What Caught My Eye Today

Military - Congratulations to the Army for breaking through another glass ceiling. Ann Dunwoody was nominated as the nation's first female four-star general. You may recall from a past question of the week that a four-star general is a full "General". President Bush tapped her to head the command responsible for keeping the Army supplied. I wonder if that includes keeping the Army supplied with fresh troops. Dunwoody is a 33 year military veteran and made a name for herself running various logistics operations for the Army. Service regulations ordinarily require four-star nominees to have combat experience, but the requirement was waived for Dunwoody. Big deal. I say if the broad is capable of the assignment, give her the job.

Netherlands - I love the Dutch. When the Dutch ban on smoking in public places goes into force next month it will have a curious side effect. In the 700 or so coffee shops that are legally entitled to sell marijuana, you'll still be allowed to light up a joint, so long as there's no tobacco in it. See what I mean?

For all you Mary Jane aficionados, we have a daily double for you.

Air Travel - A Colorado group is pushing for an exception to marijuana lows that would enable airline passengers to ge high before boarding Oh hell, yes. Members of SAFER (Safer Alternative For Enjoyable Recreation) successfully lobbied to decriminalize marijuana possession in Denver (Denver? I would have guess Boulder myself), and now they want travelers to be permitted to toke up in the smoking lounge of Denver International Airport. SAFER's director cites the recent spate of alcohol-fueled air-rage incidents, and argues that pot would help passengers relax. Who cares if the dude was stoned out of his mind when he came up with this idea (or so I assume he was), I'm in.

Switzerland - Here's an update on a posting I made a few months ago about a device that could theoretically destroy the planet. The most powerful atom-smasher ever built could make some bizarre discoveries, such as invisible matter or extra dimensions in space, after it is switched on in August. But some critics fear the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) could exceed physicists' wildest conjectures: Will it spawn a black hole that could swallow Earth? Or spit out particles that could turn the planet into a hot dead clump? The collider basically consists of a ring of supercooled magnets 17 miles in circumference attached to huge barrel-shaped detectors. The ring, which straddles the French and Swiss border, is buried 330 feet underground. The machine, which has been called the largest scientific experiment in history, isn't expected to begin test runs until August, and ramping up to full power could take months. But once it is working, it is expected to produce some startling findings. Scientists plan to hunt for signs of the invisible "dark matter" and "dark energy" that make up more than 96% of the universe. Critics of the LHC filed a lawsuit in a Hawaiian court in March seeking to block its startup, alleging that there was "a significant risk that ... operation of the Collider may have unintended consequences which could ultimately result in the destruction of our planet." In rebutting doomsday scenarios, scientists point out that cosmic rays have been bombarding the earth, and triggering collisions similar to those planned for the collider, since the solar system formed 4.5 billion years ago. And so far, Earth has survived. Oh sure. All that means is that we're due for the big one to hit. And I gotta say, I'm not sure I want to be around when that happens. My nerves are shot. Somebody get me a joint.

Vacationing - Americans spend more time in the bathroom each year than on vacation. There's a disturbing thought. Though, if you do it right, that quality time on the porcelain throne can be quite satisfying...I'm just saying. Italians unplug for an average of 42 days a year. The French get 37 vacation days, the Germans 35, while Americans average just 13 vacation days a year. Only 14% of Americans take 2 weeks or more vacation at a time. Maybe that's why us Americans are so cranky. We work too much. Notice that I say 'too much' rather than 'too hard.' Quantity doesn't always ensure quality you know. For example, I find that one or two hours of quality work in a week certainly amounts to better work than if I slaved away for 9 or 10 hours a day. Of course my boss may contest that, but I know I'm right.

Blogging - This just in. My incessant ranting can no longer be classified as whining. Mental-health experts are starting to tout the therapeutic power of blogging. They say that blogs are a step up from plain old diaries, chiefly because of the built-in audience. We associate communication with consolation, and blogging fulfills that primal need for sympathy. The anonymity of blogging provides another therapeutic boost: it's high intimacy with low vulnerability. Um, yeah whatever. Truth be told, I'm just a bitter troll. However, the missus certainly appreciates the fact that I'm unloading on a bunch of strangers rather than her. So thank you for that.