Years ago (like 20 or 30) the Stone Zoo in Stoneham, MA, had a Polar Bear, Major. He was the big attraction there, had his own small enclosure with a pool. After several years, the zoo brought in a female (I don’t remember her name) to keep him company.
This is a thing I did not know! That they are captivating creatures in the midst of an existential ("threatened" status!) plight inflicted on them by us, I know all too well.
Here in CHEESELAND a FEDERAL MIGRATORY STAMP is required to hunt AMERICAN WOODCOCK. Those POLAR BEARS would be happy the next day or so. Temps down to -20F predicted.
So I saw this headline that I THOUGHT said Karoline debuts new book, and thought, damn, they'll let anyone write a book. But the word was actually "look." Supposedly social media blew up during yesterday's briefing over makeup, hairdo, earrings. Pretty vapid story, not worth a link. I'm just glad she didn't write a book.
So if you want to commit crimes like rape, sexual assault, and sex trafficking, make sure you are besties with Tucker Carlson and Donald Trump and his family and minions, m'kay?
I appreciate the list of Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage because yesterday all NPR (both the BBC World News and All Things Considered had the same story) kept focusing on was how Italian Food made the list and it sounded kind of stupid to me. Kind of like the Fifa prize for world peace. So, I was glad that the list includes many different and interesting cultural practices and maybe it is NPR that I should stop listening to?
Senator Shaheen, as reported by Politico, is infuriatingly DEFENDING REPUBLICANS as "wanting to do the right thing" or some such bullshit. This very bad habit Senate Democrats have of fluffing Republicans has got to stop. Every time I call Mark Kelly's or Ruben Gallego's office, I point out that REPUBLICANS ARE NOT YOUR FRIENDS and ask they please stop telling the public they are.
I love the DIRT article because it gives me a chance to brag about the folks I’ve met while working at the bookstore in Aspen for 20yrs (in no particular order):
Ringo Starr* and Joe Walsh* (together, they are brothers-in-law), Chris Robinson, Sally Field, Kurt Russell* and Goldie Hawn*, Kate Hudson*, Don Johnson, Melanie Griffiths*, Dakota Johnson*, Martha Stewart, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett, Madeleine Albright*, Bill Clinton, Antonio Banderas*, Robert Downey, Jr, Rupert Murdoch and Jerry Hall (all of the Murdoch clan actually, their entourage gave me my first dose of COVID), Robert Wagner* and Jill St John, RFK, Jr (back when he was kind of sane) and his brother Michael (just before he was killed playing football while skiing).
*The asterisks are the ones I actually got to hang out with a bit.
Certainly had it moments. As a side note, the owner of the bookstore, Katherine Thalberg, was the daughter of Irving Thalberg and Norma Shearer. More here:
The Thalberg Award was awarded at the 2025 Academy Awards.
“The Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award is awarded periodically by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to "creative producers, whose bodies of work reflect a consistently high quality of motion picture production".”
I was a tourist with spouse and another couple eating at a wonderful little restaurant in Florence, Italy and Jon Stewart (before he went full dick) was at the next table. I remember it as ruining the experience, because we should have been focused on eating a wonderful meal in a little restaurant in Florence, Italy, not effing Jon Stewart.
For no reason I bring up the last day of Bing Crosby (the Bowie ballad sent me on a wiki binge)
“ As Crosby and his party headed back to the clubhouse at around 6:30 p.m., Crosby said, "That was a great game of golf, fellas. Let's go have a Coca-Cola." Those were his last words. About 20 yards (18 m) from the clubhouse entrance, Crosby collapsed and died instantly from a heart attack.”
It’s gonna happen out of nowhere like this one day
Etienne Rosas is taking a page from the AOC and Mamdani playbooks. If he wins the midterm, someone is going to have to scrape trump off the ballroom floor.
Ms. James, congrats! The WH looks like a bunch of fools.
Kilmar Abrego must be absolutely joyful. ICE looks like a bunch of incompetent asswipes.
Several Indiana GOP members voted against gerrymandering despite some very serious threats to their safety. In fact, several Republicans who were originally going to vote in favor the the gerrymandering changed their minds because of the threats. Makes trump look like the doddering old fool he is. He's loosing his grip on the party.
Have you read Evan's piece? I thought it made way more sense than simply "Indiana GOP rejects Trump out of principle" or "pushback against death threats."
So, I was reading The Taste of Empire, which is about how the British Empire and its industry changed global foodways, probably permanently to this day. And there was a factoid in it that I had to look up, in the section on British biscuits and hardtack that were shipped around the globe. Sure enough, at the 1898 Battle of Omdurman, in Sudan, the British troops found sword scabbards that were reinforced with strips of metal cut from cookie tins, with the name Huntley and Palmer's still displayed.
Your hed gif info: https://martiniambassador.substack.com/p/prudent-polar-plunge
And meme chat: https://open.substack.com/chat/posts/b8621777-f13f-478b-8117-c8fbc9008b32?utm_source=share
Have a good weekend!
Years ago (like 20 or 30) the Stone Zoo in Stoneham, MA, had a Polar Bear, Major. He was the big attraction there, had his own small enclosure with a pool. After several years, the zoo brought in a female (I don’t remember her name) to keep him company.
Is that...is that a woman's shoe?
WHERE IS THE WOMAN?
Listening to the beats in her head. Go Polar Bear!
A large bear with hesitation
About a watery plunge
Decides to do a belly flop
To get perchance some lunch.
She finds the water welcoming
And grabs a tasty treat
While calmly treading water
With oversized bear feet.
I know they are deadly predators but gotdamn that bear is adorbs!
Yeah, I'm down with the meme chat.
If iz bear why iz make cat "about to jump" head bobs?
Polar bears are...classified as marine mammals...
This is a thing I did not know! That they are captivating creatures in the midst of an existential ("threatened" status!) plight inflicted on them by us, I know all too well.
Here in CHEESELAND a FEDERAL MIGRATORY STAMP is required to hunt AMERICAN WOODCOCK. Those POLAR BEARS would be happy the next day or so. Temps down to -20F predicted.
We show a video of them in ocean hall at NMNH
A polar bear who's into pink.
Here's a cute pink bear born on Java:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/wcSgl76Pzqk
Big White Tundra Doggo!
A bear and her salmons
Taking the plunge!
10 out of 10 for Laerke's dive!
Swim and bear it!
Wouldn't it be a hoot if Trump's hand band-aids covered a Tren de Aragua tattoo?
I can personally attest that not summarily executing the crews of drug smuggling vessels was the policy of the US dating back to at least the 70s.
So I saw this headline that I THOUGHT said Karoline debuts new book, and thought, damn, they'll let anyone write a book. But the word was actually "look." Supposedly social media blew up during yesterday's briefing over makeup, hairdo, earrings. Pretty vapid story, not worth a link. I'm just glad she didn't write a book.
I want to hear less "Is he dying?" and more "what are you bringing to the celebration?"
E. Jean Carroll's substack: The Tates Skate!
https://ejeancarroll.substack.com/p/the-tates-skate
So if you want to commit crimes like rape, sexual assault, and sex trafficking, make sure you are besties with Tucker Carlson and Donald Trump and his family and minions, m'kay?
I appreciate the list of Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage because yesterday all NPR (both the BBC World News and All Things Considered had the same story) kept focusing on was how Italian Food made the list and it sounded kind of stupid to me. Kind of like the Fifa prize for world peace. So, I was glad that the list includes many different and interesting cultural practices and maybe it is NPR that I should stop listening to?
There's a lot of cool stuff on that list.
Senator Shaheen, as reported by Politico, is infuriatingly DEFENDING REPUBLICANS as "wanting to do the right thing" or some such bullshit. This very bad habit Senate Democrats have of fluffing Republicans has got to stop. Every time I call Mark Kelly's or Ruben Gallego's office, I point out that REPUBLICANS ARE NOT YOUR FRIENDS and ask they please stop telling the public they are.
https://gizmodo.com/software-mogul-secretary-of-checks-notes-the-interior-says-ai-will-cure-cancer-2000698612
😳🤯🖕🏾
What a maroon!
Cheesus Krimony, these assholes....
"This school opening up in an ICE facility, for children imprisoned in said ICE facility..."
"Okay, that's pretty good. Now at the end, after you get to 'Z,' you need to sing, 'Now I've said my ABC's, tell me what you think of me.'"
[whole room of children, dagger-eye stares]
"Now I've said my ABCs, please won't you deport me?"
I love the DIRT article because it gives me a chance to brag about the folks I’ve met while working at the bookstore in Aspen for 20yrs (in no particular order):
Ringo Starr* and Joe Walsh* (together, they are brothers-in-law), Chris Robinson, Sally Field, Kurt Russell* and Goldie Hawn*, Kate Hudson*, Don Johnson, Melanie Griffiths*, Dakota Johnson*, Martha Stewart, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett, Madeleine Albright*, Bill Clinton, Antonio Banderas*, Robert Downey, Jr, Rupert Murdoch and Jerry Hall (all of the Murdoch clan actually, their entourage gave me my first dose of COVID), Robert Wagner* and Jill St John, RFK, Jr (back when he was kind of sane) and his brother Michael (just before he was killed playing football while skiing).
*The asterisks are the ones I actually got to hang out with a bit.
Certainly had it moments. As a side note, the owner of the bookstore, Katherine Thalberg, was the daughter of Irving Thalberg and Norma Shearer. More here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irving_Thalberg
The Thalberg Award was awarded at the 2025 Academy Awards.
“The Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award is awarded periodically by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to "creative producers, whose bodies of work reflect a consistently high quality of motion picture production".”
I was a tourist with spouse and another couple eating at a wonderful little restaurant in Florence, Italy and Jon Stewart (before he went full dick) was at the next table. I remember it as ruining the experience, because we should have been focused on eating a wonderful meal in a little restaurant in Florence, Italy, not effing Jon Stewart.
I have a gay couple in San Francisco that I just love with all my heart.
I was visiting them about a year ago and they took me to a nice restaurant.
We were only there a few minutes and George Takei and his husband were seated right next to us.
I SO wanted to say hi to them, but they were already looking at the menu and I just couldn't be so rude as to interrupt them.
I never did get to say anything to them, but it was fun just seeing them in person!
Gotta say...a bookstore in Aspen sounds like an enviable gig to me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUbSev4DnR4
Former Colorado clerk will remain in state prison after federal judge rejected her bid for freedom
Next 9NEWS
[Doin' the Happy Dance]
So much for "states rights". Unbelievable!
For no reason I bring up the last day of Bing Crosby (the Bowie ballad sent me on a wiki binge)
“ As Crosby and his party headed back to the clubhouse at around 6:30 p.m., Crosby said, "That was a great game of golf, fellas. Let's go have a Coca-Cola." Those were his last words. About 20 yards (18 m) from the clubhouse entrance, Crosby collapsed and died instantly from a heart attack.”
It’s gonna happen out of nowhere like this one day
Team Aneurysm
Live on TV.
Etienne Rosas is taking a page from the AOC and Mamdani playbooks. If he wins the midterm, someone is going to have to scrape trump off the ballroom floor.
Ms. James, congrats! The WH looks like a bunch of fools.
Kilmar Abrego must be absolutely joyful. ICE looks like a bunch of incompetent asswipes.
Several Indiana GOP members voted against gerrymandering despite some very serious threats to their safety. In fact, several Republicans who were originally going to vote in favor the the gerrymandering changed their minds because of the threats. Makes trump look like the doddering old fool he is. He's loosing his grip on the party.
Anyone see a trend?
Have you read Evan's piece? I thought it made way more sense than simply "Indiana GOP rejects Trump out of principle" or "pushback against death threats."
https://www.wonkette.com/p/telling-donald-trump-to-fck-off-is
1) Perfect pitch: when you toss Olivia Nuzzi’s book in the remainders bin and it lands on Jake Tapper’s book.
2) If I lived in the Rio Grande Valley, I’d vote for Etienne Rosas, but black dress shirts deserve their own circle in Dante’s Inferno. Fight me
Add a white tie for the full effect
Or maroon, for a moody one.
Liked for (1).
Black dress shirts have their uses.
So, I was reading The Taste of Empire, which is about how the British Empire and its industry changed global foodways, probably permanently to this day. And there was a factoid in it that I had to look up, in the section on British biscuits and hardtack that were shipped around the globe. Sure enough, at the 1898 Battle of Omdurman, in Sudan, the British troops found sword scabbards that were reinforced with strips of metal cut from cookie tins, with the name Huntley and Palmer's still displayed.
https://www.readingmuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/images/battle-of-omdurman-sword-huntley-and-palmers.jpg