PJ pants? Where can I get another pair?

Something I read this morning really ticked me off. Check out this blog/article: Should Moms Wear Pajamas to the Store

Bits & pieces:

So wrong, in fact, that Tesco, a giant grocery chain in the UK, has actually had to enact an official store policy banning patrons wearing slippers and/or nightwear.

and this....

For heaven’s sakes, moms, have some pride! I don’t actually care so much about what the other shoppers are thinking: Is a mother in her flannels really a lot worse than Britney Spears prancing through Target half-naked, in an outfit consisting mainly of flip-flops, cut-offs and a Starbucks cup? The problem is a matter of self-respect. How can you take yourself, and what you do in life, seriously, if you don’t think you’re important enough to even bother getting dressed in the morning?

and that...

So far, no U.S. stores have followed in Tesco’s footsteps. But there are a number of people here who wouldn’t mind that happening. One Internet comment urged Walmart to impose the same rule. Added another, “I hope America adapts this ASAP.”

Ok wow. Get a life. Someone actually gives a crap if someone else wears PJ bottoms to a store? Are you the fricken fashion police? I can sit here and pick out a lot more "outfits" that should be banned from stores and none of them include PJ pants.
Now what I find incredibly wrong about this whole thing is that people don't seem to blink an eye about trying to get major chains to do this! What country do we live in again? You want a store to tell you what kind of pants you can wear? What if my PJ pants don't have bears or cupcakes on them? What if they are a solid color? Are you going to check my tag at the door? Feel the fabric to see if it's flannel? If I get hauled out because I'm wearing a pair of PJ pants what about the woman who walks in with all her cleavage hanging out? Or the guy with so many holes in his jeans you can see what brand of boxers he's wearing? And of course there is my personal favorite... the farmer who had to stop and get some milk and you can smell him when he walks in the door because he's been around cow shit all morning.
People need to really sit back and think about the word "freedom" before they start flapping their jaws about what other people do.
I work at home for a number of reasons, but one of them is because I like working in PJ pants. Are they clean? Yes. Am I clean? Yes. Hell, I even have makeup on... it's really helps bring out the color of the purple teddy bears on my pants. If I need to run up to the store, the last thing I'm worried about is some holier than thou mom thinking that my choice of clothing is wrong. My ass is covered... get over it.
And... yes there's more. Slippers. My favorite pair of slippers are moccasin like. They are slippers in every sense, but I wear them everywhere. To the store, on the short walk to my parents house... how the hell does anyone know if they are slippers or not? And I really don't give a shit if the woman behind me at the checkout has big floppy bunny slippers. I bet her feet are warm.

Ok thank you. I'm done now. Leave me and my PJ pants alone. I think these moms are just jealous because my ass looks better in PJ pants than theirs does...

This was brought up at IC Forums, too. Seems like I hang around with the right crowd.

Pants on the Ground - American Idol

He might not have made it to Hollywood, but General Larry Platt tickled the American Idol judges on Wednesday’s episode, which featured the season 9 auditions in Atlanta.

The 62-year-old veteran sang his own song, “Pants on the Ground,” a musical critique of low-riding pants, that rivals Renaldo Lapuz’s original composition, “We’re Brothers Forever.”

Choice lyrics: “Pants on the ground, pants on the ground, lookin’ like a fool with your pants on the ground / With the gold in your mouth, hat turned sideway, pants hit the ground / Call yourself a cool cat, looking like a fool, walkin’ downtown with your pants on the ground!”

The judges couldn’t contain their glee and even Simon Cowell told Platt, “I have a horrible feeling that song could be a hit.”

Randy Jackson’s take: “I’m going to get my pants up. I’m going to buy some belts after this.” Sadly, though, Cowell was quick to inform Platt that he was over the show’s 28-year age limit. –Aaron Parsley

How could you NOT love this guy? Seriously! Hopefully he started a new trend of PULLING YOUR DAMN PANTS UP!!!

Video of Cliff on-air and other places

For those of you who have never had the pleasure of hearing Cliff in action :) And a little bit about our little town that he's been such a huge part of:


I actually was sitting in his little room where he broadcasts from a few years ago when I, along with the then president of the Chamber of Commerce, was interviewed by Cliff on "Aunt Sara's Party Line" for our annual town's festival. I tried not to talk because I'm radio shy (probably tv shy too if I ever had the chance) but Cliff was a sneaky devil and got me to say a few words.

Off the air after 56 years

I know none of you will really care about this, but around here, this is huge news. Needless to say, it's the talk of the town right now.

Cliff Mitchell’s daughter found out about the veteran broadcaster’s retirement the same way everyone else did: on the air. She said she thought he might call it quits six years ago when he celebrated 50 years on the air at KASM-AM in Albany. He talked about retiring but never did anything until this week.

“When we heard it on the air Monday, it was kind of a surprise with the rest of the world,” Karen Mitchell-Schleicher said.

Wednesday was bittersweet for Mitchell’s listeners and friends. The man who has graced the airwaves from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. for 56 years at the Albany station has left the air. The North Dakota native spent his entire career at KASM, a station that hit the air two years before Mitchell arrived.

“I thought he would be there forever,” said Paul Stacke, who worked with Mitchell at KASM in 1955 and 1956 and retired from Regent Broadcasting in St. Cloud.

“Cliff has made KASM what it is today. He is such an icon,” said Diane Haskamp, a saleswoman and afternoon radio co-host who has worked at the station for 10 years. “Usually, you say KASM, they say ‘is that old guy still on?’”Today, the answer to that question is no. Not that Cliff Mitchell, who turns 81 in March, will be easily forgotten. His name is on just about every plaque that covers the walls at the small studio just off Interstate Highway 94 in Albany.

Mitchell was installed in the National Association of Farm Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2005 and the Minnesota Broadcast Hall of Fame in 2002. Stearns County commissioners declared April 12, 2002, Cliff Mitchell Day.

Mitchell’s smooth voice has been coming out of radios in homes, cars and tractors for almost six decades. His daily program “Unbearable” took its final call Wednesday from a woman who said she had been listening to Mitchell and hearing her mother talk about him since she was 4.

“What Cliff would say is God’s word. If he said it, people would believe it,” Haskamp said.Jesse Job, who has owned Charlie’s Cafe in Freeport for almost two years, said the restaurant has been advertising on Mitchell’s show for decades. He said people value Mitchell’s opinion.

“A lot of people in the area listen to Cliff,” Job said. “When I talk to people about the weather, they say ‘Cliff said it will snow at 1 o’clock.’ A lot of people take what he has to say pretty highly.”

Link - it's a pretty lengthy article, as it should be. He is one helluva man.

I had to laugh at the last comment I quoted... just the other day when we got that snowstorm, I went to my parents and asked if they knew how many inches we ended up with. All my dad said was "Cliff said we got 9 inches". That was that... thats what we got because it's what Cliff said.

Everyone knew who Cliff Mitchell was and when you mentioned KASM, people really did follow it up with Cliff's name. A lot of people think Cliff was what kept KASM going all these years (they play a lot of polka, old time music and farm reports).

Cliff is also a family friend. I worked under his daughter (mentioned in the article) when I worked at the Chamber of Commerce. He's the one who also found his friend, Clyde, when Clyde passed away - in the house we own now.

It's amazing at how this is going to affect our town and the surrounding areas. We all grew up with Cliff in the mornings (regardless if you listened or not - you heard about it). He is the nicest man you will ever meet and he really is a local celebrity. And I will admit that I got a little teary eyed at the thought of mornings around here without Cliff.

Snowzilla - Giant snowman rises again in Alaska — mysteriously

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A giant snowman named Snowzilla has mysteriously appeared again this year — despite the city's cease-and-desist order.

Someone again built the giant snowman in Billy Powers' front yard in an east Anchorage neighborhood. Snowzilla reappeared before dawn Tuesday.

Powers is not taking credit. When questioned Tuesday afternoon, he insisted Snowzilla just somehow happened, again.

For the last three years, Snowzilla — to the delight of some and the chagrin of others — has been a very large feature in Powers' yard. In 2005, Snowzilla rose 16 feet. He had a corncob pipe and a carrot nose and two eyes made out of beer bottles........

......"I have tried to jump through every goofy hoop they have sent to me. I have never been confrontational and it goes on and on and on and it is so goofy," he said. "Some of it is unfounded, some is just outrageous."

The city said it did not expect to take any further action until after Christmas.

Linkage

Bah Humbug to Alaska!

Online divorcee jailed after killing virtual hubby

This one takes the cake...

TOKYO: A 43-year-old Japanese woman whose sudden divorce in a virtual game world made her so angry that she killed her online husband's digital persona has been arrested on suspicion of hacking, police said Thursday.

The woman, who is jailed on suspicion of illegally accessing a computer and manipulating electronic data, used his identification and password to log onto popular interactive game "Maple Story" to carry out the virtual murder in mid-May, a police official in northern Sapporo said on condition of anonymity, citing department policy.

"I was suddenly divorced, without a word of warning. That made me so angry," the official quoted her as telling investigators and admitting the allegations.

The woman had not plotted any revenge in the real world, the official said.

She has not yet been formally charged, but if convicted could face a prison term of up to five years or a fine up to $5,000.

Players in "Maple Story" raise and manipulate digital images called "avatars" that represent themselves, while engaging in relationships, social activities and fighting against monsters and other obstacles.

The woman used login information she got from the 33-year-old office worker when their characters were happily married, and killed the character. The man complained to police when he discovered that his beloved online avatar was dead.

This is nuts. I mean, was he heartbroken? Is he in mourning?

if you don't believe me....

Stinky farts & blood pressure? Who studies this stuff?

The stink in farts controls blood pressure.... so they say.

A smelly rotten-egg gas in farts controls blood pressure in mice, a new study finds.

The unpleasant aroma of the gas, called hydrogen sulfide (H2S), can be a little too familiar, as it is expelled by bacteria living in the human colon and eventually makes its way, well, out.

The new research found that cells lining mice's blood vessels naturally make the gas and this action can help keep the rodents' blood pressure low by relaxing the blood vessels to prevent hypertension (high blood pressure). This gas is "no doubt" produced in cells lining human blood vessels too, the researchers said.

"Now that we know hydrogen sulfide's role in regulating blood pressure, it may be possible to design drug therapies that enhance its formation as an alternative to the current methods of treatment for hypertension," said Johns Hopkins neuroscientist Solomon H. Snyder, M.D., a co-author of the study detailed in the Oct. 24th issue of the journal Science.

Snyder and his colleagues compared normal mice to mice that were missing a gene for an enzyme known as CSE, long suspected as being responsible for making hydrogen sulfide. As they measured hydrogen sulfide levels taken from tissues of the CSE-deficient mice, the scientists found that the gas was depleted in the cardiovascular systems of the altered mice. By contrast, normal mice had higher levels of the gas, thereby showing that hydrogen sulfide is naturally made by mammalian tissues using CSE.

Next, the mice were subjected to higher blood pressures comparable to serious hypertension in humans. Scientists had them respond to a chemical called methacholine that relaxes normal blood vessels. The blood vessels of the CSE-lacking mice hardly relaxed, indicating that hydrogen sulfide is a huge contender for regulating blood pressure.

Hydrogen sulfide is the most recently discovered member of a family of gasotransmitters, small molecules inside our bodies with important physiological functions.

This study is the first to reveal that the CSE enzyme that triggers hydrogen sulfide is activated itself in the same way as other enzymes when they trigger their respective gasotransmitter, such as a nitric oxide-forming enzyme that also regulates blood pressure, Dr. Snyder said.

Because gasotransmitters are common in mammals all over the evolutionary tree, these findings on the importance of hydrogen sulfide are thought to have broad applications to human diseases, such as diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases.

The research was supported by grants from the U.S. Public Health Service and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research as well as a Research Scientist Award.

Between the husband and Demon #2, I guess this explains why I have such great blood pressure.

I wanna know who actually decided to study this.

Yeah baby! Which Breed Of Dog Is Most Aggressive?

*snaps her fingers* Yeah baby... TAKE THAT!

sorry... I'm over it now, but you can bet I've got a BIG SMILE on my face!

Citing a study published by Applied Animal Behavior Science, the British newspaper The Daily Telegraph reported that one in five dachshunds has bitten or tried to bite strangers, and one in 12 has shown aggression toward its owners.

Dude! 1 in 5????

Ranking below the dachshund was an even smaller dog, the Chihuahua. According to the newspaper, research found that the tiny breed often snaps at most beings it encounters -- including its owners, strangers and other dogs.

The Jack Russell terrier was third, followed by the Akita and the Australian cattle dog. The pit bull was sixth , followed by the beagle, the English springer spaniel, the border collie and the German shepherd.

The pit bull just 6th? OMG Why oh why isn't it #1???

The Telegraph reported that researchers said previous studies on canine aggression could have been misleading as most bites from smaller dogs were not reported. According to the researchers, bites from larger dogs were more likely to require medical attention than those from smaller dogs.

Thank you! Seriously, more people need to realize this.

According to the Telegraph, the Rottweiler, which is widely believed to be an aggressive dog, scored average to below average ratings for its hostility toward strangers.

The newspaper reported that some of the lowest scoring breeds for aggression included the Basset hound, golden retriever, Labradors, Siberian huskies and greyhounds.

Saki says; "I could have told you that"

Here's the story link

Now how about we take this Breed Specific Legislation bullshit and shove it up someone's ass. Either that or start banning those damn dachshunds.

I have nothing against dachshunds, btw, so don't anyone come running at me with rawhide bones and beat me. I hate these studies usually, but I like this one because it deals with ALL breeds, not just large breeds.

I tell ya what... I am more worried about Chico the killer Pomeranian biting someone than I am Saki. Saki might break a vein in your leg from the whap of her tail, but she won't bite you.

Bill Would Ban Dogs For Owners Whose Dogs Attack

wcco.com - Bill Would Ban Dogs For Owners Whose Dogs Attack: "Bill Would Ban Dogs For Owners Whose Dogs Attack
ST. PAUL (AP) ― The Minnesota House has voted to ban dog ownership for people who violate dangerous dog laws.

The bill won unanimous approval after discussion about dog attacks, including one that killed a Minneapolis boy.

The main provision would prohibit dog ownership for at least three years for those whose dogs hurt or kill someone or when the owners violate laws requiring restraints, microchips and other precautions.

Representative Michael Paymar says there have been too many problems with dogs biting and sometimes killing children, adults and other pets.

The punishment would not be linked to the dog's breed."

*jumps up & down excitedly like a puppy*

3 years doesn't seem near long enough, but at least it's a start.... and they aren't going after one breed, which is the BEST!!!

WTG Minnesota!!!

Starving Dog Art.... art?

I got this email today from a cousin of mine. It was about some guy/artist named Guillermo Vargas, who took a dog off the street, tied it up and put it in an art exhibit and let it die of starvation - a form of "art".

I went directly to Snopes.com because, come on... who seriously would do this to a dog, right? And who would actually stand by, after paying money to see art, and watch this poor dog die?

Snopes.com - Starving Dog Art

Sadly, part of it may be true. It hasn't been discounted.

In the email I received there were 6 pictures total of this dog in the exhibit. It's heartbreaking and very disturbing. Why would anyone walk past this "art" and not untie it and take it home... give it some food, a bath and lots of love? How many people walked by and did nothing?

The good news is, no dog was put in as a replacement once this dog died. It was a one time thing.

Thank God.

But in Snopes.com it says that the artists point of the exhibit was to show how hypocrital people are.

Boom. Someone just hit me in the chest.

His point was - you take a dog, put it on display and refuse to feed it.. emails go around the world, people scream and cry and protest - wanting him out of the art world for doing such a thing.

But would we have stopped and given this dog... this same dog... the time of day or a second thought if we had seen it on the street starving, just as the artist had on the day he chose him? Some of us would, some of us would not.

But... is this art? No, no way in hell. But it is one helluva message this guy sent!

Workin' before the sun comes up

I hate it when I wake up when the husband leaves for work. More often than not I can't get back to sleep... so I started working.

Tax Rebate Check
So George Bush is sending us a check this year.... economic stimulus they say. What are you spending yours on? I'd say buy this t-shirt and let them know where the rest of it is going!

Tax Rebate Check - Bank
The check does us a lot of good if we can't afford to drive to the bank to cash it!

What Rebate Check?
Is your stimulus rebate check gone before you get it just to fill up your gas tank? We feel your pain... and we've got the t-shirt to prove it.

Thanks for the Rebate Check!
Where's your rebate check going? Into your gas tank? With the price of gas & fuel going up, there's no question where that money is going!

A new BSL T-shirt and a Find a Pit Bull test

I'm sure you know that one thing I am very passionate about is breed bans. I don't understand them, I don't think they make any sense and I just flat out hate them. The main reason that I am against them is because it just isn't logical... how can you ban a whole breed for the actions of a few dogs?

Plus, people don't know Pit Bulls other than what they show on the news.

Pit Bulls are not bred to be aggressive towards humans... they are bred to be dog aggressive. There is a huge difference there. Plus, many many people have bred that OUT of Pit Bulls. It's the underground breeders that are still breeding the aggression.

And I fully believe that you cannot be born bad. It's the owners, not the breed.

And, finally, do YOU know what a Pit Bull looks like? Do you really? Take this test and then tell me what you scored. I didn't do well at it at all... 9 or 10 I think I got?

The big question is... how can ban them if you don't know which one to ban?

Most of you have seen (at least I hope you have!) the pet section of my store. I have quite a few BSL/Breed Specific Legislation t-shirt designs listed.

Funny thing is... I don't even like any of the Pit Bull breeds (yes, did you know that? Pit Bulls are not a breed of their own? There are different types?). It's not because of the news or anything... its' just a breed I don't care for. I don't like poodles, either. I guess it's not that I don't like them, it's just breeds I don't care to own. Does that make sense?

Anyway... had to throw my shamless plugs in there and remind people how stupid BSL really is.

Marine reunited with his war dog

SignOnSanDiego.com > In Iraq -- Marine reunited with his war dog: "They spent months in an Iraqi war zone cementing a special bond.

But after more than a month apart, Marine Maj. Brian Dennis began to worry if Nubs the dog would still remember him, especially in a new place like San Diego.

Their reunion before dawn yesterday at Camp Pendleton clearly showed otherwise.

The 2-year-old dog, named for his two nubby ears, drenched Dennis' face with doggie kisses and said hello with excited whimpers.

“You remember that, huh?” Dennis said as he rubbed the dog's haunches."

I remember hearing about this story a month ago - it brought tears to my eyes. I'm so happy that they were reunited! Read the story... it's so sad. The dog was stabbed with a screwdriver and Maj. Dennis brought him back to health.... among other injuries and such. Great story!

Disfigured woman found dead after French court rejects euthanasia - Yahoo! News

Disfigured woman found dead after French court rejects euthanasia - Yahoo! News: "A mother of three, Sebire attracted a strong outpouring of sympathy when she appealed in a television interview last month for the right to 'depart peacefully'.

Before-and-after pictures of the woman, her face severely deformed, have been featured in the press along withd her account of frightened children who ran away at the sight of her.

Sebire learnt in 2002 that she had developed an esthesioneuroblastoma, an uncommon malignant tumour in the nasal cavity, which she said had led to 'atrocious' suffering.

'In 2000, I lost the sense of smell and taste... and I lost my sight in October 2007,' she said in the television interview.

'One would not allow an animal to go through what I have endured,' she said before urging President Nicolas Sarkozy to intervene and grant her request."

I believe that the one thing a person truly has to call their own is their own life. I've heard the arguments that your life effects others and, yes, that is true... but after all is said and done it is still YOUR life. YOU have to live with the consequences of your actions, YOU have to live with your health, YOU have to live with your looks. Simple as that.

Law or no law - laws were made by mankind, they can be changed by mankind. A law is not written in gold.

What are your thoughts on this one? Do you believe in the law... or do you believe in being humane?

On The Pot For 2 Years! - Insanity Cafe

On The Pot For 2 Years! - Insanity Cafe: "Authorities are considering charges in the bizarre case of a woman who sat on her boyfriend's toilet for two years — so long that her body was stuck to the seat by the time the boyfriend finally called police.

Ness County Sheriff Bryan Whipple said it appeared the 35-year-old Ness City woman's skin had grown around the seat. She initially refused emergency medical services but was finally convinced by responders and her boyfriend that she needed to be checked out at a hospital.

'We pried the toilet seat off with a pry bar and the seat went with her to the hospital,' Whipple said. 'The hospital removed it.'

Whipple said investigators planned to present their report Wednesday to the county attorney, who will determine whether any charges should be filed against the woman's 36-year-old boyfriend.

'She was not glued. She was not tied. She was just physically stuck by her body,' Whipple said. 'It is hard to imagine. ... I still have a hard time imagining it myself.'

He told investigators he brought his girlfriend food and water, and asked her every day to come out of the bathroom.

'And her reply would be, `Maybe tomorrow,'' Whipple said. 'According to him, she did not want to leave the bathroom.'"

All I have to say about this whole thing is .... pay attention to the sheriff's name!

wcco.com - 8th-Grader Suspended For Candy In Conn. School

wcco.com - 8th-Grader Suspended For Candy In Conn. School: "8th-Grader Suspended For Candy In Conn. School
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) ― Contraband candy has led to big trouble for an eighth-grade honors student in Connecticut.

Michael Sheridan was stripped of his title as class vice president, barred from attending an honors student dinner and suspended for a day after buying a bag of Skittles from a classmate.

School spokeswoman Catherine Sullivan-DeCarlo says the New Haven school system banned candy sales in 2003 as part of a districtwide school wellness policy.

Michael's suspension has been reduced from three days to one, but he has not been reinstated as class vice president.

He says he didn't realize his candy purchase was against the rules, but he did notice the student selling the Skittles on Feb. 26 was being secretive."

WTF? I don't even really know what to say. Zero tolerance is one thing, but come on, people!

Vick's dogs getting second chance - Yahoo! News

Vick's dogs getting second chance - Yahoo! News:
"Shadow is still frightened of strangers.

Layla continues to bristle at the sight of another dog.

Little Red is friendly, but very wary of strangers and takes a while to trust people. Handlers believe she was used as a bait dog, her teeth filed to nubs so she wouldn't fight back when other dogs were trained to attack her.

Georgia's teeth were pulled out altogether, probably to keep her from attacking while she was bred.

Lucas, a heavily scarred male, is one of the friendliest. He loves visitors and jumps on his doghouse in anticipation when somebody starts to open his kennel gate. Lucas' tail wags like a propeller as he prepares to greet whomever with a big wet lick to the face.

'Most of these guys, we couldn't go near at first,' said trainer John Garcia, who was part of the team that evaluated the dogs in Virginia before they were sent to the various groups. 'They were so shy and so down and scared. Now they're just loving on us, coming up for attention — just very, very outgoing.'

As friendly as he is, Lucas is one of the dogs that will never be up for adoption because of his violent past. "

I would have figured that all of the dogs would have been put down. It's amazing to me that Lucas is a vetern fighter - probably one of the best from the sounds of his scars - but yet he's the most friendliest. It's sad that he can't be adopted out.

Read this story and then come back and tell me why it's the dogs' fault they have the rap they do... people are the ones that did this to them, not themselves. Humans are to blame for this reputation pit bulls have.

I get so angry when I hear about this BSL crap. Ok, nothing is said about BSL in this article, but still... I know what people are thinking.

Yes, certain breeds have certain traits, but I just cannot believe that any dog is born bad. They are made that way with chains, lack of human contact, lack of socialization skills, lack of proper training, exercise, love and respect. To me it's like saying if Jeffery Dahmer would have had children they would have eventually had a taste for human flesh. Seriously, how dumb does that sound? About as dumb as every Pit Bull in the world being mean.

I've heard rumors about a possible nationwide ban of 5 different breeds. Pits & Rotties would be on that list I'm sure. Chows and Akita's I think, too. Not sure about the 5th - wolf hybrids?

I'd like someone to take DocJim's dog away from him......

Anyway. Doesn't matter. Answer me one thing... if a nationwide ban would go into place, what would happen to all of the current dogs that are alive? Do they have to be put down? Does that also include the therapy dogs that just happen to be one of those breeds? What about the rottweilers that have been trained as seeing eye dogs; do they need to be killed also?

10 Worst Baby Names of 2007 - MSN Lifestyle - Family & Parenting

10 Worst Baby Names of 2007 - MSN Lifestyle - Family & Parenting: "10 Worst Baby Names of 2007
What were these parents thinking?

People like to get creative when it comes to selecting the perfect name for their new arrivals. But in the quest to be unique, some kids get stuck with monikers that do more than make them stand out in a crowd. Here's The Nest Baby's picks for the most questionable choices from the past year.
From The Nest Baby

Ptolemy: The only other one we know of is an ancient Greek astronomer, mathematician, and man extraordinaire. Actress Gretchen Mol reached a little too far back in history for this Mediterranean-inspired choice. No one will be able to pronounce it, and what happens when the kid studies his namesake in school?

Magnus: Sounds too much like a prophylactic, volcanic matter, or a dated albeit then-popular Tom Selleck TV drama. Comic Kevin Nealon must be playing a joke on all of us with this choice.

E-: E...what? You'd think if you had to name your kid after a letter, Jay would be much better than this one, which was selected by parents in Washington. And while we're (grudgingly) willing to accept the use of apostrophes in baby names, we can't say the same for the hyphen. At least not when there isn't any more name to follow it.

Story: Actress Jenna Elfman's pick. It just doesn't make sense and certainly won't start a literary trend. Article, Essay, or Narrative, anyone? Every baby has a tale to tell, just not this way.

Ever: This is an adverb, not even an adjective or a noun, which do okay as names if you're in a pinch. It's going to get confusing when actress mom Milla Jovovich scolds the kid, "Ever, don't ever do that again!"

Heaven Rain: The only good news here: Brooke Burke's two older daughters are named Neriah and Sierra Sky. Though little Heaven's got a pretty lofty title to live up to, she'll fit right in at home.

Alabama: The trend of naming kids after locations obviously appealed to actress Drea De Matteo, but she's not even from the Southern state. We do hope she's going to be called Allie for short and turns out to be good at geography.

Princess: Every little girl is a princess to her parents, but it's a secret nickname. It's also a good name for a little fluffy white dog. Prince pulls off the male version because he's a rock star, but this baby, daughter of model Jordan, is set to be spoiled. (Don't get us started on Tiaamii, her middle name,...)

Evan: Don't go ballistic: Evan is a great name...for a boy. We know many wonderful Evans. But in this case, Napoleon Dynamite star Jon Heder bestowed it on his baby girl. Sorry, it's so not unisex.

Superman: No explanation necessary for why this New Zealand name made the list, but how about the story behind it? The parents' first choice was 4Real (as in, "when we saw him on the ultrasound, we realized he was for real"), but government officials didn't go for it. Mom and dad settled on Superman but insist they'll still refer to him as 4Real. Way to get the last word in.

I hope any of you who named your child one of these choices is offended that I posted this....

New Chantix Warnings

Depressed mood, agitation, suicidal thinking and suicidal behavior have been reported among some users of the pill. Today Chantix is getting a warning on its U.S. label that asks doctors to monitor for these behaviors. Pfizer points out that people giving up smoking, or people who are smokers in the first place, tend more toward depression than their nonsmoking peers. While Pfizer says a causal link between behavioral symptoms and its drug hasn't been proved, the seriousness of some of the events prompted the stronger label.

From the Wall Street Journal

Trucker heard about this on the radio today and called me... scary stuff. He's been really crabby all week, but I didn't think it was the pills. (He ended up putting a snowmobile suspension in by himself because he was being a dick and I told him I wouldn't help him if he was going to be like that!)

Anyway... I'm still taking the pills. I think I'm actually in a pretty good mood, considering. But this is just an FYI for anyone else thinking of going on Chantix.

Bengal Nurses Piglets Dressed In Tiger-Striped Coats

Bengal Nurses Piglets Dressed In Tiger-Striped Coats
Zoo Exchanges Animals To Amuse Visitors
BANGKOK, Thailand -- What do you get when you mingle piglets with a tiger or tiger cubs with a pig? Motherly love. At least that's what a zoo in Thailand found out after placing several piglets with a 6-year-old bengal tigress. The bengal feeds the piglets, which were dressed by zoo workers in tiger-pattern coats, and across the cage tiger cubs are fed by a sow.

Zoo officials said the animals have been interchanged with parents for the past few years. Officials said the reason for the experiment is to amuse visitors. Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.

This just made me sick. I know they aren't getting harmed, but come on... this is the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Great amusement when the tiger realizes her "babies" smell just a little bit more like dinner than a cub and eat one in front of all these amused visitors. It's one thing to do to save the life of the babies...

I love zoos, I love seeing animals, but I hate them at the same time. It's sad when you stop to think about it. To sit and watch any wild animal not react at the sound of a human - they aren't wild anymore, they are a prisoner.

This story is just humiliating to the animals. Do they actually think that the pigs dressed up like tigers tricks the mom? She knows they aren't hers - it's called scent and instinct. She's doing this because she has the wildness drained out of her....