tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266334642012-02-16T06:23:05.650-08:00politics, current events, science, technology, Christianity, power tools, personal travels and various combinations of the sameKathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.comBlogger5821100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-62928103028900993722011-11-18T12:24:00.000-08:002011-11-21T08:29:17.294-08:00

I had a thought or two to toss into the void, and debated the medium with myself before settling on the Meow.  I rarely write here anymore, mostly because I’m more interested in what other people have to say than I am in my own opinions (at least in writing!), but sometimes the blog just fits.  What I’m thinking about is too political for Facebook—if I want to keep some of my friends, that is—and

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-78655130334756834312011-07-15T09:47:00.000-07:002011-07-15T09:47:23.165-07:00

Nothing to say, except this is really cool.

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-65740393517845981042011-04-25T10:45:00.000-07:002011-05-10T21:56:18.433-07:00

This is a rare (for me) personal post, and it’s long. If you are not interested in the life and emotions of a total stranger, now is the perfect time to bail. Yesterday was the first anniversary of my mom’s death, after a nine-year battle with cancer. She was a formidable woman, as strong and determined as they come—and a cancer that usually kills rather quickly almost met its match in a woman

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-32212856325661069112011-04-25T10:44:00.000-07:002011-04-25T10:44:37.426-07:00

My husband just loaded Dragon Naturally Speaking onto my computer. He might have done this in the vain hope that if my computer did my typing for me I would spend less time on it. Hahahahahahahahaha!!!  Not only do I have to play now with my cool new toy, but now I also have to correct my cool new toy's mistakes until it understands the way I speak.  Maybe if I keep at this long enough,

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-46255499870438378832010-12-30T10:28:00.000-08:002010-12-30T10:30:43.882-08:00

It looks like the Internet will be coming soon to a dashboard near you.  First reaction:  I suppose this kind of advancement--if you want to call it that--is inevitable, but until cars drive themselves, I'm not so sure Internet access in the dashboard is such a great idea.  (Even if it's designed not to work when the car is moving, people always find ways to bypass roadblocks, so to speak.) 

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-17785165453864942392010-11-27T09:27:00.000-08:002010-11-27T09:27:29.294-08:00

Imagine having a dream that, if fulfilled, could truly change the world for the better.  Now imagine that you have the knowledge, understanding and determination to possibly pull it off.  Why shouldn't you?  You've changed the world before.  Wouldn't it be amazing to live that kind of life?  Wouldn't it be amazing to change the world--for the better? 

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-76443806685107791752010-10-06T12:12:00.000-07:002010-10-06T12:15:41.427-07:00

I was reminded today of the "Green Police" ad that Audi has been running.  (Saw it last week, as well as during the Super Bowl.)  Anyone besides me have a hard time understanding how the decision-makers at Audi could actually think this commercial is a good idea?  Does it make you want to run right out and buy their clean-burning diesel vehicle, or does it make you want to start a tire fire and

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-37974279351589148032010-06-29T08:24:00.000-07:002010-06-29T09:37:00.228-07:00

The sun came to Portland during Rose Festival!! Briefly. Ked and I had not seen her face for weeks. We knew the chances were high that our renewed acquaintance would be short, but we could make it sweet, so we decided to head out into the world on a beautiful Sunday to see the sights and soak in the feel of a city awash with masses of cheerful frolickers. Maybe I should avoid words like "soak"

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-26533648229958782642010-05-05T15:51:00.000-07:002010-05-05T15:57:23.775-07:00

I can't begin to articulate how much this disgusts me. Anybody care to claim that if the color scheme were reversed anyone in authority would be defending this? I didn't think so.

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-5796511210612551362010-03-16T11:48:00.000-07:002010-03-18T13:03:12.407-07:00

Every once in a while, don't you just crave a good view? Doesn't it fill your soul with something bigger to see something truly beautiful? This can take many forms, of course. Some people thrill to wide open spaces, others, looking down on a city aglow with electric lights, the sunny calm of a desert morning, majestic mountains, or even just fine art, or a pretty face. Heck, a well-designed car

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-3496256813225411452010-01-15T02:12:00.000-08:002010-01-26T15:23:35.419-08:00

I read somewhere that most new restaurants don't make it past their third year. They have to build enough of a steady clientele to cover costs, and eventually make a profit, and, for whatever reason, many worthy ventures can't build momentum quickly enough to keep their doors open over the long haul. Knowing this, whenever Ked and I find a new local restaurant that we really love, we try to give

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-75576202053377796002010-01-01T20:01:00.000-08:002010-01-01T21:07:30.465-08:00

Happy New Year! Here in Portland we saw the old year pass with a little snow (on the 30th), which suited some of us just fine. Of course, it caused one of the biggest traffic jams the Rose City has ever seen, but isn't it worth a five hour commute for the pleasure of seeing the world turn white!?! Well, okay, maybe not, but since Ked and I were only stuck in traffic for an hour-and-a-half, we

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-14116985859038879462009-12-13T18:56:00.000-08:002009-12-13T19:45:22.920-08:00

The weather prognosticators promised us snow for the last few days, but didn't deliver. Boo. All we got was a week of temperatures in the teens and twenties, and a little dab of ice at the end. Where does that get fun? (I admit, the clear blue cold was quite pretty, but nowhere near as nice as snow!) Hmm... need something cheerful. What to do? I know! Lets go to memory lane! I promised

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-45469217959139637092009-11-13T17:11:00.000-08:002009-11-14T13:14:22.128-08:00

I have never yet been on a permanent vacation, have you? If you have, my guess is that you are retired, and that really doesn't count as a vacation per se. It's more of a life phase--a life phase I wouldn't mind experiencing for myself one day, but not just yet. I'm not mature enough to handle non-stop self-determination. I need obligations in life to get me out of bed in the morning. I need

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-85284912812044094742009-10-16T15:31:00.000-07:002009-10-16T20:40:30.849-07:00

Days 4 and 5 were filled with bike riding and kite flying, scooters, books, and exploring the town of West Yellowstone, good food, great company, and a wonderful back-country hike. I'll get straight to the pictures, because there are lots of them (almost all of them from that splendid hike.) Click on 'em if you want to see them biggified.This wood and stone edifice is an old Union Pacific Dining

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-43635592170794004672009-09-26T07:57:00.000-07:002009-09-26T10:47:20.383-07:00

Saw the new Bruce Willis sci fi flick Surrogates last night. Man, I love his taste in science fiction! Shades of Asimov in this one, with just a little Matrix thrown in to boost the quality of the tech. I love sci fi that looks at the question, "If we can, does that mean we should?" (This is a good time to go watch the trailer, linked above, and then come back.) I walked away from this movie

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-20972285353119063012009-09-03T19:20:00.000-07:002009-09-03T19:43:38.952-07:00

Day two of our trip to Yellowstone did not go as planned. Day two was supposed to be a leisurely exploration of mountain passes and valleys full of bears, with maybe a moose sighting or two thrown in for good measure. Day two was supposed to be picnics, and wildflowers, and old western lodges, fine dining, good wine, and lots of pictures of happy friends. Day two was not supposed to be what we

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-32761021029577201102009-08-05T15:01:00.000-07:002009-08-05T19:39:06.947-07:00

Into the park we go!! We arrived in West Yellowstone after a two-and-a-half day journey, raring to go, and ready for fun and adventure. Days of driving, sleeping in rest stops, less-than-adequate coffee, and the challenge of finding gasoline in rural Idaho (towing a trailer requires more fuel than I'd care to admit in this Carbonly Correct day and age), had made us more than ready to reach our

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-40787419248393587932009-07-28T18:27:00.001-07:002009-07-29T11:02:43.549-07:00

The only good thing about falling down the stairs and hurting yourself badly enough to need an MRI is getting to look at pictures of your brain. I don't know what any of them mean, but that's not the point--it's just massively cool that medical folk can non-invasively look inside your skull and figure out whether you need to worry about serious brain damage. I don't--at least no more than I ever

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-26381000857053528152009-07-22T00:58:00.000-07:002009-07-22T10:43:03.068-07:00

Ked and I finally made it out hiking last Sunday. It's the first time we've managed to make it to the Columbia Gorge all summer, and we felt the trip was long overdue. We headed for our favorite Gorge trail, a 5.4 mile jaunt that loops from Wahkeena Falls up and around to Multnomah falls, and then takes a short hop back to the starting point. If you know the Gorge at all, then you are probably

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-87628947836991380682009-07-19T10:12:00.000-07:002009-07-19T10:36:18.396-07:00

Here's your chuckle for the day. My husband passed me an email with photos from a tax-related protest in Chicago. One of the signs made me belly laugh. I don't care what your political persuasion is, all right thinking folk must agree that this one is funny: "I listed the Federal Gov't as a dependent on my taxes this year." Have timelier, more appropriate words ever been put to cardboard?

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-49384176493008912392009-07-13T19:29:00.000-07:002009-07-14T07:22:02.451-07:00

I'm assuming that most of the people who come to this blog do so accidentally. You were looking at a picture on the web, and it just happened to originate here, or you searched on the phrase "Idaho drinking age" and you followed a Google link to discover that sometime, many years ago, I randomly referenced Idaho in a post I wrote about how the drinking age in every state in America got raised to

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-76991005815728257322009-06-25T13:27:00.000-07:002009-06-25T16:27:59.435-07:00

I'm supposed to be packing. I have eight typed pages of checklists to make sure I remember everything. (Yes, I am a bit compulsive about checklists.) Ked and I are heading to Yellowstone tomorrow. I'm so excited I can hardly think straight--thus the need for all the lists! We're taking our trailer, two friends and their two children on a twelve day excursion. I better not forget anything. Twelve

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-44141757706730120462009-06-02T12:44:00.000-07:002009-06-02T12:52:34.387-07:00

I'm heading over to my church to work on some rooms I'm remodelling, but something came in my email that is completely, unbelievably, wonderfully cool, and I had to take a minute to pass it your way. Scientists are discovering more and more ways they can heal you with stem cells from your own body. I can't believe how simple, quick and painless this one is--take a look!

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-34263303544223699042009-05-26T12:09:00.000-07:002009-05-26T12:17:14.195-07:00

Plumbing disaster number SIX has just struck our home. That's six in less than two months!! The only good news here is that we've got to run out of plumbing-related things to go down the drain soon. There just aren't that many possibilities left--everything else has already broken.

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-10369354154037547672009-05-24T18:11:00.000-07:002009-05-24T18:35:34.937-07:00

Went to see the new Star Trek movie this afternoon! I haven't been to a theater in a very long time--not many films can lure me into "Overpriced Discomfort World," but I've been watching Star Trek since I was five years old, and it beckons like the purr of a baby tribble, or the distress call of a Federation science outpost under attack from a Romulan Warbird. I will not bore you with my opinions

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-90767523131982774732009-05-21T10:00:00.000-07:002009-05-21T10:31:20.018-07:00

Ked's home from the office this week, and we're tackling some long-neglected and much-anticipated home improvement projects. We have been going gangbusters, and been extremely productive. The weather has been perfect for what we are doing, and even the one bout of surprisingly intense rain we had on Tuesday did not hinder us. We are cruising through our extremely lengthy to-do list. We won't

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-68965513994150790042009-04-20T11:04:00.000-07:002009-04-20T13:05:35.952-07:00

I've mentioned recently that I'm not particularly brave, rather a chicken, in fact. People, especially, tend to make me wary, because they are unpredictable and it's hard to read their motives. You just can't know what's going on inside another person. I try to give people the benefit of the doubt, because it's what I want from them, but it's hard not to interpret certain signals negatively and

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-11322145663185016022009-04-18T11:29:00.000-07:002009-04-18T11:37:38.244-07:00

Pajamas Media has the story of some incredible women standing up against tyranny in Afghanistan. Appalling things are happening there, but given the history and current conditions, I'm amazed that these women could find the fortitude to protest. I'm pretty sure I could never be that brave...

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-23426612589956555422009-04-15T13:30:00.000-07:002009-04-15T16:13:11.920-07:00

I was talking to my friend Mary today, telling her about my rather challenging weekend, and she told me I needed to write it down to remember later, as one day this story would be funny. I thought this was a good notion, because the adventures of the past weekend are probably worthy of special remembrance, with enough weight to hang around for a long time, growing and deepening, until the memory

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-35492830754365673932009-04-15T09:16:00.000-07:002009-04-15T16:14:04.582-07:00

Hee hee. I bet you think I forgot to use Spellcheck, don't you? I bet you think I meant to write Quite The Adventure, isn't that right? Good logic, based on standard English usage, but ever so wrong, despite your solid reasoning. Then what in the world has happened to the English language, you may be wondering? Could this be yet another new word invented to cover some remarkable new tech

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-50986303856607055252009-03-27T12:47:00.000-07:002009-03-28T20:03:06.952-07:00

I'm needing a flashback to something fun and nice today. It's been a hard week. (Heck, it's been a hard winter, truth be told.) Husband's sick. I'm sick. Again. I'm tired of being sick. Whine, gripe, whimper. I did get some good work done on the church remodel project this week, which is a blessing. One of the advantages of being sick a lot (yes, we are striving to be positive), is that you learn

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-68496449624249020612009-03-19T13:15:00.000-07:002009-03-19T13:54:01.645-07:00

What's not to like? Frank J. at IMAO calls this the Mosquito Death Star. Being developed in the U.S. as a way to fight malaria, it's a laser which hears that peculiar little annoying whine that mosquitoes make, and then zeros in to blast the little bloodsuckers into a galaxy far, far away. (Does that work as a euphemism for a quick and thorough death?) Okay, so the inspiration was from Star

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-49702096116518019552009-03-11T15:43:00.001-07:002009-03-11T15:55:38.518-07:00

I don't care where you stand politically. This is worth seeing. It's what a trillion dollars looks like.Hat tip: IMAO

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-83289693746659471122009-03-08T10:44:00.000-07:002009-03-09T12:35:52.987-07:00

Hi basketball fans! If you're not a basketball fan, you might as well bail now, because this post is all about how awesome the Winlock boys basketball team is, and how proud I am of my nephew, Jake Brown! The Winlock Cardinals beat the Naches Valley Rangers 56-38 on Saturday morning to take fifth in the Washington 1A Boys Basketball Tournament--their best trophy ever at the state level. According

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-88495416918742984492009-03-05T23:41:00.000-08:002009-03-06T17:51:57.142-08:00

I have a little road trip report for you this evening. Ked and I drove from Portland to the Yakima Valley in central Washington today, so we can watch our nephew Jake play in the Washington State 1A Boys Basketball Tournament. Much of the family is here to cheer our boy on (if you can call a 6'9", 240 lb. rock of a human specimen a boy), and we're all getting a kick out of having someone we love

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-43033121116548292572009-02-25T10:09:00.000-08:002009-02-25T11:23:24.944-08:00

Couldn't we all use some nice, cheerful, sci-fi-quality tech news to remind us that, unlike our profit sharing accounts and 401(k)s, some things are actually moving forward and not backward these days? Some things are, in fact, getting better, stronger, faster and cooler! While financial turmoil shakes the foundations of our economic empires, science is still making amazing progress. Retirement

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-6901908748778889262009-01-13T15:53:00.000-08:002009-01-13T17:02:46.612-08:00

So, I'm on the treadmill, cooling down after a run, thinking random thoughts, when it hits me. Let's fix education in America!! Everyone agrees that our educational system is failing a high percentage of students, right? I read a statistic recently (if I remember correctly, it's from the mayor of Portland, Sam Adams', office) that about 40% of the kids in Portland Public Schools will not

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-44305581953261448392009-01-01T20:38:00.000-08:002009-01-01T20:47:03.040-08:00

...but you'd be wrong!! Yes, we strapped on the snow shoes and tramped about town during the Big Snow Event of 2008. Yes, we sat in the window and watched a gazillion flakes fall. Yes, we had all of our holiday events and deliveries cancelled and juggled and otherwise messed with by the first real winter we've had in years, but we never got to go sledding!! Ked and I needed to go sledding! The

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-23155233351927270662008-12-25T19:23:00.000-08:002008-12-25T19:25:58.700-08:00

This has been the most unexpected Christmas season. Almost everything we had planned for the last two weeks was cancelled due to weather, and now even Christmas itself has been rescheduled for many in the Portland area. My family will now be gathering on December 27th for feast and frolic, partly due to snow and partly due to a Christmas Day doctor's appointment that my mom couldn't avoid.

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-74555681342048887572008-12-22T11:01:00.000-08:002008-12-22T11:57:26.061-08:00

Did Al Gore come to the Pacific Northwest? They say that wherever he shows up to give one of his talks on global warming the temperature drops to unusual lows, but this is taking the Gore Effect to new extremes (especially if he doesn't actually happen to be here). Talk about power. We have had winter in Portland, honest-to-goodness winter for over a week, and that just doesn't happen here before

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-40102565340105898722008-12-18T09:26:00.000-08:002008-12-18T09:54:59.214-08:00

I'm watching the snow fall. Can't tell you how much this ministers to me, or why. It just does. I can so easily get lost in the flakes as they drift to the ground. Right now it's the kind of snow I've been waiting for all week. Up until now, it's been icy, hard, cold, windy snow, with little tiny pellets blowing like fog across the world, only to vanish in the wind. Today it's the gentle

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-30896605077138167632008-12-14T18:55:00.000-08:002008-12-16T10:11:49.319-08:00

It snowed today!! It wasn't the 4-8 inches they promised us for days, and the wind is blowing a lot of it away, and there's a layer of ice underneath it which is going to be there long after the snow has disappeared, but It Snowed Today!! Snow, snow, snow, lovely snow. In Portland. In December. Yay.This blog has turned into more of a personal memory journal than anything else. I suppose I ought

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-3872500652740042232008-12-07T19:08:00.000-08:002008-12-07T21:03:28.563-08:00

I had to share last night's sunset with you. It was the kind of sky that makes you wish you weren't in the city, with rooftops and power lines, but out in an open field with just distant hills and maybe an oak tree or two. Simply glorious. I couldn't keep that sky to myself. You needed to see it too. (Maybe you did see it, if you're local, in which case it was a pleasure watching the sunset with

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-41648315394611718242008-12-04T12:52:00.001-08:002008-12-04T13:29:11.914-08:00

My Christmas present just arrived!! The nice man in the big truck put it on a dolly and wheeled it into our garage, with me cheerfully snapping pictures the whole way to commemorate the momentous occasion (so I could post the pics here and let you share my joy). Some of you will think that getting an unwrapped Christmas present delivered to your garage on December 4th is somewhat

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-74285048767116008672008-11-30T22:49:00.000-08:002008-12-01T21:36:40.025-08:00

I'm fighting the blues. Stress, excessive busyness, poor health, and loneliness are all taking their toll. I don't mean to whine at y'all. Life is what it is, and, by God's grace, mine has more good than bad any day of the week, but I definitely need to focus on something other than "right now" right now. So, I decided to cheer myself up by photo-blogging a trip from this summer that was

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-72525656103619834072008-11-22T16:30:00.000-08:002008-11-23T16:32:56.626-08:00

I'm supposed to be at a conference today, but I'm still sick. (Getting better, just not up to a whole day's effort in the world.) Ked did go, though, so since I'm home alone on a Saturday, I decided that this would be a good time to post some pictures from our very recent weekend excursion to the charming little "Bavarian" community of Leavenworth, Washington. We and our friend Su had been

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-76798154522331898172008-11-19T10:26:00.000-08:002008-11-19T10:56:05.868-08:00

I have soooo much to do, but:That about sums it up. (Sometimes a lolcat is really the best way to say something.)

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-28777531716209666482008-11-04T20:48:00.000-08:002008-11-05T10:14:33.040-08:00

Well, it's finally over. I'm glad. I can't say that I'm thrilled with tonight's election results, although there is a big silver lining. I would have preferred a McCain victory on policy grounds (though Senator McCain was definitely not my first choice for president either), but one thing that I can say wholeheartedly is that I think it a very good thing for the country that the long domination

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-49817560959368698392008-11-03T11:34:00.000-08:002008-11-03T12:00:20.748-08:00

I haven't been sleeping well for the last few months. There are lots of stresses in my life right now, and some responsibilities that are making me feel the weight of the world (a very small, Kat-toy sized world, but I'm feeling the load nonetheless). However, I think I figured out, somewhere in the wee hours of my 47th consecutive sleepless night, that the general tension I'm experiencing

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-54855072905455164192008-10-20T18:50:00.000-07:002008-10-21T15:49:25.402-07:00

Well, we have finally come to the end of our journey (not the trip to Washington D.C.--that ended months ago--but the long journey of photo-blogging the adventure). We have made it at last to the Museum of Natural History. This will be the grand finale of my journal, both because it was my favorite day (or at least in a pitched battle for the honor with the day at Air and Space) and because I

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-76582295550096807082008-10-12T17:11:00.000-07:002008-10-12T17:13:36.450-07:00

Ked and I were driving to church this morning when we noticed a local produce stand had put out their seasonal pumpkins. Nothing remarkable there, of course. Halloween is almost upon us. The kids are planning their costumes. The grownups are hanging their cobwebs, and the Sci Fi channel is showing nothing but an endless stream of horror films. (Yuck, but that's another post altogether.) We

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-73125063084454460152008-09-10T19:57:00.001-07:002008-09-10T20:11:25.419-07:00

You know how commercials sometimes blast you out of your chair when they come on the air because they're so loud compared to the show you're watching? Don't you think this is rather foolish on the part of whoever is running the show at the various networks? Ked and I are watching a movie on FX (cable) right now, and the volume change is almost unbelievable. The thing is, though, it's really

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-21285041972144985202008-09-05T14:32:00.000-07:002008-09-05T15:57:13.769-07:00

File this one under random and frustrated rants:These heavy political seasons bring out the accusers of every political persuasion. People left, right and center (well, okay, less center than left and right) can't seem to help judging one another's motives. Most of these judgments lack the understanding that people can share similar goals while vastly disagreeing on method. I would wager that 99%

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-18607021981299609962008-08-21T02:15:00.000-07:002008-08-25T13:41:23.095-07:00

It's the next-to-the last day of the trip, and I've got lots of pictures to post, but not a lot to say. What we saw today pretty much speaks for itself. We spent a great day at the National Gallery, so most of the photos are my attempt to capture and remember the beautiful things that we got to see up close and personal. (I couldn't believe how close we got to stand to priceless treasures.) If

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-51139618425584003902008-07-03T13:20:00.000-07:002008-07-03T14:17:56.724-07:00

Welcome back for another episode of Ked and Kat's Travels. We are continuing our exploration of Washington D.C., and running out of time before we head back home to Portland, so we're getting up early and heading out into the city, determined to fill our day as full as possible. Come along and see the sights, and maybe learn a thing or two.We did cram a lot into this day, and would have done more

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-63588448570464401232008-07-01T18:55:00.000-07:002008-07-01T23:46:59.199-07:00

Ked and I were driving home from running some errands this evening when we passed the music store where Ked bought his guitar, and a few other instrumental diversions. The folks who work there are nice, and take time to give good service, and have given us fair prices. So, it rather irritated us to see that some brat with a spray can had tagged their delivery van. Tagged--what a lovely euphemism,

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-19609871780820350932008-06-25T15:53:00.000-07:002008-06-26T17:34:49.713-07:00

Ahh, Day 3. This is kid-in-a-candy-store time for me. Ked and I spent the whole day at the National Air and Space Museum--we could easily have spent two, despite the fact this was the second time we have been to this particular museum. I walked around all day with a huge grin on my face. What's not to grin about? We saw rockets and planes, with names like Starfighter and Skyrocket, and learned

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-4103579343464060052008-06-18T12:32:00.000-07:002008-06-20T08:59:05.759-07:00

It's day two of our D.C. vacation , and Ked and I are starting to realize that we've got a lot of ground to cover, and only five more days to cover it. So, we plan our route for maximum efficiency and set out to see the sights and gain some knowledge along the way. Put on some comfy shoes and come along with us. We always enjoy your company! Even though we had a little more drive than on Day 1,

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-38961957783153469072008-06-10T01:30:00.000-07:002008-06-13T08:50:00.140-07:00

Every vacation starts out differently. Some begin with drive and purpose and a definite agenda. "We have four days and twelve theme parks to conquer. Let's go!" Some slowly wind themselves up as the fatigue of the previous months' or years' labors gradually falls away, and a new refreshing enthusiasm grows, spreading its way up from the deepest remaining wells of energy you have stored hidden

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-82977064060152951782008-06-05T11:17:00.001-07:002008-06-05T12:59:46.237-07:00

Ked and I got back to Portland last night from a week spent in Washington D.C.. It was a great trip, with full days and perfect weather (except for that last day--I'll have to tell you about that). I planned on photo-blogging the experience day-by-day, but our computer died the first night off the plane. We were disappointed, because we love to go through pictures together each evening, edit and

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-76226934413280115032008-05-20T15:40:00.000-07:002008-05-21T16:28:37.376-07:00

Here's proof that it's basically impossible to go green. (Well, it's as much proof as you get about most environmental issues these days anyway, particularly global warming.) As long as people and cows exist, the planet is doomed no matter what. You might as well buy a Hummer and fill it up with plastic bags and non-biodegradable Styrofoam peanuts...

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-85317563861391219412008-05-11T19:16:00.000-07:002008-05-11T19:55:35.501-07:00

Where's your favorite place to escape reality? If you're like me, you have someplace special that soothes your soul, or maybe several places, where pressure, circumstances, unpleasantness, or just general routine lose their grip on you, and you feel your spirit relax. Who knows, perhaps you don't need such a place, but I suspect, if that is true, that you are in the minority. Most of us need to

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-89180568187415561412008-05-08T15:25:00.000-07:002008-05-08T16:05:12.619-07:00

Here is your running milestone report from the slowest runner ever to hit the treadmill: I ran seven miles today! Mind you, I'm achingly slow (especially when I plan to go for any distance), and I ran the last mile as a series of sprints, with bits of breathing in between; but I ran it nonetheless, so I'm adding it to my tally. I often do sprint intervals at the end of a run, and don't usually

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-14624288331502497892008-05-05T11:51:00.000-07:002008-05-05T12:09:01.532-07:00

More precisely, the dignity of... plants. Prepare for the ridiculous as the "leaders" of the world, starting with those intrepid Swiss, cross the new moral frontier to establish "plant rights." Oh, good grief.

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-3764033804852943612008-04-30T00:43:00.000-07:002008-04-30T15:36:55.599-07:00

Any soccer fans out there? Perhaps you can answer a question. I've been recording some Champions League matches the last couple of days for a young footballer that I know from church, and have been watching the games myself while I've been at it. As with most sports that don't involve people beating each other senseless, I generally enjoy soccer, although I don't watch it much. I didn't grow up

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-70419564385556656772008-04-24T09:46:00.000-07:002008-04-24T09:55:37.845-07:00

Watch this video of some crazy person walking at El camino del Rey. "Originally built in 1901, this walkway now serves as an aproach to makinodromo, the famous climbing sector of El Chorro." You couldn't have gotten me to walk this path when it was new! I love to hike, like really love it, but not this much...I can't even imagine doing this while giving half my attention to operating a video

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-63801778312412362702008-04-14T11:53:00.000-07:002008-04-14T12:28:47.909-07:00

This is just a drive-by blog post to pass you on to this article in Advertising Age, on the coming (and long overdue, IMHO) revolt against the negative portrayal of men in advertising. Glenn Sacks and Richard Smaglick explain rather effectively why it would be wise for advertisers to reconsider the standard ad portrayal of men as buffoons and idiots, because it's not going over very well with

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-50634299728572453552008-04-11T15:56:00.000-07:002008-04-11T16:09:47.295-07:00

I ran five miles straight again today. It took some mental pushing, because it was a little harder lung-wise this time. That could have something to do with the fact that I ran the whole thing ever so slightly uphill--that and the added bonus fact that I took five minutes off my time!! I'm feeling rather triumphant again, but also fairly tired... I better snap out of it, though. We're having

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-24589339058335244152008-04-06T14:05:00.000-07:002008-04-06T17:33:09.353-07:00

We decided to introduce a new friend to our favorite Pittock Mansion hike. Everyone who lives in Portland should discover the beauties of Forest Park as soon as possible. Ked and I didn't know about Wildwood Trail for far too many years, and when I think of all of the lovely local trail time we missed I have to quickly change mental subjects, or risk sinking into maudlin despair and regret. Oh,

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-17429171921908693022008-03-29T14:12:00.000-07:002008-03-31T12:33:11.481-07:00

I started running again a few months ago--after a twenty-four year hiatus. That's a long time to go without lacing up the track shoes. It feels good to push myself this way again. For a long time I didn't think it was even worth trying to run, because my joints just didn't seem to want to cooperate with the process. I have these freaky knees that turn in and don't line up with my feet. It was

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-85101029105309664172008-03-28T10:11:00.000-07:002008-03-29T09:40:29.347-07:00

I've been mulling over some of the issues swirling around the Barrack Obama/ Reverend Wright kerfuffle. I've been reading an awful lot about it, a fair bit of it from black pastors and pundits who all have their own take on racism in America and Liberation Theology. It's been very interesting reading. I'm not going to get into the political side of this, but one spiritual thing has struck me

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-75890120445348880062008-03-12T23:04:00.000-07:002008-03-13T12:52:01.399-07:00

...to anyone but myself. At least that's what I'm assuming. This post is not one to entertain the masses. In fact, I can't imagine why anyone but those who have to love me (because they've made a promise before God, or because they think they owe me some indulgence after I listened to them go on for hours about their goldfish having babies or something) would keep reading at this point. You have

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-84893781995993710522008-02-27T14:19:00.000-08:002008-02-27T15:56:21.613-08:00

I thought I'd throw up a few pictures from a couple of recent pleasure outings Ked and I have taken here in beautiful Oregon. We've had absolutely lovely weather of late, and knowing this could, and likely will, change very soon (Portland being the soggy city that it is), we have been scraping together what little spare time we can muster to indulge our enjoyment of the "local" winter landscapes,

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-2854576271037608772008-02-13T21:11:00.000-08:002008-02-14T00:16:01.452-08:00

Sometimes I just long for snow. I love it best when it's right outside my door, and I will gladly sit at my window for hours, with a cup of cocoa and a blanky, to watch those beautiful crystals fall from the sky. We're not often blessed with snow here in Portland, though, so those afternoons at the window are few and far between. We've actually gotten snow in town a few times this winter, but

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-76751929356523048722008-01-30T17:13:00.000-08:002008-02-01T15:22:58.591-08:00

Ked and I have a few minutes before our table is ready for our final dinner here at Animal Kingdom Lodge. He's putting in a bit more reading time before vacation is over and it's back to real life where he doesn't have nearly as much time to read for pleasure. I'm going to put in some more time here, finishing up this little travel log. Not that I think it's really of interest to anyone beyond

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-55933229047198611052008-01-30T08:16:00.000-08:002008-01-30T09:49:27.063-08:00

Day six was a day of ups and downs. My health gradually improved as the day went on, which was a blessing for which we were extremely grateful, and the lovely warm sunshine lifted our bodies and spirits in tandem. However, we also got some very bad news from Portland fairly early on in the day, and it was difficult for us to process our emotions and thoughts while in a place that is so far from

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-23547625464376378382008-01-29T08:09:00.000-08:002008-01-29T08:44:16.300-08:00

The title here is highly misleading, since there are no Disney World pics for day 5. There was nothing interesting enough in our hotel room to warrant the posting of pictures, and the hotel room was where we stayed. Ked read a good book (Jane Eyre), and I slept--a lot. While generally I would say that if I'm going to be bed-ridden, I'd rather do it at home where I have familiar things and my

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-44346399757429044742008-01-27T17:49:00.000-08:002008-01-27T18:49:24.813-08:00

The flu attacked again in force today, slamming back down on me with swift and brutal determination. I tried to stay in the fight for a few hours this morning, but eventually succumbed to the increasingly urgent call of my pillow and bed, some orange juice and a couple of Nyquil Liquicaps. Hopefully a good night's rest will put my depleted body in a little better shape, and then we can pick up

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-8970455223796624922008-01-26T22:37:00.000-08:002008-01-27T05:59:26.933-08:00

Ked and I had another lovely day today. After a VERY leisurely start to the morning, we headed on over to Epcot for some rainy-day fun. Most of what we did was of the indoor variety, which was a good thing, since every time we emerged from our sheltered pursuits we saw fresh evidence of the teary weather. Actually, though, we had very good timing for most of the day, and while we frequently trod

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-36885463907928161092008-01-26T08:27:00.000-08:002008-01-31T13:24:41.778-08:00

After a leisurely morning spent posting pictures here at the Meow for the entertainment of friends and strangers alike, we headed over to Epcot on Friday for a day of fun and frolics. Most of our day passed pleasantly away, as we wandered from country to country in Epcot's World Showcase. We chatted with some singers from the Voices of Liberty (an absolutely amazing A Capella group performing at

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-55632120190596070662008-01-25T07:40:00.000-08:002008-01-25T20:21:51.285-08:00

Hello from the Magic Kingdom, or thereabouts. We caught a red-eye flight late Wednesday, so that we could hit the ground running on Thursday morning. Trouble with that plan was that both Ked and I have the flu, so it was more like we hit the ground limping. We were still going to stick to the plan, though, because our room here at the Animal Kingdom Lodge wasn't supposed to be ready until 3 or 4

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-68286426054568844322008-01-09T20:14:00.000-08:002008-01-09T20:59:37.580-08:00

I'm having fun playing with jewelry, which is funny, because I hardly ever remember to wear jewelry. My ears go naked for weeks at a time without my even noticing, and it takes just the right neckline to get me to think about putting on a necklace. I have the wrists of an underfed spider monkey, so bracelets are almost out of the question, and most rings get in the way of using my favorite power

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-11055945755881964402008-01-02T10:07:00.000-08:002008-01-17T16:56:47.626-08:00

Pictures to follow, but first, Happy New Year!! Yes, I'm a day late, but I think I have a few more days before the year no longer qualifies as "new." I'm squeaking in the sentiment before the last of the Christmas fruitcake turns to brick on the kitchen counter, so I think I can get away with saying it a bit longer. My theory is, as long as the fruitcake is edible the holiday season hasn't really

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-4111037375973009332007-10-11T16:18:00.000-07:002007-10-11T16:44:57.350-07:00

Changing your lifestyle to save the planet? Here's a new one for you. Greenpeace says, "Eat more kangaroo!!" It's your low-gas nutrition alternative. Apparently, kangaroos don't have the flatulence problem that cows and sheep do. Flatulence is, as we know, a major greenhouse gas producer, and, short of giving Beano to all our hamburger-on-the-hoof, there's not much we can do about it--if we want

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-59203343133301959862007-10-09T12:15:00.000-07:002007-10-09T14:00:06.800-07:00

This "How'd she get there from here?" moment, brought to you by ramblers anonymous.Hello from flaky blogger central. Apologies and self-abasement to anyone who requires them for my random approach to posting since I returned from my summer hiatus. To be honest, I'm not particularly inspired to write much right now. I don't really have anything to say or share that isn't available from a plethora

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-17305081971679786412007-10-04T14:36:00.000-07:002007-10-04T14:45:53.422-07:00

...in the making. Oh, and while we've got the medicine cabinet open, let's talk about doctors grilling kids for dirt on their parents, shall we? ("Spy Kids" link via Instapundit)

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-32298997628275078162007-10-02T14:24:00.000-07:002007-10-04T11:01:53.695-07:00

Remember the movie Gattaca? Ethan Hawke played a non-genetically modified human in the midst of an entire society of genetically enhanced over-achievers. His parents made the dire mistake of letting God decide who their child would be, rather than laboratory eugenics, and Vincent (Hawke's character) payed the price for that indiscretion. His genetically tweaked younger brother was taller, smarter

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-25507167045035193212007-09-28T13:42:00.000-07:002007-09-28T14:12:41.186-07:00

But not walking the walk (and making it harder for other people to trudge the path, too.) The not-in-my-backyard brigade continues to put up obstacles to energy alternatives. Question--Do we want renewable energy, or not? Yes? Then stop making it so goll-darned difficult to implement!!(via Instapundit)

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-65091634401768253162007-09-27T10:45:00.000-07:002007-09-27T11:44:00.032-07:00

Read in your best Rod Serling impersonation (or get someone else to read it for you):Imagine this--you're sitting at your computer reading James Taranto's Best of the Web, blithely perusing the elegant and edgy editorial offerings and choice sampling of significant stories from across America and beyond, when you come across this headline: "Amputated leg found in second-hand smoker." At first you

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-6071231957340230412007-09-25T10:49:00.000-07:002007-09-25T12:07:27.216-07:00

Here's one for you to ponder. John Stossel has some interesting thoughts about health insurance, at Townhall.com. What he has to say runs contrary to currently popular political speech on both sides of the aisle, which bemoans the under-insured state of many Americans. Stossel suggests instead that Americans have way too much insurance, rather than too little. That's something of a

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-2954353316973674692007-09-19T13:55:00.000-07:002007-09-19T14:10:00.857-07:00

Avast!! A dear lass called me today to remind me that it's International Talk Like A Pirate Day. Well, blow me down--I feel like such a lubber that I almost let the day pass unheralded. Perhaps I should make meself walk the plank, or deny meself me ration o' grog. Maybe, though, I'll just let meself off with a few Hail Mateys, and a promise to be a smarter wench next TLAP Day. Aye, that

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-17373556110800491452007-09-19T12:06:00.000-07:002007-09-20T12:06:41.696-07:00

A comment on my last little toss-out post, which listed a couple of articles on economics that I found interesting, pointed the way to this post by John Tierney, pitting economists against ecologists as predictors of climate change. Not a fair fight? Well, the match-up may surprise you. By Tierney's reckoning, economists have the shinier resume when it comes to examining potential global crises.

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-76577984953729378212007-09-17T16:02:00.001-07:002007-09-17T16:25:51.836-07:00

Interesting economic chat from Arnold Kling.Update: More econ-speak from Kenneth Fisher.

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-53562560572178574322007-09-13T13:02:00.000-07:002007-09-13T13:22:26.326-07:00

We're heading to the coast now, so I shouldn't be blogging, but this is just cool. The X Prize Foundation is at it again, with $30 million in the kitty for whoever can put a robot on the moon. Note for the day: Incentives work, and they're especially positive things when there's no hint of government involvement about them.Hat tip: Futurismic

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-5789574667984419132007-09-12T10:19:00.000-07:002007-09-12T15:53:34.221-07:00

Rant to follow, but first a look at this week in Meowville. I'm working up the energy to start another day of manual labor. Ked and I have been hard at it for days, doing much needed home repairs in preparation for the rains to come. Last year, some of you will remember, we jumped through the hoops demanded by the City of Portland to pass inspection on our new garage. Well, now we're trying to

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-28631970260444519802007-09-06T12:50:00.000-07:002007-09-06T14:59:40.867-07:00

Here in Oregon, as in much of the rest of the affluent world, where many of us can afford to spend a little extra money on what goes in our cooking pots and on our dinner tables, lots of folks are keeping stores like Wild Oats hopping with the demand for organic edibles. Many people believe that organic is healthier, both for us and the environment. Cosmos (a magazine which examines "the science

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-72637919729882259702007-09-03T12:26:00.001-07:002007-09-03T16:02:30.041-07:00

Okay, the title is enormously deceiving, since to represent the fair in all its glory would require a hundred photographs and a thousand descriptions, and I have no desire to strain your patience by wading through all of Ked's and my State Fair memories in laborious detail. I'll just skim the surface, and assure you that there was much, much more to see and experience than will be logged here.

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-62130262355456210792007-08-31T22:35:00.000-07:002007-08-31T23:36:14.753-07:00

This is just a lick and a promise in advance of the event. Ked and I went to the Oregon State Fair today--something we do every year--and had a ball. We always see cool and interesting things and critters, talk to informative and friendly people, and wear ourselves out, which is why the official Fair post will be another day in coming. This is the first year we've taken a camera on our annual

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26633464.post-28050740010674474192007-08-24T01:10:00.000-07:002007-08-25T08:32:19.276-07:00

Note to get us started: Blogger is being a PAIN, and has all the spacing for this post and its pictures completely whacked out. It is after one in the morning right now, and I do not have the patience, nor the mental capacity to argue with Blogger about its deficiencies, so whacked out is how this post will stay, at least for the time being. I apologize if it makes any of you persnickety types

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16239076854400255264noreply@blogger.com0