“People discouraged by tough times were cheered by its tenacity and strong will to live.”

So someone tries to kill it.

“I have just returned from Boston. It is the only sane thing to do if you find yourself up there.”

Fred Allen, in a letter to Groucho Marx, 1953

...or something else?

A European bird never before seen in the lower 48 states has been hanging around the ponds at the Ocean Shores sewage treatment plant for the past week.

~snip~

He labeled the small drab-brown bird’s arrival a mega-rarity in the bird world, surpassing last winter’s appearance of a redwing thrush from Eurasia in Olympia, a happening that attracted more than 1,000 birders to Olympia’s west side over a two-month period.

For decades, Republicans have struggled to reach out to black Americans. But now in Orange County, the GOP has to reach no further than the NAACP.

As of this week, Derrick Wallace, head of Orange County’s NAACP, has switched parties—to become a Republican.

“I’ve thought about this for two years,” Wallace said Tuesday afternoon, just a few hours after returning from the elections office. “This is not a decision I made yesterday.”

Wallace elaborated that his “business” line of thought also referred to the NAACP. Behind many of the power desks in this town sit Republicans. And he said he wants his organization to be part of that structure. Just as importantly, he said, he didn’t want people to immediately brand—or dismiss—NAACP concerns as synonymous with those of liberal Democrats. “I want this branch to be respected,” he said.

disembodied heads hot new thing!

*click for video* [long load]

Yes, indeedy—a “fully alive,” “responsive,” body-less chimpanzee head to sit on your office desk or credenza…

The Alive Chimpanzee has 4 distinct moods: curious, fearful, angry and happy. The moods can be changed through user interaction. If he’s feeling curious he may blink, frown and raise his eyebrows making for one inquisitive primate. Just don’t make him angry as he will snarl, growl and scream. He can be calmed down by stroking or patting his head; but use caution when touching his ears or the back of his head, for that might make for one ferocious creature. If the chimpanzee is feeling fearful he will whimper or whine, and he might shake and close his eyes shut tightly. 

Can a Howard Dean “EEEEEEAAAAUUUUUUUGH!!” head be far behind?

I don’t hang with the “in” crowd...because *I* prefer the smart ones. Yannow, the ones that are on the ball. The ones that aren’t suck-ups. We always get to be ourselves no matter what.

Steve’s like that.

Prosecution sought in death of domino-toppling sparrow

...it just gets better.

***UPDATE: But wait! There’s more!

A mythical monster, believed by some to have lived for hundreds of years in the murky depths of a Swedish lake, is now fair game for hunters — if they can find it. Authorities have agreed to lift its endangered species protection.
Hundreds of people claim to have spotted a large serpent-like creature in Lake Storsjon in the northwestern province of Jamtland, and in 1986 the regional council put it on a list of endangered animals.

But a government watchdog challenged the decision, saying such protection was hardly necessary for a creature whose existence has not been proven.

The regional council agreed to remove the listing this month, but declined to rule out that a monster lives in the 300-foot deep lake.

“It exists, inasmuch as it lives in the minds of people,”* the council’s chief legal adviser Peter Lif said about the purported beast. “But I guess we’ll have to agree that it cannot be proved scientifically, and then it should not be listed as an endangered species.”

***beating TOaD to the punch...no, it’s not even close to the same thing as G*D.
G*D’s not a species, although you could say “he” IS endangered.

The second image Carter recalled was of a young Ethiopian girl’s eagerness to demonstrate that she, like her brother, could use the small latrine their father had made for them.

“She spread her skirt out very carefully and she squatted down to relieve herself.” Carter said.

Carter added jokingly, “We took some pictures of it.”

Is it any surprise that it was Carter appointee Judge Stephen Reinhardt that wrote this ruling????

I think not!

What is the difference between this situation and this one???

Obvious sarcasm aside, I really don’t understand.

WHAT CHILDREN KNOW ABOUT THE SEA
This is a picture of an octopus. It has eight testicles (Kelly age 6)

Oysters’ balls are called pearls. (James age 6)

If you are surrounded by sea you are an Island. If you don’t have sea all round you, you are incontinent. (Wayne age 7)

I think sharks are ugly and mean, and have big teeth, just like Emily Richardson. She’s not my friend no more. (Kylie age 6)

A dolphin breathes through an asshole on the top of its head. (Billy age 8)

My uncle goes out in his boat with pots, and comes back with crabs. (Millie age 6)

When ships had sails, they used to use the trade winds to cross the ocean.Sometimes, when the wind didn’t blow, the sailors would whistle to
make the wind come. My brother said they would be better off eating beans. (William age 7)

I like mermaids. They are beautiful and I like their shiny tails. How domermaids get pregnant? (Helen age 6)

I’m not going to write about the sea. My baby brother is always screaming and being sick, my Dad keeps shouting at my Mom, and my big sister has just got pregnant, so I can’t think what to say. (Amy age 6)

Some fish are dangerous. Jellyfish can sting. Electric eels can give you ashock. They have to live in caves under the sea where I think they have to
plug themselves into chargers. (Christopher age 7)

My Mom has fishnets, but doesn’t catch any fish (Laura age 5)

When you go swimming in the sea, it is very cold, and it makes my willy small. (Kevin age 6)

When me and Sarah went to the sea side in the summer holidays, we hid in the sand dunes and watched my big sister doing it with her boy friend. It was
fun. (Lauren age 7)

A submarine goes under the water like a fish, but it has lots of seameninside. (Emma age 5)

When I grow up, I want to be captain of a big ship, and have lots of sailors. (Valerie age 6)

Divers have to be safe when they go under the water. Two divers can’t go down alone, so they have to go down on each other.(Becky age 8)

On holiday my Mom went water skiing. She fell off when she was going very fast. She says she won’t do it again because water shot up her fanny.
(Julie age 7)

MCPO Airdale

Life being Grand at newly created Park Semper Fi - San Clemente CA - 2005