Home Alone, When Animals Attack, -and- Hic!

Home Alone - judge orders man not to have girlfriend for three years
When Animals Attack - squirrel goes on rampage, injures 3
Hic! - man gets two DUIs from same cop in one day

On this day in history: June 15, 1992 - The Supreme Court rules in US v. Alvarez-Machain that it is permissible for America to abduct suspects in foreign countries and smuggle them into the United States for trial, without extradition approval from those other countries.

Born on this day in history: June 15, 1932 - Mario Cuomo (1932 - ____) politician, lawyer, talk show host. He was democratic governor of New York, 1982-1994; wrote "Reason to Believe;" hosts weekly radio show, "Mario Talk Show - Talk to Mario."

Today's Video: "Paris in Jail" - The Music Video

Ruth Bell Graham, the wife of evangelist Billy Graham, died yesterday at the age of 87, according to a family spokesman.

After battling pneumonia, she slipped into a coma yesterday at the couple's home in Montreat, N.C., where she was surrounded by her husband and five children. Spokesman Larry Ross said she died at 5:05 p.m. Eastern time.

"Ruth was my life partner, and we were called by God as a team," Billy Graham said in a statement. "No one else could have borne the load that she carried. She was a vital and integral part of our ministry, and my work through the years would have been impossible without her encouragement and support.

"I am so grateful to the Lord that He gave me Ruth, and especially for these last few years we've had in the mountains together. We've rekindled the romance of our youth, and my love for her continued to grow deeper every day. I will miss her terribly, and look forward even more to the day I can join her in Heaven."

Bad Apple, Fight Club, -and- To Serve and Protect

Bad Apple - personal data found hidden in iTunes tracks
Fight Club - private schoolboy bashing filmed for Internet
To Serve and Protect - first transgender cop on Kansas City police force

On this day in history: June 4, 1967 - The Emmy for best comedy TV series is won by "The Monkees."

Born on this day in history: June 4, 1911 - Rosalind Russell (1911 - 1976) actress, philanthropist. Her films included "His Girl Friday;" "My Sister Eileen;" and "Auntie Mame."

Today's Video: "'Walker, Texas Ranger' Theme"

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Ultimate List of Car Songs! View the list and submit your favorite car song(s)!

We took Mr. Nitro to Chico yesterday after the early service at Harvest Christian Center. The weather was beautiful—sunny and warm, with a gentle breeze. Mr. Nitro averaged 21.9 mpg for the journey. He has now traveled 575 miles. Laura's new car, Mr. Yaris, has traveled considerably farther—well over 5,000 miles—since she commutes to Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. each weekday. Laura exclaimed that she enjoyed being a passenger for the journey.

Saturday, I made black bean chili with shredded grilled chicken. Laura made cornbread. It was a delicious meal. Laura scurried off to work this morning with a quantity of chili and cornbread in tow.

Sunday, I made steamed green beans. Laura grilled a London broil perfectly. I made a red-wine sauce for the meat with Merlot, sliced white mushrooms, sliced white onions, minced garlic, and Cajun seasonings. It was a delightful repast. There were no leftovers.

You've Got Mail, Typo, -and- Arf!

You've Got Mail - U.S. Internet spam king arrested
Typo - keystroke error sends $2.5 million check to school counselor
Arf! - Yoko Ono eats dog to protest fox hunting

On this day in history: May 31, 1996 - Timothy Leary dies quietly in his sleep, thereby failing his intended mission of suiciding live on the Internet.

Born on this day in history: May 31, 1930 - Clint Eastwood (1930- ) Born in the San Francisco area, actor, director and producer Clint Eastward landed the role of Rowdy Yates in TV series Rawhide (1959), which ran for eight seasons, then went to Italy to star in Sergio Leone "spaghetti westerns? (1964), which made him a worldwide star. Back in the U.S., he starred in the hugely popular Dirty Harry film series, which included five films over 17 years. Eastwood gained critical acclaim for directing and starring in his own movies, including Unforgiven (1992), Space Cowboys (2000) and more. Eastwood has been married twice, and fathered several children out of wedlock.

Today's Video: Sleep Last Night? - a tribute to our troops - submitted by Harvest Christian Center

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Ultimate List of Car Songs! View the list and submit your favorite car song(s)!

Steve McQueen in "The Blob." Click to enlarge.

Fighting Back, Reality TV, -and- Nap Time

Fighting Back - man clad in underwear pins leopard
Reality TV - contestants vie for woman's kidney
Nap Time - burglary suspect found sleeping in car

On this day in history: May 29, 1999 - Hikers discover the skeletal remains of Philip "Taylor" in his Ford Aerostar at the bottom of a 200-foot ravine in Malibu, California. The onetime bassist for the band Iron Butterfly had disappeared four years prior.

Born on this day in history: May 29, 1736 - Patrick Henry (1736 - 1799) statesman, orator. He was a brilliant orator of the American Revolution ("Give me liberty or give me death", 1755); first governor of VA.

Today's Video: Steve McQueen Mustang Commercial

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I hope everyone had a festive and safe Memorial Day weekend. Laura and I chose not to travel over the weekend. We generally do not travel during holidays. We chose to rest, enjoy some excellent meals, and eschew the traffic and high fuel prices.

Sunday, I made a spicy barbecue sauce, and Laura used it to glaze some grilled chicken breasts. I made a green bean sauté. I steamed green beans and whole garlic cloves for three minutes in the microwave and set aside. I sautéed sliced white onion, sliced white mushrooms, and sliced cluster tomatoes in extra-virgin olive oil and Cajun seasoning. When the vegetables were cooked, I added the green beans and garlic and stirred. The meal was delightful.

Monday, Laura put a spicy dry rub on two huge, thick New York strip steaks and grilled them perfectly—charred on the outside and rare in the center. I made a green salad with spring mix, sliced white mushrooms, sliced red onion, sliced celery, sliced red bell pepper, and grape tomatoes. It was an excellent meal.

Rotten Apple, Hic!, -and- 911

Rotten Apple - Steve Jobs proposes Al Gore for president
Hic! - drunk driver not arrested, dies in crash hours later
911 - girl calls for police help over messy room

On this day in history: May 23, 1934 - A group of FBI agents and police officers from two states ambush Bonnie and Clyde on a highway near Gibsland, Louisiana. The men open fire as the bank robbers drive past the concealed posse, unloading hundreds of rounds into the car.

Born on this day in history: May 23, 1933 - Joan Collins (1933 - ____) actress. She played Alexis Carrington Colby on TV soap opera "Dynasty," 1981-89.

Today's Video: A Tribute to Rube Goldberg - submitted by Frank

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Here is Al Gore, displaying his conservation skills. How many trees died to make this mess? Click to enlarge.

The wind that has plagued us continues. It continues, however, with considerably less vigor than it displayed yesterday and Monday. Yesterday, the wind was so fierce that there were storm warnings posted for the Tidy Bowl Man. Hopefully, this wind will soon diminish greatly—leaving only a gentle breeze. Otherwise, the weather is perfect. The sun is shining brightly, the sky is blue and clear, and the birds would be singing were the wind to abate.