Happy Birthday, ND!

Scrappy, I heard from ita yesterday, she's laying low for awhile.

Valid reaction to ... anything. I am glad you've heard from her though. We worry.

Do you all ever have days where you find yourself woohooing the small mundane accomplishments, because you're pretty sure that's all you're going to get.

I think feeding the cats and myself and medicating most of us is as good as it gets today. Oh and I emptied the dishwasher. Maybe a nap will reset my brain. Or burning the PNW down with fire. I don't know how to fix climate change and thus all of my sinus issues but that would help with the allergies.

Clearly the next thing I need to accomplish is filing an extension for my taxes. Tomorrow.

I'm curious what people think about the increasingly hostile cyber espionage environment between the U.S. and China.

It's been known for a while that China was aggressively making organized attacks at hacking both State and commercial interests. There seems to be some sense among the Chinese higher ups that there's no downside to being aggressive about stealing designs and plans. We can't exactly declare war when we owe them so much debt and depend on them so much for manufacturing.

Besides we've already been over extended militarily and there's no public taste for that kind of action.

There seems to be a driving sense of historical grievance on the Chinese side too, having been subjected to imperial control by the West for so long.

Also, they feel like America's in decline. That we've grown fat and entitled and are running up debt to maintain a lifestyle that we haven't earned.

Also, they feel like America's in decline. That we've grown fat and entitled and are running up debt to maintain a lifestyle that we haven't earned.

I do not diagree with that opinion.

Such a Monday.

I do not diagree with that opinion.

I don't either. Just looking at it from the POV of real politik, it makes sense that China, and Russia too for that matter, would try to hack and steal as much as they could. There is no police force to stop them - just diplomatic complaints. And since they're doing things like figuring out our energy infrastructure that's valuable militarily as well.

I also expect that U.S. can't squawk too much about it publicly because I doubt the cyber war on our side is solely defensive. There's a reason the NSA is well funded.

Ugh. I have a google alert for Beastie Boys stuff. I was clicking through news stories about the RRHOF inductions, and one of them was actually a nazi site with horrible things about these three jews co-opting black music for greedy greedy profit.

I don't usually stumble across these things. I feel gross.

No matter how gross you feel, the people who created that sight are ONE ZILLION times grosser.

My first world problem: The cleaning lady didn't show today.

My sister's first world problem: A $20K plumbing bill.

::hugs my first world problem tight::

Scrappy, as usual, speaks wisdom.

I'm at work today. I used to get Patriot's Day off, because I worked very close to the finish line, and the logistics of moving so many people around the cordoned-off streets was pretty much counter indicated.

At least I have a job this holiday.

Sparky-- full copper refit?

Theo, I'm not sure. I guess there's a possibility that it isn't going to be that bad, but in the meantime, they're in a hotel and need a special cleaning crew to come in before they can use the house.