Friday's Thoughts & Quiz Day!!!

I'm off to Lasik surgery today. They call it surgery, but it's more like going to the dentist. Natch, I'm stressing that I'll be the 1 in a million who goes blind.


I almost made it through David Brooks today without resorting to the dictionary. But he got me with "pedagogy." It refers to the process or profession of teaching.

David Brooks - Shamelessly Pedagogging

In legal news, the people of the island of Lesbos are suing for an injunction to prevent gay women from calling themselves Lesbians, claiming that title solely for themselves. I was greatly saddened by this news, because I thought Lesbos was an actual island full of Lesbians. Well, apparently it is, but I had in mind an endless topless beach, where off-duty Playboy Bunnies would play volleyball and rub oil on each other's backs, and wistfully hope for the day when a gray haired, middle aged man would appear in their midst, in need of pampering. Why burst my bubble? If they really want to boost tourism, I'd say that this lawsuit is a mistake. They have a great brand, and shouldn't just throw it away.

So where is Lesbos? Somewhere in Greece, the birthplace of salad.


Speaking of geography . . .

It's Worldview Quiz Day!!!!!

Today's quiz is - Where in the World is the US Army?

Simply write the names of the places numbered on the maps below . . . Ready? Go!

(Do it now because the answers are at the bottom.)

Map 1

Map 2

Answers below

So, regarding our Army. "War" - Is that really what this is? I'd say no. And I'll give you my reasons.


It is unfair to call the military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan wars. In a war you have an enemy who is actively fighting you and whose defeat is definable. We've already done that, and our military won handily. Hats off to our military! Today we have an occupation. Our Army cannot "win" an occupation. That's the job of our diplomats and politicians. Jobs that have been de facto falling to our junior military officers in recent years. Naming these operations a "war" is a disservice to our soldiers. They are providing the dangerous and deadly part of what is a political and diplomatic process, which may very well fail. By calling this a war, it says that this would be a military failure when in truth it would be a political and diplomatic failure. So let's stop all of this nonsense about being a nation at war.

What will be Bush's Legacy?

1. Failed to catch Osama bin Laden.
2. 9/11 attacks happened on his watch. Fails to take responsibility.
3. Starts and wins the war in Afghanistan. Decides to occupy indefinitely.
4. Starts and wins the second Iraq War, but fails to win the occupation.
5. More than doubles the US national debt.
6. Adopts torture as US policy but the US Army heroically refuses to do so.
7. Texas Oil Man / MBA President sees oil prices quadruple. Does nothing.
8. Prevented Gay Marriage from spreading. Thank God.
9. Failed to rebuild major US city destroyed by hurricane.

Boy, Bush's Legacy is really a bummer.

Back to the fun . . . Answers to today's Worldview Quiz:

Map 1

1. Iran
2. Turkmenistan
3. Uzbekistan
4. Tajikistan
5. China
6. Pakistan
7. India
8. Afghanistan

Map 2

1. Saudi Arabia
2. Jordan
3. Iraq
4. Syria
5. Turkey
6. Iran
7. Kuwait
8. Persian Gulf or Arabian Gulf

That was a pretty tough quiz. I'd say you're doing decently to get half right.

Have a great weekend.