809 Area Code

Communications Dominican Republic
international: country code - 1-809; 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station

As far as I know I do not know anybody in the Dominican Republic, but apparently someone there tried to call me last night. I was at bigg's, so I didn't answer the phone. I looked down at my phone when it first rang and was quite surprised to see that I thought it said "Dominican Republic." At first I couldn't believe this, so when I had a free minute I called Chris and asked him to look up the area code 809. He asked my why after he'd run a search and I was curious. "Because someone called me from there," I responded hesitantly.

Then he proceeded to briefly explain the "809 Area Code scam" which he found when entering that area code into Google. See, one of the reasons I had been worried was that my dad called in the middle of several of these 809 calls and left a message, but I thought that this other caller might have left a message as well (until you check it my voicemail doesn't identify how many messages have been left). Thankfully there was only a message from my father.

However, the 809 caller called back several times. I'm not sure exactly what they wanted, but I cannot think that it was anything good. Not that many people have my cell phone number, and I don't know anyone who would call me from the Dominican Republic. Though, if it was part of an attempted scam I'm curious as to why they didn't leave a message and try to get me to call back. Regardless though I'm not going to call the number back--perhaps that is all they wanted, curiosity about a strange number. *shrugs*

~Matt
--
"A room without books is as a body without a soul." -Cicero

Snow?

Today the temperature is supposed to hit 70ºF!  However, by Friday we might see some early morning snow flurries.  I'm so glad I'm done with carts for the week at bigg's!  :-)

~Matt

--
"A room without books is as a body without a soul." -Cicero

Bread

I finally bought bread this week.  Well, I didn't have time to shop, so my sister did my shopping for me and I asked her to pick up two loaves of bread.  I've been pulling bread from bigg's anniversary sale almost two months ago out of my freezer ever since I moved into my apartment.  However, recently I've begun to get tired of having to slice the small loaves and fix three or four mini sandwiches to equal two normal sandwiches.

Therefore since I only have one bag of five mini-loaves in my freezer and about half a bag thawed I reasoned it was time to start buying bread.  I will keep using the bigg's bread, but just for toast or when I want a slice of bread with my dinner.

On the lines of food I think I need to come up with a menu list.  Every week I draw up a menu of the meals I'm going to cook and then I buy whatever food/supplies I need to make those meals (beyond what I already have in my kitchen).  I enjoy this, it is cheap, and provides filling meals.  One problem though is that I usually make the list at the last minute and I cannot always think of good meals that I haven't just done in the previous week.  I think that I need to start keeping track of the menu meals I produce so that I can consult this database when making each week's menu/shopping list.

~Matt

--
"A room without books is as a body without a soul." -Cicero

What is junk food?

Strangely enough I've never really thought about this. I guess I just assumed that candy and high-sugar, high-fat foods were "junk foods" that should be enjoyed in moderation. This can be hard though as they are often the best tasting foods around, ;-).

Yesterday I read a BBC article however that got me to thinking about this simple phrase: junk food.

You can't open a newspaper or switch on the box without hearing about the latest initiative to wean young people in particular off "junk food" and on to healthier foodstuffs.

Last week, the Office for Communications (Ofcom) unveiled plans to ban ads for junk food during TV programmes aimed at kids.

That followed hot on the heels of the government's clampdown in September on the sale of chocolate, crisps, the fizzy stuff (cola, lemonade, etc) and "low-quality meat" in schools across the nation.

This sounds good so far, right? I don't agree with the bans because parents should be able to exercise control of their kid's diets and spending. But this isn't the point as the UK is more of a nanny state though in some areas the US is worryingly fast to catch up.

But what exactly is junk food? It's widely believed that the phrase was coined by Michael Jacobson, director of the American Center for Science in the Public Interest, in 1972.

For most people, the phrase conjures up images of hamburgers, pizzas, chips and sweets.

For the Food Standards Agency - from which both the government and Ofcom got their definition of junk food - it is any food high in fat, salt or sugar.

So why are some fatty foods defined as "junk", but others are not? Government ministers and celebrity chefs look down their noses at French fries (which in McDonald's contain about 5g of fat), and at the same time think nothing of tucking into a dish like duck a l'orange (which can contain 15 to 20g of fat in a single serving).

And why are some food outlets, such as McDonald's or Domino's Pizza, labelled as "junk", while others that serve similar dishes, like posh burger bars or Pizza Express, are seen as being acceptable and trendy, and possibly even healthy?

Would you have thought about this? I think I shared the same preconception that McDonald's and other fast food was somehow different from what you find in other restaurants. This, however, may not always be the case! Read the rest of the article as it is quite fascinating. There are differences with fast food, but perhaps not always the ones that you think.

~Matt

'Tis the Season

Yes, I'm still here, but I was a bit busy this weekend, including filling in for someone yesterday in Titanic. I also couldn't get on-line at all on Saturday due to problems with my brother-in-law's internet connection, hence no posts from that day. I'll be around.

Oh, I bought and decorated a Christmas tree (3 foot artificial from Wal-Mart) yesterday. I have a couple pictures but am not sure when I'll be able to post them, hopefully soon though!

~Matt

I'm back

Yes, I am back, but Chris was back hours ago.  He chickened out because he wasn't first and because he wasn't feeling well.  Then Ryan and his friends hung out with more friends around the corner of the building so I sat by myself most of the night.  I read for a couple hours, but then I was dozing and the parking lot lights turned off at midnight.

Ryan was camping out last weekend for a Wii and found out that the lights have been on a timer for a couple months after corporate ordered it.  I guess they couldn't override it for one night.  Anyway, I was in a sleeping bag at this point because my feet were so cold in my boots.  Once out of my boots in the bottom of the bag they became quite toasty.  I stretched out with my legs on another chair and eventually lay atop three different foldable chairs to form a serviceable "bed."  I think I slept for a couple hours, then at three the lights came on as the first employees arrived.  Many people at that point started taking care of things even though we had an hour until tickets (to reserve your copy of an item until noon) were handed out starting at 04:00 and two hours until the store opened at 05:00.

I kept the sleeping bag until it was nearer to four.  It wasn't a bad night overall, and I did get a couple things.  I bought a 2gig SD memory card for the PDA I think I'm going to get as well as two stacks of 100 DVD-Rs for only $5.00 a stack!  (normal list price of $70.00!)  Oh, and I bought a universal remote so that I can control the volume on the TV I'm borrowing from Chris to have hooked up to my DVD player.  It has been quite annoying to have to walk up to the TV to adjust the volume as the movie goes up and down in volume.

That's all for now.  I'm not yet sure if I'm going to sleep any more or perhaps take a nap later today or go to bed early.  I'm at my sister's and haven't bothered to go home yet.  What is the point?  We entered the store right at 5:00 and were one of the first ones to the registers (we walked through a long queue area but didn't have to wait at all).  Chris is playing Zelda on Ryan's Wii right now and I'm just browsing the internet...

Good morning!

~Matt

--
"A room without books is as a body without a soul." -Cicero

Yes, we're going soon

to Best Buy. This is the third year in a row, but today is warm and tonight promises to be warmer than last year. I will definitely have pictures, and hopefully will be buying several things. I think I like the idea of a stack of 100 DVD-Rs for $4.99, and a 2-gig SD card for $30 will go well with the Windows PDA I want to buy.

More later...

~Matt

Thanksgiving forecast

Today is my last day at my day job this week. This does mean a bit lower paycheck, but I'm not complaining too much as I'll enjoy the time off. Friday (besides sleeping after staying up all night at Best Buy) will be my first completely work-free day in far too long. Thursday though I do have to work at bigg's since I've already committed to Titanic for Sunday the 24th of December--at least the shift only goes until 18:00. However, I assume I'll miss Thanksgiving dinner at my sister's place (unless she wants to wait for Friday to hold it? *hint* *hint*) as I'll probably head directly to Best Buy from bigg's.

I wish I were flying out to California this weekend though, it would be a good time to enjoy more time out there. Yet I have to keep up the now three year (if nothing goes wrong tomorrow) tradition of Best Buy line camping and I'm also helping to supervise Titanic this Saturday as the supervisor has to fill in elsewhere (like me she has multiple jobs and multiple positions at the Museum Center). I'll just try to wring what enjoyment I can out of the holiday, ;-).

~Matt

--
"A room without books is as a body without a soul." -Cicero

Cincinnati Skyline

Photobucket - someone wanted you to check out this image

pdrm2555.jpg This picture of the Cincinnati skyline was taken at the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal. This glass here is on the upper level of the History Museum at the old taxi (or bus?) ramp exit. ~Matt If you are having problems viewing this email, copy and paste the following into your browser: http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v382/Black_Wolff/Blogging/?action=view&current=pdrm2555.jpg

Addendum: Well this didn't work as well as I thought. I didn't like the fact that I couldn't include text with a picture upload, so I thought this could get around that. Apparently it won't work that way. Oh well...

~Matt

Interlocking - Memory in Bricks

PortableApps.com

Check this website out if you move from computer to computer. These programs are an excellent way to keep your information private and to save all your settings as you move. You can install these programs (I would really recommend this suite to hold the programs you use). I use Firefox and OpenOffice.org especially. The first is my favourite browser (with all of my favourites and links kept intact from computer to computer) and the second is an open-source office suite. It may not always be as usable as MS Office but sometimes is better and is fully compatible with multiple formats and best of all is completely free. You can run these programs from a USB flash drive, a portable hard drive, a device like an iPod, or even from CD (of course you would lose any editing capabilities with the latter option). Check the site out, it is a fun place.

~Matt

Photobucket

This is a test post from Photobucket.com

Say it ain't so

Apparently New Line Cinema has been involved in a dispute with Peter Jackson and has told "him that the company 'would no longer be requiring [his] services on The Hobbit and the prequel'." I'm not sure what the prequel is unless they mean a film adaptation of the Silmarillion (an interesting venture...)

New Line Cinema, with whom he has been in dispute about income from the first Rings film, was not using him, [Peter Jackson] said.

Jackson had refused to discuss a Hobbit film until the case was settled but New Line said it now wanted to move on as it had "limited time" to make the film.

You can read the entire BBC article here.

Sure, I had a few problems with some decisions Jackson made in the adaptations of LotR, but overall they were fantastic. I hope the management responsible for this decision at New Line realizes what they are doing and doesn't screw up production...

~Matt :(

--
"A room without books is as a body without a soul." -Cicero

I'm not moving to New Zealand

According to government supporters an anti-spanking (or smacking in NZspeak) law is to become official in New Zealand. Supporters are reportedly dismayed by a compromise that allows parents to physically restrain children for their own safety.

A parliamentary "committee rejected a proposal by National MP Chester Borrows for a different compromise which would have defined, and allowed parents to use, limited reasonable force.

It would have allowed light smacking that did no more than cause "transitory and trifling discomfort" and did not cause bruises, welts, skin cuts or broken bones."

This makes it
obvious that the bill is outrageous and not an anti-child abuse measure. It actively seeks to undermine the authority of parents in the raising of their children and provide for further government intrusion. I wonder how many years away the US is from enacting something like this. I am sure we will see something first in the Socialist Republic of San Francisco or activist judges in Massachusetts. I shudder at the thought.

The bill will change the Crimes Act to remove the defence of "reasonable force" that parents can invoke if charged with assaulting a child.

But the select committee that approved the bill yesterday has forced a compromise which will permit parents to use reasonable force to exercise necessary parental control.

This would include restraining a child to prevent it from harm, or from causing others harm, or to prevent it engaging in disruptive behaviour.

This may include, for example, stopping a child from running across the road, or forcibly removing one from a supermarket.

But the law will say that such force cannot be used for "corrective" purposes.

Akin to hate crime legislation in the US (but I imagine enlightened New Zealanders have enacted similar laws) this is merely another step in a broad (though not conspiratorially conscious) campaign to destroy biblical influence upon society and the family in general. Just look at Elton John's " ban all religion" or Richard Dawkin's New Atheism.

Proverbs 13:24 ESV Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.

Of course you could take this verse out of context and say it advocates beating your child black and blue, but it does nothing of the kind. Rather it refers to discipline which may include spanking (it does not have to, but the option should be there because sometimes it is what works).

~Matt
--
"A room without books is as a body without a soul." -Cicero

Culture Fest

One of my people in Evening Events was promoted at her main job and as a result was sent on a business trip this weekend. She found a replacement for the event on Friday (where I supervised), but couldn't find anyone today. As a result I took her place and helped out during the Museum's Latin American Culture Fest.

Each Culture Fest is a weekend long and involves various vendors and performers
occupying spaces in the building's Rotunda. I moved around between several different positions relieving volunteers and filling in where necessary. When I was in the crafts area I made my own paper bag piñata and also the two other crafts. Sure, I'm not a kid, but I like making things that I'm involved in helping others play.

Right now I'm also trying to staff other events at the museum--it isn't all going well. I'm really short for some nights--but I think that some details are coming together. On the second (of December) I will be at the museum from about nine in the morning until probably midnight.
I'll also be making some last minute decisions on the fly that night as to where certain people are stationed. I hope that my boss will have hired a third supervisor by that point, but I'm not holding my breath. I think of it as a critical priority, but he might not because he will soon have two exhibits as well as a third starting soon and his other duties (such as birthday parties). I think things will end up okay, but it is somewhat frustrating having to wait while things come together.

~Matt

TOS

I don't know exactly why, but I have barely seen any episodes of The Original Series previously. Tonight TV Land has a marathon of TOS episodes and I started watching at 21:00. So far I've watched Where No Man has Gone Before and I'm currently in the middle of The Naked Time.

Yes, they are cheesy in some ways, but they're also good vintage sci-fi. I'm really enjoying this and only hope that I can stay awake along enough to really enjoy things and develop a greater appreciation. I do know that CBS is producing digitally remastered versions of TOS episodes, I just don't know when they are airing or where. I would love to be able to compare the two and see if they are still good or if the enhanced digital effects clash with the props and costumes.

~Matt

What is free time?

The entirety of December I think I will be working a minimum of seventy plus hours a week.  Three weekends I'll be supervising in the Titanic exhibit (2-3, 23-24, 30-31), on weekend I'll be in California (15-17), and there are numerous evening events at the museum as well.  In some ways I don't regret it because I'll be busiest at the museum, the place that I love the most.

On the other hand it will make things like shopping difficult.  I'm really not sure when I'll be able to fit in time to go shopping, especially as I go to one store in particular where prices are cheap.  It isn't open 24 hours regretfully.  I'm sure I'll find some way to make do, I just don't know what it is yet.

~Matt

--
"A room without books is as a body without a soul." -Cicero

Benign

My sister just left the doctor's office and called me.  She had a growth/tumor on her Thyroid and the doctor ordered a biopsy recently.  Thankfully she found out today that it was benign.  She was especially worried because she's known people with thyroid cancer and the fact that my parents have both lived through cancer in the past few years.

This does remind me of a child's medical dictionary.  What is benign?  What you will be after you're eight.  ;-)

~Matt

--
"A room without books is as a body without a soul." -Cicero

Audio Advertisements

I think these bug me more than anything on-line, though expanding ads might be tied with these for annoyance.  Those are particularly aggravating when I'm trying to read a short news article and the expanding ad blocks the entire article!

I understand that advertising is needed to support sites and that if I don't pay for premium service (where offered) I will usually see it.  I don't have a problem with this.  Using Firefox I can block images from common ad servers so a certain number of ads never appear.  Others I simply ignore.  However, it is difficult to ignore an ad that starts playing sound (typically synced to a video).  It is especially annoying though when you've already scrolled past it and must look through the page to turn it off.

Sounds should be off by default.  I avoid sites that play music which you cannot easily turn off by default.  I would rather tell a site that I want to listen to music rather than have to manually turn it off each time I visit.  And of course these ads are worse because periodically they can refresh and a new one that you have to mute will come up.

Unfortunately there must be enough people that actually click on these ads that they stay around.  I only wish this weren't so... :(

~Matt

PS Have I mentioned that I love Firefox 2.0's new features like built-in spell check?  ;-)

--
"A room without books is as a body without a soul." -Cicero

Good night

Well I'm leaving the internet for the night. I'm over at my sister's place. I didn't intend to be here this late, but I just kept watching the shows she was and eventually got hooked into watching an HGTV show as well. Oh well, it wasn't that bad anyway and I wasn't sure what to cook tonight. Now I might just have a bowl of cereal since I can't find my menu...;-)

~Matt

Political Bias?

I see from news articles that Senator Trent Lott is back in power, albeit to the number two position in the minority party. This reminds me of something that I recently connected.

I still remember the outrage that his comments sparked, though from what I've seen it was largely due to interpretation, not what he actually said. People were offended by what they thought he meant, and nothing but his resignation from leadership could satisfy his detractors.

Compare this to Senator Kerry's remarks about the ignrant trups in Irak. Yes, there was an uproar, but mainly from Republicans. Then he issues an "apology" and everything is supposed to be forgiven. However, if you examine his apology you notice that he doesn't apologize for what he said. He merely labels it a botched joke (then why didn't he correct it when he said it?) and is sorry that people were offended. He should have apologize for what he said, even if (which I doubt) it wasn't what he meant to say. Wasn't this the same guy that accused all American troops of being rapists and murderers in Vietnam?

But no, there is no bias in the news media that creates controversy around Republicans and lets Democrats off the hook. Nope, it can't be found right next to unbiased coverage of Iraq.

~Matt

PS 2006.11.16
I'm not the only one writing about this. Read this column for more: Lott Avenges Media Double Standard.

It's funny how political missteps can destroy some people, while leaving others standing, even smiling.

Thank goodness Republican Mississippi Sen. Trent Lott -- one of those once nearly destroyed -- proved this week that media's plunging, twisting knives can be extracted.

--
"A room without books is as a body without a soul." -Cicero

December Visit

Yes, you read that correctly, a visit is coming up in December.  I will be flying to California on the 15th of December arriving late at night and leaving Sunday night to arrive in Cincinnati around seven Monday morning.

It will be insane, but it was my only free weekend before the end of the year.  My grandma will be visiting and this will be my last chance to see my parents in California before they move.  Furthermore their move to Tennessee will probably take them a while and may involve several months of staying with relatives while their new house is built (unless they buy an existing structure) so I'm also looking forward to just seeing them.

All this is to say that I will be back in the great state of California for the December weekend of the 16th and 17th, though my stay will be confined to Orange County. I won't have the time to travel elsewhere.

~Matt

--
"A room without books is as a body without a soul." -Cicero

Where was I

yesterday?  Busy at work.  Then I didn't go on-line yesterday evening, so I forgot to blog in the morning and didn't have an opportunity later.  I'm trying to get back into the daily rhythm and missing days doesn't help this.  I shall endeavor to be more focused and dedicated.

~Matt

--
"A room without books is as a body without a soul." -Cicero

Relaxing

That pretty much sums up the day today.  I had time to cook dinner with two of my nerfs (spaghetti and garlic bread), then we made yogurt pie.  Later I took them to McDonald's when I picked up Ryan and gave them each a free Monopoly McFlurry coupon Ryan had given me earlier.  We came back and enjoyed those along with some apple crisp while we watched the old animated 101 Dalmatians.  Tomorrow I go back into the work-day grind.  However, I am starting to enjoy Sundays as a day of rest.  I don't work on Sundays unless I chose to (as when I'm filling in as supervisor for the Titanic exhibit a couple days).

~Matt

--
"A room without books is as a body without a soul." -Cicero

On the Left

Today was a good day at work, though the exhibit was rather busy for a time. Additionally I had a working lunch as I met with my supervisor to talk about an upcoming event and the problems in obtaining staff to work. However, it was the latter part of the day that was the most interesting. I started talking to a fellow staff member. We started talking about TV shows first (she really enjoys Heroes which I have started watching and am addicted to, ;-)) and somehow began to talk politics. She revealed that she is a die hard Democrat (at one point she exclaimed "I like taxes.").

Despite this we had an extensive interesting discussion. We were both calm and rational (though of course I would argue that her thinking was deficiently leaning to the left, ;-)) and enjoyed the discussion. She talked one point about the Republicans that work with her husband and aren't so nice. I think it is sad that people can't always discuss politics more calmly. There have been people I work with that I discover are liberals. Some of them I avoid any mention of politics because I know they won't be rational or willing to hear alternate viewpoints.

Nothing that I heard today inspired me to start voting Democrat but it was fascinating to hear explanations from a liberal--to hear why she thought the way she did. She thinks Clinton was a great president and that not only will the future show this, but that Bush is a horrible president. She also thinks FDR was an awesome president (whereas I think he wasn't that great at all--I think the New Deal really messed up the country). Anyway, it was a new experience discussing politics and I really enjoyed the day.

~Matt

I feel more informed already

I must thank the AP (courtesy of the Jerusalem Post on-line) for such an enlightening article.

Al-Qaida says it has mobilized 12,000 fighters
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
CAIRO, Egypt

A new al-Qaida in Iraq audio tape said Friday that the group has mobilized 12,000 fighters.

It must have been agonizingly difficult to craft that piece of journalistic prose.

But wait, here is another!

Al-Qaida vow to reach J'lem, blow up White House
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
CAIRO, Egypt

Al-Qaida in Iraq leader vowed in an audio tape released on Friday that his fighters will never rest until they have reached Jerusalem and blown up the White House.

I have no idea why they bothered writing more than the headlines.  I'm going to assume that either the authors weren't paid by the word or their editors didn't have much funding left!  And no, I didn't cut anything off, you're seeing the entire articles.

~Matt

--
"A room without books is as a body without a soul." -Cicero

Oh, isn't that nice?

Here was my other e-mailed attempt, finally coming in the next day! Blogger must have had some major problems yesterday, or perhaps only hates me. *shrugs*

~Matt

There is always that...

Thanks to Rockwood for some good insight. At least this time the Republicans aren't trying to tie things up in the courts for weeks on end. As much as I'm disappointed about things this does at least show some differences between the parties.

Democrats seem to be so hung up on retaining and gaining power, whereas this might shake the GOP back to foundations of (somewhat) fiscal responsibility and conservatism. One can only hope that two years out of power won't do them any harm. I don't see how they can do worse than they did during the last few years of glutenous spending.

Oh, that was good. I'm using Firefox 2.0 and it has a spell-checker built right in. 'Tis very nice! :-) Okay, enjoy your day at work, I know that I'll find mine interesting at least. And I do enjoy working with the people at work, 'tis a good place.

~Matt

PS Sorry about the image size, I couldn't get it fixed. Click on the image and it will take you to the comic's homepage where it will be easier to read. This is the comic for Wednesday, November 08, 2006. I will direct it to the permanent URL as soon as I can find it.

Interesting

If you saw this post this morning it was a double-post. I tried to make my previous voting/Titanic post via e-mail twice, but it didn't seem to take, so I re-sent it. Apparently it finally came through at eleven last night. Interesting...

~Matt
[2006.11.10 07:25]

Your Vote Does Count!

And if only a few more Republicans in Virginia had voted...

We wouldn't be facing the prospect of Bolton's non-confirmation (or his second recess appointment, which means no pay for him) and an difficult Supreme Court Justice fight. At least the Democrats don't have anything more than the slimmest of majorities (okay, technically a 50/50 split with Cheney casting deciding votes would be the slimmest of majorities, but let's not split hairs) so all they could do would be to keep blocking good candidates. They couldn't force the President to have to nominate a nut like Ginsberg or unknown like Miers to fill an void on the bench. But there is nothing I can do about that now. I voted, but didn't get a chance to cast a ballot for the US Senate. Thankfully my congressman (a Republican) was re-elected (Geoff Davis)!

On the work front I'm really enjoying Titanic (though as of yet I've only worked two days). Tonight I start filling in as a temporary supervisor (I'll do this for a couple weekends in December as well) and I'm looking forward to that. Here is an example of one of the artifacts that we have in the exhibit as well as how it looked on the seabed. You can access these pictures (not specific to any one instance of the exhibit) at the RMS Titanic website.

It is so fascinating to walk through the exhibit and see not only the room and hallway recreations (the boiler room area is awesome!) but seeing all of these artifacts and knowing that they were 2.5 miles down in the Atlantic for over eighty years! This just seems more real than many other artifact displays.


Okay, break is over, I'm back to work.



~Matt




--
"A room without books is as a body without a soul." -Cicero

A note on recent posting

Yes I'm back, but I can't spare the time to go to my blog and post directly.  If you see a Cicero quote at the end of the post (such as below) then I'm posting from my Gmail account.  If you see a mention of Givaudan or Maintenance then chances are I sent something from my work account during a break.

~Matt

--
"A room without books is as a body without a soul." -Cicero

I miss TV sometimes

On nights like the last one I really miss having a TV close by.  Without internet access or TV I just went to bed not knowing anything about the election.  This morning I got to work and looked up a bit of news, but it took me a few mintues to piece things together.  It was easy to see that the House was lost, but a bit longer to find out the the Senate is still iffy.

Honestly in some ways I've been disgusted with Republican spending (they're as bad as drunken Democrats often) so this isn't all bad.  Up front I can only see two bad things (besides Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House, *shudder*), 1) Dems might really interfere with the war in Iraq, and 2) they will greatly influence the next Supreme Court influence.

Since nobody in government has the guts to stand up to the Supreme Court and constitutionally limit their power or try to make the system actually balanced (unlike the current system that John Marshall established by fiat), I think it is critical that decent judges like Alito and Thomas (to just name two) are nominated and confirmed to the highest court.

~Matt

--
"A room without books is as a body without a soul." -Cicero

Do I yet draw breath?

Aye, I do.  But I've been quite busy.  I'm working between 65 and 70 hours a week.  If I don't have a Museum event then I only have one weeknight a week free (I haven't had one of those for the past 3-4 weeks--only this past Sunday have I had the evening off).  I'm enjoying much of my work (bigg's the least), but I'm so busy.  So yes, I'm alive, but busy and trying to find time for everything critical.

E-mail is the most vital thing I do on-line so I've been active there, and I manage to keep up with web comics (Schlock Mercenary had a great lead-up to Halloween!).  If you haven't heard from me then drop me an e-mail, I should reply.  Other on-line activities I've regretably had to cut back on.  I hope that won't last too long.  I'm in the middle of scrutinizing my budget over the past month and hopefully sometime during this month I'll be able to see if I can afford my own internet access (which I certainly hope works out--life will be much easier amongst its current stress).

For now, adios.

~Matt

--
"A room without books is as a body without a soul." -Cicero

This is only a test, right?

Yes, I am testing this if I have a couple of minutes to spare.  I hope this publishing via e-mail will work.


~Matt

Matthew Graubner
Maintenance & Repair

Givaudan Flavors Corp.