Dear AOL Pictures User:
We are sorry to inform you that, as of December 31, 2008, AOL will no longer provide the AOL Pictures online photo service. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you.
The good news is that AOL has partnered with American Greetings® PhotoWorks® to enable continued access to your pictures through the PhotoWorks service. PhotoWorks provides unlimited free storage, just like AOL Pictures, as well as a variety of options for making creations and sharing your photos. You can access your images on PhotoWorks simply by providing your screen name and password to register for a free American Greetings PhotoWorks account. Register for PhotoWorks now.
While we recommend the American Greetings PhotoWorks option, you may also:
- Download your photos to your computer using a new tool that will enable you to quickly save multiple images and albums; or
- Purchase a DVD archive of your images. Please note there is a charge for the DVD archive based on the number of images you select.
It is important that you take action no later than December 31, 2008. After this date, you will no longer be able to access your images through AOL Pictures. You may choose from or combine any of the options listed above, based on your needs, as long as you do so by December 31.
Please go to AOL Pictures as soon as possible to register for American Greetings PhotoWorks for continued access to your pictures or to save your images on your computer or to DVD. Here, you will also find more information and step-by-step instructions on each of the available choices.
We sincerely appreciate your being an AOL Pictures user. It has been our pleasure to provide you with an enjoyable online photo experience.
Sincerely,
The AOL Pictures Team
Thursday, October 30, 2008
AOL Is Closing It's Doors...
How else to interpret this email received an hour ago, given the shutdown tomorrow of AOL Journals and AOL Hometown? Who needs some customers that can treat them right?
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
HUMOR: The Husband Store
From my email...
A store that sells new husbands has opened in New York City , where a woman may go to choose a husband. Among the instructions at the entrance is a description of how the store operates:
You may visit this store ONLY ONCE! There are six floors and the value of the products increase as the shopper ascends the flights. The shopper may choose any item from a particular floor, or may choose to go up to the next floor, but you cannot go back down except to exit the building!
So, a woman goes to the Husband Store to find a husband. On the first floor the sign on the door reads:
Floor 1 - These men Have Jobs
She is intrigued, but continues to the second floor, where the sign reads:
Floor 2 - These men Have Jobs and Love Kids.
'That's nice,' she thinks, 'but I want more.'
So she continues upward. The third floor sign reads:
Floor 3 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, and are Extremely Good Looking..
'Wow,' she thinks, but feels compelled to keep going.
She goes to the fourth floor and the sign reads:
Floor 4 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, are Drop-dead Good Looking and Help With Housework.
'Oh, mercy me!' she exclaims, 'I can hardly stand it!'
Still, she goes to the fifth floor and the sign reads:
Floor 5 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, are Drop-dead Gorgeous, Help with Housework, and Have a Strong Romantic Streak.
She is so tempted to stay, but she goes to the sixth floor, where the sign reads:
Floor 6 - You are visitor 31,456,012 to this floor. There are no men on this floor. This floor exists solely as proof that women are impossible to please. Thank you for shopping at the Husband Store.
PLEASE NOTE:
To avoid gender bias charges, the store's owner opened a New Wives store just across the street.
The first floor has wives that love sex.
The second floor has wives that have money, love sex, and love beer.
The third, fourth, fifth and sixth floors have never been visited.
Autumn
Heavy raindrops plopping down upon the living room air conditioner outside my window. The "zzzippp..." sound the satellite receiver makes when the digital signal is deflected by those selfsame drops of rain. The "plop, plop, plink" of dripping water accumulating in the bucket on the stairs (no, I haven't even a tenth of the $20,000 it'll take to replace the leaky roof). High, wild winds are approaching. You can hear the pines east of the house moan in anticipation.
It is Autumn in Maine.
We, too, have lost all of the deciduous leaves and the Juniper needles have turned their sickly, pale yellow, so their drop en masse cannot be far away now. Snow flurries are in the forecast for tomorrow. It is time for this grasshopper to make provision for a return to a warmer clime. I have sworn off ever shoveling snow again...
And so it goes.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Voting Advice
Planning to vote early? Do so, but make sure it gets counted. If the opposition has targeted your demographic niche for whatever reason, you MUST document the problem with your political party, as well as on the Internet. I'm just saying... no matter which of the sides you are on.
Expect dirty tricks. No, the balloting is NOT postponed if it is raining, snowing or an earthquake has struck. Don't fall for that crap. And don't fall for the crap both parties and all of their special interest groups are shoveling with their robocalls. Make this your mantra and chant it as you listen to your answering machine... "It's all bullshit... It's all bullshit..."
Good luck. The field sucks and the choices are the same old same old. Neither of the primary party candidates offers anything new. The Congress will still control the budget process and the Senate will still control the foreign policy decisions, assuming the election isn't stolen (hijacked) by the existing administration placing us all under martial law.
Laugh if you want. Even paranoids have enemies...
Expect dirty tricks. No, the balloting is NOT postponed if it is raining, snowing or an earthquake has struck. Don't fall for that crap. And don't fall for the crap both parties and all of their special interest groups are shoveling with their robocalls. Make this your mantra and chant it as you listen to your answering machine... "It's all bullshit... It's all bullshit..."
Good luck. The field sucks and the choices are the same old same old. Neither of the primary party candidates offers anything new. The Congress will still control the budget process and the Senate will still control the foreign policy decisions, assuming the election isn't stolen (hijacked) by the existing administration placing us all under martial law.
Laugh if you want. Even paranoids have enemies...
Thursday, October 16, 2008
It's Kilt Day!
Just in case you forgot the most important day before my sister-in-law's birthday - it is KILT DAY.
And for all those ladies who know just why they like 'Men In Kilts' we have this hirsute example:
Here, it was a miserable day for a kilt. Cold, clammy and rain all day. I actually put some heat on this morning when feeding Iggy the Landshark. Maybe next year...
And for all those ladies who know just why they like 'Men In Kilts' we have this hirsute example:
Here, it was a miserable day for a kilt. Cold, clammy and rain all day. I actually put some heat on this morning when feeding Iggy the Landshark. Maybe next year...
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Orbit Files - Free Hosting of up to 6 GB - FREE!
All you AOL Journals authors looking for a new place to host your accumulated photos, web pages and other files have all sorts of options, some free, some cost money. Here's another free option (or, if you need more than 6 GB of free space, one can have unlimited storage for only $5 per month). It's called:
- 6 GB of online storage space (with a 50 MB per file limit)
- unlimited storage for $5/month
- Orbitfiles makes it easy to share files publicly or with friends
- access your files from anywhere
- provides you a public landing page for all of your free (Creative Commons license) photos
- provides useful Windows tools for embedding your files on your blog or web site
- you can sell files through Orbitfiles' interface (for only a 2% commission)
- Windows users also get a dedicated download client, Hercules, that makes the upload process much simpler for the novice or typical AOL user.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Monday, October 06, 2008
Humor: Post Turtle
Making the rounds of blogs and emails recently is the following photograph and text(s). Enjoy!
While suturing a cut on the hand of a 75 year old rancher, who's hand was caught in the gate while working cattle, the doctor struck up a conversation with the old man. Eventually the topic got around to Obama and his bid to be our president.
The old rancher said, "Well, ya know, Obama is a 'Post Turtle'".
Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him what a 'post turtle' was. The old rancher said, "When your driving down a country road on you come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that's a 'post turtle".
The old rancher saw the puzzled look on the doctor's face so he continued to explain. "You know he didn't get up there by himself, he doesn't belong up there, and he doesn't know what to do while he's up there, and you just wonder what kind of dumb ass put him up there to begin with".
Or, if you prefer, there is the J-Walk blog's version:
While suturing a cut on the hand of a 75-year-old Texas rancher whose hand was caught in a gate while working cattle, the doctor struck up a conversation with the old man. Eventually the topic got around to Sarah Palin and her bid to be a heartbeat away from being President.
The old rancher said, 'Well, ya know, Palin is a post turtle.' Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him what a post turtle was. The old rancher said, 'When you're driving down a country road and you come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that's a post turtle.'
The old rancher saw a puzzled look on the doctor's face, so he continued to explain. 'You know she didn't get up there by herself, she doesn't belong up there, she doesn't know what to do while she is up there, and you just wonder what kind of dumb ass put her up there to begin with.'
I prefer the latter. Which version works best for you?
While suturing a cut on the hand of a 75 year old rancher, who's hand was caught in the gate while working cattle, the doctor struck up a conversation with the old man. Eventually the topic got around to Obama and his bid to be our president.
The old rancher said, "Well, ya know, Obama is a 'Post Turtle'".
Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him what a 'post turtle' was. The old rancher said, "When your driving down a country road on you come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that's a 'post turtle".
The old rancher saw the puzzled look on the doctor's face so he continued to explain. "You know he didn't get up there by himself, he doesn't belong up there, and he doesn't know what to do while he's up there, and you just wonder what kind of dumb ass put him up there to begin with".
Or, if you prefer, there is the J-Walk blog's version:
While suturing a cut on the hand of a 75-year-old Texas rancher whose hand was caught in a gate while working cattle, the doctor struck up a conversation with the old man. Eventually the topic got around to Sarah Palin and her bid to be a heartbeat away from being President.
The old rancher said, 'Well, ya know, Palin is a post turtle.' Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him what a post turtle was. The old rancher said, 'When you're driving down a country road and you come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that's a post turtle.'
The old rancher saw a puzzled look on the doctor's face, so he continued to explain. 'You know she didn't get up there by herself, she doesn't belong up there, she doesn't know what to do while she is up there, and you just wonder what kind of dumb ass put her up there to begin with.'
I prefer the latter. Which version works best for you?
Calling All Mainiacs...
Want to make a quick $1000*?
Read all about it here.
* in books
And a dip of the old fedora to regular reader Robbie for the tip. Thanks!
Find LibraryThing a Maine employee, get $1,000 in books
That's right. Find us a Maine—or anyway within an hour of Portland, ME—employee and we'll give you $1,000 in books.
Read all about it here.
* in books
And a dip of the old fedora to regular reader Robbie for the tip. Thanks!
And Now For Something Completely Different...
A closer look at the life and career of John McCain reveals a disturbing record of recklessness and dishonesty
While I have been less than a stellar supporter of Barack Obama and Company, one shouldn't automatically assume I am a supporter of the McCain/Palin ticket.
No, that'd be a real stretch.
And if you must ask why, perhaps this Tim Dickinson, less-than-supportive look at the McCain record which appeared in The Rolling Stone in an article titled "Make-Believe Maverick" will give you a clue.
You can get a taste by reading the first page at the link above. Buy a copy or sign up as an online subscriber to see the whole article. Or, like me, visit the library to read through their copy.
Saturday, October 04, 2008
AOL Journals' Demise
It's about time.
While I have never wished ill to those who remained at AOL with their "journals" I have watched this corporate pig founder, flopping and spraying blood on the carpet of the interdweebs for far too long.
Rather than reading the writing hemorrhaged upon the wall, AOL has blithely gone on for months, years, selling its customers short and destroying a once great marque. In a 'which came first, the chicken or the egg' manner, the megalith has lost so many paying customers and short-changed its advertisers that it is a mere shadow of its former corporate greatness. Like the present fiscal crisis, it all comes down to one thing. Greed.
Easy come, easy go. Whether in the boardroom at Lehman Brothers or AOL/Time Warner the end result remains the same. Disaster.
So, to the relatively few AOL Journalers suddenly thrust out (Happy Halloween, kiddies) into the cold, cruel vacuum of cyberspace by their callous AOL overlords I say, "Welcome! Glad to see you."
I do hope you find the pain of adjustment to a new blogging platform worth the reaming you've been taking all these years from those buggers at AOL...
Missed it...
International Talk Like A Pirate Day, that is.Had my head up my nether regions, general spelunking again, I guess.
Sorry 'bout that, Chief!
And I'd found this great joke to commemorate the day, too:
So, this pirate walks into a bar with a steering wheel shoved down his pants.
The bartender looks at him and says…”You know you have a steering wheel in your pants?”
The pirate replies, “Yar! It’s drivin’ me nuts!”
Friday, October 03, 2008
Post-VP Debate
Sarah Palin really needed to make a home run but she only managed a base hit. She came off as snippy and defensive. Too well rehearsed, too many by rote answers, very little of the originality she brings to the ticket. Is she really just a figurehead? It is sure starting to look like it.
On the other hand, I think that Senator Biden was too much the apologist for the Obama agenda without really achieving the goal of showing why we should make him one heartbeat away from the Presidency.
Overall, it was a waste of time...
On the other hand, I think that Senator Biden was too much the apologist for the Obama agenda without really achieving the goal of showing why we should make him one heartbeat away from the Presidency.
Overall, it was a waste of time...
Monday, September 29, 2008
Sunday, September 28, 2008
WX: Bullet Dodged.
Kyle, you slimy blowhard. Drew a direct bead on me this morning, didn't you?
I zigged, I zagged, I cooled your jets.
Now you're withering, like the limp-dicked NASCAR driver of the same name.
So long, Kyle.
You're all bluster and pissing and moaning but when it comes down to hard realities, you AREN'T the real deal.
Just a crybaby, weeping your foot of condensate on my sopping life.
So long. Glad I missed the opportunity to meet you in person. So pleased you wimped out.
Thank goodness ... 'cause the creek, she did rise.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
CLIMATE: "Really, Really, Really, Bad News"
If, as the link above states in reference to this article is right, you might as well tell your children and grandchildren to bend over and kiss their asses goodbye. Investment in a mountain retreat in Nicaragua or Costa Rica or Venezuela might be in order, too. Only if you wish your genes to be passed down to the future generations of humanoids, though.
Why?
Because, what Alex Steffan fails to point out, what the article only subtly hints at, is the release of massive amounts of methane will likely result, along with the melting of the ice caps, in the rapid onset of a major ice age sometime in the next 50 to 100 years.
How?
The release of huge quantities of fresh water from the poles will likely result in a stagnation of the world's oceans currents, resulting in the loss of air currents, resulting in the rapid increase of clouds, resulting in sudden, radical temperature drops at the poles along with concomitant growth of glaciation across the Northern latitudes resulting in a true Ice Age of an extant not seen on this planet in 100,000 years.
What to do?
Sorry, nothing we can do at this time will reverse the current path we are on. You are merely a passenger on this ball of mud.
Why?
Because, what Alex Steffan fails to point out, what the article only subtly hints at, is the release of massive amounts of methane will likely result, along with the melting of the ice caps, in the rapid onset of a major ice age sometime in the next 50 to 100 years.
How?
The release of huge quantities of fresh water from the poles will likely result in a stagnation of the world's oceans currents, resulting in the loss of air currents, resulting in the rapid increase of clouds, resulting in sudden, radical temperature drops at the poles along with concomitant growth of glaciation across the Northern latitudes resulting in a true Ice Age of an extant not seen on this planet in 100,000 years.
What to do?
Sorry, nothing we can do at this time will reverse the current path we are on. You are merely a passenger on this ball of mud.
Who needs enemies?
One of my favorite, if infrequent bloggers is witnit. He makes a telling point with this entry on Tuesday:
Obama Supporters - With Friends Like These...
Monday, September 22, 2008
Not So Funny Obviousness
This past week has seen the public acceptance by various right and left-leaning pundits of the obviousness of a likely Obama defeat.
What!?! You didn't see anything of the sort?
I've lost track of the number of references to racism made journalists on both sides in the current presidential race. It boils down to this obvious trope:
A loss by Obama is due to racism by whites. A win by Obama is due to racism by blacks and liberals. A win by McCain is due to votes cast for "the lesser of two evils."
I have said it before publicly more than once and numerous times privately to friends and relatives. There is NO WAY that Barack Obama will be elected president. To think otherwise is pure ostrich behavior on behalf of wishful thinkers, many of whom are amongst the 62% who believe in angels.
Read my lips: Barack Obama is a black man in a white nation. Whitey is no more ready to elect a black man to the ultimate leadership role than it is ready to elect a female. Sorry Barack. Sorry Jesse (as if!). Sorry Hillary. You too, Liz (Dole). Forget it, Ms. Palin. You might become the vice-president, but I'll wager dollars to donuts that some misbegotten Aryan militia would take her out the moment an announcement is made of McCain's demise. If not sooner.
Cynical? Absolutely. Pessimistic. Yep.
Then again, most of you never thought we'd find ourselves in a prolonged depression at the hands of the Republicans and free-marketeers. Greed is as greed does and history does repeat itself when the population forgets its lessons.
You born-again Reagonites all thought it'd be a cold day in Hell before the Republicans would spend us into oblivion, didn't you? And I'll bet all you Democrats secretly thought it could never happen. Ever.
Pretty obvious to this curmudgeon -- after more than 30 years of dealing with the public and its stupidity. Too bad I didn't heed my own advice and prepare to survive. Then again, I got old without noticing when it actually happened...
Just goes to show there's no fool like an old fool.
I hope you survive the coming bad times. I don't expect to, but can hope others do.
And so it goes...
What!?! You didn't see anything of the sort?
I've lost track of the number of references to racism made journalists on both sides in the current presidential race. It boils down to this obvious trope:
A loss by Obama is due to racism by whites. A win by Obama is due to racism by blacks and liberals. A win by McCain is due to votes cast for "the lesser of two evils."
I have said it before publicly more than once and numerous times privately to friends and relatives. There is NO WAY that Barack Obama will be elected president. To think otherwise is pure ostrich behavior on behalf of wishful thinkers, many of whom are amongst the 62% who believe in angels.
Read my lips: Barack Obama is a black man in a white nation. Whitey is no more ready to elect a black man to the ultimate leadership role than it is ready to elect a female. Sorry Barack. Sorry Jesse (as if!). Sorry Hillary. You too, Liz (Dole). Forget it, Ms. Palin. You might become the vice-president, but I'll wager dollars to donuts that some misbegotten Aryan militia would take her out the moment an announcement is made of McCain's demise. If not sooner.
Cynical? Absolutely. Pessimistic. Yep.
Then again, most of you never thought we'd find ourselves in a prolonged depression at the hands of the Republicans and free-marketeers. Greed is as greed does and history does repeat itself when the population forgets its lessons.
You born-again Reagonites all thought it'd be a cold day in Hell before the Republicans would spend us into oblivion, didn't you? And I'll bet all you Democrats secretly thought it could never happen. Ever.
Pretty obvious to this curmudgeon -- after more than 30 years of dealing with the public and its stupidity. Too bad I didn't heed my own advice and prepare to survive. Then again, I got old without noticing when it actually happened...
Just goes to show there's no fool like an old fool.
I hope you survive the coming bad times. I don't expect to, but can hope others do.
And so it goes...
Seattle Post Intelligencer
Is Everyone A Little Bit Racist?
Town Hall, DC - 3 hours ago
In other words, they claimed that voter racism alone could cost Barack Obama the election. Certainly, the meme perfectly encapsulates elite views on the ...
Video: Poll: Race Steers Some Dems Away From Obama AssociatedPress
all 985 news articles »
Rush Limbaugh on Obama's Controversial Political Ad, McCain, Palin ...
FOXNews - 6 hours ago
What I mean by that is specifically that Obama is stoking racism himself via his campaign ads. Spanish-language-only ads in four states, including Florida, ...
Barack Obama plays the 'incognegro'
Mail & Guardian Online, South Africa - 12 hours ago
The question over the next two months is: will there be an Obama effect? And if so will it end like Wilder, in victory; or like Bradley, in defeat? ...
Thomas Elias: Obama and the Bradley factor Long Beach Press-Telegram
all 5 news articles »
Andy Martin calls Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times a bigot ...
PR-Inside.com (Pressemitteilung), Austria - 9 hours ago
BarnesandNoble.com URGENT APPEAL: The Committee of One Million to Defeat Barack Obama is raising money to fight Barack Obama. ...
alt.muslim
“It’s not true that [we don’t] want to be associated with Muslims”
alt.muslim - 7 hours ago
Again, there is unfortunately still some racism. But there’sa lot less than it used to be. And I think the rise of Barack Obama is really the rise of a new ...
Was The AP Racism Poll Inspired By Karl Rove?
Black Star News, NY - Sep 20, 2008
McCain's phenomenal defeat in 2000 when the Bush team claimed he had fathered a Black daughter? You never know what nuggets congressional investigators will ...
Dueling Narratives of America
American Spectator - 13 hours ago
Or conversely, would his defeat mean that America has reverted to being a racist society? I DON'T THINK this is the main issue in the election. ...
Why This Election is So Close
Huffington Post, NY - Sep 19, 2008
Efforts to explain Gore's defeat and Obama's failure to break this race open, particularly among frustrated progressives-a group to which I also belong, ...
RushLimbaugh.com (subscription)
Democrats Panic, Blame Racism
RushLimbaugh.com (subscription), CA - Sep 17, 2008
TIME Magazine says the word "flashy" is code word for racist when you talk about Obama being flashy. CALLER: You know, one thing I want to go ahead and ...
LIMBAUGH CONTEXT.
Tapped, DC - Sep 19, 2008
Limbaugh complains now that it's a presidential election, but he had no problem "stoking racism" when he was trying to defeat the immigration bill. ...
Humor: Obama to Nation: “Fuck this shit, I’m outta here”
Too funny! Do check out this entry at Pancake City.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Urge For Going
"I get the urge for going
When the meadow grass is turning brown
Summertime is falling down and winter is closing in..."
by Joni Mitchell Copyright © 1966; Siquomb Publishing Company
This morning saw a dawn temperature of 31¤F. I had to leave water on at a drip in the Airstream to keep the line from freezing. Left a heater going in there last night, in anticipation of the frost. Scraped frost off the rear window of the car in passing as I walked the dogs.
That's the final 'warning shot across the bow' -- the next one will be in earnest. Do I winterize the trailer now (safest) or do I wait in anticipation of getting in a few weekends of leisure before hitting the road? Hmmm...
For hit the road I must. Kerosene is already at $4.499 and really has nowhere to go but up. The last time I heated for a full winter in Maine the same fuel started at $1.599 and finished at $1.999 and we spent nearly twenty-five hundred dollars to heat four rooms to 60¤ and the cellar to just above the freezing point (most of the time).
I know we aren't alone in confronting this issue. Approximately 48% of Mainers are contemplating heating costs in excess of $5000 with a median income of under $21,000 for a family of four, while staggering under the burden of the highest taxes in the nation (income, sales and use and property taxes combined). An awful lot of families will confront hard choices this winter.
Do I feed the kids or keep them from freezing to death, hungry and penniless?
Or, if you prefer, my choice... Do I heat my home or take insulin and the other $750 per month of drugs prescribed, all of which my doctor assures me I need to continue to live?
Well, in my case, I have an option that few in this country have. I can go South for the winter, work as a box boy at the local Wal-Mart to buy groceries, and return to Maine in Summer to avoid the $500 per month air conditioning bill in the South. Big expense is gasoline to haul my portable home behind me. It is still cheaper to spend $2000 on gas each way than it is to stay here this winter.
I hate to leave - but leave I must. The first snowflake isn't far away now. The leaves are turning, the Snow Geese have already flown through, as I saw them a week ago Sunday gleaning a neighbor's hay field. I guess they got the urge for going a little early this year. Bodes poorly for this winter, doesn't it?
So I have the urge for going today. Thinking about all that needs doing before I can leave. Hoping I can get out of here before serious cold commences to chilling the life right out of the region...
Friday, September 12, 2008
Humor: Bobbitt Family Update
|
|
I Hate Ike...
Track Ike here
Much like the first campaign slogan to lodge in my awareness, the hurricanes of my youth are etched forever in memory. Sadly, my family and friends in Texas and Louisiana are about to be visited by one of the nightmares of my youth as Hurricane Ike grows to be the largest, most powerful storm to strike the Texas/Louisiana coastline in living memory.
No shit. I predict the impacts of Ike will far exceed the damages and death toll of Katrina. This is a bad one, folks. If you are a rational, caring human, start making your contributions to the American Red Cross. If you are a misanthrope, as I tend to be, consider supporting the rescue efforts to save the animals by supporting either the ASPCA's Disaster Response Team or the Noah's Wish Disaster Response Fund, if you do not wish to support the political activities of the ASPCA (I don't).
If you are one of the misbegotten mired in religion, do pray to your deity of choice for the lives of all who find themselves in the path of Ike or it's spawn. Then show where your true faith lies and dig out your checkbook and help like a rational, caring human, simply because it is the right thing to do.
If you are in the affected area, turn off the computer and hunker down -- it's going to be a rough one.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
A MUST-READ: The Pink Gorilla Suit
With a tip of the fedora in admiration of LawDog's mad story-telling skills (skilz):
And then the magnitude of the sheer depravity that local law enforcement was capable of hit Usual Suspect #3.
"... OhmyGawdohmyGawdohmyGawd," she gasped, bouncing up-and-down like a demented jack-in-the-box ...
"... Nonono,youdonunnerstand,nonono!" She took a deep breath, her expression one commonly seen upon the countenance of saints who have just beheld the vilest depths of the utter darkness of the human soul ...
"THEY."
"SKINNED."
"PINKY!!"
Image for illustrative purposes only and is the property of Buy Costumes dot Com, a great source for all of your costume needs.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Old Fogey Music Alert!
So you miss the songs of your youth or those of your folks? Born in the 1920's or '30's? Then you'll find this 78 RPM to MP3 music site of real interest. No Beatles here, but Guy Lombardo and George Gershwin, Rudy Vallee and early Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie and Fats Waller - they're here, too. It is a treasure trove of classics and they're available here at 78 Records, the brainchild of Cliff Bolling. You can read about what inspired him to post some 3,739 titles on this page linked to mp3's, here.
Make sure to bookmark the site -- it is worth visiting again and again. A real eye-opener for our children and grandchildren offering an unexpurgated view of our musical past in the first half of the Twentieth Century.
Make sure to bookmark the site -- it is worth visiting again and again. A real eye-opener for our children and grandchildren offering an unexpurgated view of our musical past in the first half of the Twentieth Century.
Monday, August 11, 2008
All Washed Up?
I'm going through a dry spell while she's on fire:
Sure am glad there's people who can still write out there.
Anyone got a big towel?
Memo to Michelle Obama and Cindy McCain
Sure am glad there's people who can still write out there.
Anyone got a big towel?
Thursday, August 07, 2008
Another Month
30 days gone by.
28 days without a computer,.
The hard drive in the desktop took a fatal dive some time the night of 8 July, eating the file allocation table and essentially destroying all of the data on the drive. So-called "restore disks" were useless at restoring anything and also, to add insult to injury, unable to transfer Windoze onto the replacement hard drive.
Disgusting.
Broke down, finally, and bought a new lap top. I figure that will be more useful while we're on the road than a desktop sitting at home.
Last thing I needed was to have to spend money on a new computer. But, I did. It's done.
So that is my explation as to why I haven't posted in a month. During that time, life has gone on. Weather here has been WET. Mildew and mold counts are "wicked high" as they say in the local parlance. Breath is a constant issue as a result. Definitely not swimming weather, that's for sure.
Finally fixed the phone line -- so, if you have been trying to call, no more busy signal. Yay!
The Mrs. has been having chest pains for a while now. Had a "cardiac catheterization" yesterday which reveals no blockages. Good news, indeed, but leaves the mystery of the cause of her chest pain unresolved.
I read a very interesting blog entry from a liberal experiencing the empowering strength that comes from singing the national anthem. Go over and give NZforme's thoughts a gander. I may not agree with her politics, but I have admired her writing for almost five years. I think you'll admire this entry, too.
28 days without a computer,.
The hard drive in the desktop took a fatal dive some time the night of 8 July, eating the file allocation table and essentially destroying all of the data on the drive. So-called "restore disks" were useless at restoring anything and also, to add insult to injury, unable to transfer Windoze onto the replacement hard drive.
Disgusting.
Broke down, finally, and bought a new lap top. I figure that will be more useful while we're on the road than a desktop sitting at home.
Last thing I needed was to have to spend money on a new computer. But, I did. It's done.
So that is my explation as to why I haven't posted in a month. During that time, life has gone on. Weather here has been WET. Mildew and mold counts are "wicked high" as they say in the local parlance. Breath is a constant issue as a result. Definitely not swimming weather, that's for sure.
Finally fixed the phone line -- so, if you have been trying to call, no more busy signal. Yay!
The Mrs. has been having chest pains for a while now. Had a "cardiac catheterization" yesterday which reveals no blockages. Good news, indeed, but leaves the mystery of the cause of her chest pain unresolved.
I read a very interesting blog entry from a liberal experiencing the empowering strength that comes from singing the national anthem. Go over and give NZforme's thoughts a gander. I may not agree with her politics, but I have admired her writing for almost five years. I think you'll admire this entry, too.
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Flying Spaghetti Monster Strikes Again: Famous Last Words
Special thanks to Rudis Muiznieks, the author/creator of "Cectic - the user manual for your brain" comic strip and his use of the Creative Commons Copyright License
Friday, July 04, 2008
Friday Fill-Ins #79
Well, here is an old favorite of mine - the Friday Fill-in! Now that I have some semblance of reliable Internet access without paying $5 a night, I might start playing these more often.
1. Holidays in the summer are _wonderful times to get together with friends_.
2. _Steaks___ are my favorite things to grill.
3. My thoughts are _swirling like a kaleidoscope_.
4. _Watermelon_ is what I'm most looking forward to this weekend!
5. My favorite book so far this summer is _yet to be determined_.
6. _Vigorous sex_ is the best way to begin a day.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to _sleep_, tomorrow my plans include _lawncare_ and Sunday, I want to _go kayaking_!
1. Holidays in the summer are _wonderful times to get together with friends_.
2. _Steaks___ are my favorite things to grill.
3. My thoughts are _swirling like a kaleidoscope_.
4. _Watermelon_ is what I'm most looking forward to this weekend!
5. My favorite book so far this summer is _yet to be determined_.
6. _Vigorous sex_ is the best way to begin a day.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to _sleep_, tomorrow my plans include _lawncare_ and Sunday, I want to _go kayaking_!
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Home again, home again, jiggity jig...
We pulled in last Thursday evening late, almost seven months late, in fact.
The house was still here - mouldering away from massive roof leaks caused by the lack of heat all winter allowing ice to tear off the 30 year-old shingles all over the North side.
The lawn is no longer in evidence. Instead, a wild meadow of chest-high grasses and sedges hold sway over an understory of all the noxious weeds you can imagine.
The feral cat population was not in evidence, unless you count a gregarious tortoise shell yearling and an orange ghost that was the yearling's only kitten last fall. The other dozen either departed for warmer environs or met an automobile at an inopportune time. All of which concerned the new, gung-ho animal control officer who disturbed my Sunday nap no small amount.
The local electric monopoly refuses to provide power over to camp until a new pole is installed (+/- a grand) to replace the one snapped off at the base by winter winds. The lawn there is knee high, but so many limbs and leaves that mowing is presently impossible. The roof lost a tarp that was covering an area stripped of shingles (remember, we were going to be gone for two weeks with maybe an additional week in travel). Inside is a ruined ceiling and wall very reminiscent of the interior of many of the homes in New Orleans post-Katrina.
No job prospects. Fuel oil estimated to be over $4.00 a gallon this fall.
Heading South is looking better all the time...
The house was still here - mouldering away from massive roof leaks caused by the lack of heat all winter allowing ice to tear off the 30 year-old shingles all over the North side.
The lawn is no longer in evidence. Instead, a wild meadow of chest-high grasses and sedges hold sway over an understory of all the noxious weeds you can imagine.
The feral cat population was not in evidence, unless you count a gregarious tortoise shell yearling and an orange ghost that was the yearling's only kitten last fall. The other dozen either departed for warmer environs or met an automobile at an inopportune time. All of which concerned the new, gung-ho animal control officer who disturbed my Sunday nap no small amount.
The local electric monopoly refuses to provide power over to camp until a new pole is installed (+/- a grand) to replace the one snapped off at the base by winter winds. The lawn there is knee high, but so many limbs and leaves that mowing is presently impossible. The roof lost a tarp that was covering an area stripped of shingles (remember, we were going to be gone for two weeks with maybe an additional week in travel). Inside is a ruined ceiling and wall very reminiscent of the interior of many of the homes in New Orleans post-Katrina.
No job prospects. Fuel oil estimated to be over $4.00 a gallon this fall.
Heading South is looking better all the time...
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Oh No, Mr. Bill ... Say It Isn't So!!!
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The Air Conditioner on the trailer died this morning. Now a balmy 99 degrees - the highest our thermometer in there goes to. Outside ... it was 97° F in the shade at 3:00 PM.
Monday, June 09, 2008
Delayed Departure...
These tornadoes and severe thunderstorms sure are exciting.
Uncle had a mild MI on Friday and is in hospital as a result. Departure is delayed for the time being. Besides, it's bloody hot, mates. Wouldn't do to breakdown along the BOS-WASH corridor with temps hovering near 100 degrees F. I've had my fill of being blown off by trucks traveling at 70+ MPH on I-95 while I try to figure out what has failed this time. Sleeping in a junkyard inhabited by giant rats has lost all appeal. Fun once, but I'll pass on the repeat.
Stay cool if you can. It's 95 here, according to NOAA, and the forecast reads:
Uncle had a mild MI on Friday and is in hospital as a result. Departure is delayed for the time being. Besides, it's bloody hot, mates. Wouldn't do to breakdown along the BOS-WASH corridor with temps hovering near 100 degrees F. I've had my fill of being blown off by trucks traveling at 70+ MPH on I-95 while I try to figure out what has failed this time. Sleeping in a junkyard inhabited by giant rats has lost all appeal. Fun once, but I'll pass on the repeat.
Stay cool if you can. It's 95 here, according to NOAA, and the forecast reads:
"This Afternoon: Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 98. Heat index values as high as 103."
Thursday, June 05, 2008
The rumors of our deaths are greatly...
I got an email today from some broker wanting to buy the title to this blog!
Humph ... just because you don't post for a while they think you've rolled over to the grave or buffet or something.
"I'll be back" -- wasn't that the exit line from some toupee scandal on the Wide, Wide World of Sports in the '80's?
Currently in Maryland at the home of the Ancient Mariner. Expect to return to Maine about the time the forest fire threat returns to "Low" if the weather forecasts are accurate. Am busy installing electric motors on tricycles and seats in canoes. Iggy the annoying puppy is thriving and already tips the scales at over 10 pounds! He consumes most of my spare time.
Many things to relate but a lack of easy interweb access (all the wireless routers in the neighborhood are locked, damn it!) and canine-induced exhaustion results in no news from dull boys.
Suffice it to say, I may be slipping ever closer to the precipice of mortality. But I ain't tripped over the edge quite yet. Despite dodging killer tornados and aligators and land sharks with a predilection for shins and fingers.
By the way, I miss you all, too.
Humph ... just because you don't post for a while they think you've rolled over to the grave or buffet or something.
"I'll be back" -- wasn't that the exit line from some toupee scandal on the Wide, Wide World of Sports in the '80's?
Currently in Maryland at the home of the Ancient Mariner. Expect to return to Maine about the time the forest fire threat returns to "Low" if the weather forecasts are accurate. Am busy installing electric motors on tricycles and seats in canoes. Iggy the annoying puppy is thriving and already tips the scales at over 10 pounds! He consumes most of my spare time.
Many things to relate but a lack of easy interweb access (all the wireless routers in the neighborhood are locked, damn it!) and canine-induced exhaustion results in no news from dull boys.
Suffice it to say, I may be slipping ever closer to the precipice of mortality. But I ain't tripped over the edge quite yet. Despite dodging killer tornados and aligators and land sharks with a predilection for shins and fingers.
By the way, I miss you all, too.
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Wednesday Mind Hump: Movies
Rfduck announced this week's WMH in this fashion:
1. What is the last movie you watched?
I watched The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising with some of the grandkids just the other night.
2. Give us a brief review and tell us how you liked it.
An American-made movie set in England and shot in Romainia, TS:TDIR is a formulaic kids film pitting good vs. evil, light vs. dark with the forces of good and light triumphing in the end. While it is eminently watchable, it is neither enlightening nor very entertaining. The writing is hackneyed and several of the performances are stilted. I'd give it a pass unless you are into things of this nature.
3. Which of the movie's actors or actresses do you like best?
Easiest on the eyes is Amelia Warner playing Maggie Barnes. Not many lines, but cute.
4. Tell us the name of a movie that you haven't seen, but really should.
I really should rent the 2006 drama thriller The Departed with Jack Nicholson and Leonardo DiCaprio.
"The Seeker" trailer on YouTube
"Greetings! Here we are again, mind humping. Once again, I have no good theme, so we'll talk about movies."
1. What is the last movie you watched?
I watched The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising with some of the grandkids just the other night.
2. Give us a brief review and tell us how you liked it.
An American-made movie set in England and shot in Romainia, TS:TDIR is a formulaic kids film pitting good vs. evil, light vs. dark with the forces of good and light triumphing in the end. While it is eminently watchable, it is neither enlightening nor very entertaining. The writing is hackneyed and several of the performances are stilted. I'd give it a pass unless you are into things of this nature.
3. Which of the movie's actors or actresses do you like best?
Easiest on the eyes is Amelia Warner playing Maggie Barnes. Not many lines, but cute.
4. Tell us the name of a movie that you haven't seen, but really should.
I really should rent the 2006 drama thriller The Departed with Jack Nicholson and Leonardo DiCaprio.
"The Seeker" trailer on YouTube
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Cohen, More Cohen & Hmmmm...
Rfduck greeted the new day thusly, "Hello everyone! I don't like today's theme, so we'll do Friday's. Friday was Vitamin C day."
1. What is your favorite band or artist whose name starts with the letter C?
Leonard Cohen
2. What is your favorite song that starts with the letter C?
Closing Time by the aforementioned L.C. as seen on Youtube
3. What is your favorite album that starts with the letter C?
My, my, this one is tough. Conservatively, I have near to a thousand albums in my collection, most on vinyl. Nope, while many have accused me of being an asshole, few (except my wife) would ever accuse me of being anal. So no, the albums are neither cataloged nor indexed and they aren't arranged alphabetically, either. Hence the dilemma - I am hard-pressed at the moment, to name even one album beginning with the letter "c".
Hmmmm...
1. What is your favorite band or artist whose name starts with the letter C?
Leonard Cohen
2. What is your favorite song that starts with the letter C?
Closing Time by the aforementioned L.C. as seen on Youtube
3. What is your favorite album that starts with the letter C?
My, my, this one is tough. Conservatively, I have near to a thousand albums in my collection, most on vinyl. Nope, while many have accused me of being an asshole, few (except my wife) would ever accuse me of being anal. So no, the albums are neither cataloged nor indexed and they aren't arranged alphabetically, either. Hence the dilemma - I am hard-pressed at the moment, to name even one album beginning with the letter "c".
Hmmmm...
| Cohen Live | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | |||||
| Live album by Leonard Cohen | |||||
| Released | 1994 | ||||
| Recorded | 1988, 1993 | ||||
| Genre | Folk-rock | ||||
| Length | 71:50 | ||||
| Label | Sony | ||||
| Leonard Cohen chronology | |||||
| |||||
Cohen Live is a live album by Leonard Cohen released in 1994.
The songs were recorded live in 1988 and 1993.
Track listing
- "Dance Me to the End of Love" (Toronto, June 17, 1993)
- "Bird on the Wire" (Toronto, June 17, 1993)
- "Everybody Knows" (Vancouver, June 29, 1993)
- "Joan of Arc" (Toronto, June 17, 1993)
- "There Is a War" (Toronto, June 17, 1993)
- "Sisters of Mercy" (Toronto, June 18, 1993)
- "Hallelujah" (Austin, October 31, 1988)
- "I'm Your Man" (Toronto, June 17, 1993)
- "Who by Fire?" (Austin, October 31, 1988)
- "One of Us Cannot Be Wrong" (San Sebastian, May 20, 1988)
- "If It Be Your Will" (Austin, October 31, 1988)
- "Heart With No Companion" (Amsterdam, April 19, 1988)
- "Suzanne" (Vancouver, June 29, 1993)
Friday, April 04, 2008
Is that a Strat in your pants or...?
Police look for man who hid Fender Stratocaster in his pants
I've heard of getting close to your axe, but that's ridiculous.
Wal-Mart, Go Subrogate!
Subrogation: What It Is and How It Works
From CNN:Brain-damaged woman at center of Wal-Mart suit -
By Randi Kaye JACKSON, Missouri (CNN) -- Debbie Shank breaks down in tears every time she's told that her 18-year-old son, Jeremy, was killed in Iraq. ...
I got this in email from a very vocal opponent of the incursion of Wal-Mart into Canada so I was a wee bit skeptical. Here's what he sent me:
Hey,So, I went hunting for some background information and found this Wall Street Journal story from November, 2007 http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB119551952474798582.html
I wanted to tell you about this story. I just wrote a note to the Shank family and to Wal-Mart -- please take a minute to do the same.
Debbie Shank used to stock shelves at night for Wal-Mart. Now she owes Wal-Mart almost $500,000.
The 52 year-old Missouri Wal-Mart employee was left “brain damaged, disabled and penniless” from a car accident seven years ago. But when the Shank family received a settlement from the driver at fault, Wal-Mart demanded reimbursement for every cent they had paid for Deborah’s medical bills – plus interest and legal fees.
On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear Debbie Shank’s case, leaving her family no choice but to pay Wal-Mart $470,000. Now her family doesn’t know how they’re going to be able to afford Debbie’s nursing home bills.
Wal-Mart’s lawyers may be following the law, but they certainly aren’t following their hearts. Tell Wal-Mart to make the moral choice and help Debbie Shank:
http://action.walmartwatch.com/DebbieShank
A few months ago, Wal-Mart Watch took up a collection fund to help the Shank family. But now that Wal-Mart is stripping Debbie Shank of her settlement, any funds we raise could end up in Wal-Mart’s hands.
The best way we can help Debbie Shank now is to make sure as many people as possible hear her story. For a company that relies on an image of happy employees, this is just the sort of story Wal-Mart wants to disappear.
As we’ve said before, the Shanks aren’t gold-diggers. They’re a family living most people’s worst nightmare – and Wal-Mart is only making it worse.
Debbie’s husband, Jim, told reporters:
"She's 52 and she's going to live a life in a nursing home. I just got a call today from the head nurse, and (Debbie) hasn't eaten in a couple days and she's talking about wanting to die," Shank said. "It makes the visits hard."
… "Be a human being; don't be a corporation," Shank said, "for the sake of one lady who is going to be miserable for the rest of her life. Take your victory. Let us pay some bills and get some quality of life."
Tell Wal-Mart that the Shank family has paid enough. Sign our petition – and forward it to your loved ones:
http://action.walmartwatch.com/DebbieShank
Thank you for helping Debbie Shank.
Now, I am confused. On the one hand, I empathize with Mrs. Skank and her family. On the other, I understand far better what the issues were for Wal-Mart and why they felt they had to pursue subrogation. So I guess we're left with little choice but to smear a corporate giant through blog articles like this one.
UPDATE: Wal-Mart has decided that Mrs. Shank is a public relations nightmare; reverses their previous demands for repayment under the subrogation clause...
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Oops - Almost Forgot
Here's the new addition. Nine weeks old, purebred Schipperkke (pronounced Skipper-key) who sometimes responds to the moniker "Ignatz McGraw" but most of the time comes (if it is convenient) to the callname of "Iggy"...
Little wonder I haven't found the time to update here lately. I need to have my head examined - there's barely enough room in this 25' aluminum tube for my wife and I and an occasional guest, let alone a hyperactive peeing and pooping machine.
Little wonder I haven't found the time to update here lately. I need to have my head examined - there's barely enough room in this 25' aluminum tube for my wife and I and an occasional guest, let alone a hyperactive peeing and pooping machine.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Fly like an Eagle
My sincere apologies for the unexplained absence. I and my wife are fine, given our limitations and my advancing decrepitude...
My last post caused dissension in the ranks and resulted in some hurt feelings, so I've taken a blog vacation for six weeks or so. In that period, I made a trip to Maine to register the truck and get some new plates – Maine being one of the few places in the country that doesn't have a thriving business in “brokers” who do such things for you. Seems they want you to appear in person to accomplish such a task. Who'd a thunk it?
Tried to go for a camping trip down to Grand Isle, Louisiana, after I got back but had another blowout (other side) of the trailer. This time it was due to an object about an inch in diameter that blew the tire on I-310 outside New Orleans. That ate two days of beautiful weather getting new tires and having all of the wheel studs and wheel nuts replaced. Why? To restore some peace of mind and satisfy the powers that be at the Northern Maine AAA office who were making noises about dropping us due to the stripped wheel studs that were found when the local AAA wrecker came to swap out my blown tire for the spare. At least this time I managed to stop before the tire's tread turned into a strip of trailer-destroying rubber and steel mace. The camping trip was a dud due to gale force winds blowing in from the Gulf of Mexico the entire time we were there. While more-or-less temperate, beach walks were more like a walk through a sandblast booth at a shipyard. Cooking out on the grill would have resulted in Barbecued Steak Sandies... A shame, really, as it is a beautiful place and home to great surf fishing and bird watching, when they aren't being blown sideways across the beach; the birds, that is.
So, back to Baton Rouge we went and that's where I am writing from today. Hope to take off in a few days for parts East and/or South for a little camping before the return to the great frozen North. No sense in going back now when there is still about six weeks of serious winter to get through up there before Jack Frost releases his gnarly grip in favor of the sleet infested grayness we call Spring in Maine.
Oh, while I'm thinking about it, the “Eagle Cam” is back in operation for another season. Not much to see yet (as they just got 16 inches of snow and it's around zero tonight up there). That means the loon cam, also run by the same folks, shoul be going active as soon as the ice is out - say 4 to 5 weeks from now.
Other news will have to wait and there is a bit of news – there's been a new addition to our traveling band of snow bunnies. Details to follow later.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
If it weren't for bad luck...
Greetings a salutations, ladies and germs. Your fetid reporter has been to the hell of the frozen north and back on a long, crowded pestilent tube with flu sufferers, cold sharing infants and someone who distinctly gave all indications that he was attempting to revive the bubonic plague (fortunately, I've had those shots).
Maine in winter sucks. This is my conclusion after a ten-day stint at home with no running water (frozen) desperately trying to satisfy the gnomes at the DMV that our paperwork was in order and that everything was legit. Took expensive days of sending forms back and forth via Fedex while I essentially counted the snowflakes in each exhalation at home, only to return the next day to discover a new requirement had popped up. To add more insults to the injuries administered my psyche by the good women at the counters and booths of my home away from home this trip, the elves and fairies at Delta Airlines decided it was going to cost five times the original cost of the round-trip ticket to change my reservation from last Saturday morning to this past Tuesday morning. "
"No way, Joselina. Just a cotton-picking minute," I blurted. She looked at me over her reading glasses, perched fetchingly on the wart at the end of her nose. Or was it a cold sore?
"Is there a problem, Sir?"
"Impending insolvency is the problem, m'dear. There's no way in Hell I can pay over a grand to change the date to a later one when the ticket only cost one fifth that amount in the first place. Please get me your supervisor."
After disappearing in back for a bit, the clerk returns with an older woman (my age) who asks me what the problem is? After explaining events that led to this point, I suggested she provide me with an override. She started to object when I asked her to punch in a 10 digit code. It was like night and day. All pretense at difficulties or non-cooperation was gone...
What really happened was I had to spend another 20 minutes arguing to get them to find me the lowest bump code fare possible. Which is how I found myself flying back to Louisiana on puddle jumpers on Valentine's day.
Maine in winter sucks. This is my conclusion after a ten-day stint at home with no running water (frozen) desperately trying to satisfy the gnomes at the DMV that our paperwork was in order and that everything was legit. Took expensive days of sending forms back and forth via Fedex while I essentially counted the snowflakes in each exhalation at home, only to return the next day to discover a new requirement had popped up. To add more insults to the injuries administered my psyche by the good women at the counters and booths of my home away from home this trip, the elves and fairies at Delta Airlines decided it was going to cost five times the original cost of the round-trip ticket to change my reservation from last Saturday morning to this past Tuesday morning. "
"No way, Joselina. Just a cotton-picking minute," I blurted. She looked at me over her reading glasses, perched fetchingly on the wart at the end of her nose. Or was it a cold sore?
"Is there a problem, Sir?"
"Impending insolvency is the problem, m'dear. There's no way in Hell I can pay over a grand to change the date to a later one when the ticket only cost one fifth that amount in the first place. Please get me your supervisor."
After disappearing in back for a bit, the clerk returns with an older woman (my age) who asks me what the problem is? After explaining events that led to this point, I suggested she provide me with an override. She started to object when I asked her to punch in a 10 digit code. It was like night and day. All pretense at difficulties or non-cooperation was gone...
What really happened was I had to spend another 20 minutes arguing to get them to find me the lowest bump code fare possible. Which is how I found myself flying back to Louisiana on puddle jumpers on Valentine's day.
And that was where I left this entry - it was never finished. I'm not going to polish it up now, but thought you'd enjoy reading it.
Monday, January 28, 2008
MEME: Monday Music Mambo -- Let It Snow...
Rfduck, chief Drake at this here 'Monday Music Mambo' pond, lets fly a cold, wet one, thusly:
1. They say every snowflake is unique. Name a musician who you think is unique and sounds like no one else.
Joe Cocker isn't going to EVER be mistaken for any one else when singing. There are some others that come close, but his unique combination of voice, inflection and phrasing makes a song his own.
2. Snowfall covers everything in sight. Tell us about a cover song you enjoy.
If you've read this blog any length of time, you should be able to predict these answers, ;) Make mine Suzanne, written by Leonard Cohen and covered by just about everybody at one time in their musical careers.
3. It snows a lot in Canada. Tell us your favorite Canadian musician.
My absolute favorite is the aforementioned Leonard Cohen, but Gordon Lightfoot and Joni Mitchell are tied for second place.
4. Watching the snow fall can be very peaceful. Name a song that brings you peace.
Lots of songs do, depending on my mood and blood pressure and glucose level...
How about Gordon Lightfoot's "Early Morning Rain"?
Speaking of rain, we've been having rainy weather here in Cajun Country, about 3" worth last week alone. The rivers, streams and bayous are all lush with moisture. There was a real toad-strangler on Saturday night that caused the horses to seek shelter next to the trailer in a little lean-to off the back of the shed where I park the "Busted Moose" at night. They were rather rambunctious in their enthusiasm to make life absolutely miserable for the usual occupant of the lean-to -- a big tom turkey the owner bought one year as a poult to fatten for Thanksgiving but then couldn't bear to kill. Seems his 60+ pound carcass was not appreciated underfoot by the horses, so they kicked at him and kicked until he lamely stood out in the rain. Poor old bird - he's all bruised up and was so bedraggled when I saw him Sunday...
I've been sick the past week with pinkeye and now what I suspect is strep throat. Damn snotty-nosed kids are walking Petri dishes and the cultures they're festering gore just love yours truly. I've been sicker since coming down here in November more than the past four years combined. To add insult to injury, the baby is over his pinkeye, while mine persists and we came down with it only a day apart.
There's been some cold weather, too, with snow falling over much of the northern half of Louisiana for a time last week. We had sleet one night here just as we were headed from the house to our trailer for the night. And we've been going through LP gas bottles at a steady clip. Fortunately, there's a good hardware store nearby that refills them.
My wife's work is decidedly unhappy that she needs more time to recover from what ails her and has put her on unpaid leave. Oh joy, we get to COBRA our health insurance for the next couple of months, to the tune of a couple of grand a month. Sadly, going without isn't an option, as I'd never be able to get full coverage insurance again, nor would she. Hell of a racket, the health industry and health insurance.
The repairs seem to be holding up, with a minor exception of a piece of trim that succumbed to the toe of my slipper the first night. Still too sick to pick up our stuff at the daughter's as her son had eye surgery in December and has a weakened immune system - so my approach with conjunctivitis onboard is a no-no. I'd really like to hit the road and see someplace that doesn't involve SNK's.* I'm tired of sitting in one place, dependent on family and subject to all these diseases.
Heard from the Pet Spa at home. The Cats are doing wonderfully, eating like the wee piglets they are and running up a tab that will require taking out a second mortgage when we get back. The phone at the house has gone berserk and is issuing a constant busy signal, but our neighbors assure us no one is at home.
Oh well, it still beats shoveling snow... Hope you enjoyed your snow, Russ.
SNK = Snotty-nosed kids
Monday, January 21, 2008
Monday Music Mambo -- Hug A Snake Day
RFDuck extracted his beak from his rain slicker long enough to mutter, " Sorry the mambo is up late! Today is National Hugging Day."
"Name three musicians you want to hug, and one you don't want to hug."
"That's all for today. Thanks for mamboing!"
- Leonard Cohen - For the hours of pleasure he's given me (that sounds SO WRONG).
- Bob Dylan -- For the years of listening pleasure he's given the denizens of this mud ball...
- Melanie -- Just because she is.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Brrr.... It's Almost Cold (And the promised update)
Blew a gale here on Saturday morning. Picked up 2 1/2" of rain with the heavy winds. Interesting driving -- seems like it never occurred to the local road builders to crown the pavement sufficiently to allow drainage from the inevitable ruts created by the heavy traffic, particularly on the concrete roads so prevalent here. Some really impressive hydro-planing results. Fun ... not.
Cleared out about mid-morning and started getting colder. Hit a low of 29 overnight. Ground surface still too warm to freeze, but standing water puddles froze with skim ice - some Louisianians are now convinced that global warming is a myth cooked up by freezing Yankees to extract oil price concessions from Southern refineries. (Not so - we all want cheaper gas!)
Back up to the low 30's after the sun came up, but I'm sure the damage was done - muy mucho frozen and/or busted pipes. Stopped by the Flea Market of Louisiana (no link available) yesterday afternoon and the venders were absolutely miserable. We ended up having to put the kids back in the van after 20 minutes -- they were approaching hypothermia.
So far, the repairs are satisfactory, so I'd give the RV Service Center (new name on Jan. 1st - formerly Family RV Center, LLC) of Walker, Louisiana, a qualified 3 out of 5 stars. The repairs were performed in a workmanlike manner. They used factory manufactured parts whenever possible. The quality of the part(s) manufactured on-site is fair to good (they really aren't skilled cabinet makers). The negatives have to do with failed promises and unrealistic estimates of what the work entailed, resulting in having to request supplemental funds for the work done from the insurance company. (My cost remained the same. If there hadn't been an insurance company footing the bill, I suspect the results would not have been as satisfactory -- an additional 10 days and over a thousand dollars above the original estimate for nearly double the amount of labor originally estimated. And then there's the cost of motels for an additional 10 days over the original 4 working day estimate, some of which is attributable to weekends and sickness of the employee doing the cabinetry. Still, it means an additional grand in motel and food costs and the possible loss of my wife's job due to the likely miss of a mandatory return-to-work date. All collateral consequences of the delays in completion of the job.)
Cleared out about mid-morning and started getting colder. Hit a low of 29 overnight. Ground surface still too warm to freeze, but standing water puddles froze with skim ice - some Louisianians are now convinced that global warming is a myth cooked up by freezing Yankees to extract oil price concessions from Southern refineries. (Not so - we all want cheaper gas!)
Back up to the low 30's after the sun came up, but I'm sure the damage was done - muy mucho frozen and/or busted pipes. Stopped by the Flea Market of Louisiana (no link available) yesterday afternoon and the venders were absolutely miserable. We ended up having to put the kids back in the van after 20 minutes -- they were approaching hypothermia.
So far, the repairs are satisfactory, so I'd give the RV Service Center (new name on Jan. 1st - formerly Family RV Center, LLC) of Walker, Louisiana, a qualified 3 out of 5 stars. The repairs were performed in a workmanlike manner. They used factory manufactured parts whenever possible. The quality of the part(s) manufactured on-site is fair to good (they really aren't skilled cabinet makers). The negatives have to do with failed promises and unrealistic estimates of what the work entailed, resulting in having to request supplemental funds for the work done from the insurance company. (My cost remained the same. If there hadn't been an insurance company footing the bill, I suspect the results would not have been as satisfactory -- an additional 10 days and over a thousand dollars above the original estimate for nearly double the amount of labor originally estimated. And then there's the cost of motels for an additional 10 days over the original 4 working day estimate, some of which is attributable to weekends and sickness of the employee doing the cabinetry. Still, it means an additional grand in motel and food costs and the possible loss of my wife's job due to the likely miss of a mandatory return-to-work date. All collateral consequences of the delays in completion of the job.)
Meme: Unconcious Mutterings -- Week 259
I say ... and you think ... ?
- President :: Lincoln (Nope, no idea why that popped into mind, either)
- Stare :: Stony
- Embrace :: hug
- Movie :: Tears of the Sun (last night's DVD - after all, this is Country Music country...
- Everything :: 50% off!
- Profile :: like a brick outhouse...
- Satire :: Jonathan Swift
- Erratic :: driving
- Costume :: Ball
- Secretary :: ditto
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Damned Yankees
Here's a forecast you don't see very often in Baton Rouge:
Today
Chance
Snow
Hi 46°F
Tonight
Mostly
Clear
Lo 27°F
Today: A 50 percent chance of snow showers before noon. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 46. North wind between 10 and 15 mph. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 27. North wind around 10 mph.
Can't blame me for bringing this with me, either -- I've been here for over two months!
Picked up the trailer on Thursday afternoon. Of course, the better half is getting sick again, so I've been doing all the packing and setting to rights. Repairs effected and complete. It survived the monsoon rains we got last night -- now let's see if they did the insulation right (heh, heh, heh - not likely. It's Louisiana after all -- they put their bloody pipes above ground, for Jack Frost's sake!).
Today
Chance
Snow
Hi 46°F
Tonight
Mostly
Clear
Lo 27°F
Today: A 50 percent chance of snow showers before noon. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 46. North wind between 10 and 15 mph. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 27. North wind around 10 mph.
Can't blame me for bringing this with me, either -- I've been here for over two months!
Picked up the trailer on Thursday afternoon. Of course, the better half is getting sick again, so I've been doing all the packing and setting to rights. Repairs effected and complete. It survived the monsoon rains we got last night -- now let's see if they did the insulation right (heh, heh, heh - not likely. It's Louisiana after all -- they put their bloody pipes above ground, for Jack Frost's sake!).
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Maybe, just maybe...
They called this morning. Supposedly, our Airstream is finished. Only a week longer than promised (par for the course down here, it seems).
We'll be leaving in a little while to pick it up. I'll let you know if the repairs are satisfactory.
Keep your toes and fingers crossed...
We'll be leaving in a little while to pick it up. I'll let you know if the repairs are satisfactory.
Keep your toes and fingers crossed...
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Go ahead - yank her chain once more -- I dare ya!
My wife is a short-tempered beast with all bureaucrats, ignoramii and anyone else who gets in her way of providing quality patient care. The rest of the time, she tries very hard to be even tempered, even when she is sorely tempted to rip someone's head off and stuff it down the gaping hole in their neck.
So, imagine the supreme restraint she has had to exhibit when dealing with the local board of nursing whose employees took a double dose of the dumbass and refused to cooperate with the simple task of renewing her license. Rather than treating her as inactive in the great state of Louisiana, they decided she has been delinquent since 2001!
OK - so after driving down to New Orleans to the board, she is then informed that only a certified copy of our marriage certificate will be sufficient evidence to change the last name on her Louisiana nurses license to her current name. Only problem involved is the amount of time needed to acquire said marriage certificate. Go through Maine's vital records and it'll take 7 to 10 business days after receipt of payment. Maine doesn't fax copies of vital records -- only originals are acceptable. And so it goes.
Keep an eye on the news. If you hear of a crazed nurse taking out the security windows at the Louisiana Board of Nursing, you'll know why...
So, imagine the supreme restraint she has had to exhibit when dealing with the local board of nursing whose employees took a double dose of the dumbass and refused to cooperate with the simple task of renewing her license. Rather than treating her as inactive in the great state of Louisiana, they decided she has been delinquent since 2001!
OK - so after driving down to New Orleans to the board, she is then informed that only a certified copy of our marriage certificate will be sufficient evidence to change the last name on her Louisiana nurses license to her current name. Only problem involved is the amount of time needed to acquire said marriage certificate. Go through Maine's vital records and it'll take 7 to 10 business days after receipt of payment. Maine doesn't fax copies of vital records -- only originals are acceptable. And so it goes.
Keep an eye on the news. If you hear of a crazed nurse taking out the security windows at the Louisiana Board of Nursing, you'll know why...
Thursday, January 10, 2008
We don't need no steenkin wires...
Heard from the repair shop yesterday (original estimated completion date). Seems it is taking a lot longer than anticipated. May be Friday or early next week, now. Living out of motels is getting very old and very expensive. I miss my tin can home, alot...
Took much longer to remove the inner fender than expected. I suspect they have tried to do it without completely removing the galley cabinets and sink, which would be an enormous waste of time. Then comes the clincher. The long wires that were ripped out were indeed the power supply and neutral to the second double pole-double throw switch that controls the water pump. Seems that when manufactured, Airstream installed that long wiring run before they installed the outer skin. Replacing it would entail removing said outer skin and destruction of the factory watertight seals - not a good thing. Compromise was necessary. Have agreed to abandon the double switch circuit for a small bezel and lighted switch below the hanging locker door that might be reachable while seated on the throne with your toe...
Off to New Orleans, now that all the BCS championship crazies have left town and freed up some motel rooms. We spent the past weekend on the Gulf of Mexico in the Pass Christian, Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi, Ocean Shores, area that was so badly devastated by Katrina. It is changed forever. Gone are the honky-tonks, restaurants, souvenir shops, motels, rental houses, and the easy-going, beach culture. It's as though the heart has been torn right out of the region. The US and state governments have been extremely slow releasing disaster recovery funds. Insurance companies have weaseled out of paying for any damage to structures located within 3 or 4 blocks of the beach, claiming it was all wave action, rather than winds, that destroyed the buildings. Thousands have been bankrupted and left homeless as a result. We're not talking about the hoodlums and hoi poloi of the Ninth District in New Orleans that were flooded out when the levees broke. Nope, we're talking whole families, business owners and operators, whole beach communities and the infrastructure along the beach. Here and there, a travel trailer is setup, laying claim to the land that once hosted their home. No water, no sewer, no lights/electricity available yet. Just one small stretch of Gulfport is getting new sidewalks and street lights -- it's costing over 2 million dollars. Bringing back whole communities is going to be very difficult. It is enough to make you cry, a year and a half after the storm.
More when the spirit moves and I have access to wifi.
Took much longer to remove the inner fender than expected. I suspect they have tried to do it without completely removing the galley cabinets and sink, which would be an enormous waste of time. Then comes the clincher. The long wires that were ripped out were indeed the power supply and neutral to the second double pole-double throw switch that controls the water pump. Seems that when manufactured, Airstream installed that long wiring run before they installed the outer skin. Replacing it would entail removing said outer skin and destruction of the factory watertight seals - not a good thing. Compromise was necessary. Have agreed to abandon the double switch circuit for a small bezel and lighted switch below the hanging locker door that might be reachable while seated on the throne with your toe...
Off to New Orleans, now that all the BCS championship crazies have left town and freed up some motel rooms. We spent the past weekend on the Gulf of Mexico in the Pass Christian, Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi, Ocean Shores, area that was so badly devastated by Katrina. It is changed forever. Gone are the honky-tonks, restaurants, souvenir shops, motels, rental houses, and the easy-going, beach culture. It's as though the heart has been torn right out of the region. The US and state governments have been extremely slow releasing disaster recovery funds. Insurance companies have weaseled out of paying for any damage to structures located within 3 or 4 blocks of the beach, claiming it was all wave action, rather than winds, that destroyed the buildings. Thousands have been bankrupted and left homeless as a result. We're not talking about the hoodlums and hoi poloi of the Ninth District in New Orleans that were flooded out when the levees broke. Nope, we're talking whole families, business owners and operators, whole beach communities and the infrastructure along the beach. Here and there, a travel trailer is setup, laying claim to the land that once hosted their home. No water, no sewer, no lights/electricity available yet. Just one small stretch of Gulfport is getting new sidewalks and street lights -- it's costing over 2 million dollars. Bringing back whole communities is going to be very difficult. It is enough to make you cry, a year and a half after the storm.
More when the spirit moves and I have access to wifi.
Monday, January 07, 2008
Seventies Song Suxsations
After a three month hiatus, I return to the Monday Mambo. This week, Russ/rfduck has scuttled the (unknown) theme in favor of queries regarding our 1970's music predilections. Here, see for yourself:
1. What is your favorite band from the seventies (any band that recorded in that decade)?
Hmmm, I was fond of a whole bunch of them. Which genre?
Ok, easy answer - The Doors, Moody Blues, Jefferson Airship, The Grateful Dead are all favorites in their own niches...
2. What is your favorite song that band released in the seventies?
"Roadhouse Blues (1970)" and Riders On The Storm (1970)" come to mind.
3. Where would we find you in the seventies - a disco, a punk concert, or neither?
Neither. I could be found at a little dive a couple of blocks from the Burlington, Vermont waterfront named "The Chicken Bone" owned by a former college roommate. Disco was pervasive in most of the clubs, but at "The Bone" it was an admixture of blues, punk and other rock that could be heard on Friday and Saturday nights.
1. What is your favorite band from the seventies (any band that recorded in that decade)?
Hmmm, I was fond of a whole bunch of them. Which genre?
Ok, easy answer - The Doors, Moody Blues, Jefferson Airship, The Grateful Dead are all favorites in their own niches...
2. What is your favorite song that band released in the seventies?
"Roadhouse Blues (1970)" and Riders On The Storm (1970)" come to mind.
3. Where would we find you in the seventies - a disco, a punk concert, or neither?
Neither. I could be found at a little dive a couple of blocks from the Burlington, Vermont waterfront named "The Chicken Bone" owned by a former college roommate. Disco was pervasive in most of the clubs, but at "The Bone" it was an admixture of blues, punk and other rock that could be heard on Friday and Saturday nights.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Dustoff Requested... I think
I am sitting outside in a nameless* suburb of Baton Rouge just after midnight on New Year's Eve. Frankly, over the past six hours since the sun set I have been subjected to more ordinance than I have experienced since the Fall of Saigon. The air reeks of cordite; the smoke is as thick as the early morning fog along the Mississippi River this time of year. The denizens have fired off everything from M-80's, bottle rockets to some of the biggest mortar rounds one can purchase without a Federal ATF license. Literally, I haven't heard and felt this many shots since Viet Nam. I've dropped to the deck at least three times I can remember to hunker down through incoming. Scary folks ... these middle class dudes are armed to the teeth and aren't afraid to let you know it, while their richer counterparts, white and black, hide inside their gated communities, hoping the next off-color visitor to their door won't rob them blind or worse.This isn't Maine anymore, Dorothy...
I am sated on hamburgers, hot dogs, smoked beef sausage, baked beans and cheese grits. The weather warns of a hard freeze tomorrow (Tuesday) night, although it's a balmy 54 degrees F. right now.
It's hard to comprehend that my friends in the North Country are shoveling out from under a 10" snowfall with another half a foot forecast for tomorrow night.
We sure picked a good winter to be stranded in the South.
I hope you all have a wonderful 2008. The year just past has been a rough one for us on many levels, so I'm hoping things change in the near future.
Love to you all.
Wil
(* "nameless" to protect the guilty -- this subdivision is full of Baton Rouge and other parish's cops, firefighters, paramedics and active duty military troops and their families)
Thursday, December 06, 2007
More Pissin' and Moanin'
Via my stepson Daniel comes this somewhat technical joke I found amusing:
THE PSYCHIC DOG AND THE TELEPHONE
A Kansas farm wife called the local phone company to report that her
telephone failed to ring when her friends called. She explained that on the
few occasions when it did ring, her dog would moan loudly just before her phone
rang.The telephone repairman proceeded to the farm, eager to meet this psychic
dog. Although, he was somewhat concerned that the problem was really just a
senile woman.Upon arrival, he climbed the pole, hooked in his test set and dialed the
subscriber's house. The phone didn't ring at first, but then the dog moaned and
the phone could be heard ringing.Climbing down from the pole, the telephone repairman found:
- The dog was tied to the telephone system's ground wire with a steel chain
and chain link collar- The ground wire connection to the ground wire was loose
- The dog was receiving 90 volts of signalling current whenever the number was
called- After a couple of ringing jolts, the dog would start moaning, presumably
from the discomfort of being shocked, and then would urinate- The wet ground would complete the circuit, allowing the telephone to
ring.All of which just goes to show that yes, some problems CAN be fixed by pising
and moaning.
Finalized the repair plans to the trailer yesterday. Neither the local shop nor the manufacturer's service department in Ohio would be able to see us until after the seasonal holiday period. Given my growing distaste for snow and cold weather, I decided that having to stick it out here in sub-tropical Louisiana beat the heck out of freezing my ass off in the parking lot at Airstream in Ohio in two foot of the white crap (with more on the way). I guess we'll just have to let my house freeze this year. Miss our dog, though. She's having an adventure as guardian of a young lady about to have twins! Looks like Willow the Wonderdog will be around for the blessed event! Sorry about that, DG.
Send your cards and gifts to the Olddog via Thibodeau's Gator Farm, Bourne de Bayou, Louisiana, attention to "Old One Arm Willy."
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
A Walk On The Wild Side
Still in Louisiana and probably will remain here another few weeks trying to get the trailer repairs completed so I don't fill it full of ice and snow when I return to the North Country. Meanwhile, Mary sent this wee bit of humor in this morning's email and I thought I'd share with y'all...
"I took my dad to the mall the other day to buy some new shoes. We decided to grab a bite at the food court. I noticed he was watching a teenager sitting next to him. The teenager had spiked hair in all different colors: green, red, orange, and blue. My dad kept staring at him. The teenager would look and find him staring every time.
When the teenager had enough, he sarcastically asked,"What's the matter old man, never done anything wild in your life?"
Knowing my Dad, I quickly swallowed my food so that I would not choke on his answer, knowing he would have a good one. And in classic style he did not bat an eye lash in response.
"Got drunk once and had sex with a peacock. I was just wondering if you were my son."
There you go - a wee bit of humor. Hope it brought a smile to your hard-hearted, world-weary, "I-hate-Christmas-Bah Humbug" lips. It did mine. :)
"I took my dad to the mall the other day to buy some new shoes. We decided to grab a bite at the food court. I noticed he was watching a teenager sitting next to him. The teenager had spiked hair in all different colors: green, red, orange, and blue. My dad kept staring at him. The teenager would look and find him staring every time.
When the teenager had enough, he sarcastically asked,"What's the matter old man, never done anything wild in your life?"
Knowing my Dad, I quickly swallowed my food so that I would not choke on his answer, knowing he would have a good one. And in classic style he did not bat an eye lash in response.
"Got drunk once and had sex with a peacock. I was just wondering if you were my son."
There you go - a wee bit of humor. Hope it brought a smile to your hard-hearted, world-weary, "I-hate-Christmas-Bah Humbug" lips. It did mine. :)
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