Reilly's Thanksgiving Message...

Thanksgiving is almost here and I couldn't be happier. Next to my birthday and Christmas it's my favorite holiday. Even without getting gifts it still has a lot going for it because it's all about the three things I love and value most: family, food and fun. As any dog will tell you, those are the the most important things in life.

This of course will be my third and I'm looking forward to enjoying myself. Every year the whole family comes to our house for the big feast and this year is no exception. Thanksgiving day is a beautiful thing for people and dogs alike. From morning to night the house is filled with all sorts of wonderful smells that would make any dogs' mouth water, and the kitchen is always buzzing with activity. Later when the guests arrive there's always a lot of talking and happy barking going on, and sometimes it gets so noisy you can barely stand it, but that's all right, it's all just part of the fun, so long as I don't get stepped on.

This year my new cousin Mandy will be coming to joining us, so there's sure to be a lot of excitement in the back yard. Of course when dogs get together it doesn't take much to keep us amused. We play loud and fast for a few hours and then lay down and take a little nap; but I notice when people get together they never stop talking. Talk-talk-talk, that's all they like to do. Sometimes they get so loud I can barely hear myself bark. I don't know how they can possibly have so much to talk about. It gets on my nerves sometimes but what can I do, it's not like I own the place.

Anyway, all this has got me thinking. God knows they can always find something to talk about at any given time, but this year there's even more going on in the news then usual. ----And from what I hear, it's not all good. And seeing that we're going to have a big crowd here on Thanksgiving, with everyone voicing their opinions and trying to get their point across, things could get out of hand.

So it occurred to me that maybe this year we should make a few rules regarding dinner conversation. I discussed this with Dad and he agreed it might be a good idea if we came up with a little list of subjects we should try to avoid, to help keep peace in the family. As a matter of fact, Dad thought it was such a good idea he put me in charge of making just such a list. . . . . So, here's what I came up with.

I think it's a pretty good list, hopefully I didn't forget anything, but if anyone can think of something I missed, feel free to email me with your suggestions and I'll be sure to include in my next list, which I will call: What not to talk about on Christmas

So lets all have ourselves a happy and peaceful Thanksgiving, and lets try to keep the conversation light this year.

What not to talk about on Thanksgiving.
By Reilly


George Bush
Barack Obama
John McCain
Sarah Palin.
Al Gore
The Clintons ( Especially Hillary)
The recent election.
ACORN.
Anything dealing with religion

The sagging economy
The problems with the auto industry
The airline industry
The housing markets
The falling stock market
The rising deficit
The national debt

Why banks are going bust
Why the unemployment rate is going up
Why the job market is going down

Who's to blame for the sub-prime mortgage meltdown?
Who's really paying for the government bailouts?
Why are Wall Street fat cats still getting bonuses?
Why is it so hard to get customer service on the phone?

The out-sourcing of American jobs
The fact that everything is made in China
Who pays more taxes then who
Socialism Vs. Capitalism
Is Racism still that big a problem?
Should the US pull out of the UN

Should we repeal The patriot act
Bringing back the Fairness doctrine
Get rid of the Bush tax cuts
End Affirmative Action
Lift the embargo on Cuba
Reinstate the draft

Is Flag burning really a constitutional right?
Should we allow gay marriage?
Should we have national health care?
What's wrong with red meat?
Do cell phones cause cancer?
Is going organic really better
Is professional wrestling real?

What to do about Islamic terrorism
Corrupt politicians
Greedy oil companies
The Israelis and the Palestinians
The North Korean menace

Entitlement programs for minorities
Mandates for low income housing
Reparations for slavery
Should we bomb Iran
Who's fairer -Fox News or CNN
Why haven't we caught Osama Bin Laden yet
Globalization--- good or bad?
Are flying saucers real
Is this a good time to pull out of Iraq
Should English be our official language?
Is Keith Olberman crazy?

The liberal media
Environmentalist-wackos
Guantanamo Bay
Racial profiling
Political correctness
The doomsday clock
Home schooling
Haliburton

Gay rights
Abortion rights
Animal rights
Woman's rights
Smoker's rights

The rights of the Handicapped
The rights of the homeless
The rights of the unborn
The right to bear arms.
The far right

Global warming
Off shore drilling
Drilling in the Arctic
The melting ice caps
Stem Cell research
Immigration reform
Welfare reform
Gun control
The death penalty
Warrantless wiretaps
The Mexican border fence
The use of pesticides
Illegal aliens
National ID cards
Medical Marijuana
The Church of Scientology

Paper or plastic
Blu-Ray Vs. HD-DVD,
Mac Vs. PC
Red state Vs. Blue state
The naked cowboy
Reality shows
Talk radio
Wal-Mart
*

Have a great holiday....

Hope your feeling better real soon
Aunt Diane!

Happy Birthday Reilly !!!

Yes--Yes it's my Birthday, November 17th, and now I'm three!
Can you believe it. Wow, I feel so grown up. I spent all of Sunday partying with my peeps and now I'm ready for some cake.

Here's Marley having a great time!

As you can see, Zoe can barely contain herself.



I know I'll probably pay a price for this tomorrow ,
but a dog only turns three once, so tonight I'm just going to party hardy.
***
It just doesn't get any better then this!

Behold the chosen one !!!

All hail President-elect
Barack Hussein Obama
*
CHANGE HAS ARRIVED
__________________________

"A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one
percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine."
Thomas Jefferson


"Obala di Obala da life goes on bra, LaLa how the life goes on."
The Beatles

It's time to vote!!!!

Finally the time has come to cast our votes. I of course, being a dog, can not, but you can, and should! It's the right thing to do.

Anyone who's read my blog probably knows how I feel about this election and the candidates, so pardon me for being a pest, but since this will be my last posting before the election I'd just like to take a few moments and sum up the candidates as I see them, one last time.

I know there are millions of people who, for whatever reason are just crazy about Barack Obama. And yes, I do get it. I can perfectly understand why people are attracted to him. By all accounts he appears to be a very smart guy with a lot of youthful energy. He's an eloquent speaker, a fearless fighter, a tireless campaigner and compared his Democratic rival, Hillary, he seems downright likable. All good qualities which makes him an appealing candidate.

And, unlike many of his colleagues in the Senate, he was not as they say, born with a silver spoon in his mouth; he's had to work hard to get where he is, and despite his humble beginnings he has, in a relatively short time managed to build a stunning political career against all odds. That in itself should be enough to win him the respect of his peers and bring in the votes, but, what makes Barack Obama even more remarkable is that of all the obstacles he's had to overcome to get where he is, there is probably none more conspicuous then race itself.

For the first time in our history we're actually voting to elect an African American. That in itself is remarkable, and something I think all Americans should be rather proud of, because it shows just how very far we've come from a time, not so long ago, when blacks were not even allowed to use the same public restrooms or drink from the same water fountains as whites. And although the problem of racism in America is still very real, this election is nonetheless an enormous step in the right direction, and one which will have lasting significance. And, even if Mr. Obama were to lose tonight (which I doubt) he will to some extent have fulfilled part of his promise to bring about real change.

Okay, good for him.

That being said, let me now touch briefly on a few things I don't like about Obama. While it may be good for Americans to feel as though they've turned a corner in the long struggle for civil rights, the real importance of this election has little to do with the issue. While most might agree it's wrong to use race as a reason for voting against someone, it's also equally wrong to vote for someone because of it. Anyone who goes around saying a vote for John McCain is in some ways racist is an idiot.

Putting race aside, there are still many good reasons to question Obama's qualifications to lead, not the least of which is his lack of real world experience. For one thing he has never served in any position of real authority, nor has he ever held a job in which he's been held personally accountable for the success or failure of any institution. His political viewpoints show him to be one of the most, if not the most liberal member of the US Senate. Even more so then Nancy Polosi or Harry Reid. And let's not over look the fact that he has a long history of choosing to surround himself with people who's political views are considered radical to say the least, if not outright dangerous. All these things make me question is judgment.

Electing a president is certainly not a black and white issue, and should never be chosen based on even the slightest suggestion of being an entitlement. Electing a President is, and always has been a leap of faith, and with that there's no guarantee we're going to end up getting what we want or need.


As for McCain, I have to admit, I've never been a big fan of his politics. He's always been just a tad too liberal on certain issues for me. But I can honestly say, I have never felt the slightest reason to question his sense of leadership, or his judgment. I think he has what it takes to make the kind of hard decisions a president must make under pressure. And I have never had a reason to question his commitment to his country. I wish I could say the same about Barack Obama, but I can't. If the poles are right, it looks as though he is sure to be our next president, whether I like him or not. If he's elected he will of course make history, and while that may be enough for some, there's a lot more at stake then just his legacy. After all is said and done, it will all be up to him to prove to a skeptical world that he's more then just a lot pretty talk. This time he's going to have to lead.

While some of his fans in the the Democratic party may choose to view Obama as their new JFK, I for one would be more then willing, (at least for now) to give him the benefit of the doubt, and just Hope to God he doesn't turn out to be the next Jimmy Carter.

But hey, what do I know, I'm just a dog.