Got an e-mail from a fellow Montana blogger; she wants to leave comments here at BLTB and over at Big Sky Blog, but my blog won’t cooperate. My initial reaction: I’m somewhat mortified that my blog was so rude! Sorta like when your child misbehaves in public. Does that say something weird about me (or my kids)? So here’s her problem; tell me if you have any ideas about what’s going on, or how to fix it:

I don’t even get the option of filling out anything….I don’t know what that means. I hit “comments” and then that’s it. No options. I can see the comments, but nothing else.

So, I turn the question over to my Blogging Brain Trust (that means YOU). Ideas?

How many times has this happened to you: you are looking over the shoulder of a co-worker or friend, trying to coach him or her as they attempt to find something online. You tell them to go to Google, and they do that just fine. Then you suggest some search terms, and the person types the words into the search box. And then the person takes their hand off of the keyboard, places it on the mouse, and moves the cursor to the “Google Search” button and clicks it. And then you erupt in a burst of rage and begin pummeling the person with your fists, and scream out loud, “JUST HIT THE FREAKING ‘ENTER’ KEY, YOU IDIOT!”

Today’s trivia question: what does this have to do with me? UPDATE: yeah, I guess the clues weren’t too difficult…I am 39 years old today. Hard to believe I used to be a baby!
MORE: twiddling with an Excel spreadsheet and wound up with the list of places that I have lived in, in monthly order. Of course, in some of those places I had went through several addresses. Rather odd to see 39 years portrayed like that. Hm.

And thanks, all, for the birthday wishes!

Public Service Announcement: don’t forget to set your time-keeping devices back one full hour tonight or tomorrow morning…unless your municipal or state officials prohibit you from participating in this wonderful ritual. So…what are you going to do with your extra hour?

Tonight, on “Real Time with Bill Maher,” the too-smug host kept trying to make the case that all home-schooled children were being taught by racist, hillbilly Nazis. He displayed a picture of two “white power” teenage sisters who apparently are the Olson Twins of Aryan pop-music, and noted that they were home-schooled. OK, now try to guess what Bill Maher thinks of this:

a. “White power” morons are conspiratorial asshats who must indoctrinate their children with hatred and false pride by segregating them from society and brainwashing them from birth, and in no way reflect the vast majority of home-schooled children and their parents.

b. All home-schooling is bad and will lead to psycho-nutjob kids who will grow up to be racist, hillbilly Nazis, and home-schooling should probably be illegal.

If you guessed “b” then you’ve seen Bill Maher’s show. What an idiot. In other Real Time news, the spectacularly unfunny Scottish comedian Billy Connolly can finally get a job impersonating Dave Coulier. And Tony Snow, the lone voice of reason on tonight’s show, did a remarkable job of keeping his cool in the face of such overwhelming idiocy.

Item #1. The actor who portrayed “Porky” in the original Our Gang, Gordon Lee, passed away last week at the age of 72.
Item #2. Thomas Bond, who portrayed “Butch” in the Our Gang shorts, passed away just a few weeks ago, too.

This is the third instance in several months of two actors from a series passing away within days of each other. Coincidence…?

Heh…I love these image generating sites (found via). Here’s my take on it:

I feel bad for Harriet Miers; she did nothing wrong, and yet has been roundly trashed on both sides of the political spectrum. She may not have been the best candidate for the US Supreme Court, but she was certainly qualified to serve, in my very non-legal opinion. But she’s not the first nominee to not make it to the highest bench in the land; most people remember that Robert Bork was rejected by the Senate in a close vote, but there are more than twenty other nominees who either withdrew from consideration, like Miers, or were rejected by the Senate.

On the day that I was born, the #1 song in America was “Last Train To Clarksville” by The Monkees. I’m cool with that; The Monkees are great. Which reminds me: the #1 song in America when Babs was born was “Last Train To Clarksville” by The Monkees. I was used to being the youngest person in each grade of school, but once I hit my senior year, Babs stole that title from me by being two days younger than me. Happy pre-birthday, Babs!

Several weeks ago, I had to drive my boss to the airport. On the left side of the road is the airport; on the right side is the top of a large hill that overlooks the city. Standing in the grass at the top of the hill, just observing the city below him, was a large mule all by himself. There were no other animals around. I pointed at the mule and asked rhetorically, “What on earth is that mule doing there?” My boss replied, “Same as us…just living.” Yep.

The Better Living Wife had to make a trip to San Antonio this week, on very short notice. Airfare to fly from Great Falls to San Antonio, on 24-hrs notice, was in the $1,023-$1,234 range. Add in a hotel for at least $60 or $75 per night, and *ouch!* Quite a hit to the wallet. BUT…thanks to the magic of the internets, we got a great deal via Expedia by searching for airfare PLUS hotel. The result: round-trip airfare (Delta) and five nights in a hotel - all for the low low price of only $636! Booked the trip on Monday afternoon, and she flew out before noon on Tuesday. I love technology, but when technology saves us hundreds of dollars, then I really & truly *LOVE* technology.

There is no finer program currently airing on network television than “Boston Legal.” Tonight’s episode was, as always, outstanding. Alan Shore breaking into song at the restaurant on the subject of fishing; Denny Crane apologizing to the associate by calling her a “chubbette”; the opening testimony by Denise Bauer that earned a fast settlement by the defendant; and the final scene, with Alan and Denny puffing cigars on the balcony, that formally announced their friendship. I think my favorite line was when someone asked how Alan was doing (following his restaurant incident)…the reply was, “I think he wants to spawn.”

And did you know that there’s an unoffical “Boston Legal” fansite, complete with lotsa links and even podcasts? Wheeeee!

It’s that time of year again…time for everyone to don their favorite costume, and that means everyone. Yep, that goes for the family cat, too! After all, why should humans have all the fun? I’m sure some of you have enjoyed the magic of Catprin, but for those who haven’t, be sure to heed the following advice:

1. Dress her up. Cheer or yell, do whatever you like to enjoy the moment with your family.
2. After you are enough with your joy, take a photo! Take some poses and leave her some cute photos!
3. Remove her clothes and give her a hub, say “Thank you!”

My favorite: the chick-cat! But if any of you think that I would even try to adorn the Cow Cat with any sort of costume…well, I like my eyes, ears, fingers, and internal organs right where they are, thankyouverymuch.

Spike Lee is an idiot, as evidenced by his appearance on “Real Time” with Bill Maher the other night. Perpetrating the absolute nonsense that the New Orleans levees were blown up by the government? Good grief. And speaking of Spike…was he wearing a hat, or was that his hair? I honestly couldn’t tell.

Just felt like posting a whimsical picture…this rerun is the annual “Release The Geese” event, done every April, when the geese that have been in the “Winter Hotel” are brought back and released at Gibson Pond, much to the delight of onlookers and goose-feeders! (more…)