Memorial Day Weekend Finds Me Where???

So, where do we find ourselves this Memorial Day Weekend? Still in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, watching the weather radar as afternoon severe (but spotty) thunderstorms take aim on my aluminum tube home.

As some of you know, my wife recently had a cardiac scare which, after an overnight hospitalization, proved to be viral in origin. Whew! It had us worried for a bit, for sure. Anyway, what with that and our compounded (confounded, too) predilection for procrastination and crowd avoidance, we are sticking close to the Old Louisiana Home™. No sense battling for a space in a crowded campground or driving amongst the holiday throngs. Things will be much more inviting come Tuesday or Wednesday of next week as most of the holiday revelers have returned to home, school and work.

I hope you have a fun, safe and enjoyable MDW, regardless of where or what you choose to do. Don't lose sight of the reason for the holiday -- far too many men and women have given their lives so we may enjoy ours in Freedom. Let us now not abandon them in the headlong rush by "NIMBY-istic nabobs of negativity" (to mangle former Vice President Spiro Agnew's phrase) to secure the barn door after the race horse got out.

Make no mistake. All of the breast beating and saber rattling these vacuous "patriots" and Tea Party sheep will make over this weekend in endless speeches and broadcasts are all about the last gasp of white supremacy and racial separatism in their very small minds. Latching on to such very real issues of the threat of global terrorism and Islamic extremists hell-bent to convert all the teeming masses of the world to their closed-minded, limited world view masquerading as religion, is just their way of "putting all the others in their place." Talk about your narrow world view...

So remember the fallen and the maimed and injured who sacrificed for you and yours. But don't fall for their racist, misogynistic rhetoric. It is beneath you and very dangerous to your responsibilities as citizens of the United States of America and the world.

Things that go bump in the night

As many (most?) of you know, I've been residing in an Airstream trailer since late 2008. Here for your edification is one of the things that keep me awake at night. Ouch!

O Death (Traditional)

Found this over at the J-Walk Blog this AM and it struck a chord (pun intended). She's a clever young musician with her own playing style -- a significant accomplishment for one her age. Pay attention, oh ye soaking wet producers of Nashville -- this one's a keeper who'll be making you pots of gold if you just give a listen. Not all our talent has to be blue-eyed blondes, dammit.

No Fracking Way!

The Onion, that scurrilous humor site on the Internet, has done it again with this "not safe for work" and, frankly, vulgar bit entitled:

Supreme Court Upholds Freedom Of Speech In Obscenity-Filled Ruling

Enjoy!

Spring Has Sprung ...

Topless march draws crowd in college town

Andrea Simoneau, 22, of Brooks, looks out over a crowd of people at Abbott Park in Farmington on Friday, April 30, 2010, while Elaine Graham of Farmington attempts to conceal her bare breasts with a blanket. Simoneau is the organizer of what she calls the Farmington First Topless March for Gender Equity. About a dozen men and women joined her, topless for the half-mile walk along Main Street.


Photo credit: BANGOR DAILY NEWS PHOTO BY KEVIN BENNETT

Click the link above for more photos, the entire article AND, B'gosh, a video!

On Hold ... Forever!

Photo credit: Dark Roasted Blend

A Sign Of The Times...

This from the BBC via J-Walk Blog:

Californian man sends obituary to press before suicide

Rajesh Mirchandani BBC News, Los Angeles

A Californian man delivered his own obituary to a local newspaper before killing himself.

The body of 64-year old Allan Leo Peters II was found hanging from a bridge the following day.

The envelope also contained a suicide note, photo and a $90 (£60) payment for the obituary.

A whisper in the wind

Michael Yon is a journalist. A photo journalist. Moreover, he is that special sort of journalist I grew up admiring. Michael Yon is a War Correspondent. See here why I read his dispatches from Afghanistan.

Authoritarianism is a disease of the mind.

Remember the 70's Counter-culture's rallying cry "Question Authority"? Best not try try it while having your car searched at a U.S. Border Crossing.

Do you know what "scat porn" is?

Neither did I. But then, I stumbled upon the term on ErosBlog: The Sex Blog and got more, and less, than I bargained for...

They're At It Again, Ladies...

Bangor Daily News, April 16, 2010: "Andrea Simoneau, 22, of Brooks, a University of Maine at Farmington student, walks topless on the street in Farmington on Wednesday. Bob Bartone, far right, said he wasn't expecting to see a topless woman on the street, "but it doesn't surprise me in a college town." Simoneau was promoting her Female Bodies Topless March to be held at 1 p.m. on April 30.
Topless march set in Maine college town" (photo credit Bangor Daily News)


So the march in Maine's largest city wasn't enough, I guess. Now they are taking it to the sleepy little town of Farmington -- the gateway to the Great North Woods. Better hope there aren't any black fly hatches that day.

Topless march set in Maine college town

London Calling: Your Flight Is Cancelled Until Further Notice

See all 17 images at The Big Picture -- they're breathtaking, heh, heh (said the asthmatic with one lung)


Have you heard about the bloomin' volcano, mate? Seems there's a hill in Iceland what opened and vented a bit. Ash is so abrasive it'll foul a jet engine in under 30 seconds. So, sorry to be the bearer and all, but best stay home. No flights in or out of Ireland, Great Britain, the Nederlands and all of Scandinavia, to mention a few. Yes, yes, yes ... the Chunnel is still open. Train reservations are overwhelmed. Perhaps you can find someone to drive you to Madrid...

The Big Picture: Iceland's Disruptive Volcano

Allergies, Books and Enui

SWMBO is off gallivanting the countryside with her son. Son-in-Law is mowing the lawn. Iggy is wrestling with the big dogs. And I am cooped up in the trailer with the AC running to avoid all the allergens being whipped into the air by the power mower. On board are two Claritin, a Benedryl and a nasal shot of Nasonex. The eyes still itch.

I could be reading an honest-to-gawd book with pages and ink and everything as I have several in the works (Kim Harrison's White Witch, Black Curse, Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential, Michael Zadorian's the Leisure Seeker) but that wolud require wearing reading glasses and they give me a headache. (I know; bitch, bitch, bitch).

SWMBO has the truck, so am stuck until her return. Then again, gas is almost at $3 a gallon, so not much driving just to take a ride at 7MPG going on in this gimp's life. Guess I'll go back to reading blogs.

CYA in the funny papers...




*SWMBO= She Who Must be Obeyed; ie. my wife and life-mate.

Bunny Thoughts on Easter Morn

Source: A Day In The Life of an Ambulance Driver

Spring Fever Files: Easter Parade?

Bangor Daily News, Saturday. April 3. 2010
Topless march draws onlookers in Portland on Saturday

PORTLAND, Maine — About two dozen women drew a crowd of onlookers when they took off their tops and marched down a downtown street in Portland to promote what they call equal-opportunity public toplessness.

MORE

What Did You Do This Weekend, Old Dog?

Well, this weekend has been devoted to grandkids and their pre-season T-ball & “Coaches Pitch” season warm-up tournaments. Lots of sun, fun, tears and trophies. Congratulations to the “Rangers” and grandmonster Caleb for their 2^nd place in the tournament championship. “Good-for-yous” go out to the “Pretty Princesses” and grandmonsteresses Abby, Emily & Gabby upon their first win ever with “Special Recognition” for the divine Miss Em's first run scored. May you all have many more as the season progresses. Also, the grandmonster Braydon looked mighty spiffy in his new cleats and batting gloves.

Got some sun on Sunday and also took in the 3D version of “How To Train Your Dragon”. I thoroughly enjoyed the show and the 3D animations were great. And one point I was snatching puffballs in the sky in front of me. Shades of '68, I kid you not!

Time to be moving on. Want to see the desert in bloom this year but don't want to burn to a crisp, so time to go is now. Preparations in Very Serious Mode are on the agenda Monday, weather permitting. The better half has decreed that Iggy the itchy dog is overdue for a flea bath, so I suspect that will also occur – he sleeps with me, so enlightened self-interest dictates a prompt follow through on that suggestion.

Spring has sprung, my nose is still running and the moon is almost full. Be careful when you go out in the woods and fields ... hibernating snakes are emerging now and the newborns should also be appearing before long.

Happy Spring Cleaning, y'all.

The Birth of Commercial Spaceflight: The Early Years

Boing-Boing: Virgin flight of Virgin Galactic's VSS Enterprise: Photo Gallery

Happy Spring musings

I got a little bit of a sunburn today while watching some of my grandkids practice T-ball. Seems it didn't occur to this old duffer to apply sun screen until after the damage was done. And they say you can't teach old dogs new tricks...

Bangor, Maine was (considerably) warmer on Sunday (68°) than it was here in Baton Rouge (44°).

There was freezing rain in Shrevesport, LA on Sunday morning. Darn funny weather we'all've been having lately.

Leaving in a week for the desert. Next Sunday forecast for here is 89° ... imagine how hot it'll be in Death Valley!

'Tis the season

for my nares to run like water spigots, my eyes to glow red and itch like fire and the sneezes are like the hits on the oldies station - "they just keep on coming." In a word - ALLERGIES. The layer of pollen visible on the hood of the truck is indicative of the arrival of Spring in the southland. But I already knew it was imminent ... I doubled my dose of Claritin® and added 25mg of diphenhydramine (Benedryl®) every 6 - 8 hours for the nasal drips a week ago. Still, over-the-counter drugs can only do so much. Just one more cross to bear.

Happy Spring, y'all.

Life List Addition: Golden Eagle

Photo credit: Zoologická zahrada Ostrava from Wikipedia

A week ago on Thursday, February 25, while driving on Hooper Road in Greenwell Springs, Louisiana, I spied a flash of gold above me and then he opened his wings to the sun. Absolutely stunning. I slowed as much as practical, but the lack of shoulders and heavy traffic precluded stopping for a better look and he was soon gone from view, dammit. It was a mature male Golden Eagle of the North American sub-genus. I suspect he was just on a "flyabout" as this is outside the eastern limits of the species usual range. Then again, he may have a Cox Cable feed of CNN and fell for Al Gore's nonsense. Or perhaps he was just trying to escape the snows in Houston...

I may have seen some Golden Eagles in California 42 years ago, but my recollection of that period is, shall we say, a mite shaky.