Random notes

Here's GREAT news out of Iraq:

American journalist Jill Carroll, abducted in early January by gunmen in Baghdad, was released to a Sunni Arab political party in the capital Thursday morning after 82 days in captivity.

Since I read the CSM most days, I've been following this story and I must admit I didn't think she'd be released alive. Good for her!

Next, there's a Bengal tiger roaming around Cullman County:

The description fits that of a young adult tiger, Patterson said, weighing about 200 to 250 pounds, about waist high - but wearing about a 3-inch-wide red collar.

"This leads us to believe it was someone's pet," Cullman County Sheriff's Lt. Phillip Patterson said.

I never understood the desire to have a wild beast as a pet, but evidently lots of folks do. By the way, nice investigative insight by the Cullman Co. Sheriff's Dept., don't you think?

Finally, here's a nice story from Tuesday's Decatur Daily on the wildflowers in the Sipsey Wilderness area. Hah, I scooped the Daily, though they seem to do a better job of naming the flowers they featured in their story.











Ooh, funny story. A student just came to my office all in a panic. She needed to borrow my phone, NOW! That struck me as a little odd since most every student has a cell phone surgically attached to his/her person at all times, but I let her use the phone. Know what she was doing? She was borrowing my phone to call home and tell her mom/boyfriend/whatever that she'd forgotten her cell phone! She was in such a panic I almost felt sorry for her, but this was my favorite bit, "Well what should I do? Should I come back home and get it?"

Listen folks: It's just a phone. You can survive a few hours without constant connection to friends and loved ones. Really!