Things Going on in the World

1. It is beastly cold in Canberra, Capital Territory, Australia. Like in the low teens. Digby is sorry not to have packed more warm clothing.

2. The fire northeast of Santa Barbara is 35 percent contained, with no homes in immediate danger.

3. Sally is snoring and her front paws are twitching, suggesting a dream of chasing something.

4. The colonoscopy on our President completed, he is back deciding again, and the Vice President is no longer in charge and I do not think we have declared war on anyone new during the interregnum, nor has anyone been shot in a hunting accident.

5. A bird stopped by the Italian Market on De la Guerra Street, hopeful of lunch.

6. 'Twas brillig and the slithy toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe. But not any more. No matter what the Republicans say, it is no longer brillig. All bets are off.

7. All the rooms in the Best Western Motel, Soledad, California, are booked through the weekend.

8. Lesley Fagan is glad to be home from Oslo, tending her rescue rabbits.

9. Brian Fagan swears I will have a chapter on the Cro-Magnon by Wednesday.

10. Two men in China were thrown in prison for making and exporting defective Support-our-troops bumper stickers to America.

11. There is no place in Santa Barbara to get a decent hot dog; you'd have to travel to Carpinteria and visit The Surf Dog.

12. The "AND" operator in the Google search engine is unnecessary -- we include all search terms by default. (This is a direct quote.)