DySCAS via Physorg – looks like an attempt to standardize a software bus for cars.

* “In a Sunburned Country”:amazon by Bill Bryson. Humorous Australian travelogue. Easy breezy read. * “Empires of the Sea”:amazon by Roger Crowley. More than you ever wanted to know about the battles for control of the Mediterranean in the 1500s between the Ottoman empire and the various Christian states. Brutal unforgiving warfare. * “Tycoon’s War”:amazon by Stephen Dando-Collins. The story of Vanderbilt’s machinations in Central America. Some of Vanderbilt sections are interesting, but the details on minor skirmishing in Central America put me to sleep.

And some fiction to cleanse the palate:

* “Suffer the Little Children”:amazon by Donna Leon. Great entry in a detective series set in Venice. No grand action sequences, just human foibles and painful results.

Really Right Stuff … Quick-Release Camera Body L-Plates. Smart photo friends recommend these.

EveryBlock — A news feed for your block. Early but interesting aggregation of community data sources

Equal Rights Washington. Good site summarizing political activities in the state to support equal rights

* Urth Cafe – sandwiches, salads, coffee, tea, breakfast too, and open at dinner time. Nice baked goods too * Bravo Pizza * Cha Cha Chicken – WAY better than the website. A favorite * Lula Mexicana – good authentic mexican. I am always a sucker for tamales * Shoop’s Deli. Solid sandwich and salad fare, closed at dinner * Bergamot Station – good collection of galleries, easy to walk around * The Bridge Cinema. Ok not in Santa Monica at all, in Culver City, nice high end theatre. Reserved seating which is cool.

Quotation of the Day: “I’m Captain Asphalt.” TIMOTHY J. GILCHRIST, newly appointed stimulus czar for New York State.

via Today’s Paper - New York Times.

Love this. Is civil engineering going to become cool again?

Screen much sharper, controls much better, lighter, thinner, ui better.

But guys, why f$&k with the keyboard shortcuts? Why change the Alt-TextSize shortcut for toggling awake? The key combo doesn’t do anything useful now. And why drop the Alt-t shortcut to show the time? Again it does nothing now.

Nits I know but annoying.

Amazon.com: Kindle 2: Amazon’s New Wireless Reading Device (Latest Generation): Kindle Store. - damn my family has theirs already. Apparently all shipped out of Indianapolis and so Midwest buyers already have their hands on. First reports are that it comes preloaded with all your existing book purchases, that is awesome.

* “Matter”:amazon by Iain M. Banks. Solid far future science fiction set in the author’s Culture universe. First I’ve read in this setting, interesting characters tho mostly dead by bookend. I admire an author who can kill off their main characters in furtherance of the plot and emotional impact of the book. * “The Creator’s Map”:amazon by Emilio Calderon. At first I feared this was one of the legion of Da Vinci Code clones, but it is really a spy and love story twisted together. And a deep look at 3 characters who experience the same events, but have profoundly different experiences based on their own issues and emotions.

FrightProps - Halloween Props, Pneumatic Props, Animated Props, Halloween Accessories. Need to start thinking about.

One of my relatives recommends BetterPhoto.com for photography instruction. One of these days

Suit Names 2 Judges Accused in a Kickback Case - NYTimes.com. This case just stuns me. The plea agreement is way too lenient. And every kid who passed thru these judge’s courts should be freed immediately and have any judgement stricken from their record.