The Japanese maple outside of Kerr Hall is already far along into its fall color display. Is an early fall on its way or is it just the dry year we have had so far?
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
DHS contractor threatens woman with arrest for wearing "lesbian.com" tee on federal property
http://www.boingboing.net/2008/08/27/dhs-contractor-threa.html
For me, the biggest problem with the current administration is their continued insistence that the executive branch can enforce laws based on their own interpretations and basically make up their own laws.
This sets a bad precedent for the DHS, the TSA, police and private security guards who get the idea that they can make up rules or interpret them to suit their own beliefs and prejudices.
It is my own personal intention to obey the law to the best of my ability and I think this is the case for most people. But in order to do so we need to know clearly what the law is. Secret laws or laws that are vague or open to vague interpretations are unacceptable. They lead to ridiculous and blatant civil rights violations such as this.
For me, the biggest problem with the current administration is their continued insistence that the executive branch can enforce laws based on their own interpretations and basically make up their own laws.
This sets a bad precedent for the DHS, the TSA, police and private security guards who get the idea that they can make up rules or interpret them to suit their own beliefs and prejudices.
It is my own personal intention to obey the law to the best of my ability and I think this is the case for most people. But in order to do so we need to know clearly what the law is. Secret laws or laws that are vague or open to vague interpretations are unacceptable. They lead to ridiculous and blatant civil rights violations such as this.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
UCSC Kresge reunion 2008
These old photos were at the 2008 Kresge reunion and brought back some good memories. Unfortunately I only had a little pocket camera and it was dark so these are probably the worst looking copies up on my flickr site.
Sean is now a bronze caster in Santa Cruz. I believe these were from Kresge day around 1983 or 1984.
Sean is now a bronze caster in Santa Cruz. I believe these were from Kresge day around 1983 or 1984.
Monday, April 07, 2008
Partial Albino Squirrel
For the past few years we have had one or two partially albino squirrels who live around the garage at UCSC. One of these days I'll need to remember to bring my good camera to get a photo. It is always too dark under the trees to get a good photo of such a fast moving critter with my point and shoot.
Santa Cruz Earthquake Memorial
I was glad to see that three of the four paintings in the earthquake memorial in downtown Santa Cruz had been replaced as of a week or two ago but was saddened to see that one of them is already missing, possibly broken from the looks of it. I wish there was some way to make them more permanent. I assume the fourth one is of the cooperhouse right?
Monday, March 17, 2008
Cockney latin Joke
A good friend of mine uses various Latin phrases as her online and away messages on iChat which has inspired me to use various quasi-Latin joke phrases that I have picked up over the years. Most of them are fairly obvious but the one I have been thinking of lately I haven't been able to find references to on the internet. I sure would like to find it, especially so I could spell the Latin words that make it up since its effect on people who read Latin ( I don't) is best if they are spelled properly.
It is an old joke that my mother used to tell which looks like Latin but is actually Cockney (or perhaps Yorkshire). It goes something like: "Ullo bile eres ago, fortibuses in ero. Ono bile themis trucks. See whatsinem peasor duks."
It is an old joke that my mother used to tell which looks like Latin but is actually Cockney (or perhaps Yorkshire). It goes something like: "Ullo bile eres ago, fortibuses in ero. Ono bile themis trucks. See whatsinem peasor duks."
Friday, February 29, 2008
ClarkKentHall.JPG
Normally I report graffiti as quickly as possible to keep our campus looking nice but sometimes there are items that are so subtle and well done I think they are an improvement.
Think Before You Name Your Business
Two new bank names that get me every time I see them. If you say them out loud they might give people ideas that the banks wouldn't want them to have.
The first one is Rabobank (rob-o-bank).
The second is Wachovia (watch over ya). Formerly World Savings.
The first one is Rabobank (rob-o-bank).
The second is Wachovia (watch over ya). Formerly World Savings.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Plum Pudding and Lebkuchen
I just heard a couple of tidbits that I found interesting on a Food Channel show called : "The Secret Life Of... Christmas foods.
My family has always followed some of the English Christmas traditions that my mother remembered from her childhood. One of those is the traditional desert of Plum Pudding with a silver coin in it. The year we were in England when I was 9 (and I think a few years after that) we had a silver sixpence. Most other years we have had a dime, the American coin that is most similar to that.
In this show they mentioned that it is traditional to have not only a coin, but also a button, a ring and a thimble. The person who found the coin would have wealth, the person who found the ring would get married, the man who found the button would remain a bachelor, the woman who found the thimble would be a spinster.
They also talked about German lebkuchen, ginger cookies made with honey and pressed into wooden molds that have been made since at least the 13th century. Most of them have christian themes but some of them have pagan symbols. I was curious to see which pagan symbols they have but could not find any images on the web that looked likely.
My family has always followed some of the English Christmas traditions that my mother remembered from her childhood. One of those is the traditional desert of Plum Pudding with a silver coin in it. The year we were in England when I was 9 (and I think a few years after that) we had a silver sixpence. Most other years we have had a dime, the American coin that is most similar to that.
In this show they mentioned that it is traditional to have not only a coin, but also a button, a ring and a thimble. The person who found the coin would have wealth, the person who found the ring would get married, the man who found the button would remain a bachelor, the woman who found the thimble would be a spinster.
They also talked about German lebkuchen, ginger cookies made with honey and pressed into wooden molds that have been made since at least the 13th century. Most of them have christian themes but some of them have pagan symbols. I was curious to see which pagan symbols they have but could not find any images on the web that looked likely.
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