blivet 2.0

As the end of year 2004 (Western version) approaches, I would encourage those who are going to usher in the integer change by consuming inoxicants (singly or in combination) to use a designated driver(s), lest we lose your prior to the first dawn of 2005. Celebrate, but remember, natural selection still applies to the human population. <include Hill Street Blues signoff>

spelling edits

update: Dan provided the link to the HSB sound byte (bite?) in comments.

“Every person takes the limits of their own field of vision for the limits of the world.” –Arthur Schopenhauer

Eliot has posted a annual reprise of a past New Year’s Day post concerning folkloric beliefs about what to do, what to eat, etc. on New Year’s Day.

Last night I went to the airport to pick up Audrey and Ian, who were returning from Colorado. I had to fill up the gas tank on the 4Runner and when I went to record the mileage I noted that the odometer read 31415. Put a decimal in the right place and you have π.

Coool.

I triggered an update because I was futzing with the Atom feed for this site.

Hint: if you want a vaild feed, use decimal html entities.

Robson Bonnichsen (1940- 2004)

via David L. Carlson on ARCH-L:

Dr. Robson Bonnichsen, Professor of Anthropology and Holder of the Center for the Study of the First Americans Chair in Liberal Arts, died in his sleep on December 25. Dr. Bonnichsen served as the Director of the Center for the Study of the First Americans (CSFA) at Texas A&M University. Rob was one of the leading scholars investigating the earliest sites in the Americas. Rob conducted archaeological investigations at early sites, developed innovative approaches to the study of the archaeological record, and organized international conferences to bring the top scholars from around the world together. Results of those conferences have been published in a highly regarded series of volumes under Rob’s editorship.

Rob received his Ph.D. in Anthropology at the University of Alberta in 1974. Over the last 45 years, he conducted archaeological investigations in the United States, Canada, South America, Russia, and China. He is the author or co-author of 120 articles and book chapters, five books, and five edited books. He funded his research over the years by obtaining over 70 grants and gifts for the Center.

Rob established the Center for the Study of the First Americans at the University of Maine in 1981. The goal of the new center was to advance the study of the earliest sites in the New World. Rob pursued those goals by excavating sites containing evidence of early occupations, by developing new analytic techniques to advance the debate about the earliest sites, by hosting international conferences to bring experts from all points of view together, and by communicating the latest findings to professionals through Current Research in the Pleistocene and to the public through Mammoth Trumpet. The Center moved to Texas A&M University in 2002 where Rob began working with a number of graduate students on ways of using use-wear analysis to distinguish artifacts from naturally modified rocks.

He was one of the primary researchers in the sub-field of New World archaeology I am most interested in.

The news from the northern margins of the Indian Ocean is horrific. Doubly so, because there is no tsunami early warning system for the region. No one saw it coming. Terrible, terrible events and loss of life. I hope the world responds with aid.

Happy Boxing Day and a Merry Christmas again. Today has been a much lower intensity day for everyone but Ian. He is still going in Ten-wheel-drive and keeping Grandpa hopping.

Due to some stomach distress we have moved back our return to Las Vegas. I will be returning Monday while Audrey and Ian will be returning on Wednesday.

GI tracts permitting, I think we will try to go to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science and visit The Quest for Immortality: Treasures of Ancient Egypt. Or, we may just run to the loo a lot. Personally, I would prefer the former…

Today was a big day for Ian, as you might imagine. Not an extravagant gifting, but several nice things. This morning featured wooden trains, a 6 inch Shrek doll (I’m told by salesfolk that they’re ‘plush toys.’ Whatever.) A giant Tonka (™ I’m sure) dump truck and some other things…

This afternoon was the extended family get together (on Audrey’s side) which featured some three-year-old sized atheletic balls, puzzles and other small gifts. Plus, the opportunity to play with his cousins (second cousins, actually) who are only a couple of years older than him.

A great day with lots of genuinely fantastic people.

In closing, a reprise of my favorite picture of the season. Pax.

And a Merry Newtonmas to all!

Excellent news via Garret. Jonas Beckman, a buddy from the ETP days is posting again!

Hi Jonas! It is fantastic to hear from you!