The Great Joe Williams

Early in his career, Frank Sinatra used to go to Count Basie's club to hear Joe Williams sing. Sinatra picked up a lot of his stage mannerisms from him. Until Sinatra came along white singers would stand there like a post, Sinatra was the first who moved. He got those moves from Joe Williams. He's a little past his prime here, in his prime there wasn't a better jazz voice.

What song was #1 on the day you were born?

Hound Dog was #1 on my birthday. :)

An Explanation for the NYC Flyover that Actually Makes Sense

Commenter Mustang0302 at Tom McGuire's blog has an interesting theory on the flyover.

>>At least one of the escorting F-16s was from the Alabama ANG, Red Tail and all.

Could this photo op mission have any particular connection to a new movie due out this year?

Could that connection explain the WHMO's eagerness to get some current glamour shots of BHO's A/C, escorted by the descendants of the Tuskegee Airmen, while flathatting over "the target formerly known as Ground Zero"?

Just imagine the powerful, beautiful imagery of these aircraft during this mission, accompanied by a stirring soundtrack, playing over the closing credits, or released as publicity stills or fundraising fodder - "Yes, America, sleep well...BHO's got you covered."

Well, minus the terrified, fleeing citizens on the ground, of course. Ooops. Caldera, you take this one.

"Mission Accomplished", indeed.

Naw, I'll bet I'm wrong. Coincidences, all...surely.

h/t
Brumar89

So they were putting together some footage which would be useful to George Lucas' upcoming film about the Tuskegee Airmen of WWII, known as the Red Tails. Best explanation so far.

The Great Light Bulb Revolt

Holdouts for Humble Bulb Defy a Government Phase-Out


Jonathan Wright’s shop sells lighting fixtures in Tunbridge Wells, where residents are resisting the switch to compact fluorescent bulbs.

Wonderful essay by Ron Rosenbaum on Congress' ban of beauty.

Mexican Officials Eye Smithfield Facility for Swine Flu

According to the New York Times, health officials in Mexico have toured a million-pig hog farm in Perote, in Veracruz State searching for the original source of the swine flue outbreak . The plant is half-owned by Smithfield Foods, an American company and the world’s largest pork producer.

“Last year the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production warned that hog farms could become breeding grounds for new strains of the flu,” said a report on last night’s CBS Evening News. Bob Martin, former executive director of the Pew Commission, told CBS, “The warm conditions and the close proximity of animals being able to pass viruses back and forth and to the human workers is the situation ripe for the development of a novel virus.”

This morning, the death toll from the outbreak was raised to 152, and the World Health Organization voted to raise its global pandemic flu alert level. More information on the swine flu can be found on the Livable Future Blog.

Feds Terrorize New York City

Update:
FAA Memo: Feds Knew NYC Flyover Would Cause Panic
Threatened Federal Sanctions Against NYPD, Secret Service, FBI & Mayor's Office If Secret Ever Got Out

Federal officials knew that sending two fighter jets and Air Force One to buzz ground zero and Lady Liberty might set off nightmarish fears of a 9/11 replay, but they still ordered the photo-op kept secret from the public.

In a memo obtained by CBS 2 HD the Federal Aviation Administration's James Johnston said the agency was aware of "the possibility of public concern regarding DOD (Department of Defense) aircraft flying at low altitudes" in an around New York City. But they demanded total secrecy from the NYPD, the Secret Service, the FBI and even the mayor's office and threatened federal sanctions if the secret got out.

[...]

The NYPD was so upset about the demand for secrecy that Police Commissioner Ray Kelly vowed never to follow such a directive again and he accused the feds of inciting fears of a 9/11 replay.

[...]

Napolitano is Lying to Americans About Her Department’s Rightwing Extremism Report; TMLC Files Suit

The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, announced that yesterday evening it filed a federal lawsuit against Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. The lawsuit claims that her Department’s “Rightwing Extremism Policy,” as reflected in the recently publicized Intelligence Assessment, “Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment,” violates the civil liberties of combat veterans as well as American citizens by targeting them for disfavored treatment on account of their political beliefs.

Thousands of dolphins block Somali pirates

Thousands of dolphins blocked the suspected Somali pirate ships when they were trying to attack Chinese merchant ships passing the Gulf of Aden, the China Radio International reported on Monday.

The Chinese merchant ships escorted by a China's fleet sailed on the Gulf of Aden when they met some suspected pirate ships. Thousands of dolphins suddenly leaped out of water between pirates and merchants when the pirate ships headed for the China's.

The suspected pirates ships stopped and then turned away. The pirates could only lament their littleness before the vast number of dolphins. The spectacular scene continued for a while.
Xinhua

h/t
Snowshoe

This is for you Dom! :)

"We finally get a brother in the White House and he's STILL bowing to the white man."

DMA said it first.

Albert Collins - I Ain't Drunk

Clarence Gatemouth Brown - Pressure Cooker

Knights Templar hid the Shroud of Turin, says Vatican

Medieval knights hid and secretly venerated The Holy Shroud of Turin for more than 100 years after the Crusades, the Vatican said yesterday in an announcement that appeared to solve the mystery of the relic’s missing years.

The Knights Templar, an order which was suppressed and disbanded for alleged heresy, took care of the linen cloth, which bears the image of a man with a beard, long hair and the wounds of crucifixion, according to Vatican researchers.

rest of the article plus a neat little video

Sunday morning Bach cantata

William K. Black: The government is lying to us

Former government regulator alleges the government is lying about bank losses in order to maintain an artificial public confidence. Excerpt from his interview with Bill Moyers:

Moyers: How is this happening? Why is it happening?

Black: Until you get the facts, it's harder to blow all this up. And of course the entire strategy is to keep people from getting the facts.

Moyers: What facts?

Black: The facts about how bad the conditions of the banks is. So as long as I keep the old CEO who caused the problems, is he going to go vigorously around finding the problems, finding the frauds, taking away people's bonuses?

Moyers: To hear you say this is unusual, because you supported Barack Obama during the campaign. You're seeming disillusioned now.

Black: Certainly in the financial sphere, I am. First, the policies are substantively bad. Second, I think they completely lack integrity. Third, I think they violate the rule of law. This is being done, just like Sec. Paulson did it, in violation of the law.

You can watch the 20 minute interview here.

h/t
Rod Dreher

TSA Detains Ron Paul Supporter

Rita Hayworth sings Amado Mio

Obama Bows to the Titular Head of Mecca

Maybe just looking for something on the rug?

3 Kits

No signs of any foxes yet this year. Last year a litter of three kits was born in the woodlot next to us. Our front lawn was a playground for them, they were a lot of fun to have around. They played like kittens, chasing each other in circles and playing stalking games. Once one of them jumped on the birdbath and seemed to dare the other two to try and knock him off. One of them ran around behind him and swatted at his tail. It worked, he jumped off and the chase was on. I missed them when they left, I'd love to see another litter this season.

Image courtesy of Moraxion's Fox Page

Update: The fox is around! Two sightings in the past week. She looks a little filled out, could be pregnant. Time to start putting food out!