Bryan Strawser

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Bryan Strawser

Mice

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Appears that we have mice again in the house. They chewed up some bread the other day and last night made war on some toilet paper stored in the upstairs bathroom. Galadriel has been on the prowl most nights, which is never a good sign. Generally, she sleeps near my feet.

Dug out the old mousetraps and set them in the kitchen and the bathroom but unfortunately nothing came true.

But last night, after the toilet paper escapade, I set one in the bathroom cabinet. Less than an hour later, I had one. Whee!.

Traps are reset. Fingers are crossed.

Crime Continues to Drop

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Violent and property crimes dipped in 2002 to their lowest levels since records started being compiled 30 years ago, and have dropped more than 50 percent in the last decade, the Justice Department reported Sunday.

The annual survey by the Bureau of Justice Statistics identified about 23 million crime victims last year, down slightly from the year before and far below the 44 million recorded when studies began in 1973.

The rate of violent crimes — rapes, robberies and assaults — was about 23 victims for every 1,000 U.S. residents 12 or older last year. That compares with 25 victims per 1,000 in 2001 and 50 in 1993.

For property crimes such as burglary and car theft, the rate was 159 crimes per 1,000 last year, down from 167 the previous year and 319 in 1993.

The study examined property and violent crimes except murder, which is measured separately by the FBI. Preliminary FBI statistics for 2002 released in June — based on reports from police across the country — reported a 0.8 percentage point rise in the murder rate compared with 2001.

The Justice Department survey, however, found continuing decreases in every major property and violent crime, crossing all household income, racial and ethnic lines. Crime is down in cities, suburbs and rural areas. [New York Times]

Will the Circle be Unbroken?

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I was standing by my window,
On one cold and cloudy day
When I saw that hearse come rolling
For to carry my mother away

Will the circle be unbroken
By and by, lord, by and by
There’s a better home a-waiting
In the sky, lord, in the sky

I said to that undertaker
Undertaker please drive slow
For this lady you are carrying
Lord, I hate to see here go

Will the circle be unbroken
By and by, lord, by and by
There’s a better home a-waiting
In the sky, lord, in the sky

[Read more…] about Will the Circle be Unbroken?

Rumsfeld Analyzing Military Changes

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Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, seeking to increase the nation’s combat power without hiring more troops, is poised to order a sweeping review of Pentagon policies, officials say. It will include everything from wartime mobilization and peacekeeping commitments, to reservist training and incentives for extended duty.

A senior Defense Department official said Mr. Rumsfeld would order the Pentagon’s senior leadership, both civilian and military, to rethink ways to reduce stress on the armed forces, fulfill recruitment and retention goals and operate the Pentagon more efficiently.

In essence, Mr. Rumsfeld will ask the service secretaries and chiefs and his under secretaries to address how the Pentagon can more efficiently use its troops at a time when the armed forces are spread thin by global deployments. [New York Times]

Geoghan Killed in Prison

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BOSTON — Former priest John Geoghan, a convicted child molester who became a central figure in the Catholic church’s sex abuse scandal, has been killed in prison, a state public safety spokesman said Saturday.

Geoghan was injured in an incident with another inmate about noon and died shortly after being taken to Leominster Hospital, said Department Of Public Safety spokesman David Shaw.

The other inmate had been isolated and the incident was under investigation.

The church abuse scandal, which has had repercussions worldwide, broke in early 2002 with revelations that the church had shuttled Geoghan from parish to parish despite warnings about his behavior. [Boston Globe]

Golf

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Went to the driving range today here in Taunton for the second time in a week – was anothe good outing. Only hit bad balls about ten times out of 250 balls. Good swing, still got a nasty slice on the driver though..

Damn it feels good to finally be making good contact with my driver though.

Gods and Generals

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Watched it last night. Probably could have been a great movie in the way that Gettysburg was a great movie, but I just couldn’t get into it.

If you have the time to watch this movie, you have the time to watch Ken Burn’s fantastic series The Civil War. Take my advice, skip Gods and Generals.