the Irish roots of slang expressions

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/08/nyregion/08irish.html?ex=1352178000&en=56db4a3c5576c9cc&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss

Etymologies are often somewhat speculative, but if even half of these connections are genuine, that's interesting...especially to someone such as myself who has an unpronounceable Irish Gaelic string as a last name.

investigating brain reactions to political candidates

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/11/opinion/11freedman.html?ex=1352437200&en=e0ca987ad4bd515f&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss

I think that the sample size is quite a bit too low to warrant much in the way of conclusions...but the investigation itself is interesting (and reminds me of a book I read recently, co-authored by Neal Stephenson (as half of "Stephen Bury"), called _Interface_).

Veteran's Day, 2007

In my family (as far as I know: I may have missed one or two):

* my father: US Army
* my paternal grandfather: US Navy
* my brother: US Marine Corps
* my brother-in-law: US Marine Corps
* my sister: (USAF?)JROTC

Two of these retired after 20 years of service; the sum total of years of service is at least 53. None died in the line of duty (although at least two could easily have done so). At least one had screaming nightmares for years after leaving the service.

I haven't been eligible for military service since probably sometime in junior high school (eyesight). Otherwise my life might well have been considerably different.


In any case: thanks to each of them, and to all other veterans who have served the US honorably.