SCRAPING THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL

Good time to see 3 planets in the evening sky. And with a good set of binoculars or a telescope you'll be able to see Saturn's rings.

For everyone who gets confused about what is where in the USA. This should be of assistance.
I know there was a good reason for posting this picture but I've forgotten.
Oh, yeah. It was to display belly-button jewelery. Some ladies have got the use and display of these body ornaments down pat.

Then there are some who don't:
I know, that was gross. Maybe she should try the McMiracle Diet.

The next victim of the economic squeeze may just be those huge flat screen TVs.

Most of you won't remember her, but Dody Goodman died yesterday at age 93.

According to this study, we should think in GPM rather than MPG.


This is the very first home I remember. My parents bought it after I was born. It looked a lot different back then. Part of the post-war building boom. A very basic 2-bed/1-bath home. My Dad did some improvements that still remain. Including the cinder block fence you see along the side. Various owners over the past half century had made many others. I used to climb on the roof from the front porch, at age 4. Scared the shit out of my folks. I would parachute from the roof edge to the ground. Never broke anything but got the air knocked out of me a few times. Found the image on Google Maps - Street View.

This is where I had my first dog, Snoopy. Where we got our first TV set. The big room on the left didn't exist. That was the driveway to the garage. Like the one you can see on the house to the left. The front porch was way different. From here I rode my first bicycle, without training wheels, the first time I ever got on one. I was going to be good enough to do what the bigger neighbor kids could do. Rollerskated on the sidewalk, back when the skates attached to a kids leather shoes. As a little kid, this was my world.

Thanks for letting me share.

"Let's all be careful out there!"

IN A QUANDRY

A showing of hands, please.
Who here likes paparazzi?
No one?
I think some of you aren't being exactly forthright.

Who here watches any of the entertainment news shows?
Wow!
A lot of hands went up for that one.

If it weren't for the vids & pics provided by the paparazzi, those "entertainment" shows would be very dull. And if they were dull, no one would watch them and then there would be no deep pocket producers to pay the paparazzi for their purveyed images.

Princess Di's death had paparazzi as a contributing factor. These folks often provoke situations where they hope to evoke a violent/emotional reaction from the celebs. Of course, sometimes the celebs fans base can turn the table on the paparazzi. But that is wrong also. Courts have ruled that a celeb in a public venue or activity has no right to expectation of privacy. And if it wasn't for the paparazzi, most of the celebs would be unknowns. I cite Paris Hilton as an example.

***

Another issue is the price of crude oil. We blame the Saudi's for its sudden rise but that isn't correct. We can't refine any greater volume of crude in the 1st world than we are now because our refineries are already running at capacity. So is it being caused by the surge in demand from the emerging nations (China, India, etc.)? Not really, they are wanting and needing more as might be expected but you don't build a refinery overnight and right now more would just have to be stored until it can be used. Easier to leave it in the ground at the source.

The big problem is in the trading of futures. Speculating where the price of crude, fuel and sundry other commodities will be at some point in the future. And if you are big enough, manipulating conditions where your guess will be correct. Think of what Enron did to the State of California and the availability of electricity about 5 years ago. There was plenty of electricity available but by shutting down power plants and lying about capacity loads, the movers and shakers created a totally artificial crisis for pure profit and political power.

So, IMO, you can thank Wall Street and its zoo of Bulls, Bears and Rats for the current situation.


"Let's all be careful out there!"

DAILY CHUCKLE

"Let's all be careful out there!"

GEORGE CARLIN HAS DIED

IN LOS ANGELES AT 71

I was fortunate enough to have had a front row seat at a performance he gave in Reno NV in 1993. Sometimes caustic but always thought provoking.

• Wikipedia
• News Stories
• IMDb

***

The recent Supreme Court decision regarding the ude process for detainees at Gitmo sure generated a huge bruhaha among conservative members of our country. You would have thought that the world was coming an end. Yet all the court did was reestablish that there were already laws in place that would allow for the legal processing of these individuals in an open court system. And that all individuals have the legal right to due process. Not the kangaroo system that the administration was using to subvert everything our country has stood proudly for.

It just might be safer to walk in the middle of the streets in NYC than on the sidewalks. Especially after what happened the last two days.

Off-shore drilling is the big question of the moment. We know the crude and natural gas reserves are there. Relatively easily to access. Our country needs these resources but, those of us old enough, also remember the 1969 blowout on a rig off the Santa Barbara CA coast. An event that was a major factor in creating "Earth Day". And most of these drilling locations are smack dab in the middle of fragile habitats. So do we risk our future for immediate gratification or suffer starvation with a larder full of food? Its a tough decision.

And the price of crude rose in today's early morning trading in Singapore. Despite the consumers/suppliers meeting over the weekend. A meeting that was either a dismal failure or a smashing success. Depending on the participant's POV. The arguments were the same as always. The price is jacked by lack of adequate production. By excessive 1st world user demand By emerging 3rd world economies that are rapidly industrializing. Or -
D: "All of the above"



Just about every 15 years this issue comes to the front of people's minds. Usually after TV production companies and advertisers just push the inside of the envelope just too far. The target venue varies but the concept never does.

If you are into geekdom, then you should find this interesting. If not, just skip it.

Thanks for your visit. Have a great day and week.

"Let's all be careful out there!"