E.T. calls it home for the last "C-note and a Score"

In this case, I'm not talking about Extra-Terrestrial beings or telephones. That's just code for a big Happy 120th Birthday to Paris's famed Eiffel Tower. Originally built by bridge-builder extraordinaire Gustave Eiffel for the World Exhibition of 1889, critics called it a blight on the Parisian landscape. Its sprawling 984 ft. height makes it twice as tall as the Washington Monument, and it was widely thought the tower would be dismantled shortly after the Exhibition ended. Little did anyone suspect it would become one of the most iconic and romantic spots on Planet Earth, some One Hundred (C-note) and Twenty (Score) years later. People come from all over to visit E.T., and "phone home" about it. You have to actually read that sentence as Inspector Clouseau to get in the spirit of things. A big, drawling "Eee Tee pheuuune hhheuuume" kind of thing. Or not, maybe that's just me. As a trivia tidbit, Monsieur Eiffel had a profound effect on Americana as well. No, not the Eiffel Tower copy at Paris Las Vegas....although it is pretty cool. Remember the big green lady? The one with the torch that stands in the harbor in New York that we got from the French? Yeah her. Gustave Eiffel also was responsible for the construction of Miss Liberty's iron structural framework. I gotta admit, that's pretty impressive coming from one man. I'm almost afraid to keep researching this guy -- next thing you know, I'll find out he's also the inventor of the Bowflex and Snuggie.

Hi Ho, Hi Ho! It's Back To Mexico!

Royal Caribbean cruise line announced today that effective with this weekend's cruises, they are returning to Mexico. The piggie-flu seems to be somewhat of a shrinking violet at this point, and the CDC has removed its travel warnings about visiting Mexico. Thank you. It doesn't appear as if things were ever as wide-spread as originally thought, and many vacationers had their trips or cruises changed or ruined over the last few weeks. As we head into the peak Summer months, it'll be nice to feel a sense of normalcy kicking back in. Royal Caribbean has been so impressed with one of its alternate itineraries, it is actually on the discussion table as a possible addition for 2010. Los Angeles or San Diego-based cruises have had few options to avoid Mexico (you still have to "go foreign" to comply with the law). But one thing they found was a trip from LA to Seattle, Victoria B.C. Canada (on Vancouver Island), and either San Francisco or Astoria Oregon has brought a smile to many travelers' faces. People initially upset about missing Mexico suddenly found they LIKED this new trip. And why not? Great ports with beautiful scenery, legendary sightseeing, and even options to tour California's most noted wine country. There is some thought about alternating this itinerary with Mexico, one then the other, during summer months. Nothing's set in stone yet, but I'll keep you advised.

Next TV show: C.S.I. Neuschwanstein?

For 15 years, police in southern Germany believed they had a lead on a master-criminal. They had been tracking what appeared to be a female serial killer, whose DNA (but no other matching physical evidence) was found at 40 crime scenes, including six murders. Trying not to frighten the public, they cleverly kept this under-wraps for a decade and a half, until a new Detective who came on the case in 2007 began to consider alternative theories. In March of 2009, a State Justice Minister announced the case had finally been solved: There was no serial killer. The DNA matched up in the tests, because the cotton swabs used to collect the evidence had all been contaminated at the factory, by a single female worker back in the mid 90's. The woman had an alibi for virtually every crime on the list, except for her innate carelessness in contaminating a huge number of swabs over the years. Even though it was policy to wear gloves in the sterile factory setting, she chose to go without because they "chafed and chapped her hands." No report on whether the $88.5 million dollars spent on a serial-killer task force for 15 years would ever be re-couped. How do you say BAIL-OUT in German?

Speaking of tax dollars at work, you don't have to look any further than Austin Texas, to see why health care reform is so important in the US. In a study of the last 6 years' admissions at hospital emergency rooms in the Austin area, 900 people were identified as using ERs 6 or more times in the previous 3 months, and 9 patients in particular had made a total of 2,678 visits between them over the length of the study. By those statistics, that puts one of the Hypochondria Nine as visiting the ER every 30 hours over the course of 6 years! Sing it with me: "I'm proud to be an American....."

Can you imagine moving into the White House from Mom & Dad's House? An Ohio man recently dialed 911 to report that his son's bedroom was a complete mess. The emergency operator was expecting Andrew Mizsak to tell her there was "blood on the walls", or "a car had broken through the building from the outside" or something. Nope. Mr. Mizsak was just really peeved at his 28-year-old son, who lives with him and his wife, for not picking up after himself. In fact, his son has an excellent job as a school board member in the Cleveland suburb of Bedford, but when Andrew-the-elder told him he REALLY needed to clean his room, Andrew Jr. threw a plate of food across the kitchen table, and then made a fist at him! Who WOULDN'T dial 911 after all that? The son has lived in a room in his parents' basement, completely rent-free for a decade. After authorities arrived, the father declined to press charges against his son after all. He told police he didn't want to ruin his son's political career, and the son promised to at least make his bed more often. Now that's the kind of bi-partisan teamwork we need in Washington!