Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Same Auld Lang Syne

Dan Fogelberg - Same Old Lang Syne


Classic KiRKWOOD



Original art by John Cox. More at John Cox Art

Quote du jour

"It's like watching a bunch of monkeys try to hump a doorknob."

-Sean Davis, on the Democrats' impeachment debacle

Monday, December 30, 2019

Classic KiRKWOOD



Original art by John Cox. More at John Cox Art

Quote du jour

" (Max) Boot’s intellectual erosion as a historian and analyst is a valuable warning of stage-four Trump Derangement Syndrome. I offer that diagnosis with regret given I once knew and liked Boot. But his commentary over the last three years has become sadly unhinged."
-Victor Davis Hanson

Sunday, December 29, 2019

A Little Sunday Night Music

Handel's Hallelujah Chorus

Classic KiRKWOOD



Original art by John Cox. More at John Cox Art

Quote du jour

"True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less."
― C.S. Lewis

Saturday, December 28, 2019

A Little Saturday Night Music

Somewhere Over the Rainbow - Israel Kamakawiwo'Ole

Classic KiRKWOOD



Original art by John Cox. More at John Cox Art

Best of the Web*


*…that Dave and I have seen all week!

(BTW, if you wonder where any of the links will take you, hover your cursor over the link.)

Political/SocioEconomic
$46 million insurance scam in Dearbornistan

Democrats Debate Whether Trump Has Been Impeached - Alan Dershowitz

Bill Barr Indicts 8 People For Illegally Funneling Millions In Foreign Money To Hillary’s Campaign in 2016

Maltese Midwestern: What you should know about Pete Buttigieg




Culture
Nearly 200 evangelical leaders condemned Christianity Today editorial on Trump

Recalling the Battle of the Bulge




Technology
This dude embedded a Tesla key in his hand to unlock his Model 3




Photoshops/Cartoons/Graphics

Cartoon of the Day – NRO

Flopping Aces -Sunday Funnies

Sunday Funnies 12-22-19

Today's Toons 12/18/19, Today's Toons 12/19/19, Today's Toons 12/20/19

Today's Toons 12/23/19, Today's Toons 12/24/19, Wednesday Christmas Funnies




Linkfests:
In The Mailbox: 12.24.19 (Afternoon Edition)

Larwyn's Linx: Democrats Debate Whether Trump Has Been Impeached

In The Mailbox: 12.24.19 (Evening Edition)

Larwyn’s Linx: If The FBI’s Contempt For The Law Is Not Reined In, Its Abuses Will Get Worse

In The Mailbox: 12.25.19

Larwyn’s Linx: Against Impeachment for Thought Crimes




Dave's Rule Five Roundup:
Proof Positive - Vintage Babe of the Week - Tonight's Vintage Babes are in a festive mood! and Best of the Web

Political Clown Parade - Flowing Curves Of Beauty

By Other Means - Tuesday Tap Rack and Bang, BeCos(play) It's Friday and Seeing Red

Evi L. Bloggerlady - Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Ninety Miles From Tyranny - Hot Pick, Girls With Guns, Morning Mistress and Blogs With Rule 5 Links

Grouchy Old Cripple - Saturday Boobage

Irons in the Fire - Friday Data and ... Saturday Data Overflow

The Feral Irishman - Twas The Night Before Christmas

The Daley Gator - Daley Babe

Diogenes Middle Finger News - A Good Monday Morning

A View from the Beach - Rule 5 Saturday - The Hunted Melissa George

24 Femmes Per Second - Diana Rigg

Knuckledraggin My Life Away - I’m sure she’s taken, men And ... I’ll leave you with this

American Power - Katie Bell's Christmas Wishes

Woodsterman - Rule 5 Woodsterman Style There's plenty of Christmas Woodsterman Style as well. Just keep scrolling.

The Other McCain - Rule 5 Sunday

The Pirates Cove - If All You See ... and Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup

Wired Right - A Beautiful End to the Day

The Right Way - Friday Babe and ... Rule 5 Saturday LinkOrama



Use the comments as an open thread on any of these topics. Please send links of news, commentary, or choice humor to: Proof.Positive@Hotmail.com

Quote du jour

Who knew that Big Brother would be replaced with Little Sister?
-Mike B, on the six story Greta Thunberg mural in San Francisco

Friday, December 27, 2019

Classic KiRKWOOD



Original art by John Cox. More at John Cox Art

Quote du jour

In Israel they have the Dead Sea. They say it's the deadest thing on the planet. They have never met Joe Biden.
-Katie Hopkins

Thursday, December 26, 2019

Vintage Babe of the Week

Tonight's Vintage Babes are in a festive mood!








A Little Post Christmas Day Music

Flash Mob - Ode to Joy - Beethoven Symphony No.9

Classic KiRKWOOD



Original art by John Cox. More at John Cox Art

Quote du jour

“It is ironic that liberals are obsessing about foreign interference in our elections when the truth is that many foreigners are voting here illegally and any effort to prevent that is halted by the Democrats. The canard that voter ID requirements alienate voters has to be put to rest. Picture IDs are routinely required at banks, hotels, even grocery stores. Shouldn’t elections be held to a higher standard?”
-Alicia Colon

Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Yet A Little More Christmas Day Music

Francesca Battistelli - You're Here

A Little More Christmas Day Music

Shawn Phillips - A Christmas Song

Welcome to the Club


Merry Christmas
If you're reading this blog on Christmas day, you either have a lot of time on your hands or you're just bored. Welcome to the Club!
Speaking of clubs...every now and then the subject of these supermarket club cards comes up, and some people get all upset over the invasion of their privacy. Personally, I don't have a problem with Safeway knowing how often I buy ground beef, what grade of beef I buy or how often I purchase green beans! I save three to six percent over their "club prices" which are way lower than the prices marked on the shelves.

But this week, I noticed an added benefit. Sort of. I got an email from them about a product they knew I'd purchased, that was subject to a recall.
The email was probably overkill, since the problem occurred recently and the purchase I made was over a month ago, but to play it safe, they shot out an email to anyone who had purchased this product.

A Little Christmas Day Music

O Come All Ye Faithful - Casting Crowns

Classic KiRKWOOD



Original art by John Cox. More at John Cox Art

Quote du jour

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

-Luke 2: 1-16

Tuesday, December 24, 2019

Monday, December 23, 2019

A Little More Pre-Christmas Music

Roger Miller - Old Toy Trains

Singing the Blues at Christmas

"There's no mistletoe hanging on my door this year.
There's no Christmas gifts scattered 'round my floor this year.
I've done all my shopping at the liquor store this year.
And I'll be drinking Christmas dinner all alone!"


44 seconds in

A Little Pre-Christmas Music

Dropkick Murphys - The Season's Upon Us

Quiptoon du jour

Classic KiRKWOOD



Original art by John Cox. More at John Cox Art

Quote du jour

"Does your report vindicate Mr. (James) Comey?"
-Sen. John Kennedy

"It doesn't vindicate anyone at the FBI that touched this, including the leadership."
-Michael Horowitz

Sunday, December 22, 2019

A Little Sunday Night Music

Handel: Messiah, For unto us a child is born

Classic KiRKWOOD


Original art by John Cox. More at John Cox Art

Quote du jour

If you will select me the grossest specimen of humanity, if he be but born of woman, I will have hope of him yet, because Jesus Christ is come to seek and to save sinners.
-Charles H. Spurgeon

Saturday, December 21, 2019

A Little Saturday Night Music

STAN FREBERG - Green Christmas


Donald Trump Sings 'Baby Please Come Home'

Classic KiRKWOOD



Original art by John Cox. More at John Cox Art

Best of the Web*


*…that Dave and I have seen all week!

(BTW, if you wonder where any of the links will take you, hover your cursor over the link.)

Political/SocioEconomic
11,000 SCIENTISTS? JUST KIDDING - not a study, but a press release




Culture
Meet the World Expert on All Things: Tom Nichols

Write Them Checks

Mom Says Christmas Light Display Inspired Nonverbal Autistic Daughter to Speak





Photoshops/Cartoons/Graphics

Cartoon of the Day – NRO

Flopping Aces -Sunday Funnies

Sunday Funnies, 12-15-19

Today's Toons 12/11/19, Today's Toons 12/12/19, Today's Toons 12/13/19

Today's Toons 12/16/19, Today's Toons 12/17/19





Linkfests:
Larwyn’s Linx: The Hidden Hand

In The Mailbox: 12.17.19

Larwyn’s Linx: How Should the Senate Deal with an Unconstitutional Impeachment by the House?

In The Mailbox: 12.18.19

In The Mailbox: 12.19.19

In The Mailbox: 12.20.19 (Afternoon Edition)

In The Mailbox: 12.20.19 (Evening Edition)




Dave's Rule Five Roundup:

Proof Positive - Vintage Babe of the Week - Tonight's Vintage Babe* is Ann Sothern! and Best of the Web

Political Clown Parade - Flowing Curves Of Beauty

By Other Means - Tuesday Tap Rack and Bang, BeCos(play) It's Friday and Seeing Red

Evi L. Bloggerlady - Vintage Christmas

Ninety Miles From Tyranny - Hot Pick, Girls With Guns, Morning Mistress and Blogs With Rule 5 Links

Grouchy Old Cripple - Saturday Boobage

Irons in the Fire - Friday Data and ... Saturday Data Overflow

The Feral Irishman - You Won't Need Any Sheets.. They Would Catch On Fire Anyway.... No Worries ... I've got the firewatch.

The Daley Gator - Daley Babe

Diogenes Middle Finger News - A Good Monday Morning

A View from the Beach - Rule 5 Saturday - Rule 5 Saturday - Nikki Reed

24 Femmes Per Second - Debbie Reynolds

Knuckledraggin My Life Away - Breezy days And ... I’ll leave you with this

American Power - Kelly Brook

Woodsterman - Rule 5 Woodsterman Style

The Other McCain - Rule 5 Sunday

The Pirates Cove - If All You See ... and Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup

Wired Right - A Beautiful End to the Day

The Right Way - Friday Babe and ... Rule 5 Saturday LinkOrama


Use the comments as an open thread on any of these topics. Please send links of news, commentary, or choice humor to: Proof.Positive@Hotmail.com

Quote du jour

You propose compensating families of illegals who are separated at the border? We don't compensate American citizens separated from their children because of crimes they commit. The idea that we'd do so for foreign national lawbreakers is borderline insane.
-Mike B, to St. Pete Buttigieg

Friday, December 20, 2019

Channeling My Inner Tony Bennett

Classic KiRKWOOD



Original art by John Cox. More at John Cox Art

Quote du jour

“We’re spiraling towards a debate stage that could have six people with no diversity whatsoever.”
-Cory Booker

Wouldn't that be a shame, if Democrats picked the most capable candidates regardless of their race?

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Vintage Babe of the Week

Tonight's Vintage Babe* is Ann Sothern!
(*a.k.a. Rule Five Thursday)






Classic KiRKWOOD



Original art by John Cox. More at John Cox Art

Quotes du jour

“It’s time for an economic revolution. Capitalism today is failing us, killing us, and robbing from our children’s future.”
-Mark Ruffalo


"Ruffalo’s net worth is about $30 million and he made about $6 million for the last Avengers movie. For a guy who hates capitalism and the profit motive, he sure is good at it."
-Jim Geraghty

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Classic KiRKWOOD



Original art by John Cox. More at John Cox Art

Bonus Quote du jour

If ignorance is bliss, why aren't there more happy people in the world?
- Stephen Fry

Quote du jour

"Speaker Nancy Pelosi is trying to impeach him (Trump). I don't mean any disrespect, but it must suck to be that dumb!"
-Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA)

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Classic KiRKWOOD



Original art by John Cox. More at John Cox Art

Quote du jour

"It would have been more profitable for theaters showing the feminist Charlie’s Angels reboot to replace it with a mime act, a snail eating contest, or the national conference of Blacks for Buttigieg."
- Daniel Greenfield

Monday, December 16, 2019

Classic KiRKWOOD



Original art by John Cox. More at John Cox Art

Quote du jour

The big takeaway from Impeachment Theater is that American voters have influence over a much smaller portion of the federal government than they believed. Washington is a feudal bureaucratic empire with a small suggestion box.
-John Hayward

Sunday, December 15, 2019

A Little Sunday Night Music

O Come All Ye Faithful - Marty Goetz

Classic KiRKWOOD



Original art by John Cox. More at John Cox Art

Quote du jour

Earth should be a temple filled with the songs of grateful saints, and every day should be a censor smoking with the sweet incense of thanksgiving.
-Charles H. Spurgeon

Saturday, December 14, 2019

A Little Saturday Night Music

The Lego Movie - Everything is awesome!

Classic KiRKWOOD



Original art by John Cox. More at John Cox Art

Best of the Web*


*…that Dave and I have seen all week!

(BTW, if you wonder where any of the links will take you, hover your cursor over the link.)

Political/SocioEconomic

The Trifecta Of Genius



Photoshops/Cartoons/Graphics

Cartoon of the Day – NRO

Flopping Aces -Sunday Funnies

Today's Toons 12/4/19, Today's Toons 12/5/19, Today's Toons 12/6/19

I Can’t Hate The Democrats More – It’s Unpossible


Today's Toons 12/9/19, Today's Toons 12/10/19




Linkfests:
Larwyn’s Linx: What Impeachment Tells Us A Democrat-Controlled America Would Look Like

In The Mailbox: 12.09.19

Larwyn’s Linx: Stunning Interview: Marie Yovanovitch Perjury, George Kent’s Motive, Why Graham Wants to Bury Investigation

In The Mailbox: 12.10.19

Larwyn’s Linx: AG Barr’s information dump about probe into FBI in 24 concise, numbered points

In The Mailbox: 12.11.19

Larwyn`s Linx: We Asked The 31 House Democrats From Trump Districts How They Would Vote On Impeachment

In The Mailbox: 12.13.19



Dave's Rule Five Roundup:

Proof Positive - Vintage Babe of the Week - Tonight's Vintage Babe* is Rita Hayworth! and Best of theWeb

Political Clown Parade - Flowing Curves Of Beauty

By Other Means - Tuesday Tap Rack and Bang, BeCos(play) It's Friday and Seeing Red

Evi L. Bloggerlady - Postmodern Jukebox and Sunny Holiday: Never My Love

Ninety Miles From Tyranny - Hot Pick, Girls With Guns, Morning Mistress and Blogs With Rule 5 Links

Grouchy Old Cripple - Saturday Boobage

Irons in the Fire - Friday Data and ... Saturday Data Overflow

The Feral Irishman - Tuesdeyes...

The Daley Gator - Daley Babe

Diogenes Middle Finger News - A Good Monday Morning

A View from the Beach - Rule 5 Saturday - Goliath Girl, Tania Raymonde

24 Femmes Per Second - Ann-Margret in shorts and heels

Knuckledraggin My Life Away - Breezy days and ... Damn these breezy days

American Power - Sara Jean Underwood — Wow!

Woodsterman - Rule 5 Woodsterman Style

The Other McCain - Rule 5 Sunday

The Pirates Cove - If All You See ... and Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup

Wired Right - A Beautiful End to the Day

The Right Way - Friday Babe Bailey Powell and ... Rule 5 Saturday LinkOrama



Use the comments as an open thread on any of these topics. Please send links of news, commentary, or choice humor to: Proof.Positive@Hotmail.com

Quote du jour

The lights on the house,
LEDs, they're like icicles.
(Feel like I rode 20 miles on my bicycle!)
Solar lights circle the palm tree's circumference
(Oh, yeah! Like I have a rhyme for circumference!)
The wreath on the front door is covered in bells
Decorations are done!
Joyeux Noël!
-Mike B

Friday, December 13, 2019

Hillary's New Look

Classic KiRKWOOD



Original art by John Cox. More at John Cox Art

Quote du jour

"...the average American doesn't think that we have to completely tear down the system and remake it. And I think it is important for us not to lose sight of that."
-Barack Obama

Oh, you mean kind of like...Obamacare??

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Vintage Babe of the Week

Tonight's Vintage Babe* is Rita Hayworth!
(*a.k.a. Rule Five Thursday)






No Spin Like a Pelosi-ton!

Classic KiRKWOOD



Original art by John Cox. More at John Cox Art

Quote du jour

"When you Google "Virgin" and "space travel", the first page that comes up is a Star Trek convention."
-Joe DiVito

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

2019 - My Personal Year in Review

This is generally a political blog, so feel free to skip this post if you like. You ever have one of those things that you never even knew you wanted until you saw it? It happened to me a couple of weeks ago. I was browsing through the "Deals of the Day" at Amazon ("Hi. My name is Mike and I'm an Amazonaholic."), and I saw this stainless steel range hood at a ridiculously low price. I already had a range hood that was quite functional, that I hardly ever used. Flipped on the light occasionally, but that was it. It was a kind of sickly lemony color, which may have matched something in the kitchen originally. I hardly ever gave it a thought, so it surprised me how quickly I jumped at the chance to replace it! I replaced the pathetic, barely functional stove top the first year I was here, with a flat ceramic top job. I can't even remember what color the old stove top was.

But, this one was stainless steel, and would match my 'fridge and was clean and shiny and new! I jumped up and measured my range hood, it was five inches wider than the deeply discounted one, but they had a 36" SS model at a fairly decent discount, so I ordered it on the spot! This install was not exactly plug and play, but it was close! Before:


Looks pretty normal, right? The color is a little washed out in this photo. It almost looks cream colored here, which would have at least matched the tile. Plus, under the hood, there was about thirty years worth of crud, so...


Not a huge improvement, but they say that money spent on kitchen remodeling gives you your best return for the money. 2019 was also the year I finally got my kitchen faucet replaced. I had ordered it online (not from Amazon) and always figured I'd replace it when I had a little more time. When I finally got around to installing it this year, I found the packing slip...from 2008! *Sigh*

I also bought a ceiling fan a few years back. Not quite as bad as the faucet. Maybe 2012? But after I hurt my arm on the job in 2014, I was really seriously concerned about installing it myself, not knowing if I'd have any trouble holding the weight above my head to install it. So a few months back, after some considerable rehab, I gave it a shot. I give you, the master bedroom:


2019 was also the year my A/C died, and my water heater was on its last legs, starting to rust through, so I bit the bullet and made a deal to replace the A/C and central heat with a tankless water heater thrown in the deal.

So, 2019 was my most expensive year in a long time, but my cozy California cul de sac home is more comfortable and...pretty! Every time I spend money or sweat equity on the place, I figure in addition to making the place more pleasant to live, I'm enhancing its curb appeal, in case I ever decide I really need to get out of Dodge, or to get top dollar for my heirs.

One way or another, the next people who live here are really going to like it!