Today is a holiday in the Cayman Islands (Heroes’ Day).  So, the family took the opportunity to sleep in a bit.  But we awoke to a surprise–two puppies hanging out on our back porch!

My kids have been lobbying for puppies for years!  And you can anticipate what the first sounds were in my house this morning: “Awww… they’re so cute.  Daddy, can we keep them?  At least until we find out who the owners are?”

Knowing that I’ve been the lone holdout on getting a family dog, somebody set me up!  They’re banking on the notion that once I hear the kids moaning and cooing I’ll weaken and give in.  But you shall never weaken my resolve!  I shall fight the good fight of faith!

I’m going to find the culprit, and when I do, I want my money back for the Kibble-n-Bits!

I’ve ruled out my wife in this plot.  She’s far too submissive and loving to do this.  My prime suspects are a couple people in the church.  I’ve got my beady little eyes on you!  Whoever you are, you’ve made my children pretty happy this morning.  As for me, I just keep seeing this:

Now truthfully, I loved Rin-Tin-Tin!

Read the entire piece here. Snippets that made me chuckle and think:

Does everything in America have to be celebrified in a manner that would even make Liberace’s PJs look tasteful?

When you hang your head in shame, the last thing you should be thinking about is whether the camera has caught your good side.

The most moving day I’ve read of in a long, long time.  Here.

I dare you to use that word in a sermon, or in ordinary conversation!

From Wordsmith:

PRONUNCIATION:

(ses-kwi-pi-DAL-i-tee)

MEANING:

noun: The practice of using long words.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Latin sesqui- (one and a half) + ped- (foot). First recorded use: 1759.

NOTES:

Literally speaking, sesquipedality is using words that are one and a half feet long. A related word is sesquicentennial (150th anniversary). Nothing wrong with using a sesquipedalian word once in a while, if it fits, but it’s best to avoid too many long, polysyllabic words. This dictum doesn’t apply to German speakers though, as Mark Twain once observed, “Some German words are so long that they have a perspective.”

HT: The New Repubic

CLEVELAND (AP) — An Ohio man was excused from jury service after mentioning he was friends growing up with serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer.

John Backderf was among prospective jurors being screened last week by a judge in Cleveland. He was asked: “Has anyone you know ever been convicted of a crime?”

Backderf responded: “I had a close friend in high school who killed 17 people.”

The Plain Dealer reports Monday the answer caused the judge to freeze and lawyers to drop their pens. Backderf explained he knew Dahmer, who was raised in northeast Ohio.

Backderf is a cartoonist and graphic novelist who has short story collection coming soon titled, “My Friend Dahmer.” He was dismissed from the jury list.

Dahmer was killed in a Wisconsin prison in 1994.

Pretty sure I won’t be buying this guy’s book, though.

You decide:

Perhaps Baptists are more brutal.  Wake Forest 53, Presbyterian 13.

HT: 22 words

I’m on my way to the IXMarks at Southeastern conference in Raleigh, N.C.  And in God’s kindness I’m in the best airport in the country–Charlotte Douglass International.  The Charlotte airport has everything: friendly southerners, rocking chairs, short immigration lines, barbecue (which I didn’t eat ’cause I’m on a diet), lots of moving sidewalks, and free internet connections.  That’s an airport!

Anyway, they also have magazine stores like every airport.  Strolling to my gate, I felt compelled to purchase four.  The cover stories caught my attention.  Think there’s at least a sermon introduction or illustration in some of these.

“America’s War on Happiness: Goodbye Freud, Hellow Positive Thinking” by Gary Greenberg in September 2010 Harper‘s.  Honestly, at first glance, I’m not sure which is worst: Freud or the banal brands of positive thinking filling the airwaves.

Also in Harper’s this month: Eric Foner on “The History of White People.”  My wife recently gave me a book by the same title.  Not sure if this is a review or another take.  I’m curious.

Also turning my head: “The Quest for Eternal Life” in the special 30-year anniversary of Discover.

Scientific American one-up’ed Discover with a Special Issue entitled “The End.  Or Is It?”  The cover, a warm orange with large white and black letters, teases the passerby with the promises of what’s inside:

“Cheating Death: How Far Can Science Go?”

“The Paradox of Time: Why It Can’t Stop but Must”

“What Comes Next: Experts Predict the Future”

Of course, the most compelling magazine and feature story award belongs to PC Gamer for it’s world exclusive review of Civilization V!  This is the first time I’ve ever purchased a gamer magazine.  But since I’ve never been able to dominate any version of Civ at the advanced levels, I’m looking for some help!

I remember when helmet laws were a topic of debate in the U.S.  There were all kinds of excuses given for why such laws should not be required, ranging from “I don’t like wearing them” to “It takes away my freedom” to “Helmets cost too much.”

After college, I worked with a wonderful non-profit organization that helped people recover from traumatic brain injury.   I met very wonderful people, full of potential, who were adjusting from serious life and ability-altering injuries.  Some of them would have been spared had they worn helmets.

This morning, I happened on this advert and thought it was a good reminder of why helmets are important.

Why this advert on a site called “Pure Church”?  Simple: Many who crash without helmets don’t get to pose for public service announcements; they go to an eternity without God, without Christ, and without hope.

Please, whether it’s law or not, put on the helmet.  Make sure your child wears their helmet as well.

It used to be that the ride was one of the most important things about a car.  You purchased a vehicle because “it handled well” or provided a comfortable ride.

Now… I guess some people purchase vehicles for their pixel-power.  The new luxury automobile is really an automultimediamobile.  Exhibit A:

Of course, I’m just playa hatin’.  If I could get one of these with a driver for the price of say… a Ford Fiesta–I’d be in one!  But I guess for a man who doesn’t own a cell phone and whose laptop is the size of a drive-in theater, this would be a bit beyond my tech grade.

But can’t you see me pulling up to someone’s car, operating my car windows with an iPad, then texting: “Pardon me, but do you have any Gray Poupon?”

HT: The Apple Blog

BBC reports: “Fat-fingered Sumo Wrestlers Given iPads”  (Is this an occupational hazard or does everyone with chubby fingers qualify?)

CNN reports: “DEA Wants to Hire Ebonics Translators” (What a brutha gotta do for da hook-up?  I mean, break a brutha off a lil’ sumtin-sumtin.  Fa rizzle.)

Christian Science Monitor: “Sex Shops and Strip Clubs Near Ground Zero Show Double Standard Over ‘Park51′” (‘Park51′ is the rather avant-garde name for the proposed $100 million Islamic community center near the site of the 9/11 attacks.  Apparently, the community isn’t as “hallowed” as much of the rhetoric purports)

NPR: “Study: Circumcision Rates Falling Fast in U.S.” (Apparently, opponents of circumcision call themselves “intactivists.”  I’m not sure I’m opposed to circumcision, but I admit a certain intuitive attachment to the label “intactivist.”)

The New York Times: “Does Driving Cause Obesity?”  (I don’t know; but I know I was in better shape as a poor undergraduate student with no car.  If my wife weren’t the gracious far-sighted woman who saw potential in my run down sneakers, I would also have been dateless.)

CBC News:  ”100-Kilometer Chinese Traffic Jam Enters Day 9” (Hint for us Americans: 100 kilometers is about 62 miles.  My friend, you have no–ZERO–traffic woes.  Can you imagine leaving from Work Monday at 5pm, and not arriving until Wednesday of the following week!  I’m not coming to work on Thursday!  And whoever removes my car from the highway can have it.  So, on your drive to work today, praise God you’re not going to Beijing and enjoy the efficiency of your commute.)