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This from the Howard County Blog, posted by Jim Walsh:

"The U.S. Census Bureau just announced its annual income and poverty estimates for the nation. Maryland has the distinction of having the highest median household income ($65,144) and the lowest poverty rate (7.8%) in the U.S. Howard County had the highest median household income in Maryland ($94,260) and ranked third among all counties nationally (behind only Fairfax and Loudoun counties in Virginia)."
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Your assignment: Explain why Rebecca is wearing a vintage wedding dress to book club:

(Love ya, Cubes!)
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From Lynn to Jay:

Honey, here is a Venn diagram from the new book I'm working on, the R&L Handbook for Critical Thinking:









From Jay to Lynn:

This diagram will cease to be meaningful when the beagles dig under the Venn perimeters and run off.
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I couldn't help posting this tribute to my luminescent friend Debbie, which a friend of hers wrote on the occasion of her wedding a while ago:

http://arricura.livejournal.com/93222.html

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Random thought: One principle of morality is that allowable behavior doesn't vary depending on the recipient of the behavior. Example: In the middle ages, both Christian armies and Muslim armies would blow into town and start raping and pillaging, while specifically on a religious crusade. Both sides used the same excuse: It's okay to rape *these* women because they are infidels.

Another example: There are the polygamists who live in small settlements in Arizona and elsewhere who have dozens of wives, dozens of children, and don't work to support them. They all are on the public dole. And the reasoning of these "men" for not supporting their families is that, by having them on the public dole, they are sticking it to the man---making the corrupt and irreligious government/public pay for the support of the true believers.

Obviously another example is those who say it's okay to torture terrorists, or people associated with terrorists, or people suspected of not liking us.

But in the end, what good is morality if you only apply it to people you like? If you took that approach, then the world would look . . . well, very much like it actually does look.
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So I called up a mobile pet grooming service called "A Classy Clip" today to see about having Rocky groomed. (It's a van that comes to your house.) First of all, when I called, the answer was so garbled I couldn't make out what the woman answering was saying. But upon determining that this was the pet grooming service, I asked how much grooming of a beagle would be. She asked the weight, and when I told her, she said, "Oh, he's a little piggie." After that she told me that it would be better for me to wash him myself because "these mobile grooming services are expensive." At which point, extremely puzzled, I said thank you and our business was concluded.
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Have you ever noticed that opera singers seem to be the happiest people in the world? In all the interviews I've seen with Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Beverly Sills, and others, they are practically glowing with warmth and enthusiasm for life. And they seem to be the nicest people in the world too---Pavarotti garnered this incredible affection from people, and Placido Domingo went to Mexico to help earthquake victims. I don't think it's just the wine and Italian food, either. It could be that they spend their lives making music for a living, but then look at the pop stars and rock stars. There's something there. In honor of Pavarotti, I'm going to spend . . . well, let's start small and practicable . . . the next DAY really trying to enjoy every moment. To act like the world is my oyster. To live like an opera star.

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I now take 5 pills every morning.

And the fact that one of them is a Flintstone's vitamin doesn't make it any better.
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Here are some stone works (runestones, stone crosses, gravestones) from 9th-11th century Europe. Take a careful look at the images if you can make them out; they're pretty wild.

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We had a blessedly quiet weekend. Friday night we did a lot of nothing. Saturday, some more nothing with a little laundry thrown in. We saw "Becoming Jane" on Saturday night (and contrary to the critics, found it very good). Also watched "Disturbia" on DVD (this is the remake of "Rear Window," probably my favorite Hitchcock, with Shia LaBoeuf; quite respectable). Sunday, more nothing with naps and extra nothing thrown in. A little sitting on the deck. And today our friends and neighbors Bob and Lisa had a fantabulous cookout (best. lambchops. ever.). I made a salad with fig vinaigrette, and also Cooking Light's Lemon-Lime Layer Cake. (Right now Lisa is thinking, "Hey, I never saw a Lemon-Lime Layer Cake . . . " True. It stayed in our fridge.)

I also finished "The Barbarian Conversion: From Paganism to Christianity" about the spread of Christianity through Europe over the 4th-10th centuries. In the end I'm glad I read it, but ohmygoodness it was detailed and dry. And long. I think it did me in for academic reading between now and Italy.
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Best Shake Ever

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In blender, combine:

1 c milk
1/3 pkg low-fat silken tofu
10 frozen strawberries
2-4 T sugar
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