Faced with a defective GFCI Receptacle (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) and braving cautions and warnings against electrical shock and burning the house down hazards, BOURGIRL dove in with screw driver and needle nosed pliers. Once you’ve done this job once (supervised by one other who has done this job at least once) you become self sufficient. Follow written instructions and wrap the bare ends around the post clockwise so that they will tighten properly. Secure the device and stand back!

When the house is wining hand after hand you break your losing streak by sitting it out or by changing dealers and tables. Davenport was on a roll in the first set 6 – 2. Serena Williams suddenly “had to take a medical time out”. What better way to break the stride and concentration of her opponent. Lindsay sat solitary on the players bench for an unnatural cool down while Serena and her personal trainer diverted public sympathy. Could they not see through this? What a strategic play. The momentum changed in the 2nd set and by the final set Davenport was crushed.

Yesterday was the official hangar rollout for the enormous A380 in Toulouse, France. Over here, at our Airbus training center outpost, I thought there might be some fanfare hupla spill over. Being at the right place at the right time: maybe some bubblie? or at least, score a slice of cake? No dice 🙁

The newspaper describes Titan, recently explored by the Saturn probe Huygens, as a place “amazingly like our own planet, Earth”. Such a bold statement immediately draws us in. (a disclaimer expands: “like the earth was 4 billion years ago that is…” A long time. The next statement predicts earthlike lakes and rivers. (filled with liquid methane chilled to -293 degrees). The atmosphere is mostly nitrogen and poison gas. Hardly earthlike at all.

The actual message: The science community is excited because this is the first planetoid that we’ve explored that is not a dead lifeless rock (such as our own moon) but a dynamic evolving developing place.

But, in order to get ordinary folk stimulated into thinking, the NASA PR machine has to speculate about extraterrestrial beings or make comparisons to things that we are familiar and can interpret: lakes and streams, places to campout or go fishing maybe.

Seeing as how I’m on my own for the next few weeks, I thought that I’d report that I was able to do my laundry without losing any socks! Nevertheless I’ve been spoiled for the last two decades with excellent treatment at home. Thanks BOURGIRL!

The city water from the spigot tastes very fine. No need for bottled. How unusual is that?

The local paper is served in two flavors: El Nuevo Hearld:Noticias, Horoscopos, Entretenimiento, Deportes and regular.

With the recent rash of “Laser painting” reports against random homeland aircraft and the worry and fret for industry economic health (panic amongst those who buy airline tickets), it was only a matter of time before they lassoed one. It is only too easy to arm oneself with one of these devices. They sell them at the Home De Pot in the shape of a carpenter’s level for less than 15. The sucker – caught – will pay a huge price as they attempt to make a poster child out of him. Nip this fad in the bud.

The traffic signals take on new definition during the evening commute. Yellow means go. Even after the light goes Salsa, this means at least one more car and usually two get through. A reprieve of sorts — No study for tonight… The verbal exam for tomorrow’s AM has been pushed back. So, after a plastic cup of draft from the lobby (comp) and a few war stories traded poolside we ventured down Red Road for heaping plates of roast pork, black beans, and rice local style.

There are 6 in our group split between two flights. 3 Budget cars. Twoguys from the first flight take one each leaving the remaining car for thefour of us and all of our gear. We looked like Americans in Panama allcrammed into our plain vanilla sedan. The local traffic are either exoticLambos, M3s with dark windows or clapped out Toyotas or Nissans somerunning without lights. I mean literally, one of them physically had noheadlights (or grill). The local roads are near capacity and just crazy.We cruise by a lifeless pedestrian crumpled where he was hit whenJ-walking. EMT enroute.

There is this need to save face, maintain personal space, or defend your right of way. At what cost? Indiana Pacers forward Ron Artest saved his honor but sacrificed a years wages — maybe his career. This guy may have been a superstar hero but now he’s reduced himself to a zero. The challenger has a whole lot less at stake. Whether it’s a Road Rage incident or a customer trying to push your button the lesson from the basketball game brawl is to just walk away.

Got ta have it. Used to be that your parental units suggested that you wait until your Birthday or Christmas, which ever came first. No instant gratification. But these days new toys are launched according to a production developer marketing timeline. Like a hot new car design or major motion picture debut there is plenty of fan fare, pre publicity, hype and a frenzy of spy photos, screenshots, trailers, leaked details and teasers. This culminates in midnight madness on the official day when you retrieve your item if you were savvy enough to advance reserve your copy of the much anticipate sought after and limited edition hard to get. Good luck urging Master Chief to have patience until his/her personal holiday.