Global : Ideas : Bank - Listening with affection and excitement

Ouch. As we used to say - Convicted!: "And don't say, 'How was school today, dear?' which really means: 'Please entertain me (mama) who is mentally totally lazy at the moment with not one witty or interesting thing to offer, and please give me an interesting and stimulating account of high marks.'
"
I start most 'just-got-home' conversations with "how was school today."
The rest of the article is about active listening...

Eddie, Eddie, Eddie.

Dress to Kill Transcript: "And the National Rifle Association says that, 'Guns don't kill people, people do,” but I think the gun helps, you know?" - Eddie Izzard.
Reading it isn't as good as seeing it, but it's better than a poke in the eye.
And for John...
And I grew up in the 70s, when the careers advisor used to come to school, and he used to get the kids together and say, "Look, I advise you to get a career, what can I say? That's it." And he took me aside, he said, "Whatcha you want to do, kid? Whatcha you want to do? Tell me, tell me your dreams!" "I want to be a space astronaut! Go to outer space, discover things that have never been discovered." He said, "Look, you're British, so scale it down a bit, all right?" "All right, I want to work in a shoe shop then! Discover shoes that no one's ever discovered right in the back of the shop, on the left." And he said, "Look, you're British, so scale it down a bit, all right?"

Eh?

I went to the doctor's today. Had my ears cleaned. Hadn't had this done in years, did it this time at the advice of LWJ. It's weird. I'm hearing new frequencies. Typing, for instance, sounds different.

I also have a foot problem.

Feeling Cranky

So, could all those people with the pretty yelllow magnetic ribbons on their cars just send them to Iraq? The troops can use them as additional armor.


And, the U.S. declared war on terror after 9/11. Are we gonna declare war on God after the disaster in the Indian ocean? They'd have equal chances of success. Can you think of any war against human suffering that has been won? The War on Poverty or the War on Drugs are two that come to mind where we've wasted billions. The former is a noble goal, but not winnable as a policy issue. The latter is a waste of time and money and lives.

The Ayn Rand Institute: U.S. Should Not Help Tsunami Victims

The Ayn Rand Institute: U.S. Should Not Help Tsunami Victims: "As the death toll mounts in the areas hit by Sunday's tsunami in southern Asia, private organizations and individuals are scrambling to send out money and goods to help the victims. Such help may be entirely proper, especially considering that most of those affected by this tragedy are suffering through no fault of their own.
The United States government, however, should not give any money to help the tsunami victims. Why? Because the money is not the government's to give."

Most of those affected are suffering through no fault of their own?

Give me a break.