October 26, 2007

School Daze

I went over to St. Marie of the Blessed Educational Method for elementary open house this morning. The kiddies, in ones and twos, had stations set up around the rooms at which they demonstrated various lessons in math, science, language and so on. The idea was for parents to circulate about, sampling the collective knowledge of the classes (over one of which the Missus presides).

Of course I went to see the elder Llama-ettes do their stuff. (The nine year old and her partner did a presentation on prime numbers, while the seven year old and hers did a long division problem using a system of racks and tubes nearly indeciferable to me.) I also stopped by one or two other tables, but then slid out as quickly as I could. The truth of the matter is that my attitude toward children is much like Miss Murdstone's from David Copperfield. ("Generally speaking," said Miss Murdstone, "I don't like boys. How d'ye do, boy?") How the Missus and other teachers put up with great mobs of them day after day after day, and even enjoy it, is a sweet mystery to me.

Posted by: Robert at 09:39 AM | Comments (14) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Happy Birthday To My Favorite Angel

Jaclyn Smith turns 62 today.

In true Pavlovian fashion, this shot from the opening credits of "Charlie's Angels" always got my heart racing. Add this to with the Rita Hayworthesque "hair flip" after taking off the motorcycle helmet and it was almost too much for an eleven year old boy to handle.

For more picks, see her entry from the "80's Crush of the Week" tournament at the old site.

Posted by: Gary at 08:54 AM | Comments (16) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

A Merry Meeting

Big Yips! to Tee Bee of the Guide To Midwestern Culture, a long time friend of the Llamas whom I got to meet over a cup of coffee yesterday afternoon during her visit to Your Nation's Capital. It's always gratifying to be able to put a real live face to a blog, especially one you've read over a long period of time.

We chatted about this and that, but not too much about blogging. One story I did mention was Dr. Rusty's posting on the Reuters photo floating around the internets this week featuring the remarkably pristine baby doll lying amidst the charred ruins of Southern California. Either the doll miraculously escaped the burning, fiery furnace like those three johnnies in the Old Testament, or else Reuters is, well, at it again.

Dr. Rusty, whose opinion of the matter you may readily imagine, seized on the opportunity to repost what is probably the greatest video ever to come out of the bowels of the Sandcrawler. Tee Bee and I had a good laugh over the recollection. Because of that and because it's Friday, I repost the vid here as well. Enjoy.

Posted by: Robert at 07:33 AM | Comments (16) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Elvis Is In The Building

Somebody introduced the Llama-ettes to the King this week and, as is their wont, they pounced upon this new find with what the starter at the golf club where I worked one summer would have called "great viggah".

The nine year old has spent the last couple days doing what is actually a pretty durn good riff on "Blue Suede Shoes". Meanwhile, the seven year old, in her innocent way, asked me, "Daddy, where were you when Elvis died on the potty?" The five year old, being the most visual of the three, has confined herself primarily to shaking her hips at me.

Uh, thangkyuh. Thangkyuh verrah mush.

UPDATE: Our pal GroovyVic goes on an Elvis YouTube bender.

Posted by: Robert at 06:47 AM | Comments (21) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

October 25, 2007

BC takes on Virginia Tech

One word of advice to BC: keep the band off the field.

UPDATE: 57 strong minutes for VTech. Unfortunately for the Hokies and their ever so classy fan base, the football game was sixty minutes. BC scores 14 in the last 2:11 to win.

Freaky-deakyness: it's October 25th, and the two teams leading the ACC are....Boston College and UVA.

What does it mean?

Other than the fact that the ACC kind of sucks this year...

Posted by: Steve-O at 10:11 PM | Comments (16) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Goodnight sweet prince

Posted by: Steve-O at 10:04 PM | Comments (20) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

For Steve-O

on Saint Crispian's Day:
ENTER THE KING. . .

Posted by: LMC at 11:32 AM | Comments (17) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

WORLD SERIES GAME ONE RECAP

Sox 13
Rox 1
Geez, that was just downright ugly. Red over at Surviving Grady sums it up nicely. (The link is definitely NSFM---Not safe for Mom)

BTW, here's my dirty rotten stinkah of a brother who was able to score primo box seats with some buddies:

UPDATE: I don't know about you, but I don't got my taco either:

Posted by: Steve-O at 10:06 AM | Comments (23) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Naked Sleepwalking In Hotels On The Rise!

And now the bad news.

Most of them are men.

File this under "Just My Luck".

Posted by: Gary at 09:08 AM | Comments (18) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

"24" Season Seven Twist

It's a spoiler so it's below the fold (Season Seven trailer included)

Posted by: Gary at 09:03 AM | Comments (19) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Random Seasonal Observation

Well, it seems that Autumn has finally quit screwing around and gotten down to brass tacks here in Your Nation's Capital - cool (50's), grey and rainy weather has moved in and promises to hold for the next couple of days.

Some people find this depressing. Me, I always feel invigorated. In fact, the ideal weather to me is a misty, drizzly, foggy day with the temperature hovering around 40 or so.

I suppose it's my Scots ancestry coming through. Hoots! Toots!

Posted by: Robert at 08:41 AM | Comments (21) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Gratuitous Domestic Posting (TM) - "Make My Day" Division

If you ever want a microcosmic example of the effectiveness of a credible threat of force, you need only visit Orgle Manor on a school morning. I've developed a new rule with the Llama-ettes: Two warnings to get their lazy selves out of bed. The third time, I come in with a cup of water and boosh them where they lie.

They know that not only would I do so if given the chance, I'd love to do it. So far, I haven't had the opportunity.

Posted by: Robert at 08:24 AM | Comments (15) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

October 24, 2007

WORLD SERIES UPDATE: MAYBE GOD DOES INDEED HATE THE SAWX

Rain predicted for Game One tonight:

BOSTON -- The 103rd World Series between the Rockies and Red Sox is scheduled to start with a first pitch at 8:23 ET tonight, and from all accounts, rain is likely to interfere to some degree and now poses a significant threat to Game 1.
"We always try to play games when scheduled if possible," Major League Baseball president Bob DuPuy said of the ominous forecast. "Obviously, player safety and not burning starting pitchers if the game does not start or is shortened are concerns, as is the comfort of the fans in attendance. Ultimately the decision will be made by the Commissioner taking all these factors into account."

"Bring the GoreTex" was the morning advice to Red Sox fans on the local NPR news radio station in Boston, WBUR. Indeed, the best-case scenario seems to be drizzle during the game and steady-to-heavy rain holding off until 11 or 12. It could be one of those nights when you root for the game to become official in the fifth.

"I'm looking at the radar and there's one area of light showers moving through now, then a bit of a break, then an area of much heavier rain down off the Atlantic Coast, which we're most concerned about," Terry Eliasen, executive weather producer and meteorologist at CBS Ch. 4 told MLB.com at 12:30 p.m. ET. "Between now and game time, it will be just spotty to light showers. But later in the evening, perhaps 9 or 10 o'clock, that area off the Mid-Atlantic Coast could bring steady or heavier showers to the Boston area.

"I would expect the game will start off OK, probably with no delay. But I wouldn't be surprised by the middle of the game to see some steady rain coming down. I know they want to play it. It's going to be a damp night there any way you slice it. Just hope it's light rain and not steady to heavy moderate rain.

"Once it starts, it's going to be fairly steady through the evening into early tomorrow morning. It's not like we'll have to wait for a heavy shower to go by and then we'll be in the clear. It's inevitable we'll face some rain during the game. It's just a matter of when that steady to heavy weather comes in."

That, on top of the nooz that my older brother---the rat bastard!!!---has scored primo tickets for the game tonight.

The only thing I can say to you, Lou, is that..........Mom always loved Joe more.

One word: it's a pissah. A wicked pissah.

Okay, that's six words, but you get my drift.

PISSAH UPDATE:

Indeed:

That was for you, Keith.

Posted by: Steve-O at 04:13 PM | Comments (19) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Zombie Necrophilia on CBS?

I am *nearly* speechless after viewing clips from an almost-ran pilot for a CBS un-dead crime drama that was pitched as "exploring the emotional and societal ramification of loved ones coming back from the dead." I smell the thesis statement from a senior paper, don't you Steve-O?

Story & clip labeled "Post-coital zombie brags about the erectile enhancing benefits of being dead" here:
http://tinyurl.com/ytgkmp

You're welcome!

Sending a shout out to Brother Snackpack for this one!

Posted by: Chai-Rista at 01:07 PM | Comments (25) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Crustacean Jailbreak

Gail at Scribal Terror posts a story about German police being summoned to round up a party of crayfish that managed to break out of a Stuttgart food shop. It immediately reminded me of this classic gem:

One can only assume the lobster banditos were more successful.

Ask and Ye Shall Receive UPDATE:

And while we're on the subject of beer and lobsters, here's the one that didn't get away:

Posted by: Robert at 12:53 PM | Comments (17) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Light Fuse, Stand Back

I can't stand articles like this one:

News that Paul McCartney is expecting to settle his divorce from Heather Mills for £60m after just five years of marriage may send a shudder down the spine of other couples who are not getting on as well as they used to. But husbands and wives who find themselves in this position could avoid much of the cost and unpleasantness of breaking up with financial planning.

One way to cut the cost, say lawyers, is to consider using a prenuptial agreement – something the McCartneys did not do. While prenuptial agreements are not legally binding in Britain, they are increasingly being taken into account by divorce courts and are not just the domain of the super rich. Several high-profile cases have spurred wealthy people to consider a prenuptial agreement.

Here's something better to consider: If you're thinking along these lines before you've even tied the knot, you've no business getting married in the first place.

Posted by: Robert at 12:45 PM | Comments (15) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

It Don't Mean A Thing If...

Don over at Scuffulans hirsutus is blegging for opinions about whether the swing soundtrack from the anime Oh! Edo Rocket doesn't make just a bit too free and easy with its source material.

Don provides some tracks for your listening enjoyment and musicological sleuthing. From a casual sampling, I definitely picked up some heavy influences (specifically "Sing, Sing, Sing" and "In The Mood"). The question is whether these influences are simply a matter of riffing or whether they (and possible others) rise to the level of outright theft.

G'wan over and have a listen.

Posted by: Robert at 12:17 PM | Comments (18) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Sic Semper Vino Virginianis

CNN, as it seems to have done for the past couple years, is running a puff piece on the Virginia wine industry. The piece features the Barboursville Vineyards which, as near as I can make out, is the closest thing to a legit European vineyard within the great Commonwealth. I have heard good things about its Sangiovese and Barbera Reserves, although I have not yet had the opportunity to sample them, as the local Total Bev seems to carry neither and I haven't yet been motivated to hoik my lazy Llama backside down Route 29 to visit the place itself.

Anyhoo, at this point I'm willing to give Barboursville the benefit of the doubt. HOWEVER, I read these paragraphs in full cringe mode:

Since Barboursville's founding in 1976, Virginia vineyards have grown from a handful to nearly 120 statewide, placing Virginia fifth in the nation in the number of wineries. It's also among the fastest-growing wine-producing states, according to tax figures from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

"We as a state over the past three years have put a much greater emphasis on wine," said Tamra Talmadge-Anderson, a Virginia tourism spokeswoman. Visitors who include a Virginia winery on their trips spend twice as much per person than the average traveler, $299 versus $129, according to a state tourism department study.

I'm usually a champion of teh Old Dominion, but friends, I tell you truly (as I have done so here and here and here and here and here) that there simply is no such thing as good Virginia wine. It all tastes like cough syrup. And (as the above graph demonstrates) high-priced cough syrup at that. So certainly come for the scenery and history, but stock up your picnic hampers with imported plonk.

Posted by: Robert at 10:25 AM | Comments (19) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

American Political Development done right

(Blatantly stolen from AP)

Posted by: Steve-O at 09:41 AM | Comments (15) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Gratuitous Musickal Posting (TM)

Happy birthday, Malcolm Bilson! Born this day in 1935.

Who he, you ask?

Well, he's a longtime member of the Cornell Musick Department, a trailblazer period performance guy and more or less the dean of the fortepiano.

I consider Bilson's recording of the complete cycle of Mozart's piano concerti with John Eliot Full of Himself Gardiner and the English Baroque Soloists to be the best available, and would heartily recommend them to anybody.

Posted by: Robert at 08:04 AM | Comments (18) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

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