Tales of Republican Hypocrisy - Today's Edition

This is quite a Christmas treat for me, because I believe that Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) is probably the craziest person currently serving in Congress.  Who can forget her memorable interview in 2008 with MSNBC when she said -

“What I would say is that the news media should do a penetrating expose and take a look. I wish they would. I wish the American media would take a great look at the views of the people in Congress and find out, are they pro-America or anti-America? I think the American people would love to see an expose like that.”

Indeed. Now, Ms. Bachmann has made a name of herself in a large way by railing against the dangers of socialism.  There are numerous quotes from her available to anyone with the desire to read them.  Perhaps my favorite is -

"We've had our own modern day fling with great society welfare state policies. And after trillions and trillions spent we've purchased neither more personal industry or frugality."

Yes, socialism is truly evil Ms. Bachmann.  So it is quite astonishing to find that Ms. Bachmann and her family back in Minnesota are welfare queens, feeding at the trough at taxpayer's expense. Farm subsides, to the tune of a quarter of a million dollars over the last 10 years.

Even more hypocritical, defenders attempy to justify her actions by pointing out votes against previous farm bills.   So - Ms. Bachmann - you were against farm subsidies before you were for them?

While we are at it, let us pray for defeat of the health care bill and other "socialist" initiatives.....

The San Diego Parade of Lights - Christmas 2009

December 13 was the running of San Diego's 38th Annual Parade of Lights, featuring a wide variety of boats splendidly decorated for the holiday season. The parade also will run again this evening, December 20.

The route winds its way around San Diego Bay, beginning at Shelter Island and ending at the old Ferry dock at Coronado.

There is little else for me to comment on here, so enjoy this distinctly California tradition.

Always good to see a dedicated Chargers fan. I like to root for the Buffalo Bills, but the Chargers are much better and are, I think, a team to be feared this year.

Some of these pictures may be a bit fuzzy, but night photography is not my forte.

Rockin' around the Christmas tree.

The Dole Pineapple ship loading in port in the background.

Have a holly jolly Christmas.

Making the turn at the Coronado bridge and heading for the finish.

68 Years Ago - Sunday, December 7

Although I was some 10 years from the beginning of my long walk upon this earth, the date of December 7 is seared into my brain as the date of the Japanese attack upon the U.S. at Pearl Harbor. How things have changed in the years since that tragic day in 1941. For my parents generation, things completely changed. That event perhaps did more to change the world than anyone could ever comprehend completely. Profound changes, indeed.

This days cannot help but make me think of the brave men and women who lost their lives that day, and the millions who lost their lives in the terrible war that followed.

As Private Robert E. Lee Prewitt says in "From Here to Eternity" -"A man don't go his own way, he's nothing. "

San Diego at Night and at Dawn

Avie and I have been spending more and more time in San Diego, well - because we like it. A lot. This blog might have to be renamed to Slims Bay Blues Blog or something like that.

Here I am playing with some night time exposures, with some success. There is a Christmas tree in here somewhere if you look carefully.

Nearly a full moon.

Looking east at sunrise over the bridge.

Encore.

My kinda town. And the Chargers are doing well, too. Life is great.

Christmas in the 1950s

In some ways, but certainly not all, my family bore some resemblance to the Parker family of Jean Shepard's classic A Christmas Story. One needs only to view the above picture of me, circa 1957, to see shades of Ralphie. Our family did not have a leg lamp, however. To my mother and father's eternal credit. But we were weird in our own way, as are all families.

Christmas 1957. I had it in my head that I wanted a policeman's uniform. I have no idea why, but that's what I wanted. Somehow, my mother found one for me, and I was so excited. When school reopened, I wore it to school. During recess, some kid hurled a snowball at me and knocked my hat off. It was a message, and I never wore it again, at least in public.

Christmas morning was very much the same for many years. Waking our parents up very early, waiting for my father to get his camera ready. We had to wait for the formal pictures of the tree and then the family before we could tear into the presents. Once we did, we would make short order of the pile below the tree.

I'm in the red pajamas - this picture if probably from 1959 or so. My little brother Brian holds the gun - he's a killer until this day and I'm still wary of him when he has a weapon.

I remember lots of train sets - the video games of their time.

Yes, this looks like my family. Once we were six, now we are four.

Thanks to my brother Brian for patiently scanning these old 35mm slides.

Flotsam and Jetsam

The Coronado Bridge meets Coronado...




...right after it takes a hard right turn.

Navy Seals on a morning training exercise. Their base is nearby. One day I saw a boat pull over to shore to pick up a pizza delivery.

On the beach. Mexico is due south and not very far.



Nature's creations.



Coronado dunes.

On and Off the Water

One of the Dole Banana ships in port. Each year, half a million tons of fruit enter the Port of San Diego. My observation is that one ship a week leaves for the trip back to Central America - each Tuesday evening.

Heading back into the Naval Base.

On the Cabrillo, the ferry between Coronado and San Diego.

The U.S.S. Midway - now a museum.

The Santa Fe passenger depot downtown.

Looking up.

The U.S.S. Makin Island coming into port.

A Foggy Day by the Bay

The fog comes
on little cat feet.

It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.
Carl Sandburg

A recent foggy morning settled thickly on San Diego Bay.

Though a few hardy souls didn't seem to mind.

"Any fish bite you got good bait"

Waiting on a sunny day.

The Coronado Bridge is there somewhere.