Italian earthquake (noted without comment)

"L'AQUILA, Italy (Reuters) – A powerful earthquake struck central Italy as residents slept on Monday morning, killing more than 90 people and making up to 50,000 homeless."

...

"Weeks before the disaster, an Italian scientist had predicted a major quake around L'Aquila, based on concentrations of radon gas around seismically active areas.

Seismologist Gioacchino Giuliani was reported to police for "spreading alarm" and was forced to remove his findings from the Internet. Italy's Civil Protection Agency reassured locals at the end of March that tremors being felt were "absolutely normal" for a seismic area."

mountains of mourning

The news and photos coming out of Italy are just heartbreaking. My prayers to the people there.

The Little World of Don Camillo

You know, I was thinking today about Italy, and wondering how I came to fall in love with that country long, long before I ever went...or even know all that much about it. And I think part of it must have been, at a very young age, inhaling the Don Camillo stories that my mom owned. I need to get my own copies.

Two for the taxman

Have successfully wrangled two out of three IRS filings. Only Virginia awaits. It will either be much easier than I thought, or fiendishly difficult, or perhaps You Can't Get There From Here.

Celebrating by making popcorn and going to watch Castle for fluffy prettyness with a side order of adorable. I feel like I've run a marathon.

...and the next, you're fighting Sleestacks on the other side of a dimensional rift

Ok, that was awesome. Were I to strike the lottery tomorrow, I think I too would go out and buy high-end laser tag equipment.

The wardrobe person continues to put Castle in blue and Beckett in awesome coats. I approve highly.