Country Store
|
||
|
Saturday, January 04, 2003 Today's Hoot (Via Whacking Day) Charles Krauthammer reveals The Pariah Chess Club: Oh, yes, the club's name. Of the four founding members, two were social scientists who, at the time we started playing, had just written books that had made their college lecture tours rather physically hazardous. I too sported a respectable enemies list (it was the heady Clinton years). And we figured that the fourth member, a music critic and perfectly well-liked, could be grandfathered in as a pariah because of his association with the three of us.
Streaking for Saddam Alert! The Marin womyn without pants are back. Over at Shark Blog we are enthralled to find: The Marin County Naked Women plan to march naked down Market Street in San Francisco on Jan. 18 to express solidarity with Saddam Hussein. And I plan to be there for the parade. I'm contemplating going naked except for a Saddam mask and holding a sign that says "Thanks for your support". And in any event I'll be taking pictures. Lots of pictures.Lots of new wingnuttery in the article on the upcoming goose bump parade including "One hundred thousand women and men will strip on Jan. 18 in Washington D.C. and San Francisco for the huge national peace march in protest of the stripping of constitutional rights by a government intent on war," said Donna Sheehan, founder of Unreasonable Women Baring Witness in Point Reyes Station.Be delusional for dangerous dictators.
Eenie Meenie, Cheery Beanie! "Robert X. Cringely" has his computer industry predictions for 2003. While all are interesting, #15 speaks to blogdom: 15. And finally, with the continued (and to me totally inexplicable) rise of web logs, someone -- maybe Google -- will come up with an effective blog search engine to read all that junk for us and extract what we really care about.Based on my referrer log, it looks like Google does that now. At least as well as any web search engine ever works. The Guardian also has a list, many entries of which are pretty mundane, but some are interesting: Mobile photosAnd send those snaps to The Smoking Gun! Well, maybe not the ones you are in.
Say Cheese! The Smoking Gun has a collection of the best non-celebrity mugshots of 2002. My favorite is Bambi - attention K-mart shoppers!
It's Blogger Again Or maybe it's Blogspot. Whatever. But all posts have been whacked since Thursday. They appear in my archives, but not in the main blog page. UPDATE: Appears to be fixed now.
Thursday, January 02, 2003 He's Picking, I'm Grinning Tim Blair does a stint in the Augean stables in Balancing the blooper count. A small sample: SMH television reviewer Bruce Elder demands perspective: "Just remember that while terrorists killed more than 3000 people in the events of 9/11, that 150,000 die each year (that's nearly 3000 a week) because of drunk driving throughout the United States. Perspective. That is what is needed most." What Bruce needs most is a calculator. According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, 17,448 people died in alcohol-related road accidents in the US last year - around 2665 fewer per week than Elder alleges.Well golly gee, not reading wingnut McCalman in the Age and missing those fine public broadcasting whinefests has me plumb upset, that's fer sure! But no tourist buses for me, Jan. I prefer an SUV. Although some of my acquaintances like a more robust model when visiting foreign lands.
Empty Suit Alert! Edwards enters race for presidency: Sen. John Edwards, a multimillionaire trial lawyer from the South and relative newcomer to Washington, announced today that he will seek the Democratic presidential nomination, saying he wants to be "a champion for regular people."Zzzzzz. I hope he doesn't get distracted by any ambulance sirens. But he is better looking than Hillary. UPDATE: Rodger Schultz has a campaign poster already!
Emergency PR Resuscitation Needed! WCBS in NYC reports H&R Block employee accused in ID scam: (White Plains, New York-AP) -- More than two dozen customers who went to H-and-R Block for tax-preparation help had their personal information stolen as part of an identity theft scam, according to a federal complaint.Smooth move, Ex-Lax.
The Bad News Biz and a New Kind of Vulture Craig Offman of Variety reports Bad Tidings for Cable News Pack: NEW YORK (Variety) - For cable news networks, a war with Iraq may not be such a bad thing.Why do vultures come to mind? Actually, I shouldn't be surprised - they were selling newspapers a century ago on the same basis. But there's a new twist these days as cyberCongressman Billybob reports in a special to Free Republic: On Thursday mornings, I do a half-hour segment on the national radio show, "American Breakfast." I expected Ellen Ratner to come on for the last five minutes of that segment, as she has the last two weeks.Billybob rightly asks how many Americans Ellen would like to die so that President Bush can be viewed as "messing up the war". And a poster observes Actually, most of the Democrats on the Hill hope for the same thing. They're just not stupid enough to say it aloud on TV.Has anyone contacted Patty Murray?
Party Animal Alert! The AP reports that Five killed at Afghan wedding party after revellers fire rocket-propelled grenade: KABUL (AP) - Five people were killed and six wounded when guests at an Afghan wedding party fired a rocket propelled grenade into the air, only to have it land nearby, an official said Wednesday.Good thing they don't have artillery.
Wednesday, January 01, 2003 Ruh oh! The Times of India startles with Deport Cherie Blair, Britons urge in poll: LONDON: The wife of Prime Minister Tony Blair is the person Britons most want kicked out of the country after her links to a convicted conman were exposed in the recent Cheriegate affair, according to a poll on Wednesday.She even beat Captain Hook! And on the other side In a parallel vote on who they wanted to see named honorary Britons, 51 per cent went for Myanmar's pro-democracy opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who was released from 19 months of house arrest in May.Hillary said the same about Bubba.
You have to be kidding! Zev Chafets on Dem Dummies: The Democrats are putting out the word: They intend to defuse charges that they're soft on national security by being tougher than President Bush on domestic terrorism.Is this why Hillary is talking up improved border security with Canada?
Tuesday, December 31, 2002 Grab the barf bag! No, not because of excessive New Year's libations. It's Barbra again (Via NZPundit): Los Angeles Magazine Reveals Plans To Honor Barbrastreisand.com As "Website Of The Month"Do you ever get the feeling that whoever Babs has putting this blather together is an aggressive, but not too bright teenager? They certainly write like it. As for Los Angeles Magazine Los Angeles Magazine is published by Emmis Communications Inc., a multi-media company, whose holdings include such distinguished titles such as, Texas Monthly, Indianapolis Monthly, Cincinnati Monthly and Atlanta Monthly, as well as a vast array of radio and telecommunication concerns in the U.S. and Europe.Who's kidding whom? Their idea of the internet is probably "You've got mail!" And while you're at Babs' place check out the Babs holiday ornament. Sony Music will sell you one for $25. Can you imagine putting that on your tree?
I was wondering the same thing Ben Stein asks in the American Prowler, Iraq and North Korea in Cahoots? A simple but frightening conjecture: What if Iraq and North Korea are working together?It is the Axis of Evil after all. And it doesn't help that As a result of the relentless cutting, year after year, by the Clinton-Gore White House, America's defense forces are now missing 709,000 regular (active duty) service personnel and 293,000 reserve troops. These include eight standing Army divisions, 20 Air Force and Navy air wings with 2,000 combat aircraft and 232 strategic bombers, 13 strategic ballistic missile submarines with 3,114 nuclear warheads, 500 ICBMs, four aircraft carriers, 121 surface combat ships and submarines, plus all the support bases, shipyards and logistical assets needed to sustain such a force.Not to mention Bubba firing off million dollar plus cruise missiles every time he got caught with his pants down and then not buying new ones. Back to Ben Stein for the payoff: As a nation, we have allowed our strength to ebb under the delusion that the world was a much safer place than it is. Now, let's grit our teeth and pay for the defense we need ... starting with decent pay for our armed forces. Nations do not pass from the scene because they have too much defense, and if we have to err, let us err on that side. Defense is our greatest priority. We neglected it terribly in the Clinton years. Now is the time to rebuild our strength, and it is not a moment too soon. If North Korea and Iraq can work together -- just a hunch at this point -- then so can all of our enemies, and we need to be strong enough to deal with them all. We can afford it. The only thing we can not afford is to fail to defend ourselves.And screw the whiners.
What's all this then? I guess I haven't been keeping up with current events - Nude gymnasts to get key to the city: Three former Romanian gymnasts who were banned for their nude appearances in a Japanese magazine and adult movie are to be offered the key to the city in Bucharest.Say what? Easy for you to say, yer honor! Obligatory picture by following the link.
New Year's list alert! 'Tis the season for New Year's lists and Tim Blair has the primo list of predictions for 2003. Where else would you see: April 26th The FBI is again in the spotlight when it is revealed that 9-11 attacker Mohammed Atta was on the agency's Christmas card list and won two lotteries run by FBI staffers to raise funds for an office fish tank.Over at the WaPo, Chuck Shepherd has the The Year's Weirdest News. My faves: FUZZY ON THE CONCEPT Carol Urness, a recently retired University of Minnesota librarian, opened a used-book store in St. Anthony, Minn., consisting of about 1,000 volumes from her own collection, but told a Minneapolis Star Tribune reporter that often, after a customer selects a book to buy, she refuses to sell it because she can't stand to part with it. "The first day, a woman walked in and bought three books," she said, "and I about had a stroke." She added: "This bookstore is hard to find, and once you get here, it's almost impossible to buy anything."
Dangerous Cookie Alert! Not in your browser, in Michigan. A Michigan woman faces charges for allegedly assaulting a cookie stand worker after she was told that a white chocolate chip cookie she requested is no longer available, according to a Local 6 News report.Sheesh! Whatever happened to the good old days when men did all the fighting about silly stuff in bars?
Take this trolley to Cuba! Man Allegedly Hijacks Tourist Trolley: SAN DIEGO -- A man boarded a tourist trolley at a tollbooth, held a gun to the driver's head and led police on a freeway chase Sunday before he was caught, authorities said.No word on whether products of fermentation or illicit substances were involved.
Bodacious Bovine Alert! WOKV in Jacksonville, FL has a improved version of the old joke - "NEW" Cows & Politics. Some of my favorites: DEMOCRAT:And saving the best for last: NEW YORK POLITICS:
Well, don't that beat all! Seems like the holiday makers in Australia are busting up the resorts! Details in Australia Asylum Camp Burns as Staff Flee: Asylum seekers occupied a detention center compound on Australia's remote Christmas Island Tuesday, setting fire to a dining hall and challenging guards in an armed stand-off, government officials said.Let's see - illegal aliens with phony asylum applications are a bit grumpy and are busting up the resorts. What to do? The latest violence again shone a spotlight on Australia's hard-line stance of detaining all illegal arrivals, including women and children, in guarded camps.Oooh hard-line! Those coconut carving classes are really tough! Of course, the usual whiners want all illegal aliens to be free to circulate throughout the country while their "asylum" claims are processed. I'm sure they'll show up again if their claims are rejected - and I have bridge property in Brooklyn they might find interesting too. Howard's tough stand against illegal immigration has broad public support in this island continent of 20 million people.Good for them - although paying off the whiners with the fancy facilities seems to be a waste. I also wonder about the simultaneous "spontaneous" riots in the resorts. Could the pernicious leftists, er "human rights" groups have coordinated them?
Comrades! You will be merry! Claudia Kolker has a special in the Houston Chronicle - In Moscow, a mandate to be merry: Mayor decrees businesses must decorate for holidays or pay a fine: MOSCOW -- There's no doubt about it: Twinkly lights definitely dress up a hammer and sickle.But there's always a gloomy Gus: At the deserted Lora bar, not far from the Kremlin, 22-year-old Anatoly Maktinowyz grumpily rattles a cocktail shaker. A diamond-shaped ornament blinks feebly behind him on the wall.What a grump! Myself, I was envious - "Outside a shoe store, a 6-foot mechanical Santa gyrates to the strains of Yellow Rose of Texas."
Sunday, December 29, 2002 Well Yee Haw! And hold the tofu. The SF Chronicle astounds with Super-SUV makes splash in Bay Area - Gas-guzzling Hummer 2 with military amenities inspires love, hate: San Francisco -- The Hummer 2 treats boulders like pebbles, lakes like puddles and has hood handles designed for helicopter transport. But the 3-ton wonder designed for tearing across a desert or racing up a mountain is more likely to be used by soccer moms bent on homeland shopping.I'd feel better about this if I didn't think Sam and the folks in Mill Valley would gladly vote for all sorts of restrictions on vehicles driven by the "little people". And thanks, but out here, we'll stick to our pickup trucks.
This here writing stuff ain't so hard! Bob Minzesheimer wraps a lip lock on Bubba in Clinton is eager to tell his story Says writing memoirs is a way to 'come to terms' : Bill Clinton, who's getting nearly $12 million for his memoirs, says everyone eventually should write his or her life story.Hot dang! I can hardly wait. The gossip is that while Bubba did have two ghostwriters to help him get started, he is generating this load of blather by himself, although it will be refined by prominent book editor Robert Gottlieb. From the same source, it is believed highly unlikely that that sales will pay back the $12 million advance - a hopeful sign for the Republic despite a few Kool Aid drinkers who are hot to read it. In the normal course of events that means that Bubba would have to return some of the dough. We'll see if they actually get it out of him. As for the Village Idiot, This time, Mrs. Clinton has started out with a team approach for her book. She retained Lissa Muscatine, a former White House aide who has worked as a reporter for The Washington Post, to co-ordinate the efforts of another professional writer, Maryanne Vollers, a journalist and author whose book experience includes helping Dr. Jerri Nielsen write the best-selling memoir "Ice Bound." In addition, Ruby Shamir, another former White House aide, is working as a research assistant.Frivolous. Well, that's one way of putting it.
ARCHIVES
6/2/02
6/9/02
6/16/02
6/23/02
6/30/02
7/7/02
7/14/02
7/21/02
7/28/02
8/4/02
8/11/02
8/18/02
8/25/02
9/1/02
9/8/02
9/15/02
9/22/02
9/29/02
10/6/02
10/13/02
10/20/02
10/27/02
11/3/02
11/10/02
11/17/02
11/24/02
12/1/02
12/8/02
12/15/02
12/22/02
12/29/02
1/5/03
1/12/03
1/19/03
1/26/03
2/2/03
2/9/03
2/16/03
2/23/03
3/2/03
3/9/03
3/16/03
3/23/03
3/30/03
4/6/03
4/13/03
4/20/03
4/27/03
5/4/03
5/11/03
5/18/03
5/25/03
6/1/03
6/8/03
6/15/03
6/22/03
6/29/03
7/6/03
7/13/03
7/20/03
7/27/03
8/3/03
8/10/03
8/17/03
8/24/03
8/31/03
9/7/03
9/14/03
9/21/03
9/28/03
10/5/03
10/12/03
10/19/03
10/26/03
11/2/03
11/9/03
11/16/03
11/23/03
11/30/03
12/7/03
12/14/03
12/21/03
12/28/03
1/4/04
1/11/04
1/18/04
1/25/04
2/1/04
2/8/04
2/15/04
2/22/04
2/29/04
3/7/04
3/14/04
3/21/04
3/28/04
4/4/04
4/11/04
4/18/04
4/25/04
5/2/04
5/9/04
5/16/04
5/23/04
5/30/04
6/6/04
6/13/04
6/20/04
6/27/04
7/4/04
7/11/04
7/18/04
7/25/04
8/1/04
8/8/04
8/15/04
8/22/04
8/29/04
9/5/04
9/12/04
9/19/04
9/26/04
10/3/04
10/10/04
10/17/04
10/24/04
10/31/04
11/7/04
11/14/04
11/21/04
11/28/04
12/5/04
12/12/04
12/19/04
12/26/04
1/2/05
1/9/05
1/16/05
1/23/05
1/30/05
2/6/05
2/13/05
2/20/05
2/27/05
3/6/05
3/13/05
3/20/05
3/27/05
4/3/05
4/10/05
4/17/05
4/24/05
5/1/05
5/8/05
5/15/05
5/22/05
5/29/05
6/5/05
6/12/05
6/19/05
6/26/05
7/3/05
7/10/05
7/17/05
7/24/05
7/31/05
8/7/05
8/14/05
8/21/05
8/28/05
9/4/05
9/11/05
9/18/05
9/25/05
10/2/05
10/9/05
10/16/05
10/23/05
10/30/05
11/6/05
11/13/05
11/20/05
11/27/05
12/4/05
12/11/05
12/18/05
12/25/05
1/1/06
1/8/06
1/15/06
1/22/06
1/29/06
2/5/06
2/12/06
2/19/06
2/26/06
3/5/06
3/12/06
3/19/06
3/26/06
4/2/06
4/9/06
4/16/06
4/23/06
4/30/06
5/7/06
5/21/06
5/28/06
6/4/06
6/11/06
6/18/06
6/25/06
7/2/06
7/9/06
7/16/06
7/23/06
7/30/06
8/6/06
8/13/06
8/20/06
8/27/06
9/3/06
9/10/06
9/17/06
9/24/06
10/1/06
10/8/06
10/15/06
10/22/06
10/29/06
11/5/06
11/12/06
11/19/06
11/26/06
12/3/06
12/10/06
12/17/06
12/24/06
12/31/06
1/7/07
1/14/07
1/21/07
1/28/07
2/4/07
2/11/07
2/18/07
2/25/07
3/4/07
3/18/07
3/25/07
4/1/07
4/15/07
4/22/07
4/29/07
5/6/07
5/20/07
6/3/07
6/10/07
6/17/07
6/24/07
7/8/07
7/15/07
7/22/07
8/5/07
8/12/07
8/19/07
8/26/07
9/9/07
9/16/07
9/23/07
9/30/07
10/14/07
10/28/07
11/4/07
11/11/07
11/18/07
12/2/07
12/9/07
12/16/07
12/23/07
12/30/07
1/6/08
1/13/08
1/20/08
1/27/08
2/10/08
2/17/08
2/24/08
3/2/08
3/9/08
3/16/08
3/23/08
3/30/08
4/6/08
4/13/08
4/20/08
4/27/08
5/11/08
5/18/08
5/25/08
6/1/08
6/15/08
6/22/08
6/29/08
7/6/08
7/20/08
7/27/08
8/3/08
8/10/08
8/17/08
8/24/08
9/7/08
9/21/08
9/28/08
10/5/08
10/12/08
10/19/08
10/26/08
11/2/08
11/9/08
11/16/08
12/7/08
12/21/08
12/28/08
1/4/09
1/11/09
1/18/09
1/25/09
2/1/09
2/15/09
3/15/09
3/22/09
3/29/09
4/12/09
4/19/09
5/10/09
5/24/09
5/31/09
6/7/09
6/14/09
6/28/09
7/5/09
7/12/09
7/19/09
7/26/09
8/2/09
8/9/09
8/16/09
8/23/09
9/6/09
9/13/09
9/20/09
10/4/09
10/11/09
10/18/09
10/25/09
11/1/09
11/8/09
11/15/09
12/13/09
12/20/09
12/27/09
2/7/10
2/21/10
3/21/10
4/11/10
5/9/10
5/16/10
5/23/10
5/30/10
6/6/10
6/13/10
6/20/10
7/4/10
7/18/10
8/15/10
8/22/10
9/5/10
9/12/10
9/19/10
10/3/10
10/10/10
10/31/10
11/7/10
11/21/10
12/5/10
12/19/10
12/26/10
1/2/11
1/9/11
1/16/11
1/23/11
4/17/11
5/8/11
5/15/11
6/12/11
6/26/11
7/3/11
7/10/11
8/7/11
9/4/11
9/11/11
9/18/11
10/9/11
10/16/11
11/6/11
11/20/11
12/18/11
12/25/11
1/1/12
1/8/12
1/29/12
2/12/12
3/4/12
3/25/12
4/1/12
5/6/12
5/27/12
|
"Pull up a chair and set a spell"
|
|