You need to put shock collars on them - like the kind people put on dogs so they won't bark.

I imagine wifi-enabling them would give you the best control (assuming you have wifi there). Or else maybe bluetooth?

eta: I cannot spell today....

I can be weirdly immune to caffiene sometimes, except if I drink some late in the day and really need to go to sleep to get up by a certain time.

Then I'll lay awake for hours, buzzed as hell.`

I thought Blackberries were supposed to be shock collars, dammit!

I used to be normally susceptible to caffeine, even sensitive--no tea past 6pm for me.

Now I can have a triple espresso at 9pm and be asleep by 10. Heaven forbid I should need to use something to keep me awake and alert.

I feel like last week was the darkest episode they'd ever done.

Last week was one of the darkest things I've ever seen broadcast on basic cable.

Yeah, I wouldn't let Emmett watch that one.

It really has totally warped his mind on the superhero biz, though.

Emmett: Who do you think could beat up Brock?
Me: Uh, among superheroes without any superpowers? I don't know. Maybe Batman.
Emmett: Batman?!? Brock would totally kick Batman's ass. Dad, Brock beat up two guys by grabbing one guy's arm with his butthole and swinging him around like a weapon! Batman never did that.
Me: I bet he'd love to try.
Emmett: What?
Me: You're right. I don't think I've seen Batman using that trick.
Emmett: Brock would go sickhouse on him.

ION, there's a new bird -- okay, one that's newly discovered. . . probably not "new."

Also, an article about Tim Gunn's grandfather.

Dad, Brock beat up two guys by grabbing one guy's arm with his butthole and swinging him around like a weapon! Batman never did that.

Yep. His view of the superhero biz is warped forever....

Scroll down, Nick Verreos is designing prom gowns.

Nick Verreos is designing prom gowns

And using models guaranteed to make people want to look at the gowns and not the girls inside them. Why must models look like someone had to hold a gun on their puppy to make them put the clothes on and show themselves in public?

Oh, this is cool. I wish there was a bigger image of this: Batman and Robin chalk sidewalk drawing - amazing perspective work

I had to stare at it a few seconds to understand what I was looking at.

More sidewalk drawings by the same guy: [link]

Etiquette question:

I've gotten used to being prepared to split any group bill evenly, instead of calculating what I ordered and working from there. It's a risk I assume when I sit down at the table with friends. Not a biggie.

Yesterday afternoon, a bunch of us went out for drinks, appetisers, and three of us ordered burgers. The waitress kept cheques separate about in order of arrival: First group of 4, then a couple, and then two singles.

Still with me? Good. I was in the group of 4. I drank one drink, ate of the appetisers that one of this 4 ordered (as did everyone at the table), and then ordered fries. Perfectly straightforward expectation that either it'd be split four ways, or we'd do the complicated math.

But no. Two of the four left early, and they didn't leave any money.

Now, let me be clear that in the goes around comes around food game, I owe. Big time. I eat out about twice a week on someone else's dime. So I don't begrudge splitting that bill two ways instead of four. Not at all. The other guy seemed unbothered too.

But the two people that left early--that was a faux pas, right? Or something? I can't imagine leaving after having eaten or drunk without making some sort of monetary gesture. Especially the drinking part.