My camera-how I love it

This morning I thought I'd try actually recording stuff on our walk.  I was waiting for deer.  Sure enough, we saw them- too far away to get.  But as they usually head for the senior living apartments, we followed the trail that way.  When we got to the edge of the trail, I thought I'd turn it on record, just in case.  After about 45 seconds, the damn thing shut off!  When I checked to see if it got anything, I saw this:

 

WTF?  I tried again, several times, as we followed the deer (which we had spotted again) through unfamiliar underbrush and places that SOMEBODY had to get all tangled up in.  No matter what I did, I got results like this:

So I says to myself, "You know, I know it's not supposed to work this way, but I wonder if I HELD the record button..."
And a quick test produced this...

Okay, so that must have been the problem, huh?  So when we returned to the main trail, I tried it again as we came around the bend towards the bridge.  After ten seconds the camera FROZE.  As in, the only thing that worked was the on/off.  WTF?  So I tried again as we crossed the bridge.  It saved NOTHING.  Now, I'm thouroughly annoyed.  But rather than throwing the damned thing as far out into Stony Run Creek as I could, I decided to give it one last try- with my finger once again off the button.

Worked perfectly.  I guess the problem was I didn't realize the camera worked on the "Cheap Urologist Curtis Smith"* plan- only a 50% chance of working.

*"Cheap Urologist" is my misheard version of "Chief Meteorologist".  I think it works better.

And so, Thanksgiving

Here are pics from probably the most stuffed Thnksgiving ever!

L-R Laurie's sister Mary (our hostess), her S-I-L Linda, and Laurie

Linda's daughter DJ

Mary's youngest, Emily

Oldest daughter Rachel and her man, Alex

L-R Laurie's nephew Blaine, his daddy (Mary's oldest) Andy, and you've met Rachel and Alex

Laurie's brother Paul

Mary's hubby Jack, with Linda

Mary, Andy, Blaine

Andy's wife, Kristen

The white fluffball in the center is Baxter.

L-R Laurie's brother Art, Mary's other son Josh, (hiding Laurie) Mary's granddaughter Sierra

Art, Paul, Josh, Sierra

L-R Josh, Sierra and Laurie, Sierra's mom (and Mary's middle daughter) Katie, and Linda

Katie's oldest, Jackson

The new face here is Art's lady friend.  Curse me if I remember her name.

This is TJ, Jackson and Sierra's daddy

My buddy Baxter

He actually moved my head off my arm so he could lay there!

step into my time machine week 83

This week, we get two of the more bizzarre stories to be done on TM, probably the most important birthday song we've done to date, and a special announcement!  Shake off the turkey shock- as I am trying to do- and let's go!  C'mon, squeeze it in, pal!

9 songs come into the top 100 this week, and I'll mention three of them.  First, the next release of Boz Skagg's Silk Degrees, What Can I Say? comes in at 92.  If you don't know it, give yourself a treat and youtube it.  Barry Manilow pops in at 85 with Weekend In New England, and the Bay City Rollers make 81 with Yesterday's Hero.  Not impressed?  You should see the top 40 debuts...

I'm going to go backwards of usual on this week's other birthday songs, for a good reason.  In 1961, this week Johnny Cash's original Tennessee Flat Top Box debuted.  I bring in this one because of my years long love affair with his daughter Rosanne, who in the eighties took it to #1 on the country charts.  Having a 45th birthday this week are the Blues Magoos with We Ain't Got Nothin' Yet.  Turning forty this week are I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing (both versions), Al Green's Let's Stay Together, as well as a song I mention because of the Valley Of The Dolls post a while back- Heaven Bound featuring Tony Scotti and Five Hundred Miles.

Oh and that big birthday?  Don McLean's American Pie turns 40 this week.  Bye, bye...

Our big dropper has avoided being noted until this moment.  John Valenti was, as the lead singer of a band called Puzzle, one of the few white acts on Motown, with a style reminiscent of early Stevie Wonder.  He went solo in the 70's and his single Anything You Want, which peaked at 43 a couple weeks ago, falls 20 to #72 this week.  Our big mover awaits in the top 40.

I'm thinking of revamping the top songs of other years feature (no, that's not the big announcement), and this may be the last week you see it as it's been.  Or not, I haven't quite decided.  Anyway, the number for this week is the 2's and 1992 this week was topped by How Do You Talk To An Angel, sung by Jamie Walters- Alex O'brien of The Heights- as the theme for the show.  This TV theme- which saw it's show cancelled one week after the song fell from #1- was the first to top the charts since Jan Hammer's Miami Vice Theme did it in 1985.  In 1982 this week, the top song was Laura Brannigan's Gloria.  In 1972, the Spinners' I'll Be Around; 1962, the Four Seasons' Big Girls Don't Cry; asnd in 1952, a repeat featuree- Patti Page's I Went To Your Wedding.

That brings us to our #49 song, AKA the Where Are They Now victim.  And this week we have a fast moving song I've been avoiding because a) I liked it about as much as Bobby G. likes Disco Duck, and b) I wasn't sure anyone would remember it anyway.  It is the big-band-influenced disco hit Cherchez Le Femme by Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band (Buzzard pronounced buzz-ARD).  This group was the brainchild of one Thomas August Darnell Browder (then going by August Darnell) and his brother Stony (I didn't name 'em).  They put out three lps from 1976-9; and then, playing on their mixed ethnicity, Darnell became Kid Creole and formed Kid Creole and the Coconuts with fellow DBOSB member Andy Hernandez, AKA his sidekick Coati Mundi.  In this ensemble they had three top 10 and 7 top 40 hits in the UK, but pierced our hot 100 only once- getting to 90 with a team up with Barry Manilow called Hey Mamba in 1987.  They did get American exposure through a handful of movie soundtracks, notably the track My Male Curiousity on the movie Against All Odds.  Darnell still leads the Coconuts on tour, and they released a new album, I Wake Up Screaming, a couple of months ago, although the only remaining original member with him is "Bongo Eddie" Folk.

And the top 40 debut list is just as long as the big mover list- one song.  At 40, up 31, is Rose Royce's Car Wash.

I do want to give a Almost But Not Quite shoutout to Peter Frampton's Do You Feel Like We Do, which (although it made top ten Billboard) peaked last week at 13, and drops to 23 this week.  It was recorded exactly 36 years and three days ago, and nearly didn't make the lp.  When Frampton submitted the what-he-thought-was-going-to-be-a-single-disc Frampton Comes Alive to his record execs, the response was, "Where's the rest of it?"  So they put together a second disc, and Do You Feel was on it.

The list of songs entering the top ten is also just one tune long, so the only dropper is Beth, falling from 7 to 17.

Alice Cooper cracks the top 10 at the leadoff spot, up 4, with I Never Cry.  Steve Miller's top dog Rock'n Me drops 5 to #9.  Firefall, which was basically a regeneration of the Byrds, moves up 1 with You Are The Woman to #8.  At 7, up three, the Spinners yet again with The Rubberband Man.  Nadia's Theme moves up 2 to #6.  The Bee Gees (and glad to hear that Robin's finally out of the hospital this week) move up1 spot to #5 with Love So Right; also moving one place up is Boston's More Than A Feeling.  And that brings us to a one-man six degrees.

The drummer on Gordon Lightfoot's Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald was longtime session man Jim Gordon.  By this point, Jim had put together an amazing resume.  In the sixties, he'd played on such classic lps as Pet Sounds and Mason Williams' Classical Gas; as time rolled on, he piled up a discography too long to count, which included lps by the Byrds, Bread, Jackson Browne, Stephen Bishop, Glenn Campbell, and the Carpenters.  He was a member of the Delaney and Bonnie touring entourage, and split off with Clapton to form Derek and the Dominoes.  The Dominoes first gig was being the band on George Harrison's masterpiece All Things Must Pass; then they did the Layla lp, which Jim actually composed and played the piano part of that long, beautiful ending.  He was also the drummer on Seals and Crofts' Hummingbird single, as well as on Steely Dan's Pretzel Logic lp, including the single Rikki Don't Lose That Number.  He was drummer on the lp Alice Cooper Goes To Hell, as well; but then he went into a hell of another sort.

Years of substance abuse began to warp his mind.  "Anyone who has ever wondered about the destructive horrors of substance abuse, " a friend writes, " should know about Jim.  It's one of the saddest stories ever."  He began to hear voices, and this somehow became his mother in league with the devil.  In 1983 he bludgeoned her with a hammer, then stabbed her to death.  In California, his heretofore undiagnosed Schizophrenia was no defense, and in 1984 he got 16 years for the murder.  Twice denied parole, he spent most of this time in the psychiatric ward; and though he should have been released sometime this year, I could find no evidence that it has happened as yet.

Deep breath, pause, move on.  #2 again this week is Muskrat Love, and the story is the same at the top, too- Rod Stewart at #1 with Tonight's The Night.

And now, that annopuncement.  As the Great Sixties Countdown was one of this blog's big successes, with 42 comments over its 16-week run  (Which is a drop in the bucket for some, but almost 6% of all the comments I've EVER got), and I've had two highly influential requests to do this, I'm announcing that, probably next Saturday, I'll be starting the GREAT SEVENTIES COUNTDOWN!!!  I'm still doing some tweaking of the lower rungs, but it will be a 300 song, twenty-a-week format just like the sixties.  Just remember- IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!! And God Bless you for it!  So tune in then.

Thankfulness

Okay, so we are all thankful.  For friends, for food, for a wonderful country.  But, you realize that to be thankful, you have to be thankful TO SOMEONE.  Other wise, you're just glad you have something.  Sentence requires subject (I/You), verb (am/are thankful), and object.  For me the Object is God.

Psalm 136 gives us a lot of good reasons to be thankful to God.  Vv 4-9 speak of the creation He has made.  10-22 give a rehash of what He did for Israel, true, but look deeper.  Dig and you will find His deliverance, His power, His ability to lead us through obstacles, His protection, His control despite the mighty of the world, the possessions He has given us.

Verse 23-6 reminds us of His remembrance of us in our lowliness; our rescue from our enemies; and the requirements of life.  But the main reason to be thankful is in every other line of this Psalm:

"For His mercy endures forever."  What is mercy?  The definition is "unmerited favor".  Mercy is getting up each morning to a new day of possibilities. It is the breakfast we start the day with, the job that pays our bills, the roof over our heads.  It is the friend who sends a greeting card, or calls to wish us a happy day.  It is the dog who takes me for a walk, and the friend who is there when we get home.  It is the children who call me "dad", the doctor who calls me "patient", the governor who calls me "constituent."  And it is the Savior who calls me "child".

And lest I forget, it is all of you reading this.  I have made friends here that I am very appreciative of. For those I contacted yesterday, to those I didn't or couldn't get ahold of, Happy Thanksgiving.  I (subject) am thankful (verb) to God (object) for you (you prepositional phrase, you!)

howsabout a hockey update?

Since we've last visited the KHL, SKA St. Petersburg has widened its lead in the Western Conference.  (A reminder- for simplicity's sake, any game going into OT will be massed in the third column of their record by myself.) SKA has rung up a 4-0-2 record in November, including an 8-1 demolishing of Spartak in which SKA spotted them the first goal and then netted 3 in a 1:46 span of the second period.
Dynamo Moscow continues hot in 2nd place- their only loss of the month a 2-1 loss to Nefthekhimik where goalie Tuomas Tarkki stopped 36 of 37 Dynamo shots.  Torpedo has won three straight to inject itself into the leader board, a point behind slowing 3rd-place Dinamo Minsk.  That streak includes back to back shutouts, 1-0 against Salavat Yulaev and 5-0 against Neftekhimik.  Atlant, with their spanking-new coach tops that, winning 4 straight close matches- three of them by 3-2 scores- to pull within one of fifth-place Severstal.  Following them are Red Army and Dinamo Riga, then collapsing Spartak.  Spartak has gone 1-5-1 in November, being outscored 20-7.  Lev's brief renaissance has fallen off, a mix of losses and OT losses dropping them to 7-14-5.  The thug factory in Vityaz continues to be conference doormat, their only RT win this month so far a 3-2 win over Spartak (go figure).

In the East, Amur remains in the hunt despite a bad slump that was finally snapped in a 2-1 win over Avangard. Traktor continues to have the league's second best record at 15-6-3 ( SKA being best at 19-2-6).  They kept ahead of Amur with back to back wins over Lev and CSKA.  They are followed by Avangard and Metallurg Magnitogorsk, who is on a 4-game winning streak. The bad news for double-M is that they came against Yugra Metallurg Novokutnesk, Amur, and Sibir, who've combined to have a 4-10-8 month.  Barys is in fifth, having just had a streak ended by a Red Army 4-2 win. Ak Bars continues to struggle, losing 4 of 5; Yugra trails them in 7th.  Salavat has not found a solution in a new coach; they did rebound to beat Traktor 4-0, but that was the sole RT win, and the 3 losses include a 7-3 pasting by Moscow.  "The other Metallurg" is next, followed by Sibir, who has lost a good start by going 0-4-1 in the month.  Last place belongs to my woebegone Automobilst team.  It's not that they aren't trying- they split 2 OT games and all three losses were by one goal.  The lone RT win was a 4-2 affair against Minsk which they had took the lead with a Ilya Malyushkin goal with just 1:02 left, then hit the empty net with 0:19 remaining.

And here, for the first time this year, is my patented Eurohockey update! 
England's EIHL is being led by Belfast's Giants, 5 pts clear of Nottingham.
France's Ligue Magnus as usual led by Rouen, with Chamonix and Briancon hot on their tails.
In the Swiss National league A, Fribourg, SC Bern, and Davos are all tied for first, with Kloten's Flyers just 3 back.
Italy's Serie A is topped once again by Val Pusteria; Asiago, who snuck into the playoffs and then won them 2 years running, is mired in a 5th place tie, 9 points back.
In Germany's DEL, Adler Mannheim leads by one over Hamburg; my Grizzly Adams Wolfsburg team is puttering around in 7th.
Norway's GET-Ligaen has Stavenger again on top, and with a vengeance.  The 18-2-0 Oilers are 16 points clear.
Sweden's Elitserien is led by HV71 by 3 points.
In the S-M Liiga of Finland, Kal Pa holds the top spot by 5.
SonderjyskE once again is running away early in the Danish AL-Bank Ligan, 16-2-2 and 10 points in front.  Blue Fox Herning, who caught them to win it all last year, is third, 14 back.
Austria's EBHL is 54 games in (each team) already, and the top powers from last season are right there - KAG Klagenfurt holding a 10-point lead on Red Bull Salzburg.
And finally, the earthquake-recovered Asia League is led, as per usual, by Anyang Halla, 1 point up on the Nikko Icebucks.

And now, for your entertainment, I begin a feature on the worst teams in these leagues.  We won't count perpetual doormat China Dragon of the Asia League, because no one can match their 0-12-0 record and average score against of 7.5 to 1.5 (The range here runs from a 5-3 loss to Anyang- the only game they've topped 2 goals- to a 14-0 thrumping against Nikko) .  In all honesty, there are only three contenders right now.  Villard in France is getting outscored at a 5.7-1.1 clip, but are only 8 games in (0-7-1).  The Fife Flyers of the EIHL are a better challenger, with a 1-13-3 record and a usual score of 5.8 to 1.7.  But right now, the top contender for worst team in Europe is Frisk Asker of Norway, with a 2-18-0 record, and an average score against of 6.4 to 1.8.  That's 128 goals against in 20 games!  Now I don't feel so bad about Automobilst (which, in the end, was the reason I did this in the first place.)

A few more randoms and then NHFFL

Item: I forgot to say a big thumbs up to President Obama, of all people, last night.  He let Congress know on no uncertain terms that he would veto any attempt to get rid of the automatic budget cuts if the "super" committee failed.  Admittedly, his lack of leadership in the matter (because he's been too busy "not campaigning")  makes it a cherry on top of a turd cake, but nevertheless, I gotta give him credit when he does good.  Hmm, Obama "didn't campaign,"  Clinton "didn't inhale"... I sense a pattern...

Item: in doing fairness research on the Occupistas last night, I tumbled onto a joke they found both funny and profound. (BTW I found it neither.)  Basically, a plate of 12 cookies is set on a tables between a company CEO, a politician, a Tea Partyer, and an Occupista.  The CEO takes 11, hands three to the politician, and tells the Tea Partyer to be careful, the Occupista appears to be preparing to steal his cookie.

(Pause for laughter... let me know when it starts.)

I began thinking about the flawed impression, and how it seems to be a pretty typical impression from the Occupistas I've heard from.  I thought to myself, this joke could actually be funny and profound if reworked a little bit.  Here's my version:

The Tea Partyer comes in and slaps the plate of cookies on the table, exclaiming, "These are the best damn cookies ever made, and I'll kick the ass of the man that says they aren't."  The CEO says, "Hmm... if they're that good, why don't you sell me the recipe?  I'll cut you in for 35%, and we'll hire a dozen bakers, a dozen packers, a dozen shippers, and a half dozen or so jobbers to put them in the stores."  The politician jumps up and says (as he jabs a cookie down his throat) "Not so fast, my friend.  Let me check out your ingredients, baking process, etc, and then I'll decide how big my tax cut will be."  The Occupista grabs a handfull of cookies, and declares, "I don't have to pay for these because I make 1% of the CEO's salary, the Politician isn't listening to me, and I would have made them better than the Tea Partyer anyway."

You see, I'm not ALL that far from the Tea Partyer or the Occupista.  However, I believe that, unlike most of them, I am willing to compromise to get things done.  I believe we could make a lot stronger, sleeker military with fewer, more wisely used dollars.  I believe that lower taxes on businesses should be part of the solution as well as closing each and every damnable loophole that lets GE to get off with no taxes.  I'd be willing to work on cleaner factories if they were running on cheaper energy from our own territory.  You see, the term on my profile "Nixon conservative" means I can give a little to take a little.  I think Leon Panetta crying about how badly the DOD will get raped on the auto-cuts is just as idiotic as Harry Reid burying Obama's jobs bill without even allowing a hearing.  The bad thing about feeling this way is that there are too many on the left side of the aisle who are revisionist historians, pseudo-scientsts and economists, believers in "fluid reality", and out-and-out liars like John Kerry and Al Gore, and I fear that trusting them is tantamount to sticking my noggin in a lion's mouth.

Item:  Ran out of work yet again, off tomorrow thru Monday.  Nice on the butt, bad on the wallet.

_________________________________________________

Onto the NHFFL.  Well, we know who is in the playoffs, and in the Purple we know who will play who.  The Greenwoods removed all doubt of their playoff spot by handing the Rangers the worst whupping anyone's took this year, 70-19.  Matt Stafford put up 15, and Ray Rice and Jordy Nelson tacked on 12 each.  The Aguas added the remaining extinguisher on the KCAs hopes, downing them 31-24, with David Akers overcoming missing 2 fgs and having another one blocked to score 11 points.  This sets up a Greenwoods-Aguas matchup in two weeks, which promises to be a high scoring affair.  The Aguas won their first meeting 55-34 in week 4, and the Elves evened it up with a 51-34 victory in week 8.  The remaining Purple Div. game had the Angels topping the Beagles 31-24, hanging on despite a ten-point Monday night from Steve Gostkowski.

The Gold actually got tighter.  Both the leaders fell: the Elks dropping to the Ducks 51-39 as five different players put up 6s and Cedric Benson netted 12; and the B2s lost to the Porkchops 27-7, managing only a Eli Manning pass, a single extra point, and 3 defensive points.  New 'Chops QB Matt Moore beat that himself (9).  And the 'Chops win puts them a game back of the leaders with 1 to go.  Also, the Clock BBQs fall into last, losing to Buzz 41-22 behind Cam Newton's 17.



The season finales include Beagles vs Aguas; KCAs/Greenwoods; and Angels/Rangers in the Purple; CBBQs/Ducks (CBBQs need to win by 13 to escape last place); Elks/B2s for the division title and week 1 bye; and Buzz/ Porkchops.    The 'Chops play the loser of Elks/B2s in week 1.

Random Monday

If I can ever get my glasses clean enough to do this, I've a few items to bloviate about.

Item:  Carl Edwards, with the class he showed in losing to Tony Stewart last night, makes it hard to not like him.  But I'm trying.  Maybe he could take a lollipop from a baby or something...

Item:  Up to this point, I have not mentioned the Occupy protests on this blog.  Mainly because a) most of them have no idea what they are doing so it's kinda useless to engage in debate, and b) I'm a firm believer in "If you ignore it, it will go away". And it's been hard, as I've listened to the endless litany of their lawless acts (start here  if you doubt), the endless "99%" garbage (when by their definition I'm in "the 99%" and they don't speak for me), and their inability to understand that using public parks without paying applicable fees is and should be TRESPASSING and FREELOADING (to use Pat Miller's term)- and that King Tom's gutlessness when forced to choose between the good of his city and his core constituency is the only thing preventing them from being dealt with as such.

But what I am finally going to say is on all the bitching about the police turning pepper spray on them.  Guys, you want to play at being noble protesters, standing against "the man" to change things for the "little guy".  Pepper spray, riot sticks, rubber bullets are all part of that.  If you wanna be anti-establishment, TAKE WHAT COMES WITH IT.  I'm sure Sandra Lee Scheuer would have gladly taken a little mace asides of what she got standing up for her beliefs.

Item: Moving on to stupid laws, UK edition:

EU bans claim that water can prevent dehydration

Brussels bureaucrats were ridiculed yesterday after banning drink manufacturers from claiming that water can prevent dehydration.

NHS health guidelines state clearly that drinking water helps avoid dehydration, and that Britons should drink at least 1.2 litres per day Photo: ALAMY

By Victoria Ward and Nick Collins

6:20AM GMT 18 Nov 2011

EU officials concluded that, following a three-year investigation, there was no evidence to prove the previously undisputed fact.

Producers of bottled water are now forbidden by law from making the claim and will face a two-year jail sentence if they defy the edict, which comes into force in the UK next month.

Last night, critics claimed the EU was at odds with both science and common sense. Conservative MEP Roger Helmer said: “This is stupidity writ large.

“The euro is burning, the EU is falling apart and yet here they are: highly-paid, highly-pensioned officials worrying about the obvious qualities of water and trying to deny us the right to say what is patently true.

“If ever there were an episode which demonstrates the folly of the great European project then this is it.”

There you have it (or, "Bob's your uncle" if you prefer).  The same brilliant minds that brought you global warming now bring you this helpful research.  Hopefully the plan for just what the hell TO DO when your dehydrated will be next on their research list.

Item:  Yet again I have died- and this time I'm not alone...

ZENITH BANK OF NIGERIA
Plot 84, Ajose Adeogun Street,
Victoria Island Lagos-Nigeria
Contact Name: Mr. Norman Briggs.
Position: Executive Director,
Email: lafcu34@yahoo.co.jp



                RE: REQUEST FOR YOUR ATTENTION/OUTSTANDING PAYMENT:

Attention: Beneficiary,

We are contacting you to clarify and resolve the misunderstanding and problem at hand.

We do not intend to send to you a scam/unexpected or any sort of fraudulent email because you also need to know if you are being impersonated by the unknown, therefore, this email should not be regarded as unsolicited, as our intention is for your best interest and to protect your human right and our good image and reputation and to maintain our Leadership in professionalism in banking sector as the leading bank in Nigeria.

Be informed that we the Zenith Bank of Nigeria have received instruction to release the approved sum of Fifty Two Million Dollars Only (US$52, 000, 000.00) to you, as your Inheritance/Contract fund. We have with us the entire documentation required for this payment in your favor. We shall be waiting to hear from you for the immediate payment and to guide you on the modalities as the policy of this bank permits us.



(Blah, blah, my inheritance, cleared by authorities, act quickly, blah, blah...)

After this resent approval of your contract/inheritance fund payment of Fifty Two Million Dollars Only (US$52, 000, 000.00) to be released from my bank, Mr. Hancock from Washington DC contacted my bank requesting for the release of your funds in his name as your next-of-kin/beneficiary hence you are proclaimed dead and WILLED everything to him. And the below are his bank account details which he provided to us for the remittance, urging my bank to transfer your fund into his account immediately before it is too late:

His Bank Account Details: (Blah, blah...)


Please, if you are not dead as this man said, kindly provide in the below DETAILS required from you to enable us update your payment documents and put a stop before this person blah, blah, blahh....
 
Thank you for your understanding

Yours In-Service

Mr. Norman Briggs.
Executive Director,
Plot 84, Ajose Adeogun Street,
Victoria Island Lagos-Nigeria
lafcu34@yahoo.co.jp

 Good of Mr. Briggs, so far as it goes. But what I left out was the no fewer than 50 e-mails CC'd by Mr. Briggs.  Among the deceased are one L. Greene, connected with somebody's 36th district court, and Latrice Ponton, who was a psych major at TCU a few years back.  I sure hope you are all feeling better now.

Item:  Actual conversation at work today:

Supervisor (shaking head): "Communications SUCK around this place."
Me (faking stunned):  "Please, TELL ME this is not an epiphany for you..."

Oh, and one last item:  Does anyone else have a problem with Blogger randomly chopping off a sentence or two of your post every time you use spell-check?