Saturday, October 31, 2009

Happy Halloween!

Well, it's THAT night, again.

The yearly slog of the calendar when you're supposed to give away tooth-destroying candies to small (and large) costumed children (here, in the Northeast, they're getting a break, it's windy, but balmy, in the low 60's).

Even as a child, I never quite got into this holiday, or event ... Or whatever it is ...

Wikipedia says that ...

Halloween (more traditionally spelled Hallowe'en) is an annual holiday celebrated on October 31. It has roots in the Celtic festival of Samhain and gets its name from being the eve (e'en) of the Western Christian holy day of All Saints (the Eastern Orthodox celebrate All Saints Day in June). It is largely a secular celebration but some have expressed strong feelings about perceived religious overtones ...

The colours black and orange have become associated with the celebrations, perhaps because of the darkness of night and the colour of fire or of pumpkins, and maybe because of the vivid contrast this presents for merchandising. Another association is with the jack-o'-lantern. Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, wearing costumes and attending costume parties, ghost tours, bonfires, visiting haunted attractions, pranks, telling scary stories, and watching horror films.
Ahhh ... "Merchandising" ...

Like there's not enough balls-of-string - electronic, or otherwise - to waste your money on.

Moving along ...

Last year we gave you the funky 'Blues for Dracula' from Philly Joe Jones.

This year we go with the original rappers, Lambert, Hendricks and Ross;

Halloween Spooks Lambert, Hendricks & Ross





You can check out The History of Halloween

And, 'Ben and Jerry's Halloween'

Or, "Trick or treat: Is Halloween another tacky American import or a bit of harmless fun that boosts the economy?"


Siento

Yes, a muy grande siento, for our missing-in-action this past week.

No, we didn't fall off the face of the planet, but, rather, we were inundated with tasks, for both The Aunt, and myself, on the homefront, that cut deeply into computer time, as well as leaving one tired, and very uncreative in the evening.

We're hoping to get a few posts up today, and use that to build back into a groove.

In the meantime, we'll let the great Hector Lavoe take it away!

HECTOR LAVOE - SIENTO





Visit the Hector Lavoe Website



This Date ... On The Garlic


31 October 2008... On The Garlic


Good Post Alert: Barry Crimmins with "Eat Jim Crow!"

Hey Palin, I'll See You Your First Amendment Rights, and Raise You Our Eighth!

McKKKain-Palin, In Reverse

Happy Halloween!


31 October 2007... On The Garlic


Bush Grindhouse Launches "We Want Angel Back" Approach Over Telcom Amnesty

Retro, Retro ... U.S. Foreign Policy Spikes Upward - Karen Hughes Resigning!

Justice Served ... Now It's A Wait For The Karma


31 October 2006... On The Garlic


Developing Story: New White House Policy Causing Feet-In-Mouth; Bush Stumping Causes Panic, Chaos: Cheney Claims Said “Duncan”, Not “Dunking”; President’s Use of “Just Say No” Confusing; FBI, and DEA Staff Stretched Thin, Chasing Down Rally Attendees


31 October 2005... On The Garlic

Cheney Reportedly Takes Blame For Libby Charges; "Didn't Set Up Fall Guy", Says Disheartened VP; Hopes There's Time 'To Fix This".

White House Sets Mark With No Terror Alert During Indictments; Libby's Bad News Passes Without Fear Package; Homeland Security Looks Into Missed Opportunity

Top Ten Cloves: How President Bush Spent His Weekend At Camp David


Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Top Ten Cloves: Possible Things That Distracted Northwest Pilots

News Item: Licenses of 2 Northwest pilots who overshot airport are revoked

10. Got knocked out when heard former Court-Appointed President Bush is now Motivational Speaker

9. Were watching trailers on their laptops for new Amelia Earhart movie

8. Got stumped, trying to figure out what Sarah Palin's new company is

7. Took turns acting out Air Trans commercials

6. They were arguing about Brett Favre

5. On the phone with Richard Henne, pitching new hoax, starring two real pilots

4. Pouring through Ancestry.Com, seeing if related to Ahmed Wali Karzai, to make claim to some of his money

3. Without telling company, pilots were testing new Google Turn-by-Turn Android application, and, well ...

2. Got frightened - Lost their nerve, to buzz the Mall of America

1. Ran into problems installing Windows 7


Bonus Links

Randy James: Northwest's Wayward Flight: Sleeping Pilots?

Dan Frommer: Did Laptops Cause Pilots To Fly 100 Miles Too Far?

James Fallows: More on the Minneapolis "overflight"

Kevin Drum: Stop Digging

Michelle Deal-Zimmerman: At lunchtime, act like a pilot and take a "Northwest Nap"


This Date ... On The Garlic


28 October 2008... On The Garlic


A Fair and Balanced Meltdown

"Hey, Wait A Minute ... We're Not Your Friends!"

Good Post Alert: The Three Ashleys


28 October 2007... On The Garlic


In Dana Perino's World, The Glass Is Always, and Perpetually, Half-Full

What The ...!

Hugs and Smarts

General, Drop Your Draws, The Country Wants To Thank You ... The Results - The Garlic's Weekly Poll


28 October 2006... On The Garlic


A Personal Note: The End For A True, True, Icon - Red Auerbach

Editor's Note


28 October 2005... On The Garlic


Breaking News! - Libby Indicted, Resigns and At Odds With Cheney Over Defense; VP Holds On To 'Nolo Contendere' In Event Charges Come; Has "No Problem" With Libby Doing Jail Time

Top Ten Cloves: Reasons Google Needs A Lobbyist


Sunday, October 25, 2009

Soulful Strut

Pretty bold title, heh, considering we tanked posting this weekend.

It was a bit busy, here on the Homefront, but it had to do with something else;

Today is our birthday!

So, we decided not to sit at the computer, very much, and indulge in some minor celebration (Thanks, Sisters!), as greetings dribbled in from family and friends.

In that light, we're going to point you to some other voices, on one of the weeks' top (remarkably), stories.

The ridiculous, collectively, panties-getting-in-a-knot reaction to the Obama -Faux News War.

We only touched on it briefly, the other night, with the ignoramus Jake Tapper, but there were truckloads and barges of pixels burned out on this story.

However, there were three that stood out, above the crowd.

Barry Crimmins had people jumping up, and waving at him to weigh in, so Barry, in his best-satirist-in-the-country-mode said "Okay, you want to hear what I have to say ... " with "Look! A shiny balloon!"

Joe Conason, on Salon, steps in to trace the foundation of Faux News lies to the corpulent mouth-breather Roger Ailes, in his "Criticizing Fox News isn't "Nixonian." But Fox News is"

And, Dan Froomkin, over on his new fortress, HuffPo, slaps the mainstream corporate media upside-the-head with a "WTF!" in his "Why Journalists Shouldn't Be Defending Fox News"

For that matter, Frank Rich was pretty much on-the-money today, as well.


As to our title tonight, since it's our B'Day, we wanted to have some music to pump things up, so we turned, as we did earlier this week, to Young Holt Unlimited for that;

Young Holt Unlimited - Soulful Strut




(Astute music fans will know that this was culled from Barbara Acklin's "Am I The Same Girl")


This Date ... On The Garlic


25 October 2008... On The Garlic


She's Not A Hockey Mom with Lipstick ... She's A Hockey Jinx!

Shoo Fly, Don't Bother Me ...

As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls


25 October 2007... On The Garlic


Roger Ailes Is Slipping ... Blows Wildfire Scoop For New Biz Network

Top Ten Cloves: Ways President Bush Wants To Improve The Terror Watch List


25 October 2006... On The Garlic


Top Ten Cloves: Other People That Rush Limbaugh Knows Are Just “Acting”


25 October 2005... On The Garlic


ABC Revamps Nightline Again; Plans To Document Bush Administration Downfall; Koppel Still Out As New Theme Ups Anchors to 300+; "Bush/Iraq/CIA Leak This Generations' Crisis" Say Westin

Top Ten Cloves: Other Notes of Scooter Libby Subpoenaed By Special Prosecutor