Too funny...

Santa Barbara on Fire!

The two day old Jesusita fire here in Santa Barbara is now estimated to have burned up to 2,500 acres while destroying 20 homes and displacing 12,000 people. The evacuation warning line is just one block from where I live downtown, although I'm confident that it will not be upgraded to a mandatory evacuation here.

Taken Wednesday early afternoon with my Blackberry.

(AP Photo/Keith Cullom, Wednesday early evening)

(Photo/Fred Barbaria)
Ash the size of large flakes of snow is falling all around and the smoke is pretty thick as the winds kick up to 60 mph in the afternoon increasing the already mid-90 degree temperatures. I'm glad that I didn't wash my car over the weekend!

Whale update

Okay, so this morning I found out that the whale is actually a young adult Gray Whale, about the size of a school bus. He has found a good feeding area and will probably stay there until he notices the cupboard is bare. Local whale watching organizers are reporting that this is going to be a pretty good season for admiring these amazing creatures.

Baby Humpback Whale in the Harbor

A baby humpback whale has been hanging out in the harbor where I work for over a week now. Curious people are all over the place here trying to get a close look at it. You can watch a youtube video of it at SantaBarbarasBlog. This type of behavior isn't all that uncommon apparently as they are rather playful creatures. It is just one of the many joys of living in paradise!

I love the comment from Clearview: "... I hope that whale pulls a Moby Dick and takes a kayaker into its mouth and goes to the bottom for 20 minutes."

Akiane Kramarik

This girl is amazing. My jealousy makes me hate her!

Just in case you missed Rachel Maddow on The View this week

Progress

From Crooks & Liars this clip from Easter Sunday, 1939, when contralto Marian Anderson sang at the Lincoln Memorial after the D.A.R. refused to let her perform because of the color of her skin. Apparently Eleanor Roosevelt resigned from the organization in protest.

If you haven't seen the movie Milk, directed by Gus Van Sant, please go now! It amazes me that we are still debating, and fighting for, basic human rights. Progress is a slow and difficult benefit to life.

It's Who's Hot (and who's not) Monday!

Thinking of ways to keep the postings here consistent and I came up with this. (damn you Betts!!!) At least I'll feel compelled to post on Mondays...

HOT



NOT
Everyone is hot this week.

Bettina Balch wrote on my wall

"Isn't it time you blew the dust off your blog? It's been over 2 years since you posted!" Oh the shame... and right there on my Facebook page for the world to see!

I used to stare at the back of her head in homeroom at Fall Mountain Regional High School and daydream about what beautiful children we would have. If only she would go out with me. Alas, she had a mad crush on my brother, as did most of the girls in school. Now, 25 years later, my brother is big scary fundraising drag queen, Francesca Fresca and I a retired (much prettier) DQ, Tess Tickle, seen here with the lovely Derek of Daily Casserole. And the still beautiful Bettina Balch is now married with her own beautiful child and author of the entertaining Damn Yankee.

So, here you go Betts. Thanks for the kick in the pants!

God Bless Mary J. Blige!!!!!!