Monday, June 14, 2010

Today is Flag Day



22 comments:

  1. Howard Dean is First by a long long way!

    Son*in*ME is also first. Last evening he had a stunning phone call. Money is finally beginning to flow (from BP, I assume, and through the Fed. Gov't) for recovery efforts in the Gulf. The center he works for has been asked for someone to head up the shorebird recovery efforts and he has been asked to be that person. Too soon to know how it will turn out as there are a lot of factors. The possibility exists that he'd need to be down there for three months, potentially missing Daughter #1's 4th birthday and Daughter #2's 1st birthday. Or maybe they'll all go along. Or maybe he'll be up here part of the time anyway. Or maybe he'll simply interface with someone down there. But at any rate, writing proposals usually takes months, and one hears months later on funding for projects that may start next year. Suddenly that whole process may take a couple of weeks so that the recovery effort can vamp up swiftly! However it turns out, Hubby and I are extremely proud of him for getting that call at all, and glad we happened to be here when it occurred!

    Here are the stats on oiled birds and animals so far.
    http://www.weather.com/outlook/weather-news/news/articles/fish-and-wildlife-oil-spill-disaster_2010-06-11

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  2. Ally got better and is now in NYC with Daddy having tests and scans.
    puddle will surely post the update once she's up and about today.

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  3. Wow, listener! Son in ME's news is very impressive and kind of scary all at the same time. I'd say you did an outstanding job home schooling your brood, because they've all seemed to become stellar adults. You built some strong foundations there. Kudos to you and your hubby.

    Very glad to hear that Ally got better. Will go light a candle for a clear scan right now.

    Later.

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  4. Ally update's up!

    http://eatapyzch.blogspot.com/

    http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=allys

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  5. Aww, thank-you, Susan. ♥ We gave them a good start, but they also took that and ran with it.

    We're getting on the road home soon.

    Thanks, puddle! ♡

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  6. listener: just awesome for the kiddle. And Susan's right: says a whole lot about da mama and da papa.

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  7. That's super, listener! You must be very proud of him.

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  8. Thank Heaven!

    Go little Ally!

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  9. Traveling Mercies.

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  10. listener, I love yesterday's photo. Also, I stole Saturday's and today's for Arty. Thanks for reminding us that it's Flag Day. I never do remember.

    Puddle, one swell foop? I love it! I may be forced to appropriate it.

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  11. Here are a couple of interesting news items from Auntie Beeb.

    Belgium's Flemish separatists make big election gains
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/europe/10303179.stm

    Cuba frees paraplegic dissident Ariel Siglerhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/latin_america/10302421.stm

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  12. A good memory may not be a good thing...

    http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/arxiv/25283/

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  13. Astronomers' Doubts About the Dark Side: Errors in Big Bang Data Larger Than Thought?

    http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100613212708.htm

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  14. Cat, I just bought a paperback today called "The Children of Hurin", written by Tolkien and edited by his son. Haven't started it yet, blurb says it predates the forging of the One Ring. Have you heard anything about it? Read it already?

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  15. Bill Thomasson6/14/2010 08:06:00 PM

    The way this article presents the conclusions is a bit off, I think. It's not a good memory that's bad, but relying too much on a habitual routine. And the reason nature hasn't equipped us with phorographic memories is that the neuroanatomical and energy costs of maintaining such a memory would exceed the benefits.

    On a totally different subject, Penny and I got our Australian Electronic Travel Authorizations (visas) today. Entirely on-line, Penny had been looking forward to going down to the Australian consulate, but they don't handle visas any more.

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  16. Some in our family have read it and liked it fine.
    Hubby says he couldn't quite get into it the time he tried.

    Let me know what you think of it.
    If I remember correctly, Catreona also read it when it first came out...?

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  17. Another Ally update is up at baby.

    http://eatapyzch.blogspot.com/

    http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=allys

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  18. Thanks, puddle. I got this later note from Ally's Mommy, too:


    "Wow, they "fixed" the schedule. They might be out Wednesday night, or Thursday morning..."

    :-).

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  19. Wiped out! Off to dive under the Wing!

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  20. Susan, this is the full length treatment of the tale of Turin Turumbar (not quite sure if that's the right spelling?) which is told in The Silmarillion. It is a dark, tragic tale, illustrating well, it seems to me, Tolkien's pesomistic or even fatalistic side. If you're not already familiar with the tale as told in The Silmarillion and how it fits into the history of the Elder Days, you might find this novel length treatment a little off putting. I'd strongly advise you to read The Silmarillion first.

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