Yes. And I was just about to delete the invitation, but I noticed some oddities. She wasn’t 18 or 21 or 26, like most MySpace spam, but 41.

And she’s in Geismar, Louisiana. That sounded vaguely familiar, so I looked it up. Suburb of Baton Rouge.

Hmm, I actually know a Donna of that age that lives in the suburbs of the Red Stick. I guess I’ll give her a day or two to put any identifying information onto her account.

But Donna, MySpace is so 2004. Where’s your FaceBook account?

You need only listen to the news any given day to be reminded. We haven’t been keeping our government accountable. Neither has our corporate media. So, we can blame only ourselves. Or only our media, if we are cowards. (Yes, I consider ignoring our own failing an act of cowardice. Blaming others is the height of it.)

It was interesting to hear of another regulatory failing on Marketplace on Monday night. This one not of Executive Branch malfeasance, but one of political will-bending in the Legislature in December of 2000.

I’m sure everyone remembers Enron. They went south in a very large way about a year later. But before that they got this legislation passed. Basically, deregulating (and effectively hiding) the trading of about 30% of the energy market.

Recently, we’ve had out-of-control rises in the price of crude oil. All the analysts say we’ve got plenty of supply. So, whatever could be the cause of the price rises?

Well the Legislature has finally fixed their part in this non-regulation snafu. Soon it is of course passing back into the Executive’s hands. What will happen there, only time will tell.

Michael Greenburger, previous Head of Trading and Markets for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission says “many observers believe that because those markets are not being policed, malpractices are being committed and traders are able to boost the price virtually at their will… From my own experience as a commodity regulator, I believe that if the Bush Administration were serious about its regulation, we could begin seeing prices drop within a month.”

If things don’t start moving in a positive direction, let’s make sure we tell our elected employees we aren’t happy about it.

Here’s Tim from a month ago, speaking what was obvious to many while invisible to many others:

When I emptied out my 300 carousel DVD player after it broke, I re-discovered all the forgotten movies. The trick is none of them have containers for me to put them in (unlike the CDs which I had in four 100 CD albums).

Watched - If you want to borrow, let me know.

• The Girl in Lovers Lane - 1959, black and white, almost watchable
• The Manchurian Candidate - wide screen and “standard” - 1962, Frank Sinatra, Janet Leigh, classic
• Paycheck - Ben Afflec, Uma Thurman
• Die Another Day - Pierce Brosnan Bond, 2 discs
• Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle - excellent, I really need to see the second one
• Anchorman
• Free Enterprise - an indie geek romantic comedy about two trekkies who meet a messed up William Shatner, funny, with an insane number of sci-fi, comic book, and movie culture references

Unwatched - When will I find the time? Tell me which ones to watch first.

• Y Tu Mamá También
• Everything is Illumated
• Se7en - 2 discs
• Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
• A History of Violence
• Spanglish
• Yes
• Syriana
• Paradise Now
• Nine Lives
• True Romance - unrated directors cut, 2 discs, started to watch and didn’t like
• Capote

I had also received a copy of Lord of the Rings: Return of the King via swaptree.com but it didn’t play on my old DVD player, it’s quite scratched up. When I was re-boxing all of the other DVDs, I put it in the new player on a whim figuring it might have better oversampling/correction. Indeed, the $50 player had no problem at all with the disc!

Unfortunately, I put this classically epic movie in after 10 pm on a week night and at 1 am had to turn it off with over an hour left.

Salam Fayyad, PhD ‘86, Jerusalem, is prime minister of the Palestinian National Authority and a former representative to the International Monetary Fund. Fayyad is widely respected in international circles and seen by analysts as one of the best hopes for peace between Palestine and Israel.

I bet he’s an interesting guy. One I’d like to meet, have a beer with, and discuss things.

• Franziskaner Heffe-Weisen (90) - a fabulous summer beer, light and refreshing
• Yspahan (7.5, 83, Sébastien Pauchon) - a fun and light game with wooden camels, and an interesting dice mechanic; a very approachable game for “non-gamers”
• Unibroue Maudite (96) - a fabulous and dark complected beer, with riotous carbonation; i discovered this Quebecan gem when I was living in Alberta, and have loved it ever since
• Hacienda (7.3, 151, Wolfgang Kramer) - take your cattle to market on the South American pampas frontiers; lots of bits, moderate difficulty
• Lord of the Rings (7.1, 187, Reiner Knizia) - a co-operative game, where everyone is playing a hobbit, trying to help the ring be destroyed, quite a bit of variety, with multiple boards, we lost horribly
• Dvonn (7.6, 69, Kris Burm) - one of the Project GIPF series (all 2-player abstracts), Woody’s son Mac happens to be very good at it and he trounced me
• Anchor Porter (98) - my favorite beer is the next one I’m having, variety is the spice of life, and the variety in beer styles is what I like, but when pressed, this is the beer I call my favorite, it’s chocolatey goodness is unsurpassed
• In the Year of the Dragon (7.7, 53, Stefan Feld) - this was a new “big box” release last year, and got a lot of play, though mixed reviews at last year’s BGG.con; i was slow to warm up to this game, but by the time my first play was over, i liked it
• New Belgium 1554 Brussels Style Black Ale (85) - the lowest rated beer so far, likely because it’s not true to style; it is true to total deliciousness, and I have several friends who like this beer a lot, but aren’t really beer drinkers



• Twilight Imperium, Second Edition (7.2, 794, Christian T. Petersen) - this 2000 game was superseded in 2005 (3rd Edition, 7.9, 27), last year I bought the 2nd edition w/ expansion for rock-bottom prices; this was the first real play I’ve had, it was very enjoyable, it would be great with 4 (we had 3), and yes it would take 6 hours or so
• Tribes - hmm, a week gone by and I don’t recall this game
• St. Arnold Summer Pils (36) - a good light but moderately hopped beer
• Unibroue Trois Pistoles (99) - a dark belgian ale, another fabulous example from this brwery
• Lindeman’s Framboise (90) - it seems that lambic variety has dropped in past years, Lindeman’s can always be found in the Houston market; this is their raspberry infused version; not as sour as tradition would dictate



• Tigris and Euphrates (8.2, 4, Reiner Knizia) - a classic, and tough to get your brain around, such simple mechanics, such complex interplay, best with 4, very Knizia
• Lindeman’s Cassis (76) - this may be one of my favorite lambic flavors, this one is black currant
• Goa (7.9, 21, Rüdiger Dorn) - this one has sat in the box at Wimberley many, many times, and this is the first I’ve played it; it was a great game, i’d love to play more
• Avery The Reverend (87) - a quadruple that was deliciously sweet and complex
• Alagash Dubbel Reserve (87) - a taste beer from Maine
• Hamburgum (7.4, 159, Mac Gerdts) - i wasn’t quite sure about this one on my first play a month ago (despite beer being one of the resources in the game), but playing it a second time I really came to enjoy, and grok, this one
• North Coast Brother Thelonious (90) - a strong ale from California, named after the Jazz icon
• Tripel Karmeliet (98) - a fabulous belgian tripel
• Ra (7.9, 19, Reiner Knizia) - this multi-round bidding game is nearly 10 years old and a classic
• Lindeman’s Pêche (79) - peach, a standard, but less common lambic flavor
• Lindeman’s Kriek (82) - the classic version of the flavored kriek; cherry
• Traders of Genoa (7.5, 76, Rüdiger Dorn) - we play this one fairly often at Wimberley, this time it was reinforced that the game play can vary drastically depending upon the opponents - there’s deal making afoot



• Recess! (5.4, 3643) - a kids game where you try to steal the lunch money from everyone else while not getting caught by the nuns, getting one of your boys to kiss one of your girls ends the game and earns a bonus
• Keythedral (7.1, 131, Richard Breese) - a game I had to have for the octagonal pieces, generally enjoyed by all
• Las Vegas Showdown (7.4, 116, Henry Stern) - a great build-your-own-casino theme, implemented with a bidding mechanism that’s not too threatening, mean new-comers always enjoy it; lots of fun
• Wits and Wagers (7.2, 175) - a great solution to the party trivia game - bet on everyone’s answers; this one was in constant play last year at BGG.con
• Pandemic (7.9, 29, Matt Leacock) - brand new and hard to find, this game is amazingly fun, even when you perpetually lose; well balanced, it’s a shame it maxes out at 4 people

Some investigation showed that the mechanism to spin the disc is what failed. With all the other moving parts I thought it would have been something else.

Of course, I have the 3rd season of Battlestar Gallactica borrowed and was in no state to be DVD-less (sure, no hot water still, but I can manage). I went to the Target, they didn’t have the one on the shelf I wanted (for $80), so I got the $50 RCA DRC277. It’s tiny. And it upscales for HDMI output, not that I’ll need it anytime soon - my receiver doesn’t manage that format, either.

After some cabling troubleshooting, I finished off the 3rd season. Now I have to wait till the current season is over and for sale.

Also, Pioneer wins over RCA for website customer support!

And now he wants to give me a dollar!

So, you should fill it out, say I referred you, and he’ll give me a dollar. (You know my name, right?)

So, just do it!

He’s planning on starting a beer related website and there are three pages worth of beer and internet related questions.

So, just do it! I’ll get a dollar. You won’t get anything (but good karma, and an invitation to my Christmas party.)

(You should have pity on him for thinking he’ll make money on a beer website. Or envy him, or respect him. Just take the survey!)

I tried to recall what exactly I did with them when I came home - to no avail.

I walked out to the car, peered into the ignition. No luck. Went back in the house to check again. Got as far as the dining room, and froze. I had seen something. Something in the last twenty paces.

I rewound it in my head, saw the dangling orange Texas that had been an inch above my hand when I walked back in the door.

Tuesday when I arrived home from work, a day after boardgaming in the Hill Country with friends, there was a package obstructing my door. The game I had purchased the week before. My hands being full, after I got the door unlocked and grabbed everything I kicked it open and entered.

I returned and closed the door, forgetting the keys. They spent the night.

“Although it is true that since the Middle Ages, the number of witches burned has decreased while the average temperature of the Earth has increased, global warming wouldn’t be reversed by throwing old ladies on pyres.” - Strange Maps, Transgenic Corn linked to Neo-Fascism

Who is responsible for keeping that stat?

We started the evening at Inn at the Ballpark. A nice lobby to rangle a beer in preparation for the game.

A great game - a 2-4 4th inning. That was the final, a grand slam home run.

We had a nice traffic-scatter beer back at the Inn. Good conversation, a few strangers in on the conversation. And I think I sold Danielle and her “husband” on the roller derby in three weeks.

I’ve been listening to the Marfa radio since I got home, but haven’t heard Alderman David’s voice in the last 20 minutes. It’s recording, so perhaps I’ll make it available somewhere.

I have to be there early, but you should arrive at the Verizon Wireless by 5pm.

The Bayou City Bosses will be taking on the Heartbreakers.  This Austin team lost last time they were in town, and should be looking to correct that problem.  The Bosses had last month off and should be raring to go.

The Undercard is the Burlesque Brawlers vs the Machete Betties.  Both teams that are plenty of fun at the after party, but have been in the cellar of late.  It should be a spirited match.

Here’s a nice shot. One of the Dancing Sisters took this one. Not sure who had the camera at this point.

About one third are from this year, one third from 1988, and the rest of various other places and times: last year, in studios, etc.

Just prior to our arrival, Tom and two others were sitting on the curb, just having locked up the museum. A car struck tricia’s, and send it 3-4 car lengths, hitting all three guys, but pinning Tom.

He was conscious when he left, and we did not learn of his death until the following day.

Some corrected facts that I’ve seen misreported, misinterpreted, or unmentioned:
The car was parked legally.
The street was otherwise empty.
The car was lifted with a rescue air bag.

On to some of the fun from the day (which Tom would not want us to forget!):

We had some problems getting our generator started, it was eventually solved as likely a kinked fuel line. Bert from our service department was very helpful on the phone a few times. Thanks Bert!

We got to rolling to the parade setup. The Allen Oldies playing most of the way. A police officer stopped next to us, and requested a song. I’m not sure if it was a specific song, but she got “I Fought The Law and The Law Won”.

Once passing through the judging area, we drove through the already staged cars. Everyone, of course, enjoyed the musical interlude as we passed.

I was, indeed, wearing a jacket the whole time and, yes, it was very warm.

I walked the staging area as the band played for a while. Taking many photos and seeing many old friends. Thanks Al, and Sean for the cool beverages!

The parade rolled and we, being car #16, went fairly quickly. I distributed several dozen oranges while driving. Allen, and the Dancing Sisters were up top making the car rock quite a bit.

From there we went back to my place, broke down the setup, and sat on the lawn chatting with neighbor Sean who knew some of the guys from a decade ago in the music business.

I took the car to Discovery Green, hung out for a while, then headed back to meet up with others. Left the car at the Continental Club. Then tricia drove us to the meetup at the Art Car Museum, parking her car for the last time. We had dinner and then after dark left on the illuminated cruise.

We soon found ourself in an empty field east of town. We hung out there for a while, but apparently the police caught up with our noise - live band on a flat-bed semi. We left the cruise, hit the Continental Club and Big E’s wedding reception, a little Big Top, then headed to pick up Tricia’s car. Which is where the story started.

I usually have regular thursday night and friday night plans. I bailed on both of them. No thursday games with friends. No friday running sound for the Ringwalds.

I helped out Allen Hill in preparing the OldiesMobile for the Art Car Parade on saturday. Lot’s of starts and stops, and success and failure, as art cars are want to be. But I think we’re ready for the morning.

I borrowed a generator from our service department. It is built to support an ambulance, so it’s totally over engineered for running a band. Loading into my car with a fork lift was the first warning - this things gonna be heavy.

Thursday, Allen and I moved it from my car, tested it, it worked great. We moved it into the Mobile. Friday I get home, he’s in my driveway, we move it from the Mobile, it’s a no-go. We call Sir Henkel and with three, we 1) pick it off the ground to a table, 2) off the table to the hood, 3) off the hood to the roof. Job performed, Sir Henkel retreats.

Once on the roof, a cranking of the generator - click, click, click. A total no-go. After refilling the mostly empty gas, and much fiddling with no success I called the boss.

Literally, I called my boss. Got the phone number of the amazing service department guy who loaned me the thing. Before I could finish describing it, “not enough voltage”. He was totally right. It’s own battery and, bam, running like a dream.

I replaced my battery and we ran by the auto place to get the right connector for the battery. My lights on my car were flashing oddly after reconnecting the battery. We asked the guy in the auto store. He thought they were loose, or the battery was old. We left with our battery connectors, calling him a moron.

Nothing in my manual about the flashing. Finally I noticed the tag on the connectors that explained how to turn off the “anti-theft” warning.

Went on a beer run, stocked the cooler for tomorrow, ate dinner, missed the friday night Art Car Symposium. I’ve cooled down enough to take a shower before heading to bed.

We pick up the trailer at 7 am. People will arrive at my house at 8am. We are supposed to be at the parade staging area at 9am - but we can be as late as 10am and they’ll think we’re early. The parade rolls at 1pm.

I need to pick out some clothes for tomorrow, too. Oh, I’m driving the Allen OldiesMobile by the way, car #16.

“Enclosed is an important message from the IRS on the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008. Do Not Throw Away!”

That’s a quote from the back of the envelope from the United States Treasury. A paraphrase of the inside text: we consider you below the poverty line, you have zero adjusted income last year, and still had to pay $180 tax, so we’re throwing you a bone. We deposited $300 in your account 6 days ago. Please spend it all in one place, we think it will stimulate the economy. Not as much as all those rich people who we gave tax breaks will stimulate the economy …

$300 in a $13,794,000,000,000 GDP: I would do the math, but my calculator has an overflow error when I try to figure the percentage.