Obama's 3-Pointers

Marv Albert should have done a voice over for that three pointer. He shoots...HE SCORES!!! Pandemonium at the Garden!

Joel, you're quoting Sam Brownback on counter-insurgency doctrine? You're joking right? Can Sam Brownback explain Petraeus' counter-insurgency doctrine? More importantly, can McCain or can you?

If you don't grasp the fundamentals you're blind to what worked or what failed.

The "troop surge" was pitched as more troops.
What Petraeus did was:
- rehire the Iraqi Army's Sunnis and pay them $300 a month each in the guise of "The Sons of Iraq."
- negotiate with insurgent leaders
- move US troops out of big bases and into forward operating bases equivalents in neighborhood, areas which had already been viciously ethnically cleansed by rival Sunni and Shia militias
- see that Moqtada al Sadr was paid off so that he would maintain his ceasefire of the Shia Mahdi army
- work with political leaders

If Sam thinks more troops did it all he's as deluded as W.

//If Sam thinks more troops did it all he's as deluded as W.//

It doesn't matter what Sam Brownback thinks... it matters what his words make other people think.

Speaking the truth has never mattered to the current Republican gang. It's all smoke and mirrors. "What can we make them believe?" is their mantra.

I guess I get the metaphor. It's the same thing as Genius involving a lot of hard work and not just a few brilliant inspirations.

And I am confident Obama knows this, since the argument could be made that by concentrating on the little states he became the presumptive nominee.

Still, these are wise words of warning. It's like when an entertainer starts to believe his or her press reviews and stops trying to connect with the ordinary people.

So Rachel, when you are the big star on Broadway and in the Motion Pictures and all, remember us ... okay?

So, is there an unified team passing Obama those three-pointers and playing solid defense?

Benched: Jesse Jackson and a few others...

Okay, I'm out of basketball metaphors, except that nobody expected this election to be a slam-dunk.

I'm going to guess that John McCain didn't realize they had instituted the three-point shot.

We were left behind
but this I must say, southpaws
two is twice as nice

Kawaii

*drools

Sorry. I don't know what possibly could have come over me. Shame on you Joel. You know how well pictures of lovely ladies go over on the blog....

~scrolls up to take another peek~

Shame on you, or me, well somebody anyway.

So what if one:
A) doesn't care or know too much about basketball?
B) doesn't care or think too much of either one of these fine American politicians who are the presumptive nominees?
C) thinks it's more fun to imagine Rachel Manteuffel running the country (or at least acting like she runs the country) than McC or OB?
I miss the Whole Earth Catalog.
Waaaaaaaaa!
I gotta go work on my dreads.
I am, after all, a middle-aged white guy.
Hi everybody - crmudgeon (sp?) how did the leech session go today? You OK?

According to Gnomes
Twice of "enough" is too much
Hence my weight-loss diet

My daily kibble
Ideal for waistline and pep
....
Brother, spare a steak?

Sorry if I left a U out of crumudgeon but I was in a hurry to watch the VRE crawl along the MapPoint map in VA.
Very intertaining...!
http://www.vre.org/vremap/app?action=detmap&train=333

Not you too? Oy vey!
Down with weight watchers, I say
let's waddle away

Dmon, it's okay to be bored with politics. Feel free to go offtopic as wide and broad as you can.

There's no offsides rule here on the boodle, unless you're tackling somebody.

Jeez, Wilbrod! You had to put in that link for yello?

I didn't need to know I could go get Emma a 6 pack of Jethros for her very own, living squeak toys.

Yello, every kind of dog rescue/shelter is looking for foster homes. You spend the first week thinking, "Why did I do this?," but then all settles in. If the dog doesn't work out for you, you know it's going to another good home. . . not to push you, but it's good blogging material too!
http://labrescue.wordpress.com/

I'm sorry I missed it when you wrote about it.

Alas, in my work
Waddling invites bad catcalls
'Tis worse than catwalks

Being slim keeps joints fresh
True, but what of my joy in life?
Eyes off my waist, please!

Anybody can make a 3 pointer,but can he slam dunk? Perhaps they could just settle the election the old fashioned way. With a game of H.O.R.S.E.

He just wanted advice from a friend on whether to accept Obama's offer for the veep slot, is my guess:

http://www.nationalenquirer.com/sen_john_edwards_caught_with_mistress_and_love_child_in_la_hotel/celebrity/65193

There y'all are, talking them sports metaphors agin. Howsabout Obama is being the diva, hitting the high notes, when it is the workaday orchestra which finishes the piece? Or he's the girl who twirls fire when we all know the drum section sets the pace? Or the hotshot TV news anchor when we all know the beat reporters do the work?

That's all I got. We lawyers are very littoral, y'know.

I love the Haiku Phantom.

Ma, Ma, where's my Pa?

Over in the White House... ha ha ha!

Kerric - you behave yourself or we are telling your mother.

The thing that really impresses me about Rachel Manteuffel is the humanity of her writing. Her brilliant, and brutally funny, article on the complex relationship between a woman and her anatomy really made me feel stupid for ever objectifying women.

I mean, if that isn't great feminist writing, I don't know what is.

And buried somewhere in Weingarten's chat (you have to scroll down to the 10/10/07 updates) is a brilliant little gem of hers about religion. It even seemed to leave Gene momentarily at a loss for words.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2007/10/02/DI2007100201377.html

kitty cookies kit
ends with waist edit, on to
3-pointered cool cats

In need of the wisdom of the boodle, my dog just had snack/treat - he is now munching on my petunias like crazy - should I be worried.

Treat was cut up meat - frozen.

Sorry I can't help you, dmd.

I just pilfered a new cool flat keyboard from a recently empty office (the Peter Principle in full effect). Trying it out now. Not sure how I like it; I only know I needed a new one and this gave me some pretty immediate gratification.

Hey.. whaddya know? I think it's OK. Athough I thought something this cool would certainly cure me of my typos, but I guess it's another case of "operator error."

ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 1-888-4-ANI-HELP.

Since petunias are in the tomato-potato-nightshade family (Solanaceae), you should proceed on the assumption they ARE toxic.

TBG, when the Geekdottir built my computer, she ordered a curved keyboard. I would never have thought of it, but it's really okay.

This is the late night at work, isn't it? Hope everything is going well and you get to go home before midnight.

Thanks, slyness... yes this is the late night. It's much better since they started regulating the temps in here... only 79°F where a couple of months ago it would have reached 87°F by now.

I've never been able to get used to those curved keyboards. I haven't really had to... no one's ever plopped on on my desk and said "gotta use this."

This one is flat, much like on a laptop. The keys are very responsive, but it does take some getting used to.

How are you liking the new setup Geekdottir made for you? The more pressing question, though.. has Mr T recaulked the bathtub yet?

Quick check shows Petunias are not toxic - didn't think they were, I think it was his replacement for eating grass before he throws up - strange though like he was starving the way he attacked the plant (potted basket).

Good link for toxic/non-toxic plants for animals. I usually try not to plant any toxic http://www.sniksnak.com/plants.htmlplants in the yard the dog is in - buy a handy reference will help.

Thanks Wilbrod

Bathtub is DONE! I should have asked him to do this YEARS ago. He used the grinder to go back over what I had done, at a higher RPM, and got a whole bunch more of the old caulk out. I assisted (handing him tissues and paper towels) as he spread the bead. It looks much better. I have to shower in his bathroom tonight, because the caulk is supposed to cure for 48 hours.

Now I need to call and get a price on refinishing the tub and all the tile. We've done the tub a couple of times, but I ruined the finish trying to bleach the mildew off the caulking. And the tile is so early Sixties, painting over it is the only hope. I don't wish to tear it all out, that kind of cash I don't have on hand.

TBG, many thanks for the cat video link...

Many smiles here.

Now if we can only get our cats ('specially Stella) to use the NordicTrac...

:-)

Hmm, three points? For a dumb pilot that's landing and touching down with main gear and tails wheel at the same time.

Some Boodler explained it was basketball. (looking up metaphor in the dictionary).

Short attention span.

Commander in Chief? Hate that title. It goes into stupid elected officials' heads. Makes people like Bush compare themselves to Bismark von Austerlitz or any such imaginary figure. We need a guy like the Swiss have--does any Boodler know his name?

I am sure Senator McCain pays close attention to the Kit and in particular, lurks the Boodle. However, his attention span is too short to retain Boodlevision and Boodlewisdom. It requires great perspicacity to include this collective wisdon into the mainstream of virtious victorious visionism as the vanguard of the vivicitudes of war.

What I'm trying to say is: Just because you sat in the Hanoi Hilton don't try to get even on poor Iraqis.

Don't loose hope, Mudge. Fort SK is really quite nice. Why, it has two grocery stores now, and a Canadian Tire. Top that off with the new traffic lights on the highway and well...Its really quite advanced.

Switzerland only has the title "commander-in-chief" during wartime and the position is subordinate to the 7 member federal council. The president of the council has no powers superior to the council.

TBG:

We're all doing well. Thanks for asking, and thanks to all for your encouraging words over and over again.

"I had the courage and the judgment to say that I would rather lose a political campaign than lose a war. It seems to me that Senator Obama would rather lose a war in order to win a political campaign

McWorse is showing his true colors.

He is the patriot.

Anyone who disagrees with him is a traitor.

John McCain: anti-American scum.

That's a relief, then. Dogs will eat plants, especially tender tips of leaves, although my dog mostly eats a lot of grass before he's about to throw up.

If my dog suddenly attacks shrubbery or fabric or other odd object with extreme gusto, my rule of thumb is to think insects, mice, bunnies, that sort of stuff.

Sometimes I think Wilbrodog eats grass specifically because he can smell/taste bunny goodness all over 'em; this was particularly true back when we lived with a plethora of bunnies around our apartment.

How's this for irony? Or is it coincidence? Either one...

Flight With 7 Congressmen Makes Emergency Landing

By CHEVEL JOHNSON
The Associated Press
Tuesday, July 22, 2008; 8:25 PM

NEW ORLEANS -- A Continental Airlines flight carrying former presidential candidate Ron Paul and six other members of Congress to Washington, D.C., made an emergency landing in New Orleans on Tuesday after a loss in cabin pressure.

The seven congressmen, all from Texas, WERE TRYING TO GET BACK IN TIME FOR A TUESDAY NIGHT VOTE ON AN AVIATION SAFETY BILL when the flight landed without incident, a spokesman for one of the representatives said. No injuries were reported among the 128 crew and passengers...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/22/AR2008072202451.html?hpid=topnews

The ball always went to Larry Bird at crunch time because he could make those 3 pointers under pressure.

Imagine yourself the Democratic candidate meeting with a gym full of military men and women, most of whom are more than likely McCain supporters, and then stepping out and making a single try 3 pointer.

If that's not performance under pressure, I don't know what is.

TBG, I wonder if Ron Paul will still vote towards deregulation of aviation?

After all, you pays your money and you takes your chances.

A few clouds this afternoon, winds were picking up around 4 p.m. and continue to do so as the sun goes down. Husband thinks we have a better chance of winning the lottery-not that we play, than seeing rain tomorrow. I think he's wrong. Thursday is supposed to be payola for us as far as precip.

Local chatter is that Brownsville wants a direct hit--the eye of the hurricane-- because then all the rain, typically in the northwest quadrant of the storm, would go north, really sprasely populated ranch land. If the eye goes south into Mexico, the border city of Brownsville could be inundated.

Our local ABC-affiliate weatherman said the levee system in Cameron County, where Brownsville is located, is weak, and these levees have the potential to fail. AP has the story, which the NYT has already picked up on.

The storm is delaying construction on the border fence, as some may already know. Who knows how many millions for the border fence, pennies for needed infrastructure improvements.

Our county is among those declared a disaster area by the governor, not because we expect much fallout from the storm but because of the county's status as operations command center. About 250 buses from throughout the state arrived here today in case they're needed for evacuations further south. Several failed a safety inspection this afternoon. I imagine there is talk about possibly setting up temporary shelter here for evacuees, too.

The narrow strip of land that is South Padre Island saw many evacuating this afternoon, especially since the causeway, the only route on and off the island, will close when winds reach 45 m.p.h. Lots of sandbagging took place this afternoon on South Padre.

It was 99 here today--some subsidence with the hot air coming down on the outer edges of the storm as a counterbalance to the cooler air rising up out in the Gulf. Clouds will bring the temperature down by about 10 degrees tomorrow, or so we've been told.

If we had a privatized air traffic control system, this never would have happened. Because we would all have personal jet packs or flying cars. The FAA has been suppressing this technology for decades. Only the free market can keep us safe.

The Rielle rumor has been floating around for months. Elizabeth Edwards was on The Colbert Report last week advocating universal health care. I wonder if love childs would be covered under that plan.

Two days ago, I spotted Clive Crook's "McCain is toast" column (probably because Joel had been impressed by Crook at the Big Ideas Bash), which led to finding professor Abramowitz's recent comments at Rasmussen:

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/political_commentary/commentary_by_alan_i_abramowitz/does_obama_have_a_problem_with_white_voters

Suddenly, things were smelling toasty.

I still have doubts.

Florida looks firmly Republican, except for the three big southeastern counties. The Russians might station bombers in Cuba and start patrolling the Florida Strait--something that could render Fidel a sideshow.

The Mehdi Army has figured out how to launch mortars at the Green Zone during dust storms, when US air power can't respond. Could they do a big pre-election attack with help from Iranian Revolutionary Guards?

If the Revolutionary Guards sink an aircraft carrier (it doesn't seem impossible), maybe Bush would stay in office for the duration of the ensuing war.

A Miami hurricane could make Katrina look cheap.

But if the outlandish stuff stays in the outlands for a while, Obama's looking like our next president. The change of adminstration in January could be as significant as any in the past seventy years, with the distinctive twist that the federal government has become terribly overobligated and even the military will face budget cuts.

Steak bits for dinner
My prayers were answered
Now to sprint it off...

The gnome needs to know
Waistlines aren't just MY problem
But to say that-- ULP!

I'm not sure if I should believe that rumor, yello...

If only because if Edwards DID father a child out of wedlock, he'd already have won a lawsuit against the condom maker for manufacturing malpractice (or whatever it's called).

SCC: The plural of 'love child' is not 'love childs'. It's 'love chilluns'.

Right on. I have a cooking question for all those who really know asian cooking--

What is the best recipe for making spring roll wrappers? I prefer the thin ones that can be used for thai and vietnamese summer rolls.

I'm seeing some recipe with regular flour, some with flour and corn starch, and even egg (egg rolls, I presume-- not what I want).

So I thought I'd sound the boodle and find out what base recipe would be ideal for a cold roll wrapper. I unfortunately can't just buy wrappers at the market, although I can buy rice vermicelli.

From what I glean so far, it's a delicate art not to overcook these wrappers. I'm not sure if lumpia is the same kind of wrapper I'm thinking about, either.

Update:

1. I have a second phone interview tomorrow for a job a notch up. I'm ready. Watch out.

2. The robin chicks (at least two) have flown the coop and one is sitting quietly in my pinion tree. The blueberries have served them well. In fact the mom and dad come up to the deck railing, even when I am standing on the deck, to take one--even when they have a worm wrapped around their beaks for the little ones. What fun.

3. I am signed up to be a volunteer at the DNC in Denver--hopefully the possibility of a new and exciting job (travel involved) won't interfere with this pending historic event.

That is all.

I think Colbert noted last night that if Obama can run around hitting three-pointers, he's probably soft on defense...

Should McCain challenge Obama to a little one-on-one? Can McCain win with the Bob Cousy-esque set-shots and the Rick Barry-style underhanded free throws?

I guess I'm glad to see Team Obama come out shooting rather than go into a Four Corners and try to run out the clock until November.

To gwe's point - IIRC - maybe the name of the game shouldn't be H.O.R.S.E but M.O.N.E.Y.

And Obama sure looked money with that tres.

Re. Brownback, and the stories about Edwards - people have agendas, don't we? Er, I mean, *they*?

And that flight on Ironic Airlines landing in New Orleans, TBG... Wow, people would complain about how unrealistic that story was if it were part of a movie screenplay.

And LIT, if I'm willing to take the hook out, I guess I'm willing to gut & clean it. You win. I'll bring lemons.

bc

And now for something completely different:

An in-store Grocery Cart Disinfectant Wash.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/22/AR2008072201787.html

I'm not sure if the next step is to dunk Grocery store employees in Clorox or to coat them in urethane.

Sheesh.

bc

eidrib... that's really cool about the Dem convention. I sure hope you get to do it.

Good luck with the job interview... wait.. you don't need luck: you've got experience, skills and eidribness on your side! Go get 'em!

My mother-in-law who makes the best cha gio on earth does not bother making her own wrappers. If you are going to fry them (Vietnamese spring rolls tend to be raw), lumpia wrappers make a sturdier shell. Real wrappers are rice paper, but those can be rather fragile.

Here is a video of rice paper being made the traditional way:

http://vacationmfm.blogspot.com/2006/01/making-rice-paper.html

I was just about asleep and the power came back on, darn it. We've had a storm (yay, rain!) and the power went out about 8:30. As always, I missed good discussion. Since I have to get up early, I'll say goodnight.

Does anyone else choke with laughter when McCain says "I know how to win wars?" What war did we win while he was in the Navy? What considered study of counter-insurgency, anti-terrorism, and responses to non-state asymmetrical warfare has he done?

Yes, frosti.. I do laugh.

And Wes Clarke's comments about McCain were misunderstood... he was actually being shi††ier than folks gave him credit for.

What he pointed out was that McCain had been SHOT DOWN... not exactly Mission Accomplished, was it?

Thanks yello. I prefer the raw wrappers myself to the fried type... hence why I'm looking around for the best recipes for that.
If I have to do rice paper for the real rolls, then send me an good internet grocery site for that, 'k?

TBG, now I have an urge to sing the Sonny and Cher song "Bang, Bang, Bang, my baby shot me down..."

I recall McCain jokingly telling (before he was running)that he wasn't such a good polit as he had had three planes shot down under him.

I recall McCain jokingly telling (before he was running) that he wasn't such a good pilot as he had had three planes shot down from under him.

eidrib, good luck with the interview, and with the DNC gig.

On the Daily Show Lewis Black was discussing the selling out of America and
I must say I'm a little confused by the negative reaction in the states to the sale of Budweiser to a Belgian company. The Belgians are world class brewers and produce several execellent beers and ales.
Or, if Americans prefer a taste they are more familiar with, Belgians breed honking big horses.

I think it's because Bud has always been such an AMERICAN thing. "You wussies can drink your imports, but I'll have a BUD!"

Congratulations to McGilligan.

Hi Boko. Welcome back.

Sorry Wilbrod, can't help you with the spring roll wrapper recipe. Growing up, I've seen my sister make spring roll wrapper only a couple of times. I remember it's just flour base mix. I've never tried making them. It's too challenging for me.

Personally, I prefer rice wrappers. The Hokkiens call their spring roll "popiah". "Popiah" is Hokkien food just like dim sum is Cantonese food.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popiah

There are only a couple of Chinese restaurants here that has spring rolls (the non-fried type) pre-made for sale and only in the mornings. They are a non-menu item. In Chinese restaurants, there are always some non-menu items for breakfast. The kind of items that will be put out will depend on the mood of the cooks.

McCain=4 more years of Bush. Isn't that enough pain for a nation to go through?

'Morning, Boodle. If it's umbrage you're looking for, try Dana Milbank's column on generals testifying about the continued screw-ups at Walter Reed and other Army hospitals. My own umbrage meter (admittedly sometimes set on 11) went off at the Post editorial labeling Obama as "eccentric." Seems his eccentricity lies in his thinking (I know this sounds crazy) that Afghanistan should be and have been our primary target, not Iraq. I am beginning to have serious doubts about the WaPo editorial staff and editor. I care not a whit that they aren't on "the same page" with the rest of the paper (I have no expectation they should be; editorial pages don't have to be). But I thought this particular editorial unusually wacked.

Excellent Meyerson piece on who is the better strategist, McC or O.

Can't read the Gerson thing on Cindy McCain's courage.

OK, Patrol, let's get airborne.

God loves us so much more than we can imagine through Him that died for all, Jesus Christ.

Good morning, friends. I'm here, Mudge, I don't know about airborne. Moving slow, and almost getting to be late.

As for the kit, the sports context leaves me at a loss, and although I'm sure that's not shocking, it is painful for me. I've seen so much of the media bias thing on television, it is giving me the heaves. I don't know how that can be said with a straight face.

Bokoo, I was going to ask about you this morning because I've missed you, and there you show up. Good to hear from you.

Has anyone seen the CNN special program, Black in America? The Post has an article about this program this morning. Soledad O'Brien is hosting. The Post is giving it high marks.

I need a sponsor for my radio program, anyone here interested? More than one would be lovely. If I don't get a sponsor, my mission is dead. I think it's a good program because we're trying to get kids in Sunday school, and get guns out of their hands. I've prayed and cried, and I'm still hanging. And our ministry also addresses the sick and shut-in.

Today is Wednesday, the busy day. Time to swim. It was so hot here yesterday. We're suppose to get rain today.

Slyness, I saw that your neck of the woods had bad storms last night. I guess we will get them today.

Scotty, Martooni, good morning, and morning to all. *waving*

Have a very good day, folks, and remember to check on the elderly.

hey boodle. 'morning mudge and cassandra.

It always surprises me when I'm woken up by the power coming back ON after a lightning strike.

Morning all! *needing-just-a-little-more-caffeine-on-this-Hump-Day Grover waves*

:-)

Good morning, everybody.

Mudge, I'll have you know that I've been up long enough to have already taken Mr. T to work, come home, and eaten breakfast. So there!

Yes, Cassandra, we did have storms last night. The power was out from 8:30 till 11:15. Mr. T checked the rain gauge this morning and found .35". He commented to me that if the rain had been proportional to the thunder and lightning, we would have had 3.5". It was quite the show.

Since we had no other entertainment, Mr. T turned on his fire department radio and we listened to fire companies dashing all over town. Thunderstorms create chaos for emergency services. As Mr. T commented, during storms the telecommunicators really earn their salaries.

G'morning boodle. Quick check-in on my way to close on the hip urban digs this morning. Staying in a suburban hotel so I must allow lots of drive time, but I guess one morning of that mess won't be too bad. I have to laugh at what Minnesotans call gridlock. Even with the I35W bridge keeping that major artery detoured, this is nothing like DC.

TBG-Mr. F#2 was just as harsh as Clarke. He would always say about POWs in general "but they got caught!" He was a 19 yo Army helicopter pilot in Vietnam in 1969-70 and very surprisingly made a career of it.

Good morning, all.

cassandra, do I hope things turn out well for you.

And those of you in TX, I'll be thinking of you today as you say, "Hello, Dolly" to an unwelcome guest.

Umbragewise, I'm a wonderful gauge of eccentricity [he said, resplendent in a coating of olive oil and his summer gladiator outfit].

Still, it's not a word that bothers me, but I can see how it may not play well in certain areas of the country.

On a final note, I had some fresh snap peas and a tomato fresh out of a garden with dinner last night, and they were *delicious.*

bc

Morning all.

We have had many storms in the last week, on the weekend we received close to 2" on rain in a few hours and again last night we had a heavy downpour. All this on top of an already very wet season.

Hopefully next week will be better as I am on holidays.

Have a good day all.

round robin moves on
deck and pinion, cheery fresh
starts served with warm worms

Good morning Boodle, I'm playing Tail end Charlie of the patrol. Should I make a low pass at a certain building near the Naval Observatory?

bc-I was at the Mall of America yesterday and saw a woman wearing gladiator sandals. Thought, "not everyone can carry off that look the way bc does." Kind of spooky for the mental image of an imaginary friend to be so vivid in response to real life.

Morning all. I'm off today, hallelujah. It's been a crazy couple of weeks at work.

Mudge - I'm with you, that WaPo editorial had me scratching my head.

I had fresh maters out of my garden last night as well. It doesn't get any better than that!

My daughter is away at camp. This house is so quiet without that little whirling dervish. I feel sort of adrift, isn't that crazy?

Have a great day, folks.

Max Boot's WaPo op ed article is hilarious.It reveals a total lack of understanding of asimetrical warfare in the McCain camp.

Hey man you failed to extend your roundball methphor far enough.
Don't forget the proven value to Lombardians ("winning is the only thing")of the elbows to the ribs, knees to the groin, fingers in the eyes that political operatives from Atwater to Rove have perfected.

Alexey, I suspect that may be restricted air space over that way (by the Naval Observatory). If you do a fly-by thataway, watch your six.

And your three, nine, twelve and subdivisions thereof, Alexey...

:-)

Not to be persnickety, Matthew, but Lombardi didn't coach roundball to my knowledge.

Though the phrase "political football" is part of the common vernacular.

I do know that when I drive by the Navel Observatory, I do take a moment to consider where I am and that my visit is being recorded. And then I look back up at the road to see where I'm going.

bc

And frosti, thanks for the virtual compliment.

bc

Ah, the Naval Observatory is popular today. I dropped a message in a bottle with advice on how to grow a beard, practice alternative medicine, and hide in plain sight.

Meant to say last week, RIP to Jo Stafford, great torch singer from the 40s, 50s, and 60s, whose greatest song was one of my all-time favorites, "You Belong to Me" (and here's your tune cootie for the day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H1Imb6jm0U), who died at age 90. Most of you under-40s have probably never heard of her. She did a tremendous amount of USO work during WWII, earning her the nickname GI Jo. And those of you familiar with SNL's parody bad lounge acts by Bill Murray and later by Will Ferrell and Ana Gasteyer probably don't know that the origin for this idea came from Stafford and her husband, Dorsey band arranger Paul Weston, who started doing a faux bad lounge act, "Jonathan and Darlene Edwards," when just messing around at parties (like Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner's 2000-year-old man), but it grew into a series of comedy albums, winning a Grammy as best comedy album in 1961, in a tie with Bob Newhart. (Most of you won't remember that far back; unfortunately, I do.) In their first faux bad lounge act albums, Stafford and Weston hid their identities, and it drove people crazy trying to figure out who these people really were.

Anyway, I really liked Jo Stafford.

SCC: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H1Imb6jm0U

Phsspt pop crackle
What the heck am I doing up in this krait.
Darn you Bell!

Boko, what the heck are you doing trying to fly a poisonous snake? SPADS, Sopwiths and S.E.5's are tricky enough, and at least they have wings.

bc, while you're overflying the navel observatory, you can practice your bellyflops (not recommended in that gladiator outfit, tho').

The eyewall of the hurricane is close to Brownsville and South Padre Island. Our paper today has an article, "Valley's levee woes likened to New Orleans," about the potential breach of the weak levee system along the Rio Grande, should the anticipated rains from Dolly prove to be too much water for the levees to handle:

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/Valleys_levee_woes_likened_to_New_Orleans.html

I would like to visit the resort area of South Padre Island, as well as nearby Brownsville some day. The main street in Brownsville is Elizabeth Street, named after Elizabeth Goodrich Stillman (descended from Sarah Loomis and Nicholas Olmstead as well as our Porter branch through the Hartford Goodwins).

Elizabeth's husband, Charles Stillman, born in 1818 in Wethersfield, Conn., came to Matamoros, Mexico when he was but a lad of 18. In Mexico he developed a network of mercantile and industrial enterprises: cotton brokerage and real estate firms, one of the first textile factories in Monterrey, silver and lead mines--which produced more than $4 million during the 1850s, their stock trading on the New York Stock Exchange, merchandising outlets, a shipping company that carried passengers and goods up the Rio Grande to Rio Grande City, and an off-loading, warehousing and transportation company that carried goods to the Mexican interior.

During the Mexican War, Stillman and his partners' transportation company hauled American troops up the river, along with supplies for them. I did run into a woman--at the showing several years ago of Roland Warnock's documentary "Border Bandits" about a group of lawless Texas Rangers--who still had a major quibble about how Stillman obtained the Garza land grant north and northwest of Matamoros. And so Brownsville was born from the purchase of these land grants and Stillman's efforts to start a town company to sell lots for as muchg as $1,500 each. The ensuing violence following the land transactions led to a 26-year range war.

Stillman became, in my eyes, the family's black sheep during the Civil War because he transported confederate cotton, in exchange for gold, to Matamoros, where he sent it to his own textile company. But the bulk of the cotton went to New York City, the major purchaser being the U.S. government (military uniforms?).

One of his cotton buyers in Texas was George Brackenridge, after whom our largest city park is named after a member of his family donated the land. Noted San Antonio author John Phillip Santos' grandfather, Abuelo Juan Jose, worked in Col. George Branckenridge submerged greenhouses, the "passionate amusement" of the local business and banker (see pp. 110-133 in Santos' bestseller, "Places Left Unfinished at the Time of Creation."). After the war, Brackenridge greatly assisted Stillman in reacquiring his lands along the Rio Grande, which the government had seized.

Because Stillman was one of the richest men in America at war's end, he provided Brackenridge with $200,000 to establish San Antonio National Bank. The majority of his investments, however, were in New York's National City Bank, which Stillman's son James later controlled. In short, this is how today's Citibank was born.

SCC: pp 110-113

SCC: born in 1810. Sheesh. Time to go swimming before the rain arrives.

Wings eh? Thanks Mudge.
Now that I think about it even the Bell P-39 Air Cobra had wings (wrong era though). I suppose like tradition, physics demands it's due.

Nice link Mudge. It will be easy to remember that voice. I'm sorry I missed her singing.

I'm only familiar with the Patsy Cline version of You Belong to Me. Its a great 'driving across a prairie singing to keep me awake' song.

That link didn't work for me, but this one does: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H1Imb6jm0U

dr, you don't remember the Duprees' version from 1962? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIEBErVs0fY&feature=related Perhaps dbG and maybe omni might remember Philly DJ Hy Lit (Hyski O'Rooney McVoutie O'Zoot) on WIBG (pronounced wibbage) playing this night after night during the 60's. Woulda never made it through high school without it.

Wow, Kraits are not only venomous, they primarly feed on other snakes and are cannibalistic.

see Snakes on a Plane
Bungarus => Ourobouros
if they're not careful

I had never heard of her, Mudge, but Terry Gross on NPR replayed an interview a few days ago that she had done a few years ago. Very entertaining. The husband sounded like a rascal!

I remember WIBG, but switched to WMMR at a very early age. :-)

Good Lord, what a busy crowd. I am awestruck. Curmudgeon was boodling at 6:11am (that's A.M.!!) and Cassandra was right behind him.

I have nothing to contribute yet today, except for a favor. Since I'm "cable free" at home, please fill me in on how CNN/Fox/HeadlineNews/MSNBC/LSMFT handle McCain Gaffegate (in reference to the Boss' statement, "[This has the potential to become a major topic for cable chatterboxes in coming days -- just watch.]")

Thank you for your kind attention.

Wibbage was before my time Mudge. Sort of.

Lived in Fairless Hills a year, late 60's when I was in first grade. then moved to Indy. Didn't move back to the Philly suburbs till '75 (from IND.) Didn't really start listening to radio regularly till late '70s: WMMR, WYSP and WIOQ mostly.

You remember, *and it's 1, 2, 3, what're we fighting for* and *White Rabbit.* The interesting stuff! :-)

I didn't hit high school until the late 60s, and by that time the Beatles & Stones had got me already. Not to mention real counter-culture Sansom Street stuff.

Not to imply you're . . . um . . . old or anything, Mudge!

*sigh*

Where's Nani and Vintage Lady when I need them?

Taking a nap?

(Sorry, couldn't resist).

Nice link, Mudge. Here's an upbeat one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4MM-4WeKoA

Yes, I have posted it here before. But I like it!

Loomis, what's the link to Fargo? And keep your head down.

I've been through Hurricanes Donna, Allen, Hugo, and Alicia, but that one doesn't count. It could have, however. Wikipedia has articles on all of them now.

New kit. Sorry, I posted there before coming back here to get everyone. Bad boodle etiquette.

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