The gays on the boat arent talking Turkey anymore...

 Turkish authorities have blocked an American LGBTQ+ cruise ship from docking at two of the country’s ports, prompting organisers to revise the vessel’s Mediterranean itinerary.

The cruise, organised by Atlantis Events, is scheduled to leave Greece on July 5 aboard the Scarlet Lady, a vessel operated by Virgin Voyages. More than 1,000 passengers from the United States were expected to visit the Turkish port of Kuşadası before continuing on to Istanbul.

 

However, Turkish officials cancelled the planned stops, stating that the chartered cruise was associated with groups whose behaviour was considered incompatible with the country’s “moral values” and “family values”. The decision means the ship will now sail to Cairo, Egypt, and the Greek island of Crete instead.

Would that it were that easy to get rid of that 'Pride Month' bullshit. 

Juss' sayin'...

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 Birthday or Anniversary coming up?

Here's a great idea for a gift for her

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How do you design a 51-star flag?

A group of Illinois Republican lawmakers are sponsoring a resolution urging Congress to separate Chicago from the state of Illinois, which would make the nation’s third-largest city its own state.

House Resolution 101 is the latest salvo in a nearly century-old tug of war between rural, conservative districts in southern Illinois and urban, progressive districts in the Chicagoland area. Like previous attempts to separate the city from the state, this proposal has little chance of becoming reality.

Even sponsors of the resolution admit they don’t actually want to see Chicago separated from Illinois. Instead, they said they’ve signed on to this resolution to express frustration with Chicago’s out-sized presence in state politics.

“I don’t believe that Chicago and the state of Illinois should be separated,” Illinois Republican Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer, one of the co-sponsors of the resolution, told The State Journal-Register. “It’s more of a frustration of the policies than the true belief that Chicago and Illinois would be better off as separate states.”

 

Instead they say the resolution is intended to shine a spotlight on simmering cultural and financial tensions between urban and rural areas in Illinois.

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I got one - they're great. Click here...
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Speaking of fireworks - and other banalities...

Hanging around the pool at The Last Frontier Hotel back in the late 40's you could be witness to some interesting events - like this nuclear test in the not-too-far-off Nevada Desert.

The Hotel is best known as the second resort built on the fledgling Las Vegas Strip, located along historic Highway 91. Built several miles south of downtown Las Vegas, the Last Frontier was completed in 1942, a year after the debut of its neighbor, the El Rancho Vegas.

Like the El Rancho, the idea to build the Last Frontier came almost by chance. In the summer of 1941, wealthy Texan R.E. Griffith and his nephew, William J. Moore, were on their way to California to purchase materials for a resort they planned to build in Deming, New Mexico. While on Highway 91, they stopped in Las Vegas to inspect the El Rancho and liked the secluded desert location so much, they decided to build a hotel and casino about a mile further south. Griffith and Moore reasoned that motorists traveling north on the highway from California would see their hotel, the Last Frontier, before the El Rancho. Griffith bought thirty-five acres on the highway, including the 91 Club, a nightclub and restaurant owned since 1939 by Guy McAfee, a former Los Angeles police officer.

Despite local skepticism about the remote location of their Last Frontier, Griffith and Moore were determined to out-do the El Rancho as a tourist attraction. They bought high quality furniture and imported authentic Western pioneer saddles, antique guns, and other accessories for the hotel's lobby, bar, and restaurant. They bused in expert stonemasons and members of the Ute Indian tribe from New Mexico to fashion fireplaces and patios from sandstone.

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If nothing else, he does have an ego. 

An ego the size of Mt. Rushmore...

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The Hays Code didn’t just shape Casablanca, it shaped the entire emotional architecture of Hollywood romance from 1934, when the Production Code Administration began strict enforcement under Joseph I. Breen, all the way through the early 1950s. Under these rules, adultery could appear on screen but never be rewarded, and a married woman choosing passion over duty was explicitly forbidden. 

So when Michael Curtiz began directing Casablanca at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank in 1942, the writers Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein, and Howard Koch knew from day one that Ilsa Lund, played by Ingrid Bergman, could not leave her husband Victor Laszlo, played by Paul Henreid, no matter how powerful her chemistry with Rick Blaine, played by Humphrey Bogart, was.

That’s why the script evolved into a story of sacrifice rather than reunion. The famous airport goodbye, filmed on Stage 21 at Warner Bros. in the summer of 1942, wasn’t just poetic, it was the only ending the censors would approve. 

 

And ironically, that restriction created one of cinema’s most enduring moral dilemmas. Instead of a conventional love story, Casablanca became a film about responsibility, resistance, and choosing the greater good during World War II. 

Rick’s final act, sending Ilsa away so she could continue supporting Laszlo’s anti-Nazi efforts across Europe, gave the movie a gravitas it might never have achieved if the couple simply ran off together. The Hays Code tried to enforce morality, but in this case, it pushed the filmmakers toward a deeper, more iconic ending that helped Casablanca win Best Picture at the 16th Academy Awards in 1944 and cement its place in film history.

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Lightning struck and killed a man at Fort Myers Beach Saturday. The beachgoer was struck directly by the bolt and pronounced dead at the scene.

 The other three wounded swimmers were raced to a nearby hospital, according to local authorities. The injured victims had been wading in the water when the astonishing lightning strike came down.

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Every once in a while down here I come across something like this - like a guy around the corner from me that has a "No Kings" hand-drawn sign in his front/living room window. I spotted this golf cart last night when we were heading out for cocktails. It fascinates me that some people feel so strongly about something so obtuse that they need to display it - even in the crudest ways. Thank god I didn't end up sitting next to this loon at the bar. Juss' sayin'...

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The silliness of some religious stuff.

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I have two - one for her car and one for my truck.

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The World Cup is feared to be fuelling an unprecedented rise in sex-trafficking – especially in Mexico where prostitution is rife. England are due to play Mexico in the Estadio Azteca in the Round of 16 tonight. The road to the stadium is lined with prostitutes, who stand on the pavements in broad daylight as families - along with potential Johns - walk past. The hectic and busy environment around a World Cup can contribute to increased demand for commercial sexual exploitation, according to some 'experts'.

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Last nght on Key Largo...

 

Just click on Nicci to get there...

They gotta smell EVERYTHING...

The difference between 'supply side' and trickle down' is a mystery...

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Handmade gifts are extra special when

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When you buy anything on Amazon going from a link

on this blog, I get credit for whatever you buy. 

Granted, it's only pennies, but every penny helps, right?

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The best of all worlds if these two go head-to-head (so to speak)...

 
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez expressed confidence she would defeat J.D. Vance in a hypothetical 2028 matchup.J.D. Vance stated he believes Ocasio-Cortez will be the leading Democratic candidate in 2028.Vance himself indicated he will decide on entering the 2028 race after the 2026 midterm elections.

 

Not only would I want to watch a debate between these two, I'd wanna throw a 'watch party' with beer and popcorn and weed and all kinds shit on the table with about 27 of my better friends. 

Juss' sayin' - gives me something to look forward to...

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Portable high power handheld Vacuum with 

Attachments -  Was $ 22.49 - $ 18.99 today

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How in God's name can he possibly train for this?

 

He’s the top dog for a reason. Joey “Jaws” Chestnut gobbled his way to victory once again at the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest Saturday in Coney Island, scarfing down 66 wieners and buns in a dominant performance he said was hampered only by the scorching temps.

“Eating here on the Fourth of July is a dream; it’s electric. There’s no place better on Earth,”  said Chestnut, wearing a gaudy,   bejeweled Polymarket necklace, for the sports betting company, around his neck. The company was  a major sponsor of the event.

 

The win earned Chestnut, 41, his record 18th coveted Mustard Yellow Belt, the Stanley Cup to competitive eaters, and $10,000. It was  his second consecutive title.

On the women’s side, Florida mom Miki Sudo captured her 12th championship belt  by scarfing down a gut-busting 38.75 wieners. The temperature at the start of the men’s contest was  90 degrees, and Chestnut admitted the weather took a toll on his high-octane eating.

Here's you 4th of July HillBetty...

I had no idea the Freak Brothers is a cartoon - on TV for free, no less...

If you are looking for The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers for the Fourth of July, you can catch up on their far-out misadventures by streaming all seasons for free on Tubi or on Amazon Prime Video. 

Roll up a fatty and fly your Freak flag America! 

Happy 4th of July!

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 It's one-of-a-kind and comes with free shipping.

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Somewhere in Communist Russia...

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In New York, they must have some seriously fancy barbecues, 'cause - damn - that's some pricey shit...

Patriotic New Yorkers are getting roasted at the register as they celebrate the Fourth of July this year. Shoppers in the five boroughs are shelling out an extra $63 this year as they prepare for backyard barbecues marking the country’s 250th birthday. The already sky-high prices of BBQ essentials surged a staggering 31% on average in the Big Apple since last year, according to a Post review of retail prices across Gotham grocery stores.

That gooey slice of cheese to top a grilled hamburger is one of the items that climbed the most - a pack of 16 Kraft singles went from $3 last year to $5 this year - a bump of 67%. Booze also took a big hit. A 12-pack of Budweiser or Bud light cans sold for $11 last July 4th, but is now retailing for $17 - up a whopping 55%.

 

Condiments weren’t spared from inflation either. The same 38 oz. bottle of Heinz ketchup that sold for $4 last summer is now going for $5.60 – a 40% increase.

 

The one thing the study didn't mention was how many people would be at the barbecue, and ya really don't need to buy all the condiment shit - you should have that already in the fridge. Hell, I could do one for 10 people and not spend more than $ 60.00, and half of 'em would go home fucked up. Juss' sayin'...