Frozen Body Found in Elevator Shaft

From MSNBC:

A dead body is seen frozen in a block of ice located in an elevator shaft in a former Detroit Public Schools warehouse building Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2009 in Detroit, Mich. The Detroit News newspaper says it took making three calls to Detroit authorities over two days before they recovered the body of the man. Authorities used saws to extricate the body Wednesday afternoon, the Detroit Free Press and WDIV-TV said. Investigators said they think the body was there for several months. The man's name and the cause of his death weren't immediately known.

image via MSNBC

Most. Annoying. Task. Ever.

Therapist shopping. Ack.

Rotten!

This "jumbo" pomegranate that came from Wegmans, my primary fresh produce purveyor, is rotten! And disgusting.

That was a poor use of $4.00.

The 9 Worst Obama Editorial Cartoons

From Mother Jones:

For the most part, America's editorial cartoonists have gotten better at drawing Obama over the last year. They're no longer depicting him as a generic black guy but as an unique individual with his own distinctive features. (I'm sure there's a dissertation topic in there somewhere about how this somehow mirrored many white Americans' evolving views of candidate Obama.) But there are some still some stragglers, whom I feel obligated to call out—in the name of improving the quality of political satire, of course. Not that good editorial cartoonists have to be good caricaturists: The Washington Post's Tom Toles, who is for my money the most original of the newsprint cartoonists, draws Obama like he has a bow tie stuck behind his head. But at least it kinda, sorta looks like him.

And then, there are the other versions: alien overlord Obama, the late Peter Jennings Obama, the black Vulcan Obama (above). Check them out. They are hilarious.

story and black Vulcan Obama via Mother Jones

Hooray!

This great news comes from Andrew, Tovah's (former!) house hubby:

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to let all of you know that after all of these months I have finally found a job. Or I guess I should say a job finally found me. I'm going to be working for Willow Creek Church in a ministry to 18-30 somethings called Axis. I'll be helping Axis become a welcoming place to people of all backgrounds and help Chicago-land learn about Axis. I'm very excited about this position and the team I'll be joining. I fully believe 100% in the vision and mission of Axis and I feel blessed to pour myself out for this ministry.

I wanted to say thank you to all of you who have helped Tovah and I these past few months. It has been one of the most stretching, shaping times of my life and we literally would not have made it with out you. Some of you have helped us pay our bills, bought us coffee, and been the best friends we could have asked for. We are so blessed to have you all a part of our lives.

I just wanted to let you know about this. Feel free to pass the news along!

Andrew Means

TandDrew,
This news is utterly delightful. I am so excited for you guys. Drew, this job sounds entirely perfect for you.

Now, may please I borrow a dollar?

Rubbing Your Pubic Region with a Pumpkin is Too Sexy for NBC

PETA's ad—which features a bevy of beauties who are powerless to resist the temptation of veggie love—was deemed too hot for the Super Bowl. NBC rejected the video because of concerns over "rubbing pelvic region with pumpkin," a woman "screwing herself with broccoli," and more!

'Veggie Love': PETA's Banned Super Bowl Ad


via Slog

Today in Things That Have been Flattened

My question: HOW does this happen? Monster trucks are HUGE and LOUD and not SNEAKY and INVISIBLE.

via Slog

Jaws and How it Scared Me

Yesterday, I came home from work and I was all, "grumble grumble this," and "grumble grumble that" after a particularly aggravating day. I just wanted to chill out and try to forget about that which ired me.

We've recently canceled cable in an effort to reduce spending so I couldn't just zone out in front of the tube and had to choose a DVD instead.

Hmm... The Office? I do love The Office and have watched all the seasons over and over again. Maybe. Death Proof? I love that, too, but I watched it recently. Stripes? Garden State? Meh.

HEY! Jaws! I've never seen Jaws in its entirety. Great! Great choice!

So, Jaws it is!

Ok. You've seen Jaws. Everyone has seen Jaws except for me, right? Jaws is the 1975 horror film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on the novel by Peter Benchley.

I was laying on the couch watching Jaws. Its good! I liked it. But you know what? It. is. SCARY! Do you know what else? Jaws is rated PG, like kids movies! This movie has blood and severed limbs and I think some viscera. It also has the stalking and subsequent consuming of a child who was enjoying some great beach time fun.

If I had seen it as a kid (the movie is PG, remember) I think I would be terrified of the ocean. So, I'm really glad I didn't see it when I was a kid.

image via Wikipedia

Perhaps Another School Would be a Better Choice

From Sky News:

Xin Yang's head was cut off with a kitchen knife, just weeks after arriving in the United States from China to study accounting.

Her alleged attacker, Haiyang Zhu, also from China, was arrested at the scene by an officer who arrived less than a minute after receiving an emergency call.

On January 7, he wrote on a Chinese-language blog he had been so frustrated over stock losses and other problems that he thought "only of killing someone or committing suicide".

Miss Xin, 22, was believed to have been having coffee with Haiyang in the campus Au Bon Pain cafe.

Seven witnesses from the cafe have said there was no argument or shouting prior to the killing on Wednesday at 7pm.

The officer on the scene reported finding 25-year-old Haiyang holding her head in his hand, according to a police affidavit.

RIP, Xin.

I Love This Photograph

This photograph comes from flickr user jonnyfixedgear and it makes me wish for spring and bike weather. Isn't it neat? I love it.

So Long!

image via Slog

Today is a Great Day

Here is one of the many things that truly delighted me today.



screen grab via Slog

1,826 May be Impressive but Wait til We get to 7,439

Your face, your race, the way that you talk
I kiss you, you're beautiful, I want you to walk
Weve got five years, stuck on my eyes
Five years, what a surprise
Weve got five years, my brain hurts a lot
Five years, thats all weve got
Weve got five years, what a surprise
-David Bowie, "Five Years"

Jesse and I have been together for five years today! What an impressive milestone! For the occasion, I've gone to the vault for some photographic evidence of a small portion of what we've done for the past 1,826 days.

What will the next 1,826 days have in store for us? I predict happy days, rainy days, a trip to Dogfish Head Brewery, lots of loving, some grumping and stomping, weeks with money, weeks with rice and edamame for dinner plus plenty of exciting adventures together (including a puppy).

2008:
Jesse tried to charm me.

Anniversary Brunch @ The Carriage House

Philip and Emily's Wedding Shower, Pittsford, NY

Gelato was a good cheap date.

I learned to ride a bike!

We goofed off in the parking lot.

We framed a wedding photograph. Where's Andrew?

We celebrated Jesse's 30th birthday at Maxie's Supper Club.

2007:
We spent a weekend in Rochester.

2006:

We honeymooned in Key West.
Jesse, when do can we return to our favorite tropical island?

We celebrated our marriage at Six Mile Creek Vineyard.

We were married on September 30, 2006
at Muller Chapel, Ithaca College.

Taughannock Falls

We.... I'm not sure what we're doing here.
We play-raced up the hill?

We moved to a larger apartment
and made very attractive faces for the camera.

2005:
I tried to be tall like J.

2004:
The beginning

Taughannock Falls

Look how fresh we were.

Overheard in the J and L House

For Krista whose attitude about show shoveling is supremely better than mine.

As the end of J's 365 day photo project draws nigh, I admit that I'm looking forward to it. This edition of Overheard is from last night but I have a wide assortment of similar tales.

Jesse to Lisa: If I were a picture, what would I be?

Lisa to Jesse: I don't know, honey.

(a minute passes)

Jesse: What should my picture be today?

Lisa: How about (insert my idea)? That might be funny.

Jesse: Meh.

Lisa, exasperated: Alright.

How about (insert my either ridiculous or inappropriate idea, often offered after previous seemingly decent suggestions are discarded.)? That might be funny.

Jesse: Noooooo

Jesse started disassembling the coffee table.

WHAT? Sheesh.

image, complete with notes and comments, is via J's 365.

2009 is the Year of Some Weird Anniversaries

I think now, January 2009, is a good time to tell you about some anniversaries that will happen this year! Some of them are sweet, some are unusual. All of them mine!

Here we go!

January 17, 2009: This is the fifth anniversary of the J and L duo! 2008 was a complicated year for our little family but we love each other and are closer than ever. We have high hopes for a less chaotic 2009. Send good energy our way!

April 2009: I've been retired from the funeral industry and out of the evil grasp of the E's for one whole damn year. Hey, E! See all that snow out there? See it all? There's alot, right? How about those cars? They're pretty damn filthy, aren't they? I hope you really like cold, wet socks because that's what you're about to have.

This is a terrific anniversary!

May 2009: Still crazy after all these years! May marks my ten year anniversary with psychotherapy and a wide array of psychotropic medication. The combo of therapy and medication is complicated and often its hard to see results but I try to keep doing the work and hoping that I'll someday have some relief from my messy, messy brain.

June 2009: I've been out of high school for ten years. TEN. What do I have to show for these years?

July 2009: Still riding after all these days! One year ago this July, I learned to ride a bike. So I have that to show for the past ten years....

August 2009: Still besties after all these years! Ten years ago this August, I packed up and headed south to St. Davids, Pennsylvania for college. Who did I find? Tovah was my roommate and Philly Rachel lived on the floor below me! What supreme luck! They're two of my dearest friends and, though vast distance separates us, we're close now and will be forever, if I have anything to do with it!

Nine years ago this August, I met my dear friend, Canadian Rachel, when we worked together on The Commons. At first, we hated each other. But then we loved each other and we still do! Yay for being friends for so damn long!

But why does everyone live so far away from me??

September 2009: Still in love after all these years! September will be our third wedding anniversary. I love you, Jesse! I think its time for us to get a puppy!

October 2009: Still airing out after all these years! Ten years ago, Tovah noticed I was wearing my unders beneath my pajama pants when I went to bed. She suggested I try pajama pants without my unders. I may have thought she was crazy but I gave it a try. Thanks, Tovah! That is much more sensible.

There is so much more to mention: In March, it will be 7 years since Nik died and 3 years since Grandma Mastroberti died. Grandpa Edmondson has been gone for 8 years in October and Grandma Edmondson died 3 years ago in December. Mikus came for a great visit 1 year ago in July (won't you come back again, please). Our close friends, Philip and Emily, will celebrate their first anniversary in October.

But I really wanted to make sure you knew when I stopped wearing unders to bed. That's the important thing.


drug image via The Buckeye Institute

One-Eyed Man Removes, Consumes Remaining Eye

One eye minus one eye equals no eyes. Its simple math, really.

MSNBC:

HOUSTON - A Texas death row inmate with a history of mental problems pulled out his only good eye and told authorities he ate it.

Andre Thomas, 25, was arrested for the fatal stabbings of his estranged wife, their young son and her 13-month-old daughter in March 2004. Their hearts also had been ripped out. He was convicted and condemned for the infant's death.

While in the Grayson County Jail in Sherman, Thomas plucked out his right eye before his trial later in 2004. A judge subsequently ruled he was competent to stand trial.

On Dec. 9, a death-row officer at the Polunsky Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice found Thomas in his cell with blood on his face and took him to the infirmary.

""Thomas said he pulled out his eye and subsequently ingested it," agency spokesman Jason Clark said Friday.....

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in October upheld his conviction and death sentence for the death of 13-month-old Leyha Marie Hughes. Also killed March 27, 2004, were his wife, Laura Christine Boren, 20, and their son, 4-year-old Andre Lee.

Thomas, from Texoma, walked into the Sherman Police Department and told a dispatcher he had just murdered the three and had stabbed himself in the chest.

Thomas told police how he put his victims' hearts in his pocket and left their apartment, took them home, put them in a plastic bag and threw them in the trash.

Court documents described the three victims as having "large, gaping wounds to their chests."

Yesterday we had crazy icy weather. Everything was covered in half an inch or more of ice. I almost crashed my car twice on the way to work where the parking lot was like an ice rink. Yikes!

Schools were closed and business at the bagel shop was so slow that they sent me home at 9:15. I got all set to go and headed out into the ice rink-y parking lot. And... promptly fell hard on my bum.

Luckily, a couple departing customers saw me fall which further flustered me. Embarrassed, I hurriedly scrambled up and carefully made it to the road and crossed with no further incident.

Amazingly, i spilled none of my coffee during my fall.

Overheard in the J and L House

Lisa to Jesse (regarding flax seed consumption): Jesse! How am I supposed to learn anything if you don't learn everything first and then tell me about it when I ask?

Christmas Trip to Wisconsin: The Excuse

I don't feel like it right now and I'm very, very busy playing Scramble on Facebook.

Maybe someday soon.

Bribe me with this kitten and the day will come sooner.
I think I'll call her Smidget.


Kitten cat via kitten cat loving Mikus

The First Day of School for Sasha and Malia

Check out cute Sasha and Malia as they say so long to mum and dad and head to school for their first day. I love new school supplies so much so I'm a little jealous.

via Obama's Flickr