Alarming reflection

We keep cats primarily as a source of amusement. They chase bits of string around, get themselves into undignified positions and then sit up and lick themselves as if nothing has happened, and settle impudently wherever they're not allowed and look affronted when chased off. They are an endless source of fun.

Yet from the way they act, you'd think they keep us primarily as a source of amusement. You know that look; you're waving a favorite toy in front of them, trying to get them to chase it, and they're just sitting there aloofly, giving you a disdainful look, as if to say, "What on earth is that strange person doing, and what am I supposed to do about it?"

Who, exactly, is keeping whom?

148,515

Beat that.

OK, so it won't be that hard.

Merry CHRISTmas!

God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"

The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God."

(Luke 1:26-35)
-------------------------------
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world...and everyone went to their own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."

(Luke 2:1-14)

Grammatical Post of the Day

As any grammar nazi knows, apostrophes are NOT used in plurals. A message with enough "apple's" and "orange's" can drive a true fanatic, e.g. the humble author, to screaming and frothing at the mouth. But at the same time, apostrophes are used to indicate eliminated letters, as in "o'er". So:

The plural of a word such as "box" is "boxes"...but would "box's" be a valid spelling, given that the apostrophe could indicate the eliminated E?

Wow.

It takes serious talent to get music this bad.

In case you're wondering about the story behind it, it's here.

A new holiday tradition

How many tunes can you sing with the words of "Amazing Grace"?

So far I have:
Joy to the World
How Great Our Joy!
O Christmas Tree
O Come All Ye Faithful
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
The First Noel

And, of course, the classic Gilligan's Island theme tune and What Child Is This.

Some repetition may be necessary to fit the tune, as in Joy to the World.

Exciting new offer!

If you get this item, I guarantee your life will be changed. If you don't believe me, read the reviews.

Key reviews:
"Staring down a maniacal cosmonaut in his secret underground missile base, I instinctively reached for the BIC Crystal ballpoint in my pocket, only to discover to my horror that it did NOT have an emergency laser gun inside it. Heaven knows what the manufacturers were thinking, as every other pen I've used on a daily basis for the past 40 years included a gun or laser.

It's an adequate pen for accountants or lawyers or beekeepers, but not deadly enough to use to impress hot femme fatales with your pen-shooting skills."
------------------------
"Whilst this may cost more than a piece of pointy charcoal, I think the extra cost is justified."
------------------------
"It stares.

It stares. It does!

Oh, god, it stares.

Please make it stop."

As a lover of the oldies, all I can say is...

Wow.

823 versions in 63 hours. Beat that.

Ho Ho Ho!

If you ever felt the lack of bizarre Nativity sets...take a look at these.

Get your...

Peculiar Aristocratic Title!

---Reverend Countess Snowhere the Defenestrated of Giggleswich Lanken

Poll

Is it worse to struggle through streets that haven't been plowed or streets that have, after a new layer of snow has fallen and frozen - the more dangerous since it looks clear in previously plowed areas?

Did that even make sense?

Question...

EDIT: I have been informed that my rant did not have an opening tag. So:
<rant>
Why do people feel it necessary to ask how I'm doing when we pass on the way to class? A quick "Hi" I can understand, but why, when I'm walking quickly towards the classroom, in the opposite direction from them, do people ask "How's it going"? It's even weirder when I'm on my bike, and I'm almost past them before they're finished speaking. What am I supposed to do, shout out a quick summary of how my day's been going as I zip by?
</rant>

Christmas Gift List

For the person of today who prefers the information storage devices of yore...

Compact Floppy Disks!

In keeping with the season...

I will link again to Bob Rivers, of the demented Christmas parodies.

More Random T-Shirts

National Sarcasm Society: Like we need your support.

Working Together to End Miniature Dog Clothes

Keep Out of Direct Sunlight

I try to please someone every day. Today is not your day.


Random bumper sticker:

Don't blame me, I voted against Bush. Twice.

Marco!

Polo!

I know it's a popular game, but still...