“That’s Why I Took Up The Piano”

Cello Scrotum Nothing But A Hoax

LONDON (Reuters) – “Cello scrotum,” a nasty ailment allegedly suffered by musicians, does not exist and the condition was just a hoax, a senior British doctor has admitted.

Back in 1974, in a letter to the British Medical Journal, Elaine Murphy reported that cellists suffered from the painful complaint caused by their instrument repeatedly rubbing against their body.

The claim had been inspired by reports in the BMJ about the alleged condition guitar nipple, caused by irritation when the guitar was pressed against the chest.

But Murphy, now a Baroness and a former Professor of Psychiatry of Old Age at Guy’s Hospital in London, has admitted her supposed medical complaint was a spoof. (More here.)

B.S. Report-Although it’s not a real ailment, it might also explain why the cello is such a darn popular instrument…makes you wonder if there’s also a phony condition called, “Tuba Tummy.”

Rush Limbaugh’s Bipartisan Stimulus Package

Rush Limbaugh

Here’s Rush’s piece that appeared in the Wall Street Journal On-Line edition.

By RUSH LIMBAUGH

There’s a serious debate in this country as to how best to end the recession. The average recession will last five to 11 months; the average recovery will last six years. Recessions will end on their own if they’re left alone. What can make the recession worse is the wrong kind of government intervention.

I believe the wrong kind is precisely what President Barack Obama has proposed. I don’t believe his is a “stimulus plan” at all — I don’t think it stimulates anything but the Democratic Party. This “porkulus” bill is designed to repair the Democratic Party’s power losses from the 1990s forward, and to cement the party’s majority power for decades.

Keynesian economists believe government spending on “shovel-ready” infrastructure projects — schools, roads, bridges — is the best way to stimulate our staggering economy. Supply-side economists make an equally persuasive case that tax cuts are the surest and quickest way to create permanent jobs and cause an economy to rebound. That happened under JFK, Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. We know that when tax rates are cut in a recession, it brings an economy back.

Recent polling indicates that the American people are in favor of both approaches.  (Read more.)

Just Too Complex…Senate Delays Switch To Digital TV

These Guys Can’t Make Anything Work…Why Give Them More To Do?

To those of you who have this great trust in the government’s ability to get things done, this story’s for you.  How long have they been warning people that their old TV set is going to be obsolete when we transfer to digital? Probably close to 2 years…well, the planned transfer had to be delayed.

It is scary that so many people don’t seem to understand what is going to happen.  Here, maybe I can help.  If your TV looks like this:

or like this:

 

or even like this:

Chances are pretty darn good that your T.V. watching days are numbered.  Except for the fact that the Senate knows that you undoubtedly voted for Obama, and they realize that it may not be a good idea to take away your TV. 

You may want to hold out a while longer because my sources tell me that the Senate version of the so-called “Stimulus” Bill contains big-screen TV’s for all analog customers.

You’ve Got It Backwards, Mr. President…We’re Going To Need Aid BECAUSE Of Your “Stimulus” Bill

We need kryptonite to save us from Obama-nomics!

U.S. Economy Will Still Need Aid In 2011 :  White House

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. economy will still need support in two years’ time from a massive fiscal stimulus currently in the works, the White House said on Thursday, signaling that it expects only a very slow recovery.

“We are not likely to wake up on the 1st of January in 2011 and find everything going so great,” White House press secretary Robert Gibbs told a daily press briefing.  (Read more backpedalling here.)

B.S. Report–The only reason they could possibly know that we’ll still need help in 2011 is because they’re creating that problem now.  And you know what, I think that’s probably the one thing they’re right about.

Sorry Peru…Finders, Keepers!

Spoils of War, my Peruvian friends!

Peru Presses Claim to $500 million in Spanish Shipwreck Treasure

LIMA, Peru (AP) — Peru says it is pushing forward with a legal claim in the U.S. seeking $500 million in silver coins plucked from the wreck of a Spanish galleon that sank in 1804.

A public decree issued by the Foreign Ministry orders Lima’s ambassador in Washington to hire attorneys to try to recover 17 tons of coins.

Peru claimed the treasure in U.S. District Court in Florida last year, arguing that the coins were made from Peruvian silver and minted in Lima.

Spain’s government is also suing Tampa-based Odyssey Marine Exploration for the loot, which was found off Portugal in 2007.
Peru was a Spanish colony at the time the ship sank.

B.S. Report

I think we should keep it to fund a portion of the “stimulus” bill–even if that means we have to go to war with Peru.

This Is What Passes For An Iraqi Hero…Pretty Sad

Shoe Thrower To Be Honored With Sculpture

BAGHDAD (AP) — When an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at George W. Bush last month at a Baghdad press conference, the attack spawned a flood of Web quips, political satire and street rallies across the Arab world.

Now it’s inspired a work of art.

A sofa-sized sculpture — a single copper-coated shoe on a stand carved to resemble flowing cloth — was formally unveiled to the public Thursday in the hometown of the late Iraqi ruler Saddam Hussein.

Officials and visitors walked around the outdoor sculpture during the brief ceremony, pondering on its eccentricities — such as a tree poking up from the shoe’s interior. (More here.)

Relive the excitement of this guy’s finest moment.

I Think The Celtics Should Lose A Draft Pick For This!!

DA: No charges against police in Celtics fan death

BOSTON (AP) — A prosecutor says he won’t file criminal charges against the police in the case of a man who died 11 days after he stopped breathing while in police custody.

The state medical examiner ruled in December that David Woodman’s death was brought on by heart arrhythmia and that he died of “natural causes.”

Twenty-two-year-old Woodman had been placed into custody June 18 during the Boston Celtics championship celebrations. He was arrested on a public drinking charge.

Woodman’s parents, Jeffrey and Cathy Woodman of Southwick, met with Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel Conley on Thursday morning.

B.S. Report

Yep, it’s a sad story and I feel bad for the guy’s family but there’s something I don’t understand…the story said he didn’t breath for 11 days?  I think I found the problem–no wonder he died!

As a die-hard Laker fan, I think that not protecting your rioting fans during the championship celebration should cost the Celtics a draft pick, plus last year’s title should be rescinded.  Go Lakers!

Look At The Pot Calling The Kettle…

Here's Your "Stimulus" Bill Right Here Mr. President!

So, President Obama calls it “the height of irresponsibility” for Wall Street executives to be paid more than $18 billion in bonuses while the financial sector was crumbling.

This is the type of class warfare that Obama specializes in.  But it’s not his job to take Wall Street execs to the woodshed.  I think it’s the height of irresponsibility to take money that doesn’t belong to you and spend it wastefully.  At least financial execs have to answer to stockholders.  Stockholders ultimately decide whether it’s cheaper to get a bad CEO out of there by paying them off instead of watching their stock values dwindle to nothing.

And who was it again that was responsible for the mortgage meltdown?  If you said politicians, particularly ones named Barney Frank and Christopher Dodd, then go right to the head of the class.  If they were CEO’s of a publicly held company, there’s a strong possibility they would be in jail right now–instead of heading committees responsible for confiscating even more taxpayer money.

It’s laughable any time a politician rails against greed and wasteful spending…particularly more galling when we’re right in the middle of a trillion dollar boondoggle being orchestrated by the man making the criticism.  The last time I looked, $18 billion would be tip money compared with what they’re doing.  Here’s more of President Obama’s comments.

Today’s ‘Did You Know’ Sports Fact

1936 – The first members of major league baseball’s Hall of Fame were named on this day in Cooperstown, NY.
They were:

Ty Cobb

Babe Ruth

Honus Wagner

Christy Mathewson

Walter Johnson

Music Chart Toppers

Billboard Charts

Number 1 Song on this day:

1933     Night and Day, by Fred Astaire with Leo Reisman

1945     Don’t Fence Me In, by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters

1956     Memories Are Made of This, by Dean Martin

1964     I Want To Hold Your Hand, by The Beatles

1978     Stayin’ Alive, by the Bee Gees

1988     Need You Tonight, by INXS

1999     …Baby One More Time, by Britney Spears

2007     Irreplaceable, by Beyonce

Today   Just Dance, by Lady GaGa featuring Colby O’Donis