Okay, that got a little out of hand

Do not pick on the famous who write pretty, for when their readers find your blog poll and decide to vote in it, you can use your hit counter as a high-intensity fan. Which would be okay in July, of course, but this is March.

Once Neil's readers discovered the poll, the results skewed madly.

Okay, that got a little out of hand

Do not pick on the famous who write pretty, for when their readers find your blog poll and decide to vote in it, you can use your hit counter as a high-intensity fan. Which would be okay in July, of course, but this is March.

Once Neil's readers discovered the poll, the results skewed madly.

Americans do many things quite well

One thing we do not do, however, is make really good yogurt. I first noticed the difference between our yogurt and European yogurt on a trip to Brussels in the late 1990s. I thought it was just the Belgians and their happy cows until I flew Air France (once, thank you, and never, ever, ever again), where the only positive part of the experience was the yogurt they included with breakfast.

No, it's not just the Belgians and the French. Spanish yogurt beats American yogurt. Scottish yogurt beats American yogurt.

Greek yogurt (which I've just finished eating for breakfast, with cherries) is the very best of all. Mmmmm.

Want to go back to Santorini. Now. Right now.

Americans do many things quite well

One thing we do not do, however, is make really good yogurt. I first noticed the difference between our yogurt and European yogurt on a trip to Brussels in the late 1990s. I thought it was just the Belgians and their happy cows until I flew Air France (once, thank you, and never, ever, ever again), where the only positive part of the experience was the yogurt they included with breakfast.

No, it's not just the Belgians and the French. Spanish yogurt beats American yogurt. Scottish yogurt beats American yogurt.

Greek yogurt (which I've just finished eating for breakfast, with cherries) is the very best of all. Mmmmm.

Want to go back to Santorini. Now. Right now.

Less sleep = more stupid = more accidents

This basic formula seems to explain why there are more auto accidents on the Monday morning commute after the "spring forward" time change. At least there are more in Michigan, according to the Detroit Free Press.

According to State Police vehicle accident numbers for 2002-06, the Mondays after the switch to daylight saving time were worse compared to an average day that month and for an average Monday.

The Monday after the time change averaged 1,397 crashes. An average day that month had about 840 accidents and an average Monday had about 1,022 crashes.

There were more injuries but fewer fatalities than normal, said Piétro Semifero of the State Police's Office of Highway Safety Planning.

There are fewer fatalities because people are too sleepy to be really aggressive, I betcha.

Less sleep = more stupid = more accidents

This basic formula seems to explain why there are more auto accidents on the Monday morning commute after the "spring forward" time change. At least there are more in Michigan, according to the Detroit Free Press.

According to State Police vehicle accident numbers for 2002-06, the Mondays after the switch to daylight saving time were worse compared to an average day that month and for an average Monday.

The Monday after the time change averaged 1,397 crashes. An average day that month had about 840 accidents and an average Monday had about 1,022 crashes.

There were more injuries but fewer fatalities than normal, said Piétro Semifero of the State Police's Office of Highway Safety Planning.

There are fewer fatalities because people are too sleepy to be really aggressive, I betcha.

For my friends with felines

The Tic Tock Teaser Cat Toy. Just $24.95. It's a bit more expensive than a laser pointer (saw one of those for sale for $1.99 t'other day), but you don't have to do a thing.

For my friends with felines

The Tic Tock Teaser Cat Toy. Just $24.95. It's a bit more expensive than a laser pointer (saw one of those for sale for $1.99 t'other day), but you don't have to do a thing.

Speaking of cats...

...the LOLCat thing has gone wayyyy too far when there is a Wiki for translating the Bible into LOLCat. Oh hai. In teh beginnin Ceiling Cat maded teh skiez An da Urfs, but he did not eated dem.

Via Neat-O-Rama.

Speaking of cats...

...the LOLCat thing has gone wayyyy too far when there is a Wiki for translating the Bible into LOLCat. Oh hai. In teh beginnin Ceiling Cat maded teh skiez An da Urfs, but he did not eated dem.

Via Neat-O-Rama.

Swan Lake...

...danced by a Chinese troupe of contortionists. I'm hoping madfilkentist can interpret the German at the end. :-)

Via GrowABrain.

Swan Lake...

...danced by a Chinese troupe of contortionists. I'm hoping madfilkentist can interpret the German at the end. :-)

Via GrowABrain.

When in doubt, go with plan B

You have to admire this guy, who made the best of things and went with his backup plan. If you can't propose on a warm, romantic beach...do it at airport security.

PRINCE GEORGE, British Columbia - A man in Prince George, British Columbia, thought he had the perfect way to propose to his high school sweetheart. Instead of popping the question on a moonlit Caribbean beach this week, though, Aaron Tkachuk, 24, wound up popping the question to Jennifer Rubadeau, also 24, at an airport security screening station.

A screener at the Prince George airport, Adam Buhler, insisted on having a closer look at the contents of a small box in the toe of a sock. Inside the box was a white gold, diamond and ruby ring.

Tkachuk decided to propose on the spot, and other travelers and security personnel cheered as Rubadeau said yes.

When in doubt, go with plan B

You have to admire this guy, who made the best of things and went with his backup plan. If you can't propose on a warm, romantic beach...do it at airport security.

PRINCE GEORGE, British Columbia - A man in Prince George, British Columbia, thought he had the perfect way to propose to his high school sweetheart. Instead of popping the question on a moonlit Caribbean beach this week, though, Aaron Tkachuk, 24, wound up popping the question to Jennifer Rubadeau, also 24, at an airport security screening station.

A screener at the Prince George airport, Adam Buhler, insisted on having a closer look at the contents of a small box in the toe of a sock. Inside the box was a white gold, diamond and ruby ring.

Tkachuk decided to propose on the spot, and other travelers and security personnel cheered as Rubadeau said yes.

Go Minnesota, go!

Yes, I'm a smoker.

No, I'm not apologizing to you for being a smoker.

Yes, I'm a courteous smoker. No, that doesn't mean I have to like all smoking bans. Yes, I go outside to smoke...even in my own home. No, I don't enjoy drinking beer without a cigarette.

But I wouldn't have to if I lived in Maplewood, Minnesota. How clever:

MAPLEWOOD, Minn. - All the world's a stage at some of Minnesota's bars. A new state ban on smoking in restaurants and other nightspots contains an exception for performers in theatrical productions. So some bars are getting around the ban by printing up playbills, encouraging customers to come in costume, and pronouncing them "actors."

Now I'm tempted to visit Maplewood and wear this gorgeous 19th century dress that doesn't get out of the closet much...

Go Minnesota, go!

Yes, I'm a smoker.

No, I'm not apologizing to you for being a smoker.

Yes, I'm a courteous smoker. No, that doesn't mean I have to like all smoking bans. Yes, I go outside to smoke...even in my own home. No, I don't enjoy drinking beer without a cigarette.

But I wouldn't have to if I lived in Maplewood, Minnesota. How clever:

MAPLEWOOD, Minn. - All the world's a stage at some of Minnesota's bars. A new state ban on smoking in restaurants and other nightspots contains an exception for performers in theatrical productions. So some bars are getting around the ban by printing up playbills, encouraging customers to come in costume, and pronouncing them "actors."

Now I'm tempted to visit Maplewood and wear this gorgeous 19th century dress that doesn't get out of the closet much...

Just a little bit longer...

...and we'll be able to see Crane Beach look like it did when "sandcastlematt" took the triptych below.



Given the lashing rain (and, now, 40+ mph winds) we've had today...and the plummeting temps tomorrow...it won't be for a while, yet. (Still, Cleveland got socked today, and my mom says she has many inches of snow...she, who usually doesn't get nailed when the rest of northern Ohio does. So I'm not gonna bitch too much.)

Just a little bit longer...

...and we'll be able to see Crane Beach look like it did when "sandcastlematt" took the triptych below.



Given the lashing rain (and, now, 40+ mph winds) we've had today...and the plummeting temps tomorrow...it won't be for a while, yet. (Still, Cleveland got socked today, and my mom says she has many inches of snow...she, who usually doesn't get nailed when the rest of northern Ohio does. So I'm not gonna bitch too much.)

We should have done this for my dad

Dad would have preferred an F1 car, of course, or an Indy car if FISA (as it still was, then) got pissy, but he would have appreciated this story of a late lap:

TALENT, Ore. - Big George Helms had tickets for last weekend's NASCAR race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, but died before he got to use them. He still made it to the track, though.

At 6-foot-5 and 400 pounds, Helms wouldn't have been able to fit into a race car. But after his death from a heart attack Dec. 28, loved ones decided to try to fulfill the 54-year-old's dream of participating in a NASCAR race, and arranged for the former logger's ashes to be driven around the track.

We should have done this for my dad

Dad would have preferred an F1 car, of course, or an Indy car if FISA (as it still was, then) got pissy, but he would have appreciated this story of a late lap:

TALENT, Ore. - Big George Helms had tickets for last weekend's NASCAR race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, but died before he got to use them. He still made it to the track, though.

At 6-foot-5 and 400 pounds, Helms wouldn't have been able to fit into a race car. But after his death from a heart attack Dec. 28, loved ones decided to try to fulfill the 54-year-old's dream of participating in a NASCAR race, and arranged for the former logger's ashes to be driven around the track.