Bacon flowchart

From KL via Incredimazing. Click on the image to enlarge.

Why I'll be boycotting the NFL this season

Felonious dogfighting entrepreneur and former quarterback Michael Vick was conditionally reinstated in the NFL yesterday by the league's commissioner. I'll be taking my viewing time elsewhere this fall. From espn.com:

NEW YORK -- Michael Vick is back in the NFL. Now all he needs is a team to play for.

Vick, free after serving 18 months in prison for running a dogfighting ring, was reinstated with conditions by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday.

Vick can immediately take part in preseason practices, workouts and meetings and can play in the final two preseason games -- if he can find a team that will sign him. A number of teams have already said they would not.

Sal Paolantonio says the wording for Michael Vick's return gives the commissioner a lot of latitude on when to fully reinstate him. How many teams are interested?

Once the season begins, Vick may participate in all team activities except games, and Goodell said he would consider Vick for full reinstatement by Week 6 (Oct. 18-19) at the latest.

According to ESPN's Sal Paolantonio, a source close to Vick expressed "shock" over the severity of Vick's punishment and said Vick will reapply for full reinstatement as early as Week 1.

Goodell suspended Vick indefinitely in August 2007 after the former Atlanta Falcons quarterback admitted bankrolling a dogfighting operation on his property in Virginia. At the time, Goodell said Vick must show remorse before he would consider reinstating him.

"I accept that you are sincere when you say that you want to, and will, turn your life around, and that you intend to be a positive role model for others," Goodell said in his letter to Vick. "I am prepared to offer you that opportunity. Whether you succeed is entirely in your hands.

"Needless to say, your margin for error is extremely limited," the letter said. "I urge you to take full advantage of the resources available to support you and to dedicate yourself to rebuilding your life and your career. If you do this, the NFL will support you."

Goodell said he spoke to numerous current and former players and coaches as he weighed his decision and that the responses were "very mixed."

Yeah, they hate each other

All the posing that goes on -- Daisy growling at Boo if he so much as grazes her as she's falling asleep. Boo randomly swatting Daisy in the face for no reason at all. My coming home after a 40-hour-or-so workday to find tufts of hair, with roots attached, strewn around the house, indicating some sort of interspecies warfare had gone on in my absence.

It's like 90 degrees in the house today, but look who still wants to cuddle -- and not with me:

Note Boo's tail wrapped protectively around Daisy's bottom. Just too much.

Tagged on Facebook

'Thia tagged me in the most recent incarnation of "Getting to Know Me." So, here goes...

1 What time did you get up this morning? 6
2. How do you like your steak? Medium
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince”
4. What is your favorite TV show? “Lost”
5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? Hm. I have no idea.
6. What did you have for breakfast today? Two cups of coffee
7. What is your favorite cuisine? Chinese
8. What foods do you dislike? Sushi, liver and coconut mostly
9. Favorite Place to Eat? I really like PF Chang’s. Don’t hate.
10. Favorite salad dressing? Olive oil and balsamic vinegar
11.What kind of vehicle do you drive? BMW 325i
12. What are your favorite clothes? Preppy-ish with a twist
13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? Paris
14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? Empty
15. Where would you want to retire? I don’t think I will be able to retire
16. Favorite time of day? Afternoon
17. Where were you born? New York City
18. What is your favorite sport to watch? Baseball
19. Who do you think will not tag you back? No idea
20. Person you expect to tag you back first? No idea
21. Who are you most curious about their responses to this? No idea
22. Bird watcher? Gracious no
23. Are you a morning person or a night person? Night
24. Do you have any pets? A cat and a dog
25. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share? Ha. No.
26. What did you want to be when you were little? Writer
27. What is your best childhood memory? No comment
28. Are you a cat or dog person? Dog, probably
29. Are you married? Ha. No.
30. Always wear your seat belt? Yes
31. Been in a car accident? No
32. Any pet peeves? Bigotry, poor hygiene, rudeness generally
33. Favorite Pizza Topping? Pepperoni
34. Favorite Flower? Roses
35. Favorite ice cream? Chocolate. Always chocolate.
36. Favorite fast food restaurant? Chipotle
37. How many times did you fail your driver's test? Written, once
38. From whom did you get your last email? Someone at work
39. Which store would you choose to max out your card? Nordstrom
40. Do anything spontaneous lately? Not really
41. Like your job? Sure
42. Broccoli? Yes
43. What was your favorite vacation? NYC
44. Last person you went out to dinner with? Colette

And that's the way it was...

Walter Cronkite was a huge part of the reason I chose journalism as a major in college. He gave voice to the news events that unfolded throughout my childhood, and the CBS Evening News was required viewing in my house -- at least until he left its anchor chair in 1981.

In reporting the passing of Mr. Cronkite last night, CNN had several hours of interviews with current and former broadcast journalists, all of whom talked about how he was one of a kind, unparalleled in the field, and an encouragement to those with whom he worked. Media (and technology) are rapidly changing not only how we consume news but also what we define as "news." But his commitment to factual accuracy, plain-spokenness and compassion spans the generations.

He was, first and foremost, a newsman. We were all the better for it.

A day in the life of a legislative staffer

Nora: May I tell you something? At the risk of oversharing?

Coworker: Yes.

Nora: Well, today I had to run up to committee when I heard Boss starting to present my bills in Appropriations and I didn't know he was already there. Anyway, I took the stairs two at a time. And now I have a terrible cramp in my butt.

Coworker: ...

Nora: It really hurts.

Coworker: That is oversharing.

Quitting as leadership?

The point guard reference may be completely lost on CNN's Anderson Cooper, but that doesn't slow down Alaska Governor Sarah Palin spokeswoman Meg Stapleton as she spins her boss' abrupt resignation from office yesterday. Stapleton, who was on vacation in New York as Palin makes this career-altering announcement (in front of a Wasilla lake filled with noisily quacking ducks), actually explains the analogy to him, but he's having none of it. Though I do wish he'd said, "But isn't what we really have here a case of the star point guard just passing the ball to a teammate from the bench and then running into the locker room with 18 months left in the game?"

The fast and the furriest

Cat drifting. Via BoingBoing.