there will probably be nothing to see here, so move along quickly

Scientists seek clues as earthquakes rattle Reno

RENO, Nev. (AP) — Scientists are scrutinizing seismic readings and studying damage to residents' homes trying to figure out what's happening beneath the earth's surface to cause a troubling swarm of hundreds of earthquakes in northern Nevada.

"We're looking at just about everything," said Diane dePolo, a network seismologist at the University of Nevada, Reno's Seismological Laboratory. "We haven't been able to associate it with any known fault."

During the past week alone, more than 500 mostly minor quakes have been recorded in the area. The two most recent widely felt quakes measured 3.1 and occurred about 11 p.m. Monday...

The shaking is unusual, seismologists say, because the intensity of the quakes has increased over the past few weeks. Generally, earthquakes tend to occur and are followed by smaller aftershocks.

can't we just leave that nice Cholly Gibson alone?

David Plouffe (French phokk?), Sen. Obama's campaign manager, said ABC turned in "perhaps the most embarrassing performance by the media in a major presidential debate in years." Then again, what would you expect from a tarrist-coddling French...

No. Wait. It was Editor & Publisher which said that. Sorry.

there he goes again (cont'd)

The Rev. Jeremiah Wright excoriated America as having "committed more war crimes almost than any nation in the world," saying "we are criminals in that war," and adding that "a nation that put as many Japanese in a concentration camp as they did in the '40s ... will put black people in a concentration camp. And I'm not interested in being in any concentration camp. I been on the reservation too long now." Then again, what would you expect from...

Wait. It was Martin Luther King who said that. Sorry.

On a lighter note, "the week before his death, he was planning a sermon for that Sunday titled 'Why America May Go to Hell.'" (from an email from Sojourners)

there he goes again

The Rev. Jeremiah Wright excoriated America as "the greatest purveyor of violence in the world" and a nation "founded on genocide." Then again, what would you expect from...

Wait. It was Martin Luther King who said that. Sorry.

Lest We Forget that the Dark Ages Were a Faith-Based Initiative (cont'd)

News item: A court in Sudan today began hearing the case of a British teacher charged with inciting religious hatred for letting her pupils name a teddy bear Muhammad. If convicted, she faces up to 40 lashes, with the verdict and sentence up to the judge.

humans fight back

Man bites dog in South End fray

i was expecting pre-school

The Blog Readability Test at www.criticsrant.com/bb/reading_level.aspx allows you to test automatically any Internet site for the level of education it appeals to. A few test results:

• • The American Decency Association at www.americandecency.org: "Junior high school."
• • Fox News at www.foxnews.com: "High school."
• • The Politico at www.politico.com: "College."
• • QT at www.suntimes.com: "Genius."

And it doesn't look like we would fly at Saginaw State, especially Fung:

Speech Code of the Month at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education at www.thefire.org:

Saginaw State University forbids the telling of any jokes that may involve "race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital or familial status, color, height, weight, handicap or disability."

And which one most applies here:

QT Two Internet Headlines that Fairly Well Sum Up the Internet (cont'd):

• • "Seven wonders of the cosmos."

• • "What's currently annoying me."

Meanwhile, it looks like QT was behind the times on this one...we broke dis story months ago:

Movie Mistakes at www.moviemistakes.com still lists zero mistakes for the 2006 movie "Idiocracy."

That is because it is the perfect movie that explains everything.

Have you rented it yet?

And...

Famous people who died on your birthday at www.justsayhi.com/bb/death

Who can top: George Burns, Charles Bukowski, Menachem Begin, Robert Mapplethorpe, and The Notorious B.I.G.?

Smiff, King of All Chicago Media (cont'd)

Today's QT Today

Don't forget the torture chamber

W.S., an Evanston reader, regarding the architect of the George W. Bush Presidential Library saying the building must incorporate the "spirit" of the Bush presidency, writes:
"Besides your suggestion of the need for a huge facade, the building would have no public entrance. The private entrance might offer a copy of the Constitution as its doormat . . ."

Or Michael Smith, a San Diego, Calif., reader, suggests a grand fireplace filled with burning memos.

Or . . .

QT shtealing from Smiff (con'td)

Hu? Watt? I don't know

September 10, 2007
BY ZAY N. SMITH Sun-Times Columnist

Mike Kuper, a Downers Grove reader, regarding the Los Angeles Dodgers calling up shortstop Chin-lung Hu from the minors, making it only a matter of time before Hu hits a single, with predictable results, writes:
"The Dodgers have an 18-year-old pitcher in the minors named Michael Watt. If Chin-lung Hu can stay with the Dodgers, and if the Dodgers someday call up Michael Watt, and if Hu follows Watt in the order, and if both get singles. . . ."

All I'm trying to find out is what's the guy's name on first base.

No. Watt is on second base.

I'm not asking you who's on second.

Hu's on first.

I'm only asking you, who's the guy on first base?

That's right. . . .

Well. We can dream, can't we?

Corms in QT?

I suppose it could be Jesus Christ or the ghost of Johnny Cash...

J.C., a Mount Prospect reader, writes:
"On a recent trip to Boston, there were numerous signs on the highways saying that driving in the 'breakdown lane' was prohibited. When did shoulders become breakdown lanes, and when can we have shoulders back?"

what could possibly go wrong? (cont'd)

From The Economist...

Clear skies ahead

With just over a year to go until the 2008 Olympic games begin, organisers are researching ways to guarantee clear skies for the opening ceremony on August 8th. Meteorologists reckon there is a 50% chance of rain. Zhang Qiang, head of the Beijing Weather Modification Office, said 26 rain-making stations are experimenting with launching chemical catalysts to dispel clouds and to control the time and place of rainfall. Ms Zhang warned, though, that the technique is effective only for light precipitation and can do little to prevent heavy rain.

it's also national "are the Horror mathematically eliminated yet?" month

Beware the Ides of National Hamburger Month, National Asparagus Month, National Egg Month, National Salad Month, National Salsa Month, National Strawberry Month, National Drinking Water Month, National Artisan Gelato Month, National High Blood Pressure Education Month, National Masturbation Month, National Barbecue Month, National Custard Month, National Beef Month, National Tavern Month, National Youth Traffic Safety Month, National Stroke Awareness Month, National Arthritis Month, National Smile Month, National Military Appreciation Month, National Mental Health Month, National Drug Court Month, National Electrical Safety Month, National Trauma Awareness Month, National Home Improvement Month, National Community Action Month, National Critical Care Awareness and Recognition Month, National Family Month, National Book Month, National Better Hearing and Speech Month, National Better Sleep Month, National Moving Month, Get Caught Reading Month, National Bike Month, Clean Air Month, and Navajo Code Talkers Month.

Gitmo?

News Headline: Prosecutor: Lock up Paris Hilton for 45 days

who said it?

"Victory means exit strategy, and it's important for the president to explain to us what the exit strategy is."

"I think it's also important for the president to lay out a timetable as to how long they will be involved and when they will be withdrawn."