First of all, let’s get the distasteful out of the way: congratulations to the New York Yankees on their 2009 world championship. They hit great all year long, but in the end it was all about the pitching. Once again, Andy Pettite showed a great a big-game pitcher he was. I despise them more than ever, but what are you gonna do? I’m just glad I wasn’t around to watch them celebrate. I would have puked.

Guilty as charged. The woods and waters around the golf courses I’ve played are littered with the devastation of my lack of craft. Maybe if I wasn’t so bad a golfer, the earth would be a cooler place to live. But then baby harp seals would still be getting eaten by ravenous polar bears.

I would agree with this. Anyone who thought that electing someone who had absolutely no leadership experience – not even so much as a lemonade stand – would fix everything that ails this country simply because he talked a good game has to be feeling pretty foolish right now. The country has never been in more debt, no one is paying attention to the upcoming disasters involving Medicare and Social Security, there’s absolutely no plan for what to do about Iraq and Afghanistan while soldiers are dying, and the Democrats are trying to push through two major initiatives (heathcare reform and cap-and-trade) that will not only bankrupt the country but destroy free-market capitalism. Yeah, I’d be in a funk, too…

Does anyone really think Hugo Chavez is a-scared of what Barack Obama might do if he makes good on his threat of war with Colombia? Mark my words, things are about to get very hot in South America, very shortly. Chavez, Vladimir Putin, and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad have already sized President Obama up and found him undeniably weak and ill-prepared for challenging any dictatorial brute on the international stage. They’ve already discovered what the country is slowly but surely coming around to realize – that Obama is nothing more than an empty suit who loves the idea of just being President but couldn’t lead his way out of a paper bag.

At least he can sure talk pretty, right? Thank God for that! I’m feeling better already.

OK, enough grumbling. Tracey and I need a vacation. Badly. So here it is: New Orleans, land of Rob.

Four nights starting Thursday at the Hotel Monteleone. Be there or be square. I’m thinking a romantic dinner at Antoine’s, Brennan’s for brunch, and Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville are definitely in order. And we’ll try to squeeze in Cafe du Monde and Mulate’s to boot.

All good. And all very much needed now.

If Tracey wants to sleep half the time there, more power to her – after her week, she deserves it. Me, if there was ever a time to carve out some quality space and time beside “Ol’ Man River”, this is it.