Keyboard Alternative?

I have an iPad, and while I like many things about it, there's one thing that drives me to distraction: typing on its !()$&^!)_$@ built-in keyboard.  If I need to type more than about 5 letters, I'll switch over to my laptop.  It's that bad, at least for someone like me who is used to touch-typing at a reasonable speed.

This looks like it might be an interesting alternative, though currently only for Android.

BPotD...

Thevetia peruviana, from Botany Photo of the Day.  As usual, click to enlarge.  Gorgeous!

Why Parents Drink...

Via my mom:

A father passing by his son's bedroom was astonished to see that his bed was nicely made and everything was picked up. Then he saw an Envelope, propped up prominently on the pillow that was addressed to 'Dad.' With the worst of premonitions, he opened the envelope with trembling hands and read the letter.

Dear Dad:

It is with great regret and sorrow that I'm writing you. I had to elope with my new girlfriend because I wanted to avoid a scene with Mom and you. I have been finding real passion with Stacy and she is so nice. But I knew you would not approve of her because of all her piercing, tattoos, tight motorcycle clothes and the fact that she is much older than I am. But it' s not only the passion...Dad she's pregnant.

Stacy said that we will be very happy. She owns a trailer in the woods and has a stack of firewood for the whole winter. We share a dream of having many more children. Stacy has opened my eyes to the fact that marijuana doesn't really hurt anyone. We'll be growing it for ourselves and trading it with the other people that live nearby for cocaine and ecstasy. In the meantime we will pray that science will find a cure for AIDS so Stacy can get better. She deserves it.

Don't worry Dad. I'm 15 and I know how to take care of myself. Someday I'm sure that we will be back to visit so that you can get to know your grandchildren.

Love, Your Son John

PS. Dad, none of the above is true. I'm over at Tommy's house. I Just wanted to remind you that there are worse things in life than a Report card That's in my center desk drawer. I love you. Call me when it's safe to come home.

Husbands and Wives...

From reader James M.:

A store that sells new husbands has opened in New York City, where a woman may go to choose a husband. Among the instructions at the entrance is a description of how the store operates:

You may visit this store ONLY ONCE! There are six floors and the value of the products increase as the shopper ascends the flights. The shopper may choose any item from a particular floor, or may choose to go up to the next floor, but you cannot go back down except to exit the building!

So, a woman goes to the Husband Store to find a husband. On the first floor the sign on the door reads:

Floor 1 - These men Have Jobs

She is intrigued, but continues to the second floor, where the sign reads:

Floor 2 - These men Have Jobs and Love Kids.

'That's nice,' she thinks, 'but I want more.'

So she continues upward. The third floor sign reads:

Floor 3 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, and are Extremely Good Looking.

'Wow,' she thinks, but feels compelled to keep going.

She goes to the fourth floor and the sign reads:

Floor 4 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, are Drop-dead Good Looking and Help With Housework.

'Oh, mercy me!' she exclaims, 'I can hardly stand it!'

Still, she goes to the fifth floor and the sign reads:

Floor 5 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, are Drop-dead Gorgeous, Help with Housework, and Have a Strong Romantic Streak.

She is so tempted to stay, but she goes to the sixth floor, where the sign reads:

Floor 6 - You are visitor 31,456,012 to this floor. There are no men on this floor. This floor exists solely as proof that women are impossible to please. Thank you for shopping at the Husband Store.

PLEASE NOTE:

To avoid gender bias charges, the store's owner opened a New Wives store just across the street.

The first floor has wives that love sex.

The second floor has wives that love sex and have money and like beer.

The third, fourth, fifth and sixth floors have never been visited.

Symbolic Reading...

The Republicans are going to read the current version of the U.S. Constitution on the floor of the House today.  This is mainly a symbolic gesture to reinforce the notion that the U.S. is a land of laws, not of (powerful) men.  It's also an acknowledgment of the role of the Tea Party in the Republican's newly-won majority.

The reaction of the left to this reading is instructive.  It's almost entirely negative, ranging from hand-wringing about the cost (that's rich, after the last two years of spendathon!) to entirely predictable snide remarks about the irrelevance of the literal Constitution to governing today.

This symbolic act is a bit like having a powerful flashlight that one can shine into the warren of Congress-critters to illuminate those who see the Constitution as fundamental to our way of governing, and those who would prefer to ignore that pesky, dusty old document.

Bring on that flashlight, Speaker Boehner!

Reentry Blackout...

...a possible solution.

Nice, Free, Open Source Hex Editor for OS/X...

HexFiend.

WTF, Japan?

One hardly knows what to say...

In the early ’90s, Sega held 65% of the US video game console market, had millions of fans, and was considered one of the premier creators of modern gaming entertainment. Today, they are helping you play with your pee. The Japan branch of the multinational company recently announced that they are testing their Toylets male urinal video game at select locations around Tokyo. Toylets uses a pressure sensor located on the back of the urinal to measure the strength and location of your urine stream. A small LCD screen above the urinal allows you to play several simple video games including a simulator for erasing graffiti and a variation on a sumo wrestling match. At the end of a game, the screen displays advertisements.

2011 is a Prime Year...

The number 2011 is a prime number, and it's the sum of 11 consecutive primes:

157 + 163 + 167 + 173 + 179 + 181 + 191 + 193 + 197 + 199 + 211

Is that enough geekiness for you on a fine Thursday morning?

Obamacare Repeal Bill...

Here's the full text of the Obamacare repeal bill, due to be voted on by the House next week:

A BILL

To repeal the job-killing health care law and health care-related provisions in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the “Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act”.

SECTION 2. REPEAL OF THE JOB-KILLING HEALTH CARE LAW AND HEALTH CARE-RELATED PROVISIONS IN THE HEALTH CARE AND EDUCATION RECONCILIATION ACT OF 2010.

(a) JOB-KILLING HEALTH CARE LAW. — Effective as of the enactment of Public Law 111–148, such Act is repealed, and the provisions of law amended or repealed by
8 such Act are restored or revived as if such Act had not been enacted.

(b) HEALTH CARE-RELATED PROVISIONS IN THE HEALTH CARE AND EDUCATION RECONCILIATION ACT OF 2010. — Effective as of the enactment of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–152), title I and subtitle B of title II of such Act are repealed, and the provisions of law amended or repealed by such title or subtitle, respectively, are restored or revived as if such title and subtitle had not been enacted.

This is almost certainly a symbolic vote: the Senate, still Democratic-controlled, is most likely going to vote this down – and even if somehow they passed it, Obama would surely veto it and there aren't the votes in Congress to override it. Even so, it's a very useful procedural effort, as it puts the Tea Party/Conservative marker down on the table, hard – and forces the Progressives to openly show their hand. It will be very interesting to see which Progressive Congress-critters (House and Senate) can't work up the gumption to vote “no” on this (they know that a “yes” vote will come back to haunt them on their next campaign)...

George Washington...

Here's a nice collection of quotes from George Washington.  A couple of my favorites were in there:

If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to slaughter.

The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference - they deserve a place of honor with all that's good.

The MOS 6502...

Some of us (hardware and software engineers, that is) are ancient enough to actually remember the MOS 6502.  A photomicrograph of it's top layer is at right (as always, click to enlarge).  The 6502 was the microprocessor at the heart of some of the early successful systems, such as the Commodore 64, Apple II, and Atari 2600.  I remember it well and fondly: it was cheap, fast, and easy to design in.  I incorporated it into several of my early projects, mainly as the processor for peripherals in a Z80-based system (because the Z80 could run CP/M, an early “operating system”).

These days, the 6502 is thought of more as an antiquity, something to be conserved in a museum.  Which is exactly what these folks are doing!  I was led to that site by a fascinating article on Bill Mensch, the guy who manually laid out the six masks used in manufacturing the 6502 – with no errors.

Top 25 Movies of 2010...

By box office receipts per week.  This makes a beautiful graphic, even more so because it's interactive on the author's site.

I haven't seen a single one of these movies.

Fascinating Side-Effect of the Kindle...

One that I certainly wouldn't have foreseen: sales of bodice-rippers are soaring, and all the growth is in the Kindle editions.

Strange are the ways of the world...

Beautiful Science Video...

Here's a rare treat: a rich, gorgeous animation about the interplay between the Fibonacci Sequence and nature.  It even comes with an excellent explanatory page, aimed at a non-scientist audience.  Oh, I'd love to see more like this!

Just When I Thought...

...that I couldn't possibly be any more disgusted by Arnold Schwarzenegger, he goes and does this.

Rope.

Tree.

Schwarzenegger.

Some assembly required.

The Gate to Hell...

Ran across this in my web surfing yesterday.  It's apparently a left-over Soviet mistake, deep in Turkmenistan.  More photos here.

The Greatest Country Ever...

From Rich Lowry of The National Review:

Our greatness is simply a fact. Only the churlish or malevolent can deny it, or even get irked at its assertion. When a Marco Rubio talks of the greatness of America, it’s not bumptious self-congratulation. Our greatness comes with the responsibility to preserve our traditional dynamism and status as a robust middle-class society. To paraphrase the Benjamin Franklin of lore, we have the greatest country ever — if we can keep it.

Read the whole thing.

It's not patriotic blathering if it's true...

Rain...

First rain of the new year: 0.59" (1.5 cm) over two days.  The mountain valleys of San Diego are greener than they've been in 8 or 9 years.  Streams are running.  Sheets of water seep over exposed mountain rocks.

And our rainy season has just begun!

TSA Statistics...

Via my mom:

Year to date statistics on Airport screening from the Department of Homeland Security:

Terrorist Plots Discovered     0
Transvestites                133
Hernias                    1,485
Hemorrhoid Cases           3,172
Enlarged Prostates         8,249
Breast Implants           59,350
Natural Blondes                3

New Year's Wishes for My Friends...

Also passed along by Jim M.:

My Wishes for You in 2011:

May peace break into your home and may thieves come to steal your debts.

May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet for $100 bills.

May love stick to your face like Vaseline and may laughter assault your lips.

May happiness slap you across the face and may your tears be that of joy.

May the problems you had, forget your home address.

In simple words, may 2011 be the best year of your life!

The Brothel...

This little story comes from reader Jim M.:

The Brothel

The madam opened the brothel door and saw a rather dignified, well-dressed, good-looking man in his late forties or early fifties.

'May I help you sir?' she asked.

'I want to see Valerie,' the man replied.

'Sir, Valerie is one of our most expensive ladies. Perhaps you would prefer someone else', said the madam.

'No, I must see Valerie,' he replied.

Just then, Valerie appeared and announced to the man she charged $5000 a visit. Without hesitation, the man pulled out five thousand dollars and gave it to Valerie, and they went upstairs.. After an hour, the man calmly left.

The next night, the man appeared again, once more demanding to see Valerie. Valerie explained that no one had ever come back two nights in a row as she was too expensive. But there were no discounts. The price was still $5000.

Again, the man pulled out the money, gave it to Valerie, and they went upstairs.. After an hour, he left.

The following night the man was there yet again. Everyone was astounded that he had come for a third consecutive night, but he paid Valerie and they went upstairs.

After their session, Valerie questioned the man, 'No one has ever been with me three nights in a row. Where are you from?'she asked.

The man replied, ' Ontario '.

'Really?', she said. 'I have family in Ontario .'

'I know.' the man said. 'Your sister died, and I am her attorney. She asked me to give you your $15,000 inheritance.'

The moral of the story is that three things in life are certain.
1. Death
2. Taxes
3. Being screwed by a lawyer

Munich Jazz...

Franz M., my friend and fellow collector from Munich, Germany, sends along this video of a jazz band he and his wife Ellen saw on New Year's Day.  He said they were “as always, very beautiful”.  Their taste in jazz parallels my own:

Tommy...

Many moons ago, before my beard was gray, I lived on my parent's farm in New Jersey.  I had a “shack” behind the house where I did a lot of my early experimentation with electronics.  Some TV repair shop (remember those?) gave me a broken stereo record player – one of those all-in-one units the size of a refrigerator on its side.  This was a vacuum tube design with “electrodynamic” speakers (meaning that they had electromagnets instead of permanent magnets).  By today's standards, it was quite a monster unit.  I remember that it had 18" diameter woofers, and three or four other speakers, all coupled with (for those days) a relatively sophisticated cross-over network.

One of my first successes in electronics was to fix that thing.  That's more of a feat than you might think, as I had no schematics.  I reverse-engineered the audio amplifier and discovered a blown-up resistor that prevented a key bias voltage from being generated.  This was in 1969, a month or two before the first moon landing, and I can still remember the hand-drawn schematic I made – and the overwhelming flush of victory when I figured out what the problem was.

Within 15 minutes of finding the problem, the stereo was up and running – I'd scavenged a replacement part from a broken TV.  After that, the stereo was my constant companion in my little electronics shack.

A year or so later, I bought a double vinyl album: “Tommy”, by The Who.  I couldn't afford to buy many records, and those few I did were played very often.  “Tommy” sounded particularly good on that stereo, so it got played extra often.

A few years later, I was in the U.S. Navy and something happened to that album (I don't remember what, exactly).  I've not heard “Tommy” since.

Until today, that is.  I just purchased it from iTunes, and I'm listening to it as I write this post.  There are several things about this experience that are kinda freaking me out.

First, the flood of memories about that shack.  Suddenly I'm remembering all sorts of details that I haven't thought about in many, many years.  There are very strong associations between that particular music and my very earliest engineering experiences.

Second, I still have perfect memory of that album.  As each song plays, I know what's coming next.  I know the words to every song.  The “Underture” is playing now, and every note in it is as familiar as the back of my hands.

Third, I am frequently startled by the different sound of the music, all of which can be accounted for the the difference in quality (by any measure!) between that old stereo and the way I'm playing it back now (through iTunes on a Mac Powerbook, through top-notch computer speakers).  I hear details clearly now that I've never heard before, and they surprise me.  But it's all good!

Powerful stuff, music is...

Blizzard...

Taken in New York last week.  Sure glad I wasn't there...



Nice job on the video, though...

The Therapy Dog...

Lea is our oldest dog; she's a field spaniel, about 13 years old.  She's still in good health, but creaking a bit, and her sight and hearing aren't what they used to be.  She spends a lot of her days curled up in a dog bed.

I just spent about five minutes down on the floor, next to her on one of those beds.  She kissed me, grunted, and made happy faces while I held and caressed her.

Best five minutes I've had in a while...

What Does a Big Government Bureaucracy Look Like?

Like this:

California Academic Performance Index (API) * California Access for Infants and Mothers * California Acupuncture Board * California Administrative Office of the Courts * California Adoptions Branch * California African American Museum * California Agricultural Export Program * California Agricultural Labor Relations Board * California Agricultural Statistics Service * California Air Resources Board (CARB) * California Allocation Board * California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority * California Animal Health and Food Safety Services * California Anti-Terrorism Information Center * California Apprenticeship Council * California Arbitration Certification Program * California Architects Board * California Area VI Developmental Disabilities Board * California Arts Council * California Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus * California Assembly Democratic Caucus * California Assembly Republican Caucus * California Athletic Commission * California Attorney General * California Bay Conservation and Development Commission * California Bay-Delta Authority * California Bay-Delta Office * California Biodiversity Council * California Board for Geologists and Geophysicists * California Board for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors * California Board of Accountancy * California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology * California Board of Behavioral Sciences * California Board of Chiropractic Examiners * California Board of Equalization (BOE) * California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection * California Board of Guide Dogs for the Blind * California Board of Occupational Therapy * California Board of Optometry * California Board of Pharmacy * California Board of Podiatric Medicine * California Board of Prison Terms * California Board of Psychology * California Board of Registered Nursing * California Board of Trustees * California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians * California Braille and Talking Book Library * California Building Standards Commission * California Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education * California Bureau of Automotive Repair * California Bureau of Electronic and Appliance Repair * California Bureau of Home Furnishings and Thermal Insulation * California Bureau of Naturopathic Medicine * California Bureau of Security and Investigative Services * California Bureau of State Audits * California Business Agency * California Business Investment Services (CalBIS) * California Business Permit Information (CalGOLD) * California Business Portal * California Business, Transportation and Housing Agency * California Cal Grants * California CalJOBS * California Cal-Learn Program * California CalVet Home Loan Program * California Career Resource Network * California Cemetery and Funeral Bureau * California Center for Analytical Chemistry * California Center for Distributed Learning * California Center for Teaching Careers (Teach California) * California Chancellors Office * California Charter Schools * California Chil dr en and Families Commission * California Chil dr en and Family Services Division * California Citizens Compensation Commission * California Civil Rights Bureau * California Coastal Commission * California Coastal Conservancy * California Code of Regulations * California Collaborative Projects with UC Davis * California Commission for Jobs and Economic Growth * California Commission on Aging * California Commission on Health and Safety and Workers Compensation * California Commission on Judicial Performance * California Commission on State Mandates * California Commission on Status of Women * California Commission on Teacher Credentialing * California Commission on the Status of Women * California Committee on Dental Auxiliaries * California Community Colleges Chancellors Office, Junior Colleges * California Community Colleges Chancellors Office * California Complaint Mediation Program * California Conservation Corps * California Constitution Revision Commission * California Consumer Hotline * California Consumer Information Center * California Consumer Information * California Consumer Services Division * California Consumers and Families Agency * California Contractors State License Board * California Corrections Standards Authority * California Council for the Humanities * California Council on Criminal Justice * California Council on Developmental Disabilities * California Court Reporters Board * California Courts of Appeal * California Crime and Violence Prevention Center * California Criminal Justice Statistics Center * California Criminalist Institute Forensic Library * California CSGnet Network Management * California Cultural and Historical Endowment * California Cultural Resources Division * California Curriculum and Instructional Leadership Branch * California Data Exchange Center * California Data Management Division * California Debt and Investment Advisory Commission * California Delta Protection Commission * California Democratic Caucus * California Demographic Research Unit * California Dental Auxiliaries * California Department of Aging * California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs * California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control Appeals Board * California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control * California Department of Boating and Waterways (Cal Boating) * California Department of Child Support Services (CDCSS) * California Department of Community Services and Development * California Department of Conservation * California Department of Consumer Affairs * California Department of Corporations * California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation * California Department of Developmental Services * California Department of Education * California Department of Fair Employment and Housing * California Department of Finance * California Department of Financial Institutions * California Department of Fish and Game * California Department of Food and Agriculture * California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF) * California Department of General Services * California Department of General Services, Office of State Publishing * California Department of Health Care Services * California Department of Housing and Community Development * California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) * California Department of Insurance * California Department of Justice Firearms Division * California Department of Justice Opinion Unit * California Department of Justice, Consumer Information, Public Inquiry Unit * California Department of Justice * California Department of Managed Health Care * California Department of Mental Health * California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) * California Department of Personnel Administration * California Department of Pesticide Regulation * California Department of Public Health * California Department of Real Estate * California Department of Rehabilitation * California Department of Social Services Adoptions Branch * California Department of Social Services * California Department of Technology Services Training Center (DTSTC) * California Department of Technology Services (DTS) * California Department of Toxic Substances Control * California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) * California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVets) * California Department of Water Resources * California Departmento de Vehiculos Motorizados * California Digital Library * California Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Certification Program * California Division of Apprenticeship Standards * California Division of Codes and Standards * California Division of Communicable Disease Control * California Division of Engineering * California Division of Environmental and Occupational Disease Control * California Division of Gambling Control * California Division of Housing Policy Development * California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement * California Division of Labor Statistics and Research * California Division of Land and Right of Way * California Division of Land Resource Protection * California Division of Law Enforcement General Library * California Division of Measurement Standards * California Division of Mines and Geology * California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) * California Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources * California Division of Planning and Local Assistance * California Division of Recycling * California Division of Safety of Dams * California Division of the State Architect * California Division of Tourism * California Division of Workers Compensation Medical Unit * California Division of Workers Compensation * California Economic Assistance, Business and Community Resources * California Economic Strategy Panel * California Education and Training Agency * California Education Audit Appeals Panel * California Educational Facilities Authority * California Elections Division * California Electricity Oversight Board * California Emergency Management Agency * California Emergency Medical Services Authority * California Employment Development Department (EDD) * California Employment Information State Jobs * California Employment Training Panel * California Energy Commission * California Environment and Natural Resources Agency * California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA) * California Environmental Resources Evaluation System (CERES) * California Executive Office * California Export Laboratory Services * California Exposition and State Fair (Cal Expo) * California Fair Political Practices Commission * California Fairs and Expositions Division * California Film Commission * California Fire and Resource Assessment Program * California Firearms Division * California Fiscal Services * California Fish and Game Commission * California Fisheries Program Branch * California Floodplain Management * California Foster Youth Help * California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) * California Fraud Division * California Gambling Control Commission * California Geographic Information Systems Council (GIS) * California Geological Survey * California Government Claims and Victim Compensation Board * California Governors Committee for Employment of Disabled Persons * California Governors Mentoring Partnership * California Governors Office of Emergency Services * California Governors Office of Homeland Security * California Governors Office of Planning and Research * California Governors Office * California Grant and Enterprise Zone Programs HCD Loan * California Health and Human Services Agency * California Health and Safety Agency * California Healthy Families Program * California Hearing Aid Dispensers Bureau * California High-Speed Rail Authority * California Highway Pat rol (CHP) * California History and Culture Agency * California Horse Racing Board * California Housing Finance Agency * California Indoor Air Quality Program * California Industrial Development Financing Advisory Commission * California Industrial Welfare Commission * California InFoPeople * California Information Center for the Environment * California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (I-Bank) * California Inspection Services * California Institute for County Government * California Institute for Education Reform * California Integrated Waste Management Board * California Interagency Ecological Program * California Job Service * California Junta Estatal de Personal * California Labor and Employment Agency * California Labor and Workforce Development Agency * California Labor Market Information Division * California Land Use Planning Information Network (LUPIN) * California Lands Commission * California Landscape Architects Technical Committee * California Latino Legislative Caucus * California Law Enforcement Branch * California Law Enforcement General Library * California Law Revision Commission * California Legislative Analyst's Office * California Legislative Black Caucus * California Legislative Counsel * California Legislative Division * California Legislative Information * California Legislative Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Caucus * California Legislature Internet Caucus * California Library De velopment Services * California License and Revenue Branch * California Major Risk Medical Insurance Program * California Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board * California Maritime Academy * California Marketing Services * California Measurement Standards * California Medical Assistance Commission * California Medical Care Services * California Military Department * California Mining and Geology Board * California Museum for History, Women, and the Arts * California Museum Resource Center * California National Guard * California Native American Heritage Commission * California Natural Community Conservation Planning Program * California New Motor Vehicle Board * California Nursing Home Administrator Program * California Occupational Safety and Health Appeals Board * California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board * California Ocean Resources Management Program * California Office of Administrative Hearings * California Office of Administrative Law * California Office of AIDS * California Office of Binational Border Health * California Office of Child Abuse Prevention * California Office of Deaf Access * California Office of Emergency Services (OES) * California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment * California Office of Fiscal Services * California Office of Fleet Administration * California Office of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Implementation (CalOHI) * California Office of Historic Preservation * California Office of Homeland Security * California Office of Human Resources * California Office of Legal Services * California Office of Legislation * California Office of Lieutenant Governor * California Office of Military and Aerospace Support * California Office of Mine Reclamation * California Office of Natural Resource Education * California Office of Privacy Protection * California Office of Public School Construction * California Office of Real Estate Appraisers * California Office of Risk and Insurance Management * California Office of Services to the Blind * California Office of Spill Prevention and Response * California Office of State Publishing (OSP) * California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development * California Office of Systems Integration * California Office of the Inspector General * California Office of the Ombudsman * California Office of the Pat ient Advocate * California Office of the President * California Office of the Secretary for Education * California Office of the State Fire Marshal * California Office of the State Public Defender * California Office of Traffic Safety * California Office of Vital Records * California Online Directory * California Operations Control Office * California Opinion Unit * California Outreach and Technical Assistance Network (OTAN) * California Park and Recreation Commission * California Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) * California Performance Review (CPR) * California Permit Information for Business (CalGOLD) * California Physical Therapy Board * California Physician Assistant Committee * California Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services * California Policy and Evaluation Division * California Political Reform Division * California Pollution Control Financing Authority * California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo * California Postsecondary Education Commission * California Prevention Services * California Primary Care and Family Health * California Prison Industry Authority * California Procurement Division * California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) * California Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) * California Public Utilities Commission (PUC) * California Real Estate Services Division * California Refugee Programs Branch * California Regional Water Quality Control Boards * California Registered Veterinary Technician Committee * California Registrar of Charitable Trusts * California Republican Caucus * California Research and Development Division * California Research Bureau * California Resources Agency * California Respiratory Care Board * California Rivers Assessment * California Rural Health Policy Council * California Safe Schools * California San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission * California San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy * California San Joaquin River Conservancy * California School to Career * California Science Center * California Scripps Institution of Oceanography * California Secretary of State Business Portal * California Secretary of State * California Seismic Safety Commission * California Self Insurance Plans (SIP) * California Senate Office of Research * California Small Business and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Certification Program * California Small Business Development Center Program * California Smart Growth Caucus * California Smog Check Information Center * California Spatial Information Library * California Special Education Division * California Speech-Language Pat hology and Audiology Board * California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) * California Standards and Assessment Division * California State Administrative Manual (SAM) * California State Allocation Board * California State and Consumer Services Agency * California State Architect * California State Archives * California State Assembly * California State Association of Counties (CSAC) * California State Board of Education * California State Board of Food and Agriculture *California Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) * California State Chil dr en's Trust Fund * California State Compensation Insurance Fund * California State Contracts Register Program * California State Contracts Register * California State Controller * California State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD) * California State Disability Insurance (SDI) * California State Fair (Cal Expo) * California State Jobs Employment Information * California State Lands Commission * California State Legislative Portal * California State Legislature * California State Library Catalog * California State Library Services Bureau * California State Library * California State Lottery * California State Mediation and Conciliation Service * California State Mining and Geology Board * California State Park and Recreation Commission * California State Parks * California State Personnel Board * California State Polytechnic University, Pomona * California State Railroad Museum * California State Science Fair * California State Senate * California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science (COSMOS) * California State Summer School for the Arts * California State Superintendent of Public Instruction * California State Teachers Retirement System (CalSTRS) * California State Treasurer * California State University Center for Distributed Learning * California State University, Bakersfield * California State University, Channel Islands * California State University, Chico * California State University, Dominguez Hills * California State University, East Bay * California State University, Fresno * California State University, Fullerton * California State University, Long Beach * California State University, Los Angeles * California State University, Monterey Bay * California State University, Northridge * California State University, Sacramento * California State University, San Bernardino * California State University, San Marcos * California State University, Stanislaus * California State University (CSU) * California State Water Project Analysis Office * California State Water Project * California State Water Resources Control Board * California Structural Pest Control Board * California Student Aid Commission * California Superintendent of Public Instruction * California Superior Courts * California Tahoe Conservancy * California Task Force on Culturally and Linguistically Competent Physicians and Dentists * California Tax Information Center * California Technology and Administration Branch Finance * California Telecommunications Division * California Telephone Medical Advice Services (TAMS) * California Transportation Commission * California Travel and Transportation Agency * California Unclaimed Property Program * California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board * California Unemployment Insurance Program * California Uniform Construction Cost Accounting Commission * California Veterans Board * California Veterans Memorial * California Veterinary Medical Board and Registered Veterinary Technician Examining Committee * California Veterinary Medical Board * California Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board * California Volunteers * California Voter Registration * California Water Commission * California Water Environment Association (COWPEA) * California Water Resources Control Board * California Welfare to Work Division * California Wetlands Information System * California Wildlife and Habitat Data Analysis Branch * California Wildlife Conservation Board * California Wildlife Programs Branch * California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) * California Workers Compensation Appeals Board * California Workforce and Labor Development Agency * California Workforce Investment Board * California Youth Authority (CYA) * Central Valley Flood Protection Board * Center for California Studies * Colorado River Board of California * Counting California * Dental Board of California * Health Insurance Plan of California (PacAdvantage) * Humboldt State University * Jobs with the State of California * Judicial Council of California * Learn California * Library of California * Lieutenant Governors Commission for One California * Little Hoover Commission (on California State Government Organization and Economy) * Medical Board of California * Medi-Cal * Osteopathic Medical Board of California * Physical Therapy Board of California * Regents of the University of California * San Diego State University * San Francisco State University * San Jose State University * Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy * State Bar of California * Supreme Court of California * Teach California * University of California * University of California, Berkeley * University of California, Davis * University of California, Hastings College of the Law * University of California, Irvine * University of California, Los Angeles * University of California, Merced * University of California, Riverside * University of California, San Diego * University of California, San Francisco * University of California, Santa Barbara * University of California, SantaCruz * Veterans Home of California

That's a list of the California state government agencies.

Sheesh.

That's where the money that the theiving legislators are stealing from me is going.  Looks to me like at least 95% of them should just be disbanded!

New Year's Eve...

We had a very nice evening last night.  Debbie and I, our neighbors Jimmy and Michelle, another neighbor Paula C., and Jimmy's sister Jackie, all got together for a luscious meal.  We all contributed to its making and to it's destruction.  The menu:

champagne and Chambord 

broiled scallops wrapped in bacon

southwestern crabcakes with homemade tarragon tartar sauce

scalloped potatoes

broccoli

prime rib roasted with parsnips, carrots, potatoes, and onions

fresh berries (blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries) in zabaglione sauce

all the wine we could drink

For some reason I can't quite put my finger on, I didn't have much appetite this morning!

I stayed up to the ungodly hour of 10:30, but my head was in danger of hitting the table so I went home (and I drove Paula back down the hill as well; she was also ready to go home).  But Debbie, Jimmy, Michelle, and Jackie rang in the new year, playing cards until 12:30.  By that time I was sound asleep!

725...

That's how many new California state laws go into effect today.  Just the state laws, mind you – that number does not include new county, municipal, or federal laws.

Sometimes it really feels quite hopeless.

And then I think: Rope, tree, legislator.  Some assembly required...

You Are Trying to Confuse Me With Facts!

Excellent take-down of progressive hypocrisy and hogwash:

New Year's Resolution...

Suggested by reader Doug W.:

Morning Walk...

We slept in this morning until just before sunrise; lovely, that was.

I took the dogs out into the dim light for their walk, with Race off-leash.  Our yard looked almost like it had snowed, but it was just frost.  According to our thermometer (which is 15 feet in the air), we got down to 32°F; it was probably a few degrees colder right on the ground.  Say, 28°F – enough to make a fine coating of frost, given the humid air.

In the course of his usual pine-cone chasing, Race discovered that this morning he could skid on the frosty grass.  He started zooming around the yard, then holding all four feet stock-still so he'd skid.  He had a couple of really good skid runs, over 10 feet long.  For whatever reason, it was obvious that Race was really enjoying this; he kept right on doing it.  In fact, I had a great deal of trouble getting him back into the house, as he'd discovered that going down a hill while skidding was even better than the relatively flat parts of our yard!  That border collie is one smart puppy...

The three field spaniels, meanwhile, completely ignored the skidding opportunities.  Instead, they were completely absorbed by the new smells they were finding.  The three short tails were all wagging like made, and all three noses were snuffling about in the frosty grass.  They didn't want to come back in, either – but in their cases, I could drag them back in by the leash!

The Christmas Bird...

Via my mom:

Venn Diagram: People Who Touch Your Junk...

Via reader Doug S.:

As the Instapundit would say: heh!

Snowflakes Like You've Never Seen Them...

Snowflakes under an electron microscope.  The photo at right (click to enlarge) is “3D” – cross your eyes to fuse the two halves into a single center image and it will pop out at you.  More fascinating photos at the link...

Analemma...

This beautiful photo montage of the analemma comes from APOD, of course...

Continuous Air Fare Checking...

Interesting daemon written in Perl that continuously searches for the best fares for a particular trip.  Might be quite useful for someone in a long-distance relationship!

North American Dialects...

Here's a fascinating little web site that's chock full of information about the English dialects of North America.  There are even audio samples you can listen too!

Rain, More Rain...

Check out the rain gauges at right – we're now over 30 inches for the year with the 1.25 inches we got yesterday and last night. 

Our ground is saturated, there's standing water all over the place, and our temperatures are down near the freezing mark.  Meanwhile, all the plants have decided it's spring, and they're growing like mad – we have hundreds of bulbs growing in our yard, and the thickest blanket of actual grass (instead of weeds) that we've seen in ten years or so.  If we get a hard frost (quite possible in the next few days), some of these plants are going to suffer...

Digital Nativity...

If you have even a passing acquaintance with the modern online world, this will make you laugh until you hurt.  Via Frankie T.:

Primes, Visualized...

Here's a nice post about the Ulam spiral and related visual patterns made from primes – along with the code to generate them!

Romance Novel Material?

My wife forwarded this short story to me, with the subject line “Romance novel material”:

He grasped me firmly, but gently, just above my elbow and guided me into a room, his room. Then he quietly shut the door and we were alone. He approached me soundlessly, from behind, and spoke in a low, reassuring voice, close to my ear.

"Just relax..." Without warning, he reached down and I felt his strong, calloused hands start at my ankles, gently probing and moving upward along my calves, slowly, but steadily. My breath caught in my throat. I knew I should be afraid, but somehow I didn't care. His touch was so experienced, so sure. When his hands moved up onto my thighs, I gave a slight shudder, and I partly closed my eyes. My pulse was pounding. I felt his knowing fingers caress my abdomen, my ribcage. And then, as he cupped my firm, full breasts in his hands, I inhaled sharply. Probing, searching, knowing what he wanted, he brought his hands to my shoulders, slid them down my tingling spine and into my panties. Although I knew nothing about this man, I felt oddly trusting and expectant. This is a man, I thought. A man used to taking charge. A man not used to taking "no" for an answer. A man who would tell me what he wanted. A man who would look into my soul and say...

"Okay, ma'am," said a voice. "All done." My eyes snapped open and he was standing in front of me, smiling, holding out my purse. "You can board your flight now."

What is she trying to tell me?

Caring for Your Introvert...

This resonates strongly.  Nobody who knows me well will be surprised.

One of My Heroes Died on December 23...

I first read about Fred Hargesheimer about 15 years ago.  Fred was a P-38 pilot in WWII, shot down over Papua New Guinea, hidden and nurtured by natives.  He survived the war and went on to become a successful businessman (with ERA and Univac).  Later he went back to the natives of the Nakanai tribe, and offered to help.  He started with a school, but did much, much more for the tribe, trying to repay them for saving his life (at great risk to themselves).  Eventually he was given a great honor by the tribe, and just a few years ago the wreckage of his plane was found (after all these years!).  Fred was, of course, an old man by then – but the tribe knew he'd really want to see the wreckage.  So they cleared a helicopter pad in the jungle nearby the wreck, and arranged for him to be helicoptered in, and then carried through the jungle to the wreck.  Fred was able to positively identify the plane.  Here's a more detailed version of his story.

There's much more to Fred's story, of course.  I recommend his book The School That Fell From the Sky; read it and you'll see why I call Fred one of my heroes.

Fred Hargesheimer died on December 23.

More Linux Tricks...

A dandy little collection...

Cassini Visits Rhea...

Cassini is still traipsing about the Saturnian system, producing vast quantities of quality science.  As it gets nearer to the end of its mission (in particular, as it runs out of fuel), the mission planners are sending it on ever more risky endeavours.  Most especially they are sending it closer and closer to Saturn's satellites (this is risky because the gravitational field of these satellites attracts more space junk that could kill Cassini, and because some of these satellites even emit dangerous materials).

Just in time for the holidays, Cassini snapped this closeup of little Rhea, looking a bit like a Christmas tree ornament...

Milk and Butter are Good for You?

Nutritionists change their mind so frequently, and offer conflicting results so unashamedly, that a lay reader has a great deal of difficulty keeping track of what's good and what's bad.  I've basically given up myself, and have pursued a course of mindless eating for pleasure, moderated only when my body gives me unambiguous feedback or when my wallet runs out.  But I still read about the scientists hard at work trying to understand all this.  The latest missive: turns out that milk and butter may help you resist diabetes.  Well, that's nice – I drink a lot of milk!

So You Lost Your Election...

Iowahawk does it again.  Put down your morning beverage and cruise on over to read his latest masterpiece.  My favorite line (hard to pick just one!):

I removed my Congressional experience from my resume. How do I explain the 28-year gap?

Claim you were in prison.

Morning Walk...

Cold and clear this morning; the barometer is rising and you'd think we're in for a typical wintry sequence of mornings like this one.  But the forecast calls for rain on Wednesday, cloudy days through the end of the week, and more rain on Sunday...

Out with the dogs at 3:20 am, and my old friend Orion hangs just above the southwestern horizon.  Another week or two and he'll disappear.  The moon was high overhead and very bright, even though it's less than half lit.  I could see colors in the yard, and the distant mountains were clearly visible.

The three field spaniels focused on one particular spot alongside our driveway, doing their usual intense olfactory absorption.  Today I got down on the ground with them and smelled the same patch of ground.  I could only smell the earth and the grass, nothing else.  The dogs were fascinated by my joining them; didn't quite know what to make of it.

Race, the border collie, did something quite unusual for him.  A neighbor's dog was barking, objecting to our presence.  Race got his hackles up, and took off out the gate (unlike the field spaniels, he was off-leash).  He ran up the patch of ground between my neighbor's fence and our fence, and headed over to the neighbor's fence to get in his dog's face.  Much growling and posturing ensued.  With some difficulty I managed to call Race back.  Next time, he's going out on the leash.

As we walked back toward the house, I heard the low call of an owl nearby.  With some effort (as the calls were very intermittent), I located it – high in one of our eucalyptus trees.  I could just barely make out his silhouette against the bright sky; from the size and shape and call, it had to be a barn owl.  Be afraid, little mice...

Have a Doggy, Doggy Christmas!

'Cause we sure are...

From all of us, to all of you:

Merry Christmas!

Rain!

The graph at right says it all – nearly 8 inches of rain, in just 5 days.  Several times during this storm, the rainfall rates were amongst the highest we've seen here in 11 years.  Awesome storm!

Today, our creeks are running strongly, the moss on all the rocks is bright green, the seeps on the hills are starting to flow (making bright shiny spots on the rocks), the sky is blue and clear, it's cold, the birds are chirping...life is good in Lawson Valley!

And more rain is forecast for this weekend...

Another Obituary...

Via Debbie:

Please join me in remembering a great icon of the entertainment community. The Pillsbury Doughboy died yesterday of a yeast infection and trauma complications from repeated pokes in the belly. He was 71 and rollin in dough.

Doughboy was buried in a lightly greased coffin. Dozens of celebrities turned out to pay their respects, including Mrs. Butterworth, Hungry Jack, the California Raisins, Betty Crocker, the Hostess Twinkies, and Captain Crunch. The grave site was piled high with flours.

Aunt Jemima delivered the eulogy and lovingly described Doughboy as a man who never knew how much he was kneaded. Born and bread in Minnesota, Doughboy rose quickly in show business, but his later life was filled with turnovers.. He was not considered a very smart cookie, wasting much of his dough on half- baked schemes. Despite being a little flaky at times, he still was a crusty old man and was considered a positive roll model for millions.

Doughboy is survived by his wife Play Dough, three children: John Dough, Jane Dough and Dosey Dough, plus they had one in the oven. He is also survived by his elderly father, Pop Tart.

The funeral was held at 3:50 for about 20 minutes.

Rain...

Just over 4" (10 cm) storm total – and two more days of storm to go.  Woo hoo!

Rain...

We've still got three more days to go, but we're over an inch and a half (4 cm) at this point.  Another half inch and calendar 2010 will be the wettest year we've seen since we moved out here some 12 years ago...

If I Didn't Have Any Pets...

Via Debbie:

If I didn't have dogs and cats, I could walk around the yard barefoot in safety.

My house could be carpeted instead of tiled and laminated.

All flat surfaces, clothing, furniture, and cars would be free of hair.

When the doorbell rings, it wouldn't sound like a kennel.

When the doorbell rings, I could get to the door without wading through fuzzy bodies who beat me there.

I could sit on the couch and my bed the way I wanted, without taking into consideration how much space several fur bodies would need to get comfortable.

I would have money, and no guilt to go on a real vacation.

I would not be on a first-name basis with 6 veterinarians, as I put their yet unborn grandkids through college.

The most used words in my vocabulary would not be: out, sit, down, come, no, stay, and leave it ALONE.

My house would not be cordoned off into zones with baby gates or barriers.

I would not talk 'baby talk.' 'Eat your din din.' 'Yummy yummy for the tummy'...
My house would not look like a day care center, toys everywhere.

My pockets would not contain things like poop bags, treats and an extra leash.

I would no longer have to spell the words B-A-L-L, W-A-L-K, T-R-E-A-T, O-U-T, G-O, R-I-D-E, C-O-O-K-I-E.

I would not have as many leaves INSIDE my house as outside.

I would not look strangely at people who think having ONE dog/cat ties them down too much.

I'd look forward to Spring and the rainy season instead of dreading 'mud' season.

I would not have to answer the question, 'Why do you have so many animals?', from people who will never have the joy in their lives of knowing they are loved unconditionally by someone as close to an ANGEL as they will ever get.

How EMPTY my life would be!

That Explains It!

Via Debbie:

Some of you will recall that on July 8, 1947, a little over 62 years ago, witnesses claim that an unidentified flying object (UFO) with five aliens aboard crashed onto a sheep and mule ranch just outside Roswell, New Mexico.

This is a well known incident that many say has long been covered up by the U.S. Air Force and other federal agencies and organizations.

However, what you may NOT know is that in the month of April 1948, nine months after that historic day, the following people were born:

Albert A. Gore, Jr.
Hillary Rodham
John F. Kerry
William J. Clinton
Howard Dean
Nancy Pelosi
Dianne Feinstein
Charles E. Schumer
Barbara Boxer

See what happens when aliens breed with sheep and jackasses? I certainly hope this bit of information clears up a lot of things for you.. It did for me.

No wonder they support the bill to help illegal aliens!

iCarols...

Via Debbie:

An Obituary...

Via my mom, this obituary allegedly published in the London Times:

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:
- Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
- Why the early bird gets the worm;
- Life isn't always fair;
- and Maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.

It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason.

He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers;
I Know My Rights
I Want It Now
Someone Else Is To Blame
I'm A Victim

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.

Nemophila Menziesii...

Gorgeous, isn't it?  Click to enlarge, as always.

This is a common wildflower around these parts, and one of our favorites for its exquisite blue hues.  The photo is courtesy of Botany Photo of the Day, which I continue to highly recommend to anyone interested in botany or wildflowers (which are the subject of many of their photos)...

As If We Needed Proof...

...that Michael Moore is a lying sack of equine anal emissions, this is from a memo recently posted on WikiLeaks.  The memo was written by U.S. diplomats in Havana:

...the memo reveals that when the film was shown to a group of Cuban doctors, some became so "disturbed at the blatant misrepresentation of healthcare in Cuba that they left the room".

Castro's government apparently went on to ban the film because, the leaked cable claims, it "knows the film is a myth and does not want to risk a popular backlash by showing to Cubans facilities that are clearly not available to the vast majority of them."

Sicko investigated healthcare in the US by comparing the for-profit, non-universal US system with the non-profit universal health care systems of other countries, including Cuba, France and the UK.

I suspect Moore is just out to make a buck, and couldn't give a hoot about the truth of his assertions, or consequences of them...

Help Needed: a Fox is in Trouble...

Rusty Beatty writes:

We need some help catching a red tail fox that has a plastic jar stuck on its head. We found the fox Tuesday night on Lyons Valley Rd by Luck Kid Ranch. He was wondering along the side of the road trying to at a road kill rabbit. On Wednesday, Animal Control came out and found the fox in the canyon just out of reach. They gave us a net catch him and set up a trap but with a jar on its head I don't think it can smell the bait. Animal control called Thursday that the fox was by the Arco on 94 in town. He was reported heading east. Possible back to our original location. If anyone has seen him today or sees him in the next few days please let us know asap. Its going on at least 5 days without water. Email cmspm@att.net or call Rusty at 619-920-7773

Can you help this fox in need? If so, please contact Rusty!

Man Found Dead in Jamul...

Update 12/18/2010 @ 6:30 AM:

Now the police are saying it looks like homicide.

Original post:

On Jamul Drive, not far from where Brenden Dallo was killed just a few days ago.  I don't know anything more than this news story...

Public Sporting Dog Training Facility...

Just opened, not far from the town of Jamul.  Cool!

Awesome App...

I sure wish I'd had one of these back when I was traveling extensively in Estonia and Russia!

The Art of Propaganda is Alive and Well...

Reading this site makes me want to vomit as I'm reaching for my shotgun...

Well, I'll Be Darned...

In just the past couple of days, the Senate proposed the most pork-tastic omnibus spending bill we've ever seen, and then withdrew it after seeing that it had no chance of passing (even in the lame-duck Congress!) – and the GOP-Obama compromise tax bill passed both the Senate and the House with overwhelming bipartisan majorities.

I think I could be forgiven for thinking I'm having some kind of a dream.  I'm not sure if it's a nightmare or a good dream, but it surely doesn't seem like something that could happen in the real world!

Some interesting commentary here and here...

How to Safely Store a Password...

Hint: bcrypt is involved...

Home-Brew 8 Bit CPU...

This is cool, but those of us of a certain age have been there, done that, before.  For that young feller, building a computer from scratch with a microprocesser is an exotic affair.  For me (and many others) in the late '70s and early '80s, it was the norm.  I've designed and built dozens of these – and that's not bragging, that's just the way you did things back then. 

There's a further step I'd love to take.  It's been on my “to do” list ever since Don Tarbell showed me his home-brew 8 bit computer back in the late '70s.  He didn't start with a microprocessor chip – he started with a blank sheet of paper and a TTL parts catalog.  He designed the instruction set, the CPU architecture, and every logic gate in the entire thing.  The result was something that would (barely) fit on a table-top, and operated at a speed that would be most unimpressive today – but it was all his design, from the instruction set on up.

I want to do that.  And someday, I will.

Lame Duck Shenanigans...

This reminds me of the stories about the Clinton team trashing the White House as they left office.  The lead from this story in today's WSJ:

The 111th Congress began with an $814 billion stimulus that blew out the federal balance sheet, so we suppose it's only fitting that the Members want to exit by passing a 1,924-page, $1.2 trillion omnibus spending bill. The worst Congress in modern history is true to its essence to the bitter end.

Think of this as a political version of the final scene in "Animal House," when the boys from the Delta frat react to their expulsion by busting up the local town parade for the sheer mayhem of it. Bluto Blutarsky (John Belushi) did go on to be a U.S. Senator in the film, and a man of his vision must have earned a seat on Appropriations.

Democrats have had 11 months to write a budget for fiscal 2011, which began on October 1. But Majority Leader Harry Reid and Appropriations Chairman Daniel Inouye have dumped this trillion-dollar baby on Senators at the very last minute, when everyone is busy and wants to go home for the holidays. No doubt that was the plan. The continuing resolution to fund the government expires on Saturday, so Mr. Reid wants to squeeze Senators against the deadline. And with the press corps preoccupied by the tax debate, the spending bill is greased to slide through with little or no public scrutiny.

Disgusting, ain't it? Read the whole thing; I promise, you'll be even more disgusted...

Facebook Connections Map...

Fascinating graphic representation of “friends” connections on Facebook.  Click to enlarge, as usual.

A Drop of Water...

At 10,000 frames per second:

Francohumor...

Via reader Jim M.:

France has neither winter nor summer nor morals. Apart from these drawbacks it is a fine country. France has usually been governed by prostitutes.'
– Mark Twain

I would rather have a German division in front of me than a French one behind me.
– General George S. Patton

Going to war without France is like going deer hunting without your accordion.
– Norman Schwartzkopf

We can stand here like the French, or we can do something about it.
– Marge Simpson

The only time France wants us to go to war is when the German Army is sitting in Paris sipping coffee.
– Regis Philbin

The last time the French asked for 'more proof' it came marching into Paris under a German flag.
– David Letterman

War without France would be like ... World War II.
– unknown

The favorite bumper sticker in Washington D.C.right now is one that says 'First Iraq , then France .'
– Tom Brokaw

What do you expect from a culture and a nation that exerted more of its national will fighting against Disney World and Big Macs than the Nazis?
– Dennis Miller

It is important to remember that the French have always been there when they needed us.
– Alan Kent

Somebody was telling me about the French Army rifle that was being advertised on eBay the other day – the description was, 'Never fired. Dropped once.'
– Rep. Roy Blunt, MO

The French will only agree to go to war when we've proven we've found truffles in Iraq.
– Dennis Miller

Q. What did the mayor of Paris say to the German Army as they entered the city in WWII?
A. Table for 100,000 m'sieur?

Do you know how many Frenchmen it takes to defend Paris ? It's not known, it's never been tried.
– Rep. R. Blount, MO

Do you know it only took Germany three days to conquer France in WWII? And that's because it was raining.
– John Xereas, Manager, DC Improv

French Ban Fireworks at Euro Disney
(AP), Paris , March 5, 2003  The French Government announced today that it is imposing a ban on the use of fireworks at Euro Disney. The decision comes the day after a nightly fireworks display at the park, located just 30 miles outside of Paris, caused the soldiers at a nearby French Army garrison to surrender to a group of Czech tourists.

The French Army's brand new tank has 15 gears in reverse (including overdrive) - and one forward gear (just in case they're attacked from the rear).

A Kitty Sort of Christmas...

My cousin Mike D. sent around an email with Christmas-themed cartoons.  This one caught my eye, as several of our feline beasties could easily be the main character in it.  As usual, click to enlarge...

Hooters Calendar...

This came in via email from my mom, so I didn't know what to expect when I opened the attachment – it could have been anything at all, including what you expected when you saw the title.  But this turned out to be a series of calendar photos featuring owls, and the photography is very nice indeed.  The shot at right is an example.

If you're interested, the real deal is on sale here, in both paper and electronic form...

Solar Eruption...

Via APOD, this video of a solar filament erupting.  The last few years have brought astounding advances in our ability to image the sun's surface...

Geminids...

I posted in some detail about the Geminids yesterday.  This morning the dogs and I watched them for about 10 minutes, and saw about 40 meteors.  That works out to a rate of about 240/hour, nowhere near some of the predictions – but it was still a great display.  Because Gemini is so high in the sky right now, the meteors were visible at all points of the compass, and looked like they were headed straight down.  Of the meteors I saw, two were fairly large and long-lived, one in particular to the southwest of me that disappeared below the horizon still glowing brightly...

Your Morning Puns...

Via reader James M.:

The fattest knight at King Arthur's round table was Sir Cumference. He acquired his size from too much pi.

I thought I saw an eye doctor on an Alaskan island, but it turned out to be an optical Aleutian.

She was only a whiskey maker, but he loved her still.

A rubber band pistol was confiscated from algebra class, because it was a weapon of math disruption.

No matter how much you push the envelope, it'll still be stationery.

A dog gave birth to puppies near the road and was cited for littering.

A grenade thrown into a kitchen in France would result in Linoleum Blownapart.

Two silk worms had a race. They ended up in a tie.

A hole has been found in the nudist camp wall. The police are looking into it.

Atheism is a non-prophet organization.

Two hats were hanging on a hat rack in the hallway. One hat said to the other: 'You stay here; I'll go on a head.'

I wondered why the baseball kept getting bigger. Then it hit me.

A sign on the lawn at a drug rehab center said: 'Keep off the Grass.'

The midget fortune-teller who escaped from prison was a small medium at large.

The soldier who survived mustard gas and pepper spray is now a seasoned veteran.

A backward poet writes inverse.

In a democracy it's your vote that counts. In feudalism it's your count that votes.

When cannibals ate a missionary, they got a taste of religion.

If you jumped off the bridge in Paris , you'd be in Seine .

Two fish swim into a concrete wall. One turns to the other and says 'Dam!'

Two hydrogen atoms meet. One says, 'I've lost my electron.' The other says 'Are you sure?' The first replies,'Yes, I'm positive.'

Aging Rock Stars...

If you're of a certain age, you'll enjoy this:

Mandate Take-Down...

This WSJ piece is a good summary of the ruling yesterday that the Obamacare individual mandate is unconstitutional.  A taste:

Judge Hudson's opinion is particularly valuable because it dispatches the White House's carousel of rationalizations for its unprecedented intrusions. The Justice Department argued that the mandate is justified by the Commerce Clause because the decision not to purchase insurance has a substantial effect on interstate commerce because everybody needs medical care eventually. And if not that, then it's permissible under the broader taxing power for the general welfare; and if not that, then it's viable under the Necessary and Proper clause; and if not that, well, it's needed to make the overall regulatory scheme function.

But as Judge Hudson argues, the nut of the case is the Commerce Clause. Justice can't now claim that the mandate is "really" a tax when the bill itself imposes what it calls a "penalty" for failing to buy insurance and says the power to impose the mandate is vested in interstate commerce. Recall that President Obama went on national television during the ObamaCare debate to angrily assert that the mandate "is absolutely not a tax increase."

Moreover, Judge Hudson says that no court has ever "extended Commerce Clause powers to compel an individual to involuntarily enter the stream of commerce by purchasing a commodity in the private market."

The best part so far as I can see is that this ruling is a necessary first step in the inevitable appeals process, so the (first) journey of this legislation to the Supreme Court has begun...