Apparently they've been playing some pretty good baseball in the National League, too. Astros and Cardinals play Game 7 tonight in St. Louis.

Red Sox win. Yankees go home. One more week to go.

Slashdot has an excellent interview with Neal Stephenson, one of my favorite writers. Among other things, he talks about the distinction between market-supported writers in the tradition of Beowulf and patron-supported writers in the tradition of Dante. The two groups differ primarily because they are accountable to different people.

In major league baseball history, 25 teams have trailed 3-0 in a seven game series before this year. Twenty of those teams were swept, losing Game 4. None has ever forced a Game 7. Until now.

Red Sox are all the way back. One more for all the marbles tonight.

There's a reason why Red Sox fans are insane: sleep deprivation.

This year, the Sox were down 3-0 against the Yankees, including a humiliating 19-8 loss in Game 3. The fandom thought they were done, over, see you next spring. The team failed to get the memo, and proceeded to come back against the best closer in the game, and win in extra innings. Twice. In the process playing two of the longest (by time) games in playoff history.

Sox still trail 3-2, but go back to New York for two more games. Espresso machines will be running full out all over New England.

So who is questioning whose patriotism? Service records of various public figures.

"We cannot simply suspend or restrict civil liberties until the War of Terror is over, because the War on Terror is unlikely ever to be truly over," Judge Gerald Tjoflat wrote for the three-member court. "September 11, 2001, already a day of immeasurable tragedy, cannot be the day liberty perished in this country."

Hooray for the 11th Circuit.

Next time you're looking for a quiet island for a few minutes, you could do much worse than this fantastic bonsai gallery or its accompanying photo essay on bonsai care.