Random
I have been scarce around here lately. I am sure some of you probably thought that the people in the white coats did end up taking me away.

Yes, things are busy around here so I am going to limit myself to some quick hits:

• I just realized that my first "hit" ended up being a bad pun. Why? Because I was going to encourage you to go over and read Oso's account of being the victim of crime in Venezuela. Crime of all kinds sucks, but what is worse is when there is a crowd of bystanders who could help prevent or contain it but fails to act in any way. It is this apathy that leads to an evironment where crime is tolerated and thus catalyzed.

Ironically, it is the Oso doing the mugging in this picture -
he is probably trying to get his computer and iPod from that pinche guey!

• On a lighter note, the other day as I was walking to my office on campus I saw a large fuzzy ball hide behind a tree. The campus is in a wooded semi-rural area in Northern New Jersey. Squirrels and chipmunks are abundant (much to Zeus' dismay, however, dogs are not allowed on campus). This was much larger than any of those critters. As I made my way along the path and could glimpse behind the tree, I saw a groundhog in person for the first time. Yesterday I saw many of them gorging themselves (true to their porcine moniker) on the grassy areas of campus. It is no wonder that they gain such large girth. I just wonder how the avoid become a nasty tasty smorgasbord for some ravenous carnivorous mammal or a bird of prey.

• I am off to DC today for a busy conference. I have yet to pack and the shuttle will be outside my door in couple of hours, so I better quit this nonsense and get to it...