Lance Cpl. John T. Byrd II was killed in Iraq, Saturday 30 October.

As of Tuesday, 2 November 2004, 1119 soldiers have been killed in Iraq, 146 soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan.

List of soldiers killed: from the Baltimore Sun, from CNN, from the Washington Post

Fallen Heros Memorial

The dark, grey skies outside perfectly reflect my current mood.

And I usually like rainy days.

It’s so bad that the only bright spot in my morning was the resounding defeat of Waner–and I dislike Manchin.

9:27 PM
“Joe Manchin is expected to easily defeat opponent Monty Warner in what might turn out to be the widest gubnatorial margin in state history.” (Metro News)

An humiliation for Warner. Perhaps he’ll take this message to GET OUT and STAY OUT.
(But I don’t have strong opinions about this or anything.)

The rest of the races I’m interested in are too close to call. And apparently Mon county is clue free, as last time I checked, 0% of Mon County precincts were reporting in. Bah humbug.

ADDENDUM the First: 9:54 and 0 Precincts reporting in for Mon county 44th Delegate district.

ADDENDUM the Second: According to the people on the TV, the reason that Mon county is taking so long to count is the number of write-in votes. (For those not in Mon County, Magistrate Alan Wheeler died two weeks ago, and so there is a write-in campaign since there was not enough time to take his name off the ballot.) Apparently all ballots with write-in candidates have to be tallied by hand before they can be run through the optical scanner.
I feel much better about things now.

ADDENDUM the Third: Yetch. Think it’s about time to head home…

VOTE!!

VOTE!!

VOTE!!

Mountainstage came to the CAC Sunday night. As with last time, it was primarily a bluegrass show, and we had a great time.

Started out with the Old Crow Medicine Show, which made me think of Charles deLint. Oddly enough their sound did remind me a bit of the music he describes in some of his stories, although whether that’s his intention or not, I couldn’t say.

Diana Jones was next. She had what I heard someone on the way out describe as “an old time voice.” Very strong. I particularly liked her a cappella tune.

I really liked Jonathan Byrd and Dromedary. Dromedary played a strange variety of instruments, including a strange instrument that looked like a banjo with too many strings and a marvelous sound. I think that I would like one of their albums.

The biggest surprise to me Kris Delmhorst, who had fantastic voice. Once she started singing I remembered having heard her on Mountainstage previously, but she didn’t like old enough and careworn enough to have such an incredible voice.

Dwight Miller & John Morris (I hope I got those names correct) were the old time musicians of the evening. Two old men sitting on chairs playing banjo and fiddle and telling tales between songs. They looked like they belonged sitting on a porch, leaning back, fiddling and picking and telling tales. I was pleased and surprised by how much the audience appreciated them–they received a standing ovation when they were done. Absolutely lovely.

Finishing up the night was the Nashville Bluegrass Band. Very good, very polished group. Their a cappella tune was just amazing–what I liked best of what they did. Oddly enough, I think they were a bit too polished at what they did for me to really love them. Don’t get me wrong, they were good–even great–but something about them just didn’t seem right to men, and I can’t really put my finger on what precisely it was, other than it seemed perhaps too polished. But as I said, they were very very good.

If you were looking to buy me some music from the evening, I think I’d really like something from Old Crow Medicine Show or Dromedary. But everything was very good.

In case you missed it, Friday was the 17th annual Pumpkin Drop off the Engineering building. Apparently it was an exciting event as “one was even disqualified for being too far from the target when it hit an audience member in the head.”

Also:

Mountaineer Week is November 11-21st. Apparently the craft fair starts Friday the 19th, but it’s difficult to tell as the “schedule” on the website is far more confusing that helpful. The football game is 13th.