Various quotes

Questions show the mind's range, and answers its subtlety. -Joseph Joubert,essayist (1754-1824)

Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on or by imbeciles who really mean it. -Mark Twain, author and humorist (1835-1910)

No matter how far you have gone on the wrong road, turn back. -Turkish proverb

"Being offended is the natural consequence of leaving one's home.I do not like after- shave lotion, adults who roller-skate, children who speak French, or anyone who is unduly tan. I do not, however, go around enacting legislation and putting up signs."Fran Lebowitz

Do you think class matters in America?

Well, you are WRONG. Unless you are right. It totally does, buster. The New York Times recently did a series of articles on class distinctions and they have this sort of cool interactive graphic you can try out to see where you fall. It's sort of a meaningless exercise unless you fall in the "upper middle" or higher, you elitist snob, or you needed to shore up your inferiority complex.
NY Times interactive graphic
I did it and I'm somewhere in the 40s percentile-wise. I guess I was boosted in the rankings by the dollar value of my collectible spoons and that year of secretarial school.

Blogspam-arama-ding dong!

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Excellent comment from an excellent blog, http://forksplit.blogspot.com/.

Thirsty Thursday

So it's been almost a week without any posts. Yesterday sucked at work, two people left for other jobs (another has her last day today, another next week, a bunch more), there were storm outages on a bunch of channels (the tower still doesn't have power), we had to go into the hall outside the NOC for a tornado warning, now I'm running out of things to whine about. I will think of more.

All the local air channels were out. Why do people think the cable company broadcasts the shows that are on the channels the cable company provides? We aren't actually affiliated with NBC, sir. I don't know when the Martha Stewart Apprentice will be rebroadcast, and I couldn't give the tiniest rat's ass. "Yah, you got any idea what's causing these channels not to work?" It went out three minutes ago, and does it matter why, as long as it gets fixed? I found out today the tower lost power.

It was fun watching the weather guy on KARE 11 after work. He was all pissed about people complaining about shows being pre-empted for weather alerts. "A guy died tonight! I'm not going to apologize for going on the air during dangerous weather!"

Rockin out in Hawley

Some kids in Hawley (about 20 minutes from Fargo) did a pretty awesome cover of Whip It, and a faithful rendition of the video as well, I believe. From MN Speak.

Delicious new links

I'm light-headed more than usual today, what with the concern of co-workers and the heady aroma of magic markers filling the air.

Semi-local blogs:
Slanderous Minneapolis: 87% meretricious persiflage, 172% good times.
MN Speak: 1st day I've read it, they seem to have a problem with Garrison Keillor, which I like.
Ironic Teachings: I don't know, it was linked by the other two, seems pretty good.

Corollary to my previous post

Do you ever dislike someone for no good reason? I do. I'm conflicted, I don't believe we have to like everyone, but the guilt is still there. Sometimes I'm really super nice to people, because I don't like them. It's a sick, sick midwestern girl thing. There's another category, people it's difficult to even acknowledge, much less be nice to. The members of this subgroup are usually nice to me, and really only marginally annoying, and aren't universally hated by my peer group, but all I can manage is a sickly sneer or a brief 'how ya doin' if I absolutely can't avoid them (this is the same reaction I have to unfamiliar or scary people or imaginary people). The upshot is I can almost always find someone to share my spite.

Maybe you've had this experience too.

You get to know someone. Generally you think they're all right. But over time, they start to set off your bullshit meter in an almost startling manner. If they said "hello" you'd think, "what are you after?". They just creep you out. Usually the BS-ometer goes off right away, but even the most finely-tuned instrument can be fooled, and here's one reason: Bullshitters believe their own bullshit, and their certainty can be contagious. I can be easily creeped out, and once that line's been crossed, it's hard to get un-creeped without solid evidence that my impression was wrong. (If you think you know who I'm talking about, I bet you don't. Not that it matters.)

I recently picked up this delightful volume, haven't read it yet.

Poll smoker

Stupid pun.

Here's how it stands in the poll about whether to keep the poll - it's so meta! "I don't care, you are boring" is in the lead with 2 votes. 1 each in the two 'yes' categories. So I guess that's a tie. The one vote for 'no, keep it for whatever reason' was from me, I'm pretty sure.

I think I'll just take it down. The popups in themselves aren't so bad, but they take forever to load so you can close them.

In other news, madgal & I seem to be fighting the same malady. Sore throat, achy feeling. Our symptoms aren't exactly the same though.

I attempted to drown the virus (I'm guessing it's a virus anyway) in beer last night. Fuzzy head already, beer makes it worse better. I was thinking I only had 3, but it was 3 tall beers, 22 oz each. That's like 5 1/2 bottles. And the sickness continues unabated!

More kerfuffle at work, more exits, which, as everyone keeps saying, at least means more going-away parties. Still. I don't care.

update: the polls are closed! thanks for your votes, both of you.

Quick note on Katrina

How can we help? I don't know, I don't know, I don't know.
First hand account from an "Email attributed to NOLA rescue worker":

The poorest 20% (you can argue with the number -- 10%? 18%? no one knows) of the city was left behind to drown. This was the plan. Forget the sanctimonious bullshit about the bullheaded people who wouldn't leave. The evacuation plan was strictly laissez-faire. It depended on privately owned vehicles, and on having ready cash to fund an evacuation. The planners knew full well that the poor, who in new orleans are overwhelmingly black, wouldn't be able to get out. The resources -- meaning, the political will -- weren't there to get them out. (emphasis mine)

True that.

Some donation ideas from Wonkette: The Red Cross will take your blood if you don't have cash!

But before you get too drunk to dial or click, we suggest you get out your credit card. The Wonkette household gave at least four or five rounds worth (somewhere nice, too) to the Red Cross -- we like them especially because they'll take your blood if you can't give them cash. (They need both.) In good-bad news, their site seems to be clogged, so try calling: 1-800-435-7669. The megabloggers are keeping lists of other worthy charities if you want to be "different." If you have more than a few dollars to spare, consider tossing some kibble toward those who can't
ask for charity: The Humane Society and Noah's Wish will be attempting to rescue the hundreds if not thousands of pets left abandoned because of the disaster.