Another story to consider:

Muchuch. "After the battle of Talavera [27-28 July 1809], General Graham, afterwards Lord Lynedoch, was told of a dog which lay on the grave of a Spanish officer and refused food. He desired the dog to be brought to his quarters, but the servant returned without him, and said the dog would not allow him to come near. General Graham then ordered him to take as many soldiers as were necessary to secure and bring him away. After a time, the dog was sent to Scotland, to his friend Graham of Fintry (the injudicious patron of Burns), by one of whose family he was given to the father of my informant, who resided in Edinburgh. At that house he remained some years -- the delight of all. He was a large poodle, marked with brown, and had had part of one of his ears shot off in battle. In those days the guns from the Castle announced many victories, and when they were fired Muchuch got into a state of great excitement; the house-door was opened, and he ran direct to the Castle and straight to the battery among the men. After a while he was regularly expected on such occasions, and welcomed and made much of by the soldiers. Frequently he walked out with the governess and young ladies: one morning, in the King's Park, he was seized with asthma, a soldier kindly assisted them to carry him to a stream of water and then to Holyrood. Having heard his history he asked leave to acquaint the guard at the Palace -- the soldiers turned out and paid all respect to the old hero.

"His friends had reluctantly to part with him, finding that he had become jealous of the youngest member of the family, who was a great favourite, and it being feared he might do her some serious injury. Muchuch ended his days peacefully, at Fintry, acting turkey-herd -- driving his charge afield in the morning, and bringing the flock home every evening." George Richard Jesse, Researches into the History of the British Dog (London: 1866 [2 vols]) vol. 1, pp. 118-119.

I find these anecdotes to be fairly interesting in that they show people who had been involved in the most significant acts of the early 19th century remembering the pets, the dogs, and the little things above all else.

Capri Anderson is too Good for Charlie Sheen

Adult film star Capri Anderson

This poor young lady is slumming with Hollywood's premiere nut job:

Charlie Sheen is back in L.A., set to tape a cameo in an upcoming film. Meanwhile, back in New York, details continue to emerge about his alleged rampage at the Plaza Hotel.

According to a law enforcement source that spoke to NBC New York, when police first discovered Sheen, he wasn't yet naked. He was "in his skivvies," according to the NBC New York report, and Sheen was "trashing the place: smashing mirrors, furniture, and even the television." Once police confronted Sheen, he reportedly "removed his underwear and completed the rampage in the buff."

Authorities eventually pacified Sheen, coaxed him into a bathrobe, and eventually "proper clothing" before taking him to the hospital. Porn star Capri Anderson, whose legal name is Christina Walsh, was also reportedly in the room, according to sources that spoke to NBC. She wasn't charged with any crime, nor was Sheen.

Charlie Sheen is out of his mind and do you know who is really to blame here?

Les Moonves.

That's right. Les Moonves is running CBS, and he, at least until now, has never demonstrated to me that he will deal with his troubled star and get him some help. And when I say get him some help, I mean, cut off the millions of dollars in salary they are paying him to phone it in on his sit-com. Compel him into a rehabilitation program. In other words, act like a responsible employer. It is that ridiculous sit-com salary that has enabled Sheen to run wild. And, yes. He would do so if flat broke. But, trust me--millions of dollars do not a more lovable addict make.

Next time you go on a naked rampage in an expensive hotel room, ask yourself this: if it wasn't for the millions that Les Moonves is paying you, could you afford to get fired? Oh, wait. That's a trick question. Fifteen minutes after your mug hits the papers, you'd be out of a job, even if you were working for Les Moonves (unless, of course, you were Jon Cryer or Neil Patrick Harris).

Moonves cannot solve the Charlie Sheen problem with one phone call, but he can do what an employer should always do in this situation and that is, take steps to separate the abuser from the millions of dollars in salary that are enabling the abuser. He can tell Sheen's agent that unless Sheen cleans up and gets sober, he's cancelled. He can then call Christian Slater and give him the job and tell Sheen to take a hike. I realize that Christian Slater is, more or less, a poor man's Charlie Sheen, and I realize that that's mean of me, but I doubt whether or not Andrew McCarthy or Ethan Hawke would pass on taking that phone call from Moonves in their own right. I know Andy Dick needs the work. And, I know that David Hasselhoff would be a hot mess of epic proportions if they tried to go with him. Who else could do it? Certainly not that poor fellow, Chris Klein.

Until Sheen is either arrested or dead, and until he harms someone, no one is going to deal with this issue. Moonves won't touch one of his signature sit-coms. And that's sad. But make no mistake about it--the man signing Sheen's checks needs to stop signing those checks for anything of a positive nature to happen.

Charlie Sheen is on a rampage. Someone is going to get hurt unless drastic steps are taken. That someone could have been poor Miss Walsh. Would anyone care if a "porn star" were harmed by an out-of-control Charlie Sheen? In this country, the prudes would say "that's her own fault" but I would say that we should not judge this young woman who is just trying to make a living.

No, this is not going to end well unless someone does something to actually compel Sheen to get help. I hope that I am wrong, but that's how I see it.

Randy and Evi Quaid Have Lost It

Randy and Evi Quaid, 1993, Life Magazine

I would be willing to bet that, at one point, Randy and Evi Quaid were fairly normal. You can find photos of them going back many, many years and, until recently, there weren't regular reports of wacky behavior or felony arrests.

Everyone is entitled to be weird. And they may have been weird from day one. But this has gone beyond weird:

Actor Randy Quaid and his wife Evi are seeking asylum in Canada, claiming they are being persecuted in the US.

The couple were arrested in Vancouver on Thursday on US warrants related to vandalism charges, issued last week after they missed a court appearance.

"We feel our lives are in danger," Evi Quaid told an immigration adjudicator.

Their lawyer showed the media a handwritten statement, in which the Quaids said they were "requesting asylum from Hollywood 'star whackers'."

Last month the Quaids were charged by US police with illegal occupation of their former home in Santa Barbara, California.

When they failed to show up in court to answer those charges last Monday, a warrant was issued for their arrest.

That's not the half of it:

At Friday's immigration hearing, Evi Quaid alleged that a number of her husband's actor friends - among them Heath Ledger and David Carradine - had been killed in recent years.

"Randy has known eight close friends murdered in odd, strange manners," she said in what the Reuters news agency called a "rambling" presentation. "We feel that we're next."

Ledger, with whom Quaid appeared in Brokeback Mountain, died in January 2008 from an accidental overdose.

Kung Fu and Kill Bill star Carradine was found dead in a Bangkok hotel room last year. A pathologist concluded he had died from asphyxiation.

What can you add to that? These people need some form of intervention or help. How sad.

Related articles

• Randy & Evi Quaid Seek Asylum From "Star Whackers" (popcrunch.com)
• What Made Randy and Evi Quaid Lose Their Shit? [People Who Lose It] (jezebel.com)
• Randy & Evi Quaid Seek Refugee Status In Canada (huffingtonpost.com)
• Actor Randy Quaid And Wife Seek Refugee Status In Canada; Fear They'll Be Killed In U.S. (alan.com)
• Quaids fleeing 'star-whackers' in U.S. (cbc.ca)
• Randy Quaid, Wife Arrested in Canada (omg.yahoo.com)
• Actor Randy Quaid arrested in Canada: reports (omg.yahoo.com)
• Randy Quaid and Crazy Wife Seek Refugee Status in Canada [Refugess] (gawker.com)
• Randy Quaid, Wife Seek Refugee Status in Canada (foxnews.com)

Mel Gibson Is Down So You May As Well Kick Him

Another setback for Mel Gibson:

Mel Gibson won't be appearing in The Hangover Part IIdespite web reports he'd play a tattoo artist in the Todd Phillips-directed pic. Warner Bros and its financing partner Legendary Pictures released a statement from Phillips. "I thought Mel would have been great in the movie and I had the full backing of Jeff Robinov and his team. But I realize filmmaking is a collaborative effort, and this decision ultimately did not have the full support of my entire cast and crew," Phillips said.

I think the world of Phillips, but I didn't find it admirable when WME dropped Gibson as a client, and I think this development is disappointing. Mike Tyson, who was convicted or rape and served time for it, can be in The Hangover, but Gibson can't, because he made an anti-Semitic remark during a DUI arrest and had some scary voice mails bared against his wishes? Stars still flock to work with Roman Polanski, even though he can't make movies in the U.S. because he fled after admittedly having a sexual encounter with a 13-year old girl. Clearly, Gibson has been his own worst enemy, but as a director of films like Braveheart, The Passion of the Christ and Apocalypto, there are few better.

Really, where’s the courage here?

The man is down and out. Kicking him is a brave thing?

What clout does Mel Gibson have in Hollywood with anyone right now? He’s little better than a stumblebum taking a leak by the highway. He might as well count on further displays of bravery from people who, just a few short years ago, would have lost their lunch over getting a chance to work with him.

Focus

There's a bit of wisdom in this:

There are two things I’d recommend you do to get started — and you can choose which one to do first, as it doesn’t matter really where you start:

1. Pick your life’s short list. It’s crucial that you take a step back and figure out what’s most important to you. I suggest taking half a day off, or even just 30-60 minutes. Get outside and take a walk, or go to a coffee shop, and allow yourself to think. Big picture stuff: what do you love most? Every person’s list will be different — my list was: spending time with family, writing, reading and running. Pick just 4-5 things, even if there are lots of other things that also seem important. Now make a longer list: what else is in your life that’s not on the short list? Once you’ve done these things, you’re done with the Big Picture stuff — the next step is to start eliminating commitments that aren’t on the short list. Do the same for your work life — what’s most important, and what doesn’t make your short list of most important projects and goals.

2. Start clearing clutter in one spot. Physical clutter can be overwhelming, which is why you should just pick one small spot, and clear that. You can get to the rest later. It might be the top of your desk, or if that is super messy maybe just one spot on top of your desk. It might be a table-top or part of a counter or shelf in your home. It doesn’t matter what the spot is. Here’s how to start: first clear off that area and put everything into a pile to the side. Now sort through the pile quickly, making three smaller piles: stuff you use and love, stuff you can donate, and trash. Sort quickly and ruthlessly — everything should go in one of the three piles. Then throw the trash away, put the donate stuff in a box to be dropped off to a charity, and put the stuff you love and use neatly where it belongs. Everything should have a permanent home. Done! Slowly expand your decluttered zone.

Some people thrive on clutter, however. The continual re-sorting of clutter can be addictive. Then there is the idea that a person maintains control over their environment through clutter and through being able to index their clutter in their mind.

As to finding out what is important, I think that is healthy. If anything, we are a self-centered sort of species and it's always a good idea to disconnect from things and consider other people.

And, yes. Other people are clutter sometimes.

Do you know who has solved the issue of clutter? IKEA. Now, they're not paying me to say this, but the simple act of acquiring several IKEA pieces (doesn't matter what they are, so long as you like what they're about) and putting them together becomes a relaxation opportunity in and of itself. Think about what two big IKEA bookcases could do for you. Put them together. Sort and pile and reorganize and remove what works on those pieces and what doesn't.

Leo Babauta is the author of Focus.

Related articles

• How To Declutter Your Home (apartmenttherapy.com)
• Day 4: Remove One Item and Set Up Outbox The 20/20 Home Cure (apartmenttherapy.com)
• 10 Ways to Cut Clutter in Your Home (women.webmd.com)
• Focus: My new book on simplicity in the age of distractions (zenhabits.net)
• Mamas need white space (attachmentparenting.org)
• Life's Missing White Space - A Guest Post (thenonconsumeradvocate.com)
• Ask the Experts: 5 Steps to Clutter-Free Living (time.com)
• Nine ways to identify clutter, by Gretchen Rubin (boingboing.net)
• Top 10 Ways to Organize and Streamline Your Workspace [Lifehacker Top 10] (lifehacker.com)
• Use a Camera to Help See Your Clutter Trouble Spots [Clutter] (lifehacker.com)

The Chasseurs

They were four dogs, and they were loyal to one another.


They were red, tan, brown and orange to strangers, but they were ranked according to how they had been trained while in the service of the French Army. The men had trained them for different jobs and put them in battalions and regiments, and the men had taken them across the continent. They had marched behind the men for months on end, seeing terrible things and feeling cold, wet, hungry and alone while in the company of tens of thousands of men who felt exactly the same way.


And so they learned to appreciate being warm, being full, and the quiet of an afternoon.


Long after the men in boots and the men on horses had gone home, some in shame, some in defeat, some in victory, they had found themselves with no masters, no battalions, no regiments, no one to hold their leash or tell them to do the things they had been trained to do.


And so they had done well. They had built themselves nice dens to sleep in, warm places to lay down, sunny spots in orchards where there was food and water nearby, and they knew how to avoid the men who lived in villages and did not go to war. They learned how to flatter old women and earn treats from happy children. They learned that when the sun was up, a dog felt better in the sun than in the shade. They learned that when all four of them had enough to eat, it was time to relax and nap and say nothing. They learned what it was to enjoy the quiet.

***

That's roughly the first part of The Chasseurs, and it is a raw piece of writing that hasn't been edited as yet. I suppose it helps to understand that I'm trying to imagine the simplicity of what dogs really need--food, water, companionship and little else. Dogs don't have philosophical yearnings for explanations for everything. Hey, have I eaten lately? That's pretty much what a dog prefers.

Anyway, The Chasseurs has been gestating for a while now, and I have to get after it.

On this blog, I will drop in narrative pieces like that and try to bend them to fit the history and the times. Whatever doesn't make sense, drop me a comment and I'll see if I can explain it better.

Build a Tool Set Around the Right Cordless Drill

I think this is a great place to start:

Home maintenance takes time, and you don't need to waste even more trekking to the hardware store for basic tools each time you start a project. Bob Tedeschi at the Times pulls together the must-have items for every toolbox, from the basic hammer, screwdriver, cordless drill, pliers and wrenches (both regular and socket), to the less obvious but still important stud finder, level, and small handsaw. He also goes through the many variations on each tool, noting the pros and cons of each, like safety performance and multitasking ability.

It's not so much a shopping list of tools as much as it is a guide to creating your own. Everyone has different needs and preferences, so while there are certainly tools everyone should have, there is no one size fits all solution...

You can consolidate the tools you need just by figuring out how to use the cordless drill with the right bits and chucks. The article covers the essentials, but I'll tell you what you need--a cordless drill and then whatever the drill won't do. Get as many different kinds of drill accessories as you can--especially if you like putting together furniture from IKEA. And never pay retail--build your tool set by starting at your local pawn shop. Extra accessories for drills are easy to pick up on the cheap in a pawn shop because people tend to keep the essentials and pawn the luxury items, like that handy fifty-six piece set of extra drill bits and the like.

The way things have been lately, if you can't walk out of a pawn shop with a good cordless drill and your own basic tool set, then someone got there before you did.

Another Embarrassment for the Tribune Company

Look, Randy! She has boobies!

Of course, if Randy Michaels had sent the video, well, that would have been different, wouldn't it?

Tribune Co. chief innovation officer Lee Abrams, who wasforced to apologize after sending a company-wide email containing racy video, has been suspended from his duties. Here’s the memo:

From: Tribune Communications

Sent: Wednesday, October 13, 2010 11:29 AM

Subject: Message from Randy Michaels/Lee Abrams Suspended

I want to let you know that today we made the decision to suspend Lee Abrams from his position as Tribune’s Chief Innovation Officer. He will remain on suspension indefinitely and without pay while we review the circumstances surrounding the email and video link he distributed on Monday. We’re in the process of determining further disciplinary action.

Lee recognizes that the video was in extremely bad taste and that it offended employees—he has also apologized publicly. He reiterated those feelings again to me privately today. But, this is the kind of serious mistake that can’t be tolerated; we intend to address it promptly and forcefully.

As I said last week, a creative culture must be built on a foundation of respect. Our culture is not about being offensive or hurtful. We encourage employees to speak up when they see or hear something that they find offensive, as a number of employees did with regard to this particular email. I can assure you, you will be heard.

Randy 

This sounds like exactly the sort of person that Michaels would have decried as a humorless buzzkill in years past. Can't you hear him chortling behind his mirthless recitation of what the corporate suits told him he had to say?

You can't help but wonder if the heat has actually started to get to this pig of a man, Randy Michaels. His product is a disaster. His company is floating on cheap wood in the middle of a filthy pond and the wind is coming up. Everything he has touched has turned, proverbially and otherwise, to absolute shit.

As for Randy Michaels and his casual signature at the end of an E-mail that was dictated to him by someone with a law degree, what now? Isn't it about time to take the millions and go live in a walled-off compound, feted by sex slaves? Isn't it about time to retire somewhere pleasant and play with guns and look at naked boobies all day while drunk? Isn't that what retirement is for?

Related articles

• Tribune suspends Lee Abrams (laobserved.com)
• Tribune Exec Lee Abrams Suspended (blogs.forbes.com)
• Tribune Suspends Abrams For Memo (mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com)
• Tribune Suspends Lee Abrams After Latest Idiot Memo [Internal Memos] (gawker.com)
• Lee Abrams SUSPENDED: Tribune Suspends Executive Over Racy Email (huffingtonpost.com)
• Tribune's Lee Abrams, Deserving Scapegoat (blogs.forbes.com)
• Tribune Suspends Executive (online.wsj.com)
• Tribune Co. suspends executive over racy e-mail, US (dailycaller.com)
• Tribune Co. Suspends Executive Indefinitely For Sending Offensive Memos (observer.com)
• Tribune Suspends Abrams For Memo (chicagoist.com)

Joan Collins Lives in a Mexican Whorehouse?*

How sad:

Her name is synonymous with style and glamour, qualities that enduring acting legend and author Joan Collins believes are sadly lacking in today’s stars. 

Opening the doors of her sumptuous Belgravia home for the first time ever in this weeks’HELLO! - issue 1145 - the 77-year-old has something to say.

She tells the magazine that, with the notable exception of one famous modern day actress, there are no real beauties in Hollywood these days.

"I have to say, there aren’t that many good looking actresses around today. I mean, there’sAngelina Jolie and there’s… Angelina Jolie," says the famously outspoken stage and screen icon, who is married to theatre director Percy Gibson, 44. 

"Jennifer Aniston is cute, but I wouldn’t call her beautiful. I think that is why Cheryl Cole is so popular, because she is just so pretty and the public are starved of gorgeous people.

"When I was young, everybody on screen was gorgeous." 

The size 10-12 star, who reveals a hidden passion for collecting 18th century drawings of camels, says her secret for staying in shape is ‘portion control’. 

The poor lady should have hired someone capable to ruin her home.

*when I want to know what a Mexican whorehouse looks like, I send Peej in ahead of me.

Get Your Yardbird Hutch Right Here

I suppose only crazy people still call them yardbirds...

A modern chicken coop that looks more like sculpture. The nogg transcends ideas of what a chicken house usually looks like. It is designed to encourage domestic farming while adding a touch of playful elegance.

Engineered and crafted by hand in the UK thenogg is made from strong cedar wood which is fresh scented and naturally antibacterial. Stainless steel trimming, locks & fasteners and the elevated glass dome gives the nogg a contemporary feel and is reassuringly safe and durable.

Posted via email from Warren Jason Street

Timeline of the Battle of Waterloo

There are excellent resources out there, but this is the sort of thing that will inform what I'm trying to do. This map shows what happened in the afternoon, and this map shows what happened later in the day:

At this point, it becomes a rout:

At around 5.30pm Ney launched the final cavalry assault. There were too many regiments, fresh mingled with exhausted. The attack failed yet again.Ney now, far too late, launched the sustained infantry assault on La Haye Sante which was overwhelmed. By now the Prussian assault in the South East on Plancenoit was seriously threatening the French position.

Sure that the Allied line was at breaking point, Ney sent desperately to the Emperor for more troops to attack. Napoleon was at this point deploying the Guard to drive the Prussians back from Plancenoit. Once this had been achieved he resolved to launch the Guard at the main Allied line. By this time Wellington had reorganised his forces and the opportunity that Ney had, this time, correctly identified had passed.

The Guard marched up to La Haye Sante for the attack. There Napoleon stood aside and left the command to Ney. Ney led the five battalions up the left hand side of the Brussels road. As they climbed the ridge they came under fire from a curve of batteries assembled to meet them. A deserting French cavalry officer had warned of the Guard’s advance.

The Middle Guard threw back the British battalions of Halkett’s Brigade but were assaulted by the Belgian and Dutch troops of General Chassé and Colonel Detmers who drove them back down the hill.

The 3rd Regiment of Chasseurs approached the ridge opposite Maitland’s Brigade of Foot Guards (2nd and 3rd Battalions of the 1st Foot Guards). Wellington called to the brigade commander “Now Maitland. Now’s your time”. One authority had him as saying “Up Guards, ready”. The Foot Guards stood, fired a volley and charged with the bayonet driving the French Guard back down the hill.

The last of the French Guard regiments, the 4th Chasseurs came up in support as the British Guards withdrew back over the ridge.

Sir John Colborne brought the 52nd Foot round to outflank the French column as it passed his brigade, fired a destructive volley into the left flank of the Chasseurs and attacked with the bayonet. The whole of the Guard was driven back down the hill and began a general retreat to the cry of “La Garde recule”.

This map shows the battle at 8PM (it was June 18th, after all)

Some more tidbits:

The Battle of Waterloo and The Royal Scots Greys and Sergeant Charles Ewart:

• After the battle the 1st Foot Guards were given the title “the Grenadier Guards” to commemorate the regiment’s role in overthrowing the French Grenadiers of the Old Guard. All ranks were given the bearskin cap to wear.
• 14th Foot: The 3rd Battalion of the regiment fought at Waterloo. The battalion had been newly raised and was awaiting disbandment, having seen no service, when Napoleon escaped from Elba. The battalion crossed to Belgium and won the battle honour for the regiment. Most of the soldiers were under 20 years of age.
• The Emperor Napoleon, some years before Waterloo, presented to each of his marshals a silver snuff box. Marshal Ney’s snuffbox was looted from his carriage after the battle by a British officer. Some years later the snuffbox was presented to the officers of the 19th Foot, the Green Howards, who used it in their mess for formal occasions.
• The 27th Inniskilling Fusiliers, in the course of Ney’s cavalry attacks was bombarded by a French horse battery. By the end of the battle the battalion had suffered 478 casualties from a pre-battle strength of 750. An officer from a nearby battalion, Captain Kincaid, commented that the 27th seemed to be lying dead in its square. Kincaid, a veteran of the Peninsular War, said “I had never thought there would be a battle where everyone was killed. This seemed to be it.”
• The Duke of Wellington spent his early army service as the lieutenant colonel of the 33rd Foot. After the Duke’s death Queen Victoria permitted the 33rd to adopt the title “the Duke of Wellington’s”, a fitting attribution for one of the army’s most persistently successful regiments of foot.
• 79th Cameron Highlanders: As the French cavalry approached for the attack the regiment formed square. Piper Mackay marched around the square playing the pibroch “Peace or War”. The King subsequently presented Mackay with silver mounted pipes.
• In spite of their presence in the film “Waterloo”, the 88th Foot, Connaught Rangers, were not present at Waterloo. They were on the far side of the Atlantic fighting the Americans.
• The 95th had three battalions at Waterloo. After the battle the regiment was given the title of the “Rifle Brigade” in place of its number, which was reallocated to a newly raised infantry regiment.
• In the closing moments of the battle a cannon ball struck the Earl of Uxbridge as he rode with the Duke of Wellington. The Duke said “By God you’ve lost your leg.” The Earl said “By God, so I have.” The remains of the leg were amputated in a house nearby and the owner buried the leg in his garden where it was a place of interest for some years.
• Every year after 1815 the Duke of Wellington held a “Waterloo” banquet for his officers. The banquet is still held.

So much to choose from...

The Journey That I Never Thought I Would Take

Lisa Rinna has had her lips fixed. They look wonderful now, but what will they look like in twenty years?

My guess is that they--and she--will still look lovely.

Why Do You Have to Go After Gwyneth?

The headline in this article implies that we need to attack Gwyneth Paltrow:

Why you shouldn't detox like Demi (or eat like Gwyneth)

Twitter, blogs make it easy to follow the weird diet habits of the slim and famous

These days it’s not enough to dress and get plastic surgery like a celebrity. We have to eat like one, too.

With Twitter, blogs and Facebook it’s easier than ever to find out first-hand how you can graze like Gwyneth or detox like Demi.

Nearly every celeb from Jessica Simpson to Kirstie Alley seems unable to keep their scary diet tricks to themselves. Megan Fox downs vinegar shots to slim down. Kim and Khloe Kardashian “cleanse” with diet drinks they’re also selling. Even Salma Hayek has jumped on the cleanse bandwagon as a co-owner of a detox delivery program called Cooler Cleanse.

Only by reading the article do we see that these nutty nutritional ideas come from a variety of celebrities. Demi Moore pretty much runs Twitter now. She controls that Ashton Kutcher boy and she isn't making movies anymore, so why not, right?

I would like to blame scientology, but that wouldn't be fair. It would be funny, but not fair. Only a handful of the desperately craven celebrities who are manipulating the media are scientologists. Many of them are doing this for cold, hard cash. And that's fine. In America, we celebrate capitalism. We have a lot of really, really disgustingly fat people in America. Convincing them that they can do something, other than eat less and exercise more, is par for the course.

Who is still logging in to their Twitter account? What a bunch of nonsense. It's 2010. Twitter is still around?

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German Reunification Continues to be a Huge Issue

I get tired of the same people who comment about how "World War II" this and "World War II" that was what defined Germany. There is some truth to that, but, of far greater importance, is the process of German reunification:

The air here used to stink from the low-grade coal people burned for heat. That is easy to forget 20 years after East and West reunited and well more than a trillion dollars has been spent to prop up and rebuild the dilapidated region that was the German Democratic Republic.

The day the air cleared, when the sweet smell of the surrounding forest literally broke through, is the day that Birgit Kummer remembers as the start of her new life in a united, democratic Germany, one that offered her opportunities she never dreamed of under Communism.

“You could barely breathe,” said Ms. Kummer, a lifelong resident of this history-rich city, where Martin Luther studied, Napoleon met Czar Alexander and the first small step toward unification occurred when leaders of the East and the West met in 1970. “For me, it was a sign that everything would be better, when the air was clear.”

As Germany prepares to mark the 20th anniversary of reunification on Sunday, there has been a heated national post-mortem on the process, with much emphasis on thedisappointments and shortcomings. One official from a struggling former East German state declared that what happened was not reunification but an anschluss, or annexation, a word that recalled the Nazi takeover of Austria before World War II.

The discussion has primarily emphasized financial disparities: wages in the east remain at 80 percent of the west’s; the unemployment rate in the east is nearly 12 percent, about double that in the west; and the average wealth of an East German family is about 40 percent lower than its West German counterpart. And of course, those in the West often complain about the $1.7 trillion paid — so far — to rebuild and prop up the east.

Of primary importance here in Germany is the standard of living. That, and gardening. The Germans just want their gardens, their strong currency, and a nice walk. Reunification is the thing that continues to threaten to destabilize all of that. No wonder the Germans are agitated about immigration, bailing out Greece, and the weather, in particular. No one talks about the war. You can't even tell there was a war unless you go into a German cemetery.

As far as reunification is concerned, ask a South Korean how he or she feels about trying to "reunify" with their country cousins up north. You might get a similar answer from a Bavarian.

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• Merkel: Germany 'culturally richer' following reunification (cnn.com)
• Berlin Wall shooting video game angers victims' relatives (reuters.com)
• Lorenz Maroldt: The Lives of Nazis, the Stasi and Others (online.wsj.com)
• Germany marks 20 years reunited (globalnation.inquirer.net)

Heidi Klum Walks Away From Victoria's Secret

Is it wrong for me to put up some photos of Heidi Klum just because her name is in the news? Of course not. It's practically a requirement:

Whenever I think Victoria’s Secret Angels should have an age limit of 25, as is my wont, I remember Heidi Klum is still out there and then start to wonder why every woman can’t be as hot as her. 

(Seriously, would it kill you?) However, all of that’s a moot point as Heidi just announced she’s retiring from an institution so sacred and holy, I consistently hid its literature under my mattress from 1992 to 1996. *bows head in reverence* Page Sixreports:

“All good things have to come to an end. I will always love Victoria’s Secret. It has been an absolutely amazing time.”

Mom-of-four Klum was dubbed “The Body” by Page Six after walking in her first VS show and then became the “Head Angel,” hosting since 2002 and stealing the show last year by stepping out in lingerie just five weeks after giving birth.

Right now the short list of Head Angels to replace Heidi consists of Alessandra Ambrosio,Adriana Lima, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Candice Swanepoel, Chanel Iman and Erin Heatherton.

Absolutely.

What a lovely lady.

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