Where did this red state/blue state thing come from?

This is a red/blue map of the USA showing the voting patterns by county in the Presidential election of 2004. I always thought that traditionally the further to the left the party was the more red their color. When I looked this up on Wikipedia I found this to be true but somewhere around 2000 our media masters decided to change colors. Why?

Actually, if you magnify the above image you see that wherever there is a concentration of population the color gets bluer, or more leftish/Socialist/authoritarian. Why? Does stupidity rise with population concentration? Seems unlikely. Do elitist parts of the population increase in these areas? Yes, but there aren't that many professors, media, feminazis, GPs, etc, are there? Wait a minute, maybe the GPs—government people—are multiplying faster than we realize. Local, county, state, federal, —yes that may explain this puzzling color pattern. Maybe we should have some sort of way of identifying these folks.

Another thing that has puzzled me and may be related to this population concentration. Have you ever wondered why some states are one-party states? Could it be that they are really one party cities whose population overwhelms the rural parts of the state? I would offer Maryland as my first example.

This Hits Close To The Groin If You Know What I Mean

Who Is Juan Soler?

I know we should be wondering Who Is John Galt? in these difficult days, but this is what I see at the local grocery store. Whatever happened to the athletic stars of yesteryear? I seem to remember a guy by the name of Bruce Jenner who was the Decathlon winner at the Olympics back in the 70s, I think. Shouldn't we be expecting a picture of Michael Phelps on our Wheaties?

More Good Restaurants in Billings II

These are two restaurants with the same name. I don't know which came first. I think they are owned by the same people and that they started in the Heights on Main Street, where else in the Heights; and that the one downtown, around the corner from the Police Station, was a metastasis from the Heights place. Soup and Such is the name. The one in the Heights, the first four pictures above, features 1/2 sandwiches and soup or salad, one or the other but not both, unless you pay more I suppose. The one downtown has a more rigid menu: you get soup and salad, and both of these are very good by the way, as much as you want, just take a clean bowl or plate each time you approach the groaning food table. You get a little more variety if you take it out, but not much. Decorations in both places are fairly basic with the novelty of clocks set at different times on the wall of the Heights place, all saying Time for Soup in the local language.

What To Do On Sundays In October In Billings

You could go to Briarwood, excuse me, I mean The Briarwood, for lunch. See above. Not many playing today as it was a little chilly and it was the opening day of the deer season in Montana.

I had an excellent Reuben and Carol had an unusually good burger. The latter featured Angus beef of course, just like at Hardee's. The ambiance is a little nicer than Hardee's.

You could go to Albertson's for food if you were still hungry or to buy a costume for Halloween. See above.

But first of all there is a choice of churches. That is the sanctuary of Mount Olive on 24th St above. And below is the steeple of Saint Patrick's downtown.


So then, to Saint Patrick's at the beginning of the day, well, of course I mean the 10:30 Mass because that is when the choir sings; and at the end of the day too for a lovely concert. See below. The High Plains Chamber Singers are some of the best singers in town, often teachers in and around Billings. We are lucky to have them get together in public several times a year. It is true of course that they are individually very good but even more true that together they sound super wonderful, maybe even heavenly. Why is there so much really good religious choral music?

Contribution from John the Viking

Thanks for the tips, J the V

K the P

On Oct 26, 2008, at 1:36 PM, greenakres@juno.com wrote:

At some point you have to give up the "DAISY DUKE" shorts !!

SENIOR DRESS CODE

Many of us "Old Folks" (those over 50, WAY over 50, or hovering near 50) are quite confused about how we should present ourselves.

We are unsure about the kind of image we are projecting and whether or not we are correct as we try to conform to current fashions. Despite what you may have seen on the street, the following combinations DO NOT go together and should be avoided:

1. A nose ring and bifocals

2. Spiked hair and bald spots

3. A pierced tongue and dentures

4. Miniskirts and support hose

5. Ankle bracelets and corn pads

6. Speedo's and cellulite

7. A belly button ring and a gall bladder surgery scar

8. Unbuttoned disco shirts and a heart monitor

9. Midriff shirts and a midriff bulge

10. Bikinis and liver spots

11. Short shorts and varicose veins

12. Inline skates and a walker

And last , but not least

13. Thongs and Depends

If there are more to be added in a discreet fashion of course please feel free to do your own thing.


Ken Mueller
406-248-3024 home
406-698-5316 cellular
kmueller40@mac.com
muellerstuff.blogspot.com
web.me.com/kmueller40/MuellerTime_Up_Close
web.me.com/kmueller40/MuellerTravel_Over_There
http//gallery.me.com/kmueller40

"A fine remedy for anxieties about insignificance may be to travel—in reality or in works of art— through the gigantic spaces of the world."—Alain de Botton

“In beholding old stones we may feel our anxieties about our achievements–and lack of them–slacken . . . Vast landscapes [and seascapes] can have an anxiety–reducing effect similar to ruins, for they are the representatives of infinite space, as ruins are the representatives of infinite time, against which our weak, short-lived bodies seem no less inconsequential than those of moths or spiders.” Alain de Botton in Status Anxiety

"Don't hold your farts back as they will travel up your spine and that is how you get shitty ideas."—Author unknown

"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read."—Groucho Marx

Witless Protection Program

Is there anyone out there who would like to apply. Go to The Curt Jester If you cry when you laugh it still is real, or the other way around too.

A Quick Trip To Butte America

On the way to Butte America



The original settlers apparently couldn't see the rocks lying just below the surface dirt. Some of these pictures were taken from a moving car.


Our Lady of the Rockies, the BVM, broods over Butte.

The former downtown Butte is now the uptown Historic District. It has a way to go before it is ready for prime time.

This is the Mike Mansfield Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse. Another hideout for our masters in government, this one in uptown Butte. There was a certain amount of unpleasantness here. Somehow the jury managed to put up with it, probably like many of us put up with our political masters' TV ads.

Say It Isn't So, Brett

What with all the lying by politicians and media these days this one might have slipped by if not for attentive Wisconsin football fans like Dad29. Check it out, especially if you are a cheesehead in diaspora.

Spread the Wealth

And maybe the misery too.

I started wondering why no one pointed out that "95% of working folks would get a tax decrease" seems awfully unlikely. I'm not surprised that McCain didn't say it. Of course, a fair number of good people pay no taxes anyway so they didn't even hear it said. Most of us that would have benefitted if the statement were true knew that it wasn't but thought that it would be just adding to the media noise to say the obvious. So then, it finally dawned on me when I heard the famous phrase "spread the wealth" around that of course 95% getting decrease really meant that 5% were going to be punished for just being successful, to remind all of us who our masters really are. I also remembered a portion of an interview with Charlie Gibson I think where Charlie, in a warning voice, slowly repeated his question " You mean even if the government takes in less revenues with [some] tax you will still be in favor of it?" And Senator Obama just as clearly said "Yes, of course, it is a matter of fairness." So I guess "fairness" is a code word for sticking it to your political enemies.