Knock, Knock!

Is this thing on?

Yeah... I've been a bit distracted by other things lately. I'll try to be more regular, if only to let you know I'm off doing other stuff.
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On a political note, I haven't found a candidate that I'm 100% behind yet. Between Cain's accusers (and I do believe in assuming he's innocent until proven guilty) and Perry's debate blundering, my concern that Romney is too far left for my taste and my skepticism that Gingrich is capable of sustaining it for the long haul... I'm just not ready to back a candidate at this point.
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I saw my first snowflake of the season this morning. I'm not ready for Chicago winter weather.
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I am aghast that Mike McQueary will be coaching the Nittany Lions this weekend. Of all the horrible questions I have about what happened at Penn State, why McQueary didn't: a) step in and stop Sandusky when he was caught in the act of raping a 10 year old; or, b) call 911 immediately -- local, not campus police is beyond me.

Why, when he called his father, didn't his father tell him to call the police immediately? And if his dad did tell him to call the police, why didn't he???

Why has he kept his mouth shut all this time?

I agree with John Kass and David Haugh -- I don't understand why McQueary wasn't shit-canned along with Paterno and Co.

I am sickened by the actions of the students who rioted in support of Paterno this morning.

Sadly, the whole story looks to be even worse than we thought.

When are we going to stop putting sports icons ahead of our moral and ethical duties?
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Speaking of moral and ethical duties, handing out bonuses to the leadership of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac -- and that leadership accepting those bonuses -- is beyond the pale. If I bungled my own job so badly, I wouldn't expect a reward, and neither should they.

Let them have bonuses when they've actually fixed something, first.
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On a much happier note, it looks like a vaccine for breast cancer might just be one step closer to reality.

Faster, please.
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Did you know it's National Adoption Month? Clearly this is a subject near and dear to my heart.

I've been reading Carrie Goldman's Portrait of an Adoption every day. I found one story that was very close to my own, and responded via the comments. Guess what? That young woman was finally able to bring her story out in the open and received the same kind of support that I experienced.

While I wish every adoption story could have an ending this happy, Ask Amy today has a letter from a sister who finds her younger sister's judgment wanting in deciding to place her child for adoption.

This is exactly why some of us kept and continue to keep our secrets to ourselves.

National Adoption Month -- it's not for sissies.
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I'm kind of caught between wanting to get my hair colored right now because the roots are about 3/4 of an inch long and letting it grow out enough to chop the colored part off and just see what nature has to offer.

Thus, today's ear worm:

Drive-Bys

One of the benefits of being on the board of an Irish theater company is that you stumble across some interesting things on the sets. Me? I want this whole Feckin set.

(P.S. -- This weekend is your last chance to see The Weir. Go see it! You'll thank me.)
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Giggle of the Day:


see more Lolcats and funny pictures
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Actually, you could probably say this about any of the women President Tin-Ear chose to take to Washington, D.C.:

"You kind of have to drop the standard for the [insert name here], right?" the official explained late Thursday. "I mean, she's pretty well liked and probably doesn't know what she's doing."

No, we don't have to drop that standard (unless of course, she's a New Black Panther, and that's a whole 'nuther kettle of fish).

She's supposed to lead by example and follow the law like every other citizen of this fair land.

I'm with J. Christian Adams:

Is this the worst thing to afflict an election? Of course not. Armed New Black Panthers were obviously much worse. In the larger scheme of things, Michelle Obama’s lawbreaking is authentic “small potatoes.” But someone in her position has a higher obligation to the institutions our nation treasures, like the rule of law.

The stand-up response from the first lady, and the White House press shop, would be to admit a mistake, affirm they believe in respect of the rules that protect election integrity. But this isn’t a stand-up administration. Like the stonewall that followed the New Black Panther dismissal, we have learned that this is an administration incapable of admitting they screwed up.

But they're only allowed to find fault with others -- never with themselves.
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As the National Football League investigates whether quarterback Brett Favre sent lewd photos of himself to a female employee of the New York Jets in 2008, many women -- and men -- are asking the question: Why would any grown man send photos like that in the first place?

I have my own theories about that, including that for a lot of men, sex is affection and he's showing you just how much he likes you. In fact, he's probably showing you who he thinks he is.

But since I'm not a guy, I'm throwing this out to my male readers. I'm not saying you would do this, but help a girl out and give me the hows and whys of some guys thinking this is a good idea.
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Okay, it's not just me -- the number of suicides in this area has been much higher than normal:

[T]he number of people who have taken their own lives so far this year already is approaching or has overtaken 2009's overall tally.

Boy, I hope we can get our arms around recognition and prevention very soon.

If you know something, speak out. Don't think someone's kidding if they talk about ending it all.

A 2010 study by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found that adults ages 18 to 25 were far more likely to have seriously considered suicide in the last year than those ages 26 to 49, and nearly three times more likely than those 50 or older.

If they're talking about it at all, find help fast.
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Who knew the Reb Smuley was this smart and open minded?

Homosexuality is a religious, not a moral, sin. A moral sin involves injury to an innocent party. Who is harmed when two unattached, consenting adults are in a relationship? Homosexuality is akin to the prohibition against lighting fire on the Sabbath or eating bread during Passover; there is nothing immoral about it, but it violates the divine will.

I am in favor of gay civil unions rather than marriage because I am against redefining marriage. But gay marriage doesn't represent the end of Western civilization. The real killer is the tsunami of divorce and the untold disruption to children who become yo-yos going from house to house on weekends.

Just so.

(A tip of the cap to the Advice Goddess.)
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I'm off to an architectural pub crawl in Bridgeport tonight -- four Irish pubs! Thus, my Ear Worm of the Day is distinctly Irish:


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P.S. -- Jihad Gene says, "It's Friday! Let's Dance!"

I'll be doing a jig. How about you?