Saturday, February 23, 2013

Hmm...

Black History Month

"Chester Commodore (August 22, 1914 – April 10, 2004) was an African American cartoonist, both of political cartoons and comic strips. Born in Racine,Wisconsin, Commodore was always interested in drawing. His parents and sisters moved to Chicago in 1923, but Chester and his older brother stayed in Racine with his maternal grandmother in her boarding house until he moved to Chicago in 1927.

"While still in high school, he tried to get a job with the Chicago Defender, one of the country's most notable African American newspapers, but its publisher, Robert Abbott, told him to finish his education first. Following school, he worked as a chauffeur and a mechanic, and got a job with the Pullman Company. He was always drawing, and posted his drawings on company bulletin boards. He was recommended for a staff position with the Minneapolis Star in 1938, but when he showed up for the interview, he was told that there was no such job.

"Finally, in 1948 he went to work for the Defender, doing layout, but soon started drawing cartooons for the paper. His first strip, in 1948, was called The Sparks . He took over Jay Jackson's strip Bungleton Green in the early 1950s and contributed to the cartoon features The Ravings of Professor Doodle and So What?. When Jay Jackson died in 1954, Commodore took over his role drawing editorial cartoons for the paper. From 1974 he drew a weekly full-page caricature for the cover of the Defender's weekly arts supplement, Accent. The series lasted for more than five years.

"Commodore and his wife retired to Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1981, but from 1992 he resumed work for the Defender, contributing a weekly cartoon until his death in 2004.[1]"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chester_Commodore


Born in Racine.  I never heard of him before.

Save the date...

hi all :)
I'm working on our next get-together, 
so far, only have the date -
Saturday, March 16th. 
More info to follow soon. (via email)
Dodgeboy, I think you are the only one I 
do not have an email address for.
Would you please shoot me an email so
I can keep you in the loop as well?

lizardmom@jtirregulars.com

If anyone has changed their email address
lately, please also send an email so
I can update. I wouldn't want to 
miss anyone :)


Open Blog - Weekend


We can dream, can't we?

Friday, February 22, 2013

Vince Gill - It's Hard To Kiss The Lips At Night


Four for Fridays

Hello everyone and welcome back! It's been a long, long week for me... I can honestly say, "Thank God, it's Friday...." Looking forward to sleeping in for a change. Anyways, some questions for you....

1) What is your favorite Star Wars movie?

2) Your worst Star Wars movie?

3) If you where a police officer for one day what would you do with the authority? 

4) Are you more like your mother or your father?

Enjoy your weekend!

Womenisms

"Put Your Number In My Phone."



"This was so easy to film...hopefully this was a good way to teach guys not to care to much and be straight forward and p.s 25% of girls rejected us or had a boyfriend! Please Share!! :)" 

Read more: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mRM1VwUiYA


It's incredible to me that so many women would give a complete stranger their phone number. Are they just young? Naive? Stupid?

Open Blog - Friday


Hurray!

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Tucson Snow

Yesterday in Tucson, we had a rare snow. First time since I moved there I had seen snow actively falling where I was (not counting snow on mountain tops where I wasn't of course...it snowed once in 2007 but I was out of town that weekend).  Here are a few shots from the day.



I took a few early in the evening.



About 11 at night, we got another round of snow so I went out to Saguaro National Park East to take some pics. It was kind of creepy. It was close to freezing so there was the constant noise of melting snow dripping off the cactus.





We kind of freak out over minor snowfalls. Don't judge us!

Gas Prices

Dyson Vac


"Jamie Berry Feat. Octavia Rose - 'Delight' (JSM)"



That's great. I can't dance to save my life.

Winter Driving


Don't you just love drivers like that?

A tip of the hat to BL Basketcase for the image.

Open Blog - Thursday


YOU, TOO!

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

"To This Day Project - Shane Koyczan"



"To This Day Project is a project based on a spoken word poem written by Shane Koyczan called 'To This Day,' to further explore the profound and lasting impact that bullying can have on an individual."

Read more: http://tothisdayproject.com/

"Becker to be released — Former mayor at end of three years in prison"

http://journaltimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/becker-to-be-released-former-mayor-at-end-of-three/article_7525fac0-7b54-11e2-b524-001a4bcf887a.html

The pedo will be released next Tuesday.  He has to live in Racine County. Maybe he'll be your new neighbor.

Dear Madame Zoltar

Hello, my frosty friends!  How are you?  I’m not feeling so well and that’s why this blog is late. This winter has been hellacious to my health and well being. I’m going to keep this short so I can go back to bed.

I received an email this week from Mr. (Mrs?) andromodo77.  The email was entitled World Domination:

My dearest Madame Zoltar:

Imagine a world free of the petty bickering by the uneducated, the spoiled, the jealous, the greedy.
Imagine a nation free of politics and religion.
Imagine a nation free of debt, free of enemies, free of pollution
Imagine a nation that is energy self sufficient
Imagine a world who would listen to your wisdom, your experiences and your vision of the future.
Can you imagine with me?

Can you imagine the power of the great and wise Madame Zoltar working with the Andromdoians to bring the world back into harmony?

IMAGINE?

Dear andromodo77, you post a pretty picture of our world if only all the idiots and criminals would disappear.  I’m with you. 

I’m not very familiar with the Andromdoians. Do you have some sort of power for world domination?  Are there Andromdoian psychics?  What do they charge?

Thank you everyone for reading my abbreviated blog this week.  I’m still here and I still love you.

Send your questions to: madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com.

Watch out for the ice outdoors.  I used to think that snow was my nemesis, but now I think it may be ice.  I have been slipping and sliding the winter away. Haruspex!

Open Blog - Wednesday


"Humday" for a humdinger of a day.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Monday, February 18, 2013

Pine Siskin

Another invader from Canada.... The Pine Siskin.

A widespread and conspicuous small finch from the coniferous forests of Canada and Alaska that invades Wisconsin's forests and feeders during the winter months. The Pine Siskin makes irregular and variable journeys to our parts, depending on the food supply of seeds. Often seen in large flocks mixed with Common Redpolls, American Goldfinches and American Tree Sparrows.

Identifying them is rather easy, especially if you know what you're looking for. Pine Siskins are are smaller than the goldfinches. Brown they are, with a heavily streaked belly and two white wing bars. The most identifiable characteristic are the yellow tips of their wings

The top picture was taken at the feeder behind the visitor center at Richard Bong State Recreational Area where I have seen dozens at a time feeding there. I like this picture because it shows the yellow wing tips quite well. The pictures below was taken by Tender Heart at my folk's place up in Pickeral recently. I really like how she captured the essence of the birds with the snow on their beaks.

  


Open Blog - Monday


Save the polar bears!

Sunday, February 17, 2013