Leslie's Omnibus

Drive-Bys

I'll be spending New Year's Eve at the Omnibus Depot, as I really don't enjoy being out with the crazies without a designated driver and the promise of great company.

I'll also be missing the whisking away of ashtrays on the stroke of twelve tonight. Of course, this doesn't mean one has to quit. I'll be okay, as I'm ready, once more, to quit, and I think it will be easier to quit since there are less places to cheat.

I'm afraid that the state of Illinois is handling this one very badly, however. They charge more for cigarettes, give you less and less places to smoke, and then give you zero in the way of support for resources for quitting.

In fact, I sat next to an older gentleman last night who repeatedly asked, "What am I going to do? I gave up drinking. I can't give up smoking. I don't want to quit smoking. But all my friends go to places where there's going to be no smoking. What am I going to do? Sit alone in front of the television for 24 hours a day? I've been smoking for 40 years..." and on and on it went. This is a guy who thought it was a real accomplishment that he could go for more than an hour without a cigarette.

He broke my heart when he told me he was seriously contemplating suicide, rather than having to choose between smoking and his social life.

(Put that in your pipe and choke on it, all of you smug and self-righteous non-smokers who think it's so damned easy to quit.)

While you're out and about in Illinois tonight after midnight... and any time after that for at least the the next few months... be careful out there. I predict there's going to be more than just the usual level of road rage for quite some time.

Say a prayer for those folks who are about to have their lives turned upside down for a while, will you?

Suicide. Sheesh.
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This doesn't smack of entrapment, it is entrapment. What'll they do next to lure in the perverts? Have little girls sunbathe topless in the park?

(A tip of the cap to my BlogDaddy.)
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This is sick and senseless. Rotten little bastards.
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Wow! I hope they can eventually release these recordings on CD!
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Leslie

Drive-Bys

I love, love, LOVE to entertain Erica. So who knew that I could find something guaranteed to make her grin through Grand Rounds of all things?

Then I stumbled over this little gem at LOLSECRETZ.com:

Who could resist?

(Certainly not moi.)
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Quote of the Day:
Tomorrow, we're going to the raunchy adult emporiums along South Street, to purchase the biggest, blackest, most-accessorized dildo ever to sport a kickstand and require a truck battery.

Must. Meet. This. Woman. She rocks.
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I bet this will be good news for RSM.
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The Chicago Tribune takes on the local media highlights for 2007. It's not just Chicago politics that ain't pretty.

Update: Via Beth, see the worst of the MSM in 2007, as well.
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So what was my Christmas present to myself this year? A new battery, one tire repair and a ride in a tow truck the day after Christmas... because there was no fixing it on Christmas day. Ho, ho, ho.

Big ol' smoocheroos to the Best Brother Evah, who drove one hour in each direction, not once, but twice in one day so I wouldn't miss Christmas with TMBCITW and TMPAE.

Wish me better automotive karma for 2008, will ya?
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If this isn't a load of bollocks, I don't know what is.

Leslie

Drive-Bys

You Were Nice This Year


You Were 35% Naughty, 65% Nice

Okay, so you weren't *entirely* nice this year, but Santa doesn't expect a modern girl to be perfect.

You were good enough - and you'll be rewarded for it.


(A tip of the Santa cap to Tammi.)
Leslie

Drunk Lady Sings 12 Days of Christmas

Have a safe, happy and laughter-filled Christmas from the Divine Miss Marilyn and me! (And don't forget your designated driver, please...)

Leslie

Bwahahahahaha!

Blame it all on LawDawg. Major spit-take alert!

Leslie

Drive-Bys

You don't have to be a flake to make a flake. C'mon. It's fun!

(A tip of the cap to Sourpuss.)
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I have fallen seriously, deeply, hopelessly in lust.

(A rain of curses on the head of the Instapundit, who dangled that bit of temptation under my nose.)
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You Are 87% Burned Out

You are extremely burned out.

You work too hard, and you're not getting the results you deserve.

It's time for a life change, as soon as you can manage it.

You're giving away most of your energy to something you don't even enjoy.

Yup. Not good. Not good at all...

(A tip of the cap to Richmond.)
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What Your Hands Say About You



You are logical, analytical, and rational. You have good verbal skills.



Flexible and broad minded, you can fit in to any situation. There's no telling where your life will take you.



Consistent and reliable, you like to count on structure and routine in your life.



Your emotions tend to be nervous and potent. Your energy - both positive and negative - deeply impacts your life.

Leslie

Chicago Christmas Classic

This played on the Ray Rayner show (WGN TV) all through the Christmas season when I was growing up.

Leslie

A Glance In the Rear-View Mirror

This is one of my childhood favorites.

Leslie

Drive-Bys


Once again I Can Has Cheezburger has me spewing all over my monitor.
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Whatever you do, don't tell the Princess Mom about this. She'd be lobbying for a Constitutional amendment ASAP.
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I'm no fan of Hillary's and that's a fact. However, just what does this have to do with her?

I hate dirty politics.
Leslie

The End of the Line

Rosie has lost dear doggie pal Babe.
I told him, “Go on to the Bridge, Baby. Go on and wait for me there. I’ll be coming along before you know it.”

I’m burying him close to the house instead of where the other more active kids are. Babe was nearly deaf and blind and slept very deeply. Sometimes, he’d wake up and I would have left the room. He would track me in the house until he bumped into my feet. Then he’d look up and seemed to be saying, “Oh! There you are. I lost you for a minute there.”

I don’t want him to have to track too far to find me.
If that doesn't choke you up, you have no heart.
Leslie

Drive-Bys

Your Score: Saffron


You scored 75% intoxication, 0% hotness, 75% complexity, and 50% craziness!




You are Saffron!

Those other spices have nothing on you! You're warm, smart, and you make people feel really good (and with no side-effects!). You can be difficult to get to know and require a lot of those who try, but you're so totally worth it. *Sigh*

Link: The Which Spice Are You Test written by jodiesattva on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

(A tip of the cap to Barry Campbell.)
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It figures that the mind that created this would come up with something like this. (And you can add this to my Christmas wish list.)
Leslie

Long and Winding Road

Gleefully swiped from here.
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Erica has tagged me with an easy meme:

So what does it mean?
I read their blogs because whether they are simply taking care of family or working to make others’ lives better, they do it with grace and dignity despite any roadblocks along the way.”
I'm flattered, truly, but she stole much of my thunder by tagging many of my usual gang of Blown-Eyed and Blown Star bloggers. Guess I'll have to tag some of my "outsider" favorites who manage to embody that sentiment... although I'd say some of them do it with more tenacity and hard-headedness than grace and dignity...

Helen, my BlogMama, Zuleme, Gottagopractice, Shari, Christine, LadyGunn, Meezer Mom Mary, Moody Mama Angie, Barb, Kate, my pal Livey, the Sweetheart of Shell Knob, MO and my wonderful kid.

Y'all knock me out. Really, you do.
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*Drool*
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The religion of peace. Right.
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121,287 People
(A tip of the cap to Becky.)
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More meme madness, thanks to Rosie:

“When people say ‘Christmas’ you immediately think…”

Oh, Dear Lord, I'm going to have to do the bosses' Christmas cards again. Arghhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!

“Favourite Christmas memory…”

I was always the first one out of bed on Christmas morning, and we learned at an early age that the Princess Mom and Darling Daddy would not even consider getting up until at least 7:30 a.m. I'd creep out of bed and wake my brother and sister, and we'd sneak downstairs. First order of business was opening stockings, which were the only gifts we were allowed to open before PM and DD joined the land of the living. The second order of business was to pull out every present from under the tree and parcel them out so that we were ready when the present-opening marathon began.

Also, the trip downtown to the Greyhound station to pick up the Christmas box from my favorite auntie every year. She was the biggest Christmas Fairy on the planet, and always overdid on the gifts. We couldn't wait to get that box home and open it up!

“Favourite Christmas song/carol…”

O Holy Night

“Favourite Christmas movie…”

Sleepless in Seattle

“Favourite Christmas character…”

Cindy Lou Who

“Favourite Christmas ornament/object…”

Every single one that my mother ever gave me.

“Plans for this Christmas…”

Christmas Day with my brother's family. Also time with MMPC and her (okay, our) family.

“Is Christmas your favourite holiday?”

Yup.

Okay, I'm not tagging anyone. But if this looks to be somewhere up your alley, have a blast.
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The LawDawg, Ambulance Driver and BabsRN have teamed up on another knuckle-biter. (I really do want to meet these folks some day. They're some kind of wonderful.)
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This
is a great idea. Divorce doesn't have to be nearly as adversarial as the legal system can make it.
Leslie

Drive-Bys






You'll die from an Unlikely Illness (like the plague).

You will unfortunately succumb to a random and unlikely disease. Only to find out after death that eating more broccoli would have cured you.








'How will you die?' at QuizGalaxy.com

(A tip of the cap to Dr. Helen.)
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Just when you thought Drew Peterson couldn't possibly get more offensive.... I'm telling you, the guy's brilliant.
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Da Mair
is freaking out, CTA workers are planning a one day walk-off to demonstrate just how badly the Chicagoland area is dependent upon its services, and to what does our Governor turn his attention? Wrigley Field. Smashing. Simply smashing. His logic process defies description.
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Now here's an idea I could really get behind. (What took so long?)
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Leslie

Drive-Bys

A couple of Blogthings via Ktreva:




You Should Have a Blue Christmas Tree



For you, the holidays represent a time of calm, understanding, and peace.


You avoid family fights, and you don't get too stressed out - even when things are crazy!



You like to make Christmas about making everyone's life a little bit better.


You don't get caught up in greed or commercialism. You're too sincere for that.



Your blue tree would look great with: Lots of silver tinsel



You should spend Christmas Eve watching: It's a Wonderful Life



What you should bake for Santa: Chocolate chip cookies


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What The Holidays Mean to You



For you, the holidays are about emotional connections and bonds. You are happiest being around those you love.



You celebrate the holidays in a minimalist style. You are likely to only give one great present [NOT] and decorate your house with a few special items [yup].



During the holidays, you feel magical. You love all of the decorations and how happy people are. You like to sit back and take it all in.



You think the holidays should be decadent and indulgent. You never mind gaining a few holiday pounds... it's worth it!



Your favorite holiday memories strongly evoke your senses. You are vividly aware of all the tastes, smells, and sounds of the holidays.


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Yes, I'm a sucker for animals. If you live in Chicago, keep your eyes peeled for Tug. His owners miss him terribly.
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I knew we had coyotes in Chicago. I didn't know that otters are making a comeback. How otterly cool is that?

(I cross the Chicago River every day on my way to and from the office. I'll be keeping an eye out and my camera handy from now on!)
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Now here's a guy after my own heart. Wish there were a hell of a lot more like him in Congress.
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Here's more on that slimeball Drew Peterson. How come it took so long for this to make the news, anyway?

And, in keeping with Drew's strategy of tainting the entire potential jury pool by behaving so outrageously that you can't help by think he's guilty, here's two more cards in a well-played hand. Yee Gods.
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Leslie

Drive-Bys

If you've ever loved an animal, this is a must see. Get out your hankies and watch the whole thing. And blame it on that darned Dooce for pointing me towards it.
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Quote of the Day:
"Most of the people here have jobs that are very well paid and they depend on the idea that carbon emissions cause global warming. They are not going to be very receptive to the idea that well actually the science has gone off in a different direction," Evans explained.
Somewhere out in the cosmos, Old Crankypants is having himself one whale of a laugh.
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Remember my prediction about Drew Peterson's outrageous behavior? The guy's still at it, and I must say he's got lovely, shiny, big brass cojones.... They'll never find an unprejudiced juror for this guy.
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Note to Livey -- I wore the suit you gave me to the company Xmas party. I'm still getting compliments on it. Many thanks!
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Speaking of great big ones...
Leslie

Speed Bumps Ahead

Remember my wandering cell phone? Apparently it wasn't inadvertently hijacked by a friend. It's sprouted legs and walked. Hitched a ride elsewhere. Not even a wave bye-bye.

(Yes, I've been saying naughty, naughty words, as a result.)

I've had the same SIM card for years, and many of the numbers programmed in it were never entered into my personal address book, as well.

I'm begging here, folks. If I had your phone number before, please email me at Omnibus-dot-Driver-at-gmail-dot-com.

This stinks!
Leslie

Rubber-Necking

While this makes me very sad, and I'm glad there was someone there prepared and willing to take on the shooter.

However... here's the $60,000 question: What the heck kind of church needs armed security guards during their worship services? Is it me, or is this more than a bit odd?
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Update: I guess this explains everything. Good for her. Good for them.
Leslie

Drive-Bys

Now that's my idea of a great political cartoon! This, too.
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With Christmas right around the corner, it can be tempting to bring home a new puppy or kitten. If that's the case for you, please, please, please don't get one from a pet store. This is what you are supporting if you do. (Be sure and click on the video link, too. Heartbreaking stuff.)

What you can do instead?

Animal welfare activists urge families looking to acquire a pet to consider these steps:

Make adoption your first choice. Visit your local shelter; if you have your heart set on a purebred dog, remember that an estimated 1 in 4 shelter dogs is purebred.

Don’t buy your puppy from a pet store or the Internet. Many commercial retail dogs come from puppy mills through third-party brokers.

Know how to recognize a responsible breeder. Good breeders care about their animals and will let you see their living spaces and records. They will ask you as many questions as you ask them.

Lobby for better laws. Let your federal and state legislators know you’re concerned about the treatment of dogs in puppy mills. Ask your member of Congress to support expanding the Animal Welfare Act to include kennels that sell large numbers of puppies directly to the public.
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Drew Peterson complains like crazy about the media making him look bad. But I'm thinking he's doing a fine job of it all by himself.

(And I have a sneaking suspicion that he's crazy like a fox -- there's no way in hell he could ever find an impartial jury... and he knows it. In fact, it appears he's purposefully making sure of it.)
Leslie

Psssssst!

If you've been trying to reach me by cell phone... my phone is hitchhiking across Chicago in a friend's handbag, due to mistaken identity. It has been gone since last Friday. Looks like I won't be getting it back until tomorrow.

Rats.
Leslie

Tootin' the Horn

This photo (shamelessly snagged from here)...

... reminds me that I owe belated birthday greetings to this chickypoo:

The warm wishes may be late, but they're entirely heartfelt.

Oh, and look what I found her for a birthday gift. (Sweet, no?) And here's something else to make her chuckle.
Leslie

Bus Fumes

If I make it through this holiday with my sense of humor intact, it'll be more miraculous than the virgin birth...
Leslie

Bus Fumes

Sorry. When an embryo gets recognized as a "person" at conception and women who bear children for another are no longer "surrogate mothers" but "gestational carriers," there's something very, very wrong in the world.
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These fine people will apparently never be judged in a court of law. In the court of public opinion, however, is another matter. They've already been judged there, and found extremely wanting.
Leslie

Drive-Bys

Ugh. I guess I should have ordered this a little sooner. I'm already to the point where I'm ready to throw a chair through a window and jump...
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Apparently, I'm not the only one who feels this way.
Leslie

Drive-Bys

It's been a crazy week and I'm glad to see the tail end of it. I'm riding off into the weekend sunset. See you Monday?
Leslie

Busman's Holiday

Sorry I've been so long in posting. I've been off visiting the Princess Mom.

This photo?

It's sunset over Tallahassee.

More later...
Leslie

PSA

As you're tucking into your dinner and giving thanks on Thursday, give a moment to chew on this little tidbit, too.

If what Kevin has to say moves you at all, then go here, and consider putting together and distributing gift bags for the homeless in your area this holiday season.
Leslie

Tootin' the Horn


My pal from the North Woods is having a birthday. Hope your day is wonderful, Livey!
Leslie

The End of the Line



Blogger Rachel Lucas has lost her dear canine companion, Digger. Heartfelt condolences from me and my own aging Traveling Companion.
Leslie

PSA

Received today from the American Cancer Society:

The American Cancer Society has an extraordinary opportunity to help the millions of people battling cancer.

Novartis, a leading pharmaceutical company, has teamed up with the American Cancer Society to match any donations we receive by December 15, dollar-for-dollar, up to $100,000. This means that Novartis can double any gift you make.

Your doubled gift will be used to support American Cancer Society-funded researchers and others so they can continue their promising work. You'll also help give the American Cancer Society more resources to offer important patient services, cancer education programs, and support for local and nationwide advocacy efforts.

Please help us take advantage of this opportunity by clicking here to give a gift to the Novartis Matching Gift Challenge today. Thank you!

Sincerely,

Debra Cohen
Chairman of the Board
Illinois Division
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Please give generously. This one is near and dear to my heart.
Leslie

Drive-Bys

Pamibe goes out of her way to squick me out today. Yick.

Becky also serves up stomach-turning information.

Between the two of them, they're rapidly turning me into Adrian Monk.
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Drew Peterson and missing wife Stacy are getting a lot of media attention here in Chicago, and rightly so. However, I find this news very alarming, and can't understand why it's not getting nearly as much attention as the Peterson mess.

Frightening times, people. Frightening times.
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Here's another survey to help you see which candidate you are most aligned with on policy issues. My closest result was 75% like Rudy Giuliani. My problem is, I can't vote simply on policy issues; I have to really like and trust the candidate, as well. And I just don't like Rudy. Ah, well. I really am not nuts about any of the candidates -- right or left -- at the moment.
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I see Governor Blago is working hard on getting our transportation mess straightened out. Whatta guy.
Leslie

Bus Fumes

Here's more insight into how the Catholic Church has historically guarded against the possibility of pedophiles entering the priesthood:
Mundelein officials learned in 1992 about sexual accusations against McCormack involving two adult males and a minor. The incidents began in 1988 when McCormack was at a seminary school known as Niles College, according to archdiocesan reports.

"There was a sense that his activity was part of the developmental process and that he had learned from the experience," Kicanas said. "I was more concerned about his drinking. We sent him to counseling for that."
Great. Not only was this seminarian a pervert, he was a drunk and a pervert. So how did the then rector of the seminary react?

He offered up a daily smorgasboard of altar boys and sacremental wine and trusted that McCormack wouldn't give in to temptation. And they put him in a position of power and sacred trust in doing so.
"It would have been grossly unfair not to have ordained him," said Kicanas, now bishop of Tucson, Ariz., who was interviewed Tuesday after his election to vice president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Right. And now the bastard is in jail for molesting five little boys.
The archdiocese's vicar general, the Rev. John Canary, also worked at Mundelein at the time. He recently told the Sun-Times that McCormack should have never been ordained.

Kicanas disagrees, saying there was no "credible" allegation against McCormack.

"I don't think there was anything I could have done differently," Kicanas said.
If Kicanas really believes that, he has no business being a bishop. A shepherd is supposed to guard his flock, not knowingly set a wolf among them.
Leslie

Bus Fumes

Cardinal Francis George and one of his top bishops are stirring up controversy because of statements they recently made criticizing lawsuits from victims of priest sexual abuse.

In a letter obtained by the Sun-Times, the cardinal earlier this year wrote to the parents of a victim and apologized "for the terrible abuse suffered by your son at the hands of Ken Ruge and Robert Becker," two Chicago area priests who are now dead.

The cardinal also wrote that money was the motivation for proposed state legislation that would allow adults who were abused by priests as children to sue their perpetrators in cases where statutes of limitation have expired.

"This is irresponsible, is not about the safety of children as the sponsor claims, and is clearly, to me at least, about money," he wrote.
Wrap your head around that for a moment.

It's been very clear for a long time that the Cardinal is loyal to the Vatican, and the Vatican is now rewarding him richly for it:
Cardinal Francis George, a staunch Vatican loyalist, was elected president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops today.

This elevates George’s profile in the American church. But the position is more symbolic than powerful since the Vatican approves all major decisions.

The conference is the organization by which U.S. bishops conduct business, such as implementing Vatican guidelines for liturgy or developing sexual abuse policies.
Yes, indeedy -- the same man who says it's all about the money is leading the body that develops sexual abuse policies for the Catholic Church in the U.S.
In the wake of the explosion of clergy abuse scandals in 2002, George often served as national spokesman for the bishops. But he initially argued for a less stringent policy than the “zero tolerance” measure eventually adopted by the bishops. [Emphasis mine]
Never has a candidate been as widely protested by clergy victims, who point to his handling of cases.
Is it any wonder?

The Vatican looks out for the Vatican, and not for the Catholic Church itself (see definition 3).

It's actions like this that lead me to practice my own faith outside the confines of organized religion. The hypocrisy is stunning.
Leslie

Rubber-Necking

Quote of the Day:
Then he does it. He stops right in front of me and to my horror he pulls up his gown as he yells, "AND WHEN ARE THEY GONNA COME AND FIX THIS! THIS SHIT IS GONNA FALL OFF!"
Who says med blogs are boring?
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2007 Darwin Award candidate No. 1 found here. (via J-Walk)
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2007 Darwin Award candidate No. 2 found here. Karma is a beautiful thing to behold.
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Future Darwin Award candidate? (And you thought texting and driving was distracting enough!)
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I don't know why, but this article gives me the giggles.
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Best title for a short story: "Porn and Donuts"
Leslie

Drive-Bys

Quote of the Day:
Meanwhile, it only took Jesse Jackson three days to get his canned-ham-for-a-face in a picture on the strike line. Of course he showed up at 5:00 just as the march was ending. The man can find a photo-op like a pig can find truffles.
Yup. That's why I love Ken Levine.
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You Are a Kinetic Learner

You learn best by doing, and you have a talent for complicated, physical tasks.

You excel at athletics, drama, and fixing things.

You would be an excellent Olympic athlete - or a Broadway star!


(A tip of the cap to LL.)
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Erica and Jimbo got me curious:

What American accent do you have? (Best version so far)

Neutral

You're not Northern, Southern, or Western, you're just plain -American-. Your national identity is more important than your local identity, because you don't really have a local identity. You might be from the region in that map, which is defined by this kind of accent, but you could easily not be. Or maybe you just moved around a lot growing up.

Personality Test Results

Click Here to Take This Quiz
Brought to you by YouThink.com quizzes and personality tests.

Born in Boston. Moved to Cleveland. Moved to Chicago. Moved to New Hampshire. Moved back to Chicago. Yep. That explains everything.
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If nothing else, my ongoing boycott of imported Chinese goods seems to have gotten my URL banned in China. Figures.
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For my Straight White friend, so he'll know where the very first zombie can be found. For instance, did you know...
Recent work at Hierakonpolis has, however, revealed compelling evidence that zombies may have been problematic already in Predynastic Egypt (ca. 3500 B.C.).
Zounds!

(A tip of the cap to the Instapundit.)
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I agree with Da Mayor. The RTA really does need at least 30 days to make preparation for Doomsday, Part III.

I don't know how the Gov can keep dinking around with legislation to allow two more casinos in the state of Illinois and say that it will fix the 2008 RTA budget. Right. Casinos that haven't even had ground broken for construction. It will be years before these things are operational. And, guess what? At least the Chicago casino will likely be served by the RTA, both for employee and patron transportation.

In the meantime, the CTA has more financial issues than just the daily operating costs.

Lets' face facts. We haven't had a fare increase in a good long time, and we're due. If Springfield is going to get hit for more money, those of us who use the service day in and day out should be paying our fair share, too. My daily one-way fare on Metra is less than $3, and takes me about 45 minutes from the time I walk out the door until the time I walk into my office. If I drove, I'd be looking at a minimum of an hour to ninety minutes in traffic, and at least $17 per day in parking fees. Add gas and increased insurance fees, and I'm sure you can see why I'm a big proponent of the RTA and why I'd be willing to pay an increase to keep the services running smoothly.

Chicago certainly doesn't have enough parking space for all those people who'd be affected by route cuts, even if they could afford the parking -- and most can't.

I hope Richie keeps the pressure on Rod. This is just ridiculous.
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This is why you should never buy a puppy or kitten from a pet store. Especially unimaginable:
In negotiations with county officials, Horton will keep 200 dogs and will secure the proper licensing and comply with federal laws for dog breeders, Larrowe said.

He could eventually face charges that include animal cruelty, but he has cooperated as authorities work to remove the dogs from his farm, treat them and send them on to shelters.
I'm gob-smacked here. They remove 1,000 puppies and the authorities still let him keep 200 dogs??? There is no way you could possibly obtain a healthy, well-socialized puppy from a breeding operation like this.
Leslie

Rubber-Necking

Holy moley! I went from Flappy Birdhood to Large Mammal-ness in 24 hours.

(I'll enjoy it for the 30 seconds it lasts. Geeze. All I had really aspired to was to get back to being an Adorable Rodent again.)
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Update: I was right about that 30 seconds. Less than 12 hours later I embraced Wiggly Wormness. Sheesh.
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Update 2: It looks like there's a schism in the Ecosystem. All the inbound links appear to have gone kaflooey.
Leslie

Drive-Bys

See this test? I'll never know the answer to that question, as every time I type in my URL I get this message:
Something went wrong.
WTF?
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The latest round of good things for your child to ingest have arrived from China. And, by golly, the Chinese will make that all our fault, too.
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I would have thought this might be a pretty damned good deterrent if I hadn't discovered that Jenkem stuff. Now, I'd believe some people will pollute their bodies with just about anything....
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Be glad you don't live in the Chicagoland area and rely on mass transit. It's going to get uglier, folks. (Is it any wonder that the Governor's approval rating is lower than Dubya's?)
Leslie

Tootin' the Horn

In honor of my late father's service in the Army Air Corps during the Korean War, I've joined Project Valor-IT's Air Force Team. This wonderful program provides voice-activated laptops for severely wounded soldiers.

It's not often to find an organization that takes 100% of your donation and puts it where it's intended. I'm proud to join the team and support the cause!







Leslie

Drive-Bys



Your Inner European is Dutch!



Open minded and tolerant.


You're up for just about anything.




(Because lots of cool bloggers are doing it.)
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True Mom Confessions. I am certain the Princess Mom would have made use of this site on a daily basis when I was growing up. (Not because of my own antics, mind you; it was all my siblings' fault.)
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My giggle for the day can be found here.
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Leslie

Drive-Bys

Hey, Erica! I think you should enter this contest next year. You'd stand a good shot at making the top 10, at least!
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Pay Attention: This next link is not for the weak of stomach. Really.

The mind simply boggles at this. That is quite possibly the grossest thing I've ever read.

Uck. My tummy is still roiling.
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For all my male bloggity buds, the Quote of the Day:
Bad winter expected for tits in UK
Sorry. Just couldn't resist.
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There are some crimes for which the only penalty would be for the perpetrator to have the same thing done to them as they have done to their victim. Nothing else comes close in this case.
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Yes, the Gov managed to pull another rob-Peter-to-pay-Paul rabbit out from under his wig. That buys us until the end of December before panic sets in again. What's wrong with these people?
Leslie

Drive-Bys

I got an email with a subject line of Applebee's - enjoy! ($50.00!!):

Have a great lunch!

Hope you enjoy your lunch on Applebee's!

My name is Bill Palmer, founder of Applebee's. In an attempt to get our name out to more people in the rural communities where we are not currently located, we are offering a! $50 gift certificate to anyone who forwards this email to 9 of their friends. Just send this email to them and you will receive an email back with a confirmation number to claim your gift certificate.

Sincerely

Bill Palmer

Founder of Applebee's Visit us at: www.applebees.com
Followed by:
Hey guys,

It really works, I tried it and got my Gift certificate confirmation number in 3 minutes.
Remember -- you never get something for nothing.

Update: If you found your way here from Google, please stick around and read a little bit more. Start here. You're always welcome!
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It seems Jay and I have managed to piss off a Chicago late night talk radio host.

I listen to Nick Digilio on the radio on Sunday nights as I'm headed off to sleep -- mostly because I have a sleep button on the radio that turns itself off after an hour, and I'm usually awake enough to catch the beginning of Brian Noonan's gig, which I enjoy. Plus, when I hit the sleep button in the morning, I wake up to Spike O'Dell, who I really enjoy.

See? He just happens to pop up on the radio station I listen to the most, and is on at a time when I'm usually drifting off to sleep. In my opinion, he's a pushy, opinionated, pig-headed, overgrown adolescent who, I'm sure, gets paid a good buck by WGN to be just that. If you met him out and about in Andersonville, my guess is he'd be the know-it-all at the bar with an opinion on everything and perfectly willing to make sure everyone on this place knows what it is. He's the kind of guy most people either love or hate, and I just usually tune out. I'm sure he's a laugh riot to drink with. Or see a horror movie with. That doesn't make him a bad guy -- it just makes him the kind of guy I generally try to avoid, okay?

But, as his billing notes:
Now he hosts his own show on Friday, Saturday and Sunday Nights where he talks about pop culture, current events, hot topics...and of course, reviews the new films.
If you're going to style yourself knowledgeable on pop culture, wouldn't you think you'd want to sound knowledgeable?

Yes, my initial reaction (I emailed him the link the day I posted it, BTW; he never bothered to respond at the time) to his was probably a little over-the-top. But his response is just mocking and ridicule and only further exposes the "who cares" attitude that is why I don't consider him particularly professional. And just what I'd expect out of him. That's my opinion, and I'm entitled to it.

P.S. -- Thanks, Anonymous for letting me know about his little rant. I'm guessing you tipped him in the first place! If so, I'm alway grateful for new readers.

P.P.S. -- Nick, if you see this, there's actually one thing we do agree on. Bacon is one of nature's perfect foods. Just to show there's no hard feelings, here's a blog devoted entirely to bacon. Enjoy.
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Stunt breasts?
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Leslie

Bus Fumes

Clearly Governor Blago doesn't get it. Nor do any other members of our legislature, it seems. Hundreds of thousands of Chicagoans are going to be severely adversely affected by their inability to quit playing power games and taking care of the voting base for once.

No one can claim that the RTA's budgetary needs are a surprise. It's not like the organization just sprung up out of the ground overnight. One bailout in the form of robbing next year to pay for this year has already happened.

The folks are the RTA are right:
Regional Transportation Authority officials were more direct, saying they won't approve a short-term funding fix for the CTA, Metra and Pace that involves using transit subsidies from next year's budget to solve this year's budget woes.
This needs to be fixed right now, and with an eye to the future in not letting anything like this happen ever again with our public transportation services.

The boys and girls down in Springfield need to understand that the voters are watching all of them closely. We're watching who's actually trying to pry this thing out of the mud and put it back on the rails and those who are standing around just jawing about how awful everything is and how somebody ought to do something about it.

I predict big changes in the color of the voting in this state in our next election. Mark my words.

Big changes.
Leslie

Drive-Bys

Quote of the Day:
Parenthood and pet ownership, people. Two adventures that never get old.
Too funny!
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Last night I had a dream that took the form of a story told in one long blog post. Complete with scroll bars and publish post buttons. Too strange.
Leslie

Drive-Bys

Via John Walkenbach, I found the Color Sense Game.

Here's my primary color palatte:



In Italy, al fresco means "in the open air." Dining al fresco conjures up images of a splendid dinner with friends on a lush terrace, where nature's green brushstroke has painted every view.

The Al fresco Harmony Collection™ introduces welcoming and rejuvenating color harmonies inspired by nature's palette. It's a weekend in the countryside, the smell of freshly cut grass, or fresh basil growing on your kitchen windowsill. A friendly color, green symbolizes renewal and embodies our thoughts of springtime. It is the essence of your garden, luminous when the sun glimmers through after rain. The greens of Al fresco are inviting; they comfort, soothe, and restore. A simple solution for creating a peaceful retreat in any room, greens are especially good for serene bedrooms and living rooms where they promote tranquility and the sharing of confidences. If you are attracted to Al fresco, you are ready to bask in its healing palettes... where green is the color of relaxation.



And here's my secondary palette:



The palettes of Leather, Stone & Wood will balance hectic lives with a sense of strength, comfort, and security. It is a simple return at the end of each day to earth's precious gifts.

Wear-polished pebbles from last summer's beach stroll, a branch of silvery driftwood, a handful of golden sand, or the imprints of children etched into the time-honored leather of your grandfather's beloved chair. The classic and discriminating tones of the Leather, Stone & Wood Harmony Collection™ recapture the essence of earthen objects in tactile palettes destined to create restful backdrops for living.

These harmonies are particularly well-suited to open concept living where we rely on shade and nuance to divide space, or to enhance sophisticated interiors as the perfect partner for dark wood trims, leather furniture, and a library feel.


Pretty damned cool, huh? What's your best color palette?
Leslie