Another lustrum, another haircut. A lustrum is a period of five years; I’ve known that for about three lustra, but until now I never thought to look up why it’s so called and what the Romans used it for (which are the same question).
The first meaning given for lūstrum is ‘a purificatory sacrifice’ – which seems appropriate for a haircut.
Recently noticed a flaw in my car: I am tall enough that the main mirror blocks an important part of my view (where there are ramps). If I cannot contrive to mount it a couple of inches higher (or on the dash!), I may be safer without it.
How can we protect our chilldrun, when any six-year-old terrorist can take a plastic butter knife from the school cafeteria? (Link from Jimmy Wales)
Later:
. . . if the school insists on upholding the suspension, his parents reportedly will seek criminal charges against the school for supplying weapons to children.
My first reaction to such an approach is “Yow, go get em!”, but I fear it will be counterproductive in the long run. (Link from Rational Review News Digest)
Also from RRND: Santa Cruz County libraries strike back:
The signs, posted in the 10 county branches last week and on the library’s Web site, also inform the reader that the USA Patriot Act “prohibits library workers from informing you if federal agents have obtained records about you.”
(See also this which I linked in December.)
My one true ex keeps asking why I don’t get myself a library card.
what shall it profit an emperor . . .
Jim Henley links to Jonathan Edelstein who says of the WoT:
I will support this war again when we return to fighting it like the United States of fucking America.
For that he gets added to my To Read cycle, for what it’s worth.
stop calling it aggression — oo, we hate that expression!
An Open Letter to the Peace Movement by Roderick Long of the Molinari Institute. My own summary: Tax is war!
Vin Suprynowicz asks his friends to plug this review of his book The Ballad of Carl Drega.