People Feeding Ducks

We were at a lake a while ago and saw a big family -- must have been 12 kids, not as two parents' kids but as a larger family together -- throwing bread in the lake. The ducks were going for it, of course, and ducks were even swimming in from down shore to get in on the action.

I was grumbling about it to myself and one other person, since you're not supposed to feed the wildlife. Something about if they get a taste for human food, next thing you know they'll be wandering the aisles of our groceries stores pooping everywhere.

They kept it up, the people feeding them. Then some seagulls who also happen to be in the area came swooping in, and they were virtually diving in over the family's heads, trying to get the bread in midair. That's tough to do, but some where going down to the surface and picking it up quickly. One intelligent seagull actually landed on the water. But then when a kid lobbed a piece of bread toward it, it got scared and few away. So not so intelligent!

I watched the family for 10 minutes or so. That's how long it took, either to use up all the bread or to lose interest.

I was hoping the seagulls would carry one of the kids out maybe 15 feet, drop him or her, so I could see the frantic parents diving in. That'd teach them to feed the birds! But of course seagulls aren't organized enough to manage it. We don't live in a perfect world, alas.

Another Bad Muffler

I hate it when someone drives by with a bad muffler. That "RRRRRRRRR" noise grates on my last nerve. Get it fixed!

I was outside walking the dog one day, like 6 or 7 in the morning, and some guy in a truck on his way to work, probably, comes "RRRRRRRRRRR'ing" by. I didn't mean to turn and look, since I don't want him to feel any worse about it than he probably already does. But before I could check myself I had turned.

He looked right at me and waved. So that's better than fingering me for looking at him.

I've had bad mufflers a few times in the past. It's embarrassing. So I've gotten them fixed as soon as possible.

Random Names Virus Tweets (Collect Them All)

There's something wrong with my PAULSON computer. Like right there RICKY. I'm typing along and it inserts a name at random BERTHA.

As far as I can GLENN tell it's stealing from my 140 MARGARET characters. So if WEN HO LEE I have a thought, I need to THOMAS TRAIN abbrevia

This stupid thing POLLY! This has to be a virus BUSCHMACHER. Buschmacher? Is that even a name. Probably. GERMANIC FLU. That's ridiculous.

PILSON. That just popped up. SAM ADAMS. It's getting worse TONY. I'm pulling the plug LILLIAN. The backspace JAMES ST. JAMES doesn't work.

ADDAMS FAMILY. WEN HO LEE. Wen Ho Lee? Isn't that the guy who was accused of being a spy? And found not guilty. RED SOVINE. Teddy Bear guy?

It's maddening. JOHANNA. Where's it getting these names? HENRIKSSON. Looks Swedish but I've never been there. I shower so I don't swed.

PAGLIACCI. RENFIELD. Renfield I know. He's the fly eating DECLAN guy from Dracula, not DECLAN. Isn't that ELVIS Costello's name?

I need to turn it off MARGARET. Weird stupid computer. Stupid FLINTSTONE computer. Bye.

The Late Show

I'm watching the movie "The Late Show," which stars Lily Tomlin, Art Carney, and Bill Macy.

The way I watch a movie, as I've said before, is 10-15 minutes a day while exercising, so I have to stop and restart several times before I get the job done.

With "The Late Show" I'm having a hard time restarting, since it isn't appealing to me very much. It's great seeing Art Carney, that's for sure, and Lily Tomlin. Bill Macy -- I think I'll look him up -- it seems like he was the guy who played Maude's husband. (Yup, turns out he was.)

I always loved Art Carney on "the Honeymooners," like everyone. And Lily Tomlin on "Laugh In" and various other appearances.

The movie has a lot of good stuff going for it. It's just been hard to restart, because I usually want lighter fare when I'm exercising. At least nothing to be nauseated about, which is what I am when guys have bloody noses a lot or there's a body in a refrigerator.

I'm definitely in the last half of it -- I can just feel it -- so I want to see how it works out. But it's really really tough to care.

Harper Valley PTA

I love the old song -- sung by Jeannie C. Riley, written by Tom T. Hall -- "Harper Valley PTA." I always have loved it, because I love the "Mama" in it and her attitude.

The PTA doesn't think Mrs. Johnson's bringing up her little girl in a good way, since she, Mrs. Johnson's wearing mini skirts and apparently running around with men and going wild. She doesn't deny it.

But the PTA happens to be meeting that very afternoon. And she wears her mini skirt into the room! (And maybe she ought to have a couple of the men with her, looking at the PTA gals and licking their lips.)

Mrs. Johnson's tactic of rebuttal is to point out the hypocrisy of those who are gathered, thinking themselves to be the moral arbiters of their generation. These include Bobby Taylor, who's asked Mrs. Johnson out for a date seven times. And Bobby's wife who uses a lot of ice when he's away. And Mr. Baker, whose secretary had to leave the town. And Widow Jones, who doesn't keep her window shades pulled completely down, and must be doing something in full view of passersby, that, frankly, I'd like to know more about.

In addition to these hypocrites, we have Mr. Harper -- of the famous Harpers, I guess -- who missed the meeting because he's at Kelly's Bar again. And Shirley Thompson, sitting there with gin on her breath.

Mrs. J sums it all up: "Then you have the nerve to tell me you think that as a mother I'm not fit. Well, this is just a little Peyton Place and you're all Harper Valley hypocrites!"

That's my Mama! the little girl seems to say. Because she celebrates what happened: "No I wouldn't put you on because it really did, it happened just this way. The day my Mama socked it to the Harper Valley P.T.A., the day my Mama socked it to the Harper Valley P.T.A."

I love Mamas like that. My actual Mama's like that. She doesn't run around with men and go wild like Mrs. Johnson. But if push ever came to shove, she'd definitely "sock it to 'em!" And good.

Contractual Obligation Blog Post

Blogger is supposed to put red and blue M & M's in my computer room. This is not being done. I found some other colors in the mix.

Also I need a box of Puff's tissues, a hand towel folded in fours, and a single square paper towel on top of that.

And I need a 20" box fan set on medium blowing approximately 20 degrees away from where I normally sit. Blowing to my left.

A lot of this stuff isn't being arranged to my satisfaction.

(As far as water, I want a pitcher of tap water with some professionally made ice in it.)

Old Man Summer

Summer is quickly starting to seem like an old man to me.

As far as the season goes, it's getting too old to cut the mustard. I was hearing what sounded like locusts today. Which I usually associate with the onset of fallopause. Cold flashes.

The trees look tired. The squirrels are carrying around food. It's cooler than usual. The sky looks gray.

The last hurrah can't be too far off. Everything is accelerated. Nature's giving up.

Krugman Nails It

Paul Krugman nails it today in his column, "Republican Death Trip." Speaking of the right-wingers and their despicable lies and distortions about President Obama and health care reform, he says,

This opposition cannot be appeased.

That's exactly true. And I have to hope that President Obama knows what he's doing in continuing his dance with the extremists, including supposed "centrist," Charles Grassley. These people are stabbing him in the back. Like it or not, there's no bipartisan heaven just up the road.

The time for kicking ass has come. President Obama has the power to do it if he chooses.

But, as Krugman says,

What’s still missing, however, is a sense of passion and outrage — passion for the goal of ensuring that every American gets the health care he or she needs, outrage at the lies and fear-mongering that are being used to block that goal.

Please, please, please, Mr. President. Take these despicable Republicans down. And get the job done for the American people.

You wanted to be president to bring "change we can believe in." You're there ... Now do it!

No Palin, No Gain

Michpalin Bachpalin, congresspalin from Minnesota, complains that people are trying to "palinize" her. That's ridiculous!

But of course if it palins like a palin and it palins like a palin, it could very well be a palin.
Afterall, no palin, no gain.

Being in politics is a very palinful thing sometimes.

Personally I think Michpalin Bachpalin is crazy enough to qualify for the honor of being palinized, but I'll leave the job to others.

The original Palin, of course, is as crazy as they come. And it might be hard to top her, although Bachpalin might succeed.

Michelle "Palin" Bachmann

Michelle Bachpalin, the crazy Congresspalin from Minnesota, pleads with her supporters not to let the opposition "palinize" her.

Apparently Michepalin is referring to the original Republican scourge, former Alaska governor, Sarah Palinmann, who has marginalized herself with her extreme, wacky, fruitcake ideas and statements.

Bachpalin might want to check her record. The only one palinizing her has been she herself. If you're palinizing around with Palins, don't be surprised if some of the stink wears off.

In all seriousness, we hope that Congresspalin Michpalin Bachpalin is completely defeated and humiliated in the process. Although, to be fair, with her wacky Palinesque views, we can't imagine what it would take to humiliate her.