Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Comedy or racism?

All my adult life, I've heard the old Amos and Andy radio and TV shows described as racism.  I finally went to my favorite source for both comedy and racism, YouTube, and watched this very funny episode.  Is it stereotypical?  Yep, but so is the Honeymooners stereotypical about working class New Yorkers.  Are either racist?  I think not.  I'm posting this very well preserved Amos and Andy episode for your enjoyment and critique.







So what do you think? Comedy or racism? Remember this is from 1952.

New Islamist threats against the West

Over the past few days, the various European and American intelligence agencies have indicated that they busted up credible threats against us and our allies.  Apparently The Religion of Peace wants to make multiple attacks similar to the one in Mumbai (Bombay), India last year.  The reaction of the Americans was to target leaders of these attacks with drones at their headquarters in that bastion of love and peace, Pakistan.  It looks like we dodged a bullet once again. 

If this news isn't sobering enough, perhaps you should go and read the following at The Captain's Journal:
The scenario I am about to describe can be accomplished by simple, direct attacks and without reference to more complicated organizational skills except for weapons, dedicated fighters and effective timing.  The scenario I am about to describe would quite literally destroy the economy of the nation for a long time.  I am hesitant to describe it in detail; when I do this sort of thing I usually get charged with giving the terrorists ideas.
But the fact of the matter is that the terrorists already know these things, and it is important to educate the American people to the dangers right outside the gate.
Read the whole thing, and remember that the Obama regime won't even acknowledge that there is a threat from Islamist terrorists.  Ask him about Fox news, Rush Limbaugh and "teabaggers", and that's a whole different story.

Monday, September 27, 2010

Bumper sticker of the month


Ground Zero mosque anyone?

Southwest to buy Air-Tran - UPDATED

The AP reports that Southwest Airlines has bought Air-Tran for $1.4 billion dollars.

DALLAS — Southwest Airlines is buying AirTran for about $1.4 billion as it seeks entry into a number of smaller markets.
The announcement comes about a week after Continental Airlines and UAL Corp. combined amid an industrywide consolidation.
The companies said Monday that the new Southwest-Airtran operation would operate from more than 100 different airports and serve more than 100 million customers.
The deal is worth approximately $3.4 billion including AirTran's debt. It will pay about $670 million with available cash.
Southwest Airlines Co. gets more exposure to existing markets like New York and Boston and it can get into smaller markets it doesn't already serve.
Shares of AirTran Holdings Inc. rose nearly 4 percent to $4.55 in premarket trading.
Overweight people wearing rude tshirts or skimpy clothes will soon have fewer flying options, now that Southwest Airlines is buying Air-Tran. The deal was announced this morning and comes a week after Continental and United Airlines merged. Southwest will get more access to places like New York, Boston, Baltimore, Washington, and expand into places like Atlanta for the first time.  The bright side of this to me is that Southwest will now fly to Memphis, at least until they decide not to.

Spirit is expected to respond by merging with an ICBM manufacturer to develop flights that will just jam all the passengers in a tube and rocket them across the country.


UPDATE:  Southwest does not have a habit of flying to under served cities from small markets just once a day or even 4 or 5 times a week.  It just costs them too much to operate these routes.  I'd expect these cities to be axed quickly once the merger happens.  I'm thinking places like Allentown, Harrisburg, Flint, and Key West are going to be cut, simply because Air Tran has lower overhead for ground workers.  One flight a day is not economical to maintain a crew on the ground and all the support equipment.   I'm thinking more that this is a grab at certain markets that Southwest covets like LGA, DCA, international routes to Mexico and the Caribbean.  More than likely there will be carnage on the small cities, and ones that Southwest never wanted to serve (like Memphis).

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Union gets punked

The Daily Show of all places exposes the hyprocrisy of the unions who protest Wal-Mart 24/7.  Jon Stewart is a reliable liberal which makes this even more astonishing that he would do a smack down on a corrupt union.  Have a look and watch this guy squirm.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartMon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Working Stiffed
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full EpisodesPolitical HumorTea Party

So there you have it, union thugs employ non-union protesters, and pay less than most Wal-Mart employees make.  It's nice to see Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert going out of their way to embarrass the people who they generally support.  Well done guys.

Hat tip: Allahpundit

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Does anyone remember this character?

I do!

Scrappy was on my TV set every morning when i was a little kid.  These 1930s cartoons must have been cheap for the local stations to buy.  I have not been able to find it yet, but there was one that made me cry as a kid.  Scrappy was still hungry after his mother gave him some food.  Remember these were not kids cartoons, but were in the the cinemas aimed at adults.  Anyway here is a Scrappy short.


Friday, September 24, 2010

Night of the Living Trekkies Book Trailer

Via Allahpundit, Isn't this a fantastic trailer of a movie that was never made?



This leads me to another question, albeit political, by none other than the late Bob hope.

Mr. Colbert goes to Washington

The most serious and virtuous Congress in history invited comedian Stephen Colbert to testify before the House Judiciary subcommittee on immigration, and today he did.  This was the brain child of subcommittee chairman Zoe Lofgren, a Nancy Pelosi mini-me.

My first reaction was, "what could possibly go wrong with this?".  Well Colbert did not disappoint.  For your viewing enjoyment and disgrace to the Democrats that gave him a forum in a Congressional committee, here's a video of the main event.



Ah yes, competence in government at its best.  Your tax dollars at work.  Byron York was there for the sideshow, and Ed Morrissey provides us with update.
Here’s another moment for the history books, courtesy of Teresa Kopec on Twitter: “Corn packer is a derogatory term for Gay Iowans.”  Thanks, Democrats, for bringing this to the halls of Congress while the economy continues to stagnate and millions of people are without jobs.
November 2nd can not come soon enough.  Had enough Hope and Change : 

UPDATE:  Here's the video of Colbert's "testimony" before the committee.  I have to admit, it is hilarious.



Your tax dollars paid for this folks.  Are you ready to get rid of these clowns?

This November

This November is our time for some real hope and change and TAKE AMERICA BACK from taxing and spending politicians from both parties.



Register and get out and vote and get rid of these crooks and scoundrels in Washington.  This is our last best chance.

NFL Week 3

There are some very interesting match-ups for week 3 of the NFL season.  Let's see how my crystal ball predicts the outcomes.  I hope it is better than last weekend.

Cincinnati at Carolina

After very bad game 1 against the Patriots, the Bengals staged an impressive win against the Ravens last week.  Carolina only impresses me with how bad they have been playing.  CIN-30  CAR-3

Buffalo at New England

You're kidding me, right?  The Pats are coming off an embarrassing loss to the Jets, and the Bills are just embarrassing to watch.  NE-42  BUF 7

San Francisco at Kansas City

The 49ers are 0-2 and not playing very well.  Turnovers killed them against the Saints, but they have a very strong defense  The Chiefs (2-0) Have surprised a lot lf people, but they have a crappy offense.  I predict SF-21  KC-7

Tennessee at New York Giants

Tennessee had a late game comeback under reserve quarterback, Kerry Collins.  But it was too little too late to beat the Steelers, who only scored one offensive touchdown.  The Giants didn't bother to show up against the Colts last week.  The offensive line gave no protection to Eli Manning, and the defense, well lets just say played like they were hungover.  I'm expecting an improved Giants this team this week.  This could be a very close game.  I'm predicting NYG-24 TN-17

Cleveland at Baltimore

Despite a loss to the Bengals last week, the Ravens' defense is formidable.  The Bengals had 5 field goals but never crossed the  goal line.  Cleveland is well....bad.  BAL-28  CLE-3

Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay

The Steelers defense is one of the best, but their offense is without direction, and hasn't scored an offensive touchdown in regulation play.  Roethlisberger is out for another 2 games, and it shows in pretty mediocre performances during the 2 preceding weekends.  The Bucs have a tough defense, but their offense has not been playing at what I think is at their best.  Still with home field advantage and a week Pittsburgh offense, I'm going out on a limb and calling it for Tampa Bay.  TPA-10  PIT-3

Atlanta at New Orleans

The Saints have looked very lackluster in their 2 opening games, but still managed to pull out wins.  Both teams seem to have concerns with their backfield.  Both teams have strong defenses, so this is a tough call.  I'm giving it to the Saints.  NO-24  ATL-17

Detroit at Minnesota 

Why bother to even comment on this.  Even 70 year old Brett Favre can pull off a win in this pathetic pairing.  MN- 31  DET-3

Dallas at Houston

This may be the game of the week.  The Texans (2-0) have been playing so good and the Cowboys (0-2) so bad, I'm wondering if Dallas will actually go 0-3.  One can only hope.  One of the problems for both teams is that their defenses are giving up a lot of points.  The Texans have made it up with scoring more than their opponents.  I think their luck is about to run out.  I'm reluctantly calling this for the Cowboys.  DAL-32  HOU-28

Philadelphia at Jacksonville

Philadelphia has a better offense, Vick is back and playing well.  PHL-33  JAX-21

Washington at St. Louis

Here's another battle of the crappy teams.  The Redskins have the worst record for rushing yards, and the Rams are just the worst.  WASH-14 STL-9

Indianapolis at Denver

After last week's performance against the Giants, I'm thinking that the Colts are back.  Denver has the advantage of being at home.  Still, I'm going to call this for Indy.  IND-28  DEN-17

Oakland at Arizona

Oakland has a superior ground game, Arizona is a so-so team, but the Raiders hasn't won 2 in a row since 2008.  It's about time they did.  OAK-21  AZ-14

San Diego at Seattle

After a strong opening week, the Seahawks had their ass handed to them last week, and the turnovers killed them.  The Chargers had a good game last week with 4 interceptions and a pair of fumbles, after a big loss to the Chiefs in the opener.  SAN-34  SEA-17

New York Jets at Miami

The Jets played like a Superbowl bound team, especially in the 2nd half and put a whooping on the Patriots, and it brought a smile to my face.  The Dolphins have one of the best defenses in the league, and play steady and conservative.  Neither team has given up many points this year, and I'm expecting more of the same on Sunday night.  I'm calling this for the Jets, just because I like them.  NYJ-10  MIA-3

Green Bay at Chicago

The Monday night game promises to be a good one.  The Bears kicked Dallas's ass and it brought a big smile to my face.  The Packers are playing superbly as well.  This is a tough call, but I'm going with Da Bears.  CHI-27 GB-17

Those are my picks, we'll see how good my crystal ball is this week.  What are your predictions?

Caption the photo

In this publicity image released by Sesame Workshop, singer Katy Perry, left, is shown with Elmo performing in a music video called 'Hot and Cold' about opposites on 'Sesame Street.' The children's show says it won't air a taped segment featuring the 'California Gurls' singer. The pop star -- who is known for her risque outfits -- wore a gold bustier top as she sang a version of her hit 'Hot N Cold.' But some felt it was too revealing for the kid set.

This photo just begs captioning.  Help me out here and add a caption.


After this segment, Elmo developed a craving for cookies.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

TV and movies and media, yesterday and today

Has all the creative juices in Hollywood left that classless and moral free zone?  Some of us cranky old people knew when they turned out movies and TV shows that, while not always Oscar winners, would at least not offend the vast majority of Americans.  I'm no puritan, but when the F-bombs are in every F-ing sentence, it reflects lack of writing skill and lack of class.  Consider a few examples of where we have come since the mid-50's. I'm going to stick to comedies here, because if I get in to dramas, it gets much worse.   Here's a clip from "Leave it to Beaver".



Pretty innocent stuff.  I've got to admit, I loved this show as a kid.  In the 1960's things started to change a bit, but, only in the R rated movies was the F-bomb dropped, and nudity would send it straight to an X rating.  We also had the rise of Playboy Magazine, and Hugh Hefner.  For those of us who remember Woodstock, and the movie that followed, it was R rated, and the music festival was universally condemned by the then main stream media.



Don't forget that the 60's also gave us this cultural gem.




Does anyone besides me find this far funnier than some tasteless garbage like "Two and a Half Men"?

The 70's brought us Norman Lear's "instructional comedies" telling all of us conservatives that we are all hateful, anti-female, anti-gay, militarists, imperialists mean and spirited people  who hated America, and that the Constitution was a "living document" and needed to grow.   This gave us series like All in the Family, Maude, and the Mary Tyler Moore Show.  They did have some points, but they also had a leftist, and definitely anti-American agenda. They were very effective for awhile.  "All in the Family" made some good points, but it got tiresome.  The Archie character is an extreme bigot, but that has NEVER been about the conservative movement.  Back in those days, honorable conservatives like Bill Buckley and Ronald Reagan were at the forefront of the conservative movement, not racists and bigots like people who used to be KKK Grand Wizards like Sen. Robert K. Byrd (D(ead) WV). Norman Lear was the best propagandist of his day.  Michael Moore, eat your heart out.  Lear is the master of it.



The 80's brought a rebound in Conservatism with the Reagan Revolution, but the media too no notice.  They pursued their agenda and continued to turn out leftist propaganda and porn, not ok for TV.  No, I'm not going to put porn here.  Even very funny scenes like this that in the 1960's would have given it a R rating now make it a G rating. (yes I'm not going to post porn here)



Ok, that's funny.  But is this a G rated Disney film?  I think not. 

The 80's also gave us this



Liberalism at work.  America's morals were sinking.  The media was an accessory. This was a mere R rating.  Would you let your kids watch this?

The 90's gave us this on TV.

We had leftist propaganda for kids on TV like Captain Planet and the Planeteers.  and pornographic cartoons like Family Guy on prime time TV.  My (now) 20-something nephews knew more about sex at 10 than I did at 20. 

The 2000 decade gave us such classics like Two and a Half Men and Why I do My Mother, or something like that.  Porn is now mainstream and it is killing our society.  

So where do we go from here?  Here we are in 2010, and people are finally tired at leftists trying to make the fringe as the new normal.  It killed the Greeks, it killed the Romans, and if we don't wise up it will kill us.  Decadence will and does take down a society, and the barbarians are at our door.  They are the radical Islamists who are the Visigoths of the 21st century.  

It's time to roll

Now here's the kind of guy I want to represent me in Washington.  It's time to roll!



Check out Dale Peterson's website.  Lock and load! November 2 can't come soon enough.

Growing old

One of my favorite people lost his father this past week, and it is hitting home here.  My folks are the same age, and both are getting old.   Mom has little wrong with her except she is deaf and a stubborn Kraut,  much like me.  Dad takes a lot of meds but is maintaining his own, still drives (short trips) and has all his marbles.  I wish he would quit smoking,   Getting older sucks, but it beats the alternative.  So here's something for all of us older folks.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Pincushion Man

As A kid I remember seeing this 1935 cartoon on TV (yes I'm an old fart). It's pretty scary to a kid, but it was on after school cartoons back in my day.  I look at this with 3 views.

1. Was this a political statement about what was happening in Europe, with communism on the rise in Russia and fascism encroaching from Germany, Spain and Italy, and the evil pin cushion man at the door ready to destroy western civilization as we knew it?

2. Were they guys smoking too much pot?

3. All the above.

Unlike back in the 60's I'd never show this to a kid under 10.  After that, the kids will get the humor.




Enjoy!

Who is our pincushion man right now? 

Breitbart confronts OFA and union thugs

In the name of 'ending the hate' Democratic Party Protesters, specifically "the Obama campaign organization "Organizing for Obama America" and the SEIU, use homosexual slurs against Andrew Breitbart, and engage in name calling, using terms like 'crazy' and 'tea baggers' in their political discourse.  This occurred at the Right Nation 2010 rally in Chicago this past weekend.  Breitbart does a great smackdown on people who didn't even know why they had been bused in for the protest.




John Hinderaker at the excellent Power Line blog, has more including a photo of a bus that brought these grassroot astroturfing political thugs to the rally.

Exhausted of Obama yet?

Apparently one of his "biggest fans" is exhausted of supporting him. A questioner at a town hall meeting tells President Obama that she is exhausted of defending him, exhausted of his hopeless "hope and change" and asks if it is going to be back to hot dogs and beans for her family. Have a look.



From the video:
"I'm one of your middle class Americans. And quite frankly, I'm exhausted. Exhausted of defending you, defending your administration, defending the mantle of change that I voted for," a woman told President Obama at a town hall.

"My husband and I have joked for years that we thought we were well beyond the hot dogs and beans era of our lives, but, quite frankly, it's starting to knock on our door and ring true that that might be where we're headed again, and, quite frankly, Mr. President, I need you to answer this honestly. Is this my new reality?" she added.
2010 can be the real year of "Hope and Change".  Register to vote, and get out kick the scoundrels out of  Congress on Nov. 2.

Hat tip: Real Clear Politics

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Late Saturday night / Sunday Morning comedy

Note the title, just so I don't confuse one certain critic. :)

Here's an episode from one of the most innovative comedy shows of the 1950's.  Actually this is from the George Burns and Gracie Allen of 1950.  It's interesting, entertaining, and funny how they manage to fit in Carnation Evaporated Milk commercials in the episode








Ok all you new mothers out there, take the 1950 advice and feed your baby Carnation Evaporated Milk. Isn't it funny how dietary concerns change over time? Lets get back to basics and have chicken fried steak and eggs, with a big mess of grits or home fries every morning. It's bound to be back in vogue after folks finally get sick of granola. This kind of comedy was a hold over from radio days, and you could listen to this blind and get the entire story. Try doing to do that with some crappy shows like Lost.

Enjoy the show. George and Gracie were truly talented comedians.

Outrage on the Outer Banks

Those you you who like to vacation on the Outer Banks of North Carolina should be outraged at what the government is doing with your tax money.  They have used our money to close down a large part of Hatteras Island to "save" a bird.  No more ARV's need apply.  This is killing their local economy.  Check out this video.


Piping Mad: Fair People at the Mercy of a Government Gone Fowl from Kevin Hicks on Vimeo.


Hat tip to Rick

NFL Week 2

I have out my NFL crystal ball, and here are my predictions for week 2.

Pittsburgh at Tennessee

Without Ben Roethisberger at the helm, the Steelers managed to pull off a win.  Are they going to be lucky in Nashville?  The Titans played well last week, and they are playing to hometown fans.  I predict TN-21  PIT-10.

Philadelphia at Detroit

The Eagles didn't look good against the Packers last week, and the Lions never look good.  Both teams have injured quarterbacks.  But come on, this is an easy call.  PHL-28 DET-7.

Miami at Minnesota

The Vikings looked horrible last week against the Saints, and Favre looked old, tired and out of shape.  To be fair. both teams looked like shells of themselves when they last met in the playoffs.  Miami eeked out a win against Buffalo, and it remains to be seen how they will perform in Minneapolis.  I'm thinking that the Vikings will improve this week, and I'm calling this close.  MN-14 MIA-7.

Tampa Bay at Carolina

Carolina had their butts handed to them by the Giants last week, and couldn't get a running game going.  The Bucks came from behind and managed to beat lowly Cleveland.  Both teams looked bad last week, but with a home field advantage, I'm calling it for the Panthers CAR-28 TPA-3

Chicago at Dallas

The Bears managed to beat the lowly Lions last week, despite a lot of turnovers and in general a lackluster performance.  The Cowboys lost to the Redskins (na na naaa na na!).  Anytime the Cowboys lose it brings a smile to my face.  The Cowboys have home field advantage.  Grudgingly I've got to call this for Dallas.  DAL-13 CHI-10.

St. Louis at Oakland

Oakland has their collective asses handed to them by the Titans last week.  The Rams had a tough loss to the Cardinals last week, but didn't look horrible.  Unless the Raiders have improved dramatically I'm calling this for the Rams.  STL-32  OAK-24.

New England at NY Jets

The Jets had a tough loss last Monday against the Ravens, and once again have lost defensive tackle Kris Jenkins.  The Patriots won easily over the Bengals and looks like a formidable foe this year.  Unless Brady breaks a leg, the Pats win handily.  NE-42 NYJ-10.

NY Giants at Indianapolis

The battle of the Manning brothers resumes Sunday.  The Colts had a stunning loss to Houston in the opener.  Can they pull out a win over the Giants?  Will the Colts go 0-2?  To prevent that from happening for the first time since Peyton Manning's 1998 rookie season, they are going to need to make some drastic improvements.  The Giants, conversely had a great week against Carolina.  The last time the Manning brothers met on the battlefield, Eli was very young and inexperienced.  This year, he will be a far more formidable foe to big brother.  I'm going to call this close, especially since the game is being played in Indy.  NYG-24 IND-21.

Baltimore at Cincinnati 

The Ravens are coming off a short week, which should give the Bengals a bit of an advantage.  The operative word is should.  The Bengals swept the Ravens in division play last year, and will be up for the game.  However, the Ravens are off a very strong win and I'm calling them BAL-31 CIN-10.

Arizona at Atlanta

Both teams had both had poor offensive performances in their openers.  The Falcons lost in a squeaker against the Steelers in an overtime loss, while a decent offensive performance led the Cardinals to a win over the Rams.  Tough call, but I'm going with ATL-28 AZ-24.

Kansas City at Cleveland

Easiest call of the week.  Chiefs in a landslide.  KC-40 CLE-3


Buffalo at Green Bay

Buffalo had a tough loss last week, and are looking for a comeback.  The Packers have home field advantage, always important at Green Bay, but the Packers lost running back Ryan Grant, and have not had a good quarterback since Favre "retired".  I'm calling this for BUF-21 GB-14.


Seattle at Denver

Seattle is coming off a huge win against the 49ers, a predicted powerhouse this year.  They played like a Superbowl winner.  The Broncos, not so much.  They are coming off a disappointing loss to Jacksonville, but do have home field advantage.  If the Seahawks continue to play like they did last week, they are going to be a serious contender this year.  SEA-24 DEN-14.

Jacksonville at San Diego

Everyone predicted a huge win for the Chargers last week against the supposedly lowly Chiefs, but were upset, and a lot worse than the final score reflects.  The Jaguars pulled off a win against the Broncos, and looked pretty good.  This is a tough call.  I think the Chargers will do everything they can to prevent a 0-2 start, and the Jags can smell blood.  I'm calling it for the Charger.  SD 17 JAX-10.

Houston at Washington

The Texans are looking to go 2-0 for the second time in team history, after handing the Colts their butts in their helmets.  The Redskins had a tough win against the Cowboys last week.  So the big question,  are the Texans so good, or were the Colts so bad?  Last week the answer was both.  One week can change everything this early in the season.  The Redskins looked strong against a tough Dallas team.  I'm reluctantly calling this for the Redskins.  WASH-32 HOU-24.

Finally the Monday night game is:

New Orleans at San Francisco

Both teams looked bad last week, although the Saints eeked out a win against the Vikings in a very sloppy game.  Wish I could say that the 49ers turned in a better performance, but they got trounced by the Seahawks.  I'm thinking that both teams have improved over the past week, but I'm calling this for the Saints.  NO-33 SF-21.

So what do you think?  I'm interested in seeing my readers predictions for week 2.

Correction:  I must have had a brain fart, but I got Eli and Peyton's names mixed up for a moment.  It's now corrected.  Consider it a senior moment.

Register if you want to comment

Folks, please register with bloggers.com or an affiliated site to comment.  I've had some bizarre stuff, from non registered commentators, and one was a crazy Fred Phelps idiot. I'm not averse to comments that disagree with me, but I'm not going to tolerate abuse.  Register a user name please.  Comments are still open and most welcome.

Friday, September 17, 2010

Something to get your blood flowing on a Saturday morning

Here's John Hiatt





And how about a Saturday morning cartoon to make you feel like a kid again. Here's Daffy Duck trying to flim-flam Foghorn Leghorn and "Dog"





Finally I give you Wile E. Coyote in a rare speaking role with Bugs Bunny.



Enjoy!

Airbus wants to build invisible passenger plane

This idea had to be thought up over massive quantities of German beer and French wine.  Airbus Industries wants to develop a plane that would be virtually invisible, where travelers could literally see through the top, bottom and sides.  German newspaper Der Speigel seems to think this is a good thing.  I personally would find it cool, but I enjoy flying.  From the article.

The airplane dissolves into thin air, as if erased by an invisible hand. First the cabin roof disappears, then the floor, and from one moment to the next, the passengers feel like they have lost their grip on anything solid.

But the men and women on board, more than 300 of them, don't fall out of the sky. Instead, they continue their relaxed flight through the clouds. If they look above, they gaze into the sea of stars that is the Milky Way. When they look down, they see the glittering lights of the cities below.
While I find that cool, how many passengers who have to be heavily medicated or under a strong alcohol influence just to get on board would do well on this proposed plane?   I'd hate to be the flight attendant or clean-up crew that has to clean the vomit off the walls, floor and ceilings from uneasy riders.  This is a cool idea for a concept plane or light aircraft, but for a 300+ passenger plane, this sounds plane dumb (pun intentional).  

Of course this plane is a concept for 2050, which would make me 93 at the time, provided I make it until then. 

It's an interesting concept for a bizjet or light plane, but can't Airbus think of something more practical on which to spend the taxpayers money who fund their boondoggle projects?

Tea Party Express derails establishment GOP favorites

Those fantastic Taiwanese animators at Next Media have checked in with their take on the Tea Party Express, and how it is derailing the GOP establishment.  Pay attention for the chicken in this video.



Those folks are both funny and timely and have turned out, very quickly some outstanding computer animation.

Hat tip: Allahpundit

Was this "reporter" harassed?

Was Ines Sainz sexually harassed during a New York Jets game?  So asks Sarah at BlogHer. 

When Ines Sainz went to New York to interview the quarterback for the Jets she got more of a story than she bargained for. Sainz complained that one of the assistant coaches seemed to be throwing balls at her on the sidelines, and once she went into the locker room, several Jets player made inappropriate comments towards her. Clearly this is wrong, right? The poor innocent sports journalist was just minding her own business trying to get an interview, right?

This is what Ines Sainz wore to the football game.
Mexican TV reporter Ines Sainz stands on the field at halftime of the New York Jets, Baltimore Ravens game on Monday Night Football in week 1 of the NFL season at New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on September 13, 2010.    UPI /John Angelillo Photo via Newscom
These are her football shoes.
Mexican TV reporter Ines Sainz stands on the field before the New York Jets play the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night Football in week 1 of the NFL season at New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on September 13, 2010.    UPI /John Angelillo Photo via Newscom
It appears to this sexist, dirty old man that when you dress like you are going to a disco and you enter a locker room full of young men, what do you expect.  I know she is a reporter for a Mexican TV station, so she does have some journalist credibility, But come on, she was obviously trying to get attention.

Read the entire blog piece, and you decide.  Who besides me thinks that she was in no way "harassed"?

Terror plot in London

Yep, it looks like the adherents of the "Religion of Peace" are taking up their favorite sacrament bombing and murdering Christians.  This time it is an assassination plot against the Pope, who is on a pilgrimage to the UK.  How dare he show up on conquered land.  And one has to wonder how many hundreds of others would be peacefully blown up at a Papal mass?  The Telegraph (UK) has the details.
The suspects, aged 26, 27, 36, 40 and 50 were arrested by officers from Scotland Yard’s Counter Terrorism Command on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.
They are said to be from a variety of nationalities including a number of Algerian origin.
The depot where they worked is less than a mile from Hyde Park where the Pope was due to hold a prayer vigil tomorrow evening.
As street cleaners they would have been able to move relatively freely and inconspicuously through the London crowds.
Westminster City Council said the men worked for Veolia Environmental Services, a contractor which employs 650 on-street staff to keep Westminster's streets clean and free from rubbish.
The men have been taken to a central London police station where they will be interviewed by detectives.
Since this is the UK, how long do you think it will be before they are released?  The Brits have a bad habit of doing just that.  Deportation seems to be their favorite method of punishment.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Friday morning wake up song

Here's Neil Young along with Booker T and the MG's, Pancho Sampedro from Crazy Horse, his wife and sisters doing back-up, performing the beautiful "Two Old Friends".  This was originally recorded on the very underrated "Are You Passionate" CD.



Enjoy!

Education at the crossroads

Time Magazine looks at college age kids taking a year off from school and either doing community service, or service abroad, and provides some good examples of young people doing some excellent work.

This summer, Monika Lutz's life took an unusual turn. Instead of heading off to college, the high school graduate packed her bags for a Bengali jungle. Lutz, like a growing number of other young Americans, is taking a year off. Gap years are quite common in Britain and Australia, but they are just beginning to catch on in the U.S. Lutz, who grew up in Boulder, Colo., has put together a 14-month schedule that includes helping deliver solar power to impoverished communities in India and interning for a fashion designer in Shanghai--experiences that are worlds away from the stuffy lecture halls.
But come on, most kids who take a year off either work part time jobs or just travel the world and screw off.  The Onion has a very good piece of satire entitled Report: More Colleges Offering Dick-Around Abroad Programs.  Some of the rich tidbits from the article are just plain hilarious.

WASHINGTON—According to a report published this week by the U.S. Department of Education, an increasing number of universities now offer dick-around abroad programs that give students the chance to hang out and do jack shit in another country.
Once only available through a small number of liberal arts colleges, dick-around abroad programs, which seek to immerse students in a foreign environment ideal for screwing off, can now be found in more than half of all American schools.
"Taking time to go fuck around abroad has become essential to a well-rounded education," said New York University dean of student affairs Christina White. "We urge all our students to pick a program that's right for them, whether it's six weeks dicking around in the Spanish countryside, or six months sticking your thumb as far up your ass as you possibly can in Japan or South Korea."
Or perhaps this screw off abroad program may appeal to your college age kid.
"I've dicked around in France and Australia," said Lehigh University senior Christie Oden, a psychology major who spent last spring in the school's popular Holy Shit, Melbourne Is Laid Back program. "I tell everyone I know: Definitely dick around abroad if you get the chance. It's the best thing I did in college.

Read the whole article  when you get a chance and need a good belly laugh.

Murfreesboro Vs. Muslims

Well, I knew that it was only a matter of time before the Red State Update boys would weigh in on the Murfreesboro Tennessee mega-mosque.  As usual hilarity ensues.  This is not safe for work.



Enjoy! :)

Good morning wake up music

Here's a really nice performance on Letterman from 2009 by John Hiatt and Lyle Lovett.  They both have a look for radio (I'm one to speak LOL) but man, these guys are good.



Enjoy!

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Multiple Sclerosis

I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis several months ago, and apparently have had it in a lower form for decades..  Someone in their mid-50's doesn't come down with this.  Though it is certainly not a death sentence (you die with it not from it), it is not something anyone wants to deal with.  I know that it has been hyped on TV for years, but rheumatoid arthritis is just as bad, if not worse, and does not get all that much attention.  I have friends who suffer from both.  I've recently been put on chemotherapy treatment that has kicked the crap out of me, and after talking to others who have gone through the same thing, I'm convinced that the treatment is worse than the disease.  Being sick for 5 days out of the month is not acceptable to me, nor is a reduced immune system.

I'm posting this here because, quality of life is important.  I do not get a lot of MS episodes, YET, and I hope I can keep them at bay by other interferon drugs.  Autoimmune diseases are no fun, but when the treatments are worse than the treatment, it is time to say no more.

Democrats have a new logo

And it is a doozy.  How much money did they spend on rebranding themselves into a target?


I snorted coffee out of my nose when I saw this.  Yep, Democrats, you are the bulls eye of a target this year.  Bwahhhhhaaaa.

I wonder how much the DNC paid to make this lemon.  It's been a logo at a pizza joint in Ohio for years.  Way to go guys. 

Hat tip: Allahpundit

Is the Republican Establishment suicidal?

So asks Jeffrey Lord at the American Spectator.  Following the remarkable win in the Delaware primaries to fill Joe Biden's seat in the Senate, by Tea Party movement candidate Christine O'Donnell over liberal Republican establishment candidate Mike Castle, Washington insider GOP politicians, and in particular Karl Rove threw a fit.



This election cycle is proving to be a watershed, where the voters are fed up with the business as usual good old boys in Washington, and the GOP needs to man up, Rove in particular. They need to get behind the candidates win the primaries. The Tea Party movement is here, and maybe it is an a one shot deal, or maybe it is here for a while. But the GOP ignores them at the risk of alienating their base. Rove and company need to have a look at the 19th century Whig party and understand that unless they change, this is their future.

Update 1:  I'm usually in agreement with these guys, but on this occasion I think that Scott Johnson over at the Power Line blog  gets it wrong.  Rush Limbaugh and Mark Levin have been going ballistic over the Delaware primaries, and people who supported the "candidate who can not win" over a liberal RINO who votes with the Democrats more often than with his own party.  Limbaugh has proposed suspending  William Buckley's rule of thumb that conservatives ought to support the rightward most viable candidate in a given race, and replace it with the Limbaugh Rule, where we should support the most conservative candidate PERIOD.  In normal times, I'm inclined to go along with the Buckley rule, but these are not normal times, and it is a one time chance for conservatives to kick the establishment rascals out of Washington and bring some new blood there, who maybe, just maybe properly represent the American people, at least for a while.

Update 2:  Over at Hot Air, in a thinly veiled smack down at Rove, Ed Morrissey hits the nail on the head.

Instead of pouting, Republican leaders in Delaware and around the country need to unite around the nominee, who was chosen by the Republicans in Delaware.  Had Castle won the nomination, they would have demanded unity themselves, and rightly so.   If they want to continue to issue snarky, anonymous asides and in essence take their ball and go home, don’t expect the electorate to follow them into battle in the future.  Rarely have I seen such childishness from the supposed leaders of a political establishment, who set the very rules and customs they now want to ignore because they just got embarrassed on a national stage.
Grow up, shut up, and get to work.
Exactly.

Red State Update meets Fred Phelps

Well not exactly but Jackie Broyles and Dunlop confront some of his congregation.  I've got to ask the question, how do these crackers know that they speak for GOD, and does anyone in their right mind think a kind and just God would want these assholes protesting funerals of our fallen warriors? Enjoy the take down, then ask yourself why does anyone pay any attention to idiots like these people?

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Why did I start a blog?

I've had a few people ask me that question, but I'm thinking why didn't I start a blog sooner.  Like I said in my first post here, I never paid much attention to blogs much before the 2004 presidential elections, and it was only after the fake-but-true fraudulent memos regarding President Bush's service in the Air National Guard were exposed as fake hit pieces by a Democrat operative, promoted by a CBS news producer, then defended by discredited anchorman, Dan Rather, by none other than citizen journalists (in this case 3 lawyers from Minneapolis at the remarkably well written and produced Powerline blog).

Needless to say my politics tends to be right of center, so I gravitated to some of the blogs that had links on their site.  One that soon became one of my favorite was the now erstwhile Captain's Quarters, written by  "Captain Ed" Morrissey.  Ed's now a professional blogger, radio and internet talk show host, and mentor to other bloggers who are trying to do something different.  (By the way, Ed, you have the best job in the world).

I'm less inclined to turn my little piece of the internet into a strictly political blog, but will be posting more things about aviation issues, my favorite place in the world, Key West Florida (I'm a "Destination Expert for Key West" at Trip Advisor travelers forum and if you plan a trip anywhere in the world, the Trip Advisor website is a good starting point), and perhaps the Philippines, where I have very strong links.

I'm sure I'll grow as a blogger, and who knows where this will go from here, but for now, I appreciate all of those who take the time to have a look here, and comments, positive, negative or neutral are welcome, so long as they are civil.

Once again, welcome one and all

Top Priority

Via blogger extraordinaire Ed Morrissey and his Obamaturism of the Day, President Obama explains exactly what the top priority of his administration is......at any one given moment.

Obama's Top Priority from RightChange on Vimeo.



My top priority is to get rid of the current crop of congresscritters this year, and send President Obama on a permanent vacation on the golf links in 2012.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Charlie the Unicorn

This is so bad that it is great. Charlie the Unicorn has been a viral video on YouTube for a while, but think about it, isn't this funny and entertaining for a no budget video?



No unicorns were injured in the making of this video. :)

Is it racist to dislike Obama?

Jackie Broyles and Dunlop, my neighbors in Murfreesboro want to know.



What do you think? Does anyone else want to burn some Kanye West or Taylor Swift records?

The Wisdom of Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan was the greatest president of my time so far.  He is the exact opposite of our current Marxist president he was an advocate for conservative values, and maintained those right uo until his death.   He hated communism and socialism, and these little talks illustrate it, long before he became president.





Do you miss him yet?

Cuba to lay off a half million government employees

Notice I didn't say workers, because to call these wards of the state workers is an insult to people who actually work for a living.  Yep after 50 short years, Fidel finally has figured out that socialism doesn't do much to build an economy.  Cuba has figured out that people who work in private industry actually produce things that people want and do it in an efficient manner, something the current occupant of the White House and majorities of Congress don't understand.

Has Castro seen the light?  Probably not because he punked  liberal journalist Jeffrey Goldberg regarding his views on capitalism.  But this is a good first step.  I'm looking forward to the day that the Castro brothers kick the bucket and maybe, possibly allow Cuba to have a real democratic revolution and enter the 21st century.

Update:  The Cuban regime has released a 26 page document revealing who will go first, and it is revealing:

The 26-page document — which is dated Aug. 24 and laid out like a PowerPoint presentation with bullet points and large headlines — explains what to look for when deciding whom to lay off. Those whose pay is not in line with their low productivity and those who lack discipline or are not interested in work will go first. It says that some dismissed workers should be offered alternative jobs within the public sector.
The document hints at higher wages for the best workers, but says, "It is not possible to reform salaries in the current situation."
The document says workers at the ministries of sugar, public health, tourism and agriculture will be let go first, with layoffs having already begun in July. The last in line for cutbacks include Cuba's Civil Aviation, and the ministries of foreign relations and social services.
The outline includes a long list of "ideas for cooperatives" including raising animals and growing vegetables, construction jobs, driving a taxi and repairing automobiles — even making sweets and dried fruit.
Imagine that, getting rid of high paying (relatively high for Cuba) low production jobs in government.  Excuse me for being cynical, but wouldn't that be most of them?  Show me a bloated bureaucracy, and I'll show you a government agency.

It's a shame the Obama administration won't take Castro's lead just this one time.

Reason 5000 why we can not trust the mainstream media

Ed Morrissey posted an excellent indictment of the New York Times' incredibly dishonest hit piece on Congressman John Boehner, right on cue with President Obama's thin skinned comments about him. 

I really can't add much to Ed's piece other than to comment that the intellectual dishonesty of the mainstream media is not only just apparent to anyone paying attention, but it is also leading to the demise of the print media as well as television network news.

It's no small wonder why the Democrats want to put the FCC in charge of internet security and supposedly making it "content neutral".  The blogs are the new watchdogs of our politicians, as was so well illustrated starting with the "fake but true" memo's promoted by Dan Rather in the 2004 campaign. 

This is no time to let our guard down, folks.  Keep informed, do a little independent research, and understand that the major media outlets are more propaganda channels than news organizations. 

Former President Bush welcomes troops home

Here's a feel good video of the day.  In a very classy way, former President and Laura Bush welcoming home troops from stints in Afghanistan and Iraq at DFW airport.



Do you miss him yet?

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Something funny on a Sunday night

This is definitely not safe for work, but you have to love this Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis tribute.  I give you "Blow Me A Kiss"



Enjoy!

Electric cars

The Nissan Leaf is the latest electric car on the market. Tennessee dealers are taking orders for them, yet there are no recharge stations on any of our highways. Zero, zilch, nada. With a meager range of 40 miles, which would get me to work and back 2.5 times, provided I didn't detour along the way, why whould anyone in their right mind spend $40K for this lemon? And better yet, who wants to spend a half hour waiting to get an 80% charge at the filling station?    The Tennessean is way too optimistic about the future of these, and makes no mention of the cost to the tax payers for the proposed recharge stations.  Electricity costs in Tennessee have skyrocketed in recent years.  My first question, that the Tennessean neglects, is how much money is it going to cost to get a recharge, and question 2 is how much are you going to soak the taxpayers for this boondoggle?  Gasoline at the current $2.40 a gallon is still relatively cheap compared to a kilowatt hour of electricity.

The question to my readers is, who the hell wants one of these cars?

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Sunday morning wake up song

Here's something from the "band of the great unknowns" Little Village, that has 4 of the 4 greatest musicians of my generation, John Hiatt, Ry Cooder, Nick Lowe, and Memphis' own Jim Keltner.

Saturday night comedy

9/11 is a pretty somber day for many of us, but I thought I'd lighten it up with this.
Here's one of the first Stooges shorts that they did for Columbia back in 1934.  One thing I noticed viewing the film this time, is that the boys were credited by name for writing the story in the credits.  Also that Jerry Howard has his name spelled "Curley".  That changed to Curly after a few films.


br>

Enjoy!

Obama commemorates 9/11 with appeal for tolerance

President Obama today called out for an appeal to tolerance.  So far so good.  I'm a tolerant person.  Tolerance means that I will put up with you, but I do not necessarily agree with you or accept your viewpoint.  It does not mean that I need to celebrate a specific religion or way of life that is diametrically opposed to my values.  Obama doesn't look at it that way.  He's an internationalist who has little use for American values and sees us as a racist, bigoted, and imperialistic power that is not particular exceptional, and we have a lot to atone for,  Hence, his call for 9/11 to be a "National Day of Service".  It's a desecration to the innocent people who lost their lives on 9/11/2001 when Islamic terrorists invaded our country and took out the World Trade Center.  We as a country have suffered a lot since 9/11, through 2 wars, countless security measures at home, and the ridiculous  politically correct TSA measures at airports.

Today is a day of rememberance, not service.  It is not a day of tolerance, but a day of reflection on what happened to our country, not only on 9/11/2001 but on the decade prior.  May the families of the victims of 9/11 find peace in their hearts and love in their souls.


Update:  Well guess who came up with the idea of making 9/11 a "National Day of Service"?  None other than former and discredited Obama administration "Green Czar"  Van Jones, a 9/11 "Thuther" and an avowed communist.  Gateway Pundit has the details.  Why am I not surprised.

There She Stands

In memory of those who have fallen and in rememberance of those who fight for and protect our flag and country, i give you Where We Stand.

Unremembering 9/11

Bernie Quigley comments at The Hill about President Obama's decision to not make much of a big deal over the attack on Americans on American soil on 9/11/2001 and his basically telling us to get over it and put it behind us.  Obama decided to declare 9/11 as a "National Day of Service" (read national day of atonement).  We have nothing to atone for.  We were attacked by radical Islamic extremists for nothing more than BEING WHO WE ARE!

We should never forget, never put it behind us, and learn who are enemies are.  Radical Islam is not going away.  It's been with us since the 7th century, we as a country fought them in the Barbary Wars in the late 1700's, WW1 and again now.  Until Islam goes through some sort of a reformation, similar to the Christian church, it will remain a threat to all who do not adhere to it's orthodox, violent, and enslaving religion of the sword.

Educate yourselves about Islam, folks.  We are going to have to deal with their zealots for many many years.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Medal of Honor to be awarded to living solder for first time since Vietnam

Via Allahpundit

Finally one of the living heros of our war against Islamic terrorism is going to be presented a Congressional Medal of Honor.  Dubya disappointed me when he never did this, and I squirm that the guy who we have in the hot seat, who really does not like military people is giving this award does, but no matter.  It's better late than never.

God Bless all of our soldiers, sailors and airmen serving honorably in our country's service.

Friday night Aviation

Is this the most awesome RC model airplane or what?  These German guys built a scale model of a SR-71 that actually flies and does it well.  Ok, the model only had one engine, so it isn't perfect, but DUDE!  Well done guys!

Tomorrow is September 11, 2010

On Saturday, September 11, 2010 it will be 9 years since we were attacked by Islamic terrorists on our own soil and 3000 people died.


Never forget who our enemies are.

What exactly will the Ground Zero Mosque actually be?

Amir Taheri at the New York Post asks that same question, and his answers are troubling.
Should there be a mosque near Ground Zero? In fact, what is pro posed is not a mosque -- nor even an "Islamic cultural center."
In Islam, every structure linked to the faith and its rituals has a precise function and character. A mosque is a one-story gallery built around an atrium with a mihrab (a niche pointing to Mecca) and one, or in the case of Shiites two, minarets.
Other Islamic structures, such as harams, zawiyyahs, husseinyiahs and takiyahs, also obey strict architectural rules. Yet the building used for spreading the faith is known as Dar al-Tabligh, or House of Proselytizing.
This 13-story multifunctional structure couldn't be any of the above.
 Ah it is not a mosque.  I'm feel so much better now.  But wait.  What exactly is it?  Taheri explains:

In fact, the proposed structure is known in Islamic history as a rabat -- literally a connector. The first rabat appeared at the time of the Prophet.
The Prophet imposed his rule on parts of Arabia through a series of ghazvas, or razzias (the origin of the English word "raid"). The ghazva was designed to terrorize the infidels, convince them that their civilization was doomed and force them to submit to Islamic rule. Those who participated in the ghazva were known as the ghazis, or raiders.
After each ghazva, the Prophet ordered the creation of a rabat -- or a point of contact at the heart of the infidel territory raided. The rabat consisted of an area for prayer, a section for the raiders to eat and rest and facilities to train and prepare for future razzias. Later Muslim rulers used the tactic of ghazva to conquer territory in the Persian and Byzantine empires. After each raid, they built a rabat to prepare for the next razzia.
It is no coincidence that Islamists routinely use the term ghazva to describe the 9/11 attacks against New York and Washington. The terrorists who carried out the attack are referred to as ghazis or shahids (martyrs).
Thus, building a rabat close to Ground Zero would be in accordance with a tradition started by the Prophet. To all those who believe and hope that the 9/11 ghazva would lead to the destruction of the American "Great Satan," this would be of great symbolic value.
I suggest you read the entire article.  Taheri knows what he is talking about.

As suspected this is going to be an in-your-face victory mosque that will undoubtably be used to recruit Islamist jihadis at home and abroad.  Of course provided that they got all the necessary permits, which apparently they have, we can not stop them from building this monstrosity.  But I'm thinking that the builders and their unions could make getting this thing completed a difficult task.  Like a few others, in the name of tolerance and understanding, I'm all for opening a Ground Zero Gay Bar right next door, and a Ground Zero Frederick's of Hollywood with scantily clad lingerie models in the huge picture windows across the street.

One final thought, where is the money coming for this project?  Iran? Saudi Arabia perhaps?  Follow the money.

Quiz: Are You Hiring and Breeding Greedy and Selfish Employees?

Here's a fun little survey that prospective employers may want to give interviewees.

EGOS Survey (Evaluation Gauge for Obnoxious Superstars)

Answer true or false to each statement below. The people who get ahead at my workplace:
  1. say "we" but think "me."
  2. see their peers as competitors, even "the enemy."
  3. remove subordinates' names from good work before passing it up the chain.
  4. belittle others' triumphs and successes.
  5. hoard their ideas because, after all, there is no reward for sharing them with colleagues.
  6. are chronic credit hogs.
  7. stomp on others on the way to the top.
  8. often ask for help from colleagues but rarely return the favor.
  9. are world-class backstabbers, remarkably adept at destroying the reputations of peers, subordinates, and bosses whom they see as competitors.
  10. stockpile resources and won't share, no matter how badly others need them.
  11. routinely rip apart colleagues--not just their ideas, but their reputations and self-confidence, too.
  12. are such all-star ass-kissers that their superiors adore them, but they are despised by peers and subordinates.
  13. negotiate for more and more goodies for themselves but never go to bat for others.
  14. conveniently "forget" to invite colleagues to high-profile meetings.
  15. do what is best for themselves first and rarely what is best for their team or the organization.
  16. say nice things to their bosses' faces but rip them to shreds behind their backs.
  17. don't waste time teaching or mentoring others.
  18. are black holes of information: it only goes in, never out to colleagues.
  19. insist on being "in the loop" but don't return the favor.
  20. live the 30 Rock mantra--"I'm going to get mine!"

Scoring the EGOS

Add up the number of statements that you marked as true. This isn't a scientifically validated test, but here is how I would describe your workplace:

0 to 4: Help others succeed or get the hell out. If you are telling the truth, your workplace selects and breeds unselfish stars, and reforms (or drives out) selfish creeps.

5 to 10: Help others succeed, but watch your back. Your workplace is at the borderline between anointing collaborative versus selfish stars. People collaborate and there are rewards for doing so, but enough selfish behavior happens that anointed stars grab goodies and credit for themselves and protect themselves against getting screwed--especially by their most selfish and devious coworkers.

11 to 15: Watch out for number one, otherwise you are screwed. Your people are playing a competitive, "I win, you lose" game every day. Selfishness and backstabbing abound, and collaborators are crushed by the system. Even the most naturally cooperative people learn to become selfish and do a bit of backstabbing in such places, otherwise survival is impossible.

16 to 20: Kill or be killed. You are in a dog-eat-dog world where the only way for people to get ahead is to treat their coworkers as enemies and to crush their spirits and reputations every chance they get. No one lasts long in such a place without becoming an overbearing and selfish jerk who screws colleagues at every turn.

Take it yourself and see what kind of workplace you inhabit.

SkyRider airline seats pack fliers into 23 inches of space

Are you ready for the SkyRider?  If you think airline seats are cramped and uncomfortable now, you ain't seen nothing yet.   So says this article in USA Today.
The new airplane seat, to be unveiled next week at the Aircraft Interiors Expo Americas conference in Long Beach, would give passengers an experience akin to riding horseback.

They'd sit at an angle with no more than 23 inches between their perch and the seat in front of them — a design that could appeal to low-cost airlines that have floated the idea of offering passengers standing-room tickets on short flights.
The SkyRider isn't headed for an airplane cabin just yet. But its designer, Aviointeriors, an aircraft seat design firm based in Latina, Italy, says several airlines, including some in the U.S., have expressed interest.
There's a photo of the prototype in the article.  The promoters of this concept explains,
The SkyRider could be its own class of seating, like business or coach, Menoud says. Passengers would likely pay lower fares. But airlines could boost their profits because the narrowly spaced seats would allow them to squeeze more fliers on board.
Uh huh, sure.  These things all start out as a low cost option, and before you know it, it is the only optionand the price goes back to normal.

In recent years, flying commercially has become so unpleasant, and just when you think it can't get much worse, they come up with more ways to torture their customers.

Of course in this country it will take FAA approval.
Les Dorr, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration, which regulates air travel in the U.S., says he's not familiar with the SkyRider's particular design.
However, he says, "While it's not impossible, it's difficult to conceive of a standing seat that would be able to meet all applicable FAA requirements and still be cost-effective."
And do you think that there might be a smidgen of pressure exerted by the industry to get these things approved?

Remember, the airlines have all adopted the  "We're not happy until you're not happy" attitude, and there doesn't seem to be any motivation to change that any time in the near future.

Crooks and tax cheats

Andrew Malcolm the editor of the L.A. Times  excellent blog Top of the Ticket has a humdinger of a piece today about 41 Obama White House aides owing close to a billion dollars in back taxes.
Over the years a lot of suspicion has built up across the country about Washington and its population of opportunistic transients coming to see themselves as a special kind of person, somehow above average working Americans who don't work down in that former swamp.
Well, finally, an end to all those undocumented doubts. Thanks to some diligent digging by the Washington Post, those suspicions can at last be put to rest.
They're correct. Accurate. Dead-on. Laser-guided. On target. Bingo-bango. As clear as it's always seemed to those Americans who don't feel special entitlements and do meet their government obligations.
We now know that federal employees across the nation owe fully $1 billion in back taxes to the Internal Revenue Service.
As in, 1,000 times one million dollars. All this political jabber about giving middle-class ...
Remember folks this is the same administration who wants to end the Bush tax cuts on us "wealthy folk" and make us all pay our fair share.  How about cleaning out the government swamp and collect taxes from your own before sticking your hand in my pocket for more change, huh?

Read the whole article when you get a chance.