When Truth is Inconvenient

Ayaan Hirsi Ali says out loud what a lot of people don't want to hear, that there is a difference in civilizations and the Western one is clearly better, especially if you're a woman:http://www.bigquestionsonline.com/columns/susan-jacoby/multiculturalism-and-its-discontents

VDH with a Teachable Moment

Hanson discusses Obama's habit of pontificating:http://www.victorhanson.com/articles/hanson082510.html. 

LPGA Round Up

Mean Dina

Actually, I saw a link to this on Kevin Robbins' blog--it's a piece on the recent Safeway Classic in Oregon: http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/john_canzano/index.ssf/2010/08/canzano_lpga_golfers_short_fus.html.  All I can say is for Dina Ammaccapane to call your office--a PR disaster for her and really, for the LPGA which already is struggling.  So, Dina doesn't want a short guy carrying her "75 pound" bag and didn't even give him a chance to do it--what gives?  And, just what the hell do you have in that bag, anyway?  I guess if Dina had to carry her own damn bag, she'd figure out some things she didn't need in that thing.  When you carry your own clubs in very hot weather and over a hilly course, you certainly do without a lot of stuff in the interest of weight--I know I do.  That said, I do occasionally find stuff in my walking bag that I wonder how it got there--five hundred pesos the other day (went to Zihuatanejo last October), one (1) 12 gauge shotgun shell (I have absolutely no clue on this one), and a six pack of AA batteries (again, no idea).  I once found my wife's curling iron in my bag but that was from a trip where she stuck a bunch of her gear in my golf bag for the plane trip home and the curling iron ended up staying in there for my next round of golf.  Happily, I didn't have to use it.

News from Mordor

No, not really.  But, a fascinating interview in FP of Patrick Chovanec on his experiences travelling in the Hermit Kingdom:http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/08/16/a_tourist_in_pyongyang?page=full.

Golf and Other Silliness

Still perturbed at the whole backasswardness of golf and its stupid goddamn rules and overall idiotic way of going about things as evidenced in its full show-your-ass glory at last week's PGA Championship.  A course designed by a lunatic, a rules official who didn't have the goddamn common sense to announce to the idiots standing in what turned out to be a sand trap that they were standing ass deep in the thing (thereby alerting Dustin Johnson that his ball was in a goddamn sand trap when he thought it was simply sitting where some fat guy had just taken a nap), Dustin Johnson grounding his club (on that piece of shit course with 37,000+ sand traps you just should assume that a ball resting on a crap lie is a sand trap), and a dumb ass caddie who didn't have the sense to do what he's paid to do in saving his player.  And, finally, the rules of golf in almost their whole reeking entirety, written by deranged Scots addled by years of dedicated alcoholism and livestock predation.  Perfect drive bombed down the center of the fairway that rolls into a divot?  Tough shit, dude--can't move it even though it is clearly in GROUND UNDER REPAIR.  Anyway, it's an annoying game.  The two takeaways from the PGA are that if you were thinking of taking up golf you have now fortunately regained clarity and will instead get into something more sensible like skydiving or cross dressing, and, that if you do currently play the game you'll never, ever want to get near that tricked up piece of Wisconsin ridiculousness called Whistling Straits.   Not even if Miss Wisconsin is riding buck nekkid in your cart (allegedly pictured below).

After flying back Saturday, unpacked and drove to the course to get in nine holes (had to attend a wedding that evening).  The clubhouse asked if I would play with a couple of guests and it was my pleasure, though I announced to them on the first tee that I would only be able to play the front nine due to having to attend a "goddamn wedding" that night.  A hole later, when exchanging "what do you do's?" with them, "Sam" informed me that he was the new pastor at Great Hills Baptist Church.  "I guess you go to a lot of goddamn weddings, yourself, right Sam?"  Not really, but almost. 

Moved Bulba daughter #2 into my old Alma mater yesterday.  Time flies and life does indeed come full circle at times.  Empty nesters, Mrs. Bulba and I now.  Missing knowing that she's not in the house, even if in her room sleeping or Facebooking or whatever.  Just not there and it is an empty feeling.  We'll get over it but it's a little tough.  Guess we'll have to get around to finally installing those ceiling mirrors in the master.  Or, play more golf.

Bill Millin, RIP

The bagpiper immortalized in "The Longest Day" is dead:http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/20/world/europe/20millin.html?_r=1&ref=obituaries.  What a story.

Huguette, Part Deux

Huguette at 15

Another fascinating glimpse at the 104 year old heiress that we posted here a few months back:http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38719231/ns/business/.  Hope she's well and has included a codicil in her will mentioning a reward for my continued good wishes.

The Great Wall

Attended a Jack Johnson concert last night. Now, I didn't have a clue who Jack Johnson was or what kind of music he played. I just knew that the tickets were free, and that I was going to sit outside, hear some live music and enjoy a beverage or two on a school night. Not a bad deal.

Now, I could go on at length about the fact that the beer selection was awful and what you could get cost 12 bucks a pop. But I won't. As I said before, the tickets were free, so I didn't mind so much digging deep. Besides, a rare bit of cloud cover had dampened the evening blast furnace, and those of you who just spent the last thirty or so days "enjoying" 100+ degree days, well, you understand just how pleasant "90 in the shade" can feel. Toss in several thousand women dressed for such weather and a good spot to enjoy the show/scenery - now you've got a solid foundation for a good evening.

Music was good, too - Mr. Johnson is a talented guy. Put him in the "music/cd/concert that chicks enjoy - a lot - yet is tolerable for the average guy" genre (remember that - might just save your ass next birthday/anniversary/"insert generic gift-giving holiday here").

So what's my beef? Well, have you ever noticed the almost primal urge that proportionally challenged women have to stand up and "dance" at outdoor concerts? Worse yet, that they seem to travel in packs of five or six, and act as a group? I mean, one strum on the guy's guitar last night and suddenly many folks on the lawn knew exactly what it feels like to be Tony Romo on any given Sunday. Fortunately for Mr. Romo, however, that acreage of ass he's staring at when he barks out signals isn't involved in a "sexy dance" as the missus laughingly called it last night. Nor is it blocking his view of a show he paid to see.

Happened to me last night - right from the get go. Incredulous, I looked around to see if we were the only ones so fortunate. All around were people just like me, sitting on a blanket holding lukewarm-overpriced-bad beer in the hands, shaking their heads and clearly thinking "I paid 50 bucks to watch this shit?"

Turkish Delight

Think you know Turkey?  Think again and a brilliant article by Claire Berlinski will tell you why:http://www.worldaffairsjournal.org/articles/2010-JulyAugust/full-Berlinski-JA-2010.html.  Her analysis is largely applicable to the entire middle eastern world and I learned that in spades during the short time I spent there.  Biggest lesson?  Over here, when we make some type of agreement or deal in business or otherwise, it's typically intended to benefit both parties.  "I'll buy this product from you.  You'll get money and I'll get the benefit of the product."  Not there.  No, it's more of a process of one of the parties in the agreement screwing the other--there's not the expectation of a mutually beneficial outcome that assumes both parties will walk away satisfied and/or it will be a building block for a long term relationship.  And, Berlinski's right when she says that Americans are out of their element when trying to accomplish things in that setting.  Unless or until we have negotiators who firmly understand how that part of the world thinks, we'll continue to flail about and wonder at the end of the day why the hell our wallet is so much lighter.

On Chas

Prince Charles is apparently a fan of coffee enemas:http://www.nybooks.com/blogs/nyrblog/2010/jul/23/deconstructing-prince-charles/.  I'm shocked, SHOCKED to hear of this.  Glad that Elizabeth is still hanging until William is old enough to drive the royal Land Rover.

Yes, I did choose this image.  He's obviously looking forward to his next cup of Folger's.

Mrs. Bulba has gone completely nuts over "The Tudors" series depicting Henry VIII's reign and devotion to the bone dance--she even took several of the DVDs to Colorado during our recent vacay.  All in all, they appear to be well done though I've only peeked at them between trips to the kitchen and bathroom.  I am fairly excited about HBO's upcoming series on prohibition era organized crime, which looks tasty in the same vein as "Deadwood," one of the best things that ever hit television viewing.  May have to subscribe in order to add more to the billion or so dollars a week that we send to Time Warner.  Now, there's a racket.

Driving on the Left Side

James Ledbetter thinks that though corporate bigwigs are increasingly Democrats, things are not that much different:http://www.slate.com/id/2263788.  At least, I think that is his conclusion.  Maybe I should read more stuff from James Ledbetter to understand him.

Back from travels, namely to Colorado and some R&R in Crested Butte.  Hiked, rode bikes, fly fished and wandered up and down Elk Avenue following Mrs. Bulba and the Bulba daughters around.  Also, rode horses up and down Snodgrass Mountain which is not my preferred activity but Bulba Daughter #2 is a horse nut so there you have it.  My horse was named, "Duncan," and he got me up and down the damn thing without throwing me or deciding to hurl himself and me off a cliff or something.  All in all, a pretty good ride though Duncan did exhibit a fair amount of passive aggressive behavior, occasionally bumping me into an aspen tree or snatching some food when I wasn't paying attention--I'm pretty sure he does that to amuse himself during his daily grind of hauling idiot tourists up and down a damn mountain--I really can't blame him.  If you were a gelding, you'd have to think of new ways to have fun, too.
Pretty place, Crested Butte.  Had only seen it in the winter before, after sliding up and down Monarch Pass in a death race through snow and ice in order to get there to ski and have hot chocolate and throw another log on the fire.  Weather was obscenely gorgeous and the air was nothing short of delicious--a cruel and awful thing if you're a Texan and know each passing day of the vacation that you're one day closer to returning to the beat down of solid 100 degree plus days.  

Spent the last day of vacation in Fort Collins where Bulba Daughter #1 attends school.  Nothing funner than to push a cart through Target, Bed Bath and Beyond, and Wal-Mart to provision her in the necessary accoutrements for apartment (actually, an old house) living. 
The credit card got a pretty good workout this month and a cortisone shot is probably in order.

Tiger Mike

Don't like your boss and/or job?  Be thankful: you could have worked for Tiger Mike:http://networkedblogs.com/6yCmw

White People Studies: Thursday Morning Edition

Here's a thoughtful analysis of white people in their environment--this time the subspecies that employs dreadlocks for still unexplained reasons:http://blogs.westword.com/showandtell/2010/07/white_people_with_dreads_a_field_guide.php?page=1.  Perhaps, one day we'll understand.

Rabinowitz on Ground Zero Mosque

Dorothy discusses the mosque to be built within 600 feet of Ground Zero in NYC:http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703545604575407160266158170.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEADTop

Iggy This

A rant by Iggy.  On Delta stationary, no less:http://networkedblogs.com/6w3M9