Today is the observation of Veteran's Day here in the U.S. Here's a salute to vets and their families, and a sincere hope that we are working towards a day when the sacrifices of soldiers will be a thing of the past.

The story of the wildfires in California continue to be startlingly dire, with reports of record casualties and smoke spreading across the country as the fires continue to rage. The most striking illustration to me of how severe this is comes from Facebook of all places. I am startled to see just how many friends are marking their status on the service. This shows just how many people are affected by this, though obviously the good news in these instances is that these folks are listing themselves as safe. But in that vein, there are lots of people missing, and we can only hope it turns out they evacuated, and will not become additions to the death toll.

R.I.P.: Douglas Rain: Actor who voiced Hal in 2001- A Space Odyssey dies. "But you'll look sweet upon the seat of a bicycle built for two."

Link Salute:	Thanks Ant.
Stories:	The World is Running Out of Sand, and People Are Dying as a Result. Crazy in love? The Japanese man 'married' to a hologram. Thanks [H]ardOCP.
Science:	Magnetic eye implants could save the eyesight of glaucoma patients. Cyclists Faster In Cities Than Cars And Motorbikes. Thanks Slashdot. Heat-rejecting film could reduce air conditioning costs.
Media:	DUAL DOOM CHALLENGE - 2 Dooms, 1 Keyboard. But no mouse. Dan Crenshaw, Navy SEAL And Congressman-Elect, Takes To 'SNL' For A Teachable Moment. Two Hundred and Seventy.