I have a big white couch and a big black dog. While she's not allowed on the furniture (I know, animal cruelty) somehow all of her fur ends up all over my beautiful couch. All I can say is that my Dyson is a miracle tool.

But that was an aside to the important news that I wanted to share: I was on a blind date this weekend, and the guy admitted that he is a loyal Feministing reader. Just imagine my surprise and delight! We're going out again next weekend. Thank you Feministing!

That dog is superly cute... I shalt covet him

My vacuum's on the fritz too. The best alternative I've found for getting pet hair off the couch is a big roll of masking tape: pull out a big strip of tape and wrap it backwards around the roll to make a lint roller.

What a beautiful picture of Monty, Jessica! If he were my puppy, I'd frame this one. I love his blue eyes against all the browns.

As the owner (...or the owned person!) of a white cat and a lover of all fabrics dark and jewel-toned, I cannot over-emphasize the usefulness of a big, cheap lint roller (preferably from Costco's or another bulk place where you can get a big 3 pack).

When my family isn't having company, we put towels down on my cat's favorite "spots", as well. You could probably get a neutrally colored towel or throw-blanket, and keep the fur somewhat under control. After all, you can wash a towel/blanket more easily than a couch ;)

I think you probably have the same problem with Monty as I do with my beloved dog. Each of her hairs are light and dark. Each and every one. Light by her body and dark at the tip. So no matter what I'm wearing, her hair shows up.

I Love Rome
Sir Frank Beaurepaire, an Olympic veteran and a former Lord Mayor of Melbourne, was requested to assist. Mr. Uren resigned as President of the Victorian Olympic Council, in favour of Sir Frank Beaurepaire and was appointed to the newly-created office of Chairman.

The Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Sir Raymond Connelly, and Sir Frank Beaurepaire enlisted the support of heads of State (His Excellency the Governor, Sir Winston Dugan, and the Premier, the Honourable T. T. Hollway). They also enlisted the aid of Sir Keith Murdoch and Mr. E. A. Doyle, two Melbourne newspaper executives in a campaign to secure the selection of Melbourne as host city of the 1956 Games.

Two panels, working in association with the Australian Olympic Federation and the Victorian Olympic Council, were set up—a publications sub-committee of the Lord Mayor's Invitation and Executive Committee of which Mr. Doyle was Chairman, and a financial sub-committee under Sir Frank Beaurepaire. The invitation was sent by cable and received by the International Olympic Committee at its meeting at St. Moritz on 23rd January, 1948.

The message, over Sir Raymond Connelly's signature, impressed on the Committee that finance for the organization and conduct of the Games had been assured by the City of Melbourne and the State of Victoria.

The Invitation and Executive Committee for the Olympic Games, headed by the Governor and representing all sections of the community, was sponsored. Business men donated £100 each to provide £12,000 to finance the publication of a series of illustrated books which carried and supported the invitation in French and English. The Victorian Government supported these with a film which was shown in Rome when the application was considered by the Committee in 1949.

The original de luxe invitation book, limited to 500 copies and circulated among heads of State and members of the International Olympic Committee and national sporting bodies, had already become a collectors' piece in Europe. This white suede-bound volume bearing in enamel the Coat of Arms of the City of Melbourne, was distributed before the 1948 Games in London.

Among the visitors to London for the Games were Sir Frank Beaurepaire, Sir Raymond Connelly, Sir Harold Luxton (one of the representatives in Australia of the International Olympic Committee), and Mr. Tanner, none of whom lost any opportunity to emphasize Melbourne's qualifications. An Australian delegation comprising Sir James Disney (who succeeded Sir Raymond Connelly as Lord Mayor), Sir Frank Beaurepaire, and Mr. Harold Alderson, was joined by the Victorian Agent-General in the United Kingdom (Sir Norman Martin) at Rome in 1949 when the International Olympic Committee considered the invitation.

The Prime Minister (the Right Honourable J. B. Chifley) had by now joined in the invitation—his assurance of financial support was later endorsed by his successor, the Right Honourable R. G. Menzies.