Russ. Just Russ.

With the Israeli Defense Forces now engaged on the ground in Gaza, now might be a good time to consider helping out. There are two organizations I've supported in the past and will support in the future.

American Friends of Magen David Adom provides support to the MDA (the Israeli version of the Red Cross.)

PizzaIDF does something directly for the troops of the IDF: delivers pizza to troops on the ground. I remember times in Korea, after a month or two on the DMZ, when I'd have cheerfully killed (OK, OK, maybe just maimed) for a hot slice of pizza and a cold Coke.

You can also specify pizza delivery to a family in Sderot, which has been on the receiving end of the Hamas rocket attacks.

Now, follow those links and give until it hurts.

Instapundit cites a New York Times article on a serious allegation against congresscritter Charlie Rangel.

I note that Rangel's party affiliation isn't directly mentioned in the NYT article, though there's a passing reference to "fellow Democrats" in the sixth paragraph.

Sure, sure, those of us "in the know," politically, are well aware of Rangel's party affiliation, but when a majority or those polled after the November election believed, contrary to fact, that Republicans controlled Congress, I think it's reasonable to believe that a similar majority isn't going to know upon which side of the aisle Rangel sits.

. . . the neurology wizards at Duke.

OK, that's not terribly accurate. I went up to Duke yesterday for an MRI.

This was the first MRI I've had in about 18 months, the first since my surgery last year. It was also the first time I was subjected to a non-open MRI machine. I felt like a torpedo... and I have a better understanding why some people freak out when in the machine.

Note to self: have shoulders narrowed; they're just too dang wide for an MRI.

I came out of the MRI with a pounding headache. As expected, the process had screwed up the settings on my shunt, which is magnetically programmable. This was expected, so one of my neurosurgeon's residents was on hand to reprogram the shunt, which is — surprise, surprise — done with a special electromagnetic tool applied to the top of my head. It turns out that the MRI had reset the shunt valve to a flow rate approximately 700% of normal.

That would explain that headache. The other headaches I've been having for the last month or so, not so much.

With the MRI out of the way, I can now be scheduled for plasmapheresis.

Faster, please.

It's been said before but it is worth repeating a thousand times: if Hamas, Hezbollah, and most of the Arab states (and Iran) laid down their weapons tomorrow and forgot about their plans to dissolve Israel, there would be peace in the Middle East. The Israelis could forget about the fences and the Palestinians might one day have something approximating a Western standard of living. On the other hand, if Israel laid down its weapons tomorrow, the country would be utterly annihilated, the Israelis killed to the last man, woman, and child.

Gabriel Malor, at Ace of Spades HQ

A good time was had by all. Especially Kismet.

That pretty much sums up Christmas with Mycah, Packet, and Kismet.

Mycah celebrated Boxing Day in style in 2005. Not so much, this year.

Long holiday weekend or not, the Modulator's Friday Ark is afloat.

Carnival of the Cats #250 will be hosted at the Cat Blogosphere, which you are reading every day already, right?

Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city.

Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child.

While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.

But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
     "Glory to God in the highest,
      And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."

When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, "Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us."

So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.

The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

This is the sort of thing that makes me wonder if I have enemies.

The answer is: not soon, God willing.

It's true.

... an ingrate.

Many many thanks to loyal reader MJ, who, having read about my dilemma last week, sprung into action and shipped me six packs of Starbucks ground coffee. It was a complete and much welcome surprise.

I figure that'll get me through the end of the year.

I have the Best. Readers. Ever.

I didn't mention it yesterday, but when I took that bit of a fall in the wee hours of Saturday morning, in the process I kicked a door jamb and broke my little toe. That took some real brains.

Russ, just Russ... soooooper genius.

At least my hands and arms remain undamaged and fully functional. Getting around the house is just a bit more difficult, but fortunately I am already accustomed to moving like a 90-year-old. The toe doesn't actually hurt a whole lot, but it has turned quite a lovely variety of colors.

While on the subject of heath matters: I spoke with one of the staff at my neurologist's office today about scheduling the MRI and plasmapheresis they want me to do. They want me to have the MRI first — why, I don't know — but because of the shunt in my head, the Duke neurosurgeon or one of his residents has to be on hand to magnetically re-key the shunt settings, so the scheduling depends on them.

To be honest, I don't know why I don't have some sort of MedicAlert bracelet or wallet card with the shunt settings listed, just in case. I should probably check into that.

I'll probably go with the wallet card. I haven't regularly worn "jewelry" of any kind since I took off my dogtags in 1992.

It's been a busy week, hence the light-to-nonexistant posting. If I were any good, I'd be hammering away at the keyboard like Mike (and pals) at Cold Fury.

Work has been insanely busy. Customers who ought not to be fiddling with their networks during the Christmas retail rush have been breaking things. This puts them in direct contention for my time with customers who don't have to worry about retail sales, who plan on using the holiday season to break things.

Plus, it's time for the annual performance review. That would be going a lot quicker if the "goals" in my review weren't phoney-baloney boilerplate that doesn't apply to what I do. I guess I should just write some phoney-baloney boilerplate "accomplishments" to match... but that's a good deal more difficult than you might expect.

I took a fall during the wee hours Friday night/Saturday morning; it hasn't helped. I did something painful to my right leg (the good one) that's somewhat distracting. At least I didn't hurt my hands/wrists/arms in any way; I depend on them rather a lot.

I'm noticing a decline in my walking ability. I'm shakier on my feet than I've been in a while, and despite the nearly year-long regimen of physical therapy, there's weakness now I haven't had in maybe six months. I'm hoping the medicos get me in for that previously mentioned plasmapheresis treatment pretty soon... while I can still drive.

On the plus side, I got a package on Friday, full of wrapped boxes from the relatives in California. Nice. I'll resist temptation, and hold off opening any of them. The peanut butter fudge my mom made should hold me over until Thursday. Or at least until 4pm today.

Mom deserves her own show on the Food Network solely on the basis of her peanut butter fudge, that's how good it is.