Happy New Year!

Here is to health and happiness for all in 2024.

May we all say farewell to the Great Quarentinee years of 2020-2023

::hp::

It would appear I was correct

Harry Porter Book Six and Book Seven -- My predition is...

I'll join the list of those making predictions about book seven in the Harry Potter series; the most important part of Book Six is understanding what Professor Dumbledore meant when he said to Snape -- "Please..."
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potential spoiler
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I'm posting my speculation here so I can check back after reading book seven -- released tonight. Please don't read further until you too have read book seven yourself;
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I think Dumbledore is saying "Snape, you must do this so we can fulfill our plans to help Harry defeat Tom Riddle; you know my reasoning and you've reluctantly agreed to my plan should this need arise. It has, time is short so PLEASE keep your word. I forgive you."

Return of the Goshawks

The Goshawk family has grown. What appeared to be one goshawk became a nesting pair in our line of white pine trees. Watching them swoop effortlessly out into the neighboring yards has given our family a lot of joy. Now their familiar KREE KREE call has been joined by at least two higher-thinner voices encouraging their parents to come back soon with more to eat. Our cats still look nervous.

The pioneering women of high tech.
In a prior (business) life I had the pleasure of working with a wonderful woman, trained as a mathematician, who entered computing at it's frontier days.
This was at a major fortune 15 company. She trained all her future bosses (young self-impressed men), and was given all the department's "failed" staff, who amazingly became high contributors under her benignly understated leadership. Her many contributions went largely unrecognized until she retired and was offered the opportunity to design the curriculum for either of two prestigious universities' new college of business computing. An aside, her husband and she loved to bicycle through the Alps and Rockies even into their retirement ::hp::

Peace Easy -- late night thoughts...
the fresh snow where moonlight dances
slim beams between pine branches
beyond my windows
unseen while my cats dream
on piles of warmed pillows
green dreams of summer's trances

Random thoughts on North American free trade; we have interstate commerce and international commerce, so it makes sense to standardize and regulate intercontinental commerce. Would it help improve inter-country relations if instead of referring to it as North America, we used a new term like Amerxicanada or Amexicanada? Does that build up walls or break them down? -H.P.

When a goshawk visits, everyone pays attention.
Small birds -- that's every other bird but the goshawk, small mammals, people... even my cats look nervous! I exaggerate; my cats are still sleeping.

Yesterday the mid-Atlantic region set seasonal high records; today it's about thirty-brisk degrees F. cooler! The fall color came quickly, and now most leaves have blown away, or into my neighbors' yards. But blown too is the cover for our small neighbors who just became easier prey.

The goshawk may have followed south the frosty edge of fall foliage, all the better to hunt. It sits a dark harbinger of winter that is close behind.
H.P.

Fan-voted 885 music albums broadcast on http://wxpn.org -- really fine non-commercial radio from the U of Penn. Their web-site releases an updated list as they go, and has a listener response board for feedback and comments on the series. I enjoy their broad and eclectic mix of musical genres. Been enjoying the series all week; sounds like they are about half-way through their countdown. Lots of alternative titles; if the Beatles never hit your radar then this list may not hit you too. Are there some stealth genries? XPN 885 greatest album direct link includes guest and DJ top-ten picks.

Recently discovered a new podcast from Dropcast ...nice diversion while closing out a late day at the office. I hope Dan and John keep the show in the flow. - hp