Yeah, I know it's Wednesday

But any day is a good day for 24...

For Bou, Ben, Jen, and the rest of the 24 crew:  Top 60 Facts about Jack Bauer
(yeah, I know it should really be just 24, but I didn't make it up... Think of it as each minute in one hour.  That ought to work)

My personal favorites (hmmm.... there are 12, read 'em twice and you'll have that list of 24):

"If Jack Bauer was in a room with Hitler, Stalin, and Nina Meyers, and he had a gun with 2 bullets, he'd shoot Nina twice."

"Guns dont kill people, Jack Bauer kills people."

"Upon hearing that he was played by Kiefer Sutherland, Jack Bauer killed Sutherland.  Jack Bauer gets played by no man."

"Killing Jack Bauer doesn't make him dead. It just makes him angry."

"When you open a can of whoop-ass, Jack Bauer jumps out."

"Jesus died and rose from the dead in 3 days. It took Jack Bauer less than an hour. And he's done it twice."

"What color is Jack Bauer's blood?  Trick question.  Jack Bauer does not bleed."

"Superman's only weakness is Kryptonite. Jack Bauer laughs at Superman for having a weakness."

"1.6 billion Chinese are angry with Jack Bauer. Sounds like a fair fight."

"Lets get one thing straight, the only reason you are conscious right now is because Jack Bauer does not feel like carrying you."

"Your attraction to Jack Bauer in no way affects your sexual orientation."

And finally: "Jack Bauer doesn't miss. If he didn't hit you it's because he was shooting at another terrorist twelve miles away."

And for more random facts about Jack Bauer, go here.  You can also rate the Jack Facts.

h/t robbo

For the record, I was in Ruddock House

Page House is known for two things:
1.  Being very Frat like and jock filled
2.  Having a Beer Room instead of a Library.

Also, it's a Fine House (rotation rules and the honor code require I point this out, even as an alum).

For those of you not in the know, Caltech requires each Freshman to live on campus during their first year, and they must stay in one of 7 on campus houses (Hovses).  Rather than assigning students randomly, Caltech uses a "rotation" process similar to frat/sorority rush week on other campuses.  Each hovse has its own character and traditions, and the Freshman choose/are chosen into the Hovse they fit with best (usually).

After students choose/are chosen by their hovses, each hovse has its own initiation ritual. Page House's ritual involves elaborate costumes and a hike back to campus from the top of Mount Wilson.

This year, it didn't work out too well.... but regardless of the headline, nothing that goes on at Caltech is anything like hazing.  First, saying no is ALWAYS an option.  Second, it's always in fun.  It's  not about making the frosh hurt.

Also, the school in the video, DEFINITELY NOT Caltech.  Get it right, morons.

An alternative SOTU

From recent bloggy find Aaron of Subject To Change:

"The state of our union could not be stronger. In the year 2001, this nation was brutally attacked by an organization bent on the destruction of our way of life. Yet, just a few short years later the average American is mostly concerned with what's on the TV, especially since it's Oscar season. This demonstrates the strength of the American people. Even the most tragic of events can't stop us from pursuing our dreams.

We have kept ourselves safe by fighting terrorism at its source: Walmart. Walmart's low-low prices are increasing individual's buying power and creating a critical mass of useless crap in every household. Unless this menace is stopped, all of our natural resources will be turned into excessive packaging and landfilled out of existence. So long as we remain focused on fighting the evil empire that is destroying our culture from the inside, we have nothing to fear."

Read the whole thing, especially the New Energy Initiatives......

In honor of the day...

©2006, King Features Syndicate

Six more weeks of winter is great, as long as it's six more weeks like this :)

Although I do miss the snow.....

Oh, and Happy Birthday to my B-I-L M, as opposed to DH's other brother (in-law) M.

Friday Quizzy Thingy

Your Five Factor Personality Profile

Extroversion: You have medium extroversion. You're not the life of the party, but you do show up for the party. Sometimes you are full of energy and open to new social experiences. But you also need to hibernate and enjoy your "down time." Conscientiousness: You have high conscientiousness. Intelligent and reliable, you tend to succeed in life. Most things in your life are organized and planned well. But you borderline on being a total perfectionist. Agreeableness: You have medium agreeableness. You're generally a friendly and trusting person. But you also have a healthy dose of cynicism. You get along well with others, as long as they play fair. Neuroticism: You have low neuroticism. You are very emotionally stable and mentally together. Only the greatest setbacks upset you, and you bounce back quickly. Overall, you are typically calm and relaxed - making others feel secure. Openness to experience: Your openness to new experiences is medium. You are generally broad minded when it come to new things. But if something crosses a moral line, there's no way you'll approve of it. You are suspicious of anything too wacky, though you do still consider creativity a virtue.

from here, where I find that Deb and I are pretty dissimilar...

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You.....

I laughed, I cried, I wiped soda off the screen...

BrokeBack To the Future!

h/t Prof. Puppyblender

My Hubby ought to appreciate this...

A quick perusal of the referrals to my site shows that I am #1 on Google for "my DH".

Which of course means that he is #1!

Oh the Irony

Journalist and Blogger Michael Yon has consistently been one of the most strident voices in support of our Troops and the marvelous things they do in Iraq that don't get reported elsewhere.

You know the old saying don't sh*t where you eat?  Well, it looks like the Army is doing just that.

You may remember that Michael took this picture of a US soldier cradling a young Iraqi girl in his arms.  This picture was even nominated as one of Time Magazine's Best Pictures of 2005.  However, the Army released the photo on its own initially, without Michael's permission and under the false attribution "AP/US Army".

Since last fall, Michael has been trying to claim the rights to his own photograph, including any compensation the Army recieved for its publication, and has been denied.

According to the Boston Herald, the Army is denying his claim based on their assertion that the

""hold harmless" waiver that [he signed at the ouset of his trip] absolved the government of responsibility for any "injury" Yon might suffer as an embedded blogger.
    The army also said that Yon uploaded his photo onto government computer servers, creating an "implied license" agreement for the Army to distribute the photo.
     Yon, who’s become something of an online celebrity because of his vivid battle dispatches from Iraq, said the Army's arguments are "preposterous". The injury waiver applies to physical wounds, not copyright infringements, he said.
    He added he gave the Army permission to use the photo for purely internal purposes."

Michael Yon has consistently supported our troops and brought their stories to light out of his own pocket, having recieved no compensation for his time in Iraq, funding his trips to the Middle East on his own.  By denying Michael his due compensation for this photograph, the Army is, ironically enough, shooting themselves in the foot by preventing one of their best weapons in the battle of public opinion from reloading.

If you support Michael and his mission, link this post or these posts, and tell his story.  Write your congresspeople and senators, too.  Especially if you are a Massachussetts resident, like Michael.

Irish Cream Chocolate Cheesecake

It's been a looooooong time since I posted a recipe, so it's about time, and in honor of this weekend's Chocolate-Fest at Amy's, I give you a tried and true personal favorite:

Irish Cream Chocolate Cheesecake

Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 1 Hour 20 Minutes Ready In: 9 Hours 20 Minutes
Yields: 12 servings

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (Crushed Oreo or similar)
1/3 cup confectioners' (powdered) sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup butter, to be melted
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (yes, same as above, you need it twice)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup Irish cream liqueur (love that Bailey's)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a large bowl, mix together the cookie crumbs, confectioners' sugar and 1/3 cup cocoa powder. Add melted butter and stir until well mixed. Pat into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes; set aside. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).

2. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, white sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa and flour. Beat at medium speed until well blended and smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in the sour cream and Irish cream liqueur; mixing on low speed. Pour filling over baked crust.

3. Bake at 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C), and continue baking for 60 minutes.

4. With a knife, loosen cake from rim of pan. Let cool, then remove the rim of pan. Chill before serving. If your cake cracks, a helpful tip is to dampen a spatula and smooth the top, then sprinkle with some chocolate wafer crumbs.

TIPS:
If the top of your cheesecake cools too fast and cracks, you can also cover those unsightly blemishes with fruit (like strawberries or raspberries) or a chocolate whipped cream (use real whipped cream, you'll taste the difference)

This also makes a YUMMY cheesecake if you substitute Kahlua (or any coffee liqueur) or Grand Marnier (any good Triple Sec will do, I suppose) for the Irish Cream. Amaretto or Frangelico might also be nice, but I haven't tried them.

Enjoy!

The Terrorist's Thesaurus

My goodness, I had no idea there were really THAT MANY words for "mass death" in the English Language... 

Just keep scrolling down, starting with the 4th photo.  Anyone else notice a pattern?

The rose candle journey....

Ok, I'll admit it.  I am a candle junkie.

Not like some people, but I have a few laying around.  In fact, I left more candles in NC than I brought with me.  However, that's beside the point.

A little background:  My wonderful husband, although agreeable in most other respects, is allergic to many scents, and thus anything scented has to be approved by The Man before I can bring it into the house, unless I want to deal with hives and benedryl.  In terms of my candle habit this has limited the scents I can purchase on my own to Pumpkin Spice, Spiced Apple, or Peppermint.  Which are nice but somehow boring....

Many moons ago I purchased a lovely rose scented candle.  Not too heavy, not too fruity, a wonderfully pleasant rose smell.  The problem?  It was a special Valentine's Day candle, and it disappeared after VDay.

Ever since then, I have been on a quest to replace the Perfect Rose Candle.  Believe me, I have tried every brand, every store, and always, something was not right.  Usually you'd open the top and it would smell like a whore's bathroom (I hate the smell of smoke, so I always get jar candles)...

So fast forward 8 or so years later, every store, every brand tried and finally, FINALLY I go into Wal-Mart just to wander around, and so as I passed the candle display, I made my usual stop and sniff, and I found it.  Right there on the shelf.  I popped the lid, and thought, "Wow, this is pretty close", and I passed it on to the man for approval, and it didn't make him ill, so I brought it home, and tonight, I fired it up.

And damn, if it isn't the Perfect Rose Candle reborn.  Must go stock up on them now, while they're still in the store.  Damn.  That means I have to go back to Wal Mart.

Catching up...

I know I have been lax in linking them lately, but the current edition of the Carnival of the Recipes is up at Prochien Amy, including a recipe from yours truly.

Go Steelers!

Peanut had his first bath, complete with documentary photographs :)

And speaking of babies, no news is good news here and here.  Keep on baking Lindsey and Valerie!

And last, but certainly not least:
Best News I've heard in months:  Mikey's coming back. He pulled out the vent tube and he's trying to get his voice back!  Smash has the details right from the horse's mouth (although Mrs. Mikey is far too lovely to be called a horse)

Sometimes the IRS is cool

"If you are an employee, you must work full time in the general area of your new workplace for at least 39 weeks during the 12 months right after you move. If you are self-employed, you must work full time in the general area of your new workplace for at least 39 weeks during the first 12 months and a total of at least 78 weeks during the 24 months right after you move.

If you expect to meet the time test, you can deduct your moving expenses in the year you move."

Yeah, I can do that.  No problem.  $5k deduction here I come!

Heh. Indeed.

John McCain lays the smackdown on Barack Obama:

Dear Senator Obama:

I would like to apologize to you for assuming that your private assurances to me regarding your desire to cooperate in our efforts to negotiate bipartisan lobbying reform legislation were sincere. When you approached me and insisted that despite your leadership's preference to use the issue to gain a political advantage in the 2006 elections, you were personally committed to achieving a result that would reflect credit on the entire Senate and offer the country a better example of political leadership, I concluded your professed concern for the institution and the public interest was genuine and admirable. Thank you for disabusing me of such notions with your letter to me dated February 2, 2006, which explained your decision to withdraw from our bipartisan discussions. I'm embarrassed to admit that after all these years in politics I failed to interpret your previous assurances as typical rhetorical gloss routinely used in politics to make self-interested partisan posturing appear more noble. Again, sorry for the confusion, but please be assured I won't make the same mistake again."

This is only the first paragraph, folks.  Read the rest.  And yes, I would vote for McCain/Lieberman (more likely if it was the other way around).  It's not about politics.  It's about balls.
h/t Darleen

You're Kelo-ing me!

The Weekly Standard updates on the progress of  Logan Clements, the dot-com-millionaire cum documentarist who seeks to expose the absurdity of the Kelo decision by "eminent domaining" Justice David Souter's family homestead in Weare, NH to turn the property into a bed and breakfast that will be known as the "Lost Liberty Hotel".  From the article:

"Clements likens himself to firefighters who, to combat a raging blaze in the forest, will sometimes set small fires in its path to starve the original fire of fuel before it can become an all-consuming wildfire, thus "fighting fire with fire." His numerous critics suggest that he's engaging in vigilantism, and that this is tantamount to protesting capital punishment by killing the guy who throws the switch on the electric chair. But that's a hard sell. Vigilantes operate outside the law, and it's illegal to kill the executioner. By contrast, Clements is operating inside the law, illustrating its absurdity by using the law against itself. "Why," he asks, "should the law be beyond its own reach?""

Sounded like a prank at first, right? But this guy is serious, and he seems to have the citizens of Weare coming around to his side.... Only time will tell if Souter loses his house to Kelo, or Kelo loses itself to the courts.

It's a f*cking FUNERAL for Cripes sake!

Do you do honor to one of the classiest women this nation has ever known by attacking the sitting President of the United States in your remarks at her funeral?

I know you wish it was HIS funeral, but some things are simply beyond trashy, classless, and rude.  Rot in Hell you selfish, pathetic bastards. 

You disrespected not only a strong and well-loved woman, but her husband, and everything he stood for by your remarks today.  He would never have done such a thing, and I bet you wouldn't have dared to do it if he was still alive.

RIP Martin and Coretta.  What you did will always be remembered, long after these jackasses are forgotten.

I heard some of this at work today, and Pam has the links here.

Good News for a change....

Chuck Z. posts his account of the Sooper Bowl here.  Thanks indeed to the wonderful folks from Soldiers Angels who made it possible for Chuck to watch his beloved "Stillers" beat the Seahawks!

Tagged by Tige

Well, ok, not really tagged, but I am a sucker for a Meme, especially when I am trying to work but I need a mental break.... So here goes:

below the fold. Just because :)

Read More "Tagged by Tige" »

Fatwas accepted here

We, the undersigned, agree that:

Liberty to express and discuss any issue including religion is a basic principle of a free society and human dignity.

Accepting free speech is an essential quality of free people.

Fear of free speech is the mark of one whose beliefs are weak or based on force.

...Because we so despise those who would use violence to silence others, and because we laugh at the thought that their voices speak for any power beyond their own weakness and fear of open talk, we hereby:

Request, invite, and laugh at the issue of a FATWA, CURSE, SPELL, or any other fancied ignominy that any enemy of human liberty may choose to place upon us.

Wanna join the party?  Go here and leave your name and URL in the comments.

h/t the original Fatwa-worthy one, and while you're there, read this too.

I am officially un-watching Project Runway

Those f***ing scumbags voted out Nick over f***ing SANTINO when at least his outfit was finished.

Grrrrr.  Hate.  Santino.  HATE.  SANTINO.

Sorry, Nicky, babe.  You were awesome, you have great skills, and you're a good person.  If I was rich and thin I'd call you for a dress tomorrow.

Oh well, looking forward to tomorrow, when the pictures from fashion week should be able to tell me who the final three are from Daniel V, Chloe, Santino, and Kara, who so doesn't deserve to be there either.

My final 3 would be Nick, Chloe, and Andrae.  Or maybe instead of Andrae, Daniel Franco, who is a brilliant tailor and got hosed by the lingerie challenge, IMHO.

That's ok.  Survivor tonight.  Go old dudes!!!!!!

The bleg which could turn into a meme

As some of you know I recently purchased for myself what some people might refer to as a "very expensive clothes hanger".  Yes, the dreaded home exercise equipment.  My elliptical machine (damn my thighs hurt....)

In order to use said equipment efficiently, I'm planning on stealingborrowing DH's iPod and jamming while I work out instead of just watching TV, as I have been doing.

Hence the bleg. What are your favorite songs to work out/ run to? I know lots of you do this everyday, so SOMEBODY's gotta have some good advice....

Insert high-pitched little girl scream here

Yippee!!!  Guess what I found in Target today? THIS

And it turns out that my favorite episode of all time just happens to be #6, which is on this set!  YAY!!!!

Update: This is one of the BEST DVD sets ever. Lots of artwork and extras, and the menus are cool. There's even a section with 50 profiles of not only the main characters, but several minor characters as well.

The cartoons are remastered and cleaned up and they look and sound better than they did in 1983!!!

PS does anybody else not remember the Orko music sounding quite so much like the Macarena?

So, who is YOUR favorite He-Man character? Me, I love the Sorceress.

Marching Band anyone?

<

You scored as Oboe. Oboe. You're an oboe. yup. Oboe 92% trombone 92% Bassoon 92% Tuba 83% French Horn 83% Cello 67% Viola 50% Trumpet 50% Violin 42% Percussion 42% Flute 42% Clarinet 25% String Bass 17% If you were in an orchestra, what instrument would match your personality? created with QuizFarm.com

from a fellow Oboe

Happy Birthday!

To one of the sweetest ladies of the blogosphere!

Funny lady, new mom, and all-around great person: the fabulous Margi!

Millions of hugs and kisses to you and all your boys on your special day!

Ooh, the white ones are my favorites!

Your Candy Heart Says "First Kiss"

You're a true romantic who brings an innocent hope to each new relationship. You see the good in every person you date, and you relish each step of falling in love. Your ideal Valentine's Day date: a romantic dinner your sweetie cooks for you Your flirting style: friendly and sweet What turns you off: cynics who don't believe in romance Why you're hot: you always keep the romance alive

Stolen from Deb, who evidently needs a hug

Recipe Time!

There are few things I love better (to eat) than Piggy, and pork chops, especially the thick-cut boneless kind are always on the menu at our house.  Here's a great recipe with a double shot of pork, and which can be made either in the oven or on the grill:

Pork Chops Stuffed with Smoked Gouda and Bacon

INGREDIENTS:
2 ounces smoked Gouda cheese, shredded (or any other cheese you're a fan of)
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (also yummy with chives or scallions!)
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 (2 1/4 inch thick) center-cut pork chops (bone-in or boneless)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS (for the grill):
1.Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat.
2.In a small bowl, combine the cheese, bacon, parsley, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.
3.Lay the chop flat on cutting board, and with a sharp knife held parallel to the board, cut a pocket into the pork, going all the way to the bone(if boneless, slice toward fat side, leaving fat intact), but leaving the sides intact. Stuff cheese mixture into pocket, and close with a wooden toothpick. Brush meat with oil, and season with salt and more black pepper.
4.Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes on each side, or until pork is done. Be careful not to overcook!

DIRECTIONS (for the oven):
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a shallow baking dish.
2. In a small bowl, combine the cheese, bacon, parsley, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.
3. Lay the chop flat on cutting board, and with a sharp knife held parallel to the board, cut a pocket into the pork, going all the way to the bone (if boneless, slice toward fat side, leaving fat intact), but leaving the sides intact. Stuff cheese mixture into pocket, and close with a wooden toothpick. Brush meat with oil, and season with salt and more black pepper.
4. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or it may take longer if your chops are thicker. Cook until the stuffing is hot, and chops are to your desired degree of doneness. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.

40 more!

The Site Meter says 79,960 at 8:53 pm PST.

See below, on the sidebar

80K!

Visitor #80,000, according to the official SiteMeter was referred by Vinegar Bee!  Yay!

Duh. What else would I be?

You scored as Star Wars: A New Hope. You are the film score to Star Wars: A New Hope. You accompany a multi-movie story of a rebellion lead by Jedi knights against a mighty, yet ultimately vulnerable, empire. Your stirring orchestration set a new standard for movie scores and transformed your creator John Williams into a household name and taught people to admire a muppet. Star Wars: A New Hope 79% Star Trek: The Doomsday Machine 63% Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow 63% Beneath the Planet of the Apes 46% Forbidden Planet 38% 2001: A Space Odyssey 33% What Sci-Fi Film Score Are You? created with QuizFarm.com

found here.

Today's the Day

Taking Bets

El Plomero (the plumber) is supposed to arrive between 10 and 12.  I have a meeting at 12:30.  I KNOW (for a fact) that I won't make it to the meeting, and I've already dealt with that.

So, when do you think the plumber will arrive?  It is 10:07 now.

BTW if the problem turns out to be as nasty as we suspect, I'll post pictures of him ripping out the wall of my closet!

Update: 11:15, still no dude....

Update II: Dude never showed. Landlady called at 12:05. wondering why I hadn't called her yet. Long story short, dude is supposedly coming Thursday AM. I'll let you know.....

WooHoo! Obscurity!

You Are Curling

What you lack in athleticism, you make up for in concentration. And while curling isn't much more of a sport than bowling, you *can* win a gold medal for it!

from Bobsledder Jay

Tom and Katie: Best News I've Heard in a While!

House: finally worth blogging about!

Despite one of the worst traffic snarls of my life (Thanks Clippers), I managed to get home in time for House last night.

Which was a good thing.  With the Stacy plot out of the way, I guess the writers thought it was time to bring the H-man back in full force.  A great ep, especially the subplot with the sleazy researcher.

It's widely known in the medical research community that doctors and scientists who want to take shortcuts or outstep the FDA take their work overseas.  Usually, that means India because the medico-legal system hasn't caught up with technology.  India is unique in that it is a chaotic third world country, but it is also home to a wide array of state-of-the-art medical technology.  Doctors like Weber and sleazy pharmaceutical companies can test their drugs on people you've never heard of who would otherwise suffer in silence without having to go through the normal procedures, including long periods of expensive animal testing (which usually is done to verify that 1) the drug isn't lethal at normal dosage, and 2) it actually has some worthwhile effect)

Furthermore, India (and other small countries) is home to a number of questionable medical science journals.  Like most other professions that utilize the written word to communicate, biomedical science has a number of trade publications, commonly called medical journals, in which doctors and researchers publish their findings.  These journals, however, are not equal.  The top journals are the New England Journal of Medicine, Journal of the American Medical Association, and for more preclinical work, the journals Science and Nature.  There are also many specialty journals such as the Archives of General Psychiatry, or Alcoholism in Clinical and Experimental Research.  Both types of journals, general and specific, have their strata.    At the top are journals that most researchers strive to get published in.  At the bottom are journals that will take ANYTHING, as long as you pay for the pages you submit and it looks vaguely scientific.  Sometimes good researchers who feel they are on to something important will use these journals to get their ideas published ahead of someone else, but most commonly these crappy journals are used to publish work that no one else will touch, because after all, the university administration  only looks at the number of paper you put out, not the quality of your publications, although that is slowly changing.

When House accuses Weber of publishing in the New Dehli Journal of Medicine, what he's really saying is that Weber's work isn't strong enough to be published in the US and that the drug isn't good enough to be FDA approved.  And he proves it, if only to himself....  though that was a pretty damn bad migrane, I must say.

Best line of the night: "House, you can't keep doing this.  Get a hobby.  Get a Hooker."--Wilson.

Anyone else notice the confirmation of House's address at the end of the show?  He indeed lives at 221 B Baker St.

Wanna know what my Hubby did for me for Valentine's Day?

His pathetic loser ass got his iPod stolen.

Which, if you know him, is par for the course.

So lovely and romantic, don't you think?

Playlist

Winamp loves me today.  The randomizer matches my foul mood.

Gratuitous Link Love

Because Jimbo made me laugh on a rotten day.

Go check out the New Winter Olympic events!

Master of None has some too

Happy Birthday!

To the King of Crapblogging, Aciddude!

And many more, my friend.

All bets are off!

El Plomero was 25 minutes EARLY this morning.

Yes, I was still in bed.  Why do you ask?

He's supposed to be back this afternoon with the parts to fix it.  We'll see.

To the morons who hacked Flap's Blog

YAAFM! 

Just so you know.

Glad you're back, Flap.

Hugh vs. Helen

Maybe I should start listening to Hugh Hewitt.

The other H-dawg takes on the grand dame of the WH press corps, Helen Thomas, in a sometimes barely-coherent conversation on Dick Cheney, media bias, and why Hugh Hewitt is completely forgettable....   Hilarity ensues.  Here's a quick clip (FYI: this is at least halfway through the conversation, HH is Hugh, HT is Ms. Thomas):

HT: Who are you?

HH: I...

HT: Who am I talking to?

HH: Hugh Hewitt.

HT: Am I talking to a journalist?

HH: Yes. Yes, for a long time. I'm just curious about what's gone wrong...

HT: Tell me about your career. What have you really done?

HH: Well, it's not nearly as impressive as you.

HT: Where did...yes, it's...it's very important to me. Where did you work?

HH: PBS for ten years.

HT: PBS?

HH: Yes.

HT: Well, that's a good credential.

HH: There you have it. See? I'm...

HT: But then you decided to switch over?

HH: To switch over to what?

HT: God knows what you are.

There you have it. Hewitt is officially an unknown lifeform.  And God officially exists.  At least according to la belle Helene.  Before she HUNG UP ON HIM. 

Running away like all her ilk, I suppose.

Read the rest at Radio Blogger.  Or hear it here.

h/t Rusty and the Jawa band

Roses really smell like...

Yeah, you know the song.

In Iran, evidently one can no longer purchase a Danish Pastry, but now, for a limited time only, you can get a fresh "Rose of the Prophet Muhammad" for the same price.

Sheesh.  First they hate us, then they steal from us.  Get it straight people, you can't have your cakedanish and eat it too!

h/t Flap, and apologies to OutKast.

Plumbing update (Updated!)

El Plomero has returned and is currently ensconced in the POS master bath (which is the most ridiculously designed, inconvenient space in this house... e.g. you can't shut the door if you are already seated upon the throne), and is banging away merrily at the old-ass fixtures.

Seems the problem was that the fixtures themselves are old and leaky and that's what's been causing the problem, drip by drip, for years.

Now perhaps I will be able to enjoy a tub bath without accompanying rain shower during the fill period, as until today (and the new fixtures) I could never switch the diverter completely to tub.

Yay!

Update: Done! Ceiling downstairs to be fixed next week sometime....

Tartan Day is Coming!

Get ready for it.

If it's not Scottish, it's crap! 

Even us (part)Scots-Irish, dammit.

If you're interested in joining the Gathering of the Blogs, you can get more info here.

For the clan-challenged, here's a great Tartan Generator so you can pretend you're not crap. 

Friday Glorious Friday!

Three day weekend, here I come.

While not actually a real vacation, we are off to Fresburg for the nonce, to hang out with the 'Rents, do some shopping, and just get the heck out of dodge for a few days.

Here's your weekly dose of Friday good news:

Elizabeth has finally left Mega and is making the transition from Corporate Mommy to Stay at Home Mommy.  Hooray!  Drop by and give her some encouragement, or maybe just a hug.

Jay and Deb's little Valerie got the A-OK to put in her entrance as appointed on Tuesday.  Can't wait to meet her!

Speaking of babies, on the still pregnant front we have Dana (who could use a hug and some labor pains)  and Mrs. Phin

Mikey's skull surgery went well, and he is back on the road to recovery

Darling Helen and her boy are finally about to move into their dream house

Olivia's ear tube surgery went well, even if she did have some anesthesia issues

Peanut is having an Official Growth Spurt

Michael suffers through presents his final doctoral dissertation defense today

Have a lovely President's Day, y'all, and for those of you going Howling and Prowling, think of me while you're out in the snow.  I am so jealous.

Ok, here's my creepy map

Some of you may find yourselves on here already.  Thanks for signing up ahead of time.

Go here to sign the map!

The Waiting is the Hardest Part...

Jay and Deb were off to the hospital this morning around the time I fell asleep (2:30 am in Cali, 5:30 am in MA), and we should be hearing news any time now...

Yay Valerie!

PS Bonus points to anyone who can tell me where the post title comes from!

She's here!

And also from the baby department...

Announcing the arrival of:

Congrats to Mom Dana, Dad Mike, big brothers Adam and Thomas, and big sister Kayla! 

h/t Lindsey's future MIL ;)

A Letter to my furry friends...

h/t CaltechMom

Here's a sport I could set the World Record in...

The new Olympic sport of Cursing.

As some of you know, I can hold my own with sailors in more than one language.  I'm sure I'd at least qualify to represent my country proudly.

Idol Chatter

Didn't see much of the girls on Tuesday, but did see all of the guys last night.

My top 4 guys:
Chris
Taylor
Elliot
Ace

My bottom 4 guys:
David
Kevin
Gedeon
Bobby,

David and Kevin, Adios.

For the ladies:
Top 2:
Mandisa
Lisa


Bottom 2 (those I would send home):
Stevie
Brenna

What do y'all think.  Other than that I need a damn TiVo?

Uncertainly funny

but I laughed!

What was the biggest failure since the Edsel?
The Heisenbergmobile. The problem was that when you looked at the speedometer you got lost.

A cop stops Heisenberg for speeding on the Autobahn. The cop comes up and asks, "Do you know how fast you were going?" Heisenberg responds, "No, but I know where I am."

Shamelessly lifted from beth of And then I woke up...; there are more good ones in the comments!
btw, if you don't get the joke, go here.

More Geekitude - Child of the 80's version

I love YouTube.com!

The Sesame Street 12 video

and myriad gems from Square One TV:
The intro
The 9 song
MathMan (there are several others here)

BTW, just got this.  Can't wait to watch it!

Don't we have better things to talk about?

I mean honestly.

I guess Volokh is more of a B-ball fan than I gave him credit for.  But what else can you expect from the bruins....

Fight on Trojans (or Methodists or Wesleyans, whichever you prefer).

Oh yeah, and while we're on the subject (from Volokh's comments):

Way up in the hills of Westwood
So offensive to the eye
Stands a Cal extension campus
Known as Westwood High

Home to all the Bruin bearcubs
UGLY is it's name
The student body's vile
The campus is a pile
And the football team's a shame

U
G
L
Y

U-G-L-Y EAT MY SHORTS!

which reminds me that I don't even know the real words to MY alma mater. Lyrics we used to sing in the extended....

Read More "Don't we have better things to talk about?" »

Speaking of better things to talk about....

Just found out that the reason I haven't seen one of my students in two weeks is because her soon-to-be-Ex took off suddenly, and absconded with the kids....

She knows where he is and is getting together the resources to go after him and get her babies back.  But she's had to take a leave from her job and drop out of school for the semester.

If you're the praying type, put in a good word to whatever benevolent deity you worship for Michelle S. and her babies, will you?  Thanks.

The funniest sh*t I've seen in a while

Steve-O renounces his involuntary baptism into the LDS church.... in his own unique fashion.

and on a related note, can you believe sweet-pie-baking-wonderful-mommy Oddybobo actually got kicked out of Mormon indoctrination classes?

Notafinger!

You may not have heard this one, as Hollywood also lost Barney Fife and Mr. Furley today, but one of my favorite Hollywood Dads passed away today as well.

Darrren McGavin, who played the Dad in A Christmas Story, and in many other films, died today in Los Angeles of natural causes.

God bless, and I hope you spirit flies as freely as the clouds of obscenity still floating somewhere over Lake Michigan

Deja Vu All Over Again...

All the cool kids are doing it:

Your past life diagnosis:
I don't know how you feel about it, but you were female in your last earthly incarnation.
You were born somewhere in the territory of modern Korea around the year 1100
Your profession was that of an entertainer, musician, poet or temple-dancer.
Your brief psychological profile in your past life:
You were a sane, practical person, a materialist with no spiritual consciousness. Your simple wisdom helped the weaker and the poor.
The lesson that your last past life brought to your present incarnation:
You should develop your talent for love, happiness and enthusiasm and you should distribute these feelings to all people.

Do you remember now?

Umm... not really, sorry.  But what the heck.

Home Sweet Home

You Are Los Angeles

Young and fun, you always know where the best parties are. And while you tend to keep things carefree and casual... You certainly can glam it up when you need to. Famous people from Los Angeles: Tyra Banks, Jake Gyllenhall, Freddie Prinze Jr.

From Boston Rob (the llama, not the male half of Rahmber)

Dancin' ! -- Or how to turn a PhD into a blithering idiot...

Ok, so you probably know I was hooked on Dancing with the Stars this season like it was my own personal crack.

Yes, I even skipped Survivor to watch it a couple times.

Last night I was the ultimate reality show buffoon. Yelling at the TV, calling my show buddy (CaltechMom) repeatedly, and generally being an idiot.

At least I didn't throw anything. (ask my DH about football and why my remote on/off button barely works....)

As you may know, after Thursday's final dances, Drew and Cheryl led with a perfect score of 60.  Stacy and Tony were behind with a score of 56, and Jerry and Anna were in the rear with 53.  Well, there was a final dance last night to complete the judges scores.  Jerry and Anna went first, and scored 27/30 a personal best.  Then Stacy and Tony did a good number and scored a perfect 30/30.  I agreed, as it was the best dance I had seen from them in the 8 weeks of the show.  Drew and Cheryl were last, and they were fabulous.  But they only scored 27.  Enough to stay in first place by one point....

I call my mother.  "Rigged!" I scream when she answers the phone.  I agree, she says, and then my dad chimes in with "Crap!"

Which is about as bad as he'll get.

We agree it's rigged for Stacy, and we hang up.

10 min later, they announce the third place contestant---- (wait for it....)

Stacy.

Wha???  Ok.  I was convinced Drew and Cheryl were done for.  Sweeeet.

So Drew and Cheryl were eventually named the winners, and I couldn't be happier.

To see what all the fuss is about, here's Drew and Cheryl's "Thrilling" Pasa Doble, and here is their perfect score freestyle dance from Thursday, set to Big and Rich's "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy"

And Drew's brother Nick? Daypass material. Especially now that he ditched Daisy Duke.

On the subject of Dancing

I've joined the Cotillion, so watch this space for lots of Conservative female fun and a new blogroll...  Yeah, maybe I should revamp the way this place looks.....

A five year old's world

Thirdee of Code Red interviews her five year old about life and current events.  With some surprising answers...

2.    Who is the President? George Washington-Bush.
3.    Who is the Vice President? My teacher didn't tell me that.
10.  Are you a Conservative or a Liberal? A liberal.
13.  Are guns good or bad? Good.
20.  Is President Bush a good President? Yes.

The rest is priceless...

Love the Weather, hate the Idiots (plus Zimmy goodness)

It took me over an HOUR to go the 21 miles from work to home. Arrgh.

I love the gray skies and the rain, but sheesh people, get a grip.  Stop and go isn't any more dangerous just because the road is wet.

Oh wait.  They're all looking up at this freak occurrence!  What is this RAIN?  Perhaps we should ask Invader Zim (link opens classic Zim episode "The Wettening")

One for Mikey

Chris Muir Rocks!



Thanks Chris!

Mikey has been moved to a rehab facility, and as usual, he's impatient to go home. To help out Mikey and his family, click the button on the sidebar or go here.

Public Service Announcement

There's no House on tonight.

Damn American Idol.