Is today the day?

Late to the story as usual, but evidently cagastro has passed the keys to Cuba "temporarily" to his brother Raul....

Miami is in an uproar (live streaming video at the link) at the possibility that the chicken lollipop is about to shuffle off the mortal coil.

Val has a good round-up of the details

As usual, check with Babalu for the latest on this story.

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So Israel is the bad guy, huh?

Michelle Malkin has Israeli warning leaflets distributed to Lebanese civilians, asking them to leave town before the bombing raids.

As Michelle so eloquently puts it,"The only thing I remember raining down in Beirut in 1983 or the Khobar Towers in 1996 or NYC on 9/11 were ashes and dust."

Anyone who disagrees with that can personally kiss my ass.

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A lack of Education on your part.....

The always interesting Dafydd ab Hugh brings us the tale of MA Gov. Mitt Romney, who recently described the Big Dig fiasco as a "tar baby".  Correctly, too, I might add.

Now, in this day and age, as you would expect, certain groups got their panties in a collective twist over THEIR interpretation of the phrase, which they incorrectly assumed was a negative term referring to black people.  And made him apologize.

If these asshats would stop banning GOOD literature and movies because of their PC BULLSHIT, and had actually read Uncle Remus or seen Disney's "Song of the South", instead of mindlessly chucking them for the invocation of an unfortunate sterotype or two, they would know that the phrase "Tar Baby" refers to an inanimate object, covered in a sticky substance, that serves no other purpose than the trap the person unlucky enough to touch it.

A "Tar Baby" therefore, is really just a big, sticky, messy problem that will not go away.  Sounds like the Big Dig, no?

So let's call a spade a spade, and drop this whole pretended affrontery, ok?  As Dafydd says:

"I reckon with some people, God was a bit niggardly in passing out brains."

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Love those Milbloggers

Two posts of special note today:

First, Cpt. Chuck Z posts your guide to the semantics of the War on Terror, based on the work of leading Islamic scholars

Second, Smash posts on his encounter with the leaders of the Code Pinkos.... and their demonstrations of bizarre willful ignorance.

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Dash's All New Cheap Diet (barking and scratching optional)

Dash evidently came up with a new money-saving diet plan:  eating the dog's food.

Of course, I don't think Skeet and Riley are too keen on it, nor evidently is the woman at PetSmart.....

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Cool!

This looks fascinating!

I'd love to see this come as far as the original X-Prize

h/t HWNNL

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Tour de Fraud???

It seems American Tour de France champion Floyd Landis has been suspended following a positive test for excess levels of testosterone.

The positive test came after stage 17 of the Tour, which saw Landis record an epic victory after struggling on the final climb the day before.

Landis has been suspended pending results of his B sample analysis.

The International Cycling Union (UCI) announced on Wednesday that a rider had failed a doping test but would not reveal his name.

Landis is appealing the result, asking for an analysis of his alternate, or "B" sample.

I have 3 questions about this:
1) Who the fuck is dumb enough to juice with straight testosterone during an event like this?  They draw your blood EVERY DAMN DAY.  It's not going to wash out overnight, I assure you.  If this is an accurate result, he had to shoot himself the night before stage 17, which featured his "miraculous comeback"....Idiot.

2) Is the French testing lab clean?  I don't know how long it usually takes to do one of these tests in a clinical lab environment, but it shouldn't take more than 48 hours. Which is about what it takes in the research lab.  Why did it take UCI a WEEK to get the results back?  After the way the French have gone after Lance Armstrong (with no success, I might add), doesn't it seem likely that a a jealous Fwenchy might have spiked Floyd's sample?  My hope is that the B sample testing will be done at an independent lab.

3) Although it's eminently possible Landis was cheating, what precautions are taken to ensure this isn't a physiological change (how high was the T level, for instance)?  If this is a physiological anomaly, the B sample should be equivalently high,  but there would be no foul.  Are other hormone tests run on the sample to correlate levels?

Developing....

Posted by: caltechgirl at 09:42 AM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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Hey Kofi, WTF?

The lovely Phoenix brings it to Kofi Annan.  Both Barrels.

"Seriously, man! Did you smoke your breakfast, or are you seriously this stupid? It seems to me a foolish thing to do to set up your outpost so close to an outpost of one of the engaged parties. More specifically, it seems beyond foolish - stupid really - to set up that outpost nearer to the likely loser in the fight in terms of technological bang-for-the-buck, if you know what I mean."

There's even more.  Read the whole thing.

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el 26 de julio

On 26 de julio, 1953, fidel cagastro and his band of commie idiots led a raid on one of the largest military garrisons in Cuba.

Nearly everything went wrong, the rebels were out numbered, part of the weapons caravan got lost on the way, and more than 2/3 of the rebels were killed or captured.  Several of them ran for it, including the original coward, cagastro.

Oh, and BTW, he WAS captured.  Inept pig that he is, he was found in the jungle shortly afterward and arrested.  cagastro was in fact sentenced to death, but in a head-scratching moment worthy of Dr. Evil and his foul-tempered sea bass, Batista pardoned him in 1955.

Kinda ironic that such a stunning defeat serves as the namesake of the movement that brought cagastro to power, no?

So today is the day that Cuba celebrates her "glorious" revolucion.  The banners and music displayed today continuing the web of lies that turned a humbling defeat into the rallying point of a damned revolution.  Because the truth, in Cuba, depends on your point of view.

For the Cubanos, a proud and once prosperous people, it is a day to pretend their want and hunger are absent, and for cagastro and his cronies, a day to ignore the facade crumbling around them.

For more info on the battle of 26 julio , go here.

For more thoughts on what this day means to Cubans, both in Cuba and elsewhere, try any of these wonderful Cuban bloggers:
El Conductor
Ziva
Marc
Alfredo
Killcastro
Val Prieto

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The cure for blogger blahs

a meme!

What curse word do you use the most?

Fuck.   Fuck fuck fuckity fuck

Do you own an iPod?

Yep.  A 1GB shuffle.

Who on your MySpace "Top 8" do you talk to the most?

As if.  I'm not 12.

What time is your alarm clock set for?

5:30am

What color is your room?

White.  It ain't my house.

Flip flops or sneakers?

Birkenstocks, baby.

Would you rather take the picture or be in the picture?

I take the pictures.  I'm better at it.

What was the last movie you watched?

Hellboy on Starz on Demand

Do any of your friends have children?

Yep.  Scary.

Has anyone ever called you lazy?

Well duh.

Do you ever take medication to help you fall asleep faster?

No.  I suffer the insomnia, thanks.

What CD is currently in your CD player?

There are 6 actually.  Number 1 is Lynyrd Skynyrd's Greatest Hits

Do you prefer regular or chocolate milk?

Neither.  Milk = yuck

Has anyone told you a secret this week?

ummm, I can't tell you.

Have you ever given someone a hickey?

yes

Who was the last person to call you?

My Business Manager

Do you think people talk about you behind your back?

Probably.

Did you watch cartoons as a child?

What do you mean, as a child?  I still watch cartoons.  Pinky and the Brain comes out TODAY!

How many siblings do you have?

Zip.

Are you shy around the opposite sex?

Hell no

What movie do you know every line to?

The Princess Bride and Star Wars

Do you own any band t-shirts?

Paul Simon and Depeche Mode.

What is your favorite salad dressing?

Caesar or Ranch.

Do you read for fun?

Constantly.

Do you cry a lot?

Yep

Who was the last person to text message you?

Nobody.

Do you have a desktop computer or a laptop?

Both.

Are you currently wanting any piercings or tattoos?

Nope.  Ewwww needles

What is the weather like?

Hot.  Damn Hot.

Would you ever date someone covered in tattoos?

No.

Is sex before marriage wrong?

With someone you're not committed to.

When was the last time you slept on the floor?

when we moved last.

How many hours of sleep do you need to function?

As many as I can get.

Are you in love or lust?

I love my husband and I'm in love with him, too.

Are your days full and fast-paced?

Not really.  I'm doing a meme, aren't I?

Do you pay attention to calories on the back of packages?

No.

How old will you be turning on your next birthday?

30.

Are you picky about spelling and grammar?

Of course.

Have you ever been to Six Flags?

Yes.

Do you get along better with the same or opposite sex?

Men.  Definitely men.

Do you like cottage cheese?

Yes.

Do you sleep on your side, tummy, or back?

On my tummy.

Have you ever bid for something on eBay?

Nope.

Do you enjoy giving hugs?

Yes.  Lots and lots.

What song did you last sing out loud?

oh hell, I don't know.

What is your favorite TV show?

House

Which celebrity, dead or alive, would you want to have lunch with?

Hmmm.... Albert Einstein

Last time you had butterflies in your stomach?

before my job interview

What one thing do you wish you had?

a solar powered car.

Favorite lyrics?

too many to pick from...

h/t This Life

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What an awesome trip....

John Donovan of Castle Argghhh! prepares to escort home an old sailor.

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More News you can Use

A fantastic damn fisking by Ken of it comes in pints? regarding estate taxes and the lunatics who think that they are both useful and only for the rich.

Believe me, he knows a lot about the subject, from personal experience.....

Here's Ken's money shot....
After laying out the current law regarding estate exemptions through 2010, he says:

"this piece never mentions that in 2011 the exemption goes back to $1 million (and the top tax rate goes to 50%). Think about how much land prices (both home and farm) have increased in recent years. Think about how many people have IRAs and similar vehicles. How many of those estates will be valued at over $1 million five years from now? A lot of people who don't consider themselves rich are going to be very unpleasantly surprised." (emphasis mine)

Even if you don't know much about the Estate Tax issue, drop by and read what Ken has to say. It's quite an education.

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Zidane Strikes Again!

Only this time they won't give him a red card.

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Food for thought

Tammy has a rather important post.  Go read it.  That is all.

Posted by: caltechgirl at 12:30 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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In which the story gets pretty damn interesting....

** New Content below this post, just scroll down**

It's hard to follow four very good writers, but here is my contribution for the Psych-vella, Chapter 5:

Mrs. McCuddahey seemed taken aback at the question. “I wouldnÂ’t know, IÂ’m sure,” she said peevishly.  “A mother doesnÂ’t pry into a grown manÂ’s private affairs.”  She sniffed at CahillÂ’s presumption, but then appeared to realize the importance of the question.  “ItÂ’s just SO unlike him, he was never interested in girls.  Just his workÂ….”  She trailed off, lost in her memory.

“Here we go…” thought Cahill, and took the plunge.  “What about boys, Mrs. McCuddahey?  Was George interested in men?”  He braced for the fierce rejection, and was surprised when the frail woman burst into tears.

“I donÂ’t know…” she wailed, “He never said so, but once he reached a certain age without ever having told me about a lady-friend, I began to wonder.  He was so private.  IÂ’m sorry, I just donÂ’t know.”

Cahill could see that this was turning into a waste of time.  The woman may have been GeorgeÂ’s mother, but she clearly knew less about him than the psychiatrist.  He would like to interview Mrs. Romano, after all, she was the Nosy Nora of the neighborhood, always talking her way into everyoneÂ’s business.  She had often caught Cahill and Johnny on their way to some mischief or other.  If anyone had seen a girl (or a guy, for that matter) entering GeorgeÂ’s house, it would have been the indefatigable Mrs. Romano, but Mrs. R was deep in her element, scuttling about, minding the distraught mother.  The interview would have to wait, at least until her neighbor was attended to.

What next?  Mitch had time to kill.  Interviewing his own mother would be useless, so he excused himself and returned to the crime scene, where the investigation was in full swing.  “Gimme an update,” he barked at the forensics lead.

“Not much.  We havenÂ’t been upstairs yet.  No prints anywhere, not even the vicÂ’s.  No fluids either, except the leakage you stepped in by the fridge.  Somebody cleaned up.  Knew what they were doing.  We sent out for the LUDs, but the subpoena is held up ‘til we can get a judge.  That might be hours.”

“Address Book? Bills?  Work Papers?  Anything we can get a name or number from?”

“Nix on the address book or a briefcase.  There are some bills here, but just the psychiatrist and ConEd.  No credit cards or store charges.”

Who ARE you George McCuddahey? Cahill thought, and who the Hell is Lenny Markowitz?

Finding frustration on both fronts, Cahill bummed a smoke from the beat cop at the door and went out into the light.  Standing in the street, Mitch breathed deep and was about to light up his first cigarette in years, when he heard a familiar voice behind him.

“William,” it called reproachfully, “you know those things are going to kill you.  I thought you quit.”

“IÂ’m sorry Mrs. Romano,” he said sheepishly, stuffing the unlit cigarette into his pocket.  “But IÂ’m glad you came out, IÂ’d like to talk to you.  Alone.”

“My turn to be interviewed, then?  Alright, letÂ’s sit here on the porch, so your mother and poor Martha wonÂ’t hear us.”

“Tell me what you know about George….”

“I don’t like to tell tales, and I would never discuss this with Martha, but I often wondered if George was an actor as well as an accountant.”

“An actor?”

“Yes, although, funny he should choose such rolesÂ….  You see, everyday George went to work dressed like a Hasidic diamond merchant, down to the prayer shawl and briefcase.  If you addressed him as he walked down the street, he would ignore you, and I often thought, why donÂ’t you just leave earlier if youÂ’re in THAT big a hurry, but in the afternoons, when he returned home, he was usually dressed normally, and friendly, if almost shy.  Evenings he would leave the house in one of those turbans and drive off to God knows where, and come back at all hours of the night.  Martha doesnÂ’t know.  She takes out her hearing aid when she sleeps.”

“Did anyone ever come to the house?  Either when George was home or when he was away?  In the last couple of days, maybe?”

“A woman came once, last June, when Martha was on that cruise.  She went to Mexico, you know.  She kept knocking, calling for Benny or something…”

“Was it Lenny?” Cahill asked, surprised to hear the name from McCuddahey’s workplace.

“Yes, that was it.  Lenny.”  Mrs. R smiled at the recognition.  “Funny, though, she came to my door to ask if I had seen the man who lived in the house, and when I told her that George had driven off in his car, she said that Lenny was a devout Jew who wouldnÂ’t drive anywhere on the Sabbath.  I told her she must have the wrong house.  George almost decided to be a priest, you know.  She seemed especially troubled by it, and showed me the address written in her book.  It was GeorgeÂ’s house, under the name Lenny Something.

She went away after that, and I never saw her again.  Maybe sheÂ’s the girl Martha thought he was seeing.”

A noise made Cahill look up.  The cop who had given him the smokes was coming up the steps. “Sir, thereÂ’s a call for you on the radio.”

Cahill made his way to the radio car. “Cahill.”

“ThereÂ’s a homicide at 1216 Baker.  ItÂ’s bad.”

“I’m on a case already.”

“Roger that, Ryan says you need to get here ASAP anyway.”

Cahill sighed, apologized to Mrs. R, and drove across town.  The sidewalk in front of the brownstone was blocked off and crime scene tape barred the door.  Showing his shield, Cahill went in, and found Ryan next to a bloody sheet.

“Caller ID says your name and number were the last outgoing on the vicÂ’s phone,” Ryan said, seeing Cahill standing there.  “Dr. Monica Schoedel, she was cut up pretty badly, and the pieces were arranged in a pentagram on the floor upstairs.”

Tune in next week as El Capitan finishes up the story!

Posted by: caltechgirl at 11:15 PM | Comments (9) | Add Comment
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She's been Farked!

And she's not even 2 years old yet.

Sadie is the subject of a Fark.com photoshopping challenge!

h/t Jen

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Gee, what a surprise.

You Are Most Like George W. Bush

So what if you're not exactly popular? You still rule the free world. And while you may be quite conservative now, you knew how to party back in the day!

h/t Ronnie RayGun

Posted by: caltechgirl at 09:54 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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A teaser....

For those of you following the blogvella, the current offering is a "Psyche-vella".

Start here:  Bitter Herbs

Chapter 2: Heads Up

Chapter 3: Shrink This

Chapter 4: The Old Neighborhood

This week's chapter will be presented Friday by yours truly.  The title?  How about Dead End?

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