Rice Lost Again

6-5 to LSU. Boo!

I guess now I'll just have to root for . . . nobody. Who cares, anyway? It's just college baseball.

One More Chance

Rice lost yesterday (17-5 to Fresno -- yikes!), so they have one more chance in the losers' bracket, against LSU tomorrow.

C'mon, Rice! Go Owls!

Monday

Are you sure it's Monday already?

It seems like we should get at least another day off, if not more.

It can't be Monday. Nope.

Flag Day

O! say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming.
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming.
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

O! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Thank you, Francis Scott Key.

Ireland Votes No to EU Constitution

First reaction: Yay!

The "yes" crowd (much of the government) refuses to call it a EU Constitution, but that's what it is. They refer to it as the Lisbon Treaty.

Out of all the countries in the EU, Ireland is the only one who has a vote of the people on the subject. The Irish were the only people who had a chance to stop Europe from turning into a mini USSR. I'm sure the "leaders" over there will still find a way to solidify their continental power, but for now, they got shot down.

From AFP via ABC:

Justice Minister Dermot Ahern told the broadcaster the "no" camp appears to have won, calling the outcome "disappointing".

. . .

His comments came as the first official result was published, showing that the constituency of Waterford in south-east Ireland had voted with 54.2 per cent "no" and 45.7 per cent "yes," on a turnout of 53.4 per cent.

. . .

Ireland is the only EU country holding a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, but could sink it since all 27 member countries have to ratify the agreement for it to come into force.

The Lisbon Treaty replaced the doomed EU constitution, which was rejected by French and Dutch voters in referendums in 2005, plunging the bloc into a crisis.

The Rest of the Field

For your reference, the teams in the College World Series are:

Stanford vs. Florida State (Saturday)
Georgia vs. Miami (Saturday)

Fresno vs. Rice (Sunday)
Louisiana State vs. North Carolina (Sunday)

North Carolina came in second the past two years, losing both times to Oregon State.

Rice had better beat Fresno. We don't want to take any chances of Fresno State playing Florida State in the final. That would be too confusing:

Rice Baseball Doing It Again!

The Rice University baseball team is in the College World Series! Again! For the third year in a row! For the fifth time in seven years! For the seventh time in twelve years! Maybe they'll win it again like in 2003!

Their first game is Sunday!

Go Rice!

Beat dem Bulldogs!

Boo, Bulldogs!

Look out! A giant rooster!

Junuary

This morning, the KING 5 weatherman called this month "Junuary." It certainly feels like it.

January
February
Marchuary
Apruary
Mayuary
Junuary
. . .

I only hope we have a real July and August before we hit the -bers.

But I'm not holding my breath. The sun's still cold.

eleven months ago

Having pineapple for breakfast takes me back to my honeymoon.

How long ago was that, eleven months?

Figaro

I almost forgot: Happy Holy Day of Névazhíno! Go get yourself an animal.

Chunlin did.





She named it Figaro.

Mom!

And here are some photos from my mother's sixtieth birthday party.


Smile!

Eat! Eat!

Open your presents!

Open your eyes, Mom!

National Donut Day

Today is National Donut Day and we don't have our typical Friday donuts here.

It's blasphemy!

. . . Perhaps I shouldn't have said anything in my yearly review about the donuts. I believe my words were, "What are you trying to do, give us all heart attacks and diabetes? Some of us have no willpower. It’s like handing out free whiskey to alcoholics!"

To which my boss replied, "We do that, too."