Story I came across today #4

This is the first paragraph from this article:

"PHILADELPHIA - A home-schooled teenager who felt bullied amassed a cache of guns, knives and hand grenades and tried to recruit another boy for a possible school attack, authorities said Thursday."

I guess he was planning a Columbine style attack on his own home? I think the internet age has brought us instant publishing, which is nice, but killed the editor in the process.

This reminds me of another thing that bothers me about news articles nowadays. That damn line (in one form or another) that is always added after certain quotes by people that choose to remain anonymous that goes something like, "says anonymous who cannot reveal his name because he is not at liberty to discuss the situation". Is it me, or has that line in its various forms gotten longer and longer over the last few years? What happened to just, "Unidentified sources", or something else short and generic. Why and how did it morph into some gigantic explanation of why they are anonymous? Why the hell are they (the reporters) discussing the situation with those people in the first place if they are not at liberty to discuss it? Shouldn't the fact that they are discussing it anyway be a story unto itself? Come on reporters, just rat them out!

Thing that happened to me today #29

About a week ago, I crossed paths with some girl that I have seen in the greenhouses where I work many times, and so I said the standard hello that you nicely say to people you see a lot but don't know. Her reply, "Good morning". Normally not a bad reply, however, it was four o'clock in the afternoon. I caught it, but it didn't faze me, that happens to people. I have done it myself before. Everyone has I'm sure. Maybe she was just stunned by the handsome fellow saying hi to her. I left it at that. Yesterday though, I saw her again, and my hello received the same reply. Good morning to me, this time at two o'clock in the afternoon. Now I don't know what to think. Maybe she is time-challenged. Or perhaps just completely oblivious to the world around her. Or socially inept. Or just that tongue-tied around strapping young men. Yep, that's the one it must be.

Thing that happened to me today #28

Had lunch yesterday with the director of the Institute for Cereal Crops Improvement (ICCI),which is located at Tel Aviv University, Israel. Not my choice, but we went to Chilis (actually the food was pretty good but have always shied away from corporate restaurants). Interesting speaking with her, learned about opportunities for people like me in Israel. Nice to get the opportunity to have a lunch with an influential person in my field, plus it was paid for by my department!

Story I came across today #3

If I were to have an 80th wedding anniversary like these people did, I would be ecstatic. However, Sandy would have to live to 111, and myself 107. Even with advances in modern medicine, not likely to happen. Although Moses apparently lived to like 600 or something I think, I guess the health care system was that much better back then, either that or they couldn't keep track of time very well, but I digress. Love you sweety, may we have as many great years together as our health allows.

Story I came across today #2

Apparantly this middle school in Illinois had such a love fest going on, they had to ban hugging. How silly is that? Will they ban hand shakes next? A simple nod of the head in recognition? Teaching evolution? Any of that would be just as stupid.

Story I came across today #1

You have probably noticed a new title here for this blog entry. It's because writing only about what actually happens to me on a daily basis doesn't always make for interesting blogging. Sure there are some tings I'd like to share and will, but I can't seem to find enough to post about when life is mundane, another work week and the like. So I will add a few things I come across that may be interesting/amusing, especially since Gwydion may be taking a break from doing this sort of thing - I had been passing these tidbits on to him anyway, so why not blog them myself?). Hopefully this will help to increase the post flow and the visitors along with it. So here we go with #1:

The world of medical science has brought us many things, but where are we heading when you can give birth to your own grandchildren? Weird.