How To Survive 2012

Reposted from previous Boodling:

"Good morning, all.

Despite the Cosmic Worries I detailed above (yesterday), I would note that every prediction of the End of the World has been wrong so far.

I would also note that the Chicago Cubs are not in the MLB playoffs and will not win the 2009 World Series, so the world is probably safe for another year. [Though I suppose the Red Sox World Series win/'Curse of the Bambino' cataclysm argument didn't pan out further than the re-election of George W. Bush a few weeks later.]

Joel's article puts me in mind of the Heaven's Gate tragedy and people's deep desire to believe that our existence has some larger Cosmic meaning, rather than the result of a tragi-comic chemical accident in some remote location under unusual conditions, much as we might look at organisms living around deep-sea hydrothermal vents.

bc

Posted by: -bc- | October 16, 2009 9:29 AM"

A little background music for the kit,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eyFiClAzq8&feature=related

I'd forgotten about the 'Heaven's Gate' suicides, but recalled 'Heaven's Gate', the disastrous movie that caused financial pain and ruin among its backers.

Thinking in that direction, we already have the Great Recession and what look to be dire problems with rising sea level and climate change. Isn't that enough, already?

DotC, I'd forgotten about that movie.

JA's book "Captured by Aliens" has a chapter devoted to the Heaven's Gate cult, and IIRC the Man Hizowndarnself did some coverage for WaPo back in the day.

I think the telescope bit is a fabulous metaphor for humanity, IMO.

bc

Hee hee. Well done, Joel. I passed the gist of this on to the Boy - on fall break, this is much too early in the morning for him to actually read anything. When I told him that much of the hoopla was concealed Sony hype, he explained, wide-eyed, that Sony had even built spaceships to use if the worst happened. I assured him that any ships built by Sony would not actually carry people into space and were not intended to do so (other than in the movie). His mission: tell his friends. No end of the world.

SCC: Should have added that the telescope bit is in Joel's book, not in the article above.

On a side note:

In a universe that makes no sense to us (and in fact, we can't even sense the vast majority of it), perhaps there *is* a place for nonsense as we struggle to understand it.

And perhaps nonsense *is* our place.

Ya work with what ya got, right?

bc

I love Joel's use of the technical word, "smush."

But what I want to know is... Mayans? Really? If they knew when the world was going to end, they would have stopped their calendar in the seventeenth century.

And I'm pretty sure that Sony website will be discussed as fact by my co-workers at lunch next week.

Ivansmom, tell the boy to see the movie "When Worlds Collide."

Won't take long for him to figure out it's nearly 60 years old, but it's quite pertient to the End of the World/Sony Spaceship discussion (though that old one was a Paramount prodcution, IIRC).

bc

I'll read Joel's article momentarily, but I just have to comment on that op-ed piece. I would really like to hear what our constitutional-law professor president would say about his accepting the Nobel peace prize. Does anyone really think that he would be so stupid as to claim a charity deduction for it on his income taxes? Get real.

This whole thing is like the so-called "birther" movement. These people need a hobby, perhaps like knitting. . . . . or that elitist hobby of reading.

I've had a tune cootie of the same song for almost the entire week, and I've just got to share it with you all. When I was in undergrad school, I took some summer courses to get certain subjects out of the way (the names and substances of which are long gone, of course). What I do remember is that a new vinyl record (yes, it was a loooong time ago -- in the summer of 1966, and the date of 6/6/66 set off a firestorm among certain people that Joel's planet was going to crash into the Earth, etc., etc., etc.) had come out -- it was Frank Sinatra and Count Basie and the title of the album was "Frank & Splank" -- I really have to get a CD of it, if it might exist. I still think, 43-44 years later, that it is a masterpiece.

The tune cootie from that album is Sinatra's rendition (that word used in the "good" sense) of "Once Upon A Time" and I simply cannot get it out of my head. He sang it beautifully and I recommend its getting into your heads, too.

My physical therapy was canceled today, which was probably a good thing. The weather stinks -- cold and rainy -- but we do need the rain, and now I'm pleased that I don't have to go out later in it.

Toodley-Boodley till anon. . . (as Mudge might say, eh?)

Many people are fascinated by end of the world scenarios. Perhaps it is displacement of the background knowledge, suppressed in most but nevertheless present, that the end for all of us is a firm conclusion to life.

Is it safe to note that the end of Maya civilization came considerably before 2012?

The Planet X business reminds me of Immanuel Velikovsky. Interest in his reinterpretation of the solar system evolution, with careful disregard of physics, piqued interest again in the '70s.

Can I just interrupt here to note there's now a short-lived Monty Python channel on Sirius/XM radio??

Thank you.

Mudge-thanks for the responses re: seeing a football game in person. I have not been to that many NFL games, the Vikings vs. Chiefs in KC's Joe Montana days (nosebleed seats, but I love KC's sporting venues no matter the seats), and the Vikings vs. Giants last year (great game, decent seats). The Christmas, or was it Thanksgiving, day spent watching a college football double header at Aloha stadium allowed me to get a lot of reading done. I'll let Mr. F be the judge on this one. He has seen the buccs in person many times, but all as crew on the pirate ship. There's always the chance that both teams will play so poorly it will be entertaining in a perverse way.

A friend took me and my son to a Bucs game several years back. It was a lot of fun even if just for the spectacle of it. But I still have fond memories of watch the Rowdies at the Big Sombrero.

I just like that the end of baktun 12 happened to be slated on 12/21/12 without the Mayans even knowing the European calendar. That's just plain cool.

Love the R.E.M. link.

So all this foofaraw really just calls for a simple "Happy New Baktun" in 2012?

Franklin Graham, son of Billy, is hinting that he knows the end of days is coming soon. This un-biblical stuff isn't new, but I expect some new profits to be made.

I like your "Obama is unconstitutional" contest, Curmudgeon.

Tune for the Contest:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMbiX6cBw2s

Got sad news for you, ftb. Sinatra's 1966 album with Basie was "Sinatra at the Sands" (the third of only three they made together), and "Once Upon a Time" is not on it. Here's the complete track list:

"Come Fly with Me" (Sammy Cahn, Jimmy Van Heusen) – 3:45
"I've Got a Crush on You" (George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin) – 2:42
"I've Got You Under My Skin" (Cole Porter) – 3:43
"The Shadow of Your Smile" (Johnny Mandel, Paul Francis Webster) – 2:31
"Street of Dreams" (Victor Young, Samuel Lewis) – 2:16
"One for My Baby (and One More for the Road)" (Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer) – 4:40
"Fly Me to the Moon" (Bart Howard) – 2:50
"One O'Clock Jump" (Instrumental) (Count Basie) – 0:53
"The Tea Break" (Sinatra Monologue) – 11:48
"You Make Me Feel So Young" (Mack Gordon, Josef Myrow) – 3:21
"All of Me" (Instrumental) (Gerald Marks, Seymour Simons) – 2:56
"The September of My Years" (Cahn, Van Heusen) – 2:57
"Luck Be a Lady" (Frank Loesser) – 4:40
"Get Me to the Church on Time" (Frederick Loewe, Alan Jay Lerner) – 2:22
"It Was a Very Good Year" (Ervin Drake) – 4:01
"Don't Worry 'Bout Me" (Rube Bloom, Ted Koehler) – 3:18
"Makin' Whoopee" (Walter Donaldson, Gus Kahn) – 4:24
"Where or When" (Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart) – 2:46
"Angel Eyes" (Earl Brent, Matt Dennis) – 3:26
"My Kind of Town" (Cahn, Van Heusen) – 3:04
"A Few Last Words" (Sinatra Monologue) – 2:30
"My Kind of Town" (Reprise) – 1:00

And OUAT isn't on either of the earlier ones-- I checked. It DOES appear on Sinatra's "September of My Years" album (October 1965) (http://www.amazon.com/September-My-Years-Frank-Sinatra/dp/B000006OBP), which is the one that has "It Was a Very Good Year" on it. That song won two Grammys, one for Sinatra and one for the arrangement, and the whole album itself won the Grammy for album of the year.

Amazon sells the MP3 of "Once Upon a Time" for 99 cents at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001P1JPIG/ref=dm_mu_dp_trk12

It is also on two subsequent retrospective collections.

"September of My Years" also has the Kurt Weill/Maxwell Anderson song "September Song" on it, plus the album title song written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn.

CBS was filming a piece about Sinatra when he recorded "It Was a Very Good Year," which was used on a Walter Cronkite special I'm sure you've seen.

Boodle Calamity Alert!!

I just heard from Cassandra. She is well. However, her father's house burned down this morning. He is safe and with her, but he lost everything. She sends everyone her love, she misses us all, and asks for our prayers.

What can we do to help Ivansmom?

Funny you should have picked that particular R.E.M. link, dmd. It's from the same concert (in Tornoto) as this link to "Loosing My Religion" that I listen to all the time on my headphones at work. Same audience, venue, etc., obviously. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_XFMCgeI7c&feature=related

Jumper's link also from the same concert.

Oh my, Ivansmom. That's terrible. Thank you for passing the info along. Is there anything we can do?

What is sad is I viewed the link a few times, then went wait, I know that place - used to work a block away.

Cassandra did not ask for anything but prayers. When I asked whether we could do anything in addition to prayer, she said he'd lost everything. I believe her dad is on a fixed income and I expect it will be hard for him. I know their church and community will rally around, but we're Cassandra's community too. None of us live close enough to be any real physical help. I think it might be appropriate if anyone wanted to contribute something. I'm sure we can work out those logistics.

Yes indeed, Ivansmom, what can we do?? :-O Best thoughts to Cassandra and her dad.

Dam ftb and her tune cootie. Only I'm hearing Ray Bolger's haunting version of "Once Upon a Time" in my head.

Yes... you heard me right. Bolger's version is played often on Sirius' Broadway channel and it always bring tears to my eyes.

You're right, Mudge -- it must have been the "September of My Years" album. And "It Was a Very Good Year". I do still have the vinyl around somewhere (at least I hope I do), and IIRC, the cover showed Frank and Basie ("Splank") was at the piano. It remains one of the best albums I've ever heard.

(note to self -- go to Amazon to see if it's there in CD)

Terrible about Cassandra and her father's house. Warm and encouraging karma being faxed as we speak. If anyone finds out anything more, do let us know how we can help.

Looking for something cultural to do tomorrow? This sounds like fun...

From a WaPo email...

Sociologists with stopwatches say that museum visitors, on average, spend less than 30 seconds looking at any given artwork before hurrying on to the next one. The Smithsonian American Art Museum says: Whoa.

On Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., the museum (at 1661 Pennsylvania Ave. NW) will host a "Slow Art" event designed to get folks to step on the brakes. Here's how it works: Upon arrival, be sure and grab a folding stool from the Luce Foundation Center on the third floor, west wing. Next, take your time finding that one singular object with which you are willing to spend a bit of quality time. Settle down in front of it. At 1:15 p.m., rendezvous in the first-floor courtyard to eat lunch (bring your own or buy a bite from the cafe) and to discuss the experience with other participants.

The event itself is free, but you should register beforehand at www.slowartdc2009.eventbrite.com.

Back in grad school, I believe it was the Harmonic Convergence that was supposed to Spell Our Doom, but I'm pretty sure there were a couple other impending catastrophes floating around, too. What bugs me is that all these cosmic catastrophes are written by know-nothing morons. I mean, with my knowledge of the subject and a reasonable facility with language, surely I should be able to write something more persuasively terrifying, right? Am I right?

As it happens, I have created a concept that uses pseudo-science, astronomy, human hubris, and fad terrors, to end the world in a colorful and yet barely-survivable way. Quoting another well-known opinion-maker: what I have here is #*((!^ golden, I'm not just giving it away! So, you'll just have to wonder which forthcoming predicted disaster is mine...

If you remember, Y2K was supposed to be the End of Western Civilization As We Know It.

Which is just plain silly, because everyone knows the End of Western Civilization As We Know It arrived the day some moron gave Richard Simmons a TV show.

ScienceTim - write that book! College tuition ain't cheap. You may want to use a pseudonym.

"May" want to use a pseudonym? Bad enough having to explain the end of the world on TV talk shows. Even worse to haev to correct the pronunciation of my last name to every two-bit moron who comes along. Besides, unless it's something weird and Dutch yet easy to pronounce, no one will believe it.

Oooh, best option: declare that it's a pseudonym to protect me from the "they" who don't want the "truth" to come out!

Hey, you two, get a room!

Oh, wait...

Pick a pseudonym like, oh, Scully, say, or Mulder.

FYI... if anyone wants Cassandra's address and/or other info, you can contact me at boodler [at] mac [dot] com and I can pass along--both directions.

But now I'm off to do some much-needed grocery shopping and dinner cooking. I may run into a stray boodler here or there... just sayin'.

Some unexpected events in doomsday movies are just better than others.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DzcOCyHDqc

May I just say that the Monty Python channel is the only thing keeping me sane today? Thank you.

Of course there's a Planet X. You just need to follow planets A through W to find it. On the upside, since it's the only known source of Illudium Phosdex, the world may end, but shaving cream will get really cheap. Happy apocalypse, you th-th-th-thing from another world.

That helps too, rashomon, thanks. :-)

So, just to go back to an earlier topic: if I correctly remember my Civics class in high school, aren't there two ways to be a natural-born citizen of the U.S. and thus eligible for the Presidency?

(1) Be born within our borders (which is the one that Ms. Taitz doubts). Or,
(2) Be the child of a U.S. citizen. Not TWO U.S. citizens -- one is enough.

It is beyond question that Mama Obama was a citizen. Therefore, there is no argument whatsoever, even if we were to believe Ms. Taitz's insane idea that he was born in Kenya and then had a Hawaii birth certificate faked. Just as there is no realistic question as to whether McCain satisfies the same criterion.

If I were to believe Charlton's reaction at the end of Planet of the Apes this tectonic mayhem that sony is proposing for 2012, barely more than 2 years from now, doesn't leave us much time to evoluate our current primates.
Those catastophe-mongers should get their ducks in a row, so to speak.

If you want to keep people happy Scotty just say yes all the time. However, sometimes keeping people happy is not the right thing to do.

*Tim, I looked it up last summer, and here's what I recall: it depends on the laws in effect at the time the person was born. IIRC, at the time Obama was born, the law was that, if you had only one citizen as parent, you needed to have been born in the US. Hence the Kenya kerfuffle.

Sane, Shriek, I'm trying to stay sane... Small difference. :-)

McCain's situation was a bit more precarious.

Wasn't he born before the constitutional convention?

weed, slightly after the earth's crust cooled, but before the constitutional convention.

The mysterious never-before-seen gray blight attacking my tomatoes may be the end of the world. Or the end of this year's tomatoes anyway.

Is it blight, or goo, Jumper? Important distinction...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94mC9JCLq-U

Had to do some cleaning up around here.

I gather from recent radio listening that the "late blight" is a goo -- specifically, a fungus-like parasitic organism that produces spores with flagellae that swim through water to reach the new host. Icky.

" a fungus-like parasitic organism that produces spores with flagellae that swim through water to reach the new host."

*Trying hard not to class some guys I know in this category...*

"Late blight" has been in the news, off and on, all summer. I actually stocked up on pasta sauce on the chance that a poor tomato harvest would cause prices to go up this winter.

I can't get too upset about this particular micro-organism, though. Apparently it's the same one that caused the Irish potato famine. If not for that, my Irish ancestors would likely never have come to America, and I wouldn't be here. It's the little things...

I'll have you know my spores have no flagellae.

The electrolysis hurt, but it was worth every openny.

Perhaps they are thinking if Mrs Palin runs for president and wins,then it would be the end of the world.

Flagellectomy? Don't believe it. Even at a dollar apiece.

Meanwhile the cases of late blight are spiraling. Spiraling, I say!

Everybody have a good weekend (if you are on the East Coast, try to stay dry. We're in the middle of a 4-day nor'easter).

Frosty, try the food in Ibor City. Some good eats there.

I'm looking forward to watching the Redskins play the 32nd-ranked defense in the NFL on Sunday. Could be a barn-burner, a zero-zero tie going in to overtime. I'm sure a number of us will live-blog some of most foul [expletives deleted] parentheticals expressions using obscure keyboard symbols in the history of the Internet.

Oh, and vering dangerously on-topic I like to think I somehow was the inspiration for Joel when he wrote "The sun will get old and cranky and eventually immolate the entire planet," but perhaps I flatter myself.

Now, you're being immolately immodest, Mudge.

You are getting very Louis XIV in your old days Curmudgeon. Get off my Le Nôtre-designed lawn you young knaves!

Hello boodle! Will probably get stuck in Minneapolis tonight, as I am still in Bemidji for a flight that was supposed to leave at 4:21 There is only vending machine food here so I have already eaten most of the fresh baked boule I made to share with Mr. F.

Mudge-Don't know if we'll make it to Ybor, at this point I'll be happy to have time to leave the airport.

Just a tiny note -- the Frank Sinatra tune cootie is still charging around my brain, turning it to fudge. Or is that, um, *Mudge*?

A lot of work done within a hugely intense time frame today. Thank goodness the courthouse takes filings in the off-hours box until midnight. Whew!

Going to the symphony at the Kennedy Center tomorrow night, which should be lovely if I don't get all wet before hand. This is the kind of weather where you want to be in front of a fire (wood or gas or whatever), with a snifter (large) of cognac (or armagnac (which I used to prefer)), some wonderful soothing music (classical or vintage -- yet soft -- Sinatra), and a good book. And, perhaps, someone to turn the pages with.

And a golden retriever, perhaps. You know, to keep your feet warm. And "clean". In addition to an afghan (of the knitted variety -- not the kind with the wet nose) someone's grandmother made, or which one has made oneself.

Time to think about what's left to make dinner from. I have the last vestiges of last week's farmers market veggies. That, along with some brown rice and topped with walnuts for protein and all nuked, plopped over the rice (delicately, of course) and topped with some Szechuan sauce.

Cy'all over the weekend maybe. For those of us in the mid-Atlantic region all the way up to New England, stay warm! And for those of you in the South, stay cool. For everyone else, stay whatever you want to be.

Ah, here he is!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ESR8nEGU_Q

Scotty, this is for you:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNRkhJc2d_w&NR=1

Maybe the Y2K bug really did destroy civilization and we just never noticed.

Wasn't our CP saying something like this the other day, apparently Bill Clinton was listening. The communitarian part that is.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/711404--clinton-glad-95-quebec-referendum-didn-t-lead-to-canadian-divorce

That would be like Shaun of the Dead, RD_P.

The other day on the news I heard about officials asking residents of a nearby town to be on the look out for meteorite fragments, not something you hear everyday on the local news.

Apparently a few fragments were a little easier to find then the rest.

http://www.macleans.ca/article.jsp?content=n161555918

And pictures of the meteor as it went over Hamilton.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091007124411.htm

Hi, all! I'm sorry to hear about Cassandra's father's house. Would like to hear from Cassandra herself.

Happily, I would like to report that I have an actual job. A real, permanent, benefit-providing, 8-4:30 job! It's not high paying, but it puts those haunting fears of spending all my savings and living in a cardboard box to rest. Nice people, too! I start Monday.

Maybe the economy is a little bit better now?

Congrats and good luck Wheezy.

Thank you, kbert... *banging two bricks together, whilst crooning* :-)

Congrats, Wheezy.

My e-mail seems to be down, in case anybopdy is e-mailing me and not getting an answer. Methinks it is some gummint maintenance thing.

Thanks, dmd. I was just reading your meteorite article to my daughter and she wants to know how they know it's that old. I wouldn't imagine it would have carbon in it, even if carbon-dating works for extraterrestrial objects.

Thanks, mudge. It's amazing how such a long job search with no nibbles makes even a dull desk job seem idyllic. I'm determined to remain pleasant and cheerful and content with it even if it is dull. At least for a year or two, anyway.

Congrats, Wheezy! Glad to hear about the new job. I hope you can Boodle While Working.

Not sure how they know (already) how old it is, SciTim, bc - just guesses by the journalist?

Noticing from the flight path it went within streets of going RIGHT OVER MY HOUSE, can't believe I didn't see it, I am often outside with the dog at that time of night.

It would have been going so fast you would have missed it if you looked down, dmd. There would have been a nice wooosh, I'm betting.

Wheezy, congratulations. That gives me hope that eventually something will come my way. I had a phone interview last week that didn't pan out. I hate phone interviews and the interviewer wasn't very good either so that made the whole thing rather painful.

Gee dmd, what excitement in your area. Rather dull here altho' north and west of Boston there was some snow, just a dusting. Here we just had very high tides. The tidal river I can see from my house was way over its banks earlier today.

Thanks, TBG. I doubt seriously I'll have the guts to check to see if I'm internet-capable at work for at least the first month.

Congratulations Wheezy! You give me hope, really you do.

Congratulations, Wheezy! A dull desk job is what I'm aspiring to. At this point I'd be happy for some dull training. Glad to hear it.

Sorry to hear about Cassandra. Hope she's getting the help she needs.

badsneakers, at least you have recent experience. Except for some temping in the past year, I hadn't worked in over 10 years. Oddly, the temp agency called me and told me to go to an interview they had arranged, and within 6 hours I got the call that I was hired. The countless on-line applications, resumes and cover letters nicely tailored to the job, all that - almost no responses.

Gotta go celebrate.

I've gotten a couple of jobs almost exactly that way Wheezy. Rather disconcerting to be without prospects one day and gainfully employed the next. But not bad!

I just talked to Cassandra. Her dad is resting, and she's trying to keep him calm over the weekend. He's understandably upset since he'll be starting over with everything. She still doesn't have Boodle access. I told her the Boodle sends prayers, good thoughts and best wishes. She sends her love to everyone.

Congratulations to Wheezy on the job!! There's nothing like gainful employment, when you're looking for it.

Today I took the day off - Ivansdad is out of town and there was no school. I rearranged the linen closet, went through a clothes cabinet, and have almost defrosted the little refrigerator. It had several inches of ice in the tiny, unused freezer portion. The Boy has a friend over and they helped me move a broken TV out of the house. We drove up the road to a place which sells a couple of hundred varieties of soda pop, mostly exotic. I got ginger beer. Among their purchases was something that looks like orange but smells and tastes like grape. Genuinely weird and just the thing for them.

Thanks, everybody. I worked like a demon at each temp job, trying to prove myself. Often temps are hired to work on a large backlog of dull work nobody wants to do - I worked myself out of several temp jobs by working extra fast and hard. I was hoping it would pay off, and it did.

You guys seen the movie trailers for "Amelia," starring Hillary Swank as Amelia Earhart? I think that's great casting, and it looks like it could be pretty good. I looked it up on IMDB and discovered two of the characters are Gene Vidal (who I never heard of) and his son, Gore Vidal, who is age 12 in the movie. I never knew Gore Vidal had anything to do with Earhart, but when I looked it up in Wiki, it turns out that Gore's father, Gene, was a flight instructor, and started no less than three small airlines with Earhart. Wiki says that Gene Vidal was the one great love of Earhart's life. In the movie he is played by Ewan MacGregor. (Easy, ladies, easy.)

Oh, over the last 24 hours or so I also tried that slow-rise no-knead bread from the NYT awhile back. It is cooling now. It certainly looks like bread. If it tastes decent I'll do it again. I had to let it rise in a very slightly warm oven all day, though; when it said "room temperature" I don't think it meant 66 degrees.

Well done Wheezy!! :-)

Yay, Wheezy! I know it feels good. I hope to hear similar good news from Sneaks and kber and others who have been in similar situations.

I'm happy to be the collection person for help for Cassandra. Please email TBG at the address above for my contact information.

Hey, I almost forgot. On-Kit: Ivansdad and I saw the trailer for the "2012" movie. It looks hilarious. We agreed that it looks so dumb we might have to see it, just to laugh. HUGE special effects. Spaceships (according to the Boy, made for the cataclysm as well as the movie). From what we could tell, a really dumb plotline to hold the special effects together.

The Boodle could all go and laugh together. In an imaginary way, of course.

Ivansmom, this is the single best (and by far the easiest) recipe for bread. Ever. I only ever do this, if I plan enough ahead in advance. It really rawks. Great crumb, fabulous crust (I like a hard crust) developed flavour. Really, a perfect Boule with no effort except the commitment of time.

And this comes from a woman who panics at a move, because my levain will die.

You had me running to Wikipedia for "levain," Yoki. Interesting. How do you deal with a death like that and get going with a new one? Kindness of friends and complicated logistics? Start fresh from a windowsill? Buy a starter?

Someone on another website said:
" The starter I bought - way back when - was supposed to be a true San Francisco sourdough starter. Over time it became a Los Angeles starter... and in true LA fashion it developed emphysema, became schizophrenic from the overcrowding, developed ulcers from the stress of freeway traffic, failed in all attempts to make it big in the movie industry and eventually died a pauper and an unknown."

from
http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f19/how-do-you-start-sourdough-levain-2393.html

*BUY* a starter?!!

Nope. Not me. I just make bit of sponge, and then break some off, and expose it to the (very clean) environment, and cherish it and feed it. A good levain is sort of like a child. It needs serious nurturing until it reaches maturity, and then we let it go.

I use the rest of the sponge for a pain ordinaire.

AKA, Ordinary Pain. Which we all suffer, if we're blessed to live so long.

I don't actually like Sourdough, so don't do that. It is really sour and to my taste, a bit horrid. I just do levain, that I nuture.

This is funny as all get out. I know some like her.
http://www.frenchgardening.com/postcard.html?pid=3158809128466962

HAHAHAHA! This is me. And my levain.

And also, my evolution in bread-baking.

Amelia Earhart had a cabin near Meeteetse, Wyoming, which means she must have been in and out of Cody. She might even possibly have seen a black-footed ferret. The last known ferret population was outside of Meeteetse; they took well to captive breeding and have been reintroduced to various sites. Fierce little predators, burrowing through frozen soil to find prairie dogs for dinner.

Thanks, Ivansmom, for the latest on Cassandra's father and his sudden lack of house.

Bonne pain, Yoki. Bonjour, y'all. The refrigerator is defrosted at last, all the bottles back in place. It is time for me to settle in with a nice cup of tea. I have to persuade the Boy(s) to start on a movie soon, so they'll settle down for eventual sleep. My sleep will be much sooner. Vaya con queso, buenos gnocchis, and fondue.

The 4.6 Gyr age for the fallen meteorite was mostly likely tossed out there by the meteoriticist who collected it, as a reasonable guess. The ages of several meteorites have been estimated. I don't know the details, but it's basically like this: there are many well-understood radioactive decay processes other than the decay of carbon-14 (which results in nitrogen-14). Some of those decay chains have a long lifetime and result in gaseous products (like argon and other noble gases) that would not have been trapped in a rock matrix during the formation of the parent asteroid from which we receive a bit as a meteorite. How do we know the meteorite comes from a parent asteroid? Because the materials are differentiated, consistent with a body that was once large enough that the heat of impacts caused the dense metals to melt (rather than just fly right off into space) and had enough gravity to sink the molten material to the core, denser stuff farther down. Hence, no gases like argon would be trapped in such an object. At some point, it had to be disrupted (i.e., broken to bits), because otherwise we wouldn't have the meteorite. Careful analysis of remaining parent nuclei (e.g., uranium) and the various daughter species formed by the decay process enable meteoritic scientists to estimate the date of formation of the meteorite. The oldest known meteorites are about 4.6-4.7 billion years old (= Giga-years = Gyr), and the youngest ones that are not identifiably ejected from Mars, for instance, are not all that much younger. Hence, the reasonable first guess that your average not-yet-dated meteorite is probably about 4.6 Gyr old.

About the Mars ones: they are identifiable because of the composition of gas in inclusions (bubbles) within the meteorites (which also tells you that they are not from the body of planetary or dwarf-planetary cores) and they have ages measured in tens of millions of years rather than billions.

All this subject to revision, as I check with my meteorite-scientist friends.

Understood.

What a lovely day and night weather-wise here in the east.

Quack,Quack!!!!!

green man, you always make me laugh!

Yoki,
your American alter ego, the one who keeps levain in a mustard jar, has a first hand look at socialized medicine, French style.
http://www.frenchgardening.com/postcard.html?pid=12525912491887488

We had a huge raccoon sleeping very high in a basswood tree last night. At first Mrs. D thought it was a porcupine, which would have been bad news but closer inspection with binoculars revealed it was a bit fat 'coon. The VLP and porcupine spells trouble but the VLP can handle raccoons.

The NYT visits Charlevoix. I would have added a few more interest points, like the Parc des Grands Jardins. After having his foie gras in St-Urbain he should have headed north a few more miles to the park. Because of the elevation and harsh microclimate there is an area of tundra on the top of the plateau and the moutains are quite spectacular by themselves, for an Easterner anyway.
http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/10/18/travel/18explorer.html

Good morning, boodle. A full blown pancake breakfast awaits in the ready room, complete with some proper coffee. I'm off to the town festival directly, to set up a booth and hand out free water. Given the current weather, overcast and drizzly, maybe it should have been free coffee. Regardless, free is good. Slyness and Jumper, if you're in the area, come to town and enjoy in the revelry. I rested easier last night, knowing that the world won't cease to exist until at least 2013.

'Morning boodle. Congrats to Wheezy and my sympathy to Cassandra and her dad.

I spent a good part of my day escorting my son to and from the health clinic to get some meds to combat the the persistent cough he developed from his bout with H1N1 earlier this month.

Now I'm off to see some wrecks do their ramblin' this morning. After the parade, game time isn't until 6 pm, so I'll have plenty of time to kill.

Last night we ate at Woodfire Grill as featured on Top Chef. They fresh back a variety of bread including a sourdough that was just scrumptious.

NukeSpouse's rate of eyebrow-raising has certainly gone up since I've had the MP channel on (rah-ther a lot, really). But given the lovely weather (resembling London rah-ther a lot, really), we'll be listening a lot and I think she's getting it, by George! :-)

*David-Coperfield-with-one-P-by-Edmund-Wells Grover waves*

Good morning, all.

Glad to hear Cassandra and her father are OK, though facing a tough road ahead.

*Tim, thanks for that summary for determining the age of meteorite fragments. It's more comprehensive than the one I'd contemplated.

Not sure how many more days of rain we'll have before I consider construction of an ark, but I am eyeballing the trashcans for utility as floatation devices.

But in the meantime, there's plenty to do today, possibly to include condensing the leftovers in my refrigerator into chili or a stew.

bc

Morning, all. Delicious breakfast, Jack, thanks so much. I hope you have a successful day! We are in cleanup/close house mode, as it is time to go home. Tonight we are attending the wedding of the daughter of friends. I hope the weather will improve so that it is a nice evening.

The annuals in the planters survived the night, but they will die tonight, as the temperature is supposed to go into the upper 20's. Ah well, it's time.

As ridiculously hectic as the work week was, it seems I lost 3 or 4 pounds in the bargain.

Not much of a bargain, but still...

:-)

bc, don't condense too much -- neutron chili is a little TOO filling...

I shouldn't think neutron chili is at all filling. I expect it sits heavy on the stomach though.

These old Lonesome Dove episodes have me pinned down here, unable to do much but watch.

Howdy y'all. It is chilly here but beautifully crisp and blue. The trees are all still mostly green. Soon I'll be recklessly throwing open the windows. Perhaps, this afternoon, I can even get a little yard work done. Then, I'm afraid, I once again act as a drone of transportation to facilitate the Boy's mad social whirl.

This morning I should pick up a box of fresh-roasted green chiles. Cleaning and freezing those will keep me busy around the edges of the weekend.

Morning all... spent the early morning today in training in my capacity as a volunteer for the county's Medical Reserve Corps. There will be a mass immunization next weekend at some area schools for school-age children in the county.

I believe this Corps was first conceived during the Anthrax "scare." I'm glad to know there's an actual threat out there before we actually deploy.

There should be a full-fledged press campaign during the week to explain the program to the public. But as organized as the group seems to be (it's a volunteer arm of the county's Health Department) I anticipate full-fledged confusion as well.

Oh, it's a dark day... I'm actually wearing pants on a weekend. *SIGH*

So TBG, you'll be part of the great socialist conspiracy, eh?

Socialist conspiracy. I love that description, Scotty. Especially since this is what it says on the MRC site...

"The MRC was founded after President Bush’s 2002 State of the Union Address, in which he asked all Americans to volunteer in support of their country. It is a partner program with Citizen Corps, a national network of volunteers dedicated to ensuring hometown security."

Wearing pants, eh, Scotty? That's a good thing.

This morning, the most viewed item on the Globe & Mail website is this video:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/retirement/retirement-lost-john-mlacak-73/article1324809/

John is the long-time next door neighbour of Himself's parents; he and his wife are really wonderful people.

WOMEN of the proletariat, UNITE!

Good to see all these socialists exposing the evil overlords.

I was actually stunned to hear Sarah Palin, once again, imply that I am un-American because I don't support HER standards.

AND, in some ways, I find Huckabee even worse. The hate is searing... from a man of the cloth AND A BASSIST, to boot.

What hatey stuff from Huckabee, weed?

Ivansmom, Please post the link to the NYT easy crusty bread. Sorry, I haven't been pay much attention lately. The school district is working us subs overtime.
All bread around here is the consistency of marshmellows. coctco has some with thick skin but it is more like leather than crispy crust. Grew up on San Francisco and Petaluma sour dough but it's a two tank of gas trip to get some from here.
I asked the bread person at Fred Meyer why they didn't stock any crusty bread and she said 'we' like our bread to melt in our mouth. ugh.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/081mrex.html?_r=2&ref=dining

bh72, this is the recipe. It took the food-blogging world by storm when it was published.

My god,he's a bassist? He must not be allowed to walk around in public.

From Associated Press...

Sat Oct 17, 12:25 am ET

LOS ANGELES – Residents of a Southern California apartment complex say they saw a lifeless body slumped on a neighbor's patio, but didn't call police because they thought it was part of a Halloween display.

Mostafa Mahmoud Zayed had apparently been dead since Monday.

Cameraman Austin Raishbrook, owner of RMG News, told the Los Angeles Times he was at the scene in Marina del Rey Thursday when authorities arrived. The 75-year-old Zayed was slumped over a chair on the third-floor balcony of his apartment with a single gunshot wound to the eye.

A Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department investigator says the case is an "apparent suicide."

Raishbrook says neighbors told him they noticed the body Monday "but didn't bother calling authorities because it looked like a Halloween dummy."

This cracked me up.

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/report_majority_of_newspapers_now

Thanks Yoki.

Alas, I am $550 the poorer, but the good news is that Bluebelle (my pickum-up) has four new shoes. good for another 40,000 miles or so, plus an alignment to get rid of that pesky 65-,ph shimmy she had. The poor girl was fish-tailing all over the road yesterday. I would suggest to her that she needs a bit more weight in her rear end, but she's very sensitive and I have to be very careful about how I broach these things to her.

Safeway had a sale on tilapia stuffed with lobster and crabmeat, so we're having that for dinner, along with a few snow crab clusters also on sale for $5.99. We brought back a dozen bottles of wine from Va. last week, so our evening of seafood and drunken debauchery is all set. I'm thinking a couple of baked potatoes and a wedgie of iceberg with some feta, and let the bacchanale begin!

Sounds yummy Mudge. We're having leftover escarole soup with chicken meatballs and cornbread. Just mowed the front lawn in a drizzle, did wonders for my hair which was just cut and colored this morning. We did have a bit of sun this morning, nice for the Head of the Charles rowing regatta that is taking place this weekend. I wouldn't want to be out there tomorrow!

Back after several hours working, sunny and cool today - nice for working outside.

Came home to find our kitchen island project about 1/3 of the way complete, unfortunately this means everything is all over the kitchen, stuff temporarily stored in laundry baskets which are sitting on the counter. I know I will love this when complete but a bit of a pain right now. We will have self opening drawers when we are done - really doesn't take much to amuse me.

Thanks, Yoki-die-Pandelaria

Mudge: root soup, based on roasted veggies left over from yesterday.

Have only bought milk this week and living off the fridge/freeze and last week's box of CSA wonders.

Used a little jerk seasoning in the soup. Why? I do not like the sweetness of butternut really. Better if I turn it into a sweet-spicey thing...that is just me. Y'll can allspice/nutmeg all you like withe gourds of winter.

Have no wine at all. However, some fraAngelico may be stirred into coffee later. Chilly day, this.

dmd, forgive my ignorance, how do self-opening drawers work?

I am happily reclining on the sofa watching (sort of) the Notre Dame USC game. I can't decide who to root for as both coaches used to coach the Pats. I might have to merely enjoy the game without caring about the outcome.

The drawers have a small motor when you touch the drawers - they open. We have a friend in the kitchen hardware business - so we were able to get this - as the retail price would be about equivalent to the price we are paying for the island.

I fully understand your need to make squash a little spicier and less sweet-bland, CQP. I am always tempted to sour it up a little myself.

Garam masala is sweet yet much spicier than fall spices (the black pepper is part of the secret). Jerk seasoning-- very interesting yet with the garlic it should be just right for savoriness.

I am sick of soup at the moment yet am feeling ill, so I am cooking some bratwrust-- one of the very few sausages I like.

I probably will make a taco out of it along with some beans. Nothing fancy, may share with Wilbrodog.

Happy weekend, Boodle!

I have finally recovered from the crud that's going around (not the flu, thank goodness). I still have a cough after 2-1/2 weeks. I've been lurking, but didn't want to disturb the Boodle with my cough. :o)

I am sorry to hear about Cassandra's troubles. I will be glad to help.

I made potato-leek soup this afternoon. It is one of my favorites. Great on a cold and rainy day.

I think we will have a nice big pan of steaming-hot manicotti for dinner.

I guess I better get started on that manicotti if we're going to eat tonight.

Take care all!

Hey Moose! Glad to hear you're feeling better.

Mr. T and I are dressed and ready to leave shortly for the wedding to which we're invited. He asked me if dinner would be served. Knowing the parents of the bride, and given that the wedding is at 6 p.m., my guess is that the reception repast will be stellar and ample.

The funnyman is doing good work again.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/thenation/20091016/cm_thenation/15485424_1

No wine!!??? CqP has no wine? By gad, sire, this is a medical emergency!!

*faxing CqP an emergency glass of Inside's October Harvest White, a desert wine I am currently sipping, as well as a full bottle of Stone Mountain's Bacon Hollow Revenuers' Select, just to tide her over*

SCC: Ingleside's

CqP, Frangelico is a gift from the Heavens. Treat it well...one single ice cube with the coffee on the side. Yum.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091015085916.htm

RD should be interested in that, Jumper.

So would that explain why some metals, with their diffuse electron shells are not only conductive, but good magnets-- while other elements are poor magnets?

But silver is highly conductive yet a poor magnet, in fact they had to really work to magnetize silver and gold.

http://www.scientificblogging.com/news_releases/full_metal_alchemist_researchers_magnetize_gold_and_silver_atoms

Magnetic monopoles (isolated north and south poles) don't violate Maxwell's equations as much as complete them. They would make the equations much more aesthetically pleasing.

Back when I was in college here was a real push to find free monopoles because certain Grand Unified Theories (GUTs) predicted them. Alas, they were never found.

Now, the key thing about this discovery is that these aren't true monopoles in that they don't exist in free space. They only exist in the material. So what we have here is a very interesting effect, but not exactly the earth-shattering phenomenon implied.

I don't think it really has much to do with that other article, although it too is interesting.

All of this shows that there are lots of really cool effects that can be found within new materials. But one shouldn't extrapolate or generalize too much.

Of course, the best way to discuss monopoles, is over Frangelico.

But that goes without saying.

A bit of amazing physics, circa 1855.

https://www.sandiegohistory.org/journal/64october/marigrams.htm

New-fangled recording tidal gauges at San Diego, San Francisco, and Astoria recorded odd rises and falls of the ocean over short periods, despite a calm sea. It turned out (thanks in part to information from Commodore Perry, who was "opening" Japan), that Japan had suffered a terrible calamity--earthquake and tsunami. The tidal gauge records were the first-ever recordings of any earthquake (albeit via tsunami), and those records were immediately used to estimate the average depth of the Pacific between Japan and San Diego. Accurately, as it turned out.

This episode is astonishing for several reasons. First was connecting the San Diego tidal gauge to a Japanese catastrophe. Second, it was the first time in several hundred years that information of a disaster would have spread outside of Japan.

Is this really about magnetic monopoles, RD? The diagram just indicates that the magnetic poles separate, apparently along with the charges?

Yeah, no need to read too much into it, but I'm confused at the symmetry comment since I can think of materials that conduct electricity well but don't necessarily magnetize.

Is it all Maxwell? Demonic.

Yes, it's about monopoles. Here's the money quote:

"The experiment allowed the team to detect magnetic charges in the spin ice (Dy2Ti2O7), to measure their currents, and to determine the elementary unit of the magnetic charge in the material. The monopoles they observed arise as disturbances of the magnetic state of the spin ice, and can exist only inside the material."

The symmetry has to do with that aesthetic thing I mentioned.

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

Just zip down to the table that shows Maxwell's equations with and without monopoles.

Magnetic Monopoly money? Must be some kinda code or sumptin.

Liked the story about the early recording of the earthquake/tsunami, Dave. I love hearing about people who figured things out the old fashioned, math on paper way. And were right.

Just finished a big bowl of my wife's kake soup. More like a stew. Soophed up with buttermilk biscuits and of course some 3 for $10 cabernet.

Good football game to watch yollekt. How's your heart? Lots of up and down watching. Great great blocking.

I had a hard morning, and a great afternoon. I hied me to the local literary festival for a roundtable called "Afternoon Delight." Four very fine Canadian authors read the dirty bits from novels or poems, and then discuss the writing pitfalls of such scenes. It was great. (Sit down, yello).

Then my accompanying friend came back to my place for supper before departing to play hockey. So that's just about perfect; a full day and easy evening.

Hello boodle from Tampa, where my luggage arrived last night but I did not. But have been here since this morning so it could be worse.

The NYT bread recipe is good, but IMHO no better than Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day, and the 5 minute bread is easier (though of course the 5 minutes is just the handling, the rising and baking take 1-2 hours depending on your kitchen temp).
Saw The Informant tonight. Can't remember who recommended it here, but thank you. Saw a trailer for The Blind Side with Sandra Bullock. I don't care if it turns out to be a terribly sappy football movie, loved the book and intend to see it as soon as it opens. Maybe we should prepare for the end times, that will make 3 movies in one year.

CqP-we are of one mind on butternut squash. It needs red pepper and salt, at the least, to make it savory rather than too sweet.

Toodles boodle and sweet dreams.
gwe-no hard feelings when the Vikings beat your beloved Ravens tomorrow. Ok?

Hugs to Cassandra.

So nobody is watching baseball this year?

Watching the ALCS right now.
Looks cold in NYC.

Huckabee?

"A wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ."

"I have opponents in this race who do not want to change the Constitution. But I believe it's a lot easier to change the Constitution than it would be to change the word of the living God. And thats what we need to do is amend the Constitution so it's in God's standards rather than trying to change God's standards so it lines up with some contemporary view of how we treat each other and how we treat the family." Jan 2008

On teaching evolution in the schools:

"I believe God created the heavens and the Earth. I wasn't there when he did it, so how he did it, I don't know.

That's an irrelevant question to ask me - I'm happy to answer what I believe, but what I believe is not what's going to be taught in 50 different states. Education is a state function. The more state it is, and the less federal it is, the better off we are."

LEAVE Mike Huckabee Alone:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGXdoo3Sxzc

Lewis Black

Amelia at the Double D in Wyoming:

http://library.bbhc.org/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/JRS&CISOPTR=3674&CISOBOX=1&REC=5

More about the DD Ranch and the Earhart connection:

http://www.meeteetsewy.com/index.php?page=ghost-towns-outlaws

The Hollywood buzz is that Swank could get the Oscar for playing aviatrix Earhart.

I'm watching baseball when I can figure out what channel it's on. Another extra inning game tonight, and too cold. I watched steeplechases a bit during the day today - haven't seen that in a long time.

Glad you got to Florida finally, frostbitten.

The books I read have surprisingly few smutty scenes. Science fiction in particular seems to be fairly prudish. However I have learned that it pays to be in the proximity of my wife when she finishes one of her suspense romances. But don't let on. That is one of my few secrets.

Besides, tonight I'm too excited about hanging some Hokies out to twist in the wind. I stayed to the very end just to make sure the bird got stuffed. The top deck of the north stands were more than a little chilly.

That is surprising! (not very) :-)

I would not say that anything I heard today was smutty. It was literary filth, after all.

Glad you enjoyed the game.

I'm amazed that Penn State somehow got 107,000 people into Beaver Stadium, despite 20,000 parking spaces being closed due to snow.

dmd3, the kitchen doors sound neat. My own kitchen rebuild took longer than expected. It was misery having stuff scattered in boxes and Rubbermaid containers all over the house. Who knew the kitchen was full of so much stuff?

You know what I would love to have in a kitchen one day? Those drawers than softly self-close. It is mechanical, not moving parts, what does it, but I still think they are fabulous. I saw them during one of the evaporated kitchen-renovation dreams, and have coveted them ever since.

Well, Yoki, I'll give you fish. I'll give you candy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6ZjMWLqJvM&feature=player_embedded#

Enjoy.

Yoki, the drawers softly close as well, same hardware manufacturer as the drawer opener.

Loved the link russianthistle, on the same page is a link to an interview with Lewis Black by George Strombolopolous (sp!), a CBC interview done just before the US election - quite funny.

mrdr is going to be happy to hear that people are watching baseball. He is beginning to rely on the boodle for sports info.

He wasn't sure if what we were watching was a tape delayed game, though once he got into it, he figured it out.

NOW the sun comes out in Atlanta.

Morning all! Just after reading the posts about unsweetening up butternut squash and the like, we left the house to visit a friend for dinner. And she made this delicious side dish: Sweet Potato with Pecans and Blue Cheese.

The crumbled blue cheese did exactly what CqP wanted... contrasted with the sweetness and was absolutely delightful...

http://tinyurl.com/ykauopa

Those softly opening drawers are angled at an angle, I believe, with a shallow notch and some springs to help with the softly closing and staying shut?

I've seen softly closing drawers and they were angled at an angle for gravity to do its sweet work.

I bookmarked two sites today. One is this one, which page to start on may as well be this one:
http://www.lettersofnote.com/2009/10/savin-it.html

Well, all I can say is WOW -- did anybody else read the endorsement by WaPo of Deeds for governor of Virginia? In addition to praise Deeds with specificity, it also did a major smackdown of McDonnell. So, TBG, and others who live in Virginia, go get Deeds elected already!

Laundry's done, plants still need to be watered and bookwork needs to be finished. Pretty typical Sunday. Sort of looks like it's starting to dry out outside, and its about time! Moss has started to grow on my north side. . . .

The concert at the Kennedy Center last night was terrific (conducted by Lorin Maazel): Mussorgsky's "Night on Bald Mountain", "The Giving Tree" narrated by Maazel's wife Dietlinde Turban-Maazel, Violin Concerto, Op. 14 by Samuel Barber, featuring the always entertaining Nadia Salerno-Sonnenberg (whom I thought was considerably fidgety on stage) and Symphony in D minor by César Franck. Terrific all around.

The problem was in driving home (uneventful, thankfully). I've become a bit more wary about driving at night generally, but driving at night in the rain can be very disorienting, especially on roads (Canal Road, Clara Barton Pkwy) which are not particularly lighted.

Now, I'm waiting for Mother Nature to have another mood swing, which I understand will come tomorrow for the start of the work week. How kind of her, eh?

Time to putter. Hope the Lions beat Green Bay --- or otherwise don't humiliate themselves. Same for the Redskins against Kansas City.

Glad hockey season is still in its infancy. Don't want those legs to get tired too early in the season. When does basketball season start?

Toodles, Boodle for now.

From the WaPo's endorsement...

"The Republican candidate, former attorney general Robert F. McDonnell, offers something different: a blizzard of bogus, unworkable, chimerical proposals, repackaged as new ideas, that crumble on contact with reality. They would do little if anything to build a better transportation system."

A very good story today from McClatchy. It's about the deliberate up-rating of securities by Moody's and also S&P. Damning.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1288458.html

In re: fumbling the football: {*&^%#&^%$#@*&^%$ deleted]

Wish I could fax everyone our weather here, just a wonderful fall day, cool and sunny with just a light breeze, would love to be outside but have stuff that needs doing inside - so I am procrastinating by boodling.

Did move a few plants around outside and plant some leftover bulbs from spring planters I had made up. Still a lot in bloom in the garden, snaps, anemone, cosmos, brown eyed susans, sage. Supposed to be a nice week,sunny with temps between 50-60 so hopefully will get a lot done then.

Afternoon everybody. We've got a classic nor'easter going here. Just got back from a ride to the ocean. Wow! The waves were rolling and breaking over the seawall and splashing up to 40 feet in the air. It was beautiful and a great reminder of just how powerful the ocean can be. Of course it was mobbed, cars parked along the side of the road as we were and some brave or foolish folks in the parking lot whose cars got drenched repeatedly. I hope they all remember to go to the car wash to get rid of the salt.

Technical difficulties with the 'skins game?

Feh.

I don't think I will ever have chicken-fried lamb chops again. We do science so you don't have to.

Thank you, Jumper. We appreciate it.

Lamb chops are fatty as they are... poor you, Jumper.

I haven't had them in so long, that I'd cry if I ruined my next lamb chops.

I love marinating them or using spice rubs.

Uh-oh, I smell a secession from the Commonwealth in the making for Canada, eh?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091018/ap_on_re_eu/eu_britain_undiplomatic_dispatches

Could there possibly be anything more humiliating than being beaten by a fieldgoal kicker named Suckup?

My wife is of the belief that the announcers just like to say his name over and over again.

I don't believe I've uttered a single sentence in the past three quarters that didn't have a naughty word in it. None of them were "Suckup," though a number of them probably rhymed. I'm feeling very poetic this afternoon.

At least we know how he got his job, Mudge.

Well, then, Mudge, perhaps you should think about taking a trip -- like to Thailand, where you can hang out on the beach in Phuket.

If Zorn still has a job by the time "60 Minutes" comes on I'll be shocked. And disappointed.

I am so laughing. The announcer just said that if Washington can stop them, they'll get the ball back with about 30 seconds left.

I mean, is that uproariously funny, or what?

My wife has just suggested that if Dan Snyder has so much money, why doesn't he just bribe somebody and buy a win.

Suckup kicks anouther one. 36 seconds left.

We've got those poor b@stards right where we want 'em!!

From the article Wilbrod just linked to...

"'One of the great failures of the diplomatic service has been its inability to cast off its image as bowler-hatted, pinstriped and chinless with a fondness for champagne,' David Gore-Booth wrote in 1999"

Perhaps shedding names like "David Gore-Booth" could be a first step in that direction.

Well, at least it ended on a humorous note.

stupidredskins.

Well, their prospects for the playoffs don't look real good.

Bwahahahahahahahahahahaha.

I need a drink. There must be some booze around here somewhere.

Anybody up for a BPH on Monday, Oct. 26?

Wilbrod, not at all. We are exactly that. Talentless hacks. Yup that is us. We want coutnries all over the world to just keep that thought right in the forefront of their minds.

The better to advance our plans. Bwahahahahaa

I take it the Redskins didn't have a good afternoon. OTOH, I hope Frosti and Mr. F enjoyed their game, as the Panthers won, but in overtime. We'll take what we can get.

There was this big round yellow thing in the sky this morning, I don't remember having seen it recently, but clouds are back. And a chance of frost tonight. I didn't bring plants inside, but I did move them back into the carport next the house for warmth.

The ScienceFamily is about to go see "Sweeney Todd" in a dinner theatre production. I hope they have meat pies!

And, well, the Lions lost. With nary a point to save them from humiliation. Although, I think that ship sailed a looooooong time ago.

The Redskins are in that boat, too, alas.

Is there *anyone* human (or not) who can pry the fingers of Dan Snyder off the team?

The Ravens fall to the Vikings, 33-31.

There are a lot of football widows in Minnesota this fall.

I am currently at 34,000 feet using my WiFi free trial. It would be more useful if the airplane seats were wide enough to touch type instead of hunt and pecking to avoid jabbing the people next to me with my elbows.

Howdy boodle. Being unwilling to pay for additional NFL channels to see the V'ikings, Mr. F and I watched enough of the Tampa game to see it wasnt't going to improve the Bucs record, then went for a walk. Saw Derek Jeter's under-construction monstrosity from across the bay. It's not just mongoso, it's destined to be ugly. But it's his money.

Mr. F has a water view from his temporary digs. I could get used to it.

Congrats Slyness, so sorry Mudge et al. GWE-I am not gloating.

Afternoon, Boodle dear! Sympathies/congratulations as appropriate.

It is quite cold here today, perfect for huddling with a book. That won't happen, but it is a good thought.

Scotty, Mother Nature seems to have covered the Pats' turf with snow, tho' it doesn't seem to have affected Brady any.

Was so disgusted I went and re-organized and inventoried my wine closet. A man's gotta take solace wherever he can find it. Am watching Gable and Monroe in "The Misfits."

Wide Left argggggggggg!!!!

Still 12 minutes to go in that Pats cliffhanger. Plenty of time for the Titans to overcome that FIFTY-NINE POINT deficit. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to shout. Glad I picked the Pats, although my pick for highest and lowest scoring teams is in shambles.

As things stand we could go 1-3 in these four gasmes playing right now (except bs, who might eek out a piddly 2-2).

scc: except bc.

Saw 'The Informant' this afternoon, it was good as Ivansmom and I think Frosti had said. Imagine our surprise to come home to see it snowing like a b@stard in Foxboro (it's all rain here) and the Pats with a huge lead. Are they going to accuse the Pats of running up the score? Gee, Tenn just fumbled again!

Making a curry dish for dinner, I asked "S" if he liked curry and he said he couldn't remember. I told him he'd remember if he'd had it, so this may be a new experience for him. I don't make it often as I hate how my hair smells of curry afterwards.

NOOOooooooo......

Someone had picked Buffalo...and she lost the Ravens game on a failed field goal with 00:00 on the clock.

Sorry, TBG.

*faxing her a glass of wine and a sedative*

Is it my TV or is the yellow line orange this week?

What was THAT?

While everyone here seems busy with the NFL, this important story has been missed. Really is anyone surprised? Who called this Wilbrod?

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/balloon-boy-saga-was-a-publicity-stunt-sheriff-says/article1328162/

For those of you sad about your teams losing today I offer this, my husband has for the last 15 or so years been involved in a fantasy football group. This year with his partners they drafted Tom Brady - lucky you think - not if you do not start him today when he throws 6 touchdowns - d'oh. Between his Redskins losing and that he is having a tough day.

The yellow line is closed for repairs, yello, but Metro says it'll be open by tomorrow morning. You'll just have to be happy with the orange line.

Jeez, two back-ti-back interceptions, and sixth of the game thrown by the Jets.

He benched Brady???

*faxing more wine and more sedatives*

No his partner benched Brady, spouse is in the basement mumbling to himself and sending rather upset emails :-).

YAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!

I'm thinking baseball is less stressful.

And curling. Curling season starts this week.

...and TBG pulls it out!!! I mean, the Bills pull it out.

Speaking of curling, I saw a sign in my local Starbucks for curling at the National Capital Curling Center. I had no idea there was such a place.

It is located in Laurel, MD. Lessons are offered.

Should the Boodle take up curling?

Oh?! I must go see a curling game. Is there any ettiquette to know when watching curling?

Should I leave the foam finger at home?

If the boodle takes up curling, I will definitely make the trip to watch.

http://comics.com/affiliate/washington_post/?ComicID=35

And the insults to Canuckstan pile on. By the way, I really think he reads this blog. That haiku writing dog... mhm.

A Boodle Bonspeil what fun, Moose take up curling it is a good time.

Cute cartoon Wilbrod.

The debut of "Monty Python: Almost the Truth: the Lawyer's Cut" comes on in a few minutes.

What channel, and is it available on normal cable packages?

The Monty Python doc is on IFC, I believe, which I do not get as part of the incredibly expensive yet deficient Comcast offering. YMMV.

You should. It is one of the few sports you can compete in until you are 80, and one in which relative youth does not trump relative experience(age).

Even Kerric is now taking it up. He is going to play 5th (the fill in guy) on mrdr's team. He is going to be youth to counter all the vast experience their team currently has.

So far as I know the only etiquette for watching curling is you must sip beer and nod sagely when someone comments. You can get away with a lot with a sage nod or two.

Oh dear-- I'll have to flout the beer rules.

That's just how I curl, baby.

Hank Stuever's Python review:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/16/AR2009101603392.html

And how did I almost miss this? In 1929, 5 Alberta women took their case to the Supreme Court of Canada and were declared not persons under the law.

With the support of the legislature, they took their case one step higher. The British Privy Council (at the time, our highest appeal) declared women in Canada were persons under the law eighty years ago today.

http://library2.usask.ca/herstory/person.html

I still don't quite get the rules of curling, but it's enjoyable to watch. Nice that Kerric's going to be playing.

Phillies way ahead already tonight - 6 to nothing. I guess I am rooting for the LA teams so that watching won't be so painful (ie, the weather should be better). I wish they would at least start the games during the day. With Tivo and DVR, it shouldn't really matter, should it? (Not that I have such technological advances.)

dr, the statutes commemorating that event are great.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Famous_Five_(Canada)

Things I didn't know:

Canada has its own Wiki pages (your link required me to verify I really wanted to go to "Canada's" Wiki pages.

Canadian women got the right to vote nationally in 1919, beating us by a year.

I never want a bronze statue made of me (it thickens one so).

Sweeney Todd at a dinner theater. Vegetarian dinner? Fish? Quesadillas? Tofu?

I liked "The Informant!" The Marvin Hamlisch score was a marvel. Academy Award?

"Wild Things" will be on the menu this week. Quite a diversity of critical opinion. Kenneth Turan didn't enjoy being stuck with a bratty kid for a couple of hours.

OK, this is crazy. Why does even the first few notes of the Python theme music make me laugh? All it is is some 19th century March music...and I'm smiling already and nothing has even happened.

Has anyone seen the HBO series Bored to Death? I think it's my new fave.

Maybe you're a curmudgeonly Pavlov's dog, mudge.

I don't think I've ever seen MP at the Hollywood Bowl all the way thru' before. This is fun.

Isn't the Monty Python theme none other than The Washington Post March?

Howdy. Ivansdad is finally in from the wilds of Texas, his guys' golf reunion weekend over for another year. I will be up much later than I'd like. The Boy got an unexpected last-minute invitation to a party of adults & teens going to the Blackeyed Peas/U2 concert tonight. We couldn't turn that down. They'll bring him home, but what with the traffic it may be midnight. He and I both turn into pumpkins then. He's going to be one sleepy pony at school tomorrow. I can at least nap in my office without a teacher criticizing me.

The rabbit is hopping around like a mad thing. She periodically leaps into the big chair by her cage - the one with the rug and comforter on it - and I have to go sit there so she doesn't eat the fabric. Hop, hop. Keeps me awake.

Lucky boy Ivansmom.

The Lumberjack Song!!!

Is it the Washington Post March? Liberty Bell, I thought. JP Souza rawks.

Good evening, all.

A good weekend, though there was plenty of watch-through-my-fingers football. Saw that the coverage the the Washinton NFL Franchise TV broadcast went dark for awhile, possibly to spare fans who were watching without protective paper bags over their heads. I wonder if the EPA is going to put yellow tape around Fed Ex field and declare it a toxic area for football fans?

OK, perhaps I'm overreacting, but this is the same team that sued fans earlier this year, isn't it? I wonder if today's game could be grounds for a counter-suit.

Have a good evening, all.

bc

SCC: Sousa. I'm so ashamed.

So frenvious of the Boy. Hope he's having a great time.

'gnight all. All is well on the shore of lake Okanagan.
bc, your man Hamilton had a great day on his team's good strategy. I couln't watch the race as I was on the road but I understand he did good. The brit press was all about Button but Lewis' +13 position stands out.

Mudge, it looks like Zorn had his wings clipped but he'll be sticking around, for a time anyway.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/18/AR2009101802488.html?hpid=topnews

How could anything be other than well in such beautiful landscape, shriek? My old stomping grounds.

Himself and I had a lovely dinner together at an old-fashioned steakhouse. The menu was straight out of the 70s. The place was kind of witty, actually, calling itself The Vintage Chophouse. That it was, that it was.

I took 2 anti-cholesterol tablets tonight.

"He may be nutty, but he's not a professor,” (Larimer County Sheriff) Alderden said.

re. balloon boy dad

Morning all, and happy Monday. It's c-c-cold in the Carolinas, a chilly 31 F at the Charlotte airport, tying the record. I'll definitely get the winter coat out for this morning's walk!

Ham biscuits on the ready room table, along with coffee, various teas, and orange juice. Enjoy!

Good morning! Very quiet night around here, I see. I hope that means everyone got a good night's sleep.

So... a coach who ISN'T ALLOWED to call plays? Yikes. How is Snyder expected to even FIND another coach to play for him?

Morning everyone. Heading out to the undisclosed location again. Sigh. But the end is in sight.

I've been reading a book by Michael Palin. Not sure yet about it. Reads a bit too much like a screenplay in some ways. But we shall see.

Heck, for enough money I'll gladly be the next coach of the 'skins. Really, I'd be a steal. Two mill tops.

Sd, easy on the wine tasting. It can be hard on ones health. IIRC, it should be the height of the wine festival? Or just past?

The Liberty Bell March:

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

Always makes me smile too.

RD, I am at my undisclosed location, as well.

I wish my location was undisclosed...

As do Zorn, Campbell, Snyder, etc.

*Monday-already-again-dangit Grover waves* :-)

Scotty, I think I scheduled work hours to coincide with Redskins games just so I have an excuse not to watch. There is no joy in Mudville.

Morning boodle. I've put my pictures of the Rambling Wreck parade online:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/yellojkt/sets/72157622617321684/

In addition to the crazy contraptions which almost never work (although the oil drum water wheel one did pretty well considering its size), they also have classic cars at the beginning of the parade.

I lost my program telling what the cars were, so I would appreciate if any automotively inclined boodlers can help with identification. Either leave a comment on the picture, or post a comment in the boodle, or send a carrier pigeon.

Thanks.

My sympathies to anyone following a pro team this weekend that wasn't the Patriots.

When we were at the movies yesterday we saw the preview for 2012. As Ivansmom said, it was hilarious. I can't imagine anyone taking it seriously.

As for football, the Pats always play well at home in the snow but yesterday was unreal. I feel so sorry for the Titans, the only more lopsided game I can remember was a high school one when I was young, we lost 72-6.

Good morning, you all. I'm too late for Dawn Patrol, but not late for biscuits and oj, thanks slyness and thanks to TBG for the e, will be in touch today.

Sneakers, I love to be close to the ocean during a storm, too. A little salt water in the veins from my childhood/teen years more than likely.

Like a moth to the flame, I cannot stop reading WaPo's Virginia politics articles, endorsements, blogs. I'll be voting for Jody Wagner for Lt. Gov. and hoping against hope that she wins and that in four years The Commonwealth has a first time female Governor. It's like the Little Engine That Could. I think she can...I think she can...choo choo...woo woo.

BTW VintageLord very sad re VA Tech's loss to GA Tech on Saturday. Where is yellojkt? Congratulations.

VL,
Oh I've been gloating inwardly for days. I was at the game at it was a nailbiter to the end. You can't trust those Hokies to just give up and die like they should.

What a fun parade, yello, looks like Delta Tau Delta liked The Little Engine, too. No rain, huh?

LOL at the Little Engine crack. And that was just a float in the Fixed Body division. The Student Racing Car also needed some pushing. Among the contraptions, the most reliable was the air-car. Once the fan got going it could really move. I've got some video I need to sort through and edit before posting, but that won't happen this week.

Cloudy and cold all weekend but just a brief mist in the second quarter of the game was all the rain we had, so weather-wise I was better off in Atlanta than at home.

They redesigned the print edition of the Post. It now looks like the Wall Street Journal.

pj,
I did not get around to my print edition this morning. I will have to check that out.

The President of the Maldive Islands holds a cabinet meeting underwater to publicize how rising sea-levels already threaten to make the Maldives uninhabitable: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8312320.stm

His hope is to raise his children and grandchildren in the Maldives. I'm afraid he is doomed to disappointment.

My brother in law from Texas was in town over the weekend. Yesterday was a good day to be a Dallas Cowboy fan. Every other team in their division lost and they did not, perhaps only because they did not play. Giants got bombarded by N.O.- 34-17 at halftime!, Eagles were dreadful against Oakland!!!, and both teams at FedEx acted like the opponent's end zone was a plague ship to be sunk with long range artillery fire-six count 'em six field goals (ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ)- but never actually approached. Unless you consider sacking the QB and scoring a safety to be end zone scoring which technically it is but, well, you know.

Ooooh, more planets!! :-)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/19/AR2009101900956.html

Can you have too many planets Scotty? Is it like musical notes?

I'll check this winery tour festival thing tomorrow afternoon dr, I'll have the afternoon off. Hopefully it won't rain cats and dogs.

You can never have too many planets!

One of my bosses is at the meeting where the announcement was made. I doubt I'll even get a T-shirt. Of course, I suppose I could have GONE to the meeting. But I didn't.

Gotta post today's Toothpaste for Dinner...

http://www.toothpastefordinner.com/101909/quebec-separation.gif

32 more planets, and in one fell swoop (or swell foop, as you prefer). That brings the total to over 400 planets. The middle school science fair industry as well as the papier-mache trade association must be going nuts over this.

I just know I'll never remember all their names.

New kit!

If 2012 is the end according to the Mayan calendar, one would assume there is a beginning date as well. Does that date have any congruence with the archeological record?