The FCC have announced the docket numbers for their consideration of the AT&T takeover of T-Mobile: Interested parties must file petitions to deny no later than May 31, 2011. Persons and entities that file petitions to deny become parties to the proceeding. They may participate fully in the proceeding, including seeking access to any confidential information that may be filed under a protective order, seeking reconsideration of decisions, and filing appeals of a final decision to the courts. ... Read more

Our sick squirrel friend was spotted out front, under the fig tree, around mid-day. We looked for him when we got home, but couldn’t find him until just now. At some point in the afternoon he apparently came back to our back deck, settled in his makeshift nest of leaves under the steps, went to sleep, and never woke up. Somehow I had always assumed that he would disappear one day and not be seen again, or that we’d find him flattened by a car–but I guess he was too smart for that. ... Read more

Black Tip the squirrel is still alive. We tried a small mammal trap for several days; after his first exploration, he wouldn’t go into it. Then yesterday he was so slow that I tried chasing him and throwing a box over him, but he put on an amazing turn of speed and escaped into next door’s yard. After that, we decided to give up trying to catch him and euthanize him. ... Read more

(poem for Eric Whitacre) Whose words they are I think I know. His poem’s copyrighted though, With words you’re not allowed to hear About the dark woods in the snow. The man would maybe think it queer; His family dead for many a year, No heirs in need of royalties, Yet companies still profiteer. Ignoring other artists’ pleas The publisher alone decrees: None can set Frost’s words to music, None can share words such as these. ... Read more

I got a generic “We received your letter” letter from the Department of Justice antitrust division. (Well, that’s more acknowledgement than I ever got from writing to Kay Bailey Hutchison about net neutrality.)