Truman

I’ve become addicted to PBS’s American Experience series profiling the Presidents. Last night was the second part of their program on Harry Truman and it didn’t disappoint.

I knew of some of the important things Truman accomplished but the program really put them into perspective for me. Here was a guy who had been a farmer and a failed small businessman that was chosen to be Vice President. Less than three months later, he becomes President and has to pull himself up by the bootstraps as Roosevelt had basically ignored him.
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Easley’s fist bumps

Mike Easley attempts a fist bump with Barack ObamaBarack Obama made a visit to Raleigh yesterday, kicking off a nationwide series of talks on the economy. The Progressive Pulse blog taunted Mike Easley for jumping on the Obama bandwagon late. I don’t think we should be so tough on him, however. You see, Easley was on the Obama bandwagon all along.

See that fist bump in the photo above? As evidenced by this poor display of fist bumpiness, Easley knew that whatever candidate he threw his support behind in the primary would become instantly unhip, consequently dooming Hillary Clinton. Fortunately, Obama has plenty of extra hipness to make up for Easley’s deficit.

Brilliantly played, Governor!

Any itch is anywhere

Lookie! I got an email from the director of the FBI!!!11!! I guess he has to use a free email account due to government cutbacks or something. I guess the FBI had to close its Washington office, too, as the bureau now observes Central European Summer Time.

To: mark@localhost
Subject: FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION. Anti-Terrorist and Monitory Crimes Division
From: Federal Bureau Of Investigation.
Reply-To: Federal Bureau Of Investigation.
Date: Sat, 7 Jun 2008 19:13:08 +0200 (CEST)

Anti-Terrorist and Monitory Crimes Division.
Federal Bureau Of Investigation.
J. Edgar. Hoover Building Washington D.Crobertmuellers01@washingtondcfbi.com
washingtondcfbi@fastermail.com

Attn: Beneficiary,

We have noticed that you have not received your ATM CARD.

Update the office so we investigate and see if any itch is anywhere. Keep us posted for vital advice.

FBI Director

Robert S. Mueller

Why its still biking weather

Yes, the temperature was above 100 degrees today. That didn’t stop me from riding my bike to work, however. I’m actually in a position where the heat doesn’t affect me much.

The secret’s in the route. Our house is downhill from downtown. Thus, I do my climbing in the morning: while its still cool. When its quittin’ time its also very warm … but, my trip home is all downhill. So, I don’t put myself at much risk when the weather is hot.

Now, when it turns cold … that will test my resolve!

Raleigh Neighborhood College graduation

My Raleigh Neighborhood College graduation was on Thursday. If being elected valedictorian wasn’t enough, the flattering comments my classmates made about me were enough to make my head not fit through the door. I’m starting to think that might I have what it takes to play this game.

My speech was two pages, double-spaced and it was nothing special. I speak much better when I have a few points to make and can improvise how to move from one to another. When I’ve got a script to follow I’m hopeless. Ah, well, everything’s a learning experience.

As I said in my speech, its inevitable that I’ll be getting more involved with Raleigh. To what extent, we’ll see.

Balloon man flies office chair for 50 miles

Remember my mythical weather balloon project? Its become totally lame in light of Jonathan Trappe’s trip in a chair tied to 55 balloons. Saturday, he strapped himself in at the Franklin County Airport and flew 50 miles east, reaching an altitude of 14,000 feet. My put-a-camera-on-a-balloon idea just doesn’t measure up.

And how is it that a guy can risk his life tied to an office chair floating at 14,000 feet but he can’t put up a webpage chronicling the project? There’s not even anything on Youtube yet.

Update 28 May 2010: Jonathan’s crossed the English Channel!

Heat blankets everything

After a morning a bit lazier than I’d planned, I went to the backyard to put our newly-acquired tomato plants into the ground. I got as far as digging holes and putting down weed blocker before the blazing heat chased me indoors. It was 11 o’clock and already I felt drained of energy. The plants will have to wait until the evening.

When we arrived downtown for our movie, you could’ve heard a pin drop on the streets of Raleigh. It was a sweltering ghost town. Its a good day to lie low.

Three digit temperatures call for three dimensions

There are few places better to be when its sweltering outside than a cool movie theater. We took advantage of our Marbles membership and hot-footed it over to the IMAX theater for the noon showing of Bugs! 3D. We had cool prime seats in front of a five-story tall silver screen.

It was the Travis’s first theater experience, and Hallie’s second. For both it was their first time at a 3D movie. They had me laughing as they reached out and grabbed the butterflies appearing to fly right towards them.

We then moseyed over to the museum for an hour or two of play. All in all it was a great way to escape the heat.

(Incidentally, 3D movies are a great way of scratching the 3D itch I had.)

August weather in June

Today’s temperatures are expected to soar to 102 degrees F. Its barely the second week of June! I suppose we’re now paying for those weeks of mild weather where we kept our windows open and the air conditioning rarely ran.

This stifling weather’s got Kelly and I missing the cool weather of the San Juan Islands. Upon our return last year, we traded the Islands’ low-70s high temperatures for Raleigh’s oven-like 100s.

Its a shame that it now costs an arm and a leg to fly anywhere.

Classical gas

I had to smirk last weekend when I put five gallons of gasoline into my 5 gallon lawn mower gas can for the price that would once fill up my car.

Time to get that Segway. Or that scooter I’ve been meaning to buy. Biking to work in 100 degree weather isn’t that appealing.