New Stuff
The latest trip to the mailbox was Woot! time indeed. I got the new CD from Dave Shifflett's Karma Farmers (gotta love that name) "Songs For Aging Cynics" and it's good. His previous project was "Floor Creak" to which I maintain a CDBaby link so that should someone stumble upon it, he or she could buy it. I still regularly listen to "Floor Creak" and I've been remiss in not getting "Songs For Aging Cynics" sooner.
The songs are melodic, have intelligent lyrics and Mr. Shifflet has this incredible ability to find female vocalists who will knock your socks off, launder them, fold them neatly and put them in your sock drawer. The link above goes to a page that has a couple of videos. Listen to "My Beautiful Friend" and tell me you couldn't swim in the cool stream of Jeanine Guidry's voice. Gorgeous. And the mandolin playing is a wonderful silver thread that winds through the songs, some times just playing along and then rising to a sparkling shimmer over the song. If you listen to "The Old Sailor," you'll get all that from the violin and the guitar as well.
Moreover, at Dave's site there are several songs available for streaming and downloading. I encourage downloading as long as it leads to actual support of the artist. I came to my love of Carbon Leaf by downloading a CD's worth of songs (honestly - from Amazon) and listening sufficiently that I knew I had to have the physical media. The Karma Farmers are somewhat country, somewhat bluegrass I guess. It's the kind of music that the neighbors who should have been recording stars gather on the front porch to play and sing. I love this CD. I'd hope you would too. At the very least, give it a try. If you're disappointed, I say the problem is yours. 'Cause the music is that good.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Discovered On The Fly
I just learned through good ol' 'sperience that a Firefox tab can be dragged below the tab bar and what was formerly a tabbed window, becomes a new window atop the window the page had been in. I don't know how useful this is but since I happened upon it, I thought I'd share. 'Cause I'm that kinda guy.
By the way, this only works if there's more than one tab in the original window. Seems obvious but I thought I'd say.
I just learned through good ol' 'sperience that a Firefox tab can be dragged below the tab bar and what was formerly a tabbed window, becomes a new window atop the window the page had been in. I don't know how useful this is but since I happened upon it, I thought I'd share. 'Cause I'm that kinda guy.
By the way, this only works if there's more than one tab in the original window. Seems obvious but I thought I'd say.
Friday, July 24, 2009
A Lesson For "Skip" Gates
Not everyone can get the President of the United States to call the police "stupid." Some of us need to know how to behave. Chris Rock provides valuable guidance. And people, it's Chris Rock, so the language is not "family friendly."
D'oh! The Grouchy Old Cripple beat me to the punch on this one.
Not everyone can get the President of the United States to call the police "stupid." Some of us need to know how to behave. Chris Rock provides valuable guidance. And people, it's Chris Rock, so the language is not "family friendly."
D'oh! The Grouchy Old Cripple beat me to the punch on this one.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
(sigh)
Wand'ring round the intertubes shows me that Gidget, the "Yo quiero Taco Bell" chihuahua has passed away at the ripe old age of 15. Little dogs don't last long, sadly. And I hear that another icon of intertube dogdom has met her maker but it's not official yet so I'm keeping the specifics under wraps.
Expect another Tour post tomorrow as some of the news is getting interesting. Not in any way related to the fact that Contador is going to win, he will. He pretty much locked it down today. But his racing was fairly pissy toward the rest of his team and it's a dead crab certainty that he'll be on a different team next year. In fact, I don't expect him to be in Astana livery after he steps off the podium in Paris. But I'll get into that tomorrow.
Otherwise, I'm seriously busy doing a scrub down of the patches that are missed in everyday life (OK, I'll admit it - I'm not very good at getting the vacuuming done on a properly regular basis and the kitchen needs some attention) so as to be ready for house guests next week. Lois and Lana are coming here to Arx Solitudinis from Smallville and Smallerville. Amusingly, Lana lives in smallville and Lois lives in Smallerville. They are the bestest house guests a host could hope to have.
Wand'ring round the intertubes shows me that Gidget, the "Yo quiero Taco Bell" chihuahua has passed away at the ripe old age of 15. Little dogs don't last long, sadly. And I hear that another icon of intertube dogdom has met her maker but it's not official yet so I'm keeping the specifics under wraps.
Expect another Tour post tomorrow as some of the news is getting interesting. Not in any way related to the fact that Contador is going to win, he will. He pretty much locked it down today. But his racing was fairly pissy toward the rest of his team and it's a dead crab certainty that he'll be on a different team next year. In fact, I don't expect him to be in Astana livery after he steps off the podium in Paris. But I'll get into that tomorrow.
Otherwise, I'm seriously busy doing a scrub down of the patches that are missed in everyday life (OK, I'll admit it - I'm not very good at getting the vacuuming done on a properly regular basis and the kitchen needs some attention) so as to be ready for house guests next week. Lois and Lana are coming here to Arx Solitudinis from Smallville and Smallerville. Amusingly, Lana lives in smallville and Lois lives in Smallerville. They are the bestest house guests a host could hope to have.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
On A Heavier Note
It's not serendipity to discover some things. Serendipity means that something good has come out of the chance combination of circumstance. While the necessary destruction of my desktop (actual, not virtual) in order to remove a fixture which had previously been clamped to said surface may provided me the chance to clean some things up, it also revealed a small sheet of paper which had been resting behind a drawer for a very long time. It is the first page of a hand-written letter from my mother to friends with a date in late November of 1992. I don't know how this was never sent but perhaps my finding as I did means that it got caught in a drawer and slid away from her all those years ago.
Some things just make you sad. This brings back every moment of the time I spent with her in her last days. I've had my tears and now feel compelled to reproduce some of what she wrote. I wish I could say exactly why I feel thus compelled. If there's any catharsis to be had from a tear shed in the marketplace, perhaps I can temper my sorrow with this:
I would have done anything to make her comfortable except speed the plow. Had she asked me to do that, I wouldn't have been able to live from the grief. Nevertheless, I was there as she dealt with her last days. So to come upon this hand-written note today has left me distraught and sad. I hope you, reader, will accept my having to write this and let the tears dry in the open air.
It's not serendipity to discover some things. Serendipity means that something good has come out of the chance combination of circumstance. While the necessary destruction of my desktop (actual, not virtual) in order to remove a fixture which had previously been clamped to said surface may provided me the chance to clean some things up, it also revealed a small sheet of paper which had been resting behind a drawer for a very long time. It is the first page of a hand-written letter from my mother to friends with a date in late November of 1992. I don't know how this was never sent but perhaps my finding as I did means that it got caught in a drawer and slid away from her all those years ago.
Some things just make you sad. This brings back every moment of the time I spent with her in her last days. I've had my tears and now feel compelled to reproduce some of what she wrote. I wish I could say exactly why I feel thus compelled. If there's any catharsis to be had from a tear shed in the marketplace, perhaps I can temper my sorrow with this:
"Dear (friends),What wrenches at me more? The idea that she "prays every day" for a swift end? That she's "optimistic" that the swift end she prays for will be what she has? Both of those ideas tear the hell out of me. But to then remember her diagnosis with cancer and her surgery which came too late, her last few weeks spent abed and being taken care of by her children. That's not what she wanted. While it may have been something like a month from the diagnosis to her spirit shedding itself of the weight of this world, it was more time, I know, than she wanted to be dependent.
So good to have your Christmas card early so I can write a note. Sorry about the illness in your family. I pray almost every day to go out like a light. Essentially my parents did so I am optimistic."
I would have done anything to make her comfortable except speed the plow. Had she asked me to do that, I wouldn't have been able to live from the grief. Nevertheless, I was there as she dealt with her last days. So to come upon this hand-written note today has left me distraught and sad. I hope you, reader, will accept my having to write this and let the tears dry in the open air.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Can't ... Resist .... Blogging ... Tour
Today's stage saw an almost textbook performance by the Astana team to put Alberto Contador in the yellow jersey. That Lance follows him is not surprising either. I am very saddened that Levi Leipheimer is home in California after breaking a wrist bone in a crash a couple of stages ago. It's conceivable that Astana could have taken all three podium finishes. And, while it's still possible with Andres Klöden, it's not quite as likely.
I'm amazed that Armstrong is just second off the lead but was rather expecting Contador to be in yellow. He is the man I would have bet on prior to this Tour, were I a betting man. He is a superb climber in a race that's decided in the climbing stages of the latter third of the whole race.
Beautiful, beautiful race today. If you get the Versus Network, watch the wrap-up tonight.
Today's stage saw an almost textbook performance by the Astana team to put Alberto Contador in the yellow jersey. That Lance follows him is not surprising either. I am very saddened that Levi Leipheimer is home in California after breaking a wrist bone in a crash a couple of stages ago. It's conceivable that Astana could have taken all three podium finishes. And, while it's still possible with Andres Klöden, it's not quite as likely.
I'm amazed that Armstrong is just second off the lead but was rather expecting Contador to be in yellow. He is the man I would have bet on prior to this Tour, were I a betting man. He is a superb climber in a race that's decided in the climbing stages of the latter third of the whole race.
Beautiful, beautiful race today. If you get the Versus Network, watch the wrap-up tonight.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Creepy
Does anyone have the visceral negative reaction I have to those "human landscape" Toyota Prius ads? Humans as fungus or quivering slime molds. Yeah, that'll make me want a Prius. And they introduce a pretty cool feature in solar powered cooling. But still, ugh.
Almost as creepy are the ads for Microsoft's Bing. People spouting off random nonsense at the provocation of some random word. Good god people. You're frickin' Microsoft! And that's the best you can do? Pretty soon I'll be turning away from those and staying on gotdam freek reddit report dot kom ads (no one will ever find THAT in a Google search!)
Does anyone have the visceral negative reaction I have to those "human landscape" Toyota Prius ads? Humans as fungus or quivering slime molds. Yeah, that'll make me want a Prius. And they introduce a pretty cool feature in solar powered cooling. But still, ugh.
Almost as creepy are the ads for Microsoft's Bing. People spouting off random nonsense at the provocation of some random word. Good god people. You're frickin' Microsoft! And that's the best you can do? Pretty soon I'll be turning away from those and staying on gotdam freek reddit report dot kom ads (no one will ever find THAT in a Google search!)
Aussie Rules Footy
AFL Round 16
Friday July 17, 2009
Essendon vs. Western Bulldogs
Saturday July 18, 2009
Carlton vs. Sydney – Neil is for C
Geelong vs. Melbourne – Kug is for G
Collingwood vs. Hawthorn – Jefe vs MC2,Nic&DR
Fremantle vs. Brisbane
Sunday July 19, 2009
Port Adelaide vs. West Coast – Fiz is for PA
Richmond vs. North Melbourne – P is for NM
St. Kilda vs. Adelaide
Sorry Hawkers, I'll be rootin' for P's 'roos.
Go Cats!
AFL Round 16
Friday July 17, 2009
Essendon vs. Western Bulldogs
Saturday July 18, 2009
Carlton vs. Sydney – Neil is for C
Geelong vs. Melbourne – Kug is for G
Collingwood vs. Hawthorn – Jefe vs MC2,Nic&DR
Fremantle vs. Brisbane
Sunday July 19, 2009
Port Adelaide vs. West Coast – Fiz is for PA
Richmond vs. North Melbourne – P is for NM
St. Kilda vs. Adelaide
Sorry Hawkers, I'll be rootin' for P's 'roos.
Go Cats!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Nuts!
I delayed a day too long with the white peaches and the amount I ended up with was not worth processing. Add in that they were not the best white peaches, not perfumed with the peculiar sent and flavor of the pale peche. So I've eaten them as is. But I may be able to make the sorbet with the yellow peaches which went into the fridge almost immediately.
If I pull that together, it's definitely getting the ginger treatment.
ADDENDUM:That yogurt thing, it's called yogurt cheese. I didn't know it had a name. And, naturally, there's a specific kitchen gadget to make it, the (you see this coming, don't you?) yogurt cheese maker. Only $18 at Amazon! Tcha! I can do that with a bowl, a strainer and a coffee filter. What surprised me is that it's said to make one cup of 'cheese' out of 3 cups of yogurt. I'm going to have to get another full container of the yohg to test this. And the cheese is pretty great stuff. I'm going to try it as a mayo substitute.
I delayed a day too long with the white peaches and the amount I ended up with was not worth processing. Add in that they were not the best white peaches, not perfumed with the peculiar sent and flavor of the pale peche. So I've eaten them as is. But I may be able to make the sorbet with the yellow peaches which went into the fridge almost immediately.
If I pull that together, it's definitely getting the ginger treatment.
ADDENDUM:That yogurt thing, it's called yogurt cheese. I didn't know it had a name. And, naturally, there's a specific kitchen gadget to make it, the (you see this coming, don't you?) yogurt cheese maker. Only $18 at Amazon! Tcha! I can do that with a bowl, a strainer and a coffee filter. What surprised me is that it's said to make one cup of 'cheese' out of 3 cups of yogurt. I'm going to have to get another full container of the yohg to test this. And the cheese is pretty great stuff. I'm going to try it as a mayo substitute.
Absolutely Can Not Stop Listening
Ben Lierhouse has produced five CDs of Wagner-inspired "world music" called, not surprisingly, the Lierhouse Project. I have "Parsifal's Trip to Brazil" which, despite my utter lack of understanding Brazilian Portuguese, I have had looping all night tonight and now, as I plan my trip to Nod, I figure I'd better channel my enthusiasm into a least a taste for you who stop by. Thus, a viddy of "the making of." Specifically, "Wagner's Mas Que Nada."
UPDATE: Yes, the song is a variation on the Jorge Ben song "Mas Que Nada" which became the signature song of Sergio Mendes back when his group was "Brazil 66." And which, sadly, he covered with the marginally talented pop group The Black Eyd peas.
Ben Lierhouse has produced five CDs of Wagner-inspired "world music" called, not surprisingly, the Lierhouse Project. I have "Parsifal's Trip to Brazil" which, despite my utter lack of understanding Brazilian Portuguese, I have had looping all night tonight and now, as I plan my trip to Nod, I figure I'd better channel my enthusiasm into a least a taste for you who stop by. Thus, a viddy of "the making of." Specifically, "Wagner's Mas Que Nada."
UPDATE: Yes, the song is a variation on the Jorge Ben song "Mas Que Nada" which became the signature song of Sergio Mendes back when his group was "Brazil 66." And which, sadly, he covered with the marginally talented pop group The Black Eyd peas.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Busy, Busy, Busy
Some kitchen time has been warranted this weekend. First, peaches from my favoritest local orchard are back on tap which means this evening I will be making white peach sorbet. I have in the past made ginger white peach sorbet and if I have enough to make two batches (possible - I cleaned out all the "seconds" on the white peaches at the stand), I'll definitely make one with ginger. In fact, I'll try using my freeze-dried ginger to see if I can finesse that ingredient.
And in lesser kitchen time of note, I have a container of plain yogurt sitting in a strainer lined with a coffee filter to get a nice, thick version of the usually soupy stuff. I also have a box of blueberries in the fridge. This may combine to be made into blueberry frozen yogurt. But I need to do a little research first.
Finally, I made sweet ginger butter which consists of one stick of butter mashed together with t Tbsp of ginger spread, one Tbsp of honey 9tupelo in my case) and a generous dash of salt. I may have been a leetle heavy handed with the salt. But it shouldn't do much harm to the final product. I envision using it on steaks on the grill. Ginger, butter and sweetness - really could that do a steak any harm at all?
UPDATE: The yogurt experiment was interesting. From probably about three quarters of one of those 32 oz. containers of yogurt, I strained out over a full cup of whey. And I totally dig the sour-creamy texture of the resultant yogurt. I ended up having the blueberries stirred into the thickened yogurt with a sprink of Splenda for breakfast. The frozen yogurt will have to wait.
Some kitchen time has been warranted this weekend. First, peaches from my favoritest local orchard are back on tap which means this evening I will be making white peach sorbet. I have in the past made ginger white peach sorbet and if I have enough to make two batches (possible - I cleaned out all the "seconds" on the white peaches at the stand), I'll definitely make one with ginger. In fact, I'll try using my freeze-dried ginger to see if I can finesse that ingredient.
And in lesser kitchen time of note, I have a container of plain yogurt sitting in a strainer lined with a coffee filter to get a nice, thick version of the usually soupy stuff. I also have a box of blueberries in the fridge. This may combine to be made into blueberry frozen yogurt. But I need to do a little research first.
Finally, I made sweet ginger butter which consists of one stick of butter mashed together with t Tbsp of ginger spread, one Tbsp of honey 9tupelo in my case) and a generous dash of salt. I may have been a leetle heavy handed with the salt. But it shouldn't do much harm to the final product. I envision using it on steaks on the grill. Ginger, butter and sweetness - really could that do a steak any harm at all?
UPDATE: The yogurt experiment was interesting. From probably about three quarters of one of those 32 oz. containers of yogurt, I strained out over a full cup of whey. And I totally dig the sour-creamy texture of the resultant yogurt. I ended up having the blueberries stirred into the thickened yogurt with a sprink of Splenda for breakfast. The frozen yogurt will have to wait.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Light On The TdF
OK I haven't been bugging you with Tour de France blogging but I want, at the end of Stage 6, to point out that the amazing Lance Armstrong, aged legs and all is 22/100 (edit note - I had an extra 0 in there, hundredths, not thousandths, my apologies) of a second off the lead of Fabian Cancellara who rode an absolutely blazing individual time trial in Stage 1 to capture yellow. There are probably at least a dozen riders who have the talent to win but only about half that number have the team support to actually win.
Which brings us back around to Lance and team Astana. As it stands today, Astana holds four of the top five positions in the tour. Lance at 2, Spain's Alberto Contador (winner of the '07 Tour) at 3, Germany's Andreas Klöden at 4 and American Levi Leipheimer (3rd in the 2007 Tour) at 5. Astana could possibly set a new team record for highest finish of the most team members. I have already mentioned that Astana is run by Johan Bruyneel who will be recognized, when he retires, as the greatest team director in Tour history. A brilliant tactician and a master of the psychology of sport.
What may be the only problem with Astana is that Contador and Armstrong are both serious contenders for the win. At some point, one of the two has to support the other and therein may lie some friction. We'll see who comes out of the climbing stages ahead of the other and the tale will be told. Lance has been a brilliant climber and a brilliant time trialist. Contador is possibly the best climber riding the tour today. He should have won last year but Astana as a team was barred because of the blood doping of former team leader Alexander Vinokourov.
OK, I meant to be brief. But this is a great, great Tour this year. If you get the Versus network, please watch a stage or two. The commentary team is superb and the saturation coverage: helicopter and motorcycle cameras let almost the entire peloton get wall-to-wall coverage. Beautiful. Brilliant.
Also, for you chicks out there who dig the bums of fit men, the pictures should have you in a stage of constant arousal.
OK I haven't been bugging you with Tour de France blogging but I want, at the end of Stage 6, to point out that the amazing Lance Armstrong, aged legs and all is 22/100 (edit note - I had an extra 0 in there, hundredths, not thousandths, my apologies) of a second off the lead of Fabian Cancellara who rode an absolutely blazing individual time trial in Stage 1 to capture yellow. There are probably at least a dozen riders who have the talent to win but only about half that number have the team support to actually win.
Which brings us back around to Lance and team Astana. As it stands today, Astana holds four of the top five positions in the tour. Lance at 2, Spain's Alberto Contador (winner of the '07 Tour) at 3, Germany's Andreas Klöden at 4 and American Levi Leipheimer (3rd in the 2007 Tour) at 5. Astana could possibly set a new team record for highest finish of the most team members. I have already mentioned that Astana is run by Johan Bruyneel who will be recognized, when he retires, as the greatest team director in Tour history. A brilliant tactician and a master of the psychology of sport.
What may be the only problem with Astana is that Contador and Armstrong are both serious contenders for the win. At some point, one of the two has to support the other and therein may lie some friction. We'll see who comes out of the climbing stages ahead of the other and the tale will be told. Lance has been a brilliant climber and a brilliant time trialist. Contador is possibly the best climber riding the tour today. He should have won last year but Astana as a team was barred because of the blood doping of former team leader Alexander Vinokourov.
OK, I meant to be brief. But this is a great, great Tour this year. If you get the Versus network, please watch a stage or two. The commentary team is superb and the saturation coverage: helicopter and motorcycle cameras let almost the entire peloton get wall-to-wall coverage. Beautiful. Brilliant.
Also, for you chicks out there who dig the bums of fit men, the pictures should have you in a stage of constant arousal.
I'm Just Sayin' Is All
I bought some applewood smoked bacon at Trader Joe's the other day. My house is now perfumed with bacon aroma. The Airwick people are missing a bet here.
And I have a plan for the rendered bacon fat: I'm going to get some steaks at Costco, grind them into burger form and add bacon fat to the grinding. My friend the Enigmatic Misanthrope suggested adding lardons to the grinding for additional flavor and I admit that I hadn't thought of that. And I may be mis-remembering our conversation - he may have already done that rather than just suggested it to me. In any event, I think the idea of getting "bacon burger" flavor into the very meat itself has got to be a good thing. A better thing that anything Martha Stewart has ever called a 'good thing.'
I bought some applewood smoked bacon at Trader Joe's the other day. My house is now perfumed with bacon aroma. The Airwick people are missing a bet here.
And I have a plan for the rendered bacon fat: I'm going to get some steaks at Costco, grind them into burger form and add bacon fat to the grinding. My friend the Enigmatic Misanthrope suggested adding lardons to the grinding for additional flavor and I admit that I hadn't thought of that. And I may be mis-remembering our conversation - he may have already done that rather than just suggested it to me. In any event, I think the idea of getting "bacon burger" flavor into the very meat itself has got to be a good thing. A better thing that anything Martha Stewart has ever called a 'good thing.'
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
What's With Teh Intarwebz Today?
I've been fighting non-loading pages all day today. Anyone else having this problem? Of course that I got through to Blogger to post may mean the problem is easing up. Is the warming heat of the day thinning out the molasses that's being being pumped through the series of tubes?
I've been fighting non-loading pages all day today. Anyone else having this problem? Of course that I got through to Blogger to post may mean the problem is easing up. Is the warming heat of the day thinning out the molasses that's being being pumped through the series of tubes?
Monday, July 06, 2009
So In The Mood
I'm listening to the Gin Blossoms, remembering who it was who introduced me to their music. Great stuff. Even if we are talking early 90's music. Aged like fine wine. Same source put me onto Dreams So Real too. "Rough Night in Jericho." That was brilliant.
Just got Elmore Leonard's new novel "Road Dogs" from Amazon. Read a flat-out rave review in a recent noisepaper and am going to try to get it autographed. Via an internet connection. How cool is that? Answer: pretty frickin.
Tour de France blogging will probably begin tomorrow after the team time trial in stage 4. Yeah! Return of the TTT! Astana might just blow some people away. Columbia HTC might make a show of it too.
I'm listening to the Gin Blossoms, remembering who it was who introduced me to their music. Great stuff. Even if we are talking early 90's music. Aged like fine wine. Same source put me onto Dreams So Real too. "Rough Night in Jericho." That was brilliant.
Just got Elmore Leonard's new novel "Road Dogs" from Amazon. Read a flat-out rave review in a recent noisepaper and am going to try to get it autographed. Via an internet connection. How cool is that? Answer: pretty frickin.
Tour de France blogging will probably begin tomorrow after the team time trial in stage 4. Yeah! Return of the TTT! Astana might just blow some people away. Columbia HTC might make a show of it too.
Good Riddance
Robert Strange McNamara, the man who took his success in producing the Ford Falcon all the way to the grotesque fiasco that was the Johnson Administration's pursuit of the Vietnam war has died. He lived far too long. I recall that some years ago, this sad, bitter man published a book about how he had been misled by those around him which caused the debacle that cost over 50,000 lives of good, young American men. My late father was still alive when this pathetic attempt at blame laying was made. My father who went to Vietnam as a civilian and ended up spending five years in captivity in the north. My father the career foreign service officer who went a war to direct pacification programs. I talked with my dad, perhaps too briefly, when McNamara came out with his self-serving revisionism. My father was there, in the room as it were, when those people McNamara was accusing of lying to him were telling him the truth about what was actually going on. And my father watched McNamara destroy their careers.
That's right. The son of a bitch was told precisely what was happening but it didn't fit with what he wanted to happen, with his bean-counting measures of success like "body counts." So he ruined the careers, possibly the lives as well (though good men can usually overcome such career destruction), of those he would later accuse of making him look bad.
I'm glad you're dead you bastard. A lot of better men than you never made it back.
Robert Strange McNamara, the man who took his success in producing the Ford Falcon all the way to the grotesque fiasco that was the Johnson Administration's pursuit of the Vietnam war has died. He lived far too long. I recall that some years ago, this sad, bitter man published a book about how he had been misled by those around him which caused the debacle that cost over 50,000 lives of good, young American men. My late father was still alive when this pathetic attempt at blame laying was made. My father who went to Vietnam as a civilian and ended up spending five years in captivity in the north. My father the career foreign service officer who went a war to direct pacification programs. I talked with my dad, perhaps too briefly, when McNamara came out with his self-serving revisionism. My father was there, in the room as it were, when those people McNamara was accusing of lying to him were telling him the truth about what was actually going on. And my father watched McNamara destroy their careers.
That's right. The son of a bitch was told precisely what was happening but it didn't fit with what he wanted to happen, with his bean-counting measures of success like "body counts." So he ruined the careers, possibly the lives as well (though good men can usually overcome such career destruction), of those he would later accuse of making him look bad.
I'm glad you're dead you bastard. A lot of better men than you never made it back.
Saturday, July 04, 2009
Friday, July 03, 2009
What The Hell People?
With all the foofaraw about Gov. Sanford (unmentioned here at PoW as not everything is worth of comment all the time), not a single person has brought up Wilbur Mills and his dunk in the tidal Basin with Fanne Fox, "The Argentine Firecracker" who took down the previously powerful Congressweasel.
I think it necessary to begin referring to Gov. Sanford as "The Argentine Fired Cracker." So from this point on, you will be required to use that phrase. Work it into the conversation at least once a day for the next month.
With all the foofaraw about Gov. Sanford (unmentioned here at PoW as not everything is worth of comment all the time), not a single person has brought up Wilbur Mills and his dunk in the tidal Basin with Fanne Fox, "The Argentine Firecracker" who took down the previously powerful Congressweasel.
I think it necessary to begin referring to Gov. Sanford as "The Argentine Fired Cracker." So from this point on, you will be required to use that phrase. Work it into the conversation at least once a day for the next month.
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Today's Woot
"One Day, One Deal" is the slogan and if you're in need of some travelin' gear, it's hard to beat today's Woot: three suitcases for $30 ($35 with shipping). A 25" upright wheelie, a 20" carry-on upright wheelie and a shoulder tote in black, purple or red. I don't know from luggage but at that price if it lasts beyond one trip, you're doing all right. The purple and red are fairly stylish too (says the dog whose taste is all in his mouth).
UPDATE: The deal was sold out (6,724 units) by noon Central Time. Not unusual.
IN ADDITION: This is usually an "update" thing but since this is not an update and is related to the post above simply on the basis that it's internet related, I thought I might add to the post. I got a call from a friend of mine this morning (who shall be nameless to spare his or her delicate feelings). I was asked about a particular song that friend has had for years on a second generation cassette but which is beloved as "drivin' music." I said, "There's a version on YouTube by...."
Which elicited the question, "What's YouTube?"
Yup. "What's YouTube?" Ay Caramba!
"One Day, One Deal" is the slogan and if you're in need of some travelin' gear, it's hard to beat today's Woot: three suitcases for $30 ($35 with shipping). A 25" upright wheelie, a 20" carry-on upright wheelie and a shoulder tote in black, purple or red. I don't know from luggage but at that price if it lasts beyond one trip, you're doing all right. The purple and red are fairly stylish too (says the dog whose taste is all in his mouth).
UPDATE: The deal was sold out (6,724 units) by noon Central Time. Not unusual.
IN ADDITION: This is usually an "update" thing but since this is not an update and is related to the post above simply on the basis that it's internet related, I thought I might add to the post. I got a call from a friend of mine this morning (who shall be nameless to spare his or her delicate feelings). I was asked about a particular song that friend has had for years on a second generation cassette but which is beloved as "drivin' music." I said, "There's a version on YouTube by...."
Which elicited the question, "What's YouTube?"
Yup. "What's YouTube?" Ay Caramba!
Sorry I can't help myself...
Ha Ha!!..No really Jesse!!..Mo'Money, Mo'Money, Mo'Money....
Joe Jackson has announced the plan he has to immortalize Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean Moon Walk. Michael’s lower torso will be separated from his body and shipped to his birth town of Gary Indiana where it will fitted with an electro-mechanical device that will replicate in full motion the infamous Moon Walk. The lower torso will be performing the Moon Walk on the concrete side walk in front of Michael’s birth residence. Admission fee is expected to be between $25.00 and $50.00. All proceeds will be evenly divided between the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Joe Jackson.
Ha Ha!!..No really Jesse!!..Mo'Money, Mo'Money, Mo'Money....
Joe Jackson has announced the plan he has to immortalize Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean Moon Walk. Michael’s lower torso will be separated from his body and shipped to his birth town of Gary Indiana where it will fitted with an electro-mechanical device that will replicate in full motion the infamous Moon Walk. The lower torso will be performing the Moon Walk on the concrete side walk in front of Michael’s birth residence. Admission fee is expected to be between $25.00 and $50.00. All proceeds will be evenly divided between the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Joe Jackson.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
A Post With No Title
By which I immediately start with a lie. But only kind of.
Yesterday afternoon I felt like poo. I was tired and eye-fuzzed and at the computer (looking at a few of the passive aggressive signs on that blog if you must know). The afternoon heat and the lack of electrical activity in my cerebral cortex combined to render me inert in front of the computer - you've been there: chin on chest, sleeping sitting up. Which is not necessarily a bad thing. But the only problem is that the Mail app was loaded at the same time and as I was deep in that zombified chair sleep, an e-mail came in. Poonngg! Yow!
I'm not in any position to "jump out of my chair" but it may as well have been ES paddles placed directly on my chest. Bzzaapp! I'm awake! I'm awake dammit!
Now let me sleep damn your eyes! Y'all have a great Last Day Of June, OK?
By which I immediately start with a lie. But only kind of.
Yesterday afternoon I felt like poo. I was tired and eye-fuzzed and at the computer (looking at a few of the passive aggressive signs on that blog if you must know). The afternoon heat and the lack of electrical activity in my cerebral cortex combined to render me inert in front of the computer - you've been there: chin on chest, sleeping sitting up. Which is not necessarily a bad thing. But the only problem is that the Mail app was loaded at the same time and as I was deep in that zombified chair sleep, an e-mail came in. Poonngg! Yow!
I'm not in any position to "jump out of my chair" but it may as well have been ES paddles placed directly on my chest. Bzzaapp! I'm awake! I'm awake dammit!
Now let me sleep damn your eyes! Y'all have a great Last Day Of June, OK?
Sunday, June 28, 2009
I Wanted To Say Something Today
And then thought better of it. The blogosphere might be better off if reflection led to silence sometimes. I can point you to no examples but as a window into the soul, a quiet time can be the gently waving grass in the wind shadow of a tree in a furious storm.
But what the hell, you don't come here to read nothing (Well... Ed.) Shut UP Ed! Instead of quiet reflection, I offer some randomness that trickles like a stalactite-forming drip through the dark caverns of my mind.
1. Add to the stuff I like sambal oelek. Link goes to a Wikiped page on sambal generically. My father in law introduced me to this spicy delight and it was a home-coming on the hottening up front. I have always liked the hot peppers and other types of chemical warfare like wasabi and horseradish but sambal has that wonderful bloom of heat that acts like a taser on each taste bud. Give it a moment to let the initial edge of heat die down and every little papilla is just firing on all levels. Wonderful.
2. Michael Jackson. I'm glad my blogging partner did the main post on that one. I recognize his talent but I own and will not own any of his music. Billy Beck did a nice job of recognizing the good in the music. I will always be more partial to "Human Nature" and "Smooth Criminal" than the other big hits. It may be a blessing to him that his sad freakish life is now over.
3. Farrah. I hope she did not die in pain as her cancer is of a pretty vicious type. But otherwise, she made no dent in my world. Beautiful? Yes, absolutely. The iconic poster which meant so much to others always impressed me not with the obvious (the pokies) but that incandescent smile! I like good teeth and that picture is just dental perfection. Yeah, I know. Consider it a personal failing of mine.
Besides, I was always a Kate Jackson fan.
4. Have you seen the LED on the new Apple wireless keyboard? It's the most elegant thing I've seen in all LED light-dom. The green LED is not sitting exposed but is actually beneath the aluminum skin of the keyboard. The aluminum is then laser-pierced to let the ight through. Here is a 40X picture on Flickr. Better than I can take for sure.
The elegance of it is that when the light is off (on only when powering up and down), you basically can not even tell where it is unless you get the keyboard at an angle where the slight color change of the metal shows. And the laser drilling is at a slight angle so that the light shines toward the user as the keyboard is on, say, a desktop. Just very cool. If you have a friend with one of these, get a demo of it.
5. Wimbledon. I used to care about tennis. I was a huge Bjorn Borg fan (I was assimilated, ar! ar! ar!) back in the day but now ... I'm sorry where was I? Oh yeah. Just. Don't. Care. Anymore. I am, however, looking forward to the Tour de France and hoping that Lance doesn't embarass himself. Not that he would as he has a very good team around him and he is riding under probably the greatest team director in TdF history, Johan Bruyneel. Versus network's coverage of the race really should be recognized for its excellence in providing video and commentators who know whereof they speak. This year I'm going to try to only watch the evening recaps instead of the early morning live coverage.
OK. I have driveled. You go now. No trouble. Have a wonderful Sunday, please.
And then thought better of it. The blogosphere might be better off if reflection led to silence sometimes. I can point you to no examples but as a window into the soul, a quiet time can be the gently waving grass in the wind shadow of a tree in a furious storm.
But what the hell, you don't come here to read nothing (Well... Ed.) Shut UP Ed! Instead of quiet reflection, I offer some randomness that trickles like a stalactite-forming drip through the dark caverns of my mind.
1. Add to the stuff I like sambal oelek. Link goes to a Wikiped page on sambal generically. My father in law introduced me to this spicy delight and it was a home-coming on the hottening up front. I have always liked the hot peppers and other types of chemical warfare like wasabi and horseradish but sambal has that wonderful bloom of heat that acts like a taser on each taste bud. Give it a moment to let the initial edge of heat die down and every little papilla is just firing on all levels. Wonderful.
2. Michael Jackson. I'm glad my blogging partner did the main post on that one. I recognize his talent but I own and will not own any of his music. Billy Beck did a nice job of recognizing the good in the music. I will always be more partial to "Human Nature" and "Smooth Criminal" than the other big hits. It may be a blessing to him that his sad freakish life is now over.
3. Farrah. I hope she did not die in pain as her cancer is of a pretty vicious type. But otherwise, she made no dent in my world. Beautiful? Yes, absolutely. The iconic poster which meant so much to others always impressed me not with the obvious (the pokies) but that incandescent smile! I like good teeth and that picture is just dental perfection. Yeah, I know. Consider it a personal failing of mine.
Besides, I was always a Kate Jackson fan.
4. Have you seen the LED on the new Apple wireless keyboard? It's the most elegant thing I've seen in all LED light-dom. The green LED is not sitting exposed but is actually beneath the aluminum skin of the keyboard. The aluminum is then laser-pierced to let the ight through. Here is a 40X picture on Flickr. Better than I can take for sure.
The elegance of it is that when the light is off (on only when powering up and down), you basically can not even tell where it is unless you get the keyboard at an angle where the slight color change of the metal shows. And the laser drilling is at a slight angle so that the light shines toward the user as the keyboard is on, say, a desktop. Just very cool. If you have a friend with one of these, get a demo of it.
5. Wimbledon. I used to care about tennis. I was a huge Bjorn Borg fan (I was assimilated, ar! ar! ar!) back in the day but now ... I'm sorry where was I? Oh yeah. Just. Don't. Care. Anymore. I am, however, looking forward to the Tour de France and hoping that Lance doesn't embarass himself. Not that he would as he has a very good team around him and he is riding under probably the greatest team director in TdF history, Johan Bruyneel. Versus network's coverage of the race really should be recognized for its excellence in providing video and commentators who know whereof they speak. This year I'm going to try to only watch the evening recaps instead of the early morning live coverage.
OK. I have driveled. You go now. No trouble. Have a wonderful Sunday, please.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Now This Is A Great Joke
(And totally stolen from here.)
So Feynman and Heisenberg decided to take a road trip together, with Feynman driving and Heisenberg in charge of the map. Every so often Feynman checks with Heisenberg for directions
“Where are we?”
“Forty three miles out of Tuscon. Take a left at the next exit.”
This sort of thing continues for a while, everything’s going well, when suddenly Heisenberg points— “Look out! Cop car behind the billboard!”
Feynman glances at the speedometer. “Relax, I’m going 55 miles per hour.”
“Oh, way to go, bonehead,” says Heisenberg. “Now we’re lost.”
My take was "At the Physics Bar:"
Bartender: Is that your drink Dr. Heisenberg?
Heisenberg: I'm not sure.
(And totally stolen from here.)
So Feynman and Heisenberg decided to take a road trip together, with Feynman driving and Heisenberg in charge of the map. Every so often Feynman checks with Heisenberg for directions
“Where are we?”
“Forty three miles out of Tuscon. Take a left at the next exit.”
This sort of thing continues for a while, everything’s going well, when suddenly Heisenberg points— “Look out! Cop car behind the billboard!”
Feynman glances at the speedometer. “Relax, I’m going 55 miles per hour.”
“Oh, way to go, bonehead,” says Heisenberg. “Now we’re lost.”
My take was "At the Physics Bar:"
Bartender: Is that your drink Dr. Heisenberg?
Heisenberg: I'm not sure.
Trying It
This is just a test to see if I can post to PoW from the iPhone. Feel free to go about your business citizen.
UPDATE: From the desktop, I had to drop the text size here as I couldn't get the iPhone to format the post as I'd prefer. So the bottom line is that while I can post from the iPhone, it's not great way to do so.
And in other update news - the HempShake is delicious! And it has fiber. That is win - win for my aging protoplasmic pouch, by which I mean my body.
This is just a test to see if I can post to PoW from the iPhone. Feel free to go about your business citizen.
UPDATE: From the desktop, I had to drop the text size here as I couldn't get the iPhone to format the post as I'd prefer. So the bottom line is that while I can post from the iPhone, it's not great way to do so.
And in other update news - the HempShake is delicious! And it has fiber. That is win - win for my aging protoplasmic pouch, by which I mean my body.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Stuff! And, Surprisingly, Not From Amazon
OK, I have been shopping at the 'Zon. Coconut oil for popping popcorn, hemp protein shakes ("organic HempShake" in "berry pomegranate" which sounds rather delicious). But I have some friends who live in the wilds of Western Maryland who are afflicted with pests. So I've just ordered myself an air rifle: 1,200 fps, .177 pellets. I e-mailed an internet friend about the appropriateness of said combination to the problem at hand to which he replied "Oh HELL yes. Keep the range down below 25 yards and do your part, and the pellet will do its."
And it can work on skwerls too. Not in my neighborhood of houses cheek by jowl but there are other places to acquire the makin's for a nice Brunswick stew. I may report on the effects of the rig but it may be the better part of valor to just let the subject drop than befoul your imagination with any stories of the pluck required to hunt successfully.
OK, I have been shopping at the 'Zon. Coconut oil for popping popcorn, hemp protein shakes ("organic HempShake" in "berry pomegranate" which sounds rather delicious). But I have some friends who live in the wilds of Western Maryland who are afflicted with pests. So I've just ordered myself an air rifle: 1,200 fps, .177 pellets. I e-mailed an internet friend about the appropriateness of said combination to the problem at hand to which he replied "Oh HELL yes. Keep the range down below 25 yards and do your part, and the pellet will do its."
And it can work on skwerls too. Not in my neighborhood of houses cheek by jowl but there are other places to acquire the makin's for a nice Brunswick stew. I may report on the effects of the rig but it may be the better part of valor to just let the subject drop than befoul your imagination with any stories of the pluck required to hunt successfully.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
More On The Driving Thing
I mentioned below that I dealt with deer and an opossum on my night drive from Sharpsburg. What I neglected to mention was the insectoid life (and death) on the road. As I was dashing downhill on Route 67 toward the Potomac River crossing near Harper's Ferry, some kind of megabug exploded in a rather revolting mass of goo on my windshield. I don't know what kind of bug it was but it seemed like a ham grenade. No, at a hand grenade, a grenade made of ham - blooshrt! Srsly, Columbian cartels could use whatever type of bug that was for drug mules. Except for the number they would lose to random drive bys. I'd kind of like to know what it was, but then again, I'm kinda glad I don't.
Which reminds me - what do you call the jellied liquid that Spam is packed in? Spamniotic fluid.
I mentioned below that I dealt with deer and an opossum on my night drive from Sharpsburg. What I neglected to mention was the insectoid life (and death) on the road. As I was dashing downhill on Route 67 toward the Potomac River crossing near Harper's Ferry, some kind of megabug exploded in a rather revolting mass of goo on my windshield. I don't know what kind of bug it was but it seemed like a ham grenade. No, at a hand grenade, a grenade made of ham - blooshrt! Srsly, Columbian cartels could use whatever type of bug that was for drug mules. Except for the number they would lose to random drive bys. I'd kind of like to know what it was, but then again, I'm kinda glad I don't.
Which reminds me - what do you call the jellied liquid that Spam is packed in? Spamniotic fluid.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
Charismatic Megafauna
After visiting friends in Sharpsburg, MD (link goes to Google maps) I drove home last night through the 11:00 o'clock hour. Before leaving, I was wished well with deer and driving being specifically mentioned. Usually I don't have to slow much in my backroads driving but last night I had four encounters with the damn deer, two of which required actual braking. One deer decided to run alongside the road and seemed to be peeved that it could not run faster than a Subaru Outback. Yeah, well screw you pal. Let's see you outrun this FMJ .30-06!
Just kidding. I don't carry a rifle in the car.
There was also a suicide 'possum that I managed to avoid. Not megafauna there. And, actually, not charismatic either. But I didn't exactly want to have to clean marsupial soup off my fender.
After visiting friends in Sharpsburg, MD (link goes to Google maps) I drove home last night through the 11:00 o'clock hour. Before leaving, I was wished well with deer and driving being specifically mentioned. Usually I don't have to slow much in my backroads driving but last night I had four encounters with the damn deer, two of which required actual braking. One deer decided to run alongside the road and seemed to be peeved that it could not run faster than a Subaru Outback. Yeah, well screw you pal. Let's see you outrun this FMJ .30-06!
Just kidding. I don't carry a rifle in the car.
There was also a suicide 'possum that I managed to avoid. Not megafauna there. And, actually, not charismatic either. But I didn't exactly want to have to clean marsupial soup off my fender.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
C'mon C'mon C'mon!
Downloading the new iPhone OS reminds me of the impatience of modren life. A 230 MB download that will take about two minutes (somewhat less actually) and I'm sitting here twitching like the bathroom is already occupied.
Damned silly git.
It makes about as much sense as standing by the microwave when some peculiar item of advanced foodishness is cooking via the application of radiation in a minuscule fraction of the time it would otherwise take and I'm standing beside the counter doing the same pee-dance saying, "C'mon! C'mon! Cook already." Patience is a virtue. I should be more virtuous.
Downloading the new iPhone OS reminds me of the impatience of modren life. A 230 MB download that will take about two minutes (somewhat less actually) and I'm sitting here twitching like the bathroom is already occupied.
Damned silly git.
It makes about as much sense as standing by the microwave when some peculiar item of advanced foodishness is cooking via the application of radiation in a minuscule fraction of the time it would otherwise take and I'm standing beside the counter doing the same pee-dance saying, "C'mon! C'mon! Cook already." Patience is a virtue. I should be more virtuous.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Stuff Updates
My grinding attachment to the stand mixer arrived at my door yesterday. I am contemplating making ginger burgers and, what hadn't struck me before, I can grind my own pork for the dumplings! Talk about having control over one's ingredients. Presumably, I can grind all the ingredients together from the get-go. I only have to figure out what's the right pork to grind. ... That sounds vaguely obscene.
Other "stuff:" Amazon had a sale on kitchen things so I have a "French" rolling pin on its way to me. I plan to watch it surrender to various pastry recipes. (I kid! I kid!) And a richness of popcorn is on its way. "Gourmet popping corn" of course. I need to get coconut oil for the popping thereof. I'll not go into the reasons for popcorn specifics but believe me, real popcorn popped in a "Whirley-Pop" popper with high temperature oil makes a product that will make you never want to eat the microwave kind again.
I also ordered up a bunch of food coloring. A couple of reasons there. First, I want to make deviled eggs into hard boiled whites that have been colored through cracked shells as blog friend Gradual Dazzle has already done. Next, I want to make a "stained-glass" jello with coffee gelatin and chocolate gelatin for a "stained-glass" (not as much since the gels will not be translucent) mocha dessert.
My grinding attachment to the stand mixer arrived at my door yesterday. I am contemplating making ginger burgers and, what hadn't struck me before, I can grind my own pork for the dumplings! Talk about having control over one's ingredients. Presumably, I can grind all the ingredients together from the get-go. I only have to figure out what's the right pork to grind. ... That sounds vaguely obscene.
Other "stuff:" Amazon had a sale on kitchen things so I have a "French" rolling pin on its way to me. I plan to watch it surrender to various pastry recipes. (I kid! I kid!) And a richness of popcorn is on its way. "Gourmet popping corn" of course. I need to get coconut oil for the popping thereof. I'll not go into the reasons for popcorn specifics but believe me, real popcorn popped in a "Whirley-Pop" popper with high temperature oil makes a product that will make you never want to eat the microwave kind again.
I also ordered up a bunch of food coloring. A couple of reasons there. First, I want to make deviled eggs into hard boiled whites that have been colored through cracked shells as blog friend Gradual Dazzle has already done. Next, I want to make a "stained-glass" jello with coffee gelatin and chocolate gelatin for a "stained-glass" (not as much since the gels will not be translucent) mocha dessert.
Mr. Language Man Regrets
I posted previously on the depredations of language inflicted by the "Washington Times" book reviews and I have another example that I can't let pass unremarked. A "writer living in Boca Raton, Fla." named Katie Wendy had a review of a biography of the late Paul Harvey. First of all, "Katie Wendy" is not a name - it's two first names put together in an amazing simulation of an actual name. And she lives in a city that means "rat's mouth." Nuff said.
The review is most unobjectionable though demonstrable of no greater depth of insight than the average slavish member of the Oprah book club. It only comes a cropper at the penultimate sentence: "Perhaps painting a picture with a few more shades would have made for a richer veneer."
That sentence doesn't even make nonsense. It is vaguely evocative of an idea but it's so poorly phrased that parsing it becomes a waste of time. And by "waste," I mean like the Mafia. Just as I here have managed to assassinate a portion of my day and, by extension, yours. I'm willing to offer you my apologies. Will Ms. "Wendy" do the same?
I doubt it.
I posted previously on the depredations of language inflicted by the "Washington Times" book reviews and I have another example that I can't let pass unremarked. A "writer living in Boca Raton, Fla." named Katie Wendy had a review of a biography of the late Paul Harvey. First of all, "Katie Wendy" is not a name - it's two first names put together in an amazing simulation of an actual name. And she lives in a city that means "rat's mouth." Nuff said.
The review is most unobjectionable though demonstrable of no greater depth of insight than the average slavish member of the Oprah book club. It only comes a cropper at the penultimate sentence: "Perhaps painting a picture with a few more shades would have made for a richer veneer."
That sentence doesn't even make nonsense. It is vaguely evocative of an idea but it's so poorly phrased that parsing it becomes a waste of time. And by "waste," I mean like the Mafia. Just as I here have managed to assassinate a portion of my day and, by extension, yours. I'm willing to offer you my apologies. Will Ms. "Wendy" do the same?
I doubt it.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Saturday, June 13, 2009
A Saturday Moment Of Zen
The view not exactly from Lycurgus's back porch but darn close. You'll notice the blue Bimini top and the swim ladder (in the upright position) to the left of the engine. If my memory serves, it's a 17' TwinVee. Strikingly quiet and wonderfully smooth riding. It's a great vessel to have along the Gulf Coast.
The view not exactly from Lycurgus's back porch but darn close. You'll notice the blue Bimini top and the swim ladder (in the upright position) to the left of the engine. If my memory serves, it's a 17' TwinVee. Strikingly quiet and wonderfully smooth riding. It's a great vessel to have along the Gulf Coast.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Bleagghh!
Blogging break will be in effect for this dog. I feel like absolute crap - like a lack of caffeine headache that won't go away despite my having sucked down the usual ration of full caff coffee. I now have a pot of decaf from which I'll make iced coffee in the hopes that the placebo effect will kick in. And I suppose a big whack of NSADs tomorrow will be called for as well.
So, I'll be back on the blogging stick anon but not for a couple of days at least.
UPDATE: The placebo effect works. I had a lovely, lovely iced coffee fest last evening as i strolled through the latest batch of catalogs to arrive and I began to feel better even as i was sipping. And a decent, if not great, night's sleep didn't hurt. I may not be on the blogging stick much as I have much to do and must do t, not sit at the keyboard. But if I find something worth posting, I will.
OTOH, I hope the Enigmatic Misanthrope keeps finding those great, inspiring images!
Blogging break will be in effect for this dog. I feel like absolute crap - like a lack of caffeine headache that won't go away despite my having sucked down the usual ration of full caff coffee. I now have a pot of decaf from which I'll make iced coffee in the hopes that the placebo effect will kick in. And I suppose a big whack of NSADs tomorrow will be called for as well.
So, I'll be back on the blogging stick anon but not for a couple of days at least.
UPDATE: The placebo effect works. I had a lovely, lovely iced coffee fest last evening as i strolled through the latest batch of catalogs to arrive and I began to feel better even as i was sipping. And a decent, if not great, night's sleep didn't hurt. I may not be on the blogging stick much as I have much to do and must do t, not sit at the keyboard. But if I find something worth posting, I will.
OTOH, I hope the Enigmatic Misanthrope keeps finding those great, inspiring images!
Wherein I Avoid The Base Controversy
The base controversy is that Shell Oil was sued by a bunch of Nigerians (I was tempted to say "gang of Nigerians" but decided against such inflammatory language) because the Nigerian government, sorry, "former Nigerian government," hung six people in 1995. Shell, you see was "complicit" in those deaths. And Shell decided to pay $15.5 million while admitting no wrong-doing but hoping to aid the "process of reconciliation." Yeah, that'll work.
As much as I hope every first world company takes the lesson that investing in crapholes like Africa generally and criminal states like Nigeria specifically will ultimately cause more grief than can be imagined prior to the investment, the real point of all this (here on PoW) is to get the names of those killed by the Nigerian government: Ken Saro-Wiwa, John Kpuinen, Felix Nuate, Daniel Gbokoo, Dr. Barinem Kiobel and finally, a name we must add to the collection of great names in human history: Saturday Doobee.
I'm sorry but with a name like "Saturday Doobee," that life is not going to end well no matter what.
The base controversy is that Shell Oil was sued by a bunch of Nigerians (I was tempted to say "gang of Nigerians" but decided against such inflammatory language) because the Nigerian government, sorry, "former Nigerian government," hung six people in 1995. Shell, you see was "complicit" in those deaths. And Shell decided to pay $15.5 million while admitting no wrong-doing but hoping to aid the "process of reconciliation." Yeah, that'll work.
As much as I hope every first world company takes the lesson that investing in crapholes like Africa generally and criminal states like Nigeria specifically will ultimately cause more grief than can be imagined prior to the investment, the real point of all this (here on PoW) is to get the names of those killed by the Nigerian government: Ken Saro-Wiwa, John Kpuinen, Felix Nuate, Daniel Gbokoo, Dr. Barinem Kiobel and finally, a name we must add to the collection of great names in human history: Saturday Doobee.
I'm sorry but with a name like "Saturday Doobee," that life is not going to end well no matter what.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Stuff Update
Today I peeled stickers off the new sheet pans and washed them. Does not one always wash kitchen apparatus when it comes into the house for the first time? It's not like there was a tag that said "Loving hand crafted for you by the lepers of the Molokai colony," but it seems common sensical to me. Now washing a pan is really not noteworthy save that I mentioned them earlier and now, having actively handled them I now have to say, these things even feel good. Smooth, beautifully machined, not heavy but substantial in one's hand. They exude the feel of sturdy. When Lycurgus inherits my worldly goods, I hope he keeps the sheet pans. They're good.
Also, took advantage of an Amazon "Gold Box" deal to get a battery-powered string trimmer. I have a really nice Black & Decker electric string trimmer but dealing with the cord is a real pain. Now, I'll be able to grab a non-bound-to-the-wall device and whack down the growth at a moment's notice. The fargin' homeowner's association should be pleased. Oh, the new one is another B&D device. They make good tools.
Today I peeled stickers off the new sheet pans and washed them. Does not one always wash kitchen apparatus when it comes into the house for the first time? It's not like there was a tag that said "Loving hand crafted for you by the lepers of the Molokai colony," but it seems common sensical to me. Now washing a pan is really not noteworthy save that I mentioned them earlier and now, having actively handled them I now have to say, these things even feel good. Smooth, beautifully machined, not heavy but substantial in one's hand. They exude the feel of sturdy. When Lycurgus inherits my worldly goods, I hope he keeps the sheet pans. They're good.
Also, took advantage of an Amazon "Gold Box" deal to get a battery-powered string trimmer. I have a really nice Black & Decker electric string trimmer but dealing with the cord is a real pain. Now, I'll be able to grab a non-bound-to-the-wall device and whack down the growth at a moment's notice. The fargin' homeowner's association should be pleased. Oh, the new one is another B&D device. They make good tools.
More Catblogging?
Yes. I did a LOLcat here. Click the link, vote me up. I can haz a plaice on mane paige plz?
Yes. I did a LOLcat here. Click the link, vote me up. I can haz a plaice on mane paige plz?
Monday, June 08, 2009
Friday, June 05, 2009
New Stuff
My continuing quest to drain Amazon.com of all its goods continues apace. This week's edition: kitchen stuff. To wit: two half sheet pans. One sold by ReStockIt for about half the cost of the other from Next Day Gourmet. They are nominally not the same size which may be a plus as they nest together perfectly. They are also not nominally the same gauge but I recall that the shipping invoices (which I don't have in front of me) actually have them both as 13 gauge. The significant difference on first inspection is that the more expensive pan has its edge completely rolled over on itself. I can see that this will make a stronger pan. But I felt compelled to follow the dictum of my dear, departed father who said more than once, "If one is good, two are better." He wasn't a cook but he liked gadgets. Very much a guy that way.
All that being said, and I add at this point that up to this point I have had no cookie sheets on which to .... I was going to say "bake cookies" but it seemed too easy.
If anyone wonders why I opt for sheet pans instead of cookie sheets per se, I point the finger in the direction of the great Cook's Illustrated magazine which has determined that sheet pans are superior in performance to thin, warping cookie sheets. When the weather starts to chill down and I'm not running the AC, I'll start baking cookies of many kinds and really put that to the test. I remember my mother making an oatmeal raisin cookie which was mixed together in a Tupperware cake holder (upside down) as the mix had to absorb the oil that was used before the cookies could be made. I'd love to find that recipe in the mass of kitchen papers. And in later years we got a recipe for hermit cookies from a family friend. The link goes to recipes but I don't vouch for them; they're by way of illustration. I do believe that the hermits took first place in my cookie pantheon. I'm sure that recipe is in the stack. Definitely going to make those.
Oh, I also got a wire rack insert for the half sheet pan. It seems just so like something I've seen Alton Brown use on "Good Eats." How could I resist?
UPDATE: Please don't miss the potato chip cookie recipe in the comments. I realize my mistake in assaying anything about baking in the ken of the XMBD NMSE who, along with her mother are two of the world's finest non-professional bakers. But I am not such an old dog that I can't learn some new tricks.
My continuing quest to drain Amazon.com of all its goods continues apace. This week's edition: kitchen stuff. To wit: two half sheet pans. One sold by ReStockIt for about half the cost of the other from Next Day Gourmet. They are nominally not the same size which may be a plus as they nest together perfectly. They are also not nominally the same gauge but I recall that the shipping invoices (which I don't have in front of me) actually have them both as 13 gauge. The significant difference on first inspection is that the more expensive pan has its edge completely rolled over on itself. I can see that this will make a stronger pan. But I felt compelled to follow the dictum of my dear, departed father who said more than once, "If one is good, two are better." He wasn't a cook but he liked gadgets. Very much a guy that way.
All that being said, and I add at this point that up to this point I have had no cookie sheets on which to .... I was going to say "bake cookies" but it seemed too easy.
If anyone wonders why I opt for sheet pans instead of cookie sheets per se, I point the finger in the direction of the great Cook's Illustrated magazine which has determined that sheet pans are superior in performance to thin, warping cookie sheets. When the weather starts to chill down and I'm not running the AC, I'll start baking cookies of many kinds and really put that to the test. I remember my mother making an oatmeal raisin cookie which was mixed together in a Tupperware cake holder (upside down) as the mix had to absorb the oil that was used before the cookies could be made. I'd love to find that recipe in the mass of kitchen papers. And in later years we got a recipe for hermit cookies from a family friend. The link goes to recipes but I don't vouch for them; they're by way of illustration. I do believe that the hermits took first place in my cookie pantheon. I'm sure that recipe is in the stack. Definitely going to make those.
Oh, I also got a wire rack insert for the half sheet pan. It seems just so like something I've seen Alton Brown use on "Good Eats." How could I resist?
UPDATE: Please don't miss the potato chip cookie recipe in the comments. I realize my mistake in assaying anything about baking in the ken of the XMBD NMSE who, along with her mother are two of the world's finest non-professional bakers. But I am not such an old dog that I can't learn some new tricks.
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Shhh! Be Vewy, Vewy Quiet
I'm twacking penguins. Blue Crab Boulevard, a regular read even if I don't steal posting ideas therefrom too often, takes note of the British researchers who are using "satellites to discover the whereabouts of Antarctica’s emperor penguins. By tracking their poop stains."
No shite. OK, actually lots and lots of shite. But it did leave me wondering, considering how much of the "March of the Pengies" is done by sliding along on their bellies, could the researchers track them by their skidmarks instead? I mean, those slides could mark the white under where the penguins are moving. Doncha think?
I'm twacking penguins. Blue Crab Boulevard, a regular read even if I don't steal posting ideas therefrom too often, takes note of the British researchers who are using "satellites to discover the whereabouts of Antarctica’s emperor penguins. By tracking their poop stains."
No shite. OK, actually lots and lots of shite. But it did leave me wondering, considering how much of the "March of the Pengies" is done by sliding along on their bellies, could the researchers track them by their skidmarks instead? I mean, those slides could mark the white under where the penguins are moving. Doncha think?
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
The Occasional Foodie Post
A few tids of bit that have been clogging the storm drains of the cerebellum and need to be posted so that the waste liquids can be swept out of the street and the next brainstorm doesn't drown me.
First, as every good foodie knows, flavor is essential. Not merely crucial or desirable or a good idea: essential. Even busted-ass Gordon Ramsay (love ya Gordo but remember not to over-reach) knows that to make good food you only need a few good, flavorful, fresh elements prepared with proper attention. But some things need the punch of more than the flavors they bring to the saucepot. That's why there are such things as chicken stock and demi-glace. And I have a source for you. What's source for the goose....
Soupbase.com. This is your source for Minor's concentrated bases of ... I was about to list some but it's not really possible to do the range of availables justice here. Just go and poke around. I'll only say one thing. A friend has the low-sodium chicken base as he is concerned with his salt intake. He mixed up a taste of base and I was amazed. The problem with low-sodium is, well, it doesn't have enough salt! So it comes across as less flavorful. But not the Minor's. Rather full flavored actually. I would recommend it without hesitation.
But that's just one product. The range of flavors offered there is astounding. If you don't find something you like there, there's not much you like. I'm working on my order even as I type this. I'd also like to point out that the tubs of concentrate sit nicely in your fridge and last a decent amount of time. Keeping cans or brick-paks of chicken stock in your pantry takes up significantly more space. And I'm not much a fan of the chicken stock I've bought lately for flavor. Is there a code I'm unaware of that means "free-range chicken broth" means "almost chicken-flavored water?"
And a couple of links from Amazon's "Al Dente" blog. First, Nancy Silverton’s Awesome Butterscotch Budino. Love butterscotch. Not that I need to eat this but I'd love to try it. And a recipe from "The Purple Foodie" blog for making paneer (Indian cheese). Paneer is great (again, not just good - great) with spinach in many ways. A samosa filled with spinach, paneer and some appropriate spices (I'm thinking a little cardamom or garam masala if I had any) would be most delicious. I think I may make paneer with basil from my AeroGarden this evening. I'll try to take pictures.
Also, look through The Purple Foodie generally. It is a garden of eatly delights.
A few tids of bit that have been clogging the storm drains of the cerebellum and need to be posted so that the waste liquids can be swept out of the street and the next brainstorm doesn't drown me.
First, as every good foodie knows, flavor is essential. Not merely crucial or desirable or a good idea: essential. Even busted-ass Gordon Ramsay (love ya Gordo but remember not to over-reach) knows that to make good food you only need a few good, flavorful, fresh elements prepared with proper attention. But some things need the punch of more than the flavors they bring to the saucepot. That's why there are such things as chicken stock and demi-glace. And I have a source for you. What's source for the goose....
Soupbase.com. This is your source for Minor's concentrated bases of ... I was about to list some but it's not really possible to do the range of availables justice here. Just go and poke around. I'll only say one thing. A friend has the low-sodium chicken base as he is concerned with his salt intake. He mixed up a taste of base and I was amazed. The problem with low-sodium is, well, it doesn't have enough salt! So it comes across as less flavorful. But not the Minor's. Rather full flavored actually. I would recommend it without hesitation.
But that's just one product. The range of flavors offered there is astounding. If you don't find something you like there, there's not much you like. I'm working on my order even as I type this. I'd also like to point out that the tubs of concentrate sit nicely in your fridge and last a decent amount of time. Keeping cans or brick-paks of chicken stock in your pantry takes up significantly more space. And I'm not much a fan of the chicken stock I've bought lately for flavor. Is there a code I'm unaware of that means "free-range chicken broth" means "almost chicken-flavored water?"
And a couple of links from Amazon's "Al Dente" blog. First, Nancy Silverton’s Awesome Butterscotch Budino. Love butterscotch. Not that I need to eat this but I'd love to try it. And a recipe from "The Purple Foodie" blog for making paneer (Indian cheese). Paneer is great (again, not just good - great) with spinach in many ways. A samosa filled with spinach, paneer and some appropriate spices (I'm thinking a little cardamom or garam masala if I had any) would be most delicious. I think I may make paneer with basil from my AeroGarden this evening. I'll try to take pictures.
Also, look through The Purple Foodie generally. It is a garden of eatly delights.
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Give Blood
And you will find that blood is not enough. There is so much going on and so many people are commenting on it that I haven't felt like adding my own coppers to the conversation. The Deck Farm™ is hanging fire and pressing on my increasingly feeble attention as I'm in the process of making the new ErfBoxes and getting the last couple of things I need to make this happen.
My self-purchased birthday present LP arrived yesterday which means digging out the USB turntable and having a "digital day." Which may be tomorrow. There is ripping to do, dammit!
But unless I have a flash of inspiration, it's unlikely that I'll post here for the next couple of days. Go, read the chewy richness of the blogosphere and check back here later. I'll be here. Just stretching and yawning.
And you will find that blood is not enough. There is so much going on and so many people are commenting on it that I haven't felt like adding my own coppers to the conversation. The Deck Farm™ is hanging fire and pressing on my increasingly feeble attention as I'm in the process of making the new ErfBoxes and getting the last couple of things I need to make this happen.
My self-purchased birthday present LP arrived yesterday which means digging out the USB turntable and having a "digital day." Which may be tomorrow. There is ripping to do, dammit!
But unless I have a flash of inspiration, it's unlikely that I'll post here for the next couple of days. Go, read the chewy richness of the blogosphere and check back here later. I'll be here. Just stretching and yawning.
Friday, May 29, 2009
In Which I Reveal Mysel To Be An A-hole
I want to sue God to get back the hour of my life spent watching the national spelling bee. Just spell the word, kid! How frickin' many times do I have to hear "use it in a sentence," "are there any variant pronunciations," "what is the etymology?"
Let's just call this nerd-fest the "National Televsion Show of Words You Will Never Have A Use For In Your Whole Gotdam Life" and be done with it. Not that spelling is unimportant. I honor those who can spell properly in their writing life. But the the TV show? Feh. Go away.
I want to sue God to get back the hour of my life spent watching the national spelling bee. Just spell the word, kid! How frickin' many times do I have to hear "use it in a sentence," "are there any variant pronunciations," "what is the etymology?"
Let's just call this nerd-fest the "National Televsion Show of Words You Will Never Have A Use For In Your Whole Gotdam Life" and be done with it. Not that spelling is unimportant. I honor those who can spell properly in their writing life. But the the TV show? Feh. Go away.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
It's Summertime
Don't hock me about the lack of posting.
Dammit.
Besides I had to get my haircut today and I look FABulous!
Speaking of which - how gay are the Pep Boys? Manny, Moe and Jack, well we don't have to imagine how he spends his time if his very name .... Yeesh. I'm not shopping there. It smells too much like rubber. They say it's tires but now I'm not sure.
In other news: The triple socket for the car is working like a chim ... champ. I had to get beefier hook and loop fasteners (velcro for those of you in Rio Linda) than the piece that came with. Holding up the iPod/radio thingie takes some support after all. And now I can charge my iPhone as I drive, listen to the iPod and run the GPS all at the same time. Technology is grand.
Don't hock me about the lack of posting.
Dammit.
Besides I had to get my haircut today and I look FABulous!
Speaking of which - how gay are the Pep Boys? Manny, Moe and Jack, well we don't have to imagine how he spends his time if his very name .... Yeesh. I'm not shopping there. It smells too much like rubber. They say it's tires but now I'm not sure.
In other news: The triple socket for the car is working like a chim ... champ. I had to get beefier hook and loop fasteners (velcro for those of you in Rio Linda) than the piece that came with. Holding up the iPod/radio thingie takes some support after all. And now I can charge my iPhone as I drive, listen to the iPod and run the GPS all at the same time. Technology is grand.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Plans, Plans, Plans
A weekend of reflection for me. my sadness at thinking of all the good men who had sacrificed all they have to offer in the service of freedom and the betterment of mankind deserve our reverence every day but a holiday weekend does draw it into a kind of sharper focus. We owe much to our fellow, flawed humans. Our gratitude does not end with god but must be offered to those who are willing to go to war, to fight to risk their lives as we live ours in the kind of comfort that only great sacrifice can ensure. I pray that every American soldier comes home safe and the need for them to go to war will someday not ask for such sacrifices.
But life does go on and I've come upon a couple of things this weekend that I've slated in for "down the road a bit." First, the good folks at Paul Reed Smith Guitars have opened registration for this year's "Experience." I'm already registered. I figure the Guitar Nazi will register as soon as he can and we'll gimp around the place together. A very good reason to drop as much weight by late September as humanly possibly!
And I've made the decision that I'm going to go to next year's Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC (link goes to this year's festival site). Late May in the Low Country. Culture from opera to dance to jazz and back again. Enough culture to make one leave a trail of it like a snail over dry soil. OK, bad metaphor. But it gives you the idea. I plan to be positively dripping, oozing the ecstasies of the muses. I'm hoping to rope at least one other person into the trip for our mutual edification and cultural experience.
A weekend of reflection for me. my sadness at thinking of all the good men who had sacrificed all they have to offer in the service of freedom and the betterment of mankind deserve our reverence every day but a holiday weekend does draw it into a kind of sharper focus. We owe much to our fellow, flawed humans. Our gratitude does not end with god but must be offered to those who are willing to go to war, to fight to risk their lives as we live ours in the kind of comfort that only great sacrifice can ensure. I pray that every American soldier comes home safe and the need for them to go to war will someday not ask for such sacrifices.
But life does go on and I've come upon a couple of things this weekend that I've slated in for "down the road a bit." First, the good folks at Paul Reed Smith Guitars have opened registration for this year's "Experience." I'm already registered. I figure the Guitar Nazi will register as soon as he can and we'll gimp around the place together. A very good reason to drop as much weight by late September as humanly possibly!
And I've made the decision that I'm going to go to next year's Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC (link goes to this year's festival site). Late May in the Low Country. Culture from opera to dance to jazz and back again. Enough culture to make one leave a trail of it like a snail over dry soil. OK, bad metaphor. But it gives you the idea. I plan to be positively dripping, oozing the ecstasies of the muses. I'm hoping to rope at least one other person into the trip for our mutual edification and cultural experience.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Just Wondering
I was talking recently (let's say some time in the last six months) with a pop-culty friend who is, in part, a comic aficionado. In discussing the spate of comic book movies and how varied the quality is therein from the absolutely craptacular (DareDevil, Fantastic Four) to the absolutely stellar (Dark Knight, Ironman), we pondered on the possibilities of the Green Lantern franchise: would it either make it to screen or be any good if it did.
But this set me off on speculation about the Green Lantern's powers. I most assuredly will not go into a discourse on the idea that almost God-like power is granted to a human by aliens with a piece of man jewelry. But, if I recall correctly from my reading of those pulpy pages oh! so many years ago, the Green Lantern's power comes a cropper against the color yellow.
That would pretty much mean he'd be impotent against most Asians then, wouldn't it? Not exactly God-like then.
I was talking recently (let's say some time in the last six months) with a pop-culty friend who is, in part, a comic aficionado. In discussing the spate of comic book movies and how varied the quality is therein from the absolutely craptacular (DareDevil, Fantastic Four) to the absolutely stellar (Dark Knight, Ironman), we pondered on the possibilities of the Green Lantern franchise: would it either make it to screen or be any good if it did.
But this set me off on speculation about the Green Lantern's powers. I most assuredly will not go into a discourse on the idea that almost God-like power is granted to a human by aliens with a piece of man jewelry. But, if I recall correctly from my reading of those pulpy pages oh! so many years ago, the Green Lantern's power comes a cropper against the color yellow.
That would pretty much mean he'd be impotent against most Asians then, wouldn't it? Not exactly God-like then.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
You Are Not Qualified
To criticize yourself. Gordon Ramsay, however, is.
And, as an anodyne to being abused by a world famous chef, more Jake blogging. First, here's an article in the Patriot Ledger about Jake and his father Taylor, their new CDs, their joint show and some nice words about the new disc. Good information and praise for PoW's favorite artist (well, mine - I won't speak for the Enigmatic Misanthrope who still carries a copy of Freddie Mercury's obituary in his wallet). Also, a visit to his website is in order to see his new "store" page. You see, I said, "in order" because you can order things like CDs and T-shirts. It's a comedy thing. But the music is serious. And I must assume that the lady pictured on the splash page is Mrs. Jake. Lovely lady, Jake. Congratulations.
I'll see him with Eddie From Ohio tomorrow night in Fredericksburg. Hmm. I do not want to fight Friday-exiting-DC traffic in the evening. Maybe I should head down there about noon and just take a nap before the show.
Much obliged to those who sent me birfday greetings yesterday. Older no longer means better these days but it beats the other option by several furlongs.
To criticize yourself. Gordon Ramsay, however, is.
And, as an anodyne to being abused by a world famous chef, more Jake blogging. First, here's an article in the Patriot Ledger about Jake and his father Taylor, their new CDs, their joint show and some nice words about the new disc. Good information and praise for PoW's favorite artist (well, mine - I won't speak for the Enigmatic Misanthrope who still carries a copy of Freddie Mercury's obituary in his wallet). Also, a visit to his website is in order to see his new "store" page. You see, I said, "in order" because you can order things like CDs and T-shirts. It's a comedy thing. But the music is serious. And I must assume that the lady pictured on the splash page is Mrs. Jake. Lovely lady, Jake. Congratulations.
I'll see him with Eddie From Ohio tomorrow night in Fredericksburg. Hmm. I do not want to fight Friday-exiting-DC traffic in the evening. Maybe I should head down there about noon and just take a nap before the show.
Much obliged to those who sent me birfday greetings yesterday. Older no longer means better these days but it beats the other option by several furlongs.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
You Say It's Your Birthday?
It's my birthday too, yeah. The relentless measurable gyre about the sun carves another circle in the spiral toward oblivion. Conversely: Happy birthday to me! Happy birthday to me!
I am usually asked "what are you doing for your birthday? So I'll short-circuit that with some graceless enumeration. I'll finish the Photoshop project which frustrated me yesterday. I had an inspiration in my hypnopompic state that should allow me to get the effect I want without totally screwing the image.
What else, what else? I mentioned the great new shirt I got. And I'm told that a couple of packages are on their way to me. Always excitement in anticipating what arrives unknown. Thanks to Lycurgus and the lovely lady. But I also got myself a couple of things. A triple car socket from Amazon. I'd like to be able to run both my GPS and the iPod player at the same time. And I'd still have a socket for, say, charging my iPhone if need be. This has the additional plus of being able to rearrange the positioning of the iPod radio thingie which has always been somewhat in the way.
And, a strange music purchase. I bought the LP (yes, vinyl) "Bongos, Bongos, Bongos" by a group called Los Amadores from which I plan to rip one song. Maybe more if I like them but there's one song thereon that is simply not available in digital form in all my investigations. It's an instrumental of the song "Tenderly." Here is a uToob viddy of the great Rosemary Clooney singing it which I won't embed. (Parenthetically, what a great beauty she was - astonishingly gorgeous though I may base my estimation of her partly on that liquid silver voice of hers. As much as I like much modern music, I can't think of a single woman singing popular music who can sing as well as Rosemary Clooney.)
The version of "Tenderly" I bought was used as the theme music to a nightly show on local radio for at least a couple of decades here in the DC area. Felix Grant had what was nominally a jazz show on WMAL (which is now all talk - practical for AM these days) that opened with, if I remember correctly, muted trumpets playing that song. I very much want to add that memory to my iTunes library. So I found the record on eBay and I bought it. So there!
What would you do for your birthday?
It's my birthday too, yeah. The relentless measurable gyre about the sun carves another circle in the spiral toward oblivion. Conversely: Happy birthday to me! Happy birthday to me!
I am usually asked "what are you doing for your birthday? So I'll short-circuit that with some graceless enumeration. I'll finish the Photoshop project which frustrated me yesterday. I had an inspiration in my hypnopompic state that should allow me to get the effect I want without totally screwing the image.
What else, what else? I mentioned the great new shirt I got. And I'm told that a couple of packages are on their way to me. Always excitement in anticipating what arrives unknown. Thanks to Lycurgus and the lovely lady. But I also got myself a couple of things. A triple car socket from Amazon. I'd like to be able to run both my GPS and the iPod player at the same time. And I'd still have a socket for, say, charging my iPhone if need be. This has the additional plus of being able to rearrange the positioning of the iPod radio thingie which has always been somewhat in the way.
And, a strange music purchase. I bought the LP (yes, vinyl) "Bongos, Bongos, Bongos" by a group called Los Amadores from which I plan to rip one song. Maybe more if I like them but there's one song thereon that is simply not available in digital form in all my investigations. It's an instrumental of the song "Tenderly." Here is a uToob viddy of the great Rosemary Clooney singing it which I won't embed. (Parenthetically, what a great beauty she was - astonishingly gorgeous though I may base my estimation of her partly on that liquid silver voice of hers. As much as I like much modern music, I can't think of a single woman singing popular music who can sing as well as Rosemary Clooney.)
The version of "Tenderly" I bought was used as the theme music to a nightly show on local radio for at least a couple of decades here in the DC area. Felix Grant had what was nominally a jazz show on WMAL (which is now all talk - practical for AM these days) that opened with, if I remember correctly, muted trumpets playing that song. I very much want to add that memory to my iTunes library. So I found the record on eBay and I bought it. So there!
What would you do for your birthday?
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
Yawn
I guess I'm pretty boring lately. Not even the shadow of a whisper of a comment. Oh well. That's life in the big city. Fatalistic much? Sure. It's my birthday week. I'm too damn old to be a child prodigy at anything anymore. heh heh heh.
Consolations include getting a great shirt in the mail today. Sweetie - I love the clothes you pick. And the cards! How do you do it? I swear I'm going to have frame those. And I'm running out of space to hang the artwork. But don't stop. Don't you dare stop. You sexy beast.
Lite blogging for a couple of days as I work a Photoshop project for a friend and devote some direct attention to the Deck Farm™ 2009. Got to make two ErfBoxes, fix the hose bib, re-set the extant Boxen and do the planting. If the joints don't rebel, it's fun. If I ache (which has been happening a lot in the last couple of weeks), not so much.
Old. It's that damn old thing again.
I guess I'm pretty boring lately. Not even the shadow of a whisper of a comment. Oh well. That's life in the big city. Fatalistic much? Sure. It's my birthday week. I'm too damn old to be a child prodigy at anything anymore. heh heh heh.
Consolations include getting a great shirt in the mail today. Sweetie - I love the clothes you pick. And the cards! How do you do it? I swear I'm going to have frame those. And I'm running out of space to hang the artwork. But don't stop. Don't you dare stop. You sexy beast.
Lite blogging for a couple of days as I work a Photoshop project for a friend and devote some direct attention to the Deck Farm™ 2009. Got to make two ErfBoxes, fix the hose bib, re-set the extant Boxen and do the planting. If the joints don't rebel, it's fun. If I ache (which has been happening a lot in the last couple of weeks), not so much.
Old. It's that damn old thing again.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
And A Good Saturday To You
"Good?" you say? Sure. I discovered something in the Apple Mail app today. A friend sent me an e-mail which contained the phrase "on Saturday." By happenstance, I let the cursor linger of the phrase and what should appear but a box with a drop-down arrow to its right. Hunh?
Turns out that Mail can pick days out of context and give you access to the calendar application with one click. That's pretty damn cool.
What else on this mitzvah Shabbos? Praise of customer service. First, Amazon. I recently ordered a couple of firewire adapters to be sure I got the proper one for my new iMac. And, indeed, one was right. The other was then made moot. So how difficult are returns at Amazon? I suppose they could be easier if someone else walks your package to the post office but with about two minutes and a few clicks, I have the return address, postage paid label printed and ready to affix to the box which I can now drop off. That's the way to do it!
And the same level of customer service was displayed by the garden folks at Burpee. Of all the plants I ordered for this year's Deck Farm™, two of the tomato plants arrived moribund. So I called. And with, really, no trouble a replacement set of plants (one extra actually as they ship in threes and I only need two) will be to me in a couple of weeks. I can't ask for anything more than they did. How nice.
"Good?" you say? Sure. I discovered something in the Apple Mail app today. A friend sent me an e-mail which contained the phrase "on Saturday." By happenstance, I let the cursor linger of the phrase and what should appear but a box with a drop-down arrow to its right. Hunh?
Turns out that Mail can pick days out of context and give you access to the calendar application with one click. That's pretty damn cool.
What else on this mitzvah Shabbos? Praise of customer service. First, Amazon. I recently ordered a couple of firewire adapters to be sure I got the proper one for my new iMac. And, indeed, one was right. The other was then made moot. So how difficult are returns at Amazon? I suppose they could be easier if someone else walks your package to the post office but with about two minutes and a few clicks, I have the return address, postage paid label printed and ready to affix to the box which I can now drop off. That's the way to do it!
And the same level of customer service was displayed by the garden folks at Burpee. Of all the plants I ordered for this year's Deck Farm™, two of the tomato plants arrived moribund. So I called. And with, really, no trouble a replacement set of plants (one extra actually as they ship in threes and I only need two) will be to me in a couple of weeks. I can't ask for anything more than they did. How nice.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Bloggy Shout Out
I'm remiss by a couple of days in mentioning Joe Sherlock's five year blogiversary. I'm darn glad you decided to take up the keyboard that half decade ago, Joe. We've had much of a richness of commentary on the auto industry, memories of Philadelphia (for all its problems, still a fascinating city), humor and generally interesting reading from the estimable Mr. Sherlock. In point of fact today's post over on TVTTW regarding the auto industry is very interesting. If you don't get what's happening, read Joe. He does.
Oh, and that "Happy Birthday" image - hubba, hubba!
Taking a page from Joe and his restaurant reviews, I recently had lunch at the Chart House in Olde Towne Alexandriae, VAe. Sorry. The 'e's started and then ran amok. The restaurant is on the Potomac at the city dock area so the view is delightful. I don't recall the last time I was there, but it's a beautiful facility, spacious, well appointed and our server, though eight months pregnant (yes, I asked, but with concern not prying), was reasonably attentive and very pleasant. We started with calamari which was very good although a second to my favorite version served at Clyde's restaurants. I then had fish and chips to which I must give full marks. I should have asked if they had malt vinegar but I just didn't think of it at the time. A dab of a slaw salad on the side was the first thing on the plate I ate. I really liked the red onion therein but it was, as all slaw seems to be these day, overdressed. The fish was, in a word, superb. Brilliant white flesh, with a light, puffy batter. I'd go back just to have it again. Wonderful lunch.
I'm remiss by a couple of days in mentioning Joe Sherlock's five year blogiversary. I'm darn glad you decided to take up the keyboard that half decade ago, Joe. We've had much of a richness of commentary on the auto industry, memories of Philadelphia (for all its problems, still a fascinating city), humor and generally interesting reading from the estimable Mr. Sherlock. In point of fact today's post over on TVTTW regarding the auto industry is very interesting. If you don't get what's happening, read Joe. He does.
Oh, and that "Happy Birthday" image - hubba, hubba!
Taking a page from Joe and his restaurant reviews, I recently had lunch at the Chart House in Olde Towne Alexandriae, VAe. Sorry. The 'e's started and then ran amok. The restaurant is on the Potomac at the city dock area so the view is delightful. I don't recall the last time I was there, but it's a beautiful facility, spacious, well appointed and our server, though eight months pregnant (yes, I asked, but with concern not prying), was reasonably attentive and very pleasant. We started with calamari which was very good although a second to my favorite version served at Clyde's restaurants. I then had fish and chips to which I must give full marks. I should have asked if they had malt vinegar but I just didn't think of it at the time. A dab of a slaw salad on the side was the first thing on the plate I ate. I really liked the red onion therein but it was, as all slaw seems to be these day, overdressed. The fish was, in a word, superb. Brilliant white flesh, with a light, puffy batter. I'd go back just to have it again. Wonderful lunch.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Good Day To One And All
It's a cool day here in the NoVa, promising rain and patchy of clouds this am. I post out of obligation and to say that my previous post was a bit of a lie - just one more item about the new 'puter. My first task of the day is to suss out all the apps on the current machine that access data files and libraries and get all the good info onto my new one.
And a shopping to trip to dear old Costco. I am in the mood for rotisserie chicken. And they rotiss theirs very well.
The new machine also forced me into finding something that pleases me. I like to listen to Mark Levin (buy the book!) in the evening but the local station that carries him redirects its signal away from me at sundown so I've been using the "listen live" link on their website. The window that streams the sound wanted me to download a plug-in on the new iMac but I really didn't want to have a folder of "Flip 4 Mac" and all the attendant fooraw. So I thought I'd check iTunes radio "talk" category. Yeah, baby, yeah! Works like a champ.
UPDATE: After weeks of avid reading "The Other McCain," I am compelled to blogroll him. Staunch conservative, very funny and a DC area guy. If you don't already read him, please do.
UPDATE THE NEXT: Much progress on the iMac. It appears that the "migration assistant" works very well. It took a reboot and to disconnect the firewire cable to get Corvinus working as I think it should. Of course, I will be losing some apps and I'm going to have to wait for Intuit to release the rebuild of Quicken before I run that on the new computer. It seems there have been some ... "issues" in OS 10.5.X that don't exist on my PPC machine in OS 10.4.11. Not a problem. I'll wait. Besides, it's time to upgrade anyway.
So ... lemme see ... what do I have left to do? Dig up one registration code (at least I know where it is). Buy a copy of the excellent SuperDuper backup software. Buy a copy of ... nevermind, just bought it (Cocktail - utility software).
It's a cool day here in the NoVa, promising rain and patchy of clouds this am. I post out of obligation and to say that my previous post was a bit of a lie - just one more item about the new 'puter. My first task of the day is to suss out all the apps on the current machine that access data files and libraries and get all the good info onto my new one.
And a shopping to trip to dear old Costco. I am in the mood for rotisserie chicken. And they rotiss theirs very well.
The new machine also forced me into finding something that pleases me. I like to listen to Mark Levin (buy the book!) in the evening but the local station that carries him redirects its signal away from me at sundown so I've been using the "listen live" link on their website. The window that streams the sound wanted me to download a plug-in on the new iMac but I really didn't want to have a folder of "Flip 4 Mac" and all the attendant fooraw. So I thought I'd check iTunes radio "talk" category. Yeah, baby, yeah! Works like a champ.
UPDATE: After weeks of avid reading "The Other McCain," I am compelled to blogroll him. Staunch conservative, very funny and a DC area guy. If you don't already read him, please do.
UPDATE THE NEXT: Much progress on the iMac. It appears that the "migration assistant" works very well. It took a reboot and to disconnect the firewire cable to get Corvinus working as I think it should. Of course, I will be losing some apps and I'm going to have to wait for Intuit to release the rebuild of Quicken before I run that on the new computer. It seems there have been some ... "issues" in OS 10.5.X that don't exist on my PPC machine in OS 10.4.11. Not a problem. I'll wait. Besides, it's time to upgrade anyway.
So ... lemme see ... what do I have left to do? Dig up one registration code (at least I know where it is). Buy a copy of the excellent SuperDuper backup software. Buy a copy of ... nevermind, just bought it (Cocktail - utility software).
And So It Goes
One final post on the great iMac Migration, I promise. The good news is that the "migration assistant" finished its strange little dance and there is much new (actually old) on Corvinus. However, since I've moved from the PowerPC-based iMac to the Intel-based iMac, there will be a number of programs that will have to be updated. I do not want to spend the money to buy Photoshop though - $670 from Amazon. That's the cost of a whole new Windows computer.
But then, that's not really the point. The point is that as much as the migration moved, I have a whole shipload of data yet to get from the old onto the new. Ring out, ring in, yeah, yeah. At least Apple has a method, albeit rather a kluge in my estimation for using the iPod itself to move the iTiunes music library from on to another. And I do want Corvinus with his massive storage capacity, to be the iTunes base machine. The short of the long of it is that I'm going to have a nice, long desk session moving data and digging out passwords to get all the things I want'n'need running properly on Corvinus. Luckily for you though - this is the last I'll waste your time on it.
One final post on the great iMac Migration, I promise. The good news is that the "migration assistant" finished its strange little dance and there is much new (actually old) on Corvinus. However, since I've moved from the PowerPC-based iMac to the Intel-based iMac, there will be a number of programs that will have to be updated. I do not want to spend the money to buy Photoshop though - $670 from Amazon. That's the cost of a whole new Windows computer.
But then, that's not really the point. The point is that as much as the migration moved, I have a whole shipload of data yet to get from the old onto the new. Ring out, ring in, yeah, yeah. At least Apple has a method, albeit rather a kluge in my estimation for using the iPod itself to move the iTiunes music library from on to another. And I do want Corvinus with his massive storage capacity, to be the iTunes base machine. The short of the long of it is that I'm going to have a nice, long desk session moving data and digging out passwords to get all the things I want'n'need running properly on Corvinus. Luckily for you though - this is the last I'll waste your time on it.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Wherein I Go All Upscale Clever
I've been having an ongoing e-mail conversation with a couple of erudite, opera-loving friends and I find myself amused enough at my own wit (or something that rhymes) that I have to share a couple.
First, one friend questioned the use of elephants in "Aida" with the idea that they wouldn't be delivered but walked into the Met. This led me to suggest that another opera that used elephants would be "The Babar of Seville."
And, with all the coruscating word play that we exchanged, I suggested that we should have a column in "Opera News." And I suggested a couple of reviews therefor such as: "This column is like the world's greatest basso profundo - a new low in opera" (which I ascribed to the "NY Review of Snark").
Please forgive my hubris but I think both are pretty damn funny even if I did think of them myself.
I've been having an ongoing e-mail conversation with a couple of erudite, opera-loving friends and I find myself amused enough at my own wit (or something that rhymes) that I have to share a couple.
First, one friend questioned the use of elephants in "Aida" with the idea that they wouldn't be delivered but walked into the Met. This led me to suggest that another opera that used elephants would be "The Babar of Seville."
And, with all the coruscating word play that we exchanged, I suggested that we should have a column in "Opera News." And I suggested a couple of reviews therefor such as: "This column is like the world's greatest basso profundo - a new low in opera" (which I ascribed to the "NY Review of Snark").
Please forgive my hubris but I think both are pretty damn funny even if I did think of them myself.
iMac Update
I've had a couple of people ask me about the iMac which caused the posting pause yesterday so I post briefly, not that I think this is of great general interest but ... what the heck, eh?
First, I watched a DVD on it last evening ("Carnivale" to be specific) and it is spec ... wait for it ... TACULAR. The 24" screen is bright (brighter than my PPC iMac) and crisp and huge. This would make a great TV if it weren't for all the fun computing doodadery contained within.
But the set up was interrupted. I couldn't get the "migration assistant" (which transfers all kinds of info from one's existing machine onto a new one) to operate properly over the wifi network. The cure for that is to tether the two together with a firewire cable but the firewire cables I have don't have the proper plug for the new iMac (which is named "Corvinus" for reasons of interest probably only to me). Not really a problem. I've just ordered a couple of adapters from Amazon and I'll retun the one I don't need. Those should be here either today or tomorrow and then I'll finish the Great iMac Swap Out. Yay.
As a side note, the wired mouse feels strange and too light after using a battery-filled wireless mouse for so long. Not bad per se but strange.
I've had a couple of people ask me about the iMac which caused the posting pause yesterday so I post briefly, not that I think this is of great general interest but ... what the heck, eh?
First, I watched a DVD on it last evening ("Carnivale" to be specific) and it is spec ... wait for it ... TACULAR. The 24" screen is bright (brighter than my PPC iMac) and crisp and huge. This would make a great TV if it weren't for all the fun computing doodadery contained within.
But the set up was interrupted. I couldn't get the "migration assistant" (which transfers all kinds of info from one's existing machine onto a new one) to operate properly over the wifi network. The cure for that is to tether the two together with a firewire cable but the firewire cables I have don't have the proper plug for the new iMac (which is named "Corvinus" for reasons of interest probably only to me). Not really a problem. I've just ordered a couple of adapters from Amazon and I'll retun the one I don't need. Those should be here either today or tomorrow and then I'll finish the Great iMac Swap Out. Yay.
As a side note, the wired mouse feels strange and too light after using a battery-filled wireless mouse for so long. Not bad per se but strange.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Blogopause
Just a note to the readers that there'll be a brief cessation of posting as I spend the day setting up my new iMac (the reflective glass screen is very disconcerting if you sit, bleary-eyed and rumpled in the morning - eek! Is that me?) and working on the Deck Farm™. Yes, the plants have arrived and now action is urgent.
I'll take pictures.
Just a note to the readers that there'll be a brief cessation of posting as I spend the day setting up my new iMac (the reflective glass screen is very disconcerting if you sit, bleary-eyed and rumpled in the morning - eek! Is that me?) and working on the Deck Farm™. Yes, the plants have arrived and now action is urgent.
I'll take pictures.
Monday, May 11, 2009
You May Now Go To Jake's Place
My good friend and most excellent musician and songwriter, Jake Armerding (have I mentioned him before?) now has streaming samples from his new disc "Her" over at his website. If you click the link (and you'd bloody well better!) be prepared for autoplay.
And really, do I have say this? It's damn good stuff people! Buy his CD. Your life will be better for it.
I'm going to see him on the 22nd as he plays down in Fredericksburg, VA with Eddie From Ohio. He seems to be good friends with that band.
My good friend and most excellent musician and songwriter, Jake Armerding (have I mentioned him before?) now has streaming samples from his new disc "Her" over at his website. If you click the link (and you'd bloody well better!) be prepared for autoplay.
And really, do I have say this? It's damn good stuff people! Buy his CD. Your life will be better for it.
I'm going to see him on the 22nd as he plays down in Fredericksburg, VA with Eddie From Ohio. He seems to be good friends with that band.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Gratitude?
I'm a bit unsure (witness the question mark above) if this post could be properly categorized under my "gratitude" tag. And it's a prime candidate for "navel-gazing" but I can't help but think that there's something about being grateful in here.
Some years ago I signed onto the National Marrow Donor Program. As in bone marrow. As in 'this might save someone's life who has leukemia.' Gave a blood sample and all that. And I've never been contacted. Of course it might be a blessing on my part to be sure that my contact info is up to date and that I haven't been bureaucratically misplaced. Because, yes, I do know that this is strange, I would really like to donate bone marrow. I understand that it's painful, a rather large bore needle is inserted into the pelvis and a good hunk of the tasty stuff (c'mon - you know you've sucked out the gelatinous goodness of a beef bone!) is extracted.
But the pain, to my mind, would be nothing compared to the idea that what I've grown, casually and incidentally, might just let another person live more years of quality life. I'd like to be that guy. I'd like to be the one who gives.
Having said that, I urge everyone who's willing to register for the registry. You could save someone's life by doing so. It's worth it. I'd be grateful for the chance to donate even if there might be a little glimmer of hubris in there somewhere.
I'm a bit unsure (witness the question mark above) if this post could be properly categorized under my "gratitude" tag. And it's a prime candidate for "navel-gazing" but I can't help but think that there's something about being grateful in here.
Some years ago I signed onto the National Marrow Donor Program. As in bone marrow. As in 'this might save someone's life who has leukemia.' Gave a blood sample and all that. And I've never been contacted. Of course it might be a blessing on my part to be sure that my contact info is up to date and that I haven't been bureaucratically misplaced. Because, yes, I do know that this is strange, I would really like to donate bone marrow. I understand that it's painful, a rather large bore needle is inserted into the pelvis and a good hunk of the tasty stuff (c'mon - you know you've sucked out the gelatinous goodness of a beef bone!) is extracted.
But the pain, to my mind, would be nothing compared to the idea that what I've grown, casually and incidentally, might just let another person live more years of quality life. I'd like to be that guy. I'd like to be the one who gives.
Having said that, I urge everyone who's willing to register for the registry. You could save someone's life by doing so. It's worth it. I'd be grateful for the chance to donate even if there might be a little glimmer of hubris in there somewhere.
Saturday, May 09, 2009
The Iron Lady
I came upon a quote from the Baroness Thatcher which I had to write down for my own continuing edification and I thought is appropriate that I post it for all. She is one of the greatest leaders of our time, a brilliant and uncompromising woman.
I came upon a quote from the Baroness Thatcher which I had to write down for my own continuing edification and I thought is appropriate that I post it for all. She is one of the greatest leaders of our time, a brilliant and uncompromising woman.
"Disciplining yourself to do what you know is right and important, although difficult, is the high road to pride, self-esteem and personal satisfaction."This is something I need apply to my life. Deep and simple truth.
Friday, May 08, 2009
Installment The Second
This would be the second installment under the TTPMO tag. And what's making my sphincter itch today? Frakking jewelry ads on the radio masheen. Some jackanapes is advertising the "newest thing:" "chocolate diamonds." Oh just go straight to hell you lying peckers. It's bad enough that the deBeers people have cartelized the diamond industry but now we get "chocolate" diamonds.
Do you know what a "chocolate" diamond is (and this is where I really want to go full-bore Mark Levin on the monkey asses)? It's a freakin' industrial diamond that up until some ad man got hold of it was called a "brown diamond." It's crap, people!
And it pisses me off.
Even when the "mudhead" was re-named the "orange roughy" it wasn't as bad as this steaming Madison Avenue road muffin.
ERRATA: I was wrong about the orange roughy. According to Wikipedia, the fish is in the "slimehead" family. So that's "slimehead," not "mudhead." My mistake.
This would be the second installment under the TTPMO tag. And what's making my sphincter itch today? Frakking jewelry ads on the radio masheen. Some jackanapes is advertising the "newest thing:" "chocolate diamonds." Oh just go straight to hell you lying peckers. It's bad enough that the deBeers people have cartelized the diamond industry but now we get "chocolate" diamonds.
Do you know what a "chocolate" diamond is (and this is where I really want to go full-bore Mark Levin on the monkey asses)? It's a freakin' industrial diamond that up until some ad man got hold of it was called a "brown diamond." It's crap, people!
And it pisses me off.
Even when the "mudhead" was re-named the "orange roughy" it wasn't as bad as this steaming Madison Avenue road muffin.
ERRATA: I was wrong about the orange roughy. According to Wikipedia, the fish is in the "slimehead" family. So that's "slimehead," not "mudhead." My mistake.
Oy! Such A Deal!
If you have any affection for classical guitar music, have I got a deal for you. The nice folks at Naxos are offering through Amazon almost 4 hours of such music for (wait for it) 99¢! The page is here. This does include a half hour long interview with the artistic director of the Naxos guitar collection but I imagine that it's pretty informative and need I remind you, 99¢! I won't pretend to any knowledge of the music (really, Scarlatti and Sor I know from nothing) but the performances I've listened to so far have been superb.
It's already in my iTunes as you may infer from my previous comment and it's lovely. At the very least it's perfect classical music to play in the background as you're concentrating on something else.
UPDATE: Saturday morning and the price on the collection is all the way up to $2.59 now. What a ripoff! OK. Not really. Still a buy.
If you have any affection for classical guitar music, have I got a deal for you. The nice folks at Naxos are offering through Amazon almost 4 hours of such music for (wait for it) 99¢! The page is here. This does include a half hour long interview with the artistic director of the Naxos guitar collection but I imagine that it's pretty informative and need I remind you, 99¢! I won't pretend to any knowledge of the music (really, Scarlatti and Sor I know from nothing) but the performances I've listened to so far have been superb.
It's already in my iTunes as you may infer from my previous comment and it's lovely. At the very least it's perfect classical music to play in the background as you're concentrating on something else.
UPDATE: Saturday morning and the price on the collection is all the way up to $2.59 now. What a ripoff! OK. Not really. Still a buy.
Thursday, May 07, 2009
There's Almost Nothing Sadder
Than an old queen. Except maybe the punctured fantasies of a generation of movie-going guys who'll have to give up on the idea of having their way with Kelly McGillis. At least she, at roughly my age is still an attractive woman. Stiers as a guy, not so much.
Than an old queen. Except maybe the punctured fantasies of a generation of movie-going guys who'll have to give up on the idea of having their way with Kelly McGillis. At least she, at roughly my age is still an attractive woman. Stiers as a guy, not so much.
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Y'all Come Visit Me, Y'hear?
I mentioned my acquisition of the beefy KitchenAid stand mixer. But did I mention that it came with a coupon for a free attachment? I've ordered the meat grinding one. You come for a visit. I'll go to Costco, buy us some steaks and make you a top loin cheeseburger. Damn skippy that's some good eating!
And I'm jealous of the image my co-blogger scored (below). I want a character who looks like that at xtranormal.com!
I mentioned my acquisition of the beefy KitchenAid stand mixer. But did I mention that it came with a coupon for a free attachment? I've ordered the meat grinding one. You come for a visit. I'll go to Costco, buy us some steaks and make you a top loin cheeseburger. Damn skippy that's some good eating!
And I'm jealous of the image my co-blogger scored (below). I want a character who looks like that at xtranormal.com!
Monday, May 04, 2009
A New Tag: TTPMO
That would be "Things That Piss Me Off." Today's excursion into pique comes courtesy of my local noisepaper The Washington Times. Specifically, the book reviews in the Sunday paper. Even more specifically, the editing of that section. Let me winkle out a few examples of editorial malpractice for you.
First, in a review of a book called "The Art of The Heist," the find this paragraph:
Yes: "quite desperation." Good grief.
Then one review with two, count 'em two glaring errors. First in a very positive review of a Peter Leonard (son of Elmore apparently) work called "Trust Me" is this sentence:
I'll ignore the comma after "sharp" because the great thunder of calling "Lamaze" "Lamars" renders me incapable of increased dudgeon. Are there no editors of this page at TW Times? I'm left wondering that again after the final example of crime against language. Another sentence extracted:
We have now descended into full-on WTF territory. "Brushed back strokes?" Can anyone explain that phrase to me? And have it make a lick of sense? Comments are welcomed, hell, encouraged. Then we have "dialog unspoken." Not a great crime against language but clichéd to beat the band (yes, I use a cliché to illustrate my opposition, it's very po-mo and ironic). Then a gross error in spelling only serves to draw our attention the phrase (and let's use the right word, eh?) "crystalline sepia tones." Does ... not ... follow. Sepia tones and crystalline are so fundamentally at odds that it renders the sentence meaningless.
Perhaps the reviewer (identified as "Lelei LeLaulu" which reads like an invented name - or, if real, should be) knew what he or she (?) had in mind but it most definitely wasn't communicated in that sentence. Isn't that what editors are in place to prevent?
That would be "Things That Piss Me Off." Today's excursion into pique comes courtesy of my local noisepaper The Washington Times. Specifically, the book reviews in the Sunday paper. Even more specifically, the editing of that section. Let me winkle out a few examples of editorial malpractice for you.
First, in a review of a book called "The Art of The Heist," the find this paragraph:
Recounting his life of violence, theft and depravity, Mr. Connor (per Ms. Siler) speaks as if his criminal modus vivendi is perfectly natural, his God-given right. Quoting Thoreau (without attribution) that "men live lives of quite desperation" he says his "has been anything but."
Yes: "quite desperation." Good grief.
Then one review with two, count 'em two glaring errors. First in a very positive review of a Peter Leonard (son of Elmore apparently) work called "Trust Me" is this sentence:
Remember Chili Palmer, the movie-mad debt collector in Leonard the elder's "Get Shorty," who like a Lamars trainer, gently coaches a recipient of his massive blow to the solar plexus how to take short, sharp, breaths...."
I'll ignore the comma after "sharp" because the great thunder of calling "Lamaze" "Lamars" renders me incapable of increased dudgeon. Are there no editors of this page at TW Times? I'm left wondering that again after the final example of crime against language. Another sentence extracted:
Mr. Leonard packs a lot of detail and color into his book and may yet develop his father's mastery of the brushed back strokes, the dialog unspoken and the chrystalline sepia tones they evoke.
We have now descended into full-on WTF territory. "Brushed back strokes?" Can anyone explain that phrase to me? And have it make a lick of sense? Comments are welcomed, hell, encouraged. Then we have "dialog unspoken." Not a great crime against language but clichéd to beat the band (yes, I use a cliché to illustrate my opposition, it's very po-mo and ironic). Then a gross error in spelling only serves to draw our attention the phrase (and let's use the right word, eh?) "crystalline sepia tones." Does ... not ... follow. Sepia tones and crystalline are so fundamentally at odds that it renders the sentence meaningless.
Perhaps the reviewer (identified as "Lelei LeLaulu" which reads like an invented name - or, if real, should be) knew what he or she (?) had in mind but it most definitely wasn't communicated in that sentence. Isn't that what editors are in place to prevent?
Grace Notes
I suppose it's not fair to go into a situation about which I can't talk as it involves other people who are not party to this webby conversation but I am compelled to say that I got a revelatory e-mail from a very dear friend today. When we care about others, take them into our hearts unbidden as it were, we still don't necessarily understand much of those lives if we en-heart them later in life. Now I've been given much information about people I know and love and I find that it buoys me up. I had always seen the successes and the good life of these friends and now I learn of the other side of their life. It is encouraging to see what can be overcome and how much of life is still possible after deep troubles have laid their salt on the fertile land.
So why do I post this? Because I want to say that everyday allows us to do something better than the day before. As bad as things can be, better is still there. It may take a hell of a lot of work but it can happen. This month contains my natal anniversary. I'm getting old now. Past the point of being a child prodigy. But through all that I suffered (which I admitted here on the blog last year), I can make next May a brilliant diamond out of the lumps of coal that I'm sitting on now.
All from a long e-mail about others, a note of grace for which I'm thankful.
I suppose it's not fair to go into a situation about which I can't talk as it involves other people who are not party to this webby conversation but I am compelled to say that I got a revelatory e-mail from a very dear friend today. When we care about others, take them into our hearts unbidden as it were, we still don't necessarily understand much of those lives if we en-heart them later in life. Now I've been given much information about people I know and love and I find that it buoys me up. I had always seen the successes and the good life of these friends and now I learn of the other side of their life. It is encouraging to see what can be overcome and how much of life is still possible after deep troubles have laid their salt on the fertile land.
So why do I post this? Because I want to say that everyday allows us to do something better than the day before. As bad as things can be, better is still there. It may take a hell of a lot of work but it can happen. This month contains my natal anniversary. I'm getting old now. Past the point of being a child prodigy. But through all that I suffered (which I admitted here on the blog last year), I can make next May a brilliant diamond out of the lumps of coal that I'm sitting on now.
All from a long e-mail about others, a note of grace for which I'm thankful.
Sunday, May 03, 2009
What? No Posting?
Yeah, yeah. My picture is in the dictionary(.com) under "slack." But I've been Mr. Homebody lately. My deskal area is in the process of a massive re-build (which, by the way, will leave an LCD monitor/flat screen desk-mounted "arm" available if anyone is interested) which will result in increased usable space and less reason to mess about stacking up piles and piles of paper.
I'm going to take some pictures of my Aero-Garden herbs this after noon and post them. I've got to say, those things work rather startlingly well. I've got the "herb" collection (no, not "herb," - herbs) with parsley, dill, basil, purple basil thyme and mint. The basil and dill are really going to town. But, as I said, I'll post pics.
Otherwise, perhaps it's a weather thing for me but Saturday was just hell on my joints. Every single one of them ached. Not just the usual suspects, all the residents of Osteotown. At least today is not so bad. It's wet here but much cooler. So today I should be able to, oh, say, complete the desk rebuild. Have a nice brunchish sit down with the newspaper and a good pot of coffee. Shop Costco for the necessaries. (Oh, speaking of shopping - Today's Woot is a kitchen scale for $25 including shipping. It has a 4.5 star rating on Amazon with 14 customer reviews at a cost of $45. Yes, I ordered one.)
Also, the blogroll update continues. I've moved two from the "Links" level to the "In Memoriam" level. Keep in mind that "In Memoriam" can refer to a blogger whose joined the Choir Eternal or one who's just stopped posting. By the way something, if you live in Maryland and have a pug named "Petey," you need to e-mail me. My last message to you bounced back.
I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday. I will do my best to get pictures posted this after noon.
Yeah, yeah. My picture is in the dictionary(.com) under "slack." But I've been Mr. Homebody lately. My deskal area is in the process of a massive re-build (which, by the way, will leave an LCD monitor/flat screen desk-mounted "arm" available if anyone is interested) which will result in increased usable space and less reason to mess about stacking up piles and piles of paper.
I'm going to take some pictures of my Aero-Garden herbs this after noon and post them. I've got to say, those things work rather startlingly well. I've got the "herb" collection (no, not "herb," - herbs) with parsley, dill, basil, purple basil thyme and mint. The basil and dill are really going to town. But, as I said, I'll post pics.
Otherwise, perhaps it's a weather thing for me but Saturday was just hell on my joints. Every single one of them ached. Not just the usual suspects, all the residents of Osteotown. At least today is not so bad. It's wet here but much cooler. So today I should be able to, oh, say, complete the desk rebuild. Have a nice brunchish sit down with the newspaper and a good pot of coffee. Shop Costco for the necessaries. (Oh, speaking of shopping - Today's Woot is a kitchen scale for $25 including shipping. It has a 4.5 star rating on Amazon with 14 customer reviews at a cost of $45. Yes, I ordered one.)
Also, the blogroll update continues. I've moved two from the "Links" level to the "In Memoriam" level. Keep in mind that "In Memoriam" can refer to a blogger whose joined the Choir Eternal or one who's just stopped posting. By the way something, if you live in Maryland and have a pug named "Petey," you need to e-mail me. My last message to you bounced back.
I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday. I will do my best to get pictures posted this after noon.
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