Chavez Offers Aid

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez offers aid to the communities ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. Good move.

Hypocrites In Action

(Reuters/Jeff Mitchell)

Flag Code
Section 8-g.

"The flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it, nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or drawing of any nature."

Goodbye, Mardi Gras

Hurricane Katrina is bearing down upon the City of New Orleans as a Category 5 storm, with sustained winds of 175 mph. We dodged a bullet here, when Katrina dropped to the south and hit Ft. Lauderdale/Miami as a Category 1. Eleven people died because of the storm (and because of their own stupidity).

The hurricane then headed up the Gulf of Mexico, picking up speed over the warm water. We are now expecting the worst and costliest natural disaster in the history of this country. New Orleans is already six feet below sea level, with a series of levees keeping the water in check. No one expects them to hold. All highways leading out of New Orleans have been made one way only. Residents and tourists are flooding out of the city, causing major traffic jams. All hotels within 8 hours drive are filled.

Where Katrina makes landfall, coastal storm surge flooding of 18 to 22 feet above normal tide levels is anticipated. It may reach as high as 28 feet in some places, along with large and dangerous battering waves. Hurricane force winds will reach farther inland than anyone can recall any hurricane reaching along its path. Katrina also has the potential to cause flooding from the coast to the St. Lawrence Seaway.

God help them.

Update:
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
10:11 AM CDT SUN AUG 28 2005

...DEVASTATING DAMAGE EXPECTED...

.HURRICANE KATRINA...A MOST POWERFUL HURRICANE WITH UNPRECEDENTED STRENGTH...RIVALING THE INTENSITY OF HURRICANE CAMILLE OF 1969.

MOST OF THE AREA WILL BE UNINHABITABLE FOR WEEKS...PERHAPS LONGER. AT LEAST ONE HALF OF WELL CONSTRUCTED HOMES WILL HAVE ROOF AND WALL FAILURE. ALL GABLED ROOFS WILL FAIL...LEAVING THOSE HOMES SEVERELY DAMAGED OR DESTROYED.

THE MAJORITY OF INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS WILL BECOME NON FUNCTIONAL. PARTIAL TO COMPLETE WALL AND ROOF FAILURE IS EXPECTED. ALL WOOD FRAMED LOW RISING APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL BE DESTROYED. CONCRETE BLOCK LOW RISE APARTMENTS WILL SUSTAIN MAJOR DAMAGE...INCLUDING SOME WALL AND ROOF FAILURE.

HIGH RISE OFFICE AND APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL SWAY DANGEROUSLY...A FEW TO THE POINT OF TOTAL COLLAPSE. ALL WINDOWS WILL BLOW OUT.

AIRBORNE DEBRIS WILL BE WIDESPREAD...AND MAY INCLUDE HEAVY ITEMS SUCH AS HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES AND EVEN LIGHT VEHICLES. SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND LIGHT TRUCKS WILL BE MOVED. THE BLOWN DEBRIS WILL CREATE ADDITIONAL DESTRUCTION. PERSONS...PETS...AND LIVESTOCK EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL FACE CERTAIN DEATH IF STRUCK.

POWER OUTAGES WILL LAST FOR WEEKS...AS MOST POWER POLES WILL BE DOWN AND TRANSFORMERS DESTROYED. WATER SHORTAGES WILL MAKE HUMAN SUFFERING INCREDIBLE BY MODERN STANDARDS.

THE VAST MAJORITY OF NATIVE TREES WILL BE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED. ONLY THE HEARTIEST WILL REMAIN STANDING...BUT BE TOTALLY DEFOLIATED. FEW CROPS WILL REMAIN. LIVESTOCK LEFT EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL BE KILLED.

AN INLAND HURRICANE WIND WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN SUSTAINED WINDS NEAR HURRICANE FORCE...OR FREQUENT GUSTS AT OR ABOVE HURRICANE FORCE...ARE CERTAIN WITHIN THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS.

ONCE TROPICAL STORM AND HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ONSET...DO NOT VENTURE OUTSIDE!

Begonias I Can't Grow

I'm posting this picture of a gorgeous display of tuberous begonias, even though it's the one type that I can't grow in the subtropics. Tuberous begonias require cool nights, and to say that we don't have them is an understatement. Except in the winter, of course, but by then the tubers are dormant. I believe that this picture was taken by Mike Flaherty, a superb grower in Santa Monica, California.

Tuberous begonia species were found in the highlands of South America and Asia. The nights are quite cool in the mountains, and that requirement remained, even after extensive hybridization. Parts of California and the Pacific Northwest, some of the mountainous areas of the US, and some parts of Australia can grow them. But the premier growers and hybridizers of tuberous begonias are in Scotland. I was fortunate to have met Hugh McLaughlin, of Edinburgh, who has been to many of our American Begonia Society conventions. He always gives a talk and slide presentation, showing off the dinner plate-sized flowers that he grows.

Jude Law: Common Trouser Snake

The wonderful artist, 14, has outdone herself yet again with this page from her Field Guide to Showbiz Snakes.

Endless Love

Bush and Blair. So moving. And so funny! Somebody put a lot of work into this.

Death in the Park

A man shoots heroin in broad daylight, in a public park, on a beautiful summer day in Boston. A photographer happens to see him and starts taking pictures. The heroin kills him. Chilling pictures.

Word on the street is that heroin is cheaper than crack in some places, and that it's horse from Afghanistan that has killed a number of people in the past week. Word is that meth is now easier to score than marijuana. There is an epidemic of meth use all over the country, and yet the cops continue to bust pot users, and the courts fill prisons with them.

More Bushisms

George Bush attempts to explain his new proposals for social security reform in Mrs. Finkle's kindergarten class last February.

"Because the—all which is on the table begins to address the big cost drivers. For example, how benefits are calculate, for example, is on the table; whether or not benefits rise based upon wage increases or price increases. There's a series of parts of the formula that are being considered. And when you couple that, those different cost drivers, affecting those—changing those with personal accounts, the idea is to get what has been promised more likely to be—or closer delivered to what has been promised. Does that make any sense to you? It's kind of muddled. Look, there's a series of things that cause the—like, for example, benefits are calculated based upon the increase of wages, as opposed to the increase of prices. Some have suggested that we calculate—the benefits will rise based upon inflation, as opposed to wage increases. There is a reform that would help solve the red if that were put into effect. In other words, how fast benefits grow, how fast the promised benefits grow, if those—if that growth is affected, it will help on the red."—Explaining his plan to save Social Security, Tampa, Fla., Feb. 4, 2005

The definitive collection can be found in The Complete Bushisms. Read 'em and weep.

Republicans on Clinton and Bosnia

I found these on a message board. No source was given.

Quotes from Republicans when Clinton committed troops to Bosnia:

“You can support the troops but not the president.”
–Rep Tom Delay (R-TX)

“Well, I just think it’s a bad idea. What’s going to happen is they’re going to be over there for 10, 15, maybe 20 years.”
–Joe Scarborough (R-FL)

“Explain to the mothers and fathers of American servicemen that may come home in body bags why their son or daughter have to give up their life.”
–Sean Hannity, Fox News, 4/6/99

“[The] President . . . is once again releasing American military might on a foreign country with an ill-defined objective and no exit strategy. He has yet to tell the Congress how much this operation will cost. And he has not informed our nation’s armed forces about how long they will be away from home. These strikes do not make for a sound foreign policy.”
–Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA)

“American foreign policy is now one huge big mystery. Simply put, the administration is trying to lead the world with a feel-good foreign policy.”
–Rep Tom Delay (R-TX)

“If we are going to commit American troops, we must be certain they have a clear mission, an achievable goal and an exit strategy.”
–Karen Hughes, speaking on behalf of George W Bush

“I had doubts about the bombing campaign from the beginning . . I didn’t think we had done enough in the diplomatic area.”
–Senator Trent Lott (R-MS)

“I cannot support a failed foreign policy. History teaches us that it is often easier to make war than peace. This administration is just learning that lesson right now. The President began this mission with very vague objectives and lots of unanswered questions. A month later, these questions are still unanswered. There are no clarified rules of engagement. There is no timetable. There is no legitimate definition of victory. There is no contingency plan for mission creep. There is no clear funding program. There is no agenda to bolster our over-extended military. There is no explanation defining what vital national interests are at stake. There was no strategic plan for war when the President started this thing, and there still is no plan today”
–Rep Tom Delay (R-TX)

“Victory means exit strategy, and it’s important for the President to explain to us what the exit strategy is.”
–Governor George W. Bush (R-TX)

Angelina and Zahara

(thanks, cityrag)

What can I say? Can you get any more beautiful and cute?

Camp Casey

There are quite a few blogs with information on Cindy Sheehan's protest now. This one has hour-to-hour entries with pictures of Camp Casey, in Crawford, Texas. Truthout is another good one.

The protest has taken on a life of its own and continues to grow in size and number. I'm hoping it doesn't turn into a circus, but so far, so good.

Begonia of the Fortnight

I forgot to post one last week.

The Begoniaceae family probably has the greatest variety of leaf shape, size, patterning and texture of any plant family, but even plain green can be dramatic. This rhizomatous hybrid, B. 'Oliver Twist', is a lovely shade of (what?) forest green? emerald green? I need a list of all the shades of green. It has a few very dark green, almost black, streaks here and there, which don't show up in the picture. I love the helix and the frilly edges...reminds me of a petticoat.

The Shame of It All

Jennifer Loewenstein paints the real picture of the evacuation of settlers from the Gaza Strip in this Counterpunch article.

A great charade is taking place in front of the world media in the Gaza Strip. It is the staged evacuation of 8000 Jewish settlers from their illegal settlement homes, and it has been carefully designed to create imagery to support Israel's US-backed takeover of the West Bank and cantonization of the Palestinians.

Read on...

Don't Bring the Family Jewels to a Robbery

God, I love stories like this!

Two thieves who tried to rob two elderly women in the Lithuanian city of Klaipeda, thinking they were easy prey, got more than they bargained for when the elder of the two victims, aged 93, valiantly defended herself, a press report said on Wednesday.

Read on...

Underground Art

Subways aren't just endless dank, dreary tunnels anymore, as Metro Arts and Architecture shows. Cities are budgeting original art works and beautiful architecture into their underground systems. Los Angeles allocated 0.5% of subway construction costs to the creation of original art works, to which more than 250 artists contributed. One example is shown above. Some look like palaces, others like museums.

Things are really getting ugly in Scotland....

I think what strikes Americans first upon reading this is that the ocean seems very, very large. Over in Scotland the big scandal is cabbages and cauliflower. Over here it's executives bilking their company of $600 million, destroying the retirement funds of hundreds of employees and ruining the investments of thousands of shareholders. It's our involvement in an illegal and immoral war that is ruining the military, causing death and injury to countless thousands, threatening the economy and causing scorn and hatred in the rest of the world.

None of this justifies the humiliation that the employees of the Bank of Scotland suffered, of course. It was more than just a stupid idea, as they have now discovered.

Update on Sam, The World's Ugliest Dog

Sam, the world's ugliest dog, has a Web site and a newspaper writeup in the Sun Sentinel of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Mom, Susie Lockheed, 53, has even found her own love connection because of Sam.

Donald Trump Launches A Blog

Who "launches" a blog? Who throws a launch party to do it? Why, that would be Mr. Greasy Combover himself, The Donald. I looked at The Trump Blog and saw two essays by Trump and three by other writers. In "Success With Style" he says, "The glamour and grandeur of my buildings and my life are no mere trappings." and blathers on about his good taste. Nowhere is his taste better reflected than on the top of his head.

Many people have encouraged him to ditch the biggest combover in the history of the world and get a new stylist. All that money and spouting off on a blog about his good taste, and he just won't fire his hair.

So far The Trump Blog is a big fat yawn. In his second "essay" he continues to toot his own horn and tell us how ethical he is. He makes this astounding statement:

As I watched this public embarrassment over and over again, it made me realize that my biggest problem with Kozlowski wasn't the alleged corruption, but the lack of taste.

So let me get this straight. It wasn't so bad that Dennis Kozlowski and two of his partners in corporate crime looted their own company of $600 million. What's really offensive to Trump is that they lacked style when they did it. At least that's what it sounds like to me.

Plastic Surgery Aliens

Susan Sarandon, who looks pretty darn good at 58, recently said to Ellen DeGeneres, "I'm scared of plastic surgery. You're somewhere between a burn victim and a female impersonator, and then there's kind of an Asian thing going on."

Did she have Melanie Griffith in mind?

Or perhaps Hunter Tylo. Let's just stick to the area above the shoulders on this one. Oh, the collagen!

I have a feeling that she was traumatized at some point by the once handsome Burt Reynolds, who has obviously been replaced by a pod person.

(hat tip: CityRag)

Mickey Rourke, lovingly included in the Gallery of the Absurd...

The guy is only 48 years old. That's 10 years younger than Susan Sarandon! Seriously, he went from this...

to Phyllis Diller's illegitimate child...

And then there's the King of Plastic Surgery Aliens...

Where Is Frank Zappa When We Need Him?

"Government is the Entertainment Division of the military-industrial complex." ---Frank Zappa

In 1986, Frank Zappa appeared on Crossfire to discuss rock lyrics and censorship with Robert Novak and the hideously-toupeed John Lofton. Relentlessly attacked by the arrogant and obnoxious Lofton, Zappa seemed barely able to contain his boredom and disdain, merely tolerating these fools in order to do his civic duty. These guys seemed very naive and weren't smart enough to phrase their questions right for Zappa. He didn't miss an opportunity to deliver a zinger, such as: "The biggest threat to America today is not communism; it's moving America toward a fascist theocracy."

Novak seemed surprisingly civil on this broadcast. An ironic moment (in light of his recent meltdown on CNN): When Zappa says profanity also belongs in politics, Novak says, "I don't understand that."

Listen to broadcast here.

"Americans like to talk about, or be told about, Democracy but, when put to the test, usually find it to be an "inconvenience". We have opted instead for an authoritarian system disguised as a Democracy. We pay through the nose for an enormous joke-of-a-government, let it push us around, and then wonder how all those assholes got in there." ---Frank Zappa

The Spanish Civil War

"The war was a civil war and a revolution. It could not finish until the country had been transformed either into a Fascist or into a socialist state." -Arturo Barea

This interesting site from UCSD has an introduction, Images of Revolution and War, by Alexander Vergara, a chronology of the war, and an incredible Index of Posters from the Visual Front catalogue, many with historical explanations.

Fluent in Botulism

The girls at Go Fug Yourself are always funny, but they've outdone themselves with the commentary on this fugging. Check out the guy on the right in the white shirt and the bald guy next to him. Find the stalker.

What The Hell Was She Thinking?

Here she is, rapper, soon-to-be incarcerated, often fugged Lil' Kim, recent graduate of the Tammy Faye Bakker Clown College, where she learned to draw her eyebrows on with a Magic Marker. Kim also attended the Tara Reid Charm School for Victims of Bad Plastic Surgery and Wardrobe Malfunctions.

Warning: Welding goggles recommended for viewing this picture!

Brazilian Species U043

This begonia is rare even among collectors and has unique characteristics that make it one of the most intriguing species I've ever seen. The gray-green leaves can get nearly a foot across. The edges fold inward, giving them an umbrella-like appearance. The backs of the leaves are a striking burgandy color, and there are red scale-like appendages up and down the petioles.

New leaves emerge looking like crab claws.

This species, which used to be called Rudy's [Ziesenhenne] J-11, has not yet been officially named. It has been given a U (unidentified) number until a positive ID is made, and has been classified as a thick-stemmed begonia. This is one of those begonias that collectors put at the top of their wish list.

Novak Meltdown

Robert Novak yelled "That's bullshit!" and stormed (well, shuffled, actually) off CNN's set during a live discussion with CNN contributor James Carville on the "Strategy Session" segment of the August 4 edition of CNN's Inside Politics. Novak had been told in advance that he would be asked about the Plame case. Apparently the pressure got to him. See video here.

CNN reacted quickly by suspending him indefinitely, calling his behavior "inexcusable and unacceptable".

I'm just here celebrating this tantalizing turn of events.

Update: Crooks and Liars covers the Novak Meltdown with numerous snips and links to other blog entries.

A Totally Pointless Waste of Time

But why is it so hard to stop watching? If she gets stuck move her with the mouse.

Hollywood Girly-Boys

Starletto rips the girly-boys of Hollywood. I so agree! She forgot one, though.

Dave Navarro, brilliantly skewered here.

But she did mention Nicole Kidman dating Keith Urban, and I laughed my effin' head off!

Nightmare on Pennsylvania Ave.

(hat tip:Toons For Our Times)

He's gone and done it. Despite overwhelming opposition, Bush bypassed the Senate and appointed John Bolton ambassador to the UN.

James Wolcott opines, while Angry Black Bitch fantasizes about it (halfway down page).

Scofflaw of the Year

Do as I say, not as I do. While calling for tougher parking rules, such as doubling the fine from $25 to $50 for violating street cleaning restrictions, this Boston city councilor has racked up thousands of dollars in tickets himself, and doesn't even seem embarrassed by it.

Paper Airplanes

Impress the little kids. Learn how to build the best paper airplane in the world. It looks easy, and kids love that stuff.