Homeland Security seems designed to create retrograde technology pressure.

Traveling by airline carrying a laptop computer:
High risk of incarceration.

Traveling by train with a transistor radio:
Medium risk of incarceration.

Traveling by horse with my favorite flapjack skillet.
Low risk of incarceration.

Standing in middle of room, gazing fondly at framed portrait of fearless leader:
Safe from incarceration, no blinking allowed though...

Animal metaphors as applied to humans can be troubling.

I can certainly see where the cockroach equivalency would be insulting to those of toasty complexion. Even more attractive animals may still elicit an antagonistic response. I have a fondness for raccoons, however applying any "coon" based metaphors could result in significant fist caused facial trauma to myself when used amongst certain self-identified racial demographics.

In the interest of good manners, I choose to use more flattering metaphors. Such as "cute as a kitten" or "busy as a bee" when commenting on the actions of my fellow primates.

I think the Clown Car example is a pleasant one. Most people have positive associations with clowns and their antics.

Oh, and to divert to a peripheral subject. I can never be quite clear on who it is who is overpopulating. From the perspective of resource consuming and carbon-dioxide generation, we seem to have an overpopulation of wealthy people. Are there any programs for providing condoms and birth control information to our most privileged citizens? A restriction in the number of Hilton, Bush or Trump progeny might be quite beneficial.

Fabulous!

The spirit of R. Mutt lives on.

Hmmm...

Well, I guess this should make that "guns or butter" question much easier to resolve now.

When one is a struggling artist, one may feel tempted to pursue a union with someone who's connections may further one's career and add financial resources that one would otherwise not have access too.

Likewise, when one is very successful in their career of choice and one has achieved a significant level of financial success, one may feel tempted to pursue a union with someone whose relative youth and physical attractiveness satisfies one's ego and whose association with implies a level of machismo that one may ostensibly be lacking due to one's advanced age.

All parties to such poorly considered relationships should resist such temptations as they usually end poorly.

I bought my copy!

Yeah, I know I could get it for free, but so much of my money gets leached out of my wallet by taxes, fees, surcharges, etc, supporting unpleasant forces of darkness that I feel I must support the forces of generosity with an infusion of corporeal gratitude.

And about the book...

- SPOILERESQUE -

This is a good example of why limiting copyright term extensions can have so many benefits. L. Frank Baum's works have been in the public domain for quite some time now. They have inspired so many fantastic sequels and variations. The themes and characters are so strong that a wide variety of authors and artists are still finding new inspiration from them.

I think artists should be paid well for their work, and maybe their children too. But after that, extending copyright control just ends up converting what was once a living, dynamic, creative vision into a conceptual zombie, propped up by corporations and lawyers.

1. Chimpanzee drummer's explosive prank at end of show destroyed drum and permanently damaged hearing of chimpanzee lead guitarist.

2. Blond mop wig unconvincing due to dark body hair.

3. Red dress makes chimp look fat.

4. Concert ruined due to Hell's Angel's bodyguard stabbing Jane Goodall.

5. Pete Best was a better drummer.

6. Pledge of Allegiance in chimpanzee vocalizations enrages conservative bloggers.

This is an interesting item, but...
it looks alot like a rock tumber with a watch stuck on one end.

http://scientificsonline.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_3053494

Hmmm... My watch all wound up and shiny rocks to show my friends. Cool.

Thanks #1 for the Speak Easy Theaters link. (and recommendations from the other posters)

I have almost given up on going to the theater.

In order to get a good seat I usually arrive about 15-20 minutes before the film starts. Which means I am a captive audience for the interminable commercials to which the Cinemark and AMC chains subject their audiences. I feel like Malcom McDowell undergoing the brainwashing treatment in 'A Clockwork Orange'.

My only option is to flee to the lobby, leaving my wife in the theater. I feel very guilty about this.

I purchased a 'TV-B-Gone' in hopes it would shut down the digital projector they use for the ad barrage. No luck. I even stood at the top row of the theater, zapping away to no effect.

Maybe I should try the big jar of moths from 'Strange Brew'.

An example about a controversy based on a flawed premise.

A while back (I wish I could find a link to the archive) KQED San Francisco had an interview with a couple of emergency room administrators from both a public and private hospital. When asked about all the illegal immigrants crowding emergency rooms they both said that wasn't a problem. I was one of the few things they agreed upon during the course of the interview.

The big problem was citizens and legal residents without insurance. There were actually very few illegal immigrants showing up in hospitals. They were both very clear about this.

But of course, when a hospital shuts down its emergency room due to cost overruns, the knee jerk response is to blame "the brown hordes"; not the costs created by insurance companies, pharmaceutical firms, medical equipment manufacturers, or how insured patients demand unneeded tests from their doctors.

This situation reminds me of the Rodney King riots. A community gets fed up with injustice and attacks anyone they associate with the race/class of the enemy.

A lot of white Americans couldn’t understand why blacks were so outraged over Rodney King trial verdict. After all, we were doing so much to help them.

I situation like this shows how important a free media is. The extensive coverage and discussion of the riots opened many people’s eyes about the experience of blacks in America and their view of the police. I know we have a long way to go in this country but at least in some degree we are trying to look at our problems and deal with them. We are willing to sacrifice an little “peace and unity” in order to address injustices.

Tibet is just the little problem. What happens when Taiwan gets a little more independent? Stonings and stabbings are going to seem pretty minor.

I hope the Chinese people and their government can learn to handle a little independence among their people, otherwise they are headed for another empire wide breakdown. Taiping rebellion…

Hurry, hurry, quick like a bunny...

I saw the show of Mary Blair's art at the Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco last weekend. Its very beautiful.

It closes on March 18th.

Obviously someone needs a hug in Saudi Arabia. Would it be wrong to send valentines to show we care?

Ambassador Adel A. Al-Jubeir
Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia
601 New Hampshire Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20037

King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz
c/o The Equestrian Club of Riyadh
PO Box 26323,
Riyadh, 11486
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

--
Love, love will keep us together...