Whale sings lonely song

From CNN :

"LONDON, England (Reuters) -- A lone whale, with a voice unlike any other, has been wandering the Pacific for the past 12 years, American marine biologists said Wednesday.
Using signals recorded by the U.S. Navy to track submarines, they traced the movement of whales in the Northern Pacific and found that a lone whale singing at a frequency of around 52 hertz has cruised the ocean since 1992.
Its calls, despite being clearly those of a baleen, do not match those of any known species of whale, which usually call at frequencies of between 15 and 20 hertz.
The mammal does not follow the migration patterns of any other species either, according to team leader Mary Anne Daher.
The calls of the whale, which roams the ocean every autumn and winter, have deepened slightly as a result of aging, but are still recognizable.
The study by scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts, appears in the New Scientist magazine."

How very sad! I wonder if the whale has lost its way? Its pod? Is it looking for another lonely whale?

Hairy toes under the stall -- Ewww! --

Police in Jamestown, North Carolina, report a peeping Tom was caught in the women's locker room at a local "Y." A woman in a neighboring shower stall spotted his hairy feet and called for help.

David Herbert Witham is charged with six counts of peeping. Authorities say he used a small mirror to catch glimpses of the women in the shower and undressing.

From this site.

What do you want for Christmas?

All I want for Christmas is . . .

This image is from this site.

[Friday, Dec. 17th UPDATE: Last night, I was sitting in our pied-a-terre, knitting madly away, with Christmas music on the radio in the background, when what should I hear???? . . . but "I want a hippopotamus for Christmas!" Not once, but twice over the course of the evening! Who woulda thunk it? :-D]

Extra! Extra! Minnie smacks Mickey!

Here's an image that takes me right back to being five. That would have been the mid-fifties, Ike was in the White House and the Cold War was heating up. Black-and-white television was the newest toy in the American toybox and Mickey Mouse was king of the heap.

This image is from this site.

Exercise your rights as an American citizen!

Grrrrrwly Grrrrrl!

She could give Tony the Tiger a run for his money. Cute little tiger!

A Pumpkin Tree!

I LOVE the idea of carved pumpkins growing on trees! How cool!

And thanks to The Castle of Doom for this cool image.

Like the plant that ate Chicago?

From the web, uh, somewhere . . . :

Swiss scientists have discovered what they think may be the biggest mushroom in Europe, a monster fungus the length of eight football pitches and mostly lurking underground.

The mushroom, which covers a whopping 35 hectares [86.5 acres] in a Swiss national park near the eastern town of Ofenpass is thought to be more than 1,000 years old, forestry experts say.

The mushroom, which is 800 metres long [874 yards or about a half-mile long] and 500 metres wide [546 yards or just under a third of a mile long], is of the armillaria type, according to the Swiss Federal Institute Forest, Snow and Countryside Research (WSL).

It consists of a vast network of sometimes very thick filaments which reach out along the path of tree roots in the mountainous, wooded region.

The visible parts of the mushroom that poke out above the ground or on the boughs of trees are the tip of the iceberg, representing a tiny part of the vast undersoil organism.

Some species within the family are formidable parasites which invade trees, gradually strangling them.

They have been blamed for the widespread destruction of pines within the national park, a WSL statement said.

One reason why the fungus may have survived for so long undetected and untroubled is that it is only edible when young, and even then is not a favourite with lovers of mushrooms.

--AFP

Sounds like a great idea for a scary movie! (And thanks to this site for the metric to English conversions . . . otherwise, I would have had NO idea of how big this big-ass fungus truly is!)

. . . the grass is always greener . . .

With the election coming up, all the ponderous debates, hateful charges being hurled from the right to the left (note the one-way street), the efforts of Bliggity Bloggity Blog become more apparently necessary.

Where is the love these days? Where is the silliness these days? This is a time to laugh and enjoy how silly we can all be.

Arrrgh!

Take this for example:

The Sunset Hills Memorial Park cemetery is giving up grass in favor of artificial turf.

It's a move owners believe will save as much as $180,000 in water and maintenance costs over the next three years. The cemetery is the final resting place for cowboy stars Roy Rogers and Dale Evans.

"I actually believe it will revolutionize the cemetery industry eventually," said Sunset Hills co-owner Chet Hitt. He knows of no other cemetery that uses artificial turf.

Hitt originally started selling artificial turf just to people who wanted it for their family plots, but has gradually begun to put it down throughout the cemetery. He expects he'll have to replace it about once every eight years.

Artificial grass has several benefits besides saving money on water and maintenance costs, said Dave Hepburn of the Interment Association of California, the state's largest cemetery trade association.

Real grass can discolor tombstones and grow into graveside flower vases, damaging them, Hepburn said. Heavy watering can also damage concrete walkways and discolor headstones over time.

"The most important thing for a cemetery is to look good at all times, to look beautiful inside," Hepburn said.

I wonder if the Fischer brothers have heard about this?

drink, drank, drunk

For a new source of silliness, we have Modern Drunkenness Magazine. Here are some nuggets of wisdom from their aptly titled, "Winos of Wisdom:"

“Oh, I’m not a drunk. I’m a drank. As in, I just drank all my beer. But I’m willing to be a drunk if you buy me a drink.”
Joan B., playing with words and men’s emotions outside the Carioca Cafe.

“I want all the booze in the world in this glass right now. All of it. Mix it up. I’ll drink every damn drop. Of course, I’m going to need a bigger glass.”
An ambitious yet pragmatic Tom H. wanting it all at the Lion’s Lair Lounge.

“Give me another glass of wine, and pour it strong this time.”
Annie G., 24, attempting to squeeze booze from a turnip at the Streets of London Pub.

“You’re not drunk if you can lay on the floor without holding on.”
Scott Q. while desperately clawing at his living room carpet.

“Give me well scotch and top shelf water.”
Mary K. worrying about the wagon instead of the mule at Southpark Tavern.

“Go ahead and unload on me, man. I’m pretty sure I’m blacked out right now and won’t remember nothing.”
An extremely loaded, yet intensely self-aware patron at the High Street Speakeasy.

“You’re hard to remember, but easy to forget.”
Trish C., 24, dishing out a sweet burn at the Lion’s Lair.

"I want four stupid fruity shots. Stupid and fruity as you can make ‘em. Your choice. And a Jack Daniels neat.”
Name unknown, attempting to rescue his forsaken masculinity four shots too late at the Bar Bar.

“Grab hold me, boys! I’m about to rear up on my hind legs and take a bite outta the fuckin’ moon!”
Raymond L., 52, losing his composure but not his dreams at the Landmark Tavern.

Top Ten Bush Tax Proposals

From CNN:

Democrat John Kerry joked Monday on "The Late Show with David Letterman" about changes under President Bush's tax plan.

Kerry's "Top 10 Bush Tax Proposals" are:

10. No estate tax for families with at least two U.S. presidents.

9. W-2 Form is now Dubya-2 Form.

8. Under the simplified tax code, your refund check goes directly to Halliburton.

7. The reduced earned income tax credit is so unfair, it just makes me want to tear out my lustrous, finely groomed hair.

6. Attorney General (John) Ashcroft gets to write off the entire U.S. Constitution.

5. Texas Rangers can take a business loss for trading Sammy Sosa.

4. Eliminate all income taxes; just ask Teresa (Heinz Kerry) to cover the whole damn thing.

3. Cheney can claim Bush as a dependent.

2. Hundred-dollar penalty if you pronounce it "nuclear" instead of "nucular."

1. George W. Bush gets a deduction for mortgaging our entire future.

... flush with comments ...

Get this . . . talking toilets!

As an artistic venture, Leonard van Munster, an artist in Amsterdam, has outfitted public toilets with sensors that, upon sensing a person's presence, then start talking.

"You might consider sitting down next time," the toilet told a male Reuters reporter politely in a female robot voice. The next user was told that "The last visitor did not take heed of basic rules of hygiene."

Depending on circumstances, the toilet might remind you to wash your hands or ask you to lift the seat.

"It could suddenly start coughing and warn you about the dangers of cigarettes, or name all the cool movie stars who smoke. It just depends what mood it's in," van Munster said referring to people who sneak off to secretly have a puff.

Talk about an invasion of privacy!

Sometimes, I go to the bathroom to clear my thinking. In fact, I get some of my best ideas while in the bathroom! No talking toilets!

From CNN's Offbeat News.

". . . screwed, blued and tattooed . . ."

Are you feeling screwed, blued and tattooed because the man slipped it to you? Like, stay loose, hit the pad and share a thumb with your pash.

Huh?

If that made no sense to you, check out "The Hippie Dictionary" by John McCleary. Using the new book to translate, readers come up with the more conventional: Are you feeling mistreated by the authorities? Relax, go home to bed and share a very large marijuana cigarette with your significant other."

Those expecting the dictionary, published by Ten Speed Press, to be a stodgy reference work are in for a jolt.

McCleary's book is chock-full of pointed editorializing, slang and swear words culled from the vernacular of the 1960s and 1970s hippie youth, who questioned authority and created their own counterculture.

. . . among the book's entries are such gems as "hey man" (the most prevalent greeting of the era) and "swacked" (high on drugs or alcohol).

One of the more amusing entries is found under "like," which McCleary calls an unnecessary word that along with "you know" and "I mean" has come to dominate U.S. speech.

"What is strange about these exclamations is that, even though they have no real bearing on the conversation, they indicate a desire ... to communicate with clarity and understanding."

. . . the book's entry for the term "hippie" says, "The true hippie believes in and works for truth, generosity, peace, love and tolerance. The messengers of sanity in a world filled with greed, intolerance and war."

. . .McCleary has no apologies for expressing highly subjective views in what is ostensibly a reference book.

In his entry on President John F. Kennedy's assassination, he wrote, "It is interesting to note that liberals are the ones who are killed in their prime, and conservatives die old in their soft beds. This world would be a better place in which to live if John Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, and Martin Luther King, Jr., had lived to die in their soft beds."

McCleary said his editorializing is necessary because the hippie era was a very opinionated period and some of the themes he touches on help illustrate the hippie philosophy.

-- from CNN's Offbeat News.

Not acceptable!

From a website called In The News:

December 19, 2003 -- A feisty teller thwarted a bank heist by balling up the robber's demand note and throwing it back in his face.

"I can't accept this!" the teller at BB&T bank in Chesapeake, Va., told the man, who was so startled, he did a fast about-face and fled empty-handed.

"Have a good day at the office, honey!"

Two sandhill cranes share a moment in a field off Old Clyde Park Road near Livingston, Montana, on August 22.

A value, huh?

"This is not something we have a lot of experience with, but we felt it was an area where we could offer a value."

-- Costco Wholesale Corp. spokesman Bob Nelson, on the company's decision to offer value-priced caskets to customers who frequent the store for bulk food and other items

From Newsweek's Periscope

Contact his agent . . .

From CNN's Offbeat News:

A black bear was found passed out at a campground in Washington state recently after guzzling down three dozen cans of a local beer, a campground worker said on Wednesday.

"We noticed a bear sleeping on the common lawn and wondered what was going on until we discovered that there were a lot of beer cans lying around," said Lisa Broxson, a worker at the Baker Lake Resort, 80 miles (129 kilometers) northeast of Seattle.

The hard-drinking bear, estimated to be about two years old, broke into campers' coolers and, using his claws and teeth to open the cans, swilled down the suds.

It turns out the bear was a bit of a beer sophisticate. He tried a mass-market Busch beer, but switched to Rainier Beer, a local ale, and stuck with it for his drinking binge.

Wildlife agents chased the bear away, but it returned the next day, said Broxson. They set a trap using as bait some doughnuts, honey and two cans of Rainier Beer. It worked, and the bear was captured for relocation.

I wonder if ad execs have ever thought of using a bear for a beer commercial????

I think this qualifies as silly

From the Associated Press, originally from the Quad-City Times.

. . . to duh kitties

From CNN's Offbeat News:

Dressed in a tuxedo, Simba sat at the front of one of Manhattan's newest dining establishments and nodded at people who greeted him.

Then he yawned, began to roll on the floor and lick his paws.

That's acceptable behavior at the Meow Mix Cafe, a new eatery designed especially for cats and their human owners.

Simba, an 8-month-old kitten, was joined by about two dozen other tabbies, Persians and Burmese for a feast at Tuesday's grand opening of the cafe, which is owned by the Meow Mix Company, a Secaucus, New Jersey-based cat food maker.

"Why not take your cat out for dinner?" asked Simba's owner, Leah Thompson, 19. "There's always things for dogs, but never cats."

The midtown restaurant serves Meow Mix packets for its feline customers with corresponding dishes to satisfy human palates.

"Deep Sea Delight" mackerel for cats is paired with tuna rolls for cat owners; "Upstream Dream" salmon for felines corresponds with mini crab cakes for humans.

Meow Mix president and CEO Richard Thompson said the feline-friendly restaurant has two main rules: no dogs and no catnip, which must be checked at the door.

"Our goal is to keep cats happy," Thompson said. "The idea is that you can bring them and start socializing them."

Don't mess with her

Wonder Woman is truly a wonder!

" . . . moo like cows . . . "

From CNN's Offbeat News:

NEW YORK (Reuters) -- It's not about sex and all about the touchy-feely experience of snuggling up to perfect strangers wearing pajamas.

The grab fests are called cuddle parties, and since they started in New York in February, hundreds of people have paid $30 each to touch and embrace others in intimate gatherings.

Everyone needs to be cuddled, especially in lonely New York, say creators Reid Mihalko and Marcia Baczynski, who say it's a good way to meet new and interesting people.

But the rules are clear. The PJs stay on the whole time.

In case things get too steamy, a small chime is kept on hand. Before the cuddling begins, the chime is struck several times so everyone gets the message.

"We've never used it," said Mihalko, who said sexual arousal does occur.

The idea for cuddle parties loosely came about after Mihalko, a 14-year masseur, began giving massages to other masseurs who never got the chance to receive them.

Signs that people need to be touched were brought home one day when Mihalko said he noticed a woman bawling from the emotional release that a massage provided her at an outdoor stand in midtown Manhattan.

"It started out as a joke," Baczynski said. "Now we talk about cuddling all the time. It's just been amazing."

Curiosity is a big driver for people who attend cuddle parties, and it is a better way to meet people than going to a bar, getting drunk and spending the night with someone just because of the need for some affection, she said.

A cuddle party is really about communication and not therapy, say the organizers.

Before any touching begins, participants gather in a circle to hear the rules and voice any questions or concerns. The first rule is that the event is not clothing optional, pajamas must stay on and sex is not permitted.

Participants team up into pairs, and to ensure the boundaries of what is permissible are clear, they practice saying "no" to the question, "May I kiss you?"

An introduction to cuddling ensues, first by hugging three people. People then get in a circle on their hands and knees, rub shoulders and moo like cows. After a bit of swaying, everyone falls to their side, which puts them into an easy cuddling position.

Cuddle parties are intended for people who are emotionally sound. People in therapy or who are seeing a mental health professional are asked to consult their doctor before signing up for a party and to tell organizers of their situation.

One group on an overcast Sunday drew a mix of mostly single people in their 30s and a smattering of older people.

A repeat customer who called herself a born-again Christian said it was good to cuddle up to another person, albeit a perfect stranger, after a hectic week.

"I felt good. I had a particularly stressful week," said the woman, who did not wish to be named.

Friends had warned her that the parties would be nothing more than thinly disguised preludes to sex, but she dismissed those worries as alarmist and unfounded, saying, "It's not about sex."

Like others, the chance to meet someone was a consideration in attending a cuddle party.

"People in a way are looking for a connection," Fernando said. "It's weird, but not unusual."

A man named Dwayne H., who described himself as introverted, said he thought the parties would help him relax before strangers and help him express his feelings.

"I have a problem showing emotion," he said.

This story describes cuddling parties in New York City. With all that mooing going on, wait 'til they become popular in the dairy states. Oh, my gosh!

Where's he going?

For some reason, I find this photo funny and yet, oddly compelling.

What does the photo say to you?

(Oh, yes, this was posted on the Associated Press wire and published by the Chillicothe Gazette. [Ohio])

Ms. Froggie enjoying her veggies

Somehow, with us being in the middle of August, garden veggies popping, weekly farmer's markets -- and generally the sheer fullness of nature's bounty -- I just thought we needed to reflect on Ms. Froggie here, enjoying her produce.

You can smoke some weed, but no toe-licking!

Count on CNN's Law Center to report on this:

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (Reuters) -- Unsolicited toe-licking would be banned in the Netherlands under a law sought by the Dutch Labor party after police were unable to prosecute a would-be Casanova with a taste for female toes because he had committed no crime.

A police spokesman said Friday a man had been detained after women sunning themselves in Rotterdam's parks and beaches claimed he had snuck up on them and begun to lick their toes.

"The officers had to let him go. Licking a stranger's toes is rather unusual but there is really nothing criminal about it," the spokesman said.

Dutch press reports said the man, who is about 35, had been licking the toes of strangers for about three years but was only recently caught by police.

Peter van Heemst, a Labor member of parliament, asked Christian Democrat Justice Minister Piet Hein Donner Friday to explain why Dutch laws forbid littering but not uninvited toe-licking. Van Heemst demanded an amendment prohibiting it.

"It is a violation of one's privacy and one's physical integrity," he told a local news agency. "The norm... is that no one should touch your body if you haven't asked them first."

A spokesman for Donner said the minister could not immediately comment.

Well, if I ever travel in the Netherlands, I'll feel safer now.

Homeland Security in action

What kind of a world is it when someone of Middle-Eastern descent can't so much as drop a gum wrapper on the street without being descended upon by various governmental agencies, but good ol' American baddies get a free pass to rob banks when the current leader of the free world and his successor are in town?

http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=2136958 (link courtesy of Mr. Maxxx)

Help wanted: Court jester

From CNN's Offbeat News:

LONDON, England (AP) -- English Heritage, guardian of various historic sites in Britain, is advertising for someone to be the nation's first court jester since 1649.

An ad appearing in Thursday's editions of The Times laid out the qualifications: "Must be mirthful and prepared to work summer weekends in 2005. Must have own outfit (with bells). Bladder on stick provided if required."

Auditions will be held Saturday at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire, and the winner will have to negotiate a salary, English Heritage said.
The court jester's position died along with King Charles I, who was executed by Oliver Cromwell's supporters in 1649. The monarchy was restored 11 years later, but the position of jester did not return.

"It is about time we had a jester again," said Tracy Borman, the agency's director of education, events and outreach.

"It is one of those roles that fell by the wayside when Cromwell made Britain a republic, but there is no reason not to bring it back now."

I have always loved the words, "mirth" and "merry." Oh, to be mirthful and merry! Bring it on, o ye court-jester-to-be.

A New Trick for Old Dog Owners

From good ol' CNN comes this article:

You: Here, Rover. Here, boy!
Dog: Pant, pant, pant.

You: Eat this.
Dog: Crunch, crunch.

You: Feel smarter?
Dog: Why, yes, I do.

The above human-and-canine dialogue could take place courtesy of the good folks at Proctor & Gamble (although your dog won't actually start talking). This week P&G's Eukanuba brand unveiled food that it claims will produce smarter dogs.

I already think Cisco is too smart for her britches, er, uh, her own good, so I'll stick to Sensible Choice, thanks!

Did you see the BLUE MOON ????

While I didn't see our blue moon Friday night/early Saturday morning, I did see it last night (Saturday) . . . and it was a beaut!

Here's a transcript of CNN's interesting article about blue moons and the possible origins of the adjective, "blue:"

Some almanacs and calendars assert when two full moons occur within a calendar month, that the second full moon is called the "Blue Moon."

That second full moon this month will come on Saturday, July 31st, and will look no different than any other full moon.

On past occasions, usually after forest fires or volcanic eruptions, the moon can indeed take on a bluish or lavender hue. Soot and ash particles, deposited high in the Earth's atmosphere can sometimes make the moon appear bluish. Such a situation was noted across eastern North America in late September 1950, due to smoke from widespread forest fire activity in western Canada. Also, in the aftermath of the massive eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines in June 1991 there were reports of blue moons worldwide.

The phrase "Once in a blue moon" was first noted in 1824 and refers to occurrences that are uncommon, perhaps even rare. Yet, to have two full Moons in the same month is not as uncommon as one might think. In fact, it occurs, on average, about every 32 months. And in the year 1999 it actually occurred twice in three months.

For the longest time no one seemed to have a clue as to where the "Blue Moon Rule" originated. I myself once suggested that the rule might have evolved out of the fact that the word "belewe" came from the Old English, meaning, "to betray." Perhaps, I suggested, the second full Moon is 'belewe' because it betrays the usual perception of one full moon per month.

It was not until the year 1999 that the origin of the calendrical term "Blue Moon" was at long last discovered. It was during the time frame from 1932 through 1957 that the Maine Farmers' Almanac suggested that if one of the four seasons (winter, spring, summer or fall) contained four full moons instead of the usual three, the third should be called a "Blue Moon."

But thanks to a couple of misinterpretations of this arcane rule, first by a writer in a 1946 issue of Sky & Telescope magazine, and much later, in 1980 syndicated radio program, it now appears that the second full Moon in a month is the one that's now popularly accepted as the definition of a "Blue Moon."

Another interesting fact about the full moon of July 2nd is its near coincidence with the time of perigee -- its closest point to the Earth. Perigee occurred on July 1st at 7:00 p.m. EDT; the moment of full moon comes just over a half a day later at 7:09 a.m. EDT on July 2nd. At the moment of perigee, the moon's distance from Earth was 222,107 miles (357,448 kilometers).

This circumstance will result in a dramatically large range of high and low ocean tides during this Independence Day weekend. Any coastal storm at sea around this time will almost certainly aggravate coastal flooding problems. Such an extreme tide is known as a perigean spring tide, the word spring being derived from the German springen -- to "spring up," not a reference to the spring season.

While this will be one of the "biggest" full moons of 2004 (the June full moon was slightly closer) the variation of the moon's size due to its distance is not readily apparent to observers viewing the moon directly. To those living on the shores near the Bay of Fundy in eastern Canada, however, the 10 to 20 foot (3 -6 meter) increase in the vertical tidal range makes it obvious when the moon lies near perigee, clear skies or cloudy.

Sign of Shame

From CNN:

A woman who stole $4.52 worth of fuel was ordered to stand outside the gas station Friday wearing a sandwich board sign that declared: "I was caught stealing gas."

Sherelle Purnell obeyed the court order, although by the time she arrived 90 minutes late to her noon sentence, the crowd of people that gathered to watch her had dispersed.

"There were parents who came with their children, wanting to teach them a lesson," said Jan Phipps, manager of Gordy's Tiger Mart, which pushed for the unorthodox punishment.

Purnell, 18, who was caught on surveillance tape speeding away from the gas pump, walked along the convenience shop's grassy storefront as passing drivers honked horns and made catcalls.

Andrew Black, who stopped by on his lunch break, was critical of the punishment and converted an old beer poster into a sign protesting high gas prices.

"What is this, the Middle Ages?" said Black.

Purnell declined to comment.

Some passers-by considered the punishment to be a good deterrent.

"Embarrassment is the best way to deal with these things," Randy Jedlicka said.

My take? While stealing is a deplorable thing, is our society enlightened for using tactics of shame and humiliation to deter it?

WHAT TREE DID YOU FALL FROM?

This has probably been round the world at least three times via email,
(which is how I received it) but I still think it's kind of fun and interesting.

Find your birthday and then find your tree. This is really cool and
somewhat accurate, also in line with Celtic astrology.




Dec 23 to Jan 01 - Apple Tree
Jan 01 to Jan 11 - Fir Tree
Jan 12 to Jan 24 - Elm Tree
Jan 25 to Feb 03 - Cypress Tree
Feb 04 to Feb 08 - Poplar Tree
Feb 09 to Feb 18 - Cedar Tree
Feb 19 to Feb 28 - Pine Tree
Mar 01 to Mar 10 - Weeping Willow Tree
Mar 11 to Mar 20 - Lime Tree
Mar 21 (only) -Oak Tree
Mar 22 to Mar 31 - Hazelnut Tree
Apr 01 to Apr 10 - Rowan Tree
Apr 11 to Apr 20 - Maple Tree
Apr 21 to Apr 30 - Walnut Tree
May 01 to May 14 - Poplar Tree
May 15 to May 24 - Chestnut Tree
May 25 to Jun 03 - Ash Tree
Jun 04 to Jun 13 - Hornbeam Tree
Jun 14 to Jun 23 - Fig Tree
Jun 24 (only) - Birch Tree
Jun 25 to Jul 04 - Apple Tree
Jul 05 to Jul 14 - Fir Tree
Jul 15 to Jul 25 -Elm Tree
Jul 26 to Aug 04 - Cypress Tree
Aug 05 to Aug 13 - Poplar Tree
Aug 14 to Aug 23 - Cedar Tree
Aug 24 to Sep 02 - Pine Tree
Sep 03 to Sep 12 - Weeping Willow Tree
Sep 13 to Sep 22 - Lime Tree
Sep 23 (only) - Olive Tree
Sep 24 to Oct 03 - Hazelnut Tree
Oct 04 to Oct 13 - Rowan Tree
Oct 14 to Oct 23 - Maple Tree
Oct 24 to Nov 11 - Walnut Tree
Nov 12 to Nov 21 - Chestnut Tree
Nov 22 to Dec 01 - Ash Tree
Dec 02 to Dec 11 - Hornbeam Tree
Dec 12 to Dec 21 - Fig Tree
Dec 22 (only) - Beech Tree

YOUR TREE
( in alphabetical order)
Apple Tree (the Love) -- quiet and shy at times, lots of charm, appeal,
and attraction, pleasant attitude, flirtatious smile, adventurous,
sensitive, loyal in love, wants to love and be loved, faithful and tender partner,
very generous, many talents, loves children, needs affectionate
partner.

Ash Tree (the Ambition) -- extremely attractive, vivacious, impulsive,
demanding, does not care for criticism, ambitious, intelligent,
talented, likes to play with fate, can be very egotistic, reliable, restless
lover, sometimes money rules over the heart, demands attention, needs love and
much emotional support.

Beech Tree (the Creative) -- has good taste, concerned about its looks,
materialistic, good organization of life and career, economical, good
leader, takes no unnecessary risks, reasonable, splendid lifetime
companion, keen on keeping fit (diets, sports, etc.).

Birch Tree (the inspiration) -- vivacious, attractive, elegant,
friendly, unpretentious, modest, does not like anything in excess, abhors the
vulgar, loves life in nature and in calm, not very passionate, full of
imagination, little ambition, creates a calm and content atmosphere.

Cedar Tree (the Confidence) -- of rare strength, knows how to adapt,
likes unexpected presents, of good health, not in the least shy, tends to
look down on others, self-confident, a great speaker, determined, often
impatient, likes to impress others, has many talents, industrious,
healthy optimism, waits for the one true love, able to make quick decisions.

Chestnut Tree (the Honesty) -- of unusual stature, impressive,
well-developed sense of justice, fun to be around, a planner, born
diplomat, can be irritated easily, sensitive of others feelings, hard
worker, sometimes acts superior, feels not understood at times,
fiercely family oriented, very loyal in love, physically fit.

Cypress Tree (the Faithfulness) -- strong, muscular, adaptable, takes
what life has to give but doesn't necessarily like it, strives to be
content, optimistic, wants to be financially independent, wants love and
affection, hates loneliness, passionate lover which cannot be satisfied, faithful,
quick-tempered at times, can be unruly and careless, loves to gain
knowledge, needs to be needed.

Elm Tree (the Noble-mindedness) -- pleasant shape, tasteful clothes,
modest demands, tends not to forgive mistakes, cheerful, likes to lead
but not to obey, honest and faithful partner, likes making decisions for
others, noble-minded, generous, good sense of humor, practical.

Fig Tree (the Sensibility) -- very strong minded, a bit self-willed,
honest, loyal, independent, hates contradiction or arguments, loves life and
friends, enjoys children and animals, a social butterfly, great sense
of humor, likes idleness and laziness after long demanding hours at work,
has artistic talent and great intelligence.

Fir tree (the Mysterious) -- extraordinary taste, handles stress poorly,
loves anything beautiful, can become depressed at times, stubborn,
tends to care for those close to them as well as helping strangers, rather
modest, hard worker, talented, unselfish, few sexual relationships, many
friends, doesn't want foes, very reliable.

Hazelnut Tree (the Extraordinary) -- charming, sense of humor, very
demanding but can also be very understanding, knows how to make a lasting
impression, active fighter for social causes and politics, popular,
quite moody, sexually oriented, honest, a perfectionist, has a precise sense
of judgment and expects complete fairness.

Hornbeam Tree (the Good Taste) -- of cool beauty, cares for its looks
and condition, good taste, is not egoistic, makes life as comfortable as
possible, leads a reasonable and disciplined life, looks for kindness
and acknowledgment in an emotional partner, dreams of unusual lovers, is
seldom happy with its feelings, mistrusts most people, is never sure of its
decisions, very conscientious.

Lime Tree (the Doubt) - intelligent, hard working, accepts what life
dishes out, but not before trying to change bad circumstances into good ones,
hates fighting and stress, enjoys getaway vacations, may appear tough, but
is actually soft and relenting, always willing to make sacrifices for
family and friends, has many talents but not always enough time to
use them, can become a complainer, great leadership qualities, is jealous
at times but extremely loyal.

Maple Tree (Independence of Mind) -- no ordinary person, full of
imagination and originality, shy and reserved, ambitious, proud, self-confident,
hungers for new experiences, sometimes nervous, has many complexities,
good memory, learns easily, complicated love life, wants to impress.

Oak Tree (the Brave) -- robust nature, courageous, strong, unrelenting,
independent, sensible, does not like change, keeps its feet on the
ground, person of action.

Olive Tree (the Wisdom) -- loves sun, warmth and kind feelings,
reasonable, balanced, avoids aggression and violence, tolerant, cheerful, calm,
well-developed sense of justice, sensitive, empathetic, free of jealousy,
loves to read and the company of sophisticated people.

Pine Tree (the Peacemaker) -- loves agreeable company, craves peace and
harmony, loves to help others, active imagination, likes to write
poetry, not fashion conscious, great compassion, friendly to all, falls
strongly in love but will leave if betrayed or lied to, emotionally soft, low self
esteem, needs affection and reassurance.

Poplar Tree (the Uncertainty) -- looks very decorative, talented, not
very self-confident, extremely courageous if necessary, needs goodwill and
pleasant surroundings, very choosy, often lonely, great animosity,
great artistic nature, good organizer, tends to lean toward philosophy,
reliable in any situation, takes partnership seriously.

Rowan Tree (the Sensitivity) -- full of charm, cheerful, gifted without
egoism, likes to draw attention, loves life, motion, unrest, and even
complications, is both dependent and independent, good taste, artistic,
passionate, emotional, good company, does not forgive.

Walnut Tree (the Passion) -- unrelenting, strange and full of contrasts,
often egotistic, aggressive, noble, broad horizon, unexpected reactions,
spontaneous, unlimited ambition, no flexibility, difficult and uncommon
partner, not always liked but often admired, ingenious strategist, very
jealous and passionate, no compromise.

Weeping Willow (the Melancholy) -- likes to be stress free, loves family
life, full of hopes and dreams, attractive, very empathetic, loves
anything beautiful, musically inclined, loves to travel to exotic places,
restless, capricious, honest, can be influenced but is not easy to live with when
pressured, sometimes demanding, good intuition, suffers in love until
they find that one loyal, steadfast partner; loves to make others laugh.

I am a Fig Tree . . . yeah, that sounds about right. What are you??

R-rated joke; children, don't read this!

The Tight Skirt:

In a crowded Texas city at a busy bus stop, a beautiful young woman wearing a tight mini skirt was waiting for a bus. As the bus stopped and it was her turn to get on, she became aware that her skirt was too tight to allow her leg to come up to the height of the first step of the bus.



Slightly embarrassed and with a quick smile to the bus driver, she reached behind her to unzip her skirt a little, thinking that this would give her enough slack to raise her leg.

She tried to take the step, only to discover that she couldn't. So, a little more embarrassed, she once again reached behind her to unzip her skirt a little more, and for the second time attempted the step.

Once again, much to her chagrin, she could not raise her leg. With a little smile to the driver, she again reached behind to unzip a little more and again was unable to take the step.

About this time, a large Texan who was standing behind her picked her up easily by the waist and placed her gently on the step of the bus.

She went ballistic and turned to the would-be Samaritan and yelled, "How dare you touch my body! I don't even know who you are!"

The Texan smiled and drawled, "Well, ma'am, normally I would agree with you, but after you unzipped my fly three times, I kinda figured we was friends."

West Virginian woman is all stuck up!

From USA Today's Offbeat News:

When Joyce Stewart sits down to her daily cup of coffee, she likely won't attempt first aid on herself again.

On Monday morning, Stewart used 3M's liquid bandage to treat a crack on her heel and within minutes her foot was glued to the floor. It took three paramedics over an hour and a bottle of baby oil to free her.

Stewart, 59, of Martinsburg had positioned her left foot so that her heel was off of the floor and applied the liquid to the back of her foot. Without realizing, the liquid had run from the back to the ball of her foot before she placed her foot flat on the floor again.

Soon after, her grandson came in from and asked for pancakes. When Stewart tried to get up and move to the kitchen, she couldn't.

"I said, 'Oh my gosh, I'm stuck,'" Stewart said.

Stewart said that her relatives first thought she was joking. With a knife, she tried to loosen the linoleum's grasp on her foot. But after skin began to pull away and her foot started to bleed, Stewart said she realized it was no laughing matter.

She sought help from her daughter, who lives next door. When family members failed to solve the problem, they called 911.

Though the package states that the product runs easily and sets quickly while warning against getting the product on furniture, counters or clothes, it says nothing about warning against the gluing of body parts.

"They should have that on there," Stewart said.

Representatives from 3M have offered to pay for her medical expenses, Stewart said. She is expected to make a full recovery, but it may take her pride a bit longer to heal.

"I was embarrassed," she said. "I was still in my robe."

A company spokeswoman reached Wednesday morning in Minnesota did not have an immediate comment.

Watch out for those adhesives!

Be All You Can Be

From CNN's Offbeat News comes this story:

NEW YORK (Reuters) -- The U.S. Army has long lured recruits with the slogan "Be All You Can Be," but now soldiers and their families can receive plastic surgery, including breast enlargements, on the taxpayers' dime.

The New Yorker magazine reports in its July 26th edition that members of all four branches of the U.S. military can get face-lifts, breast enlargements, liposuction and nose jobs for free -- something the military says helps surgeons practice their skills.

"Anyone wearing a uniform is eligible," Dr. Bob Lyons, chief of plastic surgery at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio told the magazine, which said soldiers needed the approval of their commanding officers to get the time off.

Between 2000 and 2003, military doctors performed 496 breast enlargements and 1,361 liposuction surgeries on soldiers and their dependents, the magazine said.

The magazine quoted an Army spokeswoman as saying, "the surgeons have to have someone to practice on."

Practicing the piano is one thing. Practicing surgery is another!

All lit up!

From CNN's Offbeat News:

BLACKSVILLE, West Virginia (AP) -- A man smoking in a portable toilet lit up more than a cigarette.

The potty exploded Tuesday when a buildup of methane gas mixed with the lit cigarette, said a spokeswoman for Monongalia Emergency Medical Services.

The methane didn't "take too kindly" to the lit cigarette, she said.

Emergency workers said the man was not severely injured and drove himself to the hospital after the stinky, smoky mess.

Ouch!!!

Hand, Foot and Mouth

From the Detroit Free Press's tech columnist, Mike Wendland, comes this funny/odd story:

So there I was packed and ready to fly to Philadelphia today for a media briefing by Comcast.

Except I couldn't shake this weird fever I've been running since Sunday, trying to control with Advil and the like. There have been no other symptoms, just the fever.

I took my temperature around 9am and it was near 102.

I headed to the doctor on the way to the airport.

Then I headed home, where I now sit in a recliner updating this blog by wi-fi.

I had to cancel the trip because the doctor said I have something called hand, foot and mouth disease.

Don't laugh, though I will understand a snicker or two. Seems I caught it from one of my grandkids. It's mostly a kid disease but sometimes adults do get it. The doc said it was contagious and best if I cancel the trip.

The fever comes and goes with the drugs. When it comes, it knocks me out with aches and chills and fatigue. But when the drugs bring it down, like now, I feel tolerable, but tired.

I tried to cancel my airplane ticket. No dice. As the reservation clerk explained reading the fares and restrictions info from my ticket, the only way Northwest would let me out of it was if I died.

I'm not quite that bad.

But I would have infected the whole plane if I flew. Somehow, you'd think a doctor's note or something would convince the airline it was best for them that I didn't fly.

A new worry? . . . first, hoof-and-mouth, then mad-cow, now hand-foot-and-mouth disease? Yikes!

Fireworks over Lady Liberty

A fun site: Make your own fireworks here.

An early Happy Fourth of July, everybody!!!

Thanks to this site for the gorgeous photo.

Loose Moose

A suburban Boston town has a new resident.

A moose wandered into a Wellesley neighborhood, causing quite a buzz with local residents and causing police to slow traffic.

The commotion began around 5:30 p.m. on June 29, when residents say the moose was seen trotting through the tree-lined streets. Police established a perimeter in the neighborhood hoping the moose would not travel onto a main road, but the effort was foiled when the animal crossed the busy thoroughfare.

Environmental officials think the moose was a young animal that got separated from his mother and was looking for its own territory. The animal is now hiding out in a heavily wooded area.

From CBS News.

Holy Roller

An Indian holy man, popularly known as Ludkan Baba or the "rolling seer," has reached New Delhi on his rolling peace mission to neighboring Pakistan.

Baba is planning to roll all the way to Lahore, nearly 1,500 miles from his hometown of Ratlam in the central Madhya Pradesh state.

He said his mission was to prevent the death of innocent people in the disputed Kashmir region. Once in Lahore, Baba plans to meet Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to congratulate him on the ongoing peace process between India and Pakistan.

Ludkan Baba holds a world record for rolling the longest distance: in 1994 he rolled from Ratlam to the shrine of Vaishno Devi, a distance of 2,485 miles.

From CBS News.

from the Hindustan Times

I read it here. So can you.

Arctic newspapers struggle to survive with offbeat news

Of all the newspapers on all the islands in the world, Svalbardposten, the globe's northernmost broadsheet, can lay claim to the most offbeat front page news, ranging from polar bears on the rampage to serial shoe theft.

Given the hostile climate and the constant threat of bear attacks in this island group in the middle of the Arctic, newsmen go about their business by helicopter and snowmobile and usually carry a rifle as they hunt for news, which is never easy to come by.

"Svalbard is in the middle of nowhere," Torbjoern Pedersen, editor of Svalbardposten, said.

"We don't get press releases or news conferences, so we work only with primary sources. We always have to dig."
...
And of course everybody knows everybody else, which would make an ideal backdrop for an Agatha Christie murder mystery, but in fact, violent crime is very rare in this part of the world.

And yet, Svalbardposten, which is published on Friday, somehow manages to fill its 28 pages with things to write about, although the topics can be as obscure as the long winter months.

"Shoe theft tops the list of crime here," says Pedersen.

People here usually leave their footwear at the door when they come in from the cold "and when they party, it very easily happens that they leave with a different pair of shoes from the ones they came with," he explained.
...
After losing money for decades, Svalbardposten is in the black now, selling 3,330 issues every Friday, four times the number of households on Svalbard.

Sold for 15 kroner (just under two euros) at the newsstand, Svalbardposten also boasts subscribers on every continent.

Blaine's in, Ken's out

From USA Today, comes this heartbreaking story (*sob*):

It could be a summer fling. Or maybe it's the real thing. But five months after she broke up with longtime beau Ken, Barbie has found a new love.

In February, Barbie's people at Mattel said that after 43 years together, the couple felt they needed "quality time" apart. But Barbie wasted little time finding a new hookup.

With the help of more than 2 million visitors to barbie.com, the original California girl has found comfort in the manly, tanned arms of Blaine, a transplanted Aussie surfer who happens to be the brother of Barbie's friend Summer. He'll be in stores in July, selling for $14.99.

Ken could not be reached for comment.

Son of a . . .

From Jay Leno:

Former President Ronald Reagan’s son, Ron Reagan Jr., has attacked President Bush saying he made a terrible mistake in Iraq.

President Bush is furious – he said, "What does the son of a former president know about Iraq?”

Quote

"The hard part about being a bartender
is figuring out who is drunk and who is just stupid."

— Richard Braunstein

The scales

From Daily Humor at Refdesk:

"At the scale-manufacturers' convention, people often wanted to weigh themselves on different scales to see if they agreed. Some visitors abstained, however, not wishing to advertise their weight.

A smooth-talking representative coaxed a woman onto his scale by promising her that he would not look and that she could even cover the digital display so only she could see her weight.

She finally stood on the scale, whereupon a loud, mechanical voice from within the machine announced: "One hundred and sixty-three."

There's my nightmare in a joke; publicly announcing my weight. Eww-owwwwww!

Pot-flavored booze?

From CNN's Offbeat News, comes this interesting article:

PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AP) -- A large alcoholic drinks manufacturer here has launched a marijuana flavored liquor, the company said Friday.

The drink does not contain any tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) -- the active substance in marijuana -- but does have an alcohol level of 16 percent, Jiri Janak, the head of liquor production at Drinks Union, told The Associated Press.
"We produce it from hemp, but there's no THC in it," Janak said, adding he has received no complaints from anti-drug activists.

He said the flavored vodka is sold mostly in large supermarket chains and in some restaurants.

A 0.5-liter (1-pint) bottle sells for about 85 koruna ($3.20).

Wow!!

Swedish treat: Moose cheese

From CNN's Offbeat News:

STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) -- It's healthy and tasty, for those with expensive tastes.

Farmers in northern Sweden are milking moose and making cheese, which they sell for a lot of dough -- nearly $500 a pound. The buyers include upscale hotels and restaurants in Sweden.

Christer Johansson and his wife, Ulla, started their 59-acre dairy farm "Moose House" seven years ago in Bjursholm, 404 miles north of the capital, Stockholm. They claim it is the only moose dairy farm in Europe.

The Johanssons currently have 14 moose in the fields but only three -- "Gullan," "Haelga" and "Juna" -- can be milked.

The three cows, who stay outdoors all year, were abandoned calves found in the woods around Bjursholm and taken in by the Johansson family.

"Fortunately they know and love us, because they weigh about 500 kilograms (1,100 pounds). They see us almost as their own calves," Christer Johansson said.

The Johanssons were inspired by similar facilities in eastern Russia, although those produce only milk, he said.

The moose only produce milk between May and September, the time from when they calve to when they are in heat again, Christer Johansson said. It takes up to two hours to milk a moose and they each produce up to a gallon of milk a day.

"That's one of the reasons why the cheese is so expensive," he said.

The milk, which contains 12 percent fat and as much protein, is refrigerated and curdling is done three times per year, crating about 660 pounds of cheese a year. It is made in three varieties and can be sampled at the farm's restaurant.

"We hope later on to be able also to export more of the cheese, especially the somewhat sour feta-type, which is laid down in oil and easy to transport," he said.

The Johansson farm attracts about 25,000 visitors a year.

"I'll have a ham-and-moose-cheese on rye, please."

In 1974, it was easy to get skinny...

Why was it so easy to get skinny in the mid-70's? Because when you were on Weight Watchers, they offered you ideas like "Mackerelly" and "Rosy Perfection Salad" and "Caucasian Shashlik."

Cruise through the cards, if you dare. Just don't do it before lunch. Oh, and be sure to read the author's commentary on each card. It's quite hilarious.

A Very Short Story

The class was supposed to write a short story in as few words as possible for a college class and the instructions were that it had to discuss Religion, Sexuality and Mystery.

The only one who received an A+ wrote the following:

Good God, I'm pregnant, I wonder who did it?

Ugly

Again, from In Passing:

"It's ugly. Really ugly."
"Is there an 'F' in how ugly it is?"
--A girl and a guy at IKEA.

But, wait . . . IKEA has such cool stuff! What could be so ugly it needs an "F?"

Man arrested for assault with a taco

Also from Ananova, in a segment called "Strange Crimes:"

An Iowa man has been arrested for making an assault with a chalupa, or deep-fried taco.

The Des Moines Register says 24-year-old Christopher Lame threw the pancake at a Taco Bell worker Nancy Harrison after she refused to deal with his complaint about not being served the right food.

Harrison had reportedly refused to take the complaint seriously when Lame did not produce a receipt, and pointed out that the restaurant was closing.

She then turned away from him, but not before she was hit in the face by the chalupa.

Lame ran out of the restaurant, but Harrison followed him and took down his number plate.

"I've never had anything quite like that before," police detective Darren Cornwell told the newspaper.

I'm not surprised, are you? He was from Iowa, after all!

Woman marries a month after being stabbed by husband

From a segment of Ananova called "Rocky Relationships:"

A Warwickshire woman married a man just a month after he stabbed her for having pre-wedding jitters.

Katrina Grant, 36, needed 12 stitches and suffered a collapsed lung after being stabbed by her 22-year-old fiancee Luke in a drunken attack.

He was later given a suspended sentence, but while he was on bail the couple from Nuneaton got married.

She told the News of the World: "People think I'm crazy. They don't understand how I could marry Luke after what he did, but no one knows him like I do.

"I love him. He's worth a second chance. He'll never hurt me again."

Luke, who is now seeing a psychiatrist to control his jealous rages, said: "What I did was terrible."

Personally, I think she is crazy.

Drop 'Em, Cowboy!

From Ananova:

A passenger at Cologne airport stunned staff who asked him to remove his belt by taking off his trousers instead.

The 35-year-old was checking in for a flight to Munich when the security signal went off as he was searched.

Staff told him to remove his wide belt, which was covered in metal rivets.

At first the man refused but then airport police told him it was the only way they would allow him to fly.

He finally gave in but instead of taking off his belt, he stripped out of his trousers and put them through the x-ray machine.

He then walked through the security gate in only his underwear before getting back his trousers on the other side.

Airport security spokesman Guenter Ahr told the Express news the rules that led to the strip were necessary.

"You never know whether something is being hidden inside a belt and the rivets are only there to distract staff," he said.

Tutu funny

From CNN's Offbeat News:


Dave Brixey, wearing a pink tutu and tiara, seems a bit embarrassed as he holds up a sign at an intersection in Washington Township, near Dayton, Ohio, on June 11. Brixey lost a bet to his Springboro neighbor, Wil Bell, to see who could lose 20 pounds the fastest.

I think he looks great in pink; don't you?  

Are they Foster Grants?

This is Ali.

Ali poses in her sunglasses at the Ben Geren tennis courts as she watches her owner, Gail Faubus, teach tennis on June 16 in Fort Smith, Arkansas. 

Oh, we didn't miss it.

From In Passing, a funny website . . . this woman named Eve publishes funny things that she overhears people say . . . such as this:

"These tickets are 6 months old."
"But we didn't use them then. It's the same flight number, today."
"And you want to use these tickets today for a flight that you missed in November?"
"Oh, we didn't miss it. We decided not to go. We'll need the same seats for today, my knee is bad."
--An airline check-in agent, and a passenger, seemingly talking to each other, but not really hearing anything.

Yeah, that's the ticket! (groan)

Sweatiest U.S. city named

Offbeat News from CNN:

El Paso, Texas, with average summer temperatures above 93 degrees Fahrenheit and relative humidity over 70 percent, is the sweatiest city in the United States, a study released on Tuesday found.

Research scientist Tim Long calculated heat indexes and relative humidity levels to come up with his top 100 sweatiest cities in America list.

By Long's calculations, in just four hours, El Paso's residents produce enough sweat to fill an Olympic swimming pool, with individuals shedding more than 36 fluid ounces of perspiration an hour.

"The driving force is heat, but humidity is a key factor," said Long. "It can feel like 118 in El Paso but it's only 94."

No swimming in that Olympic-size pool for me!

from the late night pundits

from David Letterman:

"President Bush has promised Iraq, listen to this, I think this is important, he's going to establish elections there in Iraq, he's going to rebuild the infrastructure, he's going to create jobs. He said, if it works there, he'll try it here."

and from Jay Leno:

"President Bush's approval rating is now at an all time low. And in fact, it is now lower than Dick Cheney's pulse rate. That's how bad. That's not a good sign, not a good sign."

It's so funny . . . and it's so true!

Dubya and big words

This quote is from the press conference held in mid-March:

"His phrasing is weird, it's offbeat. He's not pausing at the commas. Hear that? Wait a minute... Dude, he's pausing at the big words."
--A girl watching Bush's press conference on the TV in the lobby of my hotel.

From In Passing.

Corn Palace

No pun intended? "I always tell people on my tours to keep an ear out for the corny jokes," said Magnuson, who has become a bit of a Corn Palace history buff.

From CNN's Travel News:

The Corn Palace, first established in 1892, towers over Main Avenue in Mitchell [South Dakota], its yellow and green onion-shaped domes and orange minarets shining in the sun. Corn cobs, grain and grasses form murals that cover its walls. Some of the inside walls also are covered with murals made of corn and grasses.

The Corn Palace attracts about 500,000 visitors a year.

"They're just always amazed at something so recognizable that's made out of corn," said Troy Magnuson, who has worked with the local chamber of commerce for 19 years.
The theme for the corn artwork changes each year.

A local artist designed a Lewis and Clark theme for the exterior walls for 2004. Silhouettes of Meriwether Lewis, William Clark and Sakajawea were created with different natural colors of corn.

"I've been here a lot and this is one of the best I've seen," said Carla Homan, a teacher from Kansas City, Missouri, who grew up in South Dakota. She had stopped in Mitchell on a concert tour with about 50 music students from the high school where she works.

"Everyone was like, 'You have to see the Corn Palace,"' said Karen Wollberg, a student on the trip.
...

IF YOU GO ...

Mitchell is located along Interstate 90 in South Dakota, about 75 miles west of Sioux Falls and 310 miles east of Mount Rushmore. To get to the Corn Palace, take exit 332 or exit 330 north and follow the signs. The Corn Palace is at 604 N. Main.

What about his poor guide dog?

From CNN's Offbeat News:

PEACHTREE CITY, Georgia (AP) -- A blind man was charged with reckless conduct after he drove a golf cart through the city with help from an inebriated friend, police said.

Samuel McClain, 35, drove two miles through winding streets -- also accompanied by his guide dog -- before running into a parked car, police said.

No one was hurt, but McClain and Michael Johnston, 47, were charged with reckless conduct "due to the blatant disregard for public safety," according to police reports.

The report said McClain drove the cart Saturday while Johnston gave directions after having six or seven beers.

Peachtree City, about 25 miles south of Atlanta, has about 80 miles of paved cart paths and 9,000 registered carts that residents use for daily errands.

How about lettin' the dog drive and make the man follow along behind the cart?

Watch the door!

From a recent church bulletin:

Weight Watchers will meet at 7 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use the large double door at the side entrance.

Way to affirm the eating-challenged!

Bald is a hair color in Montana

From the Associated Press:

HELENA, Mont. - Bald is a hair color in Montana. Montana's Web site lists "bald" as an option when applying online for a fishing license.

"It's always been there, but before when you applied for a license at a sporting goods store, the person filling out the license just checked the appropriate box," said Rich Olsen, general manager of the state's site, Discovering Montana.
You also can choose to declare your shiny pate on your driver's license.

"It's a newer option, along with other hair colors, such as sandy," said Patrick McJannet, manager of field operations for the state Motor Vehicle Division.

The Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks doesn't keep track of how many people admit to being folliclely challenged, said Neal Whitney, one of the agency's computer specialists.

Only in America.

Welcome to Bliggity Bloggity Blog

I'm not sure what I'm going to use this blog for yet, but I definitely like the name.*

And, while you're at it, check out my other blogs, Calypso Dragon 13 and her sister site, Calypso Dragon 13 Images, a.k.a. DragonPix.

In the meantime, thanks for visiting this newbie blog.

*With a nod to my dear sister, Ruth. She has had the little plastic fairy godmother characters sitting on her kitchen window sill forever, who do their magic to the Walt Disney song, "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo," from the movie, Cinderella.