Monday, September 6, 2010
 
Happy Labor Day, everybody! I hope that many of you are able to relax and enjoy the day!

Things are good in Bozeman.

For me this year, Labor Day is the day I need to give up my car. Actually, it's my friend's car, but it's basically been mine the last two weeks. Now I'll have to give it up, which is a drag!

But the truth is that I haven't used the car for a week—not since I had to drive out to Hyalite Canyon for our department's grad orientation social/kickoff party last Sunday.

Those of you who know me understand—I'm a bike person. I just like riding my bike, and don't like driving.

I'm not a cyclist—I don't wear shocking pink super-tight racing shorts. Instead, I modify ten-speeds to make them more rideable, giving them civilized handlebars (so I'm not hunched over), a good bell, a light, fenders, and a nice basket.


The basket on this bike, which is out here with me in Montana, can carry two six-packs of beer. 

All in all, it ends up looking pretty sweet.

Anyway, Bozeman is a fantastic place to ride around on a bike...other than the fact that for several months of the year you often have 10 inches of undulating ice covering all of the roads. 

Last year, I rode my bike pretty much all winter long, taking a break in February and March. I borrowed and rented cars a number of times during the year, too, and sometimes even walked.  

But frankly, I hate walking when it's at all possible to ride. What can I say?

Nevertheless, when I look back on last winter I think I must have been crazy! What was I thinking? Sooner or later, I'll need to buy a car—even I realize that.

The thing is, this upcoming year I'll be in Washington, D.C. from January onwards, so I don't really want to buy a car until I leave D.C. next summer (I'll be at the Kennan Institute during that period.) So, I think I'll try to tough it out again this year, and rent/borrow when I really need something and otherwise ride or, if necessary, walk, until the end of December.

For now, I'm really trying to enjoy the non-freezing temperatures while they last. Already, it's cold—there's more and more snow appearing on some of the mountains.

Yes afternoon I took a long bikehike with the temperature in the fifties. First I went out to the mall to buy a book, then doubled back and took the bike trail extending out past the hospital on the eastern edge of Bozeman. This is my usual ride, which I've chronicled here, but have no new pictures of because I'm unfortunately between cameras right now—-I've bought a new one, but it won't arrive, I think, until next week.

In any case, the weather looks beautiful out here today. Hope it's the same with with you.

And here is your Labor Day N & P....

 

Bizarre (more bizarre here) neocon-seeming Claire Belinski criticizes press freedom in Turkey, a subject that I've talked about on occasion, too.

One thing that I hate when I criticize the Erdogan government is that these critiques can be used to forward the agendas of people (Americans, in particular) who see evil in everything they consider "Islamic." These people always seem to be looking for fodder to use against Erdogan, I suspect, because they think he is "Islamic," and not because he is authoritarian. 

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Kurdish parties continue their rhetoric against Sept. 12 referendum in Turkey, again calling upon their supporters to boycott the AKP-sponsored referendum to change the country's constitution.

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Col. Dursun Cicek, one of the many military officers in Turkey currently being detained as part of the Ergenekon investigation, has agreed to drink water but is continuing his hunger strike .

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Three journalists in Turkey facing 7.5 years prison time apiece for interviewing Kurdish separatist figure.

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I liked Juan Cole's small piece on the deficit, especially this chart re the national debt:



According to this chart, the Bush tax cuts have added even more to the deficit than the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and much more than TARP.

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Facing the worst drought in decades, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has extended a ban on grain exports that has been in place since mid-August. Under the new ban, Russian exporters of grain could be prohibited from doing so until the Fall of next year.

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Also from Russia, here is a story from the Moscow Times on fake diplomas and purchased dissertations in Russia—including Vladimir Putin's own supposedly plagiarized dissertation.

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First heard on "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell me:" Heavy drinkers live longer than abstainers, while Russian Finance Minister encourages citizens to drink more alcohol, smoke more.

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"You mean we're going to leave Afghanistan? Noooooooooooooooo!" Charles Krauthhammer wets pants, sucks thumb over Obama's apparent determination to get out by 2011. 

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Mark Ames posts clip of Anna Chapman posing for "Heat" spread. Ames still furious at Obama over Chapman-Sutyagin deal. "Worst trade since Billups-Iverson." 

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In sports news, the vaunted Detroit Lions begin their quest for an NFC North championship with a big game against the Chicago Bears this upcoming Sunday. The University of Michigan, meanwhile, scored a big-time victory over much-feared Connecticut on Saturday behind newly-anointed starting QB Denard Robinson.

Many people call Denard "shoelace," because he never ties his shoes.


Denard Robinson ("don't call me 'Junior'") shows off his untied shoes.
 

I think this is cool, because I don't like tying my shoelaces, either.








  People, I hope you have enjoyed your Labor Day N & P!