Would you ever???

Searching for cheaper flights for my boss I routinely come across these flights from New York to DC on Delta. I wonder if anyone is actually flying on these itineraries, despite the fact the only reason that I can think of why Delta would offer this fare would be to brag that they offer the cheapest flights between NYC and DC. However, it is plainly obvious, if anyone did take this flight, they would lose money to shuttle the passenger halfway around the United States.

But seriously, would anyone actually take this flight? Keep in mind that the non-stop is $300+, and about 5 hours shorter than flying through Atlanta.

Yeah! Maybe if I was trying to/from Atlanta. I’m on to you Delta!

Worst Banner Ad Ever

Mr. Grumbles Responds

I am proud to say that we hear at Fairflyer got a chance to catch up with Mr. Grumbles after his latest photo on www.stuffonmycat.com

Here are some of his responses from his fans on his Comments section:

Hi, Mr. Grumbles here. It’s great to finally be able to get back to you all about my recent photo submission. I was sleeping when my owner-lady took it. She found these crappy broken sunglasses [with no ear holders] on the street. Who knows what kind of freak that thing fell off of, not to mention the diseases. Regardless, I’m not at all surprised, that bitch really doesn’t care about my health. So here I am sleeping on the couch, just got comfortable and all of sudden she puts this garbage on my face and snaps a picture. This is probably the worst thing on the site. Stuff on my cat should probably remove it, it’s a pair of sunglasses. Why can’t we have more pictures of cats covered in salt packets. Waste of bandwidth if you ask me. Eitherway, I’m happy to respond to some of your comments made on my picture.

Comments

kittykatmowser wrote:
I’ve adored Mr Grumbles ever since his bath picture
06/22 18:26:28

Thanks, Kittykatmowser, but I hated that picture. For one, I don’t have any stuff on me, so I don’t understand why it would be posted. Second, we didn’t use any conditioner so I had to deal with that for a week.

Moose-s Mom wrote:
FLOFFY!!! I love Mr. Grumbles **hug** and he is thinking that these papparrizi just dont leave him alone..sheesh
06/22 18:33:32

Yeah, something like that.

christiejeep wrote:
I heart Mr. Grumbles!
06/22 18:57:34

Hey Christie, long time no chat. Let’s go for a ride sometime?

Daisy-s Mommma wrote:
Mr. Grumbles! You are sooooo cute! You remind me of my Mr.Paws and I miss him!
06/22 18:59:32

Can’t say I know Mr. Paws. But thanks for the compliment.

KittyPants wrote:
Is that Mr. Grumbles’ little pink tongue poking out there?
06/22 19:09:58

You could say that.

Sunshinebabycat wrote:
i seriously have those same exact glasses
06/22 19:28:34

Please, by all means, have another pair.

Suzy Cat wrote:
Check out the length of fur between those cute toes. The master of fluff for sure!
06/22 19:38:30

I’m going to cut you.

spirit-s momma wrote:
I just LOVE floof between the toes! It’s probably a good thing my girl
doesn’t have floof. I imagine I would spend hours playing with the
floof, trying to catch it between my fingers & stretching it to see
how long the floof REALLY is!
I have only known one floofy-toed cat in real life…it was absolutely
adorable and every time I saw him I would laugh almost to the point of
tears! Simple pleasures!
06/22 20:06:05

I’d love to stretch the floof out from between your ears.

Ringo-neko chan wrote:
Mr Grumbles! It is a great pleasure to see you
in all your floofy glory! Love the hint of pink tongue that matches so
nicely with the touch of pink nose! My Sylvester has quite an abundance
of toe floof, and yes, I have spent lots of time playing with it,
pulling it, etc….thank goodness he has limited patience or I would
never drag myself away…”sorry boss, I had a serious case of toe-floof
yesterday and couldn’t come in”…
06/22 20:34:32

You’re fired.

Kismet wrote:
Thanks for the raspberries Mr. Grumbles.
06/22 20:52:18

No problem. However, I left the “real deal” in your penny-loafers, you asshole.

Jess LA, CA wrote:
Mr.Grumbles hangs with Mr. Miles – is this the beginnings of a kitty entourage?
06/22 21:56:18

No comment.

Susan Vancouver, BC wrote:
Thank you Ringo – I was thinking the exact
same thing……I wonder how my boss would react if I called in saying
I couldn’t make it in due to a serious case of TF (toe floof). Similar
to WTB syndrom (warm, toasty bed).
06/22 23:13:33

You would also be fired.

LitterMaid (OK, USA) wrote:
Toe floof! We LOVE toe floof!
06/22 23:48:38

ARRRHHHHHGGGGG!!!!

marvin peaches and cupid-s mommy wrote:
i just cant get over that name, its so cute
and hes so floofy and awesome makes me wish i gave my little
fuzzballs some more creative names
06/22 23:49:49

Hey Marvin Peaches Cupid S Mommy! Nice screen name!

LitterMaid (OK, USA) wrote:
“Hold my calls.”
06/23 00:07:49

Hold your calls? I say hold out one hand and shit in the other and see which gets filled first.

kellkat wrote:
Oh, Mr. Grumbles!!! All the floof! I just
can’t stand it! Going in now for extended length tummy snorgle with
added kisses for floofy toes! Mwah!Mwah!Mwah!
06/23 06:17:34

Stay away from me.

Meg the Cat wrote:
Why have I suddenly thought of Puff (aka Clarice) from “Songs of the Cat”?
06/23 07:42:18

Maybe you forgot to take your medication today.

Yitzysmommie wrote:
Who’s that cat in the Foster grants?
Normally not fond of longhairs, but Mr Grumbles is Qte.
06/23 08:47:50

Not too sure about the Foster Cat, maybe one of the other commentors will know. Thanks for your feedback.

jamie wrote:
Mr. Grumbles is my favorite SOMC cat!
06/23 09:40:20

No, you are my favorite.

eM2 wrote:
AAAAALLLLLLLOOOOOOHHHHHH DAHLING!
06/23 14:27:15

Ummm, yeah. Right back at you.

Jimmy (–,) wrote:
Mr Grumbles = most stylish cat ever.

>-Seriously, this get-up is a joke. You need to get out more.

cat lover wrote:
thats one COOL CAT! haha.Mr Grumbles is really cute.
06/23 19:08:34

THANKS!

tailless wonder wrote:
oh my gosh.. short n stout and nuthin but pout.. WOW! what a pussy cat!!!!!
06/23 19:25:04

You’ve insulted my masculinity for the last time. Prepare to be drawn and quartered.

Bojangles the Ragdoll-s mommy wrote:
I LOVE squashed-face kitties! Mr. Grumbles is absolutely adorable!!
06/23 19:54:55

You are a racist.

Rogers Place wrote:
Wow. happy we discovered this place. Awesome photos of the cats.
06/23 20:22:56

Where the hell is Rogers Place? Do they put stuff on the cats there? Please get me out of here.

Alaska and Akasha-s Mommy wrote:
Mr. Grumbles the SF (smoosh face) with TF!
06/24 06:33:48

So if SF means Smoosh Face, what does TF stand for?

Please send help.

Reflections in Making Pizza Dough

My craving for pizza had lasted for most of this weekend. And for the first time in as long as I can remember, I actually ate and made myself a pizza not on impulse or in a rush. In fact, I foresaw myself making my own crust and went out on Friday to get some packets of yeast.

About 4 years ago I worked in a restaurant and spent sometime making the pizzas there. In line with the spirit of the joint there, they were of no gourmet quality, though I always relished my personal pie that I would build out of whatever I was feeling like at the end of the night (pineapple/veggie burger with extra, extra, extra cheese anyone?). I tossed the dough–actually throwing it in the air and spinning it–spread the sauce and cooked them up in the oven, but never had I ever made my own dough from scratch.

This is clearly what I am getting at here with this segment. Pizza is associated with a quick and easy meal, no plates and dirty dishes–especially if you get take out, where there is only the box that you need to bring down to the garbage the next morning. But in the dough, there is a real process of waiting, as it is in fact a bread. Yet, if you were to bake it without the toppings of tomato sauce and cheese, it would be very unappealing, really the secret of making a good pizza dough is to imagine only as a crust for to toppings it is to be served under.

Suffice to say, my first attempt at a dough went well, but with great room for improvement before I actually start to say I could trump what comes out of my local pizza joint. But waiting for the dough to rise in the kitchen gave me a good break in the process of cooking to run to the store and grab some more cheese and work on a mix cd for a friend, rather than laze around for the delivery guy show up.

Powered by ScribeFire.

DONE!!

So on Sunday I completed my first century in 5.5 hours–a very respectable time. I couldn’t have done it with out the close support I got from so many of my friends and family leading up to the ride. Also, a huge thank you to everyone who sponsored me in my fundraising efforts for the Lymphoma and Leukemia Society. The New York City Chapter that went to Montauk raised over $100,000 alone, which is not insignificant at all, so every little bit added up! Now that I am finished and you would like to still make a donation, please visit my donation site, or get in touch with me personally.

I have so much to write about, but now is not the time.

More to come soon.

McCain II

On Sunday’s Meet the Press I, for some reason, chose to tune in to hear McCain speak. While I overwhelming disagree with his stance on the war, not to mention tax, abortion and the environment, I somehow always find myself impressed by how strongly he follows what he believes is right, even if it means disaster for his political career. It gives me the upmost respect for him as a person, and also perversely enough, the most entertainment when he gets taken down.

In one of the best examples of making a politician eat their words, I hope you will enjoy:

MR. RUSSERT: Let me show you the kinds of things that are often said when soldiers are overseas, like this: “There’s no reason for the United States to remain. The American people want them home. I believe the majority of Congress wants them home. Our continued military presence allows another situation to rise, which could then lead to the wounding, killing or capture of American fighting men and women. We should do all in our power to avoid that. What should be the criteria is our immediate, orderly withdrawal. And if we do not do that and other Americans die then I” “say that the responsibilities for that lie with the Congress who did not exercise their authority under the Constitution. For us to get into nation-building, law and order, etc., I think, is a tragic and terrible mistake.”

You hear those kinds of words, right?

SEN. McCAIN: Sure I do. Americans are frustrated and saddened by the enormous sacrifice we’ve made and the gross mismanagement of the war. Now, my response to that statement is and what happens after we leave? Listen to all of the experts who will tell you that we can have a situation in the region which will, in, in the long run, entail far greater casualties, far greater dislocation, far greater threats to our national security than trying to give this an opportunity to succeed. That’s what the–my response to that heartfelt statement is.

MR. RUSSERT: Well, those are your words from 1993 about Somalia.

SEN. McCAIN: Mm-hmm.

MR. RUSSERT: And that’s the kind of thing we’re hearing about Iraq.

SEN. McCAIN: Mm-hmm.

[MY NOTE: I think he wants to say something else right here]

MR. RUSSERT: You felt that way about Somalia when you saw no end in sight.

SEN. McCAIN: Yes, I did, and…

MR. RUSSERT: And many Americans now are echoing your words about Iraq, because they see no end in sight.

SEN. McCAIN: Well, if you compare–want to compare Somalia to what’s at stake in Iraq, please feel free to do so. I don’t see any comparison except that there was chaos in the streets of Mogadishu, and this now is got to do with vital national security interests. I also said that we should get out of Beirut when we did, because a, a presence of a few Marines in a barracks was not going to, in any way, significantly impact what was going on in Lebanon. And I was right, and a lot of young Marines died because we–of the way that we put a presence in there without any chance of success.

MR. RUSSERT: You say we’re making progress. You’ve been on this program talking about Iraq. In 2003…

SEN. McCAIN: Mm-hmm.

MR. RUSSERT: …you said, “I believe we’ve achieved significant goals”; 2005, we view it as, as “hopeful,” we’re making “progress”; 2006, we’re on the “right track,” “I want to emphasize again” the “good things happening”; we’re “showing signs of success” in 2007. It’s upbeat, upbeat, upbeat.

SEN. McCAIN: I think…

MR. RUSSERT: And yet the reality is quite different than that kind of optimistic message.

SEN. McCAIN: You know, Tim, I think it would be fair also to put the statements that I made when I came back from Iraq that said it was a failed policy, that we had to have more troops on the ground, that we were not carrying out the right kind of effort at training and equipping the Iraqis, that the Iraqi government wasn’t–so it might be fair to flash some of those statements up, including the long speech I gave, after I came back from Iraq, to the Council on Foreign Relations, where I said if we pursue this failed policy, we will fail in Iraq. So I think that that might balance it out a bit. Do I think we had, we had made some progress? Yes. And do I think that we have had some significant setbacks? Yes. We– both is–are the case.

McCain’s response here, though abominable, has been included in the effort of balance. I don’t have time right now to really go into how much of a pathetic stunt his trip to Iraq was, but if you watch (read or listen) to the rest of the interview, Tim Russert makes the same point here.

Action Shot!

CLICK HERE FOR A MOVIE

My roommate made this video while we were on our bikes in Central Park a couple of weekends ago. The noise from the wind is quite loud, so make sure your speakers are turned down.

(Until I get this on YouTube, I can’t have the video play from this screen, oh well, you’ll just have to click the link)

Pray these two clowns never have a dance-off

Bush is a man of intense pride. And, being a break-dancer himself, you don’t let someone run up on your turf like MC Rove did at the Radio and Television Correspondents Association Dinner.

So, as long as Rove is making a mockery of African-American culture, Bush joined in with a Senegalese Performance Group in celebration of Malaria Awareness Day.

Big thanks to Shakesville for the lovely pictures:

Does McCain have something to learn from Biden?

As reported by the NY Times: McCain Officially Enters Presidential Race

But wait, hasn’t McCain been driving around in his Straight-Talk bus for the last few months? Are we supposed to be excited about this announcement? I mean, since he went all-in on the Iraq War, he’s been really trying to be that candidate who you vote for if you want to stay at war for the next Presidential Term. Well, take a look at his fundraising numbers and you’ll see how much his one-dimensional campaign/gamble on being the War Candidate is paying off. I’d like to believe that re-announcing his intent to run isn’t going to help. Maybe he should let that plan cool off for a little while because this latest announcement reeks of desperation, especially in the face of the Dem’s latest attacks on Gonzo-Rice-Cheney.

Makes you kind of wonder when Joe Biden is going to remind us that he is a candidate after going into hiding following his truly idiotic characterization of Obama as “African-American,” “clean,” “nice,” and “articulate.” I don’t mean to dredge up old dirt, but man if that didn’t shoot himself in the foot on the same week he announced his intent to run for president. Biden for the moment is totally off the board, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets back in the race when we get closer to the primaries. All I hope is McCain will stop his self-destructive campaign of Stay the Course; it just hurts to watch a guy bet everything and stay in when he’s got nothing in his hand.

Chipotle, it’s what’s for lunch

Chipotle has got to be the best lunch place in the neighborhood where I work. I eat about three of these burritos a week. With my metabolism through the roof as it has been when I exercise, it’s not a good sign when I am hungry again at the end of the day. As a result, I’ve tried to cut back to having it just twice a week, but man, if I can’t resist all that gooey burrito mess. I recommend the burrito with about 20 napkins.

As compared to other fast food establishments (which interestingly enough, McDonalds sold it’s remaining shares from) they pride themselves on healthy food selection. I remember going in one time and having them tell me that the rice was not up to standards and therefore their would not be any rice today. Ok, so they have good standards, and I don’t feel like I’m eating anything fried. But I was shocked to see the high salt content. I generally stay away from salt, because I am sensitive to it and it makes me thirsty, but the nutritional information that I found for it was shocking.

For people on a diet and might look at this, I recommend getting it with out the wrap in a bol–cuts the calories by about 300.

My Chipotle Burrito:

Chipotle Fan.com

Chipotle Nutrition Facts Serving Size: 1 Burrito Amount Per Serving Calories 1230 Calories from Fat 529 % DV* Total Fat 59g Saturated Fat 19.5g Cholesterol 70mg Sodium 3568mg Total Carbohydrate 139g Dietary Fiber 16.5g Sugars 10g Protein 35g Vitamin A 89% Vitamin C 135% Calcium 57% Iron 34%

Chipotle Nutrition Results provided by:
Chipotle Fan.com