The USGS has published an FAQ of everything you might want to know about the geologic causes and consequences of the Sumatra earthquake.
InterAction.org has put together a list of everywhere you might want to donate goods, services, or ideally cash to aid those suffering in South and Southeast Asia (or areas of other recent and ongoing tragedies).
Tsunami Help Blog has myriad resources for those on the ground and those abroad.
As we pulled out of the driveway last night, Brendan noticed something strange nestled underneath the big purple bush that is our front yard. People sometimes leave things for the cat - once we got a plush Tasmanian Devil with a snowboard strapped on his back, another time someone left a Star Wars themed kaleidoscope - but this seemed like it was meant for us. Someone tossed into our yard a Wusthof 4183 Classic Black Hollow Edge Santoku Knife 7-in., nicely sealed in its felt-and-plastic box. I guess they were in a hurry and didn't have time to wrap it.
Next week in Defamer!
Paris and Pammie hijack Lindsay's overmedicated driver for a trip to the Malibu radiomedical clinic.
I think if you purchase, for your 2-year-old son, a gun that makes burping sounds when you shoot it you pretty much deserve what you get.
178 rats brought to animal shelter
Anyone interested in adopting the homeless rodents should contact Animal Care and Control at (415) 554-6364 (located at 1200 15th St.) or consult oneatatimerescue.org or call the rescue group at (415) 317-1038.
I had heard that Oakland public schools were weak, but you'd think the Oakland City Council President might have taken at least one local history class (usually considered easy A's) in his life, or perhaps experienced just once the power of the search engine. But Ignacio De La Fuente, in defense of his killing of the Norton Bridge proposal, pleads utter ignorance:
"No offense to the emperor, but I don't know who he is. I don't really care about this guy.''
WHEREAS, we issued our decree ordering the citizens of San Francisco and Oakland to appropriate funds for the survey of a suspension bridge from Oakland Point via Goat Island; also for a tunnel; and to ascertain which is the best project; and whereas the said citizens have hitherto neglected to notice our said decree; and whereas we are determined our authority shall be fully respected; now, therefore, we do hereby command the arrest by the army of both the Boards of City Fathers if they persist in neglecting our decrees.
Given under our royal hand and seal at San Francisco, this 17th day of September, 1872.
Joshua Abraham Norton
...but the hand that was what she tried to concentrate on, the hand, since it has the entire terrain of her torso to explore and not just the otorhinolaryngological caverns.
Welcome to the new improved Peace Dividend! Ultra-swanky redesign by, you guessed it, Brendan. The fish was from a placemat we picked up in the all-placemats-all-the-time shop in New York several years ago. It was just about the most frivolous thing we owned and from there it was not such a long walk* to the concept of the peace dividend.
But that was back when we had one.
"Southern Slavery, As It Was" is a 43-page booklet published in 1996 that attempts to provide a biblical justification for slavery. It asserts that ... slaves lived "a life of plenty, of simple pleasures*." One of the booklet's co-authors, Douglas Wilson, is scheduled to speak at the [Cary Christian School] graduation in May.
Yes. Exactly.
(thanks, Professor Cardyhouse)
Ash brought us a present this morning. Actually it's more of a tableau than a gift: the steps leading down to the deck are festooned with little grey feathers. And bigger grey feathers. And there, near the northeast leg of the umbrella table, one nice crunchy bird head. Feh. We had a talk about this, a couple months ago, and he promised to only bite insects and very small rodents.
"The dog did what the dog is trained to do, and that is protect his handler," Reier said.
That must have been some kinda weapon.
If you're not already addicted to The Venture Brothers, won't you please consider adding it to your list of vices? It is simply the most scintillatingly great animated series ever to grace the airwaves, with slick, professional production, razor-sharp continuity, and geezus if it isn't the most dangerously funny thing since The Family Guy. Only it's much, much sexier.
And so are the creators:
Doc Hammer, with his deathrock hair and misanthropic scowl.
Jackson Publick with his behind-the-scenes-baring LiveJournal.
And Foetus. Really all I needed to hear was "Foetus does the music," and I was sold.
But it seems that no one except us and maybe 498 other households around the country watched the show on its first run, this summer. The Cartoon Network is re-running it Monday-Wednesday nights, in hopes that the nation will tune in and revel in its genius. And raise the ratings high enough that they can pick up another 13 episodes. Only you can save this show from the realm of the brilliant but cancelled, so won't you please set a season pass on your Tivo? And maybe buy a couple of t-shirts?
The Governator's jokes seem to write themselves:
Arnold Schwarzenegger, speaking Tuesday to open an annual conference celebrating women's contributions to the state, dismissed California nurses who protested his health care policies as "special interests'' who are mad because "I kick their butt."
"Tony called me and I was like, 'Dude, I suck.' And he was like, 'Dude, come over.' So I went to his house and a bunch of our friends there were playing these tracks that Tony was doing that were, like, stupid. I was like, "You did not do these." And he's like, 'Yep, you wanna hear your tracks?' And I was like, 'Nuh-uh, you did not.' So he pulls out this one and I'm like, 'Oh my God, that's my song.' "
And then they played the CD at Buffalo Exchange this weekend, and like the entire shopping public raised their hands to their ears and winced, 'cause like oh my God, those songs are like such total utter dreck.
If big-box shopping is your thing, now you can do it with a clean-ish political conscience: Choose the Blue.
A little something to get your weekend started right wrong:
The Roy Orbison Wrapped in Cling-film song
drunken bellringers
no more, Robo-ringers sign
Articles of War
Merry Christmas, and
God Bless. Trample the wicked
with Cardboard Army.
Bush Yoga - Adho Mukha Svanasana
Rove usually helps him with that one.
Eh. Screenhead's is better.
What kind of insane troll logic connects hurricanes to the Target Corporation? Some powerful opiate of the spam-forwarding masses kind, I guess, and I'm shocked at how many acquaintances of mine (ok, it's just one, but that's already too many) are smoking it.