BITS O' NEWS - It's What Cool Is!

Escape Domestic Violence NOW!

2007-12-21T16:04:00.000-05:00

Ann Landers posted this information recently. Ladies, look it over and take it to heart - if you are in an abusive relationship, you need to leave NOW! It will never get better, so stop wasting your time and get on to the better life you deserve! YOU DESERVE MORE! You will be so glad you left.

Here's what Ann said this week on two different posts:

The number to call to form a safe escape plan is (800) 799-SAFE (7233) -- the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

Classic warning signs of an abuser:

(1) PUSHES FOR QUICK INVOLVEMENT: Comes on strong, claiming, "I've never felt loved like this by anyone." An abuser presses for an exclusive commitment almost immediately.

(2) JEALOUS: excessively possessive; calls constantly or visits unexpectedly; prevents you from going to work because "you might meet someone"; checks the mileage on your car.

(3) CONTROLLING: Interrogates you intensely (especially if you're late) about whom you talked to and where you were; keeps all the money; insists you ask permission to go anywhere or do anything.

(4) UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS: Expects you to be the perfect mate and meet his or her every need.

(5) ISOLATION: Tries to cut you off from family and friends; accuses people who are your supporters of "causing trouble." The abuser may deprive you of a phone or car, or try to prevent you from holding a job.

(6) BLAMES OTHERS FOR PROBLEMS OR MISTAKES: It's always someone else's fault if something goes wrong.

(7) MAKES OTHERS RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS OR HER FEELINGS: The abuser says, "You make me angry," or "You're hurting me by not doing what I tell you."

(8) HYPERSENSITIVITY: Is easily insulted, claiming hurt feelings when he or she is really mad. Rants about the injustice of things that are just a part of life.

(9) CRUELTY TO ANIMALS OR CHILDREN: Kills or punishes animals brutally. Also may expect children to do things that are far beyond their ability (whips a 3-year-old for wetting a diaper) or may tease them until they cry. Sixty-five percent of abusers who beat their partner will also abuse children.

(10) "PLAYFUL" USE OF FORCE DURING SEX: Enjoys throwing you down or holding you against your will during sex; finds the idea of rape exciting.

(11) VERBAL ABUSE: Constantly criticizes or says blatantly cruel things; degrades, curses, calls you ugly names. This may also involve sleep deprivation, waking you with relentless verbal abuse.

(12) RIGID GENDER ROLES: Expects you to serve, obey and remain at home.

(13) SUDDEN MOOD SWINGS: Switches from sweet to violent in minutes.

(14) PAST BATTERING: Admits to hitting a mate in the past, but says the person "made" him (or her) do it.

(15) THREATS OF VIOLENCE: Says things like, "I'll break your neck," or "I'll kill you," then dismisses them with "Everybody talks that way," or "I didn't really mean it."

Pain makeover – EXTREME acupuncture!

2007-12-20T10:29:00.000-05:00

Last weekend, I went to this walk-in clinic, a “pain center,” in my neighborhood for the second time. As I was lying there getting my acupuncture, I thought, “I should blog about this!” Because this is not your ordinary acupuncture! Not in my book, anyway. But perhaps some of you will enlighten me.

Some of you know I have been getting acupuncture for my shoulder arthritis and to prevent migraines. I know! Me! The one with a needle phobia! Trust me, this was a last resort for me, and I was nearing the end of options for migraine relief, so I figured I should give it a shot since it was covered by my insurance. I have been going to see this wonderful Chinese doctor and licensed acupuncturist. She also teaches acupuncture. I am now HOOKED, nay, addicted, to acupuncture. It is the ONLY thing that gets my stubborn neck muscles to relax and literally go limp. I have been to many massage therapists over the years, and all of them have told me I have stubborn muscles that are very tight. I have spots that feel like marbles! Physical therapy is helping me loosen them, but acupuncture is the only thing that releases them.

One time I had a knot in my neck that was causing a mild, constant headache, and I had over a week to go before I could see my regular acupuncturist. So I went to this walk-in clinic. It’s amazing what you’ll let people do to you when your desperate for pain relief!

I walk into the clinic, and I’m the only silly white girl there. All around me are people speaking Chinese – I assume. It could be Korean, but the main doctor is Chinese, he’s an MD and a licensed acupuncturist. Thankfully he and the receptionist speak English. I am welcomed and sit down to wait my turn after I pay and fill out their medical questionnaire. The place is warm and steamy like a sauna, and smells like one too. There’s a hint of bromine and eucalyptus in the air. I can feel my sinuses open up and I can feel my chest filling up with deep, easy breaths. I’m already starting to relax.

The extreme pain makeover begins with “electric stim” therapy for 15 minutes. Little electrodes are placed on the muscles, and you literally get electrified with a small amount of current. It makes the muscles contract and release by pulsing the current. No big scare here, I get it at physical therapy, I had it years ago for whiplash. It sounds terrible and scary, but it feels so good! It starts out as a tickle and then feels like someone is scratching your back. They put a warm compress over it, so you feel pretty loose when it’s done.

But wait! There’s more! Now we go on to the acupuncture. Again, no scare, I’ve been there, done that, got the t-shirt. I’m lying on my stomach with my face through the hole, so I can’t see the new twist – electric stim! GAH! I realize the doctor has attached electric stim to some of the needles. Now my head and neck are pulsing and I can feel each needle. It feels so weird but so good! This goes on for 30 minutes. The whole time there are therapists walking around, talking to patients, and snacking on jasmine rice, because I can smell it and I’m getting hungry! When it’s done, I’m now fully loose, dazed, and confused – I am sooooo relaxed.

But wait! There’s more! I’m moved to a massage chair and roughly manhandled for a good 10 minutes. There’s sill that stubborn spot on my neck – so they say, I felt really good. I get 10 minutes of ultrasound and then I’m told thank you and you’re free to go.

I should also mention that this place is an assembly line, since it’s a walk-in clinic. They have 4 tables in one main room and 3 other rooms with one table each – nothing is very private but you’re not undressed, so it doesn’t matter. And there are 3-4 guys walking around from station to station, checking on everyone’s condition, but mostly their timers. Because when the bell rings, you are shuffled off to the next therapy. Gotta keep those tables filled with people!

WOW! All this for fifty bucks?! I was there for over an hour. I pay $50 for an hour massage, but I don’t feel this good afterwards. The first time I left there, I was so grateful my headache was gone. It wasn’t until the second time I went that I realized – wow, you really must be desperate for relief to go through this kind of craziness! It’s a very strange experience. But I highly recommend it! I’m not sure what is traditional acupuncture – I’ve only been exposed to 2 styles so far. But I like the electric stim acupuncture the best! YES! EXTREME PAIN MAKEOVER! They should make a reality TV show about that!

I hate Christmas...I mean, shopping

2007-12-05T10:57:00.000-05:00

I am really starting to hate Christmas. But before you call me a big ole “bah, humbug,” please know that I am sad about my hating Christmas.

It started on Halloween, when Bruce and I came home from work and saw Christmas decorations up – the “Main Street” kind – the street lamps and poles were strung with lights and sparkly garland and bows. Meanwhile, kids were out trick-or-treating. It was just wrong. And the day after, in typical New York City fashion, absolutely EVERY store had Christmas decorations up. No half-priced candy sales! Egads, what is this world coming to?!

Is it just me or are you sick of everything showing up earlier every year? Is this some sort of protest against the true “bah, humbugs” who insist on shoving “Happy Holidays” down our throats and complaining about Christmas trees and nativities being displayed? You know, those people who get annoyed when you say “Jesus is the reason for the season?” Well, he is! He’s the reason for the Christmas season. I’m not sure what the other holidays are about, but I’m all for saying “Merry Christmas” and “Happy Hanukah” and “Happy Kwanza” and whatever else is out there. Just put up all of your ethnic decorations and let’s celebrate it ALL!!!

And while we’re celebrating everything, let’s bring back the one holiday that includes every citizen – Thanksgiving. This is a national holiday that everyone can celebrate – in your own way if you want to. If people want to have tacos or lasagna or matzo ball soup on Thanksgiving, just do it. And put up some Thanksgiving decorations while you’re at it. Never before has a holiday been so shafted and forgotten. And it’s all Christmas’ fault! Or I should say, it’s all the retail industry’s fault for pushing Christmas!

Please pretty please bring back Thanksgiving. Bring back the “I ate too much food” and the football and the afternoon trytophan nap. Thanksgiving is too much of a “Black Friday” commercialized shopping experience. Thanksgiving weekend should be about putting up your Christmas decorations.

And bring back Halloween, too. It’s not an evil holiday. What IS evil is the way it has become an excuse for adults to prance around in public wearing lingerie and calling it a “costume.” More and more money every Halloween is being spent on adult costumes and décor. Halloween should be about KIDS in cute little tiger outfits or superhero uniforms, and getting candy!!! Yeah! Let’s give it up for candy! Halloween is quickly going to usurp candy dominance over Easter, if it hasn’t already!

I’m starting to hate Christmas because the shopping rush starts earlier every year. I think this will change and I think it’s already starting to change. The reason Christmas is coming earlier and earlier is because people hate the whole “Black Friday” experience. They’re shopping earlier and the retail industry knows it. Indeed, I read a report recently about shopping trends, and Christmas shopping IS starting earlier. Perhaps Black Friday and the new “Cyber Monday” (the Monday after Thanksgiving) signal the end of the Christmas shopping season. What I hope this means is that people will get so sick of shopping that we will all go back to remembering what all these December holidays are for – and they are NOT for shopping.

My disgust for shopping grows, but not for eggnog! I’m pretty sure all I need to get into the Christmas spirit is some eggnog. It’s hard to hate Christmas when you are gulping down sweet sugary goodness. We should all just sip some eggnog, and enjoy being with the people we love. Let’s slow down and fully savor every holiday, and not focus on the retail experience being shoved upon us.

I hope you will all join me in condemning all the retail stores that have shafted Thanksgiving. Next year, walk in some stores and boldly shout “Hey! Where are all the Thanksgiving decorations?!” Fight the oppressors! And just say no to shopping overindulgence.

Merry Christmas and have a wonderful ChristmaHanukaKwanza.

Green Eggs & Ham for New Hampshire Inmate is Right On!

2007-09-24T16:28:00.000-05:00

Give him some SPAM while they’re at it! Inmate Charles Jay Wolff complained about his prison diet by writing a letter to U.S. District Court Judge James Muirhead and Assistant Attorney General Andrew Livernois. He included an egg in each, as he was tired of getting them for his breakfast. Judge Muirhead sent him a letter back, to the tune of Dr. Seuss, but in my opinion, that’s not nearly enough. The guy needs a good slap upside the head.

Wolff's beef is that, being an Orthodox Jew, they need to feed him a kosher diet (he also has a diabetic condition). He is suing them to serve him meals that meet “both his spiritual and medical needs.”

The other part to this story is that Wolff is in prison for sexually assaulting a 7-year old girl. Tell me if I’m wrong, but truly Orthodox Jews don’t go around assaulting little girls. Therefore, it seems to me they shouldn’t have to follow his “spiritual” needs, only his medical ones.

They should serve him a can of whoop ass every morning too. I hope they drop this frivolous lawsuit. And I hope that little girl’s parents mail him an egg – every day. If you can find his address, please post it here so that I can mail him an egg.

Give a Shout Out For Bad Days

2007-09-07T12:03:00.000-05:00

Ever have one of those days? I feel like I have a lot of “those days,” so I would like to recount my day today and then you can tell me if you’ve ever had something similar. Because there is nothing like the daily struggle to make you feel alone.

I’m already dealing with migraines, a shoulder injury, and facing the reality that I am getting older, as evidenced by the tiny wrinkles around my eyes. I like to think that life gets easier as you get older, but alas, it does not. For someone like me who has always been clumsy and prone to accidents, the fact that I will one day battle it out on a daily basis with my broken-down body has no appeal whatsoever. As a matter of fact, I feel like the battle has already begun.

It started last night, when I was clipping my toenails and cut myself. I'm jumping around on one leg, searching for the Band-aids, and on one hand I can rejoice that I have not fallen down. On the other hand, I’m laughing because the only Band-aids left are the Spiderman ones my Mom got me for Christmas. Just pathetic. I have to go to bed with Spiderman wrapped around my toe. And Cortaid spots on my arms and legs from spending the weekend at Bruce’s parents’ back yard. Stupid mosquitoes! Why do I gotta be so damn tasty to them?!

I woke up in the middle of the night last night because my shoulder hurt. I moved over to the couch because I was hot, too. Forgot my cell phone, so now I’m running back to bed to shut off the wake up alarm, hoping Bruce isn’t too disturbed by it. Now I’m cranky because there is nothing worse than having to run somewhere when you are half asleep.

In the bathroom, I see that my eyes are all puffy and encrusted with eye boogers. Great, I think to myself, I might have pink eye. Do I wear my contacts and make it worse? Or do I wear my glasses and get a headache because the prescription is old? Luckily, they calm down over breakfast.

My next obstacle is ironing my shirt. There is gunk all over the iron that I have to steam off or else I risk ruining my shirt. I jump in the shower and, amazingly, shave my pits with no incident. I brush my teeth without dropping my toothbrush. I get dressed without hurting myself. I drop the back of my earring but find it under the dresser by aid of my flashlight. Good ole flashlight! He’s like my best friend for life.

My stomach is funny – probably from taking my vitamins. On the way to the subway, I have to beg money off of Bruce because I’m penniless. The first bodega I go into has no regular ginger ale – just something called “tropical fantasy” ginger ale. Remember, I’m cranky from lack of sleep, so I’m ready to go off, “WTF?!!! Why can’t they have normal ginger ale?!!!” The next place I go into, I almost slip and break my next on the layer of grease that coats the floor. No one seems to want to take my money, so I just lay it on the counter and leave in a huff.

The rest of my morning consists of the usual sidewalk jockeying among slow pedestrians and getting a leg cramp at the top of the stairs. Whew. At least I didn’t stub my toe today. That’s the worst! But then, the day is still young.

This is not my worst day ever, but I do wonder if some people have more of them than others. And do they get more frequent with age? Please share your “worst day ever” stories so I won’t feel alone. Thanks!

Tragedy in Newark all the more sad due to immigration law

2007-08-22T15:26:00.000-05:00

Unless you live in a cave, you’ve heard about high school murders in Newark, NJ. At this writing, there is no known motive for the attack on 4 black students, all shot execution-style to the back of the head. Three died and one miraculously lived.

If you read the press about this story, you’ll be depressed about the finger pointing. One report states: “The killings have raised questions about whether local authorities should examine a suspect’s immigration status.” A spokesman for Attorney General Anne Milgram said Milgram “will issue a new directive to law enforcement agencies…(to) specify the circumstances under which law enforcement officers should notify federal immigration authorities.” Apparently, this is not already done for all suspects. TV shows like "CSI" and "Law & Order" always show all forms of law enforcement working together and running ID checks through all sorts of databases. I’m surprised to learn thorough checks are not the norm for anyone taken into custody.

I understand that everyone is innocent until proven guilty. But if you happen to be caught, I think we should check to see if you are guilty of something else and process accordingly. For example, one Newark report states: “(suspect) Jose Carranza, is an illegal immigrant from Peru who had been arrested twice previously on aggravated assault, weapons and child sexual assault charges. Authorities said they never checked his immigration status; he was out on bail at the time of the killings.”

Perhaps he would still be in jail, had that immigration check been done. Perhaps those Newark high schoolers would still be alive, had that immigration check been done and Carranza been kept in jail – or better yet, deported.

I understand that immigration status has nothing to do with whether or not a crime will be committed by someone. But if Carranza is found guilty, than I think we have a lot to think about. Because it seems to me that if we can check for dangerous people and get rid of them because they are illegal, then we should deport those people. We have enough dangerous people here legally.

In the end, all of this debate is little comfort to the black community that already knows most crimes and most violent crimes are committed against blacks. In the end, their question is “what can be done to prevent crime against us?” It seems to me that being on the lookout for illegal, dangerous people is a start.

This debate also does not bode well for the Hispanic community lobbying for easier, faster immigration into this country. We all know that just one bad apple spoils it for the rest. Let’s hope that’s not the case here. But increasing stories of violent drug-related activity in Mexico and South American countries creeping into the U.S. is going to stymie the efforts of easier, faster immigration.

Why Men Are The Weaker Sex

2007-07-16T11:49:00.001-05:00

Ah, the power of boobs! Men are powerless against them. They simply cannot control their eyes, thoughts, and emotions when confronted by ta-tas. Where is my proof, you ask? Consider the following:

* Even though we all know sex sells, store mannequins are hardly ever seen naked, and ads for bras never show nipples. Men cannot handle boobs.

* In Arab countries, Muslim women must be covered up from head to toe. Arab men definitely cannot handle boobs.

* Men can go topless, but women can’t. This is why some towns have strip clubs that only allow dancers to go down to underwear. Interesting aside: women can now go topless in New York City. So far, there has only been one news story about one brave woman. Call me old-fashioned, but women are inviting trouble by asking for equality on this issue, because men cannot handle boobs.

And the icing on the cake:
* German bus driver threatens to throw a woman off the bus because, and I quote, “Your cleavage is distracting me every time I look into my mirror and I can't concentrate.” See the full story below.

This is why men are the weaker sex. I double dog dare you to offer a rebuttal.

Happy summer! --Alison

"Too sexy for my bus", German woman told

Mon Jul 16, 2007, BERLIN (Reuters) - A German bus driver threatened to throw a 20-year-old sales clerk off his bus in the southern town of Lindau because he said she was too sexy, a newspaper reported on Monday.

"Suddenly he stopped the bus," the woman named Debora C. told Bild newspaper. "He opened the door and shouted at me 'Your cleavage is distracting me every time I look into my mirror and I can't concentrate on the traffic. If you don't sit somewhere else, I'm going to have to throw you off the bus.'"

The woman, pictured in Bild wearing her snug-fitting summer clothes with the plunging neckline, said she moved to another seat but was humiliated by the bus driver.

A spokesman for the bus company defended the driver.

"The bus driver is allowed to do that and he did the right thing," the spokesman said. "A bus driver cannot be distracted because it's a danger to the safety of all the passengers."

Phones of the future

2007-04-03T08:56:00.001-05:00

This past weekend, Bruce and I went to Junior’s in Brooklyn for breakfast. I love that place! At lunch, you get a bowl of pickles and slaw, and for breakfast, you get a bowl of rolls and mini Danishes. We had HUGE cholesterol-laden cheese omelets. We saw Rev. Al Sharpton leave there a few weeks ago when we were there, but no sign of him this past weekend.

Anyhoo, I go upstairs to make a pit stop, and there’s a woman in the middle stall just yakking away on her cell phone. “I work hard for my money, I paid my dues… mm hmm, mm mmm… I don’t pay no $3,000 a month in rent so he can sit around there. I told him he can’t stay overnight…” blah blah blah… Juniors’ restrooms have valets. I had forgotten about that. So I went downstairs to get a dollar and came back to tip the woman. That same woman is still sitting in the middle stall yakking on the phone!

Last night I was walking home and saw that my parents had called but hadn’t left a message and the thought occurred to me that cell phones have really changed our lives – in bad ways. I remember the days before owning an answering machine for your home phone. People would call you and you’d never know about it. And if they did call, you could always “accidentally” delete their message and blame it on a thunderstorm that knocked your power out for a minute.

These days, we now have caller ID with a date and time stamp on everything. I’m guilty of this: you call the person and say, “I saw you called but why didn’t you leave a message?” And don’t you hate those wrong numbers? You misdial, and hang up, and some bozo calls you back: “Yeah, somebody called me from this number.”

Someday our phones will have the capability of interrupting us. For example, your friend is desperate to talk to you, so they dial some feature that doesn’t even ring your phone – it just activates your phone and you immediately hear them start talking. You might be on the toilet when this happens. You’ll have a counter-feature on your phone to prevent this from happening, so you’ll have to program your phone to stay off when you want it to staff off.

Just think of the telemarketing nightmare! Someday, everyone will have only cell phones, no hard lines phones at home, so telemarketers will start calling your phone, hoping you have the counter-feature turned off. And with this new feature, they can blast their ads through your phone – so that everyone around you can hear it until you hang up on them.

I have a feeling that the lady in the Junior’s bathroom stall won’t mind. But I would!

How has phone technology changed your life? Post your comments here!

Does it pay to be good?

2007-03-16T13:37:00.000-05:00

A few months ago, I saw a program on PBS about living conditions in China and wanted to blog about it. Wanna know why they make stuff so cheaply? Because there's little to no environmental regulation on manufacturing! Pollution is so out of control that people live with horrible cancers and birth deformities. Some dedicated Chinese folks are trying to get their local neighborhoods to rat out bad businesses but also to put pressure on local governments - who routinely take bribes to look the other way.

I was appalled and thought to myself: what does this mean for the rest of us? Why are some countries trying to be "environmentally correct" if others aren't trying at all? The link below confirms what the PBS program also said - pollution in China IS affecting us and other countries. Thankfully, our environmental efforts ARE doing something. The article below tells how decreasing the use of ozone-depleting chemicals HAS slowed global warming.

Call me a crusty ole bugger, but I'm still mad about it. :)

*****

On the Net:

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences: http://www.pnas.org

This is what’s wrong with today’s porn:

2007-02-23T09:26:00.000-05:00

“In a new memoir, ‘Ron Jeremy: The Hardest (Working) Man in Showbiz,’ he said audiences identified with him because he was just like them -- hairy, with a moustache and standing just 5 feet 6 inches tall. They look at themselves in the mirror and think, Y'know, compared to Ron Jeremy, I'm not that bad looking at all,’ Jeremy says in the book released this month.”

This is why women don’t like porn – there are no sexy guys in it! I could support the porn industry if it showed more “equality,” and, ironically, by that I mean beautiful people only – male and female. Who wants to watch porn with average looking Joes? Not me! They better be drop dead gorgeous like they are in gay porn – with clean-shaven faces and smooth, oily chests, prancing around wearing fantasy mesh underwear. Porn is supposed to be about fantasy – I do not want the reality of Ron Jeremy with his hairy back and chubby paunch. More women would watch porn if it catered to them.

My other problem with porn is how it affects society. There is so much pressure on women to look like porn stars all the time – and no pressure for men to dress up and stay well groomed. This is why women are bitter about maintaining our appearance. We shave, pluck, style, put on makeup, buy sexy under garments and hosiery – we put all this effort into it and for what? So some lazy fat jerk can think he has a shot with us – and he gets this idea from porn. And he gets away with it because what’s a woman to do? We have to take what we can get.

Most men do not appreciate what we do for them. And most men look average because they think that’s all they need to do. And I say: it’s not fair! In the end, it makes women more frustrated and insecure about their appearance, and we live in a society that puts so much pressure on us already. It’s time for men to stand up to the pressure they face - it’s time for them to watch porn with sexy guys and get over themselves.

Long live the metrosexual man – like David Beckham!

Everything you know is WRONG!

2007-01-12T14:10:00.000-05:00

Before Christmas, I finished a book by TV’s “20/20” reporter John Stossel. It’s all about how mainstream media is frequently wrong and clueless! You will be simultaneously disgusted and relieved. Get it now: “Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity: Get Out the Shovel--Why Everything You Know is Wrong” by John Stossel.

Every chapter is full of subheadings on topics that will make your blood pressure go up, such as:

* DDT saves lives, pesticide residues are largely harmless
* Food irradiation saves lives
* There is no cancer epidemic
* We’re not drowning in garbage – there’s plenty of room
* Price controls are bad – they create shortages and terrible hardships for the poor and sick
* Price gouging is not evil – it saves lives
* A higher minimum wage helps some, but hurts more people
* Outsourcing creates American jobs
* Sweatshops help people
* Food would be just as plentiful without government subsidies to farmers
* The government monopoly on the education system is hurting our children. Public schools have lots of money and money doesn’t help the problem.
* Diamonds do NOT mean love – they mean money to a South African cartel, and the DeBeers company has a lot to do with it

And my personal favorite…
* Men are worse drivers than women!

Are you pissed off yet? Good! Now go get this book and see what he has to say about these topics!

Miss USA should lose her title!

2006-12-21T14:14:00.000-05:00

I'll be the first to say I lost interest in pageants a looooooong time ago - like, when I was a kid. But I feel compelled to put my 2 cents in about this recent scandal with Tara Conner, the current Miss USA.

I have been a long-time fan of Vanessa Williams - ever since she was crowned the first African-American Miss America. I thought it was totally wrong to take her crown away. You know, it's not illegal to pose nude. For all the prudes out there, the pictures were taken in her past, before she entered the pageant, and they surfaced without her consent in Penthouse. The whole situation was completely unfair to her. "Oh, but it tarnishes the Miss America image." I can agree with that, even though I happen to think women posing in bathing suits to compete for cash and prizes is ludicrous, and, feminists could agree equally as offensive as nude pictures, and quite frankly, the whole idea of the pageant tarnishes the image of the pageant.

What I think really tarnishes the pageant's image now is the fact that Tara Conner broke the law. She was caught drinking under age. I don't want to hear a bunch of people cry about "but she was 20 and almost 21" and "all kids do it." I don't want to hear it - even though I agree with it. What bothers me is this girl was a spokesperson for MADD and the fact that she broke the law. Her Miss USA title should be stripped from her. Why should she be given a second chance when Vanessa Williams didn't break any law but she had to give up her crown?

The whole thing stinks for Vanessa. And the whole pageant industry stinks for today's women who are still being taught that a hot bod and a pretty smile will get you whatever you want. Assuming any young girls are watching this crap. Personally, I think men who buy the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue are the only people watching pageants.

The Miss America pageant started as nothing more than a sexy woman contest in Atlantic City to draw tourism and sell more salt water taffy and gambling. It has now "evolved" into "so much more" - ostensibly as a talent show and a way for women to spearhead efforts for their favorite charity. The bottom line is that any pageant is outdated for the times. Today's women do so much more than sing, tap dance, and strut around in fancy dresses and bathing suits. It's just stupid.

I want to know why there's no Cabana Boy pageant. I want to know why we don't see a Happy Ending Massage Contest or a Las Vegas Pole Dancing Contest instead. That would be more relevant, more entertaining, and we wouldn't have to worry about any scandals getting in the way.

Out of the closet!

2006-07-29T11:55:00.000-05:00

Lance Bass is gay. What the?!!!!! How can this be when Joey Fatone dyes his hair more than I do? The last member I expected to come out of the closet was Lance Bass. I'll never hear the end of it from my brother and father. (Of course, they've been saying for years that ALL boy band guys are gay and well, now, here's the proof!)

Of course not all boy bands are gay. Lance is actually the first one that we know of. I wouldn't even care if more boy bands had gay members. I always liked boy bands for their happy music and entertaining dance moves. Anyone who says they don't listen to boy bands is a liar. The Temptations, Beach Boys, Commodores, Beatles - all boy bands. Any band made up of all guys with matching outfits and/or dance moves is a boy band.

I think it's pretty cool Lance decided to come out. He did it at just the right time too - with a boyfriend that is frikkin' hot! Like, 10 times hotter than Lance is! Kinda makes you wonder why this guy would choose Lance. Perhaps he has other skills besides singing and dnacing that we don't know about? I'm not going to spend too much time thinking about what those skills might be. It's more fun drooling over his boyfriend.

People have been speculatng about what this means for Lance's career. To that I say, "what career?" The boy has been ten times crazy for a decade now - training to be an astronaut and producing future country music hopefuls that never made it out of his studio. He is soon to star with Joey Fatone in an "odd couple" type reality show. GAH! I'll be the first one to say Joey is quite handsome, but I bet he makes he horrible roommate. He's had more scandal than Lance since the end of NSYNC. Joey got his girl preggers and I still think they are together but unmarried.

Let's look at other boy band train wrecks. Bobby Brown - crack head, yet still lives with his crack whore wife Whitney Houston. So sad. Then there was A.J. from Backstreet Boys - had a bout with drug and alcohol abuse. Hey, at least he kicked it - Leif Garrett is still trying to get that monkey off his back. Beyond that, most boy bands don't make it past one album - we'll never the reasons why. Probably has to do with acne and their voices changing.

Yes, Lance could do much worse. He made out okay compared to the others. He made out the best, because his boyfriend is hot! Hot! HOT!

The only thing left now is for a gay boy band to record and tour. Maybe Lance could produce them.

Ah...it just doesn't get any better...

2006-07-06T13:05:00.000-05:00

Signs, signs, everwhere signs...

Coming soon to NYC, ads on trash cans, and also ads on...public toilets. That's a rant for another time. Check out this story in "Odd News." A student who is sick of advertising everywhere has his own joke explode in his face. He starts a fake company to sell ad space on the cleavage and thighs of hookers. The phone rings off the hook, of course. But he gets his revenge - by making callers stay on hold - listening to ads, until they give up. So cruel and so clever!

Are we running out of places to advertise? As long as there is an empty surface to slap on a sticker or ink, I don't think so. He should have known his joke would fail. Read the whole story for a chuckle! He may have been joking but I think he should cash in on his ideas.

Wed Jul 5, 7:59 AM ET
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - A Dutch design student bored with conventional advertisements has set up a fake online agency offering advertising space for beer, cars and TV stations on prostitutes' thighs and cleavage.

On his website www.instoresnow.nl, Raoul Balai also proposed painting brand names on zoo animals and floating huge billboards off popular beaches to get vacationers' attention.

"I was getting sick and tired of advertising everywhere," Balai told reporters. "But I don't want to preach, and I thought satire would work better."

Far from taking his ideas as a joke, an Amsterdam zoo had its lawyer threaten Balai with a defamation suit after his website depicted fish from the zoo bearing the brand name of a frozen fish company.

Prospective customers phoning his fake agency are kept on hold and bombarded with sales pitches until they give up.

AT LAST! a new boy band obsession!

2006-06-22T15:31:00.000-05:00

AT LAST! There is a new boy band in town and their name is: AT LAST!

go to www.atlastmusic.com right now, you lemming weenies, and be treated to the newest music trend -

accapella hip hop!

with hot Asians!

in hats!

beatboxing!

and harmonizing!

I sure hope America is ready, because I need a new boy band to obsess over, and I'm sure my brother wouldn't mind having something new to tease me about.

I saw them last night on "America's Got Talent" - a Simon Cowell contest that is nothing more than a circus freakathon, but entertaining nonetheless. AT LAST was the best act, and they are radio and tour ready.

Show them some love at www.atlastmusic.com or www.myspace.com/atlast

Yummy delicious!

Happy Birthday, Dum Dum!

2006-06-07T09:35:00.000-05:00

Check it out! 100th Anniversary edition bags will have 16 falvors!!!!!!! Essay contest, if you're interested. --Alison

Dum Dum Brand Hits the Century Mark

June 02, 2006

CHICAGO – We’ll never know whether Google, myspace.com or Brad and Angelina will have a 100th anniversary, but Spangler Candy, maker of Spangler Chocolate and the marshmallow treats inexplicably named Circus Peanuts, is celebrating the century milestone for Dum Dum Pops.

Starting June 12 through Aug. 31, consumers can visit DumDumPops.com to partake in the "Make life a little sweeter" essay contest. Entrants can submit a brief story about a person who carries on the Dum Dum Pops Legacy of expressing generosity and goodwill in every day life.

Three winners, selected from the child, adult and senior categories, will get $1,000 and a case of Dum Dum Pops, the lollipop that soothed the sobbing of many children in the pediatrician's office after taking that vaccination in the arm. The winner's nominators receive lollipops and a Dum Dum Pops T-shirt. Sampling through the Dum Dum Drum Man mascot touring the country will support.

Spangler, based in Bryan, Ohio, will roll new cherry cola and pink lemonade flavors and, for the sake of nostalgia, brings back two favorites, banana (first introduced in 1960) and coconut-pineapple (debuted in 1953). Anniversary edition bags of Dum Dum Pops will include 16 flavors rather than the usual 12, including a mystery pop.

"Most everyone has a favorite memory connected to kindheartedness: a neighbor who gave treats to the kids on the block, a teacher who reached out in a special way, or a beloved local business operator who had a kind word at just the right moment," Diana Eschhofen, brand manager, said in a written statement. "It's not so much the small act of giving as the way it can make a person feel. We want to honor those who share this spirit and might otherwise go unnoticed."

--Mike Beirne

The fight against apathy

2006-05-25T08:12:00.000-05:00

I went to see "The DaVinci Code" with my buddy Shakin' Dave (see his blog at right). We were leaving the theater and he stopped to give some money to a homeless person. She dropped it and was immediately bumped around by a bunch of exiting theater-goers. Out of instinct, I speeded up to avoid the crowd. About 2 seconds later I thought to myself, "why didn't you stop to help her?" I have often helped people retrieve things that they dropped. Was I lazy this evening because I viewed her as a second class citizen?

I think about the homeless often when I am riding the subway because I see how other people treat them. They walk by with their outstretched cups and people drop in nickels and pennies, as if pocket change were gold to a homeless person simply because they are homeless. It hardly seems like charity to empty your pocket and hand over what amounts to lint, a paper clip, and a dirty old penny.

I often ponder my own feelings, which have a duality: I want to help them and I want to be left alone by them. Some days I am so tired of being asked by a handful of people for change. It really does get annoying. In New York City, everybody is always trying to get your attention about a great deal on cell phones or please stop by our donation table, or someone is trying to shove a sales flyer in your hand, or trying to sell you candy and batteries. On top of all this, you are dodging people walking faster and slower than you, garbage and vendors on the sidewalk, and tourists that seem to think it's okay to stop dead in the middle of it all and gaze in wonder at a tall building that no longer holds any wonder for me. I'm already annoyed before a homeless person gets anywhere near me. They face tough competition in the concrete jungle.

I envied Dave's financial ability to give more than I can. But then I thought to myself, I can give something besides money. Sometimes all homeless people want is your respect as they struggle to make it through the day. For about 6 months now, I have begun "talking" to homeless people. When they ask for change, instead of ignoring them, I tell them I'm sorry, I don't have any cash on me. I am amazed at how politely many of them say "That's okay, God bless you and have a good night" with more manners than most of the strangers I encounter these days. I have begun wishing THEM a good, safe night.

Perhaps someday I will work up the courage to speak to them more. I find myself increasingly curious about them. And I find myself increasingly disgusted at society's and my own attitudes about them. I want to help them more than I can right now, and hopefully some day I will. For now, I want to fight apathy. I want to think of them as real people with value. And I can offer some pocket change and some food - I have sometimes handed over my bagel or banana. And I can offer my courtesy. I think time is precious commodity to them. So I will take the time to acknowledge them and I can also offer my time to volunteer for them. I'm sure a soup kitchen will take me.

For now, I hope you all will join the fight against apathy and view them, not as homeless people, but as people who do not have a home.

Are we "ugly Americans"?

2006-05-25T07:55:00.000-05:00

The Today show had an interesting culture segment when it interviewed a man from the Business for Diplomatic Action. Inc. and discussed its book, the "World Citizen's Guide." We all know that other countries see us as arrogant and spoiled, and superficial. What I find amusing is some of the tips for American travelers that were discussed, like:

* Don't wear clothing splashed with gaudy logos
* Don't talk too fast and loud
* Dress up, not down, when traveling - don't look too casual

I don't know about you, but those all sound like pretty superficial things to get offended about. And WE'RE superficial? Excuse me for pointing out very arrogantly and proudly that the United States has the biggest population of volunteers IN THE WORLD, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, and we also donate more aid to others countries than anyone else. Sorry you don't like it that we help you out in our Tommy Hilfiger t-shirt and Air Jordans. That sounds like their superficial problem to me.

If you'd like to read the whole story, the link is below. They do mention that we are not the only "boorish" world travelers. Nice to know other countries have superficial complaints about other countries, and that other world travelers are as annoying as we are.

All joking aside, it certainly would not hurt for all of us to be better ambassadors for our home countries. What we see as acceptable behavior may be offensive to others. I see way too many rude tourists in NYC and I see plenty of rude Americans too. I include myself in that bunch. We could all learn a lot from the "Ms. Subways" posters underground that tell us "courtesy is contagious."

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/12718098/

Law & Order SVU takes a swipe at Tom Cruise

2006-05-17T09:41:00.000-05:00

Anyone who watched last night's "ripped from the headlines" episode of Law & Order Special Victims Unit could tell who they were poking criticism at: Tom Cruise. The thinly veiled character of "Derek Lord" was a complete rip-off of Tom Cruise's appearance on the Today Show with Matt Lauer. The Derek character was a rockstar who was outspoken against using medications to treat depression - calling them "poisons" just as Cruise did, and stating he had "read lots of books" on the subject just as Tom cruise did.

I'm surprised Scientologists didn't shut down the show. We all know they were responsible for censoring a re-run of South Park. Why are celebrities and their weird religions given such power?

I'm very disheartened by the power we are giving celebrities. People are cowardly giving in to the "cult of personality" pressure that exists because of stupid fans. When is someone going to stand up for what's right? Is selling TV advertising for deodorant, cologne, and zit cream more important than showing programs without censorship? Than showing programs that challenge people to think?

Kudos to L&O:SVU for saying what no one else will: that Tom Cruise is full of himself. He's an egotistical, ill-informed, self-appointed pseudo-prophet that uses his passion to bully others. Depression is so hard to treat as it is. So many suffer in silence because they feel stigmatized by asking for help - whether it be drugs or counseling. With the rise of suicide in young kids and adults, I think Cruise's hornblowing is reckless and endangers people who need help the most: because those who suffer from depression are the LEAST likely to ask for help.

We desperately need to change how people feel about mental health. For sure, some people are too medicated, but far more are under medicated because they fear the stigma and feel ashamed. Would you make fun of a diabetic for treating their condition? Would you laugh at someone with high blood pressure or cancer?

Please reach out to someone in need. If you see the signs of depression in someone you know, help them help themselves. Sometimes all it takes is permission from another, acceptance of another, for someone to seek help that they are ashamed to seek. Some are simply so incapcitated by their depression that they CAN NOT help themselves. Too often in our society we don't want to get involved. But depression is something that demands our involvement, and also our compassion.

This episode of Law & Order briefly dealt with the current debate of medicating teens and children with antidepressants. We don't know enough about the effects of these types of drugs on the still-developing brains of kids and teens. I would suspect that some kids may be medicated too quickly by busy parents who are too lazy to help their kids. But stories like the Columbine tragedy tell us that, clearly, some kids need help that includes drugs. A rant for another time...

If you want to know the signs of depression, please visit the following:
http://www.mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/suicideprevention/

Also, my friend Erik Hendin is an avid supporter of suicide awareness:
http://www.erikhendin.com
His music has been used in a film, "A Secret Best Not Kept" which you can check out at:
http://www.sayitoutloud.com/

Thought for the day - and "That Day"

2006-05-17T09:38:00.000-05:00

TEN THINGS GOD WON'T ASK ON THAT DAY
1... God won't ask what kind of car you drove. He'll ask how many people you drove who didn't have transportation.
2... God won't ask the square footage of your house, He'll ask how many people you welcomed into your home.
3... God won't ask about the clothes you had in your closet, He'll ask how many you helped to clothe.
4... God won't ask what your highest salary was. He'll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it..
5... God won't ask what your job title was. He'll ask if you performed your job to the best of our ability.
6... God won't ask how many friends you had. He'll ask how many people to whom you were a friend.
7... God won't ask in what neighborhood you lived, He'll ask how you treated your neighbors.
8... God won't ask about the color of your skin, He'll ask about the content of your character.
9... God won't ask why it took you so long to seek Salvation. He'll lovingly take you to your mansion in heaven, or a beautiful place in paradise on earth!
10... God won't have to ask how many people you forwarded this to, He already knows your decision.

I've received this chain-mail from several people over the years. It's an oldie but a goodie! --Alison

Gators gone bad!

2006-05-16T16:15:00.000-05:00

Once again, we are reminded that humans are NOT the top of the food chain. Unless you live in a cave, you’ve heard about the rash of fatal alligator attacks in Florida. Apparently, their mating season is right now, making them more aggressive than usual. I wouldn't go near them ANY season, but that's just me. I'm sure people don't purposely go near gators. But I wouldn't swim in a Florida pond, even if someone "checked it" for gators. Most people probably think they are lazy animals that like to lay in the sun. They are actually pretty quick on land and can run as fast as humans - in short bursts. Does it matter?! If that thing catches up to you, one chomp could crush your head.

Alligators are right up there with sharks – living dinosaurs. The reason they’ve lasted so long is that they can eat people for food. LOL! All joking aside, the more we encroach upon alligator habitat, the more we are going to hear about these incidents. Alligators are just as deadly as sharks. One woman lost her arm. Scary stuff! For all the gory details, read about it at Sun-Sentinel.com. Otherwise, please remember to respect wildlife that has bigger teeth than you.

Animal right activists act worse than animals

2006-05-10T15:52:00.000-05:00

When does activism go too far? This is the sickest thing I have ever heard of for activists. In the UK, some animal’s rights activists desecrated the grave of a woman who was a relative of a family that owned a guinea pig farm. She didn’t even work for this farm! On top of that, all they did at the farm was breed guinea pigs – they did not test on them. And... on top of all this - they gave up breeding guinea pigs about a year ago.

I’m sure that some, maybe most, of these guinea pigs were destined for labs, but not all. And even so, you don’t dig up somebody’s grave to make a point. It’s just wrong.

Here’s the entire story:

Woman's remains found in animal rights case
Thursday, May 4, 2006, 9:16 AM ET

LONDON (Reuters) - Police searching for the body of a dead woman dug up by animal rights activists as part of a campaign of intimidation confirmed Thursday they had found her remains.

The grave of Gladys Hammond, related to the owners of a guinea pig farm in Newchurch, Staffordshire, was desecrated in October 2004.

Four British animal rights protesters have admitted plotting to blackmail the owners of the farm that bred the animals for medical research and will be sentenced later this month.
Police said the remains were found Tuesday afternoon on land near a German war cemetery at Broadhurst Green, near Hednesford in Staffordshire.

A police spokeswoman said Thursday that the remains had been confirmed as those of Hammond following tests by a Home Office pathologist and dental checks. Hammond died in 1997 aged 82.
The desecration of her grave in a churchyard in Yoxall, Staffordshire, was the worst incident in a long-running campaign against David Hall and Partners who ran their family business at Darley Oaks Farm.

The family endured abuse, death threats and firebomb attacks during one of Britain's most sustained harassment campaigns by animal rights groups.

The campaign led the family to announce last year they would give up breeding guinea pigs and return to traditional farming.

Easter = Candy!

2006-04-07T16:11:00.000-05:00

Have you noticed how candy has exploded for every one of our holidays? However, not nearly enough here in New York City where candy seems so hard to come by. And forget about any half price candy sales after a holiday – they start packing that stuff up 2 days before the holiday so that they can put out the next holiday’s candy.

I was out looking for a chocolate bunny to decapitate, when I realized there were waaaaay too many toys being offered as Easter gift substitutes, and not nearly enough candy choices. I mean, come on, people! Easter is about candy, right? As a kid, I remember my brother and I talking about how odd it was that K-Mart was offering Easter baskets filled with toys.

ONLY TOYS! WHY, IT’S AN OUTRAGE! WHERE’S THE CANDY?!

I suppose Valentine’s Day is the original candy holiday. But I wonder how Easter came to be a candy holiday. In an older rant, I gave you the story of Halloween’s origins. Clearly, this holiday came to be about candy because towns wanted to control the mischief. Christmas has a lot more candy these days. Probably because nobody wants fruitcake or somebody’s weird homemade oatmeal cookies with pistachios and sardines. Even mini-holidays like St. Patrick’s Day and July 4th get their own special colored M&M’s.

But Easter is the grand-daddy of candy holidays. Several kinds of jelly beans, several types of robin’s eggs, several flavors of chocolate bunnies. Used to be you had the Cadbury Crème Egg. Now there are several varieties by Cadbury and a bunch of knock-offs like Snickers eggs. And PEEPS! Let’s not forget Peeps! Now in several colors, shapes, and now offered for other holidays, but we all know that Peeps came from Easter and candy corn came from Halloween.

Please share your most treasured Easter candy memory right now. I really do want to read your posting.

Happy Cavities! --Alison

Gross waste and decadence

2006-03-30T17:20:00.000-05:00

I meant to do a posting about the Oscar night "goodie bags" that attendees receive. I think it was Entertainment Tonight that quoted this year's goodie bag at an estimated worth of $35,000.

$35,000 per bag! That's more money than most people make all year.

I believe it was Shum-baba that I mentioned this to and she made a very poignant remark: "That could have been a $35,000 donation to help Hurricane Katrina people."

INDEED!

George Clooney didn't want to keep his bag. He generously donated it to United Way to auction off. Personally, I think that's a pretty good idea. However, this story gets worse because some fool paid $45,100 for it.

$45,100 for a bag of goodies that George Clooney barely touched. Some woman somewhere is screaming her head off saying "George Clooney touched it! George Clooney touched it!"

That could have been a $45,100 donation.

sigh..... our priorities are so out of whack these days...

LOS ANGELES - George Clooney's swank Oscar swag bag has fetched thousands at auction. Clooney donated the bag to the United Way, and Wednesday it sold for $45,100 in an extended online auction that began March 21, organization spokeswoman Sheila Consaul said. The winner would only be identified as a family from Birmingham, Ala., Consaul said. The money will benefit the United Way's hurricane response and relief recovery Fund, Consaul said. The bag given to presenters at the 78th Annual Academy Awards included a BlackBerry 8700c, a Kay Unger kimono and a cultured Tahitian-pearl necklace. It's Clooney's practice to make donations when receiving such gifts, said the actor's publicist, Stan Rosenfield. The auction was scheduled to close at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday but was extended 41 minutes because of a high volume of bids. At the Oscars, Clooney won best supporting actor for "Syriana."

Frosted Lucky Charms - they're magically delicious!

2006-03-16T13:55:00.000-05:00

Another St. Patrick's Day Parade descends upon NYC - the 245th parade. While the Irish-blooded citizens of New York and naive tourists celebrate with green beer, the rest of know the carnage that follows - piles of vomit and trash. Not wanting to be a complete party-pooper, I decided to do some research on St. Patrick. What follows is a nice story from Yahoo that I completely copied. I hope this will inspire you to think of more than some marshmallow cereal. P.S. Happy Birthday to Jeffrey Peffrey Mudgeman! Call him right now!

SAINT PATRICK

c.385—461, Christian missionary, the Apostle of Ireland, b. Bannavem Taberniae (an unknown place in Britain, possibly near the Severn or in Pembroke). He was one of the most successful missionaries in history.

Early Life and His Calling

The facts of Patrick's life are largely obscured by legend. He belonged to a Christian family of Roman citizenship. Captured when barely 16 by Irish marauders and enslaved, he worked for six years as a herder on the slopes of Slemish (near Ballymena, Co. Antrim) or of Croaghpatrick or (most likely) of both. Then, in response to a voice, he escaped and embarked for Gaul.

Patrick spent some years wandering on the Continent and probably visited the Monastery of St. Martin at Marmoutier. He entered the monastery at Lérins and received the tonsure. He returned c.413 to his native Britain and lived for some years with relatives. During this time he had a vision that called him to return to Ireland to Christianize it. Accordingly, he returned to Europe (c.419) to perfect himself as a missionary. The next 12 years were spent in study at Auxerre. In 431, St. Palladius, first missionary bishop sent to Ireland, died; Patrick was consecrated (432) in his place by St. Germanus of Auxerre.

In Ireland

In the winter of 432 Patrick landed near Saul and remained until spring, when he went to Tara and gained his first major converts. He defied the pagan priests of Tara by kindling the Easter fire on Slane, a nearby hill. This challenge to paganism created at first indignation, and subsequently respect, in the court of the high king. Tara became Patrick's headquarters, and with a band of followers he successively converted Meath, Leitrim, Cavan, and W Ireland. Further details of his missions are only generally known.

In 444 or 445, with the approval of Pope St. Leo I, Patrick established his archiepiscopal see at Armagh. St. Patrick's mission was successful; Ireland was almost entirely Christian by the time of his death. He understood and wisely preserved the social structure of the country, converting the people tribe by tribe. Out of his hierarchy, organized by tribal units, developed the Celtic abbot-bishop system. At Patrick's instance, the traditional laws of Ireland were codified. Patrick modified them to harmonize with Christian practice, and he mitigated the harsher ones, particularly those that dealt with slaves and taxation of the poor. He introduced the Roman alphabet. In 457 he retired to Saul, where he died.

He was buried in Downpatrick, which was a great European shrine until its destruction by the English government in 1539. Also enshrined to him is Croaghpatrick. Patrick's connection with Saint Patrick's Purgatory in Lough Derg is undoubtedly only legendary. His personality is said to have been unusually winning, and many legends have become attached to his name. Feast: Mar. 17.

Bibliography
The prime source for Patrick's life is the Confessions, a moving apology for his life and work written during his last years. Some years earlier he had written the Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus. This is an angry appeal to raiders, supposedly Roman-British Christians, to repudiate their ruler Coroticus for his bloody raid on Ireland and to return the women taken captive. St. Patrick was probably the author of the Lorica (or Breastplate) of St. Patrick, also called The Cry of the Deer (in Irish, Fáed Fíada), a mystic poem of faith written in Irish and Latin. See L. Bieler, ed., Works of Saint Patrick (1953); biographies by J. B. Bury (1905, repr. 1998), P. Gallico (1958), and P. Freeman (2004); study by R. P. C. Hanson (1968).