WTF, Texas

On the one hand, Rick Perry is quick to proclaim that Texas's limited, business-friendly government is responsible for Texas weathering this recession better than other states.

Meanwhile, in reality, Texas school districts are laying off tons of teachers--yes, I weighed them--due to budget shortfall, meaning we will continue to have one of the worst educations systems in these United States.

Also in reality, rolling freakin' brownouts. Clearly our limited government is up to the challenge.

Just because I need to vent, let me introduce Apologist for the Incompetent Regime, Bradley Griffin:

While it might relieve some tension to complaining via news outlets, on Facebook, and / or calling the electricity retailer (Reliant, TXU, Ambit, or others) we should all be thankful, not complaining.

Controlled outages are good.

When energy reserves have been depleted, rolling blackouts provide a "last resort" answer.

Controlled outages allow your power to come back on! When energy consumption is high, ERCOT implements rolling blackouts to prevent circuit breakers from tripping and generators from overloading. If the controlled blackouts were not executed, there would be a total blackout...for everyone!

...

When another round of rolling blackouts hits our area, be happy in anticipation that your power will come back on.

Says $2 Bill:

The Corner does fashion

And it's hilarious:

As a distant observer of fashion, but a close student of the semiotics of female power, I am a little puzzled by Michelle's frequent choice of sleeveless dresses at official moments. She is an attractive woman, whose height gives her a commanding presence, and it is clear that she puts effort into toning those upper arms. So the dresses look good; but this is not about pretty. She is in her forties, and the sleeveless sheath is the province of younger women, and/or socialites; it works for cocktails or a barbeque, but not church or work. (And yes, she is clearly channeling Jackie Kennedy. But Jackie's clothes — and everyone's in the early 1960s — were a lot more grown up and sophisticated.) The sleeveless bit seems too casual, and maybe a little too revealing for the role she is currently playing, and the one to which she aspires. Successful First Ladies — and here Laura Bush is a good model — manage to convey a careful mix of distance and familiarity.

Emphasis--of the parts I find most amusing--mine.

Update, of sorts:

Those are terrible odds

(so-called facts via veegle, stupid smiley faces that are supposed to be "%)" via Apple's iChat)

Slow week at The Bellman

Mark promised us some Catholic humor, but I think he overdosed on Jesus last weekend, and is actually sick today. So, in the mean time, let me kill any momentum this blog had by asking.....

David Tennant: Is he a great Doctor, or the greatest Doctor?

Season 3 is halfway over in ol' England, and I've been 'renting it. At the end of Season 2, I woulda said that he's a "good Doctor," but now I've ratcheted my esteem all the way up to "the greatest Doctor." He's really got a bead on the character.


Also, his new chica is the cutest one in, let's say, 900 years of travel through time and space.

In other news, the new Sage Francis album is pretty good. I didn't know he was white, tho. Like da man says:

What we chat about: Living longer than Keith Richards

(Note to self: Spend less time chatting and more time blogging working.)


Oddly, the prospect of Keith turning 100 came up independently and virtually simultaneously in two separate chats. Regarding this:

"The strangest thing I've tried to snort? My father. I snorted my father," [Keith] Richards was quoted as saying by British music magazine NME.

"He was cremated and I couldn't resist grinding him up with a little bit of blow. My dad wouldn't have cared," he said. "... It went down pretty well, and I'm still alive."

What we chat about: Dork science edition

Zombie Hervé Villechaize thinks I should get a tattoo on my face. He's been saying it for years:



Click past the jump for increased dorkiness:




("What we chat about," both in title and concept, are completely ripped off from the multi-part series, "what we talk about," over at the continuously exploding aardvark)

The Manchurian TrimSpa Model

We actually have a label for Anna Nicole Smith on the blog. Fantastic!

Is that a Taurus in that Taurus?

According to a study by InsuranceHotline.com, a Web site that quotes drivers on insurance rates, astrological signs are a significant factor in predicting car accidents.

The study, which looked at 100,000 North American drivers' records from the past six years, puts Libras (born September 23-October 22) followed by Aquarians (January 20-February 18) as the worst offenders for tickets and accidents. Leos (July 23-August 22) and then Geminis (May 21-June 20) were found to be the best overall.

Gemini, for the win!

Romanov originally wanted to have some fun by examining astrological signs as a possible cause for the variance between insurance companies quoting high and low rates but didn't expect to find anything interesting.
...
Even age, another variable for determining insurance rates, is less of a consideration to Romanov. The cutoff line for being considered a higher risk driver is 24 years of age; 25-year-olds are considered not-high risk.

"I'd rather get into a car with a 24-year-old Leo than a 25-year-old Aries," Romanov said.
...
"I wasn't believing in it before," said Romanov, "but I would think twice before getting into a car with an Aries." (link)

Don't even get me started on Scorpios. So, what's your sign?

UPDATE: I thought I'd share the thoughts of zombie Hervé Villechaize:



I guess the Foley jokes will continue until someone eclipses him in the sex-with-minors category.