Although the Patriots got beaten by Atlanta today, they have been know to win games regularly. Even to make the playoffs and get to the Super Bowl. I cannot actually relate to this. Where's the deep mysterious intermingling of fate and low self-esteem? Anyone can win in a town without voodoo. Far more interesting to have your team's fortunes controlled by a shrivelled creole lady somewhere in Treme absentmindedly moving the figurines on her mantle piece.
I'm pleased to report that the sensible citizens of Newport by a vote of 775-283 defeated a proposed ordinance that would have prohibited Shirley Davis's daughter from mowing her lawn topless. Residents were warned that the costs of defending the ordinance in court might require raising taxes. The daughter's name has not been published, but she uses the name "Desiree" in media interviews, and has indicated that she may do some snow blowing topless, "because she can." If you recall, Gentle Reader, in the summer they saw no cause to ban it, because "it didn't disrupt traffic patterns." Clues to the Yankee mindset here.
Couple of techie things here. Those forms you occasionally find on this page tell me a few things. You know, your shoe size, what you had for breakfast, what browser you're using. I want to recommend that you upgrade to the latest version of Netscape (4.5) if you are able because it has a couple of cool things like the AOL Instant Messenger. A little box in the corner of my screen tells me who on my "buddy list" is online, and if they're online I can instant message with them. Well, I'm online all day and my buddy name is jbourg303. By all means distract me at work. If you don't want to download a new version of Netscape, you can get the Instant Messenger thingy here:       http://www.aim.aol.com/netscape/netscape_download.html Here in Maine, the weather has gone to gray and gloomy. Pass the St. John's Wort. The snow tires went on the car today, because we could get the white stuff any day now. The car sounds like a jet-fueled centipede dancing in golf shoes. Snow will make it bright and cheery again. A note from Connie Davis in Covington mentioning that she'd gone out with a friend to split a shrimp po-boy sent me into a major Proustian moment. And since then the phrase "shrimp po-boy" brings tears to my eyes. Don't anyone send a note saying they had grits at Mandy's.