More news

Okay, I am in a rut. Here's more news but none of it really surprised me:

- The US women's team won the beach volleyball gold medal and are undefeated in more than 100 matches. I can't remember the exact number. It seems the only thing to derail the pair will be their thoughts on retirement to have children. I heard earlier in the games, they might be considering it. I can understand it. It must be kind of boring to win all the time... Where's the challenge? Raising children? Now that could be a challenge.

- Russian troops don't seem to be leaving Georgia. Does that surprise anyone? Not really. Hmm... They said they would and signed an agreement. Maybe they just forgot to tell the troops to leave.

- China is on top of civil rights again. Two women, 77 and 79, are sentenced to a year of reeducation through labor (that's right, a labor camp) for APPLYING for a permit to protest eviction. Look at their picture - they really look like government security risks to me. Also, more foreign activitists are being held by the Chinese government.

- And illegal factory knockoffs seem to be flourishing in China. Not that this is any kind of surprise. But this is an example of how different news casts tell you different things. On the evening news last night was a big story on how the days of cheap labor in China are over and manufacturing is shifting to Vietnam as costs are going up. Hmmm... Perhaps some proactive anti-counterfeiting legislation and action in Vietnam could prevent the counterfeiting from gaining ground there.

Nothing like watching the news to keep your blood pressure up. Also, I can use it as a cover to hide my boring life. The only exciting thing yesterday, other than the fact that I worked a lot and the cat tried to escape but didn't, was I got my schedule of preoperative appointments yesterday. They are scheduled for Sept 3 and consist of 3 consecutive appointments - preadmission, physicians assistant, and then pre-op center. I will bring a book and a snack as it goes through lunch time and expect to be there for a couple hours. I did call to reschedule as the very next day I get to go back for my MRI which consists of a prep appointment to put in the IV and then the actual MRI so I will spend another couple of hours at the hospital. (Its not hard to schedule the MRI, its hard to schedule the physician's assistant.) Two days in a row. This will fill my social calendar for the week. Can't wait. I tried to reschedule to combine them into the same day but its not possible. Oh well. I can look for OMWAHs and rocket scientists again.