No Blast Off! Radio today

Due to my much-needed absence from the Blast Off! Radio studios today, there will be no show broadcast today.

But join me again next Monday for more snarky debate and discussion, at the usual place. Also, normal blogging ("normal" being a relative term, of course) will return by Thursday.

Thanks.

Vacation: all I ever wanted

Before I settle into the drudgery of studying for the Florida Bar examination (did I happen to mention that I've decided to explore a return to the law profession ... after 13 years away? I know -- I can't believe it either), I'm taking a little trip with Miss July and our respective kids ... and her sister and her kids ... and her mother ... anyway, suffice to say I'll be fit to be tied tied up for a few days.

I may get a post or two up during my trip, but I'm not going to knock myself out trying to do so. Hey, we all need a break now and then ... and you deserve a break from having to read this sucky blog.

I imagine I'll still be active on Twitter, so if you want to laugh at -- I mean with -- me as I live-tweet selected parts of the trip, I'd love to have you follow me. Should be back to the blog in earnest by the latter part of this week. (Also no Blast Off! Radio tomorrow; I'll post a reminder to that effect tomorrow morning.) Thanks for your patience ...

UPDATE (1:27 pm 6/11/09): Returning to blogging now on Friday? See above ...

Random thought

After the Mainstream Corporate Media railed and whined about Barack Obama's vacation, are they going to do the same for Drunky McStagger as he escapes to Crawford for another respite from the hard work of presidentin'?

You never have to carry your own bags in the show

Good morning, good people. I'm Wes Flinn (aka "Wes F"), and I've known Sinfonian for more than a decade now. It's an honor to be asked to guest-post while he's "on vacation." (Sinfonian, buddy, don't worry. I know a guy who has bribed every judge in Estonia. At worst, you'll only lose two or three fingers.)

Anyhoo, between geor3ge and myself, we'll do our best to maintain the high standards Sinfonian sets for Blast Off!, so there will be plenty of swear words and schadenfreude.

In the meantime, consider this: It is increasingly difficult to tell Joan Vennochi of the Boston Globe from Maureen Dowd of the New York Times. Both CAN provide stellar, to-the-point insight on many issues, but too often they choose to lapse into catty caricature. Vennochi does it today. Discuss.

WF

Bem-vindo ao Brasil!

"Welcome to Brazil!"

I made it, and other than being somewhat uncomfortable (it was kind of cramped in tourist class) on the eight-hour flight from Miami to São Paulo (at least I had a window and not a middle seat!), I'm none the worse for wear. Well, actually, I need a shower. Just ask around ...

I'm in Porto Alegre, in the far southern part of Brazil. It's really more European here than anything -- in fact, with my German features (blond hair, green eyes), I actually look like the natives, which surprised me. The architecture reminds me a bit of Spain or France (or maybe Portugal?), and it's actually kind of cool (or, as they say here, "legal") because not so many people speak English, at least not like they would in heavily touristed areas like Rio de Janeiro or even São Paulo, which is an international business center. So, my Portuguese for Dummies book already is coming in handy! (And it's Brazilian Portuguese, too, which is a lot different from how they speak in Portugal and other Portuguese-speaking countries like Angola.)

Porto Alegre is a bigger city than I expected. I tried to snap a picture as we landed (from the aisle seat, not the easiest thing to do), but maybe you can get an idea of the number of tall buildings here (click on the image for a larger version).

My friend said "think of it as Cleveland," meaning there's stuff to do here and you can have fun, but it's more industrial/working class and not near a beach, etc. I don't mind. I like Cleveland.

Let me get a little rest and maybe I can be snarkily political (or politically snarky) a little later on. Tchau!

Homeward bound

I haven't been online in about 48 hours. Now I'm at the airport awaiting my flight home. I'll try to get some pictures posted if I can tonight.

Did I miss anything while I was away?

And does anyone need anything from the duty free shop?

*****

Oh, and I thought this was interesting, if disconcerting: a popular T-shirt saying (I saw it on aprons and such, too) here -- I'm in Cozumel, Mexico -- is:

I'M SHY
But I have a big dick

I mean, it's ubiquitous. I even saw servers wearing it, though admittedly no tourists.

As for me, I can't imagine wearing something like that.

After all, as anyone who knows me can attest, I'm not the least bit shy.

News and views from afar

Well, Internet access where I am is spotty and apparently limited to the front desk area. Preferring to be social (there's a shocker, huh?), I'm not hanging out on the laptop ... although I might not be able to resist all weekend.

But I'm watching Headline News (the English language choices are few), and I had to comment on two factoids I read in their crawl.

First, kudos to the Vermont Senate, which passed a resolution calling for the impeachment of Drunky McStagger and his boss, Dick "Dick" Cheney. How loud will the calls for impeachment have to be before the House of Representatives finally acts?

Second, did Dana Perino really say that Alberto "VO5" Gonzales is doing a "fantastic job?" That's unconscionable, and Dana has lost all credibility if that's true. She's nothing but a hack for the Bush crime syndicate, and if the media had any scruples at all (yes, I know they don't), they'd either boycott the White House pressers or pepper young Ms. Perino with a withering barrage of questions about why she persists in defending these criminals. They're the real evildoers, after all ...

More to come ...

Vacation

Yes, I'm alive, and yes, I may have to take a hiatus from blogging until Sunday night. I've yet to discover Internet access where I am and so am reduced to posting by email from my Blackberry, which is not the most efficient way to maintain a blog.

So, I humbly beseech your patience during this break, and please keep checking back. I'll be my old snarky self again soon.