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I realize this is untimely, but I have been watching a football movie and I'm curious. The center is allowed to move the ball around quite a bit, but at some point it becomes a snap. Is that when he takes it off the ground? (If it were me writing the rules, if he so much as moves it, that would be a snap. No gray area.)

I've been reading about and watching stories about all the Africans who are suffering from various things. This won't be nice, but I am increasingly reaching the point where I don't care about their problems. If they want to reproduce like rabbits, engage in homosexual sex, and misappropriate the money we give them, then the heck with them. I think it's time for them to take responsibility for what they do. That would be the best thing.

While I am on the subject of health, I'll try this. I compulsively count everything I do. I count the stairs, even though I already how many there are. I count the dishes when I put them into or take them out of the dishwasher. Everything. Any of you amateur or professional psychologists care to comment on this?

I am going to ask my vet this, but I will start off here. When I was a kid, I had a lot of warts on my hands. Like maybe 60. A lot. They are gone now, but I remember them. Especially the bigger ones. I have not been able to to figure out the difference between a wart and my dog's nose or the pads on his feet. They seem the same. Anyone know?

I have yet to find one.

I have been fooling around with this for a year or so. My experience has been that it works wonderfully for known vendors like utility companies. Flawlessly. Last Monday I tried paying my property taxes that way. Today I called to determine if the money had been received. Not. The money was gone from my account, but it had disappeared. Maybe they put it on the Discovery. I'll get this figured out -- about three hours from next Monday morning. That's if I can get to someone who will answer their phone.

I am very close to buying a pony – imminent, as in possibly within the next few days – and this message is very much off topic. The price of the pony is about $750, and she appears to be very nice. Stabling would be around $75. She is not a shetland, but more like a small horse. (Not sure of terms here.) Her temperament seems very good. Gentle, which is what I want. If any of you can give me any advice on what to look for or look out for, I’ll take it. I have no experience with...

I have posted several messages about my recent experiences with the judicial system (which I would suggest you all avoid). Here’s some more comment... The last time, the judge had 197 cases on his docket for a one-hour period. About two-thirds of the customers did not show up. I don’t know why. Maybe they had paid their fines, or maybe they simply didn’t show up. (Not showing up is a very bad idea, btw. They will come get you. Police officer at the door.) That still left him with about 60 cases in an hour. One minute per case. You...

Confessing my ignorance here... What is the difference between being a Muslum and being Islamic? I tend to use the terms interchangeably, but I think I am wrong. If anyone knows of a good book about all this, I would appreciate the referral.

There seem to be three main infractions or violations involved with drinking. As a veteran drinker, all are relevant to me There is DUI (driving under the influence), drunk in public, and drinking in public. Let’s take them one at a time, based on my conversations while in jail for a DUI. Most of those conversations were with people who know more about this than I do. A DUI is the most serious, as it should be. Still, there is ambiguity. Driving what, where? A bicycle? A horse cart? One of my cellmates once got busted for driving his car...

My lady friend in Oregon has been encouraging me to get a pony cart instead of a Vespa. At first, I thought she was joking, but she is not. She has it pretty well mapped out. The idea has some merit. The local kids would like the pony. (Could be a mule.) So would my dog. It would also be less expensive than the Vespa. In the short run, anyway. I just don’t know what the rules are. She says that I couldn't get arrested for drunk driving on a pony cart. I think she is mistaken about that. I...

An older lady gets pulled over for speeding... Older Woman: Is there a problem, Officer? Officer: Ma'am, you were speeding. Older Woman: Oh, I see. Officer: Can I see your license please? Older Woman: I'd give it to you but I don't have one. Officer: Don't have one? Older Woman: Lost it, 4 years ago for drunk driving. Officer: I see... Can I see your vehicle registration papers please. Older Woman: I can't do that. Officer: Why not? Older Woman: I stole this car. Officer: Stole it? Older Woman: Yes, and I killed and hacked up the owner. Officer: You...

Any of you know anything about either? From what I have read, the trick with a sidecar is to get the bike up on two wheels. I may need to get the dog a helmet. Along with goggles and a bandana. I know Vespas are junk. I used to own one. They are lovely junk tho. Sort of like Citroens.

Really, I would have to say that the best athlete I have ever seen is / was a junior girl on one of the local high school’s basketball teams. She is not big, but she was determined. She came out of half-time several points down, and she put down two three-pointers within two minutes. I don’t know how much you all know about basketball, but doing that ain’t easy. I don’t think I could do one in an hour with no opposition. She did two. The importance of this was that it inspired the rest of her teammates. Several of...

There are many. My #1 would be Lance Armstrong. He is truly remarkable. Next would be a motorcycle racer named Kenny Roberts. Many of you have probably never heard of him. He could send chills down my spine. I watched him win races he should have lost. I could write books about what I saw him do. Then there is Joe Montana. I remember where I was when he and Dwight Clark did “The Catch”. I knew they were going lose. Joe and Dwight didn’t know that. They thought they were going to win. And so they did.

My top two are both Volkswagens, back in the 60's. One was a Karman Gia, the other was a Squareback. My, they were awful. I tried to like them, but I couldn't. Third would be a Chevy Suburban, also in the 60's or possibly the early 70's. I used to joke that I could see things falling off it in the rear-view mirror as we drove down the road. Still, it had its place in the overall scope of things. Best would be a 1996 Ford Ranger. That was a great truck. If I hadn't wrecked it, I would have...

I recently posted up a message about first-aid kits and received many useful responses. Now, let me ask about hurricane kits. What with Emily and all, I have been thinking about these also. We don’t get many ‘canes where I live (central VA), but we do get a few. Not too many years ago there was water up in the streets not far from me. I would think that the basic thing would be pre-cut and numbered plywood, or some other form of shuttering for the windows. This would need to be done in advance, as by the time the...

I have been concerned that so many of our soldiers seem to smoke. This includes the woman at the Abu Gaibe (sp?) imprisonment camp. Don't you think that it would be better if this were restricted, at least to when they they are not on duty? That way, it would be be safer, both for them and for those around them.

I was talking with a clerk at the local convenience store today. He was probably an Arab, but be seems very nice. He and I know each other a little bit. I asked him if he ever worried about getting robbed. It may not have been a smart question to ask, but I was curious. He said he was. This reminded me of when I worked at a gas station when I was in college. The rule there was to give them the money. No argumenets, no heroics. At that time, it was almost all cash. We wiped the the...

For me, that would be Teddy Kennedy. I think he should be in prison. If any of the rest of us had done what he did, we would be. For the rest of our lives. A close second is Hillary. I'd like to run her against Condi for president next time. I think Hill would lose. Charlie Shumer comes in a distant last, but he's on the list. Fat pigs, all of them.