Not a beheader, just an amazing, beautiful, kind hearted, brilliant, giving, loving child I wish were mine.

Algerian, not iranian or Australian.

Yes, Kimba, I think I will fast that day. Thanks for the suggestion.

Well, some Australian vineyard stole their grapes around 20 years ago, when I hadz some..., so..

She sounds like a model child. Full ride to Columbia ain't bad, ain't bad 'tall.

Taffeta dahling.

Circa Young Frankenstein

ANYONE has 4.7 GPAs? WTF is that? A++ in everything and then another + somewhere?

Even in this era of grade inflation, that is genius level stuff.

Another Arizona nutjob goes off the deep end:



It appears from the video that Marin poisoned himself after he heard the verdict so he wouldn't have to spend 15.5 years in prison.

Does anyone else have a sense of completion today, that something has been accomplished and that it is now possible to move on? I know that the Birfer lawyers will be filing new suits and appealing dismissal decisions on old ones. I know that Swensson and his ilk will continue to play their little tough boy games. Orly will not fail to amuse. The House Republicans will embarrass the nation and may put our credit rating in peril.

All of that seems somehow beside the point today. I may just be over-interpreting the effects of today's Supreme Court decision and the President's factual response to it. I could be shocked by any number of occurrences, many of which we have discussed on TFB. Yet I am still feeling that we have turned a corner. I think that I shall sleep well tonight.

Ask on Nov 7 Tollie.

UPDATE:

New fire in my area is now up to 10,000 acres. The fire is headed north east from my house, so we are okay here. Please keep Colorado in your thoughts. My state is burning down.

Map of current Colorado fires.

http://google.org/crisismap/2012_us_wildfires

Wish you luck, High.

In a word, YES!. Not to my home number, but to my Mom's.

My number is published, but I also have a history of reverse-harassing scammers over the last 10-15 years, so my number is prolly on some sort of industry reverse do not call list by now. Mom, however, with an unlisted number, is getting several calls a week now. It just confuses her and she turns the phone over to me or tells them to call back and talk to her son, but, yes. "Polls" with cruise vacations, home and car warranty scams, interest rate scams for her credit cards (she has just one card and I pay the full balance off every month; she hasn't paid interest on a credit card in 30 years) Interest rate scams for her mortgage (her house has been paid off since 1991.)

My favorite was a call that came in for Miss. Joan" from a "shipping company" that had a package for her but needed information from her before it could be released from customs. Guy had a Jamaican accent and the caller ID pegged the call as coming from the Dominican Republic. Rasta Mon had some serious balls because he kept calling back over the next couple hours as I played with him. His last call ended with him yelling at me, "Why you don' let meh tahlk to Miss. Joan, mon?" to which I whispered, "Because she's alredy dead, you fool, and you killed her by calling so much. I'm already fixing her for chili con madre for Sunday dinner!"

Long silence, then: "you are one sick fuck, mon." *click* Mom was laughing her ass off watching this play out.

Me too. I'm glad that you are away from the worst of the fires but sorry that new ones have begun.

Aerial photos (below) from the Waldo Canyon fire show how a fire fed by heat and wind can result (so far) in the destruction of 376 structures, damage to many others, and the death of at least one resident.

http://photos.denverpost.com/mediacenter/2012/06/photos-aerial-images-of-the-waldo-canyon-fire-in-colorado-springs/38597/

Oh my lord. The pictures do indeed bring it home. That's terrible.

I'm quite shocked that having no trees or shrubs nearby (only lawn AFAICT) did not protect some of these homes.

Stay safe, Coloradans.

Maybe the heat of the fire is so intense that it can ignite blazes before flames actually reach a tree or a house.

Another time-lapse video: http://www.weather.com/weather/videos/news-41/top-stories-169/waldo-canyon-time-lapse-29355

CBS Denver Homes Can Catch Fire Inside -- Good Question: How Do Homes Burn?

Fuck. An 80+ MPH windgust just knocked down a 20 year old flowering pear tree in my backyard. It was a really nice shade tree.

I'm awfully sorry. Trees are good.

Oh noes! Hunker down, darling'. Stay safe.

I was JUST looking at the weather map and thinking there were storms aiming at your area of the country. Stay safe!

I am bummed. Already on the list with the arborist, hopefully here tomorrow to cut it up and take it away. I guess I'll be picking out a new tree next week!

Edit: waiting for the rest of the storm to go through to inspect for other damage. At least the thing didn't fall on the house.

Tom and Katie are getting divorced. Deprogramming scheduled soon.

Denver Post June 29, 2012 "Colorado Wildfires: In a fire, the simple concept of defensible space could save your home: Cleaning up your property early and often is key"

Comprehensive advice based upon experience and scientific research. Who would have thought of outdoor seat cushions?

The landscapers were out today cleaning up the remnants of last October's snowstorm -- good fodder for a fire. They have been out twice before; branches keep falling when the winds rise. The temperatures were in the 90's, which is not that unusual for CT, but it is nevertheless an increased fire risk despite drenching rains over the past several days. It has been a bit hotter in Westchester County.

There are no fire hydrants in this neighborhood. However, there is a spring-fed pond at the base of the hill behind my house. That might come in handy some day.

I checked and, nope...couldn't care less.