We were talking about names and origins in a graduate class, and I said my great-grandparents were from the kingdom of Bohemia. A woman gave a little gasp and said, "That's a real place? I thought Arthur Conan Doyle made it up."

I thought Moldova was made up until I met a person from Moldova about three years ago.

I had barely heard of Moldova before I met the Moldovans in grad school. It sounds fake. Moldova!!

I thought Moldova was made up until I met a person from Moldova about three years ago.

This is why I love watching the opening ceremonies for the Olympics.

But did she think that the adjective Bohemian originated with Doyle too?

Shakespeare set part of Winter's Tale on the seacoast of Bohemia. Which is a lovely area, right next to the Florida desert....

The county prosecutor in my (Ohio) county is trying to quarantine (and therefore not count) ~600 ballots cast by people who registered and voted the same day, due to claims of voter fraud.

Interestingly, that county prosecutor? Also happens to be the southwest Ohio regional chairman of the McCain campaign.

I think purges of voter rolls will be a key factor in this election, there are so many close swing states.

Actual quote from one high school classmate to another, "You live in a Turkey?"

I think purges of voter rolls will be a key factor in this election, there are so many close swing states.

Yeah, that's what this country needs - a bitterly contested election.

Actual quote from one high school classmate to another, "You live in a Turkey?"

I was completely disgusted when I heard that my step-grandmother was going to be in grease for two weeks. But then, I was six at the time.

Yeah, that's what this country needs - a bitterly contested election.

Too late -- things are already bitter.

Too late -- things are already bitter.

Yeah, but not bitterly contested. That'll probably wait until after the voting....