So much time, so many to choose from. If given the choice between…

…that turkey soup I made for Wednesday night (one of the best I’ve ever made, BTW) or attending the state dinner at the White House in honor of Chinese President Hu Jintao that same night, I’ll take the latter. Can’t speak for the host and his wife (who, I will admit, looked uncharacteristically fantastic) or the invitees (“pop diva” Barbra Streisand? Try “pop has-been and rabid leftist”), but the menu sure sounded fabulous:

At the request of the Chinese side, the menu for the dinner honoring Hu, after a day of frank talks at the White House, was quintessentially American fare, such as poached Maine lobster and dry-aged rib eye with creamed spinach.

And nothing could be more American than the old fashioned apple pie offered as dessert in a final flourish for a meal washed down with a selection of wines from California and Washington state.

For lobster and rib-eye steak I’d be on my best behavior – even if I were sitting at the same table as the so-called “pop diva”.

…hiring union workers and/or working for a union or not, I’ll take the latter. There’s no doubt that unions had their place in their day, and perhaps if allowed to organize differently than be led by a bunch of corrupt, money-grubbing, self servers whose sole purpose is to peddle political influence via members’ dues they might still serve a useful purpose. But there is no way I’d ever join a union, as they’re all run by a bunch of socialist thugs. Don’t believe me? Check out this story from South Carolina (my boldings):

The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers and the South Carolina AFL-CIO alleges that [South Carolina Governor Nikki] Haley is violating the federal constitutional and statutory rights to free speech, free association and due process.

…At issue is whether a new Boeing assembly plant for the company’s 787 Dreamliner aircraft will be unionized. After a long battle, Boeing in 2009 selected South Carolina as the site of a 787 final assembly plant. The company aims to ramp up 787 production to 10 planes per month in 2013.

The plant in South Carolina is expected to create thousands of new jobs, and machinists in South Carolina voted against representation by the union.

The lawsuit asks the court to compel the South Carolina state government to remain neutral in enforcing state employment laws.

But that’s the unions for you these days – they’re dying out and there is nothing they won’t resort to in order to try and force people to join them.

…doing business in Berkeley, California or anywhere else, I’ll choose anywhere else. Just check this story out; it confirms just about every reason one could have to distrust government and the liberals who seek to regulate virtually everything they can. Freakin’ crazy…

…the Steelers and the Jets, I’ll take the Steelers. I’ve always liked the cut of Steelers coach Mike Tomlin’s jib, and this is one reason why.

…the Packers and the Bears, I’m going with the Packers. A Steelers / Packers Super Bowl would be a great match – not least of which because, way back in September, I, The Great White Shank, picked the Steelers to go to the Super Bowl.

…buying pearls for that special someone at a local jewelry store or at PearlParadise.com, I’ll choose the latter. The Freshadama pearls I gave Tracey for Christmas were stunning, it made her a very happy (and lovely) wife, and it was all done and ordered in the comfort of my own home office. And their service can’t be beat. Check ’em out.

…the weather here in Gilbert or back home for this coming weekend. I mean, wow…and that doesn’t even take into account the possibility of another snowstorm early next week.