I think I could even talk my sons into the SpongeBob cruise. Is this the one Pix is joining you on?

Excusing hacking because no one gets hurt in a campaign against people who aren't violent either seems a bit weird. Obviously a lot of damage can be done without physical harm. It's much of the point.

It's not a "bit weird" its the basis of civil disobedience. There is a whole philosophy behind it, the philosophy being that its ok to break the law and cause disruptions in order to affect change if you don't cause your target bodily harm by doing so.

Sitting down at lunch counters was illegal and theft. By law, those owners weren't doing anything wrong by refusing to serve black patrons. When something is legal but not moral, a proponent of civil disobedience will go ahead and break that law.

I do have an objection to the protest, however, and that is that it is too open-ended. There is no clear "We will do X untill you stop doing Y". "If you picket another funeral we will ruin your site" would be a MUCH better protest than "We'll hack your site until you shut up and go away forever". It's bad protest tactics and will prove ineffective for a long time before (and if) it ever works.

But that is to be expected, I'm afraid. The art of protest has really suffered for a while now. "We don't like the world bank so we're going to stop traffic and screw up everybody's commute" is so pointless it makes me scream. At least ACT-UP's "we're going to lock up this bridge for a day and make you people talk about AIDS" had an actual goal (if not stated cause-and-effect terms).

I think I could even talk my sons into the SpongeBob cruise. Is this the one Pix is joining you on?

Yes, this is the one that Pix is planning on joining me. That's a little up in the air right now but hopefully it's all going to work out with the cruise line and she will be there.

Hi honey!

Yeah, we hope that I'll be able to go, but it's pretty nebulous right now. I will cry and cry if I'm on break and ND is in the Med without me.

I just discovered that it was happy Beverly day! Happy Birthday! I hope it has been a fabulous day.

Oh, Happy Birthday, Bev!

Happy Birthday, Bev!!

Happy birthday, Bev!

I am trying to shake this cold before Mardi Gras season kicks into high gear - the first parade is tonight - but it is really hard to be good and rest in New Orleans, especially when it's in the 70s and the awesomest season of fun is upon us.

I feel bad missing Krewe de Vieux tonight, but I think it's necessary. It's in the Quarter and I don't have any plans with anyone to go (which stings a little) and I really do need to get better! Ugh.

Somewhat relatedly, it seems like native New Orleanians do not get hung over and I wish I could acquire that talent.

Wow! It is crazy windy here. The National Christmas tree blew down.

Laura, hey!

No kidding about the freaktastic wind. The National Weather service went on and on about the wild fire risk. I hate to hear that someone didn't heed it.

Bartleby and I went out for a walk this afternoon and I ended up with dirt in my eyes and mouth. The poor little guy tried to do his thing but, just as he squatted, a metal real estate sign make the most awful noise and scared the crap back into him. Poor little dude. He was so freaked out, I thought I might have to carry him home.

It's not fun out there.

Thanks, guys!

We had that wind last week. You guys can keep it, or pass it on to England, or something. We don't want it back. We lost power for a couple of hours, and there are trees down all over.