I’m in the midst of deploying a blog redesign (blue=old, purple=new). If you see any problems with purple pages, plesae let me know in the comments of this entry.

Whenever I spend time browing our ReligiousResources directory or reviewing submitted sites, I’m amazed at what I find. My latest find is TV Guardian:

TVGuardian® technology automatically filters offensive language from the programs you and your family watch. TVGuardian® is a device you plug into your TV and it removes the bad language (cursing and profanity). It works with Cable, Satellite, DVD players, VCR and over the air channels. TVGuardian® makes movie time, family time again.

So, you can watch shows and movies that contain offensive language but feel secure that you’re protecting your and your children’s fine sensibilities. Here’s an idea: if that stuff offends you, don’t watch it!

This is the funniest Ask MetaFilter thread ever.
A while back, Norman started making pre-gacking noises while we were sitting in the living room with guests. He was on the carpet, of course. Katie was a little late on grabbing him to move him onto the kitchen floor. He completed the job right as Katie was turning around with him, projecting cat vomit across the room and down my mother’s leg.

Take a look. But remember, kids: tattoos are for life (more or less).

Interesting comparative photo set.

This otherwise so-so article about office cubicles contains this awesome quote:

Reviled by workers, demonized by designers, disowned by its very creator, [the cubicle] still claims the largest share of office furniture sales–$3 billion or so a year–and has outlived every “office of the future” meant to replace it. It is the Fidel Castro of office furniture.

For the love of God (so to speak), please refrain from creating choral arrangements of simple, familiar hymns. In order to justify the effort, it seems that you cannot resist the urge to fill these arrangements with musical cliches: key changes, time signature changes, bizarre harmonies, cliched accompaniment, etc.
The people who know and love these hymns will scratch their heads at the arrangements, and such arrangements will not increase the appreciation of those who may be unfamiliar these hymns, or of those who do not like these hymns.
Upon reflection, I guess I could take a market approach: church choir directors, for the love of God (so to speak), please refrain from buying these arrangements for your choirs. We’ll all be happier in the long run.

It’s easy to make jokes about Vice-president Dick Cheney’s accidentally shooting a fellow hunter last weekend. But as much as I’m tempted, I’m reluctant to join the merry-making.
I grew up in the Texas Hill Country, surrounded by ranches. Pretty much all ranchers there supplement their income by leasing their property out to deer hunters. I knew not to go on or near ranch property during deer season, and I know that the ranchers themselves are worried about the risk of being shot while working on their ranches. They mitigate these risks by trying to lease to the same people year after year and by stipulating that only the agreed upon people can hunt on the lease, minimizing the possibility of their hunters bringing less informed friends out for the weekend. Many ranchers also make it a point to wear fluorescent colors when they’re out taking care of their livestock during deer season.
Depsite all of these precautions, when I was in middle school or so, my best friend Reginald’s uncle was shot and killed by the hunters on his ranch while he was out tending his cattle.

Physicians tell the lessons they’ve learned from working in the ER. For instance:

Stay away from people named “Some Guy” or “This One Dude”, because they for whatever reason, just punch someone in the face or hit them with a crowbar and run off. If I see them on the street, I cross the street to get away from them.

Never, ever leave flashlights, shampoo bottles, beer bottles or any long, circular object on the floor because someday you will fall on it and it will somehow, work its way up your rectum.

If you have taken 7 home pregnancy tests that are all positive, and you come into the emergency department…chances are that test too will come back positive.

(via BoingBoing)

I care a whit about football and have never watched any professional football game, but I noticed something this week: I guess you have to pay for rights to use the term ‘Super Bowl’ in your advertising. I noticed a sign outside a Luby’s yesterday, reminding people to order food for ‘the big game on Feb. 5’, and last night I saw a similar McDonald’s TV commercial also talking about the unnamed ‘big game.’