This XKCD is For Sig.

9/11 was Lisa's 20th birthday.  If I remembered to offer the customary "Happy Birthday" greeting, it wan't until late in the day, after some of the shock had worn off, I'd regained my senses, and slid back into my life.  I may have forgotten that year, but there's been no excuse ever since.  She and I have the inescapable, in-your-face, patriotic birthdays: September 11th, 4th of July.  So, in that vein...

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LISA! 

I would like to congratulate Dr. Erica on finishing her first week in the military at a Fort in Texas. How is the drought treating you? I remember seeing it from the plane when I flew back to SF and it was creepy.

Also, I updated the map, but I assume that you will move after basic.

It's Birthday Season at 17 Bottles Of.

First of all...for Lauren (July 9) and Ursula (July 20), the "unbirthday" song from Alice in Wonderland since it's...you know...not actually their birthdays today. The rest of us were negligent, and we apologize.



And for Erica, whose birthday is today -- a personal wish from the one and only Paul McCartney:

Happy Birthday, Signe!!!!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-pUaogoX5o

In the past, I have been chastised for making fun of religion in general and Christianity in particular. But now that some fringe Christian group has declared that the apocalypse will occur on Saturday, it is suddenly acceptable to make fun of religious beliefs. Either it is acceptable to make fun of religious beliefs, or it is not. Your beliefs are perfectly reasonable and must be taken seriously. Their beliefs are stupid and can be mocked. Give me a fucking break. You don't get to make fun of Scientologists cleansing their thetans and then turn around and whine about people pointing out the inconsistencies in your own beliefs.

Today is another classic: 10% of students in one of my classes think than any of the following can be an excuse for rape: a. Previous sexual encounter b. Victim knows person c. Sexy clothing choices.

Jeepers.

Happy Birthday, Jamie! 

A new phenomenon I've become aware of is the compost toilet. If it's done properly it's fine (especially in a rural setting), but I think most people are probably too stupid and lazy to do it properly in an urban setting. Additionally, if more people were introduced to the concept of urogenital myiasis, the demand for compost toilets in the developed world would essentially evaporate. Now who wants to go camping?

Wow.  Just...wow.  So what if a four-year-old boy wore pink nail polish in an advertisement?  It is not the end of the world.  Really.  "Psychological sterilization" is a bit of a heavy descriptor...but what do you expect from a Fox News contributor?  Grrrr.

Can I just say how much I love the fact that Nice Guys has a registered trademark after it? I like it so much that I actually say, aloud, "Nice Guys Registered Trademark" when I'm referring to these particular a-holes. Good times.

Here is Joan's take on the events at the capitol during the budget address.

After many attempts over the past two days, I was finally able to get back into the Capital after my representative had to escort me in today. Many thousands were continued to be denied access. There were only about 100-200 of us inside. I personally saw lobbyists for Sen Grothman (Repub) let in just after I was denied in even with my representative's aid with her allotted ticket couldn't get me in. Also Walker supporters that went into the Gallery to view Walker's speech went into Capital through the underground tunnel access routes. Their tactics are to frustrate so we get mad and make a scene. But we are better than them and won't stoop to their tactics. Even with a court order the Governor is not letting us into our own State Capital building. There were thousands out again today waiting and waiting.

Below is an open letter to Scott Walker from my aunt Joan.

Dear Mr. Governor,

I wanted to forward you two excellent educational videos concerning the ongoing protests that have been outside your door for the past few days or so. I hope you have some time to review them. They may or may not be enlightening to you. I truly hope they are as these are the true faces of the people from Wisconsin who have been here day in and day out.

Wisconsin Protests - Powerful Video

We Are Wisconsin


I was born and raised on a small family farm in central Wisconsin. I have absolutely nothing to do with any union. After traveling the world and around the nation in active military service to my country I was always proud to be from this great state of Wisconsin. A state that always valued its people and had such a strong work ethic. The many Soldiers from Wisconsin that served with me were always standouts. Just check with your National Guard leaders as they will also tell you that Wisconsin units have been highly regarded when on deployments. I submit that there is a reason for this. It was and hopefully will continue to be because of the great education we received. I also submit that the unions had a great role in helping to establish that. There has to be something to the fact that Wisconsin has continually scored at the very top of the ACT/SAT scoring while the states without collective bargaining rights have continually scored at the very bottom. I was also proud to be from a state which has one of the best health care systems in the nation. Additionally, this State has good quality services that are far superior to many states I have lived in while in service to my country. I've been around to know.

This "Budget Repair" bill is not about balancing the budget. It is about taking away the things that helped make this State the quality state it really is. It is about taking away the voice of workers so that they cannot advocate for the people they teach, care for, or serve. It's about killing the voice of the middle class. I listened to your phone call. I think you verified it yourself.

This "Budget Repair" bill has so many issues that have absolutely nothing to do with balancing the budget such as the politicization of legal oversight of every single State Department and no bid contract to name a couple. Please stop this bill and start over.

Please also stop your untruthful adds on TV/radio about the "budget" bill and what is going on with the protests. This is Wisconsin and we deserve better than this. I know what the bill is about. I know what is going on with who the protesters are as I have been one of them every day since 16 February. Granted some have been from out of state, but not to any degree of what your ads depict. You should be ashamed of the mistruths that you are telling with these ads and your press conferences and interviews. I have spoken with many many people from all across this great State while walking in and around the Capital. I know they are taking the truth back to their communities large and small. The real truth is getting out and spreading to every nook and cranny of the State.

Please also stop the assault on good honest Wisconsin residents with the voter ID bill. How much money will it cost to disenfranchise voters for a problem that does not exist? Again, are you interested in balancing the budget or to stifle what you perceive to be threats to your power?

Yes, 1,128,941 Wisconsin residents voted you into office. However, 1,031,891 Wisconsin residents voted for someone else other than you, but we are still residents of the state of Wisconsin. And we live here too. And we will for years to come. It is unfortunate that now we will have to live with the divisiveness that your rhetoric, your policies, and your strategy have created by pitting us against each other. And I must ask the question as to why? I must also ask as to why everyone but the rich have to suffer for an economic downturn that was created by Wall Street. Why?

Please consider me one of many Wisconsin residents that do not agree with your policy agenda.

Sincerely,

Joan Arnold
Colonel, US Army Retired
Madison, WI

Holding little girls to a higher standard of cleanliness than little boys is actually bad for them. It potentially increases the risk of illness later in life. Maybe my good health is due to the fact that I was pissed on by so many species of frogs as a child.

Lately I've been noticing a trend, and I want to know if you guys have noticed it as well. Now that women are making strides in higher education and have highly successful careers in things like law and medicine, I've found that the new M.O. of misogynists is to say that a fancy degree is not indicative of intelligence. Having a degree now only indicates how many hoops you are willing to jump through. I get why this is happening. Misogynists devalue the things women do, and traditionally it's been easy to devalue things like caregiving. But women are now doing things that misogynists value. So to deal with the cognitive dissonance, they have to start devaluing the things women are accomplishing. Usually this is done by moving the goal posts. For example, Ann Coulter says that biology is no longer a science because so many women are biologists. And now we've got college-age douchebag boys saying that really smart people don't study. Nevermind that these are patently stupid things to believe and that these beliefs will end up hurting men too. What's important is the momentary boost of self-esteem the misogynist gets from putting down really awesome women.

This particular form of toxic masculinity also ties nicely into the anti-intelligence salt-of-the-earth thing Republicans have going on. That's an interesting intersection.

Although, while some misogynists are busy devaluing a college education, others are screaming bloody murder about reverse discrimination. Men can no longer drift aimlessly through their youth and and accidentally wind up in a high paying job! The sky is falling!