Saturday, April 03, 2010
Easter Bunny Bashed In Fishkill, NY
One of those tragicomic stories.
If Easter Bunny had been hit by a car while crossing the road it would have been even more tragicomic, one of those cases where you laugh uproariously and then feel guilty about it for the rest of the day.
The name of the NY town makes it even more ludicrous, of course.
If Easter Bunny had been hit by a car while crossing the road it would have been even more tragicomic, one of those cases where you laugh uproariously and then feel guilty about it for the rest of the day.
The name of the NY town makes it even more ludicrous, of course.
Dog Bites Dog Story of the Day
Here in Charlotte, an uncontrolled mastiff at a dog park killed a Chihuahua/terrier mix.
Just snatched it up in his massive jaws and shook it like a rat.
And on top of the uncontrolled dog offense, the mastiff's owner gave a contact address which turned out to be bogus.
And I'd say that the mastiff owner isn't likely at this point to return to the park.
Next time? Call the law, or at least insist on getting an address and driver's license # from the offending dog owner, so that he can be tracked via DMV.
Just snatched it up in his massive jaws and shook it like a rat.
And on top of the uncontrolled dog offense, the mastiff's owner gave a contact address which turned out to be bogus.
And I'd say that the mastiff owner isn't likely at this point to return to the park.
Next time? Call the law, or at least insist on getting an address and driver's license # from the offending dog owner, so that he can be tracked via DMV.
Friday, April 02, 2010
In Haiti's Hour Of Need...
...the only existing copy of its Declaration of Independence from France, written in 1804, has been discovered in the British National Archives by an American graduate student from Duke University.
Thursday, April 01, 2010
Over At New Jovian Thunderbolt...
...the worthy proprietor of that blog has acquired his very own submachine gun from a generous neighbor.
One of these (photo via Wikipedia):
Not the worst of the WWII subguns, and at least it's in the manly .45 ACP caliber.
Later: I hope that this wasn't an April Fools' hoax.
Still later: It was.
One of these (photo via Wikipedia):
Not the worst of the WWII subguns, and at least it's in the manly .45 ACP caliber.
Later: I hope that this wasn't an April Fools' hoax.
Still later: It was.
I, Too, Shall Expose The Stupidity Of This DEMOCRAT Congressman
Pretty much everyone on the right side of the blogosphere has linked it already, so I may as well also, since it's usually a good idea to give stupidity as wide an exposure as possible.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Representative Hank Johnson, DEMOCRAT from Georgia, fears that if too many people live on/stand on/dwell on/walk around on the island of Guam, that it may tip over and capsize:
Apparently Congressman Johnson heard about the science of continental drift and concluded that land masses just sort of float around on the ocean.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Representative Hank Johnson, DEMOCRAT from Georgia, fears that if too many people live on/stand on/dwell on/walk around on the island of Guam, that it may tip over and capsize:
Apparently Congressman Johnson heard about the science of continental drift and concluded that land masses just sort of float around on the ocean.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Arrival
Via the US Postal Service:
Spyderco Tenacious, with 8Cr13Mov flat-ground steel blade and G-10 handle scales. This was the first of the Spydercos built in China, and the fit and finish seems to be of the same high quality as the Japanese or US production. $30.64 from Amazon, with shipping a total outlay of $36.22. A bargain by Spyderco standards. I'll do an update if I encounter any problems with it.
Spyderco Tenacious, with 8Cr13Mov flat-ground steel blade and G-10 handle scales. This was the first of the Spydercos built in China, and the fit and finish seems to be of the same high quality as the Japanese or US production. $30.64 from Amazon, with shipping a total outlay of $36.22. A bargain by Spyderco standards. I'll do an update if I encounter any problems with it.
Nostalgia of the Day
Gainesville, Florida, my home town, is thinking about renovations to Ironwood Golf Course.
The course was private when I was a child, and was the favorite destination of my maternal grandfather, Author William S-----t, affectionately known as "Whitey" to all of his golf buddies. He spent much of his time on the course, either playing or raking golf balls out of the water hazards. When I was a teenager he and I fished in the water hazards, which contained some nice Largemouth Bass, as well as alligators. Going into the rough after balls could be dangerous, as rattlesnakes as well as cottonmouths could be found on the course. My grandfather played golf well into his eighties, stayed in good shape walking the course.
The course was private when I was a child, and was the favorite destination of my maternal grandfather, Author William S-----t, affectionately known as "Whitey" to all of his golf buddies. He spent much of his time on the course, either playing or raking golf balls out of the water hazards. When I was a teenager he and I fished in the water hazards, which contained some nice Largemouth Bass, as well as alligators. Going into the rough after balls could be dangerous, as rattlesnakes as well as cottonmouths could be found on the course. My grandfather played golf well into his eighties, stayed in good shape walking the course.
Enforcing A Gun Law, What A Novel Concept
In Alaska, a criminal received a ten-year prison sentence (the maximum) for being a felon in possession of a gun.
So the stupid SOB will have ten years to reflect on whether he might possibly straighten up and fly right once he gets out, and during that time, the people of Alaska (and the rest of the US) don't have to put up with the crimes he might have committed while free.
I like that sort of gun law.
So the stupid SOB will have ten years to reflect on whether he might possibly straighten up and fly right once he gets out, and during that time, the people of Alaska (and the rest of the US) don't have to put up with the crimes he might have committed while free.
I like that sort of gun law.
Monday, March 29, 2010
In Disarmed UK...
...police are entering unsecured homes without warrant, collecting valuables and placing them in a "swag bag" where the homeowner can find them, all as an object lesson in burglary prevention.
You object? What are you going to do about it, Disarmed Englishman? What if those police had found some of that contraband in your home, that substance you snort up your nose, those pictures hidden on your computer hard drive? What if they had less noble intentions, and planted such contraband in your home?
So, go ahead and complain to your Member of Parliament; and what if he agrees with the police, Disarmed Englishman? You gave up your right to arms, traded your freedom for a little security (as you thought) and now can't even take up arms to prevent the tyranny of the jackboot that enters your home.
You object? What are you going to do about it, Disarmed Englishman? What if those police had found some of that contraband in your home, that substance you snort up your nose, those pictures hidden on your computer hard drive? What if they had less noble intentions, and planted such contraband in your home?
So, go ahead and complain to your Member of Parliament; and what if he agrees with the police, Disarmed Englishman? You gave up your right to arms, traded your freedom for a little security (as you thought) and now can't even take up arms to prevent the tyranny of the jackboot that enters your home.
Weather Report
It was a little bit of an adventure in this part of the world last night.
Sara mentioned that hail fell at her location,and a few tornadoes were reported, one of them was photographed by some motorists:
Sara mentioned that hail fell at her location,and a few tornadoes were reported, one of them was photographed by some motorists:
Volcano Blog: Icelandic Eruption Continues, Great Photos
via the UK Daily Mail:
And:
Icelandic volcanoes aren't of the explosive, gaseous type such as Mt. St. Helen's that lie quiescent for centuries and then explode, blowing their guts out, so thus are rather non-threatening as volcanoes go. Civilized volcanoes, you might say.
And:
Icelandic volcanoes aren't of the explosive, gaseous type such as Mt. St. Helen's that lie quiescent for centuries and then explode, blowing their guts out, so thus are rather non-threatening as volcanoes go. Civilized volcanoes, you might say.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Restaurant Review: Burk's BBQ, Rock Hill, SC
Since we had spent last weekend at the beach with a lot of driving involved, Sara didn't wish to drive long distances today for our weekly BBQ excursion. I recalled reading about barbecue hash in a recent Charlotte Observer food article, and had noted that the restaurant, Burk's BBQ, was in nearby Rock Hill, SC, so we decided to go there.
It's easy to find, right on US 21 in Rock Hill (called Cherry Road there), in a storefront:
A photo of the menu:
You order at the counter and the staff brings the food to you. Sara ordered her customary small pork plate, I ordered my customary large pork plate, and we decided to share a plate of the barbecue hash between us, since it had been the point of the food article.
Here's my plate, with mustard-based sauce, hush puppies and steak fries:
Here's Sara's plate, with the red tomato-based sauce, sides same as mine:
And here is a photo of the barbecue hash. The article from The Charlotte Observer describes it thus: "Take beef brisket, Boston butt pork, sweet red pepper, onion, cook them in a pot for five hours, maybe more, till the meat's just falling apart. Remove any fat. Then add back some of the broth, a little mustard, a dash of vinegar."
The barbecue was outstanding, being moist and succulent, finely chopped, with a good mixture of outside brown meat and inside white meat. The mustard-based sauce on mine was very tasty; in color it wasn't as obviously yellow as other mustard-based sauces I've tried, but there was still a definite mustard tang to it. The tomato-based red sauce in Sara's 'cue was good too, but not quite as good as the mustard-based sauce.
The hash was good, but suffered in comparison with the barbecue, which, as I said already, was outstanding. Sara and I divided the hash between us, and we ate it all in addition to our own plates. It would be a good dish to eat by itself as a change of pace from the barbecue.
The sides were good. The hush puppies were sweet and freshly cooked, as were the large steak fries. Sara had iced tea for her drink, I had Diet Dr. Pepper (it comes in 20-ounce bottles at Burk's).
Still wanting to fill up the corners after that great meal, we decided to try another item from the menu, "apple sticks," which turned out to be small deep-fried turnover-type treats filled with apple pie filling and rolled in cinnamon sugar after frying:
Same size as fried mozzarella sticks or chicken fingers, and simply delicious, cooked to order, so they come to the table hot and fresh. Wonderful.
The restaurant is, as I have said, in a storefront in a strip mall. The walls are covered with photographs of TV and movie stars, mostly from the '70's and '80's. Sara reported that the ladies' room is covered with beefcake pictures of Tom Selleck. Intrigued, I checked the men's room for cheescake pictures of female starlets, but no such luck, the walls there were bare.
Folks, I have to give Burk's BBQ my first 5 out of 5 on my rating scale: 5 out of 5: great; excellent food, cooked fresh. Staff attentive and proactive, management responsive to complaints. Restaurant spotless.
It's well worth visiting.
update: Burk's BBQ is no longer in business as of 10 July 2013.
It's easy to find, right on US 21 in Rock Hill (called Cherry Road there), in a storefront:
A photo of the menu:
You order at the counter and the staff brings the food to you. Sara ordered her customary small pork plate, I ordered my customary large pork plate, and we decided to share a plate of the barbecue hash between us, since it had been the point of the food article.
Here's my plate, with mustard-based sauce, hush puppies and steak fries:
Here's Sara's plate, with the red tomato-based sauce, sides same as mine:
And here is a photo of the barbecue hash. The article from The Charlotte Observer describes it thus: "Take beef brisket, Boston butt pork, sweet red pepper, onion, cook them in a pot for five hours, maybe more, till the meat's just falling apart. Remove any fat. Then add back some of the broth, a little mustard, a dash of vinegar."
The barbecue was outstanding, being moist and succulent, finely chopped, with a good mixture of outside brown meat and inside white meat. The mustard-based sauce on mine was very tasty; in color it wasn't as obviously yellow as other mustard-based sauces I've tried, but there was still a definite mustard tang to it. The tomato-based red sauce in Sara's 'cue was good too, but not quite as good as the mustard-based sauce.
The hash was good, but suffered in comparison with the barbecue, which, as I said already, was outstanding. Sara and I divided the hash between us, and we ate it all in addition to our own plates. It would be a good dish to eat by itself as a change of pace from the barbecue.
The sides were good. The hush puppies were sweet and freshly cooked, as were the large steak fries. Sara had iced tea for her drink, I had Diet Dr. Pepper (it comes in 20-ounce bottles at Burk's).
Still wanting to fill up the corners after that great meal, we decided to try another item from the menu, "apple sticks," which turned out to be small deep-fried turnover-type treats filled with apple pie filling and rolled in cinnamon sugar after frying:
Same size as fried mozzarella sticks or chicken fingers, and simply delicious, cooked to order, so they come to the table hot and fresh. Wonderful.
The restaurant is, as I have said, in a storefront in a strip mall. The walls are covered with photographs of TV and movie stars, mostly from the '70's and '80's. Sara reported that the ladies' room is covered with beefcake pictures of Tom Selleck. Intrigued, I checked the men's room for cheescake pictures of female starlets, but no such luck, the walls there were bare.
Folks, I have to give Burk's BBQ my first 5 out of 5 on my rating scale: 5 out of 5: great; excellent food, cooked fresh. Staff attentive and proactive, management responsive to complaints. Restaurant spotless.
It's well worth visiting.
update: Burk's BBQ is no longer in business as of 10 July 2013.
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