Blowup rats are a fairly common thing for workers on strike to use in their demonstrations.

They don't want people killing rats? They're opposed to the plague?

The problem is, of course, that they are doing this to count down to Christmas, which is, in every possible way, wrong. Whoever came up with this idea at the examiner needs to have their head caved in with a wikipedia entry for the twelve days of Christmas, printed out and wrapped around a very large brick.

Or perhaps I am just cranky, for vague and nebulous reasons.

You have every reason to be cranky, Sean, but even if you didn't, this would be reason enough. It's just all sorts of wrong and they should know better. More importantly, yeah! on springing S. I hope you have an uneventful time up to the transplant, and that even that is uneventful as much as a transplant can be.

ION, I am home with the stomach flu. How do I manage to feel guilty about leaving work more short-staffed even while puking my guts out ? On the bright side, my wireless apparently works from the bedroom, and I'm posting from bed. Yeah?

Edited for punctuation and to delete an extra word, because, even when I'm sick, I really should know better.

Maybe they are plugging Angel.

DOYLE: If you need help. Then look no further. Angel Investigations is the best! Our rats are low.

CORDELIA: Rates!

DOYLE: (RE: cue cards) It says 'rats'. Our rates are low, but our standards are high. When the chips are down, and you're at the end of your rope you need someone that you can count on. And that's what you'll find here. Someone who will go all the way, who'll protect you no matter what. So don't lose hope. Come on over to our offices and you'll see that there's still heroes in this world. Is that it? Am I done?

Oh, Doyle. Sad now.

our rats are low

sniffle

Sob.

Hugs Laga and Suzi in grief. Cops a feel.

Hey, there are benefits to being home sick, losing one's inhibitions and being caught up on b.org!

Oh, as usual, dear.

Maybe this will distract: [link]

According to CNN, the small contingent of churchgoers believe that Interstate 35, a sprawling highway running from Texas to Minnesota, is specifically mentioned in the Book of Isaiah, chapter 35.

Oh, as usual, dear.

I was just going to post that.

Um, to Natter. A link to a different article on it.

Lujan conducted a five-week 24-hour prayer vigil and organized what he called a "purity siege" along Austin's famed Sixth Street. The sieges are part of the I-35 project, a nationwide movement to save those at bars, gay clubs and abortion clinics in cities along the interstate.

"If you just draw a line right down the middle of the nation, and go to these strategic cities along the way and just cry out holiness and purity, we believe there's going to be a referendum, a change, a radical change in our nation," Lujan said.

What, you may be wondering, is a "purity siege"? It's helpfully defined here as:

A spiritual demonstration. In much the same way people protest against governmental or business aspects of society, youth across the nation will “siege” sites of impurity in their city, by doing on-location prayer. They will be protesting the machinations of evil, such as pornography, injustice, abortion and other strongholds. They will stand outside of spiritual strongholds and visually demonstrate their opposition thereof, while doing warfare in heavenly realm.

Much more here: [link]