Dikipedia

This site is so cool. My favorite has to be the entry about your mom. But the ones on Sarah Palin and Tom Cruise also made me laugh. Another random site on the interwebs that amuses me.

This Onion Headline...

made me laugh so hard the whole way through! Just awesome! Hee!!

There is much truth in satire.

Latest Viral Video

Courtesy of the folks over at Popwatch, here's my new favorite internet video of useless skills. I can appreciate the difficultly, but seriously, it seems like a lot of effort for very little payoff, unless this a new Olympic event and I don't know it yet.

Reality for the Unemployed

I love Indexed, this really cool site where Jessica Hagy posts XXXXX "think a little more relationally without resorting to doing actual math."

This one in particular struck me as true considering the state of our economy these days:

Inner Picasso

This is a very cool website, I think. Create your own Picasso masterpiece, like mine. Fun! I tried to post a copy of my creation, but couldn't get it to work right. You'll have to search the gallery to see it instead!

UPDATE - Thanks to Charles, I got the picture!

Why I don't love movies sometimes

I just stumbled across this article by Roger Ebert lamenting the state of movies, and I couldn't agree more. I know the 13 year old nitwit with parental unit cash is the common target audience for movies, so crap like Transformers 2 or Star Trek (It did suck - I don't care what you think) get made (over and over again, from the looks of it). I just don't see why it's so hard to actually have a plot in all that CGI craptacular-ness. But his larger point, that America has been dumbed down over time, is also very true. It's scary how many people don't know basic geography or can't do math without a calculator. We have become so used to not thinking for ourselves (yes, I admit I sometimes fall prey to the laziness. But I still say that the Watchmen was pretty compelling, if overly long). I'm working hard to make sure my nephew knows how to think for himself, but even though he's only 8, he's already hooked on computer games and TV for most of his entertainment. We push him to read more and get out from behind the screen, but it's a battle. Anyway, don't go see G.I. Joe. The brain cell you save could be your own. Thanks.

Amen!

Song of the Day

I adore Jill Sobule, ever since 'I Kissed A Girl' (the good one, not that Katy Perry drivel). Her latest CD was financed by donations from the public, and it's also very good. However, this song was stuck in my head today for some reason. I normally don't like songs that take part of an earlier one and re-do the lyrics - it feels like stealing to me. But there are rare exceptions (PM Dawn - Set Adrift on Memory Bliss, Simply Red - Sunrise) that prove the rule. Bonus points to whoever can name the original versions of all 3 songs.

Enjoy.

I hate it when everyone copies my look

So according to this article in the NY Times, skinny is so 2008. I think it's kind of funny, given that you'll never see the same kind of story relating to women. (unless you build a time machine and head back to the 1700, when zaftig women were all the rage in Europe. Still, I'll take validation wherever I can get it, as I think my 32 inch waist days are long gone. I rather like being able to eat most everything I like, within reason. I'm pretty much stuck at the 34 inch waist as of now, and as long as I can play tennis, run, or do pretty much what I want, I'm getting ok with it. I'm pretty sure I never had a 6-pack anyway.

Word Games

I am huge fan of games in general, and word games in particular. I've been playing Boggle online for a while, but I just discovered Mustpopwords, and I'm addicted. You have to create as many words as you can as the ball drops down, and the game is over when 50 balls are in the box. I'm getting around 4,000 points each game, with a high score of 4,650. What online games do you play?

Giant Waterslide

Ok, this is just too cool!

Reparative Therapy? Not so much

The American Psychological Association spoke out again on the dangers of reparative therapy, and went so far as to say attempts to change a person's sexuality could be harmful, leading to depression and suicidal tendencies.

When I was much younger, I struggled to accept that I was gay, and I couldn't point to a religion or belief system that said it wrong, but more so that learned early on from society as a whole that being gay was wrong. But I can remember being 8 years old and wanting to be around men, wanting that connection and not thinking about it in terms of sexuality. Once I hit 12, I knew I was gay, and it scared me. Looking back, I'm not sure why, other than a big dose of internalized homophobia. I just did not want to be different, and I did everything I could to hide my sexuality from myself and from others. As I grew older, I kept thinking it was a phase I would grow out of. However, the self-denial also gave me time to figure it out, and I slowly came to accept my sexuality. Over the last 12 years (when I met Tom), I have done a lot of work around my internalized homophobia, and I'm sure there's much more I need to do. I still have much sympathy for those that don't want to be gay, and yet I get very angry with religions that tell people they shouldn't be gay. That struggle is hard, but to carry the weight of organizational prejudice and judgment is unfair and hypocritical. I'm glad the APA has spoken out against this sideways attempt to manipulate people into thinking therapy is a solution, when the simple truth is that being gay isn't the problem.

Landmark Gay Rights Cases

Courtesy of The Onion, who knew there were so many major decisions in case law prior to Lawrence vs. Texas? Thank goodness we can all get that second free ice cream sample.

The Lovely Bones

The Lovely Bones is one of my favorite books, and given my earlier post about books versus movies, I normally wouldn't be interested. However, the trailer looks really good, and I may have to watch this one.

And where is my Jetpack?!?

I just love this story about a jobless college grad that is suing Monroe college because she cannot find a job. Seriously, why stop there? I think she should sue Microsoft for not hiring her, BMW for not giving her a car, and her mother for not teaching her how to take responsibility for her own life. I mean, clearly this woman's judgment is beyond reproach, and I can't imagine why she hasn't been hired somewhere before now.

Asshat, party of one, your table is ready.

Come out, come out wherever you are

I just came across this link regarding the lack of out gay men on the ATP tour. I also have wondered when someone will finally have the balls to come out while they are still playing. It's not like tennis is the bastion of testosterone that football is, and it's a one on one competition, so it's not like there's much physical risk involved from getting directly hurt by your opponent. However, there is the risk of sponsorships and endorsements, so maybe that's why no one has come out yet. I really hope it happens soon - it would nice to have an example of a proud, out gay man in tennis.

Overheard in New York

Sorry for not posting a bit. I've had some family medical issues that have been dominating my life for a bit, but things are looking better for everyone, so that's good.

Another one of my fun time wasting websites

From Overheard in New York:



Student: Wait so why is everyone switching to blue ray?
Professor: Because the film industry follows the porn industry. (pauses) That's the truth. That's where all the money is.
Student: (stares blankly)
Professor: What? It's a billion-dollar industry. I can't be the only guy who buys it.
Student: (stares horrified)
Professor: Fuck you. I have tenure.