Duck Goes Moo!

J.D. Salinger has passed away at the age of 91.

On BBC News they have an article talking about the potentially upcoming veil ban in France, but the part I thought was most interesting was a little slide show detailing the different types of Islamic veils for women, their names, and what they represent.

View Slide Show

My friend Janet, who had begun freelancing a few years ago, which I used to do, posted this video which perfectly outlines how people and companies try to screw freelancers out of money and the true effort they put forth into the things they do.

Starbucks is starting a new campaign to start making their coffee shops no longer look like a Starbucks.  Their stores will soon lose the ubiquitous logo and try to look like an independent cafe and not part of a huge, over-reaching corporate monster.

The Seattle Times reports the coffee giant is about to take the wraps off of three new shops they’re dressing incognito.  (Shhh, don’t tell anyone!)  The stores will be branded with the names of their neighborhoods and no sign of the ubiquitous Starbucks symbol.  They’re reportedly being designed as eco-friendly, rustic places where you can also buy a beer or glass of wine and listen to a poetry reading.

- abcnews.com

My friend Caitlan (aka “Cat”) recently lost her house and all her possessions in a fire.  A fund has been started to help her get her life back in order called Community for Caitlan.

Here is a news article about the fund:

http://www.myballard.com/2009/04/12/fundraiser-for-woman-burned-out-of-home/

The tallest building in America is getting a new name. It will soon be known as the “Willis Tower” when Willis takes over as the main renter of the building.

Sears had moved their headquarters away from there a long time ago anyhow, so really it should have been called something else a long time ago anyhow.

more here

Weather organizations are predicting that New York will be getting over a foot of snow by sunrise:

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/03/01/2009-03-01_march_storm_may_dump_up_to_14_inches_of_.html

My condolences, Big Apple.

Majel Barrett-Roddenberry died today from complications from leukemia. She was the widow of science fiction god Gene Roddenberry and performed roles and voice-overs in nearly every incarnation of Star Trek.

A very sad thing, but in all honesty I didn’t even know she was still alive.

I imagine the St. Louis burlesque community will be in grieving.

OJ had been found guilty of kidnapping, armed robbery, and is perhaps going to spend the rest of his life in prison.

On of my favorite authors, David Foster Wallace, hung himself Friday:

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gcMD6YE5F4f-YQgiszTunCUrWw6gD9368TQO0

A bit of really sad news, George Carlin has died from heart failure at age 71.

Dang…

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-me-strike10feb10,1,7005410.story

This just in: Elderly white women are “joining Kenya’s sex tourists”.

“It’s not evil,” said Jake Grieves-Cook, chairman of the Kenya Tourist Board, when asked about the practice of older rich women traveling for sex with young Kenyan men.

“But it’s certainly something we frown upon.”

from reuters.com

Evel Knievel has passed away from a lung disease at age 69:

http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN3033262620071201

More Obesity Cartoons Here