Tigger's New Hiding Spot

This past summer Tigger disappeared in the middle of the day. It took me a while to look up throught the mulberry tree and find him in the soffet of the shed behind us.

Falwell Comments

CNN.com - Falwell: Hillary Clinton beats devil in drawing No votes - Sep 24, 2006 Jerry Falwell is the gift that always keeps giving. But he is right. Although he claims to be joking, if Hillary Clinton is nominated for president in 2008, she will be treated as the devil incarnate. It is curious though. If you look at her personal life, she leads a very traditional lifestyle. She has stayed with her husband even when she had all the justification she needed for a divorce. She is in no way the fire-breathing dragon she is painted to be.

A Slip of the Pen - New York Times

A Slip of the Pen - New York Times

The issue of signing statements by the president is fascinating. At first thought, wouldn't it be better if the president just refused to sign a law he disagrees with? In this editorial Walter Dellinger gives examples of why a president may need to sign an omnibus bill which has a few provisions he doesn't approve.

The real problem here is the question of proportion. A president or Congress may need to do things that are, strictly speaking, illegal. The important thing is not to do it too often, only in cases of emergency. If the president would honestly reject bills he doesn't feel he can enforce, then the few cases of signing statements wouldn't be a problem. The system won't work if everyone insists on going past the boundaries every time.

PICT0356

PICT0356
Originally uploaded by P_Linehan.

Crossing the bridge.
Here is the link to all the pictures in the set: http://www.flickr.com/photos/p_linehan/sets/72157594174435485/

PICT0384

PICT0384
Originally uploaded by P_Linehan.

This is a shot of the Lewiston-Auburn Railroad Bridge from the Auburn side. It has been converted to a pedestrian bridge with beautiful parks on either side. Who would have thought of such a great use of an old resource across the Androscoggin River.

The Grim Neurology of Teenage Drinking - New York Times

The Grim Neurology of Teenage Drinking - New York Times

I never realized before how dangerous underage drinking can be. This article highlights some of the neurochemical changes that can occur. Blacking out isn't just an obscure problem for alcaholics, but a real issue. This article shows it's more important than ever to avoid binge drinking. I would even argue avoid lighter drinking because of where it may lead.

Woodpecker Symphony

Forest sounds are always amazing. Yesterday at Mont Alto I was on a logging road behind campus. The large number of old oak trees, some dead standing, make excellent drums for the woodpeckers. The natural ampitheater effect on the hillside on the as yet leafless forest helped the sound resonate. Each bird had a different rhythm and each tree gave a different sound. When you add the other birds singing it was a real natural symphony. It was well worth the morning walk up the hill.