New data shows a disturbing correlation between serious accidents and the ability of children to envision a world full of exciting possibility.

Cheney said the attackers were trying “to find ways to question the authority of the central government.”

Tougher and tougher to separate the parady from the allegedly legitimate news these days, so let’s review the basics. Kids have fun. Teenagers and civil libertarians question authority. Terrorists murder people.

["CNN" article via Nala].

It’s raining, which would normally have me down, but I’m still so happy that last week is over that it’s just not bothering me.  My herb seeds are probably drowning or washing away, but I can replant. Doing a little writing, and a little site tinkering, and sipping on the decaf.  Got a meeting later on today for some new business, which is nice, even though I’ll have to get dressed.  Looking forward to Thursday, when the magic machine converts the billable hours for the month into payable invoices, which will eventually allow me to go out and forage for food and shinies.  Hopefully the rain will have stopped by then.

One week from today I will be turning 39 for the fifth time.  I’d be turning 43 but for having to stop time to avoid the paradox of being older than Mom. 

Two major sources of work-related stress were eliminated Thursday night and Friday morning.  I’m off one case, and the other is now going forward smoothly.  It’s been a long time since I looked at having fewer clients as a good thing, but sometimes in this case it is a very good thing.  Learned some important lessons about picking and choosing which clients I should take on.  Life is much, much better now. 

“She doesn’t just go up to you and hug you,” said Detective Sgt. Tom Donovan. “She actually grabs (them), tries to talk them into something more, and there goes their wallet.”
The Hugging Bandit has been striking for about the past decade, typically between 2 and 4 a.m. She uses the credit cards she steals within hours of her theft, police said.
“As far as I can tell, she waits until it’s late at night and these guys coming out of the bars are tipsy,” Donovan said. “They’re either going to their car or going to the hot dog vendor … She makes sure they’re rip-roaring drunk.”

Ah, the advantages of waiting until last call.  The 48-year-old heavyset pickpocket either gets men who say yes, and gets laid, or says no, and she steals their wallets.  I’ll bet there are even a few nights where she gets both the lovin’ and the money, hence the prostitution arrrests.  Amazing that after seventeen arrests in nine years she’s still on the loose.

Want: to spend more time banging the heads of delinquent clients.

Need: to spend more time prepping tomorrow’s hearing.

Want: A nice, long, peaceful swim.

Need: To make certain I’m not trying to make oral arguments through a sudafed buzz tomorrow.

Want: To have fewer needs.

Need: To spend more time on my wants.

I know most of the kiddies out there have never actually “dialed” a phone, and for them this rant will be pointless, but I’m going to ramble a bit anyways.  Just saw an article on a proposed new “area” code for San Diego County.  This would bring San Diego County up to four area codes, and California up to at least twenty-nine.  Actually, if you include my office line (888), we have three area codes represented in this one little condo (619 and 760 as well).  We’re big like that.  Almost as bad as when I lived in the DC metro area in the 80s and 90s, and nearly every call was long distance because they crossed state lines.  Faxing from my old apartment to the Cubes in 2004-05 was also long distance because the call went a whole 15 miles, but crossed from the 619 to the 858.

But the point of this, if there was one, is that maybe “area” codes should go the way of dialed phones.  Wouldn’t things be simpler if the regulators would just admit that phone numbers are ten digits long now?  I kept my 509 number for months after I moved to Monterey, and my 831 number well into my San Diego years.  “Local” numbers are regularly forwarded for business purposes, and I don’t even know the area code for New Delhi.

The rain’s been coming down hard since at least 2:30 this morning, the first time the rumbling woke me up.  At least the herbs are getting watered and the BBQ’s getting clean, even if my plans for the holiday are drifting down the storm sewer right now.

Nice swim yesterday.  Back and brain are both feeling stretched a bit.  Gotta remember that the pool is less crowded on the weekends.  On a swimming-related note, giggling at this.  Uptight people Non-swimmers can be so funny sometimes.  [After bouncing around Google a bit, it seems the first photo in this post at Rod 2.0 is the photo in question.] 

Happy Year of the Pig Boar!  Just wanted to get that out while I’m waiting for my bacon to cook.

No sand between the toes, but the law firm’s first poolside siesta of the season took place today.  Time to start thinking about that base tan.