Bomb Iran, majority of Americans says in new poll

The poll results were viewed with a “Here we go again” attitude from bloggers chagrined at the apparent lack of lessons learned by Americans as the war launched against another hostile Middle Eastern regime stretches towards its fifth year.

Seriously. Get a fucking CLUE, United Statesians.

Sometimes a Fire is Just a Fire

I don’t get sick that often, so when I do, it’s notable. Even - like now - when it’s ‘just’ a cold, the fact that it only happens maybe once or twice a year makes it a pain in the ass. Or, in this case, in the head.

Monday morning, I woke up with a very sore throat, bad enough that I called in sick to work (something else that doesn’t happen very much). Not only could I not swallow without pain, but I could barely talk. Now, my co-workers might have been satisfied with that development, but I wasn’t. I stayed home, rested, drank hot beverages and felt better.

Yesterday, I went to work, despite my plugged sinuses indicating that the sore throat was the beginning of a cold. I coughed some, sneezed some more, but was generally able to function at an acceptable level. When I got home, though, the congestion was much worse, to the point that I went to bed ‘early’ (for me) to catch up on sleep.

Yeah, worked like a charm.

I woke up at least half a dozen times through the night, my nose so plugged that it was affecting my breathing. Naturally I was forced to breath through my mouth, so my tongue was like a thick piece of jerky and my lips were cracked. Yes, it was every bit as awesome as it sounds. I had some water once, and slathered my parched lips with Blistex, managing to get back to sleep.

I’ve always had a propensity for nosebleeds, so when I have to blow my nose frequently in furnace-induced dryness, well, there’s bleeding. Lots. This doesn’t help the congestion, since the usual ways to stop a nosebleed are counter-productive to unplugging a stuffy nose. So when I woke up for what seemed like the tenth time, feeling like my nose was bleeding again, I laid there cursing the common cold (as IF it’s necessary) not realizing - or caring - what time it was. Then my radio came on to mock me, letting me know it was now 6 AM. Great.

Pounding myself out of bed and into the shower, I tried to use the hot steamy goodness to clear my sinuses enough to function on what I figure was about four hours of sleep (or an hour more than RB gets on a good night without drugs). Then I downed my usual three cups of coffee.

None of it helped. I feel like ass, and I don’t have any drugs to clear things up (I swear by NyQuil at times like this, and Tylenol Cold and Flu Daytime during, you guessed it, the daytime). I can barely stay awake to type this, and I’m coughing and sneezing enough that I’m not going to expose everyone at work to my germage. I wouldn’t want me around me, so I’m unwilling to expose my co-workers to me.

If I get some energy (and maybe some rest), I’ll trudge to Safeway for some relief-giving drugs. Hopefully that’ll return me to my functional state. OK, semi-functional.

Oh yeah: I bit my upper lip Monday night, puncturing it nicely. This morning, while eating some toast? Yep, bit it again, same spot.

White House Cut Warming Impact Testimony

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House severely edited congressional testimony given Tuesday by the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the impact of climate change on health, removing specific scientific references to potential health risks, according to two sources familiar with the documents.

This is from last Thursday’s show at Mount Royal. I’ve posted a couple others on Flickr, but there was so much red lighting that it made good exposure very difficult. That, and I was literally arm’s length from James Canty’s mic stand, which makes even a 50mm (80 with crop factor) lens a little tight.

Toit like a toiger.

‘Twas an awesome show, though. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it apparently wasn’t what I got: a hard-rocking set that surprised me with its energy. Ted didn’t mellow until the encore, when he soloed acoustic-style.

Definitely worth the $24 ticket price.

Yet another in the series of ultra-cool Bravia ads. Check it here.

via Steve

While waiting to go catch the ferry for the trip home from Nelson on Tuesday, I headed down to the lakeshore to shoot some of the low-hanging clouds and fall colours. This one is one of my favourites from that excursion.

Isaiah Washington, from Grey’s Anatomy to The Bionic Woman. Bet he won’t be calling any of his co-stars “fag” again anytime soon.

(I know, weak effort for my first post in 9 days. Cut me some slack, I’m busy.)

In the Race to Buy Concert Tickets, Fans Keep Losing

I do better than most at getting decent seats - or any tickets at all - but that explains why, after getting in as soon as Van Halen tickets went on sale last weekend, that the “best available” were second level, 6th row, one section away from the stage. For $160 plus “convenience” charge. Thankfully (for my wallet), I wasn’t getting them for me.

Nice work, Bushites - you’re really showing your true colours in regard to your little project known as the Iraq War.

PFSD: Pentagon F*cks-over Soldiers Disorder