Unicorn Dreams

VAMPIRES!!

2009-08-31T19:17:00.004-04:00

Long time no posting. I wonder if anyone has ventured by in my absense. To anyone who happens to venture through during my updating process welcome and I hope you stay around for a while. I am going to be updating and changing a few things with the blog so I hope everyone will just hold up with me until I get this think going in the directions that I have planned.

I have been drawn into an old love of mine...Vampires. I have always loved the myth and lore assoicated with these creatures. I have read just about everything I can get my hands on and have found those vampire stories, novels that I love, the classifications of novels that just sit well with me and then there are those which I do not care for. From vlad the impailer (Dracula) to the new breed of vampires seen in True Blood and Twilight I have enjoyed them all. In the beginning of my vampire experience I loved the horror side of the vampire. The creature of legend and myth that can transform into the mist, shape shift into any creature that it has at his call and that could seduce the most pure person into their realm of darkness.

I tired of that after a while and ventured away from the vampire scene. I went on to other types of novels then got drew back into the genre by Laurel K. Hamilton and her Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series which has venture many realms of the vampire and their lore and legend. I have also branched into the romance of the vampire with authors such as Michelle Rowan and her wonderful series including Stakes & Stilletos and Tall, Dark and Fangsome. I have also became involved in the Twilight series with millions of others around the world and just recently ventured into the world of Sookie and Bill in Trueblood.

I tried the Sookie series many years ago when the books were first released however I gave up the series after book 1 or 2. At that time they were just not my cup of literature tea. I am looking into getting into them now that I have seen the True blood series; however, I am considering just letting the series bring the characters to life.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

2008-12-27T17:17:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year to everyone out there reading this blog! I Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and enjoyed themselves. Hopefully I will be able to update my blog more regularly now and not lapse in it for oh about six months now. LOL

There has been so much going on lately that it's been kind of hard to focus on one thing but I think that I am going to have to say to heck with a lot of stuff that has been weighing on my mind recently and just the chips fall as they may anyway. I mean how much mental energy does one have to burn every day on the negative things that are effecting their lives? I know it's hard and going to be hard to focus on anything but anger at times and I know that there will be days when I fail horribly but at least trying is step in the right direction right....? LOL

Hopefully the new year will be as good for everyone as we hope. Have a great one guys.

Inuyasha Manga Ending.

2008-06-12T01:40:00.002-04:00

As someone who just recently got into this manga and anime relatively a year ago or so I was surprized to find out that this manga has been going on for over 11 years now. The story of Inuyasha, a half demon who lives in fudel Japan and Kagome, a human middle school girl aged 15 years who gets pulled into an old well on her families shrine.

The 28th issue of Shogakukan's Weekly Shonen Sunday magazine has confirmed that the next issue of the magazne will feature the final chapter of Rumiko Takahashi's Inuyasha time-traveling fantasy manga.

The Inuyasha manga consists of more than 54 volumes, and 558 magazine installments. Inuyasha will be Takahashi's longest regularly serialized work and next Wendsday will be the final installment of the manga ending after 11 years.

A Real Unicorn!

2008-06-12T01:28:00.002-04:00

According to a story on Yahoo.com a deer with a single horn in the center of its head has been seen in a nature preserve in Italy.

Gilberto Tozzi, the director of the Center of Natural Sciences in Prato said "This is fantasy becoming reality. The unicorn has always been a mythological animal." The 1-year-old Roe Deer has been named Unicorn and was born in captivity in the research center's park in the Tuscan town of Prato, near Florence.

Tozzi said such anomalies among deer may have inspired the myth of the unicorn. The unicorn, is described as a horse-like creature with magical healing powers, and has appeared in legends and stories throughout history, from ancient and medieval texts to the adventures of Harry Potter.

For more on this story visit http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080611/ap_on_fe_st/italy_unicorn.

Long Time No Blogg.

2008-05-26T23:54:00.002-04:00

It seems like forever since I've posted anything on here and believe me I've heard about it. It seems like it gets harder and harder to find the time to do those things we enjoy in life anymore. You work all day to make sure that the bills are paid, you have gas for the car (so that you can get back to work the rest of the week) and that all things are taken care of. At the end of the day you're so exhausted that you don't even feel like doing the things that you once enjoyed in life.

I always loved to write short stories, poetry and other things. I loved art. I drew and painted all the time. There were times that I would work for weeks on one canvas just trying to make it the best thing that I could. Now days it's like I don't have time for an artistic thought to enter my head at the end of the day little long try to sketch it out, ink it and then paint it. So I don't do much art. I fall asleep more than anything when trying to write.

Blogging was once a great thing that I try to do every day but now it's like everything else that I have loved. It's got to the point of having to make time in an endless aray of things to do to do those things which can give us the simple piece of sanity that we all used to have. Sometimes you just have to disconnect yourself from the crazy world of insanity that we live in and try to put in perspective the things around you those things which make you the happiest.

So here I am with a seemingly meaningless blog that probably makes no sense to anyone but me at this time but I hope you all understand at lest a little where I am coming from. I have not abandoned those things which always brought me pleasure, happiness and a sense of calm but they have however got placed on the back burner until times when I lose my mind and need a way to relax.

Reasons Why I Relay!

2008-03-08T02:25:00.001-05:00

Despite my four years of participating in the Relay for Lfe there is always the question of why I partcipate in the Relay every year. Well over the next week or so (you know how it gets sometimes) I'm going to be posting pictures and the purpose as to why I relay every year. This is the first reason why I relay. One of the best friends I could have ever asked God to have brought into my life. Christopher Newsome was one of my best friends and I always looked up to him.

It didn't mater if the group was hanging out on Saturdays playing Dungeons & Dragons or if our strange group of friends were stuck on the side of the road on the night of Junior Prom waiting for a car that functions since the one they had tore up, Chris always made all his friends feel welcome in his home, and never made any of us feel as though we didn't belong.
Chris had bone cancer and was misdiagnosed I don't know how many times before the cancer broke through the bone in his arm. It was a shock to all of us who loved him and hard to understand.

Chris was supposed to be the best man in my wedding but was unable to even attend the ceremony because of the cancer treatment. We lost a gret friend in April of 2005 andMay 2005 was my very first Relay for Life and I have had a team every year since. I guess it's my way of keeping the memories of those I love alive and a way of trying to help out.

Feng Shui MacDonald's

2008-02-27T08:07:00.005-05:00

Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese practice of positioning objects in harmony with five elements wood, fire, earth, water, metal in order to increase the flow of chi, or energy. Commonly used as a relaxation technique for many people. You may be wondering what this has to do with Happy Meals and Ronald McDonald...well, I'm not entirely sure but it has happened.

A McDonald's restaurant in California has become the first in the nation to undergo a Feng Shui makeover. The only familiar McDonald's object reportedly is the golden arches that every child recognizes. According to www.rawstory.com the resteraunt in California has "wood ceiling, silver-coated chairs, plus red accents throughout the dining area to symbolize fire and "good luck, laughter and prosperity...textured walls patterned after ocean waves symbolize "life and relaxation."

According to www.rawstroy.com , Mark Brownstein, one of three owners of the restaurant: "chose the feng shui makeover because the restaurant is located near a renowned Buddhist temple, which is considered good luck. The designs were meant to appeal to the area's growing Asian population, but were also done in a way that would help all customers tap their inner Zen."

For more on this check out this link: http://www.rawstory.com

Happy New Year!

2008-01-02T13:44:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year from my world to yours. I hope everyone has a great new year and hope we can all stick to our New Years Resoluations. Here's to a wonderful time and have a great time!

Inmate suing the Utah Department of Corrections claiming they were denying him his right to practice an ancient Nordic religion while in jail.

2007-12-23T00:42:00.000-05:00

According to a story on http://www.news.yahoo.com/ an inmate serving time for aggravated assault and robbery is suing the Utah Department of Corrections saying that he is being denied of religious items which are required for him to practice the ancient Nordic religion of Asatru.

According to the article: "he has been a member of the Asatru faith since 2005, and in order to properly practice it he needs items including: a Thor's Hammer, a prayer cloth, a Mead Horn used for drinking Wassail, a drum made of wood and boar skin, a rune staff and a sword.

Trial delayed due to the LSU-Ohio State Game.

2007-12-23T00:25:00.000-05:00

According to a news story on www.news.yahoo.com a state judge has agreed to postpone a trial which was originally scheduled to begin on the same day LSU plays Ohio State in the BCS national championship game.

Attorney for the Defendant as well as the Plaintiff's Attorney in the case had tickets to the games and reached an agreement according to the news story regarding the delaying of the trial pending the Judge's acceptance of the Motion filed on behalf of the Defense.

Attorney for the Defendant states as follows in his written request for a new trial date: "All counsel to this matter unequivocally agree that the presence of LSU in the aforementioned contest of pigskin skill unquestionably constitutes good grounds therefor," Babcock wrote. "In fact we have been unable through much imagination and hypothetical scenarios to think of a better reason."

West Baton Rouge Parish District Judge Alvin Batiste, agreed to postpone the trial but he didn't immediately set a new date for the trial to take place.

He Wants Heat, She Was Packing Heat!

2007-12-19T13:08:00.001-05:00

In Washington Township, Michigan Joseph Grucz a 65 year old man and his 61 year old wife Cheryl Grucz were having an argument regarding the heat of their home. He had asked his wife to turn up the heat in their home and she in turn pull out a gun and shot thier flat-screen TV.

According to the Detroit Free Press Cheryl Grucz fired a shot while her husband was hiding his head in a pillow. The shot strck their plasma TV after which Cheryl Grucz went upstairs. Mrs. Grucz picked up the other telephone extention and was telling the 911 operator her side of the story as well as arguing with her husband while on the telephone.

Cheryl Grucz was charged with assault with the intent to do great bodily harm. That charge alone could carry a charge of 10 years in prison. She also faces a felony firearms charge; however, Mrs. Grucz was freed on $50,000 bond and a preliminary examination January 15, 2008.

For more on this one go to www.news.yahoo.com

Administrative Law Judge Sides with Man Who Was Fired for Posting Dilbert Comic Strip

2007-12-19T12:55:00.000-05:00

According to the news story on www.news.yahoo.com David Steward of Des Moines, Iowa was fired from his job at the Catfish Bend Casino in Burlington after posting a comic strip on the office bulletin board from the Dilbert Comic series.

Mr. Steward was fired from his position with the Casino as a result of mangement finding the comic to be "very offensive" and as a result he petitioned for unemployment benefits which were denied by his former employer and resulted in the lawsuit presided over by the Honorable Administrative Law Judge Lynette Donner.

According to the news article the exchange in the comic was as follows:

"Why does it seem as if most of the decisions in my workplace are made by drunken lemurs?"
"Decisions are made by people who have time, not people who have talent."
"Why are talented people so busy?"
"They're fixing the problems made by people who have time."

Hon. Donner ruled that posting the comic did not represent intentional misbehavior but however did represent "a good-faith error in judgment."

For more on this article chek out www.news.yahoo.com

Recall of Metromint water sold online

2007-12-06T07:58:00.000-05:00

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Soma Beverage Company issued a voluntary recall Wednesday of its mint-flavored water because of possible contamination after an isolated case of Bacillus cereus contamination was found in a water sample that was bottled a year ago at a Southern California plant.

Bacillus cereus contamination as stated in the article "can cause food poisoning, with symptoms including nausea and diarrhea."

"The recall involves water with a "Best before 2006/12/21" date printed on the shoulder of the bottle and the lettering "KSA" in a rectangle located on the lower-right corner of the back panel of the label."

According to the article the bottled water that is in question was only sold over the internet. For more on this story go to: http://www.sfgate.com

Modern Toilet Diner

2007-12-02T21:16:00.000-05:00

Yes that is Ice-cream shaped like feces served in miniature toliets. This is the strangest thing that I have seen in a while however not the first time that I have heard of this place.

It's at a resteraunt called Modern Toliet Diner which is located in the Shilin district in Taipei. All 100 seats in the diner are toilet bowls, not chairs. This is one of 12 resteraunts in an island-wide chain with a toilet theme. For more on these type of resteraunts check out Freekboi's Blog post regarding the resteraunts and the food. His post can be found at the following link:

http://freekboi.blogspot.com/2005/05/eat-here.html

Thanksgiving Humor

2007-11-20T22:06:00.001-05:00

Here's a little holiday Thanksgiving humor for you all out there in cyber land. I couldn't pass this picture up. Seeing as how many a holiday with the family may leave you feeling like you need prozac to help you through the forced conversation and the fake smiles.

Not every holiday can be a happy one but at least we can try to make the best of the situations if a best of the situation presents itself for enjoyment. There are holidays where you just want to sit and say ok why are we all here anyway. I mean seriously we can't get along wouldn't it be better if we were miles away from one another at this very moment??? LOL I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving and enjoy the family and friends that drop by to eat your food and clutter your house....I mean drop by for polite conversation and a nice meal.

Art, Stories, Reading and Relaxng

2007-11-13T23:40:00.000-05:00

You every notice how time seems to fly by when you are doing something that you enjoy and when you are doing things that don't interest you as much the day just drags by? There are so many things in my life that I used to enjoy doing and I would still enjoy doing them if only I had the time to sit back and relax to do them.

I have loved art since I was old enough to hold a crayon. My father taught me to draw at a young age and I will always share my love of art and drawing with him. That will be a memory I will always treasure throughout my life and art is a great way for me to relax. However, it seems as though I just do not have the time to take out a canvas and paint. I have loved to write poetry and short stories all my life. I am an artist and a writer before anything. Sometimes my writting influences my art and vice versa.

I haven't had a lot of time between work and getting ready to move to do the things that I enjoy but with the coming holiday of Thanksgiving and the short but well needed vacation time for the holiday I am looking forward to kicking back for an hour or two with a good book, sitting down with just my imagination, a pencil and a notebook or blank canvas and getting back to what makes life worth living. You have to enjoy the simple things in life no matter how rare the moment are that you get to enjoy them. Hopefuly I'll be able to do this in the next week and hopefully I'll be in a better frame of mind once I get to relax and enjoy my time to myself and my family.

I hope everyone has a great holiday and I hope you all find time to relax and enjoy yourself over the holiday.

Anime Weekend in Atlanta, GA

2007-10-05T07:30:00.000-04:00

Animie Weekend In Atlanta, GA
People cosplay as Inuyasha, Sesshomaru and Kikyou.

Hello all! How is everyone of you doing today. It's been a while again hasn't it. With work and general stuff going on I barely have time to get on here but that should be changing because I have plenty of topics to go through to keep you entertained for a while at lest.

I have a great pen pal who lives in Georgia and he was telling me about this Anime Con that happens down there every year. It's Anime Weekend in Atlanta. Now I have never been to Atlanta, GA but I have been through Georgia on my way to Florida. It's a beautiful state. Here is the link for this years AWA site http://www.awa-con.com/index.php?page=information Now being the big fan of Anime that I have become I found this to be very interesting and love the idea of cosplay and seeing all the different anime that we haven't got into around her as of yet.

I am seriously considering going to the AWA next year and it sounds like so much fun. There are videos on you tube of the AWA if any of you are interested in seeing what it looked like this year. Well that's all for my update today I'll have more coming soon so keep watching this blog for more random stuff! Have a good weekend.

Long Time No Bloggy!!

2007-08-07T10:22:00.001-04:00

Well it seems life has a way of stepping in the way of even simple blogging. I have been so busy that I have neglected my blogs and for that I do appologize. LOL I hope you all will forgive me for my laziness in updating but things have been so hectic first with our Relay in May then we had so much going on in June and July and with work and catching up with family and friends things have got a little hectic.

However, now that I'm back in my sanity (yeah right I know that was a funny one) I'll try to keep this thing updated more regularly.

Hope everyone has a great day.

WWE wrestler Benoit murder / suicide

2007-06-27T09:11:00.000-04:00

It seems the facts of this situation are getting more and more bizare as new information is discovered and released to the public involving the death of WWE wrestler Chris Benoit, his wife Nancy (Woman) and their 7 year old son Daniel.

www.cnn.com is reporting that only two days before the bodies of the three family members were found in their home Benoit told told co-workers his wife and son had food poisoning and then Benoit called other co-workers and claimed to have missed a flight to a scheduled WWE show in Texas on Saturday. It is believed that his wife Nancy and possibly their son Daniel was already dead by this time. The same co-worker claimed Benoit said "I love you," during the conversation which was completely out of context.

Police are saying that Benoit placed Bibles beside the bodies of his wife and child after he killed them and spent at least one (1) day in the home with the bodies before hanging himself from one of his weight machines in his work out room at the home. There was no suicide note found in the home or anywhere else but there were text messages sent to co-workers from Benoit's cell phone on Sunday. Most of the text message sent from Benoit's cell phone to his co-workers included his address and one said "The dogs are in the enclosed pool area. Garage side door is open." It is apprent that he wanted the bodies of him and his family discovered fairly soon after his own death.

WWE held a 3 hour tribute to the career of Chris Benoit Monday night after canceling their regular edition of Monday Night RAW. However, Benoit had been traded to the ECW brand during last weeks roster draft. The mood was completely different for the ECW show after more information was learned about Benoit's involvment in the death of his family. Aside from an introduction to the show by chairman Vince McMahon, who appeared less sympathetic for Benoit than before, there was no mention of Chris Benoit or what had happened over the weekend. There were no tributes or dedicated matches or anything of the sort and the mood of the night was less somber than the show on Monday had been.

Update on WWE Star Chris Benoit's death

2007-06-26T14:31:00.000-04:00

In an update to my earlier post today regarding the murder / suicide involving World Wrestling Entertainment star Chris Benoit, it has been released that Benoit was indeed the killer of his wife Nancy and his 7 year old son Daniel.

Police are saying that Benoit strangled his wife to death and smothered his son to death over the weekend before hanging himself in the weight room of his home Monday. Police are investigating if steroids could have played a factor in the actions of Chris Benoit over the weekend but are not saying much more than that.

For more on this strange story go to:
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/W/WRESTLER_DEAD?SITE=OKTUL&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

WWE Superstar Chris Benoit Found Dead

2007-06-26T09:02:00.000-04:00

As a fan of professional wrestling for the vast majority of my life I find it kind of unsettling watching the wrestlers that I grew up cheering and booing passing on at such young ages. Over the years the likes of Owen Hart, "Flyin'" Brian Pillman, Curt Henning and others have passed away in the professional wrestling world leaving behind great matches and a legend that will one day will be an inspiration to others who desire the business as they once did.

Over the weekend there was yet another unexpected death in the world of professional wrestling. Current World Wrestling Entertainment superstar Chris Benoit was found dead in his home Monday along with his wife Nancy and their 7 year old son Daniel. Benoit was scheduled to participate in the pay-per-view Vengence on Sunday night; however, he left the show 40 minutes into it claiming he had to return home for personal reasons and was expected to return in time for his title match. However, he did not return and was found dead the next day.

The police department is now investigating the scene as a murder-suicide. It is believed that Benoit killed his wife and son over the weekend and then killed himself on Monday after sending "strange" text messages to friends. What could make a man snap in such a fashion as to return home and kill his wife and child before killing himself the following day? After watching Benoit for many years in the professional wrestling business it kind of amazes me to find this information out. I went back and forth in my like and dislike for his character in the wrestling world but the character they portray and the person they are are sometimes rarely similar. For the last few years I have not been a fan of Benoit's character in the ring; however, that does not change the fact that he was a person who was giving his all in the ring and was a very sound technical wrestler, something that you don't see much of in the professional wrestling business anymore.

One has to wonder what it was that sent him over the edge if in fact the scinario that the police department released is accurate. There is nothing 100% known yet. The autopsies on the family are scheduled for latter today and hopefully then more will be known.

For more on this on going story go here:
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/W/WRESTLER_DEAD?SITE=PASUN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

"Thomas and Friends" railway toys recalled

2007-06-14T21:19:00.000-04:00

Joining the likes of Peter Pan Peanut Butter, various pet foods and now a brand of toothpaste is the children's toy Thomas and Friends. According to Yahoo.com news: More than 1 million of the popular "Thomas & Friends" wooden railway toys made in China are being voluntarily recalled because some may contain lead paint, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said on Wednesday.

About 1.5 million wooden vehicles, buildings and other train-set parts for young children are being recalled, the CPSC said in a statement. The toys were sold in the United States from January 2005 through June 2007, the statement said. The recall of toys made in China follows a series of health scandals in the United States involving food, drugs and other products imported from China, from poisoned cough syrup to tainted toothpaste and pet food.

"Consumers should take the recalled toys away from young children immediately and contact RC2 Corp. for a replacement toy," the CPSC said.

For more on this story please go to: http://news.yahoo.com/

Colgate warns of fake toothpaste in U.S.

2007-06-14T21:12:00.000-04:00

In the wake of the large Pet Food Recall in recent months and the peanut butter recall a few month prior there is yet another product on the American market that could pose potentially harmful effects to those who may use it. According to Yahoo.com news section: Colgate-Palmolive Co. on Thursday warned counterfeit "Colgate" toothpaste that may contain a toxic chemical had been found in discount stores in four U.S. states.

Colgate-Palmolive said it does not use, nor has ever used, diethylene glycol as an ingredient in its toothpaste anywhere in the world. The chemical, also known as DEG and sometimes illegally used as an inexpensive sweetener and thickening agent, is commonly found in solvents and antifreeze.

The counterfeit toothpaste is labeled as being manufactured in South Africa but Colgate-Palmolive said it does not import toothpaste to the United States from South Africa. The packaging also contains several misspellings.

For more on this story visit http://news.yahoo.com

Company recalls 129,000 pounds of beef

2007-05-17T15:10:00.000-04:00

According to various news websites including yahoo, AP, and others, a meat company in Kalamazoo, Mich. is recalling the beef due to ecoli contamination. Davis Creek Meats and Seafood were the manufacturers of the product for Gordon Food Service stores.

Products which were made between April 30th and May 1st were shipped to the following states: Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

The items in question are boxes of mechanically tenderized steaks and ground beef of different weights and each has the label "Est. 1947A" on it.

For more on this go here: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/BEEF_RECALL?SITE=NCKIN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

India must resist China pressure on tiger ban

2007-05-16T09:38:00.000-04:00

Ok, anyone who has been reading my blog for some time now knows that I adore Tigers. My favorite of which is the white tigers and it really saddens me to think that there are truely a limited number of these awesome creatures left in this world. I for one have been lucky enough to have been able to see one of these creatures in person (at a zoo mind you but in person none the less) and their beauty and power is simply amazing to behold. I would love to see the numbers in these creatures incrase as opposed to decrease. Anyway, enough of my ranting here is the story from www.news.yahoo.com :

India must not support a Chinese campaign to lift a ban on trading tiger parts as any relaxation could wipe out the endangered cats, conservation group WWF-India said on Wednesday. The call came a day after a Chinese delegation met Indian officials seeking support to lift the ban, imposed in 1993 on the sale of tiger bones in China for use in traditional medicines as well as skins. "At a time when the tiger is already facing threats like habitat loss and poaching, China's move to lift the ban will only compound the problem further," Sujoy Banerjee from WWF-India's Species Conservation Programme told a news conference.

"The Indian government should take a strong stance on this issue in the interest of tiger conservation in India, which has the world's largest population of tigers in the wild." "Breeding a tiger costs $1,500 per year, but poaching a tiger costs just $40. If the trade becomes legal, which is more profitable -- poaching or breeding?" said wildlife biologist A.J.T. Johnsingh.

For more go to www.yahoo.com news section.

Man charged with stealing $250,000 worth of Skittles

2007-05-16T09:34:00.000-04:00

Now I like these candies as much as the next person but this is a little extreme. Here's the report from www.cnn.com :

A man caught removing tires from a truck has been charged with stealing the tractor-trailer containing $250,000 worth of Skittles, police said.

Seven pallets of the 28 in the truck are still missing, authorities said. Alan Chavez, 22, has been charged with first-degree felony theft. It was unclear Monday whether he had a lawyer.

Chavez said he had paid someone else $500 for the truck's rims and tires, police said. The truck has an estimated value of $85,000, and the trailer's value is $30,000.

For more on this story go to: www.cnn.com

Most-wanted part of $2M estate: the dog

2007-05-08T09:02:00.000-04:00

In Memphis, Tenn. A man who didn't have a will left a $2 million estate, but the most hotly contested item in court has been his golden retriever, Alex. The four-way dispute over the 13-year-old pet was so intense, an attorney was appointed to represent the dog's interest. On Monday, the judge decided the man's divorced parents should split custody, The Commercial Appeal reported.

"At first glance, the petition seems almost frivolous, but after speaking with all parties, it is evident that this is a highly emotional issue for all involved," said Alex's attorney, Paul Royal, in his report to the probate court. Ron Callan Jr., 35, committed suicide on New Year's Day. He had been a partner with his father in Callan Salvage & Appraisal Co., and the father was named the estate's administrator.

In the consent order the judge approved, the elder Callan and his ex-wife, Esther Snow Gnall, will trade custody of Alex every two weeks. Both parents also agreed to take the dog to the veterinarian for arthritis treatments and any other needed procedures. Before the agreement was reached, the elder Callan had custody and took Alex to work during the day. The father has cats at home, though, so at night, the dog stayed with Callan Jr.'s former girlfriend, who had known Alex since he was a puppy. The son's fiancee also was interested in Alex, and Gnall had said if she won custody, she would allow the fiancee to spend time with the dog.

Royal, the dog's attorney, said he believes all four people love Alex and would take good care of him, but they were using the fight for the dog to punish each other for past transgressions.
"This case is similar to a bitter custody battle involving children where each party loves the children, but the kids are stuck between two people who cannot coexist," the attorney said in his report.

For more on this story go to http://news.yahoo.com/

Lilly gets U.S. approval for Prozac for pooches

2007-04-28T03:42:00.000-04:00

As someone who has two CRAZY poodles who suffer from separation anxiety time to time when left alone at the house when I have to leave them there, this article that I found on could very well be a blessing. However, I doubt that even my precious poodles would take to the treatment. I'm often reminded of Happy Bunny when I look at my two little poodles. "Cute But Psycho...Things Even Out!"

Man's best friend may have a new best friend after Eli Lilly and Co. won U.S. approval to sell its former blockbuster antidepressant Prozac to treat misbehaving mutts. The drug, repackaged into a chewable, beef-flavoured tablet to be called Reconcile, was officially approved by the Food And Drug Administration for the treatment of separation anxiety in dogs in conjunction with behaviour modification training.

"Lilly research shows that 10.7 million, or up to 17 percent of U.S. dogs suffer from separation anxiety," Steve Connell, manager of technical, academic and consumer services for companion animal health at Lilly, said in a statement. Canine separation anxiety can occur when dogs are left alone and manifests itself in a range of undesirable behaviours, such as destruction, excess barking, eating disorders or urinating or defecating in the house. The drug, known chemically as fluoxetine hydrochloride, can minimise a pet's distress from being left alone.

For more on this please visit
http://www.reuters.com/article/health-SP/idUSN2538704320070426

Grandma finds condom in McDonald's bag

2007-04-28T03:26:00.000-04:00

A grandmother was alarmed to find a condom in a happy meal gift pack bought for her 7-year-old granddaughter at a McDonald's restaurant in New Zealand, local media reported Thursday.

The condom was discovered Tuesday night in a bag that came with Maia Whitaker's meal, which her grandparents bought at a McDonald's outlet in the city of Wellington. Grandpa Rowan Hutch told The Dominion Post newspaper it was lucky his wife was first to look inside the small sports bag that came with the meal. She was aghast when she found the green condom and its packet inside the bag, he said.

"I was pretty horrified really. The fact my granddaughter was going to look in the bag and find this thing. It would be difficult to explain, she's only seven," said Hutch. The outlet quickly swapped the happy meal for a hamburger and pencil case. McDonald's is investigating the find.
Spokeswoman Joanna Redfern-Hardisty said because of its popularity, the previous happy meal gift had sold out at the outlet and prepackaged sports bags were substituted as children's gifts.
One was left unsealed for display purposes and "somehow" had ended up with the customer, she said, without explaining why the condom was present.

http://news.yahoo.com

Fruity cocktails count as health food, study finds

2007-04-23T00:57:00.000-04:00

A fruity cocktail may not only be fun to drink but may count as health food, U.S. and Thai researchers said on Thursday.

Adding ethanol -- the type of alcohol found in rum, vodka, tequila and other spirits -- boosted the antioxidant nutrients in strawberries and blackberries, the researchers found.
Any colored fruit might be made even more healthful with the addition of a splash of alcohol, they report in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.

Berries, for instance, contain compounds known as polyphenols and anthocyanins. People who eat more of these fruits and vegetables have a documented lower risk of cancer, heart disease and some neurological diseases. The study did not address whether adding a little cocktail umbrella enhanced the effects.
www.yahoo.com news section.

Man brings donkey to testify in court

2007-04-23T00:53:00.000-04:00

Faced with complaints that his donkey was too loud, attorney Gregory Shamoun decided to bring his case directly to the court: He had the donkey testify.

Buddy the donkey appeared in court Wednesday. He walked to the bench and stared at the jury, the picture of a gentle, well-mannered creature and not the loud, aggressive animal he had been accused of being.

Shamoun was in a dispute with oilman John Cantrell, who had complained to the city about a storage shed Shamoun was building in his backyard in Dallas. Cantrell said Shamoun retaliated by bringing the donkey from his ranch and putting him in the backyard.
Cantrell complained of donkey noise and manure piles.

"They bray a lot any time day or night. You never know when they're going to cut loose," he testified.

Despite the donkey's appearance, neither jurors or Buddy had the last say — the neighbors settled their dispute while jurors deliberated.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/offbeat/2007-04-19-court-donkey_N.htm?csp=34

Pocky

2007-04-02T03:32:00.000-04:00

Ok, so I have become adicted to a new candy that I have found. Now I'm not one to get hooked on a candy in this way but this stuff is really good. It's Pocky and is basicly a biscuit stick coated with some sort of flavoring. I have only seen the chocolate and the strawberry but according to wikipedia there are many many more flavors that I must find.

Here's the link to wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pocky#In_manga_and_anime and there you can find all the info on this sweet temptation. I know I'll definately be looking for other flavors. At the moment the only places that I can find this stuff is on the shelves at Wal-mart usually in the asile where the pasta and the Raman noodles are found, and in a local comic store that may possibly have different flavors of the things. Oh well, I'm off to find more pocky! I hope everyone has a great day.

Girl kicked off plane for coughing

2007-03-30T14:56:00.000-04:00

Now this is just a little extreme don't you think? I mean we have all had fits of uncontrollable coughing and things. Talk about going just a little over board. Oh well that seems to be the norm in the world today.

Rachel Collier was removed from the Continental Airlines plane as it was about to leave Newark, N.J., for Honolulu earlier this week. She had fallen asleep after boarding the plane with about three dozen classmates and woke up coughing and gasping for breath as it was about to take off.

The flight attendants gave her water, and a doctor on the flight said she would be OK to make the 10-hour flight. But the captain returned the aircraft to the gate to drop off the girl and one of her teachers. Rachel said she started crying when the captain told her to leave. She and the teacher finally made it home the next day.

Teacher Maile Kawamura, a chaperone for the spring break trip to New York and Washington, D.C., said she was shocked. The two didn't know what to do or where to stay, she said. They finally found accommodations in New York and bought clothes and toiletries.

Continental said in a statement that Collier was coughing "uncontrollably" on the plane Tuesday and that "the captain felt he was acting in the best interest of the passenger and other passengers on the flight."

More on Pet Food Recall

2007-03-26T14:31:00.000-04:00

There has been a lot of stuff in the news regarding the recent pet food recalls. I have two poodles and feed them Pedigree dog food so I was hoping that it wasn't listed on the recall so you can imagine my relief when it WAS NOT there. Here is a link to Pedigree's website wher they talk about the safety of their product.

http://www.pedigree.com/petfoodrecall.asp

Hope this helps some out there who have furry members of their family.

Rat poison found in tainted pet food

2007-03-23T13:29:00.000-04:00

Tests turned up rat poison in the pet food suspected of causing kidney failure in dogs and cats across the country and killing at least 16, state officials and scientists announced Friday.

The toxin was identified as aminopterin, which is used to kill rats in some countries, state Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker said. Aminopterin is not registered for killing rodents in the United States, though it is used as a cancer drug.

The pet deaths led to a recall of 60 million cans and pouches of pet food produced by Menu Foods and sold throughout North America under 95 brand names. There have been several reports of kidney failure in pets that ate the recalled brands, and the company has confirmed the deaths of 15 cats and one dog.

Menu Foods last week recalled "cuts and gravy" style dog and cat food. The recall sparked concern among pet owners across North America. It includes food sold under store brands carried by Wal-Mart, Kroger, Safeway and other large retailers, as well as private labels such as Iams, Nutro and Eukanuba. A list of the recalled pet food can be found at: http://www.menufoods.com/recall/

I have two dogs myself and find this type of thing very disturbing. I view my puppies as members of my family and hope this stupid thing gets straightened out quickly so that I don't have to worry about the type of food my puppies are getting. Thankfully Pedigree and Mighty Dog brand dog foods in the can are NOT included in the recall. HOWEVER: the Mighty Dog Pouches have been added to the recall list. For more on the story go to Yahoo.com news.

Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World's End

2007-03-20T18:16:00.000-04:00

The trailer for Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World's End is now up at the official website at http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/pirates/atworldsend/ . Enjoy. I can't wait to see the movie. It's going to be quite interesting. The movie comes out May 25th.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2007-03-17T14:02:00.000-04:00

Here's the Irish Unicorn wishing you the best St. Patrick's Day!!!!

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Indiana Man Tries to Cash Check From God

2007-03-01T14:33:00.000-05:00

HOBART, Ind. - Kevin Russell found out it's not easy trying to cash a check from God. The 21-year-old man was arrested Monday after he tried to cash a check for $50,000 at the Chase Bank in Hobart that was signed "King Savior, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Servant," Hobart police Detective Jeff White said.

Russell was charged with one count attempted check fraud and one count intimidation, both felonies, and one count resisting law enforcement, a misdemeanor. He could face prison time.
Police were called to the bank after Russell tried to cash the check, which was written on an invalid Bank One check with no imprint, White said. Russell had several other checks with him that were signed the same way but made out in different dollar amounts, including one for $100,000.

Russell struggled with police as they tried to detain him, White said, and then threatened police as they transported him to the Hobart Police Department. "I've heard about God giving out eternal life, but this is the first time I've heard of him giving out cash," White said. No court date has been set for Russell. He was being held Wednesday at the Lake County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

For more go to http://news.yahoo.com/

Ohio wants special car plates for sex offenders

2007-02-28T15:13:00.000-05:00

CINCINNATI (Reuters) - Lawmakers in Ohio said on Wednesday they want to force convicted sex offenders to use a fluorescent-green licence plate on their cars so they can be easily identified.

A Republican and a Democrat in the state legislature in Columbus have joined forces to propose the law, which echoes measures in several U.S. states that require convicted drunken drivers to use a yellow, pink or red plate on their cars. "The fluorescent-green licence plate will make the most egregious sex offenders easily identifiable," state Democratic Rep. Michael DeBose said in a statement. Police said the green plates would allow them to track sex offenders, who are already required to register with the local sheriff's office and are prohibited from living within 1,000 feet (300 metres) of a school.

"It will give Ohio families a great peace of mind knowing that their children will be able to recognise where this danger exists," Summit County Sheriff Drew Alexander said.
Alexander joined the politicians at a news conference in Columbus, the state capital, to praise the proposed law. Opponents of the proposed law argue the use of a special plate would stigmatise everyone who shared the offender's car -- including their spouse or children.
The proposed law will be debated in committee before a decision is made whether to put the proposal to a vote.

New Star Trek Movie in 2008

2007-02-28T14:42:00.000-05:00

Captain's log: December 25, 2008.

Paramount Pictures has set a Christmas Day 2008 release date for the 11th "Star Trek" feature, to be filmed by "Mission: Impossible III" director J.J. Abrams. Shooting will begin in the fall, Paramount said Tuesday.

The screenplay, from "M:I 3" scribes Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, is said to follow James T. Kirk and Mr. Spock during their Starfleet Academy years and into their first space mission.
The previous film in the series, the 2002 box office bomb, "Star Trek: Nemesis," was directed by Stuart Baird

For more go to http://www.reuters.com/article/filmNews/idUSN2625638120070227

Salmonella Outbreak Linked To Peanut Butter

2007-02-15T22:14:00.000-05:00

Government scientists struggled Thursday to pinpoint the source of the first U.S. salmonella outbreak linked to peanut butter, the kid favorite packed into millions of lunchboxes every day.

Nearly 300 people in 39 states have fallen ill since August, and federal health investigators said they strongly suspect Peter Pan peanut butter and certain batches of Wal-Mart's Great Value house brand — both manufactured by ConAgra Foods Inc.
Shoppers across the country were warned to throw out jars with a product code on the lid beginning with "2111," which denotes the plant where it was made.

How the dangerous germ got into the peanut butter was a mystery. But because peanuts are usually heated to high, germ-killing temperatures during the manufacturing process, government and industry officials said the contamination may have been caused by dirty jars or equipment. "We think we have very strong evidence that this was the brand of peanut butter. Now it goes to the next step of going to the place where the peanut butter was made and focusing in on the testing," said Dr. Mike Lynch, an epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The suspect peanut butter was produced by ConAgra at its only peanut butter plant, in Sylvester, Ga., federal investigators said. ConAgra said it is not clear how many jars are affected by the recall. But the plant is the sole producer of the nationally distributed Peter Pan brand, and the recall covers all peanut butter — smooth and chunky alike — produced by the plant from May 2006 until now. "We're talking a lot of jars of peanut butter," said Dr. David Acheson, chief medical officer of the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.

FDA inspectors visited the now shut-down plant Wednesday and Thursday to try to pinpoint where the contamination could have happened. The FDA last inspected the plant in 2005. Testing was also being done on at least some the salmonella victims' peanut butter jars, but investigators said some may have already been discarded. The highest number of cases were reported in New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Tennessee and Missouri. About 20 percent of all the ill were hospitalized, and there were no deaths, the CDC said.

About 85 percent of the infected people said they ate peanut butter, and about a quarter of them ate it at least once a day, the CDC's Lynch said. It was the only food that most of the patients had all recently eaten. Salmonella sickens about 40,000 people a year in the U.S. and kills about 600. It can cause diarrhea, fever, dehydration, abdominal pain and vomiting.
But most cases of salmonella poisoning are caused by undercooked eggs and chicken. The only known salmonella outbreak in peanut butter — in Australia during the mid-1990s — was blamed on unsanitary plant conditions.

ConAgra spokesman Chris Kircher said the company randomly tests 60 to 80 jars of peanut butter that come off its Sylvester plant's line each day for salmonella and other germs, and "we've had no positive hits on that going back for years." But he said the plant was shut down as a precaution for further investigation. "We're trying to understand what else we need to do or should be doing," Kircher said. An estimated 974 million pounds of peanut butter are sold each year in the U.S., and peanut butter and jelly is the most popular sandwich among children. Peter Pan is one of the nation's top three brands, though well behind market leader Jif. Great Value peanut butter is also produced by some other manufacturers for Wal-Mart.

In a measure of peanut butter's popularity, ConAgra's hot line was swamped with so many calls after the recall was announced on Wednesday that many people got a busy signal. School officials in Houston confiscated students' sandwiches from home and replaced them with those made at schools. And in Georgia, a lawmaker representing one of the nation's biggest peanut-producing areas warned colleagues to throw out jars of peanut butter that he recently handed out.
The outbreak was detected by the CDC and state health agencies when they noticed spikes in the cases of people sickened by an unusual type of salmonella, starting in August. Once peanut butter emerged as a link, the CDC notified the FDA.

Salmonella commonly originates in the feces of birds and animals, and could be introduced at a multitude of stages in the peanut butter-making process. But many safeguards are in place.
While rodents and birds commonly get into peanut storage bins, germs are killed when raw peanuts are roasted. When making peanut butter, the nuts are again heated — above the salmonella-killing temperature of 165 degrees — as they are ground into a paste and mixed with other ingredients before being squirted into jars and quickly sealed. "The heating process is sufficient to kill salmonella, should it be present," said Mike Doyle, director of the University of Georgia's Center for Food Safety, in the state that produces nearly half of the nation's peanuts.
Experts say the point in the process where salmonella could be introduced and survive would be as the product cools down, is placed in the jars and then sealed. At most plants, those steps take just minutes.

But "there is quite a lot that happens after that heat step ... before it's put in jars. So there's definitely an opportunity for contamination after the roasting," the FDA's Acheson said.
Acheson speculated a small, on-again, off-again source of contamination caused the outbreak, which would explain the relatively small number of illness. That "will make finding it in peanut butter difficult. But that's not going to stop us from looking," he said.

Other states reporting cases are Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and West Virginia.

The strain in this outbreak, Salmonella serotype Tennessee, is comparatively rare, as is salmonella contamination of peanut products, said Caroline Smith DeWaal, director of food safety at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. It may have taken a long time to identify peanut butter as the source because "it's just not one of the first things you'd suspect," Smith DeWaal said.
________________________________________________________
To get a refund, consumers should send lids and their names and addresses to ConAgra Foods, P.O. Box 57078, Irvine, CA 92619-7078. For more information, call (866) 344-6970.

For more on this go to Yahoo.com news section.

Cross-dressing lawyer hangs up his dress

2007-02-15T09:24:00.000-05:00

A male lawyer who appeared in court dressed in women's clothes as a protest against what he said was New Zealand's overly-masculine judiciary was suspended Wednesday after being found to be in contempt of court.

The High Court found Rob Moodie, a 68-year-old, balding man who appeared in court in dresses and toting a handbag, was in contempt for circulating suppressed documents outside the court in one of his cases.

Moodie officially changed his name to "Miss Alice" as part of his protest against the "old boys network" that he said runs the nation's judiciary, and was granted an award for the most bizarre conduct by a lawyer in 2006 by London's The Times newspaper.

The protest began after a coroner's inquest largely blamed a farming couple for the collapse of a bridge on their property built by the army. Moodie obtained documents apportioning much of the blame for the collapse to faulty wood used by New Zealand Defense Force engineers, and posted the report on the Internet despite a judge's order it not be distributed.

The High Court on Wednesday found Moodie guilty of contempt of court, suspended him for three months, fined him and ordered him to pay costs. Moodie announced after the ruling he would quit the law altogether, and end his cross-dressing protest because he no longer needed to appear "in a 19th-century Alice in Wonderland environment that allows pomp, self-importance and deference to the court to eclipse the truth."

For more go to Yahoo.com news section.

Happy Valentine's Day

2007-02-14T01:33:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's DAy to everyone out there who visits the blog. I hope everyone has a great day.

Dead pets give birth to diamond ring

2007-02-12T20:08:00.000-05:00

According to Yahoo.com news section: Sue Rogers will never be without her dead dogs and cat after having a diamond ring made from their ashes.

Rogers, from Devon paid 3,200 pounds for the ring made from carbon extracted from the ashes of Lucky, an old English sheepdog, a golden retriever cross called Sam and a tom cat, Patch, a newspaper said Saturday. "I am delighted with my ring as it means I can have my pets with me at all times," Rogers told the Daily Mail newspaper.

"My animals meant the world to me and even though they are gone they are still with me. It's a beautiful ring and such a brilliant idea."Rogers, 44, had previously kept the ashes of her pets on her mantelpiece until she learnt of LifeGem UK, which makes diamonds from the remains of humans and pets.

A small amount of carbon from each set of ashes was heated at temperatures of 3,000 degrees Celsius to help make a rough diamond.The stone was then polished and certified before being set in a gold band.

For more go to www.yahoo.com and check their news section.

Rare white tiger triplets born at Argentine zoo

2007-02-09T13:33:00.000-05:00

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Three rare white tiger cubs delighted visitors at the Buenos Aires zoo on Thursday, tumbling in the grass of their enclosure in their first public appearance since being born late last year.

Zookeepers said the birth of the blue-eyed Bengal tiger triplets represented an important contribution to saving the animals from extinction.

"There are only about 250, not even 300, animals of this variety in captivity, so every birth in the Buenos Aires zoo contributes to saving this type of Bengal tiger," chief veterinarian Miguel Rivolta told Reuters Television.

Rivolta said the zoo's breeding record showed the tigers had exactly the right environment and diet, which includes 10 kg (22 pounds) of mutton twice a week as well as fresh poultry meat.
White tiger mother Bety gave birth to the cubs, two females and one male, on December 23 but Thursday was the first time zoo visitors were able to see them.

White tigers are a genetic variation of the better-known orange Bengal tigers.

Between 5,000-7,000 tigers live in the wild, down from 100,000 at the start of the 20th-century. Poaching, deforestation and over-hunting of their natural prey have hit their numbers.
"There's a big party every time there's a birthday at the zoo," Rivolta said. "It's a step forward for the conservation project."

For more on this go to http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/tigers_argentina_dc

Aqua Teen Hunger Force Character Triggers Boston Bomb Scare

2007-02-01T03:12:00.000-05:00

Authorities have arrested two men in connection with electronic light boards depicting a middle-finger-waving moon man that triggered repeated bomb scares around Boston on Wednesday and prompted the closure of bridges and a stretch of the Charles River. Meanwhile, police and prosecutors vented their anger at Turner Broadcasting Inc., the parent company of CNN, which said the battery-operated light boards were aimed at promoting the late-night Adult Swim cartoon "Aqua Teen Hunger Force."

Boston officials condemned Turner for not taking proper steps to end the bomb scares earlier and for not issuing an adequate apology to the city.

Turner Broadcasting said in written statements the devices had been placed around Boston and nine other cities in recent weeks as part of a guerrilla marketing campaign to promote the show.
"We apologize to the citizens of Boston that part of a marketing campaign was mistaken for a public danger," Phil Kent, CEO and chairman of Turner Broadcasting System Inc., said in one of two statements issued by the company.

"As soon as we realized that an element of the campaign was being mistaken for something potentially dangerous, appropriate law enforcement officials were notified and through federal law enforcement channels, we identified the specific locations of the advertisements in all 10 cities in which they are posted. We also directed the third-party marketing firm who posted the advertisements to take them down immediately."

For more on the story visit here:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/01/31/boston.bombscare/index.html

Egypt fumes over fresh seven wonders competition for pyramids

2007-01-25T15:36:00.000-05:00

CAIRO (AFP) - Egypt is fuming over a competition to choose the world's "new seven wonders," deriding it as a marketing stunt that demeans the pyramids of Giza, the only surviving ancient wonder.

"They are the only one of the seven wonders of the ancient world that still exists, it's ridiculous, they don't need to be put to a vote," Egypt's antiquities supremo Zahi Hawass was quoted as saying in local newspapers.

Culture Minister Faruq Hosni echoed the complaint, describing the project as "absurd" and its creator, Swiss-Canadian filmmaker Bernard Weber, as a man "concerned primarily with self-promotion".

The seven wonders of the ancient world were the pyramids, the hanging gardens of Babylon, the temple of Artemis at Ephesus, the statue of Zeus at Olympia, the Colossus of Rhodes, the Mausoleum of Maussollos at Halicarnassus and the lighthouse of Alexandria. Among the 21 sites short-listed for the new competition are Petra in Jordan, the Eiffel Tower, the Acropolis in Athens, the Statue of Liberty, the Taj Mahal, the Sydney Opera House and the Great Wall of China.

"I had thought of excluding the pyramids from the competition, but Internet voters would have included them in their selections anyway," said Weber, who argued Egypt "should have pounced on the opportunity."

The New 7 Wonders of the World will be announced during the Official Declaration ceremony in Lisbon, Portugal on Saturday, July 7, 2007 - 07.07.07.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070125/wl_mideast_afp/egyptarchaeology

Shot Duck Survives 2 days in Refrigerator

2007-01-25T04:56:00.000-05:00

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Neither gunfire nor two days in a refrigerator could slay this duck. When the wife of the hunter who shot it opened the refrigerator door, the duck lifted its head, giving her a scare. The man’s wife “was going to check on the refrigerator because it hadn’t been working right and when she opened the door, it looked up at her,” said Laina Whipple, a receptionist at Killearn Animal Hospital.

“She freaked out and told the daughter to take it to the hospital right then and there.” The 1-pound female ringneck ended up at Goose Creek Wildlife Sanctuary, where it has been treated since Tuesday for wounds to its wing and leg. Sanctuary veterinarian David Hale said it has about a 75 percent chance of survival, but probably won’t ever be well enough to be released back into the wild.

He said the duck, which has a low metabolism, could have survived in a big enough refrigerator, especially if the door was opened and closed several times. And he said he understands how the hunter thought the duck was dead. “This duck is very passive,” Hale said. “It’s not like trying to pick up a Muscovy at Lake Ella, where you put your life in your hands.”

Found at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16725051/

Strange Laws in Maryland

2007-01-23T02:54:00.000-05:00

Here are a few strange laws that are listed as still being on the books in Maryland. Enjoy.

* Thistles may not grow in one's yard.
* It's illegal to throw bales of hay from a second-story window within the city limits of Baltimore
* It's illegal to take a lion to the movies in Baltimore
* It is a park rule violation to be in a public park with a sleeveless shirt in Baltimore
* You may not curse inside the city limits of Baltimore
* Columbia: You can not have a antenna exposed outside of your house yet you can have a 25' satellite dish. Though clotheslines are banned, clothes may be draped over a fence.
* Eating while swimming in the ocean is prohibited.• In Baltimore it is illegal to mistreat oysters.
* In Baltimore, it is illegal to wash or scrub sinks no matter how dirty they get.• In Halethrope, Maryland kisses longer than one second are illegal.
* In Maryland, it is illegal to sell condoms from vending machines with one exception: prophylactics may be dispensed from a vending machine only "in places where alcoholic beverages are sold for consumption on the premises."

I hope you all are enjoying my strange laws from various states that are posted here at least once a week.

Dracula's castle is for sale

2007-01-10T14:06:00.000-05:00

As a lover of vampire novels and the idea of vampires I find this news story from Yahoo.com interesting.

BUCHAREST, Romania - The Habsburg family said Wednesday that it wanted to sell a Transylvanian castle famous for its connections to the 15th century medieval ruler who inspired "Dracula" for 60 million euros, or $78 million, to the local authorities, an attorney said.

The local council says it is interested in buying Bran Castle, but a government minister criticized the price tag, calling it too expensive.

Dominic Habsburg, the owner, insisted the family had honorable intentions.

"We are trying to find the best way to preserve the castle in the interest of the family and the people of Bran," Habsburg said in a statement made available exclusively to The Associated Press.

The castle was returned to Habsburg, a New York architect, on May 26, decades after it was confiscated by the communists from Habsburg's mother, Princess Ileana, in 1948, the year the royals were forced to leave the country.

After the restitution, concerns were raised that the family could sell castle to a hotel chain and that the site could end up being the centerpiece of a Dracula theme park that would blight the surrounding, pristine countryside.

The castle, perched high on a rock and surrounded by snowcapped mountains in southern Transylvania, is one of Romania's top tourist attractions and is visited by 400,000 people each year.

Faced with the enormous expense of the castle's upkeep, Habsburg said he wanted to place the property in the hands of the local council with an eye toward ensuring its historic character is preserved.

"The family has the country and the people in their heart. We are grateful for the restitution as a moral act to amend injustice," the statement from Habsburg said.

But he added, "The way of life cannot be returned and the restitution has come with financial sacrifice. ... We would like Castle Bran to remain a symbol of everything that is honorable and good in Romania."

The community of Bran, where the fortress was built in the 14th century to help stave off invasion, gave it to Ileana's mother, Queen Marie, in 1920 to thank her for her efforts in unifying the country. It was briefly associated with Prince "Vlad the Impaler," whose cruelty inspired novelist Bram Stoker's creation, the vampire Count Dracula. History says he spent one night there.

In 1938, Ileana inherited the castle, which is located some 105 miles north of Bucharest.

In recent years, the castle — complete with occasional glimpses of bats floating around its ramparts in the twilight — has attracted movie makers as a backdrop for films about Dracula and other spooky themes.

For more on this story go here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070110/ap_on_fe_st/dracula_castle

Funny Picture

2007-01-07T01:45:00.001-05:00

With the price of gas I'm sure there have been quite a few drive off cars at the gas stations. Now I'm not saying these people drove off without paying for their gas but one has to question wheather they got more than they barganed for after their fill up. Can you imagine driving down the street and seeing this in front of you? LOL I would freak out. Hope you enjoy your day and thank you for stopping my Unicorn Dreams.

Bet the Judge Didn't See This One Coming

2007-01-05T01:23:00.000-05:00

While surfing the net I found this recount of what appears to be the best defense attorny in the state of this happening and also of the all to literal criminal.

According to www.dumb.com:

A lawyer defending a man accused of burglary tried this creative defense: "My client merely inserted his arm into the window and removed a few trifling articles. His arm is not himself, and I fail to see how you can punish the whole individual for an offense committed by his limb." "Well put," the judge replied. "Using your logic, I sentence the defendant's arm to one year's imprisonment. He can accompany it or not, as he chooses." The defendant smiled. With his lawyer's assistance he detached his artificial limb, laid it on the bench, and walked out.

Apparently the attorney, knowing of his clients atrificial limb worded the defense purposly and the judge, not knowing of the defendants artificial limb is possibly wishing he would have chosen better wording.

Crazy Laws in Alaska

2007-01-04T03:18:00.000-05:00

Here are a few strange laws that are still on the books in Alaska. I think I will start this as a weekly blog entry on here so keep checking back to see what state I pick out next. Let me know if you find any funny or strange laws that I might have missed over the internet. Give me ideas on what state to pick next.

Strange Alaska Laws

A law in Fairbanks does not allow moose to have sex on city streets.

Fairbanks: It is considered an offense to feed alcoholic beverages to a moose.

It is illegal to whisper in someone's ear while they are moose hunting.

It is considered an offense to push a live moose out of a moving airplane.

Kangaroos are not allowed in barber shops at any time.

Moose may not be viewed from an airplane.

State policy states that emergencies are held to a minimum and rarely found to exist.

Persons may not allow "attractive nuisances" to exist.

There you have this weeks Crazy Laws. Check back to see what state is next. Post your ideas and comments.

A New Year, A New Outlook

2007-01-02T00:41:00.000-05:00

Everyone always talks about how much better they hope the new year will be but do we ever really put as much effort toward making things better in our lives or have we bought into the myth that New Year's Resolutions are made to be broken?

This year is going to be a great one I hope. I have changed a lot within the last year and there have been bad influences in my life that I have done away with. I believe the new year is about letting go of the things that have drug us down and helped us to destroy ourselves.

There are things in this life that force us into unhappiness--wheather they be family memebers, or other issues that have passed into and out of our lives--but by dealing with those things which make us unhappy we better ourselves and therefore we grow personally and as a member of society and we can therefore keep those New Year's Resolutions of happiness and personal acomplishments.

Good luck to all those out there who have made New Year's Resolutions and I hope you find all the happiness in the coming year that you desire.

Colorado woman selling snow on eBay

2007-01-02T00:32:00.000-05:00

According to a Yahoo.com news story Jim and Mary Walker of Colorado are attempting to sale snow from the blizards that have hit that area over the last two weeks and they are using eBay to do it.

They are encouraging people to not chose a shipping method but rather to stop by their home if the person is the lucky winner bidder of their auction and pick up their purchased snow in a dump truck.

"I figured eBay has ghosts and all sorts of weird stuff, so why not snow?" said Mary Walker. "We just wanted to just give some folks a laugh," she said.

For more on the story check Yahoo.com news at http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070101/ap_on_fe_st/selling_snow_3

Happy New Year

2006-12-31T18:47:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone has a great New year and a safe and happy New Years Eve!

Merry Christmas Wishes

2006-12-23T20:26:00.000-05:00

To everyone Merry Christmas and best wishes for happy times with family and friends. To all those who are unable to be with your family or friends during this time of year keep them close in your memories and prayers. I hope everyone gets what they want this Christmas and I wish everyone the best. I hope things are going good for all those who are venturing to other homes this year and please do be careful on the roads and give yourself some extra time to get where you are going.

Stupid Laws

2006-12-21T00:47:00.000-05:00

Ok, as a Paralegal major I find it amusing to sit and look at all the stupid and dumb laws that are still on the books in the states now. It seems that they people that handle the listing of these things would wake up and realize that they don't really apply anymore. Anyway here are a few from the Kentucky area:

***Throwing eggs at a public speaker could result in up to one year in prison.

***One may not dye a duckling blue and offer it for sale unless more than six are for sale at once.

***It is illegal to fish with a bow and arrow in Kentucky.

***Dogs may not molest cars.

***A woman may not buy a hat without her husband's permission.

***By law, anyone who has been drinking is "sober" until he or she "cannot hold onto the ground".

***It is illegal in Kentucky to marry the same man more than 3 times.

***It's illegal to fish in the Ohio River in Kentucky without an Indiana Fishing License.

***No person shall sell, exchange, offer to sell or exchange, display or possess living baby chicks, ducklings, or other fowl or rabbits which have been dyed or colored; nor dye or color any baby chicks, ducklings or other fowl or rabbits; nor sell, exchange, offer to sell or exchange or to give away baby chicks, ducklings or other fowl or rabbits, under two months of age in any quantity less than six, except that any rabbit weighing three pounds or more may be sold at an age of six weeks. Any person who violates this section shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $500.

So what do you think about the crazy laws that are still on the books in Kentucky? LOL Personally I find them to be quite amusing to think about. Especially when you read the one about the dogs and the cars and the blue ducks. I mean seriously was this ever an issue in the old days?

Funny

2006-12-20T01:39:00.000-05:00

Now this picture is what I call being prepared. Why don't most public bathrooms look like that??? I guess that would make it way to easy to actually find a bathroom stall that had toilet paper in it!!! What are the chances that you will actually be able to find one with a full roll and not the little residue left over after the person before you has used the majority of the roll to cover the seat. Oh good grief that's what they make the little seat covers for people. LOL Just ranting. This would be a great idea I am sure.

What is Your Wrestling Name?

2006-12-19T02:32:00.000-05:00

Here is a fun quiz to take.

Your Wrestler Name Is...

Velvet Chainsaw

What's" Your Wrestler Name?

Wal-Mart Headaches

2006-12-18T23:52:00.000-05:00

Alright, today was a very agrivating day and the more I deal with the people working at my local Wal-Mart Photo Center the more I come to respect the intelligence of the average MONKEY!! Now no offence to those employees of Wal-Mart that actually have common sence. I mean my husband worked there for 2 years and he's still soemthing resembling normal. Come on honey you know it's true....

Anyway, I sent my Christmas picture over the internet to the one hour developing studio and then waited 2 HOURS just to give them a little extra time because I understand it is the Holidays an things can be clogged. So I get there and wait in line for 15 MINUTES while the 2 employes stand around in the back of the developing station and talk to one another. When they finally realize there is a large pill up of people one of them comes over and I give her my name and the number of pictures I had. She brings me one of the packets of pictures which was supposed to contain wallet size and 4x6 size pictures. I opened them to make sure they were mine and realized that they had screwed up almost all of the pictures I had.

The wallets were cut so that my puppy's head was cut off and my head was cut in half. The 5x7 I had sent over was cut wrong and they didn't even print out the 8x10 that I ordered. I mentioned to the woman that was there that my pictures were wrong and that I hadn't got the 8x10 that I ordered. She said that they had to many regular pictures to print out to load the 8x10 paper and then she got all mad when I told her that I was not paying for the pictures because they were done wrong. She started telling me that I was responsible for the way the pictures turned out because I didn't fix the pictures before I sent them to the photo place. How STUPID!!!! Like it was my responsibility to do her work. She then said she had no idea when my 8x10 would be done. 1 Hour developing my butt.

Sometimes I just want to scream. There were others that canceled their entire order because of her attitude. Some people!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday Freekboi

2006-12-18T00:33:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Freekboi!!!! Bet you never thought I would post about your birthday did you. HA HA got you this year. Hope you like the Birthday Penguin.

High School Never Ends

2006-12-18T00:08:00.000-05:00

You ever realize that the crazy things we had to deal with in high school never end? Well I hadn't thought about it until I heard the new song from Bowling for Soup. The popular people, the jocks and the nerds. Seems like you always have to deal with the same things you did back in school. Read the lyrics and see how much they relate to the lives that we are living after high school and how they relate to the lives we lived while in high school.

High School Never Ends
Four years you think for sure
That's all you've got to endure
All the total dicks
All the stuck up chicks
So superficial, so immature
Then when you graduate
You take a look around and you say
HEY WAIT
This is the same as where I just came from
I thought it was over
Aw that's just great

The whole damn world is just as obsessed
With who's the best dressed and who's having sex, Who's got the money, who gets the honeys,
Who's kinda cute and who's just a mess
And you still don't have the right look
And you don't have the right friends
Nothing changes but the faces, the names, and the trends
High school never ends

Check out the popular kids
You'll never guess what Jessica did
How did Mary Kate lose all that weight
And Katie had a baby so I guess Tom's straight
And the only thing that mattersIs climbing up that social ladder
Still care about your hair and the car you drive
Doesn't matter if you're sixteen or thirty-five
Reese Witherspoon,She's the prom queen
Bill Gates,Captain of the chess team
Jack Black, the clown
Brad Pitt, the quarterback
I've seen it all beforeI want my money back

The whole damn world is just as obsessed
With who's the best dressed and who's having sex,
Who's in the clubs and who's on the drugs,
Who's throwing up before they digest
And you still don't have the right look
And you don't have the right friends
And you're still listen to the same shit you did back then
High school never endsHigh school never ends

The whole damn world is just as obsessed
With who's the best dressed and who's having sex,Who's got the money, who gets the honeys,
Who's kinda cute and who's just a mess
And I still don't have the right look
And I still have the same three friends
And I'm pretty much the same as I was back then
High school never endsHigh school never ends
High school never endsHere we go again

7 Leg Deer in Wisconsin

2006-12-13T22:11:00.000-05:00

According to a new story on Yahoo.com a man in FOND DU LAC, Wisconsin ran over a Deer in his driveway that had 7 legs and both female and male reproductive organs.

Rick Lisko hunts deer with a bow but got his most unusual one driving his truck down his mile-long driveway. The young buck had nub antlers — and seven legs. Lisko said it also had both male and female reproductive organs. "It was definitely a freak of nature," Lisko said. "I guess it's a real rarity."

He said he slowed down as the buck and two does ran across the driveway Nov. 22, but the buck ran under the truck and got hit.
When he looked at the animal, he noticed three- to four-inch appendages growing from the rear legs. Later, he found a smaller appendage growing from one of the front legs.
"It's a pretty weird deer," he said, describing the extra legs as resembling "crab pinchers."
"It kind of gives you the creeps when you look at it," he said, but he thought he saw the appendages moving, as if they were functional, before the deer was hit.
Warden Doug Bilgo of the state Department of Natural Resources came to Lisko's property near Mud Lake in the town of Osceola to tag the deer.

"I have never seen anything like that in all the years that I've been working as a game warden and being a hunter myself," Bilgo said. "It wasn't anything grotesque or ugly or anything. It was just unusual that it would have those little appendages growing out like that."
Bilgo took photos and sent information on the animal to DNR wildlife managers.
John Hoffman of Eden Meat Market skinned the deer for Lisko, who wasn't going to waste the venison from the animal.

"And by the way, I did eat it," Lisko said. "It was tasty."

Camel crashes Irish Party

2006-12-12T22:55:00.000-05:00

DUBLIN - Staff at an Irish riding school were forced to postpone festivities after Gus the camel chomped his way through 200 mince pies and several cans of Guinness intended for their Christmas party.

Gus, starring in the riding school’s Santa’s Magical Animal Kingdom show, helped himself to the feast while staff were getting changed for the party.
“Gus found his way out of his pen and helped himself,” Robert Fagan, owner of the Mullingar Equestrian Centre in central Ireland, told Reuters.

More of the story can be found here http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16072761/

Man Impersonates A Cop....To Go Bowling

2006-12-12T04:04:00.000-05:00

Now I enjoy bowling as the next person but this is taking it to the extreme just a little. LOL

A man in Savannah, Georgia went to jail over the weekend for impersonating a police officer in order to get onto a military base. He wanted to get onto the base in order to go to their bowling alley. The man's drivers license was cracked in half and when he showed them to the requesting military officer they requested another form of identification.

That is when the man showed them the police officer's badge. Wanting to confirm the man's identity the military officer phoned the police department who informed him that the man was not a police officer and also that his license were suspended for a failure to pay child support.

According to the man, he found the officer's badge at a work site.

This just Seems Strange

2006-12-11T12:57:00.000-05:00

Coming soon to a supermarket near you a stirrer that will take the caffeine out of your coffee. Ok, seriously now....if I wanted to drink Decaf Coffee I think I would just buy Decaf Coffee and not go through the expense of buying regular coffee and then buying the stirrers to take the caffeine out of my coffee.

However, the new stirrer by The DeCaf Company pulls the caffeine out of regular coffee, allegedly without ruining the flavor of the coffee. The stirer is said to have a spcial coating that attracts the caffeine and then binds them to the stirrer. The stirrer is said to collect as much as 70% of the caffeine in the coffee. This is projected to be in supermarkets sometime next year in the coffee aisle.

On one hand you allegedly get the taste of regular coffee without the caffeine, but on the other hand it's not known how expensive this product will be when it does hit the market.

Adjustable Hot Sauce

2006-12-10T22:30:00.000-05:00

Now, thanks to Dave's Gourmet Adjustable Heat Hot Sauce this new type of hot sauce adapts to everyone's tastes. Hot, mild it doesn't matter. The cap adjusts to set the spiciness by blending two sauces to match the spice level you want.

Available in supermarkets and online at www.amazon.com. The price for this hot sauce would be $18l72 for a 3-pack. The Adjustable Sauce has been featured on The Today Show and in Time Magazine. It was also a winner of Best New Product and packaging award.

Funny Sign

2006-12-08T13:23:00.000-05:00

I love funny signs so when I find one out there I just have to share it. As a law student I found this one to be quite funny. I never was a fan of the Ernest movies so that doesn't make it funny but the last name is what really got me laughing. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do. LOL

First Good Snow of the Winter

2006-12-08T13:19:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was the first good snow of the Winter season here. Although it wasn't much it was kind of interesting to see my puppys reactions to the snow. One of my dogs has seen snow before and played in it but my other one is only 4 months old and he has never seen snow until yesterday so that was kind of interest. I can't wait until the next snow when I can let them play in the snow. LOL Eventhough it means that I will have to bath them immediately afterwards. Here's hoping everyone is having a great time and have fun.

Eggs That Tell You When They're Done

2006-12-02T02:10:00.000-05:00

A British egg manufacturer has developed what they call "smart Eggs" which have a heat sensitive ink on the shell of the egg.

The ink is invisible until the egg is boiled to the prefrence of the purchaser. The eggs will come in 3 varieties – Soft, medium and hard-boiled. Those who purchase these eggs would need to buy the type they want beforehand; otherwise, they will be dissapointed when the eggs do not turn out as planned.

Once the ink appears on the shell of the egg that is the indcator that the egg is fully boiled. Each variety of the eggs will come in their own separate carton. These eggs are projected to be available next year in the dairy section nationwide supermarkets, but who knows if we will ever see this or if it will be a product that falls by the wayside.

Anita Blake Vampire Hunter Comics

2006-12-01T11:45:00.000-05:00

I usually don't do book reviews or the such but this deserves to be blogged about. I absolutely love the Laurell K. Hamilton series Anita Blake Vampire Hunter so when the comic was announced I was excited to see how the book was going to turn into a visual comic.

The art is amazing and the characters look great in the comic. I have the first 2 issues of the comic and can't wait for the next on slated to be released in December and then the 4th issue will be released in January. If you are a fan of Laurell K. Hamilton or even of Anita Blake or even if you are looking for a good comic read with vampires, ware animals or the like then check out the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter Comic Series.

Strange

2006-12-01T02:39:00.000-05:00

Now I'm not the biggest Chinese food fan in the world--except for the occassional Kung Pao and Chinese donuts-- but this funny sign captured my attention one day while I was surfing the web and I thought it would be a funny addition to the blog.

I love finding funny signs and sharing them with others. Just ask Freekboi at Freekboi's Blog in my links and he'll tell you....I'm always sending him funny pics for his blog. Here's hoping you at least smiled a little.

New Seven Wonders of the World

2006-11-25T14:02:00.000-05:00

In an article posted on Yahoo News it has been revealed that there will be a NEW Seven Wonders of the World voted on by everyone that choses to vote at www.new7wonders.com
Voting is open to everyone. Just go to the website and vote for the NEW Seven Wonders of the World.

The only remaining member of the original seven wonders of the world is the Great Pyramid of Giza and as a result Swiss author and filmmaker Bernard Weber began a campaign in 2000 to name a new set of seven wonders of the world. July 7, 2007 is the projected date according to the article that the new seven wonders will be named.

Here is the list of the choices in the vote for the New Seven Wonders of the World:

Taj Mahal
Acropolis
The Great Wall
Pyramid of Cheop (Khufu)
Chichen Itza
Easter Island
Neuschwanstein Castle
Alhambra,Generalife and Albayzin
Hagia Sophia
Kiyomizudera
Machu Picchu
The Kremlin
Statue of Liberty
Eiffel Tower
Petra
Corcovado
The Colosseum in Rome
Stonehenge
Angkor Wat
Sydney Opera House
Timbuktu

Turkeys Making A Break For It

2006-11-25T04:07:00.000-05:00

A dozen or so wild turkeys in Ramsey, New Jersey were making a break for it on the day before Thanksgiving this year.

The turkeys were spoted at the New Jersey Transit standing on a platform apparently waiting for the next out of town train to help them escape the fait of a turkey dinner the next day. LOL

The turkeys were captured on the surveillance cameras of the New Jersey Transit. According to the Ramsey police dispatcher the police department had received three calls regarding the turkeys. The turkeys are also being blamed for cause trouble with the morning rush hour trafic trouble in the area. More on this story can be found on Yahoo at:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061123/ap_on_fe_st/turkeys_train

Happy Thanksgiving

2006-11-23T23:47:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone out there and I hope everyone has a great day with familiy and friends.

Good luck to those who are heading out to the "Black Friday" (day after thanksgiving sales). I'll be there at 5 am at Wal-Mart to get a few things for Christmas. Hope everyone is well.

American Cancer Society's Relay For Life

2006-11-09T15:19:00.000-05:00

Hello out there! I just wanted to place a post here for my Relay For Life Team's Blog that I recently created to help keep my team members as well as other updated on the progress of our Relay For Life Team, our fundraisers, and all the great work that is done by the American Cancer Society. Here's the link http://generationhoperelayteam.blogspot.com/ I hope everyone will drop by and see the page.

Every one has a special reason for doing the Relay For Life and my team and I are no different. Some of us have lost more than one speical person in our lives from cancer and I belive that through the American Cancer Society's research there will one day be a cure for this disease. Personal reason are a great reason to join the Relay For Life but they are not a requirement. So do it out of the sheer feeling of helpfullness. Knowing that the money you raise throughout the year goes into research, and even to help a victim of cancer or their familys is a great feeling no matter who you are.

3 Arrested for Smuggling Siberian Tigers

2006-11-05T20:36:00.000-05:00

According to Yahoo.com News, Montenegrin police have seized two Siberian tigers and arrested three people for trying to smuggle the endangered animals. The tigers, a male and a female, were found in a van at Petrovici village, near the town of Niksic on a road that connects Montenegro and Bosnia, in a regular police check on the vehicle, police told Dan newspaper Wednesday.

The three suspects, two of them from Serbia and a Montenegrin national, face charges of trafficking a protected species, which the daily added were each worth around 380,000 dollars.

Siberian tigers, the largest of all tiger subspecies, were hunted nearly to extinction by the mid-20th century. Fewer than 400 of the animals remain in the wild.

As a person who enjoys the Tigers and loves to see them this angers and saddens me to the point of wondering what the world is coming to. A species that is so endanger of extention is still being drove farther and farther into the total elimination of that animal.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

2006-10-31T21:55:00.000-05:00

Happy Halloween to all the ghosts and goblins out there in cyber world and in the real world as well. So what is everyone going to be for Halloween????? I've chose a Pirate costume because of my love for Pirates of the Caribbean movies. LOL

Which Family Guy Are You?

2006-10-17T23:46:00.000-04:00

You are StewieStewie Griffin is a 1-year-old baby with a single goal: Total world domination. He has the voice and manner of an evil Rex Harrison, but he's only recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of his escape from his mother's "cursed ovarian Bastille," in which he was incarcerated for nine gruelling months. Stewie has vowed to defeat his mother's matriarchal tyranny and topple the "gynocracy" she rules.

This test is found at http://quizilla.com/cgi-bin/result/result.pl

Like Father Like Daughter

2006-10-17T20:24:00.000-04:00

In an article on Yahoo.com News daughter of Steve Irwin, Bindi will be staring in her own TV Show.

Like father, like daughter. Bindi Irwin, the 8-year-old daughter of the late "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin, will star in a wildlife series to air on the Discovery Kids network early next year. The show's working title: "Bindi, The Jungle Girl."

The show, now in the early stages of production, was originally "going to be a father-daughter thing," starring the nature-loving duo, Discovery publicist Annie Howell told the Associated Press on Monday. "Steve and Bindi were very enthusiastic about doing the show together."
Irwin will appear with Bindi in scenes filmed before his death, his manager, John Stainton, said in an interview on People magazine's Web site.

"Some people think that I would be afraid of them, but I'm never ever afraid of an animal," Bindi said in an interview Monday on ABC's "Australian Story."

"I just get excited and some that are dangerous I just think, `Oooh! What's going to happen?' and things like that."

Fried Coke?

2006-10-17T00:41:00.000-04:00

Ok, Here's one for my husband. After a weekend at a local festivle where he tried a deep friend twinkie and a deep fried Snikers Bar I'm sure he would love to try this one if it ever was made around here. Maybe next year. LOL

Deep Fried Coke!!!!!!
The gooey Coke-battered nuggets topped with cola syrup won the "most creative" title at the Texas state fair in Dallas last month. Since then, the deep-fried phenomenon has spread to North Carolina and Arizona.

"We've been getting calls from everywhere since we introduced it," Elizabeth Martin, a spokeswoman for the North Carolina fair, told the Dallas Morning News. "Everyone wants to know where they can get it."

Fried treats are as big of a draw at state fairs as the rides and prize-winning farm animals. Twinkies, cookies and even pickles are stuck with a stick, dipped in batter and then seared in the deep fryer.

Fried Coke's inventor, concessionaire Abel Gonzales Jr., is a creative fryer whose experiments have proven popular. Last year he sold 20,000 fried peanut butter, jelly and banana sandwiches, the Morning News reported. Fried Coke looks to be an even bigger hit: he sold 16,000 cups of the sticky balls in the first two weeks of the fair, which runs through Oct. 22.
Gonzales has also had more success with changing his recipe than Coca Cola did. He reworked the recipe to make the dough less cakey and more spongy so it would soak up more of the cola syrup. Credit to Yahoo.com News

Are Diamonds a Wedding Cake's Best Friend?

2006-10-17T00:36:00.000-04:00

An extravagant $20 million (10.7 million pounds) diamond-studded wedding cake, created by Mimi So Jewellers and cake designer Nahid La Patisserie Artistique, is the star attraction of the Luxury Brands Bridal Show and will be unveiled on exclusive Rodeo Drive.

"Where else would you debut a $20 million wedding cake but on Rodeo Drive?" said show organiser Ilona Sherman.

The cake is protected by a team of uniformed security guards at all times, she said. And there's no way it will ever be eaten.

"I think diamonds are too hard on the stomach," Sherman said. Credit to Yahoo.com News

Weddings are getting more expensive every year but this really takes the cake....no pun intended.

Ice Cream Has Gone To The Dogs

2006-10-12T02:49:00.000-04:00

In a news report on Yahoo.com reportedly Good Humor Ice Cream Company and Pedigree Dog Food Company are joining together to create a frozen ice cream sandwich treat for man and woman's best friend.

There is already an ice cream out in most Wal-Mart and Meyers called Frosty Paws. At last glance these were in original and Peanut Butter flavored. My Poodle loves them and that is saying something because she can be quite the picky eater when she wants to be.

The companies plan to sell packages of 24 frozen treats for $3.99. It will be interesting to see if pet store chains such as PetSmart and Petco begin carrying these treats as well as local grocery stores. I for one hope they do because my puppy loves ice cream.

What will they think of next I wonder.

Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin killed

2006-09-04T02:40:00.000-04:00

Steve Irwin, the hugely popular Australian television personality and environmentalist known as the "Crocodile Hunter," was killed Monday by a stingray during a diving expedition, police said. He was 44.

Irwin was filming an underwater documentary on the Great Barrier Reef in northeastern Queensland state when the accident occurred, Sydney's The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported on its Web site.

The Australian Broadcasting Corp. said Irwin was diving near Low Isles Reef near the resort town of Port Douglas, about 1,260 miles north of the state capital of Brisbane.

---check Yahoo for the rest of the article--

What A Tip

2006-08-31T15:32:00.000-04:00

Two weeks ago in HUTCHINSON, Kansas a bartender at Applebee's got a $100 tip from one of her regular customers. This week the same bartender at the same Applebees got a $10,000 tip from the same man — for a $26 meal!!!! The man, whom company officials have declined to name, comes in several times a month and eats at the end of the bar. He has always tipped well, she said, usually leaving $15 on a $30 tab.

"He usually signs his ticket and flips it upside down," said Kienow, 35, who has worked at the restaurant for eight years. "But this time, he had it right-side up and said `I want you to know this is not a joke.'"

This would be a shocker to anyone!

Anita Blake Comic Update

2006-08-17T01:35:00.000-04:00

It appears that dabel brothers production has pushed back the release of the new Anita Blake Vampire Hunter Comic Book, Guilty Pleasures up into October.

By all accounts the delay of the release is expected to be worth the wait and with dabel brothers expected to make a press release sometime soon hopefully all of us Anita Blake fans will discover the reason for the repeated delays of the comic.

Regardless of the reasoning you can bet that I will be ordering the comic when it is finally released. My order has been placed with my local comic store since July which was the original release date for the comic.

Pirates of the Caribbean Sets Records

2006-07-10T01:12:00.000-04:00

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest has set two records this, it's opening weekend. Pirates has earnd 132 million dolllars in its opening weekend. The previous record for opening weekend was 114.8 million set by "Spiderman" in May 2002.

Pirates was also the first moive to ever make more than 100 million dollars in two days. Pirates set the highest single-day gross in box office history with 55.5 million in earnings.

According to yahoo.com
"Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith" had previously held the record for the highest single-day earnings with 50 million dollars set in May 2005."

Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man's Chest

2006-07-09T02:01:00.000-04:00

Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man' Chest is now in theaters and I'm sure many of you were like me and trucked to the movie theater yesterday in order to catch Pirate Fever and get your fix of Jack Sparrow and his wacky actions.

I laughed until I was nearly in tears at parts of the movie and although this movie is somewhat different than the first movie they are both completely amazing. Definate hints of Pirates 3 are evident toward the end of the movie. No I am not going to spoil the ending of the movie for those who have not been to see the movie and those who do not wish to know the ending until they can view it for themselves.

Here's hoping everyone enjoys Jack Sparrow and his band of misfits and pirates.

Who's Your Inner Pirate? Find Out Here!

2006-07-05T17:10:00.000-04:00

Despite a rainy, dreary day here I have found an intersting test on the internet. This test determines your Inner Pirate. My inner pirate as you can see was Captain Jack Sparrow!!!! The test can be found here

http://quizilla.com/users/Ravalilli/quizzes/Who

Have fun with it and enjoy the results.

The perfect way to kill five minutes on a rainy day when you are trying to avoid the looming house work that has piled up around you. LOL Here is what the description of my inner pirate is.

Your inner pirate is Captain Jack Sparrow! Go you! He really likes the song 'A Pirate's Life for Me', and is possibly the best pirate of all time!

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest comes out Friday in theaters and I will be there to experience all the trouble that Captain Jack will find himself and his companions Will Turner and Elizabeth Swan wrapped up in. Hope everyone has a great day and hope your inner pirate keeps themself busy and doesn't result to plundering your thoughts.

Happy 4th of July

2006-07-04T14:00:00.000-04:00

Happy 4th of July to everyone and I hope you have a wonderful day and I hope the fireworks are beautiful.

Here's the 4th of July Unicorn wishing everyone the best 4th of July possible.

New Anita Blake Book

2006-06-28T01:36:00.000-04:00

The newest Anita Blake Vampire Hunter book was released today. The most recent of Laurell K Hamilton's adictive series sounds like an interesting read. Here's what I've found on the internet about the book.

It was the middle of November. I was supposed to be out jogging, but instead I was sitting at my breakfast table talking about men, sex, werewolves, vampires, and that thing that most unmarried but sexually active women fear most...

Anita Blake needs to be concentrating on a dangerous situation: The ardeur, the sexual power that flows between Anita and Jean-Claude, Master Vampire of the City, and Richard, the volatile werewolf who loves her passionately, is reaching new levels, perhaps evolving into something altogether new. The ardeur seems to be choosing new lovers for Anita, acting with a will of its own. As Jean-Claude says, the ardeur is hunting powerful prey. The unexpected effect of this is that Jean-Claude's own power as a master vampire has grown to new levels -- and Richard, never predictable, is changing, too.

But as the days pass, Anita's less interested in vampire politics than in an ancient, ordinary dread she shares with women down the ages: She may be pregnant. And, if she is, whether the father is a vampire, a werewolf, or someone else entirely, she knows perfectly well that being a Federal Marshal known for raising the dead and being a vampire executioner is no way to bring up a baby...

Definately, I'll have to pick this one up.

Pirates of the Caribbean Premiere

2006-06-27T01:51:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite movies was Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl so it would only seem natural that I would be excitedly looking forward to the opening of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest on July 7th. Here are some pictures from the premiere of the movie in Disneyland.

Singer Marilyn Manson (L) poses with Disney character Mickey Mouse at the world premiere of the new adventure film 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest' at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, June 24, 2006.

WWE Smackdown! House Show

2006-06-26T14:21:00.000-04:00

I attended WWE Smackdown last night and had a great time. Aside from some agrivating people who were seated behind me who kept mouthing off about their seat location and the fact that they were told that they coud not stand in the seats by security. They ended up being moved to seats that were farther away from where they started. The matches were good and everyone had a great time at the event. Here's a recap of the matche and their winners:

Matt defeated Ken Kennedy. That was one of my favorite matches of the night and I got some good pics of the match. I just hope they all turn out good.

The Great Khali defeated Tatanka. Paul London & Brian Kendrick defeated Jamie Noble & Kid Kash. Gregory Helms defeated Super Crazy. Vito wore a black and white dress with a black thong. I wish I hadn't been trying to take a picture at the point Simon Dean showed that to the crowd. lol Vito defeated Simon Dean. Batista teamed with Rey Mysterio against Mark Henry and Finley. The crowd went wild when Batista and Rey came out!!!!! Batisa and Rey were the winners of the match.

There was no pyro or titon tron at this event and it was basicly just the wrestler's entrance music that let you know who was coming to the ring. There was very little promo activity done in the ring and mostly just wrestling. Aside from the diva body contest which I never really paid any attention to. LOL

Anita Blake Comic UPDATE

2006-06-24T01:40:00.000-04:00

For all those who are eagerly awaiting the release of the new Anita Blake Vampire Hunter Comic book Guilty Pleasures the Release date has been set for JULY 26, 2006.

There will be two collectors covers and one regular cover for the first release of the comics. Concept art can be viewed at the Dabel Brothers website and also at Laurel K Hamilton's website on her message board.

Here's hoping everyone has a great day and enjoys the comic once we are able to get it. LOL

Various Comments

2006-06-21T22:14:00.000-04:00

What a week!!!! My internet has been going in and out for the last two days and it has really agrivated me. Now the phone company won't be out to look at it until Friday. Oh well.

June 22nd. My 4 year wedding anniversary! Hard to believe that four years ago I was stressing over what my crazy friends were going to do at my wedding. LOL Yep you guessed it...my best friend, my maid of honor, was pregnant and threatened to have her baby at the wedding and the best man showed up with a green beard. No I'm not lying. LOL Those two were crazy.

Sunday, June 25th I'll be attending a WWE Smackdown show. I hope they don't change the line up very much more. Over half of the matches that were scheduled for there have already been changed or cancled or something.

Here's hoping everyone enjoyed the first day of summer!!!!

Irony

2006-06-17T12:21:00.000-04:00

In Amarillo, Texas irony comes to the front in a recent billboard. It reads: "Congratulations! Caitlin Cambell for making Amarillo proud." The billboard was put up as a congratulations for Caitlin's 8th place finish in the national spelling bee, however the company mispelled her name on the billboard. The spelling of her name is Caitlin Campbell.

Caitlin, 14, made it to the ninth round of the first prime-time network broadcast of the Scripps National Spelling Bee earlier this month in Washington. She left the competition when she misspelled the word collyrium, a term for eye lotion.

Story found on Yahoo.com

Cat chases Black Bear up a Tree

2006-06-15T13:40:00.000-04:00

A black bear picked the wrong yard for a jaunt, running into a territorial tabby who ran the furry beast up a tree — twice.

Jack, a 15-pound orange and white cat, keeps a close vigil on his property, often chasing small animals, but his owners and neighbors say his latest escapade was surprising.

After about 15 minutes, the bear descended and tried to run away, but Jack chased it up another tree.
The owners feared for the cat, then called Jack home and the bear scurried back to the woods.

"He doesn't want anybody in his yard," Dickey said.
Bear sightings are not unusual in West Milford, which experts consider one of the state's most bear-populated areas.

Story creadit to Yahoo.com

Long time no Blog

2006-06-03T18:56:00.000-04:00

Who knew moving could be such a jungle?! After about two weeks of moving things unpacking and finding a place for stuff gathered over a three year period I have finally got internet hooked up and time to blog.

May 19-20 was the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life in my area and my team and i mangaged to raise over $900 for the research of cancer and hopefully one day a cure. Thoughts have already been put down for next years Relay.

The summer is looking good and it's great to be out of college!!!!! Here's hoping everyone has a great summer.

Congratulations Graduates!!!!!!

2006-05-13T20:59:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to all the graduates out there!!!! I graduated from college today and I am now free of the exams and study guides. 6 years and 2 degrees later I am done.

Once again Congratulations to the Class of 2006. Especially all those graduates of Eastern Kentucky University and the University of Kentucky. May your future be bright and your goals be achieved.