I’m a MAN! I’m FORTY!

Thanks to Mike Gundy’s ranting press conference of a year and a half ago, I know that I’m finally, today, a man.  Because I’m 40.

Thanks, Mike.  Now, back to the slow procession to the grave….

Some week-ending quick hits

Mencia:  Kudos to the many bloggers whom I credit for sounding the alarm about that prick.  I don’t know where the line is between acceptable and not acceptable, but he crossed it.  I’m not saying he shouldn’t be allowed to, only that we don’t have to feature him.  Thanks, Orpheus.

Mencia II:  The bummer is that because the krewe explained that it “safety was a consideration,” he can go around the country saying that it’s so dangerous here he can’t even be safe in a parade.  But maybe because the quality of his humor falls somewhere between Dane Cook and that Cable Guy, no one will be there to hear it. BTW, anybody know what happened to this?

Chris Paul’s New Shoes:  Will the pope approve of CP3’s new kicks, since they seem simultaneously to honor the debauchery that is Mardi Gras and his Christian faith?  Religion, in unimaginably sinful NOLA?  Oh, that’s right, Mardi Gras is a Christian event.  h/t Mike (bet I can tell where you got em)

Did He Get an MD or a PhD?  I didn’t even know Bon Jovi was a doctor, but there it is right there in the schedule for May 2 at JazzFest:  “Dr. John, Bon Jovi.”  Oh wait, there’s an H there, and a comma.  Must be two acts.

Last Weekend’s Highlight:  Great job, Editor B and a bunch of other great folks for their efforts on the Beyond Jena forum.  It was a great event, and we all got a lot out of it, especially the many students who came.

This Weekend’s Highlight:  Tomorrow is Krewe du Vieux, and I’m happy to see that Michael will stop scrutinizing the base among us and join the fold.  I’ll bring the initiation sheep.

This doesn’t look good, Barack

Thanks to a brilliant piece of photography and arrangement, we may have a scandal greater than any tax-dodging cabinet members.  These folks can NOT be pleased.  Just look at that laugh!

Brilliance found at YepYep

Image of the day

I guess this has been around a while, but I hadn’t seen it.

h/t Mike

Obama appoints Christian Bale as “Cabinet Judgment Czar”

It’s about time, because someone needs to crack a few skulls.  By my count, despite allegedly unprecedented vetting, the new pres (and the rest of us who support him) have been embarrassed by problems with at least 4 potential members of his cabinet or staff, now that Daschle and Killefer have withdrawn, following the withdrawal of  Richardson (Commerce) and the trouble with Geithner (Treasury).  This sucks, and Obama’s willingness to hedge on his promise to crack down on lobbyists is also discouraging and opens him up for criticism.

Don’t ge me wrong, I still think this administration is more competent and less corrupt than the more recent ones, but it still doesn’t look good for this new era, which I’m still hopeful will really be improved.

So that’s why Christian Bale comes in to his new role as the Enforcer.  Tell ’em what’s what, Batman!

BTW, this didn’t take long!

USAir-Hudson River Conspiracy!

Man, I knew it.  As we learn here, it just doesn’t add up!

A plane leaving the New York area crashes into the Hudson, but not a single other plane crashed into the Hudson that day.

The guy who landed the plane, this guy Sullenberger, just happened to be a pilot.

We’ve all heard of American Airlines, but US Airways?

The people at McSweeney’s are brilliant.  Go read the whole thing.

Stay Classy, Vatican!

I know he’s infallible and all, but this pope (whom some serious Catholics I know were against from the get-go) isn’t exactly recruiting record numbers of souls to heaven.  First, he lets back into the fold the holocaust denier who said:

I believe there were no gas chambers.

I believe that the historical evidence is hugely against 6 million having been deliberately gassed in gas chambers as a deliberate policy of Adolf Hitler.

Then, just to make sure the vast numbers of Catholics in New Orleans were pissed at him too, he promotes the guy who said that Katrina was divine retribution (the selective perception of those folks is astounding) said this about our city:

The conditions of immorality in this city are indescribable.

Many others have voiced their outrage over this, but we should note that Warren “apologizing” for “imprudent” wording ain’t really an apology at all.  But hey, when you’re on a roll, you’re on a roll!

I could use a little legal advice

I just got my first (last?) ticket from those red light cameras we’re all so excited about.  I’ve read the arguments for and against them, but that’s not my issue.  I want to know if this one might be worth contesting.

That’s my blue car at the light in the pix below.  My argument would be that I was turning right, so it’s difficult to tell whether I came to a full stop or not.  Honestly, I don’t know, because sometimes I do just slow down and then turn if it’s clear.  But I would imagine that the camera catches anything going through the light on red, whether it’s a turn or not.  The pix are only 1.4 sec apart, but I can’t tell if I’m stopped in the first one or not.

This ticket is $130, which seems crazy to me, but I’m sure it’ll be a pain in the ass to contest it, so I’ll just grin and pay it if I don’t have an argument.  Anyone have any experience with this kind of thing or have a recommendation?