I Speak of Dreams

A Journal of the Plague Year

27 February 2006 Everyone for themselves

I watch the scenes of a society descending into chaos from the relative security of my mother's isolated home. Red tail lights snake to the horizon as people pour out of the cities. Half the doctors haven't turned up for work; many are either ill, or caring for loved ones.

The avian flu pandemic, as reported in a blog.  2% mortality.

This, and the Coming Big One, is something everyone should be prepared for.  As far as the flu goes, we are not ready.

Language Log pointed it out to me.

Well Ridden Dressage

A remarkable series of photographs. 

Terrence McCann, 20

Terrence McCann, 20, was found dead in a creek after going missing following a night of heavy drinking.

The cause of death has not yet been determined

My condolences to his family and friends.

Blaine County Summary

Summary or index of posts to June 1, 2005

Aphorisms

Summary post as of June 1, 2005

Specific Help for Poor Women

Poor women die of breast cancer because they don't get timely mammograms.  What to do?  Sponsor one or more mammograms through the Community Breast Health Project  (in the San Francisco Bay Area) -- use a search engine to find one in your area.

Dream

I just want to be running through the sky, look there, the peaks reaching. It's an image from the current Patagonia catalog, but it just reached out and grabbed me. Time to move, time to be above the trees.

Lac Chezery is hard to find, but the Haut Jura?  The Haut Savoy?  Perhaps here.   A dream to pursue.

Village Actor

The noted educational researcher, Mr. Tom Cruise,  is arguing that there is a drug commonly prescribed for dyslexia.    This is a classic "straw man" argument. 

Evidently Mr. Cruise also has extensive qualifications in treating postpartum depression. 

Both areas of expertise,  of course, arise from his experience and leadership in the Church of Scientology.  The world needs to be free of  Xenu indeed.

Alien Abduction or A Facet of Normal Sleep?

I have had a series of quite odd experiences late at night, when I'd been in bed for a while , in which I had the sense of something horrible coming down the hall toward me.  I just read an explanation, thanks to the Ninth Carnival of the Skeptics.

Is it Just the Wealthy Who Are Creating Entitled Children?

You OWE me! is the song of entitled children.  It's not a new syndrome -- this essay is from 1997 but it seems that the shameless culture of entitlement is accelerating.   It's not just affluenza, athough it's easiest to sppot at the extremes -- the very rich.