Wednesday - February 02, 2011

In The Hole

A massive winter storm is hammering the US right now. “Thunder snow”, tornadoes, gale force winds, and huge amounts of snow are falling just about everywhere east of the Rockies and north of Florida. The storm itself is bigger than Europe, and laying down a major blizzard. Here in Clinton we are right on the edge of a little warm spot; from us down to Philadelphia and east to Atlantic City it is merely raining. A few miles to the north and slushy ice is coming down. Further north up into New York they’re expecting 2 to 4 feet of snow, and that snow belt extends all the way to Boston and Maine.  Schools are closed across many states. Again.

It’s pouring outside. And the thermometer is just a hair above freezing. So the several feet of snow we’ve got on the ground is absorbing the rain ... for now, and (cross your fingers) the rain isn’t building up on the trees as ice. One degree colder though, and we’ll be under the guns. Thankfully the weather forecast is for temps up to 38 today, so the slop might even have a chance to drain off before it freezes up again tonight. And then a dry day above freezing tomorrow. Lucky us.

It is freakin miserable outside though. It’s the closest thing I’ve seen to official duck hunting weather in a long time. A degree colder and add some wind, and it would be perfect.

Posted by Drew458     on 02/02/2011 at 08:56 AM   
Filed Under: • Miscellaneous •  
• Comments (1) • Trackbacks(0)  Permalink •  

On the lighter side

Posted by Drew458     on 02/02/2011 at 08:53 AM   
Filed Under: • Humor • Middle-East •  
• Comments (1) • Trackbacks(0)  Permalink •  

Top Gear’s slur on Mexicans (and their cars) as ‘lazy, feckless and flatulent’

okay .. this is pretty funny. unless you’re Mexican and can’t take a joke.

seems like these days anything can be racist or sexist or whatever. unless ur attacking Christians of course. open season there.

anyway ... I can not find this on YT yet. just one boring guy who made an audio slamming Top Gear. As one person commented there, the guy doing the commentary audio could put a one eyed person to sleep.

so what I have here is the article from the morning paper. maybe later there will be a video on YT. it won’t be legal tho you bet. BUT ... it’s available
on the BBC iPlayer for a short time.  I haven’t seen it yet.

We’re not like that, insists ambassador after Top Gear’s slur on Mexicans (and their cars) as ‘lazy, feckless and flatulent’
By PAUL REVOIR
Last updated at 9:13 AM on 2nd February 2011

Mexican food described as ‘like sick with cheese on it’

Jeremy Clarkson predicted no complaints as the ambassador would be snoring in front of the TV
The BBC was embroiled in a new diplomatic row last night after the Mexican ambassador attacked ‘offensive, xenophobic and humiliating’ remarks about his country on Top Gear.

Eduardo Medina-Mora Icaza protested after Richard Hammond branded Mexicans ‘lazy, feckless, and flatulent’ before he and fellow presenter James May insulted the country’s food.

Jeremy Clarkson then claimed that the ambassador to the UK wouldn’t complain because he would be snoring in front of the television at his embassy.

However, the ambassador has made a formal complaint to the BBC and called for the presenters to make a public apology for stirring ‘bigoted feelings against the Mexican people’.

The Japanese embassy also protested recently after Stephen Fry joked on the quiz show QI that a Second World War survivor of both the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombs was ‘the unluckiest man in the world’. The BBC apologised.

On Sunday night’s episode of Top Gear, which can still be seen on the BBC iPlayer, Hammond was discussing a Mexican sports car and suggested that vehicles reflect the national characteristics of the country they are from.

He added: ‘Mexican cars are just going to be lazy, feckless, flatulent, leaning against a fence asleep looking at a cactus with a blanket with a hole in the middle on as a coat.’

He also referred to Mexican food as ‘refried sick’ while May said it was ‘like sick with cheese on it’.

In his letter to the BBC, the ambassador wrote: ‘The presenters of the programme resorted to outrageous, vulgar and inexcusable insults to stir bigoted feelings against the Mexican people, their culture as well as their official representative in the United Kingdom.

‘These offensive, xenophobic and humiliating remarks only serve to reinforce negative stereotypes and perpetuate prejudice against Mexico and its people.’

It is not the first time Top Gear, with its blend of motoring news, schoolboy humour and audacious stunts, has got into trouble. In 2008 the show was rapped by the BBC Trust for showing Clarkson and May sipping gin and tonic at the wheel during a stunt.

Only last month Clarkson criticised censorship on television.

He said backstage at the National Television Awards that the recent Sky Sports sexism row raised the danger of people being punished for ‘heresy by thought’. He said: ‘We’ve arrived at a stage where you actually can be busted for heresy by thought, which is a terrifying place to live.

‘While we try very hard on Top Gear not to be sexist, if a man wants to think that, that’s fine.

‘You should be allowed to think what you think.’

The BBC has received more than 70 complaints about Sunday night’s episode of Top Gear.

SOURCE

I was once married to a Mexican lady. Feels like a hundred years ago.  But she sure didn’t fit any stereotype I was familiar with. And not lazy at all.
There’s jokes about all of us because there’s also some truth to some of the humor. But often times, the humor can be harsh because the subject fits the shoe.

Posted by peiper     on 02/02/2011 at 08:43 AM   
Filed Under: • Mexico •  
• Comments (2) • Trackbacks(0)  Permalink •  

   Tuesday - February 01, 2011

a few more photos and good night all ….

Looking at the weather thingy and seeing 26 degrees for NJ, I decided to post s few spring shots I got close to home.

Sadly, the apple trees, all of them, were cut down when the barbaric new neighbors moved in and torn down the 20’s cottage next door. Every tree and all the fruit producing trees, gone. There was one tree I’d never seen or heard of before. It had something that looked like and was the size of a cherry. But not the dark red kind you think of when you see the word cherry. This was lighter in color, and didn’t taste anything like a cherry.  It tasted like a ripe plum. But it wasn’t. A good portion of it overlapped on our side for years and years and years. And a beautiful mountain ash. Great shade tree.  Gone.

Anyway, one day long before that house was even on the market, I was taken with the blossoms and thought it would make for a pleasing photo.

Here’s an example of what’s now gone forever. Vandals. Barbarians.

Drove to a village (Wherwell) a few miles from us. All of them old and a river runs right through it. Ancient village church that ppl still attend. Really nice place but very expensive. BTW ... you can be pretty sure that the upstairs floor in this place is no longer level. It would surprise me greatly if it was, because in visiting some other old places like this but from inside, when trying to walk across the floor upstairs, you were still climbing just going from one side of the room to the other.
Notice how small those windows are and how few.  Most of the houses in the village are medieval.  There are strict rules that apply as to what you may or may not do re. painting or alterations.

Posted by peiper     on 02/01/2011 at 02:40 PM   
Filed Under: • Art-Photography • Personal •  
• Comments (1) • Trackbacks(0)  Permalink •  

just a few personal photos for anyone interested.

I got a bit tired of the mayhem and loony tune happenings and thought, why not post a few photos I’ve taken here and there since moving here. Haven’t been able to get out and travel much in the last year. Hope if things ok maybe I can do again. In the meantime ....

Had the opportunity to visit the Jane Austen house and museum a couple of years ago. Wish I could get back there again. I missed a few photos I should have had but for lack of experience. Some were out of focus, but I didn’t know that till I got back home (in a driving rain and soaked to the skin) and saw them on my pc. You won’t see those and I’ve no idea why I kept them.  Got lucky with the visit, hardly anyone there and the rain that was threatening all day didn’t happen untill after returning to home territory.  Where the sky opened up while I was walking the half mile, uphill, to the point where I could get a ride home.
I’d do it again happily cos I enjoyed the day and the history.

The Austen site is located in Chawton, England.

Obviously, the dining room. I wasn’t supposed to be taking pictures but didn’t see the sign. I really didn’t. I shot without flash which is why some other shots didn’t come out well. And no time to fiddle with manual settings.

This has nothing whatever to do with Jane Austen but I got lucky and got what I hope is a good pix of a beautiful flower on another tour I was on of a manor house garden.

One of these days I really will learn how to post pix that you guys can enlarge. I am slow to learn new tricks I guess. Depressing.

Posted by peiper     on 02/01/2011 at 02:14 PM   
Filed Under: • Personal •  
• Comments (0) • Trackbacks(0)  Permalink •  

Your Attention Please. Notice. New International Terror Alert Levels.

H/T Lynne P.

The English are feeling the pinch in relation to recent terrorist threats and have therefore raised their security level from “Miffed” to “Peeved.” Soon, though, security levels may be raised yet again to “Irritated” or even “A Bit Cross.”

The English have not been “A Bit Cross” since the blitz in 1940 when tea supplies nearly ran out.

Terrorists have been re-categorized from “Tiresome” to “A Bloody Nuisance.” The last time the British issued a “Bloody Nuisance” warning level was in 1588, when threatened by the Spanish Armada.

The Scots have raised their threat level from “Pissed Off” to “Let’s get the Bast----.” They don’t have any other levels. This is the reason they have been used on the front line of the British army for the last 300 years.

The French government announced yesterday that it has raised its terror alert level from “Run” to “Hide.” The only two higher levels in France are “Collaborate” and “Surrender.” The rise was precipitated by a recent fire that destroyed France ‘s white flag factory, effectively paralyzing the country’s military capability.

Italy has increased the alert level from “Shout Loudly and Excitedly” to “Elaborate Military Posturing.” Two more levels remain: “Ineffective Combat Operations” and “Change Sides.”

The Germans have increased their alert state from “Disdainful Arrogance” to “Dress in Uniform and Sing Marching Songs.” They also have two higher levels: “Invade a Neighbor” and “Lose.”

Belgians, on the other hand, are all on holiday as usual; the only threat they are worried about is NATO pulling out of Brussels .

The Spanish are all excited to see their new submarines ready to deploy. These beautifully designed subs have glass bottoms so the new Spanish navy can get a really good look at the old Spanish navy.

Australia , meanwhile, has raised its security level from “No worries” to “She’ll be alright, Mate.” Two more escalation levels remain: “Crikey! I think we’ll need to cancel the barbie this weekend!” and “The barbie is canceled.” So far no situation has ever warranted use of the final escalation level.

Posted by peiper     on 02/01/2011 at 11:37 AM   
Filed Under: • Humor •  
• Comments (1) • Trackbacks(0)  Permalink •  

THE CALL OF NATURE. HERE KITTY,KITTY.  NICE PUSS.

Can never resist this kind of thing. They are so beautiful. Wish they could be tamed but heck, imagine the size of the litter box you’d need.

And you’d never win a tug of war if one of em decided your arm was a toy. Couldn’t begin to afford to feed one.
OK, I’m convinced.  Leopard as a pet?  Bad idea.
Cute tho huh?
Take a look.

A python became the focus of an epic tug-of-war between two leopards. The six-and-a-half-foot (2m) long African rock python became the unwilling “rope” in the game, after being caught by a female leopard in the long grass. But as she dragged it, still wriggling, along behind her, she was ambushed by her son who wanted to land the kill for himself. The young male snatched the end of the enormous snake in his powerful jaws, and tried to tug it away from his mother…
Picture: Josh Scheinert/BNPS.co.uk

..The two big cats fought ferociously over their prey for half an hour, in front of stunned guests at the MalaMala game reserve, South Africa. The brutal battle was only ended when the female leopard gave up, retreating to a tree while her son tucked in to his prize. The scene was caught on camera by American photographer Josh Scheinert, who was staying at the MalaMala reserve.

LEOPARD SOURCE, TELEGRAPH

Posted by peiper     on 02/01/2011 at 08:52 AM   
Filed Under: • Animals •  
• Comments (4) • Trackbacks(0)  Permalink •  

DISCLAIMER

THE SERVICES AND MATERIALS ON THIS WEBSITE ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND THE HOSTS OF THIS SITE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF SATISFACTORY QUALITY, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, WITH RESPECT TO THE SERVICE OR ANY MATERIALS.

Not that very many people ever read this far down, but this blog was the creation of Allan Kelly and his friend Vilmar. Vilmar moved on to his own blog some time ago, and Allan ran this place alone until his sudden and unexpected death partway through 2006. We all miss him. A lot. Even though he is gone this site will always still be more than a little bit his. We who are left to carry on the BMEWS tradition owe him a great debt of gratitude, and we hope to be able to pay that back by following his last advice to us all:

1. Keep a firm grasp of Right and Wrong
2. Stay involved with government on every level and don't let those bastards get away with a thing
3. Use every legal means to defend yourself in the event of real internal trouble, and, most importantly:
4. Keep talking to each other, whether here or elsewhere

It's been a long strange trip without you Skipper, but thanks for pointing us in the right direction and giving us a swift kick in the behind to get us going. Keep lookin' down on us, will ya? Thanks.

THE INFORMATION AND OTHER CONTENTS OF THIS WEBSITE ARE DESIGNED TO COMPLY WITH THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THIS WEBSITE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND ALL PARTIES IRREVOCABLY SUBMIT TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE AMERICAN COURTS. IF ANYTHING ON THIS WEBSITE IS CONSTRUED AS BEING CONTRARY TO THE LAWS APPLICABLE IN ANY OTHER COUNTRY, THEN THIS WEBSITE IS NOT INTENDED TO BE ACCESSED BY PERSONS FROM THAT COUNTRY AND ANY PERSONS WHO ARE SUBJECT TO SUCH LAWS SHALL NOT BE ENTITLED TO USE OUR SERVICES UNLESS THEY CAN SATISFY US THAT SUCH USE WOULD BE LAWFUL.

Copyright © 2004-2015 Domain Owner