The Coalition of the Swilling

MOST wonderful time of the year!!!

Posted by tree hugging sister at 10:45 PM | Comments (9)

“This isn’t representative of our department,”

Police were unable to account for 240 officers on the 1,450-member force following Katrina. The force has been investigating them to see if they left their posts during the storm.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 08:38 PM | Comments (2)

The Plame Game

Ok, so I've read through the whole indictment.

This is all we get after 2 years' work? I'm underwhelmed. I ain't no stinkin' lawyer, but it seems all they have is that this guy said he didn't have sex with that women to the Grand Jury.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 01:49 PM | Comments (14)

There Must Be Something In The Air...

in Oregon:

MEDFORD, Oregon (AP) -- A woman bought a winning lottery ticket worth $1 million with a stolen credit card and could wind up with nothing if convicted, police said.

I'm sure the state would love to keep it.

A search warrant served at her home Thursday turned up some methamphetamine, but little money, George said.

"Our investigation is still trying to determine what happened to the $33,500," George said.

Maybe she invested in a horse farm?

Update: Beaten by the Perversion Catalyst yet again.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 12:12 PM | Comments (9)

Circle Jerks

A great article in the NY Sun on the corruption and cronyism going on between the National Park Service and Circle Line here in NY:

Circle Line-Statue of Liberty Ferry Incorporated, which next month will ask the National Park Service for permission to raise its fares, has apparently paid for more than $1.7 million of its own operations by using a fund meant to pay for capital improvements at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

One of the most outrageous bits in the article is how Circle Line took $100,000 from the federal capital improvements fund, which means your and my tax dollars, and gave it as a 'donation' to the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation. I'm sure they were properly feted at the Black Tie Gala Event for their kindness. Bastards.

The collusion this points to between certain Park "Service" employees and Circle Line is disgusting, and horribly corrupt. You want some pork to cut? Here's a great spot to start.

Thanks to the NY Sun for great reporting.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 09:44 AM

Word of the Day

valetudinarian \val-uh-too-duh-NAIR-ee-un\ noun

: a person of a weak or sickly constitution; especially : one whose chief concern is being or becoming a chronic invalid

Posted by tree hugging sister at 08:39 AM | Comments (4)

The MOST Wonderful Time of the Year!

Especially if you've got a plane ticket.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 08:36 AM | Comments (1)

October 27, 2005

On The Road With Cullen

Amazing, and saddening, pictures and stories by our friend Cullen of his tour in Afghanistan.

Go look.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 02:41 PM | Comments (2)

Not Much has Changed, These 90 Years

I have only two men out of my company and 20 out of some other company. We need support, but it is almost suicide to try to get it here as we are swept by machine gun fire and a constant barrage is on us. I have no one on my left and only a few on my right. I will hold.
1stLt. Clifton B. Cates, USMC
in Belleau Wood, 19 July 1918

Posted by tree hugging sister at 01:35 PM | Comments (3)

This is what I want my sons riding into combat in when/if they are Marines?

I don't think so. I just don't like this whole program, and think we could have had an aircraft already in service had we better spent the $ elsewhere.

An Air Force version of the V-22 tilt-rotor Osprey aircraft last week experienced a condensation stall of both engines after flying into a cloud at 18,000 feet, presumably because of icing problems, sources have told the Project On Government Oversight. The aircraft, CV-22 #6, was on a routine flight to Edwards Air Force base in California. It did not recover from the stall until it had descended to warmer air at about 10,000 feet, the sources said.

If this is confirmed, they really need to roll a few heads about the V-22.

Posted by Crusader at 12:45 PM | Comments (3)

Coulda Done That a Smidge Quicker

How embarrassing. Or mortifying.

Miers Withdraws Supreme Court Nomination

Posted by tree hugging sister at 09:16 AM | Comments (11)

October 26, 2005

Judge: Port Authority Negligent in 1993 WTC Bombing

Good grief.

NEW YORK — A jury ruled Wednesday that the Port Authority was negligent in the bombing of the World Trade Center (search) in 1993 — a long-awaited legal victory for victims of an attack that killed six people and wounded 1,000.

The six-person jury ruled that the Port Authority (search), the agency that owned the World Trade Center, was negligent by not properly maintaining the parking garage, where terrorists detonated more than a half-ton of explosives in a Ryder van. It said the negligence was a "substantial factor" in the allowing the bombing to occur.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 07:37 PM | Comments (5)

Why Does FEMA Have Lessons to Learn

...but the people in harm's way do not? ABC World News tonight had interviews with 'desperate' people on line for supplies in Miami. A young mother who needed milk for her baby. A quick mention that Jeb Bush had said folks in a storm's path had some responsibility to prepare, but then back to "so many elderly live in Florida and they can't..." An elderly lady whose insulin had no ice to keep it cool. A woman with a bad leg trapped on the 14th floor of her condo tower because the elevators were out. On and on.

HELLO, PEOPLE. You knew for DAYS this was heading right at you. "Desperate"?? When it's only been TWO DAYS? Why ARE you out of gas, when you know there is none, the power's out and they can't pump? Driving around visiting and checking storm damage, no doubt and NOW it's FEMA'S fault? Why DO YOU NOT have canned/boxed/powdered dry milk and bottles of water for your child ~ the child whose life YOU are RESPONSIBLE for? This is FEMA's fault? Why didn't you have a couple bags of ice in styrofoam knowing insulin had to stay cool, or enough supplies laid in when the condo tower elevators worked?
All of you watched what happened after Katrina. Poverty and age are no excuse for laziness, ignorance and the complete abdication of any sense of personal responsibilty for your own disaster preparation. Your being a dumbass is not FEMA's fault.
UPDATE: The irony in this statement is just too frickin' delicious to pass up. Mind you, this is a woman in a five hour gas line only 3 days after the storm.

"This is like the Third World," said Claudia Shaw, who spent several hours in a gas line. "We live in a state where we suffer from these storms every year. Where is the planning?"

Posted by tree hugging sister at 06:40 PM | Comments (7)

Sweet Dreams, MommaBear

We'll miss you terribly, but are ever so grateful for the chance we had to get to know you. We are thankful you hurt no more, dear Lady. Hugs and many wishes for comfort and peace to your family.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 06:08 PM

Speaking of Goats and Frenchmen

Isn't "CAPE GIRARDEAU" a French name?

Goat's Rotten Week Ends With Eviction
First she was assaulted with spray paint, then kidnapped. Now, Sharon the goat faces eviction.

The 7-month-old animal has been the mascot for the Sigma Chi fraternity at Southeast Missouri State University. On Oct. 21, someone got inside a security fence at the frat house and spray-painted the goat.

Then early Sunday, the fraternity reported Sharon missing.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 04:27 PM | Comments (15)

Oh! I'm Gonna Hire a Wino

...to decorate my throne.

King Tut Drank Red Wine, Researcher Says

Posted by tree hugging sister at 02:01 PM | Comments (7)

In the Chill of a Late October Morning

...it helps if an older gentleman has some bitchin' new threads.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 09:43 AM | Comments (6)

God Bless His Brave, Jarhead Heart

We've lost our first local kid. His name was Jonathon. LCpl Spears, to the Marines. He'd had to work awful hard to lose 60 pounds of high school offensive lineman's bulk so he could be a Marine. He was seven weeks into his second tour.

All our deepest, heartfelt sympathies and most sincere gratitude to his family. Thank you for your son.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 08:58 AM | Comments (6)

Woo HOOO!!

Our first Frost on the Punkin morning of the year!!!

Accuweather says it's 37° right now at 0800. I LOVE it.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 08:52 AM | Comments (7)

Bingley Will Use ANY Excuse...

...to put on his Speedos and head for the beach.

GET BACK TO WORK, SLACKER!!!

Posted by tree hugging sister at 08:37 AM | Comments (3)

October 25, 2005

I Hope Someone Has...

a Don't Feed the Animals sign handy.

"I'm going to go to Washington, D.C. and I'm going to give a speech at the White House, and after I do, I'm going to tie myself to the fence and refuse to leave until they agree to bring our troops home,"...

Posted by tree hugging sister at 12:23 PM | Comments (17)

Porcine Post of the Day

Loosely translated it means:

Modifying a Volvo is like putting lipstick on a pig

Posted by tree hugging sister at 11:59 AM | Comments (3)

I Think the Marine Corps

...needs to go after this asshole.

And just WTF does that mean, anyway?

Posted by tree hugging sister at 11:53 AM | Comments (12)

Oh, Buy George!!

(And no, I didn't misspell a damn thing.)

UK politician 'received Saddam oil allocations'

More than $600,000 raised from allocations of Iraqi crude oil was deposited into accounts for the wife and campaign charity of George Galloway, the British member of parliament (MP), a Senate subcommittee investigating the Iraqi oil-for-food scandal alleged on Monday.

Documents, including wire transfers, as well as interviews with top officials of the Saddam Hussein regime show Mr Galloway "personally solicited and received lucrative oil allocations from the Hussein regime", the committee alleged.

Galloway fans may see things differently once it all comes out. These are the same folks who gushed...

...What happened next was a rare political moment: to the surprise of the assembled senators, congressional aides, and press, Galloway turned the tables on his accusers, calling attention to the dishonesty and hypocrisy that led to the war in Iraq. This is the story of Galloway's relationship with Saddam Hussein (including details of their private meetings) and of his remarkable visit to Washington in which he dared to set the record straight—not just his own record, but also that of the U.S. government. Filled with the passion and wit that are Galloway trademarks, the book includes the complete transcript of the famed Senate testimony and is packed with facts about the U.S.'s ignominious history in Iraq—facts that are easy to forget but crucial to remember.

Nah. It'll never happen. The capacity for self dillusion is strong in them, young Skywalker.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 10:33 AM | Comments (2)

Something Creepy This Way Comes

Yeesh. I only got four out of ten, including one I should have known right off.
That's me though, always only seeing the good in people...

Major Dad, on the other hand, knows his Javas from Favas.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 09:54 AM | Comments (15)

They Just Keep Going and Going

Not him. Nope. Him neither.
I mean THESE guys! They've turned out to be the Martian version of a "three hour tour". (And talk about getting...

...the "Big Picture"!)

Posted by tree hugging sister at 09:31 AM | Comments (1)

The World is a Very Scary Place

'Goodfellas' Said Best Film of All Time

Martin Scorsese's classic mobster movie "Goodfellas" is the greatest film of all time, according to the experts(!!) at a British film magazine.

"Fight Club," starring Brad Pitt, came fourth...

Posted by tree hugging sister at 09:05 AM | Comments (6)

Dear Ms. Parks

Thank you.

Mrs. Parks was 42 when she committed an act of defiance in 1955 that was to change the course of American history and earn her the title “mother of the civil rights movement.”

Posted by tree hugging sister at 08:46 AM | Comments (3)

October 24, 2005

Esprit de Escargot

Well, they did say they trained marine snails...

In the snail experiment, researchers put bryostatin in sea water, days in advance of any learning or training, causing certain proteins to be made by the neurons of the snails.

When the snails were trained days later, instead of remembering something for a minute or two, they would remember it for weeks, researchers said.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 10:21 PM | Comments (8)

Um, One Would Hope Not...

Not use them, I mean. But knowing that someone in a trailer they're thinking of breaking into might just be packing could conceivably cause a rethink of the situation, right?

FEMA lifts ban on guns at temporary housing
Under new policy, residents can own, store firearms, but not use them

Following complaints from gun-rights groups, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said Monday it is lifting a ban on firearms at emergency housing parks built in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Under the new federal policy, residents can possess and store firearms. Use of weapons is still prohibited in the parks, said Butch Kinerny, a FEMA spokesman.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 10:12 PM | Comments (1)

Hey! Check Out Tim on Pajamas Media!

We know somebody famous, how 'bout it! (Though it's a pity a person with his exalted stature has to mug a lizard for a red convertible photo op. Rent one, you cheapskate! At least the gecko's insured.)
Tim Blair's Sexy Man of Mystery Photo

The Gecko when he still had his ride.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 05:33 PM | Comments (1)

Did I Mention...

...it's the MOST wonderful time of the year?

I am positively giddy with excitement. Jazzed about the cool weather and all. And having a wonderful husband who will let me drag him to every pumpkin patch for miles around ~ over and over again. He's a babe. A very indulgent babe.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 12:08 PM | Comments (12)

Sorry Crusader, I Was Too Late To Bid On These For You

I know you were hoping that this was your year.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 09:36 AM | Comments (12)

To Andrea and Cindermutha (KathyK, Too?)

Florida Cracker and all our south Florida babes ~

Keep Yer Powder Dry

Posted by tree hugging sister at 09:20 AM | Comments (5)

Logic Rules the Day

“I don’t like people walking around armed on the street. But since all the bandits have guns, you need to have a gun at home,” said taxi driver Mohammed Osei, who voted against the ban.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 09:09 AM | Comments (3)

Sound Familiar?

A decision that most likely will open the door to a second term for Colombian President Alvaro Uribe may also spark an increase in violence by the country's left-wing rebels after three years of relative quiet.

Mr. Rangel says the FARC may try to call into question the efficacy of Uribe's "democratic security" strategy, which has dramatically reduced kidnappings, homicides, and terrorist attacks.

As a result, Colombians are likely to see further economic sabotage, attacks on military bases, and urban terror plots on political targets similar to the assassination attempt in Bogotá recently of Uribista Sen. German Vargas Lleras, he says.

The president's favorability ratings stand at near 80 percent, and polls that showed overwhelming support for the idea of reelection revealed that between 53 and 56 percent of Colombians would vote to reelect Uribe in May 2006.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 08:55 AM

The MOST Wonderful Time of the Year!

Apparently, I'm not the only one who thinks so!

Posted by tree hugging sister at 08:51 AM | Comments (9)

Word of the Day

amphibology \am-fuh-BAH-luh-jee\ noun

: a sentence or phrase that can be interpreted in more than one way

Example sentence:
Not wanting to voice what I really felt, I resorted to amphibology and said, "Indeed! Bingley IS a rare sort of fellow."

Posted by tree hugging sister at 08:43 AM | Comments (7)

October 22, 2005

You Rarely See The Ocean This Calm

It was like a quiet lake Thursday. Pretty neat.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 05:11 PM | Comments (10)

Alpha, Baby

Just an mph or so away...

We are on the verge of the first ever named tropical storm "Alpha" in the Atlantic basin as tropical depression 25 has formed.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 03:52 PM | Comments (2)

October 21, 2005

Happy Red Vs Blue Anniversary!

The Glorious 200th Anniversary of Red beating Blue (or was it Blue beating Red? Politically Correct History, "Years Without Tears", is awfully tough to remember...) has finally arrived! Tim Worstall has a celebratory post up.

I think for dinner I'm going to marinade a Beef Tenderloin in Brandy.

I'll call it a "Pickled Nelson."

Oops, this one:

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 03:33 PM

The Pig Got Popped

Did someone shoot the pig for lunch?
Bullet found in woman's pork loin casserole

Was the pig a victim of a rural drive-by shooting?

That's one theory a Publix spokesman offered to explain how a bullet wound up in an Ormond Beach woman's pork loin.

Diane Johnson's son-in-law found the bullet in a pork loin casserole she served Tuesday to her family. She said there was no mistaking the projectile's distinct shape in the pork loin she bought at a local Publix grocery store.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 01:15 PM | Comments (11)

Porcine Post of the Day

Since we missed "Talk Like a Pirate Day", we'll overcompensate.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 10:39 AM | Comments (1)

Another Reason to Have That Cup O' Joe

A would-be carjacker got a different kind of jolt from his intended victim's morning cup of coffee, authorities said.

The suspect tapped the car window Wednesday morning with a gun and motioned the driver to get out, Chief Deputy Roy Hughes said.

But the driver -- who had just bought a cup of hot coffee -- slammed the car door into the carjacker's legs, threw the coffee at his neck and face and wrestled him to the ground, Hughes said.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 10:35 AM | Comments (3)

How Come We Never Hear About This Guy?

The old "good news is NO news" MSM credo at work.

Uribe Wins Colombia Court Ruling, Allowing Him to Seek 2nd Term

...helping keep the South American country's economy growing at its fastest pace in seven years...

...Foreign direct investment surged 52 percent in Colombia in the first half of the year to $2.3 billion, following a 66 percent increase in 2004, as companies looked to tap into growing consumer confidence that has followed the drop in crime.

...homicides have dropped 40 percent and kidnappings 70 percent, making Colombians feel safer in public...

...Colombian stocks gained 0.8 percent today ahead of the court ruling, leaving them up 67 percent this year.

...The peso has surged 22 percent since May 2004

...``Leadership like his is rare; he has put his neck on the line for Colombia,'' John Ditierri, who helps manage about $14 billion in stocks at Emerging Markets Investor, including $90 million of Colombian shares...

...Colombia's economy expanded 5.3 percent in the second quarter from the year-earlier period, its fastest pace of growth in seven years. The economy expanded 4.1 percent in each of the past two years, more than double the 2002 growth rate of 1.9 percent.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 09:07 AM | Comments (1)

October 20, 2005

BREAKING NEWS

...and I'm shocked, SHOCKED!!

ABCNews is reporting that the U.N. has released a report on the assassination of the former Lebanese leader Rafik Hariri, stating it was planned by Syrian and Lebanese security forces. "Evidence of Syrian, Lebanese involvement." We'll link as soon as we get one. Bastards.
UPDATE:Got it.

A U.N. investigation concluded that high-ranking Syrian and Lebanese security officials were involved in the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, according to a report released Thursday.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 06:55 PM | Comments (1)

Six Degrees of Lawyer Denny Crain

I was just talking badly about last night's anti-Bush/Brady Bill lapse lamentation/screed episode at Boston Legal, which stars William Shatner as lawyer Denny Crain who believes in a person's right to bear arms, and is shown on ABC, which also has John Stossel as one of their reporters, who just had an excellent opinion piece on Real Clear politics about the right to bear arms and the Brady Bill's not making a damn bit of difference, the exact opposite of Boston Legal last night, but exactly on point with lawyer Denny Crain, which I found via LAW Professor Reynolds. (Weird how this happens, n'est pas?)

UPDATE:

Congress gives gun industry a lawsuit shield
President Bush expected to sign bill following approval by House

Opponents say the strength of the bill’s support is testament to the influence of the gun lobby. If the bill had been law when the relatives of six victims of convicted Washington-area snipers John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo sued the gun dealer from which they obtained their rifle, the dealer would not have agreed to pay the families and victims $2.5 million, they said.

"Don't tell me this bill will not make a difference," said President Clinton, who signed the Brady Bill into law.

Sorry. Even the federal government can't say it has made a difference. The Centers for Disease Control did an extensive review of various types of gun control: waiting periods, registration and licensing, and bans on certain firearms. It found that the idea that gun control laws have reduced violent crime is simply a myth.

...(the study) found that what felons fear most is not the police or the prison system, but their fellow citizens, who might be armed.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 03:09 PM | Comments (37)

Since We're ON NOLA, Anyway

...file this note under "No Bad Deed Goes Unrewarded".

The presidency of the Orleans Levee Board is an unpaid position, or at least it was until just before Hurricane Katrina struck. In August, board President Jim Huey concluded that he was entitled to $1,000 a month for his work at the agency, retroactive to when he took the post in 1996. He came to this decision after consulting with two of the board's contract lawyers, one of whom was his wife's cousin, but without seeking approval from the other board members or the agency's staff attorney. The payment worked out to about $96,000.
This move was appalling but hardly surprising...

Posted by tree hugging sister at 10:19 AM

The Best Thing That Could Happen to New Orleans

This man... no, THIS one...
is an egghead. A mayor of very little brain. Besides being a media whore. Mayor Noggin's latest?

New Orleans mayor blasts Saints owner

Nagin accuses Benson of negotiating permanent move to San Antonio

During Benson’s ownership, the state of Louisiana has built him a new headquarters, including spending $6.75 million for an indoor practice field in 2003. The state also has paid for repeated improvements to the Louisiana Superdome at Benson’s insistence during the past two decades.

Under the current agreement, the state will pay the Saints $15 million this year and in 2006, $20 million in 2007 and 2008 and $23.5 million in 2009 and 2010. The Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District refinanced bonds on the Superdome to cover this year's payment.

...the 2003 NCAA men's basketball Final Four, estimated at the time at around $150 million of impact. And separate from that list is the presence of the NFL's Saints, the city's first and favorite pro franchise, and the NBA's Hornets, the newcomers.

It makes one wonder where all that money has gone since that first Super Bowl in the Superdome 27 years ago.

But don't get mad about the billions that never trickled into the New Orleans beyond Bourbon Street, that appear at best misdirected, and at worst wasted.

Get mad about the fact that the money never existed in the first place

Note to Mayor Noggin: STFU and LET THEM GO. Be a man, be a hero, oh bloviating one. Stand-up and say,

"We've got a city to rebuild and you choose not to be part of the solution. Fine. Don't let them gilded turnstiles hit you in the a$$ on your way out."

Posted by tree hugging sister at 10:01 AM | Comments (3)

October 19, 2005

Spank

Google backs down over Gmail name
A tiny UK-based financial research company has forced Google, the internet search giant, to change the name of its popular e-mail service in the UK.

Google announced on Wednesday that its free web-based e-mail would be renamed GoogleMail after Independent International Investment Research claimed that the Gmail name infringed the trademark of its G-mail.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 03:48 PM | Comments (3)

What Is The Drinking Age For Crocs?

Australian study finds alcohol linked to croc attacks.

An Australian review of unprovoked crocodile attacks on humans between 1971 and 2004 found that 29 percent of the 62 attacks had involved some alcohol consumption by the victim.

I assume they correctly classify the croc as the victim here. It's an absolute scandal that nefarious liqour sellers in the outback are not checking their IDs!

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 02:49 PM | Comments (2)

WTF? Wilma CAT 5!

South Floridians: Get Out NOW While there's still gas.

DATA FROM A RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT INDICATE THAT HURRICANE WILMA HAS BECOME AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CATEGORY FIVE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE SCALE. THE RECONNAISSANCE PLANE MEASURED 175 MPH WINDS AND ESTIMATED A MINIMUM PRESSURE OF 892 MB. THIS IS THE LOWEST PRESSURE OBSERVED IN 2005 AND IS EQUIVALENT TO THE MINIMUM PRESSURE OF THE 1935 LABOR DAY HURRICANE IN THE FLORIDA KEYS.

HO
LY
SHIT

AIR FORCE RECONNAISSANCE PLANE REPORTED 884 MB...THE LOWEST MINIMUM PRESSURE EVER MEASURED IN A HURRICANE IN THE ATLANTIC BASIN...THIS VALUE SHOULD BE USED WITH CAUTION UNTIL CALIBRATED...

Update:

PRONOUNCED TROCHOIDAL OSCILLATIONS ARE BEING SUPERIMPOSED ON A MEAN MOTION OF 300/6.

I have no idea what that means, but it can't be good.

Updated Update: Gawddammit I hate when they say "however..."

HOWEVER...RECENT RUNS OF THE GFS AND NOGAPS ARE SUGGESTING THE POSSIBILITY OF A THREAT TO NEW ENGLAND. IN THIS SCENARIO...WILMA BECOMES CAPTURED BY A LARGE MID- TO UPPER-LEVEL LOW FORECAST TO MOVE INTO THE GREAT LAKES REGION IN FOUR DAYS. THE ECMWF AND IN PARTICULAR THE UKMET...BOTH OLDER RUNS...DO NOT YET INDICATE THIS. THE FIVE-DAY OFFICIAL FORECAST POINT HAS BEEN ADJUSTED TO THE LEFT AND FASTER THAN THE PREVIOUS ADVISORY...BUT IS STILL MUCH FARTHER OFFSHORE OF NEW ENGLAND THAN THE GFDL...GFS...AND NOGAPS GUIDANCE.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 01:47 PM | Comments (18)

Word of the Day

Argus \AHR-gus\ noun \AHRRR-gah\ diminuitive*

1 : a hundred-eyed monster of Greek mythology
2 : a watchful guardian
3* : castle on an islet in Loch Linnhe at the mouth of Loch Laich near Portnacroish, Strathclyde, Scotland

Posted by tree hugging sister at 11:12 AM | Comments (3)

And Another Thing

We've waited for months for Boston Legal to hit ABC's schedule again. Missed it last week because of base-ah-baw-roo playoffs, but definately wanted to see it last night. They'd previewed scenes of Betty White on trial for head whackinging the frying pan murderer of the previous season. "Woo hoo!" we thought. What they didn't show were previews of the hour's other case with it's excruciating "Bush let the automatic weapons ban die and Congress rolled over for him" stilted preachy counsel questioning during said case. We felt dirty and used. Oh my God, that's the end of that. Tuesday night viewing now officially becomes a vacuum after My Name Is Earl. (Which, if you haven't seen it, means you are being punished by bad Karma. Rage, RAGE against the dying of the light!)

Earl's Karma Guide What's to argue?

As I go through life, fixing my mistakes one at a time, I’ve learned a thing or two about Karma, and part of keeping good Karma is sharing it with others. I hope these notions help you as much as they’ve helped me.

Do good things and good things will happen to you. Do bad things and it will come back and bite you in the ass.

If you want a better life, you need to be a better person.

Bad luck might be contagious. It wouldn’t be fair to bring someone into your life until you clean yours up.

Never underestimate the power of confidence. And never underestimate fifteen beers, a little enlightenment, and the power of Rob Base and DJ Easy Rock.

A person needs a little rest after having his moustache tickled at a gay bar.

You have to do the hard things in life sooner or later.

If you want the reward, you have to do the work.

The secret to life is fixing all the bad things that you’ve done.

Whether picking up trash, returning stolen merchandise, or helping a homosexual find love, it always has the same reward… feeling good about yourself.

Karma. You got to love it.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 10:00 AM | Comments (5)

Buried in Yahoo News 'Opinion'

...was this little gem:

The spoiling of war
War correspondents need not retire yet - peace isn't blanketing the planet. But a number of scholarly thinkers who tally up wars find a sharp decline in armed conflicts over the past decade. And current wars are inflicting far fewer casualties

These scholarly studies help counteract a media impression of rising and bloodier conflicts. They also help sift out the excuses for war from their underlying causes, which often lie in a long and historic battle over which ideas will keep uplifting all of humanity.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 09:37 AM

Willlllbur! I'm Pregggnannnttttt....

The names were changed to protect the horse's identity:

An Enumclaw-area man who authorities say helped run a farm where people had sex with animals — and where a Seattle man died doing so with a horse — was charged with a misdemeanor yesterday.... ...According to the King County Sheriff's Office, which also investigated, the farm was known in Internet chat rooms as a destination for people who want to have sex with livestock. Authorities didn't learn about the farm until July 2, when a man drove to Enumclaw Community Hospital seeking medical assistance for a companion. Medics wheeled the Seattle man into an examination room and realized he was dead. When hospital workers looked for the man who had dropped him off, he was gone, Enumclaw police said.

I'm thinking it was Seattle Slew...

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 09:14 AM | Comments (2)

October 18, 2005

French Pork Protest Post

I'm not sure exactly what it says, but it's from a French website that seems to be leading the charge against industrial hog farming in the Midi-Pyrenees, keeping the French breed assignations for small, heirloom hog-farmers. It's headlined:

Avalanche de lisier à l'horizon

or, loosely translated,
"a bucketload of liquid pig-poopie just waiting to flow downhill"

there is extremely to bet that the industrial pigsties will hatch a little everywhere in our beautiful regions.
By all the lards! The war of the fat is thus indeed committed!!!

Posted by tree hugging sister at 04:36 PM

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Major Dad said "Come out here and see the moon!" It reminded me of one of my most favorite, romantic, melodramatic poems in the whole world.

Part One
I
The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees,
The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,
The road was a ribbon of moonlight, over the purple moor,
And the highwayman came riding-
Riding-riding-
The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door.

II
He'd a French cocked-hat on his forehead, a bunch of lace at his chin,
A coat of the claret velvet, and breeches of brown doe-skin;
They fitted with never a wrinkle: his boots were up to the thigh!
And he rode with a jewelled twinkle,
His pistol butts a-twinkle,
His rapier hilt a-twinkle, under the jewelled sky.

III
Over the cobbles he clattered and clashed in the dark inn-yard,
And he tapped with his whip on the shutters, but all was locked and barred;
He whistled a tune to the window, and who should be waiting there
But the landlord's black-eyed daughter,
Bess, the landlord's daughter,
Plaiting a dark red love-knot into her long black hair.

IV
And dark in the old inn-yard a stable-wicket creaked
Where Tim the ostler listened; his face was white and peaked;
His eyes were hollows of madness, his hair like mouldy hay,
But he loved the landlord's daughter,
The landlord's red-lipped daughter,
Dumb as a dog he listened, and he heard the robber say-

V
"One kiss, my bonny sweetheart, I'm after a prize to-night,
But I shall be back with the yellow gold before the morning light;
Yet, if they press me sharply, and harry me through the day,
Then look for me by moonlight,
Watch for me by moonlight,
I'll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way."

VI
He rose upright in the stirrups; he scarce could reach her hand,
But she loosened her hair i' the casement! His face burnt like a brand
As the black cascade of perfume came tumbling over his breast;
And he kissed its waves in the moonlight,
(Oh, sweet black waves in the moonlight!)
Then he tugged at his rein in the moonlight, and galloped away to the West.

Part Two
I
He did not come in the dawning; he did not come at noon;
And out o' the tawny sunset, before the rise o' the moon,
When the road was a gipsy's ribbon, looping the purple moor,
A red-coat troop came marching-
Marching-marching-
King George's men came marching, up to the old inn-door.

II
They said no word to the landlord, they drank his ale instead,
But they gagged his daughter and bound her to the foot of her narrow bed;
Two of them knelt at her casement, with muskets at their side!
There was death at every window;
And hell at one dark window;
For Bess could see, through the casement, the road that he would ride.

III
They had tied her up to attention, with many a sniggering jest;
They bound a musket beside her, with the barrel beneath her breast!
"Now keep good watch!" and they kissed her.
She heard the dead man say-
Look for me by moonlight;
Watch for me by moonlight;
I'll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way!

IV
She twisted her hands behind her; but all the knots held good!
She writhed her hands till here fingers were wet with sweat or blood!
They stretched and strained in the darkness, and the hours crawled by like
years,
Till, now, on the stroke of midnight,
Cold, on the stroke of midnight,
The tip of one finger touched it! The trigger at least was hers!

V
The tip of one finger touched it; she strove no more for the rest!
Up, she stood up to attention, with the barrel beneath her breast,
She would not risk their hearing; she would not strive again;
For the road lay bare in the moonlight;
Blank and bare in the moonlight;
And the blood of her veins in the moonlight throbbed to her love's refrain.

VI
Tlot-tlot; tlot-tlot! Had they heard it? The horse-hoofs
ringing clear;
Tlot-tlot, tlot-tlot, in the distance? Were they deaf that they did
not hear?
Down the ribbon of moonlight, over the brow of the hill,
The highwayman came riding,
Riding, riding!
The red-coats looked to their priming! She stood up strait and still!

VII
Tlot-tlot, in the frosty silence! Tlot-tlot, in the echoing night
!
Nearer he came and nearer! Her face was like a light!
Her eyes grew wide for a moment; she drew one last deep breath,
Then her finger moved in the moonlight,
Her musket shattered the moonlight,
Shattered her breast in the moonlight and warned him-with her death.

VIII
He turned; he spurred to the West; he did not know who stood
Bowed, with her head o'er the musket, drenched with her own red blood!
Not till the dawn he heard it, his face grew grey to hear
How Bess, the landlord's daughter,
The landlord's black-eyed daughter,
Had watched for her love in the moonlight, and died in the darkness there.

IX
Back, he spurred like a madman, shrieking a curse to the sky,
With the white road smoking behind him and his rapier brandished high!
Blood-red were his spurs i' the golden noon; wine-red was his velvet coat,
When they shot him down on the highway,
Down like a dog on the highway,
And he lay in his blood on the highway, with a bunch of lace at his throat.

* * * * * *

X
And still of a winter's night, they say, when the wind is in the trees,
When the moon is a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,
When the road is a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,
A highwayman comes riding-
Riding-riding-
A highwayman comes riding, up to the old inn-door.

XI
Over the cobbles he clatters and clangs in the dark inn-yard,
And he taps with his whip on the shutters, but all is locked and barred;
He whistles a tune to the window, and who should be waiting there
But the landlord's black-eyed daughter,
Bess, the landlord's daughter,
Plaiting a dark red love-knot into her long black hair.

-Alfred Noyes

Posted by tree hugging sister at 09:45 AM | Comments (11)

Dang, Did Wilma Change Her Mind

Helluva turn.

Look out Naples.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 08:44 AM | Comments (6)

October 17, 2005

"You Da Man!" "No! YOU Da Man!"

Mugabe, Chavez slam U.S. at U.N. event
Zimbabwe leader compares Bush, Blair to Hitler, Mussolini

The leaders of Zimbabwe and Venezuela on Monday denounced President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair as "unholy men," and blamed the United States and other developed countries for world hunger, pollution and war.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 04:33 PM | Comments (3)

Today's ThisLifeAGram

MAY HAVE TO GANG BANG ENTIRE ASTROS TEAM BECAUSE THEY ARE SO AWESOME ESPECIALLY THAT AUSMUS DUDE WHO IS SMOKING HOT BUT NOT ROGER CLEMENS BECAUSE EW STOP

Hahahahahahahaha

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 03:43 PM | Comments (4)

Pig Of The Day

From our new friends at Britishbacon.com

Wonder how long before some EuroPanel makes them change that URL...

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 02:51 PM | Comments (7)

I Could Argue About Quite a Few of These

ASME's TOP 40 MAGAZINE COVERS OF THE PAST 40 YEARS

Posted by tree hugging sister at 01:08 PM | Comments (7)

The Dawning of an Age of Personal Responsibility?

Or at least the waning of the Age of Corporate Coercion?

Supreme Court rejects tobacco ruling appeal
The U.S. Supreme Court rejected on Monday the government's appeal aimed at reinstating a potential $280 billion penalty in its landmark racketeering case against cigarette makers.

Without comment, the justices denied a request by the Justice Department to review a U.S. appeals court ruling that barred the government from seeking $280 billion in past tobacco profits as a legal remedy for decades of alleged fraud by the tobacco industry.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 11:49 AM | Comments (2)

Finding Friendly Skies to Fly

...in the current climate can be a challenge. This weekend could pose some problems, too.

Have any of the ticketing geniuses at Delta and Continental taken a recent look at the Mississippi coastline? Or at New Orleans? Who can make realistic travel plans within the next 20-odd days? Who needs these hassles?

Posted by tree hugging sister at 11:35 AM

Miller, Schmiller, Plame, Flame ~ I'm Confused

I've read read this article 6 times and still can't figure out WTF happened. Miller knew and then she didn't. The New Yawk Times thought she knew, but didn't know for sure, so they never knew one way or the other what she really knew. Scooter Libbey has a goofy name for a grown man. Karl Rove is Satan. Saddest quote in the whole thing?

"The Times felt helpless," Rosen said. "It couldn't print the news. It was very much trapped."

"This is as believable as Woodward and Bernstein not recalling who Deep Throat was," wrote columnist Arianna Huffington.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 10:27 AM

Word of the Day

pomaceous \poh-MAY-shuss\ adjective

1 : of or relating to apples
*2 : resembling a pome

*The word, which is ultimately derived from Late Latin "pomum" (meaning "apple"), was originally used of apples and things relating to apples, but later it was also applied to things that look like pears. (Pears, like apples, belong to the pome family.)

Posted by tree hugging sister at 10:01 AM | Comments (10)

Yabba Freakin' Doo

I don't wanna see Wilma on a beach anywhere near here, thank you.

UPDATE: Statistics are a wonderful thing. NOT.

Oh, if this hits the U.S., specifically Florida, eventually as a category 3 or greater, history says we are long overdue as the frequency of late hits of category 3 or greater since 1965 is 1 in 13 years. From 1900 to 1964, it was 1 in 3.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 08:44 AM | Comments (9)

October 16, 2005

Bangla-cola Update: Breaking the Code

This is our CITGO on the corner. After all this time, we've finally figured out that this:

...means

THIS.

For those who don't live in the Third World, that means 'no gas'. It also means, after over a YEAR+ of no gas, that they've finally broken down and paid for better quality pump covers. It's been plastic Wal-Mart or Winn Dixie shopping sacs tied around them for the past 13 months. In our defense, our eyeballs are usually scanning for the presence of bags to see whether we can score a tankful. It's a split second from 'whoopee' to careening off the roadway. Around here, the gallon price is secondary.

And now we're ALL watching the Caribbean, ready to play the 'top-it-off' roulette routine.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 04:39 PM | Comments (5)

Chicks And Beer

Well, to be precise, we're talking 1 chicken and some beer. Yes, it's time to cook the fabled Beer Can Chicken!

Let's see, what do we need:

1 whole chicken
1 can of beer
2 tablespoons Worchestershisterinnagoddadavidashire sauce
2 tablespoons cajun spices (I made the mistake of buying the Commie™ Whole Foods Brand. Do not repeat my mistake. Thanks be to Prudhomme I had some Konriko to add to it to liven it up a bit)
5 more cans of beer
1 smallish onion
1 beer can chicken holding gizmo

Er, the other pot was from lunch. Ignore it and it will go away.

Like all Cordon Glue chefs I have chosen my ingredients with care. This brand of beer was chosen because it reminded me of an incident from my college days when this brand was just introduced. Back in those more enlightened times the consumption of beer (hereinafter refered to as "The Usual Beverage" or simply TUB) was not so regulated on college grounds as it is today. Heck, we were served TUB in the dining hall; whereas now it's prohibited within 50 miles of any college students. Sigh. Anyhow, as I was saying before I was so rudely interupted, this particular brand of TUB, being the new TUB on the block, decided that the best way to garner brand awareness and market share was to sponsor lots of activities in conjunction with the various fraternities and sororities that lived for corporate freebies at Mr. Jefferson's University. So one fine spring weekend there were hundreds of sorority ladies drinking this brand and galavanting about the Grounds wearing free t-shirts that had this brand name boldly emblazoned across the front.

Amazingly, it took a few hours before they realized this was not something they really wanted to do.

Anyhow, back to the vittles: (warning: if you're on dial-up you may want to skip, as there are a lot of photos)

I thought to go with this i'd sauté some colorful fall veggies and bake a few spuds, so we also need:

1 large spud per person
coarse-ground sea salt

1 yellow squash
1 green zuchinni
10 or so grape tomaters
olive oil
butter
ground rosemary
basil
fresh ground black pepper

First off, get the grill going. I usually get it up to 500º then back it off to 350º, which is where you'll leave it for this. Next, open a TUB and have some.

Wash the spuds and poke 'em with a fork; since the spuds take the longest you want to get them going first:

Cover 'em with some sea salt

Wrap 'em up; sample TUB; put spuds on top rack of grill

Get the spices together (like I said, the Commie Foods Cajun spices are...disappointing; you can use whatever spices you want). TUB.

You get kibble. I get chicken and TUB.

Baby, you look mahvalous!

Now, take one can of TUB and, this is the difficult part so please pay attention, leave 1/3 of it in the can. Should I repeat that?

Now, in a unique twist on that college classic, you put a funnel into the TUB can and put half of the spice and the 2 tablespoons of Worchestershisterinnagoddadavidashire sauce into the can...

Place the tasty sauce-laden can in the fiendish device (alrightalrightalrightalready- it is the sauce that is tasty, not the can. Danggum English majors...)

Squeemish Alert! Warning Will Robinson!

Drink more TUB now. You should be on your 3rd. Good. Now clean out the bits inside the chicken, rinse it out and...I shudder at the memory...pretend that Foghorn was trying to sneak a nail clipper onto a domestic flight and you are a TSA employee; yes, friends, plonk him onto the device via The Cavity. Rules is rules, my fine feathered friend; no exceptions. Whew. Now rub the remaing spice onto his skin, and place the onion (peeled) inside the neck cavi, er, opening, to seal in the steam.

Place him on the grill, using a small foil pie plate with some water in it to catch the flare-up-able drippings

Have some more TUB over the next hour or so. When Foghorn is about15 minutes from being done, with the internal temp up to 170º or so, slice and quarter the veggies

in a skillet put some olive oil, butter, rosemary and basil and get it all sizzly

Add the veggies and sauté for a few minutes

Don't forget you TUB requirements

Looks about right

Now add the 'maters for just a few minutes

I'm thinking he's done

Do not attempt to drink this TUB. Let it go Luke...

Unwrap the spuds, globber them with cheese and sour cream, and enjoy!

I did this all on the grill, but it will work just as well in your oven. It was one juicy, tasty buzzard!

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 10:31 AM | Comments (13)

'Tis An Angry Sea, Laddie

Not having the resources of The Proffessor™, my little digital camera doesn't do 3-D and 40 megapickles, but those are 8 foot swells that we're rolling over off of Sandy Hook during the midst of our 8 Day Storm last week. We kept thinking we were headed towards Gilligan's Island.

Yeah, yeah, I know 8 footers are nothing for you Seafarers out there, but in Raritan Bay they are something.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 10:25 AM | Comments (1)

October 15, 2005

'Splain Me This

After all the death, destruction and dire warnings about the Iraqi Constitutional referendum ~ when it actually goes off without a hitch or buckets of blood, when over 70% of registered voters have purple fingers (Even Sunnis voted in surprising numbers!) and there was very little accompanying violence from Zarqhawi's thugs ~ WHY is loser a$$ Lewis Farrakhan's 150K(!) strong 'More Millions' march the big picture and lead (all DAY Sunday) story on MSNBC? WHY is THAT??
Is it because this is a SCARY picture...
or a bitterly disappointing one for our boys in the MSM?

Posted by tree hugging sister at 10:47 PM | Comments (2)

October 14, 2005

Bless Her Brave Young Heart

Vivian Malone Jones, one of two black students whose effort to enroll at the University of Alabama led to George Wallace's infamous "stand in the schoolhouse door" in 1963, died Thursday. She was 63.
...she recalled meeting with Wallace in 1996, when the former governor was in frail health...

"I asked him why did he do it," she said. "He said he did what he felt needed to be done at that point in time, but he would not do that today. At that point, we spoke -- I spoke -- of forgiveness."

Posted by tree hugging sister at 01:03 PM | Comments (7)

Presenting Paddling Piggies as Our Proprietary 'Pork Post'

Posted by tree hugging sister at 12:24 PM | Comments (6)

October 13, 2005

Have Gun, Will Shoot

Two concurrent stories on our local ABC affiliate seem to cancel one another out. A home invasion ring cracked...

Five people - including three teenagers - are facing charges after a pair of robberies in Okaloosa County.
Timothy Whitaker and Jaymie Greek, both aged 16. . . 14-year-old Kace Zuidhoek. . 20-year-old Dean Huffer. . And 23-year-old Juan Alvarez, whose photo was not available. . Are all charged with Home Invasion Robbery. .
Whitaker and Greek are also accused of using an airgun and knife to injure one of the victims. The Sheriff's Department says more arrests are possible.

The shooting death of a burglar by an Escambia County homeowner has renewed debate about the legal use of a deadly force to protect your home.

...Police say the homeowner, 57-year old Robert Peaden, was working in his trailer when he was confronted by the suspect, 44-year old Richard Piovesan. The caller to 9-11 said a burglar was trying to break into a trailer on his property. When deputies arrived they found a man shot in the chest.

Piovesan was taken to Sacred heart hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 06:14 PM | Comments (3)

Required Reading For Every Yankee Fan

...while chanting the mantra "Steinbrenner SUCKS!! Steinbrenner SUCKS!!" It will be a cleansing exercise.

...With general manager Brian Cashman almost certainly and manager Joe Torre quite possibly making their great escape from the Bronx, there will be no obscuring the view to the man at the top, the man most responsible for the Yankees’ recent flops.

It is George Steinbrenner’s rapaciousness that has led to a string of questionable and, in many cases, highly regrettable personnel decisions. Once upon a time, the Yankees were content to bring aboard complementary talent to bolster the classiest roster of superstars in the game.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 04:26 PM | Comments (6)

He Was Strong...I Was Weak

He had that smile...and that pumpkin.
His name...was BOB.
And I knew right then I had to have him.

Jealousy will get you nowhere.
But a buck fifty-nine will get you smiling goofy.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 03:46 PM | Comments (3)

Porcine Post of the Day

And how appropriate ~ shamelessly lifted from the BBC.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 12:47 PM | Comments (2)

A Little Energy Clarification

On one hand we've been hearing these rosy "the pipelines from the Gulf are fully operational" and on the other, secondhand reports from a cousin who works for Chevron that they got schmacked badly. So what's really up? The weekly fuel inventory report contained some industry stats.

Chevron Corp. said Wednesday it has restored oil and gas production in the Gulf to about 40 percent of its pre-hurricane levels. Also, Royal Dutch Shell Ltd. said its 340,000-barrel-a-day Deer Park, Texas, facility was already up and running, boosting output before the winter.

But Exxon Mobil Corp. said its shut-in natural gas volumes had decreased from 545 million cubic feet a day last week to a current 495 million cubic feet a day. Around 50,000 barrels of oil production remain halted, ExxonMobil said.

As of Wednesday, 70 percent of daily oil production in the Gulf and 59 percent of natural gas production remained blocked as platforms and rigs recover, according to the Department of the Interior's Minerals Management Service.

Since Aug. 26, the region has lost more than 55 million barrels of oil, or 10.2 percent of its annual oil production, and 277 billion cubic feet of natural gas, or 7.6 percent of annual gas production, MMS said.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 12:30 PM

Never, EVER

...marry a guy named "Jim Bob".

Arkansas Mother Gives Birth to 16th Child
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Michelle Duggar just delivered her 16th child, and she's already thinking about doing it again...

...The baby's father, Jim Bob Duggar, a former state representative, said Wednesday that mother and child were doing well.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 11:23 AM | Comments (10)

"I Think They Didn't Want Anything to Go Wrong, Perhaps,

... So They Only Did the Easy Parts"

"It's a train wreck."

By almost every objective measurement, the aircraft -- a Marine Corps MV-22 Block A model -- performed significantly better than in the last round of operational testing in 1999-2000.

But the report notes that little realistic testing was done at night and in severely dusty environments, and it expressed continued concern about the aircraft's ability to conduct aggressive defensive maneuvers. Critics argue that the aircraft can become unstable if pilots have to maneuver sharply out of certain situations.

In tests against simulated enemy defenses, the report states, "pilots noted that the current flight restrictions on aircraft maneuvering in airplane mode...restricted the aircraft's ability to perform defensive maneuvers." More testing is needed "in realistic tactical approaches to landing zones in high threat areas," the report added.

October 12, 2005

Is V-22 Ready For Takeoff?

Questions on combat readiness remain despite Pentagon approval

By Bob Cox, Star-Telegram Staff Writer

When senior Pentagon officials approved plans to increase production of Bell Helicopter's V-22 Osprey two weeks ago, the decision was based in part on the final report of operational testing.

But the 44-page report was not an unqualified endorsement. In careful language, it acknowledges that some key questions about the V-22's capability to perform in combat and real-world military situations weren't adequately answered during the tests.

A Marine Corps version of the aircraft was effective in "assault support missions in low and medium-threat environments," the report states. Marine test crews "accomplished all required missions within the test limitations encountered."

Bob Leder, a Bell spokesman, said that the report shows the V-22 performed well and that Marine pilots and ground crews "were very enthusiastic about the aircraft." Military officials also said they will continue to work with Bell and its partner, Boeing, to expand the V-22's capabilities.

By almost every objective measurement, the aircraft -- a Marine Corps MV-22 Block A model -- performed significantly better than in the last round of operational testing in 1999-2000.

But the report notes that little realistic testing was done at night and in severely dusty environments, and it expressed continued concern about the aircraft's ability to conduct aggressive defensive maneuvers. Critics argue that the aircraft can become unstable if pilots have to maneuver sharply out of certain situations.

In tests against simulated enemy defenses, the report states, "pilots noted that the current flight restrictions on aircraft maneuvering in airplane mode...restricted the aircraft's ability to perform defensive maneuvers." More testing is needed "in realistic tactical approaches to landing zones in high threat areas," the report added.

Philip Coyle, former chief weapons tester at the Pentagon, said the new report indicates
"the V-22 still hasn't been proven for combat."

The report language indicates that the Marine test squadron couldn't perform numerous missions or carefully worked around some requirements, Coyle said.

"I think they didn't want anything to go wrong, perhaps, so they only did the easy parts," he said.

In September 2004, the Star-Telegram reported that officials overseeing the V-22 program had previously refused to perform some specific hard maneuvers requested by the testing office for fear of severely damaging the aircraft's rotors.

Leder, the Bell spokesman said the company continues to work on improving the aircraft.

"There are always issues," he said. "It's an enormously complex system. There's always something we can do to make it better, and we're doing that."

One defense industry analyst said defense officials viewed the report, which wasn't released to the public until after the decision to approve increased production, as the final link in an unbroken chain of successful tests since the program was grounded in December 2000 after two fatal crashes.

"All of the concerns about the technology have pretty well been resolved," said Loren Thompson of the Lexington Institute, a consultant to defense contractors.

Although Thompson says the price of the aircraft, about $72 million each, is still too high, he expects the V-22 will be widely adopted by the U.S. and foreign military services, and that would bring down the price.

"The Marine Corps' determination to field the aircraft will lead to it being used for other things," Thompson said, adding that he expects the Navy, the Air Force and even the National Guard to end up flying the V-22.

Bell and the Boeing Co.'s helicopter division in Ridley Park, Pa., jointly developed and produce the V-22. Bell builds components for the aircraft in Fort Worth and assembles the aircraft in Amarillo.

The testing report contains data on how far, how fast and how well the Osprey flew in performing various missions. All comparisons are made with the Marines' Vietnam-era CH-46 helicopters, rather than more modern helicopters, which critics say can perform most of the same missions as well as the Osprey at a far lower cost.

The MV-22 is the Marines' version of the Osprey. The Block A model consists of about 35 aircraft built, or rebuilt, since 2001 and contains many safety and performance improvements mandated by the Pentagon after the aircraft's poor showing in earlier tests.

A Block B version, containing more improvements, will be built for active-duty Marine squadrons. Bell will deliver the first Block B aircraft by the end of the year.

An Air Force version, the CV-22, is being developed and tested for special-operations forces. It won't be put through operational testing until 2007.

The report indicates that the Block B version, which is supposed to have a machine gun installed and other weight-adding improvements, might not be able to fly as far with a full load of troops and fuel as the test aircraft but should still exceed the minimum performance requirements.

Coyle said the report's language reflects the tension between the testing office and the military, and sometimes among members of the test team itself. The testing office and the military contract with a quasi-independent agency, the Institute for Defense Analysis, for technical analysis and guidance. There have historically been strong disagreements between the weapons testing experts and the military over the conduct and outcomes of tests.

A spokesman with the Navy's V-22 program office, which supervises development of the aircraft, said the operational testing is designed to measure specific performance requirements, not to answer every question.

The Navy and Marines will continue to work with Bell and Boeing to improve the V-22, said James Darcy, the Navy spokesman. "A lot of the follow-on testing for this aircraft you will see will be aimed at expanding the capabilities," Darcy said.

Findings of V-22 operational tests

The V-22 demonstrated significant speed and range advantage over the 1960s-era helicopters it will replace.

Flight crews were able to perform all missions while remaining outside the danger zone posed by vortex ring state, an aerodynamic condition that can cause pilots to lose control.

The redesigned hydraulics system is safe.

There was limited testing at night and in "severe brownout" conditions.

Flight limitations in airplane mode limit the aircraft's ability to perform defensive maneuvers.

Further testing is needed to expand the flight envelope in helicopter mode to allow more extreme helicopter-style maneuvering in a high-threat environment.

The flight deck of an amphibious ship temporarily buckled when V-22 was idling on deck for 20 minutes.

Emergency landings after loss of both engines are "not likely to be survivable."

SOURCE: Director, Operational Test and Evaluation report on V-22 Osprey Program

Posted by tree hugging sister at 11:07 AM | Comments (3)

Our Mayor Noggin Quote of the Week

With much of his city still vacant, Nagin launched his campaign. "My big message is: You can come back to the city," Nagin told a group of about 40 at a shelter here, a three-hour drive from New Orleans. He urged the crowd to "get back to the red beans and rice and gumbo and all those things that you love."

Crime is lower than it has been in a hundred years, he told the crowd

...Cyril Neville. The youngest Neville Brother walked onstage at Madison Square Garden wearing a silent message on his T-shirt: "Ethnic Cleansing in New Orleans."

WTF is THAT all about? Inferring there was a white fellow sitting in the center of the hurricane, with a sh$tload of steering levers and a big red arrow pointing to NOLA? Mr. Neville, after making that amazing statement onstage, has a distinctly underdeveloped social conscience, since he's moved his family PERMANENTLY to Austin, with this in explanation...

"Truth is, I was planning on leaving even before the storm hit, because I was so ashamed of the city. ... Living there was just too hard," he says.

"The school system was shot. Talking to city hall about the needs of the needy was like talking to deaf people. And I didn't want to watch the news anymore because night after night it was murder after murder and anarchy and chaos. The second I'd get back to the airport, I felt like I was in a pressure cooker."

I Gotta Add This:

...and (Spike) Lee said his film will even consider whether the government's response was deliberately slow.

"I don't find it too far-fetched that they tried to displace all the black people out of New Orleans," he said.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 10:13 AM | Comments (1)

Speaking of Ms. Miers

...Beldar has some advice for her, which I think should be required reading for anyone having to step in front of those pontificating a$$holes in leather chairs.

...For one thing, not one of the senators likely to be firing off hostile questions to Ms. Miers has a tenth of the dignity and aplomb that John Houseman had as the fictional (but entirely realistic) Professor Kingsfield.

But if it happens, I hope that Ms. Miers will have the panache to say something like, "You ... are a SON OF A BITCH, Sen. Schumer!"

Posted by tree hugging sister at 09:27 AM

October 12, 2005

You Know

...I could give a rat's patoot if Harriet Miers ever went to church a day in her life. I only care if she reveres the Constitution and will listen carefully and dispassionately to any arguments made before the Court. But you can't flood the airwaves, touting how devout she is in a blatant effort to suck-up to the religious Right, yet then expect us to also believe that she never, ever said a word in passing about...you know. Like "...but I never inhaled". The White House is handling this very, very badly.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 06:18 PM | Comments (10)

A Moment of Eyeball Rolling Disgust

Does anybody besides me have a problem with a twice divorced mother of three wearing the whole white schlmear for wedding number three? I know we should all expect tackytackytacky, but God, wouldn't it be refreshing if they surprised us once in a while?

Posted by tree hugging sister at 03:28 PM | Comments (15)

Air Traffic Controllers' Strike Ring a Bell?

That Northwest Airlines mechanics' strike is looking even more like pure genius...NOT.

Northwest seeks to void labor contracts CHICAGO (Reuters) - Northwest Airlines Corp. on Wednesday said it has asked a bankruptcy judge for permission to void its labor contracts if its employee unions do not agree to concessions worth $1.4 billion a year.

...Northwest has already managed to achieve some of its labor cost savings by replacing its 4,400 striking mechanics and related staff with cheaper workers and outside vendors.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 03:17 PM

Attention Australian Readers

Our friend Paul, in a heart-warming display of self sacrifice and of putting others' needs ahead of his own, has volunteered for an important community service:

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 03:10 PM | Comments (2)

Science I Can Relate To

World's oldest noodles found under Ebola's Bed
4,000-year-old pasta made from millet

Posted by tree hugging sister at 02:51 PM | Comments (4)

An Incendiary Lead-In on the News Last Night

In the "a court rules it's okay to LIE about another candidate in campaign literature" mode. Well, my guess that it had something to do with existing defamation laws turned out to be right, but of course THAT little tidbit was never mentioned. But DANG, WHAT you have to go through to get to the why of it all.

State law barring untrue campaign remarks tossed
Court rules it violates constitutional right of free speech

TACOMA -- A law that bars political candidates from deliberately making false statements about their opponents violates the First Amendment right of free speech, an appeals panel has ruled...

...In a campaign flier, Rickert said the incumbent, Sen. Tim Sheldon, D-Potlatch, "voted to close a facility for the developmentally challenged." Sheldon won re-election, then filed a complaint with the commission, asserting that he was the only legislator who voted to keep it open...

...An ACLU spokesman, Doug Honig, said the law was a wrongheaded attempt to give politicians greater protection from false statements than other citizens.

"We have defamation laws," Honig said. "If somebody believes they are defamed, they can sue under that law. We don't need a separate broader law to protect candidates."

Posted by tree hugging sister at 12:40 PM | Comments (1)

6 Reasons to Love John Corzine

...besides the cute, fuzzy beard.

1) He's a generous, gift giving kinda guy, which can save you lots in interest payments if you're frisky enough. Call it "Fourhundredandseventythousandways to Leave Your Lover".

2) He's a 'build it and they will come' kinda guy. After all, 392 acre green tracks are a dime a dozen in the 'Garden State'. That's why they call it that, duh.

3) He won't cost you a salary when he wins. (To be honest, that Forrester guy won't either.)

4) He wants to let you toke up like they do in California. (Again, to be honest, so does the other guy.)

5) His scandals are much more popular with voters than the other guy's (last paragraph).

6) He and Senator Frist have a lot more in common (last four paragraphs) than just a leather chair; a veritable "blind-trust leading the blind" club. It's good he can work both sides of the aisle like that. Or just both sides.

Sure wish I was still a registered Jersey voter. (We're stuck with boring old JEB. Big deal, famous brother.) You guys have real choices. Yup. New Jersey politics. Nothin' like it.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 12:21 PM | Comments (2)

Sounds Like Time

...for a serious separation of church, ALL churches, and state.

..."We need poets, doctors and a middle class that German Muslims can aspire to," said Bagrac, a 28-year-old university student with a wide face and sideburns. "Germans have come to see Islam as a religion of the working class. But Islam is a religion of all classes. That's why it's so important to get more Muslim teachers into schools."

Bagrac is a missionary of sorts in this nation of 3 million Muslims — nearly 4% of the population. He and about a dozen other students at the University of Muenster are enrolled in the first course of its kind in Germany: a curriculum preparing Muslim instructors to teach Islam in public schools while being sensitive to Western culture.

Such ambitions have arisen against the backdrop of a troubling arc of violence, from the Sept. 11 attacks to last year's train bombings in Madrid to this summer's assaults on London's transit system. The Islamic extremists' war against Europe is widening, and conservative and liberal politicians across the continent are perplexed about how to better integrate a Muslim community that has doubled since the 1980s but remains in a largely parallel universe...

...Islam is now taught in schools but not comprehensively enough for many Muslim families. Zaher's responsibility, she said, will be to take what she knows from the West and what she knows from the Koran and stitch them into school lessons. Can they blend seamlessly?

Posted by tree hugging sister at 10:03 AM

"I'm Not Putting Lipstick On Any Pigs Out There"

Well, somebody is.

Expressions of concern among conservatives and former Iraqi exiles, seen also in the rising disillusionment of the American public, reflect a widening gap with the Bush administration and its claims of "incredible political progress" in Iraq.

Invoking the specter of the United States abruptly abandoning Iraq as it did to Vietnam, Zawahiri counseled immediate political action: "We must take the initiative and impose a fait accompli upon our enemies, instead of the enemy imposing one on us."

BUMP ~ UPDATE AGAIN: It seems the story I linked to (above) last night happens to be one of Yahoo's 'most popular:viewed/emailed'. Nice to be ahead of the curve again, but it does make me wonder who's doing the emailing. Is it believers in what we're doing sending it to doubters? Surprised anti-war types forced to rethink their position by virtue of Al-Qaeda's banking on a given reaction? What, why and whom? Hmmm, hmmm, hmmmm...

Posted by tree hugging sister at 09:39 AM | Comments (1)

Way to Go, Dad!!

Tom Cruise’s future father-in-law apparently isn’t a happy camper...

“[Martin Holmes] was very upset and got into a real spat with Katie,” the forthcoming issue of Life & Style Weekly quotes “a close friend” of Cruise as saying. “Tom had promised her parents that they would do the right thing and get married before any baby came along.” After scolding his daughter, according to the mag, Martin Holmes berated Cruise by declaring “You’re no good.”

Posted by tree hugging sister at 09:07 AM

An Anniversiary Worthy of Note

On this date in 1915, former President Theodore Roosevelt criticized the concept of "hyphenated Americanism", referring to U.S. citizens who identified themselves by dual nationalities.

... There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. When I refer to hyphenated Americans, I do not refer to naturalized Americans. Some of the very best Americans I have ever known were naturalized Americans, Americans born abroad. But a hyphenated American is not an American at all. This is just as true of the man who puts "native" before the hyphen as of the man who puts German or Irish or English or French before the hyphen. Americanism is a matter of the spirit and of the soul. Our allegiance must be purely to the United States. We must unsparingly condemn any man who holds any other allegiance. But if he is heartily and singly loyal to this Republic, then no matter where he was born, he is just as good an American as any one else.

The one absolutely certain way of bringing this nation to ruin, of preventing all possibility of its continuing to be a nation at all, would be to permit it to become a tangle of squabbling nationalities, an intricate knot of German-Americans, Irish-Americans, English-Americans, French-Americans, Scandinavian-Americans or Italian-Americans, each preserving its separate nationality, each at heart feeling more sympathy with Europeans of that nationality, than with the other citizens of the American Republic. The men who do not become Americans and nothing else are hyphenated Americans; and there ought to be no room for them in this country. The man who calls himself an American citizen and who yet shows by his actions that he is primarily the citizen of a foreign land, plays a thoroughly mischievous part in the life of our body politic. He has no place here; and the sooner he returns to the land to which he feels his real heart-allegiance, the better it will be for every good American. There is no such thing as a hyphenated American who is a good American. The only man who is a good American is the man who is an American and nothing else.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 08:53 AM | Comments (10)

Piggie Post of the Day

A nod to our witty, literate Swillers and how pun they all are.


Pearls before Swine by Stephan Pastis.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 08:47 AM | Comments (4)

October 11, 2005

Time to Split the Baby?

US court to review two cases covering wetlands

The US Supreme Court on Thursday decided to step into a controversy over the federal government's power to protect the environment, agreeing to hear two cases that pit environmentalists against property developers.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 03:19 PM | Comments (9)

Speaking of Porcine Pucker-Ups

...I present today's

Pig Porn

Posted by tree hugging sister at 02:43 PM | Comments (4)

Apocalypse Now?

Schmaybe. In any event, Ebola's not allowed to fly one.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 01:19 PM | Comments (28)

From Bangla-cola to Uncle Sam: A Warm, Fuzzy, Collective...

WTF Are You THINKING???

There's still a lot of blowed up sh*t. There's still lots of FEMA Blue Roofs. More impressive, there are still thousands of people living in these because all the affordable housing got all blowed up. But they have to be out by March, got a home or NOT. So how does our Federal Government care for it's people displaced in a natural disaster, in one of the POOREST counties in Florida? Why, f*cks them over in favor of the disaster of the month, naturally!

Oakwood manager Ken Smith says he's been forced to turn local people away because of a memorandum last month from the USDA.
It says people displaced by Hurricane Katrina must receive priority over any other applicant.

Ken Smith/Apartment Manager:
"I hate to tell this person that was displaced a month ago that they have priority over a person displaced 11 months ago. Its really not fair."

The complete WEAR-TV report.

Katrina Evacuees Get Priority on Some Local Housing The affordable housing market just got tighter. The government is now giving Hurricane Katrina evacuees top priority to move into some apartment complexes. That could leave some local families homeless. Misty Lindsay is a full time student and mother of three. She's been on a waiting list at the Oakwood Apartment Complex in Milton for months, but days away from moving in, she learned her slot was given to a victim of Hurricane Katrina.

Misty Lindsay/Searching for Affordable Housing:
"Its just out of balance. At the risk of sounding insensitive, I've waiting five or six months. There are people, some of my family members, displaced from Ivan. They are still in FEMA trailers, not the big ones, travel trailers, but they have been put on the back burner also."
Lindsay and her children have been living with relatives because she can't find an affordable home.
Oakwood manager Ken Smith says he's been forced to turn local people away because of a memorandum last month from the USDA.
It says people displaced by Hurricane Katrina must receive priority over any other applicant.

Ken Smith/Apartment Manager:
"I hate to tell this person that was displaced a month ago that they have priority over a person displaced 11 months ago. Its really not fair."

Cynthia Reeves/creeves@sbgnet.com
"Smith has 20 local families on his waiting list, but will have to turn most of them away."

USDA Area Director, Joseph Fritz, says the directive affects 50 subsidized housing projects in the Florida Panhandle financed by USDA's Rural Development program.
The goal is to help evacuees like this couple from Slidell, Louisiana.

Richard Tranum/Slidell Evacuee:
"Oh yeah, we looked around and we're lucky to have this."

Fritz says the housing targeted for Katrina evacuees is vacant property.
The intent is not to take housing away from local residents, or victims of Hurricanes Ivan or Dennis.
Whatever the intent, Lindsay says its left her homeless.

Misty Lindsay/Searching for Affordable Housing:
"I've met a few women like myself who are in the same situation as me and they're living with family members and there is no housing available for them."

Copyright 2005 WEAR-TV

Posted by tree hugging sister at 10:35 AM | Comments (7)

Oh well...

Clive Owen turned down the Bond role. I wonder who we'll see? Orlando? (Ack!) Jude? (I could live with that.) Or another lesser-known? George is still free, I hear.....

Posted by Crusader at 09:00 AM | Comments (12)

October 10, 2005

What Muppet Are You?

You are Rizzo the Rat.
You have few friends, but are loyal to those you do
have. Maybe if you didn't smell like sewage
you would have more.

Thanks to PeteB at Slugger O'Toole

SPECIES:
Rodentia Digesta Lotta Grub
HOMETOWN:
Brooklyn, USA

FAVORITE MOVIE:
"Rat On A Hot Tin Roof"

FAVORITE SONG:
"The Pest Is Yet To Come"

FAVORITE FOOD:
You got it, I'll eat it.

HOBBIES:
See "Favorite Food".

QUOTE:
"When do we eat?"


What Muppet are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 04:20 PM | Comments (16)

Pig Of The Day

Anyone care to provide a caption?

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 02:30 PM | Comments (11)

Go Visit Cullen!

I'm always the last one to the party (Ken, given his age, is always early)...but that just completes it!

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 01:05 PM | Comments (3)

October 09, 2005

Serenity

...ROCKS! Major Dad, Ebola and moi hied thee hither to a 12:40 matinee (Everyone else is at church, so it's the 'all adults hour'.{8^P). As much as I hate to admit the Little Brother was correct in his assessment...::sigh::...he was. (WITH one exception. We all thought the music went beautifully.)

Posted by tree hugging sister at 04:44 PM | Comments (10)

October 07, 2005

The Sox Are in It!!

As for the team of a different color...

Posted by tree hugging sister at 07:42 PM | Comments (4)

I Presume a Nom de Plume

I mean, that name can't be real...can it? You can understand why I might think he wouldn't want his real one out there...

NASHVILLE An advertising salesman for an alternative newspaper agreed to community service in exchange for the dismissal of six felony charges of promoting prostitution.

Nels Noseworthy, an account executive for the Nashville Scene weekly, was charged last year in a six-count felony indictment that said he promoted prostitution through ads that he sold.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 03:31 PM | Comments (3)

Our Mayor Noggin Quote of the Day

Mayor Ray Nagin is weighing in on the matter. He wants to know "How do I ensure that New Orleans is not overrun by Mexican workers?"

But interviews with some Katrina refugees suggest New Orleanians are in no big hurry to return for these jobs. In fact, many Katrina refugees have been landing jobs in communities around the country.

Despite the mayor’s attempts to bring them home, New Orleans has become a closely-watched experiment in what happens when an entire income bracket disappears.

“If they can’t bring back these people, you’re going to see the city’s infrastructure fall apart,” says Dr. Robert Blendon of the Harvard University School of Public Health.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 02:35 PM | Comments (11)

The Swiffer Effect ~ Look Ma, No Streaks!

Well, the powers that ponder at the Opinion Journal have added to the voices asking why Hillary's lawyers are trying to Swiffer-Duster the Barrett report on Cisneros.

Hiding the Cisneros Report
Hillary Clinton's lawyer is staying very busy.

What don't David Kendall, the law firm of Williams & Connolly, and clients such as Hillary Rodham Clinton want the public to know?

What we do know for sure is that the 400-plus-page Barrett Report is essentially done, and has been for about a year; that the rules that allow a review and comment period for individuals named in IC reports are fair and proper; but that the review period (which was scheduled to finish in May) must end sometime if the public interest in seeing the results of the $22 million investigation is to be served.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 02:26 PM

All Brains and No Clue

"The best rhetoric will fail if the public rejects the substance of a candidate's agenda or entertains doubts about his integrity."

Posted by tree hugging sister at 12:02 PM | Comments (3)

The MOST Wonderful Time of the Year!

In celebration, may I recommend...

As noted critic Pauline Kael observed, "... this first important film of the vampire genre has more spectral atmosphere, more ingenuity, and more imaginative ghoulish ghastliness than any of its successors." Some really good vampire movies have been made since Kael wrote those words, but German director F.W. Murnau's 1922 version remains a definitive adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula. Created when German silent films were at the forefront of visual technique and experimentation, Murnau's classic is remarkable for its creation of mood and setting, and for the unforgettably creepy performance of Max Schreck as Count Orlok, a.k.a. the blood-sucking predator Nosferatu. With his rodent-like features and long, bony-fingered hands, Schreck's vampire is an icon of screen horror, bringing pestilence and death to the town of Bremen in 1838. (These changes of story detail were made necessary when Murnau could not secure a copyright agreement with Stoker's estate.) Using negative film, double-exposures, and a variety of other in-camera special effects, Murnau created a vampire classic that still holds a powerful influence on the horror genre.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 10:55 AM | Comments (9)

Pig Post of the Day

Expensive, yes, but excessively yummy piglets from Heritage Foods USA.

These guys do great work with FAMILY farmers, not today's industrial agriculture. Just browsing the breed descriptions makes one realize how far we've come in the homogenization of our food.

Heritage foods are foods derived from rare breeds of American livestock and crops with strong genetic authenticity and well-defined production protocols. Heritage Foods USA brings hard to find heritage foods with superior taste directly to American homes for holidays and special occasions. Because of their rarity and strict production protocols, heritage foods are currently produced only during certain periods of the year and in limited quantities.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 10:35 AM | Comments (5)

October 06, 2005

What a Great Country!!

A Major Award anybody can shoot for.

Fake dog testicles win acclaim at Ig Nobels
'Star Wars' watching locusts and dripping tar studies also honored

BOSTON - Gregg Miller mortgaged his home and maxed out his credit cards to mass produce his invention — prosthetic testicles for neutered dogs.

What started 10 years ago with an experiment on an unwitting Rottweiler named Max has turned into a thriving mail-order business. And on Thursday night Miller’s efforts earned him a dubious yet strangely coveted honor: the Ig Nobel Prize for medicine.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 11:06 PM | Comments (9)

Show Me the Money!

I mean, you know it's coming. Thank God Mayor Noggin will be safe in Dallas, where they still have a police force.

Bankrupt New Orleans may free prisoners
Hundreds of prisoners in Louisiana may be released or left in limbo awaiting trial because there is no funding for prosecutions.

Eddie Jordan, Orleans parish district-attorney, whose parish was among the hardest hit by Katrina, has been told his office will get no fourth-quarter funding from the city for operating expenses.

Mr Jordan's office is already struggling to cope with problems that include damaged and waterlogged evidence, missing records and witnesses, defendants who have jumped bond, and destroyed offices and courthouses.

Have you seen these suspicious characters? Report them to NOLA authorities immediately.
A TPI Public Service Announcement.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 04:48 PM | Comments (6)

Hog Of The Day

Thanks to Ken.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 09:58 AM | Comments (2)

Give 'Em Hell, Mac!

One of the many negative consequences of America’s defeat in The Vietnam War has been the uncontrolled proliferation of Vietnams since then.

Nicaragua threatened to become another Vietnam. Lebanon nearly became another Vietnam. Had Grenada been only slightly larger than a manhole cover and lasted one more hour, it would have become a Caribbean-Style Vietnam. The invasion of Panama was rapidly degenerating into a Narco-Vietnam, right up until we won. Likewise, the First Gulf War was certainly developing into another Vietnam, but then sadly, it ended quickly and with few casualties.

For people of a certain age or political stripe, Vietnam is like Elvis: it’s everywhere. For example, during a long wait at a Chinese Buffet in Georgetown in 1987, Ted Kennedy was reported to have exclaimed “QUAGMIRE!” and attempted to surrender to a Spanish-speaking busboy.

And that was probably the smart thing to do, because the lesson of Vietnam is: it is best to lose quickly, so as to avoid a quagmire.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 09:09 AM | Comments (3)

October 05, 2005

George Will takes Dubya to the....

woodshed regarding Harriet Miers.

In addition, the president has forfeited his right to be trusted as a custodian of the Constitution. The forfeiture occurred March 27, 2002, when, in a private act betokening an uneasy conscience, he signed the McCain-Feingold law expanding government regulation of the timing, quantity and content of political speech. The day before the 2000 Iowa caucuses he was asked -- to insure a considered response from him, he had been told in advance he would be asked -- whether McCain-Feingold's core purposes are unconstitutional. He unhesitatingly said, ``I agree.'' Asked if he thought presidents have a duty, pursuant to their oath to defend the Constitution, to make an independent judgment about the constitutionality of bills and to veto those he thinks unconstitutional, he briskly said, ``I do.''

Posted by Crusader at 10:57 AM | Comments (7)

The Campaign To "Pick A Hog For Your Blog"

I'm so disgusted by the caving-in in England to Islamic sensibilities that I've decided to fight back. As of today, this site is an official supporter of the Arkansas Razorbacks.

I encourage all the blogosphere to adopt a similar pig-themed team.

UPDATE: I'm ready for my close-up, Bingy-poo!

(Get the word out: Pick a Hog for Your Blog on the California Conservative's and Political Teen's open trackback posts.)
UPDATE: For those of Mr. Summers' peculiarities, we offer...

PIG PORN

See? We have an inclusionary campaign that crosses almost all religious and racial divides. A little rainbow blog, that's us.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 10:24 AM | Comments (22)

Hope Cullen and Kraut Have Piglet and Pooh Umbrellas

Tammy's coming for the weekend.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 09:17 AM | Comments (2)

Piglet Update

Cox and Forkum strike again.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 09:14 AM | Comments (5)

Why Aren't We Hearing More About This?

Some Islamic Nut Job blows himself up at a football game in Oklahoma. There were only 80,000 people there Saturday night.

But we can't upset the RoP, now can we?

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 08:01 AM | Comments (6)

October 04, 2005

I Saw This on Subway's Window

...and about bust a gut. I can't believe an American corporation did this. (Apparently, quite some time ago ~ I don't get out much.) That took:
A) a good sense of humor
B) big, BIG begonias

If you haven't seen it before, read and enjoy.

Of course, this is a vicious jab at the French and their military. Sacre bleu! The poulet is even dressed like Napolean, for Chirac's sake! Everyone knows French Forces are the finest in haute situations. Why, just a week ago, they bravely assaulted a fairy (sp.) that had been commandeered by disgruntled Union Workers. The daring assault was meticulously planned and flawlessly executed, according to government sources.

French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin ordered the operation, involving about 50 commandos who had warned the crew of the pending assault, according to his office and a military spokesman.

(Fairy crew member listens to French secret message TPI Photo)

Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie, whose ministry commands the elite GIGN police force, congratulated the commandos for "perfectly" completing their mission. Officials said no violence was involved.

"They succeeded in their big military action. They defeated a handful of unarmed Corsican sailors," he said afterward.
~ union leader Alain Moscini

Posted by tree hugging sister at 10:14 PM | Comments (4)

I Can't Answer That

What about the media's portrayal of the enemy? Why do these ruthless murderers, kidnappers and thieves get a pass when it comes to their actions? What did the the media show or tell us about Margaret Hassoon, the director of C.A.R.E. in Iraq and an Iraqi citizen, who was kidnapped, brutally tortured and left disemboweled on a street in Fallujah? Did anyone in the press show these images over and over to emphasize the moral failings of the enemy as they did with the soldiers at Abu Ghuraib?

Posted by tree hugging sister at 06:04 PM

I Think Bill Bennett's an Overweight, Arrogant A$$

...not to mention a hypocrite, who could use a dose of the "physician, heal thyself" bottle.

But I can stand him today, because his fat mouth got La Shawn all riled up.
And I LOVE La Shawn.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 05:45 PM

Mayor Noggin Says "You're Fired!"

What a nice guy! He asks Uncle Sam for a gazillion dollars, than lays off 3,000 city workers.*

Damn you Bushy McChimphitler!

*This edict has been issued from the cozy confines of his new Dallas digs, of course.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 03:20 PM | Comments (4)

Sony Can Kiss My A$$

The bride just bought the latest Gretchen Wilson album so she would have appropriate music blasting as she drives around town in the F-150 with the custom gunrack and the case of longnecks in the back. Last night she went to burn it into her iPod, and the computer spat the disc out; it wouldn't even recognize it as an audio cd.

That's the last cd we're buying from them.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 12:40 PM | Comments (37)

Pffft! Good Luck...

Bush calls for new refineries, cuts to meet hurricane spending bill

President George W. Bush called for the United States to build new refineries after hurricanes Katrina and Rita battered US oil production.

Bush, speaking at a White House news conference, also renewed appeals for Congress to cut spending in other areas to help meet the reconstruction bill arising from the powerful storms.

"The storms that hit the Gulf Coast also touched every American with higher prices at the gas (petrol) pump," the president said.

"It ought to be clear to everybody that this country needs to build more refining capacity to be able to deal with the issues of tight supply," he said.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 12:10 PM | Comments (1)

Uncle Felix Says

"CAT-A-STROPH !! (It's from the Greek) No DVD ?!"

*Behind "Miracle on 34th Street" (B&W, mind you. NO Ted Turner, blue teeth, green dresses abomination allowed!! They should all be sacrificed on a raging funerary pyre, built by the outraged spirits of the great B&W directors.), tied for number two with "A Christmas Story", which is just a squeak ahead of "Holiday Inn" at third and "The Nightmare Before Christmas", at third and a quarter.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 10:29 AM | Comments (11)

Ronnie Barker's Gone

LONDON (Reuters) - British comedian Ronnie Barker, the big half of the famous duo The Two Ronnies and the indomitable Fletch in prison sitcom Porridge, has died aged 76.

"The toilets at a local police station have been stolen. Police say they have nothing to go on."

Late Item of the News: Idi Amin Dada arrived at London's Heathrow Airport today aboard his Mumbo Jumbo jet. As he deplaned, the Captain of the Honorguard called "eyes right!", to which Mr. Dada replied "No, ah's right!" and had him shot.

Pictures and sound files.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 09:53 AM | Comments (1)

I'm Swooning Here

The Gods meant for me to read the Manolo first thing.

Woof. No 'Hummer' manly foo juice needed.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 09:02 AM

October 03, 2005

Hillary Should Kiss Harriet for Hubbub Help

That way this can get settled under the radar. Not being a legal type myself (Diptera, Dave J., NoBrainer?), I throw a question out to our experts. Is this common practice ~ negotiating/sanitizing reports ~ thereby making this news piece much ado about nothing?

Lawyers at the Washington firm Williams and Connolly who work for Cisnero and both Clintons have argued to judges overseeing the case that allegations of illegal activity, for which no charges were filed, should be snipped before the report is made public.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 04:51 PM | Comments (10)

A Sign the Apocalypse is Upon Us

I thought it was Britney Spears 'designing' (yeah, right) a fragrance.
I was mistaken.
In the inbox today, an ad for a manly new foo-foo juice.

I guess since you can't afford to gas it up anymore,
the least you can do is smell like one...
and remember the good old days.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 02:55 PM | Comments (16)

Sweet!

Lt. Smash has the Code Pink protestors cornered.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 08:56 AM | Comments (6)

"When Last We Saw Our Heroine"

...or "Sink Her Already, Part IV". I'm referring to (of course) the Oriskany. Again.

Why is she in the news again? Check your wallets, people.

This time last year, Navy officials had hoped to scuttle the aircraft carrier Oriskany 22½ miles southeast of Pensacola Pass as the world's largest artificial reef project.

Congress had committed $2.8 million to turn the 888-foot flattop used in the Korean and Vietnam wars into an international fishing and diving destination, the pilot project for a new program to cheaply dispose of decommissioned vessels to the benefit of coastal communities throughout the country.

Twelve months later, the Navy has spent $12.73 million, more than 4½ times the original budget. The bill is growing, and there still are no guarantees the costly efforts will come to fruition.

"With all the money we've sunk into this thing, we probably could have built three replicas out of clean steel. It might be funny if there weren't so much money involved."

said he has pleaded with officials for months to "just sink the thing and be done with it."

A beautiful sentiment. If they can't manage that, let's go with an adjustment of Bingley's original suggestion. Retro-fit this floating city for low cost housing ~ for Katrina evacuees. They've got docks in New Orleans, so you only have to tow it a third as far. The folks get a safe, temporary roof over their heads, a deck for community dances/parties but they're home. FEMA's spent all that money on ice, the Navy's dumped all that cash into this scow ~ let's make it work for everyone's benefit. I mean, dang, that's no wackier than "a complex theoretical computer simulation called a prospective risk assessment model that would gauge the impact of PCBs and other toxins on the environment...So far, the model has cost $3.25 million and has yet to be approved." I mean, is it? Whatever. We're sick of the damn thing.

Locally, enthusiasm for what promises to be a world-class addition to Pensacola's tourist attractions has soured.

"I really don't have any clue why this group of environmentalists working for the government went completely nuts," said Edwin Roberts Jr., a Pensacola chiropractor and past president of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, who helped Florida win the bid for the Oriskany.

"I'm completely at a loss. There have been big ships sunk all over the world and there's never been a recorded problem. It is good to be sure that we're not doing any harm to the environment with a program like this, but I think we've gone way beyond that.

"We've overdone the due diligence. I think we've stomped on a dead horse too many times."

"The Road to Hell is Paved With Good Intentions, So SINK HER Already!" archive.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 08:22 AM | Comments (7)

SCOTUS

Looks like it's Harriet Miers, according to the MSNBC beaking news banner.
The AP has it.
UPDATE: Just got the talking points propaganda from the RNC and put it in the extended section.

Today, President Bush announced his choice to succeed Justice Sandra Day O'Connor as the next Supreme Court Justice: Harriet Miers. Ms. Miers is the third woman to be nominated for the Supreme Court, and like Justice O'Connor is a legal trailblazer. Ms. Miers is an extremely well-qualified and fair-minded individual who is committed to interpreting the law instead of legislating from the bench.

President Bush selected Ms. Miers after embarking on a thorough and deliberate thought process. This confirmation however promises to be much more contentious than the confirmation of Judge John Roberts. Before Ms. Miers was even announced many Democrat groups said they would oppose her. They have no interest in giving Ms. Miers a fair hearing or vote. They are promising to throw every punch, make every accusation and pressure every Senator to oppose this nominee no matter what her qualifications may be. We have to be prepared to counter their actions and that is why Harriet Miers needs your help.

To ensure Ms. Miers is confirmed by the U.S. Senate, I need you to do three things.

1. Call your Senators. Tell them Harriet Miers has your support and deserves theirs.

2. Sign our petition in support of the timely confirmation of Harriet Miers.

3. Call talk radio, write a letter to the editor of your local paper and tell your friends and neighbors why you support the President's choice.

Harriet Miers has a record that demonstrates a commitment to faithfully applying the Constitution. For more information on the nominee, go to www.gop.com.

In the coming years and decades, the decisions the Supreme Court makes will greatly affect all of our lives. We need a jurist on the court who will not legislate from the bench, who will approach cases with an open mind and who will be fair. Ms. Miers is that jurist. Call your Senators. Tell them to vote yes on the confirmation of Harriet Miers.

Sincerely,

Ken Mehlman,
RNC Chairman

Posted by tree hugging sister at 07:28 AM | Comments (10)

October 02, 2005

Festive First of Fall Carnival of the Recipes!!

Blog o'Ram does a Cool Cat Daddio job of stringing it all together! Kudos and Swill Salutes!

Posted by tree hugging sister at 11:27 PM

It's In The Oven

As threatened, I am making Suzette's Cheddar Cheese Soup Pie.

I've gathered all the ingredients, and I've managed to overlook the fact that her instructions don't account for all the ingredients she lists. Try to trick me, will she? Ha! I say!

Update: MEDIC!!!!!

"Honey, did you pay the insurance this month?"

There you sit, oh can of cheddar cheese joy! Soon, yes soon you will know the joys of cuisine!

Er, well the saki is for me...it was a long night.

Only the finest, freshest ingredients for my family! Yes, i will rub my little fingers raw so that my beloveds taste only fresh lemon peel.

I can't believe I'm making this

Little lemony maggots are awfully cute.

Mix up that puppy! Hey, that bottle looks open...

Damn! I need another sip

Hmmm, those last little lumps just would not go away...

Into the oven, my Pretty!

Courage! Courage, Merry!

It comes out of the oven in a little while...

Update:

Hmm, I guess I got a little carried away with the blender and those 3 eggs, as it's looking awfully soufle-esque...

Now we wait for the cooling and refrigalbobulation to take hold.

Taste test after dinner!

Update 2:

Forgive me father...

Ya know, it ain't half bad! It tastes like a lemony cheese cake (the fresh peel is key, me thinks), there's really not a cheddar cheese soup flavor at all.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 03:17 PM | Comments (11)

Piglet: Disturbing Religious Persona Non Grata

Yup.

Muslims win toy pigs ban

NOVELTY pig calendars and toys have been banned from a council office — in case they offend Muslim staff.

Workers in the benefits department at Dudley Council, West Midlands, were told to remove or cover up all pig-related items, including toys, porcelain figures, calendars and even a tissue box featuring Winnie the Pooh and Piglet.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 12:31 PM | Comments (6)

October 01, 2005

Po-Boys Will Put You in the Po-House

A horrific result of Katrina and Rita we hadn't anticipated. Major Dad and I headed out to the local watering hole for a Saturday afternoon favorite ~ Oysters Bienville.

Seems they're not pulling any oysters out of the Gulf and are having to fly in the little shelled devils And it was shell shock when we learned our $9 doz. nosh is now

$26 a dozen

Posted by tree hugging sister at 07:49 PM | Comments (2)

Daughter's Having 4 Girls Sleepover

They've only been here an hour.

They're all twelve.

They are very loud.

No jury would convict me...

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:31 PM | Comments (18)

$100 Million Dollars

Spent on ice:

Ninety-one thousand tons of ice cubes, that is, intended to cool food, medicine and sweltering victims of the storm. It would cost taxpayers more than $100 million, and most of it would never be delivered.

And people want the government to take a larger role in disaster relief?

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 05:28 PM

Bastards Attack Again

Tim has the details.

Our thoughts and prayers are with our Coalition Allies.

May your hearts be healed,
And may your aim be true.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 05:25 PM

Millions Spent

Same result.

It is disgusting how Virginia has bought into this "big football program" mentality.

UVa could field 6-5 teams before they wasted all this money; think how much better the academic facilities could be with those resources.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 05:13 PM

This Al East Division Title

...is the 8th consecutive.

Oh, yeah. I got your "Wankers" right here, Mr. Summers.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 04:29 PM | Comments (1)