Madison Real Estate -- Some Creative Thoughts

When Madison Jaguar moved down the block, it left this eyesore smack in the middle of town! On first blush, finding a replacement car dealership in these economic times may be difficult, but... let's think outside the box, folks! This is an opportunity to put the Rose City on the national automotive map!




The automotive wave of the future is in hybrids, electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles. Here's a chance for Madison to become the world headquarters for alternative fuel vehicles. We're supposed to be a rich town; isn't there some deep-pocketed entrepreneur up on the hill somewhere who can see a dynasty in the making?


Here are just a few cars we could sell right here!







To learn more about Tesla(right), click the headline; for smart cars (left), type

http://www.smartusa.com/ in the address bar.

Travel the Silk Road

Americans have historically been geographically challenged. Separated from most of the world by two great oceans and generously endowed with natural self-sufficiency, we have remained blissfully ignorant of just where and who we are in the global scenario.


For almost a decade, the United States has been engaged in war in Afghanistan, thousands of miles from home. It is a war from which upwards of 1,500 Americans and our Allies will never return, yet the average American not only cannot locate Afghanistan on a map, they also know next to nothing of the area's rich historical and cultural background. A new exhibit at New York's Museum of Natural History can enlighten us.


The Silk Road - Ancient Pathway to the Modern World | American Museum of Natural History



For additional information, click on the headline.

Dreamliner takes off!

TODAY! She flies!

Click on the headline for the complete story.

Is this the worst Christmas ever?

Christmas through the years has always served as a sort of western-world 'time-out,' a few days at the tag end of a year where we sit back, reflect on the inherent goodness of the human species and express our collective hope that, with suitable inspiration and resolve, life will be better next year. This year? Fuhgedaboutit!



On network TV, 'Merry Christmas' as a news anchor sign-off has sunk to historic lows; Happy Hanukkah has become ubiquitous, Happy Kwanzaa is on the rise, but Happy Holidays and Season's Greetings have all but replaced any mention of actual Christmas.


The demise of Christmas nomenclature apparently applies as well to the spirit of the season. For the first time within memory, the citizenry is rebelling against traditional Christmas carols; shopping malls have received complaints about tired old music being piped through their halls, and several successful satirical songs seem to suggest that America has had quite enough of O Holy Night, Noel, and the Little Drummer Boy.

The spirit of -- dare we say it? Christmas -- also seems, if not dead, certainly on life support. With less than a fortnight to go before the birthday of Christ, Peace on Earth, or even the thought of such melodramatic tripe, is nowhere to be found. Tiger Woods, Tarp money, and Terrorism fill the airwaves; there simply appears to be no room for 'Good Will Toward Men.'

Jaxonia is going to give it one last shot.

Why Does the Air Force Want Thousands of PlayStations?

This falls into the creepy category -- a bunch of Playstation 3s, linked together, doing ... what? Running NORAD? Maybe my grandsons have unconsciously been working toward an Air Force career. It's gonna make it harder for their mother to get them to dinner when their response is "Not now Mom, I'm tracking an unidentified aircraft over Alaskan air space!"


Why Does the Air Force Want Thousands of PlayStations? - ABC News

Godfather spaghetti sauce -- you never know, you might have to cook for 20 guys some day

You see, you start out with a little bit of oil. Then you fry some garlic. Then you throw in some tomatoes, tomato paste, you fry it; ya make sure it doesn't stick. You get it to a boil; you shove in all your sausage and your meatballs; heh�? And a little bit o' wine. An' a little bit o' sugar, and that's my trick."

Our thanks to the Urban Possum for this -- click on the headline to go there.

The scene with Clemenza appears in the novel, but not the actual recipe. According to the DVD commentary, the recipe came from Francis Ford Coppola, who directed the film. He says he put the recipe in the script because, if the film flopped, at least whoever saw it would learn how to make spaghetti sauce. In other words, this is meant to be an Important Scene.

There are some clues as to proportions that aren't mentioned. Clemenza is talking to Mikey just as he's emptying two cans of tomatoes into the sauce. That tells us the proportions he's using. When he adds the sausages and meatballs, you realize from their color that they've already been cooked. He splashes in wine straight from the jug, and it's a deep red wine. The sugar is dumped in from a measuring cup, and it looks to be about a quarter-cup.

So. Here's how the recipe looks, to serve 8 to 10 people:

Spaghetti Sauce

2 tbsp. olive oil
2-4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 large (28-ounce) cans tomatoes (whole, crushed or chopped)
1 10-ounce or 2 6-ounce cans tomato paste
3 to 4 Italian sausages, grilled and sliced
1 lb. cooked meatballs (use your favorite recipe)
Dry red wine
1/4 cup sugar

1. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large pot.
2. Add garlic and cook for a few minutes. Do not let the garlic burn.
3. Add tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring continuously so that a relatively smooth consistence is reached.
4. Add sausages and meatballs. Stir until the meat is coated.
5. Add a splash of red wine, then the sugar according to taste.
6. Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for a minimum of 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.
7. Serve by ladling over cooked pasta.

Tip: If you normally have problems with gas after eating a sauce like this, you can reduce them by skimming the surface of acid (reddish-orange pools of foam will form on the surface).

Tip 2: If you're using canned whole tomatoes, draining them and then crushing them by hand will result in a chunky sauce. Canned crushed tomatoes will create a slightly thinner sauce, while canned chopped tomatoes will result in a thicker sauce.

Day of Infamy, then... and now

It is now 69 years later. Almost a decade ago, on September 11, 2001, America was attacked again, with a loss of life and property even more devastating than Pearl Harbor. The war that started on that 'day of infamy' continues to this day.

Let us pray that America, once again, has the will and resolve to "gain the inevitable triumph, so help us God!"





Televised one year ago

99 luft balloons redux -- is that even possible?

This is a real test of Jaxonia's -- and your -- technical internet prowess -- if everything works correctly, you should be able to a)click on the headline for a musical accompaniment, and b) click on the internal headline for the complete story. Put the audio in its own window so you'll be able to click on the internal headline. It may be easier if you get the music playing in its own window, and THEN load Jaxonia again. (We didn't say it would be easy!) One last caveat: You'll only get one shot at the complete song; Lala reverts to a 30-second clip for additional replays -- the bastards want you to buy the music!

Well, what are you waiting for? Get going!

What's With the Red Balloons? Military Offers $40k in Contest - ABC News



This is just a one-page article... there's nothing here... move along.

Laurel and Hardy meet Santana

The 21st century is not entirely without merit!





This is just a one-page article... there's nothing here... move along.

USA draws England in World Cup opener

We already beat these guys once -- do we have to do it again? :-)

At the time, the English considered themselves the "Kings of Football", with a post-war record of 23 wins, 4 losses, and 3 draws. Conversely, the Americans had lost their last seven international matches (including the 1934 World Cup and 1948 Summer Olympics) by the combined score of 45�2. The odds were 3�1 the English would win the Cup, and 500�1 for the U.S.
England had Stanley Matthews available, whom they considered the best player in the world at the time, but he had not played with the English team in the three international matches prior to the World Cup (in fact, he had joined the team late, having been touring Canada as part of another group of English internationals). As such, the selection committee (consisting of one man, Arthur Drewry), opted to stay with the team that had just defeated Chile. As there were no substitutes allowed in those days, Matthews watched the game with the other reserves. Drewry, at one time the Football League president, would become the Secretary of FIFA following the death of Jules Rimet.
Meanwhile, the American team consisted of semi-professional players, most of whom had other jobs to support their families. Walter Bahr was a high school teacher, and others worked as mail carriers or dishwashers. "We have no chance," recently-appointed coach Bill Jeffrey told the press.
First half


England won the toss and elected to kick off. Within ninety seconds, Stanley Mortensen sent a cross from the left wing to Roy Bentley, who let off a shot that was barely pushed aside by U.S. goalkeeper Frank Borghi. By the twelfth minute, England had six clear shots on goal but could not convert, with two shots hitting the post, one just going over the top, and another brilliantly saved by Borghi.
The U.S. struggled to move to the offense, and finally managed a shot on goal in the twenty-fifth minute, which was blocked by English goalkeeper Bert Williams. The English counterattacked with three successive clear shots at the goal in minutes 30, 31, and 32, but failed to score. Mortensen twice went over the crossbar, and Tom Finney's header to the top corner was tipped away by Borghi.
In the thirty-seventh minute, Bahr crossed the ball from approximately twenty-five yards out, but as Williams moved to intercept, Joe Gaetjens dove headlong and grazed the ball enough to put it past the reach of the English goalkeeper and into the back of the net. The crowd exploded as the U.S. improbably led 1�0. As the half drew to a close, Finney had a chance to tie the score, but the whistle blew before he could shoot.
Second half


With renewed confidence, the U.S. played tougher as the second half opened, creating another scoring opportunity in the 54th minute. In the 59th minute England was awarded a direct free kick but Mortensen's shot was well saved by Borghi. But England began threatening again, and it was fifteen minutes before the Americans were able to get another shot. With eight minutes left, Charlie Colombo brought down Mortensen with an illegal tackle at the edge of the penalty area. England pleaded for a penalty kick, but the referee ruled it was outside the box. On the resulting free kick, Jimmy Mullen headed the ball for what he thought was a goal, failing to notice that Borghi had tipped it away at the last second, denying the English on their chance to tie the game.
England had no more chances on goal and the game ended in victory for the U.S. team. England then lost their next match and failed to qualify for the final round. The U.S. team was able to score two goals against Chile, but still lost that match 5�2 to end their World Cup run. They would not qualify for the World Cup again until 1990.
John Souza, the U.S. inside right forward, was selected to a World Cup All-Star team by the Brazilian sports newspaper Mundo Esportivo, and remained the only American player ever selected to a World Cup All-Star team until Claudio Reyna in 2002.

Aftermath


Around the world, newspaper headlines trumpeted the shocking upset, except, oddly enough, in the United States and England. In fact, only one American journalist was even at the World Cup (Dent McSkimming of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch who could not get the newspaper to pay for the trip, and took time off of work to cover the event), and his report of the match was the only one to appear in any major American newspaper.
In England, the top story was the English cricket team's first ever defeat by the West Indies, which happened the same day. So unexpected was the result that, among some English publications, it was presumed that the 1-0 scoreline was a typing error and so it was reported that England had won on a scoreline of 10-0.
Afterwards, a number of books and newspapers in England suggested that the U.S. team had arrived "through Ellis Island", meaning that the team was made up of imported players, but eight of the starting eleven were American-born. The other three, Gaetjens, Ed McIlvenny, and Joe Maca, were not U.S. citizens but had declared their intentions to gain citizenship and according to the rules of the United States Soccer Football Association at the time were allowed to play. The U.S. was cleared of any wrongdoing by FIFA in a hearing on 2 December 1950.

Trust The Force!

If all the healthcare news has you scratching your head, if you can't keep straight in your mind the legal,economic and ethical meanderings of our Congressional representatives, well, join the club.

Public option, in or out? Single payer? What about abortion? Illegal immigrants? Liberals say we must have healthcare reform, Conservatives say we already have the best in the world.

Jaxonia is taking the high road here. We are going to trust the President, and hope he can cut through all the political polarization and do what's best for America.

He's a smart guy, and he's surrounded himself with smart people. He was once dirt poor, had to grow up in a single-parent household, and knows first-hand the kind of job and family pressures the average person has to deal with.

He's trying to make it better for us... why don't we just let him?


from The Christian Science Monitor< Peter Grier, Staff Writer



One week into the Senate healthcare reform debate two things are clear: Democrats don't have their 60 votes, and the end is not coming anytime soon.

The Senate has debated historic healthcare reform legislation for a week now. What have we learned?

(Click headline to link to the complete article.)

May we direct your attention...

... to Jaxonia's newest addition, our 'favorite blogs' section? Chock-a-block full of goodies it is, but the real coup is the Obama favorite. It's true, and the site has become required reading for the West Wing. You'll just have to click on it to discover what it is, but here's even more incentive -- it's got the BEST right-hand column on the internet!

"Move along...This is a one-page article... there's nothing of interest here."

Time for a re-read

Healthcare is on the table, and there's so much misinformation floating around, the average citizen has a hard time making sense of any of it. Click on the headline to go back to what Jaxonia originally said about this problem. It's really a simple situation. We have lousy health care. There's a bill before Congress to make it better. This isn't brain surgery!

Nuna 5 crashes, Eleanor fades, longshot from Japan wins Aussie Solar Challenge

Japan's Tokai Challenger won this year's Adelaide, Australia Solar Challenge and despite an horrendous crash, the four-time Netherlands' Delft University team, 'Nuna 5', still managed a second-place finish.



The much-vaunted MIT entrant, Eleanor, faded to fifth place, but the U.S. was well represented by a third-place finish from a University of Michigan team. Sunswift IV, a homey from New South Wales, finished fourth.


All the entrants are powered only by the sun, and the Tokai Challenger averaged over 100 km per hour to win the 3000 km Darwin-to-Adelaide race.

Click on the headline for a PDF of the entire results.
Go to the August 26 archives for Jaxonia's original article.

The Demise of Real Bread

Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear, when men were men and a plain old loaf of white bread was BREAD -- wholesome, nutritious, even tasty!

The stuff the supermarkets stock today, no matter how many daffodils are painted on the wrapper, no matter what picturesque 'farm' houses the bakery, no matter what Pennsylvania Dutch sect is responsible, all those modern loaves are creepy -- they have a shelf life of MONTHS, they actually get softer for the first few days, and they taste like aerated styrofoam.


Do yourself a big favor:

Run to your nearest bakery and buy a loaf of plain white bread (They've got it in the back room somewhere, behind the streuzels) Order it UNSLICED. Now you're back in control of your bread destiny... thin slices for toast, thick slabs for sandwiches, and an actual bread touch, feel and smell!


Click on the headline, and read the horror story of modern bread -- you'll never go back!

Did I Count Right?

Are there 32 police officers in the borough of Madison and only one woman?
Holy machismo, Batman!

In New York City, 17 percent of the force is female... and that's some tough duty, too! For our police force to sneak into the 21st century of equal opportunity, we should have at least five women officers.

Click on the headline, meet the officers, and do your own count.

Johnny Mercer's 100 years -- Rolling on the Atchinson, Topeka and the Sante Fe!

Lyricist and composer Johnny Mercer � born Nov. 18, 1909, in Savannah, Ga. � wrote or co-wrote more than 1,000 songs, including American Songbook standards like "Skylark," "That Old Black Magic" and "Come Rain or Come Shine."

Mercer wrote the impishly satirical "Hooray for Hollywood," too � along with a total of 90 of that town's most famous exports. His Academy Awards tally includes four statues (one for what's possibly his most famous tune, "Moon River") and 19 nominations.

Mercer's musical collaborators included titans like Harold Arlen, Jerome Kern and Henry Mancini, and his range was prodigious: He turned out both light-footed comedy lyrics like the one for "Spring, Spring, Spring" (from the film Seven Brides for Seven Brothers) and swooningly beautiful rhapsodies on the order of "Laura," "Dream" and "I Remember You."

His witty wordplay made the up-tempo numbers work, but for many of his fans, it's the indelible word-pictures in Mercer's ballads that make him a legend. (Hear Ella Fitzgerald sing "Early Autumn" to see why.)

Johnny Mercer died in 1976.





(from NPR Radio)

BTW, in 1965 Sarah Vaughn and I shared the same apartment building! I used to chat with her on the elevator! I'm still reeling over that!

In the hall of champions...

Who, or what is the best something-or-other? It's a classic conversation, and in some categories -- sports, cars, beautiful women or men -- nothing is definitive. The same holds true for consumer products. Jaxonia has many favorites, some of which are illustrated here, and while we are steadfast in our brand loyalty, we duly recognize honorable competition. We peacefully co-exist with Smuckers and Boar's Head people, and can even grudgingly admit a Miracle Whipper into our castle.


But there is ONE brand, one product, that really reigns supreme. It sits atop its competition comfortably and forever, and Jaxonia experts, given a choice, will accept no other.

Scott 1000 sheets toilet tissue is the best toilet tissue ever made!

The true mark of its superiority has nothing to do with scent or softness -- many competitors smell better and are gentler to the touch -- but in the end game, when one stares with panic at a fast-depleting roll, Scott alone delivers more, not less. There always seems to be enough Scott left to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. May it be forever so!

A fun Ferrari-Fiat race

One lap around a Formula One track, a four-banger Fiat, a Ferrari Modena and a Ferrari Formula One racer. The two Ferraris, of course, are given severe time handicaps.

Let me see your identification...
You don't need to see any identification.
This isn't the page you're looking for.
You can go about your business.
Move along... move along.

Tesla -- Forgotten Genius

The world seems ready to 'discover' Nikola Tesla... and you can, too. Click on the headline for a great film of his life and achievements, or click 'read more' to go to the Tesla Society's home page, which is chock-a-block full of cool stuff.





For some glitchy reason the direct link isn't working -- maybe Tesla's ghost fooling around -- but you can still get to his site by copying http://www.tesla.org and pasting it into the URL bar.

From Barack to me

An e-mail from President Barack Obama to me:

Jack --Today, on Veterans Day, my message to you is simple: Thank you. Thank you for your selfless service, for your valor, and for your strength of purpose that make all of us proud to be Americans.Today, Americans will pause amidst a great conversation about the future of ...our nation to take a moment and recognize your service to our democracy -- a service that guarantees us all the liberty to engage freely in that conversation, no matter what our views may be. We know that we owe you a debt that cannot be repaid. But we can and will fulfill our nation's promise to stand by you and your loved ones. That is why we've worked hard for better care for our veterans, and why we provided the largest increase in Veterans Administration funding in history.


Today, we honor those Americans past and present who've served on battlefields from Lexington to Antietam, Normandy to Manila, Inchon to Khe Sanh, Ramadi to Kandahar. You have defended our freedom on land, and at sea, and in the air.You reflect the diversity that makes this America. You share a patriotism beyond question. And you share the same unflinching courage, selfless compassion, and uncommon camaraderie that -- when faced with the tragedy of a despicable and heartbreaking attack last Thursday -- the soldiers and civilians of Ft. Hood humbly revealed to the world. You and your loved ones are the patriotic men and women we honor today, Veterans Day. And you are the men and women we shall honor every day, in times of war and times of peace, so long as our nation endures.Thank you.
--------------
Mr. President, you're welcome

Extreme DNA

The woman in the pic is a gratuitous addition; the article is about horses!





This is not scintillating reading, but struggle through it -- trust me, your brain needs the exercise. Click either 'read more' or the headline. The horse genome: Riding high | The Economist

Some Jaxonia shaving help

The biggest problem with shaving in the shower is the mirror gets spotty and foggy. Despite the many 'fog-free' mirrors being touted, nothing keeps them really clean... until now.



Just cut off a chunk of Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and put it under your razor. One swipe, and you're clear as glass. By the way, if you've succumbed to the scare stories about this product, they're all rubbish. Check it out - click on the headline.

The Fox hatchet job -- revealed!

Here, thanks to mediamatters.org, is a compilation of Fox ?News? diatribe. Please notice that it is month-by-month, starting right after the inauguration!


So far, the president has played the part of the cartoon Roadrunner, while Fox and the right-wing crazies are Wiley Coyote; despite elaborate plans and actions to undermine his presidency, Obama has been able to blithely ignore their traps and remain focused on issues. As long as this confrontation stays out of the oval office, he should be OK.

Why I Hate the Yankees

For every other major league team, getting into the post-season playoffs denotes a successful season, and anything from there on is considered gravy. The Yankees consider the post season as their birthright; not getting there constitutes a failure of titanic proportions, and being eliminated in any of the series, including the World Series, justifies wholesale firings, drastic changes and raiding of opposition rosters.

The ALDS begins tonight, with the Yanks meeting the Minnesota Twins. The Twins' team salary is $65 million. Three players on the Yankees total MORE than that, and the Yankee team salary is more than TRIPLE the Twins!


Despite the disparity of numbers, the pesky Twins have competed pretty well, and have managed to get to the post season with a regularity that speaks volumes for their management's baseball knowledge and the team skill of their players. They play with a selfless and exciting team spirit the Yankees haven't had since the 60s.


Let's Go Twins! Beat the rich guys!

How much longer?

se�di�tion [si-dish-uhn] �noun
1. incitement of discontent or rebellion against a government.
2. any action, esp. in speech or writing, promoting such discontent or rebellion.



Can anyone out there reasonably hope to defend either Rush Limbaugh(right) or Sean Hannity (left) against such charges? Just TODAY Mr. Limbaugh talked about the possibility of a coup d'etat, and Friday Mr. Hannity devoted considerable air time to his public embarrassment of President Obama, condemning him for not understanding America, its history, or how the government is supposed to work.


Why are we allowing these people to actively foment and promote treason and sedition?



Political criticism is one thing, but the right-wing extremists in this country have gone WAY across the line. When their followers started arming themselves at public political rallies, we should have all been put on notice; we need to put these guys in jail where they belong! Show this 'democracy' that we have the stones to enforce laws that ensure a stable government!

You don't like health care reform? Fine. You think the country's leaning too far toward socialism? OK. But if you start spreading rumors that our President is somehow illegimate, if you think screaming, yelling, gun-carrying public disruptions of the peace are part of the political process, you should be locked up!

Ho Hum -- Just another Jersey 'First'

On April 4, 1964, inspired by a sandwich shop in Point Pleasant, NJ, Tony Conza, Peter DeCarlo and Angelo Baldassare opened up their own submarine shop at 110 Washington St in Hoboken. Looking for a unique name, they turned to a dictionary and settled on the word blimp. With sandwiches ranging from 35 to 95 cents, they rang up $295 in their first day. Years later it has grown into a national chain with 1600 US franchises, trailing only subway and Quiznos. (And WAY better than either of them!) This October 12th the Blimpies in Stirling, NJ will celebrate its 15th anniversary. It's a good store, with nice people, in the Long Hill Twp. Mall, Go visit!

'Invisibility Cloak' Could Protect Against Earthquakes

A series of concrete rings would surround a building or other structure, forming the shield. The shield would redirect the vibration around the object inside. Each ring will wobble in such a way that the wave will bend around the building.


If you search hard enough, you actually can find good news!



ScienceDaily (2009-07-20) -- New research has shown it is possible to develop an 'invisibility cloak' to protect buildings from earthquakes. The seismic waves produced by earthquakes include body waves which travel through the earth and surface waves which travel across it. The new technology controls the path of surface waves which are the most damaging and responsible for much of the destruction which follows earthquakes. ... > read full article

And you thought all geeks did was play video games!

Sept. 25, 1513 -- Balboa discovers the Pacific Ocean

For most of us, that's about it for our knowledge of Vasco N��ez De Balboa. We know more about Rocky Balboa than this guy! Too bad for us. --

His actions and deeds are remembered by history. Several parks and avenues throughout Panama bear the name "Vasco N��ez de Balboa," and a number of monuments honor his discovery of the South Sea. The Panamanian currency is called the Balboa, and his likeness appears on the obverse of some coins. His name is also attached to Panama City's main port, Balboa (the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal) and the Balboa District within Panam� Province, to which the Pearl Islands that he discovered belong. In San Francisco, California, Balboa's name appears among a row of avenues which are named after Spanish conquistadors. There is also a large park adjacent to downtown San Diego, California named after Balboa, in which there are many world-class museums.

The highest order granted by the Panamanian government to distinguished and outstanding figures, foreign and domestic, is the Orden Vasco N��ez de Balboa, in various degrees, as established by Law 27 from 28 January 1933.

The lunar crater Balboa was named after him.

Read about his exciting life -- (Really! It should be a movie!) Just click on the headline of this article.

He's Hot, He's Sexy and He's Dead!

No, not Jim Morrison, although that's who is cited in that Rolling Stone quote. We're talking about John Maynard Keynes, the 20th century ethical economist who was displaced as a guru by Wall Street greed, Reaganomics and Milton Friedman.



Well, now. Come the 2009 recession, and all the free-market, Chicago schoolers are suddenly on life support. Friedman is now literally and philosphically dead, and Reaganomics is being blamed for every bank failure since LBJ. Just how permanent that may be will be left to Barack Obama, Paul Krugman and luck.
It has often been said that the Wharton School's MBA Economics final exam is the same every year, that only the answers change, to which we can now append another 20th century adage, the one with the circled paragraph and hand-penned note in the margins of a hundred romance novels -- "How True!"



(Click on the headline to read Salon.com's wonderful take on this state of our economic affairs.)

Aegis Cruisers can blanket Iran, Middle East

According to the GOP -- and you can do the research on this, if you want -- President Barack Obama has done absolutely nothing right, not a single, solitary thing, since he took office. And he uses a teleprompter all the time, eats greasy hamburgers, goes to plays in New York City and, really, really, vacations with rich people! Just who the hell does he think he is?


The latest mistake to join this unbroken string of gaffes, missteps and errors of omission, commission and diplomacy is his decision to scrap a Bush missile defense plan that would have required U.S. bases in Poland and the Czech Republic. He's replacing the Bush system with a fleet of 84 Aegis cruisers that are available immediately, are closer to Iran and the Middle East than either of the proposed bases, and have a tested missile intercept success rate of 90 percent. It's also ten times CHEAPER. Boy, what a klutz this president is!

Is there a place for hip hop?

I really hate to admit it, but this thing is MESMERIZING... and as good as the best CliffsNotes!




Check over this synopsis and see how much that 5-minute rap covers!


Act I.

Also known as "The Scottish play", Shakespeare's dark, grim tragedy begins with Three Witches in Scotland deciding to meet again after a battle being fought nearby. Thunder, storms and the desolate heath paint a gloomy picture, setting the tone of this play and defining an imagery of nature at war with itself, a recurring theme in this play...

Macbeth is introduced as the brave man who led King Duncan's forces to victory against the traitorous Thane of Cawdor, Macdonwald and The King of Norway, in a battle that could have gone either way were it not for Macbeth's leadership. We learn that Macbeth killed Macdonwald himself in battle. King Duncan, overjoyed, decides to make Macbeth his new Thane of Cawdor. The previous Thane of Cawdor will be executed.

The Three Witches establish their malicious nature before meeting Macbeth and Banquo. The Three Witches tell Macbeth that he will be "Thane of Glamis!", "Thane of Cawdor!" and "king hereafter" or become the King of Scotland.

Banquo learns that his descendants shall be kings. Banquo is suspicious of the Three Witches, remembering that they often trick men. Macbeth initially agrees but when Ross and Angus tell him he has been made the new Thane of Cawdor, Macbeth in a very important aside (soliloquy), remarks, "Glamis, and Thane of Cawdor: / The greatest is behind."

Macbeth now first questions Banquo's on his feelings about his descendants becoming kings and then starts thinking of killing King Duncan to make prophecy fact but later hopes fate alone will spare him the need to kill...

Macbeth meets King Duncan, thanking him for his new title. The also loyal Banquo receives nothing. King Duncan remarks how he completely trusted the previous Thane of Cawdor.

King Duncan announces that his son, Malcolm will be the new Prince of Cumberland. Macbeth sees Malcolm as a threat to what he now takes seriously as his destiny to be king, a major turning point in Macbeth's changing morality. Macbeth makes this clear by famously asking in an aside (private speech) for the stars to hide their fires least they reveal his dark and deadly purpose or intention to kill King Duncan.

Lady Macbeth learns by letter from Macbeth of the Three Witches' prophecies for her husband, eagerly embracing them as fact. Fearing Macbeth is too compassionate and weak-willed to do what needs to be done (killing King Duncan), she famously asks the gods to remove from her all signs of compassion and femininity, replacing these with cold remorseless ruthlessness.

Learning from a messenger that King Duncan will stay at their castle, Lady Macbeth enthusiastically greets this news, suggesting that she already has plans to kill King Duncan. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth decide to speak again on the issue of the prophecies, Macbeth still uncertain of the need to kill King Duncan.

At Macbeth's castle King Duncan arrives whilst Lady Macbeth plays the most perfect of hostesses. King Duncan asks for the Thane of Cawdor (Macbeth) who is not yet present.

A guilt-ridden Macbeth wrestles with his conscience, certain that he should not kill King Duncan yet guiltily having to remind himself of all the reasons why it would be wrong. Macbeth decides against murdering his King but Lady Macbeth belittles him for not being able to murder, threatening to take away her love for him if he does not. This threat wins Macbeth over and Lady Macbeth outlines her plan to kill King Duncan in his sleep while he is a guest at their castle.

Act II.

Banquo and son Fleance arrive at Macbeth's castle. Banquo is troubled by the Three Witches' prophecy and tells Macbeth this. Macbeth pretends not to take the Three Witches seriously.

Learning from Banquo that King Duncan is asleep, Macbeth, alone, follows an imaginary dagger to King Duncan's bedchamber where he will kill him in his sleep... Lady Macbeth has drugged King Duncan's guards, allowing Macbeth to kill King Duncan unchallenged.

Lady Macbeth was to have killed the King but his resemblance to her late father means Macbeth does the deed instead. A bell frightens Lady Macbeth and Macbeth too is nervous, but he announces that he did indeed kill King Duncan.

Macbeth recounts that the two guards cried out "'Murder!'" and later "'God bless us!'", Lady Macbeth telling her husband not to fret over such things and the fact that is conscience prevented him from saying "'Amen,'" as one of the guards had done...

Lady Macbeth tells her husband a little water will wash away their guilt and the two retire to their bedroom when knocking is later heard...

Macduff, Lennox, the source of the knocking in the last scene, arrive at Macbeth's castle. News of King Duncan's death reaches all at Macbeth's castle. Lady Macbeth faints and Macbeth in rage kills the two drunken guards after claiming that they obviously killed their King.

These actions largely free Macbeth and Lady Macbeth from suspicion. King Duncan's sons, Malcolm and Donalbain are introduced, both men wisely deciding to flee Macbeth's castle as a precaution against their own murder. Malcolm will head for England, Donalbain for Ireland.

Ross speaks with an Old Man who describes various unnatural acts happening in Scotland, perhaps the single most significant scene for the theme of nature at war with itself, which relates to the idea of a natural order being disturbed by the death of a king, a prevalent theme throughout this play.

We learn that King Duncan's two sons have fled, leaving Macbeth to be crowned the new King of Scotland. Macduff, who later becomes instrumental in Macbeth's downfall, has significantly snubbed Macbeth's coronation at Scone to go to Fife instead. A tone of increasing despair for Scotland begins in this scene...

Act III.

Banquo is fearful that the Three Witches' prophecies are becoming true, questioning whether Macbeth played most foully for it, or killed King Duncan to make prophecy, fact.

Meeting with Macbeth, Macbeth continuously asks Banquo of his travel plans and those of his son. Alone, Macbeth fears that Banquo's sons will mean his dynasty will be short-lived; only he will become King of Scotland and not his sons who will be replaced by those of Banquo's lineage.

Macbeth arranges for several Murderers to discreetly kill Banquo and Fleance to ensure his sons and not Banquo's become future kings...

Lady Macbeth and Macbeth speak in private. Macbeth is again plagued by a guilt we thought may have vanished. Lady Macbeth attempts to strengthen Macbeth's resolve.

The Murderers kill Banquo but his son Fleance escapes and survives.

The Three Witches' prophecy of Banquo's sons becoming kings has not been thwarted by Macbeth...

Macbeth and a lady are entertaining at their castle. The First Murderer arrives, announcing that Banquo is dead but Fleance has lived. Macbeth immediately realizes the consequences of this (his descendants may not become kings).

Macbeth famously sees Banquo's Ghost at his party, causing Lady Macbeth to finish their party early to prevent further suspicions about Macbeth's sanity and about their role in recent events (King Duncan's death whilst a guest at their castle). Macbeth makes his famous speech about being too covered in blood to stop killing...

Hecate, clearly in a position of command over the Three Witches, scolds her subordinates for helping an unappreciative Macbeth.

Hecate instructs the Three Witches to make preparations for her plan to use illusion and the Three Witches' prophecies against Macbeth. The Three Witches, eager to placate (please) their master, eagerly make preparations, doing as they are told...

We see Lennox and a Lord discuss affairs in their kingdom. We learn from their conversation that an army is being formed in England to fight Macbeth.

Act IV.

A major turning point in the play. Just as the Three Witches prophesied Macbeth's ascendancy to become King in Act I, Scene III, here they prophesies his downfall with the Three Apparitions (visions / ghosts). The first Apparition tells an eager Macbeth that he should fear Macduff, saying "beware Macduff; / Beware the Thane of Fife." The Second Apparition reassures Macbeth that "none of women born / Shall harm Macbeth" and the Third Apparition tells Macbeth he has nothing to fear until "Great Birnam wood" moves to "high Dunsinane hill" near his castle.

Macbeth decides to kill Macduff to protect himself from him and takes the Apparition's words to mean he is safe from all men since they are all born naturally and that only the moving of a nearby forest to his castle, an unlikely event will spell his doom.

Next Macbeth demands to know about Banquo's descendants , learning to his anger that they will still rule Scotland rather than Macbeth's descendants. Macbeth learns that he cannot kill Macduff so instead has his entire family murdered...

Lady Macduff is greeted by Ross, Lady Macduff expressing her anger at being abandoned by Macduff for little reason when in her eyes, Macduff has done nothing requiring him to flee.

Ross leaves and after Lady Macduff tells her son that his father is dead and was a traitor, a Messenger warns Lady Macduff to flee but Macbeth's Murderers succeed in killing Lady Macduff's son. The scene ends with Lady Macduff fleeing for her life...

Malcolm and Macduff discuss how Scotland under Macbeth's rule has been plunged into despair. Malcolm tests Macduff's integrity by describing himself as unfit to rule.

After Malcolm disgusts Macduff with increasingly sordid descriptions of his lust and greed, Macduff tells Malcolm that like Macbeth, he too is not fit to rule Scotland. This delights Malcolm who explains that he was lying; he described himself so negatively to test Macduff's integrity. We learn that a large army is gathering to defeat Macbeth.

Act V.

Lady Macbeth's insanity becomes clear... First her Doctor and a Gentlewoman discuss Lady Macbeth's sleepwalking and talking to herself and then we, the audience see this for ourselves.

Lady Macbeth makes her famous speech that she cannot wipe away the blood on her hands (or her guilt), indicating that her battle to suppress her guilty conscience has failed completely...

Macbeth's enemies gather near his castle at Dunsinane as Macbeth strongly fortifies his castle. We learn that Macbeth's hold on Scotland is less than absolute...

Macbeth prepares to defiantly fight his enemies armed with the prophecy that he will only be defeated when the nearby Birnam Wood moves on his castle. Macbeth now learns of the ten thousand strong army against him. Seyton confirms this bad news and Macbeth donning his armor, prepares to fight his enemies recalling the Birnam Wood prophecy once more as a source of comfort...

With his troops loyally around him, Malcolm orders each man to cut down a branch from the nearby Birnam Wood as his army now camouflaged under an umbrella of Birnam Wood, head towards Macbeth's castle at Dunsinane.

Macbeth laughs off his enemies' numbers, certain of the Birnam Wood prophecy and equally certain that his fortifications should laugh off any attack.

We hear a women's cry later learning that Lady Macbeth is dead. Macbeth coldly shrugs the news that his once "dearest chuck," is dead with complete apathy. Macbeth learns that Birnam Wood or rather Malcolm's forces are moving on his castle. Realizing what this means, Macbeth nonetheless defiantly sets off to meet his destiny...

Malcolm's men drop their leafy camouflage and the battle begins...

Macbeth fights, Siward killing him. Macbeth is now confronted by Macduff, a man he has consciously avoided and one, he refuses to fight.

Macbeth famously exclaims that he has lived a charmed life and is unable to be killed by a man, naturally born.

Macduff now explains that he has born by Caesarian section and the two men fight, Macbeth dying and order being restored when Malcolm is hailed as the new King of Scotland...

Mary Travers, 1937-2009

Mary Travers, of the iconic folk singing group, Peter, Paul and Mary, died Wednesday. After successful recovery from leukemia through a bone marrow/stem cell transplant, Mary succumbed to the side effects of one of her chemotherapy treatments. She had been suffering from leukaemia for several years.

Peter, Paul and Mary had many hits, but are known perhaps universally for two: If I Had a Hammer, and Puff, The Magic Dragon. The group released their debut album in 1962.
They became known for their mixture of liberal politics with folk music that won them a loyal following of fans and also five Grammy Awards.

Bandmate Peter Yarrow said that in her last months, Travers handled her declining health "in the bravest, most generous way imaginable".
He added that throughout her long career, Travers sang with honesty and complete authenticity.
"I believe that, in the most profound of ways, Mary was incapable of lying, as a person, and as an artist - that took great courage, and Mary was always equal to the task."

Noel "Paul" Stookey, the trio's other member, praised the singer for her inspiring activism, "especially in her defense of the defenseless."
"I am deadened and heartsick beyond words to consider a life without Mary Travers and honored beyond my wildest dreams to have shared her spirit and her career," he said.
Travers was an outspoken supporter of the civil rights and anti-war movements.
(Excerpted from BBC News) Click on the headline for the PP&M website.

A rare Jaxonia endorsement

Eggs have been a Jaxonia staple since the dawn of time. Scrambled, basted, over easy... in quiches, on sandwiches, in meat loaves... just about everywhere.

Fresh eggs are best, of course, and for some unknown reason, brown eggs seem to taste better. Generally, though, most eggs are, well, just eggs. Sometimes something straight off a farm can taste better, but it's really not a big big difference. Not until now.



These Land O Lakes puppies are fantastic! They look different (bright orange yolks), they taste GREAT, and they come in a super-cool double-seal carton that really looks like major league protection.

Jaxonia makes no money on this, but if Land O Lakes reads the blog, maybe we'll get a coupon or two? Click on the title for the skinny on the whole production.

Difficult to remember and forget

This is the view from New Jersey, along with a photo I took in the summer of 1970, when the towers were still under construction. (That's Jen in the stroller, Tracy alongside, and two nephews, Mark and Lewis. Kathy wasn't here yet.)
I knew the pic would be historic, but I didn't know why.

Almost a decade later, and Ground Zero is still Ground Zero.

I want my America back! When they topped off the first tower I put on a hard hat, grabbed a clipboard and sneaked my way to the top. I was ten feet away from the windows before I realized there were no windows!...We celebrated a family birthday at Windows on the World, a five-star restaurant on the 101st floor... We took the girls to the observation deck one evening in their PJs... WTC was THE venue for lower Manhattan power breakfasts... In the weeks following this tragedy, I drove several Madison families past the site, and wept openly every time. I'm weeping now, as I write this.

Do not forget this day.

Runnin' the DC Beltway

From Madison, NJ to Glen Allen, VA clocks in at 311 miles. With a little luck and a decent radar detector one should be able to get door-to-door in four hours.

HAH! In five years of trying, I've made that bogey just once; it was so euphoric I felt like spraying the family with champagne!

The first 200 miles fool you. You rip along down the NJT, across the Delaware Memorial Bridge and down into one of the Baltimore tunnels with ease, but the final 100 miles are KILLER.
Anything can happen and often does. Accidents, traffic delays, bumper-to-bumper through inexplicable 'construction' sites (where no one seems to be constructing anything).
Here is the latest beauty... just before the DC drawbridge, a wall-to-wall accident that completely shut down I95! Without explanation or any detour help, the men in blue just shovelled everybody back onto I95 North! It was 'Yankee Go Home' time!
The little MINI and I got around that with only a 30-minute delay thanks to the VZ Navigator app, but another accident 30 miles downwind and some truck-traffic slowdowns made this voyage log in at a mind-altering 7 hours and 41 minutes! Good thing I love my kids!

In July of 1969, Rocky Marciano participated in the filming of the fantasy, The Superfight: Marciano vs. Ali. The two boxers were filmed sparring, then the film was edited to match a computer simulation of a hypothetical fight between them, each in their prime. The bout was aired on Tuesday, January 20, 1970. Marciano won by KO in 13.


On August 31, 1969,the eve of his 46th birthday, Marciano was a passenger in a small private plane, a Cessna 172 headed to Des Moines, Iowa. It was night, and bad weather set in. The pilot, who was not certified to fly in such dangerous conditions, tried to set the plane down at a small airfield outside Newton, Iowa, but hit a tree two miles short of the runway. The plane was out of gas as well. Rocky, the young pilot, and another passenger (alleged Iowa mob boss Louis Fratto's son) were killed on impact. He is buried in a crypt at Forest Lawn Memorial Cemetery in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. His wife, who died five years after him at the age of 46, is entombed next to him. His father died in March 1973, his mother died in early January 1986

Drivin' the Driscoll

The world's widest bridge - 15 travel lanes plus six shoulder lanes - is now the Driscoll Bridge carrying the Garden State Parkway over the shipping channel of the Raritan River in Perth Amboy NJ, 42km (26mi) southwest of Central Park in Manhattan. The bridge is located at the transition point between the beach resorts and developing areas of the Jersey Shore and the established suburbs and industrial areas of northern New Jersey.

Wider than the GWB and Verrazano
Until Driscoll, the world's widest - as measured by number of lanes - was the George Washington Bridge operated by the PANYNJ with 14 lanes. The next widest in the US is the Tribrough Authority's Verrazano Narrows Bridge of 12 travel lanes, no shoulder lanes. Third is the Bay Bridge in San Francisco of ten lanes. All these are double decked (the east span of the Bay bridge is side by side) and all are toll financed. The new Wilson Bridge presently under construction to carry the Capital Beltway over the Potomac River near Alexandria VA will be 12 travel lanes plus eight shoulder lanes - financed with taxes, thanks to the special indulgence of the DC area by Uncle Sam.

Dimensions
The Garden State Parkway's $220m project widens the Driscoll Bridge from 12 to 15 lanes and adds six shoulder lanes. All lanes are 11 feet in width. 230k veh/day presently use the bridge but this is expected to surpass 300k in the future as the Jersey Shore continues to develop. Northbound has eight travel lanes, one more than southbound because of the major exits just north of the bridge to I-287 and the Turnpike proper. The eight lanes northbound are organized into two roadways (or carriageways) of four travel lanes each and shoulder lanes each side, occupying all of the existing bridge.

The eastern roadway northbound will serve four interchanges within 10km (6mi) while the other or central roadway northbound will serve traffic continuing on the Parkway beyond the interchanges. Southbound, where interchanges beyond the bridge are smaller and further off, there is a single seven lane roadway with shoulder lanes each side.

The new span has a deck 28.3m (93ft) wide and 1,335m (4379ft) long of 27 steel plate girder spans rising to provide a navigation channel clearance under of 41m (135ft). The navigation span is 76m (250ft) long.

The existing bridge was itself built in two stages - the first of 18.3m (60ft) opened with the Parkway in 1955 and was striped for 2x2 lanes plus shoulders. In 1957 traffic caused it to be restriped to 2x3 lanes of 3m (10ft) each, no shoulder at all. In 1972 a second similar span was built alongside to bring the bridge deck to 39.6m (130ft) and each side was restriped to 5 lanes with righthand shoulder on each. In the early 1980s the shoulders were eliminated and the bridge made 6 lanes each direction, no shoulder.

Driscoll - New Jersey's great builder
The Driscoll Bridge is named after Alfred E Driscoll (1902-1975), the remarkable Jersey governor who used tolling to finance construction of almost the full length of both the Garden State Parkway and the New Jersey Turnpike - 454km (282mi) of "superhighway" as they called it then - within two terms of office half a century ago (1947-54). Driscoll was an urban planner, and a Republican state senator before running for office championing the tollroads.

Finally! Canadians talk about their health care

After listening to months of right-wing idiotic exaggerations and outright lies about their health care system, Canadians answer back!




Here's a glimpse of Canada, 'The Evil Empire', as their school children see it: Cut and paste the URL below into your address bar.

https://thefourcornersclassroom.wikispaces.com/Group+27+-+Pre-Project

Ermey Says He�ll 'Square Away' Birthers

August 21, 2009
Military.com|by Bryant Jordan

Troops challenging the legitimacy of President Barack Obama as commander-in-chief -- including at least one who is fighting deployment -- should take heed: Gunnery Sgt. Hartman wants to know your "major malfunction."

R. Lee Ermey, the Marine-turned-actor whose role as drill instructor Gunny Hartman in the late Stanley Kubrick's "Full Metal Jacket" has all but placed the Vietnam veteran in the pantheon of Marine heroes alongside "Chesty" Puller, Smedley Butler and Dan Daly, isn't buying anyone's political objector status.

"I haven't heard about those guys," Ermey told Military.com during an Aug. 21 interview. "If I do run across them though, trust me, I'll square them away."

Two GIs deployed to Iraq have insisted that Obama isn't a legal citizen while another Soldier, Maj. Stefan Cook, has been waging a court fight � first in Georgia, then Florida � to force the president to produce a birth certificate that will satisfy his objections.

The cases are the first known instances of some troops joining what has become known as the "birther" movement, referring to Americans who doubt whether Obama is technically qualified to be president based on the absence of a "long form" birth certificate that documents where he was born.

Cook initially volunteered for deployment, but later refused the orders on grounds that Obama cannot deploy him because he is not legally president. The 64-year-old Ermey, longtime host of the History Channel's "Mail Call," in which he answered letter-writer's questions about the military, operations and weapons, just launched a new show on the network in July. "Lock 'N Load with R. Lee Ermey" will give viewers a more in-depth look at military weaponry.

With Ermey's unabashed support and praise of American troops and his military-related screen career, it might be easy to mistake him for a zealous right-winger.

But Ermey rejects party affiliation or any extreme political leanings, as he explained in an interview with writer/blogger Paul McCormack a few years ago.

"I'm an Independent. I'm not a Republican, I'm not a Democrat," he said at the time. "I'm a middle-of-the-road guy, and I call on logic and common sense, okay?"

Ermey told McCormack that while he voted for George Bush in 2004, he would be just as supportive of John Kerry had he won the presidency, "and I wish more people would be like that."

Of Obama, Ermey said he was "a little wary at first" on how he would handle the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Not now, though.

"I think our president is doing a commendable job," he said. "He picked up where George Bush left off. � We're continuing to take care of the terrorist situation."

Ermey said the terrorists have won a small victory since he has to "be strip-searched" every time he goes through an airport, and "you can't let them win any more than they already have."

Ermey found fame after playing Gunny Hartman in Kubrick's 1987 "Full Metal Jacket." Though brought onto the set as a technical advisor, he impressed director Kubrick with his steel-tough portrayal of Hartman, highlighted by a machine-gun like delivery of obscenity-laced lines that was as realistic as it was surreal.

But Ermey told Military.com that there is no truth to the story that he barked an order at Kubrick and so took him by surprise that the director complied before realizing what he had done.

"No," he laughed. "Stanley and I got along very good, very well."
Watch Gunny in his prime; click the headline. But beware, the language is definitely 'R' rated

Nuna 5 vs Eleanor -- It's on, baby!

The World Solar Challenge, Darwin to Adelaide, Australia, a car race of 1800 miles across the Australian outback, has been run every other year since 1987. No flame breathing dragons allowed, all the entrants must be 100 percent sun-powered. A Dutch team from Delft University has won this thing four times in a row, and Nuna 5, this year's entry, is a heavy pre-race favorite.

MIT wants to give the Dutch something scary to look at in their rear-view mirror and has sunk a quarter of a million dollars into its entry, Eleanor.


Writers who are covering this event have pulled out all the metaphoric stops in describing the racers. Eleanor has been called 'a funky, hump-backed IKEA table,' and Nuna 5 'looks like a pool table that's gone through a Pininfarina wind tunnel.'

The starting flag drops on Oct.25, and the winning speed should be in excess of 90 KPH. Hey! Wanna see what these babies look like? Click on 'read more.'

Here they are! Delft is on top. (For the history of this race, click on the headline)

























Update: Click here for race results.


Addendum: In the Apres moi le deluge category, there is a fire-breathing Eleanor out and about, a licensed replication of the 1967 Mustang Nicholas Cage drove in the movie, 'Gone in 60 Seconds.' With a carbon footprint the size of a shopping mall, this piece of super-fast Detroit iron will cost you $100,000 plus!
Wanna see her built and running? Click here.