That doesn't work

When Sophie was a puppy I wanted to keep her off the furniture. With all that bouncing and craziness it was hard to do.

I read that putting aluminum foil on the couch would keeps dogs off because they hate how it feels. I tried it. She jumped up on the couch and immediately started chewing on the aluminum foil.

Quote machine

I love this quote from Craig Newmark, founder of the wildly popular Craigslist, the online classifieds site.

The only difference between a little hobby and what we have now is that we follow through.

Vladimir Putin scares me

Jeremy Hardy eloquently explained Putinphobia on the Jan. 18 Friday Night Comedy BBC News Quiz (available as a podcast).

"Putin manages to combine the worst elements of Tsarism and Stalinism in this one muscular, bald, weird ex-spy."

Funny word pictures

From David Rakoff's book, Don't Get Too Comfortable:

A smell of head-kicking intensity.

You must be a professional gift wrapper!

This was the first, and likely the last, gift I've received wrapped entirely in duct tape.

Ah, serenity

I received this rock garden for Christmas. I think it's so pretty and the water dripping is quite calming.

It's now on my desk at work. That is the place where I could really use the calming effect. (I like my job but the pace could sometimes be called frenzied.)

Sick 'n twisted

toothpastefordinner.com

Who's being coy?

Great story on NPR this morning about Michael Bloomberg, mayor of New York City. There is speculation that he'll run for president as an independent. He hasn't announced. Yet.

Robert Smith's story offers up Candidate Bingo, a game to discern who might be running for office but is keeping it under wraps. Read or listen to the story, or not. A link to the bingo card (a PDF) is half way down the page under "Presidential Candidate Bingo." Some of the tell-tale signs: eat junk food, kiss babies, visit State Fairs.

Toothpaste and pugs

I love the cartoon Toothpaste for Dinner.


toothpastefordinner.com

The artist also does videos! Here's "Roller Chester 2: Politics With Charles." So very strange and delightful!


"Pugs and Donuts" is also lovely!

Blogging from Iran

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, president of Iran, has a blog. He doesn't update very often (put it in Google Reader and you won't have to worry about checking back). Kind of mind bending. The comments are pretty interesting, too.

Not exactly an enticement

This header was on an e-mail I just received. These people look mean. I don't think I want to go where they are.

Sick and funny

"The East London Decapitator" has been stalking outdoor advertising, cutting off heads and leaving a bloody mess.

Via psfk.

Shudderlicious

Check out the creepy realtor photos. Makes you wonder about their judgment, no?

Thanks to the BrandFlakesForBreakfast for the spine chill.

President Bling Bling

President Nicolas Sarkozy of France has been dubbed le presidente bling-bling by the French media. I think this moniker is hilarious. So biting. His high-roller lifestyle and new girlfriend inspired the nickname.

Read more.

Word Wars -- tales of the obsessed

Word Wars is one interesting trip down obsessed lane. The film's subtitle: Tiles and Tribulations on the SCRABBLE Circuit.

The film highlights four top SCRABBLE players who regularly, and frequently, compete in tournaments. So much so that three of the four don't have jobs. They practice, practice, practice and compete. SCRABBLE is their life. For example, at tournaments after the competition is finished for the day, they play SCRABBLE.

One of the best moments in the documentary takes place at a tournament. It's at a large hotel. After a round several players take a SCRABBLE board out to the hall, sit on the floor and deconstruct the last round. Down the hall there is a bride, in full bridal gear, looking at them with a look of confusion and horror.

2007 recap

This is a perfectly sufficient wrap up of 2007. From Toothpaste for Dinner.

Were you awake during 2007? Good. Then neither of us missed it and I don't have to go through the details.

2007: It was okay.

Check out Toothpaste's daily comic.

A Sophie by any other name

Sophie goes by many names. Twelve in addition to her given name.

• Licker locker
  
• Lady Pees-a-lot
• Queen of the deep sigh
• Little Miss
• Little Nutter
• Sophala
• Sophaloo
• Pookaloo
• Cozy girl
• Sophie Ueberhund (super dog)
• Sweat pea
• Stinker
  

At right, Sophie sunbathing. Her favorite activity.

Obama takes Iowa!

I hope Barack Obama's win in the Iowa caucus is a foretaste of the future!

It's been a long time since I've been excited about a political race. The first time since Senator Paul Wellstone -- the first and only political candidate to whom I've given money -- died in a plane crash a few days before the 2002 election. I'm not superstitious about backing another political candidate but I am, in the words of Rhodes Scholar Michael Scott, "I am a little stitious."

Kids in the box

Lots of lovely items presented on Christmas. What was the favorite? A soccer ball bean bag box. My oldest niece and nephew had hours and hours of fun with this fort.

Are you paying attention?

Thanks to Pig Sty Ave -- a site where you can invert your words. You may ask, how is that helpful? Well, the next time you have to write a long paper or report, you can sneak in a few of these to see if people actually read it. ¡sıɥʇ pɐǝɹ ʇ,uɐɔ noʎ

Or you could do it just to mess people up.

˙ɹǝʞɔɐls 'ʇı ʇɐ ʞɔɐq ʇǝƃ llǝʍ ¿ʞɹoʍ ʇɐ noʎ ǝɹɐ