Wood Duck © Robert Sommers 2026
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Del Martian Chronicles
Thank god my wife and protector, the lovely Leslie Jane, just had my lapsed car insurance reinstated. I would have really been sodomized. Hartford's computer accidently spit us out of the system, they said, and then wanted an exorbitant price to put it back on line. Timing is everything.
Speaking of sodomy, a fellow just walked by my booth who sniffed during the last show that none of my paintings were up to the standards of his collection. I think my feelings towards this particular individual either got back to him or resonated through the ether, anyways, he made it a point to diffidently avoid me like the funky green jello in the buffet line.
This on top of being one of those shows that I have recounted too many times in recent memory, where the money merely flows out in the opposite direction. I don't know how long I can keep doing this show if this keeps up. Very expensive advertising with little or no reward.
Dave Heller came by and showed me a picture he recently took of his new grandchild, Duncan Oliver Smit. Congratulations, Dave.
There is a cat show next door today. I am going to walk over there and check it out if I get a chance. Hope to get pictures of the people if nothing else. Wonderful article in the Union Tribune today about a county resident's prize winning Turkish Angora and the chicanery that goes on in the business. People salting the competition with lesser feline examples so that they can score more points. Stalking judges around the country. Best of Show squared. Why is it that the prize winning cats always look so freaky? Give me your standard alley cat any day.
Stayed with friends near bye last night and had a very nice evening. We all had our laptops out and were in serious power user mode. Got to read the real New York Times, and not its noncorporeal counterpart. Thanks Lynne, Richard, Stanley and Tracy!
Friday, January 22, 2010
Bird is the word
In keeping with the day's thematic message, brother Kerry sends this picture of his warm hutch in the Grand Canyon. He looks like he needs to take his happy pills, doesn't he?
Kerry didn't see his shadow and will be ducking back inside for the foreseeable future.
Had an interesting interaction with another dealer fellow yesterday who says that he can't read the blast because I am too right wing for him. Excuse me?
Dermot was the son of a Republican banker and was educated in Latin America. We had this funny conversation where I tried to defend my rampant conservatism by stating that I was merely trying to be an honest referee. Whereupon he looked me in the eye and said, sometimes you just have to take a side, man...
Bay State Beaning
Could it be that the whole state of health care reform in this country hinged on an offhand comment candidate Martha Coakley made about ex pitcher Curt Schilling that inflamed the mighty Red Sox nation? That she made a monstrous gaffe in not only suggesting that Schilling, a notorious right winger, was a closet yankee fan, but also somehow dissed hallowed Fenway Park?
So now the health care bill is dead in the water and we have a bloody sock to thank for the post mortem. I asked a Massachusetts native about the whole deal and they said that she ran an idiotic campaign and that they never elected women in the state anyway. That the Commonwealth has always been a sucker for a pretty face, or in this case, torso. A tradition that goes back to JFK. And now this Hyannis hissy fit.
Democracy can be a pretty capricious game, and momentous decisions can flutter on an eyelash. We elected a President supposedly because we wanted change but we really didn't want change and Mitch McConnell says that we must respect the wishes of the citizens of the Bay State, even though there are 49 other states in the mix. I've frankly had it. We deserve what we get. If the supposedly liberal and enlightened residents of Massachusetts love for their Red Sox trumps the 40+ million Americans with no access to health care, we are in a fine heap of dung.
So I can only show my own anger by continuing to root against any of the big market teams that try to buy a pennant and hope that the Red Sox nation has a big dig to hell. And doesn't ever need any health care. Except for my friend Richard Carpenter, of course. Maybe we can swing him to the Padres.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
You just keep me hanging on.
Not content to merely throw the Bush/Gore presidential election to its favored boy, in its munificent wisdom, the august SCOTUS has embarked on phase two of its plan to emasculate the constitution. Today's decision gives corporations "personhood" and unlimited campaign spending power. The five/four decision overturns over a hundred years of decided law and puts the concept of stare decisis on its head: "
We have a lot of societal problems today; access to health care, terrorism, illiteracy, unemployment, it seems to me that the plight of the poor lobbyist doesn't exactly rise to the fore. There's just not enough big money floating around buying votes, is there? With this idiotic and blatantly partisan decision, the ability of the big corporations and Wall Street to influence elections gets much easier. Once again the activist Stevens' Court takes the side of the machine over the individual. May a passing wind blow some small gust of humanity into their ossified, toxic personages.
” After four years on the Court, however, Roberts’s record is not that of a humble moderate but, rather, that of a doctrinaire conservative. The kind of humility that Roberts favors reflects a view that the Court should almost always defer to the existing power relationships in society. In every major case since he became the nation’s seventeenth Chief Justice, Roberts has sided with the prosecution over the defendant, the state over the condemned, the executive branch over the legislative, and the corporate defendant over the individual plaintiff. Even more than Scalia, who has embodied judicial conservatism during a generation of service on the Supreme Court, Roberts has served the interests, and reflected the values, of the contemporary Republican Party."
Jeffrey Toobin
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Rumblings from Heaven
Tornado warning removed for Fallbrook areaWind advisory and flash flood watch still in place |   |
Tuesday, January 19th, 2010.
Issue 03, Volume 14.
FALLBROOK- The National Weather Service has now rescinded a tornado warning that was issued for northwestern San Diego County and southeastern Orange County this afternoon, Tues. Jan. 19. The warning was in place for the communities of Fallbrook, Vista, Oceanside, Encinitas, Carlsbad, San Clemente, Mission Viejo, and Laguna Beach.
At 1:15 p.m., Doppler radar indicated a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado between Carlsbad and Fountain Valley. The storm was moving northeast at approximately 30 miles per hour, but appears to have moved north of Fallbrook.
As of 3:15 p.m., officials said although the tornado warning has been rescinded for the Fallbrook area, it is still under a wind advisory until 6 p.m. and a flash flood watch until 8 p.m.
At 1:15 p.m., Doppler radar indicated a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado between Carlsbad and Fountain Valley. The storm was moving northeast at approximately 30 miles per hour, but appears to have moved north of Fallbrook.
As of 3:15 p.m., officials said although the tornado warning has been rescinded for the Fallbrook area, it is still under a wind advisory until 6 p.m. and a flash flood watch until 8 p.m.
3:42 pm Tue, Jan 19th, 2010
8. God maybe starting to judge this earth says :When you see newscasters sarcastically saying to build an ark. That's when you should fear. onc forecaster predicted this storm the next few days to be of biblical proportions(he got laughed at)
Remember Ca has given alot of its resources to Haiti currently if this storm turns out to be very very bad we are already short handed.
God is history has judged nations with severe weather, volcano, earthquakes etc. 3-4 4.0 plus earthquakes hit CA last week and now 3-4 big storms are rolling in. God does not like gay marriage, taking prayer out of schools etc. I would be ok with him judging us with a huge event at least it would get everyone's attention.
Remember Ca has given alot of its resources to Haiti currently if this storm turns out to be very very bad we are already short handed.
God is history has judged nations with severe weather, volcano, earthquakes etc. 3-4 4.0 plus earthquakes hit CA last week and now 3-4 big storms are rolling in. God does not like gay marriage, taking prayer out of schools etc. I would be ok with him judging us with a huge event at least it would get everyone's attention.
Comments Awaiting Approval
5:56 pm Tuesday, January 19th, 2010
Robert S. says :You bible bangers play the natural disaster card pretty frequently. When we have a nice sunny week, is god happy with us all of a sudden? God doesn't like gay marriage so he goes into extreme weather mode. I get it...Status : Unapproved
And there's more:11. God maybe starting to judge this earth says :
Robert S. you can call me a bible thumper or whatever you would like. If you read into history God wipes out regions via supernatural events. Haiti didn't know they would have problems a week or two ago. Oops now they have problems. I am a God fearing and believer of his word. If we don't follow his word he brings down judgment upon us historically. If he wants to use rain, storms etc. Thats his call. I just take it seriously thats all. I don't expect a non believer to understand this. But i will pray for you. BTW you can see the pictures of Noah's ARK online now.
4:35 pm Tue, Jan 19th, 2010
12. Kellie says :
Hilarious Rober S.
6:37 pm Tue, Jan 19th, 2010
13. ML says :
A space like this at a time like this should be for people to share notes about what to do to stay safe in an unusual situation. I am a believer, too, and you give the rest of us a bad name when you come up with stuff like that. Please cut it out.
6:37 pm Tue, Jan 19th, 2010
14. Robert S, says :
Please don't bother to pray for me. It gives me the vapors.
" I would be ok with him judging us with a huge event at least it would get everyone's attention."
That is pretty good of you.
7:59 pm Tue, Jan 19th, 2010
15. jack says :
The Olive Hill Road "touch down" was more like a few months ago.
3:24 am Wed, Jan 20th, 2010
16. JasonB says :
Wow. What a discussion for just a weather update.
3:24 am Wed, Jan 20th, 2010
17. susan says :
What is this? A chat room to bug eachother? Or info about
weather around our cities? Dont get me wrong, I ABSOLUTELY LOVED everything that you wrote(Robert S) to that Homophob GOD fearing thumper whom replied back to you BUT, never answered your ? about sunny days.Very funny and I would LOVE to know her answer.
3:24 am Wed, Jan 20th, 2010
18. Matthew G says :
The main thing history teaches us about God is that religion is primarily a political tool wielded by powerful men to influence and/or control societies. So when you haven't a job and your children are hungry you can conveniently turn to religion and keep ignoring the real roots of your troubles.
3:25 am Wed, Jan 20th, 2010
19. uranium says :
thank you Robert S, for having the guts to stand up to the person that worships the man in the sky.
3:25 am Wed, Jan 20th, 2010
20. Erin says :
OH PLEASE!!!! The whole thing about God against gay marriage and taking prayer out of schools...and that is why we are having rainy weather? GET REAL!!!!
7:49 am Wed, Jan 20th, 2010
21. Danny says :
I am a strong believer in faith and God. However, I do not believe in people that use God as an excuse for whatever is going on in the world. If something good happens, God loves us; when something bad happens - "The end is near".
BTW, this is California and earthquakes are going to happen. There are countless faults underneath us; just like the one in Haiti.
Lastly, lady please don't pray for Robert S. I'm sure Haiti could use your help and prayers alot more.
Get a grip people!
7:49 am Wed, Jan 20th, 2010
22. mg says :
To "God maybe starting to judge this earth":
I understand why one might think this, but I respectfully say you need to read your Bible a bit more because God hasn't even started to judge the earth. Technically we are still in a "grace period". It is ignorant to base how God is dealing with us on the weather. Although, He does use things to get our attention because naturally we think we don't need God when life is all good.
11:32 am Wed, Jan 20th, 2010
23. DB says :
A little extra wind and rain such as we've been experiencing here in Fallbrook is nothing compared to the extreme cold in the east this winter. We're just spoiled in CA. I don't think God would bother him/herself to give us such mild punishment if she/he was really displeased with us.
11:32 am Wed, Jan 20th, 2010
24. Redneck Bill says :
All's I can say is there must be alot of gays up there in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea, because I have had my butt kicked from here to kingdom come up there. Yee haw buddy.
You certainly learn a great deal from folks on this blog.
11:36 am Wed, Jan 20th, 2010
25. mark James says :
Judgement begins with Gods house 1st. So, if this is what you believe is Gods judgement? Then Thanks Alot!
Get the stick out of your Eye so then just maybe you can see well enough to help get the splinter out of your neighbors eye.
Just a Word from above.....Thank you!
Jesus
1:16 pm Wed, Jan 20th, 2010
26. Long-term Resident says :
I remember back in the mid 90s when we had downpours for two weeks straight as storm after storm pummeled Fallbrook and all of Southern California. The poor people in De Luz had to be rescued by helicopters because they were surrounded and trapped with the Santa Margarita River still rising. Roads were flooded, homes were flooded, people and animals were washed away and some died. Everyone in the community was touched and pulled together to offer shelter and help to others.
My point is that this has happened before and it will happen again. It is nothing special or different. We have had tornadoes in the past and California (as a state) averages 5 per year. This isn't anything new. It just seems to always take us by surprise, threaten our perceived security, and (maybe for our own good) remind us of our mortality and the fragility of life.
Maybe in 10-15 years, when the next round of these storms pummels us, we'll remember and be prepared. Or, maybe we'll still have people stuck in De Luz, being helicoptered out, yet again. :)
5:58 pm Wed, Jan 20th, 2010
27. Your neighbor says :
I happen to agree with "God may be....." somewhat here is the the way the prophecy is written.
n the Bible (Matthew 24, Luke 21, and Mark 13), the disciples asked Jesus what the Signs that the End Times are Going to be Fulfilled would be. Jesus told them that it would be like birth pains on a pregnant woman – seeming to say that earthquakes and other signs would occur slowly at first, but then like a pregnant woman about to give birth, they would speed up in rapid succession
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5j0ZhfDFMzZToG9uMQ2PvfuROUNbA
Lets just put it this way...we can all agree we are not at the beginning of time. So we are most likely near the end. Now whether thats in a year or 50 years i have no idea. But hoping that things will get improve from here would be false hope.
Here is the latest warning... more tornadoes predicted for socal next two days
http://forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.php?warnzone=CAZ048&warncounty=CAC065&firewxzone=CAZ248&local_place1=6+Miles+ENE+Temecula+CA&product1=Hazardous+Weather+Outlook
world earthquake map
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/
Central us earthquake map
http://www.showme.net/~fkeller/quake/
Southern California earthquake map
http://www.data.scec.org/recenteqs.html
you be the judge and watch the events occur.
Comments Awaiting Approval
9:15 pm Wednesday, January 20th, 2010
Robert S. says :
Hey neighbor - the first earthquake chronicled in California happened way back in 1769 and was reported by the Portola Expedition. We have had thousands a year since time immemorial, we happen to have a fault, the San Andreas, that is on a tectonic boundary between the North American and Pacific plates. Why do human beings feel the need to warp scientific fact so that it fits so neatly with your superstitious mumbo jumbo? And from a social science point of view, the country and world has faced a lot more dire threats than gay marriage or taking prayer out of the schools - try the civil war, lynchings, the holocaust, the inquisition, the black plague. Some have even tried to postulate that the earth moves around the sun. Can you imagine that?
Status : Unapproved
List of earthquakes in California
10:31 pm Wed, Jan 20th, 2010
30. Redneck Bill says :Your neighbor,
I never thought of things that way--if we're not at the beginning we must be at the end. That is some deep thought right there.
And are you onboard with the notion that this is all caused by the gays and the homosexuals?
You know that holiest of holy men Pat Robertson says Haiti had their earthquake because in 1897 they made a pact with the devil. He didn't mention gays or where we are in terms of the end of time.
But all this talk about the end makes me wonder how ticked at the dinosaurs God must have been to send an asteroid to wipe them out. You don't think they were gay, do you? Makes you wonder.
I never thought of things that way--if we're not at the beginning we must be at the end. That is some deep thought right there.
And are you onboard with the notion that this is all caused by the gays and the homosexuals?
You know that holiest of holy men Pat Robertson says Haiti had their earthquake because in 1897 they made a pact with the devil. He didn't mention gays or where we are in terms of the end of time.
But all this talk about the end makes me wonder how ticked at the dinosaurs God must have been to send an asteroid to wipe them out. You don't think they were gay, do you? Makes you wonder.
10:31 pm Wed, Jan 20th, 2010
31. brett stokes says :Quit picking on the poor Christians remember "christians aren't perfect, just forgiven er, irresponsible"the notion that a pissed off god doles out natural disasters is about as evolved as tossing a virgin into a volcano.NOTW[not of this world] ?give me all your money. Armchair christians playing the lord's commentator is so arrogant and shows a common lack of love , tolerance and basic intelligence,by the way i was a teenage jesus freak, evolved and disavow all connection to petty religious folk. i love true devout people of all faiths. By the way they have printed other books other than the bible, some are much better written and very interesting!
1:01 pm Thu, Jan 21st, 2010
32. DJK says :Gay dinosaurs. This is classic stuff.
7:08 pm Thu, Jan 21st, 2010
33. kwe says :Dang I never thought a tornado will hit fallbrook
7:08 pm Thu, Jan 21st, 2010
34. ray says :i like it
7:08 pm Thu, Jan 21st, 2010
35. california girl says :I dont understand why people are going to extremes all the time..We get no rain we are having "Global warming" we get some rain and snow and the worlds coming to an end..Cant we just enjoy life.. OMGsh!!!! Chill peps.. everything is going to be ok..PEACE
9:51 am Tue, Jan 26th, 2010
36. Robert S. says :Cali Girl - Might want to open up a book now and then, global warming isn't really about not getting any rain. It's a bit bigger than that, rising ocean levels, shrinking polar ice, stuff like that, like ohmygosh...
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