Lots of things to talk about this week including the continuing controversy around my new book Don’t Go There.
I have been banned from about six different cities now and a number of affiliate radio stations have dropped my radio program as a result. They didn’t like what I had to say about Cedar Rapids or Cleveland.
Isn’t it interesting though that no one has disputed my facts or my figures? They just didn’t like what I had to say.
Now, if you read the book – and a lot of the people who have been upset haven’t read it – you’ll find what I said about Cleveland is not to never go to Cleveland, but stay away from the East side because the crime rate is wild there.
I also took issue with Ashland, Virginia’s slogan. But who wouldn’t if you’re being real – their slogan is “we’re the center of the universe.” They are not only not the center of the universe – they aren’t even the center of Virginia!
The residents there have started a huge letter-writing campaign to NBC and to our website. Someone sent something to us and we have posted it on our website – it is a country song about Ashland, Virginia and me.
Now, the reason I wrote the book was not to hurt the places I name, but so that in these hard economic times you would have credible evidence to make intelligent decisions about your travel choices. We all love to travel, but we don’t like being victimized by hyperbole, exaggeration, and sometimes downright lies.
Now of all the cities that got mad at me (three examples being Cleveland, North Charleston, and Detroit, about their crime rate) earlier this week CNN released their list of the 15 most dangerous cities, and guess who is on it – THEM. Duh! I am not making this up.
Cedar Rapids also got mad at me for saying that Cedar Rapids is the city of five smells. But I didn’t make that up – the people who live there call it that. My nose doesn’t lie and neither does yours. In any case, I hope you enjoy the book and I hope you read it.
You can also go to my website, petergreenberg.com, and enter for a chance to win a signed copy.
Speaking of turkeys, this nest item comes from the ‘You Can’t Make This Stuff Up’ category. Go to YouTube and type in ‘Sarah Palin Turkey.’
I know people made a lot of fun of her during the campaign and she was good at making fun of herself, but like reality TV, sometimes it’s funniest when you don’t make the stuff up. Like many governors and the president, the tradition of pardoning a turkey goes back decades.
It is a fun ceremony in which the politician says they are going to spare at least one turkey over the Thanksgiving weekend. In the video, Sarah reads the proclamation and pardons the turkey and the press prepares to ask her questions. She stands ready for questions but apparently doesn’t know that she declared this turkey free in front of a turkey slaughterhouse.
So while they are interviewing her, clearly in front of the camera, there is a man behind her killing turkeys. Ripping their heads off and blood is going everywhere and she is just talking about putting America back to work and what it is like to be back in Alaska.
I am sitting there going, didn’t she know and no one told her? I know it’s a little gory, but two things made me fall off my couch laughing this past month.
One was the SNL rap song where Amy Poehler sang about Palin, and the other was this video. What an appropriate way to spend at least four minutes of your holiday weekend – watching this little video having to do with turkeys.
Learn more about the Great White North with our Canada travel slideshow.
Speaking of Turkeys, you know what Thanksgiving is? It’s a dysfunctional family get- together.
You were probably somewhere that you didn’t want to be. Next year, PLEASE do it my way. Fly in Thursday morning and fly out Friday night. You will save a lot of money and still go to the family get-together and be home Friday night with no crowds, no delays, and have your weekend to yourself.
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Fascinated by the Alaska Governor? Don’t miss Sarah Palin Vacations: From Snowmachines to Moose Hunting, Travel Like a Palin.
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