two desktops, several lines about normal life

After three genuinely cold days (lows below freezing three nights, -2, -2.6, -2.9C) it's warmed up again and everything has turned to rain. Hopefully some of it will still be snow in the mountains! We didn't get any snow here, but I'm pleased with this picture of frost:


Frostleaf (It's Been Cold Out)

You can click through the 640 pixel size to a 1280-wide desktop if you like. As always, (C) 2006 me, all rights reserved, no commercial use, send people back here for copies, etc. I also made a desktop version of the Freckles rose, also 1280 pixels wide, same comments.

Monday's miles: 1.6
Tuesday's miles: 0.5
Wednesday's miles: 2.5
Thursday's miles: 2.4
Miles out of Hobbiton: 1394
Miles out of Rivendell: 936
Miles out of Lothlórien: 482
Miles past Rauros Falls: 64.1
Miles to Isengard: 397.6

I've been snacking on apples on the little apple tree behind the house. Despite not getting enough sun, the apples are very good. I don't think they'd stay nearly as good if I took them off the tree and brought them in, though. They're a kind that seems like they'd soften up too quickly - there's a lot of sugar in them.

I got a good grade on my second Japanese test. Sensei is disturbed - normally about half the people fail and drop out of the class by now, but so far, most people have stayed, and all but three got As on test nr. 2. She's never had that happen before. I'm just glad the class is not on a curve, so we won't get screwed out of good grades that way. ^_^

Back to homework; I may put together another CWU tonight if I get done with my bio homework quickly enough. I can't wait for the election to be over; this is a grotesque year.

( Here, have some memes )

Today's Cultural Warfare Update

Attention Closeted, Self-Hating Evangelical Gay Men: STOP TAKING YOUR WRETCHED SELF-HATRED OUT ON THE REST OF US, YOU FUCKING BASTARDS.

Rev. Ted Haggard - and yes, he does matter, even if he's not as famous as Dobson or the better-known theocons - accused of paying for sex with men; URL courtesy firni;

More Focus on the Family GET OUT THERE AND VOTE GOP articles; this one's all about the judges again;

FotF looking for anti-marriage petition volunteers on election day in Florida;

FotF: Democrats don't care about character;

FotF: Americans United for Separation of Church and State should shut up and stop complaining about Focus on the Family's endorsement sheets "scorecards" being handed out at churches; note that 501(c)(3)s are permitted to endorse candidates, but FotF pretends these "scorecards" are different because, well, you know;

FotF complains about being "belittled" by Planned Parenthood; also repeats the very intentional "Plan B causes abortion" lie (it doesn't);

Latest fundamentalist-led attempt to amend Massachusetts's constitution to ban GBLT marriage comes up next week - anybody know whether this has any shot of happening? Let me know;

"Congressman Defends Life and Purity" - a Republican subcommittee generates a couple of theocon-pleasing documents we'll probably see quoted a lot soon, one on RU-486 and one on "abstinence-only education";

Religious-discrimination lawsuit against the Air Force Academy thrown out - the judge ruled that because the students were no longer students (the case has dragged on) that they no longer had standing to sue. I don't have details, but on the face of it, this is an amazing ruling - if you're looking for an excuse to get cases thrown out;

Concerned Women for America pushes South Dakota referendum to confirm the state's complete ban on abortion - including for the health of the mother;

CWA says, "Pay attention to us election night!" and offers talking-heads to anyone who will listen to them;

"How America Went Gay," an anti-gay psychologist's column hosted on "Leadership University," linked to by CWA; a moderate amount of red-meat in this column;

Traditional Values Coalition - "Elections Are Won By Who Gets Out The Vote!" - vote, vote, vote, vote, vote GOP;

TVC: Theocon-friendly judges at stake, vote vote vote vote GOP; Democrats in the Senate will be like "a Freddy Krueger movie;"

TVC: Vote, vote, vote GOP or "homosexual agenda accelerates" - there could be nondiscrimination law including GBLT people, and lesbian and gay people might be able to get married;

TVC: Vote, vote, vote GOP: "Key Races on November 7th";

TVC: Vote, vote, vote GOP, and in particular, the key issue is banning marriage rights for lesbian and gay people;

American Family Association reports on Focus on the Family's James Dobson endorsement of Ken Blackwell in Ohio; c.f. massive evidence of Ohio election fraud under his leadership in 2004, including precincts with more Republican votes than voters. Also, Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline intends to target abortion-providing doctors in his medical-records examinations.

( Articles and excerpts below )