(no subject)

As karai_lambert says, good we have the FDA on our side. Terrorists are so clever, they'd for sure find a way to poison all the drugs bound for Canada that are in the big boxes marked "save these to send back to the US". Bastards!

"We do acknowledge that al-Qaida and other terrorist groups have studied agroterrorism techniques and have probably considered that tactic with regard to destabilizing the United States," said Brian Roehrkasse, spokesman for the Homeland Security Department.

Because spraying biological agent from crop dusters is *so* like tempering with prescription drugs...

As if this had a damn thing to do with terrorism and not protecting the interests of the big pharmaceutical companies. Just be honest, guys, and stick the pharma logos on your suits, guys. NASCAR drivers and soccer players wear their sponsors' badges on their uniforms all the time, so we wouldn't be confused by your doing the same thing. And they'd probably pony up a bit more for the RNC if they got badging rights. Why not sell naming rights, too? The Pfizer Department of Homeland Security; the Johnson & Johnson Border Patrol...

Bush CDC guts HIV protection

http://www.laweekly.com/ink/04/31/news-ireland.php

Not news to those who work in the field, I know.

concert report

The Dar Williams concert last night was tremendous fun. I'll probably do a post on it, but right now I'll just burble happily to you. :-) It was very different from the last time I had seen her, just her and her guitar instead of the whole band she brought on the Beauty of the Rain tour. I found a seat in the back and ordered dinner, which came surprisingly fast given how full the place was. The openers were Neriss and Katryna Nields (http://www.nields.com/) who I hadn't heard before, but quite enjoyed. They're going to be playing at Jammin Java in Septmeber, and I'll definitely go see them.

Partway through their set I was joined by a trio of young ladies searching for seats (my table was one of the few with any open); they were quite charming , and I had a nice chat with one of them in the break before Dar came on about where we had seen her before, favourite songs, and so on. They hadn't known about the "four babes with guitars" tour that DW, Mary Chapin Carpernter, Shawn Colvin, and Patty Griffin did last year, which included a stop at the Lincoln Theater. Just before Dar came on, my companions' two other friends showed up and squeezed into the last spots at our table; they'd apparently had a horrible time driving through the rain to get to the theater (there was some byplay about soem guy who was being a real jerk, too, but I didn't catch all of that :-).

Dar was wonderful, as always, charming and self-effacing and telling great little stories as she retuned in between songs. She played a couple of my favourites (though it's hard for me to say whihc of her songs I'm really more fond of than others). She started with Fishing in the Morning, gave a great intro to What Do You Love More Than Love that gave me a great idea for a gift for my mum (her birthday is Saturday)... she played probably between half a dozen and a dozen songs, including a coupe with the Nields sisters. They ended with As Cool As I Am (to massive applause and excitement from the audience, which had a very high proportion of young women who seemed to have come with other young women for some reason :-) and then played The Christians and the Pagans as an encore, also to thunderous applause.

more medical stuff

( finally got the path report from the gastroenterologist )

"In a changing world, we want more people to have control over your own life."

A pathetic speech by our First Dunce. Thanks to robbysmom for the link.( Read more... )

"decor designed as if by an underachieving ape let loose with a box of crayons"

That's how one critic is describing the buses slated to take over from Lonodon's beloved Routemaster double-deckers.

today's MasterCard moment

Half an hour on the elliptical trainer, with the resistance up to 5: Invigorating (but not exhausting--I need to move the resistance up higher)

A shower with Trader Joe's rosemary mint shower gel, shampoo, and conditioner, with a short period of ice-cold water at the end: Refreshing.

Realizing that I hadn't brought and extra pair of briefs or boxers and was going to have to go commando the rest of the day: Disturbing.

Getting back to my desk and realizing I still had five hours of work to go: Depressing

And still no one has found the nap room in our suite; there must be one somewhere...

once more into the breach!

Every once in a while I look at this Hundred Years War campaign again and am tempted to beat the bushes for players to run it.

Anyone interested? I'd probably use Might of Arms or WAB: Age of Chivalry to do the battles instead of DBA (unless folks really wanted to use DBA).

wheee!

Just five more minutes and I can go home...