Flippity Floppity

Spouse, observing tonight's bath: "What are you doing with your peanut?"

WB, holding himself: "I'm making it go flippity floppity to see if any yellow water will come out."

In my own words

I'm currently reading Kings or People: Power and the Mandate to Rule, by Reinhold Bendix, which is long and somewhat tedious, but has some very important stuff in it. As per my standard practice, I take notes on everything I read, putting the main ideas into my own words.

So when Bendix talks about the formation of Islamic empires, he traces it back to Mecca establishing itself as a holy space pre-Muhammad where no blood-feuds could be practiced. This "safe haven" label is what helped establish Mecca as a center for commerce in the Arabian world. Looking over my notes, I wrote, "Forbidding bloodshed makes Mecca a Mecca."

Bendix probably said it better, if not more concisely.

The Latest

Please make a note that I am a lazy crocheter who does not check my gauge with a swatch before starting a project, despite being warned repeatedly that I should do so. I am also lazy enough to use the wrong sized hook if I can't find the correct hook but really want to start something.

Witness: DQ's back-to-school sweater.



It does not fit her. It almost fits me. Oh, well.

The Great Debate

So, I'm not watching the RNC. It angers up the blood a bit too much. But my mailbox had all sorts of info on it today, and then there was this:

Baskin Robbins has a contest where you can vote for your preferred new ice cream flavor: Straight Talk Crunch or Whirl of Change. I guess I should thank my lucky stars that it wasn't Chocolate vs. Vanilla.


By the way, I will ALWAYS pick Chocolate in that matchup. Just like I prefer dark meat at Thanksgiving. Big surprise.

I Found It

Thanks to all the commenters who suggested things to make me smile. I found something just right:



Michael Palin brings SexyBack!

A Terrible Horrible No-Good, Very Bad Day

I'm in need of a pick-me-up. Anybody out there got a priceless YouTube or internet gem they want to share with me? I'll start the ball rolling with something Nate sent me last week: The Top 11 Naughtiest Moments in Animaniacs.

Gustav: How to Help

Elle's got some links on how to help people evacuating Gustav. Please please please check it out and help if you can. I have fled a hurricane. And it freakin' sucks. I evacuated for Hurricane Rita in 2005. 3 weeks after Katrina, we were taking no chances. It was a horrible experience. Even if you have money, and family support, and a car, and a job that has allowed you to go. It still sucks.

And it's scary. Just not knowing what you will come to. So when I take a moment and think about all those people facing such a scary, difficult, even deadly undertaking without the sorts of privilege and resources that I had, I'm floored. So once again, give if you can.

Gustav

To Miss M, the in-laws, and all the rest on the gulf coast, stay safe. We're thinking of you.

It's never too late to say, "Sorry, we were misogynist assholes"

This story talks about the exoneration of one of the last witches executed in Europe. I take issue with the article's specifics ("several thousand"? Try tens of thousands... probably 40,000 to 100,000 at best scholarly estimate, but hey, what's a few thousand troublemaking women more or less? And "mostly women" should be "overwhelmingly women"), but I do appreciate their recognition that there was something wrong. Go Switzerland.