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Oddly Enough Blog

News, but not the serious kind

November 24th, 2009

Now he’s just pandering to the masses!

Posted by: Robert Basler

Quick quiz: The photo above shows…

  1. a popular Village People tribute group
  2. a Las Vegas City Council meeting
  3. an actual Hubble Telescope photograph of heaven
  4. a cheap, desperate, pathetic attempt to boost blog traffic by running a vulgar commercial event into the ground

Hey, congratulations to you readers who correctly identified the Vegas City Council!

Come back tomorrow for photos of a Las Vegas School Board meeting!

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Above: Models wave after presenting creations at the 2009 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in New York, November 19, 2009.

Below: Model Marisa Miller presents a creation during the fashion show.

REUTERS photos by Lucas Jackson

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November 18th, 2009

Livin’ large, lovin’ Marge!

Posted by: Robert Basler

Quick quiz: This traditional folk festival in Colombia….

  • Commemorates the native people’s struggle for freedom
  • Is nearly 300 years old
  • Features colorful horseback choreography
  • Is a majestic tribute to Marge Simpson

Wait a minute, Blog Guy! If it’s 300 years old, how could it have anything to do with a 20th century cartoon character? Do you get my point?

I do indeed. Thanks for setting me straight, stranger.

And readers, please come back tomorrow for photos from the 200th anniversary of Seattle’s Betty and Veronica Festival…

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Performers dressed as natives take part in a traditional folk festival in San Martin in the province of Meta November 15, 2009. The annual festival, which has at least 270 years of history, commemorates the native people’s struggle for freedom against Spanish colonization. REUTERS/John Vizcaino

Marge Simpson on Playboy cover…

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November 9th, 2009

I say dear, have those voices returned?

Posted by: Robert Basler

Quick quiz: Prince Charles’ wife, Camilla, is seen here reacting violently upon learning…

a) The guy who “married” them was not an actor, but was in fact a real clergyman

b) “Duchess of Cornwall” is just sort of a sarcastic title

c) Her neighbor’s dog is sending her messages again

d) Their supposed two-hour stopover in Canada is actually an 11-day visit

Here’s a tip for readers who are easily confused. Please note our actual caption, below, indicates that the duchess is on the LEFT in this two-person photo, and is not the one in a dark suit holding an umbrella. I know, it surprised me, too.

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Camilla the Duchess of Cornwall (L) reacts as she waits for her husband Prince Charles to fire the gun on the HMCS Haida in Hamilton, Ontario, November 5, 2009. Prince Charles and Camilla are currently on an 11-day tour of Canada. REUTERS/ Fred Thornhill

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October 29th, 2009

One for the road? Are you fricking serious?

Posted by: Robert Basler

Quick quiz: If you’re a jittery driver, what’s a good way to steady your nerves before you hit the road?

  • get plenty of sleep
  • practice meditation
  • think soothing, happy thoughts
  • enjoy a refreshing alcoholic beverage

Yeah, I thought that last one was pretty lame myself, but it turns out a politician from Ireland’s governing party has said “jumpy” drivers might benefit from having a relaxing alcoholic drink to steady their nerves.

I am not making this up.

See, Ireland is debating whether to cut the legal blood alcohol content limit for motorists, and some members of parliament oppose lowering the limit which would rule out a traditional Irish pint of Guinness for those driving.

“If drink is such a sedative, it can make people who are jumpy on the road, or nervous, be more relaxed,” said Mattie McGrath, Fianna Fail’s Tipperary South representative.

Right, Mattie. Maybe you’ll be lucky enough to be crossing the street someday  when one of those really relaxed drivers comes along.

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Above: Guinness Chairman Tony Greener sips from a giant eight pint glass of stout to publicize his company’s earnings announcement in a 1997 file photo. REUTERS/Chris Helgren

Below: A racegoer holds a pint of Guinness on St Patrick’s Day on the third day of the Cheltenham National Hunt Festival in a 2005 file photo. REUTERS/Mike Finn-Kelcey

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October 21st, 2009

Wearing your chandelier, dear?

Posted by: Robert Basler

Quick quiz: This photo shows…

a) The risk of letting tall people browse in light fixture shops

b) What happens when a dimwitted assistant is told to create a “bandolier.”

c) A woman who has begun the controversial medical procedure to turn herself into a 1991 Cadillac Fleetwood

d) A scene from the world’s cheesiest “Phantom of the Opera” production

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A model presents a creation from Mexican designer Alberto Rodriguez’s spring/summer 2010 collection during a fashion show in Mexico City October 19, 2009. REUTERS/Eliana Aponte

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September 16th, 2009

Just call him a fencing foil…

Posted by: Robert Basler

Quick quiz: In these photos, President Barack Obama is…

a) illustrating how his new death panels will work.

b) abruptly ending a promising political career.

c) pretending to be Luke Skywalker, like every other guy on earth.

d) about to provoke the Secret Service marksmen on the White House roof.

Actually, the best thing about these lawn fencing photos is first lady Michelle Obama’s expression. It’s perfect….

“Oh dear God, who gave a toy sword to that fool? Honey, come over here, I need to talk to you for a minute about dinner! It’s IMPORTANT, sweetie-pie!”

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President Barack Obama uses a plastic saber to stab U.S. fencer Tim Morehouse during an Olympic Games event on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, September 16, 2009.

REUTERS photos by Larry Downing

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August 31st, 2009

So then Bill says to Barack…

Posted by: Robert Basler

Quick quiz: Former president Bill Clinton is saying to President Barack Obama…

a) I’m not kidding you, Barack, at Quiznos they’ve got a Primo Meatball sub THIS long, full of seasoned meatballs and zesty marinara!

b) PLEASE act like you’re listening to me, Barack! I don’t wanna have to talk to Hillary and George!

c) So that Kim Jong-il dude has a pumpkin head this big! It’s SO gross!

d) Psssst! Barack, this is a Catholic service - I’m pretty sure it’s time to applaud!

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Former president Bill Clinton talks with President Barack Obama during funeral services for Senator Edward Kennedy in Boston, August 29, 2009. REUTERS/ Brian Snyder

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August 19th, 2009

You don’t haggle at Kroger?

Posted by: Robert Basler

Quick quiz: In this photo on the right, President Obama is saying to the Kroger manager…

  • “Five bucks for clementines? I pay $3.99 at the Safeway near the White House!
  • “What the frick is a clementine?”
  • “Do you sell these things in heavy syrup in a can?
  • “I’m thinkin’ of gettin’ these for my death panels. You know how many pounds it takes to kill a really old person?”

Actually, the most interesting thing that happened at that Kroger visit was when Obama took a piece of fruit and ate it in front of everybody. The White House said he paid for it “seconds later.”

Well, maybe so, but I’ve tried the old, “Oh, I was GONNA pay you for that six-pound Cadbury bar I ate in aisle four,” and guess how well it worked for ME?

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Above: President Barack Obama holds a town hall meeting about health care at the Kroger Supermarket in Bristol, Virginia, July 29, 2009.

Right: Obama holds up a piece of fruit after biting into it.

REUTERS photos by Larry Downing

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August 9th, 2009

These guys are special forces, huh?

Posted by: Robert Basler

Quick quiz: The guys in this photo are…

a) Practicing an ancient Asian cure for backaches

b) Rehearsing for a production of “Oklahoma” at a men’s penitentiary

c) Still trying to get the hang of a wheelbarrow race

d) Attending that annual Siamese twin convention in Raleigh

e) They’re doing - oh, PLEASE don’t make me say it here!

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South Korean special warfare command soldiers exercise before they conduct a sea infiltration drill during a photo call in Taean, South Korea, August 5, 2009. REUTERS/Choi Bu-Seok

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July 30th, 2009

Exotic spice is true grit!

Posted by: Robert Basler

Quick quiz: If you have a meal in The Gulf region and can’t quite place the distinctive, piquant, exotic flavor, it’s most likely…

a) Amba, a savory mango pickle condiment

b) Cardamom seeds mixed with cumin

c) Mahlab, made from the St.Lucie Cherry

d) About 30 pounds of desert sand embedded at high speed during the cooking process

That’s right, it’s d), so don’t try to chew every little bit of it.

Check out the masked dude below, just going along roasting his chickens in the middle of a sandstorm.

Meanwhile, for those of you worried about nutrition, just consider this dish enough roughage to prepare for four colonoscopies in a row.

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A worker roasts chickens at a roadside restaurant during a sandstorm in Baghdad July 29, 2009. REUTERS/Saad Shalash

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