September 2011 Archives

It's Cat Week here at CrabAppleLane. LSU takes on the Kentucky Wildcats and the Saints take on the Jacksonville Jaguars. Kentucky is seriously in over their heads with the Tigers in Baton Rouge. No NFL team is ever in over their heads but I like the Saints' chances.

Heard another mystery water drip this morning coming from the shower area. Very, very annoying.

Not about religion at all although it doesn't surprise me that some people will see it in those terms.

Today's QOTD was something I ran across this morning again but Dave brought it up yesterday. Many banks also charge for checking. Talked to my bank about another matter and they have stated unequivocally that they will not be doing that ... until they do. I added that last part. This is basically another sales tax. I suppose we could all start using cash. Armed robbers everywhere are rejoicing at the prospect of citizens carrying more cash and merchants handling more cash.

Entries here from September 1 through September 16 and all of their comments are being restored slowly but surely. 21 entries total. Invest in ibuprofen.

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Mony Mony - Tommy James & The Shondells - Rock 'n Roll Relix 1968-1969
2. Sufragette City - David Bowie - David Live
3. What's The Time - Mark Knopfler & Dave Edmunds - The Booze Brothers By Brewers Droop
4. Stockton Gala Days - 10,000 Maniacs - MTV Unplugged
5. You Make Loving Fun - Fleetwood Mac - Rumours

Quote of the Day

Charging fees on debit card use and checking accounts are two ways that banks can make a significant amount of revenue very quickly. And that is what we are starting to see.

Bill Hardekopf, LowCards.com

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "This Sunday against the New Orleans Saints, the Jacksonville Jaguars are looking to start a tradition. They'll apparently be raising a "team flag" before the game and every home game from now on."

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That was playoff baseball last night. Anxious to see how it plays out now with the epic collapses in Boston and Atlanta. Even though both teams lost gigantic wildcard leads in the last month, they also both controlled their own destiny as late as last night. Going to be a very long and very unpleasant offseason for the Red Sox and Braves and they richly deserve it. Go Cards. Place the BOTD firmly in the can-dish-it-out category.

R.I.P., Archbishop Hannan.

Entries here from August 25 through September 16 and all of their comments are being restored slowly but surely. 28 entries total. Invest in ibuprofen.

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Your Warm And Tender Love - Chris Rea - The Road To Hell
2. Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye - Steam - AM Gold: The '60s Generation
3. Dang Me [Stereo] - Roger Miller - AM Gold: The Mid-'60s
4. Little Blue One - Cowboy Mouth - Mercyland
5. Locomotive Breath - Jethro Tull - Aqualung

Quote of the Day

Old Charlie stole the handle
And the train
It won't stop going
No way to slow down

Jethro Tull, Locomotive Breath

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "DRaysBay posters, sorry, but even if you don't mean anything by it, you're kill-on-sight for now."

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Two dead-heat wildcard races in the majors tonight. Not only does it give the four teams vying for those two playoff berths great motivation but it gives the four teams they're playing a little extra, too. The Braves and Red Sox both lost gigantic wildcard leads in the last month. They can both still back into the playoffs but they will have to win at least one more game and maybe two. The Cards and Rays have made up a lot of ground in the last month. This is fun stuff.

Entries here from August 21 through September 16 and all of their comments are being restored slowly but surely. 33 entries total. Invest in ibuprofen.

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Five Star playlist:

1. Wizards In Winter - Trans-Siberian Orchestra - The Lost Christmas Eve
2. Lightning Crashes - Live - Live At The Paradiso
3. Fat Bottomed Girls - Queen - Jazz
4. In The Light - Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti
5. Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress) - The Hollies - Rock Of The 70's

Quote of the Day

161 games down. One to go. And we have ties for the Wild Card in both the American League and National League. Is this fun or what?

D.J. Short, HardBall Talk

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "It's a phrase that Tony La Russa likes to use a lot. He may not want to say that Player A is the best, but he'll say he's "tied for first." Personally, if there's anyone out there that wants to start a Cardinal blog, "Tied For First" is a great title for it, in my opinion. Now, at least when it comes to the wild card, we can finally say that the Cards are tied for first."

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Yet another reason I'm thankful I don't watch reality shows.

No way that flag should have been thrown. That was a fabulous play.

Watched five minutes of Two and a Half Men last night. The only person laughing at that show is Charlie Sheen.

Tuesday Morning Quarterback.

Entries here from August 17 through September 16 and all of their comments are being restored slowly but surely. Invest in ibuprofen.

Today's QOTD is powerful stuff from the Catholic Church against Italy's Prime Minister.

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Twisted - Joni Mitchell - Court And Spark
2. I Miss My Mary - Hal Ketchum - Past The Point Of Rescue
3. Crazy Life - Toad The Wet Sprocket - Empire Records
4. Thank You - Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II
5. Miss Clare Remembers - Enya - Watermark

Quote of the Day

It is mortifying to witness behavior that not only goes counter to public decorum but is intrinsically sad and hollow

Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "It was like the Egyptian obelisk going up in “The 10 Commandments,” only it was a lot faster, and the slaves were replaced by portable hydraulics. Oh, and there was a 32 ft diameter fan at the top."

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Would like to end the month on a good note. A good week is in order. Been a while since I've had one. :)

Curious where this social networking thing is going? Check out one of the latest developments. That's a long way from where we were when Heather Armstrong got "Dooced". What I do for a living, where I do it, and who I do it for or with is for those readers who already know. I don't talk about work here except in the vaguest possible terms. I don't intend to get Dooced.

Hummingbirds are still going strong here but not quite as strong as they were last week.

About the QOTD: I would think the players' locker rooms at a college football stadium should be secure at a college football game. When I say secure, I mean by multiple guards. That's ridiculous.

Entries here from August 15 through September 16 and all of their comments are being restored slowly but surely. Invest in ibuprofen.

Initial thoughts on yesterday's exciting Saints-Texans game here, if you're interested.

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Great Wide Open World - Cowboy Mouth - Mercyland
2. Hannah - Robin Trower - Essential
3. Get Back - The Beatles - 1
4. Wond'ring Aloud - Jethro Tull - Aqualung
5. Secret Garden - Secret Garden - Celtic Myst 3

Quote of the Day

Details of the investigation are very sparse. In fairness, we don’t know if this was a West Virginia fan, an LSU fan or even a fan at all — although a very reliable source close to the situation has informed us that the whoever was involved is, indeed, a knucklehead.

Ben Kercheval, College Football Talk

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "The surprising? I think, barring some missed assignments (against Devery Henderson) and missed tackles (against Darren Sproles), that it is safe to say that the defense is legitimate. Holding the New Orleans Saints to 10 points in the first half? Limiting Drew Brees to 124 yards, an interception, and a 61.1 quarterback rating? I don't believe anyone would have predicted that kind of performance."

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3:55PM: Today's Saints-Texans game was a blast. I'm glad the Saints don't mind being behind because they surely find themselves there a lot. Enough of that, please.

Congrats to the Buffalo Bills on their big win over New England.

Thoughts on a five year anniversary.

Entries here from August 13 through September 16 and all of their comments are being restored slowly but surely. Invest in ibuprofen.

One thing about the QOTD:

One non-original image offered on this gorgeous CrabAppleLane Sunday.

Reflections - September 25, 2011

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Beethoven: Missa Solemnis In D, Op. 123 - Kyrie Anne Murray, Bryn Terfel, Etc.; - Georg Solti: London Symphony Orchestra, London Voices - Immortal Beloved
2. My Sweet Annette - Drive-By Truckers - Decoration Day
3. Sorrow - Pink Floyd - A Momentary Lapse Of Reason
4. Me & Bobby McGee - Janis Joplin - Janis Joplin's Greatest Hits
5. Why Aye Man - Mark Knopfler - The Ragpicker's Dream

Quote of the Day

Another decisive victory away from home pushed LSU to No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll for the first time since 2007.

Associated Press

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "I’ll be blogging updates throughout the Texans’ Week 3 game against the New Orleans Saints at the Louisiana Superdome. Posts will appear in chronological order; scroll to the bottom for the most recent entries."

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Will undoubtedly get on the tractor sometime today because the yard is not at its best but I would surely like to stay on the computer a little longer this weekend ... as sad as that sounds. Still restoring entries on the blogs here. Finished Our Family Blog, halfway through the Saints Blog (Done 6:07PM), and I'm saving CrabAppleLane Blog for last. It will take the most time and effort. I just hate things hanging over my head.

LSU is in Morgantown to take on the West Virginia Mountaineers. Both teams are ranked and it figures to be an electric atmosphere. It will be broadcast nationally on ABC tonight. Games like this make college football what it is. Good Luck, Mountaineers but ...

The Houston Texans arrive today to take on the Saints tomorrow in the SuperDome. That also figures to be a great game. It will be the 5th anniversary of the SuperDome re-opening after Hurricane Katrina. I'll have some thoughts on that tomorrow on the Saints Blog. That was a great night for Saints fans and a pretty emotional night for all Louisianians.

About today's QOTD: The linked article is beyond ridiculous. Who is letting these guys out? Six arrests in two months? I'm trying to wrap my head around someone looking at this guy's record and saying, "He's been arrested five times in the last few weeks. Let's let him out and see what happens". Sorry but this is NOT the answer, either.

About today's BOTD: I agree wholeheartedly. West Virginia is a natural fit for the SEC. If the SEC is aiming for 16 and I think they are, they need to take these four: Texas A&M, West Virginia, Missouri, and Louisville. That would give them 8 good year-end rivalry games. Louisville-Kentucky, Tennessee-Vanderbilt, Alabama-Auburn, Florida-Georgia, Mississippi-Mississippi State, West Virginia-South Carolina, Arkansas-Missouri, and LSU-Texas A&M.

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. La Serenissima - Loreena McKennitt - The Book Of Secrets
2. Ship Of Fools - Robert Plant - Now And Zen
3. When I'm Gone - 3 Doors Down - Away From The Sun
4. Eye - Smashing Pumpkins - Lost Highway
5. If I Could - Seal - Seal

Quote of the Day

A revolving door gives the connotation that you actually get out of your car and walk through the door. This is a drive through. These kids don't even get out of a car any more. They just drive through the system and it is a frustration.

Ronal Serpas, New Orleans Police Superintendent

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "Personality/culture wise, it's a natural fit. I'm not sure your rabid fan base fits in the Big 10, or even the ACC. WVU also seems to carry that chip-on-the-shoulder mentality that every school in the SEC (sans Alabama) walks around with. It's that whole objecting to Northern elitist principles, I think."

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It would seem to me that a binding, signed consent form should be involved here but its not mentioned anywhere in the piece I read. I am not understanding how this is in court.

Anne Mozingo, of York, contends that the Stanley Medical Research Institute and a man working on its behalf removed her late husband's entire brain without her consent after he died of a brain aneurism in 2000. She said she agreed to donate only small brain tissue samples.

If the company in question did whatever they did without a written consent, they deserve what they get because that would be just plain dumb. If the company has the skills to remove a brain for medical research, it doesn't strike me as dumb so what am I missing?

Some thoughts on Bill Belichick: A Football Life.

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Try A Little Tenderness - Three Dog Night - Captured Live At The Forum
2. On The Road Again - Canned Heat - Harley-Davidson Cycles: Road Songs
3. The Truth - Coyote Shivers - Shivers, Coyote
4. Road Fever - Foghat - Rock & Roll
5. Tiny Broken Heart - Alison Krauss & Union Station - Live

Quote of the Day

I know Dad you don't understand
How a heart so young could conceive a plan
I'm only 7 now but it's just like you say
Daddy some day I'll be a man

Alison Krauss & Union Station, Tiny Broken Heart

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "I am the farthest thing from a "morning person" you could ever be. I love sleeping in and although I think my 4 year old is adorable, the fact that she is such a morning person kinda drives me nuts (and makes me feel a wee bit jealous as well)."

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So I'm waiting my turn at the shower Monday morning. Patsy calls down to me that the water pressure is gone. Some time between Sunday night and Monday morning, the pressure switch on the well corroded enough to quit making contact. She was able to get hers in because there was enough hot water in the water heater and enough cold water in the reserve tank to finish. That left me home until the water well repair guys could get here. So I made a video while I was waiting.

About today's QOTD: Exactly. $85??????

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Classical Gas - Mason Williams - The Mason Williams Phonograph Record
2. Victims Of The Fury - Robin Trower - Essential
3. Sinful Love - Blue Öyster Cult - Agents of Fortune
4. Je Suis De'Sole' - Mark Knopfler - Golden Heart
5. Empty Spaces - Pink Floyd - The Wall

Quote of the Day

Of course, you could always save yourself some money, buy a Venti Americano and just spill it on yourself.

Alexander Smith, MSNBC.com

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "One person would get lattes while the other would get a macchiato, but when they came in together they got cappuccinos."

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When I logged in here Saturday morning, I noticed the last entries from all of the blogs here was from August 10. See QOTD. Nothing is lost. Everything that had been published between August 10th and September 16th was still on the site but saving them and putting them back in the database with all of their comments will be time-consuming and tedious. It will be done. Nothing will be lost except the timestamps on the comments and I'm thankful for that. The comments, themselves, won't be lost. They'll just be missing until I can't get them all back in. Could probably fix that timestamp thing, too, if I put my mind to it but I'm not going to bother. I have about 75 entries and their comments to recreate. Judging by the 10 or so I've done already, I'm probably not going to finish until the weekend. It will probably be a late night Saturday night.

Tuesday Morning Quarterback a day late.

About today's QOTD: Wish I was in the area.

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Ce He Mise le Ulaingt? (The Two Trees) - Loreena McKennitt - The Mask & The Mirror
2. Goodbye Cruel World - Pink Floyd - The Wall
3. Everyone Is Waiting - Cowboy Mouth - Mercyland
4. Dreamboat Annie - Heart - Dreamboat Annie
5. Christmas Bells, Carousels & Time - Trans-Siberian Orchestra - The Lost Christmas Eve

Quote of the Day

On Saturday evening we detected a storage hardware problem involving a single MYSQL server. We made database repairs overnight to restore data from backups.

Network Solutions

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "There’s an interesting acoustic lineup this Sunday (9.18.11) at La Carafe in downtown Houston that features listenlisten’s Ben Godfrey, Buxton’s Sergio Trevino, Jacob Metcalf (Dallas), and Destry (Boston)."

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Ever wonder how much business is lost and how much time is wasted because people wait until the printer runs out of paper before refilling it? It's not quite the same as waiting until your car runs out of gas before refilling but it's not far off in some cases.

Weekend at Bernie's fans. Wondering if they stiffed their servers. They write themselves ... probably better than the one I wrote, though.

The Tigers beat Mississippi State last night in Starkville. The 19-6 final score is a bit misleading. LSU thoroughly dominated that game. If they continue to practice and get a little better every week, they will be very nasty by year end. There is a lot of big, fast, strong, scary talent on that team, particularly on defense. Most definitely a title contender.

Tough game coming up for the Saints this Sunday. More on that here.

The QOTD is from Charlie Sheen's image restoration campaign tour. Good Luck with that, Charlie.

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Uncle Charlie Interview #1 - The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy
2. Mr. Bojangles - The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy
3. Mony Mony - Tommy James & The Shondells - Rock 'n Roll Relix 1968-1969
4. Billy's Revenge - Robert Plant - Now And Zen
5. Don't Shoot Shotgun - Def Leppard - Hysteria

Quote of the Day

I thought I could come back like you did.

Charlie Sheen to Jay Leno

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "Sheen read my obviously idiotic article and was so impressed at what he saw as an incredibly astute observation, that he reached out to me. He wanted me to ghostwrite a Self-Help book for people looking to imitate his lifestyle, or as he put it in the text he sent me, "u need me to let my nuts flap on your brain until a victory book comes out the other side, and how about that? Chaaaarrrrlieeee.""

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When it rains, it pours

If you don't know how that expression came to be, I envy you. Pretty much had my fill of that phenomenon the last two days.

Excellent article on something I dare not name. Pretty much had my fill of that phenomenon, too.

Thinking about punting here on 3rd down ...

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Summer House - Better Than Ezra - Deluxe
2. Little Lovin' - Lissie - Catching a Tiger
3. Dance With The Dragon - Jefferson Starship - At Their Best
4. Space Truckin' - Deep Purple - Machine Head 25th Anniversary Edition
5. This Magic Moment - Jay & The Americans - AM Gold 1969

Quote of the Day

Forward he cried from the rear
And the front rank died

Pink Floyd, Us and them

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "If you’re feeling particularly philosophical (or maybe nostalgic for early 80s pop music), you may ask yourself, “Well, how did I get here?”"

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CrabAppleLane Hummingbirds - September 13, 2011

They come for the fine cuisine and low, low prices but they stay for the company and the warm atmosphere.

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. The Funeral - Band of Horses - Everything All the Time
2. Put Your Lights On - Santana Feat. Everlast - Supernatural
3. So Many Things to Say - Wishbone Ash - Wishbone Four
4. Magic Bus - The Who - Live At Leeds
5. Old Man - Neil Young - Harvest

Quote of the Day

I've been first and last
Look at how the time goes past
But I'm all alone at last
Rolling home to you

Neil Young, Old Man

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "This is a female Anna Hummingbird. I was on my walk and there she was...very busy."

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Don't think their image is enhanced based on the few tidbits I read. The angelic one has been tarnished for some time but the decent one was mostly still intact.

But how did they get past security? Never mind.

Now, that mayor is cool. I love his response. Love it.

Pretty rich for Saudis to be talking derisively about the double-dealing governments of the west. Today's QOTD mentions how the west dealt then and now with "Qaddafi's Libya — and even Assad's Syria" along with Mubarak's Egypt but somehow leaves out Abdullah's Saudi Arabia's very own double-dealing with those same tinpot dictators, with whom they used to be very cozy but, now that the wind has changed, they seek "justice".

Tuesday Morning Quarterback.

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Indoor - Clannad - Macalla
2. Reprise - Earlimart - Mentor Tormentor
3. Where Have All The Flowers Gone? - Johnny Rivers - Johnny Rivers - Anthology 1964-1977
4. Papa Come Quick (Jody And Chico) - Bonnie Raitt - Luck Of The Draw
5. Under My Wheels - Alice Cooper - Killer

Quote of the Day

Even as they wax lyrical about the virtues of democracy, human rights and all that jazz, they have done everything in their power to undermine those very ideals all these years. Now it turns out it wasn't just the allies in different parts of the world that obliged the West; even the so-called rogue regimes and “sponsors of terror” like that of Qaddafi's Libya — and even Assad's Syria -- actively hobnobbed with the US and UK in this global war on rule of law.

Arab News

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "Sometimes nonprofit leaders fear that inexperienced staff or others outside the immediate control of the organization, like volunteers or program clients, will say something inappropriate on their own profiles or on the organization’s. Sometimes they are afraid that people will get the facts wrong, or will word something in a way that others find offensive. Some nonprofits deal with very sensitive and private issues that should never be shared in social media. But what if someone were to share those details?"

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Had a free pay-per-view movie coming so chose to see Hanna. No spoilers here. Nothing particularly unique about the first few minutes. Father and daughter living out in the woods and training for something. We've seen this before in many thrillers. We know there must be something special about the little girl. Saoirse Ronan does a pretty good job as a girl who grew up isolated and is well-trained for her mission but doesn't know how the world works. The misdirection father and daughter played on the team sent to get them was awesome. That was the best part of the movie. After that, pretty decent CME.

I suck at fantasy football. Not a new revelation.

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Boulevard of Broken Dreams (feat. John Gallagher Jr., Rebecca Naomi Jones, Stark Sands & Company) - Green Day - American Idiot (The Original Broadway Cast Recording)
2. Sample And Hold - Neil Young - Trans
3. Where Is Love? - Lily Frost - Situation
4. Superman (It's Not Easy) - Five for Fighting featuring John Ondrasik - America Town
5. A Girl Like You - Edwyn Collins - Empire Records

Quote of the Day

I just missed your heart

Hanna

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "I think his plan is really radical because it’s about creating a business based on people’s needs rather than a desire for profits. The kids who start the store will eventually own and run it themselves."

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It's 9/11. Please say a prayer, observe a moment of silence, ring a bell, or something else to honor the memory of those lost today 10 years ago. No Saints game today so the day, to me, is mostly about fantasy football and remembrance. More here if you like.

After I refilled the primary CrabAppleLane hummingbird feeder and hung it back out, I was buzzed by 12-15 hummingbirds. They are really swarming right now. They're about to head south. I held out my hand near the feeder and several came by and fanned me. Decided to see if I could capture that image. Thanks, hummingbirds. Today, I needed that kind of joy.

CrabAppleLane Hummingbirds - September 11, 2011

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. The Galician Waltz, Breton Dances - Maggie Sansone - Music In The Great Hall - Instrumental Music From The Ancient Celtic Lands
2. Sweet Lorraine - Uriah Heep - The Best Of Uriah Heep
3. O Can Ye Sew Cushions? - Joemy Wilson - Dulcimer Lullabies
4. Back In The Saddle - Aerosmith - Rocks
5. In The Light - Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti

Quote of the Day

Ten years ago, it was just another morning — a Tuesday, a day when ordinary people did the most ordinary of things: Scrambling to work, hurriedly kissing their families goodbye, running for the train. And then there was the dark gash and the ball of fire high up in one of the buildings, and a few minutes later, a second gash, a second ball of fire and a plume of smoke visible for miles.

James Barron, The New York Times

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "It is far above our poor power to say anything that can encompass the events of that day. But in bringing together bloggers from New York, we thought it fitting to provide a place for us to share our writing from that time. This page is linked to the subway stations now closed after the destruction of the World Trade Center."

I started noticing blogs on the internet after 9/11. -Rob

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It was a Tuesday 10 years ago. I had just gotten to work. In my office in New Orleans, I was the only one who had the internet on my computer. One of my co-workers asked me about the plane that crashed into a building in New York. I knew nothing about it at the time. I tried a few different news websites but many of them were absolutely overwhelmed. I know that now. Then, I didn't know about servers getting overpowered by traffic volume. I finally found MSNBC's live coverage and live video and just stayed there for the next two hours or so. Between phone calls and going about my job, I saw the second plane hit, the first tower collapse, and, finally, the second tower collapse. It was live on my computer terminal. Anger would come later and lots of it but the sadness was there right from the beginning. It's still here. The anger has dissipated some but it's still here, too. I won't live long enough for either to pass entirely and I'll never forget. Never.

About today's QOTD: It started here but ended up there. There are people, like the twits at Political Fail Blog, who are predisposed to believe America is and American troops are ALWAYS guilty and they'll base it on any accusation. No evidence required. It just must be. Is anyone else inclined to believe that our troops are evil enough to handcuff children, shoot them in the head, and call in an airstrike to cover it up? If they were, wouldn't they also see to it that evidence of their crime was destroyed by the airstrike? Is there any other way children can be found hand-cuffed and executed in Iraq?

Wikileaks isn't about letting in the sunshine. It's about getting every disgruntled's, every peeping Tom's, and every troublemaker's message out and letting human nature take its course. Wikileaks is about lulz.

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Gone, Gone, Gone - Bad Company - Desolation Angels
2. Teenager - Better Than Ezra - Deluxe
3. Tequila Sunrise - The Eagles - Their Greatest Hits
4. Disassociative - Marilyn Manson - Mechanical Animals
5. Anam - Clannad - Anam

Quote of the Day

But Lawyers Against the War (LAW) says the Canadian government must either bar Bush at the border because of his alleged involvement in torture and other war crimes and crimes against humanity, or order his arrest when he enters Canada both to ensure he is prosecuted here or elsewhere, and to prevent him from returning to safe haven from prosecution in the United States.

Political Fail Blog

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "Google set to enter Hulu bidding"

Can any internet website with any original idea resist the urge to be bought by one of the giants? Please? -Rob

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I thought the Packers and Saints put on a great show last night. Congrats to the Pack on a good win. The Saints have some work to do but I think there is hope. More thoughts here if you're interested. Took a while to wind down last night after the game. A little tired this morning.

About today's QOTD and BOTD: I think we have a new definition of "excessive". Go to the QOTD link to see how many calls the woman feels is NOT excessive. In light of the Radium Girls from the other day, can't you see the Radium Dial Co. making the same claim today? In one case, no number is excessive. In the other, any number is excessive.

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. I Want To Do Everything For You - Nazareth - Play 'N' The Game
2. Before The Beginning - Fleetwood Mac - Then Play On
3. Kids Wanna Rock - Bryan Adams - Reckless
4. Don't Stand So Close To Me '86 - The Police - The Police Greatest Hits
5. Where You Lead - Carole King - Tapestry

Quote of the Day

Hague prosecution spokeswoman Nicolette Stoel said Thursday the woman argued to judges at a preliminary hearing she had a relationship with the man and the number of calls she placed to him wasn't excessive. The man denied they had a relationship.

Associated Press via WWLTV.com

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "In a town hall meeting last month, Katschnig appealed to President Obama, “Please don't challenge us with more rules and regulations from Washington D.C. that hinder us.” One concern he notes in the video is a proposed regulation on “particulate matter” (dust)."

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It's showtime in the NFL ...

I expect the Packers and Saints to put on a great show tonight. Should be a fun time. More thoughts on the game here and here. Don't bother to call. The ringer will be OFF. Just one more thing ...

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Epilogue (Nothing 'Bout Me) - Sting - Ten Summoner's Tales
2. I Am A Rock - Simon & Garfunkel - Simon & Garfunkel's Greatest Hits
3. Badge - Cream - The Cream Of Clapton
4. Ballad of the Beacon - Wishbone Ash - Wishbone Four
5. Wake Me When September Ends-The Saints Are Coming-It's a Beautiful Day - Green Day & U2 - Saints-Falcons Pre-Game Show

Quote of the Day

The Saints are coming

Green Day-U2, The Saints are coming

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "As matchups go, this game may be one of the best of the season. It features two of the leagues best head coaches in Sean Payton and Mike McCarthy, two of the league's most inventive and aggressive defensive coordinators in Gregg Williams and Dom Capers and two of the league’s best quarterbacks in Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers."

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Today's QOTD is from a Wikipedia article about the Radium Girls. I had never heard of them until Marie cited them in her post. What that company did is truly disgusting.

Tidbits on last night's ESPN Fantasy Football Auction.

1 day until football season ...

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Black Coffee - Humble Pie - A&M Records Classics Vol. 14
2. Save The Last Dance For Me - The Drifters - 16 Greatest Hits
3. Organ Grinder - Marilyn Manson - Portrait Of An American Family
4. The Voice - The Moody Blues - Moody Blues Greatest Hits
5. What Love Can Be - Kingdom Come - Love Bites: More Romantic Power Ballads

Quote of the Day

The U.S. Radium Corporation hired some 70 women to perform various tasks including the handling of radium, while the owners and the scientists familiar with the effects of radium carefully avoided any exposure to it themselves; chemists at the plant used lead screens, masks and tongs. US Radium had even distributed literature to the medical community describing the “injurious effects” of radium. The owners and scientists at US Radium, familiar with the real hazards of radioactivity, naturally took extensive precautions to protect themselves.

Radium Girls by Wikipedia

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "On Friday, September 2, at 11:00 a.m. at the corner of Clinton and Jefferson streets in Ottawa, Illinois, a statue of a young woman holding flowers in one hand and paintbrushes in the other will be unveiled."

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Pretty rich. Vancouver blaming their hockey riots on the NHL instead of themselves. On another blog, a Canadian described why the riot was so alarming by saying hooliganism isn't normally associated with North America. I noted then that she didn't say Canada. She said North America. See, Canadians don't do that. North Americans do. Vancouver and their citizens aren't responsible for their behavior, the NHL is. Not sure why they didn't just come right out and say it. Canadian citizens rioting in a Canadian city is not Canada's fault. It's America's fault. Like everything else.

2 days until football season ...

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Eclipse - Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon
2. Wilderness - Clannad - Anam
3. The Mystic's Dream - Loreena McKennitt - The Mask & The Mirror
4. That Happy Feeling - Bert Kaempfert - 40 Instrumental Hits (The Big Hits of The 50's Era)
5. Look At Yourself - Uriah Heep - The Best Of Uriah Heep

Quote of the Day

A woman who was captured on video shoplifting two pairs of men’s pants posted a long apology and interview with herself on Sunday, then accused the shamers of going too far.

Lesley Ciarula Taylor, thestar.com

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "So exactly when did the London riots occur? A few weeks ago? The Vancouver Riots occurred over two months ago and despite 37 people having turned themselves in, no charges have been put forth to Counsel. In Britain, the rioters and looters have already been put thru trial and sentenced. In Vancouver the reason given as to why no charges have yet been laid is because there is too much evidence in photos, videos and eye witnesses. WTF!!!???"

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Got plans?

The dreariest Labor Day weekend in memory continues. It was still raining here at CrabAppleLane up until about an hour ago. Hope we're done for a while. 9.10 inches of rain since Thursday morning (Bush, LA)? Sure seems like a lot more than that. It has been raining steadily here since Friday. Drizzling sometimes, pouring other times. Lee is a tropical depression now heading toward Appalachia. What a nuisance he's been. Good riddance.

Saints fans got some good news today. See QOTD.

3 days until football season ...

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Confessin' Midnight - Robin Trower - Essential
2. Man That You Fear - Marilyn Manson - Antichrist Superstar
3. Chokin' Kind - Walter "Wolfman" Washington - Sada
4. Found Out About You - Gin Blossoms - New Miserable Experience
5. Thank God I'm A Country Boy - John Denver - Back Home Again

Quote of the Day

I am very pleased to announce this contract extension today for Sean that will run through the 2015 season. Our goal is to continue to build a TRADITION of winning here in New Orleans and Sean represents that tradition.

Tom Benson, New Orleans Saints Owner

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "The world wants to take us to the place where you don't have to use a car eleven times a day, a different arrangement of things on the landscape than what we're currently stuck with in most of the United States."

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This Labor Day weekend may go down as the dreariest of all time. It has not stopped raining here for more than a few minutes since Friday. The ground is thoroughly soaked. Please just do something, Lee. Move through or just go off and die. Just sitting out there is annoying.

About today's QOTD. I have a brother, David, but he does not work for the Press-Register. That David is no relation as far as I know. :)

4 days until football season ...

I offer two from the yard today. The hummingbird feeder is well-protected from interlopers. Last Sunday, he was guarding from the watchtower. This week, he's on the battlefield. The Big Leaf Magnolia is now a No Leaf Magnolia. Lee knocked off the one remaining leaf. Hope that's not the end of it but I think it may be.

CrabAppleLane Hummingbird - September 4, 2011

CrabAppleLane Big Leaf Magnolia - September 4, 2011

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Vas Dis - Wishbone Ash - Time Was- The Wishbone Ash Collection
2. Sail Along Silvery Moon - Billy Vaughn - 40 Instrumental Hits (The Big Hits of The 50's Era)
3. It's A Man's Woman's World (Pt. 1) - Irma Thomas - Sweet Soul Queen Of New Orleans: Irma Thomas Collection
4. Baby, Now That I've Found You - Alison Krauss & Union Station - Live
5. Twilight - The Band - The Best Of The Band

Quote of the Day

The National Weather Service predicted Lee could dump more than a foot of rain in some areas of the northern Gulf Coast.

David Ferrara, Alabama Press-Register

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "At 8:30 a.m. CDT, the center of Tropical Storm Lee was located just South/Southeast of the New Iberia airport in southcentral Louisiana."

Pretty much where it was yesterday at this time. -Rob

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Started to use "casualty" instead of "loss" but that may seem insensitive later. So I'm watching TV on the couch, barely keeping my eyes open, when I hear a howling wind. Although I can see the Bradford pear tree from my couch, I didn't see anything happen. The tree below, which only yielded a few twigs to Katrina, Rita, Gustav, and Ike, lost half her spread to this pipsqueak, Lee's, feeder band. Unfortunately, on the ground, this tree IS in my way so I had to deal with it. I'm now sore all over and I don't know if this tree, Patsy's favorite, can be saved.

Tropical Storm Lee - September 3, 2011

Tropical Storm Lee - September 3, 2011

Tropical Storm Lee - September 3, 2011

We're inside today because of Lee. We're also under a tornado watch. It has rained all night, all morning, and is still raining. Most of the gas stations on the main highway near my workplace were out of gas yesterday or had really long lines but the ones off the beaten path had gasoline and no waiting. I filled up with ease. Super Wal-Mart was also rather crazy yesterday. Patsy went out earlier today for cat medicine and some groceries for the long weekend. No street flooding yet but drainage ditches are full and the ground is saturated. Lee is due here tomorrow. There is some concern here at CrabAppleLane.

LSU v Oregon tonight from Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. Both teams have had some off-field issues and most fans will be happy just to see their team on the field. Cowboys Stadium is a neutral field but LSU will have far more support. I know quite a few people who made this road trip. Should be a good game.

About today's QOTD: Miss America is my favorite Styx song. The links will take you to both the studio version and the live version. I prefer the studio version. The lyrics are pretty mean but I think that's what I like most about the song.

5 days until football season ...

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. By The Time I Get To Phoenix - Johnny Rivers - Johnny Rivers - Anthology 1964-1977
2. Naya's Song - Joemy Wilson - Dulcimer Lullabies
3. The Sign - Ace Of Base - The Sign
4. My Morphine - Gillian Welch - Hell Among the Yearlings
5. Miss America - Styx - The Grand Illusion

Quote of the Day

Well, it's true
Just take a look
The cover sometimes makes the book
And the judges?
Did they ever ask?
To read between your lines

In your cage
At the human zoo
They all stop to look at you
Next year
What will you do?
When you have been forgotten?

Styx, Miss America

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "According to a public advisory issued as I've been writing, at 1am tonight (Saturday) by the National Hurricane Center, the center of tropical storm Lee is expected to make landfall on the coast of southern Louisiana late Saturday, bringing along sustained winds near 50mph (80 kilometers/hour) with higher gusts, and dumping up to 20 inches of rain over the areas affected."

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I caught the tail end of Armadillo on PBS while I was channel-surfing the other night. Made me want to see the whole movie so I saw the rest of it last night. I'm not sure I saw what the filmmakers intended me to see, though. It's a documentary that depicts six months of a Danish army unit stationed in Afghanistan. According to their remarks at the end of the film, they wanted to examine the perception of soldiers as heroes and there's a lot of footage of the unit just being ordinary guys. Fair enough.

There is also a good amount of footage of the men out on patrol, trying to gain the trust of the local civilian population, and of real, live, scary combat. There is a bit of controversy in Denmark over the actions of these Danish soldiers during the final firefight. I have no problem with it so, to me, they were quite rightfully exonerated. See it for yourself, though. It was hard to watch sometimes and the subtitles are hard to read at times but Armadillo was mesmerizing. Highly recommended.

6 days until football season ...

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. The Devil Had a Hold of Me - Gillian Welch - Hell Among the Yearlings
2. Why Aye Man - Mark Knopfler - The Ragpicker's Dream
3. Right Down The Line - Gerry Rafferty - City To City
4. Faraway Land - Alison Krauss & Union Station - Live
5. Mustang Sally - The Commitments - The Commitments

Quote of the Day

You're not wacko, just because you laugh at some irrelevant stuff.

Danish Medic, Armadillo

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "We sailed, ate, walked and remembered. We saw, listened and smelled."

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Petty, petty politics has a Presidential address airing on the same night as the Packers-Saints season opener next Thursday. The Republicans didn't like the President asking for Wednesday night because it would conflict with their televised debate so they said no and suggested Thursday night. Petty all around. Petty for the President to choose Wednesday night knowing it would rankle the Republicans and petty for the Republicans to suggest Thursday night knowing it would conflict with the NFL opening night extravaganza. Are these really the only two nights on the calender? What is wrong with these people?

7 days until football season ...

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Alien - Bush - Sixteen Stone
2. Little Lovin' - Lissie - Catching a Tiger
3. Snakeskin Cowboys - Ted Nugent - Ted Nugent
4. Maybe Tomorrow - Badfinger - The Very Best Of Badfinger
5. Waiting For The Man - Nazareth - Play 'N' The Game

Quote of the Day

Either way, NBC is caught in the middle. If Obama — a Bears fans — opts to try to overshadow the kickoff to the NFL season, and if NBC opts to televise the address to Congress on MSNBC and to proceed with the football game on NBC, the ratings could be phenomenal, given that the NFL would be the only major-network alternative for the millions of folks who have decided that the latest developments in partisan politics no longer need to witnessed live.

Or at all.

Mike Florio, PFT

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "For the first time in its history, the editors at The New Yorker know which articles are being read. And they know who's reading them."

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