Well, well, well. Here it is, December 15th, and I have all of my holiday shopping done.

Except for a gift for Carol (my Executive Assistant). Since she has the ability to strand me in obscure locations around the country should she so choose, and since she makes sure that the company reimburses me for my expenses, I'd say she's a pretty important one.

[I don't think a Barnes and Noble gift certificate will cut it.]

We've been inventing names for the cat lately. I feel a bit like the copier guy on Saturday Night Live who creates nicknames for his co-workers:

Suki. The Sukstress. Suki-Boo. Boo-face. The Boo-Meister.

Booooooooo.

Speaking of which, she has been going absolutely bananas this week, what with all the boxes and disruption in the condo. I think she views them as suitcases, hence "evil", so she has been quite nervous about them.

Apparently the NYC Hawk Battle escalated into quite a war with the hawk activists against the co-op residents on Fifth Avenue. But in the end, the birds won, although it got pretty nasty, with one of the protestors being arrested for threatening CNN's Paula Zahn and her family.

NEW YORK — Two celebrated red-tailed hawks whose eviction from their nest high atop a chic Manhattan building sparked protests from bird watchers will be allowed to rebuild their home in the same spot.

E.J. McAdams, executive director of the New York City Audubon Society (search), said architects hired by the building's co-op board have developed new nesting area designs that could get the birds back by the end of the week.

But despite the agreement Tuesday, all was not calm outside 927 Fifth Avenue.

An advocate for the two famous hawks was arrested and charged with harassing the CNN anchor Paula Zahn, who lives in the building, and her husband and two young sons, law enforcement sources said.

Lincoln Karim, 43, was arrested by plainclothes detectives as he prepared to lead a demonstration outside the building on behalf of Pale Male and his mate, Lola.

Sounds like everything has worked out well for Mr and Mrs Male, however. In addition to reinstalling the pigeon spikes that held the nest in place prior to last week, there is a new design featuring a guardrail around the 12th-floor window cornice to address safety concerns.

[Movin' on up!]

Quote du jour:

"Nicknames stick to people, and the most ridiculous are the most adhesive."

-- Thomas C. Haliburton (1796 - 1865)
Canadian jurist, homespun philospher, author

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