the gookins dot net

For only $19.99 plus $6.99 shipping and handling you too can own this ugly collectable monkey. It’s brought to you by the same company that makes the creepy ass collectible “babies” that they try to sell in the coupon section of the paper every week. I find something deeply disturbing about them.

Click through. You know you want to. It’s like a car accident, you just can’t help but look. Don thinks we should have a contest to see who can find the ugliest/creepiest one.

And in case you missed it, it’s your last chance to get the Pope John Paul II doll.

I actually came across this story about two months ago, read it, and more or less forgot about it until I came across it again tonight. It’s the story of Nate Phelps, the son of the infamous Fred Phelps of the Westboro Baptist Church.

If you don’t recognize the name, Phelps and the WBC are famous for the website GodHatesFags.com (which I won’t link to), and for picketing the funerals of American soldiers killed in Iraq amonst others. They are an extremist bunch to be sure, and not representative of the vast majority of Baptists. They preach a message of hate, and apparantly Pastor Phelps is not above mentally and physically abusing his own children. It’s a disturbing story, but it’s good to know at least a couple of his kids got away from it, although it sounds like the psychological damage will never completely go away.

Oh yeah, and don’t miss the first comment to the story, from Shirley Phelps, Nate’s sister and one of the current ringleaders of the church.

Awhile back we went to a used book sale put on by a local homeschooling group. Among other things we picked up some used paperback copies of a few books by the beloved children’s author Beverly Cleary. Christine and I both read books by Ms. Cleary when we were young and look back on them in fond regard. Actually, I don’t remember that much about them, but we thought they might keep the kids entertained for a couple hours, and that’s worth the dime or quarter apiece isn’t it?

Anyway, that’s not important. Just trying to set the stage though. After the books had taken up their spot on our bookshelves and gathered dust for awhile, someone finally pulled one down one day and we were surprised to find an autographed picture of Beverly Cleary inside. Our first thought was that we may have just struck it rich. Could we sell this one-of-a-kind celebrity item on eBay and retire early with the proceeds? We did a little research on teh internets and it turns out the picture is only worth a few dollars. Can you believe that? Beloved children’s author Beverly Cleary only worth a couple lousy dollars? Why, she’s beloved I tell you!

Anyway, that’s beside the point. The real story here is that careful scientific analysis of the one-of-a-kind autographed picture has revealed that Beverly Cleary is actually The Church Lady! I know this may be hard for some of you to believe, so I will present the evidence here, for all to see. Witness the truth and believe:

For the truly obsessed woodworker:

DIY Casket plans

Apparently, the company Genetic Savings and Clone is closing their doors. Not much demand out there for genetic copies of your favorite kitty.

“It’s no surprise the demand for cloned pets is basically nonexistent, and we’re very pleased that Genetics Savings & Clone’s attempt to run a cloning pet store was a spectacular flop,” said Wayne Pacelle, head of the Humane Society of the United States.

The whole cloning thing creeps me out. Maybe I read too much fiction, but it makes me think that anything this company has produced must be something like out of Stephen King’s Pet Sematary.