I just finished reading (and thoroughly enjoying) Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh. So, sportsfans, here is our next topical quiz.

Julie has a funny list of State Mottos for us. Some teasers:

Arizona
But It's A Dry Heat.

Connecticut
Like Massachusetts,
Only The Kennedy's Don't Own It Yet.

Indiana
2 Billion Years Tidal Wave Free

Michigan
First Line Of Defense From The Canadians

New Jersey
You Want A ##$%##! Motto? I Got Yer ##$%##! Motto Right here!

Unless you read my other blog, you may not be aware that I consider the Terri Schiavo case of the utmost urgency and importance from spiritual, humanitarian and judicial perspectives. I do.

Reuters published an interesting article today titled "Schiavo Protesters Not All Christian Conservatives". Eleanor Smith, a protester who described herself as a "lesbian" and a "liberal", described her concerns. A polio survivor who has previously demonstrated in support of the ACLU, expressed concerns about this case in which there is no clear evidence about Terri's wishes. "What drew me here is the horror of the idea of starving someone to death who's vulnerable and who has not asked that to happen. . . At this point I would rather have a right-wing Christian decide my fate than an ACLU member," Smith said.

If you want more of the facts (rather than the incomplete media coverage) about the Schiavo case, numerous medical reports and court documents are available at the Terri's Fight web site. The affidavits of her medical caregivers are particularly informative.

James Taranto of the WSJ's Opinion Journal must have been a Court Jester in another life. In his daily mailings, he plays on the words of otherwise innocent headlines until I embarrass myself by snickering at my computer screen.

Today's choicest nugget was the following:

Is His Dad on Viagra?
"McGwire Mum on Steroids"--headline, Oakland Tribune, March 18

Now if they can get back to playing ball before Opening Day. Please?

For any of you who are also readers of SoDakMonk, his blog has moved. The bad news is that his old site froze so he can't redirect readers to his new location. The good news is that he now has comments enabled. Tell him hello for me.

I don't know whether I'd enjoy sleeping on hard beds in smoky rooms, but the dresses are really cool. Here's who I'd be if I lived in the 15th century. The Prioress You scored 5% Cardinal, 56% Monk, 58% Lady, and 43% Knight!

You are a moral person and are also highly intellectual. You like your solitude but are also kind and helpful to those around you. Guided by a belief in the goodness of mankind you will likely be christened a saint after your life is over. You scored high as both the Lady and the Monk. You can try again to get a more precise description of either the Monk or the lady, or youcan be happy that you're an individual.

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 1% on Cardinal You scored higher than 50% on Monk You scored higher than 99% on Lady You scored higher than 50% on Knight

Link: The Who Would You Be in 1400 AD Test written by KnightlyKnave on Ok Cupid

Here in car-crazy southeast Michigan, watching the sparring between the auto companies and the United Auto Workers (UAW) is a popular spectator sport. But the UAW ran into a snag this weekend when it picked on tougher prey.

It's commonly known that if you aren't driving a union-made car (the previous designation of "American" being no longer sufficient), you'd better not try to park in the lot at the UAW's Solidarity House headquarters. An exception has long been made for Marine reservists reporting for duty at a nearby base. Somewhere along the line, however, the union had a change of heart, releasing a statement Friday that withdrew the welcome mat for non-union cars or supporters of the Commander-in-Chief. "While reservists certainly have the right to drive nonunion made vehicles and display bumper stickers touting the most anti-worker, anti-union president since the 1920s, that doesn't mean they have the right to park in a lot owned by the members of the UAW."

The Marines are, thankfully for the well-being of the United States, not the type to take a spanking quietly. Lt. Col. Joe Rutledge, the local commander, moved quickly: "I'm telling my Marines that they're no longer parking there."

One would think that the ensuing uproar would have been easily predictable, but its intensity took the union by surprise. An apparent man of quick decisions, UAW President Ron Gettelfinger lost no time in reversing the action on Monday. The Marines, however, were having none of it. "I've made my decision," said Lt. Col Rutledge. "Either you support the Marines or you don't."

Gettelfinger points out to little effect that he is a former Marine Corps reservist himself. Humph. Well, Semper Fi to you too, fella.

Addendum: James Taranto of the Wall Street Journal Online draws attention to the accompanying photo captioned thus: "Tony Camilleri of Dearborn Heights covered up the Chevrolet logo on his Silverado with a Toyota sign as a tribute to the Marines. The UAW has a longstanding policy prohibiting foreign makes from its parking lots."

With inimitable wit, Taranto quips, "Leave it to the UAW to turn foreign cars into a symbol of patriotism."

Cacciaguida posts on the innate difference between girls and boys in the area of social interaction. From the day of birth, girls tend to focus on a smiling face rather than a dangling mobile, while boys are much more likely to do the opposite. So maybe the greater concentration of men in the engineering disciplines is no coincidence.

Yet another thing to appreciate. Thanks, brothers, for being good at the stuff I don't care for much.

This is the best self-test I've found on the web so far. At least, it's the most fun to take.

What Dog Are You?
After you follow the link, click on "What Dog Are You" in the right-hand sidebar.

I, it turns out, am a Basset Hound. Just scratch me a little behind the ears before you go, would you?

Finally, help for the terminally disorganized. Click here and scroll down a little bit.

Eve, via Eleanor, challenges bloggers to come up with a list of 10 things they have done that their readers probably haven't. Never one to bow before an amusing challenge, here's what I can come up with:

1. Spent a week doing ministry and couples' counseling in Turkey -- twice. (Beautiful country.)
   
2. Had a child via natural delivery after two previous caesarians.
   
3. Ate and loved raw kibbee, a Middle-Eastern dish consisting of ground lamb, spices, wheat and olive oil.
   
4. Skipped a grade in school.
   
5. Spent 20 years in a lay ecumenical prayer community.
   
6. Telecommuted to a job 500 miles away.
   
7. Camped out while 6 months pregnant.
   
8. Took a bowling class for college credit.
   
9. Saw Pope Paul VI in Rome.
   
10. Helped produce an Iron Butterfly concert.

Scrappleface had fun with weathercasters' tendencies to catastrophize winter weather.

The storm, which draped the landscape in a blanket of shimmering white, has already been blamed for countless hours of joyful play which will live in the memories of children for years.

"Millions of adults stayed home to enjoy time with family and escape the drudgery of their dead-end jobs," Mr. Sobel said. "Folks who work in the snow removal industry are enjoying boom times, with many earning overtime pay that will help to send children to college and generally fuel our expanding economy."

Now that's the attitude I'd like to see. It would make this long hard haul toward May so much more bearable.

TSO was kind enough to come up with five very thoughtful interview questions for me. Here they are plus my answers.

1. Why "deepyogrt"?
   (If you casual visitors look at the URL at the top of your browser, you will understand why he's asking.) It refers to one of the catch phrases that I used to use with my children, e.g. "You're in deep yogurt now, young man!" It seemed to me to beat the other 'deep' things they might have been in. When I was signing up with Blogger, I hadn't yet settled on a name for the blog by the time I had to pick the URL, so I just went with the first idea that popped up. I think "In Dwelling" is a better blog title by far, but I'm sort of taken with the spunkiness of the URL, so I haven't felt inclined to change either one.
   
2. You are a fan of the Detroit Tigers, a team skippered by the great Sparky Anderson for many years. Did the strike of '94 affect your support of major league baseball?
   Yes, it did, though not as much as the 1981 strike bothered me. I had a newborn daughter that summer and was greatly looking forward to using nursing time as an opportunity to watch baseball games. No such luck. Looking back, though, it was probably more the loss of the familiar names and faces -- Lou Whittaker, Alan Trammel, Kirk Gibson, Tommy Brookens, Dan Petry, and on and on -- that diluted the love affair.
   
3. As a management consultant who has an MBA & reads Harvard Business Review, can you shed light on how the modern corporation can infuse a sense of mission in their employees when profit appears to be the only thing that matters? Or is that a responsibility of the employee?
   "Infusing a sense of mission" is a pretty good definition of well-exercised leadership. The employee has many responsibilities, but jacking up his own motivation by the bootstraps isn't one of them, in my view. The average employee wants to be doing something that is meaningful and inspiring if there's the opportunity, and he's generally running his "baloney detector" on High. In order to communicate a vision, there has to be a vision that's authentic, meaningful, and subscribed to wholeheartedly by the top of the company. It's a tall order, sure, but when it's done right, it's a beautiful thing to behold. Oh, yes, you asked "how . . ." Hmmm. I'll have to get back to you on that.
   
4. How did you find your way back to the Catholic faith?
   My departure from the Church was not bitter in any way; it was the best way I could see at the time to follow God. There are many Catholic practices and beliefs that I never completely discarded, but I did have some solid questions that would need to be addressed eventually. Several years ago, I began to look at the Catholic Church again, and over time I experienced the Holy Spirit nudging me in that direction, especially after the death of my husband. God went into overdrive on this issue last Lent, leading to my confession and restoration on the Saturday before Palm Sunday. For His gracious timing of this, allowing me to fully participate in the Triduum at my wonderful parish, I will always be grateful.
   
5. Do your children read your blog and if so does it affect what or how you blog?
   From time to time my daughters stop by and occasionally comment. I'm very aware of the fact that the blog is posted publicly, so their participation doesn't constrain me any more than the knowledge that the rest of the world is free to stop by as well. My blogs probably reveal different sides of me than they customarily see from day to day, but that's nothing but a good thing.