That was HOT!

This comic is a must read every M,W,F. Especially for us geeky types.

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Boy Suspended For Sporting Rayhawk

Now this is just plain stupid [emphasis mine]:

TAMPA -- The Rayhawk, a trend ever since Tampa Bay Rays players starting sporting them, has gotten a 12-year-old boy an in-school suspension.

"I was surprised. It's just a hairdo, really nothing, just a hairdo," said Zach Sharples, an honor student at Lincoln Middle in Manatee County.

Sharples said he must stay under in-school suspension until he changes the haircut or grows it out.

Boy, this must be some harido. I mean, it must be dangerous or something to cause them to suspend an honor student. What did administrators have to say?

...a representative for the school district said it is outlined in the dress code -- no distracting hairstyles.

This thing must be bright purple with sparklers in it and stand two feet high to be distracting. This is Jr. High after all. So let's take a look:

OMG!!!!!!111!!11!eleventy-one!1 I can't concentrate! My synapses are failing! Must...not...look...at...hair...

Seriously? Distracting? WTF?!?

Actually, come to think of it, this is bringing back memories. When I was in elementary school, oh, about 25 years ago, a kid dared to come to school with a mohawk. The uproar was incredible. We couldn't stop talking about it. For about a day. After that, it was like, meh. Administrators flipped out then too. Forced the kid to wear a hood till it grew out. It's nice to know we've made such advancements in 25 years.

I just thought of something else for administrators to ban at the school: Marines! I mean, how different is that mohawk from a Marine's "high and tight"?Sad, sad, sad. I can't believe our armed forces are allowing such distractions. What if there's a war? Our soldiers might be gawking at hairdos rather than killing the enemy. We need to get these brave school administrators and put them in the Marines to combat this kind of distraction. Our troops deserve the best.

I don't have to worry about hairstyles. This is what happened to me after reading the article:

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Facebook is pissing me off

In the immortal words of Dr. Bruce Banner, "Don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry."

So I've got a Facebook account (no, you can't be my friend). I've been kinda into it. And they have this little feature where you can import a blog into your Notes. "Cool," I think, "I'll just import my blog into Facebook and get additional exposure" (I'm not generally so egotistical to think that people might actually be interested in my babblings, but the Facebook crowd are generally personal friends so it's cool).

Anyway, I do the import thing. All my old posts show up. So far, so good. And my new posts are showing up correctly. So today I get a comment on a Note and go to check it out. And I'm confronted with this:
WTF? I haven't done anything other than use a feature they provide. So I visit their FAQ page. Check this out:
Time to call "bullshit".

Facebook has determined that you were using a feature at a rate that is likely to be abusive. Before you were blocked, you were given a warning to slow down your use of this feature.

[emphasis mine] Um, no, they didn't. No notification, nothing in my inbox indicating there was a problem. Warning my ass.

So, what are the limits? Seems like a reasonable question. I'd like to play by the rules and avoid this in the future. Let's see what Facebook has to say:

Unfortunately, Facebook cannot provide any specifics on the rate limits that we enforce. Please know, however, that the speed at which you are acting and the sheer number of actions you have made are both taken into account.

Fracking brilliant strategy. You've exceeded the limits, but we're not going to tell you what they are. Oh, and by the way, if you exceed them again we'll ban you.

Fine. Be dicks. How long with this stoopid block last?

The duration of the block varies depending on the nature of the offense, ranging from a few hours to a few days. When the block is over, please proceed with your site activity at a slower rate so as to avoid hitting another block or having your account disabled.

Facebook will not lift this block for you until the entire penalty time has elapsed.

You know what? At this point I'm about ready to say "frack you" and delete my account. I tend to post in bursts, put up a bunch of stuff while I'm thinking about it, then move on.

I've got to ask myself, how much do I need "flair" anyway?

Right, fair and balanced...

... and I've got a bridge to nowhere to sell ya'.

Just for fun I keep the Fox News feed in my iGoogle page. Today, I see these gems:


I'd ask if they think we're fracking stupid, but the answer is obvious.

How about that debate, huh?

So, what did you think? How about that time when Barack said that thing and then John said that other thing? Pretty amazing, huh?

*sigh*

You got me. You and your "gotcha" questions. Fine, I confess: I didn't watch all of the debate. I wanted to, really. I got back up at midnight after falling asleep with the little Lizards. After catching up with the news (which means watching The Daily Show and The Colbert Report), I switched over to the debate (aren't DVRs great?). I got through a question and a half before I couldn't keep my eyes open any more. I was a little annoyed at the beginning of Obama's answer to the first question. Enough rhetoric, answer the damn question! But when he did, he was a lot clearer and more factual than McCain.

I will be sooooo happy when this election is over and I don't have to see that little troll every single day. Of course I'll be glad that I won't have to see the candidates either.

I Think I Can, I Think I Can

Straightforward and accurate representation of the candidates


Hat tip Hat tip to Caroline McCarthy via PZ via Rev. BigDumbChimp

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Olbermann calls out Palin on her bullshit

I've never watched Keith Olbermann, but after seeing this, I'm gonna have to set my DVR to pick up this guy. Bravo for unflinchingly pointing out the utter hypocrisy and pure bullshit coming from our favorite VP candidate.



Hat tip: Gay Agenda

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Kris Straub hits it on the head

This comic captures the attitudes perfectly:

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I was really hoping we were past this

Growing up in the 70's and 80's, I was aware of racism, but it seemed to me to be a much more hidden, insidious thing than what I heard about from the past. Apparently, it's much more in the forefront than I had realized, and runs deeper too. When I read articles like these, I am in shock:

Dispatches from the Culture Wars: Neo-Nazi Republican Delegates in Michigan

I had actually thought that our British friends were a little more advanced on this subject, but then I read Man shot three times by racist gunman - for wearing Barack Obama T-shirt

I know, I'm naive. I truly don't know what the best approach is. My 6 year old son doesn't know the term "black" or "white" when describing people. When he asked me why his friends had such dark skin, I showed him my sickly-pale white arm and compared it to his mother's olive-skinned Greek beauty. I compared those to his own tanned skin and explained that everyone was different and that different melanin levels caused different skin color. That's how I always thought about it.

He's going to have to understand the dynamics of race as he gets older, but for now I just don't want him to have to deal with such hatred. I want to delay the end of innocence. The lament of all parents, I imagine.

Forget the environment, save our penises!!!

Forget vaccines and Autism, forget cancer, here is something that the scientists of the world need to jump on!!!

Do Babies Exposed to Phthalates Have Smaller Penises?

Via Treehugger (emphasis mine):

Phthalates, the plasticizer used to make vinyl soft, have been known to be a gender-bender that has been shown to affect the masculinity of rats. Even the Bush Administration, not renowned for its defence of the public against the chemical companies, has banned it from childrens' toys.

Now new research has found new evidence of "phthalate syndrome"- smaller penises, and undescended or incompletely descended testicles- in humans. Shanna Swan, director of the Center for Reproductive Epidemiology at the University of Rochester's school of medicine, who led the research, says phthalates are ""probably reproductive toxins and should be eliminated from products gradually because we don't need them."

ZOMG!!11!1 We can't let this become an epidemic!

Of course the American Chemistry Council, representing the companies that make the chemical (Exxon Mobil, BASF, Ferro Corp., and Eastman Chemical) warns us to be "cautioned against over-interpreting any individual study."

Of course they would downplay the risk. It's a conspiracy to shrink our dicks!!! I wouldn't be surprised if these companies had a direct connection to the witches in Africa stealing penises. Someone needs to measure the phthalate concentrations in Africa. It can't be a coincidence.

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Orlando Cleared to Offer Same-Sex Partner Benefits

Finally, some decent news from America's wang:

Orlando’s Mayor Buddy Dyer announced Thursday the city plans to extend domestic-partner benefits to gay city employees when the City Council approves changes to its employee health-care policy this coming Monday.

Orlando is the first local government in central Florida to offer same-sex partner benefits to it’s employees, but joins about two dozen other Florida cities which provide such benefits.

Dyer commented; “We’ve been looking at doing it for quite a while. I think it’s the right thing to do.” Same-sex partners will have to sign an affidavit declaring they are in a committed relationship.

But the domestic-partner benefits will apply only to same-sex couples, as unmarried straight couples “have the option of marriage,” Dyer said.

Via::Gay Agenda

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Rev. BigDumbChimp: Lil O'Reilly

Rev. BigDumbChimp: Lil O'Reilly

I have no idea how he finds these (I'm really that lazy) but as long as he keeps them coming, I'm happy.

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Screw the debate, I scored an interview with Palin!

How's that for a scoop! I got to talk to the Sarah-cuda in person. Well, as close to "in person" as is possible for any of us (including mainstream media) to get. Courtesy of the website Interview Sarah Palin.

Q: How will you fix the economy?

A: The economy and putting it back on the side of the grade of problem that America is facing today. As I say, we are today with so much collapse on Wall Street, affecting Main Street. And we've got to be able to speak with him the other party, also. Americans are just getting sick and tired of a lot of background work first and shoring up our economy. It is, somebody was saying this morning, a toxic waste there on Wall Street. That's to blame. And that is just that acceptance of the message that Americans are just getting sick and tired of a process that's not allowing that process that progress to be able to go back and forth.

Q: Why should the US elect Senator McCain?

A: McCain and I have the same answer that I just gave you. But, again, we've got to count on our allies to help us do that in this post-9/11 world, where we are at a point, here, seven years later, on the side of the people, and that has much to do and serving for the right track. So health care reform and reducing taxes and reining in spending has got to accompany tax reductions and tax relief for Americans and trade we've got to be done in unifying people and companies to get caught up in this one and who the bad guys are.

Q: What is your foreign policy experience?

A: Alaska Oil and coal? Of course, it's a fungible commodity and they don't flag, you know, first, Fannie and Freddie - that, that's paramount. That's more than a heck of a process that's not allowing that process that progress to be found here. Consumers and those who were predator lenders also. That's, you know, the molecules, where it's not. But in the war. You can't blink. So, I believe that what Congress is going to continue good relations with Saakashvili there. I do bring to this table, and that's the beauty of American elections, of course, that is needed to help us do that in this mission of keeping our eye on Russia.

Don't miss out on your chance to put lipstick on a bulldog. Go to http://interviewpalin.com and get your own scoop!

Hat tip: Ed Brayton over at Dispatches from the Culture Wars

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I'm lazy, read other people

I had been looking forward to the debates all day. I had it written down in my DayTimer. I was all set to go. Then dinner came. And one of my little Lizards wanted to play Wii. Then we went to bed. And I completely forgot.

So here are some reactions from others who are more diligent than I am.

• Enemy Combatant Trailmix Appreciation Club
• Athiest Revolution
• Pharyngula
• Dispatches From The Culture Wars
• The Field Negro
• Rev. BigDumbChimp
  

I'll try to dig it on YouTube later and see what I think.

Dobson getting inducted where?!?

C'mon, seriously, WTF are these people thinking? From the Gay Agenda:

The Museum of Broadcast Communications has announced it will induct right wing extremist James Dobson into its Radio Hall of Fame. Dobson runs a so-called “ex-gay” program and has said that allowing gay people to marry will “destroy the earth.” In the past two years, at least seven researchers in three countries have accused Dobson of distorting their research to back his anti-gay teachings.

This just blows my mind. So now we're honoring bigots because lots of people like them. Does that reflect worse on the Museum of Broadcast Communications or the populace in general? The best part is that Dobson's biggotry is a direct result of his "Christian" faith. God hates teh gayz!!!1!11

But he doesn't just save his love for teh gayz. No, children are in his sights to receive God's love too:

• "[P]ain is a marvelous purifier. . . It is not necessary to beat the child into submission; a little bit of pain goes a long way for a young child. However, the spanking should be of sufficient magnitude to cause the child to cry genuinely."
  • From Dare to Discipline, pages 6 and 7

• "Some strong-willed children absolutely demand to be spanked, and their wishes should be granted. . . [T]wo or three stinging strokes on the legs or buttocks with a switch are usually sufficient to emphasize the point, 'You must obey me.'"
  • From The Strong-Willed Child, pp. 53-4.

Brilliant advice. <-- sarcasm, in case you hadn't figured it out.

Back to the issue at hand. The Chairman of the National Radio Hall of Fame (HRHOF) Bruce DuMont has issued a response to the "...controversy surrounding the 2008 inductees". He tries to cover their ass with stuff like this:

The 157 members of the National Radio Hall of Fame represent a broad cross-section of individuals and diverse program formats. Nominations are made by the National Radio Hall of Fame Steering Committee, which consists of radio executives, academicians, trade journalists and others interested in preserving the rich history of radio and recognizing its role in society. The nomination process follows published criteria and is based solely on individuals’ tenures and accomplishments in the radio industry.

A broadcaster’s political, social or religious views never are considered when deciding to include or exclude a candidate. Likewise, the National Radio Hall of Fame does not endorse or support the views voiced by any nominee or inductee on the air or via any other platform.

He then goes on to explain the voting process:

In prior years, voting on the annual nominations was open to the general public only if individuals were members of the Museum of Broadcast Communications (home of the National Radio Hall of Fame), or became new online members by payment of a $15 fee. A change in the voting process for 2008 enabled the general public to vote for nominees online without joining the Museum.

The very nature of radio often creates large numbers of fans devoted to their favorite personalities, and the number of votes cast in 2008 increased significantly.

Nice try, blaming the unwashed masses for inducting this unapologetic bigot. But your little steering committee had to actually nominate Dobson. You can't foist this off on the voters that easily. Luckily, they're going to review their open-access policy to voting for next year:

The change in the voting process was not designed to make membership to the broadcasting shrine a mere popularity contest. The National Radio Hall of Fame will re-evaluate the voting and nominating processes for future elections.

Still doesn't let you off the hook, buddy.

Visit dumpDobson.com to participate in their efforts to get the organization to rectify this egregious error in judgment.

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Please tell me we're beyond this

Rev. BigDumbChimp: Um....wow

http://view.break.com/580075 - Watch more free videos

No. Fucking. Way.

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And the Molly goes to...Rev. BigDumbChimp!

Congrats to the Rev. for his winning the August Molly award over on Pharyngula! For you non-Pharyngulites, the Molly award is "a monthly award here on Pharyngula, in which commenters can nominate and vote for one of their own as the best and most interesting and most deserving of acknowledgment."

Reading and responding to his comments is a big part of what got me hooked on this blogging thing. Congratulations!

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