Why is a public service "socialism" only when you object to it?: Non Sequitur of the Day

I'd been thinking along these lines, and then Nicholas Kristoff wrote it in the NYT:

"If they object so passionately to “socialized health,” why don’t they block their 911 service to socialized police and fire services, disconnect themselves from socialized sewers and avoid socialized interstate highways?"

And this. . . this. . . is so hi-larious:

Word of the Day: "Homicide" is a Medical Term?

Continuing in the "words have meaning" theme from yesterday, it has been ruled that the unfortunate death of Michael Jackson was a homicide.

Interesting, but looking up the word "homicide" on the Internets gives every indication that it is a word indigenous to the practice of law, not medicine, let alone forensics. I thought medical examiners determined what killed someone, and that it was up to the legal system to determine who, for instance, put deady chemicals into the body of a the deceased.

I have friends who are prosecutors and judges who I love dearly, but this is a teeny-tiny shift in, if not the legal burden of proof, then the war for public opinion.

Non Sequitur of the Day: Ari and the Rumour Edition

"I've got Mercury Poisoning."

Jeremy Piven's story here.

Graham Parker's prior story here, and his awesome tune below:

The Winter Solstice 2008: Pro and Con

Con: Yesterday was still Autumn, for God's sake!!!

Pro: Beginning now, more sunlight each day. . . so we can better discern the hypothermia in our digits and extremities.