Dots My Word!

Seriously, it's my word. I use it enough, so it's my word. I even had it as a topic label, then decided I'd trim down the list a little bit.

If only I had kept it....

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From the Word of the Day feed in the right-hand column:

ellipsis \i-LIP-sis\, noun:
three dots used to show an omission in writing or printing;
the omission of a word or words in text

Trop de sucrerie !

(Too much candy!)

Just about the most adorable thing I've seen in ages.


Too much candy from Capucha on Vimeo.

Pecans in the Cemetery

From the email archives:

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On the outskirts of a small town, there was a big, old pecan tree just inside the cemetery fence. One day, two boys filled up a bucketful of nuts and sat down by the tree, out of sight, and began dividing the nuts.

'One for you, one for me, One for you, one for me,' said one boy. Several dropped from the tree and rolled down toward the fence.

Another boy came riding along the road on his bicycle. As he passed, he thought he heard voices from inside the cemetery. He slowed down to investigate. Sure enough, he heard,

'One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me.'

He just knew what it was. He jumped back on his bike and rode off. Just around the bend he met an old man with a cane, hobbling along.

'Come here quick,' said the boy, 'you won't believe what I heard! Satan and the Lord are down at the cemetery dividing up the souls.'

The man said, 'Beat it kid, can't you see it's hard for me to walk.'

When the boy insisted though, the man hobbled slowly to the cemetery. Standing by the fence they heard ,

'One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me.'

The old man whispered, 'Boy, you've been tellin' me the truth. Let's see if we can see the Lord.'

Shaking with fear, they peered through the fence, yet were still unable to see anything. The old man and the boy gripped the wrought iron bars of the fence tighter and tighter as they tried to get a glimpse of the Lord. At last they heard,

'One for you, one for me. That's all. Now let's go get those nuts by the fence and we'll be done.'

They say the old man made it back to town a full 5 minutes ahead of the kid on the bike.

SMILE, God Loves You!

PETA Wrote Me!

Dear Mike,

Dogs need your voice right away. Please take a few moments now to send a message directly to the NFL. Michael Vick is going to be released from prison any minute, and in light of recently released government evidence that he enjoyed putting his own family "pet dogs" into the ring with fighting pit bulls, PETA is urging the NFL to make Vick take a test for anti-social personality disorder (ASPD), or psychopathy. Vick seems to fit the profile for ASPD, which includes lying, manipulating others, enjoying others' suffering, and being aggressive and charming. If Vick has ASPD, the NFL needs to know. That's because people who have ASPD cannot be truly remorseful and are likely to repeat the anti-social behavior that pleases them. If he isn't a psychopath, that's fair enough, but if he is, he shouldn't ever be presented to children as a hero. He needs to take the test!

Please help us keep the pressure on by sending an automated letter to the NFL today asking it to require that Vick pass a brain scan for ASPD and the accompanying psychological evaluation before the NFL even considers the possibility of allowing Vick back into the league, where he will be in a position to influence many fans, including countless children. Your letter will be sent directly to the NFL, letting it know that we will not rest until appropriate action has been taken. It is reasonable to try to figure out if Vick can be reformed or not.

Please cross-post this e-mail and forward it to others who might be interested in speaking out against dog fighting. Visit PETA.org for more information about dog fighting and to learn about ways that you can make a difference.

Thank you for your continued support and for all that you do for animals!

Sincerely,

Heather Whidden, Activist Liaison
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
HeatherW@peta.org

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Ms. Whidden, I love dogs and like you, also think what Vick did was reprehensible but I also believe that when he gets out of prison, he will have paid his debt to society.

As far as letting him back into the NFL, I have mixed feelings. I agree that there's something fundamentally wrong with a culture that condones fighting animals for sport; it's but one step down from the Romans feeding the Christians to the lions. I understand your issue with Vick being reinstated, but the truth is there are players in the NFL who have barely escaped being tried for murder (of humans) so it seems a bit hypocritical to single out one who has killed dogs.

One thing I can't understand, though. You said:

"Vick seems to fit the profile for ASPD, which includes lying, manipulating others, enjoying others' suffering, and being aggressive and charming."

Seems to me that would also describe the current President and the majority of the Congress of the United States.

It also seems to me that might very well fit PETA.

Sorry, but I refuse to help you because you are an organization that has its priorities all wrong. For example, when your members break into mink farms and release all the animals and then many of the animals die from being hit by cars or suffer agonizing deaths from exposure...when you announce you hope hoof and mouth infects our meat animals...when you start referring to fish as "sea kittens"...when you think animals have more rights than humans...well, it just shows you're a bunch of nutjobs, not worthy of any sane person's consideration, much less their money and support.

Even nutjobs should have priority over animals, but then again, I might need to rethink my position on THAT one.

If times get much worse, we'll be eating dogs before long.

Sincerely,
Mike

P.S. "Dogs need my voice"???

OK, I'll help 'em. "Arf Arf, Woof Woof"

There, I've spoken up for them.

Yuliya Love Me!

If Yuliya only give me a chance:

Another admirer from Russia

Hello!

My name is Yuliya! I am 29 years old.
I addressed in agency acquaintances. When I have specified, how I
search for type of the man. Me have told to approach in 1 week. When I
have again come to agency of acquaintances, to me have told yours
email adress. I am a teacher and i like my work very much.
I work with children and Now I have an opportunity to write to you I am an
interesting, beautiful, kind and single young lady. I want to find my
love, my half and want to marry him. I am looking for a man who will
fall in love with me and I will fall in love with him. I have never
been married but I dream about it. I am fond of children and I dream
about a happy family with the beloved man. I am interested in music,
cooking, reading, traveling and others. I know English very good and
can easily speak!!

If you are interested in me please write me on my e-mail: melkaya999@yahoo.com

Please write me and I will send you my photos.
I wait for your letter very much.
Yuliya.



Dear Yuliya,

Before we continue this relationship, I want to know one thing:

What is the "agency" you're talking about?

The KGB? The CIA?

Maybe I need to contact the FBI, ya think?

"I am interested in music, cooking, reading, traveling and others."

And "others"???? What kind of marriage do you want?

Plus, there's this: "I know English very good and can easily speak!!"

Uh, don't flatter yourself, honey.

Regards,
Mike

I'm a Cuppa

You Are Tea

You are mellow and reflective. You don't allow yourself to feel in a rush and frenzied. You're likely to appreciated the ideas or connections that come up over a warm cup of tea. While you do enjoy the energy of a caffeine boost, you love that it allows you to take a break. You're not in a rush to do anything. You're content with your life, and in no rush to change it.

Are You Coffee or Tea?