Bloody Monday

Or maybe it's good news? Nah, it has nothing to do with the stock market, it's much closer to home than that.

I paid no attention to the stock market today or the bailout vote. When your expectations of elected officials are that low, why bother?

Better to stay out of the way of the little parts of the government that *do* function - started the day by getting a smashed-out headlight repaired so now I can drive at night without worry! And of course, use GPS to drive everywhere so I *know* my arrival time - thus no need to risk passing a random speed camera going too fast.

How did the headlight get smashed out? Debris on the freeway. When I pulled over to get insurance information from the guys who dropped it - they drove off FAST! No point calling the cops, hit and run accidents happen statistically more often in Phoenix because of the huge population of people who can't get driver's licenses - i.e. undocumented immigrants.

Speed cameras? Run by a for-profit corporation with a cut to the state - the owners win, the state wins, the insurance companies win - but you can't fight that ticket.

(Well some of 'em can be fought but only those taken at a certain location for a few hours... turned out the camera operator isn't even a cop and the guy got nailed for "extreme DUI" IN THE PHOTO RADAR VAN when he went off shift.)

Oh but I digress.

It turns out that Shaggy is in heat. When I picked her up from the dog groomer she told me, "You know your dog is ... (she was embarrassed to have to, you know, tell me, paused and lowered her voice...) having her period? We sell diapers for it, you know?"

"Do you see how hyper that dog is? I don't see a diaper staying on that animal for longer than five minutes out of my sight! But thanks..." (And I'm thinking... I *am* aware that I own an animal that happens to be female so why on earth should this be embarrassing?)

Ah well, it'll be three weeks of erratic behavior and then back to normal. It was better news than from the TV!