Pastor electrocuted while performing baptism : "A pastor performing a baptism was electrocuted inside his church Sunday morning when he adjusted a nearby microphone while standing in water, a church employee said.
The [pastor] was stepping into the baptistery as he reached out for the microphone, which produced an electric shock, said University Baptist Church community pastor Ben Dudley."
And some might think that this means God is mad at you.
Do antibacterial soaps work? : "Antibacterial soaps and washes aren't any better than plain, old soap and water for fighting illness in the household, says a panel of federal health advisers."
I have been saying this for years. The rise of the super-resistent-infection is never far from my mind.
Apple faces iPod Nano litigation: "Apple is facing legal action from an aggrieved American consumer over alleged problems with the iPod Nano.
The lawsuit alleges that Apple launched the music player despite knowing its design would limit its life. The legal action follows a rash of complaints from iPod Nano users who reported cracked and scratched screens. . .
[The complaint] alleges that the Nano is too delicate for normal use."
Puzzle of the penguin trek parable:"Yesterday, days before [March of the Penguins]'s British premiere at The Times bfi London Film Festival next week, the director hit back at the commentators he believes have wilfully misread his film. 'If you want an example of monogamy, penguins are not a good choice,' Luc Jacquet told The Times. 'The divorce rate in emperor penguins is 80 to 90 per cent each year,' he said. 'After they see the chick is OK, most of them divorce. They change every year.'"
The American Bar Association requires accredited law schools to teach a course in Constitutional Law. As Roe v. Wade is undeniably a case of significant importance in this area of law, for a law student to claim to never discuss the merits of the case is ridiculous. In modest defense, law school professors do not often discuss current Supreme Court decisions in class due to the amount of material that must be covered. If Ms. Meiers were a law student at the time, perhaps the merits of Roe v. Wade were not discussed.
However, Roe v. Wade is a case that can not be ignored for parties of either political persuasion. It is certainly reasonable that she has read articles or other cases explaining the merits. And as an experienced lawyer, the difference between discussing and reading is not too fine a hair to split.
Pop composer Bacharach pens first lyrics of career: "The legendary, 77-year-old composer has found his voice in a politically charged album 'At This Time' that features his first lyrics ever in a nearly 50-year career creating some of pop music's best-known love songs. . .
"It's not like your normal, 'I am angry, I protest' song. There's a groove going on. It's kind of cookin' along on a nice groove. And I'm saying like 'Wow' in the middle, a little bit of a surprise for a statement I wanted to make. It became very heartfelt," said Bacharach, who said he cried doing the vocal."
You know you are in trouble when you piss off Burt Bacharach.
Gore Vidal, Octocontrarian: "Q: In the introduction to your new book, Imperial America, you begin by saying that the four sweetest words in the American lexicon are 'I told you so.' What were you gloating about?
Learning to Explore the Dark Side - New York Times
Learning to Explore the Dark Side: "And why not black? It worked for Johnny Cash. It conveys that citified sense of aloof cool while telegraphing an understated elegance, even as it slims. . .
[Mr. Steel said]: 'It's not for everyone. On some level you don't choose black; it chooses you. It's a mind-set.'"
And the goths rejoice! (Or is that go-mo?) From the visual aid the Times provides, I also note that black clothes look especially nice on a handsome model. However, where have I seen this one tshirt before... Oh, yeah, on Alex Kapranos in various promo pictures for Franz Ferdinand's new album: 1, 2, 3.
Autumn is usually my favorite season, but, so far, I have been rather disappointed. September was warm and October is all grey rain until now. I might as well just damn it all and begin Xmas shopping. Fall and I had an agreement and they aren't keeping up their side of the bargain.
But before that line is crossed, Saturday is the Pumpkin Festival and its attempt to light 30,000 jack o' lanterns.
First Privacy Officer Calls 'Experiment' a Success: "Nuala O'Connor Kelly, who won praise for protecting Americans' privacy rights at the Department of Homeland Security but drew criticism for her office's lack of independence, announced she will step down this week after two years as the department's first chief privacy officer. . .
Creating the office, she said, 'was an experiment. Did we succeed? Yes. . . . If the litmus test is the number of people we [ticked] off, then the answer is yes, although that doesn't make it the easiest place to be at times.'"
If the measure of success is how many people one [ticks] off, then I need to adjust my priorities ASAP.
I understand how people get old. When you are young, you think it will never happen. Then you realize a culture has sprung up that has nothing to do with you, that you don't understand, nor care to understand. I first noticed this happening to me with Laguna Beach. I just don't get it. And recently I realized that there are all sorts of hip! hot! new! bands that I have never heard nor feel like making the effort to hear. My newfound curmudgeon status was confirmed with my top artists on audioscrobbler/last.fm from last week. (The Sugababes and Rachel Stevens are blips on my Dylan, Dionne, ABBA, and Dusty soundscape).
I am on a committee to set up a community service day. The gal in charge of finding an inspirational quote found a lovely one:
Real generosity towards the future lies in giving all to the present.
Except that Albert Camus penned it. Hmm. When I think "service", I usually don't next think "existentialism". (Maybe that's just me). However, the other choice is by Aesop and he's boring. Did Camus have some secret career writing greeting cards?
NPR : A Journey Toward Acceptance and Love: " I gave up on ever being loved. By age 35, I had no more than a few hugs as the lifetime sum of my physical intimacy. My skin cried in deprivation. I had no hope except that one day things might improve if I endured. And then they did."
Although I do not listen to This I Believe very often, when I do I choke up a bit. And I'm okay with that.
Tate Britain celebrates English artists eclipsed by Degas and Toulouse-Lautrec: "The exhibition also brings Degas' famous work L'Absinthe, depicting a drink-sodden couple seated together at a cafe table, to Britain for the first time since 1893. Then it caused a national scandal, 'the Tracey Emin bed crisis of the 1890s', according to Anna Gruetzner Robins, co-curator of Degas, Sickert and Toulouse-Lautrec. 'It was one of the first times in Britain that the subject matter of an artwork had made people question whether it was art at all. The audience saw the equivalent of two crack cocaine addicts.'"
Did I ever mention my new iBook arrived? We've bonded--it's sweet. However, the other day I heard a hard drive noise that like "beeeep BOM". Or a long sound followed by a shorter sound. It's very quiet right now--I have only heard it when not listening to music. But the worrisome part is that Brian's new PowerBook made the same sound earlier this year (although loud enough to split an ear drum). Eventually Apple had to replace the HD after he recorded the sound to convince the "Genius". Any thoughts, comments, hints or tips to make this stop aside from replacing the HD? (Which I doubt Apple would do unless the noise were LOUD).
Alternately, I need to back up the larger music collection residing on the new iBook's larger HD in case of failure or sudden iBook hospitalization. Anyone have some good tips/hints/freeware on keeping track of archived music files?
[Yes, Christopher, I guess I should have gone for the DVD burner.]
