Saturday, July 31, 2010

"He's climbing in yo windows, he's snatching yo people up..."

God love Antoine Dodson. Urban crime watch spokesperson:



Of course, the Auto Tune folks went to town with this:

Thursday, July 15, 2010

London's Secret Underground Tube Station

In an office building.

Vatican on the sex scandal

"Yes it is very, very bad. As bad as ordaining women!"

The Rev. Roy Bourgeois, an American priest with the Maryknoll religious order, said that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith sent him an excommunication letter within two months after he participated in a ceremony ordaining women, but that the Congregation had taken years while it considered the requests of bishops to defrock pedophiles.

“What I did, supporting the ordination of women, they saw as a serious crime,” Father Bourgeois said. “But priests who were abusing children, they did not see as a crime. What does that say?”

He added, “It’s leading to this ever-deepening crisis in the church in which so many people have left or are questioning how they can stay.”

They are all over those women-ordaining priests. But screwing kids--they got a process to follow....

Beautiful song

Sometimes I've heard a song for weeks before I actually listen to it--even good songs. That ever happen to you?

I heard "Heaven is a Face" for weeks before realizing who the artist was (Stephen Curtis Chapman). Even then I thought this was one of those nice "daddy" songs by singer/songwriters discovering the pleasures of fatherhood. But after listening to it, I realized it was more of a psalm--a song prayer--about the loss of SCC's 5-year-old daughter.

I won't post about that horrible, horrible accident--look on Wikipedia for more. But in that light that song turns into a beautiful thing.

You tube has a video of him singing it live for the first time, lyrics in front of him as he's still working through the song.

Another youtube video:

Anti-mosque ad rejected

For once, a media company's aversion to controversy causes the right thing to be done.

Cigarette companies using child labor

Can their image get any lower?

Doesn't look like any of these "blood cigarettes" got into the US brands, as if smokers really care.

Ship found in remains of WTC site

NYT story. Clearly 9/11 was planned by a world-wide coalition of archeology buffs.

Amazing that a young country like the US can still find itself finding its past among its midst. Imagine cities such as Rome, London, or Istanbul. You can't swing a cat there without hitting something historical.

A racked workoutC

If you're like me (you know, perfect except for this little flab thing that suddenly arrived about ten years ago), then this workout is for you.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

The factory method of lawsuits

Debt collection law firms swamping the courts with software-generated lawsuits.

There really should be a better system against suing someone wrongfully than having the suit thrown out.

The limits of online dating

A very interesting video about the limits of online dating, by Dan Ariely. It points to the problem of trying to solve the problem of dating (or, at least how to maximize return) but the limits of online searching actually make the problem worse.

Monday, July 12, 2010

LeBron

I've avoided writing about LeBron--it isn't bitterness, but more a matter of trying to figure out why he made the decision he did. I suspect it is because he surrounded himself by his own "team" and, as anyone following politics these days can attest, an echo chamber is a piss poor way to make decisions.

Meanwhile, Nate Silver estimates LeBron will lose $150 million, in the end

If he doesn't win multiple championships in Miami, he's likely to lost a lot more than that.

Friday, July 09, 2010

What to do if you win the lottery

Some good advice. Even though it is really for me.

120 beagles rescued from bankrupt lab in NJ

Cool video. Great dogs!

My wife and I have only had rescues here (sometimes we foster dogs as well), and we were early volunteers for Petfinder as well. Almost enough to break your heart to see that dog wagging his tail through the van window.

Monday, July 05, 2010

CA State employees now paid minimum wage

The result, IMO, with an out-of-control referenda system.

A bonus kick in the pants: Other employees who are not federally protected by minimum wage requirements, such as some of the state’s doctors and lawyers, will go without pay from California’s government for the month of July.

Friday, July 02, 2010

Hi, I'm Troy McClure

and you might know me from such films as...

Saw this on The Daily What a few days ago and it is still funny stuff.

BTW, anyone else notice that Andrew Sullivan appears to be seeding his blog with TDW selections, but typically sourced to the original places rather than TDW? I think if someone (like myself, or you, for that matter) reads The Daily What every other day or so, about half of Andrew Sullivan's posts become deja vu.

He's still got it...

Funny Steve Martin tour rider...