Lord Gates Macbeth Fawkes cliches

+ I am so excited about Robert Gates staying on as SECDEF. Almost all of his calls have been right (as far as I can tell). Reading about him is impressive, too: His PhD is in Russian and Soviet history with his dissertation being on their relationship with the Chinese. He's the only CIA director who has risen from entry-level employee to director. Further, I'm impressed that someone who was career CIA, an organization that has never impressed me, should get so many things right.

+ I have a new problem: I'm reading through Dorothy Sayers Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries for the first time and once I start one I can't put it down. Read all of 'Clouds of Witnesses' yesterday. Peter Wimsey is so silly!

+ Also reading Macbeth with Jason, Mary Pat and Bill. Only finished Act 1 so far, so if you want to join us, there's still time.

+ Some links I save for you: Thirty Cliches You Should Basically Avoid (Going Forward) (Lifehacker): 10 from Oxford and 20 from the Beeb. From these lists, I especially agree with 'to be honest' and '110%'.

My own nominee for most annoying is the en vogue use of the conditional tense: 'That would be me.' No, honey, it is ;-)

+ Apropos of nothing, British chancellor (probably) unwittingly quoting Guy Fawkes. 'Remember, remember the fifth of November!'