Fun for nerds: Name the 50 states in 10 minutes. I've done it twice (not in a row), and both times came up with 46 in about five minutes, and couldn't think of the last four. Different four both times. [link]

don't forget to set the clocks people. we're to bed.

Remember, set your clocks two hours and forty minutes ahead, and be sure to line them up North and South.

And if you forget to reset your clocks, do not touch them for at least 48 hours.

with liberty and a just frog.

Hah! Sleep well.

Apple encouraged me to download a DST patch. Which I did. But my clock is set to update off a server clock, so... I'm probably missing some nuance.

I'll probably wait until 11 or so and then reset the clocks. It's best that way. Even if I stay up too late, it doesn't get ridiculous.

Apple encouraged me to download a DST patch. Which I did. But my clock is set to update off a server clock, so... I'm probably missing some nuance.

Internally, your Mac keeps time by GMT, and when it syncs time over the network, it doesn't pay attention to the time zone, or whether or not it's DST. It's only when a human asks the computer what time it is does it bother with the time zone.

Ah. That makes sense (the funny thing is all work computers I use display GMT, so I'm used to automatically doing the translation in my head. So you'd think that would occur to me. But no.)

Multiple media outlets are focusing on the unsurprising story that the FBI seems to have been abusing its powers under the Patriot Act to issue so-called "national security letters" (NSLs), whereby the FBI is empowered to obtain a whole array of privacy-infringing records without any sort of judicial oversight or subpoena process. In particular, the FBI has failed to comply with the legal obligations imposed by Congress, when it re-authorized the Patriot Act in early 2006, which required the FBI to report to Congress on the use of these letters.

OK, that's not surprising. But by in incredibly bizarre coincidence, the requirement in the Patriot Act that the FBI failed to follow was a requirement that Bush proclaimed he didn't have to follow when he issued a signing statement on the legislation. Weird, huh?

...NSL reporting requirements imposed by Congress were precisely the provisions which President Bush expressly proclaimed he could ignore when he issued a "signing statement" as part of the enactment of the Patriot Act's renewal into law. Put another way, the law which the FBI has now been found to be violating is the very law which George Bush publicly declared he has the power to ignore.

...

When a country is ruled by an individual who repeatedly and openly arrogates unto himself the power to violate the law, and specifically proclaims that he is under no obligation to account to Congress or anyone else concerning the exercise of radical new surveillance powers such as NSLs, it should come as absolutely no surprise that agencies under his control freely break the law. The culture of lawlessness which the President has deliberately and continuously embraced virtually ensures, by design, that any Congressional limits on the use of executive power will be violated.

Oh well.

[link]

Fun errands accomplished and movie seen. I decided on 300. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Thoroughly. Also picked up some random stuff at the dollar store, bought a little "yay you!" present for my sister (not at the dollar store, though) who passed all four of her CPA exams, then I read my book and drank a latte in one of the comfy chairs at Borders, where I also picked up some cards. Oh, and I exchanged a shirt that I bought for my nephew at Costco for a larger size.

Hope Allyson's reading is going/went well.

Kathy - what Robin and others have said - reading your progress is a day-brightener and an inspiration.

with liberty and a just frog.

HAR!

I WISH I could come and do that.

Oh well. I'll have to kick myself in the pants. I'm mostly organized. Except for all my paper. I've got random piles everywhere.

Am sick. Have mountain of grading and lesson-planning to do, cat-ears to clean, litter box to empty, apartment entropy to slow. Want to curl up with hot tea and sleep some more.

Oh yes, also must find job. So looking forward to writing personal essay all bright and shiny and idealistic-sounding.

So I'm wearing one of the wraparound dresses with a camisole. Kinda stabbing in the dark with the colour combo, but I think it works okay. The other one, which is pale beige with a black print might be a little harder to work. But for tonight, well set. Thanks for the loan, Kat!