The chocolate Jack Daniels pecan pie was a hit. Six people ate it (no harmful effects) and asked for seconds. Not bad for a first pie.

During the same week, got to see a night launch of the space shuttle. All in all, a great week. :-)

Many of you may have heard of her. The Economist just bashed her in the latest issue:

http://www.economist.com/people/displayStory.cfm?story_id=1429429

If nothing else, the media attention shows that she is a thought leader on the globalization debate.

Made my first pie last night. It was a chocolate pecan pie. We are freezing it for Thanksgiving (2 weeks). Waiting is the hardest part. Will post again when the family tries it.

Next week in Washington DC is the Winter Meeting of the American Nuclear Society (ANS). Besides being an Asst Program Chair, I will be presenting on some ways to boost the number of nuclear engineers who take the professional engineer (PE) exam and get licensed. This probably sounds like a dry subject (especially outside the US where certification is better organized and adminstered), but it can make a big difference. Here is more info on the subject:

http://www.na-ygn.org/gonuke/pdf/Gonuke_Summer2002.pdf

(See page 2 on the Pdf file.)

The one nice part of this issue is that whether one is pro or anti-nuclear, having nuclear engineers licensed is a good idea. It is also a rare time that I break out the French cuff shirts. :-)

Went to a special class on leadership in homeowner associations. It was hosted by the Community Associations Institute (www.cvccai.org) This may sound dry, but most new developments in the US are associations. These classes can really provide knowledge and skills to make these associations aa asset for the homeowners and the community at large.

The SADDEST tidbit from the class is that only 5% of associations are involved in the program. This may help explain many fo the horror stories that are out there.

I must wonder how many other problems have resources standing by, yet we are stuck as part of the ignorant 95%?