Police Chief involved in Mayor Scandle?

The shit gets deeper and deeper.

Corruption in the government and the police department ... it's no wonder the city is in the state it is.

Neil Diamond on AI

Perhaps Neil Diamond just doesn't translate well with young singers? Don't his songs mostly have a maturity, and suggest experiences, that supposedly none of these young singers posses? Certainly David Archuleta and Seyesha don't. And Brooke is about as squeaky innocent as they come. Jason's voice just didn't have the grit to carry a Diamond tune. And David Cook was the only one who made the tunes half-way interesting.

And Paula needs to save cocktail hour until AFTER the show.

This and that

Oscar is getting his balls cut off as I type.

Poor puppy ;(

And, I went to the foot doctor today, and I've got some sort of nerve issue with my foot. They gave me a surprisingly painful shot of something which may help. Or not.

If it doesn't work, I need to go back for another, and then perhaps another. And, if none of the shots work, surgery is the next option.

So, I've got that going for me.

Fattest Cat Eva

For reference, a normal sized cat:

American Idol ... yada yada yada

Well, great America. You voted OFF the person who sang the best Tuesday night. But, Brooke and Jason and Seyesha and SAFE to they can come back next week and under-whelm me.

This is the reason I've stopped watching past seasons. If David Cook goes, it's over. I'm sure there is something else to watch on Tuesdays, right?

Anyway, next week we've to Neil Diamond to contend with. I guess I'll never get to realize my dream of hearing David Archuleta sing this:



I mean, enough with this pussy stuff. I want to see little David turn THAT into adult contemporary.

So, what are your guess for next week? I seem to think they already did old Neil is season's past, but my google-foo is weak right now and I'm really not that interested. Here's some of what we've got to pick from:

Sweet Caroline
Cracklin' Rosie
America
I Am ... I Said
Song Sung Blue
Cherry, Cherry
Brother Love's Traveling Salvation
You Don't Bring me Flowers
Forever in Blue Jeans
Play Me
Holly Holy
Shilo
Love on the Rocks
Solitary Man
Hello Again
Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon
He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother
Semtember Morn

Have at it.

What David Archuleta did to "Think of Me" (turning it into an adult contemporary tune) was a crime against humanity. I had to wash out my ears with this:



I liked David Cook's version of Music of the Night, and Carly Smithson's Jesus Christ, Superstar was awesome.





I'm guess tonight is goodbye to Brooke. And NOT because she messed up.

From the "Why do I read this crap" file

Complete fucking retard.

Ferraro lost her job for saying that Barak was only in the race because he was black. So, what will happen to Cenk Uygur for making the similar comment about Hillary?

Book Shelf

I have a pile of books that I've been meaning to get through read, and I've VOWED to read them in the coming months.

Umerto Echo Foucault's Pendulum
Henry james Portrait of a Lady
William Buckley Nearer, My God
Leo Tolstoy Death of Ivan Ilych
and
Thomas Pynchon's Gravity's Rainbow although I've only promised that I'd read 100 pages of it to see if I can make it through. Previous attempts to read this book have failed.

Now, I just have to finish up my fluff novel that I'm currently reading, and I'll get right on that more rigorous stuff.

Cool Link du Jour

Secret Wall Tattoos.

Weekend Guessing Game

You'll have to wait a tad longer for the fat-cat pictures. "Hera" still has not come out from underneath the bunk beds.

But, comments from a post down there gave me an idea for a guessing game. What HORRIBLE diva song is Seyesha gonna pick to sing this week?

I'm thinking "Memory" is a contender.

I'm throwing my hat in for Brook to sing "I don't know how to Love him."

David Archuleta: "Any Dream Will Do" - mostly for the title.

Coming soon

A picture of the FATTEST CAT EVER. My bil is going to Afghanistan (for a bit of sightseeing ... taking in the local culture ... killing a few jihadists ...) and so we're watching his cat while he's off having fun.

It is the fattest cat I've ever seen.

As soon as she stops hiding beneath the boy's bed, I'll take a picture.

American Idol

Finally.

Although, to give her credit, she had gotten better as the weeks went by. Next, the Diva-wannabe needs to go.

Idol wrap-up

Mariah Carey? Need I mention that I was forced to fast forward through most of the songs? The only two songs we listened to in their entirety were Jason Castro and and David Cook.

So, imho, anyone else an leave tonight.

Where I do my best imitation of Scribal Terror

Beyond the pale:

Most Russian Jews were forced to live in an area called "the Pale." There, they could not hold public office, open businesses and were taxed more heavily than Christians. The Russian Pale was established in 1792 on land annexed from Poland. It was filled with small, poor villages known as "shteetls." A pale was once a read fence or boundary. In some European towns the Jewish quarter was walled or fenced off. Today the word "pale" still can mean "an area enclosed by a fence or boundary." The expression, "beyond the pale," means outside acceptable limits.

Hisotry of US, Book 7, page 140

Wasn't that interesting?

Too Depressing

But, it's Monday, so why not?

Tuesday is the deadline for filing federal income taxes. Half of American taxpayers will pay 97 percent of the individual income taxes the government will collect for 2008, according to IRS data. The other half will pay little or nothing, yet receive billions in benefits in the form of cash, subsidies, “free” services and other benefits, and loans. There are indeed “Two Americas,” but the two aren’t the rich and poor, but taxpayers and tax consumers. It’s going to get even tougher for the taxpayers in the near future, thanks to legislation being readied by Democrats who control Congress.

And, into this add all the talk, this election season, about raising taxes and increasing entitlements.

Movie update

We watched Sweeny Todd last night, with Johnny Depp and what's her name from my most favorite movie EVA, Room With A View. Oh, right, Helen Bonham Carter. Also, it had Snape from Harry Potter, playing a character even LESS likable.

Anyway, it was rather bloody, but the music was nice. It had a few loose ends ...what happens to the little boy? What happens to the young couple? But, all in all, I'd recommend it.

Up on the dock:

The Lives of Others which I've heard from numerous sources (Rush Limbaugh said it was the best movie he'd seen in years and "National Review" devoted an article recently on it's director) is wonderful.

Knocked Up

Severence - I have NO idea what this one is about. I think Netflix somehow suggested that I'd like this movie.

America has bad taste

I mean, honestly, just look at the top selling tunes. American taste brought us Celine Dion.

Anyway - upon hearing that Michael Johns was kicked off Idol, my husband said Is it time to stop watching that stupid show NOW?

Well, no. Duh. There's nothing else on. But, this one was hard to swallow.

Idol ladies - those shocked looks on your faces last night? You were completely correct to be flabbergasted that you remain on the show while Johns is gone. America's poor taste plays right to your advantage.

River Rat's got an infestation

Click for bigger.

Just what Detroit needs...

Driving home from the zoo this afternoon, I heard the GREAT news; the Detroit Branch of the NAACP has invited the Reverend Jeremiah Wright to be the keynote speaker at it's annual Fight for Freedom Fund dinner.

Idol Gives Back

I just ff'ed through the show and caught the Heart/Fergie performance. THAT was hot.

WTF is going on in Canada?

Freedom of Speech is under attack in Canada. Go here for details.

Perhaps Canadians should consider moving to the US to escape the creeping Fascism of the Canadian government?

Can You Guess?

Now ... play the game and guess before you click!

What is the best performance of American Idol? EW lists the top 15.


#1 here. I guessed correctly.

River Rat sent me this

Bird News

Just in cast you thought I was making it up. I put this second feeder station on the ground, hoping it would bring the birds close enough to start investigating the feeder on the deck. These finches are regularly visiting this feeder. They haven't realized, though, that they are supposed to eat from the OTHER thing hanging there - the one with THISTLE. I've noticed the female eating from it a bit, but the male remains obstinate. Men.

American Idol/updated

Best:
Jason Castro and Kristy Lee Cook ( I think I just threw up a little bit in my mouth.)

Worst: Brooke White (boring) and David Cook.

Our Lady Peace, David? WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? I love OLP, but the song was entirely wrong for David. It was almost painful.

Michael Johns - "Dream On" was ok.

Seyesha Mercado - oh, great, another diva song. @@

Carly Smithson - boring song. And, she did look angry when she sang it.

David Archuleta - what can I say? I mean, he sang it well, but he's got "adult contemporary" written all over him. So, while I diss Seyesha for being diva, I diss David for being adult contemp. That's just the way I roll.


I think it may be Brook White's week.

BTW: Jason Castro sang Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow and from the moment I heard he was going to do that version, I knew it was going to be great. PERFECT choice for him.



Rachel Lucas on last night's show:

It was during this part of the program when I noticed Paula’s boobs. Not in the good way, but in the way that makes one clutch one’s own boobs protectively and to whisper down at them, I will never do that to you, boobs.
(I mean really. What asshole decided that smashing boobs down completely flat so that only a ridge of fat bulges over the top of your corset was a good idea?)
It was convenient that I was in touch with my boobs right then, because when Jason Castro started singing that funky little version of “Over the Rainbow,” I began spontaneously lactating. True story. I’m not too sure about the physiological mechanisms involved here but I’m pretty sure it’s something to do with wanting to have his babies.
Hypothetically, of course. Although I totally support the rumor that I’m pregnant because that gives me one more opportunity to disappoint people.
After Jason and his extremely confusing sex appeal (he looks like a girl, but also like a man, pretty but virile…shit I don’t know…he was playing the ukelele for Chrissake but it was almost erotic), the show went downhill hard and fast.

But, she gets even better when she broaches the subject that has bugged my family for a while:

Then, Carly. Carly, Carly, Carly. That girl needs to cover up that fucking tattoo. Just once! One week! That’s all I’m asking. I dug it at first but now after a solid 6 weeks of her aggressively sleeveless shirts, I want to burn it off with fire. WE GET IT, CARLY. You have a huge tattoo of a woman’s face on your upper right arm. We see it. We’re over it and you should be too.

I agree with her completely, except the part about digging the tats at first. I never dug 'em. Tatoos, on the whole, are fugly.

A bit of that "socialization" my kids are missing out on ...

Eight arrested in beating of 16 year-old cheerleader.

But, apparently the victim "dissed" them on the internet, so it's justified.

More birds, odds and ends

Two yellow finches. Woot woot. And, I saw a house finch yesterday. Now, if only they'd go out and tell all their friends about the free food available.

Battlestar Galactica-I watched it last night. It would have been nice if, after all this time, the first episode was a bit ... more. Perhaps a two-hour episode? I dunno, I a tad befuddled about some of the twists.

Starbuck is back - and what is the deal with Madame President not believing a single word she says? It just seems a bit out of character.

The Four - I don't get their strategy here. I mean, they want to be loyal to humans, yet they are perfectly happy to throw Starbuck under the bus in order to avoid suspicion of their non-human status?


Over the weekend we watched No Country for Old Men. My husband has sworn off movies until I find some that aren't so depressing. We've had a spat of those - Pan's Labyrinth a month back. And, before that Bridge to Terabithia.

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT

I saw TWO chickadees near/at my bird-feeder this morning.

American Idol, belated edition

So, I skipped my American Idol post this week, but Zombieboy summed it all up pretty much to my satisfaction. I only disagree with him on his opinion of Michael Johns.

Heh

H/t: Kirby

Flat fat cat

Cosmo