Earthquake in Haiti

Contrary to the claims of at least one raving lunatic in America, it seems that the earthquake in Haiti was not caused by a pact with the Devil, but by natural occurrences related to faultlines. This is a great post explaining that fact, just in case anyone was wondering. The Devil, Lucifer, Satan, Beelzebub, nor any other minion of the underworld is mentioned.

Want to help? Contrary to the claims of another raving lunatic, President Obama is encouraging aid for the sake of humanity, not politics, and you can donate to groups such as Partners in Health and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in the spirit of compassion.

Wildlife, Minneapolis Style

This past fall, I heard that the otters are back. This is not a children's professional hockey team, I mean actual river otters, of the playing and frolicking variety. They have apparently colonized an area of the Mississippi River right in the middle of Minneapolis, not far from the bridge that fell, actually. In other words, right near where I work! This has led me to look for otters whenever daddywhumpus drops me off, and we drive along the river, and it has led me to plan a spring excursion where we look for otters. I have never seen one in the wild, and I. Love. Them.

They are indifferent about me.

This winter's reports of a cougar in The Cities, yes, a MOUNTAIN LION, have me feeling similar things, albeit from the safety of my car. As I don't own a small dog, my cats stay indoors, and I have a modicum of common sense, the idea that a cougar is traipsing around NE Minneapolis, where many of the cool kids live, fills me with unwarranted glee. I hope that it can be found and moved before someone does something stupid, but I have never seen a cat in the wild, and I really, really want to.

Shocking!

It's almost unbelievable! I never saw this coming at all:

Sarah Palin is going to be a commentator on Fox News!

FOX NEWS of all places!

Speechless.

George Washington

Another one of these.

I love them.

I wish I were her, or Tina Fey, but I will have to settle for being me because at the very least, no one else can do it like I can.

resolution one

I think I would like to try to visit all of the national park service sites within 200 miles of my house. I went to Find a Park, and found that I have five:

Effigy Mounds in Iowa
Apostle Islands in Wisconsin
Pipestone in Minnesota
Mississippi River in Minnesota*
St. Croix in Wisconsin

*barely counts because it's right here in my city, and I would not need to make a travel weekend of it. This prompts me to search again...

A search of 250 miles adds Herbert Hoover, a National Scenic Trail, Ice Age, and Grand Portage.

I like this resolution.

Hawkeye was HERE?!

How could Alan Alda have been here, in St. Paul, at the Science Museum, and I had no idea?!

Oh yeah, I'll be watching this.

Dear Blog,

I miss writing.

I'll get back to you as soon as my Inbox is cleared out.

love,

k-whumpus