Happy New Year

Happy 2007, all. And it's already official. In 2007, I am still an idiot. At least this year I know I'm an idiot. In 2006, apparently I never even figured that out. I'm talking about comments, people. If you're still even out there. You might have given up on me and my ignorance.

I kept wondering what was the deal with my comments, but now I've figured out that I should probably check them once in a while. I suppose that's what "moderate" means. Since there were "unmoderated" comments from late 2005, you can see how this might be a problem. I have no recollection of clicking that option of moderation. Ever. This does not surprise me, nor should it you.

They're all on there now, and I think I'll change that moderator comment thing off...Bombs away.

Star Carol

Several years ago, I was listening to some of my Grandparents' old Christmas albums on my parents' record player, and I discovered this song as it was sung by Anna Maria Alberghetti. I was enthralled, and each year I continue to get out that old scratchy record so I can listen to it at Christmas time.

I was pleasantly surprised to find out the story of Alfred S. Burt (1920-1954) and his carols. We all know his songs "Caroling, Caroling" and "Some Children See Him," but I had never heard his story until I found it on the back of a record jacket. (And, of course, it's all now on Wikipedia.)

Mr. Burt was a minister's son and a jazz musician. Each year he wrote a song to celebrate Christmas and sent it out as his family's Christmas card. These songs have the quality, not of modern music, but of traditional Christmas carols, and performers of great stature have helped make them famous during the years since his death in 1954.

I'm very happy to listen to the old records in all their scratchy, nostalgic glory, and this old 1965 Goodyear Christmas record (Album 5) will continue to be one of my favorites, with "Star Carol" probably more worn than the other songs on the album.

"Star Carol"

Long years ago, on a deep winter night,
High in the heavens, a star shone bright,
While in the manger, a wee baby lay,
Sweetly asleep, on a bed of hay.

Jesus our lord, was that baby so small,
Lay down to sleep, in a humble stall.
Then came the star, and it stood over head,
Shedding its light, 'round his little head.

Dear baby Jesus, how tiny thou art.
I'll make a place, for thee in my heart,
And when the stars, in the heavens I see,
Ever and always, I'd think of thee...
-Alfred Burt, 1954


Merry Christmas, everyone.

Pac-Man Hits the Road

Pac-Man hits the road
(Someone painted the '80s video-game icon on Hwy. 55.)
By Jim Adams, Star Tribune
December 20, 2006

The Wright County sheriff heard from his deputies about the whimsical road
art and decided to take a look for himself.

Sheriff Gary Miller cruised east from Buffalo to the stretch of Hwy. 55 with large, white ovals painted by the state to slow tailgaters by showing drivers how far apart to stay. About halfway
through the stretch he saw the unauthorized addition: a giant rendition of a yellow Pac-Man, the jaws from the 1980s video game trailblazer, attacking an oval dot on the pavement.

"I drove that road the other day," an amused Miller said, "and drivers were bunched up to figure out what it was ... It's definitely a Pac-Man eating a dot." The oversize Pac-Man, at least a month old, may be a plus as people ease off the gas to catch a glimpse, he said.

"It's kind of comical," added county highway engineer Wayne Fingalson. "Somebody really did a good job of meticulously putting that [Pac-Man] in the dots."

Tom Dumont, the area traffic engineer for the Department of Transportation, wasn't pleased with the art work amid the $15,000 project. But he expects snowplows to chew up Pac-Man before the yellow jaws or road wear consume the dots. Pac-Man is not a safety concern, he said, except for the people who painted it and apparently have touched it up once or more.

"As word gets out, it's drawing more attention to the dots," Dumont said. "I'd hate to say positive things because I don't want to encourage people to try to paint something on a busy highway. But at least it's made the project a little more noteworthy," Dumont said.

The 7-foot dots are 225 feet apart, the distance needed at the 55-mile-an-hour speed limit, to stop in three seconds without rear-ending the vehicle ahead. Accompanying signs tell drivers to keep two dots apart in the stretch, traveled by an average of 16,000 vehicles a day.

Woman puts baby through X-ray machine at LAX

There's absent-minded, and then there's absent-minded.

Christmas Gifts

All people should be banned from buying themselves things in my price range during the month of December (ahem, DAD!). Thank you. Merry Christmas shopping, everyone.

a few more mexico pics...

Legally Blind Hunters

So, I recently discovered the essays of David Sedaris. Even though he tends to be liberal and at times extremely crass, he does tend to have a humorous take on things. Especially in his essay Six to Eight Black Men, a piece about traditions, mainly Christmas traditions. But in it, he also talks about American gun laws in relation to hunters. I wasn't quite sure whether to believe his assertion that in Michigan and Texas, you could hunt legally - even if you are blind. Apparently, in Texas, you need a sighted person with you. In Michigan, you can go it alone. Really?

Well, now I've read further proof that I think he wasn't making it up. The following is a story from the AP.

AUSTIN, Texas - A lawmaker in this firearm-friendly state wants to help more people get the chance to shoot live animals - even if those people can't see. A bill filed for the 2007 legislative session would permit legally blind hunters to use laser sights, or lighted pointing instruments.

"This opens up the fun of hunting to additional people, and I think that's great," said Republican Rep. Edmund Kuempel, the bill's sponsor. Visually impaired people are allowed to shoot now with the aid of a sighted person, he said, a requirement that would continue if the sights were legalized. "I've seen this on TV before, when they're taking target practice," Kuempel said. "When they aim the gun, the guide tells them, aim two inches higher or two inches lower and you're on the target, and you're off and running."

Kuempel's bill would give the state until Jan. 1, 2008, to come up with a definition of legally blind so the law could be enforced. Under existing law, the use of laser sights, spotlights and headlights is strictly prohibited in all Texas hunting. The practice can have the effect of making animals stand still as the light shines on them. Hunters using sights under the proposed legislation would have to carry proof that they are legally blind.

A couple of things come to mind. First of all, this is just the first step towards Texas becoming the new Michigan (if indeed, Michigan allows non-sighted people to hunt without a sighted companion). In our day and age of technology, I'm not sure if I should feel comforted or not, knowing that pretty soon radar, GPS and the like will replace the sighted companion. I'm not sure if those are required in Michigan, but at least it would be better than nothing.

I'm also of the opinion that this is essentially a form of blind people playing laser tag with deer. Well, maybe a slightly more deadly version.

The Chiles Family Goes to China

My cousin and her husband (Beth and Gary) left yesterday to go get their second child in China! They are adopting a little boy named Leland. Lily, their daughter, and Grandma and Grandpa (my aunt Sharon and Uncle Jack) went with, too, and all can be seen at The Chiles Family blog.

A few pics from Mexico, 11.2006

Cancun (A lil' windy)

Cancun, North Beach
Parasailing
Isla Mujeres v. Walmart

Isla Mujeres

Paranoia Epidemic

I work for the government. I understand that there are paranoid people out there. They call me all the time; we have our regulars.

But it was surprising to me last week to discover the number of paranoid people who work for the government: namely, the vast majority of my co-workers. I've always been under the impression that the paranoia remains out there, not in here. Oh, how I was wrong: the patients do run this asylum known as the government. Well, at least in one regard they do.

You see, Friday was flu shot day. I discovered that many people with whom I work closely do not believe in the flu shot. And no, it's not because they all have a huge aversion to needles (although there were several of those) or even an objection to shots in general. It's that many believe the flu shot is pointless. The belief commonly held is that you will either a) get the flu from the shot, or b) still get the flu at some point this winter, even if you did get the shot because of the great number of strains. One fellow labourer in particular ranted on and on about how "they" choose which strain of flu we'll get in 2006-2007 some three years in advance, tailor the shots we get to that particular strain, and how we'll probably get "some other" strain of influenza out there. When I asked her about Murphy's law (if you don't get the shot, you'll get that exact strain of the flu virus), she waved me off. You would think differently, in that if anyone should believe in Murphy's law it would be the paranoid people, but apparently Murphy's law doesn't apply to them.

So, I, not being afraid of needles nor with objection to shots, went and got my flu shot. I did not get sick over the weekend from the shot. I must confess, though, that I got it mainly because of Murphy's law. Maybe I am more paranoid than I thought...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Mexico

I'm off on a much-needed vacation to Mexico with the girls.

See you in a week (when it will probably be snowing here upon my return).