I'm taking a poll...

I am seriously thinking of cutting my hair.... 

These two lovely ladies did it, and I'm thinking of jumping on the bandwagon.

My hair is my one vanity, see, and that makes it hard.  It's brown/auburn, slightly wavy (more so when it's shorter) hangs almost to my rear and is super thick, so it knots constantly and there's not much I can do with it other that a simple knot or one of the vast array of charming Princess Leia hairdos.

and I'm tired of putting it up  in a knot everyday....

I want something shorter, with a lot of body to it.  I think that would be fun and look nice...

Thinking of something like this.  What do you think? (Eva's hair, not Tony's :-) )

here's a similar style....

Sad Friday

Two of my favorite bloggers called it quits yesterday.

I can't say I fault them, as both of them want to spend more time with their families, but I will miss them both very much.

Take a moment and drop by and tell Cobb and Margi how much they will be missed.

Eat this Coach K

Yummy Links!

This week's Danish-Themed Carnival of the Recipes is up!
Go check it out!

Also, one of my favorite bloggers is back after a long hiatus, Go check out Deb of Eat Your History, a blog about food and its place in history.

I've been Memed!

Tagged by Oddybobo with this one:

1) Two favorite colors: Green and Purple

2) Two least favorite colors: Orange and Olive

3) Favorite fast food restaurant: In CA:Original Tommy's and In'N'Out; In NC: Chick-Fil-A and Bojangles

4) Favorite day of the week: Friday

5) Least favorite day of the week: Sunday

6) Best thing about your significant other: Hugs and Kisses

7) Least favorite thing about your significant other: He loses things a lot.

8) Your significant others favorite thing about you (without asking them): my chestal area and/or my hair

9) Your significant others least favorite thing about you (again, without asking them): That I always AM right.

10) Black or white? Grey

11) Red or blue? Purple

12) Day or night? Night

13) Favorite part of your body: My hair

14) Least favorite part about your body. My tummy

15) Do you like walking in the rain at times? Anytime

16) Do you have a tattoo? Nope. Terrified of needles

17) “Short and sweet” or “long and hard”. It depends. What are you asking about **wink**

18) Favorite kind of car: small, sporty, FAST.

19) Favorite kind of ice cream: B and J Oatmeal Chocolate Cookie.

20) Trix or Lucky Charms? Neither. Wasn't allowed to have sugar cereal as a kid. Love Bran Flakes, though.

Tagging Bou, VW, and Amanda, Just for the heck of it :)

Do something good for a Soldier's family

Sgt. Rickey Jones of Kokomo, IN was killed last week in an IED attack north of Baghdad.

His grieving family not only has to pick up the pieces after his death, but they also have had to put up with harassment that no family should be forced to bear, especially not the grieving family of a hero.

Since learning of the tragedy, the Jones family's home has been vandalized, and they have received a number of telephone calls proclaiming "I'm glad your son is dead".

Guess who is behind the attacks?  The one and only "Rev." Fred Phelps.  And his group may show up at this soldier's funeral too.  The full story is here.

Kate of KateSpot and her friend Lauren are collecting email messages of support for the family.  Please leave a comment here or at Kate's, and I will send them along.  Let the family know how much their sacrifice is appreciated and remind them that not everyone in the world thinks like Phelps and his thugs.

This was a weird quiz

What's your "Personal DNA"?



More details here.

from Jay

Rest in Peace, Kirby

After suffering a massive stroke yesterday at his home in Arizona, family members chose to remove Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett from life support this afternoon, and he passed away at age 45.

Not surprisingly, the Strib has a great story on one of the good guys:

"Puckett rose from a Chicago housing project and became a Minnesota sports icon, bursting onto the scene as a rookie in 1984 with an energetic style and an effervescent smile, each all his own.

He led the Twins to the World Series in 1987 and 1991, leaping into walls as their center fielder and swinging with a might that belied his stocky, 5-8 frame.

He often said he played every game as if it were his last, and sure enough, on March 28, 1996, Puckett awoke with blurred vision in his right eye.

He never played again. He was diagnosed with glaucoma and retired on July 12, 1996.

For the next five years, Puckett remained a smiling fixture on the Minnesota scene, working as an executive vice president for the Twins in an ambassadorial role.

In 2001, he became a first-ballot inductee into the National Baseball Hall of Fame with 2,304 career hits, 10 All-Star selections and six Gold Glove Awards."

Despite some trying times, including never substantiated allegations of abuse and sexual harassment, Kirby's legacy is that of a star fallen too soon, and now, gone too soon.

I'm a huge Dodger fan, but Kirby Puckett was always one of my favorites, and I will miss him.  May his family have peace in this difficult time.

Check local listings!

WooHooooo!

House is on at 9 (new ep: Sex Kills), and TAR is on at 10!

For once, I can watch both!

So stoked!

SB County Sheriffs: Two steps back, one step forward

Many of you SoCal folks already know the story:

Air Force Security officer Elio Carrion was shot during a routine traffic stop that quickly spiraled out of control.  Carrion was a passenger in his friend's car when officers pulled them over after a short chase at speeds over 100mph.  Carrion and the driver exited the car and complied with police wishes.

When Officer Ivory Webb told Carrion to "Get Up", he complied slowly, and before he could stand all the way up, the cop shot him three times.

A neighbor captured the entire incident on film.  CNN has the story:

The decision to charge Deputy Ivory J. Webb, 45, was announced by San Bernardino, California, County District Attorney Michael A. Ramos.

Ramos said that sheriff's deputy Webb's belief that he was in danger was unreasonable in the eyes of the law. He said Webb's gunshots were "intended to kill" Air Force security officer Elio Carrion.
<...>
Charging Webb was a "difficult decision," Ramos told the AP, but enhancing the videotape "made our decision easier." In the tape, Carrion appears to be on the ground while a deputy sheriff stands above him with a gun drawn.

"Get up!" the deputy shouts.

"OK," Carrion says.

"Get up!" the deputy shouts again.

"I'm going to get up," Carrion says and starts to rise.

The deputy fires three shots, striking Carrion in the chest, leg and shoulder.

From the ground, a moaning Carrion attempts to explain to the deputy he is an Iraq war veteran. "I mean you no harm," he says.

"Shut the ... up!" the deputy shouts. "Shut the ... up!"

The deputy shouts that he had "one down," then again told Carrion to "shut the ... up."

"You don't get up!" he says.

Then the voice of a neighbor watching the incident can be heard saying, "You told him to get up!"

BTW, that neighbor was also arrested on an outstanding warrant and may be deported, thanks to his videotaping the incident.

Attempted involuntary manslaughter?  Give me a break.  The cop TRIED TO KILL HIM.  Period.  At least he's looking at more than 15 years in jail.  Which he'll never get...

The FBI is also investigating and federal civil rights charges may be brought.  I say throw the book at him.  A cop trying to protect himself is one thing, shooting a man for directly complying with his wishes is entirely another.

h/t Greyhawk

My Own Feminist Manifesto

This post also marks my Cotillion debut!

**The following post contains R-rated language**

Today is International Women's Day.

I could give a shit.

Truth be told, in my entire life I've never had much use for the feminist movement. Sure, I've benefited from my "sisters" who came before me. I suppose. But I feel like I've had to make my own way. I work in a profession dominated by men. I went to a university where men outnumbered women by as much as 8 to 1. And yet, I have never experienced discrimination because I am a female.

Yeah, maybe it's because I don't act like a girl. I'm loud, ballsy, and I like to be right. I WILL stand up for what I believe to be the right thing. I give as good as I get in the chain-yanking department, and I have been known to make the men I work with blush because of what I say.

Or maybe it's because I don't look like what the magazines say I should. I'm short, dark, and big. No barbie doll here. Her boobs, maybe, but that's about it. :)

See the rest in the extended....

Read More "My Own Feminist Manifesto" »

Epiphany

I came to a realization this morning while the coffee was brewing:

I am a reality TV junkie.

Funny thing, though, it almost happened by default.  See I have always been a people watcher.  Get me to Disneyland and I love nothing better than to sit out in front of the castle on a bench, eat some overpriced ice cream and see who walks by.  So I suppose watching reality shows is a natural extension of that.  Don't get me wrong, I don't watch them all, in fact, I am pretty discriminating in my choices.

For example, my "must watch" shows this season include AI (but only AFTER the top 24 are picked), TAR, Survivor, Dog the Bounty Hunter (on the 12 am rerun), EM: Home Edition, and the recently concluded Dancing with the Stars, Skating with Celebrities, and Project Runway (yay Chloe!).  The only scripted "must watches" on the list are House (which is the bloody best show on TV!) and 24.

One step down, the "will watch" list includes a lot of scripted shows, like the various L and O franchises, CSI, Criminal Minds (love it, never remember when it's on), and Numbers.  The reality "will watch" list includes Mythbusters (on at the SAME F-ING TIME as House and Dog), various Discovery Channels series (I was soooo hooked on Dangerous Catch and Iceberg Cowboys), Queer Eye, and Supernanny/ Nanny 911.

Ok, maybe I do watch a lot of TV, but as the inimitable Tim Gunn says, "It relaxes me."  Watching stupid people do stupid things is a great way to wind down from a long day of BS.

Also, like Ben, it's wallpaper much of the time.  Just sound on for noise to help me concentrate on whatever I'm doing at the time.

Yeah, I'm weird.

I'm a Pepper... You're a Pepper....

You Are Dr. Pepper

You're very unique and funky, yet you still have a bit of traditionalism to you. People who like you think they have great taste... and they usually do. Your best soda match: Root Beer Stay away from: 7 Up

Oh yeah. Love me some Dr. P.

h/t Cokehead Deb

Spawned

The Phinlet is here!

Boy 8lbs 14ozs, born between 1 and 2 am this morning, all other details are classified.

Mom and Babe are fine.  No word yet on the Phishy.

Congrats to all the family!

Well Duh

It's dook.

Wouldn't expect any less :-)

Paging Dr. Google

As many of you know, Dilbert cartoonist (and blogger) Scott Adams has a dystonia which prevents him from drawing without the aid of a computer.  About a year ago he started having problems speaking in public as well.

None of the remedies prescribed by the doctors seemed to be working, and one day he realized that the voice problems he was experiencing might be tied to his dystonia.  So he asked Dr. Google, who returned the result "Spasmodic Dysphonia", an extremely rare condition resulting in voice changes very similar to what he was experiencing, and to top it off, this condition was more likely to co-occur in people experiencing dystonias.

Here is Scott's account of his search for a doctor who would actually test for the Zebra, even though the entire stable of horses were absent.  With a correct diagnosis he's now able to resume public speaking, even if the treatment is a little grody....

What's interesting about the story isn't merely that the doctors were unwilling to listen, but rather it highlights what could have happened if the patient in question wasn't a famous artist with access to a doctor specializing in his particular disorder.  Imagine the merry-go-round of drugs, tests, and therapies any of us regular joes might have gone through.  Imagine what might have happened if he hadn't had the computer skills to look for what he was experiencing.

Are our doctors willing to go the extra mile?  To sort through every possibility in the differential diagnosis to find the right answer?  To listen carefully when a patient says "These are my symptoms, and it says here that I could have this"?

Kinda makes you think, huh?

I've been sitting on this...

But somehow this post from Christina reminded me of it.

This may possibly be the truest thing published in USA Today in YEARS.  I couldn't pick and choose, so here is the majority of the article:

Last month, as I averaged the second-quarter grades for my senior English classes at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Va., the same familiar pattern leapt out at me.

Kids who had emigrated from foreign countries — such as Shewit Giovanni from Ethiopia, Farah Ali from Guyana and Edgar Awumey from Ghana — often aced every test, while many of their U.S.-born classmates from upper-class homes with highly educated parents had a string of C's and D's.

As one would expect, the middle-class American kids usually had higher SAT verbal scores than did their immigrant classmates, many of whom had only been speaking English for a few years.

What many of the American kids I taught did not have was the motivation, self-discipline or work ethic of the foreign-born kids.

Politicians and education bureaucrats can talk all they want about reform, but until the work ethic of U.S. students changes, until they are willing to put in the time and effort to master their subjects, little will change.

A study released in December by University of Pennsylvania researchers Angela Duckworth and Martin Seligman suggests that the reason so many U.S. students are "falling short of their intellectual potential" is not "inadequate teachers, boring textbooks and large class sizes" and the rest of the usual litany cited by the so-called reformers — but "their failure to exercise self-discipline."

The sad fact is that in the USA, hard work on the part of students is no longer seen as a key factor in academic success.
...

When asked to identify the most important factors in their performance in math, the percentage of Japanese and Taiwanese students who answered "studying hard" was twice that of American students.

American students named native intelligence, and some said the home environment. But a clear majority of U.S. students put the responsibility on their teachers. A good teacher, they said, was the determining factor in how well they did in math.

"Kids have convinced parents that it is the teacher or the system that is the problem, not their own lack of effort," says Dave Roscher, a chemistry teacher at T.C. Williams in this Washington suburb. "In my day, parents didn't listen when kids complained about teachers. We are supposed to miraculously make kids learn even though they are not working."

As my colleague Ed Cannon puts it: "Today, the teacher is supposed to be responsible for motivating the kid. If they don't learn it is supposed to be our problem, not theirs."

And, of course, busy parents guilt-ridden over the little time they spend with their kids are big subscribers to this theory.

...

"Nowadays, it's the kids who have the power. When they don't do the work and get lower grades, they scream and yell. Parents side with the kids who pressure teachers to lower standards," says Joel Kaplan, another chemistry teacher at T.C. Williams.

Every year, I have had parents come in to argue about the grades I have given in my AP English classes. To me, my grades are far too generous; to middle-class parents, they are often an affront to their sense of entitlement. If their kids do a modicum of work, many parents expect them to get at least a B. When I have given C's or D's to bright middle-class kids who have done poor or mediocre work, some parents have accused me of destroying their children's futures.

...

Colleges keep complaining that students are coming to them unprepared. Instead of raising admissions standards, however, they keep accepting mediocre students, lest cuts have to be made in faculty and administration.

Author Patrick Welsh is an English teacher in suburban Alexandria, VA.

As the wife of a teacher and a professor to recent High School grads I can attest to every word being said here.  What do you think?
h/t Weekend Pundit

Ain't it the truth!

Your Luck Quotient: 62%

You have a high luck quotient. More often than not, you've felt very lucky in your life. You may be randomly lucky, but it's probably more than that. Optimistic and open minded, you take advantage of all the luck that comes your way.

h/t Deb, who is indeed luckier than most, no matter what the quiz says!

Green with....

You Are Teal Green

You are a one of a kind, original person. There's no one even close to being like you. Expressive and creative, you have a knack for making the impossible possible. While you are a bit offbeat, you don't scare people away with your quirks. Your warm personality nicely counteracts and strange habits you may have.

I suppose I woud have preferred Emerald or Forest, but hell, it wasn't Olive, right?

And interestingly enough, the bridesmaid dresses at my wedding were approximately the darker color in the picture above.  Although that was a combination of price, available sizes and acceptable style more than the color.  Which is a bitch to match shoes to.

h/t a real Gem

Yum.

You Are Guinness

You know beer well, and you'll only drink the best beers in the world. Watered down beers disgust you, as do the people who drink them. When you drink, you tend to become a bit of a know it all - especially about subjects you don't know well. But your friends tolerate your drunken ways, because you introduce them to the best beers around.

Oh yeah. Seeing as how this is about the ONLY beer I'll drink. And my favorite to cook with, too.

h/t Heineken Deb

Feingold = Cheesebrain

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Partisan in his native habitat:

"Congress has to reassert our system of government, and the cleanest and the most efficient way to do that is to censure the president," Feingold said. "And, hopefully, he will acknowledge that he did something wrong."

The Wisconsin Democrat, considered a presidential contender for 2008, said he had not discussed censure with other senators but that, based on criticism leveled at Bush by both Democrats and Republicans, the resolution makes sense.

The president's action were "in the strike zone" in terms of being an impeachable offense, Feingold said. The senator questioned whether impeaching Bush and removing him from office would be good for the country.

In the House, Rep. John Conyers of Michigan, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, is pushing legislation that would call on the Republican-controlled Congress to determine whether there are grounds for impeachment."

The Moonbats are now officially running the show.  I wrote about the groundswell of dipshit moonbat support for censure/impeachment back in January, when She-who-will-not-buy-a-tombstone-for-her-son and friends spoke in Washington  about how impeachment NOW.  TODAY. was the only way.  Even without a majority in Congress.  Even without another election.  Moderates in the party have now been declared officially irrelevant.

If I had ever been a Democrat, today I would be ashamed.

On the other hand, if this is the best they've got, they're in trouble.

Pure Genius

Evil Genius, that is.

I always said Dubya was smarter than most people give him credit for.  Take that Dubai!

Fisking of the Day

Dan Riehl takes apart George Clooney:

"The fear of been (sic) criticized can be paralyzing. Just look at the way so many Democrats caved in the run up to the war. In 2003, a lot of us were saying, where is the link between Saddam and bin Laden? What does Iraq have to do with 9/11? We knew it was bullshit. Which is why it drives me crazy to hear all these Democrats saying, "We were misled." It makes me want to shout, "Fuck you, you weren't misled. You were afraid of being called unpatriotic."

Incorrect. Go back and review the record and speeches, George. We didn't go to war in Iraq as a direct result of 9/11. That's just more of the big lie tactic of the left desperately trying to couch today's political issues in your favor when they are not. We went to war in Iraq to eliminate a growing threat. We accomplished that and are working hard to leave behind a state with some stability and with the adherence to the very values you appear to profess - liberty, freedom and equality. Apparently those values are only good for you and yours, not the Iraqis. Congratulations George, you made it from demagogue to racist in one paragraph."

Me thinks George should stick to polishing his nobOscar until he gets enough CSF back in his brain to think straight.

Read it all here.

Reliapundit also aims to set George straight here.

"HEY GEORGE (regarding the Civil Rights Movement and Rosa Parks): a higher percentage of GOP members of Congress voted for the US Civil Rights Act then Democrats did - FACT!"

Now go read the rest, but put down your drink first! (h/t to Vodka Steve for the Reliapundit article)

Happy ∏ day!

Today we celebrate the127th anniversary of the birth of one of the greatest scientists of all time:

 

The ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter:

 

and an incredibly versatile circular food:


all images courtesy Wikipedia

So here's to Pi(e) in all it's forms. Enjoy some today with your favorite geek.

Huge Fabulous Congratulations are in Order!

The Lintefiniel one caught the Blog Baby Bug!

Precious cargo due in mid-November (the BEST time to be born, IMHO)

Drop in and wish Jen and Beau the best!

24: The Killing Season

Right off the bat, let me just say that I love the Princess Bride too.  
Tony to Henderson:  "My name is Inigo Montoya Tony Almeida, you killed my father wife, prepare to die"

So last night was a Twofer.  We lost the Hobbit and Tony, both.  Oh, and Harry the security guard.  But he doesn't count thankyouverymuch.

After everything, I was sad to see the Hobbit go, even though I hated his wretched ass.  And Tony?  Well I still haven't been able to get past thinking he was the terrorist in the first season.  He's with Michelle now.

What about this DHS chick with the bad smoker's wrinkles?  And the Veep?  Now what?  And where are they planning to hit with the canisters?

Will Kim Bauer and C Thomas Howell escape?  Will Jack punch him in the mouth?

Who's next to die?  Bill?  Audrey?  Curtis?  Aaron?  Mike?  Martha?  The Prez?

House and TAR on tonight!

Suck on MY salty chocolate balls

Isaac Hayes, the voice of Chef for 9 years on South Park has called it quits, evidently because he was insulted:

Hayes said the show's parody of religion in general was part of what he saw as a "growing insensitivity toward personal spiritual beliefs" in the media, including the recent controversy over cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammad.

"There is a place in this world for satire, but there is a time when satire ends and intolerance and bigotry toward religious beliefs ... begins," Hayes said.

South Park co-creator Matt Stone was quick to point out the inherent hypocrisy in Hayes' statement:

"In ten years and over 150 episodes of 'South Park,' Isaac never had a problem with the show making fun of Christians, Muslims, Mormons or Jews," Stone said in a statement issued by the Comedy Central network. "He got a sudden case of religious sensitivity when it was his religion featured on the show."

He added: "Of course we will release Isaac from his contract, and we wish him well."

I'll miss Chef, especially as the entire point of the show is that NO ONE is above parody based on religion, wealth, education, sexual orientation, ability, or gender. Or anything else for that matter. To leave the show because it hit a little too close to home is hypocritical and pissy.

I hope Xenu is happy with him.

Don't these people have a staff?

Not that I disagree with the statement, but still.....

h/t Michelle Malkin

Keeping an eye on the Cheese(heads)

The esteemed gentleman from Texas is tracking Cheeshead Feingold's progress in his bid to censure the President:

Results of Feingold Censure Resolution (S.Res. 398): Day 2

Democrat co-sponsors of Feingold Resolution: 0

al Qaeda communications intercepted by Feingold Resolution:0

Terror attacks prevented by Feingold Resolution: 0

h/t(s): Powerline and Gay Patriot

It's March Madness Babeeeee

The Big Dance started last night, and rather than whine about the bracket (MSU v UNC in the second round???), here are a couple of basketball funnies:

First (paraphrased from the Paladin):

A family of dook basketball supporters headed out one Saturday to shop for the youngest boy’s birthday. While in the sports shop the son picks up a UNC jersey and says to his older sister, “I’ve decided to become a Tar Heel fan and I would like this UNC jersey for my birthday.”
His big sister is outraged by this and promptly whacks him in the head and says, “Go talk to mother.”
Off goes the little lad with the jersey in hand and finds his mother. “Mom?”
“Yes son?”
“I’ve decided I’m going to be a UNC fan and I would like this jersey for my birthday”.
The mother is outraged at this, promptly whacks him around the head and says, “Go talk to your father!”
Off he goes with the UNC jersey in hand and finds his father. “Dad?”
“Yes son?”
“I’ve decided I’m going to be a 'Heels fan and I would like this jersey for my birthday.”
The father is outraged and promptly whacks his son around the head and says, “No son of mine is ever going to be seen in THAT!”
About half an hour later they’re all back in the car and heading towards home. The father turns to his son and says, “Son, I hope you’ve learned something today?”
The son says, “Yes, Dad, I have.”
“Good son, what is it?”
The son replies, “I’ve only been a Carolina fan for an hour and I already hate you dook bastards.”

And second, an oldie but a goodie:

Once upon a time in the Kingdom of Heaven, God was missing for six days.

Eventually, Michael the archangel found him, resting on the seventh day. He inquired of God, "Where have you been?"

God sighed a deep sigh of satisfaction and proudly pointed downwards through the clouds, "Look, Michael, see what I've made..."

Archangel Michael looked puzzled and said, "What is it?"

"It's a planet," replied God, "and I've put LIFE on it. I'm going to call it Earth and it's going to be a great place of balance."

"Balance?" inquired Michael, still confused.

God explained, pointing to different parts of Earth, "For example, Northern Europe will be a hard place of great opportunity and wealth while Southern Europe is going to be lovely but poor; the Middle East over there will be a hot spot." God continued, pointing to different countries. "This one will be extremely hot and arid while this one will be very cold and covered in ice."

The Archangel, impressed by God's work, then pointed to a place. "What's that?"

"Ah," said God. "Chapel Hill, the most glorious place on Earth. I made it from a little corner of Heaven. There are beautiful women and an exquisite campus that is called UNC. The people from Chapel Hill are going to be modest, intelligent and humorous and they're going to be found traveling the world. They'll be extremely sociable, hard-working and high-achieving, and they will be known throughout the world as diplomats and carriers of peace. I'm also going to give them a great and wondrous basketball team swathed in cloth made from the Sky itself. The team will be admired and feared by all who come across them."

Michael gasped in wonder and admiration but then proclaimed, "What about balance, God? You said there would be BALANCE!"

God replied, "Fear not, Michael. Wait until you see the loud-mouth bastards I'm putting next to them in Durham."

This should be plenty of proof for the Llamas

EATAPETA

Today is the 4th annual International Eat an Animal for PETA day!

YAY! I celebrated earlier with half a leftover meatloaf sandwich for lunch. I'm thinking dinner is going to be bacon-wrapped tenderloin. Gotta get in all the meats you can, right?

To join in the festivities, post about your celebration, tag your post with the EATAPETA technorati tag and sign the frappr!

Stolen Wholesale

DRINK WARNING!!

This was too good not to rip off:

This comes from a Catholic elementary school test. The kids were asked questions about the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. Here are some of their answers.

1. IN THE FIRST BOOK OF THE BIBLE, GUINESSIS. GOD GOT TIRED OF CREATING THE WORLD SO HE TOOK THE SABBATH OFF.

2. ADAM AND EVE WERE CREATED FROM AN APPLE TREE. NOAH'S WIFE WAS JOAN OF ARK. NOAH BUILT AND ARK AND THE ANIMALS CAME ON IN PEARS.

3. LOTS WIFE WAS A PILLAR OF SALT DURING THE DAY, BUT A BALL OF FIRE DURING THE NIGHT.

4. THE JEWS WERE A PROUD PEOPLE AND THROUGHOUT HISTORY THEY HAD TROUBLE WITH UNSYMPATHETIC GENITALS.

5. SAMPSON WAS A STRONGMAN WHO LET HIMSELF BE LED ASTRAY BY A JEZEBEL LIKE DELILAH.

6. SAMSON SLAYED THE PHILISTINES WITH THE AXE OF THE APOSTLES.

7. MOSES LED THE JEWS TO THE RED SEA WHERE THEY MADE UNLEAVENED BREAD WHICH IS BREAD WITHOUT ANY INGREDIENTS.

8. THE EGYPTIANS WERE ALL DROWNED IN THE DESSERT. AFTERWARDS, MOSES WENT UP TO MOUNT CYANIDE TO GET THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.

9. THE FIRST COMMANDMENTS WAS WHEN EVE TOLD ADAM TO EAT THE APPLE.

10. THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT IS THOU SHALT NOT ADMIT ADULTERY.

11. MOSES DIED BEFORE HE EVER REACHED CANADA. THEN JOSHUA LED THE HEBREWS IN THE BATTLE OF GERITOL.

12. THE GREATEST MIRICLE IN THE BIBLE IS WHEN JOSHUA TOLD HIS SON TO STAND STILL AND HE OBEYED HIM.

13. DAVID WAS A HEBREW KING WHO WAS SKILLED AT PLAYING THE LIAR. HE FOUGHT THE FINKELSTEINS, A RACE OF PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN BIBLICAL TIMES.

14. SOLOMON, ONE OF DAVIDS SONS, HAD 300 WIVES AND 700 PORCUPINES.

15. WHEN MARY HEARD SHE WAS THE MOTHER OF JESUS, SHE SANG THE MAGNA CARTA.

16. WHEN THE THREE WISE GUYS FROM THE EAST SIDE ARRIVED THEY FOUND JESUS IN THE MANAGER.

17. JESUS WAS BORN BECAUSE MARY HAD AN IMMACULATE CONTRAPTION.

18. ST. JOHN THE BLACKSMITH DUMPED WATER ON HIS HEAD.

19. JESUS ENUNCIATED THE GOLDEN RULE, WHICH SAYS TO DO UNTO OTHERS BEFORE THEY DO ONE TO YOU. HE ALSO EXPLAINED A MAN DOTH NOT LIVE BY SWEAT ALONE.

20. IT WAS A MIRICLE WHEN JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD AND MANAGED TO GET THE TOMBSTONE OFF THE ENTRANCE.

21. THE PEOPLE WHO FOLLOWED THE LORD WERE CALLED THE 12 DECIBELS.

22. THE EPISTELS WERE THE WIVES OF THE APOSTLES.

23. ONE OF THE OPPOSSUMS WAS ST. MATTHEW WHO WAS ALSO A TAXIMAN.

24. ST. PAUL CAVORTED TO CHRISTIANITY, HE PREACHED HOLY ACRIMONY WHICH IS ANOTHER NAME FOR MARRAIGE.

25. CHRISTIANS HAVE ONLY ONE SPOUSE. THIS IS CALLED MONOTONY.

stolen from Dash

Happy Birthday to You

You know who you are. I hope with all my heart you aren't reading this. That you haven't found my little corner of the net.

The things you did and the monstrous betrayal of our trust have scarred my life forever, regardless of how you justify these things to yourself.

Despite the past, all I have in my heart for you is pity and concern. I wish that I had been able to solve your problems. I wish that I had made you see the self destructive bent you were pursuing. But I know I never could have on my own.

I have learned in the time since then that I am strong, and you can't take that away from me, no matter how much it made you feel better. I have learned that I can't do everything. I can't be mother, sister, friend, therapist. Especially to someone who can not (for whatever reason) face their demons except through a bottle or the barrel of a gun.

But I still love you. You were my oldest friend, the one who knew me inside out for almost 20 years. We used to joke that we were two halves of the same coin, thinking alike and complementing each other's weaknesses. It's hard to let go of that. Some part of me will always miss that. And you, the real you. The sweet one who fed me pudding from a spoon and talked baby talk to the puppy.

Today is your 30th birthday, and I can't help but wish it finds you better than the last I knew of. I wish you love and health and peace.

And if you are reading this, please don't tell me. And don't come back. I'm not ready for you to be in my life.

But you will always be in my heart.

On-Demand not good enough? Try DIY!

Darleen is a braver woman than I am.  She reads the moonbats on a near daily basis.  I can't.  It's just not good for my blood pressure.

Anyway, Darleen found a How-To guide for home abortion.  I won't link it (although Darleen did), because the disregard for basic human safety apparent in that post appalls me.  No mention of proper handwashing or sterilization procedures, just a cursory "keep things sterile".  Folks, I had to go to a CLASS to learn how to keep things sterile during surgery. Which an abortion is.  It's a surgical procedure.  The author also recommends mexican antibiotics, and in the comments, when questioned about the safety of black market drugs, laughs it off saying "only oxycontin and things like that are counterfeit" (paraphrase).  She even advocates doing this if you've never had medical training and only a cursory knowledge of female anatomy (your own!!).

Hell, a contortionist with a mirror could probably do it to herself.

Surgery done on RODENTS in this country is more closely monitored than what this woman is advocating.  I know.  I'm certified to do that.

The topic us Cotillion babes are discussing this week is Feminism.   I went off on that last week, but this is just another prime example of why I can not support the Feminist movement.  If abortion someday becomes illegal, they'll disregard the safety of the woman undergoing the procedure and remove the fetus full speed ahead!  It's Feminism come full circle:  Not only will I choose to do as I like, with whomever I like, whenever I like, damn the consequences, even at the risk of my own life.

Well, that's what you wanted, right?  Full rights?  You've got it now, baby.  And all the responsibilities that come along with them.  Including the ultimate responsibility:  your own life.

Truth or Consequences? Neither.

This has been brewing in my head over the last week.

I've been thinking about personal responsibility. Three stories this week have brought it to the fore.

It's long, so the body is in the extended....

Read More "Truth or Consequences? Neither." »

The war has merely begun...

As you may have heard, Comedy Central abruptly decided to replace the anti-scientology episode "Trapped in the Closet" last Wednesday with "Chef's Salty Chocolate Balls". Many blog reports indicate that this is due to a threat from Couch Jumper McXenu himself, stating that if the episode ever aired again, Paramount would pull all it's MI:3 advertising from Comedy Central, and perhaps all of the other Viacom channels. He is of course, denying the rumor, which has to fight for space in the denial bin with the "Tom is gay", "Katie is leaving", "Tom's not the father", and "Tom's Crazy" rumors.

Of course Matt and Trey had something to say about it:

"So, Scientology, you may have won THIS battle, but the million-year war for earth has just begun! Temporarily anozinizing our episode will NOT stop us from keeping Thetans forever trapped in your pitiful man-bodies. Curses and drat! You have obstructed us for now, but your feeble bid to save humanity will fail! Hail Xenu!!!"

It was signed "Trey Parker and Matt Stone, servants of the dark lord Xenu."

The new season starts next week, folks. Stay tuned!

Mwahahahahahahahahahahaha!

Ben Stein is my Hero

"Stop spitting in the face of Americans and maybe we will go to the movies," [Stein] said.

Every once in a while...

you people crack me up.  Evidently I'm #1 on MSN for this.

Weekend Highlights

Pretty good weekend hereabouts.

Saturday we spent the last of DH's "new teacher credit" at the school supply store, and as we were in a town that had one (20 miles from here!), we indulged in some Southern Fast Food.
I even got to meet one of the cows!  I think we'll be driving out that way more often.

We forgot to stop at the donut place that we love out that way, because we were running low on gas, so we made up for it by making a big batch of chocolate chip cookies and watching On-Demand movies (did I mention how much I love free on-demand with the Movie channels?  Which are also free with the deal we got from the cable company because they screwed up!  I have been told this by them, we're not stealing anything)

We watched Shaolin Soccer (funny!) and Finding Neverland (excellent!).

I guess we made up for it yesterday, as we were both feeling a little under the weather, and I have a temp, so I'm working from home today....

Recipe for Me

How to make a Caltechgirl

Ingredients: 5 parts friendliness 5 parts ambition 3 parts joy

Method: Combine in a tall glass half filled with crushed ice. Top it off with a sprinkle of wisdom and enjoy!

found here

No House tonight, it's Dog time!

Gosh Darn American Idol...

Of course this means that I am free to watch as much Dog the Bounty Hunter as I like before TAR starts at 10.

Yes. I said Dog the Bounty Hunter. I love it. I'll probably watch it again on the 12am rerun, too.

I thought he HATED the little guy....

Seems as if the Supremes are about to side 8-1 with the bad guys:

The Supreme Court justices, with the exception of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, sounded Monday as if they were likely to bar prosecutors from using in court the words of alleged crime victims who speak to authorities but later refuse to testify. Such a ruling would greatly strengthen the right of defendants to be confronted with the witnesses against them, in the Constitution's words. However, it would be a major setback for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, who often are afraid to testify against their abusers.

And no, that "1" isn't John Roberts, it's Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

As James Joyner says,

"The bottom line, though, is that the accused's rights to confront his accuser in a manner that allows the jury to judge the demeanor of said accuser is paramount. A 911 call might be quite compelling but lacks a visual component. For all the jury knows, it could be staged by a spiteful ex-lover. It is harder to lie in open court than via telephone.
The irony here is that it is the liberal Justice (and blogger) taking the side of the accuser while the conservative Justice... [is] taking up for the rights of the accused."

What do you think?

For Joe

The Top 10 Best Alarm Clocks, guaranteed to WAKE YOUR ASS UP!!!

(our roommate senior year, the aforementioned Joe, was and is a notoriously heavy sleeper. Even kicking him didn't work at times....)

h/t McGehee

Nothing to see here, Move along!

More tomorrow, I hope.  Work is catching up with me....

Just a reminder, the new season of South Park starts tonight!

Ok, something interesting to post about

Prof. Reynolds laments a fellow law professor who is getting grief for banning laptops from his class.

He points out that several of his colleagues are fed up with them too, mostly because they encourage goofing off and can be a major disruption if the students don't have the volume off.

Not to mention that a million keys clicking is HIGHLY disconcerting when you're trying to talk.

Our school has a unique solution to this problem.  We have two classrooms equipped with computer consoles for each student and this technology.

SMART Board also incorporates a functionality that allows the user at the front of the classroom to LOCK OUT the other consoles, forcing the students to follow along with the lecturer, although it allows them to use the software to make notes, which can be emailed to the user or printed at the end of the class.

We love our SMART Boards, and we have them in every classroom.

Your Government at Work

Duck and Cover!

Maywood: A Haven for Illegals?

The South LA area city of Maywood is an interesting anomaly.  Over 95% Hispanic, the city has openly vowed to make itself a "sanctuary city" for illegal immigrants.

First, the city eliminated the Police Department's traffic division after complaints that officers unfairly targeted illegal immigrants. Then it made it much more difficult for police to tow cars whose owners didn't have driver's licenses, a practice that affected mostly undocumented people who could not obtain licenses.

In January, the City Council passed a resolution opposing a proposed federal law that would criminalize illegal immigration and make local police departments enforce immigration law. Now, some in the community are pushing to rename one of the city's elementary schools after former Mexican President Benito Juarez and debating measures to improve the lives of illegal immigrants.

Maywood leaders say they hope their actions will serve as a counterpoint to other cities, such as Costa Mesa in Orange County, that have moved forward with crackdowns on illegal immigrants and groups like the Minutemen border patrols.

"You just couldn't keep quiet. I think we needed to amplify the debate by saying that no human being is illegal," said Councilman Felipe Aguirre, 53. "These people are here … making your clothes, shining your shoes and taking care of your kids. And now you want to develop this hypocritical policy?"

Interestingly, this also caused a deep rift in the Hispanic community itself.

The city was developed in the 1920s and '30s as a working-class bedroom community for factory workers of L.A.'s industrial belt. But like the neighboring cities of Bell Gardens and Huntington Park, Maywood saw an influx of immigration as the area's factories began to close in the 1970s.

The campaign for immigrant rights has its roots in a long-brewing political divide between newer immigrants and older immigrants, who consider themselves more "Americanized," said Ceballos, who came to the United States as an illegal immigrant from Jalisco, Mexico, 37 years ago and is a longtime Maywood political observer.

"Many people who came here a long time ago feel that they had to sacrifice a lot more and do with a lot less than people who come to the country now," Ceballos said.

This discord was evident at a recent City Council meeting. On one side sat a group of newer immigrants who addressed the council in Spanish. On the other side sat a few of the city's longtime Anglo residents and Latinos who spoke in English.

At one point, when Anglo resident Kathleen Larsen spoke out angrily against naming an elementary school after Juarez, the audience members sitting behind her applauded. Most of them were Latino, and many were immigrants.

Interesting how Us vs Them has a different meaning in different communities.

All that aside, Maywood authorities are being short-sighted. Cutting their traffic division and refusing to impound cars of unlicensed drivers are dangerous to all citizens, not just a help to illegals and their families. Furthermore, supporting illegal immigrants is a drain on all the surrounding communities. I wouldn't be surprised if they find themselves an a heap of trouble if this becomes their official policy....

The Return of Chef

Matt and Trey RAWK.

In last night's SP, they
- blasted Scientology
- Killed Chef off
- Brought Chef back in a way that doesn't need Isaac Hayes' voice.....

Evil Servants of the Dark Lord Xenu indeed....

The Episode is here (download and BitTorrent).
The BBC review is here.

Spoilers below the jump....

Read More "The Return of Chef" »

Thursday Funnies

Stolen WHOLESALE from here:

How Many Christians Does It Take to Change a Light Bulb?

Charismatic: Only 1 - Hands are already in the air.

Pentecostal: 10 - One to change the bulb, and nine to pray against the spirit of darkness.

Presbyterians: None - Lights will go on and off at predestined times.

Roman Catholic: None - Candles only. (Of guaranteed origin of course.)

Baptists: At least 15 - One to change the light bulb, and three committees to approve the change and decide who brings the potato salad and fried chicken.

Episcopalians: 3 - One to call the electrician, one to mix the drinks, andone to talk about how much better the old one was.

Mormons: 5 - One man to change the bulb, and four wives to tell him how to do it.

Unitarians: We choose not to make a statement either in favor of or against the need for a light bulb. However, if in your own journey you have found that light bulbs work for you, you are invited to write a poem or compose a modern dance about your light bulb for the next Sunday service, in which we will explore a number of light bulb traditions, including incandescent, fluorescent, 3-way, long-life and tinted, all of which are equally valid paths to luminescence.

Methodists: Undetermined - Whether your light is bright, dull, or completely out, you are loved. You can be a light bulb, turnip bulb, or tulip bulb. Bring a bulb of your choice to the Sunday lighting service and a covered dish to pass.

Nazarene: 6 - One woman to replace the bulb while five men review churchlighting policy.

Lutherans: None - Lutherans don't believe in change.

Amish: What's a light bulb?

I had to add this one from my own experience:

Orthodox: None. They would do it the opposite way from the Catholics, but they're too cheap to replace the bulbs when they burn out.

How do you salute?

Matty O'BlackFive and Sgt. Hook (and others) weigh in on this proposal from Maj. Gen. Vernon Lewis (ret.):

I gathered some 16 of my old military friends who agreed to sponsor a movement for Veterans to salute rather than place their hands over their heart when honoring the flag, fallen comrades, and/or the country. I have some from each of the four principal services. Three of them were former Vice Chiefs or Assistant Commandants of their services, and several were former CINC’s.

We refer to saluting when we do the pledge to the flag, when the National Colors pass or are presented, when the National Anthem or honors are played, or when taps are played and firing squads or guns render honors.

At first glance, it seems ludicrous, but the discussion has gotten pretty interesting. I myself am not sure where I stand. Traditionally, the salute is reserved for uniformed soldiers, but as a mark of respect from the duty-bound, a salute seems appropriate from a veteran who has taken an oath for life.

And I admit, I would love to see this:

Just imagine thousands of fans salutiing at NFL, MBA, and Major League Baseball games when the National Anthem is plalyed. It will telegraph a message to all others of how many have served this country in the Armed Forces—it will be a positive and patroitic message.

Wouldn't you?

More Amusement

You Are Cindy Brady

Warm hearted and sweet, you have a childlike innocence that lets you see the good in everyone. But you're also a bit of a baby. You stick your nose where it doesn't belong... and cry when you get caught!

From big sis Jan Brady

Help a Sister Out

Dana of The Origin of Soul has been fighting her own personal war with Dell since THEY ruined her still-under-warranty computer.

She's tried just about everything to get this resolved.  Methinks she needs a lawyer to call them up and threaten.

Anybody got some advice for her?  Drop by here.  (Come on you BFLers.  I know we have a ton of lawyers, somebody should be able to give her some good advice!)

Two things

I haven't spoken about this yet, but my own thoughts and prayers are with Abdul Rahman, the Christian scheduled to be executed in Afghanistan simply because he is not a Muslim.  Efforts from the United States and others may keep this man from from being killed, but that isn't yet certain.

Also (and more this weekend) Guillermo Farinas is past day 50 of a hunger strike protesting the lack of something you're using right now (internet access) for Cubans under the regime of fidel castro

Blogburst for Guillermo Fariñas Hernandez

Senor Fariñas has rejected food and water for 57 days to protest the lack of freely available, uncensored internet access to the people of Cuba.

57 days.  The latest updates indicate that he will die soon.

Join the Blogburst.  Spread the word.  Read More.  Speak Out.  Sign the Petition.

You can.  You're reading this now, after all.

(technorati tag Guillermo Fariñas, Internet, )

Marriage-- For Whites Only?

Much has been made of the Joy Jones article in yesterday's Washington Post regarding the attitudes of young blacks towards marriage.

The best (bar none) commentary on this article I have seen is this piece by LaShawn Barber.  I'm not always in agreement with LaShawn, but in this case she hits the nail squarely on the head.  She says, in part:

"In my admittedly biased, unscientific observations, it appears that black boys are not being socialized to marry and take care of families, and black girls are not being socialized to accept nothing less than an honorable man who will marry and care for them. Generally speaking, boys are not being groomed to be husbands and breadwinners, and girls are not being groomed to keep their legs closed until marriage.

Why are these things so, and why is “black marriage” in such a dismal state? I believe the reasons boil down to two factions: fatherless homes and the weakening of the social stigma against illegitimacy."

There's a lot more, so do go read the rest.  I'll wait here, I promise.

As an educator in a university that was founded specifically to train minority students in the sciences, these attitudes in the Black community are critical to what I do everyday.  It's hard to combat the idea that a college education and a stable family aren't things that are for whites only.  It's hard to get a kid whose brother is in jail to believe that he or she can get into med school.  The kids (anecdotally) who end up making the decision to commit to college and be successful are more likely to be the ones that have a stronger base at home, either Mom and Dad, or parent and step-parent.

Furthermore, I find it ironic that this attitude reflects a self-imposed social segregation.  Many have written, and eloquently, about the re-segregation of the Black community, from the suburbs back to the urban ghettoes, and the embracing of ghetto culture as something unimpeachably "Ours".  In this mentality, wealth, education, and social well-being are disregarded as anathema to one's ethnic identity.  All under the guise of "keeping it real".

Since when is caring for your children, earning enough money to provide for them properly, and encouraging them to get an education NOT "real".  Or is "real" just another word for "victim"?

Which brings me to my own question about this article.  I get the sense that this attitude is a reflection of the broader feeling that Black=Victim (and, as a corollary, White=Abuser).  Why is it so important for the Black community to be the victim?  Is that the only identity that they can cling to?  Let's look at the evidence (using generalities here): Black communities come together in poor urban centers, they shun education and professional attitudes (see "uncle toms" and "oreos", the NBA Dress Code debacle, or Chris Rock's "Master's" skit), and now apparently devalue marriage and co-parenting.

Maybe the reason that marriage "isn't" for Blacks is that anything that "builds up" a family is incompatible with the community mentality.

I'm sure that I'm going to get a lot of sh*t from Black folks on this.  Yes, I am a white girl talking about Black culture.  But I work in this community.  I teach in this community.  And I see how the choices that people make impact their children's lives and choices.  The real issue shouldn't be who's asking the question, but rather how do we go about answering the problems.

Ha Ha, Fooled You!

Your Quirk Factor: 52%

You're a pretty quirky person, but you're just normal enough to hide it. Congratulations - you've fooled other people into thinking you're just like them!

from SF, 68% quirky

90K!

Visitor #90,000 arrived at 2:28:22 pm this afternoon from Shepeherdstown, WV on an IP belonging to Verizon Internet Services.

He/She ended up here from a google search: Do Veterans Salute?

Hope you found what you were looking for.

WooHoo!

Jill Carroll is Free!

Rusty (as usual) has the latest!

Weird Quiz

Somewhat accurate, but definitely weird.
Found here.

the Questioner

you chose CY - your Enneagram type is SIX. "I am affectionate and skeptical" Questioners are responsible, trustworthy, and value loyalty to family, friends, groups, and causes. Their personalities range broadly from reserved and timid to outspoken and confrontative. How to Get Along with Me Be direct and clear. Listen to me carefully. Don't judge me for my anxiety. Work things through with me. Reassure me that everything is OK between us. Laugh and make jokes with me. Gently push me toward new experiences. Try not to overreact to my overreacting. What I Like About Being a Six being committed and faithful to family and friends being responsible and hardworking being compassionate toward others having intellect and wit being a nonconformist confronting danger bravely being direct and assertive What's Hard About Being a Six the constant push and pull involved in trying to make up my mind procrastinating because of fear of failure; having little confidence in myself fearing being abandoned or taken advantage of exhausting myself by worrying and scanning for danger wishing I had a rule book at work so I could do everything right being too critical of myself when I haven't lived up to my expectations Sixes as Children Often are friendly, likable, and dependable, and/or sarcastic, bossy, and stubborn are anxious and hypervigilant; anticipate danger form a team of "us against them" with a best friend or parent look to groups or authorities to protect them and/or question authority and rebel are neglected or abused, come from unpredictable or alcoholic families, and/or take on the fearfulness of an overly anxious parent Sixes as Parents are often loving, nurturing, and have a strong sense of duty are sometimes reluctant to give their children independence worry more than most that their children will get hurt sometimes have trouble saying no and setting boundaries Renee Baron & Elizabeth Wagele The Enneagram Made Easy Discover the 9 Types of People HarperSanFrancisco, 1994, 161 pages You are not completely happy with the result? You chose CY Would you rather have chosen: AY (EIGHT) BY (FOUR) CX (TWO) CZ (ONE)

Link: The Quick and Painless ENNEAGRAM Test written by felk on OkCupid

Big Changes are on tap....

My one-year-as-a-Munuvian anniversary is a little over a week away, and to celebrate, this space is about to undergo a major change! A little old, a little new, a little borrowed, and a lot of blue.... (well, blue-purple)

Still have some bugs to fix (IE SUX!!!), but I may just decide to say "Screw it" and force y'all to adopt Firefox!