Michael not Mike

According to CNBC.com today, the highest percentage gainer of the S&P500 was Campbell Soup Co.  Is that a Wall Street bet that soup demand is about to go up?  Should I be stocking up for the MichaelnotMike Soup Kitchen?

The Democrat leadership brings a bill to the House floor where Democrats have a majority, 40% of Democrats in the House vote against it and it the Republican’s fault that the bill failed?

I’m a bi obsessive about making lists, to-do lists, shopping lists, packing lists and many other types of lists.  Back when I first came out, I started a list of every city in which I had visited a gay bar.  The concept isn’t so important any more, but I can’t stop.  (Btw, it’s 24 domestic cities and 1 foreign.)  For no good reason, the other night I started trying to put together a list of all the different types of animals I’ve eaten.  Here goes:

1. cow
2. chicken
3. pig
4. turkey
5. fish (I couldn’t begin to come up with all the different types of fish)
6. crab
7. lobster
8. shrimp
9. duck
10. octopus
11. squid
12. eel
13. deer
14. quail
15. pheasant
16. rabbit
17. squirrel
18. frog
19. clam
20. oyster
21. scallop
22. crawdad (what y’all call crawfish)
23. elk
24. buffalo
25. goose
26. lamb

Of course, now that I’ve started writing it down, I’ll keep thinking about this and try to come up with more.  Any other animals I should try?

Watched the debate to night as the only McCain supporter in a room of 8 gay and 2 straight Obama supporters.  Everybody was bored about an hour into it.  We all agreed that the candidates positions didn’t seem all that different.  The Obama supporters agreed that he did as well or worse than they expected.   I thought McCain did better than I expected.  He never mentioned the effort of Republicans in 2003 to reform Fannie and Freddie that the Democrats blocked.  That would have been a point scored.

The low point was the battle of the bracelets.  We all wanted Tim Gunn to appear and say “Make it work!”

Following the debate,  we had a civil discussion about political positions and different views of the world.  It was surprisingly pleasant.

Winner?  Neither candidate won and neither lost.  I’d call it a draw.

John McCain’s request to delay the first debate makes a bit of sense to me.  The Democrats have made it clear that they won’t vote for a bailout unless the Republicans are also on board.  They don’t want to spend that kind of big bucks and take that level of risk by themselves.  The Republicans aren’t going to want to come up with a plan that their nominee doesn’t support.  That leaves the whole thing in Sen. McCain’s lap.

Since the economic situation needs immediate attention and the debate is Friday night, a delay seems reasonable.  Objections that plans are made and money has been spent to put this event on just don’t measure up to the necessity of addressing the economy.  In addition, the first debate is about foreign policy.  With the focus on finances, it would seem out of place.  And, undoubtedly both candidates would be trying to interject domestic economics into every foreign policy question.

On the other hand, from what I’ve read, Sen. McCain has said he will also suspend other campaign activities such as advertising.  That just looks like a gimmick.  Having his team continue to assemble and air or print ads would not interfere with his meetings in D.C.

By the way, I predict that Sen. Obama (a/k/a The Messiah) will be anointed as our nation’s deliverer from all evil – including its citizens – on January 20, 2009.

This week, I’m in Lake Tahoe, Nevada staying at Harvey’s, supposedly a four diamond hotel.  I’m here for a conference for work, along with a couple of hundred other attendees.  Tahoe is beautiful.  The view out my 17th floor window is stunning, tree covered mountains straight ahead with the serene and beautiful Lake Tahoe just to the side.  Downstairs is a collections of restaurants and an expanse of casino floor.

I wish I was home.

First, I’m really here alone.  So many of the others at the conference have spouses or significant others with them.  Barring that, they have others from their office to hang out with.  For reasons not worth going into right now, I don’t get along well with the leadership clique of this group, a group which I am only, professionally, on the fringe of anyway.  Both nights so far, I’ve forced myself to hang out in the hospitality  suite, take down some of the provided white wine and socialize with folks I don’t know.  Alcohol is known as a social lubricant for a reason.

The second reason I feel lonely (the buried lede) is the issue I’m dealing with that I have no one to talk with about.  It started last Saturday night, or more than two years ago, depending on how you look at it.  Saturday, my roommate had some friends over to celebrate two birthdays in the group.  Among the guests, was last guy I really dated.  Although our relationship as a couple was relatively short, the impact it had on me continues.  I didn’t really realize that I was in love with him until well after I had broken it off.  We’ve seen each other on a few occasions.  He has dated two other guys, that I am aware of.  Shortly after he arrived at the party, he asked me to step outside and talk.  I sat on the deacon’s bench on the front porch.  He stood.  A short pause and he said, “Two days ago, I found out I am positive.”  Shit.  A pane of glass in my heart broke.  As we talked, he alternated between a matter-of-fact view and telling me how dirty he felt.  Strangely, my old love for him gripped me.  Of course, he asked me not to tell anyone.  He has chosen to tell several, but I respect his right to control the information.  He told me that he hadn’t cried yet.  Later, I excused myself to the restroom and cried for him.

I don’t know what to do or how to feel.  I know I wish I wasn’t here.

Clearly, Sarah Palin was enjoying herself tonight.  I have no doubt that she will relish the campaign trail and will not quake in the face of the Democrats and their allies in the main stream media.

To those launching sexist attacks suggesting she can’t handle being a mom and a vice presidential candidate, I’d suggest that she can play the attack dog v.p. candidate while not chipping a nail or forgetting to feed her children.

The biggest problem with her speech is that it was probably better than McCain’s will be.

Earlier, she may have shown how to field dress a moose.  Tonight, she showed how  to field dress Democrats.