Hosted by Q*Bert.
Question of the Day
Following up on Sarah Palin's announcement she'll be joining the Fox News team: Who would you like to see leave the world of politics and pursue something they are, perhaps, better suited for?
And In Other News From The World Of Entertainment
Sarah Palin has accepted a job at Fox News providing "some type of commentary," says her attorney. No other details were available.
UPDATED: Fox News has slightly more info:
[Palin] has signed a multi-year deal to offer her political commentary and analysis across all Fox News platforms, including Fox Business Channel, FoxNews.com and Fox News Radio.[Cross-posted.]
She will also participate in special event political programming for Fox Broadcasting.
"I am thrilled to be joining the great talent and management team at Fox News. It's wonderful to be part of a place that so values fair and balanced news," Palin said in a written release.
"Governor Palin has captivated everyone on both sides of the political spectrum and we are excited to add her dynamic voice to the FOX News lineup," said Bill Shine, executive vice president of programming.
Finally, Some Good News
After a mere six months on the air, NBC is cancelling The Jay Leno Show.
Leno's low ratings were "leading fewer viewers into [affiliates'] late news programs, costing them significant advertising revenue." His final show will air February 12.
The bad news is Leno will be given a new half-hour show at 11:30, pushing Conan O'Brien's Tonight Show to midnight.
[Cross-posted.]
Monday Blogaround
This Blogaround is brought to you by Shaxco, not yet producers of petri dish cookies--not yet. But soon, dear readers, soon.
Health Skills: Getting through it. ( H/T Dave Munger's latest research blogging round up.)
Working With Chronic Illness: 3 traps you can avoid
The Design Blog: ASUS Waveface Ultra: Wear your computer around the wrist like a bracelet (Slow-loading link, but very cool.)
Columbus Museum of Art Blog: CMA Executive Director Nannette Maciejunes and Bruce Harkey of Franklin Park Conservatory discuss their respective Dale Chihuly exhibitions on All Sides with Ann Fisher (Streaming audio available at the link. No transcript as far as I know; please leave a link in comments if I'm wrong.) Here are text links about the Franklin Park Conservatory's Chihuly Reimagined exhibit and the CMA's Chihuly Illuminated exhibit.
Tayari Jones: Upstate Girls. Jones discusses video essay "The Women of Troy" by Susan Sommers-Willet and Brenda Ann Kenneally. Jones labels the images in the video to which she links NSFW:
...not because they are sexually graphic, though there is a lot of skin. The photgraphs [sic] sort of give me the feeling that I am looking into people's private lives and I am not sure if it's okay for me to watch. [...] My real question is about the images. Are they too much? [...] Or does it matter who's looking? It seems that this is the precious question of 2010.Maud Newton via Laila Lalami on Twitter lets us know that The Boston Review has a 1975 interview with Susan Sontag up in celebration of its 35th anniversary.
Ben Zimmer: "Tweet" Named Word of the Year, "Google" Word of the Decade
Three-Toed Sloth: Books to Read While Algae Grow in Your Fur, December 2009
Not So Humble Pie: Science Cookie Round Up #1
Quote of the Day
"I'm blacker than Barack Obama." — Rod Blagojevich , reality show star and one-time Illinois governor, in a recent interview with Esquire. He continued, "I shined shoes. I grew up in a five-room apartment. My father had a little laundromat in a black community not far from where we lived. I saw it all growing up."
NQDTR Discussion Thread - M100111
Hiya, Shakers, time for another Discussion Thread for the Not Quite Daily Teaspoon Report!
This is the thread in which you may offer congratulations or admiration for a teaspoon or teaspooner. If you're posting with just congrats or admiration, though, do take a moment and check the thread to see whether other people have said so a number of times already. Remember that no one is required to read here just because they posted over there, so there's no guarantee you'll get a response to a given comment.
The Not Quite Daily Teaspoon Report - M100111
Time for another Teaspoon Report. Leave comments here that describe an act of teaspooning you encountered or committed. They don't have to be big, world-shaking acts; by definition, a teaspoon is a small thing, but enough of them together can empty the ocean.
If you would like to discuss the teaspoons here reported, or even offer congratulations or your admiration to a fellow Shaker, we ask that you do so over here in the Discussion Thread for today's NQDTR.
Shaker bgk has been kind enough to get a Twitter-pated version out there for you young twittersnappers (and by the way, get off my lawn, you meddling kids! *shakes cane*). You can find the details about the Tweetspoons project right here. That runs all the time, as far as I'm aware (*grumblenewtechnologygrumble*), and we encourage you to let other people know that there's at least one tweetstream talking about just going out and doing good things for the human species.
Teaspoons up, let's hear 'em, Shakers!
ô,ôP
Perry v. Schwarzenegger
Opening today is the first ever federal trial to determine if the U.S. Constitution prohibits individual states from outlawing same-sex marriage.
Among the questions [Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn] Walker plans to entertain are whether sexual orientation can be changed, how legalizing gay marriage affects traditional marriages and the effect on children of being raised by two mothers or two fathers.It boggles my mind that such ridiculous questions are being asked in a court of law. Of courwe, we all know these arguments can so easily be dismantled with facts. (Not that logic, reason and sense enters into it all.)
As Jennifer Pizer, marriage director for Lambda Legal says:
Can the state reserve the esteemed language and status of marriage just for heterosexual couples, and relegate same-sex couples to a lesser status? Are there any adequate public interests to justify reimposing such a caste system for gay people, especially by a majority vote to take a cherished right from a historically mistreated minority?Proponents of bigotry fall to their old stand-by: What about the children!?!?
Their witnesses will testify that governments historically have sanctioned traditional marriage as a way to promote responsible child-rearing and that this remains a valid justification for limiting marriage to a man and a woman.Regardless of the outcome, the case is expected to be appealed to the Supreme Court.
[Proceedings can be viewed here.]
UPDATE: The U.S. Supreme court has temporarily blocked broadcast of the trial.
Daily Kitteh
Went digging for a couple of pictures of the only cat who lives in this flat.
CaitieCat at 29, with the kids at the playground.
CaitieCat at 41, in the playground, no kids for an excuse.
Blog Note
Just a quick note: I just spoke to Liss this morning and I thought I'd let you all know she's planning to take a few more personal days.
Open Thread
Hosted by an Owl Sculpture.
*This week's open threads have been brought to you by Owls.
Owls, symbolizing bespectacled wisdom since 1700.
RIP Art Clokey
Art Clokey, creator of The Gumby Show and Davey and Goliath, died Friday. He was 88.
Open Thread
Hosted by Space Cowboy and a friend of the African Spotted variety.
(Whoops, just looked at SC's original email to me, and this is an African Spotted Eagle Owl. What a gorgeous owl, eh?)
The Virtual Pub Is Open
Over the teeth, behind the gums, look out stomach, here it comes!
Belly up to the bar, Shakers, and name your poison. Free fried spuds on the Spud tonight.
Quote of the Day
"We had no domestic attacks under Bush. We've had one under Obama." — Rudy Giuliani, discussing terrorism in the U.S., and somehow forgetting September 11, 2001.
