I just enjoyed a Punch Rothchild Double Maduro. I had a glass of Bookers Bourbon and a glass of Evan Williams 1792. They were both real nice, but I tell you the Bookers is REALLY good bourbon.

Any good Scotch or beer rec's?

Supreme Court Justices serve a LONNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGG time. They also can have a tremendous impact on our lives. Whomever gets elected in 2 weeks, we can vote out in 4 years. But the judges they appoint will be with us for a generation if not longer.

An Obama presidency and a Democratic majority in the House and Senate would guarantee Liberal Supreme Court nominees. That scares me. I hope none of them die or retire in the next 4 years if he wins.

I happen to believe that conservative judges rule in accordance with the Constitution more than do Liberal judges. That is what I want.

Do you want a Liberal majority in the Supreme Court for the next 20-30 years?

Thank God they ruled on the 2nd amendment this year.

Politics aside, Cindy McCain and Sarah Palin in the White House wouldn't be too hard to look at for 4 years.

I have been shooting my bow for the past month. I'm getting ready. I have a new spot in Wisconsin, 20 acres all to myself with lots of does.

I'm almost out of Venison in the freezer.

I'm hoping to put my ground blind to work this year. I have yet to take a shot from it.

My biggest dilemma is do I keep using my old reliable aluminum arrows or should I try hunting with my carbons.

Anyone else excited about bow hunting season?

Will someone please sell me on the virtues of Liberalism/Socialism. I am having trouble understanding why this is the best thing for me and the country.

Please don't mention the names of any of the candidates. I just want someone to speak on the virtues of Liberalism. I have had a few people try to sell Liberalism to me but it all goes back to negative candidate bashing. 

I don't want an opinion on the candidates. I want to know why you are a Liberal and why Liberalism/Socialism is the way to go. Can someone please tell me. No one seems to be able to do it.

Thanks

Carl

If this bailout was truly "URGENT or the economy would collapse tomorrow", why didn't the powers that be, do something last week. I don't buy it. I think it's fear mongering. I'm glad it was voted down. Let's take few days a make sure we get it right. I mean, if you think about it, all the same people that got us in this mess are now telling us they know how to fix it. I say B&**$**T

Not to get religious but if the entire economy, and our country as a whole, was truly going to fall apart tomorrow, don't you think they could have worked through the Jewish holiday. I think God would forgive them, for saving the country.

Wouldn't Bush, Paulson, Barney Frank, Pelosi and Reid be on TV 24 hours a day explaining this. Pleading with the public and all their elected officials.

If it was Christmas and my house was flooding, and if I didn't do something now, my house would be destroyed, I think I would have to postpone the presents and put some sandbags up. Yes, I would work on Christmas day to save my house if that is what was necessary.

This is not a rip on religious holidays, or anyone's religion. I just think it makes a point.  I don't buy the doom and gloom.

Random Thoughts

1) What do you call it when you eat soup? Do you take a bite of soup? A slurp? A spoonful? I don't know

2) What happened to all the good childrens cartoons? Bugs, Tom & Jerry, Chilly Willy, Superfriends, Droopy, I feel sorry for kids these days. They don't have good cartoons.

3) I also feel sorry for kids and their music today. I can still go see my favorite bands today, 25 years later. Iron Maiden, Metallica, U2, The Police. These are actualy talented people that can play an instrument a write a good song. The crap my niece listens to is a joke. The new bands come and go like the wind.

4) I decided that if and when i ever get married I only have 3 requirements of my new wife. 1) She has to read Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand 2) She has to read Basic Economics by Thomas Sowell and 3) I get to wear checkerboard Vans at the wedding.  I'll let her make 3 requirements of me to keep things equal.

5) Why are people afraid to cook? I think that fear of screwing up is the biggest barrier to why more people don't cook. Get over it people. If you break the egg yolk, eat it anyway. If you burn it, you learned for next time and order a pizza. There are few pleasure greater than preparing a meal that is enjoyed by the people you serve it to.

6) FACEBOOK is pretty cool. I have been chatting with people I have not seen in over 10 years. You should check it out.

7) Rush Limbaugh is by far the most talented personality on radio. Like him or hate him, he is incredible at what he does.

8) Bowhunting is so much cooler than hunting with a high powered rifle. I can't wait to get out this year.

9) Everything goes in cycles. SUV's jumped the shark with the Hummer. The Global Warming Fanatics are disappearing. When will the cycle of politicians making stupid laws end.

10) I could survive the rest of my life only drinking water, beer and green tea.

I watched  a lot of the Olympics. My favorite sport is womens softball. We were the dominant team going in. We walked all over teams like Pro Players playing against a Little League Team. We were favorites to win the Gold Medal easily.

But we did not win the Gold. Japan upset us.

How much coverage have you seen of Team USA, Jennie Finch, and the others, in the Final Ceremony or on TV or on the internet. Barely any. BUT, if they had won Gold it would be a different story.

Gold matters. Silver is just not good enough sometimes. I know that sounds harsh, and 2nd place in the WORLD is incredible and those girls worked hard and should hold their heads up high. But, I would guess Jennie Finch, Cat Osterman, Jessica Mendoza and a few others  would already have been doing interviews and probably would have already signed new endorsement deals. It will be interesting to see what they get now. Maybe I'm wrong and nothing will be different, but I doubt it.

How many interviews will those girls not be on, and how much money are those girls not going to make, because they got Silver instead of Gold? I hope I am wrong, it stinks. But that's life. We love a winner.

My favorite Olympic moment was Shawn Johnson winning Gold on the beam. I had a tear in my eye. But ponder this. If she had not won that Gold and just came home with 4 Silvers, would they have interviewed her during the finale. How many millions $$ more will Shawn Johnson earn because of that one Gold medal. Sure 4 Silvers is amazing, but it's not Gold. It's a lot cooler for the announcer to say "And with us now, Gold Medal winner Shawn Johnson" as opposed to "Here we are with 4 time Silver winner Shawn Johnson"

Michael Phelps, Misty May, same thing. Now I know that Gold means more than how much money you will make in endorsements. It's about representing your country and working hard, and overcoming obstacles. Those are all great life lessons that we can all learn from. However, they all worked hard and it is very interesting to see who is in the spotlight, and who is swept under the rug because of the color of their medal. Winning matters.

And not just for the money. It's also for the pride of winning for the USA. I bet those softball players feel horrible they couldn't bring home Gold for their country. My heart goes out to them. I know how hard they worked. But again, winning matters.

My point is, that winning is awesome, and losing stinks, and I think that is a good thing. These Olympics teach people to excel and try to be the best. Winning and competition are healthy. The emotions either high or low are things you remember for the rest of your life. When you work hard, and win, it is one of the best feelings in the world.

So that brings me to my main point. How about these kids soccer games, or tee ball games where they don't even keep score for fear of hurting the kids feelings. I can't stand it when I hear about this. I think it's good to teach kids about winning and losing. The Olympics show us that winning matters. I like that.

When I win a new life insurace case, it's awesome. I have never lost that excitement of a new account. 

Winning matters.  

I read about a great way to cook thick steaks in Cooks Illustrated magazine. I thought I would share my results. 

I have used it with fillet mignon and also a whole venison loin. It works really well. You get alot of crust on the outside and wonderfully moist pink meat on the inside. It really is good.

First off the steak should be at least 1.5 inches thick.

Season it however you like. I usually like just salt and pepper.

Put the steaks on a wire rack in an oven safe pan and preheat your oven to 200 degrees. Then stick a digital meat thermometer in the meat. I have the kind that has a wire attached to it and you can run it from inside the oven, to the actual thermometer on the counter. It works really well.

Stick the steak in the oven and cook until the temperature gets to 98-100 degrees for medium rare. The time will vary. I would say allow 25-40 minutes. This gentle heat really keeps the meat tender.

Then take out the meat and char the outside until it's nice and brown. It happens pretty quick. You can do it on a super hot grill or in a super hot pan on your stove top. I like the stove top. You get a really nice crust.

I learned that meat will not brown until the surface moisture is gone. So if you put a steak right in the hot pan it actually steams the meat for a bit until the surface moisture has evaporated, then the meat starts to brown. When you start it in the oven in this way the surface moisture evaporates in the oven and when you put it in the pan it starts to brown right away. Since it browns quickly you avoid cooking the steaks too long and getting too much grey and not enough pink.  

From what I understand, this process also achieves the same result as aging the meat.

If you do this with a nice fillet mignon, it will be better than a restaurant.

I was driving home from our softball game today in Forest Park Illinois.

I had such a craving for Jean & Judes hot dogs at River Rd and Rand in River Grove IL.

I don't crave Superdawg or other hot dogs like I do Jean & Judes.

First off the place has not been remodeled in 30 years, there is no where to sit,  and the line is out the door whenver you go there. So we ate in the parking lot.

Then low and behold if you like ketchup on a dog (A girl on the softball team). They look at you like you have a booger hanging out of your nose. NO KETCHUP.

Mustard, Onion, Relish and Peppers. That's it.

But man you combine that with their home made fries and it it by far my favorite dog.

Any other hot dog lovers in Chicago?

i want to try Nathans in New York and Pinks in California sometime.