Notes for a Tuesday morning

Photo: a goldfinch in the rose bush all fluffed up against the cool of the day.

-are you aware of gender based button (and zipper) placement? Diane brought out a fleece vest for me to try on yesterday - I was just a little chilly - and right off I noticed that the zipper was on the wrong side. Diane said it's always been that way. I may have known that from way back but didn't remember or, in fact, never did know. Being curious, I had to find out why there is this right side-left side arrangement of buttons and zippers. And I did by going to google. Curious? Go here for the google solution to this particular quandry. Btw, the vest did not fit; think I found a cardigan sweater to put on; or maybe I put on a jacket and went for a walk - that usually warms me up.

-watched Oswald's Ghost on PBS' American Experience last night. More on the JFK assassination but still the same conclusion - Lee Harvey did do it all by himself. Did you know that 70% of Americans today still believe that it was a conspiracy? The program may have, just may have, convinced me of the truth to the lone assassin theory by getting into Oswald's head and making a case for why he did it, his state of mind, and then the opportunity to do it with the motorcade passing just below his place of work. The pieces of the puzzle fit this time for me.

-finished another Stephanie Plum novel - Hot Six. This New Jersey bounty hunter is still a lot of fun to take to the back room for a middle of the day nap. Many laugh out loud moments in these books so if you haven't tried a Janet Evanovich creation, pick one up, treat yourself.

-photos from around the world: 'rail birds' in Manila, wood and glass in Toronto, waiting for the light to change in Tokyo, bird's eye view of a junction in Hanoi, and an 'under the street' scene in New York.

-sun's up, skies are clear, temperature at 24 degrees when I got up at daybreak this morning. Gonna be a lovely day.

Notes for a Friday morning

-Netflix movie yesterday afternoon while it stormed mildly outside: Killing Zoe, "a Gen-X bllodfest with high style and a kinetic intensity that's hard to beat". Diane almost walked out on it midway through, but didn't. Turned out to be a pretty good movie but we both agreed that maybe one of these Gen-X a year is about right. Very noisey and full of violence, extreme amounts, lots of really gross stuff but then, in the end, it's still just a love story. Well, ok, a little more than a love story. I figure Eric would like it, love it. Miki, Marty and Dani? Probably not.

-Remember the 'moon rising' photo of the other day? and the star/planet next to it? Turns out that star/planet is Venus. Learned that from this blog, Lovin'and Livin' Life in the Ozarks, which also links to NASA for information on what's happening in the skies all around us.

-Go here for a very colorful house in San Francisco which also has a doggie in the window.

-Time for another cup of coffee and a mini stroll around the house - so as to better appreciate this fine day that has started - rain drops still sitting on the grass tops, sun rising, birds chittering.

2008 Federal Election predictions

Ok, here are my wildly optimistic predictions for tomorrow's election results:

The Senate: Dems - plus 10
The House: Dems - plus 30
The President: Obama with a 406/132 EV count

Don't forget to go vote if you haven't already.

Bookman street photos

One of my favorite photographers has been running a series of street photos the past several days. The street is in Seoul, South Korea. Didn't quite get to Seoul back in the early '60's though we did have an exercise at Inchon which is part of the Seoul National Capital Area. You remember Inchon as the place that General MacArthur had the landing that surprised the North Koreans back in 1950 after they, the North Koreans, had marched south and were about to drive the US/ROK forces into the sea. My memories of the 1962 exercise include extreme caution on the part of the LST's because of the great tidal flats of the area - meaning that you had better have your timing down pretty good or you will be stranded on the beach if you make a mistake or take too long in your offloading. I also remember being out at sea and on watch up on deck in the frigid cold of Korean winter - our deck had yet to be enclosed so we got the full brunt of the nasty, freezing weather. Not too pleasant. The area, like Yokosuka, changed dramatically over the last forty some years. Did you know that Seoul is one of the largest cities in the world with over ten million people? Inchon (now spelled Incheon) has 2.6 million people. Wow.

Brooks chimes in with infrastructure renovation

Here's David Brooks suggesting that we spend money on infrastructure renovation. I agree. He reports in his article that the US population is projected to grow by 50% in the next 42 years. Oh boy...

Government spending needed

I agree with Paul Krugman at the NYTimes:

what the economy needs now is something to take the place of retrenching consumers. That means a major fiscal stimulus. And this time the stimulus should take the form of actual government spending rather than rebate checks that consumers probably wouldn’t spend.

And we all are retrenching. Just yesterday I suggested we do some pretty major renovation around the house, something Diane has been pushing for now for several years. Guess what? Not now; don't want to go into debt. And so we hold onto our money and make things worse (according to Mr. Krugman). Oh, and by the way, Mr Krugman references another one of those "Great authors of the Western World', this one St. Augustine, when he is saying that now is not the time for consumers to not buy - we just had a 3.1% dip in the third quarter. Here's the quote:

Sooner or later, then, consumers were going to have to pull in their belts. But the timing of the new sobriety is deeply unfortunate. One is tempted to echo St. Augustine’s plea: “Grant me chastity and continence, but not yet.”

Notes for a Friday morning

-going to go down to the Cabin for breakfast with the grandsons once we get ourselves cleaned up and dressed.
-saw another excellent movie last night: Together. About a young musical prodigy and his relationships with several adults. PG (don't see many of those in this house!) and very touching as well as filled with music. Yes, it's foreign and has subtitles.
-the Red Sox had themselves another miracle last night, coming from seven down to extend their series with the Rays. Rays and Phillies in the World Series? Wonder how many people picked that combination last Spring. Of course, the Rays aren't in yet. No chicken counting till the fat lady sings.
-time to clean up, dress up, and then go see how those two little guys are doing. Getting bigger every day, know that for sure...

A couple of son suggested books

-recommended by Marty: Patriotic Grace, what it is and why we need it, by Peggy Noonan. Just finished it this morning. Ms. Noonan, a speech writer for a couple of Republican presidents, is suggesting that maybe we need a little more grace in the way we are treating each other, especially in the world of politics. Hmmm. Now that the Democrats are poised to sweep the Republicans off of the table and into the backrooms of history, it's suddenly time to be nice? My initial reaction was hey there, wait just a minute, not so fast, a little payback is in order. But on reflection, I'll back off on that and agree that grace is needed. However, grace is not turning a blind eye to all the shenaginans that have been going on these last eight years (97 days and counting). Grace, yes, but continued investigations into crimes that have been committed and jail time and ignominy for those who have done the illegal. We are a nation of laws - actions have consequences - and not for just the little guys. A memorable item from the book (non political!):

Lawrence Ferlinghetti, a Beat poet from the '50's and '60's, remembering that the message in the '60's was 'Be Here Now'. In today's world, with all the electronic gagetry, the cell phones, the internet, the apt description might be 'Be Somewhere Else Now'. (paraphased from page 185-186 in the book).

Made me chuckle. Which reminds me, golf is one of those things we do that is a Now kind of thing though I have seen golfers young and old on both the tee box and around the green with a golf club in one hand and a cell phone in the other. Multitasking, I guess.

-from Eric: Tales from Q School, inside golf's fifth major, by John Feinstein. Haven't read but two of Feinstein's books: the one about Bobby Knight, and the 'good walk spoiled' one about golf. Looking forward to this one that follows golfers trying to get through Q school and on the professional golfers tour - and stay on it.

Still reading about WWII (Prisoners of the Japanese) and also enjoy taking Stephanie Plum to the bedroom for a nap every now and then. You remember when Diane was besotted with Harry Potter and kept retiring early with him? That wasn't so long ago. Page turns and we go on to other things...

Notes for a Thursday morning

-Guess what starts in two days? The last one hundred days of the current administration and a lot of its supporters in Congress.

-Number One Son Marty is a blogger, actually for quite some time, but just yesterday with a new post on a book he's reading.

-I very much enjoyed yesterday's golf games at Washington Country Club and found the course quite challenging. It's a little course with all sorts of ups and downs, overhanging trees, creeks and ponds, and some length - the par three 8th is a 198 yard uphill shot that takes a pretty good shot and then another on a sloping green to get close to the hole. That said, it needs a lot of grooming and the WCC guys are very hopeful that the corner has been turned and help is on the way. Two things which would have an immediate impact: cut new cups with a good cup cutter and also dress up the tee boxes. I remember the advise of a Purdue golf course expert some twelve years ago: spend your money and time first on the greens, then on the tees, then on the rest. Makes sense. Oh, I didn't like the losing part of the day. That's never fun.

-"Little guys who stand together are more likely to be seen." The last sentence of this Sun Times article about community groups getting on the sheriff for 'unjust' evictions. Brings the mortgage crisis down to real people and not just far away and hugh banking firms.

-Irish going to North Carolina this Saturday. Both teams are four and one. Don't know if that means much. From the link:

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Notre Dame will make its first appearance in the state of North Carolina in 33 years Saturday afternoon. The Irish last played in the Tar Heel state in 1975 when then unheralded sophomore quarterback Joe Montana entered the game in the fourth quarter and promptly led the Irish to a pair of scoring drives to secure a 21-14 come-from-behind victory over UNC.

What a football career he went on to have!

-Day's started; sun's arising.

Painted bellies competition

Pregnant women with painted bellies competition here. Kinda cool. Think it will catch on here in Loogootee? (I'ld rather look at painted bellies than read about the crumbling financial world.)

Notes on a Sunday morning

-Tips here on more effective use of our electronic goodies, like computers, cell phones. From the NYTimes and includes a bunch of stuff that I didn't know. Now if I can only remember. You know exactly what is going to happen - I'll not have any use for any of these for a day, a week or maybe even a month; and then I will. And I'll remember vaguely that there was something I had read recently that would make that something so much more easy but, of course, have no idea where or what that something was. Guess I could always 'google' 'computer tips' or whatever.

-Cubs stink up the post season after smelling like roses throughout the regular season. Guess they all had made post season plans way back in the spring and hated to have to change them. Or something. (Note: can't believe it's been 20 years since the Dodgers have won a post season series. They sure picked a fine time - as in Lucille - to change their fortunes.)

-Irish win. Boilers and Hoosiers lose. Whoppee for the Irish. North Daviess football team also won this week (Eric and Lucas and Ian are much involved in the ND football program).

-Have it from good local (Republican/Conservative) authority that Indiana and Florida will remain Red on Election Day in less than a month. Hmmm...

-Danielle has started blogging!!!

-Finished Japan at War, An Oral History, a few days ago. This is a book about the Pacific War way back in the early 1940's from the perspective of the Japanese. Well worth the read and again demonstrated for me the humanity that we all share. We really are all brothers and sisters, family. Have started Prisoners of the Japanese which promises to give me a quite different take on the Japanese, I expect. Monsters and ghouls? Btw, have I said that war is stupid recently?

-Diane has a blog! She's back from North Carolina a day and two nights now. She and Cathy and three other SMC'ers had a hiking and laughing good time.

Browsing the Skywatch Friday blogs...

...and coming up with From the 104th Floor by Leda Rodis (age 14 in 2001) about 911. Very touching. Read the poem and then the rest of the blog on who Leda Rodis is.

Sunday musings: college football, books, politics, the world and the weather, too!

Photo: Fishermen finding themselves somewhere between a green and an eating place.

-Did you know that Nate Montana, Joe's son, is a backup quarterback at Notre Dame? I didn't... A story about him here. And, yes, the Irish did not look good yesterday though they did win. Michigan next. Hoosiers and Boilermakers also won. Easily.

-Got two books started and one that is calling me that came in the mail yesterday: Janet Evanovich's Three to Get Deady, a Stephanie Plum novel, which is just good fun and a great escape; Haruko Taya Cook & Theodore F. Cook's Japan at War, an oral history, which sister Sarah sent me a month or so back and which I am finding more than interesting - the stories are from the guys on the other side during the Pacific part of WWII, the Japanese; and Gavan Daws Prisoners of the Japanese which should offer a quite different perspective on that same Pacific War.

-Obama was in Terre Haute yesterday. Cool. Looking for Indiana to go Blue this November. Wouldn't surprise me.

-Benazir Bhutto's widower has been elected president of Pakistan. Sea change happening over there, too.

-Weather change here in Loogootee, from the oven heat of a few days back to Fall like weather yesterday and now today as well. Nice.

Sunday morning notes

-Beijing citizens discussing a Olympics-like more permanent ban on vehicle traffic. Would mean a continuation of blue skies and clean air. Seems like a great idea. Wonder what a comparable sacrifice would be for the citizens of Loogootee/Martin County?

-Number One Son Marty wonders why no comment on John McCain's VP selection. Well, she's young and she's pretty and she looked John in the eye and maybe winked (?!) Bold move by McCain, and mavericky. The regular Republicans are probably wondering what is the guy thinking!? Well, regular Democrats are probably thinking the same. Is this selection comparable to 1984 when Geraldine Ferraro was selected by Walter Mondale? Probably only in the fact that they both happen to be women. The timing of the selection did take Obama off of page one, kinda.

-Watched a bit of the Cubs game yesterday afternoon. First one this year, first baseball game this year. And wouldn't you know that the best team in baseball got themselves beat. Jeeesh...

-College football has started up again and Michigan lost another opening game to a serious underdog at the Big House. My oh my. And Notre Dame opens against San Diego State next week. Odds? How about IU as the best team in Indiana this year?

-Should all past colonialists do as Italy is doing now? Italy to compensate Libya $5B for colonial rule Maybe they already have and Italy is the last of them to get around to doing it. Though I highly doubt that...

-That other guy, Padraic Harrington, contending for the POY in pro golf again missed the cut this week.

Little house on the railing

Just for fun. Or, if you want to be a little more serious, put a Bible verse with the picture. I have one in mind.

Storm clouds yesterday

but very little rain. A few large drops at the golf course, a sprinkle in downtown Loogootee. Dang.

Things that blow their tops...

wired.com has a fascinating pictorial essay on volcano eruptions.

A Monday Morning Mix of Stuff

Of note:

I like Boxman's sense of humor in this photo of a statue (sitting nude) and a lady (?) with an umbrella.

China did a super job with the 2008 Olympics. And we all got a peek into the lives of the most populous country in the world. Very impressive. Hope they continue to improve air quality in Beijing (and elsewhere). Wonder what would happen here in Loogootee or anywhere in America if it was suggested (ordered?) that half the vehicles stay off the streets every other day? Guess we would just use the other vehicle in the garage, right? (We did do a pretty good job of changing habits these past several months when gas prices crossed into the unacceptable zone.)

Did you notice that the other guy in contention for the POY (player of the year) in professional golf did not make the cut at the Barclays?

Marty sent me this link to some great photos from the Olympics.

Democratic convention starts in Denver today. For political junkies, expect there will be a moment or two that tops the Olympic extravaganza of the past eight days. But maybe not. Seems to me this convention matters unlike the ones of the past several years - and I don't know why I fee that way. Just do.

Liz Voeller China photo - non Olympic

Go here to see Liz Voeller and friends, a couple of elders and a friend/interpreter, sitting on a bench 'neath a big shady tree in southwestern China They are far away from the hubbub of Beijing and the Olympics. You remember Liz is Danielle's niece and is currently doing research in Lijiang, China. Her blog here for a perspective of life among the every day Chinese.

Small Town

Just saw the video of John Mellencamp's Small Town. First time. Number One son Marty is a big fan of his. It's cool though I was not born in a small town (was born here). Was reading the Indy Star story on the opening of the Lucas Oil Stadium - fascinating, amazing, a big place. May I suggest we come up with a new name for the stadium? The present name just doesn't cut it for me. The House that Manning Built Stadium? Nap Town Stadium?