After Hundreds of Thousands Gather on National Mall to Support Personal Responsibility, Two Guys Gather on Couch to Support Free Stuff

Rochester, New York--Al Burg and Joe Pinny were so outraged after watching hundreds of thousands of people -- many of them religious -- gather on the National Mall to support individual liberty, personal responsibility, and limited government, the two of them decided to gather on the couch again the next day as part of a counter-rally in support of free stuff paid for by other people.

"All those folks who traveled long distances with their families to stand in the hot summer sun and gather together in support of things like honor and dignity are a direct affront to the principles of whiny ass-sitting," said Al. "So Joe and I found a Sharpie marker behind a cushion, wrote 'Free Stuff' on the back of a pizza box we found on the floor, and hung out some more on the couch."

"This was a great day," said Joe following the rally. "There was a Green Acres marathon on TV Land."

Associated images: BBC; associated articles: Wall Street Journal; Daily Caller; associated video: Uncommon Knowledge

After Hundreds of Thousands Gather on National Mall to Support Personal Responsibility, Two Guys Gather on Couch to Support Free Stuff

Rochester, New York--Al Burg and Joe Pinny were so outraged after watching hundreds of thousands of people -- many of them religious -- gather on the National Mall to support individual liberty, personal responsibility, and limited government, the two of them decided to gather on the couch again the next day as part of a counter-rally in support of free stuff paid for by other people.

"All those folks who traveled long distances with their families to stand in the hot summer sun and gather together in support of things like honor and dignity are a direct affront to the principles of whiny ass-sitting," said Al. "So Joe and I found a Sharpie marker behind a cushion, wrote 'Free Stuff' on the back of a pizza box we found on the floor, and hung out some more on the couch."

"This was a great day," said Joe following the rally. "There was a Green Acres marathon on TV Land."

Associated images: BBC; associated articles: Wall Street Journal; Daily Caller; associated video: Uncommon Knowledge

Sometimes we just brave the heat

And I use the term "we" very loosely, in this case meaning the rest of my family.

After all, I am still in hybernation mode...until October.

Luckily for the kids, there's a new skate park very close to our neighborhood.

Unluckily for the kids, it's really busy early in the day on the weekends.

Luckily? Unluckily? for the kids, there's little traffic there in the middle (read, HOTTTTTTest) part of the day.

When it's 107 outside, this concrete park warms up to 130ish. Emphasis on the "ish." They were all enthusiastic troopers though and hung on through the heat.


Oh, these photos just don't properly represent the level of heat they endured.

I think this gives a better visual of the heat index.

And the color of their faces when they got home.

Levi Johnston to Star in Reality Show Depicting Life as a Bottom-Feeding Parasite

Associated video: Politico

Levi Johnston to Star in Reality Show Depicting Life as a Bottom-Feeding Parasite

Associated video: Politico

Both Parties Claim to Have Best Plan for Evacuating the Country

Littlehaven, South Dakota--With the Federal Reserve warning the U.S. economy is weakening, the percentage of gross domestic product that constitutes debt growing rapidly larger, Social Security Trustees saying the program will pay out more in benefits than it collects in taxes the next couple years, businesses unwilling to hire due to fear of massive energy costs under burdensome regulations, the Medicare Actuary saying the new health care law will actually increase health care costs, and the Association of American Medical Colleges' predicting a shortage of 160,000 doctors within 15 years, Republican and Democratic candidates for Congress are debating which party has the best plan for evacuating the country.

In a joint statement, spokespeople for both parties said "We agree with the American people that our top priority should be a quick, efficient means of egress from land within the jurisdiction of the federal government, and we pledge to move forward together in a bipartisan plan for mass exodus."

Associated articles: Wall Street Journal; Economics 21

Both Parties Claim to Have Best Plan for Evacuating the Country

Littlehaven, South Dakota--With the Federal Reserve warning the U.S. economy is weakening, the percentage of gross domestic product that constitutes debt growing rapidly larger, Social Security Trustees saying the program will pay out more in benefits than it collects in taxes the next couple years, businesses unwilling to hire due to fear of massive energy costs under burdensome regulations, the Medicare Actuary saying the new health care law will actually increase health care costs, and the Association of American Medical Colleges' predicting a shortage of 160,000 doctors within 15 years, Republican and Democratic candidates for Congress are debating which party has the best plan for evacuating the country.

In a joint statement, spokespeople for both parties said "We agree with the American people that our top priority should be a quick, efficient means of egress from land within the jurisdiction of the federal government, and we pledge to move forward together in a bipartisan plan for mass exodus."

Associated articles: Wall Street Journal; Economics 21

NASA Teams with Online Dating Services to Find Extraterrestrial Sugar Daddy

Cape Canaveral, Florida--With China and other countries becoming increasingly reluctant to loan money to the United States, NASA has teamed up with Match.com and other prominent dating services to find an "extraterrestrial sugar daddy" who might pay for the governmental excesses of the U.S. government.

One of the solicitations being beamed into space reads "Nation on young, vibrant planet with a mid-sized midriff but a 7,000 degree core, iron-rich with very little sulfer content -- seeks mature, powerful sugar daddy to pay massive government tabs."

NASA scientists were excited by the responses received so far, one of which -- sent under the sexy nickname "Devourer of Worlds" -- reads "Big Bang veteran with galactic appetite for fun and planetary resources is intrigued by your planet profile. Respond to my personal aide Silver Surfer if interested."

"This is all very, very exciting," said one White House official.

NASA Teams with Online Dating Services to Find Extraterrestrial Sugar Daddy

Cape Canaveral, Florida--With China and other countries becoming increasingly reluctant to loan money to the United States, NASA has teamed up with Match.com and other prominent dating services to find an "extraterrestrial sugar daddy" who might pay for the governmental excesses of the U.S. government.

One of the solicitations being beamed into space reads "Nation on young, vibrant planet with a mid-sized midriff but a 7,000 degree core, iron-rich with very little sulfer content -- seeks mature, powerful sugar daddy to pay massive government tabs."

NASA scientists were excited by the responses received so far, one of which -- sent under the sexy nickname "Devourer of Worlds" -- reads "Big Bang veteran with galactic appetite for fun and planetary resources is intrigued by your planet profile. Respond to my personal aide Silver Surfer if interested."

"This is all very, very exciting," said one White House official.

Another family double-digit birthday

Mary Kate certainly milked this year's birthday for all it was worth.

It started on Saturday with our neighborhood August birthday gathering.
Sunday was the only birthday day of rest we had!
Monday, she got her ears pierced.

On Tuesday, she offered birthday cupcakes, watermelon, and lemonade to her neighborhood friends when they got off at the bus stop (at the end of our driveway).


But on Wednesday, her for real birthday, she really lived it up!

We played at the pool for an extra-long birthday swim.
Sweet potato pancakes for breakfast was her request.
She went to lunch with Dad, got new swim fins, and visited a couple of pet stores that had biting bunnies, sugar gliders, pygmy possums, snakes, and a sloth.

Then she went to her birthday piano lesson...and got a jolly rancher from her teacher.

Dad took off work early, and by that time the kids were ready to climb the walls

...until their arms were shaking with fatigue,

they had no more grip strength,

and they became mentally confused and started doing gymnastics.

Just look at this Jello-y blob.

Kathleen, after climbing the advanced wall for 20 minutes.
Thankfully, they regained enough function in their arms to feed themselves dinner.

Miss MK got a set of bigger skates to keep her busy for a while. (These were even too small, so I think I'll have to let her use mine now.)

The sibs gave her Chinese checkers.

Her cake request this year was a beach cake.
I think every spatula, bowl, and measuring cup in the kitchen was used.


We love when someone has a birthday because we all get to have a fun-filled day--

when each of the kids is extra sweet to their sibling,
when they think of special gifts for each other,
when they have such a visceral anticipation of the day's activities,
and when we all end up with a visceral sense of too much sugar in our bloodstream.

Happy birthday to our little MK-Mimi-Cocoa Butter-Carrot-Flibberaloo!

Racism Vision Specs

Associated articles: Politico; National Review; Charles Krauthammer; McClatchy; Washington Post; Daily Caller; McClatchy 1

Racism Vision Specs

Associated articles: Politico; National Review; Charles Krauthammer; McClatchy; Washington Post; Daily Caller; McClatchy 1

MK's New Bling

The reason for our trip to the mall.

She knew her eyes would water.

Birthstone posts: white gold with sparkly peridot

Then she got to pinch all of her siblings (and they didn't get mad)

...because they asked what it felt like.

U.S. Presidents on Debt (click image to enlarge)

Associated article: National Review and CBO

U.S. Presidents on Debt (click image to enlarge)

Associated article: National Review and CBO

Government Prepares Giant Detention Rooms as President Obams Sends Detention Notes to Millions of Inattentive Americans

Guantanamo Bay, Cuba--As President Obama's approval ratings have sunk in the polls, the nation's schoolmarm-in-chief has ordered that millions of detention notes be sent to inattentive Americans "who just aren't getting what I'm saying."

A White House spokesman confirmed that existing detention centers were being retrofitted with brightly colored school desks for detention sessions that should last "an hour or so" as necessary.

President Obama, clearly frustrated by the majority of Americans' failure to appreciate his intellectual brilliance, "just wants Americans to do some thinking about how they can help President Obama help them."

Government Prepares Giant Detention Rooms as President Obams Sends Detention Notes to Millions of Inattentive Americans

Guantanamo Bay, Cuba--As President Obama's approval ratings have sunk in the polls, the nation's schoolmarm-in-chief has ordered that millions of detention notes be sent to inattentive Americans "who just aren't getting what I'm saying."

A White House spokesman confirmed that existing detention centers were being retrofitted with brightly colored school desks for detention sessions that should last "an hour or so" as necessary.

President Obama, clearly frustrated by the majority of Americans' failure to appreciate his intellectual brilliance, "just wants Americans to do some thinking about how they can help President Obama help them."

Changing Play :: Phases of Youth

We don't go to the mall very often at all. I require a really good reason (some call it desperation) to get me there. It might even be a phobia of sorts.

Anyway, we went. And I did have a good reason (and that's why I had my camera).

As I was resting, due to the tremendous toll such a venture takes on me, I was trying to ignore the fact that my kids were embarrassingly ruthless in their attempt to find coins--even if they were wedged between a concrete pillar and its base requiring tools to pry them out. (Tools=wooden skewer + straw)

Since our children have outgrown their interest in taking a spin in the mall ride-on machines, they now look at that kind of area as a gold mine of coinage.

Unfortunately, this is nothing new for us. Here they are last fall at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon enjoying its natural beauty and splendor.

Yep--soda machines tend to be good coining grounds too.
Hey kids, let's go look at some 200 million year old rocks. Kids?

As I observed the general area at the mall, I also appreciated the differences between some of the phases and ages of the kids there.

There were a couple of male teens who probably would have been too embarrassed to search for a few coins, so instead piled into this "bus" and started making urgent calls on their phones.

Afterwards, one proceeded to, uh...fall out of the bus (a long, agonizing tumble) onto the floor.

Which was followed by a set of claps coming from female teen onlookers. (Oh, that lovely awkward age!)

Our kids didn't even notice the scene.
Because they were busy finding loads of coins.

Who could blame them really? Between all four of the kids, they found nearly $3--a small fortune to them.

Refreshingly, there was the token youngster who still gets thrills from actually riding the machines. She has yet to learn about coins and cell phones...and growing up.

Headlines (click image to enlarge)

Headlines (click image to enlarge)

2nd Annual Block Party :: August Birthdays

Since there are 9 people in 7 neighboring homes on our short side of the block with birthdays in August, we figured it was good reason to celebrate!

The birthday crew









We love our great group of neighbors...and the big bunch of kiddies that come along with it!






Our little cupcake will be celebrating her "real" birthday soon!