She's Down to Seven Lives...

Poor Puddy Cat. According to an Associate Press article which I read in this morning's Charleston Post and Courier, a freaky feline named Andera has suffered the indignity of being twice_executed in Utah, but she keeps right on living. Obviously, see still has seven lives to go. Either that, or she's...

...a zombie cat. They probably just picked the wrong Pet_Cemetary (I always thought Steven King borrowed his idea for that book from a_short_story_I_read_in_Junior_High_School, but what do I know?

R.I.P. Tom McEwen.

My brother reported to me that retired Tampa Tribune sportswriter Tom_McEwen_died. The eulogy that I've linked notes that McEwen wielded considerable influence in the sporting world, and that he was instrumental in bringing professional soccer to Tampa, as well as football and hockey franchises. I remember his column, "The Morning After". I read it all the time in my youth. I remember how he used to write about what his wife had prepared for him for breakfast. He wrote things like, "Along with your freshly squeezed orange juice, and toasted English Muffin, these morsels..." Then he break into his story. I liked the stories too, of course, but it was his listing of what he'd had for breakfast that has stayed with me over the past forty years or so.

A floor wax AND a dessert topping...

I was perusing Parade today, and read about their list of the World's ten worst dictators. After concluding that they all seem like pretty bad leaders but pretty GOOD dictators (dictators pretty much being not very nice people in general, and all...), I pondered a commodity that we acquire from Sudan, home of the the World's second worst (sic) dictator:

"The U.S. also purchases from Sudan millions of dollars worth of gum Arabic, used in soft drinks, candy, and shoe polish" (emphasis added)

Wait. The stuff we put in our shoe polish, we also put in our soda and candy? Holy Schmidt! I thought we were supposed to know the difference between Sh!t and Shinola. Reminded me of a fake product from days of yore (or your. Or my. Whatever. I'll try to embed this old fake commercial, but in case they pull it, or it otherwise doesn't work, try This).

Good Company.

Hmmm. America won't sign a women's rights treaty (CEDAW). We've got a woman Secretary of State (two times in a row!). Almost had a woman President or Vice-President. Must be a good reason. Ah, says here we're not the only ones: seven other countries think this treaty stinks. I betcha England or France is on there, which is probably why we don't like it. Let's see: Sudan, Somalia, Qatar, Iran, Nauru, Palau, and Tonga. Geez, none of these guys would get picked in sandlot softball! The most influential and powerful of the bunch is Iran. Must be some sorta outreach program. "See, Iran, we don't like women's rights over here, either. You wanna get rid of those nukes? And how 'bout treating Israel a little better".

Reminds me of a song by one of my favorite groups, Queen. "Take care of those you call your own, and keep good company":