In the summer of 1992, I went to China. The group consisted of: HS Chinese teacher Guo YuMing, her daughter Nie Nie (Elizabeth), Shana Norberg-[McClain], David Stern, Iwao Kato, Yael Kropsky, Leslie [Lee] Bowe, Jean Lau Kee (a non-HS student who didn't quite know what she was getting into), and several other people whose names escape me at the moment.

As a result of a three-week intensive course in the Chinese language, in which I learned just how little Chinese I had managed to retain from my previous six years of study, I was awarded this certificate:

(Photo detail after the jump)

LS forwards a lesson in cartooning: make Garfield funny by eliminating all his thoughts.

Unfortunately, for JVG: The Comic Strip, this method doesn't help at all. JCN's randomizer, however, remains fairly amusing.

More EliminaGarfield

I find it heartening that the vice president is shooting people himself now. Way to get into the spirit of things, Cyborg Overlord Cheney!

It's a brave new world out there. Who would ever have guessed that America's conservatives would stand up to defend the rights of cartoonists to mock Jesus, and his fanatical and violent followers?

What's that you say? It's not Jesus, it's Muhammed? Oh. Well, then. My mistake.

Hey, remember The Book of Daniel? Remember how the Christian Right called the TV stations that wouldn't air it "cowardly," and lauded NBC as "brave" for "defending free speech"? You don't? Huh.

Here is a hedgehog to make you happy.

And a little movie, too.

In my capacity as a volunteer at the Central Park Zoo, I spent a portion of yesterday gathering signatures for the nationwide zoo-led "Two Million for $2 Million" campaign, which is attempting to gather two million signatures to ask congress to fund conservation and research programs to protect tigers, great apes, elephants (Asian AND African) marine turtles and rhinos. (You can sign the petition here.) The following was the interaction that gave me hope for our future.

ME: [Shpiel omitted, but worth perusing]
MOM: Can kids sign the petition?
ME: Sure.
MOM: What about it? Do you want to help the animals?
CHILD: Duh.

If I know anything, I know that you, my loyal reader, has always wondered what I'd look like with a sleazy little moustache ala Marlon Brando in The Godfather, Part 1. Well, thanks to the quick lens of burly-q photog extraordinaire "Rodmur", you can! (After the jump)

&bull More from Rodmur of that event