Les Jones

Nifty > Word of the Day: Curiosity Killed the Cat

Another twist from Gray Martin:

Everyone knows that, despite its supposed nine lives, curiosity killed the cat. Well, not quite. The 'killed the cat' proverb originated as 'care killed the cat'. By 'care' the coiner of the expression meant 'worry/sorrow' rather than our more usual contemporary 'look after/provide for' meaning.

That form of the expression is first recorded in the English playwright Ben Jonson's play Every Man in His Humour, 1598:

"Helter skelter, hang sorrow, care'll kill a Cat, up-tails all, and a Louse for the Hangman."

The play was one of the Tudor humours comedies, in which each major character is assigned a particular 'humour' or trait. The play is thought to have been performed in 1598 by The Lord Chamberlain's Men, a troupe of actors including William Shakespeare and William Kempe. Shakespeare was no slouch when it came to appropriating a memorable line and it crops up the following year in Much Ado About Nothing:

"What, courage man! what though care killed a cat, thou hast mettle enough in thee to kill care."

The proverbial expression 'curiosity killed the cat', which is usually used when attempting to stop someone asking unwanted questions, is much more recent. The earlier form was still in use in 1898, when it was defined in Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable:

"Care killed the Cat. It is said that a cat has nine lives, but care would wear them all out."

Previous WOTD - Ding-a-derry

A&E > Alanis Morisette Sings "My Humps"

Katie Allison-Granju is blogging about the worst songs ever. Her personal pick is The Black-Eyed Peas' "My Humps."

I had heard that song on the radio but never really paid attention to the lyrics. Then Steve K. sent me the Alanis Morisette parody and I realized how incredibly dumb the song is. Here's the Black-Eyed Peas version:

And here's the Alanis Morisette parody. She really doesn't change the lyrics so much as rearrange them, slow the tempo, and remove the dance beat so your brain can actually hear the stupidity.

WTF? Bonus! - Tori Amos slowcovers Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit":

Hat tip to Steve K. for all the links.

Guns > Wisconsin Personal Protection Referendum

Via Triticale.

Concealed carry has twice passed the Wisconsin legislature, and twice been vetoed. I've decided to issue a call for a referendum, to make an end run around the veto. The blog I've created is at http://wppr.mee.nu/

Environment > Rock Stars Against Live Earth, My New Site

I decided to take some of my Live Earth posts and create a quickie new blog on a recent event - this Saturday's Live Earth concerts. The site is Rock Stars Against Live Earth.

This is going to happen really fast, and it would help if people searching for "live earth" on Google found this site. I'd appreciate a link to boost the Google PageRank for that site.

Politics > Bush Was Wrong to Commute Libby's Sentence

This week George Bush commuted Lewis "Scooter" Libby's prison sentence. Libby will still have to pay a quarter million dollar fine, but he won't serve a day of his two and a half year prison term. Bush stated that Libby's sentence was excessive. Whether it was or was not, Bush was motivated by politics, not justice or fair play.

Forget about who the president happens to be right now. Forget about what party he belongs to. In the general case, I want politicians held to the same standards as everyone else. The U.S. is supposed to follow the rule of law, meaning that those in power have to obey the same laws as everyone else.

Our country also has another long tradition - due process. Libby got that. A jury of his peers found Libby guilty. He got the same constitutional protections as anyone else can expect. Libby had legal represetnation, and it was much better than what an ordinary citizen such as myself could hope to afford. Why should I wish a lighter sentence on Libby as opposed to the average person, or, to pick a recent example in the news, these people?

The power to commute sentences and pardon the convicted is a gravely serious power we give to our executive branch. By design it's intended to right great wrongs or to pardon those who have been convicted, served their sentence, admitted their wrongdoing, and who have turned their lives around and now seek forgiveness. It isn't meant to spring one of your aides who broke the law.

When abused that executive power causes tremendous damage to the public's faith in our legal system. Bush was wrong to use his power to commute the sentence of one of his political cronies. I voted for the guy in 2004 as the lesser of two evils, but Bush was wrong to do what he did.

Guns > Volunteer Enterprises Commando, Made in Knoxville, TN

I've known since I was a kid that the Volunteer Enterprise Commando was made in Knoxville. I didn't know where in Knoxville until I saw the cover of the owner's manual. Clinton Highway, PO Box 12198.

Does anyone have any idea where on Clinton Highway that might have been?

UPDATE: Micheal Silence at the Knoxville News-Sentinel was kind enough to link this post. One of his readers, Rick Forman, wrote: "I don't know the exact address but they were made in Claxton in a steel building across from Old State Cir. next to Bull Run Rd. My brother worked there for a while in the early 70's." *

Based on that information I found this satellite image at Google Maps. The next time I'm out Clinton Highway I'll pop in some of those buildings. I'm betting someone knows which one was formerly Volunteer Enterprises.

* NOTE FOR Y'ALL WHAT AIN'T FROM AROUND HERE - Claxton is an area on Clinton Highway. It's either a community or possibly a town that was annexed by Knoxville (I'm a little unclear on that point, so if you know, don't be bashful about posting in comments). There are many parts of Knoxville, like Bearden, that were once cities unto themselves before being annexed as Knoxville grew, and which retain parts of their original identities.

Misc > Deathbed Confession: Aliens at Roswell

A former Roswell PR officer confessed in a posthumously-released affidavit to covering up aliens and alien spacecraft at the New Mexico military base. Via Slashdot.

According to someone in comments, the confessor in this case just happens to have owned a UFO museum, so he would seem to have a financial incentive to keep interest in Roswell alive.

Time and technology have not helped UFO believers. Back in the day when only the U.S. and USSR had space programs people argued that the two countries were colluding to keep the lid on UFOs. That argument doesn't work now that many countries have space programs and many more have extensive radar systems and satellites. (You'd think a flying saucer would have shown up on Google Maps by now.)

The proliferation of digital cameras and inexpensive movie cameras should be giving us more evidence of alien activity, but that hasn't happened.

See also:
- Deathbed Confessions

Environment > Live Earth: Let's Get This Party Started!

Planning a Live Earth party? Here are some funtime party tips from the lawyers for Friends of Live Earth:

• The term “Live Earth” is not available for your use as part of your program identity or title. It can be used in descriptions of the event itself (example: Come see the Live Earth concerts, broadcast on big screens in Hyde Park).
• All events using this info should have their own title and identity, clearly separate and independent from Live Earth (example: Save the Planet Toronto). You cannot use the term “Friends of Live Earth” in your program title or lead messaging.
• No one from your organizing team can claim to speak on behalf of Live Earth, act as a representative of Live Earth, or represent your event as a Live Earth event.
• “Friends of Live Earth” cannot, directly through visual or other communications, be linked with any organization, including sponsors/broadcasters of your event. “Friends of Live Earth” should only be used as a supporting message.
• The contents of this kit should be used to supplement an existing or independently created event, apart from Live Earth.
• No events using this kit will be considered official Live Earth events, with any associated official or legal links.

Rock on! Wooooo!!!

P.S. The indemnity clause is totally bitchin'!

Hat tip to BoingBoing: Live Earth music industry benefits made stupid and evil by terms and conditions.

Misc > Q: Why Do Drive-up ATMs Have Braille?

A: It's the law.

A&E > If You Think Celine Dion is Obnoxious

You should see her fans (this is in reference to me making fun of Hillary Clinton choosing a Celine Dion number as her campaign song):

Let me just say that Celine has sold over 200 million records and was awarded the biggest selling female artist of all time award at the World Music Awards. Hillary Clinton didn't pick this song...WE...CELINE's FANS VOTED FOR IT! And there are 25 Million of us in the US alone! We don't care what you think about Celine as apparently she is selling RECORD AFTER RECORD AFTER RECORD without your help, and with her star power Celine will continue to bring in the votes and the record sales! YOU HAVE A NICE DAY!

And as Far As Outsourcing? Celine waqs chosen by America to sing GOD BLESS AMERICA after SEPTEMBER 11th ...not once or twice but 3 times including on A tribute to HEROs-dedication to New York and The Superbowl! Celine isn't Canadian Or American Or German Or Asian... Celine is from the World!Thus her Global Fan Base!

Whatev. And I still say it was wrong for Hillary to outsource her campaign song to a crappy Candian pop singer. Somewhere in Los Angeles there's a one-hit wonder fretting over his condo mortgage and praying that the transmission on his Jaguar will hold out until it's paid off. What about our crappy American pop singers, Senator Clinton? When do they get the last of their 15 minutes?

Funny Ha-Ha > Scene for a Comedy

MAN: So what do you do?
WOMAN: I'm a model.
MAN: Really? Wow. So what kind of modelllng do you do?
WOMAN: Do you remember that episode of Seinfeld where George was going to be a hand model?
MAN: Oh yeah, I remember that.
WOMAN: Well, there really are people like that. So like if a photographer is doing a watch ad he'll use a hand model. Or for a shoe ad he'll call in a foot model. There are even ear models for earring ads. I'm a specialty model like that.
MAN: That is really cool. So what do you model?
WOMAN: My breasts and vagina.

See also:
- Detail for a Buddy Comedy
- Throwaway Line
- Moment of Authenticity for a Future Novel
- Snippet from an Unwritten Comedy
- Phrase to Remember
- Vignette for a Yuppie Dumbass

Environment > Refuting Al Gore's Science

James Taylor in the Sun-Times:

Many of the assertions Gore makes in his movie, ''An Inconvenient Truth,'' have been refuted by science, both before and after he made them. Gore can show sincerity in his plea for scientific honesty by publicly acknowledging where science has rebutted his claims.

For example, Gore claims that Himalayan glaciers are shrinking and global warming is to blame. Yet the September 2006 issue of the American Meteorological Society's Journal of Climate reported, "Glaciers are growing in the Himalayan Mountains, confounding global warming alarmists who recently claimed the glaciers were shrinking and that global warming was to blame."

Gore claims the snowcap atop Africa's Mt. Kilimanjaro is shrinking and that global warming is to blame. Yet according to the November 23, 2003, issue of Nature magazine, "Although it's tempting to blame the ice loss on global warming, researchers think that deforestation of the mountain's foothills is the more likely culprit. Without the forests' humidity, previously moisture-laden winds blew dry. No longer replenished with water, the ice is evaporating in the strong equatorial sunshine."

Gore claims global warming is causing more tornadoes. Yet the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change stated in February that there has been no scientific link established between global warming and tornadoes.

Guns > Front Sight Firearms Training

Hey, I'll play. Full disclosure: Front Sight is offering free gun classes to bloggers who post links for them. Melissa's been wanting to go to Vegas, so maybe she'll go to Vegas and I'll go to Pahrump. I don't have any experience with them, but I recall that Spoons went there and liked it.

• Front Sight Firearms Training
• Ignatius Piazza - founder of Front Sight
• Ignatius Piazza Blog
• Ignatius Piazza - in Las Vegas Mercury
• Front Sight - in The Mail on Sunday Review
• Ignatius Piazza - in Times Democrat
• Front Sight - on CNN
• Ignatius Piazza - in National Enquirer
• Front Sight - in Icon Magazine
• Ignatius Piazza - in Chicago Tribune
• Ignatius Piazza - in Gun World
• Ignatius Piazza - in San Francisco Chronicle
• Ignatius Piazza - in Fort Worth Star Telegram
• Front Sight - in Financial Times
• Front Sight - on BBC News
• Front Sight - in Gun Web
• Front Sight - in New York Times
• Ignatius Piazza - in Small Arms Review
• Front Sight - in Sierra Times
• Ignatius Piazza - in Forbes Magazine
• Ignatius Piazza - on World Net Daily
• Front Sight - in Guns & Ammo
• Front Sight - on USA Today
• Front Sight - in Santa Cruz Sentinel
• Ignatius Piazza - in Handvapen Guiden
• Ignatius Piazza - in Las Vegas Sun
• Ignatius Piazza - in Las Vegas Life
• Front Sight - in US News & World Report
• Front Sight - in London Times
• Ignatius Piazza - in Washington Post
• Front Sight - in El Pais Seminal
• Front Sight - in Pajaronian Register
• Front Sight - in Black Belt Magazine
• Front Sight - in Cybercast News Service
• Ignatius Piazza - in El Mercurio
• Front Sight - in Los Angeles Times
• Ignatius Piazza - in Playboy
• My Experience at Front Sight
• Ignatius Piazza - on Reform America
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Guns > S&W; M&P; Autos Developing Rust Problems?

A couple of people on The High Road are reporting rust on their M&P;'s slides.

While stainless steel can certainly rust, my gut feeling is that this indicates a problem somewhere in the production process, possibly even in the passivation of the stainless steel. The stainless slides are coated in Melonite, which should further inhibit rusting.

Nifty > Word of the Day: Ding-a-derry

In the Wizard of Oz the Scarecrow's signature song is "If I Only Had a Brain." My daughter's been watching the movie lately and there's a word in that song that's been bugging me. I thought it was "Kingadairy." Melissa thought it was "Pingadairy." I found the lyrics and discovered it's "Ding-a-derry":

I would not be just a nuffin'
My head all full of stuffin'
My heart all full of pain
I would dance and be merry
Life would be a ding-a-derry
If I only had a brain

So what's a ding-a-derry? I haven't been able to find anything to suggest that it's anything but a nonsense word that fit the rhyme scheme, in much the same way as "stuffin'" was rhymed with "nuffin'." Seems like a little bit anticlimatic, doesn't it? I wanted ding-a-derry to mean something.

Previous WOTD - Underwear perverts

True Crime > Wired Interview of Hans Reiser

Wired interviews programmer Hans Reiser in prison, where he's awaiting trial for his wife's murder. More details emerge, such as the fact that he was carrying $8,900 in cash and a passport when the police arrested him, and he still can't or won't explain what happened to the passenger seat in his car.

He still doesn't seem quite as weird as his wife's drug-taking, S&M-practicing; lover, who has confessed to eight murders.

Media Behaving Badly > Greg Packer - World's Most Famous "Man on the Street"

From Editor and Publisher:

He's not just another face in the crowd at concerts, book signings, and sporting events. Somehow, over the course of 10 years, one man has managed to become the media's go-to guy, quoted more than 100 times in various publications, including several prominent newspapers. Greg Packer is the "man on the street."

Packer, 40, of Huntington, N.Y., arrives early to media events. His latest accomplishment: being 15th in line in Washington, D.C., to pay his respects to former President Ronald Reagan. "I'm the best person to come to — anywhere," says Packer. "I always give time, and I always have an answer."

While Packer says "honesty is very important to me," he does admit that about 5% of the time, "I'm making stuff up to get in the paper." A Boston newspaper, for example, quoted him as saying he had a ticket for the 1999 baseball All-Star Game there when he really didn't.

"At times the media can be gullible, but they have to take people at their word," he explains.

In June 2003, the Associated Press circulated a memo instructing its reporters not to quote Packer in any more stories, saying the media had been over-relying on him. Conservative columnist Ann Coulter has deemed him "the entire media's designated man on the street for all articles ever written." Sheryl McCarthy, a columnist for New York's Newsday, said, "The fact that Greg Packer's quotes have turned up everywhere suggests that man-on-the-street interviews are worthless."

Packer's latest media stunt is being the first person in line for an iPhone. And of course he's got a blog.

Hat tip to Patterico.