Concrete Facts about Cement

...then he heard the elderly lady say, "concrete, cement.  It's all the same to me."

"Just yesterday," Bob said, "I had that discussion with the Missus.  When you add water and aggregate to cement you get concrete.

"Whatever," the lady said.

"Exactly," said the Missus.

Then the old guy to his left asked, "You've been married how long, and you don't know you are wasting your breath?"

Kick the Can

For two months (at a minimum) I have been hearing congress-critters of one stripe or another saying over and over again, We cannot kick the can down the road.

Clearly they underestimated their abilities.

Cliff Jumping

Have heard a lot of blather about the "fiscal cliff."  Have observed hard-headed obstinate refusal on both sides to make any effort to compromise in order to avoid the "disaster."


Why is it that we've not heard a discussion of the fact that both sides are getting what they want.  The automatic tax increases and spending cuts will give both sides exactly what they want.  Donkeys will get their tax increases; elephants will get their spending cuts.  Why would anyone want to compromise?

And, truth be told, hard as it will be in the short-term, it might be the best long-term solution to our profligacy.

She said

She said, "Persistence is key."
He heard (correctly), "I'll nag until you cave."

On the Silent Treatment.

Thank you.  Silence is a golden gift.  But do not bestow it too liberally, lest I become a miser wanting to store up more than is good for myself.

That Might Help

President Obama, Boehner meet on ‘fiscal cliff’ --WaPo

Could someone push them both off?  Please?

NBA: Not a Fan

Bob, have you an opinion about the NBA game in Miami last night?

Why, yes, yes I have.  Anyone who paid anywhere from seventy to one thousand dollars for a seat got what he paid for-- a seat at a basketball game.  He did not buy the right to coach either team, nor do the people that watched at home have such a right.

Handsome is as Handsome Does

The Missus and I, watching an episode of "White Collar."  I tell her I tune it to that program only so that she has all those handsome men to ogle.
"Yeah?  Well, that one is pretty cute," she says.

A few scenes later:

Mrs. W:  Why is it that the ugliest guys are genius-smart?

I: It's the Law of Compensatory Talent.  It wouldn't be fair, brilliant as I am, if I were good looking, too.

Mrs. W:  Oh, brother.

I:  *raucous laughter*  (I do crack myself up, sometimes.)

Yes, Tw.....s

After hearing "Twinkies" all day yesterday, I open this morning's paper to find Twinkies in a front page headline.  Above the fold, yet.  First thing that came to mind was an old country song, but with new words:

I got over Twinkies so long ago
I'm amazed they're still around today.

Oops, looks like maybe they're not.  All this foofaraw about on over-sweet sponge cake filled with some white frothy chemical conglomeration?  Good night!

To the Third and Fourth Generations

Will the sour grapes we are eating set our children's teeth on edge?

--apologies to Jeremiah