The first round of home improvement is done, I guess. I had to write a check yesterday, and that’s as good of a sign as any. The fireplace is almost done (still need sealer on the grout) and the bedroom work is done. Sometime next week, I’ll get the new windows, and can start worrying about carpeting for the bedroom. In celebration, I rearranged the furniture in the living room to make curling up in front of the fireplace more inviting.
Overall, yesterday definitely had a monday kind of feeling to it. I spent the morning putting out various metaphorical fires, and then the afternoon with more of the same. Because of the timing of Thanksgiving, two clients are paying me late this month, which means I don’t get paid until those checks come in. I should have expected it, but somehow it still came as a surprise.
So being a good American, I decided the only solution is more debt. I went off to the bank to apply for a Home Equity Line of Credit. If nothing else, I think that keeping all the home improvement stuff in one account will help me plan so I don’t take on too much at once.
- Here’s a headline I just couldn’t pass up after yesterday: Optimists Club Calls It Quits. That pretty much says it. [fark!]
- Kim du Toit has a rant on Police States and why the PATRIOT act should not be renewed. Good stuff. [kim]
- In a related note, Mitch, who usually praises PATRIOT, comments on the Lack of Intelligence in the new Intelligence Reform Bill that failed to pass the House. I agree that this is a bill that should not have passed, but the same criticisms can be (and have been) applied to PATRIOT. The problem is not that we don’t have enough laws, or haven’t banned the right things, or don’t have enough bureaucracy. It’s precisely the opposite. [mitch]
- As a follow-up to yesterday’s ranting about airport security, Mark is Home again, and has a tale of stupid airport security in San Jose. Remember, Mark, travelling in a speedo might get you through the checkpoints more quickly, but it’s going to be a bit nippy when you arrive in MSP.
- When the government sticks RFID chips in passports (sometimes in the next year), will there be any Privacy Protection? Nope. If you don’t want someone reading your passport data remotely, you’ll have to stick it in a tinfoil bag. [wired]
- The Web Won’t Let Government Hide, as lots of pajamahadeen post documents the government would rather not make quite so available. [wired]
- There’s a Rough Reception for DNA Law in California which will collect DNA from everyone even arrested for a felony. Hey, just a few more laws and we can all be felons! [wired]