• Hot Off The Presses

    Something That Didn’t Go Boom

    Security forces in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar say they have thwarted an attack that could have killed hundreds of people. A tanker carrying 40,000 litres of fuel and packed with explosives was intercepted on the eve of the country’s first direct presidential elections. Okay, I imagine things are a little hairy over in the Spook Think Tanks just now, but they must be relieved over this one. All this stuff blowin’ up is a little nerve-wracking on the eve of the elections, and the US Residential debate, and so on. I’m sure the Repubs are feeling even more…

  • Clan: McTiVo

    Aw! It’s The TARcon Recap

    Couch Baron and I agree to go to the party together, and about thirty seconds after he picks me up, I say this to him: “When it is 1:00 in the morning and I am cursing myself for wearing these shoes, you should feel free to remind me of this moment, which was my opportunity to go back to the hotel room and put on the perfectly sensible pair of black pumps that are under the edge of the bed right now.” “Got it,” he says. It’s been a while since I checked, but Miss Alli posted a recap of…

  • Uncategorical Weirdness

    Tackle Out, Honey Bunny!

    LONDON (Reuters) – Help is at hand for foreign doctors working in Yorkshire whose patients complain of sore “lugholes” or say they’re feeling “jiggered” and can’t stop “gipping”. Health officials in Doncaster, South Yorkshire have compiled a guide of local dialect and slang to help a group of seven Austrian doctors — all fluent English speakers — better understand their sometimes thickly accented patients. I miss Yorkshire. I loved hearing the local dialect when we were there last year. The last entry in my travel journal is staring me in the face from last year – literally propped up in…

  • Blogs Wot I Read

    Meanwhile, Back At The Rance

    In the absence of Rance, who is either off being a fabbleous movie sleb or starting fall semester after moving out of his parents’ basement, his readers have been writing a round-robin mystery story. This has been going on for about a month now, with submissions going up about every other day – sometimes, every day. It’s very organized, and there’s a list of people, so you know when you’re “on deck.” Also, when you’re writing your submission, you get an advance copy of the previous one, which doesn’t get posted until you submit your own. It seems to be…