Gas pain!

I'm not the first nor the last to say this but what's up with this: Exxon Mobil announces record profits for the last year and today in Springfield, gas prices are up again...around $2.50 a gallon! Remember those $3+ a gallon days last year when the gas companies were telling us how hard they have it? Did you think "these poor guys will be going out of business if they don't raise prices?" Well, in the fourth quarter, Exxon's net income rose 27 percent to $10.7 billion, that's from an article
here. Other oil companies recorded huge profits too. Seems to me these people are laughing all the way to the bank. I'm not talking about Joe Blow who owns a station, but the corporate big-wigs. I smell a petroleum-covered rat!

The Doctor will see you, eventually

I was at the doctor's office for a routine visit recently and, having arrived early, observed something interesting in the waiting room. There were people coming and going, some looking rather unhealthy (don't sneeze in my direction please!) And there were several men and women too in this multiple-doctor clinic, who were arriving with briefcases, bags or boxes with drug names on them...the drug reps. Of course, they are there to let the docs know about the latest pill, cream or (shudder) suppository to cure whatever ails the patient. Did you know there's something called "restless leg syndrome?" I saw the cure for it advertised on tv! Anyway, it's kinda cool that they often leave samples the doctor can then give you for free, but do you ever wonder if maybe your doctor is late seeing you because the Viagra or Allegra rep was talking the doctor's ear off?
BTW, hope you can join me in a very worthwhile effort. Sunday, I'll be answering phones at the United Cerebral Palsy telethon on WAND. Watch for me between 1 and 2, and please donate if you can!

When you gotta go...

Had to share this one with you. The Chinese New Year is coming up. China is a very densly populated country. So when they have a holiday, the public transit system gets bogged down with people. There are too many people and not enough public toilets. So the Chinese are stocking up on adult diapers! I hope this trend doesn't catch on. But imagine you're at a 3 hour movie like King Kong and you've just had a mega-size soda. Now you don't have to miss the movie! You're at a ballgame and have had several beers...hey we all know how long the lines can get there, now you can go without leaving your seat. Or you're working diligently on your blog and nature calls...well I'm not wearing a diaper so I better close for now!

Golden Globes Groper

One of the more talked about aspects of the Golden Globes last week was the red carpet interviewer for E! who did more than ask "who are you wearing?" Isaac Mizrahi was groping female celebrities and asking embarrasing questions. Now celebrities have to expect they'll be asked a lot of questions and face a lot of cameras. There's autograph hounds and smart-ass talk show hosts. It comes with the territory. But it seems the line of common sense and decency is being crossed when incidents like this occur. In fact, Mizrahi has just been given the red carpet job for the Oscars. I think a husband or boyfriend of the next celebrity Mizrahi grabs needs to teach him some manners! A good smack down right there on the red carpet...I'd tune in for that!

Lights at Wrigley

A little warmer today, prompting thoughts of spring and baseball! Living in Springfield, I have a lot of friends who are Cardinals fans. Some of my family in Chicago are White Sox fans. (Hi Sue!) But I always bled Cubbie blue. And I have another reason to like the team. Did you know Wrigley Field didn't get lights until 1988, but they were supposed to get them in 1941? It's true. After Pearl Harbor, Mr. Wrigley donated the un-installed lights to the war effort. Very patriotic! Interesting that it then took over 40 years for night baseball to come to the north side. I know the neighborhood was initially opposed to the idea. It's a beautiful old ballpark, worth a visit (if you can get tickets) even if you're not a Cubs fan.

Rumor has it

Ever get one of those e-mails that's been forwarded about a thousand times before it got to you? And it contains some info which seems unbelievable, or at the very least, questionable? Or maybe it's something someone told you at work that just doesn't seem likely. There's a website I always go to called
snopes.com. Unfortunately, they do use pop-up ads. But it's the best place to double check...Will placing tinfoil in your car's hubcaps fool police radar? (No) Did a bank issue a credit card to a tree? (Yes) Was Walt Disney's body cryogenically frozen? (You'll have to go to snopes to find out!) It's better than simply passing on false information, which the web is full of. And you'll finally know if Twinkies will actually last 100 years or not!

24

I'm fired up about tv again, with the return of Invasion on Wednesday nights, The Office moving to Thursday and, yes...24 is back! There are all kinds of theories if you look around on the internet, but hey, let's take it one episode at a time and enjoy. None of the main characters are safe, as we've seem many killed off in the last 4 seasons and another 2 on last night's season premiere. Chloe looks to have a bigger role this year. Or is she going to wind up in jail? There's double-agents, a teenager who's going to try to help and will probably make matters worse, car chases, explosions and some really, really bad guys. Looks like another great season!

Fire Hydrant

Ever see a movie or tv show where someone runs over a fire hydrant and a torrent of water shoots up? Ever wonder if that's what would really happen? Take a look at this. Those hydrants seem pretty solid, I'm surprised she managed to knock it off by "backing over it." Makes whatever stupid mistake you or I might make today look pretty small!

Tea

I've gone tea crazy! Let me explain. I've always enjoyed iced tea, usually with lemon. Sweet tea, a southern specialty available at several places around here, is also very good. But I've been drinking more tea lately, because a) it's healthy b) warm tea is great on a cold day c) there's like a thousand different kinds and I just may try them all! There's your traditional black tea. There's green tea (high in antioxidants they say.) There's red (rooibos,) white and even blue tea (ok, it's regular tea with blueberry flavor.) That brings us to the flavors...holy cow. A grocery store in town is having a sale, so I brought home chai tea with chocolate and caramel (although I don't taste either in the tea.) I also have Raspberry, Lemon Zinger, Sweet Apple, Mandarin Orange and Roast Beef flavor...kidding about the last one. I'll get to 'em all eventually.

Successor to Far Side?

One of my favorite cartoons has always been Far Side. Gary Larson stopped doing the daily years ago, but you can still see his work on coffee mugs, calendars and the book compilations. (I have all of these.) There's just something about a talking cow or the "bananas and ball bearings" company, with workers falling all over the place, or the skydiving school located next to the alligator farm. Yup, the man has a unique sense of humor. And I've found another guy I think is hilarious. Mark Parisi has a site called
off the mark.Star Wars, parenting, Teletubbies, animals...this guy can take anything and in one panel, make it funny. Check it out if you need a laugh. And no, I don't know the guy, but if you're reading this Mr. Parisi, I'd love a t-shirt or something!