As we watched the funeral of President Gerald Ford this morning, the passing of Presidents was on my mind.  I'm still not over the assassination decade of the '60's. I have a lingering worry in the back of my mind whenever I see a President in public. This morning the President and Vice President were sitting almost next to each other in the National Cathedral.  As much as I'd like them out of office, a sudden violent strike against them is not on my list of wishes.  And, no one would want House Speaker Denis Hastert to be President.  It was [...]

Our holidays included friends and family.  Good times. We remembered those who couldn't come or call this year because of death. We missed others whose schedules or geographic location keep them from visiting. This picture is of Audit enjoying her holiday present. Christmas Eve we asked the restaurant if they had any extra bones, and we were sent home with one for each resident canine.  The dachshunds, like human children, seemed to enjoy their holiday presents with total absorption. Here's to a happy, healthy 2007! (More holiday pictures)

We're back on Weather Underground thanks to new RainWise hardware and WeatherMax32 software. My weather-obsessed grandmother would be pleased. Noe Valley Weather at Weather Underground, or more details on our personal website.

But, not another common queen with a podcast. This is a The Royal Podcast! HRH Elizabeth II is signing up the modern commoners.  Click to subscribe.

One my clients is the inventor of many IC chips and an author of technical electronic books.  He's just completed the manuscript of a general audience history of electronics which delivers a lot of information in style.  It's fun. While not pitched only at geeks, I could see myself reading Much Ado About Almost Nothing: Man's Encounter with the Electron as a precocious middle-schooler. Its 192 pages give a lot of information. The author, Hans Camenzind, is looking for pre-publication comments and also is interested in talking to more publishers.  He's offering a free download of a pdf version of the [...]

"Did you know that he was such a theist when you were on the ministerial search committee?" my co-religionist asked today during the after-service church coffee hour. She was polite, but the question itself was a clear accusation. The irony of being asked this question in a church was the first thought to grab me. I am a Unitarian Universalist, so I had to let it pass. Instead I reported that the Search Committee members most sensitive to theist language were some of this minister's strongest fans. I said that since these folks were not disturbed by Greg's choice of [...]

The promised rain storm headed to San Francisco gave us this sunrise in Noe Valley this morning. We need the rain, too. (Larger versions of photos available by clicking on each image.)

It's our attempt to remove ourselves from our own mortality that makes us so enthusiastic in finding a reason that someone gets sick and dies. Adam ate only fried food, so no wonder he had the heart attack.  Betty belched smoke all the time, so no wonder she got lung cancer. But, KGO's only openly gay talk show host, Karel, has upped the ante in self-protective distancing. He's moved into blame:"Let's be real, any gay man over 21 that contracts HIV in 2006 deserves it." (see http://www.kgoam810.com/article.asp?id=314623 )Like most talk show performers, Karel is often over the top. Apparently, in his [...]

When LJ stops offering a "Previous" link on your friends page and the skip count is well over 200, it's an indication of either a long third-world vacation or a busy schedule. Unfortunately, there's been no travel. Two Christmases ago I started blogging for the chance to write on a regular basis.  Fun writing. Not the words for the newsletters I edit,  marketing pieces I put out, or web copy I create.  But, since LJ is fun stuff and I am from Puritan stock, the blogging has been pushed back and back!  Even reading and commenting on friends' posts has [...]