If Bush is really so interested in monitoring the phone and internet communications of dangerous people, maybe he could start with Congress.  Unless of course he already did, which might explain why has so much leverage in getting Congress’ continued support for his programs.

This is a different type of focus. I just spent the morning getting paid to sit in a focus group, listen to feel-good message from our local energy monopoly, and make comments.

They wanted to know how I feel about conservation tips and feel-good messages about their environmental work. When the discussion touched on assistance programs for the poor and elderly, the crotchety old man on the other side of the table made an interesting point, asking whether this was a public utility or a social program, but then he kept making the same point for the next hour or so and it got kind of old. There was a definite divide in the room between the homeowners who loved the programs to help buy more efficient appliances, and the renters who are stuck with whatever applicances provided by our landlords.

I don’t know if we contributed to the energy monopoly’s goal of fine-tuning the warm and fuzzy handouts that come with their bills, but Quicken says the morning was a success anyway. I wonder how I could make getting paid to drink coffee and stay awake while old people ramble into a regular new sideline.

I started a little project last week to redo the code that controls the rotating banners at the top of this page. I was going to tweak the php a bit, and the goal was to make it simpler (and hopefully faster) while at the same time give me a few more options for special days.

You might not have noticed, but the over-the-top-flag-waving patriotic banners show up on federal holidays, and only the violet banners were used on my Mom’s birthday. There are a few other themes and such in there, but if I pointed them out now there would be no reason for you to come back, right? There will be halloween banners, despite how much the old graveyard banner bothers Micky.

Getting back to the point, it was supposed to be a simple php tweak. Only it isn’t. But the OCD in me won’t let it go, so I’ve spent more time in the last week on some backend code for picking semi-randomized graphics than I have on actually making posts with content.

I’m learning more about php, and if it works here I’ll be able to do something I’ve been wanting to do on one of the work sites, but it still drives me nuts. Walking the caffeinated line right now: enough to stay focussed without bouncing off the walls. Maybe I’ll have my Eureka moment today. Or maybe never.

An accidental overdose of caffeine this morning is preventing anything remotely like focussing on work.  Much too bouncy.  Much too easily distracted.  Gotta run.

Loving Heroes.  I’m not optimistic that it’s potential can be achieved, mostly because a broadcast televsion network is involved, but for today I’m loving the show.  Hopefully that will keep me going until Battlestar returns next month.

Millions of crystals along its walls shimmer like diamonds. Translucent mineral “curtains” hang from the ceiling. Flowstones that resemble spilled paint dot the floor. A lake that might be 20 feet deep fills one of the cave’s five known rooms, and passages leading into darkness suggest there is still much more to see.

Can’t even imagine what it must feel like to be the first human to see a place like that. At least they took photos.

It was the last day of summer.

It was the last day of a long workweek.

It was the first sunset water polo game at UCSD for the season. The local UC doesn’t have the big sports like football, so games in the sports like water polo become standing room only events complete with cheerleaders and pep bands. Great way to end a day or a week.

The transition at the sunset game from sunny afternoon to dark (with resulting impact on the photography) was perfect for the ceremonial change from summer to autumn. The equinox has passed, and fall is here now. I guess I have to accept that.

Meerkats are cool, but I’ll admit I’ve never watched (or heard of) Meerkat Manor. Pongo watched more Animal Planet than I did, usually when I needed something to drown out noises when I was leaving him alone in a hotel room. He liked his puppy porn, and at least it wasn’t pay-per-view. I had other interests on my rare exposures to cable TV.

So I’m browsing the Los Angeles Times today and stumble on this article. People are all atwitter over the outcome of a reality show. A reality show featuring meerkats. Ohmigod it might be scripted. Ohmigod animals die in the wild. Ohmigod things might be edited to make the show more interesting.

Nothing changes the fact that Meerkats rock – I just wonder about people sometimes.

Woke up this morning to find there were just enough caffeinated beans left for one pot of the magic elixir.  Must remember to shop today.

Been tinkering with the code.  Lots of trial and error with PHP, because that’s the only way I know how to program in PHP.  Little change, see if it works, then try again.  Everything seems to be working, but please let me know if I missed (i.e., broke) something.  Not sure if this will lead to any long-term changes, or just convince me that something is possible but not what I want right now.