Archive for the ‘Laughing Matters’ Category
"Yes on 8" Adopts Palin-Zombie Tactics
We've talked a time or two about California's Proposition 8, the proposed state constitutional amendment referendum that wants to deny same-sex couples the established right to marry in that state. There is, of course, an organization advocating in favor of the amendment (largely with money contributed by mormons) with the inspiring name "Yes on 8". […]
In: All, Current Events, Laughing Matters
Black Holes and Physicists' Jokes
A couple of weeks ago, when the world did not end by getting sucked into a black hole newly created by the just-energized Large Hadron Collider (at CERN), it seemed that journalists were casting their lines very widely to find any related story about physicists and CERN and human- or hadron-interest that they could write […]
In: All, It's Only Rocket Science, Laughing Matters
All Pleasure is a Risk
Isaac asked me to post this where we could find it easily, since it is these days frequently referenced in conversation. This little sign seems to have great predictive powers, eliciting gratifying responses–or non-responses–from people we find more fun to be around–or less so. [via Arnold Zwicky at Language Log ("Today's little amuse-bouche") whose attention […]
In: All, Laughing Matters, Raised Eyebrows Dept.
Fun for US Canada Day
I apologize that I neglected to wish all my Canadian friends a happy Canada Day, although we did talk about maple trees on the second. Honestly, Chris, I adore maple trees, just some more than others. To celebrate y'all might enjoy looking at Bill's "Canada Day, 1976" photo album. As one friend wrote, he understood […]
In: All, Laughing Matters, The Art of Conversation
Tea at the Creation Museum
Someone kindly pointed out to me that Faggoty-Ass Faggot recently took a field-trip to the so-called "Creation Museum", not far from Cincinnati. As a result he presents a photographic tour, with commentary. There are fabulous shots of such silly things as the dinosaur with the saddle on, a poster explaining how evolution happened after the […]
In: All, Faaabulosity, Laughing Matters
Charlie Charlie Rose is a Rose is a Rose
Years ago, when I was still watching television and before Isaac — hence before Isaac and I managed to find so many other things to occupy our time — I liked to watch Charlie Rose. I liked his conversational interview style, I usually enjoyed what he found to talk about with guests I didn't mind […]
The Unkindness of History
I am pleased that Arianna Huffington has so succinctly summarized (here) this week's startling-yet-not-unexpected revelation from inside the Bush administration, complete with a perceptive remark from John Ashcroft of all people that indicated they really did realize they were doing bad things: This week, being sent to the Principal's office took on a whole new […]
In: All, Laughing Matters, Snake Oil--Cheap!
Subprime Lesson #1
Q. Why did the US lending institutions lend money to people who couldn't pay it back? A. Because the people who could pay it back didn't need a loan. … No use lending to them … they've already got plenty of money. ["Clarke and Dawe: the comic duo you can bank on", Australian Broadcasting Corporation, […]
In: All, Current Events, Laughing Matters
How to Please Picky Eaters
Hidden amongst my recent email was one sent from one of the larger service providers that puts its own little advertising at the end of each email. The email itself came with a few attached photographs of a reasonably tasty-looking naked man. At the bottom of the email was this message: "Ideas to please picky […]
In: All, Faaabulosity, Laughing Matters
Laughing At Creationists
Thanks to blogger Tinyfrog* I now know about a series of short videos that go under the collective title "Why do People Laugh at Creationists?" Apparently they were written, produced, and presented by a YouTube user named Thunderf00t. I am delighted to point them out because 1) they get across some terrific scientific ideas, at […]
In: All, It's Only Rocket Science, Laughing Matters
Was Mary a Woman of Authority?
Chris at Americablog passes along ("Religious high school refuses female referee") this little absurdity. Quoting a story from Sports Illustrated: The Kansas State High School Activities Association said referees reported that Michelle Campbell was preparing to officiate at St. Mary's Academy near Topeka on Feb. 2 when a school official insisted that Campbell could not […]
Dueling Punch-Lines
I don't even remember how I ended up looking at the b3ta.com photoshop challenge on the subject of "pylons", but I doubt that it matters. All I wanted to mention was This cartoon, in which a man finds a pylon in his soup, I find hysterically funny every time I read it, and I can't […]
Homage to Fred
Oh, I've forgotten to mention, but just a few days ago someone arrived at this blog with the most amusing googlette. They searched for these words: Right Said Fred in Latex I'm afraid I had no idea whether the idea might be hot or not, but I did find the idea most provocative. (By the […]
Eyes & Mouths
Here are the entries in a Photoshop contest called "Mouth Eyes pictures". The idea was to take an image of a person or animal (or something similar) and replace the eyes with little mouths. The results repulsed and amused me, which is an odd feeling.
In: All, Curious Stuff, Laughing Matters
Adverbial Excitement
For reasons that need not be detailed, I came across an exciting new adverb in this patent description of a "Portable Baby Seat": Accordingly, a portable baby seat is provided having a front member, a back member and a seat. The seat is hingedly coupled at its back edge into an interior bottom surface of […]
In: All, Laughing Matters, Such Language!
Better than Sex?
Thanks to the juxtaposition of advertisements on commercial radio last night (played while we were eating our dinner), we heard the following There's sex — then there's Durex* — But nothing beats a year-end clearance sale! ———- * Durex is a brand of condom. Oddly, in this commercial for the Durex condom, the voice doing […]
In: All, Briefly Noted, Laughing Matters
So Out of Tuna
Perhaps because my mind has been on other things, but also perhaps because we were out this afternoon and I did a bit of remaindered cookbook shopping at Daedalus Books (drag a remaindered cookbook in front of me–like catnip), when I read this headline* on one of Andrew Sullivan's posts, what I thought he wrote […]
In: All, Laughing Matters, Such Language!
Conservative Obsessions
This story may be at least third hand by now, but it provides an amusing factoid. I read it at Jim Burroway's Box Turtle Bulletin ("The Obsession Of Social Conservatives", 21 November 2007). He relates the facts succinctly, and I'm tired, so I'm going to let Jim tell the tale: Andrew Sullivan noticed this. If […]
In: All, Faaabulosity, Laughing Matters
Partners or Pets?
Pam* alerts us to this interesting story about the Palm Beach Community College, which has apparently just decided to offer its employees the option of buying health insurance for their pets, having just this past August declined to offer employees the option of buying health insurance for their partners. Here is an excerpt from a […]
In: All, Faaabulosity, Laughing Matters
Dog-Day Dialog
Isaac is bent double over his computer keyboard, giggling uncontrollably. This was what he was reading at that moment: Dog: I am starving. Me: Actually, no. You aren't starving. You get two very good meals a day. And treats. And Best Beloved fed you extra food while I was gone. Dog: STARVING. Me: I saw […]