Costly and Fatal Commas of Blasphemy

The first three items are excerpted and amended from the original at canongate. The fourth item is from my own blog.

1. THE FATAL COMMA
   Czarina Maria Fyodorovna once saved the life of a man by transposing a single comma in a warrant signed by her husband, Alexander III. On the bottom of the warrant the czar had written: `Pardon impossible, to be sent to Siberia.' The czarina changed the punctuation so that her husband's instructions read: `Pardon, impossible to be sent to Siberia.' The man was set free.
2. THE BLASPHEMOUS COMMA
   In several editions of the King James Bible, Luke 23:32 is changed entirely by the absence of a comma. In the passage that describes the other men crucified with Christ, the erroneous editions read: `And there were also two other malefactors.' That clearly includes Christ as a malefactor. Instead of counting Christ as a malefactor, the passage should read: `And there were also two other, malefactors.'
   
3. THE MILLION-DOLLAR COMMA (USA)
   The US government lost over a million dollars through the slip of a comma. In the tariff act of June 1872, a list of duty-free items included: `Fruit plants, tropical and semitropical'. A government clerk accidentally altered the line to read: `Fruit, plants tropical and semitropical'. Importers successfully contended that the passage, as written, exempted all tropical and semitropical plants from duty fees. This cost the US a fortune until May 1874, when the passage was amended.
4. THE TWO MILLION-DOLLAR COMMA (CANADA)
   In August 2006, Rogers Communications was to lose C$2,130,000 because of a misplaced comma in a contract. Yes, the world's most expensive comma and you should all read the column in my previous blog post. The whole thing comes down to this: Page 7 of the contract states the agreement: “shall continue in force for a period of five years from the date it is made, and thereafter for successive five year terms, unless and until terminated by one year prior notice in writing by either party.” Look at the comma in red -- I've highlighted the previous word to make it easy to find. Without the comma it's a five year contract which renews for successive 5 year terms. With the comma, it says the contract can be terminated with one year notice regardless of the terms. This is standard contract verbiage. The judge has ruled that the contract is quite clear and is allowing it to be terminated.

A comma is important. Really. And even if you don't like these anecdotes, you must realize it's important to express yourself clearly and accurately. The comma will help.

Random Tidbits

SCOOTER UPDATE: She's feeling a bit better after we saw Dr. Child -- Dr. Child has a much better bedside manner than the other two doctors in the office. Plus she's a cat owner. Cat owners make better cat vets than dog owners (and vice versa).

She changed Scooter's medicine levels to 1-1/2 pills per day, down from her original 2 but up from the 1 that the other doctor recommended. She's still got all sorts of symptoms -- but most have lessened except the thyroid stuff -- but she seems happy and doesn't seem to be in any pain. I have to make the appointment to take her back in late September. At some point I also have to take her to see Dr. Diaz (my regular vet). I'm just reluctant to get two doctors involved if the first one seems to be doing a good job and knows what she's doing. [This has nothing to do with the fact the vet is very cute. I promise.]

SHOULDER UPDATE: I saw Dr. Levitt today -- my orthopaedic surgeon. My shoulder saga -- on and off again -- being painful and unpleasant. I figured I best check and see what the hell was wrong. His assistant made an initial assessment before the doctor saw me. Then sent me to a brand new x-ray machine that is digital (no film, film cartridges, or any of that). They take it and it's done -- and if they don't like it, they take another one. They can zoom it in/out and rotate it all from their control box. It looks like an MRI room actually only it's full of gantries so the machine can move around on its own or with their help.

A few moments later, I was back in the doc's office with the results. I kid you not -- under five minutes for the answer. The good news is: absolutely, positively, no serious damage and no surgery required. I am to continue to see my chiropractor. I was told what to tell him. But basically the muscle is knotted up and not in the wrong place and that's causing pinching and it just needs to be re-aligned. He asked me a lot of questions about my chiropractor -- because he feels most are quacks (as do I) -- but my answers satisfied him. And he gave Dr. Yoham the a-ok.

REST OF ME UPDATE: I also asked Dr. Levitt about a number of my other joint aches and pains. Sadly, his answer was the one I feared. I'm getting old and all those aches, pains, pops, and noises are part of the process. He said to do nothing out of the ordinary and hopefully it won't get much worse. I have mild arthritis in my knees, but that's not a surprise. It happens if you have surgery on your joints. Nothing life-altering. Yay.

RANDOM NEWS: In unrelated health news, I have an uncomfortable itch. You don't want to know where. I had to tell someone, and that someone is you. Aren't you lucky? In even more unrelated news, London is still not looking very good and I've thrown out a last ditch plan before I throw in the towel and try to combat the resultant depression.

SITE NEWS: I will have some soon. If you're clever and have been around http://www.panthershockey.net or my other pages http://www.darsys.com and http://www.darsys.net you may have already figured out what the announcement will be. But no formal announcement for 5 to 10 days. It's all related to the fact that the site authority level has been creeping up. We hit 3 earlier this year, and 4 a few months ago, 5 recently, and 6 yesterday. That's good because it means people are pay attention. That means more eyeballs. And those eyeballs (insert your own conclusion here).

Dell Hell Redux: Consumers Fight Back

One of the most popular posts I've made on this blog in terms of readership has been Why Dell Sucks and Blows! Don't Buy A Dell! (aka Dell Hell). Although it's only got 23 comments, I've received tons of e-mails -- probably close to 1,000 from all over the world. Amazingly, they've all shared experiences as bad as, or worse than, mine.

I met a few really decent people including an IT professional from Singapore with whom I still occasionally email. All as a result of this post. By reading my IP reports, I can see people from Dell have read my original post. Naturally none of them are polite enough to actually get a reply to my original inquiry -- well over two years now. But one wouldn't expect Dell to behave in a professional manner, so I ought not be surprised.

A little over a week ago, I received an e-mail from France with this request: "Here's a thought: would you consider posting a 'research help wanted' on your blog? The substance would be essentially what I wrote to you (there is a potential class action suit, but we need invoices to document which subsidiary sold what and when), and you could post my e-mail for folks to contact, so you wouldn't be bothered."

[Please note that on the morning of 30 August this post was partially redacted from this point at the request of the parties involved. No hard feelings, but for technical reasons they thought it best I pulled the information they asked me to share. The offer still stands, but you'd have to send it to me for forward for the time being.]

You may contact me with your information and I will forward it along. What they need is a copy of invoices and/or packing slips. You may, at this stage, remove your personal details if you'd like but leave your city, state, and zip code. (Please remove any credit card information that may appear). You may send PDF files or contact him for other methods that may work.

I'd love to tell you how I participated and sent in all of our documentation, but sadly as the machines have been fully depreciated and the warranty's expired, we don't have the receipts any longer. I'm continuing the search, but I at least want to help them with this project because I support anyone who is building a case against Dell.

SuperBad, Vladimir Tod, and The Every Boy (Three Reviews)

Ladies, Gentlemen, Children of All Ages: Today I have just for you a total of THREE, yes THREE reviews in one.

First up, we have the review of the film SuperBad, which I had decided not to see based on the lame-ass previews. But the film got great write-ups and a number of people recommended it to me. So Saturday, after skating, we went to see it. I could have posted this review Saturday evening but I was having a mixed bag of emotions. I couldn't decide if I liked the film or not.

Ultimately, it was a very funny film in a dark yet loving sort of way. If you're from my generation (born in the late 1960s) you'll probably relate really well to the main two characters. They steal the show. And I believe that if the film was about them and only them, it would have been a grand-slam home-run. But they have the “cop interlude” and that detracts from the final product no matter how funny it may have been – but I felt it dragged.

Michael Cera kicks-ass and his Arrested Development timing and squirmishness is undiminished. You'll never look at a blood-stain the same again.

Next up, we have the book I read on the flight from Miami to Orlando. It's entitled “The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod -- Eighth Grade Bites” and it's the first work by Heather Brewer. I gotta' tell you up front that I would not even normally buy this book because it's not my type of thing. First, it's squarely in the soft side of the young adult category, though that's not a deal breaker. Secondly, horror books aren't my thing, even soft horror and that is invariably a deal breaker. But, the cover icon was so stunningly subversive I picked up the book and read the back cover blurb. I bought it. Boy was a I glad I did. Vlad, the protagonist vampire, is engaging and interesting. You will feel for him and enjoy going along for the ride as his friendship with his best friend Henry is tested. You'll squirm as he tries to get together with his crush, but like all eighth-graders, it's not so easy to ask out a girl on a date. And you will feel the angst (gently) as you read through it. This is not a work of art because (A) the adults except for his Aunt Nelly are very thinly drawn and you just have no real sense about them, especially the villains and (B) the writer is in a huge hurry to get where she's going that she leaves out a little too much detail and I wish she'd taken her time because I really did want to read more. The ending was very compressed. You will like this book – you'll probably wish you were friends with Vlad. Her website indicates this is first in a series, and I will read the rest for sure. Check this one out.

The final review, my book on the return flight from Orlando to Miami was The Every Boy by Dana Adam Shapiro. This book is not for everyone and it's not for kids, that's for sure. The protagonist, fifteen year old Henry Every, is dead – that's the whole premise. His body is found and they learn about his decidedly unusual life by reading his journal – it's not a diary because as Henry says “Only girls keep diaries.” You will laugh with him – he's funny. You will share his frustrations, loves, likes, and dislikes. There's plenty of angst and irony. And you will learn all about his parents including the fact that his father isn't his father (this is not a spoiler). This book is unusual because the author is the director of the Oscar® nominated film Murderball and he was a senior editor at Spin magazine. This is a truly quirky book that could end up as an independent film in the vein of Little Miss Sunshine if handled by the right person.

Michael Vick Is Evil and Deserves to SUFFER

8-17-07 RICHMOND, Va. - Two of Michael Vick's alleged cohorts in a grisly dogfighting case pleaded guilty Friday, and one said the Atlanta Falcons quarterback joined them in drowning and hanging dogs that underperformed.

8-24-07 Michael Vick filed his plea agreement in federal court Friday admitting to conspiracy in a dogfighting ring and helping kill pit bulls. He denied ever betting on the fights, only bankrolling them.

Aug. 24 (Bloomberg) -- The National Football League suspended Michael Vick indefinitely without pay today, hours after he admitted conspiring to run a dogfighting operation that Commissioner Roger Goodell called "cruel and reprehensible.''

I think we should give Vick a pair of meat underwear, then coat him in beef gravy and throw him in a cage with a few pit bulls. If he survives, we should electrocute him -- not to death. Then we should beat him -- not to death. Then, we should give him to PETA*.

Vick should be made a pariah with no chance of redemption because his debt to society can never be paid. As long as he remains on this planet, the planet is defiled.

I hope he becomes a prison bitch and is violated in the worst most inhumane ways by an AIDS infected inmate who is very well endowed. I hope his life becomes an unbearable hell and he contemplates ending it and sparing the planet his pathetic existence. I am not more favourably disposed towards his co-defendants, either. People who torture other living creatures for fun and/or profit are heinous creatures who deserve no mercy. They should reap what they have sown**. I also hope the Atlanta Falcons go after their paid-up-front money so his pocket can hurt too.

If you would like to suggest other ways Vick should be punished, have at it. I am in no way encouraging anyone to commit an act of violence against Vick. Tsk, tsk.

And, more importantly, to the few sick individuals who have said they don't see what the big deal is. You're just as bad as Vick and deserve the same (including Donovan McNabb, Stephon Marbury, a number of his Famcons team-mates, and select NAACP members). Look, they guy committed a heinous crime. He doesn't deserve your support. If you support him, you are the same sport of scum he is.

To those who would play the race card: what planet are you from? Get a grip. We don't know what race the dogs are. Oh, you think it's about Vick's race? Hahahahaha! That makes you dumber than Paris Hilton. Jump under a bus: this is about a pox on the face of humanity. Vick will rot in the eternal abyss of Hell. I feel sorry for all the less evil people down there who will have to associate with him. I do hope there is a very special Hell reserved for people like Vick***.

* I am not a fan of PETA, though I certainly support their message ,just not their whacked-out methods. I eat meat, dammit. Steak. Yum.

** I've just quoted the Bible. The world is ending.

*** Guangzhou, China perhaps?

In a pissy mood....

Yeah, I'm in a pissy mood today. I bet you thought it's cause tomorrow's my birthday. Wrong. I care not one whit about said birthday. I am over birthdays. I had my big blast on my 40th and the next one will be at my 50th if I decide it's worth the energy.

So what's the pissy mood about? London. I was planning on going from 12-25 (leaving that night, arriving on Boxing Day) and staying through approximately 1-2 -- New Year's in London, where Greenwich Mean Time beings.

Sadly, the plans are absolutely disintegrating. I miss London and haven't been, well, since May 2006 with MoMo. I should be in London once or twice a year because it's where I belong. But London is a city that's far more fun with someone you'd be willing to spend a lot of time with, and there aren't that many people who qualify. The last one has turned me down citing family obligations.

I don't really relish going alone. I mean, eating out at a fancy restaurant alone is not fun. Going to a play alone is even less fun. So you may be amused during the day, but the nights are misery. I don't want to be home. I don't even want to be in this country.

This sucks for me. I probably won't get to go until at least December 2008 or maybe 2009 -- and that will be at least 2-1/2 years from my previous visit. And to be honest, since I'll be in China in October 2008, I won't be psyched about that second 2008 transoceanic plane trip. So even that is in doubt which bumps it to a full 3-1/2 years.

It's hard for me to get vacation except that last week of December because there just isn't qualified staff at work to handle things. So it's just really screwed up. I am whining in general because most of you reading this blog don't even know me, so you probably won't be going with me to London ever. And those of you who I do know and are reading this have already turned me down. So I wish to whine and am doing a fine job of that along with wallowing in self-pity.

9-21-07: Updated this to correct dates. Apologies to MoMo who I offended by not being accurate. My bad.

Cat Thyroid Disease Causes

This link was sent to me first by Evan followed by several other friends over the next few hours:

The article starts: An epidemic of thyroid disease among pet cats could be caused by toxic flame retardants that are widely found in household dust and some pet food, government scientists reported Wednesday. And goes on from there. I found it very interesting, though at this point it's probably too late.

I keep wondering, after reading the article, if it might have been something I bought and brought into the house. Maybe some sheets, a mattress, or something else. My carpet is the original stuff and over 10 years old, so we can probably rule that out. There's no fabric in my blinds. Or maybe it's not even this. But it's still interesting.

Movie Reviews: Rush Hour 3 and Stardust

Wow. It's been awhile since I've done the weekend back-to-back film thing. First up was Stardust (A Neil Gaiman story) with my friends Kris and Thomas. Neil's a fantastic writer, so I was very pleased to see his name on this and very sceptical that it would be done right as most films aren't.

This film was so not what I expected that I can't even measure it. It was funny, yet had its dark moments as well. The film was very much reminiscent of Princess Bride, which as you know is a true classic. I thought it would be a neat fantasy flick. But it was a neat flick that happened to be a fantasy film of a story. It was primarily, though, a love story. There's a few scenes with Ricky Gervais who is always priceless and there's a whole bit with Robert DeNiro who tears up his scenes. It's just a well-done film that deserves to be seen.

Next up was Rush Hour 3. I laughed, I enjoyed myself. You go in knowing what, exactly, you're going to get. And that's what it delivers. No more and no less. You get hilarity in various situations coupled with martial arts action with a buddy-cop flick. It's a bit on the short side, and not as good as Rush Hour 2, but certainly as good as if not better than the first. This is Chan's movie the whole way, though. Tucker is almost an afterthought. I do have to warn you it was very poorly edited and they just simply lost stuff. People vanish from the story for no reason, never appearing again.

See 'em both. You won't be sorry. Stardust needs to be seen on the big screen (or HD if you're waiting for home viewing) -- Rush Hour 3 doesn't matter so much.

More Tidbits. Everyone loves a tidbit.

1. I went to the Chiropractor today. My shoulder feels noticeably better right now, but overall it will return to crap in a few hours. I hate that. The pain has slowly been moving further towards the top.
2. My AC at home is still not behaving properly and it's got me pissed off. I'll revisit this with the AC people next week. I am far too drained to deal with it right now.
3. In my unending quest to find out the mysterious source of my rash, I went to an allergist previously. Since my last post I had the patch test (wearing a few dozen chemical patches on your back for 48 hours) -- all of which were negatives. Then I came back today and the rest of the injections. Over the two visits, I received a total of nearly 200 injections. I look like a druggie. Each battery you have to sit for 15 minutes for a reaction. I am not allergic to most moulds (odd) and barely allergic to cats. I am violently allergic to dust mites. On a scale of 1 to 4, I rated a 4++++. I am also allergic to dust (duh), parakeets, and horses. That's it. I passed all other allergen tests. All that would be fascinating except based on the rash, these aren't the causes. All done and no practical results except to try Claritin/D for a few weeks and see if that helps.
4. Scooter is seeming even more lethargic today. ::sigh::

Scooter Update 2.0

Scooter went in for a follow-up visit today.

Here's what I had given to the vet. (This refers to her original condition):
I just want to reiterate a few points: The morning Scooter had her incident she was fine. She was jumping up on tables, playing, being her usual rambunctious self. When I came home, she couldn’t move. When she tried to stand up, she would fall over and was unable to maintain any motion at all. She was lying in an unusual spot on the floor in an unusual position. I do not dispute the Thyroid diagnosis, but that is not a sudden onset condition with all these symptoms. I think that there is/was something else at work, and the Thyroid condition was certainly there but is probably unrelated to what actually happened.

Then I listed all of Scooter's current symptoms:
NONE OF THESE SYMPTOMS WERE EVIDENT PRIOR and all were sudden onset:
1. She doesn’t walk with a normal gait. She lists to the left like a poorly loaded ship as she moves. And on stairs especially, she walks near the wall so she doesn’t fall. (I bought her stairs so she can get in and out of my bed easily.)
2. The faster she moves, the harder it is for her to keep balance. If she runs, she falls over, especially if it’s on the stairs.
3. She can jump UP onto objects with no trouble (my bed, the counter, the table) so her muscle strength appears to be pretty good. But if she jumps down she lands and the falls forward, hitting her head and often rolling head over heels.
4. She has trouble climbing though. For example her litter box (4” tall) is an enormous challenge for her and she sometimes gives up and uses the floor next to it. She tries, but watching her try to balance and crouch isn’t fun.
5. She’s far more lethargic now – she just lies in her bed most of the day. I know that may sound normal for a cat, but it isn’t normal for Scooter. She used to run around with her bizzy-balls and drop them all over the house and scream at the top of her lungs for me to come throw them so she could chase them. When I used to come home, the house was a mess. This was true right up to and including the morning she fell ill (because the house was a mess when I got home and she had eaten that day as well).
6. She’s lost a lot of her hearing. I can actually sneak up on her if she’s not looking my way. Nobody should ever be able to sneak up on a cat. Especially my cat.
7. She is grooming approximately normally and seems happy if somewhat bored because she doesn’t want to move around much.
8. She also can’t talk except a quiet squeak.

So that's what's up with Scooter as of today. The Vet agrees there's something else going on. They currently have a cat there with the same exact condition (symptoms 1-4) but that cat has been there for months and they are unable to determine what's wrong. I suggested an equilibrium problem or a stroke. I was told cats don't have strokes in the sense humans do, so that wasn't it. The Vet agreed an equilibrium problem was possible.

Scooter had a new batch of blood work and thyroid tests. All pretty much normal. They are very concerned about her kidney results. In cats with thyroid conditions once the condition is controlled sometimes a kidney condition becomes evident. They're going to check her again next week.

They checked her (always nasty and gummed up) left ear and were sure she had ear mites. I told them it's always full of gunk which I generally clean every few weeks and that Scooter's regular vet has tested. Another test later, and it isn't ear mites. They've never seen so much ear gunk before considering they cleaned her out last visit too.

They've had me get non-drowsy Dramamine and suggest I give her a 1/4 tablet per day until next Tuesday and then I will bring her in again for more tests. After that the emergency vet is on vacation for 2 weeks.

Also, my condolences go out to Tom O'Drain whose mother passed away this morning.

Shout Out to Tom O'Drain

This is just so Tom knows I'm thinking of him. I've e-mailed him already.

Tom's mother is dying despite everything they've done. I'm not going to go into it here, but you can read his blog here: http://ducky72.livejournal.com/ Being involved with a parent with cancer is draining beyond all measure. As you know I'm there now. My friends Kris and Thomas just went through that and now Tom. Life isn't always happy.

My sympathies go out to Tom, his brother Trent, and his father and the rest of his family as well. And of course prayers to his mother in her last moments.

"My Name Is David" -- The Best Movie You've Never Heard Of

So, today, Xelor returned to replace my entire air-conditioning duct system. Fie I say, FIE! They started around 830 or so and finished near to noon. When they showed me the crap growing in and on the old duct-work I was pretty glad it ended up being replaced. A brief scare when one of workers jumped out of the attic and ran downstairs, blood streaming everywhere, but it turned out to be a tiny pin-prick of a hole on the top of his head where he hit himself on a rafter.

Anyway, the point is, that project gave me time to watch TV which I don't normally do on a Saturday morning. There is, as you might imagine, absolutely nothing on whatsoever. I then went down into the movie channels to see what might be there. I see a movie called "I Am David" which is an odd title, so I flick on IFC to see what it's about as it's just about to begin. I figure I'll give it 10 minutes before I give up and go to my computer.

What an engrossing, moving, stupendous film. I can't believe I've never heard of this. It's the story of a kid in 1952 who is in a post-WWII communist concentration camp and his subsequent escape and journey to Denmark, though he's not even sure why. It's a downer at times, but ultimately an uplifting film. It's based on Anne Holm's internationally acclaimed novel North to Freedom (which I will say I'd never heard of prior to this).

Rush out and buy this film. I thought it was way better than Little Miss Sunshine and you all know much I loved that. (I am not comparing the two because they are two totally different unrelated films -- just give you some perspective).

This film gets 5 stars out of 5. Or on a scale of 1 to 10 it gets a solid 9 or so....

Some sites refer to this film as "My Name is David" but I'm not sure why -- that is not the correct title.

The Complete Disney Film List And My Rankings

These are the classic animated Disney films. These are FULL LENGTH FEATURES ONLY. The list does not include animated films distributed but not produced by Disney. It also doesn’t include direct to video releases. The first column is the order in which they were released, and the second column is my opinion as to the ranking of the films. The "DNS" designator indicates one I have not seen. This list is accurate as the date of this post. I have not included Disney Toon Studio films in any of these lists.


1 13 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
2 15 Pinocchio
3 3 Fantasia
4 12 Dumbo
5 21 Bambi
6 41 Saludos Amigos
7 37 The Three Caballeros
8 DNS Make Mine Music
9 42 Fun and Fancy Free
10 DNS Melody Time
11 11 The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
12 14 Cinderella
13 10 Alice in Wonderland
14 9 Peter Pan
15 17 Lady and the Tramp
16 8 Sleeping Beauty
17 18 One Hundred and One Dalmatians
18 19 The Sword in the Stone
19 6 The Jungle Book
20 32 The Aristocats
21 20 Robin Hood
22 23 The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
23 24 The Rescuers
24 25 The Fox and the Hound
25 7 The Black Cauldron
26 27 The Great Mouse Detective
27 26 Oliver & Company
28 28 The Little Mermaid
29 38 The Rescuers Down Under
30 2 Beauty and the Beast
31 29 Aladdin
32 1 The Lion King
33 40 Pocahontas
34 35 The Hunchback of Notre Dame
35 36 Hercules
36 5 Mulan
37 22 Tarzan
38 34 Fantasia 2000
39 31 The Emperor's New Groove
40 30 Atlantis: The Lost Empire
41 4 Lilo & Stitch
42 33 Treasure Planet
43 16 Brother Bear
44 39 Home on the Range
45 DNS Chicken Little
46 DNS Meet the Robinsons


These are the Pixar films. These are FULL LENGTH FEATURES ONLY. The first column is the order in which they were released, and the second column is my opinion as to the ranking of the films. The "DNS" designator indicates one I have not seen. This list is accurate as the date of this post.
1 4 Toy Story
2 6 A Bug's Life
3 5 Toy Story 2
4 3 Monsters, Inc.
5 7 Finding Nemo
6 2 The Incredibles
7 8 Cars
8 1 Ratatouille



These are the mixed live action and animated Disney films. These are FULL LENGTH FEATURES ONLY. The list does not include animated films distributed but not produced by Disney. It also doesn’t include direct to video releases. The first column is the order in which they were released, and the second column is my opinion as to the ranking of the films. The "DNS" designator indicates one I have not seen. This list is accurate as the date of this post.
1 6 The Reluctant Dragon
2 DNS Victory Through Air Power (War Film)
3 1 Song of the South
4 DNS So Dear to My Heart
5 3 Mary Poppins
6 4 Bedknobs and Broomsticks
7 5 Pete's Dragon
8 2 Who Framed Roger Rabbit
9 DNS The Lizzie McGuire Movie

These are the "other" Disney films which didn't come out of Disney studios, but they do deserve a mention. These are FULL LENGTH FEATURES ONLY. The list does not include animated films distributed but not produced by Disney. It also doesn’t include direct to video releases. The first column is the order in which they were released, and the second column is my opinion as to the ranking of the films. The "DNS" designator indicates one I have not seen. This list is accurate as the date of this post.

1 1 The Nightmare Before Christmas
2 DNS James and the Giant Peach
3 2 Dinosaur

All Sorts of Tidbits

1. Yesterday my roofers met me at my house after I complained about a leak in my new roof they have fixed *5* times. I said perhaps they should send a small guy up in the attic to see where the problem really is. They met me, and stuck their head in the attic, insisting they didn't want to go in. After looking at the actual roof and seeing no obvious leak, I pointed them in the general direction, and they sent the smallest guy up. All that and it isn't a roof leak. The AC duct has a crack (no idea why) and the 50 degree AC air reacts with the 120 degree attic air and produces condensation. In short, it's raining INSIDE my roof over the hallway ceiling. Tomorrow, Xelor is coming to try and fix it. I hope.

2. My left shoulder muscle popped out again last night, so hurt when I woke up. I thought it would get better as it sometimes does. It didn't and got worse, so I called Dr. Yoham at 4pm and asked if he could see me. He said he was leaving but if I came over fast he'd work on it. I made it there at 4:35pm and he spent some time on it, but it still hurts. Damn it to hell. It really hurts to move it.

3. In my unending quest to find out the mysterious source of my rash, I went to an allergist today. At first he was a bit cool until we inadvertantly found out we had a mutual friend. He became much more friendly after that. Today, I got a two battery of tests. First, I got pricked with 30 blue plastic needles to see if I had any obvious allergies. (They mark your skin with a pen and then nick over each mark in order to see which ones swell.). I am allergic to horses, parakeets, and dust mites. They did the second test where an actual needle is used (like a shot) and I received 24 injections in the left arm and 30 injections in the right arm for a total of 54 injections -- imagine getting 54 shots in 10 minutes. Each battery you have to sit for 15 minutes for a reaction. I am not allergic to most moulds (odd) and barely allergic to cats. I am violently allergic to dust mites. On a scale of 1 to 4, I rated a 4++++. All that would be fascinating except based on the rash, these aren't the causes. Next week I go back on Tuesday to get the patch test installed (which I must wear for 48 hours) and then Thursday to have it removed and read. Then Friday I go in for another battery of tests (more injections, Yay), and a consultation with the doctor.

4. Did I mention how much my shoulder hurts? I want to cry.

5. Happy Birthday, Adrian.