Your article says that a President makes decisions. Dubya infamously calls himself The Decider.

And your bad president comment about Warren G. Harding is letting James Buchanan off the hook a little too easy.

And I was first, but I'm not into bragging about it.

I wasn't first and I doubt I'll be last either.

Now if money and prizes were involved...

yellojkt - May your humility serve as an example to others!

By the way, while checking the previously mentioned e-mail account (which I do very seldom) I came across some offers that I feel I should share.

If anyone is in need of good deals on male enhancement aids, fine watches, or sex videos starring myself (I don't remember appearing in them, but apparently they are available for a reasonable cost, and I think they have some of you, too!) please let me know. I can send you the contact information for sources.

Like a thirsty man crawling through the desert, I seized upon this intelligent article and was slaked. Thanks you for this, J.A.

Gosh, I hate it when my left hand isn't talking to my right!

Beautiful morning here in the banana belt. 70 @ 11:00 pdt, best for quite a while. The sky is clear the color of washed LEVIs. The only thing visible in the sky are the con trails of commerical jets. The window in front of my computer faces east and the flight paths for north bound planes to Portland and Seattle. They say air travel is down but on days like this there at least two and lots of times four con trails visable.
A pair of house finches have been occupying the crab apple tree in front of my window flying in and out of the lilac bush to access in the strom damage to last year's nest. Another pair stop by once in a while but are quickly discouraged. A pair of goldfinches are always waiting in the morning at the feeder for me . Last year we had at least two nesting pair and all the off spring stayed around all summer to drink and bath in our deck fountain. Three hummers are now back. Only one showed up off and on through the winter. Someone near by must had a better feeder.

The thing I don't like about the presidental contests are they seem to be won by the person that can raise the most money. Isn't that like buying votes?

Only a guy who sees the glass half full writes an excellent sentence like this...

"A number of historians have asserted that he is the worst president the nation has ever had, which, if nothing else, is the best news that fans of Warren G. Harding have had in years."

There is more to being president than just the buck stopping there. I am going to vote for Senator Obama because he has said things that lead me to believe that he is willing to help government employees do their job well. As an old bureaucrat, I believe that is important. You can't be successful if you are an enemy of the people who work for you. Ultimately, the president has to balance what is good for the American people with what is *good* for the government. Herein lies the difficulty.

I planted hosta roots on the bank this morning, with hope that some of them will come up. This afternoon, Mr. T and I noticed galax growing on the land below our porch. I will have to watch over it, to make sure it thrives.

Yikes... the 2:37 was me. Sorry.

It's more like they're getting paid to run by the people who want to vote for them, bh.

But I agree with you, I'm not keen on huge contributions from individuals playing a role in presidental politics. (The current cap on individual donations is around 3K for primary and general combined I believe).

Bill Gate alone could out-fund any other individual if he chose to fund a campaign.

Which is why I'm not keen on the fact that Hillary donated her own campaign 5 million. It was good PR for the fact she needed money, but it also would be a donation she could not ethically accept from anybody else.

What if it was a billionaire running? "Oh I give myself 200 million" and then proceed to outspend everybody else, media blitzes, etc.

What is she going to do if she can't get enough votes in Congress for the bills she wants passed? Buy them?

Some of the curmudgeons here (I'm not mentioning any names, mind you!) might be amused by a letter to the editor today:

"... Twenty years ago, creative marketing minds were successfully selling the idea of cigarettes specially made for women and of fast food as a good alternative to cheaper and more healthful meals made at home. The long-term consequences of those campaigns are now being seen..."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/24/AR2008042403314.html

I seem to remember that particular marketing strategy going back a little more than twenty years!

Mr. Achenbach

An excellent kit and exactly what is needed to open up our minds a bit about the job of the President. I would not wish it on my most hated enemy. A thank-less job it is,but I suppose it has it rewards too. I touched on the subject a little bit this morning in my answer to a question.

I hope my answer to CC's question did not offend members of the blog. If so, I do apologize.

Slyness, I see you've made up your mind about your vote. I'm still in thought. I'll have it together by voting time.

Cassandra - You did fine this morning, although I'm not sure that you ever got around to answering the question that CC asked. But then, if it was easy, we'd all have figured it out by now!

I am hearing lately that Hillary has to raise more money to prevail. But she can't mathematically win. So what will all the other funds buy? Only more negative allusions about Obama?

What is the purpose of all the adds in the remaining primaries? Everyone that is going to vote know who (whom) the candidates are and all that they are willing to reveal about their proposals. The only thing we don't know about the three is their running mate and that won't know that until after the conventions. We here in Oregon are starting to get bombarded by the adds and President Clinton is making the rounds making speaches and suggesting another debate here.

Does anyone else find it odd that the president went to a photo op with organ donors and a 'heart' surgeon?

bh - I refuse to vote for any of these clowns until they invite me to a picnic. I believe that many voters feel the same. Why should the Iowans and New Hampshire-ites have all of the fun? Obviously, it's gonna take some serious green to throw all of these picnics, so cough it up, pal!

boko, had to laugh at your comment, and yes, it is odd.

bob s, yes, it was a hard question. i tried to shine as many points of light as i could on the subject, not all, but some.

The title of this Kit gives me a tune cootie of Camelot's "What Do the Simple Folk Do?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3gf-7bDwvg

I prefer my picnics with a babbling brook instead of a babbling politican

Point taken! :-)

Likewise, the ADA act was passed by a group of legislators that were not themselves disabled, after long effort and publicity. It took over 40 years (since the end of WWWII) to even get a bill banning discrimination for the disabled in front of Congress and alive. What caused the change of heart?

Intensive lobbying across all segements of the society, including other civil rights groups not directly tied to disability issues.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americans_with_Disabilities_Act_of_1990

One majo ADA activist was from a wealthy Chicago family-- Justin Dart. He got polio (just like FDR) and was not able to obtain a teaching certificate because of his disability.

Ruthie B. Cowl was a strong advocate and not only talked, but took action and set standards for her center that were later adopted in the ADA. She was the daughter of Russian immigrants.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruthe_B._Cowl

Does their backgrounds matter? Probably. However, their character and deeds matter far more.

In Candyland, it's not what color you are, but achieving your goals that matters. Obama won Iowa. That is WHAT really gave him a leg up on Hillary, not the black vote.

Whoops. that was part II.

Here's part I.

I thought your answer was rather good, Cassandra.

Life isn't Candyland, yet the color issues always seem to move us back a few squares now and then.

Yes, because of who Barack is, he is winning a certain segment of the vote. But the same was claimed of JFK because he was catholic, southerners because they were southern, and so on.

Now, Bill Clinton carried his own home state of Arkansas and nobody cast aspersions that he only did so well because he was from Arkansawww. It had never happened before in history. Likewise, Barack's success is a first on the national stage. There have been more female senators than black senators since Reconstruction as well.

You have to be from SOMEWHERE culturally. That particular background gives you some connections to some people, and disconnects you from others.

A president, though, must serve the entire nation somehow.

Thus, we had Ike order desegregation of Washington DC and in the military because of his experiences overseas and seeing foreign leaders be treated racially because their skin was the wrong color, giving them a very negative impression of America. He was serving America's image aboard by taking the first steps towards desegregation. He wasn't serving "his own people" or anything like that. He was serving the nation, best as he could from his own background.

It is however, fairly probable that if he had just been a typical civilian politican and hadn't served aboard for so long, he might not have been so acutely sensitive to the diplomatic issues involved with segregation and had the confidence to just order that whole nonsense to end.

(Hypothetical civilian president: "But won't ending segregation in DC offend the southern senators and make them less likely to vote the way I want?")

Just to pile on, even though it may be a bit pedantic for a pleasant Saturday afternoon (well, it's pleasant and Saturday here. Depending upon your time zone, your mileage may vary):

Cassandra: You can't really have it both ways. If you tell yourself that racism is bad, but (given that it actually exists in the real world) you'll pick the team that's been treated unfairly, you can't also be morally and intellectually honest about denouncing it as a philosophical strategy. Race is a false dichotomy, used as a shorthand for many MUCH more complicated issues. I wish the world was as simple as skin color, but I don't live in that world. Many years of living in many places amongst many types of people has convinced me that "race" is just a red herring, and "racism" is a strategy employed by liars & bullies who would be just as happy using any other discriminator if race wasn't available. (Darn those star-bellied Sneetches!)

Yes, one has to deal with "race" as an issue, as it's utilized by others. But as soon as you buy into the game yourself, you become part of the problem.

Wilbrod

I wanted to be a teacher even as a child, and after I went back to school to get my teaching certificate, I was deaf by that time, I still tried so hard. I used the equipment that was available at the time to help me to achieve my goal. When I got in the classroom, it was totally different. I just could not hear the children even with the equipment. And I decided the children deserved better. They needed answers, and I could not hear their questions.

The ADA is a good piece of legislation, but it does not seem to have much impact. Around here, no one knows anything about it. And maybe the impact here is not what it is somewhere else. I think it is a wonderful law, I just wish it made some stuff a little easier and more people knew about it here.

I still keep my hand in the game. Children are so happy when they can succeed at their school work. We're gearing up for the summer program, and of course, Vacation Bible school.

Cassandra, the ADA has not made a significant difference in employment for diablities, thanks to some poor writing and anti-employee court decisions.

However it has made a difference in the ability to get to work to start with (now if they could only get a job...).

Cassandra, one of my old professors died a year ago.
He had taught for years in a medical school in South Africa, and he was deaf. His speech wasn't brilliant (in fact I never saw any indication he could speak), and he had the same problem as you, he couldn't hear the students.
His skill lay in how he organized lesson plans and set up laboratories so the students could learn hands-on with minimial assistance and abundant explanation if they got confused.

This is how deaf people compensate, unfortunately... they have to research and plan out contigencies in advance. "What if this happens? I can't depend on finding somebody to ask. I need to know this and that in advance..."

No doubt if you were teaching and went deaf, you would feel a bit more confident that you could help the children even with being deaf, because you had the knowledge to draw on.

I can see how hard it would be as a new teacher with the nerves. I'm glad you are tutoring children because one-on-one is so much easier for those who must lipread and guess at things, and you are developing your skills. A teacher or tutor does have to listen, and that's not always the same as hearing them.

Hands up who wants to hear a debate between Hillary and Barack... again?

*Keeping hand down*.

For the love of God, no more debates between HRC and Obama!

Beautiful day here, lots of weeding and re-working of some flower beds. The Joe Pye Weed is going gangbusters!

I hope everyone is having a great weekend. Slyness? Are you feeling better?

Darn it, let's name some running mates! I wanna see some gems like these:

Bentsen - Quail
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRCWbFFRpnY&feature=related

Stockdale
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6n5OQVzVVQ

To all who have read the "Caine Mutiny": do you remember the reason Keefer gave for Captain Queeg and his strawberry fixation?

While I've seen the film somewhat more recently, I haven't read the book since the 70's. "Paranoia" is what comes to mind, but I'm guessing that you're looking for something more specific?

Thanks for asking, Kim! I still have a cough and some residual congestion, but I feel much better. Next week, I'll be back to the normal exercise schedule!

You have Joe Pye Weed? I'm frenvious. I've bought seed to put out here in the mountains but haven't done it yet. If we get rain tonight, I may put them out tomorrow. If not, I'll do it when we're up here in a couple of weeks. It's experimental for me, to see if they come up.

Oh - And he was reliving an earlier incident where he uncovered skulduggery on a different ship, or something!

I Google'd. "The great cheese theft"!

Good afternoon Boodle! It surely does feel strange to shovel snow with song birds singing amidst the still falling flakes.

I've been waiting for someone of Joel's stature to point out that it is crazy to think that anyone can be ready to be president "from day one."

Oh yes Frostbitten!
So many birds have already returned north for the summer so I took pity and bought some parakeet seed mixes and dumped them among the trees (and on some branches) and hope they get the fuel they need, the snow is really too deep for foraging on the ground. It's 3 inches at least, much deeper in the drifts, and still snowing.

I don't know how long it will take for them to go for the seed, I figure 20 minutes at least.

A president guides; and this one has guided us right into a season in hell.

Not to say that existence is continually hellish--well, not for me--but for some it is, and that some, under this administration, has grown to an ever greater legion in number. And will continue to grow, the sad seeds of ineptitude and delusion bearing a long developing ill-smelling fruit.

#1126

Shall I take thee, the Pup said
To the snowbound bird?
Be stationed within porches covered
Till I have feathers discovered --

The Pup searched the flurries
And when about to lift leg
Against the boughs heavy with birds
There came unsummoned in --

The scolding of the master
The birds applied to flight
Not unto admiration
The cur's dedication reveals --

Wilbrod-I have dozens of birds congregating at a feeder that has sustained only squirrels for weeks. It's driving the frostcats so crazy they've forgotten they are not allowed on the kitchen counter.

The birdwatching is so much better from the window over the sink. (and yes, watch is all we want to do)

Popping in for a minute. Wilbrod, an individual can contribute $2300 per federal candidate per election (primary, general, special and run-off all being separate elections). There are different limits for contributing to parties, PACs, state candidates, etc., but Bill Gates can't completely fund a campaign even if he wanted to. On top of that, HRC lent the money to herself...a reportable action. Other candidates line up finances from other sources for use down the road. And all that money has to be paid back, regardless of who the lender is. It's practically an industry unto itself. Hope this info is helpful.

Besides, $ doesn't always equate to winning.

Smugness all around -- my beloved Detroit Red Wings just made mincemeat of the Colorado Avalanche, winning 5-1 in the second game of the series. We're up 2-0 and now go over to their house to play for two games. I suspect the dynamic will be different, but, man, I see a Stanley Cup in our immediate future.

It sorta makes up for the embarrassing, and frightfully shocking cr@ppy play (if you can call it that) of my Pistons last night. Geez. (dutifully putting bag back over head.)

Ok, sports report over. Back to the regular stuff. And may you all be the same.

In the previous Boodle, CC said:
"good question but is it also not true that polls show overwhelming black support for Sen. Obama? How is this different? Is it better? Worse?"

I think what is different when you support someone - minority, woman, Catholic, etc - who has historically not held power - you are doing so with an affirmation of their worthiness to hold office. You're not saying, I don't think that blacks or women or whatever don't have what it takes to hold office, which is what someone voting against Obama based on his race may be thinking. Now maybe that's not what the people who responded to the poll were thinking, either - hard to tell. But I grew up in western PA, and I can tell you I bet there are plenty of people who wouldn't vote for a black person if he was the only one on the ballot.

Obama has to walk a fine line. He can hardly generalize and say the people won't vote for him because he's black, because they're bigots. Look at what happened when he said they were bitter. But I bet in some cases that is happening. I hope it's a small percentage.

I thought it was interesting that Obama did not get automatic strong support from black voters at first. Once he proved he could win votes from whites, then they thought he was electable and started supporting him. Remember the question about whether he was black enough? To me, he's an extraordinary candidate. I'm not supporting him because he's (half) black, but that is part of who he is and the perspective he brings, so to me it's a plus. Just as Hillary's gender is a plus for me - but I think he's a better candidate for now.

And no, no more debates, please! Didn't someone suggest rock, paper, scissors awhile back?

Correct, ftb. Campaign finance rules currently prohibit this.

But could Bill Gates give himself 500 million to run for president?

That's the food for thought. And I agree with you that money doesn't equate to winning; just look at Ross Perot.

Yep, he could (if he swore off public financing, but then...why wouldn't he?). But it has to be paid back. And a lot of candidates do something very similar ... they just rack up debt and deal with paying for it after the election. Not very hard to do debt retirement when you're the incumbant. The money issue is a very nuanced aspect of the business of campaigns.

SCC: incumbent.

Off to make dinner. Happy day all.

Do campaign loans have to abide by minimum interest rules?

BobS, thank you for the advice. I've got plenty of addresses already.

Since the careening over the past month or so has been very public, I believe a public response was merited.

Unless the supremes rule otherwise on a case before them this session Gates could spend as much of his own money as he wanted. But, if he did, the limit on individual contributions to his opponent's campaign would be raised to $6900. It only takes spending $350,000 of your own money to trigger this provision, as well as one about reporting spending within 24 hours. I would think that reporting requirement is why candidates loan money to their campaigns rather than giving. Wouldn't want to give away strategy by reporting a big ad buy.

The AP has a summary of the case regarding the "millionaire's amendment" here-
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i6NjylWgU6ONVDct4NIb6I8RhgxAD9074BMG0

A decision is expected in time to affect this year's congressional campaigns.

dbG - I knew that! ;-)

mostlylurking - THAT is a fine and honorable response to the question. I've got a sneaking suspicion that many, many people are supporting their candidate of choice in the Democratic race for those very reasons, without ever having elucidated them so clearly. While it makes no (morally or intellectually defensible) sense to support a candidate strictly because of his/her race or gender, it can make a great deal of sense to support a candidate in order to assert the worthiness of candidates of that "type" to hold office.

Where's Yoki? I was kidding about the joke, you know. I loved it. I've even worked on it a bit. When I think I've got it right, I'll pass it on.

Good news, northerners who appreciate schadenfreude! The wind is beginning to blow, here in central Maryland. The cold front is arriving and we can anticipate thunderstorms, rain, and such-like entertainment.

From The Trail, the following headline: Clinton's New Debate Tact

Who the heck is editing these things? That's "tack", you fools, "tack"! Like in sailing.

Tim - It just left here (Springfield, VA). Let me know how you like it!

Let's not be so hasty in assuming "tack" was meant. Tract? Tacky? Act? Cat?

I would like to see a new debate cat.

Howdy. It has been a lovely day here. I planted vegetables and a lobelia border. With any luck at all some of it will survive to be enjoyed. The Boy, on the other hand, played outside. He came in and said I'd be amazed at how small baby wasps are. That's one of those openings I don't really want to follow up.

This is a fine article. Ivansdad often wishes the campaign trail gave us more indication of how a candidate would actually perform in the job. Obama gave a credible list of similarities on Jon Steward the other day (performance under stress, thinking on feet etc) but that doesn't begin to cover it.

Cassandra, I liked your thoughts on the campaign and race very much. I also believe race should not be what a person's vote is about, and that the country needs to move on, because I was raised color-blind. That has been easy for me, though, since as a white person I've never had the experiences which would point out to me the other world in which so many people live. I've been in the minority occasionally but it isn't the same. It is a hard question.

Time to cut up the roast chicken.

Tim - I'm not quite sure why your "tact/tack" brings this to mind, but I had to make a quick decision yesterday morning. As the Metro train pulled into the stop at which I intended to disembark (with me standing in the center of the doorway), I was confronted with a woman standing on the platform (with large wheeled pull luggage, no less!) about 18 inches from the doors, nicely centered. When the doors opened, I looked at her. She looked at me. A couple of folks wormed around us, but the flow impediment was quite substantial.

I bit back my more acerbic remarks, and let loose with: "You're quite certain that standing in the middle of the doorway is a good idea, are you? That's a rookie mistake, you know!" The woman behind me laughed and clapped.

I dunno know if it'll change her behavior, but I'm going to guess that she thought about for at least a few moments.

Public advice, that, BobS? :-)

DON'T STAND IN THE WAY OF PEOPLE TRYING TO GET OFF OF THE TRAIN!!!

Oh, yeah, and if you're not going to walk up the escalator, then stand to the right side.

Thanks!

And push those grocery carts down the aisle on the right, people. What do you think this is, England?

Actually, I'm seldom in such a hurry that I give a darn. But, because many folks ARE in such a hurry, the conventions are actually useful, I think. When I made my remarks to the poor, misguided soul yesterday, I had a big grin on my face.

And don't cut in front of people in the last 1-2 yards before the exit, or dawdle on the exit platform.

Never pass people within the last few yards of the exit; you may not see what is in front of them (luggage, child, etc.) and cause them to trip and stumble upon exit.

And no passing goes double if the person has a guide or service dog which needs to exit with at least a yard's headroom in front at a trot or better.

I abide by the right-side rule except in the last 3-4 yards. There was an incident 15 years ago when a guide dog got its paw horribly mutilated because some jerk passed and cut right in front of the guide dog as it was exiting. (You can find the incident in the WaPo archives, I believe).

A dog's rear end is still moving when the front paws are on the platform, so a dog forced to bring up short runs a real risk of injury, even if the paw doesn't get caught in the comb plate.

Therefore, I have absolutely no qualms about blocking all passers in the final stage for my dog's safety. Courtesy to idiots in a hurry will only cost me thousands in vet bills and unforgiveable guilt.

I also wish to remind all that the metro's official policy is that their escalators are not intended for passing people on.

Thank you. Stay to the right, all, and remember that your urge to save a few seconds on your commute is not worth injuring somebody else over.

Remember the story Pat told about the guy who mowed him down in the metro and then yelled out "Are you blind!?"

As best I can determine, MWATA's official policy is that escalators are stationary staircases, given to occasional & unpredictable movements.

Wilbrod - I have no problem with you choosing to block the staircase, just like I proudly proclaim my right to use words and phrases like "ain't" and "them colored people". Just make sure that you've girded your loins for the ensuing battles!

No time for backboodling now, gotta run, but here is yesterday's report:

It would seem I'm slowly losing my ability to multi-task, or at least some coordination.

Yesterday AM: I tried to put on my socks while tying my shoes...couldn't do it!

Afternoon: I saw some kids, about six or seven, playing in the rec yard. Decided to show them a thing or two. "Watch this, I'll skip and walk at the same time." Oops...couldn't do it.

Looking down I noticed my shoe was untied. At least I didn't fall flat on my face again!

Later that evening: Hanging out in my favorite Dive, I thought I'd give it one more try. I ordered a Jim Beam and a beer. Tried to drink them both at the same time...couldn't do it.

Then I had a brain storm...

I poured the JB into the beer.

Multitasking is Back. Oh Yeah. It tasted like [really bad word]...couldn't do it.

Seems the only two things I can at the same time anymore are watch Movies and drink beer.

Watched "Lions and Lambs' with Laura Linney and PSH...

LiT, I raised a Boddington for you...

Hope this makes sense

Just so you understand my point - before you get your dander up in dog-defending dudgeon - I'll point out that much of your (theoretical) danger comes from the dances you'll have with the WMATA staff. Those folks often have only a vague awareness of the rules that they've been entrusted to enforce. What they DO know is that if you're annoying to them, then they don't like you very much, be you white, hearing, female, old, male, black, young, deaf, canine, bovine, equine, or even supine!

I've never had any kind of conflict, and they even let me use the bathroom, back before it was cool! But I've witnessed many run-ins that were silly "head-butting" affairs, of exactly the type that led to the arrests for chewing a last french fry - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/19/AR2005071902106.html

, or scarfing the bit of a candy bar - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A22456-2004Jul28.html,

or talking on the cell phone too loudly http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A55325-2004Sep27.html

Yes. Tons of sense. I'm on my way out to raise a glass of pinot or two. Might try to have an intelligent conversation at the same time. We'll see if I can multi-task tonight.
Have a great one.

Interesting human evolution story here:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/04/080424-humans-extinct.html

However, I chose to read the original paper here and it's much more specific and a little less sensational.

http://www.ajhg.org/AJHG/abstract/S0002-9297(08)00255-3

This says the San (the short-statured hunter-gather tribe also known as rainforest pygmies) shows strong evidence of having been isolated for a while... or escaping a genetic bottleneck that happened further north. (Check Khoisan in the wikipedia).

I think the comma at the end messed this one (the candy bar link) up:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A22456-2004Jul28.html

How's the Super-Matrilineal collider going? [For obvious reasons, I don't feel welcome on-site.]

SCC: Make that YesterdayToday

Back to the wonderful lovely Laura

Mudge, you can have your Lilly, but keep your hands off my Linney

mmm

Bob S.-- I do it last second precisely because I don't want to get in a wrangle.

I have no problems with people passing us on a long staircase, but cutting in front or jostling upon the exit is simply where I draw the line. Not just for me, but for all people who have ever been shoved on the exit.

Fortunately few people actually want to try and vault over a dog when I move him out from my side for the exit. I also adopt a "wide stance" not unlike an certain Idaho congressman.

Pat's story is exactly why I play zone defense. It's amazing how many people on the metro are clueless that people may be deaf, blind, cane-abled etc.

One nice thing about being accompanied by Wilbrodog is much fewer people glare at me as much for failing to respond to their comments behind my back about the time, or other such banalities.

Sometimes I think the leading cause of paranoia in deaf people is all the glares they receive for failing to respond in a courteous manner to mumbled remarks across half the room.

I like to think they can read Wilbrodog's outfit and figure things out, but most likely they're too busy staring at his canitude to talk.

Omni - Are you sure that you're not thinking of Miss Lotte Lenya (and old Lucy Brown)?

omni, trouble multi-tasking?

Um, Boodling and working?

Reading while perched on the throne?

See, you can do it.

bc

SCC: apparently canitude is a word meaning "greyness, hoarity" which applies to Wilbrodog's chin only.

I mean of course, his curious puposity.

SCC hogging yet again... Caninity. That's it!

Tanks Lit, Now there's a smile on my face.

For those who don't: para 12 is a BPH top secret.

only 10, 11 and 12 are true.

The rest was made up for my amusement...I'm easily humored...

And 5 was a joke.

If only I could count with my toes I could count to One Thousand...HaHa,,,ask me about it.

omni... God gave you two hands for a reason, y'know. JB in the left, beer in the right.

Not that I'm an expert or anything.

Gotta head back out to the shop to shut everything down and off and make sure nothing will catch the house on fire. Wasn't the most productive day in fairy door land, but productive enough. Six doors done and six more in the works. I think that makes something like 700 of them since August.

Hope you all find the time to do something silly or crazy tonight. Otherwise, vote for McCain and break out your lap blankets and shotguns.

I'd wiggle my bum in your general directions, but it's too tired. You'll have to do with a "peace out".

So peace out, my friends... catch you all on the morrow :-)

Bob S., good point.

My only saving grace is that this behavior is not illegal as far as all the signs go, while smoking and eating etc. in the metro is certainly illegal. However I'm willing to be instructed otherwise.

BTW, I am appalled at all the smokers who think the escalators means "technically not in the metro yet."

Wilbrod - I'm with you on the rules "as written". The only time I ever broke the smoking rule, I was duly chastised. I was at the Huntington station (it's an above-ground station, with two platforms on either side of the central tracks) late one weekend afternoon, with no one about, and walked out to the end of the platform and lit a cigarette. Hey, there was literally nobody around. Who could it bother? Within moments, I heard an indistinct hissing. It turned out to be someone who had walked up onto the other platform, saw me smoking, and wanted to be darned certain that I was aware that it was against the rules. [Presumably, he wasn't being bothered by the actual smoke, just by the rule-breaking.] I've never felt even slightly tempted to repeat the transgression.

Tim - If you're still with us, I think that there's more weather headed your way! (Rain, lightning, there may even have been some frogs & boils!)

Maybe not. In the immortal words of Hedley Lamarr, "too Jewish!"

The day stayed beautiful. We took a drive over the summit and state line to give the dogs a run by a mountain stream and to stop by the state line liquior store for a 40% savings.

Something for Yoki to glance at when she has a breather. Linguistic analysis of "pragmatics" in autistic people indicate autistic people know more than is assumed.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080425144319.htm

What this indicates is that autistics have problems with nonliteral pragmatics because they violate the pragmatic rules they've learned of grammar. (This is why we call them "literal-minded.")

They just miss out on the next level of linguistic pragmatics as cued by implied subtext by body language or tone of voice.

An interesting point, and worth studying further.

Mind the gap!

bh, enjoyed hearing about your day, the ride up the mountain and your songbirds.

Lately I'm spending some of my weekends studying for a certfication... a 4-hour exam. As my husband commented, I compete with myself. But really, I need this to stay competitive at work. Plus, I'm actually learning something. And it was very windy and cold today, which helps.

Hey, I'm watching the Whitehouse Correspondence dinner. Ouch. But there are some laughable moments.

And Joel, liked your essay. Glad I don't have to manage 3 million people.

You know, somehow I've never minded the gap. I actually appreciate the frisson!

omni, I was at the BPH, obviously.

Just yanking your chain a little bit.

Nothing wrong with Friday Night at the Movies Self-Indulgence Rituals, sir.

I've several Self-Indulgent Rituals myself.

bc

Which you shall not enumerate, I hope, sir.

Thanks eidrib for that heads up on the dinner, better than watching The Punisher for the 10th time, which is what I was going to do. 100s of channels and nothing to watch.

SCC: White House Correspondents' Dinner

While I'm some kinda of annoyed that I haven't caught the Correspondent's Dinner yet, I'm consoling myself with the [fairly dumb] "Mudd's Women" episode of Star trek.

You go, Harry!

My pleasure, frostbitten.

Bob S. it's on right now..live!

So, was Harry Mudd the first mainstream male character with a dangly earring? (I'm excluding pirates & Mr. Clean)

[sound of overhead emergency speakers clicking on, followed by a short feedback squeal]

ATTENTION, BOODLERS:

Spoke with Curmudgeon by phone a short while ago (Re. a topic that has nothing at all to do with the Boodle. Really.), and he asked me to let you know that he's still having Internet problems at home and that he'll be offline until Monday afternoon.

Expect to see him in the Boodle Command Bunker at that time, doiling away on the interior of the place.

Thank you.

[sound of speakers clicking off]

bc

We had a busy week that has spilled into this weekend. spring band events have occurred the past two Saturdays, beginning at 7 in the morning. Thus, sleep has been a scarce commodity. We continued our spring planting today and set three hydrangeas, two Mr. Lincoln roses and some ornamental called wieglia. Ours is the variegated morph. Two azalea were transplanted to one of the front beds and, voila, we have the rudiments of a landscape not dominated by skanky weeds. I have only been able to catch bits and pieces of the Stanley Cup playoff via an internet audio feed. I do hope the Habs, Rangers and Red Wings prevail and that the championship matches are on the public airwaves. It would help boost my happy stat.

jack - Those whose morphs are variegated will always have a more interesting ride through life!

Did you really expect Roger Porter of Harvard to be fair in his comments about Carter, given that Porter worked in the Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations?

DeCaro is an interesting man and the penultimate scholar and researcher. I think he knows every nook and cranny of Johnson's life and presidency. I hope you, Joel, enjoyed speaking with or interviewing him last week as much as I enjoyed hearing him discuss Johnson and our own conversation following his lightly attended presentation several years ago in San Antone.

yeah, Bob. I'm feeling a little variegated myself these days. Kind of toward the blue side. This, too, shall pass.

Way to go Jack. I had to break a trail through knee deep snow to fill the bird feeder and you make me get all misty over weigelia, and I almost never miss it and the NC garden I left 18 years ago. Good choices all, but Mr. Lincoln engenders massive frenvy as it just won't make it through winters here without much more care than I am willing to provide.

bc, you'll have to yank harder than that. Cause I didn't feel a thing.

Now who's yankin'

Tee...hee

martooni, I get the two hands concept, it's just the two mouths I'm lacking

Bob S,,,no...But here: http://aeiou.iicm.tugraz.at/aeiou.encyclop.data.image.l/l480000a.jpg

Do your own google search for Laura!

Took a small break from to B5 to listen to Lisa and then Rita. Was dancing.

Started watching B5.\\Pause.

I'm gonna dance again some more..

I'm a fool (Zappa)

Loomis - I'll point out that I was technically an employee of Carter & Reagan & Bush the First & Clinton (The First?). [US Air Force from 1980 - 1992, bartender/bar manager for a couple of different Air Force bases 1992 - 1997]

I'm well aware that you may not consider me to be capable of making fair comments about ANYTHING, but I'd like to think that it's because you consider me to be a generally ignorant jackass, not because you think that I've been tainted by my previous employment!

*Dodging the kicks of a Bob S. busy braying with laughter*

From this corner... may I say I respect your comments, Bob? Can you let me go now?

Everyone's free to go now!

Robin Givhan takes on the fashion of polygamist sects
"...Of all the things in modern society that could cause offense, it is curious that fashion ranks so high. Wouldn't the incessant ringing of cellphones be more obnoxious than, say, a dress with a zipper?..."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/25/AR2008042500927.html?hpid=topnews

Because there are certain trademark issues still unresolved, I won't be able to give you the full ratings table, but...

In fact, the incessant ringing of a cell phone is precisely 16.2% (19.6 ratings points) more obnoxious than a dress with a zipper, in situations in which both things are expected. [Except that's not really precise. It's just an arithmetic mean of the ratings of the 612 men and 963 women who answered that particular question in a way that was judged to be accurate, reliable, and objective.]

The ratings skew quickly in both directions if one or the other (dress w/zipper / phone) is considered to be unnecessary or undesirable by the respondent, and gender/demographic analysis reveals some fun quirky stuff.

When the book comes out, you're gonna love it!

Lisa and Rita then Ivete Sangalo.

This:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yohwsN12WQU

axé

Reminds me of Daniela Mercury

Wilbrod, unless you read Portuguese I'm not even going to try to find the lyrics...

Um, I'll try to figure it, maybe tomorrow...

Robin Givhan doth protest too much, methinks. She's absolutely correct that the effect is strong. I'm just wondering why she wants to pretend to think that she's the only one who's noticed that it's intentional? She knows that I know that the LDS women know that she knows that I know that it's an intentional style. Right?

Daniela: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xnzZ67dg6k

Ignore first 40 secs
Now you know what to search for

Daniela Mercury

and

Ivete Sangalo

Thanks, Omni. Portuguese in a way is quite readable if you just consider it to be consistently poorly-spelled Spanish.

Um.

I hope I didn't just whip up a lot of Portuguese umbrage...

Omni...I'm back from my multi-tasking. Apparently, I'm limited to two things at once, because I'm starving (going to heat up leftover mashed po's.)

omni, you're right, I didn't yank that hard.

Oh, my. *That* didn't sound right.

bc

Who knew FLDS fashion was the subject of so much analysis?

In what will be a sure contender for "understatement of the year award" the AP's Hilary Rhodes writes, "Allison Berlin, founder of Style Made Simple, doesn't expect FLDS-inspired fashion to go mainstream. 'Women don't actually want to look like that,' she said."
Read more of "Polygamist Sects Frocks Unlikely to Rock" here:
http://www.kentucky.com/216/story/383121.html

And what must be the most unusual reporting beat in the nation, Brooke Adams covers polygamy for the Salt Lake Tribune
http://blogs.sltrib.com/plurallife/

If you can figure out an investment angle, I'd suggest that you go for the FLDS look right now. This is going to get some lasting buzz. Even if you can't figure out an investment angle, give it a shot. I think it's kinda hot! Now I shall, in accordance with the directions of the immortal Bard:

"Exit, pursued by a bear."

G'nite/morning, all.

I'm not really here. But if I were, I'd recommend this article about the long, tiring campaigns:

"Now, This Is Campaign Fatigue"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/04/26/ST2008042602089.html?hpid=topnews

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

I am getting ready to hit the showers. I want to go to Sunday school and church services this morning. I think we got some rain last night. I haven't checked outside yet.

The g-girl came by last night, and got in my bed, and went soundly to sleep. She was out before I could call her name. She did not spend the night. Mom got her. I think she misses the bed. She is growing so fast, and getting ready to sign up for big kids school. I haven't talked to my grandsons, will try to reach them today. The last time I called them, got the answering machine, and they never return my calls.

I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend, despite whatever the weather is.

In my prayers this morning, I did include my friends here at the Achenblog, and asked that God bless your life and the life of your family, through His Son, Jesus.

Martooni, good morning, Slyness, Scotty, and Mudge, good morning to all.*waving*

Time to go. Have a good day, my friends, give God some of your time, and enjoy your families.

Good morning all. Heavy spring howers have washed away most of the grime of winter last night. The air smells fresh and new this morning.
Joel raise a good point, the Presidential election is about putting a (large) team in the White House. Yet, the campaign is strictly about the main man/woman. Can candidate give an idea of whom they would pick for the big jobs like SecDef, Sec of State and so on? One has to rely on the endorsement to make a guess, but that is highly unreliable.
On to a walk with the Puppy, to make sure I'm back for the start of the Spain GP.
BTW the Puppy has been a pest while I was away. He escaped twice to go in the wetlands (a.k.a. swamp) on the other side of the street. He came back covered in green an brown stuff. So he had a bath, twice. He obviously found something to snack on the second he escped. But the vaguely avian thing didn't agree with his stomach and it came back up. Wrapped in dead leaves. Yuck.

Morning, boodle. I'm off to the Newseum to stalk Maureen Dowd. She's on the panel of This Week today. I'll boodle if I need bail money.

SCC Blanket SCC on my previous post. Did I needed more coffee or what?

I can't help it...When I see "What Does a President Do" I hear Rev Jim's voice and cadence...what does a yellow light mean. Could be because the current Pres seems to have a similar grasp of reality. Could be I need another cup of coffee.

Standing by to fax bail money to Mo MoDo.

Cool, cloudy morning in the mountains. We only had a little rain last night, just enough to wet down the dust on the road. Mr. T and I went to our favorite little mountain restaurant for breakfast, so we won't eat again till suppertime.

Have a good time at church, Cassandra.

Mornin's all around...

Me and Bean are going to build a robot today (it was that or plunk down $100 or so in gas and admission tickets for the zoo).

This will be a purely "decorative" robot (and I hope more fun than a giraffe, though that would be some tall competition [cue rimshot]). I also have no gizmos, whatchamacallits, thingies, doo-dads or even a backpack nuclear power source on hand to make it move (or even beep obscenities in Morse Code). Even if I did, I wouldn't have a clue how to use them.

Anyway, happy Sunday morning to all. If you happen to see a large mushroom cloud off to the northwest of DC, that's just me and Bean doing a little "yard work" here in Youngstown. We'll do our best to keep the fallout on our side of the fence.

Peace out... (or as robots say, "bleep-boop-bleep, burp-bloog-bleep-whirrrr", which doesn't exactly translate to "Peace out"... it's more like "All your base are belong to us").

I thought the point of the way the FLDS women dressed was to ensure that they felt separate from the outside world, not some old-timey sensibility.

Givhan notes that they are "dressed in the washed-out hues of institutional garb, a bit like old-fashioned prison inmates" which I think more describes their situation. The men run the show there and dictate how the women look.

And who can write about FLDS or even LDS fashion without mentioning the underwear?

http://www.hankstuever.com/mormon.html

http://www.mormoncurtain.com/topic_garments.html

Damp and fairly peacful hereabouts this morning... I like it.

Chores galore on the docket for today, so off I ramble -- or perhaps "slowly hobble" is more appropriate, as I apparently tweaked a hamstring yesterday.

*slow-and-deliberate-upper-body-only-but-still-goofy-as-ever Grover waves*

:-)

Where are my manners? I forgot to say Good Morning, folks!

Today is Orthodox Easter. We're off to have a Big Fat Greek Lamb Dinner at my sister's house in Baltimore. Spending the day with 17 of my favorite people in the whole world!

Got to finish making the soup and dye the eggs now.

Quick note:

I like this idea!

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/27/us/27bikes.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

I would have liked it sooner if I'd been reading the Metro section more closely... *L*

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/18/AR2008041803037.html

Being a fan of the microbrews, I have no taste for the "light" mass market varieties. But lately I have been mixing my favorite local IPA with 50% ice-cold sparkling water. This yields a delicious, thirst-quenching concoction. Many advantages to this. Hydration is the least of them.

To gently quibble, penultimate means "next to last."

I have been having to unplug and re-plug my modem lately to get it to function. Also, here's a line I used with my net provider, after consulting a tech (and showing up at their counter with the modem they had me using nicely boxed up to turn in to them): "The tech recommended your newer modem." Yes, management often tries to get remaining life out of their older more problematic modems. Mildly but firmly pointing out that "this one barely functions" often will yield one of their newer models.

As usual, politics is driving me insane. Immediately after the Pennsylvania primary, MSNBC launched into an unbelieveable 56-hour non-stop marathon of trashing Obama. I was naively surprised by this! And left wondering exactly how the mechanism of the orders from on high work. Do they use threats, blackmail, on the news-show producers and the talking heads?

Happy Easter TBG. I'm sure you'll have a great day. Don't forget...bring home leftovers for the bunker fridge.

Speaking of Maureen Dowd...

Since Dowd sees fit to paint Hillary Clinton as Vlad the Impaler in her op-ed today... does anyone see the juxaposition as strange that this column of Dowd's should run concurrently today at the NYT with an op-ed by Elizabeth Edwards asking for journalists to be more responsible in discussing the ISSUES of the current presidential race?

I was a bit jarred by Dowd's (consistent, I must say) psychobabble vs. a more substantive look by Edwards about how certain members of the press pack (hmmm) were touting the lackluster campaign of Fred Thompson or the break-in at Dodd's campaign HQ in Hartford, while ignoring the details of health care plan offered by Biden--a plan that could impact all Americans. I do think more American's know Obama's recent bowling score, as Edwards suggests, instead of the fine points of Obama's health care plan.

Leftovers? Did I mention the 17 people? There likely will be leftover eggs. We can have a nice egg salad made with the fresh dill left after making the Easter soup, *not* using the recipe below...

http://www.faliraki-info.com/susie/greek-recipes/soups/magieritsa.htm

Unbelievable!

Last week I searched and came up with a number of sites which offered raised-bed garden frames. I weeded (ha!) out the ones which used plastic, metal or preserved wood, then saw one place offered the best deal by far on natural wood.

I just ordered a set of three stackables so I don't have to fence the dogs away from them.

The very nice lady on the phone explained they don't take credit cards, so would it be okay with me if they just billed me when they sent them in about a week. I could send them a check or money order. She confided that they're about a week behind, having received so many orders that they're *even working weekends* to catch up. This isn't a huge order, just a few hundred $, but I'm heartened that there are still people/companies who trust people out there.

If you want their URL, let me know.

Unbelievable!

Last week I searched and came up with a number of sites which offered raised-bed garden frames. I weeded (ha!) out the ones which used plastic, metal or preserved wood, then saw one place offered the best deal by far on natural wood.

I just ordered a set of three stackables so I don't have to fence the dogs away from them.

The very nice lady on the phone explained they don't take credit cards, so would it be okay with me if they just billed me when they sent them in about a week. I could send them a check or money order. She confided that they're about a week behind, having received so many orders that they're *even working weekends* to catch up. This isn't a huge order, just a few hundred $, but I'm heartened that there are still people/companies who trust people out there.

If you want their URL, let me know.

Stackable posts, too.

g'morning boodle! A bright sunny day here, perfect for shoveling snow. We had 15" in about 28 hours, making our total for April 55". I think the snow will melt quickly enough that the new Sedum, Jacob's Ladder, and Lamium growth will be fine. Better snow than a hard freeze, garden wise anyway.

Honest to goodness, the following is in my future home's local newspaper.

OWNER MAY CLAIM
The owner of a small blue, zippered pouch, which contained a plastic baggie of marijuana and a multi-colored glass smoking device with burnt marijuana inside, may claim these items at the Borough Police Department.

Ah!
[bc slapping his head]

Happy Easter to you, TBG, and please give my best to your family. I *do* like lamb; my Mom and I collaborated on a pretty good one a short time back (er, is it OK to refer to it as UnOrthodox Easter?).

And martooni, a great big "Danger! Danger, Will Robinson!" (with requsite flailing of arms) and "Gort, Klaatu berada nikto," to you and the Bean. (Don't forget to tell her about the Three Laws and consider including the Zeroth Law).

bc

Martooni-if Bean maintains an interest in robots I highly recommend looking at picking up a used or lower priced Roomba vacuum cleaner. Irobot has open sourced the software and the vacuums are becoming inexpensive (starting at about $120) platforms for all kinds of cool robotic stuff. With your computer skillz it could be a great father/daughter toy that will last for years.

On the more expensive, and sometimes commitment intense, end Lego has the NXT mindstorms which are completely idiot proof from both the building and programming perspectives but are fun, fun, fun. They can also be as complicated as you care to make them.
The box says ages 10+, but they lie. A father daughter team could put a simple robot platform together and have it dancing and singing in an afternoon.

I was three paras into this article in the dead tree Outlook thinking this is really good, then I looked up to see who wrote...Of course...Yeah.

In other news, one day of each week of April has been really crappy for one reason or another.

Today something happened that not only erases all that carp, it made my day, my week, And my Month.

Walking home from brunch I made my usual stops for groceries and beer. About a block from home I saw three young teen girls walking towards me, arm in arm. A second later I felt these weren't three happy friends out for the day. As I got closer I noticed the middle girl was crying. We made eye contact. I smiled. She gave me a forced smile. I set my groceries down and held my hand to indicate stop. I said 'Hold on.' 'Un momento.' Then with my right hand held up I reached behind me with my left. Then turned around counter clockwise. Pulling a bouquet of Mums out from my belt, left rear as I did so. When was facing them again, I had the Mums in front of me. Their eyes widen and mouths dropped open as if they just witnessed the most amazing magic trick ever. I was equally amazed that I actually pulled it off. I pulled out one Mum and handed it the center gal while saying 'I hope this cheers you up a little'. Another little forced smile, but I could sense she meant it to be real. Then I pulled two more out for her friends, saying this for being such good friends. Then putting my bouquet back into my belt and picking up my groceries and giving one last smile, the friend closest to me put her hand up to halt me. Putting one hand to the side of her mouth as if to whisper a secret, and with the other giving me the come here curl'curl of the index finger, while standing on her toes, I bend over and she whispers in my ear that 'Pink Mums are Carlita's favorite flowers.' I stand and she beckons again. I quick swift peck on the cheeks.

4/27/2008

I'll catch up later.

Wilbrod, It's like the Portuguese took spelling lessons from the French.

Now we can look forward to some French umbrage.

Who says we're not cultured.

oh hey, you know what...I noticed while listening to Ivete that I hadn't yet put my Mums in water. I grabbed my one vase, rinsed it, and while drying it off, dropped it. Broken glass shards everywhere. I simultaneously thought carp while laughing out loud. "Just Perfect". After cleaning it all up and putting it in the trash I notice I have one empty wine bottle next to the trash can.

I rinse it out. Add some cold water. And guess what? The mouth of the wine bottle is exactly big enough to hold the stems of four Mums.

The four of seven...

Do the math.

I'm practically crying tears of joy.

That would be me

This Blog Stinks

I think we offended SF's wife, or is it his wife's super hot friend...I forget

This Blog Really Stinks

just yakkin. tryin to give the boodle life support.

2:14, 2:16 and 2:19 were me

Clear, zap

Great job, omni!

Great story, omni. I love when things work out that way, and that was really kind of you. Connecting but not intruding.

I just got back from the Seattle Arboretum plant sale. Got lots of unusual plants to bonsai, since that's about all I have room for - an olive, Korean lilac, Himalayan blueberry (put Himalaya in the name and I have to have it). Also found nicotiana and a Marvel of Peru with lime green leaves and hot pink flowers, or so they say.

SF, Lone Mule, is that really you?!?

Thanks slyness

I asked about four different flowers before settlin on Mums. I Don't Know flowers. All the talk here on the boodle about flowers and gardening has been an inspiration to me, to bring home some flowers on Sunday. Today I fancied something pink....I'm convinced the flower seller had a vision (he looked me straight in the eye, in that 'way'), and steered me just right.

Oh, here come those tears again

I hope it's just a boyfriend breakup. Those you recover from...

Well done omni!! *applause*

*faxin' LM the whole backBoodle for catching up* :-)

Thanks mostly (That's mostlylurking)

That SF and TLM and TRLM postings were me. Trying to jump start the boodle.

More tears as I feel I'll be thanking a lot of boodlers over next few

Cassandra, oddly enough, or probably not, I'm thinking of your kind soul at the moment. If I prayed, You know I would for you. But even so, You are often in my kind thoughts

As many others have said, you belong on the boodle.

I don't know if you're street smart, and though you claim not to be school smart (or something like that, I think), You are a Wise Woman. Very Wise and Humble. And the boodle is a better place for having you here with us.

We are Blessed

Omni -- good story. Small acts of kindness build the world.

Lots of good gardening yesterday and tons of house tasks including mucketty mucketty of drains that service sump pumps. NO BAILING LAST NIGHT.

Cassandra -- Happy Easter, again!, to us. TBG is letting us borrow Orthodox Easter to celebrate with her. Here are a few ways to say it

Christus resurrexit! Surrexit vere!

Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed!

Хрїстóсъ воскрéсе! Воистину воскресе!
(Christos voskrese! Voistinu voskrese!)

Χριστός ἀνέστη! Ἀληθῶς ἀνέστη!
(Christós Anésti! Alithós Anésti!)

Armenian Catholics -- Orthodox-like but accept the Pope as leader rather that the Eastern Patriarch -- would use this construction as an Easter greeting. The first person says,
"He is risen." The greeted one returns by saying, "He is risen, indeed."

I expect that right about now, Clan-G is eating wondrous foodstuffs, like dolmas.

Grading papers....glad that it is dreary outside, but will try to have a bike ride with College Barkian in the Snugli carrier later.

Mostly!!! I frenvy you the Nicotiana and Marvel of Peru seedlings!!!!!!

Will try again. Have no trouble with Marvel of Peru, but that color sounds glorious.

Oh, Omni, watch out. We will have you knitting soon. Real men love flowers. Real men consider knitting as a hobby option, like RD's box making....

Yowza, what's that stench...

teehee

omni

We made it down the mountain safely. Now Mr. T is in a race to get the yard mowed before a front with thunderstorms comes through. It's gonna be close!

Happily, my zinnias are coming up. The coneflowers and beans and squash haven't shown any signs yet...there was an inch of water in the rain gauge when we got home, from storms last night. This is the most we've had since early in the year.

Omni, that is such a nice thing to do that in my books you rank right up there with Romantic Tim. Higher even. It is easy to do something sweet for those you are with everyday if you just remember. To think of it just because, for people you don't know...well you sir are a prince.

CP, I know.

I love getting flowers almost as much as giving.

Next BPH bring an extra pair of noodlers, and some spare yarn, show me a purl or two, and I swear, by next winter I'll be watching curling in a pink knit winter scarf.

Thanks dr, oops more tears.

Though I don't know these girls, we do live in the same neighborhood, and I do see them around from time to time, so I do know them in that sense.

I made it back from the Newseum. MoDo did not swoon at the sight of me and drag me off to her Georgetown lovenest. In fact, she didn't seem to notice me at all.

I did get to shake hands with George Snuffleupagus, but that is a story I can't tell here because of rule 6.

Pictures and details to follow eventually.

oh golly and carps abound - Major SCC: that oops should have an oh.

Been typing oops to much lately.

omni-you're the best!

Never let it be said I didn't keep the boodle updated on reptiles run amok.
Breaking news from the Tampa Tribune:

"Golf Ball Diver: Gator Meant To Kill Me"

"...Monreal managed to break free of the alligator's jaws by jamming his thumb into its eye and he then staggered from the pond near the 13th hole at the Tampa Palms Golf and Country Club.

During the 14 years he's earned a living by diving in murky, alligator infested ponds for errant golf balls, Monreal, 62, said he's had plenty of encounters with alligators but they were small nips or tail slashes.

'For golf ball divers, it's not uncommon to be nipped,' he said.

This was different..."

I'm still trying to fathom making a living by diving for golf balls. Read the whole story here:
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/apr/27/trapper-catches-gator-attacked-man-golf-course/?news-breaking

oh, yello.

I, and I'm sure RDP feel your pain. But you did get to see her, right.

envy

Ooh pix

Ready to swoon

RDP, it's about time to train your bunnies in the use of smelling salts..I think you'll need them

I know, I'd rather take the stroke penalty than dive into gator waters for a stinkin' golf ball.

Actually I'd probably rather play golf around angry moose in rut. At least you see 'em coming.

BTW, isn't it nice when the stars seem to align on a good deed of random kindness, Omni?
Mum's the word, man.

omni,

I was within 10 feet of her several times and she looked quite lovely.

But mine was an act of celebrity induced stalking. Yours was a random act of kindness. It's always good to bring some sunshine into a fellow human's life.

Omni, I loved your story, in fact I thought it so beautiful I thought it was part of the well written article in Outlook that you were referring to (I even looked in outlook to see if I could read the whole story).

Oddly at a dinner partly last night we we talking about small anonymous kindness, in this case the habit of paying for someone's bill at Tim Horton's (the car behind you). Someone did this for me the other day - it delighted and surprised me.

I was too stunned to respond at the time so today, I took my daughter to the fair, she got an unlimited wrist band for rides and I bought some tickets in case I had to ride with her. When we got there she met up with a friend who clearly did not have enough tickets - adding my tickets to his pile enabled the kids to ride together and have fun, since I didn't have to ride the rides it was hardly selfless but it felt like the right thing to do, and was inspired by an imaginery friend!

Oh, omni, what a lovely thing to do. I'm sure the young ladies knew they had met a prince. And we get to see a prince so rarely in this world. Thank you, Omni.

The g-girl is here, and wide open. And I mean she's into everything. I don't think we're going to have a replay of last night. We're going to read, and see if that won't calm her down.

Slyness, it is raining, and raining. I know the farmers are loving this weather,and I think it's great too.

Have a wonderful evening, folks. Time for me to grab the books and do some reading. Night, boodle. Sweet dreams.

Omni, the young ladies will probably remember your kindness for many years to come. What a sweet thing you did. Bravo!

omni, that's great.

I like giving flowers, too.

I'm looking at a big vase full in the middle of the living room here; my daughters appreciate it.

Oh, and LiT, that item in your future local paper is priceless.

If someone shows up to claim those items, I hope they run something in the paper about that, too.

bc

Watch out, Cassandra, the thunderstorm that went over us an hour ago is headed your way! We got half an inch, and there's still a little coming down. Yay for spring storms! Everything is so green and clean...

I hope reading calms the g-girl down. It always works for me.

Great story, omni. I imagine the girls are telling the story today, too.

We had a wonderful Easter dinner. Christós Anésti! (and yes, the proper response is Alithós Anésti!)

The best part of the day? Finding out that next year our 17 will be 18! My niece is expecting a baby in November. We couldn't be happier... and my niece and her husband have the good sense to understand that this is OUR baby... not just theirs.

Each of my sisters' and my kids have belonged to all of us. It's the best way to raise 'em if you ask me.

Oh goodness me! I just realized... I'm going to be a GREAT Aunt. Heavens.

TBG,

What you should be worried about is becoming a grandmother. We watched Juno last night as a family togetherness event. And Michael Cera's character is way dorkier than SoTBG.

Keep giving him the safer sex speech.

Whenever I hear about the daily schedule of a President I always note what a large portion of his time is spent doing ceremonial things. Only a very small portion of the schedule is ever devoted to hard core Chief Executive stuff.

When you think about it, a President really only makes a very few truly earth-shattering decisions during the course of an Administration. Things like introducing key legislation, selecting Supreme Court Nominees, and deciding whether or not to invade. The rest of the time is pretty much filler.

I have developed a theory that the more important an individual is the more concentrated is the execution of power. The logical extreme of this is the Absent Landlord version of God, who devotes a few seconds to saying "Let there be light" and then lets the system go forward on its own.

Another thing that comes from hearing about a President's daily life is the disconnect between the realities of the job and the criteria we really use. For, as Joel once pointed out with characteristic insight, politics appeals to the primitive reptilian portion of the brain.

Many people view a Presidential election as a referendum of sorts. A vote for a particular set of abstract values and priorities, which have become embodied by the candidate. A successful candidate inspires, or in some way validates Social Truths that a particular person holds dear. In this way, a President is a bit like Miss America. But with nuclear weapons.

Which is why I don't want an irascible Miss America with nukes, RD.

[If someone already posted this to the Boodle, please forgive me -- I'm still Backboodling a bit.]

Speaking of predicting the future (Oh, that was *so* last week!), Marc Fisher's take on Washington DC in the year 2025 in the WaPo Magazine is well worth a read IMO, and the slideshow's not bad, either.

Granted, he had me at "President Heath Shuler":

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/23/AR2008042302930.html

It's not as self-indulgent as some of the Daze of Futures Passed items I've posted on the 10thcircle, and for that, I'm thankful.

bc

Also - kudos to you Bob S, for pointing out that we are more than our associations. I would be incensed if someone were to assume that my attitudes and beliefs could be predicted purely by my past and present associations.

Come to think of it, I have been.

That was a great article bc. The Mag was exceptionally good this week. And I am not ashamed to admit that Jeane Marie Laskas had me shedding a manly tear.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/23/AR2008042302936.html

SCC: oops, I mean *Jeanne* Marie Laskas.

So you hereby reject the assumption that we lack free will and we're just a bunch of billard balls ping-ponging off each other, acquiring ideas and prejudices along the way in a predictable, mechanical fashion, RD?

Bully for you ;D.

Joel's chatting tomorrow at 3:00 about his Outlook piece...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2008/04/25/DI2008042502961.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

I hope he gets an intelligent crowd over there, TBG.

RD, that article put a tear in my eye too. I haven't really had the "no contact with old boyfriends" rule. However, there was one, a very early college boyfriend who taught me a lot (some unintentionally: dating an older alcoholic guy can spur some life lessons and reflection) who called a few years ago. I can't remember how he tracked me down. I inwardly shuddered while politely making conversation; turned out he called because his liver was bad (remember that alcoholism) and he expected to die soon. He didn't want anything in particular and I'm still not sure why he called. I was glad I didn't hang up or turn him aside quickly before having whatever conversation he thought we were having.

And omni, that was a lovely gesture.

Congratulations to your niece and her husband, TBG. Being a great-aunt is no big deal. I was 15 when I became one. My brother was 7, and the week my great-nephew was born, he was punished for going too far afield on his bike.

Of course you'll be a great aunt, TBG, how could you be otherwise?

Oh. You mean a great-aunt (ah, those missing italics). As in, a second-generation aunt. Or as the Boy often says of me, not to put too fine a point on it and since you and I are similar in age, an old aunt.

All the better!

Hmm, I'm guessing he wanted to make amends or say goodbye, Ivansmom?

He wanted you to get the news, knowing there might not be any mutal friends in common anymore left to tell you.

I know people whose ex-boyfriends died, and it can bring back a lot of mixed feelings.

As you say, some people teach you a lot... not always healthy, but they leave a mark.

Thanks for posting that link to Joel's chat tomorrow, TBG, I'd meant to do that as well.

And that Laskas article -- hoo, I'm glad I didn't have a second glass of wine with dinner...

RD, Bob S., Wilbrod, the word "assume," seems to get people into trouble with a significant degree of regularity, doesn't it?

bc

True, true. And this article makes me miss the Smithsonian right now.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080427/ap_on_sc/science_museums;_ylt=AmQt6VILPLdQX04zAIYddGUiANEA

Time to build a museum in every town...

Nearly done grading; sagging powers of response! I shall boodle-jump myself with some typing.

About Ivansmom's lessons: sometimes, a body hears from a person with addiction issues, years later to make amends. I am not saying that is what happened here. But, I do know a friend who was rebuffing contact from an old flame. I was the intermediary who heard that the reason for contact was to say "I am sorry" and to hear the person's response (not forgiveness exactly). Apology was made by letter; injured party did not want contact, which I fully understood.

Great Aunties! Indeed, tbG we are all too young for so many of these honors!

Bike riding sans music ear-buds means that I can contemplate all sorts of people, including those far away and long ago. I pray for them, wishing them well. I also pray for my students, now numbering more than 1800.

And, I can think on the boodlers, with prayers for y'll too. I thought on this the other day that I don't have faces for most, so the prayers are based on text. Which, as a word-person, is quite amazing to have letters rather than faces before me.

Yes, CP.. we are a group of letters... generations will study our conversations here.

They will believe that "boodle" has some religious meaning, of course. They will also spend years searching for the location of the bunker.

Draw some faces, CP. They'll be as good as the real thing ;).

TBG -- very funny for you to anticipate how an anthr