Thursday, September 7, 2017

'Tiny Dancer'

From yesterday morning's drive time, at the Sound L.A.

Here's Elton John, "Tiny Dancer":

Due to the song lacking a hook, "Tiny Dancer" was initially a non-starter as a single in the US, reaching only #41 on the U.S. pop chart, and was not even released as a single in the UK. The song fared better in Canada, where John had much of his early commercial breakthrough success, peaking at #19. It was also a hit in Australia, peaking at #13. Eventually, the song slowly became one of John's most popular songs even in the territories that initially failed to embrace it, and the full-length version is now a fixture on North American, UK and Australian adult contemporary and rock radio stations.
Time
Pink Floyd
8:29 AM

No One Like You
Scorpions
8:25 AM

Margaritaville
Jimmy Buffett
8:21 AM

Ten Years Gone
Led Zeppelin
8:14 AM

Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Queen
8:12 AM

Jamming
Bob Marley & The Wailers
8:08 AM

Shoot to Thrill
AC/DC
8:03 AM

Time of the Season
The Zombies
8 AM

Walk This Way
Aerosmith
7:55 AM

Fame (2016 Remastered Version)
David Bowie
7:51 AM

Tiny Dancer
Elton John
7:34 AM

(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
The Rolling Stones
7:31 AM

Rock the Casbah
The Clash
7:27 AM


Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Danielle Gersh's Sunny and Mild Forecast

It's been a lot more pleasant heat-wise this week.

Warm but mild.

Here's the lovely Ms. Danielle, for CBS News 2 Los Angeles:



The Cold Civil War

It's Angelo Codevilla, at the Claremont Review:


President Trump Orders End to #DACA (VIDEO)

If there was any one policy that was likely to turn the "cold civil war" into a hot one, it's gotta be this one.

Literally to the one, leftists from top of the establishment to the bottom of the far-left fever swamps have excoriated the president for his move on restoring law and order on immigration policy.

Things are gonna get hot in the weeks and months ahead. The anger at Trump's election last November 9th will begin to burn again. It's been bad all along, but I'm seeing a new seething hatred. Things are coming to a head.

At WaPo (FWIW), "Trump and Republicans face ‘a defining moment’ on immigration":

President Trump is hurtling toward a crossroads on immigration — his signature campaign issue and a key source of his law-and-order reputation — where each path before him comes with significant political risks.

Trump has temporarily placed the fates of roughly 800,000 undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children in the hands of Congress, buying himself time and shunting responsibility.

Should Congress act, the president will have to choose whether to sign on to a legislative solution granting the “dreamers” legal status — or to let the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA, expire, which would impede the ability of beneficiaries to find work and leave them vulnerable to deportation.

The choice cuts to the core of his presidency and could have long-term ramifications for the Republican Party.

“From a Republican Party point of view, this is a defining moment,” Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), co-author of a bipartisan dreamers bill, told reporters Tuesday. As if addressing Trump, Graham added, “You have a chance to show the nation, as the president of all of us, where your heart’s at.”

Trump’s hard-line base, which demands purity and expects results, recoils at DACA as illegal amnesty and will look to him to veto any such legislation. But allies said Trump also is eager to prove that he has the “great heart” he has touted, and he is under pressure from his party’s establishment, the business community and many of his own advisers to find a way to let dreamers stay.

Trump’s 901-word statement on Tuesday explaining his decision zigzagged between those instincts. By the afternoon, when he sat down to a meeting at the White House with congressional leaders, Trump appeared to loosely come down on the side of the dreamers, saying he was confident lawmakers would achieve “the right solution.”

“I have a love for these people and hopefully now Congress will be able to help them and do it properly,” Trump said. “And I can tell you, speaking to members of Congress, they want to be able to do something and do it right. And really, we have no choice.”

On Tuesday night, Trump tweeted that he wanted to “legalize DACA,” another call to action that further muddled where the administration stood and what it would do.

“Congress now has 6 months to legalize DACA (something the Obama Administration was unable to do),” Trump wrote. “If they can’t, I will revisit the issue!”

Trump’s tone sharply contrasted with the harsher approach taken by Attorney General Jeff Sessions hours earlier at a news conference where he did not take questions. The difference highlighted the murkiness of the administration’s position...
Still more.

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Jennifer Lawrence Dazzles at the Premiere of 'Mother!'

I guess this movie is something else.

At the Playlist, via WeSmirch, "‘mother!’: Darren Aronofsky’s Scorchingly Brilliant Thriller Is Visceral, Go-For-Broke Madness [Venice Review]."

And at London's Daily Mail, "Jennifer Lawrence dazzles in a semi-sheer floor-length floral gown with co-star Javier Bardem at the premiere of Mother!"

Trump Administration to 'Weaponize' #DACA Data

You just gotta love Trump. I mean, he's more committed to Alinsky than radical Alinskyite leftists, lol.

From Betsy Woodruff, at the far-left Daily Beast, "The Trump Administration Now Has Tons of DACA Data and is Poised to Weaponize It."


Shop Today

I'm teaching today.

Until later, shop my Amazon links.

Thanks. It's greatly appreciated!

See, Today's Deals.

Also, Car Window Shade - (3 Pack ) - 21"x14" Cling Sunshade For Car Windows - Sun, Glare And UV Rays Protection For Your Child - Baby Side Window Car Sun Shades by Enovoe.

And, JACKYLED 45 in 1 Precision Screwdriver Tool Kit Compact Repair Maintenance Opening Pry Set with Tweezers & Extension Shaft for Cell Phone Laptop Pad etc Disassemble.

More, Mountain House Just In Case...Breakfast Bucket.

And, Body Champ Olympic Weight Bench with Preacher Curl, Leg Developer and Crunch Handle, Dark Gray/Black.

Plus, LG Electronics 60UJ7700 60-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV (2017 Model).

Still more, Amazon’s Choice – Home - Acer Aspire E 15 E5-575-33BM 15.6-Inch FHD Notebook (Intel Core i3-7100U 7th Generation , 4GB DDR4, 1TB 5400RPM HD, Intel HD Graphics 620, Windows 10 Home), Obsidian Black.

Here, AmazonBasics Apple Certified Lightning to USB Cable - 6 Feet (1.8 Meters), Black.

BONUS: Sinclair Lewis, It Can't Happen Here (Signet Classics).

Monday, September 4, 2017

Guy de la Bédoyère, Praetorian

* BUMPED.*

At Amazon, Guy de la Bédoyère, Praetorian: The Rise and Fall of Rome's Imperial Bodyguard.

Ken Follett, A Column of Fire

*BUMPED.*

It turns out Ken Follett had a blockbuster sensation with the publication of his medieval novel, The Pillars of the Earth (1989). That was followed up by a second volume of a trilogy, World Without End (2007).

So now he's got the third installment coming out on September 12. At Amazon, A Column of Fire.
In 1558, the ancient stones of Kingsbridge Cathedral look down on a city torn apart by religious conflict. As power in England shifts precariously between Catholics and Protestants, royalty and commoners clash, testing friendship, loyalty, and love.

Ned Willard wants nothing more than to marry Margery Fitzgerald. But when the lovers find themselves on opposing sides of the religious conflict dividing the country, Ned goes to work for Princess Elizabeth. When she becomes queen, all Europe turns against England. The shrewd, determined young monarch sets up the country’s first secret service to give her early warning of assassination plots, rebellions, and invasion plans. Over a turbulent half century, the love between Ned and Margery seems doomed as extremism sparks violence from Edinburgh to Geneva. Elizabeth clings to her throne and her principles, protected by a small, dedicated group of resourceful spies and courageous secret agents.

The real enemies, then as now, are not the rival religions. The true battle pitches those who believe in tolerance and compromise against the tyrants who would impose their ideas on everyone else—no matter what the cost.

Set during one of the most turbulent and revolutionary times in history, A Column of Fire is one of Follett’s most exciting and ambitious works yet. It will delight longtime fans of the Kingsbridge series and is the perfect introduction for readers new to Ken Follett.

New Edita Vilkevičiūtė Photos

I've posted this babe before, here.

And at Drunken Stepfather, "EDITA VILKEVICIUTE OF THE DAY."

Jennifer Delacruz's Labor Day Forecast

This one wasn't available late last night when I hit the hay. It was hot but not too bad yesterday, quite a bit less hot than Saturday. Shouldn't be too bad today either.

Here's the lovely Ms. Jennifer, for ABC News 10 San Diego:



Jessica Gomes Body Painting for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit (VIDEO)

This one goes way back to 2008.

She's stunning.



California to Phase-Out Fossil Fuels by 2045

I suspect I'll be retired living in Wyoming by this time, God only hopes.

Leftists will destroy this state if it's the last thing they do, and by eliminating fossil fuels, that's precisely what will happen.

At LAT (FWIW), "California's goal: an electricity grid moving only clean energy":

California lawmakers are considering a future without the use of fossil fuels to generate electricity, a step that would boost the renewable energy industry and expand the scope of the state’s battle against global warming.

If approved at the end of the legislative session next month, the proposal would eventually ensure only clean energy moves through the state’s electricity grid, a goal nearly unmatched anywhere in the world.

It would accelerate the adoption of renewable energy by requiring utilities and other electricity providers to obtain 60% of their power from resources such as the sun and wind by 2030. Then it would task regulators with phasing out fossil fuels for the remaining 40% by 2045.

The goal: Less than three decades from now, no coal or natural gas would be burned when Californians charge their electric cars, run their air conditioners or flip on their lights.

The lofty ambition of the legislation, Senate Bill 100, could come with similarly steep challenges.

New solar plants and wind turbines would need to be built in addition to massive batteries connected to the grid to store energy for when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing.

The state would no longer be able to rely on natural gas — which can be turned on and off to match demand — to help balance a complex electricity grid that stretches across deserts, snow-capped mountain ranges, urban sprawl and rural farmland.

“It’s doable,” said Mike O’Boyle, who studies the power sector at Energy Innovation, a think tank in San Francisco. “But because we don’t really have a working example for a 100% renewable system, it’s going to be an ongoing experiment.”

Hawaii became the first state to set such a target two years ago, but California would be trying to achieve the goal at a much larger scale. Germany and France, countries with economies closer in size to California’s, are also working to phase out fossil fuels for electricity.

Compared with the political firestorm over extending the state’s cap-and-trade program earlier this year, the electricity proposal has flown under the radar. It was passed by the state Senate in May and requires approval from the Assembly before it can be sent to Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk.

Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles), who authored the legislation, said he’s confident the state can pull it off. He compared the speed of renewable energy innovation to the rapid spread of the Internet.

“That’s the type of opportunity we have today, right here in California, with clean energy,” he said.

But utilities and some business groups have concerns.

“We want to help California achieve its bold clean energy goals in a way that is affordable for our customers,” said Lynsey Paulo, a spokeswoman for Pacific Gas & Electric Co., the state’s largest utility. “If it’s not affordable, it’s not sustainable.”

An estimate from nonpartisan legislative analysts shows renewable energy regulations are a relatively costly way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“It’s a more expensive, less flexible approach to reducing emissions,” said Loren Kaye, president of the California Foundation for Commerce and Education, a think tank affiliated with the California Chamber of Commerce.

He said ratepayers will end up covering the cost in their utility bills...
See that?

The once-Golden State's largely unaffordable now. Imagine how it's gonna be in 30 years. The entire state will be made up Bay Area leftist-clones. Working class and regular folks will have bailed to parts yonder, Arizona, Nevada, Texas --- even Wyoming.

Good riddance, I say. What a cluster.

Still more.

Rosemary Rowe, A Pattern of Blood

At Amazon, Rosemary Rowe, A Pattern of Blood (Libertus Mystery Series).

Robert Silverberg, Roma Eterna

At Amazon, Robert Silverberg, Roma Eterna.

Lindsey Davis, The Silver Pigs

At Amazon, Lindsey Davis, The Silver Pigs (Marcus Didius Falco Mysteries).

Lloyd C. Douglas, The Robe

*BUMPED.*

Getting deep into the fictional literature of Ancient Rome.

Lloyd C. Douglas, The Robe.

Harry Turtledove, Give Me Back My Legions!

It's an epic novel of the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, just what I've been looking for!

At Amazon, Harry Turtledove, Give Me Back My Legions! A Novel of Ancient Rome.



Sunday, September 3, 2017

Burning Man Dies at Burning Man

Really.

At LAT, "Man dies after rushing into Burning Man festival flames."



UCLA Scores 35 Unanswered Points to Beat Texas A&M, 45-44

I swear, I'd forgotten about this game and only turned it on after I saw Eric Sondheimer tweet. I thought I'd just check it out, even if UCLA was getting its butt kicked. OMGoodness what misplaced sentiment. That's gotta be one of the most amazing comebacks ever, especially for UCLA. It's just not like the Bruins. They showed some real excellence tonight. Truly amazing. I think folks will be talking about his one for a while. Sheesh.

At LAT, "UCLA completes improbable comeback for a 45-44 victory over Texas A&M":

The seemingly impossible happened Sunday at the Rose Bowl.

UCLA completed a comeback from a 34-point deficit with 35 unanswered points starting late in the third quarter, pulling out a stunning 45-44 victory over Texas A&M in the Bruins’ season opener at the Rose Bowl.

Two plays after UCLA receiver Jordan Lasley dropped a third-down pass at the first-down marker, he pulled in a 10-yard touchdown pass with 43 seconds left, twisting his body in the back of the end zone to make the catch and tie the score.

UCLA’s J.J. Molson then booted the most meaningful extra point of his career through the uprights to nudge the Bruins ahead for the biggest comeback in school history.

The Bruins (1-0) then stopped Texas A&M quarterback Kellen Mond a yard short short of a first down on fourth and 10 after a lengthy review. After the final snap, several Bruins sprinted over to the student section to celebrate. Their teammates soon followed.

Rosen completed 35 of 59 passes for a career-high 491 yards and four touchdowns, including 292 yards and all four touchdowns in the fourth quarter. He got lucky twice, floating a pass that should have been intercepted but instead went for a 42-yard touchdown to Darren Andrews. He also threw off his back foot with a defender in his face to complete a 16-yard touchdown to Theo Howard.

Caleb Wilson led the UCLA receivers with 15 catches for 203 yards, both career highs.

Trayveon Williams had 203 yards rushing for Texas A&M (0-1), which was held to 58 yards in the fourth quarter.