For people like myself who would like to see Barack Obama elected President, the front page of yesterday's New York Post must be seen as a good omen. As this year's Oscar show host Jon Stewart said; "Normally, when you see a black man as president an asteroid is about to hit the Statue of Liberty."
"Killer tomatoes," like deadly asteroids and African-Americans who are their party's presumptive Presidential nominees, are sure signs that the future has finally arrived.
The FDA has determined that tomatoes grown in California are not culprits in the recent salmonella outbreak. That should make Gov. Schwarzenegger, who is alleged to have squeezed a few tomatoes himself in the past, very happy. (I know, I know, there goes any chance I had at a judgeship.)
Yesterday, local blogger Cookie Jill challenged other local bloggers to support our local farmers by buying some tomatoes at the Tuesday Night Farmer's Market on State Street.
I always figured the safest place to be during a salmonella scare is at home, on the couch, watching the Lakers playing the Celtics. Which is exactly where I was during last night's Farmer's Market. But I'll be at the Farmer's Market next Tuesday checking out the tomatoes, provided the Lakers and Celtics aren't playing a game six of the NBA Finals.
It's not just newspapers that are facing cutbacks these days. KCOY 12, the CBS affiliate out of Santa Maria is eliminating its noon-time news broadcast and cutting its 6 p.m. broadcast to 30 minutes, down from one hour. No word yet on whether there will be personnel cuts to accompany the pared back news schedule.
The Wednesday Weigh-In. Last Wednesday I related my horror at hitting the 200 pound mark for the first time in my life. I got a number of e-mails from readers expressing sympathy and offering advice. I even ran into a few people on the street who had read my post. Fortunately no one greeted me with "hey fatso!"
Since then, it got worse before it got better. On Sunday morning I got on the scale and was 201.5. I went for a bike ride later that day, and the next day as well. That meant I had spent three out of the last four days on the bike. (Each ride was about 15 miles.) I also got in a set of tennis with my son.
I've cut down on eating bread and have cut out ice cream altogether. Tuesday morning I weighed 195.
Think I can drop another five pounds by next Wednesday? I know what you're thinking. "Fat chance!"
I was walking down State Street during the noon hour on Tuesday. As I approached the corner of State and Anapamu there was a guy standing in front of the Art Museum with a little card table and a sign saying "Free Literature." I made it a point to avoid eye contact with him as I walked by because I could see he was saying something to each pedestrian who passed him. As I went by he said; "Find out about Noah's ark?" I thought to myself, "oh, he must be selling the News-Press!"
