[Ganked from lyonesse]

=v= I am loath to give much attention to somebody who is, after all, deliberately intended to be a distraction. But what with the spectacle of tonight's veep debate, I don't suppose I'll be adding much in the way of publicity by participating in this "Sarah Palin Meme." I quote:

As was demonstrated in an interview with Katie Couric, Sarah Palin is unable to name any Supreme Court Case other than Roe v. Wade.

The Rules: Post info about ONE Supreme Court decision, modern or historic, to your lj. (Any decision, as long as it's not Roe v. Wade.) For those who see this on your f-list, take the meme to your OWN lj to spread the fun.

I know of a bunch, but there's one that's extremely relevant, given context: Bush v. Gore (2000).

=v= Today is my birthday. It's a significant one for geeks: the big 0x30.

Just think, if we were really old-fashioned and doing octal, I'd be 060.

=v= Zahra is not to be confused with zahraa.

=v= Here's the lead paragraph from a New York Times story that ran yesterday:

Senator John McCain publicly reacted Saturday to the news that his good friend, Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr., would be on the Democratic ticket with his now daily vacation ritual: going for a morning coffee run with his six-car motorcade to Starbucks and saying not a word.

I wonder if he knows how many Starbucks franchises are within motorcading distance of his seven or so houses?

=v= "This takes a little more work than most, but it was an interesting exercise."

Instructions: Type your answers to each of the questions below into flickr Search. Using only the first page, pick an image. Copy and paste each of the URLs into the Mosaic Maker

The questions:

1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What do you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One word to describe you.
12. Your LJ name.

The results:

( Big 12-Panel Mosaic Graphic )

[Ganked from r_wolfcastle and Others]

59 Questions. Why 59 rather than, say, 60? I don't know.

1. What is your middle name? · Curious.
2. What color is your mailbox? · Bamboo.
3. Are you available? · Have your people call my people.
4. Have you ever hit a deer? · Never, though I would possibly, involuntarily, say "d'oh!" if I did.
5. Do you have to drive over a bridge to get home? · I bike over one.
6. Are you taller than your mom? · Yes.
7. What curse do you say the most when you're pissed? · Most curse-worthy situations involve motorists, so I find myself saying "dipshit" a lot.
8. Are you God? · Only to my creations.
9. What do you do to get over a broken heart? · I haven't figured that out yet.
10. Do you enjoy writing in colored pens? · The pens they put us in weren't very colorful, nor did they give us anything to write with.
11. Does anything hurt on your body right now? · Sunburn.
12. Do you often cry during a movie? · Depends on the movie. Eternal Sunshine had me in tears. See #9, above.
13. Last text message you received? · An enquiry about coming to visit.
14. Who sent it? · My sister.
15. Do you hate your life? · Sometimes when I'm frustrated I say "I hate my life," but I don't mean it.
16. Do you get mad easily? · What are you trying to imply? Huh? Huh?
17. Do you drink? · Only the best.
18. What is your biggest pet peeve? · When irresponsibility and injustice wrap up into a Gordian Knot.
19. Are you cold? · I'm generally too hot for my own good.
20. Do any of your friends have kids? · Yes, including the ones who run a goat farm.
21. Who should pay on the first date? · "From each according to ability, to each according to need" (yet somehow I've never dated a Marxist).
22. How many years older than you are you willing to date? · Two words: Catherine Deneuve.
23. Do you have any friends? · You can deduce that from my answer to question #20?
24. Do you have any mean friends? · No. Life's too short.
25. What is the ugliest color in your opinion? · "Colors are nothing more than bands on the electromagnetic spectrum. It would be purely arbitrary to assign greater value to one than to another ... Of course, there are a few shades of ostrich-dropping yellow that make me gag!" -- IM4U
26. Have you ever dated someone who all your friends couldn't stand? · Many, perhaps, but never all.
27. Have you ever felt like driving off a cliff, seriously? · I have very strongly felt like not driving off a cliff.
28. Have you ever contemplated suicide? · Contemplated, yes, invariably reaching the conclusion that it's not a good idea.
29. Do you scratch your ears? · Only when they itch.
30. Who was the last person to hug you? · Leo Buscaglia.
31. What brand are the pants/jeans you're wearing right now? · Arborwear.
32. How tall are you? · 6'0"
33. What is the closest green object? · Everything.
34. What is on your feet? · 0ld Sk00l Smartw00l.
35. If you were born the opposite sex, what would your parents name you? · My mom wanted to name me Jamie. This would cause confusion because, if I was born the opposite sex, I would totally try to woo another Jamie.
36. If you could go back to any time period when would it be? · The first performance of Beethoven's 9th Symphony.
37. Do you want to have kids? · Yes, but what's that ticking sound?
38. What is your favorite color? · See answer to #33 (not #25).
39. Who is the friend you have that you would never have? · Any one of the guys.
40. Who do you hate the most right now? · People who don't know when to use the word "whom."
41. What's your mother's middle name? · Catherine (no relation).
42. What kind of car do you want? · Well, since I'd only use it to plant a garden in, something that could hold a lot of soil.
43. What is your favorite video game? · Q*bert.
44. Do you like your dad? · I don't really know him. I don't like much of what he's done, but I never directed strong feelings towards him about it.

45. Do you have any TV shows on DVD? · Only if Matt Groening is involved in them.
46. Are you wearing make up? · Only when clowning.
47. Do you have a tattoo? · Sometimes I get one when I bike. Ritual scarrification, too!
48. Have you ever broken a piñata? · Yes.
49. What time is it right now? · TIME'S UP!
50. Do you know how to draw? · You tell me (look to the right).
51. Who loves orange soda? · People who don't live in the pop belt.
52. Who is your hero? · Amongst the living, Nelson Mandela.
53. Who did you last IM? · The Mgt.
54. Do you work a lot of hours? · Yes.
55. Where were you 24 hours ago? · Waiting for Muni.
56. Who was the last person that called you? · The guy living downstairs.
57. Is there anything you regret? · Conveniently enough, my regrets come in 57 varieties.
58. Do you know where your family name originated from? · It's said to be an anglicized version of a surname from Hannover.
59. Animal that creeps you out? · Peskier insects get under my skin.

[Ganked from urlthepinkbear]

"You have to use 3 words to answer each question. No more, no less. It's harder than you think."

1. Where is your cell phone? · Call to locate.
2. Your girlfriend/boyfriend/hubby? · Trouble in triplicate.
3. Your hair? · Abducted by aliens.
4. Where is your father? · Abducted by alcohol.
5. Your favorite thing to do? · There are several.
6. Your dream last night? · Did favorite thing.
7. Your favorite drink? · Blue Bottle espresso.
8. Your dream car? · Unicorns in Xanadu.
9. The room you're in? · Habitrail cubicle farm.
10. Your fears? · Fewer than before.
11. Who did you hang out with last night? · "Whom," she'd correct.
12. What aren't you good at? · Trusting the authorities.
13. Muffins? · Croissants have advantages.
14. One of your wish list items? · Bamboo folding bicycle.
15. The last thing you did? · Fired up browser.
16. What are you wearing? · Yards of cotton.
17. Your pet? · On the lam.
18. Your computer? · Uses less energy.
19. Your life? · Mikey likes it.
20. Your mood? · Room for improvement.
21. Missing? · Chips from incisors.
22. What are you thinking about right now? · Three-word answers.
23. Your car? · Crushed, years ago.
24. Your work? · Keeps me busy.
25. Your summer? · Not this month.
26. Your relationship status? · See answer #20.
27. Your favorite color(s)? · Roy G. Biv.
28. When is the last time you laughed? · Recently; absurdity reigns.
29. Last time you cried? · Van Gogh's fault.
30. School? · Learning never ends.

[Yet another one ganked from andybeals]

Bold where you've visited, underline where you've lived, italicize where you live now.

Alabama / Alaska / Arizona / Arkansas / California / Colorado / Connecticut / Delaware / Florida / Georgia / Hawaii / Idaho / Illinois / Indiana / Iowa / Kansas / Kentucky / Louisiana / Maine / Maryland / Massachusetts / Michigan / Minnesota / Mississippi / Missouri / Montana / Nebraska / Nevada / New Hampshire / New Jersey / New Mexico / New York / North Carolina / North Dakota / Ohio / Oklahoma / Oregon / Pennsylvania / Rhode Island / South Carolina / South Dakota / Tennessee / Texas / Utah / Vermont / Virginia / Washington / West Virginia / Wisconsin / Wyoming / Washington D.C.

(For these purposes, the District of Columbia is counted as a state.)

=v= This is kinda one of those silly web quizzes (though not really set up to embed in blog entries):

Basically you go to The Oracle of Starbucks, order a drink, and it insults you. Here's what I ended up with:

Either you can't type or you mumble incoherently. If you actually walked into Starbucks and said you wanted a "begone demons of the cash register" the employees would point and laugh. A reaction you're probably used to. Try again, this time input something that Starbucks actually serves.

I got pretty much the same response when I attempted to order an affogato or a doppio ristretto, which are two more reasons not to go to Starbucks.

[Ganked from a coupla redheads.]

ONLY USE ONE WORD TO ANSWER:

1. Where is your cell phone? · Bag
2. Your boyfriend/girlfriend? · Hermaphrodite
3. Your hair? · Lower
4. Your mother? · Missed
5. Your father? · Drunk
6. Your favorite thing? · Love
7. Your dream last night? · Sex
8. Your favorite drink? · Mocha
9. Your school? · Knocks
10. The room you're in? · Cold
11. Your fear? · Void
12. Where were you last night? · Italian
13. What you're not? · Follower
14. Muffins? · Muffy
15. One of your wish list items? · Fulfillment
16. Where you grew up? · Pittsburgh
17. The last thing you did? · Conversed
18. What are you wearing? · Socks
19. Your TV? · None
20. Your pet or pets? · Departed
21. Your computer? · Ubuntu
22. Your life? · Frustrating
23. Your mood? · Frustrated
24. Missing someone? · Yes
25. Your work? · Boundless
26. Like someone? · "Like?"
27. Your favorite color? · Green! No! Blue! Aiiee!!!
28. When is the last time you laughed? · Noonish
29. Your best friend? · Eddie
30. The person who posted this? · Plural

I simply must add that I am duly chagrined by the fact that, despite being without TV for years, "Your best friend?" made me think of the theme song to The Courtship of Eddie's Father, a show I never watched.

[Another one ganked from andybeals]

=v= Reputed to be "40 of the MOST Spontaneous Questions Ever, BE HONEST." So I'm gonna post the first draft, FWIW.

=1= Where were you 1 hour ago?
On my bike, rolling slowly past the treefrogs.

=2= Who will be your next kiss?
Unless a macap series of After Hours-type events takes place in the next half hour or so, ( Don't Touch That Dial! )

[Ganked from that part of the cosmos calling itself andybeals]

=v= Neopagan is okay, but most who know me would've guessed Treehugger. Judging from a number of friends who took this quiz, I think it misses the mark quite a bit, even by the low standards of silly online quizzes. Bummer.

Neopagan
You are 50% experimental, 81% feral, 54% spiritual, and 0% square!

Congratulations! You're a Neopagan. Well, maybe you're not precisely a pagan, but you have a deep love for primitive nature, and a strong sense of the spiritual. You feel the beauty of the wild around you [True. --Jym] and feel choked in the city [Not! --Jym]. The hippie world needs you, because you bring together the beauty of the wild and the magic of the heart. If you believe that opposites attract, you probably find yourself around Ravers [N! --J]. If you are more inclined to enjoy the company of those with similar attitudes, then other Neopagans, as well as the Faerie-child, Treehugger, and Full-blown Hippie are for you. The other categories are Alternate, Mystic, Feral and of course, the Non-hippie

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 99% on experimental You scored higher than 99% on feral You scored higher than 99% on spiritual You scored higher than 99% on non-hippie

Link: The "What kind of hippie are you?" Test.

[Ganked from Ron and then Chris]

=v= Boldly go where you've gone before.

1. Bought everyone in the bar a drink (See #51)
2. Swum with wild dolphins
3. Climbed a mountain
4. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive (No, but Mercedes and Jaguar don't count? Branding sucks. Cars suck, too)
5. Been inside the Great Pyramid
6. Held a tarantula
7. Taken a candlelit bath with someone (Waxed nostalgic about it, too)
( The Rest of My Answers )

[Ganked from andybeals]

[As seen in lyonesse's Journal.]

1) Something you have an unreasonable fear of (could be several things)
=1= Harm coming to loved ones.

2) Something that gives you great joy
=2= The letters E, L, O, and V spell two words that qualify.

3) Something familiar you are drawn to in spite of zero information or contact ... an animal, a place, a sort of person, a culture you cannot help but be drawn to in spite of the lack of knowledge, you JUST KNOW
=3= Druids

4) Comfort food when you are down
=4= Some flavorful whole-grain pasta (buckwheat, farro, etc.)

1. What does your Livejournal name mean?
=1= I'm #1! I'm #1! (Seriously, what's with this numbering scheme?)

2. Elaborate on your default icon?
=2= It shows one aspect of my relationship with my familiar.

5. What EXACTLY are you wearing right now?
=5= Nothing.

6. Are you musically inclined?
=6= I've played instruments, but have only developed to a certain point, then hit a wall. Which is hard on the instrument.

7. If you could go back in time and change something, what would you change?
=7= In my life, a certain pivotal bad turn in a relationship. Dunno whether it would help, but one has to try. Otherwise, I'd have to figure out something that would promote world peace.

8. If you MUST be an animal for ONE day, what would you be?
=8= A bird, preferably a corvid.

9. Ever have a near death experience?
=9= No.

10. Name an obvious quality you have.
=10= Sense of humor.

11. What's the name of the song that's stuck in your head right now?
=11= The Proclaimers, 500 Miles

12. Have you ever vandalized someone's private property?
=12= Ask me again when the statute of limitations runs out.

13. Have you ever sung in front of a large audience?
=13= The largest such audience was in middle school: parents, students, and faculty.

14. What is the first thing you notice about the opposite sex?
=14= There's no one first thing. It could be anything.

15. What do you usually order from Starbucks?
=15= I order the demons to be cast out of the cash register, in blatant imitation of Reverend Billy.

16. Has anyone ever said you looked like a celebrity?
=16= In my younger days, Billy Idol or David Bowie. These days I can only capitalize on my own fame.

17. Do you still watch kiddy movies or TV shows?
=17= Yes, with kids.

18. Did you have braces?
=18= No, and I do have crooked teeth.

19. What is the most romantic thing someone has ever done for you?
=19= I can think of a few things, but to rate them and pick one would be ... unromantic of me.

20) A moment in time where life stood still and you knew the next moments were going to have one hellava impact on your life.
=20= Sex with someone for the first time.

[As seen in shadowsmark's Journal]

=v= A bunch of questions masquerading as The Great Meme of '06. I hope my answers are "great" enough.

1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought of?
=1= My hat's on crooked.

2. How much cash do you have on you?
=2= One mill-y-on dollars. Oh, wait, that's some other bald guy.

3. What's a word that rhymes with "DOOR"?
=3= "Poor."

4. Favorite planet?
=4= Terra (the same planet under attack by the Shrub's "war on Terra").

( Questions #5 through #25 )

26. WHERE THE HECK IS QUESTION #26?
=26= And they call this "great?"

27. The last song you listened to?
=27= Sam Cooke, "Wonderful World."

=v= A few people have asked what the head scratches on my first avatar are all about. Perhaps this spiffy new avatar will explain it.

[As seen in generalist's Journal]

=v= Which Muppet Are You? Unsurprisingly, I'm Kermit: I'm green, I look pretty animated on a bicycle ("gone with the Schwinn"), I avoid pork products, and I can even do a pretty good Kermit voice!

You Are Kermit

Hi, ho! Lovable and friendly, you get along well with everyone you know. You're a big thinker, and sometimes you over think life's problems. Don't worry - everyone know's it's not easy being green. Just remember, time's fun when you're having flies!

Tragic events unfolded during the Super Bowl, though, where we learned that the real Kermit was kidnapped while riding his bicycle and forced to greenwash SUVs. Free Kermit!