Am I first? O Joy!

Here in Southeastern VA our little boy magnolia (or is it little girl? My husband is the visionary gardener, I'm just the worker bee) is bloomin' like crazy! It's a good thing.

Gotta make up my mind about pi and vote...tough decisions, folks!

Martooni, I hope you're better now. You will be in my prayers.

Morning, Cassandra!

I hope everyone has a pleasant day. The temperature is supposed to be 79 here. I'm going to hear a program about war, with vets from WWII, Vietnam, and Afganistan speaking. Should be interesting.

(reposted from end of last kit -- shoulda known Joel would post a new one as soon as I clicked submit)

Mornin' Boodle...

Jack... I know I'm not moving faster than the speed of light, but I am finally catching up to the speed of life.

I suppose you could say I imploded last week. Finally got the pink slip I was expecting -- missed too much work because of my health conditions (not that I was being paid for those missed days, mind you, and I *was* doing lots of work from home to make up for it).

So I did the obvious thing -- went on a serious (even for me) four-day bender. Even a casual "happy hour" is bad for my conditions, so I ended up back in the hospital with a BAC of .342 and all of my upper digestive organs trying to pull an "Alien" and jump ship. 48 hours of no food/drink by mouth, fed/watered by IV the entire time, wired up like a freaking cyborg, CAT scan, X-ray, EKG, ultrasound (I'm not pregnant, btw) and so many blood tests I'm probably down two quarts.

They reluctantly let me loose late Sunday, but I've since been behaving and following instructions (though in a bit of a discombobulated state).

At this point, I'm trying to see the silver lining in all this.

Unemployed = Chance to focus on building up my woodworking/remodeling business (or whatever else I want to do). Should also be able to collect unemployment (filed yesterday). Money will be tight, but even a little is better than nothing.

Sober (completely) = Regain mental/physical health, not to mention the trust and respect of those around me.

In any case, I'm mostly out of the woods and so far keeping my chin up.

(btw... missed yinz guys... got lots of catching up to do)

The temp is supposed to hit 70 today, and a pheeenom 74 tomorrow, which is unbelievable--but then only in the 40s on Saturday, when I'd rather have the warm snap. I'm glad Joel is so looking forward to Spring--but not me. Spring just means hours of back-breaking yard work. First up: one or more trips to Lowe's to bring back 100 to 120 bags of mulch. Then the unloading of the much. Then the dragging of the mulch to various staging areas surrounding out house (1 bag to the mailbog; 2 bags to each of the two ornamental cherry trees; 8-10 bags to the oak tree and its surround; 8 bags to the base of the mulberry tree on the corner; 20-25 bags to the berm (a.k.a. the Indian Burial Mound) along the back property line; 10-12 bags to the herb garden; 10 bags to the English garden at the east side of the house; 15 bags to the area on the far side of the garage, and so on and so on. On my tombstone will be this epitaph: "The damn fool died dragging bags of mulch to the bird bath: another senseless mulch-dragging fatality of the Rites of Spring. Fortunately, he had a good sense of humus."

martooni,
Man, 0.342 will kill ya. Good luck on your recovery and take care of yourself. You have a lof of friends that would miss you.

Alas, our danes do the gardening for us. I must say that I admire the freestyle form of the craters they excavate and the way the few plants we have left scatter themselves about the grounds. The azaleas (long leaved, quite similar to the wild type) are getting ready to flower, and that's always a treat. They only survive because they're too large to dig up very easily.

If anyone wants some nice hand-crafted traditional Adirondack chairs (even available in kid sizes) to kick back in while surveying your gardening prowess, let me know -- my workshop is about to get the dust and cobwebs cleared out (kinda like me).

Please forgive Mudge, but this is so bang on. "Then the unloading of the much."

I personally will be dragging many many bags up the darn hill this year, as we redo all the big beds. Of course it will be May till I can do anything other than buy the bags.

Martooni, please hang in there and remember its spring everything starts fresh and new. Good luck and god bless.

Mudge your toil sounds like joy to me, I am the "outside person" in the family I would take moving dirt, mulch or rock or having to cook. Weeding for me is therapy. Sadly we are in the mucky part of March what isn't buried in snow, is a quagmire of mud, warm enough to want to do something outside but just too early.

Considering that the NY Times has run big photo stories on artistic earthworks by non-Danes . . . I wonder if someone should suggest to Wegman that his Weimereiners get into the earthworks art field.

Here, the caladiums are pushing up, and reinforcements will arrive from the caldium farm in Lake Placid sometime this week. I'm growing "Gingerland."

In Miami, Mamey Sapote are in season. They're more or less the national fruit of Cuba, with creamy pink flesh perfect for making ice cream.

Martooni, I'll be praying for you, too.

Mudge, I feel for you. We only do half that much mulch, and this year decided it was worth the extra $ to buy it from the Boy Scouts this year (they deliver!) How do you haul it all home? 40 bags, and my vehicle's shocks are screaming.

CP, you're not alone in your voting pattern. I voted for everyone but me!

mornin all

Been away from a computer for two days,now home after a late night shift,so I will be away again....hopefully

Take it easy martooni,but i suspect you will.

nothin bloomin here yet and we still have some snow,north and west slopes

Woodie Workie Martooni,

Be sure to tell us how to do this: order and purchase a chair or two. I stumbled onto a tiny bit of bonus....would love a chair.

Yoki,
I've already voted in a couple of categories. I've been experimenting with polling software on my blog and would like to know how you settled on Bravonet. At least one of the polling sites I signed up with has already put me on a spamlist.

Those pies all look so good (except for the oyster one). My son wants to bake a pi for his math club meeting tomorrow. I'll see if he follows through.

The title has Rites but the URL has Rights.

No long goodbyes to the cobwebs, martooni. These fresh spring breezes are good for the soul.

Reposting this on TBG's behalf, in the spirit of Pi Day. I'm really in the mood for Pi Day now.

"Ducky, indeed! Good morning all!

Happy Pi Day Eve. How are you going to celebrate tonight? I think we'll just spend a traditional Pi Day Eve in tonight. Light the fire, sit around the Pi Day tree and tell Pi Day stories, sing some Pi Day carols with the kids.

You know... the normal March 13 stuff. Gotta rest up for tomorrow!

Posted by: TBG | March 13, 2007 08:35 AM "

(Desperately wondering where to pick up Pi Day tree.)

*sneaking over from the conference, but not really because "my" sessions don't start until this afternoon*

martooni...

DON'T DO DAT NO MO!!!!! :-O And I'd be interested in a chair, too, dude.

'Mudge, sounds like you need a mulch party or something.

:-)

We're still in leaf-raking mode here. The oak trees in the neighborhood keep on dumping them and are now in the mode where they also toss off mossy stuff. What a mess. After some rain the other day, the damn stuff was all over my car.

Others around me hire landscapers to come through with leafblowers. Not me. I'm Amish. I use a rake. I fill bins. I do a couple of bins for each garbage pickup. The problem is that I have about 20 'binsworth' currently laying about the estate. Spring planting and stuff? I'm still stuck in fall.

But the azaleas are blooming, so I've got that working for me.

CP... you can find me at http://workshop.substanza.com/

Send me an email from there and I'll get you specifics.

I should have pics of the Adirondacks up soon -- along with price and order info (I need to figure out new wood costs and shipping prices -- sure they both went up since last year).

And thanks, everyone... spring *is* in the air and that's a Very Good Thing for me right now. Today's supposed to be around 70 and I'm almost feeling strong enough to get out there and putter around a little -- maybe finally take down the Christmas lights.

martooni, hang in there bud. I had a feeling you were in trouble when we didn't hear from you last week. And at .342 that wasn't blood you had, it was anti-freeze.

Stick to the herbal remedies!

Spring must be coming shortly, because the earthworms are trying to crawl across the streets and sidewalks. I picked up five or so along my walk this morning and threw them back in the grass. Those were the wiggling ones...there are already many dead ones, dried out on the concrete and asphalt. What a shame that the robins didn't find them in time, at least!

Martooni,

If that is what you do, don't make deck chairs. Make "missioni" furniture. Wow.

In college, we were issued old mission desks, left over from the Jesuit Residence hall. Dorm lounge furniture included old refectory tables CUT DOWN TO SIZE for both coffee tables and occasional tables. I tried to "buy" my desk at the end of freshman year, but was not able to get the building guy to let me. A few people "took" their desks. (I shudda done it.)

That was in the day when none cared about mission furniture. Worth a pretty penny now.

All I can say is, "It's about time!!!" *L*

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/03/08/onion.page/index.html

fyi, I added a link to bc's blog, about March Madness, it's funny.

On the kit headline, it evolved. I decided that Rites was better than Rights. I think I made the right call.

Martooni: What 'Snuke and EF said...find a way to push the envelope...this will resolve itself...keep in touch with the secrest frat...

Wow, the vegetative life is sure moving along in D.C. The snow is melting around here today, but it's still that stage of spring at which the only things blooming in the yard are dog's turds. Find yourself a place where they sell that mulch in bulk Mudge, it would be somewhat cheaper that way and you can get it delivered. This year will be a "small" mulch year for me as last year was a big one. But this is going to be a big manure year. I spotted a nice pile of rotten horse manure at the farm where the ponies are kept and the owner told me I was welcome to it. As a manure specialist, I'm a civil servant after all, it will be a pleasure to shovel that stuff in the trailer and get it spread on the beds and garden. This WILL be the smell of spring.
Sorry Yoki, I couldn't get through with the tourtière (meat pie) recipe even though I baked the last one from the freezer and took pictures, there was just too much to do last weekend. Witch no. 1 was finishing her techno project so I ended up gluing, nailing and taping stuff, followed by the videotaping of the experiments and some late night digital movie editing. I'll be voting though.

Martooni, the upside of a BAC of .34 (if the patient survives, of course) is the complete sterilization of of the bloodstream. You are germ free man.

Martooni, I hope things start breaking your way.

S'Nuke-that cracked me up. Truer fears were never spoken than "Fall out boys-Honda Civic tour which many fear will the suck the remaining lifeblood from all that still rocks" -- they got that right!

BC must have attended the same "March Madness" training camp as my husband, many common madness viewing habits. Although, I don't think he intends to give any of them up!

Good morning all. I done did my Boodle-civic duty and voted, though the choices were hard and all seem very tasty. Now I want to go cook things and eat them. Thanks to those of you who contributed to the Pis. I intended to bake a pi this weekend for the contest, but life didn't cooperate. Ah well.

Enough of my daffodils are up that I actually picked some for inside last night. Depending on the year I have a few or a hundred. They've all spread out wild across the flower beds and yard. Also I have hyacinths. The cute little grape hyacinth mostly flourish in the yard with the henbit, giving everything a purplish cast. I also have iris like grass later in the year. You'll note none of this requires any effort on my part. Chaos and entropy are my gardening friends. That and the happy dancing rabbits.

Martooni, I'm glad you survived last week. Take advantage of the new season to start fresh. Completely sober is a good thing.

Anybody stop tulips yet?

I've got 2 box turtles sleeping out back in a pen. They have been hibernating for 5 months. Talk about a diet plan.

Mudge, I hear you. Spring means back-breaking work.

Martooni, buddy, for goodness' sake please take it easy on yourself. Please.

bc

beautiful weather

+

light workload this week

=

I'm going back outside!

(waves a grubby paw, grabs the spade and abandons the computer to the cats)

We would like to state for the record Our complete disapproval of sevenswans continued abandonment of Our Selves for the outdoors.

All 3 of you are orange? What's it like living in a house full of calendar cats?

mr. joel: would you be willing to share your final four predictions with us?

53 and sunny here now, but an inch or more of snow expected tonight. That must be a fast moving cold front.

We are not having spring here yet, it is scheduled for the second week of June. (A week early based on consultation with the Old Farmers' Almanac and Al Gore.)

We are having "break up" now as load restrictions on logging roads in the forest went into effect at midnight. I am bailing out of the mud later this month to spend some time with the fam in FL, but semi-tropical gardening doesn't do that much for me. Ah how I miss the stench of the ubiquitous Bradford Pear, and the silent gloating over the far superior Redbud in our NoVA front yard. Bragging rites are sweeter with a side order of gloat.

In spite of what Hal says, it's noon. So bring on the poop, VPL, comic strips, and other assorted silliness! Its Fauxgarten, a Boodle production.

omni, are you standing by?

Boodletown, USA: Gene... my fiance says that she hates it when I leave the bathroom door open when I poop. I say "love it or leave it."

What do you think I should do? That hack Hax told me to shove it. I'm leaving it up to you.

Fiance is a stupid word.

Gene, I have only enough money for 1) a vintage Karmen Ghia (stick shift) or 2) a large wedding. What should I do?

Raysmom, are you planning on having children?

If you're not planning to have kids, go with the Ghia.

Marry Karmen, she won't mind eloping.

http://www.uclick.com/client/wpc/cl/

http://www.uclick.com/client/wpc/bo/

Is Gene really correct on the boots-with-skirt thing?

omni here, where are those virtual panties. I'm homping for a pair of hot pink with lace trim.

Absolutely Raysmom. Totally hot.

Here's my CPOW:

http://www.doonesbury.com/strip/dailydose/index.html?uc_full_date=20070311

Crickets...

A poem for campers (and Molly):

Here I stoop
all broken hearted
Had to poop
but only farted.

Yes, but what about boots with a kilt?

Or Manolo Blahnik FMPs with said kilt?

Granted, as long as they match the tartan, bagpipes and sporran, of course.

bc

Gene, I was inspired by your on-the-street shaving test so I did my own, asking strange men to feel my legs and compare the stubble. Nobody used a credit card, Babe.

Gene, I've noticed that certain words are being pronounced differently (mostly on television) than when I learned them. For example, homage used to be pronounced "ah-midge;" now its "oh-maahhj." Empire (as in empire-waisted dress) used to be "em-peyr;" now it's "ahm-peer." Did I miss a memo?

Homping? Is that a typo, or a combination of "hoping" and "humping"?

Never mind. Don't answer that. Forget I asked.

omni, I'm wearing boxers today, but you're welcome to them. They're not pink, and there's no lace, but they're still warm.

bc

oops...so sorry

Boodletown, USA:

Your fiance might object less if you were actually in the bathroom when pooping. Nobody likes finding a surprise in a bedroom trashcan or a mason jar left on a nighttable.

Just leaving the door open seems like a half-a$$ed attempt to make it look like you actually care.

hey raysmom - i've wondered about that empire/ahm-peer thing to... i guess i also missed the memo

Weingarten supposedly got hundreds of posts each week. What's wrong with us?

Huh, there wasn't memo, just some people talking with their mouths full I suspect.

empire: em-pīər

Capitol Hill: Gene... my neighbor throws his dog poop bag in my trash can. I think this is disgusting. I'm thinking of putting my baby's dirty diapers in your trash. Er.. I mean his trash can.

Whadya think?

MB FMPs go with everything...cocktail dresses to jeans to bathing suits. But they only go with kilts at a Scottish Friends of Dorothy dance.

Raysmom, re. pronounciations: Are you watching Al Jazeera English TV?

yeah really, only 23 posts since 12PM. I'm going to blame it on sevenswans absence.

Al Jeezera English is my favorite cup of hot tea, sort of like Constant Comment.

Just remembered that Weingarten also got a lot of early posters, so I think all posts should count, but still that only brings us to 65. Sheesh

Technically, I believe the correct term is CMFMP...chase me, ford me pumps

bc, I most recently heard it on What Not to Wear.

Raysmom, the Karmen Ghia is a glorified VW Beetle- no more. A big wedding may be the start to 60 years of marital bliss. Or not in 2 cases out of 3. Go for the KG.

LiT: What about the the Friends of Dorothy Team at the Highland Games?

Might they be an advantage in the caber toss? Besides making the calves look great and firming up those butts, I mean.

bc

speaking of FMP another Amy Winehouse link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EGk8nI9fvg

TBG, the poop was in a plastic bag. Can you say the same about the dirty diaper?

Potomac, MD: Gene... Please go on and on about The Flash.

Caber toss would be an excellent name for a rock band.

No, not the Flash!

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrggggggghhhhhh

Raysmom, I don't see much of a difference between What Not to Wear and Al Jazeera English.

Both advocate changing America, don't they?
I'm not sure who's more annoying, though. Probably Stacy.

bc

I could go on and on about The Flash, but it's much better in person. Much.

bc

Definitely Stacy.

I think that for rest of this faux chat (six minutes) we should all be sans pants.

Sorry, I'm wearing a skirt today.

How do you think I do this chat every week?

Capitol Hill: As long as you take the cans to the curb, you're welcome to put all the dirty diapers in there that you want.

I just did a google image search on 'stacy what not to wear', and in the sixth image there is a woman wearing nothing but pink bra and panties. That was pretty clever of you bc.

VPLs or thongs? Discuss.

Gotta go, but I'll be updating all week.

It's time to put your pencils down and close your blue test books, class.

depends on the butt and the pants I think.

Whoops, I have a 1:00 meeting, gotta run.

Pants back on; omni, you can keep the boxers if you want. Otherwise, just leave 'em on my car under my windshield wiper.

bc

martooni, sorry you aren't feeling well. do what you can to feel better, and try Him (Jesus) that answers prayers. He really can help. Allow Him to make a believer out of you.

I am ashame to say this, Yoki, but I went to the site from the link you provided, but don't have clue as to how to vote. I am so horrible with computers, I'm barely here most of the time. May I tell you what I liked? Wheezy's pie and KB's apple pie. I love cheese and onions, and don't get me started on the sweets. I hope I'm not blowing this for anyone? I feel so dumb.

Got to go.

Well, I see things haven't changed much since I've been "otherwise occupied". All I see here is stuff about poop, bras and no pants. At least the weather is cooperating, but of course I have to work tonight so won't get home 'till about 10. And for the weekend it gets cold again. Ah, well.

Gene.. wait! According to wapo.com, it's only 12:13. You've got another hour.

I really, really want to talk about The Flash some more.

Or clocks, maybe. How about clocks?

>Raysmom, the Karmen Ghia is a glorified VW Beetle- no more.

Actually it's much closer to a Porsche 356.

Hey... are these guys about to kiss or what?

http://tinyurl.com/2jandl

Fo, MA
Gene,
Explain again how if you are so much funnier, Dave Barry has all the money. Did you give all yours to the Great Zucchini to gamble with?

And when your son has his comic strip, will it be CPOTW every week?

Is it safe to come back yet?

yay, Patti Smith has made it into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees:
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five (the first hip-hop act to be inducted)
R.E.M.
The Ronettes
Patti Smith
Van Halen

Eddie sends his regrets from rehab. This is where I plug two vintage blogposts of my own. First, my dim recollections of a Van Halen concert circa 1981:

http://livebythefoma.blogspot.com/2005/08/rock-is-dead-what-else-is-new.html

And my opinions of the 2006 inductees:

http://livebythefoma.blogspot.com/2005/11/rock-and-roll-hall-of-lame.html

This years crop was much better, but I think the B-52s should have been jointly inducted with REM so the ceremony could have been held in Athens.

Thank you all for the slice of Weingarten chat, it may not have been real but it was funny. Just the perfect thing for a glorious spring day - we cracked the 50F degree mark!

Raysmom, I knew where you got em-peer the moment I saw it, I watch way too much TLC.

Katharine McPhee is doing a chat at three. I'm tempted to ask what it was like getting felt up on TV by Tyra Banks.

tyra banks felt her up?

what could she possibly have to chat about? i'd rather chat with chris daughtry! (meooowwwwwww)

mo, I just went to look it up as I couldn't figure out what she would have to say either, not sure her "best selling pop single" was even released in Canada, if it was it wasn't played on the stations I listen to, and I listen to a wide variety of music types.

Question: if she wasn't so good looking would she have the same amount of press?

She was on the show complaining about people saying she's had breast implants. So Tyra felt her up. Verdict: they're real.

oh yeah, there's a YouTube video if you want the link...(I ain't nothin' but a horndog)

This link is for Cassandra (it's Eugene Robinson's chat from today): http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2007/03/09/DI2007030902067.html

That was pretty good, but obviously Gene is a master at chats. We have a long way to go.

Are we doing this again next week. For practise?

Cassandra, it was hard to find, I had to go back and forth a few times, before I figured out the voting link. Yoki said she was having some trouble with colours in the kitchen, and if you miss that the word 'here' is blue, you miss the link. I'm pretty sure she will get it though.

I'm saving my openly acknowledged favourites for Pi Day, when I shall wax poetic about my choices.

Responding to frostcat: It is highly confusing to uninitiated Feline Caretakers for Our Majestic Presence(s) to be approximately the same color and size, however, sevenswans appears to always know which is which and Who's In Trouble for the sudden appearance of shredded reports, broken objects and splintered furniture. It is Our contention that Our Majestic Presence(s) contributes to the beauty and grace of the household, even if she continually refers to Cat1 as "MrFatFurBelly", Cat2 as "BouncyHappyTail" and Cat3 as "Walrus".

We Are Not Amused.

Cat1, Guardian of Household Dignity, Inspector of Doors, and First Feline In Charge

MrFatFurBelly, you're funny.

Oh boy! Cats! Wanna play?

You think you have it bad; Herself calls me Ray, Ray-Man, Puppy, Puppy Boy, The Wonder Dog, Fuzz Butt, Pumpkin, and Meathead. And she wonders why I won't come when I'm called.

aristotle gets poopyhead, little mr. man, love bucket... he only gets called aristotle when he's in trouble...

This article and the byline on this piece (ahem):

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/09/AR2007030901859.html

I understand that this guy is a legit science and health writer, BTW.

I suppose it wouldn't be too different if he just used the abbreviation for his first name.

bc

Mr. Omni, I will overlook the familiarity of your addressing my Magnificent Presence by that undignified appellation at this time, as you have not been properly awed by my personal charm and gravitational pull. As Cat1, I am responsible for the Inspection and Approval of all entrants into the household, and sevenswans feels obligated to introduce my August Presence as "Large and In Charge" when I appear before guests to perform the necessary scrutiny of their apparel, belongings and motives before allowing them to proceed into the house.

Cat1
Defender of the Canned Food, Guardian of the Door, and First Cat In Charge

Ben Harder is acting editor of sciencenews.org and sciencenewsforkids.org.

Oh, my.

Mo, I thought I was the only one you called "Love Bucket."

Ray the Wonder Dog (if We may use that name), We are gratified by your reply, and We do indeed engage in episodes of Joyful Abandon with friendly canines upon occasion, if We have been Properly Introduced and Satisfied that Proper Decorum will be Observed.

Cat1
Guardian of the Door, Defender of Dignity, First Cat In Charge

well I still think you're funny

Mr. Omni, that's quite All Right, We appreciate your Response to Our gracious attempts at Humor and Lightheartedness, and if you were in Our August Presence, you would be Gratified by Our Sincere and Friendly Demeanor. We would be Happy to bestow upon you the small hairy tokens of our Affection that ubiquitously festoon the garments of sevenswans.

Cat1
Guardian of the Door, Defender of the Canned Food, First Cat In Charge

Hey, my peep calls me Fuzz Bucket, Fifi the Wonder Poodle, Puddles (I am SO SORRY!), and other names. Note: none of them are my real handle.

(Hey, what happens in REAL LIFE, stays in real life.)

BTW, cats, why do you all smell of diffidence and insouciance. I don't get you all, especially Thomas Grey- philosopher cat down the street.

Aristotle is the BEST name for a dog. Is it too late to be called Arispoodle, philosopher dog?

Raysmom, if you pronounce "Ben" with a strong southern accent, it's much funnier.

A friend of mine is from Tennessee, and sent him the link. He called 2 minutes later, gave me the drawled version ("Beeeeeeeeeeeen"), and we both giggled like schoolgirls for about 5 minutes.

bc

I've done a little roaming and it seems other WaPo blogs are an hour off also. When do you suppose this will finally be fixed? Nov. 4, 2007.

actually poodle parkian - artistotle is a cat...

my opinioin is that aristotle is a great name for a cat, not a great name for a dog at all. Same with socrates. Also kierkegaard, kiki for short.

Sorry, Mr. Aristotle. Do you have a friend named Cato?

(Poodle giggle)

And by the way, I read the Pluto is back to planet status, in Arizona.

And Pluto is a dog. I am not sure about Goofy.

---
What am I doing? Well, at least I am one nibbin about the faux Weingarten content earlier.

bc, my first thought on seeing that name was "Sounds like a personal problem."

one NIBBIN ABOVE the ...

Dignity, peeps, dignity.

--
Aristotle for a cat
ArisPOODLE for certain dogs.

omni, as I mentioned the other day, I expect this to get worse before it gets better.

What if they manually set the time on the servers over the next week or so, then some automated process rolls everything forward an hour on the old DST schedule?

Then it's an hour ahead.

Come October, the automated systems fall back an hour, they fix that manually, then there's the new DST end date you mention.

Oy.

mo, I meant to say, it's nice to see you in here today. I hope the new gig is agreeing with you.

bc

Raysmom: A personal problem, indeed.

bc

Poodle Parkian, I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought Cat 1 had/has a bit of an attitude. Kinda feel sorry for sevenswans that she has to put up that kinda crap.

bc, somehow I'm thinking Ben Harder (even with the suthin' accent) is still a better name than Paul Newman's character in "The Long Hot Summer": Ben Quick.

Yes, but Newman's character didn't write an article about ED.

It's a beauty of an aptonym. Wish I'd seen it before the FauxChat at noon.

bc

Oh, Wilbrod says "Embarrassing nicknames confession chat? How Gene-uine."

And now _I_ am supposed to confess all the dumb nicknames I've been called--

"SoCute, Beautiful, Marmaduke, Scooby-Doo, Scooby-Doo, Mr Nosey, Big Nose, HereFella, Doggy!doggy!, Doeshebite?, Dead dog, Jaws, Groin-diver, Hound of the Baskervilles, ARGGGHHHH...."

I think some of those nicknames counts as verbal abuse. Can I sue for an estoppel on the general public calling me anything insulting?

The naming conventions for pets in this household are so, how shall I put it gently, boooooring. Cats must begin wth C or K, guinea pigs are named after the one being replaced (short lived little creatures if you gather my inference), and dogs are named for politicians.

Let me introduce the leader of our band the mostly white with hint of orange Clancy, aka Gangsta Lip. Hey, you would look funny too if your depression symptoms were ignored for 2 full years just because frosthusband was away at war and everyone was feeling down. Pulling those seven teeth sure helped but now he has a funny smile. Then there's Carla, Dutt Bust, Bowling Ball With a Sweater, champion hair ball hacker. You should see the volume and distance she gets. She's gray, must be something wrong with that hair that it balls up so. Then there's me, Kirby. I am the only truly orange, beauty in the bunch. I'm kind of the key grip, go to cat. Call me Freckle Boy, Cat Man, Kirbmeister, or the most popular Get Off the Computer Now! Ciao baby.
Kirby

And when are you humans going to confess up your nicknames you have when bumping uglies?

My dad called every cat we ever had "Dummy" no matter what its proper name.

It was especially funny to see him standing on the deck in his underwear at night calling, "Dummmmmmmmmmyyyyyyyyyyyy!"

If the cat came when called "Dummy", that's not a very bright cat. Unless your dad had tuna, of course.

Martooni - You gave up self determination when you got us to care for you. I hope you do what you know to be best for you, your significant other, and, of course, Little Bean.

I must report some terrible news. After the results of my COTR examination, as well as certain private conversations with the instructor, I have been forced into the realization (Lord this is hard to admit) that I may actually have skills in this area.

I guess I should have seen this coming. By attending college where I did, instead of MIT or Caltech, I opened the door to the notion that I might one day end up with grown-up managerial-type responsibilities.

But you never think it will happen to you.

Anyway, regardless of these concerns, my immediate plan is to make an instructor-mandated G&T.

Also, I wish I had time to take part in Yoki's Most Excellent pi contest. I have a blueberry based variation of Wet-Bottomed Shoo-Fly Pie called "Blue-Bottomed Shoo-Fly Pie."

'Nuff said.

Mudge, don't feel sorry for me - the inherent dignity and casual superiority of Cat1 is an enduring delight to me. I enjoy living with a cute furball with such a high opinion of Himself. He's a great house alarm and general bodyguard. The other two are dopey super-affectionate lugs, so he has a lot to put up with to maintain decorum.

If anyone was offended by the channeling of Cat1's responses and attitude, I apolo...

No, no, I don't. He's a cat, after all.

My personal fitness goals are to remain just healthy enough to maintain an active romantic life. Discretion requires that I not disclose what my wife thinks of these goals.

More or less, what Ben (snicker) Harder is saying is that fewer little blue pills would be sold if fewer cheeseburgers were eaten.

RD, I am so devastated by your news, just devastated.

Congrats!

RD,
I will with-hold that information from my son lest he strike HMC from his short list. Mudd may be tettering already because his verbal SATs are not high enough for the Harvey S. Mudd Merit Award.

wilbrodog,
Let's just say that at times I have been led to believe I am a deity.

Have a couple of those G&Ts, RD, then go ahead and post that blue-bottomed pi recipe, for Mudge's sake. Now that you've outed yourself on the Internet, think of us as your support group. May I remind you, extrapolating from your previous descriptions of the Rabbit training degree, that this qualifies you to be an exceptional defendant should the occasion arise.

I usually refer to our dogs as Dog and Other Dog, or, collectively, as G*****n Animals. The fish, in days past, was referred to as Fish, and the snail was Snail. Other family members maintain that these creatures have names.

We had a cat when I was growing up that was quite possibly the ugliest cat ever put on this earth.We named it Hideous Beast.Hiddy Beast for short.

But when she was in heat,all the handsome male cats would show up,they didn't care what she looked like.

All of her kittens were beautiful,except one,we named her JR

I call my dog by the name he was given by his previous owner, Chessie (short for Chesapeake). I will often call him by an affectionate term such as Puppy or Pooch. The rest of the family refers to him as Your Dog as in:
"Your Dog woke me up."
"Your Dog is out of water."
"Your Dog needs to go for a walk."

Actually, RD, congratulations both on surviving COTR and developing a new skill. This either pushes your midlife crisis timing back a few years, or entitles you to accelerate it, depending on how positively you view your COTR discovery. Think about it while relaxing with the aid of acronyms. Talk it over with the rabbits.

Yello - I would hate to discourage anyone from my beloved HMC, but you need to ask yourself a question. If your son is destined to develop hyperdrive he should go someplace like MIT, Caltech, RPI, or Georgia Tech. If he is destined to understand why hyperdrive is important, and is interested in explaining to the world why it deserves full governmental support, HMC is the ticket.

I long ago gave up on the former scenario, 'specially when I decided not to get a doctorate, but I may still have hope for the former.

In your son's case, I get the feeling he will do just fine no matter which path he takes.

My son has an interest in carbon-fiber nanotubes, whatever those are. He thinks they could be important someday.

That doesn't keep the Rocket Club's test rockets from veering off into the trees and exploding on a regular basis.

Yellojkt, if your son is interested in carbon-fiber nanotubes or nanotechnology he should consider Rice U. Houston. Swampy, but oh-so-not-icy. Good Mexican food. Good Greek food. No Greeks (ie fraternities).

BOO: notgene, there isn't much chasing in Blahniks (tough to run in, I imagine), and it's Ford Me, Please.

FMPs don't have to be just pumps, they can have straps on the back.

At least, that's the way I hear it.

bc

Yello, you mean your son wants to be a rocket scientists instead of having a dream job like being a COTR Level II? What is this nation coming to when it's young people no longer aspire to COTR Level II-hood? Where will the next generation of COTRs come from, I wonder?

We cannot allow a COTR Level II gap with the Russians and the Chinese, that's for sure.

The Bobby cat has managed to survive what apparently was the flu. He was real sick for about a week, and the vets all said whatever it was, he'll probably get over it ("probably" is one of words you never want to hear, like "oops"). Unfortunately, we no more than get past the vets then the minivan dies-the mixing of engine coolant with transmission fluid is NOT a good thing! Egad, it's after 4:30! Got to start getting set up for tonight's festivities.

To RD:

Welcome back, COTR. (someone had to say it)

Ivansmom, you forgot to mention the good barbecue and seafood.

bc, a pump is a high-heeled shoe, straps notwithstanding. Don't think flats could ever be FMPs, could they?

Unfortunately, SofC, you've just given me a Horshack voice-cootie that's going to take a lot of Jefferson Starship to get rid of. (Fortunately, I have "Miracles" playing in a loop on my headphones at the moment--just about the only way I can maintain consciousness in the statstical report I'm editing.)

At the beginning of April we are hitting MIT and Georgia Tech in a whirlwind college tour. I'll put in a good word for Rice, but Houston isn't in our travel plans yet.

Just moments ago, I called two prospective Yellow Jackets offering them scholarships. One girl could take a full boat ride and the other girl got offered 10k a year. Neither responded like I was Ed McMahon. Kids have a lot of decisions to way and saving their folks a ton of money seems to be just one factor.

Yellojkt, I'll second what Ivansmom said: Rice U. is a hot place (as it were) for carbon nanotubes. It's the home of the first experimental paper on fullerenes (known more properly as buckminsterfullerenes. Really), the class of giant carbon molecules that includes nanotubes.

SCC: "weigh" instead of "way" Now you know why I didn't get any scholarship offers.

I love it when you guys talk dirty.

The ScienceSpouse just sent me the following link to a page from Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories:

http://www.evilmadscientist.com/article.php/MHDCraft

Download the 2MB Quicktime move at the end, it's nifty.

I so totally need to make one of these. But, I think I'll use an electromagnet instead of a permanent magnet and set it up as a pump rather than a boat. I presently doubt that it is necessary to heavily salt the water. I believe that ordinary water already is sufficiently salty to maintain the necessary electrical current.

Mudge, it's not nice to make fun of those of us who might have technical oversight skills. Much like Victor Von Frankenstein, we cannot always choose our destinies.

Thanks, ScienceTim. Rice is the home of Buckyballs, as we call them. Have yellojktjr check out their website. They just put together some sort of special area, school, I don't know what, devoted to nanotechnology.

Barbecue, seafood, asian food, it is a good place to eat out. Formerly (I'm sure it is gone by now) home to the best burgers on the planet, Burgerville No. 2.

Padouk, do you pronounce that FRONK-en-shteen?

SciTim, back in the early 1980s I worked with a guy who just retired (early) as a high muckety-muck in the Office of Naval Research (or maybe NRL; he didn't like to get real specific) who was in charge (?) of the Navy's research project into MHD propulsions systems, for possible use to drive submarines. He wasn't allowed to talk about it, to the point of even explaining to me what MHD drive was. This is the first time I ever knew what it was or how it worked. Cool beans.

SciTim - that is way cool. And I actually have all the parts around the house (including the magnet.)

Gotta keep up the street cred.

I thought they found a cure for buckyballs. Dymaxion or Geodialis or something.

rd - what's scary is that scitim prolly has all the parts in his JACKET!

Yellojkt, you reminded me of another nickname-- Ohgodwhatahugehead.

LOL, mo. Very nice.

Science newsbite: Apparently teenagers should never be calmed-- a hormone that normally tranquilizes people makes them flip out instead.

http://health.yahoo.com/news/172899

You're right mo. That's why he's the doctor.

I learned about MHD in terms of sunspots and a fantastically impractical way to generate electricity from coal. I've never heard of any actual propulsion system based on it (outside of Clancy novels) but I can see the appeal. Quiet, quiet, and quiet.

I may need to read this wachamacallit more carefully, but when I hear magnetic propulsion a la monorails for boats...

I keep thinking of all the fish that would be electroshocked in its drive; also the disturbance it might cause to any computers or fincky electrical instruments with its magnetic field.

Besides, there's always the issue that seawater has a lot of salt and the electrolytic effect of magnetism could probably cause a lot of salt to accumulate on the metal pretty quickly, impairing its effiency.

So the design'd have to be a little different, I think.

Am I the only one who thinks maybe the prospective male panda should be trained to be a better lover in this case?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070308/sc_nm/china_panda_dc;_ylt=AnZj7s5DxQmjHpeqvwaSvdZxieAA

>Padouk, do you pronounce that FRONK-en-shteen?

This is Frau Bluecker...

NEEEEHHEEEEEE

Well, I suppose the male panda could be trained to blow in her ear, I suppose...

Beach Front Property!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070313/ap_on_sc/saturn_titan

Yllwjkt,
M.I.T. is my favorite school (I grew up in its backyard), but Northwestern is pretty good too, and it has a brand new Institute of Nanotechnology. Check it out.

http://search.northwestern.edu/query.html?qt=nanotechnology&x=8&y=8

Yelloj- (sometimes I want to type jello yacket):

Re kids and college funding: This worked at our house, to say, "I suspect you will go to graduate or professional school. Leaving undergraduate with a huge debt millstone can keep you from going to graduate school on the time frame you prefer....." Use the same sentence and say, "...you may be free-er to backback in Europe, be a teacher, visit China, see the statues of Brataslava before acid rain erodes the noses....if you don't take on a millstone of debt."

We also tended to say, "if you are prudent financially about undergraduate school, we can help you with things like 'junior semester abroad' or 'semester on Saturn,' or helping you pay for those piercings/tatoos/Japanese hair straitifying systems/online poker gambling losses/Social Justice spring breaks/Aruba field trips/knitting and yarn addictions....

One other thing: beware the temptation to think that only one college/campus/department is right for the child. The marketing blitzes by colleges are SHAMELESS. Rather, help your child see that they can thrive and contribute anywhere.

Ah yes, be sure to check the bunny-in-the-dorm policy. Life goes better with bunnies.

Wilbrod, I saw that article about teenagers and mentioned it to my husband - his comment - When do they get over it! We have a pre-teen who seems to be rapidly accumulating the hormone.

I'm a NoVA native who now lives in SoCal, and- sigh- I miss living in a place that has four seasons. Enjoy the garden wars, and take a deep breath of that spring earth for me.

I found this interesting

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/12/AR2007031201425.html

I think we could add a few to the list.

What a lovely day!!
It must be spring.I found something doing the backstroke in my glass of Merlot.

Hi YV,
But you have lemons and avocados in the yard, possibly. And Olivera Street for yummies and crepe paper Mexicali festivity.

Off to dig in that friable black stuff and later walk the doggy who should have been named ArisToodles.

Said dog elicits the "sheep" or baaaaaahhh response from the stroller set, since she is unclipped.

In case one wonders, one can re-gummify old cinnamon bear candies. All that is required is a thick Ziplock brand bag, moistened paper towel, and a 30 second zap in the microwave. Leave the bag open, but place towel near but not touching the candies.

I found them stashed away where, in non Lenten days, chocolate happens.

You guys have cinnamon gummi bears? Where do you get them?

Not gummi exactly, but gummier. My connection is in CA, hence the staleness.

I ONCE found them here at Potomac Video in the rated G junk food section.

CINNAMON BEARS -- oh, delish.

But, now, others in Boodleland may help you (and me) find the sources on the East Coast. Not fair if you froogle and buy. You must enter a store and tender cash.

Seconded, I like cinnamon bears, but can't remember where I got them-- trick or treating? ;).

Cinnamon bear sighting in Yellowstone:
http://www.griztrax.net/hiking/Yellowstone/LamarValley/Cinnamon.html

CP we have cinnamon hearts available around Valentines, sort of a jujube but cinnamon flavour - really good but hard to find outside of Valentines. You have sent me on a new quest, froogle doesn't work well in Canada.

Yello - re-reading my earlier post, it seems as if I may have been denigrating HMC. Far from it. Many graduates from HMC go on to brilliant careers as good old-fashioned hard-core science geeks.

The point I want to make is, given the intensity of both the curriculum and the student body, your son needs to carefully evaluate whether the qualities that make the school unique matter all that much to him.

What makes HMC special is that it is a *liberal arts* college that offers degrees in science and engineering. It's a blended education that stresses the intrinsic relationships between science, technology and society.

If a kid doesn't much care about the liberal arts, he or she might not be willing to give the place the insane amount of commitment needed to survive.

Odd I was thinking at work today about this place, and I recall thinking Martooni is one of my favorite people. Now I hear of this.

I did note you escaped the dreaded Spring Forward sleep fuss. Heck of a price to pay, though.

Perhaps a job teaching at the local Community College is in order. Anyone willing to crash a crotch for Christmas kids would make a great teacher.

I just returned from the nursery where I got 6 bags of soil amendment and some herbs. And some beans. I can't imagine how I could spread 110 bags, and in this semi-arid climate there's no way to keep the whole garden Spring-like, it's simply too hot and dry, so I concentrate on the hot weather vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and zucchini, and let the rest of the garden, which contains essentially no flowers except a few azaleas that are really suffering in the hot & dry weather, tough it out. The flower exception is California poppies in among the roses. They're now a few inches high and can take care of themselves, although I may need to sprinkle them a bit this year. Only 2-odd inches of rain since July and none on the horizon.

One of the herbs I got was Thai basil. IMHO the additional taste element compared to Italian basil is mint, but not as sweet as regular mint.

I'll acquire and plant the hot-weather veggies in a month or so. First to prepare the soil.

One last pitch for Rice -- it is affordable, as elite universities go, with a good financial aid program, has small classes, and the professors teach the courses. Yup, Dr. Smalley (the Buckyball guy) taught freshman physics or whatever it was both before & after winning the Nobel prize.

Besides, it has some cool cheers. "We are Rice. Ain't that nice? Who are you? Do you know?" [The Existential cheer] and "That's okay, we'll take the loss. In ten years we'll be your boss!" Or, in honor of Pi day, the beginning of the math cheer (I can't remember it all:

"Secant, tangent, cosine, sine!
Three point one four one five nine!"

Ivansmom
This is the lead line of that cheer that I think CalTech claims, as do other nerdie schools.
Dxdx dxdy (said out loud as in)
dee ex/dee ex dee ex/ dee why

As for Rice, please confirm that this is the proper Houstonian drawl.

Rahhhhsssssss

"Secant, tangent, cosine, sine!
Three point one four one five nine!"

That's one of our favorite Pi Day carols.

I always thought that another factor that distinguishes kids at HMC, Cal Tech, MIT, Northwestern, and suchlike, is they have pretty rich parents. Not all of them, of course, but a necessary percentage.

Maybe I'm wrong though -- people will rack up a hundred thousand dollars or more of loans? (This is foreign to me -- when I went there, a state university was pretty much free, and ditto for child #1. Child #2 is at that point, but her life is too complicated to make much progress yet, so we look at the community colleges, which are reasonably priced.)

I used to share an office with an Assoc Prof of Computer Science at a UC state college. He would compare his Master's students, who competed to get the places, with those at USC, who relatively bought them (what sort of student would be turned away from a Master's program if full tuition is offered?), although USC also gave scholarships to some top students from less well-off families, and of course had just normal good students from wealthy families. His state college Master's students might have had jobs, kids, a car that wouldn't start, and all sorts of other complications in their lives compared to the USC population, so it was hard to do a cohort-vs-cohort comparison, but his meaning was clear.

// Assoc Prof of Computer Science at a UC state college. //

I meant at a California state college -- the State University System. Places like Long Beach State, which is in the NCAA basketball tournament this week and must therefore be a Real University.

// "That's okay, we'll take the loss. In ten years we'll be your boss!" //

That's disgusting. And probably true, too.

My daughter adds:

"That's alright, that's OK; you're gonna pump our gas someday!"

Yikes... that was me at 7:27 with my daughter's cheer.

Sorry.

>"That's alright, that's OK; you're gonna pump our gas someday!"

Pumping gas was a pretty decent motivator to stay in school. So was washing dishes and being a toll collector on the NJ Turnpike. But frankly at this point if I could make the same money as I do now I might go for it.

At least I wouldn't have to learn Vista.

// "That's alright, that's OK; you're gonna pump our gas someday!" //

That's disgusting, too. It might be true, but the idea of kids learning it like it's an entitlement that has no relation to their individual performance is dreadful. But I guess by college age they have seen it in action many times over. Like GWB.

Here are a couple of Web pages with mathematical cheers:

http://www.languagehat.com/archives/001016.php

http://www.languagehat.com/archives/001016.php

Web pages with mathematical cheers? How geeky can one get? I even used to know what all the terms meant. Some of the chants mention a slide rule. I think the one I used in high school and college was the original one as designed by Mudge. I could be wrong about that, though.

I think I'm gonna go listen to the new Neil Young disc of his 1971 Massey Hall concert. Hot off the presses today.

LTL-CA: I cannot speak for other schools, but the notion that my attendance at HMC implies that I was a rich kid is comically mistaken.

Four kids. One pay check. You do the math.

Did I not mention my tenure at McDonalds? My summer's during college working as an assistant groundskeepers at the city cemetery? My brief career as a male model (Okay that was grad school and, like, totally different.) Further, when I was at the school I worked part time as a Physics Tutor, and still ended up owing more than a year's tuition when I graduated.

And that was with some of the very generous scholarships private colleges are known for.

My parents paid less for me to go to HMC than if I had gone to the University of Washington.

Our unofficial school song was to the tune of the Mickey Mouse Club:

Oh there's a college way up north that's made for you and me.

H*A*R V*E*Y M*U* double-D

Harvey Mudd. Harvey Mudd.
Forever let us hold our sliderules* high!

Calculus and Newton's Laws and Relativity.

H*A*R V*E*Y M*U* double-D!

(*sometimes replaced with the word "calculator." )

Okay. I'm going to bed. The G&T and umbrage is making my typing even worse than normal.

LTL-CA... it's not entitlement, I think it's more like The Nerd's Revenge.

Ahhh...American Idol is back with a vengance. While many will enjoy the endless audition clips, I'm mourning the lack of House this week.

THERE'S NO HOUSE!

To the tune of Mickey Mouse Club theme song....
M.I.T.
Ph.D.
M.O.N.E.Y.
...

Kamen has the Libby pardon pool. We need a Gonzales resignation pool. I'll take the Friday after he testifies under oath at about 4:57 p.m.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/13/AR2007031300776.html

// LTL-CA: I cannot speak for other schools, but the notion that my attendance at HMC implies that I was a rich kid is comically mistaken.

Four kids. One pay check. You do the math. //

RDP, I meant to made it clear I was speaking of the schools in general, not every student individually. My sincere apologies if what I said was offensive.

Today I thought the Cathy comic was the funniest I've seen in a long time... maybe ever.

http://www.uclick.com/feature/07/03/13/ca070313.gif

Then I read that it's (thank goodness) being cut from the WaPo comics page, along with Mary Worth and Broomhilda.

I love this part of the Note to Comics Readers...

"We realize change is unsettling but trust that you will quickly adjust to the new lineup."

It sure would be nice if the only unsettling thing in life were the cancellation of Mary Worth.

LTL-CA: Apology accepted. Sorry if I flew off the handle there.

TBG, it's hard to argue with those choices of comics to be axed. I won't be too unsettled, especially since I haven't seen a WaPo comics page in, like, MONTHS.

On the topic of pools for pardons and resignations, this is getting to be a pretty large affair, isn't it. Are we in the midst of the largest scandal ever? Given my opinion of GWB and Republican former leaders of the legislature, I wouldn't be surprised, but I'm no historian.

A more relevant point is that many, many small private colleges have very generous patrons. If you can get into these schools, there are lots of scholarships available.

Of course, an even more fundamental point is that your major, initiative, geographic location, breeding habits, and dumb luck have more influence on your life than your choice of college.

The rational choice is to go to a good Community College for two years and then transfer into a decent school. My younger brother did this and makes way more than I do. But sometimes the choice of college, like many choices in life, isn't entirely rational. A certain amount of passion can be involved.

//"That's alright, that's OK; you're gonna pump our gas someday!"//

TBG, is your daughter a fan of *Bring it On*? :-)

Graduate school, Miami Ice. That "Hey, Hey" song with the loud guitar, drum and clapping, culminating with "We're gonna beat the hell outta you!" Amazing what happens when you get a bunch of engineers, accountants and computer science majors in an ice arena.

It sure would be something if, after all they've done, including waging a war based on lies that has killed thousands of people, this administration might be finally brought down because they FIRED SOME LAWYERS.

Of course, I apologize to any lawyers I may have offended. No umbrage meant.

TBG - I must admit being a little surprised that they are giving "Cathy" the axe.
Where else can one see an annual exposition of a woman's timeless battle to find an appropriate swimming suit?

Seriously, although I haven't found "Cathy" funny in years it, unlike many strips, is at least still being drawn by a living person.

somebody who knows kim please inform her that what's blooming in her yard is a camellia and not a magnolia. She's like number 2 way back up there.

Ooops, I think I burned a bridge!

Toward the end of (my participation in) an increasingly R- to X-rated conversation, a somewhat inebriated young woman held forth valiantly her contention that she could imitate physical arousal and satisfaction so artfully that no partner could ever tell whether or not it was genuine.

In that annoyingly condescending way that I have about me sometimes, I pointed out that having met her precisely twice, I was pretty sure that only a drunk and horny guy who didn't care one way or the other would ever buy her amateurish attempts to seem interesting or interested.

I know that there were many better ways to handle that. I just wish that I'd chosen the simplest one, which was to shut up!

I know, dmd; I'm upset about that, too. Now I've been forced to watch a re-run of "Mission Impossible" (movie) and can't believe how dumb the plot is. Ya see, there's this list, with the names of ALL the American spies in Eastern Europe, and the bad guys have half the list (the half with the code names) and now they need the other half, with the agents real names. Which exists, in the embassy in Prague. In an unguarded room on a PC. And the bad guys just downloads it onto a floppy disk. And it's all I can do to keep from screaming at the television.

*sigh*

And yes, Alberto Gonzales admits he screwed up about the Gang of 8, but he's still not gonna quit. But he accepts the responsibility:

"I believe in accountability," Gonzales said at a brief news conference in Washington. "Like every CEO of a major organization, I am responsible for what happens at the Department of Justice. I acknowledge that mistakes were made here. I accept that responsibility."

Bye-bye, 'Berto!

For future reference, when my life is examined, I want it on the record that I hereby concede that "mistakes were made"!

Ha ha, TBG - and Republican lawyers at that! Although I have my doubts about anyone else resigning or getting fired. Interesting that good old Harriet Meiers was in on it (she wanted to fire 'em all).

That was a good Cathy cartoon. I only read a few in the Sunday paper these days, and Cathy hasn't been one of them for awhile.

Mudge, anytime you want to visit me and spread mulch, I would appreciate it! I hardly ever do that, and I have the soil to prove it! I do have an abundance of leaves, though, that act as a slow-working mulch - but I really should get some good stuff.

martooni, glad to hear from you, but sorry to hear about your troubles. Hope you're ok - hang in there.

rain forest - monkeys! I bet they are pesky. Nice to know you like Joel's writing - I have to look up lots of words he uses too!

Re Pi day announcements, I will likely do this early to mid afternoon EST. Suddenly, this beast called work demands to be fed!!!!!!

If indulgences mean anything to you, share pie with friends and enemies. Bonus points for flying to the Middle East and offering pomegranite pie, etc.

The chutzpah of these people is just amazing. Gonzales is doing the now-well-established Rovian tactic that Arbusto used: admit "mistakes were made" (in passive voice, of course), decline to explain exactly what those mistakes were or who made them or why, take corporate ownership of them, and just blow everything off after that. Just amazing.

For any of you who were wondering:

The only reason I mentioned the "inebriated young woman" story is that I'm feeling guilty, because I usually try to use my powers for good. She may or may not need my insights, but obviously does NOT need them to feel worse about herself. I'll soon be apologizing, and trying to find some small way to make her aware that I'm aware that I was just being a butthole.

And remember that your kid may not recall, 20 years later, WHY they went to that community college or "small" college for the first two years.

My daughter recently asked "Why did you EVER let me go to "----" for the first two years?"

Reply -- "Because you had lousy SATS."

She did, however, transfer to Wm and Mary for the last two years and do really well, with the little gold charm to prove it.

mostlylurking - rainforest ain't kidding! I spent only a little time near the bush in Panama, but it was enough to know that, if you give some monkeys a millimeter, they'll latch onto a light-year!

Bob, she was clearly making you an offer. Your choices were to say "That's quite a talent," and to leave it at that, or to say, "Well, (here's where you touch her softly on the arm or leg or shoulder or whatever is handy) I think we should put that to the test, don't you think?"

Bayou - (Chuckling here!) Well, I'm not so sure about her intentions, but either reply would definitely have been an improvement!

Bob S., to quote Captain Renault:

"How extravagant you are, throwing away women like that. Some day they may be scarce ..."

CP, thanks for coming up with the Pi Day contest! What a lot of fun! Well, for the spectators at least - the participants had a lot of work to do.

Wilbrod, little tip since you are close to the Canadian border, if you get any Canadian channels they will also carry US shows just sometimes at different time or day, so tonight House was on - but a repeat.

TBG, no offense taken. This is not going to take down the administration. What it exemplifies for me, however, is the ultimate hypocracy of this administration (a point many have hit home on in another manner recently in connection with the shameful treatment of our injured troops, both physically (WaPo) and mentally (NPR)).

When I was in law school I had a really great Constitutional Law professor. One of his final exam questions contained the hypothetical that you were the senior policy advisor for a conservative senator. The senator wanted to introduce a bill stating that federal district courts no longer had jurisdiction over some controversial issue, e.g., abortion. As a legal matter, that would mean that issue was entirely a state law matter.

Reality check: Congress could to this.

The essay question required us to write a memo to the senator as to whether this was the right thing to do.

This guy was too smart to suffer sycophants so I am sure the idiots who said "sure, go ahead" may now be asking if you want to super size that combo meal.

The correct answer is that, while Congress has that power, it is an incendiary power. And both sides to any debate have to realize the danger of that power because it is a danger to whatever party/interest group is out of fashion with the unwashed majority. It is a problem with our Constitution that could lead to gaping wounds in what is otherwise a fairly cohesive political process.

OK, likewise, yes, of course, it is totally within the power of the President to appoint or dismiss U.S. Attorneys. But these appointees, to have credibility, have to appear above petty politics.

The administration has finally been caught in the same Nixonian behavior that disgusted our country. Nobody but goofballs wants our government to work this way.

I have wasted valuable cyberspace to get to my conclusion that we have to ask whether we want an adminstration that, with all of its other glaring faults, wants to degrade one of the most solid foundations of our society (sorry lawyer haters), our legal system.

So, at this point, I don't think anyone in the administration can say anything that will restore confidence in the process. Gonzales and Miers, at a minimum, have to go.

That's my story and I am sticking to it.

I DID mention that we'd be hoisting a toast to the "everything's, forever!" at the BPH, didn't I?

hmmm... scratch the second apostrophe.

Thanks Bob S. Should have acknowledged the first time. Enjoy!

I can't believe I missed a whole day of Boodling. Though my sense of ironic timing is superb. Immediately after posting "ducky" in the previous Boodle, I suffered what I thought was a cardiac event and went off with full drama to the ER; fire trucks, ambuli, flashing lights, sirens, handsome paramedics, hunky firefighters, nitroglycerine... the whole nine yards.

In the end, after hours of monitoring and chest X-rays and visits by cardiologists board-certified and otherwise, I was assured that I had merely panicked! What I had was no heart attack, but rather the manifestation of hypertension undiagnosed and untreated for, possibly, years.

So we'll admit you for a couple of days.

No, you won't. Himself is out of town and the young ladies alone with the menagerie. They are fully capable of looking after themselves, but not the whole household.

Oh, OK, then we'll give a single dose of a common beta-blocker and if you convert, you can go home.

Convert I did, at a great rate too. And you know what I discovered? Most people don't have pulses in the backs of their necks and can't hear their heartbeat in their ears at all times! You're not supposed to have that! That was just me! Sick! Who knew? You have no idea what bliss it was, to be free of the pounding, almost immediately.

(I didn't mention that I had to get home to close the polls and email CP, but I thought it).

So it turns out I'll be just absolutely fine and while they recommend staying home for a couple of days before driving under the influence of meds and a lower heart-rate and potential associated dizziness, I am otherwise unbloodied and unbowed. And the girls are glad to see me.

And I have, in fact, closed the polls and sent the results to CP.

Parma Jean, nope, not a camellia. Those are way past their prime here in Tidewater. It's definitely a magnolia and I've been wondering about the name all day. I'm sure it's little girl (or little boy) magnolia and it's in beautiful bloom. It was 71 here today...it's official, I have spring fever.

TBG-I don't have any real hope that this administration will be brought down by firing lawyers, but it certainly illustrates how politics have driven every aspect of governing for them. That guy, Delillo (?) said that years ago when he resigned..."everything, and I mean everything is run by the political arm"

I'm sick of the spinners saying that it's the prerogative of the president to hire and fire these guys. Very true, but once hired they are supposed to be independent and this was clearly a case of the administration looking around and deciding who was toeing the party line and who wasn't, my way or the highway, you're with us or against us, love us or leave us...oh sorry, got carried away there...

Yeah, yeah, what bill everything said!

Yoki, I'm so glad to hear you're ok. Now, speaking as a nurse, you Must Follow Up. It's very important that you continue to be monitored. Ok?

Hypertension is no joke, and I'm glad you made the wonderful discovery of what not-hypertension feels like.

Despite the claim of hypertension having no symptoms, I do find that you can learn what your blood pressure is like by using monitors as feedback to how you're feeling.

Yoki, good heavens, woman, I'm sorry to hear about your event today. I hope you're feeling better now. Are you going to be well enough to travel?

Raysmom: I realize that FMPs have significant heels (over 4" IIRC), flats ain't FMPs, pumps or not.

I've got hands-on experience with liquid- and solid-fueled rockets as well as carbon fiber lay-up (though I don't have an autoclave bigger than an kitchen oven). Do I get the job? Oh, wait, some folks want to go to *school* to learn this stuff...

bc

everything - I wasn't fishing for thanks from the first mention of the toast. That was a shorthand salute to your constitutional law comment above. I was well into a long-ish follow-up comment when I decided that I was amusing myself more than adding substantially.

I tend toward a libertarian view which wants to limit federal control of things which aren't really federal, but I'm quite pragmatic enough not to want to live in a country (or world) in which local governments can ban inevitable behaviors (like the sale of alcohol! Can you believe that some counties still... Oh, the whole country did that once? Never mind!)

Kim - I've pondered this a little bit in the past few days, and still don't have a good answer. I think that maybe U.S. attorneys as regular civil servants might be even less attractive in the long run.

At least this way, they can be removed expeditiously if it's necessary, but the removal is noticed, remarked upon, and condemned when done capriciously or malevolently.

Bob S., just trying to be polite. Take care.

bill e - g'night, mate! : )

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/la-na-atheist13mar13,0,6065304.story?track=mostviewed-homepage

Hey, look, Congressman Pete Stark says he doesn't believe in god. That reminds me of another Peter Stark, son of producer Ray Stark, who was in my primary school class -- and "died of a drug overdose" in 1970 reportedly by believing he could fly, with the help of acid, although the experiment failed. Stark was the husband of Fanny Brice. Hey, my ear doctor was the husband of Claudette Colbert. and little league baseball coach was Fred MacMurray. Wow, this is like Loomis (where are your?), except they weren't relatives. I don't think Los Angeles -- or the country for that matter -- has that amount of interaction any more, though. The nice thing about a small town was there was only one doctor, one bank president, one town drunk, and they all had no choice but to live together. A vivid memory of driving through SD one Friday was a high school 8-man football game in a tiny town. There were big strong 12th graders, some small, not very athletic 9th graders, and others in between, all on the same team. That was all they had to choose from. The cheerleaders led cheers no matter what they did and a lot of the town seemed to be in attendance. Around here there are private and public high schools that specialize in certain sports, and end up with a team full of kids genetically specialized to play a particular sport.

To continue the thought, do any boodlers live an a gated community? That's an analogy in a way, although other considerations are at work, too.

LTL-CA: That brings to mind the night that a buddy of mine named Fred fell on his fanny. He was from Philadelphia, and was a big fan of the Flyers, and (it had gotten unusually cold in Sacramento that winter, and there was ice on the ground) he was trying to recreate a great Eric Lindros move, but overreached, as it were. We picked him up, went to the sandwich shop, ordered ....

Was that the stream-of-conch-shells sort of thing that you were looking for?

LTL-CA - I wasn't kidding (unfortunately). It's a real story, and it DOES go on (and on, and on).

I say that the minority party in the House should have the right to pick the U.S. Attorney, not the Prez.

Wilbrod - Then, you're O.K. with it being a political favor. But in that case, I'm not sure that it matters much who gets to bestow it, as long as the process is transparent.

bill everything, I agree. I don't think that USA's should be regular civil servants. I just think that this is one more example of how this administration has taken steps to politicize every aspect of gov't, to the detriment of the country.

And there's the possibility of a balance of power. It just feels plain wrong for a president to theoretically pick the attorney AND the judges that listen to the attorney's case, especially on behalf of the president.

A transparent con game is still a con game.

I guess I don't see how serving at the whim of the minority party would be any different from serving at the whim of the President, and I'm not yet convinced