Just came back from my local town's (Bowie, MD) fireworks display. For such a small town they really do a good job. This is really saying something where the fireworks show right next door (Washington DC's) Fireworks on the Mall gets national coverage. Although the show in Washington did get Jerry Lee Lewis out of his rocking chair and sing Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On and Great Balls Of Fire while playing the piano, of course. Although the lyrics sound slightly creepy coming out of his septuagenarian yap. "Shake it baby, shake." Sounds like he's asking for his pureed peaches to be mixed a little. And 3 miles down the road is Six Flags where owner Dan Snyder (also owner of the Washington Redskins football team) puts on quite a show. Driving home from our quaint by comparison show, we could see the Six Flags show but Washington is a little distant (10 miles in a straight line). But still, a satisfying show that my daughters adored.


Web Junkie

Steve West scours the Web searching for interest or absurdity and then shakes his head ruefully when he finds it. Read more »

Absurd One-Shots

Small collection of photos that caught my eye while surfing and gave me at least a brief chuckle. Funeral services ad in an interesting location; Signmaker with a sense of humor; British bus ad with an unfortunate exhaust pipe placement; and finally from the "How Could They Not Notice" department, a Parents Magazine cover with an even more unfortunate layout. Go »

Halloween Post #2: Halloween Masks, For Real

No matter how wrinkled I get. No matter how much money I ever make. No matter how desperate I become to restore the perception of my youth. Go »

Halloween Is For The Cats

Lest our feline readers feel left out, follow the links to some pretty cool costumed cats. They really look a lot more regal than their canine counterparts. Satan's kitty Earl, the cross-eyed cowboy kitty I am Me-owl from Krypton There isn't any garlic in that catnip, is there? Go »

What Is This, Miami Beach?

Once again, I have to preface this by saying South Dakota snow stories are much more impressive, I'm sure. But here in DC it doesn't get much heavier than this. A couple of feet in a two day period left a lot of snow to be shovelled out of the way. Go »

No Clowns On Halloween Allowed At My Door

Or "How Ronald McDonald Kicked My Ass" About ten years ago, shortly before Brenda and I got married, we attended a Halloween party at a friend's house. The primary reason to get together was obviously to dress up like we did when we were little but secondarily to get drunk as a sailor on shore leave. The standard "funny name" cocktails were offered like "sex on the beach" and "southern screw" and "raw sewage". Go »

Baseball and Androgeny

Recent conversation with Brenda: me: (watching baseball) Do you realize how filthy professional baseball players are? Brenda: Not first-hand, no. me: Look at these guys. Go »