WHAT A DIFFERENCE...

A YEAR MAKES

Last year at this time, the national average price for a gallon of gasoline was $2.95. This year, we are at a national average of $4.10. California drivers would love to see their prices as low as the national average. And crude slid past the $145 per barrel mark earlier today.

Another 62,000 jobs were lost in the US last month. The sixth straight month of decline for 438,000 since the first of the year.

And those looking for work in Maryland weren't being aided by their State's "Job Hot-line". A misprint in the State's Family Health Administration's Website connected callers to a "women looking for sex" porn number. Oops.

From Duluth, MN we have a new entry in my Lex Luthor Doesn't Exist (LLDE) file.

In you are near Coney Island tomorrow, don't forget that the annual Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest will be taking place. Check local media for details.


"Let's all be careful out there!"

HE ONLY WILL OBEY THE LAWS...

THAT HE BELIEVES IN.

On Tuesday, the 1st, California's new cell phone law went into effect. Yesterday Beverly Hills police affected a stop on an individual in violation. As the officer made his approach to the vehicle, the suspect sped off and the chase was on. He was caught.

You know who the winner is in these high gas prices? Your local governments.

Former boxing champion Mike "Let me bite your ear" Tyson is in a world of hurts.

Have you run out of Viagra? Try substituting watermelon.

Planning a wedding? A Japanese company is taking reservations to conduct the ceremony in space.

China is cracking down on entertainment venues that offer more than one would consider standard.

Conserving water can cost you a lot of money.


"Let's all be careful out there!"

DAILY CHUCKLE - 7/3

"Let's all be careful out there!"

THE LEFT HAND AND RIGHT HAND...

HAVING NO IDEA OF WHAT THE OTHER IS DOING

The Federal Trade Commission advises everyone to not carry their Social Security Card (SSN) on their person. This is to prevent identity theft. But if you have associations with the Pentagon or Medicare, you are mandated to have your SSN with you. Military ID cards use an individual's SSN as their service number and, of course, members of the military are required to always have that ID card on their person. Individuals who are covered by Medicare insurance must also carry an agency specific ID card. A card that uses their SSN as their ID number. I think all the states have finally stopped using the SSN as the driver's license number.

Do you ever get the feeling that NASA hires former Radio Shack sales people to design and build their systems? The Phoenix Mars Lander suffered a short circuit in its "shake and bake" oven when doing its first test of soil samples. Scientists are worried that the next test could be its last. See what happens when you out-source to some Asian country to save on costs.

In 1995, Chicago's mercury topped out at 106°f (41°c). In 2003, France spiked at 104°f (40°c). The sad thought is that in the near future we will look back at those temps and say how lucky they were to have had it so cool. Where I am now living, temps usually reach 114°f - 118°f (45°c - 48°c) every summer. The hottest temp ever recorded on Earth was 136°f (58°c), in Al' Aziziyah, Libya.

This is an amazing story:


Dubya sure has taken care of his friends. At the cost of how many American lives? Oil money from Iraq is pure blood money. Of course, he denied any knowledge but it turns out he knew months before the deal was closed.

McCain is shaking up his campaign staff.

Its official! Guinness has certified the recent Firefox-3 download as the most downloaded program in a single day. Also a new study states that Firefox users are the safest on the web.



George Washington's boyhood home has been located. No information if the chopped down cherry tree was located or the "dollar" he allegedly threw across the Potomac River.

Get through today safely. The three day weekend starts tomorrow. Thanks for coming over and, please, have a safe & sane Fourth!

"Let's all be careful out there!"