Rants and Raves

One of my pet peeves is TV and radio announcers who do not know how to pronounce people's names. This morning on WOKV, Jay Gray ... was talking about Ndamukong Suh from Nebraska, who just recently was named AP's College Football Player of the Year (and rightfully so, I might add).read more  

The napkin-wringing about the economy is far from done. More than 20 restaurants toppled this year, including such former players as Roux and Caprial's Bistro, and happy hour is now the happiest hour indeed. Still, harbingers of the apocalypse were ...  

Just wanted to say thank you to Crystal, the manager at Orsay Restaurant in Jacksonville. My husband had just returned from deployment last week and on Saturday we had our first "date" after finding a babysitter for our three little children.We had a wonderful time at the restaurant and, after receiving our check, found out that the manager had told our waitress to charge us less than $10 for our wonderful, four-course meal. We were so touched...  

I am totally disgusted with the secret wheeling and dealing leading to the Democrats getting 60 votes to close debate on the health care bill. Despite Obama’s promises of transparency, votes were bought and sold behind closed doors. Sens. Ben Nelson, Mary Landrieu, and Bernie Sanders got to dip their greedy hands into the taxpayers’ cookie jar and rob more money from our grandchildren. What did Sen. [Bill] Nelson get for us? Dare I say nothing...  

Here it is, Rants! & Raves!, your weekly opportunity to sound off about the week past. Remember the rules: A Rave! is something that happened during the past week that you’re pleased about and is signified by the word “Rave!” and/or an appropriately peppy emoticon (see Website Help to learn how to use emoticons, aka “smileys”). A Rant! is something [...]  

RAVE: For the life and the many community contributions of Hank Schmitt, a former radio newsman and more recently United Way spokesman who died recently after a long battle with heart disease. "I always described him as one of the good guys," said United Way Executive Director Charlie Colvin of Schmitt. "He lived to help people. If he wasn't working here, he'd be out delivering meals to shut-ins or helping the Salvation Army." "He lived to...  

I was sitting in a gentlemen's club not long ago when the serendipity of the moment was interrupted by storm troopers in ski masks and bloused pants in combat boots. They wore bulletproof vests with "POLICE" on the back. All this to ensure the girls had the proper amount of cheek covered and no outstanding tickets. I thought for a moment, where have I seen these guys before? Of course ... they were playing Taliban. America and Jacksonville...  

Roots by stephenfalk via LAist's flickr pool. PERFORMANCE The Unusual Suspects presents Life. Love. Lies! an interactive play that’s geared toward sparking community discussion tonight at 7 pm at Pacoima Charter Elementary (and on Wednesday, Dec. 9 at noon at San Fernando High School). The play follows Vanessa and Christina, two teenage girls whose are off kilter because of the people who are supposed to be looking out for them. Issues...  

RANT: For the sweetheart deal that Swiss authorities are allowing for convicted child molester Roman Polanski. Instead of jail, he is now under house arrest in a luxury Swiss chalet with a view of the mountains and complete access to family and friends.  

Tiger Woods represented to me as a champion in a game that requires honesty, integrity, willpower, persistence and perseverance. ... In cheating on his wife he broke all the rules that make a man responsible and trustworthy. He follows all the rules in golf [or does he?]. He placed his golf over his vows before God and man in regards to marriage. The word cheater is etched in my mind. I'm finding it hard to explain because it hurt me so much...  

The writer who said that conservatives are shaking in their boots because of the New York City trial of murdering terrorists is absolutely right. I can't imagine why any true American would want to want to afford these murderers the rights afforded our own citizens.read more  

The reason the Jags are not selling tickets has nothing to do with the race of the quarterback. It has everything to do with the recession and the cost to attend a game. It would not hurt either if the Jags had a good team and a good record. Jags fans are fickle and will only attend when they are winning.read more  

The big, bad conservatives are shaking in their cowboy boots over [Khalid Sheikh Mohammed] coming to NYC. I thought it was the lefties who were the cowards. Wrong again! You don't hear them crying over his certain demise. Bring him on, try him and execute him. The sooner, the better! Liberals are not running for cover; they are ready for the fight. Let the families of his victims revel in the glory of his death. Let's give him the opportunity...  

This rant is for the woman driving the small red car in the parking garage of St. Vincent’s Medical Center on the morning of ... Nov. 16. My husband and myself were walking to our car and noticed a lady was stopped because her car would not work. The woman in the red car was beeping her horn because all cars were not moving. When she beeped her car horn, it upset my husband. ... He and another man were trying to help the lady whose car would...  

Rave: Aaron Rodgers showed off his cannon arm on the last play of the first quarter when he unleashed a pass that carried slightly more than 70 yards in the air. Rodgers let fly with the bomb from his 20 and it came down near the Lions 10-yard line into the arms of Donald Driver. The official gain was 68 yards, the Packers scored on the next play and never trailed again.