Childhood Fears - Pt. 3

Funny how all the creaks and groans of an old house made watching "Creature Feature" on Channel 36 a nightmare.
But we kept doing it anyway.

Proxi - Living in fear since 1960.

Childhood Fears - Pt. 2

The clown on the right side of the pic would have done me in. I hate clowns.

Proxi - Living in fear since 1960.

Sunday Dinner / Food Porn

Pork Shoulder

(pay no attention to that temperature probe...)

Rubbed with Uncle Jay's Experimental Rub #3 the day before;
Grill is stabilized at 260°, hickory woodchips are in the smoke box;
We're at about 3.5 hours in, probably another 3 to go... Looking for 175-180° internal temp, whereupon the victim will be rested, then shredded and consumed with
cole slaw, baked beans, garlic bread and other Southern paraphernalia...

Mmmmmm. Porky goodness!

TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

Childhood Fears - Pt. 1

When I was a young rapscallion the attic of our house scared the crap outta me.

Proxi - Living in fear since 1960.

A Cry For Help

Proxi (Team Carlisle!)

Another Sighting of TBG

Upon further reflection, it probably isn't TBG.
If it was, he'd be holding a different finger, methinks.

Proxi

Tried It, Not Impressed

TBG said to quit scaring the children so much with the Scary Princesses and such. (I understand that the Perfect Child is becoming a Constant Reader and gave TBG difficult time regarding the recent artwork I posted. I reminded him of our Authoring Partnership Agreement and the anti-censorship clause therein. Tough noogies, Big Guy. Suck it up.)
However, in the interest of website stability and blogosphere tranquility, I offer a  posting regarding a new product that has recently hit the shelves, completely devoid of scary artwork or semi-nudity:

I succumbed to the marketing hype last night and on a late-night prowl through Shaw's I bought a bag of Dorito's Late Night All-Nighter Cheeseburger flavored chips.

My best advice: Don't expect too much.

When I think of late night all-nighter cheeseburgers, I'm thinking White Castle.
(And here is the problem: When I NEED a White Castle, it's a helluva long trip to NY to find one. Why they won't open a franchise in Massachusetts is beyond me. We drink until late at night, we need small greasy ratburgers.
Sometimes Taco Bell is just a Mexican Phone Company, not a place to buy food late at night. But I'm getting off topic.)

Now then, Late Night All-nighter Cheeseburger Doritos:
Doritos sprinkled with a powdered mustard and pickle.
That's pretty much it...
The flavor is a bit subtle, but that's pretty much all they've done to emulate the cheeseburger flavor.

But then, it's that pretty much all you taste when you want a slider from some late-night place, whether it's a Krystal from Down South in TBG Land, or a White Castle up in the Midwest and part of the Northeast, and whatever they have in the Southwest and on the Left Coast. In-and-Out Burger? HellifIknow- I refuse to cross the Mississippi River- there's nothing over there that I need.

Taking some chips and dusting them with mustard and pickle powder isn't exactly ground breaking. Anyone who's been to Mardi Gras in New Orleans and encountered Zapp's Chips will know what I'm talking about. If I want pickly chips, I'll get Zapp's Cajun Dill.

Verdict: Don't waste your time or calories looking for these. They aren't worth it.

Proxi, disappointed.
(Are ya happy now, TBG?)

Quote of the Day

From Tam

Guess who she's writing about...

It takes a special kind of hubris to wake up one morning and decide that what this world is lacking is your visionary leadership, and an even more perfectly-distilled narcissism to think that if millions of people don't like you, the problem is with all of them.

 Hit that nail right on the head, she did...

TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

Location, Location, Location

Proxi - Looking for a cup of Java and a Donut.

Are They Listening?

From Town Hall.com

Removing the snake from the garden with a stick was a rejection of the snake, but should not be seen as particularly an endorsement of the stick -- except as the closest available tool with which to eject the snake. The stick should not be seen as a substitute snake.

That was the tone after the election in which there was a general agreement that the election was a broad and deep repudiation of the president's policies and administration, while also not being an endorsement of the GOP.

One hopes that incumbents that were not up for re-election and the crop of newly-elected or re-elected officials are taking the hint.
 
TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

TV/Movies Today - Part 1 - California

WTF, over?

I was watching the Tube the other night and I saw a trailer for the new flick Skyline.



Looks pretty cool... Kinda "Cloverfield meets Independence Day" thing...
Depending on the reviews it might be worthwhile to see on the Big Screen, or perhaps rent the Blu-Ray... We'll see.

At the end of the trailer I caught a glimpse of a warning box near the MPAA rating on the last few frames of the trailer.
Have you noticed this little nugget?



Are you kidding me?

Now we're warning people that *GASP* there are people SMOKING in this movie?!

You're kidding, right? The preview shows a guy getting stomped into a dark wet spot on the driveway by a giant alien pseudopod, and you worry about showing someone smoking a butt!?


What's next?

Warning: This film has depictions of people consuming Trans Fats?
Driving without seatbelts?
High Fructose Corn Syrup?

F#$*ing California...

I said it to Jingalls at lunch today, and it's probably worth repeating here...

California has some amazing resources and natural wonders...
It is a  place that has miles and miles and miles awesome beaches and shorelines, access to the most prolific marine resources, hundreds of thousands of square miles of farmland and livestock production, and the absolute top-end high-tech development startups and technical industry leaders.
And you let a handful for leftwing fruitcakes run the state to absolute bankrupcy...
All the rules and legislation and regulations and crap that has evolved to safeguard the public trust and protect the environment is destroying the ability of a business to operate in that state.

Or- as my man Doug Powers opines:

In the City by the Bay, if you want to roller skate naked down Castro Street wearing a phallic-symbol hat and snorting an eight-ball off a transgender hooker’s chest while underage kids run behind you handing out free heroin needles, condoms and coupons to the grand opening of the neighborhood’s newest bathhouse, that’s your right as a free citizen of the United States.
But if you want to put a Buzz Lightyear toy in the same box with a hamburger and fries and sell it, you’re outta line, mister!

Sorry, Snowflake... All your bullshit rules, oversight committees, protection dogma, and environment stress preemption measures and undocumented worker protection & benefit programs have doomed your state.

Get out while you still can. Before someone lights a cigarette and kills everyone.

(But for Fck's sake, don't come to Florida! Try Canada. [Sorry Luc!])

Dumbasses.

TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

You Want To Play, Eh?

Assume the position: TSA begins new nut-busting pat-downs

You can request a pat-down instead, but the TSA is intent on making sure you won't enjoy it. The new rules require agents to pay renewed attention to your crotch, and their hands won't stop until they meet testicular resistance.

(What about the testicularly challenged? i.e. women, and guys born under the sign of the pawnbroker?) 

...the new rules may not really be about "thoroughness" anyway, because "the obvious goal of the TSA is to make the pat-down embarrassing enough for the average passenger that the vast majority of people will choose high-tech humiliation over the low-tech ball check."

Okay... I guess they really want to start playing fuck-fuck now...
I'm thinking about taking the new & improved humiliating patdown just to see how embarrassed I can make the hapless TSA jerkwad...

Pick a phrase to be announced LOUDLY to onlookers during said patdown:

"Hey Alice, you only have to squeeze it once."

"Would you rather take them out and weigh them individually?"

"How many times do you have to fondle them, Mary?"

"If you rub it one more time you better buy me a drink."

Any others I should add to my list?

TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

Now That's Some Great Legislation!

 ...Too bad it never made it to the ballot!

State of Washington Initiative 1069

Wow.

H/T Michelle Malkin/Doug Powers

 TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

36 Reasons To Vote Democrat

(TBG's Note: You might have remarked on a lack of posting regarding the current election and thought:
"Man, I wonder what's wrong with TBG, he's usually boring us with Conservative Rhetoric during the run-up to the election.". Well, I caught enough crap from my beloved Constant Readers, so I decided to give it a rest for the bulk of the election.
HOWEVER,
I couldn't let the entire cycle pass without at least one good politico-centrist post...

From American Thinker
(h/t to Proxi for the lead; all added emphasis are mine)

1. If you want the American government to be feared by the American people -- but laughed at by Hugo Chávez and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad -- vote Democrat.
2. If you want to agree with John Kerry that American voters are stupid and distracted and uninformed -- vote Democrat.
3. If you moved your 7-million-dollar yacht to Rhode Island to avoid taxes -- vote Democrat.
4. If you want a "dude" president -- and not the shining city on a hill -- vote Democrat.
5. If you want to pay through the nose in taxes until you are 70 so union thugs in purple shirts can retire in security at age 50 -- vote Democrat.
6. If you like the fact that people who actually know the Constitution get laughed at by people who are ignorant of it -- vote Democrat.
7. If you want the entire country to be like Detroit, Philadelphia, New York, New Orleans, Chicago -- vote Democrat.
8. If you fear the Chamber of Commerce more than you do the Ground Zero Mosque -- vote Democrat.
9. If you think liberalism and socialism have done a good job of managing the incredibly beautiful and rich state of California, vote Democrat.
10. If you want a government bureaucrat, who can no doubt access your voter registration records, to determine whether or not you get a hip replacement or a cancer treatment -- vote Democrat.
11. If you want to pay six dollars a gallon for gas -- vote Democrat.
12. If you want electricity bills to "necessarily skyrocket" -- vote Democrat.
13. If you think America deserved what it got on 9-11 -- and that we can handle another such attack -- vote Democrat.
14. If you think that Club Gitmo, which was not even operational on 9-11, is why "they hate us" -- vote Democrat.
15. If you think our economy will boom with government bureaucrats making twice what similar folks make in the private sector -- vote Democrat.
16. If you think there's nothing wrong with Jerry Brown admitting that the last time he ran for governor of California, he "had no plan" -- vote Democrat.
17. If you think anything has changed about Jerry Brown and his plans -- vote Democrat.
18. If you liked Richard Blumenthal's answer in the Connecticut debate on "how to create a job" -- vote Democrat.
19. Actually, if you can even decipher Blumenthal's answer about creating a job -- vote Democrat.
20. If you think Michelle Obama actually added value to the health care system with her no-show three-hundred-thousand-dollar job in Chicago -- vote Democrat.
21. If you think John Edwards is sexy -- regardless of your gender -- vote Democrat.
22. If you think civil rights means that all white Americans are by definition guilty and all African-Americans are by definition innocent, vote Democrat.
23. If you are stupid enough to think that being against a Federal Department of Education is the same as being against education -- vote Democrat.
24. If you want to vote the same way the dead are voting -- vote Democrat.
25. If you want to vote the same way the felons are voting -- vote Democrat.
26. If you like the fact that our military men and women are being disenfranchised -- vote Democrat.
27. If you think Cuba is a success story -- vote Democrat.
28. If you think that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac crashing the housing market is an example of "unfettered capitalism" and a failure of the free market, then vote Democrat.
29. If you think that smart businesspeople will sit around and let our government tax them out of existence before they move their operations overseas -- vote Democrat.
30. If you think it helps you if your boss gets hit with a huge tax bill -- vote Democrat.
31. If Chris Matthews gives you a tingle up your leg -- instead of an upset stomach - then vote Democrat.
32. If you think insurance companies can lower rates, pay for every small medical item -- and every preexisting condition -- and every illegal alien -- and stay in business -- vote Democrat.
33. If you agree with the French union protesters upset about having to delay retirement for two years to age 62 -- vote Democrat.
34. If you think a rally sponsored by Arianna Huffington, the SEIU, and the DNC is a non-political rally -- vote Democrat.
35. If you think electric cars are the answer because they don't use energy -- vote Democrat.
36. If you don't want Nancy Pelosi to retire -- vote Democrat.

Seems like the right time to trot out one of my favorite quotes by RAH:

If you are part of a society that votes, then do so. There may be no candidates and no measures you want to vote for, but there are certain to be ones you want to vote against. In case of doubt, vote against. By this rule you will rarely go wrong. If this is too blind for your taste, consult some well-meaning fool (there is always one around) and ask his advice. Then vote the other way. This enables you to be a good citizen (if such is your wish) without spending the enormous amount of time on it that truly intelligent exercise of franchise requires.
                                      -Robert Heinlein, Time Enough For Love

 GET OFF YOUR ASS AND VOTE!

TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

New Search Engine - Blekko

Just a quick hit for folks that are interested in this sort of thing...

Blekko

Blekko is a new search engine.
According to the 'site:

"blekko is a better way to search the web by using slashtags. slashtags search only the sites you want and cut out the spam sites. use friends, experts, community or your own slashtags to slash in what you want and slash out what you don't."

------------------------------------------------------------

web search bill of rights
1. Search shall be open
2. Search results shall involve people
3. Ranking data shall not be kept secret
4. Web data shall be readily available
5. There is no one-size-fits-all for search
6. Advanced search shall be accessible
7. Search engine tools shall be open to all
8. Search & community go hand-in-hand
9. Spam does not belong in search results
10. Privacy of searchers shall not be violated

Regarding Slashtags-

how to slash the web
make 'em:

Make a slashtag that includes just your favorite sites. make it as narrow (/scuba) or as broad (/favorites) as you like. Add that slashtag to any search and you're only searching those sites.

use 'em:
find a friend's slashtag and get in their head for your searches. For example, try searching Rich's home brewing slashtag for quality info on brewing your own beer (ex. wheat beer /homebrew).

make 'em better:
We've already created hundreds of topic slashtags that you can search now. everything from /conservative, to /humor to /vc is there. Drop us a tweet (@blekko) and tell us if you think any are missing sites or if you have ideas for other topics.

Five use cases where slashtags shine

1. Verticals with just YOUR favorite sites:
u2 /music, iphone reviews /tech, wine /buy, 2010 season /steelers, American Idol /tv
2. Search you can't do with keywords:
global warming /conservative, ufos /paranormal, congress /humor, Kim Kardashian /gossip
3. Slash through heavily spammed categories:
avoiding swine flu /health, iphone 4 reviews /techblogs, Aruba /travel, low calorie /diet
4. Access to recent material and web data:
Obama /date, Mel Gibson /rank, cnn.com /seo, techcrunch.com /links
5. Direct access to 3rd party api's:
US Open /youtube, Twilight /twitter, Moby Dick /amazon, sports car /shop

get out there & slash the web!

you know the sites you want search results from and you know the spammers, SEO gamers and content farms that just get in the way. so get out there and slash the web: slash in the sites you like and slash out the ones you don't.

TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

Halloween Fairytales Scarytales

Click a pic for bigification.

Proxi, just another fallen Disney Princess

Dude, get me another Captain & Coke...

TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

Tough Job, But Someone's Gotta Do It.

Click to 'examine' bigger pic, pervs.

Proxi - Looking for work

Optical Illusion

Think she's cute?
Flip your laptop/monitor over and then
tell me you still think so...

TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

To Serve Womankind

I see Bill Clinton has a new office number...

(What should really freak you out is that the number actually spells "888 SHE GEEK", who as a rule, probably ARE virgins.)

Proxi, just trying to help.

Fallen Princesses

I'll bet that houseful of dwarves looks pretty nice about now.

Belle is trying to avoid becoming the Beast.

A whole new world, eh, Jasmine...

How's life in the fishbowl Ariel?

I guess Rapunzel's tower was built on a landfill.

(I know, cancer, not funny. It's not supposed to be funny.)

Proxi, getting in the Halloween spirit

Weird Imagery

Feel weirded out yet?

Proxi, still mucking things up for TBG

New Reads

One thing about pulling temporary duty over at Uncle Jay's, I have been introduced to some new sites, including a blog written by a girl from my neck of the woods, who recently moved to Florida.
I have to admire Mike and Lissa moving way down south, I don't think I could do it, for just the reasons Lissa mentioned.
I've visited down there before- they have snakes and bugs like you just would not believe.

Demon Robo Spiders - Hey Lissa, Watch your ass!

Proxi; More more more...

Rain Delay @ USTA / Corona Park

So while I wait, here are some useless statistics:

Po-Po

FL - 5 FHP, 2 JSO
GA - 1 GSP, 2 county mounties
SC - 2 SCHP
NC - 0
VA - 2 VSP, 5 Local SO
DC - 2 DHS
MD - 1 MSP
DE - 0
NJ - 5 NJSP, 3 Local Yokels
NY - 17+ NYPD

----------------------------
Dead 'uns

Deer - 6
Possum/Raccoons - 4
Unidentified nastys - 7

--------------------------
Economics

Gas Mileage - 13.76 mi/gallon

Average cents per mile - .184 cts/mile

--------------------------

All right, coffee break's over.
Back on your heads...

TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

Screw (Northern) California

How the mind of a Norcal fruitflake works.(Click for bigger ver)

TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

Movies - Still Good the Second Time

I had a couple hours to kill so I dug out Zombieland and watched it again...

I'll have to file that one in the "Educational Films" section of DVD Library...


The Japanese have a little better grasp of how to market a zombie flick:



TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

Words to Live By

 From a conversation this weekend...


I won't bore you with the build up, or the ensuing puzzling (but entertaining) explanation...
You'll have to come up with your own...

"Never shoot a possum on Thursday."


TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

Where In The World?

Anyone know where this is? And more to the point, why?

Proxi, still hanging around.

Traffic Stop WTF

Proxi - Still wondering

Musical Interlude 2

It's not the giant black spermatozoa that gives me the willies...

...it's the constant diamond farting.
SO says he'd marry her if she'd adhere to a strict diet of Taco Bell and Pilsner Urquell.

Sick bastard.

Proxi