Teenaged Girl Arrested By FBI -- as a Terrorist.

As the War on Terror never ends, our FBI is ever vigilant, ever aware that suicide bombers could be anywhere. Anywhere, including Heritage HS in East Harlem. They could be American Muslims. They could also be girls. Click here to read about it and the reaction of her friends and neighbors. I remember the good old days before the Patriot Act, don't you?

Guns, Germs and Steel

Speaking of reading, I'm fascinated by Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies. He convincingly argues that a favorable environment and food production are the reasons why some societies became modernized and dominated other societies. Why, for example, didn't the aboriginal Australians build fleets and invade Great Britain? Why didn't native Americans invade Europe? In a nutshell...

We've all heard the racist and religious explanations of conquest. Whenever America emerges from its current dark age, Diamond's explanation will triumph. Assuming we emerge from the dark age, that is.

Terri Schiavo, the Pope, and our Dodge Neon.

We are surrounded by death, yes?

The water pump seized, snapping the timing belt and bending the valve stems. Repair estimate at Cueter: $1,800. Estimated resale value of an operating 1995 Dodge Neon: $940, contingent upon finding an idiot with cash to burn. Trade in value of said Neon? Zero.

Julie put the Do Not Resuscitate order on the little green car. Fortunately, this is below the radar of Tom DeLay and his "Christian" Nationalists; they won't force Congress to write a bill to be signed by Dubya in the middle of the night to keep our car alive.

Meanwhile, I've been enjoying riding the bus.

The routes are mostly convenient. I ride the #4 to and from Arborland, which stops about five blocks from my house. I take the #22 between Arborland and North Campus. (The #22 runs every half hour, which is not as convenient as the #4's 15-minute cycle.) And I ride for free when I show my U-M staff i.d.

Even though my commute is now around 50 minutes or so, I like the liberation from my daily drive. I'm free from worrying about arriving someplace on time. I get there when I get there. I'm free to gaze out the window or read instead of looking out for inattentive drivers. I believe I'll ride the bus more often even after we replace the Neon.

The sky is Carolina Blue, you know.

The North Carolina men's team is favored by two points as I write this.

I haven't been caught up in March Madness for years, but I'm very pleased to see my team in the finals. Here's hoping that Illinois doesn't have a Glen Rice-like player to put up 13 three-pointers and bury the Tarheels.

Meet School Board Candidate Amy Doyle

My home will be open to Ypsilanti voters Saturday, April 9, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., to meet Amy Doyle. We'll have some pasta, some veggies, some beer and some wine should you need more enticement to come on by. But I hope you'll take this opportunity to talk to the only declared candidate in the school board race about what's on your mind. Just don't mention the MSU - UNC game.

Our address is 3 N. Wallace, at the corner of N. Wallace and N. Congress. Please RSVP ASAP at ysseric@yahoo.com or 481-1774.

Thanks!