Sitting on the front porch

It is so pretty outside we are sitting on our front porch.

Beautiful day in Houston

it is about 70 degrees and couldn't be nicer.

I didn't even know there WAS a 'My Dog Looks Like Obama/McCain Contest'!

Texas Politics: I didn't even know there WAS a 'My Dog Looks Like Obama/McCain Contest'!

Monbiot.com » The Triumph of Ignorance

Monbiot.com » The Triumph of Ignorance:


"US education, like the US health system, is notorious for its failures. In the most powerful nation on earth, one adult in five believes the sun revolves around the earth; only 26% accept that evolution takes place by means of natural selection; two-thirds of young adults are unable to find Iraq on a map; two-thirds of US voters cannot name the three branches of government; the maths skills of 15 year-olds in the US are ranked 24th out of the 29 countries of the OECD"

Country first: A consideration

MeMo: Country first: A consideration

Cyrano de Bergerac

Doreen and I wen to see Cyrano de Bergerac last night at the Alley Theatre. It was an excellent production, and we enjoyed it quite a bit.

This is one of those plays that everyone thinks they know, and yet few can really tell you how it turns out. We have all seen numerous movies, and they mostly seem to have happy endings.

The original play (first performed in 1897) is much darker. I will not give away the ending in case anyone wants to see it with fresh eyes, but it is really quite sad.

Go see it if you can.

We voted

Doreen and I went to vote today. We had to wait about 35 minutes, but it was mostly painless.

From I voted!

We both feel very patriotic today.

Go Vote!

Hawk

I got home from Oslo and saw this:

From Dove Feathers and Leaves

in the yard. From a distance, it looked like ashes. But close up you can see it is the feathers that have been plucked from a dove by a hawk.

Brother Matthew has similar photographs from his backyard. That is how I know what it was.

on the plane

note the single row of seats

another view of the plane

Can you tell I get to the gate early? Old habits are hard to break.

And I have it on good authority that time spent waiting at the gate for flights does not count as part of your lifespan. So I lose nothing.

airplane from Amsterdam to Houston

I believe the is a 767, unless they changed equipment. That is unlikely. This plane has a single row of seats down the middle. I like to sit there because nobody bothers me.

from inside the plane

looking out.

Oslo airport

Here is the airplane I am taking to Amsterdam.

When I was living in Caracas I flew quite a bit in Latin America. On almost every flight, someone took a photo of the plane. You don't see that so much these days.

In Oslo

I am in Oslo for work (returning tomorrow - Friday) and have had a chance to talk to several Norwegians.

The question inevitable comes up about the election. Everyone seems to be excited about the fact that the US is changing our President. Everyone I talked to (and these are some very competent business executives) believe that Obama will win, and will be very good for the US.

But where is Shadenfreuda?

Ten Most Difficult Words to Translate

I am a Real American, too!

A Very Open Letter To Sarah Palin | Capital Gains and Games

Awww!: Monkeys Form Dangerous But Adorable Alliance With Tigers

Awww!: Monkeys Form Dangerous But Adorable Alliance With Tigers

Lessons from Ike

1. Paper phone list

2. Landline phone (portable won’t do)

3. Garbage bags at hand

4. Grill and Charcoal or Gas ready and full

5. Plenty of towels and throw rugs

6. Batteries and more batteries

7. LED reading lights and lanterns

8. Canned food – for pets and people

9. PUT THINGS AWAY ALL YEAR LONG, especially FLASHLIGHTS

10. Have coolers cleaned and full of ice

11. Plenty of water for drinking and flushing

12. Drying racks or clothes lines

13. Dry food like crackers and chips

14. UHT milk

15. Hummus!

16. Do the laundry before the storm

17. Fill up the gas tanks before the storm

18. Have plenty of matches or lighters IN THE SAME PLACE YOU KEEP THEM ALL YEAR LONG (see #9)

19. Plenty of candles

20. Mow the lawn

21. Trim the bushes and the trees

22. Freeze as much water as you can

23. Know how to open the garage door when there is no power

Snipers on the roof

While in Paris last week, there was a trial going on at the Ministry of Justice, which was just down the street from our apartment. During the whole week, there were plenty o'cops on the street. Every car that drove down the Quai de Orfevres was stopped, and was inspected with mirrors on sticks so they could see if there were bombs underneath the car.

At the same time, Doreen noticed police with long guns on the roof of various buildings across the river.

She took photos:

From Paris, October 2008

I would never take photos of cops with guns.

We never did figure out who was being tried, but we didn't try too hard. Doreen asked one of the cops, and he said it was a criminal.

There you go.

tour d'eiffel

Doreen in our window

 

This is our apartment on the Ile del la Cite.

on the plane

at the airport

phone photo of Doreen doing some last minute business

Leaving for Paris tonight

We will be staying here:


View Larger Map

until next Saturday the 11th. I am attending a conference there, where I will be moderating one of the forums.

Doreen will be having fun the whole time. I will have a couple of very nice days.

We should be posting some photos.

Nice (relatively simple) explaination of the fiscal crisis

The Roots of the Crisis: How did Wall Street get into this mess? - Reason Magazine