The inside of that house really reminds me of a bookstore. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

Cyclist Riccardo Ricco Reportedly Hospitalized After Performing Blood Transfusion On Himself

ROME — Italian prosecutors and the Italian Olympic Committee are investigating reports cyclist Riccardo Ricco was hospitalized after an alleged self-inflicted blood transfusion.

The Gazzetto dello Sport reported Wednesday that doctors at Pavullo Hospital in Modena quoted Ricco as saying he administered a transfusion on himself using blood stored in the refrigerator for 25 days.

The paper said he was admitted to the hospital on Sunday in a state of shock. Ricco was expected to be released on Wednesday.

The paper reported prosecutors have opened an investigation.

Ricco signed with Vacansoleil this season after a 20-month ban for doping at the 2008 Tour de France. His team withdrew him from the five-day Tour of the Mediterranean that started Wednesday.

My tax folks charge in the $350 range to do my taxes. But: I own, I support a couple of charities, I have a second job where I'm self-employed... paying quarterly estimated taxes is confusing enough by itself to justify paying someone else to figure it out.

Although I do vaguely resent the fact that I have to fill out forms for the accountants. If I'm dealing with paperwork either way, what do I pay you for? (Okay, their forms are much easier. Still! Grump.)

Shelf-Pod by Kazuya Morita Architecture Studio

That's amazing! I love that the floor of one level becomes the table of the lower one.

Ugh. I got into work in enough time to run down and get an omelet at the cafeteria, but after returning to my desk and having about four bites, it made a reappearance. Ugh. I just hope my stomach calms down so I can eat lunch before the cafeteria closes in 2 1/2 hours, because I really need to get some protein in there. It was the first time I've thrown up at work since the surgery (the other times have all been at home), so at least now I know I can run to the bathroom in time.

Although I do vaguely resent the fact that I have to fill out forms for the accountants. If I'm dealing with paperwork either way, what do I pay you for? (Okay, their forms are much easier. Still! Grump.)

Me too. although, technically, it should make your taxes cheaper because they save time.

Those are gorgeous houses. I could be a totally content unhappy hipster in those houses.

Ugh, Kathy! Hope your innards calm down soon!

30,000 Pigs Lost?

The Queensland, Australia newspaper The Morning Bulletin covered stories from the recent floods. One livestock farmer was particularly devastated.

MORE than 30,000 pigs have been floating down the Dawson River since last weekend, with a piggery at Baralaba paralysed by flooding which has killed most of its bred live-stock.

Baralaba Butchers’ Sid Everingham owns and runs the piggery near Baralaba.

Mr Everingham said: “We’ve lost probably about 30,000 pigs in the floods, we tried to get as many weaners and suckers out by boat, but we could only save about 70 weaners, and the suckers didn’t survive long, because they needed that mother’s milk, and all the sows have been washed away.

But later the story was clarified.

What Baralaba piggery-owner Sid Everingham actually said was “30 sows and pigs”, not “30,000 pigs”

Heh.

Bet the river sharks are well fed.

Well, maybe the river sharks read the incorrect story and flocked (schooled?) to Baralaba. Then they were all, "Wait, there's only 30 pigs? WTF?"