I'm not the only one who doesn't get Mary Worth. That excellent post links to this hilarious collection of videos acting out a month's worth of "Mary Worth" comics.

XOC is amazing.

One-man, acoustic renditions of classic arcade themes. While I'm partial to his rendering of Mr. Do's castle, probably more impressive from an execution standpoint is his recording of every lick of music in Super Mario World.

Don't forget to rock out to the 720/Moon Patrol medley. Probably THE rockingest videogame cover ever. The Beach Boys version of Zelda II though crosses the line into new territories of demented brilliance. Check it out too.

G4's PS3 vs. Wii.

Wrong on so many levels, but probably accurate.

This is beyond belief.

Only it's completely believable, sadly.

Our bishops and archbishops, who apparently can't be bothered to speak out publically when it might mean saving someone's life (abortion, embryonic stem-cell research, the Plan B abortifacient) come out in droves when it comes to publicly speaking out against equality.

Here is the text added within the last 24 hours to our Official Archdiocese Homepage:

The Michigan Catholic Conference is among the religious organizations coming together to defend affirmative action programs that provide opportunities for women and minorities to secure better jobs and education. Cardinal Maida is among the co-chairs of One United Michigan, the citizens group seeking to defeat Proposal 2 that would amend the State Constitution to eliminate affirmative action programs. Locally, the archdiocese is supporting the efforts of the Interfaith Leaders Council and the National Conference for Community and Justice.

Spouting rhetoric (if you can call it that) Archdiocesean tool, Msgr. Halfpenny, equates "justice" not with "equality" (I guess, somewhat paradoxically given the favor they've found with the hierarchy in this Diocese, all those Haugen jingles were wrong) but with racial and sex-based discrimination (yes, "affirmative action" programs unjustly discriminate. I have very personal experience which bears that out. More on that later).

This isn't the first time the Illustrious Hierarchy in this Diocese has knowingly misled its flock. I guess, though, that when it comes to impressing your secular liberal friends there is no low to which you won't stoop. Note to the Cardinal: the people you're trying to impress aren't even the sort of people who can be bothered to visit your Cultural Center in D.C. (you know, the one you're busy closing Parishes at home to bankroll).

The Monsignor is right when he says "This is not a political issue; this is a spiritual issue," only I don't think he realizes that he's on the wrong side of the issue. Deliberately misleading your flock by misrepresenting the truth of the matter, especially for those in such authority (the only group in our Archdiocese, I might add, with the authority to send thousands of copies of a four-page pamphlet to each Parish urging them to vote No, is... guess who? the Archdiocese!) is a sure-fire way to earn yourself some Eternal Consequences.

Only there's been no evidence on the part of anyone at the Archdiocese, ever, to indicate that they care one whit about the consequences to their own or anyone else's soul. Perhaps, then, there is one consequence they do care about: their 501(c)(3)tax-exempt status. If having the Cardinal serve on the board of a Political Action Committee (excuse me: "concerned citizen's group") like the One United Michigan (for me but not for thee), speaking out forcefully (as forcefully as he's spoken about anything, I guess), and using Archdiocese resources to urge Catholics to vote one specific way on a hot-button political issue isn't enough to violate the prohibitions against political speech for 501(c)(3) organizations, I don't know what is.

As the IRS puts it:

To be tax-exempt as an organization described in § 501(c)(3) of the Code, an organization must be organized and operated exclusively for one or more of the purposes set forth in § 501(c)(3) and none of the earnings of the organization may inure to any private shareholder or individual. In addition, it may not attempt to influence legislation as a substantial part of its activities and it may not participate at all in campaign activity for or against political candidates.

One may argue that the Archdiocese is attempting to do nothing more than to "educate the public" (which is allowed). I fail to see how this is the case, though, when their spokestool states that this is a "spiritual issue" implying that if you vote Yes for equality, you're going to Hell.

Someone really ought to complain to the IRS (the IRS Tax Exempt and Government Entities Customer Account Services division at (877) 829-5500) and let them know what's going down here in Detroit.

I'd do it but I'm too busy opressing the poor and marginialized of our society by working for a living I've made by my own merits.

Weird Al has a new CD out this month!

Listen to a single on his myspace page. (The video by Bill Plympton (scroll down) kinda elevates it to greatness).

RIP, Steve Irwin.