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 …

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 …

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, …

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 …

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 …

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 …

“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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

If you’re reading this through a feed reader, then you might want to click the link and come to the actual blog.  I’ve made a switch to a new template, that was fairly close to the previous one, but added some modifications that I like a little better.
In particular, the main content column is a lot wider.  It bothered me …

Here is an excerpt from one of Andy Rooney’s essays.  The topic, appropriately enough, is Memorial Day.  This was from a segment first broadcast on May 29, 2005:
“Tomorrow is Memorial Day, the day we have set aside to honor by remembering all the Americans who have died fighting for the thing we like the most about our America: the freedom …

“Age is catching up with us and time is running out.”
—William Paynter, 91 World War II Veteran

A front-page story in Sunday’s Post and Courier covers several groups’ efforts to preserve the personal stories of veterans before they are lost forever.
Once there were 16 million U.S. World War II veterans. That number has shrunk to about 2.5 million. Some …

State Senator Kay Patterson, one of South Carolina’s most famous characters in the legislature, has announced that he will retire this year after 34 years in office.
“When I started,” Patterson told reporters of his election in 1974, “working up here was very pleasant and you could get things done, and I enjoyed it.” Now, he says, things are different: …

South Carolina, my native state, leads the nation in something.
For those of you who haven’t figured it out by now, whenever South Carolina leads the nation in anything, it is almost always bad. When they trail behind all the other states, it’s usually for something good.
Here’s a perfect example. This time, South Carolina is #1 for drivers who …

Do you love a room with a view? Depending on where you live, especially if you happen to have located yourself in a big city, you may have a really nice skyline to view.
(Not that there’s anything wrong with a view of a peaceful countryside…I just haven’t found a list for that, yet.)
Here’s a list of the top 15 …