I spent all last evening just reading. It felt good. Nestina was at work, Debbie was at church, and I was home in my comfy chair just reading. I finished up some neglected periodicals, then got a solid start on Richard Friedman's Who Wrote the Bible? So far, so good. I have not read anything by Friedman before, but I like his writing style. It is obvious from the first chapter that he has put a great deal of time and thought not just in researching facts, but integrating them into a comprehensive hypothesis, then thinking through its impact on his faith. I expect this to be an enjoyable read.

Some random links:

Here is what happens when a country stops manufacturing things. Ford cannot sell as many hybrid vehicles as it would like because its Japanese competitors are not making the parts fast enough. I'll leave the implications of that as an exercise for the reader.

The movie industry continues its march into oblivion. Microsoft seems determined to go along for the ride. Given the steep decline in box office receipts, I'm not sure what these people think they have to sell that is so compelling that the entire world is going to junk their TV's, computer systems (including monitors), and DVD players just to be prevented from casual (and constitutionally protected) copying. The commercial pirates won't even see this as a bump in the road. In fact, by eliminating the small-time copiers, this will actually benefit the mass copiers in China and Russia. Personally, the consumer electronics thing is becoming a matter of great indifference to me. I have over a years worth of reading material sitting on my shelf. If the MPAA and the RIAA make listening to music or watching videos inconvenient, I'll just pass. And I find it hard to believe I would be the only one.

Britain continues to lead the West into the dark night of insanity. I can't think of anything to add; the stupidity of their own words are far more damning than anything I can come up with.

I've added a new blog: Operation Eden. Just because the media seems to have forgotten about Katrina and Rita, doesn't mean that it's over. Take a careful look at the images of the church: serious structural damage and the floor inches deep in toxic sludge. Even after the water is gone, there is still a lot to be done before life will be normal.

In the famous words of Porky Pig, "That's all folks!"