Surely not first?

Back in sec, going to get everyone.

CP-in response to handwriting query in the last boodle, D'Nealian. Perhaps it was a Dominican order convention that all the nuns at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel were Mary Something.

And BB guns and lawn darts and waxed nostalgia.

reposting from the the previous Boodle:

Morning, all. Thoughts to Martooni.

Cassandra, your 7:50 had me laughing out loud. Though I must say, for me, there can never be enough napping. I would happily spend days and days in bed. Actually, a film-maker friend wants to do a movie of someone spending 5 days in bed, and has determined I am possibly the only subject fit for the experiment. It remains to be seen whether he ever really makes this doc, but I'm up for the challenge if ever he does. No wonder my handle is Yoki!

CP, have you ever read the ingredients list on the box of Magic Erasers? Formaldehyde, melamine -- yikes. I use them, very occasionally, and then wipe every surface again with soap and water and wash my hands. Do *not* want the dogs licking that.

A good (and very funny) history of attitudes in the 40s and 50s can be found in the new Bill Bryson book.

The sunscreen anecdote, fyi, comes from the classic book by Richard Rhodes, The Making of the Atomic Bomb.

Tell me who are You in such a fierce form? My salutations to You, O best of gods, be merciful! I wish to understand You, the primal Being, because I do not know Your mission.

The Supreme Lord said: I am death, the mighty destroyer of the world, out to destroy. Even without your participation all the warriors standing arrayed in the opposing armies shall cease to exist.

Therefore, get up and attain glory. Conquer your enemies and enjoy a prosperous kingdom. All these (warriors) have already been destroyed by Me. You are only an instrument, O Arjuna.

Bhagavad Gita, chapter 11, verses 31-33

Remember that most of the proposed answers to the Fermi Paradox (yes, *that* Fermi) tend not to be cheerful ones.

Superpox. Strangelets. Gray Goo. Killer Robots From The Stars. Etc.

Jumper-the library of congress "Treasures" web site has pictures of the test explosion and a quote from Oppenheimer of the Ghagavad Gita
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/trm126.html

Did anyone else love the mid '80s TV series Crime Story with Dennis Farina? Here's the only synopsis I could find of the episode where Pauli (comic relief character) aids the mob boss only to court true disaster-
"After his murder mistrial, Luca clashes with a crime kingpin over plans to split up control of the sinking Luca gambling empire. Pauli changes his mind and rescues Luca from Torello as they hide in a house in the desert, a target site for nuclear testing."

The show was set in '63.

SCC Bhagavad

Off topic, but sort of related.

On April 22, 1915 at the Second Battle of Ypres, chemist and future Nobel Prize winner Fritz Haber introduced poison gas to modern warfare, calling it 'a higher form of killing.' Upon his return home, he was promoted for his success (unprecedented for a scientist), and threw himself a party. That night, Haber's wife Clara (also a chemist as well as the first woman PhD at Breslau University) went out into the garden and shot herself.

Perhaps she couldn't accept calamity as a norm.

This just in: Dog food recall extended to Alpo brands.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070331/ap_on_go_ot/pet_food_recall;_ylt=ArBxcYNrexdEWP3.LFSTEBas0NUE

Already noted: Cat food (dry) with wheat gluten as an ingredient may be a problem as well, and I assume dog food as well (plus dog food usually has more grain in it than cat food)

Yeesh.

SCC: the second "as well" (one's enough)

If I had Joe Biden's luck all our pets would be dead.

DDT, no helmets, unsupervised play and yet we had 'duck and cover' and air raid drills at school. I remember the sound of the air raid siren, it turned my 6 year old blood to ice. We filed down to the basement of our 100 year old school. This place was the definition of creepy. With that traumatic experience as a catalyst, I developed schoolphobia which eventually led to my skipping the last half of third grade. But that's another story.

Hope your hands feel better soon Cassandra. The suggestions of applying heat sound good to me. Busy weekend cleaning, cooking and baking for company tomorrow. Grapenut custard in the oven right now. Need to take the dresses I'm sewing to my daughter's house later on to check for fit. Nice and sunny here, not super warm but the porch has heated up enough to leave the door to it open.

Here's a change that the internet hath wrought: before the blog, Joel's rough draft, eh I mean Rough Draft columns never had to have footnotes and bibliographies!

Re: Not my fault, that is what I always say about my own death. I know I have to die, but I just don't want it to be my fault when it happens. Don't let me do something STUPID like drop the hairdryer in the bath water or step in front of a truck, or jump headfirst off a high place with just a bungie cord to keep me from crashing into the ground. I want people to be able to say yeah, she died but hey, she did everything she could, it's not her fault. As far as the end of the world is concerned, I'm not worried about getting blamed for that. There are lots of people ahead of me in THAT line.

This whole thing makes me think that there are a lot of people, particularly people in some form of so-called "leadership" who remain perpetual adolescents -- that is, "nuthin's gonna happen to me, man! I can SO drive fast on a road, even if I've had a few beers, 'cause nobody's gonna tell ME what to do. Don't hafta think ahead, 'cause the world revolves around me, you know?. . ." And so it goes.

It reminds me of Inhofe's bout with Gore at the recent hearing about global warming. Inhofe's palpable anger at even the suggestion of using one's imagination to project into the future (should there be any) -- simply head-shaking amazing!

I remember when I was in law school in New Hampshire ages ago, the story which got the eyebrows raised the highest was that about the former governor Meldrim Thompson (who listed waaaaaaaaay far to the right) -- apparently, he wanted to use nuclear weapons against (peaceful) protesters at the Seabrook nuclear plant in Portsmouth. We used to go by there to get up to Maine for cheap lobster.

What the #$^%#**% is it about people? Geez.

Some people really hold on to their stupidity for an inexorably long time. If only they would do it in private, within the confines of their own caves, and leave the rest of our beloved planet alone. Oh, and us, too.

Gonna go make some lunch.

My Tune Cootie for the Day (again):

Queen's "Hammer to Fall."

"For we grew up tall and proud
In the shadow of the mushroom cloud
Convinced our voices can't be heard
We just wanna scream it louder and louder

'What the hell we fighting for?'
Just surrender and it won't hurt at all
You just got time to say your prayers
While you're waiting for the hammer to fall"

LiT, that's a good story. Illustrates the difference between technical brilliance and real understanding.

For those of us who grew up in/around DC (aka Ground Zero), we spent a lot of time learing about what to do and what not to do in the event of an attack (Rule #1: Don't look).

And reading Hersey's "Hiroshima."

Is history ready to clear us away to make room for new agriculture? I wonder.

bc

['nother try without the naughty word]

Rhodes' book is great. His one about the H-bomb is also pretty engrossing, although depressing in an Edward Teller kind of way.

One of my professors worked on the Manhattan Project. He was a chemist, and asserted that the chemical problem of refining the U235 from the U238 was the tricky part and that the physicists had it easy. To which the physicists said that the separation wasn't really a chemical problem at all since the two isotopes are chemically identical. Then hair pulling would typically break out.

Anyway, my understanding is that the notion of setting the world 'afire had been pretty decisively discounted. After all, Bethe was know as a pretty sharp guy what with figuring out how the sun worked and all. Yet, there is always fear when the stakes are so high.

I imagine it must have been like the feeling I get when I have installed a ceiling fan and first turn it on. Oh sure, I have followed the directions, and attached the blue wire to the black wire as instructed. But there is always that moment of mindless fear. Will it fall? Will it refuse to spin? Will it explode into a fireball of incandescent energy and incinerate the earth and all of humanity? This kind of thinking is why I find home improvement projects so invigorating.

And regarding Hans - in the fall of 1984 I recall seeing a smallish elderly man speaking to a professor at the University of Washington. Another grad student, in an excited whisper, informed me that this gentleman was the famous Hans Betha. I remember thinking, "Why, I have a Siamese Fighting fish named after him!"

A fact that I decided it was best not to share.

Lostinthought -- Oh my. Science without thoughtfulness scares me. I recall seeing great great uncle E, who was gassed in WWI -- he looked like a combination cancer-emphasyma patient. He hated the Germans forever.

Thanks, JA. Now I can write the complete history of sunscreen. I recall PRESCRIPTION sunscreen -- PreSun brand -- that we were doused with starting circa 1973. Compliant soul that I am, I used it faithfully. My sibs rebelled and slap-dashed it. My skin looks better than half of my sibs and I am the oldest! We are the first generation in the huge family TO NOT be plagued with skin cancer by midlife. My children have never had a sunburn, so they have no idea about the awful sickness and blistering.

Frosti -- I think that is my handwriting system too. I sport a modified scrawl, but can imitate this on command.

DR -- if you find an easy lacey pattern, that is what Mo needs. Your pix shows the utilitarian model. Mo needs the fashion sort, so her look will be complete.

Yoki -- thanks for information. I am dashed, because they work well and save the hands since you don't have to scrub so much.

I usually read labels and use mostly vinegar, dilute bleach, baking soda to clean....I had not thought to consider the solid sponge....I was hoping this was just some wondrous microfiber....

Doglet grabs it when I let my hand up on while doing on the floor.

Better living through chemistry?

I've found hyaluronic acid to be a lifesaver in terms of hand pain (I think I have arthritis). Taking it daily means I don't have to take anything else, even if I've been fabricating jewelry (sawing, twisting, hammering).

It was one thing when I started taking it and it worked. When the old lady lab couldn't get up the stairs, I talked to her vet and she started getting it too. Within a few days she was galloping around again. Likewise as the younger one aged. Since I assume dogs don't experience a placebo effect, proved its power to me.

The only problem I have with it is I get it from a place called "Purity Products." Kind of embarrassing to get those boxes in the mail. :-)

Those quantum mechanical calculations always end with the statement of a probibility. Events with sufficently low probability are believed not to happen. At least not to happen often.

Probabilities as low as one in ten million are adequate for airline operations. Yet, from time to time an airliner is lost.

Most of the dinosars are gone too. That very unlikely meteorite strike was apparently to our (and the birds too) advantage. Of course we can't know how things would have turned out if the dinosaurs had been able to evolve for another 60 million years. Maybe they would have got smart and invented quantum mechanics.

So the atmosphere didn't chain react--not much of it, anyway. I've not seen the account of how much nitrogen oxides are produced by an atmospheric atomic blast. If my car can make objectionable amounts, surely a 20 Kiloton blast will make much, much more.

Enough!

RDP, I used to have a tabby named Bruce Catton. When my ex and I met his son at a conference, we were similarly discrete.

Kim O'Donnel can't find rhubarb yet either.
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/mighty-appetite/

G'afternoon, everybody.

This getting old is a pain, isn't it? As well as painful...I need to learn how to stretch. I exercise faithfully by walking, but ooooh, getting up after I've been sitting a while is difficult.

Bob S, my husband once missed the ramp from I-85 onto I-285 and stopped in the median, trying to merge with traffic. Which was difficult, since traffic was moving at 70 mph. I hunched down into the floorboard with my eyes shut. And I've been on that section of I-75 that 16 lanes wide (that would be 8 in each direction). Scary, positively scary.

Cassandra, there are mountains and then there are mountains. Mt. Mitchell, which is the highest in the Appalachians, is 6600 feet or so. No big deal. Personally, I get lightheaded and have to move slowly at 10,000 feet and above. But you have to go to the Rockies or the Alps or the Himalayas to find that kind of altitude.

The most scared I've ever been in the mountains was riding shotgun in a 15 passenger van up a road without shoulders or any barriers in Rocky Mountain National Park. I could look out and down several thousand feet, with nothing to stop a fall.

I remember the fogger trucks, but IIRC, they only came around at night, so we weren't around to chase them. Does anyone else remember going outside at night to watch the satellites go by?

dr, your handwarmers are beautiful - love the colors. And you converted the pattern from knitting to crochet? You are awesome.

When I had tendonitis in my wrists, I wore wristbands (like tennis players wear) and those seemed to help alleviate the aching. Cutting the foot off old socks would work.

I'm glad New Mexico didn't get obliterated.

The Journey of the Dead Man (I mention this because somewhere in my brain, stuck in a recess, is a factoid I learned--I don't remember from what speaker or book, and remember Googling it thereafter to learn that it was correct--about how Texas tried to recruit scientists to work on the bomb in the Lone Star State. Could have been pre- or post-Trinty. I wonder if I can find it in one of my books...if I can dredge this up somehow...I'm thinking a Texas college or the location of Austin...):

The selection of this remote location in the Jornada del Muerto Valley for the Trinity test was from an initial list of eight possible test sites. Besides the Jornada, three of the other seven sites were also located in New Mexico: the Tularosa Basin near Alamogordo, the lava beds (now the El Malpais National Monument) south of Grants, and an area southwest of Cuba and north of Thoreau. Other possible sites not located in New Mexico were: an Army training area north of Blythe, California, in the Mojave Desert; San Nicolas Island (one of the Channel Islands) off the coast of Southern California; and on Padre Island south of Corpus Christi, Texas, in the Gulf of Mexico. The last choice for the test was in the beautiful San Luis Valley of south- central Colorado, near today's Great Sand Dunes National Monument.

Based on a number of criteria that included availability, distance from Los Alamos, good weather, few or no settlements, and that no Indian land would be used, the choices for the test site were narrowed down to two in the summer of 1944. First choice was the military training area in southern California. The second choice, was the Jornada del Muerto Valley in New Mexico. The final site selection was made in late August 1944 by Major General Leslie R. Groves, the military head of the Manhattan Project. When General Groves discovered that in order to use the California location he would need the permission of its commander, General George Patton, Groves quickly decided on the second choice, the Jornada del Muerto. This was because General Groves did not want anything to do with the flamboyant Patton, who Groves had once described as "the most disagreeable man I had ever met."[1] Despite being second choice the remote Jornada was a good location for the test, because it provided isolation for secrecy and safety, was only 230 miles south of Los Alamos, and was already under military control. Plus, the Jornada enjoyed relatively good weather.

The history of the Jornada is in itself quite fascinating, since it was given its name by the Spanish conquerors of New Mexico. The Jornada was a short cut on the Camino Real, the King's Highway that linked old Mexico to Santa Fe, the capital of New Mexico. The Camino Real went north from Mexico City till it joined the Rio Grande near present day El Paso, Texas. Then the trail followed the river valley further north to a point where the river curved to the west, and its valley narrowed and became impassable for the supply wagons. To avoid this obstacle, the wagons took the dubious detour north across the Jornada del Muerto. Sixty miles of desert, very little water, and numerous hostile Apaches. Hence the name Jornada del Muerto, which is often translated as the journey of death or as the route of the dead man.

http://www.cddc.vt.edu/host/atomic/trinity/trinity1.html

A number of the American physicists working on the Manhattan Project were evidently very good at doing rough calculations--the sort of estimating that engineers used to do all the time. So the first explosion's size was pretty accurately predicted.

By the time of that first explosion, the US was already sending the last of the college kids, the ones kept at home to get an education so they could serve in occupation forces or whatever else the country needed at the end of hostilities, and putting them in infantry units in western Europe. The mortality rate was extremely high. Author Paul Fussell was among the survivors.

Good afternoon. Thanks, Cassandra, for your comments about sleep on the last Boodle. I laughed and laughed. I only wish I could sleep all day; I always seem to wake up.

This Kit reminds me that, for most of my life, I've lived in either a big city likely to be a target for nuclear war, or near a major air force base ditto, so I figure I won't have to worry about a nuclear strike for long. Not my fault!

It is a lovely day here, blue sunny and cool, though muddy. We're about to slog through the mud at the Medieval Fair. Avaunt.

Oh, and RD, you didn't list my common fear regarding home ceiling-fan installation: the whole ceiling will come down.

Kbert:

Wasn't it your stepson who was mugged? How is he doing?

Rhodes' 1986 "The Making of the Atomic Bomb"

page 663:
Norris Bradbury's instructions for bomb assembly as of Saturday listed "Gadget complete"; for "Sunday, 15 July, all day," he advised his crews to "look for rabbits' feet and four-leaved clovers. Should we have the Chaplain down there?" Rabbits' feet would turn up but even chaplains would have trouble finding a stem of clover on the Jornada.

Page 668:
"We were told to lie down on the sand" Teller protests, "turn our faces away from the blast, and bury our heads in our arms. No one complied. We were determined to look the beast in the eye." The radio went dead again and they were left to watch for the warning rockets to be fired from S-10000. "I thought the blast might be rather bigger than expected. So I put on some suntan lotion." Teller passed the lotion around and the strange prophylaxis disturbed one observer: "It was an eerie sight to see a number of our highest-ranking scientists seriously rubbing sunburn lotion on their faces and hands in the pitch-blackness of the night, twenty miles from the expected flash."

Thanks for the advice concerning the hands, and Slyness, the mountains. I have braces for the hands, but they're in the car, got to get them.

I'm glad you enjoyed the small rant on sleep. I laughed while posting, thought someone else might get a laugh too. I suppose I should have used the words, facially(?) challenged, if there is such a word?

forgot

Concerning the kit, I've never understood the making of something that we now live in mortal fear of. My dad says that man never makes a weapon that he doesn't at some point use, so what does a country do when everyone has that weapon? I can think of a couple of countries that will give all of us no amount of rest if they had nukes. Some of these folks are about as stable as jello. I can just imagine some of those countries in the Middle East with nukes at their fingertips, and it is not a pretty sight.

Did anyone think of the consequences of this technology or was it just the blowing up of the world for the moment, not the future that worried them? And I suspect most people consider these folks highly intelligent individuals, no? Man does not need the world of aliens or space to consider for his demise, he will gladly do it to himself, and of course, the environment ain't even a consideration. What does one need with an environment when there is no one to enjoy it or benefit from it?

I know, I know, we have to do this to save ourselves, right? We want to be an equal opportunity employer. Everyone gets to burn.

Cassandra,
Our local paper carries a syndicated column by a medical doctor, Dr. Gott. Many people have written that they've gotten relief from arthritis pain by using Castiva Cream. Here's a link:

http://castivabrands.com/

I spent the Cuban missile crisis on a Strategic Air Command base on Puerto Rico. It was sobering.

The crisis did provide an opportunity to watch U2 aircraft taking off.

The Cuban missle crisis is the first international event I remember with clarity; I remember the fear. I was in the third grade.

oldbam:

Didn't mean to leave you in suspense. I made my personal assessment of the damage on Thursday--head wound looking clean with six staples holding it together, no discharge from ears, pupils the same size, no personality changes, no excessive sleepiness. His attitude is very good. I am satisfied that he will make a full recovery and maybe not even have post-traumatic stress. That would be a testament to his normally placid personality, I guess. As I like to say, "living well is the best revenge"--the terrorists won't win this one.

Cassandra... I said a few days ago that you would be the first person I would let know if prayer did the trick -- I'm happy to report that it did.

I made it through and haven't felt this good (physically or mentally or spiritually) in years.

I also owe all of you who sent up the prayers and good thoughts and vibes and well wishes.

I'll post more details later, but I have a promise I made to myself and Little Bean before I went in that just can't wait -- she's getting a wagon ride around the neighborhood with her newly and happily sober dad.

martooni

Prayers of gratitude replacing prayers of petition this afternoon. Welcome back and best wishes from my whole heart.

Martooni... it's so nice to hear such good news from you. You've been in my thoughts since you signed off.

Have fun on that wagon ride... and make sure you don't fall off!

with love,
TBG

Martooni,

Little Bean is one lucky child to have you. Good for you. Your hard work elevates all of us.

God bless. Wagons, hoh! Gee yup.

leowen, good point.

I would add that the sighs of relief heaved by the sunscreened purveyors of wholesale destruction were undoubtedly premature. The chain reaction that was set off that day may well end in the extinction of the human race. Those guys all got to live out their lifespans but our children and/or grandchildren may not be so fortunate.

Welcome back Martooni!!

Martooni -- Congratulations.

One day at a time.

Martooni, it is so good to hear from you, and give God the praise of that victory. Oh, I am so happy for you, and will keep you in prayer. Little Bean is so lucky to have you for a dad, and good thoughts and prayers for you and your family. Martooni, I think I speak for most of us here, we love you dearly.

40

bags

mulch

Lowe's

cedar-type

from Canuckistan

has Spanish writing on bag

don't know y

Bluebelle (my truck)

groaning

me groaning

gutted bags

with knife

too tired

to spread

time for

black russian

sorry, martooni

(but happy for you)

(and the Beaner)

thus ends

world's longest

haiku

From Wikipedia sunscreen history:

"It was not until 1944 that the first effective sunscreen was invented. At that time, World War II was in full swing and many soldiers were getting serious sunburn. A pharmacist named Benjamin Greene decided to create something that would save the soldiers from the sun's harmful rays. In his wife's oven, he created a sticky, red substance which he called "red vet pet" (red veterinary petrolatum), which worked primarily by physically blocking the sun's rays with a thick petroleum-based product similar to Vaseline. Greene tested it on his own bald head. It did not work nearly as well as modern sunscreens, but it was a start."
--
I was imagining the scientists lathering themselves in baby oil or Coppertone oil. Wonder if they had this stuff.

So much knowledge to pursue, so little time.

It's a real blast reading about Trinity, ain't it? Forty years ago, as a high-school physics student, I became aware of the potential of nuclear weapons, and (quoting Cassandra) "that man never makes a weapon that he doesn't at some point use". I've lived my life based on that fear; no wife, no children, lots of fun, minimum responsibilities and baggage. It's been a good life, but hey, y'know? Sixty years without nuclear war so far! It's a fact I recite when people get too despondent about the human race.

I differ from Cassandra in that I am at least as fearful of our home-grown fanatics re-opening the nuclear window as I am of any mid-East country, or Asian country, doing so. After all, patriots want to conquer Iraq; real patriots want to conquer Iran. We shall see.

Kbert:
I'm very happy to hear that your stepson will be OK. What a frightening experience for your whole family.

CP-that's the type of stuff I had in mind when I said the sunscreen anecdote was probably apocryphal. But perhaps overstatement would have been a better choice of words. I can't imagine they had anything like what we would consider effective sunscreen. I know when I was a kid my dad brought all manner of army stuff home-the lip balm was like waxing your mouth with sealing wax, the insect repellant was probably worse for us than the fog from vector control.

Onkit comment (not on-topic)...."thus you should feel free to detonate atomic weapons so long as you've done well enough on the math portion of the SAT."

Hmm, I wonder how Scottynuke did. Uh-oh....

Ivansmom, ceiling fans will NOT bring the ceiling down unless you have an adventurous couple who chooses to... never mind. Never mind.

Martooni, glad you got out of rehab bright and bushytailed. I dreamed you would. It'll take many stages to get your new life built, but an carpenter like you can do it. Play a tune for me later.

Martooni, I can not tell you how happy I was to see your post, it has been a roller coaster week here, and your post gave me some much needed cheer.

Best wishes

Welcome back, Mart... Er, Danged Hippie!

Richard Feynman has written a bit about his time in Los Alamos. (As an aside, I love him talking about a colleague getting the computer disease.)

As for the explosion, Feynman notes that he didn't want the dark glasses, as he wouldn't really see anything. Figuring that the ultraviolet would be the worst part, he goes into a pickup truck to watch through the windshield. He figures he was the only one to actually see the explosion.

On the topic of destroying the world, just about everyone there was so intent on the work and getting there before the Nazis did, that they didn't think of the consequences. After the successful explosion, the same person that got him on the Project, tells him how worried he is about the world, now.

For quite a while after rejoining the rest of the world, Feynman felt that people were deluding themselves, building bridges, houses, etc.

I get this from "Surely You Must Be Joking, Mr. Feynman".

The thing is, Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD) actually worked. It kept the peace. Anyone who thinks that without nuclear weapons the world would not have descended into a third devastating world war is, I assert, being naive.

That said, I believe that their time has passed. Conventional weapons can now achieve just about any legitimate strategic goal, including deterrence.

Thanks for all the warm welcomes.

Considering my condition going in (and my past experience with hospitals when it comes to the treatment of addicts of all kinds), the last four days were a huge surprise.

At this rehab (Neil Kennedy Center), almost all of the staff and counselors are recovering/ex-addicts themselves. In other words, they treat the patients with the respect due a human because personally understand the disease -- so unlike the docs and nurses at the hospitals I've been to where they treat you with contempt (at best) or simply ignore you.

More later... gotta run to meet my old sponsor for coffee and then off to a meeting after.

I'll try to catch up on the past Kits and Boodling later... might even try to post something on topic!

I made salmon for dinner tonight. The family likes it when I just poach it in butter, water, lemon juice and a little wine if there's a bottle open.

I didn't have any lemons, lemon juice or wine. I can do without the wine, but no lemon? I looked all around the pantry and fridge for something to add to the water.

I think mostlylurking and anyone else from Western Pa will appreciate what I found: Reymer's Blennd lemonade concentrate!

I must say, it worked great--may even be a new G family recipe. I think I'll call it Blennd Salmmon.

http://www.hometownfavorites.com/shop/candy_cat.asp?c=23&p=3&id=1515&newp=

Welcome home, Martooni. You have indeed been in my prayers, and I too will have a prayer of gratitude for you tonight.

God's blessings upon you and Little Bean (and the longsuffering Mrs. M). Keep up the good work!

That's great Mudge. I used to write Haiku during boring meetings. My favorites were a series about breakfast foods. They were supposed to be a menu from the fictitious Haiku Diner. Two examples:

Blueberry pancakes
Served with syrup, piping hot
Butter on the side

Fresh eggs served all day
Scrambled, boiled, poached or fried
Try them with some toast

Good deal Martooni, Welcome back

Martooni, I thought of you a lot these past few days, but I thought about the Little Bean more. Reading of the wagon ride made my heart smile; I find it beautifully poetic. I'm so very happy for both her and you.

Also, I'm with Maggie. I like Danged Hippie.

Battle scars notwithstanding, it's got a past-tense ring to it.

Mar...Danged Hippie, darn fine to hear from you. I am so glad to see you.

Joel says "All of human history had been a headlong dash." I just hope that we are going to take some care with this dash and get somewhere good.

Cp, does mo crochet? Mo did I miss this? You crochet? Will go looking for and or develop patterns for lacy gothy handwarmers.

And now for something completely different...

Your first Achenblog curling report from the 2007 Ford World's Mens.

The opening began with the playing of a single horn. Its timbre and tone went right through us. Unfortunatley, I could only hear it in the concourse. The R's were running just a little bit behind schedule. Once the R's had taken their seats the dignitaries began their speechifying (they probably could tell we were late and waited, wasn't that nice). Then all the athletes were walked in to a full regalia Scottish BagPipe band. They were accompanied by mounties, and the crowd of well over 10,000 cheered and clapped, and shouted. The first rock was thrown by a junior champ, a long past mens champ, and the sweepers from Randy Ferbey's amazing past world champion team. Then we checked out the beer garden. Yes it its there, and it is open.

The first draw was amazing. Canada won over the Finns in an rather lopsided game. The Finns were just not quite on. The Finns will be back in top form shortly.

The Swiss won over the Norwegians in a tight game going to an extra end.

The Danes won over Sweden in a woser of a game, extra ends. They are young but they are going to be tough.

And the US team vs Australia, the Aussie's won, but I must tell you it went down to THE last shot.
http://www.usacurl.org/events/07WMC/d1-rel.html

The real reason the Aussies won was a large and loud cheering section. There seemed to be a large group of family and friends chouting 'Aussie, Aussie, Oy, Oy, Oy' or something like that, whenever the Aussie made a good shot. It seemed like they had a mascot, a very cute little girl with a dinousaurian hat. Had the R's taken a camera, we'd post a picture. Maybe it was the bright green pompons the cheering section for the Aussie team sported. They made the rest of the teams flags and hats look pretty conservative.

It was a wonderful day, and though the R's are not attending the evening draw, we will be looking forward to tomorrow.

Oh, oh, and we have it on good authority that a lady from Texas is attending as a volunteer worker for the games. She was on the news the other night. I missed it but the people behind us told us about her. I will try to find out more.

That does it. I'm buying tickets to the '08 men's finals in Grand Forks, ND! Thanks for the link dr, I actually understood every word.

Mr. F put us in for the women's final four lottery in '08 to be played here in Tampa, but if I am here for that final I can fly back to MN and make the 3 hour drive to Grand Forks. It will be a real sportasm week to be sure!

Somebody wanna tell me why a basketball game that TV Guide says starts at 8 p.m. doesn't start until 8:46? Jeez. OK, it's UCLA versus the Gators. WEho are we rooting for here? Oh, right. Sorry, Joel. Never mind. Go Grators. I mean, Gators. Gatorpersons.

Rah.

Great to hear from Martooni.

At various times in the past, it's been a bit difficult for me to connect with friends with alcohol/opiate/tobacco problems because, for whatever reason, I've never overused much of anything other than chocolate. So I'd be a disaster working at a rehab place.

Wow, 4 to 2! This game's all over! (Sorry, Joel.) No way Florida comes back being this far down. Guess I can change the channel now. Good game, guys. Guess it just wasn't meant to be.

Howdy everyone. Welcome back, MarDangHippie (MartianDangHippie?)! I was thinking of you and the Bean this week, I'm very glad that everything went well. Keep on this road, and don't hesitate to holler for help if you need it.

dr, we heard bagpipes and a single horn today at the Medieval Fair. Jousting (with Percherons, no less), a poor imitation of stage combat, but no curling. The Boy actually acquired a horn which he is still learning to blow. When he gets it right, it puts one in mind of Robin Hood in Sherwood. When he gets a near miss, not so much -- it is more like a sick cow. I'll encourage him to practice more. This is actually a pretty good Fair, as they go. Attending reminds me of my first year at college, when we toured three medeival plays at the Texas Renaissance Festival for six weekends. The clearest memory: free mead.

After a childhood of Duck & Cover, I spent so many years with worry about a nuclear "event" in the back of my mind. Then, for a long period, it seemed as if everyone had come to their senses and we might even get rid of the darn things. I mean, I think this is just an unreasonable weapon, even for world domination. One of the things I most resent about the last few years is that worry creeping back. I had hoped the Boy wouldn't have to experience that fear.

Dave, don't feel bad... I long concluded I'd be a disaster working anywhere that required me to empathize with people on a routine basis.

Now, if you walked into a rehab clinic for chocolate abusers and I was there...

I'd just do my Snickers and lecture on you how compulsive chocolate abuse is just nougaty, and will land you into nothing but truffle.

Martooni/DangHippie, from what you say of the staff at your recent residence, I feel confident that you had a good experience. I cannot imagine going to a place to detox that doesn't have "recovering" staff. A good part of the treatment for me was the inspiration gained from some of the counselors. Anyway, you sound very much 'together' and going to a meeting is the right thing to do. I have thought of you a lot this past week and that brought back memories of my two times in rehab, hard work but worth the results. Keep it simple.

Glad you're home 'Tooni.

I noticed a basketball game on this evening and expressed surprise that Georgetown was losing (I always thought they were good). Ivansdad kindly pointed out that yes, Ohio State had pretty much won everything for the last month (at least). I decided that was enough basketball for me.

I have no objection to rooting for alligators, though, or indeed any carnivorous amphibian. Go Gators!

Time to settle down with the Boy and (shudder) watch the remainder of the Kid's Choice Awards. Okay, I won't watch, but I'll be in the room. Ah, the sacrifices we make for family.

Fondue, all. Vaya con queso.

martooni, I'm glad you're back and feelin' good. We've all been sending good thoughts your way.

I've also been thinking "D. Hippie and the Bean" would make a good movie.

kbert, glad to hear your SiL's going to make a full recovery.

This FL/UCLA game is a heck of a defensive struggle. Well, it was for the first 15 minutes, anyway.

I'm thinking about Prometheus; he meant well, but did he really do us any favors? (though he was right to warn his brother about his sister-in-law, as it turned out)

bc

bc, You're right, Prometheus is the guy to blame for all of it. I'm pretty sure if I'd been there at the time, I would have argued against bringing that highly dangerous technology anywhere near the kids. Hey, he would say, worst case scenario, the neighborhood burns down, it clears space to plant crops. Ha, I would answer. Very funny. Now get that stuff away from me.

martooni, glad to hear you're back and doing well.

You've been in our thoughts all week.

Now get to work on my chair ya danged hippie! :-)

dr, I didn't have a chance to check if the curling was on Canadian TV...I will tomorrow. BTW, I'd love the handwarmer pattern - probably more realistic than a sock for me at this point. I'm still not actually knitting or crocheting, just thinking about it.

My kid is halfway through Crime and Punishment. His review - it's all right - a good train book. I don't think he'll be taking the train again, though. I leafed through the book - glad I tackled it when I was younger.

Welcome back, Dang Hippie! Glad rehab went well. I have a friend who had alcohol problems for years - he's now a counselor and seems to have pulled himself together. He enjoys what he does - and of course, knows all the tricks.

Welcome back, Dang Hippie, and many more.

You're referring to the myth of Pandora, bc? I hadn't realized the "first man" was Epimetheus ("hindsight") and his brother.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prometheus

What I see in Promenthus is the best example of a Greek trickster-god.
Hermes is also a putive inventor of fire and tricky, but worshipped as a God and loyal to Zeus, while Promenthus is just so much more like Loki or Coyote, there's no comparsion.

BTW, am I the only one who thinks being called a "Psychopomp" sounds like a killing insult?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychopomp

In Silverlock by John Myers Myers, Silverlock does get to see Promenthus tortured when he is being guided around Hell by Faustophelos (or was it Meisteophelos?) who attempts to undermine his confidence. The demon sneeringly says, behold the source of all your misery and explains what Promenthus did-- in short give reason to man.
Silverlock looks at the giant being attacked by an eagle and muses, and he decides it is actually worthwhile being above the level of a beast with no forethought (literally Promenthus' name), and no worries. YMMV.

Hooray!! Canada has exported another right wing, liar, stalker, criminal, to the States. They gave her a job as a pundit on a TV network. ROTFL. You guys will love this one. Enjoy!

Fox's Ann Coulter 2.0
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2007/03/29/marsden/index.html

Funny, kbertocci.

I think there was a recent book about J. R. Oppenheimer called "American Prometheus." Not sure that really fits, Teller was more the tricky type, I think.

Yep, Wilbrod, Pandora was who I was thinking of.

bc

Dang Hippie, everyone deserves their own theme song. Far be it from me to decide yours, so this is just in your honor as a person in motion.

Prior to a few minutes ago, I hadn't realized Scott McKenzie was in the Journeymen with Papa John Phillips, or that he'd co-written the Beach Boys hit *Kokomo*.

http://www.scottmckenzie.info/clips.html

If you're going to San Francisco
Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair
If you're going to San Francisco
You're gonna meet some gentle people there

For those who come to San Francisco
Summertime will be a love-in there
In the streets of San Francisco
Gentle people with flowers in their hair

All across the nation such a strange vibration
People in motion
There's a whole generation with a new explanation
People in motion people in motion

For those who come to San Francisco
Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair
If you come to San Francisco
Summertime will be a love-in there

If you come to San Francisco
Summertime will be a love-in there

dmd, everything okay? :-)

Y'know, I've been thinking about the Kit and how much faith the scientists and physicists and mathematicians had in their theories and calculations to have the cajones to gamble blowing up the whole earth (especially the miscarried "1" part).

I know that it all worked out okay (the earth didn't turn into a mini sun or anything).

But what about the folks working on nanotech and self-replicating molecular machines? How sure are they that they won't accidentally create some self-replicating molecular machine that will convert everything on earth into a global mass of "gray goo"? I mean, I've seen how quickly natural things like mold and mildew can take over a bathroom (or entire homes, for that matter).

Of course, we might be able to fight them off with Tilex(tm) bombs or something to hold it off, but still.

btw... thanks again, my Boodle friends for all the support and encouragement -- five days now and looking forward to tomorrow.

Yes everything is OK dbG, just a tough week with Dad.

Boko, all I can say is at least that it one less nutcase up here, couldn't figure out why I hadn't heard of her until I saw the paper she worked for - then realized why. Is she any relation to Pat Marsden?

Martooni! You *sound* great. I'm pulling for you and it's clear I'm not alone and neither are you.

dbG,

Thanks, that's one of my favorites. Was that on the Monterey discs?

There was recently just a bit of concern that a new atom smasher could end the world.

The biological equivalent would be what happened to Hawai'i after its Polynesian inhabitants arrived (loss of a lot of native birds), then after Captain Cook and others arrived (near-loss of Hawaiians, loss of most native plants and birds at lower elevations, invasion of all sorts of plants and animals from elsewhere). It's a biological apocalypse with the present situation being something short of a New Jerusalem.

I saw this story, and I was kind of hoping Mudge doesn't wait around until we're all 96 before he coughs up his next book.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070401/ap_on_en_ot/first_book_at96;_ylt=At1_GW219ijqMh5J7hCy9T_QbbUC

No idea, Error, unless I web-searched it and then came back all falsely knowledgeable. One of my favorites, too.

That version was on Scott McKenzie's page, but I found this, and like it better:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKWiwfOhI6U

Have to say, it's very strange seeing footage of SF that doesn't include the Palace of Fine Arts. While it's one of my favorite places, gotta admire those dang hippies for not going with the obvious.

Yup, there's a version on the Monterey Pop Festival box set, but the recording I remembered is on the Spirit of The 60's stuff.

What is the Palace of Fine Arts? I've visited the city but never had it pointed out to me.

I thought the Golden Gate Bridge was the de rigeur shot of San Francisco, it's what I tend to see on TV shows. And that chinese theater with the stars in the sidewalk. And Chinatown. And Alacatraz. The trolleys and the steep, long hills.

And the touristed-up docks with those huge TV displays (you could probably watch the superbowl while sailing 100 feet offshore, that's how big they are), and the sea lions barking and squabbling for room to sleep.

And the persistent damp fog and chill that rolls in suddenly as soon as dark falls.

Guess I didn't go with the obvious, either.

Next book, Wilbrod?
I'd love to read a 'Mudgetome. Please forward a list to boko999@hotmail.com
Thank you and goodnight. Gotta get a panhead that's cluttering up my garage out of there tomorow. er today.

Alas, he wasted his considerable talents on a book on shipbuilding.

I'm sure the chapters on shellac are the best dang written chapters on shellac ever written since snails were ground up and slapped on tarred shipwood, but he admitted the book is now so rare that you might have better luck scoring an original of the Rosetta stone nowadays.

I think he's just afraid to tell-all as he should because of all these families who still remember the trouble their ancestors got in thanks to Curmudgeo~ and any of his multiple aliases.
See, when you're nursing a family grudge, a mere thousand years is nothing.

Wilbrod, it's so beautiful, it's often in the movies. *The Rock* had a pivotal scene there, I'm sure other boodlers can meet the challenge of naming more. It's a landmark equal to those you've named.

http://www.terragalleria.com/california/california.sf-palace-fine-arts.html

Good morning, friends. I'm up and drinking the coffee, getting ready to hit the shower. It's Sunday school and service this morning. Hope your weekend is going okay.

The pollen is so bad here, if one stands outside for a few minutes there's a chance of looking like a bumblebee. In my case the yellow and black looking good, but not the breathing. That stuff is almost toxic.
I was covered in it yesterday. My neighbor and I sat outside yesterday evening. She's ninety-four years old, and having a birthday this month. She's sharp as a tack. Talks trash to everyone, an equal opportunity employer. She wants her neighbors that smoke, to stop smoking at her place when they come to visit. She says they leave cigarette butts and ashes and she has to clean it up. And don't like the smoke. And this is outside, they don't get to come inside.

Got to move, it will take me awhile to get dressed. Thanks for the advice about the hands. I read Dr. Gott, but never saw the hand article. I slept with the braces on last night, so they feel a little better, still swollen. Have a great day, everyone.

God loves us so much more than we can imagine through Him that died for all, Jesus Christ. Peace.

Prayers, martooni, keep praying.

Morning, Mudge, Slyness, Scotty, and all.*waving* How's Mrs. Mudge? Kbert, hope your stepson is on the mend. dmd, I hope you're getting a break from the pollen and outside stuff.

Joel, good kit, as always.

*stretch stretch*

Happy Sunday, all!!! *vigorous Grover waving*

Dang Hippie!!! EXTREMELY good to see you!!! *faxing a dozen gross gold stars and a full marching band in appreciation for a task very well done* And I like Dang(ed) Hippie, I really do.

DangHippieDangHippieDangHippieDangHippieDangHippieDangHippieDangHippie...

Nice ring to it. :-)

Wilbrod... *wagging finger* Peaceful uses only, thank you. Especially since my SAT verbal was about 130 points higher than my math... :-O

I remember watching satellites from far northern New England, 'zat count?

Kosher Dunkin' Donuts... Who knew?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/31/AR2007033101171.html?hpid=topnews

Frothy cherry trees everywhere. Phlox about to riot, more daffies blooming, green-white dogwood flowers gathering themselves, clematis shoots rising skyward, PJN azalea-rhododendron purpling out....

DHippie -- Ohio is behind us springwise, but is coming none-the-less. You are my Easter story this year -- rebirth.

Scotty, at least there's still Krispy Kremes:

http://www.jewishworldreview.com/kosher/krispy_kremes.php3

Good Morning All

Happy April 1st, Make you sure you play a trick on all the people you love today. My family and friends are so hip to my pranks, they will never answer the phone today. So I must be more creative.

Happy Palm Sunday, all! Now here's an informative, if schizophrenic, service: begins with the palms waving, entry into Jerusalem, all Hosannas, then abruptly segues into the betrayal in the garden and crucifixion. The day tells, in microcosm, half the Easter story, omitting the resurrection part. It is like a newsbill for the congregation. The entire rest of the week, until halfway through Holy Saturday, is all gloom (liturgically speaking). However, traditionally the Holy Week music is excellent. When I sang for the Catholic church, all churches turned the organ off at the close of Holy Thursday and left it off till midway through the Holy Saturday service, relying on voices only. I always liked that.

There's probably a parallel somewhere between the disciples on Good Friday and the scientists waiting to see whether, despite all their best calculations and beliefs, the world would blow up. I'm not a good enough theologian or scientist to do it, however, so I throw it out there to the ether.

Whoops, I put the Boodle in a coma. Sorry! The sun is shining, the sky is blue, the birds are singing. . . .

ivansmom, good analogy! I'd like to meet the Christian minister who is comfortable enough talking about science to preach that sermon, linking the two events.

Listen, everybody who doesn't mind clicking a link once in a while (remember the Achenblog motto: "We Click.") Here's a newly launched blog by a gifted, original writer, Terry (T.M.) Shine. He has a weekly column in a South Forida alternative paper, and apparently the plan is that he is going to put the un-edited version of the column in the blog each week. I guess that might be a little too daring for the Washington Post, but it's a good idea--this week he has included comments from his editor and his reaction to the comments. It's kind of fun. Shine has had feature articles published in the WaPo Sunday magazine, so he's not just a local yokel. He used to write for Tropic magazine, but he was never on staff; he was one of Weingarten's discoveries, I think... I wish a bunch of A-bloggers would check out his blog and leave comments. As enticement, I will just mention that his comments allow *HTML* so knock yourself out--format like crazy!

http://blogs.southflorida.com/citylink_tmshine/2007/03/post_5.html#comments

Psychopomp! I love it.

http://twistedphysics.typepad.com/cocktail_party_physics/2006/06/duck_and_cover.html
recalls the impact Leo Szilard had on the conception and urging forward of the A-bomb. It's been rumored that Kurt Vonnegut used him as a model for Dr. Felix Hoenikker in Cat's Cradle. But Vonnegut has claimed it was Irving Langmuir, who worked for General Electric, that inspired the character.

Here are a few interesting links on today's fun!!!

http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/aprilfool/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_Fools'_Day

I once snuck into my parents house the night before April 1, I borrowed their car keys. Later that night, I moved their car around the corner. The next day I invited myself for lunch, asked them where the car was. In the pannick that followed, I had to fake a knee injury as I was racing to the phone to call the police.

But as with everything fun with pranks, I have been burned several times myself. One time actually being handcuffed by a fake policeman for unusual odors coming from my apartment!!

Morning everyone!
Frostdottir and I just got back from the Iron Girl 5k in Clearwater. Nice to run on a Sunday morning after wimping out all week with my cold/allergies whatever it's been that has my head clogged with green viscous crud.

MacDill's annual (except for last year when it was cancelled) Airfest ends today. The Blue Angels fly right over our house and we can see most of the show from a second floor balcony so I'll skip the crowds.

Kbertocci-your link was indeed worth a click.

Even the WaPo's in on the April Fools' advice...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/29/AR2007032901936.html

(It's Mr. G's birthday today. When Son of G was a little boy, he thought playing tricks was a birthday thing--not just an April Fools' thing.)

OK.. it's April. Do you know where your Weingarten chat is?

Interesting TBG, but a little sad that people need advice on executing April Foolery. Time to lay the traps for Frostdottir and Mr. F...he,he,he.

Good morning all. Welcome home, danghippie.

I think Liz Kelly said on her chat last week that Weingarten would be back in two to three weeks, so late-ish April, rather than early.

http://nsm1.nsm.iup.edu/rgendron/Caminalcules.shtml

'Morning, boodle. Cassandra, Mrs. Mudge is doing fine, thanks for asking. Got her to eat TWO scrambled eggs this morning. Along with her giant-size Dr. Pepper. (Don't ask. The woman is an enigma.)

I don't know if it's just an April Fools thing or what, but if you haven't seen the Post's Book World today, I think it may be the annual flamethrower issue. Starts off with a cover piece on two books about de Toqueville and L'Enfant by calling them our "Founding Frenchmen." Yes, they used the banned F word referencing the censored F country. Sure to inflame true patriots everywhere. Moving right along, there's a book review by a journalist who says black street culture and rap are destructive and counter-productive. And the piece de resistance is a book review that asks the question, Was Judas right to betray Jesus?

Glad they aren't into anything controversial.

Curmudgeon - from yesterday - I'm in Lewisburg, home of the Bucknell Bison! It's very pretty here... although we miss Maryland something fierce (moved to PA in November after 17+ years in the DC area).

Hey gang, I'm having trouble accessing some WaPo stuff. I can see most articles linked to on the home page, but every now and then when I go to a link, such as Book World, or some (but not other) opinion pieces, I get that damned pop-up screen that makes me sign in for the umpteenth time. And when I try to do that, I get a message saying I can't sign in because my cookies aren't activated (but they are). And of course the advice it gives me on how to activate the cookies is wrong.

Anybody else having trouble? Is it my computer, or the new redesignerd homepage, or whut???

Obviously, Mudge, you lost your cookies. Ha, ha - ewwww. A thousand apologies.

I would blame the new homepage - but I'll check it out, in the interest of the scientific method.

I haven't had any problems. The guy in charge of the redesign seems to be in "de Nile":
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2007/03/29/DI2007032901313.html

Yes, mostly, I read that link and agree he's in de Nile, especially on the two subjects of not listing discussions, and the totally idiotic notion that viewers and advertisers have mutual interests. A couple responders smacked him upside the head over the advertising thing, but even then I didn't see any sign that he's "gotten" it.

I'm sorry I missed that chat; I'd have submited a comment that the Web side of WaPo (as opposed to the dead tree side) is in desparate need of good copyediting. Compton himself made several goofs. I think the online team needs to gather together everybody who posts content and give them a quick one-hour briefing on basic style rules, such as not putting periods and commas outside quotes". like that.

I understanbd that a re-design can't please everybody, but I have to say I don't much like it. Yes, the old page might have been pretty cluttered, but I knew where everything was and how to get there. Now I've got to re-learn everything. I hate it, too, when m local supermarkets do a re-model, and I can't find anything for three months. Same thing.

Afternoon All...

I'm still trying to get used to this new alias -- my fingers keep wanting to type "martooni". Still not sure if I'm going to keep the new one. Change is good, but I'm thinking that people don't change their "real" names just because they're making a significant change in their lifestyle (except for celebrities, of course, which I'm not).

Speaking of change, I'm with 'Mudge on the new WaPo homepage. Sure, it looks purty and all that, but the new organization has me all kerfluffled or flurkuffled or... dangit... discombobulated.

I'm sure I'll eventually get used to it. Of course, the minute I do, they'll just go and change it all around again.

btw... one of the many things I've been neglecting during my last three-month bender is my own blog. Finally got around to posting something new. Basically it's an account of last week's adventure in rehab and a big "thank you" to the clinic that saved my life. If you're interested (or just feel like clicking something): http://www.danghippie.com/

I've been thinking more about Joel's Kit and about how dangerous that miscarried "1" thing can be. Particularly, I'm thinking of our reliance on computers to do the heavy mathematical lifting and that computers are only as reliable as the programs (written by people) and the hardware components (designed by people) and -- especially -- the trend where programmers from different parts of the world are involved in most projects these days. Think of the Mars lander that burned up because a program that needed metric data (or was it imperial data) was fed the opposite and burned up on entry. What if that was software that controls a nuclear reactor?

Even the boodle lies down on the couch on a lazy Sunday and takes a nap.

Hey, danghippie. Thanks for the link!

You know, as another point of view, I think people do change their "real" names to signify life changes. Some people change their names when they marry (not that there's anything wrong with that). People grow up in some way and invent a new nickname or introduce themselves with a different variation when they go to college, start a new job, and somehow almost everyone tags along. They add titles, honorifics, shorten their first name to a letter and go from there. And here, of course, we have the wildly spontaneous Yoki, *Tim, Boko and Achenfan. It can be a way of trying on a new life.

I've been through 3-4 myself during my life, and while one of my cousin's acquaintances who never knew me a child insists on calling my childhood name, I at least also have the pleasure of mangling her name back when she does it. The look on her face is priceless.

As delighted as I am to see any former supporter disappointed in Bush, this guy sounds like a serial disappointee, someone from _Men Who Love Too Much._

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/01/washington/01adviser.html?hp

San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts is a reconstructed relic from an early 20th century exposition intended to show off the city's recovery from the big fire (earthquake was downplayed).

The Palace is sort of an architectural riff on a Piranesi etching of a circular, domed Roman ruin. Architect Bernard Maybeck got his start by working on grand hotels in St. Augustine, Florida.
http://www.exploratorium.edu/palace/index.html

This Palace is not to be confused with the California Palace of the Legion of Honor, an art museum at the other end of the Presidio. It's a wildly out-of-place re-creation of a grand Parisian building
http://www.thinker.org/legion/about/subpage.asp?subpagekey=12

>They add titles, honorifics, shorten their first name to a letter and go from there.

Well, you've got me nailed. I got "Right Reverend" at a discount price and use my first initial and middle name - it changes the whole thing. I don't use it very often, but I've got these nifty certificates to prove it, so....

It just cracks me up that I'm legally entitled to officiate at marriages.

That would tickle me as well. Just remember your wedding insurance has to be paid up in some states, Right Reverend E.Z. Flynn.

I think my church had an April Fool's Palm Sunday today, for many reasons too long to go into, but at the start we got handed cedar branches instead of palm fronds....

Thanks for the pics-- I looked for "Palace of Fine Arts" and I got lots of hits, none that seemed to link to San Francisco.

It's nice-- looks like DC landmark architecture, only in actual color. Lovely.

As we all know, all that white greek and Roman classical stuff was originally painted, not in white, but guess what we do in DC, us Yankee Doodle Dandies? We do lots of white columns and put a feather in our hat and call it Macaroni.

Of course all that white marble/concrete etc is now a dingy grey thanks to smog and acid rain. Still, it does show off the bright spring colors of the landscaping rather well, especially the pink cherry blossoms, so it's not a dead loss.

For some real color class, St. Matthew's Cathedral in DC has the same sort of imported Italian marble I spot in that palace. Absolutely nice.

The link about the Palace of Legion of Honor includes this:

In 1948 Mr. and Mrs. Moore S. Achenbach created the Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts and presented their entire collection of works on paper to the city of San Francisco. Initially housed in the Main Library, in 1950 the collection was moved to its permanent home in the Legion of Honor.

Did you know there's a site that deals with how to tie your shoes?

http://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/tying.htm

I read the chat about the homepage redesign--talk about "drinking the Kool-Aid!" Compton redesigned the page to better display the advertisements. Bummer.

I never go to the homepage so I wouldn't know if it was redesigned or not. If there had been a clear link to Achenblog or to blogs in general, I might have bookmarked it but I never could find that link so I've always been coming straight to the blog and then going to the magazine from here. (Never could find the magazine link on the home page either...) If I'm looking for a specific topic I use the search feature from the A-blog or I might use the tabs at the top of the page. Really, if I'm looking for news I'm more likely to read the Times. But you probably already knew that.

Hi Ltl-CA,

Yes, I point students to that site when we write instructions and SOPs. But I also enjoy looking at this site for instructions:
http://www.peepresearch.org/surgery.html

The Palace of the Legion of Honor and lovely grounds are part of my romance history, back in the day. I went to the University of Santa Clara, graduating the same year as did Kurt Rambus, he of the big-brute basketball physicality. KR was a gentle giant who wore Buddy Holly-escue black glasses. Even in class, he wore the elastic strap to keep them on his head on the court. Quite big, he had to fold himself into the lecture hall seats.

I DID NOT have romance history with KB.

Train ride from SCU to SF = 0.75 cents one way. Best way to contemplate the universe: study to and fro, enjoy SF in between.

The other famous grad of that year was DeeDee Myers, of the Clinton press years.

Note: No romance with KR, the basketball star.

Hey KB, no romance with you either, but we both adore books. That would make us bibliophiles or bibliomanes.

Bibliomania is one of the better madnesses to have. Phytomania is not bad either.

Worse than just displaying the ads, kb... the goal is to make us click through more pages, meaning seeing more ads, to get to what we want.

I think one thing that really sets the WaPo site apart from other papers' sites is the Live Discussions. I am often lured into clicking on links and reading articles I never would have gone to because a discussion link prominently displayed ON THE HOME PAGE leads me there.

Not any more, apparently.

Of course, my take on it is from an unusual viewpoint--maybe I'm not alone among boodlers in believing that the Washington Post exists primarily to showcase Mr. Achenbach's work, or that Achenblog is the main page and everything else revolves around it. But in any case, I do perceive the Post as having a unique blend of hometown paper folksiness/accessibility and National Newspaper Gravitas. The friendliness of the staff combined with the South Florida connection has led me to this place where I feel I have a personal stake in the newspaper although I've never subscribed and don't even read it that much. I do buy and/or read a lot of books written by WaPo staffers and their friends...

(Remind me to finish my blog entry about how I met Michael Grunwald and Marc Fisher AND bought their books AND got them signed, all in the same day, two weeks ago.)

I was over on petconnection.com and somebody agrees with me about mandatory country of origin labelling.

Incidentally the FDA order to detain and prevent export of wheat gluten from the Netherlands or a specific chinese company mentions "unsafe food additive". food, not petfood.

http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/04/01/pet-food-recall-what-have-we-here/#comment-19441

Cheers... certainly there are a few dozen investigative reporting stories that could be unearthed from this mess. There is no doubt such toxins could well be in the human food supply.

KB -- Marc Fisher is our favorite local muck raker. He responds quite intelligently to information or stories.

Many of my colleagues at UMCP are regular stringers for WaPo. We who love the paper keep watching out, because of the shakeout in the print press generally, but also because of a blood bath a few years ago about seasoned editors and beat reporters.

Will Hal now flag my comments and mess with me?

Well, CP, did you know that Marc used to write for the Miami Herald's Sunday magazine? I recently added some of his Tropic articles to the tropicfan site:

tropicfan.com (Browse by author--I guess the website design is defective because I can't link you directly to Marc's page. What can I tell you, I guess the person who designed the site is a moron.)

DR -- Mo may crochet. I am not sure. She does covet a nice knitted accessory or two. I think that black knitted lacy mitts are just what a styley-goth gal needs for certain occasions. I can crochet a chain and am good at reading directions. If you point me in the right direction, perhaps I can make some for her. Yours are thick for warmth. She would need the peek-a-boo kinds.

I guess that lacey ones can be knit, but then I would have to read a hard pattern and drop, twist, increase back, etc. I usually knit to slough off stress, so the more idiot-proof the better.

We have till next fall or winter to figure this out, as warm weather and knitted mitts break so many fashion rules.

Paging Mo: we are talking about you but in a good way.

I stand by my earlier evaluation that the new WaPo homepage is more appealing, to me, than the previous incarnation. However, I do come directly to Achenblog most of the time. I visit the homepage only in the morning when I click on "Today's Newspaper" formerly "Print Edition" before exploring any web only content.

I've tried to wean myself off the digitized version of the WaPo dead tree edition but the Minneapolis Tribune does not get to Chez Frostbitten North until 10:00 AM, with the USPS letter carrier. Then I must trek out to the PO to get it. After dealing with such hardships I feel that clicking past a few more ads is a small price to pay for not feeling like I've dropped off the edge of the world.

Another Sanjaya-related article in a local paper:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/artsentertainment/2003645910_sanjaya01.html

And this:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialcartoon/

Bob S, the only way I know to vote for American Idol is by calling the phone numbers or texting after the show. Please note that I have never felt compelled to do so.

I find it oddly annoying that the text is scrunched up on the left side of the screen while the adverts are on the right. I think I would like it better if it were reversed. Perhaps this is a right-brain/left-brain thing.

Or in my case, a no brain thing.

So I'm putting the Moonflower seeds into two pots and my wife inquires as to what I am doing. She pauses a minute, gives me a well practiced look of tolerant bemusement, and reminds me that we are going to be gone for most of next week.

She's good at remembering little details like that.

I am hopeful that the neighbor girl who feeds the bunny and fish while we are gone won't mind keeping the pots damp. Course, I imagine it'll cost me.

This young lady drives a hard bargain.

SCC: That's *bunnies*, of course. There are still two.

Sorry for scaring you all like that.

That bunny-and-fish business is sure hard. Glad there's still bunnying, plural.

All a crocodile's wishes should become fishes, not fish.

RD, I know - I have decided to hold back from starting new seeds till after my vacation. I'm hoping that the seedlings I've already got going will survive after I put them in larger pots and water them well. I transplanted sweet peas into the outdoors yesterday...just in time for "rain mixed with snow" tonight...sigh.

Thanks for the clarification on the bunny population.

Whew, thanks for the swift correction RD, I was a little slow on the scroll and was quite concerned.

I too, RD, am glad you still have two bunnies. The Boy continues to agitate for a rabbit, given Ivansdad's complete lack of interest in keeping a lizard. I say, "We'll see."

All this talk of seeds. I passed BigBox'oPlants today and mightily resisted the urge to stop in. I know that, planting this early, I court almost certain disaster. Perhaps that will be a good project for Holy Saturday -- oh no! eggs! I almost forgot about dyeing eggs! Ah me. I did buy the chocolate bunny early this year (and hide it); I discovered last year that one simply doesn't wait until the day before Easter to purchase the chocolate bunny.

I don't seem to understand the Home Page anymore but I can still find my way to Achenblog, so I'm content.

This is a pleasant story about a new International Peace Garden - at Tulip Town, in the Skagit Valley of Washington state. Tulip Town sounds tacky, but the fields of tulips and their indoor displays are lovely. I have some tulips I bought from them growing in my yard.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003645889_tulips01m.html

Belated Happy Palm Sunday everyone. In my youth I greatly enjoyed the annual Passion Play. Shrieking "Give us Barabbas!" was a most satisfying liturgical experience. For it wasn't often that we got to yell in church.

I spent today fixing the lawn mower and installing a new under-sink water filter.

The mower repair went well in that it now works marginally better than before. As to the water filter, well, don't those really tiny slow leaks sometimes, you know, fix themselves?

Cassandra... "Concerning the kit, I've never understood the making of something that we now live in mortal fear of." -- Well, Cassandra, I'm sure that you can think of several substances which we manufacture in great quantity, which we maybe OUGHT to fear!

mostlylurking... "My kid is halfway through Crime and Punishment." -- You can only hope!

mostlylurking - that link brings back some nice memories. And in the "it's a small world" department, I went to school with twin boys who were closely related to the family mentioned in that article. They raised tulips and daffs in the Puyallup Valley. Nice people. And they turned me on to Dutch Licorice.

Salted licorice RD, love that stuff.

*breaking out my wooden clogs for a nice hornpipe*

dmd - Yeah, it's that ammonium chloride, which is also the active ingredient in soldering flux, that keep bringing me back.

It's an acquired taste.

I had a dutch friend growing up and they had two jars of diffrent kinds in the house all the time - I also acquired the taste big time.

I think you need to be exposed to the stuff as a child before your brain stiffens up. My success rate at introducing others to the wonders of "Salmiak" has been abysmal.

I planted three pairs of moonflower seeds ("Mammoth", 7-12 ft) a couple of feet apart and they're up today, just barely. I'll thin them to 2 or 3 solos like flagpoles for the veg garden.

Hitler was afraid of "Jewish Physics." Not destruction. We have the same choice with nuclear power that we do with guns and just about every weapon. We can build a society that will be able to live and work with this power or we can try to ban it without success. I had rather have a society like Switzerland where people own guns and they live in peace than in a disarmed (by law) New York where they are a problem.

"Guns don't kill people, people with poorly controlled anger impulses (and a lack of long-term planning skills) with guns with bullets kill people!"

*aside to TBG*... it's a good cause and every little bit helps. I'd hug ya, but people might talk. ;-)

WaPo IS my homepage. With the wonders of IE 7.0, I can have the homepage and Achenblog up at the same time. This I like. I'll adjust to the redesign. I probably won't look at many more ads, though.

I always liked the dead tree edition of the Post. One of the perks of a trip to the National Fire Academy (Emmittsburg, MD) was the ability to buy and read it. With the newspapering background, I could see the quality and enjoy it.

RD, I feel your pain concerning new plants. I bought two tomatoes and a green pepper two weeks ago and put the little paper cups in bigger pots. It's supposed to be down in the 30's here mid-week, so I won't put them out till next week at the earliest. One tomato has already grown so much I've had to stake it in the pot. Yikes!

I've carefully avoided this observation thus far, but... Didn't they redesign the homepage to look MORE like it looked a couple of years ago, the last time people complained abot the redesign?

LtR-CA -- You win, with the first seedlings of moonflower through the ground.

MostlyLurking -- At the Sons of Italy Hall in a central CA town, sweet peas grew on a trellis in January and February -- oh the honey-scented air. They were tended lovingly by a grizzled Sicilian whose sons were dairy farmers so he had tons of manure for these butterfly-beautiful flowers. Nearly impossible to coax here although Henry Mitchell, now gardening in the sky, gave directions in his WaPo "Earthman" column. I did it once. Worth it, but the vagaries of spring weather here....

RDP -- cover the pots with plastic wrap to make a hot house, which will keep the humidity just right.

Wilbrod -- I don't think the Dutch dance to hornpipes. It is not an instrument so much as a metered dance. But Irish kidlings sure knew hornpipes, in church basements long ago and far away. You can dance to a jig, a hornpipe, a strathspey, a set (like square dancing) but must listen quietly to a lament or air. We were taught to recognize what the pattern was so you could dance the right steps.

No TV, in those days.

Bob S, I don't recall reading about anybody ever being killed in a drive-by fistfight.

About 25 yrs ago Sci Am published a study based on ER records, comparing people knifed vs shot in an attack or fight. The fatality percentages were 3 and 30, respectively.

Aaahh... but I wasn't talking about guns, I was talking about anger control, and some of the substances which Cassandra knows so well!

About using the weapons we make and the weapons we have: I've probably mentioned earlier how much I dislike private gun ownership. It is all very well to say that we can live in peace. However, most of the casual homicides and severe injuries that come my way happened because someone had access to a loaded gun. In my experience, virtually any strong emotion, including surprise, when combined with a loaded firearm can and often will produce a result which was unanticipated only moments earlier. Add in drugs (legal or not) or alcohol and there's a real problem. Just remember, malice for murder can be formed in an instant, as you pull the trigger. Ever thought "I'd like to kill that guy!"? But you didn't, because it wasn't convenient, and the moment passed. We have a whole generation of folks with the ability to act on the thought, without the ability NOT to act on it. With any luck, they don't have counterparts in the countries or former countries with access to nuclear weapons.

Well, Dutch sailors would dance to hornpipes. The second paragraph in this link suggests the sailor's hornpipe was in fact derived from a Dutch dance, nothing to do with the British pastoral dance.

http://www.ceolas.org/cgi-bin/ht2/ht2-fc2/file=/tunes/fc2/fc.html&style=&refer=&abstract=&ftpstyle=&grab=&linemode=&max=250?Sailor's+Hornpipe

It's just that the hornpipes were awfully small, cheap and easy for sailors to use onboard.

Mudge would know for sure, though. He was there.

Bob S., my gun rant was directed at Gary Masters, not you. I was responding to the part about a society like Switzerland where folks own guns and live in peace. I'm not disputing that assertion, by the way; it is just, alas, my experience that for whatever cultural reason, widespread gun ownership in the U.S. doesn't have the same result. I truly do worry that some of the people who have little regard (for whatever reason) for others' lives, or for their part in taking others' lives, will have access to nuclear materials.

Ivansmom-Gary Master was just trotting out one of those dumb "If you criminalize gun ownership only the criminals will have guns" arguments. I contend the Swiss aren't peaceful because they have guns, but in spite of it. (Assuming gun ownership is that widespread in Switzerland, I didn't check.)

While I have enjoyed shooting sports much of my life, I don't understand how people can believe it actually makes law abiding citizens safer to have a significant number of their neighbors carrying concealed handguns. I'm not sure I'd be comfortable with a man whose primary job is US Senator deciding if someone he sees approaching him in the dark in a "suspicious manner" is a threat to be shot at or just me walking to my parked car.

My heart is touched by, first, dr's description of the curlers being piped in, and second, CP's talk of 'dancing a set.' Dancing a set is not exactly, but very close, to the dances in the fantastic BBC rendition of Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth (who did not think he dances, but would rather like to try). And CP knows laments. The Flowers of Forest, on pipes, causes me to projectile weep.

I do believe I shall have a piper at my funeral.

Thanks for that info about covering the pots with plastic CP.

I've posted about guns before. Although I understand the fear of home invasion, the risks inherent in gun ownership, especially in a family with children, make it a non-starter for me. Further, it is my assertion that the two best things things for home protection are a