Mr. Farenthold Goes to Washington

The Weekly Standard has published a nice article on our new US representative from TX-27, Blake Farenthold. (I will spare you the duckie pajamas picture. God knows the Ortiz bunch showed it enough.)

I hope Blake makes us proud by holding the line on taxes and spending and not selling-out to K-Street special interests.

The Unlikeliest Freshman by John McCormack

The Weekly Standard. January 3 - January 10, 2011, Vol. 16, No. 16

When the 112th Congress is sworn in on January 5, there may be no better living, breathing reminder of just how big the 2010 Republican wave was than Rep. Blake Farenthold. Written off during the campaign as a longshot at best and a joke at worst, Farenthold ended up narrowly defeating Texas Democrat Solomon Ortiz, a 14-term incumbent who had typically won reelection by more than 20 points in a district that is now 71 percent Hispanic.

“For me, this was the race that put the exclamation point on the cycle,” says David Wasserman, who analyzes House races at the Cook Political Report. When Wasserman moved the race from the “likely” to the “leans Democratic” category in early October​—​a more competitive rating than other handicappers gave it​—​“both party committees told me I was nuts,” he says.

To read the whole article, click on the the blog post title or copy and paste this: http://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/mr-farenthold-goes-washington_524861.html

A South Jersey Beast

Vern, my South Jersey cousin (2nd or 3rd), delivered the buckshot to this wonderful, white-tailed South Jersey beast. Blood flowed (like Johnny's wine) from multiple exit wounds onto the pine needle-covered ground of South Jersey on that fine day. Vern slammed this smoker with his gang while driving deer near Tabernacle, New Jersey.

Sorry I missed the celebration over this buck's expiration.

Meat Nativity

"This photograph of unknown provenance shows a Nativity scene made out of meat and sauerkraut. All it needs is an angelic host made out of deviled ham."

Hat tip to Mark Mastin. Thanks, bro.

What's For Dinner?

Check this out. A gingerbread house made from meat. It looks good but it also looks like one big mess.

Lance Cpl. Jose L. Maldonado--Patriot: R.I.P

The Coastal Bend loses another hero on the soil of Afghanistan. The Gulf Coast Simpleton sends prayers and condolences to the family and friends of Lance Cpl. Jose L. Maldonado of Mathis, TX.

Semper Fidelis. Salute.

The Corpus Christi Caller Times reports:

CORPUS CHRISTI — A 21-year-old Marine from Mathis died Friday while in combat in Afghanistan, the U.S. Department of Defense announced Saturday.

Lance Cpl. Jose L. Maldonado was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. He was in the Helmand province of Afghanistan when he was killed, military officials said.

While going to school in Mathis Independent School District, Maldonado played baseball, football and the tuba, Superintendent Maria Rodriguez-Casas said. Maldonado attended elementary and high schools in Mathis, she said. He went into the military soon after high school graduation as do many young adults in the city of about 5,200 people.

“His first passion was to go serve the country,” she said.

Maldonado was raised by his aunt and uncle, George and Alicia Williams, Mathis Mayor Ciriaco “Ciri” Villarreal said.

“They’re a good family,” he said. “Joe wanted to do better for himself and serve his country, which is why he joined the military. It’s especially hard in a small town for our young people, we don’t have jobs to offer them.

“This hits hard in our community, and our hearts go out to his family,” the mayor said. “We’re saddened deeply.”

Remember 9-11-01. The battle continues. God bless America. God bless Jose L. Maldonaldo. R.I.P.

Redneck Ingenuity

"You might be a redneck if you did not even realize you were a redneck until you were about 30-years-old." That quote describes me.

I still believe that the most discriminated against and under-represented people in America are rural, middle/working-class white folks. Not that I am wanting or expecting special treatment, nor am I being biggoted against any other group. I am just speaking from experience.

Finally, a fellow redneck has stepped up:

American Redneck Society Formed To Advocate For Rural Americans

You might be a redneck if…you create a dues-paying society and a scholarship fund?

And that's what a Virginia man did last week, launching the “American Redneck Society.”

“I really felt that American Rednecks are an under-served, but large population that could benefit from a formal membership organization structure,” said American Redneck Society Executive Director Rob Clayton.

A $20 membership fee will get you access to retail discounts across the country, and a portion of the funds are set aside for an educational fund for “rural youth.”

"What does it mean to be a Redneck?" the group’s website asks.

Well, with apologies to comedian Jeff Foxworthy, apparently, you might be a redneck if…

You’re a fan of Nascar.

You’re a gun owner.

You like country music.

You can fix just about anything with duct tape.

You think “duct” tape should actually be “duck” tape.

Yee-haw!

Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/capital-land/2010/12/society-founder-rednecks-underserved-large-population#ixzz18N63LJg6

To visit the American Redneck Society website where you can sign up for membership, copy and paste this: http://www.americanrednecksociety.com/

Pfc. Colton W. Rusk--Patriot: R.I.P

The Gulf Coast Simpleton would like to say a prayer for the family and friends of Orange Grove's Colton Rusk in their time of grief.

Semper Fidelis. Salute.


FreedomRemembered.com reports the following:

Pfc. Colton W. Rusk, 20, of Orange Grove, Texas died December 6, 2010 while conducting combat operations in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Battallion, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California. Colton is a 2009 graduate of Orange Grove High School where he participated on the football team. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and November 2, 2009 and was serving his first combat deployment as a K-9 handler. His awards include the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and Afghanistan Campaign Medal.

The Corpus Christi Caller Times reports:

ORANGE GROVE — Colton Rusk lived his motto.

“Don’t be afraid to go after your hopes and dreams, but don’t be afraid to be willing to pay the price,” Rusk wrote under his senior photo in Orange Grove High School’s yearbook.

It also was the motto he died by.

Rusk, 20, a U.S. Marine who graduated from Orange Grove High School in 2009, was shot and killed Sunday in Afghanistan.

"War Is Still Hell."

Colton, R.I.P.

Live Nativity Camel Malfunction

Sorry you have to watch the short ad before viewing the beast:

FLORIDA - The beast with the hump went thump at the First Baptist Church of West Palm Beach, Florida Thursday night during a live nativity performance. A camel was being ushered down an aisle when it fell into several pews packed with viewers. The pastor says no one was injured.

Six-Shot Sarah

Please tell me the scope was off, Sarah.

Let It Be. Please...Just Let It Be

Please do not watch this clip if you are the least bit emotionally unstable. It may be enough to push you over the edge.

Unfortunately an embed is not allowed. View the YouTube clip by clicking on the blog post title or by copying and pasting this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8cNHCP3juQ&feature=player_embedded

Politically Incorrect Flash Mob: Hallelujah

This should get you in the Christmas spirit:



I hope the sponsoring church doesn't get sued.

King Ranch: Opening Weekend of Deer Season

Two nice bucks killed by customers on Hals lease on the King Ranch opening week end. Notice the age!!!

Elvis 185 (8 yrs old) Stickers 226 (7 years old and a new Mota Bonita record)

Beautiful deer!

Good Heavens!!!

This is amazing! This little boy went to heaven and came back to talk about it.

Check it out:



Here is the Amazon.com link for the book: http://www.amazon.com/Heaven-Real-Little-Astounding-Story/dp/0849946158/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b

It would be a fun book to read.

James Carville Comments On Hillary Clinton's Manhood

Here is a must-see clip.
Here is the brief text:

James Carville says he views the joke he made at a Christian Science Monitor breakfast as "mild."

"If Hillary gave him [Obama] one of her balls, they'd both have two," Democratic strategist James Carville told the Christian Science Monitor at a breakfast on Thursday morning.

"If I offended anybody, I'm not sorry and I don't apologize," Carville told CNN.

To see the Real Clear Politics clip, click the blog post title or copy and paste this: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2010/11/18/carville_if_hillary_gave_obama_one_of_her_balls_hed_have_two.html

To see the CNN video, copy and paste this:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2010/11/18/cnn_white_house_outraged_at_carville_he_responds.html

Teen Catches Record 58-pound Striped Bass

Check out this clip of a 13-year-old angler taking a world record striper.
Here is the article:

NBC -- Juliana Merighi has been fishing since she was five-years-old.

Little did she know that by age 13 she would be breaking world records.

"I don't even think the fish was unhooked yet and I was saying to her, 'Wow, you just achieved what guys in their 70s and 80s have fished their whole lives for and never, never get to attain'," Juliana's father Tom Merighi said.

The bass Juliana caught is almost as big as she is.

The Vineland, New Jersey girl landed a 58-pound striped bass in the Delaware Bay off Cape May County a couple of weeks ago, and as a result she may have broken the junior female record of 47 pounds for a striped bass that was caught off the shore of North Wildwood, New Jersey in 2006.

"When it came up and I saw how big it was, I was like, amazed," Juliana said.

It could take months to officially confirm that this little angler has set a new world record, but the documentation from Juliana's catch already has been sent to the International Game Fish Association.

As for the fish's fate?

Juliana did not taste the fruits of her labor.

Nice catch!

Veterans' Day Salute

The Simpleton would like to thank all of our vets on this Veterans' Day.

SALUTE.

Election 2010: Live Blogging Begins Tuesday at 7:00 PM CST

The Simpleton will be live-blogging the local, state, and national election returns beginning at 7:00 PM on Election Eve. Thanks for following.

"Is Obama Keynesian?" "Hell No, He Was Born In Hawaii!"

The following YouTube clip is from John Stewart's "Rally for Sanity." Sunday's rally took place on the National Mall in Washington DC.

Judging from the clip, Stewart's next rally should be named "Rally for Basic Economics Education."

While quite humorous, the clip is a harsh indictment of the intelligence of Stewart's audience. Enjoy:


Hat tip to hotair.com.

Election 2010 Preview--Update #3

The consensus among professional political analysts is that the Dems are going to lose, and lose big in tomorrow's elections. Most, of course, afraid to get egg on their faces, are being very measured in their predictions of Republican gains. Not being a professional analyst, I have no fear of predicting a Republican gain of 70+ seats in the House and a 50/50 Senate when all of the votes are counted. There will be big Republican gains in the governor races as well.

It is bad year to be a Democrat. The Democratic pollster quoted in the below article sums the Democrat situation up best: “I’m resigned to the fact that it sucks.”

So sad for the Dems. There is going to be a donkey barbeque tomorrow.

Grim Dems Await Huge House Losses
By: Alex Isenstad
October 31, 2010 04:53 PM EDT

The last TV ads have been cut. The final polls have been conducted. The end-of-campaign expenditures are being made.

Now, for Democratic consultants and campaign officials who have plotted and strategized for months to preserve the embattled House majority, there’s nothing left to do but sit and wait for the expected horrors of Election Day to unfold.

There is nearly uniform consensus among Democratic campaign professionals that the House is gone — the only question, it seems, is how many seats they will lose.

While few will say so on the record for fear of alienating party officials or depressing turnout, every one of nearly a dozen Democratic House consultants and political strategists surveyed expect a GOP majority to be elected Tuesday — the consensus was that Democrats would lose somewhere between 50 and 60 seats.

A senior party consultant who was on the low end with his predictions said the party would lose between 40 and 50 seats. On the high end, one Democratic consultant said losses could number around 70 seats.

All spoke to the grimness of the mood.

“It sucks,” said Dave Beattie, a Florida-based Democratic pollster who is working on a slate of competitive House races and who acknowledges that the lower congressional chamber is lost. “I’m resigned to the fact that it sucks.”

To read the whole Politico article, click on the blog post title or copy and paste this: http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=03A44CBF-0C07-448A-99CB09FC8163E166

Freak You Out: Time Travel Is Possible

This will freak you out. I promise.

Take a look at a lady talking on either a Blade or a Droid . . . in a Charlie Chaplin film:



If you cannot see the full screen through the blogger interface, click the blog post title for the YouTube URL or copy and paste this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6a4T2tJaSU&feature=player_embedded

Hat tip to hotair.com

Election 2010 Preview--Update #2

Landslide coming.

AP-GfK Poll: Likely voters ready to embrace GOP
By LIZ SIDOTI
AP National Political Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - All signs point to huge Republican victories in two weeks, with the GOP now leading Democrats on virtually every measure in an Associated Press-GfK poll of people likely to vote in the first major elections of Barack Obama's presidency.
In the final survey before Election Day, likely voters say the GOP would do a better job than Democrats on handling the economy, creating jobs and running the government.

Most also think the country's headed in the wrong direction. More than half disapprove of Obama's job performance. And even more don't like the Democratic-controlled Congress.

Neither party is popular. But likely voters view the GOP a bit more positively than they do the Democrats. Slightly more say they will vote for the Republican congressional candidate in their district over the Democrat. And most think the GOP will win control of Congress from the Democrats.

To read the whole AP article, click on the blog post title or copy and paste this: http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9IVUHB00&show_article=1

Marco Rubio: American Exceptionalism

Meet our next President: Senator Marco Rubio, Florida(R).

Sic 'Em, Bears

(Pictured Above: Baylor's secret weapon--these 4 offensive linemen and their cute cheer leader.)

Congratulations to Baylor Football and all of my Baylor family and friends! After 15 years wandering in the Bowl-less desert, Baylor secures a post-season bowl game with their 47-42 win over Kansas State. Let's hope they can knock off some of the biggies--Texas, Oklahoma St., Texas A&M, and Oklahoma--over the next four weeks.

I wish I could get up to Waco to see some more games.
:-(

Sic 'em, Bears!

2010 SCHEDULE
Date Opponent / Event Location Time / Result

09/04/10 vs. Sam Houston State Waco, Texas W, 34-3
09/11/10 vs. Buffalo (PW) Waco, Texas W, 34-6
09/18/10 at TCU Fort Worth, Texas L, 45-10
09/25/10 at Rice Houston, Texas W, 30-13
10/02/10 vs. Kansas * Waco, Texas W, 55-7
10/09/10 vs. Texas Tech * Dallas, Texas L, 45-38
10/16/10 at Colorado * Boulder, Colo. W, 31-25
10/23/10 vs. Kansas State (HC) * Waco, Texas W, 47-42
10/30/10 at Texas * Austin, Texas 6:00 p.m. CT
11/06/10 at Oklahoma State * Stillwater, Okla. TBA
11/13/10 vs. Texas A&M * Waco, Texas TBA
11/20/10 vs. Oklahoma * Waco, Texas TBA

Football Bowl Eligible With Win Over KSU
Bears bowl eligible for first time since 1995 with 47-42 win.

WACO, Texas (AP) - After 14 seasons of futility and lopsided losses in the Big 12, Baylor finally gave its fans a reason to celebrate Saturday night.

Jay Finley rushed for a school-record 250 yards, Robert Griffin threw for a career-high 404 yards and four touchdowns and the Bears became bowl eligible for the first time since joining the conference, beating Kansas State 47-42.

Baylor (6-2, 3-1) has not played in a bowl game since 1994, back when the Bears were a member of the now defunct Southwest Conference.

Seconds after the game ended, hundreds of jubilant students climbed out of the stands and stormed the field to party with Baylor players and coaches. A few even made a run at the goal posts before being turned away by security.

These were sights many Baylor followers probably never expected to see. Not after watching the program lose 30 straight Big 12 games at one point and go 14-98 in league play from 1996-2009.

"We'll cherish this moment," Griffin said. "This is a day we'll always remember."

To read the entire AP article, click on the blog post title or copy and paste this: http://www.baylorbears.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/102310aab.html

Finally, A Candidate Worth Voting For

Finally, someone with a pair shows up and the Dallas County GOP throws him under the bus. US Congressional candidate Stephen Broden stated that the overthrow of a tyrannical government was "not the first option" but it is "on the table." Broden is challenging Socialist Eddie Bernice Johnson (D) of Texas's 30th congressional district.

Broden is both a pastor and a prophet. Thomas Jefferson would be proud.

Republican congressional candidate says violent overthrow of government is 'on the table'

By MELANIE MASON / The Dallas Morning News

WASHINGTON – Republican congressional candidate Stephen Broden stunned his party Thursday, saying he would not rule out violent overthrow of the government if elections did not produce a change in leadership.

In a rambling exchange during a TV interview, Broden, a South Dallas pastor, said a violent uprising "is not the first option," but it is "on the table." That drew a quick denunciation from the head of the Dallas County GOP, who called the remarks "inappropriate."

Broden, a first-time candidate, is challenging veteran incumbent Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson in Dallas' heavily Democratic 30th Congressional District. Johnson's campaign declined to comment on Broden.

In the interview, Brad Watson, political reporter for WFAA-TV (Channel 8), asked Broden about a tea party event last year in Fort Worth in which he described the nation's government as tyrannical.

"We have a constitutional remedy," Broden said then. "And the Framers say if that don't work, revolution."

Watson asked if his definition of revolution included violent overthrow of the government. In a prolonged back-and-forth, Broden at first declined to explicitly address insurrection, saying the first way to deal with a repressive government is to "alter it or abolish it."

To read the whole Dallas Morning News article, click on the blog post title or copy and paste this: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/DN-broden_22tex.ART0.State.Edition1.33278a9.html

Election 2010 Preview--Update #1

Check back for frequent updates on Election 2010 . . .

Obama'a Volt Fraud

The following article is from Investor's Business Daily. The expose on the GM Volt--Obama's Electric Savior Automobile--proves the Volt to be nothing but a fraud.

I am not sure if the whole project was either a payback to the UAW or a move to score political points with the eco-libs. Whatever the thinking was behind Volt, the project has been objectively analyzed and has been demonstrated to be a crock.

Volt Fraud At Government Motors

Green Technology: Government Motors' all-electric car isn't all-electric and doesn't get near the touted hundreds of miles per gallon. Like "shovel-ready" jobs, maybe there's no such thing as "plug-ready" cars either.

The Chevy Volt, hailed by the Obama administration as the electric savior of the auto industry and the planet, makes its debut in showrooms next month, but it's already being rolled out for test drives by journalists. It appears we're all being taken for a ride.

When President Obama visited a GM plant in Hamtramck near Detroit a few months ago to drive a Chevy Volt 10 feet off an assembly line, we called the car an "electric Edsel." Now that it's about to hit the road, nothing revealed has changed our mind.

Advertised as an all-electric car that could drive 50 miles on its lithium battery, GM addressed concerns about where you plug the thing in en route to grandma's house by adding a small gasoline engine to help maintain the charge on the battery as it starts to run down. It was still an electric car, we were told, and not a hybrid on steroids.

That's not quite true. The gasoline engine has been found to be more than a range-extender for the battery. Volt engineers are now admitting that when the vehicle's lithium-ion battery pack runs down and at speeds near or above 70 mph, the Volt's gasoline engine will directly drive the front wheels along with the electric motors. That's not charging the battery — that's driving the car.

So it's not an all-electric car, but rather a pricey $41,000 hybrid that requires a taxpayer-funded $7,500 subsidy to get car shoppers to look at it. But gee, even despite the false advertising about the powertrain, isn't a car that gets 230 miles per gallon of gas worth it?

We heard GM's then-CEO Fritz Henderson claim the Volt would get 230 miles per gallon in city conditions. Popular Mechanics found the Volt to get about 37.5 mpg in city driving, and Motor Trend reports: "Without any plugging in, (a weeklong trip to Grandma's house) should return fuel economy in the high 30s to low 40s."

Car and Driver reported that "getting on the nearest highway and commuting with the 80-mph flow of traffic — basically the worst-case scenario — yielded 26 miles; a fairly spirited backroad loop netted 31; and a carefully modulated cruise below 60 mph pushed the figure into the upper 30s."

This is what happens when government picks winners and losers in the marketplace and tries to run a business. We are not told that we will be dependent on foreign sources like Bolivia for the lithium to be used in these batteries. Nor are we told about the possible dangers to rescuers and occupants in an accident scenario.

To read the whole IBD article, click on the blog post title or copy and paste this: http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article.aspx?id=550957&p=2

Nascar Pre-Race Stunt: Insanity

The following clip is of a pre-race stunt from Saturday's Bank of America 500 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

File this under "redneck insanity."



Hat tip to Nascar officiant and Kentucky redneck extraordinaire, David Barrett.

Election 2010 Preview

With election day approaching, the big questions is not who will win--but how large will the Republican House majority be and will the Republicans have enough populist groundswell to take the Senate. Rasmussen is predicting a 55 seat gain for the Republicans in the House--the Senate is still a toss-up.

My opinion is that the current polling models are not adequate because they have never measured a race where Republican intenisty is so great. I suspect the Republicans will win at least 80 house seats and pull some surprises--squeaking out a majority in the Senate.

Newport Beach, Calif.—Nationally-recognized pollster Scott Rasmussen last night predicted that Republicans would gain 55 seats in races for the U.S. House of Representatives November 2—much more than the 39 needed for a Republican majority in the House for the first time since 2006.

But the man whose Rasmussen Reports polling is watched carefully by politicians and frequently quoted by the punditocracy said that whether Republicans gain the ten seats they need to take control of the Senate is in question.

“Republicans should have 48 seats [after the elections next month], Democrats 47, and five seats could slide either way,” said Rasmussen in his banquet address at the Western Conservative Political Action Conference. He was referring to seats in five states in which the Senate race this year he considers too close to call: California, Illinois, Washington, West Virginia, and Nevada (or “that mudwrestling contest,” as Rasmussen described the race between Republican Sharron Angle and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid).

To read the whole Human Events article, click the blog post title or copy and paste this: http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=39460

Barbara Billingsly, RIP

Barbara Billngsly, a.k.a June Cleaver of "Leave It To Beaver" and the jive-talking old lady from the movie "Airplane," passed away October 16, 2010 at the ripe old age of 94.

This scene from "Airplane" is well-worth watching.



In this clip, Barbara discusses learning jive. Definately one cool lady.

Warsaw Grouper

Corpus Christi area local, Andy Bennett, caught this monster 145 pound warsaw grouper in 640 feet of water off Port Aransas.

Nice catch, Andy! Did you need a chain saw to clean it?

Obligatory: Sarah Palin's Alaska

This looks like a great show. It premieres November 15 on The Learning Channel.

Check the trailer:

World Record Typical Whitetail

Here is a great deer. Congratulations to the hunter.

I am not sure if it was an open range deer or a high-fenced deer. The record books needs to have different categories for the two types. Nonetheless, it's beeg.

Potential SCI World Record SCI Typical Whitetail Harvested

On Saturday, October 9th, a whitetail buck was harvested outside of Fredericksburg, TX that is likely to become the new world record SCI Typical whitetail. Taken on the Bang Whitetail Ranch, which is owned by Jerry and Carrie Bang, this unbelievable buck green scored 253 2/8th inches gross, and netted 250 1/8th inches.

The Bang Whitetail Ranch began managing ten years ago and is in their third year to offer commercial hunts. The ranch is managed and operated as a family operation, and is on an MLDP Level 3 permit system.

Amazingly this buck is estimated to be only 4 1/2 years old and carries 30" main beams with an inside spread of 22", and packs 49" of mass. His left side tine lengths were 15", 14", 12", 10", and 10", respectively.

Incredibly, this deer was harvested only one day after the same hunter also harvested a 210 7/8th inch buck the day before.

The Bang Whitetail Ranch is located in Willow City, Texas just a short distance from Fredericksburg, right smack dab in the heart of Texas. To learn more about this great buck, and possibly book a hunt, check out Bang Whitetail Ranch.

Chocolate-Covered Bacon

Anybody care for a piece of chocolate-covered bacon?

Savoury treat for lead-lined stomachs only... chocolate covered bacon

And if you thought mixing dulce de leche with cheese was exotic, then head straight to Marini's in downtown Santa Cruz.

The American restaurant has married two of the world's most delicious ingredients and given us the unusual combination of chocolate-covered bacon.

Their recipe uses hickory smoked bacon, cooking it in the oven until crispy and golden, before smothering it in their special brand of chocolate.
And for those who like to take the sweet n savoury mixture one step further, you can always sample chocolate-covered bacon mixed in with maple syrup ice-cream at Marini's itself.

It's called the 'vegan's nightmare' and its not difficult to see why.

Born in Italy, founder, Victor Marini brought his family to Santa Cruz in 1905 and opened the Palace Barbershop on Cooper Street across from the old Santa Cruz Court House.

He also had a barbershop in the old Casa del Rey Hotel near the Boardwalk.

One spring day in 1915, Victor accepted a customer's offer and bought his popcorn stand at the Boardwalk.

Joseph Marini Sr. started working for his father at the age of 10 in 1920.

Following his father's death in 1938, Joe Sr. and his wife Josephine were instrumental in building up the business.

The family soon expanded the operation and started making salt water taffy, caramel corn, and candy apples.

In the years to follow, the business was passed on to Joe Sr.’s sons, Joseph Jr. and Joel, and their wives Carol and Kathy.

Today, Joseph Marini III continues the tradition of making fine candies.

Check the clip:Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/article-1319353/Chocolate-covered-bacon-hits-shops.html#ixzz126RO0D9b

New Nail Gun

New Nail Gun, made by DeWALT.
It can drive a 16-D nail through a 2 X 4 at 200 yards.
This makes construction a breeze.
You can sit in your lawn chair and build a fence.
Just get your wife to hold the fence boards in place while you sit back,
Relax with a cold drink and when she has the board in the right place,
Just fire away.
With the hundred-round magazine,
you can build the fence with a minimum of reloading.
After a day of fence building with the new DeWalt Rapid fire nail gun
the wife will not ask you to build or fix anything else, probably, ever again.

Tolerance NASCAR Style

The following photo was taken in the parking lot at a recent NASCAR race.

Ahhh. Tolerance.

Dead Rhino

Notice how the liberal media establishment cheers as establishment Republicans and the political class elite, even Karl Rove, (Whats up Karl? I know you follow my blog.) cry rhinoceros tears over Sen. Mike Castle's (RINO-Delaware) demise at the hands of Tea Party favorite Christine O'Donnell?

To hell with the Senate majority if it means electing a bunch of liberal Republicans who cut deals and vote for cloture on every liberal agenda item. These RINOS are much of the reason the Republican Party has lost its credibility in the first place.

BURN THE PUPPY DOWN. Watch Christine O'Donnell win by a squeaker in November. (Sarah Palin wink.)

Click on the blog post title to visit the Christine O'Donnell campaign website.

Deer Corn Denied

With the start of hunting season upon us, many men will be postponing their honey-do lists in exchange for trips to get hunting supplies, time at the shooting range, or trips to the lease or ranch. Many wives just don't seem to appreciate our fall excursions.

A word of advice: Don't give your wife the combination to the gun safe.

CORPUS CHRISTI -- Police took over the 4700 Block of Odem Street Sunday afternoon as a woman barricaded herself inside her home.

Officers say she had a five round pistol with her that she aimed at her husband earlier in the day. Lt. Nancy Lee said, "She shot at him with the pistol, he hid behind the green truck over there, the truck was hit twice."

That's when the husband called police.

As officers arrived they blocked off the street and covered the house at every angle.

Eventually, police called in the SWAT Team to help get the woman out safely.

After about an hour she surrendered, slowly walking out of the home, barefoot and looking confused.

Police say the woman has a history of mental illness and when her husband wanted to run some errands today, she lost it.

Lt. Lee said, "He said he was going to Sun Harvest to buy some corn to feed their deer out on the ranch and apparently she didn't want him to leave. Like I said she's got some mental problems and I guess it was just the last straw or something, I don't know."

The standoff ended peacefully though.

A hostage negotiator got a hold of the woman on her cell phone and talked her out of the home.

It's an ending that eased the anxiety of everyone in this neighborhood, fearing the worst.

Lt. Lee said, "Everybody's fine, looks like we did it without any injuries and no officers injured."

Police arrested the woman and charged her with aggravated assault.

Officers say she may also make a trip to the hospital for a mental evaluation

Hat tip to my wonderful and understanding wife who never gets angry at my mojo purchases, stockpile of ammo, or frequent hunting trips.

To read the whole story, click on the blog post title or copy and paste this: http://www.kristv.com/news/swat-standoff-ends-peacefully/

Salvatore A. Giunta, American Hero

On this 9/11 Anniversary, the Gulf Coast Simpleton would like to recognize the first living recipient of the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War.

Valor!

Obama Awards Living Soldier the Medal of Honor

By Craig Whitlock and Greg Jaffe Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, September 10, 2010; 11:21 PM

Under a bright Afghan moon, eight U.S. paratroopers trudged along a ridge in the Korengal Valley, unaware they were walking right into a trap. Less than 20 feet away, a band of Taliban fighters executed the ambush plan perfectly, enveloping the paratrooper squad in an explosion of bullets and grenades.

Salvatore Giunta, a 22-year-old Army specialist from Hiawatha, Iowa, was knocked flat by the gunfire; luckily, a well-aimed round failed to penetrate his armored chest plate. As the paratroopers tried to gather their senses and scramble for a shred of cover, Giunta reacted instinctively, running straight into the teeth of the ambush to aid three wounded soldiers, one by one, who had been separated from the others.

Two paratroopers died in the Oct. 25, 2007, attack, and most of the others suffered serious wounds. But the toll would have been far higher if not for the bravery of Giunta, according to members of his unit and Army officials.

On Friday, the White House announced that President Obama will award Giunta the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest award for valor. He will become the first living recipient of the medal who has served in any war since Vietnam.

To read the whole Washington Post article, click on the blog post title or copy and paste this: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/10/AR2010091002712_pf.html

Bow Hunter's Surprise

Don't you hate it when someone uses your deer stand without asking permission?

Can We Clone This Governor?

Here is another great clip of straight-shooting New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

Watch our gutsy Irish-Italian fat man skewer a whiny, spoiled, New Jersey Education Agency (a.k.a. New Jersey Extortion Agency) union shill with nothing but the truth. The clip is a bit long, but well worth watching.

My question: Can we clone this Governor?

Finding Your Inner "Norris"

Here is the latest from Chuck Norris and the NRA:



"We're not worthy! We're not worthy!"

Tortilla Madness At Texas A&M-Kingsville

Here is another example of political correctness run amok on a university campus. Texas A&M-Kingsville has banned the traditional tortilla throwing at Javelina football games. Humorless liberals are ruining our country.

Here is a clip from the Corpus Christi Caller Times:

CORPUS CHRISTI — Before the first kickoff of the 2010 season, Texas A&M University-Kingsville President Steven Tallant made an excellent call. On Aug. 19 he banned tortilla tossing at Javelina football games, a quasi-tradition of questionable origin and unquestionable lack of decorum.

Tallant based his decision on three issues, according to his official statement: safety, a waste of food, and offensiveness.

On the safety issue, he noted reports of spectators hit by frozen tortillas. He also pointed out that someone could slip on a slippery tortilla and fall, and that tortilla tossing can provoke fights.

Tallant said the waste of food is inconsistent with the stewardship he expects of students, and insensitive to families in need. Refraining from the tortilla tossing won’t feed those families but at least it will remove the impression that the students don’t care.

Would people complain if the students threw Wonder Bread?

To read the whole Caller Times article, click on the blog post title or copy and paste this: http://www.caller.com/news/2010/sep/02/am-kingsville-is-right-to-ban-tortilla-tossing/?comments_id=546184

Best Action Scene Ever (en Espanol)

Totally loco.

Dad Life Video

Here is one for all the dads.

Thats how we roll. Word up.



Hat tip to Mike Jones.

Big Fish, Small Pole

This insane fishing clip was emailed to me by a friend, Mark Nicosia. Watch Captain Noddy deliver a yellow-finned beast with nothing but a cane pole. Insanity!

(Warning: Contains some bad language.)

Big Yellowfin Tuna on bamboo - Ascension Island 2010 from Morten Svendsen on Vimeo.

During a recent flyfishing trip to Ascension Island, Local Captain "Noddy" sees a big fish responding to the chum and decides to use his bamboo pole. I hook a nice Tuna on my fly rod, and shortly after Noddy and Paulie lands the biggest Tuna I've ever seen.. on a bamboo pole... Weighed in at the pier at 275lb. Enjoy..

Hat tip to a great outdoorsman and excellent back-cracker, Mark Nicosia.

Tumor

This is pretty sick. The tumor resembles a turkey without legs or wings.

I say deep-fry it.

Doctors Remove World's Largest Tumour From Patient's Womb

DOCTORS in Argentina have removed what they think is the world's largest malignant tumour from the body of a 54-year-old woman.

Weighing a shocking 23kg, the tumour had been growing inside the woman's womb for a year-and-a-half and took four hours to remove, The Daily Mail reported.

Oscar Lopez, surgical coordinator at Gandulfo hospital in Lomas de Zamora, on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, said: "I've never seen anything like it in my 34 years of medical service.

"We removed a tumour whose weight is comparable to that of a four-year-old child.

"In layman's terms, it was as if this woman had been pregnant with quintuplets."

Tumours of the type removed from the woman usually weigh no more than 3kg.

My Favorite Democrat

This guy has got to be my favorite Democrat in any of the upcoming races. Chris Young is running for Mayor of Providence, Rhode Island.



Hat tip to HotAir.com.

Video Clip--Back To School

I'll be teaching US History this year for the first time in over a decade. I am using this clip of Professor Turgesson (Sam Kinison) for inspiration. Have a great school year and enjoy the clip:

Video Clip: Rooster Cogburn Gets Saved

Here is a good one for a Sunday afternoon:

Holy Cow!!!

The bull is mad about the Ground Zero mosque.

Taste Test: KFC's New Skinwich

Brain Residue is taste testing Kentucky Fried Chicken's new sandwich: The Skinwich.

5 layers of fried chicken skin, lumped on a bun and topped with white American cheese and bacon. It’s only available at a handful of KFC's (for now).

Brain Residues verdict:

Nasty. The richness of all that fatty seasoned skin is totally overwhelming. It’s also tongue-parchingly-salty.

I started to gag and got that “brushing the back of your tongue” feeling. Had to spit it out. In KFC’s defense, the sandwich was luke-warm after taking the pics. But I doubt it would be much better hot.

With this latest move and the Double Down‘s success, KFC may be catching up to Hardees/BK in the “making sandwiches so nauseating they generate buzz” dept.

I think I will pass on this one.

Hat tip to www.brainresidue.com

Dem Candidates Pulling The Steven Slater Move

With election 2010 approaching and Obama's approval rating continuing to fall, vulnerable Democrats are fleeing our Commander-In-Chief as if he had the plague.

This campaign ad is well-done:



To read a related article, click on the blog post title or copy and paste this: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2010/08/18/2010-08-18_gop_ad_shows_dems_sliding_off_bam_plane.html

I am the Gulf Coast Simpleton, and I approve this message.

Chrysler's Gun Toting Pickup Truck

I am not sure I would make a truck buying decision based on this accessory--but it still is pretty neat.

Chrysler's Gun-Toting Pickup Truck

Chrysler's Ram truck division is taking direct aim at hunters with a unique feature on its new line of Outdoorsman pickup trucks - a gun closet.

Called the The Mopar RamBox Holster, its a rack that can hold two rifles or shotguns inside one of the lockable, watertight compartments located on either side of the pickup bed.

A $205 option - on top of the $1895 price of the RamBox feature itself - the rack can be rotated to hold six fishing poles for those who prefer quieter trips into the great outdoors.

The Outdoorsman starts at $28,350 and includes standard features like scratch-resistant bumpers, puncture-resistant tires, and a towing package. Buyers can order the trimline on most Ram models, including heavy duty and long wheelbase versions.

Video: The Great Reneger

All of the Obama-hatin' country music folks will like this video. Without a doubt, Obama's promises of transparency, bi-partisanship, and fiscal responsibility must be disappointing to those who were naive enough to believe and vote for him.

Believe it or not, even though I did not vote for BHO, I liked some things I heard him say in some of his campaign speeches. Obviously, the things he said that appealed to me were put in his speeches to appeal to independent voters who were critical to his election. In retrospect, Bill Clinton was correct when he described Obama as simply a typical, crooked Chicago-style politician.

Marco Rubio Responds to Knucklehead Harry Reid's Racist Politics

Without a doubt Senate Majority Leader Reid is a knucklehead. I live in a community which is majority Hispanic. Many, many Hispanics are conservative. Harry Reid's comments show how low the Dems will go to keep their control in DC.

Watch Marco Rubio, Republican senatorial candidate from Florida, respond to Harry Reid's racist politics. Hopefully, one day soon, Rubio will be the Senate Majority Leader. Rubio is right on at many levels:



The Weekly Standard is following the story. To follow the drama, click on the blog post title or copy and paste this: http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/harry-reid-i-dont-know-how-anyone-hispanic-heritage-could-be-republican

I Want McNuggets!!!

It seems like everyone wants to act all hard these days.

Check out this nut going psycho because she wanted Chicken McNuggets and could not get them during breakfast hours. Crystal meth must give you hard core munchies.

Hat tip to www.therightscoop.com

A woman in Toledo, Ohio has been indicted for vandalism after going into a rage at a McDonald’s drive up window when employees refused to sell her McNuggets because it was breakfast time (no sound, but you don’t really need it):

She should have waited for the 50 piece Friday night special. McNuggets are good--especially with the sweet-and-sour sauce--but they aren't worth getting arrested over.

Alcoholism At Its Finest

Ahh, weekends in Corpus Christi. I guess this would classify as a "bottoming out" experience.

Woman Stops To Relieve Self, Falls Off JFK Causeway, Corpus Christi Police Say: Husband Flags Down Police To Help After 15-foot Fall

CORPUS CHRISTI — A 42-year-old woman was taken to the hospital Thursday after falling off the JFK Causeway during a bathroom break, Corpus Christi police said.

An officer driving east on the causeway about 1:18 a.m. saw a man frantically pacing next to a car parked on the westbound side of the road.

The 52-year-old man said his 42-year-old wife had fallen more than 15 feet off the side of the bridge.

The man told police his wife had been drinking and asked that he pull the car over so she could relieve herself.

The woman climbed over the railing and fell onto some rocks, landing in about four inches of water, police said.

Officers climbed down to assist the woman and found her unresponsive.

Emergency responders brought the woman back up onto the road using a backboard and a long extension ladder.

She was taken to Christus Spohn Hospital Memorial for injuries that were not life-threatening, police said.