Archive for November, 2006
Thursday, November 30th, 2006
Wait, don’t . . ., awwww
Today I told a woman I was a reporter and she began to cry. I don’t know that that’s ever happened. She was in a tough position and had been part of a mistake that could have been a lot worse than it was. It had to be a hard reality to accept.
I spoke with […]
No Comments » - Posted in Career by Steven Gardner
Wednesday, November 29th, 2006
Look Ma, I’m on YouTube
Not me so much, but a slide show I made for a Memorial Day breakfast.
1 Comment » - Posted in Musings, Thanksgiving by Steven Gardner
Wednesday, November 29th, 2006
Clip File
A workmate forwarded this link to me. It appears to be another site to find links to news stories. Neither my workmate or I have spent a lot of time on it yet to cast judgment, but it looks kind of interesting. Tonight it looks left of center, but it didn’t the first time I […]
No Comments » - Posted in News by Steven Gardner
Sunday, November 26th, 2006
Racism
Leonard Pitts Jr. on Michael Richards’ meltdown.
Richards’ rant, according to the video of it online, lasted a good 2 ½ minutes. You might angrily snap that somebody is a ”fat so-and-so” without really meaning it. You don’t spend 2 ½ minutes calling them fat unless fat is exactly what you mean.
From Dictionary.com:
rac-ism
noun
1.
a belief or […]
2 Comments » - Posted in Pop Culture, News by Steven Gardner
Saturday, November 25th, 2006
Batting .010
The New York Times came out with its 100 Notable Books of the Year and I give myself small credit for having read one of them. Today I finished State of Denial by Bob Woodward and will soon be reading The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan.
Woodward’s book leaves me asking, as it has many people, […]
No Comments » - Posted in Pop Culture by Steven Gardner
Saturday, November 25th, 2006
He’s Streaky
A guy in West Fargo got busted for drunk driving three times in six days. During his streak he was in a hit-and-run, went the wrong way down a one-way street and parked on top of a cone. He got bailed out twice, but apparently couldn’t find the funds to get out after the third […]
No Comments » - Posted in Pop Culture, News by Steven Gardner
Thursday, November 23rd, 2006
Recipe for a Smart Thanksgiving
Last night on Letterman they had a reminder, “Tomorrow is Thanksgiving.” That explains all the vacuuming, shopping and food prep I did, which wasn’t near as much as Diana did, of course.
So happy Thanksgiving and stuff. The surprise here is after the million days in a row of rain we’ve had, I look out the […]
No Comments » - Posted in Musings, Thanksgiving, Family by Steven Gardner
Wednesday, November 22nd, 2006
OK, More Reasons to not Own a Gun
They require cleaning, right?
I am in no way prepared to debate Rosie O’Donnell.
I’m a little nervous about Katrina “refugees,” but I’m curious about the gumbo.
The dog said I couldn’t.
I’m afraid I’d use it to shoot out the television whenever the Mattress Ranch commercial comes on.
Guns are bad for your posture.
Buying a gun is one thing, […]
No Comments » - Posted in Pop Culture, News by Steven Gardner
Thursday, November 16th, 2006
At Least They’re Just Asking
Greenleaf, Idaho is not content with 80 percent of its residents owning guns. They want complete compliance, but the ordinance the city council passed only asked residents to own guns. Their fear? Being overrun by Katrina “refugees.”
They’re serious, as are some of the commenters who posted their remarks for the story. The city leaves an out […]
2 Comments » - Posted in Pop Culture, Religion, News by Steven Gardner
Wednesday, November 15th, 2006
I’m Talking to You, Kobe Bryant
Way to go dude from Arkansas! He’s suing Kobe because he says Kobe elbowed him on purpose when he was at a Lakers-Grizzlies game.
I’ve been plotting revenge on Kobe ever since Newsweek picked his piece for a “My Turn” column instead of mine. You can read about the whole sordid incident here. In response I sent Mr. Big Shot, Glory […]
No Comments » - Posted in Pop Culture, Sports by Steven Gardner
Wednesday, November 15th, 2006
Poffennugen
Jeffrey Poffenbarger was on Oprah yesterday. He’s a brain surgeon who operated on a woman injured by a bomb in Iraq. He had to remove a big chunk of her skull to work on her. She was given a 2 percent chance to live, but his work helped save her. Cool story. There’s more with […]
1 Comment » - Posted in Pop Culture, News by Steven Gardner
Tuesday, November 14th, 2006
‘God’s Foreign Policy’
Many evangelicals were upset when Israel signed a cease-fire with Hezbollah. From the New York Times:
Tell them “to let Israel do their job” of destroying the Lebanese militia, Hezbollah, Mr. (Rev. John) Hagee said. He called the conflict “a battle between good and evil” and said support for Israel was “God’s foreign policy.”
1 Comment » - Posted in News by Steven Gardner
Tuesday, November 14th, 2006
You’re on Notice
Eric D. Snider pointed out this graphic on his blog. “On notice” means you’re not completely banished, but you have been behaving in such a way that I’m keeping my eye on you. You better watch yourself. To the left is mine. You can create your own here.
No Comments » - Posted in Pop Culture by Steven Gardner
Tuesday, November 14th, 2006
Andy Goes Matlock
Andy Griffith the actor is suing Andy Griffith, a guy in Wisconsin who changed his name to improve his chances of getting elected sheriff.
Plus, Aunt Bea has a MySpace account.
No Comments » - Posted in Pop Culture, News by Steven Gardner
Friday, November 10th, 2006
Friday’s Clip File
Here’s your Senate Majority Leader.
“Britney Spears,” Mr. (Harry) Reid said, shaking his head. “She loses a little weight, and now she’s getting all cocky about things.” He added, “Britney has gotten her mojo back.”
High-water mark
You may be aware, some of you well acquainted, that we had a big rain here, even for Seattle standards. On […]
No Comments » - Posted in Pop Culture, Religion, News, Politics by Steven Gardner
Thursday, November 9th, 2006
NYT - Credit Due
Many of us have concluded Republicans blew this election. I still think that’s largely true, but Thursday’s New York Times shows the inside baseball account of how much Democrats did to orchestrate their win.
Across the country, at the urging of Mr. (Rahm) Emanuel and his Senate counterpart, Charles E. Schumer of New York, Democratic candidates began […]
No Comments » - Posted in Religion, News, Politics by Steven Gardner
Thursday, November 9th, 2006
No, Not UNIX
From MSNBC: 20 eunuchs collecting taxes in India.
“We are confident that their reputation and persuasive skills will come in handy for the municipal authorities to collect taxes from defaulters,” (Bharat) Sharma told The Associated Press.
No Comments » - Posted in News by Steven Gardner
Thursday, November 9th, 2006
Not Even Ernie Can Help K-Fed
According to the China Daily Web site, Kevin Federline blames Bertney Spears for his failed career.
I’ve said it a million times. Anyone named “Bertney” is trouble.
In another story about Federline’s demand for sole custody and spousal support, Federline’s lawyer Mark Vincent Kaplan is quoted:
“Kevin is prepared to go the distance in order to do what he […]
No Comments » - Posted in Pop Culture, News by Steven Gardner
Thursday, November 9th, 2006
Talk Talk
Two talk show hosts (There may have been more. I don’t know.) broke from the norm today and probably surprised some people. At lunchtime I drove around listening to dueling talk shows. Around the middle (of the dial, not the spectrum) was Ed Schultz, who is not part of Air America but is broadcast on […]
No Comments » - Posted in Politics by Steven Gardner
Wednesday, November 8th, 2006
Moron Outsourcing
Earlier I posted a cheeky note about how outsourcing meth manufacturing is hurting consumers. The Oregonian has a story showing that the U.S. is gaining against meth because the prices have gone up and the purity has dropped.
Meth seized by drug agents in spring 2006 averaged 51 percent pure, down from 77 percent in spring 2005, […]