Derby Day

Time to dust off the mint julep recipes and plunk down $2 on some horse or other.  Since Uncle Mariano is a late scratch I have to scientifically select an alternative.  "Stay Thirsty" is the most interesting pick in the world but I am going to root for "Mucho Macho Man", just to enjoy the likely coverage (and because the Village People should be remembered for so much more than "YMCA").

Comments

[MarkO]

As good a reason as any.

[Ignatz]

And I wasted my best horse racing metaphor on the last thread.

[Thomas Collins]

I'm rooting for Twice the Appeal, because Calvin Borel gives a great post-race interview.

[So sad, the People, now.]

One Grandie called the WCTU the Water Closet Testing Union and the other one honeymooned at the YMCA of the Rockies, near the turn of the Century.
===========

[Danube of Thought]

This lady apparently doesn't think Princess Beatrice should show up in her hat:

As the public inquiry into those distinctive Philip Treacy front-of-forehead hats at the royal wedding continues – particularly the one that arose from Princess Beatrice’s head like the beige antlers of a baroque stag – few debates have exposed so clearly the national disagreement over what fashion is for.

There are those of us who cling to the humdrum belief that fashion’s chief role is to flatter the buyer: if you have invested in a garment, then it has a reciprocal duty to make you look a little bit better. This appears, however, to be an increasingly outmoded interpretation of the relationship between clothes and their wearer.

In many circles, fashion is now the boss: like a dog that is never brought to heel, it is increasingly performing acts of unpredictable savagery upon its indulgent owner. Often, the more a person has spent on a get-up, the more likely it is to make them look like a runner-up in the Surrealist Olympics.

[Thomas Collins]

See LUN for a Proud Clarion from Derby Days gone by.

[I've seen one with the scowling bridesmaid and the hats.]

She's just mad that hat proliferated into the White House situation room.
============

[clarice]

Excellent,DoT. I remember back when people picked out gorgeous fabrics and had dressmakers and tailors who for a reasonable fee would fashion suitable and flattering apparel for you. The way things are going,we may be headed back in that same direction although the measuring may be done by computer and the cutting and sewing by printers.

[MayBee]

I bet the Duchess Georgiana Spencer would have liked that Philip Treacy hat.

[Extraneus]

So it's not a British tradition? Just some new-age Lady Gaga fashion-ugly thing?

Darn.

[clarice]

MayBee, did you realize that Bess Foster with whom Georgina lived in a menage a trois, was Anna Wintour's great great grandmother?

How funny.

[Porchlight]

Happy Derby Day! This is the day that I relive my Louisville childhood each year. Heading to my Kentucky friend's party later in the afternoon.

[MayBee]

No! Isn't that crazy? It seems the love of fashion and good judgement of character was passed down from generation to generation.

[Thomas Collins]

Bah, Humbug. You can have your funny hats and butt dresses and wet T-shirt contests and Michelle smocks, and argue about them all you want. See LUN for MY choice for Two Ladies of Highest Fashion!

[Sue]

I can't believe it is Derby Day already. Time really does fly the older you get.

[Now, that's ennuying.]

I bet on the Chaco. I bet on Leo.
If I'd bet on Ol' Kimmee,
I'd be a free one today.
============

[Thomas Collins]

Well, since this looks to be turning into a horse/fashion thread, let's combine the two and take a look at a great photo of Big Red. See LUN.

[Kevin B]

(and because the Village People should be remembered for so much more than "YMCA").

Err... No. No they shouldn't.

[Kevin B]

Incidently, is barack Obama the first US president ever who isn't Irish?

Geithner seems to think so.

Ireland’s Last Stand began less shambolically than you might expect. The IMF, which believes that lenders should pay for their stupidity before it has to reach into its pocket, presented the Irish with a plan to haircut €30 billion of unguaranteed bonds by two-thirds on average. Lenihan was overjoyed, according to a source who was there, telling the IMF team: “You are Ireland’s salvation.”

The deal was torpedoed from an unexpected direction. At a conference call with the G7 finance ministers, the haircut was vetoed by US treasury secretary Timothy Geithner who, as his payment of $13 billion from government-owned AIG to Goldman Sachs showed, believes that bankers take priority over taxpayers.

Mind you, it's clear that Barack has never kissed the Blarney stone. (Never kissed anything but his reflection, probably.)

[hit and run]

kim:
and the other one honeymooned at the YMCA of the Rockies, near the turn of the Century.

Estes Park,I take it.

I've told some of the stories of being the chaplain at the YMCA of the Rockies before.

But at YMCA of the Rockies Winter Park.

This was 9 years before the turn of the century,fwiw.

[peter]

I'm going with Pants on Fire, in honor of our President.

[MarkO]

"I bet on the Chaco. I bet on Leo.
If I'd bet on Ol' Kimmee,
I'd be a free one today."

And, ladies and gentlemen, that became a Christmas song.

[daddy]

Frau,

On the other thread you asked "what do you know about Japan's nuclear situation? It appears to me that the international press has decilared that Fukushima is as bad a Chernobyl."

Thought it interesting that we just arrived a couple hours ago in China from Tokyo. Special customs Police guy came on board and had some geiger counter device and scanned us and our bags for radiation before he let us leave. Had never seen that before.

Yesterday Japan TV said that workers had finally entered Unit 1 in Fukushima. Most of it was in Japanese so it was difficult to get a decent read on what the latest is, but every day the local news shows spend 4 or 5 minutes on the current situation.

Also all the hotels and local restaurants and Pub's have boxes out for donations to help the victims, and it still appears that no looting had occurred since the Earthquake and Tsunami which is amazing. If you click my LUN you'll see that they had a 6. aftershock 2 days back and that they're still getting a significant number of decent sized aftershocks every day, tho' many less than they were getting the first few weeks. Just spent 3 days there and the locals seem to be holding up pretty well.

[Jack is Back!]

Posted this on other thread. Thought it was funny.

Wonder whent the first thoroughbred will be named "Obama Killed Osama".

[Janet]

Came across a snippet of the rerun TV program "Everybody Hates Chris". Some situation where the woman blurts out "men are liars!"....& then the Chris Rock voice over says, "Like the Bush administration.".

Our culture is peppered with Bush hatred. Both of my kids have yearbooks with pictures of the important, wonderful Cindy Sheehan & the loathsome CIA outter Scooter Libby. I get so sad seeing that garbage. It makes me resent this Obama adoration all the more....

[Chubby]

It's a beautiful day for the races...

Safety Pin has been scratched...

Cabbage is ahead...

Banana is coming up through the bunch...

Spike Jones and His City Slickers

LUN

[Candy B]

So let me get this straight, America is celebrating because a guy who murdered 3000 Americans on US soil, murdered thousands of US troops, cost the stock market trillions, caused the TSA and its molesting pat downs, was the talk of the town for the last 10 years and cost us hundreds of billions in war funds was killed in a miserable paki shack?

Who won?

[Jack is Back!]

Best quote of the day:

"Obama “killed” Osama and we get the 72 Versions….."

[bgates]

See LUN for MY choice for Two Ladies of Highest Fashion!

Those were two lovelies.

Sophia Loren was also quite fetching.

[matt]

this just in from Jake Tapper courtesy of Drudge. He rports that at yesterday's Cinco de mayo celebration at the White House, the president said:

"You do not want to be between Michelle and a tamale," joked the president. "It’s true. It’s true. But she’s moving, though, so she can afford to have as many tamales as she wants," said Obama in a nod to his wife’s "Let’s Move" healthy campaign.

I'm just wondering how hard she hit him when they went back to the living quarters.

[WCTU was the best clue.]

Heh, h&R, wrong centuries.
==========

[MarkO]

Unfortunately, Banana's appeal is fruitless.

[Porchlight]

I'm going with Pants on Fire, in honor of our President.

Sounds like a plan.

Well, ole Porchlight scratched on the Derby party. Princess Porchlight #2 was fixing to be sick in the car (though it never happened) so we had to turn around and come home and now I have no mint and no whisky to make a julep and no husband to send out for those things (he's playing a wedding).

Ah well, looks like it's vodka or gin instead.

Sue, I can't believe it either. Seems like Derby Day was just a couple o months ago.

[hit and run]

Heh, h&R, wrong centuries.

I've always maintained -- and you can ask my mom and brother and they will confirm how long I have maintained it -- that I belonged in the 1880s.

[Now we can all be sick in the car in sympathy.]

Peppermint, molasses and gin.
============

[hit and run]

Porchlight:
Ah well, looks like it's vodka or gin instead.

If you're drinking vodka,you won't be drinking vodka alone!

If you go with gin let me know. We have some of that left over from spring break and I can make the switch.

[hit and run]

And if I switch from vodka to gin -- then *I* wouldn't be drinking vodka alone.

It's semantics,baby!

[scott]

Soldat, Dialed In, Pants on Fire...book it.

My eldest was born on derby day so it's kind of a tradition here. Go trumpets.

[rse]

Looks like Maybee, Clarice, and I are all fans of Amanda Foreman's wonderful bio of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire.

Hope everyone is well and Jane feels better.

Happy birthdays today!!

Back to Robert Conquest who is helping me put what I have into context via Ravaged Century.

Maybe a mint julep would go well with it.

[Porchlight]

Hit, I found some flat tonic and a lemon, so I went with a vodka tonic. Skol!

[clarice]

bgates, Sophia is still around and still fetching at her 76th birthday this week.

[Porchlight]

Is there a better historian name than Robert Conquest?

Victor Davis Hanson is pretty good, but it doesn't quite compare.

[DrJ]

Willie Mays looks pretty good at 80 too (birthday yesterday).

[peter]

when, exactly, is post time?

[Chubby]

((Unfortunately, Banana's appeal is fruitless...))

that's because he's so slippery

[Extraneus]

Unfortunately, Banana's appeal is fruitless.

I just think that should be posted again.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

My Daddy told me that the Kentucky Derby is run in my honor every 7 years and this just happens to be one of those years. You too, JimmyK.

Since this is a year I've paid no attention to the horses and their records, I'm going with "Pants on Fire" for no other reason than to support the only female jockey.

[Porchlight]

6:15 EST, I believe, peter, but please don't take my word for it. I have been known to be wrong before.

[Motherofallday]

Jays Win(JWin) !!!!There aint no sexy under them burkas like them British under that London Fog,so dont sweat it.Men dont have babiesWe all know it was time to get out of NATO and its the citizens demanding it;AfPak was enough,now its global drone warfare and no one likes that done to their country.O is So sMarT hE fiGuREd CiA PaK reVENge iS TheR spREaD.Nixon taped and bombed.O taped and droned.

[Jack is Back!]

This is anybodies race. 18 horses make it a crowd. I like Rosie but she will up against some real pros. Love the name of the horse "Pants on Fire". Who can come from behind down the stretch?

OT: Don't know if it was covered in prior threads but that helo that crashed was a "stealth" model MH-60 Blackhawk. Special profiling and skin among other refinements like the blading material. I wonder where it went - the Chinese Military version of DARPA is my bet.

[hit and run]

Porchlight:
Hit, I found some flat tonic and a lemon, so I went with a vodka tonic.

OMG!!!!!

Talk about eerie coincidences!!!

I'm going with the exact same thing.

Well,minus the flat tonic and lemon,but still...

[centralcal]

Gosh, you guys, it is only 3:00 here and you are all talking Derby cocktails. Ya think it is alcohol abuse if I start a little early - I mean, in honor of the Derby and all?

Nah, I didn't think you would! brb.

[Porchlight]

Join us! Never too early for a cocktail on Derby Day....

Hit, mean to tell me you're going with straight vodka? I'll be with you when the tonic's gone. Actually no, I won't. I'm sure there's something else in the house to help me avoid that. Even if it's *gasp* vermouth.

[peter]

I am using a new computer and it is set to the wrong timezone. I thought it was an hour earlier than it actually is. Have the race on now.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

OT: Don't know if it was covered in prior threads but that helo that crashed was a "stealth" model MH-60 Blackhawk. Special profiling and skin among other refinements like the blading material. I wonder where it went - the Chinese Military version of DARPA is my bet.

It was reported last night that the downed Black Hawk has been taken to a military base where it is being guarded. The Pakis said, as of late yesterday, that they intend to return it to US custody "soon."

[Porchlight]

Here we go, "My Old Kentucky Home." Time for me to cry...

[Jack is Back!]

Another trait both Obama and Osama share. LUN

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Wow! That #5 horse is one gorgeous horse. All black, very regal looking.

[PD]

is barack Obama the first US president ever who isn't Irish?

Not Irish? That's ridiculous.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Oh, another reason to root for Rosie, she has natural red hair the exact same color as my daughter's.

As you can see, I'm quite scientific in my horse picking. :)

Go Rosie the Redhead and Pants on Fire.

[DebinNC]

Dodge Ram commercial...It's evening and a guy is camping in the forest near a babbling brook. Adding to the tranquility is the sound a bird call, which must irk the guy because he goes to his Dodge Ram truck, takes out a bow and arrow, and shoots the bird dead.!!!??? I'd love to know the thinking behind that.

[hit and run]

Porchlight:
Hit, mean to tell me you're going with straight vodka?

No! Three cubes of ice to each 5 oz.

[hit and run]

OK,I'm ready. When's the race start.

[Thomas Collins]

Congrats to Animal Kingdom.

[scott]

Luckily, I'm not a gambling man!..Great race.

[hit and run]

Kidding. Just watched it. Had my hat on. As soon as mrs hit and run's email comes through,I'll share.

[Thomas Collins]

I went with Coastal Estates Pinot Noir. Not kidding.

[hit and run]

My hat:

I know you're jealous. I can't help that.

[Melinda Romanoff]

Easy there, Wilson.

[Thomas Collins]

No hat for me. Reebok shorts and shirt. But you don't want to see me in Reebok shorts and shirt imbibing Coastal Estates Pinot Noir.

[Extraneus]

A long time ago, I went to The Preakness with a woman on a bus trip. (We even saw Frank Perdue of tough-man/tender-chicken fame, waving from somebody's lawn on the way in.) Anyway, her betting strategy was to watch the horses while they were cantering around before they went to the gate, and place her money on the last horse to er... do its business. She won just about every race.

[Porchlight]

Hit, if that is Mrs. Hit's hat, I'd love to know where she got it. Very cute and I've been looking for one in that shape.

Nice work, Animal Kingdom!

[Extraneus]

I'd love to know the thinking behind that.

Was it soon after "My Cousin Vinnie" came out?

[Thomas Collins]

Extraneus, a high school and college friend said his grandmother used the same strategy to great success.

[jimmyk]

My Daddy told me that the Kentucky Derby is run in my honor every 7 years and this just happens to be one of those years. You too, JimmyK.

Sara, my mother always reminds me that I was born the day before Mother's Day (May 7th was also a Saturday that year). She's not a racing fan I guess. Thanks again for all the wishes, happy birthday Sara, and as I said on the last thread, I'll have to get caught up later, as we're rushing off to a show.

[hit and run]

Porchlight:
if that is Mrs. Hit's hat

Is there any doubt -- or are you thinking it might actually be . . . mine?

Anyway -- she's upstairs,but looking at ***her*** hat,it says Scala Collezione

Aha! By George I think I think I found it!

[Frau Jungfrau]

clarice, you are off by a year on Sophia Loren, from whom I was separated at birth ... and we are both Virgos!!
I know you're thinking, "Funny, they don't look it."

[centralcal]

Me, too, Frau. Actually I think I share her birthdate (not completely sure), but not her birth year.

Another, Virgo! Who knew?

[DebinNC]

Was it soon after "My Cousin Vinnie" came out?

It was in the last batch of commercials before the Derby guy said, "They're off!"..i.e. it must have cost mega bucks, probably ours from Obama's GM giveaway. Just struck me that "Dodge Ram owners are self-centered yahoos ready to blast innocent birdies who sing too loud" is a bizarre way to sell a truck.

[hit and run]

centralcal:
Another, Virgo! Who knew?

Who knew? Who knew?!!?!!!???

Aaaaaaaahem!

[Porchlight]

Hit,

Well, I was pretty sure but you know, I thought you might be at a party or something. :)

Funny though, after posting that I went off to search and I thought I'd found it - and indeed, it looks like a match! Scala sun hat

It's in my cart waiting for checkout. Tell Mrs. Hit thanks!

[centralcal]

::wink:: of course, we know who knew, Hit! lol.

[peter]

Wow! That #5 horse is one gorgeous horse. All black, very regal looking.

Noticed that too.

a twenty to one shot won.

[Rocco]

Debin NC

Are you sure it's not the sound of a cricket chirping? I believe the gist of the commercial is the guys a great shot if he can shoot a bug with his bow?

[Rocco]

Cricket chirping

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Hit you have been a roll since your opening comment today. Thanks for keeping me laughing.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Ugh! **** ON a roll.

[Rocco]

Here's the commercial

[centralcal]

Just a little bit of Tammy Bruce Karma to share:

The Big Elbow of Karma. McCain & Lieberman have lowest approval ratings among US senators http://bit.ly/jc07RK

[centralcal]

oh, I am sure Lindsey You Jackass Graham is wedged in between them in some poll or other!

[hit and run]

::winking:: @ Sara!

[DebinNC]

Thanks, Rocco, that's the one.

[DebinNC]

Hit, you're young and handsome, and cute butt's not so bad himself. I sent your beans and beer recipe on to a friend who'll really appreciate it.

[Rocco]

You're welcome, ribbit!

[hit and run]

Thanks Deb . . . wish you were here!

The beans turned out really really good.

[Melinda Romanoff]

Porch-

I am now officially jealous of Texas.

[Ann]

Well I have the prettiest filly that went to prom this evening. I just posted a few pics on facebook.

Hit, remember along time ago you said you could put a smiley face on a pic for me? It has taken be a few years to get up to speed but I think I can manage an email pic to you if you are up to it.

(Just in case, I want the smiley face on the filly's face.)

[Porchlight]

Thanks Mel. It sure has been nice watching the Lege at work lately (for a change).

[narciso]

Our lege (as Molly Ivins used to put it) is less effective, than yours Porch, they put forward a very modest tax relief bill, voted
against E verify, almost took forever, to agree on a budget.

[Stephanie]

Well I have the prettiest filly that went to prom this evening. I just posted a few pics on facebook.

Awesome! Pictures, please.

I've been in the sewing room all day redesigning a pattern for a prom dress. Just stepped out for a Coke and a smoke and catch up on the thread.

We couldn't find anything we liked and decided to make one. Arrrgh... I did two prototypes in broadcloth before finalizing the plans. Just committed to the final plan and put scissors to fabric. It's a one shouldered asymmetrically hemmed short dress with 5 funky not royal/not aquamarine blue toile ruffles accenting the asymmetrical lines of the hem. Cross your fingers.