Goody...a death map.

Like I don't have enough to worry about.
Thanks FoxNews. You suck.



A new map plotting deaths resulting from forces of nature reveals where Mother Nature is most likely to kill you.

People living in the South along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts have a higher likelihood of dying from a natural hazard compared to residents of the Great Lakes area and urbanized Northeast.

And while intense hurricanes and tornadoes steal headlines for their intense winds and overall destruction, the new map shows what other previous studies have found, that everyday hazards, such as severe winter and summer weather, and heat account for the majority of natural hazard deaths in the United States.

In addition to the South having high mortality from natural hazards, other risky areas included the northern Great Plains region where heat and drought were the biggest killers and the Rocky Mountain region (Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah and New Mexico) with winter weather and floods as top killers.

The south-central United States is also a dangerous area, with floods and tornadoes posing the greatest threats.

My take on the shoe throwing incident...

I've thought long and hard before writing this particular post.

You've heard about the guy that threw his shoes at President Bush during a press conference.

Of course you have, the entire world has heard about him by now. In fact, some are hailing Muntathar al-Zaidi as a hero, he's become an instant celebrity to Iraqis and Bush haters across the globe.

As someone who's covered too many press conferences to count, many of them with GWB, I've wanted to scream and throw things at the heads of numerous politicians time and time again. But I didn't.

Because I'm a journalist. And in my opinion, journalists are far too important a part of our democratic process to allow themselves to squander a chance to provide the public with information.

My emotional outburst, whether it's a display of joy or digust, shouldn't be the news.

I understand why al-Zaidi was so angry. He's watched for six years as his country has been torn apart, thousands of young Iraqis are left without limbs, and in many cases, families. And then he's told by Bush to celebrate the "hope in the eyes" of the nation's young people? No wonder he snapped.

But what if he had asked Bush the questions he'd had in his mind and heart for all this time? Put his feet to the fire, so to speak? That's what we'd be talking about, not that Bush has great reflexes, and made a few shoe jokes.

A journalist's job is to educate, not pontificate. And I'll never scuff my heels on anyone's forehead.

Unless they ask me to.

The number of dummies in this world just grew by one.

I like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I really do.

But second year DE Greg White is a numbskull, seriously.

This player (who's been pretty crappy on the field lately, BTW) decided to change his name.

He's no longer Greg White, ya'll.

Call him Styles. Styles G. White.

White said he picked his new name from a character in the 1985 movie “Teen Wolf,’’ starring Michael J. Fox.

In the movie, Fox’s friend is named Rupert “Stiles’’ Stilinski. White changed the spelling and adopted the name as his own.

Dear Lord.

Let's think about this for a moment...

A 6-3 260 pound black NFL player - idolizes a 150 pound fictional white guy from the 80's.


Oh yeah, that makes perfect sense. Not.

I love happy endings...

This story is out of Dallas...maybe there's some Chritmas spirit left in the world after all.

Stolen Camera Returned to Dying Mother After TV Appeal

A thief who stole a camera from a terminally ill Oklahoma mother had a change of heart after seeing the distraught woman's story on the news.

Jami McElrath's camera, which was loaded with photos of a family trip to a Six Flags park in Texas, was stolen after the thief broke into their car while they were eating in a restaurant on Dec. 1.

McElrath, who has inoperable cancer, was collecting photos to place in a scrapbook for her children so they could remember her after she was gone. The camera had belonged to her father, who died of a heart attack two years ago.

The woman told her heart-wrenching story to Dallas-area news station WFAA TV, appealing to the burglar to return the camera.

"I just want my camera back," she told WFAA reporter Jim Douglas. "I just want those memories back."

Then something remarkable happened. A few days after the story aired, Douglas got a call from a man who told him to look behind a red car in the station's parking lot. The caller didn't leave his name; he said only that he felt bad about the incident and wanted to return the camera.

When Douglas presented McElrath with the camera in person, tears filled her eyes.

Cry me a river...

So I wanted to make sure my nephew gets to play with toddlers his own age (although I am probably the best playmate he's ever had, lol!).
So I enrolled him in a local daycare near where I work.

It's a good place, I went and checked it out, asked the director hundreds of questions, researched the center's licencing on the 'net, and interviewed other parents who have their kids there.
The KOTW and I even went and visited so he'd be a little more familiar with the teacher and the other kids.

Today was his first day...I'd talked non-stop about how he's going to his "school" for days, and did the same thing this morning as we headed out, telling him how much fun he'd have, blah blah blah.

The moment we walked through the front door-- the screaming began.

Heart-wrenching wails of dismay issued from his little mouth like a siren. His sweet chubby face looked like a angry thundercloud.

But I managed to peel him off me, and got down with him and told him that I'd be back soon. And then I left him there.

I stood outside listening to him bang his little fists on the door and cry for me to come back -- and I teared up too.

I love this kid, but I'm scared I'm getting too attached...what happens when he has to go leave and home? My heart doesn't even want to consider that right now.

Just a few more hours until I pick him up...I hope he's having a good day.

What. In. The. Hell.

is going on with politicians these days? Is everyone doing deals on the downlow or something? Is it even possible to sell a state senate seat?

And Governor Blagojevish says he won't resign.

Yeesh. In my mind's eye all I can see is Richard Nixon, jowls flapping as he declares "I am not a crook!"
This guy looks so crooked he probably can't even walk straight.



CHICAGO – Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was arrested Tuesday on charges he brazenly conspired to sell or trade President-elect Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat to the highest bidder as part of what federal prosecutors called a "political corruption crime spree."

Prosecutors did not accuse Obama himself of any wrongdoing. Obama said he had no contact with the governor or his office on the matter.

Blagojevich also was charged with illegally threatening to withhold state assistance to Tribune Co., the owner of the Chicago Tribune, in an attempt to strong-arm the newspaper into firing editorial writers who had criticized him.

The 51-year-old Democrat was also accused of engaging in pay-to-play politics — that is, doling out jobs, contracts and appointments in return for campaign contributions.

"We were in the middle of a corruption crime spree, and we wanted to stop it," U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said, calling the charges against Blagojevich "a truly new low." He added: "The conduct would make Lincoln roll over in his grave."

Cuts cuts and more cuts...

The smaller news corporations have alredy laid off or shut down entire tv news operations -- now the big boys are getting into the act on a major scale.

And let's not even look at the newspaper debacle...my gosh, the Tribune Company, which owns the Los Angels Times and the Chicago Tribune, may have to file for bankrupcy.

ETA: they gone and done it! Tribune files Chapter 11...whoda thought they'd see the day?!



Sorry Sam Zell...you go from a fistful of dollars to a frightningly large debt.
Zell and the other muckity-mucks at Tribune are telling all the employees that things will go on as usual, everyone will keep their jobs...I wonder for how long.

Things are really getting tough out there for us newsies. :(

From Shoptalk:

ABC executives are considering cuts to the news division. The focus would be on a slimming down of political units the network bulked up during the presidential campaign.

Rumors about the cuts have been circulating for weeks now around the ABC News offices, but the rumors have numbers: The cuts could affect as many as 35 staffers and would take effect in the new year.

In recent days, a number of other media companies with large television divisions have moved to reduce their staffing costs. On Dec. 4, Viacom announced that it was cutting more than 850 jobs or roughly 7 percent of its workforce. The same day, TV Newser first reported that NBC Universal will be slashing some 500 jobs across various divisions of the company, amounting to 3 percent of the work force."

Chris Matthews advised to quite MSNBC...

So you've probably all heard Chris Matthews, one of my favorite talk show bulldogs,is seriously debating whether to run to become a Pennsylvania senator.

Matthews' advisors have told him if he truly intends to announce his candidacy, he'd better step down from his talk show post as soon as possible.

I don't mind watching Chris on Hardball,he's bombastic, abrasive (which I sometimes find amusing) and gets to the point. I don't think he's a wishy-washy kind of guy.
And the massive, self-stroking ego of talk show hosts, especially those making millions of dollars, isn't a very different animal from that of a politician. Both think themselves the center of the universe.
But I don't know if he can he really do much good with his butt languishing in a Senate seat.

Then again, this whole thing could be a ploy to jack up his contract, which expires in June.
I think if the network offers enough money, he'll keep his MSNBC seat for the time being.

Ha! I knew it!

*dancing around*

I just knew dogs could feel emotions like jealousy and pride, my dog certainly did, and so does every other doggy I know.
But nooooo, my brothers and parents said I was crazy.

Now who's crazy, huh? HUH?! ;)

From England's The Telegraph:

Canines do not like seeing their owners offering affection to other creatures, especially other dogs, and react negatively when their owners bring home new partners, the research found.

Psychologists previously believed most animals lack the "sense of self" needed to experience so-called secondary emotions such as jealousy, embarrassment, empathy or guilt. These emotions are more complex than feelings associated with instant reaction – such as anger, lust or joy.

Dr Friederike Range, of the University of Vienna's neurobiology department, has shown that dogs feel intense jealously when they spot that they are unfairly treated compared with other dogs. "Dogs show a strong aversion to inequity," she said.

The dog study is the latest into several species, including cows, horses, cats and sheep, which have shown that animals are far more self-aware than was thought.

Have you ever been so tired...

you can barely see straight?

I'm talking tired like you've been draggin' rocks to build the pyramids tired.
Ditch-digging tired.
Just TIRED. To the bone.

I can feel my head wobbling around on my neck as I clickity-clack away at my keyboard, my red-rimmed eyes feverishly staring at the screen.
I only pause to grab my Dr. Pepper and take a huge gulp before once again diving into this great big wonderful computer world we all know and love.

I already know what you're asking: "Why don't you get off the computer and go get some sleep"?
No can do boo, I'm working. Yeah, it seems like I'm always working.
And I've got an hour to go before I can leave this unholy place and sink into my comfy bed.

The nephew (KOTW) is with his grandparents today -- he screamed bloody murder when I had to leave him this morning. I think he wants his mom. We spoke to her on the phone yesterday and ever since then he's been going around the house calling out "Ma-ma! Ma-ma!"
God, it breaks my heart.
But he'll be fine, I'll be fine, we'll all be just fine.

This just in:

Men can be so f-in' stupid sometimes.

O.k.,that's a blanket statement, which I know is wrong.
Let me rephrase this breaking news bulletin --

MY MAN is stupid sometimes.
Got me all enraged and stuff.

This is why you don't need to talk to folks when they've been drinking.

Alcohol makes some people lose their damn minds, and accuse others of not taking them seriously, and they're sick of it, and blahblahblahblah. (that's when my head exploded and I officially had to stop listening or I'd say something I would have regretted.)

I have loved this man for so long, we've shared great experiences and planned on a life together, adopting some little kids if we can't make our own sweet hellion babies, hell, our futures and hearts are so intertwined it's ridiculous.

And yet he still feels this way. And wants to argue and fight with me about how I never say he's right. When I do 99.9% of the time.

And then, in a moment of weakness, when I send our usual I love you text (yeah, we're dumb like that), he says, "back at 'cha". WTF? Fine mofo, you don't have to say you love me.
That's less for me to feel guilty about or worry about.

This self-righteous,drinking, acting a fool man of mine has officially worked my last nerve. And buddy, I know myself. Don't rub me the wrong way too many times, or I will be more than happy to stand up and leave your ass.

And so help me, I am about to step over that line.

I guess sometimes love really isn't enough. When it makes you feel sad and bad and you want to weep for what you thought you had, I guess it's not.

Toddlers are hard work.

I'm starting to settle into the groove with my nephew...I'll just call him "King of the World."

Well, little Mr. KOTW fell asleep at 9 last night...and woke up at 11, 3, 5, and finally bounced out of bed bright-eyed and bushytailed at 7 am.
I, on the other hand, was not so full of energy...in fact, I'm downright exhausted.
But I'm at work, plugging away, watching the minutes float by until I can leave.

The weird thing is...I can't wait to get home and see him.
And he'll play his musical toy.
And make me dance.

KOTW thinks it's hilarious.
I just love to make him laugh and smile.

Someone help me, I'm his puppet.

How's your state doing in tough economic times?

Good question...here in Texas, everything's coming up roses!

Just kidding.

But Governor Rick Perry did have a special meeting with the state's key industry leaders today. And honestly, Texas doesn't seem to be doing to badly, as other states scream for mercy.

Texas is 1 of 9 states with a budget surplus (granted the people won't see a damn dime of that money, but I digress), sales aren't as slow in the retail sector as they are in other states, and we're still creating jobs, mroe than a thousand people and their families move to the Lone Star State every month.

Not bad. Not bad at all.

But I still can't afford to buy crap.

I'm freaking out.

My word of the day -- STRESS.

Today is the day my nephew comes to stay with me. Full time. For at least a month or so.
I try to spend quality time with the little man when I can, but I don't have a clue what the hell 18 month olds think about. Do they even think coherently? Or is it just a big bunch of "yes, no mine, gimme", blaaahhhhhh, screaming gurgling sounds inside their tiny minds?

Here's the checklist:

Home babyproofed? Check.
Toddler gates in place? Check.
Enough pampers to wrap up a small army? Double check.
Wipes for his cute baby bottom? Check!

My older brother is laughing his head off at me right now for taking this on.
He was amazed when he came over to see me earlier --'cause I've been cooking. Think
Betty Crocker on crack, I'm going like a damn steam train and I can't slow down.
It's what I do when I feel stressed out.

So far there's caramel brownies, my little bro's favorite double chocolate layer cake, garlic mushroom spaghetti, fresh beer bread, cucumber tomato and mozarella salad, and sloppy joes. For the kid. I know he'll eat that.
Even toddlers like sloppy joes, right?
Oh God, what if he doesn't eat that?

Breathe, remember to breathe.

I love this kid more than my life. I hope he doesn't end up hating me. Or that I warp his mind with my Duran Duran or Daft Punk cd's. Time to change to something more soothing...Marvin Gaye perhaps? Or a nice restful Nat King Cole.
You know, he'd always go to sleep when I rocked him and put on some big band music. Yes, I like big band music, I know I'm freak, thank you very little.


All I know is, I have to stop stressing about this. Or his super funtime cool auntie will turn into "rushed to the ER" auntie in a minute.

I really don't see how you moms do it. I really don't. You guys rock.