Wow. I would have definitely opted for life in a beguinage had I been born during their operation. I always figured that early feminists who had to endure centuries of patriarchal oppression were basically doomed to hate their lives. These communes gave feminists of the day a place to thrive unfettered by the rigidity of what marriage meant at the time or nunneries. Leave it to the progressive Dutch.

Quoted: But centuries ago, this hamlet in Leuven — a university town, 20 miles east of Brussels — was a beguinage, a sort of commune for unmarried, religiously-inclined women known as beguines (pronounced Bay-Gueens). Beguines were women in the Low Countries who, beginning in the 12th century, chose to live neither under the care of a man nor the vows of the church. Theirs was, in essence, a feminist movement and its remarkable architectural legacy is still evident in cities across the Netherlands and Belgium.

This is a must-read for NBA fans and a great article in general. My favorite part is when Elgin goes Clay Davis on chartered flights and the pampered NBA lifestyle and then asks casually, "You ever hear about the time we crashed in a cornfield?"

Also, Mike Dunleavy is a cheater. Tell your friends.

Quoted: But Elgin's 38-19-5 makes no sense whatsoever. I don't see how this happened. It's inconceivable. A U.S. Army Reservist at the time, Elgin lived in a barracks in the state of Washington, leaving only whenever they gave him a weekend pass ... and even with that pass, he could only fly coach on flights with multiple connections to meet the Lakers wherever they happened to be playing. Once he arrived, he would throw on a uniform and battle the best NBA players alive on back-to-back nights.

Quoted: academic, cultural and economic critic, and farmer. He is a prolific author of novels, short stories, poems, and essays.

Just a light and fun little quiz for your Friday afternoon. I wrote this one -- Happyfuntimes!

Quoted: Kings, queens and other nobility are expected to protect their people and to be shining examples of benevolence throughout their kingdoms. History, however, has revealed several rulers to be more monster than majesty. The egomaniacs in this quiz made real life for their people more horrifying than any ghost story. Fancy a frolic through the mayhem? Careful, making sense of these sordid details will require you to use your head ... or lose it!

A great list with brief reviews of famous Russian films ...

Quoted: Browse for biographies of the movers and shakers of history.

A McCain biography article published in the Rolling Stone.

(refave jacob)

Quoted: A closer look at the life and career of John McCain reveals a disturbing record of recklessness and dishonesty.

Quoted: Machiavelli