Events

The router at my remote office appears to have a cold, poor thing, which means only my phone and not my laptop can connect to the Intertubes right now. So after finishing this post (in Notepad), I'll go back to reading Joe McGinniss's The Rogue. Now, I never thought Sarah Palin qualified for any office, let alone U.S. vice president, but even I'm stunned. So, I imagine, is John McCain, who has made unexpectedly reasoned and clear statements that make me think he was abducted by aliens from 2007 to 2009....

On a quick weekend in Montréal, where it's mostly grey and rainy, I find bits of color: 14:15 ET today, Canon 7D at ISO-400, f/5.6 at 1/100, 55mm, here. Further down the street:

I just posted this on as a comment to an unfortunate friend's Facebook status. Forgive me; I'm at O'Hare, and kind of punchy: I left my keys in Boston, My phone at SFO, My shoes and belt, I lost 'em too, But where I just don't know. I think I saw my keychain last In Logan's Terminal B. I only hope the TSA Will get them back to me. I'd call them now, those helpful guys Who kept me from my gate, But like I said, my phone's long gone, And now's no time to wait. At least I know my keys are safe At Logan's...

Chicago-based United Continental Airlines followed this week's ANA publicity with a me too: Jeff Smisek, head of the parent company for United and Continental airlines, on Thursday said he was last told by Boeing that the first of the 50 aircraft ordered by the company will be delivered to have in service in the second half of 2012. "We ordered that aircraft in December 2004. So I've been a very patient person," said Smisek, the president and CEO of United Continental Holdings Inc. I'm writing this from...

From the Department of Nerd Studies comes a bit of research even I barely noticed: I'm 15,000 days old today. Like I said, nerd studies.

Dar Williams performing tonight at Park West, just a few blocks from my house: Canon 7D at ISO-6400, 1/50 at f/5.6, 250mm As an added bonus, Joan Osborne opened for her: Both of them:

Via Krugman, economist Lawrence Mishel shows that businesses aren't concerned about uncertainty: An examination of current economic trends, and especially what employers are doing in terms of hiring and investment, debunks this story about regulatory uncertainty as the cause of our dismal job growth. An examination of what employers and their economists are saying again and again in private surveys (cited later in this paper) makes it clear that what businesses actually identify as their challenges does...

A "cutoff low" parked over southern Lake Michigan Saturday night, giving Chicago unseasonably cool temperatures and non-stop rain for days: Precipitation within the storm has been "convective" at times--in other words, it's been the product of towering cumulus clouds. The overcast breaks at times in such an environment as air sinks on the periphery of such showers and this permits spells of passing sun. Veteran observer Frank Wachowski reports 48 minutes of sunlight occurred in Chicago Tuesday and the...

All Nippon Airlines, which took possession of the world's first 787 Dreamliner today, has announced the first routes for the new airplanes: The Dreamliner's first regular domestic service will be the Haneda-Okayama route starting on November 1, with a flight on the Haneda-Hiroshima route also departing the same day. As previously announced, ahead of its regular services, ANA will also operate a special charter flight between Narita and Hong Kong on October 26 and 27. It will be the world's first flight...

Via Sullivan, Sarah Palin threatened to sue Joe McGinniss over his recent book. (The UPS guy has my copy on his truck. I can't wait.) Of course, if she sues him, he'll have a field day with her: If a suit were filed by the Palins alleging slander or libel, the judge would require them to appear and give testimony. They would be REQUIRED to answer questions under oath. You might not have criminal exposure if you bring impermissible pressure on a state employee to fire another, but there are criminal...