Did You Know This?

I didn't:

Iran is one of the world's most mountainous countries.

And furthemore:

There are no major rivers in the country.

Lots of mountains, no rivers. What happens to all the rain, I wonder?

Stupid

I'm beginning to think stupidity is a virtue.

Obama has more work to do to quell fears among voters like Kirstie Hartle of Rome, N.Y., a registered Democrat who has never supported a Republican presidential candidate. She said she doesn't like Obama's name and thinks he has a questionable background.

"It sounds to me like a Middle Eastern type of name and whether or not he's born here in the United States, he doesn't seem like, to me, somebody who is trustworthy," Hartle said in a telephone interview. "You can't trust anybody these days, so who's to say he's not a terrorist and we just don't realize it yet?"

"I refuse to vote for an Arab to be in my White House," said retired salesman Dean Johnson of Lanett, Ala. "That is the only factor. Otherwise, you couldn't break both my legs and make me vote for a Republican."

Wouldn't it be great to be this stupid? Because, think about it:

When you're this stupid, you never, ever worry that you might be wrong.

A Band You Should Check Out And It Don't Matter Who You Are

Sea Wolf

I Don't Care What They Say

Engineering is cool.

Check this out.

Be sure to watch the video. It's not every day you get to see a 1.4 million pound ball swinging around on cables and hydraulics.

Too Much Food, Not Enough Exercise

Leads to things like this:

The number of Americans with diabetes increased by 15 percent in two years to 24 million, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

About 8 percent of the population now has the disease, mainly Type 2 diabetes, which is linked to obesity and sedentary living, the agency said in a report using data from 2007.

This has been a friendly reminder (to myself as well) to avoid overeating and get some exercise.

Still Seems Weird

I may have to face the fact that I will probably never get used to this.

In a news story on the radio I just heard the following four words, and I still just can't wrap my head around this idea:

"California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger"

Bo Knows Tecmo

Remember the video game Tecmo Bowl?

Remember Bo Jackson?

Here's a hilarious example of a typical Bo touchdown on Tecmo Bowl.

I wish they still made 'em like this.

Fucking Fuck

George Carlin has died.

Your Assignment

Part 1: What book is being referred to here?

It sold more than a million copies in Germany in its first year. Nazis were beginning their rise to power at the time, and they hated the book because it portrayed World War I as misguided and pointless. It was one of the books they publicly burned in 1933. When the film version of the book premiered in Berlin, Nazi gangs attacked the theater.

Part 2: Read it.

Music for Summer Drinking

The Frantic

Ah, rock-n-roll. Songs about girls and hanging out with your friends.

My Pitch for a TV Show

Combined reality/game show. Contestants submit 30-second videos of themselves doing the most ridiculous and absurdly embarrassing things they can think of. This segment takes the first 10 minutes of the show.

With all contestants in the studio, the audience votes on the top 3 videos.

After the vote, the top 3 contestants compete live for the big prize by performing stunts devised by the show's writers.

The show's title: Humiliate Yourself for Money.

Why Don't I Like Weezer?

They're playing now on the internets.

I've never really liked them, which is weird. I ought to like their dorky sense of humor and no-frills rock sound.

But somehow I hear them and I always say, "meh."

Is something wrong with me?

Today's Wisdom

I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula of failure — which is try to please everybody.

Herbert B. Swope

That's a Lot of Money

A graphic representation of the amount we spend every hour in Iraq.

Sheesh.

This Was My High School Debate Case...

in 1987:

U.S. Department of Agriculture Management of Civil Rights Efforts Continues to Be Deficient Despite Years of Attention

In other words, black farmers have historically had a harder time getting loans than white farmers.

We got to run that case only one time, but we killed with it. The other team hadn't even heard of it. They had no evidence on it, so they were left with nothing to say. Nobody at the tournament was prepared for it.

But after running it just that one time, we had a string of rounds where we were on the negative. So the case had a brief, bright life, and that was it.

Those were good times.

Wisdom from Fred Astaire

From Saturday's Writer's Almanac:

"The higher up you go, the more mistakes you are allowed. Right at the top, if you make enough of them, it's considered to be your style."

Microsoft ... And Yahoo

This is.

This.

This.

Funny.

Why not.

Yes, I think you ... we ... yes ... no.

The blogger does not move.

I'm Really Liking

The new Jamie Lidell album.

Soul music from a white man!

It'd be a good soundtrack for your summer, is all I'm sayin'.

If You Are As Sick and Tired of This Election As I Am...

Can I get a "Hell Yeah!"

It's Happy Birthday Time Again!

There's a wonderful 8-year-old girl I know!

(No, not this one, though she's got quite a story.)