It’s a full house in the 2T tonight. Grandma is in Σ’s room tonight, and Σ is in mine. I’m not entirely sure where I’m going to sleep tonight.
Eh, maybe if I lost 40 pounds.
Image credit: CarolSpears
While I figure it out, might as well finish today’s FCR.
Well, That Explains Gigli
Remember Jennifer Lopez? She was big deal about 10 years ago. Or at least I think she was. I don’t pay much attention to that TMZ crap.
In any event, J. Lo is apparently hard up for cash or something these days, as she recently performed at the birthday party for Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow. She was reportedly paid $1.5 million for the performance by a Chinese oil and gas company.
That alone is pretty crass if you ask me. That only scratches the surface though. In terms of oppressive and batshit crazy countries, Turkmenistan is quite possibly North Korea’s only serious competition at the moment. By all accounts Berdimuhamedow is only slightly less insane than his predecessor, Saparmurat Niyazov.
Who named the month of January after himself.
Of course, Lopez’s publicist immediately said she was sorry about the event. Had she known about Turkmenistan’s truly horrific human rights record, she would have never done it. But then again, Turkmenistan “was vetted by her representatives.”
Wow, seriously? While I don’t expect anyone in the Jennifer Lopez camp to be a foreign relations expert, Turkmenistan’s recent history isn’t exactly a well-kept secret. Whatever she’s paying for this sort of “help,” it’s clearly too much.
Right. Now that that’s said, I can go back to ignoring her movies.
“Present, But Not Voting”
Out in London, a professor emeritus made a rare appearance at a university council meeting. It’s a pretty neat trick, considering he died in 1832.
No one can touch his seniority though.
Known as the father of utilitarianism, Jeremy Bentham was a leading British philosopher of the early 19th Century. The “spiritual founder” of University College London, Bentham intended to donate his body to science for virtually his entire adult life. When he died, per his wishes his skeleton and head were preserved in what he called an “Auto-Icon,” which is basically a portable closet with a dead body in it. UCL acquired the Auto-Icon in 1850, and Bentham has been there ever since.
Although contrary to popular belief Bentham has not attended every UCL board meeting since, he has been wheeled out for special occasions. His head is no longer on display though, having been replaced with a wax replica years ago. Turns out UCL students kept stealing it as a prank.
In terms of pranks, an ersatz trout hatchery in my high school doesn’t come close.
Image credit: Montanabw
Track of the Week
It’s been too long since I listened to Flood.
“And these are the words that it faintly said as I tried to call for help.”
