New Study: Turin Shroud 'is not a medieval forgery'

From Nick Squires at the telegraph UK:'

'Experiments conducted by scientists at the University of Padua in northern Italy have dated the shroud to ancient times, a few centuries before and after the life of Christ.

Many Catholics believe that the 14ft-long linen cloth, which bears the imprint of the face and body of a bearded man, was used to bury Christ's body when he was lifted down from the cross after being crucified 2,000 years ago.

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Choke 16: KU Jayhawks Loose to Michigan Wolverines in OT, 85-87

From the AP via Fox Sports KC:

'Trey Burke scored all 23 of his points after halftime, including a long, tying 3-pointer in the final seconds of regulation, and Michigan rallied to beat Kansas 87-85 in the South Regional semifinals Friday night.

The fourth-seeded Wolverines wiped out a 10-point Kansas lead in the last 3 minutes of regulation, and Burke gave them their first lead since early in the game with another long 3 to open Michigan's scoring in overtime.'

Oh, well. Maybe the Lady Jayhawks have more stones: Kansas women prepare to face No. 1 seed Notre Dame in Sweet 16. From Mike Vernon at CJ Online:

'For the fourth time in KU history, and the second time in as many years, the Jayhawks are playing in the Sweet 16. At 11 a.m. Sunday, Kansas (20-13) will play No. 1 seed Notre Dame (33-1) in Norfolk, Va., for a chance to go to the Elite Eight.'

Good luck, Ladies!

Archeologists Find Obituary for Jesus of Nazareth

Of course it's not a photoshop...

Obviously, the reports of His death have been greatly exaggerated.

Friday Night Hoop-la

Christ Is Risen By Matt Maher



Distilled from 1Corinthians 15:55-57

"He who knew no sin..."

Thoughts on Good Friday by Kevin McCullough at Townhall blog:

"Often when I have debated the "total depravity of mankind" I have been able to stump the other debater simply by observing that in seeing my own life, I know that left to my own devices I would make a royal mess of everything around me.

It is out of this reality that I approach Good Friday this year. Perhaps more in touch with my fragile mortality, perhaps more in touch with my fragile morality, or perhaps simply being more aware than ever before that God's work in me has such a long way to go to be fully realized.

Yet this is the message of Good Friday for all of us."

TY MF

Missouri Senate Republican Proposes Ban on Credit Card Surcharges

Krykee doodle. More micromanaging, nanny-state gub'mint nitwit bull squat! This is why people are fed up with the Republican Party: they're often indistinguishable from Democrats.

'Sponsoring Republican Sen. Eric Schmitt, of Glendale, said his bill is an important consumer protection as credit card usage grows. Retailers could be charged with a Class D felony for continuing to assess a surcharge. (typically 1.5 to 3 percent).'

Opponents say businesses need to charge extra because it's expensive to allow credit cards as a form of payment. Schmitt says retailers could build that cost into an item's price rather than charge the extra fee.'

And there you have it; our betters in gub'mint with their genius thought process: take away consumer choice, and make it more expensive for everyone.

But not all retailers like the surcharge idea, nor will they add they surcharge. And what's to prevent a work-around like providing a discount to cash customers?

I got a crazy idea: why not treat customers like responsible adults and let the market place decide!!

Until this January, companies like Visa and MasterCard had policies that prohibited participating retailers from adding surcharges. The settlement of an antitrust suit brought by some retailers forced the change. Debit cards are exempt.

Yet, as many as 10 states already have laws on the books to prohibit the credit card surcharge. Missouri seeks to be the eleventh, with 12 more states considering the legislation.

Go away. STOP. HELPING. US.

Uh, oh. Nanny is unhappy in Australia.

Stores Charge Customers $5 'Just Looking' Fee to Combat 'Showrooming.'

Sweet 16: Bill Self Kicks Roy Williams Butt (again), 70-58

OK. That's not the real headline, but it's close enough.

Before Missouri headed South East in 2012, whenever KU & MU met on game day, fans went fanatical over the 'border war' - you know, ala pre-civil war raiders and bush wackers - except the modern incarnation has more beer and less blood.

Needless to say, folks in these parts carry a grudge for a while, so they're still a bit PO'd at ol' Roy for doing his double-talking yo-yo impersonation and sneaking off to North Carolina in 2003. But Bill Self has helped heal the rift.

From Rustin Dodd at the KC Star:

'The No. 1 seed Kansas Jayhawks had buried No. 8 seed North Carolina with an emotional second-half comeback, advancing to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year with a 70-58 victory. And the coach, Bill Self, had vanquished former KU coach Roy Williams and his Tar Heels for the third time in six years.'

Missouri's Tigers were shot down and out in the 1st round last Thursday by Colorado.

Dang it.

Kansas City Broadcasting Icon Walt Bodine Dead at 92

His legendary catch-phrase was “What Do You Say to That?”

RIP

Living in Obama's Mad House

'We now lurch from crisis to crisis with no resolution in sight. The cliché of “kick the can down the road” has become an everyday expression to describe a government that governs via presidential executive orders, ever more regulations, and the aforementioned continuing resolutions.'

This is a very good essay by Alan Caruba, and well worth a few minutes to read.

Feds Furlough Workers, yet Posts 2,000 Job Openings per Week

All together now: because draconian sequester cuts!

From Eileen Ambrose at The Baltimore Sun:

'Now that the sequester appears here to stay, some agencies plan to furlough workers one day a week starting next month. That's the equivalent of a 20 percent pay cut over the half year.

Critics say the posting of thousands of new jobs this month is proof that agencies have ignored the OMB and continue with unnecessary spending. But some employment experts say it's not that simple, and agencies have valid reasons to post jobs that may — or may not — be filled.

One critic is Sen. Tom Coburn, an Oklahoma Republican, who launched a crusade against what he sees as nonessential hiring during the sequester. Coburn compiled a list of recent job openings that were posted during the sequester or in the days leading up to it.'

This insane neo-bolshevik clown show is just getting warmed up, America.

Obama Unblocks $500 Million For Palestinian Authority

Because draconian sequester cuts.

Last year, Congress deliberately froze $192,000,000.00 of your tax dollars, but Pres. Unilateral said, "Eff you!" anyways, and gave that money to the Palestinian Authority - a state sponsor of terrorism.

Now comes Eff you!, Part 2:

'the State Department has announced that it will unblock $500 million in aid to the Palestinian Authority. Congress froze funding for the Palestinian Authority just a few months ago in the aftermath of the PA’s attempt to unilaterally declare statehood via the United Nations.'

Because Obama wants so badly to work with Congress in order to find budget solutions.

And there's no way any of those tax dollars could be used by Obama to keep the planes flying on time.

Emma Watson Strips For Earth Day (VIDEO)

And according to her publicist, much to disrobed Emma's surprised, the Gaia deity also demands a naked Hollywood tool thrown into the volcano. Something about photography's carbon footprint and penance.

I don't understand the science. (yes, it's safe for work)

We've dealt with previous Earth Day narcissism here, there, and yonder.

Early Spring Snow Storm Pummels MidWest to Eastern Seaboard

Global warming. Is there nothing it can't do?

From the Kansas City Star: 

'A winter storm warning will be in effect from 7 p.m. Saturday till 7 p.m. Sunday for the Kansas City region.

The National Weather Service at Pleasant Hill forecasts snow accumulations of between 8 and 12 inches across much of eastern Kansas and western Missouri.'



The entire winter weather advisory extends from Colorado to New Jersey, and is in affect until Monday.

Snow from this storm covered the field in Commerce City, Colorado, during most of Friday's World Cup qualifier, as the U.S. soccer team beat Costa Rica 1-0.

The calendar says 'spring,' but has anyone told Al 'jazeera' Gore, yet?

V.P Biden's Paris Hotel Cost Taxpayers $585,000.50

For ONE night.

Because draconian sequester cuts.

*What If There Is a God and It's Not Barack Obama?

'This unexpected schism is caused by recent experiments at the Large Handout Deficit Collider, in which generated sequester particles did not cause the universe to implode as predicted.'

Plus, a magnificent scheme to annihilate Schrodinger's Fat Cats.

Gulag gaiety at the People's Cube, Comrades. 


*(a note to proglodytes: this is satire)

Friday Night Hoop-la

Don Mclean - Everybody Loves Me, Baby (1971)

I think I'll award this as the new theme song for this blog.



From the album 'American Pie,' not to be confused with that softcore child pr0n crap movie of the same name.

Watch 24 Hrs of Global Internet Activity in 8 seconds

'The animated map, from an anonymous researcher, is beautiful, mesmerizing — and made using highly illegal means.'
 

(graphic courtesy of The Week)
 
So, how did they do it? I'll let Peter Weber at The Week explain:

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In Mideast, Obama Returns to U.S. Race Metaphors

Big surprise, yes?

From a perplexed Politico:

'Obama's comments—which invoked life under Jim Crow in the U.S. or perhaps even under slavery—seemed to give support to Palestinian narratives that describe Arabs and Palestinians as second-class citizens in Israel. That line of criticism deeply angers many Israelis. Some critics of Israel go so far as to use the word apartheid, a word that angers Israelis further.'

Alternative headline: Dissonant Pres. Obama Spends 15 Million Tax Payer Dollars to Go Overseas so He Can Babble to a People Dubious of His True Motives.

Because draconian sequester cuts.

(Look here, there, and yonder to understand why the Israelis might be a teeny tiny bit dubious about O's motives.)

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Misusing Words

I'm fed up with the misuse of the word 'phobia.'

If someone has no rational point for disagreement with me, they toss 'phobe' on the end of a word and hurl it at me during the discussion. For some reason this passes as intellectual ammo in today's sound bite world.

A 'phobia' is defined as a pathological fear of something or someone. It is irrational in nature and spurs unreasonable thought or action in the suffering individual.

However, my informed disapproval or rejection of a stated action or idea does not make me a 'phobe' of any stripe or color simply because someone repeatedly screams it at me. Grow up, get a coherent thought, or shut up.

That is all.

Family’s Home Raided over Facebook Photo of Boy Holding Rifle

The .22 rifle was a birthday present for the 11 y.o. boy. An anonymous tip sent four local police officers and one social worker to the Moore family home, demanding to inspect all weapons in the home. The family's attorney told police, 'Not without a warrant!'

I blame 'Ma'  Feinstein's histrionics.

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Polyandry: When a Woman Has More than One Husband

In this case, she has 5. All brothers. Just like her Mom. 

“I get a lot more attention and love than most wives.”

Indeed.

Forget about it, Perv. It's India.

Six Students Arrested & Jailed After Breaking into School

Theft? Nope. Vandalism? Nope. Assault? Nope.

To retrieve their marbles. In 1903.

'Primarily their visit was for the purpose of recovering some canicks, and chinies, and falsies and flints – species of marbles, it developed in court – which a teacher had confiscated from one of the bad band. So far as the recovery of the marbles was concerned the expedition was a howling success. In addition one of the teacher’s desks was found to be treasure trove to the extent of 43 cents, and this was also appropriated by the lads.'

The boys were 12 at the time, caught by the janitor, who called the police. The judge thought it best they spend 24 hours in the city jail - to teach them the error of their 'buccaneering spirits.'

Nowadays, their parents would probably lawyer-up, scream police brutality, sue for emotional distress, and demand school 'counseling' (at tax payer expense, of course) as restitution for not making the school more secure.

Related: How To Play the Classic Marble Game of Ringer.  Also, Marble Tournament Rules, 1931.

Chubby Girls, Pudding & Girdles: Print Ads from 'Mad Men' Era

From the U.K. Daily Mail:

"From ads for Jell-O and Lifesavers, to shampoo brand Head and Shoulders and the dish-washing brand, Ivory Liquid, made sure women knew the importance of staying svelte, complicit and clean."

'Made sure women knew??'

Uh, huh. As if appealing to human vanity, status or basic hygiene simply popped out of the cultural void, untethered to history or nature.

Has advertising changed all that much? Judging from the cover photos and headlines emblazoned on today's 'liberated' woman fashion, folly, and romance magazines, polluting every grocer's checkout aisle, not much has changed in 60 years - except the overt, hyper-sexualized imagery. IE: men are still attracted to youth & beauty, just as women are still attracted to strength & security.

And each demographic group spends billions of dollars each year primping, preening, posturing and proposing to the other in the perennial quest for amore`.

Westboro Baptist now Sees a 'Rainbow House' across the Street

From Gawker (with photo goodness):

So while considering the Westboro Baptist Church, he began dinking around on Google Maps late one night. He pulled up the church, at 3701 SW 12th St. in Topeka, and took a virtual walk around the block. In the front yard of a house across the street, he noticed a For Sale sign.

“It hit me right away,” Jackson told me last night by phone. “Huh. That would be interesting to own a house across from the Westboro Baptist Church and turn it into something.’ And then, within five seconds: ‘And I’ll paint it the color of the pride flag.’ Perfect.”

I think the term 'pride flag' is rather dubious, but even I can appreciate the 'thumb in the eye' toward these raucous Westboro wack-a-doodles, whom we've dealt with many times before.

Soulless Basterd Convicted of Murder Wears 'killer' T-shirt, Flips Off Victim's Family at Sentencing

The Judge sentenced him to three life sentences Tuesday for shooting to death 3 students in an Ohio high school cafeteria back in February, 2012.

'At one point, he swiveled around in his chair toward the gallery where his own family members and those of the slain teenagers were sitting and spoke suddenly, surprising even his lawyer.

"The hand that pulled the trigger that killed your sons now masturbates to the memory," he said, then cursed at and raised his middle finger toward the victims' relatives.'

I'd say those first few weeks in the penitentiary as 'Bubba's b*tch' will chill this punk down considerably.

Whale Skeletons and the Sex Strategy of Zombie Worms

Yes, really.

Simple deduction concludes that massive organic structures, like whale skeletons, must exist after each aquatic mammal's death, yet unlike elephant graveyards, whale skeletons are rarely seen on the ocean floor by modern humans.

Until now.

From Live Science: Antarctic's First-Ever Whale Skeleton Found

"For the first time ever, scientists say they have discovered a whale skeleton on the ocean floor near Antarctica. Resting nearly a mile below the surface, the boneyard is teeming with strange life, including at least nine new species of tiny of deep-sea creatures, according to a new study."

I'm not sure if it's simply the 1st time ever in Antarctica, or the first time ever on any ocean floor. Probably the latter.

And the zombie worms? Yeah. It's got those. Click here. 

St. Patrick Driving the Snakes out of Ireland

New England Boiled Dinner via Maggie's Farm.










Cartoon courtesy of Theo

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25 percent of Americans Raiding 401(k)s to Pay Bills

As we enter into the 5th year of Obama's administration, how's that hopey-changey workin' out for ya, America?

Until Further Notice

I enjoy, appreciate and champion the ideological message embodied in Chris Muir's 'Day by Day' cartoon series, normally featured here.

 Also, I enjoy the female form as much as the next man, but this blog does try to remain a family friendly venue - so until Chris Muir veers away from the titillating (soft pr0n) graphics overtly displayed in his recent graphics, 'Day by Day' will be suspended from this blog until further notice.

Luke 17: 1-4

"He said to His disciples, “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come, but woe to him through whom they come! “It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he would cause one of these little ones to stumble.

“Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. “And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”

Actor Kelsey Grammer's Wind Energy Investment a Bust

"Former Frasier star Kelsey Grammer told TMZ on Tuesday that wind technology was the worst investment he’s ever made.

Grammer told the tabloid that though his finances are good, he lost hundreds of thousands of dollars on a small wind investment."

Don't feel bad, Kelsey. The American tax payers have been fleeced out of BILLIONS by Obama's bankrupt  'green' energy scams.

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OZ Continues Great and Powerful Position at Box Office

Disney's "Oz the Great and Powerful" prequel, about how the Wizard became the Wizard of Oz, came in number one at the box office for the 2nd Friday in a row, handily besting its nearest competitor, Halle Berry's R-rated thriller, 'The Call' (reviewed here).

'Oz' took $11.4 million on Friday (domestic) from 3,912 theaters, more than 3,000 of which are 3D. The worldwide total so far is $183 million, up from $150 million last week.

It's a rarity when Mrs. Locomotivebreath and myself venture out to a theatre, particularly with the vapid, verbose and vulgar fare frequently offered up out of the Hollywood sewer.  However, with the recent buzz by others, along with my own interest about this movie, we took a chance on Disney's Oz,  in 3-D!

Is it a great movie? No. But as PTC stated last week, 'its positive story themes, magical sense of adventure, and magnificent production values' make this movie a wondrous thrill for kids, and delightful entertainment for adults. It's an enjoyable family movie. We highly recommend it.

I posted several movie critics' brief reviews and a synopsis about this film last week.

Update: this weekend's box office total (domestic) estimated at $42.2 million, puts Disney in the black for this $215 million big screen production - proving once again, that family fare always scores big with the audience. Yet, oddly enough, Hollywood always turns again - like a dog to vomit - toward nasty R rated flops. 

*E-Book Reader, C. 1935, sort of...

Because 'Photo-Mechanical Reader' just don't cut it...

Michael S. Hart is the man largely credited with creating the first electronic book - in 1971. He typed his first e-book, the Declaration of Independence, while a student at the University of Illinois. Hart typed the text into a computer (a huge Xerox mainframe computer in the Materials Research lab), and sent out a message on ARPAnet (the fore runner of the internet), and announced it was available to download. Six people took him up on the offer. The world's first e-book was born.


Or how about a 1939 Plexiglass Pontiac? Although, I don't know why.

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Friday Night Hoop-la

*'Rag Mop' by Ralph Flanagan & his Orchestra (1950)



"Rag Mop" was a popular American song of the late 1940s-early 1950s. Considered a novelty song, the lyrics consisted mostly of spelling out the title of the song; because of the spelling used in the song, it is sometimes referred to as "Ragg Mopp."

This song was played on M*A*S*H in Season 9, Episode 6, after Hawkeye and BJ ordered a radio from the Sears Catalog. The song drives Major Winchester nuts as he is a strict classical music lover ("Those people can neither sing nor spell!")

Many bands and performers recorded this song, but only the Ames Bros. had a bigger hit with it than did Flanagan & Orchestra.

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H.S. Football Coach Fundraises Money for School's Team Helmets

'Will work for new helmets' sign turns into a fundraiser for the team. Because budget cuts. Or is it the school district's poor management and misappropriation of funds?


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8 Secrets of Sexually Satisfied Couples

Mrs. Locomotivebreath - that curvaceous raven-haired beauty whom I'd marry all over again - is a very happy woman. We both agree that the most erogenous zone in the body is the mind, and foreplay begins long before the bedroom door closes.

This Woman's Day article doesn't really say those words, but it does remind us loving adults to be realistic about our daily lives together; be pragmatic in accommodations; and most of all, have fun with each other. And that makes me a very happy man.

Achieve bliss in the bedroom by applying these real-world tips.

Pres. Obama Confirms Mrs. Obama's Private Financial Data Hacked

But I don't hear all those 'Anonymous OWS Wikileaks' supporters, who thought Assange/Manning were heroes for speaking 'truth to I.T.,' cheering very loud, right now.

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Seattle Saloon Bans 'Google Glasses' with Hidden Camera

"The 5 Point is the first Seattle business to ban in advance Google Glasses," the bar wrote. "And ass kickings will be encouraged for violators."

You can still get your beer goggles on, though.

It's About Keeping Big Money IN Liberal Politics

And keeping it out of Conservative politics by demonizing it.

'Now, given that Tides Foundation, a leftwing group founded by radicals is donating five times as much as the Koch Brothers, we'd expect at least as many mentions of Tides, right?'

I'm sure our lap dog media will jump right on it.

You had just one job...

More amusing visual face palm from Maggie's Farm.

Hate Monger Hater Spews More Hate Against Those He Hates. Again

But he votes politically correct, so the media sycophants will give this loathsome lil man a pass.

Hamas: 'Killing Jews is Worship that Draws us Close to Allah'

San Fransisco fruits n nuts: 'Exposing Hamas' desire to kill Jews is 'Islamophobic bigotry.'

How do these left coast idiots even know how to breathe?

Feds Spend $1.5 Million to Study Why Lesbians Are Fat

Say it with me, now! Because draconian sequester cuts. 

Smedlock queries, "Couldn’t they just ask Rosie O’Donnell?"

I'd say it's because of all those extra helpings of haagen dazs and tacos, and I'll only charge the tax payers 3/4 of a million dollars.

But why 'fat lesbians?' Why not simply 'fat women?' Because, Skippy, the separate categories denote a distinction, which implies a difference in search of a cause that may correlate to biology. IE: they were born that way.

Then, all the homosexuals in rainbow land will rejoice, because science! - that will have to be taught to school children. Of course.

The Unbearable Whiteness of Obama's Cabinet

Out of the 15 Cabinet-level positions in Obama's administration, there's only one Black man, which is the fewest by any president during the last 38 years.

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NY Mayor Bloomberg: Soda Jerk

Our resident hyper liberal, Barb Shelly at the KC Star, is Sorry to see New York soda restrictions slapped down (a  NY state supreme court judge yesterday blocked NY Board of Health's authority to ban 'big gulp' sodas - servings larger than 16 ounces - at certain venues).

"The ruling really isn’t a surprise, and it probably isn’t the end of this issue. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has the will and resources to continue the fight.

Personally, I’d like to see limits. Obesity is an expensive problem, and sugary drinks are a prime culprit. Sorry, nobody needs a 24-ounce Coke in one sitting." 

Got that, you rubes?  'Nobody needs'... (fill in the nanny state micromanagement du jour).

In short , liberalism only advances through the police power of the state.

A USA Today report on the judge's ruling is here.

Yet Another Party at the White House

Mrs. Obama BFFs with Beyonce and Adele for her birfday.

Because - you know - insane neo-bloshevik clown show draconian sequester cuts.

KC Rep. Emanuel Cleaver(D-MO) promotes KC Bike / Walk Trails

Because draconian sequester cuts.

From comments: "Balancing a bike is easier than balancing the budget."

I always wear a suit n tie while riding, too. (PICS)

Sen. McCaskill(D-MO) Insists Congressional Pay be Cut During Sequester

Meh. Sycophant political m@sturbation.

I think Claire's bear effort would be better spent insisting the democrat controlled Senate - which hasn't passed a federal budget in over 1400 days - obey the law and do so.

How to Weaken an Economy

A vibrant society successfully riding a thriving free market economy is a complex, multifaceted endeavor, and it can turn ugly fairly quick. Think of Rubik's cube. Even the most analytical of us needs a little time to puzzle out a jumbled cube, transforming it into its ordered and uniform state of completion. But it only takes a moron - or deliberate saboteur - a half a dozen or so twists and turns to really screw it all up into a jumbled mess.

The erudite Victor Davis Hanson breaks down the component parts of 'How to Weaken an Economy:'

*Government
*The Law
*Cynicism
*Top Down, Not Bottom Up

 "The world is a finite system, a pie with only so many slices. There is no middle class, just rich and poor. For each F student, an A student stole the former’s resources. I would invest not in honor students, but in remedial ones. Grades and test scores should count little for college admission; life “experiences” and community service far better would ensure the presence of mediocre students. The aim again is not to turn out graduates with expertise or knowledge who build a strong economy, but to graduate students, brand them with degrees, and ensure they are invested in a similar ideology of redistribution..."

*The War of Words
*Everywhere a War
*Deficits
*Interest
*Energy
*Success is Failure

Hungry? Trendy London Cafe is a Refurbished Victorian Public Toilet

It's got gourmet sandwiches; created by a Michelin-star chef. Yummy.

 From the UK Daily Mail:

"The Attendant Café, on Foley Street, West London, has been thoroughly cleaned and refurbished to make it comfortable for customers to eat in.

The café, which opened on February 18, still features the original Doulton & Co 1890s porcelain urinals which have been converted into individual booths for people to sit at."

What's that old saying again? 'Never eat where you....' 

More pics here, weirdos.

'It's so Beautiful to Watch White People with Glasses Make their Yearly Migration South.'

The unbearable Whiteness of SXSW. 

But apparently, the MSM is all cool wit dat because - you know - they vote politically correct.

40 Obama White House Aides owe the IRS $333,000 in Back Taxes

Alternative headline: Pay 'your fair share' For All You little People, but Not Our Bureaucratic Betters in Gub'mint.

From Andrew Malcolm at IBD:

"This is the third straight year that the chief executive of the United States has been unable to get his own staff members to keep up with a citizen's legal income tax obligations, to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars in back taxes owed. All this while Obama has made such rhetorical hay about corporations and the wealthy paying their fair share."

I bet the President can't get them to spell 'HYPOCRITE,' either.

“I am not sure who is saying this stuff, but it is not I!”

If Hillary had a protege`, she'd look like Ashley Judd(D). While admitting she's a 'fan' of their journalism, she's upset that the Huffingtonpost published a report about her as a candidate in Kentucky's upcoming U.S. Senate race.

However, those eebil right wingnuts at FOX News claim 'Ashley Judd moving forward with run for Mitch McConnell's Senate seat in Kentucky.'

And Bloggers, too! Our ol' buddy Joe Gandelman, at the always slants left 'The Moderate Voice,' hails, 'Get Ready for Ashley Judd Mitch McConnell Faceoff In Kentucky.' (cage match or mud rassling, I'd pay for it)

But, wait. There's more. Over at The Week, Peter Weber is sportin' some early 2014 wood for Ashley with free advice: How Ashley Judd could beat Mitch McConnell in 2014.

Ashley's qualifications? Uh, she's an 'activist' actress famous for being famous, and showing her boobies in a few movies.

Yup. She'll fit right into D.C.

All Your Programming Code are Belong to Us

Heh.

'Oz The Great and Powerful' Opens to $150.2 Million Worldwide

Disney’s “Oz the Great and Powerful” (rated PG) is magic with theatre goers despite some critics less than wonderful reviews. Starring: James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams, Zach Braff; directed by Sam Raimi ('Spider-Man,' 'Drag Me to Hell').  I highly recommend it.

From Coming Soon:

"Walt Disney Pictures' Oz The Great and Powerful brought new life to a slow 2013 box office so far, earning an estimated $80.3 million domestically and $69.9 million internationally for a worldwide total of $150.2 million. The Sam Raimi-directed film marks the third-biggest domestic March release ever, trailing only the debuts of The Hunger Games ($152.5 million) and Alice in Wonderland ($116.1 million)."

Disney jumps into the 'Oz' genre with this prequel, inspired by L. Frank Baum's 1900 children's novel 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.' The prequel imagines the origins of the famous wizard character - a man named Oscar Zoroaster Diggs (actor James Franco), a 2nd rate circus magician with few scruples, and his abrupt entrance into the vibrant, yet troubled land of Oz. He soon encounters 3 witches (played by Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz and Michelle Williams) dubious of his mysterious 'great and powerful' status.

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The Suicide of American Freedom (AUDIO)

 Can freedom flourish where virtue does not? That's a question the late Chuck Colson cared deeply about, but it's also one addressed powerfully by theologian and author, Os Guinness. During this week's interview, you'll meet Os, author of the book "A Free People's Suicide," as he discusses the real basis of American freedom.

Seattle Mariners end Kansas City Royals’ Win Streak at 11

The 'surprise' in Surprise couldn't last forever, but it was a nice ride.

From Pete Grathoff at the KC Star:

"A Seattle split squad roughed up Guillermo Moscoso for five runs in the fourth inning, breaking a 1-1 tie, and the Royals never recovered as they lost 12-2. They are now a symmetrical 11-1-1."

For far too many seasons, the KC Royals have been a 2nd rate major league team, with last year being downright dismal. So, up until Thursday, who could blame our ol' buddy Joe Posnanski, apparently giddy with spring training fever, when he cautiously dubbed them 'The Unbeatable Kansas City Royals':

"Now, let me make this clear: I believe this 10-game spring training winning streak means almost exactly nothing. It means about as much as an NBA player making 20 three-pointers in a row during warmups or an NFL kicker making a 68-yard field goal in pre-game. It might buoy the confidence a bit. It might sell a couple more early season tickets. It might help create a more positive atmosphere in the clubhouse. But that’s it. The Royals began last year by losing their first 10 home games in the regular season — THAT means something.

But … hey winning 10 in a row is better than losing 10 in a row. And there is something exciting about this team. That exciting thing is, paradoxically, something kind of boring: For the first time in what seems like forever, the Royals don’t enter a season needing miracles..."

 Indeed.

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Friday Night Hoop-la

*Jim Croce - Rapid Roy (The stock car boy), 1972



"...he'll do 130 MPH, smilin' at the camera with a tooth pick in his mouth..."

'Rapid Roy' originally appeared on the 'You Don't Mess Around with Jim' album in 1972. That album was 93 weeks on the charts.


&&&

$550,000 UCSD Federal Grant Studies ‘safer sex practises in Tijuana’

 Because draconian sequester cuts.

'Exploring tai chi as a behavioral intervention for heart failure patients?'

Yes, there’s a $386,000 grant for that, because draconian sequester cuts.

From Aaron Burgin at U-T San Diego:

"More than $2 billion in grant dollars flow from the federal government to San Diego County agencies and groups, for activities ranging from medical research to highway construction, social services to cultural endeavors.

At the University of California San Diego, grants include $5.9 million for the study of “novel paradigms of diabetic complications” and $2.5 million for Alzheimer’s disease research. At San Diego State, they include nearly $600,000 for "the promotion of physical activity in churchgoing Latinas."

Yes, really. 

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You had just one job...

Amusing visual face palm from Maggie's Farm.

Businesses Hire Less, Layoff Workers Due to Obamacare

From those far right wingnuts at the Federal Reserve.

Al Gore Sued for Lining His Pockets with Oil Money

Can we all stop pretending Al Gore really cares about anything but money?

Lake City Army Ammunition Plant Modernization Spurs Voluntary Worker Layoffs

In 2012, the federally owned, but privately managed, munitions plant near Independence, MO. delivered its 2 billionth round of 7.62-millimeter ammunition to the U.S. Army. It currently employs 2600 people, and it's unclear how many will be offered the voluntary layoff option - or if a round of mandatory layoffs will follow.

From the Kansas City Business Journal:

"The layoffs are not related to sequestration, the automatic federal budget cuts, said Bryan Kidder, a spokesman for Alliant Techsystems Inc. (NYSE: ATK), which operates the plant for the federal government.

“The workforce reduction is the result of a multi-year modernization effort at the 72-year-old facility and recent draw downs in military actions,” Kidder said in a written statement. “ATK will update employees as more information becomes available.”

Employees who choose a voluntary layoff will be provided with a separation package based on the number of years of service, Kidder said in the statement."

Since taking over the plant in 2000, ATK has increased the production rate of 7.62mm ammunition five-fold through expansion, automation, and modernization programs.

Eliminate Daylight Savings Time

Tedious White House 'we petition the obama administration to' website actually produces something worthwhile. The petition is officially called, "Eliminate the bi-annual time change caused by Daylight Savings Time."

The reason:

"Daylight Savings Time is an archaic practice in our modern society.

The original reasons for the policies are no longer applicable, and the most cited reason for keeping DST (energy savings) has never been shown to be true."

The real reason:

"It's really annoying.

We should either eliminate DST or make it the year-round standard time for the whole country."

Signatures needed by April 04, 2013 to reach goal of 100,000: 95,164

Total signatures currently on this petition: 4,836

Lion Kills Santuary Volunteer who Snuck into Cage, Deputies Kill Lion

Entry into the big cat cages at the facility is strictly verboten.

The dead volunteer is 24 y.o. Dianna Hanson. She was two months into her internship program at the Cat Haven in Dunlap, Ca., and is now a candidate for the Darwin Award.

"(The deceased's father) said his daughter loved to be around big cats and working with them was her true passion in life.

Dianna Hanson was inside the cat enclosure when a 4-year-old male African lion named Cous Cous attacked her around 12:30 p.m., officials said. It was not immediately clear what Hanson was doing inside the closure, or what prompted the attack...

"The lion was shot and killed per our safety protocols," Dale Anderson, founder and executive director of Project Survival Cat Haven, which manages Cat Haven, said Wednesday."

How sad; what a waste: She loved big cats so much that she endangered her own life, and the lion's life, to the point of it being killed simply for being a lion.


RIP.

A Town that was Submerged for 25 Yrs. Resurfaces

 From Amusing Planet:

"Back in the 1920s, a tourist village named Villa Epecuen was established along the shore of Lago Epecuen, a salt lake some 600 kilometers southwest of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Lago Epecuen is like most other mountain lakes, except for one important difference. It has salt levels second only to the Dead Sea, and ten times higher than any ocean."

Before the flood, the town was home to 5000 people, but in the 1980s, torrential rains inundated the area, swelled the lake, burst the dam, and flooded the town. Now, that the climate has turned to drought conditions, the opposite is occurring.

Villa Epecuen's current population: 1.

Dating Etiquette: Avoid Sex in Bush Country Where the Lions Roam

Woman mauled to death by lion as she has sex with boyfriend in the Zimbabwe bush.

Pro tip: don't be a chicken sh*t and run off naked while the animal mauls your moll.

Did someone say 'More Cowbell?'

Here Comes My Baby - The Tremeloes (1967)



Just because...

The Sequester Will Be Good for the Economy

From Jeffrey Miron at Real Clear Politics: 

"More broadly, the fact that some government expenditure generates benefits in excess of costs (the economy needs some roads) does not mean additional expenditure generates value in excess of costs (the economy does not need to re-pave its roads every year). At some point additional expenditures hit diminishing returns and make no sense in cost-benefit terms.

Transfer payments are also problematic from an efficiency perspective because they distort economic incentives. Unemployment insurance discourages work effort. Social Security subsidizes early retirement for people who are still able-bodied. Medicare and Medicaid create moral hazard, thereby generating excess health costs. Thus even if transfers help stimulate consumer spending, their net effect on the economy is unclear.

This implies that whether the sequester will harm or help the economy depends on whether cost-benefit considerations can justify the existing level of government expenditure. And on this question, the answer is clear. Across all categories, federal expenditure is far greater than necessary to achieve the legitimate goals of government intervention."

The problem with Mr. Miron's assessment is that he's proffering prudent financial advice to maniacal spending addicts in the federal govt.; IE: those who don't care for nothing, except their own power, prestige and profit, which is accomplished by spending other people's money - LOTS of it.

And you're required by law to give to them, or you'll go to jail.

Compounding it all is baseline budgeting, which assumes the previous year's federal budget is correct and needs no adjustment - except upwards to account for inflation.

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Commercial "indicator species" and the Economy

Similar to 'durable goods,' or 'housing starts,' but more basic. A plausible theory.

School Offers Counseling for Students Troubled by Pastry-Gun Incident

Krykee. We truly are raising a nation of candy-@ss panty waist wussies.

Maj. Thomas C. Griffin, Doolittle Raider, Dies at 96

From the NY Times:

"He died in a veterans hospital (on Feb. 26), said Tom Casey, a friend and the manager of the Doolittle Raiders, as the airmen who flew on the raid came to be known.

The raid, the first American attack on Japanese soil, followed a string of Japanese victories in the Pacific that had demoralized the American public. “The Japanese had attacked us, and we were mad,” Major Griffin said in an interview in 2012. “We wanted to hit ’em back.”

The 80 men who volunteered for the raid were told only that they would be involved in a terribly dangerous mission. They were to fly 16 B-25s from the deck of the U.S.S. Hornet — the first time the land-based bombers had been launched at sea — to strike military and industrial targets in Tokyo, Yokohama, Kobe, Nagoya and Osaka."

Capt. Ted W. Lawson chronicled the attack in his memoir “30 Seconds Over Tokyo,” which was adapted into a popular film in 1944.

RIP

John Wilpers Captured Japan's PM Tojo after WWII, Dies at 93

"But whether by coincidence or because advance word had reached him, Tojo had prepared to commit suicide the day Lieutenant Wilpers and his team reached him. He had invited a doctor to attend him in his dying moments. After letting Tojo know through an interpreter that he was being taken into custody, the intelligence team heard a gunshot inside the house.

Forcing their way in, they found Tojo lying on a couch, his white shirt stained in blood from a bullet in his chest. The physician standing nearby, intending to help Tojo die, refused Lieutenant Wilpers’s order to give Tojo medical help. The officers quickly found another doctor and had Tojo removed to an Army hospital, where he recovered. Later tried for war crimes, Tojo was executed in 1948.

Mr. Wilpers worked for the Central Intelligence Agency for 33 years after leaving the Army.

John Wilpers III, another son, said Mr. Wilpers eventually talked to his family about some of his experiences, including the capture of Tojo. But partly from a habit of secrecy acquired at the C.I.A., and partly because “that generation didn’t come back and brag,” John Wilpers said, his father did not say much."

RIP

*Singer Patsy Cline Died 50 Yrs. Ago Today

 Patsy Cline was a stage name. She was born Virginia Patterson Hensley on September 8, 1932. The Country Music Hall of Fame published an authoritative encyclopedia in 1998 that declared Patsy Cline as "the most popular female country singer in recording history.

Patsy died in a plane crash near Camden, Tennessee, in 1963, when she was a mere 30 years old. I was way too young to know about Patsy, or even recognize her music, or care about it, but my mother - a consummate audiophile - enjoyed a plethora of different musical genres and artists, and she unwittingly introduced this young boy to Patsy Cline's haunting melodies, lyrical voice, and memorable music.

The poster at the left is a photo I took last year in a restaurant near Bolivar, Missouri called 'Smiths.' It's an original advert poster of Patsy final concert in Kansas City, Ks., 2 days before her fateful plane crash.

Two biographies, 2 hollywood movies, and at least two stage plays have been written about Patsy Cline's life and music.

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Venezuelan 'El Presidente for Life' Hugo Chávez is Dead

He died of cancer at age 58. May the Lord have mercy on his miserable soul.

Sean Penn hardest hit. Harry Belafonte is crying all thee day-o, too. And Obama has lost a mentor.

From an inconsolable AP, that blubbers out 2,237 words, parsed into 61 paragraphs:

"I'm still a subversive," the president told The Associated Press in a 2007 interview, recalling his days as a rebel soldier. "I think the entire world has to be subverted."

Chavez was a master communicator and savvy political strategist, and managed to turn his struggle against cancer into a rallying cry, until the illness finally defeated him.

He died Tuesday in Caracas at 4:25 local time after his prolonged illness.

From the start, Chavez billed himself as the heir of Simon Bolivar, who led much of South America to independence. He often spoke beneath a portrait of Bolivar and presented replicas of the liberator's sword to allies. He built a soaring mausoleum in Caracas to house the remains of "El Libertador."

Most of the sane world simply called Chavez 'el brutal dictatorial a-hole.'

In response, the govt. in Caracas 'expelled two U.S. Embassy officials for allegedly plotting against the government and blamed "historic enemies" for inducing the leader's his cancer.'

Naturally.

Senate Bill would Block Missouri Welfare from Being Spent at Casinos, Liquor stores

From the Political Fix blog at the ST. Louis Post-Dispatch:

"In addition to placing specific restrictions on where Electronic Benefit Transfer cards can be used, the Senate bill would bar businesses from accepting them for purchases of alcohol, tobacco or lottery tickets.

Initial violations would result in misdemeanor charges, but repeat offenders would face felony charges."

The truly sad part? That this predictable abusive behavior concerning welfare wasn't predicted and thwarted before it became a predictable legislative afterthought, long after millions of tax payer dollars were wasted.

The bill has bipartisan sponsorship from state Sen. Will Kraus (R) and Sen. Maria Nadal (D).

And rest assured, the tax payers are being robbed by this type of welfare fraud in all 50 states.

Bank Employee with CCW Shoots Would-be Robber in Jaw

Now that's how you write a headline! Clear. Concise. Factual.

When finally apprehended by police, the would-be robber sputtered, "You guys going to let me die?"

From DeAnn Smith at KCTV5:

"TRIMBLE, MO (KCTV) - A First Security Bank employee with a conceal-and-carry permit shot a would-be robber in the jaw, authorities said Monday.

Michael Stephen Oliva, 34, of Liberty, was charged with attempted bank robbery on Monday by the U.S. Attorney's Office. Oliva allegedly was carrying a realistic-looking fake plastic gun when he tried to rob the bank about 1:30 p.m. Friday.

Oliva was arrested after a chase in which speeds exceeded 100 mph. According to court records, a bleeding Oliva asked, "You guys going to let me die?" when he finally pulled over on Interstate 435 in Kansas City."

Now that's how you write a news story. Clear. Concise. Factual. And highlights the swift and brave intervention of an armed citizen to thwart a would-be robber from stealing other people's hard earned peace of mind, along with their money.

Contrast the above news story with the KC Star's narrative about this poor guy's terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day, and we all hope he's learned a valuable lesson:

"Oliva’s purported adventure began about 1:25 p.m. Friday, when he invited bad karma by parking in a handicapped-accessible spot before entering the bank. Pulling on a black mask, Oliva allegedly pointed a plastic replica handgun at a teller and demanded money.

The teller instead dropped to the floor, crawled away and yelled for help, according to court records. When Oliva leaned over the counter to wave his plastic gun at her some more, the teller heaved a plastic trash can at him.

At least that missed."

 Got that? The would-be robber had an 'adventure,' and ' invited bad karma by parking in a handicapped-accessible spot'!! But, dang it, some mean ol' employee with an evil gun shot the guy instead of heaving another plastic trash can that would miss him.

Oh, the humanity - of being a cub reporter working for this rag.

I have to hurl.

Last Friday was 'Happy Sequester day'

Apparently, the sequester has gotten so bad that the gender pay gap in the White House has gone from paying women staffers 18% less than men to paying women staffers 21% less than men.

It's like a war, or something...

Yup. It is a war by the federal govt. - against the law abiding citizens of this nation: Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano promised to release more illegal immigrants into the United States, saying the budget sequester has left her no choice.

Meanwhile, federal income tax revenue to hit record ($2.7 TRILLION) this year.

Mass. Parasites Use EBT cards to Buy Booze, Guns and Pr0n

Gee. No one could have predicted that predictable abusive behavior. 

Plus, added tax payer goodness: $25 million in EBT money could be going to recipients who aren’t eligible.

From the Boston Herald: 

"The loophole, Health and Human Services Secretary John Polanowicz said last week, involves supermarkets, convenience stores and department stores that sell those things as well as EBT-eligible items — but there is no way the state’s cash card system can tell the difference."

Maybe. But the tax payers sure the h3ll know the difference between takers and producers, but apparently that skill set is above the pay grade for our betters in gub'mint.

And, of course, this fraud is not limited to Massachusetts. Last year, an audit by  the state of Missouri unearthed these welfare funds being accessed at ATMs in places like casinos and liquor stores, and in places as far away as American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Just last month, a Texas grocer was convicted of food stamp fraud (EBT) and sentenced to nearly five years in prison, plus ordered to pay more than $1.4 million in restitution.

Related: from 2012, EBT fraud and abuse in 50 states.

Publisher Parrish Thanks Her Little People at the KC Star

A memo from the publisher: Whiteout didn’t deter newspaper’s work.

I have to add that Mi-Ai Parrish ain’t no Roy Roberts, but all in all, despite the rapid malignancy infecting the dead tree media across the globe, and Parrish’s heavy-handed people skills, and the Harlequin-esque style of writing memos, I’d say Mr. Parrish has managed the affairs of this organ rather well.

Obama Blames Republicans for Failing to Stop Sequester

No, no. What Obama meant to say was that it's the fault of the 'Tsunami-ATM-Global Warming-Arab Fall-Airport Kiosk-Wall Street-Rich People-Earthquake.' In other words, Obama Angrily Denounces His Own Idea.

But the president rambled on, as if delusional, anyways:

"And I’m going to keep reaching out to them to fix this for good."

Obama pointed to a recovering economy and an improving labor market where jobs are still tough to get while arguing that "the last thing Washington should do is to get in their way."

Letting the sequester take effect is "inexcusable" when people are still looking for work, he said."

Because the 7.9% unemployed in this country were having such great luck finding a job when the sequester was merely on the horizon, lo these past 24 months, and also when the entire U.S. of A. economy shrank to a mere 0.1% GDP during the 4th qtr 2012.

How's that hopey-changey workin' out for ya?

Bill Maher & Co. Pig Out on Schadenfreude Since CPAC Wants Gingrich, Palin, but not Christie

 (Yup. I know. I'm late to the party, but life comes with obligations outside these inter-tubes.)

Bill Maher is, of course, from the self-indulgent, hate mongering, religious bigot Mahers we know and love.

Chris Christie (republican governor of New Jersey) has always struck me as a new millennium Blue Dog Democrat; not that there’s anything wrong with that. Fiscal conservatism is good, and it's a tough magic act to pull off in uber-liberal New Jersey, but all this ‘he’s not invited to CPAC’ crap is just that – crap.

This is another one of those ‘OMG, he’s drinking from a water bottle’ moments about which these TV heads wet their pants so easily.

Do they all really think Gov. Christie(R) has no other concerns in uber-liberal New Jersey, which still is floundering from Dear Leader’s(D) post-Sandy, photo-op clown show, that’s done little to help the freezing, unemployed, hungry and homeless Sandy victims??

I’m pretty sure Christie ain’t losing sleep over this ‘snub.’

And sure enough, he ain't (at least publicly): The New Jersey governor says he’s not fretting about being specifically excluded from the speakers’ list for the upcoming CPAC meeting.