Oh My God! Can You See It?

Am I crazy or is there something VERY unusual in my little corn patch? Look closely at this picture and tell me if I'm crazy? Hey Toast, if you see this post do you wanna weigh in on this?

I know I'm hanging a little this morning (thanks to Hiram Walker and his Daughters Peach & Brandy) but I've had worse. Are my eyes fooling me?

Stuffing 3 Pounds Of Shit Into A 1 Pound Box

Actually, it's stuffing three pounds of garden in a one pound plot of land. This is my other garden (I also have a container garden on my balcony) that I'm growing and maintaining. I'm pushing the limits of how to condense with this garden.

I'm growing eighteen corn stalks, one huge Better (or Bigger) Boy tomato plant, six Blue Lake Kentucky Wonder pole bean plants and two types of Summer squash. One squash is a yellow straight neck and the other is a Grey Zucchini type. That ought to do it. The plot of land is four feet by fifteen feet so it's really straining to hold all of these vegetables.

I just had two more bean plants germinate last week even though it only looks like I only have a couple of vines. I'm already picking beans and they look very nice. The largest of my corn stalks have started to tassel and my squash and tomatoes are flowering. All in all it looks like I may get quite good production by the end of the Summer. If only I had forty acres and a Mule....

Hollywood Celebs For Mugabe

You might think that with all of the deep concerns for freedom in the world of make believe that someone, anyone in Hollywood would speak out against the fraud in the election process in Zimbabwe. After all, every time George Bush farts, the nitwits in Tinseltown scream bloody murder and begin trotting out the "Hitler" cliches. Why are these same pillars of freedom so stunningly silent about Robert Mugabe and Zimbabwe?

I haven't heard a word reported in the press from Danny Glover, Sean Penn, Oliver Stone, Tim Robbins or any of the usual suspects. Could it be because Mugabe is a Socialist and therefore gets a free pass from the left?

After reading stories about some of Mugabe's opposition supporters being hacked to death, one would think that some of Hollywood's spokespeople would have something to say. Their silence is deafening. Here's my solution to the Mugabe problem - Assassinate him.

Summer Squash Part Deaux

Well I went back to the drawing board with my Summer Squash and now I have some healthy looking plants in my other garden. Last Spring I had some really strange looking squash plants and being the persevering fool I am, I figured I could and should give it another try.

Initially the squash got to be about two weeks old and then the seedlings would whither and die. Well I finally took the advice posted on another website and started the seeds in a cup. Something about root development.

Anyway, now I'm off to the races for the second time this year. I know, I know, squash is a Summer crop and it should only be grown at certain times of the year. The thing is, Southern Kalifornia has Summer weather sometimes twelve months of the year. This year has been surprisingly warm so far. Now it's downright hot so my plants are prospering. Here's this morning's photograph of one of my latest squash plants.

After about a week of flowering I actually saw a female bud among what are all male buds (What A Slut!) this morning. When she blossoms she gets the Q-Tip treatment. I'm not taking any chances with the Bees around here not pollinating my flowers.

New York Slimes Do It Again! CIA Agent Exposed!

The New York Times has a long history of publishing classified and sensitive documents. Well they've done it again. Three sites have blogged on this today. I've seen it on JammieWearingFool, Michelle Malkin, and HotAir.com.

It seems the Slimes at the Times don't give a shit about blowing the cover of American Interrogators and CIA operatives when it comes to pushing their own Anti-American agenda. One can't help but wonder how many American Agents and Military are now, or will be, at risk of being assassinated because of their reckless disregard for U.S security and National Secrets.

The spirit of Daniel Ellsberg and Abu Ghraib continues to drive the TRAITORS at the Old Grey Bitch, oops, I meant Old Grey Lady. And of course the circulation of the Times continues to decline, much to the chagrin of the clueless Donkey Dicks in charge there.

I wonder what the response will be in our Spineless Congress. I'm waiting to hear the reaction of the slanderous John Murtha. He sure dropped the hammer quickly enough on several Innocent U.S. Marines.

My Other Garden Takes Shape

I posted the picture above left back in April. It's a photo of a garden I have going on a very small plot of land here in San Pedro. The plot is sandwiched between a small cottage type apartment and Los Angeles City fire station number 48. It's probably only four by fifteen feet so it is tiny. Thanks to my buddy Kevin, I may get a couple dozen ears of corn, some pole beans (we've already started picking), some full size tomatoes and two types of Summer Squash.

As you can see this plot of land gets a very limited amount of Sun and only for around four months so the timing of the planting is/was crucial. I planted the Corn early and most of the seeds never germinated. The soil was probably too cool. Now I'm getting good germination. The row of corn close to the block wall is still coming up. I guess this is a blessing in disguise. This way my corn won't all ripen at once.

Anyway, I'll be posting more photos in the coming weeks. It's already hot here in San Pedro so you can say Summer is here. It's in the nineties today so my plants are loving life and livin large.

Congratulations Celtics - The Fat Lady Just Sang

Well Boston totally dismantled the Lakers last night and in the process proved just how important team defense is in the NBA. The Lakers were totally helpless and embarrassed by Boston. The Lakers, who were the overall team scoring leaders in the NBA this year were shut down cold.

I had a creepy feeling about this series from the start. The only two games the Lakers won could have easily gone to Boston. In fact, the only game the Lakers even showed some Heart and Soul was the one where they nearly overcame a twenty-four point deficit. Otherwise, Boston owned them.

So what's next for the Lakers in the off-season? Here are my ideas.

• The first thing they need to do is get Pau Gasol on a weight program in the off season to build up some upper body strength. He was just overwhelmed by the stronger Boston Forwards and Centers. Otherwise, he is, and will be, a crucial part of the Lakers.
• Kobe, you need to stop with the hot dog shit, the over dribbling and learn how to pass more effectively. Seventeen steals in the final game ain't exactly a testimonial to your skills.
• Get a healthy Andrew Bynum back in shape. That's a number one priority.
• Sasha needs to realize the games aren't gonna be won by the three-point shot.
• Ditto for Vladimir Radmonovich.
• I have a feeling Vladimir is gonna be traded or released. I'm not sure about his status. A healthy Andrew Bynum and Chris Mimh frees up Pau Gasol for the Power or Small Forward position (while playing Center too) and that makes Radmonivich expendable. Business is business. This also leaves the Power Forward position to Lamar Odom.
• Leave Derek Fisher alone. He gives the Lakers stability.
• Keep working with Jordan Farmar. I see great potential with this young man. He definitely needs to be groomed for the future.

All in all it was a great season for the Lakers. They, like the Celtics, weren't picked to win anything and were a pleasant surprise going six games deep into the finals. They have the foundation of a great team and they're young so that's a plus. Whatever happens, I hope Jerry Buss and Mitch Kupchek don't panic and try a major overhaul on the Lakers. They'll be fine with a little off-season tuning. Thanks Lakers for a great 2007/2008 season.

Final thought: About the rivalry the sports reporters kept talking about - It may have just been renewed. Time will tell....

Final Score: Toast Wins In Six

Dem Damn Beans!

After three productive balcony crops of Kentucky Wonder Pole Beans in the last two years I'm having trouble now. The damn things are being as contrary as the squash I had earlier in the year. Hopefully I can save what's left and figure it out.

The photo shows what a contrast from last Spring to this Spring. I lost two buckets already to what I believe is blight. I delayed in treating the leaves with one of the organic remedies I found on another garden site and payed the price.

I'm now using a mixture of Baking Soda, water, and vegetable oil on the leaves and hoping it will make a difference. I guess this just isn't my year so far. I did have an excellent run of Cherry Tomatoes. I keep on learning with every seed and leaf.

I've also started another couple of squash plants in two different buckets. It's nearly Summer here in Kalifornia and they ought to do well with the warmer weather. My other garden is slowly taking shape with sixteen corn plants up and running. More on that later.

Lakers (finally) Tough It Out Against Celts

Well the Lakers almost blew another one last night. After having built up leads of nineteen points in the first period and fourteen points in the last period they came close to ending their run through the playoffs.

You gotta wonder about the Lakers and their will to win. Here's a team (the Lakers) that comes out and virtually thrashes the Celtics for ten minutes or so and then just goes to sleep. Hey guys, there's forty-eight minutes to an NBA game. It makes you wonder what would happen if the Lakers could play a complete game of basketball instead of five minute spurts. They might beat Boston by fifty points if they could remain focused.

Phil Jackson must be going nuts trying to keep these guys on track. I do have to question the toughness of the Lakers. It seems that Boston is the hungrier of the two teams and the most motivated. Now the Lakers have to return to Boston and win two on the road. I have faith in the potential of the Lakers. What is letting me down is the reality of their play.

The Lakers have to find some way of stopping Paul Pierce. He is killing them on uncontested shots and drives. Damn it, would someone get a hand on him or in his face. He's getting to the basket and not getting touched. Vladamir Radmonovich needs to get a little more physical with Pierce or he's gonna keep eating the Lakers alive.

Once again foul trouble limited Kobe and his defense - and Kobe is a very good defensive player. Pau Gasol had 19 points and 13 rebounds, Lamar Odom had 11 rebounds and four blocks, Derek Fisher added 15 points and Jordan Farmar came off the bench to get 11 so the Lakers did spread the wealth around.

The Lakers can win this thing if they can stay "in the moment" as Phil Jackson has said more than once. It ain't over yet and the Fat Lady is still clearing her throat.

Final Score: Toast 3 - Lakers 2

Happy Father's Day

Update: Stow the advice I gave about getting potent potables for Father's Day. Thanks to my Daughter and her lovely Father's Day gift I can go out and buy the new DVD burner I've been wanting. Thanks Valorie and much love and thanks from Dad.

To all the Fathers, Grandfather's, Uncles, and anyone else who qualifies, Happy Father's Day.

Forget about getting dear old Dad the Tie kids. Get him a dose of his favorite beverage, be it Beer, Scotch, Wine or Soda and let him sit on his ass all day and watch sports. Dad probably does that every Sunday anyway but let him imbibe and have a great Father's Day. Don't forget the pretzels either.

What is Greasywrench gonna do for his Father's Day you ask? I'm gonna make some homemade Pizza, play some Zelda The Twilight Princess and watch the Lakers/Celtics game. The Lakers are either gonna begin a comeback for the ages tonight and make NBA history or go down in flames. Either way Happy Fathers Day to all the Dads.

WTF!

I'm stunned. The Lakers took a twenty-four point lead and gave it away. I could see the momentum shifting as the third quarter dragged on and there seemed nothing the Lakers could do about it.

Boston got tough on defense and all the easy shots the Lakers were getting in the first half evaporated. Defense won this game for the Celts.

To come back from a loss as this will be an extremely tough task. I look at it like this. The Lakers now have a chance to be the first team to win the Finals coming back from a 3-1 deficit. Can they do it? Boston has the momentum now and it may be impossible. I'm a die-hard Laker fan and I'll be there to the bitter end.

Final Score: Toast 3 - Greasywrench 1

Doing Auto Repairs On The Ground...

Blows Goats!

I just finished replacing the oil pump on my 96 Olds Cierra and it's got to be the most shitty job I've ever had to do on the ground. Not being in a shop right now and going self-employed I have to do all my work out of my garage. Not bad when it's a nice clean brake job or a tune-up but this kind of job needs to be on a lift. Even a valve job would be better than working on the ground.

My Mitchell On-Demand calls for 4.7 hours of labor to get this pump replaced. I did the job in just under 6 hours. The job involves dropping the exhaust, removing the starter, jacking up the engine after removing the torsion mount (Dogbone) up top, removing the front engine mount bracket to the engine, and removing the A.C. compressor. The time on the ground is not too bad for a 54 year-old arthritic old geezer like me. I'm gonna pay for this tomorrow. Right now I would sell my soul for a couple of Vicodin ES.

I finished just in time to watch the Lakers tough it out against the Celtics. Once again the Lakers have had problems getting to the boards. By the second half Kobe was crashing and getting the calls he wasn't getting in Boston. It's the home-court advantage I've been crowing about for two months.

Sasha Vujacic had a great game coming off the bench and scoring 20 points. There is no fear in Sasha Vujacic. He lives and dies by his outside shooting, especially the three point shot. I've said before the key to winning in the Finals was how the Lakers match up against the Celts. Right now the Celts have the edge. Hopefully Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom will keep out of foul trouble and have the breakout game I've been expecting from them. So far they're under performing.

I believe the Celts are playing at their peak; however, the Lakers can play much better than they are. The Lakers need a blowout game to earn some respect from Boston or the Celts will win in six or seven.

Final Score: Toast 2 - Greasywrench 1

Lakers Embarassed In Boston

I've been watching Laker games for almost forty years and have never seen them dominated as they were tonight. Then again, there was the "Memorial Day Massacre" in 1985 by the Celtics. The Lakers eventually went on to win that series and in Boston, but they're in a hole now and it will be close to impossible to climb out of it.

To their credit, the Lakers didn't give up and mounted a furious fourth quarter comeback after Boston dropped their guard and quit playing defense. The Lakers took a 24 point lead and brought it down to 2 with about 22 seconds to go. But, if the Lakers had have played better defense they woudn't have had such a huge defecit to overcome. But just for a few minutes late in the game the Celtics got very very nervous.

The truth is; the Lakers didn't deserve to win tonight. No defensive effort in the second half and they made too many mistakes again and rarely got to the foul line until the fourth quarter. Now they have to win three in a row in Staples just to get a sixth game. Can it be done? Sure. But...it will take a hell of a lot more than what I saw tonight.

I'm a die-hard Laker fan and I've seen stranger things so I'll be waiting here in L.A. for game three. I even thought about driving up to Staples Center tonight to watch the game on Giant Screen but at $4.50 a gallon for gas right now I can think of better reasons to get caught on a parking lot masquerading as a freeway.

P.S. - Just once I wish an athlete would answer this all-time cliche' question with this snappy comeback...
Question - What will it take for the Lakers to win tonight?
Answer - We'll have to score more points than the other team.
Sports reporters have to be the World's biggest Donkey Dicks.

Final Score: Toast 2 - Greasywrench 0

Big Brown Pulls Up Short In The Belmont

Yesterday I watched Big Brown in his bid to win the Triple Crown and he joined horse racing's list of might have beens. This leads me to reiterate what I blogged about three weeks ago. With no exceptions it takes a very, very, special horse to win the Triple Crown and Big Brown came up short. Maybe the Triple Crown is just too grueling a challenge for three year old horses. At three years of age horses are still just Colts.

As I watched the race it appeared that Big Brown's jockey was putting the whip to his mount around the backstretch and Brown didn't respond. In fact it appeared Big Brown came up slightly lame. He appeared to be favoring his left rear leg after the race. I could be wrong as thoroughbreds have a prancing type of walk and it could have just been Big Brown's particular gait.

Anyway, once again I look back in time and remember the day Secretariat absolutely ran away from four other horses and in the process set a record that still stands to this day and may never be broken. One more time I'll post the YouTube clip below of the Great Secretariat and his twenty-five length win and marvel at Equine athleticism.

RIP Tom - You Had Such A Short Lonely Life

Well after eight months and some strange weather in 2007/2008 my Cherry Tomato plants have "bought the farm" (hee hee hee..) and headed into the great puree' in the sky.

Tom wasn't supposed to produce and grow in the Winter but he/she defied all the experts and began giving me little Toms in large quanities in March. Tom actually set the first fruit on December 24, 2007 but the real productive part of Tom's life was April and May. And what a couple of months it was. I must have gotten eight or ten strawberry basket size containers of nice fat juicy cherry tomatoes. Not bad for a couple of plants that Wintered over and didn't live in the most ideal (warm Summer days) of conditions.

To see Tom in his/her prime click here or just click on my November and December blog archive posts below and you can see some photos of Tom when he/she was a youngster.

Even in her/his death throes Tom continues to produce as shown in my photo to the upper left. Anyway, here's to Tom and all he/she produced. The ironic thing is I don't eat whole tomatoes. I gave all of these little fuckers away to friends and family. The reports and feedback I got back say they were very sweet and juicy. Tom had many children and he/she will be missed. Here's to Tom!

Now it's on to another shot at some Straight Neck Squash and time to try and cure or replant my ailing Kentucky Wonder pole beans. Ain't Summer grand.

Do You Like Pastry?

If you do you would have loved the Lakers tonight. They made a shitload of turnovers in Boston. Mainly ball handling mistakes and bad passes. In the end it added up to a Celtic win. Give credit to the Celtics. They played tough defense and decisively out rebounded the Lakers. But....I wasn't impressed with the Celts as much as I was disappointed in the Lakers and their lackluster game.

It was a weird first half. Not much crowd noise and kind of a low key type game. By the second half the crowd got involved and the Celts were able to suck the Lakers into a half-court type game which of course worked to Boston's advantage. Kobe had a bad night shooting. So many of his shots looked like they were going in only to rattle back out. But the Celtics beat the Lakers by playing Eastern Conference type basketball and deserved to win. I fully expect a better effort by the Lakers and a win on Sunday.


Final Score: Toast 1 - Greasywrench 0

You Can't Make This Shit Up! The Lifespan Of Flies!

GENEVA (AFP) - It doesn't pay to be smart and ignorance really is bliss if you want a long life -- at least if you're a fly, according to new research by a Swiss university."

This Swiss study is almost beyond comment it's so ridiculous. I had to do a double-take when I saw the caption. I suppose the pencil pushers in our American Universities do have separate but equal counterparts in Switzerland who can think of nothing better to do than waste money on absurd studies such as this.

The link below leads to a study concerning the lifespan of flies and its relevance to their intelligence. I'm not kidding. It's just what the world hungered for. I wonder what the original intention was for this study? To find out the actual lifespan of flies or to see if the average fly can do simple math without a calculator?

When I read the article below I thought of the movie Falling Down and the scene where Michael Douglas fires an RPG round into a Government Public Works Project. His main complaint and reason for firing the shell - Government waste and justifications for overblown budgets. I firmly believe many of these University Science departments exist only to perpetuate themselves and their budgets and have very little to do with beneficial research. Where is William Proxmire and the Golden Fleece Award when you need him?

I wonder how many wonderful and deserving young students every year miss out on scholarships because Universities waste their budgets on breathtakingly stupid shit such as this. I won't even go into the Athletic Scholarships that end up being College bankrolled versions of the Minor Leagues for the NBA and the NFL and almost nothing to do with education. That's another rant for another time.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080604/sc_afp/switzerlandscienceanimal