Plat du jour--guest submission

 










Another one found by Joanne.

Recent news round-up

Good News

• College Student Wins Stalking Order Against Parents
• Mexico lifts gay and bisexual blood donor ban If Mexico can adopt a risk-based policy instead of a history-based one, why can't the U.S.?
• New York newspaper to list more gun permit holders after uproar

Bad News

• Governor signs new law for abortion clinics in Michigan
• Fearful of ban, frenzied buyers swarm gun stores
• Yale under fire for new campus in restrictive Singapore Yale shouldn't be going into such a repressive country.

Animal headline of the day

Wis. couple says pet chicken alerted them to blaze

Cartoon of the day

Micro movie review

Lincoln: A third Oscar for Daniel Day-Lewis, and maybe for Sally Field, too.

Recent news round-up

Good News

• Federal judge blocks Missouri law to deny birth control coverage
• UK prosecutors consider charges over royal hoax call

Bad News

• Gun enthusiasts pack shows to buy assault weapons
• Dental Assistant Fired For Being 'Irresistible' Is 'Devastated'
• Judge says Oklahoma can end Planned Parenthood contract

Headline of the month

I'm going to go with this one, because I doubt there will be any better.

Professional Complainer Says Ex Kicked Him Out of Pad for Ruining Feng Shui

Semi-random thoughts

• My wife was carded when she wanted to buy a senior ticket to a movie. She was so happy.
• I went to the Leonard Cohen concert at the new Barclays Center in Brooklyn. A friend of my wife's invited us to the private suite her brother's company has there. It's very comfortable, but I don't think they should call it a suite--it's only one room.
• I really like Citibank's remote check deposit via cellphone service, but I wish they'd raise the $1000 limit.

Happy Festivus!

To all Seinfeld fans (and non-fans), Happy Festivus!

To the tune of Let it Snow:

What a lovely day for Festivus,
a Festivus for the rest of us,
this is the place to hate,
let them wait, let them wait, let them wait.

It doesn't show signs of stopping,
I bought some caps for popping,
aluminum pole's aglow,
let them know, let them know, let them know.

With the feat of strength at hand,
stop crying fight your old man,
so go and drink another beer,
T'is the best time of the year!

What a lovely day for Festivus,
a Festivus for the rest of us,
gather your family around,
cut them down, cut them down, cut them down.

No need for decorating,
as tinsel's too distracting,
all you need is a metal pole,
cleanse your soul, cleanse your soul, cleanse your soul.

With the feat of strength at hand,
stop crying fight your old man,
so go and drink another beer,
T'is the best time of the year!

What a lovely day for Festivus,
a Festivus for the rest of us,
gather your family around,
cut them down, cut them down, cut them down.

No need for decorating,
as tinsel's too distracting,
all you need is a metal pole,
cleanse your soul, cleanse your soul, cleanse your soul.

With the feat of strength at hand,
stop crying fight your old man,
so go and drink another beer,
T'is the best time of the year!

T'is the best time of the year!

Animal headline of the day

Rescued Turkey Thinks He’s a Dog

Micro movie review

Hyde Park on Hudson: The fine story of FDR's meeting with the King and Queen of England in 1939, while simultaneously starting a relationship with a distant cousin. Olivia Colman's portrayal of the Queen is very, very different from Helena Bonham-Carter's in The King's Speech.

Plat du jour--guest submission

Another one found by Joanne. She asks if his other car has MD plates.

Today's news round-up

Good News

• Judge orders end to HIV prison segregation in Alabama
• Google Video executives' Italian conviction overturned
• Mother loses legal fight to stop son's cancer radiotherapy
• God's gender divides German government Actually, you're supposed to ask someone their preferred pronouns.
• Judge: La. woman can flip finger in holiday lights
• Judge rules against Texas in women's care dispute
• Wisconsin court rules in favor of same-sex domestic registry

Bad News

• NRA calls for armed police officer in every school Idiots. What are they going arm the officers with? Assault weapons? Because I don't think a cop with a handgun stands a very good chance against a shooter with one of those. 
• Sexual assault reports jump 23 percent at US military academies I have to wonder how much of the increase is due to increased reporting instead of increased assaults.

Artwork from my life, going into the Met



From the Metropolitan Museum of Art

I just came across a news article from a week ago, about how Thomas Hart Benton’s mural "America Today" is going into the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I have seen this mural many times.

As the article explained, it was installed in an office building lobby from 1996 until recently. For seven months after 9/11 I worked in a temporary office my employer set up in that building. I went through the lobby frequently, and I much admired this huge work of art.

In recent years I have gone through the lobby monthly, on my way to the meetings of the board of LeGaL--The LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York. Again I delighted in seeing the mural.

Then, they started renovating the lobby, and the murals were covered up for their protection--at least that's what I thought. However, the article tells me, they were actually removed and put in storage, as their owner has donated them to the Metropolitan Museum.

So I will be able to see them again, but not immediately. They will be going into the Met's new space where the Whitney Museum is now, and will be until 2015. Eventually, though, it is planned to move the murals to the main Metropolitan building--only four blocks from my home.

Recent news round-up

Good News

• Democrats vow to push for gun control measures in Congress
• Report: City To Offer ‘Bounty’ To Landlords To Ban Smoking In Apartments
• Mayor Bloomberg Signs Law Setting Pedicab Fares
• New Legislation Requires Better Access To Taxis For Visually Impaired

Bad News

• House Republicans Refusing To Approve White House-Requested Sandy Aid

Someone talks sense about prayer in public schools, and elsewhere

This notion that prayer isn't allowed in public schools is absolute horseshit. Ostentatious, invasive displays are not the same as prayer. In fact, the more theatrical someone is about the connection with their god, the more you can be certain of their doubt in their own belief.

--twitter.com/moviesbybowes

I don't know who Danny Bowes is, but he's sure right about this.

Happy (maybe) birthday, Ludwig!

It's Ludwig van Beethoven's 242nd birthday. Maybe. All we know for sure was that he was baptized on the 17th.

Plat du jour--guest submission

 
Found by Joanne.

Recent news round-up

Good News

• D.J.’s in Prank Call Over Royals Forced Into Hiding
• Oregon Governor Declares December “Transgender Youth Awareness Month” Yay, Oregon!
• Many single women, a key bloc, are avoiding GOP

Animal headline of the day

Montreal may require dogs to be bilingual

More of my kind of xmas music

Not so recent news round-up

Somehow I missed posting these:

Good News

• Teenager Charged in Possum’s Beating Death Idiot. Also, I think this is the first time I've ever liked something PETA did.

Bad News

• Appeals court strikes down Illinois ban on handguns in public

Recent news round-up

Good News

• Court Rules Gang Crime Falls Short of Terrorism I'm glad the court decided to limit the use of terrorism charges. What the DA tried was not what the legislature intended, I'm sure.
• University of Iowa becomes one of first to ask about sexual orientation
• Coming to a Curb Near You: Yellow Cabs Summoned With Smartphones Maybe now I'll be able to get a cab back to Manhattan from Bushwick after midnight.

Cartoon of the day

                                 Sky Color

Micro movie review

Skyfall: One of the best Bond movies ever.

Mick Jagger does the Top Ten list on Letterman's show

“Top Ten Things I, Mick Jagger, Have Learned After 50 Years in Rock ‘n’ Roll”:

10. “Nobody wants to hear anything from your new album.”
9. “Never take relationship advice from Phil Spector.”
8. “Before shouting ‘Hi Seattle!’ make sure you’re in Seattle.”
7. “You don’t earn a cent when someone does a song about having moves like Jagger.”
6. “Everybody you meet after you become famous is only interested in you as a person.”
5. “Song royalties are great, but even they can’t match the guaranteed cash flow of a reverse mortgage.”
4. “A good way to keep yourself entertained is to sign every 10th autograph ‘Doris Goldblatt.’”
3. “Be considerate of other hotel guests — trash your room by 10 p.m.”
2. “You can’t always get what you want — like a good joke on the top ten list.”
1. “You start out playing rock ‘n’ roll so you can have sex and do drugs. But you end up doing drugs so you can still play rock ‘n’ roll and have sex.”

From ABC News

Happy 12:12 12/12/12

I'm sure I'm not the only one doing this.

Study this before seeing The Hobbit

From The Lord of the Rings Project
H/T to Lynette Nusbacher

Recent news round-up

Good News

• Australian DJs Behind Royal Prank May Face Police Probe I hope they are prosecuted, and I'm glad to see the radio station is facing an advertising boycott.
• North Carolina barred from issuing "Choose Life" license plates
• Hasidic Man Found Guilty of Sexually Abusing Girl
• Feds rule on health care law's Medicaid expansion

Bad News

• Michigan Legislature OKs separate "right-to-work" bills to curb unions
• Egypt’s Leader Prepares a Plan to Impose Martial Law How is this an improvement over Mubarak?

Proverb update

The squeaky hinge gets WD40ed.

My kind of xmas music

I usually try to ignore most xmas music. But then there's this:

Semi-random thoughts

• I just read a review in a high end audio magazine for a $2,200 power cord! The reviewer hears all kinds of differences in the music when comparing it to his usual power cord. I guess I'm glad I don't have good enough hearing for that.
• I'm not overly upset that University of Wisconsin head football coach Bret Bielema is leaving to coach the Arkansas team. I think he's a good coach, but not a great one. His time management decisions on the field have been lacking a number of times.
• My skills as a lawyer have been "endorsed" by a couple of people on LinkedIn. I did once do a little legal work for one of them, a friend. But that was about 30 years ago! The other is an online acquaintance who knows nothing of my work. The only reason I got on LinkedIn was because my LGBT bar association is using a "group" there to communicate with its members. In general, LinkedIn appears pretty worthless.

Animal headline of the day

Catfish learning to hunt pigeons on land

Recent news round-up

Good News

• Norway princess in secret India trip to play nanny
• New Zealand: X marks the spot on passport for transgender travellers

Bad News

• After skipping bail in Germany, Sea Shepherd's Paul Watson returns to the ocean This guy has no respect for the law. He should be in jail.
• Indian village bans mobile phone use by women
• Legendary jazz artist Dave Brubeck dies

Pharmacy sign fail

It says, "This is an immunizing table. Please keep clean."

No, thank you, Pizza Hut

I would not like to smell like a pizza.

Pizza Hut has created a limited-edition perfume

My sixth warning about Walmart

Last year it was this. This year: Walmart Workers Killed a Man on Sunday

Living with wild turkeys XIV

Wild Turkeys Overrun Brookline, Mass.

Somali thugs lose again

Combined Maritime Forces Interdict Suspected Pirate Ship

Today's news round-up

Good News

• In Florida, Republican Concedes House Race West is an idiot.
• A City Ban Changes the Christmas Scene
• For Tax Pledge and Its Author, a Test of Time
• Homeless Gay and Transgender Youths Find a New Home in Greenwich Village

Bad News

• Elmo Actor Kevin Clash Resigns Amid Sex Allegation Something is strange here. The story seemed dead. There seems to be nothing new, yet he resigned.
• Police Say Storm Damaged Evidence
• Creationism Controversies The Norm Among Potential Republican 2016 Contenders

Questions of the day

Will you still need me?
Will you still feed me?

Still over-priced

H/T to @jdoxblood on Twitter

Semi-random thoughts

• My wife and I were relieved to find out that Hurricane Sandy caused no significant damage to the complex in NJ that provides the bulk of our income. They had emergency generators to power the sump pumps that kept the boiler rooms safe, unlike during Irene.
• I notice that I recently went past 2,500 posts here.
• I wish there were a way of filtering out comments from non-New Yorkers on NY Times articles about the city--especially articles about local apartments. Most of these people have absolutely no idea about how things work here.

Don't contribute to the Salvation Army

I see the bellringers are already in operation, so I'll reiterate what I said last year: They are trans- and homophobic.

Cartoon of the day

Recent news round-up

Good News

• Judge backs Calif. high-speed rail over farmers
• Democrats stiffen spine against trimming benefits
• Man demoted for Facebook comments wins case Though I totally disagree with what he said, his employer has no right to discipline him for exercising his right to free speech away from the job.

Bad News

• Oklahoma Judge Sentences Teen to Church for 10 Years No representative of the government has the right to force someone to go to church.
• Judge sides with company on contraceptive coverage

Animal headline of the day

Elderly goose has honeymoon, then dies

Recent news round-up

Good News

• Fordham head blasts Ann Coulter--Update: Coulter appearance cancelled Coulter, Limbaugh, etc. are just entertainers who use gross right-wing exaggerations to generate publicity for themselves. 
• UPS Halts Boy Scouts Donations Over Anti-Gay Policy 
• S.F. health care to cover sex reassignment surgery
• TSA says yes to snow globes, reserves right to inspect cakes and pies The snow globe industry is rejoicing.
• Accuser recants sex claims against Elmo puppeteer: report

Bad News

• Red Cross response to Sandy fails to meet expectations I'm not surprised in the least. There are far better ways to help the victims of Sandy. One of my friends said, "The only thing we've gotten in Staten Island from the Red Cross is solicitations for money."
• Newly Elected State Senator Defects to Republican Party This is not going to help us get GENDA passed.

Happy anniversary to me

14 years ago today was the first time I went out presenting as a woman.

Today's new round-up

Good News

• Ireland to vote on expanding rights for children
• Charles Darwin gets 4,000 write-in votes in Georgia
• Denise Helms, California Woman, Fired After Calling Obama N-Word, Hoping He's Assassinated Just plain stupid.
• Lawyer owes $300,000 for showing child pornography at trial Being a lawyer doesn't exempt you from the law.

Semi-random thoughts

• There's something wrong with the way we do daylight savings time. In the spring, we skip 2am to 3am, but in the fall we repeat 1am to 2am. Shouldn't we be doing the same hour both times?
• My glob just got its first visitor from Kenya.
• Sometimes things really do go my way. My bi-annual renewal of my registration as a lawyer is due shortly, and I found myself 2 credits short of the requirement for mandatory continuing legal education. I saw my local bar association is giving a 3 credit class next Tuesday, when I have nothing scheduled. I resigned myself to paying the fee and schlepping down there. Then today I got a notice from the NY State Bar Association that they are giving a 2 credit class next Thursday, when I also have nothing scheduled. It's free, and I can take it via webinar.

Recent news round-up

Good News

• Maryland, Maine approve gay marriage, Washington poised to do so
• French gay marriage and adoption bill backed by cabinet
• Gay marriage in Spain affirmed by top court
• Arizona student with special needs avoids bullies with protection of football team
• Man behind anti-Islam film to return to jail for a year Jerk.
• Minnesota voters are first to reject ID measure
• Cuomo Fires Emergency Office Chief for Misusing Workers in Hurricane Idiot.

Bad News

• Alabama justice ousted over Ten Commandments monument wins back post

Another computer crash

Just like last July, my hard drive has crashed, and everything needs to be restored. At least this time I know the proper order to do things in. After about 12 hours yesterday, I got Vista reinstalled and brought up to date--neither of which ran exactly smoothly. Then I started my file restore, via Carbonite, but it is going extremely slowly. It looks like it will take days.

Recent news round-up

Good News

• Disappointed NYC marathoners to run in aid of Sandy victims Dr. Metzl is my orthopedist.
• NJ Residents Displaced by Storm Can Vote by Email
• New York City crime down by a third in wake of superstorm

Bad News

• Parents Attack Daughter With Acid I hope they go to jail for the rest of their lives.
• IRS not enforcing rules on churches and politics I hope this changes during the second Obama administration.
• San Francisco GLBT Museum Attacked By Vandals

Set your clocks back plus Tuesday is Obama Day!

Turnabout is fair play

Ore. deer hunter mauled by wounded bear

Happy Beethoven Awareness Month!

It's Beethoven Awareness Month at WQXR.

Today's news round-up

Good News

• Rape remark costs Indiana Republican Senate hopeful poll support We don't need religious fanatics in the senate.
• Voters' Picks: The Storm Changed My Vote from Romney to Obama I'll take Obama votes wherever I can get them.
• Chicago's Cook County is first metro area to levy gun tax
• Texas man jailed after failing to appear for jury duty

Justice!

I received notification that a settlement of a class action suit against Classmates.com has been approved. As a member of the class I am receiving $3.93.

The aftermath of Sandy

FreshDirect cancelled my usual Sunday night grocery delivery right before the storm, so I got what I could from my supermarket during the day. Then I put in a small FreshDirect order for this evening, for a few things that were unavailable. This morning they sent me an email saying 5 of the items in my order were unavailable.

I had only ordered 6 items. Tonight they will be delivering me one quarter pound of cheese.

UPDATE: It came!

Today's news round-up

Good News

• Polls: Obama Stakes Strong Lead In Iowa, Narrower Ones In Other Battlegrounds
• Greek bank list editor Costas Vaxevanis acquitted
• NJ to use military trucks as polling places Great idea.

Bad News

• Ex-Penn State President Charged (Another article) I'm not the least bit surprised by this.
• Chinese Cafe Owner Given 8-Year Sentence Over Online Messages A reminder that although China may have abandoned traditional communist economic principles, it remains a totalitarian country, politically. 

Why did the salmon cross the road?

Salmon swim across flooded road in Washington

Today's news round-up

Good News

• California judge rules large Arizona campaign donation can be audited
• Israeli Defense Chief Says Iran Postponed Nuclear Ambitions
• Polish rape victim 'should have had abortion access'

Bad News

• Nasty campaign tactics: Phony voting instructions
• Romney collects supplies in Ohio for storm victims I wonder what will happen to all that stuff. The Red Cross has said it can't use it. This is a poorly thought out political stunt.

It's going to take a bit of work to get the Metro-North trains running on the Hudson Line

--From the MTA website

Living with wild hogs VI

Wild boar attacks and injures 4 people in Berlin

Recent news round-up

Good News

• Advantage Obama in hunt for 270 electoral votes

Bad News

• Tunisian Salafis attack alcohol sellers in capital
• Greek editor arrested over list of Swiss accounts
• Attack on Nigerian Church Kills 8 and Wounds Dozens

Mixed Good and Bad News

• A Village Rape Shatters a Family, and India’s Traditional Silence It's bad that these rapes are happening, but good that people are beginning to fight the trend.

Re: Hurricane Sandy

I haven't posted anything here, but I'm fine. All my Facebook and Twitter friends who were joking about it all day, and dismissing the precautions taken, have now shut up, with serious flooding happening, building facade collapses, a probable electrical transformer explosion at a ConEd station, etc. And high tide is just occurring now.

Trans United for Obama

Semi-random thoughts

• In my wife's mind, taking a nap in bed is being lazy, but if she does it on the couch it's OK.
• It was a disastrous Saturday for alma mater, the University of Wisconsin. The football team lost to Michigan State in overtime, which ended their 21 game home winning streak (second best in the nation). But much worse, our young but quickly improving quarterback broke his collarbone, and is probably out for the rest of the season. And on top our football woes, our men's basketball team lost its newly-named starting point guard for the season due to a torn ACL in pre-season practice. 
• I always keep a Chrome window open, in addition to my normal Internet Explorer one(s). This is so I can keep two Yahoo Mail ID's open simultaneously. Now I've found another use for my Chrome window: When a newspaper website limits me to a certain number of free articles per month, I can switch to the other browser and get double.
  

Recent news round-up

Good News

• MTA To Release App Providing Info From Subway Countdown Clocks
• New Orleans sees revival of historic streetcars

Bad News

• AP poll: Majority harbor prejudice against blacks
• Friends Say Staten Island Teen Who Jumped In Front Of Train Was Bullied

Animal headline of the day

Panicking cow kills Palestinian in Muslim feast

If someone were trying to kill me I might panic, too.

Re-affirming everything I (don't) believe about religion

Deeply Religious Newburgh Man Crushed By Falling Crucifix, Loses Leg

Today's news round-up

Good News

• Anti-bullying program draws more participants despite boycott call
• Up to 40 percent may vote early in U.S. election; Obama ahead
• Consumer sentiment at highest in five years in October

Somali thugs keep losing

Dutch Warship Destroys Pirate 'Mother Ship'

This means the parents aren't gifted, of course

New Gifted and Talented Test Leaves Parents Stumped

Seriously, a great many parents have a seriously inflated opinion of their children's capabilities. Most children aren't gifted. This test was designed so that coaching, by parents or anyone else, isn't going to help.

Today's news round-up

Good News

• New York Gay Marriage Withstands Legal Threat
• Bloomberg To Spend $500,000 In Support Of Gay Marriage In 3 States
• TSA Pulls Use Of Controversial Full Body Scanners At JFK, LaGuardia Airports
• Columbia Reverses Decision to Cut Funds for Student Abortions
• American plans to hire 2,500 pilots
• New Polls Show Obama Maintains Lead in Ohio; Closes Gap Nationally with Romney

Bad News

• Aurora school board repeals transgender protections
• N.C. church members charged in alleged extreme hate crime
• Stop-and-Frisk Targets Transgender Community Unfairly, Study Says
• In N.J. Surrogacy Case, Infertile Wife Loses Appeal to Be Named Legal Mother
• 2 Kentucky men acquitted of hate-crimes charges

Romnesia?

Question of the day

Why do "terribly pretty" and "pretty terrible" mean opposite things?

Today's news round-up

Good News

• DeGeneres honored for lifetime as U.S. entertainer This is very nice, but isn't 54 a little young to get a lifetime achievement award?
• Mauled by Ads, Incumbents Look to Declaw Outside Groups Hoisted on their own petard.
• Hedge Fund Manager Donates $100 Million for Central Park
• Court blocks Indiana law cutting Planned Parenthood funds

Bad News

• $2.50 Base Fare for Subways and Buses Is Likely, Transit Chairman Suggests
• New York lesbian couple accuses wedding venue of discrimination

Today's news round-up

Good News

• Uncertainty Clouds Polling, but Obama Remains Electoral College Favorite This is my favorite commentary blog on the election.

Bad News

• Russia's jailed punk rock band members sent to prison camps
• L'Aquila quake: Italy scientists guilty of manslaughter If this verdict stands I don't see how they will ever get any more scientists to serve on this board.
• Afghan police say man killed wife for wanting job
• Parents considering legal action over school yoga The religious aspects have been removed. These parents are paranoid.

Semi-random thoughts

• I was very happy to see the Yankees swept out of the playoffs. I'm an Indians fan. I hate the Yankees.
• At first I thought the Wisconsin Badgers football team was just going to have a "rebuilding year," but it looks like it might only have been the beginning of the season. They've won their last three games, and are looking better and better each week.
• I generally don't read any news article with a question mark in the headline. Usually it's about something that isn't true, or at least is totally unsubstantiated.

Animal headline of the day

Chickens Threaten to Divide Community

From Overheard in New York

Wife: I'm cold. Are you cold?
Husband: Not really.
Wife: How come men never complain about being cold?
Husband: We have good thermostats, you have multiple orgasms. Wanna trade?

--MoMA
via Overheard in New York, Oct 17, 2012

Cartoon of the day

Close To Home

Recent news round-up

Good News

• Judge blocks Arizona law that bars funding to Planned Parenthood
• Obama immigration stance locks in Hispanic support
• Ohio voter fraud billboards to come down, sponsor stays unnamed

Animal headline of the day

Prosecutor: Florida Man Charged In NY For Illegally Importing Dinosaurs

Fight bullying!

Today's news round-up

Good News

• Mormon feminists? Yes they exist, and they're for Obama
• Star Commentator Is Out as Christian College President After Scandal I'd call him a hypocrite except idiot seems more appropriate: “I had no idea that it is considered wrong in Christian circles to be engaged prior to being divorced.”
• Doctors say shot Pakistani girl improving
• Ill. Amtrak train set to hit 110 mph in test run

Bad News

• Soup kitchen in Ryan photo op losing donors The Romney campaign should make a donation to compensate for this loss.
• Judge allows Texas cheerleaders to use "Bible banners" for now Regardless of who pays for the uniforms, when they are on the football field they are representing their school. What they do should be considered an official act of the school.
• France delays debate on gay marriage

Traveler's insurance fail

Now I understand more fully why my automated credit card payment for my Traveler's insurance failed last month. I had made an extra payment on the credit card, as I was getting close to my limit and the charge was large. I just thought the payment got delayed. It seems that was not the problem.

After the charge didn't go through, I got a letter from Traveler's saying that my automatic charges to my credit card had been cancelled, and I had to sign up for it again. I did this, specifying that I wanted the charges to made on the 20th of the month. I then got another letter from them saying my credit card would be charged on October 22 (because the 20th is a Saturday).

The charge went through today, the 19th.

Recent news round-up

Good News

• Dad Protests for Son Suspended After Standing Up to Bully I was once punished a couple of times for standing up to bullies. The school administrators who do this should be fired.
• Man held in plot to attack Federal Reserve in NYC I'm really glad there are law enforcement people out there catching fanatics like this.
• New Polls Have Good News for Obama
• Appeals court rules against Defense of Marriage Act
• Belfast judge: Gay, unmarried couples can adopt
• Same-Sex Marriage Support Has Grown Among Latinos, Survey Finds

Bad News

• Turkey tries pianist Fazil Say for insulting Islam

What a waste of money, Knights of Columbus

Thugs still active off west Africa

Pirates kidnap seven crew members off Nigerian coast

Recent news round-up

Good News

• Pakistan sends girl shot by Taliban to UK for care
• High court won't block early voting in Ohio
• Obama extends slim lead over Romney in White House race: Reuters/Ipsos poll
• Cuba to End Exit Visa Requirement in January

Bad News

• Exotic Bird Decapitated at Las Vegas Casino; Law Students Charged I kind of doubt they will ever be lawyers.
• UK blocks extradition of alleged hacker to US

Cartoon of the day

Plat du jour

Semi-random thoughts

• Recently I had lunch with an old friend at his office. He works for Google, and it's as wacky a place as I've heard. If I worked there I'd probably be as big as a house, with all that yummy, free food. The most amazing thing I saw was a rack where people can park their scooters. There were two scooters neatly parked.
• Somehow I'm on the Chabad's mailing list. Oy.
• The Browns finally won a game! After only 11 losses in a row (dating back to last season).

Micro movie review

Argo: The gripping story of the 1980 escape from Iran of the U.S. embassy employees who were not captured there. Despite some over-dramatizations and exaggerations (trucks, even police cars, can't go that fast), a fine movie.

Today's news round-up

Good News

• James Levine plans Met Opera return in May
• "Million Muppet March" planned to defend U.S. backing for PBS

Sort of Good, Sort of Bad, News

• Arrests Made in the Shooting of 14-Year-Old Pakistani Girl But Taliban Reiterate Vow to Kill Pakistan Girl

Somali thugs keep losing

Somalia: EU Naval Force Quick to Capture Suspect Pirate Boat

Dutch navy detains Somali pirates

Today's news round-up

Good News

• Philippine High Court Suspends Contentious Internet Law

Sort of Good, Sort of Bad, News

• Russian Supreme Court Upholds But Limits ‘Gay Propaganda’ Law

Bad News

• Supreme court won't review telecom immunity for surveillance
• Alex Karras with wife, kids after kidney failure He was great as Mongo.

Animal headline of the day

Woman texting while driving kills prize-winning cow

Why political movements have so much trouble

Last week I got a group e-mail asking us to say which of three times we're available for a conference call. Today I checked to see if there was a consensus. Ten people have replied. Five of us are available for each of the times.

Oy.

Recent news round-up

Good News

• Court rules N.Y. shooting victim can sue gun maker, distributor
• French police kill one in raid linked to Jewish market attack
• Indiana Senate race may hinge on disenchanted Lugar backers The Democrats could pick up a seat here.
• In Va., ex-Rep. Goode may pose risk for Romney He could be the Ralph Nader of the Republicans.

Bad News

• Danny DeVito, Rhea Perlman split after 30 years

My tax update

My taxes are done! My taxes are done! My taxes are done!

Micro movie review

Arbitrage: Any resemblance between this film and reality is purely co-incidental. There isn't even anything about arbitrage in it.

Today's news round-up

Good News

• Boston man named 1st 'Price Is Right' male model Why is his being from Boston relevant?
• Meryl Streep donates $1M to The Public Theatre
• Jobless Rate Falls to 7.8%, Lowest Since January 2009
• Loitering Rules in Projects Are Too Vague, Judge Says

Sort of Good, Sort of Bad, News

• Federal judge approves scaled-down Florida voter purge

Bad News

• Romney closes gap with Obama to 2 points after debate: Reuters/Ipsos poll

Update on my taxes

Taxes are going pretty well. It started slowly Monday, as I had difficulty (re)installing TurboTax, and then getting it to run. Their website was quite helpful in getting past the installation problem (though I did have to try their procedure twice to get it to work). But it was of little help in getting the software to run. After I tried all of their possible solutions, which did nothing, I decided to uninstall and reinstall. It was only when I went to do that did they offer me the alternative to "repair" the program--which did the trick. It should have been one of the suggestions on their "troubleshoot" page. Then I transferred the info from my 2010 return, and downloaded my state tax software. Finally I imported the data from my stock broker. This was critical, as it would take forever to type all of that stuff in--my 1099 is 24 pages long.

I resumed working on my taxes Wednesday. I organized all my documents, then started doing the income information. There were a couple of cost basis figures missing from the 1099s (one of mine, one of my wife's), but I was able to find the numbers pretty quickly. I'm not quite done with all the income items.

I'm taking today (Thursday) off to go out, and I'll start again on Friday.

Recent news round-up

Good News

• New Mexico removes "forcible" from state regulation mentioning rape
• Pennsylvania judge: Voter ID law a no-go for November 6

Sort of Good, Sort of Bad, News

• Pakistan: Attack on Hindus prompts blasphemy case Blasphemy should not be a criminal act. But I'm glad the thugs who did this might be brought to justice.

Just Plain Bad News

• Chick-fil-A chief: 'We support Biblical families' I guess this means he supports polygamy.
• Gay pride march banned in Serbia
• Study: Fraud growing in scientific research papers

If anyone wants me

I'm doing my taxes this week.

Recent news round-up

Good News

• Obama leads Romney 49-42 percent in latest Reuters/Ipsos survey
• U.S. immigration to treat same-sex partners as relatives
• California bans "gay conversion therapy" for minors

Bad News

• Muslim protesters torch Buddhist temples, homes in Bangladesh

Plat du jour--guest submission

Found by Joanne.

Today's news round-up

Good News

• Romney: I might win Pennsylvania! Polls: No, you won’t
• California man behind anti-Muslim film jailed over probation I said before that I hoped they put this guy in jail.
• Obama Up In Iowa As Early Voting Begins

Bad News

• Calif. kids' football team hit with bounty scandal
• Ex-Sens. Bond, Talent now backing Akin Senate bid

Plat du jour

Purple with blue accents is quite fashionable in the City.

Today's news round-up

Good News

• Americans say Obama's ads are more honest, but expect both sides to lie, Esquire/Yahoo poll finds
• Obama leads in Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania: Poll
• U of Calif to pay pepper-sprayed Occupy protesters
• Google offers 25 cent Android apps to celebrate 25 billion downloads
• Proposal Sets Circumcision Regulations in Germany As much as I dislike religion, as well a lot of "parental rights" ideas, I do believe that this is a legitimate religious practice, and should be allowed.

Bad News

• More Republican leaders get behind Akin in Missouri Senate race Even beyond the question of which party controls the senate, this guy is particularly horrible.
• At U.N., Egypt and Yemen Urge Curbs on Free Speech

Plat du jour

I guess it means "no one's in."

Recent news round-up

Good News

• Report: Americans feel more confident in economy
• Prosecutor Deals Blow to Stop-and-Frisk Tactic
• Obama Tells U.N. New Democracies Need Free Speech

Bad News

• Some conservatives consider funding Akin in Missouri Senate race
• Court rejects bid to block Arizona "show your papers" immigration provision
• Conservative group launches ad attacking Florida Supreme Court

Maybe my "pirates" series is coming to an end

Party seems over for Somali pirates

Recent news round-up

Good News

• U.S. gas prices come down for first time since July
• The Statistical State of the Presidential Race

Bad News

• Voting laws may disenfranchise 10 million Hispanic U.S. citizens: study

Woe is the Cleveland sports fan

The Indians outscored the Browns today. Both are still in last place.

Animal headline of the day

Sweet times for cows as gummy worms replace costly corn feed

Today's news round-up

Good News

• Romney campaign trails in crucial ground game
• Tide shifts to Obama in most competitive states

Bad News

• Chick-fil-A CEO Denies Giving 'Concessions' to Open Chicago Restaurant

Today's news round-up

Good News

• Pro-American Libyans Besiege Group Suspected in U.S. Envoy’s Death
• Judge lets Walmart discrimination case proceed for now
• VP candidate Ryan heckled, booed at retiree event I love watching the Republicans self-destruct.

Bad News

• Texas cheerleaders win court battle over high school 'Bible banners' I'm sure this will be appealed
• Illinois cannot make pharmacists give 'morning after' pill: court

Delusion of the day

Herman Cain says he would have a ‘substantial lead’ over Obama

Today's news round-up

Good News

• New poll shows Obama leads Romney in swing states
• Egypt's mufti urges Muslims to endure insults peacefully A voice of reason.

Sort of Good, Sort of Bad, News

• Chick-fil-A agrees to stop funding antigay groups, Chicago alderman says However, the owner is still homophobic. Apparently he missed an awful lot of the marriages described in the Bible. Then there's this: Chick-fil-A makes another statement on controversy

Animal headline of the day

Hero pig saves baby goat from drowning

Recent news round-up

Good News

• Obama inches ahead in key voter polls There seems to be an article like this almost every time I do one of these round-ups.
• Iran says saboteurs cut power to nuclear plant
• Study: Tax Cuts for the Rich Don't Spur Growth I could have told them that. If you give a larger after-tax income to people who already have more money than they will ever need, their immediate tendancy is usually to spend the extra, mostly on luxury items that generate relatively few jobs. On the other hand, government spending tends to create jobs, either directly (like teachers and fire fighters), or indirectly (like building bridges or high speed rail).

Bad News

• Complaints about automated calls up sharply We get tons of them. If we don't recognize the Caller ID, we let it go to the answering machine, which is on 24/7.

Micro movie review

The Bourne Legacy: The series is re-bourne (sorry, I couldn't help myself).

Today's news round-up

Good News

• Obama up by four points with likely voters
• Norway court upholds ban on tobacco store displays
• Probation department looking at filmmaker I hope he goes to jail.
• Wal-Mart loses Brooklyn store site, still looking I'm proud to say I've never set foot in a Wal-Mart.
• Judge Strikes Down Wis. Law Limiting Union Rights
• Judge temporarily blocks possible Iowa voter purge

Bad News

• Va. Board Approves Tougher Abortion Clinic Rules

Animal headline of the day

Chicago looking for goats to graze at O'Hare

Romney is so out of touch with the average citizen

Romney: 'Middle-income' between $200K and $250K

How in the world could he lead the country when he has absolutely no idea how the average person lives?

Today's news round-up

Good News

• 3 Electoral College members may pass on GOP ticket However: GOP elector in Iowa who wavers on Romney resigns
• Mobile Device Privacy Act is on its way to becoming a law

Bad News

• College Football Player Kicked Off Team After He Outs Himself During a Game
• Malaysia holds seminars on how to spot gay children

Recent news round-up

Good News

• Appeals court upholds Illinois campaign disclosure law
• Obama expands lead, Romney still in striking distance
• Teen Boy, Pa. Hershey School Settle AIDS Bias Case

Bad News

• Despite pleas, missing SC boy falls by wayside As I suspected, the boy is African-American. What I didn't think about was his gender. 

Plat du jour--guest submission

I guess this refers to the celtic music group from Canada.

This was found quite a while ago by Joanne.