Thoughtless for the Day

Since this site was undergoing some technically difficulties this past week, I've got some catching up to do; so, here's a potpourri post which should, hopefully bring us all up-to-date:

Regulars readers of RATYHTL are no doubt familiar with the backseat of a squad car my decade-long attempt to win the Biblical Archaeology Review's bi-monthly cartoon caption contest. You can view a small sampling of my past failed efforts here, here, here, here, and here. While I have yet to win, I was honored/shocked to learn that I was a runner up in the most recent contest. The amazing thing is that I came in second by submitting a caption which implies that the God of Abraham is occasionally given to indulging in crude graffiti. By the way, "Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin" usually translates into "I have weighed your kingdom, and found it wanting". It's from the Book of Daniel and it's where we get the term "The handwriting is on the wall" from.

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If you have IFC on-demand, and if the films are still available, I implore you to rent The Red Riding trilogy. Just trust me on this one.

Peter Hunter: You don't like the police much, do you?
Martin Laws: No love lost, no.
Peter Hunter: So when someone kicks down your front door, kills the dog and rapes the wife, who you gonna call?
Martin Laws: Well it certainly wouldn't be the West Yorkshire Police - they'd already *be* in there, wouldn't they!

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The New York Times magazine recently ran an excellent piece (featuring an appearance by crazy Don McLeroy) on the question of the religious beliefs of the Founding Fathers.

"It's the 21st century, and the rest of the known world accepts the teaching of evolution as science and creationism as religion, yet we continue to have this debate here," - Kathy Miller, president of the Texas Freedom Network

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Millard Fillmore is back in the news, and if you find a stray gun it was probably lost by someone working for Homeland Security.