I sometimes think I’m a compulsive note taker. I almost always have a pad and pen (or pencil) nearby so I can scribble down some thought that crosses my mind, an observation of the way the world works, a commentary on my own quirks and desires (including “wish lists” of specific books, DVDs and products I might like to have), ideas for screenplays, thoughts about movies as well as scenes and images from projects I’m already working on, including scripts and my so-far unnamed fantasy epic. And in the past nearly eighteen months, I have jotted down numerous ideas for posts to this blog, some of which I have realized, most which remain just germs of an idea, awaiting some effort to bring them to life in a form which better services to communicate the ideas to others (than a random scribbling on a scrap of paper).

Whenever I sort my notes, I come across numerous such ideas, blog posts not realized. Some I may return to, others have become dated by the time I review the verbal record of my brainstorm. Perhaps, if I have time (which I doubt) in the coming weeks, I may address a few of these ideas. For while the inspiring event may have been a few weeks — or months — in the past, the passage of time has not diminished the importance theme I wished to address.

In one such note, likely from late November (or early December of last year),* I wondered at Mary Mapes’ insistence that the documents she relied upon for a celebrated September 8, 2004 60 Minutes II piece on the president’s National Guard service were genuine. In the immediate aftermath of the program, bloggers raised questions about the authenticity of these documents. CBS was forced to retract the story. And the subsequent Thornburgh-Boccardi report established that the documents, in the words of Powerline’s Scott Johnson, were “pathetic frauds.” (In this January 29, 2005 Weekly Standard column, Johnson offers a good summary of the story.)

In my recently rediscovered note, I wondered why, if Mary Mapes believes that the documents are indeed authentic and remains convinced that that then-Lieutenant George W. Bush received preferential treatment in his Guard service, she doesn’t (now that she’s unemployed) use her free time and reporting skills to authenticate the documents. She could go down to Texas to try to connect the documents to Lieutenant Colonel Jerry Killian, Bush’s then-commanding officer. And review (and debunk with facts and arguments) her critics’ claims.

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Hmmm… it would be nice if our national networks (including CNN and FOX) would pay more attention to our strongest wartime ally. It turns out that Cyclone Larry is bearing down on the northeast part of Australia (Queensland) where the resort city of Cairns is located — the stepping off point to the Great Barrier Reef. All of my information comes from blog-ally Tim Blair in Australia.

It is now early morning of Monday, March 20 in Australia… and here’s some of the latest on what appears to be the most devastating storm in 35 years to hit that continent:

The VERY DESTRUCTIVE CORE of SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE LARRY with EXTREME GUSTS of approximately 280 km/hr should cross the coast near INNISFAIL between 7am and 9am MONDAY MORNING. GALES are already being experienced along the exposed coast
in the warning area and DESTRUCTIVE winds are expected to commence along the coast between INGHAM and PORT DOUGLAS in the next hour or so.

Coastal residents between Cairns and Cardwell are specifically warned of the dangerous storm tide as the cyclone crosses the coast. The sea is likely to steadily rise up to a level which will be significantly above the normal tide, with damaging waves, strong currents and flooding of low-lying areas extending some way inland.

More here from the FOX News Corp affiliate network in Australia:

RESIDENTS in far north Queensland are bracing for Cyclone Larry, expected to be the worst storm to hit the area in decades.

Thousands of residents last night fled the state’s far north as authorities compared the violent storm to America’s Hurricane Katrina. Mandatory evacuations have been enforced in numerous low-lying seafront areas, including in the Johnstone and Cardwell shires, expected to bear the brunt of the cyclone and its 4m storm surge. In addition to the evacuation of island resorts in the path of the cyclone, emergency authorities have also warned residents in low-lying areas between Cairns and Townsville to “seriously consider” leaving.

God Bless to our fellow patriots in the great nation and continent of Australia. Our prayers are with you here in the States!

-Bruce (GayPatriot)