The Honest Hiker, Homos on the Range, -and- Snake Eyes

The Honest Hiker - man finds $1 million in jewelry, turns it in
Homos on the Range - "Brokeback Mountain" banned in the Bahamas
Snake Eyes - man crashes car after pet bites him

POSER: (Answer will appear on Monday.)
Q: When a farmer in the Army is jilted, what sort of mail does he receive?

The weather continues to disappoint me. While it is encouraging to watch the news and see far more dismal weather elsewhere, this encouragement is very fleeting indeed. It was reported yesterday that San Francisco has suffered the wettest March in history, experiencing 24 days of rain for the month. This news prompted me to remark to a client who was in my office at the time this was reported on the Fox News Channel, "Ah, it could certainly be worse!" The satisfaction of realizing that San Francisco had more rain this month than we had here soon faded, as I gazed into the Web cam feed on my Desktop and saw the storm clouds looming.

While wet weather this time of year is not altogether rare--I can recall a few damp Easter egg hunts--it is highly unusual for the dismal days to so greatly outnumber the pleasant days.

My client said that soon I would be complaining about the heat. I assured her that the possibility of this happening was considerably less likely than the threat of abduction by aliens. At this point, she said, "That's not anything to joke about!" Whatever credibility I had previously granted her disappeared.

Here is another image of Linda Ronstadt, taken at a concert at Hughes Stadium, Sacramento, CA, in 1974. Click to enlarge.

Fear and Loathing on the Web, This Isn't My Stop!, -and- The Roaming Gnomes

Fear and Loathing on the Web - Harrison Ford hates the Internet
This Isn't My Stop! - passenger plane lands at wrong airport
The Roaming Gnomes - lawn ornaments mysteriously migrate

Grilling season will arrive someday! In anticipation of this, here is one of my original marinade recipes:

Spicy Grilling Marinade/Sauce
4 oz raw thistle honey
4 oz tequila
2 limes, juice of
4 tbsp garlic, pureed
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1/2 tbsp oregano, chopped
1/2 tbsp basil, chopped
1/2 tbsp ginger, minced
1/2 tbsp ground cumin
Combine ingredients in warm glass mixing bowl. Mix ingredients slowly with bamboo brush. Pour marinade into plastic storage bag and add fowl, fish, or meat to be grilled. Seal bag and refrigerate for four to six hours (or overnight) before grilling. Baste often while grilling.

Here is a photograph I took of Linda Ronstadt in concert at Hughes Stadium, Sacramento, CA, in 1974. Press credentials allowed me to go backstage, where I enjoyed a brief visit with Linda.

Cat Gone Wild, I Want That!, -and- Don't Answer!

Cat Gone Wild - crazy cat terrorizes Connecticut town
I Want That! - boy climbs inside toy-claw machine
Don't Answer! - cell-phone calls spark panic

The South Carolina state Senate on Tuesday endorsed making repeat child rapists eligible for the death penalty. The proposal allows prosecutors to seek the death penalty for sex offenders who are convicted twice of raping a child younger than 11.

The proposal was approved as part of a larger bill that sets minimum sentences and lifetime electronic monitoring for some sex offenders.

Here is a photograph I took of Sammy Hagar in concert at CSUC in the mid-1970s. Click to enlarge.

Finding Fido, Dancing in the Street, -and- Fighting Back

Finding Fido - dogs forced to get microchips
Dancing in the Street - Eagles linebacker busted
Fighting Back - girl attacks abductor with hammer

POSERS: (Congratulations to Cap'n Jack!)
Q: How does Scott Peterson call his parents?
A: On his cell phone
(Congratulations to Danica Anderson!)
Q: What are you likely to find on a foggy day in the jungles
of Bogotá, Columbia?
A: Guerrillas in the mist

There was no blog entry yesterday, because I stayed home with Laura. She underwent minor surgery early yesterday morning, and the doctor suggested that I stay with her for the day and see to her needs. The surgery was brief and successful, and she is resting and mending. She went into surgery at 8:30 AM, and at shortly after 10 AM, we were on the way home from Chico. We used my mother's Lincoln for the journey, so that Laura would not need to make the ascent into RAMMMMM.

Laura wishes to thank all who have prayed for her and wishes to share another of her flower photographs. Click to enlarge.

If you spent part of your youth playing "Pac-Man" and "Space Invaders," today's violent video games must seem bizarre. Video games were innocent diversions that did nothing worse than eat up dotted lines. Nobody got hurt.

Devin Moore, a teenager, murdered three people-–two police officers and a 911 dispatcher-–in a Fayettesville, Alabama, police station in 2003. Arrested on suspicion of car theft, Moore was brought in for booking and ended up on a bloody rampage.

Moore was a huge fan of a notorious video game called "Grand Theft Auto." As the title suggests, the goal is to steal cars. The way to acquire and hold on to the cars is to kill the police officers who try to stop you. If you shoot an officer, you get extra points for shooting him in the head.

According to court records, Moore spent hundreds of hours playing "Grand Theft Auto," which has been described as "a murder simulator."

Tomorrow, he will testify before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Property. The purpose of the hearing is to examine the constitutionality of state laws regulating the sale of ultra-violent video games to children. Three psychologists will testify about the potential link between playing violent video games and copycat violence.

It must be determined whether Moore and other murderers like him are anomalies or if ultra-violent video games dangerously warp the psyches of youthful gamers.

Girls Gone Wild, Pants on Fire, -and- Revenge

Girls Gone Wild - six busted in wet T-shirt contest
Pants on Fire - Castro burns underwear
Revenge - South Park character played by Isaac Hayes turned into pedophile and killed off

POSER: (Answer will appear on Monday.)
Q: How does Scott Peterson talk to his parents?

Spring has sprung--a leak! What a disappointment it was to arise, peer out the window, and see rain! I shall not trouble myself with viewing weather forecasts, since they are traditionally unreliable. I shall, however, continue to await the arrival of sunshine, warmth, blossoming flowers, and singing birds!

RAMMMMM has been plagued of late with a worn door hinge. It became progressively more difficult to close the door, yet I have for some reason allowed this annoyance to continue. Yesterday, the door hinge was replaced. What a joy it is to have a properly functioning door once again! Now, I must re-train myself to discontinue slamming the door as I have become accustomed to doing! Click to enlarge.

Here is a photograph that Laura wishes to share. She took it three years ago in my mother's flower garden. Click to enlarge.

Rats!, Huh?, -and- Game Time

Rats! - Florida community overrun by giant rodents
Huh? - man asks cops to test crack pipe
Game Time - man gets five years for attending Super Bowl

China's new-found environmental consciousness has reached the heart of its culture: The government yesterday announced a five-percent tax on disposable wooden chopsticks. The ministry of finance in Beijing said chopstick production used up China's forests at a rate of 70 million cubic feet of wood a year. Wow! Perhaps--as an alternative to disposable wooden chopsticks--China should consider using chopsticks made from synthetic materials! It is simply not realistic to imagine that a five-percent tax on disposable wooden chopsticks will be efficacious!

While sushi is Japanese cuisine, the chopsticks in the photograph below (from one of our delightful meals!) are re-useable! Click to enlarge.

Attention Shoppers, Woman on Fire, -and- Hey Lady

Attention Shoppers - Wal-Mart goes trendy, with sushi bar and expensive wine
Woman on Fire - woman's hair bursts into flames, causes house fire
Hey Lady - cross-dressing robber snagged by fishnet nose

It appears that spring has arrived! The sun is shining, flowers are blossoming, and birds are singing!

Even Hillary is celebrating the arrival of spring!

Florida prosecutors dropped charges against former Tampa teacher Debra Lafave, who admitted having sex with a 14-year-old middle school student. The boy's mother wanted to avoid public trial for the sake of her son. How convenient this is for the victim. Children considerably younger than this boy routinely testify, regardless of how inconvenient it may be. The law specifically provides for such testimony

The decision to drop charges came after the judge rejected a plea deal that would have meant no prison time for Lafave. The judge said the agreement, with no prison time, "shocks the conscience of this court."

At a news conference after the announcement, Lafave said she had a bipolar disorder. There are thousands of people with bipolar disorder who are serving prison sentences, and there is nothing to support the notion that bipolar disorder is a viable defense.

What concerns me the most is Lafave's smugness, her failure to accept responsibility, and her complete avoidance of apology. In fact, she indicated at her news conference that she blamed the media for publicly embarrassing her and her victim. She then said she intended to seek a career in journalism.

No Kidding, Beam Me Up, -and- Who's Your Daddy

No Kidding - man sues to divorce 7-month-old daughter
Beam Me Up - California UFO mystery solved
Who's Your Daddy? - messy daughter fights back by humiliating father

Here it is the second day of spring, and it is still raining! The sun should be shining, flower should be blossoming, and birds should be singing!

It is not a dog: It is a cat that acts like a dog. It is a "puppykat," a new breed of cat developed by Lake Elsinore resident Dawn Houston. Houston says she happened upon the puppykat seven years ago, when two wild cats she had rescued mated. Their offspring were very puppylike, so she gave them the new name and began breeding more of them.

Houston has registered the breed with the Rare and Exotic Feline Registry.

The puppykat has become popular with people who like their pets to have certain traits more commonly found in dogs. Like their canine counterparts, puppykats are more social, curious and playful. They will even come when you call. Their folded ears and shorter tails are also doglike.

While the results may be adorable and Houston may have found a market for the puppykat, her breeding has not been received positively by everybody.

Breeders and cat lovers from across the country have sent dozens of emails and letters criticizing her for mixing the Scottish fold, Manx, and polydactyl breeds, something they consider dangerous to the health of the cats.

This is just wrong, in my opinion!

Animal House, Hellboy, -and- Snake Eyes

Animal House - man gets jail time for disorderly house
Hellboy - atheist sells his soul on eBay
Snake Eyes - man kisses cobra 51 times

POSER: (Congratulations to Cap'n Jack for correctly answering!)
Q: What do you call an enemy vegetable under deep cover?
A: Sleeper Celery!

Following a weekend of beautiful, sunny, warm--albeit windy--weather, today is cold, wet, and gloomy. This is an incredible disappointment for the first day of SPRING! I had anticipated that the beginning of spring would be filled with warm sunshine and the singing of birds--particularly given the beautiful weather we enjoyed for the weekend. What a dismal, disappointing beginning for spring!

Friday evening, Laura had nursery duty at Harvest Christian Center. It was too late to have a pizza when she arrived home, so we snacked on blueberry waffles and watched "Walker, Texas Ranger."

Laura and I enjoyed several games of Trivial Pursuit over the weekend. I am now in the lead. The play will continue next weekend.

Saturday morning, we had a lovely omelet, stuffed with red bell pepper, white onion, mushrooms, ham, and Monterey Jack cheese. We then visited my mother in the hospital in Red Bluff, where she is recovering well following the repair to a fractured hip. Upon returning home, we played Trivial Pursuit and sipped champagne. We decided it was too windy to grill, and I made a beef dish by slowly cooking chunks of top sirloin, white onion, celery, white mushrooms, garlic, baby carrots, and baby red potatoes in a red wine sauce. We watched two episodes of "CSI" on DVD and retired at 10 PM.

Sunday morning, we attended church as we do each Sunday at Harvest Christian Center. We then did our weekly grocery shopping at Sav-Mor Foods. We snacked on Triscuits, pepperoni, Gouda cheese, and Jalapeño slices and sipped Sierra Nevada Pale Ale while we played several games of Trivial Pursuit. We had pizza for dinner, watched "Intervention" and "CSI Miami," and retired.

Cosmic DNA, On Track, -and- Neverland Nevermore

Cosmic DNA - double helix spotted in outer space
On Track - California gang members to be monitored by GPS
Neverland Nevermore - Jacko pays staff, closes ranch for good

POSER: (Answer will appear on Monday)
Q: What do you call an enemy vegetable under deep cover?

Laura called yesterday and said she was craving sushi. I agreed gleefully to her suggestion that she stop at Raley's on her way home and pick up a variety of sushi. Ah, how quickly dinner plans can change!

It began raining around 4:00 PM yesterday and was still raining when we retired at 10:00 PM. Sunshine was an unexpected yet very welcome sight this morning! The wind that had been plaguing us for days was gone. It was 61 degrees when I arrived at my office at 8:30 AM--six degrees warmer than it was at that time yesterday. There are dark clouds in the sky, indicating that this present glorious weather may not last long. I shall enjoy it however long it lasts!

Speaking of dark clouds: The United Kingdom has passed a new law that prohibits restaurants from preventing homosexuals from public displays of affection under threat of prosecution. The same law mandates that bed and breakfasts and hotels give rooms to same-sex couples.

The Department of Trade and Industry announced that the new law also forces retail shops to grant wedding registry lists to same-sex couples. The law expands previous provisions against discrimination in the workplace to include guaranteed access to "goods, facilities and services" for homosexuals. The new law places homosexual disposition on an equal footing with race and gender.

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between two 'wolves' inside us all.

One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy,sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "Which wolf wins?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

Crash, Funny Money, -and- Take the Money and Run

Crash - man hits his own car and sues himself
Funny Money - man busted in California with billion dollar bills
Take the Money and Run - teen busted at border with $97,000 in cash

Here is the Garlic Mashed Potatoes recipe that is a favorite at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. You may click on the link to open the recipe in a new window or right-click on the link and choose "Save Target As" to save the recipe to your computer.

The California Supreme Court ruled last Thursday that there is no right of the Boy Scouts of America to enjoy access to Berkeley's public marina. The court's endorsement of Berkeley's discrimination against the Boy Scouts says, in effect, that the Boy Scouts of America interferes with the comfortable enjoyment of both life and property.

The BSA is one of the great assets to life and property in our nation. The nation's premier youth organization contributes millions of volunteer hours and Eagle Scout projects to our nation's communities. The BSA teaches valuable life skills, promotes lifesaving and patriotism, environmental stewardship, encourages academic excellence, and promotes "duty to God" and moral straightness.

The Sea Scouts, beginning in the 1930s, were given free access by the city of Berkeley marina to berth Scout-owned boats. For 60 years, this arrangement continued. In 1998, the Berkeley City Council demanded that the Sea Scouts admit homosexuals and atheists as members and leaders. Unwilling to compromise the Scout Oath, the Sea Scouts lost the dock subsidy.

Two other nonprofit organizations continue to have free berthing at the Berkeley Marina: the California Sailing Club and the Berkeley Yacht Club. For refusing to compromise character, the Boy Scouts are excluded.

Salsa Time, Crimson Tide, -and- Spine-tingling

Salsa Time - woman shows off 5-pound mango
Crimson Tide - red snow falls in Russia
Spine-tingling - jury awards $5 million in screwdriver case

The weather yesterday was bizarre! It was dry all day but windy and very cold. I was home at 5 PM when the power went off for 20 seconds. I had just completed resetting computers, audio/video equipment, and clocks when Laura called and said she had encountered a monster hail storm on her way home from Chico and was crawling along at 20 miles an hour. She soon reported that she had passed through the hail storm and would be home soon. At 6 PM, Laura and I were watching "CSI." Suddenly, a fierce hail storm struck! The television screen went blank and the message "Searching for signal from satellite" appeared. The hail storm lasted about 20 minutes, and when it ended, the satellite signal returned.

Last year at this time, we were enjoying 90-degree-plus weather. El Nino, stop it!

Tax Dollars at Work, Brrr!, -and- Avast!

Tax Dollars at Work - Congressmen lease luxury vehicles
Brrr! - cold forces surrender of illegals
Avast! - Navy cracks down on tattoos

Outspoken Scientologist Isaac Hayes, heard by millions as the "Chef" character on "South Park," has quit the cartoon following an episode spoofing Scientology.

"There is a place in this world for satire, but there is a time when satire ends and intolerance and bigotry towards religious beliefs of others begins," the 63-year-old soul singer said.

"Religious beliefs are sacred to people, and at all times should be respected and honored," he continued, "As a civil-rights activist of the past 40 years, I cannot support a show that disrespects those beliefs and practices."

In an interview with the Associated Press, "South Park" co-creator Matt Stone responded sharply, saying, "This is 100 percent having to do with his faith of Scientology. He has no problem-–and he's cashed plenty of checks-–with our show making fun of Christians."

Stone said he and co-creator Trey Parker "never heard a peep out of Isaac in any way until we did Scientology. He wants a different standard for religions other than his own, and to me, that is where intolerance and bigotry begin."

Without a Trace, Tall Tale, -and- EEK!

Without a Trace - Buddha Boy vanishes in Nepal forest
Tall Tale - girl bullied because of height
EEK! - man accused of putting mouse in burrito

POSER: (Congratulations to Danica for correctly answering!)
Q: What did the calf say when he learned he was nursing on a baby bottle?
A: "I can't believe it's not udder!"

The weather was very unpredictable over the weekend, rainy at times and sunny at other times. It was raining fiercely when I entered the market at 4 PM Friday. It had been raining most of the day. When I exited the market 30 minutes later, however, the sun was shining, and it was warm and beautiful! We had our usual Friday night pizza and watched a few episodes of "CSI."

Saturday, we ate chips and dip, sipped Sierra Nevada India Pale Ale and played three games of Trivial Pursuit. Laura won two of these three games. We will play again next weekend, and I shall regain supremacy! At 3 PM, I put three large pork loin strips (that Laura had grilled earlier in the week) in a large skillet with a cup of water. I added white onion, celery, Jalapeños, Habaneros, minced garlic, and Cajun seasoning, and turned the burner to medium low. Laura tended this while we watched several episodes of "CSI." At 7 PM, the pork and other ingredients had simmered to a beautiful state. Laura shredded some Monterey Jack cheese, warmed some flour tortillas, and we enjoyed some delicious (and very hot!) burritos.

Sunday evening, a did a spicy dry rub on thick ahi steaks and top sirloin steaks and cooked two white potatoes in the microwave. Laura grilled the steaks and potatoes perfectly. It was a delightful meal!

Sorry Dilbert!, Here Wally! -and- Oh Brother!

Sorry Dilbert! - cubicle inventor has regrets
Here Wally! - zoo intruder fed rabbit to alligator
Oh Brother! - 26 years on dead sibling's pension

POSER: (Answer will appear on Monday)
Q: What did the calf say when he learned he was nursing on a baby bottle?

Laura's car had a flat tire this morning. Fortunately, it went flat sometime after she safely returned from Chico yesterday afternoon. A call to Les Schwab Tire Center brought quick response, and the tire is now being repaired.

It is cold this morning! It is cold, windy, and overcast. It is, however, dry--at least for now. Rain is predicted for the weekend. I shall wait until tomorrow morning, arise, look out the window, and make my own weather forecast!

Laura just called to report that the flat is repaired. There was no charge, since we bought the tires (and RAMMMMM's tires, as well) at Les Schwab. I highly recommend the quality of their products and work!

Hoping to give Christians an alternative to logging on to MySpace.com-–a "social Web site" that has been linked to crimes against youth--a Bible college teacher has founded a Web site for believers that he says is much safer than MySpace.com.

Dittytalk.com debuted online this week. It is self-described as "a free online Christian community, a resource and a place of fellowship that is safe, clean and up to date with current Internet trends such as blogging, sharing music and photos, playing computer games and conversing with people around the world through forums, e-mail and journaling." The name for the site is taken from Ephesians 2:10, "We are His workmanship." The Greek word for workmanship is "poiema," which is the basis for the English word "poem," or song-–hence "ditty."

Sleep Tight, Smile You're on Candid Camera, -and- Oink!

Sleep Tight - woman sues hotel after suffering 500 bed bug bites
Smile You're on Candid Camera - Peeping Tom must pay house guests $3.25 million
Oink! - farmer feeds friend's body to pigs to steal pension

The counter has been reset! As you may recall, about three weeks ago the visitor counter (as well as all counters on all my Web sites) was reset to zero when Verio migrated my domain to a new server. This morning, Verio corrected this, and all counters now show actual visitor traffic!

Jury Duty! Those of you who routinely visit this blog early were most likely disappointed to find no post for today. I was summoned to report for jury duty at 8:30 AM this morning in Red Bluff, the county seat, about 18 miles north of here.

I reached the courthouse at 7:55 AM and waited impatiently for the jury selection process to begin. Between 8:30 AM and 9:30 AM, prospective jurors continued to straggle into the courtroom, some mumbling that they had overslept. At 10 AM, the judge announced that the defendant had decided to plead guilty. This was wonderful news, particularly since it countered the nightmare I experienced last night in anticipation of today: In this nightmare, I was selected to sit on the jury for the trial of a man charged with serial murders--a trial anticipated to last six months!

Meow!, What Lies Beneath, -and- Bad Boys, Bad Boys

Meow! - cat massages dog
What Lies Beneath - hairy lobster discovered in deep Pacific
Bad Boys, Bad Boys - fake cop attempts to pull over real cops

The sun is shining brightly again today. This promises to be another beautiful, warm, sunny day! The weather forecast is for rain starting tomorrow and lasting through next week. I generally doubt the accuracy of weather forecasts, and looking at the live feed from my Web cam, it is difficult to imagine rain tomorrow. California weather, however, is notoriously unpredictable, and I am reminded that Laura encountered a fierce hail storm yesterday afternoon on the freeway on her way here from Chico. The sun was shining brightly before she entered the hail storm, and she soon passed through the storm and enjoyed sunshine once again!

I shall enjoy this glorious weather while it lasts!

Irene Alice Goguen may know a secret potion for longevity. "Drink beer," she said. "I did, I'm still living." Goguen celebrated her 100th birthday Monday. It is difficult to argue with that sort of wisdom!

Stand Up Straight!, The L Word, -and- Surprise!

Stand Up Straight! - family walk on all fours
The L Word - girl becomes homecoming king
Surprise! - 13-year-old-girl gives birth to mystery baby

There was an attempt to tone down the politics at the 78th annual Academy Awards ceremony, despite the controversial, leftist, secular nature of most of the nominees and winners. The ceremony failed completely at being family-friendly or Christian-friendly.

Crude sex jokes, including jokes about homosexuality and sex-change operations, comprised a good portion of the pre-planned speeches from the stage, including Jon Stewart's emcee prattle. The beginning of the show is the most likely time that impressionable children might be watching. Yet, it was during that time of the show that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and their emcee chose to make most of the homosexual jokes. It was claimed--tongue in cheek--that the famous westerns of yesteryear were full of hidden homosexual messages.

Ratings reports show a 10-point drop in ratings for the Oscar show compared to last year's already low ratings.

As expected, the sexually explicit homosexual movie "Brokeback Mountain" took a couple major awards, and George Clooney walked off with an Oscar for his supporting performance in "Syriana," a radical, anti-American diatribe.

Cluck!, Presto!, -and- Whack!

Cluck! - Pamela Anderson objects to breeding for large breasts
Presto! - inmate in fight over conjuring books
Whack! - robber beaten by beauty students

POSER: (Congratulations to Cindy for correctly answering!)
Q: How do Thorazine users visit Santa?
A: On the Bipolar Express!

The weather yesterday was incredibly foul! It rained continuously and fiercely, and the wind as strong and relentless. What a glorious surprise today is! The wind and rain are gone, and the sun is shining brightly. More rain is predicted, but this is a very welcome respite!

The Bob Kilpatrick concert Friday evening at Harvest Christian Center was wonderful! It was much more than a concert: It was an experience! The evening began with Bob taking requests from the audience for his songs. This performance was followed by an incredible multimedia experience. Bob interacted with a DVD entitled "This Changes Everything" projected on a large screen behind him. The evening was spiritually and emotionally moving, and I recommend consulting the concert schedule on Bob's Web site and, if possible, experiencing this glorious production!

Chew on This, Crime Does Pay, -and- The Telltale Tattoo

Chew on This - boy sticks wad of gum on $1.5 million painting
Crime Does Pay - retired gangsters get state pensions
The Telltale Tattoo - man sports image of weapon used in crime

POSER: (Answer will appear on Monday)
Q: How do Thorazine users visit Santa?

The rain is here! It began raining at 4:30 PM yesterday afternoon and continues to rain. It is not particularly cold, but it is certainly wet!

Laura and I will be attending a Bob Kilpatrick concert this evening at Harvest Christian Center.

Bob Kilpatrick is well known for his song writing, performances, and his "Time Out" program on K-Love Radio. His program reaches 2 million listeners a week. The concert is entitled "This Changes Everything." It addresses our fears about mortality, the cares we needlessly carry, the futility of life and, ultimately, the hope that is offered to us.

Fence Me In, Hic!, -and- Dear John

Fence Me In - mother says kids requested cages
Hic! - formal art museum soirée turns ugly
Dear John - exploding toilet causes stinky situation

"Brokeback Mountain," the controversial film about gay cowboys, allegedly had a lack of concern for the well-being of the animals featured in the film. The American Humane Association sent a letter to the movie's director, Ang Lee, expressing dismay over reports of animal care and protection guidelines violations.

"The excessively rough handling of the sheep and horses leaves viewers questioning whether anyone was looking out for the safety of those animals," the letter states. "And many also wonder how the filmmakers got the elk to lose its footing and crumple to the ground 'on cue' after being shot."

Marie Belew Wheatley, president of the AHA's film and television unit, said she has learned that anesthesia was reportedly used on an elk to portray a hunting scene. Using anesthesia to facilitate filming has been prohibited since 1997, after causing several animal deaths during a production. Regardless of how it is administered, anesthesia endangers an animal's life and health.

Apparently, while there was great concern over the sensitivities of the gay cowboys in the movie, there was little concern for the welfare of the animals used in the production.

Just Say No, OOPS!, -and- License and Registration

Just Say No - bags of cocaine brought to class by second grader
OOPS! - man dangles girlfriend, drops her 23 stories
License and Registration - woman fakes death to avoid paying traffic fines

What a beautiful day this is! The rain did not visit us last night as forecast, and today is sunny and warm, and the sky is clear of the clouds that loomed threateningly yesterday!

There once was a warning in Hollywood, "Never get caught with a dead girl or a live boy." How things have changed, sadly. What was once considered an immoral career destroyer is now embraced by the entertainment industry. In what has been billed Oscar's "year of the queer," the romancing cowboys of "Brokeback Mountain" are joined by "Capote," the story of gay US author Truman Capote, and "Transamerica," the tale of a transsexual in the process of becoming a woman. In addition to the rash of gay-themed films, country legend Willie Nelson has issued a single about gay cowboys called "Cowboys are Frequently, Secretly (Fond of Each Other)."

It was only 24 years ago that Arthur Hiller's drama "Making Love," about a married doctor who discovers he is bisexual, caused movie-goers to leave theatres when the lead character kissed another man.

The entertainment industry is driven by sales. It is (well past) time for audiences to make their objections to abhorrently immoral movies, music, and television programming known!