Quote of the Post: "Martyrdom is the only way in which a man can become famous without ability." - George Bernard Shaw

Random Playlist Song: Organ Concerto No. 2 In A Minor, BWV 593 (Transcr. Vivaldi's Concerto in A minor Op. 3, No. 8)

Richter manages to capture the energy and diversity of an orchestra in this transcription.

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The Vultite Chicken

"The Deadly Serrated-beak Vultite Chicken (with fiercesome pecking crits) was perhaps the most feared weapon ever wielded. Fashioned from a pugnacious fowl who died in the cockfight ring, chemical and herb induced hyper-rigormortis allowed the wielder to use the chicken much like any other edged weapon. The chicken's beak was replaced with a finely crafted blade of purest vultite and tempered with heat and successive applications of the 'special recipe' (this ritual was commonly performed in the water closet). Held by the legs, the weapon could be used for both thrusting and slashing. Depending on the size of the chicken's head, the comb could also act as a knuckleguard of sorts. Most importantly, when sheathed, the protruding chicken-body made a nice party-gag."

!@#$%^&*()

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"hehe... congrats on surviving the 2.5 yrs.. :) i know many who didnt..

oh.. some went into the mental institution. some awol'ed
some somehow got into some trouble and got jailed..
some shot themselves.. some shot others..

scary.."

Indeed.

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The only cow in a small town in southern Minnesota stopped giving milk. The local townspeople did some research and found that they could buy a cow from Iowa for 800 dollars, or one from Michigan for 600 dollars.

Being frugal Swedes, naturally they bought the cow from Michigan. The cow was wonderful. It produced lots of milk all the time, and the people were amazed and very happy.

The townspeople decided to acquire a bull to mate with the cow and produce more cows like this wonderful Michigan cow. Then they would never have to worry about their milk supply again. They bought a bull and put it in the pasture with their beloved cow. However, whenever the bull came close to the cow, the cow would move. No matter what approach the bull tried, the cow would just move away from the bull and he could not succeed in his amorous quest.

The townspeople were very upset and decided to ask the retired professor who was very wise in such complicated matters just what they should do. They told the professor what was happening.

"When ever the bull approaches cow, she moves away. If he approaches from the back, she moves forward. When he approaches her from the front, she moves to the back. An approach from the side and she just walks away to the other side."

The retired professor thought about this for a minute and then asked, "Did you buy this cow from Michigan?"

The townspeople were dumbfounded, since they had never mentioned where they had gotten the cow.

"You are truly a wise professor," they said. "How did you know we got the cow from Michigan?"

The professor answered sagely, "My wife is from Michigan."

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Ronald Reagan, De-Mythologized - "I remember seeing a tape of Reagan speaking in California from that era. He said that he had heard that some asserted there was hunger in America. He said it sarcastically. He said, 'Sure there is; they're dieting!' or words to that effect. This handsome Hollywood millionnaire making fun of people so poor they sometimes went to bed hungry seemed to me monstrous. I remember his wealthy audience of suburbanites going wild with laughter and applause. I am still not entirely sure what was going on there. Did they think Harrington's and similar studies were lies? Did they blame the poor for being poor, and resent demands on them in the form of a few tax dollars, to address their hunger?"
More on Reagan. Now Dubya doesn't sound quite that bad.

Bush/Zombie Reagan 2004 - "Difficult times call for great leaders -- men of vision, strength and courage. Men like George W. Bush and the shambling, reanimated corpse of Ronald Reagan. Welcome to the official Web site of Bush/Zombie Reagan 2004, Inc., home of the new Republican presidential ticket!"

Iraqi Gratitude - "The leaders of Iraq's new interim government have been explicit and gracious in their thanks, not that you've heard this from the U.S. media"
Do we hear much from the media about how Kim Jong Il is feted throughout North Korea, and how the Dear Leader is beloved where e'er he goes? Sheesh. Somehow, I'm not surprised that this came from the Wall Street Journal

Study finds dogs understand language - "German researchers have found a border collie named Rico who understands more than 200 words and can learn new ones as quickly as many children."
What about cats, I wonder?

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Off to Melbourne and Tasmania! Be back on the 21st.