Wednesday, April 29, 2009
100 Days
in an alternate universe...
Day 1: Having spent the nearly three months between election day and inauguration day being brought up to speed by Dick Cheney on effective concealment strategies for the Bush administration's plethoric dirty secrets and giving Vice President Sarah Palin a crash-course in introduction to government, President McCain does not hit the ground running. He is stunned to find out that the September suspension of his campaign did not magically solve the financial crisis and that the fundamentals of the economy are not strong.
Day 2: President McCain nominates the only Republican willing to accept the position as secretary of the Treasury, whose appointment is fast-tracked through Congress in light of the growing economic crisis.
Day 3: Treasury secretary Ron Paul promptly disbands the department of the Treasury.
Days 4-18: The stock markets crash, precipitating a run on the banks, which in turn hastens the financial collapse. Mass chaos erupts across the country. Vice President Palin blames the economic catastrophe on University of Illinois professor William Ayers and calls for his execution. Texas announces its secession from the union. Chuck Norris is elected president of Texistan.
Day 19: President McCain tries to restore order by giving a televised speech which will later become known as the "My Friends, We're Fucked" debacle.
Day 20: Dick Cheney shoots President McCain in the face.
-Read the rest at The Guardian.
I haven't read any of the articles on Obama's first 100 days. I suppose if you haven't been paying attention for the last 3+ months, now might be a good time to catch up. More or less, I feel like the whole "100 days" meme we feel compelled to play during each new administration is basically an excuse for the media to pat itself on the back and say, "See? We're not completely inummerate."
Day 1: Having spent the nearly three months between election day and inauguration day being brought up to speed by Dick Cheney on effective concealment strategies for the Bush administration's plethoric dirty secrets and giving Vice President Sarah Palin a crash-course in introduction to government, President McCain does not hit the ground running. He is stunned to find out that the September suspension of his campaign did not magically solve the financial crisis and that the fundamentals of the economy are not strong.
Day 2: President McCain nominates the only Republican willing to accept the position as secretary of the Treasury, whose appointment is fast-tracked through Congress in light of the growing economic crisis.
Day 3: Treasury secretary Ron Paul promptly disbands the department of the Treasury.
Days 4-18: The stock markets crash, precipitating a run on the banks, which in turn hastens the financial collapse. Mass chaos erupts across the country. Vice President Palin blames the economic catastrophe on University of Illinois professor William Ayers and calls for his execution. Texas announces its secession from the union. Chuck Norris is elected president of Texistan.
Day 19: President McCain tries to restore order by giving a televised speech which will later become known as the "My Friends, We're Fucked" debacle.
Day 20: Dick Cheney shoots President McCain in the face.
-Read the rest at The Guardian.
I haven't read any of the articles on Obama's first 100 days. I suppose if you haven't been paying attention for the last 3+ months, now might be a good time to catch up. More or less, I feel like the whole "100 days" meme we feel compelled to play during each new administration is basically an excuse for the media to pat itself on the back and say, "See? We're not completely inummerate."
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Rethugs Face Specter of Death
I am apparently not the only one shocked by Arlen Specter's abandonment of the Republican party. Obviously, the first important consequence of this is that, with Al Franken's (basically inevitable) seating sometime in the next month or two, the dems will have a fillibuster-proof majority- though Specter has already made it clear that on some issues he will not vote the party line. More power to him.
The issue that is of greater interest to me, though, is what this says about the viability of the Republican party. I have occasionally commented that I felt the best possible outcome would be for "Republicans" to split into two parties: I refer to these as the Conservative party, those who adhere to the principles of conservatism as practiced by Eisenhower and Nixon (though without Nixon's psychopathologies), and espoused by Goldwater. The important feature with this party is that they would be willing to think and compromise, to make judgement calls based on the costs and payoffs to all constituents and their needs and wants. The other splinter of Republicanism I have referred to as the Rapture party. This party would base all decisions on delivered wisdom and faith. Black and white, with us or against us, there is no compromise and we take no prisoners. Clearly, based on this characterization, Bush II was our first- and hopefully last- Rapturist president.
I have more or less come to accept that there is a sizable fraction of the American public, maybe 15-20 percent, or 30-40 percent of the Republican party, who so reject rationality and careful thought and decision-making, that they simply cannot come to terms with the fact that many of us (most of us, thankfully) believe that the heart of being human consists of careful thought and the intrinsic uncertainty that goes with it. It is careful thought, judicious risk-taking, and sober analyses of and reaction to the consequences of decisions that have created the civilization and culture in which we now live.
The Rapture party does not and cannot accept this. As such, though they have been uncomfortably in bed with conservatives since the post-Carter era, they have never been a good fit with that party, and are now beyond reconciliation. Thus I have asserted that the best outcome I could envision was for the two groups to split.
Specter's renunciation of Republican political games does not imply a renunciation of conservative principles. His change of party does more to drive dems to the right, and Republicans away from the center, further to the right. In my amateur analysis (and considering Olympia Snowe's comments in the above article), this move suggests that Conservatives no longer see Republicans as a viable party, and are abandoning it to the Rapturists.
I think over the short term, this will allow Democrats to achieve some important, cheering and refreshing legislative goals- and I don't want to downplay the benefits, both human and economic, of instituting (for example) universal health care. Over the mid to long term though, I am concerned over several things: first, the concentration of power in a moderate "Democratic" party will come at the loss of strong liberal principles, ideas and agenda. Second, without a rational conservative core to the Republican party, and that party's defacto co-option by defacto theocrats, we can expect the persecution/martyrdom/martial jihadi noise machine of Beck/O'Reilly/Limbaugh/Coulter/etc. to ramp up even further than it already has. Expect new madmen to emerge, and because mainstream journalism is as lost as modern politics, garner a disporportionate and largely unquestioned amount of coverage and credibility. Finally, this makes me fear that instead of three parties, liberal, conservative and crazy, we could end up with only two: middle of the road and crazy.
And I don't think that's a good option.
The issue that is of greater interest to me, though, is what this says about the viability of the Republican party. I have occasionally commented that I felt the best possible outcome would be for "Republicans" to split into two parties: I refer to these as the Conservative party, those who adhere to the principles of conservatism as practiced by Eisenhower and Nixon (though without Nixon's psychopathologies), and espoused by Goldwater. The important feature with this party is that they would be willing to think and compromise, to make judgement calls based on the costs and payoffs to all constituents and their needs and wants. The other splinter of Republicanism I have referred to as the Rapture party. This party would base all decisions on delivered wisdom and faith. Black and white, with us or against us, there is no compromise and we take no prisoners. Clearly, based on this characterization, Bush II was our first- and hopefully last- Rapturist president.
I have more or less come to accept that there is a sizable fraction of the American public, maybe 15-20 percent, or 30-40 percent of the Republican party, who so reject rationality and careful thought and decision-making, that they simply cannot come to terms with the fact that many of us (most of us, thankfully) believe that the heart of being human consists of careful thought and the intrinsic uncertainty that goes with it. It is careful thought, judicious risk-taking, and sober analyses of and reaction to the consequences of decisions that have created the civilization and culture in which we now live.
The Rapture party does not and cannot accept this. As such, though they have been uncomfortably in bed with conservatives since the post-Carter era, they have never been a good fit with that party, and are now beyond reconciliation. Thus I have asserted that the best outcome I could envision was for the two groups to split.
Specter's renunciation of Republican political games does not imply a renunciation of conservative principles. His change of party does more to drive dems to the right, and Republicans away from the center, further to the right. In my amateur analysis (and considering Olympia Snowe's comments in the above article), this move suggests that Conservatives no longer see Republicans as a viable party, and are abandoning it to the Rapturists.
I think over the short term, this will allow Democrats to achieve some important, cheering and refreshing legislative goals- and I don't want to downplay the benefits, both human and economic, of instituting (for example) universal health care. Over the mid to long term though, I am concerned over several things: first, the concentration of power in a moderate "Democratic" party will come at the loss of strong liberal principles, ideas and agenda. Second, without a rational conservative core to the Republican party, and that party's defacto co-option by defacto theocrats, we can expect the persecution/martyrdom/martial jihadi noise machine of Beck/O'Reilly/Limbaugh/Coulter/etc. to ramp up even further than it already has. Expect new madmen to emerge, and because mainstream journalism is as lost as modern politics, garner a disporportionate and largely unquestioned amount of coverage and credibility. Finally, this makes me fear that instead of three parties, liberal, conservative and crazy, we could end up with only two: middle of the road and crazy.
And I don't think that's a good option.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Terrorist Chickenhawks
see more Political Pictures
I haven't said too much about the whole torture issue yet. I tend not to say much if things I read say it better than I think I could. But for the record:
1) Waterboarding someone six times a day for a month is torture, not "enhanced interrogation."
2) If it takes that kind of frequency, and you can't trust the information you get, it's not effective.
3) Frankly, I don't care if it might be effective. It's illegal. It's illegal because it's wrong. One of the best comments I've seen on this (sorry, don't remember the source) said that torture is like the One Ring in Tolkien's work: however tempting it might look, however convinced one might be that it can be used for positive ends, whatever the extreme circumstances, it corrupts. It destroys the ability to make ethical judgements. It fosters a sense of power and invulnerabilty that lead the user to misuse it ever more and more.
4) The publicized instances in and of themselves look like crimes against humanity to me. And I'm afraid we have still seen little of the evidence; I fully expect there will be more revelations.
5) It's time for a full investigation by a body that has power to issue subpoenas and, potentially, criminal indictments. We do not dismiss those suspected of murder or drunk driving in an effort to "look forward" rather than back.
6) It's is difficult for me to find sympathy for Kalid Sheikh Mohammed or Abu Zubaydah. My reading convinces me that these are two pretty nasty individuals. However. If we have a vicious dog, we put it down. If we have a suspected criminal, we put him on trial. We don't torture them, whether out of perverted glee that we can, or out of the misguided belief that we can get get valid evidence. The first case is monsterous, the second monsterously incorrect. I cannot confidently say, given what I've read in the last week, that monsterous acts didn't occur... six times a day!? For a month!!!?
7) The terrorist chickenhawks have smeared this country's reputation in ways that I will never be able to forgive or comprehend, whatever happens from here.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Row, Row, Row Your Boat
gently 'cross the pool.
Fetch the ball and bring it back,
This doggie is no fool:
Hat Tip to Swans on Tea
Fetch the ball and bring it back,
This doggie is no fool:
Hat Tip to Swans on Tea
Saturday, April 25, 2009
The Moon
and Venus.
Venus alone, top, and both objects, below. Wednesday morning, had I been up and in an appropriate viewing spot, I could have watched Venus disappear behind the moon for about an hour. Unfortunately, neither condition was met. Fortunately, APOD captured the conjunction beautifully (Click over for full-size; it really is awe-inspiring). There is something very science fictiony about this photo that I just love.
Just few minutes ago, SpaceWeather sent me an alert to let me know about another conjunction that will occur tomorrow at sunset. Mercury is never far above the horizon, and it's never too bright, so spotting it in a twilit sky is difficult. I've only seen the planet a few times, but once you spot it, it's a naked-eye object. Having something prominant, like, say, the crescent moon, to guide your search should make it easier to find. Hint: Mercury will not be inside the crescent.
Space Weather News for April 25, 2009 http://spaceweather.com/ SUNSET CONJUNCTION: When the sun goes down on Sunday, April 26th, step outside and look west. An exquisitely-slender crescent Moon is lining up with Mercury and the Pleiades star cluster for a three-way conjunction in the sunset sky. Click here for the full story and a sky map: http://spaceweather.com/headlines/y2009/24apr_eveningsky.php
Venus alone, top, and both objects, below. Wednesday morning, had I been up and in an appropriate viewing spot, I could have watched Venus disappear behind the moon for about an hour. Unfortunately, neither condition was met. Fortunately, APOD captured the conjunction beautifully (Click over for full-size; it really is awe-inspiring). There is something very science fictiony about this photo that I just love.Just few minutes ago, SpaceWeather sent me an alert to let me know about another conjunction that will occur tomorrow at sunset. Mercury is never far above the horizon, and it's never too bright, so spotting it in a twilit sky is difficult. I've only seen the planet a few times, but once you spot it, it's a naked-eye object. Having something prominant, like, say, the crescent moon, to guide your search should make it easier to find. Hint: Mercury will not be inside the crescent.
Space Weather News for April 25, 2009 http://spaceweather.com/ SUNSET CONJUNCTION: When the sun goes down on Sunday, April 26th, step outside and look west. An exquisitely-slender crescent Moon is lining up with Mercury and the Pleiades star cluster for a three-way conjunction in the sunset sky. Click here for the full story and a sky map: http://spaceweather.com/headlines/y2009/24apr_eveningsky.php
Friday, April 24, 2009
Volcanic Winter
If you like meteorology- and have a little background in it- you will like Jeff Master's Weather Wunderblog. We are coming up on hurricane season, and I enjoy reading in-depth analyses of these storms. The Weather Channel used to do a fairly decent job of this, but they seem too caught up in breathless and shameless disaster programming these days to actually do decent weather analysis.
The reason I bring this up is that today's post is a fascinating examination of the climatic effects of large volcanic eruptions. Combining historical perspectives, the most recent results of climate modeling, and examples from both human experiences with, and geological history of, major eruptions, some of the passages are (to me at least) quite riveting. For example:
The reason I bring this up is that today's post is a fascinating examination of the climatic effects of large volcanic eruptions. Combining historical perspectives, the most recent results of climate modeling, and examples from both human experiences with, and geological history of, major eruptions, some of the passages are (to me at least) quite riveting. For example:
If a mega-colossal eruption were to occur today, it would probably not be able to push Earth into an ice age, according to a modeling study done by Jones et al. (2005). They found that an eruption like Toba would cool the Earth by about 17°F (9.4°C) after the first year (Figure 3), and the temperature would gradually recover to 3°F (1.8°C) below normal ten years after the eruption. They found that the eruption would reduce rainfall by 50% globally for the first two years, and up to 90%over the Amazon, Southeast Asia, and central Africa. This would obviously be very bad for human civilization, with the cold and lack of sunshine causing widespread crop failures and starvation of millions of people. Furthermore, the eruption would lead to a partial loss of Earth's protective ozone layer, allowing highly damaging levels of ultraviolet light to penetrate to the surface.So if, like me, you are a fan of both the atmosphere and the geosphere, this would be a good time to check out this excellent blog.
Cat...cat...CHOOOO!
Sorry I've been so remiss about posting. Allergies have been driving me mad this week. I didn't know allergies could be so bad they made you dizzy. My nose is raw from being ground at with tissues and napkins. Nuff said... I just haven't been thinking clearly enough to say anything interesting, and I'm still not. So have a couple of funny cat videos.
(Hat Tip to Badtux)
Sorry, don't remember. Now if you'll excuse me, I feel a sneeze coming on. Again.
(Hat Tip to Badtux)
Sorry, don't remember. Now if you'll excuse me, I feel a sneeze coming on. Again.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Sunday Funnies
Apologies for the confusion here... Blooger (as I call it when it pisses me off) every now and then decides it's going to post something long before I actually have it put together. Also, when I'm trying to load more than one photo, it is ever so helpful about dropping in line returns and paragraph breaks... quite literally dozens, if there's more than a few pictures. So some of you may have seen a rather messy and incomplete version of Sunday Funnies.
The big find this week was My First Dictionary... the first dictionary for depressive paranoid schizophrenics.
The big find this week was My First Dictionary... the first dictionary for depressive paranoid schizophrenics.
Dave Schumaker at The Geology News Blog summarized my attitude toward physical activity...
...although I have to admit, I might have enjoyed the following activity in my younger days:
From Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal
Partially Clips had a parable for our time. Blooger, bless its pointy little head, makes it difficult to make the picture big enough to read, so I recommend clicking over to see a version that doesn't require squinting.
I've been loving Wee Mousie's Classic Film stills for a while now. This one caused me a little bit of embarrassment when I broke out laughing in one of those odd quiet lulls that sometime happen in a crowded area. I had been planning on posting this last week, but it didn't really fit with the Easter theme. It turned out for the best, because the following shows what I think it would really look like if all of James Dobson's stupid went critical:
From My [confined] Space.
Of course one big news item this week was all the "teabagging" protests, which I addressed here and here (I finally got a comment from Micgar on the latter one today, but I personally think it's one of the funnier things I've posted). But Seeds of Doubt, another political humor and satire blog I've followed for a while, knocked this one out of the park with the two following funnies:
Phydreaux Speaks posted this insight on the demographics of teabagging...
Moving on to other news, a dead pixel has been spotted on Google Earth:
"Dead pixel in Google Earth" by Helmut Smits, 82 x 82 cm burned square, the size of one pixel from an altitude of 1 km. Hat tip to Today and Tomorrow.
see more Lolcats and funny pictures. The requisite LolCats... the thing I adore about the above picture is that no matter what caption you put on it, it would be side-splitting. The next one isn't funny; it's truth.
see more Lolcats and funny pictures
see more pwn and owned pictures. Failblog comes through with another masterful example of incompetence, but Bill Gates will not be outdone on that battlefield.
see more Political Pictures
And it has sort of become traditional to send you all on your way with some cautionary message to consider as you start the new week...
see more pwn and owned pictures
Have a good one!
Saturday, April 18, 2009
A Spring Walk Across the OSU Campus
Whatever strengths and weaknesses Oregon State University may have- and I could go on ad nauseum about either- one thing that you have to grant is that its landscaping is absolutely beautiful. Our winters may be gloomy, but the spring flowers, when we get a few days of sun, are mind boggling. Today's highs were probably mid 70's, about perfect in my book, and the next two days are supposed to be even warmer and sunnier. The rhododendrons and azaleas peak in early to mid May; at that point the whole campus is a riot of color.
Rhodies near the engineering buildings and a close-up.
A magnolia near Chemical Engineering, and another close-up.
One rhododendron is just coming into bloom; the others are still budding. Milne Hall (Math) on the left, and The Valley Library in the middle distance.
Azaleas
Since OSU has a world-class forestry school, there are many non-native species on campus, but lately they've been trying to give the natives some representation
A trillium; I'm not sure what the flower in the middle left is.
And a close-up of the trillium, with a background of diabase (intermediate grain size between gabbro and basalt), another native material.
Again, I'm not sure what this is, though it looks like some kind of apple or a relative- maybe a crabapple? Note the moss and lichen growing on the twigs. Epiphytes like it here even better than the flowers. Most trees here stay green through the winter even though they've lost all their leaves.
Rhodies near the engineering buildings and a close-up.A magnolia near Chemical Engineering, and another close-up.One rhododendron is just coming into bloom; the others are still budding. Milne Hall (Math) on the left, and The Valley Library in the middle distance.
Azaleas Since OSU has a world-class forestry school, there are many non-native species on campus, but lately they've been trying to give the natives some representation A trillium; I'm not sure what the flower in the middle left is. And a close-up of the trillium, with a background of diabase (intermediate grain size between gabbro and basalt), another native material.Again, I'm not sure what this is, though it looks like some kind of apple or a relative- maybe a crabapple? Note the moss and lichen growing on the twigs. Epiphytes like it here even better than the flowers. Most trees here stay green through the winter even though they've lost all their leaves.
Caturday
Ozma is rarely underfoot, unless I have just come home and walked into the kitchen... she knows that means food. And she's so damned fast and quiet that this event almost always involves her getting kicked (accidentally, of course). I keep hoping she'll learn.
But one of her more endearing habits is her inclination to stay close by where ever I am. I have learned that if I get up to go to the bathroom and come back to my desk, I need to look around and make sure I know where she is. She doesn't appreciate getting run over by the chair.
She has been appreciating the warmth lately. The last couple of nights have been chilly- down in the 30's- but I've been leaving the porch door open enough for her to come and go as she wants. She is still able to jump up onto the porch, which still amazes me: if I was able to jump a proportional vertical distance, it would be about 50 feet. Over the winter she has learned to scratch at the door to get my attention, but there have been a couple of nights I've gone to bed before she decided it was time to come in. In the morning, she was curled up about a foot from my face.
But one of her more endearing habits is her inclination to stay close by where ever I am. I have learned that if I get up to go to the bathroom and come back to my desk, I need to look around and make sure I know where she is. She doesn't appreciate getting run over by the chair.
She has been appreciating the warmth lately. The last couple of nights have been chilly- down in the 30's- but I've been leaving the porch door open enough for her to come and go as she wants. She is still able to jump up onto the porch, which still amazes me: if I was able to jump a proportional vertical distance, it would be about 50 feet. Over the winter she has learned to scratch at the door to get my attention, but there have been a couple of nights I've gone to bed before she decided it was time to come in. In the morning, she was curled up about a foot from my face.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Those Crazy Alaskans
The Alaska legislature has rejected the nomination of Wayne Anthony Ross, Governor Palin's pick for attorney general. Apparently, according to this article in The Anchorage Daily News, this is the first time the legislature has rejected a choice for a leader of a state agency. Given the nature of quotes from Ross that have been circulating on the internet over the last few days, I'm pleased to see him rejected. One quote attributed to him (which he claims is not accurate) is “If a guy can’t rape his wife, who’s he gonna rape?” Whether the quote is accurate or not (and I'd be willing to give him the benefit of the doubt on this one, without further evidence), this ding-a-ling has left a looong paper trail of written screeds he'd have a harder time denying. According to the same article, "his nomination was thrown into grave peril when his opponents presented evidence that he called homosexuals “degenerates,” leveled invective against an African-American student offended by a statue of a Klansman, vowed to undermine the sovereignty of Native American tribes, and allegedly defended men who rape their wives."
Now the fact is, we as a culture have become jaded and apathetic regarding extremist righty rhetoric; just a few years ago, MoveOn.org faced a major PR crisis when one of hundreds of video submissions for an advertising campaign made allusions to the fascist tendencies of the Bush Administration. The right was convulsing, and even the left was awfully sheepish about the event- though I felt at the time, and still do, that the clip in question was thought-provoking, timely, and contained a firm nucleus of truth. Now, the manic media madman Glenn Beck gets paid millions to spend hours each week describing fatuous parallels between "socialist" "fascist" "communist" "happy face" Obama policies and those of Hitler, in between bouts of tears and loving his country. And the right nods sagely to itself as it contemplates the rapture and teabags. And the left rolls its eyes and grits its teeth and tries to stay polite.
The point is, I'm not really surprised or shocked or outraged to hear attributions of such comments to Wayne Anthony Ross, or W.A.R., as his vanity plates proudly proclaim.
But when a nominee for attorney general is quoted as saying, "it seems to me the most important thing that can be done by the Senate is not argue with legal or illegal but to appoint somebody to represent Juneau," by the reporter to whom he made the comment, I have to say I'm really, really glad to hear he was rejected. Isn't it nice that a person whose proposed job is to enforce the law didn't get that job after saying that he wasn't really worried about whether things were legal or illegal? Baby steps, people, baby steps.
Now the fact is, we as a culture have become jaded and apathetic regarding extremist righty rhetoric; just a few years ago, MoveOn.org faced a major PR crisis when one of hundreds of video submissions for an advertising campaign made allusions to the fascist tendencies of the Bush Administration. The right was convulsing, and even the left was awfully sheepish about the event- though I felt at the time, and still do, that the clip in question was thought-provoking, timely, and contained a firm nucleus of truth. Now, the manic media madman Glenn Beck gets paid millions to spend hours each week describing fatuous parallels between "socialist" "fascist" "communist" "happy face" Obama policies and those of Hitler, in between bouts of tears and loving his country. And the right nods sagely to itself as it contemplates the rapture and teabags. And the left rolls its eyes and grits its teeth and tries to stay polite.
The point is, I'm not really surprised or shocked or outraged to hear attributions of such comments to Wayne Anthony Ross, or W.A.R., as his vanity plates proudly proclaim.
But when a nominee for attorney general is quoted as saying, "it seems to me the most important thing that can be done by the Senate is not argue with legal or illegal but to appoint somebody to represent Juneau," by the reporter to whom he made the comment, I have to say I'm really, really glad to hear he was rejected. Isn't it nice that a person whose proposed job is to enforce the law didn't get that job after saying that he wasn't really worried about whether things were legal or illegal? Baby steps, people, baby steps.
"Unique and Independent"
Michael Tomasky and Andy Duckworth examine how Texas could truly achieve Governor Perry's claimed uniqueness and independence, for example, by turning away federal funds for highway maintainence. Or guaranteed and subsidized loans for rail freight line maintainence. Or, they could actually secede. Money quote: "They'd be a failed state in about four years." Video here.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
What Is It With Bacon?
So this guy makes the equivalent of an acetylene torch with "engineering-grade bacon" (proscuitto). But vegetarians, don't despair: he makes another with breadsticks and a cucumber... it's not as effective at cutting plate steel, but still very impressive. I'd bet if he dipped the breadsticks in olive oil, they burn back more slowly and cut steel as well as the bacon. Whatever. Obviously, this is an economic issue... some people have way too much time on their hands these days. From The Feedbag. I can't get the embedding to work, but it is worthwhile to click over and watch the clip.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Wednesday Words
Criminy... I knew I'd been sort remiss about keeping up with my "regular" posts, but it's been almost a month since I last posted Wednesday Words. I'll try to do better. Promise.
Hey, put down that teabag! It could be loaded!
Hey, put down that teabag! It could be loaded!
If Democrats Were As Dumb As Republicans
We'd hold demonstrations proclaiming the benefits of predatory redistribution of wealth, confiscating 99.9% of all incomes over a dollar per year, and throwing those funds at those who earn less than that amount. And we would call these demonstrations "Golden Showers." The fun would arise from the fact that as soon as the recipients passed a dollar, we would take away all of their funds, and give the golden shower to someone else. Golden Showers for Everyone!
My mind reels.
My mind reels.
No Teabagging Here
All the teas at my favorite coffee shop are bulk.
Could I offer you a strainer?
After all, what's the fun in teabagging if you get all those loose twinings in your mouth?
I have to admit, I'm kind of naive about a lot of this stuff, and the unintentional double-entendre associated with this event was completely off my radar until late last week or so. I'm horrified, not by the name itself, but by the complete idiocy and obliviousness of the other major party in this country.
Iris and Sam and I had a funny converstation about this topic a moment ago, and I figured while I had the camera motor up and running, I'd share a picture of Sam, another of my favorite Interzone People. I thought this came out well. I have lent Sam a number of Sci-Fi/Fantasy books over the last couple of years, notably Connie Willis and George R.R. Martin. She adores the "Song of Fire and Ice" series, and has been dragging her reading out the fourth volume for several months now, trying to make it last until the next volume comes out. I have been so accustomed to thinking of her as "Sam," that when she sent some links in an e-mail a while back, with the sender identified as "Samantha (lastname)," it was actually a couple of hours before I realized who it was from.
Could I offer you a strainer?After all, what's the fun in teabagging if you get all those loose twinings in your mouth?I have to admit, I'm kind of naive about a lot of this stuff, and the unintentional double-entendre associated with this event was completely off my radar until late last week or so. I'm horrified, not by the name itself, but by the complete idiocy and obliviousness of the other major party in this country.
Iris and Sam and I had a funny converstation about this topic a moment ago, and I figured while I had the camera motor up and running, I'd share a picture of Sam, another of my favorite Interzone People. I thought this came out well. I have lent Sam a number of Sci-Fi/Fantasy books over the last couple of years, notably Connie Willis and George R.R. Martin. She adores the "Song of Fire and Ice" series, and has been dragging her reading out the fourth volume for several months now, trying to make it last until the next volume comes out. I have been so accustomed to thinking of her as "Sam," that when she sent some links in an e-mail a while back, with the sender identified as "Samantha (lastname)," it was actually a couple of hours before I realized who it was from.
Shock and Awe I Can Get Behind
If you haven't seen the video of Susan Boyle's stunning performance on "Britain Has Talent," you need to take a few minutes to give yourself a treat. (Embedding is disabled, so here's the link to the YouTube site)
I came across this Monday, and even then, it seemed like it was going viral. I'm pleased to post items that seem obscure but worthy of attention, but I feel it's a waste of everyone's time to post things that most have already seen. Chats with a number of fellow coffee drinkers, though, has made it clear that many folks have not yet seen this clip. I told Ben last night that I had sent it to him and Lydia, and that if it didn't make them cry a little, I didn't want to know, because it meant they weren't human. Ben told me earlier today to rest assured that they were both quite human.
The Washington Post has an article that gives a little more background on this wonderful woman.
I came across this Monday, and even then, it seemed like it was going viral. I'm pleased to post items that seem obscure but worthy of attention, but I feel it's a waste of everyone's time to post things that most have already seen. Chats with a number of fellow coffee drinkers, though, has made it clear that many folks have not yet seen this clip. I told Ben last night that I had sent it to him and Lydia, and that if it didn't make them cry a little, I didn't want to know, because it meant they weren't human. Ben told me earlier today to rest assured that they were both quite human.
The Washington Post has an article that gives a little more background on this wonderful woman.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Bad Time to be a Pirate
From Big. Crush.
Tha'ss rite dawg... Obama be da man. In other news, Yoda is looking for a new job.
Now in fairness, if we were to plot Al Quaida #2 leaders killed vs. president, it would look much the same, but shrub would have 6391 #2 leaders killed, and everyone else would have zero. You have to hand it to Al Quaida... their chain of command is astonishingly effective. We could take out 6 or 7 #2 leaders in one day! Then four or five the next. Judging by Chief Justice Roberts' performance, we wouldn't be able to swear in two vice presidents in a month, let alone a half dozen in an afternoon. But I don't think Obama has taken out a single number two Al Quaida leader yet. Better get on the ball, Barack! The right might decide you're not all you're cracked up to be. And we couldn't have that.
Tha'ss rite dawg... Obama be da man. In other news, Yoda is looking for a new job.Now in fairness, if we were to plot Al Quaida #2 leaders killed vs. president, it would look much the same, but shrub would have 6391 #2 leaders killed, and everyone else would have zero. You have to hand it to Al Quaida... their chain of command is astonishingly effective. We could take out 6 or 7 #2 leaders in one day! Then four or five the next. Judging by Chief Justice Roberts' performance, we wouldn't be able to swear in two vice presidents in a month, let alone a half dozen in an afternoon. But I don't think Obama has taken out a single number two Al Quaida leader yet. Better get on the ball, Barack! The right might decide you're not all you're cracked up to be. And we couldn't have that.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Sunday Funnies: Easter Edition!
Because Easter falls on a Sunday this year! Now Easter is a fairly grim holiday, if taken at face value: a religious leader is executed in a particularly horrific manner, then re-emerges from his grave as a zombie three days later... and eventually establishes a nation based on brain-dead "principles" and "values." For example, every life is sacred, as long as you haven't been born yet. After that miraculous event, you're on your own. People who don't look like you or believe what you believe are not fully human, and Jeebus fully approves of killing them... I think this is part of the whole zombie thing. You can't become a zombie if you're still alive.
But the point is, some of these funnies are kind of grim, just like the holiday (and The Addams Family). If your answer to the question, "How far should the Addams Family go?" is "Not too far," use some discretion. I will say, in my own defense, that I've shown the most questionable of these to other coffee drinkers, and all have elicited some laughs. But some have brought out (funny to me) expressions of repugnance and disgust. So when you get to one that makes you cringe, stop there. I'll try to order these from innoucuous to utterly tasteless. You have been warned.
I'll start with the downright silly "Pets Who Want to Kill Themselves." I've never understood the desire to dress up pets, but obviously it's a common compulsion...
(From this post)
Then we have last week's find, This is Why You're Fat, from this post:
Deep-fried Cadbury Eggs!
Like most holdays, Easter is associated with a variety of foods. I remember some lamb cakes (with coconut wool) from my childhood, but aside from the candy, my strongest Easter food association is an exquisite ham. But apparently cakes are a big one for many people. Cake Wrecks... what, you don't know about Cake Wrecks? Oh, have you got a treat in store! Well, that blog has been presenting some hysterical examples of badly conceived and executed cakes for several days now (Followup: Easter cakes, I should have said. Cake Wrecks has been posting hilarious cakes for almost a year- the first blogoversary will be May 20). As always, if the photo itself isn't enough to crack you up, the snarky commentary will reduce you to tears. The comment here is "How about a couple of coiled yellow snakes to get you in the Easter spirit?"
And with this one, she remarks, "You know what screams "Easter" to me? A couple of red, white and blue doughnuts. No, really. Look:
The Christmas-y red and green ones would have been too much of stretch, though. [nodding] Totally."
Now each of the posts I've linked above has a number of wrecky cakes, but she has done a couple of others that each have their own share of laughs, including one on lambs and one on chicks. And on the regular feature, Sunday Sweets, some truly exquisite examples of artisan cakes will spark your sense of awe instead of your sense of humor. I think today's offerings are among the most impressive I've seen.
You don't want to know how Santa funds his operations. (Savage Chickens)
An explanation for why, even though the zombie raised havoc for weeks after his reanimation, there is no "Gospel According to Jeebus:"
see more pwn and owned pictures
Despite the fact that all holidays have historical baggage associated with them, it seems only the wingnuttiest fundamental christians (I will not dignify them with a capital letter) see Satan in every tiny deviation from some Cliff Notes version of the bibble that only they are privy to...
(From Criggo)
I'm assuming this is photoshopped, but often times such assumptions are very, very tenative...
From LoLtheist.
Even Pharyngula got in on the Easter action...
Now I do want to insert some text here, first to note that the next (and last) two "funnies" might be offensive to some... I personally find them very funny in a morbid sort of way, but you might not. Since this is my blog, I decide what goes and what doesn't... I just think it's polite and thoughtful to be aware of, and sensitive to, my guests' sensibilities. That said, I'll preface the next with a joke I've always liked.
A customer walks into an "inspirational" store and browses around for a few minutes. He comes up to the counter with a baseball cap with the initials WWJD blazoned across the front in metallic gold. He asks the clerk, "What does 'WWJD' mean?"
The clerk responds, "It stands for 'What would Jesus do?' It's a reminder that each time you run into a moral quandry, the best way to the Christian answer to the problem is to ask yourself that question."
The customer looks down at the hat for a moment, then looks back at the clerk, and sets the cap down firmly on the counter. As he turns to walk out, he says, "Well, I don't think Jesus would spend 29.95 on a cheesy baseball cap made in China. He couldn't even read it unless he took it off."
(From LoLtheist)
Now this is definitely not one for the kiddies...
...but don't worry, he gets resurrected for next year. It's the miracle of Easter! (From My [confined] Space)
But the point is, some of these funnies are kind of grim, just like the holiday (and The Addams Family). If your answer to the question, "How far should the Addams Family go?" is "Not too far," use some discretion. I will say, in my own defense, that I've shown the most questionable of these to other coffee drinkers, and all have elicited some laughs. But some have brought out (funny to me) expressions of repugnance and disgust. So when you get to one that makes you cringe, stop there. I'll try to order these from innoucuous to utterly tasteless. You have been warned.
I'll start with the downright silly "Pets Who Want to Kill Themselves." I've never understood the desire to dress up pets, but obviously it's a common compulsion...
(From this post)Then we have last week's find, This is Why You're Fat, from this post:
Deep-fried Cadbury Eggs!Like most holdays, Easter is associated with a variety of foods. I remember some lamb cakes (with coconut wool) from my childhood, but aside from the candy, my strongest Easter food association is an exquisite ham. But apparently cakes are a big one for many people. Cake Wrecks... what, you don't know about Cake Wrecks? Oh, have you got a treat in store! Well, that blog has been presenting some hysterical examples of badly conceived and executed cakes for several days now (Followup: Easter cakes, I should have said. Cake Wrecks has been posting hilarious cakes for almost a year- the first blogoversary will be May 20). As always, if the photo itself isn't enough to crack you up, the snarky commentary will reduce you to tears. The comment here is "How about a couple of coiled yellow snakes to get you in the Easter spirit?"
And with this one, she remarks, "You know what screams "Easter" to me? A couple of red, white and blue doughnuts. No, really. Look:The Christmas-y red and green ones would have been too much of stretch, though. [nodding] Totally."Now each of the posts I've linked above has a number of wrecky cakes, but she has done a couple of others that each have their own share of laughs, including one on lambs and one on chicks. And on the regular feature, Sunday Sweets, some truly exquisite examples of artisan cakes will spark your sense of awe instead of your sense of humor. I think today's offerings are among the most impressive I've seen.
You don't want to know how Santa funds his operations. (Savage Chickens)An explanation for why, even though the zombie raised havoc for weeks after his reanimation, there is no "Gospel According to Jeebus:"
see more pwn and owned pictures
Despite the fact that all holidays have historical baggage associated with them, it seems only the wingnuttiest fundamental christians (I will not dignify them with a capital letter) see Satan in every tiny deviation from some Cliff Notes version of the bibble that only they are privy to...
(From Criggo)I'm assuming this is photoshopped, but often times such assumptions are very, very tenative...
From LoLtheist.Even Pharyngula got in on the Easter action...
Now I do want to insert some text here, first to note that the next (and last) two "funnies" might be offensive to some... I personally find them very funny in a morbid sort of way, but you might not. Since this is my blog, I decide what goes and what doesn't... I just think it's polite and thoughtful to be aware of, and sensitive to, my guests' sensibilities. That said, I'll preface the next with a joke I've always liked.A customer walks into an "inspirational" store and browses around for a few minutes. He comes up to the counter with a baseball cap with the initials WWJD blazoned across the front in metallic gold. He asks the clerk, "What does 'WWJD' mean?"
The clerk responds, "It stands for 'What would Jesus do?' It's a reminder that each time you run into a moral quandry, the best way to the Christian answer to the problem is to ask yourself that question."
The customer looks down at the hat for a moment, then looks back at the clerk, and sets the cap down firmly on the counter. As he turns to walk out, he says, "Well, I don't think Jesus would spend 29.95 on a cheesy baseball cap made in China. He couldn't even read it unless he took it off."
(From LoLtheist)Now this is definitely not one for the kiddies...
...but don't worry, he gets resurrected for next year. It's the miracle of Easter! (From My [confined] Space)
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)