| HeraldNet - Snohomish County's online news source |
 FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2008 7:41 am |
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• 1969: Woodstock, a man on the moon, and bad football November 21 • It's a modern Stone Age November 20 • We give thanks, except for Brussels sprouts November 19 • Broccoli can do no wrong November 18 • Take off to the Great White North November 17 |
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1969: Woodstock, a man on the moon, and bad football The teams: Washington and Washington State. The records: 0-9 and 1-9. The year: 1969. That's right, there once was an Apple Cup played that featured football teams as bad as this year's squads. There are few surviving eyewitness accounts of the game. Those who didn't block out the trauma have gaps in their memories for other reasons. Hey, it was 1969. Stand down. "Handshake Man," who has slipped past security to grasp the hands of six presidents, won't be there for Barack Obama's inauguration. The man, actually a California preacher, is under a judge's order to stay away. Luckily there's still a chance for a surprise. Morganna the kissing bandit is under no court-imposed restrictions. And a Darrington-area woman talks to Julie Muhlstein today about what it's like to live without modern gadgets such as color televisions, cell phone service or newfangled high-speed Internet connections. We would have brought you this story sooner, but we missed her smoke signals, and the Pony Express got caught in traffic on the Mountain Loop Highway. ... [Read More]
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Woolly mammoths may soon come back from extinction. Scientists have deciphered the beasts' genetic code, a big step toward re-creating them. One day, mammoths could be used as showers and vacuum cleaners as in "The Flintstones." They'll go perfectly with the new eco-friendly foot-powered cars Detroit has promised. Meanwhile, Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens, who remembers when woolly mammoths roamed the Earth, conceded defeat in his bid to become the first convicted felon re-elected to the Senate. Stevens represented Alaska for 40 years before a scandal over improper gifts sent his career down a series of tubes. At least now we finally have the answer to the bar argument over which one Alaska would elect -- a felon or a Democrat. And the Mariners rolled out new manager Don Wakamatsu, a move that brought the M's some attention for hiring the first Asian-American manager. Wakamatsu is a third-generation Japanese-American, so it's not like his lineage will make him manage any differently. That is, unless someone calls Wakamatsu by his actual first name, Wilbur. He carries a samurai sword around for just such an occasion. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
What did Brussels do to deserve the sprout? Thanksgiving is fast approaching and the Good Life pages are stuffed with recipes, including turkey, gravy, cheese tarts and Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Bacon. Normally, The Buzz does not abide a veggie that packs the stench of a full head of cabbage into one sprout, but any recipe with bacon deserves a chance. We advise adjusting the ingredients just a bit by using 11/2 pounds of bacon and four Brussels sprouts. Elbows off the table: Good Life also refers you to the Emily Post Web site for a brush-up on table setting and etiquette, including whispering "FHB" -- Family Hold Back -- as a signal that Dad and others need to leave the last dinner roll, piece of pumpkin pie or Brussels sprout for guests. The Buzz has its own helpful acronym: FSB! -- which stands for "Family Stand Back!" when the 20-pound turkey is dropped into the deep-fat frying barrel. He'll be home for Christmas: U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Series of Tubes, has lost his bid for re-election. When the family gathers around the turkey, The Buzz plans to give thanks to the great state of Alaska, Uncle Ted and Gov. Sarah Palin for making our job so much fun. IJon Bauer, Herald staff ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Broccoli can do no wrong Put down the burnt toast: A chemical that forms in some foods during cooking at high temperatures may be harmful. Sources include french fries, potato chips, pastries and coffee. Just once we'd like someone to discover something incriminating about Brussels sprouts. Before food scientists conclude that the only safe things to eat are celery and rutabagas, we'd like to suggest a couple things to distract them from their research:
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Take off to the Great White North Yes, we Can-ada: Remember those liberals who talked about moving to Canada after President Bush was re-elected in 2004? Now some conservatives, dismayed by Barack Obama's victory, say they're heading for the Great White North. Apparently, the fact that Canada's current prime minister belongs to the nation's equivalent of the Republican Party helps mitigate any discomfort with the country's government-run health insurance program. Conservatives might want to steer clear of Quebec, where everyone talks foreign, and Manitoba, whose provincial government currently is run by the New Democratic Party -- Canada's equivalent of the San Francisco City Council. With the economy in the dumper, some restaurants are making their menus more "recession friendly." That means more $10.95 pot pies and fewer $39.95 seared scallops with mushroom emulsion and shaved truffle. That's cool … but what about those 300 percent wine markups? Today is Monday, Nov. 17, 2008 -- five days until the nation's two worst college football teams clash in the 101st Apple Cup. Oddsmakers have installed the Huskies as 81/2-point favorites, which means they'll win by a score of 0 to -8.5. Mark Carlson, Herald staff ... [Read More]
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No biting, Barney; you don't know where that reporter's been The media as chew toy: Turns out that Barney, one of two Scottish terriers owned by President Bush, has bitten before. Prior to his biting a TV reporter for Reuters recently, a Boston Celtics public relations staffer also reports she got nipped. Meanwhile, Monroe is considering a new law that would label certain breeds of dog as "dangerous" after only one bite. Should Barney visit Monroe, city officials say they will take appropriate steps and will require all members of the media to wear protective gear. "Schultz!" German military officials are concerned to learn that their 3,500 troops serving in Afghanistan are consuming, on average, 26 ounces of beer daily. And at the same time, 40 percent of German soldiers 18 to 29 are overweight. Pssst, France; here's your chance to attack and finally ditch that "surrender monkey" label. Finally, a correction: In Saturday's column, The Buzz misidentified a Naga from the online video game "World of Warcraft" as a Death Knight. The Buzz regrets the error. However, we don't regret that we have enough of a life that we didn't know the difference between the two. Jon Bauer, Herald staff ... [Read More]
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Stuck in the series of tubes Tube to the 21st century: President-elect Obama says he plans to videotape and post the weekly presidential radio broadcast on YouTube, and he's starting with a video that is to be posted today. It's a good idea, but Obama should prepare himself for a letdown when he sees that his weekly chats with America still get fewer hits than "Funny cat plays with cardboard box LOL OMG." For those who can't handle First Life: A London woman has filed for divorce because she caught her husband's online "Second Life" avatar -- a computer-generated character -- cavorting on a sofa with another, sexier avatar. He's getting off easy. Word is his estranged wife has found a new love in the cyber- universe of "World of Warcraft," a Death Knight with a low opinion of cheating husbands. Limited engagement: A woman writes to Carolyn Hax, disappointed with the tiny diamond on her new engagement ring.Have we got the guy for her. Now, he has a bit of an infidelity problem, but we guarantee that her avatar's engagement ring will have the biggest bling in "Second Life." ... [Read More]
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Six Bonds, one question The new James Bond film, "Quantum of Solace," rekindles the timeless argument: Who was the best 007? The Buzz thinks a case could be made for and against all six of them (we're not counting David Niven). Sean Connery: The original Bond looked like he could smack anyone around. Unfortunately, that allegedly included his first wife. George Lazenby: The one-Bond-wonder actually knew hand-to-hand combat from his time in the Australian military. But co-star Diana Rigg, the greatest Bond girl ever, reportedly was grossed out by their love scenes. Roger Moore: He had a way with a quip, but wasn't much in the action department. In his last Bond film, "A View to a Kill," he appeared to be physically afraid of Grace Jones. Timothy Dalton: He seemed great after the aged Roger Moore retired. The good feeling quickly wore off. Arguably the ugliest Bond. Pierce Brosnan: An upgrade in looks and screen presence over Dalton, but you kept waiting for Stephanie Zimbalist to show up. Daniel Craig: This guy looks like he could take care of himself in a fight with Sean Connery. On the other hand, he slurps, rather than savors, his martinis. Oh, and he's blond. ... [Read More]
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Purple is the new black Remember harvest gold? If your kitchen appliances haven't been updated since the 1970s, chances are you do. So say hello to today's hot color in home fashion: purple. Gray's also popular; it matches stainless-steel appliances -- and our moods as we watch our retirement funds and home values plummet. Thirty years from now, will purple seem as tired and tacky as avocado green does today? One thing's for sure: Spec house beige will never go out of style. Breast bet in the fine arts: Lowell Art Works in Everett brings back "The Bre*sts of the Northwest II," a show that, in the words of the gallery folks, "boosts the bazongas, commemorates the cantaloupes and toasts the ta-tas." Moviemaker Russ Meyer, who gave us such films as "Vixens" and "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls," would have curated the show had he not departed this world in 2004. MSNBC has slapped a seven-second delay on congressman-turned-talk-show-host Joe Scarborough after he dropped an F-bomb on a recent show. Next up: time delays on Chris Matthews (to guard against descriptions of thrills going up his leg) and Bill O'Reilly (to protect viewers from his frequent plugs for his books). ... [Read More]
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A sticky situation Herald columnist Julie Muhlstein's got the lowdown on how to remove political bumper stickers from your car. A caveat: No removal method is effective on stickers advertising the campaigns of Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich. Wonder how big your turkey should be? Check out our handy calculator. Be advised, though, that the calculator is calibrated for the European Union. For American appetites, multiply recommended turkey weights by 1.75. For mashed potatoes, multiply the butter by 2.25. Speaking of Europeans, a 22-year-old man from Denmark has won more than $9 million at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. Think of it: A Dane is the best Texas Hold 'Em player in the world. It's like an American winning a Winter Olympics gold medal in that event that combines cross-country skiing, target shooting, yodeling and consumption of lye-cured cod. The Mariners are interviewing Little Joey Cora to be their manager in 2009. Joey promises to improve the M's hitting and clubhouse morale, and cry in the dugout after every defeat. ... [Read More]
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Better get out the paddles Welcome, winter. The rain returns soon after a short break. This means it’s time for the annual wet-season rituals of the Pacific Northwest. You know, clean the gutters, find the rain boots, replace the windshield wipers, rake the leaves, plan a trip to the desert and check your ark for leaks. Vanessa Fontana, formerly of Mount Vernon, is making a good case to be “Paris Hilton’s My New BFF.” The show’s not over yet, and she can’t say how it all ends, but she did say “It’s the kind of experience that just keeps giving.” While some may dream and plot to become best friends with Paris Hilton, there’s a very thin line between a dream and a nightmare. Corn. It’s what’s for dinner. A new study points out that a lot of food got its start as corn. The chicken ate corn, the cow ate corn, the fries were cooked in corn oil. You get the idea. If you are what you eat, then a lot of us are — what else? — corny. (Rim shot.) ... [Read More]
E-mail | Print | Comment NEW! Extreme Makeover: Space station edition Astronauts will be heading up to do a little remodeling at the international space station, which will soon have more rooms, a second fridge, an extra toilet and exercise equipment. The station is also getting a recycling system that will turn urine into drinking water. If you're suddenly feeling a little green, it's probably not because you're environmentally friendly. If your mattress has gotten too full to hide any more cash, consider investing in cranberries. Oregon farmers are getting $150 a barrel for their berries. For maximum profits, buy several barrels, hide them in the garage, and sell them for twice as much to desperate people who got to the grocery store too late the day before Thanksgiving. No accord was reached Saturday at a summit on sagging pants convened by a Dallas councilman in an effort to reduce underwear sightings. That's not all bad, though. It gives scientists a little longer to discover the gravity-defying properties that make it possible for a pair of pants four sizes too big to hover between the hips and the knees instead of causing a spectacular face-plant onto the sidewalk. ... [Read More]
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We're only sort of providing spoilers Contrary to popular belief, "ER" is still on television, and original series star Anthony Edwards is returning for an episode in the final season even though his character died in season eight. It's been a while since The Buzz watched "ER," but based on an inside tip, we think fans can expect something like this to happen: Sober opening with montage. Banter. Patient drama. Personal drama. Banter. Patient drama! Personal drama! Soulful look. Ending montage. Uncontrollable desire to cope with onslaught of drama by eating a pint of ice cream directly from the carton. Oh, snap! A new digital picture frame has a built-in cellular modem so you can send pictures directly to it from your camera phone. Sounds nifty -- until you accidentally send your grandma a snapshot of your heavily tattooed new biker boyfriend. Wikipedia has posted banners on its pages seeking $6 million in donations, the first time the nonprofit has asked for a specific amount. At least, that seems to be the amount. It's so hard to tell when people keep jumping in and editing. ... [Read More]
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Stay, boy, stay: Forget picking a secretary of state or treasury; the White House press corps wants to know what kind of dog President-elect Obama and his family will be getting. Obama said the choice will be limited to a shelter dog but one that won't aggravate his daughter's allergies, such as a poodle or terrier. We also note that President Bush's Scottish terrier, Barney, nipped at a TV reporter who spooked him. If Obama is serious about including Republicans in his Cabinet, we suggest that he offer the position of First Dog to Barney. Barney's already shown an ability to handle the press corps. Two-bit aloha: The U.S. Mint will release the last of the 50-state quarters, Hawaii, on Monday. If our rain starts to get to you, hold one in your hand and imagine standing on an island beach. What's German for "Hand me a towel"? Herald travel columnist Rick Steves recounts his experience among naked Germans in a spa in Baden-Baden. Steves writes that he doesn't understand Americans' reluctance to shed inhibitions and clothes in the spas. If a German spa is anything like the men's locker room at the YMCA, we'll ditch our skivvies, but we're keeping our line of sight up and away. Jon Bauer, Herald Staff ... [Read More]
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Cardboard tube passed over again: The National Toy Hall of Fame has inducted a new toy. Taking its place next to the bicycle, Mr. Potato Head and crayons is -- the stick. We expect demand for the stick will be great this holiday season, so avoid the lines at Wal-Mart and get yours now. Just don't forget to pass along this advice: Kid, don't poke your eye out. Beats Boeing stock as an investment: A Bellingham man bought 10,000 copies of the Bellingham Herald's election issue for $1,700, hoping he'll be able to sell them as collector's items and turn a profit. The investment may actually pay off if he waits to sell until after the folded-newspaper hat has been inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame. Watch your P's and Q's, too: President-elect Barack Obama and President Bush are scheduled to meet Monday at the White House as part of the transition leading to the Jan. 20 inauguration. Some may recall Bush administration staffers were annoyed to find that Clinton staffers had pried the W's from West Wing keyboards when Bush took office. Our advice to Obama: On Jan. 20, bring some extra O's. Jon Bauer, Herald Staff ... [Read More]
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When they say not to move about the cabin, they mean it It works on everything: Duct tape was used to restrain an unruly passenger on a United Airlines flight. The passenger was arrested on charges of disrupting the flight and put in jail. She had been flying along OK, but really lost it when she found out the airline had a hidden confinement fee. The honeymoon's over: Even before Barack Obama's victory speech Tuesday night, chants of "Yes, we can" were replaced across the country by refrains of "What the heck is she wearing?" Michelle Obama's red-and-black number appeared to poof out in places women normally don't want so poofy, giving bloggers something to gnaw on after the election. Some defended the dress, saying she wants to project a bold image. They were quickly confined and duct taped by the fashion police. Martha Stewart's column today gives you a tour of "Martha's cooking school." Before you attend Martha's school, you should be aware of a couple things. It has corporal punishment if you set the table wrong. And the economics course recently added a lesson on ethics. ... [Read More]
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Horse race: Political and real life The first food holiday is over. If you survived Halloween without any extra cavities or pounds, nice work. If you're of a less restrained nature, you might appreciate help to make it through the food holiday season, which lasts until Easter. Today's offering: healthy gingerbread. Please note: "healthy gingerbread" is only healthy if you don't eat half the cake in one sitting. Not that we would ever do that. Nope. Never. The juror who asked to be excused from the Sen. Ted Stevens trial had an ulterior motive. She wanted to see a horse race. After reviewing her case, the judge determined the race in question was the Breeders' Cup and didn't charge her. Keeping her at the trial would have been like asking a football fanatic to deliberate intelligently while missing the Super Bowl. Political reporter Jerry Cornfield will comment on today's election online. Remember, Jerry knows a lot about elections, but he has no control over them. He can't respond to pleas to "make it all stop." Stay calm, enjoy Jerry's commentary and rest easy knowing the election season will be over in a few short hours. ... [Read More]
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Run like a girl? Election Day is almost here. Whatever your political leanings, Wednesday will be a day for celebrating. No more robo-calls, no more obnoxious ads, no more fliers. We suggest throwing a party. Make a nice fire out of the leftover campaign literature. Let's hope the offering to the election deities ensures we don't have to suffer through any recounts. Washington's football teams were a perfect (perfectly awful) 0 and 3 this weekend. To be fair, the Hawks did manage a few points, which is better than the Cougs or the Dawgs. Maybe it's time to move to Vancouver, B.C. We hear they have a team that can win, eh? Also, when the Canucks get shut out, it's never by several dozen points. Paula Radcliffe won her third NYC Marathon on Sunday, with a time of 2 hours, 23 minutes and 56 seconds -- or a mile about every 5 1/2 minutes for 26.2 miles. You could say she runs like a girl -- obviously high praise. Matthew Mead has been compared to Martha Stewart. His new book is has ideas for low-stress, affordable and easy entertaining. Which pretty much means he's no Martha Stewart. ... [Read More]
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It's only gambling if you lose Legal liquor: Brazil takes its national drink seriously. The country has set legal guidelines for the caipirinha. The government hasn't said what the penalty will be for making the drink incorrectly. A nasty hangover seems appropriate. Subprime, a 2-year-old filly, won her first race recently. It makes sense that the lines between the financial world of Wall Street and horse racing are starting to blur. Lately, we could've taken our 401(k) money to the track and done just as well. After all, it's only gambling if you're losing. Otherwise it's just investing. "Bring Me My Machine Gun" is the campaign song of ANC leader Jacob Zuma in South Africa. Suddenly the campaigns in the U.S. seem downright tame. The Huskies' misery continued Saturday. USC scored 42 in the first half. The carnage slowed to 14 points in the second half, when USC brought in a high school JV team. Speaking of misery, Washington is the worst state in which to be a football fan this year. Ah, well, at least we have the start of the Sonics season to enjoy. Oh, wait ... ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Let it snow. If you're groaning, stop it this instant. We're talking about snow in the mountains -- not down here where it has the effect of shutting off drivers' good sense, along with their braking power. First up is snow safety. The Everett Mountaineers are getting ready for the season with a series of classes, including avalanche safety. You provide your own St. Bernard with a brandy cask around its neck. Second, we have a train trip to the lovely faux-Bavarian town of Leavenworth. You provide your own lederhosen. You won't need a St. Bernard to bring you a drink. If you can't find alcohol in a town that makes its living from festivals based on beer, then you're too drunk already. B-ewe-tiful. Rams and ewes strutted their stuff in Saudi Arabia's first beauty pageant for sheep. We can't touch this one with a 10-foot shepherd's crook, so please insert your own inappropriate joke here. The financial news continues to be glum, and all signs are pointing to a recession. In other daring predictions, it's likely to rain a lot here this winter and the Huskies will lose today at USC. ... [Read More]
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Eight Days a Week The Beatles, after years of fastidiously avoiding the digital world, have finally cracked. The Fab Four's music will be the basis of a "Rock Band" style video game. It won't be out for a year, but when it is, we know many people who will be playing it "Eight Days a Week." Also, we suspect a fight is going to start when someone gets called "Yoko" for breaking up the band (also known as your husband and his beer-drinking buddies). "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" is a romantic comedy. Or at least, that's what it's officially categorized as. Guys, a little hint. If you tell a date you're taking her to a "romantic comedy," and this is the one you take her to, don't expect romance at the end of the night. The Coast Guard is considering the future of the Mukilteo Lighthouse. It's wondering whether the beacon is still used for navigation. They've sent out a "notice to mariners" to get some feedback. If they want a thorough analysis, though, they should also have a word with Mukilteo pub patrons navigating home by the glow of the lighthouse. -- Jessi Loerch, Herald staff ... [Read More]
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Don't make me stop this car and leave you in Nebraska Hey, kids, let's take a vacation! Worried about becoming the nation's clearinghouse for difficult teenagers, Nebraska is on the verge of changing a law that allows parents to abandon children up to 17 years old. The law is likely to change in mid-November, so now's the time to pile the kids in the car for that cross-country trip you've always dreamed of. At least for a couple more weeks, little Janey and Timmy won't give you much trouble as you cross the nation's heartland. A little distracted: The UW's decision to send football coach Tyrone Willingham packing is causing uncertainty for his assistants, who don't know whether to recruit new players. Here's hoping they stay on the recruiting trail. Kids are really impressed with coaches who sob pitifully and promise them endless heartache. How else do you think WSU gets players to sign up? Something to fill the void: Apparently writing steamy romance novels by the dozen left her unsatisfied, so Danielle Steel is launching a blog. Internet users reported being excited that there would finally be something a little naughty to look at online. ... [Read More]
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Now, kids, share the wealth Wheeee! It was a good day on the Wall Street roller coaster, with the Dow up nearly 900 points. Things took off after the White House told banks to stop hoarding the money we gave them. In a stern tone of voice, the White House told the banks, "Are you going to share, or do I have to take your toys away?" If the banks refuse to share, they're in for a serious time out. Another giant leap for science: Research shows that women are more attractive to men if they're wearing red. On the flip side, separate analysis has shown that men are more attractive to women if they're wearing red, blue, green ... really, just as long as they're wearing something. Vote me, baby: Michigan Democrats trying to call an absentee voting hotline were surprised when the number sent them to a phone sex line. Most people stayed on the line for a while. They mistakenly thought it was a recorded message from Bill Clinton. Didn't do it, dude: Keanu Reeves took the stand to defend himself against a lawsuit from a photographer who says Reeves hit him with his Porsche. Reeves apparently hopes that for the first time in his life, he can be convincing. ... [Read More]
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Guidance from the universe Let's see what's in the stars from today's horoscope: For Sen. Ted Stevens, a Scorpio, convicted of lying about gifts he received: "Don't wait for someone else to take over or push you aside." If Stevens has to serve any prison time, these will be words to live by when he meets Mad Dog, his 400-pound cellmate. For Tyrone Willingham, a Capricorn: "Don't run and hide, give up or move on because you can't see a way out." Sound advice, but instead he's going to step down as UW football coach at the end of the year. The UW decided to force him out now rather than let him dangle before firing him at the end of the season. Wouldn't want to give fans anything to look forward to. For Boeing CEO Jim McNerney, a Leo: "You won't be too popular at home, especially if you refuse to give in to someone's demands." This advice comes just as Boeing reached a tentative agreement with its Machinists. Hmmm .... Maybe McNerney finally struck a deal with the union so he could get out of the doghouse with the Mrs. ... [Read More]
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Republicans have more fun Continuing a four-decade trend, more Republicans than Democrats described themselves as happy in a new survey. Swing voters, meanwhile, were unable to decide whether they were happy or unhappy without more information on the issues. Here are few things we can all be happy about, regardless of political persuasion: The Seahawks thumped the 49ers, despite playing without quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. The win is great for the downtrodden Seahawks and even better for demoralized local sports fans, who again have a reason to hold out hope for something besides the start of Husky basketball season. A new off-leash dog area opens at a Snohomish park Saturday. Opening festivities will include animal agility tests and a dog costume contest. We're guessing any dog dressed as Joe the Plumber will win easily if it can actually use a toilet plunger. If your (or your dog's) Halloween costume is inspired by "The Dark Knight," an expert offers makeup tips to re-create The Joker's deranged clown style. You can achieve a similar effect by giving the face paint and lipstick to a 5-year-old and letting her give you a makeover. ... [Read More]
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Shiver me timbers The Halloween spirit has possessed a Mukilteo man, whose yard features an elaborate display of spooky skeleton pirates. But if he really wanted to scare people, all he'd have to do is hang up a giant chart showing how much the stock market has fallen in the past few weeks. Speaking of spooky things, a strange pink glow recently appeared in the sky over London. Using highly technical terminology, a spokesman for the meteorological office said the glow was probably just "odd 'splodges' of low cloud" reflecting light from the city. From this, we infer that meteorologists in Britain make forecasts for heaps of rain using complicated doohickies. Up, up and away: Starting Friday, a California company plans to offer rides around the San Francisco Bay area in a brand-new zeppelin. The airship's operator says the zeppelin offers a unique, leisurely way to see the sights from the air. At $495 per person for a one-hour tour, it's also a way to make your wallet so light that it will float, too. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Take a left at the hobo camp and go .4 miles: Google, to keep up with our less auto-dependent times, has added transit agencies to Google Maps, allowing users to get directions that include bus routes. Look to Google as it offers more ways to navigate our downsized lives, such as live alerts on the shortest soup lines, point-to-point directions to pawn shops and live Web cams showing site availability at tent cities. $355,000 at 200 mph: A government watchdog group has awarded its Porker of the Month award to the FCC chairman for spending $355,000 to sponsor a race car to promote awareness of the switch to digital TV. We disagree with the watchdog group that this is a waste of money. Many NASCAR fans think that the switch to digital TV means they'll have to use their fingers rather than their thumbs on the remote. Vote early and often: The Yakima County auditor says a printing error is to blame for 129 duplicate ballots sent to county voters (Page B3). This could be trouble. Unless Gov. Chris Gregoire or Dino Rossi wins by more than 129 votes, we know where the first lawsuit will be filed. -- Jon Bauer, Herald staff ... [Read More]
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This never happened in "Donkey Kong": Police in Tokyo have jailed a woman who hacked into a virtual reality game and "killed" the online character of another player because he had divorced her online avatar. We hope the judge orders both people to get a life. Failing that, a fitting sentence would be 20 years of playing nothing but "Pong" on a black-and-white Zenith with horizontal roll. Where's Dick Button? Skate America is in full lutz at Everett's Comcast Arena with figure skaters from around the globe competing. Unfortunately, The Buzz must report a scoring controversy: The Finnish judge unfairly gave low marks to The Herald Zamboni for missing a triple salchow. Bad biker, no logo: A District Court judge in Los Angeles has ordered that members of the Mongols motorcycle gang can no longer wear patches with the Mongol insignia. While some have First Amendment concerns about such an order, other observers, specifically local sports fans, say they'd like to see the ban expanded to include the logos on merchandise for the Seahawks, Cougars, Huskies and Mariners. ... [Read More]
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I just made you say underwear: A former D.C. judge is appealing his unsuccessful lawsuit seeking $54 million from the dry cleaners who lost his suit pants. The Buzz repeats its advice from yesterday: The ex-judge should forget the lawsuit and go commando. We offer that advice for two reasons. First, it allo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
