A New Zealand woman earned some money selling an unusual product… other people souls.  Sold at auction,  she netted almost $2000 for two empty glass vials capped with rubber stoppers that she says contain the spirits of an elderly man and a little girl who lived in an old house in the 1920s.  That’s pretty good money.   Is this a scam?   Maybe.  I think it’s pretty creative… beats applying for unemployment.

Tiger Woods has apparently hired former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer to help with damage control and a strategery… for returning to golf.   That may be as soon as the Arnold Palmer Invitational March 25 at Bay Hill.  Better get the satellite trucks and the helicopters ready….that won’t be too bizarre, will it?  Ari Fleischer recently advised embattled St. Louis Cardinals hitting instructor Mark McGwire on his public admission to using steroids.  Oh yeah, the Bob Costas interview. We all know how well that went.

I came across a video of a guy ironing a shirt.  What’s interesting about it?  Nothing, really.  But I watched it anyway.  Ironing fascinates me because I have never been able to figure it out.  The stuff I iron never comes out right..  and I don’t like to ask my wife to do it.

Some researchers are suggesting that  an 18% tax on pizza and soda can be used as a weapon in the fight against obesity.  Hold on  right there, Sherlock!  You wanna tax éclairs, fine.  A tax on Twinkies.. okay.  But keep your hands off Pizza and Pepsi.  You have crossed the line.  For one thing, taxing pizzas and soda will not keep the overeater from eating.  They’ll find something else to chow down on…. and it’ll likely be even more unhealthy.  And why not make healthy food cheaper?  From what I’ve seen, the organic, low fat stuff is even more expensive! And how ‘bout a tax on researchers who have nothing else to do but think of ways to deprive the rest us… of anything really tasty?  Go back to your lab and STFU.

I can’t imagine what it’s like to be a citizen in Iraq.  But I noticed 62% of eligible voters there cast ballots over the weekend. I’m a little embarrassed that the turnout in some of our elections is way below that.  And in most cases, we’re not getting shot at.

For decades, Ferrari has made its name cranking out the hottest, fastest gas guzzling rockets on the planet.  Things may be changing.  According to The Daily Mail, the company has introduced an eco-friendly sports car… the Ferrari 599, a 200 mph electric hybrid vehicle that aims to cut pollution and fuel consumption while still offering high performance.  I’m okay with cutting emissions and all of that.. but I hope that electric motor is not a silent start…that would be laughable.   People who spend a half a million bucks want to turn the key… and hear it explode. That’s part of the fun… Sports cars, NASCAR, NHRA drag racing… If it doesn’t ROAR… it’s a BORE.

Giants baseball is back! The Panda hit .330 last year without glasses.  What’s he gonna do with his new prescription lenses?  Can The Freak, Tim Lincecum still dominate after back-to-back Cy Young seasons?  Will Jonathan Sanchez settle in with a solid year?  And will the new bats…. Mark DeRosa and Aubrey Huff bring in some much-needed runs?  We’ll find out soon enough… I’m just excited to hear the crack of the bats again.

I hear that Ray Davies is still hoping he can reunite The Kinks…but that it’s up to his younger brother Dave.  Dave writes in a message-board post on AtlanticCityWeekly.com…. “If Ray replies to my Emails and addresses the outstanding business and creative issues we have, then anything is possible… He rarely consults me on these issues.”  I don’t know what it is about some families… things just don’t work out.  These guys are like oil and water.  They never have gotten along… they don’t now… and they never will.  So the idea that there will be some kind of Kinks reunion is completely laughable… stop wasting our time.

So the Olympics are over, and as much as I love Curling…I’m gonna miss those wacked out speedskating finals with Apolo Ohno.  Since Apolo is hated so much by the Koreans, why do we have to wait four years to see this rivalry?  Don’t the pinheads at the networks get it?  There’s a gold mine here.  A short track reality show… starring Apolo against a bunch of Korean thugs trying to take him down.  Our hero closes each match… Ice Dancing the rhumba with Julianne Hough… Man, I’d be there every night…

I remember when I was 4 or 5 years old…. walking down the steep steps of my grandma’s darkened basement.  I loved the sweet, musky aroma of the fermented rice she was preparing for my grandpa.  (I thought all grandmas did this…)  Yup, she was a sake making expert.  I guess it’s in my genes.  No, I can’t make sake… but I do enjoy a taste now and then.   Some pretty high end stuff out there now.  On a related note, Time reports that  moonshine is making a comeback.  Max Watman, author of the moonshine book Chasing the White Dog, found that more and more people are moonshining, despite the fact that penalties for getting caught are pretty severe.  Actually, there’s a ton of information out there on how to do it…you can even buy the gear and ingredients online.  I can tell you from experience, it’s not as easy as it looks.  And be careful what you’re sipping.  I had some premium stuff from Eastern Europe… that was so strong it will start the motor on my tractor…even on a cold day.