Go and see them now, before the anti-free speech crazies find out and crash the site.

Update: Betsy Newmark explains why it matters.

Think for a moment about the concerted action by Democrats, their lawyers, former White House operatives, Bill Clinton, sympathetic historians, and lefty bloggers to stop this show. Remember that this was the same crowd that was full of praise of for Fahrenheit 9/11 for crystallizing their opposition to George Bush. Accuracy and versimilitude didn't bother them then. And they weren't saying a word about 60 Minutes "fake but accurate" story on Bush's National Guard service. Now, ask yourself. If this crowd were to control the White House, how many more of these attempts to stifle any criticism of them would we be seeing? Think of how much has been aired during Bush's tenure, even a movie depicting him being assassinated and more denials of civil liberties gets made without Bush's White House unleashing its lawyers. But, for this thing, the Democrats go to the mattresses. Are they perhaps modeling for us what their response would be to further criticism if they should gain control of the White House - or even of Congress? Don't forget those not-so-veiled threats to ABC's license. Ponder that chill wind.

h/t Michelle Malkin

Posted by: annika at 08:38 AM | Comments (10) | Add Comment
Post contains 239 words, total size 2 kb.

1. Troy Smith and Colt McCoy are some great quarterback names. How could either of those guys play any other position?

2. If USC goes to number 2 this week, will we see a repeat of the great Casca/Shelly comments debate of 2005?

3. How many times did you say "shutup Musburger" during tonight's game?

4. Maria Sharapova is awesome. I know, that's not a question, but she is.

5. Penn State looked fugly today. Weren't they number three last year?

6. How will Emmit do this season? With Cheryl coaching him, I say he'll do better than Jerry.

Posted by: annika at 08:51 PM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
Post contains 105 words, total size 1 kb.

1 1 - Troy Smith is kinda generic, I could see him playing anywhere. Colt McCoy would make a great running back (he'd be a workhorse). 2 - probably 3 - didn't see the game, but it probably would have made for a great drinking game had I seen it 4 - yes, yes she is 5 - they lost their quarterback, and ND is flat out better. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see this game either (I was at a first birthday party for a cousin) 6 - huh?

Posted by: KG at September 09, 2006 09:16 PM (AC0TE)

2 Well, the big game ended up pretty much as I suspected Colt is an up and coming QB but we have to remember that just last year he was in High school, and that made a big difference. Now the big game will be Notre Dame VRs Ohio State in just a few weeks. As usual, USC cruises without any real opponants. Look for the game between LSU and Tennesee, whoever comes out of that one alive might be the favorite to go to the big game.

Posted by: kyle8 at September 09, 2006 09:31 PM (s80U7)

3 There are no "real opponents" for USC to play in the PAC 10 this year, or most years. But Cal always give us trouble in Strawberry Canyon, and we are in the Coliseum this year for the Golden Bears, who, incidentally found their game yesterday, a week late. If you think Notre Dame is ever a "cruise", than you aren't much of a fan; fortunately, Touchdown Jesus will not see the likes of us this year, as we are home to them as well. But the Catholics are everywhere, they have their share of rooters in LA, believe me. I live with one. Finally, UCLA is never a cruise. A good season is when we beat either UCLA or Notre Dame; a great season is when we beat both. The rest of the teams are usually just warm ups, although Cal can be tough to beat at home, as I said above. We've played in the Rose Bowl so often, it is just like home anyway, and our fans fill it up by buying out the UCLA kids' tickets. Finally, USC will play OSU in the National Championship Game, which I believe is in Tempe this year at Sun Devil Stadium. OSU is the real thing this year; Woody was rolling in his grave as they passed a lot, but their D definitely shut down Texas, as Dick Cheney would say "Big Time". USC's D is the fastest and biggest we've had in the Carroll era. But it is young and untested, really. By the time we get to Tempe, we'll be ready for the Nutmegs. Will they be ready for us, is the question?

Posted by: shelly at September 10, 2006 12:42 AM (ZGpMS)

4 Heh, I'd have been here earlier, but I have a woman who expects hot sex on a Sunday morning. 1. I'll stipulate to that. 2. I'll stipulate to that. 3. Heh, THREE times, NO SHIT! And, it was STFU Mburger! I've almost learned to tune him out. But in the old boys defense, he's no Keith Jackass, whom I'd like to physically hurt. 4. Russian chicks usually are. 5. Last season was a fluke, Akron almost had their ass last week, and worth mentioning Akron beat NC State with a fabulously coached last minute score with no time left on the clock yesterday. 6. From the cut I saw, think Grandmaster P. Heh Kyle, what's all this shit about "he was a high school QB last year"? That fucking horse has been going to camps and clinics with his high school coach dad for twenty years! He took shots from the OSU pass rush and rolled right back. Give a little love where it's deserved. Ohio State reloaded. If you think that Jim Tressel is going to show up without a defense, then you haven't been paying attention. He's all about defense, offense is the icing! Mack Brown was out-coached yesterday.

Posted by: Casca at September 10, 2006 09:35 AM (2gORp)

5 For the record, ND doesn't play the Buckeyes this year. I think they got enough last year. Still the best football game I ever attended was the 1985 ND USC game in the Coliseum. It was cold and pouring rain in November, and by halftime the only people left in the stands were about 5000 crazy Catholics screaming for the domers. It was a slugfest in the mud, and USC lost. At the end of the game, we were all down at the tunnel screaming for ND as they came off the field covered with mud. When I go to the ND website, they say the score was something outrageous, but I recall them winning 5 to 3 on a safety. It was one of Gerry Faust's few bright moments. Another item worth remembering, when Ohio State beat USC for the National Championship in 1968, OJ came to the OSU locker room, and told the Buckeyes that they were the greatest team that he'd ever seen. So much for OJ not having any class.

Posted by: Casca at September 10, 2006 10:35 AM (2gORp)

6 1. Agreed, Colt is slightly better given he has the perfect name to play QB in Texas. 2. I have no idea. But a undefeated ND vs. an undefeated USC would be awesome. 3. Watched in a bar, didn't hear him. 4. Yes. 5. That game was not the repeat of the 1992 snow bowl. 6. No Clue.

Posted by: the Pirate at September 10, 2006 01:56 PM (Rg0+S)

7 What an amazing woman

Posted by: Scof at September 11, 2006 02:03 PM (a3fqn)

Hide Comments | Add Comment

I don't get this stupid controversy about The Path to 9/11. Democrats are thrashing about like a T-1000 in a vat of molten steel. What's the problem?

Is the movie defamatory? If it is then file a lawsuit. They might have a little trouble with the malice requirement, but that's one remedy.

It seems to me that the only objections Democrats have raised are that it's allegedly misleading, innacurate, and fictional. The truth is, they don't like the way it portrays Clinton. So fucking what. Since when have ex-presidents been immune from criticism? If they don't like it, why don't they do their own movie about how bad Bush is?

Oh that's right, they already did. It won the Palme d'Or.

And another thing. Isn't it government censorship when a bunch of Senators and Congressmen threaten ABC's license if they don't pull a tv show because of its political content? Isn't that prior restraint?

The DNC blog has a picture of a stack of 120,000 petitions they've printed. What they don't mention is that they're unsigned, but the picture is supposed to be impressive. I'm impressed that they think there are enough lemmings out there who care about a movie they haven't even seen yet.

And Daily Kos is now calling ABC, "GOP-TV." That is the funniest thing of all. Makes you wonder if they've ever watched ABC News. Would that it were true, it might take some of the heat off of Fox News.

A Kos writer also made the logically insupportable assertion the she "despise[d] censorship" and was in favor of "the free expression of even the most foul and erroneous ideas" except in cases when the speaker (in this case ABC) cannot be expected to "present a factual rebuttal" of its own speech.

By the same logic, Farenheit 9/11, a film that has made hundreds of millions of dollars to date, should never have been released unless Michael Moore also did a follow up film rebutting the lies in his original movie.

Jefferson and Madison would certainly have raised an eyebrow at that one.

Update: Kevin Kim have best comment.

I first read and thnk Bill Clinnton stuipd because is drama like "JFK" by Oliber Rock. "Is ONLY DRAMA BILL AND RELAX! Moreovering, you SUCK Monnica Lunski DIK is INCONTROVERTIBALLY FACT! YOU ONLY YOU!" I shoutted at moni tor.

Posted by: annika at 10:13 AM | Comments (9) | Add Comment
Post contains 400 words, total size 3 kb.

Tonight was the finale of the real Jeopardy's Tournament of Champions. Well, here at Annika's Journal we've just concluded our own contest, and I'm about to announce the new 2006 Annika's Jeopardy Champion.

The Final Jeopardy clue was very hard, I know. I test googled it first, just to make sure. The category was "Heroes," and the clue was: "A famous historian once described him thusly: 'He is incapable of violent action, he never raises his voice.' Yet today he is recognized as one of the Greatest Generation's great leaders."

The famous historian was Stephen E. Ambrose, if that helps any. The correct response will be revealed in the extended entry.

Let's see how the contestants did, shall we? more...

Posted by: annika at 09:14 PM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
Post contains 766 words, total size 6 kb.

1 Dammit! I was almost positive it was Dick Winters, but I didn't have any of my Ambrose books with me to be certain. JPII seemed like the safer guess. Winters is truly a great man. You get the sense from reading Band of Brothers or D-Day that any of the men of E Company would still, today, lay down their lives for him if he asked them to. Thanks for doing this, Annie. It was a blast.

Posted by: Leif at September 08, 2006 11:18 PM (MKlM3)

2 Dayum. Congratulations, Leif, well played! Annie, Those 'toons of each of us are da bomb!

Posted by: Tuning Spork at September 09, 2006 12:21 AM (KPlUg)

3 So, those of us who don't have the time to watch 20 hours of TV or read Ambrose are screwed? Jeez, Annie, ya gotta admit that was a real far out choice. Thanks for doing this, but next year, in the words of the immortal Darryl F. Zanuck, "Include me out".

Posted by: shelly at September 09, 2006 02:17 AM (ZGpMS)

4 Bah! Percy, jus' be glad you weren't pictured clutching a McTencile. :p

Posted by: Tuning Spork at September 09, 2006 05:36 AM (KPlUg)

5 Thanks for the Jeopardy contest Annie. Also the cartoon made me look a bit less foolish than I feel. As ususual you rule...

Posted by: Drake Steel at September 09, 2006 10:36 AM (ZnkB7)

6 annika, it was a lot of fun, and I can't wait for next year's edition...if there is a next year's edition. BTW, all ye need do is ask, and I could have given you a much better pic of a rat.

Posted by: Victor at September 09, 2006 11:44 AM (l+W8Z)

7 Forgot to mention: That pic of Blu makes him look like he's hung like a brontosaurus. (And all this time, I thought Sgt. Rock led Easy Company. Guess that's what I get for learning about WWII from comic books.)

Posted by: Victor at September 09, 2006 11:47 AM (l+W8Z)

Hide Comments | Add Comment

...will be announced later this afternoon!

Posted by: annika at 07:55 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
Post contains 12 words, total size 1 kb.

Check out Laurie Dhue's shoes at 6MB.

Posted by: annika at 07:30 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
Post contains 17 words, total size 1 kb.

[Just havin' a little fun at Shatner's expense. He knows I love him.]

Today is the 40th anniversary of Star Trek's first broadcast. From the official website:

On the evening of the 8th of September, following Daniel Boone, this new NBC show premiered with an episode called "The Man Trap." The angle of the story was different, to say the least: It was a love story with a sci-fi twist, borne of a relationship from the doctor's past, featuring a monster that, in the end, just wanted to live. It was moving, tragic and anything but cheesy. The viewers — at least the ones who were paying attention — were hooked.

This show proved it had something different. It had a unique life that would go on to exist beyond expectation. It stood outside of time, as it tapped into universal themes and epic struggles, and put the cosmos on notice. Things have changed! Primetime on NBC eventually proved that this was no place for something so big, so broad in scope. This three-season show, after all, would go on to spawn four live-action spin-offs, an animated series, ten movies and counting, plus a licensing empire that, to this day, embraces books, videos, exhibits and assorted merchandise.

Like other cultural, artistic or philosophical phemonena (think Mozart, Van Gogh or Jesus) this new show was largely unappreciated in its own time and only later would be seen as what it is today, a world-wide, cultural juggernaut. Thanks to a form of TV recycling called syndication, the show became a hit to generations of young, impressionable kids, including many future scientists, astronauts and actors. What's ironic is that by today's ratings standards, it would have been a hit in its original run. But back then, with only three major networks, it didn't quite pull its weight. It was only with the need to syndicate TV programs, to get more than one bite out of the entertainment cherry, did this show become what it was all along. It just needed a form of resurrection; the people who had heard of it from their parents, teachers, friends or older siblings tuned in after school, prior to the dinner hour. It turned out to be the perfect time to hit this new, fresh audience and the show became lodged in the collective minds of a nation.

Happy birthday Star Trek. And thanks Gene, wherever you are.

Update: Check out the Star Trek 40th Anniversary Carnival at A Mama's Rant. Submit your own post, if you got one.

Posted by: annika at 01:24 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
Post contains 418 words, total size 3 kb.

Not only is this post at WuzzaDem brilliant and funny, it's also got many picturs...

h/t Cranky

Posted by: annika at 12:09 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
Post contains 21 words, total size 1 kb.

I took time out from watching Miami vs. Pittsburgh to catch Kiki Couric doing the nightly news. I missed her the last two nights. Tonight, I made it to exactly eight minutes before switching back to the game in anger. I had no idea how bad the CBS Nightly News had gotten. It's been years since I watched any evening news show. The first two segments of Kiki's broadcast tonight were almost total fiction. It was laughable, except for the fact that many thousands of people were watching who had no idea they were being lied to.

I don't blame Kiki so much. She's more of a master of ceremonies for this contemporary version of the Liars Club. Besides her poor posture and crooked mouth (which I never noticed before), she did a serviceable job. I find her manner more pleasant than Dan Rather's, but that ass surely didn't set the bar too high for his successor.

Kiki's show started with Jim Axelrod asserting quite unequivocally that the latest tape from Bin Laden contradicts the President's message in his recent War On Terror speeches. Anyone with a brain can see that just the opposite is true. In fact, the al Qaeda video features terrorists that are now in U.S. custody, whose interrogation led to the arrests of further terrorists. Bin Laden's video not only disproves beyond any doubt the stupid "inside job" conspiracy theories, but it shows how we've made a big dent in al Qaeda's leadership.

The second segment promised to show how support for the Iraq War has fallen among conservatives of the Bible Belt. They then showed only three people, two of whom said that they support the war! [Actually, the third guy supports the war too! See update, infra.] Now, I'm not trying to claim that support for the war has not fallen. It obviously has, but this joke of a news segment proved nothing of the sort. The one guy who said he was going to vote for Democrats was cut off just as he was about to state the reason why. No doubt his reasons had more to do with immigration and runaway spending, but CBS didn't want their audience to know that.

In the next segment, both Kiki and the reporter blatantly repeated the lie that Valerie Plame was an undercover agent. I guess they believe that old totalitarian principle about repeating the big lie often enough. Then followed an interview with Armitage, which nearly made me keel over with disinterest. This story is so irrelevant, why doesn't CBS just move on dot org?

That was when I turned it off, and to my dismay learned that I had missed a touchdown.

Update: The guy who said he was voting democratic in the second segment I mentioned above was retired Colonel Jim Van Riper, USMC. The unedited interview is here. I was wrong about his reasons for planning to vote Democratic. But CBS, very sneakily, omitted from their televised soundbites any of Colonel Van Riper's very strong pro-Iraq War statements. His objection is not that we're in Iraq, he just wants to win and he doesn't think the administration is getting the job done.

While I think it's misguided to think a Democratic Congress will do anything but weaken America, I can totally understand Col. Van Riper's frustration. We all want to win. Does anybody really think that Bush's poll numbers would be where they are now if we had already succeeded in Iraq? For most Americans — and this is the dirty little secret CBS and the elite media don't want you to know — the issue is victory, not whether the war was legal or right or wrong or unilateral or any of the other Michael Moore objections. If we had won already, nobody would be complaining. Wanting to win is patriotic, as is frustration that we might not be winning.

Posted by: annika at 07:06 PM | Comments (11) | Add Comment
Post contains 647 words, total size 4 kb.

"Dems Celebrate End of Bush Security Measures"

Have you seen the America Weakly campaign ads?

If not, start here, with a satirical look at what a Democratic Congress will do to national security. Or maybe not so satirical.

A Democratic Congress will be bad, no question about it. They have no plan except opposition to Bush, and a desire to embarrass Republicans. Since they don't hold the executive branch, these goals will have to be furthered by de-funding, and endless investigations.

I think 9/11 might have been an unintended result of Ken Starr's crusade to nail the President on a "process crime." If so, what new tragedy might occur while President Bush is occupied by the latest round of political vendettas, investigations and impeachment proceedings?

Posted by: annika at 08:18 AM | Comments (25) | Add Comment
Post contains 129 words, total size 1 kb.

The Path To 9/11 starts Sunday Night. I plan to watch it not only because it has been pissing off all the right people, but also because I want to see how Sherry Palmer fits into the conspiracy.

Posted by: annika at 10:04 PM | Comments (13) | Add Comment
Post contains 46 words, total size 1 kb.

1 i think she's sexy, good actress

Posted by: Scof at September 07, 2006 05:57 AM (a3fqn)

2 i think she's sexy, good actress too

Posted by: Scof at September 07, 2006 05:57 AM (a3fqn)

3 Serious people understand that nearly all blame for 9/11 falls on Clinton and his merry band of light weights. (Every time, I see Albright I am reminded that Bill Clinton was responsible handing responsibility of the State Dept to an unqualified and amazingly stupid person.) Until now, Clinton has successfully used his cronies in the media and government to hide his responsibility. (I doesn't help that Republicans led by Bush are unwilling to play hardball and place blame where it ought.) I'm glad these idiots are getting what the deserve for their inept foreign policy. Next, I'd like to see a mini-series on his admins responsibility for a nuclear N. Korea; or perhaps his fake economic expansion.

Posted by: Blu at September 07, 2006 09:17 AM (j8oa6)

4 Scof, time for your medication. Your second of multiple personalities is coming out again.

Posted by: elmondohummus at September 07, 2006 09:18 AM (xHyDY)

5 "Until now, Clinton has successfully used his cronies in the media and government to hide his responsibility." They are still hidden in Sandy Berger's undies.

Posted by: reagan80 at September 07, 2006 10:29 AM (dFOlH)

6 It's odd that primarily rightwing commentators/bloggers were the ones who got preview privileges. Does that mean Oliver Stone also accurately portrays world events?

Posted by: will at September 07, 2006 07:28 PM (h7Ciu)

7 Forget Sherry Palmer. What we REALLY need to worry about is how we're gonna catch Michael Scofield, T-Bag, and the rest of the Fox River 8. Lastly: Much as I didn't like President Clinton, 9/11 wasn't his FAULT. It was the fault of Mohammed Atta and the rest of the hijackers.

Posted by: fatass the conqueror at September 07, 2006 09:14 PM (TNYfW)

8 Will, Please provide your proof that mostly conservatives were given preview privledges. It's not true. Both liberals and conservatives viewed the film. The liberals are the only ones upset because somebody finally told the truth about the Clinton administration. Clinton is consumed with his legacy - or what legacy he actually has besides banging interns. You are just hearing the squeaky wheels. The film also takes shot at the Bush admin. But the 9/11 was the result of the 90's and a disinterested President Clinton - not a few months of Bush. The difference between the Right and the Left is that the Right is willing to admit that Bush wasn't perfect and clearly reacted to 9/11. The Left acts as if The Pervert was on top of things from Day 1 which is quite obviously BS.

Posted by: Blu at September 08, 2006 12:52 AM (TVuWZ)

9 The difference between right and left is that when the left feels slighted by a movie the studios fall all over themselves to keep them happy. When the right feels slighted, it's up to blogs and talk radio to set the record straight. They get no help from hollywood (that RR movie being the one exception that proves the rule).

Posted by: annika at September 08, 2006 01:35 AM (qQD4Q)

10 Oh, and when the Dems feel slighted by a movie, they call out the big guns and threaten to pull ABC's license. How's that for free speech fuckazzz!!!

Posted by: annika at September 08, 2006 01:43 AM (qQD4Q)

11 This shouldn't surprise anybody. This is typical of the Stalinist Left. Hmmm, it's also very similar to the control of information in Nazi Germany. This is an example of "fear" - this is the buzz word of the week for Dems - being used in modern America that actually deserves to be compared to Nazi-like tactics. Good points above Annika. Remember that travesty of a film about the Reagans? I don't recall any Rep Senator sending letters with implicit threats to yank broadcast licenses. This shit is truly Orwellian. What are the odds of anybody on the Left standing up and calling a spade a spade? Don't hold your breath.

Posted by: Blu at September 08, 2006 01:34 PM (TVuWZ)

12 If people are too out of touch to read the 9/11 Commission report and instead believe what they see in a mini-series, they will probably still vote the way they had before. ABC states, "The Path to 9/11 is a dramatization, not a documentary", so I'll just put this in the Oliver Stone category until I see it for myself and compare it to the 9/11 Commission report. The writer of the movie is an unabashed conservative named Cyrus Nowrasteh. Last year, Nowrasteh spoke on a panel titled, “Rebels With a Cause: How Conservatives Can Lead Hollywood’s Next Paradigm Shift.” He has described Michael Moore as “an out of control socialist weasel,” and conducted interviews with right-wing websites like FrontPageMag. The problem isn’t that Nowrasteh is conservative. The problem is that Nowrasteh and ABC are representing “The Path to 9/11" as an unbiased historical drama. Promos for the movie say it is “based on the 9/11 Commission Report.” Nowrasteh claims he “wanted to match the just-the-facts tone of the report,” and describes the project as “an objective telling of the events of 9/11.” From Sourcewatch: 'Nowrasteh said that he "was provided an incredible amount of research materials and high-level advisors from the FBI, CIA, Secret Service, Diplomatic Security, etc." ' How did he get such access? I wonder how many tax dollars were spent giving him pro-Administration spin. Perhaps because he is a right-wing film producer and the administration knew that they would spin things to attempt to take the heat off GWB. The movie's account directly contradicts the 9/11 commission report (http://www.9-11commission.gov/report/index.htm), however, which states that it was CIA Director George Tenet that called off the operation, which itself never got off the ground: "Tenet told us that given the recommendation of his chief operations officers, he alone had decided to 'turn off' the operation. He had simply informed Berger, who had not pushed back. Berger’s recollection was similar. He said the plan was never presented to the White House for a decision. "The CIA’s senior management clearly did not think the plan would work. Tenet’s deputy director of operations wrote to Berger a few weeks later that the CIA assessed the tribals’ ability to capture Bin Ladin and deliver him to U.S. officials as low." [11]

Posted by: will at September 08, 2006 02:46 PM (h7Ciu)

13 "...until I see it for myself and compare it to the 9/11 Commission report." Good for you, Will. At least, you are willing to see it before passing judgement - unlike most of the Left who hasn't seen it and it passing around misinformation.

Posted by: Blu at September 08, 2006 05:33 PM (TVuWZ)

Hide Comments | Add Comment

Just my opinion, but I think the answer to "Who's the World's Greatest Australian?" goes without saying.

Exhibit A in the extended entry. more...

Posted by: annika at 09:47 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
Post contains 59 words, total size 1 kb.

Here it is, the Final Jeopardy clue. Players have until the 11:59 p.m. Pacific time on Thursday, September 7th to email your responses to me. Remember, you must have already emailed me your Final Jeopardy wager to be eligible to play.

You can email your responses to me by clicking here.

The clue is in the extended entry. Good Luck! more...

Posted by: annika at 12:46 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 68 words, total size 1 kb.

You might have seen the new poll on my sidebar. If not, go look and vote. One of the names, Captain Thunderbolt, might be unfamiliar to you. He was an Australian outlaw of the Nineteenth Century and the following poem, by Graeme Philipson, tells his story.

The Last Bushranger

Just below Uralla stands New England's southern gate
A mighty granite boulder that tells of one man's fate.
Of the bushranger called Thunderbolt, the last of that rare breed
Of desperate men without the law joined in a common creed.

Thunderbolt was Frederick Ward. The story of his life
Begins they say in Windsor town, in eighteen thirty-five.
His early life was tough and cruel, the times back then were hard
His school was on the horse's back, and in the breaker's yard.

He didn't learn to read or write, but he sure knew how to ride
Jimmy Garbutt showed him how to steal, he took it in his stride.
They took sixty head from Tocal Run, but the Troopers caught them cold
Frederick Ward was twenty-one, with ten years to rot in gaol.

They put him on to Cockatoo, an island made in hell
He set to work to work to get away, he nearly did as well.
But they caught him and they put him in a hole without the sun
Alone he waited for the day when he could make his run.

He swam one night, he got away, he went back to the bush
Across the range, to back of Bourke, he joined the westward push.
He took to the road, he learned the life of a bushranger at large
He robbed the coaches, stole the mail, while riding at the charge.

But life was hard in the sunburnt scrub, he moved back to the range
To relieve the squatter of his horse, the traveller of his change.
Thunderbolt lived outside the law, but he was honest in his way
There's a famous tale of a famous deed at Tenterfield one day.

He went boldly to the races, and looked folk up and down
He saw who won and he saw who lost, and he waited out of town.
He robbed three German bandsmen, but to show his kind concern
He left them some to get to town, and he promised he'd return.

TheyÂ’d get it back if he could find the man that won the most
And by his word the very next day he lived true to his boast.
Nick Hart was the man, he was travelling north, a hundred pounds he'd won
Ward bailed him up on the border line and relieved him of the sum.

The Germans got their money back, they'd not believed their ears
WardÂ’s word became a legend, passed down through the years.
When a hawker came by the Rock one day the outlaw bailed him up
But he got to Uralla and raised the alarm, the constables saddled up.

Trooper Walker caught him there that day, outside of Blanche's Inn
And shot at him in the valley where Kentucky Creek begins.
Our man was on a borrowed horse, he could not outrun the law
So he left the saddle and climbed the bank, with Walker firing more.

He was cornered fair and square, but he was brave until the last
Walker cried: “surrender, man!” The outlaw saw his chance
He charged the mounted trooper, he was firing as he came
But his pistol jammed, and the trooper's final bullet found its aim.

He fell into the creek but rose again to fight his foe
He died when Walker struck him with a god-almighty blow.
That afternoon outside of town, more died than just a man
He was the last to live that outlawÂ’s life upon this lonely land.

All had gone before him: Morgan, Gilbert and Ben Hall
Frederick Ward, called Thunderbolt, was the last one of them all.
When he died they all died with him, it was the ending of an age
A curtain dark was drawn across that now far distant stage.

When Thunderbolt still rode the range, from Mudgee to the Downs
When Thunderbolt his name still rang, in country and in town
When Thunderbolt outrode the law, from Bourke clear to the sea
This land was very different then, from what it came to be.

Now life, they say, is civilised, there's none can do again
What Thunderbolt did years ago, when he strode across the land.
They say that life is better now the bushrangers are dead
But they like to recollect the days the squatters lived in dread.

He's buried in Uralla, where his name is famous yet
The Rock still stands, the creek still runs, where he met his death
You can have a beer and toast him in the pub that bears his name
You can stop awhile and ponder on the reasons for his fame.

And though heÂ’s dead these hundred years, his memory still remains
Of how he rode the mountains, and how he strode the plains.
His name will live for ever more beneath those cold dark skies
The last bushranger may have gone, but the legend never dies.

Posted by: annika at 11:20 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
Post contains 870 words, total size 5 kb.

Just so you'll be able to tell the difference between the two major parties on the big issues, Cranky Neocon at 6MB has prepared an informative and handy Election Issues Comparison Chart. It's suitable for printing, so you can take it into the voting booth with you on November 7th!

Posted by: annika at 09:45 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
Post contains 60 words, total size 1 kb.

It's time for Final Jeopardy with Annika. Thanks to everyone who participated in this game. Last year we had twelve visitors on the board, and this year we had fifteen, so that's pretty cool.

Last year's winner was Trevor, and we will definitely have a new champion this year since Trevor didn't play. (Unless he was the fake Law Fairy.)

Final Jeopardy will be open to anyone who has money in the game.

That would be:

Leif $1900 in
D-Rod $1600 in
Tuning Spork $1500 in
Shelly $1000 in
Victor has $700 in
Law Fairy $500 in
Maximum Leader $300 in
KG $300
Blu $300 in
Kevin Kim $300
Matt of Overtaken By Events $200
Trint $200 in
Drake Steel $100 in
TBinSTL $100
SkippyStalin $100 in

Just like on tv, you can wager from $0 up to the entire total of what you've earned in the game, or any amount in between.

Rules will be a little different this year, to conform more closely with the tv show. First, the players will email me their wagers, based on the category, without knowing the clue. All wagers must be in to me by Tuesday night, September 5, 2006, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time.

After I get the wagers, I'll post the clue and there will also be another time limit for the responses.

Comments will be closed, so wagers and responses must be e-mailed to me. The correct response must be phrased in the form of a question. There's no need to buzz in for Final Jeopardy.

The Final Jeopardy category is "Heroes." Think about your wagers and send the amounts to me by clicking here.

Posted by: annika at 10:37 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 284 words, total size 2 kb.

The horror...

VIOLET: Dessert? Here it comes. Blueberry pie and cream!
It's the most marvelous blueberry pie that I've ever tasted!

CHARLIE: Look at her face!

MR. BEAUREGARDE: Holy Toledo, what's happening to your face?

VIOLET: Cool it, Dad! Lemme finish.

MR. BEAUREGARDE: Yeah, but your face is turning blue!
Violet, you're turning violet, Violet!

VIOLET: What are you talking about?

WONKA: I told you I hadn't got it quite right yet.

MR. BEAUREGARDE: You can say that again. Look what it's
done to my kid!

WONKA: It always goes wrong when we come to the dessert.
Always.

MR. BEAUREGARDE: Violet, what are you doing now?!? You're
blowing up!

VIOLET: I feel funny.

GRANDPA JOE: I'm not surprised.

VIOLET: What's happening?

MR. BEAUREGARDE: You're blowing up like a balloon!

WONKA: Like a blueberry.

MR. BEAUREGARDE: Somebody do something! Call a doctor!

MRS. TEEVEE: Stick her with a pin.

CHARLIE: She'll pop!

WONKA: It happens every time! They all become blueberries.

MR. BEAUREGARDE: You've really done it this time, haven't
you, Wonka. I'll break you for this.

WONKA: Oh, well, I'll get it right in the end.

VIOLET: Help! Help!

(Wonka plays the pipe whistle.)

MR. BEAUREGARDE: We've got to let the air out of her, quick!

WONKA: There's no air in there.

MR. BEAUREGARDE: Hmm?

WONKA: That's juice.

MR. BEAUREGARDE: Juice?!?

WONKA: (to an Oompa Loompa) Would you roll the young lady
down to the juicing room at once, please.

MR. BEAUREGARDE: What for?

WONKA: For squeezing. She has to be squeezed immediately
before she explodes.

MR. BEAUREGARDE: Explodes?!?

WONKA: It's a fairly simple operation.

Posted by: annika at 10:01 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
Post contains 271 words, total size 2 kb.

This is good for about three minutes out of your day. No more than that. Give it a try.

Posted by: annika at 08:40 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 25 words, total size 1 kb.

This week is finally here. Thursday is the start of the NFL regular season. Yay!

Because I'm a masochist, I will revive the infamous feature known as Annika's Monday Night Football Picks.

The schedule is in the extended entry. more...

Posted by: annika at 09:59 AM | Comments (10) | Add Comment
Post contains 205 words, total size 1 kb.

He comes with his own poo.

Posted by: annika at 08:46 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
Post contains 12 words, total size 1 kb.