Monday, August 31, 2009

Weekend Perambulations/Photos

The last couple of weekends have seen us visiting a couple of Revolutionary War sites, the House In The Horseshoe and Cowpens National Battlefield. We also visited Seagrove, North Carolina, a pottery center. Here are some photos from the various trips.

Hummingbird, House In The Horseshoe


Soybeans, House In The Horseshoe


Looking NW, House In The Horseshoe


Well, House In The Horseshoe.


Log Cabin, Cowpens National Battlefield Park


Log Cabin (Detail), Cowpens


Log Cabin (Detail), Cowpens


No photos from Seagrove, unfortunately, which was my fault; I should have photographed some of the great pots we saw there.

Americana At The Grammies

A new category to reflect changing musical tastes.

Much of what I listen to these days falls into this category, artists like Slaid Cleaves, Lucy Kaplansky, Carrie Newcomer, James McMurtry and others. Good stuff, with the focus on the music, not the antics of the performers. A lot of it is Austin or Nashville based.

Additional story here. Of the artists listed, I like Todd Snider's work the most, probably.

Roll, Roll, Roll In Ze Hay

Sleeping in a hay bed at a German tourist site.

Which of course calls to mind the old classic from Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder (skip ahead to 6:45 to see the scene I refer to in the title:

Playing A Little Catch-Up

South African blacks are beginning the process of turning their country into another Zimbabwe.

Survival At Sea: Three Texans Lost At Sea For A Week

They stayed with their capsized catamaran even after the Coast Guard abandoned its search for them, until a passing yachtsman found them.

The story doesn't give much detail on the survival preparations they had on the boat (if any), only that they improvised using snack food and a small supply of water intended for rinsing off fish slime from fishing.

Friday, August 28, 2009

Treasure Blog: Viking Horde, York, UK

A stunning Viking horde over 1000 years old, found by amateurs with metal detectors:



UK law prevents the finders from keeping the horde, but they get a finders' fee for their discovery. Personally I'd have kept at least one coin as a memento, and let the government have the rest.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Marine Corps Uniforms More Battle-Ready

Interactive Stars And Stripes illustration.

I wonder what the grunts call the armored plate shown in the groin area? Nut Plate? Ball Bowl?

*laughs*

UK Police Stealing From Cars To Teach Theft Prevention

Story.

Police are taking valuables from unlocked cars to teach drivers to be more careful.

Motorists have been returning to vehicles to find that handbags, laptops and sat-navs have been replaced with a note telling them they can retrieve their belongings from a police station.

The scheme has been introduced in Richmond upon Thames, South-West London, which suffers from a high number of thefts from cars - up 40 per cent in a year.



Jeez, I shudder to think about their rape prevention techniques.

Amusing Headline of the Day

"Angry Outburst Leads To Downtown Beatdown."

Pure poetry.

Sen. Ted Kennedy Dead At 77

Story.

He lived 40 years longer than Mary Jo Kopechne. And that is all I'm prepared to say on this subject. If that offends you, go fuck yourself.


h/t Drudge Report.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Grandfather of the Year

A habitual criminal in Florida stole his son's car, but not before he also smashed his grandson's piggy bang and stole the $50 in change therein, leaving the shards of the bank for the boy to find.

Here he is:

You Mean He Lied To Me?

Scottish authorities are shocked, shocked, that the Lockerbie bomber broke his promise to not celebrate his premature release from prison.

Kenny MacAskill, Dumbass

Weekend Photos

Things you might see driving around the back roads of North Carolina in the summer:

Everyone's Welcome At Reb's Bar.


C's BBQ, Mocksville, NC


Sometimes Additional A/C Is Needed Here In NC.


We Decided Not To Eat Here.


US 221 Rest Area, North of Marion, NC.

Ladies, Your Boobs Are Numbered

If you have had breast implants, that is.

Jenkins, 32, is Canadian citizen who became the focus of a nationwide manhunt after police said he fled to his home country when the body of his wife, a former Playboy model, was discovered stuffed in a suitcase in Buena Park, Calif., just south of Los Angeles, on Aug. 15.

Fiore, 28, had her fingertips cut off and her teeth pulled out, apparently to make it difficult to identify her.

Rackauckas said Fiore was subsequently identified during the autopsy by the serial number on her breast implants.

"It's unusual, but it's not unique," he said. "That's happened before."

You Can't Flee Justice

Not Justice the police K-9 dog, you can't.

Rambo The Rapist On The Loose In Germany

BÖBLINGEN, Germany — Police have located the rental vehicle used by a Special Forces soldier to flee custody after he was convicted in a court-martial of kidnapping and aggravated sexual assault of a German woman. The soldier remains at large.

A manhunt for Sgt. 1st Class Kelly A. Stewart, 36, began Thursday morning after he failed to show for the sentencing phase of his trial. Late on Wednesday, a court-martial panel in Vilseck found him guilty of several charges in relation to an August 2008 incident. A soldier who was sharing an on-post hotel room with the convicted soldier told the court Thursday that he awoke around 7:30 a.m. and found Stewart was missing, along with his Class A uniform, wallet, two cell phones and the rented Audi.

Despite his absence, Stewart, who trained fellow Special Forces soldiers at the International Special Training Center in Pfullendorf, was sentenced to eight years in prison and a dishonorable discharge.

David Court, the civilian attorney who represented Stewart, decliined to comment on his client’s state of mind and was cautious when asked if he thought Stewart would be found.

“Do I have a crystal ball?,” Court said. “I can tell you this. There was evidence presented in court that [Stewart] had the highest level of [Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape] training.”

Fine. Time For Us To Leave

Police in South Korea are planning to distribute comic books to South Korean children explaining why the US is in the country and the threat of North Korea. The plan is intended to combat anti-American sentiment among South Korean youth.

We should have been out of that country decades ago, and also out of Germany and Japan. Let them pay their own defense.

Oh, Man, That's A Tough One

Apparently here in Charlotte we can fill potholes or hire more police, but not both.

Update: Cops win.

In Yet More Moose News...

...the organizers of the Talkeetna (Alaska) Moose Dropping festival are planning to discontinue the overly popular festival after the shit hit the fan a festival-goer drowned, which raised a big stink caused much controversy.

That story is loaded with just too many possibilities for satire for just one person to handle. Anyone wishing to volunteer jokes and snarks on this story is invited to do so.

Can We Re-Stock It With...Um...Lesbians?

After two centuries of being infested with rats, Alaska's Rat Island, located in the Aleutian Islands, is now certified rat-free.

I guess it's going to be re-named The Island Formerly Known As Prince Rat?

The Weather Is Beautiful, You've Got VD

In Brazil, you can send a sex partner an e-postcard informing them of that little microbe or virus you passed on to them.

That one's just begging for a country song.

Even Lobsters Get The Blues

A New Hampshire lobster fisherman caught a rare blue lobster in his trap.

They're rare, only 1 in 1.5 million lobsters is blue.

Pic:

Teh Gayest Crime Evah?

WILTON MANORS, Fla. A man with a tattoo of Britney Spears' name on his arm or neck allegedly stole a Chihuahua with pink earrings from a South Florida gay bar. Brian Dortort, 48, said Thursday he has spent weeks searching for his 4-month-old pooch, named Hudson Hayward Hemingway. The dog, about the size of a softball, was in a specialty pet bag.

If that one doesn't win, it's surely in the running. And sorry for calling you Shirley.

Oh, Oney, Oney...

A Wal-Mart employee beat his supervisor with a baseball bat after being reprimanded.

Remember this good old Johnny Cash song?

Shooting Case In Charlotte Front-Page News

"Robbery, Shooting Case Is Legally Complex."

To summarize it, the 78-year old robbery victim chased the men who robbed him, killing one of them, who turned out to be a teenager. Since the confrontation occurred some minutes after the robbery and was not on the man's property, neither the "castle doctrine" or normal circumstances of self--defense really apply.

Click the link for the details.

Gunny Ermey Speaks

USMC Gunnery Sgt. R. Lee Ermey of Full Metal Jacket fame is interviewed for DefenseLink News.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Oh, Bother

They've arrested Chicago's "Winnie-The-Pooh Bandit."

I Said Fill It With Munny, Not Hunny.


And hey, while looking for that last image, I found another one of Winnie with another Chicago crook:

US Navy "Ghost Fleet" In The News

I blogged about the US Navy's "Ghost Fleet" a while back; the fleet is in the news, with officials wondering when the ships will be removed from the James River, where it is feared that the ships will leak oil and pollute the river.

Here's a pic from the previous post, click it for full size:

Headline of the Day

"Mounties Clear Teens of Moose Abuse."

And if that's not enough, there's a "related stories" box with these tantalizing headlines:


Related Stories

* Canadian boys accused of beating moose
* Moose makes a mess of interstate
* Utah denies blame for rampaging moose
* Moose creates spectacle at race course
* Alaska moose Milwaukee bound
* Moose 'fell from the sky,' died on impact
* Moose death on Alaska schoolyard probed
* Moose rescued from icy lake will survive
* Six moose die after being tranquilized
* Moose reported on man's house



UPI. Your source for moose news. All moose, all the time.

That Ain't Grandpa...

...and could you put his arm back in the coffin, please?

A Philadelphia funeral home confuses a couple of corpses. They must have looked alike.

*tongue firmly in cheek*

Courtney Love Plays With Her Cooter!

Courtesy of the UK Sun.

Pic:



What do you mean, hey that's just a turtle? Where I come from (Florida), that creature is known as a cooter, and you used to be able to buy t-shirts at The Yearling Restaurant saying "eat more cooter."

*laughs*

Kudzu Jesus?

Growing every day.

The Return of Perry

Perry (cider made from pears) has made a remarkable recovery as a beverage in UK, much to the amazement and happiness of pear farmers.

UK Newspaper Demonizes Burglary Victim As Vigilante

"'I don't regret killing that teenage burglar', says vigilante farmer Tony Martin."

Vigilante farmer Tony Martin has said he has no regrets about shooting and killing a teenager who broke into his farmhouse 10 years ago today.

The 64-year-old insisted he was right to kill petty crook Fred Barras, 16, and seriously injure his accomplice Brendan Fearon, 31, after they broke into his home.

'Regrets? I've got no more regrets than people who break into people's houses,' the eccentric vigilante said last night.


The UK is mired in the sort of liberal attitudes that the US saw during the 60's and 70's, when criminals were coddled and victims maligned. The abused working classes see Martin as a hero, while the elites see him as a vigilante and a menace. How would it sound if the genders and the crime were changed a bit?

Dirty whore Tina Martin has no regrets about shooting a teenaged rapist who broke into her farmhouse 10 years ago today.

Sounds pretty bad, doesn't it? I dont' like it the original way, myself.

Bumper Sticker of the Day

While riding around somewhere in the mountain country of NC this past weekend, we saw an old car with an old black woman driving it, and on the back, a bumper sticker said:

Be Kind To Your Children
They'll Choose Your Nursing Home

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

"World's Most Dangerous Footpath"

El Caminito del Rey in southern Spain.

This YouTube video has made the rounds before, but it's still worth linking:



Definitely will pucker your sphincter up tight.

Snakes and Florida

A non-hysterical story on snakes in Florida, focusing on the recent invasion of south Florida by Burmese Pythons.

Who Can Resist Bacon?

Not the "Bacon Bandits."

In early June, Gainesville police reported that officers in the different counties had teamed up to locate the suspects after noting similarities between nine robbery cases in Alachua, Columbia and Marion counties.

Some officers referred to the robbers as the "bacon bandits" because they took food off a customer's plate during one holdup at a restaurant along I-75.


I can just imagine it:

Hands up, motherfuckers! *sniff sniff* Is that bacon I smell?

Dude, You Only Whistle At HOT Chicks

A UK man got the crap beaten out of him after he whistled at a trio of women. The women did the beating.

Here are the three paragons of femininity:







Since it's a poll sort of day, I'll just offer another poll:

Would You Whistle At These "Ladies?"
I'd Whistle At A Potato Sack If Someone Drew A Woman On It
"Ladies?" ROFL!
What's British for "Bull Dykes?"
  
pollcode.com free polls

USS Laffey (DD-724) Headed For Dry Dock

Story.

She's one of the museum ships at Patriot's Point in Charleston, and they are towing her upriver for a four-month repair. The Laffey served during WWII, had a long service life. You can read the Wikipedia entry on her history here.

Here's a photo of her:

Next Time Call 911 First, OK?

A boy buried in beach sand by friends nearly drowned when the tide started coming in.

The 16-year-old boy from New Jersey was buried neck-deep sitting Indian-style in wet sand that was compacted and getting tighter by the minute, said Chief Chip Munna of the Village of Bald Head Island Department of Public Safety.

As if the tight sand made it difficult enough for people to dig the boy out, the tide started flowing in above his nose.

At the scene, bystanders were trying to dig the boy out with plastic beach shovels.

“It turns out people had been trying to dig him out for about 20 minutes before they called 911,” Munna said.

He said bystanders began creating dams and sand walls to block the waves from reaching the boy, and one person found a snorkel so the boy could breathe.

“The snorkel saved his life,” Munna said, adding that emergency crews had a helicopter on standby in case they were unable to get the boy out.

He said emergency workers, with the help of bystanders who built a dam, were able to lift the boy out of the hole.

“He was buried so much they thought they were going to break his legs,” Munna said.


Hoo boy. What a comedy of errors.

Let's have a poll:

Would You Let Someone Bury YOU In The Beach Sand?
Hell, No! Remember Stephen King's Creepshow?
Sure, Why Not?
Only If It Was The Hawaiian Tropic Bikini Team.
  
pollcode.com free polls

Headline of the Day

"Woman Survives 30-Foot Flip-Flop Fall."

Woman falls 30 feet while hiking would presumably have been too clear, I guess.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Hitchens On Saddam Hussein's Iraq

I haven't started with Iraq; I haven't begun to tell you what it's like. The nearest I can come from personal experience would be I suppose being present when a mass grave in a district of the south, was being opened, near Babylon, just after the intervention in 2003, and I was there; I'd gone with a group of my fellow reporters and the temperature in Iraq at midday around that time goes well above 100, and you have to be coated in sunscreen at all times, and you're coated in sweat anyway, and it gets in your hair and in your clothes and on your face, you're sort of covered in slime in effect, protective slime, and that's fine until the wind gets up a bit as the mass grave is being excavated, and you find that you're being covered in a coat of powder. Grey powder, which is made of people. It's the filth and the smut of people who'd been buried en masse for a long time and were just being dug up and are being now blown around in it in a grave. If you want to feel dirty, if you want to feel dirtied up by the experience of fascism, try finding that you're 12 hours away from a shower and you can't get dead person out of your hair, or off your face, there's nothing you can do about it, you're stuck with it, you're tainted, you're polluted, and you're living in a country or visiting a country in this case which is digging itself slowly out of a generalised mass grave.

So that was Iraq for very nearly 40 years.


Read more here.

Monday, August 17, 2009

New Pitcher Plant Species Capable of Killing Rats

It's been named after UK naturalist David Attenborough.

Music Recommendation

I've been listening to a bit of country music these days, courtesy of my girlfriend Sara. One song I like a lot is by Billy Currington, People Are Crazy. I can't embed it here, but you can click this link to go to the YouTube video itself. It's a song with a great catchline, even for me, who am no longer religious.

Hope you enjoy it.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

The Cycle of Life, Death And Rebirth

At Kasatotchi volcano in the Aleutian islands of Alaska, which erupted last year for the first time in recorded history.

The island was transformed from a diverse bioculture hosting thousands of species to a lifeless moonscape. Now scientists are returning to observe how life regains a foothold on a sterile island.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Black Watch Sniper Kills Taliban Boss At Over 1 Mile

One hell of a shot.

Here's a photo of the Scots sniper, who wasn't, of course, dressed like this when he made the shot:

Friday, August 14, 2009

Shock The Mommy

A cop in upstate New York Tasers a mother for speeding and texting while driving.

The blog title comes, of course, from the classic song by Peter Gabriel:

Don't Carry A Gun When You Rob Someone...

...your victim might take it away and shoot you with it.

I guess they don't make robbers like they used to.

Happened about 30 miles south of here in Lancaster, South Carolina, population 8177. Saaaaalute!, as they used to say on Hee-Haw.

Oh My Goodness, Oh My Soul...

...there goes Anna Mae down that hole.

It's been not just years, but decades since I heard that old schoolyard song. For those who have never heard it, here are the lyrics:

Anna Mae
Where are you going?
Upstairs, to take a bath.
Anna Mae’s got legs like toothpicks
And a neck like a giraffe.
Anna Mae stepped in that bathtub.
Anna Mae pulled out the plug.
Oh my goodness, oh my soul,
There goes Anna Mae down that hole.


That's the way I heard it, anyway. Your experience may vary.

Spark Up A Doob, Granny

A study suggests that marijuana use by the elderly can deter osteoporosis.

Roll grandma a joint, junior. You know she can't do it, not with her arthritis...

Rocky Mount, NC, Serial Killer?

Looks like it.

He appears to be following the classic strategy of preying on prostitutes and other women on the criminal fringe of society, thus minimizing his risk.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Bought A Gun Recently?

The feds may be targeting you as a "lone offender" terrorist.

Federal authorities have launched an effort to detect lone attackers who may be contemplating politically charged assaults similar to the recent murders of a Kansas abortion doctor and a Holocaust museum security guard.

The effort, known as the "Lone Wolf Initiative," was started shortly after President Obama's inauguration, in part because of a rising level of hate speech and surging gun sales.

"Finding those who might plan and act alone, the so-called lone offenders ... will only be prevented by good intelligence, the seamless exchange of information among law enforcement at every level, and vigilant citizens reporting suspicious activity," said Michael Heimbach, the FBI's assistant director for counterterrorism.

Secret Service spokesman Malcolm Wiley said the FBI is sharing information with his agency.


So if you're a gun owner and have been badmouthing The One, you may soon hear a knock at your door from your friends in the US government.

Cuba: The Toilet Paper Apocalypse

Cuba is running out of toilet paper.

I'm sure if they recycled The Collected Speeches of Fidel Castro that the situation would be alleviated to a large extent.

Florida's Steve Irwin?

Call him the Python Hunter, maybe?

MIAMI — Nobody has killed more Burmese pythons in the Everglades than Bob Hill.

Long before the state launched its new python patrol, Hill was quietly -- aside from judicious employment of a 12-gauge -- racking up a count of constrictor carcasses likely to stand for some time.

Hill's skill at spotting the wily predators dazzles colleagues. During breeding season, he can pick up whiffs of python musk -- distinctive, but only if you're another python or know what you're smelling.

Hill is a stocky 58-year-old with the grizzled look of a man who spends a considerable part of life outdoors. With ruddy cheeks and snowy walrus-cut beard, he looks a bit like Santa if Claus used an airboat.


Click the link to read more. It's a fine McClatchy story.

Sweet Poetic Justice, Fresh Off The Vine

A man who threw a woman through a plate glass window died after accidentally impaling himself on one of the shards, severing an artery.

It's almost as if there actually is a god watching over us and tending to business, instead of ignoring us as is the usual case.

Beer: It Does A Body Good

Beer links healthy bones in women to beer consumption.

No mention of the dreaded beer gut, though.

Fox Ripped Her Flesh

And in Massachusetts, a fox attacked a woman, biting her on her buttocks.

Apparently it's rabies season again.

Otters Ripped Her Flesh

A Wisconsin woman was attacked by otters while swimming and is undergoing rabies treatment.

Bonus for identifying the album/artist who inspired the blog post title.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Names Change, Spying Stays The Same

US Diplomat, suspected of being CIA, caught in a "honeytrap" sting with footage possibly released onto the internet by the FSB, the successor to the KGB.

For those of you unfamiliar with international espionage, a honeytrap, also called a venus trap, is a technique in which a diplomat's/spy's sexual weakness is preyed upon, either directly by an agent, or indirectly via third parties such as prostitutes. Information derived from the honeytrap can come either voluntarily via boasting, unguarded revelation, etc., or involuntarily (blackmail). The Russians are experts at this, and the Chinese have been engaging in it, too. In the old days when homosexuality was less tolerated than in modern times it was quite easy to arrange homosexual honeytraps, also.

Obama Administration: Who To Consult On Afghanistan?

Why, a scholar opposed to the war in Afghanistan, naturally enough.

Hoodah thunkit?

Gentlemen, This Is A Howitzer

US Army artillerymen who became temporary infantrymen in Iraq become reacquainted with their howitzers in Afghanistan.

This end go BOOM!

He Was Being An Ashhole

An Anchorage woman was arrested for criminal mischief after throwing the remains of her cremated son at her boyfriend.

He ashed for it.

"Dog Ate My Homework" Didn't Work, Either

A Florida man blamed his cat for all the child porn found on his computer.

Dude, you just never did learn to lie convicingly, did you?

Friday, August 07, 2009

Great Balls Of Fire

A drunken, obnoxious UK lout (redundancy alert, there) who tried to entice a Greek girl by dancing naked near her received a shock when she first poured high-proof ouzo on his privates, then set them alight.

She's been hailed as a national heroine in Greece, whose citizens are tired of misbehavior by drunken Britons.

update: Ha! I knew I'd blogged on a similar story before this.

Ma'am, Where Is Your Infant Son's Penis?

I cannot tell a lie: the dog ate it.

Which was, of course, a lie.

Those Rose-Colored Glasses That I Am Looking Through...

...show only the beauty, because they hide all the truth.

A line from an old John Conley song, Rose Colored Glasses, which was that country singer's first hit back in 1979. And, if you've never heard it, here it is on YouTube, spun on an old 33RPM LP:

Want A Lighthouse?

The US Coast Guard is giving one away.

Only stipulation is that you must maintain it, which isn't a job for a poor person.

Here's a pic; looks like a lot of money would be required to maintain it:

Thursday, August 06, 2009

Oh, That's Just...Wrong.

Two construction workers in Lacey, Washington, have been fired for shooting two chipmunks to death with nail guns.

Apparently the chipmunks, a subspecies known as Townsend's Chipmunk, are on the protected species list, which of course makes it much worse.

Still, though, just envisioning the scenario...

*in helium-pitched voice*

Hey Chip!

Hey Dale!


*thock* *thock*

It's a tragedy, it really is, it's...um...Bwaaa haaa haaa haaa!

Let me hear your take on it:

Chipmunks Killed By Nail Guns: Tragedy, or Comedy?
Tragedy
Comedy
I Bet The Workers Said, "Hey, Watch This!"
  
pollcode.com free polls

I Have A Eureka Moment

While reading this story about a missing local woman, I had one of those Eureka! moments, but one I am sure that others have had before me: do we implant GPS tracking devices in humans the way that we do with pet dogs and cats? If not, why?

If everyone and his brother have already thought of this, please be patient with me; I have an intelligence that works somewhat like Mr. Butterbur's from The Lord of the Rings, of whom Gandalf remarked "he can see through a brick wall, given time."

The Unspoken Reason

There are various reasons to carry arms on your person, either concealed or openly, with self-defense being the leading reason. One reason that rarely is ever mentioned is that of final retribution after receiving a mortal wound. We'll call that one No Damn Man Kills Me and Lives, for the following reason:

During the US Civil War, one of the most remarkable men on either side of the conflict was Nathan Bedford Forrest. Starting as a private soldier, he ended the war as a Lieutenant General, and was such an inventive and daring cavalry leader that he was called The Wizard of the Saddle. In addition to this Forrest was fearless himself in battle, not hesitating to engage the enemy in hand-to-hand combat with pistols, shotguns and saber, which in his case he sharpened back and front.

On one occasion after a battle Forrest dressed down a subordinate officer for poor performance; the officer went and got a pistol and, returning, shot Forrest. The general, cleaning his fingernails with a pen knife, shouted out No damn man kills me and lives! and stabbed the subordinate with the pen knife, which resulted in the man's death a short time later. Forrest, who had been wounded in the hip by the man's bullet, recovered.

So there it is, the unspoken reason that many of us might choose to carry a concealed weapon. Not just for self-defense, but for final justice or retribution should the worst happen. Bloody-minded, I know, but I think it's as legitimate reason as any other.

Tell me what you think.

Would You Carry To Ensure Final Retribution?
Yes.
No.
  
pollcode.com free polls

Those Things Science Can't Explain About Humans...

...such as blushing, kissing, and...picking your nose and eating it.

They're not sure, but they think that the last one boosts the immune system. Really. I wouldn't lie. Well, I would, but I'm not in this instance. Ok then, read it for yourself, if you don't believe me. Sheesh.

Trip Down Memory Lane

What beach girls used to look like, as displayed by actress Natasha Henstridge recently in Malibu:



Lush, voluptuous, gorgeous, and all woman. Not overly muscled like a 15-year old boy, or bony like a 10-year old girl. A woman in a woman's body. In 1970 this sort of figure was still the norm, although the bikini bottom is a bit too skimpy for that time period.

Lovely lady.

Update Poll added!

Natasha Henstridge: The Goldilocks Test
Too Skinny!
Too Fat!
Just Right!
  
pollcode.com free polls

Too Fat To Fight

UK military porkers.

A growing problem in the US, as well. Reports indicate that obesity is keeping more people from enlisting than criminal records or lack of education.

Not Enough Medals of Honor Awarded?

Story.

Maybe we should just put 'em in boxes of Cracker Jack.

It Ain't No Sand Dollar

Emily Plocheck was beachcombing and found something unusual.

So presumably there is a jawless Yorick-type skull rolling around the bottom of the San Bernard River.

Don't Bring A Garden Hose To A Gunfight

It's what a Charlotte man did:

A 47-year-old man called police after being nearly killed by two random thugs. He told officers that he was watering his lawn, minding his own business, when he heard a voice from behind him telling him not to move. He turned around and saw two men standing in his front yard, one of them pointing a pistol at him. The victim then sprayed the suspects with his water hose, because what else would you do? The suspect fired a shot at the victim and fell over. The shot missed and the victim also fell over as the two suspects ran away down the street. That's how you deal with annoying neighbors' dogs and Dennis the Menace, not armed assailants. Not smart – but still my hero of the week.

Now it should be noted that a garden hose would be an awesome weapon indeed in a fight with the Wicked Witch of the West, provided that the Flying Monkeys didn't become involved.

Another Teachable Moment?

A Michigan man was arrested by police for disorderly conduct after tormenting a police dog by shouting and barking at it.

There's no word yet on whether President Barack Obama thinks that the Three Rivers Police Department acted stupidly in arresting the man, or whether "species profiling" was involved.

Deli Wars

Here in Charlotte at area Harris Teeter grocery stores, Dietz & Watson deli meats are out, Boar's Head deli meats are in.

Too bad; I like the D&W rare roast beef and London Broil roast beef products. We'll have to see if the Boar's Head stuff is comparable.

Tuesday, August 04, 2009

Concealed Carry Featured In USA Today

Page 1 above the fold, so it's a prominent story.

Of course, Paul Helmke of the Brady Campaign is allowed to spout his blood in the streets crap without being challenged on it.

Don't Make Me Use My Stuff On You, Baby

A mugger was foiled by victims using taekwondo.

Which brings to mind a favorite scene from Bubba Ho-Tep:

Monday, August 03, 2009

Ann Althouse, Married

To her blog commenter Meade.

Happiness to both of you.

Be A Passive Sheep And Do As You're Told...

...because being aggressive gives the other sheep ideas. We don't like that.

A bank teller captures a bank robber and loses his job over it.

Well, It WAS Pretty Good

Sara and I stopped here on Sunday for lunch:



A good, honest, roadside BBQ joint serving buffet-style meals, $8 apiece. It's not the best BBQ I've eaten, but it was tasty and the item selection on the buffet was enough to fill anyone up. And it's a break from eating at generic fast-food places.

Saturday, August 01, 2009

Culinary Note

I discovered last night that our favorite Charlotte restaurant, Lancaster's Barbecue and Wings, not only makes fine BBQ but they also make one of the best hamburgers I've eaten in Charlotte in years. I'm going to have to explore the menu further and see what other treats await.