What a blow!

PARIS (AP) — French rescue services and police are evacuating hundreds of pilgrims from hotels threatened by floodwaters from a rain-swollen river in the Roman Catholic shrine town of Lourdes. 

Oh, the humanity! Just think of all the people who won't be healed this weekend. I can't believe jeebus let this happen.

Latest religious insanity: Apple can't use logo

Via Ed Brayton:

A group of Christians in Russia says the ubiquitous bitten apple is too symbolic of the idea of original sin and should be replaced with the symbol of Jesus Christ. And they may have the law on their side.

Technology website xbitlabs.com says Apple “may run into problems” if Russian parliament passes a set of laws designed to protect citizens’ religious and spiritual values from “blasphemy and insult.”

Blasphemy laws are a huge problem. They always signal the end of democracy and freedom. Haven't these people ever heard of the Inquisition?

Trashing Ash Wednesday

I was going to write something vicious, but why bother? PZ has it covered. I won't ruin the fun by telling you what he said but if smudges on foreheads are ticking you off today, by all means, visit the link.

It's good to have dirt on people

Sometimes people tell you things that can be useful later on, when they act up. For instance, I was washing dishes in my kitchen recently while a friend visited. When I walked away from the sink to clean a counter or two with a sponge -- and didn't shut off the water -- she said, "You're wasting water! That harms the environment, you know."

I slipped instantly into my best Bea Arthur voice and said, "You throw TVs down canyons."

She said, "Oh. Yeah." And that was that. As I say, it's good to have dirt on people.

I love hauling out my Bea Arthur voice, even without ammunition. Just the other day in a drug store, I asked a woman behind the counter for a decongestant, and she said, "Without drowsiness?"

I slipped into my best Bea and replied, "No. With."

Hard to say which was more fun but I lean toward throwing TVs down canyons. Got any of these? Had a snappy rejoinder for someone? Do tell.