A Small Disappointment

Rats.  They took down the Vern Troyer sex tape preview before I could link to it.

I Hope Bill Will Be OK

I see that Bill Gates is now only the world’s third richest person.  After all those years of being number one, this must be psychologically devastating.  And to drop to number three despite making over two billion last year — how humiliating!  Bill, if you need some help with your car or anything, you just let me know.

Report From The Northland

You may recall an item a few days ago about the nasty winter in Menasha, Wisconsin. Brian, our JPN Wisconsin correspondent, has been kind enough to forward a few photos. The dog’s name is Mack. One word of advice — do something about those icicles, Brian!

So You Think WE Have It Bad!

Yes, this has been a brutal winter here in Chicago.  Nonetheless, it could be worse — and is worse for JPN correspondent Brian of Menasha, Wisconsin.  (Menasha is here.)

Last night, it went down to around fifteen below zero in Menasha.  To make matters worse, there’s been a lot of snow that hasn’t melted all winter, creating head-high accumulations around people’s driveways.  People are becoming stuck and trapped in their own driveways.  Food is running desperately short.  (All right, I made that last part up.)

I am awaiting a photo of this situation from my correspondent.  Don’t let me down, Brian!

They Look But Do Not See

I’m not sure who was more delusional, NIU mass-murderer Steven Kazmierczak or his girlfriend, Jessica Baty. She insists in her interview with CNN that “He wasn’t erratic. He wasn’t delusional. He was Steve; he was normal.” True, she admits, he had quit taking his meds. Still, “He wasn’t acting erratic. He was just a little quicker to get annoyed.” Yeah, just a little.

Within the past six months, while he and Jessica were living together, Mr. Normal acquired the two tattoos below, which covered his arms:

The one on top depicts Billy, the evil puppet from the Saw movies, against a pleasant background of self-mutilation. The one on the bottom is your basic sword-into-the skull motif.

Now, I have nothing against tattoos, but let’s look at the context here. If your 27-year boyfriend, with a long history of mental problems, suddenly shows up with these things on his arms, isn’t that a bit “erratic”? A tad worrisome? Perhaps even a smidge creepy? Not to Jessica, apparently. According to the tattoo artist, she went along with the program and had two done herself. I wonder what cheery images she chose?

She knew he was buying guns. She knew he had purchased a shotgun and a Hi-Point .380 handgun, like this:

She knew he’d gone off his meds — no big deal, I guess.

None of this was cause for concern or action on her part, and now five innocent students are dead. Jessica soldiers on, mourning her lost love, posting messages on her myspace page like: “Jessica is missing SK,” recently changed to “Jessica is loving and missing her Steven.”

Ah, romance!