This response merited its own post...read up, everyone!

(Note: I received this letter last night in my e-mail. If you click on the links this doctor has provided, you'll find that this doctor works with veterans and their families regarding post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). I know there have been a lot of hits on my post about this issue, but he's the only one who's written back to me. My challenge to you: who's next? Also, thanks to Brian at http://audienceof1.blogspot.com for shouting out my blog topic to his readers. I hope this situation has made all of us think about what patriotism and tolerance really mean. I reproduced the e-mail verbatim, but if anyone doubts the authenticity, I can forward the original. Just so's ya know.)

Your intrepid questioner of all things,

Sudiegirl)

Dear Sue,

I came across your blog and you asked readers if they knew where to find a
download of 'Nuestro Himno'. You can listen to the full version on National Public Radio here:http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5369145

This is still America last time I checked and there is freedom for artistic expression and interpretation. I listened to the song and thought it was beautiful and inspiring. It gave me goose bumps just like the English version does, so I'll go with my gut on this one.

Isn't it amazing how so many people are ready to condemn something BEFORE they even listen to it????

An open minded patriotic American,
Robert Roerich, M.D.

http://www.roadmind.com

http://www.senticon.us

P.S. Thanks for speaking your mind on your blog!

And now, from the "Spanish or English?" files and Yahoo! News...

Sudiegirl sez: You know what? This is a double edged sword.

I mean, it takes time to learn a new language. That's why they call it "Spanish I, Spanish II, Spanish III", etc. I consider myself a good American, and I’d rather hear someone sing the National Anthem in their own language and understand what it means than learn it phonetically and not know what they’re saying.

If I were in another country and asked to sing their national anthem, I would ask them if they wanted me to learn it in their native language or in my language so I could give more passion to the song.

Hell, I’d be open to doing it twice…once in their language and once in my native tongue. What’s the harm? The important thing is that whoever is singing it needs to understand what they’re singing and why. Comments will be interspersed, and some will be respectful.

Spanish 'Star-Spangled Banner' Draws Ire
Fri Apr 28, 5:14 AM ET

British music producer Adam Kidron says that when he came up with the idea of a Spanish-language version of the U.S. national anthem, he saw it as an ode to the millions of immigrants seeking a better life. (Trivia: the melody for the Star-Spangled Banner is a British drinking song called “To Anaechron in Heaven”. So to all those American people that don’t like the high notes and octave jumps, you have the British to blame.)

But in the week since Kidron announced the song which features artists such as Wyclef Jean, hip-hop star Pitbull (pictured at right) and Puerto Rican singers Carlos Ponce and Olga Tanon it has been the target of a fierce backlash.

Some Internet bloggers and others are infuriated by the thought of "The Star-Spangled Banner" sung in a language other than English. (Do the words “Get Over It” mean anything to these protesters? It’s a done deal.)

"Would the French accept people singing the La Marseillaise in English as a sign of French patriotism? Of course not," said Mark Krikorian, head of the Washington-based Center for Immigration Studies, a think tank that supports tighter immigration controls. (How do you know? Have you asked them?)

The initial version of "Nuestro Himno," or "Our Anthem," comes out Friday and uses lyrics based closely on the English-language original, said Kidron, who heads the record label Urban Box Office. (If there is a music download file that can be accessed, fair readers, let me know where.)

Pro-immigration protests are planned around the country for Monday, and the record label is urging Hispanic radio stations nationwide to play the cut at 7 p.m. EDT Friday in a sign of solidarity.

A remix to be released in June will contain several lines in English that condemn U.S. immigration laws. Among them: "These kids have no parents, cause all of these mean laws ... let's not start a war with all these hard workers, they can't help where they were born." (That might be tricky…but maybe not.)

Bryanna Bevens of Hanford, Calif., who writes for the immigration-focused Web magazine Vdare.com, said the remix particularly upset her.

"It's very whiny. If you want to say all those things, by all means, put them on your poster board, but don't put them on the national anthem," she said. (I'd have to say I agree - not the best approach.).

Kidron, a U.S. resident for 16 years, maintains the changes are fitting. After all, he notes, American immigrants borrowed the melody of the "Star Spangled Banner" from an English drinking song. (See? See?)

"There's no attempt to usurp anything. The intent is to communicate," Kidron said. "I wanted to show my thanks to these people who buy my records and listen to the music we release and do the jobs I don't want to do." (Fair enough to me…and a lot of people don’t think about that aspect of life.)

Kidron said the song also will be featured on the album "Somos Americanos," which will sell for $10, with $1 going to the National Capital Immigration Coalition, a Washington group.
James Gardner, an associate director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, said Americans have long enjoyed different interpretations of the Star Spangled Banner, including country or gospel arrangements. (Way to edge out MENC’s National Anthem Project, Gardner. Ya schmuck.)

"There are a number of renditions that people aren't happy with, but that's part of it that it means enough for people to try to sing," he said. (I agree…although I do have a headache with ol’ Steven Tyler throwing in “and the home of the Indianapolis 500”. That was cheesy…a shameless commercial plug.)

Pitbull, whose real name is Armando Perez, said this country was built by immigrants, and "the meaning of the American dream is in that record: struggle, freedom, opportunity, everything they are trying to shut down on us." (That’s also true…and if you LISTEN to the words of the anthem, one thing you learn is that the lyrics aren’t taking place in an idyllic meadow where lions and lambs are lying down together. No…there’s explosions and warfare. It’s a metaphor for the struggles our country endures, and continues to endure. If it’s easier for someone to express love for their country in their native tongue instead of their new language, let ‘em do it. It doesn’t take away the love I have for my country, but increases it.)
___
Associated Press writer Suzette Laboy in Miami contributed to this report.
___
On the Net:
Song history by National Museum of American History:
http://americanhistory.si.edu/ssb/6_thestory/6b_osay/fs6b.html

Of course, our esteemed brain trust of a president has his own view on this…take it away, Dubya!

Bush Says Anthem Should Be in English
(He also says “sammich” and “nucular”. Do you really want to trust HIS judgment?)

By JEANNINE AVERSA,
AP Economics Writer 38 minutes ago

The national anthem should be sung in English — not Spanish — President Bush declared Friday, amid growing restlessness over the millions of immigrants here illegally. (Apparently, he hasn’t read the daily reports about his approval rating dropping like a hot rock.)

"One of the things that's very important is, when we debate this issue, that we not lose our national soul," the president exclaimed. "One of the great things about America is that we've been able to take people from all walks of life bound as one nation under God. And that's the challenge ahead of us." (Who says singing the National Anthem in Spanish is going to rip our country asunder? President Bush, at least, could sing it in both languages since he can speak Spanish and English! Whether or not he can sing in either language is the mystery.)

A Spanish language version of the national anthem was released Friday by a British music producer, Adam Kidron, who said he wanted to honor America's immigrants.

When the president was asked at a Rose Garden question-and-answer session whether the anthem should be sung in Spanish, he replied: "I think the national anthem ought to be sung in English, and I think people who want to be a citizen of this country ought to learn English and they ought to learn to sing the national anthem in English." (I agree that if they’re going to live here they should learn English. However, English is a hard language to learn for foreign speakers; one of the hardest, I’ve heard. Does that mean that they should be embarrassed in their new home country, trip over the words of the song, then feel like they can’t sing it right? And the way he phrased that statement – it sounds like they’re going to have to be tested on their English singing skills as well as their knowledge of American history and American government. Why doesn’t he go hunting with Dick Cheney already and just get it over with?)

He made his remarks on the matters during a wide-ranging briefing with reporters.
"I think people who want to be citizens of this country ought to learn English," Bush said. (Yes, they should. Personally, I think that everyone who has a beef with immigrants not speaking English need to tutor them. I’m willing to do it…)

The president's comments came amid a burgeoning national debate — and congressional fight — over legislation pending in Congress, and pushed by Bush, to overhaul U.S. immigration law.

Bush called on lawmakers to move forward on legislation — now stalled — that would revamp immigration laws.

"I want a comprehensive bill," Bush said that includes enforcement as well as giving temporary worker status to some illegal immigrants.

Large numbers of immigrant groups have planned an economic boycott next week to dramatize their call for legislation providing legal status for millions of people in the United States illegally.

"You know, I'm not a supporter of boycotts," Bush said. (I’ll bet you dollars to donuts he can’t spell “boycott” either.) "I am a supporter of comprehensive immigration ... I think most Americans agree that we've got to enforce our border. I don't think there's any question about that."

His remarks followed release of the Spanish language version of the song, called "Nuestro Himno" or "Our Anthem."

Sudiegirl’s final opinion?

D and I debate this point about immigration time and time again. I’m tired of the argument. My feeling is, if they want to come here and work, let them do so LEGALLY. Our ancestors were in the same position when they emigrated here from various countries. I think it should be done in a lawful manner, and if there’s anything I can do to help newcomers to this country assimilate, I will do so. That’s what that big statue of the broad in the bedsheet sitting in the New York harbor is supposed to represent.

But arguing over whether the anthem should be sung in English or Spanish is moot if people don’t know the anthem in the first place. That’s step one.

Step two? I’ve sung in different languages, and it’s a challenge. Why? If you’re not acquainted with the language you’re going to sing in, there’s so many things that can go wrong. If people of other cultures are told about what the anthem means, and given a good, reliable translation of the words in their native tongue, they’re going to appreciate their country that much more. They’ll be able to understand it in their original language, and then they can learn it in their new language once they have the skill level to interpret it.

What’s the big damn deal?

America needs to get over itself sometimes.

Sudiegirl
(who doesn’t have the readership to be vilified for her opinions anyway, so she’ll say whatever she damn well pleases!)

Friday's Frippery

Fractured news headlines for today...

Bush Vows Better Hurricane Response
(Apparently, people were not satisfied with "Huh? What hurricane? Where?")

Economy Rebounds Smartly in 1st Quarter
(I wonder how something rebounds stupidly? Does it smack you in the head followed by a resounding "DUH"?)








Stock Futures Down After Microsoft Outlook
(OK...that's a sentence fragment! I'm sorry to pull a grammarian sneak attack, but that headline can leave a reader hanging. I mean, I could be sitting at my breakfast table reading this headline and become agitated, screaming "After Microsoft Outlook does WHAT????? DAMMIT!!!!" Then I'd choke on my Cheerios and you'd lose your favorite bipolar redheaded blogger to journalistic negligence. I could sue!)






I’m sorry I’ve been delinquent in the past couple of days. Hopefully, I’ll make up for my tardiness with some new posts and hijinks!

Well, first of all, yesterday was “Bring your Child to Work Day”. We had an 11-year old girl, a 9-year old girl, a 5 year old girl, and a 15-month old girl. No boys in our area that I know about. It was kind of fun to see the kids coming through and learning about the different things that NOAA does. However, I could tell that I definitely had a different experience in my growing up days. I mean, my sister and I lived in a small town. My parents worked at the post office, plus their own business. We knew the basics about what they did, we knew everyone they worked with, and we saw them do what they do. Now, since I’m in a bigger city and there are so many sections and subsections of one company, it’s a lot more complicated. But this is one modern trend I hope will continue.

OK…now on to something that I was kind of aware of, but not as much as I think I should have been. It’s called the Prism Awards. You can click on the highlighted text to go directly to the website. Anyway, they announced their 10th annual award winners, and the criteria for the award is this: "accurate depictions of drug, alcohol and tobacco use and addiction in entertainment content."

One of the winners was “Saturday Night Live”. Back in the day, when they first started SNL, it was definitely a “dark horse”, and if they won an award of this nature back then, it would have DEFINITELY been earned by each and every cast member – more like a reality show than sketch comedy, you know?. The more I thought about it, the more it hit me that when you’re “funny”, it seems like you’re also “tortured” in one way or another. I know I use humor to ease the pain of situations, people call me “funny” or “hilarious”, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It just never fails to surprise me that so many comedians/comic actors fight demons of many kinds (not just drugs) and make us laugh at the same time. John Belushi, Lenny Bruce, Sam Kinison, Joan Rivers, Gilda Radner, Richard Pryor, etc. I guess in other words, if you’re well adjusted, you’re not funny? Maybe so. But that’s OK. What is “well-adjusted”, anyway? Sounds like an auto repair term – “Well, we tightened your bolts, changed your fluids, and rotated your tires. You should be well adjusted by now.”

Another brief note…I’ve downloaded a lot of Jerry Reed tunes, and he is also one funny man. He’s a hell of a guitar player too (Chet Atkins was his mentor), and I’m going to throw out a very unusual challenge here. My challenge is: if you like rap, listen to some of Jerry’s old tunes, like “When You’re Hot, You’re Hot” or “Tupelo Mississippi Flash”. He’s basically a country/western rapper in those tunes: he’s following vices, he’s getting arrested, etc. Gotta give that man his street cred, you know what I’m sayin’? Word…

Well, that’s all I got…but I’m sure I’ll get more. Catch ya on the flip side…
Sudiegirl

Happy Administrative Professionals Day, and the aftermath of Coca Cola Blak

Thought for the day:

You can’t rollerskate in a buffalo herd,
You can’t rollerskate in a buffalo herd,
You can’t rollerskate in a buffalo herd,
But you can be happy if you have a mind to.

(Thank you, Roger Miller – I am making this my life’s credo.)


Well, wow! It’s Wednesday, AND Administrative Professionals Day (of which I are one). So I show up for work, and there’s a pretty bouquet and card on my desk…it’s nice to know I’m appreciated. The people I work with here are great at letting me know I’m appreciated anyway, but this is extra-nice. I even put on lipstick for the occasion…how cool is that?

I have created a monster, I fear. Ed H. (author of his own blog, guest blogger at Rancho Sudiegirl/Musings of a chick, and fellow arts/chocolate chip cookie enthusiast) has accused me of stealing one of his “bits”. He also e-mails me about my blogs as opposed to leaving comments like other people. AAAAGGGGHHH! What kind of way is that to treat your mentor? Oh well…that’s life, I guess. But PLEASE read his blog…if you look at my Blogrolling list on the right, his blog is listed as “Pools of Sorrow, Waves of Joy by Edward H”. If you like insightful film reviews, rhapsodizing about chocolate chip cookies, and other really good essays, he’s da man.

Hmmm…what else can I say today?

Oh…a reminder…I updated my post regarding Coca-Cola Blak. You can read it by clicking here. However, I fear my review was incomplete. Here is a revised one that you can compare to the other, and you make the call!

Coca-Cola Blāk. What on earth can I say about a beverage that wasn’t necessary in the grand spectrum of taste treats? Nothing good, I can assure you. I purchased an 8 oz. bottle of this “Carbonated Fusion Beverage” (could I HAVE more euphemisms please? I’m low on my daily requirements…) for $1.79 plus tax and deposit at my neighborhood CVS pharmacy. I had promised our webmaster that I would do this when it came out to see if it deserved all the hype. Never let it be said that I missed out on an opportunity to be a blind, lemming-like consumer. Just tattoo “sucker” in screaming pink neon across my forehead, give me legal tender of a sort, and I’m ready to go.

So I bring my bounty to the office, paid for with my hard-earned money, and I bring it into the webmaster’s cubicle. Since he was tentative (read: chicken), I leapt into the breach and had the first drink.

By the way, please be warned that I paid $1.79 plus tax and deposit for an 8-oz. glass bottle of this “carbonated fusion beverage”. It has 45 calories, and it’s an accurate depiction because the glass bottle is one serving only. Now…I know coffee is expensive at places like Starbucks, Caribou Coffee, and other coffee emporiums of that nature. But if I were inclined to get coffee (which I’m NOT), it’d be from my own coffee pot, 7-1, the deli in my building, or McDonalds. I’m sure that coffee is well under $1.79 for an 8 oz. cup. (At the deli, it’s $1.05…)

The first point I’m trying to make is…you’re paying 70 cents extra for the coke logo, the tiny bottle and the chance to be the first kid in your neighborhood to partake of this “carbonated fusion beverage”. Ooh…prestige. It’s brought down many a man and woman in its elusive pursuit.

OK, enough chatter about the cost and the packaging. I know what you wanna know…HOW does it TASTE?

Well, let me dissect it for you.

First of all, the description on the bottle LIES. It FIBS. It TELLS UNTRUTHS. It’s a dirty scumbag lyin’…OK, you get the idea. How did I come to this conclusion? Because I majored in English, and I know my way around a few words.

When something says “carbonated” and “fusion”, that implies action or explosion. Nothing like that exists in this beverage. It’s fairly flat. You see, that’s part of the reason I prefer soda in the AM as opposed to coffee – the FIZZ. I guess it’s like the aroma to a coffee drinker, because once I take that first slug and feel the carbonation, I am much easier to deal with. If someone is going to try and sell ME something that is a “Carbonated Fusion Beverage”, by Christ, it’d better CARBONATE! This just kind of sits there, saying, “You’re so stupid.”

Second, the whole selling point about this lovely beverage is that it’s supposed to give you the “coffee experience”, yet be a soft drink at the same time. OOH – synergy. I’d like to quote a portion of a poem written by Berke Breathed for his “Bloom County” comic strip back in the ‘80s. It goes like this:


Yes, life is fine when things combine,
Like ham in beef chow mein.
But Lord, I think this time I mind;
They’ve put acid in my rain.

Just because you combine two things doesn’t mean that the end result will be pleasing. It’s the same way with this. You’ve got Diet Coke (for lack of a better description) sweetened with aspartame. You’ve got coffee extract and high fructose corn syrup. Combine with water, phosphoric acid, caffeine, and some funky preservatives, and you’ve got that “magical combination” of Coca Cola Blāk.

The problem is, it tastes like someone was experimenting in their kitchen after a 2 AM tequila bender…”Hey man! If I mix cold coffee and Diet Coke together, what will I get?” You get flat Diet Coke that tastes like cold, stale coffee too. What a combination.

The only cool thing about it? The packaging. The bottle I purchased was an actual GLASS 8-oz. Coke shaped bottle. Not something easily found in this day and age, I’ll tell ya.

Getting back to the “taste test”…once I took the first swig, I told the webmaster it was his turn. He protested, but thanks to my persistence and empty threats, he finally allowed me to pour some in his cup. His taste buds were not quite as offended as mine, but neither one of us was impressed. Then, we both turned on the IT security guy, and had him taste it. He was just as unimpressed. After that, we couldn’t find any more victims so I poured the rest down the sink. I think it cleared the pipes.

In short, DON’T waste your money. You’re better off buying the bottled Starbucks frappucino stuff.

And that’s all I have to say about that!

Well, I have devoted entirely too much time to this review, but I have one more thing to say…my beloved Pepsico is following suit with a product called Pepsi Max Cappucino (photo is from a British website regarding junk food).

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Is there no justice in this world?

An indignant consumer,
Sudiegirl

And now, from the "Oh my! IT'S SCIENCE!" files and Yahoo! News...

Sudiegirl sez: Cheerios aren’t this complicated. That’s why they are my cereal (or “breakfast food”, as dear ol’ Dad would say) of choice. Cheerios are also good dry, or sprinkled inside a peanut butter sandwich. What I really like to do with MY Cheerios is sprinkle them throughout a cup o’ yogurt. Yes, folks, even though I hate to cook, I can do incredible things with “raw” Cheerios. Just don’t ask me to make a soufflé unless I can put Cheerios in it. Onward and upward, my victims – er, I mean – readers…






Why Rice Krispies Go Snap, Crackle, Pop!
(Because they’re a damned Kellogg’s product, and between the prizes and all the noise the Krispies make, it’s a wonder anyone in the grocery store gets any peace! Well…it’s a theory, anyway.)

Corey Binns
Special to LiveScience
LiveScience.com
Mon Apr 24, 10:00 AM ET

There’s a bumper sticker out there that reads, “I do whatever my Rice Krispies tell me to.” Before taking orders, you might want to consider that no one really knows how the crispy cereal gets its commanding voice. (My guess is professional training – incorporating proper breathing and support from the diaphragm.)

In fact, we may never understand the full story behind the snap, crackle, and pop, because finding money for experiments on cereal noises isn’t easy. (Nor is it feasible.)

”I have not seen anyone fund this,” said food scientist Ted Labuza of the University of Minnesota. “It’s not rocket science.” (Well, you know…can’t some things be better off as NOT KNOWN? I mean, my to-do list has certain things intentionally left off it, such as “Remind D that I’m fully capable of changing the litter boxes because I WANT to do it” and “Ponder the origins of the snap/crackle/pop noises of Rice Krispies”. I’m not that hard to work with, y’all…)

However, over the years Labuza and other cereal scientists have come up with some pretty good suggestions to explain where the noises come from. (Well, since my interest has been piqued, let’s see what Rancho Sudiegirl Labs can contribute: how about tiny little armpits all sounding off in unison? No? OK…how about this…ah, I got nothin’.)




Shattered glass
(A good movie with Hayden Christiansen, BTW – even if the character is so ingratiating that you want to chop his HEAD OFF!!!)

A Rice Krispie behaves like a piece of glass. (I didn’t know inanimate objects behaved. Shoot – coulda knocked me over with a feather on that one.) If you hit it hard, it’ll break into a puzzle of a million pieces that, if you had the patience, you could put back together again. (How many people have been documented as doing this? I would really like to know. Also, if you wanted the Rice Krispie to stay together, what would be the universal solvent? Super Glue/epoxy would be toxic. I’m not sure…)
The high temperature at which the cereal’s cooked creates extremely strong bonds that hold the rice’s starch molecules together. The strong bonds make the rice act like glass.
During the cooking process, each piece of rice expands and a network of air-filled caves and tunnels form inside. (This would fascinate D…he loves caves and tunnels. I like malls.)


Under pressure
(Ah…I remember that Queen/David Bowie collaboration from my junior high days – ye gods, has it been that long?)

When you pour milk into your breakfast bowl, the cereal absorbs the milk. As milk flows into the crispy kernel, the liquid puts pressure on the air inside and pushes it around. (Well, maybe the Rice Krispie shouldn’t put up with that! That’s bullying. Someone should form a task committee on this…)

The air shoves against each pocket’s walls until they shatter, forcing out a snap, or a crackle, or, as you, know, sometimes a pop. (Amazingly, it’s never a “Bite Me” or “Your mother dresses you funny”. Just snap, crackle or pop. I’d like a little more versatility in my breakfast cereal, thanks.)

You can also see tiny air bubbles escaping to the surface. (Now there’s guilt entering the picture…they’re DROWNING!!!!!)

The race is now on. (Oh great…now there’s competition with this whole talking breakfast cereal scenario.) Because once the rice is wet enough, all the air pockets have burst, the sounds stop, and you're left in peace and quiet to eat soggy cereal. (Oh YAY…the incentives for eating it now are astounding.)

Other articles:
Cereal Science: Why Floating Objects Stick Together
(DUH! It’s called the buddy system…didn’t you go to DAY CAMP!?)

The Surprising New Science of Splashes
(Scientists get paid for doing stuff like this? Sign my a$$ up!)

The New Mystery of Water
(You mean it’s not wet?)

OK…overall, this article has reaffirmed my faith in the fact that I was much better off NOT majoring in sciences, since I’m not so psyched about the origins of snap/crackle/pop. It happens, I’m cool, that’s that.

Sudiegirl
The non-curious (about breakfast food, anyway)

Turbulent Tuesday, and other twinklings (yeah, I know...give me a break)

Study: Mormon Crickets Invade to Survive
(OK...when did insects develop spiritual affiliations? And doesn't that limit their diet somewhat? Does that mean they can join the Tabernacle Choir? Does it scare you that I think of these things? It should...)






Scientists: Black Holes Energy-Efficient
(Yeah, but if you put solar panels inside, they'll never come back. And by the way, that's what we called some of the cheerleaders in my high school...coincidence? I think NOT!)






Official arrested for chewing gum at ceremony
(In a related report, two members of Parliament were suspended for making "cootie catchers" and sticking "Kick Me" signs on the back of the Prime Minister.)




Well, my little endives (is that the plural? Hope so, cause I’m too lazy to change it now)!

I’ve come up with some new slogans for Tuesdays…let me know what you think!

1. Tuesday – at least it ain’t Monday
2. Tuesday – for folks who want to redeem themselves after a bad start to the week (OK, that’s a little wordy)
3. Tuesday – good TV shows used to air on THIS day of the week (A bit insipid…sorry)
4. Tuesday – The only day of the week where “two-fers” sounds right.

And speaking of “letting me know what you think” (which I hope more of you will do), I got some rather – COLORFUL – answers to my etiquette dilemma from a week or two ago. In case you don’t remember (or are too lazy to look for the entry), the question was this: If a law-abiding woman is riding the DC Metro and sees a gent that has his fly half open, should she inform him of this wardrobe malfunction? If so, how? The responses I received from regular readers were pretty varied, and I’m also throwing in one of my own. So, in no particular order, the first in an intermittent series: “URBAN ETIQUETTE DILEMMAS AND YOU”.

1. From Neil: He prefers yelling “Hey, Buddy! Your fly is open!”
2. From Little Green Friend: If a woman is with a male traveling companion, have the male travel companion tell the open-fly guy.
3. From Jules: Zip it yourself
4. From Mike Ashley: Carry a Sharpie and a piece of heavy paper, and write down the open-fly guy’s “score”.
5. From Hoss: Yell insults (always a favorite).

What would my solution be? Well, since I’m working as an administrative assistant, I could do the following:

1. Fax the guy a note saying his fly was open
2. Plan a meeting, invite the guy, and tell him his fly is open.
3. Call the guy’s assistant and make an appointment to tell him his fly is open.
4. File a request to tell the guy his fly is open
5. Create a PowerPoint presentation (with audio and video files) to tell him his fly is open as well as an illustrated history of the modern zipper in today’s clothing industry
6. Create a spreadsheet with a pie chart regarding the percentage of open flies on the Metro in a typical week.
7. Create a Word document with a table of contents and footnotes explaining in detail the benefits and risks of an open fly on the DC Metro.

However, as a vocalist, I could also sing to him. I’m sure that wouldn’t be embarrassing. Much…

On a final note for this entry, the Rhode Island School of Design has created an exhibit featuring the artwork of Clement Hurd. His name may not mean much until you take a look at this picture…

yep, he illustrated Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny, among others.
I think this is cool, because children’s books can stay with you your whole life if you let them. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s part of what keeps you happy. I still have a few children’s books from my own childhood in my personal book-cases. They make me smile, even though they’ve been worn from many years of flipping through the pages.

And not to sound hokey, but having a little bit of your childhood stay with you as an adult gives you a little bit of freedom. You can look back and remember when life was a little happier, and you could pretend you were that small bunny saying goodnight to everything.

Goodnight, Moon!
Sudiegirl

Monday's Mauled Headlines, and Sudiegirl Comes Clean

Coy Candidates May Be Called Up by the Draft
(Meanwhile, Bubba, Cooter, and Jimbo candidates are waiting patiently for the local Hooters to open. To quote Cooter, “They got a lunchtime hot wings special.”)









Air Force One Subject of Internet Hoax
(So if I send Air Force One to a dozen friends, I'll have good luck for a year??? Sign me up!)








Democrats Say Lieberman Too Close To Bush
(So apparently, asking him to step back is out of the question?)








Scientists Probe the Use of the Tongue
(Oh...I could say so many things about this, but I want to keep the FCC off my back...)

















Is God an environmentalist?
(Have you tried asking Him-or Her?)







OK…I’m not sure why this is, but I am not inspired to write on weekends anymore. I’m not sure what’s up with that.

I mean, it’s not like I’m doing anything exciting…I sleep, watch Boomerang, sleep some more, find a trashy cable movie to rot my brain, etc. I LOVE weekends like that.

I could go venture out into DC, I suppose. There’s so much free stuff to do. I live near the Nation’s Capitol, for God’s sake. What is stopping me from visiting the monuments on my own, or the zoo, or Arlington Cemetery?

Slothfulness, pure and simple.

Just the fact that I COULD do that stuff is enough for me. I’m not one that has to climb the mountain just because it’s there. I am just as content to look at it and go, “See? I live near a mountain! Do YOU live near a mountain? No? Well, then I guess I’m cooler than you are today…at least, until there’s an avalanche. Then I’m flatter than you.”
I had some good responses to the cut and paste meme I did last week; I’m not sure what I’ll do for an encore. I’ll think of something. In the meantime, go check out Jules’ blog…she’s in the process of doing a really cool thing. It has to do with finding one word to describe each person on her blogroll. I am not sure what she’ll use to describe me…I’m not sure I wanna know either. Jules, if you’re reading…please be kind to your favorite East Coast neurotic.

Another surprising thing I’m discovering about myself (and Petey Baby – author of Holtie’s House – will be saying “I told you so” for days) is this: I have been downloading old country songs. Not the new crap by Garth “Sellout” Brooks and company; the OLD stuff. We’re talking Jerry Reed, some Johnny Cash, stuff like that. I never said that I hated all country music. I grew up hearing some good stuff. What I hate are the artists that are “posing”, like drugstore cowboys. Give me the real deal.

Now, I do have discriminating tastes as far as the old country singers are concerned. For example, I can’t stand Red Sovine or Ernest Tubb.

I know that Ernest Tubb was around for a good long time, and worked with a lot of other country artists. In my sacred Patsy Cline biography, I have a picture of him and his Texas Troubadours backing up dear Patsy. But that doesn’t mean I have to like him. I always thought he had horrible stage presence, and I hated his voice. I also hated his stupid song about the great speckled bird. That song gave me nightmares, thinking about somebody riding a spotted bird all over the place. Ugh.

And Red Sovine? He didn’t sing. He talked. His talking wasn’t even good enough to say he was a country predecessor to “rap”. Plus, EVERY SONG OF HIS WAS DEPRESSING!!! In his world, children were dying all the time, and truckers were talking to them on their CB radios. I remember seeing the commercials for his albums when I was a kid, and I thought to myself, “Why doesn’t he just spare us from his music and sell Amway instead?”

Nope…give me some of the other good ol’ country artists. Buck Owens, Roy Clark, Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Faron Young, Waylon Jennings…I could go on and on. Heck, even Jimmy Dean (I liked his sausage and his music).

Fun fact for the day, BTW…Patsy Cline is a “homegirl” in the DC area. She was born in Winchester, VA; her first husband (who gave her the “Cline” surname) was from Frederick, MD; and she got her start on the Washington DC country music scene. In fact, two of her sidemen were – drumroll, please – Jimmy Dean and Roy Clark.

So I guess I’m becoming more accepting in my old age. Don’t tell anyone though…I’ve got a reputation to uphold.

Twangily yours,
Sudiegirl

PS: Sudiegirl does sound like some kind of southern nickname, doesn’t it? Weird…

Writer's block - be afraid, be very afraid

Oh Lord…I have writer’s block.

I hate this.

I was going to write something about the Chinese woman who was yelling at the Chinese president to quit killing those who believe in Falun Gong. But then I realized, I don’t know enough about it to comment either way, and I didn’t want to make anyone angry (THERE’S a switch).

Then, I was going to make snarky comments throughout an article discussing how men and women’s brains are wired differently in terms of their emotions. Oddly enough, I quickly lost enthusiasm for that enterprise too.

I could only find ONE fractured headline as well…

Class-action status sought in Teflon Suit
(have you checked the pockets?)

So what’s your favorite bipolar redheaded karaeoke chanteuse to do?

*sigh*

Sorry folks…I gotta do it…the mother of all memes, cut and pasted from other memes in to one big honking one. I won’t tag anyone but maybe you’ll be inspired? Hope so.

1) If you were to star in a movie, who would you want to be cast as your love interest?
Gee...where to begin? Probably Christopher Kennedy Lawford...he'd be easier to get than Brad Pitt or my beloved George Clooney these days.

2) What genre of movie would you most like to star in?
Well, I dunno...I'm not hot enough or coordinated enough to be in a movie musical. Probably a comedy of sorts.

3) What song would you insist be on the soundtrack?
I don't know...we'd have to see how the movie comes out.

4) What would you wear to the premiere of your movie?
Something that covers my fat a$$.

5) Who would you thank in your Oscar acceptance speech?
The designer that made the dress covering my fat a$$; Doug; my family; God; I figured I'd guess at the rest.

6) What's on your feet?
Calluses, dry skin, and these Birkenstock-type slip-on shoes ("granola shoes").

7) Turn to your right -- what do you see?
My bulletin boards...they have the following pinned on: my dad's funeral program, a sympathy card from my co-workers; a certificate of completion for the IT security awareness course; a guide to restaurants in Silver Spring; a Pampered Chef mini-catalog; a couple of plastic in/out trays; an insulated coffee mug; stray business cards; post it notes; a bottle of lemon-scent hand lotion; a bottle of Evian. (Cluttered desk anyone?)

8) What is the last thing you ate?
A cup of Kirkland's Strawberry Yogurt

9) What can you smell right now?
Impending danger - and my lemon-scent hand lotion.

10) Do you wear hats?
No - I look completely idiotic in a hat, unless I'm wearing a baseball cap on a grunge day at home. Then I'm adorable.

11) Do you dye your hair, wear colored lenses, nails?
Oh yeah; I dye the hair. Have been since 1994 - there but for the grace of Clairol go I. I sincerely believe that God MEANT to make me a redhead, but he was so busy with other stuff that he forgot. I'm simply carrying out God's will. *smirk*

12) Real or fake plants?
I've killed both.

13) Real or fake gems for everyday?
You have to have gems in order to wear them, correct? All I wear is a wish pearl necklace I got in Las Vegas in 2003. If D ever gets around to getting me a diamond ring for our impending marryin' up, that's probably all I'll wear.

14) Big Foot, real or fake?
I think I dated him. So no, not fake.

15) The Loch Ness monster, real or fake?
Fake. However, the head rector at our church has a framed cartoon of Nessie wearing a kilt and playing the bagpipes. I can appreciate that.

16) Other life forms in our universe, real or fake?
Are we talking supermodels, game show hosts, or what?

17) Toothpaste: If you were asked by a toothpaste manufacturer to come up with a new flavor, what would be your top three suggestions?
Green Tea, white wine spritzer, or lemon lime.

18) Food: What's the absolute strangest food you've ever tried?
I'm really a food weenie for the most part. I did try cashew butter once; my mom got a peanut butter maker one Christmas, and she got really adventurous. It was gross. Oh, I also had durian - it's a fruit that grows on trees and smells like a mixture of dirty socks and vomit. Apparently, it's banned from some hotels in Indonesia. I can see why.


19) Gasoline: Economists are predicting that gasoline prices in the U.S. will reach $3.00 per gallon within the next three months. How will this summer's gas prices impact your travel plans?
Three words - AIN'T. GOIN'. NOWHERES.



20) When you're on a horse farm and you want to get a horse's attention, you make a clicking sound with your mouth. What sort of sound would I need to make to get your attention?
"Sudiegirl, Christopher Kennedy Lawford is coming to your house with massage oils, Chubby Hubby ice cream, and a big smile!"


21) List 3 things you keep putting off.
Housecleaning, laundry, calling D's mother.

22) What do you feel is your greatest responsibility?
I have absolutely no idea other than taking my meds and trying to work out all my demons.

23) If you could have starred in any movie, which one would you have wanted to be in and why?
Don't laugh (well, I won't be able to hear you if you do so maybe that's a stupid request), but I would have loved to play Whoopi Goldberg's part in "Jumpin' Jack Flash". That's a totally under-rated (and hilarious) movie! I could hear myself saying, "I'm a fat woman in a big silver box, dammit!"

?24) What is an expectation you had as a child about being an adult and, now that you are grown up, you realize you were wrong?
Gee, where do I begin? I guess the expectation I had was that once I was an adult, people wouldn't be such jerks. That's a big wrong one - they may not be obvious jerks, but they're still jerks.

25) When was the last time you had your car serviced?
NEXT QUESTION!

26) What is the easiest money you've ever made?
It's a toss up. I used to have these sweet babysitting jobs for one of the school psychologists - I would go with her and her daughter to conventions. While the mother was at meetings, I would hang out with the daughter. I had room and all meals paid for, plus I'd get pocket money too. However, I also played one of those Baldwin Fun Machine organs at a wedding (some woman my dad was in Reserves with was getting married), and made $20. My sister had to play piano and organ for a wedding - we're talking ALL the music; prelude, postlude, processing, recessing, etc. She didn't get paid at all. She was SOOOOOOO mad at me. It was truly a victorious moment.

27) What is the hardest thing you've ever had to do to earn money?
Babysitting my cousin Vickie's kids back in the day. They were sweet kids, but really rambunctious. One time, I used my sister's doberman to help me babysit...I sat the kids down on the couch and told the doberman to "Watch 'em!" He loved "watchin'". If a kid moved off the couch, he'd growl and act fierce but wouldn't bite. Yep...hard-earned money.

28) Other than money, what is the best inheritance anyone could ever leave you?
Good memories, and knowing I was loved.

29) Even if you didn't need to, would you still work?
Yeah; I'd get bored otherwise.

30) What is the most you've ever spent for something really dumb?
Oh...let's not go there...not a good idea for someone who is working through a shopping problem.

Hope I've entertained the masses...
Sudiegirl

Brief weather report, and asking permission to swap spit...just another day.

The weather has been gorgeous here in the DC area lately. If you ever plan to visit the area, I would advise doing so this time of year, or after Labor Day when the weather is a bit more agreeable. The summer around here is a sweatbox. BLEAH.

*end of Sudiegirl’s weather report and travel recommendations*

Life continues to roll on…last night, I talked to my favorite 8th grader in the whole world, Ms. Courtney K. I found out she was selected for Color Guard (the flag twirlers in the Marching Band), but I found out something else.

They had an interesting assembly led by a man who (per his website) says he’s a healthy dating and sexual assault expert. (Let me get the smart ass comment out of the way...I'm glad he's enjoying good health these days and taking his vitamins. All right, I'm done. But seriously...I’m not sure I would have phrased my expertise in that way, but I’m not in the business he’s in so I’ll shut up now.)

Anyway, the students at Courtie’s junior high and high school had a special assembly featuring this speaker (Mike Domitrz). His method of healthy dating is presented to schools around the country, and he’s been on “Oprah”. I didn’t mention to Courtie that James Frey has also been on Oprah, and he was later found to be – well – less than reliable. But again, I digress.

The whole philosophy with his teachings? Four words…”Can I Kiss You?”

Please note that I think this is a great idea. I really do. I think it’s important for men to learn respect from women as early as they can (elementary school if possible). I have heard many horror stories about date rapes, and I’ve had my share of unwanted fanny pats and bustline stares.

But the concept of a guy asking me if he can kiss me…that’s not something I’m used to, and I’m just trying to figure out if I’ll ever get used to it. In my entire kissing history, I have only been asked for kissing permission from two men. One of them was D, and the other one was a guy I went on a blind personals-type date with.

Beyond that, any other kissing incidents just – kind of – HAPPENED. Either I was moved to do it, he was moved to do it or it was a mutual moving. It never occurred to me to require permission.

It really got me thinking about my past relationships too. I was always so anxious about boys liking me, yet I never dressed like a “sexpot”. (When your budget and clothing choices are stringently controlled by your mom, that tends to limit one’s clothing choices.) I was kind of a “stealth” boy-crazy girl – I always dressed preppy (polo shirts, jeans, sweaters/sweatshirts, horn-rim glasses) but I really wanted boys to discover what was hidden underneath. However, I was conflicted about giving it up and actually waited until marriage to give it up completely. (BTW, looking back, I don’t think I was stable or mature enough to handle a relationship if relations went to the point of intercourse. I’d like to think I would be, but I probably wasn’t.)

I was fortunate in my youth that nothing like “date rape” happened to me. Some of my contemporaries weren’t so lucky. One thing that was weird…I usually was the “first girlfriend” (or 2nd girlfriend) a guy ever had. I’m not aware of anyone else having that distinction but me. It’s my “badge of honor” (?).

You know what, though? Once I actually had sex (when I married Husband #1), and had my heart broken by the first man who really (physically and emotionally) opened me up (someone else altogether, but that's another story), I became kind of jaded. I still liked the act, don’t get me wrong, but I noticed cynicism in myself.

I finally know that sex isn’t the be-all and end-all, even though it’s important in a good relationship. I realized I was just (yes) DESPERATE to have someone to validate myself.

(God, I sound so together…it makes me ill.)

Another thing regarding this “Can I Kiss You?” concept is this: I wonder how long it will take before that becomes a pick-up line or some kind of “pose” in order for a guy to get women. You know, like “Oh, no…we ran out of gas”, “Let’s go watch the submarine races”, “Come over to my house and see my etchings”. (My personal favorite in college was “Let’s get a pizza and f**k.” When a girl said no, the guy usually said, “What’s wrong? Don’t you like pizza?” Classic stuff…right up there with “Pull my finger.”)

Let’s face it…there are some people who have “lines” they use. Usually they have more than one person on the string, not to mention the folks they have yet to snare in their traps. Furthermore, everyone has at least one person (male or female) in their dating history who has caught them with this trap. Sad but true. Sometimes these “players” are relatively harmless, but others will stop at nothing to get what they want. Maybe this course will also halt the spread of “playahood” throughout the country.

In short, I’m really glad that my nieces and nephew had this assembly at school yesterday. I know Courtie got a lot out of it, and I hope Cam and Chloe do to. If it can start with one person, maybe it’ll spread to others.

Sudiegirl

And now, from the "Sorry - I'm not pregnant - what are you doing with those handcuffs, officer?" Files, and Yahoo! News...

Sudiegirl sez: Oh boy…why would anyone want to fake something like this? Even for cash and prizes, I would not do this voluntarily. Let me just say…if I pulled this stunt, all those who really know me and my lack of desire for motherhood would be going “Something’s rotten in Denmark, y’all.” Let’s see what kind of mincemeat I can make out of this…

Woman Behind Sextuplet Hoax: I Need Help
(No kiddin’.)

Prosecutors Consider Filing Charges In Case
POSTED: 7:08 pm CDT April 13, 2006
UPDATED: 10:28 pm CDT April 13, 2006

GRAIN VALLEY, Mo. -- A woman accused of lying about having six babies admitted Thursday that this isn't the first time she's told a lie such as this, KMBC's Lara Moritz reported. (Gee, that’s nice. So much for that idea of Midwesterners being on the up-and-up. I’ll bet you all are kicking yourselves for believing that stereotype.)

Sarah and Kris Everson, of Grain Valley, made national news headlines this week when the couple admitted lying about having sextuplets in order to receive money and gifts to pay their bills. (Great. When there are so many other lies in the universe that would fade into the woodwork with the passing of time, they pick the one that requires results at the end – six of them, to be precise. Do they sniff glue or what?)

The couple spent several hours at the Grain Valley Police Department Thursday while investigators determine whether to file charges in the case. (OK…why is there a decision to be made here? Book ‘em, Dano! This lady couldn’t be truthful with her friends and co-workers and took hundreds of dollars from them based on a falsehood as opposed to just coming to them and saying, “We’re hitting some hard times here. Do you all have advice or can you help us in any way?” Nope…she just has to do something as hare-brained as this. Charming.)

Sarah Everson admitted she lied to her husband about being pregnant. (Now I KNOW she’s crazy…but maybe she smartened up when she realized at some point she’d have to make good on this claim. Humans do not share the same gestation period as elephants.) However, her husband said he would stand by her. (Well, that means he really loves her or he’s been sniffing glue and spray paint. See photo at right and see if you don't agree as to the assessment I gave.)

"I'm standing beside her no matter what. I mean, jail time, whatever -- whatever it takes, I'm with her all the way," Kris Everson said. (That is honorable, and maybe she’ll benefit from that. However, she’s kind of SOL as far as the rest of her friends are concerned. She’d better move somewhere else…like Siberia. They’re probably the only place on earth that hasn’t heard about this stunt.)

Moritz reported that Kris Everson had driven his wife to work so she could drop off a letter about the babies -- including what their personalities were like -- but he didn't know his wife had lied about being pregnant. (As Bugs Bunny would say, “Isn’t he a trusting soul?” And I think that newborn babies, to a degree, don’t really have personalities that come through, do they? Maybe I’m just being too cynical.)

"Kris sat in the truck when I went inside. Like I said, he had nothing to do with this," Sarah Everson said. (What, the pregnancy? OH…you mean the fact that you lied about it! Ah…it’s all clear to me now.)

"Apparently, Kris Everson was convinced she was pregnant up until a month ago, and how this was pulled off was she basically gained weight by eating a lot of food," Grain Valley Police Chief Aaron Ambrose said. (As an aside, if you get a chance, rent the movie “Saved!” with Mandy Moore and Jena Malone. The main character (Jena Malone) gets preggers and nobody knows until her school locker gets searched and the ultrasound pics fall out of their folder. THEN, when her mother is approached about it, she says she thought her daughter was doing a lot of stress eating and didn’t want to give her a complex about it. Apparently, Mr. Everson was feeling the same way in reverse?)

Sarah Everson said her husband found out the babies were a hoax after she told everybody she had given birth to them. (Well, gee…here are the newest members of MENSA!!! Don’t make them fill out the application; that’s too taxing. Just usher them in with OPEN ARMS!!!) The couple had said the babies were born March 8. (Well, at least if I were going to give birth to sextuplets, I’d rather have imaginary ones. That way, there’s only imaginary pain. However, I would want real Demerol, and I don’t think they give that for imaginary pain unless you also have a doctor with imagination and no morals.)

"I told him around the same time that we announced to everybody that we had them," she said. (Ah…I bet the shoulders in that house were very cold for a while.)

Sarah Everson refused to say how she kept her husband from finding out she wasn't really pregnant, until she finally told him. (Now SEE? That’s no fun at all! All of us wanna know what was going on in that tiny mind of yours, Ms. Everson, and you won’t tell us. You owe us that much, you know?)

"I don't have an answer for that," she said. "I've been asked that question so many times that it's not even funny." (Well, neither is pretending you’re pregnant and you did that up right.)

'I Don't Want To Be Like This'
Sarah Everson said she needs psychological help. (I think that’s a given.)

"I want to get into some kind of counseling to help figure out why this keeps happening," she said. "I am seeking counseling. I haven't found one yet, but I am seeking one to go forward and figure out my mindset. I don't want to be like this." (OK…she’s lied about pregnancy before? Why on earth would someone LIE about BEING pregnant? I understand lying about NOT being pregnant. But lying about a physical situation that has an end result makes no sense to me, unless you lie about it and then when people ask you why things didn’t happen, say you miscarried…I’ve told lies in my time; we all have. But NOT ABOUT BEING PREGNANT!!!)

KMBC reported that the couple held hands while Sarah Everson told reporters about her lies. (All I can say is if it were D and I in this situation, he wouldn’t be holding my hand. More like my neck with both hands, and my little eyes would be bugging out.)

"Nobody is perfect in this world; everybody has their faults," Kris Everson said. (Yeah, but sometimes you gotta look at things a little closer. It’s one thing if one of your faults is picking your nose in public. It’s another thing to LIE ABOUT BEING PREGNANT and PERPETUATE THE LIE INDEFINITELY!)

Kris Everson, who worked on the assembly line at the Haldex plant in Grain Valley, no longer has a job there, the company said. (Why am I not surprised?) KMBC reported that he was fired Thursday. (From a cannon, if they could have gotten away with it.)

A police report showed that the company threw a fundraiser for the Everson children, collecting more than $800. The report also said Kris Everson's boss donated an additional $1,500. (With that information coming to light, it’s a wonder Mr. Everson got off that easily. He could have gotten chopped to pieces if the boss had a mind to. How would you react if someone that you basically gave $1500 to for his impending children came to you and said, “Whoops…I’m really sorry but my wife lied about the whole thing. Can I have two weeks off?” No…no no no. You would wanna rip off his head and throw it out the window, but firing is all you’re allowed by law to do.)

Kris Everson had been telling co-workers since December that his wife was pregnant with multiple babies, Haldex human resources manager Cathi Christina said. (Oh man…)

"He came to us, told us he and his wife were going to have quintuplets," Christina said. "Then, miraculously, they had six in March -- or reported that, anyway. A lot of people rallied around. They gathered $800 or $900 that we gave them." (That is wonderful when co-workers rally around one of their own like that. I know from experience that you can really see a different side to people when a major life event happens like that.)

Now, Christina said, Kris Everson's former co-workers don't know what to think. (Oh…I think they do…it resembles the scene in “Frankenstein” with angry villagers, torches, pitchforks and other sharp, harmful instruments. It also involves a united mob mentality, in this case, justified.)

"There's just a mixed bag of emotions," she said. "We feel sorry for them in some regards. They're just, what's the word for it, far off base on how they went about getting help. There's some anger, disbelief they did it."
Kris Everson said he doesn't think he should have been fired. (Oh really? The fact that the boss plunked down $1500 of his own money to help you all, then find out it was a trick? You’re lucky he doesn’t take you to court for that. You’re also lucky public flogging is illegal in this country.)

"I guess if that's the way they run their company -- by somebody getting too much publicity," he said. (Well, if you’d insert the word “negative” in that sentence, plus the fact that you SAY you didn’t know your wife was faking a multiple pregnancy? Fired is the easiest thing to do. As I said, public flogging is illegal in this country, but you’d probably be the reason folks would want to push that bill through.)

Police were still collecting reports from people who gave money through a Web site -- since taken down, after the couple's story began unraveling earlier this week -- that solicited donations for the fictitious sextuplets.

"As of right now, I can tell you there's more than $4,000 involved, and that's just the money," Ambrose said. "That doesn't count the material items people might have given them." (Oh boy…wire fraud. Always a good thing to be involved in – NOT!)

Sarah Everson said she disagrees with police about how much money the couple received in donations. (OF COURSE she would disagree…isn’t that part of what being guilty is?)

"The money that they did raise, we never saw any of it. It went to bills -- we didn't see any of it," she said. (So that makes it better? You deserve public flogging. I’m sorry.)

Sudiegirl’s final opinion?

So much for what happens to caring, giving Midwesterners when a hoax like this occurs. Can you say “I’m gonna kill ‘em?” I would.

I think this woman is mentally ill – not in the sense that she doesn’t know right from wrong. She does (albeit a little late). However, when desperation sets in, her sense of right from wrong is clouded by panic, and the option she chose was not thought out in any sense. People were going to want to see those babies after a while. They want to “check out the growth on their investment”, so to speak. How could that important facet of her plan be left out? How was she going to pull that off?

And do you REALLY think her husband was oblivious? I’m not so sure. I’m sure this has been debated at lunch tables and watercoolers around the country, but it’s a valid point. OF COURSE they’re going to act like a unified couple in public. OF COURSE he’s going to say he’ll be there for her. They’ve either been coached very well on this, or else he’s a bigger con than he appears.

Either way, this proves my dislike of the Midwestern “nice folks” stereotype. It proves that you’re just as likely to be cheated in Missouri as you are to receive a good deed in the heart of a bad neighborhood. In short, you just never know, so you should never assume.

In the meantime, if I decide to pursue a scam of this sort to “make my pile” (as Hoss puts it), smack me in the head with a blunt instrument, OK?

Pregnancy free since 1969,
Sudiegirl