Open Thread – Brian O’Lantern!
31 10 2009Jack Schmack. We’ve got a Brian O’Lantern! This awesome creation came from “Mudflatter A” (no relation to “U.S. Representative A” of Corrupt Bastards Club fame). I met her about a month ago and she already had it all planned out – a vegetable homage to the great ungulate that is the Mudflats mascot.
I feel confident in saying that Brian would like this pumpkin a lot, probably as a late afternoon snack. Back in the days of film cameras, I snapped a shot of a moose eating a jack o’ lantern my neighbor had left on the porch. The hole on the top was large enough to fit the entire nose and upper jaw of the moose. While attempting to take its first bite from the side of the pumpkin, in this odd position, it was startled by … me and my camera. So, it raised up its great antlered head and swung around to look at me, with the pumpkin still stuck on it’s face looking like a big “Rudolph the orange-nosed moose.” I tried to find the photo so I could scan it, but whatever shoe box, or photo file, or album it’s in, I couldn’t, so the virtual story will have to do for now.
Have a wonderful Halloween everyone! If anyone has any fun political costume shots, or jack o’lanterns, send me an email at akmuckraker(at)yahoo(dot)com. There have to be a few you-know-whos out there somewhere!
[More Mudflats quilt squares coming soon!]
October 31st, 2009 at 12:31 PM
There he is. Brian O’Brian. Lit up again. tsk tsk.
October 31st, 2009 at 12:41 PM
LOL, bubbles! I love it when you do your accents.
October 31st, 2009 at 1:26 PM
From Nate Silver at fivethirtyeight:
Scozzafava’s Supporters Like Obama, Dislike Hoffman and Owens
“Consider the Siena poll out this morning, which has all sorts of useful cross-tabs. Scozzafava’s supporters in this poll:
– Have a favorable view of Barack Obama by a 64-31 margin.
– Have an unfavorable view of Hoffman 15-57.
– Have an unfavorable view of Democrat Bill Owens, 19-50.
The reality is that a lot of Scozzafava’s ex-supporters, many of whom don’t like either Hoffman or Owens, simply won’t vote. And some of them will still wind up casting their ballots for Scozzafava undaunted, as she’ll still appear on the ballot and may have made herself something of a sympathetic figure.”
http://www.themudflats.net/2009/10/31/open-thread-brian-olantern/?#comment-143910
October 31st, 2009 at 1:28 PM
big goof at #51. Here’s the link to Nate Silver:
http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/
October 31st, 2009 at 1:28 PM
So far we got a little pink butterfly, a mini-Darth Vader, penguin, and a few assorted goblins. I noticed there seem to be less trick-or-treaters this year for this area.
October 31st, 2009 at 1:41 PM
Stories like this one just make me happy to have such a good guy in the White House! This is about a young girl from the next town to me:
“Xanthe Plymale has an unusual name (pronounced zan’-thee). Last January, she also had an unusual idea. She sent her second-grade class project to the White House and President Barack Obama. Xanthe, as a second-grader, sent her Flat Stanley to the White House along with a four-page letter.
Last week, eight months later, her project came back with a personally signed letter from the President. The envelope from the White House also included autographed photos of the President and his family, and the family dog, Bo.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
For those of you who are not familiar with Flat Stanley, he’s from a story about a young boy who got flattened by a falling bulletin board. Kids make their own Flat Stanleys, mail them to other places and follow their adventures as a reading and writing project. Our school librarian did it last year with the third grade, and Stanley got to visit some exciting destinations which were marked on a big map. But, none of our Flat Stanleys came back with a picture and letter from the President! How cool is that????
http://www.whec.com/article/stories/S1220556.shtml
October 31st, 2009 at 1:42 PM
I certainly hope every one of Dede’s supporters vote for Owen, she got screwed.
“Dede Scozzafava, a lifetime Republican, and the former Mayor of Gouverneur, was driven out of the race by Doug Hoffman’s out-of-state money and Doug Hoffman’s dirty tricks. This might explain why she declined to endorse Doug Hoffman in her resignation:
I hereby release those individuals who have endorsed and supported my campaign to transfer their support as they see fit to do so. ”
Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-kelly/bias-media-dirty-tricks-a_b_341141.html
October 31st, 2009 at 1:57 PM
First trick-or-treaters here also, too – another Darth Vader, a ballerina, a witch, and a mini pumpkin!
BuffaloGal – Could you post those two messages and the links to the videos at HuffPost on Geoff Dunn’s latest piece? My messages have been put into moderation and not posted for the last month. I even changed my e-mail address, but it recognizes my ISP and rejects me…….and I can’t think of a dang reason why as none of my comments were nasty, cussing, or anything.
Anyway, I think those videos need to go really viral and maybe more will pick up on them from the HuffPost viewers who don’t come to the AK blogs.
The religious right is becoming very powerful at a fast pace and we all must somehow get word out and do whatever we can to support Democratic candidates in any/all races, whether in our districts or not.
There are so many lies being promoted. My daughter came back from town and was telling me that standing in line, she was scanning the covers of what she calls the *cheap-shot-sheets* like the National Enquirer, and several said things like “Obama Orders: Get Beck” and things of that nature that are obvious lies. Those who buy that sort of publication are often lower-educated and will belief the tripe.”
I just don’t know how to fight some of this and it scares me where some of this is headed.
October 31st, 2009 at 2:07 PM
I imagine they’ll do a poll now to see what folks are going to do with their vote. Let’s hope for the best. Please let Owen win.
Let it also be a reminder that we have got to be paying attention to the races in our own states! Work hard to drive support away from right wing wackos to at least moderate Repubs if it’s a repub state.
And be prepared for this to happen again.
BTW…..one of the false smear ads against Dede came from an Arkansas politician. And their ‘grassroots backers’ came from as far away as CA to help work on the campaign for Hoffman. That’s how they’re going to play the game.
October 31st, 2009 at 2:12 PM
GreatGramma……..I’ve found Huffpo haven’t accepted my comments either, I got kinda ticked off trying to comment on AKM’s last Article, it wouldn’t even show they were waiting approval, nadda, I tried more than once too, saying different things, nothing terribly offensive, no cuss words either. I don’t get it.
October 31st, 2009 at 2:12 PM
GG2C ( whom I now think of as GG- I B !) – I will try to post to FB if I can remember my password. Good idea. Thanks!
As I posted earlier today on the Brian Pumpkin thread – I have a neighborhood of nasty halloweeners. As of 6:30PM EST, I had the first group kick at my front door. ( i’m considering throwing a handful of dried northern beans into their bags ) I envy those of you who are welcoming cute Cinderellas and nice little Ninja Turtles. I want the adorable ones too!
October 31st, 2009 at 2:38 PM
Hmm. Yes. That’s what I heard. She suspended her campaign. She didn’t withdraw from the race. And she did not endorse the carpetbagger.
So her name remains on the ballot. (Not to mention mail in and any early voting.)
So the Republican ballot is split any way you look at it.
A vote for Dede is a none of the above or a vote against Hoffman. Whatever. The effect will be the same.
Personally, I think she was stupid to suspend her campaign today. She only had three days to go. What was the point?
October 31st, 2009 at 2:40 PM
BG – So sorry you have those nasty kids kicking at your door! If I had that sort come to my door, I probably would turn off all the lights and play *gone*, or I’d throw the northern beans AT them, not into their bags .
October 31st, 2009 at 2:57 PM
Just reading the full Guardian article, heck, they scooped a better story than any of the US media. I loved the note by the author, lol, to me it was a little reminder that IF there were affairs, Tank knows about them, yeppers. Maybe Levi can’t make a serious charge like that but I bet Tank can prove it if it did happen. I take that as a shot across the bow.
It’s also clear, they’ve had him save the dirt and not say too much early on. Save the ammo for the right time, don’t spill the beans all at once, be strategic about it. I bet he gets fair parental rights ironed out and just to insure it stays that way, he plans on keeping the big dirt ammo if needed.
It’s obvious Scarah knows she’s now in hot water and she’s turned it over to Van Flea, gotta pay for damage control, more dang legal fees. We know she’s got to be seething mad! I’m not sure Todd would be mad for the same reasons, it’s not like Levi is asking for money or anything unreasonable. But for Scarah, oh, the humiliation, she loses control and she hates to lose.
I’m sure he’s in good hands, and Scarah knows her cats out of the bag, Levi has shared the dirt with the right people which should keep him safe, in a sane world anyway. Watch your back Levi, I wouldn’t call Scarah sane.
Just in case you missed the full article…..
http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2009/oct/31/ed-pilkington-interview-levi-johnston
“Tank works as a private detective doing criminal work and what he calls infidelity cases.”
[.....]
“Between them, the two men act as Johnston’s bodyguards, media agents, advisers, mentors, guardians and priests all rolled into one. It’s obvious from the way Johnston interacts with them that he depends on them. “No ‘yes’ and ‘no’ answers!”, Tank barks before we start the interview, and Johnston dutifully obeys, only rarely falling into the monosyllables for which he is notorious.”
October 31st, 2009 at 3:10 PM
I just had the fright of my life! Earlier today we got a call from an 800 service. We didn’t answer it because we couldn’t identify it and it has been our experience that these callers generally don’t leave a message. I noticed while at the height of our trick or treater traffice that we did, indeed, have a voice mail. So I just listened and heard . . . just thinking of it frightens me . . . Sarar Palin’s voice!! My reaction was a very loud Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!! that I’m sure was heard down the street (the temp is very warm here today so our door is open to the screen door and the windows are down on the screen door). I hope I can sleep tonight free of nightmares. Everyone send a prayer. BTW she was stumping for Chris Christy.
Earlier in the day I got a call identified as “Holland Law” which I answered. It was Rudy Guiliani (sp?). Aaaaaaaahhhhhhh!
Happy Halloween!!!!!
October 31st, 2009 at 3:56 PM
Ugh…I’ve spend the last hour arguing with friggin redneck idiots on our local news website who are so gung ho for Hoffman. I swear I can’t stand it and if I have to do it much longer I’m going to eat the entire bowl of candy I have left.
October 31st, 2009 at 7:55 PM
Day 2 :
Ahh it’s Day Two. At least there is a Day Two. The aftermath of a battlefield always seems to have a slow mist rising from it as if a call to fallen souls from Heaven.
The beach after a storm smells fresh and and hints at a crisp invitation for renewal to the swimmer, wanderer, or the newly lost. And somewhere stranded between those metaphors, lies the silhouette of yesterday’s efforts. So as today begins, the canvas I walk into is absent color but not without hope. A grainy oil painting telling today’s story, dapples of oil applied with brush strokes for highlights and half tones, all in grey scale.
I had alot of time to think about Samson last night and this morning. I arrived to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at 3:00 pm to begin a shift of 19 hours watching the heart-lung machine as Samson had been placed on ECMO late last night.
The night was restless as different scenarios and “what-if’s” comingled with my dreams and rose to the surface faster and more furiously than the bubbles rising and convoluting from the ocean floor that I was swimming over. Certainly his age (25) and outward appearance of great strength and invincibility, made me wonder when whatever felled this oak tree, would eventually turn towards me, see past my shadow, and begin to lay waste.
Time to wake up and go…
Memories of a book I had read as a child surfaced, of Walter Reed and his tremendous courage as he studied the origins of yellow fever, eventually drilling down to the mosquito (Aedis Egypti) as the only plausible vector, and summarily allowing one to infect him- thus proving his theory. So of course the question of potential risk versus sacrifice was tabled for discussion.
Discussions of the soul. When Ben Hur tosses caution to the wind, and clutches his mother to his arms and body, a mother ravaged with leprosy thus subjecting himself to the dreaded disease, yet freeing him of something far worse, cowardice and indifference, that was a discussion that may not always set you free, but recognizing courage in yourself if only for a moment, well that goes a long way. But enough of that.
The question of risk and possible infection is something that each attending Nurse, Physician, Respiratory Therapist, and a whole slew of medical support personell, must ask themselves before comitting to rendering hands on care to what is suggested be- a potential deluge of critically ill patients.
So everybody showed up, unvaccinated because of a dearth of supply and government parcelling, totally cognizant that the high frequency oscillator that was being used to keep Samson’s lungs compliant, was also an open sytem aerosolizing the virus into the surrounding room air ensuring everybody’s exposure. Essentially a microbial mist of potential contamination was rising and released to all attending to Samson’s care.
That was our collective Ben Hur moment. We flinched, but we all showed up and stayed.
November 1st, 2009 at 7:09 PM
trisha I was really hoping the holloween candy thing was a spoof????No one could be that crazy could they??
November 1st, 2009 at 7:10 PM
What would they say about texas chili or any chili for that matter???
November 1st, 2009 at 8:09 PM
Someone is quite the artist
November 1st, 2009 at 9:03 PM
Leenie17 This is not the first time President Obama has answered someone who sent the flat Stanley.During the campaign there was an article about him taking flat Stanley to work with him and he also sent it back with a note..He was the only one of a number to answer and follow thru in a timely manner