“I read the news today, oh boy ...” (Our Lady of the Snows Edition)

First, a personal note. Paul graduated, and will be moving to his job in Seattle eventually. Both of us have visited the city, this writer has extended family there, and father and son have discussed retiring there. He thinks I'd like it there. I probably would, but I told him it probably wouldn't like me. The video clip to the right tells why.

Meanwhile, elsewhere on planet Earth:

• On second thought, before we go elsewhere, the folks at KOMO News fail to mention exactly what they mean about a "brown bag" being offensive. Naturally, yours truly knew all along, and now you can too. (Incidentally, the custom has worked both ways, depending on the venue.) (KIRO-FM)

• Meanwhile, here are some words that the City of Seattle and their Thought Police can eliminate instead. (KIRO-FM)

• If you've been wondering about what to do with those regenerated cells you have lying around the laboratory, here's an advance in modern dentistry that makes good use of ... let's just call it an endless renewable material. (BBC)

• Speaking of being renewed, Twinkies are on the way back to your favorite convenience store. There are a few changes, like a smaller size and a longer shelf life, but it's nice to know that at least one thing won't change -- for the moment. (BuzzFeed)

• How about some news you can use? If you're taking a plane anywhere sooner or later, here are ten things you can do to save your life (if it comes down to that, obviously). (The Art of Manliness)

• If you're moving to a new city, and don't have a lot of room for household items, someone finally perfected the manufacture of furniture from corrugated cardboard. (I tried to do this in the late 70s when I got out of college, but that's another story.) (Gizmodo)

• Speaking of adapting, it would appear that the mother of all "big box" stores has occasionally boxed up and left. What do you do with an empty Walmart, other than turn it into a megachurch? (WebUrbanist)

• In a related story from the same source as the above, if Lego had made this forty-five years ago, yours truly might have majored in architecture instead of graphic design. Ah, 'tis another story for another day, but for now ... (WebUrbanist)

• Finally, watch the first two minutes as Pat Robertson continues to lose his marbles one at a time. As the Psalmist wrote: “Lo, sons are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the sons of one's youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.” (Psalm 126/127:3-5) (Kathy Schiffer, Seasons of Grace)

And that's all the news that fits. As the week goes on, stay tuned, and stay in touch.