Buying a Radio Dog Fence

Our Lab/Setter, Juliette, has proven quite the escape artist. She has triumphantly learned how to defeat the physical fences with which we have surrounded her - by leaping, scrambling, digging, and chewing.

So tonight I went to the pet store and spend a few hundred dollars on an "invisible" electronic fence system. You bury a big wire loop around the perimeter of your yard, and when the dog gets too close she gets a warning buzzer and then an electric pain in the neck.

I live in fear she will learn to defeat this too. Perhaps she will pay our other dog to chew the radio collar off her neck.

I must admit I haven't yet
Found a way to stop Juliette.

Parade and Charade

It was a gorgeous day for our 10k neighborhood race, and the race was followed by a Memorial Day Parade which is a very small neighborhood affair - with just one band this year. Our alderman was in the parade, as was our congressman.

Well, most of us knew our alderman, this being Chicago. But few of us recognized our congressman, Dan Lipinski, who became our congressman in a very special way.

You have to understand that our congressional district is solidly Democratic. Once you have the Democratic nomination, you have the general election in the bag.

Dan's father, Bill Lipinski, was our existing congressman. Bill won the Democratic primary in 2004. But then he announced he was retiring before the election. So local Democratic bosses needed to appoint someone as their new candidate.

They picked Dan, who hadn't lived in the Chicago area for 15 years. They picked him unanimously, after 15 minutes of formal consideration. (More details here and here.)

In matters of Chicago Politics
Never underestimate the Fix.

Non!

Our friends the French have voted down the new EU constitution.

"Treaty opponents built an ad hoc coalition of the disgruntled by bashing the United States, Turks, immigration in general, Eurocrats and free-market capitalism."

It's amusing to me that the EU would be seen as allied with free-market capitalism, since it is so regulation-prone. Perhaps in the big picture the EU would still foster a freer economy than the one France currently languishes under.

France has a long-standing unemployment rate of 10 percent. The people are understandably unhappy about that. But maybe they should take notice that our unemployment rate is much lower.

To drop your unemployment rate,
Apply to join the United States.

Ohio's Coin Collection

"The director of Ohio’s workers’ compensation bureau resigned under pressure Friday over the disappearance of at least $10 million worth of rare coins that the agency had bought as an investment." (Story here.)

It's more than a little strange
To lose ten million dollars in change.

One head better than two

For the first time in recorded surgical history, someone with craniopagus parasiticus has survived an operation to remove her second head. The little girl is apparently doing well. For creepy photo of pre-surgical two-headed state, click here.

Masterful skill with a knife
Instead of killing, saves a life.

Sith Reflection

What's up with
The Sith?
They get the strongest powers,
But their faces all turn sour.

Private Stem Cell Research

The other day in the comments section, Marnee brought up the fact that the Federal limits on stem cell research did not apply to privately funded research, just to federally funded research. She brought up the possibility that the private research might be very substantial, just under-reported by the mainstream media.

Today I read a chicagoboyz post quoting a Wall St. Journal editorial which gave some projections:

"Then there's the private sector. According to Navigant Consulting, the U.S. stem-cell therapeutics market will generate revenues of $3.6 billion by 2015. Some 70 companies are now doing stem-cell research, with Geron, ES Cell International and Advanced Cell Technologies being leaders in embryonic research. Clinical trials using embryonic stem-cell technologies for spinal cord injuries are due to begin sometime next year."

You know, I don't like the phrase "private sector." Somehow it always sounds like the economy is a pie, some of which is baked by private outfits, and some of which is baked by public outfits, in a friendly sort of competition.

I wish the public sector
Would stick to the role of protector.

The Spread of Abuse

It's funny how abuse has spread in my lifetime. Not the thing, just the word, "abuse." When I was a kid, we just didn't use the word the way we do now. There was no drug abuse, no sex abuse, no wife abuse, no verbal abuse. There was drug addiction, molestation, wife-beating, and insults. The thing about "abuse" is that it's so damned vague. If you "beat" your wife, well, I have a pretty good idea what you're doing. If you "abuse" your wife, well, I have hardly any idea. It can range anywhere from mild mistreatment to horrible battery and rape.

Koran abuse is the newest version. What's funny is that I don't recall the press adopting the phrase "American Flag Abuse" when protestors - here or abroad - burned it and trampled it. No. It was "Free Expression."

Treat the flag
Like a rag,
And it's just fair use.

But drop the Koran
In the can,
And that's abuse.

I wouldn't do either. But the media double-standard drives me crazy. And, most of all, I hate to see "abuse" creep into one more area of public discussion!

John Scissorthumbs

Today at work I was cutting a piece of plastic cable tie to serve as a makeshift collar stay.

I cut it, and stuck it in the collar slot, but the piece of plastic was still too long. So, leaving it in the collar slot, and holding it with my left hand, I reached up with the scissors in my right hand and snipped the plastic.

Unfortunately, after cutting through the plastic, the blades of the scissors continued forcefully into the skin of my left thumb.

It's usually hard to get hurt
Improving the looks of your shirt.
You might say that was dumb.

But I claim I was clever
Not to actually sever
My thumb.

PS: Digit seems to be recovering well, after washing, bandaging, and a bit of antibiotic ointment.

Prequelitis

Aristotle famously thought a story should begin in the middle of things, with the plot already moving along. It strikes me that George Lucas got this right when he started his first Star Wars movie with the story of Luke's coming of age.

I was very impressed by that movie, but I thank my lucky stars that I was already an adult when I saw it. This way, when I finally get around to seeing the latest prequel, I won't be having an experience of childhood hopes betrayed.

No prequel
Could equal
That first
Starburst.

PETA Kills Animals

At least, that's the story that's flying around the blogosphere. I picked it up from the estimable Robert Bidinotto.

Here's the AP version of the tale from back in 2000. So it's not really news. But they seem to run an animal "shelter" in Norfolk, VA. No, not one of those trendy no-kill shelters. The other kind.

Pets killed off by PETA.
The irony couldn't be sweetah.

Blocking Progress

"At birth the brain and spinal cord essentially contain their full measure of nerves, each fiber like a strand of gold in a bank that permits only withdrawals."

I think that's a potent metaphor for the human body's inability to regrow nerve cells. It's from Gen LaGreca's novel, Noble Vision, which I'm reading at the moment.

In real life we have a possible lead on a way to restore lost nerve cells: the use of stem cells. And we have some South Korean researchers who are hot on the trail.

They are pursuing the lead
At full speed:

"South Korean researchers reported Thursday they have created human embryos through cloning and extracted embryonic stem cells, the universal cells that scientists expect will result in breakthroughs in medical research." (From CNN.)

If American researchers chased down this path.
They would face the government's wrath.

Here in the U.S., we severely limit stem cell research. It seems that the U.S. Congress is now thinking about freeing it up somewhat. But one man stands in the way.

"PRESIDENT BUSH vowed yesterday to halt surprise new moves in Congress to lift the White House curbs on stem-cell research." (From Times Online.)

I hope the polls will give a downward push
To Mr. Bush.
And I hope he rethinks
A rule that stinks.

Campaign Regulation Pain

The FEC, the arm of the government that regulates campaign financing, is gearing up to regulate blogs. As a matter of fact, they have been ordered to do so by a judge. But they are taking comments from citizens until June 3rd. You can read a bluestater on the topic here, and a redstater on the topic here.

Do blogs deserve the same freedom as the press?
I say yes.

Childish Behavior

About a month ago I ran a trail marathon sponsored by Equestrian Connection. After the race, I was beat, so I didn't stay for the awards ceremony.

It turned out that I had taken 3rd place in my age group, and actually had an award coming: a glass tumbler etched with the name of the race and a picture of a horse.

So today I drove north for an hour and visited Liberty Farm, where the Equestrian Connection people do their charitable thing - helping kids with special needs ride horses. I saw some of the kids riding in the ring. They looked like they were enjoying themselves.

There is something very childish about spending 2 hours roundtrip driving to get a glass tumbler. But that's what I did, and it now occupies a spot on my wall of racing honors, which features a few awards and a lot of finisher's ribbons.

On reflection, there's something childish about a race
In the first place.

Or third place, or last.
But still, it's a blast.

Creative Spam Heading

I get a lot of spam. Hundreds a day. I usually just skim and mass-delete, but now and then a good headline catches my eye.

Today I liked this one:

Yeah, it's a sp@m, :)

They were selling XP for 50 dollars. Why do I think it's either a pirated copy or just a trick? But I'm amused by the open admission, combined with the linear smiley icon!

Wasn't it wily
To tack on the smiley?

Oceans of Emotion

I posted a bit about opera yesterday. Opera was something I didn't appreciate much until the last ten years or so. I've decided it has something in common with another genre that I've only come to like lately: Romance novels.

In both Romance novels and Operas, no matter what life-or-death split-second action is transpiring, there is always time to stop and spell out what the major characters are feeling... in considerable detail.

All that feeling
Leaves you reeling.

Opera's Troubles

There's an interesting article in today's Wall St. Journal, an opinion piece really, "The Slow Death of Grand Opera." The author, Robert W. Wilson, is a former chairman of the New York City Opera. He says that the big opera companies are losing money, and that a lot of the problem is the lack of new melodic operas. He believes that audiences would flock to new melodic operas, if we could just keep critics from trashing the pieces.

Here is his second-to-last sentence:

"If the new cannot be brought in and accepted, opera will probably go the way of poetry: an art that continues but is no longer at the heart of our cultural life."

Puts me in mind of the way I once opened a lecture:

Poetry today is dead.
All that's written, goes unread.

That's hyperbole, of course. Poetry does get read today. Just, not by most people.

Here is his last sentence:

"I am heartbroken by this possibility, because opera, with its blend of spectacle, drama, voice and orchestra, is the greatest art form ever devised by man."

I suppose the idea is that opera packs a mighty big wallop because it combines the verbal, visual, and musical arts. It strikes me that a movie with a good score delivers a similar combination punch.

Would the critics be mean
If another Joe Green*
Appeared on the scene?


*Giuseppe Verdi

kenshi and the blue screen

kenshi recently fell prey to a Windows Security Update that badly discombobulated his pc.

Some think it's just a coincidence that right after he applied the update his computer got the blue screen of death.

You decide.
He applied a fix and his PC died.
I guess it could be chance,
And it's true he kind of rants,
But when your computer gets creamed
You've earned your right to scream.

(Just remember: when the wait-music is playing on the help-line, no one can hear you scream.)

Star Wars Mania

Episode 3 opens at midnight tonight here in the Windy City. A co-worker of mine has tickets for the 4:30 AM showing. I'm only worried because Michael Wilmington at the Tribune gave it 4 stars. I tend not to agree with his reviews.

I suppose that stars are particularly appropriate for rating this movie.

I have a friend whose favorite movie is Jaws. He rates moves on a JAWS scale. A one-star movie is a J movie. A two-star movie is a JA movie. You get the idea. A truly excellent movies is a JAWS movie. There has only been one such movie, according to him, and that is Jaws itself.

I find numeric ratings
Vaguely grating.
Does ranking movies as trash or treasure
Really require cardinal measures?

Going Gong

I was reading the USA print version of The Epoch Times today. It's a free newspaper that the Falun Gong people hand out. They're members of that Chinese meditation sect that is being actively oppressed by the People's Republic of China.

I was surprised to actually be interested in 2 of their cultural articles. One was about an opera version of Cyrano de Bergerac coming to New York. The authors were Sharon Kilarski and Irwin Lehat.

Here's the quote from the article that really struck me: "I remember being heartbroken after finding out that Rostand's play, the most amazing drama I'd ever read, was not considered the highest example of literature. Instead his crfeator is deemed, 'a French playwright known for his light and entertaining style.' Pooh!"

Pooh, indeed.

They also had an article on Camille Paglia's new book about poetry, Break Blow Burn. The reviewer was Christopher Nield. Summarizing one of Paglia's points, he writes:

"Students are brainwashed into believing there is no connection between word and thing; meaning is arbitrary and literature little more than a game."

True, indeed.

Maybe I need to start reading the Epoch Times with more care and regularity. They look like such nice people handing out the paper. So warm and calm. Maybe I could try meditating with them. Lots of Objectivists get into meditation. Some Objectivists even become attached to secularized Buddhism. How different can the Falun Gong be?

I bet it won't be long
Before the Falun Gong
Has me writing rhymes
For their Epoch Times.