Defining Deviancy Downwards: The Beat Rolls On!

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/breast-implants-83-senior-citizens-elect-plastic-surgery/story?id=14266043

An 83 year old woman in Orange County, CA (where else) has elected to get breast implants to "keep up with the kids". A widow of 10 years (13 grandkids and 12 great-grandkids), she is still working as a property manager and "wanted her children to be proud of what she looks like"; clearly, this must be a family of great substance and depth of character. Then again, having been forced to watch a few episodes of "Housewives of Orange County" with a female acquaintance, I can't say that "not-so-great"granny's decision comes as a surprise, given her place of residence.

Cats on the prowl! Kilkenny books slot in All Ireland Hurling Final Sept 4th

Kilkenny set up a potential rubber match with defending All Ireland hurling champions Tipperary today with a 2-19 (25) to 1-16 (19) victory over Waterford today at Croke Park before a crowd of 31,634. Richie Hogan's 2 goals bookended the first half scoring the Cats, who led 2-10 to 1-7 at the break. Though Waterford rallied late in the second half behind the inspirational play of veteran John Mullane, it was not enough to prevent the "black and amber" from reaching the finals for a sixth consecutive year. A third consecutive Tipp-Kilkenny final match-up looks all but certain as their semi-final opponent, Dublin are prohibitive underdogs due to the loss of 4 key players to injury, beginning with their Leinster final loss to Kilkenny.
In the Minor hurling semi-final match-up between Clare and Galway, the Tribesman from Connaught got a tying goal off a scramble in the large square as the last minute of regular time wound down to force an extra session. Galway pulled away in the second session of extra time to a 1-23 (26) to 1-18 (21) victory over the Banner to secure a place in the Minor final. Throw-in for the Minor final on the first Sunday of September is at 1:30pm (8:30am EDT) when Galway will take on the winner of next Sunday's second Minor semi-final between Dublin and Waterford.

US Debt Downgraded by S&P for First Time Ever from AAA to AA+

Having worked in the financial services biz for 23 years, let me explain this in no uncertain terms: Markets are apolitical, or post-partisan, to use Obama supporters favorite description of him. The Congress and the President may pull the wool over those Americans whose knowledge of markets and economic issues is at best perfunctory, but the market (specifically the bond market, which is 30 times the size of the stock market ) cannot be duped. Like the old Chiffon (margarine) commercial, the market is like Mother Nature, it can't be fooled. God help us all if we don't fix our structural deficit problem quickly. Read more about the consequences of a world with the US as a reduced economic power in Mark Steyn's new book, "After America", available in bookstores on Monday, August 8th.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLrTPrp-fW8

Dana Rosemary Scallon to run for President of Ireland? The answer is YES

It appears all but certain that Eurovision winner Dana Rosemary Scallon will seek the Presidency of Ireland according to a story on the Irish Times website. The folding of Senator David Norris' campaign has opened up an opportunity for Dana to run a second time for President. She was defeated by Mary McAleese in 1997 in her prior campaign. As an 18 year old who performed under her maiden name, Rosemary Brown, she captured Ireland's hearts and imagination when she won the Eurovision song contest (Ireland's first ever win) with her performance of "All Kinds of Everything" (see link below).
She is very strongly pro-life, anti-divorce and was a feverently anti-Euro opponent of the Nice Treaty back in 2001. Dana would, of course, need to win the nomination first before she can run.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOnvZt1ktZw&playnext=1&list=PL93582F4F09112BA0