« I'll Gladly Pay you in Two Minutes for a Five Dollar Bill Today | Main | Conversations at Work: Volume XXII »
October 20, 2006
Random Brain Drain
1. Last night on the Game Show Network, a contestant was asked to name the first black Justice of the Supreme Court. He replied, “Rehnquist.”
William Rehnquist, former Chief Justice of the United States, was many things, but black wasn’t one of them.
What exactly happens in schools these days, aside from teachers banging students and Amish children getting massacred? Is history still taught or have we abandoned that subject in favor of something far more important like “How to do well on a standardized test!”?
2. Did you happen to catch the Reverend Tony Mercieca’s recent comments about Mark Foley? Mercieca is the priest who Foley alleges molested him when he was a young teenager.
“I touched him also, you know. But I didn’t, uh, because it’s not something you call, I mean, um, rape or penetration or anything like that, you know. We [were] just fondling!”
When the questioner asked if he thought he was doing anything wrong when he fondled Foley, Reverend Mercieca had a rather joyful tone in his voice.
“I didn’t! (Nearly breaks out in laughter.) He really seemed to like it, you know. So it was more, sort of more like a spontaneous thing.”
As long as the fondling was both enjoyable (to the young teenage boy) and spontaneous (which is really the key), I guess it’s okay.
3. What do you really think happened when Scott Petersen offed Lacy? Did the prosecution ever come up with a theory? I don’t recall one.
4. As long as you’re thinking about murders, do you know if anyone figured out who the hell murdered Chandra Levy?
5. Finally, when a coworker is completely worthless (I mean has about as much worth at the office as a penny does on the street), leaves the office for hours at a time, and lies more than Pinocchio and that stupid bastard who was always crying about the phantom wolf combined, what should you do? An inquiring mind wants to know.
Comments
RE #5: I say be happy they're gone and hope they leave the office often. Useless coworkers often cause more harm then good.
and Point 1: I have been having my own sad moments wondering whether high schools have taken civics and history lessons entirely out of circulation. Between 2 admins a few days back I heard this conversation,
Admin 1:"Yea, I heard she's like going to Cambridge for grad school."
Admin 2: "Ugh... why would she go there? She's doesn't speak French or anything."
Sorry sort of random, but I am on an education tirade lately.
:)
Posted by: First Year at October 20, 2006 09:22 AM
If the co-worker is a lawyer and doing things in violation of the rules governing lawyering, you may have an affirmative duty to report said person to the bar for investigation. (But I guess this might depend on your jurisdiction.)
Posted by: Cathy at October 20, 2006 12:32 PM
For Point #5: In the spirit of halloween, why you don't you just leave a messy anonymous note on her desk saying, i know where you're going and what you do when you're away. I'd watch out if i were you....
Posted by: compulsive lunch buddy at October 20, 2006 04:44 PM
Re: #5--you can't do much without risking ending up looking like an ass yourself--just wait and hope that the powers that catch on. They usually do after about 2 or 3 long, annoying years.
As for #2--I think spontanaity's the key. Or at least it should be. That'd be a hell of a criminal defense--right behind stupidity.
Posted by: Nicole Black at October 21, 2006 09:32 AM
Eh, I'd ignore the coworker. If you've noticed, then the boss definitely has as well.
And nope, they never found who killed Chandra Levy. Or Joyce Chiang either. Here's a link to an article about her.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joyce_Chiang
Posted by: teahouseblossom at October 21, 2006 12:08 PM
Here's another article about the Chiang/Levy connection. Freaky.
http://www.asianweek.com/2001_07_27/news_chandra.html
Posted by: teahouseblossom at October 21, 2006 12:10 PM
Regarding #5
I suggest bitch slap him hard, then kick his ass to the curb.
Work for you? ;-)
Posted by: LisaBinDaCity at October 21, 2006 06:55 PM
THB, That's scary stuff about the Chiang/Levy connection. Thanks for pointing it out. The major difference to me is where the two were probably abducted. Levy was undoubtedly abducted in a very remote part of Rock Creek Park. Chiang, on the other hand, appears to have been taken somewhere in the city. Hard to understand how that could happen without any people seeing her. I wonder if both of them knew the people/person who killed them.
LisaB, If I took your advice and read your words on a completely literal basis, I DEFINITELY would be hitting the wrong person.
CLB - The suggestion is noted!
Cathy - Fortunately, the rules of professional responsibility require no action from me on this one. Hmm, maybe that is unfortunate!
First Year, I concur entirely.
NB, You're dead on regarding the "2 or 3 long, annoying years" bit. Sometimes I think it will take longer than that!
Posted by: Fool at October 22, 2006 03:39 AM
Geez,
Everyone knows that Earl Warren was the first black Supreme Court justice...
Posted by: over_educated at October 23, 2006 08:39 AM
I admit to believing that Thomas Jefferson was black at one point in my life. Of course, I was in the third grade when I held such a belief.
Posted by: Fool at October 23, 2006 09:06 PM
