So I had the catalytic converter stolen out of my Prius last week. I had been thinking, "You know, I should get one of those protector things for it..." but I guess they beat me to it.

Also: we're getting the band back together at CHIHUSIMEET II? This summer???

A resounding success was had by all.

I got to eat meat and drink beer and there were several other human beings involved. I would call that an unqualified success. Other people did the same, more or less, with a couple exceptions.

I asked this the other day when somebody brought it up. I don't. I write so few checks. I look at my bank account info constantly. I use mostly credit cards. So I know what's going on. I suppose if I were writing dozens of checks each month, I would. But who uses checks anymore?

Remember: CHIHUSIMEET on 7/14 chez gzt.

Once again, confirming the convention on July 14th. Chez GZT unless somebody else really wants to volunteer.

That phrase always amused me. However, as it's the Paschal season, it's out of place to bring it up.

Reminder in case you missed it: we're thinking July 14 for ChiHuSiMeet unless there are severe objections from anybody whose opinion matters.

King in the North, then!

CHIHUSIMEET: July 14th, I think, then! Mark your calendars. If there are no major objections in the next week, it will be so ordained.

I had a slight "D'oh!" moment yesterday when I was glancing the website for a conference on topological data analysis and noticed there were two people from OSU who attended. I hadn't noticed them earlier because they had courtesy appointments in stats, so I didn't really look at their work. Well, I still prefer my choice and I don't think that's the direction I will go, but that's the sort of thing that would have moved them a notch higher than they were in terms of "research fit". Still, I don't like making decisions and then finding something right afterwards that I deem relevant.

INSIDE: more Windy City Husi Meetup discussion.

Or maybe June. July.

We should have a HuSi gathering here in the Second City some time before August (when I depart the city).

Airing the motion here to see if anybody is up for it and has strong opinions about dates, times, locations, that sort of thing.

however: NOT ANY TIME NEAR MAY 20-21. the NATO summit will muck things up.