...and happy birthday, tony bennett

Just learned (from John McEnroe's US Open commentary) that Mr. Bennett is turning 85 today.

happy birthday, michael jackson

...excellent birthday tribute here ("You Rock My World" remix featuring Jay-Z)
Michael would have been 53 today.

baby-jay-be

Get More: 2011 VMA, Music, Beyoncé

emergency preparedness

We are ready for you, Irene. (but not really Irene, just residual tropical storm action...
...
... hopefully)

letzte nacht

Last night we saw Reggie Watts at Woolly Mammoth and it was a wonderful use of our time. Hilarious! Although we agreed that his routine was a bit funnier when we saw him on the Conan tour (with Reggie, the humor lies in the unexpected), he was still brilliantly funny.

(photo cred: Woolly Mammoth, by Noah Kalina)

Deemed "the coolest comedian on the planet" by GQ, he's not only a comedian, but a performance artist and musician. Count him as a new addition to my best friends club.

 

coco crispy awesomey

Just so awesome. The man homered from both sides of the plate twice, both times at the first pitch. For more on this awesomeness from last nights A's-Yanks game, go here: Awesomey McAwesome Face

(photo courtesy: NYTimes who got it from

Frank Franklin Ii/Associated Press)

we shouldn't have evacuated...

...that's what I thought. I was on my way under my very sturdy desk when the quake literally shook the earth beneath us on Wednesday...until I heard someone shout "It's an earthquake! Get in the doorframe!" then someone else shouting even louder "Evacuate! Evacuate!"

Apparently, the doorframe is not a good place to go, contrary to what I learned as a schoolkid...but we did learn to also drop and cover. Anyway, more info here: Shouldn't Have Evacuated

scary devil

Here is a link to readers' comments on a Times article about Cheney's new book: Readers' Comments
I won't say much here, because much of how I feel has been more eloquently stated by fellow readers. I agree that he's the devil. And why won't the man die already? Because he has super evil devil powers. I never wish death upon anyone, but Cheney and Rush Limpballs are exceptions.

i was kissed by a stranger

I was kissed by a stranger on the train to work this morning. Said stranger was a petite middle-aged, put-together, soft-spoken woman with sunglasses who I have never seen before. When I boarded my train, I took my usual seat, which happened to be directly across the aisle from her. I can't remember how she got my attention, but when I turned to her, she said "You look nyyyce!!" She then proceeded to elaborate on her mental digestion of me, none of which I could understand or hear, given the loud roar of a fast-moving train, but based on her hand gestures, I think she was talking about my skirt. Then she ended with an a-ok gesture (see picture). Her facial expression was that of someone describing something really tasty.

(illustration courtesy of Wikipedia)

I was taken aback - our exchange was long by morning-commuter-complimenting-a-stranger standards, but was appreciative of her even noticing me and said "Thank you." We then rode about 4 more stops together without any further exchange - her tending to her makeup and hair, me reading Bossypants. When we arrived at her stop, she got up, I turned to her, and before I could say "Have a good day," she said it, then approached me and gave me a cheek-ear-area "muah," as if we just said goodbye after having brunch together. I closed with a "Thank you, you have a good day too."

I deboarded the train at the next stop. I tried to act unphased by the whole experience, and maybe I came off as so on the outside, but inside I had so many questions! What just happened? Where am I? Who's that friendly to strangers? Did she sense I was having a rough morning? (I didn't get up to run as intended, but didn't get any additional quality sleep either; worried about the next earthquake.) Does she give out kisses and compliments to strangers all the time? Is she aware of how she just completely and simultaneously made my day and freaked me out?

Then I just decided to appreciate that there are still decent people in our world, and tell you all about it by writing this post. I hope we're all lucky enough to have mornings like this once in a while...or maybe, if we're brave enough, to grant someone else such a morning. ...and, in the meantime, I'll just relish in the fact that, hell yeah, I look cute today.

sign it

Tax rich people

this is strange

Republicans for wind energy

chewbacca

Source: ffffound.com via Natalie on Pinterest

fancy walking

Earlier this year, I vowed to improve my crip walking abilities, among other things I vowed to do upon turning 30.

Hm? What's that? How am I doing? Well let's just say I need to practice more...

525,600

...just posting this here so I can watch it readily, whenever I want.

LISTEN, republicans!

Warren Buffet's Times Op-Ed: Stop Coddling the Super-Rich

congratulations, #17

Chris Mullin Heading to the Hall of Fame
...the 'C' of the dynamic trio Run TMC...alas, the last time I was a Warriors fan...
(pic credit: here)

idiots on parade

(reference: Max Whittaker for The New York Times)

crawfish aka crayfish aka crawdad aka LOBSTER!

This is so funny to me: 'Seafare' Salad
It's amazing that in 15 years, no one noticed the salad was lacking lobster...or maybe they did and just didn't report it...but for Zabars to sell thousands of pounds of the stuff is telling - that there were still many people who just bought it.

check this nonsense

QUOTATION OF THE DAY

"Corporations are people, my friend."

MITT ROMNEY, responding to a hecklers in Iowa who want higher corporate taxes.

(reference: NYTimes)

Which Child Dies? Famine Forces Impossible Choices

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: August 11, 2011 at 10:53 AM ET

DADAAB, Kenya (AP) — Wardo Mohamud Yusuf walked for two weeks with one child on her back when her 4-year-old son collapsed at her side.

The 29-year-old asked the families she was traveling with for help, but they continued on their way. Then she had to make a choice no parent should have to make. Yusuf left her 4-year-old behind.
Now at a refugee camp in Kenya, Yusuf says she is reliving the pain of abandoning her son.
Parents fleeing Somalia's devastating famine are having to make unimaginably cruel choices: Which children have the best chance to survive when food and water run low? Who should be left behind?
The U.S. estimates that more than 29,000 Somali children under age 5 have died in the country's famine the last three months.

(reference: NYTimes)