MR. DUCKETT AND DR. JONES

Imagine having loved one another for 46 years, raised a family together but being forbidden to marry. Until now. Finally. Thirty-five states need to think about this very hard.

HERE AND THERE REPUBLICANS SEE THE LIGHT

Texas Judge Carlo Key has announced he is running for re-election next year. No big deal until you know that he has denounced the Republican Party and is running as a Democrat for the first time.

”The party-switch comes...after Key attended a Dem event featuring the beloved Wendy Davis...” [she of the pink-sneakers filibuster].

In a campaign video, Judge Key declares,

"Justice demands fairness [and can only be served] "without prejudice towards race, color, creed, or whom you choose to love."

Take a look at the entire video:

You an read more detail about his decision to switch here and visit his campaign website here.

DEVOUR THE UNBORN

There's are good reasons I decided many years ago to not become a parent. This may be one of them (from the slightlywarped website):

PRISENCOLINENSINAINCIUSOL

Don't even try to pronounce that word; it's not meant to be pronounced, not really. It's a song title. From Italy. In 1992.

The song lyrics are what the English language sounds like to non-English speakers. And it's a pretty good tune, too. Take a listen:

There is a more complete explanation at the Now I Know website.

TO BE BURIED AT HOME

Jim and Patsy Davis met when he was 11 and she was seven. It took only one date as teens to know they were meant for each and they soon married.

Over the next 48 years, they raised five children and then, in 2009, Patsy died. Jim granted her dying wish “by laying her to rest just off his front porch.” Since then,

”From City Hall to the courts, the government of this little railroad town in southern Appalachia has tried to convince Mr. Davis that a person who lives in a town cannot just set up a cemetery anywhere he likes. On Oct. 11, the Alabama Supreme Court affirmed a judge’s decision saying as much.”

Davis has suggested to the court that he dig up his wife, cremate her and place the remains in the same gravesite on his front lawn. The city attorney admits there is no law against

”...tombstones or the placement of ashes, but he insisted that the coffin and the vault be removed. So if Mr. Davis fully complies with the city’s order, the yard will end up looking exactly as it does now, only with an urn rather than a coffin underneath.”

It's a love story with a Halloween-ish twist that gets more interesting with additional details. Go read more about the matter at The New York Times.

DAD'S RESPONSE TO KID'S TANTRUM

What to do when a kid just screams and screams and screams? This dad found a solution that at least made him feel better and amused his other child. Before you see the video, listen to the wife and mom:

”My six-year-old daughter had been in her room wigging out for about an hour and there was no talking her down. I was getting fed up, so my husband decided to lighten the mood.

“For the record, she's not typically a beast child - she's actually a pretty awesome little kid who was having a rough day.”

THE VIRGINIA GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION

The Virginia gubernatorial election is getting a lot of national press primarily because another antediluvian Republican wants to gain control of women's bodies.

That Republican, Ken Cuccinelli, opposes abortion in all cases except the life of the mother, he supports new restrictions on abortion clinics in the state and as state attorney general, tried to revive Virginia's anti-sodomy laws.

In support of McAuliffe, posters like this one turned up on the campus of Norfolk State University:

Another read: “Get your head in the game.” Pretty funny. But as a friend who sent me the image wrote in his email:

“For a while, the poster pictured was up on some walls, till the Democrats chickened out. Pity."

No kidding, a pity. The Dems are so consistently such wimps. More about the incident here.

TEAPARTY INSULT GENERATOR

Let's keep going with politics for one more item. It's so bad these days we may as well laugh when it's possible.

Since the government finally reopened, Republican House Speaker John Boehner is trouble with the tea party. Someone started a webpage of tea party insults against him. Things like this:

Yellow-bellied dickheaded sell-out

Paid-off fascist traitor

Gutless fascist communist

Even though these epithets are on the level of the kid in the film E.T. The Extraterrestrial who called his brother “penis breath,” they are real insults that appeared on Boehner's Facebook wall.

You can find more of them at the Tea Party Insult Generator website.

A DOGGIE RUBE GOLDBERG CONTRAPTION

Darlene Costner has sent a video that is a wonderful antidote to all this political nastiness. Yes, it's a commercial. For Beneful. And it is a load of fun.

Interesting Stuff is a weekly listing of short takes and links to web items that have caught my attention; some related to aging and some not, some useful and others just for fun.

You are all encouraged to submit items for inclusion. Just click “Contact” in the upper left corner of any Time Goes By page to send them. I'm sorry that I probably won't have time to acknowledge receipt and there is no guarantee of publication. But when I do include them, you will be credited and I will link to your blog if you have one.