epitome of stupidity #2

i have a long list of "epitome of stupidity" topics, but not enough time to post them all. however, this one is just so far out that i have to post it.

seattle seahawks fans have raised the bidding on ebay to $10,069 for a game day hotdog from the seahawks-panthers game on 1/22/2006. an enterprising fan planned the whole thing and took several pictures, including pics of the hotdog stand, menu board, and the scoreboard showing the score, to validate the dogs authenticity. she also has the receipt. after the game, she (stacey) took the dog home and stuck it in the freezer, then opened an ebay auction to sell it. they are only accepting bids from pre-approved buyers, so she is most likely going to collect on the sale.

there just aren't enough words to describe how ridiculous this is. the only redeeming value is that stacey has agreed to donate 15% of the highest bid to the Grant Wistrom (Children's Cancer) Foundation. way to go stacey :-)

check out the link for the ebay posting:
$10,000 Hotdog

keeping kids safe

it seems as though we (cherie & i) have been having the same conversation with our kids for decades, yet we still find it necessary to put on our mom or dad hat and rehash old ground. maybe we are overly protective, or too afraid that something terrible will happen, or maybe we know just a bit more about how many really evil people are out there. whatever the reason(s), we found ourselves having the same conversations with Ray (34 yo son) and Mandie (21 yo daughter) over the last couple of weeks.

both Ray and Mandie are getting ready to take the plunge again, so we felt the need to remind them AGAIN!!!! about the need to take things slowly and to be safe. the conversations go something like this . . .

us: i know we've talked about this before, but now more than ever, you really need to be careful.

them: i know! i know! [somewhat irritated]

us: there are some really bad people out there. they pretend to be your friend, but . . .

them: i know [losing patience]

us: don't rush into anything, take your time, and . . .

them: i know, i learned a lot from the last time.

us: we know, but we've seen you make the same mistakes over and over.

them: well not this time.

us: please be careful.

them: i will, i promise.

us: and use protection . . .

them: mom!!! [or dad!!!]

us: well, you didn't last time, and look what happened!

them: i did use protection!

us: look, just loading some lame freeware version of antivirus software is not enough! you need to use a good antivirus program, you have to actually update the virus definitions, install a spyware detection program, tighten your security setting, block pop-up ads, regularly back up your critical files, scan you system for spyware and browser hijacks, and for the last time, would you PLEASE!!!! not load KaZaa or any other illegal file-swapping software.

them: but i like downloading songs

us: mandie!!! do you remember what happened last time?

them: ok! ok! i get it.

us: good, 'cause we don't want to have to have this talk again.

them: i know, i know [more sheepish this time]

us: good, now make sure you have protected your new computer before you connected it to the internet, and if you're not going to try to fix the old one, bring to our house next time you visit. i'm sure i can find a use for it.

evolution ???

chris got me thinking about this when he put a top-5 quote list on his blog. this is one of my favorite tv conversations.

background: the conversation is between "friends" ross and phoebe. for those who don't watch the show, ross is a very uptight anal-retentive palentologist who is trying to convince phoebe that evolution is how we all got here. phoebe, the somewhat out-of-touch-with-reality blond musical artist of "smelly cat" fame, earlier said that she didn't believe in darwin's theories because they we just "too easy." ross spends the rest of the show trying to convert phoebe to his way of thinking. this is the final exchange on the subject.

Ross: What? Ok, Phoebe, this is it. In this briefcase I carry actual scientific facts. A briefcase of facts, if you will. Some of these fossils are over 200 million years old.

Pheobe: Ok, look, before you even start, I'm not denying evolution, ok, I'm just saying that it's one of the possibilities.

Ross: What!? It's the only possibility, Phoebe!

Pheobe: Ok, Ross, could you just open your mind like this much, ok? Wasn't there a time when the brightest minds in the world believed that the world was flat? And, up until like what, 50 years ago, you all thought the atom was the smallest thing, until you split it open, and this like, whole mess of crap came out. Now, are you telling me that you are so unbelievably arrogant that you can't admit that there's a teeny tiny possibility that you could be wrong about this?

[long pause]

Ross: There might be, a teeny, tiny, possibility.

Pheobe: I can't believe you caved.

Ross: What?

Pheobe: You just abandoned your whole belief system. I mean, before, I didn't agree with you, but at least I respected you. How, how, how are you going to go into work tomorrow? How, how are you going to face the other science guys? How, how are you going to face yourself? Oh! That was fun. So, who's hungry?