Euphorb, if you google "evangelical left" you'll see some of these people "speaking out about the hijacking of their religion". I've seen Jim Wallis ("God's Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It") on the Daily Show and Tony Campolo on the Colbert Report. Interesting guys, both of them, with a lot to say about what they see as the cooptation of Christian identity by right-wing evangelical and/or fundamentalist types.... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by katemonster at 10:21 PM on April 27, 2008

Perhaps they're not speaking out specifically on Hagee's Encounter Weekends, but Campolo was one of many evangelical leaders to sign an open letter making clear their disagreement with Hagee over the Israel/Palestine situation that was sent to Pres. Bush in 2007. And I think their broader argument in favor of a more liberal form of evangelical Christianity is relevant to the subject of this post, even if they don't call Hagee out as specifically as you might like.... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by katemonster at 11:13 PM on April 27, 2008

This article from the NY Times, on the death of Norma Gabler, clarifies the Texas textbook policies that lead to its overwhelming domination of the textbook market. It also explains the enormous role Gabler and her husband played in forcing a conservative agenda on the textbook hearings in the state. In 2006 the Attorney General of Texas (Greg Abbott (R)) reaffirmed that textbooks cannot be rejected merely because of their ideological slant, but only for failing to meet specified educational... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by katemonster at 3:19 PM on April 7, 2008

The Virgin Mary grilled cheese isn't pareidolia, it's an outright hoax. It's a picture of Marlene Dietrich -- this picture of Marlene Dietrich, in fact. Doesn't take a trick of the brain to perceive something that's actually there.
Cool post, though. The skull is especially freaky.
posted to MetaFilter by katemonster at 11:47 PM on March 28, 2008

The translation on the youtube page seems a little stiff to me, but overall it's got it right. Mostly I've heard it as "You Want to be Americano", which also scans better when sung in English.
That version of Maruzella, although superior because it's sung by Carosone, is missing several verses which tell the whole story. This clip has a longer version, and isn't half bad.
posted to MetaFilter by katemonster at 8:31 AM on December 5, 2007

Wouldn't St. George be pretty pissed off about a dragon on his cross? Unless it was a depiction of a slain dragon, but I doubt the Welsh would be too thrilled with that.
posted to MetaFilter by katemonster at 5:51 PM on November 28, 2007

I'm so glad the English have been able to overcome the difficulties of being annexed by Italy. I know the last time I was in England, I was impressed by their persistence in using English on road signs right along with the legally-required Italian.
posted to MetaFilter by katemonster at 5:54 AM on November 29, 2007

Yeah, and the tribal British managed to drive the Romans (not Italians) out after nearly 500 years of violence and resistance. Doesn't sound like they got over it or forgave until quite some time had passed - and they'd managed to ditch the invading force.
I honestly don't have a strong position on Wales vs. England, but I think it's disingenuous to compare their objections to ongoing union with England to residual feelings about the Roman occupation of Britain. When England has... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by katemonster at 8:51 AM on November 29, 2007

afx114, thank you! I've seen some of the new signs and hated them because they were completely unreadable at night. When I read the article I thought I was taking crazy pills -- halation is a definite problem for me, so the new signs should be better. But the problem I've experienced is exactly as you described; the entire sign is dark and unreflective, leaving me completely SOL. Now at least I know why I hate the new, "readable" signs so much.... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by katemonster at 5:34 PM on August 11, 2007

Ha! I went to Cy-Fair schools K-12. I'm completely unsurprised by the messed up priorities there. Even other sports got the shaft. My high school had state-championship teams in volleyball and water polo when I was there, but we always heard more about our (perpetually losing, lame) football team. Their coaches were the ones who got all the money, and their stadium is the one that's being rebuilt.
And when my friends and I asked why International Baccalaureate classes weren't... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by katemonster at 5:17 PM on August 9, 2007

Well, SLoG, most of the people I know who attended schools named for a Hogg (James or Ima) were pretty proud of the fact -- even with a ridiculous name, Miss Ima was one of Houston's great philanthropists. And since Jim was a state governor, there are schools named for him in most cities in Texas.
posted to MetaFilter by katemonster at 4:13 PM on June 20, 2007

There's no way this can be anywhere near as good as Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I'm just a caveman. I fell on some ice and was later thawed by some of your scientists. Your world frightens and confuses me! When I see my image on the security camera at the country club, I wonder, are they stealing my soul? I get so upset, I hop out of my Range Rover, and run across the fairway to the clubhouse, where I get Carlos to make me one of... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by katemonster at 8:58 AM on May 15, 2007

misslynnster, I live to serve.
posted to MetaFilter by katemonster at 9:17 AM on May 15, 2007

Beautiful and mesmerizing, especially switching back and forth between Nolli and the satellite. Some of Mussolini's bigger sins are particularly evident that way -- big straight roads cutting right through the middle of Nolli's beautiful work.
posted to MetaFilter by katemonster at 7:05 PM on May 10, 2007

Here's the Observer article Devonian mentions, along with their correction, and the National Geographic article that gets the species right.
posted to MetaFilter by katemonster at 5:50 AM on May 7, 2007

I don't think I could handle the gender issues involved in being called "sir" just as I was waking up every morning.

Either that, or I'd figure he was talking to someone else and ignore it.
posted to MetaFilter by katemonster at 8:00 AM on March 2, 2007

Really interesting site, but unfortunate font size and color made it nearly impossible for me to read without getting a headache.
posted to MetaFilter by katemonster at 3:51 PM on February 28, 2007

1. They are much better dressed than you. You'll feel like a slob, but that's okay as its obvious that you're a tourist.

That was......not my experience while I was there. Well, the being obviously not-British was true, but I was pretty surprised at how badly (or just strangely, to my American eyes) dressed many people seemed to be.
posted to MetaFilter by katemonster at 12:34 PM on February 26, 2007

As an 11 year old I was terrified about global warming. You remember the book, 50 Simple Things Kids Can Do To Save The Earth? Yeah, I was all over that book when it first came out. Global warming struck me as such a huge, unsolvable problem (still does) that I was thrilled to have something I could do about it. I'll be the first to admit I was an overly anxious child, but I know I did lose sleep about the environment -- not what I could do about it, but that we were all going to die. As... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by katemonster at 1:05 PM on February 25, 2007

In space, no one can hear you scream... at least not if you've got duct tape over your mouth.
posted to MetaFilter by katemonster at 9:08 AM on February 24, 2007

Yeah, why is Dave wasted on food service at OU? His powers of customer service and snark could rule the world!

But speaking of moaning:
Why don't you offer "gluten-free" desserts like cake, muffins, etc? Also, gluten-free bread would be nice. Sure it's expensive but I'm paying a pretty penny to OU and was assured, by the director at the time of my childs' freshman year, that there would be a small variety of gluten-free foods (desserts)... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by katemonster at 9:44 PM on February 21, 2007

cortex, my closed captioning invariably renders that as "scoffs".
posted to MetaFilter by katemonster at 2:04 PM on February 16, 2007