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Richard Simmons is not in the lead for Gay Man of the Year. Apparently, it's a dead heat between some british dude and Doogie Howser with all kinds of celebs taking sides.

-jm

Caholic university removes contraception coverage from their health insurance. Several employees filed complaints and the Equal Opportunity Commission determined they were discriminated against. The article is a little confusing to me for some reason, but it's an interesting case. The comments are actually semi-civil and include comments from the school and one of the profs mentioned. In theory, anyway.

Just one more case to throw on the 'Health care via your employer is wack' pile. -hendred, still using the word wack.

A CFU from ryan:

With the slurping of this guy that goes on here and the subject that always seems to create controversy here as well, how did this not get posted already?

I will now close my browser....end CFU

This was submitted by our newest reader, "not as wild as i used to be" Bill:

So with one day in the work-week left until the NFL draft, and this tasty new way to lose time on the internet as opposed to working. I was wondering if somebody in the know could tell me how we ended up 3 seconds behind the leaders in buggy. Was it people pushing? Was something wrong with the ground 2 buggy interface? Are we allowed to talk about such things on the internet?

Nickell brings us news of what is on the minds of ring wingers:

Wikipedia admits to left-wing bias.

Wikipedia erases any negative entries regarding Obama (Ayers association, for example).

The Wikipedia entry about former President George W. Bush, by contrast, is highly critical. One typical entry reads, "Prior to his marriage, Bush had multiple accounts of alcohol abuse. ...

I think as long as Wikipedia presents facts as facts and opinions as opinions (under headings such as "Criticisms"), it's OK. Plus, it's mostly edited by the general public (it even states that the administrators are just volunteers who are trusted by the community), so any consistent bias would likely reflect the users at large, in my opinion. It's kind of like saying the whole country has a liberal bias. I heart Google and Wikipedia, personally. -decked

From will: All the reasons not to go to grad school, by some mentally unstable woman.

An interesting read, but it seems a little sensationalist and written to drive traffic. Could spur an interesting debate/insult fest here though.

And then there's this: Military is the terrible escape hatch for poor kids, and grad school is the terrible escape hatch for rich kids.

if i consider this "slightly funny" or if it would make more sense to call it "painfully true". From ryan.

No doubt just to make their job easier. But whatever the reason, I fully support it. The drinking age of 21 is such a ridiculous double standard.

Two thoughts from this article.

1) The article doesn't give any credit towards things like improved safety in vehicles (like air bags) in its reference to the decrease in drunk drivers age 16-20

2) Apparently The Univ of Rhode Island is a horrible, horrible place to go to school OR work. I can imagine alcohol is one of the few things that would make the faculty events tolerable.

jb forgot the link, so I'll offer this one for the time being. -decked

UPDATE: Here's the link.

It was brought up somewhere on the interwebz that this is shaping up to be the greatest year in professional sports history with all of the dramatics in sports finals/Championships/events.

1) The World Champion New York Giants upset the undefeated Patriots.

2) Tiger wins the Open on a broken leg in sudden death.

3) Nadal/Federer go to 5 sets at Wimbeldon.

4) Spain kicks a 44 year European Cup drought.

5) Celtics beat out the favored Lakers for their first title in over 20 years.

6) Unseeded Freno State take the NCAA mens baseball tourney.

7) Canada wins their 31st World Curling Championship.

8) A 41 year old woman (Dara Torres) is breaking world records and will compete in her 5th Olympics.

9) I'm sure something interesting in happened in F1 or NASCAR but I wouldn't know.

10) Tampa Bay Rays win the World Series?

What's your take?

This surprisingly safe for work post was submitted by miolla.

Only in Texas... Would you shoot two coked-up Columbians breaking into your house? Probably yes. What about your neighbor's house??

From Nickell.

All from Nickell: 30,000 + say man-made global warming is BS. Can we call it a day with this? I noticed 5 trucks/SUVs this week with the bumper sticker: "This vehicle's C02 output is offset by [insert carbon trade company here]". I do applaud the snake oil salesmen who made quite a profit over global warming.

Can anyone explain why Belgians are upset that Miss Belgium doesn't know dutch? That's like saying Miss Texas needs to be able to speak spanish.

From boot.

Now that I'm back to the real world, it's time to start posting links again. Here are some graphs to live by. - JT

Nice little opinion piece in the Times about gas taxes. Thanks to Rollins for this one.

I do favor a gasoline tax phased in over 12 months. But let’s get one thing straight: My opponent and I are both for a tax. I just prefer that my taxes go to the U.S. Treasury, and he’s ready to see his go to the Russian, Venezuelan, Saudi and Iranian treasuries. His tax finances people who hate us. Mine would offset some of our payroll taxes, pay down our deficit, strengthen our dollar, stimulate energy efficiency and shore up Social Security. It’s called win-win-win-win-win for America.

From Rollins: Does anybody here have any awesome ideas for Christmas gifts? For some reason this year I am drawing a complete blank for numerous people.

Dean asks: Anybody have any experience with those sites claiming a one-time lifetime membership for unlimited downloads of music, tv shows, games, movies, etc for the ipod? Are these just a scam? I have read some reviews online, but I don't always trust them.

Thoughtful post by Russell Roberts on the limitations of statisitical analysis in complex systems. He points out that the feud between John Lott and Steve Levitt (and Ian Ayres) is strange because Lott's theory about concealed weapons deterring criminals is similar to Levitt's theory about LoJack deterring car thieves.

Also related: John Lott sued Levitt over Freakonomics. And here is a link about John Lott using the name Mary Rosh to review his own work online. -decker

From PriusNickell: I found this article on global warming caused by humans, but still looking for related articles on unicorns, crop circles, Santa Claus, and lock ness.

Former hippee turned momentary cover boy for American soccer Alexi Lalas claims that the MLS is on par with the English Premier League... discuss. - JT

This story chronicles an incident on Everest where an experienced climber named David Sharp was left to die on the summit ridge. The catch is that many people now believe that he could have been saved. The story is interesting in itself, but it expands into deeper discussions around what commercial climbing ventures are doing to mountain climbing ethics and how this incident is one of an ever increasing amount of other similar incidents.

Also, if you happened to catch Everest: Beyond The Limit this past spring on the Discovery channel, there is a segment where one climber (Max Chara -sp?) is forced to pass by another climber who is nearly frozen and dying on the summit ridge... many people think that this climber was David Sharpe.

If you Google this topic there is a ton of information about this incident and the moral debate between getting "your climbers / paying clients" off of the mountain safely and risking that safety in order to attempt the rescue of another climber in trouble. - JT

This is all from ab: Gore says media miss climate message

I like to base decisions on science and fact. I use consensus for soft-fuzzy topics, like fashion sense or who has the nicest ass. I am amused by the idea that we lay out science via consensus. It's either opinion or fact. Not both. It's not by consensus that we accept that the earth is a spheroid.

From boot: I drove by this barbershop in Charlotte and was amazed they had a website.

In this "Age of PCness" can we even post this?

Not sure what's un-PC about it, other than the logo, which they explain. -ed.

Boot brings us this brain-buster:

With $160K, you could buy
-a fully appointed 911 Turbo with an extended warranty
-a modest home in a city not on the east or west coast
- a 3lb White Truffle
-an annuity that pays out $10K a year for the rest of your life

Which would you choose?

From boot: Sienna Miller, filming a movie in da'burgh, disses it

Shouldn't she be wrecking Jude Law's marriage or having him cheat on her or something? And is funky a new synonym for 'small and overpriced'? I have no idea why I take offense to her bullshit, but I do. It's a strange, strange world. It's sort of like "You can't hit my kids. Only I can hit my kids." -ed

Nick and Aaron Carter at home.

From JT.

Ordering Pizza in 2010 from Brick.

I've seen this a couple times and it always freaks me out. -ed.

Origin of the phrase "on" or "off the wagon" explained.

Make sure to check out the links within the story as well, as they explain this in much more depth. What I want to know now, though, is if Yahoo's next topic will be whether or not the second button on a man's dress shirt is positioned appropriately. - All from Bean

6th clearway street in boston is home to an expensive, trendy shoe store disguised as a bodega

All Brick - This is actually very well-done. The writer / director editorializes a bit too much, but otherwise... dang.

Did you know that a majority of the hijackers are reported to be alive and well? Did you know that the UAL planes that supposedly crashed have been spotted recently (jets with the same tail #s)?

I'm curious what Andy thinks, since he has intimate knowledge of jets and their engines... important pieces of evidence to the theories in this video.

It's a long video, but worth watching.

All Rollins:

OK, so my wife and I have this discussion. She's a vegetarian, and I used to kid with her that future technology would allow us to create headless cows that would never feel pain and whatnot, and would she eat the meat then. She said of course not, mostly because the concept of a living headless cow would give her nightmares. So then I ask her if she would eat meat if it were grown in a lab (since it was never, ya know, an animal) and she says she would still not eat it. I've talked to meat eaters who also said they wouldn't.

Well lab-grown meat is on the way, so its time to choose sides.

Ex Phillie and Marlin, Darren "Dutch" Daulton, has gone completely nuts.

This is a good, if not strange read.

This entry brought to you by boot.

Asshole school board member wants to ban books from the classroom. No, she has never read them. This one's from Brick as well.

Vote On Properties For The New Monopoly JT passed this along.

From Brick: A new article in New York Magazine by Mark Jacobson entitled, The Ground Zero Grassy Knoll, basically summarizes all of the current conspiracy theories centered around 9/11.

Read it with your tin foil hat on so the Shadow Government doesn't know what you're up to...

I just saw/heard some helicopters go into whisper mode -ed.

This one's all ryan: $154 million worth of Steeler gear sold so far this year.

Contrary to popular belief, I am not responsible for half of this number.

Clothing maker VF Corp. does not release sales numbers but Mr. Galera said the company sold enough clothing items to attire all of the 1.3 million or people who live in Allegheny County -- and more.

From boot: Study shows that college students near graduation don't have skills like the math skills needed for checkbooks or restaurant tips.

Addition and subtraction have always been my downfall. And don't even get me started on moving the decimal. Oy vey! -ed.

Boot says he found it:

Completely safe for work.

All from boot: NYT journalist bitchin about how a $250K household income 'prices them out' of NYC.

"Given the types of lives many journalists wish to lead—and think they're entitled to lead by virtue of their education and positions—the wages aren't anywhere near sufficient."

BOO FRICKEDY HOO

From Ryan: Pitt student chosen as Rhodes scholar. I'm sure most don't care about this but I found it funny that the kid has a will b. look to him. Obviously not the brains of will but the look.

From ryan: Mayor says he'll resign if elected. Didn't someone win houseman with the slogan 'Don't vote for me'? Our house was pretty clean that semester as I recall.

Time's 100 best books since 1923 A lot of really good ones made the list - Gatsby, Eyes are Watching God, Slaughterhouse-Five, etc. The omission of Atlas Shrugged and the inclusion of On the Road are both irritating. Kerouac and his BS 'book' can lick my balls. And in case you want to argue 'significance', the list says 'best'.

From jm, still lost sans science: Scopes Trail, Take 2 This should be a fun one to watch. What I wonder is why a British Magazine is the first place I'm seeing this.

Braves fans don't wash up. This one's from ryan, who adds the following commentary:

I wash my hands all the time except for at stadiums. There is something about those places that make me feel that whatever I get from myself is better than what I'd get from turning on the water, reaching for soap, and pulling for a paper towel.

I'm a big fan of the no-touch faucet, soap dispenser and towel system found in newer airports and other fine establishments.

Katrina victims running up bills on credit cards. And burning through meager savings. From ryan, who adds This would be why I feel the way I do about savings. 10% a month is the goal.

Rick says the pursuit of happiness harms America. This isn't one of those sensationalist headlines. That's what he says. I really, truly, cannot imagine how he thinks. There are liberals and conservatives who shirk their responsiblity for all kinds of things, and there are people on both sides hell bent on making them live up to their responsibilities.

I don't see anything wrong with "If I'm not hurting anyone else, stay out of my life." This is the United States. We are free to do what we want in the pursuit of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I don't care where people put, or what they do, with their genitals. If they do it in public, that's not good. I don't care how many drugs you do, and I think that the fact that they're illegal contributes to many more problems than the fact that people do them. I don't care what parasites you remove from your body. I don't care who you associate with, what you talk about, what you write, and where you travel. And these views are a lot more in line with what our founders intended.

The concept that by getting an abortion or doing drugs you're hurting America or your neighbors is the most messed up bit of twisted logic I've come across in some time. And make no mistake about it, Santorum is speaking in absolute literal terms, as he is when he says that gay marriage will affect his own marriage directly. He's not saying, oh, when people do drugs, that leads to the drug trade and that leads to violence. He's saying that by smoking dope you're hurting america.

I've been torn as to how much coverage to give Rick as of late, because I feel it just feeds his fire. But this is so far out there I had to say something. The only thing I can offer Sen. Santorum is the phrase 'Mind your own business.'

Old video of Arnold in a Japanese commercial for... something in a bottle. From will, who filed this under 'Debate'. His face at the end really creeps me out. I would actually find it more comforting if he was some sort of cybernetic organism.

Interesting article where people who look better or present themselves better are rewarded more at work than people who don't look as good.

It also points out that physical characteristics including height and weight tend to matter just as much as the way you carry yourself while at work. This is all courtesy of Dr. Kenneth Noisewater.

From rcr: Recommended reading for conservatives I also recommend the book "My father beat me so now I hate poor people", but I couldn't find a link.

Krugman vs. Okrent Okrent was the 'public editor' of the NYTimes (bias!! look out!!), and in his final column said Op-Ed columnist Paul Krugman has the disturbing habit of shaping, slicing and selectively citing numbers in a fashion that pleases his acolytes but leaves him open to substantive assaults. Kruggy did not take this well. The link has his rebuttal and Okrent's. It reads like bhendrix material. Crazy.

And the obligatory Luskind response.

Kansas to spend 6 days debating evolution This from Bharath, who adds I find this really funny becuase it only took God 7 days to create everything...

A quick look into the debate over Pluto's categorization. Essentially, they are not sure what exactly Pluto is, because it's so small. However, the debate is the inspiration of one of rcr's and boss dog's favorite songs by 2 Skinnee J's. You are encouraged to drill down to the lyrics section and examine Pluto on the album Supermercado!. This one's all from jm.

Judge says discarded embryos can be 'wrongful death'. All from oof. So, this potentially has widespread ramifications for both expecting mothers and scientific research. I wonder what happens if this isn't overturned on appeal. By the way, I posted this under the category of debate cause I'm sure some Bhendrix readers feel differently.

Wouldn't jerking off qualify under this law as well? Anyway, in other related news, the scientist that created Dolly the sheep has a license to clone embryos. It's for research purposes. He's going after MND, motor neuron disease, which had a breakthrough as noted in this poorly titled post.

By request, I'm starting this thread just for a serious final vote discussion. I voted Kerry - the war, foreign policy, taxes, social issues.

Krugman on why we need socialized medicine. Basically, the US is spending more and getting less out the system as is.

Krugman on Bush tax policy and Social Security. I wish he would go more into numbers and economics instead of policy, since he is touted as being the best economics guy ever (sorry Mayes). Scary line of the essay:
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that more than half of corporate profits ultimately accrue to the wealthiest 1 percent of taxpayers...

Why McDonald's sucks according to an employee. I'm not sure which one she works in, but it's not one I've ever been to. Thanks to Sperl for this one.

Technologies we should get rid of. Some I agree with - Nukes, Land Mines, Coal. Others are just idiotic. DVDs? Implants? Prisons? Right. Don't get me started on the Internal Combustion Engine.