land of the free

Have we really become so paranoid? Is the official government response to a foreign visitor asking to see the President to “knock him down, blow up his luggage, and charge him with resisting arrest”:http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4930070,00.html? I know I shouldn’t be surprised, but it still makes me sad.

Was the Pope a Gambling Man?

I sure hope so. Otherwise, this is just wrong: “Place your bets!”:http://www.oddschecker.com/betting/mode/o/card/specials-politics/odds/124960x/sid/240720 If you decide to throw your hat into the ring, I don’t think I want to know.

(I put this under “Religion” but it could just as easily be culture, or even reference, if you are so inclined to visit our friendly web-bookie again…)

now at a delocation near you

Looking for an independent café nearby? Use the “Starbucks Delocator”:http://www.delocator.net/ to find one, or add your favorite to the database. (I was surprised to find that Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf is actually a transnational corporation. Learn something new every day!)