Things have been going so well in Iraq that, according to the BBC, the Iraqis have devised a Trenches plan to secure Baghdad. Cutting trenches around the 50 mile circumference of the city will certainly be an interesting civil engineering project for a country that still doesn’t have a reliable electricity supply, fresh water system, or sewer, although it might provide some help with the sewage problem.

No word on whether they are planning World War I trenches, the Medieval moat, or the fashional ha-ha when they talk about “trenches.”

Funneling the population of the city through 28 checkpoints should be an interesting study in urban gridlock.

I’m sorry but this whole concept reminds me of Bob the Builder and Tonka trucks, not serious attempts at solving problems…no, Bob is too good at building and fixing to be associated with these people, and Tonka trucks are better built than what Rummy has been shipping to Iraq.

Fresh spinach is suspected in an E. Coli outbreak across multiple states, so you better buy the slimy, yucky canned variety – or skip it.

Hundreds of thousands of containers of Similac bottled baby formula are suspected of not being sealed properly, so they are being recalled. The manufacturer says the formula loses vitamin C over time if the bottles aren’t air tight, but I have to think that baby formula would be an excellent growth medium for all kinds of nasty stuff if the bottles aren’t sealed properly.

But none of this will matter if immigration raids are shutting down food processors anyway.

It might be time to look at urban gardening if you’re cramped for space.

The Day of His Noodly Appendage

The holiest of holidays for Pastafarrians, is of course the birthday of His Most Holy Prophet, Marco Polo (b. Sept 15, 1254), who brought the word of his Noodly Appendage back from the East. As Talk Like A Pirate Day falls on September 19th, this five-day period constitutes Holy Pasta Week, during which spaghetti is consumed liberally. With a nice Chianti, of course.

Dot Filling In

Sox needed a break so I’m temping as shoe guard.

[Editor: It was quite unusual to look over and see Dot down there. Sox occupies that spot almost continuously when I’m on the computer.]

Friday Ark