Grandma's House

Here's a news story from WABC-TV:

(New York-AP, Sept. 27, 2005) - It's an only in New York story. A woman was given a ticket for sitting on a park bench because she doesn't have children.

The Rivington Playground on Manhattan's East Side has a small sign at the entrance that says adults are prohibited unless they are accompanied by a child. Forty-seven-year-old Sandra Catena says she didn't see the sign when she sat down to wait for an arts festival to start. Two New York City police officers asked her if she was with a child. When she said no, they gave her a ticket that could bring a one thousand dollar fine and 90 days in jail.
The city parks department says the rule is designed to keep pedophiles out of city parks, but a parks spokesman told the Daily News that the department hoped police would use some common sense when enforcing the rule.

The spokesman told the paper that ticketing a woman in the park in the middle of the day is not the way you want to enforce the rule.

Common sense -- something they definitely don't teach in school.

President Bush has asked the Supreme Court to reinstate the ban on partial-birth abortions. With new people on the court, this could be interesting. I hope they wait until O'Connor is replaced, otherwise there will only be eight votes that will count if she's replaced before a decision comes down.

John Kerry fans may have a problem if they want him to run again in 2008. A little documentary called "Inside the Bubble" could sink his chances before he ever gets started. Get the dirty details from Lloyd Grove. I wish I could see it, but I doubt it will be shown anywhere around here. At least, not until everyone's forgotten about it.

Don't believe those Polish jokes you hear all the time. An 18-month-old baby was smart enough to start the family car, then run over three members of his family. He really must be tired of baby food.

An elderly couple in Finland was attacked by a male reindeer while out for a walk. I tried to warn them not to call him "Prancer". He really hates that name.

Born on Saturday: Aiden Bice, new son of former "American Idol" runner-up Bo Bice and his new bride, Caroline Fisher. I hope Aiden can sing as well as his daddy.

I was sure sorry to hear that Don Adams passed away. I really enjoyed watching "Get Smart" every week. He had such a great way of solving crimes by stumbling over the clues, and criminals.

You know, if I still lived in Independence, MO and had children in school, I'd probably be in jail on a regular basis:

Six of the 21 public schools in Independence have banned parents from their classrooms this year.

Pye and other principals who have banned parents said attorneys have approved the effort. But state lawyers said they interpret the privacy rule to deal only with student records, not parents visiting classrooms.

Independence superintendent Jim Hinson said he agrees with the state. But he said principals at the six schools began the parental ban because of disruptive parents who interrupt instruction time.

Boloney! If my school had a rule that outrageous, my children would be banned from attending. I would be worried about what they're teaching my children that they didn't want me to hear.

A moron in Muncie, Indiana decided to steal gasoline from a local station. So he loads a 55-gallon drum in the back of his van and rigs a pump to siphon gas for him. So far, so good, right? Well now the moron part of his brain kicks in. While the pump is running, this genius falls asleep! The station owner calls police when he finds the van in his lot and our genius is in jail.

Well, it's official: The Donald is gonna be a daddy... again. Melania Trump is expecting a child in the spring. Hopefully it's a child. Who knows, it could be a giant hairball?

I don't normally go for jokes that poke fun at the President, but this one I kinda liked, even though it could apply to about any politician these days:

Donald Rumsfeld is giving the president his daily briefing. He concludes by saying: "Yesterday, 3 Brazilian soldiers were killed in an accident."

"OH NO!" the President exclaims. "That's terrible!"

His staff sits stunned at this display of emotion, nervously watching as the president sits, head in hands. Finally, the President looks up and asks..........

"How many is a brazillion ?"

That's all the blogging you get from me tonight, guys. My eyes are achy, because I've been reading too much today. I'm gonna take some Tylenol and go to rest my eyes for a while. Don't do anything I wouldn't do, or if you do, be careful. Don't want to lose anybody.

Week 3 of the NFL threw the family football bet out of whack. Of the four teams being followed, three of them were off this week. Only Philadelphia played, so Sir Mugley is in the lead by 58 points as of today. Hopefully, we'll make up some ground next week.

For those of you who missed me last night (yeah, right) I was recovering from my second round of eye surgery. I had my other cataract removed Friday morning, and still looked like a pirate last night. The bandage was removed this morning, and I'm still feeling a little disconnected. After seeing things blurry for months, it's a little daunting seeing everything crisp and clear suddenly. It's almost like every thing you look at is extra sharp, and your depth perception is screwed up, too. Like when you put on someone's glasses and the prescription is really strong. It should mellow out over the next few days. Two more doctor's visits, and a final eyeglass prescription for reading and I'll be done with this. Thanks to all who've been praying for me. I really appreciate it.

This is Elsie. Elsie is a six-month-old St. Bernard puppy, who was foolish enough to play sword swallower with a 13-inch serrated knife. Don't worry, though; she is fine. Veterinarians were able to remove the blade successfully, leaving only an 8-inch scar.

You Are Chinese Food

Exotic yet ordinary. People think they've had enough of you, but they're back for more in an hour.

Tri-Lamb Material 56 % Nerd, 30% Geek, 56% Dork

For The Record: A Nerd is someone who is passionate about learning/being smart/academia. A Geek is someone who is passionate about some particular area or subject, often an obscure or difficult one. A Dork is someone who has difficulty with common social expectations/interactions. You scored better than half in Nerd and Dork, earning you the coveted title of: Tri-Lamb Material. The classic, "80's" nerd, you are what most people think of when they think "nerd," largely due to 80's movies like Revenge of the Nerds and TV shows like Head of the Class. You're exceptionally bright and smart, and partly because of that have never quite fit in with your peers or social groups. Perhaps you're realized, or will someday, that it is possible to retain all of the things that you like about being brilliant and still make peace with the social cliques around you. Or maybe you won't--it's really not necessary. As the brothers of Lambda Lambda Lambda discovered, you're fine just the way you are and can take pride in that. I mean, who wants to be like Ogre, right!? Congratulations! THE NERD? GEEK? OR DORK? TEST

Another miscarriage of justice in the nation's public school system. In Wichita, Kansas, a fourth-grade substitute teacher turned her back on the students at the wrong time. One of the students decided it would be funny to defecate in the back of the classroom. After she narrowed the suspects down to three, she made those three clean it up. Guess who got kicked out of school for the mess? The substitute teacher! I'd like to know what would possess a fourth grader to do something so completely idiotic.

Attention Secret Service Agents! Don't let Jimmy Carter anywhere near northern Italy. There's a giant pink bunny in the mountains there. It's made of pink wool and 200 feet long, and just salivating at the chance of getting a second shot at Carter after missing him in the boat.

Check out this cloud. What or who do you think it looks like? Some think Jesus, others say Ringo, yet others Osama bin Laden. Post your opinions in the comments.

This pilot should lose his license for such a stupid stunt:

LIMA, Peru (AP) -- A chartered jet carrying 289 Gambian soccer fans pretended it needed to make an emergency landing so they could watch their team compete in the FIFA Under 17 World Championships, officials said Wednesday.

Isn't that stupid? How would you punish this guy?

This is almost too funny for words! According to News Max, Britain's Sky News is reporting China has come out with two new condoms; one named for Bill Clinton, and one named for Monica Lewinsky. No comment from the Rodham-Clinton camp, but wouldn't you have wanted to be a fly on the wall to hear her reaction?

And so it begins. Harry Reid, Democratic Senator from Nevada, announced today that the special interest groups have decided he should vote against John Roberts as the new Chief Justice. Of course, he didn't phrase it that way, but that's what it boils down to. Anyone surprised?

Here's some glorious news for you: Remember last year when little Rumaisa Rahman was born, weighing 8.6 ounces and measured less than 10 inches long? She just celebrated her first birthday! Little Rumaisa is doing beautifully, now weighing 13 pounds and she's a full two feet tall. She and twin sister Hiba are not expected to have any lasting physical or mental handicaps. Doesn't that brighten your day a little?

Liberal mouthpiece Cindy Sheehan got "shoved around" when police broke up a protest rally which was being held without a permit. She thinks the police used too much force. I think she got off lucky. Just yesterday I read a report about Mizzz Sheehan giving Hillary an ultimatum. That took a lot of guts. She's lucky Hillary didn't get hold of her. It would have been more than just a shove.

Just so you know, I have agreed to be interviewed by Basil over at Basil's Blog. If you have a burning question, for pity's sake get an extinguisher and put it out. Someone could get hurt! Then click on his link in the blogroll and post the question you want me to answer. Like I used to tell my kids, you can ask me anything at all, and if I can answer it, I will. This should be fun! So don't be shy. Ask away!

Everybody's favorite Nazi hunter has passed away. From Yahoo News:

Simon Wiesenthal, the Holocaust survivor who helped track down numerous Nazi war criminals following World War II then spent the later decades of his life fighting anti-Semitism and prejudice against all people, died Tuesday. He was 96.

Wiesenthal, who had been an architect before World War II, changed his life's mission after the war, dedicating himself to trying to track down Nazi war criminals and to being a voice for the 6 million Jews who died during the onslaught. He himself lost 89 relatives in the Holocaust.

Wiesenthal spent more than 50 years hunting Nazi war criminals, speaking out against neo-Nazism and racism, and remembering the Jewish experience as a lesson for humanity. Through his work, he said, some 1,100 Nazi war criminals were brought to justice.

"When history looks back I want people to know the Nazis weren't able to kill millions of people and get away with it," he once said.

Wiesenthal was perhaps best known for his role in tracking down Adolf Eichmann, the one-time SS leader who organized the extermination of the Jews. Eichmann was found in Argentina, abducted by Israeli agents in 1960, tried and hanged for crimes committed against the Jews.

He did great work in his lifetime. I hope it is never forgotten. Rest in peace, Simon. You've earned it.

We had an enjoyable but loud barbecue at the daughter's house yesterday for our anniversary. It was a lot of fun, having all the grandbabies in one place at one time. I'm still not dealing well with the fact that the son and daughter-in-law are planning to move to Indiana, where her mother lives. There were a couple of episodes that caused me to tear up. The smallest of the brood, Austin, picked a flower off the rose of sharon plant outside and brought it to me. As he handed it to me he said, "I love you, grandma." I almost squeezed him to death, I was hugging him so hard. Then Anthony, the oldest of my son's boys, came in the house and climbed up in my lap to give me a hug. When I asked him what that was for, he said no reason. That, to me, is the best reason of all. We had a wonderful lunch, and all the kids played well together. I cried on and off all evening, every time the realization they were leaving came over me. They say they're coming back for Christmas, but we all know how circumstances can change. It would be a 10 hour trip in a car with 3 small children in winter weather.

I asked Tom how he knew there would be a job when he got there. It seems the man his mother-in-law is dating does the hiring. So she's sure he can get a job. They are going to have to live with her (big surprise) until she gets some kind of settlement next year. Then she's going to give them the down payment for the house of their choice. I'm sorry, but that just sounds bogus. I don't know her; she may be telling the truth. If she's not, I may have to open up a drum of...well, you know.

From MSNBC Breaking News:

North Korea pledged to drop its nuclear weapons development and rejoin international arms treaties in a unanimous agreement Monday at six-party arms talks. The agreement was the first-ever joint statement after more than two years of negotiations.

This sounds like great news to me. I just wonder what their price was. Anyway, this should be welcome news for the President and his administration after all the crap they've taken.

Myrna Loy
You scored 21% grit, 23% wit, 33% flair, and 38% class!
You are class itself, the calm, confident "perfect woman." Men turn and look at you admiringly as you walk down the street, and even your rivals have a grudging respect for you. You always know the right thing to say, do and, of course, wear. You can take charge of a situation when things get out of hand, and you're a great help to your partner even if they don't immediately see or know it. You are one classy dame. Your screen partners include William Powell and Cary Grant, you little simmerpot, you.

Find out what kind of classic leading man you'd make by taking the Classic Leading Man Test.

Well, that's pretty cool. I was hoping for Katherine Hepburn, but Myrna was cool, too. I loved the Thin Man movies, but they needed a bigger dog. Asta was cute, but I like Rin Tin Tin better!

They did it! Congratulations to the Saint Louis Cardinals, in winning the NL Central Division today. Five out of the last six years, two years in a row. This time let's take the Series!

This is too funny! I got this straight from Drudge Report, and decided to post the whole thing. You read it while I finish laughing my butt off:

CINDY SHEEHAN CALLS FOR U.S TO 'PULL OUR TROOPS OUT OF OCCUPIED NEW ORLEANS'
Mon Sep 12 2005 12:42:11 ET

Celebrity anti-war protester, fresh off inking a lucrative deal with Speaker's Bureau, has demanded at the HUFFINGTON POST and MICHAEL MOORE'S website that the United States military must immediately leave 'occupied' New Orleans.

"I don't care if a human being is black, brown, white, yellow or pink. I donÕt care if a human being is Christian, Muslim, Jew, Buddhist, or pagan. I don't care what flag a person salutes: if a human being is hungry, then it is up to another human being to feed him/her. George Bush needs to stop talking, admit the mistakes of his all around failed administration, pull our troops out of occupied New Orleans and Iraq, and excuse his self from power. The only way America will become more secure is if we have a new administration that cares about Americans even if they donÕt fall into the top two percent of the wealthiest."

Sheehan is in the middle of a bus trip across America in support of her cause.

Whooo hoooo!! Tears are rolling!!!

Well, Missouri tried again to put limits on abortion. And once again, they screwed it up. The governor signed the bill into law Thursday, and today a federal judge blocked it from taking effect. In my opinion, they handled it all wrong. The bill was in three parts:

1. Permitted lawsuits against persons who helped underage pregnant girls get abortions without the permission of a parent or judge;

2. Disqualified anyone with a financial interest in an abortion from assisting minors in getting a court exemption from parental notification;

3. Required doctors who perform abortions to be affiliated with a hospital within 30 miles of the clinic where the procedure is done.

Now, I don't call myself "pro-life" since I do believe in the death penalty. However, I am against abortion. And I believe if they had left out the second part of the bill, this law would go into effect without too much trouble. But the disqualification applies to people who work in the abortion clinics and family planning offices, who are supposed to fully inform their clients of all their options. Whether they really do, I have no idea. But part one and three of the bill make a lot of sense. An abortion is an invasive procedure, one which should be approved by a responsible party such as a parent or judge. And part three should be appreciated by the doctors, as they stand to lose if there are complications to the procedures and the patient can't get to a hospital in a rapid fashion.

Anyone want to express their opinion? I'll listen.

I always thought you could get hurt in a gym class. Now I know it's true.

A malfunctioning light bulb in a school gym exposed more than 100 people to short-wave radiation for an hour, sending 18 to the hospital with severe sunburns and swollen eyes.

I know you think it was an isolated case. But if this article is right, it could happen anywhere.

Dr. Michael Richardson, another emergency room doctor, said the symptoms, similar to overexposure from a tanning bed, were produced by a radiation leak from a halide bulb. The bulbs, commonly used in gyms, are designed with a special membrane that blocks the UV rays, but occasionally the membranes break.

Spooky!

Kathleen Blanco has finally taken responsibility for the mistakes made in her state. I guess she was waiting for the poll results from President Bush's mea culpa.

There's a new reality show on the Internet. This one is a type of Survivor, but it is exclusively for sheep. The reality show craze gets stranger and stranger. This one could be really baaaad.

Now on to the regular strange stuff you've been missing. I'm sure you're tired of me feeling sorry for myself. There's a new nail treatment out there for those who are tired of plain, painted nails.

A group of Singaporean entrepreneurs on Wednesday launched E-Manicure, a machine with a camera that paints full-color images on nails in just 30 seconds. They say the resolution is good, and they can add glitter and sparkles to jazz up the image.

What's really great is it only costs about $1.20 per nail. For those who did poorly in math, that's about $12.00 (sorry). I'd have trouble deciding what to put on them. A loved one's picture? A favorite pet? A waterfall? What would you put on your nails if given the chance?

Here's another weird thing: I sometimes have these anxiety attacks, and they usually coincide with something bad happening in my family. I know that sounds weird to you; it does to me, too. It happened again this week. I had one of them a few days ago. And tonight I got the world dropped on me. My son called tonight and informed me his mother-in-law had offered to get his family a house if they moved to Indiana. That's where she lives, naturally. She also said he could get a job paying $12.00 an hour at a flour mill. So they're planning to leave around the middle of October. I won't even have my babies until Christmas. This is so unfair. She has had access to these kids since they were born, and I couldn't even have them for one major holiday. I couldn't talk to him about it, because I want him to do what is best for his family, not what is best for me. So they're coming to my daughter's house for a barbecue on Sunday, our 29th wedding anniversary. I guess we'll discuss it more then. I hope I get all my crying over with by then. I don't want to upset the babies. I love them so much. I can't stand the thought that they're leaving, just when I'm starting to get to know them.

This is bizarre! See what you think:

1. While sitting at your desk, lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles with it.

2. Now, while doing this, draw the number "6" in the air with your right hand. Your foot will change direction!!!

Could you keep your foot from changing? I couldn't.

President Bush today accepted responsibility for the missteps taken in the Katrina Hurricane response, much to the delight of his political enemies. I admire the fact that he put everything on his own shoulders, even though it doesn't all belong there. The bulk of the burden belongs to the mayor of New Orleans, the governor of Louisiana, the people of the state, the representatives of the state in Washington, and the officials in charge of the response. The President should not be taking all this on himself. That's my opinion. What's yours?

Well it's that time of year again. The annual family football bet has begun. We decided to just pick two teams this year, so it would be easier to keep track. I went out on a limb this year and picked Baltimore and Detroit; Sir Mugley went with his standard Philadelphia and Washington. As of the end of week one, I'm ahead (surprisingly) by five points. This is going to be a strange football season.

ABC News apparently received a videotape from al-Qaeda, stating that Los Angeles and Australia were the next targets on the terrorist hit parade. If you want to see the videotape, click here. If you just want to read a transcript of the tape, it would be here. If you still believe these extremists are just misunderstood, stick your head back in the sand. You'll be safer there.

A small business in Massachusetts fell victim to a strong-arm robbery. I call it that because the only things stolen were a 250 pound Japanese-style lantern pagoda, and a 400 pound granite elephant. I imagine those items will be hard to hide, don't you?

Whoever said English people were staid and reserved? Here's a family who really want their newborn to grow up hating them. They named this poor child Rafferty Bob Ash Chewbacca Peate. Seriously, how many times is this poor kid gonna get beat up? They say they named him after Bob the Builder, a Pokemon character, and the wookie from Star Wars. I think they were stoned, and this kid's gonna pay the price.

This is not a joke. Honda Corp. has developed an airbag for motorcycles. That's right. They're planning to install them on the new Gold Wing models coming out next spring. Supposedly, when you fly over the handlebars in a crash, the airbag will slow you down. I'm not sure that will really help that much.

Okay, they've officially run out of ideas for movies. Get ready for...Police Academy 8! That's right. They're planning to make another one. They should have stopped at one, in my opinion.

How about those Chiefs today? They fairly kicked New York Jet butt. Of course, they had a lot of help from the Jets. Between the two quarterbacks, they managed to fumble the ball six times. I think they underestimated the Chiefs. After all, they lost every game in the preseason. They're off to a great start.

I'm betting this guy still has a headache:

A thief raiding a Swiss shopping centre was arrested after his head was clamped by a sliding door, police said.

The thief forced his way through the automatic sliding door in the village of Nendaz during the night and carted way several bags full of DVDs, watches and food, police in the southern canton of Valais said Wednesday.

But the door suddenly shut during the illicit shopping spree, trapping his neck and foot and forcing him to call for help.

Some people just shouldn't break the law.

Sandy Berger was sentenced Thursday after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents. Mr. Burglar, I mean Berger, was sentenced to two years probation and 100 hours of community service, in addition to a $50,000 fine and loss of his security clearance for three years. My question is: Why only three years? Why does he still need a security clearance? What do you think?

The University of Colorado is finally going to do something about Ward Churchill, the renegade professor they have on their faculty. Of course, if we all handled problems as efficiently as the university is handling this matter, nothing would ever get done.

Sir Mugley found out this week he has to start using insulin to control his diabetes. We've been expecting this for some time, as his blood sugar has been fluctuating a lot. Fortunately it's only once a day at bedtime, so that's good. But now he has several large bottles of medication he can't use any more. I wish there was some way to give it to the doctors working in the gulf right now, in case some of the patients need it. But I'm not sure that's legal. Probably not.

Not much to post tonight, I'm afraid. I've got some stuff to get together, but there's something on my mind. My daughter-in-law called today, and told me my son, Wolf from Pack News, had to go to the hospital with abdominal and back pain yesterday. He was diagnosed with a kidney infection and bladder infection, but they also told him his prostate was enlarging. The doctor told him he needed to go see a specialist as soon as possible. They are both terrified it could be cancer. They are trying to get the money together to rent a place to live (they're living in a motel right now), and don't have the money for a specialist. They had to borrow the money for his antibiotics. If you would, please pray for them, that God would restore him to health, and provide them a place to live and raise their three sons. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. I'll post more tonight.

Here are today's outrages via the Katrina coverage: The Red Cross was not permitted to deliver supplies to the Superdome, because the Louisiana Head of Homeland Security didn't want the refugees to get too comfortable there and want to stay.

Outrage number two: Mayor Nagin said in a radio interview that they discussed using the hundreds of school buses to transport people out of New Orleans, but he wanted Greyhound buses instead. Apparently the school buses weren't comfortable enough. How did this loser get elected? He's up for re-election in February. Let's hope the people he supposedly serves will remember this.

Here's something different: A woman died while taking a leak in a cemetery in Belgium. When she lost her balance, she grabbed a headstone, which then fell over on her. At least, that's the story they're telling. How do we know the occupant just didn't want to get "rained" on?

Just a few short takes on the hurricane story:

Animal groups are now rescuing many dogs and cats abandoned in New Orleans. Hopefully, it's not too late. The water these animals have been in and drinking is really funky.

The head of Thomas Nelson Publishing received a call for Bibles in the devastated area, and gladly contributed 100,000 Bibles to the cause. Ever since, he's been inundated with nasty letters and emails. He is being accused of trying to convert the evacuees. He was merely respondingn to a request. If you get a chance, go to their website and let them know someone appreciates their generosity.

Some people are raising Cain about the term "refugees". These people need to get a life. There are many other things that need to be done besides nitpicking about word usage. Grow up already!

Enough hurricane stuff for tonight. There's got to be other news going on in the world.

Our "little buddy" has passed away. Bob Denver, star of "Gilligan's Island" died Friday from complications of his cancer treatments. Another television icon is gone.

A man in Kuala Lumpur had recently lost his job, and decided to jump off a bridge and end it all. The rescue workers pleaded with him to think of his wife and children, to no avail. Then they told him his dog was suffocating inside his locked car. That did it. He decided to save his dog, and in turn, saved his own life. Good doggie!

Congratulations to the Jerry Lewis Telethon in scoring over 55 million dollars for their cause, and for donating one million to the victims of Katrina. In addition, they continually asked people to donate to the Salvation Army for the victims. In my opinion, that's class.

Those of you who can should watch the Muscular Dystrophy Telethon this weekend. This is their 40th year of bringing the telethon to the people, and this year they are going to work to raise money for the Katrina Relief Fund. How often do you see one charity giving to another? That's class in my book. Not only are they getting the word out to donate for the first four and last four hours of the telethon, they are also donating one million dollars of the donations they receive this weekend to the effort. God bless these people. They are truly doing His work.

Just heard on the news William Rehnquist has died. Now President Bush has to replace two justices. Pray for him to make wise decisions, and for Congress to act like adults and work with him to make this a smooth transition.

Well, there's not a lot new in the news today. Everyone's talking about Katrina and getting help to the survivors. That's great. I hope you've made your contribution, either of money, time or prayer. I understand several police officers in New Orleans have quit their jobs, and Drudge is reporting two have committed suicide. There are also reports that police officers are helping with the looting of the abandoned stores. That breaks my heart. These people are giving all policemen a black eye. Someone should throw the book at them, then the bookshelf. The same goes for the idiots who are blaming the federal government, and for those claiming racism in the handling of the rescue mission. If they want to lay blame, it goes squarely in the lap of the elected officials in Louisiana, especially the mayor. Their own disaster plan said the buses that are now under water were to be used to evacuate those who had no transportation.

We're getting some refugees up here in Missouri. I know Branson has opened their hotels and motels to the refugees, and are giving many clothing and food. The Convoy of Hope has traveled to the gulf region and are providing meals and water to the victims. They are based in Springfield.

I'm back. It's been a very hectic time in our nation, hasn't it? Our prayers go out to the survivors and familiess of the victims of Katrina. There are relief activities going on everywhere. Give what you can, or volunteer to help if you can.

I am torn regarding the fate of New Orleans. Of course, I hate that people died. They shouldn't have. I just don't get it. With earthquakes, there is no real warning, unless your pet is tuned in. And tornadoes, well you usually have about 15 minutes. Enough time to get to shelter in most cases. But with hurricanes, you have about a week. Why did those people stay there? Why, with the Gulf of Mexico on one side, Lake Ponchartrain on another, and the Mississippi River on a third, weren't the levees in a condition to handle the problem? Why is that idiot of a mayor blaming the Governor and the President for the anarchy he has allowed to happen? Why, in the midst of all the destruction, are people stealing televisions and basketball hoops? Why not steal food and clothing if you have to steal something. The city of New Orleans has had years to improve the levees. Why wasn't it done? Why expect someone else to tend to your problems, mayor? Grow up and accept responsibility for the fact that you didn't have a plan, and the entire city is now a shooting gallery!

Enough about that. I just had to vent. Now to good stuff. I can read again!! I went to the doctor for a one week post-op check and everything is great. The surgery was almost a total success. I didn't realize there were two different kinds of cataracts. Naturally, I'd have the more difficult type. They got most of it, but I'll probably have to have laser surgery at the end of the year. I'm now looking forward to having the other eye done. I was worried about the surgery; the idea of someone sticking a needle in my eye was not high on my wish list. But you can't see it. Once you're on the table, they drape your face so all that's exposed is the eye being fixed. Then they shine a bright light in it and that's all you can see. You can't feel anything except when they use the retractor to keep your eyelids open. The surgery was over in 10 minutes. Then came the pain. They don't tell you the drape is held on your face by superglue. I think they ripped off the top layer of skin. Anyway, I can read now, with glasses, but distance is perfect. I'm looking forward to the other surgery. Right now, without the glasses on, it's a little like looking through a Viewmaster. Everything is ultra 3-D. But I'm back, and I'll be blogging tomorrow night so be prepared. I've got a lot of venom backed up and need to vent.