After all the pots are arranged, how does the potter get out?

AFP Photo:

Caption: “Out to dry : Indian potter Bhavnaben arranges clay pots or ‘Kodiyas’ as they dry in the sun in Ahmedabad. (AFP/Sam Panthaky)”

Signs of the times update.

On the path that I run, Kerry picked up another sign today. But there are three new Bush signs. So Bush maintains his three to one margin.

There were a couple new Kerry signs on public properties, but according to the rules, I am not counting these.

I’m considering having no rules sign night where I count all signs that I see. At this point, Bush would still win, but it would be a little closer.

I’ve been surprised how many Bush supporters there are on the route I run. But then again, it really is only a fraction of the homes I run past. However, as strong of a Democratic district as this is, I expected the Kerry signs to easily outnumber Bush signs. Go figure.

Life involves much suffering. For those who love to read ancient Greek books, all there is to read is Homer, Plato and other dead authors. They have missed out on the modern popular books. Imagine how embarrassed it is when people talk about the Harry Potter books as they gather around the water cooler. All the ancient Greek reader can do is say in an apologetic tone, “I really don’t have an opinion about the book because I haven’t read it.”

People look condescendingly and say with a sneer, “Oh, that’s right. You can’t read it because it hasn’t been translated into ancient Greek.”

Well, those days are over, because you can now purchase the Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Ancient Greek Edition).

The Opinion Journal commenting on the translation says the following:

Critics of the Potter phenomenon allow that young Harry’s exploits may have sparked a renewed interest in reading among a generation saturated with MTV and reality television. People are reading, yes, they counter. But reading what? “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” is good fun, but it’s hard to argue that it’s much more than that. This is perhaps a churlish, or even snobbish, objection; the tastes of the masses have never passed muster with the self-appointed cultural elites in any age, from Socrates’ to our own. And yet it’s hard not to worry that translating Harry Potter, or Winnie-the-Pooh, into classical languages does more to bring these languages down to the level of a witty joke than to elevate the texts being translated.

Mr. Wilson, the Potter translator, is no stranger to this objection; he’s been asked more than once by sniffy fellow classicists why he would bother with such a frivolous project. His answer is as refreshing as it has been, by his account, effective in silencing the critics. “I did it for the money,” he announces cheerfully. That’s an answer that makes sense in any language.

The suffering is now over, and all of the ancient Greek readers are grateful for the opportunity to finally join in modern popular culture. Now if we can just get the Clancy novels translated into Latin….

Signs of the times update.

Tonight there were two new Bush lawn signs on my run, and one of the signs that had disappeared on a previous night was back.

The big controversy for tonight was that there was a new Kerry sign at a house on a corner. The sign itself was on the side street on which I did not run. However, it was a sign at a house I ran by. The official rules are:

I will only count the houses I actually run by. I will not look up and down side streets.

So, do I count the sign because it is a sign at a house I run by, or do I not count it because it is on a side street?

I submitted this question to the panel of mj lawn sign judges, and the vote was three to one to count the sign.

So, Bush’s and Kerry’s support both grew by 33%. The race is dead even.

I’ve had the privilege of going to Yosemite Park in the snow. It is a beautiful place at any time of the year, but there is a special beauty in the snow.

However, it is also a dangerous place in the bad weather, as two climbers were killed when caught on El Capitan by the storm.

AP Photo:

Caption: “Yosemite falls is seen amid mountains with a fresh dusting of snow, Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2004, in Yosemite National Park, Calif. An early winter storm caught many Californians by surprise, making Sierra Nevada roads impassable, and causing numerous delays. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)”

AP Photo:

Caption: “El Capitan is seen with a fresh dusting of snow, Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2004, in Yosemite National Park, Calif. A severe winter storm caught many visitors to the park unaware. Two Japanese climbers were found dead dangling from a 3,200-foot sheer climbing face in the snowstorm. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)”

I’ve known many people who live without ever seeming to think. Now scientists have found that these people may need a negative number of genes.

Headline AP: Humans May Need Fewer Genes Than Thought

Signs of the times update.

The controversy builds on the running route.

Not only was the missing sign from last night still missing, but one of the two new Bush signs from Monday was missing tonight. Clearly, Bush support is weakening. Either that or someone is stealing Bush signs.

Headline AP: Summary: Microscopic Diamond Found in Mont[ana]

If they had found this microscopic diamond in Pennsylvania, I’d be worried that perhaps they had just found Mrs. Knilram’s engagement ring.

We couldn’t decide on the best headline for this picture, so we’ll leave it up to you, with a few of our own (unsatisfactory) suggestions.

1. Dr. Bunson Honeydew
2. The newest addition to the Veggie Tales
3. I am the great and powerful Wizard of Oz!
4. Are you calling me yellow?

Reuters Photo:

Caption: “TDamien Hirst looks through an apothecary jar, one of four expected to fetch 15-20,000 pounds at auction at Sotheby’s auctioneers in London. The jar is one of the objects formerly on display at Hirst’s Pharmacy restaurant in London, now closed, which are due to be auctioned on October 18. REUTERS/Stephen Hird”

Signs of the times update.

Tonight was a major test for lawn signs as it was 40 degrees and raining. Only the signs that really stand for their candidate would be out this evening, and despite the rain and cold, Bush pulls further ahead.

But there is a controversy with tonight’s count. There were two new Bush signs this evening, but as you notice, the total number of signs only went up by one. Something has happened. Unfortunately, I can’t remember which house had the missing sign. I think it was one of the new houses from Thursday.

One of the following must have happened:

1. The yard owner has withdrawn their support from Bush and taken down the sign. (Possibly because of the rain and cold.)

2. Someone stole the sign.

3. The sign was really there, and I missed it.

4. There were only 8 signs on Thursday, and I miscounted.

Rumors abound of lawyers gathering to demand a recount of the signs to rule out three and four, but I’m not going back out tonight. We’ll have to wait until tomorrow to find out the truth.