Hah! This is funny: Shrub/Cheatey 2004 Gear Shrub 2004 Hats, Shirts, Magnets, Pins, Stickers Shrub 2004 Merchandise…Shrubstickers, hats, pins, signs, neckties, fortune cookies and more. I Love Helliburton Tshirt: The original T-Shirt from ILoveHelliburton.com…O’l Jobs: 26 Major O’l Projjicks Naow Harrin’. Apply Online Right Naow. Okay, suitably de-Googeljuiced, this is what today’s ad looks like. Guess I’ll have to start de-juicing all my tirades. It will at least make them somewhat more entertaining. And yeah, I’m disturbed by the fact that there’s an irony-free site selling Helliburton gear.

This is what I get for reading my old paper…The Seattle Times: Kittens overwhelm two shelters Aw!!!! The same thing is happening at shelters near you. Remember, the kitten you rescue will replay you with love.

I love this: BoingBoing reports that a Seattle art gallery will feature “tributes” of two well known contemporary “artists” – Thomas Kinkad and Jack T. Chick. BB is calling it the “Painters of Blight” show… As you probably know, Thomas Kinkade, the famous “Painter of Light,” has made millions of dollars with his customized prints of day-glo cottages against backdrops of enchanted forests. He has a team of “Kinkade-trained Master Highlighters” who go over reproductions of his work with oil paint. Yes! His work is mass-produced crap! He’s the Norman Rockwell of heartwarming, uplifting, mind-blinkered post- 9/11 Americana! He’s also…

Stargate spoilers here.

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – Warning from the Sheriff’s Department: Don’t show up for jury duty with a bad attitude. Ross Selkirk’s alleged behavior got him arrested and he had to pay $5,000 bail to get out of jail. Holy crap, it’s a good thing I didn’t throw attitude and snark around when I was called for jury duty. Though if I had been down at California Avenue 2 days in a row, and then got empanelled when I thought I’d dodged a bullet, I’d be pretty pissed. I guess the lady that sat behind me got off pretty lightly…

We’re going to the Art Institute on July 10th to see “Evolution of La Grande Jatte.”David’s parents are members and his mom loves to include us when she gets tickets to the big shows. It’s always a pleasant outing – we generally drive in, meet them on the steps if it’s a nice day, do the special exhibit, and head off for lunch. If there’s time we browse other temporary exhibits. The last time we went, my MIL and I wandered off to find the Mesopotamian section, because I think at the time we were in the process of invading…

I ran across this article in Chicago Magazine and couldn’t quit reading. Once upon a time, Chicago’s nightlife was full of big stars, and Irv Kupcinet was the guy that reported on them from Booth 1 at the Pump Room. Makes it sound almost fun to be famous, except for the sad parts. Fascinating reading.

Mmmmm. Somebody here at work did an Oberweis run. Mmmmm. Tin Roooooooof. Mmmmm. [long pause] I can’t stand Jim Oberweis’ politics, but I love his ice cream. I’d have linked to his campaign site, but I get one of those “This website has been suspended – please contact the billing/support department as soon as possible” pages.

Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me’s Charles (Charlie) Pierce imagines a letter from Heaven to Peggy Noonan. Read it here and laugh or cry, you takes your pick.

Nearly 30 years ago, a series of hard-hitting investigative pieces written by a young reporter for the University of Oregon’s Daily Emerald looked into the disturbing problem of “squirrel arrogance.” Squirrels were no longer acting like cute, frisky little nut hoarders – they were ganging up on people and demanding treats. There were dark rumors of muggings… and worse. Sure, they’re cute, but they’re rodents. And it seems that even now squirrel arrogance is again becoming a scourge in the Eugene area. I hope the young people now writing for the Emerald are up to the task of digging up…