Carolina In My Mind -- James Taylor...

I went to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

It is amazing how passionate and loyal one becomes to one's school. But, there is nothing quite like watching James Taylor sing "Carolina In My Mind" live at the Dean Dome (nor is there anything quite lining up for days for tickets).

Every time I hear this song it takes me back to Carolina and leaves me with a smile. They were great times. This song is a real "pick me upper" for me, and I am sure for many others. Everything that I own that is programmable has this song pre-loaded into it.

This version is one James Taylor did live with Sirius|XM Satellite Radio as part of their Artist Confidential series. I have, sadly, lost contact with many of my friends from that period. Others, I am still in contact with. Most I am sure do not read my blog. Suffice to say I remember them all fondly. So, to all those UNC alumni out there, thanks!



Funnily enough, having watched UNC drop a 16-point lead over Duke I do not feel so bad having listened to Carolina In My Mind a "few" times.

And for the real fans, here is a 1972 live version of ""Carolina In My Mind".

Enjoy.

Show Me Your Breasts, Now!

This is one of those moments where you find yourself shaking your head and reconsidering whether or not you want to travel to or from the US.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is between a rock and a hard place with respect to enforcing enhanced security procedures at US airports irrespective of whether it is trying to marshal people through new full-body x-ray scanners or the overly-zealous enhanced pat-down procedures which gives them the right to "feel you up".

Yet, there are those occasions where you wonder what some of these TSA people are thinking.

Cathy Bossi, a breast cancer survivor and a former flight attendant, was subject to both the x-ray scan and an enhanced pat-down. When the x-ray scanner shows up something unusual or 'suspicious' then a pat-down is mandatory. For Bossi, the x-ray scan showed up a prosthetic breast. This suspicious item mandated an enhanced pat-down. The enhanced pat-down involved the TSA officer touching her breasts and then asking "what is this?" This happened in North Carolina, or at least was reported in North Carolina.

When Bossi responded that "it is a prosthetic breast", the TSA officer demanded to see it. Seriously, does the TSA have a prosthetic fetish or does the TSA truly consider that prosthetic breasts are the Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) of the future? Imagine the future here for a moment; have we really progressed to a point where "Show me your breasts" or other body parts is a legitimate question in order to board an aircraft? Have we really reached a point where it will be quicker to take your prosthetics out or off and ship them to your destination rather than try and board an aircraft with them?

In any event, be aware, according to the TSA, they have the right to inspect prosthetic devices. The TSA are not allowed to ask you to remove them, but they are entitled to physically inspect them. I wonder if passengers with silicone implants will be required to remove them before boarding an aircraft? Or if the silicone gel is greater than 100ml whether they will have to bag and tag the implants or ship them in their baggage?

To be sure, I am happy that the relative authorities are taking security seriously. But, even for the die-hards who think that just about any intrusion for the purposes of safety and security is warranted might be starting to re-think their position.

Can anyone else imagine a time where we will get right back to how things were before self-conscious morality took over and we started wearing clothes? Are we all that far away from a time where people will be required to board public transport in the nude in order to ensure that no one is hiding a bomb in their underpants? I guess naked travel only leaves cavity searches!

Men as Sexual Objects...

Nah, whoever would have thought that there would be a little balance placed back into the ledger of men and women behaving badly. A young woman, and recent graduate of Duke University, has placed a list of her sexual conquests online. Her exploits include 13 young men of some [former] repute, who I am quite sure were not so willing in the take my photo and critique my sexual prowess online participants stakes. However, this might be a lesson in taking a moment or two to think about where your next hook-up might end up.

The list, which is eloquently described as a thesis, "An education beyond the classroom: excelling in the realm of horizontal academics", to satisfy the completion for the award of a degree in horizontal academics, has gone viral. You can see the list over at Jezebel. I went to college just up the road at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, so some of the bars and other places of interest noted in this thesis are places that were around back in 1992 when I was there (yes, punters and friends, I am that old).

The beauty of this list is that it shows pretty clearly that, there are at least, some women out there who critique men on their attractiveness, penis size, and abilities with the other appendages they possess (is the tongue an appendage?). It was particularly nice to see that an Australian accent rated highly on the suitability stakes. This means that there are genuine hopes for all Aussie fellas out there roaming the college campuses of America in search of a hook-up.

On a serious note. There is nothing funny about this list. There is nothing worthwhile in even thinking about putting it together in the first place, let alone putting it together and then seeing it published online. It says a lot more about the woman who did it than the men who fell victim to her "research". Interestingly, the vast number of research subjects targeted were members of the Duke Lacrosse team.

I guess the question that needs to be posed now is, "Is what this young woman did wrong?"

The World According to Americans -- An Alternative View...

No offense intended...

I have spent a fair bit of time in the US, North Carolina to be precise, I went to school there (at least part of my university education was there). I have lots of friends and colleagues who I respect and care for deeply and greatly.

Yet, when I started coming across these maps it reminded me of an incident in a pub in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, called "He's Not Here!" The pub got its name from one of the bar tends who would always respond to any phone call looking for a mate with, "he's not here!"

But, my friends, enough of the reminiscing and that is not the story. My mates and I (men and women, US and Non-US citizens were having a quiet Sunday arvo beer and playing some darts at He's Not Here. It had become a game of "The Brits" vs. "The Colonists" with the Aussies and Yankies being the colonists, and the Poms being the other side. Bloody competitive sport darts is after a few beers.

Anyways, we had been playing for a while, enjoying ourselves, and knocking back the beers from these excessively large 32oz blue plastic cups. Then our moment was rudely interrupted by a couple of unknowns who had deduced from our accents that the majority of us were not from around those parts. Good observation. I had a sense that things would go down hill from there so I buggered off to the bar, after all it was my shout.

But, before I could beat my hasty retreat one of the interlopers asked where I was from. I proudly said Australia! To which this rocket scientist replies, "so, how do you find it to be able to take train trips all throughout Europe?" At this point, I turned on my heel (no pun intended seeing North Carolina is the Tar Heel State) and went to the bar shaking my head!

So, that my friends, is the reason I post another of the maps of the World According to Americans for your viewing pleasure.

A Dog's Life -- Five Legs

This is a great story with a reasonably happy ending. I have never been a big fan of freak shows or side show alley at the local fair or circus. There was always something that bothered me about paying money to view someone or something who was a little different from me; a special attribute that I did not possess.

About six weeks ago this cute as a puppy, puppy was born. It was born with a real interesting distinguishing feature, a fifth leg. The owner of the dog was contacted by John Strong, a Coney Island, New York, Side Show owner. Strong's claim to fame is a side show that features disfigured animals. The owner of the dog is supposed to have agreed to sell the puppy for USD 3000 to Strong, and Strong claims that he paid a USD 1000 deposit to secure the dog. Fortunately, that deposit has been repaid and the puppy has been sold to someone else for USD 4000.

The plan is to get the extra leg, on the chihuahua-terrier cross puppy, removed. The surgery is listed for the coming week and is expected to cost a further USD 2000. However, once the extra leg is removed vets are expecting that the little one, now named Lilly, will make a full recovery and lead a normal dog's life. Lilly is expected to live out her days somewhere in North Carolina.

I went to university in North Carolina, UNC-Chapel Hill. So, this is a story from my third home.

All's well that ends well.

Obama Wins!

Pennsylvania!

This is one of the "battleground states" and one that most pundits have been saying from day one that John McCain had to win in order to win the White House!

Mathematically, the contest is far from over and by most accounts McCain is doing better in the early counting than many expected. Dropping Pennsylvania though is a pretty big body blow and one that he and the Republicans are unlikely to recover from unless McCain is able to pull Florida, Ohio, North Carolina, and Virginia.

Maybe an update later in the day.

The photo is of Obama and his wife casting their votes.