I don’t often read the local “Southern Dutchess Focus” of the Poughkeepsie Journal newspaper, but this past Saturday’s cover caught my eye. The color photo dominating the page was headlined: “Concerts, tours set on island”; in the photo, a couple of tables full of people are dining near a hedge in the forefront, with part of a castle ruin looming beyond the hedge. I immediately thought of Bannerman Castle, about which our own WaltTheMan had once written, and a quick glance at the caption under the photo confirmed that it was, indeed, Bannerman Castle.
Bannerman Castle on Bannerman Island (officially “Pollopel Island”)
The historic castle, built in 1901 by military supplies dealer Frank Bannerman, was severely damaged over the decades by explosion, fire, and, eventually, neglect. In 2011, fundraising and lobbying efforts were begun by the Bannerman Island Trust. According to a February, 2011 article in Private Island News (always part of my daily reading, how ’bout you?):
The castle on Bannerman Island – also known as Pollepel Island – is under the domain of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. The primary public action group is the Bannerman Castle Trust, Inc., a non-profit dedicated to raising awareness of the castle’s plight and stabilizing the structure itself – which has decayed more and more with every winter on the stormy Hudson. It will take a lot of work to bring the castle back to its former glory – but at this point, the Trust would be happy with just keeping its hollow remains standing…
Picturesque boat tours around the island are becoming popular, and the Trust offers “hard-hat” tours of the ruins with all proceeds going towards restoration.”
According to the Poughkeepsie Journal‘s article, this year the Bannerman Castle Trust’s goal is to collect at least $150,000 in donations:
“This summer will be an important one for the Bannerman Castle Trust. By Sept. 12, the group needs to raise $150,000 to secure a matching $150,000 grant from the state’s Environmental Protection Fund…To attract more visitors to Bannerman Island this summer, a new touring experience has been created allowing people to take a self-guided tour; afterward they can enjoy a boxed lunch from a local restaurant, and hear live music. The “boxed lunch” tours will be on the third Sunday of every month through October.”
WaltTheMan had made me aware of an historical landmark in my area of which I had been previously ignorant. I think that the least I can do to thank Walt would be to help the Bannerman Castle Trust reach its fundraising goal. By doing so, I’d feel that I was, in a very small way, making Walt proud.
This is our daily open thread — comment on anything you want!
TheZoo 
Not meaning to hijack a post but, significant automotive history was achieved yesterday at the Le Man 24 hour race.
The winning car was an Audi…
Ummm so what you may say.
It was won by a diesel.
Ummm okay that’s an accomplishment.
That’s only half of it.
It was won by a diesel hybrid.
What?
Yep, that’s right yesterdays 24 hour Le Man was won by a diesel hybrid.
This is no small feat.
It is a major milestone automotive history and yet, there seems to little attention paid to this by the media.
Yes, you read that correctly. The 24 hour Le Man was won by a diesel hybrid.
That is pretty damned amazing!
And feel free to hijack the post, it’s just there as a jumping-off point. 😀
Back in 1981, we bought a new car, an Audi. Diesel. It was an absolute and total piece of shit car, stem to stern.
Sounds like they may have improved it some. But I still wouldn’t touch one with a ten foot pole.
This was our experience as well. Great car to drive when it was running, but the only vehicle we ever owned that required us to travel with a complete kit of tools and a can of freeze spray.
That’s remarkable. I’ve had an Audi, I enjoyed it, but parts were expensive.
“{Let’s revisit} Neil Munro, the Daily Caller “reporter” who interrupted Obama’s DREAM Act Lite speech yesterday by yelling, “Why do you favor foreigners over American workers?” is himself a so-called foreigner working a job, here in America.
http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2012/06/obama-heckler-a-foreigner-himself.html
I think that the Don Lemon slot on CNN last night actually said that the outburst was symptomatic of the right wing not accepting Obama’s legitimacy:
Don Lemon called it out – it’s because the ‘Sheriff is a n*****’
How is seeing the President, or any black or brown person in authority, in such a fashion NOT “out and out racist?”
I don’t understand that kind of excuse-making for people who seem like racists to me.
My cousin could (and most surely would, if asked) explain that fairly quickly. Here’s the thing: white people are superior to people who are not white, y’ see, whether they be they black, brown, red, yellow, take your pick. We know this is true because white people rule Amurka and Europe, and together have kicked the colored world’s collective ass for centuries. (*insert chapter and verse here*)
It’s not racist at all, iow. Merely an expected expression of superiority.
Pardon me while I pause to *barf*
What an awful fucking attitude to have, but it shouldn’t surprise anyone, since your cousin is clearly a horrible person.
Pretty much LDS doctrine, prior to God suddenly changing his mind after the IRS told him to. And Mittens is nothing if he’s not doctrinal Mormon.
I felt Lemon was trying not to blurt out what he was thinking – which was exactly that – that it *is* based in race. Lemon was trying to appear neutral on it – but you could tell he was thinking it.
There’s probably a place for him in the diplomatic corps.
It’s pretty remarkable isn’t it? The foreigner, making his money here, feels free to criticize the president — rudely, in the wrong venue, and for no reason other than self-aggrandizement.
I’m pretty sure there’s another reason. That’s so that Cucker Farlson and his ilk can whine about how “Obama is against the 1st Amendment”.
A dielsel hybrid:
It’s mother was a semi & its father was a gass-guzzler?
Eqypt’s military grabs more power in the face of their candidate losing the election ….
More trouble to follow – there was a corss-border incident between armed ‘militants’ and the Israelis too ….
A freind of mine is a Coptic Christian from Egypt. The cultural animosity – hatred – is palpable between christians and muslims there — I don’t see a good outcome here no matter how it ends — because I don’t think it will end.
My friend is absolutely unreasonable in this matter and I suspect the opposition is as unreasonable. She wants Obama to do something! What?!
Like get together all the bored, yet warlike second and third sons of the corporatocracy, arm them to the teeth and stick ’em on the first boat to the Levant to reclaim the Holy Land from the Infidel Musselman?
We tried that already – didn’t end well.
I just thought of a new word: Vorp. It comes from the acronym for Vaginas Opposed to Conservative Pricks.
All the anti-women laws republiscums have enacted are thus vorporal punishment to the female gender.
Hey, what happened to my gravatar? I did not change it!
I think that’s a default wordpress gravatar….
I like it. You look like a beet monster.
You’re still the adorable looking dragonfly – at least at 11a PDT.
I think I have lived too long… someone actually made a movie called: Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter.
Why yes, yes they did and I have no idea why ….
And it looks AWESOME!!
If they decide to go over-the-top and skewer the candy floss pretentiousness of the Gothic horror genre a la Twilight…. you are right it could be awesome.
I went to see Prometheus last week – it was cool (Imax 3d). Outside shots filmed in Iceland I think …. kept wanting to blurt out “Don’t do that dude, didn’t you see what happened to Sigourney Weaver?”
Or blurting “why the hell did he do that?” or “since when is she a surgeon?” or “why didn’t the head roll around when everything was doing cartwheels? or “cool special effects”
To be followed up by the movie where Ben Franklin builds a spaceship and takes all the founding fathers to conquer Mars.
Time machine!
I’ve seen teenagers who thought Prometheus was too much but not you wild people.
Buncha weenies. 😉
UCLA law professor Adam Winkler, who is briefly quoted in TPM’s article about Justice Antonin Scalia’s reversal on the Constitution ahead of the ‘Obamacare’ ruling, explains in further detail why he believes the flip-flop is revealing.
Specifically, Winkler argues, the only thing that has changed since Scalia’s 2005 embrace of the New Deal-era ruling that underlies the basis for the constitutionality of the individual mandate is the “political implications.”
He writes in an email to TPM:
No surprises here. Move along…
NPR had an article about the upcoming hearing on Citizens United and the growing dissatisfaction over the obvious hypocrisy of Roberts’ activist SCOTUS. Even Gramps McCain is ‘disappointed’. CU will be overturned by a ‘less conservative court someday’ – I doubt it, no one who has not sold out to the corporations will ever be elected again after 2012.
The only way CU will ever be overturned is by a Constitutional amendment — and that is unlikely to happen. It’s sickening.
hence my ‘guest post’ last week… 😦
Oh crap!!!
Checking Zoo email now. 😳
“Wisconsin U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde (R) says he is sick and tired of reading sad stories about people struggling in the recession. Instead, he wants to see the media focus more on the debt and the larger problems afflicting the country.”
Yep, people struggling in the recession is old news. Let’s all move on, shall we? Like focusing on whether the President was born in America or the fact that Michelle wants Americans to slim down by moving more and eating less crap.
And Give me a break. Republicans NEVER talk about the debt or deficit when another Republican is in office.
It sounds Orwellian, as in the “Department of Don’t Worry, Be Happy.”
What a dick. People of Wisconsin need to get their shit together and stop acting like they’re in the south.
Our Turtle’s guest blogging post is up!
(finally…sorry, Turtle)
The first rule of Fight Church is: You do not talk about Fight Church.
stunningly stupid
Brilliant.
Wrestling with the Devil is one thing but to kick a man in his nuts for Jesus is beyond the pale.
I’ve heard that kicking a man in the nuts does indeed make him pale.
Makes him beyond pale.
Now try find a pic of a young Mitt with any people of color.
Opps, replied to the wrong comment!!
Some are familiar, some aren’t. 29 Photos Of Baby Barack Obama
http://www.buzzfeed.com/andrewkaczynski/29-photos-of-baby-barack-obama
He’s always had a great smile.
Fox is running this as their lead story today; how a private firm is bilking the government. But private is always better, right?
(And where was Fox on all the Iraq war bilking by private firms?)
Government spending millions on contract to assign numbers to contractors | Fox News
Silly Wabbit. In Fox world, of course private is better except when it can embarrass the President and keep him from getting re-elected.. like this, or Solyndra….
Some advice for Eric Holder before he sits down with Darrell issa.
Santorum feels he may have gone too far in the primary. Ya think?
Rick Santorum On Serving Mitt Romney: ‘It’s Pretty Much A Flat No’
The mandate reveals flip-flopping by an entire political party.
Why Republicans Oppose the Individual Health-Care Mandate : The New Yorker
The article goes on to suggest that humans are prone to group-think (it was a survival skill from long ago):
I just finished reading that… very interesting.
“At the Washington Monthly, Steve Benen kept track of the placement that the Times and the Washington Post (where I work) gave to stories about court rulings on the health-care law. When judges ruled against the law, they got long front-page stories. When they ruled for it, they got shorter stories, inside the paper. Indeed, none of the cases upholding the law got front-page coverage, but every rejection of it did, and usually in both papers.”
Romney takes $77,000.00 deduction for fancy horse.
He’s struggling to make ends meet. If we take away that deduction, he won’t create any more jobs.
I knew his job creation claims had to involve horseshit.
“Nothing from nothing leaves nothing.”
And that is over 3 times the median US salary in 2010
Man of the people, he’s a man of the people….
He’s really just like you or me.
How does one deduct a horse expense?
With a big shovel.
He must be calling the horse investment property.
Are they claiming the horse is a farm expense? Do they get deductions for all their cars as well?
They shouldn’t have to cover Dr. visits either. Or any medical procedure. We still have to pay our premiums of course.
Richard Mourdock Claim That Employers Should Not Have To Cover Cancer Sparks Attacks
First they came for our contraception…and I didn’t need contraception, so I said nothing…
They need more money to keep and retain the best people, right?
CEO Pay Jumped 5 Percent Last Year For Highest-Compensated Executives
Almost none of the people in this part of deepest red America have heard of what the ACA could do for them:
“It was hard to find visitors to the clinic who would not benefit directly from the law. Barbara Hickey, 54, is a diabetic who lost her insurance five years ago when her husband was injured at his job making fiberglass pipes. She gets discounted diabetic medication from a charity, but came to the clinic to ask a doctor about blood in her urine.
Under the law, she would qualify for Medicaid. Her eyebrows shot up as the law was described to her. “If they put that law into effect, a lot of people won’t need disability,” she said. “A lot of people go onto disability because they can’t afford health insurance.”
Tom Boughan, 58, came to the clinic for glasses and dental work, with a sci-fi novel to pass the time. He’s been without coverage since being laid off from his industrial painting job last year, which means he’s paying $400 every few months for blood work for a thyroid problem.”
This piece was supposed to run on the front page of the Washington Post. They turned it down on the grounds that it was too supportive of Obamacare. This issue affects people’s lives in personal way imaginable. It becomes the difference between living with chronic illnesses, or being healthy. It can be the difference between a short life and a long one.
http://www.tnr.com/article/politics/104094/tennessee-health-care
Of course, they could balance it with a sympathy piece by how people will be hurt by the law… oh wait… no one is hurt by the law…
“Too supportive of Obamacare?”
We can be having facts in the WaPo, can we?
The money decides what free speech you get to see and what free speech you don’t get to see.
Blue camo iPad case, cuz why the heck not? 😉
I pity the person who drops it in a field of flowers. They’ll never find it. 🙂
That’s my excuse for running down people wearing camo head to toe. 😉
Do you make any ipad cases with a shoulder strap?
I certainly can! I was just reading over a pattern for one last night.
Heh. I don’t carry a big purse, so ipad won’t fit, problem is, sometimes I put my ipad down on a counter and have forgotten it temporarily, if I could sling it over my shoulder, that would be grand!
Ooh, and if you could leave a slot for attachment of earphones through the bag…
😉
Yep, I have just the thing. It will have room enough for an iPad, and a little extra for your phone, charger cord, or whatever. Are you still interested in Asian style fabrics? I have some lovely stuff.
Not crazy about many patterned fabrics, don’t know why. I do like the solid blue ipad cover with the floral print but never got around to ordering it…
🙂
I’m out of both of those fabrics, and can’t get more of the floral, but I can get something figured out. 🙂
You like the medium blue? And don’t mind a floral lining? I’m open to ideas, since I have to purchase the fabric anyway. You could browse here for ideas: http://www.theribbonretreat.com/FabricCatalogOfCategories/fabric.aspx
Each box is a different designer house, and clicking on it takes you to lots of options. Not all colors available are shown on this site, but it’s a good place to start.
Of course, if you see any fabric you like in the shop, I’ll let you know if I still have some left.
I like the blue fabric on the tote with the swirly lines…. Not much for floral prints unless they are minimal, and a floral liner would be fine. The tote with the polka dots that you made from a sheet was nice and I like the purple batik tea purse. I guess the prints that l like are more free-form in general and l like blues and purples. Medium blues are better than pastels. I do like the blue camo too.
On the website that you linked to, I like “plum leaf dance,” “plum checks,” Disney’s “fairy dust,” “multistars,” and “Sky grain”
Ohhh, I like your choices! The plum leaf dance and checks are gorgeous.
I’ll be at the fabric store in a couple days, and can check on the batiks if you like. They’re best to see in person.
Not sure I can still get the blue swirly fabric, but I’ll check.
Give it some thought, you might settle on a couple of the fabrics you found, and we can re-visit this after I’ve been to the fabric store.
Kewl. You charge extra for custom work? 😉
Not for my friends. 🙂
It really just depends on the cost of the fabric and supplies.
QOTD:
“If the individual mandate, requiring the purchase of insurance or the payment of a penalty, if that is unconstitutional, must the entire act fall? Or, may the mandate be chopped, like a head of broccoli, from the rest of the act?” – Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader-Ginsburg.
Chopping heads like broccoli and the SCOTUS…. there is a joke in there somewhere…
This is a big F—ing deal! The Latina Oprah, Cristina Saralegui, puts her invaluable stamp of approval on the president.
ooo, that is a big deal!
¡Manera de ir!
72 hours later and Rmoney still hasn’t said anything about immigration. That’s some leadership, eh?
He can’t take a position. He’s already in trouble with Latinos and his fundy base so he’s screwed either way. I have a feeling he will take a hardline “no amnesty” position in front of white crowds and just evade the whole subject in front of others. And the effing Reichwhiners are still extolling his “conviction” and “consistency”. He’s as convicted as O.J. Simpson and as consistent as a hairdo in a hurricane.
Martin Bashir “Mitt’s meandering.”
http://video.msnbc.msn.com/martin-bashir/47864050/#47864050
We loved him when he was 64, but today he’s 70!
Did yall know only white people are gay?
Well, if the white race can’t make it in the free market…
That’s a really hateful dooshbag, who thinks way too much about anal sex.
My guess is that his high school yearbook named him “most likely to die of a self-inflicted gun shot after a prolonged standoff with authorities”.
Oh, the irony indeed. 🙂
If Reichwhiners were able to comprehend irony or hypocrisy they would burst into flames.
BTW. The “librul” PBS Newshour is heavily funded by Koch dollars. I think that’s why they never say that Reichwhiners are demonstrably wrong much less identify them as liars. I finally had to stop watching after about 10,000 “we’ll have to leave it there” when some Reichwhiner has spent an entire segment lying through their teeth.
So today is the 200th anniversary of the day James Madison declared war on Great Britain and invaded Canada.
Say what? What’s the war of 1812 about again? Depends on whether you live north of the border, south of the border or are a Lonnie Donegan fan.
Anyhow take the test and see what you know about the War of 1812, or the War of Canadian Independence
Well I got 5 out of 11 – I stank 🙂
I got 8 out of 11. Mostly from knowing how to take multiple guess tests.
5/11.
My excuse: being educated on the West Coast.
Who the hell is/was Laura Secord?
(I’ve since found out)
The War of 1812 is a musical number that they play at graduation ceremonies and the 4th of July. Do I win a ponly? 🙂
10/11. I thought that Jefferson wasn’t quite so war-mongery. What do I win?
4/11. Sheeeesh now I gotta go find out where this Canada country is/was?
Immediate eligbility for Canadian citizenship – email pachy for your introductory manual including the names of the Canadian hockey teams and the locations of all Tim Hortons doughnut emporia
Wayne, you best get busy. This lady is pretty good.
So, you’re in love, again?
Anyone got a link to the Vagina Chronicles performance in Michigan tonight?
It took me a while to get to this point, but I think Ann Romney is a bit of a bitch.
I saw a video today of Michelle Obama jumping rope Double Dutch. I imagined then that Ann Romney would claim she could do that with her dressage horse!
Speaking of Nazis; now they are trying to lobby Congress.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/18/paul-mullet-white-nationalist-neo-nazi-lobbyist_n_1607179.html
hmm, perfect monicker
I thought that was the name of the Amish beard cutting gang?
I really, really, hope that the prosecution brings up this freaks history of paranoia. You know, the kind of paranoia that might make someone chase down an unarmed person and shoot them in cold blood.
http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-06-18-US-Neighborhood-Watch/id-6a7af20b71424dc6bc0c93b61d3876c5
Roger Clemons found not guilty of lying to Congress.
Maybe Congress can actually get something done now? Nah…
Well congrats to Eric Holder and the DoJ, I guess you’ll takje this success with you as you start to prosecute Dimon, Corzine, Paulson and the rest of the Masters of the Universe for destroying the economy?
Not holding my breath
Well, it appears Tweety is SO over Mitt Romney.
Remember the days when he admired how handsome Mittens is, and how a 747 could land on those shoulders?
Nope, Tweety’s done with all that now, “He’s not a candidate, he’s a speaker system.” 😆
Reminds me of that song: You gotta stand for something, or you’ll fall for anything. (about Mitt) Funnily enough, I was thinking that and that is just what Ed is saying now. Too funny!
Ed’s back!!!
Yeah, and over on Current, we got Joy Behar in for Spitzer, and John Fugelsang in for Jennifer. Fugelsang is going to have a spot on Current somewhere, he’s too funny to just do stints on Stephanie Miller. I wouldn’t mind if he did a Daily Show style thirty minute show on Friday and Saturday nights, when, of course, there’s no Daily Show.
Things Black Presidents (and First Ladies) Aren’t Allowed to Do.
The White Wing is just so pissy because the President is actually very presidential. Doesn’t he know he is supposed to just shuck and jive?
They hate the President because he is the most solid President of our generation. He isn’t always right but he gives them no openings. They hate him because he plays them so well.
And near as I can tell, they hate the first lady for being black. It can’t be the issues she takes up, every first lady has a signature issue she promotes with some degree of passion. Whether or not we become ardent supporters, we tend to support the rather tame agendas they promote, literacy, freedom from drug addiction, an end to child abuse, that sort of thing, until Mrs. Obama had the unmitigated gall to suggest that we feed our children better. Obviously, this is a plot by a black muslim communist to force every redblooded american family to shop at farmers’ markets and partake of Kenyan vegetables.
I can’t tell which is stranger: that Paul McCartney is 70, or that John Lennon never will be.
It took Bristol Palin bailing on his radio show for Mike Huckabee finally to speak his mind about her:
I feel creepy saying this, but Huckabee really does seem to be a likable person — other than the whole crazed Fundie business. I think he would have been a much more credible candidate than Mittens.
That pretty much sums up Huckabible.
Glenn Beck’s Web TV Network To Rebrand As TheBlaze
When your brand name ain’t sellin’, it’s time to change the wrapper, because changing the product is not an option here.
President Obama plans to have mock debate rehearsals. He chooses a former presidential candidate to play Romney. Spolier alert in the url:
http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/233291-obama-taps-sen-kerry-to-play-romney-in-presidential-debate-rehearsals
Poor Sen Kerry….. gets to play a flip-flopper now for real
“It’s fitting that I begin my substitute tenure here on Paul McCartney’s 70th birthday, because I feel like Ringo Starr, I’m just glad to be here.” John Fugelsang on The War Room.
A clip of Romney’s non answer to Schieffer about immigration policy is followed by Fugelsang: “That was Mitt Romney showing , once again, his fearless fear of taking a stand, that helps make him all things, to no people.”
I find it hard to believe that Steve Schmidt believes any of the right wing crap he supports.
Even if he doesn’t believe it, he’s still making money peddling it.
Oh, jeez, Ann Romney and the horses she loves…
Business expense, not medical expense!! Oops!
It occurs to me that Ann can style her horse’s vet expenses as a business expense. She can deduct the cost of his health care. A low income family is not able to do the same when taking care of actual people, unless the cost exceeds a hefty percentage of their income.
Rank (wealth) has its privileges — to an insane level.
The Robin Hood Tax… http://robinhoodtax.org/latest/19th-june-robin-hood-tax-campaign-launch
New open thread is up.