Saturday, March 23, 2013

"Украина имеет талант - 5. Выпуск 2. Duo 'Flame'"



"Ukraine's Got Talent - 5. Issue 2. Duo 'Flame.'"  The dancing is gorgeous.

Never Buy an Auto Battery from WalMart. Never.

Last year I bought a new battery for my truck from WalMart.  I usually go to Farm and Fleet for batteries, but my neighbor talked me into WalMart.  When I purchased the battery, the clerk assured me, "If you have any problems, bring it back and we'll take care of it."

I've been having trouble with the battery for the last three months.  It wouldn't hold a charge.  It must have been 10 or 12 times I had to jump the battery.  After checking my charging system, I returned to WalMart to get a replacement battery.  Ha!  The clerk at the auto desk said I have to wait for an hour and a half while they test the battery.  She said that people try to scam them and get free batteries.  Thing is, when I first arrived, I found a wallet on the counter.  I turned it in to the clerk.  Now the clerk was suggesting that I was trying to scam the store.  "Would I have turned in the wallet if I was a crook?" I asked the clerk.  No response.

Of course, nothing gets done until you get the manager involved.  We had to go through the whole rigamarole again, and he also said I had to wait an hour and a half while they tested the battery.  I went ballistic. Nothing was said about this at the time of sale.  Now, the clerk said I could go home and return later to see how the battery test went.  I asked, "How am I supposed to drive my truck home without a battery?"  Silence, again.

I finally got as new battery.  I had to yell and fuss and raise hell.  After I got the battery, I told the manager that I had managed an auto repair shop and I never made my customers go through hysterics before I would honor our warranties.  He said, "You didn't have to get upset."  I said, "I wouldn't have received a new battery without raising hell."  Again, silence.

The moral of the story is, don't buy auto batteries from WalMart.  They claim to have solid warranties backing their products, but when you try to get warranty service, they treat you like a criminal.  I hate that damn store and ruefully regret buying a battery from them. Never again. 

"Tyree Carter Banned From 'All The Libraries On The Face Of The Earth' For Allegedly Masturbating"



Fox News found it funny: http://video.foxnews.com/v/2237669800001/wisconsin-man-banned-from-all-libraries-on-earth/

Open Blog - Weekend


Yay! Let's cook a baby.

Friday, March 22, 2013

Now, don't tell me that welfare recipients aren't innovative!

No reason to stand on your feet waiting to get your check.

Just put your flip-flops next in line and go back and sit on your ass and play games on your iPhone.

What a great country!

Punxsutawney Phil 'indicted' for lying about spring's early arrival

CINCINNATI - The famous groundhog Punxsutawney Phil could be headed to court.

A prosecutor in Ohio has filed "charges" against the animal. The prosecutor says Phil promised an early spring, and he was wrong!

The Northeast was pounded with more than a foot of snow on the first day of spring.

The prosecutor says he's sick of it, and wants someone to pay!

It's all in good fun, of course, and Phil's handlers are getting in on the joke as well.

"Representatives" Ignore Constituents

I sent emails to Bob Wirch and Cory Mason, my state representatives.  I included a link to Racine Exposed in the emails and asked why our local government is not charged with crimes.

No response from either one.  Racine's "representatives" represent only themselves.  They don't even have the decency to respond to a constituent's questions. Pigs protecting pigs.

It's time to start all over again. Government on all levels is rife with filth and corruption. 

Four for Fridays

Hello everyone and welcome back! It's been a very busy and crazy week. Man, did it fly! By the time Thursday came around, I was wondering where the time went.... Well, without further adieu, your questions...

1) If you had an extra day in a week, what would you do with it?

2) Who taught you how to swim?

3) What comic strip do you like to read?

4) What is the scariest crowd you have ever been in?

Enjoy your weekend!

Open Blog - Friday


Happy Friday.

Thursday, March 21, 2013

"Japan these days"



I bet that moving to Japan would result in massive culture shock.

"One photo a day in the worst year of my life"



"Mike Chajecki:  

"The powerful short was produced in Croatia as a public service announcement drawing attention to the issue of domestic abuse. The video ends with the young lady holding up a sign that translates to, 'Help me, I do not know if I can wait for tomorrow.'

"No one was actually hurt fortunately in the making of this video. All effects were done with professional makeup. But the message it is getting out there is extremely important."

Read more:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ertu9_MhFiM&NR=1


When I first saw this, I thought it was real: a battered woman put a video on YouTube to get help.  I also wondered how she got her face in the exact same position in each shot.  Learning that the video is a public service announcement explains everything.  Nicely done.

Open Blog - Thursday


Happy Thursday.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

The Sensuous Wife ………

"Have you ever seen a twenty dollar bill all crumpled up?" asked the wife.

"No," said her husband.

She gave him a sexy little smile, slowly reached into her cleavage and pulled out a crumpled twenty dollar bill.

"Have you ever seen a fifty all crumpled up?" she asked.
 
"Uh, no," he said.
 
She gave him another sexy little smile, seductively reached into her panties and pulled out a crumpled fifty dollar bill.
 
"Now," she said, "Have you ever seen 40,000 dollars all crumpled up?"
 
"No," he said, now really intrigued…
 
"Well, go look in the garage..."

Usless Information

Did you know:

Over 14,000 ships go through the Panama Canal ever year and the canal is 100+ years old.

There is a combination of 3 locks at one end that lift or lower the ships 80 feet from the lake level to the ocean level.

Dear Madame Zoltar

Hello, my party animals!  How are you?  Huzzuh, huzzuh!  It’s the first day of spring.  However, you wouldn’t know that by going outside.  All we get is cold and snow.  March madness is the frigid weather.  Crazy temperatures and precipitation.  I hope that April brings us showers and not blizzards. 

Oh my dear, dear friends.  As you know, I missed the last get together.  I’m so sorry.  I ended up at the original place that we selected for the party.  I was out of town on Thursday and Friday, so I didn’t see the updates.  Junior opened my email (he’s going to get it), so the location update message was already marked as read.  I never saw it.  Oh my.  I did have a nice time, though, drinking green beer and lime vodka and anything else that was liquid and green.  The St. Patrick’s Day celebration was going on inside and outside.  Eventually, I got rip roaring drunk, and Señor Zanza had to come and take me home.  I had a lot of fun, but I missed my dear Irregulars.  Next time for sure.

Mr. OrbsCorbs gave me my “presents” from the gathering: a VHS exercise tape entitled “Fat Buster Plus” and a can of diet Pepsi.  Oh my.  I could go ballistic over this, but I won’t.  I’m too much of a woman for that.  I have only one thing to say: beware.  When you least expect it, I’ll be there.  Thus spake Madame Zoltar®!

The Catholic Church has a new pope, and from the early returns, it appears that he is a winner.  One thing, Your Eminence Sir Mr. Pope Francis, be careful about unexpectedly running out and joining the teeming throngs.  The faithful you meet love it, but we live in a world of nut jobs.  I’m afraid that someone is going to take a shot at you, sooner or later.  Be careful, Sir.  And please don’t eschew the Popemobile.  It’s for your protection.

Finally, a number of my clients are also members of the Somerset Club that Mr. OrbsCorbs blogged about below.  They are perfect gentlemen.  And they’re rich, too.  Woo hoo!

Thank you to each and every one of you for reading my post today.  I so enjoy crafting a blog for you.  Wednesdays are for my Irregulars.

Have a question?  An answer? Contact: madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com.

The wintry weather means the ice capades on streets and sidewalks continues.  Be very careful.  On warmer days, some snow melts, but then freezes to ice at night.  Keep praying for spring.  Mouchard!      

Open Blog - Wednesday


Butterflies and flowers for the first day of spring.  I hope we see real ones soon.

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

"MinusIQ | The pill to lower your IQ permanently"



http://www.sleepthinker.com/

That's what I was trying to do with 25 years of heavy drinking.

The Somerset Club

From The Journal Times.com:

"City's exclusive Somerset Club rich in tradition"

"Just steps away from the bus stop bustle of Monument Square is a no-frills doorway that leads to the Somerset Club - Racine's most exclusive fraternity and perhaps the ultimate good old boys network.

"It occupies the top floor of the Janes Building, a five-story structure at Sixth and Main streets. The club faces Lake Michigan, the Downtown post office and a bus stop crowd of students, working people, hustlers and idlers.

"The Somerset Club, however, is literally and figuratively far removed from the petty concerns of the street. It is a men's club that for more than 100 years has culled its members from Racine's wealthiest, most influential and respected families.

"Men do not apply for admission to the Somerset Club. The club decides who will be offered the fewer than 100 memberships."

Read more here: http://journaltimes.com/news/local/city-s-exclusive-somerset-club-rich-in-tradition/article_970b09c2-f1fd-5fdc-aa34-b53d49662650.html


That article is from 1995. Did you know about the Somerset Club?  I didn't.  A friend and I were talking about Dewey's, the new bar downtown.  It's located in the Janes Building.  My friend mentioned the Somerset Club.  When I asked him about it, he said the club was for the wealthy big shots of Racine. He talked of it in the past tense, though. A Google search soon proved that the club is still alive and active in Racine.

Party on, Somerset Club!

Favorite Coffee Stop

Which is your most favorite coffee (shop) in Racine?

In other words, if you need JUST a cup of coffee where would you go?


Open Blog - Tuesday


Letterpress type, except the letters should be backwards. Happy Tuesday.

Monday, March 18, 2013

"Le papier ne sera jamais mort / Paper is not dead !"



Sometimes real is better than virtual.

A cowboy


A cowboy walks into a bar and orders a whisky. When the bartender delivers the drink, the cowboy asks, "Where is everybody?"
 
The bartender replies, "They've gone to the hanging."
 
"Hanging? Who are they hanging?"
 
"Brown Paper Pete," the bartender replied.
 
"What kind of a name is that?" the cowboy asked.
 
"Well," says the bartender. "He wears a brown paper hat, brown paper shirt, brown paper trousers and brown paper shoes."
 
"How bizarre," said the cowboy. "What are they hanging him for?"
 
"Rustling," said the bartender.

Milwaukee County Corruption

 There's a new blog that examines Milwaukee County for corruption.  Check it out here: http://milwaukeecountycorruption.blogspot.com/

Milwaukee County Corruption has been added to our sidebar list of local and area blogs.

Open Blog - Monday


Betty Boop makes Monday a little more tolerable.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Saying Goodbye to the Old Theater

Today is the last show at the Riverfront Theater in Bradenton, Florida, home of the Manatee Players. Don't worry, they Manatee Players are doing fine...they will be moving into a new $15 million theater later this month.

However, the old Riverfront Theater (built in the 1950s) is where I did a lot of shows with them back in the 1996-2001 range. I met many long time friends in shows and had great times there and now it will be torn down. Obviously, lots of us will miss the old theater even though we all know how much better the new building will be. For several years, I spent more waking hours at the theater than anywhere except work.

Tradition was at the end of a show, you would sign the wall. Many shows made little logos to sign. When I visited in January, I knew it would be my last time in the theater so I took some pics of the walls I signed.



Buildings hold lots of memories and emotions. As I write this, the curtain will go up in less than 20 minutes on their last show, a review starring many of the regulars at the theater over the years called "What I Did For Love".  I would be there if I could (heck, their last stage production was A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and I would have pulled a Tanya Harding to to that show...Miles Glorioses specifically).

Good bye old friend.


Comet Lemmon


Trying to catch up after last night…those in the northern hemisphere are enjoying Comet PanSTARRS this week. Well, I am visiting Chile and got to see Comet Lemmon last night. Comet Lemmon is pretty far south right now but will be putting in a dawn appearance for the northern hemisphere in April.
Comet Lemmon (discovered on Mount Lemmon in Arizona, hence the name) was not visible to the naked eye last night. It did show up nicely in small binoculars and on my Canon 60d.
Comet LemmonComet Lemmon also has a very different color than PanSTARRS. You have probably noticed PanSTARRS is very yellowish while Lemmon is much more blue. Cyanogen gas and diatomic carbon are tinting this comet whereas PanSTARRS is dominated by reflected sunlight from its nice dust tail giving it a more yellowish ting.
I don’t think Lemmon will put on as nice of a show as PanSTARRS, but its worth checking out as it moves north.
Reprinted with permission from the Half-Astrophysicist Blog.