WanderingAmylessly 2.0

$16.8 billion a year. That's our space program's annual budget. Lots of our hard-earned dough, in the form of tax dollars, helps fund the goings-on at NASA. So what, exactly IS going on at NASA? From a quick glance at the headlines, I'd say a lot of wacky, weird, freaky, and sometimes highly illegal stuff. -- A report released yesterday indicates that NASA officials let at least two astronauts fly while drunk, even after flight surgeons and fellow astronauts raised concerns that safety might be jeopardized. -- This report comes from an independent panel created by NASA after the arrest of astronaut Lisa Nowak in February on charges she tried to kidnap her rival in a love triangle, after driving halfway across the country wearing an adult diaper so she did not have to waste time by making any stops along the way. All three individuals in said triangle worked at NASA. -- Within hours of the report's release, NASA also announced that a computer scheduled to be delivered t...

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My husband is obsessed with cycling. He checks Tour de France updates online several times an hour. He likes riding 100-mile "century" rides. He proudly bought our 3-year-old a Trek and encourages daily outings. We've considered buying toddler biking apparel. Our son rode in RAGBRAI (the Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa) last year, as did LANCE ARMSTRONG. The one thing my husband really DOESN'T like is golf. So what do you think the reaction was today when Tim switched the channel from the British Open to CBS's Tour de France coverage and Henry grunted and exclaimed, "Hey, turn it back to golf. I wanna watch the golf." And every time the golf went to a commercial and Tim switched back to biking, we heard, "Hey, turn it back to golf. I wanna watch the golf." The grandparents were so amused, they went out and bought him a plastic golf set. He's been smacking the plastic, dimpled balls through the rough of crabgrass in our bac...

The Associated Press -- Published on: 07/16/07 IHOP Corp., best known for its chain of blue-roofed pancake restaurants, said Monday it has agreed to buy the bar-and-grill chain Applebee's International Inc. for about $1.9 billion in cash. Oh goodygoody, now we will have even more restaurants at which we'll be sure to get bad service, mediocre food, and if we're really lucky, we'll be called immature liars by the management. That's what our friendly neighborhood IHOP manager called my husband and me in his response to our Better Business Bureau complaint. Actually, I guess it means there are now TWO restaurants in our metro area that we will be boycotting.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Doctors removed five small polyps from President Bush's colon on Saturday, and "none appeared worrisome," a White House spokesman said. Too bad the American people can't remove the quite worrisome pain we've had in our collective ass for the past six years or so. The colonoscopy-esque procedure we need? It's called Impeachment Proceedings.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Vice President Dick Cheney will serve as acting president briefly Saturday while President Bush is anesthetized for a routine colonoscopy. Question 1: Which country will Dick invade during his presidency? Iran? Syria? Canada? New Hampshire? There's a way to recruit more voters for the GOP...make them POWs. Question 2: What do you think the doctors will find when they explore his butt? My prediction: His Head.

I Knew I Loved You Maybe it's intuition But some things you just don't question Like in your eyes I see my future in an instant And there it goes I think I've found my best friend I know that it might sound more than a little crazy But I believe... There's just no rhyme or reason Only this sense of completion And in your eyes I see the missing pieces I'm searching for I think I've found my way home I know that it might sound more than a little crazy But I believe... A thousand angels dance around you I am complete now that I've found you I knew I loved you before I met you I think I dreamed you into life I knew I loved you before I met you I have been waiting all my life --Savage Garden

How cool. How hip! The August issue of Outside Magazine just named the town I live in as the top town in the Midwest. The magazine's editor Christopher Keyes even encouraged people to move here. He says, "Some of the happiest people in the world live in Iowa City." In other news: Iowa City Police charged a 68-year-old homeless man with assault causing serious injury on Tuesday after an altercation that sent another man to the hospital with a stab wound and closed down the Iowa City Pedestrian Mall for four hours. Police said William Beverly Brown, 68, was in an altercation with the victim, whose name was not released, sometime around 7 a.m. Brown produced an instrument, possibly a knife, and stabbed the victim in the stomach. Ok. So not everyone's happy.

Who's Ron Paul? That was my question after seeing this guy's name everywhere from meetup.com to 4th of July parades. When I turned to my husband and asked, "Who's Ron Paul," he ponders, then says... "Oh, isn't he that cross-dresser?" And I went on to inform him, "No dear. That's RuPaul." We still don't know much about Ron Paul, except he's a republican candidate for president in 2008. And he has an ice cream cone's chance in hell of winning. Those patriotic American flags his people were passing out during the Coralville parade? Made in China.

Top Ten Things You Don't Want To Hear At A July Fourth Barbecue 10. "Beef is great, but squirrel's so much cheaper." 9. "Take a photo of me lighting this cigar with an M-80." 8. "To give it a little 'kick,' I put charcoal starter in the punch." 7. "Oh God, Letterman's shirtless again." 6. "I'd like to tell you why scientology is so important to me." 5. "Hey look, it's Earnest Borgnine--oh, sorry lady." 4. "All right, detainees, line up over here for your gitmo-style powdered baked beans." 3. "I'm afraid the only fireworks tonight are between me and your wife." 2. "My hot dog has a knuckle." 1. "I don't think that's mayonnaise in the cole slaw."

Longtime readers of my blog may remember the heartache my cousin and her husband (and their oldest son Jack) went through as their son, known to all during his short life as Mighty Joe, battled hypoplastic left heart syndrome in 2005. We lost him in October 2005, just six months and 10 days old. To read his story, click here . However, I have some happy news to report! Jack and Joe have a new baby brother. Judson Edward was born at 6:45 p.m. Monday, weighing 6 lbs. 12 oz. and measuring 18 1/2 inches long. No signs of any ailments. His mommy had a high blood pressure scare that prompted her hospital stay and an early C-section to bring Baby Jud into this world. I'm told the newborn redhead and his family are all doing well. I'll post a pic when I get one. Until then, give thanks to whomever you look to in these situations. What a blessing.

Is it just me, or... Graham Greene, actor Bill Richardson, presidential candidate Can you say, "Separated at Birth?"