Monday, January 14, 2008
Sunday, January 13, 2008
From the WTF column
FOXNews.com - PETA Asks That Accused Cannibal Not Eat Meat in Jail - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News
Life is always more ridiculous than we ever think that it can be.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Trial of Karen McCarron: Day 5—McCarron blames herself for letting her child be vaccinated
Trial of Karen McCarron: Day 5—McCarron blames herself for letting her child be vaccinated
Unfortunately you had to guess that vaccination would enter into this somewhere.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Trial of Karen McCarron: Day 2
Trial of Karen McCarron: Day 2
Heartbreaking on all sides.
Study Says DNA Flaw May Raise Autism Risk - New York Times
Study Says DNA Flaw May Raise Autism Risk - New York Times
Interesting...this is one of the research consortiums that has access to our family's DNA, so it always makes me wonder when they find something! It's exciting to see so much research going on in so many different directions.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
The absolute "best" theory of autism cause that I've heard yet
Mentioned here Thimerosal Exposure Declines, Autism Rates Increase, and a Note About Myself
"From my own observation: Moms of autistic kids are party goers or ex-party goers. Leaves me to think that birth control or drugs is the cause."
It's actually a close second to the theory that autistic kids are sent here by aliens to be emissaries to the rest of the world (kind of difficult if they're non-verbal I'd say), but the "party-going mom" one is pretty classic too.
And I knew that the anti-vaccine people weren't going to take the new study lying down- so far my favourite theory that they've come up with is that the large amount of immigrants coming from thimerosal using countries account for the increase. Sometimes you just have to laugh so that you don't scream.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Trial of Karen McCarron:Day 1
Katie McCarron. Regardless of the evidence or the verdict, I hope that people remember that it's really all about this little girl, and trying to prevent this from happening to another child.
Monday, January 07, 2008
Another exciting leap forward in medical research
FOXNews.com - Scientists Help Mice Paralyzed by Spinal Injuries Walk Again - Health News | Current Health News | Medical News
There are some very cool things going on in medicine today.
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Fascinating article about how DNA tests can enable parents to connect
The DNA Age - Parents Whose Children Share Genetic Mutations Seek Each Other for Support - New York Times
Interesting angle for a story...one of the most surprising things to me is that there is actually an insurer who will cover the testing!
Almost anything that helps parents to connect is good in my books though- it's amazing how much support makes a difference.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Author George MacDonald Fraser Dies
The Associated Press: Author George MacDonald Fraser Dies: "Author George MacDonald Fraser Dies"
Damn. If you've never read any of the Flashman books (and have any interest in history), pick one or two up. They're amazing.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
ER stories...love and lust in the ER
Site Map
I've seen a fair amount of discussion on the medical blogs whether these stories are true or not,
but there are definitely some amusing ones.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Monday, December 31, 2007
Sunday, December 30, 2007
The 2007 Ignoble Awards
Improbable Research
I think that my favourite this year is "LINGUISTICS: Juan Manuel Toro, Josep B. Trobalon and Núria Sebastián-Gallés, of Universitat de Barcelona, for showing that rats sometimes cannot tell the difference between a person speaking Japanese backwards and a person speaking Dutch backwards.
REFERENCE: "Effects of Backward Speech and Speaker Variability in Language Discrimination by Rats," Juan M. Toro, Josep B. Trobalon and Núria Sebastián-Gallés, Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes, vol. 31, no. 1, January 2005, pp 95-100"
Who knew that rats had so many language problems?
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Friday, December 28, 2007
I hadn't seen this one for a while, and it always makes me laugh
(and yes, this is what having triplets is like!)
Free-fall "zero-g dance" to be performed this weekend, inspired by Hugo-winning novel "Stardance" - Boing Boing
Free-fall "zero-g dance" to be performed this weekend, inspired by Hugo-winning novel "Stardance" - Boing Boing
Wow- this is COOL! I love both Spider's and Jeanne's work, so I'm very excited about seeing this. It's also neat to see that what we considered "science fiction" in the 70s is actually coming true. Cool.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Friday, December 21, 2007
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Monday, December 17, 2007
I think that THIS is the way that you advocate (and fundraise) for children with disabilities
From a great post at The Joy of Autism this morning...
Curepity
And a full-page ad (.pdf) in one of Canada's leading newspapers....it's sure a change from "ransom notes"!
Saturday, December 15, 2007
A great (sane) article on autism
Freedom of expression - Times Online
If only we'd see more stories like this!
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network
Even with the best of motivations, sometimes organizations make mistakes. It sounds like The NYU Child Study Center had the very best of intentions with their new ad campaign, but it is unfortunate that it reinforces negative stereotypes of the very people that they are trying to help. Although we definitely have daily problems and worries associated with autism, and I wish that my kids didn't have to deal with it, they don't need "rescuing"...they need support and acceptance to make their lives better.
I find the idea of "ransom notes" particularly appalling...my children are autistic- they were not "kidnapped", and have not been taken hostage by this diagnosis...it is part of who they are. I would definitely prefer that they didn't have to struggle every day, but if they were not autistic they would NOT be the wonderful people that they are...they might be wonderful in a different way, but autism has not ruined their lives (or mine, for that matter). They are not a "detriment" to the people around them (check out the ADHD "ransom note")- in fact, I've been told many times by their workers and doctors that their lives are richer for having known them.
While I know that NYU is doing some great work, and I am sure that they had the best of intentions with this ad campaign, I find it incredibly frustrating that they are trying to make my children (and people who share a psychiatric diagnosis) objects of pity and fear. I have long ago come to some kind of acknowledgment within myself that they will never get all of the help and support that they deserve in order to help them live their lives to the fullest, but it is painful and appalling to me that the organizations who are most in a position to support them apparently still view them as objects of pity and scorn.
If you have a minute, please write a simple email to one of the addresses in the link. Changing social views of autistic people is a slow process, but it will make the world of difference to my kids, at least, and they deserve to be seen as the wonderful, talented, loving, and "useful" people that they are, and not just as people who have been taken "hostage" by a trick of birth.
Thanks.
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Flying Puppets / Wonder Bread -
Flying Puppets / Wonder Bread - Boing Boing TV
Fun stuff- neat flying machines. I like the "Jules Verne" made out of Saran Wrap and drinking straws.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Fever can temporarily unlock autism's grip
CTV.ca | Fever can temporarily unlock autism's grip
Interesting new study- I'd certainly never heard of this angle before. My kids definitely have improved behaviour when they have a fever, but I've always put it down to lethargy!
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Saturday, December 01, 2007
Friday, November 30, 2007
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Kmareka.com � A Connection between Cell Phone Use and Autism?
Kmareka.com � A Connection between Cell Phone Use and Autism?
My new favourite "cause" of autism (sarcasm heavily on). So far my all-time favourite "cause" was one that I found the night that I was told that all 3 of my triplets had autism. We got home from the doctor's office in pretty much a state of shock...being who I am, as soon as I got them to bed that night I went online to find out what I could about it, as prior to then my only experiences of autism had been "Rain Man", and a friend who worked as an aide and got bitten every day by the child that she was working with.
Google didn't even exist at that point...I think that I used Hotbot to search. And the very first site that I read was a "wonderful" website which posed the theory that autistic children were actually emissaries for the aliens who had been trying to contact us for the last 50 years (unfortunately I think that the site is gone now, but this was is 1997, which is officially the dark ages as far as the internet is concerned)...finally the aliens had given up on stealing trailer trash on their way home from the bars and anal-probing them, and decided to breed a new race of "super-communicators" instead, hence, autistic children were created.
I live in hope that at some point most of the human race might be able to use their critical thinking facilities and stop coming up with these ass-brained ideas.
Cell phone use? Aside from the fact that this idiot seemingly has no idea of autism incidence over the last 20 years (look at http://autismdiva.blogspot.com/ for information on incidence and the "epidemic"), does this guy actually think that autism can be boiled down to one specific cause, especially one as minor as this?
I weep for the future of our kids at times...if half of the energy that was spent looking for "cause" was as devoted to accepting our kids, and figuring out the most appropriate ways to help them function in society as much as they need to in order to be happy and productive citizens, I think that we'd all be a lot better off. My blood pressure level would be, at least.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
http://www.treesfortroops.org
http://www.treesfortroops.org
A nice idea if you're looking for a charity to donate to before Christmas. I know that one of my military triplet families benefited from this last year, and it was a great start to their Christmas season.
Monday, November 26, 2007
YouTube - Nationl Anthem Fenway Park
YouTube - Nationl Anthem Fenway Park
So cool...Boston kicks ass!
17 Ways to Get Free Books | Frugal Panda
17 Ways to Get Free Books | Frugal Panda
Free books are NEVER a bad thing...there are some great swapping sites out there, even for non-Americans!
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Father Slashes Autistic Son to Death
Father Slashes Autistic Son to Death
I can't even begin to understand this, and with my kids, I think that I've pretty much been to the brink of despair a few times.
Friday, November 23, 2007
The Travel Justly campaign
SuicideGirls > News > Culture > Tis the Season: "the Jewish Funds for Justice, the Progressive Jewish Alliance, and the Jewish Labor Committee [has] collaborated to launch the Travel Justly campaign. The effort is designed to call attention to -- and perhaps even improve -- the relatively crappy working conditions of many hotel housekeepers. Ninety percent of these workers are women."
Sphere: Related ContentTuesday, November 20, 2007
Denial
Denial - Psychology - Mental Health and Behavior - New York Times
Interesting article. I don't know whether I completely agree with it, but I do find that denial is helpful in a lot of situations. Sometimes refusing to think about something might be the only way that you can cope with it (cue thoughts of Dylan).
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Something Down The Drain? Retrieve it Without a Wrench. | Family Hack
Something Down The Drain? Retrieve it Without a Wrench. | Family Hack
Simple but brilliant...I wish I'd known about this years ago.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Why is peer review important?
A good, simple article on why peer-reviewed research is important. VERY important if you have autistic children.
Why is peer review important?
Friday, November 09, 2007
Unanswerable questions on Snopes
Urban Legends Reference Pages: Unanswerables
I like the one where the guy asks is pre-packaged foods contain enough estrogen to turn him gay.
Thursday, November 08, 2007
Michael Yon : Online Magazine � Blog Archive � Thanks and Praise
Great picture...Christians and Muslims working together to re-open a church in Baghdad.
Michael Yon : Online Magazine � Blog Archive � Thanks and Praise
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Sunday, November 04, 2007
Saturday, November 03, 2007
‘Autistics': We don't want a cure
It's nice to see a pretty balanced article that looks at one of the growing divides in the autism community.
globeandmail.com: ‘Autistics': We don't want a cure
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Friday, October 26, 2007
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Bring an axe to a gunfight, and look what happens
Robber Axed For It - October 24, 2007
This woman has sheer balls....I love the look of confusion on the robber's face.
Story written using only Cat in the Hat words - Boing Boing
Story written using only Cat in the Hat words - Boing Boing
J Robert Lennon has composed a passable short story using only words found in Dr Seuss's The Cat in the Hat:
My mother was gone. It was a bump on her head, a big bump. I did not know; mother did not tell me. When she did, I fell. "No," I said. "No, not you! Do not go!" But there was no way. She sank fast, that was good. I let her go.
Then one day I saw Sally. We went out for fish. I had cat fish; Sally had something funny, with a big tail.
"What is that thing?" I said.
"This?" A bite. "Fish!"
"Good?"
A shake of the head. "No."
Monday, October 22, 2007
Retrospectacle: A Neuroscience Blog
"Video of British Soldiers on LSD"
One of the funnier things I've seen.
Stephen Fry 's latest entry
Stephen Fry � Blog Archive � I Give Up
This man is one of my gods...he's great.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Reason Magazine - Amusing Ourselves to Depth
Reason Magazine - Amusing Ourselves to Depth: "Amusing Ourselves to Depth Is The Onion our most intelligent newspaper?"
Sphere: Related ContentFriday, August 10, 2007
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Coming Soon: Facebook in Your Language
Wow- 1/3 of the Canadian population is on Facebook now? I knew that it was popular, but that's crazy.
Inside Facebook � Coming Soon: Facebook in Your Language
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Whoa- I'm awake now!
Kind of cute, in that ugly space alien way. The one on the right looks entirely too happy.
Sphere: Related Content
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Could Facebook Become The Next Microsoft?
Interesting article...I always swore that I'd never be on a social networking site (and made fun of those who were...sorry Mark!) , but it definitely sucked me in. It will be interesting to see where it goes.
Could Facebook Become The Next Microsoft?
Sunday, July 22, 2007
One of the oddest commercials I've ever seen
Mac's is a convenience store chain in Canada, and apparently WTF is the name of their new slushie. Weird.
http://view.break.com/335268 - Watch more free videos
Friday, July 20, 2007
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Asperger Test (AQ Test)
Asperger Test (AQ Test)
Interesting. I got a 15 (Average woman). I would have thought that there was a chance that I would have scored "higher" because of the kids.
Monday, January 01, 2007
Happy New Year class of 2010 and 2010..God I'm old
A note of explanation about the Beloit College Mindset List
To save readers the time and effort of writing to us about the Beloit College Mindset List, we offer four brief explanations reemphasizing elements contained in the introduction. We are aware that, in the reporting of the lists in the media or in email exchanges, the introduction is often removed or restated.
First, the Mindset List has never been a chronological listing of things that happened in the year that the entering first-year students were born. People who are listed as "always having been dead" have always been in that state of repose in the minds of one who is 18 years old. Those listed died the year before or after the year the students were born.
Second, the list is a general statement of the experiences and events that shaped the view of the world maintained by entering students. We take a risk in some cases of making general statements, particularly given that our students at Beloit come from almost every state and dozens of nations. We inevitably find someone who still has an 8-track tape player or whose television station still signs off with the national anthem. Some of these events occurred some years after they were born, but they are important events in shaping the mindset of the entering students. Our effort is to identify a worldview of 18 year-olds in the fall of 2006.
Third, the "Class of 2010" refers to students entering college this year. They are generally 18 years old. We recognize that some students may vary slightly in age and may have been born in a year other than 1988.
Finally, the list is phrased to identify the experiences and event horizons of students as they commence higher education. It does not indicate anything negative about their education. (They know about the existence of the Soviet Union for instance, yet they never experienced a world with two super powers engaged in a cold war. These are things they will come to know better in the years of education before them.)
We welcome correspondence, ideas, suggestions, and requests regarding the Mindset List and do our best to respond as soon as possible.
Ron Nief
Tom McBride
BELOIT COLLEGE MINDSET LIST LOOKS AT ENTERING COLLEGE STUDENTS, GROWING UP WITH NO SOVIET UNION, ONE GERMANY AND BAR CODES
.
.Beloit, Wis. - A rite of autumn is under way with the arrival of first-year students at thousands of colleges and universities for registration. Most 18-year-old students entering the class of 2010 this fall were born in 1988. They grew up with a mouse in one hand and a computer screen as part of their worldview. They learned to surf the internet as they learned to read. While they were still in their cribs, the 20th century started to close as the Berlin Wall came down, the Soviet bloc disintegrated, and frequent traditional wars in Latin America gave way to the uncontrolled terrors of the Middle East.
Each August since 1998, as faculty prepare for the academic year, Beloit College in Wisconsin has released the Beloit College Mindset List. A creation of Beloit’s Keefer Professor of the Humanities Tom McBride and Public Affairs Director Ron Nief, it looks at the cultural touchstones that have shaped the lives of today’s first-year students.
According to McBride, this year’s entering students form “a generation that has always been ‘connected’ and is used to things happening in ‘real time,’ like live satellite coverage of revolutions and wars, instant messaging and movies on demand. They expect solutions for every problem, from baldness to diseased organs. To the chagrin of teachers and parents, they’ve developed their own generational means of communication.”
The Beloit College Mindset List is used by educators and clergy and by the military and business in their efforts to connect with the new generation. Beloit creates the list to share with its faculty in anticipation of the first-year seminars and orientation. “It is an important reminder to faculty, some of whom are only a Ph.D. older than their students, that what we call ‘hardening of the references’ can set in quickly,” according to Nief. "It is meant to be thought-provoking and fun, yet accurate. It often provides the base for good opening seminar discussions as faculty and students address the challenges of examining important issues from differing perspectives."
BELOIT COLLEGE'S MINDSET LIST®
FOR THE CLASS OF 2010
Members of the class of 2010, entering college this fall, were mostly born in 1988. For them: Billy Carter, Lucille Ball, Gilda Radner, Billy Martin, Andy Gibb, and Secretariat have always been dead.
| 1. | The Soviet Union has never existed and therefore is about as scary as the student union. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2. | They have known only two presidents. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3. | For most of their lives, major U.S. airlines have been bankrupt. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4. | Manuel Noriega has always been in jail in the U.S. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5. | They have grown up getting lost in "big boxes." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6. | There has always been only one Germany. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7. | They have never heard anyone actually "ring it up" on a cash register. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8. | They are wireless, yet always connected. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9. | A stained blue dress is as famous to their generation as a third-rate burglary was to their parents'. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10. | Thanks to pervasive headphones in the back seat, parents have always been able to speak freely in the front. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11. | A coffee has always taken longer to make than a milkshake. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12. | Smoking has never been permitted on U.S. airlines. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13. | Faux fur has always been a necessary element of style. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14. | The Moral Majority has never needed an organization. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15. | They have never had to distinguish between the St. Louis Cardinals baseball and football teams. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16. | DNA fingerprinting has always been admissible evidence in court. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17. | They grew up pushing their own miniature shopping carts in the supermarket. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18. | They grew up with and have outgrown faxing as a means of communication. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19. | "Google" has always been a verb. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20. | Text messaging is their email. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 21. | Milli Vanilli has never had anything to say. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 22. | Mr. Rogers, not Walter Cronkite, has always been the most trusted man in America. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 23. | Bar codes have always been on everything, from library cards and snail mail to retail items. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 24. | Madden has always been a game, not a Superbowl-winning coach. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 25. | Phantom of the Opera has always been on Broadway. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 26. | "Boogers" candy has always been a favorite for grossing out parents. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 27. | There has never been a "skyhook" in the NBA. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 28. | Carbon copies are oddities found in their grandparents' attics. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 29. | Computerized player pianos have always been tinkling in the lobby. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 30. | Non-denominational mega-churches have always been the fastest growing religious organizations in the U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 31. | They grew up in mini-vans. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 32. | Reality shows have always been on television. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 33. | They have no idea why we needed to ask "...can we all get along?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 34. | They have always known that "In the criminal justice system the people have been represented by two separate yet equally important groups." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 35. | Young women's fashions have never been concerned with where the waist is. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 36. | They have rarely mailed anything using a stamp. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 37. | Brides have always worn white for a first, second, or third wedding. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 38. | Being techno-savvy has always been inversely proportional to age. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 39. | "So" as in "Sooooo New York," has always been a drawn-out adjective modifying a proper noun, which in turn modifies something else | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40. | Affluent troubled teens in Southern California have always been the subjects of television series. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 41. | They have always been able to watch wars and revolutions live on television. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 42. | Ken Burns has always been producing very long documentaries on PBS. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 43. | They are not aware that "flock of seagulls hair" has nothing to do with birds flying into it. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 44. | Retin-A has always made America look less wrinkled. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 45. | Green tea has always been marketed for health purposes. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 46. | Public school officials have always had the right to censor school newspapers. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 47. | Small white holiday lights have always been in style. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 48. | Most of them never had the chance to eat bad airline food. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 49. | They have always been searching for "Waldo." |  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 50. | The really rich have regularly expressed exuberance with outlandish birthday parties. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 51. | Michael Moore has always been showing up uninvited. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 52. | They never played the game of state license plates in the car. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 53. | They have always preferred going out in groups as opposed to dating. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 54. | There have always been live organ donors. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 55. | They have always had access to their own credit cards. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 56. | They have never put their money in a "Savings & Loan." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 57. | Sara Lee has always made underwear. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 58. | Bad behavior has always been getting captured on amateur videos. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 59. | Disneyland has always been in Europe and Asia. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 60. | They never saw Bernard Shaw on CNN. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 61. | Beach volleyball has always been a recognized sport. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 62. | Acura, Lexus, and Infiniti have always been luxury cars of choice. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 63. | Television stations have never concluded the broadcast day with the national anthem. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 64. | LoJack transmitters have always been finding lost cars. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 65. | Diane Sawyer has always been live in Prime Time. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 66. | Dolphin-free canned tuna has always been on sale. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 67. | Disposable contact lenses have always been available. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 68. | "Outing" has always been a threat. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 69. | Oh, The Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss has always been the perfect graduation gift. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 70. | They have always "dissed" what they don't like. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 71. | The U.S. has always been studying global warming to confirm its existence. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 72. | Richard M. Daley has always been the Mayor of Chicago. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 73. | They grew up with virtual pets to feed, water, and play games with, lest they die. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 74. | Ringo Starr has always been clean and sober. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 75. | Professional athletes have always competed in the Olympics BELOIT COLLEGE'S
|
Saturday, December 30, 2006
One of my favourite apologies of the year, from a great article
Regret the Error: Crunks ’06: The Year in Media Errors and Corrections: "From the Daily Star (U.K.):
IN previous issues of this newspaper, we may have given the impression that the people of France were snail swallowing garlic munching surrender-monkeys whose women never bother to shave their armpits.
We now realise that the French football team can stop the Portuguese – and in particular their cheating whingeing winger Cristiano Ronaldo – from getting to the World Cup Final which we so richly deserved to do.
We apologise profusely to France and its sporting heroes like Thierry Henry and Zinedine Zidane who we now accept are skilful, brave and the most wonderful neighbours we could ever wish for.
Vive La France! Link"
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Friday, November 24, 2006
Michael Richards: Not a Jew
Michael Richards is not a Jew.
As Cosmo Kramer in "Seinfeld," Richards played one on TV. But he himself is not Jewish -- not that there's anything wrong with that.
Richards lashed out a heckler at the Laugh Factory last Friday, spitting out the "N" word without humor and with abandon. Audience members booed, several walked out, then Richards himself walked off stage.
The incident was caught on a cellphone camera and posted at the TMZ.com Web site, where it ignited a firestorm of criticism against Richards. Richards apologized on "The Late Show With David Letterman" Monday night. "I was at a comedy club trying to do my act, and I got heckled, and I took it badly and went into a rage," he said. "For me to be in a comedy club and flip out and say this crap, I'm deeply, deeply sorry. I'm not a racist. That's what's so insane about this."
Fellow comedians and fans have been quick to criticize Richards -- and misrepresent his religious background. Comedian Paul Rodriquez held a press conference at the Laugh Factory, saying that Richards should know better, because the Hollywood community defended Jews against actor Mel Gibson's anti-Semitic tirades.
The implication was that Richards, a Jew, should not be launching racist attacks. He shouldn't, but he also isn't Jewish.
"Someone needs to tell Rodriquez that Michael isn't a Jew," said a television director who has known Richards for years. The two worked together in 1980 on ABC's "Fridays" television show and have remained in touch ever since.
According to sources familiar with Richards, the actor was raised Catholic. A biography of him on the Wikipedia web site lists no religion, but does say Richards is very involved in the Masons.
“Seinfeld” was Richards' first big break after a long and unlikely rise to stardom.
According to Wikipedia, Richards was born in Culver City to William Richards, an electrical engineer, and Phyllis (nee Nardozzi), a medical records librarian. "Richards attended California Institute of the Arts but received a bachelor's degree in drama from Evergreen State College in 1975.
He was drafted during the Vietnam War and stationed in Germany, as one of the co-directors of the V Corps Training Road Show. He produced and directed shows dealing with race relations and drug abuse. He then spent two years in the Army developing educational skits and a couple more years ‘finding himself’ at a commune in the Santa Clara Mountains. He drove a bus and developed a stand-up comedy act in 1979,” according to the Web site.
In "Seinfeld," which aired from 1989-1998, Richards played Kramer, a character based on show co-creator Larry David's former across-the-hall neighbor, Kenny Kramer. The real Kramer is indeed of Jewish heritage -- not that there's anything wrong with that.
Richards did appear Sep. 14 at the Laugh Factory's evening of Jewish comics, called, "The King Davids of Comedy." However, the management made it clear at the time that Richards and the other major comic at the event, Louis CK, were not part of that evening's themed show, and that no photography would be permitted during their sets.
Following Richard's racist remarks, Laugh Factory owner Jamie Masada posted this message on the company's Web site: "We do not support or condone the inappropriate, hurtful and offensive comments that Mr. Richards made on Friday night at the Laugh Factory.
"Mr. Richards was scheduled to appear on Saturday night and had informed management of his intention to apologize for his hurtful and unprofessional outburst from the previous night. He failed to do so and disappointed us.
"We have made it clear that Mr. Richards is no longer welcomed here. The Laugh Factory is a comedy club not a forum for personal attacks."
Laugh Factory owner Masada is Jewish.
Confusion over Richards' heritage grew after the Anti-Defamation League issued a press release Monday denouncing the actor's tirade.
"Richards' repeated use of the 'n-word' and apparent reference to lynching is offensive in any context. There is no excuse for such insensitive and bigoted language. It has no place in a comedy club and no place in America and must be clearly repudiated," the release said.
"We hope Mr. Richards will now take a public stand against appeals to racism and bigotry and publicly apologize for his poor judgment in shouting them from the stage."
The release did not address Richard's own religion. In the past, the ADL has regularly taken public stances against instances of racism unrelated to anti-Semitism.
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Friday, November 03, 2006
Boy with leukemia auctions off space on his head
Boy with leukemia auctions off space on his head
There really aren't enough words to express this kid's heroism. What a great idea.
If you want to be a marrow donator WITHOUT having to pay fees, check out Canadian Blood Services A good friend of my daughter's (Katie, 3 years old), died for lack of a donor when my daughter was fighting cancer. It's something that often CAN be fixed, so please, sign up to donate somewhere.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
An open letter to Dell Tech Support
You really want to know what you can do to make me reccomend Dell to my friends? Fine ..here it is.
1- I don't feel like I need to give you a pint of blood for you to agree that I own my computer.
Mine was purchased for me by a friend who owed me money that I no longer have a relationship with. Why? Well because he turned out to be a drug addled homicidle lunitic. In order to take ownership of the support case I had to recall his phone number which is deleted from everything I own since he was evil and scary, his address, He and I both now live in other countries ( Thank God) and now and I have no memory of his address ( call it up to selective memory erasure or post traumatic stress disorder) Why do I have to find my ex friend , get his social security number, blood type and a sperm sample for you to help me? It was sent to me, I registered it, I have the tag numbers and it's under your warranty. Own the case!
2- Also I got very lucky with my last support rep, I have often times ( And I don't mind outsourcing ) spoken to people who have clearly given me wrong advice, spoken with such a thick accent that I could not understand them and been spoken down too like a moron. Look I don't build computers but I have been using them since the eighty's, I do object oriented programming and I generally know my way around windows. If you get the picture that I understand what a C prompt is then I don't need a 3 hour explanation of what the freaking C prompt is. "Ok you know what the C prompt is, you’re there now? Good Type this. It’s the way you guys bunch everything on one disk that makes me confused about where I go to get the tools I need. If you get the vibe that I'm computer savvy then let’s get to work
3- Why can’t you just give me a bare bones OEM of windows and then another copy of all your add on’s and bloat ware. What if I don’t want the four gigs of tutorials and crap I don’t use and don’t want and don’t need? Let me decide what installs on my computer. I uninstalled your operating system and just installed Win XP alone. My System is literally over 30% faster and has gigs more space. Why? So I can have animated tutorials that take me hours to get rid of since they tie up DLL’s that I’m not sure about deleting cause there shared. I want two things. I want a Windows disk that will install windows, then I want another disk with all the crap you’re trying to push on me and then I want to be able to say “hey I would rather not install AOL but please throw Adobe on there for me”. So I can choose the crap I want and don’t
. Also don't give up so easy, again my last interaction was wonderful. I can't tell you how many times I have had one of your reps with one of my other purchases tell me " Sorry reformat, can't do anything" Only to find the answer on another board ( not yours) and realized that I almost lost years of data because someone isn't up to date with a Windows operating system repair tool that you installed yourself in my computer that fixes whatever the problem I have had is, or a Microsoft tool that is installed with the windows you gave me when I bought my system.
Don't you guys get a manual when you install a new version of windows? I do. Why did you give up on me so easily and why did I spend hours on the phone with you only to find the answer myself?
4- Lastly, make your components replaceable with other companies components I bought the XPS just for that and I still find there are thing's I can only get from you. If I buy a laptop from you and I'm somewhere in the
Monday, October 09, 2006
North Korea finally Pops off a Nuke Huh? Nice.
Outcry at N Korea 'nuclear test'
North Korea's claim that it has successfully tested a nuclear weapon has sparked international condemnation.
The White House called for a swift response from the UN Security Council, calling Pyongyang's move "provocative".
Japan and South Korea also condemned the test and even Pyongyang's closest ally China expressed its "resolute opposition", calling the move "brazen".
Diplomats say an emergency Security Council meeting on the issue is taking place in New York.
The underground test, which South Korean media said took place in Gilju in Hamgyong province at 1036 (0136 GMT), has still to be confirmed.
N KOREA NUCLEAR PROGRAMME
Believed to have 'handful' of nuclear weapons
But not thought to have any small enough to put in a missile
Could try dropping from plane, though world watching closely
But both the US and Japan said they had detected seismic waves. Russia said it was "100% certain" a nuclear test had occurred.
The size of the bomb is uncertain. South Korean reports put it as low as 550 tons of destructive power but Russia said it was between five and 15 kilotons. The 1945 Hiroshima bomb was 12.5-15 kilotons.
BBC diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus says North Korea's claimed test does not necessarily mean it has a fully-fledged nuclear bomb or warhead that it can deliver to a target.
'Unpardonable'
The US led calls for a swift UN response. White House spokesman Tony Snow said: "We expect the UN Security Council to take immediate actions to respond to this unprovoked act."
Japan's foreign ministry said US President George W Bush and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had spoken by telephone and agreed there should be "decisive UN action".
Mr Abe, currently visiting Seoul, earlier called the claimed test "unpardonable".
The region was "entering a new, dangerous nuclear age", Mr Abe said.
We expect the UN Security Council to take immediate actions to respond to this unprovoked act
Tony Snow
White House spokesman
He said Japan and the US would step up co-operation on the missile defence system they began after a North Korean missile test in 1998.
South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun said it would be "difficult" to maintain his country's policy of engagement with the North.
He feared the move could "spark a nuclear arms build-up in other countries", although Japan quickly said it would maintain its ban on nuclear weapons.
The South Korean military - which has been put on a heightened state of alert - had the capability to cope with any North Korean provocation, Mr Roh said.
The head of the South's intelligence service told lawmakers it had detected more movement at a North Korean test site and he could not rule out further nuclear tests.
In Seoul, about 500 protesters rallied against the claimed test, burning a portrait of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.
South Korea has also suspended a scheduled aid shipment of concrete to North Korea.
The North has relied on international help to feed its 23 million people for more than a decade and there are concerns the latest move could further compromise its ability to feed its most vulnerable people.
In an unusually strong statement against its ally, China said the claimed test "defied the universal opposition of international society".
The BBC's Rupert Wingfield-Hayes in Beijing says China's statement is an indication of how strongly it is angered by North Korea's action, although Beijing will still be loath to support tougher sanctions against Pyongyang.
'Historic event'
When it announced the test, the North's KCNA media agency described it as an "historic event that brought happiness to our military and people".
KOREAN NUCLEAR CRISIS
Sept 2005: At first hailed as a breakthrough, North Korea agrees to give up nuclear activities
Next day, N Korea says it will not scrap its activities unless it gets a civilian nuclear reactor
US imposes financial sanctions on N Korea businesses
July 2006: N Korea test-fires seven missiles
UN Security Council votes to impose sanctions over the tests
Oct 2006: N Korea claims to have carried out nuclear test
It said the test would maintain "peace and stability" in the region and was "a great leap forward in the building of a great prosperous, powerful socialist nation". There was no radiation leak, it said.
The development comes three days after the UN Security Council agreed on a formal statement urging North Korea to cancel any planned nuclear test and return to disarmament talks.
Pyongyang pulled out of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 2003 and has refused for a year to attend talks aimed at ending its nuclear ambitions.
North Korea's official media has long warned that the US was preparing to attack and developing a nuclear capability was the only way to prevent this.
If confirmed, the test would make North Korea the ninth country known to have nuclear weapons.
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Stupid headline of the week
Townhall.com::Why Liberal Feminists Support School Shootings::By Kevin McCullough
Only slightly more asinine than the accompanying article.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Monday, September 18, 2006
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