Yep, we all know Keith's on vacation, and if you've been reading his stuff on teh Twitter, he's spending lots of time at the ball park, which I know he's enjoying. Keith commented on said Twitter that he didn't tape a couple of Fridays with Thurber to run while he was gone. Since I know so many have come to enjoy that feature, I suggested posting a couple of repeats until Keith returns & asked for ideas concerning which ones to post. I got 1 suggestion, but it's a good one!
"Let's start at the very beginning - a very good place to start!"
I bet y'all weren't expecting anything from the Sound of Music tonight, were ya'! HA! ;D
Let's get to "this day in history," and this first item is especially necessary & appreciated today; check local listings for heat & humidity in your neck of the woods! ;D On this date in 1904, by some accounts, the ice cream cone was invented by Charles E. Menches during the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis.
The chocolate one is MINE!!!!! :D
On this date in 1984 Vanessa Williams became the first Miss America to resign her title because of nude photographs published in Penthouse. Do y'all remember all the furor over this? Well, between Ms. Williams & these next 2 "lovely ladies," I'll take what Vanessa did any time!
Daniel Radcliffe is 21 years old today. Let it not be said that I don't know my diary audience even though what I've seen or read of HP either (a) makes me shake my head or (b) makes me wanna retch or (c) puts me to sleep. So, "Harry Potter" is old enough to drink. If there's a scene in an upcoming movie where he's drunk with a pint of Guiness in his hand while riding a broom stick, I'd actually check that out - at least that scene, anyway! ;D
Finally, Philip Seymour Hoffman is 43 today. He won Best Actor for his creepily accurate portrayal of Truman Capote in Capote & was equally creepy and great in his performance as a priest in Doubt - another good "on demand" movie I've been able to watch over the last couple weeks.
Let's Countdown...
Lawrence is in Las Vegas tonight??!! WOW!! KEWL!!!
#5 "Bonnie and Hide" AKA "Troubled Waters" AKA "BP Blinded Science" - Now - Tropical Depression Bonnie is scheduled to hit the Deepwater Horizon site early Sunday. All efforts at capturing oil have stopped. The storm could push oil further toward sensitive wetlands – much like the previous hurricane did. A TransOcean whistleblower testified that alarm systems aboard Deepwater Horizon were routinely turned off (including during the time of the explosion) or turned down to a level they wouldn’t sound unless a dire DIRE emergency was on hand; apparently, the alarms would go off when there was nothing wrong, and people there began to ignore them.
BP/BS is having fun with Photoshop again. Here’s Rick Steiner – long time no see! He doesn’t want the vessels pulled away from efforts due to the storm because he thinks the machinery can withstand the strength of the storm in its current state. The off – shore environment could improve in the short term because of the storm, but, as was previously mentioned, environmentally – sensitive areas further on shore could see oil where they normally wouldn’t have because of storm surges. Dr. Russ Lea & a group he worked with were contacted by BP/BS for consultation or something involving the clean – up process & damage assessment. The group turned down the work because BP/BS had the right to fund research done by faculty & students done at the university where Dr. Lea works. Researchers wanted to be able to transparently share their findings with the public as soon as they were done; BP/BS wanted the findings kept "confidential" for 3 years. Wow... *&^%$#@! Yea, I work in higher education & with LOTS of faculty members; NO FACULTY I know would’ve signed a contract like this, either – no matter how much coin was being offered to them. BP/BS would’ve been the ones to determine which findings could be published & which shouldn’t; faculty involved would’ve been frozen out of the process. Other individuals & universities have signed some of these BP/BS contracts.
#4 "Climate Cave" - OK, again, this observation plus 50 cents won’t buy a cup of just regular coffee, but I mentioned in last night’s diary about the "death" of comprehensive energy legislation. Have Countdown peeps been lurking here? ;D The new bill is pleasing no one. Liability costs to oil companies are scheduled to increase under the new legislation. Incentives for home energy efficiency (good windows, decent heaters & AC, etc) are also included as well as incentives for vehicle production using fuel other than gas. There will no tax on greenhouse gasses. Here’s Arianna Huffington. Apparently, he tried to convince our great orange Satanic conventioneers that ditching Senate legislation because they knew they couldn’t get the votes is SOP. Yea, I can just visualize how THAT message was received. ;D
Lawrence asked a great question & brought up a great point. If the Deepwater Horizon disaster wasn’t enough incentive to pass decent comprehensive energy legislation, than what will be? I guess maybe we can try showing them the trailer for 2012 & convince them it’s really happening! HA! ;D
Senators Rockefeller & McCaskill were less – than enthusiastic about the tougher legislation. Senator Carl Levin might not have been real thrilled, either. Oye, I’m usually not real thrilled to see Arianna on the show, but she, again, reminded us why we need to go out & vote in November, and it relates to what I discussed in a diary a few weeks back about changes in leadership on certain committees if the GOBP wins. Senator James "The Climate is Just Fine" Inhofe would be the majority leader of the committee from which any future energy legislation in the Senate would come from. If that’s not enough to make you retch, I don’t know what is! Rep. Joe "Apologize to BP/BS" Barton would be the counterpart in the House. *&^%$#@!
#3 "Survey Says" - 1948 was a hell of a year for courageous decisions concerning the integration of African – Americans into the overall culture of this nation! Wow, Lawrence is really passionate about this overturning DADT – go baby, GO! Even though a survey in 1948 among troops did not favor integration of African – American troops into our armed services, President Truman did it anyway. Wow, did you see the similar survey question about Jewish people serving with Christians in the military?! $HIT!
Lenny Bruce actually talked about his experience during his Carnegie Hall concert; yep, he got some $hit from his fellow service personnel. Wow, I now have a WHOLE NEW RESPECT for President Truman’s decision in July of 1948; he had to have known how troops at the time felt but, again, did it anyway! Lt. Dan Choi was officially kicked out of the service yesterday because of the DADT policy. He said last night that those in his group knew darn well of his sexual orientation & didn’t have a problem with it. Oh, I lurve Dan Savage! This ought to be GOOD! The Pentagon took a year & a half to fire Lt. Choi.
Dan again reminded us that since DADT is "the law of the land," Congress must over turn it, but President Obama has & has had since January 21, 2009 the authority to order a stoppage of discharges due to DADT while the policy is "under study." Dan mentioned another great reason for the discharging of DADT; currently – serving soldiers who are homosexual can be subject to blackmail by someone who might find out about their sexual orientation. They can be a security risk! Where are all the "security hawks" on this score, huh? HUH?! Most of the American people actually DO support sending DADT the way of Crystal Pepsi. Again, like Dan said, when the American people AGREE on something, our government best take a second, third, fourth, etc. look at the issue.
#2 "Alvin Greene is on the Scene" - Portions of Mr. Greene’s "interview" with Keith are on this video? Uh, is that a real good idea?! Alvin Greene, however, did not authorize it but has twitted about it & provided a link. Oye...do I really want to watch his? OK...sorry...I can’t watch this.
#1 " Taxed Enough Already" - Bat$hit Bachmann gave us another little preview of things to come should the GOBP gain enough seats to take over either one or both houses of Congress in November; she & her other ilk will be fired up & ready to SUBPOENA! Small Price to Pay Goldilocks was asked earlier this week why he didn’t join Bat$hit’s little tea bag fest; he claims he doesn’t join any caucuses. Bat$hit was at a "youth convention" yesterday? Shouldn’t that be grounds for contributing to the delinquency of not just one minor but a whole room full of minors??!! Here’s what Bat$hit Bachmann had to say about subpoenas:
Oh I think that’s all we should do. I think all we should do is issue subpoenas and have one hearing after another, and expose all the nonsense that has gone on.
OK, add this shtick to EVERY SINGLE DEM campaign ad between now & November! And, I’m not just talking about who’s running against Bat$hit; I mean EVERY...SINGLE...DAMN...DEM...CAMPAIGN...AD...BETWEEN...NOW...AND...NOVEMBER! I’m sorry for all the caps, but if people don’t think anything’s getting done NOW?! Baby, y’all just WAIT.
Lonesome Rhodes declared our republic to be dead yesterday because of the signing of financial reform legislation reform into law. Isn’t he supposed to be going blind? Why is he still working?! Yes, that’s mean, but I won’t apologize; karma’s a *itch & what goes around SHOULD come around. He’s done enough harm to enough people to last a few dozen lifetimes or so. David Weigel’s in da’ house to talk bat$hits. Man, "my guy" told me he’d be on the television machine again this week! :( Small Price to Pay Goldilocks took great pains to say just how normal tea baggers are. Dave doesn’t actually disagree with him for the most part. Again, "if it bleeds, it leads," so if someone especially bagger bat$hit is around, the cameras will follow them.