Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Smokey the Clown on Chinese Fire Fighting

By Jack Brummet, Ephemera Ed.


This is a fascinating article, not so much because of Smokey the Clown, but because of the discussion of Chinese Fire Departments halfway through the article.  From the Owosso, Michigan Argus-Press, September 15, 1932:



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Heisenberg: My favorite Halloween Costume this year

By Mona G

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Who said it? Abba Eban, or Winston Churchill?

By Pablo Fanque, National Affairs Ed.

"You can always count on the American people to do the right thing, after they have exhausted all other possibilities."


 

This quotation is usually attributed to Winston Churchill.  NPR recently pointed out that "so many American politicians have misattributed this quote to Churchill that we can't count them. "  

NPR says that a  version of this"Men and nations behave wisely when they have exhausted all other resources"was first uttered in March 1967 by Israeli diplomat Abba Eban.  He never actually mentioned America.  Since then, the quote has made the rounds and been quoted, misquoted, and requoted until it has evolved, with even the speaker's name changed, sort of like the parlor game telephone. 
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Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Painting: Flower #40 - cornflower

by Jack Brummet


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Miss Atomic Bomb 1957 - Lee Merlin

Mona Goldwater, Pageant Ed.

“Copa Room showgirl Lee Merlin poses in a cotton mushroom cloud swimsuit as she is crowned Miss Atomic Bomb 1957 photograph. Above-ground nuclear testing was a major public attraction during the late 1950s, and hotels capitalized on the craze by hosting nuclear bomb watch parties, which usually included the dubbing of a chorus girl as Miss Atomic Bomb. Merlin was the last and most famous of the Miss Atomic Bomb girls”
- Las Vegas Sun
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A current meme on women running for President


By Pablo Fanque, National Affairs Ed.


This image has been making the rounds. . .it originated on Common Culture (or, they added their name to it).

But where's Senator Warren?? Like Hillary, she doesn't probably have a *huge* shelf life either. If anything like this scenario plays out, Hillary will be a one term President. She will go one and done. Which leaves Elizabeth Warren in 2020, possibly thwarting the interwoven double dynasties of the Houses of Clinton and Obama.


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Monday, October 28, 2013

Pictures from Yosemite National Park, Part 3

By Jack Brummet, Travel Ed.

We only had one day in the Yosemite Valley (we were here for a wedding), but it was fantastic.

Link to Part 1
Link to Part 2









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Pictures from Yosemite National Park, Part 2

By Jack Brummet, Travel Ed.

We took a quick trip to the Yosemite area (specifically Bass Lake) last weekend.  We did get to spend an amazing day in the Yosemite Valley.  Unbelievable.  The photos just don't do justice to the scale and grandeur. . .

Link to Part 1
Link to part 3







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Pictures from Yosemite National Park, Part 1

By Jack Brummet, Travel Ed.

We took a quick trip to the Yosemite area (specifically Bass Lake) last weekend.  We did get to spend an amazing day in the Yosemite Valley.  Unbelievable.  The photos just don't do justice to the scale and grandeur. . .

Link to Part 2
Link to Part 3












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Sunday, October 27, 2013

The dangers of startling the hypnotized or meditating

By Mona Goldwater, Religions Ed.


Jack texted me tonight from Yosemite:  Can't get to the blog due to spasmodic wifi connection.  But post this: /xoxo jack

You know, I have a lot of friends & family who are devout meditators.  When I was a kid I remember people telling stories about the dire consequences if you startle or arouse people in a hypnotic state.  A great pop culture reference to this is the movie Office Space, when Peter Gibbons is hypnotized.  His therapist dies of a heart attack before releasing him from the hypnotic state and his personality is transformed, with hilarious consequences.

I am at this family shindig in Yosemite and I realize you have to tread lightly if you walk into a room or somewhere outside and someone appears to be deep into meditation.  I mean, if you break their meditation, they could end up like being stuck in neutral forever, right? /Jack in central California
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Friday, October 25, 2013

Cook-off: David Lynch's quinoa vs. Robert Rodriguez's sinful Texas brisket and ribs

By Mona Goldwater, Cooking Ed.

This is strange.  Do other directors add cooking videos to DVDs? Other than Robert Rodriguez, who started it; he's released three or four of his Ten Minute Cooking School episodes on various DVDs—Puerco Pibil, Sin City Breakfast Tacos, and Texas Barbecue...from the GRAVE! (JT Hague, a character in RR's Grindhouse film Planet Terror, sucummbed to the zombies, but left behind his secret barbecue recipe). 

David Lynch's quinoa dish--unlike Rodriguez's--is a clean, but rather ascetic dish.  Different strokes. 



One of Rodriguez's Ten Minute Cooking Schools:


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Thursday, October 24, 2013

Triavil advertisement (circa 1969): "Lady, your anxiety is showing (over a coexisting depression)"

By Mona Goldwater, Social Mores Ed.

This has to be the most pharmaceutical advertisement of all time (and it has some strong competition).

"Lady, your anxiety is showing (over a coexisting depression)" folder cover for "The Nervous System anatomical illustrations" published by Merck, Sharp and Dohme, West Point, PA. Circa. 1969. Advertises Triavil "a broad-spectrum psychotheraputic agent for the management of outpatients and hospitalized patients with psychoses or neurosis characterized by mixtures of anxiety or agitation with symptoms of depression..." 


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Poem: The Dream

By Jack Brummet





1.
There is no verisimilitude,
No character development
Or contrapuntal plotting—
Only shadowy acts and intentions.

2.
What the wind whispers,
The taste of metal in my mouth,
The riptide around Cold Island.

3.
The sound of footsteps,
In unison.
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Painting: The Allegory

By Jack Brummet

click to enlarge
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Painting: the mortal flower

By Jack Brummet

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Wednesday, October 23, 2013

An awesomely bad B Movie—watch Bowanga Bowanga (1951) here

By Jack Brummet, B Movie Ed.

 Bowanga Bowanga is an amusing exploitation flick from 1951. I like B movies, and this one doesn't disappoint.  In particular, the moose that shows up in scenes in Africa.  You know you want to watch.  Just click the arrow.



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Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Painting: On The Road

By Jack Brummet

click to enlarge
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ATIT Reheated: The GOP/Tea Party March To 2012—an army of pinheads, charlatans, mountebanks, narcissists, and third-rate grifters

By Pablo Fanque, National Affairs Editor
and Jack Brummet, Social Mores Editor

[reprinted from ATIT, December 30, 2010] 

The GOP Presidential candidates are charging out like clowns from a clown-car.  Of course, getting in to The Show early, or even just announcing, is pretty cheap.  And it increases your cash flow, your paid trips, marketability, and even perceived gravitas.  Democrats on the other hand are holding back.  To declare against a sitting President is generally an exercise in futility and, at times, a near-suicidal political act.  However, strong candidates have pulled it off (most notably Bobby Kennedy, whom we did not get to see go the distance) and won roles at the convention, and promises of plum diplomatic jobs or cabinet positions. 

Jeb Bush - who knows what he'll do?


Congressman Pence

Politico reports the House Republican Conference Chairman from Indiana is considering stepping down from his GOP leadership post to prepare for a possible presidential run in 2012. 'Though the 2010 mid-term election is just barely over, the pressure is on Pence and other GOP hopefuls to state their intentions.

Ex-Governor Romney

Mitt Romney has already been running for a couple of years, really ever since the night he conceded to John McCain during the primaries.  He seems to us like one of the more plausible candidates to whom Democrats might defect (maybe his biggest appeal to Dems and most horrifying to GOP/Tea Party members is the pretty excellent health care system that he pushed for in Mass.).   We think his religion is no roadblock.  Yeah, we don't think a Hari Krishna will become president soon, but a Mormon?  Sure, why not?  We are fine with a Jewish or Moslem president, but don't think that happens anytime soon.

Ex-Governor Huckabee

Ex-Governor Mike Huckabee won the Iowa primaries last time around, had a huge buzz...and for a few weeks, he was the "It Guy," appearing on the cover of Newsweek, and was the focus of numerous political talk shows. He may or may not run.  He seems to like his current FOX news gig. [Ed's Note: nearly half of the GOP hopefuls and toe-dippers are on the FOX payroll in some form or another.]



Ex-Speaker (and architect of the Contract On America) Gingrich (painting by Jack Brummet)

Newt Gingrich, another FOX hack. . .who knows? We guess he will indeed run.  Newt is a guy who craves the limelight.

Governor Pawlenty

Tim Pawlenty could be running...he is visiting several key, early primary states.  He has a book out.  He was maybe Number Two on McCain's VP list.  But alas, he has a personality like shirt cardboard.   His Q factor is virtually zero.


John Bolton

John Bolton, the neocon diplomat (and former undersecretary of state) has publicly toyed with the idea.  He may jump in for a primary or two if he can get enough of his fat cat friends to pony up enough cash to make a short, respectable run. 

Guvnah Barbour

Haley Barbour, the (once) well-thought of Governor may have killed his changes recently with racially insensitive--no, inflammatory--remarks on how nice the south was back in "the good old days."


Senator Thune

John Thune, who, a few years ago, stomped Democratic powerhouse Tom Daschle in South Dakota, is textbook politically handsome.  And like Tim Pawlenty. . .about as exciting as yesterday's oatmeal.

Governor Daniels

Mitch Daniels (Governor of Indiana) dismissed a presidential run in June 2009, saying "I've only ever run for or held one office. It's the last one I'm going to hold."   In February 2010 he told a Washington Post reporter that he was open to the idea of running in 2012. 



The Donald

Donald Trump has made some noise about making a Presidential run.  It's hard to see how a national joke could get much traction in Iowa or New Hampshire.

Ex-Governor Palin (painting by Jack Brummet)

Sarah Palin.   She's certainly open to the idea--if not the reality--of running for President.  If she does make a go of it, it will be fascinating watching her in those early primaries.

Ex-Senator Santorum

Rick Santorum, the former Pennsylvania Senator who was obliterated in the 2006 election, may just be tempted to run.  Another FOX guy.  He is almost in the national joke category, along with Trump.  He is probably best known for his positions on the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Social Security, intelligent design, homosexuality, and the long-forgotten Terri Schiavo case.




Governor Christie (painting by Jack Brummet)

Chris Christie--a guy we think could go all the way.  He's a Republican who is seen by his own party as soft on immigration; is against gay marriage, but in favor of civil unions (just like President Obama!); is not strong with the pro-gun lobby; favors medical marijuana; and while opposed to it, is soft on abortion and doesn't believe it is the state's duty to ram it down the throats of the people.   However, the Tea Party wing of the party does not take a blue dog approach.  You're either with them, or against them.  With all the other neo-con and tea-party alternatives, it's hard to see how Christie could ever garner much support within his own party.
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