Here Comes Earl

Image by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center via Flickr

As of 10p.m. Thursday…

…TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT…

…NEW INFORMATION… NONE.

…PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

PREPARATIONS SHOULD BE MADE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE…BEFORE CONDITIONS DETERIORATE. KEEP INFORMED WHILE LISTENING FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS. SECURE LOOSE OUTDOOR OBJECTS WHICH CAN BE BLOWN AROUND.

&&

…PROBABILITY OF TROPICAL STORM/HURRICANE CONDITIONS… THE CHANCE FOR TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS IS AT 48 PERCENT. THIS REPRESENTS A STEADY TREND SINCE THE LAST FORECAST.

…WINDS… AS HURRICANE EARL MOVES CLOSER…THE THREAT FOR SUSTAINED HIGH WINDS MAY INCREASE. RESIDENTS ARE URGED TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECAST FOR UPDATES. THE ONSET OF STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON…AND THEN LAST INTO THE EVENING.

65 Years Ago Today…

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… World War Two officially came to an end.

We should always pause on this day to remember those who gave or risked their lives for our country.

Let’s pray for peace and that our troops can come home from Afghanistan as soon as possible.

Unbridled Pizza Enthusiasm

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I just realized I have never had a piece of pizza that wasn’t delicious. Even the worst piece of pizza I ever had was at least somewhat delicious.

I will eat frozen, fresh, cold, day-old, left-overs, soggy, crisp, you-name-it.

I had a recent argument about this with some friends, but they did not change my point of view.

Divide and Conquer

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History lesson for today:

Always beware of this tactic: Divide, distract, conquer… while we make off like bandits!

Our hero for today: Two of them actually.

Mayor Bloomberg who shines here. It is rare to see a politician this eloquent. And this poor misguided Forest Hills lady, who at least has the guts to stand up in front of a crowd and question the very foundation of what makes America so great. But without such questions, we’d never get to hear such beautiful answers!

Watch the video at this link and you’ll see what I mean: How Does The Mosque Play In Forest Hills?

Brick and Mortar Memories

Before the internet, I used to do most of my browsing in the aisles of great bookstores like our neighborhood Barnes & Noble on Austin St.

More recently, that activity has been replaced by browsing of the digital kind, for instance on my Kindle.

But now comes word that the enormous Barnes & Noble at Lincoln Square in Manhattan is closing and will become a Century 21 store. A Century 21 store???!

I have so many wonderful memories of that gigantic bookstore, pretty much from the time it opened. I remember how excited I was every time I went there. It was a great place to just while away a lazy afternoon, cracking open one book after another, never knowing what I would discover next.

Now that will be replaced by bargain clothing. How exciting.

I am all for progress. And I absolutely love my Kindle. I end pretty much every day clicking away on the thing. But I will definitely miss that wonderful Barnes & Noble at Lincoln Square. And I truly hope our store here on Austin isn’t next.

I remember when I discovered last year that suddenly all the Virgin Megastores in the City had closed. That was bad, but it was more like an incovenience level-bad, an annoyance.

Ever since I was a teenager and had a few hours to spare, I’d jump in the car and head on over to my nearest bookstore, usually a B&N and, oftentimes a steaming Starbucks in hand, meander through the aisles.

I haven’t done it in a while actually, since, like I said, I can now carry my bookstore with me wherever I go thanks to my Kindle. But just knowing that I soon might never be able to do it ever again, makes me want to more than ever.