Got up 0500 this am local time in San Diego. Flew to Atlanta. Then back to Central time here in Huntsville Alabama. Touch down 5:15. Luggage 5:25. Cab at 5:30 and get to hotel at 5:55. Check in and run to room, arriving 5:59. Phone rings and I'm on the air with Hugh 5 minutes later.

That was close!

Reviewed the chapter carefully while flying, cause it's the statistical chapter, so had a lot of notes at my fingertips for the show.

Best one yet, I felt, in me-and-Hugh give-and-take.

But I feel material was hardest yet for callers (all that data), so questions were less connected and thus less compelling.

Next week on System Perturbations should be great, because Y2K, 9/11 and Big Bang all lend themselves to narrative and thus more accessible traction points for questions.

Meanwhile, on with my own show.

Have 5K blogged and in Mac, but not sure my way-cheap motel has access and I left my Treo synch cord at home (otherwise I could get Mac online via cell--new feature I just got that means no more hotel charges, so long as I remember the damn cord!).

But I will see what I can arrange. In "space city," after all.