Quiz of the Day!

WHO was the STIFF that did THIS?

…A button-down shirt and tie to play softball in? Really?

Everyone else wore baseball tee shirts and shorts.

I’ll give you ONE clue: it was a contest between US Senate office teams from the same state and the bosses were on hand. No CHEATING!

(Don’t you HATE it when I leave you in the lurch like that?)

Double Oops

Break apart, you sumbeeches!

With Friends Like This…

Is it me, or over the past, oh, say 10 years or so have we seen an epidemic of political spouses going out of their way to draw attention to themselves and sort of trash their elected spouse? I really don’t understand it, except as some sort of attention-deficit response to years of the spotlight being on the office seeker. Well, here’s the latest example

Japan’s new prime minister has terrible fashion sense, cannot cook and is an intellectual lightweight; not the verdict of Naoto Kan’s political opponents, but the musings of his own wife.

Mr Kan was struggling to maintain his credibility yesterday after his wife, Nobuko, took the unusual step of publishing a book that lists her husband’s failings. It is a very long list.

I just don’t get it.

Why Maine’s Senator Susan Collins Needs a New Job

The CLEAR Act.

Gag.

And yes, this insipid, “Logan’s Run” mentality video explaining it (Via WUWT) would be reason enough.

“I Think We Need A Bigger Boat”

That could certainly ruin your day…and your yacht.

Storm Clouds A Brewing

Soon it’s gonna rain…

A STRONG TROPICAL WAVE…LOCATED NEAR THE EASTERN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC AND EXTENDING NORTHWARD OVER THE ATLANTIC FOR A FEW HUNDRED MILES…IS PRODUCING A LARGE AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS FROM THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS WESTWARD TO HISPANIOLA…AND OVER THE ADJACENT WATERS OF THE ATLANTIC AND NORTHEASTERN CARIBBEAN SEA. ALTHOUGH A CLOSED SURFACE CIRCULATION HAS NOT YET DEVELOPED…ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME MORE CONDUCIVE FOR TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION AS THE SYSTEM MOVES WEST-NORTHWESTWARD AT ABOUT 10 MPH DURING THE NEXT DAY OR SO. THERE IS A HIGH CHANCE…70 PERCENT…OF THIS SYSTEM BECOMING A TROPICAL DEPRESSION OR A TROPICAL STORM DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS.

Looks like this one will come up the East Coast if it does anything.

This Is Just So Typical, Really

But when you think about it, it is shocking and frankly infuriating and it says so very much about our government, and what needs, nay, must be done about it.

Pop quiz: Who is the largest consumer of energy in the US Economy?
a) you and me in our guzaholic cars and suvs
b) you and me and our air conditioning
c) you and me and our lives
d) Uncle Sam

Well lookee here

The federal government is the largest energy consumer in the U.S. economy, and the combined reductions would be the equivalent of removing emissions from 235 million barrels of oil, the White House said.

I am literally astounded by this. If this is not the strongest argument yet to reduce the size of this bloated Jabba the Hutt beast that is our government, well, hell, I don’t know what else to say.

A reduction in the size of government takes money out of terrorists’ pockets.

A vote to reduce the size of government is a vote for the environment.

Do it, folks.

Do it for Gaia.

Thanks to BP, I Have Time to Do Other…Things…at Work

…so I’m remastering the art of kitten heels.

So far, the cat is pissed.

UPDATE: In the comments, Jeff mentions “pumps”, leading me to remember my wonderfully elastic, dirty dancing years, and leaving me wondering how it came to pass that kitten heels ~ and even a turtle ~ can kick my ass in the “hootchie-mama-moves-without-injury” department now.

Thanks, Jeff.

Your Positive News Line Of The Day

We’ve got our best men on it, folks

NEW ORLEANS – Oil from BP’s blown out well is again seeping into the Gulf of Mexico, but this time, more slowly and scientists aren’t convinced the cap that stopped the flow last week is making things worse.

Gosh, that’s reassuring.

I guess.

Ever since the cap was used to bottle up the oil last week, engineers have been watching underwater cameras and monitoring pressure and seismic readings to see whether the well would hold or spring a new leak, perhaps one that could rupture the sea floor and make the disaster even worse.

Worse? How could it possibly get worse?

BP and the government are still trying to understand why pressure readings from the well are lower than expected. Allen offered two possible explanations: The reservoir the oil is gushing from is dwindling, or there is an undiscovered leak somewhere down in the well.

There’s that “lower than expected” line again.

We seem to be hearing that a lot these days.

Oh, This Beats “Great White” and “Deep Blue Sea”

…into little tiny pieces.

I’m not sure if the sharks got smarter, but you DEFINITELY need a bigger boat.
Thanks, Jona…wait. Didn’t a guy named ‘Jonah’ have a fish problem in a previous story? There may be some media bias involved.

Oops…

Could this indicate some failures “down pipe”?

BP’s claims to have successfully capped its leaking oil well in the Gulf of Mexico have been questioned after a potential leak was discovered on the seabed nearby.

The US government has ordered the company to produce a report on a “detected seep” near the pipeline damaged in the Deepwater Horizon explosion. It did not disclose what substance had been found to be escaping from the ocean floor but the announcement will raise concerns that an operation to plug a burst pipeline may simply have moved the problem elsewhere.

“Given the current observations from the test, including the detected seep a distance from the well and undetermined anomalies at the well head, monitoring of the seabed is of paramount importance during the test period,” Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen said in a letter to BP chief managing director Bob Dudley.

This could be very bad if it’s blowing out the side somewhere; the pressure could really erode the area around the pipe.

More Terrorism In India?

Over 60 people killed on the aptly-named Uttarbanga Express

CALCUTTA, INDIA – A speeding express train plowed into a stationary passenger train in eastern India on Monday, killing 61 people in a crash so powerful it sent the roof of one car flying onto an overpass. Officials said they could not rule out sabotage.

Residents crawled over the twisted wreckage trying desperately to free survivors before rescue workers arrived with heavy equipment to cut through the metal.

Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee, who rushed to the site, raised the possibility the crash could have been another case of sabotage, two months after Maoist rebels were blamed for a derailment that killed 145 people.

…The crash happened about 2 a.m. when the Uttarbanga Express slammed into the Vananchal Express as it left the platform at Sainthia station, about 125 miles (200 kilometers) north of Calcutta.

Maoists just love killing peasants, don’t they? Good communists that they are…

Even overseas, Jimmah can’t get a break…..

   So our Pastor was returning with a group from a Missions trip to Uganda, traing local Pastors there. They had missed their connecting flight, so were delayed in Amsterdam. He noticed a good bit of extra security measures, and was wondering what that was due to, until he saw the convoy of vehicles coming onto the tarmac. He saw former President Carter, with Roselyn and the security entourage escorted onto the plane.

   The rest of the passengers were then allowed to board, and once everyone was onboard, Jimmah came back from First Class to shake hands with everyone. Our Pastor said simply: “Once a politician, always a politician.” So as Jimmah worked back thru the rows, he got to the 2 women seated ahead of Pastor, who were not Americans.

    “You look very familiar.” one of them said. “But I cannot recall your name. Are you Ronald Reagan?” Jimmah was gracious, but Pastor said he imagined he was seathing inside.

St. Andrews 1995

I can’t watch anyone play the 18th without thinking of this

Somehow, it really does sound better in Italian…

“He’s Gaining On You, So You Better Look Alive!”

And now he’s dead. The moral of the story is, no matter how many lives you influence, it happens to us all, dammit.

I always thought Speed was an annoying, gaspy little sh*t, who should move over and let Sexy Rexy/aka Racer X have a whole lot more screen time (GAH-rrrowwwlllll). But who listened to me? Being an A-type personality (NOT to mention that fact that, in sister’s world, the BLONDE drives the f*ckin’ car, yo.), I consoled myself in my later years launching my ’74 Javelin skyward (sans airborne button), with Bingley performing the duel roles of annoying, gaspy, whiny little sh*t ~ a part you’ll notice he’s perfected ~ AND monkey sidekick. (Some people are born play-yahs, I give him that.)

Acknowledging what Speed Racer, Astro Boy and (now-in-my-head-for-the-rest-of-the-day-music) GIGANTOR meant to the middling of my youth, I wish most fervently that your track flag may always be green, Mr. Fernandez. Vaya con Dios.

Oh, Hear, HEAR!! I Agree!!

Whole heartedly!

And I LOVE what the British papers are calling Tiger…

…Woods does not cope brilliantly in windy conditions and the storm clouds have been gathering around the love rat ever since his wife Elin Nordegren learned of his indiscretions via a text message…

Brilliant!

Shhhhh! They Think If They Say It “Diff’rnt”

…and describe the sorta good the same as the really bad, we won’t figure it out.

New U.S. claims for unemployment insurance fell more than expected last week to their lowest level in nearly two years as seasonal layoffs eased at factories, government data showed on Thursday.

Despite the positive trend in jobless claims, the market appeared to focus more on a read on manufacturing activity in the New York region.

A gauge of manufacturing in New York State plunged in July by much more than expected as employment worsened, the New York Federal Reserve said in a report on Thursday.

As if….

Is Al-Reuters Trying to Say Something Here?

(Reuters) – Americans armed themselves to the teeth and paid through the nose to have a smoke, according to a U.S. government report released on Wednesday.

Yup. That’s us! Oddly enough, the link’s in the India edition.

After You Get Done Reading This Social Commentary

With Timing of Death, Steinbrenner Family Won’t Pay Estate Tax

…cleverly disguised as “reporting”…eh, forget it! Just go straight to the comments ~ they’re GREAT! Like these two, for starters…

zucchiniman
So glad the legacy gets to stay in the family for a while!

But shame on the article author for this comment:
“The repeal of the tax is sapping about $55 billion in revenue from the federal government.”

No, it doesn’t “sap” anything… if a successful person pays taxes their whole life, the feds shouldn’t come along and confiscate 45% or even 55% of it when they die!

Let the money stay in private hands, where it can be put to real PRODUCTIVE use.
11:40 AM, 7.14.10

anonymous
Totally agree with ZUCCHINMAN. Leave it to some NBC reporter to see all the money a person makes and has already paid taxes on as property of the Feds that they somehow get to keep because of a laps in tax law.

If only NY and the Feds had been able to keep the money to help support important work like $140 Million in condom give aways.

12:12 PM, 7.14.10

Would that I could argue.

Time To Channel My Inner Cartman

Why look, Kyle. Is that a big yummy porterhouse all covered with Montreal seasoning on the grill?

Oh, and are those baby ‘bella mushrooms I see cooking too?

You know, Kyle, I just don’t think there will be enough for you.

I’ll just have to eat this all myself.

Yesssssssss.

You Know What?

The day’s JUST started and I’m exhausted.

(Not to mention circumstances are threatening to unleash my inner Teufel Hunden, if you get my drift…)

Oh, well ~ back to what I do best. Be my positive self…

A Little Artsie Photo

It’s an impressionistic type shot, just to confuse the deerorists that Suzette is sure to send over

It was taken before I’d had as much wine as I’ve currently had…but through the screen door so it’s all avante-garde looking.

It’s also pretty much how it looks now that I have in fact had a lot of wine.

I Give My All To My State

Give ’til it hurts, people; that’s my credo. While some people might choose to spend their non-Californian vacation philosophizing from the couch under the influence of a heady mix of Cheez-Doodles and Lake Como fumes I made a conscious decision to once again sacrifice myself for my state, my New Jersey.

Settle back children and let me explain. We’ve been been having a severe bout of dry weather, with no measurable rain for the past four weeks and, as of last Wednesday, none forecast of any note for this week that we are currently in the midst of. What to do? Sit idly by whilst my beloved Garden State emparchifies to an extra brown crispytude? No!

The situation called for action, and not the “I-won’t-rest-until-the-damn-hole-is-plugged-aside-from-my-three-vacations-and-7-rounds-of-golf” type of “action.” No Sirree folks, I’m talking Smart Action™, the kind that shows that over-heated trollop Gaia what’s what.

How to get it to rain…hmmm. Obviously, plan a week-long event that requires good weather. And not only plan it, but truly commit to it so that Gaia really believes that ruining the event would be crushing. Ah, she’s almost too easy.

My plan had multiple levels: I took this whole week off. I got tee-times for every day. I power washed the deck in preparation for staining it. And I bought a couple of gallons of stain. Layer upon layer of subterfuge, all earnestly played out by Yours Truly.

Behold, my friends, what 10 am this morning brought:

We are now under a flood watch.

Mind you, I’m at 200′ or so above sea level, so it would be one hell of a flood, but the point is Gaia fell for it hook, line and sinker.

How to celebrate my triumph for my Jersey? What small token should I bestow upon myself as a modest tribute to my efforts?

As I was meandering through the Foodtown in Red Bank I heard my name being called…”Bingley…Bingley…BINGLEY!!!. I, I couldn’t resist. I know that I should have, I know-know-know that when I hear little voices calling out to me it’s generally a really bad idea to listen to them.

But I could not say no

Nearly 2 pounds of Angussy porterhouseian goodness. I feel really badly about spending this much money just on myself, but I find some consolation in the fact that this meal would cost me over $70 in a restaurant.

Ok, that’s a lie. I find some consolation and a hell of a lot of joy in the fact that I am going to eat this whole steak by myself and wash it down with a nice bottle of wine.

All in the service of New Jersey.

We’re So Sorry, Kcruella

Benny has been such a part of our lives for so long, we never thought this day would come. We can only wish him an unending stream of cakes and cookies on the other side and the softest, cushiest couch to rest on in between gnoshes. From Miss Budgie and Mac Daddy to Ozzie, Boo and Beau, you always made sure boxes of cookies came with Aunt Kcruella when she would head south for a visit. No one could open a fridge to get to a birthday cake quite like you could. I doubt anyone will again.

Good dog, Benny.

We love you.

Still No Beef On The Menu

I had a steak on Friday night, and the cod last night, so tonight I decided to have some buzzard

A whole chicken cut up into the tasty bits and left to sit for a while all covered in lime juice and sea salt and dusted with chipotle powder.

Cook it over indirect heat on the gasser for around an hour and yeah baby

Cock-a-doodle-delicious

I didn’t even bother to make myself a side dish…just another caipirinha.