This story reminds me of Gulf War Syndrome, an illness I’ve often wondered if I ever safely avoided. Seems there is an outbreak of a mysterious pneumonia-like illness now affecting soldiers in Iraq.

It could simply be that military personnel are more prone to this kind of illness, as they tend to travel to exotic places, meet exotic people, and kill them.

Ha ha! That’s an old military joke. I mean, military people go to far-flung places and mingle with the locals, as well as work and sleep in close quarters. Add to this the fact that running water is usually not available and you have a recipe for an outbreak.

I don’t think Iraqis are behind this, but when you look at how little we know about Gulf War Syndrome (and how little we care to know – some governments are happy to look the other way), you realize there may be something important going on here.

The latest craze is flash mobs, where people materialize out of nowhere to do some totally random thing. I can’t wait for the first flash mob here in Raleigh. To me, it sounds like harmless fun. And perhaps, a good counter to the insane levels of paranoia in this country regarding groups of people gathering lawfully and peacefully. Hopefully it will remind people (and the courts) that Americans have a constitutional right to associate.

Besides, I’m a big fan of performance art and would jump at the chance to participate in something as fun as this!

More about smartmobs here and here.
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I’ve been reading things about how landline telephone companies are in big trouble. With the rise of wireless-only families and the threat of broadband voice-over-IP, the incumbent phone companies have never looked more vulnerable. I know people who’ve cut the cord for good, vowing never to go back. Ma Bell has a serious problem on her hands.

Here’s an article showing how much damage has been done to the landline business. Another article in Wired magazine tells about Japan’s competition against their national phone company, NTT. Broadband providers are hooking up people left and right to 12 Mb/s cable modems, with free VoIP calls among customers.

It may not happen today or tomorrow, but dial tone is dead. Voice over IP, mobile phones, and even 802.11b aren’t going away and will forever change the lowly telephone. The device which changed the world in its 100 years of existence has itself not changed. The world now demands more from its phones and the landline companies which cannot provide it are doomed to become dinosaurs.

Now that my new neice Hadley is here, I feel the need to provide her with an appropriate nickname. Jeff proclaimed my daughter “Hallie Mac,” so I feel its only fair.

There could easily be some name confusion between Hadley and Hallie. After all, the two names would sound identical if not for the “d” in Hadley. Thus, her official Uncle Mark nickname will be “D.”

A few wise lines I’ve picked up over the past few days.

“You become what you think you are.”
– seen on a white board at work last week. I couldn’t agree more.

“Computers don’t give hugs.”
– on a Birmingham billboard ad for a children’s organization.

Keep these in mind as you start your week.

I dusted off my road bike this morning for the first time in probably a year and a half. It needs work, but the tires took air and it rode reasonably well. At least it was in better shape than I was!

I took a quick, 20-minute jaunt around the neighborhood. I really had no choice but to make it a short one, since Kelly had to leave soon for the baby shower she was attending. The ride felt good, even to my rusty legs. I hope to make it a habit – I just love to bike.
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My newest niece has made her arrival this morning. Hadley Elise Turner was born at Wakemed today at 9:03 AM. Hadley weighed in at six pounds, twelve ounces and measures 21 inches. Jeff tells me “she’s beautiful!”

Hadley, Suzie, and Jeff are doing fine and resting at Wakemed. They think they may be up for visitors tomorrow afternoon.

Glad you’re here, Hadley!

UPDATE at 11:55 AM: Here’s a picture of Hadley and the happy family.

Kelly, Hallie and I packed things up this morning for a daylong trip to the zoo. We were on our way down the road when I remembered we didn’t grab a large umbrella we meant to take. We went back to the house and a few minutes later, we were on way again.

Our trip hit a major snag when traffic ground to a halt on U.S. 1 near Cary Parkway. Mere minutes before, a van collided with a parked car in a fiery crash. Had I not turned the car around for the missing umbrella, we may have been in the exact spot where the crash occured.
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The cover of the new 2003 Florida Gators football guide has a picture of a crocodile, rather than the school’s mascot, the alligator.

This must be, to say the least, quite embarassing for them.