Jesus In A Flapjack

txrad said, "it's the same as seeing Jesus in a flapjack, right?"

Yeah, sorta.

It's like Stonehenge or the Monolith from 2001, A Space Odyssey.

We see Jesus in the strangest things. Cheesehenge, it's what's for dinner.

Friday Pussy Blog: Cat Box Edition

What a day. TGIF!

Tater Tot wasted no time getting in the box last week when I was cleaning the office. He even got one of his fuzzy ball toys and put it in the box. The boy is smart.

He's no stranger to boxes though. He always enjoyed sitting on our stack of recycled papers.

He still prefers an empty box so he can appear to be all cute and shit.

Samantha was pretty creative. If there was no box handy, she'd just use anything resembling a box. A basket works.

This was probably the last picture I took of Samantha before she died in July. The day before our house was flooded, txrad installed a new light fixture in the kitchen, and Samantha, frail and sick as she was, had to check out the box. It's a cat dream to have a box that large.

For days after Samantha died, Sissy was exhibiting some strange mourning symptoms, and that included sleeping in the litter box where Samantha used to poop days earlier. Thankfully, she's recovered.

Happy Friday. I'll probably be doing a lot of catch-up blogging this weekend since the past two days have been a blitzkrieg of work. Just in case anyone wants to stop by and see what I'm ranting about.

Fridays Shouldn't Be Like This

I thought I'd have a lot of spare time today for blogging. As you can see, I am trying to do three things at once. On the left I'm doing my real job, in the middle is where I'm doing this post, and on the right I'm unsuccessfully trying to figure out how to activate the Bluetooth feature so I can upload photos from the friggin' cell phone.

Does this make me look busy and important, or just pretentious?

konagod is Packing Some Heat

I want one of these. It's $449 and I don't care; I want one. If you want to know why I want one, go read about today's incident and the title of this post will make more sense.

It's a quartz infrared portable heater and this model heats 1,000 square feet. I'm curious to know if anyone reading this blog has one and what you think about it. They are marketing these pretty heavily. I've seen full-page ads in the NY Times and I got something in the mail as well.

I don't like being cold, so if anyone has any objections you'd better hurry up and state them!

Celebrating Frank Sinatra

Light posting here since yesterday, very heavy workload compared to recent weeks, and that's likely to be the last burst of work during my final days.

I meant to put this up yesterday and never had time. It would have been Frank Sinatra's 92nd birthday. Does that makes us feel old?

On my way to work, KGSR was doing their Coffee Break Concert where they play 4 songs by one artist and it was Frank. And I rather enjoyed it.

Led Zeppelin: The Set List

Question of the Day:

Had you attended the Led Zeppelin concert in London, what song would you have wanted to hear most that wasn't played, and what is your favorite of the ones which were played?

The set for Monday’s Led Zeppelin reunion:

“Good Times Bad Times”
“Ramble On”
“Black Dog”
“In My Time of Dying”
“For Your Life”
“Trampled Under Foot”
“Nobody’s Fault but Mine”
“No Quarter”
“Since I’ve Been Loving You”
“Dazed and Confused”
“Stairway to Heaven”
“The Song Remains the Same”
“Misty Mountain Hop”
“Kashmir”

Encore:

“Whole Lotta Love”
“Rock and Roll”

Well, for starters, I'd want my $10,000 back (if I'd been a fool to pay that much) because they didn't play but one friggin' song from my favorite album:

And "Kashmir" ranks right up there with "Stairway to Heaven" as one of the most overplayed Zeppelin tracks ever. But of course they had to include those for that reason. "Since I've Been Loving You" from III, was a good choice, and "Black Dog" was a fave of mine as a teen.

But this concert would have been woefully incomplete for me without at least a taste of "Out on the Tiles" or "Gallows Pole."

By the way, the New York Times article mentioned an interesting bit of trivia: This was the first time they had ever played "For Your Life" in concert. That track was from the Presence LP.

Machismo: Brazilian-Style

I'm not sure why a 15-year-old girl arrested on suspicion of petty theft would be held in jail for 26 days. That seems excessive to me. Or why they would have put her in a jail with men. Or why they would allow her to be raped and tortured continuously while being held, basically treated like a sex toy for their pleasure.

Oh, and they didn't just allow it.

The police in the jail did more than turn their backs on the violence. They shaved her head with a knife to make her look more like a boy, investigators said, and now are blaming her for lying about her age.

Because if she did lie about her age and was 19, shall we say, then the rape and torture resulting from her being put in a jail with men in the first place would have been more justifiable? I'm just curious.

Ana Júlia Carepa, the governor of Para, has been scrambling to clean up the mess since the situation became public late last month. Ms. Carepa pressed Raimundo Benassuly, the state police chief, to resign the day after he said publicly that the girl had lied about her age because she had a “mental deficiency.” The police have said that the girl had claimed she was 19, not 15, during several run-ins with the law.

Ms. Soares said that officials, including the judge in the case, a woman, did not press the girl for documentation proving she was an adult, even though she is under five feet tall and weighs about 80 pounds. “When I first saw her I thought she was 12, not 15,” Ms. Soares said.

For Ms. Carepa, the girl’s age is beside the point. “If she is 15, 20, 50, 80 years old or almost 100, it doesn’t matter,” she told journalists in Rio last month. “A woman cannot be in a cell with men.”

What has been particularly disheartening to federal human rights officials in the case of the 15-year-old girl is how many people had the chance to protect her. Ms. Soares, the lawyer, said the police, the judge and a public defender who had visited the jail all knew the teenager was in an all-male setting.

“Several officials were aware of what was happening, and at worst they were complicit in it,” Ms. Soares said. “It’s a very serious situation.”

This is just mind-boggling.

If the above link doesn't open, here's an alternative link to the story.

How the West Was Lost

Quaker Dave has the latest Darfur outrage, and there's plenty to be outraged about, if only we could get motivated. Perhaps some visual aids might help.

Take a look at this movie trailer for The Devil Came on Horseback, directed by Ex-Marine Brian Steidle.

Are all the nations who could help really so busy with other problems that the Darfur crisis has to ride at the back of the humanitarian bus? I don't think so.

Rethinking the Importance of Eleven

Nigel Tufnel: The numbers all go to eleven. Look, right across the board, eleven, eleven, eleven and...

At least 45 are dead in Algeria today, the 11th of December, after two car bombs exploded in Algiers.

On April 11, a suicide bomb killed 33 people in Algiers. Responsibility for that attack was claimed by GSPC, also known as Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.

That the bombing today occurred on the 11th of the month may be significant, several counter-terrorism officials noted. The attack in April also occurred on the 11th. Both bring to mind the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States and the March 11, 2004, bombings in Madrid. After the April bombing, some terrorism experts suggested that the attacks added to the accumulating symbolism of that day of the month.

We might want to consider eliminating the 11th of every month and instead have a 10th of every month lasting 48 hours. Having two 10ths is better than an 11th anyway, right? It's like having another 20th. Or is it more like having only one-fifth?

I digress.

As the world turns, more horrors unfold.

A Russian Circle Jerk

A lot of dicks in the world get greased and pulled for political gain. Russia is a shining example.

A day after President Vladimir V. Putin endorsed a loyal protégé, Dmitri A. Medvedev, as his successor, Mr. Medvedev went before the nation today and declared that he in turn would name Mr. Putin as his prime minister.

The announcement appeared to bring to a close questions about how Mr. Putin intends to wield influence over Russia after his term ends next year. Mr. Putin is barred by the Constitution from running for a third consecutive term, but he had indicated in recent months that he had no intention of giving up his power when he steps down in the spring.

Mr. Medvedev has no background in the state security services and virtually no power base in the Kremlin, and he is seen here as a relatively weak figure beholden to Mr. Putin. With Mr. Putin as prime minister, it would appear that little will change in who controls Russia.

This seems to be the method du jour for maintaining control.

Ferris Bueller, you're my hero.

About a week ago we watched Ferris Beuller's Day Off and I cannot get this fucking song out of my head.

Question of the Day (or Night, as the case may be):

What is your #1 song from a movie that when it gets stuck in your brain, it stays there?

I'm Feeling Rather Zappaesque Today

The essence of Christianity is told to us in the Garden of Eden history. The fruit that was forbidden was on the Tree of Knowledge. The subtext is, All the suffering you have is because you wanted to find out what was going on. You could be in the Garden of Eden if you had just kept your fucking mouth shut and hadn't asked any questions.

-- Frank Zappa, interview, Playboy, May 2, 1993

I wrote a song about dental floss but did anyone's teeth get cleaner?

-- Frank Zappa, Senate Hearing on "Porn Rock", 1985, in response to Tipper Gore's allegations that music incites people towards deviant behavior, or influences their behavior in general.

Cherry Picking Abominations

This is what disturbs me most about Christianity, and I'm not referring to the real Christ-like Christians who are probably as few in number as they were 2,000 years ago. I'm referring to the ones who are more obsessed with who I like kissing on the lips than they are with relevant Christ-y things like, oh I don't know... poverty.... starvation.... wars.

From the Sunday New York Times comes this story of an Episcopal diocese in Fresno voting to cut ties with the Episcopal Church, and the issue is a gay one, of course.

Traditionalists at home and abroad assert that the Bible describes homosexuality as an abomination, and they consider the Episcopal Church’s ordination of Bishop Robinson as the latest and most galling proof of its rejection of biblical authority.

Well, now that they brought up abominations, aren't all abominations a bad thing? Someone needs to tell the congregation to check their clothing labels. They might be going to hell in a handbasket.

From Leviticus 19:19--

Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee.

From Leviticus 11:10--

And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you.

That should take care of any plans to dine at Red Lobster after church.

Oh, so now 100% literal interpretation of the Bible isn't so pleasing, is it?

Christ! (pun intended.)

Give a Book for the Holidays

Even if you don't celebrate the holidays, or exchange gifts. Specifically, give this book:

This is by far the best book I've read this century. Granted, I'm the most unavid reader you've probably ever known. I've only read one other book this century and that one just squeaked through the gate in 2001: George Carlin's Napalm and Silly Putty.

A big shout out to Minstrel Boy for setting me up with this highly entertaining read. Since the book is basically all about wars and atrocities and the occasional genocide, it would have been uncomfortable reading were it not for the frequent humor of Bob Harris. On a couple of occasions I laughed aloud and it takes a lot to get me to that point. (Carlin can do it pretty easily.)

So, I highly recommend this book. If I could afford it, I'd buy a copy for everyone I know -- especially the Republicans. (Actually, I probably could afford to buy a copy for all the Republicans I know.)

Splotchy's Story Meme

I've had a Sunday morning poke from The Cunning Runt's pleasure stick. Another tasty meme. Yum. I, Splotchy started it. Each tagged person needs to add to the story and then tag others. Them's the rules and I don't make 'em.

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I woke up hungry. I pulled my bedroom curtain to the side and looked out on a hazy morning. I dragged myself into the kitchen, in search of something to eat. I reached for a jar of applesauce sitting next to the sink, and found it very cold to the touch. I opened the jar and realized it was frozen. (Splotchy)

I was used to the house being quite cold in the mornings, as the night log usually burns out around one AM when I am dreaming cozily under my covers, not normally waking to put a new one on until morning. I was surprised because on the rare occasions that it actually had reached sub-freezing temperatures in the house, I had awakened in the night to restart the fire. I would have been worried about the pipes before P-Day, but there hadn’t been running water in two years and that was one of the few advantages to being dependent on rainwater, no pipes. (Freida Bee)

The nightmares began during the following spring. The apple trees came to life in my dreams. At first the trees spoke and I thought they were amusing. That changed when the messages arrived. Lately, their anger was directed at me. (mathman6293)

I turned and stared out the kitchen window, past the frosty-lidded cistern to the orchard beyond. My trees, my beautiful fruit trees, stood leafless and dark. I wished with all my heart that this was just a normal winter thing, but it wasn’t.

“Why are you blaming me, guys? You know I love you. You watched me go out and vote that last time, in the ice-storm. It’s not like I didn’t try!”

I turned with a sigh and went to the phone to give Zaius a call. Perhaps The Good Doctor had made some incremental progress on his Long-Shot-Theory. (TCR)

Unfortunately, the phone was dead. Not from the inclement frigid weather, but because I didn't pay the phone bill and my service was shut off. "Oh well, I'll use the cell phone," I said aloud to no one but myself. As fate would have it, the cell phone battery was completely drained. I never even heard the thing chirping during the night to remind me to charge it. Being somewhat annoyed by all this, I went back to the kitchen, grabbed an ice pick and began chipping away at the rock-solid apple sauce when suddenly there was a very loud knock on my door which startled me. (kona)

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tagged: Phydeaux - Maurinsky - Bitty -- all randomly selected I assure you. :-) And one of the folks who I was going to tag had already been tagged and had the post up, so this meme is spreading fast.

As If There's Not Enough To Worry About

I'm already riddled with anxiety and depression on a personal level about my immediate future, but I still like to torture myself with the $50 monthly subscription to the New York Times which virtually guarantees I will slather on another few layers of apprehension.

The economies of many big oil-exporting countries are growing so fast that their need for energy within their borders is crimping how much they can sell abroad, adding new strains to the global oil market.

Experts say the sharp growth, if it continues, means several of the world’s most important suppliers may need to start importing oil within a decade to power all the new cars, houses and businesses they are buying and creating with their oil wealth.

Indonesia has already made this flip. By some projections, the same thing could happen within five years to Mexico, the No. 2 source of foreign oil for the United States, and soon after that to Iran, the world’s fourth-largest exporter.

The article goes on to state that some of the governments are subsidizing gasoline for their citizens -- as low as 7-cents per gallon which obviously promotes needless consumption.

So rock on, America. Drive those Suburbans and Tahoes to as many stores as possible this holiday season because we need to burn it up while we got it. They're certainly doing it in Mexico City.

This One Is For Tart's Roommate

I don't think I want to go to the office on Monday.

But I need to.

There's nothing to do, but I need to score some pot.

And I'm sure as hell not going to do that sitting on my ass at home feeling sorry for myself.

Did you pause the music?

A Note From James McMurtry

Last Saturday, November 24th, some son of a bitch walked out the back door of the Continental Club in Austin with a black face Fender Super Reverb with brown grill cloth. This was the house amp. I'm offering two hundred dollars to anyone with reliable information leading to the arrest and conviction of said son of a bitch. Be it known, the amp once belonged to Charlie Sexton, a fact that may add to the amp's value, but may also add some stress to the thief, because Charlie has a photographic memory and can conjure up minute details like serial numbers and other things that could lead to positive identification. -- JM

Good luck. Because there's nothing I'd like better than to see said son of a bitch get caught.

Remembering John Lennon: Dead 27 Years

John Lennon was killed on this day in 1980 by some fucking asshole with a gun.

Chapman called out, "Mr. Lennon!" As Lennon turned around, Chapman dropped into a "combat stance" and shot at Lennon five times with hollow point bullets from a Charter Arms .38 revolver. One shot missed, passing over Lennon's head and hitting a window of the Dakota building. Two shots struck Lennon in the left side of his back and two more in his left shoulder. All four wounds caused serious internal damage, and at least one of them fatally pierced Lennon's aorta.

Rest in Peace, John. Or come on back, soon. You probably already have and we just don't fucking know it. We're not too smart down here on this planet. We need some help. And if you are black next time around, all the better. And female, go for it.

You gotta fall on your knees before you fall in the wrong direction.

--Ruthie Foster

Is Nietzsche dead as well?

Let's take a moment of silence to deep breathe, and rejoice. For the 2nd coming.

Friday Pussy Blog: The Slut Sprawl Edition

Sorry Bunny, there's no Logjammin' here. This is a family blog.

The Slut Sprawl is reserved for our furry overlords. And dearly departed Samantha was the champion of the pose. It was actually difficult to get a picture of her when she wasn't sprawling.

Sissy can certainly claim the #2 spot, because she does it rather frequently, and very well. I like to rub her on the "soft and curlies" until she bites me.

I still miss my Jezebel. While she's not officially in the Slut Sprawl pose here, she did do it a few times. I just don't think I was ever lucky enough to get a picture. But hey, nice pink cleavage qualifies! And she was proud of that too!

And we can't leave any of the boys out. Again, not a Slut Sprawl per se, but he does like to roll around on his back for a belly rub with legs in the air, just like his daddy. And I can never resist giving those silver pubes a tug.



I can always count on Rebecca in Dallas to make some contribution. And the Slut Sprawl is definitely not limited to felines. Gabby certainly has a knack for it.

Well, thus concludes another most excellent Friday Pussy Blog. Almost. We need an encore.