Work, Donnie Darko, links

Worked 12-8:30 or so, got a lot done. Came home, had food, went to Latebra, had donuts, watched Donnie Darko. As advertised by many friends, a very good movie--even more so after the movie's completion, when one has had time to absorb the synchronicity involved in the plot--everything happens for a reason. It's creepy, mellow, disturbing, uplifting, and hilarious by turns, with a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack. (And contrary to the interpretations of the idiots who wrote the summaries at IMDb, it's not a giant rabbit!)

Tomorrow, work at noon again. :)

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lanikei: Seeking Alternatives to Standardized Testing. Long, but interesting--presents some plausibly viable alternatives to standardized testing. (Admittedly, their proponent here is a bit overzealous, but still makes solid points.)

michaelduff: A letter to the editor from a fellow member of Bush's Air National Guard Squadron, which should lay to rest talk of dereliction of duty. It won't, of course.

mizunakat: Punk-O-Matic! (3MB .swf file)

Dad's upcoming new car

Dad says:

One of the times I was in Radford during the last few years, I saw a 1951 Chevrolet Fleetline in the back lot of a car dealer friend of Harry's [his brother-in-law, my uncle]. The guy was asking $[quite a bit], so I passed, even though the car would have been the ultimate trip down automotive memory lane for me, because that was the make & model of the first car I owned back in high school. A little time has passed, and the guy is now asking $[half the previous price]. I'll send him a check in tomorrow's mail, he'll send me the title, I'll take ownership & get tags from DMV here, and I'll be going to Radford to get the car in early March.

The 1951 Chevrolet Fleetline is quite a nice old car, and it's just damn cool that he's getting his first car again. :D

Work day, coming home soon, going out, links

Another long, late day, noon to 9 or so. Got a lot accomplished, and learned that I'll definitely be leaving by the time my 90-day work authorization expires--March 3rd, if I calculate correctly, since I got here December 4th. Damon says that on every trip he's been on, it's the new guys who get sent home first, and things are kind of wrapping up here, so I'm not too concerned. Time to start figuring out what I need/want to do before leaving, though, including mailing some of my stuff back home and selling my bike.

But after I post this, I'll head over to the Civic Pub to help celebrate Bella's 21st birthday--which reminds me even more strongly than just her name of the song "Bella's Birthday Cake" by Five For Fighting--and thence elsewhere, as it seems much of the group will be going to the SouthPac Rugby Club which, by Jillian's account, is a hole, so we shall adjourn elsewhere. :)

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First the funny:

From sylvie: Thor and Loki as college roommates.

From michaelduff: Conan to Canada: J'apologize
O'Brien: "People of Quebec, I'm sorry."
Translator (in French with subtitles): "People of Quebec, I'm an albino jackass."
O'Brien: "We meant no harm with our comedy piece the other night."
Translator: (in French) "The other night, I wet the bed like a little girl."

Then the tongue-in-cheek:

From jazzfish: Telemarketing Counter-Script

Then the serious:

abz6598: So, really, I don't care how intense your beliefs are as long as they don't affect me or you try to push them onto me. Hear hear.

From shariperkins and jazzfish: Bush 'Troubled' by Gay Marriage Issue. (Similarly, Laura Bush Says Gay Marriage 'Shocking'.) Tucker adds:

"'People need to be involved in this decision,' Bush said. 'Marriage ought to be defined by the people not by the courts. And I'm watching it carefully.'" To quote chaobell, "what the hell do you think all the couples in San Francisco are doing when they march downtown to get marriage licenses!?"

Also from jazzfish:

Papers, please. "On the 22nd of March 2004, the U.S. Supreme Court will decide whether Dudley and the rest of us live in a free society, or in a country where we must show "the papers" whenever a cop demands them."