We now return you to a mundane, "bowb-your-buddy" existence...

I personally take a dim view of households in which the Christmas tree goes out on the street on December 26th. Whenever I see that, I imagine the occupants as having an attitude that is best described by "that's enough of that, let's not overdo this Christmas spirit thing."

I expect a whole lot of trees to hit the street today, though, as in the minds of many, it's time to bask in the afterglow of the holidays and resume a normal life, whatever that is. I already have an email asking about my availability over the next few weeks.

As I ease back into the flow, I'll be giving some thought to my primary goals for 2008.

Cheers...

Checkpoints...

In cleaning out a pile of yellowed files, I found an old copy of something called Murphy's Laws of Combat that still manage to raise a smile or two after nearly two decades:

1. If the enemy is in range, so are you.


2. Incoming fire has the right of way.


3. Don't look conspicuous. It draws fire.


4. There is always a way.


5. The easy was is always mined.


6. Try to look unimportant. They may be low on ammo.


7. Professionals are predictable; amateurs are dangerous.


8. The enemy invariably attacks on two occasions: when you're ready for them, and when you're not ready for them.


9. Teamwork is essential. It gives them someone else to shoot at.


10. If you can't remember, then the claymore is pointed at you.


11. The enemy diversion you have been ignoring will be the main attack.


12. A sucking chest wound is nature's way of telling you to slow down.


13. If your attack is going well, you have walked into an ambush.


14. Never draw fire. It irritates everyone around you.


15. Anything you do, including nothing, can get you shot.


16. If you make it tough enough for the enemy to get in, you won't be able to get out.


17. Never share a foxhole with anyone braver than yourself.


18. If you're short of everything but enemy, you're in a combat zone.


19. When you have secured an area, don't forget to tell the enemy.


20. Never forget your weapon is made by the lowest bidder.

* * *Today's work was light duty, less than 1,000 words. A second job came in, but turned out to be into Russian, which I had to decline. The good news is that it allowed me to continue to clean (among other things, we cleaned out the garage today), and continue to recover from whatever it is that's keeping my nose stuffed.

* * *This evening's Le Journal telecast reported on the ban, effective yesterday, on smoking in French bars and restaurants and on the French Ministry of Health's warning on excessive cell phone use, especially by children (71% of whom apparently have mobile phones).

I would have added the adverb "meekly" to the previous sentence except that when one of the people taped for the smoking segment was shown mentioning something about an ongoing erosion of liberty in the country, the anchor managed to slip in a remark that demonstrated a proper, well-nigh militant antipathy to such an unwholesome sentiment. Conversely, the anchor did not challenge the Ministry of Health's cell phone warning, which is based on the idea that current evidence of no risk does not exclude a risk that may be identified in the future. Such an idea is fairly tautological and applicable to quite a broad range of button issues, and if The People In Charge™ can make pronouncements based on the possibility that someday, evidence will prove they're right, well, the sky is the limit, isn't it?

Elsewhere on the tube, there is a curious ad I've been seeing pop up regarding U.S. silver dollars being offered for sale. I found it curious because the coins offered are said to be in "between brilliant uncirculated and fine condition." From there, the ad copy goes on to warn listeners about how only 5 coins may be purchased by any one caller, and how the offer is only good for 7 days, and so on. But the line about condition caught me.

It turns out, you see, that "brilliant uncirculated" and "fine" are defined terms in the coin collecting racket. On a 70 points scale, "brilliant uncirculated" comes in at between 60 and 70; on the same scale, "fine" scores a 12 ("moderate to considerable wear"). This basically means the description of the condition is, um, meaningless. But then again, generally speaking, anyone who invests in silver coins offered in a television ad deserves the consequences.

Cheers...