No Yellow Cake here....

I saw this article and picture on this morning's NYT homepage and thought abt the complete tragic irony that plagues this poor little country. (I guess the word "plague" is appropriate since all of their crops this year were destroyed by locust swarms.)

Anyhow, many of us first heard of Niger because of the whole "Valerie Plame-Yellow Cake-Iraq-Blown Cover"-Gate. Sadly, Niger seemed to get more attention in the news for that reason instead of the famine that MANY had predicted; I remember reading about the locust swarms earlier in the year.

So, do we do anything about it? Not really.

Kudos to the NYT for pushing this subject to the front page:

Niger's Anguish Is Reflected in Its Dying Children (NYT 08052005)

Maybe if Niger really did sell some "yellow cake", they'd have enough funds to feed their people. Sheesh.

YB Pet Peeves Gallery

I'm starting a new personal addition to the blog called YB Pet Peeves Gallery. I've found myself having the oddest pet peeves, and just want to use this opportunity to record and publicly relay them to my loving audience. So I'm just going to start rambling off some here. I also encourage you to share your own as well!

1. People who don't use coasters
2. People who don't use their turn signals
3. People who don't wear seatbelts (very Serial-Mom-esque)
4. Branding (or what I like to call "advertising") on clothing... I just realized this as I was shopping online and saw some really hideous Dolce and Gabbana stuff.
5. Bad cellphone etiquette: ie cell phones in restaurants or taking a call during a meal.
6. Bad cellphone etiquette: people who don't use handsfree while driving. Seriously.
7. Bad cellphone etiquette: there's always one person whose cellphone rings in a movie and they actually take the call.
8. Bad cellphone etiquette: taking phone calls during meetings especially if the guilty person is the one who called the meeting. My theory is that we've scheduled time to meet and discuss something, so respect that time.

That's all that I can think of for now... I'll be adding more in postings to come.

Today's News of the Weird

In case you didn't get the message the first time, we're in a "War on Terror"... well, no sh*t, SHERLOCK. Now will you please let me continue my activities of daily living? I don't want the terrrerrists to win.

President Makes It Clear: Phrase Is 'War on Terror' (NYT 08042005)

_____________________________________________________

A wonderful model of fascism...

Hmm... The Boy Scouts of America haven't been doing too well lately. They should probably try to avoid any exposure to electricity... in general.

Lightning Kills Boy Scout, Injures 3 at Camp in Utah (WP 08042005)

I wonder at what point will they realize that God is trying to send them some subtle messages (4 electrical deaths, 300+ hospitalized for heat exhaustion while waiting for a President that disses them (did he ever show up?!), now followed by another death (this time by act of God) with three related injuries...) Things that make you go hmmm....

_____________________________________________________

And now more random-a** News of the Weird:

Now why didn't I think of this....?

Woman posed as princess, pleads guilty to fraud (Reuters 08032005)

_____________________________________________________

Well, here's one way to keep a secret:

Jailed Mexican businessman sews lips shut over case (Reuters 08032005)

_____________________________________________________

and last, but not least... a true case study of capitalism in practice. They don't teach you this in B-School:

Kids' Lemonade Stand Closed After Competitor Complains (AP 08032005)

That's all folks!

Eau de Cumming?

We all absolutely loved him in Circle of Friends and Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion. Well, it looks like yet another star has released their own fragrance.

Why do these stars always think that we want to smell like them (ie, Britney, JLo, Elizabeth TAYLOR, Beyonce, Michael Jordan, etc.) Have they all suddenly become subject matter experts in parfums and colognes?

I digress. Alan Cumming has won me over.

The ad for this is HILARIOUS. It is SO tongue-in-cheek. At first I couldn't tell if it was legit or some bizzare SNL skit... but CUMMING is now available at your local Sephora.

Oddly enough, I liked the commercial enough that it makes me want to stop by Sephora and see what it smells like... Check out the ad here:

Cumming the Fragrance

The Best Little Whorehouse(s) in Tampa

From our friends at the Smoking Gun, I found this article particularly amusing. There were a string of go-go club busts in Tampa and the coppers did line-up photos of all the chicks that they busted. The expressions on their faces range from ecstatic to "oh sh*t" to "my last john just dotted my 'i'"... read on...

Okay, Girls. Line Up For Your Mug Shots Smoking Gun 08042005

YB Update 08022005

Its been quite some time since my last posting, so I thought I'd give you a personal update on the going-on's in the life of YB. Its hard enough to keep up with me on a daily basis, let alone on a blog-by-blog basis. So here's the latest YB play-by-play:

Med School and the MCATs
Per previous entries, I had my major epiphany that I was meant to be a doctor. At the very last minute (literally the last hour of the last day), I registered for the Aug 20th MCAT, giving myself 6 weeks to prep. Well, let's say that after two weeks, I realized that there was no way in hell that I'd be ready in the remaining 4 weeks for the MCAT. I tend to take a superman-like approach to these kinds of challenges, but I ain't super-stupid either! I've deferred sitting for the exam until next April. In doing so, I've deferred my application to med school by one year for the entering class of 2007. Its all good. It gives MaddyBeesh and I time to get our acts together and be better prepared for the long arduous (though positively-challenging) journey ahead.

Provincetown-Quebec Road Trip
Well... my vacation subsidies were quickly diverted to MCAT registration fees and prep materials. I am REALLY dating myself here... I last took the MCAT and Princeton Review 10 years ago. Basically multiply the cost back then for all that crap by ten and you get the current cost. My intention of backing out of vacation was to devote more study time to the MCAT. Well, now the baby is out with the bathwater. I'm still not planning on going to PTown with the Boys,... though I have to constantly add the disclaimer that you never really know what I'll do until the last minute. Its a signature trademark characteristic of mine. So who knows what will happen, but for now I've postponed any vacationing.

YB Ink Experience
I have the template (see previous postings). I have the location (JinxProof in Georgetown), and now its a matter of regenerating the cashflow. This has been an odd month of expenses: all that MCAT stuff, then on top of that, I had to get a NIGHT GUARD for my teeth. Apparently, YB has been quite anxiety-ridden in his sleep and tends to grind. (I still can't believe that I'm unconsciously anxiety-ridden, but lots of stuff is going on these days...) Anyhow, my dentist was probably thrilled when I wrote out the check for the night guard. I've never had so much acrylic shoved in my mouth before (save the oral jokes, folks), but hey, my teeth are straightened.

And now for some new news:

Anyone want to buy a house?
MaddyBeesh and I have come to the difficult, emotionally-wrenching decision to sell the house. We're both going through these fantastic 360 career changes that it seems appropos to start our lives again tabula rasa (blank slate for you non-latin afficianados.) We've found a wonderful tranquil house already in Reston, nestled in the woods. I saw it last night and loved it. All my anxieties over selling the house quickly lifted. The best part is that KMK is coming with us. We're all really really happy. Granted, we're totally defying conventional wisdom by cashing out so early, but need I remind you that YB Wisdom far transcends the conventional? This is all going to happen over the next couple of months, so I'm sure I'll be bitching about packing (hate it) and cleaning (Blanca, where ARE YOU?) The bitching is all a facade though... I feel happy and lighter (if that makes sense.)

I think that's it for now. Work is work and my activities of daily living are status quo. I've been spending way too much time backing up art films and need to get more fresh air. I think my new project will be to lose more body fat. Does anyone know any personal trainers in NVA?

TTYL!
- YB

Have you seen this woman?

Her name is Blanca. Feminista. Revolutionary. Cleaning service.

Blanca was last seen over four weeks ago (the last time our house was cleaned). She informed MaddyBeesh that she was going to her country for a one month vacation (country is to be ascertained...), and would return last week.

She never showed up.

Blanca, si usted está hacia fuera allí, por favor sepamos. Usted es el mejor servicio de la limpieza que hemos experimentado (todavía no sé sin embargo el nombre de su pequeño ayudante). Nuestra casa se ha convertido en una caja completa del sh*t y le deseamos desesperadamente detrás. Nuestro estándar la vida está declinando rápidamente. Incluso Zack y Mirko le faltan.

Le faltamos mucho y esperamos que usted se vuelve. Nuestra casa es muy sucia. No sabemos qué hacer. Vuelto por favor.

Any information on Blanca's whereabouts would be greatly appreciated.

Ransoms and rewards will be considered.

Translation courtesy of babelfish.com

My Favorite News Article of the Day

Well... actually this is from yesterday, but better late than never...

Is it the death of King Fahd?
Is it Bolton's appointment to the UN?
Is it the Space Shuttle?
Nah.

Its about the woodpecker:


Vindication for Ivory-Billed Woodpecker and Its Fans NYT 08022005

This sh*t is way more interesting (and at least more optimistic) than the rest of news.

The Man Who Made Kathie Lee Cry

I love needling Corporate America.... well, more or less, I enjoy just analyzing how it works and how it takes on a slash-and-burn approach to making a buck. Thank God for Capitalism. If not for the concept itself, many documentarians and critics would be out of work and have nothing to criticize.

Anyways, good article in this morning's WP:

The Man Who Made Kathie Lee Cry (WP 07312005)