With all due respect (which isn't much) ... what a bunch of bloody idiots.


This is particularly obnoxious: "The town's name conjures up visions of unhealthy patties of ground-up dead cows," said Joe Haptas, spokesman of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.


Uh-huh. And PETA's name, at this point, conjures up visions of unhealthy, pasty-faced morons who need to get lives and stop trying to run everyone else's. Which, when you think about it, is pretty much what causes most of the trouble in the world.


Here's what Andy said about it: "Yes, yes, those people take life a little too seriously. I respect their right to not eat meat -- in fact I cheer it because it often leaves more for me. But they have to rip my lifestyle to feed their pathetic little existences. It's always sort of bugged me.


I have a suggestion for PETA: The organization should change its name to Petty Egomaniacs and Tremendous Assholes. That way, it could keep its acronym.

I am no fan of professional hockey, but I must gloat a little, mainly because my brother-in-law Dean is such a big Colorado sports booster:


Ha ha, Dean. Our hockey team with an inane name beat YOUR hockey team with an even more inane name last night.


And in overtime. Woo-hoo.

It's truly unbelievable that I've managed to get along in life so far without knowing how many socks I've worn. Fortunately, this has come to my rescue.


Whew.

I've just received what I think is a compliment from a reporter.


Andy asked me if I'd edited one of his stories yet. I told him yes. He said he guessed there was no screwing around over here, and I told him that he'd be surprised.


He theorized that perhaps I "screw around more efficiently than most."


I think I'll put that on my resume.

I swear, I am becoming a one-woman press agent for Mike Nelson.


I bought his first novel, "Mike Nelson's Death Rat!", over the weekend (yes, there's that Ego Alert thing again -- the guy really needs help on titles), and started reading it immediately.


It's quite amusing, and the fact that it's set in Minnesota makes it all the more funny. One of the characters is called King Leo, and he is a VERY thinly veiled takeoff on Prince -- His Royal Purpleness himself. (I was going to link to Prince's Web site, but it's so annoying, I'm not going to.)


As King Leo says in the book:


"You can call me King Leo, or you can call me the Sovereign Ruler of Groove, Milord Nasty Pants, the Magistrate of Penetrate, the Pharoah of Funk, Maharaja of the Mojo, Caesar the Pleaser, Benevolent Despot of the Lower Places, the Commander in Chief in the Overstuffed Briefs, or the Exchequer of Milk Chocolate Soul. Wooo!"


Personally, I like "Milord Nasty Pants," and I think I'll start calling my almost-2-year-old son that. But for different reasons entirely.


Wooo! (For different reasons entirely.)

OK, now my "guest" column for The Business Journal is posted, so I can link directly to it here.


I'm also happy to report that I'm DONE with the Growth Guide. I just finished going over the blue line (which is my last chance to make corrections).


My, what an exciting life I lead. Yawn.