Mercy!

Sorry for the weirdness. When I first opened your post, there was no illustration accompanying it. So I just thought I’d help you out with an appropriate photo. Now that I see that humongous Crotalus atrox, I say shame on whoever killed that magnificent old beast. Somehow it had lived a long, long time without coming across any killer humans. Too bad its luck ran out. Please, no rants on it being dangerous. The folks in that part of the state know how to coexist with all manner of critters.

I'll admit it, I didn't read the article. But did somebody say, "Cold Fusion"?

canned shad roe – sautéed in bacon drippings and served with eggs for breakfast. canned tamale pie – it’s probably best that this product lacks any “Nutrition Facts” on the can labels. loose tea – funny, I didn’t even consider this an addiction until I saw Soxy’s mention of tea. I used to get it mail order from England before the good stuff became readily available here. Just counted 20 different types in my kitchen – black, green, oolong, and tisanes (not strictly teas). My favorite source in this country is Upton Tea Imports

Neil Cotts had the opposite problem this year.

Hey! How come KipWells doesn't educate us about all this neat Canadian stuff?

Well, aside from the fabric care instructions, I believe you've got: "We are sorry that our President is an idiot. We did not vote for him."

That's a problem? I always think of the "Politics of Joy" when I think of Minnesota. Just can't help it.

Catching fireflies in a jar, and then “accidentally” releasing them inside the house. Drinking directly from the creek that ran out back just because we were warned never to do that. My parents saintly acceptance of the quantity and variety of varmints I caught or bought to keep as pets. First best team – Washington Senators – “First in war, first in peace, last in the American League” – whatever that meant, but it sure sounded funny. Cigarettes at 25 cents a pack. All time favorite – Half & Half brand with filters. They smelled great! But I sure don’t miss that three-pack-a-day habit.

For sure. I didn’t want to sound too far off in another universe, but I was thinking the same thing. One of the accounts I read spoke of the other bathroom occupants as saying they didn’t actually see anything going on, just two sets of feet in one stall. Still, can you imagine busting a drunken jab to someone’s eye in a bar bathroom and then shouting out your employer’s name? Lordy!

Darn funny story on so many levels, worthy of lots of witty comments. Thanks to the two or three of you who came up with some. As for the rest of youse guys – too predictable. So when will you be posting your drivers license pics? Or better yet – there’s got to be at least a couple of us around here who’d appreciate some full frontal shots so we could make a more appropriate evaluation. Hot diggity!

See Tex, I had the Monkey on my ignore list, and you go and quote him. Sheesh! Oh well, could you tell him that it’s “Captain Fact Check” not “Captain Fact-check”? Actually, at this rate I’m going to be getting a battlefield promotion to Major Fact Check, so it probably doesn’t matter. Nevermind. Good Night. And Good Luck.

Unless I'm mistaken (and I'll admit I could be ) the "real issue" is the discussion of various topics of interest to the people who post here. Care to try to do that? Or would you continue to like to make me your topic of conversation? I'm saying, I'm not interested in that. But if you choose to persist............

I don’t need to re-read it, but I did. I see you changed your wording. It wasn’t “acquaintance” it was my “family”. And I didn’t “insinuate” anything. I made a statement of opinion. About The Thread Topic. With each post you continue to personalize this discussion, now labeling my original contribution to this thread as “shallow.” That is, you’re making a value judgement about me, the poster, not debating the topic at hand. I’m sorry to be so repetitive, but this just is really basic stuff about civil discourse. Of course you don’t have to follow “my” rules. But I hope you’ll understand if I continue to point out your misbehavior.

I had a wonderful prof, so I really enjoyed this course. But that holds true about any subject, doesn’t it? However, I was late teens, early twenties then. As a mature adult, I suspect I wouldn’t have any patience for sitting through an entire semester of just Milton, at least if his religious poetry were to be the sole focus. My recommendation would be to take a general course on 17th century English literature to get a taste of some of the greats – Milton, Donne, Marvell, Dryden, Herbert, Pope. You’d never be bored.

Oh sister….. What is this a tag-team? I answer you, Steff makes a wise-acre response. I respond to Steff, I get you. It should be pretty obvious that a martyr I never was, nor will be. If you'll notice your response turned the post around to what you say *I* would do if I were the victim of a similar crime and then answer with a Baloney! What sort of argument is that? Stick to the subject and YOUR OWN opinions why don’t you and there’d be less fights. Or if you prefer the fights, do it with someone else is all I’m saying. You’re just mad because you’re so dependent on expensive gasoline. :rolly

If people choose to start thread after thread about awful people doing awful things just so everyone can make post after post agreeing what awful people they are, I have no problem with that. I do have a problem with those who immediately want to turn a neutral response such as I made into something personal, Steff. I responded to Kap’s question with what I thought was an obvious answer. If you want to post flamebait instead of discuss ideas, go annoy someone else, please. Call me old fashioned, I guess. I believe people get tried, convicted, serve their sentence and get let out. God Bless America, eh? The hard fact is that 98% of the people now in person WILL get out – including most that we consider Lifers. I guess my response to your sarcastic ad homimen would be to ask what would you recommend that the state have done differently in this PARTICULAR case? Or what would you recommend that the victim’s family do? Be waiting with a shotgun when she leaves prison? I can’t tell what you intended with your response other than to make a gratuitous insult to a fellow poster.

Because they've served their sentence?

My standard reply #1 to Nuke's incessant trolling (@ Post #11) My standard reply #2 to Nuke's incessant trolling (@ Post #7)

I’m not aware of any material that could be labeled “slanderous” in this book. Perhaps you could point out any instance you know of. I do think there’s a real irony here, though. Those who classify themselves as social or religious Conservatives seem to be telling me that they are the arbiters of righteous conduct. They claim that their beliefs are the true ones, and that everyone should follow their precepts. Hence their hypocrisy is all the more laughable when they are caught with their (metaphorical) pants down. Rush: throw all the druggies in prison …..Oops!, I’ve got an illness. Liberals, on the other hand, usually don’t hold themselves above everyone else, and tolerate a much more diverse community as long as adult conduct doesn’t impinge on someone else’s rights. Give me secular law over religious law any day. Our founders knew what would keep our country strong.

Set Yourself Free!

I don’t know about the background in this particular case. But it always seems that these incidents are followed by the neighbors saying things like Kid is saying – they always let it run loose/it jumped the fence constantly/it tried to bite our dog while we were out walking recently. I think most areas require that dogs be registered, have rabies shots, wear tags, and not be allowed to run loose. In addition, although the debate on dangerous breeds never seems to end, most areas have laws that deal with dogs which have been judged to be “dangerous” or “vicious.” So although it may not make you the most popular person in some people’s eyes, I say, do the obvious to keep your community safe: Start calling the appropriate authorities EVERY time you witness a violation of your local ordinances. Call the police. Call animal control. Make sure you give the authorities the names of these dogs’ anti-social owners and be willing to give your own name as a complainant.

Nuke, from your response to Tex, it appears that not only were you not around for the ‘60’s, but you seem to lack even the most rudimentary knowledge of that period in our history when so many of our cities burned. A good place to start if you care to stop talking about “savages” and looking foolishly uneducated would be 1968. Oh, and by the way, here’s another tip: When you’re finished brushing up on recent US history, do a little checking into your world history for 1968, more specifically Paris. What do you suppose was going on back then? Yep. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Only back then, it was the students who were rioting nightly, not the “savages.” Education. It’s never too late.

Mais oui! But, don’t you know, that silly Mayor GoodWienerMan of Las Vegas is a piker in comparison to the original creators of the guillotine. I don’t think he could show those Frenchies a thing. Well, now that the riots have spread to Paris, I thought I’d mention that the mayor of that city, Bertrand Delanoë, is a Socialist, born in Tunisia, and an out gay man. Uh-oh!

Dear, in regards to ‘shoving it up one’s ass’ – I’ve never had to resort to talking to others in that fashion. So I’ll just have to assume you know whereof you speak on that subject and leave it at that. And I can assure you that if anyone here who actually speaks thoughtfully about issues contacts me and requests that I knock it off, or that I ratchet my attitude down a notch or two, I’ll give it serious consideration. Meanwhile, I’ve been around here long enough to smell which way the wind blows.