Coming up

Why do scandinavian countries have smaller prison populations?

On this day in 1973, helicopter pilot Laurence Coyne and three crew noticed a bright red light that seemed to be pacing them. Then a cigar-shaped metallic grey object with a red light in the 'nose' hovered in front of them. From the bottom emanated a green beam which suddenly filled the cockpit with green light. Then the object shot off and made a 45 degree change of course. The sighting had lasted about five minutes, and the object had appeared on the radar screens at Cleveland Hopkins Airport.

Let the sun shine in

About this Acorn thing.

Look for pics of some of my recent work tomorrow. I've been having some fun, playing in my scrap pile. I guess that means I need to shoot some pics today, though. I'll do that while the bread is rising. At some point, I have to climb up onto the roof and take a branch off the neighbor's walnut tree which is rubbing on our eaves.

We made a bunch of applesauce and a beautiful apple pie the other day. Yum! This year's garden was a bit of a dud, so it's been nice to have some produce come in. I hope next year's garden is half as productive as these apple trees have been: we'll be swimming in veggies! I've already gathered enough apples (in the three days since we baked the pie) to make as much applesauce again, and two more pies. We almost have to use them, too, because the yard-waste bin is full already (with bad apples and trimmage from some out-of-control shrubbery) and doesn't get picked up again for another week. Having found some plans online, I hope to build a small cider press next year. In the meantime, I expect to spend at least half the winter pruning the trees into a more manageable shape.

A major, major redesign of masteristvan.com is underway as we speak. It's finally in the hands of a professional. I have no idea what to expect, aside from something better/more functional/more accessible than I have now. I'm excited! Not only is it exciting to have the benefit of someone else's point of view; it's one less job I have to worry about doing by myself. She even understands marketing. Hallelujah!
Time for a new hobby!? HAHAHAHAA

On this day in 1931, Al Capone was convicted of two counts of tax evasion and sentenced to eleven years in prison. In an unrelated incident, Arthur Miller celebrated his 16th birthday.

And in 1967, "Hair" opened in an off-Broadway theater.

Un-FOX news

Palin revels in her popularity among the base

Judge sez "Not so fast, Gov'nor, there's some unfinished business here..."

The Republican Legacy, or, How Trickle-Down Economic Theory Came Home To Roost
Lower federal tax rates lead to higher local tax rates, because the money's got to come from somewhere. Just because Congress or some President says we can pay less, doesn't mean it costs less to make roads, move your garbage, provide clean water, police your street, protect your house from fire, protect your children from avaricious capitalist thugs, or insure your bank deposits. I'm so tired of harping on Reaganbushonomics. TAXES MAKE THE SYSTEM WORK. Pay your damn share already, geez.

Thomas Friedman is a hard-right Conservative, bordering on Neo-Con. So the harshness of this criticism -by him, of Sarah Palin-- is more than a little surprising. Refreshing, even.

It's Grover the muppet's birthday today. Happy birthday, Grover!

On this day in 1066, Saxon King Harold took an arrow in the eye, losing his life –and his kingdom- to William of Normandy at the Battle of Hastings.

In 1912, Theodore Roosevelt, former president and the Bull Moose Party candidate, was shot at close range by anarchist John Schrank while greeting the public in front of the Hotel Gilpatrick in Milwaukee during his campaign for the presidency. He was saved by the papers in his breast pocket and still managed to give a 90 minute address in Milwaukee after requesting his audience to be quiet because “there is a bullet in my body.”

In 1930, Ethel Merman held a high “C” for sixteen bars of “I Got Rhythm,” in her Broadway debut in George Gershwin’s “Girl Crazy.”