Holiday Reading

So I've been cross-eyed with the flu this week, which is finally ebbing. Even more interesting, the whole family got equally sick at the same time. I think one of our neighbors put a skull and crossbones on our front door. I shuffled out to get the mail one day and another neighbor, caught in the stairwell, cowered into a ball until I passed by. I grunted at her and she whimpered. Or that part could have been one of my feverish dreams. Anyway, in between my periods of semi-consciousness, I've tried to stay current with various posts, comments, and stories. In case you missed them, here's a bunch that are worth taking a look at. As Charlie Petit notes: