I love the concerned and professional tone with which CNN covers this “story.”
And if anyone has any doubt as to whether substitute teachers should carry tasers, there’s your proof. Marsha, is there really this much disrespect for elders in the Atlanta area?
For what it’s worth, from this video I’m convinced it’s not a wig.
I shot some pictures today on the bridge over the Duwamish that leads into South Park. I was there because I dropped off a bunch of paint at the household hazardous waste depot.
I took a bike ride this afternoon and came across a little park I’d not seen before: Homer Harris Park, at the corner of 24th and Howell, above the Madison Valley.
OK, so maybe the sky wasn’t quite this dark, and the trees weren’t glowing. But it was overcast, I swear.
We intended to hike Mount Pilchuck yesterday, but the road was closed so we did nearby Heather Lake Trail instead. But we’ll get another chance to do Pilchuck soon, because I have to go back to the nearby ranger station to pay a fine. Long story.
Isn’t Megan’s boot cute?
ScottB recently found a photo of lighting and the Chaiten volcano erruption, and I concluded it was probably a fake because no reputable publications had used the photo.
Well, that photo is in the print edition of this week’s Economist, a reputable publiication for the last century or two. They’re pretty careful, so I’ll bet it’s real. I feel like such a cynic.
You’re right, Scott, it’s spectacular!
My good friend Rex and his wife Jenny became American citizens yesterday, after 29 years of test-driving the US as non-resident aliens, resident aliens, and, generally, aliens. Rex shared with me some of the questions they were required to answer on the Department of Homeland Security’s Application for Naturalization, and a few are just too good not to share …
** Time outside the United States. (Including Trips to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean Islands)
A. How many total days did you spend outside of the United States during the past five years?
B. How many trips of 24 hours or more have you taken outside of the United States during the past five years?
C. List below all the trips of 24 hours or more that you have taken outside of the United States since becoming a Lawful Permanent Resident.** Have you ever been a member of or associated with any organization, association, fund foundation, party, club, society or similar group in the United States or in any other place? If you answered ”Yes,” list the name of each group below.
** Have you ever persecuted (either directly or indirectly) any person because of race, religion, national origin, membership in a particular social group or political opinion?
** Have you ever committed a crime or offense for which you were not arrested?
** Have you ever:
a. Been a habitual drunkard?
b. Been a prostitute, or procured anyone for prostitution?
…
d. Been married to more than one person at the same time?
…
g. Failed to support your dependents or to pay alimony?
I especially like the use of “drunkard,” a lively word that is too often shortened to the more pedestrian “drunk.”
There were also a bunch of questions about US history and US law, which most Americans could never answer. One of our requirements for citizenship is apparently that you have to know these topics well enough to cover for all the US-born people who don’t know or care about these topics.
Rex has now moved on to lobbying for an amendment to the constitution which will allow foreign-born citizens to be elected President. Stay tuned.
P.S. I had the hardest time posting this — Wordpress kept crashing in a way I’ve not seen before. I finally figure out it was because of too many naughty words, and that’s why there are some “…” entries in the list about. With those colorful phrases omitted, it worked. Man, I didn’t know I had the G-rated version!
We’re getting SO old, when Jeff’s youngest daughter is being awarded a college scholarship. Good grief.
Congratulations, Bridget!
Hey Jeff, will they teach her what to do if one of your editors rips a paragraph of type off the boards just before the DHL guy shows up to ship them to the color separator? Er … maybe it works different now. Kids these days. They probably use the internets or something.
Juan Cole has some videos for a lazy Sunday afternoon today. This one in particular really strikes a chord for those Americans (like me!) who enjoy listening to nutjob hate radio …
I gotta check out this Kevin James guy. Is he on the radio in Seattle?
The latest from Mom …
We said good-bye to our boat crew and left our gulet boat after breakfast this morning. It sure was a relaxing and fun experience to be on the boat for those six days. They put the sails up awhile yesterday but for the most part we motored. We went ashore and hiked up to a castle yesterday — what a rocky path — and steep. I made it with help from others in the group. There were all kinds of sargophias scattered all around that area.
Today we have been to the ancient city of Myra and saw tombs built into the hillside and another amphitheatre. Most ancient cities seemed to have some kind of an amphitheatre it seems. When we got to Antalya this afternoon we visited the Archeological Museum. There was one room full of sargophagus — and it seems strange to see them displayed behind barriers when we have seen so many of them just out in the open.
The tip of my cane wore thru and was just metal on the floors and sidewalks. So after we got checked into our hotel, Janet and I walked around to find a Medical and Orthopedic shop, which was quite a challenge — not a place on the usual tourist routes. But we finally found a place and for one Lira they replaced the tip. So for tomorrow’s walk thru the ruins of Perges I should do O.K.
This will be short. But maybe I’ll get another message sent before we leave for home.
LaVonne
