I was in the Normandy region (yes, it's a region) for the 50th Anniversary of the DDay landing. They may be snooty and anti-American in the big city, but in these small country towns, they REMEMBER what Americans did and they're very grateful, wonderfully nice people -- especially if you're wearing a military uniform. For example, the American (and German) cemeteries are absolutely pristine and extremely well-cared for. Better than most military cemeteries in the US, actually.

Ditto, Loomis. The "Best of" section is hilarious, especially when you can't quite tell if people are serious or not.

Why did the kid want his parents to be married? Because kids want to know that their parents love each other, and they consider marriage (by virtue of all the romantic/Disney films out there) to be the ultimate declaration of permanent love. Having a married mom and dad also gives kids a feeling of safety and stability.

Eh, that's just my .02

My entire day has been made just seeing that steak shaped like Texas. Seriously. Now I know EXACTLY what I want for my birthday! And it should be grilled over mesquite. Lots of it.

I agree with Marianne about the reading. I do read a lot online, but I'm not reading classical works of literature that would expand my mind anymore. Not like I used to when I was a book addict.

And how many more hours daily is your typical horndog guy devoting to online porn, now that he doesn't have to actually go out and purchase a magazine or DVD from a clerk?

I love the internet, but it's a mixed bag.

Ooh, those Space Food sticks were awesome! Like a cross between a Tootsie Roll and a brownie. There are a few sites selling them online, but I'm not sure how authentic they are.

Alex, I'm thinking those payday loans go for beer and cigs. Besides, when a convenience store gets robbed, do the thugs clean them out of bread, lunchmeat and milk for the baby?

My dream biz: a check cashing place that also sells lottery tickets, beer and cigs.

On the plus side, many of us are learning to make do with less.

On the down side, many businesses are learning to make do with fewer employees.

Used to have a Honda CRX and loved it, but here in Texas, there are too many bad drivers piloting huge vehicles. A fender-bender for a big truck is a fatality in a small car.

Wow, a lot of people on the scene apparently thought "helping" meant wandering around to get a better look and shouting "Call 911! Save him!"

This is why heroes get our respect. They don't stand around waving their hands helplessly, shouting for somebody to help. They take action immediately.

Ooh, girl. Somebody needs to see the OBGYN, because "you know what" is more likely than you think.

It would so rock if somebody were to serve this re-fabricated cuisine at some fancy restaurant and see if diners actually noticed the difference.

Now you rude diners can actually see the cook spitting in your food! Be nice, tip well.

Violet is right, yep. A pregnant woman is sharing her nutritional intake with a growing fetus for nine months -- then she has to ingest enough nutrients enough to produce food (milk) for that infant until it can feed itself. Her body has to be efficient at a very basic level in order to keep two people alive. Otherwise, well... no human race.

While I agree with the virtues of owning, I do feel that there are some virtues of being a renter:

1) It's easier to get rid of troublesome neighbors. All it takes is documented complaints to the landlord and a few calls to the police (also documented) to get rid of noisy or drug dealing neighbors.

2) It's much easier to pick up and move. You don't have to worry about who's going to move in next first (aka selling the house so you can move).

3) The monthly bill stays the same, regardless of any maintenance emergency that might come up.

4) Yardwork is somebody else's responsibility. As much as I love to putter with the flowerpots, I'm not always in the mood to mow the yard every other weekend.