Monthly Archives: August 2005

Essential Driving Skills

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Seen on my way in to work the other day: a woman not just putting on makeup while waiting at a red light, but using an eyelash curler.

If you’ve never seen or used one, it’s an instrument of torture marketed as a beauty aid. It has a scissors-like thing that squeezes two pads together; you position your lashes between the pads, give a squeeze, and presto! Curly eyelashes.

We had one for years in the downstairs bathroom at my mom’s house; I fooled around with it a few times but concluded that it made my already fairly curly but transparent lashes stick up at a ludicrously perky, wide-awake angle.

This may have been the look the woman in the other car was trying to achieve.

Lutherans Say No

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Rev. Paul Landahl, bishop of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod, said he was disappointed with the decision to maintain the policy of ordaining only those gays and lesbians who remain chaste, but grateful the assembly did not make the policy more restrictive.

“We welcome gays and lesbians, but only so far,” he said. “So if you feel the gift of the spirit and the call to ministry, well, you’re going to have to sit on that because our welcome doesn’t include that. And that to me is offensive.”

Damn. That’s disappointing. Very sorry to see how close the vote was, too.

NARF: The Domination of Eiler

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Near-Arctic Readiness Force of the Domination of Eiler

I see that the Dominator has added to the Dominion of Eiler, and that He has graciously included a photo credit. Click on the link, scroll all the way down, and there’s the NARF-Cycle in the winter picture wot I took last year. There it is parked in all its arctic glory on the pile of snow plowed up in front of Holy Moly’s handicapped parking sign. The Dominator bypasses man’s restrictions by parking anywhere He damn well pleases.

Coincidentally, the Dominator is also the Ineffable Bass.

(stats pages is fun reading sometimes!)

Chicago On The Hot List

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Chicago Tribune | Chicago, other cities told attack possible around Sept. 11

Oh, goodie. They’re not saying it’s a very credible threat or that the source is reliable, but oh goodie.

Supposedly, the terrorists would use hijacked fuel trucks, something counterterrorism experts have been concerned about for years.

Gas is already more expensive in the Chicago area than in the rest of the country (for reasons that remain obscure) but imagine how prices will climb if fuel trucks start exploding.

Noo its too soon

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Flickr

Okay, I have no idea why the Halloween candy bowl came out this week at work. My TL keeps bringing in candy and refilling it, but most of the time it contains the dregs of the candy world: green and blue Jolly Rangers.

An online acquaintance (hi, Leibniz!) complains of a similar candy bowl at his coordinates in space/time/ectoplasm, except that his dregs consist of root beer barrels in addition to Jolly Ranchers.

As to why this stuff is appearing, more than 2 months in advance, I really can’t tell you, but it’s not doing me any good. It’s right behind me, a simple arm’s reach away. Yes, even the dregs eventually get snarfed up.

One question I have, though. What is “blue” flavor? Why does Jolly Rancher think “blue” is a good color for a fruity candy that is not blueberry? Apparently, it’s raspberry. So why “blue raspberry?”

This image was sent from Flickr as a blog entry, email or cameraphone image.

Via: Flickr
Title: Noo its too soon

By: GinnyRED57

Originally uploaded: 12 Aug ’05, 12.05am PST

Bush: No Bellus Interruptus For You

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President George Bush has said he “sympathised” with the mother of a US soldier killed in Iraq but refused to heed her call to pull out the troops.

Speaking from his Texas ranch where Cindy Sheehan has been holding a roadside protest, Mr Bush said withdrawing would be a “mistake”.

Later in the story, Bush is quoted as saying he “thought long and hard about her position.”

There you have it: this President is screwing us all over. Hur, hurh, hurrrr.

Seriously, though, it disgusts me that he won’t meet with her and explain his “rationale” – the REAL one – for this war. At least he doesn’t trot out the tired old and thoroughly discredited propaganda about WMDs, links to the 9/11 terrorists, and teh Evil Saddam.

It’s not about our freedom. It’s not about democracy for the downtrodden Iraqi people. It’s not about fighting terrorism, because frankly we’re making new terrorists just by being there.

It’s a war of opportunity to secure that oil supply. Not only that, but we were wearing out our welcome in Saudi, and we needed a new base of operations in the area.

Jeez, that little bushwhacker has a hell of a nerve, yet he’s too chicken to meet with a middle-aged woman camping out in a tent.

Utah In The News: Local Color

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A couple of Utah news stories that caught my eye…

deseretnews.com | Ex-Utahn, convict husband captured

Okay, this first one is actually the “Wife springs convict husband from custody, kills deputy” story that’s been reported on the national news. The couple was recaptured in Ohio because they felt the net closing in, abandoned their car, and took a cab over the state line from some place in Kentucky to a cheap hotel on the Ohio side. Turns out there’s a Utah connection, because the woman was from West Jordan. She met her current husband after moving back to Tennessee, becoming an LPN and getting a job in a Nashville prison. Her former husband is now wondering what he’ll tell their children. Given the various elements in the story, it’ll probably be the biggest news in Utah for a while, but it’s got competition. Both major Utah papers have the local angle going. I got interested for that reason, and also because the story started out in a part of Tennessee where my niece Holly (coincidentally, also a nurse) used to live.

UPDATE: Gee, the former husband is no angel, either.

Truck Explodes On US Highway 6: leaves 30 foot crater

Okay, I got this story via donnunn.com and wondered how it could have happened. Highway 6 is very familiar ground; Mom and I used to drive it at least once a year or so to visit friends in Grand Junction. In fact, the section in Spanish Fork was our favorite stretch of the trip, because it’s just gorgeous in the fall. The colors are incredible.

Funny how a little local color automatically makes a story more interesting or engaging (to the locals, at least).

UPDATE: More details on the big ‘splody truck on Highway 6. It’s looking like the driver will be at fault for going too fast.

It’s…the…cancer

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USATODAY.com – Milder skin cancers becoming more common among young

Years ago we saw a Second City Comedy performance that included a musical sketch where the chorus went “It’s…the…CANCER. ItstheCANCER.” It was performed by people made up to be stereotypical “Chicago old people” of various backgrounds… but everybody had a comic Yiddish accent.

It seemed darkly funny then – even after David’s mom’s diagnosis of breast cancer and her complete recovery, 5 years on.

Then Peter Jennings died of lung cancer. And the other day, Christopher Reeve’s wife announced she has lung cancer. A few months back, my priest got a cancer diagnosis, not long after he moved here to take on the responsibilities of running Holy Moly. He’s doing great, by the way. I saw him last night at a big meeting.

Then yesterday, we heard from a close friend. It’s… the… cancer. Itsthecancer.

It’s very, very early on yet, so it’s upsetting, but not as dire as it could be. And we’re going to schedule some checkups for ourselves, too.

Sucks, though. Really, really sucks. I don’t like this trend.

The Vacation President

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Chicago Indymedia: newswire/61312

The local peace-and-justice folks pass along plans for today’s visit by President Bush to the Caterpillar plant in Aurora:

“War President? VACATION PRESIDENT!” That’s the main message. Bush tops vacation time of any pres while soldiers die. Be at the at the Caterpillar plant in Aurora, Illinois Wednesday Aug 10th 8:30AM, doors open 9, Bush speaks 11. South on Orchard Road at the intersection of rt30 and Orchard Road in S. Aurora. Main Entrance Caterpillar Drive. Questions: Tetricus at Yahoo dot Com.

Or at least, they were organizing it. A link for more information appears to be dead.

In any case, I’m not happy about Bush visiting because it’ll screw up air traffic (and car traffic) for much of the day.

Vacation President, heh. Sure, sure, he’s working while he’s away, but it looks bad that he’s about to set a record for “most days away from the White House” of any President. Sometime later this year, he will have spent a year of his time in office “on vacation,” with more than 3 years left in his term of office.

That’s just… an insult to working people.