The Mighty Quinn

A couple of decades (and a half) ago I had I goofy guy on my radio show promoting the new Citizens Utility Board here in Illinois. His name was Pat Quinn. It didn’t occur to me then that this guy would become governor someday. It probably didn’t occur to him either.

Shorter Kev 1/30/09

Sausage! Politics is like sausage! Impeachment is like sausage! And I still want a side order of Chicago vs. Springfield with that sausage!

Kevan Kavanaugh’s commentaries can be heard regularly on AM 970 WMAY .

Serious Insights: Liz Edition

And everyone thought I was crazy when I said Rod Blagojevich could easily work Elizabeth Taylor into his defense.

Blago’s Goodbye Tour Comes to Town

You know by now that Rod Blagojevich will be appearing today at his Senate impeachment trial. That, of course, means he will be here in Springfield, probably for the very last time given his aversion to our city.

Through this whole impeachment thing, I’ve thought Springfield got short changed. How nice would have it been if Blago had been arrested at the Executive Mansion? Or have the national media staked out in front of same for weeks? But no, he chose, as always, to be in Chicago.

Now we get our due. We get the Grand Finale! Rod makes his last stand as governor right here in town and all eyes (and cable news networks) will be on him.

Longer Kev 1/28/09

Governor Rod Blagojevich is an idiot. That it! Isn’t that funny?


Kevan Kavanaugh’s commentaries can be heard regularly on AM 970 WMAY .

Blago Crazy

Watching Blago's press conference, I can't help but think this guy is really nuts. Why does he think he has to be afforded, in the impeachment, the same rights as someone in a criminal trial? He said if the impeachment trial goes through as planned, the same thing could happen to any citizen. WTF?

He's rambling wildly. Stupid cowboy analogies! Name dropping like crazy! Demanding Chicago newspapers write and publish editorials defending him! Blaming the whole episode on some tax increase conspiracy!

Is he making weird mouth noises?

Now it's over. Soon his governorship will be over.

Whaaaaaa!

I can't believe the temper tantrum some of the TV news folks are throwing over not having TV reporters in on the re-swearing in of the president last night. There were print reporters present, an audio tape and still photo of the event. But because TV wasn't there, it's not legit! It proves there is no transparancy in the Obama administration!

What a bunch of self-important asses these TV folks are sometimes.

Texts 4evuh

Yay! Obama gets to keep his Blackberry!
(no link but I'm watching the live White House briefing.)

Gooder

Watching the introduction of Hillery Clinton to State Department rank and file, I continue to be struck by how really hated George W Bush was just about everywhere.

It really is true that the inaugural celebration was two parts Obama and at least one part Bush leaving. I would have been happy seeing a president Clinton or even McCain if it meant the end of the Bush era.

Turn It Up to Eleven

Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns thinks today was an 11on the 1-10 history scale. Can we expect a Burns project on Obama someday?

InaugBlog

As long as I'm laid up in front of my teevee I might as well live blog this inauguration thing. I'm still using the iPhone so expect plain text and typos.

7:45 - Why are the talking heads so obsessed with speculation on where Obama will be going to church as president? The righteous Ronald Reagan and George W Bush didn't regularly attend church at all.

8:00 - The pre-inaugural coverage is as tortured and inane as the Super Bowl pre-game show. Actually more so since it's on every news channel.

8:05 - Speaking of church, Obama and Biden are in church now. Lots of religion injected into this secular event.

8:15 - is it at the inauguration the Obama finally reveals himself as the Muslim Terrorist Antichrist? A million wingnuts can't be wrong.

8:25 - I feel for the huge crowd standing in the cold. I remember that February morning two years ago freezing on the lawn of the Old State Capitol to hear Senator Obama annouce his run for the White House.

8:27 - CNN just interviewed two women who found a way to avoid the security checkpoints and told us all how they did it. Great.

8:37 - MSNBC is reporting the crowds are overwhelming in the checkpoints.

8:45 - This is a picky point but I've now heard two former Clinton administration officials refer to memories of the Clinton inaugural in 1992. Except, of course, that first Clinton inauguration was in January 1993.

8:50 - Obama now leaving the church and heading for the White House to have coffee with Bush. Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out, George.

8:56 - The Bush's are greeting the Obamas and enter the White House.

9:00 - I get a little tired of the self-congradulatory "peaceful transfer of power" stuff from the talking heads. Sure it's a good thing, but it's hardly unique to this country.

9:10 - CBS assures me that there are plenty of port-a-potties for the crowd.

9:37 - The dignitaries are filing in along with the celebs. Spike Lee looks cute in a fur-lined hat.

9:45 - George W. Bush just left the White House for the last time. Awesome. He and Obama are on their way to the Capitol.

9:59 - To my favorite troll who keeps posting racist and threatening comments which I immediately delete: I've been collecting your comments and will be forewarding them to the Secret Service. That may seem extreme but you seem genuinely dangeous. It might also be fun...for me. So keep the comments coming asshole.

10:05 - I wonder if those Supreme Court justices are wearing layers under those robes.

10:08 - Ray LaHood just entered.

10:11 - Oh boy! CNN has ordered up a satellite picture of the event and the crowd. Can't wait for that.

10:15 - The former presidents are entering. Bush the Elder is barly able to walk. Jimmy Carter is still spry. Hillary walked in with Bill rather than with the other cabinet members.

10:20 - On ABC they discussing what happens if Obama takes the Oath late, after noon EST, since Bush officially stops being president right at noon. OMG, no president for the intervening minutes.

10:25 - The Obama girls are in the house.

10:30. - Jena and not-Jenna are there.

10:31 - The crowd is chanting for Obama.

10:35 - Cheney is in a wheelchair after hurting himself moving the other day.

10:40 - Biden enters.

10:41 - Obama looks nervous as he prepares to come onto the scene.

10:44 - Obama is announced and enters. The crowd chants "Obama!".

10:46 - Here we go.

10:49 - Ugh, Rick Warren. But an OK opening prayer even though I'd prefer this to be a stickly a secular event.

10:54 - Aretha sings!

10:59 - Biden being sworn in and blinded by the sun.

11:00 - Bush is no longer president! But niether is Obama! We have NO president!

11:02 - CNN says Obama IS president even though be hasn't yet been sworn in. Better tell ABC.

11:04 - I'm nearly blind from typing on this small screen.

11:05 - Obama is taking the oath of office! He kind of flubs it.

11:08 - Thank God the Bush years are over.

11:09 - Obama giving inaugural address.

11:18 - He's doing well with the restoring America's dignity and trust in the world bit.

11:25 - This really is an above average inaugural address. Obama puts a lot into his oratory no matter what the venue and that has carried him far.

11:26 - He's done speaking now.

11:29 - And now poetry. I'd also like this to be a non-poetic event.

11:32 - A lot of people don't stick aourd for the poem.

11:34 - Another prayer. I liked the ending.

11:39 - The National Anthem. I thought that was sung at the beginning of events.

11:40 - Malia Obama had Joe Biden take her picture with her camera (or maybe he volunteered). Either way, getting the VP to do you favors is kinds cool.

11:47 - I've now lived through some or all of the terms of 11 presidents. That's 1/4th of them.

11:52 - Dick Cheney looks like Mr. Potter in that wheelchair.

11:54 - Bush waving as he gets on the helecopter to leave Washington. Bye George. That's 8 years the country will never get back.

11:57 - Obama (and the nation) waves as the helecopter takes off. Ha, Ha . The crowd is chanting "Na, na, na, na...hey, hey, goodbye."

12:01 - OK, I'm done for now. I need a nap.

Unabandoned

No, this blog hasn't been forclosed on, I got back from Florida after a tiring trip over the weekend and then had minor surgery this morning. I'm enjoying the post-operatve narcotics back at home and watching the inaguration pre-game shows on the cable teevee. Did you know a black man won the election? I guess not may people do since the teevee people mention it every 15 seconds or so.

Update: I'm still using my iPhone to blog, this time from bed, so still no formatting, pictures or links. I also just knawed my hand off to get out of my hospital braclets.

Hard Bananas

Cold weather doesn't look so bad seen from afar. Floridians (I call them Florides) seem not to care much about what you all are going through. I think they figure if you're dumb enough to live in the Midwest, you get what you deserve.

The Midwest cold blast is getting lots of coverage on the media. One of the cable news channels even showed someone hammering nails into wood with a frozen banana.

Bare Bones Blogging

It sux not being able to post pictures or links. My Facebook stuff is better this week than my blog. Or maybe it always is.

The State of New Florida

They really need to build an additional Florida. This one is too full.

Right now I'm in a place called Sunrise. Unlike the fun costal areas of the state, this is the land of retail chain stores, malls and office complexes. Think of the far southwest side of Springfield times about 300. This is where Mrs. TEH is for business so we didnt have any say in location. Sure it's warm, but there isn't much reason to go outside.

Last night the local weatherman on TV said something about "struggling to get into the upper 60s" one day later this week. When he threw it back to the anchorman, the anchorman said "BRRRRR!". Seriously.

Troll Be Gone

To the jerk who keeps leaving racist comments related to Obama (usually), please stop commenting on this blog. I will delete all of your comments and have been for some time, usually within minutes of you posting them. No one sees them. It's a waste of your time and mine, so just stop. Thank you.

Blago Beach, FL

The people here in Florida seem happy. Maybe it's because it's warm. Or because they pay no income tax (thanks tourists!). But I bet it's because they don't have a guy named Blagojevich.

War = Death

I'm always amazed at how many war-loving conservatives think that there is no death or suffering in war caused by the "good" guys and showing or saying there is means that it's either fake or propaganda. Go ahead and support your favorite war(s), but at least be honest enough to recognize the negative side of the ledger.

And am I much better posting the picture above rather than real scenes of dead children, etc. because I didn't want to look at them?

On that happy note, I'm off on a vacation of sorts. Comments are off for now so I don't have to police the trolls.

There’s an Impeachment Going On

Good lord, are all of these reps going to talk? We want our impeachment and we want it now. Shut up and impeach him.

Update: Finally, the Illinois House votes 114-1 to impeach Governor Blagojevich. The debate actually lasted much shorter than I thought it would.

Update II: So what’s with Rep. Milton Patterson’s (D-Hit the Wrong Button)? He was the only member of the Illinois house to vote against impeachment. He’s from Chicago so I’m sure it has something to do with him hating Springfield.

Update III: On Patterson from the Chicago Tribune:

Rep. Milt Patterson (D-Chicago) was the lone vote against impeaching the governor. Patterson, from Chicago’s Southwest Side, said after the roll call that he didn’t feel it was his job to vote to impeach the governor. He declined comment on whether he approved of the job Blagojevich is doing.

And from Rich Miller:

Rep. Patterson, who has been quite ill, is still obviously bitter about being elbowed out of running for reelection by the political powers that be in his area last year.

And while we might find Patterson’s vote curious in its isolation, I really don’t think he now needs to be made a villain. What's the point?

The Wild Blog Yonder

In their effort to defend America and, well, justify their existence as a separate military branch, The United States Air Force has gone into the blogging business. To help USAF bloggers, it came up with this handy blogging chart for its bloggers.

Shorter Kev 1/09/09

Todd Renfrow sucks! He’s just like Rod Blagojevich. And I need to remind you that Blagojevich is being impeached for pulling crap.

Kevan Kavanaugh’s commentaries can be heard regularly on AM 970 WMAY .

Because Old Habits Die Hard

It's Friday.

The Only Factor

The problem I have with abstinence-only sex education is the “only” part. Making it clear that you will never get pregnant or contract an STD if you don’t have sex is an obvious point but one worth discussing, I suppose. However, it think that’s a little like having abstinence-only drivers education. If you never drive, you don’t have to worry about knowing the rules of the road or having an accident. I just don’t see a lot of people abstaining from sex or driving. And keep in mind, good sex education, like driver’s ed, can be useful for a lifetime not just during the teen years.

Serious Insights: "Springfield" not Springfield Edition

I’m not sure why some people who should understand this don’t, but when someone refers to “Springfield” in relation to state government and politicians they're talking about state government and politicians who meet and work here and not the good citizens that populate the city of Springfield. There is Springfield the city and then there is "Springfield" the state capital.

Cancerous Retail

Go here to watch Wal-Mart spread from a single cell, er, store to a massive growth on the United States. I’d like to see a similar map of Walgreen’s spread.

Career Opportunities

I see Vince from the ShamWow! commercials has moved on to hawking the SlapChop. I dunno, I think it’s a step down in his career as a fake carnival barker.

And Vince just doesn’t seem to be as into the SlapChop. That may be understandable as I doubt the SlapChop is made in Germany.

Shorter Kev 1/7/09

The Springfield City Council sucks! They (and I can name all the members of the council) bought a gravel pit that might be used to steal all of Riverton’s water. Water stealing isn’t neighborly. Good gravel pits make good neighbors. Did I mention my business is located in Riverton? No I didn’t, but this would still have pissed me off even if the radio station was in Rochester.

Kevan Kavanaugh’s commentaries can be heard regularly on AM 970 WMAY .

Teevee Land

Dammit, I wanted it to be Dr. Phil. And Judge Judy for Supreme Court.

President-elect Barack Obama has offered the job of surgeon general to Dr. Sanjay Gupta, the neurosurgeon and correspondent for CNN and CBS, according to two sources with knowledge of the situation.

Don't forget, we wound up with Neil Williamson as Sheriff of Sangamon County largely on the basis of his TV apperances years ago on, what was it, the local Crime Stoppers ads?

Laughing Stock

Why they are laughing at Illinois, in pictures…

A Tool…



A Fool…


And the so Uncool…

Plate of the Times

Making the rounds on the internets:

If you can't readi it, the plate says Where Our Governors Make Our License Plates.

Shorter Kev 01/05/09

As Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood should not forget the transportation needs of central Illinois. He should also take down those Rod Blagojevich Welcomes You to Illinois signs because it’s scaring away visitors. Thank you, I’ll be at the Funny Bone all week!

Kevan Kavanaugh’s commentaries can be heard regularly on AM 970 WMAY .

Serious Insights: Windy Edition

This hasn’t been the coldest or snowiest winter ever, but it may well be the windiest.

Happy 4th Blogday

The Eleventh Hour is four years old today!

A few notes on the State of the Blog…

For some reason, each year I’ve posted fewer posts than the year before:

2005 – 1071 posts
2006 – 852
2007 – 809
2008 – 738

2008 would have been close to 2007 except I took a break from blogging for several weeks last spring. I don’t know what this year will bring, but I suspect the quantity of posts may continue to erode. For one thing, I’ll be away for a week later in the month (I’m following Mrs. TEH who’ll be on a business trip to a much warmer place). The week after that I have some minor surgery that may keep me away from blogging for another week while I recuperate. Both of those things would probably not interfere too much with posting if I could ever figure out how to post from my iPhone without having to resort to using HTML.

I also think I will be taking breaks like I did once last year. That did me a world of good and reinvigorated my desire to blog again.

The other thing that I’m letting go of, for now, is Friday Beer Blogging. It’s been fun for most of the last four years, but it’s really, really become a chore that I don’t enjoy that much. Maybe that will change with some time off, but for now FBB will no longer appear on these pages. That’s not to say I’ll never blog about beer, it just isn’t going to be a regular feature until or unless I feel the desire to do it again.

Over the last four years this blog has become far less political as I’ve become more and more disgusted with humanity in general. And rather that raving about it three or four times a day like I used to years ago, I’m letting most (but not all) of it go by. I’ve become less and less interested in trying change anyone’s mind. Besides, I thinking we’re entering a new era where a lot of the lunacy of the last 25 or so years is going to be swept aside. At least I can hope.

Anyway, the blog rolls on into year five. Now all I have to do is think of something to say.

More Ego from the Trail Blazer

Roland Burris named his kids Roland and Rolanda. This guy is really full of himself.

And in case you care, here are some of the Trail Blazer’s favorites:

Color: Blue
Food: Fruit and Vegetables
Quote: “Only the best
is good enough”
Time of Year: Spring
Vacation Spot: Africa

That last one is kind of odd since Africa is a continent not a “spot”. Where in Africa? One of my favorite vacation spots is North America.

Still, just seat the guy. We can vote him out (or not) in less than two years. Let’s focus on getting to the root of the problem and impeach Blagojevich..

iFart, uFart, we-all-Fart

If you own an iPhone and are a guy (and therefore by definition somewhat juvenile) be sure to download the iFart application.

Shorter Kev 01/02/09

There is no recession. The notion that there is one was made up by pundits and people in ivory towers. I know there is no recession because I see people shopping in stores and eating in restaurants here in Springfield. I’m not making this silly claim because I really believe it, but because I want potential radio advertisers to believe it.

Kevan Kavanaugh’s commentaries can be heard regularly on AM 970 WMAY .

Trail Blazer

Does it strike anyone else that Roland Burris seems WAY too eager to get his Senate spot?

(AP) — U.S. Senate appointee Roland Burris has asked a court to force Secretary of State Jesse White to certify his appointment to Barack Obama's old Senate seat.

An attorney for Burris said they filed paperwork Wednesday with the Illinois Supreme Court.

It's the start of legal wrangling over the seat that embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich filled by naming Burris.

The move comes after White rejected Blagojevich's proclamation naming Burris to the Senate.

Under the circumstances, it seems to me that it would be more appropriate to have some humility in this matter. Burris is really coming off as a power-grabber here. This whole thing is so strange.

Happy Nude Year

Clothing is optional in 2009. Although Snuggies are always appropriate.