Drive-Bys

Giggle of the Day:

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Facebook once again is rolling out something you should know about... and probably don't.

Check your settings, m'kay?
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You mean the glaciers aren't shrinking after all??? (Global warming. It's a beautiful thing.)
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Chocolate-Peanut Spread that not only looks delicious, but is incredibly easy to make.
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What complete idiocy is this?

Moviegoers planning to see “The King’s Speech” after the Oscars might see a different version than what has already been released.

Executive producer Harvey Weinstein is mulling an idea to re-edit the R-rated movie — which received 12 Oscar nominations Tuesday, more than any other film — to get a different rating, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Weinstein, who said he is discussing the idea with director Tom Hooper, is aiming for a PG-13 or even a PG. The move would be part of a marketing strategy intended to up the film’s appeal to a broader swath of moviegoers.

Puh-leeze! Go to the "R" rated version or you'll miss half the fun. (Just ask the Mad Minnesotan.)
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The most sensible (and conservative) article ever to grace the pages of the Chicago Tribune can be found here.

6. We can’t be dependent on the government.

Remember the immortal words of President Kennedy: “Ask not what your country can do for you ... ” Plan for independence, because there is no way our country can take care of all of us as we age. Of course, America has always taken care of the neediest among us, and will always try to do so. But will we have the resources and the growth to provide for everyone? Or will we resort to debt and money printing? And how long will that work?

These past few years should have taught us that government, under both political parties, can’t solve all our problems or fix all our economic suffering. It can only provide the framework for growth that comes from people at every level of our society.

Who knew?
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When even a regular union guy doesn't back the Chicago Teachers Union, you know the public school system is broken:

Bryant Coulter is a firefighter who considers himself a pro-union guy, but prefers non-union charters schools. “I saw five fights while waiting to talk to an assistant principal at the CPS high school my son went to,” said Coulter. The difference was “night and day” after switching to charter schools, he said.

The current head of the teachers union is an asshat, BTW:

Charter schools are just a marketing scheme trying to sell a product that doesn’t work — just like a weight loss gimmick she once fell for. “Guess what?” said Lewis. “I’m still a fat girl.”

Guess what, Karen? Apparently you're half wrong -- you're still fat, I agree.
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The Rahm Emanuel Hokey Pokey is finally over: The Illinois Supreme Court says he can put is left foot in.

Ear Worm of the Day?



That's what it's all about!

World Tour

Ooooh -- Barbados! I love Barbados; in fact, I swam with sea turtles there and was hooked for life on the beauty if its tranquil waters and sugar sand beaches.

It also has a lovely climate, with an average temperature of 75 to 85 degrees. Tradewinds provide balmy breezes year round. Also, Barbados is uniquely situated and may get the occasional tropical storm, but they haven't had a hurricane since 1955.

The people are lovely, the rum punch is spectacular and the attitude is definitely laid back.

Yep. I've got to talk to my family about doing a getaway there!

Sunday Schedule

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm! (I can haz mine own one plz?)

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Haaaaaaaaahahaha! It's about time!

I still maintain that the reason Climategate is ignored by big media here in the U.S. is that our government is too heavily invested -- financially, emotionally and scientifically -- to admit the large-scale fraud that was perpetrated against us.

So many people have identified themselves so closely with the idea of global warming that to admit the data isn't and never was there is to call themselves frauds. Those are the folks that should be furiously demanding that the light of truth shine on the isssue, instead of continuing to bury their heads under a blanket of lies. The only reason they don't, I believe, is that they're affected by a weird version of Stockholm Syndrome -- let's call it Copenhagen Climate Council Co-Dependence, shall we?

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Nice to see that the paparazzi has done as Tiger asked and left his wife and daughter alone. Shitheads.

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I needed a happy story, and Ellen and Kara gave it to me.

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I still get a link from Gutrumbles every once in a while. Today was one of those days, so I headed on over there for a stroll down memory lane with the ghost of Old Crankypants, who dearly loved music.

This post, originally posted in June of 2004, made me wish he'd chosen to take better care of himself so he'd have stuck around long enough to really embrace Youtube, which was relatively new technology back in mid-2006 when he passed from this world out into the ether. Surely he'd still have posted stuff this and this (his only two Youtube links) from time to time, but he'd certainly have posted a hell of a lot more like this for your listening pleasure:

(You're not gone if you're carried in someone's heart, Rob. And your friends still miss you a lot.)

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Althouse says:

Thomas Friedman is puzzled: Obama "speaks so well" yet he "can't come up with a clear, simple, repeatable narrative to explain his politics."

She then goes into long explanation of what that's not true. I can sum it up more succinctly:

He speaks perfectly well and we understand his explanations and his politics just fine; many of us just happen to reject them.

See?

Sunday Schedule

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

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Now that's romantic:

When Valerie Myers opened her Valentine’s card this morning she could have been forgiven for feeling a slight sense of déjà vu.

For 31 years her husband Ken has sent her the very same card. But to stop their romance going stale, he has added a new – and very cryptic – message each time.

The father of five designed the large padded card himself in the Seventies while working as a freelance card designer.

He first sent it to Valerie in 1979 – five years after they wed – with the coded inscription ‘Aisle ooh view’ – meaning ‘I love you’.

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See? I told you Craig Ferguson was the best of the late night talk hosts.

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Want to know that your donated dollars are going to the most effective organization possible? Add the Charity Navigator to your favorites.

(And read the descriptions carefully. You've got to wonder about the altruism of an agency that would post the following: "The Lambi Fund never dictates to a community organization what should be done; through discussion and reflection, the peasants decide what is best for their community and present the project to the Lambi Fund for support." In this day and age there's an agency that refers to people as peasants???)

Which did I choose? Local, but highly-rated Bright Hope International. Based on what I saw at their site, I'll be adding them to my annual giving list.

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Look! A new Simon's Cat video:

The origin's of Simon's Cat?



Yeah. I bought myself a little Valentine gift after seeing that.
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From the British scientist who started it all:

• Data for vital 'hockey stick graph' has gone missing
• There has been no global warming since 1995
• Warming periods have happened before - but NOT due to man-made changes

Now let's wait and see how long it takes for Big Media here in the States to pick up on this.

Drive-Bys

This is so wrong on so many levels I can't begin to tell you.

As many of you know, the Princess Mom finally succumbed not to lung cancer, which she'd had for years, but to brain cancer when the lung cancer metastasized. I'd have given anything to give her the comfort and relief a joint or a bowl or a bong or an Alice B. Toklas brownie would have given her.

In this case, the poor woman had a prescription from her doctor in a state where medical marijuana is legal, AND had a permit from the state -- but her landlord is still evicting her.

Spread the word: Do Not Rent from Gardner Group of Michigan. Not at that property. Not at any of their properties.

What leeann says goes double for me.
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Traveling via CTA's elevated train system any time soon? You might want to keep this in mind:

Before someone gets hurt, and before the myth that it's unsafe to ride the CTA becomes reality, it's time to pick up your cell phone, CTA riders. Dial 911 and report crime on the transit system to the Chicago Police Department.

And do it while the perpetrators are in the act. Any criminal activity can also be reported to the Chicago Police Department's mass transit unit at 312-745-4485, or to the CTA at 312-664-7200.

In addition, it's time to jot down the badge numbers of CTA employees who don't think it's their job -- it's actually their duty -- to get involved.

CTA policy requires employees to tell the perpetrator to stop such behavior. If the individual persists, the employee is supposed to radio the control center, which will notify security or police, said CTA spokeswoman Noelle Gaffney. CTA customers are encouraged to report crimes, including thefts, assaults and harassment, to CTA and the police, so officials can provide increased security where it is needed, Gaffney said.

Report employees who are not carrying out this duty to 888-968-7282 or send an e-mail with details, including the date, time, location and transit route, to: feedback@transitchicago.com.

And stay off your cell phones, BlackBerries and iPods, too. Thieves have gotten downright brazen and will walk right up and take it from you if you're not paying attention.
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Ummmmm... about that global warming thing?
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Quote of the Day, Part I:

“I am an automotive diagnostician,” Mr. Seyfer said. “We look for the root cause of problems. If we treat the symptoms, the problem always comes back. With health care, we are not treating the root cause: Why does it cost so much?”

Quote of the Day, Part II:

Ron Vaughn, who provides health insurance to his 60 employees at Argonaut Wine and Liquor near the state Capitol, said: “I’m a middle-of-the-road kind of guy. I want the Democrats out of my pocket and Republicans out of my bedroom. The one word I would use for what’s going on in Washington is embarrassing. I am embarrassed for Republicans and for Democrats. They started out on the right foot, but it’s degenerated.

“Republicans misled people and tried to scare seniors by putting out misinformation about death panels,” Mr. Vaughn said. “Then to pass a bill in the Senate, Democrats stooped to bartering for votes. It demeans the whole process.”

Yes, these people speak to me.
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Got a teenage daughter? Show her this. It's a lesson I wish I learned way before turning 40.

(And make sure she reads the Jag Carrao links. Those posts pack a powerful punch.)
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Quote of the Day, Part III (because Juliette rocks):

This is the deal: if you’re assisting in the redistribution of wealth to its “rightful owners,” you get a pass on telling an unflattering racial truth. If you’re “doing something to for black people,” you get to let a “racist” thought slip through your lips or out of your word processor. It’s why old Klansmen like Senator Robert Byrd can even use phrases like “white n*gger” and still sit in the US Senate.

You're allowed to "abuse" black people with one hand if you’re giving them things out of the other.

The truth hurts, doesn't it?
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The question is here. The answer is another question: "Fallout? What fallout?"