PSoTD

Tired of blogging? 7,439 posts.

Tired of politics? 7,785 posts.

Seniors have paid to educate their children and shouldn't have to pay school taxes once they reach the magic age of 65. Maybe people at city hall and candidates in the provincial election should look at removing the burden from seniors by freezing property taxes and removing education taxes – especially when some seniors don't have children or have no children left at home who are being educated.

It's amazing to me how many people see "education funding" as use taxes. It isn't. They are societal improvement fees, like the costs of building hospitals and roads and police departments.

It's really, really, really, really, really, really sad that people can live to their 60s and not figure this out, or not care enough about the world to consider the stupidity of such a belief.

October 1st is the 104th anniversary of the very first World Series game, between the Boston Americans and Pittsburgh Pirates.

Last week at Bethany Beach.

Pretty damn amazing.

On the other hand, if they, at this point, still don't make the playoffs, it would be the cruelest collapse in a history laden with such.

Cool, a Horslips tribute band! Horslypse.

(New York Wakes is by far the better song, about halfway through the clip)

The 2007 Great Insect Fair is tomorrow at Penn State's Snider Ag Arena.

Here's a question - would it be for the better, for the worse, or no change, if Hampden Township and Silver Spring Township merged?

More than 20 percent of Pennsylvanians are obese.

Interesting article on MSNBC about business types facing extinction with ten years. But I really think that they've missed the boat on this one:

Coin-operated arcades

With Nintendo Wii, casual gaming online and the Xbox 360, the video game arcade industry is thriving, but not the standalone brick-and-mortar arcades. For those of you who thought arcades were already dead, they still exist — at movie theaters, miniature golf courses and other touristy spots — but it seems only a matter of time before they vanish from the landscape. Ten years ago, there were 10,000 arcades in the nation, and now the number is close to 3,000, according to the American Amusement Machine Association. Revenue from arcade game units brought in $866 million last year, which sounds good until you consider that in 1994, the industry was pocketing $2.3 billion and that the profits are only still high because it costs so much to play a game.

Odds of survival in 10 years: Game over.

I think the fact of the matter is that arcades are not going to be stand-alones, but they'll still exist due to complimentary entertainment combinations (think much more imaginative Chuck E. Cheese) and greater imagination used in game development. Hasn't anyone noticed that the arcade games of today look a LOT like casino games? Think that's an accident? I don't. How better to build the customers for slots and other machine casino games of the future by building starter games for kids today, using tickets and prizes for rewards.

It won't be going away.

A double dipper of Garland Jeffreys...

Escape Artist
Ghost Writer

Hey, his MySpace page has a lot of friends!

Of the two albums, I strongly recommend Escape Artist, even though Ghost Writer has his biggest hit, "Wild in the Streets". I'm probably going to end up buying a best of album, however, since both albums have quite a few infectious pop songs.

For hiring a bulletin board spamming service to promote their perhaps legitimate business:

Dimwits

Mistaken and Unimaginative

This is really the first time I’ve heard of a use of a camera phone where I thought, “that could be handy after all”.

I would say that Lower Mount Bethel is the only township of this bunch showing any common sense.

Supervisors in Washington Township, Northampton County, have approved an ordinance restricting where convicted sex offenders can live.

The supervisors voted 3-0 Wednesday night to adopt the ordinance, which prohibits sex offenders from living within 1,500 feet of child care facilities, community centers, and any other place where children might congregate.

The township is the third community in the Slate Belt to pass such an ordinance. Upper Mount Bethel Township created one last month, while Bangor and East Bangor adopted theirs last year. Lower Mount Bethel declined to restrict where sex offenders can live, but has an ordinance that requires the township to be notified if an offender moves to the township.

Places where children might congregate:

Parks
Fast Food Restaurants
Stores
Libraries
Churches
Public Events
Empty Parking Lots

Bring protective gear for basketball with PSoTD!

I'm thinking about it.

Roger Simon provides a truth for the Democratic Party in the case that Hillary Clinton wins the primaries:

If Hillary Clinton gets the Democratic nomination — and she certainly may not — her first and most important decision will be her choice of a running mate.

The rest of the article is sheer speculation and probably isn't worth even Roger Simon's brain cells used in the consideration, but there is this to be concerned:

Does this mean that only white males need apply to become Hillary’s running mate? Probably.

Which is why Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana, former Gov. Tom Vilsack of Iowa, Gov. Ted Strickland of Ohio, Sen. James Webb of Virginia, and even former Rep. Dick Gephardt of Missouri are all having their names tossed around.

If Clinton wins the nomination, she must consider the future direction that the VP selection might take the Party in future elections. The Democratic Party is still paying a price for the selection of Lieberman in 2000, as he is listened to and given more credibility than deserved due to that selection.

I do not want to see a U.S. Senator in the VP role, one on the ticket is enough. I do not want to see Vilsack, I think he's incredibly ordinary and uninspiring and of very little new direction. I don't know anything really about Strickland. But just to be lumped with the rest of these guys is damning with faint praise.

Would I lie to you? I took a listen for the first time in a long time to The Eurythmics "Be Yourself Tonight". I like Annie Lennox, a lot, she's taken a lot of interesting angles at performance and recording and she has the vocals to make those efforts work, and Dave Stewart knows how to create a song, but there's something too... corporate... about this album, especially compared to a classic like Touch.

BTW, Annie is on tour, and will be getting to Philly in November.

Here's my suggestion for anyone caught - and survives - going over 120 miles per hour in a vehicle on a public road in America with speed limits under 90 MPH:

life imprisonment

okay, maybe that's too much, but is 20 years too much?

I'm sorry, but clearly anyone who does this doesn't give a shit about the risk they incur towards other people - normal, average people who aren't expecting drivers to go 120 miles per hour. And in this case, society should return the favor. Nobody will miss them except for EMS and funeral industry professionals.

And it's not like it's that uncommon. There's this and this and this and this

Hell, 437 drivers in Oregon alone were busted for driving over 100 MPH in 2006.

It's just unacceptable, and as dangerous as improper use of any other weapon. I say screw them, send them away to prison for a long, long time. I don't want them on taxpayer roads. I don't want them near me. Innocent people get hurt and killed by these imbecilic actions all the time, and enough is enough. Put them away.

You know you're special when you're visited by this goober.

Note to Joe Trippi - sometimes less is more, and that includes your often much-too-liberal use of sending emails with just ordinary campaign content. I'm very close to removing myself from your list, even though I like Edwards' candicacy, because there's just WAY TOO MUCH PITCHMAN in those emails.

I bet you didn't know there were such things as "Conway Twitty films"...

The Fixx - Phantoms

I dunno, it's okay, but I liked Reach the Beach better.

btw, they're still touring...

and even more btw, they were in Mechanicsburg this summer!

(see, I'm so out of touch)

Without you and your partner alternating the traffic flow through six month construction bottlenecks in day-glo yellow vests with cigarette butts dangling from your lips, how would we ever complete our daily commutes?

(How long till lunch break?)

And we'll be sure to proceed with caution, if you'll just let us be that one last car through!

(Mr. Stop/Slow Sign Flipper Guy!!)

Clears your head. Maybe it just empties your head. Don't know, don't care, just glad the weather was so nice.

We like the Delaware beaches this time of year. For one thing, you don't have to deal with the parking and pass issues that happen during peak time. Secondly, we like to rent a place for just a few days, and most everyone wants a week commitment during peak, but it's pretty easy to find a weekend rental in the fall. Thirdly - stretch out on the beach. Throw a football. Make a gigantic fortress of sand. You have the room, there's just not that many people there, even though, generally, the weather is pretty warm, and the water is warm enough.

I know, I know, BUT THE BOARDWALK! Yes, a lot of the boardwalk is closed, particularly on weekdays at this time of year, but even though it may disappoint the kids briefly, parents can celebrate... Celebrate... CELEBRATE (cue Kool and the Gang) the good times that come with not having to be stuck at the boardwalk every night until near bedtime. Maybe it's just that I didn't grow up with it, but the idea of hanging around arcades and shops and mini-amusement parks every night isn't my idea of the best way to spend time at the beach.

(And just a plug: we like Grotto Pizza, a lot. Why can't we get one of those out in the Harrisburg area?)

I'll return to the blogging world, but meanwhile there's a bit of sand and seawater still lapping in my brain, and it's worth keeping another day before polluting it with the crass favor factory that we call American politics.

Now where's my boogie board?

Clearly the Chicago Bears offense has reached disaster status. There are lots of reasons it has reached this status, and as much as I've denied it before, a big part of it has to be put on Rex Grossman's shoulders. I'm convinced, he's not going to be a top tier quarterback in the NFL in any time frame that's going to help the Bears, and he increasingly reminds me of Steve DeBerg, a man who could generate just enough awesome stats on occasion to keep getting chances, and then destroying a team's hopes once he received that chance.

But when I watched that game last night, there's a lot more going on that I found dispiriting, first and foremost the continuing performance of one Ron Turner, offensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears. Play calling is, for the most part, crappy. I cannot understand the reasoning behind why the Bears do not use the shotgun, which possibly could help Grossman see the field better. There aren't planned rollouts, either. Rex Grossman may not be a Super Bowl winning player, but Ron Turner doesn't look like he knows how to provide the tools to develop such a player, either.

Bernard Berrian should be getting close to being benched. Crappy routes and drops of wide open passes don't cut it in the NFL, and for whatever reason, Berrian is routinely displaying both. Of course, Moose Muhammed isn't getting open much, either, so Berrian may be safe for a while longer.

The Bears defense is getting banged up in a hurry, and last night looked like it exposed an expanding hole - pass coverage. It was embarrassing that the Bears didn't try to harass Romo's middle of the field vision all night long, and they paid the price, getting killed on the crossing patterns.

The Bears can't afford another crappy performance like yesterday during the first half of the season. Unfortunately, I don't see them stopping the bleeding. I tend to agree with this post, that Kyle Orton may really be the game manager we need at this point. But I doubt we'll see it.

I'm not even going to think about that but Ana Marie Cox does ...

Unfortunately, the pleasure that comes from creating an LOLCheney is overwhelmed by the nagging question: What kind of disgusting, F-d up flavor could "Cheney" possibly be? I don't think it's "Chunky Hubby." Yellowcake Batter Swirl? "I'd Tell You the Flavor But I'd Have To Kill You" Mint? [Redacted]? Shoot-an-Old-Man-In-the-Face'n'Cream, maybe. Oh, I know: Super-fudge Oil Chunk, with Tortured Prisoner Tears.

Yuck!

The Vanessa Hudgens Nude Photo Scandal is now officially yesterday's news.

At least I've heard of Meg White before. She's the drummer for The White Stripes!

This one's for PSoTD. I'll let Rick Morrissey of the Chicago Tribune do the dishonors.

It's almost impossible to see how the Bears can reach their goal of a Super Bowl victory this season, not after what we saw Sunday night in a 34-10 loss to Dallas.

After the game, there was only one thing on the mind of clear-thinking people: For the love of all that is good, don't say it, Lovie Smith. Bite your lip. Resist the temptation.

Don't.

Say.

It.

"Rex Grossman is our quarterback," Smith said.

I was afraid he was going to say that.

Last night was no surprise to me. My investment in the Cowboys was handsomely rewarded.

Rex Grossman is the Anthony Morelli of the NFL.

Esquire writer A.J. Jacobs spent last year trying to live according to the Bible - literally.

In addition to his 72 pages of explicit biblical rules, there were also lots of guidelines and suggestions, many of them bizarre, unexplained, even inexplicable. But Jacobs decided to try to follow these as closely as he could, which meant no mixed fibers, no winking, no coveting and no cutting his beard. He hired a specialist to inspect his clothes. He carried a folding cane chair so he didn't have to sit on chairs sullied by menstruating women. He consulted rabbis, priests and experts over finer points. He even made pilgrimages to such literalist outposts as the Creation Museum in Kentucky and Jerry Falwell's Liberty University.

Throughout, Jacobs explores the dark side and the light side of the Bible. As his beard grew, so did his sense of isolation. On the streets of New York, people called him the Unabomber or Gandalf and frowned at him for reading his Bible on the subway. But over the year, Jacobs discovered a few things. He tried to love his neighbors, which was hard. He felt newly thankful for little things, which was refreshing. And he learned that even the most strident biblical literalists don't follow all 800 rules: They pick and choose like everyone else.

What book would you want to devote a year of your life to? I've narrowed it down to either "The Playboy Advisor" or "The Twinkies Cookbook: An Inventive and Unexpected Recipe Collection from Hostess".

Featuring Jack Penate!!

Difficult to feel proud as an American when we have a murderous outfit like Blackwater on the payroll.

Take the case of the Blackwater guard who got drunk at a Green Zone party last Christmas Eve and reportedly boasted to his friends that he was going to kill someone. According to both Iraqi and U.S. officials, he stumbled out and headed provocatively over to the “Little Venice” section, a lovely area of canals where Iraqi officials live. He had an argument with an Iraqi guard, then shot him once in the chest and three times in the back. The next day Blackwater put him on a private plane out of the country—probably only because the incident involved a rare killing inside the Green Zone and the victim was a security guard for a high-ranking politician. That was it. The company has refused to disclose his name. (Blackwater spokeswoman Anne Tyrrell did not return phone calls seeking comment.)

Sure seems like a lot of you are. So, for your enjoyment...

At this point, any national Republican who is not washing their hands from Bush and his Iraq policy shouldn't be considered credible. Sticking along for the ride with an imbecile driver isn't reasonable. There must be a large minority of Republicans - folks who believe in fiscal restraint and social responsibility - that are finding the current crop of Congressional Republicans absolutely depressing. Welcome to reality. These Congressional Republicans are people who are hiding behind the Bush mantra, behind a man with the level of intelligence that most of America wouldn't trust to do something as simple as figure out their income taxes. These Congressional Republicans hunker down frightened behind a person that will not be in power two years from now - the same person that will suffer some of the greatest immediate reputation trashing by his own party of any President, ever. By these very same Republicans currently in Congress. You can bank on Bushbashing by Republicans when they get the message in the next national election - America doesn't like their leadership, or lack of it, and won't be trusting them with it anytime soon.

I don't know how anyone with at least half a mind or half a soul could claim themselves to be a Republican at this point. Conservative, sure. Republican? No. Where do these conservatives go? Who will lead them? Will they continue to lower their expectations - and their self image - by following the Congressional Republicans? It's pretty depressing sometimes, as a progressive, to watch the Congressional Democrats, but it can't be anything like being a conservative questioning the Republicans.

Anyways, I guess perhaps the greatest questions for these conservatives about their party might be When Will The Republicans Be Serious About America? And the best case scenario - a scenario that there's really no evidence for at this point, but perhaps shock treatment will do it - is after they grotesquely lose the 2008 elections, everywhere. And those conservatives - those conservatives that believe that the current Congressional Republicans need replaced by a corps of responsible, intelligent, morality-based Americans - should be active in getting rid of the current rotten group.

Color me uninspired by Cactus World News "Urban Beaches".

It's almost... almost... amazing that even the most obscure bands that had record contracts can have their own web sites, although I almost always find the Wikipedia entry for a band more helpful in providing the history I'm interested in.

Math troubles, language troubles, c'mon Comcast.

If not, why does Mike Johanns get to go home, but the soldiers in Iraq have to stay?

Maybe they'd get to go home now if they promised to run as a Republican for Congress next year...

There's something incredibly wrong with this country when we decide it's a good idea for state government to actually own and operate casinos. What's next? State owned brothels?

Just because a state can make money doing something doesn't mean it should be doing something.

No, it's not very exciting or interesting, just experimenting with the process of loading and naming. Meet Maggie.

If you like the date tomorrow, I guess you can dress for the occasion...

How did Instapundit's website not make it?

I hope, I hope, I hope that the Reds do not bring La Russa into their organization. I don't care about his record of winning, I think the record of his players being seen as "enhancers" with steroids and other supplements isn't something that Cincinnati needs to stigmatize their franchise with - and yes, I think both Oakland and St. Louis players under La Russa's management periods will end up having a bit of skeptical stigma to their performances. As will La Russa.

Plus, I really don't think he's that great of a manager, it's just that there's a lot of pretty dumb managers that have been clogging up major league baseball for years.

Do you wonder what the news media could do with 18.24 million dollars?

O.J. Simpson's latest troubles may bring back terrible memories, a sense of outrage, bemusement or just a big yawn.

But for the media and the Las Vegas tourism industry, the arrest and pending case against "The Juice" could be the biggest thing since Siegfried and Roy.

About a month ago we adopted a terrier mix dog named Maggie, who's just an adorable and sweet pet and companion. When I grew up we had a dog in our family, and as a young adult I had dogs for about 14 years, but we haven't had one since Cecilia was two - almost nine years.

I didn't realize how much I missed having a dog, but there was a bigger "missing" that I would not have known if we hadn't gotten a dog.

Because it has been SO cool to watch our kids as "mini-parents" the past month, as they adopt Maggie further and further into their hearts. They want to involve her in everything, they want to play with her and feed her and give her water and walk her (but not pick up her poop, of course). They take great pride in teaching her "new" things, and when she shows off her smarts by learning something.

Having a dog has changed the status quo around the house in nuanced ways. Whereas, the situation was that we took care of the kids and Cecilia watched after Carter in minimalist big sister style, now everyone has somebody to look after - Maggie. Everyone shares in responsibility of taking care of someone, and everyone appreciates the returned love you can feel only from someone you are taking care of. I didn't really see this part coming, not like this at least. And it's been the best part of the deal so far. I'm glad I didn't miss it.

More of the same of that U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration failure to perform duties.

Federal regulators missed required inspections during the past two quarters at a Logan County mine where a worker was killed Sunday, government records show.

U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration inspectors had not conducted a complete review of the Mountaineer II Mine since March, agency records show.

Under federal law, MSHA is required to conduct a complete inspection of every underground coal mine once per quarter.

So, how often do inspections get missed?

Apparently a language dies every two weeks.

I'm not sure what was more interesting, Rome or Estelle Bingham. (That's not a complaint)

OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ

This is so much bullshit.

Second, John Kerry did not handle this well at all. I liked him all right before — I voted for him, but what were the alternatives? — but now I really dislike the man. His behavior here is pathetic. Listen to him droning sonorously on in the background as a guy is dragged down the aisles and pinned the ground. He does say something like, "Officers, can we--" but then trails off ineffectually... and you can also hear him make what sounds like a joke about Meyer: "...unfortunately he's not available to come up here and swear me in as President..." At that point, fair enough, maybe it didn't seem as bad from the stage as it looks on the video. But then the guy is screaming in pain, and Kerry is still droning on, not agitated, nothing. He should have gotten off the stage and told the cops to get the hell off that guy. It's not what a politician would do, but it's what a fucking man would do.

I mean, c'mon, let's give Kerry the benefit of the doubt here. People have to stop acting like they have more testosterone than the average guy. How was Kerry supposed to know exactly what was going on? Okay, there's screaming, but Kerry's off in the distance, with lights in his eyes, trying to see what is going on - what do people really expect him to do at that point? Do we really expect a Senator to intervene in a police action if he doesn't know what is going on?

There are LOTS of different ways to respond to that situation, and only in hindsight does the best course of action become obvious. The guy wasn't armed. He hadn't committed any crimes. The police acted beyond the pale, but Kerry didn't know what circumstances were causing the police to act that way. We shouldn't be blaming Kerry for his response - he did what he did, and there was nothing wrong with what he did. It just didn't turn out to be the most "right" thing he could have done, based on the circumstances.

You want to pound on someone, pound on those police.

We are, and I'm just curious as to suggestions/ideas/recommendations.

This is EXACTLY why the whole Big Ten Network thing is BS. Focus, Penn State, on what your mission is, and quit carrying the water for this tinhorn sports network in negotiations with Comcast.

I just think this whole thing is crap.

A Penn State trustee Tuesday called for township supervisors to back the Big Ten Network in its standoff with cable television provider Comcast, and a working group of municipal officials plans to meet today to strategize against what township Manager Mark Kunkle called "a monopoly that operates in the township."

George Henning, a Ferguson Township resident, Planning Commission member and Penn State trustee, urged the supervisors to "ask Comcast as strongly as we can to include the Big Ten Network in their cable package."

Board of Supervisors Chairman Dick Mascolo replied that "there's no question that we'll do our best."

Henning said he's urging residents in the seven other municipalities that have given a cable franchise to Comcast to lobby their own local governments to support the Big Ten Network, though he said at one point that the new network and Comcast are "two big groups fighting" and "a pox on both of them."

Apparently, this was an obscure one - and it is bluesy rock.

New Adventures (self titled album)

Apparently they're Dutch, although they sing in English.

I do remember the song "Come On" getting airplay on the radio.

Bread lovers, prepare for rising prices:

Wheat prices continue amazing market climb

The U.S. wheat market continues to go up, up, up as all three market exchanges - Minneapolis, Chicago and Kansas City - all hit historical highs in early September.

“These are the highest prices ever,” said Erica Peterson, marketing specialist for the North Dakota Wheat Commission. “Just this week alone, all exchanges were limit up two days in a row. Over the last two weeks prices have shot up about a dollar. Spring wheat futures for Minneapolis have been as high as $7.81. Chicago hit a high of $8.49 and Kansas City had $7.91.”

Although prices were down slightly on the day she gave this report, (Sept. 6), they are still very high. “They've gone practically straight up the last week or so,” Peterson said.

The main factors that continue to drive the market remain the same - tight supplies, world production concerns, and strong demand.

In fact, there was stronger export demand this past week that really caused a stir in the market.

Bread lovers all over the world, that is:

Prices for bread and other wheat products have been rising in Central Asia to record highs over the past three months, causing hardship for many people. Experts say the reasons behind the surging prices are not local, and that prices have gone up worldwide. Some Central Asian governments, however, are trying to find a solution to the problem inside their countries.

The start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan this year has coincided with soaring prices for bread, flour, and wheat in Central Asia. The increase in the cost of a staple like bread has caused severe problems for many people in the poverty-stricken region, where many have already cut down on other staples such as meat and butter.

Rahmatullo Saidov, a Dushanbe resident who came to the city market to buy flour, found the price has gone up by almost 60 percent since the beginning of September. Saidov says his family usually buys flour to make bread at home because it is cheaper than buying bread. However, Saidov says he is no longer able to pay for all of the flour he needs.

"I can't believe that during one week the flour price goes up from $20 [per 50-kilogram sack] to $32," Saidov says. "Do we have any law or government that could do something about it? Our salaries are not enough for flour anymore. My family needs three sacks of flour every month. My income is about $22 a month. I don't know what we are going to do."

Regionwide Crisis

People in the rest of the region -- including Kazakhstan, which is the main exporter of wheat in the region -- are facing similar crises with steep price increases reported in the other four Central Asian countries. But it is far from being a local problem.

Some posts that are more than worth checking out:

What's the deal now about encores, really? Do you feel manipulated?

Now you too can be a porn critic.

I already knew this, but still, worth celebrating: Pennsylvania is number one in mushrooms! We're number one!

Ugh, ugh, ugh.

Privatized highways are for losers. Hear that, Governors?

We are all baby boomers now.

But does it make sense to advertise a coffee shop on MySpace? (BTW, this is a pretty good coffee shop in the West Shore area near Harrisburg)

(Maybe it is me - there seems to be a lot of coffee shops doing their web sites on MySpace these days...)

I had a chance to listen the past few days to:

Easterhouse - Contenders

Zzzzzzzzzzz. Huh, still on? Zzzzzzzz.

The Men They Couldn't Hang - How Green is the Valley

I can see the comparisons to The Pogues. It doesn't look like you can buy it on Amazon, which is a shame, since I think this album has some pretty good tracks, particularly Ghosts of Cable Street.

Dead Can Dance - Spleen and Ideal

I kinda like this album. I don't remember "darkwave", though, as a genre. However, I find myself liking many of the groups that were lumped into that definition, particularly The Cocteau Twins.

I wonder how well a nightly national television news program would work called "Middle Class News". One of the requirements of the program would be that nobody on the program - period, nobody, from anchors to reporters to producers - were compensated more than a middle class salary. Of course, defining that would take some work, but the whole intent would be to keep the news program staff from being insulated from the real world, which is something that people like Katie Couric and Brian Ross seem to be, and more importantly, what the editorial content decisionmakers seem to be as well.

Homeowner associations as police departments. Do I really have to say what I think of this idea?

They've pulled their soldier out of Iraq.

Foreign Minister Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir has decided to remove an Icelandic Crisis Response Unit (ICRU) member from a NATO training program for the Iraqi army in Baghdad next month, causing disappointment among NATO leaders.

The ICRU member has been working in Baghdad for the last two years, primarily as a media representative, and will cease working there October 1, Morgunbladid reports.

John Craddock, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe for NATO and the US European Command, said at a press conference in Iceland yesterday that Iceland is an important and active NATO member and that he was disappointed with Gísladóttir’s decision.

But Craddock added that he understands that NATO member nations have to make decisions according to their best interests and “estimate what they can do and what they cannot do, what they want to do and what they don’t.”

(Tip of the beanie to TPM)

Are Republicans a Sectarian group?

From SSRN:

There is, however, another way to assess the Surge. This paper shows how data from world financial markets can be used to shed light on the central question of whether the Surge has increased or diminished the prospect of today's Iraq surviving into the future. In particular, I examine the price of Iraqi state bonds, which the Iraqi government is currently servicing, on world financial markets. After the Surge, there is a sharp decline in the price of those bonds, relative to alternative bonds. The decline signaled a 40% increase in the market's expectation that Iraq will default. This finding suggests that to date the Surge is failing to pave the way toward a stable Iraq and may in fact be undermining it.

I wonder if the blackouts are going to give it a big black eye this year. I heard a DJ complaining about the Penn State game not being on just a few minutes ago, won't be surprised if we hear that more often this year.

Sure seems like a nice opportunity for other football conferences to get some deserved exposure on national television, however.

I just had to respond to this article in Wired entitled "Why We're All Suckers For Buying Ringtones"...

Hello, America. I have a cellphone. I leave it off unless I'm absolutely expecting a call, or if I need to make a call, or I want to check my messages. Period. I don't buy ringtones, I don't play stupid little games on my cellphone, and for God's sake I wouldn't waste any time taking a photo with my cellphone, which of course, I can't, because I don't have such a ridiculous contraption.

Yes, I feel enlightened compared to those who have chosen to be slaves to their telephone number, always on, always ready, with a zillion little rings customized for each person. I think many of these people are wisdom-impaired. I haven't been blessed with more than my share of wisdom, but unless you're in emergency services or some other life-impacting mode, there's really no compelling reason to have your cellphone on and with you, all the time, every place.

And buying ringtones? Again, wisdom-impairment. Who gives a shit what your ringtone sounds like as long as you can tell it is yours and you can hear it? Because here's a clue: the objective of a ringtone is to get you to act TO STOP IT.

I know I sound like a crank, but some of the obsessive cellphone lifestyles of people should be studied, because it's either a personality defect or a behavioral problem. It's really pathetic.

And now, for your entertainment:

Makes me feel feel like I need to carry a 3-wood with me.

Hoodoo Gurus - Blow Your Cool

Pretty good, but I'm pretty sure there's a better album of theirs on tape in my collection. I'll be looking for it.

The Woodentops - Giant

Just can't get very excited about this album. Very unexciting music.

One thing I was wondering by all the focus on Anbar is whether the Bushies are hoping for a re-emergence of the "flypaper" theory. If there was one obvious place where a knife could be struck in the heart of Bush's fantasy on progress in Iraq, it would now be Anbar province. I'm sure all the zealots on the other sides have figured that out, not sure about the zealots in the Bush administration.

But you have to think that the Republican members of Congress up for election in 2008 now know that their careers are linked to this simple equation - regardless of what happens elsewhere in Iraq, that there can be no major debacles in Anbar - without the whole premise, and Republicans along with it, being shown as pure fiction.

Guess who pays for the number one listed advertisement?

Fun Family Devotions
No more bored kids! Our proven
Family Night activities are a hit!
www.HeritageBuilders.com

So, what do they have to offer for a family to do on Friday night?

Heritage Builders exists to help educate, train and equip families to become intentional about passing on a Godly Heritage to their children.

Wheee, that sounds fun! So what are these Family Night activities that will help us do that? Here's some ideas:

We have put together, at a deep discounted price, a set of four critical items that you need to get started right in implementing Heritage Builders in your family. The kit includes:

1.) The book Your Heritage. Read this book first because it explains the entire Heritage Builders concept in great detail.

2.) CD introducing you to Heritage Builders and the Family Night concepts, featuring the ministry founders Jim Weidmann, J. Otis Ledbetter and Kurt Bruner. This tape will give you the reasoning behind implementing the Family Night concept.

3.) The workbook called Ten Commandments Family Night Tool Chest. This features 12 Family Night lessons for kids of all ages. Lessons include "Teaching children the importance of the 10 Commandments as a target for righteous living", "Teaching children the importance of the 10 Commandments and to call sin - sin", "Teaching children that God is the one true God" and 9 other lessons. These are easy and fun to use!

4.) The book Family Fragrance. This book is filled with practical, intentional ways to fill your home with the atmosphere (AROMA) of love.

Yeehaw! Lets make some popcorn! And later on after the kids go to bed, some Barry White tunes to go with that AROMA of love...

Seriously, I have to wonder how successful their Google advertising plan is. No such ad comes up under "Christian Family Fun" which, I dunno, seems like better targeting.

Josh Marshall at Talking Points Memo ...

With the president's speech tonight it appears we are back to the supposed 'Korea analogy' for the occupation of Iraq. We've been in Korea for more than a half century, as we have been in Japan and Germany. And for all the commitment of troops and money, we now have three highly prosperous allied democracies where in two of the cases we had ardent foes.

Forgive me for saying the obvious. Because it is obvious. But sometimes, apparently, the obvious needs saying.

We garrisoned troops in these three countries for half a century, as we did in Saudi Arabia for about a decade. The periods of military government in Japan and Germany were relatively brief. And most importantly we never mounted counter-insurgency operations in any of these countries.

This simple fact tells you that all these Korean, Japan, Germany analogies are bogus.

Few things annoy me more than the intellectually dishonest historical analogies the wing-nuts are constantly throwing around.

Saddam as Hitler
Congressional Democrats as Neville Chamberlain
Maliki as George Washington
Bush as Truman
Iraq as Korea

If you gotta distort history to make a point, you probably don't have a point to make.

According to Wikipedia, the Republicans have 3 presidential candidate debates in the next month:

September 17, 2007 - Fort Lauderdale, Florida
September 27, 2007 - Baltimore, Maryland
October 9, 2007 - Dearborn, Michigan

I have a question that I think someone should ask Ron Paul:

Would you vote for a Republican running for Congress that supports continuing the surge, and the Iraq War?
If so, why?
And if not, is that your recommendation for Republican voters?

More dropping in on the work I did in the 1980s of making music tapes. Yesterday I listened to:

Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark - The Pacific Age

It's fine as background music. (Forever) Live And Die has a nice vocals hook.

Penguin Cafe Orchestra - Broadcasting from Home

I remember listening to this quite a bit. I also remember that they had some pretty cool album covers, if you like penguins. You'll recognize some of the music, as it has been used in television and commercials over time.

Blue Oyster Cult - Spectres

Oh yeah, good times. Cranking up Godzilla and Golden Age of Leather in the old Nissan truck. I'm surprised, I still like this album.

I wish that Google News could figure out a way to dramatically increase the number of news sources it includes. There are literally hundreds, perhaps thousands, of legitimate news sources, both inside and outside of the United States, that are not included in their output.

In what was perhaps the most fantasy-driven speech given by Bush in years, we'll see how many in the media and the Congress now remain that just "want to believe".

In what was perhaps the best sign in a long time for broadcast media, Keith Olbermann set the tone for candid skepticism of Bush on MSNBC.

On the other hand, I don't know how big of a brown nose stain Wolf Blitzer ended with on his program.

Just in: Fred Hiatt believes in fairies.

The Ultimate PSOTD Experience ...

Siouxsie and the Banshees cover version of Sparks "This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both Of Us"!

Sacramento State University - c'mon, give the hornet a little more character, and a little more toughness, will ya?

A warning from Muhammad Abdel-Al of the Palestinian terror group "The Popular Resistance Committees"...

“If I meet these whores I will have the honour - I repeat, I will have the honour - to be the first one to cut the heads off Madonna and Britney Spears if they keep spreading their satanic culture against Islam ... If these two prostitutes keep doing what they are doing, we of course will punish them."

Everybody's a critic.

I know, the title makes no sense, but neither did the action:

A Caribbean steel band returning to London was turned off a plane by armed police after a passenger thought they were terrorists.

The five British musicians, on their way home after playing at a festival in Sardinia, were taken off the Ryanair flight after one of their members, who is blind, was reported to the pilot as acting "suspiciously".

Michael Toussaint, a drummer with the Caribbean Steel International group who is registered blind, was led by the arm to his seat by his friends.

One of the other band members then read football scores to him from a newspaper while they waited to take-off.

However, a passenger near the men believed they were behaving suspiciously and reported them to cabin crew.

Italian military police were called and took the whole band off the plane.

Mr Toussaint presented his disability card and removed his sunglasses to prove he was blind yet even after he was cleared by the airport authorities Ryanair still refused to let him, or the rest of the group, reboard the plane.

The five men are now seeking compensation after they were stranded in Sardinia last New Year's Eve.

Or not work.

Siouxsie and the Banshees "Tinderbox": Nope, not gonna give it another listen.

Sparks - Best of Sparks: Those 1980s drugs must have impaired my judgement a lot more than I thought. Never again!

Mayor Steve Reed of Harrisburg has done a lot of good things for the city, but as an outsider, I have to wonder if it isn't time for somebody else to be in that position. Reed's been mayor for seemingly forever.

I've decided to take a listen to all the old music cassettes I made in the 1980s, and replace anything that I like with a digital version, and toss the rest. I haven't heard some of these tapes for 20 years, and some of it feels like a first listen, although I know I have listened to them at least a few times before.

Yesterday I learned this: I don't know what I ever heard in "The Icicle Works" that made me think it was worth taping.

If you're going to support the surge until next summer, then there's no nuancing this. At all. At least McCain has proven himself to be the proverbial suicide king, and stuck his war sword in his head for everyone to see. He is for the war. He is for the war, under any circumstance, at any cost. For all we know he may be brain-damaged, but you know where his heart is. For war.

And so, members of Congress, if you support the surge until next summer, then forget any sense of nuance. Don't try to softsell it, don't say it's the best of all bad options, don't say we owe it to the troops. YOU OWE YOUR DECISION TO AMERICA, AND AMERICA IS NOT ONLY THE TROOPS. PERIOD. You vote for it this time, then screw it, you'll vote for every time, because you are for the war. Don't try to fool us about your vote with pussyfoot language. We know what you are.

Because voters aren't going to fall for it. Voters are going to remember, and if it turns out that you're wrong in your vote, again, like you have so many times before, then accept the consequences. Because Voters Will Make You The Election Target For Removal. This is the last line for you. You can pretend you were fooled, and you were surprised, and you were disappointed, and you were chagrined, and you are now changed. Voters aren't going to pretend. We've been all those things, you dumb wads, and we're tired of being that. You got in this mess, you let the mess get worse, and now you won't vote us out of the mess. FAILURE TO PERFORM IS GROUNDS FOR TERMINATION. It doesn't matter what party you're in - there's a "get out of Iraq now" element of the Republican Party that is growing and ready to vote - Ron Paul can fill you in on the details.

Speaking of Ron Paul, if he's really ready to push the button about ending this war, then he needs to drop the E-bomb at the next Republican debate. If a Republican member of Congress votes for the surge, that incumbent should not be returned to Washington. Put your cards on the table, Ron Paul, if you mean all this.

Standardizing Drametse Nga Cham:

Initiatives are being taken to standardize Drametse Nga Cham. Drametse Nga Cham or the dance of the drums is a sacred masked dance which originated in Drametse in Monggar.

The mask dance has been proclaimed by the United Nations Cultural Organization, as a masterpiece of the oral and intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

The Drametse Nga Cham was first performed in 1511 at the consecration of the Drubchu Goenba in Drametse in Monggar. It was introduced by Choedup Kinga Wangpo, the fourth son of Terton Pema Lingpa.

According to legend, Choedup Kinga Wangpo was transported while in his dream to the celestial palace of Guru Rinpoche where he witnessed the mask dance being performed. It is performed during festivals in most part of the country.

The Lhalung Suntruel Rinpoche said over the years, subtle variation has been observed in the way the dance was performed from place to place.

To standardize the scared mask dance, monks and Gomchens are being taught the way the dance is performed. The steps are based on the way it was performed at its place of origin, the Drametse Thegchog Ugyen Choling Dratshang in Monggar.

The two-month training began on Sunday. The Lhalung Sungtruel Rinpoche said the training also aims to preserve the sacred mask dance.

Our reporter Tenzin Namgyel says school dance teachers will also be trained during the winter vacation. About 40 teachers will be taking part in the training this winter. The trainings are being organized by the Department of Culture of the Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs with funds from UNESCO.

The Cultural Organization will also be documenting steps of the Dramtse Nga Cham during the annual Drametse Tshechu this November.

What do you think?

In the '60s, though, the idea really took off, and a trade association that follows HOA developments estimates that at least 57 million Americans lived under some sort of HOA [homeowners association] agreement in 2006.

Dear News Media,

Can somebody ask Fearful Larry his opinion on the percentage of people in prison in the USA who pleaded guilty to a crime they didn't commit?

Oh, and as a followup, maybe they can ask Larry the Scared how we can trust information received in terrorism investigations based on the threat of Guatanamo or other relocation if our public legal system (let alone the secret system of whatever it really is) is so scary that a powerful United States Senator can't even provide the truth.

Republicans of Congress - you are a national embarrassment.

How many more 9/11 anniversaries will we have to go through with an expectation of some media package from Osama bin Laden?

Why do we have to wait until the next President before bin Laden is captured or killed?

You are wasting your time calling out Bush. CALL OUT THE NEWS MEDIA. Look at this embarrassing exchange between Wolf Blitzer and Senator Boxer:

BLITZER: Well, there's conflicting reports on that, Senator. Some suggesting that he's not even ready for a brigade of about 4,000 U.S. forces to start withdrawing by the end of this year. We'll see what he testifies tomorrow. But let me ask Senator Boxer, do you have confidence in General Petraeus?

SEN. BARBARA BOXER (D), CALIFORNIA: Well, I will have the chance to question him on Tuesday in front of the Foreign Relations Committee. My chairman, Joe Biden, has just gotten back from Iraq, as you know, and I think we'll know then. It's too soon to know. I don't know what he's going to say.

But let me tell you what I do know, Wolf. I do know what has happened since the surge. There has been no political reconciliation. We have had the deadliest three months, the deadliest summer ever in the war in Iraq in terms of the loss of our troops. We have 78 percent of the Iraqi people saying, please leave the country.

The Brits have withdrawn. We've had other reports saying the surge hasn't worked. So I intend to question General Petraeus about it. But the last point I'd make is, General Petraeus is really the messenger. The policy comes from President Bush.

BLITZER: Well, President Bush...

BOXER: And that's where I'm going to keep the focus.

BLITZER: President Bush was very firm in reacting to the new Osama bin Laden videotape in drawing consequences for the United States's stance in Iraq. Listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: If Al Qaida bothers to mention Iraq, it's because they want to achieve their objectives in Iraq, which is to drive us out and to develop a safe haven.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: All right. Those are enormous ramifications for the United States if the president's right.

BOXER: This president amazes me. Every time I see that fugitive terrorist on television taunting America, I think of how wrong this president was in turning away from going after that murderer who murdered our citizens, and moving into Iraq and not having any way of getting us out, while this guy keeps dyeing his beard apparently and making new tapes.

There's your opening, Barbara, and you whiffed. This President shouldn't amaze you, he should appall you. But more than that, here's the answer you should give Blitzer:

"If the President's right? IF THE PRESIDENT'S RIGHT? Wolf, you amaze me. How many times has President Bush been right about this war so far? Aren't there enormous ramifications for the United States if the President's wrong? AND AREN'T WE SUFFERING FROM THOSE RAMIFICATIONS NOW BECAUSE HE'S BEEN WRONG ON IRAQ?

Wolf, seriously, get your head out of your backside. Yes, he is the President for another year and a half, but we don't need to him to lock us in this war for a decade."

What is Wolf Blitzer going to do if Democrats respond like this? What's CNN going to do? Only have Republicans on? Why are you playing nice with Wolf Blitzer? Question his authority to figure out the questions to ask - because he's pretty damn horrible at it.

I really suspect that we'll see more of this in 2007.

It was one of the strangest looking plays you’ll see all year — the one where Bears defensive tackle Tommie Harris launches himself into the San Diego backfield to the surprise of quarterback Philip Rivers for sure.

It came on second-and-goal from the 1 on the Chargers’ first series of the third quarter. Rivers never got control of the snap and Mike Brown recovered for Chicago to maintain a 3-0 lead.

With LaDainian Tomlinson potentially having three more cracks to get one yard, Harris started thinking.

“You’re on the goal-line. What are you going to do?” he said. “Throw a flag and we’ll do it again.

“I had to make something happen. I just went when I saw movement.”

Still, you’ve got to like Harris’ thought process. If he gets whistled, the ball moves about one length closer to the end zone. If he can disrupt the snap, as he did, a potentially game-turning turnover could result.

Now look for Harris — and no doubt other teams — to employ the strategy in key situations.

CNN seems to be about a step away from making this a daily program. It'll just take a little more packaging is all...

It's the weirdest thing - I could have sworn I saw Wolf Blitzer talk to McCain and Barbara Boxer yesterday on CNN, but apparently CNN gave the duty of providing the transcript to the mysterious one-fingered typist.

I'd like to find that transcript, because Boxer said something that requires further instruction.

A rare example of common sense from a wingnut.

Fred Thompson came to the offices of National Review some years when he was still in the Senate. I liked him fine. He has done nothing, anywhere, ever. The Hubble Telescope could not find what he has done, because he has not done it.

It would be unwise to put such a man in the White House at this moment in history.

Hey, you don't have to convince me.

There was a lot, as a fan of the Chicago Bears, to be impressed with yesterday. I thought that the defensive scheme, for the most part, was perfect. I think I'll like the new defensive coordinator. Grossman may have been pedestrian, but he wasn't the reason they lost - his interception was really Berrian's fault, running one of the most half-assed routes I've ever seen in the NFL.

But there's a lot to be unhappy about. Number one: Mike Brown's injury. Does this really have to happen every season to the guy? We'll see how good a DC we have now, I guess.

Number two:

2.2 average per rush for Cedric Benson, for 42 yards.

I know it's early, and San Diego is one of the best defenses in the league, but Benson has to do better than this. Much, much better. Add to this that he's a pass dropper, and I'm really concerned that the Thomas Jones trade for not nearly enough is going to bite the Bears on the ass all season long.

Related thoughts: The Family Blog, Ivy Chat, Non Compete, Blitzedoffmypass.com

Here's a guy that belongs to the "Blame Rex For Everything" club. What a Maroon.

Example 1015 of why homeowners rules placement into real estate covenants is really a stupid idea:

It would be great if we as a community used drought-tolerant plants and groundcovers; however, while "xeriscaping" is encouraged by the Town of Cary, our own community developers have ironically written into our homeowners association covenants that fescue is required for all lawns visible from the street. Fescue is one of the thirstiest grasses available.

The reason we don't opt for a voluntary brown lawn is that we likely will be fined. If we allow grass to die off in the summer, not only could we be forced to pay a fine, we would have to re-sod or face a lien on our homes. Our next step is to reduce the size of turf grass area and replace with beds of indigenous plants requiring less water.

Yes, shame on us for buying into the American Dream neighborhood of green lawns and picket fences, but double shame on developers who put such environmentally insane rules into our covenants (which we received at closing). Maybe city governments can stop developers from placing such detrimental stipulations on homeowners.

It is astounding, the anality of requiring a specific type of grass in all lawns...

Watched the movie version on Saturday night. For the most part, just okay. The final number, "Let the Sunshine In", however is really well done, as is the end of the movie. Musicals must be so hard to film because the stream of story - an expectation - is very disjointed. A couple of surprises:

Nell Carter shows up in a couple of numbers. I didn't recognize her for a while, but her voice gave her away, regardless of my mental image of her back in the days of "Gimme a Break!"

Beverly D'Angelo played a teenaged girl in Hair, and 4 years later played a 30-ish mother in National Lampoon's Vacation, and pretty much looked the same in both movies!

Subversive Swedish popster Jens Lekman's latest album "Night Falls Over Kortedala" was released in Sweden last week and will be dropped worldwide in October. This video is from his first record. Actually he's not much like Abba at all.

Never heard of her.

You know you're getting old when you've lost track of the latest bimbos.

I'll confess to not paying much attention to OBL's latest rantings. The right wing wack-o-sphere was intrigued by his new beard color.

The beard looks odd to me. It seems curly or frizzy, for one thing, not at all like the stringy beard of yore. In fact "Osama" looks like a muppet, not like the real thing. Rush had a lot of fun today comparing the video to the time when the terrorists claimed to have captured an American soldier, and provided a photo, which turned out to be a G.I. Joe doll.

Whatever.

But would anyone have guessed that this creep would still be at large six freaking years after taking the Twin Towers down? And they called Jimmy Carter ineffective? Another fine job, Dubya, another fine job!

In honor of all enjoyable picnics

Listed as a new word, “pique-nique” first appeared in the 1692 edition of Origines de la Langue Françoise de Ménage. It is believed to have been a combination of “piquer,” meaning to “pick” or “peck” and “nique,” an obsolete word, which meant “trifle” or “little pieces.” It was described as a potluck gathering, to which everyone brought a dish; and the food, transported in the first picnic baskets, was set out for all to “peck at.”

The word “picnic” was first introduced in English in 1748. In the 19th century, a group of wealthy Londoners formed the Picnic Society to promote this fashionable social affair, to which each attendee was expected to bring food, as well as contribute some form of entertainment. It was around the middle of the century when it became associated with the outdoors, and the first picnic blankets appeared. Its rapid rise in popularity soon led to the invention of the picnic table.

Yeah, another horrible post title. Here's a few blog posts worth reading you may not have seen:

The whole Harrisburg - McCormick Island story is both sad and silly.

So how did Rep. Paul E. Gillmor, R-Ohio, really die again?

Boobaphobia! Those poor sufferers...

Does anyone really doubt that Pennsylvania is on its way to full-fledged, fully-gamed casinos?

Oh man, my brother as a kid carried around his Larry the Lion until it was in tatters.

I just want to say that I know Bob Schelen, and Davis would be lucky to have him.

Dear DCCC,

I took your call yesterday and listened to your spiel in a request for funds. Not a word about Iraq. And I told you no. Not today. And not until there's actual progress made in stopping the Iraq War. Everything that you've done so far is overshadowed by the need to do your duty in bringing a close to the Iraq War. It hasn't happened.

I told you to call again in 4 months, and we'll see, because good behavior deserves rewarded. But here's the truth - I really don't want to give you any money. It's not that I don't want candidates getting the money - I just don't want you determining which candidates, and how much. I'm not convinced that your organization is a good investment of my money, and I am pretty convinced that I can make a better investment in governance directly, by giving to a specific candidate. So...

Perform, and perform very strongly, or you'll get the same answer next time. Because I am not impressed.

but it sure seems like Tony LaRussa has been around a lot of players that are suspected to have taken something artificial for muscle growth.

Really, he will, right on cue.

When the titanically anal run home owner associations, you get decisions and actions bordering on the ultrapetty.

Send Bush to make a speech there.

I was doing a little research for our big family vacation in 2009, and found this interesting location in Wisconsin - a resort that uses frisbee golf as a big part of their attraction. They have a pro shop. They have a Disc Golf Hall of Fame!

I didn't realize there were enough people out there so into frisbee golf that they'd take a vacation for it, let alone that there were people well known enough in disc golf that there could even be a Hall of Fame.

I just thought it was interesting.

You might be able to find a couple here but they aren't staying posted long. No scalpers allowed.

If you don't have any luck, scads of University of Buffalo tickets are available for next week!

PS: Take the Irish and the points.

Riverbend is now in Syria.

Regardless of Ron Paul's other political positions, it is good to have somebody at the Republican primaries telling the other candidates in front of the voters that they are nuts - Nuts - NUTS - in their zeal for war. And it's at least a bit promising that there's so much applause for such comments at the debates.

MR. WALLACE: Congressman Paul — (interrupted by cheers, applause) — Congressman Paul, your position on the war is pretty simple: Get out. What about, though, trying to minimize the bloodbath that would certainly occur if we pull out in a hurry? What about protecting the thousands of Iraqis who have staked their lives in backing the U.S.? And would you leave troops in the region to take out any al Qaeda camps that are developed after we leave?

REP. PAUL: The people who say there will be a bloodbath are the ones who said it would be a cakewalk, it would be slam dunk, and that it would be paid for by oil. Why believe them? They’ve been wrong on everything they’ve said. Why not ask the people — (interrupted by cheers) — why not ask the people who advise not to go into the region and into the war? The war has not gone well one bit.

Like I said, it's good that this message is being said at the Republican debates. It's sad, though, that only one of the Republican men running has the courage to say it.

And Chris Wallace HAS to try to reinterpret what Paul said:

MR. WALLACE: So, Congressman Paul, and I’d like you to take 30 seconds to answer this, you’re basically saying that we should take our marching orders from al Qaeda? If they want us off the Arabian Peninsula, we should leave? (Laughter.)

REP. PAUL: No! (Cheers, applause.) I’m saying — (laughter) — I’m saying we should take our marching orders from our Constitution. We should not go to war — (cheers, applause) — we should not go to war without a declaration. We should not go to war when it’s an aggressive war. This is an aggressive invasion. We’ve committed the invasion of this war, and it’s illegal under international law. That’s where I take my marching orders, not from any enemy. (Cheers, boos.)

So Wallace is running? What kind of bullshit way is that to ask a debate question?

I'm surprised we don't see more of this kind of story in the states. Americans' taste for natural and native plant landscaping seems pretty low.

The butterfly, not the ruler...

On Sunday, Kathy Stewart's neighborhood will become a giant classroom.

For six years, she's held Monarch Day, teaching people about caterpillars and butterflies, nature and ecology while they build terrariums and find caterpillars. Visitors tromp around her yard and a 12-acre field next door then take home caterpillars so they can watch the transformation into chrysalises then butterflies.

Stewart, 72, of Lower Paxton Twp., discovered the joys of butterfly husbandry after reading about monarchs in "Ranger Rick" magazine in the 1970s. Her four children stopped reading "Ranger Rick" and moved away, but Stewart's passion for monarchs continued. She feeds and houses them and tags them to help scientists studying their migration. She's traveled to Mexico's Sierra Madres to see them resting in oyamel trees.

Monarch Day began as an event for people in Stewart's church but has spread way beyond that, she said. The day is geared toward children 6 or older.

The event is free but limited to the first 50 families who respond. It will be held 2-6 p.m. Sunday.

Cool things do happen in Harrisburg.

Ah, ye fans of pony, here are the craziest horse laws in the world. I bet the pyros liked the old Pennsylvania laws...

Now, let me ask you this - is this really any better looking than the body parts we're required to cover?

Good grief, the West Shore has it bad. People are going to drive up from York to shop at the new Wegmans on the Carlisle Pike? That's about 60 miles, roundtrip. Are they really going to pay a 2 or 3 gallon surcharge of gasoline for their cheese shopping?

This country is on the fast path to HOA Hell.

I honestly believe that at some point, a property that does not have any legal entanglements with a homeowners association (HOA) will be worth more than the very same property having deed restrictions and covenants for a homeowners association. And it has nothing to do about the dues.

It has to do with the fact that we're putting current standards, practices and expectations of HOAs into contractual devices that may, and most likely will, outlive the need or desire for those standards, practices and expectations. And this country has been doing it for over 40 years. I suspect that as we look at many older HOAs, we'll see major long-term problems built into the contractual obligations of a development's deeds, and it is one incredibly big pain-in-the-ass to fix it over time - and that it's not getting fixed.

Sooner or later, some state legislator somewhere is going to stumble upon this problem, try to fix it, and find a country full of interested homeowners wanting to know more.

Make NFL predictions. Here's mine:

AFC Divisional Champions

AFC East - New England Patriots
AFC North - Pittsburgh Steelers
AFC South - Indianapolis Colts
AFC West - San Diego Chargers

Wild Cards - Cincinnati Bengals, Tennessee Titans

NFC Divisional Champions

NFC East - Philadelphia Eagles
NFC North - Chicago Bears
NFC South - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
NFC West - Arizona Cardinals

Wild Cards - New Orleans Saints, San Francisco 49ers

Except that I think everyone should have anticipated that McMansions would eventually be used for almost anything other than homes for DINKs as the marketplace came off the bubble, this is a spot-on post/article.

Don't forget using them for group homes for various folks having difficulties. Welcome to the neighborhood!

syc·o·phant

—Synonyms toady, yes man, flunky, fawner, flatterer.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 3 — A previously undisclosed exchange of letters shows that President Bush was told in advance by his top Iraq envoy in May 2003 of a plan to “dissolve Saddam’s military and intelligence structures,” a plan that the envoy, L. Paul Bremer, said referred to dismantling the Iraqi Army.

....

“We must make it clear to everyone that we mean business: that Saddam and the Baathists are finished,” Mr. Bremer wrote in a letter that was drafted on May 20, 2003, and sent to the president on May 22 through Donald H. Rumsfeld, then secretary of defense.

After recounting American efforts to remove members of the Baath Party of Saddam Hussein from civilian agencies, Mr. Bremer told Mr. Bush that he would “parallel this step with an even more robust measure” to dismantle the Iraq military.

One day later, Mr. Bush wrote back a short thank you letter. “Your leadership is apparent,” the president wrote. “You have quickly made a positive and significant impact. You have my full support and confidence.”

...

The reference from Mr. Bremer’s note to Mr. Bush is limited to one sentence at the end of a lengthy paragraph in a three-page letter. The letter devoted much more space to recounting what Mr. Bremer described as “an almost universal expression of thanks” from the Iraqi people “to the U.S. and to you in particular for freeing Iraq from Saddam’s tyranny.” It went on to recall how Mr. Bremer had been kissed by an old Iraqi man who was under the impression that Mr. Bremer was Mr. Bush.

Bremer doesn't like getting the finger pointed at him but I don't have much sympathy. He offered one sentence on a critical decision to dismantle the Iraqi Army and spent the rest of the letter sucking up to Bunnypants.

Of course, that's probably exactly how Bush likes it.

Our country has a tough time dealing, directly, honestly, about the oppression of Americans by Americans. Look at how we treated the stories of the Native Americans. The story of slavery, pre-Civil War.

In fact, the story of slavery clearly fits into the story of our country's very anguished labor history. Add to it such examples as Chinese and other imported labor, child labor excesses, the wars over unionizing, the treatment of women and minorities in the workplaces, etc., etc., etc., and we see a theme of oppression - or if you sit on the other side of the fence, at least "extreme advantage taking", by the haves over various have-nots throughout our history.

We cannot seem to face up to this in a meaningful way that can promise an improvement in the future. It still happens today, you only have to give a precursory look at the news to know it. Our government is built to achieve for the haves, and whenever the have-nots are in the way or have something the haves wants, we know how the government will act. There have been short periods of time where the government has acted contrary to this tradition - if even accidentally - but those are the exceptions, and are looked upon as brave moments in our history. Lincoln ending slavery. Roosevelt busting up the trusts. The labor laws of the late 19th and early 20th century.

Labor laws? How did I sneak that in there? Do you remember being taught much about that in public school? Yeah, me neither. But how did we get X-hour work weeks, and sick pay, and safety protections, and the like? How did this happen? Was it magical? Was it given to us by the Lord? Was it due to the benevolence of the haves, just thinking that they should give these things to the have-nots?

The failure of education to provide an adequate understanding to each generation as to how the current conditions of the workplace have been arrived at is a glaring and painful hole in our educational system. Youth should know some history of the tools, processes, and beliefs that have worked in the past in the constant push between the haves and the have-nots. School - which is a basic training ground for the workplace - is the obvious place for that to occur. And yet - how informed are our kids about these things? How many 18 year-olds know who Eugene Debs was? Or any other labor leader? Or of the strikes and other labor actions taken to make work life a bit easier for people? What was the impetus for child labor laws?

Public education not only fails to teach kids this information, but fails to provide a context in which it is rightfully important. The question today, are unions important in the 21st century, ignores that context completely. Why wouldn't effective unions be important in the 21st century? Why wouldn't the power of the collective labor force be important to the individual employee as he/she tries to navigate a workplace growing more and more hostile to individual needs?

Many of the folks that posted, based on my question last week about what American should do on Labor Day, wrote about education. I have been impressed upon that there's a valuable message there. Organized labor should grasp it. Individual parents should grasp it. As workers - and most of us are workers - we are failing to maintain our hand by failing to teach each generation about the advances made in the American workplace by American institutions, such as unions, and by American standards, in government.

When kids leave high school, they ought to be able to answer a simple question - how did they get to go to high school instead of working in a sweat shop or mine or restaurant all day?

I think, somehow, that a country full of people who appreciated the answer to that question would be a country better prepared to deal with the workplace issues of the future. But I don't think it's even being asked in the schools.

Saw these for the first time at the A-Plus mini-mart today! Hershey continues their campaign to water down their brands beyond recognition.

Anybody try one yet? This guy wussed out just like me ...

So we now have a mixture of chocolate, peanut butter and banana creme, just in time for Elvis' 30th deathday (even though you and I know he's not really dead anymore). They call it the special edition KING size (get it — because Elvis was/is the King) peanut butter cup. It's bigger than usual and features a picture of the snarling, singing Elvis back in his '70s heyday of jumpsuited righteousness. It's a special version because, as we all know, Elvis loved his peanut butter and banana sandwiches.

So naturally, I felt had to sample one, even though I knew it would produce a Cascade Mountain Range of facial acne before I got to work. And, as we all know, there's nothing more attractive on the face of a 40-year-old man.

I picked it up, turned it over, and accidentally read how much fat was in one of those things. I now know why Elvis had a hard time squeezing into those white jumpsuits back in the '70s.

I bought a PowerBar instead — after I couldn't find a giant head of lettuce.

A few days ago I asked bloggers:

"What should the federal holiday, "Labor Day", mean to America? And how should we appropriately honor the day?"

and the responses are thought-provoking. Eventually, I hope to post something about what everyone has contributed, because I think this is a conversation the blogosphere should embrace and expand upon until we actually can honor Labor Day in a way that is meaningful in this country. We have a lot of work to do to get to that point. I recommend checking out every post below - there's a point of effort everywhere.

I agree with Thomas at a minimum: whatever we do, we shouldn't use it as a starting gun for a war-with-Iran campaign.

More directly, Pen-Elayne thinks we're celebrating Labor Day at the wrong time of year. And CEOs aren't included.

It should be a day of rest, Ang recommends. A real day of rest.

Mustang Bobby suggests we ponder the question, "Who Do We Work For?" Agreed.

Deb says we should quit homogenizing ALL the holidays, and yes, that's true.

Organize. We are all part of the Labor Movement now. Monkeyfister speaks. Listen.

One that I'll write about later today, because I completely agree, is 42's assessment that it would behoove most Americans to learn a little of the history of the labor movement and the reasons that unions arose in the last century.

Whatever you do, go read John Morgan's post about it. And let's work to get that to eventually happen.

Other posts to consider:

Gort42: Labor Day
Alternate Brain: "And the company takes"
B12 Solipsism: Haymarket Memorial
cannablog: Labor Day music
Fact-esque: A Day Late

No YouTube embed, just click and watch.

Six of 10 households in Ohio are treading water financially, with no real income gains for 18 years, according to a Labor Day report from Policy Matters Ohio.

Meanwhile, the wealthiest households saw income rise by nearly 24 percent during the same period.

...

The study showed that how fast household income grows in Ohio varies sharply by one's position on the economic ladder.

For middle-income, lower- middle-income and low-income families, household incomes were stagnant, declined slightly or rose only slightly between 1988 and 2006. Upper-middle- income households, with income of about $58,700, had an income increase of less than $2,000.

The next tier, between the 80th and 95th percentile, did better, with an average family-income increase of $8,000. A rung higher, at the 95th to 99th percentile, household income rose by an average of $40,000.

But it was the richest 1 percent that saw the biggest jump. Average income rose from $698,000 in 1988 to $986,000 in 2006, a 40 percent spike. These households earned more than 26 times what middle-income households earned last year, Police Matters reported.

"This is Ohio and America in the new millennium," Executive Director Amy Hanauer said.

Of all the cartoons my son has watched over his time on earth, I have to say that "Pokemon" is, for some reason, the most annoying. Or disturbing. I do not understand the appeal of the show. It would be one thing if there was just the difference of taste, but there's something generational going on, too. A lot of our son's friends love Pokemon and get the collectible crud. A lot of our son's friends' parents are like me, completely baffled by the allure.

The best I can tell, it's not so much the show but the community that is the draw - boys trading and sharing cards, talking about characters, etc. I guess I could see it as a training ground for sports fanship in a way - after all, I traded and collected baseball cards when I was a kid - but there's a difference. But I "get" watching sports. I do not "get" watching Pokemon.

I ran into somebody else in the Harrisburg area who went to California State University, Sacramento. The odds of another person doing this are very high, the odds of me meeting that person by chance are probably... unbelievable. But it happened.

Hide the chickens! They're coming ...

"It is one ugly creature," Canion said, holding the head of the mammal, which has big ears, large fanged teeth and grayish-blue, mostly hairless skin.

Canion and some of her neighbors discovered the 40-pound bodies of three of the animals over four days in July outside her ranch in Cuero, 80 miles southeast of San Antonio. Canion said she saved the head of the one she found so she can get to get to the bottom of its ancestry through DNA testing and then mount it for posterity.

She suspects, as have many rural denizens over the years, that a chupacabra may have killed as many as 26 of her chickens in the past couple of years.

"I've seen a lot of nasty stuff. I've never seen anything like this," she said.

What tipped Canion to the possibility that this was no ugly coyote, but perhaps the vampire-like beast, is that the chickens weren't eaten or carried off , all the blood was drained from them, she said.

At George W. Bush's "Freedom Institute"...

Then he [Bush] said, "We’ll have a nice place in Dallas," where he will be running what he called "a fantastic Freedom Institute" promoting democracy around the world. But he added, “I can just envision getting in the car, getting bored, going down to the ranch.”

It did not, but soon enough, somebody else will make the decisions on Iraq. And then, Mr. Bush said, he would still be pursuing his "freedom agenda" at his institute, modeled on Stanford’s Hoover Institution, where young democratic leaders from around the world would study.

Freedom from common sense. Freedom from responsibility. Freedom from objectivity. FREEDOM!

Oh yeah, that's Central PA...

Photo by racingjohndeere55

Pennsylvania is upgrading their computer system.

Aug. 30 (Bloomberg) -- Gun retailers in Pennsylvania can't sell weapons at the start of the hunting season this weekend, and they're not happy about it. Neither are Republican politicians.

The shop owners complain that they will lose business because Governor Edward Rendell, a Democrat, decided to shut down the computers used to run criminal background checks on prospective gun buyers. The system will be off line for an upgrade from Sept. 2 through Sept. 5.

No rifles, shotguns or pistols can be sold during the three-day holiday weekend, from Saturday through Monday. The state's dove and goose hunting season opens Saturday.

`It just seems like the worst possible timing,'' said Chris O'Hara, promotions manager at Bass Pro Shops, a sporting goods store in Harrisburg, the capital. ``Labor Day weekend is a big gun-sale weekend for us.''

Perfect time for the Commies to invade!

Really. Give Rex a break, Bears fans.

Interesting article about the Utah mine owner, Bob Murray. in The Athens News, reviewing some of Ohio's experiences with him.

Apparently Murray put out a press release recently because of all the press he has received for his pugnacious media appearances.

Murray's most detailed self-defense, however, is contained in a news release put out Sunday by UtahAmerican Energy, Inc., reporting on a press conference by two top officials of the company.

...

"We have never seen the chief executive officer of any company, let alone any coal company, be out front with the media and allow us to perform rescue efforts, which he was also directing," it stated. "Mr. Murray has literally gone without sleep for the past three weeks and has never left his mine except to meet with his employees or administer to the families of the miners."

There's a reason why CEOs don't do this. It's not their strength, it's not their expertise, and it's not wise. Murray has proved that over and over again, and sadly, the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration was absolutely cowardly about taking it over.

Where's the outrage?