“Who Are The Oathkeepers?”

http://oathkeepers.org/oath/

Pirates foiled in their second attack on Maersk Alabama cargo ship

Maersk Alabama (AP Photo)

November 18, 2009 1:00 p.m. EST

CNN Video

(CNN) — A U.S.-flagged ship that played a central role in a bloody hijacking drama last spring was attacked again Wednesday, a busy day for piracy in the dangerous waters off the east coast of Africa.

The Maersk Alabama came under automatic weapons fire from pirates about 350 nautical miles east of the Somali coast, the European Union’s anti-piracy force said, but fought the attackers off.

Tis the season for the carols, but…

Who takes the time to look up orgins of them? Well, I did. Here’s a post I did for my own blog about Greensleeves and What Child is This:

The Christmas season is on the doorstep singing the classics so I thought it might be interesting to do a series on the origin of some of the more popular carols.

Let’s start with the reworking of the folk song, Greensleeves.

Alas, my love, you do me wrong,
To cast me off discourteously.
For I have loved you well and long,
Delighting in your company.

Chorus:
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight,
Greensleeves was my heart of gold,
And who but my lady greensleeves.

Your vows you’ve broken, like my heart,
Oh, why did you so enrapture me?
Now I remain in a world apart
But my heart remains in captivity.

chorus

I have been ready at your hand,
To grant whatever you would crave,
I have both wagered life and land,
Your love and good-will for to have.

etc…

There are a lot more lyrics about all the things he gives her but I’ll skip to the ending – he doesn’t get the girl and he apparently dies still hoping she’ll change her mind. I used to think the song was romantic. Now I think it’s just plain sad. This chick totally let him spend money on her and gave him nothing in return. And still he loved her. Courtly love is a bitch.

History is mixed with mystery for the origins of this song.

This Kid is SOOO Cute :D

‘Teabagger’ was an Oxford Word of the Year finalist.

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/11/16/teabagger-oxford-finalist/

In February, when conservatives began protesting against President Obama with tea parties, the Washington Independent’s Dave Weigel photographed a protester carrying a sign that declared, “tea bag the liberal Dems before they tea bag you!!” Soon after, the term “tea bagger” became a ubiquitous and often derogatory handle for right-wing protesters. Now, Mediaite reports that the term “teabagger” was a finalist in consideration to be the New Oxford American Dictionary’s Word of the Year:

Keith Olbermann Goes After Sarah Palin’s Lies

SARAH PALIN CAUGHT IN LIES WITH HER OWN WORDS

WHY DO THESE “CHRISTIANS” LIE?

Obama, Hu vow cooperation but produce few deals(AP)

China's President Hu Jintao (L) and U.S. President Barack Obama inspect honor guards during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing November 17, 2009. REUTERS/Jason Lee

By CHARLES HUTZLER, Associated Press Writer Charles Hutzler, Associated Press Writer – 2 hrs 48 mins ago
BEIJING – President Barack Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao promised a determined, joint effort to tackle climate change, nuclear disarmament and other global troubles yet emerged from their first full-blown summit Tuesday with scant progress beyond goodwill.

These scores tell me I didn’t answer right

I feel gyped on this O.C.E.A.N. personality test.

Some tweaking required to get my readout looking readable.

Openness to Experience/Intellect: High scorers tend to be original, creative, curious, complex; Low scorers tend to be conventional, down to earth, narrow interests, uncreative.

You typically don’t seek out new experiences. (Your percentile: 59)

Well, I’m working on that at least. That’s what the whole Freethinkers thing is about. Get out, do something different and meet new people.

Conscientiousness: High scorers tend to be reliable, well-organized, self-disciplined, careful; Low scorers tend to be disorganized, undependable, negligent.

You tend to do things somewhat haphazardly. (Your percentile: 35)

Yeah, I’ll buy that.

Extraversion: High scorers tend to be sociable, friendly, fun loving, talkative; Low scorers tend to be introverted, reserved, inhibited, quiet.

You tend to shy away from social situations. (Your percentile: 27)

And again, I’m working on it. I do spend too much time alone.

Agreeableness: High scorers tend to be good natured, sympathetic, forgiving, courteous; Low scorers tend to be critical, rude, harsh, callous.

You find it easy to express irritation with others. (Your percentile: 38)

This is the one that bugs me, but more because it’s true, I suppose. But I am good natured and courteous and I do have sympathy and some capacity of forgiveness. Just not enough, apparently.

Neuroticism: High scorers tend to be nervous, high-strung, insecure, worrying; Low scorers tend to be calm, relaxed, secure, hardy.

You are generally relaxed. (Your percentile: 37)

In this case a low score seems to be good. Awesome.

I’ve done better tests, but this was at least a quick one.