Fred Phelps and John Gibson Have a Secret

In the time following the announcement of Heath Ledger's death, Fred Phelps, leader of the notorious anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church, announced that his group would picket Ledger's funeral. Later, Fox News anchor John Gibson mocked Ledger's death, calling him a "weirdo" and saying "Well, he found out how to quit you."

These appear to be two unrelated cases of raging homophobia...or ARE THEY? I think I may have found what Phelps and Gibson are trying to hide:

This Bookstore Scene Written by Salvador Dali

I just had the most surreal exchange of my life. The customer at the bookstore who asked these questions was completely sincere:

Customer: Are you going back to Egypt after you're done today?
Me: I beg your pardon?
Customer: Are you going back to Egypt?
Me: Uh, I've never been to Egypt, so it really wouldn't be going back...
Customer: Oh, I thought you were Egyptian.
Me: No, sir, I'm half Italian.
Customer: (beat) You're Eye-talian?!
Me: Yes, sir.
Customer: Ohh. (pause) Do you have any books on Catholicism?

I love people.

T-Sharts

Coming Soon to an Internets Near You:

LOLeverything

As anyone can tell you, I'm a huge fan of LOLcats, whose rise has been documented by Slate and blogger Anil Dash. Their pidgin English has now extended as far as the 23rd century, with this brilliantly funny adaptation of the Trek episode "The Trouble with Tribbles," and now the good folks at Fark have started an LOLpresidents thread. The Yalta one is a high point.

Here's my entry:

God Bless You, Mr. Campbell

Here and here are two commercials for Old Spice featuring the grooviest hero that ever was.

Little Kids' Thoughts on Mortality

One of the guys at Boing Boing put up this Flickr set of his daughter's preschool class' pictorial responses to the question "What happens when people get old?" It's pretty poignant stuff.