Bits and Pisses

Lotsa little things to talk about today. First off, I'd like to thank everyone for their comments this week on the "time machine" column. And to Suzanne- I bow to you on the Partridge family thing. There is a certain song that they DO do, that I won't name to save myself any further embarrassment (A genuine Marvel Comics No-Prize to anyone who can figure out which) that I constantly confuse for no good reason with Burning Thing. A little more research would've served me well there.



Next, remember the story with Scrappy and Mr. Bunny Rabbit last week? Round to came the next day. Exact same location and circumstances. This time, Bunny follows the fence and takes a right at the bush, going through a hole under the fence. Beagle follows the fence as well, skipping the right and dashing on behind the bush. Upon figuring out that that was fruitless, he once again decided to try the ditch, oblivious to Mr. Chipmunk scurrying away on the other side. I do have to give him one credit, though, he was able to identify and notice a dead chipmunk Sunday (albeit after he walked halfway over it and backed up to see what it was). In the meantime, we have no more stopped to reflect that it has been a while since our last deer sighting when Laurie spots one standing in the trail through the fence row, watching us with more bemusement than the excitement we watched her with. So, the new animal count for the year is adjusted to 12 deer, 8 rabbit, and 2 chipmunk ( not the dead one; I remembered one I saw months back and forgot to tally).



Thirdly, Congrats to the Blackhawks on an exciting game 5 win in which they finally made Chris Pronger look less than invincible. Also, the Czech world cup win has suddenly made Czech players hot property in the KHL. Goalie Domenik Hasek ( a sure NHL hall of famer) signed on with Spartak in the biggest name news: others included former NHL star Petr Sykora travelling to Metallurg Magnitogorsk, Extraliga's leading scorer Roman Cervenka joining countryman Jaromir Jagr at Avangard Omsk, and league champion Pardubice's head coach Vaclav Sykora becoming the new assistant at SKA St. Pete. And in other KHL news, the merger of MVD and Moscow Dynamo and the booting from the league of Lada Togliatti brings in two new teams, of which I will look up more later- Budyvanik and Yurga Khanty Mansijsk.



And I couldn't live with myself without wishing a happy retirement to Helen Thomas.





The announcement came after the White House Correspondents Association decried her remarks as "indefensible" and began to consider whether Thomas should continue to have the privilege of a front-row seat in the briefing room. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs called her remarks "offensive and reprehensible" on Monday, as other former White House spokesmen called for Thomas to be fired.
The announcement Monday marked an abrupt end to a career that has spanned decades. Thomas, known as the dean of the White House press corps, has covered every president since Dwight Eisenhower. Her 90th birthday is Aug. 4.
The controversy escalated quickly over the weekend after the video surfaced online showing Thomas last month saying Jews should "get the hell out of Palestine," suggesting they go instead to Germany, Poland and the United States. The video, shot by New York Rabbi David Nesenoff, was posted on several prominent websites and prompted a swift apology from Thomas on Friday.
"I deeply regret my comments," she said in the statement, claiming they "do not reflect my heart-felt belief that peace will come to the Middle East only when all parties recognize the need for mutual respect and tolerance."



I am truly surprised that her employer didn't take into account her heart-felt beliefs before making this superannuated excuse for a journalist walk the plank. Rather than be unflattering to such a paragon of liberal ass-kissing and show a current picture, I found a slightly more flattering image:


I believe this was taken by Matthew Brady during one of the press conferences Lincoln held about the Emancipation Proclamation. I think her story had to do with transporting the freed slaves to Africa or Poland, but I could be mistaken.