The Rebulding of New Orleans

FEMA Calls Rebuilding Complete As New Orleans Restored To Former Squalor

Da Bears...and Their Fans

I grew up in Chicago. I own an original VHS tape of The Super Bowl Shuffle. And although I now live in Philadelphia and cheer on the Eagles, I still get a thrill when the Bears are on the move. It looks like their fans are on the move too. Expedia is reporting that more super bowl trips are being booked from Chicago than from Indy. Da Bears.

Nicole - Very Very Expensive High Fashion Handbag

Nicole - Very Very Expensive High Fashion Handbag, originally uploaded by merkley???.

I just can't get enough of Merkley??? and his stunning photos. He takes a lot of what he calls "noods," but it's not that. It's the artistry. And his attitude. And his beautiful friends. Stunning stuff. I run his photos through my Google reader and I'm happy whenever they show up. I will tell you many of the photos are NSFW. And you need to drop him a note and get into Club Merkley if you want to see the full spectrum. But I'm telling you, it's worth it.

Pax, can this count as playing along with Favorite Foto Friday (even though it's Sunday)?

My New Favorite Song: She's a Knockout

Daniel Ward-Murphy on SellaBand

Super Fantastic Bubble Plastic Comcastic Website

Check out the cool stuff on Comcastic.com. This is really fun stuff. I dig the puppet...and I tried my hand at "manual dexterity" with the file game. Really cool interface. Here's how my buddy, JT, let me know it was out there:

Hey Frank,
There's a world out there, and it's filled with entertainment and speed and talking puppets and a World Speed-Mouse Record with your name on it. It's all happening at (http://www.comcastic.com). See you there.

Being Distraction Boy, I'm going for the Speed-Mouse record as we speak.

Her Hips Don't Lie

We were going to breed Snickers the Wonder Dog this spring. She's the World's Best Dog™, certified with the iFlipFlop Seal of Approval™. So, we had her hips x-rayed yesterday in anticipation of getting an OFA rating of excellent. No go.

Snickers the Wonder Dog, the World's Best Dog™, has hip dysplasia. The ball doesn't fit into the joint quite right, so there will be no puupies for Snickers the Wonder Dog, the World's Best Dog™. She's the end of the line. She's in great health, and we never would have noticed it if we hadn't taken her to the vet to get OFA certified. She doesn't limp and she doesn't seem to have a problem. But the vet said we need to start feeding her chondroitin and glucosamine to stave off arthritis.

Funny how that works. She's still Snickers the Wonder Dog, the World's Best Dog™. But now she's also Shakira...and her hips don't lie.

I Got a Haircut Today

Actually, I got more than one hair cut. I got all of them cut, but only a little bit. My hair is still long, "Lagerfeld long" is what Francis, my hairdresser, called it...long enough to wear down or in a ponytail. No Flowbee for me!

State of the Union Drinking Game

I always have loved the State of the Union Drinking Game. And be careful, it starts with a drink for the words "The State of the Union is strong..."

An Innie or an Outie?

Have you seen Outside.In? It's a "neighborhood aggregator." Basically, they syndicate content from local bloggers and categorize that content into a few main descriptors. They describe it this way:

Welcome to outside.in, the best way to discover the conversations that are going on in your neighborhood—whether that's where you live, where you work, or where you want to be. See what locals are saying right now, and share your own wisdom with your friends and neighbors.

Interesting idea. Here's the Philadelphia version of Outside.In. If you write local content, you can sign up to add your material.

I'm Adding Folic Acid to My Morning Vitamins

Folic acid is good for the aging brain, researchers say. I'm glad I'm still functional enough to remember to write this down. First the reading glasses...then the forgetfulness. I'm adding folic acid to my Fish Oil, Vitamin E and Flintstones Vitamins concoction in the morning.

I Did Not Know That

I did not know that I Did Not Know That has been around for 18 months without me knowing about it. Now I do. And now you can't say "I did not know that."

Heat Map of the Homeless

I saw this heat map of the homeless on Boing Boing. Wow.

Hanging Out on New York Subways

I was in New York City today. Yep, work. And I took the subway from Penn Station up to 86th and Lex. To do that, I took the 1 Uptown to Times Square. Transferred to the 7 Crosstown to Grand Central. And then the 4 Uptown to 86th and Lex. All good. And the best part? Eavesdropping.

I stood next to two comedians (the real kind) on the 4, who were discussing their recent gigs (one was recently in Last Comic Standing), their agents, and their gigs. The beauty was when this guy got on calling himself "Earth Angel." The crazy dude had dyed black hair that was waist length, plucked eyebrows, and a sign that said "Earth Angel." He started shouting about how he couldn't see people, only angels, and was put on this earth to find the good in the world. Then he held the "Earth Angel" sign up to his eyes and said he couldn't see any of us. (Didn't Curly do that on The Three Stooges? I can't see, I can't see! Oh, I got my eyes closed.)

The comedians both looked at each other with raised eyebrows. I just know that Earth Angel is going to be in an act tonight. I got a laugh from the whole deal already.

Sometimes There Are Good Missing Person Outcomes

A happy ending to a missing person story. Two, actually. Wow, every once in a while it gives you faith to think people do come back. Elaine Pierson's story last week was very sad, so I'm happy to have heard this one this morning.

iPhone Does It All

Conan had a funny commercial about the iPhone. I wanted one before, but now I HAVE to have one. Look at all it can do!

Shovercraft Me Up the Manayunk Wall

I like riding my bike, but I'm a lot better on the downhills than I am on the uphills. Now there's a solution: the Shovercraft. Look out Manayunk Wall, I'm comin' for ya.

Starbucks Cinnamon Latte

Okay, three words: Starbucks Cinnamon Latte. I had my third one of 2007, and I suppose I'd better cut it down. $3.25. And oh-so-yummy goodness. This morning I had one in the lobby of The Phoenix in Philadelphia (famous because Ben and J-Lo -- Beniffer -- stayed there when they were filming a movie in PHL). Comfy chair. Comfy drink. Man, is that addicting.

My Phone...the iPhone

Steve Jobs introduced Apple's iPhone today at MacWorld. I will have one the day they are introduced in June. That thing is a piece of beauty.

Many Are Cold, But Few Are Frozen

I wore the wrong jacket today and was a little chilled around the edges. I guess I got used to Summer in January. Ah well. Every time I'm cold I think about my grandfather saying, "Many are cold, but few are frozen," his derivation on, "Many are called, but few are chosen." No wonder I'm such a smartass. It's genetic.

Subway Superman: My Blue Hat Got Dirty

This is the best story of 2007...and it happened on one of the first days of the year. Wesley Autrey, the Subway Superman, jumped down on the New York Subway tracks in front of an oncoming train to save a guy who had fallen in and was having a seizure. The word "hero" gets so overused that I hesitate to use it. But when a man risks his life for a stranger, now that's heroic. Movie stars: not heroes. Wesley Autrey: hero.

Let It Sn...Uh-Oh

It's January 6, 2007. And in Philadelphia, PA, it's 72 degrees Fahrenheit. I was outiside cutting Snickers the Wonder Dog's nails on the driveway...IN MY BARE FEET AND WEARING A T-SHIRT.

I was going to write, "Let it snow," but I think it might be too warm. Burn, baby, burn, we're gonna burn this mutha down.

Amazing Pictures of China

Really, really incredible pictures of China. Worth indexing through all of them.

Climbing the Mountain

My buddy, Rich, sent me a series of pictures of a "hike" in China. This is one of them...and it makes this acrophobic nervous even to look at it. The entire series is here. Wahoo! I think I'll stay in the La-Z-Boy.

Have You Seen Elaine Pierson?

Have you seen Elaine Pierson? ABC News in Harrisburg reports:

Police say Pierson went missing last Wednesday. They say she was on a phone call with a friend when she heard something outside. She told the friend she would call him back and went to investigate the noise. She was never seen again. "At this point, we don't have anything leading us to what it might have been," said State Police Trooper Jackie Capriotti, "whether it was somebody she knew or a stranger at her door."

Also, a friend of hers (who knows Mrs. iFlipFlop) sent this note along:

Last night I just found out that one of my friends is missing and her house is now a crime scene. Her name is Elaine Pierson, from Marysville -which is outside of Harrisburg, and she has been missing since last Wed. Dec. 27th. They think that foul play is involved because her wallet, credit cards, cell phones and dog were all intact when they found them in her house. Elaine is not one to harm herself or leave without having the dog (Radcliff) taken care of. There are no signs of struggle. Today, the police and fire companies are doing a sweep of the area again to search for clues. There are no leads to follow-up on.... So, I am asking that if anyone has friends or family in the Harrisburg, Lancaster, York areas, please put the word out about Elaine's disappearance.

Help find her if you're out there. "Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Elaine Pierson is asked to call the State Police barracks in Newport at 717-567-3110."

Hey, Philly bloggers, would you have time to do a special edition of Missing Monday for Elaine Pierson? Every little thing helps. Thanks.

UPDATE on 1/7/07 at 8:42 am: A body was found yesterday at 11:30 am that "resembles" Elaine Pierson. An autopsy is being conducted now. Andrea C. confirms that Elaine's friends fear it is her. Very sad, indeed.

It's About the Froth

Yep, another shot from La Colombe on 19th Street in Philadelphia. I stopped in yesterday morning and ordered a cappuccino. This is the design I got. The barista took his time to create this one for me. It's the little things, isn't it? This would have tasted the same if he had just dolloped it in...but the art. Yum.

On the little things note, I had breakfast with JT this morning and paid for bagels and coffee with a $50 bill. The cashier gave me change and I thrust it my pocket without looking at it. About five minutes later she came over and asked, "Did you pay with a fifty?" I said, "Yes," and pulled the change from my pocket. $2.57. Oops. And on one of those little things that makes me happy, she came, asked, and brought me my correct change. And once again all is right in the world. Ah....the froth.

What Happens in Vegas...

...obviously doesn't stay in Vegas. Especially if your name is Ms. Nevada and your friends have a digital camera. Um, do I need to say it? NSFW. (That'll make you look.)

H.R. Pufnstuf Song Stuck in My Head

I wrote about "Oranges, Poranges" yesterday at KnowHR Blog. And that got the H.R. Pufnstuf rattling around in my head. Go figure why those of us who grew up in the 60s and early 70s are a little twitchy.

ParkWhiz: And, No, It's Not a Park-and-Pee

ParkWhiz is a cool and valuable service. Type in an address in Philadelphia or Chicago (the two cities it serves) and find parking. Fantastic! I'm thinking of starting a partner service called, IWillParallelParkForYouOnWalnutStreet.com.

Was Saddam Hussein Hanged or Hung?

Saddam Hussein was hanged.
Tommy Lee is hung.

Mussolini was hanged.
William was Hung.

Worley was hanged.
The stockings were hung.


Generally, people are hanged and objects are hung. Points to those who know the references to William and Worley. That means you and I both read People mag.