Friction and Harmony

UPDATE: As I suspected, a near immediate response hit the inbox shortly after 0900 CST.  It seems they are at least partially deserving of a break, since the dealership was purchased a couple years ago by Megalith Automotive.  As to the whether the sales staff is “now held to a higher standard”…  I’ll still opt to let someone else explore that reality.  I still don’t trust ‘em near half as far as I can spit.  

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Possibly a harbinger of dire cataclysmic events of global proportion. Or… I’m just bored.

Every so often, I like to trawl the muddy backwaters of the Inter-Tubes for a perspective of America from the outside.  Here’s one, and it’s a doozy – from Russia with love:

Now, I know that “pedo-tourism” exists.  But to say that Blackwater “manages” a number of underage brothels, and that clientele book through US Embassies?  That the top clientele are U.S. Military officials and American diplomats?

Must be leftover from the Clinton Administration.

This post has been sitting in my Drafts bin for a while. I’ll post it finally, ’cause frankly I could use a pick-me-up and ska music can be my irresistible force.

First, something that drives a little…  How about a Buck o’ Nine?

Here’s some “fluff” – Madness is “ska-light” I guess, but this was one of my favorites from them, and a lot of fun.

Likewise, another something fun, this time Mighty Mighty Bosstones:

And one more time, picking up the beat with Rancid:

Rancid -Time Bomb

There, I feel better already! 

Inspired by my blogfather, Harvey, I decided to commit hours* of laborious research on this subject.

Okay, so one of these is an Olympic Sport, and one of them isn’t.   The one that is probably shouldn’t be, and the one that isn’t NEEDS to be.  You decide:

First, Women’s Individual Rhythmic Gymnastics, also called Floor Dance, or Artistic Gymnastics:

Meh.  Sponsors lined up to include feminine hygene products and No-Doz. 

Now have a look at a competition that demonstrates extreme fitness, strength, endurance, mental and physical conditioning, is exciting to watch, and for the sponsors, would pay huge dividends (mostly in small bills)…  Here’s a clip of highlights from the US Pole Dance Federation, 2009 Pole Dance Championships:

Somebody slap me!  Now THAT’S what I call a display of grace, beauty and physical prowess – and one hell of a competitive event!  Cirque de Soleil style defiance of gravity and artistic form worthy of any Olympic Gymnastic event.  Sexy, of course (OMGOMG), but that’s not why we would watch it (warily eyeing the Missus), right guys?  I mean, it’s a serious physical competition! Every bit as demanding as the balance beam, only it’s vertical!

Sponsors to include every “Male Enhancement” product ever made, including the traditional staples -  BEER and sports cars.

Who is with me to petition the Brazil Olympic Committee?   Anyone?

Oh, and if the absence of ribbons is a concern, the dancers can and DO use props…  Just sayin’. 

*Okay, only about 45 minutes, but I had to wait hours for Mrs. Who to go to bed first!

I can’t think of a damn thing to write.  So I’ll share my obsession with you…

Harley Davidson just dropped a new bike on the market.

I’m in love.

I found this little gem while surfing for tech gadgets. 

It’s an alarm clock. It’s “gimmick” is that when it’s time to wake you up in the morning, the ball takes flight, beeping or some such noisy carrying-on as it zooms through the air inside your bedroom.  It immediately becomes your job to silence the damned thing by catching it and returning it to its base.

Now, Mrs. Who will tell you I’m not a morning person…  So before anyone gets the bright idea to gift me with one of these or something similar, I’ll add this:  Whenever I am in my home (and usually when I’m out and about), I’m usually within quick reach of some kind of firearm…

Which makes this “alarm clock” nothing more than a one-round game of skeet.

‘Nuff said.

Because I’m feeling generally un-inspired and non-creative lately, here’s something I dug up from the bowels of my hard drive that yet managed to make me smile:

Subject: God’s finest Creation

Henry Ford dies and goes to Heaven. At the Gates, St. Peter greets Ford and tells him, “Well, you’ve been such a good guy, and your invention — the assembly line for the automobile — changed the world. As a reward, you can hang out with anyone in Heaven you want.”

Ford thinks to himself about it and says, “I want to hang out with God Himself.”

The befuddled St. Peter takes Ford to the Throne Room, and introduces him to God. Ford then asks God, “When you invented woman, what were you thinking?”

God asks’ “What do you mean?”

“Well,” says Ford, ” You have some major design flaws in your invention:

1. There’s too much front end protrusion.
2. It chatters way too much at high speeds.
3. Maintenance is extremely high.
4. It constantly needs repainting and refinishing.
5. It is out of commission at least 5 or 6 of every 28 days.
6. The rear end wobbles too much.
7. The intake is placed too close to the exhaust.
8. The headlights are usually too small.
9. Fuel consumption is outrageous.

…just to name a few.”

“Hmmmm….,” replies God, “Hold on a minute.”

God goes over to the Celestial Supercomputer, types in a few keystrokes, and waits for the results. In no time the computer prints out a report, and God reads it. God then turns to Ford, and says, “It may be that my invention is flawed, but according to these statistics, more men are riding my invention than yours.”

Don’t say I didn’t warn you…

But if you even dare to TRY IT – you simply won’t get anything done all day.