from the comments
Lena and I also used to enjoy rambles together, although we each had enough of that introvert-extrovert thing going on that we would break away for a while for our own reasons, then connect up again. In fact, the last time I saw her we were out walking together, and she got all excited over something down in the ravine, where I didn’t want to go and, besides, it was none of my business. So I said, “See you later, girlcat,” and went on my way. My last memory is of her crouching on a rise and peering down intently, just her tail quivering in excitement.
tweet of the day (a little late)
Ask a law librarian
Warning: This one will break your heart.
Woman enters law library wearing old black pantyhose trimmed to be a doo-rag.
Woman: “I’m not doing very good but maybe you can help me.”
Librarian: “I’ll try.”
Woman: “Sir, I’m not crazy or anything, but I need to file a lawsuit against my husband who is an undercover informant for the police department.”
Librarian: “What type of lawsuit do you want to file?”
Woman: “I don’t know. I went to the DA’s office to see if they could help me but they told me they don’t file civil lawsuits for individuals and they threatened to put me in jail” (begins to cry freely).
Librarian: “Here.” (hands Kleenex box)
Woman: “This is what happened. I went to the hospital because my husband beat me up. He broke my nose, made my ears bleed, tore my face – that’s why I have scars on my nose and chin and eyes and in the hospital was where I got chipped.”
Thus, ordinary people find it much more natural to say that “The Acme Corporation is upset about the court’s recent ruling” than to say that “The Acme Corporation is feeling upset.”
Thus, people find “The Acme Corporation intends to release a new product this January” and “The Acme Corporation wants to change its corporate image” natural, but “The Acme Corporation is now experiencing great joy” weird.
Thoughts on the philosophy of subjective experience.
(via the browser)
quote out of context
“When you’ve got a herd of 300-pound pigs in your neighborhood, it tends to make people feel nervous,” Rentschler said Thursday. “We want our citizens to feel safe.”
spam name
Leonarda Chilcoat.
sightlines
You know those floating things you sometimes see in front of your eyes? Mine are starting to look like hieroglyphics.
Clusterflock goes disco.
Are you familiar with “Barbra Streisand,” the odd little surprise hit from the DJ duo known as Duck Sauce? Well, get familiar with their latest smash, sure to be hot in the clubs: “Clusterflock.”
I apologize for calling Texas ‘backwards’
Unlike many other states, Texas does not ban workplace discrimination based on gender identity, sexual orientation, or marital status. But don’t be alarmed; the Lone Star State is working on that whole civil liberties thing. Last week, Republican State Rep. Bill Zedler introduced HB 2454, a bill that would establish new workplace protections for proponents of intelligent design.
the entirety of human conversation in eleven sentences
From Medium Large
Ask a law librarian
Do y’all have emancipation proclamation forms?
Dear Clusterflock
Little Runt was not a cuddly cat, but he would follow me anywhere. We were a bit of a freak show. I would put on rubber boots and walk through large puddles to demonstrate his odd loyalty. He would pick up his white-socked feet in a dainty way, then boldly jump through the water. I loved him more, even, than his mother Whitey, our first cat, who was named for her snow color.
Little Runt was pure tomcat. He started going on rambles, short in duration at first, then longer. Finally, he just didn’t come home. I couldn’t believe it. I was sure he would show up one day, especially because I kept seeing a “false cat” out of the corner of my eye. Some people believe in animal “guides” from the spirit world. So maybe Little Runt has been here all along. It’s fun to consider.
Were you ever the object of incredible pet devotion?
P.S. The photo just reminds me of Little Runt, the smallest kitten in a litter who grew into a large gray tabby. The photo shows my Chicago sister-in-law’s pet jungle cats.
minimalist mental disorder posters
for posterity
from the archives: May 3, 2008
Update: Okay, let’s try this.
See also: rear-wheel drive luxury.
dear clusterflock
What is the equivalent of getting a six pack for someone who doesn’t drink?
from the comments
I had a landlord for a while named Peter Hitler. I have no idea how you don’t change that.
nuclear disasters and press coverage
The question is what to infer from this gap in the coverage. Is it that newspapers have been asked by a government not to panic people? Is it that newspapers are simply feckless? Is it that we are in “uncharted waters,” relative to previous knowledge and previous nuclear disasters? Or could it be “all of the above”?
‘Here are some quotes I find challenging and beautiful’
Ken Baumann has a list of quotes he contends with:
It occurred to me that eating is the only form of professionalism most people ever attain.
Don DeLillo
We do not think our way to right action. We act our way to right thinking.
David Milch
We’re trying to build birds, not birdhouses.
Dean Young
quote out of context
Gomez — who has received death threats since she started dating Bieber — exhibited a surprisingly level head about the verbal attacks, though, as she explained she can relate to the tweenage obsession with a male pop idol . . . which can lead to irrational hatred for any woman he dares to date.
clusterflock confession
Whenever I want to amuse myself I sing a few bars of ‘Tom Sawyer.’
from the comments
SC:
Okay, someone is home, I’m not going to say who, and they are purposefully milling about. I’m not going to say what’s going on except to say it’s nothing untoward. The window in front of that large white plaster sculpture in the first NYT gallery photo is open. There’s a very nice view of the front of that. It’s got a large boob-like thing on the side you can’t see in the NYT photo (and I’m thinking Mr. Bra would appreciate that). The gold boxes aren’t glowing. No one is watching the giant big screen TV. There. That’s enough. The shade is down. Now we can all feel igry for each other.
after farting
Hear me now. Believe me later.
Unfinished London
The second video, about the London highway system, was just posted:
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