Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Quoting scriptures?
Whether it happened or not, at least they had the Bible verses right. . .
So he took out a business card and wrote "Revelation 3:20" on the back of it and stuck it in the door.
When the offering was processed the following Sunday, he found that his card had been returned. Added to it was this cryptic message, "Genesis 3:10.
Reaching for his Bible to check out the citation, he broke up in laughter. Revelation 3:20 begins "Behold, I stand at the door and knock." Genesis 3:10 reads, "I heard your voice in the garden and I was afraid for I was naked."
---o0o---
A new pastor was visiting the homes of his parishioners. At one house it seemed obvious that someone was at home, but no answer came to his repeated knocks at the door.
So he took out a business card and wrote "Revelation 3:20" on the back of it and stuck it in the door.
When the offering was processed the following Sunday, he found that his card had been returned. Added to it was this cryptic message, "Genesis 3:10.
Reaching for his Bible to check out the citation, he broke up in laughter. Revelation 3:20 begins "Behold, I stand at the door and knock." Genesis 3:10 reads, "I heard your voice in the garden and I was afraid for I was naked."
---o0o---
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Poem: The Odds by Jack Brummet
1.
The odds are your luck
Will run out one day.
We know this from cemeteries
And the dearth of hundred year olds
Stomping around
This sweet blue sphere.
2.
Simple probability
And distributed statistics
Tell us ineluctably
That the more times
You stick your head
In the lion's mouth,
The more likely it is
that one day, he will close it.
----o0o----
Monday, April 12, 2010
Legendary Seattle landmark The Lusty Lady to close
It's the economic slump, and according to the manager, high quality porn on the internet; whatever the cause, The Lusty Lady is closing. Their revenues have declined every year since 1998 (or, roughly since the internet became widely available). In Seattle, The Lusty Lady, a downtown nude peep show (right across the street from the Seattle Art Museum) is best known for the double entendres on its marquee.
The Lusty Lady will close in June. Some recent marquees: "Happy Spanksgiving" "Happy Nude Year," "Seasons Squeezings," and "Always Open, Never Clothed."
A post from All This Is That a few years ago, lists some of their more notable marquee titles: Some Classic Porn Movie Titles from the Lusty Lady
---o0o---
Greatest hits of Representative Michele Bachmann
By Pablo Fanque
All This Is That National Affairs Editor
Now that she has partnered up with Ex-Governor Palin, Rep. Bachmann's stock seems to be rising. Palin-Bachmann bumper stickers have appeared. People are speculating about this dream team: double trouble!
One of the most interesting facts I've recently learned about Michele is that she and her husband own a mental health practice employing 42 people in Sillwater, Minnesota. Judging from some of her public pronouncements, it's probably a safe bet that she's not eating into the profits by over-using their services. . .
It seems like a good time to roll out some of our favorite Bachmann quotes from the last few years...
"Little children will be forced to learn that homosexuality is normal and natural and perhaps they should try it." - Interview with Jan Markell, Olive Tree Ministries.
“And what a bizarre time we’re in, Jan, when a judge will say to little children that you can’t say the pledge of allegiance, but you must learn that homosexuality is normal and you should try it.” — Senator Michele Bachmann, appearing as guest on radio program “Prophetic Views Behind The News”, hosted by Jan Markell, KKMS 980-AM, March 6, 2004.
"Literally, if we took away the minimum wage—if conceivably it was gone—we could potentially virtually wipe out unemployment completely because we would be able to offer jobs at whatever level." —Michele Bachmann, 1/26/05, Jobs, Energy and Community Development Committee, testifying against SF 3, a bill to raise the MN minimum wage and advocating the elimination of the minimum wage
“It’s part of Satan I think to say that this is “gay.” It’s anything but gay.” — Senator Michele Bachmann, speaking at EdWatch National Education Conference, November 6, 2004.
“If you’re involved in the gay and lesbian lifestyle, it’s bondage. It is personal bondage, personal despair and personal enslavement.” — Senator Michele Bachmann, speaking at EdWatch National Education Conference, November 6, 2004.
"The marriage initiative is 'not a Republican-Democrat issue'."
--Senator Michele Bachmann, Star Tribune, November 10, 2005
"Democrats need to fear losing their seat."
--Senator Michele Bachmann, Pioneer Press, November 11, 2005
"I had high heels on and I just couldn't stand anymore. I was not in the bushes."
--Sen Michele Bachmann, Strib, April 13, 2005
"He kissed me in Minnesota, too" - Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, Strib January 24, 2007
"Help!!!! HEEEELLLLLLPPPPPP!!!!! I was being held against my will!"
-- Sen Michele Bachmann, Women's Restroom in Scandia, Minnesota, April 9, 2005
"This is a ticking time bomb and there is a very real threat that an Activist Judge Strike down DOMA this year" -- Sen Michele Bachmann, Interview with Jan Markell, Olive Tree Ministries.
"I never wanted to amend the constitution."
-- Sen Michele Bachmann, Calling in to Tom Barnard, May 12, 2005.
"Is there no longer freedom of speech in this chamber, Mr. President?....Mr. President...MR. PRESIDENT?....You can turn my microphone off now." - Michele Bachmann, May 16, 2004, Last day of 2004 Session.
"Many teenagers that come in should be paying the employer because of broken dishes or whatever occurs during that period of time. But you know what? After six months, that teenager is going to be a fabulous employee and is going to go on a trajectory where he's going to be making so much money, we'll be borrowing money from him." —Michele Bachmann, 1/26/05, explaining why teenagers should pay employers for the privilege of working instead of receiving minimum wage.
"If we allow businesses to be prosperous and accrue capital, they’ll be giving their employees more than they can even begin to imagine. But when we continue to tie cement blocks on businesses (like the minimum wage) and constrain them, they can actually do less than their employees."
—Michele Bachmann, 1/26/05, testifying against SF 3, a bill to raise the MN minimum wage and explaining why it actually keeps wages and benefits lower.
"I was wondering, if most employers are already doing this anyway, isn’t minimum wage really just superfluous? Why do we even have one?" —Michele Bachmann, 1/26/05, Jobs, Energy and Community Development Committee, testifying against SF 3, a bill to raise the MN minimum wage, and advocating the elimination of the minimum wage altogether.
"If raising the minimum wage to $7.00 an hour is a good idea, that why dont we just raise it to $20.00 an hour, that must be even better." —Michele Bachmann, 1/26/05, Jobs, Energy and Community Development Committee, testifying against SF 3, a bill to raise the MN minimum wage.
"I look at the Scripture and I read it and I take it for what it is. I give more credence in the Scripture as being kind of a timeless word of God to mankind, and I take it for what it is. And I don't think I give as much credence to my own mind, because I see myself as being very limited and very flawed, and lacking in knowledge, and wisdom and understanding. So, I just take the Bible for what it is, I guess, and recognize that I am not a scientist, not trained to be a scientist. I'm not a deep thinker on all of this. I wish I was. I wish I was more knowledgeable, but I'm not a scientist." - Michele Bachmann interviewing with Todd Fiel at KKMS as quoted in the Stillwater Gazette, September 29, 2003.
"Something that I think sometimes people don’t like to hear is that secular people can be sometimes even more dogmatic in beliefs than people who are not secular. ... In some ways, to believe in evolution is almost like a following; a cult following — if you don’t believe in evolution, you’re considered completely backward. That seems to me very indicative of bias as well." - Michele Bachmann quoted in the Stillwater Gazette, September 29, 2003.
"No one that I know disagrees with natural selection — that you can take various breeds of dogs ... breed them, you get different kinds of dogs," she said. "It's just a fact of life. ... Where there's controversy is (at the question) 'Where do we say that a cell became a blade of grass, which became a starfish, which became a cat, which became a donkey, which became a human being?' There’s a real lack of evidence from change from actual species to a different type of species. That's where it's difficult to prove." - Michele Bachmann quoted in the Stillwater Gazette, September 29, 2003.
---o0o---
All This Is That National Affairs Editor
Now that she has partnered up with Ex-Governor Palin, Rep. Bachmann's stock seems to be rising. Palin-Bachmann bumper stickers have appeared. People are speculating about this dream team: double trouble!
One of the most interesting facts I've recently learned about Michele is that she and her husband own a mental health practice employing 42 people in Sillwater, Minnesota. Judging from some of her public pronouncements, it's probably a safe bet that she's not eating into the profits by over-using their services. . .
“one L, two Ns” - MB on how to spell her name correctly
"Little children will be forced to learn that homosexuality is normal and natural and perhaps they should try it." - Interview with Jan Markell, Olive Tree Ministries.
“And what a bizarre time we’re in, Jan, when a judge will say to little children that you can’t say the pledge of allegiance, but you must learn that homosexuality is normal and you should try it.” — Senator Michele Bachmann, appearing as guest on radio program “Prophetic Views Behind The News”, hosted by Jan Markell, KKMS 980-AM, March 6, 2004.
"Literally, if we took away the minimum wage—if conceivably it was gone—we could potentially virtually wipe out unemployment completely because we would be able to offer jobs at whatever level." —Michele Bachmann, 1/26/05, Jobs, Energy and Community Development Committee, testifying against SF 3, a bill to raise the MN minimum wage and advocating the elimination of the minimum wage
“It’s part of Satan I think to say that this is “gay.” It’s anything but gay.” — Senator Michele Bachmann, speaking at EdWatch National Education Conference, November 6, 2004.
“If you’re involved in the gay and lesbian lifestyle, it’s bondage. It is personal bondage, personal despair and personal enslavement.” — Senator Michele Bachmann, speaking at EdWatch National Education Conference, November 6, 2004.
"The marriage initiative is 'not a Republican-Democrat issue'."
--Senator Michele Bachmann, Star Tribune, November 10, 2005
"Democrats need to fear losing their seat."
--Senator Michele Bachmann, Pioneer Press, November 11, 2005
"I had high heels on and I just couldn't stand anymore. I was not in the bushes."
--Sen Michele Bachmann, Strib, April 13, 2005
"He kissed me in Minnesota, too" - Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, Strib January 24, 2007
"Help!!!! HEEEELLLLLLPPPPPP!!!!! I was being held against my will!"
-- Sen Michele Bachmann, Women's Restroom in Scandia, Minnesota, April 9, 2005
"This is a ticking time bomb and there is a very real threat that an Activist Judge Strike down DOMA this year" -- Sen Michele Bachmann, Interview with Jan Markell, Olive Tree Ministries.
"I never wanted to amend the constitution."
-- Sen Michele Bachmann, Calling in to Tom Barnard, May 12, 2005.
"Is there no longer freedom of speech in this chamber, Mr. President?....Mr. President...MR. PRESIDENT?....You can turn my microphone off now." - Michele Bachmann, May 16, 2004, Last day of 2004 Session.
"Many teenagers that come in should be paying the employer because of broken dishes or whatever occurs during that period of time. But you know what? After six months, that teenager is going to be a fabulous employee and is going to go on a trajectory where he's going to be making so much money, we'll be borrowing money from him." —Michele Bachmann, 1/26/05, explaining why teenagers should pay employers for the privilege of working instead of receiving minimum wage.
"If we allow businesses to be prosperous and accrue capital, they’ll be giving their employees more than they can even begin to imagine. But when we continue to tie cement blocks on businesses (like the minimum wage) and constrain them, they can actually do less than their employees."
—Michele Bachmann, 1/26/05, testifying against SF 3, a bill to raise the MN minimum wage and explaining why it actually keeps wages and benefits lower.
"I was wondering, if most employers are already doing this anyway, isn’t minimum wage really just superfluous? Why do we even have one?" —Michele Bachmann, 1/26/05, Jobs, Energy and Community Development Committee, testifying against SF 3, a bill to raise the MN minimum wage, and advocating the elimination of the minimum wage altogether.
"If raising the minimum wage to $7.00 an hour is a good idea, that why dont we just raise it to $20.00 an hour, that must be even better." —Michele Bachmann, 1/26/05, Jobs, Energy and Community Development Committee, testifying against SF 3, a bill to raise the MN minimum wage.
"I look at the Scripture and I read it and I take it for what it is. I give more credence in the Scripture as being kind of a timeless word of God to mankind, and I take it for what it is. And I don't think I give as much credence to my own mind, because I see myself as being very limited and very flawed, and lacking in knowledge, and wisdom and understanding. So, I just take the Bible for what it is, I guess, and recognize that I am not a scientist, not trained to be a scientist. I'm not a deep thinker on all of this. I wish I was. I wish I was more knowledgeable, but I'm not a scientist." - Michele Bachmann interviewing with Todd Fiel at KKMS as quoted in the Stillwater Gazette, September 29, 2003.
"Something that I think sometimes people don’t like to hear is that secular people can be sometimes even more dogmatic in beliefs than people who are not secular. ... In some ways, to believe in evolution is almost like a following; a cult following — if you don’t believe in evolution, you’re considered completely backward. That seems to me very indicative of bias as well." - Michele Bachmann quoted in the Stillwater Gazette, September 29, 2003.
"No one that I know disagrees with natural selection — that you can take various breeds of dogs ... breed them, you get different kinds of dogs," she said. "It's just a fact of life. ... Where there's controversy is (at the question) 'Where do we say that a cell became a blade of grass, which became a starfish, which became a cat, which became a donkey, which became a human being?' There’s a real lack of evidence from change from actual species to a different type of species. That's where it's difficult to prove." - Michele Bachmann quoted in the Stillwater Gazette, September 29, 2003.
---o0o---
Sunday, April 11, 2010
I'm Skookum
When I was growing up in the Green River Valley, south of Seattle, I often heard the word "skookum." I remember hearing my Uncle Gould and a few other adults use the term in conversation. It always felt like a word from the Pacific Northwest, like it may have sprung from our neck of the woods--because there were a couple of places named Skookumchuck). I grew up hearing the word all the time, but it has fallen into disuse. What a great word! Misuse would be better than disuse. The word was often used as a synonym for copacetic--a word you might hear Cab Calloway or some other hepcat use, and a word I associate with the 1920's to 1950's era. World Wide Words seems to confirm that:
COPACETIC/kəʊpəˈsɛtɪk/ - Fine, excellent, going just right.
COPACETIC/kəʊpəˈsɛtɪk/ - Fine, excellent, going just right.
The Wikipedia says "Skookum is a Chinook jargon word that has come into general use in British Columbia and Yukon Territory in Canada, and in the U.S. Pacific Northwest." And that it has three meanings:
1. a word in regional English that has a variety of positive connotations;
2. a monster; similar to the Sasquatch, or Bigfoot, often seen in these parts (the NW);
3. a souvenir doll once common in the United States in tourist areas.
It has a wide range of positive meanings, and that is how I always remember it being used. I never heard it used to refer to a Sasquatch or kachina dolls.
A Frequently Asked Questions list from Skookum Tools Ltd. says the word has "meanings from 'good,' to 'strong,' 'best,' 'powerful,' 'ultimate,' 'brave' and 'first rate.' Something can be skookum meaning 'really good' or 'right on! 'excellent!', or it can be skookum meaning 'tough' or 'durable'. A skookum burger is either a big or a really tasty hamburger, or both, but when your Mom's food is skookum, it's delicious but also hearty. When you are skookum, you've got a purpose and you're on solid ground, in good health/spirits etc. When used in reference to another person, e.g. "he's skookum", it's used in respect with connotations of trustworthiness, reliability and honesty as well as (possibly but not necessarily) strength and size."
The same FAQ also claims that skookum house means jail or prison, or, "the big house."
I have been to at least three places--two in Washington (the river, and Skookum inlet on Puget Sound)and one in British Columbia--named Skookumchuck, most notably including the river you drive over on a road trip to California. Skookum can mean "turbulent water or rapids" and Chuck is Chinook for river or lake.
A quick internet search turns up a brewery, a social service agency, a "bay trading" company, a clothing manufacturer, and a few other businesses that have appropriated the name, including most appropriately one business that makes gear for steelhead fishing (that should be another post probably--the story of the singularly northwest fish known as steelhead). There seems also to be a breed of cat known as skookum, and at least one rock band. And how could I forget--Skookum Inlet on Puget Sound produces some of the best oysters I have ever eaten...
---o0o---
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Claire Brummet & Colin Whitchelo in a Bollywood film
"After leaving Pune and arriving in Mumbai we walked with our backpacks in the heat of the day from VT to Colaba. It was sweaty. We found the Salvation Army [jack note: no relation to OUR Salvation Army] hostel right behind the Taj. They didn't have any double rooms available so we had to get separate dorm bunks. Usually, we opt to pay a bit more for the double room when we stay at hostels. So, this was actually my first time staying in a dorm bed separate from Colin. The beds each cost Rs. 200 [jack note: about $5]. That included breakfast and lunch. Very cheap. The price fit the place. It was nasty. Bugs, smells, cold water, noise, and plenty of young dirty peers."
"Our first day [back in Mumbai] we were approached and asked to be in a Bollywood movie. A day of work with three meals included and you get paid Rs. 500 [jack note: about $12 USD] . It was a Tuesday when we got there and our train didn't leave until Saturday morn so we said yes. We had lots of time to kill. We did the Bollywood movie on Thursday."
"They picked us up at 5am and drove us three hours to a hill station outside Mumbai. The location was amazing and although the day was long and hot seeing the area was worth it. Once we got there, they dressed all of the girls up in short skirts and tank tops. They did our hair and makeup. I'm pretty sure they get foreigners because we have no problem dressing like skanks. The shoot was a trip. The movie was supposed to be a comedy like Austin Powers they said. There was an elaborate set (which reminded me a lot of AmC) and hundreds of people in hilarious outfits. The plot of the movie was vaguely explained to us and it made no sense. I wrote down the name of the movie and it comes out on December 24th. Hopefully we will be able to download it. Once I can show you the pictures it will make a lot more sense."
---o0o---
Friday, April 09, 2010
Thursday, April 08, 2010
The Palin-Bachmann Juggernaut Picks Up Steam
click images to enlarge
By Pablo Fanque
All This Is That National Affairs Editor
People rarely agree (except Mona Goldwater) when I say that Ex-Governor Palin is a force to be reckoned with in 2012, either as a candidate, or as king-maker. Note: it's not like I WANT this to happen. Their logic is usually something like "The American people are no way that dumb," or "It can't happen here." But what happens when you put the two tea-party poster gals together into one rolling, perhaps unstoppable juggernaut? We have proved at least twice in the last decade that intelligence is not one of the job requirements for the Presidency. But then, again, perhaps there are limits to that theory and the voting public does have some sort of floor on the qualifications of POTUS?
Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann--the two Tea party favorites--rallied together
recently in Minnesota. "I knew that we'd be buddies when I met her when she
said, 'Drill here, drill now,'" Palin said. "And then I replied, 'Drill baby drill,'
and then we both said, 'You betcha!'"
---o0o---
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
Big Star Videos & Slideos-->In The Street - Thank You Friends - September Gurls
And thank YOU, Alex, Jody, Andy, Chris, Ken, and Jonathan for all the great music...
Wow. As they say, "Slap my ass and call me Sally!" -- Apple shovels out big bucks in a Nano-pod Class Action settlement
OK, I'm used to getting these class action settlements for various things. I know I've received, as part of other settlements, five dollar coupons, good for a discount on (what, the $350?) MS Office, money off Jiffy Lube oil changes, a voucher for two free cans of tuna fish,
and rebates of $3.00 for some government group that miscalculated something.
This time, however, Apple sent me a check for $37.50 for scratches on a nanopod. Thirty-seven dollars! If I got $37.50, just how much did the attorneys get to keep? And how many thousands or millions of us joined the class? The lawyers deserve it this time, for a magnificent performance! We didn't just settle with a $10 iTunes or iPhone App Store credit. They had to fork over actual truckloads of real dollars! Is this a great country, or what?
---o0o---
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