Grits and Grana: 2010

Murder!

Apparently a cat in Rhode Island has "predicted" 50 deaths at a nursing home near Brown University. This seems a bit suspicious to me. They say that the cat might be able to detect the smell of ketones given off my dying cells. I think this is all a conspiracy by cat apologists to cover-up a more sinister plot. This cat is KILLING people. We need to stop it before it does in any more elderly patients. At the very least put one of those house arrest ankle bracelets on it as a collar. Furthermore, it might be worth while to try and convert the cat to using its powers for good...maybe send it to Afghanistan. Go! Get the Taliban Sgt. Sprinkles! Patrick OUT!!!

Lets Not OK

I just got back from a quick trip to the main campus (in the pouring rain i might add) and on the way back to the lab I stopped at Dunkin'. In front of me was a woman who was probably 30+ with huge glasses like she walked off the set of an 80s movie. Despite being somewhat young she was also dressed like she was in her 80s. Note...not from the 80s but IN her 80s. I'm not exactly a style maven (honestly i look like shit today) but i'm a bit better than this woman. Now, I'm usually content to superficially judge in my head and then promptly forget about it but this woman had more up her sleeve. She proceeded to yell her coffee order in the most patronizing way possible to the clerk (barista???). "I want (not would like, or will have) a LARGE- DOUBLE - MOCHA- SKIM- CRAPPUCINO. Now, granted the woman behind the counter doesn't count English as her first language but she does speak the language and she talks about coffee ALL DAY and so she's something of a professional. Under no circumstances is it necessary to talk to people in the fashion. I consider myself something of an expert in talking down to people (not always on purpose but thats besides the point) and even I was offended by her tone. I mean come on...she's foreign but NOT an idiot. The woman ordering i found out through eavesdropping is a mathematics professor which I guess partially explains (thought doesn't excuse) her social ineptitude. So I'm going to add cashiers and retails clerks as the third member of my list of groups that it pisses me off to hear people speak to as if they were children which already includes 1. Senior Citizens, 2. The Mentally Handicapped. Please please please, have some respect people. Patrick OUT!!!

Unacceptable behavior

A religious court in saudi arabia has ordered that a 13 year old girl should receive 90 lashes for carrying a camera-equipped cell phone to school with her. At what point do we in the United States put our desire for cheap fuel aside in favor of not purchasing it from barbarians. This is an unconscionable assault on basic human dignity. I understand in this country how some people (not me) might favor the death penalty for serial killers or child rapists but who in their right mind would or even could condone the public torture of a 13 year old child? Whats worse is that the offense was something so minor. While I understand that the statute concerning the cell phone was ostensibly designed to protect young women, it is part of a much larger religiously driven legal system that desires to quash the freedom of the citizenry and to solidify its own power structure by force. This is beyond unacceptable. Surely the saudis have a right to sovereignty but at what point does the world community say that enough is enough. I hope that time comes soon...Patrick OUT!!!