Lane Kiffin is the Vols Newest Head Coach

I'm a wait and see kind of person. So far, things are looking pretty good.

Wondering How To Get Rid of Thanksgiving Leftovers?

Here's an idea:

Congratulations Brooke and Derek!

I'm thrilled that my choice for winning Dancing With The Stars this season have won.

US officials flunk test of Amerian history, civics

(I scored 97% on this test missing only question 29.)

WASHINGTON (AFP) – US elected officials scored abysmally on a test measuring their civic knowledge, with an average grade of just 44 percent, the group that organized the exam said Thursday.

Ordinary citizens did not fare much better, scoring just 49 percent correct on the 33 exam questions compiled by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI).

"It is disturbing enough that the general public failed ISI's civic literacy test, but when you consider the even more dismal scores of elected officials, you have to be concerned," said Josiah Bunting, chairman of the National Civic Literacy Board at ISI.

"How can political leaders make informed decisions if they don't understand the American experience?" he added.

The exam questions covered American history, the workings of the US government and economics.

Among the questions asked of some 2,500 people who were randomly selected to take the test, including "self-identified elected officials," was one which asked respondents to "name two countries that were our enemies during World War II."

Sixty-nine percent of respondents correctly identified Germany and Japan. Among the incorrect answers were Britain, China, Russia, Canada, Mexico and Spain.

Forty percent of respondents, meanwhile, incorrectly believed that the US president has the power to declare war, while 54 percent correctly answered that that power rests with Congress.

Asked about the electoral college, 20 percent of elected officials incorrectly said it was established to "supervise the first televised presidential debates."

In fact, the system of choosing the US president via an indirect electoral college vote dates back some 220 years, to the US Constitution.

The question that received the fewest correct responses, just 16 percent, tested respondents' basic understanding of economic principles, asking why "free markets typically secure more economic prosperity than government's centralized planning?"

Activities that dull Americans' civic knowledge include talking on the phone and watching movies or television -- even news shows and documentaries, ISI said.

Meanwhile, civic knowledge is enhanced by discussing public affairs, taking part in civic activities and reading about current events and history, the group said.

For more information, visit the ISI Report on Civic Literacy.

Joan Leslie Appreciation Group

I've set up a new Yahoo group dedicated to Joan Leslie, star of High Sierra, Sgt. York, Yankee Doodle Dandy among others.

Feel free to join here.

Be Careful When Buying Gift Cards

If you like to give gift cards around the holidays, you need to be careful since it is likely that the cards will not be honored after the holidays.

Stores that are planning to close after Christmas are still selling the cards through the holidays even though the cards will be worthless January 1. There is no law preventing them from doing this. On the contrary, it is referred to as 'Bankruptcy Planning). Below is a partial list of stores that you need to be cautious about.

Circuit City (filed Chapter 11)
Ann Taylor 117 stores nationwide closing
Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug, and Catherine's to close 150 stores nationwide
Eddie Bauer to close stores 27 stores and more after January
Cache will close all stores
Talbots closing down specialty stores
J. Jill closing all stores (owned by Talbots) Pacific Sunwear (also owned by Talbots)
GAP closing 85 stores
Footlocker closing 140 stores more to close after January
Wickes Furniture closing down
Levitz closing down remaining stores
Bombay closing remaining stores
Zales closing down 82 stores and 105 after January
Whitehall closing all stores
Piercing Pagoda closing all stores
Disney closing 98 stores and will close more after January.
Home Depot closing 15 stores
Macys to close 9 stores after January
Linens and Things closing all stores
Movie Galley Closing all stores
Pep Boys Closing 33 stores
Sprint/Nextel closing 133 stores
JC Penney closing a number of stores after January
Ethan Allen closing down 12 stores.
Wilson Leather closing down all stores
Sharper Image closing down all stores
K B Toys closing 356 stores
Loews to close several stores
Dillard's to close several stores

I Hate Mushrooms!

It seems like everyone I know likes or love mushrooms. Personally, I never understood why since they are as tasty as rice cakes.

Why am I one of about ten people in the world who dislike mushrooms aside from their tastelessness of course?

Well about 25 years ago, when I was around 7 or 8, I was walking through my neighbors yard just wandering around the neighborhood. I came across two big mushrooms. I thought at the time that since all mushrooms are poisonous, I would do my neighbor a favor and destroy them kind of like getting rid of weeds. I kicked both of them really good and then tossed them in their trashcan. I then went on my way back to the house.

That night as I slept, I had a dream, er, soon to become a nightmare that I repeating what I just mentioned. Only this time, as I attempted to kick up the mushrooms, they opened up like they were a man-eating plant. As they devoured me, I woke up instantly and that was the end of that. I decided from then on, I would leave the mushrooms alone.