I feel like a political cartoonist-some subjects are just too good to let go. For me this is the "Ames (Iowa) Straw Poll."

In my past life I did a lot with statistics and analysis of same.

Base: fewer than 20,000 cast ballots or whatever for a Republican candidate for President. Remember statistics don't lie-or do they?

1. I learned that Minnesota Congresswomen Michele Bochmann is a "submissive wife" (her words; not mine). That means that more than 20% of the voters like submissive wives.

2. The candidate who finished #2, Ron Paul, is a Libertarian Congressman from Texas. Libertarians do not like taxes for government subsidies or handouts. Does this mean that over 20% of Iowans are against farm subsidies which are substantial in Iowa? Food for thought.

3. The #3 finisher; Tim Pawlenty, a two-term Minnesota governor; talked about balancing budgets, etc., but his state is billions of dollars in debt. Is there a contradiction here? I like the story of the guy who was interviewed after walking out of the polling booth. He carried a "Pawlenty T-shirt", entered on a Pawlenty voting ticket supplied by the candidate ($35 a pop to exercise one's rights), but voted for someone else. I guess there is no honor among Straw Pollers.

4. All candidates swore not to raise taxes, to balance the budget, and to put millions back to work. Usually it is government spending that creates jobs in a recovery and that means more taxes or a bigger deficit. Is there a problem here?

5. No one mentioned the war in the Mideast. Did it go away or did the candidates just forget about it?

6. All attacked Prez Obama as a total failure but didn't offer any solutions of their own. Now they get to spend the next year attacking each other-LOVE IT!

Fortunately my nephew clued me in that it's just a big Republican fund raiser. I can't believe the American media treated it as something that actually mattered. I can hardly wait for the meaningless Iowa Caucus. Smart people those Iowans.

Went to see "Glee the 3D Concert Movie" yesterday. Liked every moment of it. As a teacher in my previous life, I enjoy movies and shows about school kids. I like the singing, dancing, and social issues in GLEE. I am a true GLEEK and they gave me a cap at the movie theatre to prove it but I don't think I will wear it too often in public.

Tis the season for balloons falling out of the sky. This is the second balloon to land in the field just beyond our cul-de-sacs. This one barely cleared the wire fence that runs along the walking path at the end of the streets. At least it didn't come close to the 4-lane highway in the opposite direction.

Smart people those Iowans. As if the Iowas Caucus was phony as a three-dollar bill, they have come up with their next environmentally clean, no tax breaks, etc.; they have come up with the "Iowa Sample Poll", which is even more meaningless as the "Caucus. People have to pay "to sample" so money talks. Maybe they could come to Colorado and help our state make money on scams or do they want to keep their monopoly? There are some real creative people in the corn belt.

Spent the weekend in a condo in Vail. Keri and Eric were invited to a wedding there Sunday night so Kathy and I went along as the live-in nannies. Saturday night Kathy and I hit the village. I managed to buy two fleece vest with Vail on them-but I don't care as I wear vests from other places all the time), a Vail hat, and finally a "bald is beautiful" T-shirt with a picture of a bald eagle on the front (very patriotic). If you are familiar with my hairline (or lack of), it was an appropriate choice. Prices were about half price which tells you about the time of the year or the economy. Anyway, there were some good deals.

We spent time with the boys most of Sunday. They both had upset stomachs so diaper changes were often but we always have a good time with them.

It was in the low 60's when we left Vail this morning and almost 90 when we arrived back in Littleton a couple of hours later.

Funny-I still can sense the odor of soiled diapers.

Eric and I went to the Rockies-Phillies game last night. We drove in and out of rain all the way to Coors Field. They were just taking the tarp off the infield when we got inside. We had tickets under the overhang which was good because although it had stopped raining, people had to get towels, etc. to wipe off the stadium seats. About a third of the crowd was wearing Phillies gear. I've never seen the crowd with both sides into a game like this. Of course the Rockies blew a lead and lost in the 10th inning. Was glad we went, however.

Saw a T-shirt on a hippie-looking person with a saying I'd never seen before: "Support your local glassblower." A person sees all sort of fans at the ballpark.

I painted our garage door this morning. On July 13 we received a notice that we have a garage door painting violation. They gave us 7 days to correct the matter. I was gone for three days and then the next two days were the weekend. I demanded a hearing since I didn't think the garage door needed painted that badly. I also demanded the see the criteria in writing and know who had the power to make a subjective decision like that. A week later later they wrote that they didn't want a hearing since it was our first violation but not a violation if we painted it (and you wonder how lawyers get rich). They were even going to give us an extra 30 days. We decided to paint.