Street Art of the Day

Artist - Edgar Mueller

Weekender

Today is a Royalty-Free day! It's time to get back to serious ee-sues.

On another day.

Today I'm treating myself to an afternoon of silly movies before trudging into tornadoes and wars.

Enjoy your day/evening/morning!

When You Wish Upon A Star

Awww.... Dreams can come true?

Leather and Lace

Lace is key for our recent vicarious focus. And it's very, velly OKAY!

Someday My Prince Will Come

For Your Insinuation(s)

If you haven’t finished the Royal festivities’ addiction, here are four excellent sources for more…..

Brief, clever synopsis:
(Contains great line re: the Queen and Prince Philip.)
http://www.businessinsider.com/kate-middleton-dress-pictures-pippa-balcony-kiss-2011-4

Wonderfully spot-on snark:
Posh Brings Her Signature Bitchface To The Royal Wedding – Michael K (Dlisted)

Interesting – the Prince doesn’t wear a wedding band/ring:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rev-amy-ziettlow/prince-william-wedding-band_b_855206.html

Best Collection: The Daily Beast
http://www.thedailybeast.com/william-and-kate-royal-wedding/complete-coverage?page=2

Almost Street Art

No, the above isn’t street art, although it could pass for the quality of many found on the sides of empty buildings. The cast and what they are wearing couldn’t be better to originate from an artist inspired by an LSD flashback.

Alas, the image is real. Princess Beatrice flanked by Prince Edward and Andrew and a mean-looking woman, came together to protect others who were at The Wedding from being hit with a wet, loopy noodle = that “I should be on your plate with red sauce” thing on Princess Beastie's head.

 What IS that thingy-ma-gag?

 It does look as if it was spawned/pilfered from a giant’s mega-pasta stash.

More to come………

Street Art of the Day

Blank wall - designed, painted by Eric Grohe

There's A Kind Of Hush

It's a sing-along....

Tied In Knots

Can you hear it? The sound of hearts beating as one? Indeed, The Wedding is almost at hand! The hearts you hear are from those who are lining-up along specific London streets to catch a nanosecond glimpse of rosy-cheeked William and his new bride Kate clatter in a horse-drawn carriage along the route to Buckingham Palace following the Westminster Abbey performance/nuptials/knot-tying ritual.

As an aside, from where, exactly, did the term “tying the knot” originate? Just guessing, I think it could be one or all of the following: Men have to tie knots into a bow-tie (or at the top of long-ties) and for some men, wearing a tie of any sort was/is anathema to their routine. The wedding tie must look spiffy, and tied into the perfect knot. Thus, the man’s wedding day in “some” quarters went like this: “So-and-so is tying the knot today.” Could be. It’s a thought.

Or…perhaps the brides had been feeling the pinch of the girdle cinch (“knot”) whilst cutting off most of their circulation in order to have that ever-necessary tiny waist that gave most of the women of yore the “vapors” as they were sewn into their wedding dress, never to breathe a full breath again until the ordeal was over? Naw. I don’t think that’s the root of it. 

Is the answer to the above question as simple as representing – referring to – the “ties that bind” of marriage? Various sources refer to to an old custom where the priest (or Minister) would literally tie the hands/wrists of the couple together with rope during the wedding ceremony. Customs vary on how long the rope was to remain. Other sources indicate various knot-tying rituals involving rope. Not one source is conclusive.

Whatever the final answer, it sounds kinda creepy, doesn’t it?

So, back go we to the sidelines of the Romance of The Decade! I’m puzzled (not really) by such hype. The only part of William and Kate’s connection that is at all sensational, romantic, passionate, fascinating – whatever – is that he is a Prince and part of the last working Monarchy in the world. He’s good-looking, Diana’s first son, low-key, civil…a good egg, but not easy to peel.

I could go on and on and on. But I won’t. I’ll step back and let the media in all its overblown glory do the gushing and blushing for me.

Chow…..


(Picture via AP)

Street Art of the Day

The most inventive, exciting art is happening literally on the streets in various forms. Every day TDFB will feature one of the oldest or newest gems as our own "distraction." Enjoy!

Today, from Berlin and a gaggle of German artists, is one the most mind-blowing illusionary versions of sidewalk art.

Born in the USA

The Squeaky Heel Gets His Day

Well well well. Mr. Trumpet Mouth finally got what he supposedly wanted: “proof” of President Obama’s U.S. birth via copies of a Hawaiian birth certificate and all other papers hospitals keep on file to confirm someone’s birth. The task was so delicate that the papers were delivered to Obama via hand from Hawaii to the White House, and were released to the press this morning to shut everyone up and to get back on track with important things like ISSUES, CREATING JOBS…you know, all that stuff the GOPer’s are constantly barking about yet doing nothing to solve?

All right, Donald. Are you and the other birther-types happy now? I bet you aren’t. New conspiracies will crop up to dispel any odor of legality concerning the papers. If Obama has to bend over even more as the months go on toward the 2012 election frenzy then I say he needs to bend the other way and slap a few loose cannons around and then get back to real biz. At this point, if I were him, I’d be so pissed-off at so many people I would consider doctoring my birth certificate to show I was born in another country just to get an easy pass out of the snarling pit of blamers who refuse to let me do my job without consistent personal attacks.

But then, I’m not made of what it takes to be in politics. One of the political genes must be an enormous stubbornness even my worst stubborn moments couldn’t achieve.

In light of today’s “stunning” disclosure of Obama's legit U.S. birth, for a moment Kate and William’s nuptials took second place in most headlines. Thank God! Let’s get on with some real news, eh?

Now, should I have Earl Grey or English Breakfast Tea while propping my eyes open in the dark of night while watching the wedding? THAT is one hell of an important decision to make. Especially since I just ran out of sugar and cream.

Street Art of the Day

Mural 

(Via VagabondJourney.com)

'Saturday Gang' Pub Songs

Bombing & Fawning

Isn’t it typical of Gaddafi and his son to never be wherever a bomb will obliterate one of their hideouts? Yesterday, NATO forces bombed the Tripoli-based Gaddafi compound, killing and harming numerous civilians and others unlucky enough to be hanging in that part of the hood, but Gaddafi was not there, they say, and he remains free to roam around his country’s box - for the moment.

Will the Gaddafi’s be forced into a Saddam Hussein-like hole in the ground, or will they slip into a helicopter and silently exit Libya on a moonless night, inching their way to meet up with Bin Laden and friends at their brilliantly impossible-to-find locations? That’s the best solution – in my humble opinion.

Funny how "finding Bin Laden" has apparently fallen-off everyone’s radar. Those rugged mountains, you know. Gee, he could be anywhere in them thar hills! Let’s forget about it and pretend to fight in Afghanistan when what we’re really doing is leaning on Pakistan to avoid a full Taliban-Al Qaeda takeover and thus, loose nukes.

However, the point is how the chase is on in earnest to bomb a dictator out of his palaces/compounds and what will be the end of it all?

And what about Syria? Yeah, what about it? Shrug. Forgive me if you will/could/care, but I’d rather return to subjects of little substance, such as the Royal Wedding, to fill my cup of daily knowledge this week. There are wars of one sort or another going on all over the world at any given time, so what’s new about horror and bloodshed when it’s rare for a real-life Prince of William’s stature to marry a slightly sultry maiden?

Take advantage of the pomp and circumcism of social Class/Status worship! Get on board. Snap-out of that cynical glare! Join the reveler’s and travelers. Read a Jane Austen novel!

Have a party! Many English pubs in LA and New York are holding “slumber parties” where one can wear their PJ’s for the late-for-some live coverage. One particular LA spot is known for a cuddly rowdy bunch of regulars. One can only imagine what the wedding’s coverage will do to the patrons. I expect it will be quite a lively night. However, I wouldn’t stand too close to the dart boards.



More to come…….

Time Has Come Today

Now It Begins

You´ve Got to Hide Your Love Away

Not this time around......

'Morning Joe' with Sugar and Tease

OMG, OMG! The countdown toward the Royal Wedding on Friday in London between Prince William and the crafty little commoner, Kate Middleton, has begun in the States. We certainly need a diversion from our dreary common lives.

The former is the typical response from anyone with a computer (and the ability to write) has/have been saying about the U.S. focus on the upcoming nuptials: “Distraction.”

(Pssst, GOPer’s – now’s the time to take over the country. Wink-wink.)

Already MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” program has acquiesced to the “need” and has camped-out in a sunny spot at Trafalgar Square in London to ensure not one element of the preparations and wedding will be overlooked by American media. To pad away the time until something truly substantial occurs, the show will ensure a natty British feeling by interviewing anyone with a British accent who can talk and talk and talk about the U.S. economy in-between tidy bits of trivia about William and Kate’s romance, as well as the enduring lurve the U.S. and the UK have for one another (when the British in particular aren’t laughing at us for our naïve swoonings over anyone with what seems to be an ability to speak English without saying “ho” or “yo” or “Hell No!”).

Well, someone’s gotta do it and who can class-up a show like good ole’ Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski as they quack over a cluttered little table outside in the sun of a not-at-the-moment-foggy-London-town?

Did I see scones on the table or was it just wishful thinking? I did see (I think) lots of white mugs probably filled with tea this time but pretending to be a “cuppa Joe” just to keep the theme in place.

A little tip for you, Mika: Make sure you wear a fancy hat for tomorrow’s program, okay? It was bad enough that you had your sunglasses plastered to the top of your head rather than covering your love for Joe with them when you had a chance. Get with the mood, my dear. It’s all about hats and hats and more hats, don’t you know?

And it’s all about Kate, too. Frankly, I don’t envy her foray into the dungeon of Windsor and honestly believe that after nine years with William (minus a month or two here and there), she’s probably the first-ever Princess-to-Queen-to-be who may have a good run after most of the world gets over the vapors of the heady wedding festivities.

Can you imagine the world watching your marriage? Your every single move? It goes well beyond casual celebrity to marry into that family/heritage. You marry a country that will either adore you or boo and hiss if they disapprove your latest dress. Not to ignore the heavy expectations of the bride of any royal, be she also a royal or not, on the actual wedding day?

What if your eye starts to itch as you enter Westminster Abbey to the music you and your father-in-law-to-be spent hours choosing? What if you accidentally trip over an unforeseen loose Spencer gene as you make your way to a waiting real life prince? Oh, it would be the wince heard around the world, that’s for sure.

I gather that Camilla spent a great deal of time taking to her bed with a terrible case of the jitters prior to her marriage to Prince Charles when another round of obstacles sent their plans into limbo – reflecting the many years of their inability to be together – legitimatically. I admit I was surprised to hear about her “nerve” ee-sue. After all, she was no novice to the ways of that world and should have known Diana would be throwing darts from Heaven until the last minute, so……?????

Should Kate wish to do the same I wouldn’t blame her at all. However, the difference this time is perfectly clear. Diana is sending dewy thorn-less roses; the Queen, et al, supposedly adore her, and with the exception of one of the Queen’s guards who had the sheer idiocy to post unflattering remarks against Miss Kate on Facebook (and lost his job over it today), all should be well….

Until Harry proposes to his stripper-in-training -  the less than “proper” Chelsy Davy, who is certain to be the next “Fergie-In-Waiting“ if the heir-spare Prince Harry doesn’t have a strong intervention with his “royal jewels.”

Born To Be Wild

Breach of Speech?

Look at that face! Just look at it! Is this the “face of the First Amendment”? It could be, shocking as it seems, unless the constantly debated Amendment receives a makeover in clarification.
 
If you’re enjoying a traditional Easter today, then you’ve been to a church of some sort, and are having a family dinner later on while the kids run around looking for Easter eggs and chocolate bunnies. You aren’t planning to burn the Koran/Quran or stand outside of a mosque and yell at Islam, are you?
 
No. That would not be very nice to guilt-by-association Muslims living in America, and others throughout the world, and as a religious person, such incendiary acts are so very not “right” in a moral way, you wouldn’t be doing any of that madness. 
 
Unless you are “Pastor” Terry Jones (above) of some little church in ‘someplace Florida’ USA who has done all of that. Not smart or nice, especially for a supposed “man of the cloth.” From what I’ve been reading, he’s more a man of the bike – Harley, that is. Who knew? That glum–looking guy with the Wild West mustache usually wearing a cheap suit also wears biker t-shirts and black leather jackets. Somehow this knowledge has changed my view of him from a slightly-off-balanced-megalomaniac to a guy who had too much LSD way-back-then.
 
Although I don’t like what Jones has done, in fact I’d kick him out of the country if I could, or what he stands for = religious intolerance, cultural ignorance, and his in-your-face-by-TV-proxy presence every few months, the First Amendment issue surrounding what he has done and may continue to do is a genuine legal conundrum.
 
The below snippet provides new information:

The Huffington Post and Jessica Carreras from Dearborn's Patch.com.
Last month, the pastor of a tiny church in Florida dressed up in a judge's robes and held a mock trial in which he pronounced a death sentence upon the Quran, an order he then carried out using kerosene and a barbecue lighter. News of his deed spread to Afghanistan, where thousands rioted during two days of protests that left 21 people dead, including 7 U.N. workers.


This week, Terry Jones, 59, went back to court -- a real court this time, in Michigan's 19th District. He'd come to Dearborn, a city with a large Muslim population, to demonstrate what he described as "the rise of Sharia law." The plan: Stage a rally outside the Islamic Center of America, the largest mosque in the United States.


On Thursday, Judge Mark Somers summoned Jones and a supporter named Wayne Sapp to the courthouse in response to a Wayne County prosecutor, whose office warned a protest in front of the mosque could "incite a riot." A jury determined the following day that the demonstration would likely "breach the peace," and Judge Somers ordered the men to stay away from the mosque for three years and pay a nominal $1 bond. Jones and Sapp initially refused to pay the bond and were briefly jailed.

Should Jones have been jailed? On the technicalities, it appears to be a “Yes.” On the overview of what the authorities in Michigan were trying to do (shut down the protest), it becomes murky with regard to the Constitution. If our country allows its citizens to freely express their opinions and someone does it and others are harmed – what is to be done?

Such is the dilemma. Is Jones’ rancor and hatred toward Muslims and their own bible the ultimate breach of the freedom of speech? When palpable harm to others on the scale of what happened in Afghanistan occurs, and is a potential threat to national security, a boundary should be in place, don’t you think?

One question of such a law is how would  one delineate the difference between holding protests against political parties in front of their rallies, and those who protest against an entire religion in front of their church/temple/mosque? It’s OK for politics but not for religion? Isn’t the idea discriminatory?

What a thin tightrope to hobble across over freedom of speech, eh?

Jones may not be zooming off into the sunset on his Harley any time in the near future. He’s only one of many with similar viewpoints and a few loose bolts on their mental bikes who want to make statements with bravado under the guise of patriotism or religious zealotry. I ask again what do we do with them if their actions set off violence around the world while exercising “freedom of speech” at home?

What Frowning Mustache Pastor Loose Bolts has done and what was recently done to him is a perfect example of where another gap in the Constitution can be found. Are a few tweaks to the First Amendment the way to go? The way to bring the government into a very different century without harming the primary foundation of the Constitution? 

The mind reels.

Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting

Taking Some Time Out

The Lazy Song

For Those Who Are Already in Saturday Mode

The Week's Weakest Headlines

Today is “Good Friday." In my opinion, any Friday is a “Good” Friday (unless you have to work on weekends). To honour today’s “Goodness” I’ll refrain from direct flogging and will, instead, list a few of the weeks’ most curious headlines with a bit of help from my “inner child.”

Lindsay Lohan - Charge Reduced to Misdemeanor

                              

Jerry Seinfeld, Donald Trump In War Of Words 

O'Reilly and Beck Bash MSNBC

 What William Told Royal Photographer 

Sarah Palin 'fatigue' diagnosed in Alaska poll

John McCain Arrives In Libya

Catherine Zeta-Jones: 'There Is No Need to Suffer Silently’

Denise Richards: Charlie Sheen and I Are Not in the Best Place

Lohan Update: 120 Days In Jail - Mebe

See you all later! 




(Sources: The Huffington Post, CNN, USA Today, People.com, TMZ.com)

She's So High

Random Flog Log

Have you ever wondered what it would be like if numerous web-focused adverts claiming “Mother of Six is 55 and Looks 35 – How Did She Do It?” was reversed? “Mother of Six is 35 and Looks 65 – How Did She Do It?” Well, no explanation needed there. It would be fun, though. Her answer could be “Hell, it’s easy. I smoke a pack of ciggies every day. Never exercise. Hate putting all that goop on my face and, well, with six little nutcases running around the house, I don’t have time to cook, so we order lots of pizzas and go to Mickey D’s for their fine whoppers and fries.”

Another answer could be: “I’ve been too busy using those trial versions of all kinds of products and it’s wearing me out! I’m exhausted!” Such an answer wouldn’t be too off the mark.

From what I’ve heard and read about these offers, a few are truly legit, whereas the majority are not. For example, in all of the adverts, the “trick” or “tip” from the “mother” (who is usually not a “real” person) is to take advantage of all of the various anti-aging product trials, mix them up, and – voila! – with very little financial output other than shipping costs, one is given the “Fountain of Youth” for under $5.00.

IF one is willing to use only a small portion of the trial product, return it before the trial period is up, and start over again with another product, then you’re batting 100 in the trial period game. But that’s a lot of shipping and diddling around for a few dabs of crème or toner or whatever the trial entails. Especially if you have to call the customer service division of the merchant to cancel your order, only to end up with an automated system that sends your call to another automated system where all of your input via prompts is not recognized and suddenly there is a click on the other end, a brief silence, and the automated female voice begins to drone “If you’d like to make another call, please hang up…..”

You’ve been disconnected!

So you try again. Your trial end-date is only days away. To not be charged an horrendous amount of money for your “Trial” purchase, instructions indicate you must place a call (no emails or letters) to their rep’s and have that little tube of goo ready to be sent back and received by a specific date – which is usually within a time frame impossible to properly test the product for effectiveness.

If you have enough tenacity or patience, you may eventually locate a human on the other end of your endless calling. Oh Happy Day! Now the issue can be resolved! Or not. If you can understand the person to whom you are speaking, you might discover that your order isn’t in their “system” and to their knowledge, you didn’t receive their product. But you did. They have your credit card info from the shipping costs. And you were charged for it. How could it NOT be in their “system”?

You explain your dilemma to the unfortunate service rep who is probably in a claustrophobic crowded room with everyone on phones for the one hundred or so other products their employer has on the market for special “trials” and they are simply reading a prepared list of non-answers to ensure that enough confusion will ensue regarding your cancellation attempt so the company can get your money. At this stage, you know something’s up and it’s beginning to feel a lot like a rip-off.

Your blood pressure begins to rise as the rep continues to verbally shrug at your concerns, suggesting that if you are dissatisfied with the product, you may send it back (your cost once again for shipping), and not to worry about a charge as you still can’t be found in their databank of customers. You ask for their name, jot down the date and notes of the conversation for your records, and ask to speak to a manager to receive a cancellation reference number and to get to the bottom of your missing information.

Alas, either there is no manager available to take your call, or the manager doesn’t accept calls but only letters. Huh? You were under the impression that the terms of the company were “no letters or emails.”

If you do follow through on writing, your letter means nothing. No one contacts you. Nothing is explained. You realize you’ve been scammed despite all prior advertising claims to the contrary, and if you care enough to cancel the order and not allow yourself to be played for a fool, you contact your bank, ask for a block against any future debits from that company or its subsidiaries, and if you’re lucky, your bank won’t charge you for the block – one time only.

Then you sit back, look at the tiny tube of whatever it is and use that little sucker until the very last drop. AND NEVER go for another “Trial” offer of anything ever again…unless you want to look 65 when you’re only 35.

Or something like that.

I Could Be Wrong

Live From Coachella 2011

Ignorance Is Blitzed

Oh, c’mon! ANOTHER air traffic controller error? This time with the First Lady aboard one of the planes during the confusion? Is someone handing-out “special” treats for those in the docked-pit towers of radar power? How odd is this never-ending trend?

Yesterday, Michelle Obama was on her way from New York to DC when her plane had to abort landing at Andrews Air Force Base due to its way-too-close proximity to a large cargo plane in the same air space.

Apparently, such problems aren’t as rare as one would hope to think.

Per The Huffington Post per The Washington Post: An unnamed federal official told the Washington Post: "In the grand scheme of things, events like this happen fairly frequently. Unfortunately, this one involves a presidential plane."

Do tell, then, how is it that in the midst of the growing pile-up of controller mishaps, another controller at another locale decided to watch a DVD of a film while on the job? Are these people exhibiting ADD/ADHD or what? Could it be that the intense pressure of the job is getting to more than a few of them? Could it be that inefficiency in the system is the culprit? What is the meaning of so many noticeably mentally absent professionals controlling the lives of hundreds/thousands each day flaking-out within the last few weeks?

What’s the message? Obviously there is one or else none of these situations would be on the front page of newspapers and websites every other day. Is it merely a huge wakeup call to the FAA? If so, the message isn’t getting through fast enough. It’s one more reason why anxiety-ridden me will remain on the ground and hope that the trains I take stay on the right track and the conductor isn’t busy texting his or her BFF’s, missing key signals along the way…which has happened.

No one particular way of travel is without risk. Get on a horse, and you could be bucked-off. Get into your car or truck and, well, you know…… Ride in a buggy with a horse at the helm and – Bam – one of the wheels falls off and there you are, halfway between the air with no spare. And on and on and on with the travails of travel.

As written last week, I’m no fan of flying these days. I’ll get back on the horse; will fix the wheel on the buggy; will dive under something solid in a train wreck. My chances of survival on the ground are far better than in the air should something go awry. Unless I’m wearing a parachute, that is.

But then, that’s my perspective. My mission today isn’t to spread fear into the hearty hearts of fliers. But if I were on my way to an airport for a few hours 33,000 feet above ground, I’d certainly want the FAA to get their act together ASAP, wouldn’t you?

It’s important, I guess, for everyone to know what’s going on when communications break down and safety is compromised. At the same time, as it were/was/always shall be, sometimes the less we know the happier we are. And, if that comment holds a tremor of truth, the U.S. will be one of the happiest countries in the world in the near future as we slowly dismantle our educational systems to the brink of non-existence.

Thumped Trump

Pleeeeeze!!! The entire spectacle/idea of Donald Trump becoming the next President of the United States once again shows the world how foolish this country is. He knows absolutely nothing about “Law” beyond his experiences with lawsuits. He doesn’t understand Roe vs. Wade. (Source: Any news outlet.) And, does anyone with a brain think the military would happily salute Mr. Red Face as he thugged-along to their bases to boost morale? Sure. Let’s give our soldiers another reason to have PTS and suicidal tendencies.

He IS a straight-shooter and talks tough, which is part of his allure to those who are taking his potential bid seriously. He’s not known for verbal discretion, something that could fling the U.S. into additional wars, if not cause further disrespect from allies and enemies. A leader he is, but only in his boardroom. He knows absolutely nothing about how to launch anything other than controversial PR hyped campaigns for his own benefit.

And, the deficit would only go up were he to actually win the White House. The redecorating of his latest palace would be filled with gold accents and other new-vo rich-isms’ the country wouldn’t like. It was bad enough when Nancy Reagan ordered new china when she was First Lady. Remember that flap? The Donald’s taste would cost far more than that.

For now, it’s another trumped-up circus I don’t take seriously. The problem is, too many media outlets are playing it up, providing legitimacy to this man’s crafty and increasingly delusional ambitions.

Win your time slot in the TV ratings-game, Mr. Trump. Beyond that? I just gotta laugh. For now.

Special Effects

Great video for those who like "special effects"

No Temple?

Oy Vey! I am a true "Goyim." As often as I'm mistaken for having a Jewish heritage, my confusion over when Temple is "Temple" and no "Temple" for Jewish holidays, is weak at most. Alas, this is not a day of atonement, wherein one spends most of their time begging for God's forgiveness! Actually, I knew that. But I thought Temple was part of the kick-off to the lift-off of no fun in the Jewish sun.

Actually, it's the Goyim who should be at "Temple" in order to live through the next few hours.

Just kidding......

Coachella 2011

Pass-It-Over

How ironic that Passover is today and in the U.S. it is also Tax Day, which many would love to pass over, if you know what I mean. Not only is it a Holy day of the Jewish religion, it’s also a Monday, the one day many enjoy passing over if where they must go to earn a “living” is irksome at best, “Chinese Water Torture” at the worst. For others, it’s just another day in whatever Hell or Paradise their lives have become or always have been.

Well, chin-up my unhappy friends. You can always fall asleep at work like a few high profile air traffic controllers continue to do these days (there was yet another one over the weekend!) and end up on suspension so that you can crawl back under the covers of your slippery slope until someone decides if you’re worthy of another chance or if it’s time to send you to the big runway of the unemployment line.

Temple is another place to catch a few Zzzz’s were it not for the standing up and sitting down and standing up and sitting down part. But for those who observe this day, you know you’ll be having a huge dinner at someone’s home later on, flour-free, and beyond the juicy drippings from the brisket, you’ll be set for the next eight days if you stocked-up on Matzo/Matzah and lots of wine.

Yesterday I mentioned how pleasant it was that the neighbourhood in which I reside was extremely quiet for a change. Today, it’s as if everyone is either feeling the spirit of holiness and are praying rather than playing, or prepping to have a bout of hari kari fantasies as they sign on the non-dotted line of their tax return and place the envelope into the trusty hands of the postman/woman. It is so quiet here that I almost hear my own heart beating, which is a good sign, I guess. I’m still alive despite all odds but feel as if I’m in another Twilight Zone episode. Where is everyone?

Is it the calm before the proverbial storm? When most news programs and websites groan on about nothing very interesting, you know it is a strange Monday indeed. Didn’t anyone topple a country over the weekend? No earthquakes anywhere? No more Charlie Sheen-ism’s to #laugh about? Where’s Lindsay Low-Hand? Isn’t she supposed to be in jail by now – or something?

And, by the way, where the heck is that Egyptian cobra everyone was tweeting about a mere few weeks ago? Yep. That was another non-news cycle and the joke has lost its punch. We have to generate another collective laugh-focus, don’t you think? It’s no fun at all when the news is in such a lull.

#bored

Au Port - And More

 r

Basic Sunday Ruminations

It's Sunday in America, if not morning. A gentle, welcome silence wafts through the neighbourhood without the typical guard-dog freak-outs at other dogs on leashes strolling by the mini-mansions with their trophy owners at the helm. Such a relief from noise pollution!

Writing of such, the Sunday TV news programs are not blaring-out from my abode, either. It's a pleasure that world events are under control - at last - and talking heads aren't boring us into a brain freeze. At least if the TV is silent.

Sure. Nothing has been solved with regard to Libya other than speculation concerning where to send Gaddafi into his formal "goodnight" - if he's willing to don the proper pajamas and allow himself to be put to bed like a good little dictator on someone else's soil. But the good news is that it is calmer over there right now than it's been for a few weeks. If one ignores the latest outburst in Yemen.

In fact, the general atmosphere of massive world events has temporarily stabilized if one compares todays' lull with the hysteria of Mother Earth's wrath over the months. Well, it's calm except in the Midwest/Southeast sections of America where heavy storms are slapping more hapless victims right where they live. But hey, bad storms are always afoot in the States. Nuclear reactor meltdowns aren't.

Concerning the radiation leak, check this out:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/17/japan-nuclear-crisis-roadmap-fukushima_n_850157.html

If I were one of the Fukushima evacuees I would be quite irked at the latest feeble attempt to clean up a mess that has no tangible end. In fact, why would I want to go back home anyway? Sure, making toast would be easy - just set a piece of bread on anything in the area and - voila! - there's your crackling bread naturally burnt into a pleasing crisp. "Look Ma', no hands! Would you like a bit of Umeboshi  paste with that as well? It covers the slightly bitter taste of biting too many bullets at once."

Nevertheless, if you are enjoying a pleasant, drama-less day and feel at a loss for an adrenalin jump to remind yourself that this world is still going to Hades in a Bentley driven by your former accountant, do not fear. You have an opportunity to laugh all the way to your local therapist over Donald Trump's threat to run for president.

If inclined toward lesser ills, you could spend part of your day pondering why Angelina Jolie did not accompany Brad Pitt to a tre' haute "industry" wedding yesterday while Tom and Katie, Jennifer and Marc, and others worked their way through the guilded entrance points.

Yep. The Interwebs are all abuzz about Mr. Pitt sans Ms. Jolie getting out of a town car at the wedding in another round of rumpled clothing and slicked-back hair that must have been combed with Vaseline or styled with a comb from the storage area of the stylist who saved Henry Winkler's "Fonzie" comb, grease and all, for posterity - or simple neglect by not tossing it into the nearest trash can.

Ah, there's so much time to waste today if you're up for it. My suggestion is to enjoy yourself whatever you choose to do - and don't forget to call your mother if you can.

Another Weekend Special

Weekend Escape

Serious to Delirious

Wow, it's been a terrifying week on one front or another, eh? As budget negotiations in Washington DC's sinking ship of deficit reduction was the primary focus on the political agendas of many, hard-hearted GOPer's wanted to be at their most chivalrous best to usher "Women and children and the elderly first" off the teetering ship via directing them to walk the plank in their Medicare-paid-for walkers and those still strutting in high heels so that they would simply stumble head-first into the shark-laden waters with no life raft at the ready.

But someone (or a group of somebodies) refused to let that happen - at the moment. If ever. We shall see as the political forces prepare to duel over social concerns ad nauseum for the next year until someone tosses a white linen handkerchief into the air to end the brutal assault against the most vulnerable people in our society. For now, the targets of sharp knives of the wealthy and seriously beholden to Big Money lawmakers are moving ahead on their stubborn agendas to further disenfranchise the disenfranchised. 

As expected, today the House voted for (R) Congressman Paul Ryan's heartless plans to cut the deficit. Meanwhile, the Senate, still a Democratic majority, has not yet produced a counter plan to trump the House's dismal decisions/positions. I know it's a tough call, Senators. But Democrats were voted into office because they are Democrats, not Republicans. Because the Democratic party once reflected a rational as well as humane stance on social measures put in place years ago that has - over and over again - saved lives as well as the economy. Now we are seeing a few Democrats showing spinelessness at a time in which the lantern at the Statue of Liberty needs to be at its brightest as a beacon to those already living on U.S. soil.

I've written the above in various ways over the past two weeks and will leave the comment/opinion to steep once again in the minds of those who actually care about whether or not we will end up with a desperate ageing society in less than ten years that will inevitably crush local and federal budgets well beyond where we now kneel at the alter of "off with their heads" when those who are ill once again flood the ER's with no way to pay. And more children move in with their parents (or vice versa) based on financial hardship. 

Oh, isn't this just too depressing?

How about a bit of gossip and/or superficiality to leave you with a less furrowed brow?

Did you know that Sean Penn and Scarlett Johansson are almost living together these days? I know. Get out the smelling salts (or "Poppers" to take that in and burp it out seconds later). I gather Penn decided that helping Haiti dig out from under its continued mess from last year's quake isn't as much fun as staying at home and digging-it with his latest potential domestic abuse victim. Sorry, Sean, but ya gots some anger ee-sews, right?

Do you care that Meg Ryan and John Mellencamp are everywhere these days showing tons of PDA like teenagers on Prom Night? Meh.

And what are your feelings and attitudes about Queen Gwyneth Goop Pale-troll showing-up on every single peasant-based TV program to promote her cookbook now that she has finally found something else to do with her time other than working-out for two hours a day and croaking country music from her deluded "I'm a singer jus' like my husband" non-vocal chords. 

Okay. Yeah. She looks young and healthy and hip. I just wish (as do many on the internetz) that she would shut her mouth about her imperfect perfect life with her "flaw" of "perfectionism" and try another "Shakespeare In Lurve" role. At least sitting on thrones and wearing custom-made gowns would be more believable than the image she has been projecting for too many years now that she lives in London and no longer understands American accents.

If you don't follow celebrity info, no doubt you could care less about the above and barely have an idea regarding what I am writing. In fairness to all celebrity bloggers out there, I won't single-out one location where TDFB readers can find more information. If they are interested, I suggest "they" follow what I've been told a hundred times: "Google Is Your Friend."

Most of all, do any of you give a flying flip that Prince William and Kate Middleton are exchanging vows in a few weeks? I don't. But then, I am a "Recovering Romantic" and Diabetes runs in my family, so it's best I stay far away from the made-for-TV-movie of their courtship and send my best wishes to William's balding head so that he won't resemble every other male in the spotlight these days.

With Kate losing weight and smoking from pre-nuptial stress, the compromises they are making to tie that Windsor knot I hope will not be for naught.

Beyond that, I'm gonna scat.......  

Chill Time

Tech Yeck!

Ah, life intrudes on the blogging front today. Humour is hiding somewhere in the house once again, this time probably at the mercy of that damn flogging whip that loves to have a roam around when I'm not looking.

Actually, the flogger tool has been on overdrive in the past 24 hours with absolutely unacceptable glitches in the building of my new website that has been in progress for two months -- only to discover how terribly vague, not helpful, and frustrating my host's support system is. This latest conundrum is now my third time down the aisle of website building with no consummation after the ring of payment has been placed into an unidentified cyberspace finger.

I've hired professionals, have made attempts on my own with near success, only to have a sudden plethora of techie details blocking the way as I moved closer to a full website opening wherein this blog would also reside in conjunction with a podcast, video capabilities, formats that allow animated emoticons, and easy to adjust CSS code for spacing. I mean, is it too much to ask that the content lines-up in a tight and clean fashion rather than stretched-out with gaps between each area as if the site had undergone a plastic surgeon's knife?

Well. I'm done with the latest hosts after patiently working with their slow and inefficient support people/system and am now on another hunt for what can best provide what I need wherein I can be the primary designer. Everyone says to use WordPress.com. Hah! They charge over $60.00 if they are hosting if one wants to have a video capability. They charge more than others on a monthly basis when you transfer your own domain name to your WP site. I love the sleek clean look of most WP blogs and sites, but WP and I don't see eye-to-eye. Even WP.org takes too much time.

I'm not cheap, but if I can have a podcast, a video plug-in w/ my webcam, a format where little dancing and jumping emoticons can make my readers laugh as they once did when I had an emoticon comic strip elsewhere last year, without tossing out extra money when there are other hosts and platforms to use, I'll go in that direction.

That's my flog for the day minus the whip - which will hopefully return after taking a nap from the recent techie flap.

See ya later.....

For the Below Post

Asleep At the…zzzzzz

Forget the budget crisis; the potential end of the world; the wars in the Middle East. Far more important concerns are in the limelight today. Yet another air traffic controller has fallen asleep at yet another American airport leaving the arriving piece of metal literally hanging in the air for landing instructions. This time in Reno, Nevada. Is such a thing becoming a trend?

According to Airport Transport Intelligence:

The episode follows several other high profile controller incidents, including a lone controller at the Washington National airport control tower who could not be reached by several incoming airline flights for a period of about 15 minutes just after midnight on 23 March. That controller has also been suspended pending the resultsof the FAA investigation.

The agency says it is investigating two additional incidents of "unresponsive" air traffic controllers over the past two weeks, findings that emerged from an ongoing review of staffing and scheduling for controllers, launched after the National incident. Controllers in both cases have been suspended while the agency investigates.

A controller monitoring local traffic at the Boeing Field/King County airport in Washington State fell asleep during the morning shift of 11 April while two other controllers on duty in the airport tower cab worked arrivals and departures. "The controller is already facing disciplinary action for falling asleep on two separate occasions during the early shift on 6 January 2011," the FAA says.

On 29 March, two controllers working the midnight shift the Preston Smith International airport in Lubbock, Texas, "failed to hand off control of a departing aircraft to the Fort Worth air route traffic control centre (ARTCC)", says the FAA. "It also took repeated attempts for a controller at the Fort Worth ARTCC to reach the Lubbock controllers to hand off inbound aircraft."

Is it truly that boring to watch little blips on a monitor for hours – and hours? Hey, wake up! I’m writing to you!

No wonder most UFO sightings go unnoticed on radar! For future reference I think the FAA should interview only those who have sleeping disorders (but not Narcolepsy) and love amphetamines. That’ll solve the problem. Or maybe not.

I recall meeting with an old friend years ago who, on that day, was on her way to receiving her air traffic controller license with hopes of working at LAX. She was so thrilled and jazzed at the prospect of having such a unique job that she couldn’t stop filling her nose with a little pick-me-up every 20 minutes during our visit. I knew right then that if she got the job I would never fly in or out of LAX again. Or try not to.

Of course, that was during a time when random drug tests weren’t required. Today is another story with a tighter leash on those who rule the skies from their obviously too-comfy chairs. Nevertheless, I still don’t trust the whole flying thing in general and certainly not with my travel history.

The last time I flew into LAX the plane I was in almost landed on top of another plane that was not where it was supposed to be on the runway. That experience went down really well with everyone on board as our plane was diverted to circle over the Pacific for a few minutes until given the okay to try again.

As children on the plane enthusiastically Oooed and Awed at the beauty of the shimmering sea below, I was gripping the armrests and having an anxiety attack. I wasn’t overreacting, either. A week later another plane from the same airline landed on top of a parked and empty plane at LAX with no injuries to anyone other than the pilot’s ego and the airlines reputation. How such a feat was accomplished with no tragic consequences is definitely curious, but it did happen – and it barely made the news.

The recent on-the-ground mess between two planes colliding on the runway at JFK International Airport is another rare but real example of communication mishaps within the aviation system. Yes, yes, “statistics show” that flying is safer than any other form of travel. It’s true, although things up there in the air are becoming a bit hair-raising when ceilings rip open in-flight, and only after such events does the FAA demand more thorough inspections of ageing crafts.

Flying was once a fun and exciting adventure for me. I loved everything about it, and especially enjoyed flying at night. Something about being close to the moon’s glow bouncing off clouds and seeing the dots of city lights below felt otherworldly and dramatic. That romance soured quite quickly during a short flight in the 70’s when the plane I was in decided to avoid something else in the sky and deliberately pitched into a downward, heavily accelerated dive before desperately zooming up to stabilize before taking another unannounced dive under deliberate power.

The crying baby in the seat in front of me didn’t help the unexplained nightmare at all. I would look out the window and see lightning in the distance, almost expecting to see a strange being on the wing as happened in the classic Twilight Zone episode above this post. Other than the stormy sight, no one in my cabin knew what was going on because all of the stewards and stewardess' were nowhere to be found. I’ve always suspected they were quietly huddling in their private steward spaces in a group prayer. And no, we were never told what happened.

Most frequent fliers have numerous in-flight horror stories and yet they continue to get back on that saddle again like the troopers they are. Me? I like to keep my feet on the ground or on rail, thank you very much. After all, I’ve already been in two train wrecks, five car accidents, and I’m still standing.

By the way, if you ever see me at an airport terminal getting on a plane for which you have a ticket, I suggest you run the other way as fast as you can.

One Is the Loneliest Number

Math-a-Mad-eeks

Good grief and %&^%$#!!! I added a few years (50+) to the Un-Civil War post yesterday (now corrected) because I just didn’t like Math in school. That’s correct. I am blaming the error on my inability to put 2 and 2 together to come up with 5. I spent more time looking out of the school windows and writing love notes to half of my class rather than slaving over the puzzle of how many oranges were in a basket before someone took a few of them out, leaving how many behind? Huh? Why oranges?

Thus, once again I’m sending myself off to the woodshed for being a tad thick-headed and rushing to publish. What I’ve always told authors/clients is to set their work aside for at least 15 minutes before the final edit and fact-checking. The little break brings fresh eyes to the writing, and glaring errors are avoided through the patience required to wait and take a walk -- or something -- to provide objectivity. But do I listen to my own advice? Of course not. Isn’t that the way of human nature? We can dish it out but can’t take it in?

The above statement reminds me of something I instinctively knew at 18 and forgot at 30 onward: if something doesn’t feel right in one’s gut, don’t do it. Don’t go there. If one has to ruminate -- endlessly -- before making a decision, chances are that the first impression is ultimately the best guide. How often do we get into jobs, relationships, etc. in spite of our deepest “knowing” that it/they/that isn’t the best choice for us? We certainly are ignoring our own advice by going forward with whatever the “not right” decision may be.

Well, I can tell you now that my “gut instinct” has begun to return after its lengthy hiatus. What I’m hearing from my Self is to listen to those alarm bells clanging away in the form of “Nooooooo” gurgling in my stomach, trying to be heard through the jumble of everyone else’s voices in my head.

And what is my gut telling me to do now? Considering the Math issue, I should go back and re-balance my checkbook. Methinks I spent too much on my brief vacation….

No, No, No

Un-Civil War?

I thought the American Civil War ended over 150 years ago. (As in 1865 - Corrected.) Yes, scars still exist in the American South as well as on rocks in the battlefield at Gettysburg, PA, but over time most of the country appeared to behave and move forward from its bloody internal past with reasonable aplomb – until now, that is. And over 30 years ago, too.

The words “civil war” are slipping out of the tongues of many a pundit today as the country watches the lines being drawn in the sand of someone’s beach-front home and a rickety little shack in the unkempt woods on the other side of the culture line. It’s a “culture war” actually. The issues involved in the huge clash in political direction are closer to the upheavals of the late 1960’s – early 1970’s than when the South met the North with cannonballs and bayonets.

From what the world has witnessed this year within the porous borders of the land of the free, this country is marching directly into a dangerous cultural polarization that will grow deeper as we move closer to yet another election cycle in 2012. As a civilian and U.S. citizen, I have to tell you the entire quagmire over social issues and funding for same gives me more than a headache. It’s a big fat heartache to see how deep we have fallen into the miasma of bitter cultural divides.

Why, I want to know, are Republicans firing away at the tired and poor? Aside from the obvious that money talks and those who back the mouthpieces don’t seem to like anything that helps those who didn’t inherit fortunes via oil, coal, land, and more, what is with all of the noise about government-funded abortions that would almost shut a country down? Just because you don’t agree on a moral level with something doesn’t give one the right to play games with those who are too old to conceive -- not at all at risk of having an abortion. How does Social Security and Medicare play into all of this idiocy?

I don’t like wars. I don’t like killing people. I don’t like money thrown out of a window on military waste via programs that are antiquated and ineffectual. And, according to our own government's assessment, that’s partially where the government’s money goes. Where is the GOP or even Democrat/Progressive outrage over those wasteful measures?

We may not be as divided as it was during the Civil War when it was as simple as the “North” vs. the “South.” Now it is the war between “Those With Money” vs. “Those Without.”

I realize most of you know this bit of info, but it’s helpful to remind ourselves that the times of protest and stepping up in whatever way you can for true liberty and justice FOR ALL is still at hand.

Tomorrow Never Knows

Th

Stomp for Sunday

Morning Has Broken 1976

The Last Time (Top of the Pops,1965)

Touchdown? Who Won?

The government of the United States of America is still open for bribes! Or business. Or whatever they call what they are doing in that musty old city. Such drama those crafty politicians created with their "last minute" budget deal. Yesterday's events in Congress equaled the skill of the best bad writers on worn-out, stale TV dramas by luring the breathless masses to the brink of a larger yawn 2 minutes after midnight when the deal was sealed.

So, what's the deal? It all sounds a bit fuzzy to me at this stage, but from how Squeaker Boehner and friends took to the microphones at every opportunity yesterday to tell everyone how much they were compromising for the cause of all, it appears the GOP believes it is in charge of the government by pursing those collective lips into "No" right down to the scary wire of almost becoming the ultimate villains in The Washington Horror Story.

From what I heard throughout the day on the factual elements involved in the dissuasion's, Democrats were willing to cut the budget in painful areas, only to find that with each monetary figure the GOPer's wanted and eventually received, they would then produce a higher number - or else!

Hmmm. Sounds a bit black-maily to me. But then, isn't that what politics has become?

Right. That's old news, isn't it? Here is something new with the facts of the old:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeffrey-sachs/the-peoples-budget_b_846573.html

With that excellent article, I bid you a great day or night!

Midnight Hour

Running On Enmity

After waiting with baited breath for an answer to the question of the week, “Will there be a government shutdown” -- the U.S. may now hiss louder at whomever they believe is responsible for the continued budget impasse in Washington DC. Republican Speaker of the House, Mr. Orange Tears, lumbered to a podium a few moments ago with his sad-sack eyes and announced to a curious press that, well, um, a government shutdown is, um, maybe gonna happen because those Democrats just can’t get serious about dumping Planned Parenthood, uh, I mean, cutting the massive deficit, darn it!

The clock is ticking away today as to whether or not our government will slam its wide swinging doors shut. Ho hum, you say? Harry Reid, Democratic Senate Majority Leader, is now croaking away on the floor of the Senate to expose the core issue of the stalemate: social issues, rather than budgetary, are what the fight is really about. Harry must have been talking a lot with Mr. Squeaker and President Obama over the past two days as he’s clearly losing his voice. It does require more than his normal wispy tone to override the bombastic baritone of his nemesis.

While the DC politicians continue their so-called “debate” throughout the day until the magic midnight hour arrives with or without a pumpkin carriage to answer the churning question to shutdown or turnaround, perhaps we can allow ourselves to focus on other concerns of the day and week.

The earth is shaking again in Japan as well as southern Mexico where yesterday morning a whopping 6.5 quake rattled the cages of Mexican prisons filled with captive criminals who forgot to pay their local drug cartel “Lord” his monthly bribe to not kill everyone in their family.

And now we’re hearing that Libyan bad guys are shooting children on behalf of Mr. Gaddafi. Never underestimate the priorities of a narcissistic sociopath with pathological tendencies. Which once again reminds me of what is happening in Washington DC today. Somehow there is an automatic association in my mind. I wonder how that came about?

Meanwhile, back at my ranch, as it were, I am enjoying my latest role in life: being my cat’s “Doorman.” In and out from my office to the balcony and back. No cat doors here anymore. You won’t believe what creatures took advantage of that entryway a few years ago. Yikes!

So, now part of my daily exercise routine is getting up and opening the door for my little black “familiar” when she needs to roam around the upper 20 feet. But she’s sweet and kind, so I don’t mind. I just need a darling little uniform and nifty hat to play the humble service role with the proper panache required of such an esteemed position.

In addition, many of us in Southern California are shrugging with quasi-confusion today as the sun is out, the sky is clear, and the promised rainstorm is nowhere in sight. I have been waiting for another downpour to water the plants and foliage before spring rolls into summer and everything green becomes brown and dry, turning once lush hillsides into an arsonist’s wet dream.

Oh, Mr. Orange Tears’ soundbite from his less-than-riveting non-announcement is now on the half-hour news loop. I think I’ll do my own version of a shutdown and turn off the TV and have a second cup of luscious black tea.

Definitely DEVELOPING…….

The End Has No End

Just a Few Words

I am reeling – absolutely reeling - from way too many changes on the good ole’ tee-vee this year. Good grief! First it was Keith Olbermann slamming the door at MSNBC. Sutures were provided with a minor shift in programming that has yet to do more than scare the sheet out of anyone over at NBC/Comcast as CNN has picked-up in the ratings-game where Keith left off -- leaving Rachel Maddow’s intelligent program to carry the weight (although ever since the day Keith jumped ship I’ve noticed Rachel’s voice has escalated into a higher pitch).

Now it is – gasp – MATT LAUER of The Today Show fluttering what’s left of his hair into NBC’s increasingly thinning glare. And his co-host, Meredith Vieira, is tired of being tired from the grueling early morning schedule required of The Today Show’s hours, and wants to get the heck out of that rocky Center at the epi-centre of some people’s alternate morning Universe.

Then there is Glenn Beck, of all of the peckers, who will gently “transition” away from Fox Eeeews in the near future – despite high ratings ala Olbermann’s legacy at NBC. Oh, were it to be more than Glenn to do the Fox-Trot!

It’s not that I’m rigid and dislike change. Let’s be honest, this entire blog is nothing BUT change. One day it’s politics and perfectly researched points. The next day I’m falling asleep while writing and sounding like a crazed and dazed igniter of nothing more than ramblings galore.

But when it becomes a change in daily routines of featured players on the TV screen, I’m thrown as if in a bucking Bronco rodeo scene.

Oh well. One change I believe is overdue is when Katie Couric slips off the anchor chair at CBS and gets back to that perky little devil we once loved in the early hours of the mornin’.

The way doors are slamming all over the land I wonder who will be next to be kicked or ripped from the headlines again?

Developing…….

Ooops, I Did It With a Digit

Oh, by the way. Efff Wisconsin Gov Scott Walker. And Donald Trump. Michele Bachmann. Newt-The-Nuke. Et al. I doubt that any evolved Being would agree with the dismal slog-like behaviour of pious hypocrites.

(Note to Christians: The above is not intended to offend the religion.)

Don’t Come If You’re Tired and Poor

Anyone who is concerned about the balance of power in the States and other parts of the world knows that the once quietly muttered complaints of political corruption on the political platforms has grown into an extremely loud battle cry. We have been witnessing it in the Middle East as the domino-effect of pent-up frustration and anger against dictators and faux pro-Democracy leaders continues to ripple through the sand causing those sneeze-inducing sandstorms.

The U.S. also continues to experience hiccups of protests against slippery hammers of injustice whacking at the working class, unemployed, elderly, and anyone else who doesn’t have the Koch brothers as their personal bankers/backers/owners. Okay. We have been down this Koch road before at TDFB. What more can be said or written? A lot -- apparently.

More mainstream media outlets are lifting the once-tight lid on who the brothers are and where their treasure chest of gold and silver dablooms go when one of them growls “Argh” at what is not on their political and financial agendas, and dips into the glowing, glistening stash to pay for additional lobbyists and governors and senators and past and possible future presidents.

Although many will bark at the link, I’d like to bring to your attention the facts of how very far those Kochy arms reach and why people like them are at the root of the US of A’s grossly disproportionate “class system” that manage's to slip around the Constitution’s edict that does not allow nobility/titles within the democracy. If the U.S. could have Kings and Lords, men like the Koch brothers would certainly be among the uber-titled few.

Read this and steep:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/06/koch-industries-web-of-influence_n_845306.html

My concern is not that extremely wealthy people in America should not freely spend their fortunes as they “see fit” by enjoying grand homes, etc. -- it is what they do with their money to change the balance of power in their favour based on greed in a country founded on equality and a non-class system. In fairness, the Kennedy clan has been considered the image “royalty” of the U.S. for many years. While father Joseph Kennedy was a wealthy man via questionable means, the Kennedy’s are not and have never been a match for the quiet Kings who have been building empires for decades.

It is becoming clearer how corrupt the political system is in America, and with such realizations an apathy has grown into an almost collective sleep. The recent wakeup calls in Wisconsin and elsewhere have brought the blister of truth to the surface, unearthing the extreme polarization of political and philosophical beliefs; thus lifting it to a painful infected festering head.

Elections appear to be the only way in which to even attempt to fight back against what feels and is “unfair” about the new order of things following last years’ elections where the march of class warfare can now be seen in a harsher light with newly elected officials ready to tear down the Statue of Liberty under the guise of “liberty” with no justice for all.

Isn’t that iconic beacon of freedom in New York waters there to welcome the “tired and poor”? Indeed those words are etched into the stone pedestal of the statue. The latter part of Emma Lazarus’ famous poem is this:

"Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Unfortunately, she no longer holds the lamp high enough for those with their noses and heads in the air to see or read. The U.S. barely takes care of its existing “tired and poor” –  especially now that the Kings and other untitled American nobility want to kick everyone else to the dirty curbs and call them names such as “lazy” if they dare to accept promised help from a government “of the people.”

What people? Only the rich and powerful, it seems.

I’ll end this mild rant by admitting that I do not have a solution to such complex and ingrained practices in politics and industry…which is really one and the same. I’ll also admit that constant complaining gets one absolutely nowhere other than temporary relief from a potential ulcer.

The best I can do is to shed my own light on this growing blight on democracy, and suggest that although our politicians are bought and sold on both sides of the aisle, there is still a shred of optimism in many who take action to dampen the influence of those who seek to only reap while others weep.

Don't Stop Believin'

There’s Always a Catch

It is absolutely imperative that I confess a sin-of-sorts of self-absorption.

With all of that fine, crackly, wacky radiation pouring into the Pacific Ocean from Japan, in addition to the sludgy dreck of who-really-knows-what the Gulf oil spill has already done and is probably insidiously continuing to do to the marine life in that area of the wide open watery mass, oh woe for anyone who loves to eat fish!

That’s right. It’s all about the food supply rather than anything else. I’m so proud to be a self-indulgent American who is finally telling the truth about what is on all the “foodie’s” minds as the news continues to seep out about the leakage. Yep. Forget about the people who have been exposed, displaced, erased. What about how all of this is affecting me! C’mon. This entire scare is ruining my happiness! Hiss.

I am very fond of “Wild Japanese Scallops.” Harumph! I am not a “farm-raised” fish eater. I love my food “wild” and free. When not buying Norwegian Salmon, then it’s wild Alaskan for me. Shrimp, Lobster, Crabs, Oysters, Clams…. Oh my! Of course shell fish can be procured via the North Atlantic where, to our knowledge, radiation and oil sludge is a mere smug shrug by New England locals who are miles away from the undercurrent dramas. But there is a limited amount of the savory crustaceans from those locations to spread around when skittish shoppers stop to stare at the fish mongers, wondering if what is fished-out of those captive nets will make a safe dish.

And sushi/sashimi? Oy vey! What’s to become of the delicacies flown in daily from Japan? This is not a good sign for the purist, picky, cautious sushi chef, is it? And no, I’m not ready to give up fish. Years ago I "gave up" red meat. That’s as far as I’ve gone in the culinary shift. Of course, the practice of eating anything with eyes would vanish if I had to hunt and fish for my own dinner. Poor little fishies and chickens and turkeys fearing for their lives in my presence would slap a gargantuan dose of reality into the rosy glow of Thanksgiving and summer BBQ’s.

Can’t have that, now can we - the grim reality of it all. It’s enough to realize that in our entitled, don’t-get-ones-hands-dirty society, the majority of the population do not live on farms where a chopping block is commonplace for those who raise their own fowl from the day the eggs turn into cute fuzzy-wuzzies where they roam free-range style until someone decides it’s time for “Plucky” to become unlucky.

Fishing is a slightly different experience. It’s a cleaner catch to the personal fetch. Unless one has to perform the unpleasant task of gutting and cutting, it’s not a traumatic act.

So, how do you feel now that your day has been tainted with nauseating imagery as you prepare your next meal if it involves more than vegetables or cut oats by steel?

I’m sure we’ll all be just fine if we tune out reality one more time.