10.31.2002/07:45
A site that purports to have current gasoline prices from all over the U.S.

10.30.2002/09:05
I have decided to skip today. That means everything I'm doing in the next several hours is a great, early start on tomorrow. I feel so productive!

10.30.2002/08:42
Sites That Are What Their URLs Say They Are Dept.:
outofbody.org

10.30.2002/08:35
"He said it was a Twinkie."

10.30.2002/08:30
What a great new word to associate with bloated documents: typosuction.

10.30.2002/08:27
Woolly rhinos in the news.

10.30.2002/08:02
"People will shop at Wal-Mart and walk 300 feet, but won't come downtown and walk 300 feet."

10.29.2002/22:36
Your newest reverse-lookup telephone directory: go to Google and type in a ten-digit listed phone number, say, yours.

10.29.2002/09:32
Why?

10.29.2002/09:28
Vitual Pet Cemetery.

10.29.2002/09:27
Bird species in decline due to habitat loss.

10.29.2002/09:22
Anger and controversy over plan to sell an old lighthouse in Maine.

10.29.2002/09:19
Is it possible that all this spam in my mailbox is also the work of pro-Islam extremists?

10.28.2002/11:16
Warning about the Gullibility virus.

10.28.2002/10:39
We take so much in the way of over-the-counter pain relievers and other patent medicines, it's not surprising that there is a concern that too much use of these palliatives may bring on problems.

10.28.2002/09:31
A list of 50 top horror films, with detailed justification for the choices.

10.28.2002/09:25
Congratulations to the California Angels, of course, on a thrilling never-say-die World Series triumph. Though not a great World Series (to be that, it would have had to have at least one or two of those low-score showdowns between dominating pitchers), it was a satisfying one, and there is much to like about the scrapiness and relative anonymity of the Angels. And now, we look forward to mid-February, when pitchers and catchers report to camp...

10.28.2002/09:23
A recreational trail becomes a business boost.

10.28.2002/09:19
A new issue for a new millenium: farm odors.

10.27.2002/23:18
Great collection of words with notable qualities.

10.27.2002/10:18
It's turning out to be an interesting World Series after all. Game Seven tonight!

10.27.2002/10:03

A Real Page Turner
String quartet playing at a private party, Lafayette, LA.

10.27.2002/10:00

L’Eglise
A dinner party at L'Eglise, a converted church building which now hosts events, in Vermilion Parish, LA.

10.27.2002/09:40
Gladiator school.

10.27.2002/09:39
Carved naked ladies.

10.27.2002/09:31
Smarter.com, a putatively superior search engine front end.

10.27.2002/09:27
Save the tigers.

10.26.2002/23:20
Big day for Notre Dame. Tyrone Willingham is sooo classy.

10.26.2002/23:14
What, a month isn't considered a long time to shop?

10.25.2002/23:00
Dog shoots man, now that's news!

10.25.2002/14:13
Another terrible hurricane, this one coming out of the Pacific to strike Mexico.

10.25.2002/14:11
Info about rocks and prospecting in the American desert.

10.24.2002/11:39
Buy my comic book.

10.24.2002/11:34
The daunting issues of our time.

10.24.2002/11:15
I will eagerly await this!

10.24.2002/09:49
Here's my invention idea for this week: A radio that lets you enter the special code issued to you by your NPR station as soon as you pony up during pledge week. You enter the code, and from then on, you hear pleasant recorded music while the rest of the shmucks that haven't pledged have to endure the donation appeals.

10.24.2002/09:46
This is fascinating: an organization and website for the purpose of taking long term bets on philosphical and societal issues; for example, "At least one human alive in the year 2000 will still be alive in 2150." The bet money goes to running the organization and to a charity endowment.

10.24.2002/09:13
Nice seasonal photo.

10.24.2002/09:09
A rather marvelous collection of auto license plates, mostly from Kansas.

10.23.2002/07:51
Recycling crimes.

10.23.2002/07:43
Save Historic Martinez... from what?

10.22.2002/22:10
Go to bid on the book, stay to read the lengthy essay on Ian Fleming's life.

10.22.2002/12:59
Robot Monster
The other night, I watched my DVD of Robot Monster, one of my favorite bad sci-fi movies. I watch so much of this sort of thing that it has started to creep into my speech. "We will pay these bills within one orbit of your Earth's moon," I tell Susan as I sort the mail. Or, "We have enough milk left in the refrigerating device to supply our needs for two more of your Earth days."

10.22.2002/10:02
It's now more than two weeks since Hurricane Lili struck south Louisiana, and we're more or less back to normal. Susan and I still face a big bill to cut down what is left of our huge backyard water oak after Lili finished stripping some of its biggest branches and littering them around the neighborhood. And though I don't think there are any more neighborhoods without power, there are still places with quite a bit of cleanup left to do. Unoccupied property tends to stick out a mile about now.
Change is constant, I suppose, but we tend to like to face it from some posture where there is at least the illusion of stability.

10.22.2002/09:49
Sites That Are What Their URLs Say They Are Dept.:
buttcandle.com
historicalweapons.com

10.22.2002/09:44
GhostCam. (Warning: re-sizes your browser window... how ghoulish!)

10.22.2002/09:21
Nice Halloween photo.

10.22.2002/09:19
Model prisoner.

10.21.2002/22:15
Amazing collection of football helmet images from teams and leagues present and past.

10.21.2002/22:07
A Dracula site that is rich in well-prepared and well-presented content.

10.21.2002/09:46
Sites That Are What Their URLs Say They Are Dept.:
flowers2thailand.com

10.21.2002/09:42
I can only imagine what this must be like.

10.21.2002/09:39
Nice short profile of the lone FBI agent for the empty stretches of northern Nevada.

10.19.2002/09:32
PETA, hip youth version.

10.19.2002/09:29
"You don't really win championship belts. You are given championship belts."

10.19.2002/09:21
Delightfully received surprise visitor.

10.19.2002/09:13
Although tree branches tear up south Louisiana power lines when there are hurricanes and lesser storms, moving lines underground could be prohibitively expensive.

10.18.2002/22:40
Can this be real? Or is it too good to be true? (via Camworld)

10.18.2002/11:33
In football, as in life, there's a lot of jerks out there.

10.18.2002/10:15
"iBrotha is the story of a young man so passionate about Apple Mac computers he turns into Malcolm X to get the machines the respect they deserve."

10.18.2002/10:11
Great moments in the history of the U.S. Congress: 1954 Senate Interim Report on comic books and juvenille delinquency.

10.18.2002/10:03
Same guy every day, same set-up, but surprisingly different photo each day for a year.

10.18.2002/09:55
In tough budget times, libraries consider assessing fees for services now offered for free.

10.18.2002/09:18
Interesting story about the controversy surrounding the monorail for downtown Seattle.

10.17.2002/22:27
"...if you don't consider the IRS to be members of the human race....then these are untouched by human hands!!"

10.17.2002/14:57
Have you tried KartOO yet?

10.17.2002/14:51
Ug. You speakem with forked head.

10.17.2002/09:58
I'm looking forward to the World Series, even though I have commitments that will make me miss the first two games and the sixth should there be one. My sister Elizabeth pointed me to this list of 10 good things about this World Series. I think it's great to see some fresh faces and at least one relatively cheap payroll vying for the championship. Besides, we could have lost all of this to a strike: be thankful that we have any World Series at all.

10.17.2002/09:21
"Joe and Jill’s distance energy healing is possible without the physical presence of the receiver."

10.17.2002/09:18
Sites That Are What Their URLs Say They Are Dept.:
iusedtobelieve.com

10.17.2002/09:16
Tall blondes.

10.17.2002/09:12
Amusing (unless you think about it too much) report of Senate candidates who can't identify the price of a first-class stamp or a gallon of gas, along with other bits of information you yourself have to know to get through your day.

10.17.2002/09:09
Big black hole at the center of the Milky Way.

10.17.2002/09:04
Ryan Adams: grace under pressure.

10.16.2002/09:01
What if Lord of the Rings had been written by Raymond Chandler, or James Joyce?

10.16.2002/08:45
Very real courtroom drama.

10.16.2002/08:43
Yellowstone park ranger known for speaking his mind sent home early despite agreement.

10.16.2002/08:36
Cranberries.

10.16.2002/08:32
There is some sewerage work being done on our street and right now there are some gentlemen jack-hammering about 20 feet from where I sit to work, and where I write this. Thought you would like to know.

10.15.2002/20:10
Don't try this with your cat. Or my cat.

10.15.2002/12:04
Proof that our civilization is, after all, moving progressively forward: fried Twinkies.

10.15.2002/09:07
Enjoy this clock. And, like it says, be sure to move your mouse around.

10.15.2002/08:44
From the baby sandman...

10.15.2002/08:42
You can watch the countown to the big day.

10.15.2002/08:39
Hey kids! Your social studies project on the pyramids of Egypt is almost done!

10.15.2002/08:36
"Warning! This package contains the decomposing corpse of a small, tortured bird." And, similarly, "Every time you choose to buy a leather jacket or leather shoes, you sentence an animal to a lifetime of suffering."

10.15.2002/08:30
Cobblestones to be removed from Louisville street, replaced with asphalt. Colorful and atmospheric, but too troublesome for pedestrians.

10.15.2002/08:26
Cougar in the news.

10.15.2002/08:22
High-school horticulture class in Idaho is a hit.

10.14.2002/16:12
Interesting take on the damage from Hurricane Lili: how the loss of trees affects the play at various golf courses in the area.

10.14.2002/13:54

Dredging the Teche
Today there was a crew doing dredging work in the Bayou Teche, between the two bridges in downtown New Iberia, LA.

10.14.2002/09:33
Good chance of a brilliant fall foliage display this autumn in Arkansas.

10.14.2002/09:30
Hey kids! Your science project on auroras is almost done!

10.14.2002/09:16
I'm not sure if, in the experience of those who live in warm subtropical climates like ours, there is anything else quite like this morning: the first really cool day of the fall season. It was in the fifties when we woke up, and I lovingly put on a flannel shirt to walk around the yard. It shouldn't get above 70 today. I plan to go out for lunch, for the principal reason of seeing all the happy faces.

10.13.2002/20:32
Oh! It's a petting zoo... we thought you said eating zoo.

10.12.2002/07:32
Want some real excitement? Look no further than the moss cams!

10.12.2002/07:29
Hawaiia wine event cancelled, said to be too luxurious for our current times.

10.11.2002/23:39
Wow! Nicholas Cage really had some amazing comic books. Now he's got another $1.6 million. Good thing he didn't waste his money on something silly like, say. Lucent stock.

10.11.2002/09:10
Sites That Are What Their URLs Say They Are Dept.:
pumpkin-carving.com

10.11.2002/09:06
This looks great! Let's go! (Don't miss the manipulated image of JFK Prep.)

10.11.2002/09:00
A house with 91 cats is no place to raise a child.

10.11.2002/08:58
Des Moines has got a beltway on it!

10.10.2002/16:03
Strawn's in Shreveport is one of my favorite eateries! Good cheeseburgers and superb strawberry ice box pie...

10.10.2002/14:34
Lemon juice, which can salavage something drinkable out of Diet Coke, may also be a reasonably reliable contraceptive and AIDS prophylactic.

10.10.2002/14:32
What a beautiful looking astronomical observatory.

10.10.2002/14:28
What name would you give to a mummified dog?

10.9.2002/20:48
Beware of dog.

10.9.2002/20:28
Great looking movie-themed stamp. Can't wait to buy these and put 'em on my mail!

10.9.2002/08:39
Here's a suggestion for a drought-resistant, marketable cash crop.

10.9.2002/08:33
Debbie Does Dallas - The Play.

10.9.2002/08:30
"Imagine a personal computer that goes where you go. Imagine versatility and mobility instead of being limited to a single device or stationary workspace. Imagine having all of your files, applications and databases with you, all the time, wherever you are."

10.9.2002/08:22
The Hibbing, MN library has a growing Bob Dylan collection.

10.8.2002/14:39
Philosophy jokes.

10.8.2002/14:32
Ad Astra per Aspera.

10.8.2002/14:25
Last night I was in Orange, TX, for a performing arts event, and today on the way back into Louisiana on I-10 I saw a few convoys of cherry-picker equipped tree crew trucks headed back to their various homes. But there are still lots of trees down, and still lots of out-of-state crews helping with the load; I saw several at work on my drive, including one group of a dozen or more from North Carolina being marshalled by a utility company in a big dispatch area.
I also had my first look at the sugar cane since Lili's passage, and much of it is lying down in the field. Perhaps a string of sunny dry weather will allow some of it to return to upright, but harvest is underway and some will have to be cut soon.

10.8.2002/13:22

RoombaVac
We now have our RoombaVac, and I think that robotics are the way to go for such chores as floor cleaning! Here is Roombavac on its maiden voyage across our den floor, handling the brick-to-carpet transition with ease.

10.7.2002/10:38
My sister Laura, who is moving from one spot in Indiana to another before long, sends along the Indiana Leaf Cam site.

10.7.2002/09:24
Here it is! The world's funniest joke has been positively identified.

10.7.2002/09:18
Lots of cats that, uh... have jobs.

10.7.2002/09:14
It worked!

10.7.2002/09:13
Aspenmail.

10.6.2002/20:29
What? Me with more Google props than Bela Lugosi??! Try your own Googlefight!

10.6.2002/20:25
Crop circles explained?

10.6.2002/20:08
Are generators a bigger hazard than hurricanes?

10.6.2002/20:06
A photo of Darwinism in process.

10.6.2002/14:36
In the days leading up to Hurricane Lili, I found that I was increasingly unhappy with the hyped-up coverage of the Weather Channel, local television and radio stations, etc., and so began using the online weather services of the National Weather Service. For tropical storm coverage, I've come to rely on NOAA's National Hurricane Center site. All the information you need, with none of the heavy breathing and gleeful anticipation of death, destruction and high ratings.

10.6.2002/14:34
It can take several days to restore electrical power after a storm like Hurricane Lili, and there are some for whom even a day without electricity is a great burden to bear.

10.6.2002/14:21
Hurricane Lili is now 72 hours gone and we are somewhat back to normal. The last of those services which we receive through wires was restored this morning, although many near us are still without power. And we're still enjoying the communal meals with friends who are devouring the best of what their freezers had to offer, etc. Tonight I'm grilling a big piece of beef sent over by our friends Patrick and Elizabeth.
I've come to realize over the last few days that I am really rather fond of air-conditioning. I am grateful that we have no injuries to report from the hurricane, that the property damage is something that even those amongst hardest hit can take in stride, and that I once again am able to sleep in cool air despite living in a subtropical climate.

10.4.2002/13:52
We are alive after Hurricane Lili. But there is much destruction. This is being posted at the home of our friends Steve and Kay, who have phone and electricity (they live right near a hospital), which we do not and will not for some time, possibly a week! More here when I can get something up, including a photo of our poor backyard...

10.2.2002/15:36

Waiting For Lili
The canoe, the barbecue pit and the garbage cans are in the house, and we've made important last-minute preparations like being sure that there are plenty of flashlight batteries, candles and canned shoestring potatoes on hand. We await Hurricane Lili. Should we survive, I'll post what I can when I can, depending on how and when I have electricity and telephone service. Meanwhile, we're off in a bit to have hot dogs with a friend down the street before battening down the hatches for a long night and day. As I write this, landfall for Hurricane Lili is predicted for very near us, probably some time tomorrow (Thursday, Oct. 3) midday. We'll start getting heavy winds before daylight. Based on our experience of many storms, by Friday we'll be picking up downed tree limbs and sheared-off roof tiles... along with whatever else happens to blow into our yard. See you soon...

10.2.2002/10:49
Calorie Calculator. Don't cheat when you enter the numbers...

10.2.2002/10:12
Yikes! Things are looking grim for us with Hurricane Lili upon us. We may all die in the next few days. Although, in fairness, it should be pointed out that we are all going to die at some point anyway.

10.1.2002/09:39
Here's a site that will curb your appetite!

10.1.2002/09:38
Sites That Are What Their URLs Say They Are Dept.:
practice-swords.com

10.1.2002/09:31
Don't think pet owner. Think pet owner/guardian.

10.1.2002/09:30
Here's a politician who has found a good issue!

10.1.2002/09:15

Open Rehearsal
The Performing Arts Society of Acadiana (PASA), where I work regularly as a consultant, presented the U.S. premier of the Stanislavsky Opera Company on Sunday, Sept. 29, performing Puccini's La Boheme.
Because the first show was in Lafayette, the company came in a few days early to get in some extra rehearsal before launching a tour that will take them through a few dozen cities in a couple of months.
This allowed for several associated events, including this open rehearshal, whereby opera fans and the generally curious were able to watch Artistic Director Alexander Titel work with the cast in sharpening the show for its opening.
There is a little photo page I put together for PASA insiders; to see it click here. (This link is not to a "public" page, so normal conventions of sparing bandwidth with thumbnails, etc. are suspended; you may find the page full of photos loads a bit slowly, particularly if you are on dial-up.)

10.1.2002/08:56

Bohemians
I've spent most of the last few days in the company of Russians. The Performing Arts Society of Acadiana (PASA), where I work regularly as a consultant, presented the U.S. premier of the Stanislavsky Opera Company on Sunday, Sept. 29, performing Puccini's La Boheme.
Because the first show was in Lafayette, the company came in a few days early (ducking around the threat of Hurricane Isidore) to get in some extra rehearsal before launching a tour that will take them through a few dozen cities in a couple of months.
The opera was absolutely first-rate, and there were several associated events that were also very successful. We were all charmed to the the core.
I put together a little photo page for PASA insiders; to see it click here. (This is not a "public" page, so normal conventions of sparing bandwidth with thumbnails, etc. are suspended; so you may find the page full of photos loads a bit slowly, particularly if you are on dial-up.)