Even More Eye-Catching Phrases From Bowels of The Academy

Last year, we reported on the chatter surrounding upcoming MLA convention, especially one surrounding the talk "Is the Rectum a Text?".

Once again, InsideHigherEd- usually stodgy and completely humorless - has the poop:

Hook-ups at the Modern Language Association meeting are legendary — and, many say, frequently belong in the study of fiction. Whether this Craigslist posting is serious or parody, we don’t know (we haven’t heard back, although clearly the person posting wasn’t seeking a journalistic question about his intentions). But the posting, spotted by a source who asked not to be credited for the find, has prompted some hallway jokes at the meeting. If you want to read a pick-up proposal involving tweed, bondage, Alexander Pope and eBay, the link is worth following.

Here is the Craigslist posting:

I am looking for someone with an interest in 18th C British literature, preferably a recent Ph.D. or assistant professor. Here’s how the scenario goes:

I show up at your hotel room. I remove my tweed blazer and tie, fold them neatly, and place them next to your bed. You are already naked.

I carefully secure your wrists and ankles to the bed frame, using quarter-inch nylon rope. I place a copy of Alexander Pope’s “The Rape of the Lock” on the smooth, cool skin of your stomach. I begin to read as I work you with a vibrator.

The soaring rhythm produced by the aural melding of Pope’s heroic couplets with the low thrum of the Hitachi Magic Wand is drowned out as you orgasm loudly and repeatedly.

When you are spent, I very carefully shave off all your pubic hair. I place it in a Ziploc bag.

I wash and moisturize your vagina, untie the rope on your wrists and ankles, and put on my coat and tie.

I leave with your public hair in my pocket. I keep your muff with me for one full week. Each night, I open the bag and smell your hair.

After one full week, I return your public hair to you, by mail. You then put your muff up for sale on E-bay, along with this story.

We split any profits 50/50.

• Location: Chicago
• it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

NSFW: Smell your favorite porn star!

Gawker reported this juicy morsel (Germany Is Exporting Its Ladies One Drop At a Time).

Yes, it says what you think it says. I'm not sure who was driving the bus here, German ingenuity or German sense of humor. Here is the site (VERY NSFW).

Peace through Ecstasy is Coming!

The clock is ticking...

What will you be doing at 10:08 PM tonight?
Will you be doing your share?

merry christmas

I've been here in Japan for so long that sometimes I have to describe things to people back home before I realize how fucked up they are. That's sort of how I first overlooked this:


Now, Santa on the crucifix is good, but for my money I think the Santa-themed no-tell-motel (with by-the-hour rates) and the Christmas-themed parties at the Yokohama whorehouses really take the cake.

Them fast-talking Canadiens

A friend in Yachats told me this one.

A man in a supermarket tries to buy half a head of lettuce.

A very young produce assistant tells him that they sell only whole heads of lettuce.

The man persists and asks to see the manager. The boy says he'll ask his manager about it.

Walking into the back room, the boy said to his manager, "Some asshole wants to buy half a head of lettuce." As he finished his sentence, he turned to find the man standing right behind him, so he added, "And this gentleman has kindly offered to buy the other half."

The manager approved the deal, and the man went on his way.

Later the manager said to the boy, "I was impressed with the way you got yourself out of that situation earlier. We like people who think on their feet here. Where are you from, son?"

"Canada, sir," the boy replied.

"Well, why did you leave Canada ?" the manager asked.

The boy said, "Sir, there's nothing but whores and hockey players up there."

"Really?" said the manager. "My wife is from Canada."

"No shit?" replied the boy. "Who'd she play for?"

Tell us something that we don't already know

unlike Beer:30.

The Helsinki Complaints Choir

It started in Helsinki.

Now it is worldwide.

Cow Plunge!

Yes, we admit we have a fascination with things that plunge.

Reuters reports:

Cow plunges off cliff onto moving minivan
Wed Nov 7, 2007 8:17am EST
SPOKANE, Washington (Reuters) - A cow plunged from a 200-foot (61-metre) cliff onto the hood of a minivan on a highway in central Washington state, according to police.

The car's occupants, Charles and Linda Everson, were not hurt in Sunday's accident, but the cow was euthanized at the scene.

"If the cow had fallen a split second later, the animal would have landed right in their laps," said Jeff Middleton, criminal deputy of the Chelan County Sheriff's Department.

Middleton estimated the animal weighed 600 lbs (272 kilograms), or the average size of a mature cow. It had been missing for two days and wandered 5 miles from home near the popular Lake Chelan tourist area.

Ummmm... beer

morons

The House Judiciary committee passed the RESTORE Act on Friday, in an effort to partially clean up the mess they made in August with the Protect America Act (what is it with loaded legislation titles). Thankfully, the House version didn't include immunity for law-breaking telecommunication firms that helped the Bush administration spy on us all. Unfortunately, it looks like the Senate version still might. I wrote my senior Senator to let him know how I feel:

Senator,

Shortly after the administration withdrew its nomination of John Rizzo for CIA General Counsel, I wrote to thank you for your efforts in that matter. I also implored you to reject administration efforts to pass into law ex post facto immunity for telecommunications firms that participated in illegal spying efforts.

In the interim, the RESTORE Act has been passed by the House judiciary committee, thankfully without the odious immunity provisions. However, it is my understanding, from reading reports in the New York Times and elsewhere, that Senator Rockefeller's Intelligence Committee may include the provisions in the Senate version of the legislation.

Sir, please do not let this happen. Talk to your colleagues. Let them know that voters oppose protecting firms that broke the law. If the bill makes it to the Senate floor with the immunity provisions intact, vote no. If such a bill seems destined for passage, filibuster.

Your constituents will shed no tears for AT&T. Thank you for your time, Senator.

Sincerely,
Greg Diamond

The Scottish Play

As if I needed another reason to be jealous of my friends living in the UK, I found out today that there's a new production of Macbeth now playing in the West End. The reviewer from the Telegraph calls the production "the greatest production of Macbeth (he has) ever seen." The leading man is "so charismatic... that he can make the simple act of preparing a ham sandwich one of the scariest things you've ever seen."

Who is this magician of stagecraft? Why, none other than Captain Picard!

More Bacon

(Image via the Bacon Salt Blog)
In a follow-up to the bacon chocolate bar, a friend has alerted us to a new product on the market: Bacon Salt. The product tagline is, "because everything should taste like bacon."

Not Safe for Work

Readers of Greg and Sam's Adventures may recall an odd Japanese game show, wherein the contestants had to flawlessly recite several lines of text, or get a spring-loaded paddle to the balls. We've long wondered if Japanese women have ever been subject to the same sort of mistreatment on broadcast television.

Thanks to the good people at Fucked Gaijin, we find that indeed they were, at least back in the 90s. Long-timers have been telling me for awhile that Japanese television was cleaned up considerably in the late 90s and early 00s. I just hadn't believed it until I saw this:



If you're squeamish about clicking that play button, it's basically a contest on a game show where the contestants had to guess which woman wasn't faking her orgasm. There's nothing too risque in the video itself, just don't turn the volume up too loud.

bacon chocolate bar

Via Atrios, we find that some wise entrepreneur has finally seen fit to combine the two greatest foods on earth, chocolate and bacon.

I feel motivated already

I had too much free time on my hands and played around with the motivational poster generating tool that was discussed here back in June. The slogan is shamelessly taken from these people. I just thought their product could be improved upon with a new picture.

Democrats find a backbone

I wish I could whine that this was unfair. Unfortunately, since the Senate seems determined to give Mr. 25% all the money he wants, it seems pretty right on. From Harpers:

Washington Post Editor Apparently on Mind-Bending Drugs

This was in today's online Post.

I spent several hours laughing at the editors.

It took them nearly four hours - half a work day!- to figure out that not only is "compaure" not a word, neither is "Pollutionion."

I love that construct. What would "Pollutionion" be?

• Pollution from The Onion?
• Ionized Pollution?
• Pollution that doesn't know when to quit?

Fabulous. Here is the "after" page.

Wow.

From a friend who's a fellow teacher. He looks a little young to be a Dead Kennedys fan...

America's Finest News Source

The Onion delivers some insightful commentary on the Larry Craig episode. From a guest commentator who, just like Senator "Wide Stance", is most definitely "not gay":

Why Do All These Homosexuals Keep Sucking My Cock?

dispatches from japan

I thought this story deserved a wider audience. I would very much like to know exactly what constitutes a "violent" bout of diarrhea. It doesn't sound pretty.

Train cancelled after conductor succumbs to diarrhea

OSAKA -- About 300 passengers were forced to leave a train at JR Tsukaguchi Station in Amagasaki after the conductor suffered a violent bout of diarrhea in the driver's cabin early on Friday, West Japan Railway Co. (JR West) said.

The evacuation took place after the conductor fell ill just before the train pulled in at Tsukaguchi Station. The driver scheduled to take over the train entered the cabin at about 6.15 a.m. to find the floor covered in feces.

Station workers immediately cleaned the floor of the driver's room, but decided to cancel the train due to the lingering aroma.

Passengers were merely told that the train would be delayed, and were asked to board the next one. (Mainichi)

Captain Dan, the Demon Dwarf, re-membered

Agence France-Press, currently my favorite wire service, is now reporting this story from the Edinburgh fringe festival:

British dwarf's penis gets stuck to hoover
AFP
Published: Monday August 20, 2007

A dwarf performer at the Edinburgh fringe festival had to be rushed to hospital after his penis got stuck to a vacuum cleaner during an act that went horribly awry.

Daniel Blackner, or "Captain Dan the Demon Dwarf", was due to perform at the Circus of Horrors at the festival known for its oddball, offbeat performances.

The main part of his act saw him appear on stage with a vacuum cleaner attached to his member through a special attachment.

The attachment broke before the performance and Blackner tried to fix it using extra-strong glue, but unfortunately only let it dry for 20 seconds instead of the 20 minutes required.

He then joined it directly to his organ. The end result? A solid attachment, laughter, mortification and ... hospitalisation.

"It was the most embarrassing moment of my life when I got wheeled into a packed AE with a vacuum attached to me," Blackner said.

"I just wished the ground could swallow me up. Luckily, they saw me quickly so the embarrassment was short-lived."

The world's strangest laws

The Times reports these oddities. Important safety tip: no self-pleasuring (that's wanking to you sods) in Indonesia.

From Times Online
August 15, 2007
The world's strangest laws

Did you know it's illegal in France to name a pig Napoleon? Or that in Ohio you're not allowed to get a fish drunk? Alex Wade celebrates the spirit of the silly season with a list of the world's most ridiculous laws.

Did you know that in France it is forbidden to call your pig Napoleon?

(photo: Kham/Reuters)

Did you know that in France it is forbidden to call your pig Napoleon?
Alex Wade

25. It is illegal for a cab in the City of London to carry rabid dogs or corpses.

24. It is illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament.

23. It is an act of treason to place a postage stamp bearing the British monarch upside down.

22. In France, it is forbidden to call a pig Napoleon.

21. Under the UK’s Tax Avoidance Schemes Regulations 2006, it is illegal not to tell the taxman anything you don’t want him to know, though you don’t have to tell him anything you don’t mind him knowing.

20. In Alabama, it is illegal for a driver to be blindfolded while driving a vehicle.

19. In Ohio, it is against state law to get a fish drunk.

18. Royal Navy ships that enter the Port of London must provide a barrel of rum to the Constable of the Tower of London.

17. In the UK, a pregnant woman can legally relieve herself anywhere she wants – even, if she so requests, in a policeman’s helmet.

16. In Lancashire, no person is permitted after being asked to stop by a constable on the seashore to incite a dog to bark.

15. In Miami, Florida, it is illegal to skateboard in a police station.

14. In Indonesia, the penalty for masturbation is decapitation.

13. In England, all men over the age of 14 must carry out two hours of longbow practice a day.

12. In London, Freemen are allowed to take a flock of sheep across London Bridge without being charged a toll; they are also allowed to drive geese down Cheapside.

11. In San Salvador, drunk drivers can be punished by death before a firing squad.

10. In the UK, a man who feels compelled to urinate in public can do so only if he aims for his rear wheel and keeps his right hand on his vehicle.

9. In Florida, unmarried women who parachute on Sundays can be jailed.

8. In Kentucky, it is illegal to carry a concealed weapon more than six-feet long.

7. In Chester, Welshmen are banned from entering the city before sunrise and from staying after sunset.

6. In the city of York, it is legal to murder a Scotsman within the ancient city walls, but only if he is carrying a bow and arrow.

5. In Boulder, Colorado, it is illegal to kill a bird within the city limits and also to “own” a pet – the town’s citizens, legally speaking, are merely “pet minders”.

4. In Vermont, women must obtain written permission from their husbands to wear false teeth.

3. In London, it is illegal to flag down a taxi if you have the plague.

2. In Bahrain, a male doctor may legally examine a woman’s genitals but is forbidden from looking directly at them during the examination; he may only see their reflection in a mirror.

1. The head of any dead whale found on the British coast is legally the property of the King; the tail, on the other hand, belongs to the Queen - in case she needs the bones for her corset.

With thanks to: Donald Stewart at Faegre & Benson; John Barnett at Burges Salmon; Robert Crossley at Walker Morris; James Odds at Matthew Arnold & Baldwin; and Dan Kieran, author of I Fought The Law (Bantam Press).

US fatalities in Iraq are surging

I took the most recent casualty data (US deaths in Iraq per month, through end of July '07) and calculated a 12 month moving average. The surge is working - but only to increase US fatalities. These data come from icasualties.org/oif

What if...?

What if FDR had been like GWB? See here.

Matt Groening: " Fox viewer might confuse our cartoon with actual news"

Jon Stewart interviews Matt Groening. From the Carpetbagger.

Good Question

According to David Frost, quoted in the New York fishwrap:

Richard Milhous Nixon, the socially awkward 37th president, tried being jocular with David Frost as they prepared for their famous 1977 TV interviews, which inspired the smash Broadway show. "Mr. Nixon turned to me and quite casually asked, 'Well, did you do any fornicating this weekend?' For a moment I could not believe the evidence of my own ears. Richard Nixon didn't say that, did he? He couldn't have," Frost writes in "Frost/Nixon - Behind the Scenes of the Nixon Interviews," out this October. "I had indeed heard right . . . I suppose Nixon liked to fancy himself one of the boys."

Image from Wikipedia.

FISA Judge Nixes Plame Suit

The WaPo reports

Judge Dismisses Plame Lawsuit

By Carol Leonnig
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, July 19, 2007; 3:30 PM

A federal judge today dismissed a lawsuit filed by former CIA officer Valerie Plame and her husband against Vice President Cheney and top administration officials over the disclosure of Plame's name and covert status to the media.

U.S. District Judge John D. Bates said that Cheney and White House aides cannot be held liable for the disclosure of information about Plame in the summer of 2003 while they were trying to rebut criticism of the administration's war efforts levied by her husband, former ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV. The judge said such efforts were certainly part of the officials' scope of normal duties.

"The alleged tortious conduct, namely the disclosure of Mrs. Wilson's status as a covert operative, was incidental to the kind of conduct that defendants were employed to perform," Bates wrote in an opinion released this afternoon...

So who is U.S. District Judge John D. Bates?

... Judge Bates was on detail as Deputy Independent Counsel for the Whitewater investigation from 1995 to mid-1997...

... In February 2006, he was appointed by Chief Justice Roberts to serve as a judge of the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.

Go figure.

Let Us Not Forget David Almond

Mother Jones reports

In the Midst Of Vitter Scandal, Let Us Not Forget David Almond

Republican David Almond, vice chairman of the House Committee on Children, Youth and Families for the North Carolina state legislature, resigned last week after the state's GOP caucus said it was investigating allegations against him of "serious, improper behavior."

According to DownWithTyranny!, Almond exposed his penis to a female staff member, chased her around the room, and commanded her to "suck it, baby, suck it." The employee filed a personnel complaint against Almond. State Republican leaders asked Almond to resign if there was any truth to the allegation, but, they said, "He did it [resigned] himself." I'm not sure what that means, but that is what they said.

One of the pieces of legistlation introduced by Almond was a bill to monitor sex offenders, which was recently signed into law by the governor, and which could come back to bite Almond on the--well, wherever he is most likely to be bitten. In the meantime, he says that intends to defend himself against the charges.

Iraq hasn't even begun

Timothy Garton Ash, a frequent contributor to The Guardian, writes in the Los Angeles fishwrap:

Iraq hasn't even begun
Consequences from the disaster we could have avoided will plague the world long into the future.
By Timothy Garton Ash
TIMOTHY GARTON ASH, a contributing editor to Opinion, is professor of European studies at Oxford University and a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University.

July 19, 2007

IRAQ IS OVER. Iraq has not yet begun. These are two conclusions from the American debate about Iraq...

So Iraq is over. But Iraq has not yet begun. Not yet begun in terms of the consequences for Iraq itself, the Middle East, the United States' own foreign policy and its reputation in the world. The most probable consequence of rapid U.S. withdrawal from Iraq in its present condition is a further bloodbath, with even larger refugee flows and the effective dismemberment of the country. Already, about 2 million Iraqis have fled across the borders, and more than 2 million are internally displaced...

In history, the most important consequences are often the unintended ones. We do not yet know the longer-term unintended consequences of Iraq. Maybe there is a silver lining hidden somewhere in this cloud. But as far as the human eye can see, the likely consequences of Iraq range from the bad to the catastrophic.

Looking back over a quarter of a century of chronicling current affairs, I cannot recall a more comprehensive and avoidable man-made disaster.

Read the whole thing here.

Virginia unveils $1000 speeding ticket

Jesus Christ. The Commonwealth is now charging $1025 just for going 20 miles per hour over the speed limit. 20 miles? Is that it?

Hell, compare that to my all-time high award in Oregon. Driving 88 in a 55 (good thing that's all he clocked me at, because I'd been going more like 105 a bit earlier), passing in a no-passing zone, defective brake lights, and driving without proof of insurance. Grand total: $445.

Oh, in case this worried my immediate family, this was years ago, and no, I haven't done anything that stupid since.

The Internet Weekly Rocks!

I don't know how I missed this.



It does seem that the only way we will rid ourselves of these neocons and their co-religionists is to hunt down each one of these monsters and put a stake a stake through its heart.

Of course, that won't be possible for Darth Cheney



I'll be checking in regularly, or else I might miss something like this.

PA Government Shutdown

As we reported Monday,

Pa. Awakes to Partial State Shutdown
MARC LEVY and MARK SCOLFORO
The Associated Press

HARRISBURG, Pa. - The state museums didn't open Monday. State parks were closed to visitors at the height of the summer tourism season, and many state services were idle because of a government shutdown that kept about 24,000 workers off the job.

Gov. Ed Rendell shut down the Pennsylvania government late Sunday over a budget stalemate with the Legislature that partly hinges on his energy plan for the state.

The shutdown of Pennsylvania state services by Gov. Rendell reminds me of the old joke:

Q: What is orange and sleeps seven?

A: A PennDOT truck.

Hindu prayer in the Senate draws protesters

OMG.

CNN reports.

Hindu prayer in the Senate draws protesters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Three protesters disrupted a prayer by a Hindu chaplain Thursday at the opening of a Senate hearing, calling it an abomination and shouting slogans about Jesus Christ.

It was the first time the daily prayer that opens Senate proceedings was said by a Hindu chaplain.

Capitol police said two women and one man were arrested and charged with causing a disruption in the public gallery of the Senate. The three started shouting when guest Chaplain Rajan Zed, a Hindu from Nevada, began his prayer.

They shouted "No Lord but Jesus Christ" and "There's only one true God," and used the term "abomination."

Religious figures from various faiths have said the prayer, which is normally recited by a Christian chaplain.

Barry Lynn, executive director of religious watchdog group Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said the protest showed the intolerance of the "religious right."

"I don't think the Senate should open with prayers, but if it's going to happen, the invocations ought to reflect the diversity of the American people," Lynn said in a statement.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had invited Zed.

"I think it speaks well of our country that someone representing the faith of about a billion people comes here and can speak in communication with our heavenly father regarding peace," he said after the disruption.

Watch the video here.

GOP Blows Another One

AP reports. ABC has the mug shot and the "juicy lead."

McCain Official Busted on Sex Charge

July 12, 2007 11:33 AM
Justin Rood Reports:

An official with the John McCain presidential campaign was arrested for allegedly soliciting oral sex from a policeman in Florida yesterday.

Bob Allen, a member of the Florida House of Representatives, is one of six Florida co-chairs for the Arizona Republican senator's 2008 White House bid.

According to news accounts, local police in Titusville, Fla., arrested Allen Wednesday afternoon after he allegedly offered to exchange $20 for oral sex with the plainclothes officer.

Allen was charged with solicitation to commit prostitution, a misdemeanor.

I guess that is not a regular part of the Straight Talk Express.

Oh, wait.

The McCain web site is reporting:

There are currently no Straight Talk Express Events scheduled...

Does that mean that "blow job" Bob will still be on the job?

Washington Post Editor believes Plural of Sheep is Sheeps

From today's Washington Post









And this is also from today's Washington Post. Who is sheepish now?

fun in state government

Our Pennsylvania bureau chief found a silver lining in the partial shutdown of PA state government:

On the up side, PennDOT has pretty much ceased to exist. There are 400 emergency highway workers on call for all of PA's 40,000 miles of highway. That's one worker per 100 miles. It's gonna be smooth sailing.

Oh damn, it looks like the fun is already over.

We have a wiener! First GOP MoC in DC Madame's phonebook!

And the wiener is...

Senator David Vitter (R - of course - LA)

My Favorite Senator David Vitter quote is, with a big thanks to Your Right Hand Thief ("laughing off hard truths in New Orleans")

I'm proud to join [Matt Daniels] and the entire Alliance for Marriage in support of the Marriage Protection Amendment... Your group recognizes... that marriage is the most important social institution in human history and is the most significant factor in terms of minimizing all sorts of social ills.

The Washington Post reports:

Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) apologized last night after his telephone number appeared in the phone records of the woman dubbed the "D.C. Madam," making him the first member of Congress to become ensnared in the high-profile case.

The statement containing Vitter's apology said his telephone number was included on phone records of Pamela Martin and Associates dating from before he ran for the Senate in 2004...

"This was a very serious sin in my past for which I am, of course, completely responsible," Vitter, 46, said in a statement, which his spokesman, Joel DiGrado, confirmed to the Associated Press.

"Several years ago, I asked for and received forgiveness from God and my wife in confession and marriage counseling," Vitter continued. "Out of respect for my family, I will keep my discussion of the matter there -- with God and them. But I certainly offer my deep and sincere apologies to all I have disappointed and let down in any way..."

Vitter is in his first Senate term after serving six years in the House. During his Senate campaign, Vitter was accused by a member of the Louisiana Republican State Central Committee of carrying on a lengthy affair with a prostitute in New Orleans's French Quarter.

Opera has another loss

Anthony Tommasini, writing in today's Times, reports the death of Régine Crespin, following the death of Beverly Sills earlier this week.

Régine Crespin, the French operatic soprano and later mezzo-soprano, one of the most important vocal artists to emerge from France in the decades after World War II, died Wednesday in Paris, where she lived. She was 80.

I grew up hearing her on the Met broadcasts. I remember her "Tosca", and her Marschallin ( the image at left is Régine Crespin (the Marschallin) and Elisabeth Söderström (Octavian)) with Solti at the helm. The last side of the set of records was pure magic.

Tommasini concludes her obit with this:

In later life Ms. Crespin won wide recognition as a voice teacher. During some 1995 master classes at the Mannes College of Music in New York, the students were enraptured not only by her insightful critiques, but by her insider tales about opera stars.

Recalling her performances at the Met with the powerhouse tenor Franco Corelli in “Tosca” and Massenet’s “Werther,” she said he was convinced that eating raw garlic before a performance was good for the voice. But when they sang duets, Corelli would regularly burp. She learned to adjust, Ms. Crespin said.

Rachel Ray Moaning and Groaning

Salon's Video Dog explains:

Naomi Leibowitz explains on her Web site that this video is "comprised of clips from over 30 episodes of Rachel Ray's show '$40 a day' on Food Network." Caution: Keep the volume down, if you don't want your neighbor to get the wrong idea.

Go see the video here.

Why I hate NPR: Reason #25

Reason #25:, Besides having incredibly bad pronunciation, oafish inarticulation, and tons of dead air time in her speech, Debbie Elliot is a moron.

It is pretty clear that NPR hosts don't have to know pronunciation. Foreign words such as "Kiribati" or "Pago Pago" are sure to throw them for a loop. Apparently NPR hosts don't have to know grammar, either.

I heard Debbie Elliot interviewing Peter Overby - wow, there are a couple a dim bulbs - (Obama Leads in Election Fundraising). At the 1:08 mark, Elliot clearly chokes on the use of the comparative "than".

Elliot: ... Now you're saying he's [Obama] raised a few million more than her [sic, referring to Ms. Clinton].

That is what a cum laude graduate of the University of Alabama College of Communication* has to offer. It is no surprise that the complications of history completely overwhelm her. And Elliot isn't nearly as horrible as the Morning Edition crew.

* A communcations degree always reminds me of The Simpsons' episode with this immmortal line:

"Dr. Hibbert: I'm afraid your playing days are over my friend, but don't worry, you can fall back on your degree in--Communications? Oh dear Lord!

Come together! (NSFW)

The EU has a YouTube video that has even The Guardian tittering.

World Naked Gardening Day

I missed it again! Shucks, I'll have to wait for next year's World Naked Gardening Day. Now, I'll have to wait until next May 8.

Why we love Keith Olbermann

From what I suppose was the Monday evening (already Wednesday morning here in J-land) broadcast, naming W. the Worst Person in the World (and quoting Cromwell):

"You have sat too long for any good you have been doing lately. Depart, I say, and let us have done with you. In the name of God, GO!"

Motivate yourself!

A colleague sent me this link. I have already pissed away time playing with it. Here is one result.