Painting: The Wheel Of Progress

<-- Click the painting to enlarge -->

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Another Smack In The Head By The Modern World, Or, How My Beetle Broke My Heart

I'd been waiting for this for weeks. The odometer in my Bug was just about to roll over and I wanted to see those fantastic goose eggs. I'd driven nearly every one of those miles to arrive at this milestone.

99,999.1
99,999.2
99,999.3
99,999.4
99,999.5
99,999.6
99,999.7
99,999.8
99,999.9

Yes! This was it...here it comes! And then::::::::::::

100,000

What??! A hundred thousand?!! What happened to the zeros?? Then I noticed there was even one more spot for another number. The odometer would go up to nine million miles.

Gypped again by the modern world.
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Another Shocking Revelation In The Enumclaw Beastiality Case

Not only are there problems with the stallions, but apparently people have been attempting to teach the fillies at the Enunclaw stable the missionary position.
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Julian Beever's Virtual Reality Street Art

British artist, Julian Beever, is known for his sidewalk art in in the U.S. and throughout Europe. This is fascinating stuff. The drawings have "an anamorphosis view," that is, they are drawn so that appear 3D when viewed from certain angles.

Click on the title of this post to check out some examples of this fascinating art...

Painting: Chief Justices of The Supreme Court Of The United States: No. 2, John Rutledge

Click image to enlarge

John Rutledge (1739-1800), American jurist and statesman, was Revolutionary War governor of South Carolina. He exemplified the conservative views of the mercantile and planter aristocracy. He served one year as as Associate Justice, followed by five years (1790-95) as the Chief Justice.

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Police to Check Bags on NYC Subways

The Associated Press reported today that:

"Police will begin random searches of bags and packages carried by people entering city subways, officials announced Thursday after a new series of bomb attacks in London. Passengers carrying bags will be selected at random before they pass through turnstiles, and those who refuse to be searched won't be allowed to ride, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said.

'We just live in a world where, sadly, these kinds of security measures are necessary," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said. "Are they intrusive? Yes, a little bit. But we are trying to find that right balance.' "

As a five year subway rider, from 77-82, this makes me really sad. Eventually, we will all become as sanguine about this as we are about getting frisked at the airport! With my stainless steel hip, I'm pretty used to getting raked over the coals; the bells begin going off the second I step through the metal detecting archway. /jack

Ann Coulter Says POTUS Picked The Wrong Guy

From Ann Coulter's Website:

We don’t know much about John Roberts. Stealth nominees have never turned out to be a pleasant surprise for conservatives. Never. Not ever... Oh, yeah...we know he's argued cases before the supreme court. big deal; so has Larry Flynt's attorney.

And it makes no difference that conservatives in the White House are assuring us Roberts can be trusted. We got the exact same assurances from officials working for the last president Bush about David Hackett Souter. I believe their exact words were, "Read our lips; Souter's a reliable conservative."

Finally, lets ponder the fact that Roberts has gone through 50 years on this planet without ever saying anything controversial. That’s just unnatural.

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Photograph: Claire & Colin, University of Victoria Students

<-- Click to enlarge-->

Photo by Del Brummet or Jack Brummet

The Photos Judge Roberts & His Handlers Do Not Want You To See

Within minutes of The President's press conference this evening, various blogs and independent web sites tonight began publishing controversial photographs of President Bush's Supreme Court Nominee, Judge John Roberts, Jr.

The photos were allegedly taken at Bangkok Massage And Baths in Fairfax County, Virginia. Other photos reportedly show the nominee engaged in various lewd acts with a "masseuse," as well as with a number of other partners, male and female. Neither the White House or The 4th Circuit of Appeals would comment on the photographs.
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John Roberts Selected As President Bush's New Boy On The SCOTUS

Tonight President Bush ended the last few weeks' pointless jawboning, speculation, and hot air by naming John G. Roberts Jr., 50, as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.

Roberts seems to be one of President Bush's least controversial picks for the bench. He hasn't been a judge long enough to have accumulated much of a paper trail. That's a small consolation. It appeared for a time that he would name a woman to the bench. But when he got enough mileage out of that, or the trial balloon hit the ground, he decided to bring in one of the fellas.

And, hey, if you're going to bring in one of the fellas, bring in one that did some good stuff for Dad, and if he was your lawyer before the Supreme Court in the 2000 election contest, well, all the better. . .
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Justice Edith Clement - Nope!

According to the Associated Press this morning, President Bush is about to name his first nomination to the Supreme Court. The frontrunner now appears to be the 57 year old Judge Edith Clement of the U.S. Court of Appeals in New Orleans. This will be something of a relief to the Democrats, and others. She has stated that the "the right to privacy. . .includes the right to have an abortion."

The Associated Press, however, indicated this afternoon that she is not the chosen one...
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Street Art (Literally) In Victoria, B.C.

Click photo to enlarge

This artist recreates classical easel art in chalk drawings on the street. The drawings remain until it rains. In this case, he drew a couple of paintings by Rembrandt Harmenszoon Van Rijn.
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