Blog pimping: several new ones to show off

So I have a few new blogs joining the roll I'd like to introduce:

I am bossy. I loved this blog from first reading. She writes in 3rd person, which I wish I had started doing from day one. As it is, I'd have to go back to January and revise everything to say, "Parsing My World said ..." Or start a new blog. Bossy is actually Georgia Getz, and she's hilarious. Go read her. Right now. But come back, ok?

Audible Politics. From the awesomeness that is Tara Ariano. Love her musings and rants, even when I disagree.

Carolina Politics Online. Generally entertaining or at least smarmy. Which is no less than we expect here in the South. We need to know what's going on in politics. At least until November, right?

Church Marketing Sucks. I love it when someone names their blog so precisely. I also love it when there is irreverent information about the reverent. Check it out.

Dooce. The uber-blogger of mom-bloggery. Or would be if I was sure I knew what "uber" meant. I think it means "really cool." That being the case, go peruse Heather Armstrong's thinking out loud and then muse on the fact that she rakes in -- at least according to an interview she did with 20/20 -- $40k per month via her blog. Am I jealous? Well hell yeah.
.

Hurricanes

To answer the question of why I get excited when I see a wave forming off the coast of Africa: First of all, I do not rejoice at the havoc and destruction that hurricanes or tropical storms can wreak. I take them seriously and do what I should to prepare. I also do what I can afterward to help out those who were in the path of one.

But here's the thing. I really like gray days, and the grayer the better. I think I have the opposite of seasonal affective disorder because I get really pumped when it's all gloomy looking or even just overcast. Too much sunshine and I just want to go back to bed. So a hurricane is something like the extreme form of that, I guess: very gray, very gloomy looking, very windy.

Now, I will say that the dumb-bell reporters who get out in the wind and rain to give us "on the spot" coverage of the storm ... that's just added hilarity. (And aren't they just stooooopid out there telling us how windy and rainy it is?)
.

Where have I been? Don't ask

I know you're wondering where I've been. Can I just say "busy" and skip the details, along with the apologies (and accompanying guilt) for staying away from the blog for so long? Because a one-word answer of "busy" would be truth in its entirety. Busy: running back and forth to the "left coast" ... working on proposals and negotiating new contracts ... helping Connie and Alexis move back in (while Daddy is deployed) and helping Amanda move out and into her first apartment (!!!) ... cleaning my office. Oh my God ... my office was such as mess. Somehow, and I'm not sure how this happened, but the shelves holding my paper fell over. It's back in order now, but I had quite a time getting things in order. And Tony bolted the shelves to the wall this time.

So now that I'm back, it's a question of what to talk about first. I might have to take the rest of the day to ponder that. Movie reviews ... how many TV shows I'm currently keeping up with and whether that's a good thing ... why I'm excited every time I see a wave coming off the coast of Africa ... our upcoming vacation ... brilliant things Alexis says and does ... the spiritual insights I had traveling across the country ... the incredible boneheadedness that is John Edwards. So many topics to choose from.

More to come ... stay tuned.
.

Possible new title

I did a story for the last issue of the Business Journal on the H-1B visa application process. It was basically about how frustrating the process is for people who come here from other countries to go to school and then want to get a job and stay.

Well. That obviously struck a nerve with some people out there who are having a hard time getting a job and who are blaming their plight on the H-1B visa applicants -- the gist of it being that if these people weren't coming to this country to work there would be more jobs for Americans. I don't quite buy that concept (it's not apples to apples), but I'm willing to accept that some people believe it and agree to disagree.

One such person sent an email to me with this note:

Why don't you simply open a newspaper classifieds section and look to see how many technology jobs are advertised. I'll save you the trouble. THERE ARE NONE. There is no shortage of technology workers in the US. Companies just want to pay slave wages and they rely on propagandist lapdogs such as yourself to do their bidding. Why don't you try helping Americans for a change?

This didn't offend me personally. I simply reported on one aspect of the immigration problem, and I was objective in my reporting.

I did, however, consider whether to have business cards printed up with "propagandist lapdog" printed on them. Might be more noteworthy and memorable than "writer/editor."
.

Fun fun fun

I keep getting great ideas from Chez Crazy Aunt Purl -- the latest her birthday resolution to spend at least three minutes every day having fun.

I think I can do that, especially given that it's ok to go beyond the three minutes if things are going well and I don't have to be anywhere or call anyone any time soon.

So the question is: what constitutes fun? I'm having a hard time coming up with a decent list. So far I have:

1. Walk around Charles Towne Landing (not only fun but some days it's a spiritual retreat).
2. See a movie (preferably a comedy).
3. Playing games (Apples to Apples, Scategories, etc.) with my family.

See, I'm stuck already. And actually, all of those take way more than three minutes. What are some easy, do-able things that are fun?
.

More on less is more

Ok, I think I've narrowed down the definition of essential versus nonessential. At least as it applies to what I plan to do for the rest of the year.

From July through December, I will not purchase anything that can potentially clutter up my home. This excludes food and drink because those will be consumed (some things -- wine cabinet, I'm looking at you -- more quickly than others).

So I'm putting a moratorium on buying books and magazines (exceptions: magazines we're already subscribed to or books I need for work purposes ... no really, I do need some of these ... really), home decor items, DVDs (exception: I had already planned to get the first season of Burn Notice ... and I'm on the lookout for War & Remembrance in DVD -- I have it on VHS but want to pare down -- so if I find it I'm getting it ... but only those two ... no really, I mean it), and other gadgets and what-not for the kitchen. Basically I'm talking about staying out of Wal-Mart and Target for six months.

And office supplies. I'm planning to do this with my office too, so I have to stay away from Staples and Office Depot. This will be the ultimate sacrifice, people. But the truth is I have all I need to run an office (exception: copy paper as I run out and daytimer supplies and calendars near the end of the year, but that's it ... no really, I mean it).

I'm also planning a yard sale soon to further declutter. All of this has a dual benefit: streamlining the place and saving money.

Oh ... and I've been saying "I" and "me" but I really mean "we" ... assuming Tony's on board with all this.
.

Less is more, so they say

I think I might be inspired by a recent blog post over at Chez Crazy Aunt Purl to do a mid-year resolution to buy only essentials for the rest of the year.

It's a great plan -- and I applaud her for doing it and for her efforts so far -- but the reason I use so many qualifiers ("I think I might") is because I'm trying to decide what I'd consider essential. Here's a tentative list of what I currently spend money on that I can't possibly live without:

>>> Chocolate (goes without saying)
>>> Food and beverages
>>> Other household staples (cleaning products, toilet paper, etc.)
>>> Personal hygiene stuff (shampoo, deodorant, etc.)
>>> More chocolate

See ... at some point I get stuck because it's not strictly a yes or no but how much of something I actually need. Take the food item, for example: I don't think we spend outrageously, but then again, we could probably cut the food budget down a bit by choosing less expensive meals. Not sure whether the beverages item includes wine, but I don't want to give up wine for the rest of the year. As for things like shampoo -- I'm certainly not giving that up (ick), but at this moment, I do in fact have four different types of shampoos on the side of the tub. Yes, I use them all (not all at the same time but alternating between them) ... don't judge me.

One purpose of the mid-year resolution (hereafter known as MYR) is to quit accumulating stuff, and I'm all over that, if I can just steer clear of Barnes & Noble. I once put a moratorium on book-buying as a discipline during Lent, and let me tell you: It was rough. But I have to be honest -- books clutter my house (and my life) in a serious way. I have dozens -- no, probably hundreds -- that I haven't read yet. Why am I buying more?

Well. I'm still at the pondering stage of this. If I do it, I want to do it right, making a serious commitment. So I'm giving myself until July 1 to decide exactly what is essential in my life and what isn't.
.

Aaand ... back again

You know how sometimes you go on vacation and you get back and the last thing you want to do is blog ... and then maybe after that, you're not feeling quite so perfect healthwise and so you spend more time taking naps than doing anything else ... and then when you do start feeling better, you have a lot of work to do that stacked up while you were a) vacationing and then b) getting better?

Yeah, well, I'm there.

Also: I really haven't felt much like expounding on my thoughts here because my thoughts have not been altogether fit for human consumption of late and why burden my reading public with that?

But today I feel a lot better ... better enough to resume blogging, such as it is. So without further ado ...

Take a look at this photo:


All I can say is: "Holy crap!" My experience with Bad Weather Stuff has been pretty much limited to hurricanes and severe thunderstorms (with the rare ice storm/snow that shuts the state down because we have no idea how to drive in it), so looking at this makes me want to run. Not sure in which direction, though.

Here's the story that accompanied the photo. I suddenly feel fortunate to live in an area where instead of tornadoes there are hurricanes, which we have time to pack up our valuables and run from.
.

Aaaaaand ... we're back!

We're back from vacation. Well actually, we've been back since Saturday, but I've been ... er ... resting up from the vacation. You know how it is.

I still have a few more photos to post on the vacation blog, as well as a final wrap-up, but I'll have to do that another day.

For now, I want to share this. It's part of James Lilek's Bleat for today. I did high school during the late 70s, and I have to say when I read this, I thought, "yeah, that's EXACTLY what it was like."

Take a look and tell me if this isn't it, spot on (assuming you were there ... but then again, as they say, if you remember the 70s, you probably weren't there). Take a look anyway:

"That (the 70s) means different things to different people, of course; could be tasteful langourous Eagles ballads about fickle suntanned California coke enthusiasts, or Boz-Scaggs albino soul, or Ohio Players funk complete with SAY WHAT shouted at random, or chainsaw punk guitars fed into a wood chipper, or pristine antiseptic ABBA It may have been the most diverse decade in popular music; also one of the worst. Weed and 'ludes and session cats and Rupert Holmes, disco Beethoven. But it ended in the Great Cleansing of Punk and New Wave, and you couldn't have had the stripped-down rave-up bands unless they had something full of frosting and ham to reject." .

On vacation!

I'll be away from this blog for the next week. You can find me here. If you'd rather just view the photos, visit here.

See you next week!
.

Virus warning

Got another virus warning the other day forwarded from a friend. It's been a while since I'd seen one, so I was excited to get it. Here's what it said, in part:

Do not open any message with an attachment entitled 'POSTCARD,' regardless of who sent it to you. It is a virus which opens A POSTCARD IMAGE, which 'burns ' the whole hard disc C of your computer. This virus will be received from someone who has your e-mail address in his/her contact list. This is the reason why you need to send this e-mail to all your contacts. It is better to receive this message 25 times than to receive the virus and open it.

If you receive a mail called' POSTCARD,' even though sent to you by a friend, do not open it! Shut down your computer immediately.

This is the worst virus announced by CNN. It has been classified by Microsoft as the most destructive virus ever. This virus was discovered by McAfee yesterday, and there is no repair yet for this kind of virus. This virus simply destroys the Zero Sector of the Hard Disc, where the vital information is kept.

Well that sounds scary -- especially when it's in ALL CAPS and includes multiple exclamation points!!! -- but that's not the half of it. There's a reason why both CNN and Microsoft classified it as "worst" and "most destructive." (And Microsoft knows what constitutes destructive. I'm looking at you, Vista.) Here's what else the virus will do:

>>> It will collect all the URLs from all the Web sites you've been viewing lately and forward to your entire address book so everyone will know what a dork you are for visiting sites like Best Week Ever and The Fug Girls.

>>> It will open your mail and throw away all the important things, including checks.

>>> It will borrow your car and run the gas out.

>>> It will eat all the food in your kitchen and leave two drops of milk in the container in the refrigerator.

>>> It will step on the punchline of your jokes.

>>> It will gossip about you behind your back.

>>> It will get you to help it with a project and then take full credit, possibly getting the promotion you deserved.

>>> It will track mud all over your carpet.

>>> It will drink all the beer in your refrigerator and leave empty cans in the living room.

>>> It will leave its dirty socks lying around the bedroom.

>>> It will leave the toilet seat up.

>>> It will make long-distance calls to foreign countries that it will charge to your phone.

>>> It will locate your old boyfriends (or girlfriends) and send recent unflattering photos of you.
.

Awesome Friday: "desert storm" not just the name of a war strategy

This is a dust storm in Iraq, a shot taken by Jackie's friend Andy Tukey. Pretty awesome sight, isn't it?



.

Vaca brag: balcony cabin

Take a look at what will be our home away from home for the cruise.
.

Busiest weekend EVER

Well. What a weekend we've had.

First there was the C of C graduation, which is always a beautiful event at the cistern. Of course, the moment we were waiting for was when Amanda crossed the stage to get her diploma. Everything else was filler.

Then there was the reception -- a fun party with family and friends. Great food. Great fun. Great champagne.

Then on Sunday -- Mother's Day -- there were tornadoes. For the first time in years we missed our annual Mother's Day hunt for blackberries at Charles Towne Landing. But it was all for the sake of safety. And so we stayed around the house and watched the warnings on TV. (One time we got word that a tornado was moving across the Stono, so we had to rush down to the basement. First time we'd ever been able to take advantage of it for that particular use.)

But Sunday morning there was also another drama unfolding, a bit scary: Addison, Jessica's two-month-old, was rushed to the hospital with problems breathing and some bizarre foaming at the mouth and a slight fever. They started running tests, most of which relieved us (spinal tap came back ok, so no meningitis), but they still weren't sure what it was. They were guessing possibly a seizure, infection or pneumonia. They transferred her to MUSC Children's Hospital midday, where they continued running tests. She'll be there about two days while cultures come back. What a first Mother's Day for Jessica! Made the concern over tornadoes seem like nothing.

But this was also a reminder -- appropriately on Mother's Day -- for all of us to seize all the time we can, every moment possible, with our children.

The other day I mentioned to Holly that I wondered what makes a better gift for Mother's Day -- something to assist you in your mothering role (organizers, etc.) or something to help you escape from it temporarily (spa treatment, etc.). It's an interesting thing to ponder. But then, almost as a postscript to that conversation, on the news this morning I heard a tidbit that raised my eyebrows and caused me to revisit some of those thoughts: The news item said 50% of new mothers wish they could leave their jobs and stay home with their children and that if their husbands made enough money they would gladly quit their jobs to stay home.

I know the working outside the home vs. being a stay-at-home mom is a hot topic, and I'm not going to debate the issue here. As far as I'm concerned, it's a matter of individual priorities -- doing what you think is best and not bowing to pressure to do something else. As for the 50% who wish they could stay home, I hope they can find the means to follow that dream soon (sometimes just cutting out the extras can make it happen) because there won't be a "do-over" later. (Presumably the 50% who do not wish to leave work are already following their dreams of continuing to work.)

In the end, after all that's happened this weekend, my "revisited" thoughts on what makes the best Mother's Day gift led me to this: Whether you're a new mother or a long-time mom like me, I can think of no better gift than time with your children. The whole day to play ... a phone call ... a walk in the park ... a shopping expedition ... even sitting in front of the TV together. Just time. It's what that 50% craves more of. It's what Jessica is terrified she'll lose with Addison. It's what has built beautiful memories for me over the years (the blackberry picking every year is really about spending a day with my girls).

I can go to a spa any old time.
.

Awesome Friday: my main man Martin

As previously discussed, I've changed my "favorite things Friday" to "awesome Friday" because it's easier to find things that are awesome than to sort through and find a favorite.

Here's something I find awesome: when Martin Luther came before the church leaders and made his "Here I Stand" speech. His confidence and dedication to God's word are ... well, awesome. I know part of my fascination with this is because I'm Lutheran and I grew up with this story, but I particularly love the way it's portrayed here by Joseph Fiennes. The only criticism I have is that we all know Luther was a little bit wider than Fiennes, but what the heck. Creative license, right?

Here's the awesome moment. No offense to my Roman Catholic friends.


.

Blog-pimping: "Cyberbrethren: A Lutheran Blog"

Go check out this guy and his blog. The information is doctrinally sound, useful and often pretty funny. I particularly like the posting on "worst ever vestments."
.

More LOL stuff

I discovered that there are other LOL sites besides the delightful LOLcats @ Icanhascheezburger.com:


LOLdogs @ Ihasahotdog.com


Graphjam.com (pop culture for people in cubicles) -- which has a terrific listing of flowcharts and graphs.
.
Puditkitchen.com (hilarious political humor) -- which has this as one of its offerings:

A most awesome flowchart

It's "caturday": and I am linking to Amanda's blog

Amanda introduces Hampton today in her caturday post (complete with photo). I couldn't have said it better myself, so I'm linking over there.

Also ... here's a link to my vacation blog for the upcoming cruise. I'm starting it now so I can do some pre-cruise bragging.

Enjoy!
.

Favorite things Friday: that it is Friday, finally!

I cannot take one more minute of this week. It has been a rough week for me. I will do you the honor of not recounting just how rough (I want to keep my readership), but if I say, in all caps, THANK GOD IT'S FRIDAY, that should say it all.

Also -- I think from this point on, I will call this "Awesomeness Friday," to point out something totally awesome I discovered or noticed that week, rather than "Favorite things Friday," which means I have to come up with something that has a ranking. And that's tough sometimes. I mean, I can find awesome things every day. But a favorite thing? Not so easy.

All in favor? Aye! The ayes have it and so ordered. Awesomeness Friday it is, then.

Oh ... and my favorite day of the week? Friday, of course. Hope you enjoy yours!
.

Happy anniversary!

It's happy anniversary shout-out time for Mom and Dad! It's their ... um ... let's see ... "lots of years" anniversary. Seeing as how it's one more year than how old I am, I'm reluctant to give the number. Let's just say lots of years and let it go at that.

I can't let this moment pass without mentioning how they met. Dad was in the Navy stationed in Norfolk and Mom worked at a drive-in diner as one of those waitresses-on-wheels (think American Graffiti), and Dad used to go there all the time. He would ask for her specifically, and I think it took a long time before Mom agreed to go out with him. But finally she did, and I'm glad, because eventually they ended up married and had a bunch of babies and so here we are. Heh.

Happy "lots of years," you guys!
.

D'oh!

We missed the latest episode of House because we forgot that it was now showing on Mondays. They shouldn't do this to us -- have us miss so many new ones because of the strike and then move the night it's on. We're confused enough already!
.

Vaca brag: possible excursion in Nassau

We've been talking about doing this excursion when we're in Nassau. It's a day pass to the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island, which gives you privileges for the pool and waterslide area. The day pass is not cheap, and our doing this hinges on a couple of things we have to achieve before we go, but this gives us incentive.

We had visited the "Dig" at Atlantis a few years ago. It's an aquarium set up to look like the ruins of the lost continent of Atlantis. It was a little cheesy as far as the "ruins" went, but the aquarium was very cool -- as most aquariums are.

Believe me when I say this is not your typical water park. Here are a few of the water slides and lazy river streams.

.

.

.

.

.

.

This cafe is where we'll probably have lunch.

It's "caturday": and I may have found the dream job

From Yahoo News, the headline from this story:

Lolcat site hiring; spelling skillz optional

not only made me LOL but gave me hope that there could actually be a job out there that could be completely fulfilling all day long. Imagine: viewing LOLcats photos and deciding which ones to post. What a way to make a living!
.

Favorite things Friday: truffles revisited

Wasn't I saying just last week that my true favorites were the ones made by my friend David and that because he closed his restaurant they were no longer available?

Well. In one of the most interesting coincidences I've had lately, I ran into David over at Earthfare on Saturday morning. I hadn't seen him in a while, so we had some fun catching up. At one point I mentioned his truffles, which I miss dearly, and -- woo-hoo! -- he said he still makes them.

Wow! Not only is this worth redoing last week's Favorite things Friday, but this qualifies for a Total Awesomeness posting.
.

What I meant to post yesterday on Earth Day

So I'm a day late. Whatever. None of you will remember this and I'll be able to use it next year. If I remember that it's Earth Day, that is.

Anyway, this is what I meant to post yesterday in honor of Earth Day:

I like the Earth. It's my favorite place. It's where I keep all my stuff.
.

I have nothing to add to this, which must surely be THE bizarre news story of the year

Except I did highlight some of the more interesting parts in red.

From AOL News:

Priest Vanishes on Party Balloon Flight

SAO PAULO, Brazil (April 21) - A Roman Catholic priest who floated off under hundreds of helium party balloons was missing Monday off the southern coast of Brazil.

Rescuers in helicopters and small fishing boats were searching off the coast of Santa Catarina state, where pieces of balloons were found.

Rev. Adelir Antonio de Carli lifted off from the port city of Paranagua on Sunday afternoon, wearing a helmet, thermal suit and a parachute.

He was reported missing about eight hours later after losing contact with port authority officials, according to the treasurer of his Sao Cristovao parish, Denise Gallas.

Gallas said by telephone that the priest wanted to break a 19-hour record for the most hours flying with balloons to raise money for a spiritual rest-stop for truckers in Paranagua, Brazil's second-largest port for agricultural products.

Some American adventurers have used helium balloons to emulate Larry Walters - who in 1982 rose three miles above Los Angeles in a lawn chair lifted by balloons.

A video of Carli posted on the G1 Web site of Globo TV showed the smiling 41-year-old priest slipping into a flight suit, being strapped to a seat attached to a huge column green, red, white and yellow balloons, and soaring into the air to the cheers of a crowd.

According to Gallas, the priest soared to an altitude of 20,000 feet (6,000 meters) then descended to about 8,200 feet (2,500 meters) for his planned flight to the city of Dourados, 465 miles (750 kilometers) northwest of his parish.

But winds pushed him in another direction, and Carli was some 30 miles (50 kilometers) off the coast when he last contacted Paranagua's port authority, Gallas said.

Carli had a GPS device, a satellite phone, a buoyant chair and is an experienced skydiver, Gallas said.

"We are absolutely confident he will be found alive and well, floating somewhere in the ocean," she said.

"He knew what he was doing and was fully prepared for any kind of mishap."
.

Vaca brag: where I will probably NOT be spending time on the cruise

In here -- the onboard gym. Sure it's nice and it has state-of-the-art training equipment and professional trainers to help you with your workout and blah blah blah. But I'll be honest: this is too much like work, people. I'm there to relax and have fun.

And drink champagne.

.

You GO girl ... literally

For the first time ever, a woman has won a closed-course Indy race. Woo! Danica Patrick proved that she was indeed one of the guys when she crossed the finish line first in Saturday's race.

Then she started crying.

Oh well. Let's get her into a NASCAR vehicle and then when she wins, she'll be so busy rattling off the names of her sponsors that she won't have time to get choked up.

.

It's "caturday": and LOLcats makes me LOL

This one cracks me up. (From LOLCats.)

Favorite things Friday: truffles

I am, let's just say, into chocolate. And those of you out there who know me well are saying, "Yeah, duh!" That's ok. It's perfectly fine to have certain aspects of your personality on display, as they say.

But what some of you may not know about me is the particular type of truffle. It used to be my friend David's V. Davilan brand handmade truffles. Oh my goodness. Such a delight. Unfortunately David sold his restaurant and the new owners aren't aware of the appeal of truffles. Or they just don't know how to make them.

Anyway. Because David's are no longer available, my next favorite is Lindt milk chocolate. These are the ones in the red wrapping. I use them as rewards for myself. For example, when I'm writing an article, I put one on the corner of my desk where I can see it out of the corner of my eye. When I finish and file the article, I get to have the truffle. Believe me, these little red delights have gotten me through many a deadline.

So now you know. Any of you out there wanting to send me a thank you or reward for a kind deed, here's an idea. For that matter, you need not wait until I do something worth rewarding. You can send a few of these just because. I'm just saying.

.

News of the weird

This story, forwarded to me by Jackie, leaves more questions than it answers.

Ok, so this guy is pulled over ...

Then the trooper noticed a 6-foot alligator contentedly riding next to the back window of Johnson's car. Johnson said he found the gator on the side of a road.

.

Questions: How did he get a 6-foot alligator in the car? What made him assume the alligator was hitchhiking? What made the officer think the alligator was contented?

But it was allegations that Johnson had been taking things out of a mobile home in the nearby town of Brazoria that sent him to jail on a burglary charge. Investigators found a hair trimmer and video game controller in his pockets.

.
Question: Click the link and take a look at the photo. Why didn't the guy use the hair trimmer?

Johnson advised the officer that there was a water moccasin snake in his car and that the snake had already bitten him on the hand.

.
Question: Did the snake catch anything from this guy?

.

A game warden took the alligator away.

.
Question: Where is the alligator now?
.

Blog-pimping: The Impulsive Buy

I found a new site called The Impulsive Buy, which has the tagline: "Putting the 'ew' in product reviews." Which is exactly what it sounds like. They have info here that's guaranteed to make you never eat that product again ever for the rest of your life.

But some pretty funny writeups too. Check it out.

Adding it to my blogroll too.
.

Death and taxes

They say the only certainties in life are death and taxes. Well. Let's just deal with both of them today, shall we?

First, taxes.

During the Revolutionary War times, the rallying cry was all about "No taxation without representation!" According to Wiki, Boston politician James Otis was the one who uttered the famous "Taxation without representation is tyranny!"

Not to belittle what those guys were going through back then, what with trying to break away from England and getting the tea imported at decent prices all at the same time, but I have to say even with representation, taxes aren't so hot either.

Nevertheless, we pay them because we want to keep our government, which is the greatest in the world despite its obvious flaws (I'm looking at you, electoral college), and it needs to be funded -- although it would be nice to be consulted once in a while on where the money will go (I'm looking at you, Office of Management and Budget) -- and also because if we don't pay, the IRS will eat our asses for breakfast.

And so, on to the other certainty: Death, which, holy crap, people, has hit the world of blogging. This story, from the NY Times, outlines the stress of 24/7 Web work, specifically blogging. A few excerpts:

A growing work force of home-office laborers and entrepreneurs, armed with computers and smartphones and wired to the hilt, are toiling under great physical and emotional stress created by the around-the-clock Internet economy that demands a constant stream of news and comment.

Two weeks ago in North Lauderdale, Fla., funeral services were held for Russell Shaw, a prolific blogger on technology subjects who died at 60 of a heart attack. In December, another tech blogger, Marc Orchant, died at 50 of a massive coronary. A third, Om Malik, 41, survived a heart attack in December.

Other bloggers complain of weight loss or gain, sleep disorders, exhaustion and other maladies born of the nonstop strain of producing for a news and information cycle that is as always-on as the Internet.

Well ok, then. I'll just move from stressing over taxes to stressing over blogging. Which, of course, I am here blogging about. Perhaps we can lobby the government to allow extra deductions for bloggers.

On a funnier note, the awesomeness that is Ken Levine (one of my favorite bloggers) had this to say about it:

Non-bloggers might not appreciate the crushing pressure we’re under to create content. Sure there are other professions that are stress-producing but let’s be realistic. Air traffic controllers get breaks during fog. Fire fighters have days when they’re just washing the truck. There is no rest for bloggers. Every day (or week or month) we must keep feeding the monster. New anecdotes, more advice, fresh tirades, pictures of kitties – it never stops!!!

Amen, brother. And now let us all sing "Amazing Grace."
.

Our dog has a "cat wish"

Here's Cocoa, our tiny toy poodle, sitting on the back of Tony's recliner, letting the cats know she's just as "all that" as they are.

Sure, a tiny dog tends to be a bit of a prima donna, but you know, you just can't get this with a golden retriever or a german shepherd.

This just in: another celebration

Today is Jackie's and Amanda's baptism birthdays. I was thinking about posting this earlier, but then I realized I had forgotten to post on Connie's baptism birthday (which was February 7), so I wondered whether I should post now. That would seem like favoritism, wouldn't it? (Which ... not true because I love my girls equally, which is to say 100% each.) Or just a case of typically mom forgetfulness? (Which is more likely because my brain is packed with a million things I have to do.) Hmm. See what dilemmas we encounter when we don't look at our daytimers every morning?

Anyway. Happy baptism birthday, girls! And Con ... sorry I forgot to post a celebration greeting on your day. Happy baptism birthday to you too! You girls know my forgetting is no indication of the importance of the occasion, right? :D
.

A breach of phone etiquette, I'd say

Yesterday I was driving downtown and saw an open carriage that was decorated for a wedding, with the bride and groom sitting in it. When I passed the carriage, I looked over and saw the bride on her cell phone. I am not making this up, people. This woman was on her damn cell phone in a decorated carriage sitting beside her man moments after the wedding! The groom looked bored -- as well he should when his young lovely is sitting there yakking away to her BFF. Seriously now, who was more important than her new husband -- especially at that moment? How much you want to bet before the night was out he dropped the cell into the toilet or out the window?
.

It's "caturday": meet my "grand-cat"

This is Console, my grand-cat. I noticed that Jackie had a caturday posting on her blog about him today, so I decided to totally rip off her post and use it as my caturday too. Heh. No, I'm not being lazy ... I was going to introduce him anyway. You can read all about Console on Jackie's post.

.

Favorite things Friday: Ruby Tuesday take-out

My favorite thing to do on Fridays is order take-out from Ruby Tuesday, and I almost always order the same thing: rib-eye cooked well, broccoli and mashed potatoes. They have it ready in 15 minutes, which is about the time it takes to get my shoes on, find my keys and get there.

For a long time, the same person worked on Friday nights, and she knew who we were on the phone. When we picked it up, she was always really nice. I always gave her a good tip. I haven't seen her in a while, so I'm guessing she's either working a different shift or has graduated and moved on to a bigger and better job. Good luck, girl! Wish I'd asked her name one of those times so I could be specific with my good luck wishes.

We don't do this every Friday. We're trying to stick to a serious budget, so we try to save Ruby Tuesday for when we have something to celebrate. Crossing fingers for something to celebrate today!

.

Another reason to esteem alligators

This story from Fox News:

Study: Alligator Blood Could Take Bite Out of Drug-Resistant Staph Infection

Alligators may have a reputation of being vicious predators, but the blood that runs through their veins could someday save your life, it is being reported.

A study done by researchers at McNeese State University in Louisiana suggests that proteins found in alligator blood may provide new antibiotics that could treat diabetic ulcers, severe burns and “superbugs," including MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), that are resistant to other kinds of medicine.
.

Celebration, commemoration day

Today is my baptism birthday. It is also the commemoration date (that is to say the anniversary of his death) of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German Lutheran pastor who was martyred by the Nazis in WWII for participating in a plot to kill Hitler -- and that alone makes him my hero. There were a lot of others caught up in the plot -- this was part of the July 20 plot that failed -- so he was in good company with the resistance movement. (The photo at the left shows him in the courtyard at Tegel Prison. He was later transferred to Buchenwald, then to Flossenburg, where he was killed.)

I have always loved Bonhoeffer, and it wasn't until long after I had read most of his work that I found out I was baptized on his commemoration date. (The date wasn't selected for that reason ... just a happy coincidence.) I was looking back through the church records and saw the entry and the date. Since then, when I think of my baptism, I think about Bonhoeffer and his works.

There are a lot of famous quotes of his -- he was a prolific writer, an articulate speaker and a brilliant theologian -- and here are a few of my favorites:

To understand reality is not the same as to know about outward events. It is to perceive the essential nature of things. The best-informed man is not necessarily the wisest. Indeed there is a danger that precisely in the multiplicity of his knowledge he will lose sight of what is essential. But on the other hand, knowledge of an apparently trivial detail quite often makes it possible to see into the depth of things. And so the wise man will seek to acquire the best possible knowledge about events, but always without becoming dependent upon this knowledge. To recognize the significant in the factual is wisdom.

.

And:

I am still discovering up to this very moment that it is only by living completely in this world that one learns to believe. One must attempt to abandon every attempt to make something of oneself, whether it be a saint, a churchman (the priestly type, so called!) a righteous man or an unrighteous one, a sick man or a healthy one. This is what I mean by worldliness - taking life in one's stride, with all its duties and problems, its successes and failures, its experiences and helplessness. It is in such a life that we throw ourselves into the arms of God and participate in his sufferings in the world and watch with Christ in Gethsemane. That is faith, that is metonoia and that is what makes a man and a Christian. How can success make us arrogant or failure lead us astray, when we participate in the sufferings of God by living in this world?

.

The world lost a great soul when he was killed. Thank God his written work survived to enlighten, comfort and inspire us.

.

Vaca brag: more ship photos

Time for another couple of shots of the ship for our cruise in May.



This is the Seven Seas Bar in the atrium area. Here you will find me drinking champagne and listening to the piano player.

When I'm not there, I'll probably be in the Mediterranean cafe stuffing my face.




47 more days! Can't wait!

New kid on the block

I saw a new alligator at Charles Towne Landing -- and those of you who know me well (or at least those have have read the "About the Alligator Thing" on the right-hand bar) know how excited I am to see another one of these guys out.

He's brand new, by which I mean small, and I named him Quincy. This is not a photo of him -- I rarely carry a camera in CTL, although I really should -- but this is sort of what he looks like. Cute, isn't he?

.

For those coming back from, currently on or getting ready to do spring break

It's "caturday": bathroom chronicles

I mentioned a while back that our cat Tabby sometimes uses the bathroom in places other than the litter box. We're not sure if she's doing this out of spite or because she sees the dog go on the puddle pad we have in case she needs to go before we walk her. Well, the other day I also saw Milenko go in our bathroom (at least he gets the connection with what the bathroom is for instead of going in the living room or kitchen). So far Jay still goes in the litter box, but I don't know what we're going to do with these two bad kitties. Or maybe we should be punishing the dog for being a bad influence. Here's a photo (courtesy LOLcats) that I wish these guys would pay attention to.
.

Favorite things Friday: the bridge run

Every year it's a goal of mine to do the Cooper River Bridge Run (or, to be more specific: the walk), and so far, something has happened every year to thwart those efforts.

One year I had to work. Another I had an important appointment. Yet another I was out of town.

Last year, it was my granddaughter's birth -- and don't get me wrong, that was WAY more important (I do have priorities!), but trust me, I was too tired to walk to my car after spending an entire day and night at the hospital helping "birth that baby," much less walk across a bridge that, quite frankly, I don't enjoy driving across.

This year, it's a matter of air capacity in my lungs. I have been hacking and coughing -- as all of you must have noticed because I find a way to mention it almost every blog posting -- so I cannot walk the bridge and will have to wait another year. And yet I'm not heartbroken. Funny that. Nevertheless, the bridge run is still my favorite annual physical fitness attempt -- enough to rate a "favorite things Friday."

Next year, you guys. Next year I swear I'll do it.

===

April 4 PAD challenge poem: haiku

Call them "April fools"
They run across the Cooper
It's a bridge too far
.

A matter of thanksgiving

This year, my Lenten discipline was to give thanks in all things -- that is, as much as possible given that I'm a flawed human being like everyone else on this planet. So I get through Lent -- and suddenly here I am with hacking and coughing that won't go away, and I'm trying to find a way to be thankful in the midst of this. If I succeed, it will mean I actually learned something during Lent. So here are a few things I'm thankful for -- at least trying to be:

1. Soft Kleenex.
2. My laptop (which I brought right into bed with me to finish my work).
3. An extension of my office phone next to the bed.
4. The time and ability to take as many naps as I need to get through this.
5. Cable TV -- with a remote.
6. A collection of good movies that I don't mind watching over and over.
7. Milenko, Jay and Tabby (our cats) and Cocoa (our dog), because they aren't afraid of catching this so they come and get on the bed to keep me company.
8. Herbal tea.
9. The ease in writing haikus.

Perhaps I'll think of more and give thanks appropriately. In the meantime, the PAD challenge:

===

April 3 PAD challenge poem: haiku

Giving thanks is hard
when you're under the weather.
Thank God for patience.
.

Show-pimping "My Name Is Earl"

The other day I mentioned several of my fav shows, but those were the dramas. Time to show-pimp one of my fav comedy shows: "My Name Is Earl." This is one of the most hilarious shows I've ever seen. It's campy, it's witty, it's got Jaime Pressly doing the best southern trash chick accent on TV.

AND, best of all: It has new episodes beginning tomorrow night. Woo!

===

April 2 PAD challenge poem: haiku

My name is not Earl
Karma's not always a bitch
Paybacks can be fun
.

P-A-D challenge

I just found out (via the Writer's Digest blog) that April is national poetry month. Hey, who knew, eh? Well, now I know ... and what's more, they've issue a poem-a-day challenge. Never one to resist a good challenge, I'll be posting a poem every day this month. The rules say it doesn't have to be great, just original and new (in other words, nothing I've worked on before). So no critiques, ok? At least not until I've had a chance to revise and polish them in May.

Here for your reading pleasure (heh ... kidding!) is the first entry. "Write what you know," they say, and so:

April 1 poem: haiku

hacking and coughing
bug season is in full swing
give me meds right now
.

Is there a doctor in the house?

In honor of my being sick ... STILL! ... I looked up when the next episode of House, M.D., is airing and it's not until April 28. People! That's the end of the month! Yeesh. I can only hope I get better before then.

So I looked up a few other fav shows and saw that Law & Order: Criminal Intent is airing new episodes Wednesdays at 9. It doesn't say starting which Wednesday, though. I'm confused.

Law & Order: SVU will start airing new ones April 15.

CSI (the original brand) will air new shows starting April 3, which is ... hey, cool! ... this Thursday.

In the meantime, I'm keeping busy with the John Adams mini-series on HBO on Sunday nights.

TV-obsessed much, you think?
.

Blog-pimping: "Go Fug Yourself"

This site is hilarious, especially if you take a look at celebrities and wonder, "WTF" at what they're wearing. The girls who run the "Go Fug Yourself" blog (the word "fugly," by the way, meaning a combination of "freakin'" -- or some other "f-ing" substitute -- and "ugly") are brilliant at saying what we were all thinking anyway.

Check it out:

http://gofugyourself.typepad.com/

Also, it'll henceforth be on my blogroll at the right.
.

Happy birthday, Alexis!

Today is actually Alexis' birthday (we celebrated her party last week because she was here; she's in Oklahoma now, where her daddy is attending some kind of Marine weapons school), and I have to say I give thanks for her all the time. She's such a happy, content little baby, and I attribute much of that to how wonderful her mommy and daddy take care of her. She obviously sees life as this wonderful, exciting place to be -- you can tell by how she giggles and laughs and smiles all the time.


Here's a photo of her right after she was born (grabbed this photo from her mommy's blog -- thanks Connie!). Note the "daddy doll" in the corner of the bassinet. All the nurses made much of that doll. I was so honored to be there when she was born, and I'm so glad she and Connie will be back here with us when Josh is deployed this summer.

Thank you, God, for this beautiful bright light in our lives. Alexis, happy birthday, little girl!

.

It's "caturday": and now I know how I got the bug

Party time!

I was sick when we had Alexis' birthday party. Not too sick to come (it was at our house, after all), but too sick to post about it. So here are a couple of my favorite shots:







Here she is having a grand old time.



















You know it's a good birthday party when the gifts are bigger than you are.

This is one of my favorite shots -- Connie and Alexis blowing out the candle. Connie made the cake for her. (This is the one she got to mess up; there was another cake for the rest of us.) It was a great party!

So where have I been?

Glad you asked:

Still getting over it too. Am trying not to bore you with the gory details. Suffice it to say, "cough cough." Nuff said. Will attempt to get back to the important task of daily blogging soon. Possibly now. Let's see if tomorrow we have "two in a row!"

Show-pimping "John Adams"

This is the much-touted (by which I mean: lots of advertising dollars pumped into it) HBO mini-series about one of the founding fathers and our second president ... also father of our sixth president.

It's a really good production -- everything very authentic looking and the acting is top-notch. There are seven episodes, and the first two aired this past Sunday. After airing, HBO puts them up in the On-Demand holding area. I think the new episodes are on Sundays, but true to HBO form, they re-run them all week long. I'm hoping they come out with a DVD soon because I'd love to see this mini-series back to back.

I also recommend going to the HBO site to check out the behind-the-scenes and making-of segments. And for a bit of fun, take a look at this spoof review from "Best Week Ever."
.

It's "caturday": and we observe the church calendar

Tomorrow is Palm Sunday, also known as Passion Sunday (or the Sunday of the Passion -- meaning the time when we focus on Jesus' trip into Jerusalem and his acceptance of being the sacrifice in our place). Palm Sunday is also the start of Holy Week, which means Lent is over, and we can breathe a sigh of relief that we made it through another attempt (however strong or feeble) at strict obedience.

Favorite things Friday: Quincy

The first time I saw this show, about a medical examiner who solves crimes, I thought it was a horrible premise: looking at dead people and getting ideas about how the crime happened. Ew! But it grew on me, which is to say that Jack Klugman's portrayal of Quincy was so delightful that I forgot that most of it took place in a morgue.

Later, of course, we ended up with CSI and its many spin-offs, which are way more graphic than Quincy ever would have dared. Never forget, though, that Quincy was a one-man CSI team -- and we didn't have to deal with all the drama of women co-workers throwing themselves at him every other episode. Plus it's awesome how in the opening scenes, the cops who are there to observe keep dropping one by one. And -- another big plus -- he lives on a boat. I love this guy. By far he's my favorite CSI -- Quincy, M.E.

First they steal your heart then your car keys

While she's here, Alexis will not be driving. But only because she's used to California freeways instead of the relatively slow-moving interstates here.

Back to business

Just back from a trip to the "left coast" and it's back to business here at Parsing My World. I was out of pocket the whole time out there -- and had I known I wasn't going to go near my computer the whole time, I'd have left it here and saved my back from lugging it through the Atlanta airport, not to mention squeezing it under the seat in front of me leaving no room for my feet.

But enough whining. The trip was fine. More than fine, actually. It was great! And look whom I brought back (yes, Connie came too ... I just don't have a photo of her to post at the moment):

Exactly what the severe punishment would be is not clear

News of the bizarre, via Yahoo:

BORDEAUX, France (Reuters) - The mayor of a village in southwest France has threatened residents with severe punishment if they die, because there is no room left in the overcrowded cemetery to bury them.

In an ordinance posted in the council offices, Mayor Gerard Lalanne told the 260 residents of the village of Sarpourenx that "all persons not having a plot in the cemetery and wishing to be buried in Sarpourenx are forbidden from dying in the parish."

It added: "Offenders will be severely punished."

The mayor said he was forced to take drastic action after an administrative court in the nearby town of Pau ruled in January that the acquisition of adjoining private land to extend the cemetery would not be justified.

Lalanne, who celebrated his 70th birthday on Wednesday and is standing for election to a seventh term in this month's local elections, said he was sorry that there had not been a positive outcome to the dilemma.

"It may be a laughing matter for some, but not for me," he said.

The man is 70. We hope he does not die soon, as it would be embarrassing if he had to cite himself with the ruling.
.

Ad claims: "takes 10 days for full effect"

So I'm getting ready to travel this week, and I heard via Yahoo some news about one of the popular travel medicines that's supposed to keep you well. From the story:

"Airborne - the herbal supplement company that once claimed to help fight off colds - will pay $23.3 million to settle a class-action lawsuit brought against the company for false advertising, according to one of the groups that joined the suit."

The question is: Are you supposed to feel better knowing that you can get your money back?

Actually, I've never used the stuff so I have no idea if it works or not (even as a placebo), but I feel pretty good knowing that I wasn't duped.
.

What she said

A delightfully witty letter to the editor of the Journal Times of Racine, Wis., via Wall Street Journal's Best of the Web:

I agree with Kim Morrison that Barack Obama would be a great president. I have hope that he can provide free health insurance for everyone.

I have hope that he can bring our soldiers home and make the world a safer place. I have hope that he can protect Americans from poverty by printing more money at the mints.

And, I have hope that he can make me a taller, more attractive, wealthier person, immune to all illnesses. The best part is that all of these will be accomplished at absolutely no cost to me.

Some skeptics would say that he can't do these things because he hasn't had enough leadership experience, foreign policy experience, or government experience. Some would say that Obama can't provide for all our needs without doubling taxes. And, some would say that he hasn't provided one piece of a specific plan to reach these goals.

Well, to those people I ask, "Where is your hope?"

All these years I've been creating accomplishments and gatherine [sic] experience to list on my resume. From now on, I'll just list my hopes and plans. All that work was so unnecessary.

Angie Smucker Racine
.

Vaca brag: May cruise

Here's a shot of the atrium on the Carnival Victory, plus a map of the itinerary (below).









Did I mention how excited we are that we're going only 6 miles to the port instead of the usual 400 down to Port Canaveral?

Woo! Look what I found today!

Outside the Piggly Wiggly was a posse of girl scout cookie pushers! I bought thin mints, peanut butter and shortbread. It is a good day!

It's "caturday": serenity

This is why having cats around lowers your blood pressure. Here's Jay, doing his sphinx act.

Favorite things Friday: Tex-Mex

This is my favorite casserole. I got it out of a little recipe booklet that was included with a box of Bisquik many many years ago. I still have the booklet, which today has torn pages and ingredient stains all over it, but the recipe is intact. I was making it the other night and spent a frantic 10 minutes searching for the booklet. Why this thing isn't firmly committed to memory by now I don't know.

Anyway, I did a quick Google search for this, hoping to find a photo that I could post with the recipe. Alas, there are no photos. You'll just have to imagine. But there are quite a few listings of this recipe, sometimes called Tex-Mex Turkey Bake (because one version of it has turkey instead of ground beef), sometimes called Tex-Mex Spinach Bake. I just call it Tex-Mex, even though I know that's an adjective. I was elated to find it on the Internet -- just in case I lose that little booklet.

Here it is, revised to suit my family's tastes:

Tex-Mex

Crust:
2 cups Bisquick
1/2 cup cold water (more if needed)

First layer:
1 pound ground beef (the original uses ground turkey)
1 envelope taco seasoning mix
1 cup water

Second layer:
1 pkg. frozen, chopped spinach (thawed and squeezed dry)
1 cup ricotta cheese

Third layer:
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 egg

>>>Heat oven to 375°F.
>>>Grease rectangular 13x9x2" pan.
>>>Mix Bisquick and 1/2 cup water until soft dough forms. Press dough into bottom of pan using fingers dipped in Bisquick.
>>>Cook ground beef; drain. Stir in seasoning mix and 1 cup water. Heat to boiling, reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
>>>Spoon beef mixture over dough.
>>>Mix spinach and ricotta cheese; spread over beef mixture.
>>>Mix cheddar cheese, sour cream and egg; spoon evenly over spinach mixture.
>>>Bake 30-35 minutes or until set. (Helpful hint: The Bisquik crust will rise a little bit, so set the casserole dish on a flat baking sheet in the oven to prevent spills.) Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

By the way, store the leftovers in the fridge. It heats up well in the microwave for the lunch the next day.
.

The last and possibly most awesome word on William F. Buckley

William F. Buckley, conservative writer, editor, columnist, novelist, debator, TV talk show host and all around terrific voice of the right, died yesterday at the age of 82. This cartoon, grabbed from Lucianne.com, says it all.

Blog-pimping "Stuff White People Like"

Found a link this morning via Lucianne.com to the blog Stuff White People Like. At first I was taken aback by the name (it's sounds so ... well, so racist, and we caucasians are supposed to be horribly offended and apologetic and forever groveling asking forgiveness about these things even if we didn't do them or sanction them or agree in the least with them. Am I right, people?), but because Lucianne recommended it, I gave it a read.

Holy crap, you guys, this thing is hilarious. It's very well written -- witty and spoofy and sarcastic without being biting and all the great things I expect from my favorite blog peeps.

His "about" page says: "This is a scientific approach to highlight and explain stuff white people like. They are pretty predictable." Which for some reason just cracks me up. And he's numbering the items -- up to #76 as of yesterday -- so I'm predicting a book will come out of all this eventually.

Show-pimping AND site-pimping "Best Week Ever"

You must check out this Web site / blog -- BestWeekEver.tv, the written form of the hilarious show on VH1. Best part? No commercials.

Laurie went to Rome and all I got was a blog posting

Laurie Perry over at Crazy Aunt Purl is talking about her trip to Rome, and let me just say that, even though there are some long postings, it's well worth the read. Plus she has photos.

Her trip was spontaneous, ridiculously cheap ($600 for a round-trip ticket to Rome? Sign me up next time, Laurie!) and something of a personal triumph for her. It's quite the inspirational read, whether she meant it to be or not.

It's also written in her typical hilarious style. (My favorite header: "Yes, I went to Rome and now they are all out of wine.")

Read it. Get inspired. She makes me eager to get on a plane again.

Favorite things Friday (redux): the library on board

I didn't notice until last night that I had not done a "favorite things Friday" post this week. What the heck? You know you're having a swamped kind of week when you forget that it's Friday. Or at least to post about the fact that it is.

So here on Sunday -- and Sunday evening at that -- is one of my favorite things: the library on a cruise ship. That probably sounds weird -- a library? On a cruise ship? What for? No really, it's one of the quietest places on board. And trust me, quiet is hard to come by on the ship, what with the wild and crazy pool parties and the lounges with the bands and the throngs (that's throngs not thongs!) walking around the promenade -- quiet is a rare commodity.

I love libraries anyway -- with or without the rest of the ship to accompany them. It's all about the books. Books ... mmm! There's something about surrounding yourself with them that nurtures the soul.

Here's a photo of the library on the Victory, which we'll sail on in May. Doesn't it just feel all old world and warm and inviting? Can't wait to go hang out in here!

It's "caturday": or rather "Katurday"

Here's Holly's baby, Katherine, whom I have dubbed Katie-cat, wearing the fur-lined sweater I gave her. Quite the little fashion plate, isn't she? Never too soon to be aware of fashion, I always say.

Explaining the McCain thing

This should explain what's up with the NY Times trying (unsuccessfully I might add) to fry McCain:

New York Times Recipe for Republican Fries

1. Grasp GOP candidate firmly by privates.
2. Dredge liberally through slime, making sure all parts are coated.
3. Roll in tar, dust liberally (heh) with feathers.
4. Place in window of most public place possible; have rent-a-mob on hand to react appropriately.
5. Discard when done to a turn.

Found on a posting at Lucianne.

Mission accomplished ... go Navy!

So apparently they hit it. (At left, a sailor presses the button.) From the story:

"Officials say the missile likely destroyed its intended target, a 1,000 pound tank of toxic hydrazine fuel."

Next time, satellite people, use unleaded.

Watch the sky tonight

A story from Fox News:

The last total lunar eclipse until 2010 occurs Wednesday night, with cameo appearances by Saturn and the bright star Regulus on either side of the veiled full moon.

With the next one scheduled for Dec. 20, 2010, you don't want to miss this one.

But there's a catch. Another story notes that, because the dimmed moon allows greater visibility (for target practice in the sky, that is), the Pentagon may try to shoot down the failing satellite on Wednesday.

If they do, it will certainly ruin someone's view.

Oscar red carpet goes green

Here's the headline for a story on Yahoo News:

Red carpet goes green as Oscars stars opt for eco-limos

Apparently the stars (or "Hollywoodites," if you will) are getting environmentally conscious and want to be sure everyone -- by which I mean the press -- sees them being environmentally conscious by hiring these "eco-limos," hybrid or bio-fuel vehicles, to take them to the Oscars.

I would've just shrugged off the story except for this comment by Y Fray, the owner of Eco-Limo:

"I'm very grateful to the Hollywood community because people look at celebrities to set the trend, to do the right thing."

People look at celebrities to do the right thing!? What planet is this woman from?