This entry contains humorous animal violence. At least to me it's humorous.

Every day as I walk around the quad, the squirrels sit in the grass acting busy while following me with their eyes. Some days I just want to pick them up by the tail, whirl them above my head and fling them across the quad. Why? Because I think it would be funny seeing the wind flap their little cheeks as they fly through the air, their little feet scurrying to run in the air. It's not that I want to hurt them, I just want to put a little excitement in their lives.

In less than a week, Michael Bay will shatter my childhood memories. At least that's what I expect. I want so much to like Transformers but I expect to be utterly disappointed. Bay has admitted to making the movie based on what he wanted to do rather than what fans want to see. He has basically created a movie about giant robots and tacked on the Transformers name. He has admitted to knowing very little about the Transformers universe, even the most simple things like names of the Transformers. If you are going to work with a licensed property, shouldn't you care enough about it to know things like character names? Bay put flames on Optimus because that's what HE wanted.

One of the things that boggles me the most are the urban battles. In the cartoon, it was very rare for the Autobots to endanger civilian life. Apparently it doesn't matter in this movie. Who cares about the people, just blow stuff up. In a trailer I saw last night, two Transformers were battling over an elevated freeway. All the cars that were digitally placed in the movie were driving right by as if nothing was happening. If there are two giant robots fighting, people will stop to watch.

The fact that Optimus Prime has lips is completely baffling as well. He never was shown with lips before. He's a robot. Why would he even need lips? Why is there a need to make a robot appear human? If there is full frontal robot nudity I'm walking out of the theater.

Looks like I was wrong about how well address labels and various other freebies prompt people to give to charities. Americans gave almost $300 billion to charities last year. I think that would more than pay for all the address labels charities send out. Just stop cramming them in my mailbox.

I was shocked that people actually missed Mouthin' Off while I was on vacation. Actually, it was one person that missed it, but at least someone enjoys it. I was so busy before vacation that I didn't get to post a new selection. In order to make up for it, here's two songs. While I was in Isle of Palms, I bought the missing CD from my collection, It Means Escape. The CD was re-mastered and re-released under Cowboy Mouth's own record label. This week I give to you two songs from that CD. The first one is an acoustic version of New Orleans which ends up being a bonus track on the CD. The other track is an early version of Why Ya Wanna Do Me?. Click the double arrows buttons to move to the next song.

The review for Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer has been posted. This movie is completely average and as such, it was pretty difficult to write a review. Take a look at my average review for an average movie.

Today I'm cutting the strings. After a last ditch effort to voice my concerns and try to work out the kinks I saw in the baseball league of which I am a member, I will be declining any further involvement once this season is over. It all came down to a near hour argument with the owner of the store/league hosting the baseball events. I have to say I lost a lot of respect for the owner as I left the store. Apparently, because I don't know that it takes roughly $9/hour for the store to operate, that means that I don't value all the time that the owner puts into the league. Of course many of the members (myself included) have offered numerous times to help in any capacity possible, but that was always rejected. I always tried to pull stats for the games I played to give some minimal relief, but I was told that I didn't do the stats properly and had to be rechecked every time. Sure, I probably made an error once in a while. That's what happens with manual data entry. It would have been nice to know I was making mistakes and what mistakes I was making so I could correct them. No matter what points I tried to make it always came down to me not valuing the time exerted, when in actuality, I couldn't understand paying $15 - $20 just to play a game and not have anything to show for it.

While that was the biggest and most vocal of the points discussed, I couldn't see eye-to-eye with the owner on the other points either. The few of us that bother voicing our opinions might as well be talking to a wall. Whether or not the choices made are best for the league, it's what the owner wants to do, which is well within his right, but the league is falling apart. Private conversations with other managers reveal the same feelings are beginning to irritate. If this thing lasts past the next season I'll be surprised.

Initially when I was expecting to quit, I was really bummed about it. I've given a lot of time to try and make various leagues work at that store for almost three years. Not being in this league, I have no reason to go back. Anything that I could buy there, I can buy on the Internet for cheaper or at another store. But today, I don't feel sad; I feel liberated. I never knew how much this weighed on me from week to week. I guess the vacation and three days of Cowboy Mouth did me some good. I'm going to "let it go, let it go, let it go."

Last year, since I was making a little extra cash by teaching online at Westwood College, I decided to donate a little bit to a few charities. Generally I was paying them for the free gifts such as address labels, but I didn't give to every charity that came knocking, just the ones that I connected with like the Humane Society. Since that time, I've stopped giving because I no longer have the extra cash.

But the charities keep asking. Every week I receive no fewer than a dozen solicitations from every imaginable charity, most of them including free gifts. I figured that since I haven't given anything recently, these charities would eventually stop asking. No such luck.

It makes me wonder how these organizations are making any money? Do they really make enough money from a few contributors to continue spamming me with address labels, umbrellas and tote bags. These items can't be free for them to give away, and I imagine they do this to everyone that's ever given them money. Perhaps, instead of wasting all that money by ordering address labels or having items personalized (not to mention mailing costs), these charities could take that money and help their own cause.

Don't beg me for $10 because you sent address labels. With the ever increasing stamp prices and convenience of online bill paying, I'm not going to use your address labels anyway no matter how cute the animal on it is. Save yourself the postage and a tree by keeping your solicitations to yourself. And, if you continue to send address labels, at least make them manly; butterflies, pastel seahorses and hearts should not be adorning my cable bill.

My best friend from childhood needs any help he can get. If you know anybody that can help, please contact the people below.

I know this is a long shot but I need help if possible. I asking if anyone knows anybody in Alaska, especially divers. My cousin, Kathy Garrigan, has been missing a week now. She and two others were canoeing in lake up there and hasn't been seen since disembarking. One of the other's body was found, Liza. The water still had ice in it so the family doesn't have any hope left of a happy ending but they still want to find her to bring her home. They have a host of volunteers searching the land but divers are a problem. The water is 200ft deep and still very cold. If you guys know anyone please let me know or have them call the Tanana Chiefs Conference. Here's the statement and contact info they provided.

*Tanana Chiefs Conference is coordinating a volunteer search & rescue, and recovery effort for Travis Alexander and Kathy Garrigan. We welcome volunteers in every possible effort. Food donations are much appreciated and you can drop off at the Chena River Convention Center. Monetary donations are accepted at Administration on the 6th floor of the Chief Peter John Tribal Building. To volunteer, we ask that you contact:*

*Ginger Placeres
Council Newsletter Editor
Tanana Chiefs Conference
122 First Avenue, Suite 600
Fairbanks, Alaska 99701
(907) 452-8251 ext. 3570*

I bought a couple nice pairs of slacks from JCPenney a couple months back. When I bought them, they fit perfectly (or so my wife would have me believe). I wore one of them to work today and I feel like I'm a punk teenager with them hanging down to my knees and my underwear half exposed. I know you are all appreciative of the fact I'm wearing underwear. Really, who would want to see my hairy butt?

So, apparently, my workout routine has caused me to lose inches around the waist. Hey, I'm not really complaining, but why can't some of what's hanging over my waist disappear. I don't get it.

Wow, what a quick week thanks to Memorial Day. I had to take off because to the university, Memorial Day is a yankee holiday. Next week is short too. We will be heading to Isle of Palms, SC for a Cowboy Mouth "convention". It seems like the fans flock to IOP every year for 3 days of concerts and fun. Since I've encountered a lot of these people on the message board, I thought I should hang out with them. We are staying the whole week to experience everything Charleston has to offer. Should be fun and I might just come back with my voice. Here's some Cowboy Mouth to get your weekend started. This song is loving referred to as "The Smurf Song". It was written and sung by Paul who is no longer with the band. Enjoy Little Blue One.