The Corner on National Review Online

The Corner on National Review Online

Parody State Quarters, Etc

These Parody State Quarters, Etc made me laugh. I'm going to have to get the East Virginia one! :-)

A dark day, or maybe a light one

this morning I heard that my favorite author,Madeleine L’Engle, Writer of Children’s Classics, Is Dead at 88. I can't believe she is gone, but a spirit like hers doesn't leave...it just goes on in a different way. And we still have her books. I'm currently in the middle of A Ring of Endless Light but I can't seem to get through it. Perhaps with her death, the book will help me see the light. and maybe she will continue to speak to me through her pages, as she always has done. You see, I was Meg too. And so were my best friends.

four things meme

Here's my first meme:

four first names of crushes:
1. Chris
2. John
3. Todd (turned out to be gay)
4. Jack

four pieces of clothing i wish i still owned/or fit into:
1. those old Levi's cutoffs
2. the dress I wore to my brother's wedding. I was told I looked better than the bride!
3. Hard Rock London sweatshirt
4. that great sweater of Dad's that I stole in college and kept several months before he stole it back.

four names i’ve been called at one time or another:
1. Cloud
2. Lisa
3. blue eyes
4. Cleopatra (yes, the queen of denial)

four professions i secretly want to try:
1. foreign correspondent
2. travel celebrity (a la Samantha Brown...she annoys me but I'd love her job)
3. WVU color commentator for football games
4. community activist

four musicians i’d most want to go on a date with:
1. Jim Morrison
2. Michael Hutchence
3. Robert Plant
4. Lou Reed (not from attraction, but interest)

four foods i’d rather throw than eat:
1. tomatoes
2. mushrooms
3. more tomatoes
4. nuts

four things i like to sniff:
1. lavender
2. Laurels
3. basil
4. pad thai cooking

Semi-tagged by Ianqui

Now tagging:
Banewood
Kayak
Anne
Dean Dad

Mountainlair: Coal Bowl Week

This writer is as sick of hearing about Mountainlair: Coal Bowl Week as I am. Love the Mountaineers, root for Marshall every time they're not playing WVU, but HATE this whole "Friends of Coal" bullshit. They're friends of coal? Well, I'm friends of coal families. The ones who risk their lives every day several miles underground. The ones who are having their lives ruined by poor environmental forces. The ones who are dying of black lung. The one who are losing their houses to flooding and slippage. all of which is caused by irresponsible mining practices.

I'll agree, but I would have preferred something by Isabel Allende

You're One Hundred Years of Solitude!

by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Lonely and struggling, you've been around for a very long time.
Conflict has filled most of your life and torn apart nearly everyone you know. Yet there
is something majestic and even epic about your presence in the world. You love life all
the more for having seen its decimation. After all, it takes a village.


Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

Ten things I love about my life

So you won't all think I'm a huge whiny loser:

1. I love a wonderful man and he loves me. Lots of people don't get that lucky.
   
2. I work with a great bunch of people. They are all top-notch at what they do.
   
3. I have friends. People often say, "Hi, Laurel, how are you?" And I KNOW they mean it.
   
4. We have ceremonies where I work. I love ceremonies.
   
5. I have a wonderful crawdad living in my back yard.
   
6. My friends are virtual (like the ones at Appalachian Greens) as well as face-to-face. Heck, I've probably walked or driven past Kayak or Elvis, but neither of us would know it.
   
7. I've been reading and sharing great books with my friends.
   
8. Thus far this year, four beautiful babies have been born healthy to my friends. What's better than that? UPDATE: Five beautiful, healthy babies. That's what's better than four. Welcome, Chloe!
9. I still can't count, but luckily I'm in a field where it really doesn't matter.
   

Ten things I hate about my life

1. People who laugh when I have computer difficulties. I know, it's an occupational hazard, but PLEASE show some empathy when I've shagged my little tail over to your office and found that I'm having troubles too. Surprise: if it were easy you wouldn't have had to call me!
2. People who swear that the impossible has happened, i.e., Them: "I know you can do a back handspring." Me: "Nope, I can't do a back handspring. Never could." Them: "but I SAW you do a back handspring last spring." ME: You must have seen someone else. Them: "No, it was you, I know it!" As if their being mistaken is a moral deficit.
   
3. 13-hour days.
   
4. Hurting feet.
5. Endless humidity. Is this related to global warming?
   
6. My honey is WAAAAY too far away.
   
7. The fact that I can't count too well.
   

As if there were any doubt....

?? Which Of The Greek Gods Are You ??

Athena
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Family History Clues from Cemeteries

You'd be amazed how many Family History Clues you can get from Cemeteries.

Holy Schmitt!

It's almost time for football season again! This clip of Owen Schmitt should get you in the mood for football.

Aaaaah, less than a month!

I CAN HAS CHEEZBURGER? � Blog Archive A Special In-Depth Analysis by David McRaney - L337 Katz0rz �

I CAN HAS CHEEZBURGER? � Blog Archive A Special In-Depth Analysis by David McRaney - L337 Katz0rz � This article is a fascinating look at the LOLcat phenomenon, including the kitteh speak.

System Administrator Appreciation Day

Share the love. Today is System Administrator Appreciation Day. Let's face it: nobody thinks about the people who make the Internet work every day. We just cuss them when the conenctions are too slow or a site goes down. WE don't realize that they work very hard, are on call 24-7-365, and care about nothing more than keeping the connections up and running so that we can look up our LOLcats. I realize a little bit of what sysadmins do, having closely worked with them for over 7; years (sheesh!). They don't get the credit or the recognition they deserve. So if you can, hug a sysadmin. Or at least send an email thanking your friendly neighborhood sysadmin. They don't bite. Well, most of them. :-)

Kids these days

This studyNew MTV, Nickelodeon and Microsoft Challenges Assumptions About Relationship Between Kids, Youth & Digital Technology. It's an interesting idea, and I wonder if I can get the concepts out to my faculty. They think the kids know everything about how the technology works, and I've known for a while that they really don't. They're great with application and how-to,but not so good with implications and fixing.

it's official

According to Facebook, I have 34 friends. According to GoodReads, I have read 50 books. So now I have more books than friends.

You can make of that what you will.

It's official.

I am a Freak.

Your Score: Freak- INFJ

46% Extraversion, 66% Intuition, 33% Thinking, 53% Judging

Well, well, well. How did someone like you end up with the least common personality type of them all? In a group of 100 Americans, only 0.5 others would be just like you. You really are one of a kind... In fact, I do believe that that's one of the definitions for the word "FREAK."

Freak's not such a bad word to describe you actually.

You are deep, complex, secretive and extremely difficult to understand. If that doesn't scream "Freak!" I don't know what does. No-one actually knows the REAL you, do they?

You probably have deep interests in creative expression as well as issues of spirituality and human development.

You've probably even been called a "psychic" before, because of your uncanny knack to understand and "read" people without quite knowing how you do it. Don't fret. You're not actually psychic. That would make you special and you'll never accomplish that.

You're also quite possible the most emotional of them all, so don't take this all too hard. Nevertheless you most definitely have the strangest personality type and that's not necessarily a good thing.

*****************

If you want to learn more about your personality type in a slightly less negative way, check out this.

*****************

The other personality types are as follows...

Loner - Introverted Sensing Feeling Perceiving

Pushover - Introverted Sensing Feeling Judging

Criminal - Introverted Sensing Thinking Perceiving

Borefest - Introverted Sensing Thinking Judging

Almost Perfect - Introverted iNtuitive Feeling Perceiving


Loser - Introverted iNtuitive Thinking Perceiving

Crackpot - Introverted iNtuitive Thinking Judging


Clown - Extraverted Sensing Feeling Perceiving

Sap - Extraverted Sensing Feeling Judging

Commander - Extraverted Sensing Thinking Perceiving

Do Gooder - Extraverted Sensing Thinking Judging

Scumbag - Extraverted iNtuitive Feeling Perceiving

Busybody - Extraverted iNtuitive Feeling Judging

Prick - Extraverted iNtuitive Thinking Perceiving

Dictator - Extraverted iNtuitive Thinking Judging

Link: The Brutally Honest Personality Test written by UltimateMaster on OkCupid, home of the The Dating Persona Test

What I'm Reading update

Last night I went to the College bookstore to wait in line and get my copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I didn't really WANT to drive the 12 miles from my house to the bookstore, but it won't be open tomorrow, we'd already paid for our copies, and Mountain Man has to be out of town all next week, so he wouldn't be able to get it till the next weekend. And I have no restraint when it comes to Harry Potter. I stayed up till 4 a.m. to finish the first one, and the others are similarly addicting. So we came home and read till 2 a.m. I have to say that it moves quickly, perhaps the most quickly of any of the books. Then again, she doesn't have a whole lot of space to wrap things up.

I've also joined a cool new service called Good Reads. It's a social bookmarking site where you list the books you've read, you review books, and you can share the books that others are reading. I've already got 3 friends that I've invited, and I have to say it's pretty addicting. You can link to it from the right bar on my blog. I've concentrated on pleasure reading now, but later I'll be posting the professional books I've read, some of which are damn cool.

Recipe for tonight's supper

1. Take a tiny zucchini, fresh from your friend's garden, slice it lengthwise, then slice it into bite-sized pieces.

2. Put in the pasta salad that you made last week. Mix well.

3. Return to the refrigerator for a half-hour (or as long as you can stand the wait).

4. Sprinkle individual serving with Parmesan cheese.

5. Eat. Marvel at how well the sweet crunch of the zucchini blends with the vinegar-based dressing, green peppers, and olives.

6. Smile as you think how lucky you are to have good friends!

Vatican issues 10 Commandments for drivers - CNN.com

I'n not Catholic, but I've often thought that we needed these for a long time. Many of them are ones that I practice already, like praying in the car. Vatican issues 10 Commandments for drivers - CNN.com

Lolcat

I'm fascinated by these Lolcat pictures. Anyone know where to find some good ones?

Why Nerds are Unpopular

This interesting article explains my high school career, and why life got ever so much better in college an afterward. I wouldn't go back and relive those years for all the money in the world! I'm not sure about his solution, but I don't think that more authenticity will hurt.

Historic river town has plenty to offer visitors

This interesting article from the Lebanon Reporter in Pennsylvania features my new hometown. I'll vouch for everything except the Holl's Chocolatier. Yes, their chocolate is WONDERFUL (all caps merited), but I've never been in their store. I'm going to have to go there to see it.

Trans-Allegheny Bookstore is also a joy for any booklover. The only thing that he forgot to mention is the cats that lounge in the reading area. Hey, come to think of it, that sounds like a perfect Saturday...eating chocolates while browsing fascinating old (and new) books, and sitting on a couch reading a book with a cat in my lap. You know, heaven sounds a lot lke that.

Schools weigh text alerts for crises - USATODAY.com

Schools weigh text alerts for crises - USATODAY.com

Another scare rattles Va. Tech campus - Yahoo! News

Another scare rattles Va. Tech campus - Yahoo! News

Bloggers on the Virginia Tech shootings. - By Christopher Beam - Slate Magazine

Bloggers on the Virginia Tech shootings. - By Christopher Beam - Slate Magazine

How students tracked the Virginia Tech shootings online. - By Michael Agger - Slate Magazine

How students tracked the Virginia Tech shootings online. - By Michael Agger - Slate Magazine

O'Reilly Radar > Call for a Blogger's Code of Conduct

O'Reilly Radar > Call for a Blogger's Code of Conduct

Asshole Rating Self-Exam (ARSE) - Are You A Certified Asshole? - A Service of Electric Pulp

Asshole Rating Self-Exam (ARSE) - Are You A Certified Asshole? - A Service of Electric Pulp

Men who hate women on the Web | Salon.com

Men who hate women on the Web | Salon.com

Missing the MySpace vote?

Yet More Republican consistency. They've passed a bad law and now they're trying to subvert it. Typical.

eSchool News online - Missing the MySpace vote?

Poverty in Appalachia

PiA: Home

Are Today's Students Too Self-Centered?, Study Finds Rising Narcissism, Fears It Could Hurt Personal Relationships, Society - CBS News

Are Today's Students Too Self-Centered?, Study Finds Rising Narcissism, Fears It Could Hurt Personal Relationships, Society - CBS News If my recent experiences are any indication, YES.

SOUNDVIZION RECORDINGZ: 6'6 240 RINGTONES

SOUNDVIZION RECORDINGZ: 6'6 240 RINGTONES
The only rap song I'd think of listening to or downloading. I might even make it my ringtone!

UDM Libraries/IDS Re:Search Portal :: Instructional Design Studio : Newsfeeds

UDM Libraries/IDS Re:Search Portal :: Instructional Design Studio : Newsfeeds

The Feng Shui Office

As I'll have a new office soon, this might be useful.
The Feng Shui Office

lowercase L: WHAT THE HEll?

lowercase L: WHAT THE HEll?

Elvis Drinkmo: Appalachian Dialect

Fascinating article on the Appalachian Dialect by my buddy Elvis. Some of these I'd never heard. What shocked me was the use of the word "stocking cap." A toboggan, for me, was both a long sled meant for several people and a knitted cap that you wear in the winter. I guess you learn something new every day.

thanks again Elvis!
Laura

Strangers - a photoset on Flickr

Strangers - a photoset on Flickr

This is a very interesting project in which a person takes a photo of a stranger every day. I imagine I would have a hard time!

Where is your accent?

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Midland   "You have a Midland accent" is just another way of saying "you don't have an accent." You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas. You have a good voice for TV and radio.
The West
The South
Boston
North Central
The Inland North
Philadelphia
The Northeast
What American accent do you have? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

Another take on the "We Are Marshall" movie

Charleston Daily Mail

States I've visited

create your own visited states map

Interesting idea. And now I know where I need to go next! Maybe that New ENgland trip isn't a bad idea.

Interesting enough that the only region that I've visted all the states is Appalachia. Guess I have more of a connection than I thought.

Countries I've visited

create your own visited countries map
or vertaling Duits Nederlands

Marshall coach recalls sadness, triumph - College football - MSNBC.com

This weekend, while fighting the damn bronchitis, I went to see We are Marshall in the theater in Charleston. I was quite impressed by the movie. It was done quite well, with no condescension toward Appalachia (something I'd worried about), and emotion without sappiness. I'd highly recommend it. At the end, I was wondering what was accurate and what wasn't. This interview with Lengyel answered my questions. Yes, the final play wasn't the same as in the history boooks, but I think you'll agree that it provided a needed symmetry for the movie.

BBC NEWS | South Asia | Indian athlete fails gender test

This is the strangest thing I've seen in a long time. BBC NEWS | South Asia | Indian athlete fails gender test

Should you have graduated High School?

OK, so I found another new site and can't tear myself away.....

You paid attention during 97% of high school!

85-100% You must be an autodidact, because American high schools don't get scores that high! Good show, old chap!

Do you deserve your high school diploma?
Create a Quiz

I'm glad to know that the doctorate has prepared me to score excellently on Internet quizzes.

Do You Drink Republican Kool-Aid?

You Drink Republican Kool-Aid 0% of the Time!

Congratulations, you do not drink the Republican Kool-Aid. You haven't been brainwashed and are able to think for yourself rather than get your daily marching orders from the right-wing media. Mindless submission to our leader has no place in America. You, sir or ma'am, are a patriot.

Do You Drink Republican Kool-Aid?

Are YOU a terrorist?

Always nice to have validation...

Your 'Do You Want the Terrorists to Win' Score: 94%

You are a terrorist-loving, Bush-bashing, "blame America first"-crowd traitor. You are in league with evil-doers who hate our freedoms. By all counts you are a liberal, and as such cleary desire the terrorists to succeed and impose their harsh theocratic restrictions on us all. You are fit to be hung for treason! Luckily George Bush is tapping your internet connection and is now aware of your thought-crime. Have a nice day.... in Guantanamo!

Do You Want the Terrorists to Win?
Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

Alive In Baghdad

Alive In Baghdad

Free Christmas Music

About.com: What's not to like?

YouTube - WVU Vs. Pitt Pat White Growl

This one's even better!YouTube - WVU Vs. Pitt Pat White Growl

Pat White mocks Panther Meow

I laughed till I cried. I thought it was funny last night on TV, but it just keeps getting better! YouTube - Pat White mocks Panther Meow

I am Spiderman

I think I would have preferred Isis or Wonder Woman. Then again, I don't think anyone remembers Isis.

Your results:
You are Spider-Man

Spider-Man 80% Superman 75% Wonder Woman 65% Robin 65% Green Lantern 60% Iron Man 55% Supergirl 50% Batman 50% Hulk 45% The Flash 35% Catwoman 25%

You are intelligent, witty, a bit geeky and have great power and responsibility.

Click here to take the Superhero Personality Quiz

"You're unique, just like everyone else...." Margaret Mead

Talk about depressing.

HowManyOfMe.com

There are: 352 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

GOP dirty tricks. - By Bonnie Goldstein - Slate Magazine

See, it DOES happen elsewhere. GOP dirty tricks. - By Bonnie Goldstein - Slate Magazine

Steve Slaton Heisman Campaign

Finally, a platform we can live with. Wonder where I can get my "Slaton for Heismann" shirts and buttons?

Heisman Candidate Promises Voters Free Health Care, Lower Taxes

MORGANTOWN, WV—With his stock falling and his projected share of the vote expected to be smaller with every passing week, Steve Slaton...

Tennessee Jed: Metaphorical pumpkin flesh

Wonderful pumpkin carving honoring Pink Floyd great Syd Barrett, who passed along earlier this year. May he rest in peace. I think that either Syd or Roger, whichever incarnation of his sanity was there, would be quite pleased with the tribute.

Ode to the WVU-Louisville Game

At least the game last night got our creative minds working.....

Slaton with the Ball
Brief Reflections on the Start of the Second Half
By Mountain Laurel and Kim
(with apologies to Ernest L. Thayer)

The outlook wasn't brilliant for the Mountaineers that day,
The score stood sixteen-fourteen, with two quarters left to play.

And after the ball came out after several long yard gains,
A pall-like silence fell upon the 'Eer's fans at the game.

But a recovery from our heroes after Brohm's pass to the ten
The boys from West Virginia were in the game again.

The straggling few that turn to go and cursed in deep despair
Turned back and basked in new hopes now floating in the air

They thought, "if only Slaton could but get a whack again.
We'd put up even money now, 90 yards and he's in.

The clock ran down, the line came up, the official spotted the ball
White handed off to Slaton, surprising no one with the call.

Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright.
The band is playing somewhere, and couches all burn bright.
And, somewhere men are laughing, and little children shout,

but there is no joy in Motown --
mighty Slaton's arm gave out.

Cure your own hiccups! [rec.humor.funny]

Sometimes the cure is worse than the disease. I wonder who funded this study? Cure your own hiccups! [rec.humor.funny]

Advice from Dear Abby

Take a look at this recent letter to Dear Abby about a pregnant teen who unwillingly tells her parents about her situation. Advice from Dear Abby on uExpress But yes, we need to make sure that we have parental notification so that the nasty tramp gets what's coming to her. And an abortion would have been so terrible and so much worse than what happened! This makes me furious.

Poetry Daily: James Harms, "On Beauty and West Virginia at the Blue Moose Caf�

Not sure if I like this one or not. Poetry Daily: James Harms, "On Beauty and West Virginia at the Blue Moose Caf�

Business Presentations for Success - Use PowerPoint for Successful Business Presentations - Create Business Presentations in PowerPoint

Business Presentations for Success - Use PowerPoint for Successful Business Presentations - Create Business Presentations in PowerPoint

Saddam, Year 2

Last Friday marks the second anniversary of my meeting Saddam the crawdad. Since then, Saddam has grown like a weed. He is now at least five inches long and growing. From his original hole next to the patio, he has expanded to a location near the steps. I can only conclude that he is expanding his home to accommodate a growing family.

He's getting bold in his advancing years. Every night he has been sitting with his body almost all the way out of his hole so that I can clearly see his claws and get an estimate of his size. On Sunday night I went outside to see him sitting all the way on my patio. I must have startled him because he ran back to the grass trolling for bugs. You know, the little guy is really starting to grow on me. I'll get a picture if I can.

And in a few more years, he'll end up being a GREAT lobster dinner.

The Age Blogs: Management Line / How to haggle Archives

This could come in handy. The Age Blogs: Management Line / How to haggle Archives

10 flagrant grammar mistakes that make you look stupid - ZDNet UK Insight

10 flagrant grammar mistakes that make you look stupid - ZDNet UK Insight

St. Expedite - Armeniapedia.org

The patron saint of hackers and the overworked. I guess they have a saint for everything!St. Expedite - Armeniapedia.org

Trunk Monkey Videos - Trunkmonkey Training Headquarters

Trunk Monkey Videos - Trunkmonkey Training Headquarters The definitive collection, plus a couple of other goodies like the 1984 Mac video and the Super Bowl Career Builder monkey commercials. Fun!

What poetry form are you?

I'm terza rima, and I talk and smile. Where others lock their rhymes and thoughts away I let mine out, and chatter all the while. I'm rarely on my own - a wasted day Is any day that's spent without a friend, With nothing much to do or hear or say. I like to be with people, and depend On company for being entertained; Which seems a good solution, in the end. What Poetry Form Are You?

Jeffrey Zeldman Presents: The Ad Graveyard

Jeffrey Zeldman Presents: The Ad Graveyard Oh, so bad it's almost funny. Scrap the almost. It's damn funny, but I'm ashamed of myself for sayings o.

Session Details: An Exercise in Hard Choices

Session Details: An Exercise in Hard Choices Fiscal management for congressmen.

Don't wait until another dam breaks

Don't wait until another dam breaks Highlighting the importance of above-ground potential mining disasters such as Buffalo Creek in 1974.

I Can Tell By the Tone of Your Voice...

Eide Neurolearning Blog: I Can Tell By the Tone of Your Voice...Yet another difference between men and women. I find this one fascinating. I wonder why it is? Ideas?

Attytood: Can you spot the mistakes in this photo?

Attytood: Can you spot the mistakes in this photo? It's just like those Sunday morning cartoons! I got both of them, but not for the same reason.

The New Sociology

A college student spends three days of his spring break at Wal-Mart. DesMoinesRegister.com I have felt like I was never going to get out of there. I don't see how he did it. I'd like to read his book, though, should he write it.

Whiny Kids Grow Up to be Conservatives

Hugh Hewitt: March 19, 2006 - March 25, 2006 Archives I've suspected it for a long time. And it makes sense.

WVU fans on Sports Illustrated cover! - www.scout.com

WVU fans on Sports Illustrated cover! - www.scout.com Finally, SI has the best fans on the cover!

Maybe she's smarter than she looks

Jessica Simpson snubs Bush - Yahoo! News

Updating Cyber Times: It's Time to Bring Our Culture Into Cyberspace

Updating Cyber Times: It's Time to Bring Our Culture Into Cyberspace Inteeresting idea, but doesn't quite yet live up to its potential. It'll be work folloiwng up now.

SI.com - Photo Gallery - Top 15 Seniors

SI.com - Photo Gallery - Top 15 Seniors Notice who's guarding him...that's right, it's Pittsnogle, in a WVU victory!!!

Mike Gansey Number 3 Senior

SI.com - Photo Gallery - Top 15 Seniors Let's Gooooooo, Mountaineers!!

Kevin Pittsnogle: #10 Senior in the USA

SI.com - Photo Gallery - Top 15 Seniors So what's funny about Pittsnogle?

Kevin Pittsnogle: #10 Senior in the USA

SI.com - Photo Gallery - Top 15 Seniors So what's funny about Pittsnogle?

Sprint Commercial Honors WVU Tradition... - www.scout.com

Lvoe this WVU/PSU interchange. Sprint Commercial Honors WVU Tradition... - www.scout.com

Q. What's a Nittany?
A. Nit-an-e. Adjective meaning big, dumb, and ugly. :-)

The Voice of the Mountaineers

Jack Fleming will always be the Voice of the Mountaineers. Though I didn't hear this one at the time (I was at the game), it sure does bring back memories. May Jack rest in peace with all the eternal rewards he has earned for making so many so happy. JackFleming.mp3 (audio/mpeg Object)

For those of you who don't remember, that would be October 31, 1988, WVU vs. Penn State. I believe the final was 55-30 but I could be wrong about that. My trivia's getting a bit rusty.

FOXNews.com - U.S. & World News - W. Va. Miner Still Doesn't Know Other Miners Died in Tragedy

FOXNews.com - U.S. & World News - W. Va. Miner Still Doesn't Know Other Miners Died in Tragedy "MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — In the two months since the blast at Sago Mine, lone survivor Randal McCloy Jr. has emerged from a coma and is learning to walk and talk again. Though he knows he is called a miracle, he hasn't been told why."

It's probably a blessing for him right now. He doesn't need to hear some of the other rumors about the other miners giving him their oxygen either. completely unsubstantiated, as in "how would we ever know?

Thank heavens we have one miracle. I would have preferred 12 or 13, but I am rejoicing over the life of that one man that made it out. He is a miracle, and I thank God for bringing him through.

U.S. Is Reducing Safety Penalties for Mine Flaws - New York Times

U.S. Is Reducing Safety Penalties for Mine Flaws - New York Times: "In its drive to foster a more cooperative relationship with mining companies, the Bush administration has decreased major fines for safety violations since 2001, and in nearly half the cases, it has not collected the fines, according to a data analysis by The New York Times.

Larry Williams was injured in a 2002 collapse in West Virginia.

Federal records also show that in the last two years the federal mine safety agency has failed to hand over any delinquent cases to the Treasury Department for further collection efforts, as is supposed to occur after 180 days.
F. Brian Ferguson for The New York Times"

The rest of the article goes on to describe that miners near Rupert (a town with a GREAT classic county music station, btw) were in a roof fall. One was killed and one trapped for four hours. What horrified me is that they were using the technique called "pillaring," in which miners save columns of coal to be used as roof supports. Then, when they have mined the section, they go back and mine the coal from the pillars. It's a roof fall waiting to happen, and I thought it was illegal. Maybe they've made it legal again, or maybe the illegality was just a regulation (with a fine that may oremay not have been enforced).

This is what happens when you get Republicans in charge of the MSHA that want to foster a closer relationship with the industry.

May God forgive us all.

Those Muhammad Cartoons

Those Muhammad Cartoons The reaction from cartoonists all over the world.

washingtonpost.com: Email This Article

washingtonpost.com: Email This Article I want to read this and blog it tonight.

Georgia Bravado

Yet another interesting HTML recap of the Sugar Bowl. Georgia Bravado

I think it's a bit mean, and I would much rather see WVU fans rejoicing than UGA fans hanging their heads. The last screen shot makes it, though.

Stream of Conciousness Notes - Sugar Bowl West Virginia vs. Georgia

THe best recap of the best game I've seen all season. I especially agree with the commentary on the commercials. However, I don't see how he could have seen the millionth crowd shot of WVU. IN the first quarter, if I recall correctly, all I saw were crowd shots of GA looking like they'd been hit with a two-by-four. Stream of Conciousness Notes - Sugar Bowl West Virginia vs. Georgia

What Sci Fi/Fantasy Character are You?

I'm Galadriel:

Possessing a rare combination of wisdom and humility, while serenely dominating your environment you selflessly use your powers to care for others.

Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.

BlogherConferenceDiscussionGuidelines.pdf (application/pdf Object)

Interesting guidelines for conference panels, discussions, et al. Recommended by Ms. Mentor, so you know it's good.

I'm a Numenorean

Numenorean


To which race of Middle Earth do you belong?
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Five email tics I’d love for you to lose | 43 Folders

Someone finallly wrote out all my pet peeves!

eSchool News online - Critics blast ED's 'propaganda' probe

OK, so let's see if I got this right. They did a probe that found that the Repubs had purchased propaganda in violation of federal rules, but they don't call it "Illegal"? Kind of makes you wonder where they'll draw the line. I wonder if such as defense would work against the IRS? eSchool News online - Critics blast ED's 'propaganda' probe: "D"

Urban Legends Reference Pages: Religion (Bolt Upright)

LIghtning struck a church after the preacher asked God for an answer. A minister asked God for an answer, and I guess he got one! Further proof that you don't pray unless you're really ready fof the answer. Personaly, I think God's answer was "Shush!"

Language Learning & Technology

Language Learning & Technology

Boing Boing: Katrina: Wardriving occupied New Orleans on 9/11.

BoingBoing blog on Katrina's aftermath. THanks to Vicki for posting this to the Wood County Dems site.

Katrina PeopleFinder Project - Katrina Help Wiki

Another way to help. Katrina People Finder Project.

And I wonder why Blog This! is no longer copying the URL? Any ideas from anyone?

The Devastating Impact of Hurricane George

Interesting Article. And I've heard that the overflow of the lake that is now in NO is being called Lake George. I imagine he was looking forward to having an airport named after him like Ronnie. Now he's go his very own lake!

Roman's weblog » Post Apoclypse LA

The latest link from Roman's blog with links to NO LA blogs and images. Heartbreaking. Fine writer though he continues to be, I liked it better when he was blogging imagination and not reality. Imagination you can ignore and forget.