A New Development in Pool Floats

Where there is a possible demand, sometimes commerce steps in with a creative solution to problems.

This is definitely the case with pool floats.

It seems that one manufacturer has come out with a pool float that is specifically intended for girls with big boobs. It has a recessed area in its proper place.

It took a clever engineer to think up that one.

Wretched Excess

For those who totally want to screw up a hot dog, Heinz now offers Mayochup:

Why Do We Use This Expression?

My lady Jennifer asked about a widely-used term of disparagement: a real dick.

Now the word used in this sense can literally refer to the penis. And, furthermore, why would alluding someone to be a penis be disparaging? After all, approximately 50% (more or less) of people possess such features. And females supposedly enjoy their being used properly (or many men are credulous). So why is calling one a "dick" a put-down?

Could it be due to Richard Milhous Nixon, known as "Tricky Dick"? Unless he possessed a remarkable talent well-known but since forgotten from that strange time, I doubt it.

Actually, Eric Partridge in one of his works on slang recorded that reference to the penis as far back as the 1880s.

And there's the allusion of "shaking hands with the girlfriend's best friend."

But the British have a dessert of fruit and suet called "spotted dick." And they're not referring to Mr. Cheney or Mr. Nixon with measles. Some have even suggested calling it "spotted richard" instead.

I tried it. It wasn't bad.

The Catcher in the Rye

Stacy's Mom

Why not a hit by Fountains of Wayne entitled Stacy's Mom?

This one was from 2003. A one-hit wonder. But Stacy's Mom is very see-worthy!

Is Stacy's mom hot? Sizzling, in my opinion.

Catsup or Ketchup?

As if we're not contentious enough, some people can take issue over how to spell that universal condiment, ketchup/catsup. I've seen it both ways.

Further, when is it okay to use this red stuff, so as to use a neutral term not likely to ruffle anyone's feathers.

On hot dogs? Dirty Harry takes exception?

On scrambled eggs?

What about on French fries? Actually, A-1 sauce or barbecue sauce also works well.

And we have to also admit that the red stuff is useful for smothering the bad taste of some foods.

1968 America Shattered or Hyperbole?

I wasn't around back then, but was America really shattered back in 1968?

Or is this an example of overemphasizing a period because it occurred exactly 50 years ago?

Here's a timeline from Smithsonian.

California's State-Sponsored Travel Blacklist

Recently Oklahoma has been added to California's state-sponsored travel blacklist. 

I see that Alabama has already made this list previously.  Apparently California is attempting to exert economic influence on another state's politics. Whether is this a good idea, or just meddlesomeness, is a matter of opinion. 

I must say that it is absolutely comic to think of California as a possible moral compass!

But, amazing to say, none of the articles regarding this addressed the practical aspect of what sort of magnitude this sort of blacklist has on most states. 

For example,  just how has Alabama been affected by being on California's travel blacklist? Somehow, I don't see there having been a large number of ordinary California state employees being required to go to Alabama for some reason or other. Or maybe some beach-starved Californian workers are jonesing for some quality beach time at Gulf Shores!

Yellow Cardinal

Here's a beautiful but unexpected discovery from Alabaster, AL: a yellow male cardinal! It would be interesting to see if he will have any progeny that also possess this interesting feature. I hope so!

Anyway, he's one in a million!

The Devil of Pope-Fig Island

Jean de la Fontaine wrote several classic fables, including "The Fox and the Grapes."

Here's an illustration for "The Devil of Pope-Fig Island,", by Jean de la Fontaine.  In it, the devil gets flashed.

Samantha Bee

So you probably read or were able to figure out how television figure Samantha Bee offensively referred to Ivana Trump, even though most sources referred to it only obliquely.   Plus her apology.

There's the cynical side of me that thought, "Mission accomplished."

Because the big noise regarding her impolite name-calling got one thing in a big way: She got noticed.

Admittedly, she behaved badly. But sometimes a success de scandale boosts ratings. Shades of Janet Jackson!