Ninth Stage

Chatsworth Fire Photos
I’m home now so I downloaded (and then uploaded) some of the photos I mentioned of the Chatsworth Fire. The first three are from my the back of my building. All photos are from yesterday, the 28th.
4:30 PM. Two and a half hours after the fire started. The 118 [...]

Big Brush Fire in Chatsworth
There are huge roiling clouds of smoke with the Santa Ana winds whipping them southward. From the back of my CA biz, looking westward, I can see flames on several hilltops and helicopters dropping their loads of water trying to douse them. The sun is setting through the smoke [...]

One Down, Two To Go
New Orleans Police Superintendent Eddie Compass resigned today. Don’t let the door hit ya…
Who’s next? Blanco? Nagin?
Update: SayUncle has more good news out of NOLA.

Outrage Doesn’t Begin to Describe What I Feel
After reading Gunners post today about the latest turn in this tale of murder by British police.
Sadly, I can honestly say that one thing I don’t feel is surprise.

Head’s Post on Lessons Learned is Up
The lessons Head learned while avoiding Rita’s fury are lessons for all of us. Read it - Head calls it “Hell Day” and it’s an ordeal you don’t want to experience.

‘Cause Mama, Mama, I’m coming home
Yeah! It looks like it’ll take a month and a half to wrap things up on the left coast. Then I’ll be home in middle TN for good!

This Is Old News If You’re On Eastern Time
but I just heard NZ Bear’s Porkbusters web project mentioned along with a brief interview of The Bear himself on NPR’s Weekend All-Things-Considered.
I think they mentioned it only because Nancy Pelosi is the first congressional response listed.

Biggest Stretch on NPR’s
coverage this morning of the protests in Washington. Paraphrase of some on air reporter:
… there was some good humor here today, one woman was carrying a sign that read “Make Levees Not War”…
Sorry some reporter, bad puns do not equal good humor.

I’m Guessing That Most Of You
have already taken the OK Cupid “politics test”. It’s a simple two axis test measuring social and economic permissiveness.
The most interesting thing is at the end, the “How People Came Down On The Issues” section. Here are the results as of this writing:
KERRY: 158,459 BUSH: 75,482
That’s the [...]

If You Thought That the Chronicles of the BOFH* Were Great
you’ll love PDB’s tales too. Except PDB is the good guy.
* BOFH = Bastard Operator From Hell.
It helps, for understanding the BOFH, if you started computing with PDP-11s and VAXen running RSX11M and VMS respectively, as I did.
PDB link via comment at Tamara K.’s [...]

I’m Tempted to Post a Sign
reading:
Entering these premises, uninvited, constitutes an agreement between the owners and you that you will not sue me, my wife, our heirs and/or our insurance company for death, damages or injuries or you may suffer while in and around these premises. You also agree to bind your heirs and [...]

ASCAP Helps Out Katrina Victims

Doing its part to help the storm-struck victims of the Gulf Coast region, the performing rights organization ASCAP announced that it will waive licensing fees in the affected areas through December of this year.

The Tennessean’s Telephone Marketers
have been annoying me for ten years now. Maybe it’s me but they seem to be getting ever more desperate lately.
Mickey Kaus is having trouble with the LA Times’ telemarketers. My parents had similar problems when they cancelled their Times subscription.
When will newspapermen learn that “No Means No!”. I [...]

I Never Announce My Intentions*
Countertop just keeps on going. We’re glad you’re still blogging.
*unless I do.

Countertop Is (Sorta) Taking A Break
Here’s hoping the break in blogging is short and productive, allowing him to return refreshed and with renewed vigor.

Shotgunner Ahead
Via TriggerFinger. I’ve added One In A Row to my blog roll.
He’s not just a shotgunner he’s an envious shotgunner. Heck I want one too.

NY Times Story About Kids Going Hunting
Whackjob neoblogger headline: “Underage Hunting: “We’re Trying To Take Down Some Legal Barriers So Kids Can Get Involved Earlier”
And the comments at the last link are priceless.

Read This Excerpt:

I personally own an ex-army vehicle called an M35A2, better known as a deuce and a half. It is 30 years old, has ten driven wheels and is still camouflaged in its original paint scheme. All 3 axles are driven and it is one of the best all-wheel drive off road vehicles in [...]

09-11-2001 + 4
We, as a nation, have awakened partly to dangers from medieval ideologies beyond our borders.
We, as a nation, suffer still from a 19th century ideology conceived outside our borders.
The will to power is common to both ideologies, power over men. Unfortunately, to have power over men leaves men less free.
Are you more [...]

Mr. Completely
kindly linked to this blog. His blog is great, and quite active, with postal matches, match reports, current events and more. Check him out.
I’ve been doing a lot of blog-surfing through the Gunblogs Community hosted by TTLB so it seemed like I’d already linked to Mr. Completely, I’ve since corrected my error.