Scooby-Scooby-Doo, Where are You?

It's 5:30 in the morning, what was I thinking when I told Derrick to meet me this early to hike?!?!?!?

The days are getting short and the leaves are in full color in the Northeast. This can only mean one thing...Leaf Peepers are swarming to Vermont. According to the latest foliage report, almost all of Vermont is in peak color and forecasters say that "the season may extend well beyond usual peak dates in many areas." Great, more time to deal with tourists! Honestly, I'd be fine with the Leafers if they didn't drive so darn slow. I hike a lot in the autumn and trying to get anywhere near a trail takes at least a half hour of driving. Vermont roads are horrible enough without gawkers driving 40 in a 55 when I'm trying to get somewhere before the sun sets.

Thankfully the madness will be over in a few weeks. Personally, I'm going to hike Mt. Marcy in the Adirondacks this weekend. At least I'll get to deal with Peepers in another state.
-SD

It finally looks like Hollywood has taken over everything. Arnold Schwarzenegger is the new governor of California - watch out villains and futuristic machines sent to assassinate from the future! Don't get me wrong, I love Arnold -- in movies. As for him leading the most populated state in the union, that's another story.

The problem I have with Arnold being a governor is his education. Sure, he shows good leadership activities in the organizations he has been involved with. According to his website, he was Chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports for George H. W. Bush, Executive Commissioner of the Hollenbeck Youth Center Inner-City Games, and authored and backed an after-school initiative in California - the After School Education and Safety Act of 2002. Leadership is great, but it can only get you so far. The United States is a democracy, and the underlying idea of a democratic government is to educate it's people so that they can elect the most qualified candidate to lead their community. What this election shows us is that someone without a college education is whom the public thinks is the best person for the job. On his website, there is no mention of a college education. Do you really want someone who only has a high school diploma in charge of so much? This is not democracy...it's a popularity contest. Throw in the fact that he was running against Gray Davis, the man the media portray as the worst thing since the nuclear bomb, it was a no contest.

I wish Arnold good luck with his new endeavors. All I ask of him to ban the use of "I'll be Back" as a reelection slogan.
-SD

The Big Blue Reporter
Essex Junction, VT
It was a crazy night in the Yahoo! Fantasy Football league as LionsAllTheWay and Assclowns both pulled victories out of the claws of defeat riding on the horse called Peyton Manning. Going into the Monday night game the Assclowns, led by a man known only as Lady-Killer, were down by a hefty 35 points with only Marvin Harrison and Michael Pittman to play. The game was going badly for both players going into the fourth quarter, but by some miracle (A.K.A. Peyton) they got him 36 points, to the disbelief of the Wolverines. The coach of the unfortunate Wolverines was quoted as saying "I hate the Colts!"

Fortune also fell on LionsAllTheWay as Mr. Manning passed for an incredible 386 yards and two touchdowns. Mike Vanderjagt, kicker for the Colts, added a very nice 8 points with 5 extra points and a game-winning overtime field goal.
"I knew my team was in trouble" said LionsAllTheWay coach, Scooby-Doo. "That's why at the half I gave my good personal friend Peyton a call and shot him a few pointers. I think it really calmed him down and gave him the confidence to face that Tampa Bay defense."
Whatever Scooby-Doo said must have worked because at the post-game interview Peyton Manning was quoted as saying "I couldn't have done it without Scoob. He's taught me everything I know."

What the next game brings, no one knows. This reporter is certain that LionsAllTheWay are going to be tough to beat, and riding a five game winning steak, it doesn't look like they are going to be stopped anytime soon.

Name: Stan
Occupation: Engineer
Favorite Line: Huh huh huh! (in a French accent)
Single?: Sorry ladies - taken.



Stan is a good guy. As you can see by these very flattering pictures, he also enjoys close-ups on the camera. These pictures are from a trip to Ottawa last winter. It was a great time, especially after I drank a pint of brandy in five minutes and proceeded to be very annoying the rest of the night. Thanks for putting up with me Stan!
-SD

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a pimp? Well now you take the first step and find a bling-bling pimp name! It's easy to do. Your middle name becomes your first name. For the last half of your pimp name, use the name of the street you grew up on. (If you have more than one pick the one that sounds the best.) For example, if your name was James Tiberius Kirk and you grew up on Milky Way Drive, then your pimp name would be Tiberius Milky Way. Let's not forget about you ladies out there! If you want a hoe name, it's the same thing. Melissa Joan Hart living on McFeely Avenue would become Joan McFeely. Enjoy your newly found pimp name and tell your friends!
-SD

(PS Anne Townsend, Donald St. Clair is thinking about you)