Men in Uniform

Today we play Navy. We've won in the last 43 match-ups, this is usually considered a fun (two schools with considerable traditions) but easily predictable game. No so much, this year. Only thing we've got going for us is home field advantage...if you ignore the fact that we haven't won a home game yet.

UPDATE -- I may lose my tenure for saying this, but by about half-time, I found myself rooting for Navy. Our season is shot anyway, and they most certainly deserved this win! Fun game to watch.

Cool News

Here are some fun/interesting stories from the past week:

Semi-identical twins discovered
BBC.com, Nov 2, 2007


Study: Beer beats water for hydration
NewsDaily, Nov. 2, 2007


Guiness Names World's Hottest Pepper
SlashFood, Feb 2, 2007

Note: it's not the one to the left, that's just a skull pepper (of course).

Bummer

Colbert got the boot in South Carolina. Understandable, but takes the fun out of it. Would have been fun to see him in a debate.

S.C. Democrats Say No to Colbert
by Katharine Q. Seelye
November 1, 2007, NY Times

Washoe

This was a sad story to see in the NY Times today. I think I'll go home and eat some "candy fruit" in her honor.

Washoe, a Chimp of Many Words, Dies at 42
By Benedict Carey
NY Times, November 1, 2007

Silbury Hill Update

Here's a follow-up on the excavations at Silbury Hill. Pretty cool stuff - green grass growing inside, chalk stairs, etc.

Last Chance to Solve Puzzle of Ancient Hill
by Simon de Bruxelles
Timesonline, Oct. 25, 2007

Lights, Camera, Action

Did some filming today for the Notre Dame webpage. They've revamped the site and now run video segments exclusively, so film crews are making the rounds. Right now Mark's work is featured, if you go to the website, look for the "Digging Into the Past" to see his interview. He did a good job.

Our bit is supposed to highlight Matt G's work on interpersonal conflict with the Bab edh-Dhra' remains.
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PS -- don't forget to feed the fish from the previous post or pet the kitty to the left (I had some free time on my hands last night...)

Happy Halloween !!

This year we had a competition in the department - students paid $1 for the Breast Cancer fund drive, and they got to vote for a professor to wear a costume on Halloween. Agustin and Ian tied. Ian came dressed as "Tinker Bell Gone Bad" and Agustin as a "Banana Ecosystem." I have an Ian picture that I'll post later, am still trying to track down Agustin (these pesky classes get in the way!) It's a fun idea, the students seem to love it. I think we have the start of a tradition.

In the meantime, here's a little something for your reading pleasure:

Star Trek Gadget? 'Tractor Beam' For Cells Developed
ScienceDaily (Oct. 31, 2007)

Apple's Microsoft-Devouring Jungle Cat: How Leopard demolishes Vista
By Harry McCracken
Oct. 31, 2007, Slate.com

And now for something completely different:
Move your mouse over the fish pond to "feed" the fish. Click your mouse to leave food. Fun diversion.

Anticipation

Can you feel the excitement in the air?? That sense of anticipation?? The nearness of the high holy day of osteology??

One more day till Halloween!!! Wooo Hooo!

And as important, the day after Halloween when all the skeleton stuff goes on sale ;-)

Notre Dame Could Learn From This...

Notre Dame might want to consider adding this to their play book. Texas Trinity made 15 lateral passes to score the winning touchdown. The video quality is not so good, but you definitely get the gist of this play:

Bushism of the Day

"I fully understand those who say you can't win this thing militarily. That's exactly what the United States military says, that you can't win this military."—on the need for political progress in Iraq, Washington, D.C., Oct. 17, 2007

Video (comment at 18:35)

Early Riser

I got up at the crack of dawn this morning. Not "dawn" in Sue-land (just before noon), but for real (6:00 am). I was on the road by 7:30, and people were already up and about!! Who knew?? Indeed, there was what might pass for traffic in South Bend, took me a good 7 minutes to get to campus rather than the usual 4. Not sure what possessed me to be out and about at this hour, probably has to do with the high sleep quotient of Fall Break ;-) Anyway, this seemed a monumental enough occurrence for a blog entry ;-) (I figure this'll get a comment or two...)

Unmade Beds

Finally, justification for not making my bed!! Be forewarned, this article might make sleeping tonight a bit difficult. Excuse me while I go vacuum my bed...

Untidy beds may keep us healthy
BBC.com

New Dots

Well, I might not be gettin' much love in comments, but I got a bunch of new dots on my map from Sweden, Greece, and Russia. Thanks Tracy, you jet-setter.

While I can account for most of the dots on the map - the northern Norway and Hudson Bay area viewers remain a mystery.

Forgotten and Unloved

I haven't had a 'Comment" since October 17th, I feel so lonely (as I sit here writing on the computer..okay...so forget that fact for a minute).

Come on (sniff) - no Notre Dame jokes?? Mac-bashing? Ooo-aahhs for wild boat rides?? Jealousy about Fall Break?? Impressed-ness at my plethora of skeleton action figures?? Blogging is no fun without a little feedback occasionally (sniff)

Citizen Paul

My brother-in-law became a US Citizen this week, here are some pictures of event. The first is Paul the American with the kids, the second is my father and the kids saluting a flag outside the house. It's been a banner year - Full Professor and no more green card! Mabruke & matzel tov!!

Wild Ride!

Here are some pictures my folks sent about a wind storm and its effects on the ferry they take to travel from their home on Whidbey Island to Seattle. The price they pay to spend time with their grandkids!!

PS -- they didn't take these pictures, nor were they on this particular ferry ride - but still, credit where credit is due ;-)

Lookin' Good

One day and counting...

New Treats and Tiny Tweaks Make Mac OS X Leopard Spot On
By Scott Gilbertson
Wired 10/25/07

The iPhone might have grabbed all of this year's headlines, but Leopard may well prove to be Apple's most revolutionary product release of 2007.

Tonight Show

Tonight we made Leno's monologue in two jokes. Had to chuckle. These are close to quotes:

1. To avoid further embarrasment, the Vatican approved a massive payout...for Notre Dame season ticket holders.

2. Notre Dame suffered further embarrasment today when their leprechaun was beated up by a Keebler elf.

Harry Potter Revelations

Apparently JK Rowling made several statements yesterday that have attracted attention, particularly that Dumbledore is gay:

Q: Did Dumbledore, who believed in the prevailing power of love, ever fall in love himself?

A: My truthful answer to you... I always thought of Dumbledore as gay. [ovation.] ... Dumbledore fell in love with Grindelwald, and that that added to his horror when Grindelwald showed himself to be what he was. To an extent, do we say it excused Dumbledore a little more because falling in love can blind us to an extent? But, he met someone as brilliant as he was, and rather like Bellatrix he was very drawn to this brilliant person, and horribly, terribly let down by him. Yeah, that's how i always saw Dumbledore. In fact, recently I was in a script read through for the sixth film, and they had Dumbledore saying a line to Harry early in the script saying I knew a girl once, whose hair... [laughter]. I had to write a little note in the margin and slide it along to the scriptwriter, "Dumbledore's gay!" [laughter] If I'd known it would make you so happy, I would have announced it years ago!

But as Keith Oberman stated tonight, the real takeaway message is to question authority, always. Shame this part didn't get the same amount of press, but hopefully it got thru to the kids reading the books.

Here We Go Again

Oiy, they're at it again. From the mouth of our Vice President:

"The Iranian regime's efforts to destabilize the Middle East and to gain hegemonic power is a matter of record. And now, of course, we have the inescapable reality of Iran's nuclear program; a program they claim is strictly for energy purposes, but which they have worked hard to conceal; a program carried out in complete defiance of the international community and resolutions of the U.N. Security Council. Iran is pursuing technology that could be used to develop nuclear weapons. The world knows this. The Security Council has twice imposed sanctions on Iran and called on the regime to cease enriching uranium. Yet the regime continues to do so, and continues to practice delay and deception in an obvious attempt to buy time.

The Iranian regime needs to know that if it stays on its present course, the international community is prepared to impose serious consequences. The United States joins other nations in sending a clear message: We will not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon."


Here's the whole speech if you really want to give yourself a sleepless night (or at the very least, raise your blood pressure a few hundred points...) The poster above might become reality if this isn't just so much chin music.

Vice President's Remarks to the Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Office of the Vice President
October 21. 2007