At dinner the other night we were trying to figure out if any other country had AS diverse an experience of food cultures as America. Did Europe have as many Mexican restaurants? Did South American countries have Czech food? Nobody at the table had traveled enough to say definitively, but this Eater article gets to some of the issues raised in the food industry by a sustained anti-immigrant campaign on the part of government. A. Continue reading Middle Eastern Burritos and Other Immigration/Food Discussions
Half a dozen years ago, Mr. A and I were in the adoption agency office looking at brochures. Not for babies. You don’t have to sell people who are thinking about adoption on babies. Small, squirmy, sticky-out-tongue babies who rustle and snuzzle at your shoulder and snorfle into your ear? You don’t need to pitch those to people. No, we were looking at brochures for parents. One couple had written a letter to their prospective birth mother explaining all the advantages their child would have: A love for music, for art, a house full of books and laughter. Another made full-color picture pages, … Continue reading Somebody Else’s Babies
Winter played a fleeting return engagement in New Orleans this week. Unlike the Mid-March blizzard in the Northeast, it wasn’t anything to write home about but we ran the heater and shivered a bit. I’m not a fan of the new practice of naming winter storms even if the first one is named after a famous theatrical character, STELLA. Unless, that is, it’s named for the Hunter-Garcia ballad Stella Blue. The mere thought of a blizzard makes me blue so that could be it.
It may have been chilly of late but Spring allergy season is upon us with a vengeance. I have a mild case of red-eye but I’m used to that. A worse pestilence is this year’s flea crop. We haven’t had a hard freeze for several years so the nasty little buggers are dining on Oscar and Della Street. All we can do is treat the house, medicate the cats, and hope for the best. The idea of putting a flea collar on Della is particularly unappealing. She’s been known to draw blood so I’ll pass. Chomp.
This week’s theme song comes from R.E.M.’s classic 1987 Document album; more on the album anon. It’s my favorite record in their catalog and Disturbance At The Heron House is the kat’s meow. The lyrics were inspired by George Orwell’sAnimal Farm, which is another reason I like it so much.
Here are two versions. The original studio track and one from R.E.M.’s appearance on MTV Unplugged. The second video has Radio Song as lagniappe.
The “followers of chaos out of control” indeed. In fact, they can follow me to the other side after the break. I hope it’s sufficiently chaotic.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is something every high school student or college undergrad runs into at some point in a sociology or psychology class. The concept is simple: You have a set of psychological and physiological needs that work in ascending order from most basic to most enlightened. In short, you need to make sure you are fed, rested and healthy first and then you can worry about safety and security. After that, you start getting into things like friendships, family, belonging, self-esteem and reaching your potential as a human. Given both the broad applicability of this theory and the … Continue reading Hierarchy of Needs: Asshole Edition
You know things are bad when the man whose best friend is a KGB illegal notices there’s something wrong with a teenage girl. Of course, Stan Beeman is alternately clueless and perceptive about life in general. He’s right: there *is* trouble in Paigeland. I have an alternative theory as to why: I blame that dreadful brown geometric wallpaper in her bedroom. It looks as if Piet Mondrian projectile vomited on the wall. No wonder Paige is sleeping in the closet at the beginning of this aptly titled episode. Pests abound this week but we’ll get to that after my feeble attempt to make this thread spoiler proof.
Before the break, let’s get in a 1984 mood by paying a brief visit to Heartbeat City:
I’m not sure if I love or hate the cover of Steeleye Span’s 1976 album Rocket Cottage. The folk rock veterans were aiming at mainstream commercial success with this record but it didn’t happen. The cover qualifies as either geek chic … Continue reading Album Cover Art Wednesday: Rocket Cottage
Have you noticed how fucking allergic we are to saying who did what to who and why? Jesus H. J. Giles Band Christ: Iowa congressman’s inflammatory statements seen as echoing principles of white nationalism. https://t.co/YjbWnBt82r pic.twitter.com/btUlxU1Bb3 — NYT National News (@NYTNational) March 13, 2017 I mean SEEN AS? He basically said, “White women need to have more white babies so that we can have a nation of white people,” and we are so … I don’t know, what, pussified we can’t say, “This was some breed-for-the-Reich straight-up eugenics shit, son?” What on EARTH? How did we as a nation ever … Continue reading No One Ever Is To Blame
Good morning, everyone – let’s spin that airlock door and see what’s in the room, shall we?
Remember “Da Governator”? (from 2003)
To: ambrose
Dang, I’m gonna be so happy with a guvinator who can stand up under pressure.Vote Arnold
34 posted on 8/30/2003, 9:27:48 PM by 68 grunt (3/1 India, 3rd, 0311, 68-69)
14 years later:
Report: Arnold Schwarzenegger Considering Senate BidDaily Caller News Foundation ^ | March 9, 2017 | Juliegrace Brufke Posted on 3/9/2017, 11:23:41 PM by kevcol
Schwarzenegger spokesman Daniel Ketchell told Politico that the former governor hasn’t ruled out the possibility of seeking a seat in the upper chamber
“Right now Gov. Schwarzenegger’s focus is on using his platform to bring some sensibility and coherency to Washington by fighting for redistricting reform, like we did in California,’’ Ketchell told the publication. “We are keeping all of our options open as far as how we can accomplish that.”
3 posted on 3/9/2017, 11:25:46 PM by 2ndDivisionVet (You cannot invade the mainland US. There’d be a rifle behind every blade of grass.)
Heh.
To: kevcol
Arnold.
A long long time ago, I supported you. I thought you were someone, different from who you are, apparently.
You really seemed to be more Donald Trump at first.
Now, not so much.
4 posted on 3/9/2017, 11:26:07 PM by cba123 ( Toi la nguoi My. Toi bay gio o Viet Nam.)
Don’t be too hasty.
.
1. Serial groper.
2. Rich.
3. Good at implementing stupid policies that fail (because they’re stupid)
4. Once a media star, who’s now in the process of collapsing.
.
Sounds pretty bang-on to me.
.
.
To: dp0622
GO AWAY = ESAD
9 posted on 3/9/2017, 11:29:03 PM by Kickass Conservative ( Democracy, two Wolves and one Sheep deciding what’s for Dinner.)
I see the Freeperville ban on cursing is continuing to erode…
To: Kickass Conservative
Looked it up on urban dictionary 🙂
That’s pretty funny!
12 posted on 3/9/2017, 11:31:29 PM by dp0622 (The only thing an upper crust conservative hates more than a liberal is a middle class conservative)
If you didn’t already know (like from 1990 or so) what the acronym for “eat shit and die” was, perhaps you should stay away from the internets.
One Freeper tries to rally the once-faithful with the old “he’s the best of a bad lot” defense :
To: Kickass Conservative
Come on people! After 24+ years of Boxer/Fienstein I would think that you could open your eyes! He’s the best we could get unless you are blind. The ‘most conservative who can win’ applies here. Consider it good Buckley news. Besides it’s better than peddling war games.
14 posted on 3/9/2017, 11:32:31 PM by DIRTYSECRET (urope. Why do they put up with this.)
I wonder if she’s mad about it. Rosemary returned to the exact spot in front of the Federal Building in Pittsburgh 43 years after her 1st visit. pic.twitter.com/JLEfzRoA9F — Brasilmagic (@Brasilmagic) March 8, 2017 I would be. I’d also be glad that I could still get out there in the street. I spent 2o years working for an organization I’ll visit again in two weeks. In the time I spent there, people said thank you once. More often they said, “What have you done for me, today?” or “Who are you again?” or “I’ve never really been clear what this group is … Continue reading Work’s Never Done
Jesus H. Tits: Tronc (TRNC) , the third-largest U.S. newspaper company, is closing in on a deal to buy Us Weekly from Jann Wenner’s Wenner Media. The purchase price likely would be in the $85 million to $95 million range, sources said, with Tronc chairman Michael Ferro believing the acquisition will move Tronc toward becoming a major player in the celebrity news business and add both to its digital earnings and its digital transformation credibility. NOTHING says credibility like Us Weekly. The trash fire continues to burn: Air Ferro: Latest @tronc financials show $2.7M in leased jet charges, equiv of … Continue reading If Only There Was Money for Journalism
It’s time for the Irish Channel St. Patrick’s Day parade later today. This year’s route is so long that it should be renamed the Uptown/Irish Channel St. Patrick’s Day. We’re fleeing to our friends Greg and Christy’s annual shindig, which puts the bang in shebang or some such shit. And I know the parade isn’t happening on the day itself. This is New Orleans, we do things our own way. Y’all should know that by now. There will, however, be drinking involved. We’re not that bloody different: walk me out in the Tullamore morning dew…
The big local story is that the Fifth Circuit has lifted an injunction against removing the white surpremacist monuments. They’ll be gone pecans soon enough. The erstwhile Gret Stet Fuhrer has been relatively silent this time around. He’s too busy fluffing Trump on Twitter to get worked up about it. For now. I guess that makes him a fluffer nutter. I hereby apologize to others out there who love marshmallow fluff, which recently celebrated a somewhat sticky centennial.
This week’s theme songs qualify as benign earworms. My mind keeps drifting back in their direction, which is why I’m taking you to the top, top, Top of the Pops.
We’re going in reverse chronological order with the 1991 Smithereens tune first. The video was filmed in Atlantic City. I looked for Chalky White but didn’t see him.
This week we’re back in same title, different song territory with the Kinks who were the band that most influenced the Reens. I’ve always preferred this loose live version of Top of the Pops to the more buttoned down studio track:
Now that I’ve rocked your world, it’s time to insert the break. This post grew like Cat’s Claw vines on an abandoned shotgun double so one is in order. See you on the other side.
His given name was Thedrick Emerson Wright, but nobody ever called him that. To anyone who worked with him, played softball for him or just spent time with him, he was just “Tack.” Or if you were a kid like me, he was “Uncle Tack.” It was never clear to me, or my dad who befriended Uncle Tack through his work at Ladish, where that name came from. Ted, Thed, TE or even “Big Man” would have made more sense that “Tack.” What was clear was that he was an integral part of my life growing up and loving man-child … Continue reading Uncle Tack
This week’s catblogging features a snapshot of Oscar snoozing next to my Krewe du Vieux costume a few weeks ago. The bag he’s sleeping on contains a krewemate’s costume. All Oscar knows is that it’s comfortable and that’s all the matters … Continue reading Friday Catblogging: Krewe du O
I’ve thought about recapping FX’s brilliant spy series The Americans for several years. I have finally taken the plunge with Season 5, which finds Philip and Elizabeth digging a hole. Literally.
I posted the picture above even though it comes from Season 4 because I *adore* Frank Langella as KGB spy daddy Gabriel. Langella brings a feline presence to the proceedings with his silky, smooth voice, nondescript sweaters, and wise eyes. If they decide to kill Gabriel off, I plan to go on a hunger strike. No wheat for me, y’all.
In preparation for last night, I watched the first four seasons on Amazon Prime so I’m primed with information, especially if they serve prime rib. I’m just ribbing you: there’s no food in the shops in Moscow when KGB hunk Oleg returns home in the premiere. His new mission is to root out corruption, which his boss informs him is the wish of then Soviet Leader Constantine Chernenko. I had a good laugh at that: Chernenko was as crooked as a snake and his sole qualification to be Soviet leader was that he was Breznhev’s drinking buddy. Vodka is some evil shit. Zazdarovje.
For those of you who DVR’d the season premiere, I’m going undercover for the rest of the post. The only thing spoiled in this post is Dylan Baker’s body. I just lied like a spy. I’m merely inserting a break but first some contemporaneous music:
The Move is best remembered for the hit song Do Ya and for morphing into the Electric Light Orchestra who morphed into ELO. They had several hit songs… The Move was a two-headed monster in 1971 when Message From The … Continue reading Album Cover Art Wednesday: Message From The Country
Obamacare, let’s make it worse: People with low incomes would still be eligible for refundable tax credits in advance of up to $14,000 for a family. — NPR (@NPR) March 6, 2017 So people who already can’t afford to pay their premiums will now … get a tax credit on their nonexistent money they don’t have enough of. I cannot. Nope. Look, things like tax credits are nice, if you already have money, because it gives you money back. Eventually. After a while. A long while. It gives you a long-term benefit. Long. Term. As in, down the road. A ways. What … Continue reading People Ain’t Got No MONEY: Shove Your Tax Credit, Ryan
I’m still collecting Freeperville threads about the The Darnold’s Very Bad Week of warrants and wiretaps, but I can give you the Cliff’s Notes version right now.
1. It’s fake news and none of it happened.
2. It’s real news, but it’s bad for Obummer, NOT for The Darnold.
3. It’s bad news for Obummer, because he personally ordered both the FBI AND the Federal FISA judge to put on hoodies and egg/toilet paper Mar-a-fucko. This will result in the Kenyan sharing a cell with Shillary any day now.
4. There’s an innocent explanation for all this – the Russians were just paying their rent at Drumpf Tower, and apparently they send the money over the phone.
(think I’m kidding about that last one? Just wait until next Monday)
Meanwhile, my fair city of Carrollton is in the news again. For the usual reasons.
Carrollton Couple’s Gay Pride Flag Set on Fire in Mailbox NBC DFW ^ | Mar 3, 2017
A Carrollton couple believes hate was the motivation for an early morning crime that targeted their home, their mailbox and their rainbow pride flag.
Police say Thursday morning just before 3:30 a.m. someone ripped the couple’s gay pride flag from the side of their home on Longwood Drive, stuffed it into their mailbox at curbside and lit it on fire using several neighbors’ mail as kindling.
Markus Maguire and his husband, Wilson Nash, awoke Thursday morning to find their flag missing, just a piece of the broken wooden poll still in its holder. Their next-door neighbor then discovered the remains of a fire in their open mailbox.
Carrollton police investigators discovered several pieces of burned mail inside, along with the flag, balled up and charred in the very back.
The flag sustained only a few burns because the perpetrators actually closed the mailbox after lighting the fire, and the flames quickly subsided due to lack of oxygen.
Neighbors with surveillance cameras discovered video that captured what looks like a light-colored van pulling up to the house, a person pulling the flag down and then the vehicle leaving briefly before returning a few minutes later so someone could set the fire.
Other residents in the area believe they captured the same van, which they don’t recognize, making multiple passes through their streets over about a 30-minute period.
Maguire and Nash, who have lived in the area for about two years, say they believe the crime was a clear act of hate.
“It was actually a target at us,” Maguire said. “It was absolute hate, and they meant to do it.”
Carrollton police representative Jolene DeVito said Friday that the department is looking for other neighbors in the area who may have caught better images of the crime and the person responsible.
DeVito said that with all of the factors in the investigation, including arson and the involvement of the U.S. mail, the crime could potentially qualify as a hate crime, a federal offense – though detectives are still early in their investigation at this point.
Maguire and Nash said the outpouring of support from their neighbors has been the one positive to come out of the situation, with people actively helping them search for evidence and some even hanging rainbow flags in front of their own homes in solidarity.
Maguire said they personally wasted no time getting their pride flying again, by going straight from filing the police report Thursday to purchase a new flag.
“We found out at about 8 o’clock, and by 12 had a new one up,” he said.
“And if they try to take it down again we’ll put another one up,” Nash said.
Carrollton police ask anyone with information in the investigation to contact them right away at 972-466-3333.
I’ve already taken up too much front page space, so only one response before the jump:
To: Lurkinanloomin; All; admin
Yeah, what is it with. all the gay/lesbian/transgender pervert crap on Free Republic? Is this place becoming a stealth dating site for queers, lesbians and cross dressers?
14 posted on 3/4/2017, 9:26:24 PM by Cobra64 (Common sense isn’t common any more.)
OK, two responses.
To: Cobra64
“Is this place becoming a stealth dating site for queers, lesbians and cross dressers?”
Why? You looking for a date?
CC
31 posted on 3/4/2017, 9:48:09 PM by Celtic Conservative (CC: purveyor of cryptic, snarky posts since December, 2000..)
The entire apparatus of a White House comms office with spokespeople comes apart in this clip. I do not exaggerate. pic.twitter.com/Bzj14rf6Wf — Jay Rosen (@jayrosen_nyu) March 5, 2017 I think we need to move to a new theory of Trump which is that they have no idea what is going on, don’t care, have no strategy, again don’t care, and just want to keep yelling shit to make the frogboys on Twitter jump. Like we keep assuming there’s another explanation than the one we’ve been given since day one of the campaign. Trump was never in this to win, never … Continue reading If If If If If
