Family artistry, vague theft, and what you are

My extended family, they are very talented, and also they rock.

JAZZ, PIANO, CABARET
Morrison House, 116 S. Alfred St., Alexandria. 703/838-8000.
• Pianist-vocalist Pat Rohrer. 8 p.m.-midnight. Thursday-Saturday.
(That would be my great-aunt, who's amazing on piano.)

David Rohrer’s paintings at the Eric Schindler Gallery are very nice.
(That would be my cousin, whose work will be on display in Richmond through Dec. 22.)

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Nathan's current task in GTA:SA: "Fly the jetpack to the train, and steal whatever they least want you to get.

You are a slam-dancing perpetrator who loves to conquer scarecrows. What are you?

The BS wot is abstinence-only education, strange news about art, and pleasant news about spam

From all too many folks--but really, not enough--on my Friends list:

Did you know that condoms don't help prevent STD transmission, life begins at conception, 24 chromosomes come from each parent, girls care less about achievement and their futures, abortion can lead to sterility and suicide, half of gay male teenagers in the US tested positive for AIDS, touching a person's genitals can result in pregnancy, HIV can be spread by sweat and tears, a 43-day-old fetus is a "thinking person", and that chlamydia causes heart disease?

AP via SFGate: Abstinence programs present false, misleading information, lawmaker says

WashPost: Some Abstinence Programs Mislead Teens, Report Says
The Waxman report underscored the need for closer monitoring of what he called the "shame-based, fear-based, medically inaccurate messages" being disseminated with tax money. He said the danger of abstinence[-only] education lies in the omission of useful medical information.

But hey, let's prevent real improvement! "Yeah, the truth is great and all, but it might give people the wrong idea!"

WashTimes: Sex classes concern new board member

Hell, let's Recall the Montgomery County School Board!

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In lighter, and quite strange, news: Urinal named world's most influential art piece, ahead of Picasso, Warhol, and Matisse.

And in light, positive news, from BBC Technology: Anti-spam plan [to increase spammers' bandwidth bills] overwhelms sites. (Information about the spam-battering screensaver from Lycos can be found here.)

Dinner w/LJ folks!

Work today was uneventful--about three hours of completing an install for NIH in Sterling, and done for the day. :)

Tonight's plans were intended to be dinner at Crab House in Fair Lakes with LJ folks, arranged by dantheserene (and his personal set of implements of seafood destruction for their buffet.) As the time was set for 1845 and I live about 20 minutes away, I left myself 30--intended 45, but you know me--and it then took over an hour to get there, primarily due to traffic backed up for miles on 7100N between 123 and Braddock, for no good reason. Fortunately, Dan was still waiting outside the Crab House, which was Closed For Remodeling, to direct me to the nearby Blue Iguana. Not too pricey (entrees $15-$25) service quite excellent--be sure to request Helmut if you eat there--and the company was delightful. I don't remember any names, really*, but there were seven of us, and talk of race motorcycle wrecks, race car wrecks, late-night interstate drives on a whim with a dad in a snowstorm, movies, climate changes, snowmobile water races, betting on a car frame breaking through pond ice as a fundraiser, credit issues, police issues, our favorite Montanans, car buying, all kinds of goodness. Headed out around 2130, was home by 2150, as should be the drive time.

* However, Dan did. :)

Shortly, out for clubbage!