GET INFORMED

(Random question: Apparently "hooker" has become a derogatory term. When/why did this happen? Far as I know, it just means "prostitute." The English languages baffles me sometimes. I'm gonna take it all the way back to Shakespeare and use "strumpet," because that word is awesome. Who's with me?) [READ MORE]

Let’s just make this legalization week over at Informed Instigation, then.

Look. Is there anyone out there that thinks cigarettes should be banned?

If anyone was going to champion that cause, it would be me. I personally can’t stand them. The smell, the taste the two or four times I’ve tried them, the way they ruin my clothes after a night out even when I don’t touch one myself, the cancer/emphysema/death they’ve caused in various members of my family and such. But, you know, they’re an accepted part of human life, and, long as I don’t have to eat around them (and I don’t), and so long as whatever kids I have don’t end up hooked, then all right. Smoke 'em if you wanna. [READ MORE]

Well. I have to say I’m surprised, after more than fifty of these, that I haven’t really plumbed these depths before. But let’s talk about guns.

As a primer on all the arguments people have been making over the years, one can start with the venerable old wiki article on gun politics. A lot of useful info is compiled there. [READ MORE]

Justin Pierce Baldwin Gerald.

When you hear each of these words separately, who’s the first person you associate with them (aside from me)?

For me, I think: “SexyBack;” James Bond; Jack Donaghy; President before Carter.
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So. CNN is an American Television Station, and as such is based in America. Their most popular programs are their evening news shows, and roundabout the Gulf War, they became one of the more trusted names in cable news. And they still are, even if being trusted compared to Fox is like being trusted compared to Tiger these days. (That's a topical joke AND an animal joke!) [READ MORE]

I'm well aware it's cheesy to say we should all have hope. I know.

It's pretty trite to just tell people never to give up.

The final narration of "The Shawshank Redemption" is all kinds of hackneyed ("I hope the Pacific... I hope.... I hope...etc"). [READ MORE]

Tell me the truth.

When have you dropped the ball? Royally screwed up? Caused irreparable damage? Or simply thrown up your hands and walked away?

A partial list of things I’ve failed: Swimming (as in, on a team; I can still swim), Squash, Rugby, Tae Kwon Do (twice!), Calculus BC, Baseball (playing, not obsessing over statistics), Basketball. [READ MORE]

This is Prince.

I can’t find an actual video of his music on youtube, because he’s all possessive and whatnot, but, well, he is awesome, and now that Kirby Puckett is dead, is the only black man in Minnesota. (Haha) [READ MORE]

Consider the first half of this a companion piece to Thursday's post about cartoons.

So, I usually find Cracked's lists to be somewhat shallow and facile. But this one I thought would be useful to share, so here ya go. [READ MORE]

I call attention to racism and such in a lot of these posts. But today I’d just like to reflect a bit on what used to be expected, nay demanded, by the public.

Here’s this little clip show of Looney Tunes stuff. The only one of these I remember distinctly from my childhood was the last one where they wish they were in Dixie. I had no idea why they all went from Canadian to bald and dark at the time. Yeah, that’s a little off. [READ MORE]