Hazel, at the home I share with my adorable HMM, we have three perfectly good toilets. They’re clean, fully stocked with TP, hand soap, a sink and all the amenities. However, my HMM loves to stand on the edge of the patio and see how far he can pee. For that matter, he likes to stand anywhere outside and pees. However, porches and patios are particularly attractive to him as a launching site.

“Hey, watch this!” he’ll call to me, and I will stand there and ooh and aah over his incredible peeing skills. Apparently, the higher and further the pee goes, the more manly he considers himself.

I swear one of these days he’s going to throw out his back from thrusting so hard while he’s peeing in an attempt to get his pee to land further out than before.

So what is it with men wanting to pee outside?

That’s hilarious! I don’t know what it is, but as far as I know they all do it. I’m sure that’s where the saying ‘pissing contest’ came from! lol hazel

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Should a prisoner get a sex-change operation at the taxpayers’ expense? In a word - NO! That doesn’t stop ‘em from trying, though. You can go HERE for the whole story. I’ve selected some highlights:

Prisoner Seeks Sex-Change Operation
Massachusetts Case Tied Up Over Question of Who Pays for Surgery

By DENISE LAVOIE,AP

BOSTON (June 27) - A trial that opened more than a year ago has become bogged down in Boston federal court. There have been hundreds of hours of testimony from witnesses, including 10 medical specialists paid tens of thousands of dollars. The judge himself even hired an expert to help him make sense of it all.

The question at the center of the case: Should a murderer serving life in prison get a sex-change operation at taxpayer expense?

The case of Michelle - formerly Robert - Kosilek is being closely watched across the country by advocates for other inmates who want to undergo a sex change. Transgender inmates in other states have sued prison officials, and not one has succeeded in persuading a judge to order a sex-change operation.

The Massachusetts Correction Department is vigorously fighting Kosilek ’s request for surgery, saying it would create a security nightmare and make Kosilek a target for sexual assault.

An Associated Press review of the case, including figures obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests and interviews, found that the Correction Department and its outside health care provider have spent more than $52,000 on experts to testify about an operation that would cost about $20,000.

The duration and expense of the case have outraged some lawmakers who insist that taxpayers should not have to pay for inmates to have surgery that most private insurers reject as elective.

But advocates say in some cases - such as that of Kosilek , who has twice attempted suicide - sex-change surgery is as much a medical necessity as treatment for diabetes or high blood pressure. (emphasis mine)

. . . . Kosilek , 58, was convicted of strangling his wife in 1990. He claimed he killed her in self-defense after she spilled boiling tea on his genitals.

Robert Kosilek legally changed his name to Michelle in 1993, and has sued the Correction Department twice, arguing that its refusal to allow a sex-change operation violates the Eighth Amendment protection against cruel and unusual punishment.

In 2002, U.S. District Judge Mark Wolf ruled that Kosilek was entitled to medical treatment for gender identity disorder, but stopped short of ordering the surgery. Kosilek sued again in 2005, arguing that the hormone treatments, laser hair removal and psychotherapy she has received since Wolf’s ruling have not relieved her anxiety and depression.

“I would not want to continue existing like this,” Kosilek testified.

Kosilek ’s second trial, which began in May 2006, has featured expert testimony from 10 doctors, psychiatrists and psychotherapists. Wolf has not indicated when he will rule.

. . . . Those who argue against allowing the surgery say it could open the floodgates to other inmates who want sex-change operations or other treatments considered elective.

In Massachusetts, 10 inmates have been diagnosed with gender identity disorder and are receiving hormone treatments. Two other inmates besides Kosilek have asked for sex-change surgery.

. . . . Dennehy also said prison officials cannot be influenced by Kosilek ’s talk of suicide.

“The department does not negotiate or respond to threats of harm or suicide in an effort to barter,” she said. “You couldn’t run a prison with that kind of leveraging going on.”

I guess if they have their own money, they can pay to have the surgery done, but for the taxpayers’ to pay for it is ridiculous. I’m sure there are law-abiding folks out there who would like to have the surgery, but they can’t afford it. If it’s done for a prisoner, then all anyone would have to do is break the law, get put in prison and insist on the surgery.

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Apparently Tom Cruise’s Scientology is a bit much for the folks in Berlin. Really, can Tom Cruise be taken seriously and can Scientology be seriously described as a religion? I don’t know, but it just doesn’t seem to fit what is typically considered a religion.

Cruise’s Scientology Stirs Ire in Berlin
By DAVID RISING
BERLIN (AP) - Two hot-button issues in Germany - the Nazi era and Scientology - are being pushed simultaneously by a new film in which Tom Cruise plays the country’s most-famous anti-Hitler plotter, sparking controversy in Berlin.

Cruise, one of Scientology’s best-known adherents, is to play Col. Claus Graf Schenk von Stauffenberg - the aristocratic army officer executed after a failed attempt to assassinate Hitler in 1944 - in director Bryan Singer’s new film “Valkyrie.”

The film’s German co-producers say they were given permission to use the former German general staff headquarters in Berlin, where Stauffenberg worked and where he was executed, and that they plan a detailed, historically accurate treatment.

But word that a Scientologist would play Stauffenberg has rubbed some the wrong way. Germany’s government considers Scientology a commercial enterprise that takes advantage of vulnerable people, and critics maintain that one of its adherents should not be playing one of the Nazi-era’s few heroes.

Stauffenberg “is to be played by an actor whose sect, through dubious methods, attempts to lure people and make them pliable,” Social Democratic lawmaker Klaus Uwe Benneter said on his Web site. “This is a slap in the face to all upstanding democrats, all resistance fighters during the Third Reich, and all victims of the Scientology sect.”

Sabine Weber, a spokeswoman for Scientology in Berlin, said she was “shocked” that politicians would speak out against Cruise starring in the movie, saying that it was a “call to discrimination” against someone because of religious beliefs, which violates German and European human-rights codes.

The film’s producers maintain the criticism is misguided, accusing politicians of making hay of a non-issue.

“Basically, some politicians are using the popularity of Tom Cruise to become popular themselves,” Carl Woebcken, head of the Babelsberg studio that is slated to co-produce the film in Germany, told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

“This is not a Scientology film, it is a Bryan Singer film, and Bryan Singer is Jewish … and they want to make this film to show that during the Nazi regime there was heroic resistance,” Woebcken said. “The personal beliefs of Tom Cruise have to be separated from his skills as an actor. He is one of the best, if not the best, actors in the world for heroic roles and that is why Bryan Singer approached him.”

United Artists called its film “a historically accurate thriller” and said in a statement that “Mr. Cruise’s personal beliefs have absolutely no bearing on the movie’s plot, themes or content.”

Germany’s federal agency that tracks extremism has had Scientology under observation for a decade on allegations that it “threatens the peaceful democratic order” of the country. The Scientologists long have battled to end the surveillance, saying it is an abuse of their right to freedom of religion, and the U.S. State Department regularly criticizes Germany in its annual Human Rights Report for the monitoring practice.

Stauffenberg’s son Berthold Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg has spoken out against Cruise playing the role, telling the Sueddeutsche Zeitung that “he should keep his fingers off my father,” and adding that he feared the movie would be “terrible kitsch.”

You can read the rest of the article HERE. Does anyone take Tom Cruise seriously anymore? And Scientology is a recent invention. When Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes were about to marry, I remember reading all the things required for a Scientology wedding. But then, Tom Cruise seems like someone who would go for something way out there like that.

Related:

• Tom Cruise Movie Sure to be Crap

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Now who would post a photo of their 4-year old daughter in full military dress on a website? Rosie O’Donnell, of course - the crude, coarse and tasteless “commedian” and “celebrity.” I put both in quotes because I don’t think she is either. Here’s the story:

Daughter Pics Spark New Rosie Outrage
AOL
(June 27) — Rosie O’Donnell was never afraid to air her opinions on the war in Iraq during her ‘View’ tenure, but war-related photos of her 4-year-old daughter are causing many to think Rosie’s gone too far.

On her blog Tuesday, O’Donnell posted photos of her daughter Vivian Rose in a post titled “Dress Up.” In the photo sequence, Vivian Rose is shown with the header “Last year a princess,” where she’s seen in the typical royal wardrobe. Then, “This year a soldier” flashes across the video slideshow, revealing the blond-haired child wearing a bullet belt and head coverings.

The images are causing an uproar among many, causing a flood of e-mails speaking out against them on Rosie’s blog.

“Ro, so disappointed to see your little ones with bullets. Where are the guns? I thought for sure you would protect them more from such things,” one angry reader said to O’Donnell.

“That picture is gross! I am disturbed,” another reader said.

According to the New York Daily News, O’Donnell wrote on her blog: “”My daughter in a soldier costume, national news. [But] 3,500 dead soldiers for real, they don’t comment. Shame,” O’Donnell wrote on her blog, responding to the criticism.” On Wednesday morning, those words were not on the blog.

The Daily News says Rosie claims the photo was intended to show how Vivian Rose likes to mimic her older brothers, and that the bullets were fake.

“Her children were playing and they play dress-up, and that was just an image that she took,” O’Donnell’s spokesperson Cindi Berger told the Daily News. “She is absolutely anti-war.”

I rather feel sorry for Rosie’s children. That household can’t be a very pleasant place to live. At one time - years ago - Rosie was funny and seemed human. Now, though, it appears she has let life’s hard knocks embitter her. Now she just seems mean and angry. Life’s hard on EVERYBODY. She needs to get over herself.

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WWE Pro Wrestler, Chris Benoit, his wife and 7-year-old son were found dead in their Fayetteville, Georgia home on Monday afternoon. The deaths have been rules a double murder suicide.

Preliminary reports are that Benoit strangled his wife, Nancy (aka Woman) on Friday. She was found with her hands and feet bound. He apparently suffocated his son, Daniel, sometime early Saturday.

Benoit then called to say he wouldn’t be making a scheduled appearance on Saturday evening due to a family emergency. He sent text messages to friends on Sunday that were alarming enough for the friends to notify Richard Hering, VP of Government Relations for WWE, who in turn contacted the Fayette County Sheriffs office. When authorities entered the home they found all three family members dead.

Authorities believe he hung himself with his weight equipment sometime late Sunday or early Monday. The bodies have been sent to the Georgia Department of Investigation’s crime lab.

There is a lot of discussion about the possibility of ‘Roid Rage’, that this incident may have been precipitated by steroid use. The WWE is denying that citing clean drug screens among other things. None is terribly convincing. It’s not that hard to get around a drug screen.

I have seen a lot of his colleagues speak of Benoit in disbelief that these events have transpired. They spoke of his love and affection for his son. But there are suggestions there might have been a darker side to Benoit. His wife had filed for divorce and obtained a restraining order in 2003 stating she feared her own and her son’s safety. The Atlantic Online reports that it is looking like Benoit might have lead a ‘tortuous, rageful life’ culminating in this horrific act.

Chris Benoit’s wife, Nancy, has an interesting history of her own. She was a wresting manager from 1984 until her death last weekend. Her stage name was ‘Woman’.

The story of this tragedy will continue to unfold. The toxicology results should confirm whether or not steroids might have exacerbated Benoit’s rage. People will talk more and the pieces of the puzzle will slowly get put into place.

I find it so odd that he felt responsible to call and tell the WWE that he wouldn’t make his appearance on Saturday night. I don’t know why that has puzzled me so much. Perhaps he didn’t want them finding him before he was ready.

ProWrestling.com
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Paris is out of jail!!! I guess everyone knows that.

She did 23 days in jail, several of those days consisted of one minute. So she was out of jail as of a minute or two after midnight this morning. She stopped in a public restroom to change clothes before doing the paparazzi thing as she left the building.

My goodness, she looks almost demure in the photos.

Once in her parents humble 15 bedroom home, Taco Bell attempted to deliver her favorite cuisine of the moment. But according to TMZ they didn’t get past the front gate. Her publicist came over, as did her hair stylist. She had a pedicure, a manicure and who knows what else.

I think she looks nice in the picture above. Much more genuine.

Allie is Wired has more.

hazel

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Hi Hazel, I wrote a few days ago about how someone should handle being suddenly single. What I described in that post was my first step in getting on with my life after the end of my marriage. For the most part, I loved my years as a single adult. I had more fun and enjoyed life as never before. I learned that I have talents and abilities that I wasn’t able to enjoy in my marriage.

When I was newly divorced and feeling as though I’d be alone forever, I never could have imagined enjoying my singleness, though. I had to make myself get out of my comfort zone and start attending some activities that were interesting to me.

For me, it was important to know other singles. I was reeling from the divorce and feeling adrift and alone. When I was first divorced, I didn’t know anyone else who was divorced. Well, I knew some divorced people, but I wasn’t friends with them. Up until that time, my whole world had revolved around my marriage and the community of married couples that I knew.

So after filling up my calendar with activites (as suggested in “What To Do When You Find Yourself Suddenly Single,” I started looking for a group that I felt would be a good fit for me. For me, it was a divorce group at a neighborhood center. A lot of larger churches also offer “Divorce Care” or “Divorce Adjustment” classes aimed at helping newly divorced people handle the emotions and adjustments associated with divorce.

One thing I had always wanted to do was learn to dance, but my ex-husband wouldn’t attend classes with me. It looked like so much fun, but I couldn’t do anything other than freestyle dancing by myself. So I looked for some dance classes, and I signed up for them. You can pay big bucks and go to the nationally franchised studios, or you can look for smaller classes offered at community centers and churches. I opted for a church that offered group dance lessons because I didn’t have much money, and I wanted to meet people who weren’t just out looking for dating prospects. That turned out to be a good option for me.

To this day, two of my best friends in the world are two women I met at the divorce group I attended years ago when I was newly divorced. We also attended the group dance lessons together. All three of us have since formed strong relationships with men that we met while participating in the various singles activities.

For awhile, I also belonged to a singles golf group. I loved that. I joined a book discussion group, too, and became a leader in a community singles group - planning weekly activities for a group of 30 - 50 singles. It was fun, and I made a lot of friends.

One downer for all the singles groups: It seems that there are ALWAYS more women in the group than men. I guess that’s just a fact of life.

Being involved in singles groups will also teach you quickly how to handle over-eager men - men who are anxious to find someone quickly to take over their cooking and cleaning and bedroom needs. Steer clear. Fortunately, there are also a lot of men who have learned from past failures and are eager to try a more egalitarian relationship.

So follow these steps: (1) Get that calendar and follow these directions; and then (2) Follow through and get involved in the group that is most interesting to you. You have nothing to lose - and a lot to gain

Good luck!

Previous articles in the series on adjusting to single life.

• What to do When you Find Yourself Suddenly Single

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It wasn’t any big surprise when Bobby Cutts, Jr. was arrested for the murder of the Ohio missing pregnant mother, Jessie Davis. The bodies of Jessie Davis and her unborn baby were found buried in a shallow grave a few miles from her home. Apparently, Cutts told the police where to find her body, probably in hopes of sidestepping the death penalty.

Now, an accomplice has been arrested. Cutts high school friend, Myisha Ferrell has been arrested and charged with obstruction of justice. Investigators had to force their way into her apartment and she was subsequently arrested. It’s alleged she helped Cutts clean up the crime scene at Davis’ house.

I wonder if either one of them gave a thought to the 2-year-old boy, Bobby Cutts’ son, who witnessed the murder and was then left in the house alone. Did they give that a second thought?

The investigation is ongoing and the possibility remains that she will be facing more charges, including helping to dispose of the bodies.

There is also speculation that a third person, another woman, is under investigation for having participated in the crime after the fact.

How many women did this Cutts guy manipulate into doing his bidding? He had children with multiple women, he had a rap sheet yet still was able to get on with the Canton police. It’s just phenomenal that he manipulated so many people and had so few consequences for his bad behavior.

He had a week to come up with a story and apparently the best he could come up with was that she just suddenly died and he panicked and took her to bury her. So that looks like he’s not a rocket scientist.

Still, a dirty cop who killed a woman and baby will not have a happy time in prison. That would certainly be some portion of justice. At least, we won’t be impregnating any more women.

Hazel, he’s vermin. Worse than vermin. I hope he gets what he deserves. Later, Adeline

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