International Animal Fest

Baby red pandas from Japan, a Romanian cat with hypnotic, Halloween eyes, a Moldovan zebra who looks like a piece of art, and an American monkey called "Tim," who's having a little birthday cake. SFGate's Day in Pictures ROCKS today!

My favorite co-worker...

... is one I've never spoken to. He sits in the back corner of the room, and actually, I'm not even sure what he does.

I know one thing about him:

1. He has a shelf full of "Lord of the Rings" action figures over his CPU, including Gandalf, Gollum and Sauron's fiery eye. I call his corner "The Land of Mordor," but see no reason to go over there. Sauron's eye watches me all day. But I can also see Gandalf, which is reassuring. I wonder if he plays with them after we are all gone for the day.

I so appreciate people's harmless obsessions.

I'm as sleepy as this little bear....

I could fall asleep in a tree right now, though I probably wouldn't apprciate a brach poking my ass cheek. The bear doesn't really seem to mind, though. To each his/her/its own.

I got up super-extra-bonus early this a.m. for a story that now looks like it might not happen today. It required me to sit in the parking lot of a strip club starting at 7 a.m.

It was just a meeting place for some people who are filing a lawsuit in federal court -- I didn't hang out with strippers. But it made me feel a little weird, nonetheless.

Cracked-up on coffee, I waited, and waited, and waited as the attorney labored away inside the club's office to prepare her lawsuit. Three hours later, still not done. Now the coffee has worn off and I'm at the office, still waiting.

Found this bear to start off the week.

It's not the antichrist, either.

There aren't enough exclamation points

Oooohhhhhhhh! It's Christmas already! The 30th anniversary DVD-CD combo of Cheap Trick Live at Budokan! SWEET! Nov. 11 cannot come fast enough! Three CDs and a DVD? Are you kidding? Plus bonus features on the DVD! Produced by Bruce "I Need More Cowbell" Dickinson? Now, please!

Later I'll be mortified that it has been 30 years. Now, I'm just excited.

The High-Fiving Grizzly of Friday

Dang. Not to be messed with.

Apparently, we had a little tropical storm action here yesterday. I thought it was just a blustery day, like in the Winnie the Pooh story. But this morning, my patio umbrella was askew and my potted plants had fallen over.

Hope everyone has a good weekend. I think I'm going to paint my bedroom. Maybe the color of a grizzly. Probably not, though.

Too. Much. Cuteness.

Can't. breathe. Too. cute.

Pass the vodka and smokes or something.

In all seriousness...

Reason the first I can never be the president, president of a large corporation or a business reporter: I don't understand this Wall Street bailout thing.

Seriously -- this is not a political statement of any kind. I just need someone to explain this to me.

I've been reading everything I can, but I'm still unclear about a few things:

1. How did this happen?
2. Isn't this free-market capitalism? Someone starts a business, and it's their job to make it run correctly. Right? And if the business isn't successful, for whatever reason, isn't the owner responsible for that loss? How does it become my responsibility to pay for it?
3. What happens if we DON'T bail out these companies? I mean, I hear what politicians are saying. What I want is a straight answer from someone who doesn't have a dog in the political hunt.
4. Should I take my investments out of my Fidelity account and just put the money in the bank?

Anyone who understands this stuff more than me -- which is probably everyone -- please, please explain it minus the partisan politics. Explain it like you're talking to a 5-year-old, because I am confused.