07 Apr 2006
The Century War

Read the whole thing. And wake up.

The Time Traveler appeared suddenly in my study on New Year’s Eve, 2004. He was a stolid, grizzled man in a gray tunic and looked to be in his late-sixties or older. He also appeared to be the veteran of wars or of some terrible accident since he had livid scars on his face and neck and hands, some even visible in his scalp beneath a fuzz of gray hair cropped short in a military cut. One eye was covered by a black eyepatch. Before I could finish dialing 911 he announced in a husky voice that he was a Time Traveler come back to talk to me about the future.

(link) [Dan Simmons]

via Armed & Dangerous

Update: Before you dismiss this scenerio as too pessimistic I sugest you read this, from today's (4/8/06) Yahoo! headlines.

23:00 /Politics | 0 comments | permanent link

Pins and Needles

are what we're sitting on: yesterday the goats and the llama broke into the main foyer of the barn, and the two big boys (Donar and Blitzen) somehow managed to get the lids off of the feed containers. They gorged themselves on the scratch grains we feed the chickens as well as on their own feed, and apparently were such pigs that they kept Rasta (the llama) and Francie (our little doe Boer goat) from over-eating.

Consequently, they're not feeling very well. Not very well at all. We've walked them and massaged their sides (which are taut as drumheads), we've drenched them with some vegetable oil, and made sure they have plenty of water. This is a very serious condition for a ruminant, and could be life threatening.

We'll be checking on them every hour or so for the remainder of the day: there's no cash for a vet, so it's up to us and the gods. I'd hate to lose either of these guys: it'd just break my heart.

Thor, if you're a reader of my humble efforts here, any assistance you can offer these two would be appreciated.

23:00 /Home | 0 comments | permanent link

As Home Costs Rise in Suburbs, Who Is Left to Fight the Fires?

I wish I could find it in my heart to feel sorry for the sots in the MacMansions who just don't have time to volunteer or serve publicly - but I can't. America's never been a class free society, but the differences today are greater, I think, than ever before. The middle class is disappearing, in both directions, and we're are becoming just another nation of haves and have-nots. Which is the real shame here.

In the wake of the recent real estate frenzy, firefighters and others are being priced out of the suburbs.

(link) [New York Times]

23:00 /Politics | 0 comments | permanent link

More birds to be tested for virus

Our friends in Scotland at The Accidental Smallholder are quite close to this action. Apparently the authorities are reacting quite rationally - which is a good thing. I hope our animal health regulators are taking notes.

Scientists test dead birds from 22 places near the Fife village where a swan with bird flu was found.

(link) [BBC News | News Front Page | World Edition]

23:00 /Agriculture | 0 comments | permanent link

Special Projects by Congressman Draw Complaints

In case you thought the "Culture of Corruption" was an exclusive province of Republicans, I offer this article. Chutzpah knows no political boundaries.

The complaints came after Representative Alan B. Mollohan of West Virginia funneled $250 million into five nonprofit organizations that he set up.

(link) [New York Times]

23:00 /Politics | 0 comments | permanent link

Cringely Predicts Apple to Ship OS X for Any PC

Now this is an interesting thought ... if you read the dissection piece be sure to read the comments, too. There are good arguments for guessing both ways on this, but in any event it's probably got the folks up in Redmond in a tizzy.

In his current column, and in a similar op-ed piece in The New York Times, Robert X. Cringely predicts that Apple 'will announce a product similar to Boot Camp to allow OS X to run on bog-standard 32-bit PC hardware.' I dissect why this is unthinkable and challenge Cringely to a public bet on the subject.

(link) [Slashdot]

23:00 /Technology | 0 comments | permanent link