Psst...Wanna Test Condoms?

The Australian condom company Durex seeks volunteers to test their product. Yeah, it's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it. They want 200 "good men" to put their condoms to the test. Think you're up for it?

Happy Birthday America!

Still young at 231. Let's try living up to our promise. We have a long way to go to get our self-respect back, but we can do it.

Romulus and Remus?

No! And that ain't a she-wolf nursing those two either. It is twins though. Twins from Poland. One is President the other one Prime Minister. And the woman? That's Angela Merkel the German Chancellor. Poland and Germany, never the best of friends, had a little tiff recently, and the Poles got their way. At least for a little while.

Now, that's some political satire!

Dragonfly in My Backyard

I took this photo yesterday afternoon in my backyard.

CCCP

Russians explored Alaska before other white men did, and therefore, tourist shops up there carry a lot of Russophile merchandise. The Goddess bought me a T-shirt with the old Soviet symbol on it with the letters CCCP like we used to see on all their hockey players jerseys. Of course, those letters come from the Cyrillic alphabet and not the Roman. If you transliterate them, you'd have SSSR. The Enlish translation comes out to USSR. But, the nostalgia makes the point, not the letters.

Looking for Church Services Near You?

Well, I found them near me. In traffic that is. Yeah, Church Services. But take a close look at that little yellow part on the left. Church Pest Control, yeah, I'll bet that one is popular with the pastors. They'd love to get rid of those troublesome pests at church. And I ain't talkin' 'bout mice!

Long Held Grudge

In June of 1996 the Texas Employment Commission transformed into the Texas Workforce Commission. That happened upder the governorship of George W. Bush. Eleven years have passed since then, but resentments and grudges still hold fast. TWC recently remodeled all the doors and hallways in the building. I took the photo you see today. If you slide the nameplate to the left a little, you'll see a little sticker behind it. Let's have a little closer look. Click on the photo below. Well, how about that? Now, this grudge has to have remained alive, because we just got new doors and nameplates for them. Oh yeah.

Mendenhall Glacier

On the same trip that we saw the whales and eagles, we went to the Mendenhall Glacier. It's really something to see. The weather was pretty miserable, cold and rainy in the 40s. We got to the glacier about 7:00 pm. Of course, up at 58 degrees north it stays light until about 10:00 pm. Anyway, it's in a park which has a rain forest too. Rain forest in Alaska? Yeah, it's true. Anyway, Mendenhall was great, even if the weather was lousy.

Alaska Fauna

We went whale watching in Juneau. Went out on a boat that guarantees you will see a whale or they give you $100 of your fee back. They claim to never have had to pay the $100 in 11 years of business. Well, we weren't the first ones to get the bucks either. I'd say we saw five or six whales. Some law somewhere says that boats can't follow one of these animals for more than 30 minutes. So, what happens is that one boat tracks it for 30 minutes than another boat picks up just after that. Oh well. The law is supposed to keep from stressing the animals, but it probably just makes it last longer.

Not only did we see whales on the outing, but we saw sea lions and eagles. In fact, I bet we saw 6 or 7 eagles in the bus on the way to the whale watching place. They're just all over the place.

Alaska

We all had a wonderful time on the Alaska cruise. I truly enjoyed it, and I recommend it too. We went on Princess Cruise Lines, and I had a favorable impression. The best part for me came when we cruised in the Tracy Arm fjord on Wednesday.

Invisible Underwear

It comes a little late for Britney and Lindsay, but not too late for you! They call it "invisible underwear," because you can't see it. Why can't you see it? Well, it doesn't exist. They call it a C-string, meaning it sort of cups from the pubic bone to the top of the butt crack. Just a thin elastic piece formed like the letter "C." Will it become the hottest thing this summer? Mmmm...I hope not. I can just imagine someone wearing it who shouldn't, but doesn't know any better.

North to Alaska

Vacation! Going to Alaska on a cruise ship. We leave Saturday for Seattle. From there we leave on a cruise ship for Alaska on Sunday. One week at sea traveling the Inside Passage. We will stop at Ketchikan, the wettest place in North America, Juneau which has more territory than Rhode Island, Connecticut, or Delaware, and Skagway the gateway to the Klondike. Totem poles, whales, glaciers, fjords, and who knows what else. It promises to have lots of relax time. Well, at least, I hope so.

Great Sincere Real Faithful People Vigorously March to Bring Glorious Highest Songun Politics to Universe

Yep, it's the Democratic People's Republic of Korea songun blog. Well, it's either the real thing or some mighty good satire. Notice how it's on the free version of Blogger just like mine, not Blogger Pro which you have to pay for. Must be the real thing, 'cause they couldn't afford to pay for a website. Just browse thru a little of it - you'll love it if you read it as satire.

Don't believe it's satire? Hey, this is the Postmodern world, it's the reader that gives the narrative its meaning, not the author!

I Have to Say I Agree

Fidel Castro criticized the British government in an essay published today. He said the money Great Britain spent on three nuclear submarines could have paid for 75, 000 doctors and 3000 advanced clinics. The British Navy reports that is spent 5.3 billion euros on the three submarines. Castro said that doctors have more importance than nuclear submarines.

What's Good for the Goose...

I don't think the world has waited on pins and needles for this, but it has happened anyway. We already have the Wonderbra, now we have the Wonderjock. Yep, a push-up bathing suit for men. No, I haven't made it up, it has actually happened. Of the millions of things that humanity truly needs, we get this! Ain't it always that way?

Imagine That!

A "politician" in Belgium has promised to give oral sex to anyone who votes for her. Finally, a political platform that has some public support! Her name is Tania Dervaux and she's a candidate for the Senate from the Nee party in Antwerp. Of course, like any politician the compaign promise comes with some qualifications. If you are a married voter or you are just timid, you have to get your "pay-off" in Second Life. Well, that's a lot less than promised!

Mugger Geese Take Man's Cell Phone

Yes, a poor young student of jurisprudence fell prey to a gang of geese. Just walking along minding his own business, and sudddenly the geese attacked! They kept pecking at his cell phone until he had to let it go. Then, one of the perpetrators grabbed the phone and fled with it. He has called his phone several times since the incident, but he gets no answer. The geese probably have the caller ID turned on, and know not to answer.

A Breakthrough? Electronic Cigarettes

I suppose someone had to do it. But, why? A Chinese company, Ruyan, has invented an electronic cigarette. It's a little cartridge with nicotine in it that you suck on like a cigarette. You don't inhale smoke, just air and nicotine. When you exhale, it's comes out as smoke that the company claims is harmless (yeah, right!). You can buy these if you live in China, Israel, Turkey, Australia and some European countries. The company says they will target the United States next.

Workers' Compensation

People injured on the job have the recourse of applying for workers' compensation. Here in the US we have lots of negative ideas about just what deserves compensation. Many people believe that anyone receiving workers' compensation just doesn't want to work and prefers to malinger.

I don't know how the folks in Belgium feel, but I know that a professional beer taster has won his court case against his employer, Inbev. The poor fellow became an alcoholic while doing his work. The company tried to get out of paying, but a court in Belgium ruled that the company must pay the former employee €35,000. That come out to probably $50,000 or so.

So, we have the case of a man who really, really enjoyed his work so much that... he did it too well. Now, surely Americans could sympathize with that.

Say It Ain't So, Sascha

Oh no, it turns out that Sascha Baron Cohen will not play Freddie Mercury in a movie about Queen. All the various managers and producers of various things say, "drivel." A few days ago I reported that Borat would play Freddie Mercury, because I saw a story saying that in Aftonbladet. Well, whoever thought it up had a good idea, I think. Who knows maybe they'll do it after all. Please, Borat, please!

I'll Say!

Cypriot troops have banned the use of the sex toy made in Britian named the Love Bug 2. They say that it puts out "waves" that interfere with their radio communications. What the hell do they use for radio? Not very secure if you ask me. Or, could the sexual energy produce radio waves?

He Will, He Will Rock You

Borat will. Sascha Baron Cohen will play Freddie Mercury in a new file about Queen. Check the link, they even look the same.

Skepticism Well Placed

Well, it turns out that no one really knows who lies dead in the coffin. The Iraqi government said that some tribal fighters killed Abu Ayub al Masri. Then the Interior Ministry said they had the body of some other guy named al Baghdadi, the alleged spiritual leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq. Now, the US announces they have killed Al Qaeda's "Information Minister" named al Juburi. One body makes three al Qaeda members. Sounds just like some of the accounting that went on at Enron.

Man Close to Bin Laden in Guantanamo

We've caught so many number threes of Al-Qaida, it's a wonder anyone takes the number three job anymore. The latest "major operative" we've caught is Abd al Hadi al-Iraki. He is "close to Bin Laden." Hell, everyone we catch is as close to Bin Laden as his jugular vein ;-) Have you ever heard of this guy? Me neither. I think they just keep dragging up the shaggy looking Middle Eastern men, and tell us they're some bogey-man. Funny how we can catch all this guys near and dear to Bin Laden and al-Zawahiri, but we can't catch them. Sounds like a shell game to me. Besides this guy looks like a man in my office before his hair turned gray. Matt is that you?

Goodbye Sandy

We lost Sandy today. She was a 16 1/2 year old Cocker Spaniel that wrapped me around her dew claw. We got Sandy on March 24, 1991, and we gave her up today April 20, 2007. What a dog! She taught me so much that I needed to learn. I am indebted to her more than I could ever repay. Bless you Sandy, you made my life more than what it might have been otherwise.






So long, Sandy
Your blonde curly hair
And your ever playful spirit
Added to our lives in ways uncountable.

You opened me up to life
That I never knew was there
My throat tightens and my heart aches
To think of how you blessed life
More than life blessed you.

Bounding in and out of sight
In a field full of bluebonnets
With your tail never leaving view
Come back some time, Sandy
We'll do it all over again.

That Skirt Looks Just Too Violent

Yes, a violent skirt has become a problem at the Miss Universe contest. It turns out that the home team (the contest takes place in Mexico City) broke the uh...rules? Miss Mexico had chosen to wear a skirt with images of Mexican history on it. One of those images shows a man standing before a firing squad, and another depicted some fallen Catholic insurgents who rose up against the secular government in Mexico back in the 1920s. The designers wanted to depict Mexican history as it really happened. Well, critics jumped all over that one, and the Mexican entrant has decided to re-design the skirt.

Parody of a Parody

I don't know if I should say it had to happen, but it did happen. Peaches does a parody of Alanis Morissette's parody of Fergie's My Humps. Only this time it's called My Dumps. Whatcha gonna do with all that tripe? All that tripe comin' out your pipe?

SMU Doesn't Want Bush's Library

They thought it would distinguish the university to have the George W. Bush library on campus, but a large number of professors and even Methodist bishops don't want anything to do with him. Of course, if you had a university, would you want it to have connections with an illiterate war criminal? No, I didn't think so. We've had enough of Bush here in Texas to last more than a lifetime. Put his library somewhere else - like Baghdad maybe.

I Just Wanna Be Sedated

While waiting in one of those little "alcoves" (an open area separated by a thin curtain" in the procedure waiting area, I heard my neighbor tell her husband that she felt scared about a colonoscopy and, "I just wanna be sedated." I began thinking that would make a perfect title for a heavy metal song. Hell, maybe somebody has already done it, I don't know.

Well, the sedation sure worked on me! The nurses tell you that they give you something that makes you forget. It sure does! I kept asking the same thing over and over (at least the Goddess says I did). Of all things, I kept asking if I was "personable" when the doctor came by. Personable? Where did that come from?

Anyway, the doctor pronounced me in good shape and I don't have to do the colonoscopy for another 10 years.

It Has Started

Well, sort of the opposite of what Jesus said at the end on the cross, "It is finished." In my case it has only started. I have the singular pleasure of undergoing a colonoscopy tomorrow. And today I have started with the uh..."clean out" to put it nicely. About 30 minutes ago I took the first dose of some kind of stuff that makes you spend all of your time in the bathroom. It hasn't kicked in yet, so I'm typing this right now. I may not have the chance later ;-)

He's Not a Victim, He's a Volunteer

Volunteer firefighter that is. But, that's not all. Steven S. Cole works as a volunteer firefighter in the state of Ohio. He went to the park one day, and got arrested for it. What did he do? He went dressed in a bikini and a blond wig. The police took him to the station for drunk driving and public disorder. So, what did his buddies say when they saw his mug shot? I don't know, but I'll bet they laughed a lot.

Notice that when the took his "mug shot" they didn't take the photo of just his mug. They got a full-body shot. Now, that's not nice!

Custom-Made Coffins

Do you want a coffin that looks like a cell phone, or how about a stack of blankets? Well, now you can have one according to your own designs. Yep, a group of carpenters from Ghana of the Ga tribe will make you whatever you want in the way of a coffin. They'll even make armoirs or chests however you like. But, the main selling point remains the cell phone coffins. Oh yeah, reach out and touch someone! Want to place an order? Just click.

Gimme That Old Time Religion

Or at least a chocolate Jesus. A sculpture by Cosimo Cavallaro of Jesus on the Cross in milk chocolate has raised the ire of a group of U.S. Catholics. They want to boycott the coming exposition of the uh...piece...at the Lab Gallery in Manhattan. The artwork stands just short of 6 feet tall and weighs 198 pounds. Yes, almost 200 pounds of chocolate in the form of a man...well...a man and a God, because we all know that Jesus had both human and divine nature. And just in time for Easter! That sure puts those hollow chocolate Easter bunnies to shame.

Four Hundred Thirty-Five Thousand (Six Hundred) Sleepers

According to the Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment (TIDE) we have 435,000 terror suspects. Yep, according to the Washington Post the list grows so fast that it has become almost unmanageable. I have always maintained that when you watch everyone so closely, the info you get becomes completely meaningless. But, hey, what do I know?

Alaska Senator Ted Stevens' wife Catherine gets delayed every time she wants to board a plane, because her name resembles Cat Stevens, now known as Yusuf Islam. Islam finds himself on the list because, well we don't know - the information remains classified. Well, I know I feel better without Catherine on my flight.

Chiquita Supports Terrorist Organization

Yep, Chiquita banana paid $1.7 million to the United Self-Defense Forces of Columbia which constitutes an extreme right wing paramilitary death-squad that is on the U.S. list of terrorist organizations. Now, why would an American company support a terrorist organization? M-o-n-e-y. That's all there is to it. So, enjoy those bananas on your cereal, because Chiquita paid good money to make sure you could have an uninterrupted supply of them.

Only His Mother Showed Up

Amir Vehabovic from Bosnia decided to test his "friends" to see who he could really rely on. Well, like they say, be careful what you ask for. He printed a death announcement, faked a death certificate, and bribed undertakers to deliver a fake coffin to a fake funeral. He invited 45 people and only his mother showed up.

How's That for a Senior Discount?

One of the largest whorehouses in Europe, Pascha in Cologne, has begun offering a discount to customers 66 years old and older. From 12:00 noon to 5:00 pm they can get service at half price. Yes, 50% off. This whorehouse also has a money-back guarantee which makes it the only one in the world with that kind of guarantee. Not satisfied, money back.

Diplomatic Immunity

A couple of weeks ago police in El Salvador discovered the Israeli ambassador in the street nude and drunk in possession of sado-masochistic "articles." It turns out that the ambassador, Tzuriel Raphael, had attended a gathering of S&M aficionados, and well...somehow he wound up out in public nude. The Israeli government fired him immediately and brought him back to Israel. The article doesn't say if the police arrested the man, but it did say that he identified himself as the Israeli ambassador. Hell yeah! I mean he didn't want to get arrested did he?

Gambling on the Stars

In Britain you can bet on whether Heather Mills' fake leg will fall off while competing on "Dancing with the Stars." Now, that's entertainment! Bet $100 and win $350, if it falls off. Or bet $600 that it won't fall off to get a pay off of $700. But, if it did happen to fall off, would they televise it? I doubt it.

Stop It or I'll Swallow Your Toothbrush!

Doctors in the university hospital in Shantou, China discovered two toothbrushes in the stomach of a patient. Okay, that sounds bad enough, right? Well, it turns out the man had swallowed the two toothbrushes seven years earlier after a fight with his wife. Seven years they just sat here causing no trouble. Suddenly, they began to cause him stomach pain, so he went to the hospital. As a postscript, the doctors report that the toothbrushes retained their color after all that time. I didn't wonder about that, but they told me anyway.

Hooray, Hooray, Scooter Gets Convicted

Yep, Scooter Libby learned today that the jury found him guilty on four of the five counts the government charged him with. Let's see: obstruction of justice, perjury, and lying to the FBI. Oh boy, I can't wait to see what sentence he gets. Maybe the death penalty? Okay, too harsh, but just barely!

Uups, Disculpe la Molestia

Pues, parece que el ejército suizo invadió la micronación de Liechtenstein por accidente. Una compañìa de 170 soldados se perdieron por la noche y marcharon más de una milla dentro de la pequeña nación. Después de poco se dieron cuenta de su equivocación y salieron de inmediato. Portaban armas de asalto pero sin balas. Sí sin balas. Pues, no hay daño ¿verdad? El gobierno de Lichtenstein dijo que no lo consideran nada alarmante. O, de paso, Liechtenstein no tiene ejército. ¿Por qué necesita ejército cuando tiene vecinos que invaden sin balas?

Texas Youth Commission

Oh, so now I know what that means! The Commission collects teen-aged boys from around the state, so that administrators of the facilities can fuck them whenever they want. After years of covering up for administrators and executives, the Texas Youth Commission (TYC) got its cover blown. Evidently, the Commission members have known about this abuse for quite some time, and have tried to keep it quiet. The Texas Senate has voted to put TYC under conservatorship.

Likewise, the Governor's office received a report from the Texas Rangers (no not the baseball team) detailing the problems back in September, but the Governor has done nothing about it. Well, he did something about it, but only after the report became public. Shit hits the fan in Texas, the state that so vehemently opposes gay marriage. Well, of course! The administrators don't want the marry the kids, they just want to fuck 'em.

NYC Calls N-Word Out of Bounds

The New York City municipal government voted in a symbolic resolution today to ask New Yorkers to refrain from using the N-word. That request includes all residents, and does not exempt black citizens. No, they mean everybody. So, no more N-word in hip hop songs, comedy routines, street slang, or anywhere else for that matter. The NYC city council doesn't approve of its use by anyone, and feels it degrades and denigrating.

Grave of Jesus Uncovered

A Canadian documentary team claims to have uncovered the burial place of Jesus. And, I don't mean Jesus Garcia, I mean the real Jesus. Experts from the fields of archeology, DNA, writing experts, and historians worked together in a cave discovered in 1980 near Jerusalem. They have concluded that the cave held 10 caskets with the names of the "occupants" carved into them. One says "Jesus, son of Joseph" another says "Judah, son on Jesus" and two others say "Mary." The team believes the caskets with Mary carved on them hold Mary Magdalene and Mary mother of Jesus. The documentary will play on the World Discovery Channel soon.

Wait a minute! Jesus ascended into heaven, how did they bury him near Jerusalem? Somebody's got some 'splainin to do!

God: Most Valuable Player

Quoting from a podcast that I heard today.

The coach and the owner of the Super Bowl Championship football team said that it was God's will that they won. So, why didn't they name God as the Most Valuable Player?

That statement comes from a preacher's sermon after the Super Bowl this year. What church? The Claremont United Church of Christ in Claremont, California. Oh, yeah.

Try This on for Size

Nothing is more depressing than people insisting that you’re wrong not to feel good.

Sound familiar? Sound like any self-help group you've attended? It does to me. It sounds a lot like the Friends of Job. You know, Job, the guy in the Bible that had such a hard time. His friends came to console him while he sat with boils in the ash heap. Eventually, they showed their true colors, and blamed him for his own problems.

In the Name of America the Violent

Customarily Muslim prayers and even events begin with the words "Bismallah ir Rachman ir Rachim." Which means "In the name of God the Compassionate the Merciful." Now there comes a professor in Egypt who began his class by writing on his chalkboard the words "In the Name of America the Violent." He says that America serves as his God, and the he prays to America daily. His students complained, and he has since checked into a psychiatric hospital. Well, at least he didn't pray to George W. That really would make him check into a psych hospital!

Thank You, Beth 1979

Yesterday I received a call from Beth 1979 with Citibank. I explained to her that I had tried to get Chuck Prince's email address or fax number, but no one would let me know it. I had spoken with a supervisor who had arranged for a manager to call me back. When I told Beth 1979 about what I wanted, she asked if she could help with the original problem. I explained my entire story about the high interest rate, and she offered to lower my rate.

That sounded good to me, so I asked her what that would make my minimum payment. When she told me that it would come to $227.06 this month, I accepted the offer. I had already mailed my letter to Mr. Prince, so her intervention didn't prevent upper management from finding out, but it did stop my efforts to contact Mr. Prince.

I asked her why no one had offered me that same deal the night before, and she speculated that they didn't know about this possibility. Well, I sure don't know, but I reckon that the reason they didn't has more to do with job title than lack of knowledge. Nevertheless, I appreciate what she did for me. Just as the conversation came to an end, I asked her to give me her name again. She said, "My name is Beth, and my badge number is 1979."

Does This Shirt Make Me Look Fat?

I can hear you saying, no, of course not! It makes you look sexy. Well, okay, so you didn't say sexy.

Fighting the Good Fight?

I don't know if you can call this fighting the good fight, but I will carry on fighting anyway. I have a dispute with Citibank/Citigroup that has run off and on for over a year now. My latest step involves a letter to the President of Citibank/Citigroup, Chuck Prince. I have attached the body of the letter below:

This letter confirms a telephone conversation of 02/15/2007 between the approximate hours of 7:00 pm and 8:00 pm CST. I spoke with three representatives and offered to continue making payments on my account as I have been doing for over two years. I explained that I would continue making payments as I have, or that I would make none at all. That offer still stands, however, your manager refused it.

I believe you have dealt with me in bad faith. I telephoned your customer service number to ask about the difference in my minimum payment for the February bill from the January bill. I learned that after having completed my agreement to make payments of $223 per month for 12 months, my interest rate has gone up to roughly 32%. You have rewarded me for meeting my 12 month commitment to you by more than tripling my interest rate from 9% to 32%. Now you want me to pay $307 per month. I don’t approve of that treatment

Last year I had a dispute with you about your treatment of me when you raised my minimum payment according to some new Federal law that allowed you to do so. At that time I offered to pay $223 per month, but everyone I spoke with refused my offer. Not until I had missed a payment did someone call to make arrangements. I told her that my offer still stood, and she accepted it right away. We agreed that I would pay $223 per month, and that you would draft my checking each month on the 25th. She also agreed to lower my interest rate to 9% which I much appreciated. Why did you have to wait until I had missed a payment to accept my offer?

In January of 2007, I called your customer service department to request that we extend our agreement for another 12 months, because I felt it had gone very well. The person I spoke with refused saying that I had met my commitment, and I couldn’t extend it, because my account had a good standing status. My minimum payment last month came to $158. I went ahead and made a payment of $223 instead, because I intended to continue my payments as I had offered to do.

Tonight, I prepared to make another payment for $223, when I discovered what you had done to me. I called again to attempt to continue my payments of $223 per month, but each person I spoke with consistently refused my offer. Why would you do this to a customer who has always met agreements with you? I also learned that “the bank” had closed my account unilaterally in June 2006 without informing me. Why would you do that to someone who had met every commitment made to you? A manager told me that I could request that Customer Service re-open my account. He said that if I did that, you would lower my interest rate, but the minimum payment would remain larger than what I have paid for so long. Why can’t you continue the agreement from last year? You closed the account, I didn’t.

I am confident that you have notes in your account record that will reflect what transpired. My offer still stands. If you would like to accept it, I will need a response from you accepting said offer. If you do not want to accept it, I will make no further payments on this account.

Thank you dear readers for indulging me on this. I hope to count on your support.

No Child Left Behind?

The United Nations agency concerned with children, Unicef, has named the best countries for children to live in. The study used 40 different parameters to rank children's standard of living. The ranking includes 21 developed countries. So, who came in first? The Netherlands finished first followed by Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Spain. Where do we rank? Well...how about next to last? Penultimate. Yep, number 20 out of 21! So, who did we beat? The United Kingdom. Don't that just make ya proud?

Sorry, I Don't Understand You

A new study has determined that men who undergo vasectomies have a higher incidence of Progressive Primary Aphasia. This affliction can lead to loss of memory and a loss of understanding of one's native language. Uh...what did you say? It sounds like English, but I don't understand what you said.

Those of us who've had a vasectomy may wonder just what that will bring about. I suppose the choices range from not understanding your language to not understanding your kids. Either way, you have a lack of understanding.

Gay No More

A few months ago Ted Haggard, former president of the National Association of Evangelicals, resigned his pastorate and his presidency, because he had to admit his homosexuality. Remember, this particular group says that Jesus can change gay people into straight ones. Now, just why Ted had to struggle with his "urges" most of his life remains a mystery to me. I mean, if Jesus would help anyone, surely he would help Ted.

Don't worry. He did help Ted, sadly it came a little late, but better late than never, right? Ted underwent "intensive therapy" , and now has become completely heterosexual. His transformation may not rank up there with raising the dead, but it sure proves the power of...uh...Jesus? Maybe it proves the power of Ted's ego instead.

Riding Public Transportation Never Looked So Good

In Sofia, Bulgaria that is. Bus passengers waiting at bus stops in Sofia in the afternoon and evening can now watch porn on big screens. Yep, it's true. During the morning and early afternoon the screens display bus schedules and the progress of busses. But, if you venture out a little later, well, it will warm up those cold Bulgarian nights. In fact, city authorities have said that running the porn on the screens helps customer amuse themselves during those long, cold waits for the bus to show up.

Still Fasting After a Week

Yep, I still haven't done my regular survey of news sites from around the world. Sticking with just one or two sites a day. Maybe that's like Moderation Management instead of Alcoholics Anonymous. Hey, it's the best I can do! I hope that by the time I come off of the news fast, the news will have improved. Yeah, right! I have a better chance of winning the lottery...without buying a ticket. Which brings up a good point. Did you know that your odds of winning the lottery are only slightly improved by buying a ticket?

Nice Weather Again...Finally!

Well, it has warmed back up today, and what a beautiful day it is! Imbolc plus 3, I suppose. This photo comes from down at the end of the street by Brushy Creek. That desert blue sky this time of year can't be beat.

Goodbye Belle

Our dog, Belle, died today. She had been sick for a couple of weeks, and today was her last. We had taken her to the vet four times in the past two weeks, and they just couldn't get to the cause of her problem. We took her to the vet this morning so they could treat her based on what the latest test showed. She died while they were administering fluids and oxygen.

We went to the vet to say goodbye, and broke our hearts. You know, I've always said that dogs are better people than people - and that's still true. I miss her a lot.

I promise to keep your gentle spirit
And that special look in your eyes
I hope to stay the kind of person
That your soft acceptance made me be

Oh Belle, I have lost a piece of my heart to you
And I have completely broken in two
But, I give you that piece of my heart
Without demand or expectation
Because, you so freely gave me all of your heart
And that will always stay with me

Punxatawny Phil Says We'll Have an Early Spring

Well, tentatively that's good. Why tentatively? When spring comes early here in Texas, it means summer comes early too. And we know what summer means! So, an early spring has its downside. But, this year we have had a kinda long winter. Long for us anyway...it has lasted more than two or three days in a row. I'd like to see a little warmer weather soon. So, right on P. Phil! At least for now.

Dogs

Well, the dogs, Sandy and Belle, aren't doing so well. Sandy is 16 years-old and Belle is 12. Sandy possibly has cancer, definitely has stones in her bladder, and has real trouble getting around. After her visit to the vet, she's taking some anti-inflammatories and is getting around better. But, her condition probably won't get any better.

Belle has some kind of liver trouble, immune system problems, and she still won't eat. In fact, she turns her nose up at most everything. I got enough down her tonight to give her the anti-biotic she's taking.

Neither dog is doing very well right now, but they're still hanging in there.

Going on a Fast



Yes, I'll be fasting starting today. Different kind of fast though. I'm going on a news fast. Yeah, I'm not going to check my regular 30 or so websites each day for news. I don't know if fast would be quite correct, I will still check about 2 websites, but not my regular. So, what am I going to do instead? Not sure, but it just seems like the thing to do right now. Don't know how long I'll stay on this fast either. Hmmm...let's say for seven days. Think I can do it?

Swedes Get Second Life Embassy

The Swedish government announced that they will establish an embassy in Second Life. They plan to buy an island in the virtual world, so that Swedish companies can purchase spots (lots?) to promote Sweden and Swedish products. Will Swedish Second Life also a social welfare structure, so that Swedes in Second Life can get health care and other subsidies? Wouldn't be Sweden without it.