Headline from The Onion: Oklahoma Law Requires 10 Commandments To Be Displayed In Every Womb.
Back on Earth, a federal judge held up a Louisiana law requiring the Big Ten to be posted in every classroom. No doubt the decision will be reversed and the judge consigned to Hell by the conservative Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
In other religious news the Archbishop of Canterbury resigned after a report was issued detailing his role in the “coverup” (their word) of the Church’s sex abuse scandal. The beating and abuse of an untold number of children in the Church’s “care” continued unabated for years due to the coverup. Good job, Archie. The holy man is looking for a position in Louisiana now, to help install all those Commandments.
Last, the Religious Times reports that the number of Commandments has been reduced from ten to nine. Trump deleted the one on adultery by Executive Order. (Don’t tell Melatonin.)
Two things from Down Under: Sydney is not the capital of Australia. Canberra is. Sydney is the capital of the State of New South Wales. What do you call someone from Sydney? A Sydneysider. SIDER was in the puzzle today (“Suffix with Sydney”). Had no idea.
It’s hard to come up with famous Australians. How hard? In a list of the top 10, I have only heard of the top 4, and two of those are dead. They are, in order: Heath Ledger (dead), Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, and Olivia Newton-John (dead). Number 5 is some race car driver: Daniel Ricciardo.
Here’s NK, eyeing Phil a little suspiciously, and who could blame her?
At 11D the clue was “In a better frame of mind,” and the answer was GLADDER. A bunch of folks took umbrage at GLADDER, on the grounds that it’s not a word people use. But commenter kitshef came back with:
She hears her own voice with a new delight,
And if the babe perchance should lisp the notes aright,
Then is she tenfold gladder than before.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge
I’m beginning to think this whole constellation business is just a big load of crap. A giant connect-the-dots scam. Take the one that was in the puzzle today: Aquila. I’m sorry, Ptolemy, but how is that an eagle? If I had to guess, I’d say umbrella.
David Avery, of the Dull Men’s Club (UK) posted the following:
The worst symbol for a toilet ever. Male or female?
Comments:
Stephen Bounds: Irish Riverdancer.
Leon Teale sensibly noted that it depends what the other one looks like, but David Avery replied that there was no other one. To me that says it’s unisex. But the comments were precariously split between unisex and male.
Gareth Whitley wrote: Open and see!
Those opting for male noted the figure was not wearing a skirt. I can see that, but there’s something vaguely feminine about the legs, no? Here’s a nice unambiguous one:
Let’s check the mailbag!
Owl Chatter reader Monty Brockert writes:
Dear Owl Chatter: Love the blog, especially Phil’s photos. Here’s our question. The missus and I would like to hook up with a similarly interested couple, nudge nudge wink wink. How would we go about setting something like that up?
Dear Monty: Thank you for the kind words! — we’ll let Philly know he has a fan. As far as your question goes, we recommend an upside-down pineapple. An upside-down pineapple sends out just the signal you are interested in sending out. So, e.g., if you are on a cruise and you post an upside-down pineapple sign on your cabin door, you should get inquiries from like-minded couples. Similarly, placing an actual pineapple upside-down in your shopping cart in the supermarket sends the signal. You could even wear clothing or a pin that has one depicted on it — anyone seeing you should get the message.
Let us know if you get lucky!
Best,
Your friends at Owl Chatter
This poem is called “Morning,” and it’s by Krista Lucas.
The stillness, the radio’s news,
the scent of rain. My neighbor
bending to pick up his newspaper
in its orange plastic bag, tossed
on the step. The cars all
heading this way or that,
a fine spray beneath their wheels. Vapor
rising from sidewalks, and the light
of the eastern sun, slanting long, as if
there’s all the time in the world.
See you tomorrow! Thanks for dropping by.
The Wellington Files 