First of all, props to commenter Flynne, who first made me aware of what was happening a few years ago. It was an offhand comment, but a real jaw-dropper.

Al Jazeera is a hideous source, OK? They're the the worst of CNN and the worst of Fox and all the others worsts mixed into one. As a rule, you shouldn't read them.

Or watch them on TV.

(This woman makes me want to freak all night long, but that's neither here nor there.)

(Her voice is incredible, though... Indescribably exotic, but not so tidy as to be intellectually intimidating. Dayum....)

We're going to make a one-time exception, OK? Because this particular source has no reason to be so blunt about it, even if they're serving a different news stream to their Middle Eastern audiences.

Note the subhead of this article....

WITHIN A DECADE. The Saudis are so fucked... The number of "princes" and other entitlement-minded citizens has just exploded. The women are coming around to the truth, and the whole damn thing is basically a hillbilly culture (only without traditions of self-reliance and suspicion of revenooers.)

I'm 53; the first big gas crisis happened when I was a freshman in high school, and they they've been rolling in dough ever since. They should have spent my lifetime changing their culture from bogus royalty to a taxable educated class, but they spent it throwing spitballs at Israel while pants-pissing over Iraq and and Iran. They've got one supercomputer that's about to fall off the list, and they didn't build it, they bought it. There's no way they can play the US against the Russians anymore.

In terms of world affairs, this is bad news, but a part of my heart has to snicker.

Is there a pic or a link or something I'm missing here with these cryptic one-liners?

My fondest prayer for this meager day is that slapback from this will end Denton's career.

Not crass, but cute:

Two former colleagues became romantically involved and announced their engagement about a year ago.

In a recent FB photo, I saw that he was wearing a ring, and asked if they were already married. She said no, the wedding is in August, but he likes to wear his ring now and call it his engagement ring.

Seattle - Amazon giving out $100 gift cards in exchange for your firearms.

http://www.krem.com/news/northwest-news/186080461.html

From the SPD

http://spdblotter.seattle.gov/2013/01/08/so-youd-like-to-turn-your-guns-into-gift-cards/

Sorry that was supposed to say SPD Blotter.

I need one of these.

Priest in bondage mask and handcuffs calls 911 for rescue.

http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nbc-news/50399934/#50399934

Gives new meaning to the term "priesthood".

> I need one of these.

See also this & that.

Seattle - Amazon giving out $100 gift cards in exchange for your firearms. -- Meloni at January 8, 2013 3:04 PM

I hope some local place does the same thing in my area. I've been saving up for a big screen TV from Amazon.

I have an old 9MM in a 1911 frame that I no longer trust and several CO2 pellet guns that I'm willing to get rid of. I wouldn't sell the 9MM just from a safety perspective. And the pellet guns are a just something I don't use. If someone wants to buy them cheap -- let Amy know or contact me from my website in the link.

Good luck Jim P. They're offering $200 for weapons classified as assault, so if you've got any useless ones lying around, that might help you reach your goal.

From the article: This isn’t a trick, and this isn’t a sting. Whether you’re turning an anti-tank missile launcher you “found” in your basement, or your Gammie’s old .45, the buyback is anonymous with no questions asked. SPD won’t take pictures of you as you drop off guns or ask you to sign anything.