"Little House on Prairie," adults-only version!

HELSINKI (Reuters) - "Finland has rated the DVD release of the much-loved children's television series "Little House on the Prairie" suitable for adult viewing only."

(http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE4A572J20081106)

Amber says: Okay, I admit- I was a little amused when I saw this headline. I thought "What could possibly be wrong with "Little House"?! Then I had thoughts of "forgotten scenes" and whatnot... Very un-little house like. So, I read the article. It continues:

"To save money, Universal Pictures decided not to submit the series to state inspection, the company's Finland marketing manager Meri Suomela told Reuters on Wednesday."

So its not so terrible after all. Saving money by labeling a family friendly show as "adults only". Great, what will be next? Having the teacup ride labeled "will not make you puke"? There are going to be hundreds of people excited about watching the "lost episodes", only to find that it is the same sweet, braided girl we all know (and tolerate.)

Hero dog risks life to save kittens from fire

SYDNEY (Reuters) - "A dog was hailed as a hero on Sunday after it risked its life to save a litter of newborn kittens from a house fire, rescuers said."

(http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE49P1VZ20081026)

Amber says: Animals are amazing. <3

Cause for divorce? ET father names baby Sarah McCain Palin

"Oct 13, 2008 (AP)
ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. — A new father has secretly named his baby girl Sarah McCain Palin after the Republican ticket for president and vice president..."
(http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2008/oct/13/cause-divorce-et-father-names-baby-sarah-mccain-pa/?partner=RSS)

Amber says: HAH, are you kidding me? Poor kid. Why would someone do this? First off, dont use your kids as advertising. If Nike offered you $200,000 to name your kid "Nike Air Jordan McWhateveryourlastnameis" and you say yes, you suck as a parent. Kids are not billboards. Second, naming your kid after someone who hasnt even won the presidency is just downright stupid. Naming your kid after your father, fine. After the man who invented... Something... alright... its pusing it... but I can deal with it. But naming your kid after the people running to "rule the world". Ha. Haha. Makes me laugh lots. It also makes me hate people. Do people think, ever? You kid does not want to grow up with a name like that. And Id laugh if the kid ended up a democrat. Oh, man. Can you imagine the therapist bills coming their way?

Parents amaze me sometimes.

Squirrel Catches on Fire, Neighborhood Looses Power

Spokane, Washington
10-8-2008

(http://video.aol.com/video-detail/squirrel-catches-on-fire-neighborhood-loses-power/750498763/?icid=VIDLRVNWS02)

Amber says: Okay, so this one is a video, but the headline says it all. Apparently this poor little squirrel caught on fire and set the neighborhood on fire as well... He caught a car on fire, even!! poor thing. Funny, yet... depressing. :-P

TV's 'Mr. Clean' dies at 92

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- House Peters Jr., a TV actor who became the original Mr. Clean in Procter & Gamble's commercials for household cleaners, died Wednesday. He was 92.

Peters died of pneumonia at the Motion Picture and Television Fund Hospital in Los Angeles, said his son, Jon Peters...

(http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/TV/10/02/obit.petersjr.ap/index.html)

Amber says: Sad!!

Okay, I do have a few things to say other than just "Sad". First, there is a 'Motion Picture and Television Fund Hospital'? Craziness.

Also, I think Mr. Clean was an awesome product to try to sell in the 50's. I mean, I am surprised that with a name like "Mister Clean" the product sold/ made it in the 50's. In the era of women wearing heels and pearls, and serving a platter of roast beef and potatoes with a smile and a curtsy- the women ruled the household and the men sat around... and a product with a name implying that the "Mister" did the cleaning. Amazing. I blame "Mr. Clean" for the working woman/ stay-at-home dad. :-) I mean, I have nothing against the women that want to work- and my dad was a stay-at-home dad! but I would totally make it as the woman in an apron with flour on her nose. In fact, Id prefer that.

Ramble over. RIP Mr. Clean.

Police say teen plotted to kill mom for breast implants

September 27, 2008

"A Colorado teenager hired men to kill his mother so he could use her money to get breast implants for his girlfriend, police said...."

(http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/09/27/implant.hitmen.reut/index.html)

Christie Anna says: I....don't know how to react to this. They really couldn't come up with a more, you know, sane way to come up with money? Even just, say, steal mom's car instead of killing her? Wow, bright kids. And here's a question - where'd they get the money to pay men to kill her and why couldn't they use that? Now, I don't know exactly how much it costs either for breast implants or to hire killers, but I'd rather hope the latter is the more expensive. Then again, I hope for a lot of things that aren't true....and people these days do seem to value looks over morality....All in all, I think this just makes me sad. In an "oh dear lord, what is happening to our society???" sort of way. Breast implants have officially topped life on the list of things that important. Lovely, isn't it?

Thanks to my dear Sara for the link :)

PETA Urges Ben & Jerry's To Use Human Milk

September 23, 2008

"VERMONT -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sent a letter to Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, cofounders of Ben & Jerry's Homemade Inc., urging them to replace cow's milk they use in their ice cream products with human breast milk, according to a statement recently released by a PETA spokeswoman...."

(http://www.wsoctv.com/news/17539538/detail.html)

Christie Anna says: LMAO. Really? Really? Don't get me wrong, I am all for better treatment of animals, and I do appreciate it when Vermont companies being innovative (especially environmentally)....but has PETA actually ever dealt with humanity? People are not going to buy ice cream made with human milk. Have they not seen that Friends episode where Carol and Susan were trying to get Ross to drink Carol's breast milk, and he (and half the group) were too disgusted to do so? If B&J's did this, there would be people who don't care and there would be people who think it's a fanastic idea, but I have no doubt that the overwhelming majority would be the people who are horrified and even the amazing taste of B&J's ice cream won't be able to sway them. And would it even taste the same? Opinions on breast milk aside, if it detracts from the taste, the company's screwed. And perhaps most importantly, where are they going to find enough human volunteers to keep up with production demands? Come on, how many women are going to say "Hmm, I'm lactating, I think I'm going to send some milk to Ben & Jerry's!" Not to mention that B&J's would have to shell out a whole hell of a lot of money to pay these women - and B&J's is quite expensive enough already, thank you very much. All in all, I'm pretty sure that this would not be such a great business decision. Besides, obviously PETA hasn't done their research - don't they know that Ben and Jerry aren't even involved with the company anymore? I'm pretty sure that if the big business guys in charge now have decided that having a scoop shop in the capital city of Vermont isn't an acceptable business investment (me? bitter? not at all), then they aren't going to do something quite as risky as this. Sad, but true. Not to say that I don't think it would be interesting to see them put out a couple of flavors, just to see if it flies....but somehow I don't think it's going to happen. *climbs off soapbox* Sorry for the ramblings, but I just can't help it....this was way too entertaining.

Man pleads not guilty in pie-throwing

August 15, 2008

"The man who allegedly threw a pie in Governor James Douglas' face during a parade last month was arraigned Thursday for disorderly conduct, and a number of supporters attended, singing outside the courthouse before the proceeding began..."

(http://www.timesargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008808150369)

Christie Anna says: Stories like this are why we started this blog: local color. As Robyn said, "This is not a joke. Truly. It's just the way that Vermonters handle politics." It's great. Okay, so maybe pie-throwing was a bit immature, but I still think it's hilarious. There are certainly worse things you can do when you disapprove of your politicians!

Golden retriever adopts tiger cubs

July 31, 2008

"A dog at a southeast Kansas zoo has adopted three tiger cubs abandoned by their mother. Safari Zoological Park owner Tom Harvey said the tiger cubs were born Sunday, but the mother had problems with them...."

(http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25945650)

Christie Anna says: Oh with the cuteness! I think this is fantastic...and kudos to Mr. Harvey (and his wife) for thinking of the solution. I love stories about mothers nursing the little ones of a different species. It's so wonderful and says so much about the maternal instinct. Amazing.

Court rules lesbians are not just from Lesbos

July 22, 2008

"ATHENS (Reuters) - A Greek court has dismissed a request by residents of the Aegean island of Lesbos to ban the use of the word lesbian to describe gay women, according to a court ruling made public on Tuesday. Three residents of Lesbos, the birthplace of the ancient Greek poetess Sappho whose love poems inspired the term lesbian, brought a case last month arguing the use of the term in reference to gay women insulted their identity..."

(http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/080722/odds/odd_lesbians_dc)

Christie Anna says: I couldn't help but laugh at this one. I mean, I can understand where they're coming from, but at this point the term 'lesbian' is used on such a wide basis that I'm pretty sure even a court order would do nothing but piss people off. Why bother even trying? It's just going to lose you money (230 euros, to be exact) and get people mad at you. And if it's boosting tourism, then why not let it continue? I may hate tourists, but they are good for the economy. (If they weren't, I'm pretty sure there would be a few more "accidental" bus crashes here in New England every autumn....) So while yes, I can wholeheartedly understand why, on a generic level, one group of people wouldn't want their home tied in so thoroughly to a different group of people - come on, you'd get sick of the jokes pretty quickly, too; I know there is little I hate more than stereotyping - after a while, it's just crazy to try to change it. And, on a more specific level, are people really that homophobic? That they'll go to court over terminology? You know, considering the grand tradition of homosexuality throughout Greek history (Sparta, for example, was, at the height of its power, based on a system that involved older men taking boy lovers), the people of the Aegean are really testy about the subject. I think the people of Lesbos should just sit back and let it roll off their shoulders. That's really how they're going to prove that they're bigger than all of this.