Relatedly, more houses these days are being built with "secret" rooms, like in the movies....

The trailers seemed to hint that that wasn't such a great idea, but what do I know.

Aw, you made me miss Narrator. She's been too scarce.

Aw, that’s sweet. My regular non-existence has been Triple-Sized by the Whup Monster. It’s new and improved Whup! Now with special Beat-Downs!

Happy Dictionary Day!

I had a dictionary seminar in college. I took it because it fit in my schedule but I ended up really liking it.

Timelies all.

Bleah. Just...bleah.(tired, weather sucks,, got stuck at work later than usual)

LITTLE ROCK - A man who allegedly shot a crossbow at a motorist after being on the receiving end of an obscene gesture has been charged with committing a terroristic act.

Firing a crossbow is a terrorist act?

Wayne Allen Dierks, Jr. 26, was arrested Sunday and is also charged with possession of an instrument of crime, driving while intoxicated and driving with a suspended driver's license.

The incident began when a motorist cut in front of Dierks' sport utility vehicle. Steve Gilgenbach, the motorist, said that Dierks then began pursuing him in his SUV, yelling and cursing at him and then fired the crossbow, shattering Gilgenbach's rear window.

[link]

Firing a crossbow is a terrorist act?

Speaking of dictionaries .... Yes. The way that "terrorist act" and similar terms have been defined under a number of state and federal statutes permit this broad an application. Law enforcement and prosecutors then apply it broadly. (As I recall, the first or one of the first uses of the PATRIOT Act was to prosecute a pornography ring.) Because we are all through the Looking Glass now.

Much more likely the AP reporter misinterpreted the supposed charge. That happens a lot.

Speaking of dictionaries .... Yes. The way that "terrorist act" and similar terms have been defined under a number of state and federal statutes permit this broad an application. Law enforcement and prosecutors then apply it broadly. (As I recall, the first or one of the first uses of the PATRIOT Act was to prosecute a pornography ring.) Because we are all through the Looking Glass now.

In New Jersey (can't speak for other states) the hot new way of kicking troublemakers out of school and into juvie is accusing them of "making terroristic threats".

The logic, as I understand it, is one teenage girl passing another teenage girl a note saying "I'm gonna GET that bitch" is just one step short of Columbine. Which is, of course, just one step short of Al Qaida. And there is all sorts of budget for it.

I can't imagine guys going to brunch together or alone, although I doubt they'd fight going with chicks.

I've gone to brunch solo and with relatives, but I don't really think of it as a hanging-out-with-the guys kind of activity. Though gamer friends of mine used to do Sunday brunch at a Chinese restaurant after all-night D&D sessions. (My pal Tom went by himself once, completely disheveled, and the waiter said "You only survivor!" to him...)

Our ECHL hockey team used to have Sunday brunch with the team before their Sunday games for season ticket holders. It was cool. Eggs Benedict and hockey actually do go together.