December 2009
22 posts
Fake medicine is fake
USA Today:
The popular botanical ginkgo biloba does not improve memory nor does it prevent cognitive decline in older people, according to the largest and longest scientific study ever undertaken to look at the supplement. … The only positive thing the researchers found is that ginkgo appears to be safe, he says.
…
The first set of results from the study, published last year, found...
Acknowledging the obvious
CNN:
President Obama said Tuesday that a “mix of human and systemic failure” allowed a terror suspect to board a U.S. airliner in the botched bombing attempt on Christmas Day.
Yeah, the TSA is obviously the greatest mix of human and systemic failure that I’m aware of, but it’s still kind of refreshing to know that the President realizes as much, too.
“I saw a tweet about this that was too perfect for words: “TSA: Protecting you...”
– Commenter on Feministe. LOVE IT. (via amandaw)
Perfect.
I have an idea for a new TV show
It will be a looking-for-ghosts show exactly like Ghost Hunters, Ghost Lab and Paranormal State.
I’ll call it “It’s Dark and Then We Don’t Find Anything.”
What is wrong with me this morning, a short list,...
annaoverseas:
I played so many hours of Plants vs Zombies that I keep seeing things on my computer screen rocking in time to music.
I fell into TVTropes and haven’t quite come out the other side yet. This is worse than playing “How long until you hit Clinton Conspiracy Theories” on Wikipedia.
I haven’t been sleeping during the night. Which may be contributing to seeing things rocking in time...
“Dictionary editors, linguists and even radio DJs say we have entered a semantic...”
– The Washington Post diligently observes that there isn’t a name for this decade. (via andrewgraham) (via apsies)
Oh yes there is! This decade is properly called the Aughties.
__
When I care, I call them them ‘Oughts. Mostly, I call them “the last decade”.
And YES I am going to be THAT PERSON...
Hey, look, it's after midnight EST
Merry Christmas (if you celebrate)!
My mouth's bleeding, Bert!
Just watched It’s a Wonderful Life for the first time. Wondering what the hell took me so long.
After finally remembering to buy two boxes of...
amandaw:
hearshot:
I’m actually not terribly fond of them (full disclosure: I’ve only eaten Mrs. T’s Pierogies, which Matt may well dismiss as fake pierogies). I like them well enough fried and topped with butter, in which case the best part is the dough and the butter; otherwise, I’d just as soon not have them. But they’re definitely common enough up here.
I’d also say potatoes and dough,...
After finally remembering to buy two boxes of...
amandaw:
hearshot:
amandaw:
annaoverseas:
Me: [goes to get perogys out of the freezer, opens freezer and—] Where?!? Don: Huh? Me: [starts digging in freezer] Hon, where did you put the perogys? Don: Underneath all the toaster waffles. Me: [sighs] Of course you did. Because we’re going to eat 96 toaster waffles before we start on the perogys. Don: Well, if you hadn’t decided to...
After finally remembering to buy two boxes of...
amandaw:
annaoverseas:
Me: [goes to get perogys out of the freezer, opens freezer and—] Where?!? Don: Huh? Me: [starts digging in freezer] Hon, where did you put the perogys? Don: Underneath all the toaster waffles. Me: [sighs] Of course you did. Because we’re going to eat 96 toaster waffles before we start on the perogys. Don: Well, if you hadn’t decided to make perogys tonight, I...
Earth to Jim Bunning
If you care so little about your responsibilities that you forget to show up for the Senate health care vote and, uh, twenty other votes this month*, maybe you should just leave now instead of waiting until January 2011. You know, give your constituents a chance at actually being represented for the next year?
(* That’s one more no-show than the ill, 92-year-old Robert Byrd, who came to...
Things I should know better than to do
I always go to bed with something playing on my computer, whether it’s music or TV episodes or something else. Last night, in the mood for something Christmassy that wasn’t my Christmas playlist, I loaded up the final Broadway performance of RENT.
Of course I realized at the time that it might keep me awake a while longer than it should, but hey, extra time listening to RENT...
Heartbreaking
Several state senators just gave passionate arguments in favor of equality. Senator Tom Duane gave a heartfelt, tear-inducing plea to be treated the same as so many of the citizens he represents.
Thirty-eight state senators nonetheless voted for discrimination to continue. Thirty-seven of them offered no explanation; Ruben Diaz explained that he was voting no because “it is more important...