big brother is watching

Right out of George Orwell's "1984" comes a story of the government snooping in private citizens' lives. The IRS is finding deliquent tax payers on social networking sites. Be careful what you put on your profiles--someone may be looking for you. http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/148083

California garage sale

In order to raise money for their huge deficit, California is holding a two day garage sale. Cars will be auctioned and other items will have a set price. First come, first serve on those items and the highest bidder on each vehicle gets it. The sale starts Friday morning and runs through midnight on Saturday. The governor will even be autographing some of the items in the hopes that it will bring up the price.
http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/20090828/ap_on_hi_te/us_california_garage_sale

dog of SPCA exec dies after being left in car 4 hours

This is the definition of irony...why would anyone who is against cruelty to animals leave their dog in a car for 4 hours on a hot day? I am at a loss for words. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32569213/ns/us_news-life?gt1=43001

race changed in photo

Microsoft had a picture on their website of three people sitting at a conference table. One Asian man, one black man, and one white woman. When the picture appeared on Poland's Microsoft site, the race of the black man had been changed to white. They changed the head but left the hand. I think someone should be fired over the blantant racism. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_tec_microsoft_poland_picture

little house--big price

The smallest house in New York City is on the market for a whopping $2.7 million. It's only 9 1/2 feet wide but the realtor says that is has plenty of history and light. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090826/ap_on_fe_st/us_odd_skinny_house

best parallel parking job ever

This little kid knows what he'd doing.
http://video.yahoo.com/network/100284668?v=5737293&l=3774749

stuck in airplane overnight in Rochester MN

Passengers on a flight from Texas to Minneapolis were diverted to the Rochester MN airport after they encountered some bad weather. All of the security people had left for the night and the passengers were confined to the airplane for 5 1/2 hours. Some requested to get off the plane but were denied. The passengers feel that the compensation package sent to them by Continental is inadequate for what they went through. http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2009-08-18-stranded-passengers_N.htm?csp=Travel

final resting place above Marilyn Monroe?

A widow is selling her husband's tomb on Ebay. She will move her husband to the one intended for her and be cremated instead. Her hopes are that she will raise enough money to pay off her mortgage. Bidding is up to $2.5 million.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090817/od_nm/us_monroe_odd_1

Brooks & Dunn are splitting up

Brooks & Dunn have announced that they will split up in 2010. I've got the story: http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1618460/brooks-dunn-splitting-up-in-2010.jhtml
Make sure to see them at Fort McCoy on August 28.

largest carp dies

A taxidermist will try to uncover the reason for the untimely death of Benson--the largest carp in the UK. Benson had been caught and released 63 times in her 25 years. Carp can live until they are 60 and Benson's death has put the fishing community in shock. Read more here: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124991924916619783.html?mod=yhoofront

off-duty firefighters save 4 year old

Two Milwaukee fire fighters were off-duty when they got a frantic phone call to come help save a mother and her two children whose SUV had flipped over and was on fire. The mother and 2 year old were rescued but the 4 year old was literally burning in his car seat. Even though the fire fighters burned their hands badly, they managed to get the child out. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32006584/ns/today-today_people/

update on upside down flag

A Wisconsin man will be represented by the ACLU in his case against the village of Crivitz. They confiscated his flag after he flew it upside down in protest of the village not granting him a liquor license. http://www.wxow.com/global/story.asp?s=10868939

gulf war pen pals get married

19 years after 13 year old Jaimie Benefit sent a letter to "Any Soldier" during the Persian Gulf War, she has married him. The letter happened to be given to a 19 year old soldier from Charleston, SC and they became Pen Pals. After the war ended, they lost touch but Jaimie found him again years later on Facebook. They were married on July 15. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/us_world/2009/08/04/2009-08-04_wartime_penpals_become_gi__wife.html

Mustangs in Nationwide series

Ford has announced that they will race Mustangs in the Nationwide serious next year. They will start with a limited schedule before going full time.

Once Upon a Mattress opening night

Rehearsals are winding down and opening night is Thursday. There are some characters in this show lol. Sir Studley is my dance partner for the Spanish Panic. Sir Studley (love that name and so does he LOL) is a radio DJ from Winona. They put us together for just that reason. My son plays Sir Luce (pronounced loose). I am Lady Rowena--a lady in waiting that is about to become a spinster if she can't get married soon. Plenty of laughs in this show. Come see what goes on under the sheets!!

Country Jam

Another great day at Country Jam. I went on Friday and saw Heidi Newfield, Diamond Rio, Phil Vassar, and .38 Special. Each and every artist was fabulous--listened to great music all day--from the bands on the small stages as well. Even though it rained early in the day, the Jam grounds were dry when we arrived. The weather remained perfect for the whole day. We got great spots to put our chairs and enjoyed the vendor's booths. I even had a picture taken with my friends in our own 'jam' session.

stupid criminal

A guy impersonating an officer pulls over a real undercover police officer. He was promptly arrested and is now facing revocation of his parole. Apparantly he's a convicted car thief. I guess it takes all kinds.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32145277/ns/us_news-weird_news/