Happy Memorial Day

The sad thing is...  most people will not see the irony in this cartoon.

But thanks to all those who participated, fought, and died in foreign conflicts to protect our way of life here in America as well as many other places in the world.

Salute.

Funny... but not really

True... true

Sneakin away...

Keeping it quiet until the last minute seems to be the best strategy for our situation. Every time we announce plans ahead of time, something stops us dead in our tracks.
So it seems like a fast break will give us a much needed respite. It's time to go liven up Istaboa for a few days. Unfortunately not the islands yet... but Stuart is not at all bad after the last few obligations we've dealt with.
So, Grandson is coming to visit Grandmother and bringing the new Great Grandson. (My mother is as excited as she can be.) The next weekend... The good son (my brother) is coming in for a visit. So it seems the mother front is all battened down for a couple of weeks. (X'd fingers.)
We are out of here.

Good timing too... We'll be on hand for Memorial day festivities in downtown Stuart and the inauguration of the merge between Capt. Will's Smoky Dog BBQ and Mrs. Peters Smoke Fish. A momentous occasion. This smokin mash-up will produce, for the good people of the Stuart area, the culinary equivalent of Smoked Nirvana. Pig an Fish!! 

Excitedly Adios,

Istaboa

Wedding bells in Cancun

Finally, our son Mason,  has married his bride Lindsey. It looked like a beautiful and fun wedding in Cancun.
Congratulations to the new Taylors.

It looked like a very fun wedding party.

But something made their tongues stick out?? Must have been the Margaritas.

The lovely bride and who we assume is her father.
Update: We assumed incorrectly... Not Lindsey's father...Sorry.  But what's up with the tongue?

An "Oh Shit! moment"

Ya gotta love Photoshop

This is interesting...

Time lapse video of a Space Shuttle launch from beginning to lift off.

click here for link. Shuttle time lapse

I took the original embed off because it took so long to load.  Click the link, If you're a space nerd—it's worth it.

The old shuttle is lookin a bit worn. Of course it does have a few miles on it.

Remember?

When we were kids and we could hang out with Republicans and we could just be friends?
Back before we made more than 40K a year?

 Maybe someday... We love elephants.

It's happening.

Nasa has released satellite pictures of the oil slick and it does appear to be making it way into the loop and the Gulf Stream. This is not good news.

Here's one for you Parrot Heads (soon to be a bit oil stained)

  Yes, we all know, it's our own damn fault.

What's next?

Hurricane predictor

Speaking of BBQ...

This is just not right.

Our worst fears—

—could be realized if this oil plume hits the Keys. South Florida has had a bad year. First a long cold snap that killed thousands of fish in coastal waters around the whole lower half of the state, now this.
We're still hoping this is all media hype.

Why not?

Sounds better than golf balls

No reason

Just liked the picture.... there is a lot going on in this shot.

Can you imagine doing this today — and dude is wearing a Ban the Bomb T-Shirt. Notice behind Nixon the "Oh Shit" look in that guy's eye. Wonder if he was Secret Service?
And what was old "Tricky Dick" saying to the reporter with the microphone?
Too funny.

Memphis in May BBQ

 It's that time of year again... Memphis in May and BBQ.
We attended the Can-Do-BBQ team booth last night. The team we once sponsored for 14 years. Sadly, we were met with a bit of animosity from some of the team members. Guess they don't get the —business is bad all over— part. Oh well...  Still, it was good to see Ralph, the "Undisputed King of Q".
So we left early and went into Midtown Memphis and had a fabulous dinner at Tsunami's. Very cool on so many levels. Especially after walking around 300+ BBQ smokers, all fired up at once, in the hot—Memphis—late afternoon—sun, that was amplified by it's reflection off the swollen Mississippi River. Whew!!

Note: This is a competition. Local health regulations prohibit teams from serving barbecue to the general public. There are barbecue vendors, as well as other food vendors that can sell to the public.

Memphis in May's World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest is May 13-15, 2010 in Tom Lee Park in downtown Memphis. Hundreds of teams compete for more than $90,000 in prizes and supreme bragging rights. Teams adorn their areas with elaborate decoration, trophies attesting to their boasting rights, and as one can imagine, clever and creative team names. While grilling is the main theme, the contest wouldn't be complete without the Ms. Piggie competition where grown men dress in tutus and snouts and women kick their heels (hooves) up. There is also a t-shirt competition and even a best booth contest.

The World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, the Granddaddy of Grilling ... where on this given Saturday, it's anybody's game.

 So, it's been a nice stay this spring in Memphis.... Been a long time for us as we are usually in the islands this time of year.

Saturday we're going to Huey's to hear a couple of old friends play some rock and roll and blues.
Sandy Carroll and Evan Leake. The Bessie Blues band.
Lot's of friends showing up so it should be a lot of fun. if you're in the area...

Huey's Midtown
Sunday May 16th
4-7

Should be fun.


Istaboa


ps... Click on the links in red... if you're interested in Memphis, it's worth the time.

This is photojournalism

Athens Riots Like It’s 1968

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Yep, back in Memphis and wishing we weren't.

Starck Motor Yacht ... What's up with these Russians?

Described by the Wall Street Journal's 'Wealth' columnist as the ugliest yacht in the world, the $200 million 'Motor Yacht A' designed by Philippe Starck and built by Blohm+Voss shipyards is 119 meters long and weighs approximately 5,500 tonnes.

The keys belong to 36-year-old Russian banking and energy billionaire Andrey Melnichenko.

The 400ft long superyacht is said to have its own discotheque featuring a glass roof which is situated directly under the swimming pool.
There is a large 'owners' suite' as well as six luxury cabins for up to 14 guests and enough room for a staggering 42 crew members.
Other details of the interior have been kept strictly secret by its German boat builders Blohm and Voss along with its renowned designer Philippe Stark.
But it is rumoured to have a helicopter hangar, as well as two 30ft speed boats kept in hatches on both sides of the hull.
Mr Melnichenko's boat is 23ft longer than the 377ft Pelorus, the largest of four superyachts owned by Chelsea FC boss Abramovich.
He bought the boat from a Saudi businessman in 2003 before giving it an extensive face-lift.
However fellow Russian Mr Melnichenko is believed to have topped this with his new cruiser, simply called 'A'.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1035345/Rival-oligarchs-latest-toy-wont-float-Abramovichs-boat--superyacht-bigger-his.html#ixzz0nMGMtjvw

Unconditional love

The times they were a changin

Found these pictures the other day... reminded me of the the life we had back in the sixties and how similar it is to what we are going through today.
We were in a futile war, the economy was tanking, and social injustice/racism was thriving. For us kids in those days... about the only job we could find was as a soldier.
One difference though... In those days we killed our leaders. Now we just assassinate their character.
These are some of the guys that helped us change those times through writing,song, and inspiration. Except for Popeye, who was the real hero and philosopher just because he was, what he was.

I wonder how many folks can remember who these guys are today. Not many young people will.
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As for the crew Istaboa, we are safely back at Rocky Point. the recent rains have turned everything—incredibly and beautifully—green. We weren't affected by the floods but Nashville was really washed out.
Not so good news on the Mother thing, but I think we have caught a break on the business front. We will see.

Adios,


Istaboa

Update: Oil Spill

So as not to add to the hysteria:

Our friends along the Northern Gulf Coast have reported they are being told to move their boats up the Tenn-Tom Waterway or have them hauled out.  If that's so, there is going to be a mass exodus that will overwhelm all the marinas as far up as the Tennessee River. And, who knows for how long?

After further investigation, the report we heard was in fact, not fact. The official statement is, if needed, the inlets will be blocked off to all traffic. This will probably work for the smaller inlets.... but Mobile Bay is not an inlet.

Sorry about the misinformation.

Istaboa

What a horrible mess we humans have made

How's that Drill—Baby—Drill thing working out for ya?

We are really hoping this is being over-sensationalized in typical American media fashion. 

But unfortunately it's looking bad.

Our friends along the Northern Gulf Coast have reported they are being told to move their boats up the Tenn-Tom Waterway or have them hauled out.  If that's so, there is going to be a mass exodus that will overwhelm all the marinas as far up as the Tennessee River. And, who knows for how long?

Now there is the threat that the spill will find it's way into the Gulf Stream which will take it around the tip of Florida and along the east coast. If that's true, the affects could be felt along the whole Eastern Seaboard, even on the other side of the pond.

With the reported amount of oil that is being spewed, our bets are on American ingenuity backed by the powers of capitalism (BP Money) to stop this flow of oil (BP Money) soon. Just not soon enough.

Sadly,

Istaboa

All the way to Memphis

Sadly, those responsibilities we spoke of earlier have come to a head. Mother back in hospital and business decisions to be made and acted on.  But we have enjoyed our relaxing/brief stay on Istaboa.  Hopefully we can get things back in order and fly back to take Istaboa over to the islands for a while. It's sad to see her tied up at the dock for so long.

So until later,

Adios,

Istaboa