As does Fanta, Sprite, Coke, and almost all other soft drinks. The real culprit here is sodium benzoate, a natural item found in berries. It’s normally harmless, but when ingested in large quantities, it screws with your mitochondria, the cells that power your DNA. Sodium benzoate is used in many sodas, as well as pickle juice and sauces. The problem … Read More
Auspicious Circumlocution Or A Loquacious Lexicon? You Be The Omnipotent Yeoman
The American Heritage Dictionary has just come out with a list of "100 Words That All High School Graduate — And Their Parents — Should Know". I think I know most of these words, but some of them — well, if I were to ever use those words, or even know them, I’d end up in the Nerd Hall of … Read More
Our Xanadu In Baghdad
The $600 million new U.S. “embassy” in Baghdad certainly looks nice: Yup, that’s a pool, surrounded by palm trees. And those are tennis courts in the background. It’s going to be the largest embassy on the planet, covering over 104 acres — very swiggity-sweet: This self-contained compound will include the embassy itself, residences for the ambassador and staff, PX, commissary, … Read More
Bug — The Movie Review
From Christian Answers: The movie has no lack of foul language, and the F-word is the most prevalent, being used more than 60 times. There are at least 60 other cuss words as well, including about 20 misuses of God’s name. The number of minutes spent on real or implied nudity seemed to far outweigh the time spent on horror … Read More
Flypaper Theory Rebuked
In 2003, then-war-supporter Andrew Sullivan wrote: One of the many layers of the arguments for invading Iraq focused on the difficulties of waging a serious war on terror from a distant remove. Being based in Iraq helpsus notonly because of actual bases; but because the American presence there diverts terrorist attention away from elsewhere. By confronting them directly in Iraq, … Read More
I Stand Corrected
My Mom just learned that you "home in" on something, not — as she always believed — "hone in" on something. She’s been saying it wrong all these years. So have I. P.S. At least I knew it was a "dog-eat-dog world", not a "doggie dog world". UPDATE: If you look at the post directly above this one, you’ll see … Read More
Memorial Day Rembrances
Powerful and moving stuff from B.U. professor Andrew Bacevich. Bacevich is a vocal opponent of the Iraq War. Earlier this month, his sone was killed in that war: I Lost My Son to a War I Oppose. We Were Both Doing Our Duty. Parents who lose children, whether through accident or illness, inevitably wonder what they could have done to … Read More
The Long Weekend & Charles Nelson Reilly
Well, obviously no blogging for a few days there. I had pretty productive weekend. Managed to clean the pool and fill it — almost ready for use! Did some major yardwork. A couple of Full Monty rehearsals. Played an $11-entry-fee online poker tournament and walked away with $2,450.00. Couldn’t get my new kitchen faucet installed. I tried — I’m just … Read More
Full Monty: The Cast
Just announced: JERRY LUKOWSKI: Neil Shepherd NATHAN LUKOWSKI: 1) W.J. Jessup for first and third weekend performances and 2) Jake Markley for second and fourth weekend performances PAM LUKOWSKI/BALLROOM DANCER/MOURNER: Tamara Fisher TEDDY SLAUGHTER/BALLROOM DANCER/OTHER MAN/MOURNER: Edwin Wilson DAVE BUKATINSKY: Eric Dowdy GEORGIE BUKATINSKY: Emily Mark HAROLD NICHOLS: Scott Stevens VICKI NICHOLS: Heather Maggs MALCOLM MACGREGOR: Gray Smith ETHAN GIRARD: … Read More
NC Witnesses Can Swear on Quran In Court
I’ve been following this story for a while, and frankly, I’m not sure why it was an issue to begin with: The issue surfaced when Muslims tried to donate copies of the Quran to Guilford County’s two courthouses. Two judges declined to accept the texts, saying that taking an oath on the Quran was illegal under state law. What exactly … Read More
The Franks/Willis Debate Thread
I’m enjoying it. Franks: Questions For Our Liberal Friends Willis: An Answer To Our Conservative Friends Franks: Questions Answered Willis: Iraq Dialogue, Continued
Bird Poops On President
…just as he’s saying (again) how much he supports Alberto Gonzales. If that’s not a metaphor for something, I don’t know what is. Wonkette snarks: Reached in outer space Thursday afternoon, God said he made a little bird shit on Dubya “to show My disgust with this administration.” After being shit upon, “Bush tried several times to wipe [it] off. … Read More
Cute Overload
Not a lot of time or inclination to do another installment of "1980’s Videos Explained", so instead, I’ll simply show a video of a cat with baby bunnies…. Frankly, I think it is a disaster waiting to happen….