Not that I play the lottery, since I feel it preys on those least likely to be able to afford it,

"What has six balls and screws rednecks?"

The lottery just makes me sad. When you see the people who are just getting by win the lottery, most of them say something like, "I've played $40 a week for years and it finally paid off," and I think of the thousands of people who've been pouring their money down that same rathole. I'm also baffled by the people who suddenly decide to play when it's reached a huge payoff amount. People! Many more people are playing. Your odds have gotten even worse.

in my state is subsidizes the college education of many already wealthy people, so that in my town, there are lots of college kids driving SUVs because their tuition is free.

To be fair, a lot of those kids would have SUVs anyway, and a lot of other kids wouldn't be in college without the Hope scholarships. What I dislike about them is that they've led to even more rampant grade inflation.

I need to watch Lion in Winter again.

I need to watch Lion in Winter again.

(Henry, mocking Eleanor) "I taught you prancing, lamb, and lute...and flute..." then notices Eleanor watching him with sappiness dripping off her smile.

"That's absolutely me!" she exclaims.

Watching them is like listening to daggers constantly being drawn from their sheaths; that raspy sound fills the spaces between them.

I love The Lion in Winter! It's my favorite Xmas movie!

I'm also baffled by the people who suddenly decide to play when it's reached a huge payoff amount. People! Many more people are playing. Your odds have gotten even worse.

I don't think it's about odds, it's about the fantasy of winning.

Some people watch porn; I play the lottery. I'm okay with that. It's actually one of the cheapest forms of entertainment out there.

Calli, that reminds me of the Tom Paxton song "Thank you Republic Airlines(for breaking the neck of my guitar)", at least the subject matter does.

Never piss off a bard.

I love The Lion in Winter! It's my favorite Xmas movie!

Totally!

When Lord Marshall shows up at Salisbury Tower to collect the Queen, she's doing needlepoint with her maids.

All he has to do is open the door and step inside; Eleanor is so smart (and, well, has 10 years' practice), that she says, "There's to be a Christmas court."

Lord Marshall says, "At Chinon," and her face lights up like she's been...made Queen again?

I *adore* this move. (*cough* I think that's pretty obvious.)

Done now. (Maybe.)

United Airlines broke a musician's guitar. After getting told it wasn't United's problem too many times, the musician did what they do—he wrote a song.

Hee! It's a very amusing song. Everyone's been complaining about United lately! I think I've generally had good experiences with them.

Four years later and three hundred miles away, the brown recluse spiders have found me again. No more Mr. Nice Guy -- after I saw the first one I put glue traps in my HVAC closet, behind my desk, and under my bed. Now four days later, here are the results: [link]

Damn. You'd think they'd stay true to their names and hole up with J.D. Salinger or something.

We interrupt your regularly scheduled Natter to bring you this amusing video of a cat:

Chilling