The Department of Homeland Security has raised the national terrorism threat level from Yellow (Elevated) to Orange (High) after the speech tonight, because intelligence officials believe terrorists will attempt multiple attacks against U.S. and coalition targets worldwide.

Well, this is it. We're going to war. Yes, I know, no one has actually said that. Do you honestly believe that something is going to stop this from happening? The amount of military assets in the Gulf region is just too staggering. I think this nation was committed long ago to this war, though we paid lip service to diplomacy - and that's about it: lip service. Now, we just have to embrace and support our troops over there and hope they get through this alive. I may not agree with what they've been told to do, but you must support them doing it. (I think that's where a lot of people have gone haywire recently, thinking that being against the war means you do not support the men and women fighting in it. That's not the case. I can whole-heartedly support them in their assigned duties. I just don't agree with the assignment. And I believe there's a difference between the two.)

Pray that we don't get attacked on our soil as retaliation. Pray that the rest of the world doesn't turn it's back against America for doing this without the support or sanction of the U.N (Even though 1441 can be interpreted as giving the approval). The U.N. has ordered their people out of Iraq, so we're on the clock now.

Any side bets on when it starts? 72 hours? By NCAA start? (Notice I didn't say "March Madness" because, after all, isn't this March Madness???) By the Oscars? By baseball's Opening Day?

Any other side bets, like are the oil fields booby-trapped? Will we see the use of chemical or biological weapons that Iraq said they didn't have? (And if so, will they blame us for their usage?) Will Iraq launch attacks westward (say, toward Israel)? How many of their troops will surrender? Will we even get close to Saddam? How many civilians will die because Saddam has used them as a Human Shield, placing military targets right in the middle of populated areas or near sensitive civilian buildings, like hospitals?

Oh, just in case it's not clearly obvious - I am not taking bets on any of these events.

67 degrees. Sunny. Wind: 3 mph. St. Patrick's Day. What to do for lunch? has to be quick, so... McDonald's for a Shamrock Shake!!! Haven't had one of these in a while. What a great day outside. What a quiet day inside. Getting warm in here. It always seems that building automation systems can't handle a quick warm-up outside.