Δαφνη Ευτυχια Αρθουρος

"Needless to say, my housemate and I followed in hot pursuit bellowing 'wait! wait! you can't use that! you don't have opposable thumbs!'" -- lisajulie, 2003-12-26

• Which US Senators are funniest? Someone wrote a letter, posing as a ten-year-old, asking each US senator for his or her favourite joke. Some wrote back.
• Documentation for an SCA A&S Entry four years ago, attempting to carve quartz according to the techniques described in a period source. "At this point a local Sheriff's Deputies car pulls into my driveway [...]"
• A chilling tale of accidental partial ejection from a military plane, leaving the victim half-in, half-out during flight, stuck through the shattered canopy. "On my 26th birthday I was blindsided by a piece of bad luck the size of Texas that should have killed me. Luckily, it was followed immediately by a whole slew of miracles that allowed me to be around for my 27th. Not even Murphy could have conceived of such a bizarre accident (many people still find it hard to believe), and the fact that I am here to write about it makes it that much more bizarre." Includes links to technical information, recordings of radio conversations, etc. (link from Elbows)
• I'm not sure how to categorize the chain of comments attached to this entry, so I'll settle for describing it as silly, absurdist, twisted, and irreverant. Suddenly I'm interested in seeing the version of the movie these people think they saw...
• Republicanism Shown To Be Genetic In Origin, including such gems as, "One mother, a longtime Democrat, wept and clapped her hands in ecstasy on hearing of the findings. 'I just knew it was genetic,' she said, seated with her two sons, both avowed Republicans. 'My boys would never freely choose that lifestyle!' When asked what the Republican lifestyle was, she said, 'You can just tell watching their conventions in Houston and San Diego On TV: the flaming xenophobia, flamboyant demagogy, disdain for anyone not rich, you know.'" (thanks to jducoeur for the link)
• jducoeur needs a verb for an LJ-related activity. I could use a word for that too.
• From the Minstrel mailing list: The Honeysuckle and the Hazel Tree, an online edition of a book of translated medieval French poems from the 12th & 13th Centuries (paper edition 1995). From the preface: "[...] these translations are not intended to serve the purposes of scholars requiring a word-by-word version. Although I have tried to follow the text in all its detail, my principal aspiration has been to reproduce the literary experience of reading the poems." It looks like it might be useful source material for folks wanting to add more period material to their repertoire for Pennsic while keeping things immediately intelligible to most of their audience.
• internet_addict makes an interesting case for the assertion that God hates cities.
• I don't remember where I found this but it was recently, and I haven't read it yet but it looks interesting: The Bushiad and The Idyossey, The Epic Battle of Testosterone Circa 2003. "Narrative epic poems of 24 chapters each, The Bushiad and The Idyossey cover events during nine months from December 2002 through September 2003, and were inspired by events as they occurred. Homer would recognize the tale."
• And for folks who wish to engage in certain pleasant activities in the tub or pool this specialized snorkel should allow longer periods of activity uninterrupted by breathing breaks. (Not "work safe" for all workplaces, but probably high entertainment in others.)

And finally, two public service announcements:

In case you somehow missed it Friday or over the weekend despite having been pointed out in several journals, if you have an opinion regarding same-sex marriage, there's a temporary toll-free number which will automagically connect you to your member of Congress after you punch in your zip code. It's supposed to exist through today, so don't delay. More info here.

And don't forget that Cheese Weasel Day is nearly here. 3 April, folks.