This is all quoted material from the FEMA Emergency Manager's Page for Tuesday, July 27. I'm not linking to it because one has to navigate to find it. If you really think I'm making this up, drop me an email, and I'll give you instructions.

DNC Activities

During the first day of the convention, several minor incidents occurred, including the unexpected arrival of a large yacht in Boston Harbor. The passengers and crew of the yacht are being held for questioning. Immediately after the activation of restricted airspace, there was a violation by a small aircraft. Authorities have the pilot in custody for questioning. (FEMA HQ, Region I, Principal Federal Official)

Gosh, did you hear about that on the news? I sure didn't. I wonder if these people are still in custody?

The Miata needs some new suspension parts, and may be seriously bent. I hope it just needs parts, because I really like that car, which is why I was driving it when, on my way home from work tonight, while I was two miles from home, west bound on VA55, an east bound Warren County sheriff's deputy in some kind of SUV made in Michigan hit a deer.

The deer jumped into the road and right into his grill[1], then it bounced off his car, flew into the west bound lane, and hit the Miata very low on the passenger side front bumper. I pulled into the ditch as there is no shoulder there. At that point, the car looked fine. There is virtually no body damage, amazingly enough. What I did not notice, at least not until I tried to drive the car, was that the the passenger side wheel was two inches back from where it should have been. Actually, *I* didn't notice that at all. Tino noticed it when he came to decide whether to drive the car or not.

The cops were very nice, probably because one of their brethren had seen the whole thing and knew it was an act of God. Having a deer come flying at your car, right after you've HEARD it his the cop's car because you're in a convertible that's open was really an experience I hope I never repeat. I was very shaken up, and the hazards on that car don't work. As I said, there's no shoulder. Another Warren cop came in short order (it's a very small county) and put flares down on both sides of the road leading into the valley where this happened. The state trooper showed up later. He had to come and inspect things because the Warren guys are required to have another party to investigate their accident.

Not one WORD was said like "you should be more careful" or "how fast were you going" or even "can I see some I.D." -- having a COP have the bigger accident was a novel experience.

It's seemingly impossible to live in the country and not hit a deer at some point. It happens to everyone eventually. I really hope that was my deer-hitting experience, as it could have been much much worse.

[1] I was watching. I saw the whole thing. First it started falling over, then it fell over. IYKWIMAITYD.

On summer days like today, typical for Virginia, about 85-90' and sunny, I see people stuck in traffic on I-66 driving convertibles with the top down and others driving cars with all the windows open. I see way too many of these people to say that their A/C is broken or their car doesn't have A/C. Many of the convertibles, in particular, are late model NICE cars -- they have air conditioning. It's absolutely broiling hot while you're not moving, make no mistake. How can they *stand* it?

I drove in via the cross-Faquier County route today, which is shady and nice. Terrific for a convertible, and I was driving one. While I was crawling through Middleburg, it occurred to me that I might be happier if I pulled over and put up the top before I got to the sun-blasted portion of US50 with all traffic lights. Since I had a lot of country to cover in Loudon still, I did not. As a result, I got to work and needing fresh clothes and a shower because that section of US50 was, as usual, crawling along because of sod trucks and rock trucks in both lanes and construction along side of it all.

I'm sure, if I take I-66 home today, I will see plenty of people sitting in traffic in blazing heat with no A/C. Am I missing something here? What is the appeal of this?

Yesterday, while driving north on a major road through Chantilly, VA, I noticed that there was an awesome display of fall colors in the bushes on the other side of the road. I decided that on the way home from work, I'd take pictures.

These were shot from the car, and I didn't have the choice of going the speed I wanted to go.

This bush is not dead from drought -- we're not having one.

And even if it were drought, that doesn't cause a lovely display of fall foliage colors, now does it?

Mysterious? I don't know, maybe it's just the sunspots. We'll see if any trees change to join in on the fun.

This is how I always saw things related to Cheney and Halliburton, so I really enjoyed this snarky piece on Jane Galt's site:

Since conventional wisdom suggests Dubya's a moron, it's time to establish Nosferatu'sCheney's incredible long-term planning skills. Who cannot see that it is simpler to make years of preparation for war and spend huge amounts of the budget and international credibility than to just sign contracts with the old corrupt regime in Baghdad? Before making Halliburton rich, Cheney diabolically got rid of the bulk of his financial stake in it. To further cover his tracks, he made it's stock price go way down first so that the remainder of his stake was 'temporarily' reduced in value. Then he pledged to give away his upside, and keep only fixed-value payments unaffected by profits. Only a genius could both sell out of a deteriorating companies to fleece investors AND stay in to make a killing on war profiteering for charity! Martha Stewart eat your heart out.

Mentioned in the comments is the bizarre quantum state of the president that he can somehow be an evil genius and a moron at the same time. (I'm paraphrasing, but read the piece -- it's funny.) Which is it? Is he an imperialistic Dr. No brilliant-but-evil genius or is he a spoiled rich boy who's so dumb that he can't give a decent speech. He can't be both at the same time, folks.

The left is making a big mistake. If they associate themselves with whackjob propagandists like, say, Michael Moore and nutjobs like this guy they will drive away the moderates. It's abundantly clear to me that the opinions of this Llloyd Williams character are actually an exact match for what I hear on Air America and see on Metafilter and Plastic. I'm so annoyed with the barking moonbats trying to drive the anti-Bush machine, that I'm about ready to vote for Bush. Normally, I'd vote for the libertarian, but I'm mad at them too, after the stupid choices they've been making lately.