Welcome back, Kim!

With the heavens for a canvas, from zenith to the southwest horizon, the greatest of Artists, Nature, had painted another glorious masterpiece, the motif being continuous areas of variable size and contour, in a soft medium tone of ultramarine or lapis lazuli blue, each framed in clouds of brilliant silver, copper and gold, while therestless waters of Beaufort Bay were mirrored in exquisite pastel shades. On a pale pearl azure background, Luna, the Queen of Night, appears in luminous splendor, wearing, in honor of the Harvest Month, a royal robe of turquoise blue beneath a shimmering gossamer veil of silvery grey. The radiant picture now in its entirety presents an entrancing ensemble of color and beauty, suggesting in its enchantment an approach to the celestial Gates of Paradise and adds another glory to the Carolina Coast.  -- Gilbert Augustus Selby, 1934

It’s time for another getaway. Two days here will do the trick, I think, especially since there’s moonlight kayaking involved, under the full moon. The coast’s most romantic community, indeed!

Derek Powazek was in a world of hurt. But then he found Casa Carmelita. This is just one of Derek’s San Francisco stories. Read them all.

Down here in the South, there’s enough nookie for everybody. Now there’s some news you can use!

The internet has driven some old companies out of business. Many new dot-coms haven’t been able to keep up the pace and have closed their doors. And then there’s the 200 year old G.H. Bent company. “Since this internet thing, it’s exploded,” says the company’s 71 year old retired former owner. Business has been booming as of late. The product? Hardtack. Beloved by soldiers for over 100 years, now re-enactors are rushing out to try the real thing. And by “beloved” I mean “despised”. But it’s all the rage now, I guess.

Send in the clowns! Hickory’s Clown Alley is your internet source for all things clown, including the ever helpful advice for dealing with scared children. It’s almost time for the virtual clown convention, your chance to find out how many clowns can squeeze into a PDA.

To celebrate 10 years on the BRitish airwaves, the cast of The Simpsons will be reading scripts live next week. Edinburgh on Friday and London the following Monday and Tuesday. It’d be fantastic to see, but odds are slim that I’ll be there. Man, do I need me a sugar daddy.

A gentleman came by my office today to tell me how much he enjoyed the play. He took the time to look me up, figure out where I worked, and thank me in person. I’m flabbergasted.

The horoscopes that I linked to last week, Free Will Astrology, is now being carried by Salon. I’m not a horoscope kind of guy, but I really enjoy reading Rob Brezsny’s writings.

Astronomers and others the world over are have been excited over the announcement of a planet found around Epsilon Eridani, a star close enough to us that the planet itself might be visible with the Hubbell telescope. The news is hardly suprising, however, since Epsilon Eridani is the home of a Starship Tour Operator and has eleven well-documented planets. The system even has a president, a Mr. Pierre Benton. This isn’t the first time that the star system has been in the news. Two years ago, a team in Hawaii announced they had imaged a dust ring and possible planets around the star. If you’d like to see the star for yourself (it’s a bright star, easily seen with the naked eye), use this picture to help you find it. Epsilon Eridani is the star labelled in the top center.