Mead Making

I think a few people were looking for this info, and so, as promised, here is a link to my meadmaking spreadsheet. Unfortunatly, comments from Excel did not translate, but the basics are all there.

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=pm86f-J6DmD1tV-i9107jOg

Pentathalon

WSJ: Army Sees Value in Pentathalon

Top Army officials also are trying to change a culture that discourages good officers from taking advisory posts. Over the past decade, the path to success has been through conventional combat jobs in big brigades. Gen. Peter Schoomaker, the Army's top officer, uses a track analogy to describe the problem. The Army, he says, is full of specialists, or "single-event people." To prevail in today's wars, he says, he needs "pentathletes" with a broader range of experiences.

Test

Tryout of Google Docs...

Can I insert a hyperlink?

Of course!

Can I insert a picture?

Yep!

Eli is Famous!

Sort of... My favorite part is this:

Bremer finished with 5,228 total points, well ahead of his closest competitor, Julio Granados of Mexico who finished in second place with 5,260 total points.

Must be that new math...

Thamnophis marcianus

Once again, herpetology called me home from work. This fellow was in a window well.
















Naturally, the kids were interested, and so were a bit hard to keep back when I let him out. He made a dash for the smoker...
















And out popped... Dinner!!!

Strange but true

Over 17,700 weapons were handed in during the first week of the national knives amnesty, the Home Office said. Machetes, meat cleavers and axes as well as knives were among the haul of 17,715 surrendered to the 43 police forces across England and Wales.

Yep, the nation which stood lion-like, against all odds, when threatened with Nazi invasion, has traded a roar for a meow. It sounds like parody, but sadly, it is not. I guess, based on these stories that soon we'll hear about amnesty for claw hammers, hockey sticks and baseball bats. Oh, and dark clothing will be banned.

Humanism teaches that Man is the Highest Being, and thus when evil events occur, the means of evil must be the cause. Rid yourself of the cause, and evil ceases. But:

The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God " They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good. The LORD has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men To see if there are any who understand, Who seek after God. They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one.

Sigh. I guess I just needed to think about something other than CFIC. This was on the news, hence the mental diversion. Back to studying.

Coluber constrictor

Once again, the excitement of the day is a snake! At breakfast this morning, Tamsey told me that earlier in the week, as she was working out on the elliptical, a snake peeked in the window. Naturally, I figured that the snake was probably still in the window well. Well, I was right! I peeked in and saw a cute little (compared to last week's snakes) greenish snake. Being a kinda smart guy, I figured he was a 'green snake'. I looked them up on the web and found that they are one of the friendlier snakes, easily handled. Just to be on the safe side, though, I put a stick down into the window well before putting in my hand. When the snake coiled, vibrated his tail and struck hard, I realized that I might have been mistaken. More cautious now, I caught him and brought him out for pictures. Now I am convinced that he is a racer. As you can see, JB is a budding nature photographer. After the photo-op, we turned him loose in the garden to eat bugs and other small critters.

Elaphe obseleta obseleta

So it has been a while again, but this was too good not to post. Today as I was spreading grass seed, minding my own business, I found myself eye to eye with this guy. I don't need my coffee today... Turns out he is a black rat snake, and his mate was also up in the tree. She had just eaten a nest full of young robins. Except for the one who got away...for now.

Yes, I am still here

I just haven't had much time to blog. Especially since McConnell won't let me blog in my few odd miutes free at work. Oh well. Tamsey has a great blog about our home-settling experience.

Oh, and I have added a few more pictures.

Freedom costs two more lives

Those who would continue the exchange of freedom for security could well use this as exhibit 'N for Nazi' in arguing their case.

Known as "Prussian Blue" — a nod to their German heritage and bright blue eyes — the girls from Bakersfield, Calif., have been performing songs about white nationalism before all-white crowds since they were nine.

"We're proud of being white, we want to keep being white," said Lynx. "We want our people to stay white … we don't want to just be, you know, a big muddle. We just want to preserve our race."

Shockinly enough, the MSM didn't include this damning tidbit until the sixth paragraph. Unbelievable restraint.

April home-schools the girls, teaching them her own unique perspective on everything from current to historical events.

It is a shame that these girls are having such warped teaching injected into their vulnerable minds, but at the same time, it is the apex of moral hypocracy to say that the State should prevent teaching children anything that could be construed as intolerant. That dog don't hunt, for obvious reasons. It is just an ugly world out there, boys and girls. Your moral compass is only as good as the lodestone from which it is carved...