Have you noticed the public service announcements provided by the Ad Council are getting creepier? I hear a lot of these on XM and I think the subject matter is OK, it's the production that scares the crap out of you.

Listen for these topics on the radio and you'll understand:

Online Sexual Expolitation

Childhood Obesity Prevention (I think it's Patricia Clarkson on the voiceover)

Father Involvement

Mentoring

And what organization has that barking dog "telling" us how he saved a bunch of people? Ugh.

Meal of Links

Donald Hall is the next U.S. poet laureate. And he actually gets paid. For rhymin'. Apologies to Ted Kooser, who was the poet laureate, for missing his entire reign, although it fell mainly on the plain.

Taylor Hicks is voted "America's Hottest Bachelor". God help us.

Our President insults a blind reporter. A guy who's covered him for years, BTW. Cue Ren. "You idiot."

World Cup Photo of the Day














"Hey, Stash. STASH! Your scarf...your SCA...ah, bloody hell, you're Polish."

Exercise Yard

The World Cup began in earnest today as Germany faced Poland. Oh, on paper it started last Friday, but this is what it's all about. Poland has never beaten the Germans in soccer, and their off the field record isn't exactly stellar either. So, they kinda have a rivalry. There were fights before the match, and lots of people got thrown in the pokey. Just a great game. Poland plays their guts out, goes down to 10 men via a red card with 15 minutes to go, survives two shots off the crossbar in the final minute of regulation, then...you'd swear they had Cleveland on their jerseys...gives up a goal in the 91st minute. An absolutely crushing defeat, as Germany prevails, 1-0.

Visitor

23 Across: "Richard ___" (3 letters) Answer: III