Friday night briefs

Retired
Had a flat on my bike ride this afternoon at almost the exact mid-way point. But every since Crazy Legs Nuiver taught me how to change a tire without using tire irons I handled it like a pro. And the new CO2 cartridges are wonderful!

Clear tragedy
Marion Jones was sentenced today to 6 months in prison, 2 years probation and a gazillion hours of community service. What a sad story. Someone with incredible potential in so many areas who threw it all away. I could not have hoped for a better introduction to my sermon this Sunday.

It's a guy thing
Pam bought me new underwear because she thought what I had needed replacing. I told her they had at least another two years of use in them.

Shell game
Miley Cyrus, daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus, stars in a TV show, "Hannah Montana", where she plays the title roll. Since Miley (that's her nickname; her given name is Destiny Hope Cyrus) sings like an accomplished pro, Hannah Montana is a character who is a singer. This TV show is so popular with young girls that the fictional Hannah Montana has released CD's under that name. (So has Destiny Hope, aka Miley.)
Watch closely.
Hannah Montana is on a concert tour. So is Miley Cyrus. She does part of the show as Hannah Montana and part as Miley.
Today it came out that for a 1- to 2-minute segment of the concert a stand-in plays the role of Hannah Montana so Miley, er, Destiny Hope can sneak off for a costume change and come back as herself. I think.
Nobody has called this duplicitous. An impostor playing a fictional character played by someone not using her real name.

Agree/Disagree
In an interview with NBC news President Bush discussed the role of faith in his duties as President. He said it helped him relate to other rulers who were men/women of faith. He then said that when he met with President Mubarak of Egypt he told Mubarak that they had different religions but worshiped the same God. You think?

Not included tax
We got a tri-fold menu printed on 20 lb. white paper in the mail yesterday. Came from a Chinese restaurant in the area. It was full of the bad grammar that's typical of a piece translated into English by someone for whom English is not their first language. I don't know if their egg roles are any good but I found it refreshing to get a piece of advertising in the mail that had none of the slick production values that characterizes all the other pieces of promotional stuff we get. I might be wrong, but I'm guessing their food is more authentically Chinese than the glitzy place between here and the freeway. Integrity, even if (maybe especially because) it shows its flaws.

It's in the genes
My brother sent this today. The quality isn't the best but it's worth it. Apparently a Jr. Hi sense of humor runs in the family. But I'm guessing you'll laugh at this too!