Sunday, January 30, 2005

Weird thing of the day 30 January 2005/20 Shevat 5765 (Inane Answering Machine Day)

Greetings.

You’ve reached Aaron’s blog, Weird thing of the day. Aaron isn’t in now, but he would like you to know that tomorrow is Escape Day, which is described thusly by Lesser Known Holidays: “Escape from something today”. Therefore he will be escaping from his blog tomorrow. Sorry.

In the meantime, you can read today’s weird thing, “Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson Camping”, which he’s included below. Note: There seem to be multiple variations on this joke wandering the Internet. Enjoy.

Aaron



Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson Camping

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson went on a camping trip. As they lay down for the night, the fire dwindling nearby, Holmes said: "Watson, look up and tell me what you see".

Watson said "I see a fantastic panorama of countless of stars".

Holmes: "And what does that tell you?"

Watson: "Astronomically, it suggests to me that if there are billions of other galaxies that have roughly similar stellar population densities as represented by my view, that, potentially, trillions of planets may be associated with such a galactic and, therefore, stellar population. Allowing for similar chemical distribution throughout the cosmos it may be reasonably implied that life-and possibly intelligent life-may well fill the universe.

Also, being a believer, theologically, it tells me that the vastness of space may be yet another suggestion of the greatness of God and that we are small and insignificant.

Meteorologically, the blackness of the sky and the crispness of the stellar images tells me that there is low humidity and stable air and therefore we are most likely to enjoy a beautiful day tomorrow.

Why? - What does it tell you, Mr. Holmes?"

Holmes: "Someone stole our tent".

Friday, January 28, 2005

Darn kazoo-playing rattlesnakes!

Them darn kazoo-playing rattlesnakes have been messing with my blog! Apparently they set things so posts would be dated by the date they were originally composed, not by the date they get sent out. Sorry about any confusion.

Aaron

Weird thing of the day 28 January 2005/18 Shevat 5765 (National Kazoo Day/Rattle Snake Round-Up Day)

Howdy.

Today’s weird thing is a puzzling hybrid between Star Wars and Oz. I present to you the short film The Wizard, Oz. Enjoy, and Shabbath shalom.

Aaron, riding off to round up them kazoo-playing rattlesnakes

Thursday, January 27, 2005

Weird thing of the day 27 January 2005/17 Shevat 5765

Greetings.

Today’s weird thing is a little story that was sent to me by Mabel by way of my mother and is included below. Enjoy.

Aaron




THIS SHOULD END ALL 3 BEARS STORIES 
 
Baby Bear goes downstairs and sits in his small chair at the table. He looks into his small bowl. It is empty. "Who's been eating my porridge?!!"...he squeaks. Papa Bear arrives at the big table and sits in his big chair. He looks into his big bowl, and it is also empty."Who's been eating my Porridge?!!" he roars. Momma Bear puts her head through the serving hatch from the kitchen and yells, "For goodness sake, how many times do we have to go through this with you idiots? It was Momma Bear who got up first, it was Momma Bear who woke everyone in the house, it was Momma Bear who made the coffee, it was Momma Bear who unloaded the dishwasher from last night, and put everything away, it was Momma Bear who went out in the cold early morning air to fetch the newspaper, it was Momma Bear who set the damn table, it was Momma Bear who put the friggin' cat out, cleaned the litter box, and filled the cat's water and food dish, and, now that you've decided to drag your sorry bear-asses downstairs, and grace Momma Bear's kitchen with your grumpy presence, listen good, cause I'm only going to say this one more time-- 
 
"I HAVEN'T MADE THE DAMN PORRIDGE YET!!"

Wednesday, January 26, 2005

Weird thing of the day, 26 January 2005/16 Shevat 5765 (Australia Day)

Greetings.

This is getting sent out while my computer processes other stuff. (Don’t you love multitasking?)

1) If you hadn’t noticed, yesterday was the Jewish New Year for Trees. I did not manage to get into the synagogue because it was filled with pines and palmettos, many of which show up only three days a year. I still have no idea how a tree managed to blow a shofar.

2) I got a GMail (Google’s mail system) invite yesterday, and I now have a respectable alternate E-mail address to migrate my communications to before I leave the Medical University of South Carolina. I won’t post it here in order to avoid making things too easy for spambots (programs which collect unencoded E-mail addresses from Web pages), but I will send it in a separate, off-blog post.

3) Seemingly requisite political coverage: “January 20, 2005 DC Report: the unreported news of inauguration day” by Avram Friedman, which describes the downright unconscionable conditions protesters had to work under at the inauguration. Furthermore, I’d like to draw attention to “Holocaust Survivor Questions U.N.'s Power”, in which it is noted that the UN General Assembly tried to show that it is not anti-Semitic by commemorating the Holocaust but managed to shoot itself in the foot through extreme lack of Arab participation.

4) Today’s weird thing is “Robbers scared off by Playstation game get jail time”. I think this one can speak for itself.

Enjoy.

Aaron

Saddening news

Greetings.

It is with deep sorrow that I report that Harry Potter is dead. That’s right: he’s dead, apparently killed in Hebron at age 19. And oddly enough, J. K. Rowling is not to blame. You can read about it in this Yahoo! News article.

Aaron

Tuesday, January 25, 2005

Weird thing of the day 25 January 2005/15 Shevat 5765 (Jewish New Year for Trees/Burns Night/Opposite Day)

Greetings.

It is traditional on 15 Shevat, the Jewish New Year for Trees, to eat fruit. (I had raisins with my breakfast.) I therefore declare today’s weird thing to be something vaguely fruit-related: the 25th Annual Golden Raspberry (RAZZIE®) Award Nominations. Essentially these are the opposite of Oscar nominations, celebrating (if that’s the right word) the worst of the worst in the movie industry. This year it’s notable that politicians are being nominated, especially George W. Bush (worst actor, worst screen couple with Condoleeza Rice or his pet goat), primarily for their roles in Fahrenheit 9/11.

Enjoy.

Aaron

Weird thing of the day 24 January 2005/15 Shevat 5765 (National Peanut Butter Day)

Greetings.

Never-ending weird political coverage: Norwegians think George W. Bush saluted Satan during the presidential inauguration. (I cannot make stuff like this up.)

Today’s weird thing is the BBC News article “'I don't like Monday 24 January'”. which claims that January 24 is the worst day of the year. I’m not sure how correct this is, though today was not good for me since I was zonked from not sleeping well for the second night in a row. Barry is going to complain about some of the measures used in the formula as not being objectively measurable or, worse, being purely “cognitive”.

If Barry’s really unhappy with my choice for today’s weird thing, I suppose the old Cooper River Bridges will do. I drove over both of them very recently (on the way to and back from this past weekend’s BSBI Shabbathon), and they are so insanely narrow that I was thrilled to be stuck behind a slowpoke, thus reducing my chances of accidentally crashing through the paper-thin barriers on either side of the roadway and plunging 5,000 meters into the Cooper River, where I would be consumed by hungry sharks. The lunatics speeding through the other lane in oversized SUVs at 50 miles per hour above the speed limit with 2 millimeters of room to spare (total for both sides) added an especially terrifying touch. About three-quarters of drivers managing to get off the bridges alive leap from their cars and kiss the ground. The only thing more insane than the current bridges is what they are replacing them with, but that’s a different rant.

Enjoy.

Aaron

Sunday, January 23, 2005

Weird thing of the day 23 January 2005/13 Shevat 5765 (National Handwritting Day/Measure Your Feet Day)

Greetings.

I have been informed that I seem obsessed with the presidential inauguration. Since that’s over now, I should have time to obsess over other atrocities of the Bush administration, i.e., Yahoo! News - Home Secretary could deport terror suspects back to Arab countries. (This is a bad idea since Arab countries are not reliable for keeping their agreements, so despite assurances to the contrary, said suspects may well be tortured. Then again, since Bush is already under fire for aiding and abetting torture by the United States, he may well be trying to effectively outsource torture and pretend that countries like Saudi Arabia are our friends.)

As for unusual news, the proto-Sanhedhrin is at work on practical issues, including procedures for how they will function and forming an agenda. (I am hoping publicity is on the list; at least in the USA, everyone I have talked to about the proto-Sanhedhrin has been unaware of their existence.)

Finally (and very much unrelated to the first two items), I would like to note that many times previously I have informed you of worthy causes, and I even once presented you with a downright silly cause (blowing up the Moon, 17 November 2004). I now present you with what may be the first Weird thing of the day unworthy cause of the day: SAVE ENTERPRISE. There are rumors about Star Trek: Enterprise being canceled. Considering that the series started going seriously downhill with Star Trek: Voyager, this may not be a bad thing, especially since they’ve been botching everything Vulcan-related in Enterprise. (Would it have hurt them to have made there be more outright diversity of Vulcan religion, philosophy, and culture? Why don’t we ever see Vulcans who outright disavow the Philosophy of Logic? The only Vulcan “heretics” we’ve ever seen have all followed the Philosophy of Logic in some form or another!)

Enjoy.

Aaron

Friday, January 21, 2005

Weird thing of the day 21 January 2005/11 Shevat 5765 (National Hugging Day)

Greetings.

Today I have for you even more information on what went on yesterday:

Yahoo! News - Thousands Protest Bush's Inauguration

Yahoo! News - Cowboy hat "look" for Inauguration Day

And, finally, I would like to note that Washington, DC, is not the only thing which has gone over to the side of Evil. Incredibly, now Mr. Potato Head Feels the Dark Side of the Force. Maybe he wasn’t hugged anywhere near enough...

Enjoy (or be scared), and Shabbath shalom.

Aaron

(PS: For those reading this who don’t know Hebrew, Shabbath shalom translates as “Sabbath of peace” or more loosely “have a peaceful Sabbath”.)

Another inaugural update

Greetings.

Yes, I have more material on the inauguration: Yahoo! News - Hundreds Mark Inauguration With Protests, which expands on the protests.

Even better, the Recount-news mailing list sent me to this site: Remember Ohio
. I never imagined quilts would be used in that manner.

Finally, I give you an article from the Jerusalem Post that presents an interesting perspective on the recent Prince Harry incident: The day Britain went bonkers.

Enjoy (or be scared).

Aaron

Thursday, January 20, 2005

Inauguration update

Greetings.

More news on the inauguration protests has come in:

Yahoo! News - Protesters Target Bush's Inauguration, which notes the protests are not limited to Washington, DC

Yahoo! News Photos - Bush Inauguration Protests, a total of 45 photographs related to the protests, including some of protesters being dragged away by police

Enjoy (or be scared).

Aaron

Weird thing of the day 20 January 2005/10 Shevat 5765 (Basketball Day)

Greetings.

Today is George W. Bush’s second inauguration as president of the United States, and already reports have reached me on the swearing-in and associated events:

Yahoo! News - Protesters Rally Miles From Inauguration

Yahoo! News - Bush Vows to End 'Tyranny in Our World', which is rather ironic considering the negative criticism the administration has been getting the past four years

Yahoo! News - Rehnquist to Swear in Bush Despite Illness, which is interesting in showing what determination can accomplish despite severe problems

(And I know Barry is going to complain about my use of the term “determination” because it’s cognitive and not behavioral...)

Enjoy (so far as is possible).

Aaron

Special pre-inaugural posting

Greetings.

Tonight’s special pre-inaugural weird thing breaks in the Weird thing of the day blog system by looking at tomorrow’s presidential inauguration from a different point of view. So far I’ve reported on what Bush & cronies and lots of people who hate their guts plan on doing. (And, indeed, you probably will hear more on that tomorrow from me.) Tonight, instead, I present an article on what some Democrats will be doing:

Yahoo! News - Some Dems Plan to Avoid Bush Inauguration

I find what Terry McAuliffe will be doing particularly poetic.

Enjoy.

Aaron

Wednesday, January 19, 2005

Weird thing of the day, 19 January 2005/9 Shevat 5765 (Robert E Lee's Birthday/Archery Day/National Popcorn Day)

Greetings.

Tomorrow is George W. Bush’s second inauguration, and boy, are people
still mad at him. The Cobb-LaMarche Campaign, to whose mailing list on
the recount I am subscribed, described what’s planned in detail:

> The Cobb-LaMarche Campaign
> Working to Make Every Vote Count!
> ----------------------------------
>
>
> THE "OTHER" INAUGURATION:
>
> HUNDREDS OF PROTESTS WILL MARK THE INAUGURATION OF THE
> SECOND TERM OF THE ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT
>
> In February 2003, the New York Times referred to the
> anti-war movement as "the world's second superpower." That
> movement will be launching its second term on January 20,
> 2005, as George W. Bush is sworn in for his second term as
> president. With the Bush administration shredding the Bill
> of Rights, rendering the Geneva Convention obsolete, and
> waging an illegal war and occupation of Iraq on false
> pretenses, the peace and justice movement cannot and will
> not wait another four years to hold the Bush administration
> accountable.
>
> FOLLOWING ARE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE COUNTER-INAUGURAL PROTESTS
> THAT ARE PLANNED IN WASHINGTON, DC AND AROUND THE COUNTRY
> THE WEEK OF JANUARY 20:
>
> IN WASHINGTON, DC:
> ?Diverse marches and rallies in Washington, DC on
> inauguration day: At 9 AM, an anti-war march will begin at
> Malcolm X park. It will converge with several feeder
> marches, including a women's march with a New Orleans jazz
> funeral theme, and conclude with a "die-in." Along the
> parade route, thousands of people will "Turn Their Backs on
> Bush", and others will rally at 4th Street and Pennsylvania.
> CONTACTS: Anti-war march and "die-in": Jim Macdonald,
> 240-350-1407, www.dawndc.net. Women's march: Jodie Evans,
> (310) 621-5635, www.codepinkalert.org; Turn Your Back on
> Bush: Emilie Karrick (202) 862-9888,
> www.turnyourbackonbush.org; Anti-war rally on parade route:
> International ANSWER, (202) 544-3389,
> www.internationalanswer.org.
>
> ?Military families and veterans speak out at the "Eyes Wide
> Open" exhibit on the human cost of the Iraq war. The exhibit
> commemorates all the lives lost, and includes: a pair of
> boots honoring each U.S. military casualty and a wall of
> remembrance to memorialize the Iraqis killed in the
> conflict. On January 20, 5 PM in Washington, DC, military
> families and Iraq war veterans will speak at the exhibit and
> read the names of those killed in Iraq. CONTACT: Cindy
> Sheehan, (707) 365-7750.
>
> ?Creative actions that use humor to lampoon the Bush
> administration's pro-war and pro-corporate policies,
> including a "Black Gold* and Boots" inaugural ball outside
> the "Black Tie and Boots" inaugural ball (black gold: OIL)
> and a "Got Freedom?" Ball, outside the Freedom Ball.
> CONTACT: The groups that brought you the Fox News
> "Shut-Up-A-Thon" during the Republican National Convention:
> Andrea Buffa, CODEPINK, (510) 325-3653, Jeff Grubler, Ronald
> Reagan Home for the Criminally Insane, (415) 385-5956,
> www.insanereagan.com, and Billionaires for Bush,
> www.billionairesforbush.com.
>
> ?Progressive Democratic Summit. Several thousand
> progressives throughout the country will gather in
> Washington, DC on Jan. 22 - 23 to work on strengthening the
> progressive forces with in the Democratic Party and building
> a grassroots movement unifying progressives inside and
> outside the Democratic Party. CONTACT: Tim Carpenter, (413)
> 320-2015, www. Pdamerica.org.
>
> THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES:
> ? Not One Damn Dime" Day is a way for people to express
> their opposition to the Iraq war with a 24-hour national
> boycott of all forms of consumer spending. Not one damn dime
> for gasoline. Not one damn dime for coffee, or for impulse
> purchases. CONTACT: http://www.notonedamndime.com/boycott/
>
> ?Hundreds of local counter-inaugural protests throughout the
> country. More than 100 counter-inaugural events are planned
> in communities throughout the country - from Omaha to Fresno
> to Atlanta to New York City. They range from picnics against
> the president to funerals for the American Dream to drumming
> circles for peace to an "inaugural primal scream" event.
> These events are listed on three online calendars:
> CODEPINK (scroll to the middle of the page):
> http://www.codepinkalert.org/National_Actions_J20.shtml#calendar
> COUNTER-INAUGURAL WEBSITE:
> http://www.counter-inaugural.org/lightningbug/web/index.php?
> action=enumerate&board=10
> UNITED FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE:
> http://meetup.radicaldesigns.org/calendar_display.php?
> caltype=31&lcountry=&state=&bydate=2005-01
> -06&distance=1&zip=&Search=Search

Some of these are definitely worthwhile visiting. Code Pink and “Not
One Damn Dime” Day have worthwhile petitions.

Considering all that’s planned for tomorrow, something totally weird is
bound to happen. I am so confident that am emptying out my inaugural
folder of already-noted weird things:

• Inaugural Donors at a Glance
(http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20050113/
ap_on_go_pr_wh/inaugural_donors_list)
• Gingrich Open to 2008 Presidential Run
(http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20050109/
ap_on_el_pr/gingrich_white_house), or “If Bush can be president, so can I”
• Could Cold War spies sue the CIA?
(http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/nm/20050111/od_uk_nm/
oukoe_usa_court_spies)
• Bush Inaugural Committee Takes in $25.5M
(http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20050115/
ap_on_go_pr_wh/inaugural_fund_raising)
• FCC Orders Probe of Williams-Bush Deal
(http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20050115/
ap_on_go_ot/fcc_williams)
• A Question of Numbers
(http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/16/magazine/16SOCIAL.html?
oref=login&oref=login&pagewanted=print&position=top)
• Inauguration to Get Unprecedented Security
(http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20050112/
ap_on_go_pr_wh/inauguration_security)
• Group Threatens Lawsuit Over Crosses
(http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050110/ap_on_go_ot/
inaugural_crosses_1)
• Bush Plan Hinders Power Plant Cleanups
(http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20050118/
ap_on_go_pr_wh/power_plants_pollution)

Enjoy, or be scared.

Aaron

-------------

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subscribe or unsubscribe, send a request to adelmaas@musc.edu.
Suggestions for weird thing of the day are welcome.

-------------
Aaron Solomon (ben Saul Joseph) Adelman
E-mail: adelmaas@musc.edu
Web site: http://people.musc.edu/~adelmaas/
AOL Instant Messenger & Yahoo! Messenger: Hiergargo

It's the Amazing Iguanaman!


Yes, it's Iguanaman! Anything an iguana can do, he can, too. Mostly he eats vegetables and lies on a rock sunning himself.

Picture by Barry Adelman.

Sunday, January 16, 2005

This is a test

Greetings, Big Scary Eye.

I'm seriously thinking of turning the Weird thing of the day into a blog, and I've volunteered you to see if the system I've set up with Blogger and Google Groups actually works. If you're not on tonight, E-mail me to tell me if it works, or better yet post a comment.

Aaron

This is another test

Yes, it is. Seeing if the mailing thing works.

This is a test

This is test. It is only a test. I'm seriously thinking about bloggifying the Weird thing of the day (my mailing list for people not on it who aren't already subscribed), and I'm just trying this out before I commit to inflicting it on my loyal readers.