The gray cat, on the other hand, is pretty dependable. He shows up in the afternoon and naps in the back yard until I take him some food. He usually comes back about nine or ten at night for another snack, and then again about three of four in the morning. In between, he's probably out fighting with other cats. He might be killing a few small creatures, too, just to keep his hand in, but I can't imagine him eating very many of them— not after all that food he eats here.
This evening, there was a blue jay hanging out on my back fence when it was almost dark. I have no idea what kept him up so late. Even the woodpeckers had already bedded down. I kept expecting the jay to start squawking at some threatening creature, but he just perched there in silence, looking about. I guess I'll never find out what he was waiting for.
An interesting article about the mortgage market meltdown has been published at Portfolio. It's by Michael Lewis, author of the 1980s stock market tome "Liar's Poker," and presents a fascinating view of what was going on in the companies which have collapsed as a result of their involvement in the sub-prime mortgage market. It's long, but remains fascinating throughout.
