by Pat Sajak

There have been so many debates and interviews and columns and profiles and polls, it’s hard to believe the election for president is still about 11 months away. Recently, celebrity endorsements have been making news, with Oprah Winfrey saying she would campaign for Barack Obama and Barbra Streisand making the not-so-stunning announcement that she was supporting Hillary Clinton.

There are reasons, of course, why candidates welcome such help. First, there’s the bonanza of free publicity. With so many names and faces vying for attention, what could be better than the burst of news such endorsements bring? There’s also the burst of money these high-profile celebs can bring in themselves and attract from others. Then there’s the extra attention and excitement these stars engender when they appear at a candidate’s political events. It’s far easier to attract a crowd in Des Moines if a big TV, movie or recording star is standing next to the politician.

Putting those obvious benefits aside, the question remains: do these endorsements really translate into votes? Does anyone decide which candidate to choose based on the recommendation of a TV talk show host or a singer/actress? If any group of citizens is uniquely unqualified to tell someone else how to vote, it’s those of us who live in the sheltered, privileged arena of celebrityhood. It’s one thing to buy an ab machine because Chuck Norris recommends it (he’s in good shape, isn’t he?) or a grill because George Foreman’s name is on it (he’s a great guy, so it must be a great grill!), but the idea of choosing the Leader of the Free World based on the advice of someone who lives in the cloistered world of stardom seems a bit loony to me.

This is America, and we celebrities have just as much right as anyone else to speak up about any issue. The problem is that more attention is paid to what we say because we’re well known. But why should that matter? O.J. Simpson is one of the world’s best-known celebrities, but I can’t imagine anyone following his lead in a voting booth.

I suppose anything that gets people engaged in the political process is a good thing, but the idea that a gold record, a top-ten TV show or an Oscar translates into some sort of political wisdom doesn’t make much sense to me. Trust me, one’s view of the world isn’t any clearer from the back seat of a limo.

Original Story

Twas the month before Christmas
When all through our land,
Not a Christian was praying
Nor taking a stand.
See the PC Police had taken away,
The reason for Christmas - no one could say.
The children were told by their schools not to sing,
About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.
It might hurt people’s feelings, the teachers would say
December 25th is just a ‘Holiday’.

Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit
Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!
CDs from Madonna, an XBOX, an I-pod
Something was changing, something quite odd!
Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa
In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.
As Targets were hanging their trees upside down
At Lowe’s the word Christmas - was no where to be found.
At K-Mart and Staples and Penny’s and Sears
You won’t hear the word Christmas; it won’t touch your ears.

Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty
Are words that were used to intimidate me.
Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen
On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !
At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter
To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.
And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith
Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace

The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded
The reason for the season, stopped before it started.
So as you celebrate ‘Winter Break’ under your ‘Dream Tree’
Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.
Choose your words carefully, choose what you say

Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS,

not Happy Holiday!*

It is the biggest shopping day of the year. Some stores are opening at 4am and all the rest are opening at 5am. By 6am the mall is packed with crazed shoppers (Yes, I was one of them). Chik-Fil-A is the only restaurant in the mall that has a breakfast menu. They could have sold as many chicken biscuits as they could have possibly made. So, what did they decide to do? Not make breakfast at all! And what was their reason? They didn’t think they could make enough to handle the demand! Now I am no businessman and I don’t claim to be. However, I would think it would be better to sell as many as you possibly could make rather than not sell any at all. I know by all the dumbfounded looks I saw I wasn’t the only one wondering just what was management thinking.

I have long wished stores would stay closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas to let their employees spend time with their families and Chik-Fil-a is great about that. Friday after Thanksgiving though is a free-for-all. I don’t understand why they didn’t take advantage of it.

I  know the owner well enough to know his stores are doing well and that he knows how to run his businesses. So, maybe there is some logic here I just don’t understand. It wouldn’t be the first time.

However, we can’t “Eat Mor Chikin”, if they don’t sell it to us!

To all my family and friends:

I hope you all have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving Holiday! Be safe in your travels and enjoy your time with family or friends.

Remember to be thankful for all the things you are blessed with, not only today but each and every day. This is something I need to be more mindful of. God has blessed me greatly and I tend to focus on the hardships, instead of the good. It’s kind of like George Bailey in “It’s a Wonderful Life”, at his lowest point he realized how blessed he was and that in reality he was truly the “richest” man in town. I may not have all the worldly riches that others have, but I am truly a “rich” man.

May God bless you and your families.

All the best,

Chuck

Twas the night of Thanksgiving, but I just couldn’t sleep
I tried counting backwards, I tried counting sheep
The leftovers beckoned - the Dark meat and white
But I fought the temptation with all of my might.

Tossing and turning with anticipation
The thought of a snack became infatuation.
So I raced to the kitchen, flung open the door
and Gazed at the fridge, full of goodies galore.

I gobbled up turkey and buttered potatoes,
Pickles and carrots, beans and tomatoes.
I felt myself swelling so plump and so round,
Til all of a sudden, I rose off the ground.

I crashed through the ceiling, floating into the sky
With a mouthful of pudding and a handful of pie.
But, I managed to yell as I soared past the trees…
Happy eating to all, pass the cranberries, please.

May your stuffing be tasty.  May your turkey be plump.
May your potatoes ‘ n gravy have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious.  May your pies take the prize.
May your Thanksgiving dinner stay off of your thighs.

“The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.

In the midst of a war . . . which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict . . .

Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years, with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.

It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and union.”

Abraham Lincoln, October 3, 1863

Today is a special day, because it is the birthday of a very special young lady. She used to be my little girl, but no more. She is on her way to becoming a fine young lady. She has the heart, beauty and soul of her mother. She is a blessing to our family and brings us continuous joy. She can brighten the darkest of my days and always has the knack to put a smile on my face.

She is, without a doubt, the finest daughter a father could ask for!

I love you Brittany. I hope your special day was truly special for you. For us everyday is special because of you.

About three years ago I was introduced to Apple computers. My friend JC had one and I was able to try it out first hand. From that point on, I was hooked. Even though I have worked and played on Windows all my life, Mac OS X just felt right. Everything worked and worked well. It was intuitive and fun. And their design is best described as “simple elegance”.

A lot of people I know, who have used Windows all their life, think I am crazy. It’s the whole “Go get a Mac if you want to, but I will stick with a real computer” mantra. I would guess most of those people have never used a Mac. I don’t think I have ever seen anyone passionate about a PC, but there are plenty of Mac users passionate about their Macs. Not sure I can explain it. If you don’t believe me, next time you need to buy a computer, go try one out. You might find you want to move away from Microsoft’s Windows.

All that said, a couple of years ago I was able to get my first Mac. Unfortunately, instead of an Apple I got a Lemon or so it seems. My Powerbook has been in for repair twice and I woke up this morning only to find that it looks like I have another complete motherboard failure. I tried to power it on. Nothing, Nada, no noise, no fan, no lights and no video. Rather frustrating…

So, it was time to call Apple’s Technical Support once again. I am hoping this time around, Apple will take the high road and realize this machine needs to be replaced and not repaired again. The support specialist is going to talk with executive relations on Monday. He said I would know something by then. I hope so anyway. I have several projects I need/want to get working on and I have no backup computer.

I still love Macs and this won’t keep me from getting another in the future. All computer companies have their share of “lemons”. I have seen them at work with IBM and Dell. I just hope Apple gets it right this time around. It doesn’t matter how great a computer is, if you can’t use it.

They say when life gives you lemons you should make lemonade. I don’t want lemonade, just an Apple that works!

Here’s hoping Mr. Jobs feels the same way…

Our first cold night of the year and Hunter’s team had a game scheduled. Hard to believe, but it has been a couple of weeks since they played. They had a few mis queues, but got into a groove and won 4 - 2. Hunter played hard and really well. We were proud of him. We froze our butts off, but we were proud!

I don’t think we have to be anywhere tomorrow night, so I hope we can all just bum out. Oh wait, scratch that. Brittany has to be at a birthday party for one of her friends. Hunter then has two games on Saturday. On Sunday, it’s the princess’ birthday and church. Looks like another busy few days after all. It’s all good though!