a.) Saddam Hussein is to be executed in the next 30 days.

I was thinking about this earlier and trying to reconcile the horrors of what Saddam Hussein has done with my feelings regarding the death penalty. Even though it sounds strange, I still maintain that while he should be locked away for the crimes that he has committed, I honestly wish they weren't going to execute him. It turns my stomach that, among all of the bloodshed and death that governments can't stop, they still deliberately execute people. What are your thoughts on this?

b.) I got into a very interesting discussion re: body modification with my family tonight (my mother, father, a smattering of aunts and uncles). I'm very pro-body mod; I believe your body is a canvas and you should be able to do whatever you want with it - pierce it, dye it, tattoo it, implant horns into your head, whatever. My aunt and mother, in particular, were very snitty and dismissive - arguing (both stated and implied) that people who did such things were immature, unable to hold down a job, rebellious young idiots, etc. I considered several arguments before going in for the kill, but settled on the one that was the most satisfying.

"So, why would it be a problem if I, say, dyed my hair blue?"
"Because it's not natural. It looks weird."
"But if I dyed it blonde, it would be natural?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because blonde occurs in nature."
"I submit to you: it isn't natural for a woman nearing or over 50 to have no gray hairs, and yet you somehow both manage to accomplish it. I'd argue that dying your hair a color that isn't your own is just as unnatural as dying it blue."

Of course, they both began arguing with me at the same time. I could see that it made them uncomfortable to have their bi-monthly hair-dying appointments at the hairdresser's equated with people who slice their tongues in two and dye their hair bright purple (Anne, love, I had you in mind the whole time I was having this conversation). I also brought up people who do body modification for S&M purposes, which of course elicited a whole new wave of disgust and snide looks and sidelong implications that those people clearly can't make a living, which I began to refute until I had my mother and aunt so freaked out they eventually left the room under the premise of needing to do dishes.

Carmen: Freaking Out The Relatives Since 1986

c.) From christianleft: Guess who declared war on Christmas?

Apparently, after all of the ridiculous fussing and hysteria over "The War on Christmas," guess where the following well-wishing banner came from?



The Republican National Committee.

I'd add more snarky commentary, but I feel like it'd be overkill. Right now, the satire writes itself.