Party Favors

I have been accused by some of being 'cheap'. Some in Mexico, close to my family, accused me of being a pinche Judio (frigging Jew) for cutting fresh-from-the-ocean swordfish strap into steaks that were too thin. (I was cutting at 1.5 inches and they maintained that swordfish steaks should be no thinner than 2 inches) The nickname stuck in some circles and I'm occasionally reminded of my lack of largess at the BBQ some twenty years ago. Mexicans have a long memory, or so it seems.

It's true. There is a certain "accounting brain" function that takes place in my mind. It has served to keep my credit score over 800 but it has also put some people off. Mia culpa.

However bad I've been in the past, I've never stooped this low:

Raising Children

One of the more gratifying things that parents experience comes when your children grow up and they share their love with their siblings and their sibling's children. My daughter, Amanda (above) and her son, Cannon and her nephew Liam are at the Wild Animal Park. I do understand that this is how sisters should behave, but they don't always do that.

I raised four daughters and they always seem to end up taking their children, my grandchildren, to the ocean. I'm sure that it's because the beach is fun, but the ocean has always been part of my life, both as a boy, professionally, and now simply because I enjoy it too.

It's Heather's birthday (above) and she, as well as all of her sisters have made me a very proud father and grandfather.

MH370

My last word (for the moment) on the missing Malaysian Airlines flight.

There's no way that the pilot and co-pilot would have hijacked their flight just to drive it into the ocean in the "rough forty" in the South Indian Ocean. The last signals coming from the engines stopped 7 hours after the last transmission "good night". It landed somewhere and people know where that is --- but they're not telling.

Magicians use a trick called 'misdirection' and that's what is going on here.

Springtime

Bee Sting?

Selecting a Baby's Name

Alyssa (age 4) will have a new cousin sometime today. (In-law to me) 

I asked Alyssa what the baby's name will be and she didn't know. I asked her what she thought it might be. She said, "Micky, maybe Pluto, but not Goofy because that wouldn't be an appropriate name for a baby." I asked her what she would name the baby if somebody asked her opinion. She said, "Flower." In the movie Bambi, which Alyssa likes, Flower is a skunk, but she doesn't really know what a skunk is because she's a city kid.

Nice Gift

This is not suitable for everyone, but there may be people in your life who would be appropriate recipients of these gifts. (buy here)

Yes, it's a plush dead horse head pillow - same effect as the one featured on The Godfather movie classic without the mess.

Your friend that has everything may not have this.

Scholars should be Warriors too

Thought of the day

Fast Car

Porsche

If only it was street-legal. I think that I could create an effective bat mobile out of this basic unit. Could I end a zombie apocalypse single handed with a ride like this one?

Perhaps

The White House Strikes Back

In what some progressives are calling a bold and unprecedented move, President Barack Obama responded harshly to the Russian invasion of sovereign Ukrainian territory when they crossed the frontier with special forces and paratroops and at the same time, landed two divisions of Naval Infantry at Sevastopol. 

From now on, joining with First Lady Michelle's effort to stop people from eating food that she doesn't like - Russian Dressing will be removed from the shelves of markets all across in America.

Press Secretary Jay Carney emphasized the administration's move. "We wanted to send a tough, unambiguous message to the world."

Russian President Putin is reportedly torn between his interest in annexing the Crimea and Eastern Ukraine and his interest in giving Americans access to Russian dressing for their salad. It may be propaganda, but Russian Ambassador Dmitry Kissoff suggested that Michelle Obama secretly uses Russian dressing on her salad - how else would the mere shadow cast by her ample rear weigh 50 lbs?

The Evil Claw

This is how it works. Grandpa (your blogger) assumes the role of the "Evil Claw". Grandchildren each assume the roles of super heroes. Yesterday it was Iron Man, the Hulk, Spiderman and Wonder Woman. The EVIL CLAW usually grabs one of them and captures them in a leg lock. The rest have to attack to save their captured superhero. Evil Claw is one of my grandkids' favorite games. They each take a turn in captivity as their fellow super heroes work diligently to save them. The Evil Claw is known to tickle the captured as a form of torture.

Behind the Evil Claw you will note an knitted blanket (the cloak of invisibility) where superheroes can go to hide from the Evil Claw.

The scenario was captured on a cell phone from a non-participant. Though the Evil Claw is bigger and stronger, with teamwork and diligent wrestling, the super heroes are always able to win and aid their team members to escape.