Used what?

While riding with my son back from Valdosta's Wild Adventures on Sunday, I saw an unusual sign on the side of the road along Georgia Highway 133: "Used Cows For Sale." I've seen plenty of used cars for sale and I recently bought a refurbished laptop computer. But a used cow? Aren't all cows "used" in some way? How was it used? Was it used to make a hamburger or football? Or was it used to make ice cream?

This was just one interesting sight on the stretch of 133 from Albany to Valdosta that I'll write about for Sunday's column. I'd still take I-75 to Valdosta if they'd ever finish repairing it. They've been rebuilding it between Adel and Valdosta almost as long as they've been rebuilding the Atlanta Hawks. But, until they get I-75 fixed, at least Highway 133 is a more scenic, if slightly eccentric route to Valdosta.

Week in Review 12

• After a season of apparent policy slip-ups, Pope Benedict XVI announced Monday that he is shuffling top advisers and bringing in veteran diplomats closely identified with Vatican policy in Iraq and the Middle East. Among those whose duties were shuffled are God, who has been reassigned to a largely ceremonial role as Associate Assistant Vice President for the Development of Papal Input, and Jesus, who will work in the Vatican mail room.
• The bald eagle is taken off the endangered species list. The government, however, insists that the mildly receding hairline eagle remains on the protected list.
• Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and other world players seek a "unified response" to Darfur crisis at a conference in Paris. It is unclear whether this will replace the current "unified response" -- apathy.
• A 15-year-old boy in India who allegedly delivered a baby by Caesarean section in an attempt to set a world record as the youngest surgeon apparently fled as police prepared to arrest him on Tuesday. He gave police at the front door the slip when he left through a window.
• China's Xinhua News Agency says its legislature has approved a contract labor law aimed at improving workers' rights. On behalf of Americans everywhere, let's hope they now have the right not to make total crap that falls apart in three days.
• With parts of Alabama suffering from exceptional drought, Gov. Bob Riley declares June 30-July 7 as "Days of Prayer for Rain" as he wants Alabamians to pool their prayer power to cure the drought. This is the kind of practical leadership folks have been lacking since, oh, the Dark Ages.
• Researchers announce they will visit Michigan's Upper Peninsula next month to search for evidence of the legendary creature known as ''Bigfoot'' or ''Sasquatch.'' Michiganer Michael Moore agrees to film the search for a documentary, being that he's Sasquatch's closest human cousin and all.
• During a speech in Rhode Island, President Bush holds up Israel as a model for Iraq. Well, let's all hope that 60 years from now, like Israelis, Iraqis can live free in a state of perpetual fear of getting blown up.
• In a major blow against terrorism, British authorities thwart a plot to reassemble the Spice Girls.
• The Atlanta Hawks draft Al Horford and Acie Law in the 17th year of their rebuilding plan.
• In Senegal, First lady Laura Bush picks vegetables and hands out mosquito nets to emphasize that fighting AIDS in Africa also means tackling some of the continent's even more widespread afflictions: malnutrition and malaria. Unfortunately, Mrs. Bush's plans go awry when she is arrested for being an undocumented worker.

Week in review 2

• BUDAPEST, Hungary -- Five thousand bunnies blocked a highway Monday, tying up traffic after the truck that was carrying them collided with another vehicle and overturned, unconfirmed reports said. The other vehicle was an egg truck. The eggs were temporarily missing but later found painted in pastel colors and tucked away under roadside vegetation.
• DETROIT -- A cagey urban coyote that eluded authorities in a nearly hourlong foot chase through downtown Detroit is pregnant, according to the Michigan Humane Society. Since the announcement, Wile E. Coyote and Zsa Zsa Gabor's husband, Prince Frederick von Anhalt, have stepped forward claiming to be the father.
• The Rev. Al Sharpton protests at the funeral of Hawaiian crooner Don Ho.
• BOSTON -- Robert Cheruiyot of Kenya wins the Boston Marathon. Cheruiyot, who also won in 2003, set the course record last year but finished in a slower, unofficial time of 2 hours, 14 minutes, 13 seconds. "When the lion is chasing the antelope, he doesn't look back. He has to eat," Cheruiyot said. "So when I run, I don't stare at my time." Officials say it's the last time Cheruiyot will be allowed to bring his lion to the race.
• SAN JOSE, Calif. — Taxpayers who couldn’t electronically file 11th-hour returns using Intuit Inc.’s TurboTax, ProSeries and other software won’t be penalized for delays caused by the company’s overtaxed servers, the IRS said. A record number of returns on Tuesday choked the company’s computers, leading to delays in customers receiving confirmation that their returns had been submitted successfully. Usually, it takes only a few minutes after hitting the submit button for TurboTax users to get a confirmation. By Tuesday evening, it was taking hours. While the IRS won't penalize taxpayers, it is requiring that the company change the name of the program from TurboTax to DaewooTax.
• Senators in the liberal state of Vermont vote to call for the impeachment of President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. Resenting being called war hawks, Bush and Cheney order Vermont bombed off the map.
• Sanjaya Malakar is finally voted off "American Idol" despite having a higher approval rating than President Bush ... not to mention a better grip on foreign policy, economics and immigration control.
• Two diaries written by Anna Nicole Smith in the early 1990s failed to sell at an auction this weekend, but are now available for a minimum bid of $25,000 each, said an official at Heritage Auction Galleries of Dallas. The auction house is considering whether translating Smith's diaries into English will boost their value.
• The Atlanta Hawks finish out of the playoffs for the eighth straight season at 30-52, a whopping four more wins than last season for third-year head coach Mike Woodson, whom owners praised for carrying the team through injuries and finding new and unique ways to lose games.
• The horrific shootings of 32 people at Virginia Tech are blamed on gun control, lack of gun control, videogames, bullying, violent films, lack of prayer in schools, income disparity, intolerance of foreigners and Skittles. Hardly anyone blames the shootings, however, on Cho Seung-Hui, the shooter.