Oh, say can you see $1,515 for flag tank top?

What recession? People are paying outrageous prices for stuff like this.

A tank top designed to look like a ripped, burned and tattered American flag is a hot seller this spring.

And the $1,515 price tag isn’t the only thing kicking up controversy.

The trashed tank, from French design house Balmain, is besieged with holes that look like cigarette burns and is held together at its open sides with safety pins. Story Here

Slideshow: Ooh la odd! Crazy couture

Eating armadillos blamed for leprosy in the southern United States

The next time you decide to cuddle an armadillo, think again!

Scientists are saying these “hillybilly speedbumps” as they’re often called because they get run over a lot, will infect you with leprosy!

Disease likely spreads when people handle, eat the animals, which carry bacteria for disfiguring disease.

Going back 41 years ago to this same week in April

This is a Three-Part Post.                          Part One
                                                         By Dave Stancliff
   Forty-one years ago this month, this week, I was a combat engineer serving in the Republic of Vietnam. One year earlier, I was a high school student without a care in the world and eager to graduate so that I could get on with life. Be my own boss. You remember what that was like, don’t you?
  My squad’s mission was to sweep for mines on a two-lane dirt road laughingly referred to as Highway 22. We would get up at first light and haul our heavy mine-detection equipment out and take a stroll down that reddish dirt road until we finished, usually at noon.
   The VC, who watched our every move from hidey holes, enjoyed putting “Bouncing Betty’s” beneath piles of buffalo shit as they knew the odor offended our Western sensibilities. The hoped we’d pass over the putrid piles rather than bother disturbing them. I never saw the trick work, but heard it did somewhere else from guys in other units.
I can tell you that it was no fun probing for live bombs with a bayonet in a stinky mess. I got use to it however, as I got use to everything in that alien world somewhere in the Central Highlands that spring. How I managed remains a mystery to me today.

 Army units were assigned to provide us security and walked along behind us bristling with weapons as we did our job swinging those heavy mine detectors for hours at a time. Truck and tanks followed us in this daily routine.

We always had close ground-to-air-support. We could call in “Puff” the Magic Dragon, Spooky, Golf Ball, or Spectre, which were a bunch of assorted gunships made from AC-47s, C-123s, and C-130s.
Our security radioman could call those death-dealers in for a strike in a heartbeat. Charlie knew this and made it a habit not to wander around during the day. He just burrowed down into the ground and waited for darkness. Hoping that the mines he set during the night would kill some invaders during the day. Sometimes I imagined the enemy’s eyes following me. Patiently watching. Hoping to see me become a causality.It was a feeling we all had to get use to.

We were on constant alert for the many signs that could mean life or death. I found an old French anti-tank mine one day. Took off my earphones and handed my mine detector to my sergeant. I found it and that meant it was mine. The earth stopped as I carefully probed the spot and slowly traced around the perimeter of the pressure plate. Time was meaningless. Sweat poured off my brow as I strained to recognize what kind of mine I’d uncovered.
I recognized it even as the sergeant said “French make.” That meant it would take at least 500 pounds on the pressure plate to set it off. Excellent for mangling vehicles like American trucks. Once I disabled it I sat down and drank some water from my canteen. I felt like throwing up, but the sensation passed.

See Part Two – Thursday, April 27 - “The Montagnards were our allies.”

The Trump Train: Donald gloats over birth certificant release, now wants to see Obama’s school records

Donald keeps giving complete idiots and racists reason to hope.

After Obama released his birth certificate today Trump’s response was to gloat that he “was honored’ to see a response to his question. He then turned around and launched into a new attack and questioned the president’s school records. Recognizing his hand was called on the “Birther” insanity today, Trump stopped gloating long enough to became a “Grader.”

I’m sure he’ll be the guiding light for a lot of disillusioned racists who had dearly hoped to keep the birth controversy issue going on forever. But now they can point their pin heads in a new direction and pursue their pastime of discrediting the president in any way possible.   

Well, I want to see “Ferret with Mange Hair’s” obedience school transcripts for the ferret playing dead on his head (see photo)! 

Following Trump's analysis, how did George W. get into Harvard and Yale? Where are his records? How did Gerald Ford get into Michigan? How did Reagan get into anything above the 9th grade? We demand to see those records. Then, we want to see how Trump got into Penn, as well as his transcripts.

Let’s get one thing straight: Trump is an ego-driven narcissistic douchebag whose been pumping up the ratings on his silly-assed reality show and news organizations like MSNBC and Fox have happily carried his rantings for ratings. The clown even said he'd announce his intentions about running for president on the season finale!

When the “Grader” crap subsides, as it will, I expect Trump will come up with something equally ridiculous to get the public’s attention.

As It Stands, I can see it now: “F*cking magnets, how do they work?"

Time to end ‘sideshow’ - Obama to speak on birth certificate

This ought to shut up those “Birther” wackaloons. Now what are they going to do? The lie about his birth certificate has been sustaining the Tea Party and Republicans who can’t think of anything legitimate to go after Obama for.

White House spokesman handed out 'long-form' copies of certificate on Wednesday

President Barack Obama will speak to reporters at 9:45 a.m. ET Wednesday about the release of his birth certificate, NBC News reports.

White House press secretary Jay Carney handed out copies of the president’s “long form” birth certificate Wednesday morning, showing that he was born in Hawaii. Previously, only the president’s shorter form certificate had been made available, something that has spurred theories that Obama was not born in the United States.

White House officials have said the issue was settled long ago. But so-called "birthers" opposed to Obama have kept the issue alive. Potential Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump recently began questioning why Obama hadn't ensured the long form was released.

Carney says Obama felt the debate over his birthplace had become a "sideshow" that was bad for the country and political debate.

The "certificate of live birth" released Wednesday morning contained the signatures of the attending physician and the Local and State Registrars. It also contains the name of the hospital where Obama was born, Kapiolani Maternity & Gynecological Hospital.

NBC News reports that the president requested the release of the birth certificate last week and that the White House counsel personally traveled to Hawaii to receive it.

The issue has continued to be part of the political dialogue despite a raft of evidence showing that Obama was indeed born in Hawaii.  More Story Here

Lakers take over series with tough defense and renewed offense

The Lakers win tonight over the Hornets was a team affair…the way it should be: Andrew Bynum had 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Pau Gasol added 16 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocked shots, and 4 assists. Kobe had 19 points. Fisher had 14 points. Ron Artest had 11 points and 12 rebounds. Shannon Brown played big off the bench with 8 points and lots of defensive hustle helping the Lakers take a 3-2 edge in the surprisingly competitive first round series.

The Lakers starters were all smiles as the final seconds ticked away in the 106-90 win at Staples Center. Game six goes back to New Orleans. photo source

A white boy can’t dance and psychologists act like this is news!

Apparently a team of psychs from Canada think they have stumbled upon something significant. I hate to pop their balloon, but most white boys can’t dance. Common knowledge. I’m a perfect example of – go ahead and say it – a stereotypical white boy who can’t dance! 

Excerpt:

“According to a team of University of Montreal psychologists, a 23-year-old Caucasian man, "Mathieu," is the first documented case of a person wholly unable to feel a musical beat or to move in time with it.”

I suspect the “A Team” from the University of Montreal didn’t visit any bars or other venues where people dance. I mean, how can they say this is the first documented case of the white boy syndrome? The truth has been out there for a long time. Just look at this photo! 

“The scientists report for an upcoming journal article that Mathieu sings in tune but merely flails with his body, bouncing up and down much more randomly than do people who are merely poor dancers.” [Science News, 3-26-11]

So let me get this straight…they compared their boy Mathieu with some people (Where did they find them? Excuse me sir, but are you a poor dancer?) who are “merely poor dancers” and came to the conclusion Mathieu is the missing link for white boys who have no rhythm. Hmmmmmmm….I’d say shaky science bunky!

photo source

Lawmakers increase fines for hand held phones & texting while driving – so what? A few extra bucks won’t make a difference

I can get in a car right now and drive down Central Avenue in McKinleyville and see someone talking on a hand held cell phone, or texting.

Guaranteed.

When are the lawmakers going to quit messing around and put some real teeth into stopping this problem?

I’ve talked with people who do this and they are completely unconcerned about paying a few bucks if caught. So far, none of the people I know that use hand held cell phones have been caught while driving. Friends and family included. It’s very frustrating to me because I take the danger very seriously, and would hate to be killed by another driver texting or talking on a hand held cell phone. I’m funny about things like that. Having survived combat in Vietnam and Cambodia, it would just suck to have some 17 year-old boy, or girl, take me out while gossiping with friends! 

  

Motorists who text or talk on hand-held phones face stiffer penalties under Senate measure

Lawmakers voted to raise the base fine from $20 to $50 for a first offense and from $50 to $100 for subsequent violations. The bill would also extend the ban to bicyclists.

“One taxpayer advocacy group questions whether the law has made the road safer, citing a study last year by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. States that lack such a law also had fewer accidents, the study showed.

"It's essentially just a revenue-generating mechanism without improving public safety,'' said Matt Gray, a lobbyist for Taxpayers for Improving Public Safety.”  Photo source

Good Morning Humboldt County! Another Day in Paradise

As I slurp my Java this morning I see it’s been nothing but bad news for the Midwest. 'The town's gone': Seven dead as storm slams Arkansas  50 to 60 still are still unaccounted for in Vilonia; trail of destruction 15 miles long, three miles wide.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Emergency crews are preparing to search for dozens of people still missing early Tuesday before more forecast storms strike the area in the afternoon.

And it gets worse…

'Perfect storm' pounds central US, testing levees' limits

More than 1,000 homes evacuated in Missouri; Black River overruns barrier in 30 spots.

 

 

 

 

Members of the Missouri Highway Patrol set off by boat to patrol a flooded street and check for victims of a flash flood Monday, April 25, 2011, in Poplar Bluff, Mo.

While the words "skyrocketing" and "gas prices" often end up in the same sentence, "plummeting" and “gas prices” rarely occupy even the same paragraph. In a perfect free market, prices should float up and down with equal speed. But in our market, what goes up doesn't seem to come down, at least not at once.  What gives? Why gas prices go up much faster than they come down

On a more positive note Electric cars meet the real world 

Chevrolet has sold about 1,500 Volts as of the end of March, and the company says sales will be going nationwide by the end of the year. The company has been keeping track of Volt driving patterns through its OnStar network, and the data suggest that Volt owners are getting savvier about maximizing battery use and minimizing use of the car's gasoline-powered "range extender." During March, the average mileage between fill-ups went from 800 to 1,000 miles, Chevrolet reported last week.

Time for me to wander on down the road….

Pugs Gone Wild! A Potpourri of Precious Pugs Playing and Posing

My Pug, Millie (left) and I thought it would be fun to do a photo page of Pugs just being Pugs…

This Pug on the right looks a little sleepy, but game.

 

 How cute is this wall-eyed baby Pug reposing in his/her swivel chair?

I couldn’t resist this postcard on the right.

 

 Look at the smile on this proud Pug as he plays pony for this little Chinese girl!

The cuteness factor goes of the charts here!

Meet Mr. & Mrs. Pug, who just returned from a trip to Hawaii.

They both dug it there!

I’ll give you three guesses why I think the Pug on the left has a name like Princess…

This Pug who is celebrating another birthday looks kinda thoughtful about being a year older!

Now, don’t get the wrong idea about this little Pig Pug whose contemplating these remaining pizza crusts…

 

 

 

 

As all Pug lovers know…they are clowns when given the opportunity and some don’t even mind being dressed up. The Pug on the right looks okay playing Yoda, but the one on the left looks kinda peeved that he has to be Darth Vader!

The Pug in the swing looks a little concerned, but is gamely smiling and waiting for the photographer to pull the leash and (hopefully) gently rock him back and forth.

Pugs come in two colors.

 

With the exception of Millie, all these adorable Pugs can be found at Google Images Thanks for stopping by and viewing this Pug Potpourri!

 Pugs Rule!

Misaddressed marijuana goes to elderly Pennsylvania couple

“Police say an elderly Pennsylvania couple was the unintended recipient of a very seedy delivery: a five-pound brick of marijuana.”

What’s with the seeds? Doesn’t sound like grade A Buds to me.

“Police in Upper Darby, just outside Philadelphia, say the couple paid little attention to the package when it was delivered last week. Not recognizing the name, they left it on their porch, expecting it to be picked up.

When nobody claimed the package, the couple opened it to find what police say was $10,000 in high-grade marijuana.”

Again…what’s with the seeds? Sounds like a brick of Mexican pot to me. Hardly hi-grade.

“Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood tells the Delaware County Daily Times the couple gave the package to police, who determined the return address in Tollison, Ariz., was fake.”

Who would of guessed? A fake return address. How clever. Except for the fact that whoever sent it got the wrong address! Or, did they????

“Chitwood says the department sees about a half-dozen similar deliveries a year and can sometimes track down the sender.”

Those senders they do track down probably put their real return address on the package – giving at least one clue to the cops. They’re not the brightest bulbs in the marijuana grow!

Information from: Delaware County Daily Times, http://www.delcotimes.com