Over the river and through the woods 
See you on Tuesday. We are going to Ian’s Grandma’s house [my Mom] for Thanksgiving this year. No ‘Net, so no ‘blog. That’s fine, I need to focus on her and the family while I’m there. Grandma Rager has lived in Fort Worth, Texas (Benbrook – a small town that is now a suburb) since the summer after I graduated from High School 29 years ago. Twenty-nine years ago?!? No wonder I feel like I do. #
mark posted an image (without comment) of the new 57 cent stamp. I like Art Deco as well as anyone, but this design just gives me the Homeland – Fatherland willies. #
Climate Change Research Program strategic plan [draft]
Mark McCaffrey posted this on the paleoclimate-list today and I thought I would pass it along. #
"The US Climate Change Science Program has just released a review draft of its strategic plan for the Climate Change Research Program that many of you will find of interest: http://www.climatescience.gov/Library/stratplan2003/default.htm
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Thirteen months ago
My son Ian is 13 months old today. This is what happens when a peanut butter and jelly sandwich comes within reach. Eating is fun! The collateral damage, however, can be extensive. Here is another picture. #
"my lovely wife took ill this morning, and we’ve spent the day at the emergency room. i’ve got her back home now (thank god). weblogging will, of course, be on a back burner over the next couple of days. if you find time in your busy schedule, please think some positive thoughts for sandra." [garret]
garret and sandra are two of the finest people I know. Together they are a potent duo. ‘Positive thoughts’ are on her (and your) way, my friends. [spelling edits] #
White House Drug Czar John P. Walters grossly misrepresented marijuana potency multiple times in order to help bury three recent referendums in Ohio, Arizona and here in Nevada, where the question got only 39 percent of the vote. [Slate via Kevin]
Now I’m not sure I was for decriminalization, but I am definitely sure I was not against it. It has been at least 22 years since I got stoned, but things only began to improve for me since I quit drinking on May 14,1985 [yes, I keep track]. Having said that, I know that law enforcement has better things to do than bust pot smokers. I won’t even get into the morass that those who have been busted fall into when they enter the correctional system. I just hate to find out (again) that the government is more than willing to misrepresent facts to further their agenda. It hardens me further to their other sell jobs. #
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About 11 pm I looked up while I was putting the trash at the curb for tomorrow’s pickup. I saw two bright trails in less than ten seconds. That’s in suburban Las Vegas, with full moon, and a streetlight above my head. This looks to be a good one folks. #
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Leonid Meteor Shower Has Begun!
space.com has a ‘2002 Leonids Special Report‘ in addition to ‘Leonid Meteor Shower Has Begun!‘.
20 hours later I saw this at MeFi:
NASA’s Leonid Meteor Storm Predictions. I, however, am confident that I will be in my bed at 0300. Not very adventurous on an early Monday morning I suppose. #
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Interesting, I was Augustine, Audrey ended up being Karl Barth. #
| “We reject the false doctrine that the church could have permission to hand over the form of its message and of its order to whatever it itself might wish or to the vicissitudes of the prevailing ideological and political convictions of the day.” |
| You are Karl Barth! You like your freedom, and are pretty stubborn against authority! You don’t care much for other people’s opinions either. You can come up with your own fun, and often enough you have too much fun. You are pretty popular because you let people have their way, even when you have things figured out better than them. |
What theologian are you?
A creation of Henderson
The first forays into the vertical world are not promising. I feel like a Slow loris (Nycticebus coucang), with the accent on the ’slow.’ #
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Exaggerated Claims of Risk or Peril
Again, I point to Commander Dave. This time for his discussion of risk and irrational fear. #
Ladies and Gentlemen, our Senators need to hear from us.
"If the Homeland Security Act is not amended before passage, here is what will happen to you:
Every purchase you make with a credit card, every magazine subscription you buy and medical prescription you fill, every Web site you visit and e-mail you send or receive, every academic grade you receive, every bank deposit you make, every trip you book and every event you attend ˜ all these transactions and communications will go into what the Defense Department describes as “a virtual, centralized grand database."
To this computerized dossier on your private life from commercial sources, add every piece of information that government has about you ˜ passport application, driver’s license and bridge toll records, judicial and divorce records, complaints from nosy neighbors to the F.B.I., your lifetime paper trail plus the latest hidden camera surveillance ˜ and you have the supersnoop’s dream: a "Total Information Awareness" about every U.S. citizen.
This is not some far-out Orwellian scenario. It is what will happen to your personal freedom in the next few weeks if John Poindexter gets the unprecedented power he seeks." [(more) NYTimes, reg. req.]
"Today and maybe tomorrow is the only chance you’ll have to tell your Senator to vote AGAINST the Homeland Security Bill. You can get your Senator’s phone number here." [David Weinberger]
Ugh. Poindexter. Iran-Contra. These slimy, lying thugs keep crawling out of the woodwork. garret’s comment about the first link of the chain is spot on as well. #
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