A new book by Anne Tyler ("Breathing Lessons", "The Accidental Tourist") has international adoption at the root. "Digging to "America", fiction focusing on the parents' point of view, is getting good reviews:

In her latest novel, "Digging to America," Anne Tyler flips this perspective on its head, focusing instead on the way international adoptions are experienced by the parents. Tyler, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel "Breathing Lessons," has routinely delivered deft, funny novels that explore the longing of adults, and this one continues engagingly in that vein.

The story begins as the infants Jin-Ho and Sooki arrive at the Baltimore airport. There, Jin-Ho is delivered into the arms of Brad and Bitsy Donaldson, two middle-aged WASPs, and Sooki goes home with Sami and Ziba Yazdan, first-generation Iranian-Americans. The girls adapt quickly, but the parents — whose lives become increasingly intertwined — find themselves confronting their own needs for identity and acceptance.

Sounds interesting, and although I'm not a huge fan I have enjoyed some of Anne Taylor's writing.

And now, a couple of things that have me scratching my head with a "what the heck???" look on my face ...

First, there's this website elaborately written by a guy who had his sidekick stolen. Images of Cisco with no Pancho, Tanto takes a holiday, and Batman singing "oh-where-oh-where has my Robin gone" don't fill in the mental gap between reading and comprehending, however ...

UPDATE #6: June 7th 12:30 a.m. eastern Some people were asking how often I update...so far it has been every hour-every other hour...This page has been up for 6-8 hours in total...I thank everyone who has linked,emailed, and commented on various boards/blogs. I appreciate all the support ...

So, after reading way too much of this guy's ranting I get that a Sidekick is some sort of electronic communication appliance.

Fine, but what in the world is a "hoon"?

They're in trouble in Australia, apparently. After a headline that reads, "Hoons, be warned: three strikes and parents lose car," things get no clearer:

PARENTS of hoon drivers could have the family car wheel-clamped in the backyard for three months or even lose it forever, under tough new anti-hoon laws that will come into effect within a fortnight.

The first that parents may know of the loss of the car is when police knock on the door, under tough new provisions that allow the impounding of cars up to 10 days after an offence.

... Under the anti-hoon laws, which went through State Parliament in November, police will have the power to impound a vehicle for 48 hours for a first offence, three months for a second offence and seize the vehicle permanently for a third offence.

Anti-hoon laws?

Yes, I could "google" these and get an answer ... maybe ... but I'm enjoying the quandry.