Halloween

Happy Halloween everyone! I know for most,
me included, this is just a candy holiday, the
more Reece's peanut butter cups and Snickers,
the better! But we all know that the origins of
this holiday had nothing to do with chocolate.
I gleaned some extra info about Halloween
from the American Folklife Center of the
Library of Congress. It began as a Celtic festival held at the end of
summer. Livestock were secured for the winter and crops harvested;
it marked the beginning and ending of an eternal cycle. At the same
time the Celts believed that this was the one time of year that the
dead could mingle with the living; bonfires were lit at these festivals
to honor these dead, and to assist them on their journey to the after-
life. In some cases, animals were also sacrificed, adding yet another
feature to what became known as a pagan holiday, associated with
darkness, death, and dread (and gave rise to our modern day Goths!).
This festival, known as Samhain, eventually began to diminish as
Christianity spread throughout Europe, particularly during the papal
reign of Pope Gregory the First (590 - 604 AD). But rather than destroy
or diminish local customs, Gregory wisely set about to have church
holy days fall on native holy days. Samhain didn't completely disappear
though, as the belief in spirits and the supernatural continued to exist.
It eventually became known as All Hallows Eve (day before the All
Saints celebration), then Hallow Evening, and eventually Hallowe'en.
It came to the U.S. in the mid 1800's, when a large influx of Irish
immigrants came to the U.S. after a devastating potato famine hit
Ireland in the 1840's. Naturally, it took on a whole new meaning in the
new world, to the point where today it is basically fall's version of Mardi
Gras; candy companies make big bucks, as do costume manufacturers
and pumpkin farmers. But corporate America aside, it's fascinating to
learn how an ancient holiday started, what it meant, and how it evolved.
That said - trick or treat...chocolate please!

cool sites

Just to let y'all know, I am not always scouring the internet for weird
stories about food bans or the travails of drag queens. I go to other
sites and actually do something constructive every once in a while, like
play online games or send e-cards! (ok, maybe NOT so constructive!)
When holidays come around the corner, there is one site that I just
have to hit, Hallmark.com. Correct, that of the card store; they have
a great selection of free e-cards and deliver them reliably, you just pick
the date. So naturally with Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and
New Years all within 3 months of each other, I'll be busy there. Not that
I don't send real cards for Christmas, but the Hallmark e-cards are fun.
They even let you set up an address book - very convenient. And then,
when not sending e-cards or e-mail, reading the news, or writing about
restaurant scandals and misadventures, I visit one of my favorite sites,
Pogo.com. Yes, I know, funny name, but it has the best selection of online
games if you are a card and/or board and/or puzzle and/or word game
type of person (if you like the shoot 'em ups, sorry). There I can play a
myriad of card games, including Gin, one of my faves. I also play this great
game called Phlinx, which is sort of an Egyptian based puzzle game. And
then the ultimate - Backgammon, simply the best game ever! Hard to
find folks who know how to play it, as it is kind of confusing at first, but
great fun. It is one of those rare games where both luck and strategy play
a role. Chess and checkers are strictly strategy, while backgammon has
that, plus a bit of luck is involved, as you must roll the dice and hope to
get what you need. Of course, you make your own luck, knowing the best
moves to make with each possible dice roll, based on the positions of your
and your opponent's pieces. Just love it. What is also nice about Pogo is
that all the game rooms have a chat. You can mute if you are anti-social,
or ignore it, or get up to date with the latest romance, such as one I saw
the other day, between Mindy (in Alabama) and Dave (in Colorado)! You
will also see family members meet there and play together, catching up on
family news and gossip. Or you can stay in touch with friends, as I do
occasionally in the backgammon rooms, with a gal pal from Vancouver,
Canada. That's right, Pogo has foreign players too, I actually discovered it
6 years ago when I was still living overseas. Even met a couple of nice folks
from New Zealand....hhhhmmmm, wonder if they eat vegemite like the
Aussies do, if so, better hide it in the shampoo bottle if visiting the U.S.!

technorati tags:hallmark, hallmark.com, pogo, pogo.com, e-cards, online, games

developments

Well, 1 down, not sure how many to go. At the restaurant we are
FINALLY rid of miss bad attitude, sour puss Maria. One of the
new wait staff hires worked out quite well, so the move was made.
The straw that broke the camel's back was last weekend, when a
party of 4 ladies walked out due to Maria's total lack of service and
attention. She also refused to wait on a couple of other tables, just
unacceptable. And when told of this development, Maria actually
tried to defend WHY she refused to wait on certain tables, just
unreal. Plus the fact that she was not a team player, refusing to
help out fellow wait staff members, always wanting to go home
early, and calling out "sick" every time she had a hot date. To top
it all off, she even "parked" in back of the restaurant on one of her
days off with her latest boyfriend! I mean, simply idiotic - did she
really believe no one would notice her car and fogged up windows
for 3 hours? Like there are no other parking lots in our fair city....
just dumb! But Maria is now gone, and absolutely no one misses
her - good riddance! Meanwhile Shaniqua has had some health
issues, one of them being kidney stones! I always thought that was
an issue for older folks, not someone her age (not sure how old she
is, but late 20's, early 30's). But after missing one night, she was
back last night (I was able to send her home early to rest), and was
able to wait on the one and only Whistler and his wife. I have to
report unfortunately that Marion's Alzheimers has gotten worse, she
even thought that Shaniqua was her daughter! (um, Marion and Tom
are white, Shaniqua is ghetto fabulous!) The sad thing is that it seems,
in the last month, that Tom is beginning to slip himself. Both of their
appetites are less, and he, every once in a while, forgets things himself,
little things, but I just hope that isn't the start of his wife's awful
disease. They are both in the 80's, and they do get around well, but you
just have to wonder sometimes. I love the interaction I have with the
regular customers, but am distressed by all their various health issues;
I shouldn't get so attached, but I do, can't help it. I play the tough.
mean cold witch with a 'B' on the outside, but I guess inside I am a
bit...just a bit mind you....of a softy....but don't let that get
around now, I have a reputation to maintain!!

#100

A sort of mini-milestone today - this is post #100 to this blog, in other
words, I have entertained, informed, or bored y'all 100 times! I started
this in July as an experiment, to see if I still like writing after not doing
so for a good while, and how my writing style rates. I wrote ALOT when
in college - the price of being a history major - lots of essays, reports,
bio's, theses, from 2 pages to 200. But this is a completely different
style of writing, and while some folks are thinking 'stick to the history
stuff chick', I have enjoyed sharing my rants, stories, and opinions on
here. And I would be remiss if I didn't thank my regular readers, I think
I have just over a dozen or so of those, and about another dozen who
check in occasionally. And to all the random one-time readers, I thank
you too, and come back again...never know when I will have an update
or debate. For instance, yesterday, I saw on the Italian news channel
that another controversy has erupted about the transgender (drag
queen) member of parliament, Vladimir Luxuria. Apparently several
women are upset that he/she is using the women's facilities in the
parliament building. They even interviewed a couple dames: one said
having Luxuria in the women's restroom was a form of sexual harass-
ment; the other bimbo went even further by saying that having Luxuria
in their powder room was a form of rape against her and other women!
Um, ladies? Vladimir has ZERO interest in harassing y'all or forcing
himself upon y'all....heck, he just wishes he was y'all! Give the guy/lady
a break and allow her use of the facilities when nature calls. (and ask her
for some fashion tips if you see her in there, have seen her wearing some
gorgeous skirt/jacket ensembles on TV!) It would be more controversial
if Luxuria was using the men's room; males would claim he was ogling
all of them in there. *sigh* drag queens are so misunderstood!

technorati tags:Blog, blogger, Italy, parliament, Vladimir, Luxuria

Vegemite

My pal Lola and I often e-mail each other links to absurd stories,
scandals, or just plain weird stuff we come across while searching
the endless world wide web. (alot of Anna Nicole Smith adventures
are included of course!) Anyway, the other day she sent me a link
from a news site from Australia of all places - www.news.com.au :

"THE US has banned Vegemite, even to the point of searching
Australians for jars of the spread when they enter the country.

The bizarre crackdown was prompted because Vegemite has been
deemed illegal under US food laws.

The great Aussie icon - faithfully carried around the world by travellers
from downunder - contains folate, which under a technicality, America
allows to be added only to breads and cereals.

Australian expatriates in the US said enforcement of the ban had been
gradually stepped up and was now ruining lifelong traditions of
Vegemite on toast for breakfast.

Kraft spokeswoman Joanna Scott said: "The (US) Food and Drug
Administration doesn't allow the import of Vegemite simply because
the recipe does have the addition of folic acid.''

The US was "a minor market'' for Vegemite, she said."

Ok, my take on all this is that someone from the USFDA had WAY
too much time on their hands and figured this would be a way to
get a step up on the career ladder - "hey, I banned the dangerous
Vegemite!" What's next, no more hummus from the middle east
(probably made by the sister of a terrorist!), or olive paste from
Sicily (made by the mother of a mafia don!)? Heck, let's ban
feta from Greece and herring from the Scandavian countries as
well, definately some dangerous ingredients in those too. Sheesh.
But I guess it is kind of sad that Lola and I feel the need to have
to go in search of such stories, as the ones dominating the
headlines are just too depressing or maddening these days. Thus
the scramble for the odd, amusing, head-scratching tale....the
odyssey for not your everyday news! HEY, after 3 months of doing
this blog, the title of it finally connects! better late than never?? ;)

technorati tags:Vegemite, Australia, USFDA, USDA, FDA

comments and concern

It's nice to see when folks comment on this blog (the biggest thanks
going to Lola of course!); it is proof that SOMEONE is reading. What
is even nicer is when someone comments in the form of a question,
asking about a specific someone or something. Someone, and I have
a feeling I know who, asked me how my concerned observer, Mrs.
Reagan, is doing. Those who know her, or have been loyal readers,
know that she my older ill friend. She has a disease that she is
fighting with the upmost of dignity, patience, persistence, and at
times, even with humor. I have nothing but admiration for her in
the midst of my concern and sorrow for her. I am sorry she has to
go through this, especially as the very same disease she is battling
took her daughter 13 years ago. I am sorry that no cure has been
found. I am sorry there is nothing I can do for her other than be
her friend and try to cheer her up, take her mind off things. So to
the kind person who asked about Mrs. Reagan, let me say that she
has her good days and bad days....I can usually tell from her color
and, naturally (considering my profession!), her appetite. She has
been eating fairly well lately, or at least makes a gallant effort.
Granted, her appetite is less, and she has lost weight, but she still
comes by for the food, and for the adventures and conversation too.
However, when she comes by for dinner, she doesn't stay as late now,
as it has been getting darker sooner, and she is hesitant to drive in the
dark. Don't blame her, I even have a little bit of trouble driving at
night with my glasses, and I am 1/2 her age. So to sum up, Mrs.
Reagan, the concerned observer of the restaurant, is alive and kicking,
allowing her doctors to try new treatments on her in the hope that
one of them sticks and does the job. My fingers are crossed in my
never ending optimistic hopes. Come by when you can and see Mrs.
Reagan, before dark of course, or in the AM for breakfast!

Good news

a couple of different streams here. First tidbit of good news, make
that EXCELLENT news, is that my good friend Mr. Thompson does
not have the serious health issue that he was afraid of. He took some
tests, and while he needs to be monitored every 3 months, there is
no sign of what was feared. Now I hope this means that stubborn
Mrs. Thompson will go and take care of herself now too, instead of
finding excuses to put everything off.....hint hint hint! Next, in what
may or may not be good news, the Dallas Cowboys are going to make
a change at the quarterback position. Hey, even if it doesn't work out,
at least there was an effort to right the tilting ship; we'll see. Ok, now
to the restaurant. We have hired 2 new waitresses, and while it is
still early, they both looked promising on their first day of training,
so fingers crossed that they work out and we can rid ourselves of a
couple of negative elements there (hint hint hint to Melinda and
Maria). Now if we could just get an extra cook in there, as we are
a bit short handed on the night shift. Any takers out there?

doom or gloom?

Remember that ridiculous countrified show from the '70's,
'Hee Haw', with Minnie Pearl and her hat with the price tag
still attached? (yes, TV viewing during my elementary school
years was rather suspect!) Anyway, at various points during
the show, these hicks would break into some song that I can't
quite remember all the words to. Was it 'gloom, despair, and
agony on me', or 'doom, despair, and agony on me'? Doom or
gloom, gloom or doom? At this point, either is appropriate for
how I am feeling right now. I FINALLY got to watch the Dallas
Cowboys on TV (they are usually either not shown locally or I
am at work if they are), and OF COURSE they went out, played
pitifully, and lost miserably IN Texas Stadium. They fell behind,
seemed to get back into the game, then a series of interceptions
sent them into the abyss. Disappointing. oh well, there is always
next week, but the schedule doesn't get any easier, so they need to
get on track soon in order to salvage the season. So back to 'Hee
Haw', a classic example of cheezy '70's TV; I also remember 'The
Sonny and Cher Show' (Cher is still around, and thanks to multiple
plastic surgeries, looks practically the same!), 'Charlies Angels'
(boobs and hair everywhere!), and 2 of my faves, 'The 6 Million
Dollar Man' and 'The Bionic Woman'! I also enjoyed 'The Carol
Burnett Show' on occasion. Other classics included 'All in the
Family', 'Good Times', 'The Waltons', 'Wonder Woman'', 'Maude',
'Cannon', 'Mannix' , 'The Jeffersons', and 'Welcome Back Kotter'.
gee, not hard to see why I started playing and/or watching sports
all the time! (when I wasn't doing my homework of course!)

technorati tags:Dallas, Cowboys, football, sports, 70's, television

Headlines

Well, I could get into the Madonna adoption thing again, but I
will magnanimously avoid that, as I realize not all folks are fans
of hers. Gee, why are my fave singers so dysfunctional - Madonna,
Whitney Houston, heck, even Celene Dion (I mean, she did marry
someone old enough to be her father, and she speaks FRENCH,
which in itself is a character flaw!)! To get back on track, was just
checking out the headlines at CNN.com, and my other fave website,
sportsillustrated.cnn.com (for my sports fix). Don't care for baseball,
but I see a controversy developing about a 'foreign substance' on
some pitcher's hand. Kind of reminds me of the pinetar incident in
the 80's with George Brett of the KC Royals, or even the more recent
corked bats. I guess cheaters abound in all sports, all in the effort
to gain an edge over an opponent. Steroids are the worst example
of course, and they are found everywhere, baseball most notably
(thank you Barry Bonds), football, even cycling - look at how many
bike racers get tossed out of tours every year. I remember in my
sports playing years my biggest problem was trying to find a sports
bra that actually fit me and was semi-comfortable! Anyhow, CNN's
news are even more disheartening....more human remains have
been found at the World Trade Center site. This will just further
torture family members of those lost there, raising hopes that they
will finally have something to bury, dashing again many of those
hopes after DNA is done. And to top it all off, October '06 is the
deadliest month so far for U.S. troops in Iraq, and we still have a
week to go....hhhmmm, who should we 'thank' for that?!?!?

technorati tags:baseball, Iraq, World, Trade, Center, CNN, Sports, Illustrated

Rednecks on the run

Just a few notes just to pass along. There had been some fugitive on
the run here locally; the other day he got tracked down and then was
shot by the police after he failed to surrender. Naturally there is a
debate now as to if shooting him was necessary, what else could have
been done, etc. etc. But I am bringing this up mainly for what reason?
Well, naturally this convict on the run is a friend of one of the dayshift
waitresses - Tiffany! She seems to know an inordinate number of
rednecks, convicts, (ok, so they are interchangeable!), and wannabe
criminals. So she was kind of upset by the turn of events that this case
took. It will be quite interesting to hear her take on things next time I
see her. Changing streams completely, had a nice visit from my buddy
Mike last night; he had gone to visit his parents in southern Virginia and
dropped by on the way back to D.C. where he resides. Was great to see
him and his significant other; bad news is that the S.O., a medic in the
army, is being sent to Iraq in November for a year. Mike is making jokes
about the insurance policies and such, but I think deep down he is
worried, I know I would be, and actually am, as I have grown fond of
his S.O.. Daggone Iraq and this so called war or whatever it is....Vietnam
in the desert rather than the jungle. On a much lighter note, on the
verge of surreal actually, this Madonna adoption brouhaha.....what on
earth is going on here? Angelina Jolie can adopt 3rd world babies, but
Madonna can't? I know this is all a publicity ploy on Madonna's part,
she is an expert in getting media attention, either with her music videos,
past relationships, movies, religious conversions....the list goes on and
on.....so this is just another in the series. But I still don't get all this
debate and animosity, I almost feel sorry for the Material Girl...almost I
said. Let me go listen to a song which led to one of her past controversies,
'Like a Prayer' (remember burning crosses and a Jesus of color?!?) Pepsi
dropped her from their ad campaign quicker than a dog grabs a bone!

Antique Cars

My husband and I went
to an antique car show
today, something small
held at a local nursing
home here. My guess for holding it there
was that the residents there remembered these cars from their
younger days....'oh look at that 1934 Ford, my father had a car
like that', or 'wow, a 1950 Desoto, I had a one when I was in
college!' Anyway, above you see a couple of images above, not
from the show, just a couple of nice photos I found online, I think
the one of the left is an old Ford, and the white one on the right
looks like a Studebaker (not sure exactly, I just liked the cars and
the pictures....feel free to correct me if need be). I guess I have
always liked to go to old car shows, just another extension of my
passion for history I guess. Also fascinating to see how the
automobile has evolved over the decades. The engines, interior,
seating, tires, dashboard, even the steering wheels have changed
tremendously; some old station wagons were even partially made
from wood! And all the fins, chrome, whitewalls - classic stuff! I
learned to drive on a 1964 Thunderbird, a big heavy tank of a car,
comfy, powerful, and gorgeous. Below is the same model and age as
that old T-Bird, but a different color.....just a special car. A whole lot
different from my little red Protege 5!

hypochondriacs

quoted from Medkuz.com:

"Hypochondria is a very real preoccupation with the fear
of developing or having a serious illness. Hypochondriacs
interpret physical sensations as serious illness.
Hypochondriacs continue to believe they are sick even after
a doctor has found nothing wrong. Hypochondria is often
associated with obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety.
Hypochondria can also be brought on by stress. There has
been some evidence that anti-depressants can alleviate
severe Hypochondria."

quoted from healthdiaries.com:

"Hypochondria is a mental disorder in which a healthy person
believes that he or she is gravely ill. A person with this
disorder will obsess over every little ache and pain in the body
and will think that it indicates something very serious. Often,
illnesses with no cure or very low rate of cure are the most
feared.

Of course, hypochondriacs do get sick like everyone else, but a
past history of hypochondria may make it difficult for doctors
and loved ones to tell whether the person's ailment is real or
imagined."

Why I am quoting and writing about hypochondriacs? Because sometimes,
at the restaurant, I feel as if I am surrounded by them. Two folks in particular
seem to have some kind of ailment every single week without fail, to the
point where it is monotonous (you have heard of the boy crying wolf? That
is how I feel right now about these girls.) First case is a night shift waitress I
have mentioned once before, Melinda (the uber-lazy one). Last night it was
her tooth AGAIN, had that a couple of weeks ago. Usually it is female stuff or
headaches or a stomach ailment or a leg/ankle problem....the list goes on.
Next we have Tina, the waitress turned night shift hostess (boob job girl!).
Her cases usually are female probs, migraines, stomach ailments, intestinal
issues, back problems, and even a foot issue one week. From the time she
has come back to the restaurant not a single week has gone by without
something going wrong for her, or for Melinda for that matter. Yes, I have
other pseudo hypochondriacs too - pot stirrer Maria has various cold/flu,
headache or stomach ailments, as does day shift girl Roxanne, but we
have pretty much figured out that these "illnesses" arise when they have
a hot date, as they do not make the pre-requisite beeline to the emergency
room as Melinda and Tina do. You also don't hear Roxanne or Maria
discussing the myriad of medications they are on as Tina and Melinda
do - all kinds of pain meds, some of the narcotic variety. I smell not only
hypochondria, but prescription med dependency here, as they must
medicate themselves to get through the day. Perhaps they use imagined
physical ailments as a means to an end, the end being drugs. It is rather
sad, as both of these girls are several years younger than me - what will
they be like in 5-10 years? Call medicaid, medicare, someone....anyone!

technorati tags:hypochondria, hypochondriac, prescription, drugs

Siberian Huskies

gosh, for a minute earlier this afternoon I thought
maybe it was me, and not my pal Lola, who was in
Alaska. My husband and I went for a walk as
it was a fairly nice day. We always encounter dogs,
but today must have been Siberian Husky day. We
ran into 3 gorgeous ones. Two of them I have seen
around the general area, owned by some older folks. They are the
classic gray/black/white ones. But the 3rd one we saw, for the first
time, was very different, and even more striking. It was a much
younger dog, a large puppy I suppose, who was white with reddish
brown markings, and the blue eyes naturally. Just very beautiful. We
have seen German Shepards in the past, and various other breeds,
unfortunately mostly the ankle biter types, small, nervous, and yippy.
Thus why the Shepards and Huskies stand out so much, but with their
hair, maybe more suited for Alaska than central Virginia. ah, feel a
visit to our local SPCA coming up soon!

bits and pieces

not a heck of a lot going on today, but it is Wednesday, not usually an
active day. Worked with Tiffany, she and her boyfriend are officially
over and out - about time, hope she sticks to her guns, as she can do
better. My concerned observer Mrs. Reagan came in, as did my pal
Michelle, who mentioned to me that she reads this blog everyday
religiously. THANK YOU Michelle!!! That was nice to hear. Hope
that this will be the time she finally gets over Sean and moves on.
Also had a visit from that venerable couple Lisa and Peter. I forgot
to mention something about them from last week. Not sure how we
got on the conversation (they tend to be quite varied), but at one
point someone mentioned that supermarket rag 'The National
Enquirer'. Well, Lisa immediately extolled the virtues of it, saying
that is was indeed accurate, and oftentimes reported 'news' a week or
2 before anyone else! Peter and I both retorted with the fact that the
'Enquirer' also gets sued almost daily, but that didn't seem to deter
Lisa. I can't say I am really surprised; what did rather shock me is that
when I mentioned the stories they sometimes run about UFOs, she
gave me this look (the one that said 'I believe them') , and proceeded
to promise to tell me some unbelievable stories about the U.S.
government and experiments they conduct. Didn't have a chance to
hear such stories today, but will try to get them out of her over the
weekend if we aren't too busy at the restaurant. You know, I can't
say I am really surprised, but a part of me is. I can understand some
yahoo from hickville believing what the 'Enquirer' writes, but Lisa is
an educated, intelligent woman. But she does indeed have a very
inquiring mind, and it extends beyond the norm, but also into the
supernatural. My friend Sandra (who has completely disappeared
AGAIN) also has some occasional ventures into something beyond
the everyday realm; I simply have my doubts about something I
can't see or understand for myself. Guess that is why something on
the abstract side of life never appealed to me.....especially math. ICK,
just couldn't stand the stuff in school. For me, if you can add, subtract,
multiply, and divide, you are good to go. Give me a break with all
these other theorems or equations that don't mean squat in everyday
life and serve no purpose in daily activities. Not trying to compare
math to the supernatural or sci-fi, but all 3 reside in the field of bored
indifference for me.....guess that theory of the left brain/right brain,
and which side is dominant in a person, is true after all!

Italy and Politics

Ok, I have been holding this story back since last week, when I
first found out about this amazing fact. First of all, you all should
remember a couple weeks back when I wrote about Cicciolina,
the Hungarian born Italian porn star who was elected to
Parliament briefly in the 80's. Well, our good friends the Italians
have topped that incredibly unbelievable event. Italy held
elections earlier this year; my husband, watching an Italian
political talk show one night last week (on RAI, the national
Italian TV station) noticed an 'unusual' looking woman (as he
put it) who was one of the guests. Turns out this woman, a new
member of Parliament, was a drag queen! Yes you read right,
no your eyes are not deceiving you, the country where the Pope
resides has done it again! Her name is Vladimir Luxuria; she
considers herself 'transgender'. Born Wladimiro Guadagno in
Foggia, in the region of Puglia, Luxuria moved to Rome in the
mid 80's to study, but by the early 90's had established herself
as an actress. Luxuria also organized Rome's first ever gay pride
festival in 1994. It was shortly thereafter that she entered the
political arena and joined the Communist Party (yes, believe it
or not, they still get votes in Italy, enough so that the leader
that the leader of the party serves as their version of the House
Speaker). When Luxuria decided to run for a seat this year, she
promised to keep the sequins, boas, wigs, and feathers out of
the parliament, that she would be dignified. She was livid when
the media began to compare her to Cicciolina, saying she was not
a circus act. And indeed, after her election in April, she has kept
her word, wearing business suits, very conservative but also very
feminine, provoking outrage amongst her more conservative
parliamentary colleagues; some from the far right actually went
as far as calling Luxuria "sinful" and a "faggot". To top it all off,
the right wing has called for an extra restroom to be installed in
the Parliament building for her, as they believe she shouldn't be
allowed to use the women's restroom, and Luxuria won't use the
men's. (um, Fascists? get over it and let the 'person' use whatever
facilities he/she desires, and save the taxpayers the money the cost
of a new restroom would entail!) So let's all keep an eye on the first
drag queen in the European political arena and see how she does -
gotta love the Italians, for the food, culture, and zaniness!

technorati tags:Vladimir, Luxuria, Italy, politics, parliament, communist, gay, transgender

more football

Sad stuff. The local university's football team had a 20-0 halftime lead
yesterday, and lost 28-26. Meltdown, breakdown, and silly mistakes, and
not just from the players, but the coaches too. 4th down and 4, in easy
field goal range, down 8 points with 5 minutes to go. Should be going
for the field goal, bring them to within 5 points, make a defensive stop
and get the ball back. Logical.....BUT NO, coach decided to go for it,
didn't get the 1st, lost possession. Then they did make a defensive stop,
got the ball, scored a TD, but failed on the 2 point conversion, and the
result was a two point loss rather than potentially a 2 point win. Go for
the field goal, have some confidence....SHOW some confidence in your
defense, that they can get the ball back for you. Well, have to rely on the
Dallas Cowboys to come through today, and so far, as I am typing here,
they are winning in the 3rd quarter, hope that keeps up. So to get to the
restaurant - got a phone call from Lola in Alaska, and actually had time
to talk to her. I got to hear her adventure about trying to take a picture
of a baby moose, and the mother moose who wasn't impressed and
proceeded to chase her (and her greyhound) away! Sounds like moose,
and maybe bears too, are as prevalent there as squirrels, possums, and
raccoons here. Only difference is that most of the Virginia wildlife I
mentioned end up as roadkill, while the Alaska wildlife can turn the
tables and maybe kill you! Anyhow, also got a visit from my little
buddy Francesca, after yet another party. She was actually sober and
early (for her anyway) this time, as she told me she got bored at this
party, so she just hit the keg a couple of times and split. She was broke
again, and I could tell she was hungry (as she eyed a plate a pancakes
that went by her!), so I fed her pancakes and heard the latest. She is
single, not seeing anyone at this time....she claimed she has no time
for a boyfriend, with school and her part-time job. No sooner was that
statement out of her mouth, she went on to mention a very shy guy in
her biology class that she might make a move on since he is really
really really cute! Ah, Francesca! Of course, once the cooks got wind
that she was in the restaurant, they managed to find reasons to be
out front - bathrooms breaks, getting something to drink, buying
something from the gum machine, grabbing a toothpick....it was so
obvious and porcine! (as I have explained in the past, Francesca is
very pretty) I mentioned to her how her sister Lilly had been in the
night before, and she then lamented the fact how she doesn't get to
see her as much as she would like, how their schedules conflict. I had
gathered that was the case as Lilly, when she leaves the restaurant,
almost always tells me to say HI to Francesca, stating that I will
probably see her before she does! oh, good news, Dallas has extended
their lead as the game enters the 4th quarter, so I can go and get
ready for work happy!

fall and football

This is almost the best time of year (the actual best is when we emerge
from the winter and hit the nice warm temps of spring). Fall has fully
arrived, which translates to tree leaves beginning to turn, nice crisp
temps during the day - not too cold, not too hot, Halloween right
around the corner (and some Reece's Peanut Butter cups calling my
name!), and lots and lots of football! College football on Saturdays,
the pros on Sunday. And we can't forget high school football on
Friday nights. There is a family that comes into the restaurant on
Friday nights, after their son's football game. He is a junior on one
of the local high school teams, starting at quarterback. When I see
them come in, I can usually tell from the facial expressions if they
won or lost; they then proceed to tell me all about the game, how it
was won or lost, and how junior played. It's kind of fun, and they
are a nice family. They began coming in last year, and even when
it wasn't football season they made a point of coming in every once
in a while to visit me (and for the mother to have her favorite, my
delicious amaretto cappucinos!). The only drawback to this time of
year is at night, when the temps drop down frostily low, reminding
us that winter is indeed right around the corner (well, winter isn't
all bad, as that is when hubby makes sure to build nice fires in our
fireplace!). Oh well, such is life - just hoping the Dallas Cowboys do
well tomorrow and get a 'W', actually hoping the same for our local
university's football team today, but not holding my breath!

change of plans...maybe

ok, so Shaniqua may be back...she came back very contrite to apologize
for the other day. She had perfect timing, as she did this shortly after
Maria called out sick YET AGAIN...every week it is something with
her...I would feel bad for saying this if she really was, but she isn't. And
naturally, she called out on a busy night - yes, we got EXTREMELY busy
before and after the concert...madhouse. So Shaniqua got a couple of
Maria's shifts. Now all will pend on Shaniqua's behavior and Maria's
lenghth of "illness". And we have another hypochondriac at the
restaurant it seems. Our waitress turned hostess with the mostess Tina
has complained of close to 1/2 a dozen ailments in the last week. Not
sure what to make of all of them. Gee, is it a restaurant or General
Hospital? I am sure we qualify as a soap opera!

semi-crisis

Well, it appears that the one and only Shaniqua is no longer with us
at the restaurant. Stuff always seems to happen on my days off, but at
least I have more than a few sources of info to catch me up! Anyway,
it seems that another waitress (a rather sour puss Hispanic girl, I'll
call her Maria here) told Shaniqua that she heard yet another of the
night shift waitresses (a very lazy, skinny girl I'll call Melinda) say that
Shaniqua was lazy. Before I go into what happened, let me just say that
Shaniqua is not lazy at all in my book. What gets her in trouble, and
lets her fall behind in her work, (making it appear she is lazy) is that
she likes to spend time and talk with her regular customers; since being
at the restaurant, she has garnered quite a few regulars, people who
ask for to sit in her section or ask for her to wait on them (possibly a
source of jealousy from the other waitresses if you ask me). On occasion,
she would lose a bit too much time socializing, but in the end she would
put it another gear and get her work done. Anyway, back to the episode.
When Shaniqua heard that someone (who she doesn't particularly care
for) called her lazy, she blew a gasket, apparently in the middle of the
restaurant. The manager on duty told her to calm down, not to worry
about what other people say, and just to do her job. Well, apparently
she went to the back where she just continued her tirade, loud enough
to be heard out front. So the manager went back to tell her again to take
it easy and lower it several octaves - when she didn't, she got sent home.
I can kind of understand Shaniqua being upset that Melinda, of all
people, called her lazy, as there is absolutely NO ONE lazier in the
restaurant than Melinda. However, to carry on a verbally loud and
way too expressive tirade in the middle of the restaurant is simply
uncalled for. That shows a lack of respect for the manager, co-workers,
and most of all, customers. Just unacceptable. And to be honest, I am
also a little teed off at Maria. She is just a sour person, one who looks
like she just ate a lemon AND is constipated all the time, that kind of
look on her face always. She likes to stir the pot, to say things to get a
rise out of others, and when confronted, immediately denies ever
saying such a thing. I have no use for those kind of people AT ALL.
Yet she is still at the restaurant due to sheer luck. Everytime we hire
someone to replace her, they either don't work out, or someone else
quits or gets fired first. So now with Shaniqua gone, we are still
stuck with Maria, and the lazy Melinda. To make matters worse, this
evening is a huge concert in town, and this weekend we have a home
football game to boot, so basically busy days coming, and we will be
short-handed. Fortunately next week Keisha will be back, recovered
from her hernia surgery. Ah the drama, but all so needless and silly.
At least this evening I will have Kathy on the floor, she is one of the
best waitresses ever, fast, efficient, and friendly. She had a bit of
drama of her own last week. The cab company in charge of picking
her up and taking her back to her "3 hots and a cot" domicile got
fired, as one of the cabbies showed up drunk (hhhmmm, wonder
if he got arrested on the spot?). Then the replacement cab company
messed up on her times, and to top it off, the work release coordina-
tor mixed up her work schedule (which has to be presented the
week before). So the last week or so has been an adventure, wonder-
ing if and when Kathy will be arriving. But it is kind of like the old
Safeguard soap commercials - a little bit is better than none - a late
or restricted Kathy is better than none!

Catalogues

You sure know when the holiday season begins to be near - your
mailbox becomes flooded with catalogues; box stuffed to the gills
with more and more of them as the fall wears on (well, that and
all the credit card offers, which are year round). Just today alone
I got 7 catalogues, and I know that will not be anywhere near the
busiest day for them. What is just amazing is that out of, say, 20
catalogues I receive, I have actually ordered something out of
maybe 2 of them. But those 2 are enough obviously to be included
on mailing lists of other companies who offer similar products.
For example, I ordered something from Eddie Bauer and thus got
a J. Crew catalogue too. Or I'll order something from Harry &
David, then get innundated with other food speciality catalogues.
Oh well, more donations to the recycle bin!

Unreal

North Korea just trips me out. Kim Jong il is one of those type of folks
who craves, needs, requires attention. World events are not focusing
anywhere near him, so he does something to grap everyones
headlines. Crazy coot, a poorer version Castro in the Cold War days. What
is just sadly insane is that these nations who are still under some form of
a dictatorship don't have the funds for the basics that other (free) nations
have. Look at the cars on the street in Havana - 50's leftovers. The limited
footage of folks in Pyongyang, can we say poor? They had a famine not
that long ago. People are dying in the ocean, drowning in an attempt to
escape Cuba. Let me even extend it to Russia - yeah yeah yeah, Russia
is supposedly free, no longer communist. But if anyone actually believes
Putin isn't ruling with an iron fist, well I have some swampland for sale.
How many stories have we heard from Moscow about civil servants, military
lifers, scientists, and professors who don't get paid for months? Yet these
countries have funds for nuclear tests or other unnessary nonsense that
gives ZERO benefit to their citizens. Pathetic. I feel for the South Koreans
now, especially those who were hoping to see loved ones trapped in the
North since the war and the communist takeover - I had read of a program
where there were a limited number of visits allowed between the 2 Koreas;
folks have to wait months for their turn, now it will probably be much
longer. Just a shame. In other news, Google is buying yet another internet
property - You Tube. I had also seen on the news last week that they are
opening an office in NYC.....watch out Bill, they are gaining on you! Hey,
still waiting for my laptop fellas! And for sad news, the local college football
team lost again Saturday, while the Dallas Cowboys lost to Philadelphia
yesterday; sloppy game, too many turnovers and mistakes by the 'Boys. Oh,
and in case anyone missed it, hockey season started last week! oh....you
did miss it? Actually, it's too bad that this sport isn't more popular. I had
the good fortune to be able to go to a couple games several years ago, and
they are fast paced, action packed, and fun - elements of soccer & lacrosse,
but on ice with a much smaller projectile. I think part of the problem does
lies in the hockey puck itself - it is small and, when hit hard and well,
travels at a very high rate of speed, making it tough to keep your eye on. I
can remember numerous times wondering where it was, and have the
same sensation even when I watch it on TV. Nonetheless, I'll try to catch a
few games on the tube and root for the New York Islanders as always!

technorati tags:Korea, Cuba, Russia, nuclear, Pyongyang, google, hockey, football

beware the high school students

Weird night at the restaurant yesterday. Were somewhat busy, then not at
all busy, then crushingly busy. What made it worse is that we were just
innundated with high school students following a homecoming event; they
were obnoxious, loud, boorish (and the blondes superficial AND artificial!).
I think what made it worse was that a group of parents came in too, and
they were even worse than their kids (note to such parents - um, you're
NOT in high school anymore!). Did have some good moments though.
The Thompsons came in for dinner, got to sit with them a bit. During the
time they were there, I got a phone call from Warren, out ex night shift
manager - live from Dallas, Texas! It was great to hear from him; he's
trying to settle in, but sounds rather dismayed at how different people
are from here. Dallas is about 3 million, our fair town somewhere between
40,000 - 50,000. Plus he bemoaned the fact that there are no mountains
there. So naturally I tried to cheer him up by pushing him to go to a
Dallas Cowboys game - I mean, gosh, he is right there! But seriously, I
hope he will be able to adjust soon and get acclimated to a different life.
Speaking of different life, Lola tried to call me last night from Alaska,
but I could not speak with her as she called during my high school
student invasion. She did get a new cat however, something large,
orange, hairy, and somewhat grumpy. Apparently this cat has already
bonded with her greyhound, so that is good news. And last but not
least, very late, like just before closing time, I got a visit from the one
and only Francesca! She hadn't been by in a while, she's really hitting
the books at the local community college seriously, plus has a part-time
job at a clothing store in the mall. She decided to change her major
(NOT a surprise) from some kind of business to something in forensics.
Yes, big about face, but I think a good one, as Francesca doesn't quite fit
the business student mold. The only bad thing is that with this change in
majors, she will probably have to transfer to a university out of town,
rather than to our local one. Time will tell. I did get to see her sister
Lilly the night before; she came in with Steve and Valerie, freshly
returned from the book tour. So lots of nice visits this weekend so far,
other than the bratty high school kids from Hades!

cars and cops

I have never been a huge fan of cops, mainly because in the past they
had a penchant for giving me speeding tickets in an abundance. Yes,
I may have a bit of a lead foot, but let's get logical here. All the car
manufacturers, particularly the American ones, make these nice
sleek automobiles with huge engines. I lived in Europe for almost
7 years, and visited numerous other times. Cars, and their engines,
are much smaller over there due to emission controls, higher car
taxes, and much higher gasoline prices. In some countries,
particularly southern Europe, very narrow roads, inadequate
parking, and substandard highway systems are not meant for
large and/or powerful cars. Yet, despite all these negatives, the
speed limits on the highways are much higher than here - to
translate from the metric system, highway speed limits on average
are around 80-85 in Europe. And I never even got to drive on the
German autobahns, where there is NO speed limit (SWEET!!);
someone even told me that in Germany you can get a ticket for
moving TOO SLOW! And then we come to the U.S., where the
highways are nicer and straighter, the cars bigger and more
powerful (not to mention less tax and lower gas prices), and we
have to piddle along at 55 or, if we are lucky on certain interstates,
maybe 65. Just doesn't make any sense to me, it feels like you're
barely moving. So yes, while some people get tattoos, piercings,
or form Goth bands as a form of expression and rebellion, I just
speed in my mode of transportation. Y'all should remember
Sammy Hagar's song "I Can't Drive 55!" - yes, that was written
with me in mind I'm sure! But I actually brought up the subject
of cops here today due to an incident last night outside the
restaurant. It was late, after midnight, when we saw flashing
blue lights in the parking lot - someone had gotten pulled over
for what we assumed was speeding. Well, it became clear that it
was more than that, as soon another cop car appeared, as well as
a police van, all with the lights flashing. Herman, our ever so
inquisitive cook, decided to investigate what was going on outside,
with the pretense that he was 'taking out the trash'; he proceeded
to find out that the guy was drunk, possibly also in possession of
something illegal, hence the police backup. Eventually the man
who was pulled over was cuffed, put in the police cruiser, and
his car was parked. (hey, if we can't have drama in the restaurant,
we can get it in the parking lot!) It did slightly affect our business
though; this guy came in, a regular late night fellow who comes
in with his pals, and said the rest were on the way. 20 minutes
pass, then about 30, and he was just sitting there smoking and
drinking coffee. I asked him if his friends were still coming,
and he said no. Apparently they called him on his cell; they
were about to pull into the parking lot, saw all the cop cars, and,
as he put it, "got spooked" and decided to just keep going rather
than come in. hhhmmmm, let's analyze this here - my guess was
too much alcohol had been consumed, or maybe some type of
illegality was involved? And let's not assume drugs, it could be
expired license, registration, or tags! ... yeah, right!! ;)

who knows

just got off the phone with my friend Mrs. Thompson. She and her husband,
like me and mine, are still in distress with the move of our family doctor.
We are both trying to glean information and suggestions through friends,
family, and acquaintances in the medical profession - in order to try to find
a new doctor. I have actually thought about calling the dermotologist that
I have seen occasionally in the past. He is an older gentleman, one that I
have alot of respect for. It was he who, over 15 years ago, recommended
the doctor who is now moving. This dermotologist is quite unorthodox,
on the verge of bizarre. Once I came in with a sun poisoning issue (I have
very dark hair yet very fair skin). He took one look at me and spelled out
the word D-U-M-B, saying that with my complexion I should've known
better. My husband one time had some type of infected swelling on his
arm from a bite or cut I think; the good doctor looked at it and proceeded
to announce that the arm will have to come off! With another patient, who
had gone in with some skin and nail problems on his feet, I heard that
this doctor actually took off his own shoe and sock and showed him
correct foot care procedures, even how to cut toenails! Yes, a bit madcap,
yet in all these years, he has never been wrong; you never had to go
back for a followup or repeat visit because he got it right the first time,
and every suggestion or recommendation he ever made was always on
the money. So I am tempted to give him a ring, see what he has to say,
if there is someone he can steer us towards. We'll see. As far as the
restaurant goes, back to night shift for the weekend, should be fairly
quiet these next few days. But next week, with a huge concert in town
and a college football game on tap, crazy busy will be the result. So
going to enjoy this lull and see what kind of drama is going on in the
lives of the staff and maybe even some of the customers. Haven't had
any classic Jerry Springer moments or court/jail/police situations in
a while, just have to rely on Kathy and her big house stories, and
Roxanne and Tiffany with their on and off relationships - wonder
what today is - on or off???

phone connection

Was able to do a nice thing today, at least I think (hope) it was. Lola called
me from Alaska, and my concerned observer, and our good friend, Mrs.
Reagan was there at the restaurant when she called, so I gave her the line.
I know Lola enjoyed the call, and I have a feeling Mrs. Reagan did too.
She seemed a bit depressed today, or maybe she just didn't feel well, as
she had to do a CT scan. They are no big deal, yet they are done to check
for negative things. Of course, they can also give you great news, that
nothing negative is showing up, which of course I hope is the case for
Mrs. Reagan. She will see her doc and get the results tomorrow, so am
hoping for the best. Anyway, I figured a conversation with Lola would
get her mind off everything. And Lola had written about Mrs. Reagan in
her blog, expressing how she missed her, so I know speaking to her was
a good thing. And it didn't end there. The dapper gentleman of the
restaurant, our good Brit Phillip, was also there at the time of the call,
so Lola got to speak to him too. ( I told her that he was wearing his ascot,
a green one to be exact, so she could mentally picture him with it and his
handlebar mustache!) I am willing to bet money there is no one like
Phillip in Alaska! Heck, he may even be unique to Virginia!
Completely changing streams here....am watching, as I am typing, one
of my fave shows, 'Law & Order' SVU. I just love the character of Olivia
on that show, played by Mariska Hargitay, shown below in and out of
her Olivia character. Nice actress, very intense, pretty eyes and smile.
At first I got hooked to the original 'Law & Order', then to SVU when
that came along, Have not been able to get into the 'Law & Order CI',
just don't like the actors there. hhhmmm, just had an idea, if I am
putting pics of good and attractive actors on here, may as well put an
image of one of the best looking ones ever (and a decent actor to boot!),
Cary Grant! Love all of his movies, especially 'Arsenic and Old Lace'
(just an absolute hoot!) and the ultimate chick flick, 'An Affair to
Remember' with Deborah Kerr - have seen it a 1/2 dozen times, still
tear up at the end. I think if I had been a teenage girl in the 50's I
would have had a dozen posters of him in my room - va va va voom,
don't get jealous now hubby! ;)

religious rant

News on CNN just depressing and disgusting - depressing is the Amish
school shootings, following the ones in Wisconsin and Colorado. Those
poor Amish, what did they ever do to anyone other than leave droppings
from the horse pulling their buggy? Just sad. Then that perverted sick
congressman from Florida who resigned over the "vile" e-mails. (like
duh, didn't he think that one day those e-mails would be discovered?
Everything in cyberspace is open to everyone and fair game - dumb.) Now
he is trying to say that he himself was molested by a clergyman when he
was in his early teens. You know, there are 2 things to consider here. One,
even if that was the case, he is still accountable for his own actions; he was
an adult in a responsible position where he was held at a higher standard
and thus should've acted accordingly. Punishment needs to be meted out
to this man, who I suppose now thinks he can escape such since he checked
into rehab....good luck buddy, not going to happen, at least it shouldn't.
Secondly, I noticed that this ex-congressman considers himself Catholic,
so if his allegations are true about the clergyman, this will be yet another
black eye for the Catholic Church. And this naturally brings me to the
sad yet clear fact that this church seems to attract pedophiles due to their
no-marriage and celibacy rules. I am not saying that there are not
perverted priests in the Baptist, Orthodox, Jewish, Lutheran, or any
other church (although those Jim Bakker and Jimmy Swaggert scandals
of the late 80's were rich and seedy - "I have sinned"!!), but we sure
haven't heard about them to the shocking degree that we have about the
Catholics. And what makes it worse is that they cover for themselves; one
priest gets accused of a molestation, he confesses to his higher up, and
his 'punishment' is getting moved to a parish in Arizona, where he can
find another victim. It almost seems like they think that if they confess
their sins, then everything is OK and they can keep right on doing what
they please. So this sad and pathetic congressman may have indeed been
molested, or is just using the easy Catholics as a scapegoat, knowing that
most folks, me included, will believe it due to their shocking recent history.
Just for your general information, in the Orthodox church, priests can get
married, but if they choose to do so, they cannot become bishops. So the
career oriented religious man can skip marriage and move on up the
church hierarchy; the man who desires a more multi-faceted life can get
married, have kids, and be the neighborhood parish priest. There are
choices involved. Catholics - Pope Benedict - maybe it is time to adjust
your outdated rules; they aren't working, but are just providing a haven
for those not worthy of being men of God, yet slipping in anyway.

Tattoos

Tattoos. Don't understand why people get them. Call me old-fashioned,
a fuddy duddy, WHATEVER. But when these folks get old, wrinkled,
fatter or skinnier, these so called works of art and expression are going
to look weird. Of course, it just may be my aversion to pain and needles
talking here, as I am against piercings too, even pierced ears! (I think
my friend Mrs. Thompson and I are the last women on earth, or at
least in Virginia, who don't have pierced ears and must wear clip - on
earrings!). Last night Shaniqua, the night shift waitress I have men-
tioned several times (the one who calls octogenarians "baby"!) was
showing me her new tattoo, the name of her fiance on her left inner
forearm; just to make matters clear, her fiance, one of the night shift
cooks who I will call Melvin here, has her name tattooed on his left
inner forearm as well. They actually met in the restaurant in July,
soon after they had both started working there, and got engaged last
month. Now I don't want to be a naysayer or think negatively, but it
just seems kind of soon and fast for me - 3 months and you get a ring
and matching tattoos! What I didn't want to mention to Shaniqua is
that our ex-waitress, now night shift hostess, Tina (boob job girl)
used to have the name of one of her husbands or boyfriends tattooed
on her back; 6 months later they were history and she had to spent
double the money to have some design tattooed in to hide the name.
Keisha also has a tattoo she needs to get rid of or design over, the
name of another ex. In this case, you have to give credit to Kathy, the
one who enjoys, as she put it so well the other day, "3 hots and a cot!"
Kathy has a tattoo of the name of an ex-boyfriend, but she had it done
in Chinese characters, so you have no clue (unless you are Chinese)
what it says. That eliminates the need of having a do over! Anyway,
you want to paint a rosy picture, but in reality, the way relationships,
committment, and responsibility seem to be digressing with each
generation, a tattoo isn't exactly money well spent. But hey, Melvin
and Shaniqua are in love now, and all is well with the world!

history and JMU

Had a super surprise visit last night at the restaurant. My fave professor,
mentor, and thesis advisor from my grad school days at JMU came to
visit me. She was showing a friend of hers, visiting from New York, the
sites around this part of Virginia, and naturally had to bring her to the
restaurant too! I will call my friend Dr. Battaglia; while her real last
name is far from Italian, she is of Italian descent. (Bologna is where her
father is from, a city in central/north Italy, known for its lasagna, ravioli,
and tortellini - YUM!) Dr. Battaglia has always been the first person I
have turned to for advice, references, letters of recommendation for
resumes and applications, and other matters related to history (that
was my area of study and what I taught for almost 7 years - Modern
European and American). She is also the only person I am still in
contact with from my JMU years. Dr. Battaglia's area of speciality is
Russian History; she even travelled there and speaks the language.
I guess you might say that I have been always drawn to folks who love
Russian history. My absolute fave professor from my undergrad days,
while specializing in Middle East history, also had a keen interest in
the Russians and taught some wonderful, intense courses in Russian
history. He liked to say that during the communist years, people were
"volunteered" to carry out missions and those who refused were
"committed" suicide! Gotta love it when it's put that way! Then Dr.
Battaglia would say that while the Russians were wonderful, artistic
people, their politics and politicians were shady (uumm, yeah), and
untrustworthy (for real). I guess you just have to love a country that
produced the Czars - for example, Catherine the Great, who at first
had her husband Paul tossed into a looney bin so she could take over
as Czar, and then had a couple of her boyfriends kill him just to
remove any chance he could get out and come back to power! Then
the last Czar, Nicholas II, who entrusted major decisions to Rasputin
- that crazy monk who claimed he could cure the Czar's son of
hemophilia! It took about 6-7 attempts for members of the Czar's
outer circle to finally kill Rasputin, poisoning, drowning, strangling
didn't do it, sounds kind of like the Terminator! Gosh, and then we
wonder why the revolution occurred in Russia, instead of a Western
European nation such as England, France, or Germany?!? (where
Marx had predicted the revolution would first occur). The Russians
were always 1 step forward, 10 back....just sad, as they are a very
talented people, extremely artistic, and have a hoard of natural
resources, but you can trust them about as far as you can throw them
politically speaking. Well, back to Dr. Battaglia, she is just a very
special person, and if any of y'all are thinking about taking a history
class at JMU, post a comment to me with your e-mail address and I
will send you her real name so you can try to take a class with her,
you'll love it. She's tough but very fair and she just adores all history,
but has a soft spot for those crazy Russians! Some Stoly anyone?