The doggies and I were walking on the doggie trail yesterday when we passed this branch on the ground. It had neat twists at the top and bottom, so as we walked by I eyed it as a possible walking stick. Just as the thought struck me that it actually resembled a snake, it moved, immediately changing the snake diagnosis from vague theory to confirmed fact (the first one I've seen in the nine years we've lived here). It looked like a relatively harmless water snake, but it was also close to four feet long, so I shouted at the dogs to hustle out of the vicinity, which caused each of them to immediately stop, as that is usually my desire when I give them an urgent command. Luckily I got them out of the area quickly enough, as Hudson the wonder dog would surely have wanted to engage it, and non-venomous as they are, water snakes will bite to defend themselves, so we would have ended up with a dead snake and a bleeding doggie, and no one needed any of that.

Snaky Links:	Thanks Ant and Mike Martinez.
Play:	When Penguins Attack TD. Lint. Planet Master Zero.
Links:	5 Video Game Status Updates. Thanks Digg. 30 Dumb Inventions. Thanks nin. The 10 Most Annoying Video Game Sidekicks. Where's the hate for Superfly and Mikiko?
Stories:	Professor Visits 425 Starbucks in Nine Countries. Thanks brother19. Brewery's Nanny State beer swipe. "Terminator" Rights On The Block. Thanks nin. "I'll be back."
Science:	Book of Odds opening eyes to new probabilities.
Media:	Robot Chicken makes fun of Joss Whedon credits.