Wednesday, November 28, 2007

My kind of town

Leaving for Chicago tomorrow morning, will not return until Sunday night, so no blogging until then.

Brain drain

My theory is that Hayworth and Graf lost because the multitudes of Times reporters losing their jobs due to the Newspaper of Record's plummeting circulation have recently moved to Hayworth's and Graf's districts. (This is what's known as a "brain drain" in those districts.)

- Ann Coulter (read her full comments here)

Not only does she hit the target dead center, but she does it with humor.

Circulation numbers

Here's a story that may not have been deemed "Fit to Print": In the six months that ended Sept. 25, The New York Times' daily circulation was down another 4.51 percent to about a million readers a day. The paper's Sunday circulation was down 7.59 percent to about 1.5 million readers. In short, the Times is dropping faster than Hillary in New Hampshire. (Meanwhile, the Drudge Report has more than 16 million readers every day.)

- Ann Coulter (read her full comments here)

In Times-speak, The New York Times is targeting circulation so that they do not waste money on extra subscribers.

Fox hunting

The image of Britons in scarlet coats galloping over fields as their dogs chase foxes is fixed in the popular imagination. But Britain's highest court ruled Wednesday that laws banning the hunts must stand.

In rejecting the associated appeal against the Scottish ban, Lord Hope wrote that "there was adequate factual information to entitle the Scottish Parliament to conclude that fox hunting inflicted pain on the fox," and was therefore cruel.

- AP/azcentral (read full story here)

White hunter

A white hunter convicted of killing a Hmong man while both stalked squirrels in woods near Peshtigo was sentenced today to 69 years in prison.

- AP/Star Tribune (read full story here)

It will be interesting to see how much time he actually serves.

Space Hulk

http://sourceforge.net/projects/hulk

Open source Visual Basic conversion of the out-of-print Space hulk game (originally published by Games Workshop).

***************

http://us.games-workshop.com/games/40k/gaming/spacehulk/default.htm

Games Workshop shows how to mimic Space Hulk using the new Warhammer 40k rules.

**************

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/106084

Very gushy review of an out-of-print game.

**************

http://www.thegamesjournal.com/articles/SpaceHulkSaga.shtml

Very interesting account of one gamer's obsession with finding the out-of-print game. Some good color pictures of his modification and painting of the figures. In the end, he found the game disappointing, but he had a good adventure along the way.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Fall plantings

I planted a lot of stuff this fall that never got blogged.

The following items were obtained from White Flower Farm.

(100) Daffodils - The Works

(25) Grape Hyacinths (Muscari 'Dark Eyes')

(50) Scilla sibirica ('Spring Beauty')

(12) Queen of the Night Tulips

(25) Galanthus ('The Last Snow Mix')

The following items were obtained from Wayside Gardens.

(1) Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis)

(1) Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens)

(1) Salvia lyratra ('Purple Knockout')

(1) Bugleweed (Ajuga 'Mahogany')

(4) Hellebore ('Royal Heritage')

(1) Elderberry (Sambucus 'Black Lace')

(1) Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis 'Bordeaux')

(1) Geranium ('Espresso')

The following items were obtained from Friends of Boerner Botanical Gardens.

(12) Mixed Hyacinths

(12) Mixed Triumph Tulips

(12) Red Riding Hood Tulips

(12) Queen of the Night Tulips

(25) Mixed Crocus

(25) Snowdrops

(25) Grape Hyacinths (Muscari armeniacum)

(25) Scilla sibirica ('Spring Beauty')

The following items were obtained from Luxembourg Gardens in Franklin, WI.

(10) Chysanthemums

Nightbringer

Nightbringer: An Ultramarines Novel (2004)by Graham McNeill

Captain Uriel Ventris and Inquisitor Ario Barzano combine forces to stop an ancient C'tan threat known as the Nightbringer.

Dark Eldar and a planetary rebellion complicate their task.

Judge Virgil Ortega detonates the planetary armory to deny the rebels access to those resources.

Very good novel set in the Warhammer 40k universe.

Gatorade

Dr. Robert Cade, who invented Gatorade and sparked the multimillion dollar sports drink industry, died Tuesday of kidney failure. He was 80.

His death was announced by the University of Florida, where he and other researchers created Gatorade in 1965 to help the school's football players replace carbohydrates and electrolytes lost through sweat while playing in swamp-like heat.

- AP/Miami Herald (read full story here)

The Horus Heresy (continued)

These novels are set in the Warhammer 40k universe.

False Gods (2006) by Graham McNeill

Horus is betrayed on Davin by Erebus, First Chaplain of the Word Bearers. The temptation of Chaos proves too great, and Horus turns traitor.

Galaxy in Flames (2006) by Ben Counter

Horus murders loyalist Space Marines on Istvaan III. Lucius betrays his brothers.

The Flight of the Eisenstein (2007) by James Swallow

Loyalists commandeer the Eisenstein and flee the treason of Horus to warn the Emperor. No good deed goes unpunished.

Fulgrim (2007) by Graham McNeill

The sad saga of Fulgrim, Primarch of the Emperor's Children. Eldrad Ulthran, Farseer of Craftworld Ulthwe, proves to be astonishingly short-sighted. Fulgrim gets what he deserves in the end.

Soviet-style health care

Rhode Island Hospital has been fined $50,000 and reprimanded by the state Department of Health after its third instance this year of a doctor performing brain surgery in the wrong side of a patient's head.

- AP/azcentral (read full story here)

This will be a lot more common after The Clantons inflict Soviet-style health care on America.

Monday, November 26, 2007

Unions

Five United Airlines workers sought medical attention for nausea and vomiting after the company provided a Thanksgiving meal to employees.

- AP/azcentral (read full story here)

This reminds me of the urban legend where the organized crime figure was having trouble with some union guys. He provided them with a conciliatory lunch where he served them sandwiches made with dog feces. Forever after, the mob guy went by the nickname "Dog Shit."

Michigan man shoots cow

A man says he shot and killed a neighbor's cow after mistaking it for a coyote.

- AP/azcentral (read full story here)

I am not sure this guy is entirely trustworthy.

White Night

White Night: A Novel of the Dresden Files (2007)

by Jim Butcher

The ongoing soap opera of wizard Harry Dresden, set in an alternative Chicago.

Emphasis on dialog and character development.

Features several interesting characters:

Molly (apprentice)
Murphy (police sergeant)
Bob (non-corporeal undead wizard)
Thomas (vampire)
Lasciel (fallen angel)

Worth reading once, but probably not more than once.

Motherwort


http://www.missouriplants.com/Pinkopp/Leonurus_cardiaca_page.html

Crone's Book of Magical Words

Crone's Book of Magical Words (1999) by Valerie Worth

Devoid of useful information.

The very minor amount of herbal folklore is not enough to save this book.

Not worth reading.

The Nutcracker

“...few things offer the entertainment and comfort of ‘The Nutcracker.’ Unless you are going to an action movie and eating Chinese food.”

- Kris Slava, senior vice president for programming and production at Ovation, quoted by The New York Times (read full article here)

Green alleys

In a green alley, water is allowed to penetrate the soil through the pavement itself, which consists of the relatively new but little-used technology of permeable concrete or porous asphalt. Then the water, filtered through stone beds under the permeable surface layer, recharges the underground water table instead of ending up as polluted runoff in rivers and streams.

- NY Times (read full story here)

Needs some serious cost vs. benefit analysis.

Guitar Hero vs. Rock Band

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/26/technology/26guitar.html?th&emc=th

Interesting article on the music video games.

Tourism threatens Antarctic?

While the rescue may have been a success, the consequences for the Antarctic’s fragile environment of having a submerged ship that is estimated to be holding 48,000 gallons of marine diesel fuel sitting off its coast are unclear.

- NY Times (read full story here)

Unclear does not even begin to describe the situation.

Prius in Georgia

Scott Merritt bought his low polluting Toyota Prius to help save the planet, conserve energy and encourage others to go green. He's also a big believer in keeping dirty polluters off the road.

So imagine his surprise and frustration when his electric hybrid failed Georgia emissions testing — not once, but three times.

- Atlanta Journal-Constitution (read full story here)

It sounds like a Prius is too green for its own good.

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Valerian

Scientists at the University of Bonn have identified a substance that appears to be partly responsible for the previously unexplained sedative effect of valerian, a herbal native to Europe and used for more than 2,000 years.

- http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?id=49878-scientists-unravel-mechanism

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Big turkey

A Minnesota man basted a 72-pound turkey to trounce his sister in their annual sibling rivalry over who can prepare the biggest Thanksgiving bird.

- AP/azcentral (read full story here)

Ours was only 24 pounds.

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Beowulf

"Beowulf," the poem, is more about darkling silhouettes than three-dimensional anything. Where the movie aims for a powerful digital glow, the poem is entirely twilit. Where Zemeckis gives a crystal-clear vision of a world of striking lights and shadows, in the poem it's the vision itself that is dark and troubled. Everything about the poem is clouded in mystery, from its diction to its imagery to its mix of pagan and Christian ideals. The movie, on the other hand, believes in keeping every little hair and drop of blood and plot detail in perfect focus, leaving nothing to a viewer's imperfect imagination.

- Washington Post (read full review here)

I give it a 3/10. The high spots are the soundtrack, the dragon, and John Malkovich as Unferth.

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Folklore of minerals

http://www.averi.com/gemstones.htm

Giuliani vs. illegal immigration

Giuliani said his approach could end illegal immigration within three years.

- AP/Forbes (read full story here)

Easy to say, tough to do.

Recent plantings

I planted the following items obtained from The National Arbor Day Foundation.

(10) Fragrant Purple Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)

(The following 25 bulbs were packaged as "Purple Royalty Garden")

(5) Tulip 'Purple Prince'

(10) Crocus 'Ruby Giant'

(10) Glory of the Snow (Chinonodoxa forbessii)

Illegal liberals

A union-financed advocacy group that played a major role in the 2004 elections has agreed to pay a $580,000 fine after the Federal Election Commission concluded it illegally ran advertising against President Bush and in favor of Democrat John Kerry.

- AP/Forbes (read full story here)

Of course.

Firefighters vs. Giuliani

New York firefighters, including two who lost sons in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, joined other victims' relatives Monday to argue that Rudy Giuliani's character and actions make him unfit to be president.

- AP/Forbes (read full story here)

The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy

The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year: Volume One (2007)

Edited by Jonathan Strahan

As one might expect, a lot of variation in both content and quality.

Some of my favorite stories:

How to Talk to Girls at Parties by Neil Gaiman (a cautionary tale on the effects of drinking Pernod and Coke)

I, Row-Boat by Cory Doctorow (Asimov turned completely upside down mixed with William Gibson)

Under Hell, Over Heaven by by Margo Lanagan (reminds me of Planescape)

The Night Whiskey by Jeffrey Ford (a cautionary tale on drinking liquor distilled from corpse berries)

Pol Pot's Beautiful Daughter (Fantasy) by Geoff Ryman (even the rich & beautiful have their problems)

Eight Episodes by Robert Reed (a very short-lived and bizarre TV-series)

D.A. by Connie Willis (Didn't Apply and Devil's Advocate)

Some of these stories are definitely worth reading more than once.

Mugwort

Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) AKA Traveler's Herb

http://altnature.com/thegarden/Mugwort.html

http://www.henriettesherbal.com/blog/?p=310

Witch's Shield

Witch's Shield: Protection Magick & Psychic Self-Defense (2006)

by Chrisopher Penczak

Includes Audio CD of Protection Meditations

Mostly useless with the exception of some obscure folklore on herbs and minerals.

Some of the herbs covered:

Angelica (facilitates shamanic journeys)
Basil
Comfrey
Dill
Elder
Fennel
Foxglove
Hawthorn
Hyssop
Lady's Mantle
Lavender (soothes the nervous system)
Mugwort (banishes the energy of illness)
Quince
Rue
Sage (the author's favorite is California white sage)
Solomon's Seal
St. John's Wort
Vinca (Sorcerer's Violet)
Yarrow
Wolf's Bane (Monkshood)

Some of the minerals covered:

Amber
Fluorite
Garnet
Hematite
Onyx
Quartz
Tourmaline

I fell asleep listening to the audio CD.

Obama

Presidential hopeful Barack Obama on Tuesday told high school students that when he was their age he was hardly a model student, experimenting with illegal drugs and drinking alcohol.

- AP/Forbes (read full story here)

Translation = Obama and his friends spent a lot of time snorting laundry detergent and plooking each other.

Classical music arrives at Pandora

Since we launched Pandora 2 years ago, our most common request from listeners has been that we add Classical music. We're excited to announce that Classical music is now available on Pandora. Enjoy, and please let us know if you have any feedback. The Classical Genome is a work in progress and we'd love to hear any of your suggestions on how to improve it.

- Pandora

Squirrels knock out power

It was an unlucky day for two squirrels and hundreds of Midwestern power customers.

- AP/azcentral (read full story here)

Monday, November 19, 2007

Water in the desert

By tapping rivers and sucking water from deep underground, developers have covered Arizona with carpets of Bermuda grass and dotted the parched landscape with swimming pools, golf courses and lakeshore homes.

Now another ambitious project is in the works: A massive new water park that would offer surf-sized waves, snorkeling, scuba diving and kayaking - all in a bone-dry region that gets just 8 inches of rain a year.

- AP/Miami Herald (read full story here)

Vinca minor

Also known as sorcerer's violet.

http://christopherpenczak.com/modules/tinycontent/index.php?id=11

http://www.herbs2000.com/herbs/herbs_lesser_periwinkle.htm

http://www.therosemaryhouse.com/shop/?shop=1&cat=4

Fish & fishing

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.

- Lao Tzu (http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/l/laotzu121559.html)

Planes dump on Wisconsin town

"It looks like somebody released the holding tank for their septic and that fluid was dropped through that section of neighborhood, and it stains," Krueger said.

- AP/azcentral (read full story here)

Heh.

The Hanging Judge

http://www.legendsofamerica.com/AR-IsaacParker.html

Judge Parker hanged 79 men.

Those were the good old days.

Good clay

Researchers studying a special type of French clay found that it smothers a diverse array of bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant strains and a particularly nasty pathogen that causes skin ulcers in some parts of the world.

- Science News (read full story here)

Amulets & Talismans

Amulets & Talismans for Beginners: How to Choose, Make & Use Magical Objects (2004)

by Richard Webster

Mostly useless, but has two interesting chapters.

One is on the folklore of lucky charms.

Acorn - makes the path ahead smoother
Badger's Tooth - good luck at cards
Bee - bad luck when a bee dies inside your house
Butterfly - good sign when a white butterfly settles near you
Coin - a lucky coin is any coin that happens to be in your possession
Ear - there was a good reason for those Nam vets to wear necklaces of ears
Four-Leaf Clover - eliminates unpleasant surprises
Ladybug - bad luck to kill a ladybug
Rabbit's Foot - works better if carried in the left pocket
Spider - bad luck to kill a spider
Swastika - was considered good luck before the Nazi usurpation

The other one is on the folklore of minerals.

Amber - relieves breathing problems
Black Tourmaline - shields against negative energies
Bloodstone - promotes strong bone growth
Moonstone - aids the lymphatic system
Smoky Quartz - helps to overcome procrastination

Not worth buying. I am glad I read the library copy.

670 the Score

http://www.670thescore.com/

Chicago Sports Radio

Particularly entertaining after a loss by the Bears.

Beeing

Beeing: Life, Motherhood, and 180,000 Honeybees (2002) by Rosanne Daryl Thomas

Autobiographical sketch of a beekeeper.

Does a good job of illustrating the problems facing a beginner.

Good book, but no reason to read it more than once.

Dimensions & strings

In a school of thought that teaches the existence of extra dimensions, Juan Maldacena may at first sound a little out of place. String theory is physicists' still-tentative strategy for reconciling Einstein's theory of gravitation with quantum physics. Its premise is that the subatomic particles that roam our three-dimensional world are really infinitesimally thin strings vibrating in nine dimensions. According to Maldacena, however, the key to understanding string theory is not to add more dimensions but to cut their number down.

- Science News (read full story here)

I do not have the physics background to understand this.

Superbug

Some of the most aggressive antibiotic-resistant staph infections gain their advantage with a molecule that punctures the immune cells trying to fight off the bacteria, scientists have discovered.

The team elucidated PSM's importance by isolating the protein and adding it to white blood cells called neutrophils, which usually engulf and destroy bacteria that enter the body. PSM molecules destroyed neutrophils by forming pores on the cells, letting their contents leak out.

- Science News (read full story here)

School sues blogger

A private school claims the mother of a former student crossed the line in a critical Internet blog she wrote about her daughter's experiences there.

So the New School of Orlando sued Sonjia McSween to stop her from publishing and talking about the school and force her to pay damages.

- AP/Miami Herald (read full story here)

Filthy bloggers are a menace. Heh.

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Feel better

1. Open a new file in your computer.
2. Name it “Hillary Rodham Clinton”.
3. Send it to the Recycle Bin.
4. Click on “Empty the Recycle Bin”.
5. Your PC will ask you, “Do you really want to get rid of Hillary Rodham Clinton?”
6. Firmly Click, “Yes.”
7. Feel better.

Birdscaping

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071118/FEATURES04/711180536/1029

Interesting Detroit Free Press article on birdscaping and feather-friendly gardening.

Refers to the book "Birdscaping in the Midwest" by Mariette Nowak (Itchy Cat Press, $27).

Centaurea 'Gold Bullion'


http://www.waysidegardens.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDisplay?storeId=10151&mainPage=LGprodview&jspStoreDir=Wayside&ItemId=40236&catalogId=10151&langId=-1&cid=wem000603

Put this one on my wish list. I have a lot of the old-fashioned Mountain Bluet, but this would be a welcome addition.

Minnesota, Land of Liberals

Minnesota is cracking down on the increasing number of microfarmers, saying the agricultural tax rate break is being abused.

- Star Tribune (read full story here)

Translation = Minnesota, Land of Liberals, wants to raise taxes and exert more government control over peoples' lives.

Buddleia 'Santana'


http://www.waysidegardens.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10151&langId=-1&mainPage=LGprodview&ItemId=48508

Put this one on my wish list.

MSU sports shooting center

Michigan State University's archery team currently practices in a converted hallway in the basement of the IM West building. The Air Rifle Club hones their skills in the ballroom of Demonstration Hall.

But starting in spring 2009, they'll be practicing in what MSU is saying will be one of the best shooting sports facilities in North America and one of the largest indoor facilities in the Midwest.

- Lansing State Journal/WZZM13 News (read full story here)

I sure wish MSU had this when I was a student.

NRA Hunters Rights

http://www.nrahuntersrights.org/

Butterfly bushes

http://www.blurtit.com/answers.php?query=Butterfly+Bushes+plants&uid=adwords-TS10231-AM-2007910-101515-24&search_type=content&ad=814028380

Tons of information on butterfly bushes (Buddleia)

College campuses

Conservative speakers are constantly being physically attacked on college campuses -- including Bill Kristol, Pat Buchanan, David Horowitz and me, among others. Fortunately
the attackers are Democrats, so they throw like girls and generally end up with their noses bloodied by pretty college coeds. But that doesn't make it right.

- Ann Coulter (read her full comments here)

Heh.

Devils Lake


It sure would be nice to have some of those Baraboo quartzite chunks from the rip-rap in the distance.

The park rangers probably would not approve of me poaching them.

Beekeeping Starter Kit

http://www.beekeepingstarterkit.com/home

Lots of information and links in addition to the products for sale.

Cyberspace addiction

Compulsive Internet use has been identified as a mental health issue in other countries, including the United States. However, it may be a particularly acute problem in South Korea because of the country’s nearly universal Internet access.

- NY Times (read full story here)

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Honey Super Cell

http://www.honeysupercell.com/sblog/index.php

Some interesting information on varroa mite suppression in bee hives.

Oyster Po'Boy

For lunch today, I had the Oyster Po'Boy from the St. Paul Fish Co. at the Milwaukee Public Market.

There are not enough words in my vocabulary to describe how good it was.

If I lived downtown, I would be a regular customer.

Into the Wild

Into the Wild (2007)

I give the film a 1/10.

It would be 0/10 except for the performance of Bart the Bear and Kaki King's work on the soundtrack.

Preachy, and shamelessly manipulative.

Tyranena


Two weeks ago, we attended the Tyranena beer tasting at the Sendik's in Franklin.

Jessie was pouring three beers (she does not look like this in real life).

Stone Tepee Pale Ale
Headless Man Amber Alt
Bitter Woman IPA

The beers were excellent, but The Beer Ambassador acted like she was at the end of a long, hard day and just wanted to go home.

Friday, November 16, 2007

Robotic bugs

Tiny robots programmed to act like roaches were able to blend into cockroach society, according to researchers studying the collective behavior of insects.

- AP/azcentral (read full story here)

Excellent.

Beekeeping in the Midwest

Beekeeping in the Midwest (1976) by Elbert R. Jaycox

Illinois Cooperative Extension Service Circular 1125

Covers the usual topics but also includes plans for building your own equipment.

Since I live in the Midwest, I appreciate the focus.

The Complete Guide to Beekeeping

The Complete Guide to Beekeeping (1980) by Roger A. Morse

New, Revised Edition

Covers all the bases: equipment, seasonal management, harvesting honey, pests & diseases, honey plants, bee biology, etc.

Good bonus chapter on honey wine.

First Lessons in Beekeeping

First Lessons in Beekeeping (1917, 1924) by C.P. Dadant

Revised and rewritten by M.G. Dadant and J.C. Dadant (1938)

This comprehensive introduction to beekeeping is surprisingly modern.

Well worth reading. If I were to get a hive, I would buy this book.

Nigersaurus

Discoverer Paul Sereno named the elephant-sized animal Nigersaurus taqueti, an acknowledgment of the African country Niger and a French paleontologist, Philippe Taquet.

- AP/azcentral (read full story here)

One-dollar coins

http://www.azcentral.com/offbeat/articles/1114madison-dollar1114-ON.html

Interesting article on $1 coins.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Shotgun as wrench

A man trying to loosen a stubborn lug nut blasted the wheel with a 12-gauge shotgun, injuring himself badly in both legs, sheriff's deputies said.

- AP/ajc (read full story here)

I have to admit that I never tried it.

Coyotes

"Total elimination is impossible because there are so many of them," Ellis said. "One of the big misconceptions is if you trap the six coyotes that are roaming around your neighborhood, that will be it. But that is not the case. Another animal from another range moves in, or the rest of the species overbreeds to fill that void. "

- Atlanta Journal-Constitution (read full story here)

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Little Red Hen

Once upon a time, on a farm in Texas, there was a little red hen who scratched about the barnyard until she uncovered quite a few grains of wheat. She called all of her neighbors together and said, "If we plant this wheat, we shall have bread to eat. Who will help me plant it?"

"Not I," said the cow.

"Not I," said the duck.

"Not I," said the pig.

"Not I," said the goose.

"Then I will do it by myself," said the little red hen and so she did. The wheat grew very tall and ripened into golden grain.

"Who will help me reap my wheat?" asked the little red hen.

"Not I," said the duck.

"Out of my classification," said the pig.

"I'd lose my seniority," said the cow.

"I'd lose my unemployment compensation," said the goose.

"Then I will do it by myself," said the little red hen, and so she did. At last it came time to bake the bread.

"Who will help me bake the bread?" asked the little red hen.

"That would be overtime for me," said the cow.

"I'd lose my welfare benefits," said the duck.

"I'm a dropout and never learned how," said the pig.

"If I'm to be the only helper, that's discrimination," said the goose.

"Then I will do it by myself," said the little red hen.

She baked five loaves and held them up for all of her neighbors to see. They wanted some and, in fact, demanded a share. But the little red hen said, "No, I shall eat all five loaves."

"Excess profits!" cried the cow. ( Nancy Pelosi)

"Capitalist leech!" screamed the duck. (Barbara Boxer)

"I demand equal rights!" yelled the goose. (Jesse Jackson)

The pig just grunted in disdain. (Jimmy Carter)

And they all painted "Unfair!" picket signs and marched around and around the little red hen, shouting obscenities.

Then a government agent came. He said to the little red hen, "You must not be so greedy."

"But I earned the bread," said the little red hen.

"Exactly," said the agent. "That is what makes our free enterprise system so wonderful. Anyone in the barnyard can earn as much as he wants. But under our modern government regulations, the productive workers must divide the fruits of their labor with those who are lazy and idle."

And they all lived happily ever after, including the little red hen, who smiled and clucked, "I am grateful, for now I truly understand."

But her neighbors became quite disappointed in her. She never again baked bread, because she joined the "party" and got her bread free. And all the Democrats smiled. 'Fairness' had been established. Individual initiative had died, but nobody noticed; perhaps no one cared ... so long as there was free bread that "the rich" were paying for.

Friday, November 09, 2007

Saturnalia

Saturnalia (2007) by Lindsey Davis

A Marcus Didius Falco novel.

Set in Rome, AD 76, during the holiday of Saturnalia.

Falco is an informer (sort of equivalent to a modern private investigator).

Falco simultaneously tries to capture Veleda (an escaped German enemy of Rome), find his wife's missing brother, and solve a case involving the serial killing of homeless people.

I found the characters from the competing schools of medicine very interesting. The schools were:

Egyptian empiricism
Greek pneumatism
Etruscan dogmatism
Chaldean dream therapy

I have enjoyed several of the author's Falco novels, and this one is no exception.

Tiny PC

http://www.tinypic.com/

Photo and video sharing service.

$25,000 dessert

http://www.azcentral.com/offbeat/articles/1108odd.html

I am sure it is worth it.

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

Learn to Type

http://www.typefastertypingtutor.com/

Free typing tutor. Maybe I can learn to type some day.

Nice door


Nice door, but it needs some more signs.

"Danger! Explosives!" might be good.

Thanks to Paul for the picture.

Cuff links

http://www.miamiherald.com/tropical_life/story/297309.html

Interesting article on the return of the son of cuff links, part II.

Monday, November 05, 2007

Patriotism

"Patriotism is about accepting your cost, even when it is disproportionate."

- Colorado State Sen. John P. Morse, a Colorado Springs Democrat, quoted by The Washington Post (read full story here)

Saturday, November 03, 2007

Christmas Mountains Ranch

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/03/us/03mountains.html?_r=1&th=&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&emc=th&adxnnlx=1194136605-VME9u+WIE1i8pGSktguoJg

Very interesting article about the Christmas Mountains Ranch in Texas.

Osama the anti-patriot


(thanks to Mark for this one)

This picture says it all.

Thursday, November 01, 2007

Two thousand

2,000 posts in this blog!!!

Crone's Book of Charms & Spells

The Crone's Book of Charms & Spells (1998) by Valerie Worth

First published as The Crone's Book of Wisdom (1988)

Not much useful information but an entertaining read.

Contains some very obscure herb folklore.
 
http://orthoclase.blogspot.com/2007/11/
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