1 Happy New Year, all!
(I'm keeping it easy: no resolutions.)

2 How Blue can You Get:

As we close out the year and the holiday season, our thoughts turn reflective as we count our many blessings. It is in that spirit that I offer this, to bring joy to the residents of other States.

After failing to capture a Cabinet Post and a larger platform from which to launch her economic rockets, Michigan Governor Granholm returns to Michigan for the final coup de’ gras, or two more years, whichever occurs first.

Michigan is survived by its Teachers’ Unions and remnants of the UAW, supported now only by bailout, the State Treasury, Lottery and anything else the Governor can think of. This is not to forget the new movie industry that will last as long as the Governor’s 400 million dollar credits and grants hold out. Nothing in history could be considered more fleeting than purchased movie jobs.

No doubt the exodus has been slowed by the complete failure of the housing market for many years now. Michigan was into foreclosure before it was cool. But now, with all arrows pointing down, people are loading the pickup, abandoning their homes, and following the “Grapes of Wrath” trail to Red States.

The disaster that is Michigan could have been prevented by lobbying for more oil exploration and drilling, but the Governess went the other way. She instituted a mandate for green energy, to thereby guarantee the highest energy costs in the country. As they say, timing is everything.

Prior to closing the private sector, Granholm has offered – for the first time in her six plus years of recession – no new tax proposals this year. A noble gesture that, and taken as it was offered – as if a final cigarette and a blindfold for the doomed.

3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=LD-KaUl_olofeature=related
Copy and paste together at the "?"
Islamic shooting test. Oldie but Goodie!

4 Happy New Year, morons. Spent last night home with hubby, computer off. Grilled steaks, watched a movie ("Definitely, Maybe" or something like that).
Since this is an open thread, anyone got any advice for dealing with a nutty co-worker who sticks her thumbs in her ears, wiggles the other 8 fingers, and makes goofy babbling sounds whenever I try to speak to her -- about work stuff?

5 Nicesh.

6 a nutty co-worker who sticks her thumbs in her ears, wiggles the other 8 fingers, and makes goofy babbling sounds

What the hell?

7 Ladylawyer,
Where do you work, the booby hatch?

8 ladylawyer

Yes, there is a technique you could use, referred to as "spearhand thrust" and used effectively in aikido. One sharp jab to the adam's apple and they pay complete attention to your every word. Around gagging and wiping watery eyes, that is.
Not subtle but VERY effective. Used it once on me brother.
Took weeks to get along after that.
Did that help ya?

9 Correspond with her by email.

Or, in the alternative, go ahead and give her something to do when she has her fingers stuffed in her ears and when she doesn't do it, chew her out for failing. In front of the boss.

10 Or a kick to the head. Once recovered from the concussion and the ringing ears, she'll thank you for setting her straight.
That's my advice.

11 Ahhhh, Westlake died. 2009 is already worse than 2008.

Most liked Westlake for his comic/mystery/crime novels (some of which were made into good movies like "The Hot Rock" or "Cops and Robbers"). My favorite was his brutal noir Parker series (published under the Richard Stark pseudonym). Many of those were made into movies - oddly enough in NONE of those movies did the protagonist keep the name "Parker".

12 This is a job for a moron if I ever saw one.

UCD Professor Offers Beer For A Butterfly

13 Thanks for all the advice. You can probably guess that I work for the government, where people like my co-worker can't get fired no matter what they do.

14 Obama to host CIC Ball: "If only he could get on board with them winning."
You know, I'm thinkingof a "board" he could get on that might actually impressthese folks! It's sort of a variation on thetraditional "dunk the boss" tank. And yes it does also use water as part of the "gag".

15 Ladylawyer,

See if you can get her superior to appear right behind her when you are about to ask a question. Might be even better if you could have her superior's superior there too.

Of course this is moot if her superior is an ass.

16 11:

Wikipedia has Westlake's death in Mexico on 12/31/08. Suckwad end to a suckwad year.

17 To whoever wrote "born-ded"; please don't, it looks an awful lot like "born-dead".

18 laser engraver laser engraving machine laser cutter
laser cutting machine vinyl cutter cutting plotter cnc router
laser engraving laser cutter desktop laser engraver vinyl cutter laser cutting
laser engraving machine laser cutting machine cutting plotter
laser cutter laser engraver