Wonkette

* Why a hammer might be needed for a wine refrigerator remains one of the great mysteries of humankind. [DC Foodies]
* Too true: “Every once in a while, I have to go into Georgetown on a weekend to remind myself why I don’t do it often.” [DC Mr. Anthrope]
* Glad to know the educational system in this country works — thanks, No Child Left Behind! [Eavesdrop DC]
* Pizza in D.C.? Who knew that existed? [Gridskipper]
* “In fact, climate change coverage has become so intense and ubiquitous in popular culture that it is radiating back into the news division of at least one major broadcast network.” [Capital Weather]

Do you dream of spending hundreds of billions of other people’s money to fuck up entire regions of the Earth while killing hundreds of thousands of people? Is your idea of “progress” daily cargo planes filled with dead Americans? Wondering how to turn a moment of national tragedy into a six-year global bloodbath? Dreaming of doing exactly what Osama bin Ladens tells you to do? MORE »

Is our children learning? Probably not, based on the kind of news we hear from Our Troubled Schools. A district in Washington State has banned showings of Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth,” because Jesus Freaks are angry about Al Gore saying anything about how the Earth is melting and there’s no God to save us. MORE »

If you love edumacation, then you’ll love today’s crazy new word, malkin. But what does it mean? Nobody really knows, so these are the current official definitions:

1. An untidy woman; a slattern.
2. A scarecrow or a grotesque effigy.
3. A mop made of a bundle or rags fastened to a stick.
4. A cat.
5. A hare.
[From Middle English Malkyn (little Molly), diminutive of the name Maud or Molly/Mary.]
A related word is grimalkin, referring to an old female cat or an ill-tempered old woman.

Learning is fun! Here’s what we had to say about the beloved word way back in September:

Speaking of highbrow white anglo culture, Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Coriolanus features a “Malkin” — you know, a Kitchen Slut!

A Word A Day [Wordsmith]

How many Democrats in tight races do you think are calling in mafia hits on Kerry right about now? Johnny boy, you’d best wait out November in the Skull & Bones crypt. The CIA will send the usual security detail. MORE »