These monstrosities started to pop up at street corners around town. And I am still asking what city official thought they were a good idea.

I'm sure he thought it was a win-win, as they say: Keep Kansas City streets clean, and make a little casholy on the side. Only problem is, no one's advertising. Not only is the economy in the dumpster, but who wants their brand associated with such a garish future car-crash barrier? It reminds me a little bit of those really skinny trucks that used to drive around town, those billboards on wheels, that served no civic purpose whatsoever and made advertising space out of a part of the 3-D continuum we thought might actually, actually be free from paid messages.

Whatever happened to those rolling billboards anyway? Oh, that's right: FOUR FREAKIN BUCKS A GALLON FOR GASOLINE is what happened to them.

Francis died, very unexpectedly, about three weeks ago. This guy was all cat. He loved me like a brother. We came home from a long weekend to find he hadn't been eating. Diabetes had gotten him, and gotten him good. He didn't have to be euthanized. We were with him to the end. When it was over, I put a towel over him and said, "Well done."

That's all I can write for now. Even that paragraph breaks my heart.