Author: cdwan

Stolen from jwz:

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

The NPR show “On Point” featured Ron Paul yesterday, and I’ve finally found a Republican I can support. He isn’t running on a religious platform, he believes in evolution, he thinks we should get out of Iraq, and he very much wants to reduce the size and power of the federal government.

Naturally, he’s despised by the leading Republicans, and will probably be weeded from the stage in short order.

One of the callers asked if he would consider running on a cross-party ticket with Dennis Kucinich … and he did not say “no” outright.

So – I’m setting my “Obama & Oprah” dream ticket aside in favor of “Paul and Kucinich”.

Naturally, if Jesse Ventura decides to enter the fray, all bets will be off.

Nog:

3/4 gallon (3 quarts) half and half.
18 eggs. That’s right, I said 18 eggs.
3 cups sugar
1 fifth (3 and a half cups) bourbon
1 pint brandy
1 pint rum

Mix the half and half, eggs, and sugar until dissolved. Add the booze. Mix well. Chill. Keeps for months.

In other news, we were watching old home movies, and I was … persuaded … to post this picture of myself from 1994. Huzzah for old home movies.

All cynicism aside, best wishes to all this morning. To steal a sentiment from rev_e: Happy Tuesday, if nothing else.

The Archbishop of Canterbury and the pope both gave decent sermons urging people to set aside war and to show each other more love and respect.

The New York Times has a nice editorial on Christmas Morning, and how the uninitiated might be forgiven for thinking that what we actually celebrate is the excitement and potential of being able to go to sleep late on a dark winter’s night, and wake up to a whole new day of opportunity. “After all, what other holiday do we attend in robes and pajamas?”

Also, my weekly Buddhist quote from Snow Lion Publications is worth a look:

When we compare two ancient spiritual traditions like Buddhism and Christianity, what we see is a striking similarity between the narratives of the founding masters: in the case of Christianity, Jesus Christ, and in the case of Buddhism, the Buddha. I see a very important parallel: in the very lives of the [founders] the essence of their teachings is demonstrated. For example… the essence of the Buddha’s teaching is embodied in the Four Noble Truths: the truth of suffering, the truth of the origin of suffering, the truth of the cessation of suffering, and the truth of the path leading to this cessation. These Four Noble Truths are very explicitly and clearly exemplified in the life of… the Buddha himself. I feel [it] is the same with the life of Christ. If you look at the life of Jesus, you will see all the essential practices and teachings of Christianity exemplified. And in the lives of both Jesus Christ and the Buddha, it is only through hardship, dedication and commitment, and by standing firm on one’s principles that one can grow spiritually and attain liberation. That seems to be a central and common message.

In honor of these and other similar sentiments, I plan to set aside cynicism for the morning at least, and to simply be happy sharing a morning of gifts, music, reflection, remembering, and relaxation with my family.

I was down in Norfolk today (Thursday) for a design review. At about 7pm, I left Norfolk on a plane for Laguardia, thence to connect to Providence. The plan *was* to stay in Providence overnight and then fly down to Philadelphia for a party that redmeds brother is throwing.

The flight into Laguardia was delayed, and when I got into the terminal I saw that my flight to Providence had been cancelled. I slouched over to the gate agent to ask what he could do for me, and then I heard an overhead page – final call – for a flight to Philadelphia. I asked if he could send me there. “Philly?” “Philly.” “You want Philly? You sure? Then run, man.”

I ran, had the same conversation with the other gate agent, and got on the plane.

As the plane pulled up to the gate in Philly, the gate mechanism broke and we had to taxi to a different gate. At that point I realized that I had cashed all of my travel karma and needed to get off the road immediately.

Apparently, Chris Brown and Bow Wow are staying at my hotel this evening. The woman at the desk pointed to the map of the rooms and said “they’re over here on the second floor, and I’ve put you over here on the first floor sir, just let me know if …”.

I said “it’ll be okay.”

Sleep. Four flights in four days.

I said “I finally understand why the grown ups always wished for the holidays to be over.”

She said “Oh, is this the year you finally became an adult? Congratulations!”

The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet will deliver the Peter M. Wege Lecture on sustainability on April 20 at Crisler Arena. The lecture coincides with Earth Day weekend and is free and open to the public, though tickets are required. The general public can obtain two tickets per person at the Michigan Union Ticket Office starting March 5. The Nobel Peace Prize winner and Buddhist leader last visited Ann Arbor in 1994, when about 9,000 people attended a lecture at Crisler. Each year, the Center for Sustainable Systems at the School of Natural Resources and Environment invites an internationally recognized leader to deliver the Wege Lecture. Recent speakers include former Vice President Al Gore and William Clay Ford Jr., executive chairman of Ford Motor Co.

Potentially of interest to some of you.

The other person at breakfast this morning (at the Inn) was a documentary filmmaker. She apparently interviewed Bill Clinton in New York yesterday.

I’m one degree of separation, and one day, away from Bill.

I think that’s sorta cool.