"But It's a DRY Heat!"

…note the humidity or, more-better, the lack of same in the graphic above. When we say “it’s dry heat” in these parts, we mean it! That said, yesterday was miserable. The combination of mid-80s heat and sun beating down on the exterior of El Casa Móvil De Pennington made things rather unbearable indoors yesterday... and the combination of heat, wind, and blowing dust made things just as unbearable outdoors. Or, in other words, it was an air conditioned sort of day. I normally wouldn’t run the AC unless and until it gets over 90 degrees. I simply lower my awning, open the windows and door, and revel in the warmth. But: I can’t put my awning down if the wind is over 20 mph (or so) and you’ll note we were having consistent wind in the mid-30 mph range, with gusts over 50 mph. That sort of wind has been known to shred awnings, and I have a certain amount of… ummm… experience with that phenomenon. But, leave us not digress, eh? You’d be amazed at how much difference the awning makes in the interior temperature of El Casa Móvil… not to mention its impact on my electricity bill.

So. Fast-forward about 19 hours and this is what we’re like today:

No AC required. But the furnace has been running all morning.

Ahh… Spring on The High Plains of New Mexico.

Just More Stuff

Via Lex, an interesting counter-point to the Left’s newest end-the-war meme: “It’s ruining the economy.” Hogwash, sez Larry Kudlow:

Surprise, surprise. Having failed to puncture Gen. David Petraeus' story about great improvements on the ground in Iraq, liberals now say the cost of the Iraq war has somehow undermined the economy — even caused the current slowdown. What complete nonsense.

First point: The United States has spent roughly $750 billion for the five-year war. Sure, that's a lot of money. But the total cost works out to 1 percent of the $63 trillion GDP over that time. It's minuscule.

But here's the real question we should ask: What is the cost of freedom? While the Left refuses to acknowledge it, the U.S. homeland has not been attacked since Sept. 11, 2001. Right there is a big economic plus. Since President Bush went on the offensive and took the battle to Iraq, al Qaeda and other extremist terrorist groups have been utterly routed by U.S. forces. Tying the jihadists down on their home turf, and keeping them from mounting another coordinated attack on the United States, have benefited our economy incalculably.

Then again, the antiwar forces might want to recall John F. Kennedy's Inaugural address, in which he called on Americans to "Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to ensure the survival and the success of liberty."

Do these folks actually think 1 percent of GDP is too large a price, too heavy a burden? I sure hope not.

I’ve noticed the “cost of war,” in purely economic terms, has been getting a lot of press these days. There seems to be a coherent and immaculately orchestrated campaign to convince the American public that we cannot afford this war, to the tune of “a depression ain’t far away if we continue as we’ve begun”…or, in other words, if we finish what we started.

About which: predictable. “If at first you don’t succeed,” and all that. Somehow I get the feeling this gambit isn’t going to work, either. No matter what the Left thinks, Americans just don’t have a taste for defeat. Especially when we’re winning.

―:☺:―

Your hockey update… I watched the most wretched play-off game I’ve seen in quite a while last evening. It’s not often one sees a team…in the play-offs!… melt down quite like Minnesota did last night.

DENVER (AP) -No fluke finish to this one. No overtime, either. But plenty of punches and penalties.

Jose Theodore stopped 24 of 25 shots and the Colorado Avalanche used a three-goal first-period to rout the Minnesota Wild 5-1 on Tuesday night, tying their first-round playoff series at two games each.

The first three games of the series - as well as the last two when these two teams met in the 2003 playoffs - all went into overtime and ended in 3-2 scores.

The series goes back to Minnesota for Game 5 on Thursday night, and it should be interesting - this game featured a whole lot of fighting, including some fisticuffs after the final horn sounded.

Minnesota had an astounding 111 minutes of penalty time, 24 by Derek Boogaard, who was ejected, and 35 by Stephane Veilleux, who received a 10-minute misconduct that was assessed at game's end.

Colorado had 43 minutes of penalty time on a dozen infractions - the Wild were whistled 26 times.

26 penalties! Twenty-freakin’-six, on just one of the teams! The upshot of it all was the game lasted as long as the previous game that went 11 minutes into overtime, and that’s counting the “regulation” intermission in the between the third and overtime periods in Tuesday’s game. Here’s a screenshot of the penalties:

(click for larger. Graphic from NHL.com)

Note there were eight misconducts handed out, six to Minnesota. This is the sort of game that gives hockey a bad name amongst the uninitiated. Not that some of it wasn’t interesting… there were moments. I can’t imagine just what the HELL was going through Minnesota coach Jacques Lemaire’s mind, and why he didn’t put a stop to it. Here’s Lemaire:

"I couldn't wait until that game gets over," Wild coach Jacques Lemaire said. "I knew there was nothing to do. It was getting ugly, the guys were frustrated. The more they got frustrated, the more we got penalties. Guys were talking on the bench, we got bench penalties, it never stopped."

Lemaire was right on one count: it never stopped. I believe he could have put an end to it, had he so desired. But here we are… the series is all tied up at two apiece and the next game is in Minnesota. This will be verrry interesting.

In other play-off news… Anaheim avoided going down 0-3 in their series against the Stars, winning last evening by a score of 4-2 (and Phlegmmy was there). Philadelphia took a 2-1 lead in their series…which looks like it just might be over in five games. Washington looked pretty bad... dismal, even. San Jose tied up its series with Calgary in what looked like the best game of the day, what with San Jose winning the game with eight seconds left on the clock. I would have MUCH preferred watching the Calgary – San Jose game yesterday, all things considered. Here’s Joe Thornton’s winning goal in Calgary last night:

I don’t have a dog in this fight, except for the fact the Wings might get Calgary in the next round should the Flames win. I’m leaning pretty heavily towards Calgary, though. Don’t ask why…

Tonight it’s Game Four for the Wings and the Preds… which begins in about three and a half hours or so. You know where I’ll be at that time, Gentle Reader. Parked in front of the teevee, beer and popcorn at hand.

My "Alarm Clock" This Morning...

I fell asleep this early this morning (which: more accurate than “last night”) watching C-SPAN2, as is my wont. And the wonderful folks at C-SPAN woke me up about 45 minutes ago with this:

By way of explanation: whenever the House or Senate votes, or waits for a quorum, or is involved in other such non-activity, C-SPAN broadcasts video of the floor with a piece of classical music as the “soundtrack.” Such was the case this morning.

Now, this isn’t the version C-SPAN played. Pachelbel’s Canon might just be the most-recorded piece of classical music, ever (I think I have at least three versions in my music collection). This interpretation was posted to YouTube yesterday, so you are among the first to listen to this particular version on these here inter-tubes, Gentle Reader. Quite nice. And such a wonderful way to begin my… or anyone’s… day.

And now it’s off to answer comments and make the rounds.

Back in a bit…

Meme

Blog-Bud Jim tagged me with a fairly simple meme: publish your desktop photo. Now that's the sort of meme I like! Simple, easy, and requires NO thought. At all.

So, without further ado: my desktop.

You've seen the pic before, Gentle Reader (the larger version is at the link). It's The Second Mrs. Pennington, standing in a doorway to one of the colleges at Oxford University... in Oxford, England... strangely enough. I took the photo sometime in 1980 or perhaps 1981 when TSMP and I lived in England.

I think I'm supposed to tag others. I won't tag Lin, she doesn't do memes and says so, oh-so-prominently in her blog's header. But Ashley, Becky, Lou, Mike, and Jay might. Phlegmmy could be interesting, too. We'll see...

Just Another Windy Day Here On The High Plains of NM...

I was the beneficiary (?) of an anonymous, drive-by shooting comment from a Barack-Booster yesterday. Said Obamaphile quoted a Gallup poll and pooh-poohed the impact of Senator Obama’s foot-in-mouth moment out in SFO… to wit:

He's two points up since then, according to Gallup; Hillary's down two. Obama spoke the truth in San Francisco, but only Clinton and McBush have twisted their knickers over it. So dream on, Gentle Blogger.

Well, now. One can spin all one wants… but then there’s this:

If the Pennsylvania primary to select a Democratic nominee for president were held Tuesday, a week before the actual primary, Hillary Rodham Clinton would defeat Barack Obama by double-digit figures, a new SurveyUSA poll found.

The fourth SurveyUSA tracking poll, released exclusively for NBC 10 and three other television stations throughout the state, concluded that the contest is "not necessarily tightening, nor is it considered a "tight race."

It concluded that 54 percent would vote for Clinton and 40 percent would vote for Obama. Three percent chose the "other" category.

The Quinnipiac poll shows similar results.

Hillary’s down two, eh? Someone didn’t get the memo…

More at The New Republic, which is hardly a hotbed of right-wing thought:

Some liberal commentators have downplayed the effect of Barack Obama's fundraising speech at a San Francisco fundraiser last week. But that's wishful thinking. Along with the revelations about Obama's pastor Jeremiah Wright, his remarks in San Francisco will haunt him not only in the upcoming primaries in Pennsylvania, Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia, but also in the general election against John McCain, assuming he gets the Democratic nomination.

While Obama may not be toast at this point, he’s definitely toasty.

Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.

―:☺:―

Well, I can’t leave the Obamanon alone, it seems. But you should be aware of this, Gentle Reader:

The co-founder of the radical anti-war group Code Pink has “bundled” more than $50,000 for Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, and pro-troops groups are demanding that he return the money.

Jodie Evans, a Code Pink leader, gathered at least $50,000 from friends and associates and donated it to Obama’s presidential campaign, according to information compiled by the nonpartisan watchdog group, Public Citizen.

Evans and her son, a student who lives at her Southern California address, each also gave the maximum individual allowable donation of $2,300 to Obama’s campaign.

The donations have raised questions about Obama’s association with the more radical elements of his base. Code Pink has harassed, vandalized and impeded military recruiters across the United States in a campaign it calls “counter-recruitment.” The group also gave $600,000 to the families of Iraqi terrorists in Fallujah, whom it called “insurgents” fighting for their homes.

Mom always told me “you’re known by the company you keep.” Code Pink’s “support” just might be enough to finish Senator Obama off. In a just world, that is. But: politics, strange bedfellows (I’ll leave that alone!), and all that. (Aside: I’m all about free speech, but it would do my heart good to watch either Jodie Evans or Medea Benjamin get bitch-slapped by an angry military Mom. I don’t want to see real damage, mind you… just a well-placed smack on the cheek. Hard. Leave a mark, ya know?)

But, to get back on point: there’s always the chance Barack might come to his senses (such as they are) and give that dirty money back. But I kinda doubt it.

―:☺:―

Your hockey Wings update:

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -The Nashville Predators are back in the series. The Detroit Red Wings are searching for their lost momentum.

Jason Arnott scored with 3:58 left in the final period, the second Nashville goal in 9 seconds, and the Predators rallied to beat the Detroit Red Wings 5-3 Monday night and cut the first-round series deficit to 2-1.

"There's moments that are going to happen in a series that can change the whole series," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. "I don't know, we might have just had ours."

So it would seem.

I dunno about the series, but the Preds sure had their game-changing moment last evening. Nashville avoided falling into the black hole that is an 0-3 series deficit by winning one at home. Still and even, there’s a lot of hockey left to be played. Nashville has to win three more to take the series, Detroit only two. And as for last night’s loss: “you can’t win ‘em all,” as Mom (and every sentient being in America, at one time or another) said.

Speaking of that 0-3 black hole… that’s exactly where Dallas wants to put Anaheim tonight. I think the Stars have a very good chance of doing just that, too. The Stars are fresh off of taking two games from the Ducks… at The Pond, no less… and are looking pretty danged good at this point. Blog-Buddy Phlegmmy will be at tonight’s game in Dallas, and I’m GREEN with envy. Simply Green! Given: I’m not a Stars fan, far from it. But I’d be happier than the proverbial pig-in-you-know-what to be at the Stars’ game tonight. There’s nothing in all the world like play-off hockey!

One more thing… Last night was a late night at the Pepsi Center in Denver:

DENVER (AP) -The Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche are so evenly matched that neither team can win in regulation and what keeps separating them in overtime is a funny bounce.

Pierre-Marc Bouchard took the pass from Brian Rolston from behind the net and sent it past Jose Theodore 11:58 into overtime to give the Wild a 3-2 win over the Avalanche on Monday night.

It was the third straight overtime game in this first-round series, with the Wild winning two of them.

Going back to 2003, the teams have played five straight overtime games in the playoffs, all of which ended in 3-2 scores.

Weird, that. It must suck to be an Avs fan right about now. OTOH, it sucks worse if you’re a Sens fan… coz Ottawa will probably be swept tonight. What an ignominious end for last season’s Eastern Conference champions.

―:☺:―

So…yesterday’s 50,000^th visitor was yet another googler. I have no quibble with this person coz he was looking for plane pr0n. That’s cool. As most all y’all know: it could have been worse. We haven’t done a “Fun With Site Meter” post in quite a while now. But we’re saving that meme for when the well goes truly dry. Coz there’s always weirdness in Site Meter. It’s like shooting fish in a barrel.

Aside: Blog-Bud Morgan was visit # 49,999 yesterday, he missed being 50,000 by six minutes. I thought about disqualifying the real 50,000^th visitor and giving the prize (?) to Morgan, but didn’t.

It is what it is.

―:☺:―

Today’s Pic: …is a sorta re-run from last year. Or, to put it another way… this is what I didn’t see this year, as the cherry tree failed to bloom… more’s the pity. The failure to bloom must have something to do with climate change. Or Cheney. Or maybe Halliburton.

Whatev. As always... click-for-larger, if you're so inclined.

March, 2007.

Not Your Usual Mid-April Post

So. Did Obama’s campaign effectively end out in San Francisco last week? Were his condescending remarks about small-town folks in Pennsylvania enough to sink his ship? One can only hope, Gentle Reader. In the meantime, the political blogosphere, not to mention the paid pundits, are all a-twitter over this latest tempest-in-the-political-teapot. Personally, I like what Jules Crittenden had to say:

Surveying the bloody Dem contest, I just keep thinking of the old Clinton campaign theme, “Don’t Stop Thinking About Tomorrow.” This will go on at least until April 22 and more likely June 3, maybe into the convention in August. So many tomorrows to not stop thinking about!

Mickey Kaus has some very astute observations on Obama, as well. Among which, this (emphasis in the original article):

Yes, he's condescending. It's not just that in explaining everyone to everyone Obama winds up patronizing everyone. He doesn't patronize everyone equally. Specifically, he regards the views of these Pennsylvanians as epiphenomena--byproducts of economic stagnation--in a way he doesn't regard, say, his own views as epiphenomena.** Once the Pennsylvanians get some jobs back, they'll change and become as enlightened as Obama the San Franciscans to whom he was talking. That's the clear logic of his argument. Superiority of this sort--not crediting the authenticity and standing of your subject's views--is a violation of social equality, which is a more important value for Americans than money equality. Liberals tend to lose elections when they forget that.

Yet the usual suspects aren’t fazed in the least. If anything, they’re more fired up about the Obamanon than ever. But not everyone is enamored with Barack. (Liberal use [heh] of f-bombs at that last link. You are warned.)

―:☺:―

This is interesting: “Russia’s New Leader: Fan of the Internet.” I’m not being facetious, either. Excerpt:

The incoming Russian president, Dmitri A. Medvedev, has repeatedly promised to follow the course of his patron and predecessor, Vladimir V. Putin. But in one area, Mr. Medvedev is clearly blazing his own trail.

…

The Russian Internet, often called Runet, has 40 million users, or 28 percent of the population. Russian sites do $3 billion in annual transactions and have $370 million in advertising revenue, Mr. Medvedev said. There are over one million Russian language sites on the net, and the average Russian Internet user spends an hour a day online.

Unlike in China, the Internet in Russia is not censored and is full of online newspapers, magazines and videos that criticize the government. By contrast, the Kremlin controls television, and although independent newspapers and radio stations exist, they have relatively small audiences.

Under President Vladimir V. Putin, the Kremlin has considered measures that would tighten control over the Internet. It is currently drafting a law that would force websites to register with the government.

Well, there’s both good and bad news, eh? But a Russian president that’s tech-savvy can’t be ALL bad.

Wait. Lemmee think on that for a minute, or six.

―:☺:―

And then there’s this: “An Engineer’s Guide to Cats.”

You must be asking “Why in God’s Name would you post a seven minute video about cats, when you’re a dog person?” Good question, Gentle Reader. And thanks for not bringing up the “it’s Teh Gay!” point about this vid… I so appreciate your consideration, civility, and deference in this matter. Still, the point remains: Why? Equal time, I guess. And I suppose cats do have a certain place in life… it’s just not here.

You can’t play Frisbee with a cat.

―:☺:―

A pending milestone… sometime this afternoon or early this evening I’ll get my 50,000^th visitor, assuming traffic is at normal levels (we’re at 49,965 as I post). Interestingly, it took 20 months for me to get to 25,000 visits, and only seven months to get to the next 25,000. Still very small potatoes, though.

―:☺:―

Ha! A post without a single mention of athletic activity on ice. And you thought I was obsessed, dint ya? C’mon, you can tell me the truth, even if it hurts…

D-Mac

Some of you Gentle Readers might be familiar with Mitch Albom, and most may know him only for his best-selling books. But Albom began his writing career as a sports columnist for the Deetroit Free Press, otherwise known in these parts (and all of Deetroit) as “The Freep.” He continues on in that capacity at The Freep, and is still (arguably) one of the best sports writers in the biz. One of the things that separates Albom from run-of-the-mill sports writers is his occasional human interest story, sometimes sports related, and sometimes not. Albom’s column in today’s Freep focuses on one of my all-time favorite Red Wings… Darren McCarty. Excerpt:

But the highlight was McCarty, who scored the first -- and in so doing, choked up half of Joe Louis Arena in Saturday's 4-2 victory over the Nashville Predators. At 36, McCarty may be the youngest of that group, but he has lived the hardest. He has put on the most miles. Many of us never expected to see him back on the ice again -- let alone in his old Detroit uniform. The script on McCarty was to be a sad but familiar one: good guy, bruising hockey player, falls in with the party life, blows his money, loses his family, gets lost in alcohol, dope and gambling debts, disappears off the face of the earth.

McCarty did all except the last part. And he escaped that only because he was thrown a rope by some special people. But there he was in Game 2, on the scoreboard, and the fans thundered the rafters as his goal was announced: "First of the playoffs, No. 25, Darren McCarty ..."

It’s a short column, and it’s one of those “feel good” pieces. But Hey! It’s OK to feel good about D-Mac, and I certainly do. SN1 and I were on the phone together yesterday about ten seconds after D-Mac’s goal and we were ecstatic, both of us. First and foremost, McCarty’s goal drew first-blood and put the Wings in the lead early in the game. Following close on the heels of our celebration of that goal was an extended discussion about how good it was to see McCarty back… in every sense of the word. And yeah, that goal from the ‘97 play-offs came up (see yesterday’s post), and that particular goal will probably remain the highlight of D-Mac’s career…forever. But maybe not. There’s a lot of hockey left this year.

Here’s McCarty scoring yesterday’s goal, and a good one it was, too. Be warned: Ya gotta look close; things happen VERY quickly in hockey.

Dang. I love the way NHL.com has ALL the goals from every play-off game on their web site this year. It’s a blessing of magnificent proportions for us fans, and the videos just might help create a few new fans, as well.

One can only hope.

Your Hockey Update

GREAT hockey on my teevee last evening! The night started off with Philly at Washington and ended with Colorado losing to Minnesota in overtime… the second time the Avs and Wild have gone into OT in as many games. The Avs and the Wild played a corker last night, complete with third period heroics and a tying goal by the Avs with just 43.8 seconds left in the game. All that work and heroics on the part of the Avs were for naught, however. Minnesota’s Keith Carney put the game away with a fluky sort of slap-shot (off a skate and into the goal) a minute and 14 seconds into the overtime. And the crowd went bonkers. Minnesota has got some fans…and they are loud!

So. The series is tied 1-1 and moves to Denver for Game Three on Monday. This looks to be a good one.

So much for the nitecap, which was VERY good, but the evening’s first game was the better of the two. The Flyers and Caps began rather slowly (one goal apiece in the first) and it looked like it was pretty much over after the Flyers scored three unanswered goals in a little over three and a half minutes mid-way in the second… but it wasn’t. Not even. The best was yet to come. From ESPN:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Alex Ovechkin was bumped around, boxed in and, well, pretty much Broad Street Bullied for most of his NHL playoff debut.

And then, with the outcome hanging in the balance, Alex the Great emerged.

Held without a single shot until late, the league's leading scorer stole the puck and netted the tiebreaking goal with 4 ½ minutes remaining, giving the Washington Capitals a 5-4 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round series Friday night.

…

That's pretty much all Ovechkin got against the Flyers, who led 4-2 heading into the final period, thanks to two goals apiece by Danny Briere and Vaclav Prospal. But Ovechkin got going by helping set up the first of two goals by defenseman Mike Green that lifted Washington into a tie.

Ovechkin’s winner was one of the prettiest goals I’ve seen lately… and was the result of some inspired play and other-worldly skill. I just have to share it:

Oh, and did I mention it was unassisted? But you can see that… if you look closely. AO’s winner last evening added a lot to an already good case for the Hart trophy. And this series looks to be one of the best of the first round…but, as the saying goes: there’s a lot of hockey left to be played.

So. While I was watching the Caps – Flyers last evening I got to thinking… When was the last time I watched the Flyers? I think the last time might have been Game Four of the 1997 Cup Finals, which, as games go, ranks right up there in the Top Five of “The Best Games I’ve Ever Seen.” Here’s a highlight from that game:

Ron Hextall was in goal for the Flyers and McCarty made him look like a doofus, not to mention the hapless defenseman McCarty skated around oh-so-effortlessly. That goal, in addition to being one of the prettiest goals of the modern era, sealed a sweep for the Wings. In Philly. I was watching from a bar in Ra-cha-cha that evening in the company of two good friends, both of whom were also Deetroit expats. The bartender bought us a round when the horn went off at the end of third… the Wings had won the Cup, ending a 42-year drought. My friends and I were absolutely ecstatic, and that might be understating the case by more than just a little bit. That hockey game was very, very close to a religious experience.

So. The long drought was over. And there certainly wasn’t a drought in Rochester that night. It got really, reeeelly drunk out, to say the least. The very least.

Strangely enough, there are few links between this year’s playoffs and the 1997 season. Sergei Fedorov, who was on the Wings’ Cup-winning team in ’97, plays for the Caps this year. And Darren McCarty is back with the Wings for the play-offs this year. McCarty has had a rough couple of years of late, but it looks like he’s turned his life around. Good for him. And the fact he’s back in Hockeytown is good for the Wings, too. I think it’s an omen…a good omen.

And now…Game Two of the Wings – Preds series begins in less than 45 minutes. I love this time of year.

PSA

Cynthia at “Gazing at the Flag” sends along the following via e-mail:

It’s time for a new Letters from Home project. This time I will be collecting letters for the Navy. I’ll be sending them off to the USS Russell — DDG-59. So, just like last time, please send generalized supportive emails to me, and I will make sure that they get to the men and women aboard the Russell. When you send your email, please be sure and put “Letters from Home” in the subject line. We’re aiming for about 250 emails, so I’m hoping to have them collected and packed up by the end of the month. As with last time, anything you all can do to help spread the word would be greatly appreciated.

By the way, they have their own blog there on the Russell. There’s some great writing going on there! Their crew gives you a good close look at life aboard a modern destroyer at war.

This news comes from Jim at the great blog Thinking Right.

Well, now. That’s not a LOT to ask, now, is it? And check out The Destroyermen, too. If you read Lex, you know a lot about life in the Naval Aviation world. You can learn a lot about the world of Surface Warfare just by perusing The Destroyermen.

Sad to say…but the Navy has it ALL over the Air Force when it comes to exploiting New Media. Feel free to correct me if you think I’m wrong, Gentle Reader.

And… just for Grins and Giggles… long-time readers know I have a “certain affinity” for destroyers and the sailors who man them. Here’s a reminder.

"Detroit Leads the Series, 1-0"

Well, we took the first one. But it sure wasn’t easy…from the Freep:

When the Red Wings needed them, their two superstar forwards came through with a goal that changed the momentum of the game.

The Wings had just endured a frustrating second period against Nashville on Thursday night at Joe Louis Arena, thwarted yet again by a hot goalie. The score was tied at 1, but then Pavel Datsyuk spun his magic with the puck and Henrik Zetterberg, reading his Eurotwin's every move, slid across the ice to finish a perfect setup. Zetterberg added an empty-netter to lift the Wings to a 3-1 victory over the Predators and a 1-0 lead in the first-round series.

Detroit pretty well dominated the game, statistically. From ESPN:

(click for larger)

While the shots are probably the most telling statistic, the shots-on-goal stat also illustrates what a fantastic job Nashville’s Dan Ellis did in goal (he was last night's Third Star)… and the very last thing Deetroit needs in these playoffs is yet another hot goalie. But a quick perusal of the stats shows the Wings are well-prepared for Nashville. Nothing about last night’s game disappointed me.

Not many Anaheim fans can say the same thing this morning… Your five-word mini-review: The Ducks sucked, Turco didn’t. Schadenfreude ‘R’ Us today! (That has nothing to do with last year, Gentle Reader. Nothing at all. Heh.)

Speaking of fans… Here’s a couple of photos from the Freep’s photo gallery of last night’s game that illustrate (in a small way) another reason why I love the game. Captions as found at The Freep.

Detroit fans (Left) Betsy Cushman from Dearborn and Linda Padgett from Northville cheer the Red Wings in the closing seconds of the game between the Detroit Red Wings the Nashville Predators, April 10, 2008 at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, MI. the Red Wings defeated the Predators 3-1. KIRTHMON F. DOZIER/Detroit Free Press

Alyse Schaub, 8 years, gets a puck from Detroit's Aaron Downey as the team warms up prior to the start of the Wings first game against the Nashville Predators, April 10, 2008 at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, MI. (KIRTHMON F. DOZIER/DFP)

And now it’s off to make the rounds. Back later with “more better stuff,” as Blog-Bud Jim sez…

Update: Added from NHL.com... Zetterberg's winning goal. The video ain't the best, but if you pay attention you'll see (a) an aborted clearing pass by Nashville, (b) a lucky bounce and superb puck handling by Pavel Datsyuk, followed by (c) a dazzling cross-ice pass by Datsyuk to Zetterberg who is perfectly positioned for (d) the game-winning one-timer. Ellis had NO chance...

Pretty, ain't it?

I'm Simply Blown Away

Or I might be, by day's end. You simply cannot imagine the dust and such, Gentle Reader. I'd be amazed were I not so annoyed.

Needless to say, we'll be indoors most...if not all... of the day.

It's Here!

Well, we’re OFF! My favorite time of the year has begun… with about six hours of non-stop hockey on the tube last night, to be followed up with more of the same this evening. Tonight is when the real action begins for us Wings fans, last night was just hors d’oeuvres. But such tasty hors d’oeuvres they were! I watched Pittsburgh totally dominate Ottawa; the Sens were never in it last night and will be lucky to win one game in this series. I don’t get to see too much of the Eastern Conference during the regular season, given as how I live in a Hockey Wasteland. But based upon what I saw last evening, I think the Penguins have what it takes to make it to the Finals. I imagine folks in Montreal, New York, Boston, Philly, and New Jersey might have other ideas, however.

The Pens – Sens game was good, but the San Jose – Calgary game was what playoff hockey is all about… the game was physical and fast, complete with beauteous moves, bone-crushing hits, the odd fight or three, and an outcome that was in doubt until the final horn went off. Case in point:

Last minute in the third, the Sharks pull Nabokov for an extra skater and they score with less than a minute left. That wasn’t enough, however. San Jose couldn’t score again to send the game to OT, despite the flurry...nay, bombardment!... of shots in the remaining 50 seconds. Still and even, I’ll bet there were LOTS of hearts stuck in throats on The Red Mile until the horn went off. And lots of disappointed fans in San Jose, too. Game Two in the series is tonight, but it won’t be televised. Versus will show the Detroit game, followed up with the Dallas – Anaheim opener. The Ducks and the Stars will be every bit as good as the Sharks – Flames. As it's said: It's ALL good!

I wasn’t disappointed with last night’s outcome. On the one hand I’d like to see San Jose go out in the first round, as I have a tendency to root for the underdog. OTOH, that means the Wings would get Calgary in the second round (assuming the Wings advance), and I’m not so sure that would be a good thing. We handled them easily last year, but the Flames can be…and are… a dangerous team. But if San Jose wins the series and Colorado upsets Minnesota (the Avs are on their way), then Deeetroit gets the Avs in the second round. A Wings - Avs series is always entertaining, to say the VERY least. And it could be shades of 2002, as well.

Either way is fine with me. We just have to get by Nashville first. Game ON!

Today's Pics...

(As always: click for larger. Especially the top photo)

…taken but a very few minutes ago. One of the few things about Spring I don’t like: tree junk. On my car. It’ll get worse, too, as Spring really kicks in later this month. There will be light green alien dust all over everything…

Thank God I don’t have allergies. I sympathize with those that do… this time of year really sucks for them.

We had very brief but intense thunderstorms with an inundation of rain early this morning. I’ve written before about the racket rain makes on an RV roof, and it’s awesome…unless you’re trying to sleep. We had hail this morning, too. Hail on an RV roof is akin to being inside the microwave when the popcorn really lights off. Or maybe the inside of Keith Moon’s drum kit at the end of “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” It’s LOUD, Gentle Reader.

Well, Hell...

...my problem ain't Da Blooze or even depression. Here's my problem: The New World Order, or… How Extreme Low Frequency (ELF) Weapons Wielded by (Unwanted) Aliens, Amongst Other Nefarious Beings and/or Organizations, Are Ruining My Life:

I stumbled on this by way of chasing a google hit from someone searching for “Boycott Cannon AFB.” That same search page had this lil interesting item... “Detainment Facilities and Death Camps for the Coming Antichrist War Against the Saints.” (No link, Gentle Reader. I don't want these wackos haunting me.) Sample:

CALIFORNIA

Vandenburg (sic) AFB - Rex 84 facility, located near Lompoc & Santa Maria. Internment facility is located near the oceanside, close to Space Launch Complex #6, also called "Slick Six". The launch site has had "a flawless failure record" and is rarely used.
Norton AFB - (closed base) now staffed with UN according to some sources.
Tule Lake - area of "wildlife refuge", accessible by unpaved road, just inside Modoc County.
Fort Ord - Closed in 1994, this facility is now an urban warfare training center for US and foreign troops, and may have some "P.O.W. - C.I." enclosures.
Twentynine Palms Marine Base - Birthplace of the infamous "Would you shoot American citizens?" Quiz. New camps being built on "back 40".
Oakdale - Rex 84 camp capable of holding at least 20,000 people. 90 mi. East of San Francisco.
Terminal Island - (Long Beach) located next to naval shipyards operated by ChiCom shipping interests. Federal prison facility located here. Possible deportation point.
Ft. Irwin - FEMA facility near Barstow. Base is designated inactive but has staffed camp.
McClellan AFB - facility capable for 30,000 - 35,000
Sacramento - Army Depot - No specific information at this time.
Mather AFB - Road to facility is blocked off by cement barriers and a stop sign. Sign states area is restricted; as of 1997 there were barbed wire fences pointing inward, a row of stadium lights pointed toward an empty field, etc. Black boxes on poles may have been cameras.

…

NEW MEXICO

Ft. Bliss - This base actually straddles Texas state line. Just south of Alomogordo, Ft. Bliss has thousands of acres for people who refuse to go with the "New Order".
Holloman AFB (Alomogordo)- Home of the German Luftwaffe in Amerika (ed: this is true. The Luftwaffe has been at Holloman for years); major UN base. New facility being built on this base, according to recent visitors. Many former USAF buildings have been torn down by the busy and rapidly growing German military force located here.
Fort Stanton - currently being used as a youth detention facility approximately 35 miles north of Ruidoso, New Mexico. Not a great deal of information concerning the Lordsburg location.
White Sands Missile Range - Currently being used as a storage facility for United Nations vehicles and equipment. Observers have seen this material brought in on the Whitesands rail spur in Oro Grande New Mexico about thirty miles from the Texas, New Mexico Border.

Jesus. And here I thought the Troofers were nuts. Note the “UN” references in the list above. We’re being invaded by the frickin’ United Nations and I didn’t even know it. I’ll bet all those ELF rays had something to do with that…

How I Spent My Morning...

The Senate Armed Services committee hearing on Iraq just wrapped up. I watched as much as I could from 0730 MDT until just now, with about an hour gone missing when C-SPAN switched to the House floor. I think Her Hillaryness was on during the hour C-SPAN switched to the House floor, coz I missed her questioning pontificating. No big thing, that.

I remain impressed with General Petraeus, and nearly equally so with Ambassador Crocker. Nothing new or unexpected happened in this morning’s hearing. There may be fireworks in this afternoon’s hearing before Joe Biden’s Foreign Relations committee. I’m particularly interested in what the junior senator from Illinois might have to say…

But I’ll have to watch it on the ‘puter (C-SPAN streaming video), if I watch in real-time. C-SPAN one and two will cover “business as usual” from the floors of the House and Senate, respectively, and C-SPAN3 will have the Foreign Relations committee hearing. I don’t get C-SPAN3 with basic cable, unfortunately.

That sucks, nu?

Ah, well. I have to go out to the base today anyway... and there’s always re-runs. C-SPAN is good about that.

Signs of the Impending Apocalypse, Item 58

Dang. They got Bert and Ernie. Is nothing sacred?

(h/t: Barry)

Da Blooze & Stuff

Yesterday was a pretty good day, unlike other days this past week… or perhaps longer. I’ve alluded to the fact I’ve been…um… “out of sorts” of late. It’s actually been worse than that, but that’s beside the point. Let’s get back to yesterday.

I awoke around 1000 hrs, put the coffee on, lit off the teevee and switched it to NBC… to catch the final game of the Red Wings’ season, which was televised nationally (lucky me!). I was anticipating a bit of a pre-game show but this being Texas (well, not really but my NBC feed is out of Amarillo), what I got was Today’s Evangelical Sermon For Shut-Ins. Instant and immediate zzz’s ensued, until I was awakened by the beep-beep-beep of the coffee pot signifying all was right with the world. So we roused ourselves yet again, made our way into the kitchen, poured that first cup and puttered about a bit before the game began.

About a minute after the puck dropped, my phone rang… SN1 on the line… and we proceeded to watch the game together but separately as is our custom. SN1 demonstrated what it means to be a true hockey fan, as he was out until 0400 hrs Sunday morning yet still roused himself after only six hours sleep just to watch the game. You may remember, Gentle Reader, I’ve mentioned SN1 is TDY to Nellis AFB in Beautiful Lost Wages, NV attending yet another boondoggle “career broadening” activity, this most recent one being an advanced service school. He and his class had some sort of function last evening and Buck served as the gaggle’s Designated Driver. So…no hangover involved, just a lack of sleep. But true hockey fans rise above this sort of thing… and so he did. We traded off phone calls as the game progressed, mostly when the Wings scored or Hasek made a spectacular save…things like that.

The game wasn’t a disappointment. The Wings dispatched Chicago easily… winning by a score of 4-1. Hasek came close to his sixth shutout of the year but it wasn’t to be, as Chicago scored on the power play with a little less than three minutes left in the game. Overall, the Wings looked really good and I’m taking this as an omen of future success. The playoffs begin next Saturday, and it looks like Buck and I might get to watch the first game together… in meat space, rather than on the phone. He graduates from his school at the end of next week and will swing through P-Ville on his way back to South Carolina.

That’s a great good thing, ya know. Beer will flow with wild abandon and there will be LOTS of yelling, cheering, and the odd moan or two. Kewl. It don’t get much better than that (for a geezer).

Deetroit Free Press Photo: Nick Lidstrom and the President’s Trophy, at a presentation before yesterday’s game. Nick never touched the trophy. The only hardware you actually TOUCH at play-off time is The Cup itself, once you’ve won it. It’s one of the quainter superstitions in the NHL.

―:☺:―

So. The wind diminished enough yesterday to allow me to put my awning down, open up the windows, and take in the gentle Spring air minus the gale force winds. We only got up to 70 degrees, which is dead-solid-perfect in my Big Book of Weather. Just the kind of day that made sitting out side with a couple of hefeweizens and a good cigar most enjoyable. (A critical beer review here. Beer snobs might wanna bookmark that link; good stuff be there.) A few more days like yesterday would do a whole lot towards restoring my mental health. Speaking of which…

My step-mother (“Mom,” hereafter) called on my birthday lo these two weeks or so ago. Mom is only about ten years older than I, so we relate to each other more as peers than in a traditional mother-son sort of way. Talk flows easily between us, punches certainly aren’t pulled, there are no agendas or games. The conversation turned almost immediately in this sort of direction (and it’s most certainly not verbatim, either):

Mom: So. How ARE you, anyway?

Me: I’m about a six on a scale of ten.

Mom: Really. Why is that? Birthday thing? Introspection about aging?

Me: That’s part of it. Growing old ain’t for sissies. One makes adjustments, one realizes there are “certain things” you can’t do as well as you used to, if at all. Your reflexes slow, your appearance changes, yadda, yadda. You adjust. But that’s only part of the issue.

Mom: Well…what else?

Me: I find myself missing (The Second Mrs. Pennington) a lot these days. I know that’s neither rational nor normal, given the fact it’s been nearly ten years now.

Mom: I understand. It’s been 17 years since your Dad died and I’m still not over it. I doubt I ever will get over it. Some wounds just don’t heal.

Me: Wow. Thanks for that. I’ve found friends and even family have a very limited tolerance for wounds that don’t heal; the expectation is you should just “get over it” and get on with life. After a bit you just stop talking about it. But (The Second Mrs. Pennington) was in my life for so long, and so deep…

Mom: What you and (The Second Mrs. Pennington) had was very special, Buck. And you have to realize some people never have what you two had, even for a moment. I understand completely.

Me: Thanks.

Ah… that’s what Moms are all about, innit? Even we geezers need a shoulder once in a while. Or a therapist, if you believe in that sort of thing…which I both do and don’t. As in I “do” believe where other folks are concerned and “don’t” when it comes to me, based upon past experience. “Therapy” in my situation would be both a waste of time and money... two commodities in relatively short supply in these parts.

Lest this pity-party get completely out of hand, let me reassure you I’ve just got Da Blooze. It ain’t nuthin’ serious. Sitting outside yesterday with a cigar and a few beers got ‘em on the run, for the moment. It also helps (me, anyway) to “count your blessings” when you hit the lower points in life. I went through that exercise yesterday, too. I have a lot to be thankful for… relatively good health, two wonderful and successful adult children, beautiful grandchildren, financial security, and a life-well-led, with tons of great memories.

That should be enough, no? But sometimes it’s not. Who knew this damned torch would burn so brightly, for so long?

Not me.

―:☺:―

Today’s Pic: Mom and Dad, sometime in 1990…about a year before Dad died. Taken in Newport Beach, CA.

Fine W(h)ines...

Today is one of only two days every year the Trinity Atomic Test Site is open to the public, and I should be there…rather than typing this post. But: best laid plans, mice, men, tires, wind, etc., etc., came into play and I’m here, not there.

My Buddy Greg in Detroit called me up to remind me about Trinity last week, we discussed it, and I made a mental commitment to go. Trinity isn’t a long way from P-Ville…about 200 miles or so… so a day trip seemed to be in order. Four hours down, an hour or two at the site, and four hours back…with a little time off for lunch and/or dinner in Ruidoso… or somewhere like it. I could pretty much do the whole deal in daylight, should I choose. So, why am I not there, you ask, Gentle Reader? Let me explain…
I had a flat fixed a few months back and the guy who fixed the flat didn’t balance the wheel correctly. As a result I’ve been living with a very minor, yet irritating, vibration that occurs between 72 and 80 mph…right in The Green Hornet’s cruising sweet-spot. So, I got off the dime yesterday, thinking I couldn’t stand eight hours of bad vibes (heh) and drove over to The Big(ger) City to get that wheel balanced. That was when the guys at the tire shop told me I’d be throwing my money away and I had better replace the rear tires, doncha know, coz they’re worn out. And they were. Are. This is an embarrassing admission on my part. I’m always on top of things like this, to the point of replacing tires well before they’re worn out. It’s a safety thing, not to mention performance… as in handling/cornering. But… in my defense… I had been checking the health and well-being of my tires, but only the fronts, mainly because they’re more accessible and visible. Here’s the strange part: the front tires are fine and have at least two or three thousand miles left in them. The two rear tires, OTOH, are worn to the point where the tread wear bars are flush with the tread… or as the tire guys said… “You’re running slicks.”

So. The Big(ger) City being Clovis, there were all sorts of tires available for garden variety SUVs, pick-ups, and Hondas. And none for a Miata, of course. “Gotta order those, they’ll be in Monday or Tuesday, at the earliest” sez the helpful tire guy. Not only are tires in my size not immediately available, they’re immediately expensive once they arrive… ergo: Thought required. The last time I put tires on the Green Hornet I did what most sensible people do: I bought them from The Tire Rack. I’m not sure I want to go that way this time, however, mainly because the last time I bought tires I bought much more tire than I need here in New Mexico, with its arrow-straight roads and dearth of corners. Goodyear Eagle F1s just might be overkill (and overpriced, locally, at $200.00 a pop), especially in light of my recent mini-rant on frugality. Bottom line: I made no deals yesterday…even if I could have done so. But I need to replace those tires before I take a road trip further than out to the base or back over to The Big(ger) City. And even then I don’t like riding on worn-out tires. Add in the fact we have major wind still at play here on The High Plains and the bottom line is no road trip to Trinity. I’m thinking the weather will be better in October and I’ll definitely have good rubber on the car then.

The illustrations were taken from The Wiki’s article on the Trinity Test Site.

―:☺:―

Too bad about the above. I’m feeling a need for a road trip, and Trinity would have been perfect. I’ve been very out of sorts lately and I find there are a tremendous number of things that simply irritate the Hell out of me… for no apparent reason. And some things irritate me for VERY good reasons, such as politics. You may have noticed I’m in yet another of my apolitical phases, Gentle Reader. We also happen to be in a dead zone where presidential politics are concerned. The on-going Democrat soap-opera is moderately interesting in a “He said – She said” sort of way, but even that gets old after a while. Spare me the Clinton tax returns, if you will. Please.

The Big Event on the horizon is the upcoming congressional testimony/progress report on the war by Ambassador Crocker and Gen. Petraeus… but I expect nothing but sniping and partisan rancor out of that, based on the press conference given by San Fran Nan and her Band of Merry Men this past Thursday or Friday. I watched about half of their presser before shouting a few selected obscenities at my teevee and flipping over to the WX Channel, which is infinitely more useful. As long as their whining, nagging and berating global warming climate change Chicken Littles aren’t around, anyway. Speaking of which: TWC hired a side-kick for Heidi a while back. We now have two full-time Prophets of Doom. The new gal reminds me for all the world of Morticia Addams (except Morticia was better looking), and that’s sorta appropriate, innit? Just sayin’.

See what I mean, Gentle Reader? Irritation ‘R’ Us.

―:☺:―

I did manage to get my taxes done and in the mail before April this year… I did ‘em this past weekend and mailed ‘em out on Monday. Wonder of wonders: I’m getting a refund. I never get a refund, what with not being in the business of lending money to the Feds, which I leave to the Chinese and people like them. But the convergence of The Bobby Deduction (it’s my year; The Second Mrs. Pennington and I alternate), coupled with an over-withholding of Federal tax on this year’s 401(k) distribution resulted in a refund. I was very disappointed/irritated that 90% of my Social Security is taxable, which was yet another reason I over-withheld tax on the 401(k) distribution. Planning for the unknown ‘R’ (also) Us.

Except where tires are concerned.

Congratulations!

News Item:

DETROIT — Henrik Zetterberg wrapped up the Presidents' Trophy for Detroit, scoring with 11 seconds left to rally the Red Wings to a 3-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night.

With 113 points, the Red Wings took the Presidents' Trophy as the regular-season points leaders and earned home-ice advantage throughout the Stanley Cup playoffs.

All well and good, Boys, and congratulations. Well done. One more piece of silverware for the trophy case and not an insignificant one, at that. You know what the real objective is, though. Rest up, get well, and don’t worry about that last game of the season. The most exciting time of the year is right around the corner…and just to remind you: We have high expectations.

What He Said...

Here’s a compelling essay about one of my VERY serious hot-buttons in life… Frugality, and its obverse, our spendthrift society… courtesy of The Art of Manliness. Excerpt:

I was once watching a TV show in which a round table of finance gurus were dispensing money advice to the studio audience. One of the advisors said that people should give up little luxuries like a daily Starbucks run and save and invest that money instead. A woman in the audience stood up and cried, “But what if I don’t want to give up Starbucks?” The crowed roared and clapped in approval.

The Founding Fathers feared such attitudes. They feared that too much luxury made a nation weak. They would often point to the Greeks and Romans as examples of what happens to a nation when it lets prosperity go unchecked by temperance and frugality. John Adams often preached against “effeminate luxuries.” And although wealthy, Ben Franklin lived a relatively simple life. He made an effort to eat and dress plainly.

Unfortunately, Americans have lost sight of the importance of frugality. For a generation of men who have grown up in a period of unprecedented affluence, living frugally seems down right silly and old fashion. But if a man wishes to remain economically and emotionally independent, frugality is an essential virtue to develop.

Why Being Frugal is Essential to Manning Up

(ed: and the essay continues from there…)

Brett, the blog’s author, emphasizes that frugality is essential to one’s independence… in the sense that debt enslaves you, taking away a lot (if not nearly all) of the choices in life. Brett’s argument is mostly couched in “manly” terms, but his advice applies to everyone…man, woman, or child.

My parents were children of The Great Depression, and as such, were very well-equipped to teach their children the value of being frugal. Nothing teaches us as well as experience, be it personal or anecdotal. I use “anecdotal” in the sense that my father, while never destitute, saw enough destitution in pre-war (WW II) Detroit to fully appreciate what being destitute meant. There are damned few among us today that learned that lesson first-hand, and those that DID learn it won’t be with us all that much longer. So…it’s understandable, perhaps, that our instant-gratification, No-Money-Down!, Bad-Credit?-NOT-a-Problem!, society is out there on a rather thin limb.

Some of us, anyway. The thing that pisses me right off is the spendthrifts will take the rest of us down when that limb breaks. I’m not the first person to say this, but a LOT of our current financial crisis is due to the fact people bit off more… a LOT more… than they could chew. Who, in their right mind, would willingly take on a mortgage they KNOW they can’t afford? And the same thing goes for cars big-ass SUVs, boats, swimming pools, so on and so forth.

It’s waaay past time for us to Man Up…financially speaking.

(h/t: Mike…who tipped me to The Art of Manliness, but not about the frugality bits. Mike was on about pocket knives, and he was right about that.)