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One of the big (and only) drags of summer is dealing with mosquitoes. With all the rain we've had they will be EVERYWHERE!  How do you keep the little buggers at bay?  Bug spray is stinky and not great for kids.  Do-do coils don't really work.  According to the experts here's some sure fire tips on keeping those mosquitoes away:

Get rid of standing water sources (which is where female critters like to lay their eggs)—birdbaths, wading pools, and pet bowls should be changed a couple times a week.
 
There are certain plants that mosquitoes can’t stand the scent of. The list includes catnip, rosemary, citronella grass, lavender, cinnamon, and peppermint—all good things to keep in mind as you’re landscaping your backyard.
 
Like vampires, mosquitoes are said to be garlic-phobes. Slice a clove in half and rub the cut side on your skin, or mix one part garlic juice with 5 parts water in a spray bottle, shake, and spritz it on. If you can’t bear the smell on your body, saturate dish cloths in the solution to hang around your patio when you’re hanging out outdoors.
 
Placing rosemary and sage directly onto the coals while you’re grilling can also help keep critters away.
 
Certain essential oils, like lemon eucalyptus oil, cinnamon oil, and caster oil, are also said to be effective mosquito deterrents. Try mixing 10-25 drops of one of the aforementioned oils with 2 tablespoons of either olive oil or any other kind of cooking oil to spray on your skin.
 
Mosquitoes are most active at sunrise and sunset, so try to avoid being outside 30 minutes before and after dawn and dusk.
 
They’re attracted to dark clothing, so think white/light when you’re getting dressed to spend time outdoors.
 
Flowery perfumes and soaps also have come-hither effect on mosquitoes, so avoid them outside. Beware of scented deodorants and hair products too.
 
To create a mosquito no-fly zone, you can also position yourself near a fan to make it much harder for them to land.
 
Crushed parsley mixed into a bottle of apple cider vinegar is also good for deterring mosquitoes. Curbly.com suggests rubbing the mixture on your skin, or soaking a handkerchief in it to tie around your neck.
 
Slightly creepy but true: bats are a natural predator to mosquitoes (some species are even known to eat a couple thousand in a night!). If you don’t mind the sight of them, you can even build your own backyard bat house. Yeah, that sounds practical (sarcasm).

Have a great weekend everyone...and Go Riders Go!

Britney Spears' lead bodyguard has quit, claiming she sexually harassed him by parading around naked in front of him. 

Really?  On behalf of all men I pose two questions.  #1)  This is a problem?  #2) Where can I apply to be Britney's bodyguard?

What do you think...is "walking around naked" in front of someone really sexual harassment or is this guy just looking for some easy money?

Prince William and Kate Middleton may be tying the knot soon.  Speculation that the prince will soon propose has the UK going crazy with "Royal Wedding Fever".  It would certainly be the wedding of the century.  I mean what other couple would garner more attention?  Maybe Ryan Seacrest and Simon Cowell? 

The last royal extraveganza was in 1981 when 750 million people watched William's parents got hitched...Chuck & Di...and we all know how that turned out.  Estimates put the number of people who would watch the William/Kate nuptuals at 3 billion.  What does a wedding with a guest list of a few billion cost?  Roughly 40 million dollars. My condolences to the father of the bride.  And his bank account.

In the past the Royal Family played a big role in finding mates for the future "heirs to the throne", but since the Charles and Di debacle, the Queen is steering clear of matchmaking on her grandsons behalf.  Probably a good idea.

Nice to see Gordie Howe in Saskatoon yesterday getting an honorary doctorate.  I guess we call him DOCTOR Hockey now, not Mr. Hockey.

Lotto Max draw goes Friday for a cool $50 million!  Imagine the freedom!  I’d quit my job, buy the company and fire the boss.  Don’t tell him I said that, I will deny it.

And we made the announcement this morning....Justin Bieber is coming to Regina.  15-year-old girls will lose their minds as "Bieber Fever" hits the Brandt Centre Sept. 16th.  Tickets on sale next Friday.

If you run into the "Bieb" while he's in Regina, make sure you hold the door open for him.  According to You Tube he has issues with doors...

It's been a good year for concerts...Nickelback, Black Eyed Peas, Tom Petty, etc.  What's the best show you've seen this year and who are you most looking forward to seeing.

Dancing With The Stars is already lining up B-list celebrities for Sept.  So far names that have leaked include Josn Rivers (She won Celebrity Apprentice a couple of seasons ago), Sarah Fergeson (trying to redeem herself and make some money after the scandal) and Linsdsey Lohan (will the ankle monitoring bracelet throw her balance off?). 

Sounds more like the cast of Celebrity Rehab than Dancing With The Stars.

The Gulf of Mexico oil spill is getting worse by the moment.  The BP "Top Kill" plan did NOT work.  Another failure for BP.  "Top Kill" was supposed to plug the oil leak by pumping mud and cement into the hole.  Now...it's on to plan number 7.  A variation of the "Top Kill" plan...this time underwater robots will attempt to cut the pipe and try to cap it. 

But severing the pretzel shaped pipeline risks leaking a torrent of oil into the Gulf Of Mexico.  So far over 25 million gallons of oil has spilled...enough to fill the gas tanks of a million cars. 

It will be a another week before the pipe is sliced.  Meanwhile relief wells are being drilled but won't be done until August.  BP says they are commited to keep trying things.  Maybe they should call the next project Operation: Failure.  0 for 7 is NOT a good track record.  Other solutions?  How about dumping a gigantic jug of Sunlight dishwashing detergent into the gulf to disperse the oil? Or how about using "spray foam" to the pipe shut.  Spray foam is awesome.  It's gotta be worth a try.  At this point what does BP have to loose? 

Anybody else have any bright ideas?

Gary Coleman died on Friday from a brain hemmorage after he suffered a fall.  Coleman was famous for playing "Arnold" on the 70's sitcom Different Strokes.  The child star cast of the series had many difficulties after the show was cancelled, leading some to speculate that there might be a "Different Strokes" curse.  Dana Plato died of a drug overdose, Todd Bridges spent time in and out of rehab and jail and was at one time charged with attempted murder...and Coleman's life was full of arrests, court appearances and embaresments before his death at the age of 42.  Another glaring example that proves that plying children with wealth and famer is NOT a good thing.  Who knew adulthood would be Gary's toughest role.
 
Heidi Montag is single!  Hard to believe, but Montag (who is recently famous for not only the Hills but for getting 10 plastic surgeries in one day -- including massive implants) finally came to her senses and dumped that moron leech Spencer Pratt.  I guess you could say she got a massive boob reduction.

And finally...Celine Dion is having twins!  Celine is 42 years old and her dusty hubby Rene is 105.  After a 6th invetro attempt, they are now expecting their double-double in November.  Considering her husbands age, Celine is going to have a LOT of diapers to change.

Happy Monday.  Cheers!

Sex & The City 2 debuts this weekend.  Carrie, Samantha, Mr. Big and the rest will hit the big screen for the biggest chick flick of the season.  My wife dragged me to the first Sex & The City movie and I hated it.  I can only imagine this one will be twice as bad.  Why do guys let their wives drag them to these movies? One Reason.  Wink wink, nudge nudge.  We don’t like the movie, but we like the potential of what might happen AFTER the movie.

Despite the rain, enjoy your weekend.  Cheers!

BP is  attempting to plug that oil pipe in the Gulf Of Mexico.  Again.  This time, they are preparing for Operation: Top Kill.  The plan?  To pump mud and cement into the pipe in hopes of plugging it up and stopping the oil from bleeding into the ocean.  There is about a 60% chance it will work.  If it doesn't work, it could crack the pipe and even MORE oil could spill into the Gulf. 

AND a recent report says the chemicals BP is using to clean up the spill might be 4 times more harmful to the environment than the oil itself!  Wow.  This oil spill is like the Lindsay Lohan of environmental disasters - just one big mess after another.

There's been a lot of wasted words on "Lindsanity"...Lindsay Lohan was fitted with an alcohol-monitoring device (a common fashion accesory among young starlets and singers theses days) after her court hearing. In order to remain free on bail, Lohan must completely abstain from drinking alcohol and will be subjected to weekly random drug testing. Anyone want to take bets on how long she'll last without booze?  What time is it now?  I'd be surprised if she hasen't shorted three of them out already.

Tonight either Lee or Crystal will be crowned the winner of American Idol.  I may have jumped off the Crystal Bowersox bandwagon too soon.  She crushed Lee last night.  And the "Queen of Mean", Simon Cowell will end his reign as lead judge and curmungdon on Idol.  There will be a special tribute to Simon during the two hour finale tonight and Paula Abdul will return to the Idol stage to roast Simon.  I'm not sure anyone will understand a word she says, but she'll be there non-the-less.

So long, Simon.  We'll see you in the Fall on X-Factor.