A Zorse Is A Zorse Of Course Of Course

I want a Zorse!

Toons

The Jena Six

Just read it.

Here's a BBC article about the trial.

Yesterday's update about Bell's trial.

Sculling

This week I've been taking beginning sculling lessons at the Thompson Boat Center in order to be certified to rent shells. The course takes one week Monday through Friday, and classes are on the Potomac.

Yesterday we went under the Key Bridge, and it was beautiful. Okay, okay, on the first day I might have t-boned a wall right in front of the happy hour crowd at Sequoia. I'm not too proud to admit it. However, even with the mishaps the lessons are fun and the instructors couldn't be nicer.

Don't Coke and Drive

This is what a coked up driver did to a cornfield in the Netherlands during a police chase. I thought LiLo was still in rehab?

From The Stranger.

Sad Day For Sports Fans

Sadly today Kobayashi announced he won't be able to compete for his seventh straight hot dog title at Nathan's Famous on July 4th. Kobayashi has suffered a career shattering injury, he is only able to open his mouth the width of a finger due to arthritis in his jaw. I think I speak for fans everywhere when I wish him a speedy recovery. I also regret turning down an invitation to last year's competition, it's like missing Jordan before he retired. I really wanted to see him go head-to-head with current record holder (and the only person to come close to Kobayashi), Joey Chestnut.

How To Build A Better Simpson

This one is for the Simpson's fans. Go to this site to build your own Simpson character. I named mine Herman.

~ Thanks Patrick, I stole this one from you. :)

The Pig Got Up and Slowly Walked Away

One evening in October, when I was one-third sober,
An' taking home a load with manly pride;
My poor feet began to stutter, so I lay down in the gutter,
And a pig came up an' lay down by my side;
Then we sang 'It's all fair weather when good fellows get together,
'Till a lady passing by was heard to say:
'You can tell a man who "boozes" by the company he chooses'
And the pig got up and slowly walked away.

~ Benjamin Hapgood Burt

World's Ugliest Dog

No, seriously, he has a title. Elwood found victory after the passing of former World's Ugliest Dog Sam (R.I.P.).

Not a Sermon, Just a Thought

I know, I know, nothing says "happy summer" quite like organ and tissue donation. However, I just heard about this website. If you go to http://www.donatelife.net/ you can register as an organ and tissue donor. In the District, once you register no one can revoke your consent posthumously. The last gasp of a control freak, if you will. Not a sales pitch, just passing along information.

U.S. States Renamed For Countries With SImilar GDPs

Take from this really cool site.

Artists You've Never Heard Of Because You're Young Enough To Be Reading A Blog (But Should Have)

* Juice Newton
* Etta James
* Dean Martin
* Curtis Mayfield
* Edith Piaf

Day Watch

This weekend I saw the second installment of Timur Bekmambetov's trilogy Day Watch. I loved the first film, Night Watch, which I believe was the most expensive film made in Russia at that time.

It's the usual good battling evil, yada yada. However, the films really are clever and edgy and decidedly not American. As my friend Jack commented when we left the movie, you never notice how homogeneous Hollywood films are until you see something that is so very different. If for that reason alone, I recommend seeing both films.

Night Watch was much, much better than Day Watch, but they're both worth seeing. I'm still looking forward to the third and final installment.

Libertarians

Just How Dumb Are Americans?

Oh boy! Those fun kids down at the University of Chicago have released the 2006 General Social Survey to answer the question: Just how dumb are Americans? As it turns out, very. Click here to find out that less than 74% of Americans understand heliocentrism.

BIG Sports News!

Anyone who knows me is well aware of my favorite sport: competitive eating. What? Anyway, I have been a BIG Kobayashi fan for years, but last July 4th a youngun caught my eye.

Apparently that young man has fulfilled his promise and shattered Kobayashi's record. Many people said it couldn't be done, but they were wrong. While in jury duty today I received not one, but two frantic emails informing me of this epic achievement. Hmm . . . I'm not sure what that says about me. Anyway, though I would pass along this important news.

Cats & Dogs