14 Jul 2004
Holes found in mad cow tests

I'm shocked, shocked, I tell you!

The United States is neglecting to test the majority of cattle most at risk of having mad cow disease, government investigators said on Tuesday.

(link) [CNN]

00:00 /Agriculture | 0 comments | permanent link

Decaf coffee brews ownership controversy

How can a nation claim "ownership" of a plant species? Does this mean that the US could sue Argentina to take back the nutria, since they're native to that piece of real estate?

I don't think Ethopia's case is worth a hill of beans ...

The discovery of coffee plants with naturally low caffeine and high sales potential has sparked an international tug of war over their ownership, according to legal and agricultural experts.

(link) [CNN]

00:00 /Agriculture | 0 comments | permanent link

Bush blasts Kerry over fund-raiser

If he's so concerned about "off color" language, maybe he should speak to his own Vice President. I wonder if the Kerry campaign will demand that C-SPAN release footage of the Senate floor with Mr. Cheney running his mouth?

President Bush criticized Democrats on Tuesday over a fund-raiser last week where celebrities used off-color language and called him a "thug" and a "liar."

(link) [CNN]

00:00 /Politics | 0 comments | permanent link

A Day in the Life

I had a typically busy day, so I thought it might be interesting to record it. I've never done this here before, and times are, of course, slightly inaccurate, but here goes:

  • 7:00 Wake up and smell the coffee
  • 7:05 read the morning papers and check out the blogroll
  • 7:30 go warm up milk for Peanut, have another cuppa Joe
  • 7:45 feed the Peanut, open the henhouse
  • 8:00 Kevyn stops by with 5 gallons of fresh milk - get it in the reefer
  • 8:15 answer some email
  • 8:30 FTP to a customers drop site and get some test databases
  • 8:35 start polishing code for database validations
  • 10:00 last of the coffee disappears
  • 10:45 upload new validation program to customer
  • 10:50 take out trash, check mail
  • 11:00 grab the wheelbarrow and start cleaning out the meat chicken coop
  • 1:15 some folks show up from the market for a tour - I walk with'em for a few, but then let Kasey (Kevyn's youngest daughter) take over. Back to the turd house.
  • 2:00 last of 11 loads of chicken shit goes to the compost pile
  • 2:45 Finished with fresh water, new feed and bedding in the coop - time to get out of the 90+ degree heat. (humidity was running nearly 85% today)...
  • 3:00 take a shower
  • 3:15 I no longer smell like bird manure - read some news, answer some mail
  • 3:25 thunderheads - shutdown systems, close hatches on the henhouse
  • 3:35 rain starts - go upstairs and take a nap a rare treat and today I need it.
  • 5:20 wake up, warm up some milk for Peanut's evening feeding
  • 6:05 opps - forgot the milk while surfing - go feed Peanut!
  • 6:10 Kris gets home - she feeds Peanut!
  • 6:30 start dinner
  • 6:35 restart systems - check router
  • 6:40 go back out and finish chores - feed chickens, gather eggs, feed cats and horse
  • 7:00 dinnertime
  • 7:30 back out - close henhouse, call sheep up and feed a bit (3 lbs for 20 sheep) of grain
  • 7:40 work on proposal for new web site for customer
  • 9:45 remember to read aggregator and see if I can find something to post
  • 10:00 post this ...

00:00 /Home | 0 comments | permanent link

All You Need is Luck

Maybe I should spend more time at garage sales ... an item similar to those found in the suitcase (which was purchased for $36) sold at auction several years ago for $185,000.

A vacationer who purchased a suitcase at an Australian flea market found a trove of Beatles memorabilia inside, including photos, concert programs and unreleased recordings, The Times newspaper reported Tuesday.

(link) [CNN]

00:00 /Home | 0 comments | permanent link