Research question: Here's a photograph of Sean Penn attempting to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Does anyone know the purpose of the white, vest-like garment?

No, I don't think it's a bulletproof vest. It's got no packets of bullet-slowdown material, carbon-fibre or whatever the kids are using these days.

The vest is more purposeful than that, even if the actor is not. Tradesman's gear of some kind.

I think your other answers are right... He's trying to impress someone with something, I just don't know what.

In other news, here's more weirdness about women who don't "support" other women.

Whoopso sorry, her exact word was "help," not "support"—

" 'There's a special place in hell for women who don't help other women,' " Swift repeated to Vanity Fair regarding the "30 Rock" and "Parks and Recreation" stars.

I hate it when I bungle quotations.

The reason women can't all get along in a mutually supportive manner in the workplace or in the media is the humanity can't do that in any other context either.

Femininity is sometimes a superpower; grown womanhood is not.

I'll repeat what I said yesterday: why is a woman obligated to express approval of what another woman does, just because they're the same sex?

Moar... Maybe Pohler and And Trixcie Whatserface were just affirming their sisterhood through name-dropping.

Fey, Pohler and Swift, I meant.

Heard this blonde joke today.

Two blondes find three grenades, and they decide to take them to a police station.
One asks, "What if one explodes before we get there?"
The other says, "We'll lie and say we only found two."

The Priorities of our "public servants."

@Crid: "The Priorities of our 'public servants.'"

Well, just move the whole thing to Martha's Vinyard, and kill two birds with one stone! Efficiency!

I'll repeat what I said yesterday: why is a woman obligated to express approval of what another woman does, just because they're the same sex? - Cousin Dave

For the same reason women must be given raises they never asked for and forced to work in jobs they dont want and all sex must slowly be reclassified as rape: Because our would be feminist overlords said so

"Heard this blonde joke today. "

So this blonde girl moves into a cute little house way out in the country.

Arriving home one night she finds her home ablaze. She calls the fire department with her cell phone and explains that she lives way out on a country road.

The dispatcher calms her and says "That's okay, miss, just tell us how to get to your house."

"Big red truck - DUH!".

A young blonde was on vacation in the depths of Louisiana. She wanted a pair of genuine alligator shoes in the worst way, but was very reluctant to pay the high prices the local vendors were asking.

After becoming very frustrated with the "no haggle" attitude of one of the shopkeepers, the blonde shouted, "Maybe I'll just go out and catch my own alligator so I can get a pair of shoes at a reasonable price!" The shopkeeper said, "By all means, be my guest. Maybe you'll luck out and catch yourself a big one!" Determined, the blonde turned and headed for the swamps, set on catching herself an alligator.

Later in the day, the shopkeeper is driving home, when he spots the young woman standing waist deep in the water, shotgun in hand. Just then, he sees a huge 9 foot alligator swimming quickly toward her. She takes aim, kills the creature and with a great deal of effort hauls it on to the swamp bank. Lying nearby were several more of the dead creatures. The shopkeeper watches in amazement. Just then the blonde flips the alligator on its back, and frustrated, shouts out, "Shit, this one isn't wearing any shoes either!"