Power back on

After 7 days and 5 hours. Hallelujah! With all due respect to the recently deployed LHC and protons everywhere, my new favorite subatomic particle is the electron.

Day 7 of Louisville Blackout

Another tree in Cherokee Park dismantled in an interesting way by the wind.

1:48 p.m. today will mark 1 week of no power at home. Out of 301,000 in Louisville they're down to 50,000 without power. Given the conditions, no complaints but it's simply an incessant, edgy nuisance of 3 on a scale of 10.

Day 5 Louisville blackout

The novelty of not having electricity is wearing off! 

At least the weather remains perfect and plenty of places have electricity and necessities, so circumstances are optimal. Still.............

Here's a scene from Cherokee Park. I like how the tree breaks the geometry of the steps. 

Day 4 of Louisville Blackout

Still no power at home but presumably better off than the owners of this car and these two houses.

(Took this in my neighborhood during a run. These are not news photos.)

Ouch!

Day 3 of Louisville Blackout

Down from 340,000, less than 200,000 now without power in Louisville, including yours truly, after Sunday's "dry hurricane". Ike pushed a cold front through that far exceeded wind advisory forecasts.

Above, a small house is crushed (that's a house on the left!). Below, a very old tree crushed a car. Both these photos I took Sunday less than 100 yards from home which gives you an idea how widespread the damage is. The blessing is that there was no rain, weather has been perfect and even a full moon lights our dark neighborhood.

All the neighbors are out and talking which is great.

LGE says 10-14 days to restore all power due to 410 poles and 6,000 lines down. Good times!
At least Starbucks is open.

Burn After Reading

Another example of how overrated the Coen Brothers are.

Encounters at the End of the World

Werner Herzog takes on Antarctica. There is some beautiful footage of under-ice vistas and volcanic terrain. Listening to seals underwater is wonderful and Pink Floyd-ish, as one scientist explains. Watching a lone penguin march away from the water toward mountains and certain death is heartbreaking.

On the grim side, the settlement is like an ugly mining town for scientists and wanderers and oddballs.

Sarah Palin

I normally don't make predictions but I'll bet Palin withdraws before the general election. Just my hunch.

Classic Jon Stewart

This hilarious segment reveals the utter revolting hypocrisy of Republican talking heads.

Bottle Shock

Nice film based on the 1976 emergence of California wines into the international arena. "Busy, but never precocious."