Well, I had some sheep stuff come up and didn't make it to the count...wonder how it went? Weather was pretty icky. :(

Salamanders are pretty cold weather tolerant. The Tiger and Spotted Salamanders normally start migrating to breeding ponds around Valentine's Day. Easy courtship day to remember... I haven't seen any salamanders or sign of them yet this year (but haven't been out much) but I did see 4 snakes on January 8th. We've had more snow and cold here in Missouri than last winter. Last year I saw 3 snakes on New Year's Day and over 20 in the month of January. We had hardly any snow at all last winter. P.S. Oh yeah, I noticed and answered your albinism question from awhile back regarding the snake in the Missouri Conservationist (its now on page 2 of this forum) that the magazine identified as an "albino copperhead." You were right that it was not a copperhead..rather it was an albino prairie kingsnake.

Hi calpat, I was crying about getting 40 or so spam a day - until I talked to my neighbour getting over a hundred ... A DAY! She let that box drop and is opening another. I've told some people unwilling to do legitimate surveys to get a different e-mail box - just for them. So if they get connected with a spammer, they just let the box go. Hardly any making these wonderful offers ever have a real address that they send from. By the way - had any offers of a potion to enhance the size of some of your female/male parts? Some of the over a hundred or so that I've got offer guaranteed overnight results. I've replied saying that I'd be afraid that would be painful. If I were a working person - I'd want to take it on the weekend - so I could stay up all night to watch the growth. If I subscribed to all of the hundred or so offers - how would I deal with the monster - backpack? Not big enough, wrong location. Kid's stroller? Can't put it on escalator in stores. Sling? Would be too heavy for my shoulders. Shopping cart? Too deep. Wheelbarrow? Now - that might just be what the doctor ordered! Need a *full-siized* van, of course, for longer trips. But - where could I find a partner who could accomodate my needs? Probably need to seek a mare, elephant, etc. Would need a pad to keep track of when they came in heat - they wouldn't want to talk to me at other times. Do the guys selling potions - also sell stepladders? I sometimes reply trying to sell them my newsletter about money management, as I've become concerned over the years in the personal financial planning business that so few know much about money management, that I'm keeping the letter going after retirement. Single copy free to anyone with e-mail address, they can subscribe if they wish. Should save them hundreds, more likely thousands, in their lifetime - unless they have one foot in the grave, now. Often people who get something at no cost give it little respect, this letter distills many years of experience, expensive training, etc. so it would be a mistake to give it away free, though I could afford to. I don't like to be arbitrary - so price of the newsletter is negotiable. Having been a number of years a clergyperson, I've tried not to be greedy, either - so will likely ask them to contribute most of the fee to charity, especially worldwide ones, as there are huge needs in many countries, these days. They can negotiate to send my newsletter to their friends, relatives, colleagues in community, sport, church, at work, etc. Will build their group of friends, make them famous - and help them raise some money, as they keep some of the (negotiated) fee, send most to charity - and send some to me, of course. This story is real, as a matter of fact - and it's all true. As for all of these guys who have these great money-making ideas ... what kind of business is such that the fellow working there, who wants to encourage you to do the same, is so proud of it that he tells you almost nothing about it in the original message - apart from how much one may possibly make? A company that keeps their door locked, and has an unlisted phone. Most of them don't give me an address to which I can send a message, go to ask a question, etc. - their front door is locked. Few give a phone number to call - and most who do have it lead to an agency. The email address that they use when sending the message is false - unlisted phone. Not only is the phone unlisted - the guy who sent the message is a liar. The only way that I can contact them - is to fill in a form, telling quite a bit about myself ... ... to leave your resume in the mail box, please ... Which quite a few may use to assemble a database - that they then sell - to other spammers. What chance does such a recruiter think that he may have - of getting me interested in his offer? About one chance in 19,999. Have a happy spring/summer weekend, all. joyful guy/Ed

Doctors are forced into conglomerates primarily because they can't afford the malpractice rates. Simple as that. All the codes and forms are in the computer software. They just click on (for example) office visit, lab test, blood work, flu shot, annual physical and it's done. The days of the small town doctor going door to door with the black bag and lollipops are basically only a fond memory. Everyone wants to sue the doctor or the hospital because they didn't get coco puffs for breakfast or they didn't like the band-aid color after the shot. Put me in charge of the judicial system and frivilous lawsuits would at least be cut way down, or eliminated. That would help in a lot of ways. And for many if not most on Medicare it's not single payer. Many/most? have supplemental coverage so hardly single payer. And sorting through the different policies is ridiculous. This whole thing of politicizing health care is a joke. What we have isn't perfect but you'd be far ahead to work on it rather than try to scrap it and start over. Except I'm still waiting for the "death panels" that the Bimbo from Nowhere promised us over and over. I WANT THOSE DEATH PANELS! I'll be the first volunteer to be on the panel.