Prompted by a mysterious reference on the Big Mick thread, I have spent the past 8 hours doing research and some interesting facts have come to light. The question: Where was Big Mick???

From a period of February 3 thru March 5, Big Mick was absent from the 'Cat.

FACT: The only posts he made during that period were in the wee hours here in the US EST zone. This is daytime in Oz. The one "Guest" post made during that time period came from a library computer outside the US!

FACT: Although listed on the campaign, NO ONE associated with the campaign will say they saw him during that time period and in checking Michigan news sources no picture of him exists at any campaign function.

FACT: The Union will only say he is assigned "other duties and directs all requests to an e-mail forwarding service.

FACT: On February 4, a "Lane Michaels" purchased a one-way ticket on United from Detroit to Honolula connecting through LAX. A man matching Mick's description was confronted by security officers at LAX responding to a complaint from one of the lounges where a patron was protesting about the lack of the "black vile stuff" in the bar. The officers reported that the man also seemed to be talking in a strange language. When the customer returned to his gate, the officers said he was calm and referred to them as "feckincobs" which they thought was a compliment because he said it with a smile.

FACT: On February 5, in Hawaii, a man using the name "Mike Fairlane" booked passage on Qantas flight 405 for Canberra where this same Mike Fairlane showed passport and a Michigan driver's license to rent a car. The security camera footage is blurry, but the man appears to be about 6'2" and 240 pounds. The car had a lot of miles on it when it was returned, but did not appear to have been used much as it was very clean. The clerks on duty at that time remember him as acting VERY tired, but happy.

FACT: An Australian beachwear shop reported selling 25 thongs on February 6 to "an Irish looking guy" carrying a bag of potatoes.

FACT: On March 4, "Mickey Lanfair" arrived at LAX after disembarking the Qantas Canberra flight and purchased a one way ticket to Cleveland on Delta. In Cleveland, "Mike Fairlane" again rented a car with a Michigan license and returned the car in Detroit. No security camera footage is available.

So where was Big Mick? I am currently researching the posts of a certain Irish Aussie. Something funny is going on here.

Spaw