Almost Enough To Make Me Want To Live In Florida**

Representative Alan Grayson, a Democrat who represents the Orlando area, stood in Congress yesterday evening and ripped the "Just Say No" party a new asshole for their stalling and hedging and kowtowing to Big Insurance with regards to health care reform. In part, he said that the Republican plan for Americans is to "die quickly" if they get sick, so as to not be an unfair burden on the profit margins of the Insurance Industry.

This, of course, was viewed as the worst thing since women got the vote the Emancipation Proclamation... ummm, the Worst Thing EVAR!!!!

Never mind Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC), Michael Steele, Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter and Glenn Freaking Beck and their constant insane ravings about President Obama being a Communo-Fascist-Islamo-Manchurian Candidate Anti-Christ.

Grayson must apologize, else it's the end of the world!! Or so the Republican windbags would have it.

Here's what Grayson had to say when asked if he would apologize (from Roll Call via Think Progress):

“I would like to apologize,” he said. “I would like to apologize to the dead.”

Citing a statistic that 44,789 Americans die each year because they don’t have health insurance, Grayson said, “That is more than ten times the number of Americans who died in the war in Iraq, it’s more than ten times the number of Americans who died on 9/11. …It happens every year.”

Grayson added in another apparent dig at the GOP, “We should care about people even after they are born.”

Grayson apologized one last time.

“I apologize to the dead and their families that we haven’t voted sooner,” he said.

[...]

“I don’t think the Democrats need to be on defense,” Grayson told reporters. “I think we should be on the offense and not the defense, and that’s where I plan to stay.”

Awesome, and how the Democrats should be acting.

**okay, full disclosure. There's no way in HELL that I would live in Central Florida. All the heat and humidity, and no ocean. Ick. (no offense to people who live there, it's just not my cup o' climate)

Loud Noises!

Okay, so I realize this is Facebook we're talking about here. So, it's a low bar for oversight -- anyone can create a "poll" using the apps there. But still. These are the "Hot Polls" as of 7:30am Costa Rican time (that's Central Standard for you USA-centrics out there... hey, according to another Facebook application, 14% of my friends are Republicans, so....).

Beck and Limbaugh and Hannity and such are laughing all the way to the gated compound bank.

I got the "Loud Noises!" tag from Bob Cesca, who, truth be told, took it from some Will Farrel movie that I've never seen.

Today In Hilarity

This right here.

Wonderful! As the son of a teacher, I can attest to the fact that some parents will bitch about anything rather than take responsibility for the failure of their child (or children). Interestingly (and I use that term quite ironically), the ones who complain about "teacher didn't do" this or that to coddle, cajole, etc. their precious kid -- up to and including giving them an undeserved passing grade (because it would make the dear child feel bad to be left behind a year, or other equally ridiculous reasons... my favorite was the "Do you know who I am?" to which my mom replied, "Do you know who I am? I'm the teacher."... My mom kicks ass, I tells ya) -- are the ones who scream the loudest about the evils of the "Nanny State", and, not coincidentally, are the ones who think President Barack Hussein Obama is a Islamo-Communo-Fascist racist. Strange, innit?

(h/t to Angelos, via Facebook)

Proof Of C-Listyness

This is what happens when a big name blog links to you. Can you say hit spike?

It's a good thing Blogger isn't a credit card company -- well, for many reasons, but the one pertinent to this post is -- because if it were I would have gotten a call, and my account freezed, due to the unusual usage.

I appreciate the visits and the comments (both on and off blog). I hope you found something worthwhile in my li'l corner of the InterWebs Tubes.

Three Pics That Have Been Hanging Out On My Hard Drive...

...that mean nothing, except:

I'ma look like this if I wait until a good post idea comes to me.


Some people are very good with photoshop.

I could totally pull off that look.

Are You Kidding Me?

(from DKos, via C&L)

Note the Republican numbers. Boehner is at 12% favorable? McConnell at 18%? The Congressional Repubs as a whole at 17%? Have you heard about this on TV?

No, of course you haven't. It's the Democrats who are "in trouble". And they are playing along with the false narrative and are caving in to pressure. Disgusting. There is no representation for so many people in the US.

I'm sorry, but there is obviously only one party in the US. The Corporate Party. And it has two wings. Republican and Democratic.

Woe Is Still Me

Well, woe-ish.

Jen's at the Expo, and so far it's been a bunch of option "b" from yesterday's post. The afternoon rain came, and the InterWebs Tubes went blooie. So I watched a The 13th Warrior and played some Rise Of Nations.

I've got my every-other-Saturday class tomorrow morning, and then it'll be more puttering, as Christina put it in comments on the last post.

Hope you're all having great weekends!

Woe Is Me...

For because I will shall be home all alone for the weekend.

Jen is off to a swanky resort trade show, at the beach for to peddle her bidness wares, and I'll be left to my own devices.

I predict either a) lots of viewing of various Star Trek TV shows (TNG and DS9 mostly) or, if the InterWebs Tubes get all clogged up, b) hours of computer game action.

Or Possibly Just Music Performed By Texans

Today Is Quite Possibly Turning Into A Lyle Lovette Day

Overheard

I did not promise you a trip to Mars.

Taking This "Fall" Thing A Bit Too Seriously

Yesterday it was my monitor and coffee press. I'm using the monitor we bought last month, until we can find a good price on a replacement, so I have been able to edit and can now show you an "after" photo of the press:




Today? Raxi (seen here being all innocent and shit):



knocked my plastic travel mug (that the wondrous Lisa gave me) off the counter and the freaking handle broke off. I have no photo of that yet. The pain is too fresh in my mind.

So, anyway, the Autumnal Equinox will be happening on Tuesday (22 Sept) at 21:18 UTC, which will be 5:15pm EDT and 3:18pm here in Central America. I'll be busy after I get back from class tomorrow, putting every. thing. I. own. on the floor -- and keeping the cat away from it all.

Good luck everyone!

Good News and Bad News

First, the bad (and it's not all terrible or anything, but... well, you'll see)

Devotees of the Cold War will remember the Domino Theory.

I had a shining example of that this morning that resulted in my computer desk overturning and my monitor going bang on the floor.

And my coffee press.

On a tile floor (like most all floors in Costa Rica).


The press is smashed.

The monitor, which is LCD, still "works", but approximately 1/3 of it is ... no more. A nice diagonal from the top right of the screen to the bottom center -- and everything to the right of that diagonal is blank.

Which makes it tough to do ... a lot of computer things.

Like edit and post a photo of the smashed coffee press. Which is why there isn't an accompanying photo for this post.

.
.
.

Oh, and the good news is, I can still use the monitor enough to write this post.


So, anyone know where the best place in Costa Rica is to find both a coffee press and LCD monitor cheap?

More Pirate-y Goodness

(from the wonderful and under-appreciated movie Yellowbeard)

Avast Ye Scurvy Dogs!

I'm thinkin' me ESL class this morn will be of a most interestin' sort.

(pillaged the image from me heartie Lockwood)

Random Monty Python(ish) of the Day

Like There Was Ever Any Question

Oh, Crap!

Don't try to tell the good folk in Boone, North Carolina global warming isn't real:



Wow!

(and, yes, I know it's just a glitch in the program... or is it?)

Nerdgasm!

D&D sodas.

Farewell, Mary Travers

Rolling Stone has a good write-up on the influence of Peter, Paul and Mary, and of Mary herself.

Go Stephen!

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
The Word - Let Freedom Ka-Ching
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Protests

To Good To Not Use

(image ginked from Blue Gal)

That is all.

Deity!

And, lo, He did smote the Tubes of You, and they didst get they'rn shite together and He didst post this:

Pic of the Day

(h/t to Lockwood, from Outside the Interzone, who I just realized was not on my blogroll. That error has been corrected.)

Happy Independence Day (Costa Rica)!

Costa Rica

Noble patria tu hermosa bandera
expresión de tu vida nos da
bajo el límpido azul de tu cielo
blanca y pura descansa la paz

En la lucha tenaz, de fecunda labor
que enrojece del hombre la faz
conquistaron tus hijos labriegos, sencillos
eterno prestigio, estima y honor

eterno prestigio, estima y honor

Salve oh tierra gentil
Salve oh madre de amor

Cuando alguno pretenda
tu gloria manchar
verás a tu pueblo valiente y viril
la tosca herramienta en arma trocar

Noble patria tu pródigo suelo
dulce abrigo y sustento nos da
bajo el límpido azul de tu cielo
vivan siempre el trabajo y la paz

And for those (like me, still) who aren't fluent in Spanish:

Noble homeland, your beautiful flag
Expresses for us your life,
Under the limpid blue of your skies,
Peace reigns, white and pure.

In the tenacious battle of fruitful toil,
That brings a glow to men's faces,
Your sons, simple farm hands,
Gained eternal renown, esteem and honour.

Hail, gentle country!
Hail, loving mother!

If anyone should attempt to besmirch your glory,
You will see your people, valiant and virile,
Exchange their rustic tools for weapons.

Hail, O homeland! Your prodigal soil
Gives us sweet sustenance and shelter.
Under the limpid blue of your sky,
May peaceful labour ever continue.

Ummmm...

I was planning on posting the new Mr. Deity video tonight, but He tells me (yes, he talks to me -- and to all the rest of his fans on Facebook) that He's having YouTube issues. You'd think the Deity could... well, anyway.

So here's a gratuitous pussy shot:

Seriously, leave something lying around for a minute (or a chair vacated for about 23 milliseconds) and it's HERS!

Conserve Is The Opposite Of Progress Updated

(Image © Austin Cline)

You should go read the post that goes with it. Cline explains things very well, indeed.

I may have missed it, though (because I'm still on my first pot of coffee of the day), but I don't think he went quite far enough in his explanation as to why Conservatives were so up in arms about their children being "indoctrinated" by the President's speech the other day. While he mentions the thread of anti-intellectualism that pervades the Republican party, he doesn't mention that it is a product of the Fundamentalist, literally-interpreted, Christianist religiousity.

These people know that if their children are exposed to the facts, they will draw their own conclusions and, in most cases, the children will come to see that what they have been told by their parents is ... disingenuous at best and delusional at worst. The Earth was not created in seven 24-hour days, homosexuals (and women and blacks and Hispanics and everybody else who isn't male, white, and Christian) aren't evil or lesser than, and they don't deserve preferential treatment simply because of the color of their skin or their brand of religion.

These Tea Baggers/Deathers/Birthers/Tenthers... ethno-religio-centrics know that once that happens, the Republican Party -- as it exists today -- will truly be dead. That is what really scares them. Not the Black Man in the White House, but the universal truths he represents by his very existence.

Update: This most excellent post by nonny mouse over at Crooks & Liars is a must read. Here's a sample:

Stupid people aren't leaders, they're not even followers. They're the Marching Morons. They're the Eloi to the Morlocks of Coulters, Rushes, Limbaughs, Savages, Hannitys, et. al., who cultivate and nurture their hordes of the slavishly stupid, then feed off them mercilessly. It’s the bread and butter for the Malkins who can claim millions – millions I tells ya! – turned up for the 9/12 marches, then used photos from the inauguration to fraudulently bolster the lie, fully aware her multitude of mindless minions will never bother to check – or ever realize it was all a lie, that a mere few thousand at most showed up, all that empty lawn speaking volumes.

I'm So Disappointed...

When I heard about this big 912 thing, I thought it was all about old Porsches:



Turns out it's just a bunch of thinly-veiled racist BS.


Bummer.

Heh

From Dr. Boli's Celebrated Magazine

Friday Kitteh Blogging: Special Two Monthaversary Edition

Two months ago today, Jen said, "we have to go do something for your birthday" and we got me (us, really) a kitteh!!

So here's some pics taken earlier today:
Raxacoricofallapatorius sleepin' on Jen's computer chair.


Raxacoricofallapatorius glaring at me from the chair, cause I woke her up.


Raxacoricofallapatorius deciding that it just isn't worth it to create a scene, yawning, and falling back asleep.

Apologies for the crappiness of the photos. It's the camera. Not Raxi.

Is It Just Me?

Or does this guy:

look as though his head is two sizes smaller than his body?

I'm sure it's just a trick of the long points on his shirt collar and the wide tie, but.. dang. Man's giving the Republican response to the President's speech. You'd think he ... oh, right. Nevermind.

(for the full effect, and learn more about 'Lord' Doctor Boustany, click here)

Glenn Beck Does Not Speak For Me

From freepress.net:

Dear Friend,

A few loudmouths in the media don’t speak for me or for the majority of Americans. They have turned mainstream television and radio outlets into a megaphone for smear campaigns against public servants and innocent Americans.

They have a First Amendment right to stoke prejudice and intolerance in this way -- and we’re not asking for them to be silenced -- but people of integrity have a responsibility to condemn this repulsive and hysterical behavior that is harming our democracy.

Please urge President Obama to publicly confront such media fear-mongering with reason and to fulfill his campaign commitment to foster a media system where diverse perspectives aren’t drowned out by the ranting of a few.

Click here to learn more about what's at stake and send a loud message directly to President Obama.

*Yawn*

I had a long day (for me) at work today, and then we had a wonderful pizza for dinner.

I'm sleepy.

Here's hoping that President Obama's speech today properly indoctrinated your kids, my friends.

G'night.

Oh, That's Why He Wanted To Know...

Is what you're all saying to yourselves now.

I found a new photo that I wanted to use to head the blog, but wanted to keep the same font I had for the title.

So, thanks to KarenB -- and the rest of you -- and I hope you like the new header!!

A Question Fer Muh Readers: Updated!

Does anyone know what the font is that I used for the blog header?

Cause I don't remember, and I did that back when I was running Linux on this machine -- which means the font is gone.


Reader KarenB identified it, and Petulant confirmed -- it's Papyrus, so the...

100,000 irredeemable points to anyone who knows goes to KarenB. Use them well!

Apropos For A Sunday

(h/t to PZ Myers)

Ooh, What Was That?

That, my friends, was a 4.5 earthquake centered about 100 miles south-southeast of here. Which, by the way, is just about as far as one can go from here and still be in Costa Rica. And here being, of course, San Rafael de Heredia, just north of San José.



This earthquake stuff is still pretty new to me, so it was cool. Thought I felt something but I wasn't sure, then the whole place just went /shake/ for about a half-second.

Raxi didn't even wake up from her snoozing on the chair next to me.

Never Play Slapjack With A Bear

(photo from the Asheville Citizen-Times)

The bear will win every time.

Also, that picture was taken at a picnic area that I have visited at least 100 times, as there are some very nice trails and views nearby. And I never got to see a bear there. Prolly for the best, though.

Today In Way Cool Stuff

From Discovery News:Sustainable blog:

A research group from the University of Stuttgart is giving "tree house" a new meaning recently with the world's first tower made from living white willow trees.

They're called Baubotanik and, as my post title says, it's waaay cool.

Below are two samples from the above website. You really should check it out.

Endangered Species

The TV journalist who tells the truth:



Wow. Shame there's not more of that kind of reportage.

(h/t to Bob Cesca)

The Things We Learn

So, I'm preparing for a private lesson I have tomorrow afternoon with a new student. He lived in the United States for several years as a child, including the grades K-4 in school. But in the 12 years he's been back in Costa Rica, he hasn't used his English and it has gotten very rusty. So we're going to catch him back up on the basics and I'll also help him with pronunciation and such.

Now, I've spoken English for 45 years or so (I don't remember exactly when I started talking) and, if I may say so, I speak it pretty well. But if you ask me why to use a certain form of a verb, and what that form is called -- for example, the Present Continuous -- you are likely to see a blank stare. I know it, but I don't know what it's called, basically. Therefore, I'm having to learn all the boring bits that were the parts that I really detested in school (which was the main reason I turned down the full scholarship in English at a prestigious Midwestern university that I was offered coming out of high school).

Anyway, as I was preparing for tomorrow's session, I came across this:

Betty Botter's Better Batter

Betty Botter had some butter,
"But," she said, "this butter's bitter.

If I bake this bitter butter,
It would make my batter bitter.

But a bit of better butter,
That would make my batter better."

So she bought a bit of butter –
Better than her bitter butter –

And she baked it in her batter;
And the batter was not bitter.

So 'twas better Betty Botter
Bought a bit of better butter.

Try saying that one five times fast. :)

Heh

Night Sounds

So, for those paying attention, you will recall that I lived in the Asheville, NC area before I moved down here to Costa Rica to be with Jen. I lived there for ten years, and before that I lived in Boone, NC and before that... well, I lived my whole life in the mountains of North Carolina.

Along about the beginning of August every year, the katydids come out. You hear them every night from then until first frost, when they burrow underground to hibernate. When I was living in the Secret Lair outside of Asheville, I was in the woods, and the katydids were all around me. At times they were so loud that I couldn't hear the music on my stereo, or would have to turn the TV up all the way to hear the movie (or whatever).

I guess I lived with the sound of the katydids for so long that it is now an ingrained part of me, because when I go to bed at night now -- when it's all quiet -- I hear this (not recorded by me, but my a YouTuber in Western NC):




And there are no katydids around here. But I still hear them.

It's nice.

(also, to get the full effect of what it sounded like around the Secret Lair this time of year, crank the sound all the way up)

Pot Pourri

Two photos of the table, now with three coats of polyurethane:

As you can see, it's getting pretty shiny. I'm trying to decide if I want to add any more coats of poly. Since we're going to be using this as a dining table I want it to be well protected, but I don't want so much poly that the surface feels "plastic".

And one photo of the afternoon sky:


And now my camera is empty. :)