From "The Glass Is Half Full" Department.

Michigan actually has a road repair budget.

Learn something new every day.

There has been a persistent rumor to this effect floating around the last few years, but the evidence for it was pretty thin.

Greetings, fellow polytheists.

U.S. Commission reiterates call to close Islamic school in Fairfax, Virginia.

Textbooks at a private Islamic school in northern Virginia teach students that it is permissible for Muslims to kill adulterers and converts from Islam, according to a federal investigation released Wednesday.

Other passages in the school's textbooks state that "the Jews conspired against Islam and its people" and that Muslims are permitted to take the lives and property of those deemed "polytheists."

* * *

The commission said it obtained 17 of the academy's textbooks through a variety of channels, including from members of Congress. The texts did appear to contain numerous revisions, including pages that were removed or passages that were whited out, but numerous troubling passages remained, according to the panel:
_ The authors of a 12th-grade text on Koranic interpretation state that apostates (those who convert from Islam), adulterers and people who murder Muslims can be permissibly killed.

_ The authors of a 12th-grade text on monotheism write that "(m)ajor polytheism makes blood and wealth permissible," meaning that a Muslim can take with impunity the life and property of someone believed guilty of polytheism. According to the panel, the strict Saudi interpretation of polytheism includes Shiite and Sufi Muslims as well as Christians, Jews, Hindus, and Buddhists.

_ A social studies text offers the view that Jews were responsible for the split between Sunni and Shiite Muslims: "The cause of the discord: The Jews conspired against Islam and its people. A sly, wicked person who sinfully and deceitfully professed Islam infiltrated (the Muslims)."

More generally, the panel found that the academy textbooks hold the view that the Muslim world was strong when united under a single caliph, the Arabic language and the Sunni creed, and that Muslims have grown weak because of foreign influence and internal divisions.

Note the highlighted section because it's true. Consider this telling passage from an ex-Methodist's conversion to Islam, which I read about a year ago:

He immediately cut me off with a simple statement: “You finally couldn’t stomach the polytheism anymore, could you?” He knew exactly why I was a Muslim, and he didn’t disagree with my decision!

More joy--he's a very prominent proselytizer (use the keyword "Dirks"), as far as these things go.

Yes, I know--Methodists will convert at the drop of a hat to anything (even Catholicism), but it's food for thought, especially when considering the happy-clappy one big Abrahamic family line that gets the most publicity.

The Dominator hangs up his skates.

He will be missed. In the epic 2002 Conference Finals battle with the Avalanche, it was a source of tremendous comfort to know that it was Hasek backstopping the Wings as they faced elimination, down 3-2 and going back to Denver. He responded with back to back shutouts.

On a related note, ESPN asks you to rank the Ten Best Goaltenders of All Time.

Here's mine:

1. Patrick Roy --There's no arguing his record and the duration of his excellence.
2. Terry Sawchuk --[Misspelled on the poll--gah!] Yes, a homer pick but I can defend it.
3. Glenn Hall --Pukin' Glenn doesn't get enough credit--a pioneer of butterfly goaltending.
4. Martin Brodeur --More sustained excellence.
5. Grant Fuhr -- Never gets the credit he deserves for the Oilers' success.
6. Tony Esposito -- Everybody loves Tony. Consistently brilliant, even for bad teams.
7. Jacques Plante -- Six cups with the Habs dynasty of the late 50s-60s.
8. Dominik Hasek -- A spine like a slinky, he could will pucks away from the goal mouth.
9. Ed Belfour -- A bit flaky and took dumb penalties, but superb.
10. Curtis Joseph -- Great everywhere he played, he just could never get over the top.

Some free advice for journalists covering the pregnant "man" story.

SHE'S NOT A MAN!

SHE'S A CONFUSED WOMAN WHO COULD AFFORD EXPENSIVE SURGERY.

MEN. CANNOT. HAVE. BABIES.

CALLING HERSELF A MAN NO MORE CHANGES HER CHROMOSOMES THAN ME STICKING MY HAND INTO MY SHIRT CHANGES ME INTO NAPOLEON.

Back to you.

Belated D-Day Anniversary Post.

I meant to post a link to this last Friday, but circumstances intervened.

I had the honor of visiting Sword Beach in September 1989, and met a grateful Frenchman, who gave us a chilling example of what the French were being liberated from. Also, one of my doctors was a Ranger who fought at Pointe du Hoc. Thanks to all who served and serve.

Don't miss your chance to thank these men--they are inexorably passing from our midst. Last year I had the opportunity to thank an Anzio veteran for his service, and I'm glad I took it.

The Twenty-Five Worst Movie Sequels.

Via AOL.

I haven't seen many of these, I'm relieved to say. But they forgot a few: Highlander II, Star Trek V, Alien Resurrection.

Next up--shaved heads, black sneakers and vats of kool-aid.

I have a proposal. Every time you run into a piece of Obamolatry, start responding with an irreverent "Barack H. Obama."

Because this is getting seriously out of hand.

Barack Obama isn't really one of us. Not in the normal way, anyway.

This is what I find myself offering up more and more in response to the whiners and the frowners and to those with broken or sadly dysfunctional karmic antennae - or no antennae at all - to all those who just don't understand and maybe even actively recoil against all this chatter about Obama's aura and feel and MLK/JFK-like vibe.

To them I say, all right, you want to know what it is? The appeal, the pull, the ethereal and magical thing that seems to enthrall millions of people from all over the world, that keeps opening up and firing into new channels of the culture normally completely unaffected by politics?

No, it's not merely his youthful vigor, or handsomeness, or even inspiring rhetoric. It is not fresh ideas or cool charisma or the fact that a black president will be historic and revolutionary in about a thousand different ways. It is something more. Even Bill Clinton, with all his effortless, winking charm, didn't have what Obama has, which is a sort of powerful luminosity, a unique high-vibration integrity.

Dismiss it all you like, but I've heard from far too many enormously smart, wise, spiritually attuned people who've been intuitively blown away by Obama's presence - not speeches, not policies, but sheer presence - to say it's just a clever marketing ploy, a slick gambit carefully orchestrated by hotshot campaign organizers who, once Obama gets into office, will suddenly turn from perky optimists to vile soul-sucking lobbyist whores, with Obama as their suddenly evil, cackling overlord.

Here's where it gets gooey. Many spiritually advanced people I know (not coweringly religious, mind you, but deeply spiritual) identify Obama as a Lightworker, that rare kind of attuned being who has the ability to lead us not merely to new foreign policies or health care plans or whatnot, but who can actually help usher in a new way of being on the planet, of relating and connecting and engaging with this bizarre earthly experiment. These kinds of people actually help us evolve. They are philosophers and peacemakers of a very high order, and they speak not just to reason or emotion, but to the soul.

Barack H. Obama. Yessirree, and I'm the irrational theocrat. At this point, the Illinois Senator could be running against Verne Troyer and I'd still put a VERNE! sign in my yard (Proposed slogan: "Let's Toss This Dwarf Straight Into The White House!")

Reaganolatry could be pretty bad, and I could be wrong, but I don't recall anyone ever positing that the Gipper was a demigod.

Christianity: Still The Only Safe Way to Worship a Living Human Being.™

["Thanks" to LGF.]

This is pretty much my sense of humor.

The cautionary tale of Charlie the Unicorn.



"Shun the non-believer! Shun! Shuuuunnnnnnnn....."

I also picture Blue and Pink saying "....neeewwwwwwwwwwww politics, Charlie...hope and change and hopeness, Charlie..."

But that's probably just me.

Lord Stanley.

[Photo credit--Detroit News]

That's better. Much, much better.

It's just as well most of you don't hang around with me during championship sporting events. I called D3 out to the living room with about four minutes left in the game to watch the finish. I was hesitant, but 3-1 felt like a solid enough lead. It was, but yikes, the finish.

When Jiri Hudler took the penalty with 1:50 left, I barked "Hudler, you dumb s--t!" Dale sitting right with me, of course. Heather tapped my arm and I grated out the apology for my bad language.

Then Hossa scored about 15 seconds later (that guy is a brilliant, brilliant player). I riveted my jaw shut.

The seconds ticked down slowly. The Boy attempted to engage in conversation, which Heather gently--and quickly--shut down.

With about 40 seconds left, my beloved mother-in-law, who had been over to watch the game with us, asked me when I thought the parade would be held. I have never said an unkind word to her, nor did I then. I simply ground out "I'd rather they win the game first." But I suspect the look on my face must have conveyed that I'd just been asked "Care to rub your face with this cheese grater?" because she didn't raise the topic again.

Thankfully, time ran out--yes, Penguin fans, Hossa's shot would not have counted--and I changed back from Werefan to me again.

I took Dale out to look for a commemorative newspaper (I got the championship copies at 7-11 this morning) and to get milk. We went up Gratiot, one of the impromptu parade routes (second after Royal Oak's Main Street in popularity) and he marvelled at the celebrating fans and honking horns. Loud and boisterous, but well mannered. And the area's finest were out in omnipresent, but not obnoxious--force.

A good time for a city not enjoying good times right now.

Grrr.

After last night's case of Cuppus Interruptus, I've decided to go the humor route for the moment, with a sci-fi flavor:

Behold the Alternate History Search, brought to you by Multiversity™!

Sample History Search: The Death of Adolf Hitler in Vienna, August 13, 1908.

My personal favorite is Scenario #5.

Event: ADOLF HITLER is KILLED by SUFFOCATION WHEN INEXPLICABLY ENCASED IN AN ENORMOUS BLOCK OF UNFLAVORED GELATIN

Hat-tip to a fellow maniac at the Stirling Group.

Hockey fans--we're not like other people.

This year's "Dude, You Rock Award" goes to Zach Smith, Red Wings fan from Cleveland and Cephalpod Chucker Extraordinaire.

The octopus hit the ice of Mellon Arena to a chorus of boos just after the national anthem Saturday.

But the tentacled toss didn't come from a Michigander. Zach Smith, 19, of Cleveland, an avid Red Wings fan and adrenaline junkie, hurled the slimy creature.

Then he got tossed. Security guards threw him out.

"You're outta here," Smith said they told him. "Come back in and you get arrested."

But Smith and his two friends from metro Detroit, who asked not to be identified, had a plan.
They had bought an extra ticket in anticipation of his booting. That's an extra $300 from a scalper.

And Smith was wearing a regular T-shirt, instead of Red Wings gear, when he threw the octopus.

Outside, he quickly threw on a Red Wings sweater and walked back into Gate 3.

Awesome. Hopefully, this is the night the Wings go to 11.

Oh, and we had a flat tire yesterday, I mowed the lawn, drove over the wife's keys with the lawnmower (Briggs & Stratton 1, Keys 0), turned 39, had to go to Home Depot to get new keys and generally had a fine old time.