Good morning all and welcome to the kiddie pool area! I am a bit of a lurker here due to my current job and my desire to sleep as late as possible but there are some days I can contribute and today is one of them. Thanks to Sped for offering the spot to me!
Today we get brief historical blurbs of things none too many care about, but us wonks love to quote. Ready? Your not? Well, if that's the case you can choose door number three or what's in this box...Gotcha!! Alright now sit down and strap in because it is just the early part of Wednesday and we all have two more days to go.
On this day in history some conservative zealot probably did a despicable thing so you should go ahead and curse them under your breath to get that out of the way. Breathe in the good out with the bad. Better? Great now let's go below the fold for some historical mischief.
This portion of Cheers & Jeers is sponsored by the Netroots Nation Auction. Go buy stuff!
This portion of Cheers & Jeers Sub is brought to you by the Blog Workers Industrial Union & Benevolent Society. Have you fed your blogger today? We like pie, all kinds.
On this day in history:
1804 the Louisiana Purchase is handed over in St. Louis, MO forever guaranteeing a steady supply of Mardi Gras beads and stupidity committed to film.
1814 Napoleon I pays for his Louisiana Purchase oversight by getting his ass handed to him at the Battle of Laon.
1876 Alexander Graham Bell makes the first telephone call and then wastes it by telling his assistant to come in the room to talk. Some things just could not be said over the phone, even the first one.
1933 An earthquake occurred in California...and this was different than every other day how? Well the 6.4 part was a bit different.
1969 James Earl Ray pleads guilty to assassinating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. before changing his mind later. This was also his birthday. No blessings and no camels for him!
1980 The formation of the Irish Army Ranger Wing which was followed seven days later by the creation of the Irish Army Ranger Wing demerit for drunk and disorderly conduct...with honors of course.
2006 The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter arrived in Martian Orbit.
Notable Births:
1940 Chuck Norris and campy stupidity
1957 Osama Bin Laden
To make up for this humanity was provided with the following:
1957 Shannon Tweed of skinimax
1958 Sharon Stone of all those movies my parents would never let me watch
1961 Laurel Clark physicist with NASA who perished in the Columbia disaster
1963 Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam
1963 Rick Rubin of too many awesome albums to list
1971 Jon Hamm of Mad Men
1973 Eva Herzigova of Czech Republic modeling hotness
1984 Olivia Wilde of the tv show House and a personal favorite of mine
Upcoming Events:
Daylight Savings Time is upon us! Unless you live in Arizona or Hawaii in which case move along, move along.
Beware the Ides of March! Especially if your name rhymes with Bulius Beaser.
St. Patrick's day is in 7 days but you can get your green on a little early in the Emerald City. Being of Scottish ancestry I don't feel the need to declare a holiday to get smashed, just call it Wednesday and I will be fine. But seeing as my family made a stop in Ireland on our hop across the pond we will let them have their day, and help them celebrate it as well!
Now for some Wednesday comedy and morning comics
XKCD: Geeks are funny too. Dont forget to hold your mouse over for the hidden text.
The Oatmeal: Gotta support your local cartoonist. Though he may have some dolphin and Dinosaur issues to work out.
Calvin and Hobbes: This strip defined my childhood.
The Daily Cosby: Bill in his prime.
And as a special treat that BiPM and CSM would appreciate/are probably appreciating right now, name off your favorite cocktail that gets you past hump day. Don't forget the recipe!
For my hump day it is Micah's Martini!
I save the rum and coke, or in my case Cuba Libre', where I can drink enough to do some good.
Micah's Martini
Note: Normal proportions are 1.5 gin to .5 dry vermouth. I am a larger mammal so I make it a quad to save trips to the kitchen.
Take room temp Bombay Gin and add 6 oz. to a stainless steel drink shaker.
Add 2 oz. of room temp dry vermouth.
Top off with ice in the shaker and some ice in the old fashioned glass.
Stir, do not shake.
President Bartlet will tell you why:
President Jed Bartlet: Can I tell you what's messed up about James Bond?
Charlie Young: Nothing.
President Jed Bartlet: Shaken, not stirred, will get you cold water with a dash of gin and dry vermouth. The reason you stir it with a special spoon is so not to chip the ice. James is ordering a weak martini and being snooty about it.
Stirring until the shaker is well frosted, about 60 seconds, strain into the old fashioned glass and drop two or more olives, preferably green ones that have soaked in something spicy. I use italian antipasto olives for my concoction.
Enjoy during wintertime in a comfortable chair by the fire. During summer it is best to drink it outside while grilling. As always, friends and family make it better.
And now for something you'll really like: Cheers and Jeers!!
Cheers to the eminent return of his sodden sunburnedness Bill and his partner Michael. May they enjoy the return to, what I hear is a mild winter.
Cheers to my graduate program coming to a close in 12 weeks!
Cheers to learning the bus lines in my adopted city of Olympia! Trying to be more green takes a bit of research. Real reason is I need more scholastic reading time and can't afford a driver. *le sigh*...someday...
WOW to the train wreck that is the #Massattack. That appearance on heir Beck's show was nothing short of insanity.
Cheers to my cousin getting hitched and the multi family pig roast that will be happening prior to the event. Beer, hog in the ground, camping, rv's, and two families who have never met. What could go wrong?
Jeers to republican obstruction and double jeers to weak democratic response. LBJ wouldn't take this shit.
Big Cheers to a strong challenger to Blanche Lincoln. As a former Arkansan it is good to see LG Bill Halter step up and make her own her lobbyist ways. The people of Arkansas deserve better than what she has been giving them.
Jeers to Farmville and all who play it. The situation has gotten far out of hand. No one cares about your damn chicken coop, just the fact that you are cluttering up our Facebook feeds. For the love of reason put down the virtual chicken, go to the pet store and get your self a Guinea pig.
Jeers to the ongoing job search. It is not enough to have a job but I kind of need one that covers student loans, bills, and has benefits. At this point I am willing to compromise on the job being in my actual field of study.
Cheers to optimism and hope. I still have it and I hope you do as well, even if we don't get all that we want.
And a big Cheers and Good luck to Matt and his new Florida adventure! Good luck man!
And finally Cheers to RENT opening in Oly! If you are around Olympia the next few weeks grab a ticket and catch a show. (No I am not in it. I just love the show and am trying to pimp my town-so buy a ticket!!)
Well that is it from me. By the powers vested in me by Spedwybabs, I declare this Kiddie Pool officially open! Play nice or there may be consequences, and remember to volunteer in your community.