The French are sending troops to the Congo to try and maintain control until UN troops (probably French also) arrive in the fall. The world is sinking into - dare I say it... colonialism. All over again. The ignorant natives can't govern themselves, so us civilized and therefore superior beings have to step in and do it for them. What is it exactly that makes us civilized? Just a minute. I'm thinking... Uhm, we've got more guns?

A "well known bay area musician" died in a bicycle accident, according to the local rag. Immediately, I start the mental checklist. Carlos? Neil? Sammy? Maybe even MC Hammer? Who was it? Surely not another Ramone? It turned out to be Matt Sperry, whom y'all know as the bass player from the SF production of 'Hedwig', and apparently also played bass for Tom Waites a couple of times. But of course you probably already knew that. Not exactly the day that the music died.

We've been told repeatedly that California is in a huge budget crisis. So, why then is the state going ahead with plans to buy up the Hearst castle and all the surrounding land for a hundred million bucks or so? Ooh, now that's showing some fiscal restraint...

East Palo Alto police called in the SWAT unit yesterday. Locked down the local high school. Half the police force on hand. Let this be a lesson. Don't block your back door with your washing machine.