Wildlife in the Snow. Rare!

And very very stoopid!

A Bear in Buffalo, New York caught doing what the non-hibernating side of the species do during a snowstorm that will eventually  dump 9 inches of lake-effect snow on the area.

***Courtesy of the Daily Mail, UK. Seems readers of the paper would love nothing more than for this nightmare to fall upon them.  Careful what you wish for.

You can’t make this up.

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The Post-Election Blues

Seems everybody’s got ‘em.  My mailbox has been crammed with whiney, sniveling messages from Liberal and Democratic groups about this being the end of the world now that the obstructionist Stoopids are back in control.

Two things here:

1.  It will take them less than the next 2 years to fuck up everything that has been good and positive for the country.

2.  Where were these pundits and consultants when Nate Silver warned of this happening as early as a year ago?  (click image to embiggen!)  No one chose to believe him, though his record speaks for itself.  He’s not an “I told you so” kind of guy.  He just does what he does best - numbers - and the powers that be chose to ignore him.  And, at their (our) own peril. 

Ah, and number 3:  Get ready for another war. One doesn’t need to watch TV to see that’s high on their agenda.

When I saw the crowds at the polls on election day I was alternately happy and worried; an off-year election after all and we didn’t have too much brewing in the pot this time.  I wasn’t surprised at the outcome. 

OK, Here’s the deal.  This election disaster is over.  Flush the fucking Pity-Potty and move on.  After a half century of activism I am most tired of saying this, but there is more work to do than ever. And, it is in our own party. It’s time to get fearless and fierce with those applying for elected office. 

If we don’t. If we choose to let it go and let others do it, well, we’re going to have to live in the world THEY decide we should live in.

Do you want that?  Think hard.  If not, then get your ass, head, and mouth motivated and move on. There is little time before the 2016 con-game bullshit begins to hit the fan.

If you’re miserable you have yourself to blame, if you’re into that sort of thing. So, STFU!!! Cut out the crying, whining, and hand-wringing - IT’S OVER - - FOR NOW!

Help me down off this soapbox.

More later.

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Just a Thought: Choose

Nope.  Think I'll pass.
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Just a Thought: Texting

I'd love to see this happen, just once.
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Just a Thought: Nuts

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Just a Thought: Tan

Truth is just truth. Sad to say.
And so it goes.
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Just a Thought: Tea

Enuf said.
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Fending, Finding, and FUBAR**

FUBAR - FTW!

Friday turned into an epic FUBAR day; equal parts Fellini and The Marx Brothers at their best - with a little Doris Day thrown in for balance.  Without going into confusing detail, let’s just say that between 7 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. chaos, computer glitches, dumb decisions, were the norm rather than exception.  Beaucoup stoopid, as I say. And on top of all the rest, a last-minute discovery that platelets were low caused more hysteria, yet another delay

Anyway, after 22 hours without food or drink I was beyond hungry or thirsty and closer to numb.  Beyond feeling discomfort or pain. Since the day went longer than anyone dreamed it could, my offer to buy Kelli’s lunch went out the window. By the time she fetched me at the hospital, it was late and she still had work to do at the office. I was dropped off at home and had to fend for myself.

Fine. While still coming out of the anesthetic haze, I microwaved some frozen Beef Daube, covered it with rice and along with copious amounts of water - had dinner. 

After the small meal I hit the bed and was out almost immediately. Slept long and deep, thanks to the goddess. Today it all seems so surreal.  But, it all happened. 

There are three patches on my chest - there should only be 2 - only the goddess knows what was done to me in all the confusion. In any case, I survived, am aware (to a degree), walking, talking (when necessary) and functioning as normally as any human could after such an experience. 

Of course, I am sore, but none the worse for what the old body was put through.  Breakfast was scrambled eggs, toast and a coffee. Today it’s back to the routine of drugs, (some were suspended prior to surgery) foods (even though it’s 90’F outdoors, I crave a heavy chicken with veggie soup), and a little light exercise.

There were six items on my gay agenda today:

• Walk the Boardwalk at dawn.
• Appointment at the Center for the Neupogen shot.
• Pick up new prescriptions at the Pharmacy.
• Prepare Chicken soup.
• Order a telephone answering device for the land line.
• Upgrade the memory in the MAC MINI.

The weather was ideal for the walk. Cool, cloudy, with a light fog. It's nice to have the boardwalk and ocean almost all to myself. Though the ocean was calm, one could still enjoy the sounds and smell while walking in the light fog. It was a peaceful bit of heaven.

One of the Lab Techs at the Center tried to scold me for not showing up for the second Neupogen shot yesterday.  After I chewed her face off for 5 minutes, she walked away with tail between her legs.  Came by as I was leaving later to apologize. Never judge anyone’s actions or inactions, especially if you don’t know the reason or cause.

The pharmacy was an interesting experience, as well. The two pharmacists - both of African Heritage - are very kind, helpful, and generous with their time and knowledge. Their names are Aousten and Ougwan.  Both are gentlemen of about my age. 

They always greet me with a smile and floored me today,  telling me how nice it is to serve me. That they were sorry a person like me am going through what I am at present. They were clearly having a bad day, customer-wise.  It is July, after all. Still, it’s nice to receive such a rare compliment anytime.

With the upgrading of cables Verizon is doing in my neighborhood, the landline and DSL service have been problematic over the past weeks (or months, who can remember?), as a result I’ve been missing calls.  Not good in the current situation. I decided I needed a digital answering device to collect any missed calls, so went hunting at Radio Shack & Staple’s. 

There is no doubt in my mind why both those companies are about to go belly-up. The staff is clueless and as bright as a bag of hammers. (One had never heard of a digital telephone answering device, vaguely knew what a wired phone was. Honest!) So, getting nowhere fast, I tried the usual suspects - K-Mart, and finally Wal-Mart, only to come up empty again.

On to Amazon (why don’t I ever think of this option first?) and found one within seconds. They’re more sophisticated these days, offer more recording time and more bells and whistles, too. So, ten minutes and $10.00 later, an answering device will be arriving at my home on Monday.

Have to make a note to think of Amazon first when it comes to obscure, uncommon items.  I’m a Prime member - for the free Kindle Library, movies, and 2-day shipping, but it’s never first in my head for situations like this  There were many options to choose from and the item descriptions usually covered questions one would normally ask an informed sales person, who, unfortunately, exist only in the shadows of the past.

Picked up the fresh veggies for the soup on the way home, resisting temptation to munch on the raw *celery and carrots;  whimpering as I dropped them into the Dutch Oven with the broth. Soup will be ready by suppertime.  Yay!  Me!

Always the procrastinator! When I purchased the MAC MINI last year, the sale price included only 8GB of memory. The money saved by going with the 8, instead of 16GB upgrade was enough for the purchase of the super drive DVD.  I thought the 8 would be sufficient for my needs.

A go-to friend at the restaurant, and self-proclaimed MAC MANIAC wasn't so sure.  He thought the 16 would be more efficient and faster. I couldn’t afford the added expense - especially dealing with a then unknown illness - so the (on sale) MINI with the 8GB won out.

Well, not to be dismissed, my friend gave me the 16GB modules a few weeks later. He had removed them from a non-working MAC and wouldn’t take a penny for them.  Just insisting I install them and see the difference.  Well, 9 months later and I finally switched them out - the 16 for the 8 - and you know, he was absolutely right. 

It’s a snap to do, requiring nimble fingers, and no tools.  Totally unlike a Windows PC. The no tools thing I could handle, the nimble fingers thing was another story.  Still, I got it done and am a very happy camper. Now I have to suck it up, call Eddie to tell him the deed is done and listen his “I told you, so” reprimand. It'll be worth it.

This post is longer than expected, but there’s been more activity these past 48 hours: Port removed, New Port embedded, Fresh Soup, New Telephone answering device, improved MAC, and a much higher platelet count, to boot.

That last bit may be the reason I have more  energy this evening than usual. I graciously accept any and all.

And so it goes.

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**FUBAR = fucked up beyond all recognition.

Just a Thought: Sick Birds?

Where to take them, then?

"Win, We Must…"

"For Our Cause Is Just…."    Stupid!

Have a look at this new poll, please:

37% of Mississippi GOPers Would Back Confederates in New Civil War.

A new Public Policy Polling survey found that 37 percent of Republicans who voted in the Mississippi primary runoff election between incumbent Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS) and state Sen. Chris McDaniel (R) said they would back the Confederate side if there was another Civil War.

Let me hear it once more about the “new” South. Just as lost in the past as the Old South.

The rest is HERE.

And so it goes.

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Word Crimes

Weird Al has a big Dic -tionary!  Here's his latest.

Quite a few of my pet peeves are addressed in this funny video. One that wasn't is the use of (of) instead of ('ve) as a contraction as in should've, not (should of). When I see that written by people my own age - who clearly should know better, it burns my biscuits. They're just lazy and should've been taken to the wood shed.

I suppose most of this can be directly related to the Twittertube demanding the use of so few characters, but there's no need to carry it over into writing.

Just my 2 - cents, plain.

More later.
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Dino Killer? We Are Doomed!

Christ on a cracker.  Literally thousands of dumb-asses on the Interwebs think this prop shot is REAL.  That in 2014, Steven Spielberg really and truly shot and killed a dinosaur that's been extinct for 66 Million Years!

It's deep in the land of stoopid for us all. One comment is embedded with the photo.  As usual, Click to embiggen.

More later.
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Rolling Coal, The Weekend, & Card of the Day

Hooray for me!  I saw my first “rolling coal” vehicle (which ought to be illegal) on the highway today. It was a pickup truck with a king cab packed with 5 rednecks swilling beer (which is illegal), playing  loud music, and howling. I call it "black smoke with a side of stoopid." And man, does that smoke stink.  Well, it is coal after all. No briquettes baby, this is the real deal. I can just imagine that nasty stuff ruining the engine of that nice big red truck. 

Summer traffic being what it normally is (heavy, bumper-to-bumper, etc.) on a Friday, they didn’t get their point across.  Instead of the black smoke billowing out behind them as they ripped down the highway, (see image above) they sat in traffic with hundreds of others, that black smoke belching upward (for some reason, the exhaust pipes are installed vertically) then falling and coating nearby vehicles in ashes and soot. Other drivers were not amused - especially those in convertibles. I hope that is the last of those contraptions I ever have contact with.

A reminder that a few miles to the west of here it is mostly redneck country where big confederate flags fly, high power rifles are part of fireworks displays, tiny brains abound, and common sense is in short supply.  

To read about this stuff, or to see video is one thing, but who’da thunk it I’d see the real thing on a local roadway making dreadful noise and giving free asthma attacks to anyone in the vicinity.

Then, there’s the tale of the obese, practically naked, good ‘ol boy rescued from his pontoon boat when he sliced through his penis while cutting bait for his crab traps.  Yes, he was under the influence at the time.  Like you had to ask? 

Or the little girl who went temporarily blind after sticking her face in the bowl of the (running) cotton candy machine. Of course she is fine, will probably breed and the whole scenario will be repeated in the future. Always something to look forward to...glad I won't be here.

But, these are stories for another time.   Maybe not. 

Like I say, you can’t make this stuff up.

I went to thrift stores hunting for Chef’s knives today and  found a 6” Victorinox and a 5.5” OXO. I gave them my box of kitchen things to add to their collection and they wanted to knock a few bucks off my purchase. Christ on a cracker, everything is already so inexpensive, I declined the offer. They put the money to good use helping families in need - and there are a lot of those around here. I am not that needy. 

I have (had) Victorinox knives and know they’re some of the best, but had not heard of OXO until recently, but I hear they’re good and hold an edge.  We’ll just see about that.

Oh, and apropos of nothing, here is my card of the day:

Card description: Honor. 

The symbolism is honor through the forces or accomplishments of the purity and power of spiritual undertakings. This is honor unmarred by ego, something wholly, entirely and completely outside of self. There may be an element of self-satisfaction in that one is closely allied with the source of honor, but the honor is deserved only by the selfless entity symbolized by the flowering rod. 

Note: Rod = Wand, Stave in other decks.)

Anyway, the weekend is here. No more Chemo until Monday (Yay! for me) so all my poked places have a chance to heal before the next 2 rounds.  If the sun makes an appearance, I get to take a few Dawn Patrols walks on the boards - sporting my festive new chapeau. 

And so it goes.

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Civics Lessons, Anyone?

I'd hope that this has been PhotoShopped, but it seems pretty close to the reality of the thinking of the Crazies in this country.

More later.
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Holiday and Hurricane Cometh

In no particular order...

The REAL Weather Channel.

Heavy rains overnight (nothing to do with Arthur) caused local flooding and kept the humidity high; off the charts and making it hard to breathe.  The sun came out briefly, but made it even worse. 

Had a Labs appointment at 7 a.m. this morning to check my numbers, in case I need fresh blood to hold me over for the holiday weekend, also endured prep testing for the Chemo routine beginning next Monday. Took longer than expected, but I didn’t need to be transfused - this time round. Yay! 

Although I don't feel compromised or ill, the white cell count is farther into the danger zone than anyone suspected. I am not to be in crowds or around small children (unless they’re properly cooked) and must wear the damned Isolation mask when I do venture out in public.  Oh, how I hate having to do that.

I will receive 3 more Neupogen injections this  weekend, however. Today through Saturday. Yes, it’s annoying, but it is what it is.  There’ve been many pricks in my life, but these are by far the easiest to deal with. Sorry.  I just couldn’t help myself with that one, it just made itself and fell out onto the page.

Tourists and Tempests Don’t Mix.  I think I read that somewhere before, and it's true... Where is the Whiskey Sour when you need one?

Mid-day shopping was a nightmare - especially with: 1.) the Independence Day holiday at hand, and 2.) the terror inflicted by the oncoming first hurricane of the season, Arthur.  There was panic in the aisles, car park, and street. Havoc reigns at the beach.  I left without making a purchase. What was I thinking?

What's coming is a Natural Storm, people.  Not Dick Cheney, or Godzilla!  If you’re so scared, why in Hell did you come to the beach, anyway?  OK, OK.  Now, the sky is dark gray to black and the winds are gusting to 35 mph, already. Not a good sign. Never mind.

My newly acquired patience appears to apply only to road rage and heavy traffic. A$$hole shoppers are not included - not yet, anyway. (I guess there is a whole lot more work ahead of me.) The loud rumblings in the sky did nothing to calm folks down.  

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

BTW, the Silver Queen was grand, had it til it came out of my ears (sorry!) so to speak.  Came across a great way to steam it in the microwave - husks-on. Super delicious and so easy. Corn comes out of the husks clean, and very hot!  I’ve got to see that man and his truck one more time.  

All finger food tonight: ribs, artichoke salad, and silver queen corn (2 ears left) are on the menu. Hey!  It’s something to look forward to, anyway.

The thunderstorms are beginning and I am glad to be home, out of all madness for the duration.  Nothing on my gay agenda until Monday when the Chemo treatments begin again, unless an evacuation order is issued. Which I doubt will happen at this late stage.

And so it goes.

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Back to Iraq?

Yes.  The neo-cons and war mongers are sure there’s more money to be made by wreaking more destruction of lives and land.  So, they’ll provoke - or create - a scenario whereby the USA must send more of our already exhausted young men and women to save face for said imaginary incident.

I am reading the same disturbing lies comments and phrases that filled the media 12 years ago, just like it was yesterday. Even those already discredited “journalists” who shilled for the war in the first place are back in the public eye. Doesn’t anyone else remember?

Grandpa Walnuts can’t keep his stories straight, pointing fingers at everyone but himself, and I swear, if they drag out supreme asshole Doug Feith, I’m moving to Narnia

Besides, there’s no need to bother with expensive drones when human cannon fodder is all around us? 

We will send our young’s to die to make the rich even richer. We will never learn.  We never seem to learn from the past. We’ll be lied into another war and only years from now realize that we were duped yet again.

And so it goes.

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A Dangerous Chemical !?!

I found this on a newsgroup. Funny, but so sad. 

H2O: Dangerous Chemical! 

A student at Eagle Rock Junior High won first prize at the Greater Idaho Falls Science Fair, April 26. He was attempting to show how conditioned we have become to alarmists practicing junk science and spreading fear of everything in our environment. In his project he urged people to sign a petition demanding strict control or total elimination of the chemical "dihydrogen monoxide."
And for plenty of good reasons, since:
it can cause excessive sweating and vomiting
it is a major component in acid rain
it can cause severe burns in its gaseous state
accidental inhalation can kill you
it contributes to erosion
it decreases effectiveness of automobile brakes
it has been found in tumors of terminal cancer patients 

He asked 50 people if they supported a ban of the chemical.

• Forty-three (43) said yes,

• Six (6) were undecided,

• and only one (1) knew that the chemical was water.

The title of his prize winning project was, "How Gullible Are We?"
He feels the conclusion is obvious.

Yes Virginia, the stoopid, it burns.

And so it goes.

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The AFA on the Harvey Milk Stamp & a Counter Suggestion

When I first read this “suggestion” yesterday the flaws in the plan became shockingly clear.  Evidently, not so much to the AFA. 

Incensed by the release of a postage stamp honoring Harvey Milk, the American Family Association is urging its members not only to avoid purchasing the stamp…but to refuse to accept or open any letter or package postmarked with one.
1. Refuse to accept the Harvey Milk stamp if offered by your local post office. Instead, ask for a stamp of the United States flag.
2. Refuse to accept mail at your home or business if it is postmarked with the Harvey Milk stamp. Simply write 'Return to Sender" on the envelope and tell your postman you won't accept it.  

In his daily email alert yesterday, Family Research Council President Tony Perkins also attacked the Obama administration for issuing the stamp, linking the move to the imprisonment of a Sudanese mother who is facing the death penalty for her conversion to Christianity: “(T)he Obama administration -- which had more than enough time to throw a party in honor of homosexual activist Harvey Milk -- hasn't had a spare second to demand the freedom of two of America’s youngest citizens.”

Here’s the suggested counter PSA (with a side of stupid) for those paranoid AFA members, courtesy of DU. (click image to embiggen.)

The stoopid.  It burns!

More later.

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Say What You Want About Delaware…

Like many other states, The First State has its share of woes…but not when it

comes to an emergency honey bee situation.  Oh no. We have a plan!

Motorists in Delaware were buzzing with one of the most unusual police alerts ever: “Transient bee swarms in the area.”
A tractor-trailer hauling 460 hives from Florida to Maine overturned on a northbound on-ramp on I-95 in Newark, Del., releasing between 16 million and 20 million bees and causing police to advise drivers to avoid the area.
The driver, 55, and two passengers in their 20s suffered minor injuries in the crash, but were each stung by between 50 and 100 bees.
"(They) were running down the street covered in bees, receiving multiple bee stings," Lawrence Tan, chief of New Castle County Paramedics, told WPVI. The station also sent out a photo of the accident scene:
The three were taken to a hospital and are in stable condition, according to multiple reports in the local media.
The state police have had a contingency plan in place for the removal of bee swarms for 14 years, but until now, it's just been words on paper. (bolding mine)
"This is the first time we've actually activated the plan," Sgt. Paul G. Shavack told Delaware Online.
With so many bees around the truck, it took at least an hour before police could even get near it -- so they called in experts, as the plan advises.
“Having traveled up from Florida, up here they’re probably thirsty, now they’re all disoriented and angry I’m sure,” beekeeper Dave Feinberg told CBS Philadelphia.
"They've been traumatized so they're pretty upset now," Paul Dill, another beekeeper, told CSNPhilly.com.
Beekeepers advised police not to attempt to round them up but to disperse them with water. Video of the scene shows firefighters spraying the wreck.
The bees were being brought to Maine to pollinate blueberries, NBC Philadelphia reports. But it's estimated that 90 percent of the bees were lost as a result of the accident.
It's not a total loss for everyone, though. Local beekeepers are being allowed to keep whatever bees they can roundup. 

You can’t make this stuff up. Troopers can’t handle traffic during a power failure, but they’ve got a plan for handling overturned trucks full of bees.  

Got fig.

And so it goes.

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Operation American Spring?

Well, that was fast.  Bwwaaaaahahahahahahaha!

Yes, well...

And so it goes.
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