Bad assumptions

Rey and I went with da_norvegicus to an end-of-season dinner for his school sailing group tonight. Rey's dad was already there, with one empty spot next to him, and one of the parents/organisers tried to be helpful. It wasn't quite this succinct - imagine more baffling statements and awkward silences - but this was the gist of it:

HELPFUL: You're Reynardo? There's a spot there next to your dad. Now, which one's the sailor?

REY: He is. [points at Ratboy]

HELPFUL: Well, you can sit with your friends... [turns to me] Now, we've got the kids up this end... there's a space next to that one, or would you prefer this spot, or...?

ME: ...actually, I'd prefer to sit next to my wife.

(Although italics are overstating it; my tone of voice was really about half-italic. If that makes any sense.)

I suppose I should take it as a compliment, but I never did like being seated at the kids' table. Older-brother/oldest-cousin thing, I guess.

Falwell: the WTF continues

SMH article:

Police have arrested an American university student over a bomb plot connected to the funeral of controversial American evangelist Jerry Falwell, US media reports say.

The arrested man, 19-year-old Mark D Uhl, reportedly told police he had made the bombs to prevent protesters from disrupting Mr Falwell's funeral, held in Virginia yesterday.

The reports said Uhl is a student at Liberty University, a Christian institution founded by Mr Falwell, who referred to it as a "Bible boot camp".

...wow. I think they must be working from a different version of the Bible.

Every journalist's dream

An MFB spokesman said 18 firefighters "were tied up for some time but disciplined and controlled firefighting contained the blaze to one room on the second floor".

- Age article: "Fire whips though bondage parlour". Via shadow_5tails.