Making the Correct Difference

The quote on The Rainforest Site today:

What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.
-Jane Goodall

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Now playing: Andrea Bocelli - Adeste Fideles (bonus track)
via FoxyTunes

Books Are the World

The quote on The Literacy Site today:

There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all.
-Jacqueline Kennedy

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Now playing: Dan Schutte - Wake from Your Sleep
via FoxyTunes

Equality Before the Law(yers?)

Today’s AWAD X-bonus:

We are all equal before the law, but not before those appointed to apply it.
-Stanislaw J. Lec, poet and aphorist (1909-1966)

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Now playing: Pat Benatar - Temporary Heroes
via FoxyTunes

Some Circumstances Never Change

Today’s Daily Thought from Real Simple:



I have learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends on our dispositions and not on our circumstances.

— Martha Washington

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Now playing: Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds - Christmas Song
via FoxyTunes

Rain Numbers - 2 April 2008

.12", for today
.13", for the storm
.13", for the month
36.99", for the (rain) year

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Now playing: Sunny Wilkinson; Shelly Berg - Where Have the Actors Gone
via FoxyTunes

Rain Numbers - 1 April 2008

.01", for today
.01", for the storm
.01", for the month
36.87", for the (rain) year

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Now playing: Stuart Smith - Trouble in Paradise
via FoxyTunes

I’m Still Howling!!

Posted on the Merc recently:

Police: Teen makes mistake of trying to rob former U.S. Marine


“…The boy said, “Old man, give me your wallet or I’ll cut you,” Bair said. The man told the boy he was a former Marine who fought in three wars and had been threatened with knives and bayonets, Bair said.

“The man then put his bags on the ground and told the boy that if he stepped closer he would be sorry. When the boy stepped closer, the man kicked him in the groin, knocking him to the sidewalk, Bair said. The ex-Marine picked up his grocery bags and walked home, leaving the boy doubled over, Bair said.…”

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Now playing: Led Zeppelin - You Shook Me (Live BBC Sessions) ["One Night Stand" Version]
via FoxyTunes

Rain Numbers - 29 March 2008

.02", for today
.14", for the storm
.35", for the month
36.86", for the (rain) year

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Now playing: Anonymous 4 - Vision 3 "The fiery spirit": Et imago
via FoxyTunes

Rain Numbers - 28 March 2008

.12", for today
.12", for the storm
.33", for the month
36.84", for the (rain) year

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Now playing: Steve Petrunak - Holy God, We Praise Thy Name
via FoxyTunes

Inspiration

Today’s Daily Reflection from the Society of the Little Flower:

He guides and inspires me every moment of the day. Just when I need it, a new light shines on my problems.

-St. Therese of Lisieux

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Now playing: Cyprian Consiglio - Third Divertissement: The Visitation
via FoxyTunes

A Blessing

Gratefulness.org’s Word For the Day today:

May the sun bring you new energy by day, may the moon softly restore you by night, may the rain wash away your worries, may the breeze blow new strength into your being.

-Apache Blessing

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Now playing: Grateful Dead - Attics of My Life
via FoxyTunes

Exquisite Imponderability

Gratefulness.org’s Word For the Day today:

Love is so exquisitely elusive. It cannot be bought, cannot be badgered, cannot be hijacked. It is available only in one rare form: as the natural response of a healthy mind and healthy heart.

-Eknath Easwaran

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Now playing: Bryn Terfel, Gareth Jones, Meinir Heulyn, The Black Mountain Choir, The Risca Choir & Welsh National Opera Orchestra - Hiraeth
via FoxyTunes

Friends’ View

Today’s Daily Thought from Real Simple:



A friend is someone who sees through you and still enjoys the view.
— Wilma Askinas

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Now playing: Yolanda Kondonassis - Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
via FoxyTunes

It’s That Sudden Stop…

Spotted in a .sig, on a genealogy list (thanks, Kenny!):

Age is relative - when you’re over the hill, you pick up speed :)

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Now playing: Tommy Makem & Liam Clancy - Hares on the Mountain
via FoxyTunes

Truth In Advertising

Spotted on a Celtic (of course) list:

The presidents of Budweiser, Miller, and Guinness brewing companies all go to a bar for a drink after work. The president of Budweiser orders first. “I’ll take a Budweiser,” he tells the bartender. The bartender serves an ice-cold Bud from the tap.

The president of Miller orders next. He says to the bartender, “Make it a Miller”. And the bartender once again taps out an ice-cold brew, this time a Miller.

The president of Guinness then orders his drink. “I’ll have a big tall glass of ice water,” he tells the bartender. The other two men look at him. “Water???” one asks in disbelief.

The president of Guinness replies, “Yeah. If you guys aren’t drinking beer, then neither will I.”

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Now playing: Mary McLaughlin - Seacht nDólá Na Maighdine Muire
via FoxyTunes

Teach Your Children Well

The quote on The Literacy Site today:

Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see.

-John W Whitehead

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Now playing: Voices of Ascension - Missa Papae Marcelli - Kyrie eleison
via FoxyTunes

Life Lessons

Gratefulness.org’s Word For the Day today:

The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction.

- Rachel Carson

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Now playing: kuscaudio96.mp3
via FoxyTunes

Going Up

Today’s Daily Reflection from the Society of the Little Flower:

It is your arms, Jesus, which are the elevator to carry me to heaven.

-St. Therese of Lisieux

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Now playing: G. Palestrina - Lamentation 2
via FoxyTunes

Faith

A quote from St Cyril of Jerusalem, whose feast day it is today (thanks to AmericanCatholic.org’s Saint of the Day):

“It is not only among us, who are marked with the name of Christ, that the dignity of faith is great; all the business of the world, even of those outside the Church, is accomplished by faith. By faith, marriage laws join in union persons who were strangers to one another. By faith, agriculture is sustained; for a man does not endure the toil involved unless he believes he will reap a harvest. By faith, seafaring men, entrusting themselves to a tiny wooden craft, exchange the solid element of the land for the unstable motion of the waves. Not only among us does this hold true but also, as I have said, among those outside the fold. For though they do not accept the Scriptures but advance certain doctrines of their own, yet even these they receive on faith” (Catechesis V).

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Now playing: Donald Brinegar Singers - Ubi Caritas et Amor
via FoxyTunes

Not One of His Fables

Gratefulness.org’s Word For the Day today:

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.

-Aesop

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Now playing: kuscaudio96.mp3
via FoxyTunes

Wonder

Gratefulness.org’s Word For the Day today:

To be alive in this beautiful, self-organizing universe — to participate in the dance of life with senses to perceive it, lungs that breathe it, organs that draw nourishment from it — is a wonder beyond words.

-Joanna Macy

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Now playing: The Tallis Scholars - Credo
via FoxyTunes

Wrack and Ruin

Lo and behold: rollerderby???? can fill the Civic. From the Senile this morning:

“…More than 1,000 people got to see the wreckage, and even more wanted to. A long line of people looking to buy tickets for the sold-out event started forming near the Civic’s box office an hour and a half before its scheduled start.…”

Say what???

Lowest common denominator strikes again…

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Now playing: Herbert Von Karajan, Luciano Pavarotti, Michel Sénéchal & Wiener Philharmoniker - Madama Butterfly: Act I, "E soffitto e pareti"
via FoxyTunes

Quacking About

Just as I woke up this morning, I heard an odd noise out the bedroom window; sounded suspiciously like quacking. Sure enough, the mallards (a pair of them) from the river were back in the big pond, paddling about like they owned the joint.

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Now playing: Amanda Jane Kelley - Let It Be Done To Us
via FoxyTunes

Rain Numbers - 15 March 2008

.12", for today
.21", for the storm
.21", for the month
36.72", for the (rain) year

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Now playing: Polyphony, Britten Sinfonia/Stephen Layton - Ave, dulcissima Maria
via FoxyTunes

In the Mood

Went to see In The Mood at the Santa Cruz Civic with Kelly last night.

Wow!

Now, I’m not really a fan of big band/swing, but this was a spectacular show! The singing was pretty good, the dancing was great, and the orchestra, String of Pearls (rightly described on the Web site as sensational) made the show!! A great time was had by all.

I didn’t notice before the show (Kelly and I were busy chit-chatting), but was utterly gobsmacked to notice afterwards that the place wasn’t even half full… Santa Cruz, you missed a great time!

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Now playing: Andrea Bocelli - O Sole Mio
via FoxyTunes

Rain Numbers - 14 March 2008

.03", for today
.09", for the storm
.09", for the month
36.60", for the (rain) year

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Now playing: Crosby, Stills & Nash - Southern Cross
via FoxyTunes

Rain Numbers - 13 March 2008

.06", for today
.06", for the storm
.06", for the month
36.57", for the (rain) year

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Now playing: Peter, Paul And Mary - Weave Me the Sunshine
via FoxyTunes

A Master’s Take on Action

Today’s Daily Thought from Real Simple:




Action is eloquence.
— William Shakespeare

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Now playing: Josh Groban - Un Amore Per Sempre
via FoxyTunes

Procrastination Is *Still* the Thief of Time

Today’s Daily Thought from Real Simple:




A year from now you may wish you had started today.
— Karen Lamb

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Now playing: Led Zeppelin - Since I've Been Loving You (Live BBC Sessions)
via FoxyTunes

We Make Our Own Luck

From Quotes of the Day, today:

I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.

- Thomas Jefferson (attributed)

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Now playing: Dougie MacLean - Turning Away
via FoxyTunes

Super Speedy!!

Bob mentioned seeing in his weather pokings that, in conjunction with the lovely weather heading towards Ireland and Great Britain, the jet stream tomorrow will likely enable a 777 to make the trans-Atlantic in about two (yes, that’s 2) hours.

The lovely weather includes barometric pressure down to about 937 millibars or so, which translates to about 27.67" Hg…

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Now playing: The McCalmans - The 12 Folk Days Of Christmas
via FoxyTunes

A Near-Tomaine Tommy Experience

We went to the Brewery for dinner. Perusing the specials menu, my eye first caught clam chowder, then bruschetta, then fried mozzarella, then the Italian sausage sandwich.   :::sigh:::   I haven’t had a decent Italian sausage sandwich in forever (Togo’s hasn’t had ’em in years…).

I was ready to settle in with the mozzarella and the sausage when my eye slid up the menu and there was Goddess salad with Goddess dressing. Instant time warp back to Tomaine Tommy’s and Green Goddess salad. Oh! Hope certainly springs eternal!!

After scaring me half to death telling me they were out, Burke doubled-checked with the chef, and sure enough, this was not some new-fangled, neo-something-or-other Santa Cruz thing with “goddess” stuck in the name for show; it was green, avocado-based dressing. There is a God, and He continues to love me!!

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Now playing: Led Zeppelin - Since I’ve Been Loving You
via FoxyTunes

The Inaugural 2008 (Private) Deck Sit

Tonight was the night!!

Got to sit on the deck with the husband and admire the view and weather whilst the sun went down. Looked over some stain/sealer/caulking brochures, and a good time was had by all, including Glenkerry.

A glass of wine, the furry dog, and thou! Aaaah!

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Now playing: Peter, Paul And Mary - The Times They Are a Changin' (Live)
via FoxyTunes

Silence

Today’s Daily Reflection from the Society of the Little Flower:

Silence does good to the soul.

-St. Therese of Lisieux

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Now playing: Bob Hurd - Fourth Luminous Mystery: The Transfiguration
via FoxyTunes

“Have it Shipped to Someone Who Can”

Get mail delivered to the house, that is…

I went to the SkyMall Web site to pick up a couple of things I’d spotted in the in-flight catalogues. I added my treasures to the shopping cart and, since they didn’t specify a shipping method, put the p.o. box in the shipping address section. Clicking the button resulted in a quick “P.O. Boxes not welcome here” message.

Their telephone customer service is available 24/7 (a point in their favor), so I called, and the nice young man to whom I spoke informed me that the various “partners” shipped their own goods, some via UPS, some via FedEx, some via the post office. Well, then, why did the Web site reject my P.O. Box? P.O. Boxes are never accepted, says the nice young man. But, but, we don’t get mail delivered to our house. Well, then…

That’s three, straight off.

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Now playing: The Sixteen - Salve Regina
via FoxyTunes

Bela and the Boys Rock on Hoedown

Bumper Snicker

Spotted in a Freecycle post this morning:

”Whether You Believe You Can Do A Thing Or Not, You Are Right.”
- Henry Ford

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Now playing: Led Zeppelin - Since I've Been Loving You
via FoxyTunes

The Wildlife Brigade

I looked out the bedroom window at the big pond this morning, and lo and behold, there were three ducks paddling around, two mallard drakes and a hen, undoubtedly from the river. This was a pair and a third wheel, according to Bob. Wikipedia has a very interesting article, with great photos, on mallards.

About the same time there was a whole herd (comparatively speaking) of deer lounging on the point, basking in the sun. From the bedroom, I could make out a couple of what seemed to be fawns; Bob reported there were several more deer, including a buck. I hope his photos turned out; stay tuned.

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Now playing: Wright Sisters - Orange Blossom Special
via FoxyTunes

I Think the QuizMaster Is a Bit Confused!!

What Is Your Cardinal Superpower

Your superpower is MENTAL. This can take the form of psychic powers (like telepathy, precognition, or mind control), extreme intelligence, or some form of ability, like “photographic reflexes” (being able to copy any move you see another person make). Such persons are usually leaders and visionaries, the ones the other powers rally around.
-Flight
-Invisibility or Shapeshifting
-Intangibility, Invulnerability or Healing
-Force
Take this quiz!








Quizilla |
Join

| Make A Quiz | More Quizzes | Grab Code

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Now playing: Los Angeles Master Chorale - Ave Maria
via FoxyTunes

Living Life

Gratefulness.org’s Word For the Day today:

I don’t want to get to the end of my life and find that I lived just the length of it. I want to have lived the width of it as well.

-Diane Ackerman

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Now playing: Makem and Clancy - The Cobbler
via FoxyTunes

That Guy, Plato…

…knew what he was talking about…

Gratefulness.org’s Word For the Day today:

Music… gives wings to the mind, a soul to the universe, flight to the imagination, a charm to sadness, a life to everything.

-Plato

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Now playing: Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven
via FoxyTunes

Love and Hate, Friends and Enemies

From Quotes of the Day, today:

The man of knowledge must be able not only to love his enemies but also to hate his friends.

- Friedrich Nietzsche

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Now playing: Don McLean - Empty Chairs
via FoxyTunes

Summation of Gratefulness

Gratefulness.org’s Word For the Day today:

I am, therefore I thank.

-Cindy Lubar Bishop

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Now playing: The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - New World Symphony No. 9
via FoxyTunes

The Inaugural 2008 (Public) Deck Sit

About the time Steve was knocking off work tonight, the topic of conversation turned to beer, as in Steve’s asking, “You have any around here, Mo!?”

Do I have any beer around? Oh, please!! A couple of bottles of Sierra Nevada 2006 Celebration Ale came out of the reefer and into the glasses and out we proceeded to the deck. It’s been in the low- to mid-70s during the day most of the week, so it wasn't at all uncomfortable.

We chatted about this and that, and were all quite impressed with the solar-charged night lights that Bob and I picked up at Home Depot last night.

Family, friends, a glass of good beer, doesn’t get much better…

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Now playing: Peter Gabriel - Solsbury Hill
via FoxyTunes

Could Georgia Really Do That?

On The Chatanoogan today:

Chattanooga Sending Truck Load Of Water To Atlanta
“Give Our Georgia Friends A Drink Day” Proclaimed

The city of Chattanooga, facing a possible Georgia land grab as part of an effort to get access to the Tennessee River, is sending a truck load of bottled water to Atlanta.

Mayor Ron Littlefield said the water will be delivered on Wednesday by his aide Matt Lea wearing a coonskin cap.

The mayor has officially proclaimed Feb. 27, 2008, as “Give our Georgia Friends a Drink Day.” The proclamation comes as a result of the Georgia Legislature passing a joint resolution that seeks to pursue reestablishing the boundary between Georgia and Tennessee.

The truck load of bottled water along with the proclamation will be delivered to the Georgia Legislature Wednesday morning.

“Please know that we are willing to help our neighbors to the south with this complimentary truck load of water,” said Mayor Littlefield. “And along with this water, we want to send Georgia legislators a message that focusing on conservation efforts would be much more productive than an ill-conceived land and water grab.”

The water is being donated by the Chattanooga Choo Choo and others. The truck is on loan from a local automobile dealership.

If you would like to donate water to be included, please drop off sealed bottles of water to City Hall, 1st floor, 101 East 11th Street, Chattanooga, until 4:30 p.m. today.

Mayor Littlefield said on Talk Radio on Tuesday that building a pipeline from the Tennessee River to Atlanta would be cost prohibitive.

He said it is uphill to Atlanta and the pipeline project would be the largest public works project ever in the Southeast.


PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, it has come to pass that the heavens are shut up and a drought of Biblical proportions has been visited upon the Southern United States, and

WHEREAS, the parched and dry conditions have weighed heavily upon the State of Georgia and sorely afflicted those who inhabit the Great City of Atlanta, and

WHEREAS, the leaders of Georgia have assembled like the Children of Israel in the desert, grumbled among themselves and have begun to cast longing eyes toward the north, coveting their neighbor’s assets, and

WHEREAS, the lack of water has led some misguided souls to seek more potent refreshment or for other reasons has resulted in irrational and outrageous actions seeking to move a long established and peaceful boundary, and

WHEREAS, it is deemed better to light a candle than curse the darkness, and better to offer a cool, wet kiss of friendship rather than face a hot and angry legislator gone mad from thirst, and

WHEREAS, it is feared that if today they come for our river, tomorrow they might come for our Jack Daniels or George Dickel,

NOW THEREFORE, In the interest of brotherly love, peace, friendship, mutual prosperity, citywide self promotion, political grandstanding and all that

I, Ron Littlefield, Mayor of the City of Chattanooga, Tennessee,

Do hereby Proclaim that Wednesday, February 27, 2008 shall be known as

“Give Our Georgia Friends a Drink Day”

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Now playing: Don McLean - Crossroads
via FoxyTunes

One Down; How Many to Go?

This sounds interesting; here I go to Amazon to add it to the wish list…

From NPR’s Weekend Edition last Sunday:

Rehabbing a Villain from Henry VIII’s Court

In King Henry VIII’s vicious court of intrigue, Jane Boleyn kept her head low and followed the money.

Married to George Boleyn, brother of Anne, who would eventually become Henry’s queen, Jane won a place in the heart of the Tudor regime as Anne’s sister-in-law. Jane enjoyed many perks of court life, but she also had ringside seats to the dramas that unfolded in the king's court.

Author Julia Fox meticulously details Jane's life — and her role in the scandals that engulfed the court — in her first book, Jane Boleyn: The Infamous Lady Rochford.

For centuries, Jane Boleyn has been reviled. When Queen Anne was accused of adultery with several men, including her own brother — Jane’s husband, George - Jane was interrogated. Jealous of the close relationship between George and Anne, Jane provided testimony that helped lead to the siblings’ executions. Or so the story goes.

But Fox challenges this picture of Jane as a vindictive and opportunistic young woman. Re-examining the historical record, Fox suggests that Jane had no reason to risk her privileged life with George for penniless, landless widowhood. And she chronicles how Jane clawed her way out of obscurity and back up the court’s social ladder — attending to Henry VIII’s third, fourth and fifth wives.

It was Jane’s service to Henry’s fifth wife, the teenaged Catherine Howard (who was also Anne Boleyn’s first cousin) that proved her undoing. Jane passed messages from Catherine to her secret lover, Thomas Culpepper. Jane was eventually interrogated and executed for her role as go-between.

Liane Hansen spoke with Fox about Boleyn’s life and her place in history.

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Now playing: Ray Repp - I Am the Resurrection
via FoxyTunes

England Swings Like…

…California!!!

From Bloomberg.com tomorrow morning:

England Hit by 5.2 Quake

By Kari Lundgren

Feb. 27 (Bloomberg) -- The U.K. was hit by its biggest earthquake since 1984 early today when a magnitude 5.2 temblor struck in Lincolnshire, eastern England, the British Geological Survey said.

The quake hit at 12:56 a.m. local time about 125 miles (200 kilometers) north of London and was felt across England.

Chimneys were damaged in homes near the town of Market Rasen, 5 miles from the epicenter, and one person was reportedly injured, according to the BGS. The agency said it was “inundated with calls from the public, media and emergency services throughout England.”

It was the largest quake in the U.K. since a 5.4 magnitude temblor hit the Lleyn Peninsula in Wales in 1984, the BGS said, adding such tremors usually occur in the country about every 30 years. It earlier reported the magnitude as 5.3. The U.S. Geological Survey measured the quake as magnitude 4.7 and said it was 6.2 miles deep.

“It felt like the roof was going to fall in,” the British Broadcasting Corp. cited Bev Finnegan, who lives in Market Rasen, as saying on its Web site. “There were people coming out in their dressing gowns and wondering what it was.”

An elderly man suffered leg injuries when a chimney collapsed in Wombwell, South Yorkshire, the BBC said.

The BGS said it records about 200 earthquakes in the U.K. every year and that about 25 are felt by people.

BGS seismologist Brian Baptie said in a statement today's temblor was a “significant earthquake for the U.K.”

To contact the reporter on this story: Kari Lundgren in London at klundgren2@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: February 27, 2008 00:17 EST

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Now playing: The McCalmans - Scots Abroad
via FoxyTunes

Rain Numbers - 25 February 2008

.01", for today
3.52", for the storm
5.25", for the month
36.51", for the (rain) year

Yes, Mother…

On an insurance company solicitation envelope in the mailbox today:

IMPORTANT:

Do not deliver to wrong addressee
Do not bend, fold, spindle or mutilate
Do not lock your keys in the car
Do not wear brown shoes with a navy suit
Do not forget your mother’s birthday

And DO NOT pay too much for car insurance!

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Now playing: Frank Leister - Long and Far
via FoxyTunes

Rain Numbers - 24 February 2008

1.14", for today
3.51", for the storm
5.24", for the month
36.50", for the (rain) year

Bumper Snicker

On the bumper of a Scion xB at the QuikStop after Mass this morning:

You say potato
I say tater

Rain Numbers - 23 February 2008

1.43", for today
2.37", for the storm
4.10", for the month
35.36", for the (rain) year

Charge!!!!!

Gratefulness.org’s Word For the Day today:

All attack is a call for help. When you know this, you begin at once to look deeply into the question of what kind of help is being called for.

-Neale Donald Walsch

Rain Numbers - 22 February 2008

.20", for today
.94", for the storm
2.67", for the month
33.93", for the (rain) year

It looked to me that the weather station wasn’t keeping up with the rain this morning, but Boulder-Creek.com had .20" for the day, too…

Rain Numbers - 21 February 2008

.26", for today
.74", for the storm
2.47", for the month
33.73", for the (rain) year

Hmmmm… It sure looked like the weather station wasn’t catching all the rain this afternoon, but when Dustin hopped up on the roof to check, all seemed well in the rain catcher. Boulder-Creek.com has .31" for the day, which isn’t too far off, so I guess I’ll just keep an eye on things. I really don’t want to have to call Davis and cry and complain about all the work they just got finished doing…

Rain Numbers - 20 February 2008

.08", for today
.48", for the storm
2.21", for the month
33.47", for the (rain) year

Rain Numbers - 19 February 2008

.40", for today
.40", for the storm
2.13", for the month
33.39", for the (rain) year

Yay!! The weather station is behaving!

To get things (more or less) back on track, I plugged the month and year numbers from Boulder-Creek.com into the console; we’ll see how that ends up working…

Travel Instructions

Gratefulness.org’s Word For the Day today:

The future is not some place we are going, but one we are creating. The paths are not to be found, but made. And the activity of making them changes both the maker and their (sic) destination.

-John Schaar

Your Part

Gratefulness.org’s Word For the Day today:

Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief. Do justly, now. Love mercy, now. Walk humbly, now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.

-The Talmud

Kindness in Action

Today’s Daily Thought from Real Simple:




Kindness is more important than wisdom, and the recognition of this is the beginning of wisdom.
— Theodore Rubin

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Now playing: André Rieu - Jingle Bells
via FoxyTunes

Who Died and Made Me????? God?

Our parish mission is this week, and Fr Gavin Griffith, who’s leading it, said the Masses this weekend. His sermon touched on several things, including his two favorite prayers, the Serenity Prayer and Fr Mychal Judge's prayer.

Father Mychal's Prayer:

Lord, take me where You want me to go;
Let me meet who You want me to meet;
Tell me what You want me to say
And keep me out of Your way.

Love Is Everything

Today’s Daily Reflection from the Society of the Little Flower:

Jesus does not look so much at the greatness of our actions, or even at their difficulty, as at the love with which we do them.

-St. Therese of Lisieux

And It Means Quite a Bit More than I Thought

Dictionary.com’s Word of the Day today:

Pestiferous!!

Dad Would Agree Wholeheartedly

The quote on The Literacy Site today:

Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.

-Emilie Buchwald


Actually, I think he’d say (were he inclined toward such slang) “Duh!!!”

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Now playing: Josh Groban - Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring
via FoxyTunes

Wars and Maps

The quote on The Child Health Site today:

Wars against nations are fought to change maps; wars against poverty are fought to map change.

-Muhammad Ali

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Now playing: Andrea Bocelli - Melodramma
via FoxyTunes

Hunting Pheasants and Correct Spelling

We Regret the Error

Here’s a couple of examples:

The Guardian:
We misspelled the word misspelled twice, as mispelled, in the Corrections and clarifications column on September 26, page 30.

Daily Telegraph (UK):
APOLOGY: In Friday's article on Liz Hurley’s wedding it was wrongly stated that the actress is holding a pheasant shoot on the Sunday after the ceremony. Game shooting is of course illegal on Sundays and the pheasant season ended on Feb 1. We apologise for the error and accept that if any shooting is to be done it will be by the paparazzi, who have no season and do not observe the Sabbath.

Muslims vs Atheists

From Quotes of the Day, today:

Ask a deeply religious Christian if he’d rather live next to a bearded Muslim that may or may not be plotting a terror attack, or an atheist that may or may not show him how to set up a wireless network in his house. On the scale of prejudice, atheists don’t seem so bad lately.

- Scott Adams

Weather Behaving!

Well, maybe that should be the weather station (and console) behaving!

The weather station power made it through the night, and the console looks like it’s back to normal. Yay!!

Mañana, mañana

Today’s Daily Thought from Real Simple:




Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week.
— Spanish Proverb

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Now playing: Wright Sisters - Ten Thousand Angles Cried
via FoxyTunes

Weather Station Returneth

It arrived back from Davis yesterday, safe and sound.

Bob and Dustin put it back together and got it mounted back up on the roof. The anemometer “tail feathers” are supposed to be aligned to the north (for correct calibration of wind direction readings) (and the photocell is supposed to be aligned to the south), and Bob had to root around through stuff somewhere to find his compass.

Then he wanted to know the angle of declination (number of degrees difference between where the compass needle points and true north {North Pole}). Um, yeah…

After poking around on Google a while, I finally found an online angle of declination calculator, at NOAA. Fill in the blanks, and voila! Angle of declination!

While they were being mechanical and all, I sat down to get the console up and running. Fortunately, Davis has the idiots’ manual online (even though the Vantage Pro is a discontinued model; gotta love it, eh?). Got the batteries in, the major settings (longitude, latitude, elevation; thank God for Google Earth) squared away, and the rain numbers fixed up (Boulder-Creek.com’s numbers are usually pretty close to ours), and noticed the console was complaining about low batteries (for itself, not the weather station, for once)…      :::sigh:::

Old batteries out, new batteries in, doublecheck the major settings, re-do the rain numbers; the weather station and console hooked up OK, and all seems well!

Hope in Winter

Today’s Daily Thought from Real Simple:



In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.

— Albert Camus

Camus came up Sunday: on the way to the Rite of Election at St Benedict in Hollister, I popped Neil Diamond’s Hot August Night in the CD player; Done Too Soon is the third track.

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Now playing: Robert Shaw Chamber Singers - O Come, Emmanuel
via FoxyTunes

And I Thought Santa Cruz and The People’s Republic…

…of Santa Monica were the West Coast looney tunes spots…

From the Merc this morning: Protesters off to early start outside Berkeley City Council chambers

Highlights:

“…The Berkeley City Council tonight is scheduled to revisit the council’s Jan. 29 approval of a resolution calling the U.S. Marines’ recruiting office on Shattuck Avenue “uninvited and unwelcome intruders.” The vote was 6-3 in favor.…”

and

“…What’s more, pro-military supporters will have to sit through another item likely to make them seethe: urging Canada to provide sanctuary for U.S. military war resisters.…”

My, my, my! I’m awfully glad I’m not going to anywhere near Berzerkely tonight. Let’s hope wisdom prevails.




In case the article has fallen off the Merc’s Web site already:

“A pre-dawn confrontation broke out this morning in Berkeley between peace activists and pro military groups, more than 12 hours before the City Council considers to rescind its statement telling the U.S. Marines they’re unwelcome in this left-leaning town.

“Police were forced to form a line between the two groups to keep them apart shortly after 6 a.m. at the park across Martin Luther King Jr. Way from old City Hall, where the City Council meets.

“An hour and a half later, the shouting continued, but there had been no arrests, a police dispatcher said.

“The Berkeley City Council tonight is scheduled to revisit the council’s Jan. 29 approval of a resolution calling the U.S. Marines’ recruiting office on Shattuck Avenue “uninvited and unwelcome intruders.” The vote was 6-3 in favor.

“The 6-3 vote on that item caused a nationwide backlash against the city, prompting Republicans in Washington and Sacramento to introduce legislation to take away money for things like school lunches and police communications equipment.

“Just about every City Council meeting in Berkeley includes protesters who show support or disdain for whatever is on the agenda.

“But tonight, the city is likely to host the mother of all meetings in its recent history. Councilman Gordon Wozniak, who opposed the council’s actions two weeks ago on the recruiting station, said he received 26,000 e-mails on the subject in the past 10 days (24,000 supporting the Marines, 2,000 against), and he is just one of nine council members.

““On a hot issue, we sometimes get a couple hundred e-mails,” Wozniak said. “I’ve never seen anything like this. I’m getting one every five minutes. It’s huge.”

“Today’s protests could bring upwards of 500 people from both sides. And hundreds of union members also are expected at the meeting to protest a separate item seeking to regulate a local steel foundry. Sacramento-based Move America Forward and a handful of other pro-military organizations are set to have several hundred protesters in front of council chambers starting at 5 a.m. On the other side, Code Pink, a women’s peace organization, was planning to camp out for 24 hours to argue the U.S. Marines should get out of town.

“Meanwhile, union workers are protesting a move to put restrictions on Pacific Steel Casting, which many in Berkeley blame for a persistent odor and health problems in some neighborhoods.

“All that for a meeting space with a capacity of 123.

“To accommodate tonight’s expected crowd of protesters and reporters, the city will broadcast the meeting outside on speakers.

“Move America Forward is already unhappy with what council members are not planning to do - rescinding four other items the council passed that are seen as a swipe at the Marines. Those items asked the city attorney to investigate whether the Marines are violating city law prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation; urged people to ‘impede’ the recruiting work of the Marines in Berkeley; and gave Code Pink a free parking space and sound permit to protest once a week in front of the recruiting station.

“The proposal by council members Betty Olds and Laurie Capitelli to rescind the item sending the Marines a letter asking them to leave is No. 25 of 28 items on tonight’s agenda, and could come up for debate near midnight. What’s more, pro-military supporters will have to sit through another item likely to make them seethe: urging Canada to provide sanctuary for U.S. military war resisters.

““Our organization has taken a stand that the council needs to apologize and rescind all the resolutions,” said Danny Gonzalez, communications director for Move America Forward. “We can only hope that one of the council members has the sense to make a change and re-evaluate their stance on all the issues.”

“By only rescinding the one item, the council, in effect, is still “attempting to get the Marines to leave,” Gonzalez said.

““They’re just trying to get the heat off, and that's not going to work,” Gonzalez said. “It’s empty; it’s not a genuine apology.”

“Code Pink is going to the meeting to thank the council for its actions against the recruiting station.

““We’re so pleased the council is taking a strong stand for peace, and we intend to be there in full force to let them know we support them,” said Zanne Joi, a Code Pink activist. “We trust the council will not be swayed by this vicious right-wing attack.”

“Joi said the reaction by people across the country angry the council asked the Marines to leave town shows the tide of public sentiment has long since turned against the war in Iraq.

““This violent reaction of the pro-war forces shows how threatened they are by a small group of people working against recruitment,” Joi said. “They claim the Marines fought for our freedom of speech, and how dare we use our freedom of speech against them.””

A Near-Indy/Columbus Experience

As I was at the front gate this morning, getting ready to leave for St John’s, I happened to look up and saw what looked like a small flock of Canada geese flying north! The birds were basic black (the sun hadn’t come over the ridge yet), but they were flying in basically a V formation, they had long necks, and their wing flapping looked a bit awkward, like Canada geese...

Cobbler… Pondkeeper… Cobbler… Pondkeeper…

…what’s the connection?

We did a lot of work on the little pond this week, and snippets of this kept popping out; don’t know why…

True Love

Today’s Daily Reflection from the Society of the Little Flower:

The meaning of love is to sacrifice yourself.
-St. Therese of Lisieux

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Now playing: Al Stewart - Life In Dark Water
via FoxyTunes

Little Things

Today’s Daily Reflection from the Society of the Little Flower:

When I feel nothing, when I am incapable of praying or practicing virtue, then is the moment to look for small occasions, nothings that give Jesus pleasure… a smile or a friendly word, when I would much prefer to say nothing at all.

-St. Therese of Lisieux

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Now playing: Herbie Hancock - I Had a King
via FoxyTunes

I Saw Old Faithful Go Off!!

And from my very own living room!

Bob spotted a short piece in the Senile this afternoon about the National Park Service’s new streaming Webcam for the Old Faithful geyser in Yellowstone National Park.

To get to the new camera, point your browser to the Yellowstone Web site and click on the Photos and Multimedia button on the left side. That takes you to the Photos and Multimedia page, but also drops down the Photos and Multimedia menu. From either the page or the menu, click Webcams, which takes you to the Yellowstone Webcams page.

From here, you can look at the original Yellowstone Webcam. This shows real-time still images of Old Faithful which update every 30 seconds. It also shows the predicted time for the next eruption. Just below the Webcam image is a little graphic from The Weather Underground that shows the time and the temperature in ° Farenheit and Centigrade.

Back on the Yellowstone Webcams page, clicking on the Old Faithful Geyser Live! link near the top takes you to the page for the new and improved streaming Webcam.

Before clicking on the Launch Old Faithful Geyser Live!—Video WebCam link, please note that Windows Media Player (or equivalent) is required. ::::rolling eyes::::

I’m using the VLC media player from VideoLAN; it’s available for Windows, Mac (OS X only), and a ton of UNIX and LINUX flavors. VLC just works. I clicked on the live Webcam link, and it took over from there. What more can you ask for?

If you’re running Mac OS 8.1 through 9.x, VLC isn’t available, and I’m not sure what options other than Windows Media Player there are… Any road, Windows Media Player 7.1 is still around.

Once you’ve got your video viewer set and ready to go, click the link and enjoy!




Did you know? There are more people hurt by bison than by bears each year in Yellowstone. Park regulations state that visitors must stay at least 25 yards away from bison or elk and 100 yards away from bears.

Fiat Lux!

Bob tells me that, according to the morning’s Snapple cap, the state of Maine has 62 lighthouses. Google comes up with about 20,400 Maine lighthouse hits.

A Different Perspective on Listening

Gratefulness.org’s Word For the Day today:

Our listening creates a sanctuary for the homeless parts within another person.

-Rachel Naomi Remen

Falling, Falling, Falling in Love

On the spine of this month’s Real Simple:

A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.

-Mignon McLaughlin

Joy

Today’s Daily Reflection from the Society of the Little Flower:

Joy isn’t found in the material objects surrounding us, but in the inner recesses of the soul. One can possess joy in a prison cell as well as in a palace.

-St. Therese of Lisieux

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Now playing: Keith Emerson - Yancey Special
via FoxyTunes

It’s Raining Again…

…to no one’s big surprise, but don’t ask how much: the weather station is down off the roof, apart, and getting ready to go back to Papa. Hopefully, it will be much happier upon its return.

Ouch! This One Hurts…

Today’s Daily Thought from Real Simple:




We have to learn to be our own best friends because we fall too easily into the trap of being our own worst enemies.

— Roderick Thorp

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Now playing: Chris Botti - Estate
via FoxyTunes

The Fire That Is Love

Gratefulness.org’s Word For the Day today:

Someday, after we have mastered the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity, we shall harness for God the energies of love. Then for the second time in the history of the world, we will have discovered fire.

-Teilhard de Chardin

Bing and Bowie in “HQ Audio”

More poking around on YouTube…

Yeah, the audio is improved over non-HQ versions of the video, but I wish something could have been done about the balance; Bing is still too far in the background. And ClassicXmas’s stupid little logo has got to go; it’s not like it’s his (her?) work is it?

Bailey, the Snow Pup

Thanks for the pointer, April! She’s a hit!!

Things In Perspective

Today’s Daily Reflection from the Society of the Little Flower:

To remain a child before God means to recognize our nothingness, to expect everything from God. It is not to become discouraged over our failings, for children fall often, but they are too little to hurt themselves very much.

-St. Therese of Lisieux

Silence Is as Much a Part of Life as Sound

Gratefulness.org’s Word For the Day today:

The trees, the flowers, the plants grow in silence. The stars, the sun, the moon move in silence. Silence gives us a new perspective.

-Blessed Mother Teresa

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Listening to: Nordic Chamber Choir - O Magnum Mysterium (1994)
via FoxyTunes

One’s Own

Today’s Daily Reflection from the Society of the Little Flower:

“I do not concern myself about what God might be asking of others. Whatever God asks of me always makes me happy.”

-St. Therese of Lisieux

Practical Application of Arithmetic

Gratefulness.org’s Word For the Day today:

When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.

-Willie Nelson

And So Is the Rain…

Oi!!

It's been raining steadily all day, and raining almost hard steadily, with gusts of pretty hard and pretty-darned-hard sneaking in. At this point, Boulder-Creek.com is calling the total 6.85", and their numbers are pretty much in line with what we get, more often than not.

Yesterday, we got about 1-1/2"; it'll be interesting to see what we get tomorrow.

The power went away about 5:50p; visions of the 5th (of January) swam through my head, let me tell you!! Fortunately, it came back around 6:30.

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Listening to: Jerry Douglas - Takarasaka
via FoxyTunes

The Snow Is Falling All Around

Bob just read a snippet in the Senile that an off-duty Pasadena policeman reported snow at the 210 and the 605…

Some Fans Oprah’s Got…

Some of her female fans are outraged because she didn’t (mindlessly) rush to back Hilary Clinton for president. I guess it’s a good thing, OTOH, she didn’t back Mrs Clinton…

How moronic can people get? “You’re a traitor to women because you didn’t back a woman!!” or “You’re a traitor to blacks because you didn’t back a black candidate!!”

Excuse me?? Oprah is supposed to shut off her brain and not think?

Brrrrrrrrrr!

The weather station is reporting a roasty-toasty 35.9° F.

OTOH, in Columbus, it’s 9.0°, -4.2° with the wind chill; Indy is even nicer: 3.0°, -12.5° with the wind chill. By comparison, Atlanta is 25.0°, 14.8° with the wind chill.

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Listening to: Peter, Paul and Mary - Blowin’ In the Wind
via FoxyTunes

There Is a (Food) God…

…and he loves me:

I was looking through the yogurt selections at Ben Lomond Market last week, and saw a cup of pomegranate yogurt. Lo and behold, not only was it of an unusual flavor, it was made from real (i.e., whole) milk and cream!!

The stuff tastes wonderful and has a marvelous texture. They also have a honey flavor, which is also quite good. Thank you, Greek Gods Yogurt, for such a thing!

Opa!!

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Listening to: London Philharmonic Orchestra, Pier Francesco Poli, Piero de Palma, Tom Krause & Zubin Mehta - Turandot: Act II, Scene 1, "Ho una casa nell'Honan"
via FoxyTunes

Are Tim and Penni Really the Enemy?

From Quotes of the Day, today:

The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our enemies; probably because they are generally the same people.

-GK Chesterton

A Word (or two) to the Wise

Rules for Paramedics

What Else Is Family For?

Putting the Fun in Funeral

Randy is right: his wife, Kit, rocks!

So Much for the Rain Numbers…

:::sigh:::

As I suspected, the rain gauge wasn’t exactly with the program Thursday; the Boulder Creek weather page reported 1.22". The rain gauge registered something over 1" for Friday. Ha! It was more in the vicinity of 11"…

There’s a trip to Hayward in the weather station's near future…

Rain Numbers - 3 January 2008

.98", for today
.98", for the storm
.98", for the month
8.70", for the (rain) year

I don’t know whether I believe the numbers or not; given the intensity and duration of the rain, it seems they should be higher…

The barometer is reading 29.80 and dropping. Bob heard the low pressure that’s driving this is about 29.5 (which is lower than what he’d heard Tuesday {or Wednesday?}).