I have added one additional weapon in the arsenal against spam here at Patrick’s Place.  It’s an extra plugin that will require comments it deems as “questionable” to be validated with a captcha function.
Captcha is that system that shows distorted letters or numbers and requires a user to type what they see.  But wait…it’s not as bad as you think!! 
It will only require you to do so if it sees something in your comment that it thinks might be spam.  So for those of you who normally comment, you should …

I was flipping around the stations this afternoon and landed on CNN’s live coverage of the DNC delegation dispute proceedings just in time to hear one of Michigan’s senators say this to one of Hillary Clinton’s senior advisors:
“You’re calling for a ‘fair reflection’ of a flawed primary.”
If that doesn’t qualify as a line of the week, I don’t know what does.
They have reached a compromise in Florida already: the state’s delegates will be seated, but with half the number of actual votes. The result will be the addition …

This week’s set of questions is about charity. It’s a topic that some of you might be comfortable with and others may not. This week’s quiz is from a religious-oriented website, and the answers you get might raise your eyebrows.
Sounds like an interesting set coming up, right?

First to play last week: Adalea of Adalea. Congratulations!
(According to the rules, “First to Play” requires you to be the first to include the link to the specific entry in which you answered the questions, not just the general link to your …

I was doing a Google search for a plug-in option that would further assist my spam filter so that I could weed out spambots without having literally hundreds of suspected spam comments to sift through to make sure no legitimate comments were misdirected.
I came across a website with a plug-in that wasn’t really what I was looking for, anyway, but I couldn’t help but notice the big bold message at the top of the page:
“This plugin project is on hold. Why? Because hundreds of people asked for this plugin, so …

You know all of those rabid Clinton supporters who have been whining about how unfair the coverage of their candidate has been? A just-released study that scrutinized the coverage paints a quite different story.
“…Sen. Hillary Clinton did not get tougher press coverage than Sen. Barack Obama when it came to the main themes about their character, history, leadership qualities and overall appeal.
In fact, it was just the opposite starting after Clinton criticized the media for being too soft on Obama.”
Clinton’s supporters have also been trying to encourage everyone to …

I found this over at Madwriter and figured it might make for a nice Friday diversion. Here goes:
Who was your FIRST prom date? Julie. I only attended one prom in my life.
Do you still talk to your FIRST love? Yes.
What was your 1st alcoholic drink? Wine. My dad used to make his own. I’m very pleased that he stopped. Wine enthusiasts should be as well.
What was your FIRST job? As a cashier at K Mart. And I can still scan and bag faster than …

“It takes a certain type of person to be a television star. I didn’t have whatever that is. I come across as kind of snobbish and maybe a little too bright. … Give me something bizarre to play or put me in a dress and I’m fine.”
—Harvey Korman

One of the main reasons I loved watching the TV classic The Carol Burnett Show was the pairing of Tim Conway and Harvey Korman. Whenever those two shared a scene, you knew it was going to be funny…not only because …

It’s Thursday…just two days away from the weekend.  I don’t know about you, but I’m already ready for one!
But before we can get to the weekend, we have to get through 10 more miscellaneous items that I hope will surprise and entertain.  If you are inspired to come up with a list of your own, not that I’m expecting anyone to start now, please leave a link to your post in the comments!
1. HOW COOL IS THIS?: My birthday’s in November, and I hope to be a good bit lighter …

What would it take for you to buy a hybrid?
A few of us were having that discussion today in the newsroom.  Some car dealers are saying that customers who want the gas efficient vehicles are winding up on waiting lists.  One local dealer says he’s had potential car buyers from several states away calling in search of a hybrid.
Funny thing is, when you visit the car dealers, you quickly learn something disturbing:  hybrids are in no way affordable.
Take Toyota.  Their lowest-priced car is the Yaris, a two-seater that measures just …

So I am trying my best to adopt a new attitude starting today.
I’ve been quite frustrated lately in a variety of directions. So I am making a concerted effort to just “get over it,” a trick that does not come easily to people who suffer from various anxiety disorders that make it something of a challenge to let go of things.
There has been a slight change — although I’ve not let it feel so slight much of the time — at the old workplace involving one of my responsibilities. …

Just heard on Today: Katie Couric is returning to the Today show tomorrow, according to Matt Lauer. She’s coming back, apparently, for a single appearance and to make a “major announcement.”
Is she announcing that she’s giving up the anchor chair at the CBS Evening News? Probably not. It seems like CBS wouldn’t allow her to go announce such a thing on her former show at NBC.
Meredith Viera even joked, upon hearing the news, “Permanently?” Viera, of course, replaced Couric on Today when Couric left for CBS.
Is …

As if South Carolina ranking #1 in text messaging while driving, we’re also getting national attention because a high school principal has decided to resign after being asked to allow the formation of a club he says goes against his “professional beliefs and religious convictions.”
The club in question is a Gay/Straight Alliance. His resignation will take effect in June of 2009, at the end of the 2008-2009 school year. I can’t help but wonder, if he’s so offended, why he didn’t set his date of separation to be …