Be kinder than necessary

We pass this sign, at the corner of Holden and Brattle streets, nearly every day. Many a day, the message on that sign has made a big difference, improving my attitude toward those around me.

This morning's Telegram reports that St. John's church is closing on February 1, a result of declining revenues. The parish has known for some time that they didn't have enough money to continue and chose to close the church, rather than relocating or merging with another congregation.

What Google thinks about Amazon's music offer

So, I get an email from Amazon, offering a $3 credit toward music downloads. Meanwhile, GMail, which has a feature that offers web links that are related to the email that I'm reading, offers a free trial of Topamax, a medication to treat migraines.

And, to all, a good night

We're still finding our way around the house with this new-fangled thing called electricity in the walls and ceiling.
Tonight, we'll go to Mike and Lynn's to celebrate the Eve. Tomorrow, we go over the river and through the woods (literally) to Adam and Jennie's.
We took Cassie for the day, visiting a mall and buying a few things, then lunch, and then  The Tale of Despereaux. (Hint: it's a pretty good flick, but the plot is a bit tricky for the young and those not paying close attention. The animation is delightful.) It takes a special kind of, well, bravery, I guess you'd call it, to go to a Disney store with a four-year-old on Christmas Eve. It's a bit like pouring a dozen Pixie Stix into the kid. She just about hit her resonance frequency when we found a Jasmine doll that she absolutely loved. She dozed off in the car on the ride home, a sweet smile on her face.
And, my friends, it doesn't get any better than that.
Merry Christmas.

Worcestershire Journal - What we have here … : Real Worcester - Worcester News and Blogs

Worcestershire Journal - What we have here … : Real Worcester - Worcester News and Blogs

Worcestershire Journal - Storm Notes : Real Worcester - Worcester News and Blogs

Worcestershire Journal - Storm Notes : Real Worcester - Worcester News and Blogs

Crime in suburbia

From The Landmark (subscription required):

Holden

Monday, December 1

12:07 a.m. Lights on in building on Adams Rd. that are usually off
3:53 a.m. Caller trying to find out how to get his plates back after they were taken earlier
6:53 a.m. Lockout of motor vehicle, which is running, on High St.
9:35 a.m. Large refrigerator dumped on Harris St. in November
1:18 p.m. Person left school and needs to return
3:14 p.m. Caller reports hunters coming out of the woods on his property with deer with them on Reservoir St.
4:15 p.m. Caller on Mixter Rd. reported there is a dog menacing a deer he has hanging in the tree
9:10 p.m. Sheriffs office reports repossessed motor vehicle

Tuesday, December 2

11:15 p.m. Unattended vehicle in lot on Main St., no one around

Wednesday, December 3

4:05 a.m. Vehicle running unattended on Brattle St.
6:54 a.m. Residence on Autumn Circle missing Christmas decorations
10:39 a.m. Disabled motor vehicle on Reservoir St. reported; just truck doing work, will move out of roadway
3:50 p.m. Female reportedly throwing rocks at passing traffic on Sunnyside Ave.
9:55 p.m. Back window smashed on Salisbury St., possibly by something falling from tree

Thursday, December 4

4:25 p.m. Caller reporting solicitor on phone reporting lottery winnings, asking to send $675; caller told not to send funds, probably a scam
9:34 p.m. Caller reporting large slender object with red lights floating around in the area of his back yard on North St.

Friday, December 5

12:03 a.m. Vehicles being repossessed
7:09 a.m. Counterfeit bill used at high school cafeteria
9:56 a.m. Suspicious male talking on radio at Unionville Pond
11:15 a.m. Male party left high school
7:00 p.m. Suspicious incident reported on Pinecroft Ave.
10:19 p.m. Driver all over the road near Big Y; driver tired

Saturday, December 6

11:04 a.m. Reindeer stolen from front lawn on Brentwood Dr.
12:45 p.m. Caller asking why doors locked at church
1:48 p.m. 911 abandoned call from Canterbury Lane; teaching granddaughter how to dial 911

Sunday, December 7

12:39 a.m. Two males out on foot; ok, workers at restaurant
2:56 a.m. Caller reports ex-girlfriend driving up and down street beeping horn disturbing neighbors on Hawthorne Rd.
4:16 a.m. Ex-girlfriend again on way back to talk to boyfriend
11:55 a.m. Parents locked keys in car on Bullard St.
2:44 p.m. Fox in yard on Putnam Lane all day

Paxton

Monday, December 1

2:33 p.m. Coyote acting strangely, Nanigian Rd.
8:53 p.m. Walk-in to station reporting calls three times a day from someone who doesn't speak English

Tuesday, December 2

7:09 p.m. Caller wants police to check malfunctioning garage door, Maple St.

Wednesday, December 3

3:29 p.m. Caller advising prescriptions missing from her car that was in accident today, left phone number
3:44 p.m. Officer cannot reach caller re: prescriptions, number disconnected/unavailable

Thursday, December 4

2:30 p.m. Caller heard gunshot and cries of help, vicinity Bel Arbor Rd.; nothing found.

Friday, December 5

12:46 a.m. Complaint of loud music coming from public safety bldg, also saw truck there; officer turned off radio and most of the lights at the station

Princeton

Monday, December 1

10:55 a.m. Open door/window, Rocky Pond Rd.

Wednesday, December 3

6:05 p.m. Request for animal control officer, Hobbs Rd.
6:05 p.m. Assist animal control officer, Hobbs Rd.

Thursday, December 4

11:04 p.m. Assist animal control officer, Rte. 140 N

Rutland

Monday, December 1

12:01 p.m. Party with a complaint of a vehicle backing up onto their lawn, Davis St.
2:41 p.m. Rubbish dumping, Main St.
9:14 p.m. Dead baby pig in the road, East County Rd.

Tuesday, December 2

10:43 a.m. Officer to tell owner he needs a permit to sell cars, Elete Auto

Wednesday, December 3

10:29 a.m. Resident requesting information on flyer, Pommogussett Rd.

Thursday, December 4

1:51 a.m. Abandoned 911 call, Forest Hill Dr. On callback officer was told there was a small car driving up and down the road with a party yelling out the window.
6:43 p.m. Accidental 911 dial rather than 411

Friday, December 5

4:05 p.m. Walk-in reporting a youth inside Goodwill box to get his skateboard.
8:35 p.m. Two people acting strange just left gas station, Main St.

Saturday, December 6

6:04 a.m. Cars parked behind building for the day, Main St.
12:12 p.m. Trespassing incidents, hunters coming too close, Glenwood Rd.
3:52 p.m. 911 Car vs. parked car in the library parking lot

Sunday, December 7

12:25 a.m. Suspicious person, Main St.
10:00 a.m. Reverend called to say they will be lighting candles in the cemetery between 4 and 4:30 p.m.
11:15 a.m. Cat sitter refuses to return cat, Main St.
8:56 p.m. General disturbance, Memorial Dr.

Sterling

Monday, December 1

7:48 a.m. Unoccupied vehicle parked, Stephanie Anne Ln.
11:42 a.m. Officer wanted, gunshots heard, Kendall Hill Rd.
1:38 p.m. Concerned that hunters are too close to homes, Pine Woods Ln.
10:29 p.m. Large animal dead in roadway, appears to be a badger, Leominster Rd.

Tuesday, December 2

6:39 a.m. Officer assistance requested to help bus over railroad tracks where lights are flashing and no train is in sight, Newell Hill Rd.
7:49 a.m. Request for assistance crossing railroad tracks, lights flashing, Newell Hill Rd.
2:21 p.m. Assist citizen regarding bounced checks, Worcester Rd.
9:48 p.m. Badly injured deer caught in swing set, Chace Hill Rd.

Wednesday, December 3

7:22 a.m. Officer wanted, long standing problem with neighbor, signs posted in yard, Sherwood Dr.

Thursday, December 4

9:57 a.m. Large goat running around Princeton Rd. area

Friday, December 5

9:37 a.m. Repeat animal complaint, John Dee/Muddy Pond Rds.
10:33 a.m. Dead skunk in garage, Worcester Rd.

Sunday, December 7

11:25 a.m. Loose goat, Princeton Rd.
3:40 p.m. Domestic disturbance, Beaman Rd.

FedEx bailout program promoted by WorldNetDaily

Our good friends at WingNutsDaily are continuing the fight against the selection of Barack Obama as our next president. Having failed to convince the Supreme Court to review Obama's citizenship paperwork, WND has launched a new campaign to influence the Electoral College to ensure that our next president is a natural-born citizen by insisting that President-elect Obama produce a valid birth certificate.

The letters will be sent FedEx to all 538 members of the Electoral College. The program first targeted only 470 for whom addresses initially were available. But the remaining addresses have been traced, and the letters will be delivered Friday morning, giving each elector the weekend to consider the constitutional issues raised by Obama's presidency.

This is after an unsuccessful effort that sent more than 60,000 letters by overnight delivery to the U.S. Supreme Court when a case contesting Obama's eligibility for the Oval Office was pending.
The FedEx packages can be sent for $10.95, a nice little boost to the FedEx that I'm sure the company appreciates. Recent news reports, such as this CNN Money article, FedEx's Gloomy Outlook Underscores Pain For Parcel Shippers, show that FedEx and other carriers are struggling during this economic downturn. 

No fun in Holden tonight

Does this mean we can't watch TV tonight?

Note to Chilean cardinal - the Pope is still Catholic, too

You were expecting the other Madonna, maybe?

Chilean cardinal: Madonna rouses 'impure thoughts'

"This woman comes here and in an incredibly shameless manner, she provokes a crazy enthusiasm, an enthusiasm of lust, lustful thoughts, impure thoughts," said Cardinal Jorge Medina.

Um, er, uh, ...

Hey, roboblogger, you might want to empathize a bit and not think so much about your data entry requirements.

Woman Killed In Rt. 290 Crash - Topix via kwout

Tough time require tough eats

• From Time, by way of Andrew Sullivan, we learn that the Brits are buying and, we presume, consuming "more tongues, brains, chitterlings (intestines) and trotters (feet)."
• Of course, we must  forget the perennial champion of recycled animal parts: Haggis - Frugal Food for a Recession
  
• Vegetarians, meanwhile, have to resort to fighting over tomatoes at Spain's tomato festival.
  
  
• 
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
• Aussies are being asked to eat more camel, not so much because it's cheap eats, but because there are too many wild camels in the outback.
• Meanwhile, back in the good old U. S. of A., it's Spam for us.
• Except that some folks want to bring their own stuff to this country. This link, unlike the others, is not for the squeamish because we don't like thinking about eating animals that might be cute.

Worcestershire Journal - TV at us, but not for us : Real Worcester - Worcester News and Blogs

Worcestershire Journal - TV at us, but not for us : Real Worcester - Worcester News and Blogs

TV in the Great White North

The snow is deep, eh?

Montreal Television Stations via kwout

And be sure to remove this note before publishing the brochure

How's it look, Perry?

From the 2008 Colonial Williamsburg Vacation Planner:

A request from Joseph's Project

Friends -

Thank you for your continued support of Joseph's Project. We started the Project last year with the mission of bringing food to families in need. This year brings exciting news. Joseph's Project is now incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Donations to the Project are now tax-deductible. More importantly, with a board of directors that brings new ideas, talents, and energy, we are able to support more families.

In October, we held a Halloween party that raised $2250. With this money, we are able to buy food for weekly deliveries to a half dozen families. Each week, we learn of others who could be helped.

The season of need is just beginning. The holidays are near, as is winter. Many families will be making the hard choices between heat, clothing, food, and other necessities. We want to be there in support of people in our community. To do so, we need your help. If you are able to send us a gift, however modest, we will be able sustain our current food deliveries and to meet new needs as they arise.

You can send your donation to:

Joseph's Project
1010 Main Street
Holden MA 01520

Wait, you mean that Santa didn't fly an airplane to bring gifts to the Baby Jesus?

The good folks at World Net Daily are on both sides of the war on Christmas. One on flank, they report that the Liberty Counsel has launched its campaign to protect Christmas from the grinches and other censors.

Meanwhile, WND is also promoting a book titled, Shocked by the Bible, which reports that

• "Christmas" is not mentioned in the Bible
• "Three Wise Men" appear nowhere in the Bible, and none are ever mentioned visiting baby Jesus in a Bethlehem manger.
• The practice of decking a tree with silver and gold is actually condemned by God.
• The Bible never specifically mentions the day, month, year or even season Jesus was born. 
  

Sheesh. Next, they'll be telling us that Santa Claus doesn't appear in the Bible at all.

I'll be right out. I just have to wait for the spin cycle to finish.

Using the wash water to flush the toilet at once seems like a great idea and full-tilt weird. From A Green And Ergonomic Toilet Combo: Washup.

via Washup: Toilet and Washing Machine All-in-One (Oh Yes!)

Not quite ready for the show

I'd like to buy an Internet radio some day. In brief, an Internet radio lets you listen to stations from all around the world, broadcast over the Internet, and delivered to your radio by wi-fi or wired network. Using my computer, I can listen to lots of stations, but it would be nice to have just a radio.

iLuv has a product that, according to the reviews, looks promising. Their web site, however, is less so:

iLuv.com via kwout

Then, I wondered what resources were available, so I clicked on the Resources tab,

iLuv.com via kwout

An Internet-based product ought to have a first-class web site, dontcha think?

I was so much something then ...

It's often the case that I don't connected with my childhood. Not that there was anything grave to forget. If anything, I remember a lot of fine times - hanging around at the camp, visiting at my aunt and uncle's in Vermont, another uncle taking me to see Ted Williams play at Fenway Park, talking with friends at school and after, visiting with my grandparents every day after school. (I'd get off of the school bus and go next door for coffee and pastries.) There's also that stretch from my mid-teens to my mid-twenties when, through no fault of my own, I was lucky to be alive. It wasn't (and, to a large extent, isn't) easy to understand how what went on then led to who I am as an adult.
In the past 10 or 20 years, starting when my father gave us the camp and accelerating through the times of the deaths of my mother and father, the importance has shifted from understanding to remembering. For example, as we readied  my father's house for sale, it was fun to discover that the cousin of the guy installing the gas stove is married to the young of two brothers who came to our school from Finland, that the older brother threw a heckuva javelin, and that the younger brother's nickname was the Finnish word for fish eye. Just remembering the people and stories was meaning enough.
Recently, I went to my high school reunion. Some 45 of my classmates showed up, not bad for a class of about 100. As with most gatherings, there were people who were nicer than I'd expected and others not so much. I was probably impolite or distant to other people and didn't know it. You can't undo decades of self-centeredness in one evening. (The recent episode of 30 Rock, where Liz attends her reunion, rang awfully true.) We didn't have name tags, so I spent a fair bit of time talking with people whom I didn't know, but should have.
At the reunion, we were, as a lot, grayer, heavier, and less certain about a lot of stuff. We fumbled around, trying to sum up our lives in a few cogent sentences. In many cases, we'd finished what we'd done and were now retired.
People asked me what I did for work. I gave the short answer, "Computers."
"That doesn't surprise me," said one classmate.
Hmm. It surprised me. I didn't do any work with computers until I was in my 30s and then it was by accident. (I took a job as a proofreader. There were a couple of terminals hooked up to different computer systems in my office. They let me play. I kept playing.)
So, this person saw a direct path from the kid I was in high school to worker I became. I looked back and saw no such direct path, but, rather, a serendipitous journey. Who has the better understanding of what happened?
There's one good friend, Ken, with whom I've stayed in something like regular contact. We sat together and talked about stuff past and present. He's worked for GE for many years. They're finishing their last nuclear submarine. When the sub is done, they'll close the plant. After that, well, who knows? Ken's a resourceful guy.
He and I sat at the table and talked about hearing loss. At least, that's what I thought we were talking about. We were also stunned to realize that our friend, Don, will have been gone six years this coming February. I told the story of Don and I riding our bicycles on the newly paved, but not open to the public, section of Route 2 between Gardner and Westminster. We were 12 or so. The world was wide open.
The people who organized the reunion put up old pictures from first grade onward. There was a special display for our classmates who had died, one as recently as two weeks ago. One woman died back in the 70s, about the same time and place I was crawling out of my own wreckage. It's a keen reminder, as with Don, that there are people who are smarter, kinder, and, well, better than me who didn't make it. Kinda takes your breath away.
I only stayed a couple of hours, itself something of a miracle. I've been thinking a lot about the reunion since then, the people I saw, the people who didn't come, the people who've gone on. When I got home, I flipped through my yearbook. It's an intriguing exercise, to look at a young person and try to see the adult or to look at an adult and try to see the child. It's like driving forward while looking in the rear-view mirror or backing up while staring out the windshield. It's a miracle that we don't have more accidents than we do.

Crime in suburbia

From The Landmark (subscription required):

Holden

Monday, November 24

9:35 a.m. Animal knocked down bird feeder on Meadowwood Dr.
12:20 p.m. Report of person dumping TV in Dumpster; would like it retrieved; Rutland contacted resident

Wednesday, November 26

12:16 a.m. Icy streets reported
9:51 a.m. Pictures scattered outside business on Main St. in case anyone calls to report them missing

Thursday, November 27

8:58 a.m. Caller inquiring about where football game is today
9:52 a.m. Person taking items from portable shed at senior Center; OK
10:36 a.m. 911 Elderly male driving erratically, in breakdown lane, over yellow lines; son will pick him up

Friday, November 28

1:40 p.m. Two kids smoking on steps at Mountview Middle School on Shrewsbury St.

Saturday, November 29

12:04 a.m. Refrigerator dumped on Harris St.

Paxton

Tuesday, November 25

11:42 a.m. Oakwood Rd. Caller says he can hear alarm in the vicinity of his residence. Old smoke detector going off in trash can.

Wednesday, November 26

6:19 p.m. Dispersed gathering at Moore State Park
6:34 p.m. Dispersed gathering in parking lot at Coffee on the Common

Sunday, November 30

9:34 p.m. Caller reporting his iPod lost on Anna Maria campus. Referred caller to campus security.

Princeton

Wednesday, November 26

6:08 a.m. Suspicious incident, Westminster Rd.
1:01 p.m. Sales/telemarketer complaint, Worcester Rd.

Friday, November 28

9:48 p.m. Suspicious incident, Rocky Pond Rd.

Saturday, November 29

4:44 p.m. Assist other police department, Rocky Pond Rd.
6:41 p.m. Lost/missing person, Rocky Pond Rd.
10:57 p.m. Welfare check, Rocky Pond Rd.(Editor's Note: Police locate lost hikers, not Our three-hour tour.

Rutland

Monday, November 24

10:39 p.m. MassHighway on phone to say they will not be treating roads tonight.

Wednesday, November 26

2:40 p.m. Party found a wallet in the prison camp stream, Main St.

Saturday, November 29

3:43 p.m. Rabid raccoon in the area, Turkey Hill Rd.
3:55 p.m. General disturbance, Main St.

Sunday, November 30

3:46 p.m. Suspicious vehicle in the sand pits

Sterling

Monday, November 24

3:59 p.m. Possible sick fox in front yard of home on Stephanie Anne Ln.

Tuesday, November 25

12:45 p.m. Concern about fox in yard, Metropolitan Rd.

Wednesday, November 26

12:22 a.m. Suspicious person walking down Leominster Road towards center
10:36 a.m. Request for cat to be scanned for microchip to identify owner, Bean Rd.

Friday, November 28

10:22 p.m. Person taking free pallets, Spratt Technology Way

RoasterBoy's Playlist

1)	Genius playlist based on Paul Simon's Homeless Paul Simon - Homeless Graceland Paul Simon with The Jessy Dixon Singers - Mother And Child Reunion Live Rhymin' Randy Newman ... http://rbplaylist.blogspot.com/2008/12/genius-playlist-based-on-paul-simons.html
2)	Led Zeppelin, Bloom County, and Christmas - what else do you need? FARK.com: Fark Video Player (4054264) Take Opus, Bill the Cat and Classic Zeppelin. Blend with yuletide cheer. Bake at 350 for ... http://rbplaylist.blogspot.com/2008/12/led-zeppelin-bloom-county-and-christmas.html
3)	YouTube - Stan Rogers - Mary Ellen Carter YouTube - Stan Rogers - Mary Ellen Carter http://rbplaylist.blogspot.com/2008/12/youtube-stan-rogers-mary-ellen-carter.html
4)	Stained Glass Bluegrass Stained Glass Bluegrass on WAMU. Windows Media stream and MP3 stream. MP3 stream requires free registration. http://rbplaylist.blogspot.com/2008/11/stained-glass-bluegrass.html

guest@goosh.org:/web> more

5)	Bring on those PEI potatoes The report on the PEi potato crop brings tears to one's eyes, although not in a good way.There’s a smell of rotting potatoes ... http://rbplaylist.blogspot.com/2008/11/bring-on-those-pei-potatoes.html
6)	MilkandCookies - Perfect Day: BBC Promotion An amazing array of talent, including Emmylou Harris, Bono, Tom Jones, David Bowie, Laurie Anderson, and Lou Reed, singing ... http://rbplaylist.blogspot.com/2008/11/milkandcookies-perfect-day-bbc.html
7)	Exclusive First Listen: Neil Young : NPR Music NPR.org is streaming Neil Young's Sugar Mountain, a live recording from 1968: Exclusive First Listen: Neil Young : NPR Music http://rbplaylist.blogspot.com/2008/11/exclusive-first-listen-neil-young-npr.html
8)	Genius playlist based on Queen's Under Pressure Queen - Under Pressure Live At Wembley Stadium Meat Loaf - Bat Out Of Hell Bat Out of Hell U2 - Where The Streets Have No ... http://rbplaylist.blogspot.com/2008/11/genius-playlist-based-on-queens-under.html

guest@goosh.org:/web> more

9)	The best rock and roll tune before there was rock and roll Sing Sing Sing - Benny Goodman Orchestra via Milk and Cookies http://rbplaylist.blogspot.com/2008/11/best-rock-and-roll-tune-before-there.html
10)	Arthur Lee & Love - Alone Again Or (Live) http://rbplaylist.blogspot.com/2008/11/arthur-lee-love-alone-again-or-live.html
11)	Pink Floyd "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" Syd Barrett Tribute OK, I've listed this one before. Lately, I've been in touch with some long-time friends and have been, in turn, thinking about ... http://rbplaylist.blogspot.com/2008/11/pink-floyd-on-you-crazy-diamond-syd.html
12)	Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros: Yalla Yalla MilkandCookies - Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros: Yalla Yalla http://rbplaylist.blogspot.com/2008/10/oe-strummer-mescaleros-yalla-yalla.html

WSJ - Auto maker CEOs admit mistakes, need for help

While we read in the Wall Street Journal that the CEOs of GM, Ford, and Chrysler admit that they made mistakes that led to the current crisis and would we please give them boatloads of cash to get out of the mess, let's remember this:

The proposed bailout of GM, Ford, and Chrysler overlooks an important fact. The US has one of the most vibrant, dynamic, and efficient automobile industries in the world. It produces several million cars, trucks, and SUVs per year, employing (in 2006) 402,800 Americans at an average salary of $63,358. That’s vehicle assembly alone; the rest of the supply chain employs even more people and generates more income. It’s an industry to be proud of. Its products are among the best in the world.

Their names are Toyota, Honda, Nissan, BMW, Mercedes, Hyundai, Mazda, Mitsubishi, and Subaru.

From Signal vs. Noise blog, which quoted Peter Klein via Andrew Sullivan.

Elsewhere on the medical insurance front, ...

Slashdot reports that a company called Palm Pistol has created an easy-to-use pistol that, you guessed it, fits in the palm of your hand. It's perfect for those who have limited use of their hands because of arthritis or related conditions. Not only that, but, as Gizmodo reports, the FDA has listed this gun as a Class I Medical Device. The gun's manufacturer has applied for a classification that would allow physicians to prescribe the device to patients who could then receive reimbursement from Medicare or their own insurance.

You can find out more about the Palm Pistol at their website.

My brain hurts. Does that make me ineligible?

According to this New York Times article (via this J-Walk Blog post), UnitedHealth is offering the opportunity to buy insurance for the right to buy health insurance at a later date. If you're sick now, you can't buy the insurance on insurance, but, if you're healthy now, you can buy the health insurance later, even if you're sick then. Each month, you'd pay 20% of the current premium so that you can pay 100% per month later.

The idea is that you might have health insurance now (and, of course, you're healthy now, so you don't need the insurance that you now have), but you might not have it in the future. It's sort of like paying 20% of a mortgage on a house or condo that you might need in the future if, for example, you can't make the payments on the house or condo that you're living in now.

Back where we started

We could have used one of these on our great adventure: Bushnell Backtrack Personal Locator, "A minimalist GPS unit that does one thing: after you park, you push a button to mark the spot and then hours later, when you emerge into the vast sea of cars at some mega shopping center outside a store opposite the side you went in, it guides you right back to your vehicle."

All bad news, all the time

We have many reasons to be afraid: dismal economic news, the collapse of the Thai government, and an update on the Mumbai terrorist attacks, and a Britney tour next spring. Will the misery never end?

My Way - My Page via kwout

Chair City of the World by Constance Riley

A loud shout-out to friend Connie on the publication of her book, Chair City of the World. Connie was a close friend of my mother and remains a dear friend to us.

In addition to the Bible, perhaps a book on grammar and punctuation is in order.

This post, Email From Stephen Choate, from The J-Walk Blog, made me curious, so I visited the Speak God Speak site.

Receive a prophecy | Prophetic fufillments | National prophecy declarations | Meet Stephen Choate | Children's ministry | Know Jesus Christ | Miracles and Visions | Understand God via kwout

Worcestershire Journal - On technologies and turkeys : Real Worcester - Worcester News and Blogs

Worcestershire Journal - On technologies and turkeys : Real Worcester - Worcester News and Blogs

U R Doing It Wrong

According to the Helsingin Sanomat, thousands of chickens were killed in animal rights activist raid on poultry farm. It appears that the activists cut the electricity to the ventilation system and the chickens died of asphyxiation.

Our three-hour tour

"This isn't a good idea," said Cassie as I carried her across another little stream that crossed the trail. She was right. It was now dark. The temperature had dipped below freezing. The five of us, Cassie, Tess, Sandra, Marley, and your scribe were in the woods, on a trail to be sure, but we didn't know where we were, much less than where we were going.
It was almost a good idea. We'd set out at three o'clock on Wednesday for a walk at Trout Brook, a conservation area in town. There are several trails through the woods, identified with red, white, and/or blue markers on the trees. We decided to take the blue trail. For a time, Cassie led the way, shouting out with joy at each blue marker that she saw.
On Tuesday, there'd been heavy rains. Because of the unseasonably cold weather during the last two weeks, the ground was frozen, meaning that it couldn't absorb the water. Instead, the water stayed on the surface, creating many, many, (did I say many?) streams and puddles across the trail.
Each watery section slowed our progress. Tess was really good at finding stepping stones, bits of firmament, and tree roots that we could use to make our way across. Nevertheless, we had to walk carefully and that meant slowly. From time to time, Sandra carried Cassie across some of the wider puddles.
The sun set at 4:17. When we were in the parts of the forest that were made up of evergreens, it got dark quickly, but then we'd move into a hardwood section and enjoy a bit of brightness. We reach civil twilight at 4:48. (Here's the almanac data for that day.) We could just barely see the markers on the trees. I held up my Blackberry so the light from the screen could show whether it was a blue marker or not.
The trail was hilly. Each time we reached a crest, our spirits lifted, thinking that we could see openings in the tree cover ahead and maybe we were getting back to the parking area. We then went downhill, into more water and more twists of the trail, no closer to anywhere. 
All the while, our outward spirits stayed positive. A few times, Cassie did wonder aloud whether she would ever see her mother and father again. I assured her that she would, that we were on an adventure and that we'd have a great story to tell when we got home.
Before long, we weren't able to avoid the water and all of us had wet shoes (except, of course, for Marley, who soldiered on with four wet feet).
There were a few old foot bridges across the proper streams. The bridges were wet, though, and becoming icy. It was too slippery to try to carry Cassie across. So, I got on my hands and knees, facing backwards. Cassie held on to my head as I worked my way across the bridge.
When it was finally, really dark, we started seeing lights from a road. They were car headlights. We were elated. The trail broadened and flattened and became a dirt road and then out to the street. But what street? We took a left and started walking down the narrow road. A few hundred yards later, we reached an intersection. I clambered up the side and again held my Blackberry up to the street sign. Wood Street.
Google Maps showed that Wood Street intersected with Wachusett Street.
I called Mike. I told him where I thought we were just as the battery on my phone quit. The battery rejuventated itself long enough for me to call him back and confirm that we were under the sign on Wood Street. The five of us sat down on the banking and sang songs.
It turned out that we weren't on Wachusett, but on Mason. Mike drove up Wachusett to the Princeton line, came back, and then followed Wood Street to the other end where we were sitting. It was six o'clock. Relieved and embarrassed, we hopped into the car. Mike drove us back to the parking area, several miles away. Sandra and I then followed Mike back to his house where Lynn had prepared a comforting dinner of soup and BLTs. The kids were home, safe and warm, seemingly not traumatized, but not likely to go for a walk in the woods with Buppy and Iso again for a good, long time.

Crime in suburbia

From The Landmark (subscription required):

Holden

Monday, Nov. 17

1:42 a.m. Caller heard dog bark and a woman scream
1:55 p.m. Injured porcupine

Tuesday, Nov. 18

8:37 p.m. 911 call with profanity in background; claims to be trying to dial 411 and profanity was TV; voice identified as caller; fight between mother and son

Wednesday, Nov. 19

12:29 a.m. Pedestrian warning barrel removed, Highland St.
9:28 a.m. Sewer leak, Main St.
4:56 p.m. Water faucet found running when resident returned home, Cook St.

Thursday, Nov. 20

3:00 p.m. Party in lobby to speak to officer about school project

Friday, Nov. 21

5:58 p.m. Moscow Rd. resident wants police to come shoot bear in yard; informed bear would not be shot
9:49 p.m. Party observed subject disposing trash in Dumpster at Dawson School; says custodian gave him permission

Saturday, Nov. 22

7:16 p.m. Caller regarding individual blowing leaves at night; advised it will be checked on if it goes on to unreasonable hour
10:47 p.m. Vehicle all over road, Salisbury St.

Sunday, Nov. 23

12:44 a.m. Large black bear in yard, Forest Dr.
5:17 p.m. Black bear reported, Forest Dr.; second caller advised bear on Nola Dr.
5:44 p.m. Possible illegal dumping, Fisher Rd.

Paxton

Monday, Nov. 17

7:07 a.m. Tree limb on wires at residence, Center Dr.
7:43 a.m. Tree limb on wires, East Howard St.

Tuesday, Nov. 18

No calls

Wednesday, Nov. 19

4:33 p.m. Resident advising he is burning leaves and there is a lot of smoke, Camp St.

Friday, Nov. 21

5:02 p.m. Person in station about previous motor vehicle vs. deer, Rte. 31

Saturday, Nov. 22

4:42 p.m. Motor vehicle hit deer, Reservoir Rd.; no vehicle damage. Party is taking the deer

Sunday, Nov. 23

1:58 p.m. Walk-in reporting vehicle and individual walking near reservoir; negative contact

Princeton

Monday, Nov. 17

6:10 a.m. Public service, Royal Plaza Hotel, Fitchburg
8:12 a.m. Public service, Hobbs Rd.
2:32 p.m. Request for animal control officer, Ralph Rd.

Tuesday, Nov. 18

8:02 a.m. Request for animal control officer, Merriam Rd.
11:59 a.m. Request for animal control officer, Bigelow Rd.
10:19 p.m. Request for light dept., Thompson Rd.

Thursday, Nov. 20

10:14 a.m. Request for animal control officer, Worcester Rd.

Friday, Nov. 21

No calls

Saturday, Nov. 22

No calls

Sunday, Nov. 23

4:13 p.m. Public service, Gregory Hill Rd.

Rutland

Monday, Nov. 17

9:53 a.m. Blue Suburban failed to stop at the stop sign leaving Glenwood School, fear for safety, Glenwood School.

Wednesday, Nov. 19

8:53 a.m. Locked out of car, Fernwood Dr.
1:34 p.m. Locked keys in vehicle, Watson Ln.

Thursday, Nov. 20

6:42 p.m. Caller reporting a dead motor vehicle in the front of his house, Main St.

Friday, Nov. 21

3:19 p.m. Gun shots heard in area, Wildbrook Dr.

Saturday, Nov. 22

1:44 a.m. Dead coyote in the road, Pleasantdale Rd.
1:40 p.m. Walk-in concerned about people skating at Putnam Park, Main St.
2:30 p.m. Caller concerned about people skating on the pond next to Ace Hardware

Sterling

Wednesday, Nov. 19

4:53 p.m. Attempt to deliver message, School St.
5:17 p.m. Attempt to deliver message, Old County Rd.
5:41 p.m. Message delivered, Still River Rd.

Saturday, Nov. 22

6:42 a.m. Two dead foxes in the road on Rte. 12
9:26 a.m. Suspicious male standing in roadway, Clinton Rd.
9:48 a.m. Pickup truck dropping off two males with rifles, Beaman Rd.

Who'da thunk it?

Years before the classic "I'm gonna write me a new minivan" Dilbert strip,



Mutt and Jeff laid out the same principle.

Career opportunities in the Great White North

The following appeared in the dita.xml.org blog, a site for people interested in the Darwin Information Typing Architecture OASIS standard. DITA is an XML-based architecture, used primarily by technical writers, for authoring, producing, and delivering technical information.
So, finding an article such as the following on this blog is leads to a bit of puzzlement:

How to get recruited as nannies Canada? | DITA XML.org via kwout

• Ler us hope that the market for technical writers is not so bad that becoming a nanny in Canada is a reasonable alternative career.
• The All your base are belong to us diction suggests that the marketing lingo has been through the BlahblahFish emulsifier.
  

Bring on those PEI potatoes

The report on the PEi potato crop brings tears to one's eyes, although not in a good way.

There’s a smell of rotting potatoes hovering around eastern P.E.I. these days, but despite a season that even drowned the wireworms, potato prices are on fire.

Wait, there's more.

Eastern growers are spending these days washing the muck off potato piles that are starting to turn to salvage what they can.

So, the crop is small (and rotting), but, because the prices are very high, it's a good year, which could turn bad because farmers may plant more potatoes next year, in case that the price is high, but that might drive the prices down. Meanwhile, Bruce Huffaker of the North American Potato Market News warned  "at least one quick service restaurant in the U.S. is worried about a supply shortage and has developed a French fry rival. 'It’s a macaroni cheese stick and the kids like it,’' he said."

Stupid patent tricks

Here are a couple of developments that would have the Founding Fathers spinning in their teacups as they try to understand how these patents relate to Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution: "The Congress shall have power ... To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;".

IBM's patent on their Pay at the Table System was approved on appeal. (via /.)

"Patrons at a restaurant or bar can pay at their table using credit cards, without involving the restaurant or bar cashier and/or wait staff. Patrons are assisted using this system in dividing the bill by displaying the amount due (including tax) and allowing each patron to enter the amount they wish to pay. When the initial bill is presented, a balance due will be displayed and the indication will be provided that the bill has yet to be paid in full. As each transaction is entered, a running total will be displayed indicating the remaining balance due. When the running total reaches zero, the bill is paid in full, and an indication will be provided, such as by illuminating a green indicator light or by displaying a balance due of $0.00."

McDonald's has applied for a patent on making sandwiches (also via /.).

"The present invention relates to a sandwich assembly tool and methods of making a sandwich, which may be a hot or cold sandwich, quickly by pre-assembly of various sandwich components and simultaneous preparation of different parts of the same sandwich. The sandwich assembly tool is composed of a member preferably having one or two cavities for containing a quantity of garnish. The cavities are used for the assembly of the sandwich. The tool may have a raised ridge adjacent one or both cavities for placement against the hinge of a bread component. Methods of making a sandwich] are disclosed. The methods may include one or more of the use of preasseribled sandwich fillings, assembly of garnishes in advance of a customer's order or while ether portions of the sandwich are being heated using the sandwich assembly tool, the simultaneous heating of a bread component and the sandwich filling, placing the bread component over the tool containing garnish, and inverting the tool and bread combination to deposit the sandwich garnish onto the bread component."

And, we mustn't forget the flow chart:

From the Gluttony Deficiency Department

Why don't they just set up an IV and let cholesterol drip directly into our arteries?

LongHorn Steakhouse via kwout

Um, Professor, your insights are insightful.

Professor: Alcohol consumption could start to decline - Helsingin Sanomat - International Edition

Consumption of alcohol will go down in Finland, predicts Professor Jussi Kauhanen of the University of Kuopio.
However, Kauhanen is not absolutely sure if Finland has reached its peak in consumption yet, or if it might increase before declining again.

Worcestershire Journal - On simplicity and complexity : Real Worcester - Worcester News and Blogs

My latest post on Real Worcester: Worcestershire Journal - On simplicity and complexity

Civics Quiz

I scored a 93.94 %, plus I ought to get a point for noticing that they used inalienable rights instead of the correct unalienable in the first question.
How'd you do? The rest of us didn't do so well.  

via Blue Mass Group.

As I was saying ...

about cats, ...

From Basic Instructions

This won't end well

According to Engadget, DARPA wants IBM's help to build a computer that's as smart as a cat. Cats are vexatious enough as it is; they don't need computers.

Signs of the times

On a walk with Sandra and Marley, we met up with a sign that had us perplexed. But, just like that, the words of Woody Guthrie gave us strength to soldier on. 

As I was walkin'
I saw a sign there
And that sign said no trespassin'

But on the other side
It didn't say nothin!
Now that side was made for you and me!

Why Holden needs three pharmacy chains - week of 23 Nov

Just a reminder that the folks of Holden are struggling along, bearingup under great privation, with only two national pharmacy chains (Rite-Aid and CVS) in town. A third, Walgreens, is under construction on Main Street.

Rite-Aid, with the slogan, and I'm not making this up, Rite Aid Pharmacy - With Us, It's Personal, is offering some creepy male enhancement products.

In the meantime, CVS is offering a Complete Multi-purpose solution, although they don't say a solution to what. It's only as you read the tiny, tiny print do you see that it's a contact lens solution. To think, we almost had a complete solution.

Anyway, the guy who has the, ahem, enhancement products and a complete solution, so that he can see clearly, now needs to look cool, eh? Well, if there was a Walgreens in town, there'd be no problem cuz he could get a set of Coor's Light slippers.

How cool is that? Yeah, about that cool. Bring on the Snoopy boxer shorts and there's no stopping the guy.

That is, if only there was a Walgreens in town.

Typealyzer - Meyers-Briggs, Briggs & Stratton, something like that

The Typealyzer says this about this blog.

Typealyzer via kwout

Crime in suburbia

From The Landmark (subscription required):

Holden

Monday, November 10

6:39 p.m. Vehicle parked in middle of Sunnyside Ave., no one around, no keys
8:28 p.m. Caller looking for vehicle towed from Sunnyside Ave.
11:45 p.m. Two suspicious females ducking behind bushes, Doyle Rd.

Tuesday, November 11

10:19 a.m. Party on skateboard carrying dog, Salisbury St.
3:17 p.m. Kids digging in pits, Main St.
6:15 p.m. Two-year-old locked parent out of residence

Wednesday, November 12

4:50 p.m. Report of person on Dorothy Ave. thumbing and yelling at cars

Thursday, November 13

3:31 p.m. West Boylston PD reports scammer pretending to be out of gas and asking folks for money, then driving off
7:52 p.m. 911 caller reports phone not working; advised to contact phone company

Friday, November 14

5:20 p.m. Dead deer in road, South Rd.
6:54 p.m. Caller concerned about inability to pay rent
7:23 p.m. Rutland resident hit deer
8:28 p.m. Kids in front of high school on wall; on the way to KPs

Saturday, November 15

6:46 a.m. Suspicious gun shots reported near industrial park
8:18 a.m. Hunters in woods, Sawyer Ln.
11:16 a.m. Disoriented male on Main St.
4:29 p.m. Three teenagers throwing sand/ice melt, Shrewsbury St.
4:53 p.m. Girls throwing things at passing cars
9:01 p.m. Notification of Boy Scouts that tornado watch is on

Sunday, November 16

7:40 a.m. Loose sheep, Salisbury St.; owner informed

Paxton

Monday, November 10

2:47 p.m. Walk-in to speak to officer about neighbors who go too close to her property
3:47 p.m. Erratic operator near Rutland line; driver not used to new vehicle.

Tuesday, November 11

2:31 p.m. Neighbor's dog is loose; Anna Maria students trying to catch it

Wednesday, November 12

11:13 a.m. Caller reporting animal in the house, dark brown, 7-8 inches long
3:59 p.m. Caller advising buildup of leaves at Pleasant/Crystal Sts., worried it may cause cars to skid
4:50 p.m. Caller from Anna Maria College asking if they can use fog machine inside theater; advised no as it will activate fire alarms

Friday, November14

3:13 p.m. Woman received call that her dog was found; she did not know the caller

Saturday, Nov 15

2:42 p.m. Person cutting trees knocked out power to area. Power restored @3:35 p.m.
6:06 p.m. Caller requests welfare check for her children with ex-husband for the weekend; neighbor called to report man is intoxicated, bleeding and unconscious at bottom of stairs

Princeton

Wednesday, November 12

No police calls

Rutland

Monday, November 10

3:49 p.m. Red tailed hawk smashed into a window and broke its neck, Karen Way

Tuesday, November 11

8:04 p.m. Dead raccoon, Main St.

Sterling

Tuesday, November 11

5:28 p.m. Multiple motorists reporting large cow grazing on the side of I-190

Wednesday, November 12

4:48 p.m. Report of goat "head butting" front door of home, Princeton Rd.

Friday, November 14

9:41 a.m. Two males walking down road with large plastic bag, Chace Hill Rd. Individuals out collecting cans and bottles
6:22 p.m. Dog dragging leash or chain running across yard, Maple St.
11:08 p.m. Individuals using flashlights in woods near reservoir, Heywood Rd.

Should we be afraid? Confused? You betcha.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting (subscription required) that Democratic leaders have delayed until December a vote on a bailout package for the U.S. automakers.

Democratic leaders said Thursday there is no deal on aid yet for the Big Three U.S. auto makers, and asked the chief executives of those companies to return to Congress with concrete plans on how they would use federal funds to turn their companies around before getting any money from Washington.

In the meantime, Chinese carmakers SAIC and Dongfeng have plans to acquire GM and Chrysler. They've already got all of our cash; they might as well do something with it.

Current Economic Downturn 101

As in, what the Current Economic Downturn means to you if you're 101:



via Scary Financial Times

Maybe you'd rather just have a side of fries instead...

Jim Coleman Cadillac | Serving Bethesda and Arlington | New & used cars and SUVs via kwout

In case you wondered:


via Consumerist.

Ice. We haz it.

Today was the time this season when the temperature stayed below freezing for the whole day. As a result, a skim coat of ice covers the calm part of the pond near our house. And with the ice come the ducks. You'd think that they'd take a cue from the fact that the water's cold enough to freeze their, um, feathers and they'd head further south. Many of the ducks will winter over.

A good job to have, if you don't mind occasionally dying

The World Wide Web is wonderful, giving you all kinds of helpful information. For example, lots of people are becoming increasingly anxious about losing their jobs, with good reason. Citi recently announced that it's shedding 50K jobs. HP is tossing more than 25K. Heck, even Tivo is letting people go.

In Massachusetts, every labor market (various combinations of cities, towns, and regions) had an increase in their unemployment rate, year over year, in September.

So, it's a good idea to look around for jobs that have a good prospect of riding out the storm. A page such The Best Recession-Proof Jobs is a good place to start. Number 5 on one of their lists is "Commercial fishing, because demand for fish is increasing in the U.S. even as foreign supply is declining."

One itsy-bitsy twist. Guess what profession tops the list of most dangerous jobs? Yep. From Forbes, via The Quick 10: Jobs in the U.S. With the Most Fatalities from mental_floss:

Topping the most-dangerous list: fishers and their staff. Thirty-eight fishermen--112 out of 100,000--died on the job last year, mainly off the frigid coasts of Alaska and Maine. There's a reason that Discovery show is called "Deadliest Catch."

Larry Simns--co-founder of Commercial Fishermen of America, a San Francisco-based nonprofit representing U.S. commercial fishermen--knows the pain. Last year Simms' friend Captain Philip Ruhle Jr. went down with his 80-foot squid ship in a storm roughly 40 miles off the coast of New Jersey.

"They all know the risks," says Simms. "There's a chance of getting killed, but you don't put a lot of emphasis on that. You're just extra cautious because you know you can't just get off the boat and walk home if something goes wrong."

Also, the Get Rich Slowly list includes construction worker as a good option, if you don't mind being #2 (Construction workers in the iron and steel industry) and #6 (Roofers) on the Forbes deadly 10.

Pass the Python, Monty

Monty Python has (have?) created a Monty Python channel on YouTube with high-quality clips of their own choosing.

-


via Miss Cellania

I wasn't looking for geographies; I want a cup of coffee.

Citysearch is a web site that provides what Techcrunch calls 'Hyper-local content'. Because they're still in Beta, we should probably give Citysearch some slack. Nevertheless, when I searched for coffee shops in our fair town, not only did I not get any geographies, but I didn't get any alternative offerings.

Citysearch via kwout

I know that suburbia can be dreary, but, c'mon.

The truth comes out.

Business News, Finance News, World, Political & Sports News from The Wall Street Journal - WSJ.com via kwout

In Microsoft's defense, the headline is erroneous; it should say Anti-Spyware. I think.

from the Wall Street Journal web site at 3:35AM on 19 Nov 2008.

My latest post on Real Worcester

Worcestershire Journal - Bits for those who ramble : Real Worcester - Worcester News and Blogs

Why Holden needs three pharmacy chains

Just a reminder that the folks of Holden are struggling along, bearing up under great privation, with only two national pharmacy chains in town.

Consider, if you will, that people can get the No!No! hair removal system at CVS for only $250. Nice, huh? You'll get 64% less hair regrowth.



So, you're gonna want to celebrate that hair removal. To do so, you'd better be packin' some Drinkin' Mate Hangover Defense. Not only does Rite-Aid carry this miracle cure, with the single-check rebate, you can get it for free.



But, then, you've got to be able to tell your friends the good news, eh? Sure. To do that, you need a phone. And not just any old AT&T, Nokia, or Blackberry phone. Nope. You need a *Licensed* phone that has M&Ms or Hanna Montana on it. To get such a phone, you need Walgreens.

Judge Judge, may I present Major Major

The Register (a British tech site) is reporting that tech-addled jurors undermine justice. The judge, Lord Judge of Draycote, complains that younger jurors are used to doing their own research and so apparently can't sit still, listen to arguments in court, and make their decision based on what they hear. According to Lord Judge,

Orality is the crucial ingredient of the adversarial system

In a bootnote, the Reg reports that "Lord Judge, formerly Judge Judge, was christened Igor Judge. Whilst the
evidence of names predestining an individual for a career is a tad
shaky, in this case, the parents of the young I Judge appear to have
been spot on."

Crime in suburbia

From The Landmark (subscription required):

Holden

Monday, November 3

7:48 p.m. Report of request to neighbor to turn down car stereo, then consequent threat of restraining order; advised no grounds for restraining order

Tuesday, November 4

12:24 a.m. Three suspicious kids on John St.
1:23 p.m. Youths on bikes at Subway on Main St.
3:45 p.m. 911 Call from confused resident
7:22 p.m. Disabled motor vehicle on Hillside Dr.; waiting for gasoline

Wednesday, November 5

8:59 a.m. Dumpster reported sticking out into road on Zottoli Rd.; no problem found
5:25 p.m. Three suspicious vehicles driving in fields behind Dawson School; using headlights to play football

Thursday, November 6

2:09 p.m. 911 hang up from River St.; attempting to dial 411
6:16 p.m. Questions about dumpster in road on Tannery Dr.

Friday, November 7

5:33 p.m. 911 Caller hard of hearing; spouse said window popped out
8:28 p.m. Kids hanging out behind Honey Farms
8:41 p.m. Kids at Honey Farms

Saturday, November 8

6:19 a.m. Caller heard gunshots on Wachusett St.; advised it was hunting season
7:29 p.m. Two 911 calls about loud explosion noises near Holden St.; two kids on bikes reported near Red Barn

Sunday, November 9

1:59 p.m. Pet pigeon landed on porch on South Rd.
8:41 p.m. Dog found

Paxton

Wednesday, Nov. 5

6:21 a.m. Caller reports vehicle has been parked in area overnight, Pleasant St. Worried about owner's welfare. Talked with owner's wife. He's okay.

Thursday, Nov. 6

6:28 a.m. Caller reporting giant tree blocking Marshall St. Tree is on the Leicester side of street.

Friday, Nov. 7

8:45 a.m. Dead raccoon, Pleasant St.
11:10 a.m. Suspicious person, Walnut St. Negative contact.
3:11 p.m. Caller says she thinks a group of juveniles are in garage next door to smoke marijuana. She smelled it withinthe last 15 minutes. Officer at scene reports the garage door is closed and doesn't smell anything, Orchard Dr.

Saturday, Nov. 8

6:51 p.m. Caller reporting large black bear on porch, Nanigian Rd.

Princeton

Monday, Nov. 3

11:59 a.m. Assist animal control officer, Bigelow Rd.
10:49 p.m. Request for animal control officer, Ball Hill Rd.

Tuesday, Nov. 4

2:26 p.m. Request for animal control officer, Sterling Rd.

Wednesday, Nov. 5

7:17 p.m. Suspicious incident, Beaman Rd.

Thursday, Nov. 6

10:32 a.m. Suspicious incident, Willson Rd.

Friday, Nov. 7

12:25 p.m. Request for animal control officer, Brooks Station Rd.
3:36 p.m. Request for animal control officer, Sterling
6:10 p.m. Request for animal control officer, Goodnow Rd.

Saturday, Nov. 8

11:21 a.m. Request for animal control officer, Hubbardston Rd.

Sunday, Nov. 9

10:23 a.m. Request for animal control officer, Mirick Rd.
1:00 p.m. Request for animal control officer, Hobbs Rd.

Rutland

Monday, November 3

12:04 p.m. Walk-in to report an item lost or stolen, Main St.
12:12 p.m. Caller reporting a lost or stolen chocolate lab who will not let the kids off the kindergarten bus, Marjorie Lane
10:08 p.m. Multiple calls on white strobe lights from cell tower, Campbell St.

Friday, November 7

2:15 p.m. Party was looking for 411 dialed 911 accidentally
5:04 p.m. Party reporting that she was running on the rail trailand saw a man lying on the side of the trail. He  looked at herbut didn't say anything.

Saturday, November 8

12:46 p.m. Hubbardston PD dropped off an elderly female at Town Line Variety. She is now walking towards Worcester, East County Rd.

Sunday, November 9

1:32 p.m. Squirrel in chimney, Main St.

Sterling

Tuesday, Nov. 4

8:34 a.m. Theft of political sign, N. Row Rd.
8:43 a.m. Theft of political signs, James Rd.
8:44 a.m. Theft of Jerry Fisher road bike, Redstone Pl.
12:45 p.m. Missing political sign, Twine Rd.
1:52 p.m. Missing political sign, Bean Rd.
3:34 p.m. Officer asked to assessors office to deal with disgruntled taxpayer, Park St.

Wednesday, Nov. 5

8:25 a.m. Fox stumbling around area, Bean Rd.
12:47 p.m. Missing small brown dog, from Bolton
1:07 p.m. Goat found on porch of home, Cynthia Ln.
9:05 p.m. Report of something pumped through garden hose over guardrail, Leominster Rd.; determined to be sewerage

Thursday, Nov. 6

6:41 a.m. Loose goat, Flanagan Hill Rd.
3:07 p.m. Caller captured loose goat, Flanagan Hill Rd.

Sunday, Nov. 9

6:32 a.m. Report of bulls in the road near the Sterling Ice Cream Bar, Clinton Rd.
11:16 a.m. Beagle on porch, Rugg Rd.
12:17 p.m. Gun shots, John Dee Rd.
5:02 p.m. Goat walking in and out of traffic, Clinton Rd.

Hey, buddy, wanna buy a bridge?

Alaska may have its bridge to nowhere, but Finland has a bridge between two somewheres that you can't pronounce:

Helsinki City Council approves plan for 900-metre bridge across Kruunuvuorenselkä to Laajasalo

It took eight years after my mother's passing to reach this point.

Post office $2.8 billion in the red

The mail being sent dropped by 9.5 billion items.

Remembering Spot

We had a cat named Spot. He was a mainly white cat with a large black spot on his back. (We can thank RSM for his insightful naming.) Spot was a dear cat, friendly and mellow, He also had grand mal seizures that caused him to twitch and flip and bounce around. The seizures were infrequent and mostly harmless. Mostly. Unless he was at the top of the stairs, in which case he looked like this, except that his descent was faster:


via Slinky Cat

Making the Baby Jesus cry

At the risk of being labeled an enemy combatant in Bill O'Reilly's War on Christmas, I'd like to note that radio stations that play non-stop Christmas music this early are doing the moral equivalent of dousing the manger with high fructose corn syrup and then inviting legions of ants to crawl all over Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.
Starting last week, two Boston stations, WODS (odious?) and WROR, have adopted an all-Christmas format. Yeah, I know, just change the station. Blieve me, I do, as fast as I can. I stumble on this dreck when I hit the scan button, looking for a decent tune. I hit the scan button again and, most often, wind up somewhere on the left end of the dial, listening to a college or other non-commercial station. Tell me this, which is more dangerous to the soul of the nation - George Carlin's seven dirty words or the merciless repetition of Jingle Bell Rock that's like a steady drip of battery acid on our spirits?

I wanted to be...

According to these folks, there's a 77% likelihood that this blog is written by a dude.

Dept. of Wait, What?

According to the Wall Street Journal (subscription required), American Express may seek $3.5 Billion in U.S. Aid. under TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program). Apparently, even the big-spenders who carry AmEx cards have cut back on their spending and so the company is lining up with all of the other troubled banks and bank-like companies, awaiting a fresh infusion of gummint money. What's even sweeter is that they don't even have to worry about the competition getting more loot. The WSJ reports that, "Rivals Visa Inc. and MasterCard Inc., which operate processing
networks, aren't eligible for TARP[1] because they technically aren't
financial institutions."
These guys aren't even pretending to be capitalists any more.

The news from Finland is bleak

First of all, they have an influx of wretched stray dogs and Tukish sausages.Next, their shoes are too small. The Herring Fair was a bit of good news: "The meals sold well, and customers were apparently not afraid of any pollutants or toxins potentially found in the fish in the Gulf of Finland." But, the Santa Park had to close due to a fungus.

This week's blog post on Real Worcester

Worcestershire Journal - Canals : Real Worcester - Worcester News and Blogs

On the 11th hour ...

Ninety years ago, the guns fell silent, if only for a time.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

— Lt.-Col. John McCrae

from Wikipedia article

Crime in suburbia

From The Landmark (subscription required):

Holden

Monday, Oct. 27

2:43 p.m. Brown bag with popcorn left on stairs, Wild Willow Dr.
8:42 p.m. Suspicious person on side of Main St., no shoes or shirt; no contact

Tuesday, Oct. 28

4:15 p.m. iPod stolen by air duct cleaning crew, Briarcliff Ln.
4:49 p.m. Walk-in reports numerous charges on Verizon account that she didn't make, resulting in harassing phone calls from telemarketers

Friday, Oct. 31

8:15 a.m. Request for well-being check on dogs
8:32 a.m. Pack of dogs and wolves reported in neighborhood of Meadow Wood Dr., concerned for well-being of trick-or-treaters
10:03 a.m. Caller would like to park on Bullard St. to hunt
5:34 p.m. Person sleeping in vehicle in cemetery; told to vacate
8:13 p.m. Kids in top hats acting suspiciously while trick-or treating on Lovell Rd.
8:48 p.m. Three parties waiting for ride, Shrewsbury St.
9:06 p.m. Fifteen teenagers jumping into Highland St.

Saturday, Nov. 1

12:40 p.m. Caller believes his motor vehicle was shot by a potato cannon on South Rd.; no damage to motor vehicle or operator

Sunday, Nov. 2

12:27 a.m. Disabled motor vehicle, Main St.; parties arguing in front of business
3:26 a.m. 911 caller reports man in the house; party hysterical; spoke to young man, who doesn't live there; confusion at residence
8:21 a.m. Disgruntled party with parking ticket; advised to contact Town Hall
4:45 p.m. Caller says soon-to-be-ex husband took ladder from residence

Paxton

Monday, Oct. 27

4:18 p.m. Caller reports "shaky" porcupine near fence, Grove St.
4:44 p.m. Purple minivan driving up and down street with flat tires; party attempted to unlock brakes and blew two tires instead, Marshall St.

Wednesday, Oct. 29

6:13 a.m. Suspicious vehicle behind Howe's Stand. OK, it's window installer
8:28 a.m. Dead turkey on Pleasant St.; Mass Highway notified
12:46 p.m. Walk-in worried about red truck at neighbor's house, Mount View Dr.; OK, belongs to boiler repairman
2:55 p.m. Suspicious person reported by mailman, Mount View Dr.; OK, he's boiler repairman
10:52 p.m. Anna Maria security calling about older female hanging around campus and asking students if they need a ride anywhere; wants patrol car to drive through

Friday, Oct. 31

6:43 p.m. Caller advises residence has cooking fire, but is all set, Davis Hill Rd.
8:44 p.m. Walk-in to discuss probate issue; advised to seek resolution in court

Sunday, Nov. 2

1:05 p.m. Jehovah's Witnesses, Pleasant St. Advised they should contact dispatch first

Princeton

Monday, Oct. 27

2:42 p.m. Request for animal control officer, Beaman Rd.
9:13 p.m. Request for animal control officer, Beaman Rd.

Tuesday, Oct. 28

5:38 p.m. Request for animal control officer, Main St.

Thursday, Oct. 30

7:30 a.m. Request for animal control officer, Calamint Hill Rd. S

Saturday, Nov. 1

9:28 a.m. Assist animal control officer, Hobbs Rd.

Rutland

Monday, October 27

7:02 a.m. Stop sign on Pommogussett Rd. hit again
11:04 p.m. General disturbance, public urination, Main St.

Tuesday, October 28

6:07 p.m. Paddock Rd. overflowing, possibly from the beavers

Thursday, October 30

8:07 a.m. Youths pushing each other into the road while waiting for the bus, Maple Ave.
9:18 a.m. Suspicious male taking pictures at Main St. business.

Sterling

Monday, Oct. 27

5:41 a.m. Train blocking roadway, Newell Hill Rd.
10:13 a.m. Dog keeps coming onto neighbor's lawn, Gates Ter.
10:45 a.m. Person in small, red car pulling into driveways and taking notes, Cynthia Ln.

Wednesday, Oct. 29

8:32 a.m. Someone dropped off cat in carrier at end of driveway, Justice Hill Rd.
7:02 p.m. Caller reporting a tractor trailer unit left running for several hours. Dog in truck, no operator around, Redemption Rock Trl.

Sunday, Nov. 2

12:09 a.m. Guests complaining about loud argument at Chocksett Inn, Laurelwood Rd.
10:31 a.m. Person in station reporting assault at Chocksett Inn.