Elmer's "Some of the many reasons to live here" photos.

The Tank Farm.
















Railroad Tracks.















Parking Garage.
















Red Mike Grocery.















St. James Homes.

Marcus' "Some of the many reasons to live here" photos.

Click photos for better detail.
Photos courtesy of www.egregiousblunders.blogspot.com

On MJ and Obama

Interesting commentary from Frank Deford.

"Look, maybe Barack Obama would be the Democratic nominee if there had never been a Frank Robinson and a Michael Jordan and a Tony Dungy and a Derek Jeter. But I really don't think so."

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Sweetness and Light

by Frank Deford

Does Obama Owe A Debt To Blacks In Sports?

Morning Edition, July 23, 2008 · Obviously, there are so many factors that have been applied, incrementally, to bring us to a place where an African-American can be elected president. But I cannot help believing that the ubiquity and esteem of the black man in sport has played a significant part in this transformation of the body politic's thinking.

, the way the black athlete has evolved in the public mind has made him something of a precursor for African-Americans in other visible fields. Originally, in fact, blacks in sport were confined strictly to the arena. Many of the biggest stars — Jim Brown, Bill Russell, Muhammad Ali — seemed downright threatening.

Endorsements invariably went to lesser white athletes, for advertisers simply assumed that a product's association with even a noncontroversial black player must be off-putting to white consumers.

But, my — as well we know — how that changed. By the 1990s, Michael Jordan was accepted as the most prominent pitchman on the planet, and he has been primarily succeeded by Tiger Woods.

From a cultural point of view, this sea change in attitude in sport signaled that race did not constitute that much of a difference in public figures — which, ultimately, of course, leads us to Barack Obama.

Similarly, I've always felt that the recent ascendancy of black movie stars — notably Denzel Washington and Will Smith — can be largely accounted for by the prior acceptance of the black athlete.

Whereas Washington and Smith usually are viewed as the heirs to Sidney Poitier, he was really something of an anomaly, a distant one-off, separated by so many years.

But the celebrated African-American athletes were, in effect, leading men themselves, so an audience that grew up with the likes of Jordan and — just as important — all the black stars who were local heroes for hometown teams, could so much more easily accept the same sort of Hollywood crossover.

It's also true that just as the black superstar was, for so long, denied the chance to be a personality, so was the smart black player denied the opportunity to lead.

Now, we don't get the chance to see most decision-makers making decisions. But we can watch coaches and managers pulling strings on the sidelines. Surely it was most influential to be able to see black men dispensing judgment in those visible positions, and to see that black coaches were, as a group, just as smart — and just as dumb — as white coaches. Vivid equality.

Look, maybe Barack Obama would be the Democratic nominee if there had never been a Frank Robinson and a Michael Jordan and a Tony Dungy and a Derek Jeter. But I really don't think so.

I think the black athlete has, ultimately, made a deep, if subconscious, impression on whites. He's been heroic, of course. But beyond that, it's he who has had the chance to show whites that he can be congenial — "just folks," just like the white guy next door — and that he can demonstrably lead people, yea, even to championships.

This evolved comfort factor for fans must have eased the path for Obama, with voters.

As a closing fillip, it's always said that Obama is different from the African-American politicians who preceded him. I agree. He reminds me more of Arthur Ashe than anyone in his own business.

Wachovia: Uncommon Wisdom?

So. First thing this morning, I read in the Wall Street Journal that

Wachovia Posts $8.66 Billion Loss,
Slashes Dividend, Will Sell Assets

This $8.66 billion loss (why not just call it $9 billion) is just for the quarter! Now granted, $6 billion or so of this is an impairment charge, but still, that leaves roughly $3 billion or in operating losses.

You may not recall the advertising campaign "Uncommon Wisdom" from a few years back. In a press release, their ad agency cited "seven spots that employ various metaphors to cleverly convey the unique expertise in financial services offered to customers by Wachovia, the fourth largest financial institution in America."

No one has asked, but IMHO, I don't think right now is the optimum time to revisit this particular campaign.

Stuff Parody Writers Like

Saw this in the NY Times yesterday and thought it was pretty funny.


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Op-Ed Contributor
Stuff Parody Writers Like

By JEFF JOHNSON
Published: July 18, 2008

THE book “Stuff White People Like,” based on the runaway Internet hit of the same name, just made the best-seller list. Apparently, readers felt they were lacking a definitive guide to white, upwardly mobile individuals and their purported interests —“gay friends,” “outdoor performance clothes,” “Barack Obama” and so on. If the road to a best seller (not to mention what’s said to be a $300,000 advance) begins with nothing more than a Web site and a list of likes, then here are a few projects I plan to develop:

STUFF GRANDPARENTS LIKE
Anything cinnamon
Any Brach’s candy
Craftmatic adjustable beds
Quilted
toaster covers
Water aerobics
Buicks

STUFF SERIAL KILLERS LIKE
Windowless vans
Death-row weddings to pen pals
Clowns and/or clown paintings
Rivers with swift evidence-destroying currents

STUFF JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL GUIDANCE COUNSELORS LIKE
Telling you how much smarter your sister was
Letting you know that maybe you should set the bar a little lower in order to cushion the blow later in life
Taking a peek at your file
Reminding you that a 1,000-mile journey begins with one small step
Posters with cats whose paws are affixed to tree branches, and are aggressively hanging in there

STUFF BUTTERSCOTCH ENTHUSIASTS LIKE
Sherlock Holmes
Antique suitcases
Calligraphy
Foggy bogs
Canes as accessories, not for
functionality

STUFF INTOXICATED PEOPLE LIKE
Pizza
Your sofa
Vomiting on public property
Leprechauns
Vomiting on your sofa

STUFF FORMER YANKEE GARY SHEFFIELD LIKES
Nothing

STUFF PARENTS WITH TODDLERS WHO HAVE CHRONIC EAR INFECTIONS LIKE
Sleep

STUFF PEOPLE WHO LIKE THE INTERNET LIKE
Reading about the interests of white people

STUFF I LIKE
Melted cheese

Jeff Johnson is a writer.

Rack of Lamb,,..yum, yum

The Fresh Market put rack of lamb on sale last week. I ended up buying a rack on two different occasions and was pleased with my culinary efforts. It was an easy dinner on the grill.

• Cut rack into two sections.
• Peel or cut away the fat layer on the outside.
• Season liberally with ground pepper and kosher salt.
• slather with olive oil.
  
• Let sit for about an hour or so.
  
• Heat gas grill to HOT.
• Place racks on grill for about 3-4 minutes per side.
  
• Reduce grill temperature to low.
• Grill for another 4-5 minutes per side.
• Remove from grill, cover with foil and let sit for about 10 minutes
• ENJOY!