WHAT YOU MAY FIND HERE

RANTS, RAVINGS and RUMINATIONS along with
RAUCOUS RIBALDRY and RAMBLING REFLECTIONS

Monday, April 29, 2013

Geography Div

Been a bad week ....... In Honor of George W. Bush's rehabilitation, go have a drink


Saturday, April 27, 2013

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass div (Rock'n'Roll subsection)

Stumbled upon this little gem......
Couldn't find a definitive list of the musicians for the track, so I'll just include all the names I could find.

Tony Trischka, Dennis Coplinger - Banjos; Dudley Connell, Larry Cordell - Guitars; Marshall
Wilborn - Bass; Dave McLaughlin - Mandolin
Lead vocal by David Lee Roth
Tony Trischka, Dennis Caplinger ~ banjoDudley Connell, Larry Cordle ~ guitar/vocalMarshall Wilborn ~ acoustic bass/vocalDave McLaughlin ~ mandolin

Sequesterization Div ( congressional convenience subsection)

One thing that's seemed to escape notice in the Congresscritters rush to restore funding to the FAA is that they did it just as they started a week long "break."  Obviously, their getting priority treatment through the security lines isn't enough to overcome the possible enroute or tarmac delays.



Maybe there are some other things that will get restored once these primadonnas are personally affected.

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Saturday, April 20, 2013

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div (Far Eastern Subsection)

Whiskey Before Breakfast: Another of my all-time favorite fiddle tunes. The musicianship is excellent ..... but when you see the faces, there's a brief disconnect.
Sorry, couldn't find the names of the pickers.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Spring Div (Urban Wildlife subsection

My neighbor has encountered Mom and Dad when out walking his rescued, racing greyhound.
This was shot about 100m from my front door.
There are four kits, but one seems to be more adventurous than its siblings.


(H/T Rob & Vector)

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

FEAR Div ........ (current events & historical remembrance subsection)

Well, my recent post about fear was prescient, eh ??? The bombing in Boston was a terrorist act and did exactly what it was intended to do - terrorize. My thoughts and sympathies go out to all who were murdered, maimed and traumatized along with those who loved them. The fortunate fact that so many trained medical personnel and first responders were so close undoubtedly kept the casualty counts from becoming much worse.

Bruce Schneier of The Atlantic has a good column today - and the words Keep Calm and Carry On brought my mind back to the the time I lived in England during the '80s. 
In July of '82, I'd gone down to London for the day to have lunch with my cousin. I'd arrived in the Marleybone area early and decided to walk through Regent's Park. Before exiting and heading for lunch, I stopped to watch the Band of the Royal Greenjackets tuning up for their lunchtime concert on the bandstand. I was quite overcome with the "Britishness" of the whole scene and wished I could stay, sit on the grass,  have a beer and enjoy the cultural experience. Alas, I had a commitment and walked away to meet my cousin and her husband. I was approximately 200 meters down the road when the bandstand blew up.
I made it through lunch (with the help of a couple of large whiskies) and was pretty shaken for the remainder of the day.

A couple of years later, my wife and I were riding the tube back out to the northeast end where we usually parked the car. A gentleman in a shabby suit carrying two large shopping bags sat down about ten feet from us on the opposite side of the car. He appeared unshaven and wore a large watch which he repeatedly looked at. He held a copy of the Irish Times and struck his leg with a clenched fist while reading it. Trust me, he immediately grabbed my attention.
Could be that he'd simply had a hard day at work in the "smoke," suffered (like me) from 5 O'clock shadow, had received a nice watch and was in a hurry to get home. This crossed my mind, but I still casually mentioned him to my wife and told her that if he departed the train and left the bags, she was to do exactly what I told he without question or hesitation.
At the next stop, he left the train with his burdens, both physical and whatever anguish the newspaper was causing him. 
The point here is that we each need to be more situationally aware and vigilant - reasonably, without letting paranoia replace rationality.

I wonder how many people passed whoever was placing the explosive into the trash cans in Boston and never noticed. Most were probably staring at their hand or talking on the phone, oblivious to everything and everyone around them.  Many more were concerned with the race and that's understandable. 

The IRA terror campaign never brought Britain to a halt. We never stopped our travels throughout England and Europe because of any terrorist threats. We readily adopted the British tradition of KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON. We paid attention to our surroundings and looked over our shoulders; but never in fear. 

The next few days and weeks are going to be rife with speculation, inconvenience and dicomforting thoughts. It's best to Keep On a Keepin' On and not let the terrorists (of whatever ilk he/she/they may be) win.
  



Sunday, April 14, 2013

Geography Div (musical subsection)

No map today ....... just a little musical diversion (think I've hit 70% of these).

FEAR div (Elmer Fudd* subsection)

Two posts from out there on the intertubes about being afraid:

Jim Wright at Stonekettle Station sez:


They’re afraid of the government. They’re afraid of the president, they’re afraid of congress, they’re afraid of the judges. They’re afraid of socialism. They’re afraid of Nazis and communists. They’re afraid of liberals and progressives and RINOs and feminists and Prius-driving vegetarians. They’re afraid of their neighbors. They’re afraid of the North and afraid of the South and afraid of people from Chicago, and New York and Washington D.C. and California. They’re afraid of gangs and crime and terrorism.  They’re afraid of know-it-all college educated long hairs. They’re afraid of political correctness and affirmative action. They’re afraid of minorities and they’re afraid of immigrants and they’re afraid of uppity blacks and strong-willed women and smart Asians and dirty Latinos and murderous Muslims. They fear their own supposedly loving God and they’re afraid of everybody else’s deity too. They’re afraid of the Rapture and the Anti-Christ and the End Times. They’re afraid of Sharia Law and they’re afraid of the Pope and afraid of the Jews – and yet they’re afraid of atheists too. They’re afraid of immorality and pornography and the internet and cable TV and that Rock&Roll music. They’re afraid of social media, they’re afraid of Twitter and Facebook and the bloggers and the Goddamned lamestream media. They’re afraid the military might just take over and they’re afraid that the military isn’t powerful enough. They’re afraid of death and afraid of taxes. They’re afraid of science, of evolution and climate models and plate tectonics and carbon dating and sex education. They’re afraid of abortion and birth control and the morning after pill, but at the same time they’re also afraid people might be having sex and they’re afraid “those” people might be having a whole bunch of welfare babies that they’re afraid they’ll have to pay for. They’re afraid of North Korea and China and the long defunct Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. They’re afraid that somebody might be coming to take all their guns and they’re afraid of all the crazy people with guns and they’re afraid that the government has too many guns.  They’re afraid of being poor but they’re afraid of the rich too. They’re afraid of the Bilderbergs and the Illuminati and the New World Order. They’re afraid of the the banksters and yet they’re deathly afraid of any laws that might restrict those self same power brokers. They’re afraid of losing their entitlements and they’re afraid the undeserving want entitlements too and more than anything they’re afraid that somebody somewhere might be getting something for nothing on the taxpayer dime, but they’re afraid of making those same “takers” pay for their own healthcare.  They’re afraid of chemicals in their food and genetically engineered crops, but they’re afraid of laws requiring that those same ingredients be fully disclosed by food producers because they’re afraid that might be bad for business. They’re afraid of obesity and heart disease and that our kids are a generation of blubbery little couch potatoes, but they’re afraid of Mayor Bloomberg and Michelle Obama.  They’re afraid of Hollywood violence and yet they’re also afraid that Sesame Street might be making their kids into prancing pacifist pisswillies. They’re afraid we’ll run out of oil or that some America hating dictator somewhere will cut the oil off – and yet at the same time they’re afraid of solar panels and wind towers and electric cars.

And Gordon at Alternate Brain forwards a post for all those who have forgotten what " America" is all about ( I know I get the e-mails from folks every day).

* "Be afwaid.  Be verwy afwaid."

Saturday, April 13, 2013

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div (well, sorta subsection)

One of my all-time favorite fiddle tunes - Big Sciota (or as here, Big Scioty).



Aly Bain and Jay Ungar - Fiddles, Jerry Douglas - Dobro, Russ Barenberg - Guitar, Molly Mason - Bass, and Jim Sutherland - Percussion

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Get Off My Lawn div (Meet the Press subsection)

Seems that Fluffy is upset with his neighbors:


David Gregory throws a fit over parking at D.C. Design House

Note to David Gregory: If cars are parked in front of your house for a month, send someone else to complain about it.
The “Meet the Press” host made a scene Tuesday when he lit into organizers of the D.C. Design House, located this year on Foxhall Road. The broadcaster was distressed that visitors to the show house had parked on a nearby street, some directly in front of his home, preventing easy access by his crew.
David Gregory earlier this year. (Photo by Jordan Strauss / Invision/AP)
David Gregory earlier this year. (Photo by Jordan Strauss / Invision/AP)
“There are a lot of people clogging up our streets,” Gregory told us late Tuesday.
It’s hard to miss the 6-foot-5 journalist under ordinary circumstances — harder yet when he’s waving his arms and complaining loud enough for everyone nearby to hear. This all went down on the front lawn of the show house, witnessed by several designers and guests at a media preview.
“You could hear all this with the doors closed,” said designer David Mitchell. “This was a very public and immature display. It’s a public street. You don’t get to live in a neighborhood and say who gets to park.”
Gregory said he wouldn’t describe the confrontation as “blowing up.” But, he acknowledged, “I did go over there to complain.” He said that he received no warning about the monthlong charity event (except for a large sign on the empty residence) and that he has contacted his local ANC commissioner. “I’m not happy about it and I hope it gets resolved.”
The parking situation has been tough lately: The French ambassador, temporarily relocated to the neighborhood during embassy renovations, recently hosted a large party. But Gregory flatly denied warning the show-house folks that he “knows all the politicians in town,” as witnesses claim.       (emphasis mine).
Show-house reps said they’ve done due diligence: posting signs, hiring guards, finding parking lots. The ANC board voted last week to restrict parking on one side of nearby streets — and neighbors are getting comped tickets to see the house.
Too bad he can't rouse any anger at the idiots he throws softball questions to on Sunday mornings, eh ??

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Geography Div ... (Far Eastern derangement subsection)

I realize that the current situation on the Korean Peninsula is somewhat up in the air, but I defer to Jon Talton. Besides, If Ms Lindsay and Senator McGrumpy are agin'it .......... I just couldn't resist.

Saturday, April 6, 2013

ALittle Saturday Nite Bluegrass div

From 2007 (I think) ...... I'll just let the late John Hartford introduce everyone, OK ??   Enjoy !!

Friday, April 5, 2013

Speaks for Itself Div

What more could one say???       Congratulations (I think)

(h/t  JS )

Monday, April 1, 2013

Geography Div (April Fool subsection)

Here's a nice little map describing how many folks perceive the United States - - -




Now, just for fun, take this quiz  25 questions. Some easy(?) Some  not so easy.
 
                                        NO GOOGLING DAMMIT !!!

The Bear managed to get 84%  - -  hope you did better than the national average - take the test and see.