I'm in New Orleans, and yes, don't do the math, it is *late*.  I spent a pleasant day at the Dark Report's War College conference, and after had an amazing dinner at New Orleans' institution Galatoire's on Bourbon Street, followed by some excellent live music and beignets eaten at midnight.

In customer situations I just about always wear a sports coat, but it was a warm balmy night and it was Bourbon Street so I figured what the heck, no coat required.  Wrong.  I get to Galatoire’s and they politely offered me a dinner jacket.  Brown, clashed perfectly with my pink shirt.  Reminds me of a story about President Jimmy Carter; you'll recall he often wore a cardigan instead of a coat, and one time he went to a fancy restaurant in Washington, with secret service and all, and the maître d’ politely offered him a jacket.  A secret service man pulled the maître d’ aside and said "do you know who that is?"  He calmly replied "all the more reason he should be properly dressed". So be it :)

A subplot of being in NOLA was the swelling of the Mississippi further North; news reports were coming in of flooding near Memphis.  Although the river was placid and calm while I was there, in another couple weeks it could be quite different.  fXf!

Powerline: How Paul Ryan won the recess.  The Republican budget plan isn't just better than the Democrats, it exists, and its proponents are out there in the country talking about it and listening to feedback.  Whether you agree or disagree with the plan details, you have to admit, that's how it should work. 

Meanwhile President Obama seems more concerned with Donald Trump than the budget deficit. 

Timeline: Bin Laden over the years.  It was "interesting" flying yesterday, with heightened security but few delays and no incidents. 

Boing Boing interviews Paul Allen.  "You invested in Burt Rutan's SpaceShipOne, which became the first successful civilian space flight and is now being commercialized by Virgin. Where do you see the space-tourism industry going in the next generation?  I think it's great. It's going to be very interesting to see the level of demand as the years go by."  Among his many projects is the Allen Institute for Brain Science, one of my customers and an amazing organization.  Count me as a huge Paul Allen fan. 

Einstein was right, again.  Actually a better headline would be "Einstein is still right".  Relativity might be counter-intuitive, but at this point it's a proven fact. 

Oh, that's it, time for bed.  And I have to get up at 5:00 to work out.  Yawn!