Sorry for the lack of posts yesterday, but we were dealing with a minor family medical emergency. My mom came down with a flu (not the flu, however, whatever that means ...) on Monday evening, and by Tuesday after I'd completed my egg route we had to run her into the emergency room. We were scared to death - her temperature peaked at 104°F, and she was pretty delirious. Flu, colds and upper respiratory infections are never good things, but when you hit 81 they're really not good at all.

Mom's doing alot better. I spent most of yesterday with her and Rhiannon came up and spent the night with her last night. The cough syrup they gave her is working well, and things are clearing up. Whew!

My S-10 is in the shop today getting ready for the drive to Missouri and the Meadhall Moot, so I plan to catch up on posting and work in the barns and henhouses. Lot's of exciting stuff - if you consider chicken shit exciting!

Thu, 17 Mar 2005 00:00 /Home | 0 writebacks | permanent link

Here's a quote from our new Trade Rep:

"Open markets and better trade relations are key components to a more peaceful and more stable and more prosperous world," he said. "Here at home, trade policy opens markets to create jobs, a higher standard of living and greater economic growth."

He's right, you know. As implemented since 1992, US trade policy creates more jobs in India, a higher standard of living in Singapore and greater economic growth in China... but I'm not bitter! I can't wait until they turn the US into a full-fledged member of the Third World. That way, maybe we can collect foreign aid from Mongolia and Bangladesh!

AP - President Bush chose congressman Rob Portman to be U.S. trade representative on Thursday, saying the Ohio Republican has shown a deep dedication to free and fair trade.

Thu, 17 Mar 2005 00:00 /Politics | 0 writebacks | permanent link

Google and other smart developers who've been around the block a time or two are just applying the the golden rule of engineering (any engineering, not just software engineering): the KISS principle. Keep It Simple, Stupid!

Follow that one rule well and you'll generally end up exactly where you want to be.

Google's popular map and e-mail sites reignite interest in older Web tech, raising potential threat to Microsoft, Flash and Java.

Thu, 17 Mar 2005 00:00 /Technology | 1 writeback | permanent link

A curse on "Saint" Padraig - may the lowest regions of the Underworld hold naught but misery for he and his ilk. May he be denied rebirth into the clans of his fathers, and may he be tormented forever by the sure knowledge that he tried to forever divorce an ancient folk from the gods and goddesses of their land, and enslave them as mere sniveling scions of a foreign desert diety.

I got some news for ya, Paddy boy: ya failed. We're back.

The mighty peoples of the North have persisted, retaining for centuries the memories of our ancient and hallowed troth, even if in reduced form as faries, banshees, elves and "wee folk". But we remembered. And now we're joinng with other folk North, South, East and West to reclaim our heritage and our birthright - no more slave gods for us!

I'll be wearin' the red today, Paddy, in memory of my ancestors who died resisting the siren call of your false and wicked god. And I shan't rest until he's driven from the North, and sacrifice and feast, boast and toast, is once more offered openly to to the gods and goddesses that made our lands proud and free, as they were before you sailed from foreign shores to corrupt them.

Rot in Nifelhel, Paddy. I'll be toasting your tormentors!

Thu, 17 Mar 2005 00:00 /Asatru | 0 writebacks | permanent link

Farm research news from an unlikely (and highly entertaining) source!

It appears that around half of the world's scientific research community is currently engaged in investigating ovine separation anxiety, lesbian cows and stroppy bovine syndrome.

Thu, 17 Mar 2005 00:00 /Agriculture | 0 writebacks | permanent link