politics

Never Again

Sometimes I come across a piece of writing, on the web or in print, that helps to clarify some idea or association that’s been trying to connect in my brain for a while. This article did just that.

Daily Kos :: A Promise to My Grandfather: A Follow Up

How is it that those of us who have proclaimed ourselves agnostic or atheist can end up being more tolerant than those who proclaim themselves “moral people”? If we don’t speak out for the gays, or the minorities, or the Constitution, if we don’t fight oppression and intolerance in our society… who will? Never again should there be another Holocaust, or another round of McCarthyism, or any number of historical atrocities I could mention. No more.

First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak out for me.

—Pastor Martin Niem?ller
randomness

I am a Kottke.org Micropatron

I just contributed to a pledge drive.

See, a couple of weeks ago, Jason Kottke announced his decision to blog full-time. To that, I say Right On. Don’t let The Man get you down.

Or, to be a little more grown-up about it: I really respect his decision, and I’m willing to put my money where my mouse is. I wish that everyone could quit their tedious paying-the-bills crap job and make a living doing what they love—or what they feel is important. It’s not feasible or viable for everyone, though; so, when someone makes that entrepreneurial leap into an untested enterprise (but one that makes sense), I’m all for it.

And, hell, if you donate 30 bucks, you have a chance of winning a prize. 🙂

But then I got to thinking… I’ve read Dooce for much longer than I’ve read kottke.org. And she asked for donations a while back, too, although she didn’t offer prizes or anything. So, I went and donated 30 bucks to her, too.

My blog karma is now clear. I feel better about myself.

potpourri 3 Comments

Misheard Pearl Jam Lyrics

How amusing. Someone made a kind of flash animation music video to the Pearl Jam song “Yellow Ledbetter.” However… whether or not it was intentional (and I’m still not sure), the animation includes wonderfully misheard lyrics. Now, granted, I couldn’t understand a damn thing Eddie was saying in the first place, but I know this ain’t it.

Flash animation | Real lyrics (for reference)

humor

Amusing Forward

Here’s yet another one I received at work:

Two married buddies are out drinking one night when one turns to the other and says, “You know, I don’t know what else to do. Whenever I go home after we’ve been out drinking, I turn the headlights off before I get to the driveway. I shut off the engine and coast into the garage. I take my shoes off before I go into the house, I sneak up the stairs, get undressed in the bathroom, stick my foot in the toilet and pee down my leg to prevent splashing sounds. I ease into bed and my wife STILL wakes up and yells at me for staying out so late!”

His buddy looks at him and says, “Well, you’re obviously taking the wrong approach. I screech into the driveway, slam the door, storm up the steps, throw my shoes in the closet, jump into bed, slap her on the ass and shout, ‘WHO’S HORNY’…” and she acts like she is asleep every time.”

crafty, ruminations 1 Comment

Hobbies

OMG. I just made a batch of banana candles, and now the whole ground floor of my house smells like banana pudding. Oh, yum.

Once my test votive sets up, it’ll be time to burn that along with my coconut test candle to see if, together, it really would smell like banana cream pie. If it does… Oh, yeah. New candle flavor on the menu.

Edit, Friday Night: I’m burning the votive I made for myself, and it has kind of an odd chemical/medicinal smell. That’s really disappointing, because it has such a great cold scent. Ah, well. That’s why I buy one-ounce samples instead of huge vats o’ fragrance oil.

On the subject of candlemaking, I was just thinking… Does anyone else have a tendency to burn out (very punny) really fast on hobbies? Not entirely, I suppose, but…
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