Ripped From The News Of The Day!
I scanned this from today's Washington Times, "Weekend" section.


I'm thinking they meant "sambA." Click the picture to read the caption more clearly.

Brush With Fame
Last night I met E.J. Dionne of the Washington Post. It was a good scene all around. Perhaps I'll do details later. Perhaps not.

There Is Unrest In France
I'm sorry to report that there will be no end to the rioting in France (hat tip: Billy Beck for the link). Now that the French themselves are doing the rioting, there is no one to surrender to.

A Moment Of Foodblogging
I am not worthy to use the utensils of my fellow-blogger Paul when it comes to working the kitchen but every now and again I do something that I rather enjoy. Last weekend I had my friend Irving (see sidebar) over to help me with some tasks I was unable to handle myself. I mean, getting the new plasma TV onto the dresser was a two-person job I tell ya! And part of the process was having lunch eats.
I decided that the best bet was roll-your-own wraps. To that end I got the wraps themselves (square wheat breads) at Costco along with a roasted chicken. Laid out on the table, then were the following from which a hungry lad could assemble a meal: wraps, chicken, romaine lettuce leaves, hummus, olive tapenade, feta cheese, diced red onion, sliced jalapeno peppers and kalamata olives. Yum. You can make a damn fine sammich mixing and matching those ingrediments. And I have leftovers. It's going to be a week of eating wraps for lunch.

Faux Mysticism
If one were to combine Oriental martial arts with voodoo, would the result be jujujitsu?
I like the mysticism!

Sweet Lego Awesomeness
A sports arena built by someone(s) with pure, unadulterated Lego GEEN-yus. The Washington Nationals should have something as good looking built in DC. Only bigger. Yeah. Bigger.

Why I Don't Believe In ESP
I can't even read my own mind.

Stuff 'N' Nonstuff
Here is a link to the Krispy Kreme-bunned burger being pushed down the well-lubricated arteries of the Gateway Grizzlies fans. With fotos! Only a thousand calories and 45 grams of fat for four bits under a fin! Buy two! That's only $9.00.

Much thanks to Denny for using my quick and dirty Photoshop of his very cherry Bimmer and throwing a link my way. And for commenting on the post below. PoW loves feedback. Almost as much as we love the feedbag. Especially if it has a few Krispy Kreme burgers in it!

Ain't She Sweet!
I think I'll have to give her a name when she arrives.
Details: 2003 Paul Reed Smith Hollowbody II, 10 Top, rosewood fingerboard on a mahogany neck, stop tail bridge, locking tuners with ebony knobs, abalone soaring bird fret inlays (a PRS trademark), nickel hardware (obviously) and PRS archtop pickups.
The back is just as gorgeously flamed maple.

I don't love my Santana SE any the less, but now I have (or, shortly will) a guitar that will play as an acoustic when I don't want to plug in.

UPDATE: I'd rather hoped to be getting her today (Friday) but the tracking page shows me that she's only left Knoxville, TN at about 1pm. Egad I love the Interweb! I'd said it before and I'll say it again. Has there ever been a chance in all the world and time to follow physical packages as they make their way to you in very nearly real time? We live in a magical time.

More Music
Jake has a Myspace page which, when loaded will play an mp3 of his version of "Graceland." Now, keeping in mind that Paul Simon so utterly owns the song that it's a risk for another artist to cover it, Jake does a very creditable version. It hews closely enough to the original that the listener is not left behind but he also very much plays his version of it. Damn Jake. Just really nicely done. Can't wait for the new CD next month.
Hmm. I think I may work up a post on artists whose covers I have liked. Or not.

Why Was I Not Imformed?
Donald Fagen has a new CD/DVD combo out: "Morph the Cat" (see the sidebar for an Amazon link). There are very few artists whose output is required to be acquired and Donald Fagen is one of them. Steely Dan, of which Fagen is a third, is also a necessary buy but, strangely, Walter Becker's solo output is not to my taste. On the other hand, Fagen's "Kamakiriad" is quite possibly one of the best discs of all time - top 20 if not top 10. On Steely Dan's "Alive in America" live disc there is a version Becker's "Book of Liars" which is, simply, superb. Yet when I listened to the original on "11 Tracks of Whack," I was not knocked out.
I also finally ordered the CD of Roy Orbison's all-star "Black & White Night" which is a staple of PBS pledge week programming. What can I say? It's the Ooby Dooby man at his best surrounded by the likes of Bonnie Raitt, T Bone Burnett, J.D. Souther and Bruce Springsteen. I think I can honestly say my musical tastes are eclectic.

One From My Files
Years ago in the NBA, one Yinka Dare left George Washington University to play pro hoops. At nearly the same time, Manute Bol, a Dinka tribesman from Sudan was playing the pro game as well. It's just too bad they never had the chance to play against each other because it would have been a Yinka-Dinka do.

I Want
I want to install a steering wheel on my computer but I can't think of what I want it to do. And don't say play GTA! Maybe it should have a horn button as well. I find a good Google or YouTube video and HONK! HONK! Yeah. That's what I want.

Just Sick Cute
The NMSE has sent another picture from Pug Acres North. And this on the day I found that new next-door neighbors have a pug. Her name is Lola and she's feisty. That makes two pugs in the 'hood. "Rabito" has a new friend.
Still and all - the pug at the bottom of this pic has a strange Shar Pei-ish quality. Or so it seems.

New Favorite Waste Of Time
Splash Back. Use water drops to pop water droplet blobs. Addictive gorram it. I've made it to level 23 at my best. Go. See what you can do. Report back.

This
Is not the post I meant to make.

Working On It
Blogging has been light what with the ACC Tournament 'n' all. Yeah, yeah, go Duke, whatever. But I am working on a lengthier post than those in my last few weeks as I read Virginia Postrel's "The Substance of Style." I don't yet have my thoughts in order but I can join in the praise for the book with pleasure. I am not so great a fan of Ms. Postrel's writing style (it seems a little too academic for a mass-market book) but the point of her book is spot on.
More later.

Wherein I Win A Caption Contest
At Wizbang. Sniff. I'm so proud. Clearly, I need to mention boobs more.

Holy Kwap
My weather widget says that the expected high today is 77º. Seventy seven degrees! Gorram (that's a "Firefly" reference for the good-watching impaired) it's hot in NoVa.

Sweet Mother Of God
"Baseball's Best Burger" as brought to you by the Gateway Grizzlies and (wait for it...) Krispy Kreme. I think you can figure out the lay of this land before you even click the link.

Making You Hate Me Just A Little Bit More

Sometimes You Wonder
I will admit to many things - not the least of which is a case of sexual confusion. Not about my orientation of course, just about some objects of ... well, I can't call it "lust" because that's where the confusion lies. The point in this case being Suzy Kolber. She does TV ads for Chevrolet and at first her voice just grated on me. Then, after I became accustomed to that, I kept looking at her and I'm left flummoxed. I can't decide if she's just totally annoying or if she's actually turning me on.
I dunno. It is sort of pointless to wonder about such things since I'm never going to meet her, much less paint any part of a town in any shade of red. But since she keeps popping up on my screen (hell yes I'm watching the ACC Tournament), she nags at my increasingly feeble mind.
Anyone else care to comment on this particular sports chick?

Wherein I Channel Cletus

A Dash Of Morning Bile
In my morning surfing I got a pop-under window advertising Netflix. I was seriously considering getting Netflix as the Blockbuster thing is becoming increasingly lame. But screw Netflix if they buy advertising with sites that do pop-unders. At least opo-ups are more honest.
Secondly, I'm glad that "Buttcrack Mountin'" (Jeebus! how many differernt ways can that title be altered?) didn't win the Oskie and that "Crash" - well reviewed on this very blog - did. Ha. I didn't bother to watch the Oskies since I just got my DVDs of "Firefly." I didn't "get" Firefly when it first broadcast because the first episode aired was not the pilot. Fox, for some reason, thought "The Train Job" ep should lead off. Survey says ... BZZZZT! Wrong answer. There was plenty of chewy Joss Whedon goodness in that episode and much slam-bang action. But introducing it without the back story was moronic. Now I understand why the crew of Serenity acted as they did and it's a good show. I thought it was terrible when I first watched it.
A couple of things bear mention in regards "Firefly." First Morena Baccarin who plays the courtesan Inara is a very pretty woman (would have to be for the character, eh?) but more than that, she has just a most wonderful voice to listen to: sweet and soothing, very feminine. And Jewel Staite who plays Kaylee the ship's engineer is just adorable. When she smiles, which she does a lot, she just lights up. And when she feels hurt, it's like you've seen your favorite puppy yelled at. I just looked at her photos on the IMDB and I am struck at how much more attractive she is when she's not overly made up.
After such extravagant praise for the chiquitas of Serenity, I must say that you should at least rent the DVDs of the series and watch them as the makers meant them to be watched, not as they were broadcast. Also, the theme song ("Ballad of Serenity") is much better than I realized when you understand the back story. "Burn the land and boil the sea/You can't take the sky from me..." Lyrics here and listen to the mp3 here.

Stupid Joke Of The Day
Why did the crow divorce his wife?
For caws.