Animal Review

Last week I was alerted to Animal Review's foul-mouthed twin blog, which I will not post here because I try to keep this PG-rated (though it is pretty funny if you have a high tolerance for offensiveness and potty mouthes--ask me about the penguin). Both blogs share their funny insights on a variety of animals and their ridiculous/impressive/weird traits or behaviors. Animal Review features discussion on the hummingbird, swordfish, zebra, mosquito, and more. Unlike its fouler twin, you actually learn something about the animals in Animal Review and the blogger grades them on their level of awesomeness. Naturally, when he gets to bears, he will have only GREAT things to say; no so luck for the sloth, lamest animal on the planet.

Thanks to Paul for the link.

Adorable Mini-Cousins

I couldn't resist sharing these pictures of my cousins' children. So stinkin' cute! The top one is Ella, my cousin Lori's daughter with her husband Blake. She has a baby sister, Hattie, who I'm sure will make an appearance on the blog soon when she gets into some awesome ensembles of her own. I wish I could pull off that outfit.

The second picture is of my cousin Benjamin's four kids with his wife Kelley: Hannah, Emily, Jackson, and Hardy. Jackson's face is hilarious.

What Do YOU Want to Know?

I always enjoy Slate's regular feature called "The Explainer." Readers write in with questions about anything and everything, and the detectives at Slate track down the answers. This edition lists an assortment of questions that Explainer didn't/couldn't/wouldn't answer in 2008. Some I like:

Is it just me, or do all national anthems the world over, no matter how rich and exotic the culture, seem to sound like European marching-band music? Wouldn't one expect China's national anthem be more "plinky"? Shouldn't Iraq's national anthem sound a little more "Arab-y"?
(I wonder this every time I watch the Olympics. Imperialism!)

I live in Washington, D.C., and we have very long escalators coming out of the Metro. If I grabbed the handrail when I first step onto the escalator and did not let go until I was at the top, my body would be almost prostrate across the steps. As I go higher on the escalator, I have to readjust the hand that is grabbing the rubber handrail. Why can't the companies that make escalators sync the steps and the handrails so that they go the same speed?
(I have wondered the same thing)

Hi, I am Anna. I am only 11 years old! My friend told me about this black hole, and I have gotten really scared. I don't want to die! I thought if it didn't happen today, it wasn't going to happen. I did not know nothing about it happening in Spring! I find it unfair that scientists are making a machine that could possibly destroy the entire human race. Me and my friends have cried about the black hole, and I find it really upsetting. There has been barely nothing about it on the news. I am so nervous. I just think I am too young to die—is there any way we could stop it happening?
(Damn scientists! Stop ruining existence for the rest of us!)

Vicious Polar Bear Attack

Terrifying!

Flashmob at Clemons

Another UVA post this morning: fun video of a midnight flashmob rave at Clemons Library, the 24-hour hot spot that's packed with undergrads at all hours during midterms and exams. The flashmob idea isn't anything new, and this one gives credit to UNC, but still pretty amusing. The best late night Clemons shenanigans I ever saw was a streaker or two, not quite as funny or lengthy as a rave. Impressive that they pulled together 1,000 people in an hour...then again, anything's possible with the viral powers of Facebook.

UVA Nostalgia-Fest

Ah, the holidays. Time for warm fires, family and friends, presents under the tree, and the yearly holiday email from UVA President John Casteen III (and our pals who work in Development, a challenging and thankless but essential job in this economy). As usual, they have created a video slideshow of images from Grounds, this time including some great pictures from the past. The music is somewhat melodramatic, but then, it's UVA. We take our own majesty very seriously. Overall, a cool collection of old photos and recent ones. Having been away from Charlottesville for several years now, I forget how gorgeous Grounds is in the snow (well, it's gorgeous all the time, but especially when covered in white). Well done, Development video people. You have successfully made me miss UVA (minus the ostentatiousness), and I will send you $20.

Wahoowa!

Stats: The S is for Sucks

So because I decided to be a big nerd and take a statistics class as a non-degree-seeking student, I get to take a beast of a final tomorrow at 8:00 am. It was described to me by a classmate who took it early as having destroyed her will to live. Awesome.

I'm glad I took the class because I've learned a lot that has helped me in my work now, and I know I will be in better shape once I start a doctoral program (eek). That said, despite my funny professor and lovely classmates, I still hated every minute of it. I am such a qualitative person at heart.

This cartoon made me laugh. That's about how I feel right now, though my fate would be death by inference for regression.

For a Monday treat, here's the classic Trogdor clip that inspired this posting's header. "I said CONSUMMATE v's!"

Foamhenge

Thanks to Leslie W.'s facebook status for alerting me to the eighth wonder of the world: Foamhenge. I can't believe I went to college only an hour away from this and never knew of its existence! I'll have to visit on my trip up to Charlottesville in May.

Baby Pandas!

WARNING: extreme cuteness.

And just for another dose of baby panda awesomeness, remember this great clip? ACHOOOOO!

One Man Against Torture

Last week John sent this article by Matthew Alexander (a pseudonym), who is a US solider taking a stand against interrogation techniques that use torture. He makes a powerful case against torture, and obviously his team is doing something right: they were responsible for obtaining the information that led to al-Zarqawi's capture. One of his detainees said to him, poignantly, "I thought you would torture me, and when you didn't, I decided that everything I was told about Americans was wrong. That's why I decided to cooperate."

I thought the article was great, so I was excited to see Alexander on The Daily Show two nights ago. As John Stewart mentions, a pseudonym doesn't work quite them same when you go on tv, but I'm glad he did---this is a brave man with an important message. Now if only the military and DOD would pull the cotton out of their ears and hear it...

Here's the link to Alexander's new book. I hope to get my hands on it soon.

There ARE Atheists in Foxholes

I thought this was a nice story from NPR about an atheist soldier's unexpected but welcome encounter with acceptance and understanding in a foxhole in Afghanistan. It's troubling to read that he was repeatedly told by his own comrades and Afghan allies that he was going to hell when he is a soldier risking his life just like the rest of them. An apt tribute to the cut-short life of the young Afghan translator who made the soldier for once feel something other than rejection and judgment.

Gay Marriage and the Bible

I enjoyed this article about the various portrayals of marriage and love in the Bible. The author makes a convincing case that our modern ideals of straight marriages bear little resemblance to marriage in the Bible. While acknowledging Biblical condemnations of gay sex, she points to the familiar arguments that the Bible is equally a cultural text reflective of its time (Christians today reject its laws on slavery, capital punishment, and many more issues.). She discusses Jesus' message and how that can help Christians express and advocate a community of inclusion that celebrates committed love in all its forms.

A good read, although I'm not the one who needs convincing as I'm for legalizing gay marriage and don't think the Bible should have ANYTHING to do with the legal institution of marriage. I would hope the sentiments expressed in this article become more commonplace in Christian churches who count LGBT people as their parishioners and want to extend to them the same rights to join their loved one in marriage.

In the Doghouse

Do not buy your wife, fiance, or girlfriend any kind of cleaning item, kitchen appliance, weight loss tool, hair removal device, or other related items for Christmas. If you do, this will happen to you.

Women, the shopping season is upon us. As most of our man friends are probably procrastinators who have hardly even thought about what to get us, send this warning their way. Thanks to Thrashley for the link.

Food Paradise

I like eating even more than I like reading or sleeping, which is saying a lot. Lately I've been loving Travel Channel's "Food Paradise" show. It comes on Wednesday nights at 9:00 (so check it out tonight if you're bored) and features the greatest foods across the country. Each episode has a different theme, like pizza, steak, donuts, sandwich, and my personal favorite, DEEP FRIED PARADISE. The Web site lists the different restaurants featured so you can check them out if any are near where you live or where you're traveling. Make sure you've eaten a substantial dinner before you watch or you are likely to order and eat an entire pizza, carton of ice cream, or other such gluttonous fare. At the very least, you'll need a napkin to wipe the drool off your face.

The Saddest Male Models in the World

Some ridiculous male fashions and the sad, embarrassed models who have to wear them. A nice laugh for your Tuesday morning, brought to you by Best Week Ever. Thanks, John.

Jonestown

Seductive Poison: A Jonestown Survivor's Story of Life and Death in the People's Temple by Deborah Layton

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Jonestown tragedy happened a few years before I was born, so prior to reading this book I knew very little about the People's Temple and Jim Jones. I saw a news story one day that marked the twentieth anniversary of the mass suicide, and I poked around online until I came across Deborah Layton's book.

Layton was a privileged, rebellious teenager when she was introduced to the People's Temple and the world of its charismatic leader, Jim Jones. She is a talented and passionate storyteller, tracing the evolution of the Temple from a socially conscious advocacy organization that helped the poor, homeless, and drug addicted to a perversion of socialism that brainwashed, abused, and terrorized its members. Layton's brother, sister in law, and mother all joined the cult as well. The latter two traveled with her to Jones'so called Promised Land in the jungles of Guyana, where members were held prisoner and ruled by lies and fear.

Layton's eventual escape led to an American contingent of a congressman, members of the press, and concerned relatives traveling to Guyana only to be ambushed by Jones' security forces. Hours later, Jones ordered the mass suicide, his soldiers killing any who refused to drink the poison.

The story is compelling and heart breaking. Layton debunks myths about cults by portraying the lives of intellectuals, doctors, lawyers, and others from all walks of life who joined the Temple. It's frightening how insidious the transformation of the Temple was from a legitimate commmunity organization to a cult ruled by a sociopath. She shows us how any of us could fall prey to a charismatic leader only to have things go terribly wrong.

This is a fantastic book. Read it.


View all my reviews.