An older story, but still has some bite. Apparently, many Americans believe that haggis is some sort of animal that can be hunted like a fox.

These beliefs have spawned some attempts at explaining the finer points of the haggis hunt, and indeed, their intricate breeding habits.

What I was really looking for last night was a pair of flip-flops, but they had to be the right pair.

Now comes news that they can get stuck under brake pedals and possibly cause an accident. Plus some are made with chemicals that can harm reproductive organs, the kidneys and the liver.

Maybe it’s a good thing I didn’t buy any.

New pieces up at his site. If you’re not familiar with throatsinging, you could start with Sol Negro.

One of my sons is in need of underwear. It used to be as simple as picking up a few packages of briefs at the many back-to-school sales, but times have changed. He said he was switching to boxers, so I went looking, and was confronted by a boxer-brief display. Ooh, I thought, a hybrid. But to my surprise, it wasn’t that simple. Within that division, and I still wasn’t sure if my son didn’t want just plain boxers, there were no-tag boxer briefs, button-fly boxer briefs, tapered leg boxer briefs, and flannel or cotton boxer briefs. The only ones I could find in his size had either puppies or football motifs. Defeated, I rounded the corner only to find a big area of just boxers, the big, roomy kind.

I think it’s time he made his own decisions.

Jeff comments:

see this is why i told you i’d buy them myself! sheesh

Go forth, and shop. I’ll be in the sandals.

Last night I went looking for some new sandals, because it doesn’t really get cold till the end of October here. I didn’t find anything, but did try on a pair of pointy-toed heels for fun. There must be a race of women who have a single, very sharply defined toe on each foot. While the shoes are somewhat feminine, they are also weapon-grade footwear.

Because sometimes it’s just the thing to do on a Friday. Thanks, Tom. Marge thanks you too.

In the Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, it was only a rumor until recently.

The secret behind his money was not an inheritance or drugs, but had everything to do with where he had lunch, and the scintillating conversations during and after.

Second in size only to the African goliath beetle, it is found in New Zealand, where it is also known as the devil of the night. Certain species were once thought extinct, but are coming back through conservation efforts.

The potential market is humongous, as the behemoth that is Chinese internet stirs and shakes.

Police have detained two suspected robbers and a very small amount of cash, relative to $68 million. Could be a ruse to divert attention away from the real getaway plans. Do I smell a movie script somewhere? Ocean’s Thirteen?

It would be nice if some Brazilian kids found duffel bags stuffed full of Central Bank bills, but then they’d have to return it.

Beatsounds offers a wearable MP3 player with a bit of throwback to the past: it also works as a locket, so you can carry an image of your beloved .

A former preschool teacher goes to work at a laid-back workplace, and finds many parallels between two worlds. Although I don’t think pie-eating contests during meetings (circle time) are allowed for the kids.

If you’re heading outdoors for some late summer fun, it wouldn’t hurt to know what to do if a bad-tempered bull elk looms up on the trail ahead. Or if you break your upper leg. Or if a bad-tempered bear looms up on the trail ahead.

They found it, they get to keep it. A duffel stuffed with moldy, wet bills is not connected with any known local crime, so the three kids get a leg up on their college fund (says the mom of one).

In the first six months of the year, 46,000 have died, and 236,000 have been injured.

And we thought Californians were bad drivers.

Hackers have gotten past the chip that keeps the Mac OS from running on PCs, and report that their version, OSx86, runs faster. You can bet that Apple is not thrilled, and Steve is coming out with a big stick very soon, if not already. Whack! Whack!

Possibilities also include Persephone and Xena, as astronomers admit that only one planet has a female name. But anything would be better than the provisional name, 2003 UB313.

The bad news is, global weather will continue to be hotter than usual. The good news? Taking a breather after lunch will no longer carry a stigma of laziness.

Climate/heat experts say that naps, already common in some countries, are a handy way to stay cooler during the hottest part of the day.