Who's On First Redone

Abbott and Costello produced one of the funniest comedy routines ever seen about baseball, called Who's On First. Here's the update.

Weather Alert

LWXWSWLWX
WWUS41 KLWX 251530
WSWLWX

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
1030 AM EST SUN FEB 25 2007

MDZ003>007-009>011-501-502-VAZ021-025>031-039>042-050-051-
WVZ050>055-501>504-252130-
/O.CON.KLWX.WS.W.0003.000000T0000Z-070226T0900Z/
WASHINGTON-FREDERICK MD-CARROLL-NORTHERN BALTIMORE-HARFORD-
MONTGOMERY-HOWARD-SOUTHERN BALTIMORE-EXTREME WESTERN ALLEGANY-
CENTRAL AND EASTERN ALLEGANY-HIGHLAND-AUGUSTA-ROCKINGHAM-
SHENANDOAH-FREDERICK VA-PAGE-WARREN-CLARKE-MADISON-RAPPAHANNOCK-
FAUQUIER-LOUDOUN-ORANGE-CULPEPER-HAMPSHIRE-MORGAN-BERKELEY-
JEFFERSON-PENDLETON-HARDY-WESTERN GRANT-EASTERN GRANT-
WESTERN MINERAL-EASTERN MINERAL-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...HAGERSTOWN...FREDERICK...WESTMINSTER...
GAITHERSBURG...COLUMBIA...BALTIMORE...FROSTBURG...CUMBERLAND...
STAUNTON...WAYNESBORO...HARRISONBURG...WINCHESTER...FRONT ROYAL...
WASHINGTON...LEESBURG...CULPEPER...MARTINSBURG...CHARLES TOWN...
BAYARD...PETERSBURG...EMORYVILLE...HARTMANSVILLE...KEYSER...
FORT ASHBY
1030 AM EST SUN FEB 25 2007

WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM EST MONDAY...


INTENSE LOW PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO TRACK ACROSS THE MIDWEST
TODAY. A COASTAL LOW WILL FORM OFF THE DELMARVA TONIGHT.

SEVERAL COMMUNITIES HAVE REPORTED BETWEEN 3 TO 6 INCHES OF
SNOWFALL ALREADY THIS MORNING ACROSS THE WARNING AREA. ISOLATED
AMOUNTS OF AROUND 10 INCHES HAVE BEEN RECEIVED FROM COMMUNITIES IN
THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS.

A MIXTURE OF SNOW AND SLEET WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE
AFTERNOON...HEAVY AT TIMES. THE WINTRY PRECIP WILL CHANGE TO A MIX
OF FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET EARLY THIS EVENING. EXPECT AN
ADDITIONAL 2 TO 5 INCHES OF SNOW AND SLEET THROUGH THE AFTERNOON
BEFORE THE TRANSITION TO LIGHT FREEZING RAIN. ICE ACCUMULATIONS
ARE EXPECTED TO BE ONE-QUARTER INCH OR LESS.

THE BULK OF THE FREEZING PRECIPITATION WILL TAPER OFF BY MIDNIGHT
IN MOST AREAS.

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW...
SLEET...AND ICE ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. THIS AMOUNT OF GLAZE
COULD CAUSE WIDESPREAD DOWNED TREES AND POWER LINES RESULTING IN
POWER OUTAGES AND HAZARDOUS TRAVEL.



DCZ001-MDZ013-014-VAZ036>038-052>054-252130-
/O.CON.KLWX.WW.Y.0005.000000T0000Z-070226T0900Z/
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA-PRINCE GEORGES-ANNE ARUNDEL-NELSON-ALBEMARLE-
GREENE-PRINCE WILLIAM/MANASSAS/MANASSAS PARK-FAIRFAX-
ARLINGTON/FALLS CHURCH/ALEXANDRIA-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WASHINGTON...ANNAPOLIS...
CHARLOTTESVILLE...MANASSAS...MANASSAS PARK...FAIRFAX...
ALEXANDRIA...FALLS CHURCH
1030 AM EST SUN FEB 25 2007

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM EST

MONDAY.

INTENSE LOW PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO TRACK ACROSS THE MIDWEST
TODAY. A COASTAL LOW WILL FORM OFF THE DELMARVA TONIGHT.

A MIXTURE OF SLEET...FREEZING RAIN AND RAIN WILL CONTINUE THROUGH
THIS EVENING. ADDITIONAL SLEET ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE LESS THAN AN
INCH AND ICE ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE LESS THAN ONE-QUARTER INCH.

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW...SLEET...OR
FREEZING RAIN WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR
SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES...AND USE CAUTION WHILE
DRIVING.



MDZ016>018-VAZ055>057-251800-
/O.CON.KLWX.WW.Y.0005.000000T0000Z-070225T1800Z/
CHARLES-ST. MARYS-CALVERT-STAFFORD-SPOTSYLVANIA-KING GEORGE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WALDORF...ST MARYS CITY...
FREDERICKSBURG
1030 AM EST SUN FEB 25 2007

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS

AFTERNOON.

INTENSE LOW PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO TRACK ACROSS THE MIDWEST
TODAY. A COASTAL LOW WILL FORM OFF THE DELMARVA TONIGHT.

A MIXTURE OF SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN WILL CHANGE TO ALL RAIN THIS
AFTERNOON IN THE ADVISORY AREA. ADDITIONAL SLEET ACCUMULATIONS
WILL BE LESS THAN AN INCH AND ICE ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE LESS THAN
ONE-TENTH INCH.

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW...SLEET...OR
FREEZING RAIN WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR
SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES...AND USE CAUTION WHILE
DRIVING.



JB






National Weather Service County - MDC031

You have just read an official National Weather Advisory Service Winter Weather Warning for the area where I live. Note, in the first picture, it i still snowing, and there is at least 3" of snow accumulated on the tree branches. I call this empirical evidence. I am NOT a weatherman.




The second picture is where I have mustered the troops for our defense of the house against the Godless hoards assaulting the house as I type. You might note that the Sapphire has already been wounded, but is valiantly going back into the fray, having watched as a 21 year year old bottle of Glenlivit bit the dust along with a couple of bottle of vodka.



Now that we have our soldiers in place to ward off the evil spirits, we can turn our attention to more serious matters. Wicked H has a niece, Sous-Chef Mermaid. who doesn't want to go to school tomorrow. My way of dealing with that is to simply declare tomorrow a snow day by the power vested in me as The CEO. That goes for children everywhere from say, Tennessee to Wisconsin, including France.

Yet Sous-Chef Mermaid asks that we wear our PJ backwards and inside out; after consuming an oatmeal cookie before putting a spoon under your pillow is an absolute lock on getting school canceled tomorrow. Is she lucky I have some oatmeal cookies in the house to go with my martini. Cheers Little Mermaid, it's a done deal!

Please join where possible in helping to guarantee this young lady tomorrow off, and have a drink or several while watching the Oscars tonight. And have a good reason to take tomorrow off. Like I slipped on the ice.



Good Night Little Mermaid, wherever you are!

How to Fight Fair in Relationships

I was reading Crankster yesterday in the piece where he was exposing that men don't get treated very fairly these days. This is nothing new. But it made me think of a similar problem that occurs in relations, and they need not be only marriages, and that is how do we fight fairly? No two people are ever going to agree on everything.

If we ignore the things that irritate us, we doom our relationships. Below is an article that was sent to me by a friend who is a therapist. I'd be interested in knowing what you thought afterwards.



How come it's okay to fight to get to the top of your class but not okay to fight with your best friend or confidant to get to the best outcome regarding a difference of opinion you two have over something you both care about? Just as there are "fair" ways to fight with cancer (i.e. chemo therapy rather than a shot gun), there are fair ways to fight with your spouse or boss.
Steps
Assume the right mind set: so long as you follow the rules of the game, it’s good to have a competitive, heated tennis match with an opponent. The same holds true for an emotional match with your partner. It toughens us, makes us better in that arena, and teaches us a great deal about the other person and how they function. Fighters know each other about as well, perhaps better, than passionate lovers.
No physical violence or emotional abuse while talking/fighting.
No name calling or cussing out the other person.
Stick to the topic of contention. No bringing up the past, unless that’s the topic.
Avoid lying and exaggerating as in “You always......” or “You never......” or “I’m the only one who ever......”. Statements such as these are useless untruths and do little to enhance problem solving.
If you've forgiven them of something, it's not fair to bring it up as ammunition.
No walking or running out of the fight. If you need a break because you’re getting too emotional to think clearly and remember the fair rules of fighting, ask for a break and agree when the fight will resume. You do not have to say this relationship is over or ask for a divorce just to take a time-out.
No ultimatums or threats. The point of fair fighting is not to win but to struggle with your partner until you can come to win/win solutions or compromises. In the meantime enjoy sparing with the other person and sharpening both of your abilities to stay afloat in the world of human realities.


Tips
Remember that there's a purpose(s) to fighting with your relationship partner: it may be to ventilate grievances so resentment stays down. A relationship fight can increase coping abilities and keep power differentials between partners at manageable levels so that the relationship stays balanced. Done right, conflict can solve problems and fix disorder.


Warnings
Don't fight in a relationship unless both partners agree to use the ground rules mentioned above.


Things You'll Need
A designated time and place set aside for the "fight", agreed to by both partners and not likely to be interrupted by kids, TV or phone.
Also, an agreed upon amount of time for the fight. Stop when time is up. If not finished, get agreement when and where to continue.

When Did It Happen?

When did sex become porn?
When did women become dudes?
When did thinking go out of style?
When did vanilla stop being an ice cream flavor? And what are the kinky people? Pistachio? Rocky Road? Butter Pecan? What can I get with hazelnuts?
When did the presence or absence of tattoos separate the generations?
When did it go out of fashion having an ice cold vodka martini (onions please) with your morning coffee? Coffee is no longer enough to prepare me for a commute in the morning. Nor the afternoon. Throw in the evening. Cocktails and cornflakes work perfectly fine, and you don't need sugar or milk. You bet I have supporting research.
Are there any questions? Are there any answers? Damn, no misspellings first time.

Many Thanks

I'd like to thank all of you for the nice, kind things you have said, both publicly and privately. The times have been very unexpected, and very upsetting. It's getting to be time to start thinking about coming back. I haven't thought about a thing worth writing about since I became distracted. Yet I know that life must go on, and that includes me. So, as soon as i get back into the swing of things, I hope to start writing again. I look forward to reading your blogs and finding out what's going on.

It feels good to be back.

In Memory Of Jacob N. Perkins

Jake was born August 4, 1969 and died last night, February 5, 2007 of a massive coronary at the age of 37. He was my nephew. The heart attack was unexpected, and came after a bout of the flu. He had a kidney transplant last Memorial Day, the hope being that he would have the use of one kidney for the rest of his life.

During his life, Jake played defensive tackle for the Poolsville High School varsity, was the School President, and an honors student. He went on to attend Virginia Tech where he double majored in Political Science and History. As an intern for his Junior Year, he worked for Senator Warner in the Senate of the United States. He returned to school, and was elected the School President.

He attended and graduated the University of Maryland for Law School, and was admitted top the Maryland and Virginia Bar Associations. After several years of Personal Injury work, he went off on his own and set up a Real Estate Practice.

Jake was also the coach of the girls basketball team at Poolsville High School, and the current President of the Poolsville Chamber of Commerce. We will be burying him on Thursday. The family will be in mourning from Thursday through Wednesday of next week.

Judy and I were very close to him. We were with his mother, Judy's sister in the hospital tonight, sitting with him. It was hard to comprehend that he was dead even as we were in there with him. We did it to get some closure, and I'm glad we did. On the other hand, mothers and aunts & uncles aren't supposed to bury children. I'm going to stop now, because I think I'm getting a little squirrelly, if that's a word.

When The Going Gets Tough

It's just under ten (10) degrees Fahrenheit outside and it's really cold. When you have an antique cat, you merely transfer the Fortress of Solitude from a cardboard box to a place more suitable. Like right in front of the heating vent in the family room where someone has pulled the couch into a nice triangular area for you to nest in and bask in the heat. And the heat is on, and the house is just right, the way it is supposed to be.


She decided to try to make a buck from this and hunt up an energy trade in natural gas. She 'sniffing' out a natural gas play for this week. She thinks energy plays are going up. Smart cat. She'll be out at the end of the week. She also got the Super Bowl right.

And While You're At It

The Bush Administration has changed its stance on Global Warming. Today, the UN has released its latest report on Global Warming and there is sufficient good science in it that the conservative wing of the Republican Party can no longer deny that humans have caused Global Warming.

I say this without rancor, if that is the right word. I don't have sources for you for the following statements, but we are also tearing out rainforests in Indonesia and Brazil at such an alarming level that we are reducing the level of oxygen on the planet, not to mention eliminating potential drugs and their sources. You can read about this kind of thing in National Geographic and a bazillion other places. Or ask someone who synthesizes drugs for a living. It's true, besides living with politicians, I live in the middle of the biotech corridor. I am not a biochemist and I don't play one on TV. The head of Otzuka Pharmaceuticals lives two doors away. He has an opinion. I'm a parrot.

All of these contribute to the environment. Build a place where the animals can't live, and why would you think that we could? We're animals too.

Please Don't Feed The Wildlife

Raider elephants hit Thailand highway Thu Feb 1, 5:46 AM ET

Reuters

They give a whole new meaning to things that go bump in the night. Elephants have recently taken to blocking a highway frequently used by produce trucks in Thailand but which also runs through the Ang Lue Nai wildlife reserve.

Drivers say the wild beasts have raided trucks on the road, which links Bangkok with three eastern border provinces.

"It was one night when six vehicles were attacked, my lorry was in the third incident that night," said Manoon Srisalao, a tapioca lorry driver.

Some drivers said the elephants head-butted their vehicles when they could not get to the produce they were carrying.

"Sometimes the whole elephant herd, six or seven of them, stand in middle of the road... some of them try to pull sugar canes from the lorry, when they can not, they just break the wind shield," said driver Puern Meksan.

Officials at the natural reserve said they were surprised by the accidents, since the elephants are not normally aggressive. But they have imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew on the road.

Many visitors to the reserve sympathise with the elephants. In the past few years, three were killed and seven injured on the highway, reserve officials said. More than 14,000 animals, including endangered frogs, birds and deer were also run over.

Three motorists have so far died in animal-related crashes.

"People have to accept the conditions here, because we are reaching into the animal habitat, so we have to be more careful when we travel on the road," said You Senatham of the reserve.


This is a genuine Reuters news story. This is how we teach bears to come to camp sites in national parks looking for food, and end up upset when the bears seem to attack a campers. If you hold out a piece of bacon for a bear, they can't tell where the bacon ends and your hand begins. It's all food to them. Surprise.

So You Switched To New Blogger

And now everything has gone crazy. Some people have been writing and saying things like, Bloglines doesn't show you posting anything anymore so I thought you had stopped writing for a while. This one is easy to fix. Same thing when you make a new blog like Claudia just did when she built Kaleidoscope, but you can't subscribe to it yet because she hasn't had the time to turn the RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed on yet.

Well, never fear, I'm hear to tell you how to do it. Ready. Log into your account and go into Dashboard. Now, go into Settings. Not hard so far. Now click on Site Feed, and you will see the following choice in a drop down window (push the arrow):
None
Short
Full

The default is set to None, so you do not have any RSS feeds set.
If you choose Short, a small part of your post will be sent to the feed.
If you choose Full, the entire post will be sent to the feed.

If you choose Short, which I did, so I could make it more difficult for thieving bastards like Bitacle.Org to steal my precious posts and reuse them. I recommend that you do the same.

If you choose Full, you make it easier for outfits like Bitacle.Org to steal your precious posts and reuse them. I do NOT recommend this.

And now, the most important part. click on Save the Settings. PLEASE. Then Save your way out, always a good idea. Thank you for your kind attention.