First Looks category archive

Unusal British names on the decline.

From the Virginian-Pilot. Follow the link for more detail:

The automated telephone message said the car’s warranty was expiring and this was the last notice.

It said to press 1 to talk with a representative. The guy on the other end gave only a first name, but Caller I D showed his number as (416) 523-1121. He asked a lot of questions, wanting the make, model, year of the car and other details.

He’ll call again, tomorrow or the day after, even if told to stop.

The Federal Trade Commission and other groups are trying to find and stop these folks, but the agency doesn’t appear to be succeeding in Hampton Roads and elsewhere.

Well, duh! The judge rules that the federal government (under the previous administration, mind you) really shouldn’t sell out our heritage.

[RANT MODE ON]

Of course, that bunch sold out more than our heritage. It sold out our traditions, our Constitution, our liberties, our laws, the treasure of our labor, and the blood of our young. Pah!

[RANT MODE OFF]

On Tuesday, U.S. District Court Chief Judge Gregory M. Sleet ruled that refuge officials and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service broke federal laws when they allowed farming (at the 10,000-acre Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge–ed.), and later planting of genetically modified crops, without appropriate environmental reviews to determine the impact on wildlife and wildlife habitat.

The ruling comes as a victory for Delaware Audubon, the Center for Food Safety and Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, the three groups that challenged the agricultural practices at Prime Hook.

Read more »

Off to drink liberally.

Here.

Via Phillygrrl.

“This here next one’s rock and roll”:

Courtesy of BuzzWhack (http://www.buzzwhack.com/):

menoporsche: Male menopause. Symptoms include a sudden lack of energy, crankiness, and the overpowering urge to buy a Porsche.

Me, I want a Lamborghini.

I’ve wanted one for 45 years, since I first read a review in Motor Trend. In 45 more years, maybe . . . .

Hear the founders of Twitter interviewed here. On second thought, don’t bother. I listened to it so you don’t have to. It helped pass the time while I was picking up winter detritus from my yard.

Via Huffington Post.

Eating and drinking with persons who can recognize reality when they experience it helps one deal with wingnuttery.

Triumph Brewing Company, 119 Chestnut, Philadelphia, Pa., Tuesdays, 6 p. m. If you can’t take SEPTA and can’t find street parking on Chestnut, there’s plenty of parking on Front, at least until the weather gets good.

As Glomarization says, “Come for the beer. Stay for the check.”

Aside: One thing I have realized through my DL experience:

I love Philadelphia.

It is a great city. And it doesn’t know it.

One down . . .

FirstCity Bank, Stockbridge, GA

More to go.

Teambank, National Association, Paola, Kansas

Colorado National Bank, Colorado Springs, Colorado

But, no doubt, they knew better than we. After all, they are Bankers.

Well, not any more.

And not in Fairfield, Wilton, and Trumbull either.

H/T Alison for the second link.

John Cole. Read the last paragraph. It’s called “vicarious learning.”

“Won’t you try . . . ?”

Later, Dudes.

Down the hall, second door to the left. (See the fourth comment.)

My cell phone battery was reaching end-of-life. Instead of holding a charge for more than two days, it was dying after a day and a half. (Hey, it happens.) Rather than order a new battery on line, I decided to swing by the local store.

They did not have a new battery in stock. They did, however, have an unused return waiting to be shipped back to the mothership.

The salesperson checked with the manager, then swapped out my battery at no charge.

Editorial Comment below the Fold

Tuesday, Triumph Brewing Company, Chestnut two blocks from the I-95 trench, Philadelphia, 6 p.

I plan to be there this week. (I hope this plan works better than most of my plans.)

To find a chapter near you, go here.