Houston, being built on or near a swamp, has a mosquito problem more frequently associated with the third world. It’s usually terrible, and much worse following consistent rain. The ‘skeeters apparently can breed almost overnight in about any puddle of water. I, personally, believe that they can breed in puddles of gasoline at the local filling stations.
It’s so bad that I’ve gotten literally a dozen bites outside my back door while waiting for my GPS receiver to sync up on a cloudless night. The kid needs to wear concrete shoes when he comes outside so they can’t carry him off (OK, that’s hyperbole). There are more mosquitoes here than laid off energy traders. Skeeters in Houston make up a larger portion of bloodsuckers than attorneys.
But, I heard the mosquito truck last night. So Jake and I are sitting out on a blessedly mosquito-free evening, unusually cool for late September, shooting hoops in the mini-basket. It’s nice to be able to slam on a three foot goal.
That’s it. Just happiness this evening. Hope y’all are doing as well.
for blogging this other than wanting to revisit it later. No time this afternoon.
Found Magazine, one of the coolest projects around, is headed to Texas and Louisiana on tour:
FOUND in louisiana and texas!
september 25 – 28, 2003
» join FOUND’s davy rothbart for a night of FOUND madness and merriment
» a 4-city swing with punk rock nothing abram himelstein
» bring your own finds to share!
new orleans, la» thursday, sept. 25, 7pm, free! the gold room, 619 carondelet, 504.947.9935
baton rouge, la » friday, sept. 26, 8pm, newz bee, 334 3rd street, 225.344.7009
houston, tx » sat. sept. 27, NEW LOCATION! sound exchange, 1846 richmond ave, 713.666.5555
austin, tx »
TWO SHOWS, with neal pollack and friends!
sunday, sept. 28, 7 + 10 pm, alamo drafthouse, 409 colorado st, 512.476.1320
Congressman Jim Marshall (D-GA) in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
…News media reports about our progress in Iraq have been bleak since shortly after the president’s premature declaration of victory. These reports contrast sharply with reports of hope and progress presented to Congress by Department of Defense representatives —- a real disconnect, Vietnam deja vu. So I went to Iraq with six other members of Congress to see for myself.
…(The goals of establishing reasonable security and fosting the creation of a secular, representative government) are goals worthy of a fight, of sacrifice, of more lives lost now to save thousands, perhaps tens or hundreds of thousands in the future. In Mosul last Monday, a colonel in the 101st Airborne put it to me quite simply: “Sir, this is worth doing.” No one I spoke with said anything different. And I spoke with all ranks.
…Where are the embeds now that we are in the difficult part of the war, now that fair and balanced reporting is critically important to our chances of success? … Today there are only 27 embedded journalists from all media combined. … Through decentralized decision-making by unit commanders, the 101st Airborne Division alone has spent nearly $23 million in just the past few months. This sum goes a very long way in Iraq. Hundreds upon hundreds of schools are being renovated, repainted, replumbed and reroofed. Imagine the effect that has on children and their parents. …
A gaggle of incredibly fit women have invaded the United States, and are chasing each other around, tackling, getting sweaty, and rolling around in the grass.
That’s right, folks, it’s time for the Women’s World Cup again. Fears of SARS got this quadrennial event moved back to the US for the second time in a row, not that anyone has been paying attention. FIFA, the governing body for metric football, which recently, like Europeans everywhere, stifled freedom of expression by passing a rule saying that it is illegal to celebrate by ripping off one’s top, is contributing to the lack of attention by running info on the Men’s World Cup qualifiers at the top of their home page instead of info on the actual Women’s World Cup. Stupid Sexist Europeans.
The actual WWC Homepage has great content, if you’re into Women’s soccer.
Read more!
Couldn’t help myself but to put an excerpt of Carol Lay’s latest Salon cartoon up. Notice Carol’s suBtlety (pronouced SUB-tul-tee) twice in the same panel!
Consumed with pop culture as I am, I faithfully read not one, but TWO entertainment rags every week. This week, Entertainment Weekly gains the upper hand on US Weekly by making me LOL twice in in the first open pages.
Every week Jim Mullen ‘s column, Hot Sheet, lists 10 of the latest gossip tidbits. Of course the Bennifer wedding features heavily in the current issue’s tidbits — by being mentioned in every single slot — but the best tidbit is saved for last.
The Deal Report follows the Hot Sheet every week with the latest big-time wheeling and dealing in the industry. The editors decided to poke a little subtle fun at Drew Barrymore this week.
