People for the Extensive Termination of Animals

Less than 3% of the animals put in PETA's care survive.  The irony just slays me. . . and a few thousand animals.

Pets Killed By PETA

House versus bridge

Question of the Day


Q.) How much does a house weigh ???   

 
 A.) Just a tad more than a rural two-lane bridge can hold, apparently.   
   
    
    

Garden

I did my usual rounds at the City Market on Saturday, buying my usual 7 squash for a buck, and 4 dozen fresh eggs for $9, except all he had were extra large, so I spent $12.  I always pick up a couple dozen for my trainer, who also loves those brown eggs with golden yolks.  Range chickens make much tastier eggs than caged chickens.  There were some gorgeous tomatoes, and I regret not buying any, but I was on a schedule Saturday.

For years I've been talking about growing my own veggies.  I have the space for a large garden.  I was shopping for a tiller on Craigslist, but ended up buying a brand new one for slightly more than I had budgeted since Home Depot had them on sale (and they accept Visa).  I ended up with a smallish Cub Cadet front tine one, because the rear tine, self-propelled, electric start models are mega expensive.  A lot easier to handle, but cost prohibitive.  I saw $3 per pound tomatoes at the grocery store, so I'd have to grow a lot to justify a $700 tiller.  (Mine cost half that.)  Today, it rained a bit, which softened up the ground.  I took advantage of this and tilled up the portion of my back yard which obviously was a garden before I moved here.  The grass grows much greener in this particular sunken square.  The first pass with the tiller was pretty rough.  The tiller had a mind of its own, and I had to hold on with every muscle flexed.  That ground hadn't been tilled in 8 years, and I was wishing for the heavier rear tine model.  A black, rich, fertile loam emerged.  After the ground was broken, I made some crosshatch passes to break the soil up even more  By the third pass, I only had to gently guide the tiller.  I think there's nothing more zen than growing your own food.  I have friends who want a garden, but don't have any space for one.  I'm happy to let them plant in my garden, as long as I'm not the only one cultivating and watering all summer.  I'm sure I won't be the only one picking and eating.  :-)

While I was plowing the ground, I thought about how hard it must have been to use a regular plow pulled by a domesticated farm animal.  I remembered the book "Hill of Fire" about a Mexican farmer who complained that nothing happened in his life, then his cornfield swallowed up his plow and erupted into El Monstruo, a volcano.  I just remember how the entire first half of that story is about the tedium of plowing behind a stubborn ox day in and day out.  Thanks to modern gas guzzling machinery, I got the job done inside of two hours.

Rock Chalk Jayhawk

There's a KU song in honor of their effort this weekend in San Antonio.  "Rock Chalk Jayhawk (Luv That Crimson Blue Remix)"

NHL exhibition games in KC

In case you missed the article in today's (4/4/08) KC Star.....

Stay tuned for a possible NHL exhibition game this fall.....

NHL group narrows dates for exhibition at the Sprint Center

Attention, NHL fans. You can pencil in one of two dates for a 2008 NHL exhibition game at the Sprint Center.

Depending on team availability, the game will either be Saturday, Sept. 27 or Saturday, Oct. 4. Candidates for the Sept. 27 game are St. Louis, Detroit, Chicago and Minnesota. If the game is Oct. 4, it would probably pit either Phoenix or Chicago against the Los Angeles Kings, who are owned by Anschutz Entertainment Group, which manages the Sprint Center.

There’s still one holdup in announcing the game. The Nashville Predators, who are under new ownership, have yet to formally sign their new lease at the Sommet Center in Nashville. The lease was supposed to be signed this week, but the Metro Council has postponed its vote until April 15.

“We didn’t want to schedule any preseason games until the Nashville Predators situation has fully played out,” said Paul McGannon, president of NHL21.

After seeing basketball games, concerts and ice shows, it will be nice to watch a hockey game in the new arena.

“We’re going to have an NHL product in one way, shape or form, pending working out schedules for different NHL teams,” McGannon said. “We’ll sell out whoever comes in, and we’ll price it that way, so we fill the building. That’s the whole idea, to send a strong message to the league on a regular basis in the form of sold-out preseason games.”

NHL Hits of the Week

Jim got a cut on his eyelid during our Tuesday night hockey game a couple of weeks ago when his face met someone's stick, and he finished playing the last half of the game, before going to have his eye checked.  He showed up Tuesday night with a new helmet with a visor to protect his face.  I've been skating without face protection, but I'm putting a cage on my helmet today.  His cornea covering was actually injured.  He said they had to grind his eyeball.  Yow.  I wonder how long that takes to heal?  Anyway, I've decided face protection is no longer optional.

I subscribe to these NHL top 10 videos every week.  This latest video of NHL hits starts out slow.  I think I've been hit harder.  But, the last few are fun to watch.




I found out that I owe a taxes for 2007 because of some rules specific to Sprint's 401k plan.  When I quit that job in 2006, my 401k loan which I used to buy my Jeep accelerated, and I couldn't make the payments, not because I didn't try, but because once you're not an employee, there's no paycheck for withholdings, which is the only payment method the plan accepts unless you pay the entire principle in one payment.  They returned my money, the loan defaulted, and it appears as an early withdrawal which has tax penalties.  If I could do it all over, I would have rolled my previous 401k funds into an IRA, which I could access and repay without being penalized.  I thought I'd have enough deductions to cover the penalty.  Nope.  It could be worse.  Check out this video.

NBA in OKC

It appears that the Seattle Sonics are moving to Oklahoma City.  I suppose the owners noticed the sell out crowds at the games when New Orleans was playing there after Katrina.  Any number of struggling NBA teams should jump on that opportunity.  Now some Seattle businessmen are trying to raise money to build a billion dollar arena to lure another NBA team to Seattle.  Fat chance, if Seattle fans don't fill the seats.

http://www.kuow.org/mp3high/mp3/News/20080402_DBW_NEWSTADIUM.mp3

Since the NBA isn't likely to expand, I wonder if any other teams are moving.  I suppose it'll be a while before we have NBA in the Sprint Center in Kansas City.