If you make it, you will spend it.
To the members of US Congress
Seen at http://imgur.com/3prAG
It is comforting to know that am emergency team of 8th-grade civics teachers has been dispatched to Washington!
WASHINGTON—With lawmakers still at an impasse over increasing the debt ceiling, a special team of 40 eighth-grade civics teachers was air-dropped into Washington earlier today in a last-ditch effort to teach congressional leaders how the government’s legislative process works. [READ MORE]
[Source, the ONION, Emergency Team Of 8th-Grade Civics Teachers Dispatched To Washington]
It’s the little things we don’t miss
I just found my Jawbone bluetooth headset and didn’t even know I was missing it!
Today’s Bizarre Dreamweaver Error
Dreamweaver has never been one of my favorite editors. I believe the following error is due to an improper shutdown.
The following translators were not loaded due to errors:
ICERegions.htm: has configuration information that is invalid.
Server Model SSI.htm: has configuration information that is invalid.
Spry.htm: has configuration information that is invalid.
From a quick Google Search, it looks like renaming the configuration file and restarting DW and/or the computer will fix things. I’ll update shortly.
UPDATE 1: Reboot of system did not help. I’m using Adobe Dreamweaver CS4 version 10.0 Build 4117
Update 2: Renaming the configuration file to "configuration old" and restarting DW did the trick. See this forum, that forum, and this other forum (a list of potential directories).
Is your country’s GDP compensating for something?
Why yes it is!
The size of male organ is found to have an inverse U-shaped relationship with the level of GDP in 1985. It can alone explain over 15% of the variation in GDP. The GDP maximizing size is around 13.5 centimetres, and a collapse in economic development is identified as the size of male organ exceeds 16 centimetres. Economic growth between 1960 and 1985 is negatively associated with the size of male organ, and it alone explains 20% of the variation in GDP growth. With due reservations it is also found to be more important determinant of GDP growth than country’s political regime type.
See also.
Borders – Last Days
My State Representatives Do Not Represent Me
Tennessee House Rep. Julia Hurley (R-Lenoir City) said, "I don’t understand why it’s news, and I don’t want to talk about the desk."
Tennessee House Rep. Julia Hurley (R-Lenoir City) has confirmed that she carved her initials into her desk in the state legislature. … this childish display is indeed pretty disappointing — and she isn’t the only one who’s done it, as there are other initials and dollar signs carved into the House’s desks.
Representative Hurley, allow me to explain. Your vandalism of public property is news. It demonstrates your lack of respect for your position and your standoffish, it doesn’t matter, response is suggestive of how you may chose to ignore your constituents.
I was twelve years old, not 29, the last time I carved my initials into something. It was a hand rail at a Disney World ride during an excruciatingly long wait. But after being scolded, I felt bad and was apologetic. I realized the wrong I had done in choosing to vandalize. Perhaps Representative Hurley would do well to learn from a child that we accept our wrong doings and apologize.
Why does this matter? Because as an elected official, she reflects upon every person of Tennessee. When people outside of TN learn that I am from TN, their first impression of me is established by the news of Representative Hurley’s, or Stacey Campfield’s et al, actions and legal decisions. Also, if Rep. Hurley does not approach her job with more professionalism, and let’s face it–carving in desks is something middle schoolers do, how can we expect her to approach legislative decisions?
The 58 Harry Potter Spells Supercut Montage
Borrowed from egotvonline.com.
Regarding Planking
Remember, friends don’t let friends plank.
Yup..that’s me
I’ve had very similar conversations with my doctor.
Aliens in my yard
Weekend Project – Brakes
Listen toward the end of the video for the cicadas. That’s a slight sampling of the cacophony we hear in our yard every evening.
n.b. The "discs" I refer to are actually called rotors.
Too tired? Too busy? Muster the energy and time. Read a book to your child.
Take a moment and read this story in The New York Times. In short, a doctor tells of a 74 year old patient who couldn’t get his medicines correct.
Mr. M was a typical new patient: 74, with diabetes, hypertension and elevated cholesterol. He had some prostate enlargement and back pain. His bag of pill bottles was depressingly bulky. I spilled the bottles out at our first visit, sorting them by disease. … Mr. M didn’t remember the names of all the medicines … Mr. M was clearly still confused about his medicines…
[Source, NYT, A Problem in Following Doctor’s Orders by DANIELLE OFRI, M.D.]
In the end, we learn that Mr. M is illiterate, unable to read either Spanish or English. The story would be similar to many other stories of illiteracy leaving us emphatic, but emotionally disconnected, had it not been for the last paragraph.
My kindergarten-age daughter is just beginning to read, and she is taken aback with delirious joy each time a few random letters suddenly form a word that matches real life. It’s a painstaking process for her, but as I watch her I think about how this skill has powerful ramifications for her health and longevity. It’s a gift, really, one that I’d long to transfer to Mr. M if I could.
[Source, NYT, A Problem in Following Doctor’s Orders by DANIELLE OFRI, M.D.]
I know that joy! My son has become quite the avid reader. He no longer wants to be the listener; he wants to be the one who reads aloud. And I too wish I could give that gift to Mr. M.
Remember, they are never too old to participate in reading with you; whether you are the listener or the reader, make time to sit with your child and a book.
Friends don’t let friends plank
Evening Project – Personal air conditioner
I’ve been consulting on site for a client and their office gets rather hot in the afternoons. Fortunately they have a large ice machine. I decided I’d try making a cooler air conditioner.
So far the result is that the temperature definitely comes down. Now, will the ice melt too quickly?
