Slow Learners in Alabama

By: Mr. Wilson on February 15, 2005
A new bill in Alabama would require the Ten Commandments to be posted in every classroom, and every school day would begin with teachers and students reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. In case you're thinking to yourself "But Mr. Wilson, maybe the bill's intentions are innocent, not based on inserting religious influences into the public schools," I present to you:
Byrne, a former member of the State Board of Education, said he became interested in the issue because of the federal court ruling in California over using "under God" in the pledge.
::sigh:: Clearly Alabama's educators are doing a crappy job. If they were providing their students with a quality education, state politicians wouldn't be stupid enough to think the courts will let them get away with this, and the voters wouldn't be stupid enough to continuously put these morons in office. Oh well, better there than here, I suppose.

A Trip to Beacon Hills

By: Mr. Wilson on February 15, 2005
The Missus and I made a trip allll the way out 27th Street to Beacon Hills. Attached to a Country Inn & Suites, it's pretty easy to miss. Beacon Hills is -- I think -- locally owned and operated, so it's worth a visit if only for that reason. When Beacon Hills first opened I heard a lot about it. Most people really enjoyed it, it seemed. The Missus and I intended to get out there a few times to try it out for ourselves. That didn't happen, until last night. The atmosphere is nice: quiet, subdued, cozy. A welcome respite from the sprawling, concrete mess that is North 27th Street. The host was friendly and we were seated promptly. The restaurant certainly wasn't busy, but there were several diners scattered about. Everybody seemed to be in a good mood, which is a good sign. Our server was competent, but he won't win any awards for excellence. His demeanor was his biggest weakness. He was very capable and he went through the motions very well. He just didn't seem all that excited about it. The food was very tasty. The Missus had crab-stuffed salmon, served with rice and sauteed vegetables. I had blackened salmon fettuccine. Both of us really enjoyed our salmon. It was melt-in-your-mouth tender, and nicely flavorful. My pasta was decent, but a bit bland. The parmesan-based sauce could have used some more potent parmesan, or perhaps even a little crab to perk things up. Then again, after tasting the Missus' crab-stuffed salmon, I had crab on my mind. Time is short right now, so I have to stop here. My summary: Beacon Hills is worth a visit. I'll write a longer, more formal review for the Eat Lincoln portion of the website once I have had a chance to make a second visit to the restaurant.

Anything Goes in the War on Drugs II

By: Mr. Wilson on February 12, 2005
In some individuals' minds, anything goes in the War on Drugs:
"It's (expletive) over, son." For two hours, authorities say, that message would be pounded into Lester Eugene Siler's head and body, reinforced with the barrel of a gun and echoed in threats of electrocution. [...] "We'll have to call a (expletive) ambulance to haul your ass out of here." [...] "Eugene, let me tell you how this is gonna work, OK?" Webber said in the transcript. "We got here and guess what you did? You ran out the back door. We chased you, OK? You fought with us, OK? We end up fighting with you. You 'bout whupped all our asses, so we had to fight back, OK?" [...] "You're not (expletive) listening," Webber says. "You hear what I told you? I told you not to be talking. ? This (expletive) right here, he loves seeing blood. He loves it. He loves seeing blood. You're talking too much. ? He loves (expletive) seeing blood. He'll beat your ass and lick it off of you." [...] "Eugene, you're gonna sign this right here or I'm gonna (expletive) put a bullet in your damn head, and we're gonna (expletive) plant this BB gun," Monday says. Webber later adds, "Hey, Eugene, what loss do you think it's gonna be to us if you die, buddy? It's going to be no loss to us." By now, Siler is groaning and gasping for breath...
Read the whole sickening account.

The Baby Name Wizard

By: Mr. Wilson on February 9, 2005
Most of you have seen various baby name lists and books. You know the type, in which each name's meaning is discussed, its popularity is assessed, etc. The Baby Name Wizard is by far the coolest method I have seen for visualizing the popularity of different names over time. For the record, my name was cool back when I was born, but its popularity is waning rapidly. The missus's name, on the other hand, is surging back into style.

Huskers Have a Kicker?

By: Mr. Wilson on February 8, 2005
Of all of the Huskers' recent problems, few people would probably put "crappy kickers" in the top ten list. I put it in the top five, if not the top three. Our kickers of late have been terrible. Apparently the Huskers picked up a winner for 2005, a guy named Jordan Congdon. Why is this the first I've heard about Congdon? Or have I just not been paying attention?

I Deam Of ... Kim Jong-il?

By: Mr. Wilson on February 8, 2005
I'm not sure what this says about me or what's going on in my head, but last night I dreamt that Kim Jong-il had somehow taken over my computer remotely. He was a tricky little bastard, too. He kept deleting files off my desktop. Good thing I had backups.

Behind the Times

By: Mr. Wilson on February 4, 2005
In a late-breaking story, Newsweek reports on a startling new theory:
How did life, in its infinite complexity, come to be? A controversial new theory called 'intelligent design' asserts a supernatural agent was at work
Uhh, wasn't there a book written about that, like, 6,000 years ago?

Mr. Wilson is Dead

By: Mr. Wilson on February 4, 2005
Well, he feels that way, anyway. He's close enough to death that he is referring to himself in the third person, so his illness must be serious. It's probably Ebola. [Update: 8:09PM] My temperature is 101.0. I haven't had a temperature that high in years. I have quite a ways to break my record, though. It was something like 106 or 107. Yeah, I was prone to high fevers as a kid. [/update]
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