevelt who took office 75 years ago today. Ending the New Deal was not a good thing.

Most of us know at least one line from Roosevelt's first inaugural, one where he took on the economic woes of the country and the bank owners of the day by proclaiming "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." His addressing "fear" had nothing to do with foreign powers, terrorists, or outside invasion. It had to do with the leading economic forces of America, forces which had brought the American economy to its lowest point ever. If only George W. Bush were half the man Franklin D. Roosevelt was, perhaps we could hope for hope sooner than it will democratically arrive next year on January 20th. Hope Springs Eternal.

Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow

Fleetwood Mac's song was the campaign theme for the Clinton/Gore campaign O those many years ago.

I am sure the song has entered the mind of Senator Hillary Clinton as she heads into tomorrow's Primaries/Caucuses in Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Who knows what tomorrow will bring.

Last Night's Dinner - Steak and Potatoes; Today's Dessert - Sour Grapes

A good time was had by all.

Last night, the Louisville - Jefferson County Democratic Party held its Wendell H. Ford Dinner at the Executive West on Phillips Lane in Louisville, returning to the venerable hotel after a several-year absence based on a labor dispute grudge against the hotel's late owner Al J. Schneider. Mr. Schneider has gone on to his Eternal Reward so the local Party returned to its old haunt for this year's dinner. The crowd was estimated between 450 and 600 people, who enjoyed a large piece of thinly sliced steak, with some veggies, and a slice of Chess Pie, served with your choice of beverage (mine was coffee). A cocktail hour began the evening with libations available poolside before the crowd was directed into the cavernous and well decorated hall for the event. The Louisville Metro Police Color Guard presented the colors followed by an invocation (invoking only the Father's name, but not the Son), followed by the singing of the National Anthem by Jefferson County PVA Tony Lindauer, who has become our regular crooner at Jefferson County events. Years past have seen those duties fall to Anne Elizabeth Delahanty, Lisa Tanner, and Heather French Henry.

Among the 450 to 600 attendees were several Louisville Metro Council members and candidates (David Tandy, Ken Herndon, Tom Owen, Tina Ward-Pugh (boasting a "Meet Me in Ohio" Hillary Clinton t-shirt), Council President Jim King, Rick Blackwell, Vicki Aubrey Welch, Kungu Njuguna, and Brent Ackerson). Legislators in attendance included Senators Denise Harper Angel, Tim Shaughnessy, Gerald Neal, and Perry Clark, all of whom are running for reelection. From the House were Joni Jenkins, Tom Riner, Mary Lou Marzian, and Dennis Horlander. The evening was especially poignant for Horlander who accepted a posthumous Memorial Award on behalf on his aunt Nelle Horlander, one of the local Party's dearest and most supportive members who passed away a few weeks ago. Nelle was precinct captain for many years of the old B-49, which was later renumbered as Q-122 voting at Hartstern School on Fern Valley Road. She was one of the few political friends I knew through my Noble side of the family, as opposed to the Hockensmith side where they were all political one way or another. Several awards were delivered - to Nicole Candler, Kungu Njuguna, Dottie Winfield, and someone else whose name (and speech) escapes lo these twenty-four hours later. The John W. Crimmins Democrat of the Year Award was presented to Jefferson County Attorney Irv Maze, who was first elected to the Jefferson County Committee in 1980. Speeches were delivered by Maze, Congressman John Yarmuth, and Lieutenant Governor Dan Mongiardo (who was standing in for the governor, whose father-in-law had fallen ill). The lieutenant governor addressed this crowd of Louisvillians with a speech about new building and construction in Lexington and something else about rabbit hunting - not that it mattered - Jefferson County has always been good to Daniel Mongiardo at election time, last year being no exception thanks in large part to the efforts of the aforementioned Jefferson County Attorney. That was last night, and as I said a good time was had by all.

Today a meeting of the Kentucky Democratic Party State Central Executive Committee was held at the Wendell H. Ford Democratic Party Headquarters on Democrat Drive in Frankfort. After addresses by United States Senate candidates Greg Fischer, Michael Cassaro, and Bruce Lunsford (all of which were taped by Jim Pence of the Ditch Mitch and Hillbilly Democrat blogs), the Party got down to business. We discussed a number of things, which if you had been in attendance, you would know about given that all meetings of the Party are open to all registered Democrats in Kentucky. The meeting devolved into several parliamentary motions including two to adjourn so as to avoid the discussion at hand, both of which failed.

This is where the Sour Grapes come in - on my part. I've been working for sometime - somewhat erratically since 2006 - to change parts of the By-Laws pertaining to Jefferson County - and Fayette County as well. I've sent notices to many different folks outlining these changes but had received no first-hand opposition in return. Today I was handed my oppostion on a large platter - much bigger than last night's steak - by one member from Jefferson County, and second by another member from Fayette County, neither one of which had ever expressed any opposition in the past. Truthfully, this was my fault. I guess I hadn't communicated all this as well as I had thought. And, after the vote, I took the floor and took issue with another member's words on the matter. At that point I said something that I believed at the time was right, but came home and looked up and now know it wasn't. What I said was wrong; something I'll need to correct and will in an email later this evening. I've been operating under the erroneous idea that the nomination of a legislative candidate in Jefferson Counmty in 2006 was not done according to the By-Laws, even though I supported the person nominated. I WAS WRONG. I should not have been so upset after the vote and I don't like the taste of the Sour Grapes in my mouth. So, I wanted, with this second part of tonight's entry to set the record straight, admit my error, and apologise.

One more thing - it is good to have Chad Aull back on the Committee.