This week’s white board quip is particularly apropos*, considering all that’s going on in the world this week. Funny thing is it was chosen completely at random. (Thanks Arron!)

Diplomacy is the art of saying ‘Nice doggie’ until you can find a rock.
-Will Rogers

* I had a heck of a time finding this one in spell check because it has a silent “s,” stupid French.

This is for the folks who say that illegal immigration is not a problem. That we should show compassion and quit picking on those poor “undocumented workers.” That we should quit making such a fuss and stop spending so much money. This is for them. As for the rest of you, read this story and remember it so you can share it with the next bleeding heart you meet.

“Controversial Muslim cleric caught being smuggled into U.S. over Mexico border”

U.S. border guards got a surprise when they searched a Mexican BMW and found a hardline Muslim cleric – banned from France and Canada – curled up in the [trunk].

Said Jaziri, who called for the death of a Danish cartoonist that drew pictures of the prophet Mohammed, was being smuggled into California when he was arrested, along with his driver Kenneth Robert Lawler.

The 43-year-old was deported from Canada to his homeland Tunisia in 2007 after it emerged he had lied on his refugee application about having served jail time in France.

According to the court documents, a Mexican guide led Jaziri and a Mexican immigrant over the border fence near Tecate.

No one is saying Jaziri is a terrorist (although he talks like one). But how many more violent men with the same beliefs have strolled into our country? Cabbage pickers and lawn mowers are not the only people pouring through our porous borders. Mark my words: When (not if) we suffer our next major terrorist attack, don’t be surprised if the attackers arrived here on foot from the south.

Clicky clicky for the full story.

And now for something completely different. Everyone sing along!

Anything goes in. Anything goes out!
Fish, bananas, old pajamas,
Mutton! Beef! and Trout!

…

Sorry. I’ve been working pretty hard lately. Maybe a bit too hard. I shall endeavor to improve.

…

SPAM!

Once I saw this guy on a bridge about to jump. I said, “Don’t do it!”
He said, “Nobody loves me.”
I said, “God loves you. Do you believe in God?”
He said, “Yes.”
I said, “Are you a Christian or a Jew?”
He said, “A Christian.”
I said, “Me, too! Protestant or Catholic?”
He said, “Protestant.”
I said, “Me, too! What franchise?”
He said, “Baptist.”
I said, “Me, too! Northern Baptist or Southern Baptist?”
He said, “Northern Baptist.”
I said, “Me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist or Northern Liberal Baptist?”
He said, “Northern Conservative Baptist.”
I said, “Me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region, or Northern Conservative Baptist Eastern Region?”
He said, “Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region.”
I said, “Me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1879, or Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912?”
He said, “Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912.”
I said, “Die, heretic!” And I pushed him over.

[ed. Long live Emo Phillips!]

It is now 1/11/11 11:11:11. Thank you. Carry on.

Once again, things have changed for my mom. Remember last time that there was blood in her brain and that the consensus among the doctors was that this mysterious blood clot was 1) shrinking and 2) hiding a small tumor that couldn’t be seen in CAT scans. Unfortunately, due to her previous car accident, she’s got too much metal in her body to do an MRI, which would show much more detail.

Since then, mom’s symptoms (slurred speech, lack of dexterity, physical weakness and lethargy) have gotten better and then worse again. A new doctor with a new CAT scan now says that this blood clot is not a blood clot, but, in fact, a type of tumor and it is growing.

Today (1/11/11), Mom goes in for her first of five focused radiation treatments to try and kill this tumor. The prognosis is that, if the radiation works, the tumor will shrink over the next few months or few years and Mom will gradually improve. However, the treatment is not a cure. The tumor could resist, reform, or more tumors could form later in other parts of her brain.  In other words, the radiation will buy us time, but not change the end of the story.

The best news is that, while there are frustrations a plenty, mom is not in any pain.

As usual, please pray for my mom (healing and comfort), dad and sister (peace and rest) as well as the doctors involved (wisdom and accuracy).

If so, you are “objectionable and potentially harmful to others.” At least, that’s what Apple thinks.

The Manhattan Declaration is a short doctrinal statement that was put together by religious leaders from many, widely ranging Christian denominations. It is a “Call of Christian Conscience” that lays out three simple, but powerful statements: Regardless of our differences, Christians must stand up against government and cultural pressure and stand for 1) the sanctity of all human life, 2) the sanctity of marriage, and 3) the right of religious expression. I’ve posted about it before.

You can, via their website, sign the declaration to say that you too have those beliefs and are willing to stand up for them. They also created a free iPhone app that would allow you to read and sign the declaration as well as keep up with the latest news from the organization. Apple has twice refused to put the app on their App Store.

Their most recent rejection letter explained it thus:

“[The app contains] references or commentary about a religious, cultural or ethnic group that are defamatory, offensive, mean-spirited or likely to expose the targeted group to harm or violence will be rejected. We have evaluated the content of this application and consider its contents to be objectionable and potentially harmful to others.”

Without explicitly saying so, I believe Apple is objecting to “the sanctity of marriage” because that is, without explicitly saying so, anti-gay-marriage. But to say that you “consider its contents to be objectionable and potentially harmful to others” is flat stupid and bigoted at it’s roots. To say that I, as a Bible believing Christian, am potentially harmful is outrageously offensive. What is the difference between saying that a Christian is, by default, a violent gay basher and saying that a black man is, by default, a violent thief? To me, both of those sentiments are offensive and stupid.

I’m not a Mac man, never have been, and I’m not calling for boycotts or torches and pitchforks. But I feel it’s worth calling attention to this so that my many Mac friends can make their own decisions about it.

[ed. At the time of this writing, the Manhattan Declaration website is not responding. Either this news has prompted a lot of attention or they are getting a DOS attack. Neither would surprise me.]

I just discovered my new favorite YouTube channel: Merriam-Webster Online!

I was raised by an “Enriching Your Word Power” mom. Thus, I’m one of those nerds who might correct you if you said, “octopuses.” But I just found out that I’ve been wrong all these years! The correct plural is not “octopi,” but “octopodes” (using the Greek pronunciation “oct-top’-oh-dees”)!  But you should only use “octopodes” if you’re prepared to explain why, which I now am thanks to this video!

Funny thing is, I still can’t spell worth a rip.

Cue the “Hallelujah Chorus!”

Happy New Year!! Twenty-Eleven. Can you believe it? So is everyone making resolutions to work out? Eat better? Lose weight? Well, let this first WBQotW of the year inspire you.

Mountain Dew and Cheetos… Because breakfast is the most important meal of the day.