Leslie's Omnibus

Rubber-Necking

After my last eye-popping horoscope from the Lipstick Mystic via the RedEye, I was hoping for something a little tamer this week.

Nuh-uh. Didn't happen. Behold:
Leo
July 23-Aug

A moon opposition has you wondering where the hell your sexual mojo went. It hasn't disappeared permanently. It's just on vacation. In the meantime, don't attempt any online seduction or you'll end up sleeping with Craigslist's number one loser
Gee, thanks. And how come that 4-week license expired 3 weeks early?

P.S. -- If you're wondering what the Lipstick Mystic has in store for your week, drop me a comment and I'll post it for you.
Leslie

Rubber-Necking

Thar's a bahr! Whar? Over thar:



Har!

(A tip of the cap to John Walkenbach for that lovely piece of news reportage.)
Leslie

Drive-Bys

Got an iPhone and traveling abroad? This is a must-read for you:
I later wished I had asked more questions, especially when my husband called midway through my trip, asking why the bill for four days of iPhone use was $500.

By then, I had been in Europe for a month and realized that my next AT&T bill would be astronomical. I had been taking and sending photos, reading and writing e-mails, surfing the Internet, downloading digital newspapers and watching mindless YouTube footage with abandon. What I didn't know was that under the little apple on the iPhone case, a megabyte meter was whirring like a windmill in a hurricane.

The bottom line: about $5,000, and I hadn't made a single phone call.
Yikes!

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Better start stocking up, because September 5th is International Bacon Day! In preparation, you might want to peruse these sites for a little inspiration for your own personal gustatory celebration:
There. I've done my good deed for the day now.
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Are you newly re-singled or just ready to jump back into the dating pool, ladies? Then there are two things you should know about that will definitely give you a leg up in the game:
Update: For the ultimate turn-on, Designer Snuggies in hot animal prints!
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Incredible, indeed.
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Ear Worm of the Day:


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Giggle of the Day:

funny pictures of dogs with captions
see more dog and puppy pictures
_____

One more quick laugh, received from the Sweetheart of Shell Knob, MO:
What do you get when you when you mix PMS with GPS?

A crazy bitch who will find you!

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Aptly named?
Leslie

Filler 'Er Up

Don't try this at home:
The 27-year-old woman "was filling up a gas can, which was sitting on the passenger seat of the car. [She] then used a lighter to . . . observe how full the can was," police said.

The flame ignited the gas, and the can exploded, setting the car's interior aflame.

Apparently afraid that the fire would spread to the gas pump she had been using, the woman began to push the burning car.

The car was about five feet from the gas pumps and engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived.
Sheesh. Fourteen dozen Darwin Awards points in there somewhere...
Leslie

Bus Fumes

I don't care what your politics, if you care about freedom of speech, this news ought to set your hair on fire:
Internet companies and civil liberties groups were alarmed this spring when a U.S. Senate bill proposed handing the White House the power to disconnect private-sector computers from the Internet.

They're not much happier about a revised version that aides to Sen. Jay Rockefeller, a West Virginia Democrat, have spent months drafting behind closed doors. CNET News has obtained a copy of the 55-page draft of S.773 (excerpt), which still appears to permit the president to seize temporary control of private-sector networks during a so-called cybersecurity emergency.

The new version would allow the president to "declare a cybersecurity emergency" relating to "non-governmental" computer networks and do what's necessary to respond to the threat. Other sections of the proposal include a federal certification program for "cybersecurity professionals," and a requirement that certain computer systems and networks in the private sector be managed by people who have been awarded that license.

No. No. No. If Chimpy McBushHitler Halliburton had proposed this, there'd have been rioting in the streets -- and with good reason.
Probably the most controversial language begins in Section 201, which permits the president to "direct the national response to the cyber threat" if necessary for "the national defense and security." The White House is supposed to engage in "periodic mapping" of private networks deemed to be critical, and those companies "shall share" requested information with the federal government. ("Cyber" is defined as anything having to do with the Internet, telecommunications, computers, or computer networks.)
The same man that thought it was perfectly logical to give a grandma pain pills instead of the pacemaker she so desperately needed now will have the power to take over and direct anything that happens on the internet, telecommunications or other "cyber" communications? Government licensing of cyber security?

No.

Are you a business owner? Then feast your beadies on this:
If your company is deemed "critical," a new set of regulations kick in involving who you can hire, what information you must disclose, and when the government would exercise control over your computers or network.
Do you really want the federal government in your business so deeply?
The Rockefeller-Snowe Cybersecurity bill makes it clear that the president's authority includes securing our national cyber infrastructure from attack. The section of the bill that addresses this issue, applies specifically to the national response to a severe attack or natural disaster.
Protect, yes. Regulate, NO.

Get the hell out of my internet and my telecommunications.
Leslie

Drive-Bys

Ooooh, pretty! Just received these lovely earrings in the mail from Laughing Owl. The turnaround time was three days from pressing the "buy" button to sticking them through my earlobes. The packaging was gift-ready, too.

Can't recommend her highly enough!

(And I may have to have this, as well.)
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JihadGene says, "It's Friday! Let's Dance!"



Betcha can't keep your feet from tapping!

Want to join the dance party? Pop a dance tune on your own blog, then leave a link in Great Reader's comments! Rock on.
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I have a serious problem with my tax dollars going to pay for someone else's refrigerator (let alone someone else's car).

Need to buy a new one and can't afford the hit all at once? Why not try layaway, instead? It's a debt-free way to get what you need without having to reach into a wallet other than your own.

Hard goods will still be purchased. No monthly credit fees involved. Nope, you can't have it right now... but you'll get it in good time and the economy will prosper.

It's the way I myself have bought and still buy when it's a big ticket item and I can't afford it right away.

Learn some patience, people... and some prudence... and some personal responsibility. It's not my job to buy all your big ticket items for you.
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Cheryl Lavin has an interesting column up on ultimatums, and if they're worth it.
There are times when a relationship hits a wall. It's or else time. Either you stop drinking or else. ... Either you stop seeing him or else. ... Either you stand up to your mother or else. ...

And then there's the ever-popular: Either you marry me or else.
Personally, I think you ask yourself how much you are willing to invest in a relationship, and then you get out if if the cost is too high. You don't force a choice on someone else; you take responsibility for your own happiness.
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If I got nothing else out of BlogHer, it was meeting smart women like this:
To Put It Bluntly: People Didn't Bring Guns to Town Halls Until Thugs Started Beating People Up
Next BlogHer I'm going looking for Dana Loesch so I can personally shake her hand and say "thank you" for this post.

Go read the whole beautiful thing.
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Giggle of the Day:

Hello.  My name is Mandy Patinkin.  I am tired of you quoting that line to me.  Prepare to die.
see more Lol Celebs
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Happy weekend, peeps!
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Update: Is something wrong with Sitemeter??? It says I haven't had a single hit since 2:30 p.m. yesterday, and I know that's not right.
Leslie

Tootin' the Horn

I just wanted to give a huge and heartfelt "Thank You" to Courtney of Judith Shakes Designs for my lovely new look. She's been an absolute delight to work with, and I couldn't be happier with the results.

Want a facelift of your own? Head on over here, and tell her the Omnibus Driver sent you!
Leslie

Drive-Bys

It seems to me that the banks have done a lot of their depositors and shareholders a lot of irreparable harm. The least they owe them at this point is transparency.

Keep holding their feet to the fire, Judge Preska!
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Question of the Day:
Is the hair on your arms standing up yet?
Yes, indeed.
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The cash for clunkers program was ill-considered at best, and a slap in the face of tax payers at worst. Hang on to your hats (and your wallets), boys and girls. They're going to do it again with appliances, and it's even less thought out than the first program.

Then again, what do you expect from a congress that's handing out cash bonuses to their "top aides" while many of their constituents are going jobless? Maybe it's me, but anyone making over $150,000 a year shouldn't be having too much trouble paying down their college loans.
It’s time to put a stop to this. Federal wages should be frozen for a period of years, at least until the private-sector economy has recovered and average workers start seeing some wage gains of their own. At the same time, gold-plated federal benefit packages should be scaled back as unaffordable given today’s massive budget deficits. There are many qualitative benefits of government work—such as extremely high job security—so taxpayers should not have to pay for such lavish government pay packages.
Pay attention to which of these congress critters are pulling these stunts at the expense of their own constituents and pull the other lever in the next set of elections, would you?
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The 10 Geekiest Pieces of Furniture in the Universe? I can think of at least three of those items that would make my BlogDaddy a happy, happy boy...
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Ear Worm of the Day:



(I first heard Dinah Shore's version of this. Both are lovely.)
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Giggle of the Day:

funny pictures of cats with captions
see more Lolcats and funny pictures
Leslie

Bus Fumes

How does this pig manage to live with himself?
A man was charged Wednesday for allegedly hurling his 17-year-old Labrador retriever off a third-floor porch Aug. 15 in the Wicker Park neighborhood, resulting in the dogs death, police said.

The dog was the family pet, according to police News Affairs.
Sweet Jesus, couldn't the asshole have tossed himself off the balcony and saved us the cost of incarcerating him???
Leslie

In Memorium

You hear the songs, but sometimes you don't connect them with the writer. Many of the favorite songs of my childhood were apparently written by Ellie Greenwich, who passed away yesterday.



This doo-wop lover's heart just broke a little bit more. Godspeed, Ms. Greenwich.
Leslie

Turn Signal

Facelift for the Omnibus coming soon! Shinier. Snappier. Sassier.
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Update: This is the look. There are a couple of small tweaks, and then we're ready to fire up the bus!
Leslie

Drive-Bys

Create a crisis. Act quickly, without considering all the ramifications. Have it blow up in your face.

Where do you think Obama learned it?
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It's about time the Fed had to show some transparency. Judge Preska? You go, girl!
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Who knew Donald Mills had a British cousin?
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Giggle of the Day? Helen Keller's Twitter feed.
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I lied. Here's another really good giggle:

joe biden and barack obama
see more Political Pictures
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Ear Worm of the Day:



The Lemon Pipers -- do you remember them?
Leslie

Drive-Bys

I sure wish we'd get X-Factor over here so we could see stuff like this on television, instead of on computer:



That guy rocks.
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Giggle of the Day:

fail owned pwned pictures
see more Fail Blog
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Ear Worm of the Day:



True dat.
Leslie

Book Your Ticket

Two more blogger/authors you might find of interest:

Mark A. Rayner, the original king of satire, is shilling "The Marvellous Hairy", which I ordered direct from the publisher today.

Rob Kroese, who originally blogged over at Mattress Police, has a new book due out in October -- "Mercury Falls." How can you not want to read something that begins, "The Antichrist was clearly out of his element."? (And he's giving away free books on Facebook. Just go there.)
Leslie

Drive-Bys

Just a quick reminder -- support bloggers who publish:
Ambulance Driver: "En Route -- A Paramedic's Stories of Life, Death, and Everything In Between"

Elisson: "Shorts in a Wad -- One Hundred 100-Word Stories"

Velociman: "A Trip of Goats"
Especially that last one. I'm thinking that's the only way stuff like this will stop.

(And, yes -- I do indeed own, have read, and highly recommend all three of the above.)
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Feminism I can get behind:
Women will only be harmed if it is perceived that they have gained their directorships through a system of quotas. Rather, they need to make sure that they put in the hours of work and go for the tough negotiating strategy so that they move to the top on their own and gain board seats on their own merit.
Too right. Enough whinging about equal rights. Either do what it takes to compete and earn it or shut the hell up already.
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My inner Geek Girl is all aflutter. Why? Winter is Coming.

Now if one of my favorite authors would get off his behind and finish the next book in the series, my happiness would be complete.
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Quote of the Day:
Guess I’ll need to do it the old fashioned way.
Heh. (This would have gotten the Princess Mom Seal of Approval.)
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Giggle of the Day:
(raff out roud)
So there.
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Ear Worm of the Day:

Leslie

Rubber-Necking

My horoscope today, according to the Lipstick Mystic via the RedEye:
Leo
July 23-Aug 22
Lusty Venus is entering your sign, giving you a four-week license to bed anyone and everyone. Your sex drive is higher than Lindsay Lohan's blood-alcohol level before her last trip to rehab. Get that friskiness out of your system.
*Gulp*
Leslie

Drive-Bys

Giggle of the Day, Part I:

funny pictures of cats with captions
see more Lolcats and funny pictures
______

Ear Worm of the Day:



She's an old favorite. Wish she'd make some new music...
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Giggle of the Day, Part II:
...it was nebulous, ill formed, and threatened to make the entire place unlivable.
Go ahead and keep a straight face. I dare ya.
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Police are getting tougher on women driving drunk? Good. At least in the Chicago area with taxis in abundance, there's NO REASON to get behind the wheel if you've had too many. No matter how hard you cry and beg, if you did the stupid, you should be held accountable.
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I'll be happy when this one blows itself out to see and quits causing damage.
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If Democrats aren't happy with seniors showing up at town hall meetings now, wait'll word of this spreads. Yeesh.
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Leslie

Drive-Bys

JihadGene says, "It's Friday! Let's Dance!" and he seems to be in a country music mood.

Alrighty, then:



BTW -- You're invited to the dance. Post your own dance tune on your blog and drop a link in Great Reader's comments here.
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Quote of the Day:
“Give me the harms others ones.”
Yeah. I think that'd be my first choice, too.
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Giggle of the Day:
One stick, no kick.
And you wonder why I love the med blogs so?
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I don't care which side of the health care debate you're on. This is a great resource for getting the facts for yourself.
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Boy, if I could add the low-light setting and wide angle optical zoom of this to my current Canon PowerShot (which has more megapixels and more optical zoom), I'd be a happy, happy girl.

I'm never satisfied.
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Shhhhhhh! Don't tell Debbie. But kick in, if you want to! (And it's http://www.gnomefrenzy.com/. He's got it misspelled.)
Leslie

Quick Stop

Ear Worm of the Day:

Leslie

Drive-Bys

Odd how sometimes life imitates nature.
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Peach cupcakes with brown sugar cream cheese frosting? That goes straight into my recipe box!!!
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Blogthings:




You Are Right Brained in Love



When it comes to love, you go with your gut not with your head.

You have an open heart. You fall in love easily and get hurt just as easily.

You are spontaneous with relationships. You go with the flow and don't worry about the future.

You are romantic, empathetic, and caring. More than most people, you really love being in love.


_____




Your Heart is Feeling Open



You have no idea where your love path leads, but you're looking forward to the journey.

For you, love as an adventure. While you may get hurt, that's the risk you have to take.

You are receptive to any love or relationship that may come your way. You can't predict love!

Deep down, your heart is susceptible to: Anything... both good and bad

Your current outlook on love: Free spirited and flexible

Your love life will improve if you: Protect yourself a little. You don't have to be open to every romantic experience.

Watch out for: Treating love as a game

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Giggle of the Day:

funny pictures of cats with captions
see more Lolcats and funny pictures
Leslie

Quick Stop

In order to get this vile song out of my head (which was exacerbated when I ran across this post), I searched the ol' memory banks for the the ultimate antidote for scrubbing out the brain box:



There. I feel mo bettah.
Leslie

Drive-Bys

Given how much I miss the Princess Mom, this is fitting:

What Is Your Battle Cry?

Zang! Who is that, stalking through the plains! It is Omnibus Driver, hands clutching two hardened pitas! She roars gutterally:

"This one's for you, mom! I shall traumatize the entire planet!!"

Find out!
Enter username:
Are you a girl, or a guy ?

created by beatings : powered by monkeys


And using my given name?

What Is Your Battle Cry?

Running through the terrain, carrying two hardened pitas, cometh Leslie! And she gives a cruel roar:

"For the love of carnage and discord, I lay waste to all I see until my glands are satisfied!!!"

Find out!
Enter username:
Are you a girl, or a guy ?

created by beatings : powered by monkeys


Sounds like it's a good thing I'm finally going to get to see the Swoon this weekend...

(And what's the deal with those two hardened pitas???)

(A tip of the cap to that terrible trio -- Tammi, leeann and Mrs. Who.)

BTW:

funny pictures of cats with captions
see more Lolcats and funny pictures
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My brother used to have a koi pond that extended from one end of his back yard to the other. With two little girls to worry about and the fact that in one night one raccoon decimated three quarters of the population of the pond, when he and Sainted SIL sold the house and moved to bigger digs, they opted not to install another one.

I think he misses the daily pH testing, unclogging the filters, and the care and feeding of beautiful healthy animals.

How do I know this? On Sunday morning (I stayed out with them this weekend) he walked up to me and ordered me to take a test strip and hold it in my mouth for 15 seconds, after which time he whipped it out and stalked out to the kitchen, muttering under his breath.

Next thing I knew, I was getting a long lecture about how my pH is out of balance and how bad things happen health-wise when that occurs. He then proceeded to load me up with a fresh packet of test strips and a bottle of something called pH booster, along with instructions to add four drops to an 8 oz. glass of water at least three times a day -- and for God's Sake Drink It! Then came the vitamin lecture -- D3 -- I need D3.

There was a period of about three years when my brother and I did not speak to one another. I cherish our closeness now. So if he expresses his love for me by concerns about my health... and I can take a couple of supplements that will not harm me in any way...

... all I can say is, "Hello. My name is 'Koi Pond.'"
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The irony of this is just too delicious:
No one envisioned that Afghanistan and Iraq would elevate the status of women in the armed forces.
I hope the Prophet is spinning in his grave.
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Ear Worm of the Day:



Don't ask why.
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Leslie

Quick Stop

Ear Worm of the Day:



Brought to you from my brother's house. He had this album when we were kids. Gotta love Tommy Roe!

Oh, what the heck. Let's make it a two-fer:

Leslie

Drive-Bys

JihadGene says, "It's Friday! Let's Dance!"

funny pictures of cats with captions
see more Lolcats and funny pictures

I'm feeling the disco thing...


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I love a good turn of phrase, which is why leeann slays me:
Age and no internal censor will beat youth and blubber every time.
Yep.
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And then there's Donald, who I fall in love with more and more each day for his pithy take on today's youth. Go here for the board game edition of his blog.
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Speaking of an elegant turn of phrase, I've finished "A Trip of Goats." The title itself is a full twisting triple entendre, and the rest of the prose is full-bore Velocilicious.

His writing style is a Southern slam dance of Samuel Clemens and Pat Conroy with a soupcon of Faulkner thrown in for a driving back-beat.

Go buy the damn book. You'll thank me.
Leslie

Quick Stop

Ear Worm of the Day:

Leslie

Quick Stop

My friends have asked when I'm going to get another cat, or maybe a dog. I keep telling them, I already have dust bunnies, and that's enough for me.

the dark crystal
see more Lol Celebs

See?
Leslie

PSA

More important words to live by:
-love your mom.
-educate yourself more than you will ever need.
-find work that makes you happy & be the best at it.
-sell yourself & anything else you believe in.
-be spontaneous, alive, creative, & unique.
-help people less fortunate than you near & far.
-fight through & past any obstacle, never give up.
-find the love of your life & build a happy family.
-live w/o prejudice, seek, promote & celebrate diversity.
-surround yourself w/ people better & smarter than you.
-be a good person so people know, love & trust you.
-create amazing experiences & share great story w/ all.
-always make people smile, no matter what.
Go read the whole thing here.
Leslie

Quick Stop

Here's a must-view video of the Senate's only member physicians discussing the proposed health care bill:


Now that is how we should be asking questions of and getting answers from the White House.

(A tip of the cap to Marathon Pundit.)
Leslie

Another Fork In The...

... cake!


And here's my birthday wish: I hope to get to meet the following terrific women whose blogs I follow faithfully some time in the NEAR future:

crankylitprof
Suzette
Barb
Christine
Shannon
Meezer Mom Mary
Susan
caltechgirl
Rosie
Moonbeam McQueen

And I'm finally getting to meet Vicki next week!

Things mean less and people mean more with each trip around the sun.

As for the rest of my blogging buddies, and you know who you are, thanks for making my life richer in every way.

The only thing that could make this birthday any better would be the one thing I can't have -- the annual telephone call from the Princess Mom.

Ah, well. At least there's Therapy Night tonight. If you're in the Loop, we'll be on the patio at Lloyd's, 1 S. Wacker Drive. If you hear a lot of laughter, that'll be us. Come join in the fun!
Leslie

Quick Stop

Giggle of the Day:

funny pictures of cats with captions
see more Lolcats and funny pictures
_____

Ear Worm of the Day:


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That's all I got. Later, taters.
Leslie

Flashing Light Ahead

I just had an epiphany.

The White House wants us to send them our "fishy" emails. So here's my plan: Send every ad for viagra, penis enhancement, any type of insurance, online universities, porn sites, gift cards, loan bail-outs, work from home offers and the like, as well as Nigerian scams and phishing emails (and that's from just a quick scan of my Hotmail account's junk mail inbox) to flag@whitehouse.gov.

Really, if the government wants so badly to control the information we receive, especially the "fishy" stuff, then let's give them the real "fishy" stuff and let them have at it. I've got at least 400 or so to send to start off with. You?
_____

Update: Holy crap! Big Brother really is watching!
Leslie

Bus Fumes

Wonderful. Here are two of my favorite way to win friends and persuade people to your point of view:
Belligerence is the currency of the intellectually bankrupt.
And...
Let’s face it: This is no party of Einsteins. Really, it isn’t. A Pew poll last month found that only 6 percent of scientists said that they were Republicans.
"You're stupid and you should let your superiors make all your decisions for you."

About that belligerence thing, Bucko: your own president is telling his people to hit back twice as hard as anyone who questions The Plan too much. And that's not belligerence?

If you don't understand and you ask questions of the people who supposedly have The Answers, that's not idiocy; that's superior intelligence.

If the people with The Answer are too damned busy buying big ol' jets that the military didn't want so they could go on more junkets on the taxpayer dollar to actually read The Plan and be able to answer questions intelligently, or respond by having union goons beat people up... well even a toddler could figure out something smells.

When physicians, who will be most directly affected by The Plan question its effectiveness, that's what? Stupid? They must all be *gasp* Republicans?

When people who voted for the President and the good folks in Congress question the profligrate spending of their tax dollars and the tax dollars of their children and grandchildren to come that means they suddenly drank the Republican Kool-Aid and got stupid?

"I know better than you, so shut up and get out of my way, and do you mind handing me your wallet before the door hits you in the ass?" is not the way to talk to the voting base.

And we are the base.

Deal with it.
Leslie

A Glance in the Rear-View Mirror

Alright, alright. I know I fought the whole Facebook thing for the longest time. I take it back. Where else can you have a conversation like this?
9:14pmLeslie (giving directions to where to meet for dinner)
SE. Kitty-corner to the opera house.

9:22pmRuth
opera house ... I think I saw Bobby Sherman there!

9:22pmLeslie
Good grief!
He couldn't have been half as wonderful as John Denver!

9:23pmRuth
completely different ... John Denver never broke my heart!

9:24pmLeslie
Bobby Sherman broke your heart???
How did I miss THAT?

9:25pmRuth
him and Davy ... both got married and had children and didn't tell me.
I still remember flinging "tiger beat" across the room!

9:26pmLeslie
Must have been before I hit Junior High and we got to be pals!

9:28pmRuth
I think so ...

9:28pmLeslie
Believe me, I'd have remembered THAT.
Priceless!
Leslie

Quick Stop

Giggle of the Day, and it's a two-fer, best taken in order:

funny pictures of dogs with captions
see more dog and puppy pictures

funny pictures of cats with captions
see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Now tell me you didn't laugh, too.
Leslie

Ooooh, Look!

New theatrical trailers for "Where the Wild Things Are"...



... and "Alice in Wonderland."

Magical!
Leslie

Quick Stop

I'd pay good money to see Craig Fergusson...


... interview Donald Miller.

Yep. I don't think I'd stop laughing for a week.
Leslie

Full Stop

I'm giving the floor to another one of those folks who almost never blogs her own political views:
When my student last night wanted to know what I was writing, I had to take a deep breath. This one wasn't going to be easy. He's not one of my youngest students, and he IS one of my brightest, and most talented writers. But, he is still a child. I had to explain my position in terms he could understand.

I'm glad he asked.. it helped me understand what I wanted to say.

I asked him if he ever stood around at recess and talked about the teacher and something she was wanting you to do in class. At his nod, I asked him if he could pretty much say whatever he wanted to say to his friends. Another nod. That, I told him, was free speech. The feeling that you can pretty much say whatever you feel like you need to say about something.

Another nod, and a thoughtful look. Yah, he got it.

"Now", I asked, "What if you knew that your teacher had asked your friends to tell her about anything that was said about her and her idea? Would you feel you could say anything you really felt like saying?"

A faintly horrified look came over his face. He got it. "No," he said, "I wouldn't want to say anything."

Yah, he got it.

Civil Discourse depends on Freedom of Speech. Without the Freedom to speak, nothing can really be said.
Go read the whole thing.

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_____

Here's another long, thoughtful post from a guy who almost never posts, period.
_____

Stand up. Testify.
_____

VW chimes in:
Do NOT ask me to turn in my neighbors and friends. Basically that is what you are requesting when you want me to send you information about emails I receive. Have you no memory of history? Don’t you remember reading about how in Nazi Germany people were encouraged to ‘turn in their neighbor’. Or Stalin with his style of communism? You are saying to yourself it is not the same. But how did it start? We remember the worst of history… did it start as something as simple as this? Where does it stop? And when?

Just so.
Leslie

Drive-Bys

JihadGene...

... and the LOL Cats...

funny pictures of cats with captions
see more Lolcats and funny pictures

... say, "It's Friday! Let's Dance!"

Alrighty then:


_____

That civilized discourse thing? So not happening.

President Chicken Little is advocating getting loud in your neighbor's face.

And for those who oppose him, President Chicken Little has no use, acting as though the healthcare mess was only eight years in the making, instead of badly conceived and poorly implemented from the very start.

The result? Oh... little contretemps like this:



Lovely.

Miss Peggy Noonan has it right:
All of this is unnecessarily and unhelpfully divisive and provocative. They are mocking and menacing concerned citizens. This only makes a hot situation hotter. Is this what the president wants? It couldn’t be. But then in an odd way he sometimes seems not to have fully absorbed the awesome stature of his office. You really, if you’re president, can’t call an individual American stupid, if for no other reason than that you’re too big. You cannot allow your allies to call people protesting a health-care plan “extremists” and “right wing,” or bought, or Nazi-like, either. They’re citizens. They’re concerned. They deserve respect.

The Democrats should not be attacking, they should be attempting to persuade, to argue for their case. After all, they have the big mic. Which is what the presidency is, the big mic.
Unfortunately, the Dems aren't listening. According to them, those of us who disagree with their agendas and their tactics are all political terrorists.

And organized?



Not necessarily, my friends. People who don't usually post about politics are pissed off and posting like never before.

And those of us who are pissed as hell aren't all far right wingers, either. One of my dearest friends used to identify herself as a far left liberal and voted for Obama with great joy, but lately has taken to sending tea bags to her congressmen and to the president himself, and has requested (is lobbying hard for) my joining her for the March on Washington this fall.
“They are just helping us understand the fringe that is trying to mess up our meetings,” said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).
I have news for you, Senator Reid -- it's not just the fringe, it's the base that's angry.

Even physicians don't want socialized medicine. Are they "the fringe" too?

You're losing us, ladies and gents. And we're the folks you should want covering your back, not behind you, pissed off and carrying torches and pitchforks.

This is a mess of your very own making.
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Scientific lunacy.
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Gotta run. Happy weekend, all!
Leslie

Rubber-Necking

For all my male readers:

katie jordan price
see more Lol Celebs

Heh.
Leslie

Drive-Bys

Saw this...

... and immediately thought of my favorite pirate. I think he needs it, don't you?
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Velociman has finally gone and done it: he's published his first book. Yeah... it's a little pricey... but it's V-Man, and I'll bet it becomes an American Classic.

Yes, he's that good. Go order it, okay?
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Nancy Pelosi accuses town hall protesters of Nazi-like behavior.

Hmmm... seems to me that the Dems didn't think it was fascist behavior to use Kos and the gang to whip up the masses to shout down anyone who had issues with Obama -- including Chicago's Milt Rosenberg, whose call-in lines were jammed (scroll down and click on "Obama's Record") with *ahem* reasonable people who wanted to engage in civil discourse -- during the last presidential campaign.

Right.

If one side does it, it's exercising one's First Amendment Rights. If the other side does it? It's fascism at its worst.

In addition, let's talk about those Joker posters that I refuse to post here. It's racial when it's about Obama, but it's funny when it's about Chimpy McBushHitler Halliburton? Quite frankly, I find both to be ugly and unnecessary and inhibitors to *gasp* civil discourse.

Unfortunately, I think the people pushing both these abominations know that they're going to create a lot of ill will and take focus off the issues, get people angry and fighting.

In the meantime, AARP picks up it's marbles and calls it quits when the kids won't play nice. You don't say what they want to hear and they walk away. Great problem solving. They may as well stick their fingers in their ears and shout, "LA LA LA LA!"

An even scarier indication that our rights to free speech are in peril? The White House is taking names and making lists -- and you can bet it's not going to Santa Claus. You want fascist? Here it is, boys and girls:
“I am not aware of any precedent for a President asking American citizens to report their fellow citizens to the White House for pure political speech that is deemed ‘fishy’ or otherwise inimical to the White House’s political interests,” Cornyn writes

“I can only imagine the level of justifiable outrage had your predecessor asked Americans to forward emails critical of his policies to the White House. I suspect that you would have been leading the charge in condemning such a program -- and I would have been at your side denouncing such heavy-handed government action.”
I don't care which side of the political debate you're on -- this ought to scare the bejeepers out of everyone.

In fact, the Big Brother actions and tactics of our current government even scares the ACLU. When I agree with them, you know we're in a world of hurt -- and, for once, I agree with them.

We need to be respectful of one another and be able to articulate our beliefs and our positions. "You're wrong and you're stupid because you think differently than I do," isn't going to solve anything. If you want to have any rights or autonomy left, it's time to stop shouting and start talking.
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Leslie

PSA

A few words from a heart-broken father:
"All I want to say is hug your kids tonight. Let them know you love them and you care about them. Let them get angry when you ask where they're going, because we need to know.

"Hug them, listen to them and let them know every day what they mean to you. Please take time today because tomorrow may never come."
Just do it.
Leslie

Drive-Bys

Ear Worm of the Day:



I woke up with this rattling around the brain box, and it just won't go away.
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Dunno what Des Plaines' finest are waiting for, but I'm determined to nail that little bastard who uses someone else's hang tag and parks in the prime handicapped parking spot at the train station every day. This is going to help:
A program that allows citizens to file anonymous complaints on the Illinois secretary of state's Web site about people misusing parking reserved for the disabled has netted more than 100 tips since it launched in mid-June....

The program, on cyberdriveillinois.com, had brought in 114 complaints that led to eight investigations as of last week, Bogdan said.
I'm fairly salivating over this one!
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Why by one when three will be mo' bettah? Argh.
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Scare Tactics 101.

Scare Tactics 102.

Who needs the pulpit as long as you've got the bully?
_____

Having kids is bad.

Getting divorced is bad.

Being fat is bad.

We're all gonna die.

And somebody actually financed this research?
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Giggle of the Day:

david hasselhoff
see more Lol Celebs
Leslie

Bus Fumes

I heard a knock on my door at quarter to eight this morning. It was my across-the-hall neighbor, and she had a request:
Could you move your car back to where you used to park it? That way, it will protect my car.
Right. You want me to move my POS to a spot where it'll attract all the door dings and keep them off your precious wheels?

F%ck you very much.

And thanks for asking.
Leslie

Drive-Bys

Oooooh! Woody Guthrie 4-disc set. Straight to my wish list!
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crankylitprof on healthcare reform:
Whatever health care bill finally passes, they’ll make sure it involves free V
iagra.
Beautiful... and true.
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And John Cox always nails the issues in any discussion of politics:

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More later. Sheesh. They actually expect me to work.
Leslie

Drive-Bys

There's a reason I love Fausta and V-Man and Joanie: They do all the heavy lifting for me.

Then add Allen to that mix.

Lucky me to call them all "friend."
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I don't know why I want one of these... but I do.

(I've really got to keep away from The Awesomer. It's a bad influence, I think.)
_____

Too, Too Cute of the Day:

cute pictures of puppies with captions
see more dog and puppy pictures
_____

Ooooh, look! It's get out the cluebat time.
_____

Now even Man's Best Friend can look like a badly tailored monk.

Snuggie chic. Who knew?
_____

I shouldn't have giggled like a girl at this, but I did:
Convicted killer Phil Spector reportedly has a prison admirer, Charles Manson. The 68-year-old music producer's wife, Rachelle, says he received a note from the cult leader.

Spector's publicist Hal Lifson told KTLA that: "Phil Spector has been very, very alarmed and scared at the notion of Charles Manson contacting him for any reason."

"Phil mentioned that he used to get phone calls from John Lennon and Tina Turner and now it's Charles Manson calling, so he said, 'Go figure.'"
Karma. It's a beautiful thing.
_____

Giggle of the Day:

funny pictures of cats with captions
see more Lolcats and funny pictures
_____

With a name like "Me, Cheetah: My Life in Hollywood," how could I not but this book on my Amazon wish list?
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Ear Worm of the Day:



There ya go.
Leslie

Quick Stop

I know, I know... I keep promising wrap-ups of BlogHer and Camp Blownstar.

funny pictures of cats with captions
see more Lolcats and funny pictures

I can explain. I keep getting fascinated by stuff like this:



Sick, I know...
Leslie

Wild Thing

TMPAE demanded her own time in front of my lens...

She has clearly...

... inherited the family shyness gene.


Leslie

Wildlife Sighting

Look!

Something is sneaking up on us!

Who could it possibly be?



It's TMBCITW, who turned 7 years old yesterday.

Happy birthday, Princess!
Leslie

Quick Stop

Ear Worm of the Day:

Leslie