Ice on the Missouri

....in Leavenworth, Kansas.

Well I Guess Leonard Cohen's Money Troubles Are Over For A While

Glad to see that he's back on the charts and bankin' some royalties. A Christmas classic to be sure.

For proof that the Europeans really are different from us, go see this horror show. I keep waiting for someone to start machine-gunning the zombies off the balcony.

Merry Christmas to readers one through two.

Once You Go Jap, You Never Go Back

Snow in south Texas. Is Al Gore in town?

My daughters' 96 Camry (made in Japan) with ornament, as photographed when I got home with my wife's 2001 Windstar van (made in Canada). I picked up the van from the shop after spending $369.00 to repair one (1) of the four (4) automatic windows that won't operate. All the windows on the Camry work just fine, as do all the windows on my Accord (assembled in Mexico). Now which American auto company am I supposed to bail out, exactly?

I haven't owned a GM vehicle since the front-wheel-drive '84 Chevy Citation. That's a memory I'll never shake. The sound of that thing going around a corner was similar to the sound of my shoulder joint when I slipped on a wet ladder and hung by my arm for a couple seconds.

After the Fire

....before the heartburn

Baked Alaska

Nuevo Progreso, Mexico.
Arturo's Restaurant

Rich, flamy goodness.

Dean Barnett RIP

I first ran across him as SoxBlog, and then on Hugh Hewitt's radio show, and then at the Weekly Standard. Fine writer and better on the radio than one would think, given his "Baahstan" accent. Always good natured and positive on the radio.

The only "major" blogger kind enough to visit this poor blog and send an email. I'll miss him.

Dinner at Sushi Samba - Chicago

Got Power Back - 9/17/08

...just too busy to post.

couple miles west of downtown Houston, Monday night, looking out my office window. Couple million people out there.

...glad I didn't mail the Netflix.

...please let there be ice cream...

ohh, and don't forget Galveston/Bolivar Peninsula

Gas line

This is life in houston for the time being. No power in the woodlands, but the weather is nice.

woodlands power out

it was a good run. cant complain

west wind now

fewer boards on that side of house. more rain now

slight slackening...

of wind at 5:45. many roof pings and bonks. still have power

Tree down

in our neighborhood. now blogging on phone

Live Blogging Hurricane Ike...4:20 am

woke up from branch landing on roof - that's the sound I've been afraid of. Big winds right now and will get bigger for next half hour at least. Power still on. Something small just fell on neighbors car.
Cat wants out. Maybe not.

weather nerd

The Weather Nerd is serving as a pretty nifty clearinghouse of info on Hurricane Ike. At least until my power goes.