The shamrock was “hit hard” by the severe winter weather and “won’t be easily found” this week, said Doogue, who also stated the national plant was under threat because of modern farming methods.

In its place, bogus shamrock plants are being used, he said, stating that he hoped the shamrock that President Obama would receive from Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen would be the real thing.

Now all we have to do now is eat green bagels and drink green beer.

The O'Perfessor

It was Rolling Stones Night, and while Siobhan's semi-goth version of Paint It Black isn't the best vocal, it did emphasize that this girl has power behind her voice that will grow into something we'll all be hearing long after this ninth season of American Idol is over. (Yes, you know it's a goth version because she was wearing a pair of giant black boots someone dug up from ten years ago!!) The scream at the end goes on a measure too long, and is cracked, but that could be her interpretation of the actual song.

This girl has power in her voice.

Let's hope she only uses it for good.

YouTube link

You'll have to forgive the "hometown story" before the song and the judges wallowing around afterwards, but the song itself here is something to listen to.

Very Fun, and Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I keep remembering what a teacher of mine once told me, that the peace movement didn't end the Vietnam war, it was the news media's 24/7 reporting of the event. It was Pentagon-supported body counts, watching the war on TV served up on the 6:00 news with dinner, and watching them unload dead US soldiers off airplanes at Dover air force base.

I honestly think that the media should go back to doing that, and bring our soldiers home. We've been in Iraq & Afghanistan too long, and we need to bring them home. We can't win these wars, and all we are doing now is killing soldiers.

The Perfessor

20 year old Lee Deitrick from Stark County, Louisville, Ohio has allegedly tattooed a one year old girl as reported by Fox8 news . The suspect, accused of putting a non-removable tattoo on the back side of the girl that only says “A” is facing a felony child endangering charge. It is to be noted that Lee Deitrick, who is not the father of the child, has previous criminal records involving arson and domestic abuse. If found guilty, the suspect could face a minimum of 5 years behind bars.

If ever I read about someone who deserved to be repeatedly bitch-slapped, it is this guy. I say we form a line.

The Perfessor

YouTube link

Imagine then being a tech-head working for Microsoft, and showing up to work with an Apple iPhone.

The perils of being an iPhone user at Microsoft were on display last September. At an all- company meeting in a Seattle sports stadium, one hapless employee used his iPhone to snap photos of Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer. Mr. Ballmer snatched the iPhone out of the employee's hands, placed it on the ground and pretended to stomp on it in front of thousands of Microsoft workers, according to people present. Mr. Ballmer uses phones from different manufacturers that run on Microsoft's mobile phone software.

In fact, in a discussion about Microsoft employees using iPhones, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer once told company executives that when his father worked at the Ford Motor Company, his family always drove Fords. Seems like a pretty clear stance, eh, however, Despite Mr. Ballmer's theatrics, there are apparently plenty of iPhone users operating in in plain sight at the sprawling Microsoft campus in Seattle. In fact, among the top Microsoft executives who use the iPhone is J Allard (who helped create the Xbox game console and is chief experience officer for the entertainment and devices division). Further, there are nearly 10,000 iPhone users were accessing the Microsoft employee email system last year, say at least two people inside the company.

Interestingly enough, Brand loyalty over at Apple, is much stronger, because, in contrast, appear to be more devoted to the company's own mobile phone. Several people who work at the company or deal regularly with employees there say they can't recall seeing Apple workers with mobile phones other than the iPhone in recent memory. Makes you wonder, eh? (In a related item, we recall seeing a story of how Google was giving Google-powered Android phones out as year-end bonuses to their employees at the close of last year.)

Personally, I wouldn't mind what Internet-powered smart-phone that someone wanted to give me. I promise to use it and say nice things about it.

The Perfessor

Well, we had to detour around a few fallen trees a few times to get where we were going (and then a few more times before we got back — at one point even calling in a 911 call to report a downed tree that had taken down a power line which was arcing and had started a small fire).

When we finally got home (to discover a dry basement), all was well (except that we had no land-line, internet, or cable; requiring me to fall asleep in front of a DVD, before getting up and going to bed). This morning I did venture out again to discover a few more fallen trees (this time in my own neighborhood). These trees included:

One in my back yard (that fell into the woods behind my house, thus causing no real damage or mess).

A second that had fallen across the street and was precariously leaning on the high-tension wire.

And a third that had fallen across a street leading to my house.

There were more, (much more), this is just what I was able to snap from my house.

Isn't the weather fun?

The Perfessor