Category Archives: General Foolishness

Approval Ratings

Posted on June 19, 2008 | Comments Off

Congress has an 89% disapproval rating.

What are the other 11% thinking?

Hat Tip: Andy Roth

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Posted in General Foolishness, Political Animals

Indiana Jones and the Social Security Check of Doom

Posted on May 31, 2008 | Comments Off

Just got back from seeing the new Indiana Jones movie with the Long-Suffering Girlfriend. I don’t go to the movies very often, so the experience is always interesting.

Before the show, I ordered a medium soda. The lady behind the counter pulled out a behemoth 44 oz. cup, and I started laughing. “That’s the largest medium soda I’ve ever seen,” I said.

“Yeah, we hear that a lot,” she replied, looking decidedly unamused.

Once we settled in our seats, we got to watch about 15 minutes of commercials before the lights dimmed and the parade of previews floated by.

Now, on the tv, there are a lot of commercials for movies. But at the movies, most of the commercials are for tv shows. It’s a nice bit of symmetry, I think.

So — on to the movie. It’s been getting mixed reviews. Some people liked it, and some didn’t.

I didn’t.

I’d go into detail, but it’s late and I don’t feel like it.

I prefer short reviews, anyway.

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Posted in General Foolishness, The Arts

Attack of the Bedbugs

Posted on May 30, 2008 | Comments Off

There’s a woman in New York who is claiming that bedbug bites have given her post-traumatic stress disorder. I’m not kidding.

She is suing her former employer for a pretty penny; the infestation was in their offices. How appropriate that the employer in question is a media outlet, Fox News.

Fox, and other outlets, have reported uncritically on all kinds of hypochondria and frivolous lawsuits for years. Now Fox gets to taste some of its own medicine.

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Posted in General Foolishness, Media

You Know it’s a Slow News Day When…

Posted on May 25, 2008 | Comments Off

One of CNN’s top stories is “Indiana Jones movie upsets communists.”

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Posted in General Foolishness, Media

Lessons in Subway Etiquette

Posted on May 22, 2008 | Comments Off

I had the most delicious experience riding the subway to work yesterday morning.

The train was packed to the gills, as usual. It was difficult to make room for the people exiting the train at each stop. A tourist — I could tell by his khaki shorts and bulky suitcase — was sitting comfortably in a seat; those around him stood.

Seeing me having to step this way and that to make room for others, he loudly remarked to his friend, “I think this guy needs a train-riding lesson.”

I heard him, loud and clear. Discretion being the better part of valor, I held my tongue.

A couple of stops later, he and his friend got off the train. He stumbled and had a bit of trouble navigating to the exit. I took the opportunity to look him right in the eye and calmly tell him, “I think you need a train-riding lesson.”

He audibly groaned. The look of embarrassment on his face was priceless.

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Posted in General Foolishness