Random

> Yet another silly, but functional sign, if you stop and think it through. ~ via

> Christmas is a no burn day in our county -- inversion traps the pollution. That's okay, most homes don't have fireplaces anyway. (This is Phoenix!) But there are quite a few backyard fire pits which will have to go idle. ~ link

> The "right" is shifting. Pat Robertson:

"I'm ... I'm not exactly for the use of drugs, don't get me wrong, but I just believe that criminalizing marijuana, criminalizing the possession of a few ounces of pot, that kinda thing it's just, it's costing us a fortune and it's ruining young people. Young people go into prisons, they go in as youths and come out as hardened criminals. That's not a good thing." ~ link

> Mandatory sentencing rules for drug users are cruel and economically unafforable. Time for a change. Kemba Smith Pradia tells her story. ~ CNN (via)

> Skype was down for awhile yesterday. Oh well. Cox was down for awhile on Tuesday night -- and I actually pay for that service.

> "Why I Don't Want an iPad for Christmas" ~ WSJ

> When you've got a few extra minutes -- "The American Lutheran-Roman Catholic dialogue team has just released its latest statement, entitled 'The Hope of Eternal Life.' The dialogue was sponsored jointly by the ELCA and the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, with members of the Missouri Synod in attendance at the sessions." ~ link

> Robo-readers:

Math-loving traders are using powerful computers to speed-read news reports, editorials, company Web sites, blog posts and even Twitter messages — and then letting the machines decide what it all means for the markets. ~ link

> The Common English Bible New Testament is now available and searchable on BibleGateway.com