Keep your toes crossed!

NASA is 2 of 4 in getting their machines into orbit around Mars. Today at 4pm the latest attempt will be made. Just merging into traffic on a freeway makes the reuben reviewer nervous. Yikes! Is Vegas taking bets on this event?

Lethal Injection

This article reveals that there may be little medical evidence to suggest that lethal injection is a humane way to carry out executions. The author suggests many states and courts go out of their way to hide the evidence that current procedures are inhumane. Who knew the methods used to carry out executions are "state secrets"? Note that the drug combination Missouri uses to execute humans been banned (by Missouri law) from use on animals. Hmmmm...

"Johnston's attorneys, backed by a growing cadre of death-penalty experts, maintain that while advances in medical science have yielded an arsenal of more humane drugs, corrections departments continue to rely on an archaic method unchanged since lethal injection was introduced in 1977. The combination of barbiturates and Pavulon has been publicly condemned by the American Veterinary Medical Association for euthanizing animals, and Johnston's attorneys argue that its use on humans "violates contemporary standards of decency." "

"Veterinarians, on the other hand, have been studying how to humanely euthanize animals for decades. In a report published in 2001, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) condemned the chemical combination of sodium pentothal and Pavulon for animal euthanasia. Similarly, Missouri veterinary regulations prohibit the barbiturate/Pavulon sequence."

Health Insurance for Pets

This is not a joke. Another American company is offering health insurance for employees and their pets.

"Coverage for Pets Now Available — As part of the Flexible Benefit Choices program to help you meet your personal needs, COMPANY-X has contracted with MetLife to offer a new voluntary benefit — Health Insurance for Pets.
If your pet is sick or injured, MetLife’s health insurance for pets can help you pay for your pet’s diagnostic tests, office visits, prescriptions, lab fees, X-rays, surgeries, and routine care. Your pet will be covered for qualified services at any licensed veterinarian or animal hospital worldwide.
Premium rates will be based on your home state and on the type and age of your pet. Two coverage levels are available for dogs and cats; you can receive coverage for birds, rabbits, reptiles and other pets through the Avian and Exotic Pet Plan. More details will arrive soon in home mailings. You also can call 1-800-GET-MET8 or visit www.metlife.com/mybenefits.
A recent survey by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association found that 62 percent of U.S. households have pets — up 10 million from 1992."

Swiss Cheese

By now most of you have heard of Google maps. You may not have noticed they are offering maps of the Apollo landing sites on the moon. Set the zoom to maximum to find the easter egg left by Google.

So much for Montana

State troopers in Montana have been ordered to stop at least one motorist an hour, even if they have to choose a car at random. The reason? Catching drunk drivers. Enough said. Read all about it.