A few years ago a co-worker came to me saying that she had found "The perfect girl" for me. This woman, let's call her Ann, came into my office one day after lunch to inform me about this soul-mate in the waiting. Ann had just returned from a trip to Schlotzsky's Deli. So Ann told me about this girl that works there whom she has seen on numerous occassions and talked to on some occassions. Ann tells me what an intelligent person this girl is, and how we are perfect matches for each ot...

Richard Riordan is California's State Education Secretary and former Los Angeles mayor. On July 1 Riordan was taped having a conversation with a 6-year-old girl named Isis D'Luciano. During the conversation Isis asked Riordan if he knew her name meant "Egyptian goddess." This man, who supposedly has been a strong supporter of education in California, replied, "It means stupid dirty girl." What an asshat. He claims he was just teasing the girl. Good to see that the State Educatio...

If fire fighters fight fire, and crime fighters fight crime, what do freedom fighters fight?

If fire fighters fight fire, and crime fighters fight crime, what do freedom fighters fight?

Here's a collection of answers and segments from 7th to 12th grade tests and papers. Enjoy. "When you breathe, you inspire. When you do not breathe, you expire." "H2O is hot water, and CO2 is cold water." "To collect fumes of suphur, hold on a deacon over a flame in a test tube." "When you smell an odorless gas, it is probably carbon monoxide." "Nitrogen is not found in Ireland because it is not found in a free state." "Three kinds of blood vessels are arteries, vanes, and ...

Here's a collection of answers and segments from 7th to 12th grade tests and papers. Enjoy. "When you breathe, you inspire. When you do not breathe, you expire." "H2O is hot water, and CO2 is cold water." "To collect fumes of suphur, hold on a deacon over a flame in a test tube." "When you smell an odorless gas, it is probably carbon monoxide." "Nitrogen is not found in Ireland because it is not found in a free state." "Three kinds of blood vessels are arteries, vanes, and ...

"A great many people think they are thinking when they are actually rearranging their prejudices." - William James (1842-1910) "

From A Dictionary of Angels: Including the Fallen Angels , by Gustav Davidson Ariel (Arael, Ariael, meaning "lion of God") - the name of an angel in the apocryphal Ezra; also in Mathers, The Greater Key of Solomon , the Grand Grimoire , and other tracts of magic, where he is pictured as lion-headed. Cornelius Agrippa says: "Ariel is the name of an angel, sometimes also a demon, and of a city, whence called Ariopolis, where the idol is worshipped." In Heywood, The Hierarchy of the ...

I don't usually read the Drudge Report, but a friend sent this to me and I found it amusing. I share the author's hopes that we do not start seeing them in matching outfits. Link

"Democracy does not guarantee equality of conditions - it only guarantees equality of opportunity." - Irving Kristol (1920-) "

Emergency work on our most recent software release has caused work on the next year's build slip a couple months. Because we have a hard deadline for this current version, we have to address any and all issues that pop up as the highest priority. This means that parallel work for the next two major releases (a one year schedule) has suffered. That's not such a big deal, since plans can change. Next week we were to travel to our sister site for a 3 day re-plan meeting to decide what sche...

Many years ago, when I was in college, I had an experience that changed the way I look at the world. Several friends and I were gathered in one of our dorm rooms. We had a night of movie watching and drinking ahead of us, and one of my friends was cooking some Cajun food for us. This friend, Dom, was from New Orleans, where his parents owned a restaurant. His cooking was always sublime, even though he had but a single electric burner and a microwave. We were watching Blazing Saddles ...

Someone on one of my other threads recently asked me for my favorite books. I was about to respond, but then I thought that the list would be long enough to deserve its own thread. So after a brief inspection of my memory and bookcase I came up with some gems. I’m leaving out some of the more popular books that I have enjoyed, since I think they are rather obvious. Also, this list is really just a first shot. I would have to dig through storage to remind myself of some of the wonders I h...

I spent a year as a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) while I was in graduate school, and three years as a faculty Lecturer afterwards. In that time I experienced many wonderful events, but also a couple of very concerning ones. I was always close to my students, especially as a GTA since I really wasn’t much older. Several of my students became close friends and I even dated one for a while (after she was my student). For most of my students, I never developed a personal relationship i...

"A little inaccuracy sometimes saves a ton of explanation." - H. H. Munro (Saki) (1870-1916)