Frodo, Keeper of the Ring

Wednesday, May 25, 2005

Seems the Troubles Are Always Theirs, Doesn't Anybody Know My Name?
Mood:

caffeinated
Topic: "I Inspired You?"
Frodo saw the lady every time. She was older than Frodo, and she looked as if she had recently had a stroke. He respected her privacy and simply proceeded with his business and never said a word to her. As he circled the indoor track, she kept to the inside rail and plodded on step-by-step.

Time after time he passed her as he worked through his exercise regimen. He noticed that she would drift to the right about every third step, and that she would have to compensate with a leftward step to maintain her position. She plodded on, determined, trying to get the body to respond to the plan she had set for it. Frodo passed her, and passed her, and passed her.

Frodo was always pleased to see her when he walked onto the track. Her effort was inspirational. Frodo would be reaching the end of his endurance and he would see her in front of him, drifting right, correcting, plodding on, and Frodo thought, "I can do one more. I can do one more."

One day they were there all alone, and when Frodo reached his stopping point, she was nearby. She looked at Frodo and she said, "You are so beautiful. You run so effortlessly. You are my inspiration. I watch you go by, and I try harder. You help me get better." Frodo is not often without words, but he was that day. He told of the lump in his throat as he realized that these two Hobbits, unknown to each other, were inspiring someone else to do more, to do better, to get well.

Soon thereafter, she comes no more. Frodo looks for her every time, hoping. He never knew her name. Frodo will remember, and not make such a mistake again.

Posted by loveysdaddyga at 9:40 PM EDT

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Monday, May 23, 2005

Bloom and Grow, Forever.
Mood:

lazy
Topic: "This, Too, Shall Pass"
English Plaintain pollen is in the air all around the Shire. This plant, weed, if you will, is like an old movie actor you've seen a hundred times, but never knew his name. Remember Dub Taylor? Johnny Carson had him on the "Tonight" Show many times, simply because everybody remembered seeing him, but nobody had a clue as to he was.

English Plaintain has oval shaped leaves at the base, which parallel the surface of your front lawn. In the middle are one or two upright stalks about three inches tall with fuzzy stuff on the end. It is entirely green. Sound familiar? Frodo can walk around the Shire this very instant and find many examples.

Well, "Forsooth," saith thou, "so what?". Ah anxious ones, be not so concerned about the Witch Doctor and the "nuclear option," for the entrance of pollen from the English Plaintain is the official beginning of the end of the hayfever and allergy season in the Shire. Those nightly readings of particles per million begin to drop from the thousands into the hundreds. There to stay, until Fall.

So let there be rejoicing amongst all the Peoples of Middle Earth. Open your windows, breath in the aromas of Spring, and forget that you even have sinus cavities. There are some things which are, indeed, priceless. English Plaintain, bless my Homeland Forever!

Posted by loveysdaddyga at 8:54 PM EDT

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Sunday, May 22, 2005

Ahab the Arab, Sheik of the Burning Sand
Mood:

crushed out
Topic: "Classified Ads are Cool"
Imagine that you are a young Southern woman from someplace called Louisville Alabama; that you find yourself at the end of a failed marriage, out of work, and hanging out in Jacksonville, Florida. Add in the fact that you have very long blonde hair, and that your dimensions are somewhat akin to Dolly Parton. What would you do if you read a classified ad for a position in your field in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and the year was 1978? Honey, in six weeks you have a visa, and you are doing Medical Transcription in the Royal Hospital.

Frodo has just described Jean Sasson, author of "Princess: A True Story of Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia," and "Mayada, Daughter of Iraq."

Frodo has read the first of the books cited above, and has his autographed copy of the second beside him as he writes. The very dynamic author chronicles what life has been like for an extremely assertive American woman living and working in a feudalistic male-dominated society. Seriously, imagine Dolly Parton living in Saudi society for more than a dozen years, and you can imagine what Ms. Sasson experienced.

There were gifts of floral arrangements with diamonds as the calyx of the flower. If she would merely agree to have tea with some dude who already had a wife or two, the diamonds were hers.

There were men who threatened to take their lives because they found themselves dreaming about a woman, presumably the knee-length blonde hair was more than the Koran would allow.

But the stories are not all about the men who seem so alien and barbaric to those of us, including George W. Bush, who have no clue about that society. The women, the married ones, are sex machines for their husbands, doing anything to curry favor, and to retain their position as the ONLY wife. The women are usually aghast at the status of American women, who are not protected their whole lives, and who have to "prostitute" themselves to get a husband, or to obtain power in society.

Frodo listened to the words of First Lady Laura Bush this past weekend as she toured three countries in the Middle East. It was clear that she had not read any of Jean Sasson's books. They were probably still waiting to be classified under the Dewey Decimal System in Crawford.

Jean Sasson writes about women, not about policy. Frodo was pleased to have made her acquaintance, and the lengthy discussion we had. It is two-and-one-half hours from Louisville to Monroeville, Alabama. Given the writers from those two little towns, there must be something in the water.

Posted by loveysdaddyga at 9:46 PM EDT

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Friday, May 20, 2005

What Kind of Fool, Do You, Think I Am?
Mood:

smelly
Topic: "Pants on Fire"
The little weenie, Ralph Reed, now states that the money did come from the CHOCTAWS, however, through his spokesperson, he states it did not come from their casino gambling revenues. And how, pray tell, does he know? Because they told him so.

Now, let's point out that these are the people, whom his business associate, Mr. Abramoff referred to as "morons" and "troglodytes." Let's also recognize that the CHOCTAWS compete with the TIGUAS for the sale of little rubber tomahawks to tourists. We all know that there is big money in little rubber tomahawks. Frodo is doubtful, unlike Sadie Fields of the Christian Coalition in Georgia, who said, "As far as I know. . .I have no reason to doubt him." Sadie, you have just proved that you are unable to distinguish the difference between a pothole and your butt.

Reverend Tom Grey, Executive Director of the National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling stated "No one in the anti-gambling fight would accept that there's a distinction." Grey's group received $300,000 from the CHOCTAWS through Grover Norquist in 1999, and then paid $271,000 of it to Reeds's consulting firm.

Why does Frodo keep hearing the words, "I did not have sex with that woman, Miss Lewinsky?"

Appropriate officials should convene a Grand Jury now. If this is serious enough for this little buzzard to be caught in a direct lie by his own clients, then there are more than character issues at stake.

Frodo looks forward to the day when one of Rupert Murdock's newspapers publishes pictures of Ralph Reed in his underwear washing his socks.

Posted by loveysdaddyga at 9:08 PM EDT

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Wednesday, May 18, 2005

Lord I Can't Go Back There
Mood:

on fire
Topic: "Follow the Money"
Frodo will tonight attempt the greatest feat of magic ever presented in writing. In a few short paragraphs he will attempt to hold your attention while clearly and succinctly describing how a prominent political figure laundered money. Listen my children, and you shall read of the chicanery of Ralph Reed.

Between 1999 and 2002, Ralph Reed (through his business) was paid $4.2 Million to encourage the closure of the TIGUA Tribal Casino in El Paso, Texas. The Casino closed in 2002. In 2002, the attorneys who brought Reed into the deal approached the TIGUA tribe to reopen their closed casino, and their proposed fee was $4 Million.

The $4.2 Million deal included $1.15 Million which was paid to Reed for the specific purpose of helping to defeat the Lottery proposed for the State of Alabama in 1999. The $1.15 Million was originally received from an organization called the Americans for Tax Reform (Grover Norquist, in other words). Norquist received the money as a contribution from the CHOCTAW Tribal Casino of Mississippi. Norquist contributed the money directly to the Alabama Anti-Lottery Organization. The Alabama Anti-Lottery Organization turned right around and sent the money to their consultant, Ralph Reed.

Very briefly, Ralph Reed received money from one group of Indians, the CHOCTAWS, in order to help put their competition, the TIGUAS, out of business.

Reed has denied knowing that any money came from "gaming interests." In fact, he assured his client, the Alabama Anti-Lottery Organization, that no money from other gambling interests was involved.
The result is that there is no Lottery in Alabama, the Texas Casino was closed, and the CHOCTAWS control almost all of the gambling in a huge geographical portion of America.

The attorney who arranged all of this has been Reed's friend, business partner, and contributor for more than 20 years. His name is Jack Abramoff.

Does anyone feel like a shower?

Ralph Reed has announced his candidacy for the position of Lieutenant Governor, State of Georgia, as a Republican.

Does anyone else wish that Elliot Ness was still around?

Posted by loveysdaddyga at 10:23 PM EDT

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Tuesday, May 17, 2005

Exchanging Glances, Things Turned Out All Right
Mood:

chatty
Topic: "I'll Take a Vowel"
Frodo and Sam found Prissy in the North Farthing Animal Shelter. She was on "death row," and sat apart from all the other dogs, as if she had become resigned to her fate. Part dachshund, and part beagle, she was relatively small, short-haired, and certainly no threat to any of the neighbors in the treehouse complex. After she was spayed, the name followed quickly for the character in GONE WITH THE WIND whose most famous line was "I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' no babies, Miss Scarlett."

Oprah Winfrey appeared on local TV as a newscaster, and Pat Sajak was the weatherman on the NBC affiliate. In fact, Pat Sajak lived in the same treehouse complex as Frodo and Sam, and therein lies our tale for this evening, or should that be tail?

Prissy was perfectly adapted for treehouse living, but when Frodo returned from his daily trek to Mount Doom, it was time to cut loose in the parking lot for a countless number of unrestrained figure eights, and a game or two of chase the pet into the woods and out again. It was generally about this time of day that the TV weatherman would emerge from his limb of the treehouse, in preparation for his sojourn to Mount Doom. Prissy soon found an open door an open invitation to visit this heretofore unknown Hobbit.

Frodo's neighbor got to know Prissy on a first name basis. This gentle Hobbit knew where she lived, had learned to recognize Frodo on sight, but the Hobbits never even exchanged names.

When Frodo and Sam found their way to the Shire, Prissy had reached the stage where figure eights and chase the pet into the woods and out again had become historical events. Her favorite activity was visiting Katie and Jenny next door to see if she could sneak inside and eat the platefuls of food left for Charley, the feline philanderer.
One afternoon, Frodo, returning once again from Mount Doom, was summoned next door to retrieve the ancient one from Katie and Jenny's living room. There the three of them sat, side-by-side watching WHEEL OF FORTUNE, which unbeknownst to Frodo was Katie and Jenny's favorite show. Prissy, it seemed, was watching the screen intently, as if she were trying to guess the unidentified, partially-spelled word. At least, that is the way it appeared.

Frodo told Katie and Jenny about Prissy's acquaintance with the star of their favorite show, and they were duly impressed. For many days thereafter the three friends would gather together, when their Mothers were not paying attention, to expand their vocabularies as Vanna spun the wheel, and Pat played Host.

When finally Frodo and Sam had to prepare a final and permanent home in the Shire for Prissy, Katie and Jenny must have been watching from a window in their house next door. When the Service was completed, Frodo completed a tasteful monument to mark the days of her life, and he retreated to a lost evening.

The return from Mount Doom that next day was particularly ominous. To visit a monument to such a gallant heart hardly seemed fitting activity at that time of day. As Frodo neared the monument, Sam in hand, he noticed the hand-drawn and colored cards. They read, "Good Bye Prissy. We Miss You and We Love You. Katie and Jenny P.S. We Will Think of You Every Time They Spin the Wheel."

Frodo thinks every card should have a P.S.

Posted by loveysdaddyga at 9:30 PM EDT

Updated: Tuesday, May 17, 2005 9:35 PM EDT

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Monday, May 16, 2005

You Probably Think This Song is About You
Mood:

smelly
Topic: "AM Radio Next?"
CNBC has announced, albeit very quietly, the cancellation of the "Dennis Miller Show." From its' peak viewership of approximately 168,000 close friends and relatives, the current figure of approximately 114,000 was too much for even little-watched CNBC to tolerate. For scope purposes, there are soccer matches which have greater physical attendance than the sum total of all viewers that Mr. Miller was able to obtain.

Frodo has taken note of the backward career of the former "Saturday Night Live" replacement for Chevy Chase on "Weekend Update." After Mr. Miller took over, the segment soon disappeared. From there Mr. Miller made his first foray into Pay-TV when he began to appear on HBO with "Dennis Miller Live." This high point in his career actually proved that Miller had a pulse. Given that assurance, he was able to convince the right-wing nutbag Al Michaels that he would be an addition to "Monday Night Football."

Dennis Miller was a bumbling, stumbling, mumbling incomprehensible drone. His attempts at humor were hidden behind a facade of shots of "the guys in the booth," that made even die-hard Cowboy fans retch. Rather than watch the end of Professional Football on TV, Miller was soon relegated to his own prime-time program which was billed as a mixture of comedy, interviews, and Miller's own conservative political opinion. Given notice of the pending cancellation, Miller asked that he "leave the show immediately."

Frodo believes that even right-wing conservative radio blowhards have some sense for business. Who in their right mind would hire a guy who has been replaced by reruns of "Mad Money With Jim Cramer?"
Dennis Miller will probably hold a press conference to announce that he is organizing a committee to support his candidacy for the former Senate seat of Zell Miller. He probably thinks that no one will notice a change. It will be the first thing he's gotten right.

Posted by loveysdaddyga at 8:46 PM EDT

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Sunday, May 15, 2005

Shake, Shake, Shake
Mood:

silly
Topic: "The Eyes of Texas"
Stereotypes are hard to justify, but given the public record, Frodo believes that in order to be a resident of the State of Texas, one must be either 1). a fool; or 2). an idiot. State Senator Florence Shapiro (now there's a native for you), a Republican from Plano (an aptly named suburb of Dallas)has announced that the Senate Education Committee will not take action on the House Bill passed May 3rd.

The mundane little announcement is an attempt to derail the somewhat controversial "booty bill." The proposal would have given the state and local school districts greater authority to punish cheerleaders who performed provocative routines during school-sponsored events. When approved in the House, supportive lawmakers waved pompons. It should be noted that the measure also included drill teams and dance squads.

Ah ha, says Frodo, therein lies the key, dancing! The next thing you know, those Baylor-led Wacoites would eliminate Sweet Tea and other habit-forming tools of Satan. "Just look at all the terrible people who have put themselves on public exhibition in dance halls. Ronald Reagan didn't dance at all, even when he played a Catholic at Notre Dame!", said Irma Quisenberry of the Women's Temperance Union.

Frodo is reminded of the effort to come up with a new moniker for the City of Atlanta, currently still known as "The City Too Busy to Hate." How about a National Campaign to label Texas? "Virginia is For Lovers" is an example. To get the ball rolling, how about "Texas, Where the Eighteenth Century Never Ends." Another one might be, "Texas, Bring Your Own Books." Frodo is attracted by "Texas, No Nobel Prize Winners Again This Year."

Come on dear reader, give Frodo your best shot.

Posted by loveysdaddyga at 4:06 PM EDT

Updated: Sunday, May 15, 2005 8:14 PM EDT

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Saturday, May 14, 2005

You Ask How Long I'll Love You, Must I Explain?
Mood:

special
Topic: "She is No Ma Kettle"
Galadriel is the light in a mirror. Every path is brightened by her presence, every journey's end sparkles with her smile.

Galadriel is above all the jewels that lie beneath the earth. "There is in her and in this land no evil," spaken Lord Aragorn.

Galadriel spoke to Frodo and said "Even as I speak to you dear Frodo, I perceive the Dark Lord and know his mind, or all of his mind that concerns us, and he gropes ever to see me and my thought, but still the door is closed to him."

"For what do you wish dear lady?," saith Frodo.

She answered, "That what should be shall be. The love we have for our land and its good works is deeper than the deeps of the Sea, yet we will cast all away rather than submit to Sauran."

Frodo caught the light in the eye of Boromir, and from that time and place they travelled on, as Brothers of the Ring. The light shines upon their path.

Many, many happy birthdays dear wife of the farmer, so saith Frodo, so say we all!

Posted by loveysdaddyga at 9:28 PM EDT

Updated: Sunday, May 15, 2005 4:13 PM EDT

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Friday, May 13, 2005

Wouldn't You Like to Fly in My Beautiful Balloon
Mood:

blue
Topic: "Rocket Man"
39 years and 624 hour-long episodes ago, Frodo first heard Captain Kirk say "Engage, Mr. Sulu". That was soon followed by the immortal "Beam me up, Scotty," and the irrepressible "Live Long and Prosper." For the first time in television history, a white man and a black woman kissed on American TV, and nobody complained. Uhura was somebody Frodo wanted to kiss.

The cable channel UPN, most famous for its' role in "Boondocks", wrestling, and Tyra Banks will tonight broadcast the last original episode of what is now known as "Star Trek: Enterprise." This will conclude 18 consecutive years of a first-run "Star Trek" series on the air. It is truly a watershed in American History that slips as quietly from our view, appropriately, since it arrived on the scene with no fanfare whatsoever.

Frodo loved Jean-Luc Picard, a Renaissance Man, a fearless leader, a guiding mentor to "Number One," who directed the emotionless "Mr. Data." Jean-Luc who fell victim to "The Borg," and who had philosophical dialogue with Whoopi Goldberg as a serious character. Jean-Luc, who was never ashamed of his dalliances on the "Holideck," made Frodo wish that he, too, had attended Star Fleet Academy.

"Worf," "Commander Troi," "Commander Spock," "Dr. McCoy," and "Captain Kathryn Janeway," are the other characters who penetrated into the imagination of this Hobbit. Frodo was not alone, for Conventions of Star Trek followers have been occurring in countries around the world for decades. Costumes are ever present on Halloween, and Frodo always gives an extra candy bar to a Klingon or a Ferengi.

Wizards have spoken of the universal appeal of the multi-cultural, multi-species assemblage characterized as members of the various crews. The common foe could range from something as nondescript as a "Tribble," or as ominous as a "Romulan." Oh how Frodo has dreamed of boldly going where no Hobbit has gone before.

Dr. McCoy died in 1999. Scotty, alas, Scotty has Alzheimer's. Captain Kirk is an overweight shill for some stupid Internet business.

Frodo is going into the backyard of the Shire to look up at the stars tonight. The Enterprise beckons.

Posted by loveysdaddyga at 10:16 PM EDT

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