Ebert gets seriously pissy about Ben Stiller’s new movie.

A British father is pissed at FHM magazine after his 14-year-old daughter saw some “grotesque” pictures in it, fainted, hit her head on the pavement, and died. I’m very sorry for his loss, and I’m not trying to belittle that in any way. But how on earth is this magazine responsible? What if I’m reading the newspaper and I’m so engrossed in a good story that I step out in front of a bus and get squished? Is that the newspaper’s fault? Why was this girl, who has been described as extremely “squeamish”, looking at those pictures in the first place? Either she chose to look, or someone thrust them in her face (and if that’s the case, why isn’t that person responsible?). In a way, this reminds me of an article I just read over at the Banned Books Project. Parents don’t understand that if they want to restrict access to what their kids’ read and see, fine. The way to do that is to accompany your kids to the library or ask them what they’re reading or generally just be involved in their lives. If you can’t do that, you have no right to request that the material be made unavailable to everybody else. This father says, “I can’t see how anyone’s life is improved by seeing the range of degenerative pictures.” I’d like to respond and say that just because he can’t see any worth, that doesn’t mean someone else wouldn’t. Who’s to be the judge of which material is appropriate and should be available? I hate to trot out the old “book burning Nazis” cliché, but that’s what I think every time I read about another of these censorship outcries.

(I just deleted a couple lines in there about the First Amendment, which I suddenly realized doesn’t apply in this case. As my knowledge of British law is scant at best, where is freedom of speech guaranteed here? It is, isn’t it?)

Mets win. Braves lose. Mets are now three games behind the Braves… going into a three-game series in Atlanta. Eeeek!

Here he is, in his first (but certainly not the last) web-goddess appearance, my new little brother Joseph Robert!

To the BT user who voted six times in my poll:

Yes, I know who you are. And yes, I’ve cancelled all of your votes. I’ll assume it was a mistake and give you a second chance, but if you can’t play nice with the other kids, I’ll ban you from the site. Thank you.

Just went to Marks & Sparks to pick up some stuff for my sister (and some kiwis, of course) when I noticed that they’ve got Christmas stuff everywhere. Seriously, Christmas stuff (right alongside Halloween stuff in some places). That’s just ridiculous. I mean, people think of the States as being overcommercialized, but never have I seen Christmas stuff out before the end of September.

Ooh, I’m so mad I could spit. I was playing the MUD* today when this other character came along and killed me. That’s against the rules, but it didn’t stop this jerk from beating the crap out of me and stealing all my stuff. A character that I had spent a month creating! Oh, I could continue with a new body, but I’ve lost all my equipment and a quarter of my experience points. All because some snotty little teenager* got bored and decided to ruin somebody else’s fun. What an asshole. It’s probably better in the long run… My Sims have been missing me.

I love kiwis. No, not Antipodeans (although they’re nice), but kiwifruit. I seriously had never eaten one before a few months ago. I have no idea why; I guess I just thought I wouldn’t like them. Snookums got me to try one, and the rest is history. The real question is, then, how do you eat them? I like the slice and scoop (“slooping”) method, but others apparently peel and slice. And then there are the weirdos that eat the skin (which, according to the California KiwiFruit Commission, is perfectly acceptable and nutritious, but as Snookums put it, “tastes like shit”). Head down to my new poll and tell me how you do it.

I got a strange little e-mail the other day complimenting me on my site and inviting me to check this person’s out. Turns out that it was a spam that several other people have received as well. *sigh* For future reference, here’s my post about how to publicize your blog without being annoying. Read it, learn it, live it.

I met up with Jann and a few co-workers last night at a bar in London to reminisce about the good ‘ol days of 2000. Well, that was the plan anyway. Instead Jann and I sat analyzing the weblogging community and thoroughly alienating everybody else. I could’ve kicked myself for not bringing a camera (I think it’s an unwritten rule that when two bloggers meet up, photographic evidence must be produced). Anyway, many beers were consumed and a good time was had by all.