A literal description of my state of mind
A literal description of my state of mind
Found this over at Q and O:
"If we had simply built all the [nuclear power] plants that were in the pipeline at the time of Three Mile Island, then we would have reduced current coal combustion sufficiently to satisfy the Kyoto treaty." -- Peter Huber
Shank is a sometime commenter here, and he keeps an interesting blog, The Reluctant Werewolf. It's full of fun anecdotes and unconventional wisdom.
At work, we employ some Musical Therapists. Basically, they go around the oncology wards and such - places where people are pretty sick and face a depressing prognosis - and kind of help them become comfortable. They play music and sing and shit like that. Lots of patients and families really appreciate that kind of thing, but it's a little too new agey for me. So I'm going to make fun of it.
That's just the opening paragraph of a pretty funny post. He's always worth a visit, especially for his insights on the wedding-planning process, which he's also going through.
Rob and Carol have just gone through the wedding-planning process, followed by the wedding process and now the honeymoon process. Stop by their place at Left & Right and go through the comment process to wish 'em a big congrats. They're due back today.
This next blog, The Smoking Toaster, defies classification. Your pal, Bitterman, is the author and holds forth on everything from the pussyfication of the classic Dodge Daytona muscle cars to topical humor. Added to the mix is some pretty good photography from the Bay Area. He's a smartass, but too on-the-ball to be a dumbass. He's a daily read for me.
LeeAnn is the CheeseMistress of Munuviana and Queen of the evolving banner. She also offered up some living will suggestions. These are my favorites:
3. If I am unable to recognize or interact with friends or family members, I still expect gifts.4. If I am unable to feed, clean, or dress myself, I would like to be referred to as "Mr. Trump."
There's more cheesy goodies at her place, each and almost every day.
More daily reads:
Stephen at Hold the Mayo. He's got his act together, so I don't have to.
That's an example of stealing an advertising slogan that doesn't quite fit.
Debbye, the Fierce American, is my main source of Canadian news. I guess I'm typically clueless about our northern neighbors because, well, there are plenty of domestic nitwits to deal with (and no, I'm not saying *all* Canadians are nitwits).
Finally, just because:
Paul.
Frinklin pointed out this new blog devoted to sports team logos (talk about a niche audience). Since I like pretty pictures, I clicked through and found his latest poll on best team logo. I gotta tell you, I'm torn between the Dallas Derby Devils and the Rose City Rollers. They're both killer designs.
I've told you about the McCovey Chronicles before, and I'm telling you again. Grant can flat out write, and he's funny as hell too.
Here's a recent gem, about something he saw at the San Fransisco Giants site:
The Budweiser Clydesdale horses will be on display near SBC Park on Friday (3-10 p.m. PT) and Saturday (11 a.m to 6 p.m. PT) in parking lot A across from the Lefty O'Doul bridge.
And his response:
The horses are a constant reminder that Budweiser tastes like something you'd milk from a horse.
He also links to blogs from many other teams, so if you don't know of one for yours, chances are he's the guy to see.
Fer instance, who knew about the Orioles Warehouse?
Five things that people are wild about that I just don't get.
1. Washington Redskins - I never really disliked the Redskins until I moved into the area. Every year it's the same thing, instead of eternal optimism like Chicago Cubs fans display, the Skins fans are arrogant as hell. Right up until the moment they admit to themselves that they suck. Again.
2. Drinking - My parents were social drinkers, and I grew up knowing what beer and various liquors tasted like. I'm not anti-drinking, but I seldom think to myself, "a scotch would taste good right about now". We've always got alcohol in the house, but some of it's pretty damn old. If we go out somewhere I'll occasionally get a beer with dinner, but it's not something I do very often for some unknown reason.
3. TV - I watch very little, mostly hockey and football. If that's not on, I'll switch over to a music channel (Sirius, the satellite radio stations) and leave it on in the background. Very occasionally I'll catch an ad for something on the History Channel that I'd like to see, and sometimes I'll even remember and make a point of watching it. Other than that, eh.
4. SUV's - There are some who legitimately require 4-wheel drive and off-road capability. Medical personnel in the winter come to mind, or someone who lives way back in the country. But the soccer moms and Joe Commuter have as much need for a Cadillac Escalade as a tank needs a kickstand. They're a fad people, and you're certainly free to drive one. But they don't make you special, they don't allow you to drive as if the roads aren't wet/snowy/icy, and I hope you're going freakin' broke pumping $2.50/gallon gas into it every third day.
5. New Movies - I can't remember the last time I went to a movie theater to see a movie. I rarely hear of a movie that fires my interest enough to even remember it, let alone want to see it. Mostly I'll scan the movies for the week and I'll see something I remember being a megahit some months back, and then I'll set the Tivo to record it. Eventually I'll watch it. Maybe.
Looking back over these five, I really come across as an anti-social bastard. I think that a better explanation is that I'm pretty easy-going, so if there's something I "don't get", it's annoying enough to be a peeve.
Here are Daniel's lists.
Wanna run with this? Go for it and let me know and I'll post a link to yours.
There's a short list of people on the 'net that make me green with envy amuse the hell out of me, and Anna is one of them.
Primal Purge is back.
This week's Top Secret Recipe is for Hidden Valley Original Ranch Dressing. It's only up for the week, so if you want it, grab it now.
I thought the background story was kinda neat:
Indeed, ranch dressing was invented at Hidden Valley Ranch near Santa Barbara, California, by a real salad-wranglin' rancher. In the '50s and '60s Steve Henson and his wife, Gayle, shared their 120-acre dude ranch with University of California at Santa Barbara students and other festive partiers for rousing weekend shindigs. The dozens of guests were serve meals of steaks and salads topped with Steve's special blend of herbs, spices, mayonnaise and buttermilk. As word got out about the fabulous dressing more guests were showing up at the ranch and walking home with complimentary take-home jars filled with the stuff. Eventually Steve figured he could make a little cash on the side by packaging the dressing as a dry mix and selling it through the mail. At first he was filling envelopes himself, but within a few months Steve had to hire 12 more people to help with the packaging. Soon Steve had a multi-million dollar business on his hands, from a product that for 10 years he had been giving away for free.
Dude ranch. Cowboy. Steak. Buttermilk. Don't mind me, just settin' out some Google-bait.
Thanks to Random Nuclear Strikes for pointing the way to this... I have no idea how to describe it, other than rude, crude and hilariously funny.
It was only a matter of time:
"Each year, 15 million cases of bacterial food poisoning originate in U.S. home kitchens, resulting in nausea, diarrhea, fever, and even death," read a press release French's issued Monday. "Now, lunch doesn't have to endanger your health! All-new French's Antibacterial Mustard is the perfect way to add flavor to, and subtract harmful disease-causing bacteria from, your family's favorite meals!"
Coming to a television near you:
"Approximately 9,000 deaths per year are attributed to foodborne pathogens, and the most germ-filled location in the house is the kitchen," a woman says as computer-generated footage zooms in to show worm-like spirochete bacteria multiplying on a slice of bologna. "Normal mustards do nothing to combat the germs that begin forming on meats and cheeses as soon as they're taken out of the refrigerator. But an hour after spreading on our powerful French's Antibacterial Mustard, your lunch is still free of everything but zesty mustard taste!"
Not really. It's the Onion.
The AHL season concludes today and playoffs begin shortly. Hopefully next year we can cheer for NHL teams once again.
Here's the list of players, thanks to all of you for playing:
Albany River Rats - Victor
Lowell Lock Monsters - Kin
Binghamton Senators - Dr Funk
Bridgeport Sound Tigers - Spork
Portland Pirates - Nic
Hershey Bears - Derek
Worcester IceCats - Heather
Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins - Catt
Cleveland Barons - Ted
Hamilton Bulldogs - Cindy
Manitoba Moose - Gir
Houston Aeros - Matt
Rochester Americans - GEBIV
Milwaukee Admirals - Brian J & Frinklin
Utah Grizzlies - Jenn
For those who don't know what this is all about, the simple rules are here.
If you didn't play this year, you're welcome to join us next year for the Third Annual Hockey Whoopass Jamboree. Not interested? What have you got against tradition?
Kitty Says
Pole Dancing In the Dark
American Warmonger
Beekeeper
Grumbles
Alex In Wonderland
Weasel Manor
Hola and welcome.
Many formats (scroll down to find one compatible with your handheld).
While you're at it, this might interest you as well: Towards Understanding Islam.
I am a serious ebook junkie.
View the latest fashions in Amish swimwear. Safe for work. Safe for the Vatican.
Forgot where I found this. Sorry.
I talked about this a few months ago, but it was postponed due to the tragic tsunami that swept through that part of the world.
It's going on now. Check out the unfolding events at Silent Running.
The Spacemonkey has had an amazing response when he offered up Gmail invites for the asking. And since I'm nothing if not derivitive, I'll extend the same deal.
Leave a comment asking for a Gmail invite, and I'll send one to you. How's that for complicating your life?
Check out Tom's Astronomy Blog for news and bits about the science of looking up. Cool pictures too.
Not the TV series, and not the number of the greatest baseball player of all time (Willie Mays), but the number of a race car.
NASCAR's number 24 has a new prime sponsor: Bourdreaux's Butt Paste.
The driver is Kim Crosby. I don't follow NASCAR, is she the only female on the circuit? Anyways, it's like Stroker Ace come to life.
Thanks to McQ at Q&O for the pointer.
We have entries in the Rocket Jones Banner Contest!
Go check 'em out (yep, it's another linkevent).
Derek, who names computers after dairy products.
Amy, who is flamboyantly and extravagantly carnivorous.
These are wonderful and I can't wait to see what you come up with. Yes, you.
Lynn S posts this hilarious conversation between God and St. Francis.
Subject? Yardwork.
Yips to the Llamas for the pointer.
Brian J. Noggle celebrated his 3rd blog anniversary yesterday.
Why aren't you a Munuvian?
That's the official Munuvian greeting and expression of joy. Find a fiver on the ground? Yay! Your team is playing like they're unbeatable? Yay! Girlfriend comes home from a bachelorette party half-sloshed, horny as hell and arm in arm with her bisexual college roommate? Well, duh. Yay!
Like I said: expression of joy.
But it's also the official Munuvian greeting. So go visit these latest residents and if they've bothered to post something, leave 'em a Yay! in the comments.
Rhymes With Right
Possumblog
Something for the Weekend
Seven Inches of Sense
Stolen Beauty
View from the Pew
A Swift Kick and A Bandaid
Professor Chaos
Cal Tech Girl's World
Tell 'em Ted sent ya.
Un-freakin-believable!
Ms. Wheelchair Wisconsin has been stripped of her title because pageant officials say she can stand — and point to a newspaper picture as proof.Janeal Lee, who has muscular dystrophy and uses a scooter, was snapped by The Post-Crescent newspaper standing among her high school math students. The photo was not an expose.
Standing. Not walking or bowling or skating or running track, she was standing.
“I’ve been made to feel as if I can’t represent the disabled citizens of Wisconsin because I’m not disabled enough,” Lee said Thursday.
Well honey, your feelings are right on the mark, because that's *exactly* why they booted you. Count your blessings that you don't have to deal with those politically correct nitwits any more. Why do I say "politically correct"?
Candidates for the crown have to “mostly be seen in the public using their wheelchairs or scooters,” said Judy Hoit, Ms. Wheelchair America’s treasurer. “Otherwise you’ve got women who are in their wheelchairs all the time and they get offended if they see someone standing up. We can’t have title holders out there walking when they’re seen in the public.”
Yep, can't offend the real crips. You know, the ones who are disabled enough. And of course we all know who gets blamed for this farce:
Hackel said Lee should have been aware of the rules.
You knew it was coming. It's her own damn fault.
I wonder if Miss Black America ever got bounced because her skin wasn't dark enough?
Rand Simberg of Transterrestrial Musings provides pointers to these nifty sites:
Google Maps - in about 5 minutes I zoomed to a map of my street, and then with one click of a button got a fairly detailed satellite image.
Economics in One Lesson - the classic by Henry Hazlitt, now available online.
Over at Frinklin Speaks, we're treated to two funny links:
The Old Negro Space Program (a film not by Ken Burns)
Just what I needed this morning.
Rob said that Springtime doesn't officially come to DC until the manhole covers start to explode.
Via Sarah, I see where the poor saintly parents of Terri Schaivo have agreed to sell the list of names of everyone who supported their cause to a direct-mailing company.
Assholes.
Mitch Hedberg passed away. You can find more at The Ministry of Minor Perfidy, but for now I'll just leave you with some of his jokes that I shamelessly stole from the Ministry. They had me laughing out loud.
I got an ant farm. Them fellas didn’t grow shit.Last week I helped my friend stay put. It’s a lot easier than helping someone move. I just went over to his house and made sure that he did not start to load shit into a truck.
I got my hair highlighted, because I felt some strands were more important than others.
I had a stick of Carefree gum, but it didn’t work. I felt pretty good while I was blowing that bubble, but as soon as the gum lost its flavor, I was back to pondering my mortality.
I want to be a race car passenger: just a guy who bugs the driver. “Say man, can I turn on the radio? You should slow down. Why do we gotta keep going in circles? Can I put my feet out the window? Boy, you really like Tide.”
I got in an argument with a girlfriend inside of a tent. That’s a bad place for an argument, because I tried to walk out, and had to slam the flap.
I type a 101 words a minute. But it’s in my own language.
I don’t have a girlfriend. But I do know a woman who’d be mad at me for saying that.
I’m against picketing, but I don’t know how to show it.
I was walking down the street with my friend and he said “I hear music.” As if there’s any other way to take it in.
At my hotel room, my friend came over and asked to use the phone. I said “Certainly.” He said “Do I need to dial 9?” I say “Yeah. Especially if it’s in the number. You can try four and five back to back real quick.”
My lucky number is four billion. That doesn’t come in real handy when you’re gambling. “Come on, four billion! Fuck. Seven. I need more dice.”
I love blackjack. But I’m not addicted to gambling. I’m addicted to sitting in a semi circle.
I don’t own a cell phone or a pager. I just hang around everyone I know, all the time.
I used to do drugs. I still do drugs. But I used to, too.
The thing about tennis is: no matter how much I play, I’ll never be as good as a wall. I played a wall once. They’re fucking relentless.
I would imagine if you could understand Morse Code, a tap dancer would drive you crazy.
I went to the park and saw this kid flying a kite. The kid was really excited. I don’t know why, that’s what they’re supposed to do. Now if he had had a chair on the other end of that string, I would have been impressed.
They didn't reach their goal at the comment-a-thon for Breast Cancer yesterday, but the important thing is the effort. Thanks everyone, it's appreciated.
Please click on the pink button at the top right corner of this page. Go there and leave a comment. It's easy and it'll do some good, and this ol' world could use all the good we can dish out.
Pass the word too. This is a one-day comment-a-thon.
Thanks.
(this post will remain at the top of the page all day, scroll down for new postings)
From Boudicca:
my husband's family are knife wielding bunny cutters
:D
Ptiza is looking to buy a car, so she ponied up the bucks for a month of unlimited Carfax. Smart move, and we do the same when we're in the market.
But Ptiza's creative genius had me laughing my ass off when she combines unlimited Carfax and eBay auto auctions into a hilarious blog post.
Be careful, for her wit is sharp and the edge drips acid.
Today is Cindy's birthday. If you feel so inclined, head on over to Dusting My Brain and wish her a happy. While you're there, check out the Ken & Squip Show, which is a weekly podcast they do.
According to Mookie's friend's sister-in-law's sister's friend's coworker, our town is the Swinger's Capital of the East Coast.
Good enough for Dan Rather.
Over at Dustbury I saw an interesting snippet about changes in the 401(k) rules. Glancing over them quickly, I can see where they'll benefit a lot of people, if they're smart enough to take advantage.
The company I work for has an incredibly generous matching plan, and I was really surprised to learn just how few of the younger employees are taking advantage. We've always tried to beat it into our kid's thick skulls instill in our children the idea that you have to treat savings like a bill. Pay into it once a month at least and leave it the hell alone. It'll add up fast. We were mostly successful. Oldest daughter bought her first two cars herself and Mookie purchased her own PC when offered yet another hand-me-down model.
My plan comes in two parts: upon retirement I live simply and long enough to have to learn to like the cheap dogfood.
Before I knew what blogs were, I found Rachel Lucas. I googled "girls with guns" or some such nonsense and her site popped up. I read, and I was hooked. She's since retired her original place and resurfaced as the Blue-eyed Infidel, minus the internal censor and even more chock full of Ranty McRant opining.
Anyways, in honor of the very first blog I myself ever discovered, I've decided that the theme for this edition of the New Blog Showcase will be creepy floating baby heads.
Enjoy.
Let's kick this off with a trip in the ol' wayback machine to a time when every toy we played with was dangerous and deadly. How in the world did we ever survive? Could it be that only the brightest of us did? *thinks about recent headlines* Nahhhh. Thanks to Melinama at Pratie Place for reminding me of that simpler if seemingly less-safe time.
Welcome to Hermitville, a mostly fictional collection of monologues and observations. I was going to include a sample here, but couldn't decide on just one snippet. This crab can write!
aTypical Joe chimes in with I say eat him. This is a very nicely designed blog, so I say read him (is there an echo in here?)
Michael Minton is an experienced blogger who recently started The Gunner's Corner. He's going to focus on news with a conservative slant. According to the creepy floating baby head, you must go check it out.
Scared Monkeys is two guys represented by the "see no, hear no, speak no" icon. Get it? Two guys... three monkeys? Nope, me either. Anyway, they invite you to drop in and read their take on a major US news media outlet. I notice that they don't promise to not fling poo at you. So, are you feeling lucky punk?
The masthead at The Nose On Your Face reads "News so fake you'll swear it came from the mainstream media". If you like your news with a hint of onion and with a heaping side of satire, then this might be your new daily special. Don't miss the "Top 9" list either. No hints, just go.
This next new blog is written by a reservist currently stationed in Iraq. Firstly, please accept my thanks for your service to our country, and pass those thanks on to your troops as well. Secondly, if the rest of you have ever wondered what the heck all that "hooah" business is about, well, Mustang 23 has the complete word. I almost forgot to mention that the name of his place is Assumption of Command, and if you hover your mouse over his creepy floating baby head (on your left... your military left) then you'll see that the enthusiasm starts young.
Atlas Shrugged is another blog taking on today's big issues, and Pamela has started a very nice weekly roundup op-ed series. I note again that she does not promise to not fling poo at you. Hooah! (I really need to get some sleep.)
Last but certainly not least is a very new blog called Constructive Ideas, with some intriguing analysis of our educational system from an angle that hasn't occurred to me before. He writes under the moniker of 'Positive' from the state of Florida. Did you know that Florida has the highest incidence of lightning ground-strikes in the world? That's something pilots and steely-eyed missile men know.
Every blogger started somewhere, and those first few weeks are the hardest of all as you try to build up your momentum. Check out these newest members of the blogging community, leave a comment and some encouragement, and you just might discover a new daily read. That might not be enough reason for some of you. Fair enough.
Do it for the creepy floating baby heads.
Mandatory informational type goodies:
Do you have a weblog that's been open for less than three months? To join the Showcase and get the word out, send an email to showcase.carnival@gmail.com with the following info:
* The name of your blog
* The title of the post
* The url of the post
* Your name
Or use the Multi-Carnival Entry Form.
Catch previous Showcases and volunteer to host new ones at the Showcase Home.
Even in that most tradition-ridden culture, Japan, the influence of modernization creeps ever closer...
A tussle has broken out in Japan's tradition-bound sumo world over the right to wear pants in the ring.
Sacrelege!
Gargantuan sumo wrestlers generally compete naked but for a "mawashi," an arrangement of wrapped cloth that preserves a bare minimum of modesty.Sumo's amateur association hit upon the idea of allowing shy youngsters to wear "sumo pants," a more substantial garment similar to cycling shorts, to try to boost the dwindling numbers of children taking up the sport, the daily Yomiuri Shimbun said on Thursday.
What's next? A kabuki version of Gigli? I'm no hidebound stick in the mud, but you have to draw the line somewhere.
And if they start allowing pants, well, I'll just have to forego my career in Sumo. I already had a great name picked out too: Yomama.
Mookie was scheduled to host the New Blog Showcase this week, but instead zoomed off for the beach for Spring Break (I can totally understand that). So to cover for her, I'll be hosting the Showcase here on Rocket Jones on Monday, and Mookie will host one in the future.
Send submissions for the Showcase to:
Thanks!
Update: Around this place, confusion doesn't reign, it pours!
Alexandre Dumas was an incredibly prolific writer, best known for his "The Three Musketeers". A lost work of his that was published in serial form in a French newspaper will be released in June.
The 900-page book appeared in serial form in a French newspaper and lacked just a few chapters when Dumas died in 1870. Claude Schopp, the Dumas specialist who made the discovery, has added a short section to bring the tale to its conclusion.
The story was discovered almost ten years ago, and it's existance has been kept secret while being made ready for publication. The title is "Le Chevalier de Sainte-Hermine" (The Knight of Saint-Hermine).
In typical Dumas fashion, his characters are inserted into real history, and this time the lead character is involved in the Battle of Trafalgar.
I'm looking forward to this one.
This is one of the coolest sites I've seen on the net, just for the implementation of the interface. The vintage pinups don't hurt either. Click and drag the pages to turn them.
Thanks to Rodger for pointing this one out.
PS. When you go to look (and I really urge you to do so), turn up your speakers and enjoy the background music too. This is a really well-done site.
A new tribute has been opened at Arlington National Cemetary, outside of Washington, D.C.
"Faces of the Fallen," 1,327 individual portraits of the dead produced by 200 artists, opens to the public Wednesday at Arlington National Cemetery.The images, each 6-by-8 inches, are mounted on plain steel rods that reach to near eye level. Each rod includes a label with the soldier's name, hometown and date of death.
The display does not include every soldier who've given their life to date.
The artists worked mostly from newspaper and Internet photos, and some sent by families of the dead.One particularly poignant portrait was done by John R. Phelps, a Vietnam veteran chosen to design the World War II memorial in Lander, Wyo. He painted his son, Marine Pfc. Clarence Phelps, who died April 9 from head wounds.
The artists, who donated their time and paid for all the materials, plan to give the portraits to the families when the exhibit is over, Polan said.
The memorial will be on display until September 5th, and admission is free.
From Stephen at Hold the Mayo.
You're stuck inside Fahrenheit 451, which book do you want to be?
Green Eggs and Ham, Sam I am.
Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character?
The only one I can think of that might apply is Corson, from the series Silverglass. She's a strong, stubborn, cagey sword-for-hire. I'd never be bored around her, and there's more to her than a pretty face and a sharp edge. Here's the cover illustration of her from the cover of the first book of the series: Corson (big graphic image).
The last book you bought is:
Tamales 101.
The last book you read:
I just finished rereading P.J. O'Rourke's Eat the Rich.
What are you currently reading?
Sams Teach Yourself PHP in 24 Hours, Third Edition
Five books you would take to a deserted island.
Hmmmm... I could read these over and over (and have). I'm shallow... deal.
1. Job: A Comedy of Justice. Heinlein. My all-time favorite book.
2. Starship Troopers. Heinlein. My all-time favorite book that isn't listed above.
3. Team Yankee. Coyle. War fiction. Love it.
4. Any anthology of H.P. Lovecraft. The closest thing to mind-altering drugs without involving actual drugs.
5. The Lord of The Rings. Complex and rich in texture, this is a story you can spend years understanding. Not one of my all-time favorites, but I'm thinking about whiling away many hours with this one.
Who are you going to pass this stick to (3 persons) and why?
Nic, who always has something interesting to say, even when she claims she's being trite.
Rob, who also goes to concerts at King's Dominion, and I don't hear from often enough.
Oorgo, another guy who has interesting opinions, even when we disagree.
Amy, because I have counting issues and her cute toes would've come in handy right about now. Besides, she only does one meme on her blog and I'm a sucker for rejection.
A humorous look at President Bush contrasted with Senator Kerry, in pictures.
Thanks to Transterrestrial Musings for pointing it out.
What it's all about:
On January 11, 2005, Greg Hammond hosted a comment based fundraiser on his blog, http://www.californiahammonds.com. The fundraiser was in memory of his lovely wife, Cheryl, who lost her battle with breast cancer after more than 5 years of fighting. The proceeds from the fundraiser totaled $2,846 and were donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation's education and screening programs.The fundraiser worked by spreading the word of the need for donations and asking those who heard about it to please leave a comment on his blog. Sponsors pledged money for certain numbers of comments. For example, Greg himself donated $1 for each of the first 500 comments. A different sponsor donated $1 for each of the first 50. The another donated $1 for the 50 following those. And on and on.
On April 1, 2005, the one year anniversary of Cheryl's death, Greg plans to host another fundraiser. Again, the proceeds will go to the National Breast Cancer Foundation's education and screening programs, and the format of comments and sponsors will remain the same.
You can get more information here. Please consider clicking the banner and leaving a comment on April 1st.
Thanks to Tricia for pointing this one out and asking me to help.
I dunno Jennifer, apparently I don't have the knack for adding "bitch" to the end of every sentence... bitch.
See? Oh well.
Anyways, I get these emails griping about how the contest "wasn't fair" and "I didn't make it clear" and other crap like that.
I won't kid you and claim that I care. But I do see some possibilities here.
So, here's what we'll do. I won't name names (you know who you are), but I invite Rocket Jones readers to. Leave a guess in the comments about who you think sent me a complaint about the contest and results, and say something snarky about them. This has the potential to be hugely entertaining and I won't be happy unless we see at least three flame-filled linkwars started... bitch.
Hey, maybe I'm getting the hang of this!
The Hockey Hall of Fame website is a nifty place to visit. For instance:
Since I can't actually tell who the official Rocket Jones 100K visitor was, I've decided that Cindy of Dusting My Brain is the winner.
I had narrowed it down to her and Collins, until Paul made a late charge with his decision to use the word "mofo" more often in conversation. Despite the massive increase in street cred, Paul fell just short. So how did Cindy emerge victorious?
(in the extended entry)
| Collins | Cindy |
|---|---|
| asked for my daughter's phone number | asked for home baked bread |
| honorary Haitian (secret name: click click durk) | New Yorker (secret name: Squipper) |
| sucks | is a Lady, and I would never inquire about that (but I'm not such a gentleman that I'd reject the idea of volunteered information) |
| is a (see daughter above) | is a girl (see Lady above) |
There's more, but I think you understand that it wasn't really close, in a completely arbitrary kind of way.
So Cindy, contact me via email and we'll figure out what kind of genuine Rocket Jones machine-made bread you'd like.
I always thought that Dread Zeppelin was the oddest rock band out there. I mean, they've got it all. Led Zeppelin tunes done in reggae, and their lead singer is an Elvis impersonator.
Way more cool than "The Charmer", that calypso artist who changed careers and is now better known by his real name: Louis Farrakhan, outspoken head whackjob leader of the Nation of Islam.
But then, along comes Hatebeak. Self described as:
Face-crushing guitars, head-pounding drums, bass so low you'll vacate your bowels, and vocals so scorching, so extreme they simply can't be human! They're not. This death metal outfit with a parrot for a singer trashes the pathetic birdfeeder you call the metal underground!
Yep.
Songs are available for download.
Thanks to John of Texas' Best Grok for the pointer to The Charmer.
Thanks to Johno of the Ministry for pointing out Hatebeak.
Disabled con artists and their shyster lawyers are becoming a problem.
Gary Walker was horrified when legal documents arrived at his small restaurant notifying him that he was being sued for violating the Americans with Disabilities Act, the federal law that requires wheelchair ramps and other features for the disabled.The feeling turned to anger when Walker found out the man suing him, Shiloh Hobleman, had filed a series of practically carbon-copy lawsuits against more than a dozen small businesses in the area.
"Hobleman is what can only be characterized as a `serial plaintiff,'" Walker's lawyer said in court papers. "Except for the named defendants, each of the ADA complaints is virtually, if not exactly, identical to the instant suit — right down to the typographical and grammatical errors."
My wife Liz was in a wheelchair for several years. Here's an old post about that, and what I said about it:
We also got to be quite the crusaders for handicapped access. Our local Lions club replaced it’s front doors because they were a designated voting station, but wheelchairs couldn’t fit through them because of the center jamb. Two stores modified their register layouts because Liz raised enough hell (up to the county level) about wheelchair access and, more importantly, fire safety. I once got into it with the manager of a computer store (major chain) because they had the aisles packed with stacks of extra inventory, and I was kicking them over one by one as we shopped to make room for the wheelchair. He wanted to call the cops, but hesitated when I wanted that too. The county supervisor got involved and I assume they’ve changed their ways, but we’ve never gone back. I refuse to give my money to assholes.You’d be surprised how many times someone pulls up in front of a store and blocks the wheelchair ramp. If they have the grace to apologize when they come running out and see us waiting, we’d figure they learned the lesson and be more aware next time. If they didn’t care, I’d scrape the chair along their car getting around it. Call the cops asshole, and make sure you mention how you were threatening a lady in a wheelchair.
So I've seen what kinds of problems the ADA is supposed to solve, and I've seen the difficulties caused for the disabled when those laws are ignored. At the same time, we never even considered suing.
I hope they can come up with some way to limit these nitwits who make a career out of filing ADA lawsuits (I especially like the judge's decision to not award costs to the one plaintiff). However they manage it, it'll have to be fair, and that's going to take someone with the wisdom of Solomon. And a thick damn skin, because you know the nanny-state believers will be crawling out from under every rock to whine about disabled rights.
Would you survive a zombie emergency?
Official Survivor
Congratulations! You scored 64%!Whether through ferocity or quickness, you made it out. You made the right choice most of the time, but you probably screwed up somewhere. Nobody's perfect, at least you're alive.
According to the results, I scored higher than 99% of males my age.
Link: The Zombie Scenario Survivor Test written by ci8db4uok on Ok Cupid
I'm assuming I rate slightly above 'spare' with the guys at the Ministry?
From the Jawa Report:
Achmed: We demand 1 million lira for Sgrena's release! (pinky to mouth)Sgrena: Er, 1 million lira is like $700 U.S. dollars.
Achmed: Oh? Really.....
Sgrena: Yeah........
Achmed: Ok....We demand 1 billion lira! (pinky finger to mouth)
Sgrena:....
Achmed: What? Too much??.....
Sgrena: Well.....er.....better. That's like $700,000 U.S.
Achmed:.....
Sgrena:......
Achmed:.......So?
Sgrena: Wouldn't you be able to fund more Iraqi 'Minutemen' to kill the Zionist-Crusader forces with like a trillion lira......???
Achmed:.......
Sgrena:...............
Achmed:You know we invented the zero, don't you?
You owe me a keyboard.
Now this is interesting. Check out this recipe that wasn't sent in to the Carnival. I'm having a hard time believing that a cat wrote that post because, frankly, I don't think a cat would care enough about anyone else to bother. But then, I'm a dog person.
Russ alerted me to this a few days ago, but I couldn't find a link until now.
Danny Joe Brown, a founding member of Southern rockers Molly Hatchet, and singer and co-writer of the band's biggest hits from the late '70s, died on Thursday at his home in Davie of complications from pneumonia. He was 53.
Brown had been a diabetic and had problems with his health for years.
The Milwaukee Admirals edged my Cleveland Barons over the weekend. In accordance with the prophesy By the rules, I hereby display the victorious Admirals logo here
and provide links to Brian J and Frinklin, who doubled up for Beer City.
Eric of Off Wing Opinion asks:
Has Miracle knocked Slapshot out of the top spot for the greatest hockey movie of all time?
The comments are interesting and amusing, and personally, while I liked Miracle a lot, it doesn't top Slapshot.
Most everyone has heard of the SETI@home project, where you can download a screensaver that uses your PC's downtime to process data collected by the big radio telescopes pointed "out there" looking for life.
There is a similar effort to utilize PC's as a massively distributed platform to study protein folding.
What are proteins and why do they "fold"? Proteins are biology's workhorses -- its "nanomachines." Before proteins can carry out their biochemical function, they remarkably assemble themselves, or "fold." The process of protein folding, while critical and fundamental to virtually all of biology, remains a mystery. Moreover, perhaps not surprisingly, when proteins do not fold correctly (i.e. "misfold"), there can be serious effects, including many well known diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Mad Cow (BSE), CJD, ALS, Huntington's, and Parkinson's disease.
Check out details here, and Rich has more links and information at his place.
The ladies have Valentine's Day, and are showered with roses and chocolate (you did shower someone sweet, right?). Well, a gentleman has come up with a brilliant equivalent for us guys. March 14th shall henceforth and forevermore be:
No cards, no flowers, no special nights on the town; the name of the holiday explains it all, just a steak and a BJ. Thats it. Finally, this twin pair of Valentine's Day and Steak and Blowjob Day will usher in a new age of love as men everywhere try THAT much harder in February to ensure a memorable March 14th!
I'd say that I think this is a fine idea, but being a guy, that would be redundant.
Thanks to the guys at The Ministry of Minor Perfidy for pointing this one out, and who've redecorated and returned refreshed and kicking butt. Mmmmm, Caribou steak....
I've talked about Infocom games before (Zork is an example). Now, thanks to Alan Brain, you can recall the good ol' days, or find out what you were missing.
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (online versions).
Cindy, aka Squipper, of Dusting My Brain fame (who is also a podcasting pioneer I might add), is rooting for the Hamilton Bulldogs in the Jamboree this season. Her Bulldogs edged the Barons in this weekend's game and so I'm posting her team logo here.
Nice doggie.
From Blather Review:
Y'know, I was eating Alpha-Bits one morning and was surprised because I saw that it read "oooooo." Then I remembered that I was eating CheeriOs.
There's more, and it's all good.
Via Physics Geek, some ideas of how to let vacationing co-workers know you were thinking about them. Drink alert on this one.
A few days ago Mookie was telling me about this interactive buddy flash game, and I finally tried it. Oh man, is this addicting. You start off with a generic virtual buddy, and you get money for each interaction. Start small with tickles and shoves and such, and eventually you build up to tossing around fireballs and grenades. If you're not convinced that you need to release your pent-up psychotic yet, you can also purchase "skins" for your buddy, so that you're abusing interacting with Dubya, Michael Moore, and many others.
Nic has been posting hockey memorabilia - cards and autographs and such - and telling the stories that go along with them. These aren't mundane "I stood around for an hour until he came out of the locker room" stories either. These are cool stories.
There's more than I linked to. Go here, scroll down and read 'em all.
Via McCovey Chronicles:
"... you've got to have some serious talent to have 53,000 people saying you suck."
Go Barry Bonds. Heh.
Thanks to everyone who's stopped by, and special thanks to all who contributed recipes for this Carnival. I went from zero to overwhelmed in seconds. If you've never visited Rocket Jones before, feel free to look around and I hope you come back to visit on a regular basis. Now, strap yourselves in and hang on...
(in the extended entry)
"Space Food Hideous - But It Costs A Lot." -- 1960's newspaper headline
Space: the final frontier. Space food: a scientifically designed hybrid of hospital food and the wonders of modern chemistry.
Each and every one of the following recipes is guaranteed never to have been eaten in orbit by some poor astro/cosmo/taiko-naut, who probably just wished he could have a Space Food Stick instead.
(All links open in super-scientifical and technologically-advanced new windows.)
Since this first recipe contains Vegemite, it might very well have been bad enough to be included in the menu on some space mission. I hearby rescind my original guarantee, and present Simon's Grilled Cheese and Vegemite Sandwich without further comment.
Nothing says "Good morning" with such international flair than a toasted bagel with cream cheese and really fresh, homemade, Jewish, Icelandic, Norwegian, Gravlox.
So says Michael, who then proceeds to give excellent directions (including pictures) on how to make Gravlox. If bagels and fixin's are your thing, this sounds like... uh, like you'd like this. But wait, he's not done yet, because he also offers up this next recipe.
44 Proof Pop, which is actually a fortified wine that's ready to go in eight days. Once again there are complete directions and pictures to show you how step by step. Thanks for submitting two very unique recipes this week!
And since the bar is open, Dawn offers up one of my favorite flavors in an alcohol/slurpee fusion kinda way:
Apricot Slush2 cups Apricot Brandy
2 cups boiling H2O
4 teabags
6 cups H2O
12 ounces frozen O.J.
6 ounces frozen lemonade
1 3/4 cups sugar
Ginger aleSteep teabags in the two cups of boiling water for two minutes. Drain and discard bags. Combine with brandy, the six cups of water, O.J., lemonade and sugar. Cover and freeze overnight. Serve in cups with equal parts ginger ale. Some people choose to put the ginger ale into the punchbowl, but I prefer to keep it on the side so that the mixture stays slushy longer.
Variation: Amaretto Slush
Substitute 2 cups Amaretto for Apricot Brandy
Reduce amount of frozen O.J. to 6 ounces
Add 6 ounces of frozen limeade
Keep the amaretto, or better yet, let *me* keep the apricot brandy.
Drink in one hand, you need a nibble in the other, right? That's what they tell me anyway, because I'm not much of a drinker (translation: cheap date). Jeff suggests these Cracker Crack Crackers, which sound really strange but oddly compelling. I'm gonna have to give these a try.
Mini-Pizzas. Temptation in the round. Punctilious waves these around under our collective noses with a hearty "neener-neener, go make your own!" Then he helpfully tells us how.
From the Druid Labs, BHD accidently blurted out the secret recipe for Spinach Balls with Mustard Sauce. That was a pleasant surprise, because we were just asking directions to the little astronaut's room.
Dr. Alice saves the appetizer category with her recipe for aioli (garlic mayonnaise) and lots and lots of suggestions on how to use it. The word "platter" keeps coming up, which sounds to me like party dish perfect.
Two recipes make a category. I was afraid that everyone would shun the poor lonely spinach balls, and was googling for pictures of Kermit in a space suit (don't ask, just thank Dr. Alice).
mmmmMinestrone. From Victor's recipe, but it was posted by Nic, along with variations on the theme.
And speaking of Victor (who will apparently eat pretty much anything), he posted a review, not an actual recipe, of something called Green Protein. There's even a picture of the bottle, so you can avoid it when you see it in the store.
I'm with Nic on this one, I think they just forgot to print "Soylent" on the label.
Now Dave is an impressive guy. He's got this blog, AZ Perspective and Junk, and he sent in his recipe email chock full of html goodies and links all laid out and ready to be cut and pasted into the Carnival.
I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that.
Sorry, just channelling my inner Hal there for a moment.
Anyways, he's serving up Canton Beef and Vegetable Soup, and it sounds like a winner. The link is a little funky but the recipe is there, just scroll down a little on the page. Third time's the charm?
This next one should probably go under main dishes, but I hold soup in high esteem, so Tanker's Dried Shrimp, Sausage and Fish Gumbo goes right here. He even offers up serving suggestions:
To serve, put a scoop of rice in each bowl, and ladle the gumbo over it, making sure that you share shrimp, sausage and fish with each diner lest they call you bad names.
That's hospitality, Cajun style.
Chicken Soup. Simple perfection, brought to you by Jordana. Very Zen.
When Allan Thinks, he thinks of Wagon Wheel Beef Soup. Another soup hearty enough for a chilly winter's day.
All hail Punctilious for this one (sorry, his moniker makes me think of ancient Romans). Have some clever wordplay and a nice little recipe for Vietnamese noodle soup: Not Even Faux Pho Soup.
As an aside, Punctilious also posted an intriguing "cooks question" bit here. G'wan, you know you wanna.
Vinegar-Slithered Cabbage, courtesy of Julie. Stir fry... I wonder what a zero-g wok would look like?
South Beachin' it? Tired of it? If so, check out BJ's variation called "It's Not Exactly South Beach, Caesar". There are also some nice tips on herbs and dressings and how to use them.
Bitterman offers up a twosome this week, this one called Bitterman's Sweet & Sour Vinaigrette, and one down in the Main Dish section. This one calls for commanding from on high like Charlton Heston and purportedly will get you laid.
There is just so much I don't know about cooking.
Now this one sounds out of this world (oh stop it, you knew I would use that line at least once!). Techno Gypsy offers up his Venison and Sour Cherries.
Like I always say: "Google is your friend", so for those wondering what a Larding Needle is, follow the link for a picture and instructions on how it's used. Very reasonably priced and it's the secret to cooking very lean meats, according to TG.
Courtesy of Hold the Mayo, Stephen shows what down home comfort food is all about with his Macklin's Magic Meatloaf. Add a side of mashed potatoes (leave a few lumps so folks know they're real) and some steamed carrots and I'm there!
Mary Beth doubles up on the down home goodness, with a recipe for Dutch Meatloaf (a Delft Blue Plate Special?).
Any Heinlein fans out there? Which of his characters in which of his books made a reference to meatloaf and its value as a way to judge cooking skills?
And our final entrant in the meatloaf category comes from Songstress, with her Mmmmmmmmeatloaf! You know I like the "mmmmm" part. Great minds and all that.
Mmmmmmeanwhile, over at Daily Pundit, David writes:
A few weeks ago, I posted a recipe for marinara sauce, and promised a recipe that used it.
Good things come to those who wait, and his Beef & Ricotta Cannelloni is going to the top of my "to try" list, because my wife loves Italian food, and a happy wife makes for a happy life.
Drew, of Cooking for Conservatives fame, lends a little class to this week's Carnival with his Chicken with Orange. This is something to impress someone special with, just don't let on how simple it actually is.
File this one under Deja Vu. Laughing Wolf sends in his similarly named Orange Chicken. It's not the same thing, and the process is a bit more involved than Drew's version, but it sounds just as heavenly.
Kathleen dredged up a painful memory for me when she linked her recipe to South Park's Eric Cartman. You see, a friend of mine once drew me as a South Park character, and it wasn't pretty. Moving beyond my pain, I demand that you all make Kathleen's Chicken Mushroom PAH! You. Must. Respect. My. Authoritah!
And in yet another flash of Deja Vu (is that redundant?), Michele gives us Chicken Pie. I love the way winter is bringing out all the home-style foods. I also love the space pictures at Michele's place.
Your pal Bitterman chimes in again with Chocolate Enchiladas (scroll down at the link). You just gotta love a simple Mole sauce.
Feeling a little herbivorius? (herbivorous?) BHD chimes in a second time with this wonderful Vegetarian Stew (insert your own joke about how hard it is to tenderize a vegetarian).
This next one comes with a disclaimer from GEBIV:
...this is not a proper recipe. This is sort of what a bachelor would consider a recipe. At least one not afraid of experimenting a little bit…
What follows is French Onion Chicken, and it sounds better than 99% of the crap I ate as a bachelor. Good job, guy.
From Deb of Accidental Verbosity, this very intentional variation of a classic: The Jedi's Spicy Baked Mac and Cheese.
Shawn Lea serves up an easy-to-do bit of oinky goodness called, simply enough, My Crockpot Pork Roast.
More chicken, more ethnicity - sorta - this time by the vaugely named B, who gives us Vaugely Mediterranean Chicken. I don't know if I could make this one, because kalamata olives have an extremely short lifespan in my presence.
How about a Siciliana Pasta Sauce? Amanda shares this with us, and assures us that the anchovies are optional.
At Fishtown Chatter, David notes:
There are more chickens than people in the world.
And after talking about chickens on a blog from Fishtown, it's only natural that David submits a recipe called:
Spicy Bar-B-Que Pork Chops6 Pork Chops-about 1/2 inches thick
Sauce:
1 16 oz.bottle of cheap generic Bar-B-Que Sauce
1 16 oz. bottle of ketchup-any brand
1 16 bottle of generic grape jelly
1 teaspoon ground red cayenne pepper
Mix above ingredients in food processer until blended and pour into a container large enough to dip a chop into. Place the sauce container near grill.Cook pork chops on grill until done-for the last 30 seconds turn up flame to high and get chops sizzling. Take a sizzling chop and dip into sauce and put on platter. Do the same with the remaining chops. When finished, pour the remainder of the sauce over the chops. Enjoy.
Oh yeah, count on it.
Dr. Alice provided a second recipe, this time for Stewed Chicken with Lentils. Sounds yummy.
Another David and another chicken dish, and I feel we're approaching some sort of karmic symmetry here. I have the honor to present his Green Chicken Casserole.
It's not as bad as you'd think from the title.
He's right about that, and I'm disappointed because I have this mental list of people I would feed green chicken. Oh well.
Peeps, this is getting scary. David. Chicken. This time it's Jerk Chicken and you get a little story along with it. Also, he gives great advice about treating hot peppers with respect.
Let's see, we've got game and Italian and Dutch and Mexican and much much more, so in the name of international diversity I'll toss in my Chinese recipe for Chicken Mo Fo. Yes, the name is a joke, but it's good eats.
And no, I'm not changing my name to Dave.
Techno Gypsy gets a second mention here for his Simple Pilaf. It's below his Venison and Sour Cherries recipe, so just scroll down a little to find it. Well worth it.
Oddybobo chips in with Israeli Couscous. Big yum, plus it's fun to say. C'mon: couscous, couscous, couscous... What can I say, I'm easily entertained.
It's BHD time again, she of the Druid Labs. This time it's a not-your-everyday pot luck dish: Peas and orzo with olives, tarragon, and pecans.
Here's a classic, Lemon Meringue Pie, from VW of One Happy Dog Speaks (love that name by the way). Personally, I'm not a big lemon flavor fan, but this would last all of about three minutes in our house, because the rest of the family is.
If'n y'all wanted to say "thank you" in a tangible way, I could think of worse ways than to gift someone special with one of these Chocolate Kahlua Trifle's (hint hint).
This week, Gullyborg provides something a little different, a Strawberry Balsamic Dessert Topping that sounds wonderful. Plus, there's a little bonus recipe at the end for the leftovers.
Bev sent along the following with her recipe link:
The cookies that launched seven volumes of page-long sentences. I'm sorry to say that, though they are this delicious, the esteem expressed by my last baking went largely unrequited.
Now that's sad enough to bring a tear to this ol' space cadet's eye. Which is really a pain when your face shield is down, although it's not as bad as an itchy nose.
So please, visit Bev and make her Madeleines, and write her and tell her how wonderful they are (because they are). Oh, and Bev? I'd suggest leaving a copy of "Self-Fulfilling Prophecies for Dummies" on your boss's desk.
Monkeys like bananas, and monkeys went into space, and... and... I mean, the parallels here are just breathtaking! I'm talking about Triticale's Banana Cake. Another baked goody from the guy named after uppity grass.
Oops, almost forgot about next week's Carnival. Send your recipes to the same address, because it'll be hosted here at Rocket Jones again. I have several ideas for possible themes. Be afraid. :D
That's the address to email your favorite recipes for this week's Carnival of the Recipes, and it's staying at the top of the page today, so scroll down for new posts.
Helen, something vegetarian please?
Paul, after reading about your molten-lava nuggets, I know you've got something to share.
Oorgo? Shank? You must have something involving blow torches and charred flesh of some sort.
Dortch, I know you've got to have a kick-ass brownie recipe.
I expect something cloyingly sweet from my pal Bitterman, because it's the yin to his yang, if you know what I mean.
Dawn, stick it with a freaking toothpick and send it over. I'm counting on you.
C'mon dammit. It's late, I've got to get up early in the morning, and y'all are just waiting until the last moment. All of you. I know you are.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: The sexiest thing in the world is a lady wearing glasses.
Unfortunately, American cartoons never really understood that (except for Velma on Scoobie Doo). Lucky for us then, that Japanese anime stepped in and filled a need by populating their weird toon universes with plenty of bespectecled lasses. And just to prove that some people have way too much time on their hands, this site has an indexed list of female anime characters who wear glasses.
Thanks to Chizumatic for the pointer.
Q&O has posted their take on Drug Companies and the way they're treated in today's world. I agree with their views 100%, and I'll tell you why.
This week... the Food and Drug Administration holds very public hearings on potential health risks of popular prescription pain medications called Cox-2 inhibitors.
They've recently taken two of the newer meds off the market, Vioxx and another I can't remember at the moment. This leaves one Cox-2 inhibitor available, Celebrex.
My wife takes Celebrex, and has for six and a half years. It's one of the drugs she takes daily to manage her severe Fibromyalgia. We've discussed this with her doctor, and there is no good substitute for Celebrex that's available today.
So what would happen to Liz if she were forced to discontinue her use of Celebrex? Within a week she would begin to feel muscular weakness and increased fine-motor impairment. Within two weeks she probably wouldn't be able to walk without a cane. Within a month she'd no longer be able to drive, which means she could no longer work. At that point she would probably also have to return to her wheelchair.
Thirty days to be reduced to near total dependence on others.
Like anything else, there are risks involved in life. The trick is evaluating the risks vs benefits. It's not always so clear cut as in my wife's case, but given the choice between seeing my wife lead a near-normal life or protecting the small number of people who might drop dead from taking the drug, well, I'll be selfish and still sleep just fine at night.
Protect us from dangerous drugs, yes. Play nanny and never allow anything that might possibly hurt a single person, no.
I'm writing my Senators and Congressmen about this.
Update: Nic left some great information in the comments (thanks!). Also, today I read an interview where the head of Merck (who pulled Vioxx earlier this year) (I had incorrectly identified the company as Phizer, who make Celebrex and Bextra - RJ) says that you have to weigh risks and benefits (where have we heard that before?) and that Vioxx may be brought back to the market with stronger and more comprehensive warnings.
Best of all:
Advisers to the Food and Drug Administration concluded Friday the popular painkiller Celebrex poses an increased risk for heart problems but should remain on the market because the benefits outweighs the dangers.
It's not a done deal, but we're breathing easier.
The Hockey Whoopass Jamboree, that is.
Too bad my Cleveland Barons got thumped by the Rochester Americans.
So in accordance with the rules, GEBIV's logo appears here. They play again tonight, so look for either a repeat of this tomorrow (boo), or a pointer to his place to admire the place of prominence the shark will enjoy on his page (yay).
Numero twenty-seven-o is being hosted this week at Inside Allan's Mind (the "at" almost seems redundant, doesn't it?). Good stuff going on over there.
Rocket Jones will be bringing you the Carnival in the very near future.
The title is one of those "disclaimers" they'd use for schlock horror gore-fests in the 60's and 70's, trying to convince patrons that the movie wasn't the usual cheesy crap (it always was).
I'm using it here because of Kofi Girls, a page full of the UN's ScamMeister Meister Scammer Kofi Annan, all photoshopped out into "average hot babe".
I'll admit it. I screamed and I cried, but I couldn't tear my eyes away. And I laughed. I laughed so hard I think something tore loose inside my skull because now if I shake my head just so I can feel everything sloshing around inside there and I see a pretty little light show out of the corner of one eye.
Also, at the bottom of the page is the best bit:
UN Flag Burning Kits
Coming Soon!Show your lack of support for the Kyoto Protocol by releasing a small amount of blue flag pollutant into the air. United Nations flag burring kits come with matches flammable accelerant and of course a powder blue United Nations flag.
Thanks to Spoons for pointing this one out (well, it was an ad on his site, which proves ads work I guess).
As an added bonus, now when people ask me if I'm all right because of my odd head shaking, I just smile and say "pretty lights".
What I mean by that is, if you've got an axe to grind, a stand to take, or a problem to solve, then automatically blame the US WalMart and dream up some way to make them pay your way.
The great state of Montana, where men are men and sheep are nervous, is the latest in a long list of whiney little bitches when it comes to WalMart.
As an incentive for these "big box stores'' to pay a living wage to their workers, Sen. Ken Toole's Senate Bill 272 would impose a gross proceeds tax on these companies. They would be exempt from the tax if they paid their employees an entry level wage of at least $22,000 a year, counting both pay and benefits and if less than half of their workers were part-time.
Follow that link and read the whole sordid scam.
My standard question to WalMart haters is this: at what point does a company become so successful that they've become evil?
WalMart has been kicking the retail world's ass for a while now, like K-Mart before them, and Sears before them, and Macy's before them, and on and on. Some day, some chain will come up with a better way for the times and WalMart will become another former top-dog.
And for every gripe there is about them, the answer is the same: they're doing exactly what they need to do to compete. You don't become dominant (or even successful) by not being "right". The number of people who shop there, the amount of sales they generate and the mind-boggling number of people they employ all mean one thing. THEY ARE DOING IT RIGHT. Don't like 'em? No problem, go shop somewhere else. That's the beauty of the free market. Of course, you'll pay more, but sometimes taking a stand involves more than announcing your principles. And while you're in that Mom & Pop store, ask 'em how many folks they employ, how much they pay, and what kind of benefits they offer their hired help.
WalMart (and MicroSoft for that matter), aren't evil, just very successful.
I hope that Montana passes their stupid tax, and I hope WalMart says screw it and shuts down every last store in the state. Then, just like in Canada, you'll hear the whiney little bitches bleating about how unfair it is. And they'll be missing the point that I saw someone make recently (sorry, can't remember where), if WalMart is bad, then if they leave it's a good thing. Right?
Thanks to DynamoBuzz for the pointer, although I oughta smack him for making my blood pressure rise like that. ;)
When a blogger first starts out, one of the hardest things to do is getting noticed (except for me of course. I sprang from Blogger's loins fully formed and wrapped in a tamale husk, at least that's my story this week and I'm sticking to it).
Sorry for the sidetrack... As I was saying, it's difficult to get that jump start on traffic (spelling is hard too, especially words like vacuum, which I always misspell vacume for some stupid reason).
Oops, there I go again (although Monty Python did this same basic gag much better in the opening credits of Holy Grail, don't you think?).
Ahem. Find someone less tiresome to read at the New Blog Showcase. Your sanity will thank you.
I mentioned the new artwork in New York's Central Park, and also noted that Cindy had promised pictures. See for yourself here (pre) and here (complete).
Munu's Michele has more pictures and her take on Gates as well.
That's the name one of my old Air Force buddies claimed he was going to hang on a daughter.
So besides being a fairly good chunk of Google bait, it makes a dandy lead to this wicked cool online toy: The Baby Name Wizard. Go play with it and be impressed.
Thanks to Rodger (the 300th most popular boys name in the 1940's) via Spoons (which is inexplicably missing from the database) for pointing this one out. The drawing link is worth seeing too.
That title is *not* being sarcastic. For all the trials and tribulations and unexpected crises that come about with little ones, it all fades to insignificance with one smile. And when a child smiles, they smile with everything they've got.
Robert has been kiddie-blogging recently (gee, I wonder why?).
All links worth reading, because kids are natural-born Monty Python skit generating machines.
Somehow along the line, one of the occasionally recurring themes on Rocket Jones has become bondage related posts. I'll admit that I haven't tried very hard to change that (translation: I've run with it).
So in keeping with that hereby-declared fine tradition, I proudly present The Comic Book Bondage Cover of the Day.
Scenes of Election Day in Iraq, set to the Fanfare for the Common Man.
Thanks to Silflay Hraka for the pointer.
This site let's you enter your name and it will translate it to Japanese katakana characters of various type styles. For instance, here's the caligraphy form of "Ted".
And the explanation as given by the site:
It is pronounced "TEDDO". (Consonants are pronounced more or less the same way as in English. "E" sounds like e in met. "O" sounds like o in old.)
That last line should read "O" as in elder statesman.
Courtesy of Munuviana's very own Everyday Stranger.
"Oh God, I'm going to come, 10-4!"
Gotcha covered there, good buddy.
Over at Sanity's Edge, Paul is hosting The Cavalcade of Blogs.
What is the Cavalcade?It’s an opinion poll based on your reading habits and it requires your participation. I’d like you to answer a few questions and I’ll tally up the results and post some links.
In other words, he's got nothing.
Except that's not quite true, because right after that he starts a new meme. Something new and exciting and never-before-done anywhere except maybe on masochistic webrings. That's right, Paul cracks his head open for your entertainment. Now the meme bit is kinda my idea, about making it one of those since-you-did-it-I'll-do-it-too things that make their rounds on the blogs. I mean, what's funnier than personal injury, eh?
Coming soon to Rocket Jones, a story about a rickety wooden stool, a soldering iron, and a set of clackers I put together one drunken weekend out of two old bowling balls and some bungee cord. So, who's next?
And in this case, that's a literal description (hmmmm, where have I heard that phrase before...). The sculpture consists of 21 interlocking pieces made of brass, copper, aluminum, steel, stainless steel, cast iron, magnesium, titanium, tungsten, aluminum bronze and bearing bronze. Hidden inside is a one inch cube of solid silver or gold.
When fully assembled, this sculpture forms a beautiful three inch cube with softly rounded edges. It weighs 7-9 pounds depending on the metal composition.
Price is ~2k dollars, more if you want the gold ingot inside. I could never afford it, but I still think it's beautiful.
It's not all rainbows and puppies here at Rocket Jones, and even though I don't often delve into deep subjects (this is my happy place dammit!), that doesn't mean that I'm not out there reading and listening and contemplating. No, really.
A couple of recent posts have given me grist for the ol' mental mill.
Debeye describes herself as "A Fierce American in Toronto, Ontario". I'll go further and say she shares some valuable insights about our northern neighbors from the American point of view. She's not all about putting down the Canadians, but she calls it like she sees it.
Her post titled "Events Catch Up To Pretensions" is one of the best explanations I've ever read for the Canadian attitudes about themselves and towards the US. Even then, that itself is just a small part of what she touches on.
There are so many passages I'd like to quote for you, but I'll settle for the following about the Iraqi elections, and urge you to go read it all for yourself.
As for some others up here ... If they're examining their souls and wondering how they could have so misjudged the situation in Iraq then I'd advise them not to wastetoo muchtime on guilt or shame but pledge only to open their minds to the possibilility that if a stopped clock can be right twice a day, then Americans too might occasionally be right.
On a deeper philosophical note, Daniel Moore offers up his thoughts on transhumanism, which has been discussed recently on both Instapundit and Transterrestrial Musings (Daniel has the links).
He quotes Leon Kass, but here's the opening teaser:
Nothing humanly fine, let alone great, will come out of a society that is willing to sacrifice all other goods to keep the present generation alive and intact.
That single provocative statement leads down some interesting paths of reasoning. Daniel touches on a couple, and I'm enjoying some quiet time chewing through the implications myself.
Next up on Rocket Jones: Perky Puppy meets Princess of the Rainbow Kingdom!
Starring Bela Lugosi. Heh.
An image archive site for all things Dr. Who. Lots there besides pictures too.
Gertrude Walton has been named as the sole defendant in a lawsuit filed by the music industry in their latest shot in the battle against music piracy. The lawsuit claims that Walton, under the screen name smittenedkitten, made available over 700 rock, pop and rap songs for sharing.
Couple of problems with that. According to her daughter, her mother objected to having a computer in the house.
"My mother was computer illiterate. She hated a computer," Chianumba said. "My mother wouldn't know how to turn on a computer."
Another problem is that Gertrude Walton died a month ago, at age 83.
"I believe that if music companies are going to set examples they need to do it to appropriate people and not dead people," Chianumba said. "I am pretty sure she is not going to leave Greenwood Memorial Park (where she is buried) to attend the hearing."
An RIAA spokeman said that obviously, the lawsuit would be dismissed.
That *pop* sound you hear is someone pulling their head out of their ass.
First up, Cindy promises pictures of a new exhibit in New York's Central Park, called Gates. Brought to life by the artist who wrapped the German Reichstag in fabric and planted thousands of umbrellas in California and Japan, this new work has taken many years to arrange.
...7,500 gates that will frame the pathways of Central Park for sixteen days. Each of the gates is sixteen feet high, secured to a heavy metal base and trailing a swath of bright saffron-colored fabric, all of which, together in the wind, will create a shimmering river of color.
A lot of folks deride these types of works, but for the most part I think they're imaginative and exhilarating. He finances them himself too, no public funding is used.
Next, Fred at The Eternal Golden Braid gives the heads up to a new dinosaur exhibit in the American Museum of Natural History, also in New York. This sounds wicked cool.
A major highlight of the exhibition will be an enormous, 700-square-foot walk-through diorama of China's Jehol Forest—the most detailed re-creation of a prehistoric environment ever attempted. Visitors will get a chance to stroll back in time through the forest as it existed 130 million years ago during the Mesozoic era and come face to face with the creatures that lived there. Considered one of the most important fossil areas in the world, the Jehol Forest, which existed in northeast China's Liaoning Province, has yielded an abundance of new discoveries, revealing a rich diversity of specimens that have been exceptionally well-preserved.For the Jehol Forest diorama, the Museum is creating multiple scientifically accurate, fleshed-out, life-size models of more than 35 different species of dinosaurs, reptiles, early birds, insects, and plants, including several species never before reconstructed, ranging from a pigeon-sized feathered Confuciusornis to a formidable six-foot-tall feathered Beipiaosaurus. The Museum is also developing several interactive computer simulations and animations, as well as a number of videos offering behind-the-scenes glimpses of fieldwork as well as a series of discussions among leading scientists currently investigating the mysteries of dinosaur biology.
After it's run in NYC, the exhibit will be appearing at the Houston Museum of Natural Science (July 2006); the California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco (October 2006); The Field Museum, Chicago (May 2007); and the North Carolina State Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh (December 2007).
Then again, maybe it is.
The Top 50 Wide Receivers in Pro Football History. Computed all scientifical and stuff too. Let the indignation and outrage commence!
Thanks to Off Wing Opinion for the pointer.
Jay Currie has a blog devoted to Library Internet Filters, and he performed a simple experiment.
How Ugly is Sonic Wall
This ugly: I went to InstaPundit, and, starting at the bottom, clicked on his links and wrote down which ones were blocked by SonicWALL. Here, then, is the list, along with a few more I was able to find by clicking around from other blogs.
Two things jumped right out at me. First, that I'm linked to by Instapundit. Second, that Rocket Jones is in that list with many other well-known blogs.
Farther down, Jay explains why:
I am sure this changes from day to day, depending on what you have posted about. The problem is, dumb software like this does not distinguish between discussion of something and advocacy of it. So, if you merely talk about cults, guns, nudity, racism, gambling, pornography, weapons, or drugs, your blog will be censored.
Damn, what's left?
It's an interesting site, and well worth a look. He describes his motivation thusly:
Frankly, I think the decision of the Supreme Court of the United States in the Children's Internet Protection Act case was wrong. It is virtually always wrong to censor information, especially in a library. But that is how the law in the United States stands at the moment and if a library accepts federal funding it must install internet filtering technology on all of its internet enabled computers.
He also provides links to more information about Internet Filters.
Gotta run, I'm working on a new series of posts about a fun-loving but misunderstood cult of nude gamblers who decide that guns are the only way to deal with a group of racist drug lords. Oh yeah, it's gonna have pornographic illustrations too, if I can draw the stick figures sexy enough.
There was a time when people were eccentric. Nowadays there's a term for every little quirk in one's personality, and if it can be described medically, then someone somewhere is going to figure out how to use that to sue someone else for money.
Direct from California -- the state that in 1986 created a task-force to promote self esteem -- comes Winokur's "Encyclopedia Neurotica," an irreverent guide to the world of neuroses, phobias and a slew of other conditions just waiting to be chronicled in the next best-selling "addiction memoir."
I don't need a book to tell me what my major malfunction is. I'm a grouch. Just ask my family.
By the way, the link on the book title goes to the Amazon page, but if you do a search there of "neurotica", the results are some rather disturbing offerings. Good thing there's a word for those folks, just so we can keep an eye on them.
I've had an eternal fascination for all things Stonehenge (talked about it here and here - links and more), and now Alan has come up with what might be the perfect explanation for Silbury Hill on the Salisbury Plain.
It was obvious to a Surveying Engineer that to lay out Stonehenge accurately required at least 3 observation points on the horizon. Now Salisbury Plain, where Stonehenge is located, has some good sites, high ground near the horizon, except in one direction: that of Avebury.So you need a hill, just high enough to be visible on the horizon from Stonehenge, in the close vicinity of Avebury. Finding just such a man-made hill, made as a Ziggurat from easily workeable earth, and exactly the right height, would seem to be more than just a coincidence.
Go. Read. It's cool and isn't even the main point of his post, that being archeology and ancient astronomy and history and other things I love so much. Despite what my kids say, I have no first-hand experience of those days, and 'elder statesman' only takes you so far back.
In other words, "getting things done".
annika is holding another haiku contest, this time inviting one and all to come and wax lyrical about the music group KISS. There are some strong entries there, go on and give it a go.
On the other side of the world, Simon announces that the New Blog Showcase is turning itself into a Carnival. I've already applied for the job of sideshow geek (and sent in a video of me biting the head off of a live chicken). Seriously though, this is an excellent way to discover some great new blogs that are just starting out.
Buy stock in Rolaids, because I have a feeling there's gonna be some bile rising on Oscar night!
Citizens United thanks Hollywood for inadvertently helping to reelect President Bush with billboard advertisements.The advertisements feature the faces of liberal Hollywood icons Ben Affleck, Chevy Chase, Whoopi Goldberg, Michael Moore, Sean Penn, Martin Sheen, and Barbara Streisand. There are two versions of the billboards "4 more years" and "W. Still President."
According to Human Events, Citizens United has purchased the use of three billboards near the Kodak Theatre, home of the Academy Awards.
Go see California Yankee for pictures of the actual billboards. LMAO.
Chris Hall is, among other things, an avid motorcyclist. Were I a biker as well (sorry, I expended my mid-life crises on crack and hookers - that's a joke for anyone at work who's reading this), I'd want to join Chris on some of his rides. Check out this article he's posted for his motorcycle club.
Kin is playing host to this week's Carnival of the Recipes. If you haven't seen this one, it's worth a perusal if'n you're gastronomically inclined. In related news, Rocket Jones will be hosting the Carnival in the near future.
We've all been there. You have a question that's just burning a hole in your mind, but dammit, there's never a negro around to ask when you need one. Glen sees a need, and fills it with his charm and good humor. That last bit is funny if you know Glen. Anyway, head on over and ask your question. G'wan, you know you wanna.
Courtesy of Matt, we get a link to a great flash animation poking fun at mustache-muffin Martha Stewart. After watching it (and catching my breath when it was over), I've decided that I might just have to watch her TV show when she gets out, just to see how prison affected her technique.
AnalogKid continues his series on self-reliance and preparations before an emergency hits. This isn't survivalist hokum, this is common sense planning that's applicable to extreme weather conditions or any other situation where the only thing you can count on is yourself. Highly recommended.
Two final quickies. No links, you can see it in the news or google it up yourself, it's all over the place.
First, the terrorists in Iraq used a young man with Down's Syndrome as a suicide bomber during the elections. The terrorists are members of Saddam's regime who've gone underground with the goal of reestablishing the old government. Anyone who thinks that America and her allies were wrong to have gone in and removed Saddam has a fucked up sense of values. Those assholes aren't insurgents or freedom fighters or resistance forces, they're terrorists who will strap explosives to a mentally handicapped child and send him off to certain death, probably assuring same by giving him a ride to the right spot, pointing out where he should go, and then remotely triggering the explosives from a safe distance away.
Second story: Girl and guy in big city get held up. Mugger has a gun. Lady gets smart-mouthed with the mugger. Mugger shoots smart-ass lady. Lady dies. Who's fault is it?
IT'S THE MUGGERS FAULT DAMMIT!!!!!!!!!!!!
The lady was stupid, but that doesn't make it her fault. The gun seller, gun manufacturer and ammunition maker aren't at fault, and in fact are required to jump through massive numbers of regulatory hoops already. The mugger had a gun, but NYC has massive restrictions on guns already in place and it didn't help her. The mugger had the illegal gun. The mugger was robbing the couple. The mugger aimed his gun at the lady and pulled the trigger. More anti-gun laws doesn't make you safer, because the bad guys don't follow the law anyways! And if you think that anti-gun laws make it harder to get your hands on a handgun, you're only half right. It makes it more difficult for law-abiding citizens to obtain a handgun (I won't even get into the 2A issues here). If you think it makes it harder for a criminal to get a gun, then you are naive and not thinking it through, because I promise you that a vanishingly small percentage of criminals purchase their gun through normal, legal channels.
Aiiieeeee!!!! My head is going to explode from the stupidity of some people.
Coming soon: Ted's remake of the SciFi classic Scanners.
Joe DeRouen's Weird Web Sites is updated weekly, and features such as:
Bible-Approved UnderwearHave you ever wanted to dress Bible-friendly but just weren't sure how? While this website won't tell you much in terms of dresses, skirts, and blouses, it does cover (no pun intended) what's underneath. The site shows examples of what bras, panties, and girdles are approved by the Bible, and which undergarments will send you straight to Hades.
Links to all plus an extensive archive make this the perfect place to lose yourself for an afternoon. Or two.
I need to thank the following people for their advice, links and help when I was asking about wireless security for a home network. You guys are aces!
My daughter Rachael is blogging again, in the same place but under a new name: Down Stage Left. I believe she's going to focus more on her theater interests, but will occasionally post things like her memorable "Dead Guy of the Day" series. I'm sure her spelling will still be painful too. Can't change everything I guess.
Wackiness: 50/100
Rationality: 50/100
Constructiveness: 32/100
Leadership: 58/100
You are a SEDL--Sober Emotional Destructive Leader. This makes you a Dictator.
You prefer to control situations, and lack of control makes you physically sick. You feel have responsibility for everyone's welfare, and that you will be blamed when things go wrong. Things do go wrong, and you take it harder than you should.
You rely on the validation and support of others, but you have a secret distrust for people and distaste for their habits and weaknesses that make you keep your distance from them. This makes you very difficult to be with romantically. Still, a level-headed peacemaker can keep you balanced.
Despite your fierce temper and general hot-bloodedness, you have a soft spot for animals and a surprising passion for the arts. Sometimes you would almost rather live by your wits in the wilderness somewhere, if you could bring your books and your sketchbook.
You also have a strange, undeniable sexiness to you. You may go insane.
Of the 82232 people who have taken this quiz since tracking began (8/17/2004), 5.4 % are this type.
This test has appeared all over the place, most recently at Smoking Toaster, who's proprietor and your pal, Bitterman, has an odd definition of "hobby".
I had no idea this even existed, a site dedicated to hockey fight stats!
Thanks to Off Wing Opinion for pointing that out (via your PDA version no less).
Casey, over at the Gantry Launchpad, has his one-year anniversary tomorrow (thursday, the 27th). He also notes that he's not quite reaching a milestone of 6k hits. Since he's a lot nicer than Bill, and definitely posts more often, I'm asking that each and every Rocket Jones visitor today click this link and go visit Casey. Let's put him over the top, so do it twice or even three times, and if you're a really nice person you'd leave a comment for him too.
Happy anniversary Casey, keep up the space blogging.
It's been awhile since I've done one of these, but rather than do my usual forty-seven "oooooh, look at this!" posts, I'll just do one great big "oooooh, look at these!" post.
First up (this is probably keeping GeekLethal over at the Ministry awake at nights), Silflay Hraka brings to light the newest model of military robot, named SWORDS.
But officials are quick to point out that these are not the autonomous killer robots of science fiction. A SWORDS robot shoots only when its human operator presses a button after identifying a target on video shot by the robot's cameras.
Ok, I feel better now, because we all know that humans are all kind and gentle creatures who hate to harm each other.
Filed under "You can't make this stuff up", Azygos tells of the Potty Bowl, which is associated with, appropriately enough, the Arizona Cardinals.
At this good, clean fun (and educational) event, Arizona Cardinal quarterback Shaun King will act as master of ceremonies and honorary "Kandoo Coach" while kids play against each other to finish the Go! Wipe! Flush! Wash! Dry! obstacle course first.
I noticed that one of the co-sponsors (alongside Pampers), was KOOL and my first thought was that those bastards in the tobacco industry were targeting toddlers in their zeal to indoctrinate new smokers. I mean, what's more natural than sitting down on the throne and lighting up a cigarette? After a more careful reading, I see that KOOL is a radio station, and judging by this event, it's probably on a par with WKRP in Cincinnati.
Meanwhile, over at Random Nuclear Strikes, we learn of this story:
Bay Area native Daniel Berk had planned to spend the Christmas holiday in Sri Lanka, getting his scuba certificate, but canceled his plans at the last minute. He missed the deadly tsunami, but on Saturday, he was killed in an avalanche while snowboarding off-trail in the Austrian Alps.
To which AnalogKid remarks:
When your name is on the Reaper’s clip board, making him switch from bermuda shorts to a parka only pisses him off.
*snicker*
Also from Random Nuclear Strikes comes the pointer to a blog called (ready for it?)...
They're serious about it, but probably my favorite part is where they quote Oliver Willis who digs up some dirt on Republicans! Imagine that?!?!?! Here's a news flash - ALL POLITICIANS ARE BASICALLY SCUMBAGS!!!
The trick is selecting a scumbag who's reality most closely mirrors your own personal priorities. That said, voting for someone who refuses to acknowlege recent history (like, fer instance, claiming WMD's were the *only* reason we invaded Iraq), means that you're not just supporting a scumbag, it means your scumbag is either a) stupid beyond belief, or b) believes "a" to be true about you. As Bill Engval would say, "here's your sign".
Better yet, maybe I should just chill out and wait for the damn robot overlords. Heaven knows, they probably couldn't do worse.
There's a reason the first word of the original phrase is "illegal", although I'd go along with "Illegal Immigrant" as being even more accurate. Either way, here's what happens:
Is it so liberal that governments must pay for those who ignore the law while citizens go without? In California, the money to incarcerate more than 14,000 felonious illegal aliens from Mexico - well over $400 million - would fund the start-up costs of 20 university campuses like the new University of California at Merced, at a time when Americans (including many first-generation Mexican-American citizens) who are eligible for higher education cannot find access or financial support.
I'm not anti-immigration or anti-Mexican. I am stridently anti-illegal-immigration.
Thanks to Mad William Flint for the pointer.
The latest in the magnetic ribbon craze, this one in the NHL's orange and black.
Thanks to Off Wing Opinion for the pointer.
When they make MuNu: The Movie, who will play you? And feel free to make nominations for the other Munus.
My very first thought was John Goodman as Rocket Jones. Which was spooky because Jennifer said the exact same thing, and then Joe Don Bak Victor thirded the nomination, followed up by Spork in Jen's comments.
Funny thing, my wife immediately said "Jim Belushi".
I'll have to give some thought to further casting, but right off the top of my head:
Jennifer played by Bridget Fonda. Tough. Smart. Sassy.
Susie played by Sandra Bullock. Ditto, kiddo.
Spork played by Michael J. Fox, for that intense yet amiable competence.
Victor played by Joe Don Baker, natch.
LeeAnn played by Janeane Garofalo, with the stipulation that she not be allowed to speak any lines not written for her by LeeAnn herself (maybe a shock collar... careful Ted, you're getting into real fantasy territory now).
Steve and Robert played by Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams reprising their roles as Laverne & Shirley. Shmeel. Shnozzle. Yip! Yip! Yip!
Michael King played by Sinbad, for no reason other than it would amuse me to no end to hear Sinbad say "Just Damn!"
Bill, played by Oscar the Grouch.
Whereas Lawren just found it disturbing. One of us should probably seek professional help.
Finally getting around to a few that have been on my list:
Welcome to Eric's Random Musings
Both Jen and Rich have moved, their links on the right have been updated.
Waiting for Boof, an excellent SF Giants blog, has morphed into the McCovey Chronicles. Good stuff for Giants fans and anyone who appreciates excellent baseball humor and writing.
Oops, almost forgot. Phillip has moved too.
First we identified the Axis of Evil, now it's the Outposts of Tyranny. Bigwig of Silflay Hraka suggests the third tier should be named the Bastions of Bastardy. I like it.
Here's another discussion on it, this one in a more serious vein.
Somebody knocked together thier list of the 50 Worst Songs of All Time. Channelling my inner-lemming, it's in the extended entry, and I've bolded the ones I actually like (or can at least tolerate).
Thanks to the Llama Butchers and Lynn S for directions to the cliff.
1. We Built This City ... Starship
2. Achy Breaky Heart ... Billy Ray Cyrus
3. Everybody Have Fun Tonight ... Wang Chung
4. Rollin' ... Limp Bizkit
5. Ice Ice Baby ... Vanilla Ice
6. The Heart of Rock & Roll ... Huey Lewis and the News
7. Don't Worry, Be Happy ... Bobby McFerrin
8. Party All the Time ... Eddie Murphy
9. American Life ... Madonna
10. Ebony and Ivory ... Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder
11. Invisible ... Clay Aiken
12. Kokomo ... The Beach Boys
13. Illegal Alien ... Genesis
14. From a Distance ... Bette Midler
15. I'll Be There for You ... The Rembrandts
16. What's Up? ... 4 Non Blondes
17. Pumps and a Bump ... Hammer
18. You're the Inspiration ... Chicago
19. Broken Wings ... Mr. Mister
20. Dancing on the Ceiling ... Lionel Richie
21. Two Princes ... Spin Doctors hey, the Second Prince wants to buy you rockets
22. Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American) ... Toby Keith
23. Sunglasses at Night ... Corey Hart
24. Superman ... Five for Fighting
25. I'll Be Missing You ... Puff Daddy featuring Faith Evans and 112
26. The End ... The Doors
27. The Final Countdown ... Europe
28. Your Body Is a Wonderland ... John Mayer
29. Breakfast at Tiffany's ... Deep Blue Something
30. Greatest Love of All ... Whitney Houston
31. Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm ... Crash Test Dummies
32. Will 2K ... Will Smith
33. Barbie Girl ... Aqua
34. Longer ... Dan Fogelberg
35. Shiny Happy People ... R.E.M.
36. Make Em Say Uhh! ... Master P featuring Silkk, Fiend, Mia-X and Mystikal
37. Rico Suave ... Gerardo
38. Cotton Eyed Joe ... Rednex
39. She Bangs ... Ricky Martin
40. I Wanna Sex You Up ... Color Me Badd
41. We Didn't Start the Fire ... Billy Joel
42. The Sound of Silence ... Simon & Garfunkel
43. Follow Me ... Uncle Kracker
44. I'll Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That) ... Meat Loaf
45. Mesmerize ... Ja Rule featuring Ashanti
46. Hangin' Tough ... New Kids on the Block
47. The Only Thing That Looks Good on Me Is You ... Bryan Adams
48. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da ... The Beatles
49. I'm Too Sexy ... Right Said Fred
50. My Heart Will Go On ... Celine Dion
Microsoft's AntiSpyware Tool Removes Internet Explorer.
Via Fark (thanks to Mookie for pointing it out).
That's me. Scott and Eileen are planning a one-year tour of the US, taking the backroads and poking into all the little odd nooks and crannies of our country.
From their FAQ:
Why are you doing this? Two reasons. One, to explore the less-charted areas of America and capture what we find in words, still photography, and moving images. Two, to audition thousands of small American towns for the role of our new hometown. At the end of our trip, we'll choose one of them as the place to start a family.
Like CG Hill of Dustbury, I'll be adding them to the blogroll (eventually) so I can keep an eye out on their progress.
I had an Atari 800. Went into hock to pay for that pitiful thing, but man was it great. Two of my favorite games for it were SCRAM, a nuclear power-plant simulation, and an Avalon Hill (I think) wargame where you built up a military industrial complex until one side attacked and then you nuked it out. Think Battleship, the Armageddon edition.
The Atari was also the last PC that I knew intimately. In those days if you wanted to do anything beyond primitive BASIC gaming you had to be familiar with the chipsets and command sets available. Hell, I wrote a simple parser/compiler and a disk drive controller using BASIC.
The "bible" for Atari geeks like me was called De Re Atari. All About Atari. I owned a copy, well worn in a 3-ring binder. It's cool that you can still reference it, but now it's online.
A comparison between the murder rates of Iraq and Chicago. Sure, it's just fun with numbers, but that doesn't mean a pearl of wisdom isn't hiding in there.
Found via Diplomad.
That's the description given by Mr Helpful for this Fark piece, and he's absolutely right. I had tears in my eyes as I read this college paper. Go. Now. Laugh.
Found at Mandarin Designs, and you can look here for help on screen grabbing your montage if you need it.
My favorite:
5. Conclude each story with comical "Boing" sound effect.
That's a no-brainer.
From Dawn, who saw it at LeeAnn's.
Stephen did it as well.
Here's the first sentence of the first post made during each month of 2004, kinda like a Reader's Digest condensed version of Rocket Jones:
January
The Redskins firedBarney RubbleSteve Spurrier.February
I'm awake, and I'm one unhappy camper.March
Ultimate Band List is a site with tons of information and links to official band website and fansites.April
March 2004 will go down in the family history as one rotten month all around.May
Might post more this evening.June
I had one of those oddly productive weekends where you look back and say "wow, I got a lot done!"July
Since there's been such a hue and cry (translation: nobody asked) about the secret identities of our intrepid NogMeisters, I've decided to give some clues about who they are and what they look like.August
Here's your chance to write cheers for the Hot Jets cheerleaders!September
A sequel to Clerks is on the way.
October
I see dead people, and most of them are wearing Cubs uniforms.November
As usual, the people hosting BattlePark ran a great event.December
Since everyone missed it in the Blogger Bowl post below, here is an explicit link to my newest fans: Rats for Rockets.
So let's see...
May and November referred to rocket launches, August, October and December talked about sports and the fantasy football league, while January combined sports and Redskins-bashing. The nog was mentioned in July, and September was a movie reference. Tack on the link to some interesting place on the net from March and that's not a bad description of this place, eh? Not bad at all.
He's currently resting in Jamaica, but his wife is making plans to exhume his remains and have them reburied in Ethiopia, his spiritual home.
Doesn't matter where his physical presence is, his music lives on.
Religious action figures, courtesy of the Jesus Christ Superstore!
Thanks to Rambling's Journal for the pointer. For the record, I agree with him when he says this is so over-the-top that it's meant to offend everybody. Check out their version of the Last Supper!
Ill will over the quote controversy refuses to die over at Sanity's Edge. But you know what? Screw 'em. I'll just use that genius and cunning and outflank 'em all once again.
That's right, you guys are *all* added to the blogroll! Even Simon and Jim, who are already there, but get a second link.
Take that!
So says Paul over at Sanity's Edge. Right out there in the open too, not all hidden in the comments or in an extended entry.
Long story short: Paul was looking for a new quote for his sidebar and decided to make it a contest. Lots of great entries, but mine won. Because I'm a f*cking cheater genius.
Just to prove there's no hard feelings between myself and the little people, I'll bestow links. Dortch. Shank. Oorgo. Casey. Jim. I'll do more than that, I'll even recommend them because they're smart people (even though none of them link to Rocket Jones dammit (except for Jim)). I know they're smart because they read Paul, and Paul's obviously a genius.
It takes one to know one.
The guys over at RNS have been on a roll the last few days, and have something worth reading every day.
From Mom, a really funny joke. Too true by half too.
They also link to a guy who acts unprofessional. I'd seen this the other day and meant to link to it, but forgot. Do yourself a favor and go read it now. Really.
Someday the shit might hit the fan where you live, in a big way. Are you prepared for that day? Have you ever even given it some thought? Check out "For Ourselves, By Ourselves". That link is to the 4th part, and there are links there to the first three parts. Most of the time I throw these links around and don't really expect many folks to click them, but... well, I'd go so far as to say it's required reading.
There's a regular over at RNS name of Rivrdog, who has his own site. Good stuff there. Drop by and look around. He posts boobs too.
NEW YORK (AP) - Four CBS executives were fired Monday following the release of an independent investigation into a "60 Minutes Wednesday" story about President Bush's military service that relied on forged documents.The network fired Mary Mapes, producer of the report; Josh Howard, executive producer of "60 Minutes Wednesday" and his top deputy Mary Murphy; and senior vice president Betsy West.
From The Sporting News:
... as if the NHL hasn't had enough bad publicity in recent months, BusinessWeek magazine has named [NHL commissioner] Gary Bettman one of the worst managers in the United States in 2004.In selecting Bettman to this list, the magazine cited the "shambles" of the NHL's and the "weak TV deal" he signed last June with NBC, leading to the conclusion that the NHL was now "a second-tier sport" in the United States.
It's unknown what Bettman's opinion is of this dubious honor, but there are more than a few NHL players and fans that consider BusinessWeek's assessment of the commissioner to be quite accurate.
The NHL gets a huge boost every four years come Olymipics time, and people know about the "Miracle on Ice". Thanks to inept marketing and a refusal to adapt the rules to correct readily apparent problems with game play, the NHL has squandered every chance to become a major sport in the US.
So how does the well-connected fan channel his frustration over the labor impasse? This guy bought Hockey cards. Problem is, he used a government credit card to do it.
Donald Billing, a former director of Measurement Canada, was charged with 11 counts of fraud. Police say he used government credit cards to buy hockey cards valued at approximately C$185,000 ($150,000), and tried to pass off the purchases as office supplies.
He's Canadian, so the NHL strike just has to be a mitigating circumstance, right?
They call it the Hot Lix Tequila Lollipop, I call it a bug sucker. It's a tequila flavored sucker with a real worm embedded inside.
I got it as a gift, and it's too unique to actually eat. That's my excuse story and I'm sticking to it.
J-Walk Blog is a nifty place to visit because he updates frequently during the day and it's often a link to something really cool.
Two recent examples:
Use your mouse to write your name in the snow. Don't worry about running out if you've got a long name, because your capacity is virtually (ahem) unlimited.
Someone's collection of unusual LP cover art. I love this kind of kitsch!
I've mentioned album covers before at Rocket Jones too.
See a little of the ol' slap and tickle, Lego style. I especially like the lego dude with the camera, it adds an authentic sleazy touch.
Be warned though, the guy that did the site is seriously sick.
Courtesy of the Mexican government, a comic book giving their citizens handy tips on dealing with their wanderlust and the gringos they'll encounter on the way.
I love the "translation" provided by the guys at Q&O, and they kept my blood pressure under control as well. You can probably guess what my reaction was when first hearing about this.
I've been playing with more HTML and CSS over at the Skunkworks. Feedback appreciated, as always.
This site, SharkShock, has a bunch of cool fonts you can download for free. The link takes you to the main page, just click on the "font" button and become immersed in font-infested sharkness.
You may have seen their blogads on some sites, offering their "History of US Political Parties" posters. I was intrigued and followed the links and also found their "Race to the Moon" poster. Very cool.
Red, over at The Sheila Variations, points the way to an article that asks:
"WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IS TRUE EVEN THOUGH YOU CANNOT PROVE IT?"
This very question was asked of 100 (in her words) "big brainiac-types" and they provided some truly thought-provoking answers and visions.
Right off the top of my head, I believe you should head over to The Sheila Variations and read her take on it, and then follow her link to the actual article. Cool stuff.
Immediate Update: Jay of Sophont has his take posted as well, including this dandy little snippet:
I believe in science. Unlike mathematical theorems, scientific results can't be proved.They can only be tested again and again, until only a fool would not believe them.I cannot prove that electrons exist, but I believe fervently in their existence. And if you don't believe in them, I have a high voltage cattle prod I'm willing to apply as an argument on their behalf. Electrons speak for themselves.
That's a quote from Seth Lloyd, a Quantum Mechanical Engineer from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
And I tell ya, I gotta agree. Incidentally, my sides hurt from laughing as I read it.
Thanks to Derek for pointing that one out. Feel better, guy.
Rob at Left & Right notes that the US Navy ship Bonhomme Richard is very much in the thick of the tsunami relief effort. He also reminds us that this is the ship that nitwit Pablo Paredes was assigned to. You may recall him as the asshat who refused to report to his ship as a protest against the Iraq war.
What's the protest now, Pablo? Is Chimpy McShrub Co and his cronies at Halliburton invading Indonesia in an act of illegal humanitarian aid?Because of your actions, there is one less person providing relief to the area.
Right on, Rob!
Moving along to other naval news, the folks at Silent Running posted a little tidbit about the urgent need for fresh water in the devastated regions, and wouldn't you know it, naval ships happen to be pretty damned good at generating fresh water - up to one half million gallons per day from a Nimitz class carrier alone (we have two carrier groups in the region I believe).
I'd consider that a dual-use weapons platform, eh?
The Indian navy is also pitching in in a big way:
The Indian Navy Tuesday cleared Sri Lanka's key Galle port after an extensive operation to remove sunken vessels there as part of the largest peacetime initiative mounted by the country's armed forces post tsunami.
Crews of the Indian ships have set up field kitchens and medical aid stations, passed out supplies, and an Indian hospital ship is anchored at one location to provide additional medical assistance. A second hospital ship is enroute.
Australian naval aviation isn't just working harder, they're working smarter:
"The Iroquois [helicopter] is probably the quickest capability that we can deploy forward," he said."It's got a light footprint, so it doesn't take quite as much equipment and personnel to get it moving quickly.
"So we found that the Iroquois was something that we could put on at very short notice."
But Australia had more modern Black Hawk helicopters and heavy lift Chinooks on standby to send to Banda Aceh if they were required, he said.
"Obviously they could do significantly more, but the early assessment that we've made here is that there is a significant amount of other helicopters here already," Lt-Col Steel said.
He said the RAAF had moved enough spare parts for the Iroquois to remain in Aceh for up to three months, while ground crews had been told to expect a stay of at least a month.
The French are assisting as well, sending military ships to Sumatra in coordination with other relief efforts:
The Jeanne d'Arc, a ship carrying six helicopters and two units of engineers, and the Georges Leygues, a frigate, were to leave Djibouti Tuesday, the defence ministry said.The Jeanne d'Arc was transporting 6,000 food rations, 800 tonnes of water and water treatment equipment, five tonnes of medicine and field medical posts, it said.
I've just touched on what's out there, and it just kinda flowed that this was naval oriented. I also heard this morning that the donations to the Red Cross have already matched what was collected for last year's hurricane relief in Florida. There's hope for this ol' world, because it's full of people like these who help in whatever way they can.
*Ripple Fire is the process of launching several rockets in rapid succession. The military version features big booms at the receiving end.
Sadie is a new Munuvian, and her place is at Fistful of Fortnights. Permalink is over on the right. Yay!
Weaselteeth is another new Munuvian. Again, Yay! (that's the traditional Munuvian greeting, ya know)
Same for Naked Villiany, except that he's not a Munuvian, and his permalink is farther down on the right with the other non-Munuvian bloggers. Give us time, we're assimilating as fast as we can.
A beautiful selection of the best space photos of 2004, in various sizes to fit your monitor.
Artist Kelly Freas passed away today at age 82 of natural causes.
In a career that spanned more than 50 years, Freas illustrated the covers or the pages of books by writers including Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein, Arthur C. Clarke, A.E. Van Vogt, Poul Anderson and Frederik Pohl.
I knew Kelly Freas best from his illustrations in Analog, the Science Fiction magazine, but he was probably better known for his work that graced the covers of Mad Magazine for many years.
Beginning in the 1950s, he spent seven years as the main cover artist of Mad Magazine, creating stylishly detailed portraits and helping to make famous Alfred E. Newman, the freckled, front-tooth-deprived purveyor of the phrase, "What? Me Worry?"
He also did other work including an album cover for Queen and the original Skylab patch design for NASA.
Update: De Doc has a nice post up about the passing of this artistic giant.
You may have seen this on 60 Minutes last night, during a piece they were doing on Google. There's also been a fair amount of buzz on the 'net about this, but just in case you weren't aware...
Go to the Google page and type in "books about xyz", where xyz is anything you want (for instance, I tried "stonehenge" and then "submarines"). When your search results are returned, at or near the top will be a listing marked by several colorful books. These are links to online copies of books. But that's just surface cool, because this feature goes much farther.
Click on a listed book link, and you'll see the scanned pages of the book. But over on the left side is a search box. Yepper, the entire text of the books are searchable! How cool is that?
Go play and be amazed. Thank you Al Gore, for making this all possible.
I was thinking about making this a series, but I'm not sure I have the time to do it up right. At least for now, I'll post the story and link, and I might revisit later.
In the 1950's, Burdick presented himself and his drawings to a publisher who was fascinated by them and wanted to read the stories that the pictures illustrated. Burdick promised to return the next day with those stories but did not keep the appointment. The publisher tried for many years to find the man but was never able to discover who Burdick was or what had happened to him.Then, in the '80s, the publisher showed the images to an author friend -- hence the book, published in 1984.
When the author received the pictures from the publisher, he was also given a box containing dozens of stories written over the years by the publisher's children and their friends. He read and found all of them remarkable -- some bizarre, some funny, some downright scary -- the makings of another great book.
Since Burdick never did return as promised, you'll have to write your own stories. You have a jump start, as Harris Burdick had written a title and caption for each picture.
-- from The Mysteries of Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg
Chris Van Allsburg has written and illustrated other children's books, with a similar technique so the question becomes, was there really a Harris Burdick?
And does it matter?
This looks ideal for exercising the creative writer inside you or for firing up a child's imagination. Even a child too young to write can be encouraged to tell a story based on the picture.
This nifty site has all of the mysterious illustrations and more links to some of the creative writing submitted by students as inspired by the pictures.
As a teaser, I've included the first picture, complete with title and caption in the extended entry.
If you'd care to, write a story based on it and link back to this post, or send me the link and I'll include it. If the response is favorable, maybe we'll do more of them. I'd especially love to hear the tales from the little ones. Those can be magic.
ARCHIE SMITH; BOY WONDER
A tiny voice asked, "Is he the one?"
Need advice? Ann Landers too tame and Dear Dotti too conventional? Try this column. The questions seem rather typical:
"Jane" and I have been in the same sorority for two years, and we were best friends from the time we met at freshman orientation. Last week I found Jane in bed with my fiance "John." I have been deeply hurt and don't know what to do. I can't break my engagement with John or he'll take his credit card back. And I just couldn't stand to look at Jane at the mixer last night. Do you think we should all go to some sort of counseling?
What a bunch of touchy-feeling crap. You need a dose of Klingon wisdom (edited for brevity):
The first thing you will need is a spear. If you don't have a conventional spear, any long sharpened wood will do. Now, go to Jane's house... Leaving her writhing body impaled on her front lawn as a warning to others might be a nice touch.
Since we're talking Klingon (not really, I'm a fan of the original series, but far from a trekkie), my favorite book from the original series is called The Final Reflection. Besides an early alternative view of the Klingon Empire (much different than as realized during the many incarnations of the Star Trek universe), the book revolves around the Klingon equivalent to human chess, known as Klin Zha. The glimpses of the game in the book are fascinating and not surprisingly have been formalized and expanded by trekkies. This site has the rules and many variations here, including this PDA version that I'll be downloading and testing just for fun.
But I digress (yeah, like I have a point). The best of the original Star Trek books (to my mind) were the ones where the focus was primarily on the alien cultures. Besides the prologue and epilogue, The Final Reflection told a great story without Kirk and the Enterprise. Only one regular makes an actual (and brief) appearance, and another is mentioned in passing. Other than that, it's all Klingon. It's very refreshing to see them as the good guys for a change. Big fun.
Another title focusing on the Klingons is Pawns and Symbols. The Enterprise crew is part of this tale, but only in a peripheral role. Once again you see the people behind the ridged foreheads and get to know the culture as more than the warriors usually depicted on television.
Coming from the other side of the sector (quadrant? nuetral zone? whatever.), is a story from deep within the Romulan Empire - The Romulan Way. Lots of outrageous SciFi action and adventure and a look inside a proud and haughty culture.
So there ya go, three of the better Star Trek books. Recommended by Rocket Jones.
Kai Kassai Klingon!
Wish mine included this perk!
Via the CheeseMistress, long may she be unelectrified.
It's all over but the shoutin', as my daddy says.
In the Championship game, Munuviana's DFMoore held on to defeat Brendoman for top honors. The last of the points from last night's contest haven't been included, but they weren't enough to close the gap on Daniel. Congrats!
For third place, Victor became a victim of his own success, needing the Eagles stars to have a big game in order to take the victory (wow, three 'vic' words in one sentence!). Since the game meant nothing to the Eagles, they sat most of their starters and Victor came up short on the scoreboard. Sorry Victor, in your shoes I'd be raising hell with the Eagles. Demand season tickets for next year, maybe they'll comp you a jersey or something.
So that's it. The Rockets will be back next year, bigger, badder, and more likely to explode on the pad more explosive next year.
The Hockey Whoopass Jamboree is still going on, and last night my Cleveland Barons (represented by a Shark wearing a monocle, natch), were blanked by the Gir's Manitoba Moose. In accordance with the prophesy rules, her logo will by displayed on my main page for the next day.
They play again tonight, so if she wins again, it'll still be there. If not, then I expect massive and prominent displayage on her page. I may have discovered her weakness, and plan to distract her with tanned cabana boys bearing tall glasses full of paper umbrellas. Us silly earth monkeys are like that.
Asian style, more cute than raunchy, although the last one has nudity.
A magical site full of animated Christmas cards and music. Thanks to Gordon for pointing this one out.
Richmond, Virginia.
Hundreds of passengers are stuck at Richmond International Airport, after an airplane edged off a runway Thursday morning and got stuck in the mud.
Of course, in true Murphy's fashion, the plane is stuck in the mud where 98% of airport traffic is blocked, at the intersection between the two main runways.
But it is Christmas, and you know there has to be some good news, right?
Bell told a WRIC reporter that the airport does not have the necessary equipment to pull the jet from the mud, and American Airlines is locating the equipment and will get it to Richmond.
Maybe not.
My buddy Rich (hahaha, I made a funny), gives the lowdown on the trendy new Senseo coffee maker that they've been pushing hard this holiday season.
He's moving his blog, so I'm going to copy the whole thing in the extended entry, and I'll update his link as soon as I get it.
PerfectThe Phillips Senseo Coffee Maker
I researched this item before I bought it. Take a look at these exciting excerpts from the various web sites where I found information and reviews:
"The perfect cup of fresh coffee."
"Douwe Egberts is the number one roast & ground coffee brand in the UK and they have worked in conjunction with Philips to produce the perfect blend of coffee & machine for the perfect taste."
"The brewing process guarantees a perfect cup of fresh coffee within a minute every time."
"Senseo allows you to enjoy a perfect cup of coffee in your favorite flavor at any time of the day."
"..the Senseo coffee machine makes the perfect gift."
"When I've used creamer (either in liquid or powder form), the coffee is the perfect temperature and doesn't need to be microwaved."
"The intregal heating element brings your fresh cool water to the perfect temperature..."
"Philips and Sara Lee have been working for ten years to perfect this sensational cup of coffee."ehhh, (to the reviewers) I do not think it means what you think it means. Let's journey through my personal experience.
Intro to the machine:
The machine is well built, I definitely feel it is of better build and quality than the competing machine from Black & Decker that uses the Folgers and Millstone coffee (I checked them all out at Wal-Mart). So I bought it (nevermind the whole "you shouldn't buy things for yourself right before your birthday" thing), and mailed in the $20 rebate (which I got back in less than a month, sweet!). The easy-to-follow instructions state that you need to run it through a special cycle the first time, which I did. If you find the sudden sound of a jackhammer (complete with vibration) in your kitchen to be alarming be assured that this is expected and that normal operation will not be this loud (what better way to help you wake up in the morning?).The selection:
You get a choice of 4 kinds of pods (I hope I didn't make that sound exciting). You get Mild, Medium, Dark, and Decaf. Okay. Now I enjoy a nice cup of black, I really do, but lately I've discovered this Toasted Almond creamer in the dairy section of the supermarket and am really hooked on it, especially for my first cup of the day (coffee snobs don't bother to comment). So I figure big deal, when I don't want Mild, Medium, or Dark I'll just add some flavored creamer and I'll be happy.The brew:
Okay, I'm ready, this is exciting! I put in the podholder for a single cup and drop in a Medium pod. The machine is on, warmed up, and ready with my cup awaiting perfect delicious coffee. I press the button for single cup and there is noise, although thankfully not of the jackhammer variety, think more like hammerdrill. Did I run the special cycle correctly? After rechecking the directions I had. Okay, well the cup brewed quickly and my next disappointment caused me to snatch up the manual again. After some frantic reading I've found that a "cup" of coffee is 4 ounces (WTF!?). Whatever, next time I'll just brew the double cup.The perfect cup:
I pour in a little creamer. I still need to throw the used pod in the trash but First, let's drink, me from my glass, and.. the flavor is exactly what I expected, delicious toasted almond. The first sip was tentative, I find it irksome to burn my tongue you see, and it wasn't HOT. In fact, I drank down the rest of the cup immediately. This just won't do, my coffee needs to at least stay hot for the first part of my ride to work in the morning. Even black the coffee is drinkable right out of the brewer. I whipped out a thermometer (a cooking thermometer, not one of the rectal variety) and measured the coffee temp right as it was dripping into my cup - 155 degrees (who knew the tongue was so mighty?). I'll have to get around to measuring the temperature of my regular drip brewer and update this for comparison I suppose.The FAQ:
Something must be wrong. It's always possible to get a bad unit. I checked the FAQ on the manufacturer's web site and find the question "My coffee is not hot. Why?" (YAY! Someone has had the same problem and the solution is a click away!). Solution: "When you first turn on the coffee machine, we suggest that you run a one-cup brew cycle with an empty pod holder in place. This will ensure that the boiler is heated to proper brewing conditions and that you will have a hot cup of coffee. Another suggestion is to rinse the cup or mug with hot water a couple of times." WTF!? You're telling me that to get my perfect cup of coffee that is brewed at the perfect temperature with the perfect grounds I have to defeat some of the allure of this machine by taking extra time to run a cycle of just water or to heat up my cup first??The complaint:
Time to write the company. Unlike some companies it was actually easy to find the proper link and write them an email. And also unlike some companies I got a quick response (very nice). The email I sent goes like:"What should the temperature of the coffee be as it drips into the cup? I have measured mine at 155 degrees and that seems to be low, it is not quite hot enough for my ride in to work or even to drink at a leisurely pace relaxing at home without additional heating in the microwave.
BTW, the suggestion in the FAQ about rinsing your cup with hot water is not acceptable to ask of your customers and having to run a cycle with no coffee or pod holder is also poor advice and reduces one of the benefits of using your machine (speed). The low temperature is one of three disappointments I have with your product, the others are the lack of variety in compatible product for brewing, and the horrendous noise the machine makes as it brews my cup (yes, I have run the initial cycle as required in the instructions). For a product that is supposedly used by so many people I find these flaws surprising, unless the product sold in Europe is different than that sold here in the US."
The response:
The first response was to let me know that they were sorry that I was not satisfied with their product and that they would forward my email on to the proper people to help me. Okay, good. The next email I got was:"The temperature range for coffee in the Senseo machine is 72 degrees C (162 F) to 90 degrees C (194 F). We are looking into the possibility of having Senseo coffee pods with flavored coffee. You are correct that there is a distinct noise and vibration during the brewing cycle."
Uhhh, hmmm. Okay. The perfect temperature appears to lie between 162 and 194 F. I just stared at this for a minute (and then stared at again when writing this blog entry). Maybe there is a way to get the upper end from this machine, so I wrote back. I told them I was good with tools and comfortable working with thing that are electrical in nature and would be willing to adjust the thermostat if they would explain how I could do this. The reply I got was:
"Unfortunately, the temperature is determined by the thermostat and the thermostat is not adjustable. Thank you for your interest in Senseo."
You've got to be kidding me. The perfect coffee maker's quality control allows a 32 degree (f) variance in the temperature of the brewed coffee!?! (And remember, "Philips and Sara Lee have been working for ten years to perfect this sensational cup of coffee.") TEN YEARS for a rumbling loud coffee maker that makes warm coffee (sigh). I do still use it, but only because it IS much faster than my regular coffee pot, even though I have to warm it in the microwave.
What I REALLY want is a Keurig machine, but they are a little out of my price range (another item on my "if I win the lottery I can't wait to buy" list). We have one at my office, and compared to everything else, it borders on being a magical device. No review on that one, but to put the Senseo up against it in a competition would be inconceivable.
Actually, it's stronger than cheesecake, but still oh-so-yummy (link definitely not safe for work)!
Thanks to Wegglywoo for pointing this one out.
The folks at Silent Running are going to be conducting an interesting experiment.
SIMTERROR '05An interactive blog-based hypothetical scenario in which a terrorist attempt to stage an attack on Australian soil will be simulated in real time, over two weeks in January 1985.
Introduction
Bloggers have opinions. It's what we do. But how many of us have actually wondered what we might do, and how we might respond, in the event of a major terrorist attempt at replicating a 9/11 scale attack? It's all very well for us to opine to our hearts content about what the West ought to do in the face of a generalised threat from radical Islam, but how would the blogosphere respond in an actual emergency? Can we put ourselves emotionally in that position? It isn't easy, is it?
Would we fall to pieces? Would we be simply struck dumb? Would we urge massive lashing out in retaliation? Or would blogs become a useful resource of opinions, options, information, argument and debate? Would it become the closest thing this planet has to a gigantic neural network of linked minds, all concentrated on a single issue?
SIMTERROR '05 is an experiment designed to help us think about the ways blogs might be able to respond to a sudden crisis using a simulation of real world events, but getting blogs to respond as if the events were real. In a sense, SIMTERROR 0'5 will be the first test of the Emergency Blogger System.
The Simulation
Beginning on Sunday, January 1st, at 12 noon, Australian Eastern Time, the blog "Silent Running" will go live as the central information hub of the exercise. It will run news items in real time, based on the decisions taken by the various bloggers playing the roles of significant leaders in this exercise. Those decisions and actions will go through "Silent Running" blogger "Tom Paine", who will act as umpire.
The players will be presented from time to time with updates on the situation as it unfolds, and their responses will help shape the simulation. Once it starts, no-one, not even the umpire, will know how things will turn out.
They have a dedicated Yahoo group set up and the list of players includes many prominent bloggers. Set your bookmarks, because no matter what happens, it's going to be fascinating. I'll be watching this one closely.
Forgive the title. Or not. Whatever.
San Francisco has decided to follow in the footsteps of our nation's capital and ban possesion of firearms within city limits. In case you didn't know, Washington D.C. is also the murder capital of the USA, and believe me when I tell you that it's not because of gang-related strangulations. They also expect law-abiding citizens to just turn in their firearms, which will go far in improving the survival rate of criminals in the city.
Practical example: rob a house where the owner might have a gun or rob a pizza place where corporate policy is "be unarmed". Tough choice, eh? Now apply that concept to an entire city.
I've seen this all over the net, but Publicola was the first to bring it to my attention. He's got more, including the text of the proposed law too.
Just because I didn't make the playoffs doesn't mean I don't care how it turns out, especially since fellow Munuvians Daniel and Victor are in.
In the first game, Daniel easily handled the inexplicably mediocre Fire Ants. The Fire Ants shared a piece of first place the entire season, so their falloff in production came at the worst possible time for them. Buh-Bye.
In the other game, it looks like another upset in the making. This time Brendoman holds a fair lead over Victor's Rats of Chaos. Victor needs a big game tonight from Miami receiver Chris Chambers to pull this one out. It could happen.
Via Dustbury, I learned about Unsafe Search, an idea whose time has come. Basically, they first do a universal Google search on your phrase, then a second one with the full adult-filter applied. Then they remove all the hits from the nice, leaving just the naughty. Obvious and brilliant. But when I went there to check it out, what do I find?
It's a shame when someone searching for pornographic material related to, say, llamas, is forced to slog though many pages of perfectly innocuous llama sites before finally hitting upon the llama porn he was looking for.
I don't know guys, I never took the phrase link whoring as a literal description. I think this also proves that those online polls are full of crap.
This also gave me a chuckle (and it's work safe):
And nobody who does a Google search for "nice tits" wants to find a site like this one.
That site too, while perfectly harmless, has a nice sense of humor about the subject.
Send these folks a photo of your tattoo, and they'll recreate it as a piece of silver jewelry. Tres chic, as my biker friends would say.
A Perfectly Cromulent Blog, where you'll get such wisdom as:
(discussing what hot dog condiments reveal about your personality) I'm largely ambivalent on the subject of corn dogs, however. On one hand, there are a limited number of useable toppings. On the other, any foodstuff that leaves you with a potentially deadly weapon afterwards is all right by me.
Kaya no te wo
Hitotsu hazushite,
Tsuki-mi kana!
A simple haiku, written in the 1700's by the Japanese poetess and Buddhist nun Chiyo.
Her challenge was to write about a square, a triangle and a circle within the 17 syllables of a single haiku, and it is said that she immediately responded with the above verse. Here's the english translation:
"Detaching one corner of the mosquito-net, lo! I behold the moon!"
The top of the mosquito-net, suspended by cords at each of the four corners, respresents the square. Letting down the net at one corner converts the square into a triangle. The moon represents the circle.
There are many more beautiful pieces at the link above.
Courtesy of 'Tis the Season, and found via the effervescent Squipper!
Ho x 3 indeed.
Sgt Hook is signing off. Thanks to Jennifer for passing on that sad news.
Rachael Lucas is back as Blue-Eyed Infidel. She was the first blog I ever discovered, and if you thought she was full of ranty mc-rants before, well lookout!
...this blog is not going to be as nice as Piquant Rants. Yeah that's right I said not as nice.Curse words will be used. Insults tossed forth carelessly. That sort of thing. My former blog got to be markedly unpleasant for me the minute I started worrying what elderly relatives or future in-laws or my more conservative section of readers would think if I said I hope Barbra Streisand suffers from chronic yeast infections.
So screw all that. No more touchy-worry-cringey manners. You no likey, you go now!
I'm so looking forward to reading her again. Thanks Jeff for pointing out her new home!
So please ignore the happy dance and taunting, nano-toast.
Thanks to a career game from Titans receiver Drew Bennett, I beat Daniel in this week's Blogger Bowl matchup. Going into Monday night's game, he was up by 13 points, which was a lot closer than I figured it would be since he's one of the top teams in the league and the Rockets have been hovering near .500 most of the season. Apparently he's on the Santa's 'bad boy' list, because we rose up to righteously smite him. And the horse he rode in on.
What makes this doubly special is that I get to do my happy dance with the lovely, talented and loyal Hot Jets cheerleaders!
Cindy, of Dusting My Brain!
Wegglywoo, of On the Beach at the End of the World!
Sarah, of Trying To Grok!
Kat, of Mostly Fluff!
Big Hair, of Left & Right!
Jennifer, of Jennifer's History and Stuff!
Dawn of Dawn Enterprises!
annika, of annika's journal!
Denita, of Who Tends The Fires!
Gir, of Your Moosey Fate!
LeeAnn, of The Cheese Stands Alone!
Heather, of Angelweave!
Margi, of Margi Lowry!
Nic, of Shoes, Ships, and Sealing Wax!
Lemur Girl, of... uh, Lemur Girl!
Lynn S., of Reflections in d minor!
Susie, of Practical Penumbra!
Blogoline, of Blogoline's Journal!
Stevie, of Caught In The XFire!
Helen, of Everyday Stranger!
Mookie, of MookieRiffic!
Tink, of Flitting Here and There!
This is it for the Rockets in this year's fantasy season. I finished out of the playoffs in 6th place with a 6-7-1 record. Daniel though, doormat to the Rockets that he is, did make the playoffs and I wish him the best of luck. Victor is in the playoffs too, so march on Oh Mice of Mischief!
I'd like to thank the Hot Jets for their support this year. Victor proclaimed bad juju for recruiting his girlfriend for my cheerleader squad, but I always say that when life hands you bad juju, make jujubees. I appreciate all the folks I've played against too, because the trash talk and back 'n' forth has been fun. Special thanks to Nick for setting it all up.
A heaping helping of kudos to the guys at Anticipatory Retaliation for pointing out this military ode to the poncho (pdf). Take comfort Skippy, you are not alone.
It's awards season in the blogosphere, but I won something I didn't even know about the one I most coveted. That's right, I won a Windy! Go me.
Specifically, I won The Underpants Gnome Award (and don'tcha wish you knew why, neener neener). Go me.
In other Jen-related news, she's also pushing her referral contest and the prize is a stuffed bear with a skin condition and a book called White House Wisdom, which is probably one blank page. Ok, I took a second look at the bear and it's not a skin condition, it's covered with red and blue stars. Go me. Doesn't matter. I want it. So go over to Jen from here and leave a comment about how Ted deserves the damn bear so just give it to him and screw the statsmeter.
Plushy bears and Underwear Gnome Award winners. There are certain mysteries in the universe you just don't mess with, and the symmetry there is one of them. Give me the bear.
In an exclusive interview with NASA, Santa discusses his plans for Christmas on future space colonies.
Mars is going to start to stretch us a bit. See, it takes 687 days to go around the Sun. That's about two of our Earth years. So every other year I'll have two Christmas runs to make, the Earth-Moon run and the Mars run. We'll really have to 'haul Rudolph,' as the reindeer are fond of saying. Fortunately, a Martian day is 37 minutes longer than an Earth day, so we can still do our usual overnight delivery.
There's lots more too. Enjoy!
Ho Ho Ho, NASA style. Here's a little bit of the story:
Astronaut Cathy Clarke opened her eyes and yawned. Mission Control was playing Jingle Bells over the intercom for about the two hundredth time. "OK," she barked into the microphone. "I'm awake and I know it's Christmas!"Cathy, one of the crew of the International Space Station (ISS), was feeling homesick.
Back on Earth, she knew, her family was gathered around the Christmas tree, sipping eggnog and opening presents. Later they would radio from Houston, but she yearned to be with them now -- not stuck in an orbiting laboratory, 350 km above Earth, with no Christmas spirit.
Months earlier Mission Control had turned down her request for a tree. "The pine needles would just float around and poke you in the eye," they said. "It's a safety issue."
"Oh, humbug," grumped Cathy.
Never underestimate Santa Claus!
This guy put up an excellent page in loving tribute to the toys he had as a kid in the 60's. That's my general age-frame too, so this brought back plenty of good times. Check it out and discover why our toys were cooler than the ones you grew up with.
I've been silent about the whole subject while I worked it out in my own mind.
Bottom line: Bonds, Giambi, McGwire, Caminiti and all the rest did nothing against the rules. When McGwire took Andro, it was legal, and there's been nothing in the rulebook prohibiting steroids. Change the rules and then start enforcing them, but don't get all righteously indignant because someone looked for a legal competitive edge, found one and took advantage of it. There was a time when spitballs were allowed, but baseball didn't throw out every pitcher's record when that rule changed.
Over at Only Baseball Matters, John has been writing about steroid use and the myths and realities surrounding them for quite a while now. I really recommend visiting and reading his posts, there's an entire section devoted to the subject.
Head on over to Son of Cheese and feast on his classic review of an organic knosh.
A nibble? But of course!
Who, in their right mind, would wander into a pet shop, spy one of those birdseed bells and think "damn, if we squarshed it flat, that'd make one fine "people snack?"
Contests for distance, accuracy and power. Lots of background information too, so don't tell your kids that they'll be learning about physics while they play.
Thanks to the Ministry for the pointer.
Our online community, Munuviana has grown enormously over the last year, and Pixy deserves more good karma than I alone can give for all the hard work he does to help us thrive and survive. He also gets the best spam.
It has come to my attention that there are two new-ish Munuvians that were not on my sidebar. That has been corrected, and I extend my apologies for not adding Loren and Kirsten sooner. They're both excellent writers with interesting things to say, and you should pay them a visit.
If you're wondering about the odd order of the Munuvians over on the right, I list them in chronological order of citizenship instead of alphabetic by title. Also, clicking on the NASA MuNu meatball logo will get you to our Community blog Munuviana.
Finally, please remember the new comment policy on Rocket Jones. It makes about as much sense as anything else around here.
The latest is up at Fresh as a Daisy, and it includes culinary yumness from fellow Munuvian Triticale as well as my world-famous recipe for roadkill reindeer tartar.
Just kidding, my entry are the Veggie Patch enchiladas, and thanks to Dawn for suggesting the name.
And welcome to new visitors to Rocket Jones. I hope you poke around and stay awhile, and come back again. Exchange links on the sidebar? You betcha, just let me know in the comments.
Over at Sanity's Edge, Paul is sharing a very funny story about his visit to Japan. One thing that intrigues me is the Japanese habit of everyone yelling a greeting as they enter and leave a restaurant. According to Paul, you walk in and the entire staff hollers at you, and you holler back when you leave. Or something like that.
So that's it. From now on, you come to Rocket Jones, you yell a greeting in the comments, and before you leave you yell again.
Maybe this way, next year I'll be eligible for "Best Asian Blog" award.
I don't know which is my least favorite, but there are several hilarious choices to pick from.
Listeners of radio's Columbia Broadcasting System who tuned in to hear a Christmas Eve rendition of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol were shocked when they heard what appeared to be a newscast from the north pole, reporting that Santa's Workshop had been overrun in a blitzkrieg by Finnish proxies of the Nazi German government. The newscast, a hoax created by 20-something wunderkind Orson Wells...
Don't miss the lost Star Trek Christmas episode either!
Thanks to Dean Esmay for the pointer.
This line from President Bush's speech in Canada:
Paul [Martin, Prime Minister] and I share a great vision for the future: two prosperous, independent nations joined together by the return of NHL hockey.
Thanks to Debbye and Gir (who's posted the entire transcript).
Unfortunately, it's mine. It was handed to me by Brendoman who scored big in this week's Blogger Bowl and stomped my respectable score like a steamroller over a grape. Still, if Jamal Lewis hadn't been a last minute scratch and woulda rushed for 485 yards and scored 12 touchdowns, I coulda beat him.
Now next week I face Victor's Rats of Chaos. He's tied for first place and on a serious roll. I have two things going for me. First off, the Rocket Jones Hot Jets cheerleaders, which I'll list in a minute. And secondly, I got an interesting email last weekend with a link I found very intriguing.
This might be enough to topple the Rats of Chaos. While victory ultimately comes on the playing field, the morale-destroying effect of this kind of information cannot be ignored.
They're cute! They're cuddly! They're not naked! (see how silly that looks as a selling point ladies?) They *are* the Hot Jets!
annika, of annika's journal!
Denita, of Who Tends The Fires!
Gir, of Your Moosey Fate!
LeeAnn, of The Cheese Stands Alone!
Sarah, of Trying To Grok!
Kat, of Mostly Fluff!
Big Hair, of Left & Right!
Jennifer, of Jennifer's History and Stuff!
Heather, of Angelweave!
Margi, of Margi Lowry!
Nic, of Shoes, Ships, and Sealing Wax!
Lemur Girl, of... uh, Lemur Girl!
Lynn S., of Reflections in d minor!
Susie, of Practical Penumbra!
Blogoline, of Blogoline's Journal!
Cindy, of Dusting My Brain!
Wegglywoo, of On the Beach at the End of the World!
Dawn of Dawn Enterprises!
Stevie, of Caught In The XFire!
Helen, of Everyday Stranger!
Mookie, of MookieRiffic!
Tink, of Flitting Here and There!
Check out this short transcript of a radio spot heard by the Everlasting Phelps. Pretty darn funny.
Now this guy is a rocketeer. Notice on his rocket picture page, the banner at the top that says "Rocket Chronicles". Most importantly, note that the well-dressed gentleman in said banner in no way looks like a terrorist (got that BATFE?). Also, he brought along his wife, who carries a big purse full of that little paper you trade for rocket supplies.
Cool pictures Mr. Ritchie, you'll be on the blogroll next time I venture into it.
Smoking Toaster has me on their blogroll, along with some other familiar places. I'm honored to be included in such august company. He's funny in an evil grin kinda way, and I felt an immediate kinship when I read about his battles with cute fuzzy widdle squirrels hydroencephalic tree vermin. Go check him out, it's good stuff and a nice change after all that turkey.
In the not-even-close-to-safe-for-work department, we've got:
Kimochi-ii is a regular stop of mine, because I like to look at oriental ladies in various stages of undress (although I'll never understand the Japanese fascination for girls in "schoolgirl" uniforms). Well, the guy who runs the place has started a new blog called Erotic Zipai. The name refers to a Chinese word that means a picture of yourself, taken by yourself. In other words, a self-portrait, but it's specific to cameras. In other words (again), it's oriental ladies in various stages of undress, as photographed by their own exhibitionistic hand (and bless every last one of 'em).
I love the internet.
Women's Roller Derby is making a comeback.
Nobody's quitting their day jobs yet, but the night belongs to ladies who go by names like Syble Disobedience, Baby Ruthless and Ginger Snap. Women who leave their professional personnas at home when they lace up the skates and do battle on the banked oval.
There were at least two recent attempts to revive Roller Derby, both resulting in WWF-type extravaganza's - long on style, way short on substance. Personally, I loved old-time Roller Derby (Go Bay Bombers!), and hope these ladies can grow this into something wonderful again.
Better late than never.
Matt's Houston Aero's defeated my Cleveland Barons, so in accordance with the rules, his team's logo will be prominently displayed for 24 hours.
Not a problem, it's a pretty cool logo ('cept for the colors).
The legendary ACME catalog, in all its inspired glory.
Thanks to Mark of Auteriffic for the pointer.
From Dustbury, a link to the 1001 Greatest Singles, compiled in 1989.
Top five from that list:
1. I Heard It Through the Grapevine - "Gaye, Marvin" 1968
2. Johnny B. Goode - "Berry, Chuck" 1958
3. Papa's Got a Brand New Bag -"Brown, James" 1965
4. Reach Out I'll Be There - "Four Tops, The" 1966
5. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' - "Righteous Brothers, The" 1964
Next up, Roberto of DynamoBuzz nails that link I couldn't find, to Rolling Stone magazine's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Here's my original post.
Ding Dong, the bitch goes down!
Dan Rather stepping down from CBS news anchor.
he had agreed with CBS executives last summer that after the Nov. 2 election would be the right time to leave.
I'm dancing in my jammies!
Ding Dong is the sound this nutjob makes when you rattle his head.
Retired running back Ricky Williams has turned up once again, this time at a Northern California school for holistic medicine.
"I realized a while back that I have an innate ability to be compassionate,'' he told the San Francisco Chronicle, "and I saw that the strength of compassion is something that healers have and healers use.''
Not everything he says is from outer space though.
Williams' agent, Leigh Steinberg, and his attorney, David Cornwell, both think it's likely that he'll return to football next year. Steinberg calls Williams' departure "a sabbatical.''But Williams said, "I understand their wishful thinking. It's easy math. If I play, it puts more money in their pocket.''
Nah, he's just a flake, and I still think he'll return to pro football for the bucks.
Stupid Gifts. 'Nuff said.
Lame Gifts, Mother-in-Law style.
Worst Gifts (that a man can buy a woman).
Perfect Gifts, especially for the goatherder in your life.
Romantic Gifts, ranging from pure romance to downright naughty!
Which could lead to The Gift That Keeps On Giving.
There was some serious excitement going on this week in the league! Besides another victory for yours truly (3 in a row, Yay Rockets!), Nick bumped off the suddenly-vincible Fire Ants and Victor claimed a share of first place by handling annika. Jim also edged Brendoman by 1 point to hang in at the middle of the pack*.
Now, cue the music and cut on the spotlights! Despite warnings from the NFL and the FCC, I'd like to introduce you to the greatest cheerleading squad both inter and outernet**. Ladies and Gentlemen, the Hot Jets!
Heather, of Angelweave!
Margi, of Margi Lowry!
Nic, of Shoes, Ships, and Sealing Wax!
Lemur Girl, of... uh, Lemur Girl!
LeeAnn, of The Cheese Stands Alone!
Sarah, of Trying To Grok!
Kat, of Mostly Fluff!
Big Hair, of Left & Right!
Jennifer, of Jennifer's History and Stuff!
Lynn S., of Reflections in d minor!
Susie, of Practical Penumbra!
Blogoline, of Blogoline's Journal!
Cindy, of Dusting My Brain!
Wegglywoo, of On the Beach at the End of the World!
Dawn of Dawn Enterprises!
Stevie, of Caught In The XFire!
Helen, of Everyday Stranger!
Mookie, of MookieRiffic!
annika, of annika's journal!
Denita, of Who Tends The Fires!
Gir, of Your Moosey Fate!
Tink, of Flitting Here and There!
Next week I match up against Brendoman. I'll have to play better than this week to beat him, for sure.
*Sorry for those bloggers I didn't link to, I don't know exactly who you are, and don't really have the time right now to dig.
**And no, I'm not apologizing for that either.
Hot Swedish babe alert! If you don't hear from me in three days, send more vodka. Pictures and wild stories coming up... now where did I leave that number to the bail bondsman...
Sarah shares a way cool photo and the story with it.
The 2002 Floral Flag is 740 feet long and 390 feet wide and maintains the proper Flag dimensions as described in Executive Order #10834. This Flag is 6.65 acres and is the first Floral Flag to be planted with 5 pointed Stars comprised of White Larkspur. Each Star is 24 feet in diameter; Each Stripe is 30 feet wide.
Weggy has posted a picture over at her place that is so... words fail.
It's not safe for work, but definitely something to see. Enough to make an atheist reconsider.
I tell you, it's a scandal that I'm not rich already. Ideas pop out of my head like golden eggs from a goose's patoot. For instance:
Gir of Your Moosey Fate is hosting this weeks Carnival of the Cats.
There's a Carnival of the Recipes making the rounds too.
Who wants to host the first Carnival of the Cat Recipes?
You saw it coming, but you continued reading anyway, didn't you?
Some links that should have been done long ago, now added to the sidebar.
Maelstrom (aka Rich), he flies rockets, which automatically makes him cool. He's also a heckuva nice guy and has a great joke up on his new blog.
Derek, aka Son of Cheese. Let me tell you, this guy describes restaraunt visits like DeSade described girlfriends. His toons are first rate too! Oh, and he plays rec-league hockey! Three very good reasons to pay him a visit.
Catt. I'm looking forward to meeting this funny lady and her family in the near future, since my oldest daughter will be going to school right near her neck of the woods (whatever that really means).
Jenn, who's little man plays hockey. Like she says, it ain't NHL, it's better!
Brian J Noggle, part of a duet with Munuviana's own Heather. He's smart, funny and interesting. In other words he's just like me, and since you're already here, who needs him, right? Wrong. There's no such thing as too much smartfunnyinteresting (although I'm still working on the weight thing).
Dr. Funk -- Canadian Funk? How could I pass this up?
Professor Chaos -- He linked me in a post, I'm putting him on the sidebar. Let's see if it's reciprocal. Let's see if I can spell reciprocal.
Sheila O'Malley - I have no idea how I wound up on her blogroll, but I'm a sucker for redheads good writing, so welcome to the sidebar and thanks for including me on yours. It doesn't hurt that the last O'Malley I knew was played by Tom Selleck in High Road to China. He's not my type.
Over at 1000 Words, the latest photoshop contest is "What if Pirates Ruled the World?"
A full broadsides to that scurvy dog Frinklin for pointing it out.
Alan E. Brain (who you should be reading every day), proposes this curriculum for those who want Creationism taught alongside Evolution, and I'll give you this little bit before sending you off to read the rest:
In keeping with our American heritage, the primary theory being taught will be that of the Lakota Nation of Native Americans, and the majority of the course will concentrate on the roles of Thunderbird and Coyote, and experimental verification of the Theory. Students engaged in Advanced studies will perform a critical analysis and comparison of the primary Theory with that of the Arunta people of Northern Australia, in particular the concept of the "Dreamtime" and the role of the Rainbow Serpent.
His last line nails it:
After all, this is about "Science" and not any particular religion, isn't it?
Go. Read.
I was laughing to near tears over this:
I mean, look, the state of Texas has a law--and it is still enforced--that says owning 5 marital aids is perfectly legal, but owning 6 is a felony. Stupid? You bet. Constitutional? You bet. And, really, I’ve never come across any situations in which more than 4 were ever needed anyway.
Not what you expect to read in the middle of a discussion about Roe vs. Wade and Constitutionality. Nice ambush, Dale.
The allegedly uninteresting annika (don't you believe it!) was my opponent this past week. She's also one of the Hot Jets cheerleaders, so although she's sad about being soundly spanked (sorry, couldn't resist) in front of everyone (really, it just happens), she also got to cheer and wave her pompoms to celebrate a Rockets victory! Because we know I'm all about feelgood happytimes, vaulting into 6th place is enough excuse for me to party (in public I'm gracious, in private I dance enough to make Mark Gasteneau blush).
Also of note, congrats to Daniel for knocking off the previously undefeated Fire Ants.
So next week I face the cellar-dwelling Vehement Spittle, no pushover to be sure. I am equipped with my sturdy eye goggles and antibacterial spittle sponge just in case, and expect another resounding victory.
And as always, because they're the best and because it annoys Victor, may I present the finest group of cheerleaders to grace a virtual sideline, the Hot Jets!
annika, of annika's journal!
Denita, of Who Tends The Fires!
Gir, of Your Moosey Fate!
Tink, of Flitting Here and There!
Sarah, of Trying To Grok!
Kat, of Mostly Fluff!
Big Hair, of Left & Right!
Jennifer, of Jennifer's History and Stuff!
Heather, of Angelweave!
Margi, of Margi Lowry!
Nic, of Shoes, Ships, and Sealing Wax!
Lemur Girl, of... uh, Lemur Girl!
LeeAnn, of The Cheese Stands Alone!
Lynn S., of Reflections in d minor!
Susie, of Practical Penumbra!
Blogoline, of Blogoline's Journal!
Cindy, of Dusting My Brain!
Wegglywoo, of On the Beach at the End of the World!
Dawn of Dawn Enterprises!
Stevie, of Caught In The XFire!
Helen, of Everyday Stranger!
Mookie, of MookieRiffic!
I haven't been keeping up very well with the Hockey Whoopass Jamboree. No good reasons, just lame excuses.
But I guess I picked a good day to check back in, eh? Cleveland defeats the Manitoba Moose 3-2 in an overtime shootout! Take that, Gir!!!
Sometimes it's good to be an Earth creature.
Say "thank you" to a veteran today (Vadergrrrl, anything more is above and beyond the call of duty *grin*). Love 'em or hate 'em, veterans are the reason that you can have an opinion of your own, and that you can express yourself freely.
And for those inclined to do a little digging, here's a site with various information about the history behind today and plenty of links for more.
This article has some interesting ideas about rule changes to improve the game.
Thanks to Off Wing Opinion for the pointer.
Once again, the Rockets are on a roll. After a decisive victory this past weekend, we once again face the lovely and talented Syble annika, who'll somehow manage to be on both sidelines in the upcoming game.
In the meantime, check out any or all of these links, each hosted by a wonderful, intelligent and sweet Rockets fan. The Hot Jets cheerleaders:
Helen, of Everyday Stranger!
annika, of annika's journal!
Lynn S., of Reflections in d minor!
Susie, of Practical Penumbra!
Blogoline, of Blogoline's Journal!
Cindy, of Dusting My Brain!
Wegglywoo, of On the Beach at the End of the World!
Dawn of Dawn Enterprises!
Stevie, of Caught In The XFire!
Mookie, of MookieRiffic!
Denita, of Who Tends The Fires!
Gir, of Your Moosey Fate!
Tink, of Flitting Here and There!
Sarah, of Trying To Grok!
Kat, of Mostly Fluff!
Big Hair, of Left & Right!
Jennifer, of Jennifer's History and Stuff!
Heather, of Angelweave!
Margi, of Margi Lowry!
Nic, of Shoes, Ships, and Sealing Wax!
Lemur Girl, of... uh, Lemur Girl!
LeeAnn, of The Cheese Stands Alone!
Robert the Llama Butcher has been keeping us posted on his gripping battle against savage nature. The chaotic forces of the wild have waged unrelenting warfare upon his neat and orderly bastion of civilization, and so far in his desperation he's managed to stem the tide, but not completely halt the devastation.
Earlier this year, Robert made a public plea for help, asking any with previous experience with this sort of enemy to please assist him.
Amidst the subsequent flood of calls for napalm, claymore mines, razor wire and beamed microwave weapons (mmmmm, toasty!), my quiet advice to use human urine went unheeded.
Now I based this on two things. First, I saw it once in a movie (Doc Hollywood), and we all know that Hollywood knows what's best for us. Secondly, I asked an aquaintance I know who is something of an expert on nature. Mr. X (he asked me not to use his real name on the internet because he fears our evil government) is eminently qualified. He drives an old but functional VW microbus with an ecology sticker on the bumper and he is a member of the American Greens Party, our indigenous friends of nature.
This is what he told me; "Human urine is the perfect method of area denial against natural forces. Almost all animals will avoid an area with that scent because we're all chauvanistic biped assholes who think we own the planet."
He also told me that he recalls seeing it in a movie once. When I asked how that was possible, seeing as how he didn't own a television (evil government beaming brain-controlling waves through the screen, ya know), he admitted that someone might have told him about it.
This is an educated man in touch with the world around him. Mr. X invited me in to try his latest culinary creation: Sinsemilla Brownies with Patchouli frosting. Fortunately I was pressed for time and had to decline, but not before hearing about how he has entered variations of that same basic recipe to every Betty Crocker recipe contest since 1964. He is convinced that he has taken first prize every year, but since he dares not send his real name and address through the governmnet controlled mail system, well, the Betty Crocker people can't contact him to let him know that he's won. Such is the life of one who refuses to be a tool of the man.
Another possibility occurred to me. Robert just may not be very familiar with our wildlife in Northern Virginia. Like everything else in such close proximity to Washington DC, even the animals achieve a cunning and cynicism not encountered elsewhere in the wild (evil government mind-beams? I merely note, you decide for yourselves).
I once saw a diagram of a favorite tactic used by deer in this area. A classic case of misdirection, a deer sneaks up on a hunter behind a tree then taps his shoulder. When the hunter looks that way, the deer tiptoes away in the opposite direction, smirking like a chimp (Mr. X used that simile often during our conversation, it's kinda stuck in my mind at the moment).
But Northern Virginia deer have taken the misdirection to new levels of sophistication. They have learned from the hunters, and are now using their own camoflage. The deer in our region are now wearing coveralls and posing as county workers. Their lack of hands poses no problems, because no one expects county workers to actually be doing anything anyways. It's a near perfect disguise.
So Robert, my advice to you regarding Bambi the Balrog and his evil sidekick Thumper (who may or may not be in the employ of our evil government) is simple and direct. You don't need explosives (for this, otherwise they're big fun), all you need is a supersoaker squirtrifle and your own human bodily functions. Urinate into the tank every time you have to go. Drink plenty of beer (volume) and eat asparagus (odor) to assist. Then, next time you see a group of county workers in your neighborhood pretending to be doing roadwork or such, do a quick check. County vehicle? Jumpsuits? Multiple "workers"? Remember, misdirection works because they give you just enough to let your own mind fill in the details you expect to see. Strap on that supersoaker and charge them. Spray them with your human essence. I guarantee that you'll instantly scatter them in a panic to get away. And when they send reinforcements, probably in a different type of uniform - misdirection, remember? - greet them at your door with your supersoaker of righteousness as well.
Let me know how this works out for you, eh?
Hauntingly beautiful ice photography. Thanks to the Flea for pointing this one out.
Here's a simple idea who's time has come. Visit five blogs you usually just lurk at, and leave a comment. Visit three blogs you've never been to before and leave a comment. Even if it's just "Hi, it's Leave A Comment Day", that's fine. We are but fragile flowers who bask in showers of attention Everyone likes a little feedback, otherwise we feel like we're just talking to ourselves. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
(cross posted to Munuviana too)
Over at Captain's Quarters, Ed says this:
There is a difference between an enemy and an opponent, a distinction lost on more than a few people on both sides of our necessary and beneficial political divide. Osama bin Laden, Abu Masab al-Zarqawi, and Mullah Omar are our enemies; John Kerry and John Edwards were our political opponents, but first they are our fellow Americans.
Remembering that, send good thoughts and prayers towards Mrs. Edwards, who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. My best wishes for a complete recovery.
The unsinkable William Hung is back, this time with a CD full of Christmas music.
I actually heard one of the tracks this morning on the radio. Terrible, but not make-your-ears-bleed terrible. Lots of backup singers, which helps a lot.
According to Maxim magazine, Comedy Central is coming out with a new animated show called "Drawn Together". Taking direct aim at "The Real World", the toon is populated with several stereotypical animated characters living together. You can now see what happens when ingenue Princess Clara meets urban rocker Foxxy Love (think Josie and the Pussycats).
Hint: there's a hot tub girl-on-girl kissing scene, complete with a Disney-like song "A Black Chick's Tongue In My Mouth."
LeeAnn was commenter number 3000 and celebrated by doing cartwheels and splits.
Of course, it was inevitable that the batteries in my camera were dead. Story of my life.
Where I work, we've got this one elevator that creaks and groans and is generally cranky. During the day, when things are busy, it's kinda fun to watch people's expressions when it shows up and they get on, because more than a few are convinced that their next ride will be a nonstop Express to the basement. Just for fun I've considered hanging a sign in there that explains that jumping up and down in a falling elevator is a myth.
In the wee hours of the morning, when I arrive, the damned thing is just plain creepy. About every third day it's the one that shows up when I press the up button. I never worry about the big plunge, because then it would be repaired or replaced, and it doesn't want that. It wants to bide it's time, and every once in a while, when no one is looking, it feeds. One person at a time.
Go ahead, you know you want to. I promise, it's safe for work.
Awwwwwww.
Whoooo! This is quickly becoming the Tidy Bowl 2004 for the Rockets. Jim of Snooze Button Dreams has two reasons to celebrate: first, he beat me this week even though one of his receivers was on a bye, and he found a new job. Looks like you can afford a lap dance or two to celebrate your gridiron prowess, my man.
At least I know he won't be getting a happy lap from the the Rocket Jones Hot Jets cheerleaders, because these ladies are much too classy for that (and if I'm wrong ladies, let me know via email. Confidentiality promised. This definitely does not apply to Mookie.)
Wegglywoo, of On the Beach at the End of the World!
Dawn of Dawn Enterprises!
Stevie, of Caught In The XFire!
Helen, of Everyday Stranger!
annika, of annika's journal!
Cindy, of Dusting My Brain!
Mookie, of MookieRiffic!
Denita, of Who Tends The Fires!
Lynn S., of Reflections in d minor!
Susie, of Practical Penumbra!
Blogoline, of Blogoline's Journal!
Gir, of Your Moosey Fate!
Tink, of Flitting Here and There!
Sarah, of Trying To Grok!
Kat, of Mostly Fluff!
Big Hair, of Left & Right!
Jennifer, of Jennifer's History and Stuff!
Heather, of Angelweave!
Margi, of Margi Lowry!
Nic, of Shoes, Ships, and Sealing Wax!
Lemur Girl, of... uh, Lemur Girl!
LeeAnn, of The Cheese Stands Alone!
So who's up for next week? The undefeated Fire Ants! That's ok, because it just makes it sweeter when I stomp you like a Dolphin stomps a Ram or like a Bengal stomps a Bronco.
Who's this King of Fools anyways?
Yesterday Mu.Nu went down thanks to some rather inexpertly applied maintenance to our server. This was not Pixy's fault, although when we were restored he apologized.
Pixy, you're doing a wonderful job here, and I hope you're having as much fun at it as we are who're enjoying the fruits of your labors. I'm sure you don't hear it often enough, but thank you.
Over at the Ministry of Minor Perfidy, they're holding a "Guess the end of the election" contest. Head on over and make your guess for the date that all the post-election litigation nonsense will be settled.
Maybe it's just that I'm paying more attention this election cycle, but I already feel like I need a long hot decontaminating shower with a stiff scrub brush and plenty of disinfectant.
Scrub my back, I'll scrub yours?
In recent Jamboree news, my Cleveland Barons held a 3-1 lead midway through the second period, and wound up losing to the Milwaukee Admirals 4-3 in OT. For Brian J and Frinklin, I now have their logos up top. This has been a mediocre sports year for Rocket Jones. Thank goodness I'm not a Yankees fan.
Don Cherry, that is.
A while back, the Meatriarch talked about a poll going on up in the Great White North to pick the 10 Greatest Canadians of all time.
The list has come out, and to the dismay of many, the combustible Don Cherry made the list.
Debbye has the details, and just for the record, I'm grinning.
For first time visitors or those who are trying to figure out what this "blog" stuff is all about, I've added a new button over at the top right. Click on "Introduction and Help" and you'll get the nickel tour of Rocket Jones and blogs in general.
Thanks to the online Button Generator for the pretty cool service.
Tard Blog is back!!!!!
Thanks Dawn, for pointing that out.
Nick said in my comments last week:
Hey how's that tie working for ya?
Thanks for asking.
It was another close one. I was 6 points up going into Monday Night, and once again we each had a wide receiver in the game on opposing teams. Tampa Bay's Clayton did well, but not quite good enough to overcome the lead and the Rams' Isaac Bruce.
They don't call it Fantasy Football for nothing, because that's what the above outcome is. Nick made a strong comeback and soundly thumped the Rockets, dropping us to 2-3-1 for the year. Congrats, Nick! Great game. Very cunning move to pick up Clayton at the last minute.
In order to console myself, I'm gonna talk about pretty girls. Let me introduce you to the Rocket Jones Hot Jets cheerleaders!
Margi, of Margi Lowry!
Nic, of Shoes, Ships, and Sealing Wax!
Lemur Girl, of... uh, Lemur Girl!
LeeAnn, of The Cheese Stands Alone!
Wegglywoo, of On the Beach at the End of the World!
Helen, of Everyday Stranger!
annika, of annika's journal!
Cindy, of Dusting My Brain!
Mookie, of MookieRiffic!
Denita, of Who Tends The Fires!
Dawn of Dawn Enterprises!
Stevie, of Caught In The XFire!
Lynn S., of Reflections in d minor!
Susie, of Practical Penumbra!
Blogoline, of Blogoline's Journal!
Gir, of Your Moosey Fate!
Tink, of Flitting Here and There!
Sarah, of Trying To Grok!
Kat, of Mostly Fluff!
Big Hair, of Left & Right!
Jennifer, of Jennifer's History and Stuff!
Heather, of Angelweave!
This week's opponent is another guy with a winning streak: Jim of Snooze Button Dreams. He's at .500 for the season, so I'm not quivering in my boots, but then again, I'm sure he isn't either at the prospect of facing the mighty Rockets.
Hey Jim, the phrase "You Snooze, You Lose" is true. You're going down!!!!
Winds of Change has the latest installment of Good News From Afghanistan up. In the introduction, this caught my eye:
Peter Bergin, a veteran journalist and certainly not a George Bush cheerleader writes:"Based on what Americans have been seeing in the news media about Afghanistan lately, there may not be many who believed President George W. Bush... when he told the United Nations that the 'Afghan people are on the path to democracy and freedom.' But then again, not many Americans know what Afghanistan was like before the American-led invasion."
Bergin recently visited the country after a few years' absence. His surprised verdict: "What we are seeing in Afghanistan is far from perfect, but it's better than so-so."
I gotta agree with The Everlasting Phelps about this one. Best training video. Ever.
Courtesy of Wince, train webcams.
An old joke you probably haven't heard in a long while. Funny too, perfect for work. And while I'm thanking Mad William, head here and check out the perfect example of why I won't buy Sims. I too, would not be a benevolent God. Laughed like a maniac while reading it though.
Casey points out this nifty online US Constitution resource.
Ok, I've been fiddling around and have some Jamboree things for y'all to look at. They're all stashed over at the Skunkworks, so you can link directly there if you'd like, or click the Jamboree link on the right column when you need to get there.
Besides a list of who's playing, I've also put together a schedule for the games coming up for the next week, and a list of logos you can link to (for Blogspot players).
Give it a look and let me know if there's anything you'd like to see added or changed. Thanks.
First off, welcome Brian J who is supporting the Milwaukee Admirals in the Jamboree. The updated list of everyone playing is here.
And in the opening game, Gir's own Manitoba Moose defeated the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 6-3 (sorry Catt). The Moose had Wade Flaherty in net, which is interesting only because Flaherty was born in the early 1920's by all accounts. Or maybe it just seems like it.
Also on tap last night, visiting Cincinnati dropped Jenn's Utah Grizzlies, 4-3. Kin might be interested in the Mighty Ducks of Cinci, but I haven't heard from him yet.
In other interesting news (to us hockey fans anyways):
The AHL has added several new rules for the 2004-05 season, including:
Employing a shootout to decide regular-season games which are tied after overtime
Permission of “tagging up” to negate off-side plays
Implementation of “no-touch” icing
Widening the blue lines and center red line to 24 inches (from 12 inches)
Moving the goal line back to 11 feet from the end boards (from 13 feet)
A seven-week test, ending Nov. 28, restricting the areas where goaltenders may play the puck in an attempt to increase offensive opportunities without wholly eliminating a goaltender’s ability to assist his defensemen. The league’s on-ice officials will also have a stricter interpretation of hooking and holding fouls against a puck carrier and of interference in the attacking zone. Additionally, the AHL’s standard of supplementary discipline on acts where there is deliberate attempt or deliberate injury of an opponent will include more severe suspensions without pay.
Check back for updates folks. I'm working on a way to post schedules and results in a way easy for everyone to deal with (including myself).
Nope, it's not Children of the Corn (book or movies), nor is it Psycho Scarecrow (truly putrid, no review needed beyond that), we're talking about gigantic farm field mazes laid out for fun.
A lot of these places offer more than just wandering around lost in a cornfield for a little while (or a long while, depending on the complexity), they also have traditional farm activities like pumpkin patches, apple picking, hayrides and more.
Here's a map of cornfield mazes from the largest company in the world to specialize in them (who knew?). They have mazes in the US, Canada, Mexico, England and Italy! I'd suggest Google too, because this is just one company's offerings, and there are many others, and some farms do their own without hiring professionals.
Still not convinced? Read this description of someone who did a maze, it sounds like a lot of fun. If you do try this, let me know about it.
Denver Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer wears a sticker with the number 40 on his helmet to honor former teammate Pat Tillman. You may recall Tillman as the pro football player who walked away from millions of dollars to join the military because he believed in making the world a better place. Sadly, he was killed in Afghanistan during his tour of duty.
The National Football League has announced that it will fine Jake Plummer for each game that he wears the sticker on his helmet, because it goes against league rules. The fine started at $10,000, and doubles each game that the sticker is on his helmet. Plummer has said he'll pay the fines like a man, but the sticker stays.
Two people who decided to do what's right rather than what's easy, and you can show your support as well. Eric McErlain has more information, including links to the Pat Tillman Foundation. Here's a quote from their statement of vision:
Pat Tillman was deeply concerned about the apathy he saw in the world around him. Apathy towards bettering ones-self. Apathy towards personal relationships. Apathy towards public policy. And apathy, towards important world events.Pat Tillman recognized this fact and dutifully took responsibility to rise above the concerning state of indifference and apathy that has taken hold in our nation. Pat’s actions demonstrated his convictions to fight this saddening trend. Sadly, many people act as though the best way to demonstrate tolerance is through indifference. Such a mindset prevents individuals from striving to achieve an understanding of each others’ views – often out of fear that questioning may be perceived as intolerance.
Visit Eric. Visit the Pat Tillman Foundation. Thanks.
Romania gets it. Not only are they inviting us to permanently move into one of their airbases, but the Romanian Defense Minister has indicated that they may increase the number of troops in Iraq to help bolster security before the January elections.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the Jamboree is on!
By mob majority rule, we're going to use AHL teams for the season, at least until the NHL gets it's act together. Sorry for the late notice, because the season starts Wednesday, the 13th of October. So declare your teams*, and let's get ready for some Whoopass!
Personally, Rocket Jones is backing the Cleveland Barons, farm club of my beloved San Jose Sharks. Y'all can choose your teams by location or affiliation, we're not real big on rules around here. In fact, there's only two:
1. Declare your team, and place their logo somewhere on your front page. It's ok if more than one person wants the same team.
2. When your team plays someone else's in the Jamboree, then the loser must display the logo of the winner on their page for 24 hours.
So get back to me folks, and we'll get some ice action going on!
The original crew (and original teams):
VegasBaby - Calgary Flames
Derek - Colorado Avalanche Hershey Bears
Catt - Pittsburg Penguins Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Jenn - Colorado Avalanche Utah Grizzlies
Heather - St Louis Blues Worcester IceCats
Dr Funk - Ottawa Senators Binghamton Senators
GEBIV - Buffalo Sabres Rochester Americans
Victor - Washington Capitals Albany River Rats
Helen - Dallas Stars
Daniel - Atlanta Thrashers
Gir - Calgary Flames Manitoba Moose
Pogo - Calgary Flames
Cindy - Montreal Canadiens Hamilton Bulldogs
Frinklin - Vancouver Canucks Milwaukee Admirals
RP - New York Rangers
Tricia - Atlanta Thrashers
Nic - Washington Capitals Portland Pirates
Kin - Anaheim Mighty Ducks
Matt - Dallas Stars Houston Aeros
Wendy - Philadelphia Flyers
Tuning Spork - Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Brian J. - Milwaukee Admirals
Ted (yours truly) - San Jose Sharks Cleveland Barons
Also, welcome Tuning Spork who said if we go AHL he simply must go with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
*To see all the AHL teams, head over to their home page and the mini-logos are listed right under the main banner. Rollover the logos and the team name and city appear just above the logos. Now you can find great full-size logo's here, thanks to Eric of Off Wing Opinion for pointing this one out.
Daniel had a bad day.
His Braves got whupped again. Now we see whether Jennifer is the type to kick him while he's down (and whether anyone would notice me holding him there for her). :D
Going into last night's game, I was 10 points up on Daniel. He had Jevon Walker of the Pack on his roster, and I had Denarius Bennet of the Titans on mine. Wideout to wideout, mano a mano.
Titans won big, but Walker had a huge game, and we ended up in a tie.
A freaking tie.
Maybe I should change my team name to the Braves. Oh wait, that wouldn't fit, because the Rockets didn't lose (Sorry Daniel, couldn't resist the cheap shot).
Being the eternal optimist, I've played three of the strongest teams in the last three weeks and come away 1-1-1, and all three games were very close. I'm still tweaking the roster, we'll see if I can get to the next level, give that little extra, and any other sports metaphores you can think of.
Actually, I consider this a win because I've got sweet ladies cheering me on, while Daniel has stodgy old men with goatees and muddy shoes. They probably all smell of formaldahyde too. May I present the Rocket Jones Hot Jets cheerleaders!
Wegglywoo, of On the Beach at the End of the World!
Helen, of Everyday Stranger!
annika, of annika's journal!
Cindy, of Dusting My Brain!
Mookie, of MookieRiffic!
Denita, of Who Tends The Fires!
Dawn of Dawn Enterprises!
Stevie, of Caught In The XFire!
Margi, of Margi Lowry!
Nic, of Shoes, Ships, and Sealing Wax!
LeeAnn, of The Cheese Stands Alone!
Lemur Girl, of... uh, Lemur Girl!
Lynn S., of Reflections in d minor!
Susie, of Practical Penumbra!
Blogoline, of Blogoline's Journal!
Gir, of Your Moosey Fate!
Tink, of Flitting Here and There!
Sarah, of Trying To Grok!
Kat, of Mostly Fluff!
Big Hair, of Left & Right!
Jennifer, of Jennifer's History and Stuff!
Heather, of Angelweave!
While grabbing links for this post, I see that Jennifer has already put on the heavy boots! Hahahahahahahaha Jeez I hate the Braves.
Who's up next week? Hmmmm, Patriot Paradox, owner of a three game winning streak after dropping the first two of the season. Sorry bucko, you'll be .500 this time next week.
Former Superman actor Christopher Reeve is dead at 52.
San Diego Padres 1996 MVP Ken Caminiti is dead at 41.
Both faced a lot of adversity towards the end, and they handled it with dignity and courage.
LeeAnn is back! Yay!
Debbye is back! Yay!
And just to make it an uneven three, John Howard is back! Yay!
You've got to pause once in a while to appreciate the simple things. Other than that, this post has no real point except maybe to change the color of today's number over on the right-hand calendar thingo.
I was up way late last night, chatting with Spork, Stephen and Flibbertigibbet during the debate. Later on Alaska Dave signed on and we talked a while longer. While the debate was happening, I've been going through a merest sliver of what Pixy's been up to, as my wife's PC hard drive went kaput this week. I swapped it out yesterday, and have been reformatting and restoring since. It's mostly back up and running, and we managed to save the most critical files. Yay!
So this morning I got up before dawn and finish up the PC work, then roused the youngster dog (Trix) for a walk. We strolled the neighborhoods for almost an hour, just enjoying the crisp air and light fog. Saw lots of geese honking their way overhead, just starting to gaggle up. When we got back, I took the old man Sam for a quick walk too, then started diving into the day's chores.
I've got one of Denita's heavenly bread puddings in the oven, and I've promised Liz a batch of macaroons too. Between that and breakfast, I think I can have it all done by noon, and then spend the rest of the day working on rockets.
I've put together plans on modifying my existing rockets to use the new hybrid motors (nitrous - woohoo!), so that's one thing on my to-do list. Another is to start construction on my newest rocket.
This one is going to be my Level 2 certification bird - 4" diameter, around 7 feet tall, and powered by a hybrid motor that'll kick her with around 60lbs of thrust and burn for 5.5 seconds. Doesn't sound like much, but picture how far something can travel at well over a hundred miles an hour in that short time.
I've been collecting parts for quite a while, and it's time. Maiden flight will be next spring at the latest, before Christmas is very possible.
Like I said, no real point, but it sure is a beautiful day and I'm going to head out into the back yard and enjoy some more of it.
She's undergoing treatment for breast cancer.
Etheridge, 43, will undergo surgery and her doctor expects a "speedy and complete recovery," publicist Marcel Pariseau said in a statement.The cancer was detected early and Etheridge has been receiving treatment, Pariseau said Thursday.
It's a good time to make sure your smoke detectors are working and replace the batteries in all of them. Also make sure your kids know the escape plan from the house in case of fire. Dig on Sparky the Fire Prevention Dog for fun and educational stuff for the whole family.
I don't know about you, but when I think about fire, I think about marshmallows. Yummmmmm.
Over at TexasBestGrok, John is having another poll on SciFi babes, and this time it's the women of BattleStar Gallactica. I have to admit here and now that this show never did a thing for me, and I've probably watched a grand total of two episodes in my life.
Nevertheless, Robert the LlamaButcher, being the belligerent blogger that he is, pulled on his nappy little jammies and protested that a sweetie from the series had been left off the poll. Then he wondered aloud who she was.
Thanks to the wonders of IMDB, we find that Sarah Rush (or "Flight Corporal Rigel" as she whispers into Robert's dreams), also appeared in such gripping roles as "Nurse #3" on Friends, as "Woman at Garage Sale" on Everybody Loves Raymond, and "Fern" on Happy Days. And the list goes on and on. But wait! Her multifaceted talents also apply to the big screen, where she had roles in The Nude Bomb (aka The Return of Maxwell Smart), and the more recent Fangs and Catch Me If You Can.
Gotta love the internet.
Jennifer (who is on a roll) mentioned it yesterday, but I completely misunderstood what she meant. When she posted "Who's the greatest pilot you ever saw?", and then wrote "Goodbye Gordon Cooper", I thought she was referring to the new SpaceShipOne astronauts.
What she was referring to was that Gordon Cooper, one of the original Mercury Seven astronauts, passed away yesterday. He was a flake, but he was also a great pilot.
Jennifer is hurting, because her Cubbies let her down yet again. It could be worse Jen, my wife's grandmother has suffered through 80-some years of disappointment from those clowns.
And we Giant fans know just how she feels. Check out this hilarious description of the Five Classic Stages of Giants Grief.
G also coins a new phrase that I'll be adding to my lexicon:
The official definition:
Counting on the rockies - Hoping someone or something will perform a task which benefits you, even though this someone or something is very, very, very unlikely to do so.
Usage:
“I told Mary to bring the salad for the party.”
“Uh oh. So we’re not going to have a salad?”
“Yeah, I guess I was kind of counting on the rockies.”
Rationale:
Everything this team [Colorado Rockies - RJ] has done in their existence has screwed the Giants. They couldn’t win a single game against the 1993 Braves, and the Giants lost the division by a single game. They lost 13 of 20 to the Diamondbacks in 2001, screwing the Giants. They developed Neifi Perez. In a secret bunker lab beneath a mountain, most likely. Perez hit a homerun against the Giants to prevent them from winning the wild-card in 1998. They couldn’t beat the Astros, and they couldn’t beat the Dodgers. They need no biscuit to roll over and drool on themselves, begging you to itch their bellies. They just do it.
Nah, I'm not bitter. I also don't write nearly as well as he does, so head on over and read it all.
Victor, GM and cheesemeister of the Rats of Chaos, opened a 55 gallon drum of industrial grade whoopass on the Rockets this week.* I make no excuses, but how often does Bret Favre get knocked out of a game (not very), and although my wide receivers are all great they're playing in share-the-wealth offenses. Jerry Porter is a wonderful player, but when seven or eight different Raiders get receptions in any given game, his stats are not going to be where I need them.
Great game Victor!
Victor's Hot Rats cheerleaders are cute, but if you prefer your pretty ladies a little taller, then check out Rocket Jones' very own Hot Jets!
Nic, of Shoes, Ships, and Sealing Wax!
LeeAnn, of The Cheese Stands Alone!
Dawn of Dawn Enterprises!
Stevie, of Caught In The XFire!
Margi, of Margi Lowry!
Lemur Girl, of... uh, Lemur Girl!
Lynn S., of Reflections in d minor!
Susie, of Practical Penumbra!
Blogoline, of Blogoline's Journal!
Gir, of Your Moosey Fate!
Tink, of Flitting Here and There!
Sarah, of Trying To Grok!
Kat, of Mostly Fluff!
Big Hair, of Left & Right!
Wegglywoo, of On the Beach at the End of the World!
Helen, of Everyday Stranger!
annika, of annika's journal!
Cindy, of Dusting My Brain!
Mookie, of MookieRiffic!
Denita, of Who Tends The Fires!
Jennifer, of Jennifer's History and Stuff!
Heather, of Angelweave!
Next up are the ominously named DFMoore...s. I wasn't sure about the significance of the name, so I asked Jennifer, who's into history and stuff. She was busy climbing through a haunted storage shed or something (it's almost Halloween dontchaknow), so I finally wound up googling it instead.
Piecing things together from multiple sources, it appears that DFMoore is an acronym or anagram (or both for you conspiracy fans!) for a secret society of fast-food restaraunt owners who read dictionary's for fun and secretly worship an old bucket of paint.
The only other hit was about some guy in Atlanta with a fetish for Chicago. But that's too pat, I'm a most-complex-explanation-possible kinda guy.
Almost lost my thread there... DFMoore - You're Toast!!!
* Actually, it was a close game.** I could have won it with the right personnel move, but I never seriously considered replacing Favre with Leftwich. Would you?
** Victor was top score for the week, I was second, and we both would've beat everybody else in the league. Victor played big when he needed it. ***
*** Oooo, cascading footnotes, shades of Tiger!
Skippy's list of things not allowed to do by the Army has been posted and reposted all over the net (I linked to a version back in January). Now Skippy is back with an 'official' website, including some guest submitted list additions. Good fun and worth checking out.
The standard issue French Army Knife.
All it needs is a foot switch so you don't have to put your hands down to use it.
Thanks to INDC Journal for the pointer.
I don't know what's scarier in this story about an adventure while exploring a cave, the eerie atmosphere that the guy captures so well or the idea of squeezing through some of the passages in the photos. Either way, set aside some time and read this, it's chilling.
Major thanks to Rich for the pointer.
How about a subscription to the Unfortunate Animal of the Month Club?
Something dreadful in the mail each month to brighten your life. I encourage you to have them delivered to your office.
They are the very best efforts I produce, mailed Priority Mail, and they will be “wrapped”, like a present from your really, really cool Aunt that you don't have. It may be packed in leaves, wrapped in an odd length of fabric, a placemat, yards and yards and yards of string, joss paper -- you just never know, and it won't be the same twice. There will be a note from the Unfortunate Animal to you, written on god-knows-what, and it's quite likely not to make a great deal of sense, or be written in verse (Unfortunate Animals are very odd creatures, after all); unwrapping it will be an adventure in a different way each time.
Blame J-Walk Blog for this one.
In the closest game of the week, the Rockets emerged triumphant over Brendoman! That brings my record to 2-1, with two wins in a row. After Sunday's games I had the victory sewn up, and still had Terry "foot in mouth, head up ass" Glenn of Dallas playing on MNF. The Giants' Ron Dayne also scored the big goose-egg for me as he didn't play despite reports that he'd be ready for the game. On the plus side, Bret Favre, Jamaal Lewis and the Baltimore defense had monster games.
And now, for your websurfing pleasure (annoying Victor is just a bonus for me), may I present the Rocket Jones Blogger Bowl cheerleaders, the Hot Jets!!!
Lemur Girl, of... uh, Lemur Girl!
Lynn S., of Reflections in d minor!
Susie, of Practical Penumbra!
Blogoline, of Blogoline's Journal!
Dawn of Dawn Enterprises!
Stevie, of Caught In The XFire!
Margi, of Margi Lowry!
Gir, of Your Moosey Fate!
Tink, of Flitting Here and There!
Sarah, of Trying To Grok!
Helen, of Everyday Stranger!
annika, of annika's journal!
Cindy, of Dusting My Brain!
Mookie, of MookieRiffic!
Denita, of Who Tends The Fires!
Jennifer, of Jennifer's History and Stuff!
Heather, of Angelweave!
Kat, of Mostly Fluff!
Nic, of Shoes, Ships, and Sealing Wax!
LeeAnn, of The Cheese Stands Alone!
Big Hair, of Left & Right!
Wegglywoo, of On the Beach at the End of the World!
Go visit them, because each one is a unique and excellent read.
Next we come to the trash talking portion of the post. This week is going to be a tough game, because I'm going up against Victor's undefeated Mice of Mischief. I've got a secret weapon, I just hope it's enough.
My suggested subtitle: "Bad News Sells More Magazines".
It's not all sweetness and light, but at the same time it's not all doom and gloom like so many of the current headlines lead you to believe.
Good news and optimistic stories from Iraq, courtesy of Winds of Change.
Reminds me of a true story that would be perfect for an Air Force Blue post, except that some things must never be put into writing because there is no karmic statute of limitations. You'd laugh your ass off though, it's a good one.
Thanks to Lynn S. for pointing this one out.
The Joe Don Baker haiku contest was a rousing success, with forty-six entries received. Despite demands for instant gratification, annika is meditating over the winner from nine carefully chosen and brilliant finalists.
Two of them are mine. Remember when I said I didn't have the talent for poetry? I lied. Or more likely I just don't know my verse from a hole in the ground. No matter, go and read, and see the comments where annika praises me for my total lack of enjambment. That's a good thing. Trust me, I'm a poet and I know about this stuff.
Ignore the politics-related context if it helps, but visit Wizbang and enjoy the funniest story I've read in a long long time.
Fifty years ago, they were dreaming about home computers...
(in the exended entry)
Thanks to both Silflay Hraka (who also has some kick-ass nursery rhymes) and Curmudgeonly & Skeptical (who may or may not be work safe on any given day).
... and this is what they predicted the future might look like.
Jump over to Flying Space Monkey Chronicles and help him reach his goal of a half-million hits by today! Now!!! Note the exclamation points!!!!! Hurry!!!!!!!!!!
I don't have the talent to create poetry beyond the occasional dirty limrick, so I'll link to some twisted stuff instead.
Courtesy of columnist Lincoln Spector:
Alfred, Lord TennysonHalf a gig, half a gig,
Half a gig all spent,
Into the upgrade from hell
Went the department.
All the new features now!
All that they have sent.
Into the upgrade from hell
Went the department.Edgar Allen Poe
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, eyes too bleary,
Over messages most eerie, errors that would not compute-
Windows, and I now must sum up, would not run or even come up,
Not a desktop would it drum up; operating system mute.
Cryptic message on my screen and in all else Windows was mute.
OS sick and most acute.Ernest Lawrence Thayer
It looked extremely rocky for the Mudville Corp. that day;
The office suite was sour and Paint's colors all were gray.
So when Cooney needed tech support, and got that old dial tone,
He hoped that mighty Casey would be answering the phone.But first came a recording, and he knew just what to do;
He listened to that little voice, and then pressed number Two.
That little voice returned again, and told him of his fate,
But Cooney knew just what to do and so he pressed the Eight.
Those are mere snippets, there's lots more to enjoy. In fact, click on the little "past articles" link on that page, and be prepared to laugh out loud at computer geekdom's version of Dave Barry. I especially loved his Shakespearian version of Customer Support - The Tragedy of DSL.
While this is not even close to the scope of the CBS story, this one's been going on quite a bit longer. A group of collectors over on the alt.binaries.pictures.eroctica.vintage newsgroup have been having a grand ol' time for several years, trading old postcards and scanning girlie magazines from way back when. I visit occasionally, and contribute once in a blue moon, and you've seen some of their work here on Rocket Jones in various pinups and book covers. There's some real historical knowledge there, as well as a few inevitable trolls and nitwits.
So anyways, a while back someone got curious about a specific series of photographs taken at a location that's come to be known as the "spider pool". There's a picture (safe for work) in the extended entry, along with the rest of the story.
What you see here is the best known picture that gives the spider pool it's name. The one here is reduced in size by 2/3 for the bandwidth impaired, if you're so inclined I'll tell you where to get the original in a moment.
There are a lot of pictures, and a lot of versions of the same pictures on the net, that were taken around the Spider Pool. At least one of the models has been identified, and various clues such as hair style and such give a time frame of late 40's to mid 50's.
The group got to wondering, just where exactly was the Spider Pool located?
Some educated guesses were made (like I said, there's serious knowledge among these folks), and as the group batted around ideas and dissected clues in the photographs like the topography in the background, a general consensus was reached about the vicinity of the Spider Pool. Someone got hold of a topographic map, and eventually a road that seemed to fit the evidence was tracked down. Unfortunately, that lead didn't pan out - it's not disproved, just 'not likely' at this time. So the search continues. It's very possible that the Spider Pool doesn't even exist any more.
This kind of historical sleuthing fascinates me. I'm not involved at all other than as a spectator (and this post now), but I'm enjoying the discussion and discovery process as it goes on. Various leads are being followed besides the terrain and neighborhood clues, including a search for the models themselves or possibly someone who remembers the actual place. The title of the picture above suggests that it may have originally come from a magazine called Exotique.
And now, thanks to a nice lady named debi, there's a blog dedicated to the mystery of the Spider Pool and the search for it. Check it out, but be aware that a lot of the photos there contain nudity.
Any Southern Californians out there wanna take a swing at identifying the locale?
Victor knows how to hijack a comments section.
After annika blows off her Poetry Wednesday, Victor jumps in and declares Joe Don Baker Haiku day in her stead.
I contributed, you should too. Rumor has it there's prizes and everything. Woot!
From Spot On, via Dean Esmay:
1. Why did you start a blog?2. Do you have a blogmother/blogfather?
3. Has it helped/hurt/had no effect on your professional life?
4. Do your 'real world' friends know that you blog?
5. Do you have a blog crush?
Leave your answers here in the comments, go to Karol's place and leave 'em in there, or post them to your place with a trackback. I'm easy.
Indonesia is the largest Islamic nation in the world, and they've just held peaceful democratic elections. Thanks to Simon for pointing that out.
Meanwhile, in Afghanistan, there's another bunch of good news that you just don't hear about. Thanks to Winds of Change for this one.
This is the funniest thing I've read in a long long time, if you follow politics via blogs. Oh lord, don't miss the comments, they're the best part!
Thanks to Q and O for pointing this one out.
Victor jumps into the cheerleader wars with both feet by introducing the Hot Rats. To be honest, the first thing I thought of was Frank Zappa (Rat Tomago was an instrumental piece of his), then this month's cover to Mad Magazine (issue #446, scroll down and click it to see), and only then did the "awwww, so cute" moment hit me. I dig a rat named Leather though. Good juju.
Kalashnikov Vodka. The only way it'll be available in California is if there's less than 10 shots in a bottle.
Q and O transmogrifies itself into a portal for all things neolibertarianistic. Adjust your blogrolls and hang on for a wild ride. If these guys aren't already a daily read for you, then you're really missing out on something special.
I've been getting to Captain's Quarters via Q and O for quite a while now, it's time to add him to my blogroll.
Also new to the blogroll is Interested Participant. Apparently I've been on his blogroll for quite some time, but I'm a lazy and unobservant bastard (just ask my wife).
InstaPundit finally got the word and is now providing a PDA-friendly version. Yay!
Imagine keeping a secret for over 50 years. That's what this rancher did, quietly letting archeologists work in a canyon on his land that contained the remnants of an ancient Amerind civilization.
Yoni sent a nice email asking for a link and a mention for his blog, where the focus is college basketball. All you SportsBlog junkies can also add his site to your daily visit list.
No link here, just because. Madonna calls for world peace, french kisses Pope. Rumor has it that Britney is pissed because she was upstaged again.
*Ripple Fire is a term used by the military when several rockets are fired sequentially in a short period of time.
Please, make sure you put down the beverage before going here. Warning: may be unfunny to the Rather humor impaired.
... that's what I have cheerleaders for! This week the Rockets emerged victorious in their Blogger Bowl matchup against Vehement Spittle, evening my record at 1-1.
Baltimore's defense came up big, Brett Favre, Isaac Bruce and Jamaal Lewis all had solid games, and for the second week in a row everyone on the roster (including the bench) scored points.
The score might have been closer, but my worthy opponent failed to start a wide receiver for some reason, perhaps he was distracted by the Hot Jets cheerleaders? I know I would be.
The best cheerleading squad in all of fantasy football:
Blogoline, of Blogoline's Journal!
Big Hair, of Left & Right!
Wegglywoo, of On the Beach at the End of the World!
Margi, of Margi Lowry!
Gir, of Your Moosey Fate!
Tink, of Flitting Here and There!
Sarah, of Trying To Grok!
Helen, of Everyday Stranger!
annika, of annika's journal!
Cindy, of Dusting My Brain!
Lemur Girl, of... uh, Lemur Girl!
Lynn S., of Reflections in d minor!
Susie, of Practical Penumbra!
Mookie, of MookieRiffic!
Denita, of Who Tends The Fires!
Jennifer, of Jennifer's History and Stuff!
Heather, of Angelweave!
Kat, of Mostly Fluff!
Nic, of Shoes, Ships, and Sealing Wax!
LeeAnn, of The Cheese Stands Alone!
Dawn of Dawn Enterprises!
Stevie, of Caught In The XFire!
Next week I'm up against Brendoman.com, who has a formidable team. I have a tip for him though: No matter how proud you are of it, naming your team after Soy Sauce is wussy, m'kay?
But save the sauce, it'll go good with your ass when I hand it to you next week. On a plate.
Just in case it ever comes up, my pimp name is:
You can get your own personal pimp name here. Props to Matt Pimp Daddy M. Silk for the holla.
Happy Birthday to Pixy Misa, head honcho of all things Munuviana. I hope you have/had a wonderful day.
Thanks (I think) to Glenn (this link not safe for work) for pointing out this site. WWJD = Who Would Jesus Date?
Dating to Save People from Hell (this link is safe for work).
Be especially sure to check out the 10 dating tips.
Thanks to Triticale for the link to this writeup about MicroSoft Forger. Talk about being responsive to the needs of today's user...
Now this is a truck for real men. According to the company, it's the largest production pickup truck available. According to owners, there's no correlation between the size of the vehicle and the size of their penis.
Frinklin provides a fun look at the best and worst looking NFL uniforms. Don't miss the link to his college rundown too.
To be honest, a lot of guys wish more women would take this advice. To be brutally honest, the ladies have got more sense than we do (dammit).
Welcome to the premier site of women's hockey on the web! I am pleased to introduce the new home of the women's hockey web pages at www.whockey.com.
Just in case you're going through early withdrawal pangs.
Mookie has decided to hang up the ol' blog jammies. Trust me, she's not kidding when she claims to be short of time to do everything. She just had to drop Algebra III/Trig at school because there wasn't enough hours in the evening to do the homework after Statistics and Physics, plus she's doing the full Drama curriculum and what amounts to Drafting 101 and Carpentry 101.
To quote Piper Laurie from Carrie: "... and I liked it!"
she said she found someone who's gonna hold her hand
she said she found someone who's gonna understand
she don't need nobody to be her man
she don't need nobody to be her man
she has a girlfriend now
she has a girlfriend now
she has a girlfriend now she said
"guys don't do no more for me"
-- Reel Big Fish
Wow, week 1 is over and annika whooped me like a red-headed step child! It should have been closer, but realistically I needed Bret Favre to have a career game to pull it out. And who'd've thought Jamaal Lewis would end up with only 59 lousy yards against the Browns, eh?
On the plus side, I didn't suffer the worst drubbing of the week (administered by Victor) and I still have the best damn cheerleading squad going.
Let's hear it for the Hot Jets!!!
annika, of annika's journal! (yes, that annika. It shows her good taste, my good sportsmanship, and you're just jealous because I've got cheerleaders. Neener neener.
Cindy, of Squipper!
Lemur Girl, of... uh, Lemur Girl!
Lynn S., of Reflections in d minor!
Susie, of Practical Penumbra!
Mookie, of MookieRiffic!
Denita, of Who Tends The Fires!
Jennifer, of Jennifer's History and Stuff!
Heather, of Angelweave!
Kat, of Mostly Fluff!
Nic, of Shoes, Ships, and Sealing Wax!
LeeAnn, of The Cheese Stands Alone!
Dawn of Dawn Enterprises!
Stevie, of Caught In The XFire!
Emma, of Miss Apropos! (have faith, she'll be back)
Margi, of Margi Lowry! (the artist formerly known as Emma)
Gir, of Your Moosey Fate!
Tink, of Flitting Here and There!
Sarah, of Trying To Grok!
Blogoline, of Blogoline's Journal!
Big Hair, of Left & Right!
Wegglywoo, of On the Beach at the End of the World!
Helen, of Everyday Stranger!
Looking ahead to next week, when I face Vehement Spittle. He was about as pathetic ineffective as I was this week, so I'm looking for a hard fought and competitive matchup next week.
HA! I'm gonna stomp him like roaches fleeing a burning dumpster! You're going DOWN slobber-boy!!!
A while back I talked about PDA-compatible blogging (part one and two), and some folks took the idea and ran with it. Here's a list of those blogs that I download and read daily:
Off Wing Opinion
Flying Space Monkey Chronicles
Simon World
DFMoore
Chris Hall's Spacecraft
Jennifer's History and Stuff
Anyone else? If you're wondering about daily hits, well the download itself doesn't count, but I find that I visit most of these sites in the evenings to follow up on interesting links that I found while reading the PDA version.
If your site, or one you know of, offers a PDA version, let me know in the comments. Thanks muchly.
Electronic greeting cards, with a little twist (of the knife).
I'm getting lots of suggestions from folks about the Jamboree and what to do if the NHL tanks the season. I think Victor suggested the ECHL first, and because I'm most familiar with it and it has the largest spread of teams I thought that was a good idea. But other good suggestions have come up. So we'll hash it out in the comments, which way to we go with this (assuming the bastards NHL doesn't pull its collective head out).
1. ECHL
2. AHL (anyone remember the Baltimore Skipjacks? *sniff* I loved those guys)
3. Derek's Rec League
Also, welcome to Matt Navarre of Bad State of Gruntledness (Dallas Stars) and Wendy from Adventures of MomLady (Philadelphia Flyers) to the Jamboree.
The other players are:
VegasBaby - Calgary Flames
Derek - Colorado Avalanche
Catt - Pittsburg Penguins
Jenn - Colorado Avalanche
Heather - St Louis Blues
Dr Funk - Ottawa Senators
GEBIV - Buffalo Sabres
Victor - Washington Capitals
Helen - Dallas Stars
Daniel - Atlanta Thrashers
Gir - Calgary Flames
Pogo - Calgary Flames
Cindy - Montreal Canadiens
Frinklin - Vancouver Canucks
RP - New York Rangers
Tricia - Atlanta Thrashers
Nic - Washington Capitals
Kin - Anaheim Mighty Ducks
Ted (yours truly) - San Jose Sharks
Wanna play? It's easy, click here for details.
That's the title of the latest release from local independent rap artists DJ Ragz and Headrush. I was gifted a copy of the CD and it's in heavy rotation during my daily commute. Old school yet innovative, if you get a chance to pick this up*, I recommend it.
*I don't see it in the 'store' yet at the linked site, but they do have the earlier Blind Opticz disk.
It's not looking good for the NHL season as the owners and players broke off talks once again. The CBA expires on the 15th, so if they don't get it done right now, the season is impacted.
As per several suggestions (sadly, they were probably meant as a joke at the time), here's the website to the ECHL. There are plenty of teams there to choose from (left sidebar), should anyone want to go to Hockey Whoopass Jamboree Plan 9 (you knew it had to be Plan 9, this is Rocket Jones after all).
And since I'm the original eternal optimist, welcome to yet another Calgary Flames fan who's joined in the Jamboree. Say hello to VegasBaby!
She joins these hockey fans already playing banging their heads against the wall:
Derek - Colorado Avalanche
Catt - Pittsburg Penguins
Jenn - Colorado Avalanche
Heather - St Louis Blues
Dr Funk - Ottawa Senators
GEBIV - Buffalo Sabres
Victor - Washington Capitals
Helen - Dallas Stars
Daniel - Atlanta Thrashers
Gir - Calgary Flames
Pogo - Calgary Flames
Cindy - Montreal Canadiens
Frinklin - Vancouver Canucks
RP - New York Rangers
Tricia - Atlanta Thrashers
Nic - Washington Capitals
Kin - Anaheim Mighty Ducks
Ted (yours truly) - San Jose Sharks
Wanna play? It's easy, click here for details.
"It is high time the mainstream media be held to at least the minimum standards expected of competent bloggers, isn't it?"
Dean Esmay, in the comments over at Q&O.
You do realize that these are top posted each day, don't you? You need to scroll down to see the new stuff, but you knew that already. Right?
I've collected a bunch of World War II era magazine advertisements that I'll be posting in the days leading up to 9/11. The Allies then knew that they were in for a fight and they weren't going to quit until they'd won unconditionally. We need to remember that today.
I hope you enjoy these (in the extended entry).
Say hello to Derek, a Colorado Avalanche fan, and latest member of the Hockey Whoopass Jamboree. Woot!
Ya know, y'all ought to be linking to each other (me included). I've got to do some sidebar maintenance soon.
So now, the Jamboree players are:
Catt - Pittsburg Penguins
Jenn - Colorado Avalanche
Heather - St Louis Blues
Dr Funk - Ottawa Senators
GEBIV - Buffalo Sabres
Victor - Washington Capitals
Helen - Dallas Stars
Daniel - Atlanta Thrashers
Gir - Calgary Flames
Pogo - Calgary Flames
Cindy - Montreal Canadiens
Frinklin - Vancouver Canucks
RP - New York Rangers
Tricia - Atlanta Thrashers
Nic - Washington Capitals
Kin - Anaheim Mighty Ducks
Ted (yours truly) - San Jose Sharks
Wanna play? It's easy, click here for details.
(It's taking longer than we thought)
That's the banner for Straight Dope, a wonderfully fun and funny page chock full of everything you ever wanted to know but probably never thought to ask.
Thanks to Blogslut for pointing this site out to me.
Chalk up another Blogger Bowl 2004 preseason victory for Rocket Jones!
annika has joined the Hot Jets cheerleaders. Yay!!! "But wait," you might say, "isn't she your opponent this week?"
To which I reply: Don't be such a girly-man.
You can take the boy out of California, but you can't take the California out of the boy.
So now, the Hot Jets number twenty something strong. Go Hot Jets!!!
Big Hair, of Left & Right!
Wegglywoo, of On the Beach at the End of the World!
Helen, of Everyday Stranger!
Cindy, of Squipper!
Lemur Girl, of... uh, Lemur Girl!
Lynn S., of Reflections in d minor!
Susie, of Practical Penumbra!
Mookie, of MookieRiffic!
Denita, of Who Tends The Fires!
Jennifer, of Jennifer's History and Stuff!
Heather, of Angelweave!
Kat, of Mostly Fluff!
Nic, of Shoes, Ships, and Sealing Wax!
Gir, of Your Moosey Fate!
Tink, of Flitting Here and There!
Sarah, of Trying To Grok!
Blogoline, of Blogoline's Journal!
LeeAnn, of The Cheese Stands Alone!
Dawn of Caterwauling she's moved!
Stevie, of Caught In The XFire!
Emma, of Miss Apropos!
Thanks to the Ministry of Minor Perfidy, here's a few facts about this year's incoming college freshman class:
Desi Arnaz, Orson Welles, Roy Orbison, Ted Bundy, Ayatollah Khomeini, and Cary Grant have always been dead.
“Heeeere’s Johnny!” is a scary greeting from Jack Nicholson, not a warm welcome from Ed McMahon.
Mike Tyson has always been a contender.
There have always been night games at Wrigley Field.
We have always been mapping the human genome.
Politicians have always used rock music for theme songs.
Rogaine has always been available for the follicularly challenged.
Publicola, SayUncle, Jeff at Alphecca and many more are following this closely. Whether you're pro or anti-gun, the fact is that all the numbers show that the so-called "assault weapon ban" has had absolutely no impact on crime numbers.
I'll be contacting my state senators this week (they know who I am) to let them know that I expect them to let this useless piece of legislation expire quietly.
Want to reduce crime? Start targeting criminals, not law-abiding citizens.
The lovely annika (she of the unused Caps key) has reminded me that this weekend is the start of our fantasy football season. She's trash talkin' like a true Raiders fan, and I was delighted to return the favor in her comments. She's also fielding a formidable team, although she's already suffering a personnel crisis or two.
But the Rockets aren't going to be pushovers! Here's my starting lineup for week 1:
QB - Brett Favre (Green Bay)
RB - Jamal Lewis (Baltimore)
RB - TJ Duckett (Atlanta)
TE - Randy McMichael (Miami)
WR - Jerry Porter (Oakland)
WR - Jerry Rice (Oakland)
WR - Isaac Bruce (St. Louis)
K - Mike Vanderjagt (Indianapolis)
Defense - Baltimore
And the bench is deep too. I noticed a lot of activity on the waiver wire (after the fact, I don't think I've visited in a couple of weeks), and I wonder if some of these folks aren't out-thinking themselves.
In any event, I've absolutely positively got the best cheerleaders in the league, bar none. So let's hear it for the Hot Jets!
Lynn S., of Reflections in d minor!
Susie, of Practical Penumbra!
Mookie, of MookieRiffic!
Denita, of Who Tends The Fires!
Jennifer, of Jennifer's History and Stuff!
Cindy, of Squipper!
Lemur Girl, of... uh, Lemur Girl!
Heather, of Angelweave!
Kat, of Mostly Fluff!
Nic, of Shoes, Ships, and Sealing Wax!
Helen, of Everyday Stranger!
Gir, of Your Moosey Fate!
Tink, of Flitting Here and There!
Sarah, of Trying To Grok!
Blogoline, of Blogoline's Journal!
LeeAnn, of The Cheese Stands Alone!
Dawn of Caterwauling!
Big Hair, of Left & Right!
Wegglywoo, of On the Beach at the End of the World!
Stevie, of Caught In The XFire!
Emma, of Miss Apropos!
annika dear, you are about to be soundly spanked!
Everybody, give a great big Hanson-Hello to two more players in the second annual Inter-Munuvian Hockey Whoopass Jamboree!
Welcome aboard to:
Catt - Pittsburg Penguins
Jenn - Colorado Avalanche
The roster is filling out nicely.
Heather - St Louis Blues
Dr Funk - Ottawa Senators
GEBIV - Buffalo Sabres
Victor - Washington Capitals
Helen - Dallas Stars
Daniel - Atlanta Thrashers
Gir - Calgary Flames
Pogo - Calgary Flames
Cindy - Montreal Canadiens
Frinklin - Vancouver Canucks
RP - New York Rangers
Tricia - Atlanta Thrashers
Nic - Washington Capitals
Kin - Anaheim Mighty Ducks
Ted (yours truly) - San Jose Sharks
Wanna play? It's easy, click here for details.
I'm working up a format for the sidebar so that everyone can just stop by Rocket Jones and see at a glance who their next game is against. This outta make it easy for everyone and my hit counter should tick over nicely too.
Last week I was interviewed for a television program (all right, it wasn't a major program, but it's on the TV, so hush). This week, thanks to Steve the Llama Butcher, an actual honest-to-goodness Rocket Jones question on political blogging is asked of Wonkette (sorry, no link), and, no doubt impaled upon the devastating insight therein, she writhed and squirmed like a bug on a pin before snarking her way to safety, hiding behind a humorous retort.
I have arrived.
For those who're having trouble finding team logos to put on your page, here's a place where you can find small versions that will work for you. You might also try Googling your team name under the "images" tab and see what comes up.
Here's who's playing so far:
Heather - St Louis Blues
Dr Funk - Ottawa Senators
GEBIV - Buffalo Sabres
Victor - Washington Capitals
Helen - Dallas Stars
Daniel - Atlanta Thrashers
Gir - Calgary Flames
Pogo - Calgary Flames
Cindy - Montreal Canadiens or New York Rangers or New York Islanders (not sure yet)
Frinklin - Vancouver Canucks
RP - New York Rangers
Tricia - Atlanta Thrashers
Nic - Washington Capitals
Kin - Anaheim Mighty Ducks
Ted (yours truly) - San Jose Sharks
Wanna play? It's easy, click here for details.
Not really, but more and more, you can find almost everything on the 'net. For instance, there's this list of sites where you can read free Science Fiction online. Pretty cool, eh?
Thanks to Professor Hall for the pointer.
(I'm waiting for the updates to the Virginia Tech Sounding Rocket Program website too!)
Sarah asks if it's weird that the word "sniper" is a turn-on?
Now for those less militarily-inclined ladies, I'll mention that I have one of those sexy TS clearances, and that all personal detail-filled emails sent to the address on the sidebar will be held in strict confidence.
Just sayin'.
You should probably replace the "yahoo" above with your favorite exclamation of pleasure (other than "Oh God, YES!" maybe).
I noticed last night that someone found Rocket Jones by googling "Jets Cheerleaders Hot" or some combination of same. So I wondered where I'd rank on the list for "Jets Cheerleaders".
Congrats to Denita of Who Tends the Fires, for showing up #1 on google for anyone looking for Jets Cheerleaders. Cindy at Dusting My Brain is at number #7, and I'm at #14, which ain't too shabby. As Mookie would say, "Woot!"
A caption contest over at Who Tends the Fires, so sharpen your wits and funnybones, and go to town. I've already disconnected the smoke detectors in my house, because I'm doing some serious thinking on it.
Over at Q & O (happy birthday guys!), McQ posts a moving and devastatingly effective rebuttal to a comment that I thought cut right to the heart of the matter concerning the Swift Boat Veterans ads.
Until I read the comments, where one Viet Nam veteran summed it all up in as perfect a way as I could ever imagine:
"If Kerry loses, that will be the parade that we never had."
I understand the concept that news is a business, and bad news sells, which is good business. That helps explain why you'll seldom see this kind of good news on progress in Iraq.
Warning: there's a lot of good news.
Seven also happens to be the number of new Munuvians added this weekend by our overworked and underappreciated uberlord host, Pixy.
Welcome and Yay to:
Flibbertigibbet
Drama Queen
Mediocre Fred
Dairy Diary
Ravings of a Corporate Mommy
Nouvel
Deja Vu
Stop in and say hellow. Say hello even.
And the cycle begins anew:
The Lyrics of Life in LA
Darn, did I forget to pick my robe up from the cleaners?
I found this link-filled list of products that let you post to your blog from your PDA. Many are free, and I may be checking these out and posting reviews.
Stop cringing, it's not another cult movie review. I'm talking about the list of people joining in on the second annual Inter-Munuvian Hockey Whoopass Jamboree!
Newest additions are:
Heather - St Louis Blues
Dr Funk - Ottawa Senators
GEBIV - Buffalo Sabres
Already part of the fray:
Victor - Washington Capitals
Helen - Dallas Stars
Daniel - Atlanta Thrashers
Gir - Calgary Flames
Pogo - Calgary Flames
Cindy - Montreal Canadiens or New York Rangers or New York Islanders (not sure yet)
Frinklin - Vancouver Canucks
RP - New York Rangers
Tricia - Atlanta Thrashers
Nic - Washington Capitals
Kin - Anaheim Mighty Ducks
Ted (yours truly) - San Jose Sharks
Still waiting to hear from:
Steve - Carolina Hurricanes?
Wanna play? It's easy, click here for details.
Last year, we were four. This year, we have expanded more than Nate Newton's waistline after a visit to the all-you-can-eat buffet, and like Nate, we want more, more more! So come on, join in the fun.
For those unfamiliar with the concept, here are the rules for the second annual Inter-Munuvian Hockey Whoopass Jamboree:
Simple.
This season's lineup:
Victor - Washington Capitals
Helen - Dallas Stars
Daniel - Atlanta Thrashers
Gir - Calgary Flames
Pogo - Calgary Flames
Cindy - Montreal Canadiens or New York Rangers or New York Islanders (not sure yet)
Frinklin - Vancouver Canucks
RP - New York Rangers
Tricia - Atlanta Thrashers
Nic - Washington Capitals
Kin - Anaheim Mighty Ducks
Ted (yours truly) - San Jose Sharks
Still waiting to hear from:
Heather - St Louis Blues
Steve - Carolina Hurricanes?
Lots going on, maybe more later.
Happy Birthday to Daniel, who's comments didn't work for me so I couldn't make it timely or personal. Have a link, and I hope you had a great day.
For now, the Second Annual Inter-Munuvian Hockey Whoopass Jamboree is picking up the big mo', with lots of folks signing up for the season.
Lastly, I've been playing with a new design for Rocket Jones over at the Skunkworks. It's not quite done, but give it a gander and leave comments. Let me know what you think, like and don't like (I have a thick skin, so be critical). I've heard there's a problem in Mozilla with column creep, so let me know if you see it too. This also nicely fits in with work, where I'm formally learning HTML, XHTML, Java, XML and PHP (and lots of other confusing acronyms eventually) on their dime.
Almost forgot, Cindy, the banner is for you.
That's Alcohol WithOut Liquid.
The user chooses which alcoholic spirit will be used and the alcoholic spirit is loaded into a diffuser capsule in the machine. The oxygen bubbles are then passed through the capsule, absorbing the alcohol, before being inhaled through a tube. The resultant cloudy alcohol vapor is then inhaled from the end of the tube via a device that converts liquid to vapor.
Sorry, but this doesn't impress me as anything more than a gimmick. When I drink (rarely), it's because I enjoy the taste. Inhaling a Dewars on the rocks just wouldn't be the same, and if I'm drinking for effect (even more rare), I prefer a little ceremony with my buzz. Tequila, lime and salt please - and the salt is optional, unless I'm lucky enough to be doing body shots. :D
Oh yeah, they also advertise it as "low calorie and low carb". Jeez I am so sick of that crap.
My spell checker said the title was ok.*
Three to go onto the blogroll (actually, two new and one who used to be but got taken off when he was supposed to become a Munuvian but he never really moved and what's up with that?):
Go say hi.
*Yeah, I'm recycling old old old titles from my Blogspot days. Next I'm gonna go out and hug a tree. It balances out, because of all the ozone I destroyed this afternoon spray painting a new rocket.
Spotted on a Yahoo group today:
This is an FYI for anyone who might not have noticed the new feature in Yahoo's targeted marketing strategies....as Yahoo has not gone yodeling in the valley -- let alone on mountaintops -- about this software. I am neither condemning nor condoning this feature. You must decide for yourself whether you want to participate in this type of data snagging.Yahoo updated its Privacy Policy to include a gimmick known as "web beacons." They're used to compile marketing information by tracking Yahoo users around Yahoo and the web. From their description, it's an updated/intrusive expansion of cookies. Yahoo's explanation: << Yahoo! uses web beacons to access Yahoo! cookies inside and outside our network of web sites and in connection with Yahoo! products and services. >>
If you don't want Yahoo to track your web surfing habits and log your mail reading habits, you can deny them the right to use web beacons.
TO TURN OFF WEB BEACONS:
View Yahoo's updated privacy statement.
Roughly halfway down the page, in the section titled "Outside the Yahoo! Network," there's a blue hyperlink marked, "click here" -- which brings you to a page acknowledging that you successfully opted out for that browser.
CRITICAL: You must opt out for EACH browser you use. In other words, if you opt out for -- say -- Internet Explorer, but you also use AOL, Opera, Netscape, and Safari, then you must also opt out for AOL, Opera, Netscape and Safari by going to the opt-out hyperlink while using each of those browsers.
Also, there's a vague remark about opting out on each computer you use. If you use separate computers to log into Yahoo (e.g., work and home, or home and laptop), opt out for each browser installed while logged into your various computers. Yes, this doubles your work (possibly triples it, depending on how many computers you use), but unless you follow through, you're leaving the door open for them to track your surfing and mail reading habits, in conjunction with Yahoo cookies, for Yahoo products and services.
After you click the "opt out" hyperlink, pay careful attention to the "Success" message on the next page. There's a "Cancel Opt-out" button. If clicked, you will UNDO your opt-out.
Steve the Llamabutcher says in my comments:
"A motto to live by--if only babel fish could translate into latin!"
So "It may suck, but it's my suck" translates into (drumroll please):
Translation courtesy of Sunsite and their java-based Latin-English/English-Latin translator. Any and all mangling of grammar is purely my fault (where's John Cleese when you really need him?). Automatically majestic just for being latin.
It reminds me of a bit I saw Buddy Hackett do, where he visited the Pope and asked some embarrassing question. And the Pope replied "Abscondi Obesii Illegitimo", which translates to "Get outta here, you fat bastard".
And I'd be remiss without mentioning Anonymous Kyle and his comment. You have too much time on your hands, amigo. Go count something.
Thanks to the Carolina rocket guys for the heads up to this "Inside tour of an operating Rolls Royce jet engine". In fact, I'm just going to quote Bill S:
Yes, this is off topic but most of this crowd will find it cool to watch.....there is most definitely combustion and thrust! :-)This is a seriously cool shockwave flash animation. Whomever put this together deserved their pay.
Keep an eye on the right side of the display to see the operating parameters at each stage, and also down on the lower right where a red bar shows where you are inside the engine. There are some text comments that flash up below the play controls.
Has sound. Low res is about 2.1Mb, hi res version is almost 5 mb, so it may take a while to load on a dial-up connection. Broad band - no problem with streaming.
An artist friend of mine was inspired by one of my rockets to paint his PC case and monitor (not the screen part, silly) with that fleckstone spray paint. It looks like something out of the Flintstones. Pretty cool.
On the internet, I've seen PC cases constructed out of clear plexiglass, out of lego and other interesting materials. My dad used to build 'executive' PC cases out of cherry, oak and mahogany for HP, but this case is a true work of art, and I want one sooooo bad.
Many thanks to the Flea Ethereal for the pointer.
Wegglywoo adds still another international flavor to the official Rocket Jones Blogger Bowl 2004 cheerleading squad. She asked, I invited, and that's all it takes.
Stevie, of Caught In The XFire!
Emma, of Miss Apropos!
Lynn S., of Reflections in d minor!
Heather, of Angelweave!
Kat, of Mostly Fluff!
Nic, of Shoes, Ships, and Sealing Wax!
Susie, of Practical Penumbra!
Mookie, of MookieRiffic!
Helen, of Everyday Stranger!
Gir, of Your Moosey Fate!
Tink, of Flitting Here and There!
Sarah, of Trying To Grok!
Blogoline, of Blogoline's Journal!
LeeAnn, of The Cheese Stands Alone!
Denita, of Who Tends The Fires!
Jennifer, of Jennifer's History and Stuff!
Cindy, of Squipper!
Lemur Girl, of... uh, Lemur Girl!
Dawn of Caterwauling!
Big Hair, of Left & Right!
I bet the major PC companies are looking over their shoulders these days.
The schedule is up, and I see that my very first opponent is the lovely annika.
I should have some sort of special cheer or something here, just for her. Remember high school, when you "Clipped the Cardinals" or "Defused the Bombers" or whatever?
Anyway, I consider her the primary threat in the league right up front, because she actually does research and stuff before the draft. If I can whup her early on, before injuries become a factor, then I'll know the Rockets have good juju.
Her team doesn't really have a name, since she followed instructions (unlike yours truly) and signed up with her blog name.
Spank the annikas Poets?
So the governor of New Jersey, McGreevey (or however you spell it) has resigned and admitted that he's gay.
The cynic in me is screaming that this 'gay' thing is an attempt to deflect attention from the fact that he's being hammered from all sides by scandals and possible investigations.
He's a politician, and a pretty good one since you don't get to be governor without some skills. That doesn't change the fact that he's also (allegedly) a crooked scumbag. Cheat on your wife? Shameful, but personal business. Gay? So what, but having a couple kids with your wife makes me think the term you're searching for is "bisexual".
Then again, I think "gay" might be exactly the term you intended, playing for sympathy and simultaneously using it as a smokescreen.
For excellent coverage of New Jersey matters, go visit Roberto at DynamoBuzz.
I've just started going through this archive of Sports Franchise logos, but so far I'm loving it.*
Thanks to Off Wing Opinion for pointing this out.
*That slogan is about as close to McDonalds as I get these days. *sigh*
I first posted about the Flugtag '88 Airshow disaster almost eleven months ago, and since then there have been several comments posted and I've received some email from people who were there. I extend my sincere thanks to all who shared their stories.
The most recent commenter is Tricia, who also happens to be a blogger (I'll be adding her to the blogroll). Tricia's recollections are vivid and compelling and I'll admit that I had tears in my eyes as I read them.
If you're not sure what this is all about, look here. It's probably better if you start at the bottom and work your way up. Be sure to read the comments posted as well.
Testing Meme Propagation In Blogspace: Add Your Blog
This posting is a community experiment that tests how a meme, represented by this blog posting, spreads across blogspace, physical space and time. It will help to show how ideas travel across blogs in space and time and how blogs are connected. It may also help to show which blogs (and aggregation sites) are most influential in the propagation of memes. The dataset from this experiment will be public, and can be located via Google (or Technorati) by doing a search for the GUID for this meme (below).
Please join the test by adding your blog (see instructions, below) and inviting your friends to participate—the more the better. The data from this test will be public and open; others may use it to visualize and study the connectedness of blogspace and the propagation of memes across blogs.
The GUID for this experiment is:
as098398298250swg9e98929872525389t9987898tq98wteqtgaq62010920352598gawst
The above GUID enables anyone to easily search Google or other search engines for all blogs that participate in this experiment, once they have indexed the sites that participate, which may take several days or weeks. To locate the full data set, just search for any sites that contain this GUID.
Anyone is free to analyze the data of this experiment. Please publicize your analysis of the data, and/or any comments by adding comments onto the original post (see URL above). (Note: it would be interesting to see a geographic map or a temporal animation, as well as a social network map of the propagation of this meme.)
INSTRUCTIONS
To add your blog to this experiment, copy this entire posting to your blog, and then answer the questions below, substituting your own information, below, where appropriate. Other than answering the questions below, please do not alter the information, layout or format of this post in order to preserve the integrity of the data in this experiment (this will make it easier for searchers and automated bots to find and analyze the results later).
REQUIRED FIELDS (Note: Replace the answers below with your own answers)
(1) I found this experiment at URL:
http://practicalpenumbra.mu.nu/
(2) I found it via “Newsreader Software” or “Browsing the Web” or “Searching the Web” or “An E-Mail Message”: Browsing the Web
(3) I posted this experiment at URL: http://rocketjones.mu.nu/
(4) I posted this on date (day/month/year): 10/08/04
(5) I posted this at time (24 hour time): 06:11
(6) My posting location is (city, state, country): (city), Virginia, USA
OPTIONAL SURVEY FIELDS:
(7) My blog is hosted by: mu.nu
(8) My age is: 44
(9) My gender is: Male
(10) My occupation is: Computer Consultant
(11) I use the following RSS/Atom reader software: none
(12) I use the following software to post to my blog: MovableType
(13) I have been blogging since (day, month, year): 04/07/2003
(14) My web browser is: MS IE
(15) My operating systems are: Windows ME
From Off Wing Opinion:
The OSHL will teams in six Canadians cities- Halifax, Quebec City, London, Hamilton, Toronto and Kitchener- and will have a unique format. The season will be comprised of four 11-day tournaments each comprised of a round-robin and a playoff. Each game will also include a shootout which won't decide the outcome of the game but will contribute to points in the standings- wins will be worth three points, shootout wins worth two, making each game worth five points that can be split between the teams. Each team will have a roster of 12 skaters, including the goalie, who will play three 17 minute periods of 4-on-4 hockey.
all penalties will result in penalty shots
Rob has worked out a formula to create a composite listing of guitarists from seven different lists.
Stevie, you'll be especially happy I think.
More lovely ladies have joined the Hot Jets cheerleaders, rooting for Rocket Jones in the upcoming Blogger Bowl 2004.
Welcomed into the lineup are Big Hair, half of the crew in charge over at Left & Right.
Also, a big Yay to Dawn of Caterwauling. She has a really mean kitty cat, and I'm not afraid to use him! Beware the Short Bus of Savage Bloodletting!
With these additions, all of Brazil is celebrating, and I hear they've dedicated all of Carnival to the Hot Jets.
Yeah, it's hype season. Either that or Ricky Williams just stopped by to say bye.
Lest I forget the rest of the lineup:
Helen, of Everyday Stranger!
Gir, of Your Moosey Fate!
Tink, of Flitting Here and There!
Stevie, of Caught In The XFire!
Heather, of Angelweave!
Kat, of Mostly Fluff!
Nic, of Shoes, Ships, and Sealing Wax!
Susie, of Practical Penumbra!
Mookie, of MookieRiffic!
Sarah, of Trying To Grok!
Blogoline, of Blogoline's Journal!
LeeAnn, of The Cheese Stands Alone!
Denita, of Who Tends The Fires!
Emma, of Miss Apropos!
Lynn S., of Reflections in d minor!
Jennifer, of Jennifer's History and Stuff!
Cindy, of Squipper!
Lemur Girl, of... uh, Lemur Girl.
Here's your chance to write cheers for the Hot Jets cheerleaders!
Real. Funny. Naughty. Just made-up or whatever. Put 'em in the comments. Might even be a prize. Darned if I know what, but suggest prizes too and maybe we can work something out.
About the title: no, I'm not apathetic about this, I just thought it was funny. You don't? Oh well.
Wind Rider officially retires from the Air Force on 1 August after more than 24 years of service.
Visit him at Bloviating Inanities or Silent Running and say thanks.
Everyone loves to harrass the umpires or speechifier or ballplayers or comedian or other public performer.
So what's the best heckle you've ever heard?
Idea shamelessly stolen from the excellent San Fransisco Giants blog, Waiting for Boof.
What Hot Jets cheerleader lives in a castle (for real) and has a prehensile tail?
Ok, trick question. The answer, of course, is our newest lovely (ta dahhhh!): Lemur Girl!
I'm not positive about the tail, but she only appears in long skirts and didn't deny it when I asked. I'm earnest and forthright, not nosy and pushy thankyouverymuch. She's also added her email address to her page, which is one of the ones I commented about a few days ago.
Our latest addition brings the Hot Jets squadron to an uneven seventeen eighteen. That appeals to the non conformist in me (mental note: take shoes off next time to count). The rest of the crew:
Sarah, of Trying To Grok!
Emma, of Miss Apropos!
Lynn S., of Reflections in d minor!
Heather, of Angelweave!
Kat, of Mostly Fluff!
Nic, of Shoes, Ships, and Sealing Wax!
Susie, of Practical Penumbra!
Mookie, of MookieRiffic!
Helen, of Everyday Stranger!
Gir, of Your Moosey Fate!
Tink, of Flitting Here and There!
Stevie, of Caught In The XFire!
Jennifer, of Jennifer's History and Stuff!
Cindy, of Squipper!
Blogoline, of Blogoline's Journal!
LeeAnn, of The Cheese Stands Alone!
Denita, of Who Tends The Fires!
I wish I could claim the power to unleash the power of an Instalanch, even a mere feeble shadow of one, but I can't without your help. So go to each one of the sites listed above and enjoy the great blogging there. There's more to becoming a Hot Jets cheerleader than just the swimsuit audition. It takes brains, and these ladies have it in spades. So go visit and drop a comment on 'em.
Coming Appearing soon on a television screen near you: LOGO. A network devoted to gays and transgendered people.
Is there really a big enough audience to make this work?
Bill's pee pee is all better. Translation: his prostate infection is well on the way to being cured.
Meanwhile, news breaks that Saddam has a prostate infection.
Totally unrelated, but doesn't it make you grit your teeth to hear someone talk about their prostrate gland?
...around and about, at various blogs (the ones with class and good looking women), a little picture for Rocket Jones and the Blogger Bowl 2004? I have, and they look goooooood.
Babes with Brains, gotta love the Hot Jets!
Denita's template-meister Eric even put together an animated version. Woot and tres cool (pardon me, my nuance is showing).
Susie's got one.
Nic is one of the cool kids too.
Now Gir really shines with not one, but two Rocket Jones logos and a blip. It's a good thing she likes spontaneous combustion, because she's on fire!
Squipper has the logo up! Squipper, Squipper, Squipper. That's a fun word to say!
And let's not forget:
Helen gave a hearty cheer and shout-out.
Emma, official spokeswoman for "Security Mom's for Rocket Jones".
Now Lynn is a cultured lady, so it should be no surprise that she's a Hot Jet. Cream rises.
Stevie cheers on in her own no-bull style.
Jennifer's gone missing, but before she left she gave a Hot Jet holler.
Now Mookie is a special head case. She's had the summer blahs, complicated by the fact that she's been working, planning for vacation, and doing a ton of summer homework. I don't remember having to do that much over the summer.
The lovely Blogoline lent her voice to the cheering. Yay!
Now LeeAnn is going on vacation, so her cheering is being rationed to make it last.
Heather has been busy with summery fun-ness, but not too busy to cheer.
A little bit sweet, a little bit dark. Kat.
Tink has been having a rough month, family-wise. Send good thoughts her way, she could use the well-wishes and strength.
Sarah tries to grok, which could possibly interfere with cheering, or it might mean that she understands on a deeper level what it truly means to be a Hot Jet.
I've heard from reliable sources that Jim has been recruiting cheerleaders as well. Best of luck, guy, too bad the truly great ones have already become Hot Jets!
The Hot Jets just keep getting hotter!
Welcome Helen from Everyday Stranger to the Rocket Jones Hot Jets cheerleader family. Yay!
This is significant because she's living near London, and she says:
And the Monarchs? Puh-leeze. I want real men playing real football!
Hey, listen to the sizzle:
Susie, of Practical Penumbra!
Nic, of Shoes, Ships, and Sealing Wax!
Gir, of Your Moosey Fate!
Emma, of Miss Apropos!
Lynn S., of Reflections in d minor!
Stevie, of Caught In The XFire!
Jennifer, of Jennifer's History and Stuff!
Mookie, of MookieRiffic!
Blogoline, of Blogoline's Journal!
LeeAnn, of The Cheese Stands Alone!
Heather, of Angelweave!
Kat, of Mostly Fluff!
Tink, of Flitting Here and There!
Denita, of Who Tends The Fires!
Cindy, of Squipper!
Sarah, of Trying To Grok!
Recap: Rocket Jones - Real Man. Hot Jets - Best.
Seems that our beloved Mu.Nu domain has been banned in South Korea because one of our bloggers has a link to the terrorist beheading videos. Actually, it was originally on his old Blogspot site, and in an amazing show of restraint, the government of South Korea has apparently banned all access to Blogspot sites as well.
What is that they say about judging one's character by the enemies one makes?
Simon has more.
...an ordinary day, where you do ordinary things and go to your ordinary job. But today is different - even if you don't know it yet - because when you log on, something extraordinary will happen. You won't just be gaining access to your files, today, you'll be gaining access to The Twilight Zone.
Classic television introductions! Mondo retro-hipness thanks to Fred, who also posts wicked cool Mars pictures of the day.
The problem with the L.A. media isn't that it's dominated by liberals but that it's dominated by idiots. -- Cathy SeippThanks to Rand Simberg at Transterrestrial Musings for that one.
But still, I really like this picture.
(in the extended entry - no nudity, but use your own judgement concerning your workplace)
Found at Kimochi-ii!!!, which definitely isn't work-safe.
Time to call in the big guns, literally! Get yer mind outta the gutter, because I'm talking about Sarah, who has a picture on Trying To Grok of herself in a tank. Woohoo! Ya know, it never hurts to have a little armor support.
She graciously accepted, and mentioned that she's already been recognized for her cheerleading - check this out. Actually, don't bother, unless you want to deal with a bunch of annoying popups, and then read some lame anti-intelligence (in the literal sense, not in the "spy" kinda way) nitwittery. It's a hate site, and Sarah's been named to their Hall of Infamy for being a true supporter of the US military. At least they mention that she writes well and interestingly, they just don't like her opinions.
Anyways, welcome to the Hot Jets Sarah!
That little banner is starting to crop up in other places...
The Hot Jets are:
Stevie, of Caught In The XFire!
Jennifer, of Jennifer's History and Stuff!
Mookie, of MookieRiffic!
Emma, of Miss Apropos!
Blogoline, of Blogoline's Journal!
LeeAnn, of The Cheese Stands Alone!
Gir, of Your Moosey Fate!
Heather, of Angelweave!
Kat, of Mostly Fluff!
Lynn S., of Reflections in d minor!
Tink, of Flitting Here and There!
Denita, of Who Tends The Fires!
Cindy, of Squipper!
Susie, of Practical Penumbra!
Nic, of Shoes, Ships, and Sealing Wax!
Pick a sweetie, any sweetie. In fact, go visit them all.
Velociman did this one a while back, and I meant to, but never got around to it. My results are in the extended entry.
Which Childish Practical Joke Are You?
Aside to Velociman: you've been comment spammed on the post with some rather rude links. Just lettin' ya know.
You are HEAD NOOGIES !!!
I don't do a lot of quizzes (heh, what a funny word: quizzes), and this one keeps the streak alive because you make it up yourself. Yepper, it's not a real quiz!
So I'm putzing around the rocket workshop today, taking care of some items on the ol' to-do list, when I remember an old post idea I wanted to do. Jot it down and come back to it later, and when I do I googled up a few things to research. And I found this page, which has nothing to do with what I was looking for - honest! - but with a title like Bikini Karate Babes, how could I not investigate, eh?
In the interview with the creator, he has this to say:
Bikini Karate Babes is a fun and silly game. If you're looking for the greatest fighting game since Tekken... you won't find it here. But if you're looking for something unique with solid gameplay and high replay value, then this game is for you!BKB uses actual video images of real women. You can control these women in real time. It is by far the best example of interactive video controlled in real time ever made. The animation is excellent, not choppy like so many 'other' games using video images. The full range of motion is captured for every punch, kick, and jiggle!
Title courtesy of the spirited Gir. How can you not love someone who quotes Invader Zim?
Well, using my pitiful Paint Shop Pro skills, I've come up with a banner for the Hot Jets.
Feel free to add it to your template, or post it once up, or ignore it altogether. I'm easy.
Must be, what else could be whining like that?
I mean, Victor mentions bad juju because his girlfriend, Nic, becomes a Hot Jet cheerleader for Rocket Jones. Did she pick me over Victor? Of course not, it's all in the timing, and I notice now that Victor has formed a team in the league as well. Rats of Chaos, eh? Good name, Victor. Strong juju.
Then there's Nick, who suspects coercion. Don't forget the bribes Nick. Dig deep and find evidence for bribes too. :) It couldn't possibly be that I just emailed each and every lady individually, asked nicely, and said 'please'? "Hired", indeed.
Darn mosquito. Probably irate that he didn't think of it first.
It's annika I fear, because she's already doing research. Unless one of us lucks out and the fourteenth best wide reciever available in the draft has an absolutely monster year, she might stomp us all. On the field, that is, because on the sidelines, you all might as well change your names to Jacques.
More classy, sassy, bold and brassy Hot Jets on the squad. Say hello to:
Emma, of Miss Apropos!
Blogoline, of Blogoline's Journal!
Kat, of Mostly Fluff!
Lynn S., of Reflections in d minor!
Tink, of Flitting Here and There!
...to go along with the original batch o'lovelies:
Denita, of Who Tends The Fires!
Cindy, of Squipper!
Susie, of Practical Penumbra!
Nic, of Shoes, Ships, and Sealing Wax!
LeeAnn, of The Cheese Stands Alone!
Gir, of Your Moosey Fate!
Heather, of Angelweave!
Stevie, of Caught In The XFire!
Jennifer, of Jennifer's History and Stuff!
Mookie, of MookieRiffic!
What color are your helmets, toast-boy? I hope they match that lovely shade of green I see hear.
Major thanks to QandO for pointing this one out (via Wizbang). Scroll down, read the last paragraph, and remember Rule Number 1: never piss off the people who make you look good.
And the desperation sets in. Annika has already purchased a fantasy football draft guide, and I've heard rumors that one of the other teams is trying to hire Bill Walsh as a draft consultant.
But while secret (and not-so-secret) plans are being laid for future success, Rocket Jones is already whupping the competition. That's right folks, it is my privilege to introduce, for the first second time ever, the Hot Jets, cheerleaders for the Rockets! Give it up for the classiest and sassiest group of ladies to ever shake a pom-pom.
In no particular order (how could you ever put one above another?);
Heather, of Angelweave!
Stevie, of Caught In The XFire!
Susie, of Practical Penumbra!
Nic, of Shoes, Ships, and Sealing Wax!
LeeAnn, of The Cheese Stands Alone!
Gir, of Your Moosey Fate!
Denita, of Who Tends The Fires!
Cindy, of Squipper!
Jennifer, of Jennifer's History and Stuff!
Mookie, of MookieRiffic!
Spirits are high, tryouts continue, and I expect the squad will grow.
For those wondering (humor me), team colors are black, white and red. The reason for that is that NASA and the military did visibility studies to determine the best colors to paint a rocket. Large swaths of - you guessed it - black, white and red, alternated for contrast works best. For extra visibility, we often add sparkly and shiny bits, so they'll catch the light on the way down and make it easier to follow. Come to think of it, that's what we do with cheerleaders too.
Sorry about the title, I couldn't resist.
I'm signed up for Blogger Bowl 2004, yet another foray into the world of fantasy sports. Football this time, in a league that looks to be mostly Munuvian. Thanks to Nick for the invite.
Now, some of you may think you're too inexperienced to join. Poppycock! Sign on up and we'll help you out, because we love fresh meat we're all friends and nice people. Right?
This will be an auto-draft, which means that Yahoo will determine the draft order, and then dole out players based on who's left that's best. In other words, when it's your pick, you'll get the best player left at that position at that time. Based on my fantasy hockey experiences, it's fair.
Now what you might not know is that you can "elevate" players to increase your odds of picking him up. For instance, say you absolutely must have Kelly Ripa at quarterback (or is that Jim Kelly? I get them confused), then you can go into Yahoo and - following their pretty good directions - bump that players' value up so that when it's your turn and he's available, you'll get him. Cool!
Specific tips for my opponents:
1. Mike Ditka is not running for office. Mike Ditka is one of the greatest Tight Ends in history. Put 'em together and you'll notice that he's available!!! Head over to Yahoo and put Mike Ditka as your first draft pick for Tight End.
2. This one is kind of a longshot, but if you draft Howie Long high enough, you'll probably lure him out of retirement. Worth a shot.
3. Gale Sayers was the one who didn't die in Brian's Song, so he's still available. Get thee to Yahoo now! Not convinced? Gale Sayer's didn't die twice!!! Obviously a winner, and someone you'd want on your team.
4. Don't be like the New York Giants, and accidentally draft a dead player. Live players will generally score more points for you than dead ones.
5. Kickers can be the difference between success and failure, and nothing is worse than losing because your kicker was on a bye week. Think creatively, and draft outside the box. Freddy Adeu has no NFL bye weeks, and he's one heck of a kicker.
6. Team names are important. You should spend hours if not days agonizing over yours. For instance, Rockets implies grace and speed, while using muscle and raw power to get it done. If you decide to call your team the Twinkly Fairies, they better be tough. Sometimes you can go for the humorous monicker, like Altoona Fish or Tijuana Lapdancers. The key here is to agonize, because angst makes for very good football.
7. Everyone else in the league is in it for one thing only - to win. Myself, on the other hand, am in it for the fun. And we all know that it's more fun if everyone's having fun. So if I offer you a trade, don't look at it too closely, just rest easy knowing that anything I propose is good for everybody equally. Just click "approve" and we'll all be happier.
8. This is fantasy football, so it's ok to have your weird superstitions. You wanna wear the same lucky underwear all season without washing them? Go right ahead, I don't mind a bit. Oh, and if you believe that the 'fantasy' part means you start having homoerotic daydreams about your players, well, I don't want to hear about it. Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course.
8. Yep, I typed eight again, just to see who's still paying attention.
I'm sure there's more...
This link is absolutely not safe for work, so you'll have to come back this evening to check it out. And believe you me, it's worth it.
As Wegglywoo says:
thank gaia! someone finally found a way to combine breasts, phonecams, and the web!
What? You don't visit Wegglywoo? For shame.
[her] head and stomach were in revolt against the alcohol in her system even before we got home, and she complained that i was driving in circles. i told her i knew where i was going, and that i was going quite straight. she explained that she meant vertical circles, like a ferris wheel.
As final evidence that she's a classy lady, Rocket Jones is prominently absent from her blogroll.
The D.C. Divas professional woman's football team finished the season undefeated and made it into the second round of the playoffs before falling last weekend to two-time champs Detroit in a close game (20-14). The Divas are part of the 30-team National Woman's Football Association.
Divas team colors are burgundy and gold (big surprise there), but what's up with that Cowboy-esque star in the logo?
Yutaka Fukufuji is Japan's hope for respectablility in Olympic ice hockey. He attends development camps in the US and played for Cincinnati in the East Coast Hockey League.
Here's a picture of Fukufuji in the gear for Kokudo, his home team in Japan.
Thanks to Sharkspage for the pointer.
There've been some new MuNuvians added (there are getting to be quite a lot of us too), and some others added to the blogroll farther down. I recommend finding one you've never visited and give a read. If you like it, tell 'em Rocket Jones sent you. If you don't, well, life is full of little disappointments, isn't it?
Martha Stewart appears in court tomorrow for sentencing, complete with her friends, family, legal team and a "sentencing consultant".
"A federal prosecution is incredibly adversarial. You can come out of it feeling victimized, saying 'They were mean to me, or they didn't have to go that far,'" says [consultant] Novak. But he emphasizes to them: "Your choices and the consequences for those choices are truly what put you in this position."
Pruno. It's time to pull out the good crystal!
Go on over to her place and wish her a happy 16th! And while you're there, remind her to clean her room.
And Mookie, I found this for you. You're welcome sweetie.
One of my favorite features of Movable Type is 'draft mode'. I'll find stuff out on the net, then throw together notes and links and such into a drafted article until I can get around to polishing it until I get bored, then it goes out as is.
Once in a while, when the muse is silent, and I'm too lazy or busy to nudge her the hell up, I'll pull out one of my "Holding Pattern" posts and there you go - instant content.
For instance, here's two that I've been sitting on for a while now, both courtesy of Alan E. Brain.
The CSS Zen Garden . Site design ideas and inspiration.
And for those more inclined to the arts, presented here are Earth songs in Klingon - funny funny stuff!
Enjoy!
A while back I wrote about a rocket I fly called Ain't Misbehavin', and posted a picture of the decal for it. I'd mentioned that the pinup-style lady on the decal was from an artist named Shannanigan, but that I'd lost the link. Well, I found it again, and her site is well worth a visit.
Psst. She does Sims stuff too.
Oh yeah, Yahoo has taken down all my old photo pages, so I've included the decal for Ain't Misbehavin' in the extended entry.
I added the lettering in PowerPoint, and the edges are smooth on the decal, they jagged-ed when I converted the image to .jpg.
Major thanks to Lawren for pointing out that next year the Broadway musical version of Monty Python & the Holy Grail premiers.
Let the spankings commence!
Have you been watching Jeopardy lately?
Jennings is making the most of a change in "Jeopardy!" rules. To mark the start of its 20th season last September, the quiz show lifted its five-game limit for winners and allowed them to keep going until they lose.
By the way, my wife reminded me that we'd seen the longest contestant appearance streak ever on a show called Tic Tac Dough, hosted by Wink Martindale. On that show, a Naval officer named Thom McKee stayed on the show for 45 straight games.
Lynn from Reflections in D minor has put together the latest quiz to show just how uncivilized we are. Personally, I'm such a gentleman I take the dishes out of the sink before I pee (who recognizes that quote?).
Anyway, the choices are in the extended entry, and my preferences in bold.
1. UPN or Fox?
2. roller derby or WWE?
3. Loretta Lynn or Tammy Wynette?
4. Tony Lama or Durango? (this one has me stumped)
5. fried Spam or fried boloney?
6. Buck Owens or Porter Wagoner?
7. fiddle or banjo?
8. Texas or Tennessee?
9. Ford or Chevy? (pickup of course) -- doesn't matter, Ford sucks
10. extended cab or long bed?
11. Tabasco or Texas Pete's?
12. Saints or Cowboys?
13. baseball cap or cowboy hat?
14. double wide or single wide? -- I grew up in one
15. Wal-mart or K-mart?
16. "Your Cheatin' Heart" or "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry"?
17. Gunsmoke or Bonanza?
18. Johnny Cash or Merle Haggard? (ooooh... tough choice)
19. catfish or buffalo wings?
20. Charlie Daniels Band or ZZ Top? close call though
21. Velvet painting: Elvis or bullfighter? what, no dogs playing poker?
22. Plastic sunflowers or plastic flamingos?
23. Lawn chairs: molded plastic or aluminum frame?
24. John Wayne or Clint Eastwood?
Saddam's visit to court, soundtrack provided by ZZ Top - Sharp Dressed Man.
Thanks to Travelling Shoes for the pointer.
Here ya go, Susie. No links for monkey boy, but in his honor I just watched Bride of the Gorilla, starring Raymond Burr, from 1951. Good flick.
I'm discovering that trying to read internet sites not specifically formatted for PDA viewing can be a royal pain in the butt.
Eric McErlain's Off Wing Opinion is wonderful. He's got a dedicated mirror site that formats everything nicely, so that when I 'sync' and it gets downloaded, it shows up beautifully on the screen of my iPAQ. So I get all the great OWO sports articles in a handy, easy to read format.
On the other hand, sites like Scrappleface or USS Clueless are difficult to deal with because of scrolling issues, as in horizontal scrolling, because the pages are too wide and don't format properly (if at all) when being downloaded.
Now it's certainly not their problem, because I imagine it's another bit of work involved to put up a PDA-formatted site with your content, and who wants more to do just for a relatively few readers.
So I was wondering, might it be possible to use an RSS aggregator to collect posts from hither and yon, using it to strip away the problem bits, and then point the AvantGo channel to the RSS output?
Must do more research...
World Court Rules Isreal's West Bank Barrier Illegal. Oops, I think they misspelled "effective". I've struggled with this one, because of the parallels between this wall and the Berlin Wall. Major (and critical) differences exist, but the two absolutely share the trait of being effective.
Moving right along...
The headline should've read "This Security Briefing brought to you by the letters 'C', 'Y', and 'A'". What exactly was the reason for that worthless little infomercial? Besides having something to point to later when the idiots start whining about not being warned, that is. Intelligence gathering is difficult and an incredibly inexact science art, and people need to start admitting that. The best organizations in the world get it wrong as often as not, and you'll seldom hear about the successes because it can compromise future operations. Yet now we get officials holding nonsensical press briefings to say the same thing they've been telling us all along in anticipation of some future molehill-sized fingerpointing fest.
Norbizness does this so much better than I do.
Redefining "jumping the shark".
All right, that's enough. I just saw a headline about cell phones damaging sperm, and the first thing that came to mind is "hang up while driving and getting a hummer".
There has been some buzz in our little corner of the 'net about a certain someone posting her fuzzy grainy miniscule picture on her blog.
PS. I have a date with her. Neener neener.
I've signed up for the AvantGo service for my iPAQ Pocket PC. What this means is that I can subscribe to selected online publications and have content downloaded onto my PDA. It's free, and so far the obligatory advertising is unobtrusive enough to make it worthwhile.
I'm wondering what kind of news service(s) y'all think I should get. They offer standards like The Wall St Journal, The New York Times and The Washington Post, as well as Rueters and BBC. I was even pleasantly surprised to see the Christian Science Monitor available. I've got my own ideas about these, but would like to hear yours.
I'm just learning about how AvantGo actually works, but so far it's been fairly straightforward. I've successfully downloaded pages from a couple of technology pubs, plus Space.com and The Sporting News, and this morning I created a custom 'channel' for Eric McErlain's Off Wing Opinion. We'll see how that works this evening when I synchronize with my home PC.
Who needs Tetris? I've got words!
Thanks to Susie and Johnny-Oh, I now know where I am on the highway of life.
(in the extended entry)
PS. Some beasties like bogs. I am one such critter.
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This time around, my fancy has been caught largely by technology posts, which isn’t unprecedented I suppose.
First stop is Murdoc Online, with his look at Great Lake water levels and a splash of cold perspective to those who need it. Good story, great ending.
Al talks about what I’ve always suspected about pilots. You have to be detail-oriented, level-headed, clear thinking, quick reacting, and have the black soul of DeSade. Quoting Rick Riley:
”I was worried about getting airsick, so the night before the flight I asked Biff if there was something I should eat the next morning."Bananas," he said.
"For the potassium?" I asked.
"No," Biff said, "because they taste about the same coming up as they do going down."
Guess who just got back together after a bunch of crap?My buttcheeks.
Next up – and somehow I got my mojo on because this is flowing incredibly well – here’s a story about a French sculptor who created a piece to honor the Americans at D-Day, and the support she received from other French to keep the project moving forward. Thanks Casey, from The Gantry Launchpad for pointing this one out.
Who likes roller coasters? In our family, roller coasters ranks right up there with cheese and hugs on the list of important things in life. Five years ago we took a family vacation dubbed “Roller Coasters and Rockets”: a week-long rocket launch sandwiched by multiple day stays at two amusement parks. Ooo baby ooo baby ooo (you can quote me if you'd like).
So if you’re like us, you’ll definitely want to stay away from LegoLand in San Diego. Read the sad details over at QandO.
Whack-a-Mole. Smack down an elected idiot. Same concept, courtesy of Stephen at Hold the Mayo. My letter is drafted and goes out tomorrow.
So where’s all the technology posts, eh? Like a centrifuge spinning faster and faster, the weightier subjects all collect at the bottom. Yeah, I know, whatta crock…
Anticipatory Retaliation points the way to a site that shows you how to use your microwave and common household chemicals in the right proportions a nifty little toy to measure the speed of light.
I liked Michael Gross much better in Tremors than in Family Ties.
Bad movie physics. As in bad physics in movies, not physics in bad movies. Check it out and be prepared to howl. Thanks to Transterrestrial Musings for the link.
Remember when I talked about inflatables in space? Perv, I’m talking about this post. Rocket Forge points out that it looks like the Chinese are interested in the technology, and Bigelow has been moving ahead with prototypes.
File this one under 'science fiction': Kim Jong-Il, beloved leader of North Korea, loves golf.
The "Great Leader" routinely shoots three or four holes-in-one per round, the government-controlled media reported.
And finally, just because someone must be last, is a nifty story from AEBrain about Coca Cola and the potential to ruin someone’s day in a National Security kinda way. The proposed solution would never work, it makes too much sense. Look for revised (and obscenely expanded) rules to be published soon.
So that’s it. Bananas and butt cheeks, Michael Gross and inflatables, and of course the obligatory BDSM reference from Bondage Rocket Jones. Have fun.
Some of my favorite works are by Dru Blair. Check out his site for some great works.
(more in the extended entry)
According to the website, Mr. Blair allows the use of his images as wallpapers, which is how I have them.
I've just finished an oldie-timey humor book called Who Was Who, 5000 B.C. to Date. Edited by Irwin Gordon around 1910, the humor is gentle and good for a smile, but what I found most interesting is the general attitudes and mores of the day that are included.
According to the Foreward:
Who Was Who contains over 500 biographies of those who did or endeavored to become famous.
Under no circumstance will duels be fought.
BACON, Francis, either wrote or did not write Shakespeare.
GOOSE, Mother, a fine old lady who was loved by all, but who told some awful untruths to the innocent.
ROY, Robert, a very wicked Scotchman whom we all hope will always escape the police.
SANTOS-DUMONT, a pre-Zeppelin-Wright air investigator who had enough money and sense to quit before people remarked how natural he looked.
Just for the heck of it, I went and googled "Who Was Who" and came up with several pages of nifty links to explore.
TV Land is showing the Flip Wilson Show every weekday evening at 5pm. Awesome.
Bits of an exchange over on the Munuviana group blog, under the title Blacklist Backfire:
CD: Hey, I can't use the word "socialist" in my comments because it contains the word "Cialis."Pixy Misa: Just call them filthy godless Commies like everyone else.
No, Timmy didn't fall into the well again. Lassie just wanted to remind everyone that half the stuff in Adam & Eve's catalog can be found cheaper at PetSmart.
Don't believe me? Take the test: Dog Toy or Marital Aid?
Kudos to Rich for pointing this one out.
Update: Ok, home from work. I took the first two rounds and scored 9 out of 14 twice.
Mongolia recently held elections and the resident Communist Party suffered huge losses, to the point that they may be out of power. But the truly remarkable part is that their election had an 80% voter turnout!
Thanks to The Marmot for the story, and to Simon for pointing it out.
Victor brings up the bondage pants again, and then this morning whilst cruising the ol' linklist I find Velociman pointing out this site (via this guy, who is very funny) where you can meet ladies who're temporarily guests of the state. At least one of them is a Dominant (Domme, in the parlance), who helpfully mentions that she's incarcerated for a non-violent crime. Considering this post I made just days ago, that brings to three the number of recent mentions of BDSM, which fulfills the prophesy and closes the circle. No need to worry about the end-of-the-world thing, it's a small circle. At worst, your front lawn may die.
In totally unrelated news, I've discovered that by going out into the backyard and shouting "Ni!", the squirrels are leaving my bird feeder alone. Probably no connection, I know, but someone did leave a nice shrubbery on the front porch overnight.
Crap. I just remembered that I watched Secretary last night. The circle begins anew.
The new job is across the street from my old corporate headquarters (long since moved to the 'burbs), so the area isn't completely unfamiliar to me. Walking around this week, I found a new park that's been built since I last visited the area. Called Freedom Park, I'll try to describe the place, but I also recommend going here for some great pictures.
To start off, set back from the street in a nook between two skyscrapers, are nine sections of the original Berlin Wall. The sections are covered with artwork from three different artists, and there are several placards placed in front that talk about the wall. See those pictures! They also have an original East German guard tower from near Checkpoint Charlie.
To the left of this display is a set of steps (the entire park moves uphill in terraced steps as it broadly curves to the right) leading up to a series of symbols of freedom from around the world. Among the symbols are cast bronze replicas of the Goddess of Democracy located in Tienamen Square (similar to the Statue of Liberty, but with oriental eyes), a South African ballot box (end of apartied), the door to the jail cell where Martin Luther King, Jr was held, a small homemade boat used by Cuban refugees, reproductions of Women's Sufferage banners, an actual toppled stone statue of Lenin - sans head, a section of cobbles from the Warsaw Jewish ghetto, and finally, a slightly less than 1/2 scale bronze of "Freedom", the 1863 sculpture by Thomas Crawford that crowns the dome of the US Capitol building.
Still farther up is a Journalists Memorial, dedicated to those who gave their lives while practicing freedom of the press, known and unknown. A kiosk with a touchscreen terminal contains a directory of names on the memorial. There is also an attached Journalists Museum, but I haven't been in there yet.
Adjoining the memorial is a long curving series of fountains dedicated to early American journalism pioneers. Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine, James Gordon Bennett, Frederick Douglas, Horace Greeley (he of the advice to head west), and Ida B. Wells.
Across from the fountains are 270 pictures painted by kids that represent freedom. Freedom from Fear, Freedom of Religion, Freedom to Grow, Freedom to Learn, and so on.
Whoever designed the park did a nice job making it feel larger than it really is. It's impossible to hide the towering buildings around, but the eye is drawn downwards into the park itself. There are trees and grassy areas, and plenty of benches to enjoy the fresh air. This was a pleasant surprise to find, especially in the heart of the downtown area, and I'll probably go there often to have my lunch. If you're in the Rosslyn area of Arlington, you should check it out.
Then again, this might be the most work-related link ever, depending on where you work. Not work safe.
Whoops! Forgot to credit the link: Fleshbot, for naughtyness.
Twice now, Dawn's boss has caught her headbanging, and once it was a song with rather... *ahem* inappropriate lyrics. It's good to remind the boss that total control over their realm isn't gonna happen.
I caught hell once in the Air Force for my music. I was jammin' to Zappa's "Joe's Garage" when an unexpected VIP dropped by. The music wasn't loud, so I didn't even think to turn it down or off. Once the VIP left my boss called me in for an ass-chewing.
Wet T-Shirt NightLooks to me like something funny is going on around here
People laughin' 'n' dancin' 'n' payin' entirely too much for their beer
And they all think they're clean outta-sight
And they're ready to party 'cause the sign outside says it's WET T-SHIRT NITE
And they all crave some hot delightWell the girls are excited because in a minute they're gonna get wet
And the boys are delighted because all the titties will get 'em upset
And they all think they are really awright
And they're ready to boogie 'cause the sign outside says it's WET T-SHIRT NITE
And they all crave some pink delightWhen the water gets on 'em their ninnies get rigid and look pretty bold
It's a common reaction that makes an attraction whenever it's cold
And all of the fellas they wish they could bite
On the cute little nuggets the local girls are showin' off tonite
You know I think it serves 'em right
You know I think it serves 'em right
You know I think it serves 'em right
You know I think it serves 'em right
And it's WET T-SHIRT TIME AGAIN
I know you want someone to show you some tit!BIG ONES!
WET ONES!
BIG WET ONES!
With the right attitude, drugs are redundant.
Check out Google! It's the Menendez brothers getting ready to take out Dad on his special day!
Hey, you don't live to be an old geezer without being a little paranoid.
DeMythology has moved, and VoodooChild has renamed his blog The Temple of Rock (as in music). Check it out and change your links.
You've probably heard that the state of Virginia is now cracking down on statutory rape, which is a good thing. Except that they've decided to do it by launching a milquetoast advertising campaign.
Kat at Mostly Fluff (nice new digs by the way, adjust your links) has some killer suggestions for slogans that might actually be effective. My favorite:
If she wants YOU she’s too young to know better, pervert.
Go on over and say hi. Enjoy the sweet everydayness of Mostly Fluff.
I admit it, I'm a font-lovin' fool. I've got a gazillion of 'em on my PC, and I'll spend time looking for just the right one when I need to add a little pizazz to a project.
Alan E. Brain posted this nice link to a slew of alien-style fonts from science fiction.
My favorite font resource on the 'net is Mary Forrest's Free Font Fiesta. The site has been around for many years, and she keeps the link list reasonably up-to-date. Here's her home page too, it's a fun place to look around.
Other resources I use:
Aquamarine's Fonts Place
Chankstore Freefont Archives
Eric Brooks
Google up "free fonts" for thousands more possibilities.
The Carnival of the Vanities is up at Ambient Irony. Pixy has included lots of links to thoughtful and insightful posts there, but no pictures. Darnit.
Mark Oakley of Rocket Man Blog has spent the last couple of months moving and getting into his new job as chief propulsion engineer for TGV Rockets, one of the companies going for the X-Prize.
Things have settled down for him enough to resume blogging, and I'm looking forward to interesting times ahead. Stop by and welcome him back. Who knows, maybe we can work a deal for a 'bloggers discount' on trips into space?
Knife Throwing 101, courtesy of Iron Bear over at Who Tends the Fires.
This is one of those things that is on my "everyone should know" list. You do carry a knife, right? At the very least, a Swiss-army or Boy Scout pocket knife should be part of your daily kit. Something larger and defensively-oriented should be in your car. And you should know enough about using it to be a credible threat, because nothing is more frightening than facing someone who obviously knows how to use that knife in their hand. And at some point, that might mean your only good option is throwing your knife at the target. Iron Bear has the best advice possible on the subject.
Even if you don't stick or cut your target, throwing a knife can have benefits. I'm assuming here that you have a backup like another knife, you don't throw your only weapon in most situations. The first benefit is pretty obvious, most folks will flinch if a knife is coming their way, probably a lot too, and that's a hell of a distraction. Use that distraction to get away, or to prepare for the disabling move you're going to win the fight with (like hosing him down with pepper spray). Also, since you don't lob or toss a knife - you throw it hard - another benefit is that even if you hit your target with the hilt of the knife, it should feel like a Randy Johnson fastball, and he's going to take a moment to do a quick check and realize that the blade isn't buried deep. Again, get away or use the time to win the fight.
Like many skills, accurate and effective knife throwing isn't technically difficult, but it takes time to develop the ability, and more time to practice and keep your skills sharp.
Guys, impress the ladies. Ladies, impress the guys and remember: nothing says "no" like a woman who can perform an impromptu vasectomy from across the room (that's 'Dad' talking, by the way).
Nobody specifically asked, but I'm all about anticipating your needs, so I'm pleased to point you to a random surreal phrase generator that you can put on your sidebar!
Thanks to Chicken Soup for the Vegan Soul for the link, which I can't find again on her site, but my post-it note iPAQ says that's where it came from, so I must believe me. Or forever be lime. How surreal.
Somehow, I think Victor and Nic already knew about this. They probably contributed.
Thanks to J-Walk Blog for the pointer.
Like I said, I like to cook, but I've never gotten this reaction to one of my culinary creations:
This is an evil pie. If it was a human being, it would be the kind that your daughter explores her love of bondage and discipline with. If it was a flower, it would be a dandelion nodding its impudent yellow head on the 18th hole at Augusta. If it was a car, it would be the bastard love-child of KITT and the Batmobile--and the midwife would be Jesse James. It's a high-voltage vibrator-induced multiple orgasm for your tastebuds.
Just last night, while Mookie was practicing her driving, we were talking and I mentioned an old pinball machine that I used to play at the NCO club. Funny how it happens, because this morning I come across this place: VPForums, where they live, breathe and eat pinball. Make sure to check out their sister site, where they have lovingly recreated 883 classic pinball tables!!!
I'll be perusing their database this evening, and hopefully I'll find that machine I remember so fondly.
It's no secret that I like to cook, and just looking at me tells you that I love to eat. Years ago in high school, a science teacher said something that always stayed with me, which was:
Cooking is chemestry.
Everything that happens when you cook is either a chemical process or the catalyst for a chemical process, and that includes mixing, heating, blending, baking... all of it. We use recipes to control those chemical processes in a way that leads to (hopefully) edible food.
Alton Brown has a show on the Food Network called Good Eats. In it, he digs deep into the why of cooking, and he's entertaining as hell doing it. If you haven't had a chance to see it, you really should. His shows generally focus on one narrow theme - for instance, fish & chips - and as he cooks, you get the story on what's really happening to the food as you prepare it. And knowing the 'why' of things helps you to understand why certain things are done and to avoid potential problems.
J-Walk Blog pointed out a nice feature about Alton Brown in Wired. It'll give you a better idea of why this show is one of my favorites on television.
It's bigger than it looks. In fact, I actually had it in my hand, all ready to give to the checkout lady, but my conscience kicked in and I put it away. Even so, it's very impressive and lots of fun to play with.
What?
On the way home from Michigan, we passed a billboard with this website, which made me think of The Llama Butchers.
Great URL - "Lamalot" - which makes me think of Richard Burton as king, with singing and dancing Llamas all over the place. Very memorable image, which is what you want.
But, "Try Llamas - For Pleasure or Profit"?!?!? Ewwwwww.
Mookie is the latest (first?) viewer/blogger to be posted on FuseBlog*, and has been invited to submit more posts. They've also added MookieRiffic and Fear Your Future to their blogroll.
In the traditional Munuvian manner: Yay!
*Fuse is a channel that does music videos, kinda like what MTV started out to be. I like 'em too, they rock.
You have a dirty mind. Uh huh, I can see the smirk. It matches mine. :D
I haven't had the chance to look around yet, so these may be so yesterday's news.
From the Universal Church of Cosmic Uncertainty comes notice that the story about the lady who rode her motorcycle through the Cherbobyl area is a hoax. I know several bloggers linked to this one, but annika is the only one I recall at the moment.
Also filed under 'oops' is the story about the religious couple who couldn't figure out why she wasn't getting pregnant. Kevin of Wizbang exposes it as another hoax. Since everyone reads Wizbang (or should), you already knew this.
This morning during the commute I was listening to one of my big band CD's. A song came on and brought back memories of classic black & white cartoons I used to watch on saturday mornings. These cartoons were before Hannah-Barbarra developed their cookie-cutter scenery style, and the music was lifted from the popular radio hits of the day.
The name of that particular song is "Song of the Volga Boatmen" and always seemed to be used for cartoon funerals or 'scary' skeleton dances. Another popular tune often used was "Sing Sing Sing", and I'm sure there are many more I'd recognize now.
I'll have to do some more research on this, because I don't have enough things to fill up every waking moment of my life. In the meantime, here's a site called Mike's Classic Cartoon Themes & Images. It concentrates on stuff newer than I'm talking about above, but it's still pretty cool. Seems to be fairly complete too, I mean, who else besides me remembers Marine Boy?
If you're here because of a Google search for "Calgary Flames Breast". You'll find them here (not work safe).
Credit where credit is due: Eric of Off Wing Opinion.
The hockey season isn't over, it just seems that way now that my beloved Sharks are out of the playoffs. Apparently there's another sport being played this time of the year...
Let's lead off with a little baseball history, shall we? The question is: "who is the ninth man?"
He is out there somewhere in spring training. He's probably 20 or 21, maybe 22. And he will retire in the year 2016. He will be the grand old man of baseball. And they will say, 'He's so old that the year he broke in, Eddie Murray was still playing.' And he will become the ninth man. Eddie Murray's the eighth man. When he broke in, Brooks Robinson was still playing. And when Robinson broke in, Bob Feller was still playing. And when Feller broke in, Rogers Hornsby was still playing. And when Hornsby broke in, Honus Wagner was still playing. And when Wagner broke in, Cap Anson was still playing. And when Anson broke in, Dickey Pearce was still playing. And when Pearce broke in, Doc Adams was still playing. Adams played for the Knickerbocker club inthe first organized game of baseball in 1846, number one of the eight men whose careers cover the 152 seasons since. And somewhere out there is the ninth man.
In the #2 spot we have Roberto of DynamoBuzz telling us about taking the family to see a minor league baseball game.
Moving the runners along, QandO reports on "Terror Math" and what exactly it means to find a single sarin-filled artillery shell in Iraq. This is scary stuff. In related developments, John and McQ have added Dale Franks to the blogging team, removing them from the Beeblebroxian category and placing them squarely in the realm of three-headed knights of Holy Grail fame. Ni! (I know)
Batting cleanup, we find this from the flea ethereal:
Bruce Campbell says there is "some validity" to rumours Ash could take on Freddy and Jason.
Up next is Lemur Girl, who says:
...we all have the same love for the sun. So when it next peeks out from behind a cloud and people rush down to bathe shirtless and in tiny tops I will gladly join them.
Batting sixth is Angelweave's Heather, who has figured out that the cicada's are actually Zerg! Yikes!
In the seventh slot, we have Daniel, who brazenly displays a deep and penetrating understanding of mysterious technological mysteries. Jen steals the sign and calls the balk!
Seventh inning stretch! Jello shots, courtesy of Lawren.
Batting eighth, and consistantly going deep, is Debbye Stratigacos. Way to shut the home team down!
And finally, batting ninth with a funny bat, we have Simon. If you love football, you're daft, according to him.
Hitting the showers was never this much fun.
That's it, complete game. Now will someone please tell McCarver to STFU?!?!?!
An interactive map showing the locations of 20th century wars. Nifty.
Thanks to J-Walk Blog for the pointer.
If you're one of those people who loves to jump on the bandwagon, join the parade, be part of the 'in' crowd, can't say no, or never met a cause you couldn't get behind, well, today is your lucky day!
Blogger had issues, there's no argument there, but the new version added comments and more style to several of my regular stops, so that's a good thing. Here we go on the Blogspot edition of Rocketing Around the Blogosphere...
First up is The Eternal Golden Braid, which is a great space blog. He's got comments now. Woot! I also found a link from his place to a page about StarForce, which is the space wargame and company I couldn't remember the name of here. That makes me happy too, although I'm guessing you're less than overwhelmed. May I suggest you go visit and check out his awesome Martian Pictures of the Day.
Check out Blogeline's snazzy new design. That's what I mean by new Blogger style. She was invited to be a Munuvian by notGeorge, and I think she wants to, but she's shy. Pixy, is she on the waiting list? If not, may we get her added?
The Llama Butchers are moving from Blogspot to new digs within the ever-expanding borders of Munuviana. Are they anti-Llama? Or are they Llama's who enjoy a little of the ol' ultra-violence, eh? Check 'em out, and decide for yourself. Warning though, they're definitely the thinking person's wooly mammal. Mammals. Whatever.
The Cheesemistress of Chaos (who I'm sure has noted that the term 'fairy floss' sounds like something Tinkerbell would wear at her evening job on the seedy side of town) has found a new friday funfest called Blogmaze. I followed her maze and came across CowDog, who was automatically added to the blogroll just for being an adult cowpuppy.
Somewhere and somehow I also wound up on the beach at the end of the world (not Mookie-safe, but fun nonetheless). She's Aussie, mentions breasts a lot, has pictures of submarines in her photo album (and we all know how much I love breasts submarines), and she's quite funny. Welcome to the blogroll dear. I can call her 'dear' because annika says I'm the "great elder statesman" of Munuviana, which also means I can be grouchy too, so back off ya whippersnapper.
And look what I found there on the beach, this video of a girl folding t-shirts. Go on, watch it. You know ya wanna. It's safe for work.
Publicola is another former blogspotter who's now a Munuvian. If you want to know about firearms rights and the second amendment, he's a good place to start. And if you're interested, check out Alphecca, Say Uncle, Murdoc Online, Spoons and the Shooter's Carnival for more about guns and shooting.
More recent additions to the blogroll, maybe you'll find something new and interesting to add to your lists:
Opinion8 - he's also a regular commenter at the Ministry of Minor Perfidy
Serenade - a Brit, I believe.
Republican Atheist Rocket Scientist Man - almost as descriptive as the literal Rocket Jones, eh?
That's it, I'm outta here. Dinner and a hockey game coming up.
Have some fun with this site where you can create fake newspaper stories about your favorite (or not-so-favorite) people.
(work sensitive)
Thanks to Wince and Nod for the pointer to this online shooting range. Learn how to line up various kinds of sights on pistols and rifles. Lots of fun and edjumuhcationable too!
Courtesty of The Massive Whinger, who's trackbacks are blocked and won't work.
The Battle of Monte Cassino (WW II).
Some representative samples from the artist (not safe for work). Even if you don't recognize the name, you may know the work. He did the cover of Cheap Thrills by Janis Joplin's Big Brother & the Holding Company.
I've been working on this as time allowed over the last few days, so if you find some of these links are a little... old, they're not, they're nicely aged like a fine wine. Yeah, that's it.
Fellow Munuvian Linda of Auteriffic has an interesting discussion going on about porn. If you’ve read Rocket Jones for any length of time, you know I peruse the naughty bits on occasion, and then cheerfully pass it along to you. That’s not what Linda is doing, she’s looking at it from a more intellectual standpoint, and the discussion is excellent. Go check it out.
P.S. For anyone expecting to find my input there, it’s not. I’ve got some things to say, but haven’t really had a chance to sit back and sort it out in my mind. This is a subject where it’s all too easy to lose sight of your original point, and I don’t want to do that. Maybe this week, if not then I’m afraid it’ll be too late to toss my two cents in.
Over at Say Uncle, Thibodeaux passes on a link and a joke. The excerpt from the linked story is priceless!
I’ve heard of LittleTinyLies before, but there are only so many hours I can waste at work spend surfing the ‘net, so I’d never visited.
Big mistake on my part. This guy is on a BBQ binge lately, and some of his posts are so mouth-wateringly wonderful it’s damn near pornographic [another porn reference - what gives?]. Ignore some of the unholy abominations he experiments with (donut lasagne?) and stick with the 'dead beasts on fire' recipes. Yum!!!
Annika has probably already seen this (and frightened co-workers as she suddenly burst into laughter throughout the day at the mere thought of), but she seldom misses an opportunity to slam the American Skankwoman. So just in case she missed it, here's Britney Spears in her natural state, courtesy of Wizbang!
Do you love Scrappleface? Are you a regular Onion reader? Have you tried Broken Newz yet?
Thank J-Walk Blog for this link to 40 years of Astounding/Analog covers. I read Analog faithfully for years from the early 70’s, and was introduced to war gaming thanks to a little ad inside one of their issues. What was that company again... SSI - Strategic Simulations, Inc? I need to google that up.
He also linked to the Read Print library, with thousands of online books. This is going to be fun to go through.
Loren at Civilization Calls links to this interesting phenomena in Africa - fairy circles - that as far as anyone can tell, may actually be created by fairies.
Yet another Munuvian, Rae, talks about her Mother's Day weekend and teaching her kids life lessons about work and money. We've tried to do the same with our kids, and I think we've been successful. Mookie bought her own PC with babysitting money (she was tired of having the old hand-me-down machine), and oldest daughter Robyn bought her own first car. They've learned that saving money and working towards your goals is worthwhile, because you tend to appreciate what you have more when you earn it.
Speaking of Mookie (aka Rachael), her internet connection has been shut down for a couple of weeks. When we had new windows installed in the house, the old cable was removed and we've run two new lines into the upstairs. Unfortunately, the new cable we dropped into her bedroom isn't working, so one evening this week I've got to head back up into the attic and we'll try the second cable run and hope that one works. She's been making do with scrounging time on Mom's PC.
Short. Sweet. Absolutely true. Thanks for the laugh, John.
Bigwig at Silflay Hraka posts the latest "Not the Prudie" advice column link, and it's a keeper. My favorite bit:
A ballroom dancer who's a great listener, puts other people first, and seeks advice from his women friends. I'm not saying you're gay, but everyone else is.
Dustbury remains one of my favorite daily stops. Here he opens a discussion about President Bush's policies. I get involved. Head on over and point and laugh at your host (that would be me) being shredded intellectually (I anticipate this last bit).
Update: Maybe I'm not an idiot. People seem to be agreeing with me, which probably means they're talking about me behind my back. That's ok too, it's better for my self-esteem. :)
All right, if I wait much longer to post this links might start expiring. Enjoy.
I talked about Dairy Queen's new Flamethrower Burger commercial here. Have you seen it yet? Well, thanks to Euth, here's the link to see it online. He didn't leave contact info, so the good deed counts double.
Paul had a little run-in with his HOA. I commiserated in his comments and asked if I'd ever told him the story of the meteor that almost crashed through my roof.
Turns out I had told that story here. Damn, I can't be running out of material already.
Seen in a bathroom stall:
You can't beat good pussy.
Underneath, in different handwriting:
Sure you can, just ask Ike Turner.
For more assorted scribbles and scrawls on the restroom walls, go check out The Writing on the Stall.
Rachel Lucas is making noises about coming back.
Spork, I'm speechless.
Patton has been a regular in the comments over at the Ministry of Minor Perfidy for quite some time, and he seems like a reasonable sort, so it's nice to find that he now has his own blog.
Welcome.
Update: While looking at the ecosystem (for the first time in a long time) I found a couple of other 'rocket' blogs, so here ya go.
Republican Atheist Rocket Scientist Man - sounds like a bio.
Ok, so this guy has been on the 'roll for a while now. Give a visit, because we all enjoy a few extra site hits: Rocketsled to Hell.
... and this time, non-hockey fans will get it.
Thanks to Rodger, of Curmudgeonly & Skeptical fame, for this one.
Not only do they concoct the most gruesome confections like the anatomically correct thorax cake, but they review my kind of movies, and give ratings from one to five severed thumbs.
Welcome to my blogroll.
Thanks to Matt for the pointer, and also for one of the funniest posts I've read in a long time.
Lots of life happening right now, details coming when I know more myself. In the meantime, here's a quick tour of some of the interesting (to me) things I've seen lately in the neighborhood.
USS Clueless did a typically thorough analysis of the future of war in space. Taking the idea and running with it, Buckethead of The Ministry of Minor Perfidy posted a fascinating multi-part series on the concept as well (this link is for part three, which has links to the rest, including the Clueless posts - they're all worth reading). The comments are good reading too.
And if you don't read the original Clueless post mentioned above, then you won't understand why this from Ghost of a Flea about ancient Trireme warships ties in either.
Just because it's bloodthirsty warmongering stuff doesn't mean it can't be neato-keen. De Doc has a great post about UAV's equipped with precision-guided weapons and pattern recognition systems.
Got Wawa? They're just becoming common in our area, and they're pretty good. If you aren't familiar with them, they're a variation on the 7-11 convenience store model, and they're making a dent in 7-11's business. Kinda like WalMart whupping on KMart, who whupped on Sears, who whupped on Woolworths, and so on and so on. Anyways, Roberto of DynamoBuzz talks about Wawa and shares some interesting tidbits.
Shaggy and Scoobie Doo were stoners. Fred and Daphne were getting it on. Big surprises, eh? Although I have to admit I like the idea that Velma was a lesbian, and she wears glasses too. All that, plus more in-the-closet cartoon characters, courtesy of Dustbury.
While you're over there, check out Dustbury's thoughts on the demise of Oldsmobile. Growing up, the best family car we ever had was a '72 Olds Cutlass that would blow the doors off most 'hot rods' the teens of the day were driving. I for one am going to miss Oldsmobile.
Over at BlackFive there is an article posted called Taking Chance Home.
The following is Marine Lieutenant Colonel Strobl's account of escorting the remains of Lance Corporal Chance Phelps. It's a long and beautifully written and it deserves to be read in it's entirety. It's about Valor, Honor and Respect.
Lightening up a bit. SilverBlue invites your questions. Ask away, because he says "bring it on!" and he ain't waffling about answering either.
Paul looks back at simpler times. Laugh-out-loud funny.
Another wonderfully funny post: how Moxie spent Earth Day. I especially loved the comments:
sample: You have made my day. I think I'll start up the Hummer and let it idle for earth day.
Rob of Left & Right shows off his ribbons and medals, and explains what each one means. I'll have to see about digging mine out, although I don't have the impressive combat ribbons he has.
You do read QandO, right? Jon and McQ are partisan as hell - against stupidity and dishonesty. Dems and Repubs alike get fact-checked and called out when needed.
Over at Travelling Shoes, we hear about something that makes me lower my voice to impersonate Boris Karloff doing the narrative of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas (paraphrased: and he had an idea, a terrible wonderful awful idea). He's still blogspotted, so if the link doesn't work, scroll down to "Oily George". Classic.
And here's a random link I found while looking for Grinch references. Besides that, I also discovered that the singing (You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch) in the animated version was performed by Thurl Ravenscroft, who received no on-screen credit for it. You might know Mr. Ravenscroft better for his other work, as the voice of Tony the Tiger.
Nic writes one of the scariest pieces I've read in a long time. Snakeheads and Bruce Boxleitner. *shudder*
And finally, to distract you from that nightmare, Victor links to this ebay auction. Thanks guy, I needed that laugh!
Go Sharks!
But I'm still going to go back this evening and check out the archives.
Human Descent, a photoshop gallery.
Thanks to Lynn for the pointer.
"Protect your banana!" (work-safe)
Thanks to J-Walk Blog for the - ahem - pointer.
Yeah, I'm easily amused, but still, this is funny!
(the picture is work safe, the C&S comments banner isn't)
I was up late last night (this morning) watching hockey. The Canucks/Flames went into triple overtime before the Canucks scored to force the series into a deciding seventh game. Three AM before I crawled into bed. What? Don't you realize it's the first round of the NHL playoffs? C'mon, get some perspective. Sheesh.
My dogs aren't hockey fans, although they do lay on the floor near the TV. I think they have trouble following the puck, so they close their eyes and just listen to the game. That's what I choose to believe anyways.
They also wanted to go outside way too early this morning. *yawn*
Speaking of dogs, do you read Two Nervous Dogs? You should be, because of stuff like this:
In other doggie developments, the ear infection is pretty much gone (again), but then a sty appeared on the eyelid. The vet punctured it, which was disgusting. The puncturing of the sty didn't seem to bother the dog at all. Yep, no problem at all with a guy jabbing a needle right into the eyelid "while you wait," but you just try clipping those toenails, mister.
Meanwhile, Denita continues to provide monster artwork for their new game. You've got to check out the latest over at Who Tends the Fires. Make sure you click on it and see the bigger version too. Between cooking and movie reviews and kid-blogging and intelligent commentary, there's a whole lot of good stuff to go through.
Lynn posts beautiful pictures, talks about classical music, and makes me smile with her wit and insight. She's got a post up about Vegetarians, and this line of hers made me laugh out loud:
I sort of lean toward the "The body is a temple" side myself but, as everyone knows, temple gods demand regular sacrifices of animal flesh.
And for the record, I like liver.
Spoons recently got married (congrats!). He also wrote one of the funniest posts I've seen in a long while. It's short, you should go read it.
And speaking of congrats being in order, SilverBlue and his partner have decided to make it official. Best wishes for you both, and I hope you find happiness, contentment and prosperity together.
And lastly but not leastly, a couple of pointers to some other bloggers that review movies on a somewhat regular basis. Besides Ironbear at the aforementioned Who Tends the Fires, you could also visit Truly Bad Films for some great fun, as well as one brand new to me called A Perfectly Cromulent Blog (and thanks to Norbizness for that pointer).
My dogs are laying here snoring, yet I'm now wide awake. I think I'll go cook some bacon and not give them any.
The guys at Anticipatory Retaliation point out this unique way of looking at space exploration: Expensive Hardware Lobbing. Funny commentary to go along with your history.
Also, John links a wonderful collection of space and science themed e-cards. Very nice.
Has Bill Watterson (of Calvin & Hobbes fame) resurfaced under a psuedonym? Check out the conspiracy theories laid out and linked by The Llama Butchers.
First, I won the caption contest at Wizbang! And although it was a while ago it's not like I enter these all the time. Besides, Susie said some of my other entries should've won too, which proves that she has exceptional taste.
Now, over at Captain's Quarters, I've taken top honors once again. Thanks to Stephen for suggesting people go over to whup him like a red-headed step-child enjoy his fine entries and possibly play as well.
We now return to our modest and self-depreciating self.
Last night I had on my first baseball game of the year - Giants vs Astros - and they had an interesting factoid. Tonight will be the first time in baseball history that a 300 game winner (Clemens) pitches to a 600 home run hitter (Bonds).
The reason the game was on was because I couldn't stand another minute of Mars Needs Women. Lord knows I tried, but even I have limits.
So while the game was on, I did a quick check of all those little sticky notes on my desk...
Terra Taco is back! Yay!
Denita of Who Tends the Fires showcases her artistic talent by presenting not one, but two internet creatures: The DU Spawn and the Spam Golem. Mmmm, spam. Gimme an onion and a skillet and I'll whip up some good eats!
Rob at Left & Right tells a hilarious story that falls under the category of Stupid User Tricks. Years ago I saw a 'computer alphabet' and the letter 'V' stuck with me:
V is for Void
A vast empty null
A lot like the inside
Of a user's skull.
I had to wave my wife over to the PC to read this classic from Kelley because I was laughing too hard to read it to her.
Now here's a twist to the old Nigerian scam that I might fall for: Save the Nigerian Astronaut! Thanks to Transterrestrial Musings for the timely intervention.
Bunsen. Red Sox. No surprise there, it's funny.
And just so this doesn't turn into a one-note chucklepalooza, take a look at Travelling Shoes and his link about fruit fly fights.
Wizbang guest blogger Rodney links to the story that the Mars rover Spirit has officially completed all tasks on its original mission. NASA has plenty more lined up, but from here on out it's all icing on the cake.
Short list this time, life has been hectic. If I post less often, does that mean the quality on Rocket Jones improves because the frequency of suck goes down? Any statitstics wizards out there?
Who else but the flea would point out this gem of a site, a list of "Holy (blank), Batman!" phrases used by the sidekick of the Caped Crusader?
For some reason my inner-synergist is inspired by this.
Munuviana - Holy Multitudes
Ambient Irony - Holy Alter-ego
Practical Penumbra - Holy Perfect pitch
Blather Review - Holy Blackout (I'm guessing this applies to his keyboards)
Stranger in a Strange Land - Holy Missing relatives
Publius & Co. - Holy Purple cannibals
Jennifer's History and Stuff - Holy Jelly molds
MookieRiffic - Holy Molehill
The Cheese Stands Alone - Holy Chutzpah
Hoppings of Roxette Bunny - Holy Rainbow
D.F.Moore - Your Daily Dose of Pizzazz - Holy D'artagnan
Caught in the XFire - Holy Crack-up
Angelweave - Holy Armadillos
Anger Management - Holy Astringent pomite fruit
Snooze Button Dreams - Holy Split seconds
Everyday Stranger - Holy Escape hatch
Simon World - Holy Squirrel cage
Tom's Nap Room - Holy Trolls and goblins
Semi-Intelligent Thoughts - Holy Skull tamper
Civilization Calls - Holy Crucial moment
Hold the Mayo - Holy Hot foot
Minx Development Blog - Holy Mechanical army
annika's poetry and journal - Holy armour plate
Trying to Grok - Holy Travel agent
Ilyka Damen - Holy impregnability
Being American in T.O. - Holy bat-logic
Read My Lips - Holy Red herring
G'Day Mate! - Holy Geography
Miss Apropos - Holy Masquerade
Little Miss Attila - Holy Levitation
Triticale - Holy Terminology
Backstage - Holy Bijou
Um's Musings - Holy Unrefillable prescriptions
Rambling Rhodes - Holy Reverse polarity
XSet - Holy Uncanny photographic mental processes
Lemur Girl - Holy Looking glass
Educated Beyond Her Intelligence - Holy Einstein
Primal Purge - Holy Priceless collection of Etruscan snoods
Flying Space Monkey Chronicles - Holy flight plan
A Likely Story - Holy Las Vegas
There's One, Only! - Holy One-track Bat-computer mind
Mamamontezz's Mental Rumpus Room - Holy mesmerism
Light & Dark - Holy Magic Lantern
It's All About De - Holy Diversionary tactic
TexasBestGrok - Holy Toreador
Fear Your Future - Holy Fugitives
2Flower To You - Holy Fishbowl
Anticipatory Retaliation - Holy alphabet
The Meatriarchy - Holy Mashed Potatoes
Ellis Island - Holy Fourth of July
Holy uneven effort, Batman!
You're in your yard, admiring all the hard work. You've spent hours fertilizing and mowing, trimming and edging, not to mention the back-breaking landscaping projects you've done over time. But there's something missing, you need a focal point. Something that will make the whole neighborhood stop and say 'wow'.
Nothing says wow like real military hardware.
Picture the impact your tulip bed would have as it frames a 155mm howitzer. That mixed bed of hostas perfectly sets off your new M-5 Stuart light tank (as an added bonus, it'll keep those pesky kids out of your yard too!).
The Kenosha Military Museum not only has lots of real vintage hardware on display, but they also buy and sell equipment. Spring is in the air, why not spruce up in a big way?
I honestly don't know if anyone who stops by Rocket Jones practices Islam. But it can't hurt anyone to read this, and if so inclined to go here.
Interesting style. Many broken links, you'll have to explore a little. Not safe for work.
To become a scientist just like Daniel, you can either spend thousands of dollars in a structured and professional setting, or you can let your natural curiosity take over with loving, helpful guidance.
(Mookie, I would kill you!)
(in the most loving and kindest way possible, of course)
The San Jose Sharks have achieved their first-ever 100 point season, and have all but clinched the Pacific Division title for the second time in three years.
Since the playoffs are a whole new season, I'd just like to take a moment at this time to gloat over my fellow Munuvians as the clear winner of the First Annual Inter-Munuvian Hockey WhoopAss Jamboree*.
I'm also pleased to note that Helen's Dallas Stars and Heather's St. Louis Blues will also both make the playoffs, while Victor's Washington Capitals burnt to the ground (I feel your pain, really!) and Daniel never officially entered his Atlanta Thrashers.
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*Anyone interested in getting in on next year's edition, the rules are simple:
1. Declare your favorite hockey team.
2. During the season, when your team plays another in the Jamboree, the loser must display the logo of the winner for 24 hours.
3. Trash talking and good-natured making fun-of is encouraged.
I had a theme picked out for this Symphony, but I’m still in the midst of a flu-administered ass-kickin', so I just don’t have the energy to go through with it. You get the plain jane versions, which is fine, because these links are the highlights anyway.
Not that I won't run my mouth. Just pretend it's part of my folksy charm.
In no particular order...
Simon provides an essential guide to Hong Kong taxi's. There are even more helpful tips in the comments. Note to the tourism board: Louis Armstrong-impersonating taxi-drivers should be talked up more.
Pixy Misa wades into the philosophical debate with Idealism, Struggle, Despair, Passion, Success, Failure, and Enormously Long Lunch Breaks.
Meanwhile, Pixy's granddaughter writes from the future, but it was over two months ago that we first were able to receive Trixie's writing that she'll do later... I think the Nyquil just kicked in.
Ironbear of Who Tends the Fires offers up "Wax cannons and management training". A great story I enjoyed when it first appeared, and I'm happy to point it out for your enjoyment now.
Susie talks about the reasons for panic attacks.
Pierre of the Pink Flamingo Bar & Grill lays a righteous fisking on the Seattle Post Intelligencer when they explain that President Bush’s popularity is almost solely due to the fact that Americans are stupid. That’s pretty much a direct quote by the way.
Jeff Doolittle offers up The Death of Hit Counting, with the following statement: "Considering the weight that is placed on things like 'sitemeter' this post is extremely relevant to blogdom." Here's an exerpt:
Counting the number of visitors to your site has become a lesson in futility. It is no longer possible (if it ever was) to accurately track the number of anonymous users to your website. While cookies and/or user authentication can still help you track visits by known users, assessing the number of casual visitors is not possible.
I'll say this on the subject, that if you use Sitemeter as a measurement instead of a counter, then it works well enough. I once worked a project to reengineer a software system, and discovered that a particular value had been calculated incorrectly for a long long time. The clients were horrified, but I convinced them that since the values were consistently calculated that even though they were wrong they had value as comparison and evaluation numbers. We fixed it and told the users that we were using a new method to calculate that number, and everyone was happy. Now, sitemeter doesn't offer that absolute consistency (as far as I can tell), but it's good enough to give me an idea of ebb and flow in visitors. I'm not going to obsess over numbers, especially since it's free.
From The Owner's Manual, Gary submits his Fair Warning to Round-Eyed Weirdos. Exerpt:
We may be experiencing fallout from the supremacy of American culture as exemplified by the global popularity of Western movies.
I won't even tell you what it's about, but it's not what you think it might be. Good read though.
Now this one is fun. Dave at Blogo Slovo sends in some thoughts on the television series "The West Wing". I'm a fan of the series, and he's spot on with his observations.
Andrew Ian Dodge of Dodgeblogium fame gets my pick for best title this week: Consensual Cannibalism. I'll forego the obvious jokes, because they've probably already been (over)done.
From Interested Participant, we have HUMAN TRAFFICKING LINKED TO BACHELOR PARTIES. Here's an excerpt:
In several previous posts, I've discussed at some length the occurrence of human trafficking and sex slavery in Europe and Asia (see SEX SLAVES IN CZECH REPUBLIC, BALKAN CHILDREN SMUGGLING, SEX TOURISM LAW, and BALKAN SEX TRADE). Logically, it would be of interest to me when a United Nations expert in the field of human trafficking appeared recently as the guest speaker at a City Club of Cleveland luncheon.
Short version: Males are evil. Go read. Good stuff.
I mentioned I was sick. Actually, I mention it often around the house, because I'm genetically predisposed to whine when unwell. My wife is a gem, promising that when she finally decides to collect my life insurance, it'll be when I'm mercifully asleep.
So you can imagine my reaction to this email greeting:
Hi! here's my entry!
And then I read the submission, and it's a very cool bit of writing. The Cycling Dude presents My CRITICAL MASS Experience, and here's the Dude's description:
In this time of Liberal Protesting of President Bush & The War Against Terror, I thought I'd share my own experience, in a Bicycle Ride, at the 2000 Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles.
An excellent post, and I take great comfort in being on the opposite coast from Kiril, because if he doesn't have a sense of humor he might want to assist my wife as payback for teasing him above.
I've been a big fan of Hold the Mayo from his earliest days. Read Pick a Theory and you'll see why. In his words:
This was my analysis of the reasons for the Howard Dean melt down at the Iowa caucus, so it's kind of old news but it was good when it was written.
It's still good, my friend.
Watcher of Weasels offers up the Myth of the Jobless Recovery. I can't agree with his conclusion though:
The Democratic nominee (whoever it may be) will look like an abject idiot if, come this November, he is still using last August's numbers to argue for the repeal of Bush's tax cuts and the resurrection of Hillarycare.
If All You Have Is Lemons, by Graham Lester of uncategorical (no caps in the name), makes some telling observations that are sometimes overlooked for the 'greater good'.
The Cheese takes her stand on activism, protestism, and any other ism you've got: Don't Assume I'm Comfy Just Because I Don't Squirm.
Next up is Going From Bad to Worse, from Zero Intelligence. Provided synopsis:
A student is punished for using the word 'gay' correctly and in context while speaking about his gay mother. The school board refuses to define what is and what is not appropriate speech.
200 Words or Less: Celebrating Diversity. Harvey from Bad Money calls it "a silly answer to a stupid question found on a University of Virginia admissions application". I call it Harvey at his best.
And then there's Am I the widower of a woman or the husband of a fish?, courtesy of Jim at Snooze Button Dreams. His description is accurate - "I react when contraband items are brought into my house" - as is the title, go see how.
Feste of Foolsblog submits Damn Straight, with the following comment:
A recent announcement of detente between Bush and Chirac reminded me of this post. It's true, we will not entirely forget this betrayal, nor will we eat French cheese or sup French wine with quite same enthusiasm. Now we know each bite or sip puts money into the pockets of anti-Semites and America haters who rejoiced when 3000 Americans died at the hands of terrorists.
Damn straight.
Enough of my moping and griping, eh? Let's end this with a chuckle from the ever-[look up word before posting] Bunsen, who gave us the memorable Opening Attachments From People You Don't Know is the New "Goddamn, I'm Stupid". Bunsen comments hillariously on the morons who make virus propagation possible.
[I know, I missed it and don't feel like dealing with it. -- Ed.]
So that's it for this BestOfMe Symphony. Thanks to everyone who sent in submissions. I've enjoyed meeting the new-to-me bloggers, and have lots of new and interesting places to visit.
As an added bonus, I've included my choice for greatest album cover of all time (in the extended entry). Just because I can.
After the weekend I've had, I needed a good laugh. Major thanks to Off Wing Opinion for the pointer.
Eleven lines. Sixty-one words. Essence.
Update: Taco has apparently set up a rotating quote on the page while he revamps his site. Still worth a look.
This is so cool. Round up 100 art designers and ask them to come up with an album cover for the artist of their choice.
Imagine Ralph Steadman doing a Rolling Stones cover. Or Vonnegut doing Phish. The concept is pure genius.
Will be coming to Rocket Jones this monday, so dig deep into your archives and send an oldie but goodie. It's easy to do, and all the cool kids are doing it. Plus, if you'd rather nominate someone else, go for it! Or multiple posts, that's ok too. Anarchy rules.
That's like 'jumbo shrimp' or 'MicroSoft Works' isn't it?
Anyways, please please please make sure you put "BestofMe" or "Symphony" in the header of your email, because I've got a super-agressive spam filter and I don't want to miss anyone.
I've had a few naughty links lately (and more to come, I'm sure), so to even things out a little bit, I present an extensive gallery of links to Religious Art.
Some you may know, some may be new to you. Enjoy.
Remember a few weeks ago when Tuning Spork and StMack held their First Annual InterMunuvian Trivia Death Match and Pizza Demolition (or some such title), I asked a question of StMack, two questions actually, about the most expensive spice in the world (saffron, which he got right), and the second most expensive (vanilla, which he didn't know - go me). The point? I forget...
Some silly billies in Tennessee want to pass a law making it illegal for homosexuals to live in their county. Which county? Why, the same one that wanted to outlaw the teaching of evolution. Makes perfect sense to me, since evolution obviously doesn't apply there. Ably covered over at Classical Values, Norbizness, SilverBlue and Alphecca. Y'all go'way now, y'heer?
DUSTBURY! That's what I meant to say earlier about the saffron and... He gives the reason for the rising costs of vanilla and background and analysis and, and-
Ever get into something that you couldn't get out of? Yeah, like the paragraph above. Move along, nothing to see here...
I shall distract you with Babes with Guns. Courtesy of the Flea.
Mother Earth almost caught a rock. Read the details over at the Ministry of Minor Perfidy.
And if that wasn't serious enough for you, check out this bit about voting over at Anticipatory Retaliation.
When I take pictures of my dogs, their eyes get that weird demon-possessed glow. Someone once told me it's because of the way a dog eye is constructed. So if humans had that same thing happen, how would camera's be different?
Once again, I digress, but this time I remember my point, which has to do with dogs, dogs in pictures, and cameras! Go visit Two Nervous Dogs, firstly because she has a sweet demon-possessed doggie on her banner, and secondly because she stalks the neighborhood at night to document her neighbors Christmas decorations. Which are still up and running.
Random Nuclear Strikes celebrate St. Patrick's Day as only the nuclear-armed can.
Staying militaristic - sorta - over at Texas Best Grok we get a rundown on his extended visit aboard the USS Lexington aircraft carrier, now open as a floating naval museum. Three parts, too cool.
The synergist in Michele emerged with this brilliant fusion of two blockbuster movies of the year.
I shall mention here that I've been watching a live taped performance of Jezebel Diary, courtesy of Mr. Helpful. Now I can say I knew them before they were huge. Rock on!
Starhawk (who annoys me by living in Houston where they're having beautiful weather at the moment) posts about a new VIP member of the Dead Poet's Society.
Say Uncle is pondering blog slogans, and he's got some good ones there. He also has an interesting link about computer security and how to Google up passwords.
Wanna know why the US military kicks butt? Because of ideas like this. A mortar shell that you fire high over the battlefield, where it deploys a parachute and hangs there, transmitting a battlefield picture from the camera in it's nose.
Nic posted a very good piece about misfits in the workplace. We have a couple in our company, probably everyone does. I once had one as my contract supervisor, and though I only saw him once a month, my client hated him. He had zero people skills. One day our Vice President said to me "He's the type of guy you lock in a room and let him do great things." But for heaven's sake don't let him interact with the paying customers.
Thanks to H.D. Miller of Travelling Shoes for pointing up this little bit of scholarly research. An Iraqi professor collected data about graffitti on the streets of post-Saddam Bagdhad. Interesting and enlightening.
All right, that's where my notes run out.
The intervention over at Bloviating Inanities is over. For a brief time yesterday afternoon, BI sucked a little less than usual. You can tell things are back to normal, because Bill is back to being a whiny little bitch.
I'd like to thank the rest of the swarm:
Jennifer
Susie
Michele (my apologies for misspelling your name before)
Ron, the blogless
Paul
Wind Rider
SilverBlue
Keith, the photoshop wizard
Special thanks to the organizer of the event.
Nothing says "Love" like being TP'd, even online.
From Sophont (who points out some of the coolest stuff):
"Think of a diamond in the sky," says Robert Rochte.Rochte, director of technology at the Grosse Pointe Academy, and his eager third-grade students hope to see a tetroon within the next month, depending on the sun and wind conditions, when they launch the fifth in a series of experimental balloons from Grosse Pointe Farms in an effort to learn about weather, navigation and electronics.
They're also having fun.
Go read the whole thing, it's really impressive.
Bill sent me this thank you e-card, which just goes to prove that he's more than a little creepy a considerate guy.
His attached message was “Oho!"
No Bill, thank you!
Everyone knows about Where’s Waldo, those busy little cartoons where you’re supposed to find that red & white striped twerp in a crowd of people. Oho, what fun!
Let’s play the Bloviating Inanities special edition version: Where’s Bill? (in the extended entry – nsfw)
Hint: he’s not staff.
Oho, it’s another classic, a word search! Full of fun nicknames and pet names people have had for Bill over the years. In case you don’t know the game, look forwards, backwards, up and down and diagonally for the words hidden in the grid below.
Here are a whole heap o' places where you can find detailed plans for models constructed of paper. Historical spacecraft and satellites, aircraft and ships, robots and more.
NASA's site with many plans for satellites and space exploration related equipment. Rated easy to challenging.
NASA's Mars pages have a nifty model of the Pathfinder here, and a different set of plans for the Pathfinder here. Each focus on different educational goals.
This incredible site has everything from precision paper airplanes to models for several versions of the Delta, communications satellites, UFO saucers and many more.
Beaucoup models here of everything under the sun. Sydney Opera House or Wrigley Field anyone?
Robots, Japanese style.
There were plenty of rocket models in the links above, but how about a real flyable model rocket kit made completely out of paper? FlisKits is producing some of the most innovative designs out there, and one of them is their Midnight Express. Yes, it really flies! Note that the link leads to their product page, scroll down a little bit and click where it says "Free Download".
Texas-based Art Applewhite offers some unique saucer designs, including this page of free stuff to build and fly.
And of course, you just knew some clever genius came up with software to turn your CAD file into a paper-model plan.
Thanks to BoingBoing, Texas Best Grok, EGB, and the Rec.Models.Rockets newsgroup for these pointers.
Bob Zangas' Journey In Iraq. Bob Zangas was killed in an ambush wednesday last. He was on his second tour in Iraq, first as a Marine, then as a civilian working for the Coalition Provisional Authority. His posts provided an inside look at what some are doing as they help rebuild Iraq.
Thanks to A.E. Brain for the pointer. His words are better than mine.
This is an interesting idea, and I love some of the different approaches taken. Give it a try. Either leave it there, leave one in the comments here, or put it on your site and link back to this.
Look for mine soon. You, in the back, knock it off!
(Serenity, you probably don't want to click the link below, and most certainly don't want to enlarge the picture there)
All I can say is that I'm thankful that Australia is completely waterbound. You can keep 'em down there, mate!
Gahhhh!!!!
There are thousands of pictures on the internet that show celebrity skin, and a lot of them are fakes of varying quality. For a cool look at how some of these fakes are created, and how to tell if a pic has been 'photoshopped', take a look at the link below.
The Fake Detective (not work safe).
As opposed to the vandals who tag indescriminately, regardless of how talented they are.
These guys are artists, although they probably did get their start by spraypainting everything that didn't move.
You know in the beginning of The Simpsons, where Bart is writing some wicked message on the chalkboard? Ever wish you could do that?
Now you can. (sample in the extended entry)
Some not so ghostly, but plenty of cool photos, if you dig around a little.
And here's the home page for a whole web ring of ghost town sites. To get to the good stuff, scroll to the bottom and click "Previous / Next / Random... " I'd suggest "List Sites" so you can pick and choose what interests you.
Peeps, I've been busy. Swamped busy. Not too busy to blog some (although my backup supply of Beal-concealment posts has been greatly diminished), and I'm managing to at least drop by your place every couple of days.
I've also been working on a side-project that will hopefully be ready in the next few days. I've talked about it before, but it's been consuming a fair amount of time and energy and a great deal of emotional reserve. Soon.
In the meantime, I'll pull out the forty-'leven post-it notes I have stashed on my desk, each one reminding me to take a closer look at this or that post. Throw 'em together, tack on the title suggested by Susie the Wonder Llama-tamer, and hey, it's a post!
Red Ted Keeps A Diary, and he's starting a series about logically evaluating President George W. Bush. Here's his opening paragraph:
One of the striking things about people is that smart folks can look at the same body of information, focus on different aspects of it, and come to radically different conclusions. This process is fun to look at from the outside, but dreadfully frustrating when otherwise smart people look at the same body of information that you are looking at, and then come out completely opposed to your views. How, one asks, can someone who is otherwise so clever, be so very wrong? And does this mean that I am wrong? I can't be wrong!
Sentinal Chimneys. Velociman. It's the part of history I love most, the "I wonder what happened here?" part.
Jay at Sophont tells of the Pocket Vault, which is the neatest little gizmo I've seen in a long time. It wouldn't be very useful for me, because I don't carry a lot of credit cards, but for business travelers I can see it as being a very handy item. Check it out. (If it's blogspotted, scroll down to Chameleon Card Changes Stripes, and say hello to his llama).
Zero llama count observed at SilverBlue, QandO, and The Meatriarch, though I suspect JimiLove has been kidnapped by peruvian maoist llamas. It's been a while since he posted, but he's shown up in comments here and there.
Via Ghost of a Flea, we find The Exorcist and Apocolypse Now, starring llamas bunnies! Yay!
Mark Oakley of Rocket Man Blog has just accepted a position as lead propulsion engineer at TGV Rockets! This is great news, and I'm thrilled for him. Go say hi and congrats, and be sure to mention me for a valuable discount on all your consumer rocketry propulsion needs.
Over at Left & Right, Rob posted a hilarious roundup of comments regarding his Official L&R Top 100 Guitar Players list. There seems to be general consensus that his list is better than Rolling Stone's list, but still sucks big gorilla... uh... llama.
This was bound to happen. A Swiss Army Knife with USB flash memory stick. It's probably at least as useful as the corkscrew that comes on many of their knives. And it's great for survivalists, who can now take their porn with them into the mountains. Listen carefully and you can hear llamas all over the world heave a sigh of relief. Thanks to The Ministry of Minor Perfidy for the pointer.
Thanks for joining us for this edition of Rocketing Around the Blogosphere, and we hope you join us again soon. At this time, we ask that you please return your llamas to the upright position and welcome to the end of this post.
Thanks to LeeAnn for pointing the way to Googlism. Here's how Google defines Ted:
ted is now owned by the sapling foundation
ted is chad
ted is one hell of a role model for young kids
ted is little ted's best friend
ted is available in binary format
ted is a box office hit
ted is voodoo chili
ted is my new favorite
ted is not 100% human
ted is very quiet and trapped in a box
ted is the patron saint of shark jumping
ted is available for download from ftp
ted is the imaginary friend of a lonely little boy
ted is not looking for the quick sale
ted is not doing the show every night
ted is not
Glenn of Hi, I'm Black! fame is trying to become a big-time internet smut peddler.
So if hardcore floats your boat, visit his new site called, appropriately enough, NOT WORK SAFE (which is itself Not Work Safe). Glenn says FleshBot needs some competition.
Now this is cool. The Hockey Hall of Fame has this slideshow of various masks worn through history.
Thanks to Eric of Off Wing Opinion for the pointer.
Stolen en toto from Curmudgeonly & Skeptical:
Rene Descartes is finishing dinner in a small cafe when the waiter asks "would you like desert?"He answers " I think not," and disappears.
Jen Speaks, who is probably already known to some of you.
The Llama Butchers, just because of the name. I have a note here on my list of movies to see someday about "Barn of the Blood Llama". Coincidence? I dunno, but I'm not taking any chances. And it's not just because of the name.
Blogeline is back after a long hiatus.
Thanks to A.E. Brain, a link to a demo online version of the famous Moog synthesizer.
If it's Blog*spotted, scroll down to "In the Moog".
Welcome him to the blogroll as well (down at the bottom clump with the rest I haven't gotten around to alphabetizing yet). He lists me as "Just Plain Good", and that without monetary renumeration! He kept a straight face while typing that too (I hope). Anyway, go read his blog. It's gooder than 'just plain'.
Now this sounds like a diet I could get used to.
New Nietzschean Diet Lets You Eat Whatever You Fear Most
Oh wait, that would be spiders. Never mind.
Courtesy of The Onion.
If you've never visited the Encyclopedia Astronautica, well, be prepared to spend some time. This site is amazing.
First read Spork's tale of squirrels.
Next, read Bigwig's thoughts on peace.
Spork, I bet you could get Federal grant money if you have your attic designated as a foreign aid food bank.
The Gray Monk has written a fascinating post about bell ringers and the art of bell ringing.
For those of us who don't have access to a tower full of bells, you can get your practice in using Abel. This versitile software can also be used by folks using hand bells. All proceeds go to charity.
Here is an impressive collection of bell-related links.
I wonder if Eric Lindros has an honorary membership?
Pixy is hosting this week's Bestofme Symphony. One of my old posts is in there, something ghostwritten from my thoughtful and serious side. Guaranteed to make you think of pod people.
Thanks to Stevie over at Caught in the XFire. Follow her plan, get a better return than you would with some so-called 'blue chip' stocks, and - beauty - even if you don't, you won't care!
Ultimate Band List is a site with tons of information and links to official band website and fansites. It includes concert information, promoter and venue links, e-zine's and much more.
Two Nervous Dogs has returned. I tried working in some sort of crotch-sniffing joke, but it wasn't working. Go read, she's funny!
Thanks to Tim at Backstage for the pointer.
Cherry posts a friday joke each week (as does Tiger). Always good for a chuckle, but this one really had me laughing. If I ever meet these guys, I'll buy them a tank of petrol.
Spring is in the air. Daffodils are starting to show, birds are singing, bees are buzzing, and Munuvians are meeting for beer, pizza and trivia. That's right, fellow Munuvians Tuning Spork and Stephen are taking your questions, which will be asked and answered in the First Annual Fairfield County Munuvian Blogger Trivia Invitational. A barbed-wire cage match was considered, but we're an amiable bunch in Munuviana.
Drop in and say hello to Sarah. Her husband was just deployed overseas for a year.
Also, brand new Munuvian Ilyka Damen hasn't quite moved in yet, but soon, very soon. I'm looking forward to it.
Munuviana. In some obscure and lost language that had to have meant "concentrated goodness".
It's a contest called Miniature City, and the idea is to photoshop an image to show what the world would be like if you were tiny.
Thanks to Cindy of Squipper and Al of Fulton Chain for the pointer.
(insert humorous introduction here)
This is fun in a goofy sort of way (warning: bandwidth alert). Kudos to Silflay Hraka for the pointer.
Yahoo is trying their little game again, where they change the privacy policy and everyone is automatically opted-in to allow them to track your movement throughout the internet. Thanks to the guys at Anticipatory Retaliation for the heads up on this one, including the way to opt-out.
From The Universal Church of Cosmic Uncertainty:
You've heard of the Enigma cipher machine, yes? The Germans used it during WW2 for encoding and decoding messages.If you've always wanted to play with an Enigma, the Enigma-E building kit might appeal.
The Enigma-E is a DIY Building Kit that enables you to build your own electronic variant of the famous Enigma coding machine that was used by the German army during WWII. It works just like a real Enigma and is compatible with an M3 and M4 Enigma as well as the standard Service Machines. A message encrypted on, say, a real Enigma M4 can be read on the Enigma-E and vice versa.
TL Hines has been posting a series he calls the "Darkhorse Dialogues", where he interviews the fringe presidential candidates. Lots of fun, and it makes you appreciate the solemn dignity of LaRouche and Nader.
Ooooo, look Susie. Firemen's equipment.
Over at JimiLove's place, he shares a beautiful piece titled The Tao of Two. Little Max already has wisdom beyond his years. Some samples:
No is temporary, but yes is foreverCaution is a byproduct of experience
If whining never worked no one would do it
You control your own mouth, and what goes in it
Everyone gets a kiss goodnight before bed
Pushing the elevator buttons does not make you a "big boy", knowing which ones to push does
Lynn asks two intriguing questions:
If you could have as a pet, any creature from science fiction what would you choose?The device was easy for me, I still don't have a pet selected. How about you?If you could own any device from science fiction what would you choose?
Over at Left & Right, Rob has been compiling and revising his list of Top Guitar Players. Lots of debate on this one, you should check it out.
Paul has been schizo ecclectic in his posting subjects lately, writing about everything from wallets and cell phones to an acoustic version of Disco Inferno. Visit Sanity's Edge, and thank him for not being Bill.
Ever write a newspaper about a goof they made? Say Uncle did, and they asked him to write an Op Ed piece about the assault weapons ban. Read all about it here. He cuts through the fear factor and misinformation to score some telling points. Good job.
I'll close with a blog I've just began to visit regularly. Scott talks about those scam artists at Classmates.com. I dealt with them last year, and they really are bottom-feeders.
Update: Martin St. Louis of the Tampa Bay Lightning bears a striking resemblance to Richard Simmons. Yeah, I'm ticked off after watching the Caps lose a third period lead and get blown out.
Random Nuclear Strikes. The link goes to a special post about the First Special Forces Group (Airborne), but everything there is a good read.
Eric of Off Wing Opinion is proposing a blog meet for the metro DC area, to be held, appropriately enough, at a Washington Capitals game.
I'm making tentative plans for this one. Anyone else?
Kevin?
Nic?
Victor?
Phillip?
Ross and/or Buckethead?
Rob?
Dawn?
Scott?
Who am I forgetting?
From the inestimable Pixy:
This one is for Susie, Cherry, Jennifer, Mookie, LeeAnn, Roxette, Stevie, Heather, Helen, Linda, Annika and Sarah:
Throw Rocks At Boys
I wholeheartedly agree ladies, thank you for making this a nicer and more interesting year. I'd also like to add to that list:
Shell, Candy, Carol, Dawn, Min, Margi, Dana, Anna, Lynn, Serenity, Nic, Kelley, Tas, Tink, Dawn, and Denita.
I considered sending individual ecards to everyone, but I'm just not that thoughtful. Ask my wife. Although this year I did get her a very nice gold bracelet. She showed it to me last night. I have impeccable taste.
Black Hearts Party. Gifts for that 'special' one on your list and much much more.
...and Bunsen has it.
Here he presents a 10-question quiz where each answer is either Courtney Love or Westminster Dog Show Entrant.
This reminds me of an old David Letterman Top Ten list , something about "Favorite Body Parts or Van Pattens". The number one answer was "Dick".
US military working dogs are of two types (that I know of). There are drug-detection dogs and bomb-detection dogs. Both kinds can do duty as a guard dog, but basically it's taking advantage of their keen senses, the training for the guard role is limited since they focus on their primary function. After the Vietnam conflict, so-called 'sentry' dogs were phased out because they were ultra-agressive and somewhat unpredictable. Military dogs aren't pets, they're tools bred and trained to do a specific job, and turning one loose against someone is considered using 'deadly force'.
I don't know much about police dog training. I suspect that police dogs are taught more in the way of apprehension techniques and keeping a perpetrator at bay and under control.
A while back The Meatriarch did a fine two-part series (here and here) on canine breeds who fit the bill if you need serious protection and are prepared to spend the time and effort in order to be a responsible owner to one. Everyone should read these, for informational purposes if nothing else, because the average person does not equate dogs with overwhelming deadly force.
Poodles were originally bred as hunting dogs, and here's the lowdown on why poodle haircuts are so weird, courtesy of Slate, via J-Walk Blog.
An unshorn poodle's thick coat could weigh it down in the water. With the bottom half of its body shaved, the animal was more buoyant and could swim more freely. The long mane and hair around the chest were left intact to keep the poodle's vital organs warm in the cold water, and owners also kept the hair around the joints to protect them from cold and injury and to help prevent rheumatism.Shaving the hair around the face left the poodle's mouth and eyes free so it could fulfill its retrieving responsibilities, and tying the hair on a poodle's head into a "top knot" also kept hair out of its eyes. Owners eventually tied these knots with brightly colored ribbons to help them identify their dogs from afar.
See? Manly reasons all.
For Valentine's Day, don't give your loved one just any old plushy, give a Santa Cthulhu, because nothing says eternal love like a fictional ancient god. Cupid? What a wuss.
Now maybe you want to keep the kids busy while you get 'thanked' for your thoughtfulness. What better way than to stick with the theme? Your little shoggoths can entertain themselves with a Cthulhu hand puppet. They'll have hours of fun reenacting The Doom That Came To Sarnath and The Dunwhich Horror. For extra fun, check eBay for out-of-print copies of Lovecraft audiobooks that they can listen to. And if they hear strange noises coming from your bedroom, it just adds to the atmosphere, eh?
"It's ok honey, mommy's fine. She's just being eaten by an Old One."
Sideshow Collectibles, because everyone should have Leatherface in their living room.
Ever notice that the cost of roses goes up in the week before Valentine's Day? In our years of wedded bliss, I've mostly ignored Valentine's Day (beyond a simple card), although every few years I'll get Liz candy or flowers, and a couple of times I got her a gift every day for the week leading up to it (balloons, stuffed animal, jewelry, etc). I don't want to become predictable and have her get bored with me, at least that's what I tell her. Truth is, I can't be bothered to care about a lame made-up holiday.*
Now this site nails it: Be My Anti-Valentine. Send one of their cards any ol' time, just because.
Thanks to Squipper for that link! Also, for those less romantically-challenged than I (or if you're in the doghouse, you unfeeling bastard), and you're looking for unique jewelry ideas, try here.
*For those who think that statement might be useful as blackmail fodder, think again. Liz knows my feelings about it, and it frustrates the bejeebers outta her.
I was wondering what it would be like to have a theme party where everyone had to dress up like one of the "Real Men of Genius" in those Bud beer commercials. Imagine a room full of "Mr. Tiny Thong Bikini Wearer" and "Mr. Really Bad Toupee Wearer" guys.
If you do this, please take plenty of pictures let me know how it turns out.
Thanks to Victor for the inspiration (translation: blame him). Also, fellow Munuvian Tuning Spork has posted a wonderful parody here (can you parody a parody? why does the word 'parody' look funny?). Oh well, back to the Sporkster, the man is a genius, a real man of genius.
The Washington Post now has photos from it's vast archives available for purchase. Very cool.
Josh Cagan, who doesn't like you, writes stuff like this:
It's for a jury to decide. Although, in a case where it's Solomon vs. the Hiltons, how does one assemble a jury of peers? Do you try to find 12 millionaire scumbags? Or six millionaires, and six scumbags?Or do you just save yourself the headache, and clone Larry Flynt 11 times? But then, would you let them retain their ability to walk, or do you shoot them in the spine as soon as they come out of the cloning chamber? Or do you let half walk, and shoot the other half in the spine, you know, for balance?
This is why I'm not a lawyer. I'm far too thoughtful. And I'm off my point.
Carol points the way to Tom, who hilariously photoshops a spam. Bravo!
Absolutely work safe, I promise.
Thanks to TL Hines for the pointer, his take on it is priceless.
Football season is almost over. It's too cold to start playing baseball. I'd feel bad if I cross-checked Mookie into the fence playing backyard hockey (I'd still do it, but I'd feel bad). Basketball? This time of year you spend an hour waiting for the next 10 minute game to start down at the Y. So what should the sports-minded among us do?
Calvin-ball. Leagues forming now.
Daughter Mookie is contemplating an area blogger meet. She's already gotten some interest in the event, and is soliciting ideas. If you're from the Maryland/DC/Virginia area, or might like to travel a bit to attend, visit her and leave some feedback.
Thanks to Phillip Coons, I found this online petition in support of revoking the federal tax exemption of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). They've collected over 10,000 signatures in the first week.
Heather, did you know about this?
If we get a rebate from our taxpayer subsidies to these eco-terrorists, I'm gonna buy a pair of fur earmuffs.
The snow is beginning to fall, accumulation tonight is expected to be 4"-8" (historically we're on the light end in my neighborhood), and they're calling for a second wave consisting mainly of freezing rain and sleet. Boy howdy.
Wow. The weather report just said that this pattern could go right through wednesday. Alternating waves of snow and sleet.
I spent late last night watching crappy horror movies (The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave, Blood Tide, and some Frankenstein I can't recall the exact title of), and this morning watching a couple of John Wayne movies (circa 1934 - The Lucky Texan and 'Neath Arizona Skies), wrapped around a trip to the grocery store and raking those dang monkey balls out of the backyard. I also did a little indoor gardening - nothing illegal mind you - trying to overwinter a few favorite plants from the garden. Mixed results so far, a couple are really thriving, a couple aren't doing so hot. Nothing dead yet though.
The main reason for the grocery run was to pick up some EV Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar and a loaf of Italian bread. Yesterday at the mall, SilverBlue and I sampled some incredible bread dipping oil. Rather than spending $15 for a bottle, I decided to try making my own. After buying small bottles of the two main ingredients, that price doesn't seem so out of line.
Early taste tests are promising, I'll post what I did later. When I asked Mookie to try it, she immediately gave me a detailed critique. The mall is across the street from her high school, and she and her friends often go into that particular store to sample the goodies. She's very familiar with the various bread dipping oils they offer. Who knew?
Speaking of crappy horror movies (I know, clumsy... sue me) kinda like this story over at Travelling Shoes. Where we read:
British use of cluster bombs in the Iraq war could count as a war crime and justifies further investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor in the Hague, a group of international lawyers say.
"The U.S. cannot be tried before the court because it refuses to sign up to it. The UK did."
If you remember all the way back to May of 2002, the Bush administration had decided that there was a strong likelihood that any International Criminal Court would be used as a means of persuing politically-motivated war-crimes charges against American soldiers and officials. And so the president "unsigned" the Clinton-era treaty which had tentatively committed the United States to participate in the court.That decision now looks prescient.
Jay at Sophont passes on the word that the Whole Earth magazine has closed it's doors. I remember their catalogs.
Say Uncle has this post about identifying Pit Bulls. Well worth a look.
More Mars stuff from Minor Perfidy Minister Bucket.
Sometimes there's no good way to end one of these posts, ya know?
*and a whole heap o' rambling on, eh?
Today the excellent blog by Publicola is one year old! Stop by and say hi, and if you read a bit, you might find yourself returning often. He's that good.
Not to mention that the man downright knows his funk.
Last night / this morning on FX was a movie titled The Rats. From the movie guide:
An exterminator and a PR executive battle a colony of vermin that infests a department store and threatens New York.
Rocket Jones, doing my part to bring rodent-related cinema to your attention. Victor and Nic would give it two (tiny scrabbling clawed) thumbs up, I'm sure.
This is too funny!!! And it's just what you get for getting Mookie grounded.
Thanks to Phillip Coons for the pointer.
(warning: first link expires in 14 days)
This special Rocketing edition is brought to you by people on the move. Specifically:
annika - who never capitalizes her name and has chosen to become a Munuvian. Yay!
Sarah - who does capitalize, is Trying to Grok and is also warmly welcomed into the Munuvian fold. Yay!
Jon of QandO, who has not only moved, but added a second blogger, one McQ. I assume that this is not a Beeblebroxian development.
Finally (as in "this is the last one", not "it's about damn time"), the Happy Furry Puppy Story Timelessness of Norbizness now has his own domain.
Much adjusteth of blogrolls should commence.
All righty. Now that the general housekeeping is out of the way, let's go look around, eh? It's freakin' cold out, and that means my hibernation instinct is at war with my inner-Canadian. Conflict: sleep now vs drinking to unconsciousness.
Roberto of DynamoBuzz fame follows the most underreported political story of the campaign (so far). That's right, the eBay auction of General Wesley Clark's sweater. I will not make fun of it, because the proceeds go to a veteran's group, which is a very good thing. Instead, I'll mention that in the comments Roberto and yours truly swap 'pocket protector' stories. I definitely come out ahead in that exchange.
Starhawk and Serenity both link to pictures of a rock in Iowa. Not the one around Dean's neck, but this one. (Serenity, your permalink for that post wouldn't work for me)
As usual, Ghost of a flea provides countless diversions and interesting posts. Being the shallow 'ooo-look-at-the-pretty-pictures' type, I'll mention Eyeball, which is a collection of aerial photographs (and detailed maps) of American landmarks. But there's much more to see when you visit the flea.
And I'm a poet, and don't I know it.
Did I mention I'm really cold?
I've decided that the next time I want to bet on something, I'll ask JimiLove, and then bet the opposite.
The Meatriarch always has insightful and thought-provoking things to say which is why I wait for the movie, and these days are no different. He makes valid points for why we as a community (the blogosphere) should be branching out beyond our narrow borders and making ourselves heard on the outside. He also talks about great barbeque, dog breeds (not for barbeque), and other diverse topics to entertain and inform. He's also Canadian, but probably posts before doing most of his drinking because he's usually coherent.
I give this guy a hard time, mainly because he deserves it. To his credit, he's never threatened me. This go-round, he points the way to a nifty little site where you can have your very own crappy handwriting converted into a font. How cool is that?
"OTA OK". Ever get one of those on your mobile phone? Petrilli did and tracked down why. Apparently it's not an uncommon thing.
It's been awhile since I've done the synergist bit, but these two adjacent stories at Phillip Coons' place just beg for it:
Running mate rumorand
Dick Cheney will step down as VP candidate and the likely replacement is Giuliani.
Sara Lee Drops Jimmy Dean as Sausage Spokesman
So, Giuliani (or Condi Rice according to some) becomes VP candidate, Cheney gets his folksy on by selling us processed pork (big change there, eh?), and Jimmy Dean... Well, it takes all kinds of critters to make Farmer Vincent fritters. See how easy that is?
There isn't one single thing worth linking to over at Sanity's Edge. Read everything, because Paul is on a roll, and it's all funny.
Say Uncle leads the way to a report via Publicola that a pro-Kucinich Site had some... er... issues with some graphics they ripped off linked to. Actually, the pro-K folks (not to be confused with pre-K) were blissfully unaware of the link switcheroo that was (justifiably) done to their targets.
SilverBlue, because I haven't lately. Tink for the same reason. I enjoy my daily visits to both.
And a quick rundown on those newly added but currently unalphabetized on my blogroll. What exactly does it mean to be so mis-filed? Not a thing, except that I haven't gotten around to it yet. They may or may not consider being mentioned by me an honor, I'm afraid to ask.
California Yankee - I grew up in the Bay Area, and this name just seems wrong, like being a New York Gia... nevermind.
GDay Mate - from Oz. Not the halucinegenic poppy-filled Oz, the other one.
SpankysPlace - Even the staff doesn't like being at the Emergency Room.
J-Walk Blog - Where Glenn often gets his inspiration.
Symphony X - Culture, classical music and art. Lynn and Daniel both linked to this site recently.
The Eternal Golden Braid - An emphasis on space and technology.
Dustbury - I don't have a handle on this one yet, having just started reading there. But he's nice to Mookie, and that counts for something right up front.
I'm still cold.
Over at Backstage, Tim is under tremendous pressure with work schedules, and then he has a chance encounter with a couple of environmentalists:
So I asked them, very politely at that, if they had ever spent much time working in a forest... The response I received apart from the icy stares was that they were serious campers... It was at this point that I laughed at them, told them they needed to try working for a living, and then headed over to the bar for a refill, not to return to the table...I suspect I've made a couple more enemies... Screw 'em... They would go crunch under the tracks of a logging crawler just like that dreaded underbrush...
He handled it well I think. :)
Kelley at Suburban Blight has been mixing things up lately by posting her Cul de Sac's at irregular intervals and there's a new one up now. I must be livin' right, because my timing was good enough to be included. :)
I'm not sure if this would fit in under 'lustful' or 'pandering' on my Going to Hell score, but the mens magazine FHM posted some very nice pictures of Food Network hottie hostess Rachel Ray.
Provocative but work safe, unless your workplace is very conservative.
Update: Phillip Coons has a link to the WaPo article online.
If you're not already reading Curmudgeonly & Skeptical, you should be. He's posted some laugh-out-loud stuff lately. I especially enjoyed the links to this subliminal site and the simple solution to an age-old problem. Both are mildly naughty.
Speaking of subliminal, here's a nifty version of Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start The Fire". Thanks to SilverBlue for this one.
Ah Flea, thanks for this link to 'The Sweetest Thing'.
A Saturn concept car. Thanks to Not Quite Tea and Crumpets.
LeeAnn introduces us to Clip Clop Comix. This kind of humor is exactly what most scares people about me my style!
Courtesy of Coyote's Bark, this haunting series of drawings by an artist as he progresses through an acid trip.
Jumping right into it.
Annika has started a nice little weekly thing called the Huge Comment. Visit her and check out this week’s, because it’s a doozy. It also gives me the chance to point to Publicola, who I don’t visit near often enough. Read all the good things Annika says about him, because she says it better than I could, and she’s right.
Over at Bad State of Gruntledness, we’re promised pictures of the mighty carrier USS Midway coming into her final home port, where she’s to be converted into a floating museum.
Bill wants begs everyone to quote him more. Ok, just for you old-timer. “rhymey”… “bestest”… “fruiting”… “To be perfectly honest, I don't know anything”… and he also goes into this weird Jimmy Carter love thing. On second thought, don’t’ bother going there.
Instead, go visit Roberto at Dynamo Buzz, where he links to the Greatest All-time Hollywood Speeches. Do ya feel lucky punk?
Candy posted the link to this trippy psychic compass.
In a similar vein, Gee, ya THINK!? posts lots and lots of stiletto heels and boot pictures. What is the connection? Well, when I think of psychics, I picture the movie Scanners where the guy goes all spastic and throbby until his head blows up. Seeing a woman in thigh high stiletto heeled boots makes me throb too (and you sickos were waiting for some twisted fantasy about Miss Cleo).
Margi Lowry posts the lyrics to an oldie some might wish left forgotten, but not I! Many thanks, and may your mojo remain abundant. I'll be singing that on the way home.
Pictures time! We've got links to pictures. First up, the uber-sarcastic Norbi - known exploiter of happy furry puppy - cracks me up with not one, but two bits of captioning genius! From the top (blogspotted), scroll down and look for the picture of the Croc-dude. Then keep on going until you get to his first post of 2004, titled If You'd Like, You Can Stop Reading After The First One. He's right, the first one is by far the funniest, but the rest pale only in comparison.
Also, in our photos category we present Glenn over at Hi, I'm Gollum Black! and his link to a gruesome photo of a Paki homicide bomber. Or the identifiable part anyways. Warning, high ick factor.
Starhawk posts a picture of his dogs for all you Rachel Lucas fans suffering withdrawal, and he talks about the stock market.
Meanwhile, Marc Scribner of Idiot Villager points out that the 'destabilizing' effects of US foreign policy has resulted in huge positive gains in the Arab stock markets. Damn Americans, spreading western-style prosperity all over like it was a good thing or something.
If you voted when I asked, then you rule! If not, then you missed your chance to say "I knew Jezebel Diary before they got big." Thanks to us, they won the online poll and will now open for the Suicide Girls at their tour stopover in Seattle, Washington. And I bet if you go to the show, you can go to the side door and tell the guard there that you’re with the band. If that don’t work, just tell him Ted sent ya.
It’s also time to do it again – well, soon anyways – as The Meatriarch has been nominated for the Weblog awards. Vote people, because it’s the democratic thing to do, unless you hate democracy, in which case you should vote anyways so that the people’s voice can be heard above the imperialistic claptrap of the bourgeouis.
Damn, Tom Tuttle of Tacoma would be so proud!
Two states south is California. Kurt explains the origin of his blog name, posts pictures of his kids, and entertains from the Artichoke Capital of America. I just made that last bit up, I think the artichoke capital is north and west of him, closer to the coast. Anna of Primal Purge fame is another Californian, as is the California Yankee. I know LeeAnn and Mr. Navarre of the above mentioned Disgruntledness are also currently Californians. In traditional Munuvian fashion: Yay!
Finally, for the morbidly curious, you might want to compare the Dead Pool picks of Kelley, Kevin and Kin. It's only a weird coincidence that they all start with 'K'.
Dead? Dead... mmmm steak. Visit the Laughing Wolf for interesting conversation and cooking posts.
Jumping right out of it.
The Udvar-Hazy aerospace annex opened in early December, 2003. Museum officials were anticipating about 3 million visitors per year, which proved to be a bit underoptimistic. Almost a quarter-million people have visited the site in it's first three weeks of operation, and the staff is currently working on ways to reduce the wait to see the exhibits.
...just for the neat stuff LeeAnn finds.
And thanks to Beth of She Who Will Be Obeyed, we have another little toy to play with: 6+=1!
A quickie for y'all on the last day of the year.
Over at Classical Values, Eric posts an interesting bit about the big neighborhood bombing last month in Saudi Arabia. I really like his analysis on various issues, so if you don't read him regularly you should give it a try.
If you're wondering about Mad Cow, please Please PLEASE go read Phillip Coons, Kevin, or Wind Rider at Silent running (great articles and links here and here). Here's the money quote folks:
"[emphasis added] Nevertheless, in the United Kingdom, the current risk of acquiring vCJD from eating beef and beef products appears to be extremely small, perhaps about one case per 10 billion servings."
And that's the same United Kingdom that destroyed whole herds of potentially infected cattle. We've had one freaking case.
All right, let's lighten up a little bit. Denita (Who Tends the Fires) talks about a new computer game that she's gotten hooked on. I'm not much of a game player, but this one sounds twisted enough to be something I could get into.
Flags. Who likes flags? We fly the American flag in front of our house each and every day of the year. This Ted (of the Red variety, who goes by the name of Edward - go figure) goes one better and flies historic flags as well. And he posted this great piece about some history of the confederate flag (with context) that's got plenty of cool information and links.
He also got the Revolutionary war era Culpeper Militia flag for Christmas. Which I think is cool because I fly rockets a couple times a year in the Culpeper area.
The Flea also posts about flags, this time a link to an index of fictional flags. Ever wonder what the House Atreides flag looked like? How about various banners from LotR? This is a pretty neat link.
Wince and Nod points out an interesting article from Crichton about science and what it entails within the fabric of society. He also links to Jerry Pournelle, who often has interesting things to say.
The comic strip Pearls Before Swine. If you ignore every other link in here, you should read this one. Thanks to Nic for pointing this one out to me.
Hey, SilverBlue makes the big time! Mookie gets a mention too (says proud papa). G'Day Mate!
Rocket Man talks about Mars and the not-so-spectacular success rate we've had exploring it (by 'we' I mean all of earth, no nationalistic bias here). On second thought, we're talking about sending probes to another planet!!! Imagine the finesse needed just to get something into orbit that far away. We'll keep trying and keep getting better at it. It's what we do.
I had this great joke all set up involving any ladies reading this and a t-shirt I found online that says "I'd love a good spanking", but the danged link won't work! On to plan B...
The Commissar has a detailed map of Munuviana posted (the big - and less interesting because we're not in it - map is here). Yours truly can be found holding fast at the southern border. Ted Sputnik, I like that.
Oh yeah, stop by and say hello to a couple of new Munuvians, Civilization Calls and Semi-Intelligent Thoughts. Also, it's not brand new, but you should check out the group blog Consent of the Governed. Good stuff there.
If you've got the bandwidth and a high-speed connection, you could probably spend quite a while here.
Over at JimiLove, Inc., yours truly has been nominated, nay, crowned "nicest guy on the internet".
I'm feeling pretty darned good about it. Since it was totally unexpected, I don't have any words prepared, so I'll plagiarize paraphrase some from a movie.
If this were Ted's Universe, I'd require stiffer sentencing for repeat offenders. And world peace.
Mookie borrowed a t-shirt from her best friend last weekend (they often trade clothes) which said "How Not To Get Caught". Underneath are three 'international' style pictograms, you know the ones with the little stick figures. The first says "Act dumb", next is "Deny you did it", and then finally "Blame the flying monkeys". Cute.
But I wondered what kind of hits one would get if we Googled "How Not To Get Caught".
Number 2 on the list is How not to get caught in the unethical fish trap via the BBC. From the article: "Eating seafood can be a minefield for the ethical consumer. Where, how and when a fish is caught dictates its environmental impact - and this information is seldom available on shop labels or menus."
Next up - number 6 or so - is a site titled "Grow securely - how not to get caught". Welcome to the UK Cannabis Internet Activists (UKCIA), which is some sort of marijuana advocacy organization. They have a forum listed on their main page, and ask you to tell them what you think. I'm reminded of an old 'Shoe' comic, where Skyler asks Uncle Shoe if dope is bad for you. He says "Yes. It causes your body to be thrown into jail."
This next one looks like some sort of historical link: How not to get caught making fake credit card calls. Chock full of 60's-style anti-establishment lingo and rhetoric. Amusing.
How not to get caught wanking. Crude and juvenile. Lots of pop-ups too, including one featuring a picture of Einstein. Do you think Albert wanked in the shower? The unified theory of wanking?
Moving on...
The very first thing on page 2 is How not to get caught on the World Wide Web. Since you're reading this, I'll assume it's too late.
Here we get tips on How not to get caught speeding (hopefully). I especially like the "(hopefully)" part. Here's a helpful tip: "Memorize the headlight patterns of the common cop cars in your area." Uh huh.
Boy Howdy! At NotInYourPants.com you can order books on how to deal with Escorts. They adveritse: "MORE F**K FOR THE BUCK! BUY NOW and you'll also get a copy of my FREE article, "How Not to Get Caught With the Girl You Bought," full of extremely valuable information on guaranteeing that your escort experience remains discreet."
Simply titled How Not To Get Caught, our next stop contains this wisdom:
"Martyrs have their place in every movement, and they can be quite effective symbols; however, substance wins over symbolism every time, and you can't do anything substantial if you are sitting behind bars. The Confederate guerrilla is, by the nature of his activities, the free-est of free men. The only way that he can maintain that freedom of action is not to get caught, and the only way not to get caught is not to be identified."
Digging a little further, this guy is waiting for the Confederacy to rise again. Literally.
There are tons and tons of links to go through. How not to get caught when shoplifting, having affairs, stealing cable TV and other assorted naughtyness.
Google is your friend.
Not what you think, unless you know me, then you already knew it couldn't be that.
Found via EnSight, which I found through a link at Carol's Chaotic Collection of Curiosities (which, by the way, features a regular roundup of Spam-related articles and links).
Lots going on.
300,000 Dots. Please read it and scroll down too, and remember exactly why capturing Saddam Hussein was a historic moment to the Iraqi people. Thanks to the guys at Random Nuclear Strikes for this link.
Freaking News has an excellent photoshop Saddam contest running. Thanks to Shell of Across the Atlantic for pointing it out.
Annika brings us a little history of the 4th Infantry Division, who mounted Operation Red Dawn.
Over at Blackfive, Matt requests help responding to an email he received. This comment cracked me up:
“It could also have something to do with their accents. In America, women who speak english with a french accent are considered to be sexy and men who speak english with a french accent are considered to be gay.” – digrafid AKA the grungy guide
Not that there's anything wrong with that, mind you. Being gay I mean, not being French. (I know, you saw that coming a mile away)
Dawn posts a link to a television commercial that can only be described as ‘sweet’. And sometimes that’s just what you need.
Now over at Curmudgeonly & Skeptical, Rodger mentions a History Channel program, Time Machine: Nazi Guerrillas. I saw that show too, and if you get a chance I highly recommend it.
Norbi is running several caption contests with real actual genuine prizes! He also uses the word ‘chucklehead’ which kind of pisses me off because I was planning on bringing back that oldie myself in a post later this week. So now, it becomes a tribute instead of a trendsetter.
Once again, the flea links to virtual coolness. This time, it’s animated engines. I was reminded of this book and a similar one that give plans on how to craft working mechanical engines of wood. While searching for that one, I came across this book which shows how to make working wooden locks. I'm not patient enough to produce that kind of intricacy in wood, but I can appreciate the beauty of the pieces.
Filed under “WTF? Keep an eye on this…”, both Marc of The Idiot Villager (he isn’t) and someone else who’s link I’ve misplaced (and I’m embarrassed about that), look into the fact that MoveOn.Org, is going international. Yep. The Democratic party – well, not officially – are now inviting foreign citizens to donate money to MoveOn who will then distribute it ‘legally’ to Democratic candidates in order to defeat President Bush.
Update: Random Nuclear Strikes notes the same item and links to Drudge. Also, try a little bagpipe Christmas music.
FanBall. Go try it, it’s addictive as hell. Thanks to Jockularocracy for the pointer.
More ‘whoa, neat!’ stuff, this time via Jimi Love. Warning, the cool link does not allow you to ‘back’ out and return.
How can you not love someone who titles a post “Kucinich, you maggot infested, disease ridden whoreson.” Thanks to Kin – who’s TDY in Italy at the moment – for the link to Gee, ya THINK!?.
Ah, feeling the love. I read The Meatriarch every day, and when I finally post a comment he’s all over me like I was wearing a pork chop suit.
Mark of Not Quite Tea and Crumpets reappears. Not much new yet, but it’s nice to know that everything is ok and that his fine blog wasn’t abandoned.
Over at Sanity’s Edge, Paul posts two hysterically funny stories. (making a note about my ‘answering the phone’ story…)
Serenity posted an awesome link to 'The best of the Hubble'. Awesome is too lightweight a word for these pictures.
And so ends this edition. Not because I ran out of great things to link to – heck, I only got to the beginning of the S’s – but because lunch is over and it’s time to get back to work.
Happy Holidays my friends, however you may celebrate.
Beats standing out in the freezing rain any day.
I knew something bothered me while watching the Two Towers. Thanks to Johno of The Ministry, I now know that it was the quirky editing. Here's the original, with all scenes restored as it was meant to be seen.
And since we're feeling middle-earthish, enjoy some Gollum rap. Thanks to Sekimori, via Tiger, for the pointer to this one.
LeeAnn posted this one, and I suspect that I'm the last person on the internet to have seen it, but in the interest of linking all things silly: Virtual Bubble Wrap.
Oh yeah, new tagline over on the right. And nobody even noticed. Just like a guy.
A page dedicated to Christmas Lights.
I'm all for showing the Christmas spirit, but those people who go all out to decorate every inch of their house, inside and out, for Christmas kinda creep me out.
Ghost of a flea. Visual Thesaurus. Very very cool.
Pensieri found an odd site. It's an online collection of stewardess uniforms.
Jon took a candidate quiz to see who he's most in tune with. He posted his results with comments. My favorite line:
I'd move to Chicago so I could vote against him twice.
Heather of Angelweave points out this hilarious bit of internet humor. Bandwidth alert, and drink warning too. I'm soooooo there.
Brian Noggle creates a nifty new swear word, but lost me during the explanation when he used the phrase: "That's a twofer you don't get with an unvoiced labiodental fricative." I had to look it up, because to my admittedly gutter-dwelling mind, it sounds like performing non-reciprocated oral sex while staying at her folk's place for the holidays. Thanks again to Heather, for that mental image. Ever been to a space station?
Over at Spacecraft, Chris Hall posts a picture that proves us rocket nuts people are everywhere. If you want to see something slightly twilight-zonish, visit Huntsville, Alabama. Every other business there is named Rocket-this or Astro-that.
Ben Dover, because good advice is timeless.
I've mentioned him before: Ray Dunakin builds rockets that take aerial photographs. He sells beautiful 8x10 prints, mounted and matted, for $15.00 + shipping. Worth considering if you're looking for something different to give as Christmas gifts.
For those who are sick of holiday music, you must Must MUST go here and listen. Actually, everyone should go, because this is falling-down-holding-your-side-it-hurts funny. Work safe, and don't forget to click the 'offended?' link at the end. Major kudos to Shell of Across the Atlantic for pointing this one out.
Terry has been visiting China, has a camera, and knows how to use it. Wow.
The Meatriarch posted a great bit about Hollywood fighting vs. Real Life fighting.
If you look up the word despair in the dictionary, you'll find that they mention being a Cleveland sports fan.
Mr. Helpful casts and scripts his version of A Christmas Carol.
Lynn points out this cheerful virtual snowglobe, and helpfully reminds you to turn the sound up so you can hear the screams as you rock their little universe.
Jail babes. Another option for that special nitwit on your list. Thanks to Say Uncle for the link.
More gift-giving goodies, courtesy of Jay at Sophont.
Gee, Ya Think?! points out this page full of Christmas Hamster-dancing.
Ho.
I didn't much care for the original, and I didn't watch the remake last night on the Sci-Fi channel. But a friend pointed out this page with a BG game, if you like shoot-em-ups.
Another specialized niche in the genre of pinup art. Yipee Ki-ay!
For another obscure bit of pinup history, check out my earlier post on Art Frahm.
More than 2200 links about telescopes, observatories, the solar system, societies, deep-sky, space agencies, space missions, rockets, space stations, astronauts, launch facilities, aerospace companies... and much more.
I'm going to wander all over the place with this edition, including a couple few old friends, as well as some folks who I'd guess aren't already on your radar screen.
Starting off with some naughty stuff, check out Book Whores, reviewers of 'Cruel and Unusual Books'. Plenty of links to their listed favorites, and categorized into such as Bodice Rippers and Absinthe & Opium. I discovered them courtesy of Yummy Wakame, a beautifully designed site that I found via ErosBlog.
Her byline reads "Porn, Politics, and Punditry". Blogslut works in the Internet Porn industry. I'm looking forward to reading more of her insights about the industry, because so far it's pretty interesting stuff. It's not all porn related, but it's not kid-safe either.
This is just fowl, and yes I spelled it that way intentionally. Do you remember the joke about the difference between kinky and perverted? The story at the link is perverted. Hey, I laughed as I read it.
Ok, let's move away from the adult section...
Rocket Man has a great review of missions to Mars, including several that he's worked on himself. Thanks to Professor Hall for pointing this out.
You may have heard that the Japanese lost a rocket that carryied a couple of spy satellites last week when their home-built rocket failed. Rand Simberg talks about the possible shortcomings to the way the Japanese are approaching space (hint: way too NASA-like). He also talks about the Chinese and their long-term goals. Read the comments too, there's some intriguing debate going on.
And just in case you don't read Rand because you think it's all tech-related (as if that's a bad thing), check out his razor-sharp parody of Al Gore.
Congratulations to Kurt of Jockularocracy for being invited to join the Bear Flag League. These folks are smart California bloggers, and restore my faith in my home state. You probably already read some of them. California also has the coolest state flag. No arguments will be entertained. If you disagree, you're wrong.
Terry of The Coyote's Bark is travelling in Asia, and posting some amazing pictures. He also managed to catch Simon's soiree of Hong Kong bloggers.
Ten Rules of Cell Phone Etiquette. I hate the damn things. Occasionally, my wife will insist that I take hers, but I seldom turn it on and it just sits in the glove compartment. I don't have one of my own, and can barely work one. In fact, Liz is going to give me the instruction book for hers this week so I can check her voice mail since everyone will be calling to find out how she is. Link thanks to DynamoBuzz, a Jersey blogger who scores bonus points for the (intentional?) Zappa-esque reference. And just because the whole point here is linkage, check out Backstage, a charter member of the Axis of Evil Naughty Classic.
Fake Lincoln quotes being used by anti-war protesters. Thanks to Paul of Sanity's Edge for that link. By the way, he also linked my Cornucopia of Ted post and even said it was interesting. Best money I ever spent. Thanks Paul!
Alright, this site is funny. Maybe you already knew about Bunsen, but it's new to me. In fact, I'll excerpt a little bit here, but you can read the rest.
Michael Jackson Song Titles That Will Conveniently Double as His Prison Bitch Name
-- "Billie Jean" [Thriller]
-- "Dirty Diana" [Bad]
-- "Girlfriend" [Off the Wall]
-- "The Girl is Mine" [Thriller]
-- "PYT" (Pretty Young Thing) [Thriller]
-- "Liberian Girl" [Bad]
-- "Albino Man Barbie" [Dangerous B-side]
-- "Sexy Sexy Nose Hole Jackie" [Japanese Import]
Justice is Coming. And his name is not Ryan Leaf. A San Diego Chargers blog, for the masochistic among us. LeeAnn, the Chargers and Padres are the price you pay for living in paradise.
"I got my first boner in church." Finally, like the last kid picked when choosing sides, our honorary right-fielder (someone has to be it) is LasagnaFarm. Amusing stuff, even moreso since almost none of it applied to me. Except maybe that boner line. Is there a statute of limitations on sin?
Lynn from Reflections in d minor reflects on why Thanksgiving is special to Americans. This is a beautiful bit of writing and absolutely correct too.
President Bush visits the troops in Iraq for Thanksgiving. This man is amazing, and that was the perfect thing to do at the perfect time.
While I'm admiring leadership, let's give Hillary Clinton a hand as well, for visiting troops in Afghanistan over Thanksgiving. I've spent holidays working on the flight line, and visits like this are very much appreciated.
And although I'm at work today, that's a good thing too because Mookie and mom are putting up Christmas decorations. It's nice to come home and find that my only job is to haul boxes back up into the attic.
Oh yeah, it was a pleasant surprise this morning to find myself alone atop the standings in my Fantasy Hockey League. The top five or six teams have been tight all season, and it changes every day, but this is the first time I've been in first place all by myself. Woot!
From the same artist who brought us the Oz painting from yesterday, say hello to Rocket the cat.
Now this is guaranteed to steam your buns! The Rocket Dog frankfurter vending system. It's Ergonomic too. Be still my heart.
Thanks to DeltaTangoBravo (and I even stole his excellent post title), you can now learn what your initials would be in the Radio Operator Alphabet. Military types might already know this, but it's still fun.
Alpha
Bravo
Charlie
Delta
Echo
Foxtrot
Golf
Hotel
India
Juliet
Kilo
Lima
Mike
November
Oscar
Papa
Quebec
Romeo
Sierra
Tango
Uniform
Victor
Whiskey
X-ray
Yankee
Zulu
Interestingly, many folks seem to wind up sounding like old porn stars and strippers.
This is Romeo Tango Papa signing off. Over and out.
More entries into the 'meant to blogroll these but forgot' category.
Quibbles and Bits is quirky and scattershot. Not for everyone, but definitely worth a look.
Enjoy one of the most beautiful blog layouts I've ever seen. Now if only the font size was just a tad larger. Welcome to Candy Universe.
Fellow Munuvian Daniel is one of the minds behind Bsurot Tovot. Check it out.
Primal Purge. She knows Kerpal, who kicked my dog. Oh, just go see her and click the link.
Margi Lowry is taking a short break for personal reasons. Worth waiting for.
The troll blog from On the Fritz has been on the roll for awhile. I've now added his main blog. His site is one of those that won't let you 'back button' out.
Conrad is the author of Gweilo Diaries. He's another expat in Hong Kong, ala our Simon.
Idiot Villager, where "solutions are not the answer". 'Nuff said.
More well-written randomness, courtesy of Travelling Shoes.
Evil little fuckers. Have you ever seen that Geico commercial where the squirrel runs out into the middle of the road, causing a car wreck? Of course you have.* And then they celebrate, getting all jiggy widit.
Need more proof of their sinister nature? Ask and ye shall receive!
I'm just glad they live in my neighbor's attic. In fact, I'm tickled pink about that, because he's a jerk.
*To my international friends, just smile and nod. It works for teenagers.
Most of these were previously mentioned, but never added to my blogroll for one very good reason: Mookie distracted me with her teenage attitude and crap.* I hope to remedy all of it this weekend.
Carol’s Chaotic Collection of Curiosities – Tino Martinez news, some good recipe links, and a roundup of spam news for which I was included for this. Why didn’t I see this coming?
Reflections in d minor – I don’t visit as often as I should, because I’m never disappointed by Lynn’s gentle good humor. She also makes me want to learn more about classical music.
This blogger named Taco lives in Norway and he’s into politics and history. He has some interesting things to say.
Delusional Duck is a very news-oriented open blog. Everyone is invited to post, or as they put it “No rules, just write.” Somewhat local to me.
Left & Right. Salt & Pepper. Lea & Perrin. Rum & Coke. Some things are just naturally right (and left). He’s another local blogger too.
These guys kind of fell off of my radar. I’m an idiot. Vote for me! (seemed like a natural followup)
Sheri can’t come to the door right now. Anyone know what’s going on?
Glenn of Hi, I’m Black! has a t&a blog called, appropriately enough, Not Work Safe. He doesn’t update often, but I see someone from there visits me every day. So I return the favor. I know, it’s a terrible imposition, having to visit a site with pretty and near-naked ladies. That tells you what a nice guy I am.
Fleshbot is fairly new and rather adult oriented. It’s not really a blog, but more like an e-zine. But hey, gotta love a site that points out a link to ‘Women of Wal-Mart’.
I stumbled across this blog while googling for images. Nice site and nice guy.
I'm sure there's more. I'll get to it when I get a chance.
*That was for her creepy post about the death row inmate that was executed on my wedding aniversary. She's a punk.
Not one, but two books on the complex art of napping. Further proof that you can make money selling most anything on the internet.
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice has created a web page detailing what each death row inmate had for his (or her) final meal. It's interesting that tobacco is prohibited, even to those about to be executed.
For a wonderful report on a pro-US rally in Washington state, with lots of pictures, go see these guys. Say hello and thanks in their comments too.
Al points out a webring of sites owned and operated by military personnel.
Across the Atlantic. List of countries with troops in Iraq. How unilateral of us.
Every Monday, Jeff at Alphecca does a roundup of firearm related stories and some damn good analysis. We’re talking fair and balanced here, in it’s original sense. Whatever your personal take on guns and related issues, you should visit him and read what he has to say. He also provides tons of links to sources.
Related to the above, Publicola relates the story of a woman who sees men with guns on her front porch. She shoots and wounds one of them, and is now being prosecuted because they were police SWAT team members preparing to break down her door unannounced. The first trial ended in a hung jury, but she faces the possibility of going through it all over again.
Being one of those twisted individuals who enjoys obscure and historical military trivia, I found this item at the Flea to be fascinating. Imagine being a member of one of the Canadian Tunneling Companies during World War I…
Kelley has the new Cul-de-Sac up. Good links to several blogs I’ve mentioned before, so if you didn’t believe me, trust her. She also includes fellow-Munuvian Heather, of Angelweave fame.
Thanks to Jay at Sophont, we now know that art is shit. And vice versa. I'm so glad we've learned to synthetically produce that, because I live near Washington DC, and if the Saudis can run short of sand...
Let's finish up with a cool little optical illusion, courtesy of Jockularocracy.
Of the various Radio Control hobbies, RC boats is a small part, almost an afterthought compared to cars and airplanes. Most RC boats are racers, but there is a small and dedicated group dedicated to military warships. This group is further divided into the scale-model contingent and the combat enthusiasts. The scale-modellers create miniature versions of real ships, taking great pains to fill them with exacting detail. The combat guys don't go to the trouble, since their goal is to sink everything else floating.
That's right, they build models of warships that have working guns. Most of the ships are at 1:96 scale or better, meaning that a scale WWII aircraft carrier like the Yorktown will be around six feet long.
There's a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions file) here with lots of information about this interesting hobby, including estimated starting costs and construction tips. My favorite part:
3. Do the ships actually sink?
Yes. There is no challenge otherwise.
The ships are built to rigid standards that ensure that they can be damaged easily and can be sunk if sufficient damage is sustained. Low-powered BB cannons are used to poke holes in the 1/32" balsa wood that is used on the hull of the ship. Ships also have homemade bilge pumps on-board that can be used to pump out as needed.
However, if the rate of incoming water exceeds the pumping rate, the ship will fill with water and eventually sink.
There's more information here at the Home Port of Big Gun RC Warship Combat. If you look around this site, you'll find a list of clubs in various areas of the US and around the world, as well as an extensive listing of materials suppliers and resources.
And if you look here, you'll find a list of links to many Australian battlegroups, among others.
Cool stuff, but the last thing I need is another expensive hobby.
In fact, I don't even want any of these, so my ranking on the geek/fanatic scale should be adjusted downwards by a few points.
For the record, I don't own rocket jammies either.
But for those who feel a bit rocket-deficient, I offer the following suggestions.
Shaken, not cryo stirred.
And while you're sipping your martini, you can prepare a delicious dinner with the help of the RocketChef food chopper.
Toys! How about the Rocket Football? Or perhaps your youngster (or you yourself?) has one of those wooden Brio trains, in which case you couldn't pass up your very own Curious George and the Rocket Ship track add-on.
You just knew that this one had to be here - the Pocket Rocket.
Go Google on Maurice 'Rocket' Richard and Roger 'Rocket' Clemens.
And finally, a whole page full of rocket-shaped crapola, presented with flair and humor.
This edition is the Happy Birthday celebration for Bill, who just turned the big five-oh! It's all downhill from here, guy, so just settle into your rocking chair, put on your reading glasses, and try not to doze off.
I was going to link to this article over at Rocket Man, about the most recent technology involved in tomorrow’s airships and how the US is planning to use them (you should read it and be amazed), but then I ran across the post where he relates his father’s experiences in WWII. Both well worth the visit.
Over at Transterrestrial Musings, Rand Simberg points out an interesting discussion about how nanotechnology is described to everyday people, and how the metaphors used in that description could be part of the acceptance problem. Daniel, did you already see this?
Kate of Electric Venom is dealing with her military husband leaving for situations unknown. Harvey says it so much better than I could, so my thanks and best wishes to Kate and her family, and to Harvey and his. This particularly touched me because at this time we don’t know exactly where our son is. I’ve talked about him before, he serves on a US Navy attack sub. His last message was a middle-of-the-night phone call from the Med to let us know he was ok, but heading right back out again. No details other than to forget Christmas plans.
Also, on Jocularocracy, an excellent post about American sports figures who served their country.
Genital Warts: the Musical. Seriously. Which is also what this guy is. Seriously funny that is, not genitally warted. Uh, that I know of. I mean, I don't know for sure either way, ok?
Aaaaagh! My eyes! The flea must pay for this atrocity. Oh wait, he has. With this… I’m in lust! (This excerpt brought to you by Lithium, trusted by multiple personalities the world over.)
StMack of Hold the Mayo goes on an analysis binge. He’s spot on about the current filibustermania and what it really means. He’s also done some introspection about his own postings and decided that it all breaks down into two categories: It Amuses Me, and It Pisses Me Off. Yin and Yang.
Now Alice (who is married to a much older man) is posting pictures from a pig roast. At least they claim it's pig. Pretty grotesque if you’re not into whole roasted animals. Pretty yummy otherwise. Is it just me, or does that look like Alf lying there after the Feds finally caught up with him? Betcha Willie’s doing hard time for that one, or maybe spending the reward money…
Speaking of throwing meat-flavored animals on the fire, the Meatriarch posts about objectivist pickup lines, which probably pleases Don no end, because to hear him tell it, he needs all the help he can get.
Plus, Mr. A points to one of the coolest online toys/time wasters I’ve seen in a while. I love this kind of stuff!
SantaHelpful has arrived. Be joyous and merry.
This kind of stuff is why you should read this guy.
Bill, wake up... Bill, we're almost done.
The AnalogKid at Random Nuclear Strikes is planning to show up to support the troops because the screwballs from Not In Our Name are planning to show up to encourage troop mutiny. Here’s a followup post as well.
Ross at Rocket Penguin is going active duty. Drop by and wish him well, and encourage caretaker Phil.
Dead Pool anyone? The clock is ticking – no pun intended, Bill. Thanks to Paul for the pointer, and who hates the elderly (well, just one specific old guy).
Homemade pies and strip joints and antique silver.
McTroll meets TwoDragons and is warned: “you'll discover what "McAlteration of McComments" means.”
Bill has been bitching about his job quite a bit lately. My advice is to quit. Maybe McDonalds is hiring greeters. He's such a people person, ya know? Besides, folks expect the elderly to be grouchy.
Nic is riding the roller-coaster of Washington Capitals fandom, along with everyone else who roots for them. I won’t even mention mood-swings to Victor, because he’s undoubtedly going through them too. What was that about Yin and Yang? Oh yeah, which Capitals team will show up on any given night.
All done. I'd call Bill a link-whore, but that would imply an active libido, and there's no evidence he can even get it up anymore. Anyway, stop by and say hello and wish him a happy birthday. Stop by again later, don't worry, he won't remember.
I haven't done one of these in a while, mainly because real-life has been kinda full lately. This one is a simple list of blogs I've recently started reading. Some you've probably heard of, but maybe some are new to you. Hopefully you'll find someone new and interesting to visit.
Take the test and identify your inner self.
Also, for your N/G/D entertainment, this is a cool look at video game and computer history.
Sheri at Two Nervous Dogs damns us all to hell. That deserves a great big Munuvian hug and howdy!
Hey, did you see this stuff?
Over at You Can Call Me Al, Alan posts a beautiful description of the US Flag folding tradition.
Meanwhile, Nic did exactly what I did this weekend, namely getting the yard ready for winter. She ate some spam too. Mmmmmm, spam… For those of you who refuse to try it, well, that just means more for us barbarians.
Tink is enjoying the Indian Summer, and hoping for a moderate winter. I don’t know about that, every farmer’s almanac I’ve seen is calling for a harsh winter. We’re kinda due for one too, because the last few have been relatively light.
Kevin of Wizbang fame has an interesting debate going on about certain required children’s vaccinations and their potential dangers. His article focuses on the MMR vaccine, but I know that the DPT series also has occasional disastrous side-effects. You can read more here. The site is a little heavy on the scare-tactics, but the information is there.
Denita posts an original cartoon that captures the perfect afterlife – for homicide bombers. Brava!
I’ve told you about Wince and Nod before. If you need further convincing that it should be a regular visit, then you should check out his take on the media in Iraq, censorship via internet blocking in the name of ‘security’, and the Bill of No Rights.
Another debate, this time at Velociworld, about shooting your lawyer. Pro or con, you should go chip in with your two cents.
Jay points out an article about amateur groups building and launching ‘near spacecraft’. Fascinating stuff.
Personal ads from prisoners. Tiger’s analysis is a perfect example of why you need counsel if you’re considering a little caged heat.
Speaking of crime and punishment, you should head over and check out the story of the executed murderer. How mundane, you say? They hanged an elephant (hung? nah, hanged sounds right.). Thanks to Say Uncle for the pointer!
From Silent Running:
Of course, the fact that Saddam was going out of his way to make everyone think he had WMDs is of no consequence to the 'where are the WMDs?' crowd.
Perhaps they actually never did exist, excepting in what Saddam wished for people to believe.
Case in point: be careful what you wish for. Someone might actually believe you are as scary as you want people to think.
Another classic fisking by Jon of Q and O, one of many. My favorite line:
It's magic! The President would tell the UN to "handle it" and it would be "handled". Magical Self-Determination Fairies would wave their Peace Wands and everything would be ok, again!
Finally, we'll finish up with some beauty.
Terry is a master with the camera, and his photographs continually amaze. His sunsets are particularly awe-inspiring.
I enjoy the photos posted by Starhawk as well. He’s done beautiful series on the World Trade Center site and his garden.
Annika points the way to an interesting survey of blogs and bloggers.
A couple of things jumped out at me.
BlogSpot and LiveJournal are the two market leaders, each with 31% of these hosted blogs. While BlogSpot is growing more quickly, its retention rate is lower, and the two sites should continue to race neck-and-neck in the near term in terms of active users.
Making BlogSpot the AOL of blogging. That's not really a surprise, because I've noticed a bias against BlogSpotters in the blogosphere.
Also, this survey only included Blog-City, BlogSpot, Diaryland, LiveJournal, Pitas, TypePad, Weblogger and Xanga. Their rationale seems reasonable.
The report concludes that the blogosphere is like an iceberg, where a very few (the big boys) are read by thousands every day, yet the vast majority of blogs remain unseen by most, 'under the surface' if you will. They then discuss nanoaudiences (not to be confused with the off-Broadway production of Nano-Nanette) and the methodology used.
According to the report, this is the first in a series of surveys to be done. Future results will be interesting.
Over at Rocket Penguin, a story about a Sergeant, a boy and his poncho.
Oops, I guess I should warn y'all that it's a .pdf file, if that matters. It shouldn't, because it's that good.
I talked about it here, and checked back today. You should too, because the winners are up in the Extreme Pumpkin Carving Contest. Way cool!
Too many great ones to choose a favorite.
Here's a mouldering pile of bones links to ghost stories and information about haunts and real haunted houses.
Didja notice the tagline over on the right column changed? I do that once in a while ya know.
Here's some spooky quotations for you:
Just like a ghost, you've been a-hauntin' my dreams,
So I'll propose... on Halloween.
Love is kinda crazy with a spooky little girl like you.
--Dennis Yost and the Classics IV, "Spooky"
He's not stupid; he's possessed by a retarded ghost.
--Unknown
If a man harbors any sort of fear, it makes him landlord to a ghost.
--Lloyd Douglas
True love is like ghosts, which everyone talks about but few have seen.
--Anonymous
ON HALLOWEEN
The witches fly
Across the sky,
The owls go, "Who? Who? Who?"
The black cats yowl
And green ghosts howl,
"Scary Halloween to you!"
--Nina Willis Walter
From ghoulies and ghosties and long leggety beasties and things that go bump in the night, Good Lord, deliver us!
--Scottish saying
Eye of newt, and toe of frog, Wool of bat, and tongue of dog, Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting, Lizard's leg, and owlet's wing, For a charm of powerful trouble, Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.
--William Shakespeare Witches in Macbeth
There is nothing funny about Halloween. This sarcastic festival reflects, rather, an infernal demand for revenge by children on the adult world.
--Jean Baudrillard
What fearful shapes and shadows beset his path, amidst the dim and ghastly glare of a snowy night! With what wistful look did he eye every trembling ray of light streaming across the waste fields from some distant window! How often was he appalled by some shrub covered with snow, which, like a sheeted spectre, beset his very path! How often did he shrink with curdling awe at the sound of his own steps on the frosty crust beneath his feet; and dread to look over his shoulder, lest he should behold some uncouth being tramping close behind him! and how often was he thrown into complete dismay by some rushing blast, howling among the trees, in the idea that it was the Galloping Hessian on one of his nightly scourings!
--Washington Irving - From "The Legend of Sleep Hollow"
Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble
--William Shakespeare Witches in Macbeth
I got a rock.
--Charlie Brown
"Sure, the Sweat Hogs were all fairly popular in their day, but to think some poor 7 year old kid was wandering the streets dressed up as Gabe Kaplan is a crying shame. If you were really cool, you could wear the mask with a basketball uniform and go as Gabe Kaplan from FASTBREAK, or just go naked with it as Ron Jeremy."
Great commentary and more from this font of inspiration for those who just can't decide what to wear this year.
Thanks to Transterrestrial Musings for the link.
Volksmarching (literally people's walk) is a popular German pastime where folks take a stroll through the scenic countryside. The routes are marked, and there are checkpoints along the way where you get your route card stamped. At the end you get a trinket of some sort (pin or patch or similar item) and your milage and event cards get updated so you have a record of how many you've done and how far you've walked. It's a nice way to spend a day.
If you want information about volksmarching in your area, do a Google search. They've pretty much spread worldwide, and you can probably find one reasonably local to you.
The German word for large is 'gross'.
Professor Hall talks a little bit about the motorcyclists version called an Iron Butt Rally, and the troubles you can have on the road.
So what do all these tidbits of information have in common? Keep reading...
Two American ladies are visiting Germany on vacation and decide to go on a volksmarch. As they're walking along they happen upon a German gentleman relieving himself against a tree.
One of the girls says "Ewww, gross!"
The gentleman smiles and says "Danke."
... is a better Christian than you.
In fact, according to her website, she's "so close to Jesus, he uses her birthday when he plays Lotto."
Sharp satire and penetrating parody, but be prepared to spend a little time, because there's that much good stuff to go through.
Happy Tree Friends! It's cute, it's gory, it's sick. It's hard to find good childrens programming like that these days.
Thanks to mnavarre for the pointer.
Oh, if you've never seen Joe Cartoon, well, you've lived a sheltered life.
(bandwidth alert for everything linked here, and some of the language gets a little rough)
Six British schoolboys were rushed to hospital after taking the erection-enhancing drug Viagra at lunchtime for a dare, the school said on Thursday.
Sorry about the headline, I couldn't resist.
Short but intense. Busy busy week.
The guys at Random Nuclear Strikes keep posting quality stuff. As I scrolled through their blog, I couldn’t decide whether to link to the bit about rebels without a clue, or the one about the legacy of Ronald Reagan, or Noah. Until I found their new effort, the Bellicose Woman’s Brigade, and its primary topic – the right of self defense. Personal note to oldest daughter and Mookie: go read this, and think about it.
While I’m on that subject, go check out the Shooter’s Carnival too. Lots of good stuff for beginners, in a group blog format. Entries by Publicola, Alphecca, and Say Uncle.
There’s a nice little debate going on over at Across the Atlantic about the most beautiful airplane ever, prompted by the soon-to-be-retired Concorde.
This guy always has something thought-provoking to read. You should stop by, and while you’re there ask him why I’m not on his blogroll.
There’s always a party going on at Madfish Willie’s Cyber Saloon.
Mr. Helpful is going to be posting chapters of his novel online (there are a lot of bloggers writing novels, which I suppose isn’t all that surprising). Megan is also writing a new story for the Second Spherewide Short Story Symposium. With an owie, no less. That is a dedicated wordsmith.
Kin's back, and he's picked up right where he left off.
Nic talks of charity walks and poor pumpkin crops. Blame Canada!
TwoDragons is having problems with our comment routines not remembering her. We discussed the problem and unofficially decided that it’s the ‘system’ keeping you down.
Alright, lunch is over. Later.
Professor Hall left a comment in my druid story about a 1/3 scale model of Stonehenge at the University of Missouri at Rolla.
Further digging shows that the UM-Rolla site is entirely appropriate as it is also home of the Rock Mechanics & Explosives Research Center, where they do experimental work with high pressure water jets used to cut stone. Their ROTC detachment is nicknamed the Stonehenge Battalion. UMR was also the site of the first nuclear reactor in the state of Missouri.
And then I found this page - Stonehenge Clones and Metaphorms - which covers North America only. Among the nifty links are the UMR model, Nebraska's Carhenge, Texas' Stonehenge II and Cadillac Ranch (the link wasn't working when I tried it). If you like surfing for the unusual, then these links are fun and interesting.
One of my favorite groups is The Rainmakers. Today I found an interview with their main singer/songwriter Bob Walkenhorst. You really should give 'em a listen.
Thanks to Instapundit for the pointer.
High-profile people doing advertising in Japan.
From the site:
Pander: n. 1. go-between in clandestine amours, procurer; one who ministers to evil designs. 2 v.i. minister (to base passions or evil designs, or person having these)
Japander: n. 1. a western star who uses his or her fame to make large sums of money in a short time by advertising products in Japan that they would probably never use. ~er (see synecure, prostitute) 2. to make an ass of oneself in Japanese media.
Enjoy the weirdness at Japander.com.
Jeff at Alphecca talks about lists and who keeps them. I’m firmly in the list-making camp, but only because my memory is so lousy. I’d hate to forget someone on my ‘must bite’ list if I ever get rabies.
Annika shares my shame. They should change the Raiders motto from “Pride and Poise” to “Every time the Raiders play, the baby Jesus cries”.
Navarre is excited about the Army’s new 12 gauge shotgun that mounts under the M4 carbine. Me too! I used to carry the M203 grenade launcher and although it’s comforting to carry a 40mm round full of double-ought buckshot, the M203 was a single shot weapon. Besides, he quotes Army of Darkness, so bonus points in my book!
The Meatriarch gives valid advice to guys taking a leak for urinalysis testing. “Clink” is bad.
Dana writes about this years hot new Christmas toys. My favorite:
"Politically-Correct Crayons - New set of crayons assures that your child will never offend a classmate with their drawings. Crayola has removed any color that, when used to draw a bodily feature, might cause emotional hurt or discomfort to minorities. Out are brown (Latinos), black (African-Americans), red (native Americans), yellow (Asians), orange (Middle Easterners), gray (the elderly), green (Martians), blue (Smurfs), and purple (one-eyed, one-horned, flying people eaters). The boxes of white crayons will sell for the same price as the regular, racist crayons."
Publicola discusses a new California law and its impact. The inability to consider consequences by some lawmakers is truly frightening.
"The law officially defines guns lacking these features as 'unsafe guns.' As a result, nearly every single handgun used by California law enforcement officers will be officially defined as an 'unsafe handgun,' a notion certain to be exploited in lawsuits involving police use of firearms.'
In short, California sheriffs and police chiefs must now choose between issuing mechanically unreliable guns to their officers or issuing guns deemed legally 'unsafe'. "
SilverBlue has posted a hilarious cartoon!
Over at USS Clueless, Den Beste contrasts elections held in America vs most everywhere else. This line cracked me up, but you should read it all:
"We [Americans] have to take candidates as packages, and can't really pick and choose features to create a best-of-breed candidate (i.e. Clinton's charisma combined with Dole's erectile dysfunction)."
Kevin of Wizbang! writes the following about a neat new blog tool:
"Jay Allen's MT Blacklist is a Swiss Army knife for comment and trackback content management as well as a spam killer."
Which is all well and good, but what we need is an American Army knife feature like automatic ‘track down and kill the spammer’.
Did you know that the National Cathedral in Washington D.C. has a stained glass window that includes a piece of moon rock brought back by Apollo 11? I didn’t either, but Chris Hall did. Thanks!
In November, the Discovery Channel will be airing a program called “Rocket Challenge” (I’ll post dates and times when they become available). Well, a grass-roots effort to buy commercial time during the programs to promote hobby rocketry has really taken off (pun intended). The goal was to raise $68,000, and it was done in a matter of weeks. I’m proud to be a rocketeer! Thanks to Rocket Forge and all those who contributed for working hard to promote the hobby.
Blackfive honors fellow blogger Baldilocks for her service to our country. I’d like to add my congratulations and appreciation as well.
Wanna read about a situation where timing is absolutely key? In this case, being a little late to the party is a good thing.
Megan always has intriguing and thought provoking posts.
Jon reports about yet another poll, but this one is interesting in so many ways besides the fact that it was conducted in Baghdad. Get this:
"Almost everyone responded to the pollsters' questions, with some pleading for a chance to give their opinions."
Man, how could we do this to these people?
See what happens when you have a Militia and a Sheriff willing to talk? My God, reasonableness breaks out all over the place!
Remember the story about the German day-care for men who’re out shopping with their wives? Jay of Sophont makes a good point:
"This may not be as silly as it sounds. After all, the last time German men were left without adult supervision, they ended up overrunning Europe."
The Delusional Duck gets a link, just because he’s from Waldorf, Maryland. I lived in Fort Washington long ago, when you took back roads over one-lane bridges through beautiful countryside to get to Waldorf. Now it’s four-lane divided highway through housing developments. Progress can really suck.
Thanks to Velociworld for the pointer, for he has fine taste in unknown celebrities bearing (not baring) impressive chests.
Nic gives with her super secret chili spices. She doesn’t specify, but I bet you could change the character of the chili a bit by using sweet paprika vs the hot stuff. I’m going to have to try her recipe.
Over at Jockularocracy, there’s a pointer to one of those must-have products for today’s world. I can’t wait till it shows up in the ‘As Seen On TV’ store, so I can save on shipping and handling.
Enjoy!
In a late episode of the television show Happy Days, Fonzi jumped a shark tank with his motorcycle on waterskis. This became the standard metaphor for the defining moment at which a series began it's decline into crap.
For some interesting comments on classic (and not-so-classic) television, see Jump The Shark. I especially enjoyed reading and reminiscing about Barney Miller, which is one of my all-time favorites.
I saw this in an article in Entertainment Weekly which has a policy of being accessable online only to subscribers and newstand buyers, so screw 'em - no link for them.
A collection of more than 12 million historic photographs, capturing scenes from the Boer War to the D-Day landings, was published on the Internet Monday.
The images, which date back to the turn of the 20th century, have been captured from the archives of the British Pathe newsreel, a cinema news service that pre-dated television.
Peter Fydler, archive marketing director at Britain's Independent Television News, which owns British Pathe, said the collection should provide a powerful learning aid and a trip down memory lane.
"By using the newsreel archive to create a huge collection of still images, people can have access free of charge to printable pictures which will add to their enjoyment of history," he said.
The collection can be accessed at www.britishpathe.com. This morning the link was very slow, I suspect due to the amount of traffic trying to reach it. The quotes above come from a story accessed via Yahoo! News, which has more details.
I'm going to take my time going through this one, because Kelley is headed to Hawaii for a vacation. If you've been wanting to expand your reading circles, then you definitely need to check it out.
One year I took one of those decorated kiddie bedsheets, this one had cartoons of Donald Duck, Huey, Dewey and Louie, Mickey Mouse and Pluto, etc. I cut out eyeholes and draped it over our son for trick or treating. When people asked what he was supposed to be, he told them he was the ghost of Walt Disney.
This is cool - Extreme Pumpkins. Thanks to TwoDragons for the link posted at Suburban Blight.
Q: How do West Virginians celebrate Halloween?
A: They pumpkin.
(Every state has a neighboring state that they make fun of. Washington has Idaho, North Carolina has South Carolina, Virginia has West Virginia, and everybody has California.)
I've been meaning to add some folks to my Links Roster, and tonight I finally got around to it. Most of these I've been visiting from other blogrolls or technorati, so all I've really done is make it easier on myself.
(in no particular order)
Spacecraft
Rocket Forge
Backstage
JimiLove, Inc.
Madfish Willie's Cyber Saloon
Say Uncle
Sophont
If you haven't seen them yet, drop in and check 'em out, you might find something you like.
Bonus points if you understand the title without reading ahead to the end.
Tonight’s Final Jeopardy answer was about someone being killed by a spear (1700’s I believe), and the price said spear fetched in auction. The correct question – which I didn’t know – was Captain Cook, who was skewered in the Sandwich Islands, now known as Hawaii. The host of the show tossed in another little tidbit. The spear was recovered from Captain Cook’s body by his navigator, a man named Bligh who later became a captain of his own ship – the Bounty.
This kind of historical trivia floats my boat, so off I went into the realm of Google to see what more I might find.
Here’s a site maintained by a distant ancestor of Captain Cook with some nice background information about the man and his voyages. I especially like this part:
What he had bequeathed to future generations was at once grand and simple: a coherent map of the Pacific.
Helluva legacy.
After reading this stuff for a while, I became curious about historic maps in general. Back to Google.
The very first site I found was this nifty online collection of historical maps. I love maps, especially old ones. They just fascinate me. In fact, when I worked at the US Department of State in Washington D.C., I went to a special seminar once in their research library that was totally devoted to the maps in their collection. So I went looking for a link to that.
What I came across instead was this extensive link list to online cartography resources, which includes the above link, the Library of Congress archives, and much more both modern and historic.
Back to Google, and looking for ‘antique map’ brings up a long list of map auction houses and retailers. This non-commercial site jumped out at me, it lists antique maps of Iceland. Their home page displays a map from 1547, and there are many more to view.
Frozen rocky bits of land in the middle of nowhere made me think about maps of the planets in our solar system. This link, from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, is pretty cool. The maps are stitched together from satellite images and such.
Further Googling led to this page containing a map that many scientists believe shows positive evidence of the asteroid strike that ended the reign of the dinosaurs. You can read more about it here.
From NASA to Vasa. Why? Because I knew a little about the Vasa already, and was curious about the progress. You see, the Vasa was a Swedish vessel that was designed to be the most powerful warship afloat. Unfortunately, she capsized and sank on her maiden voyage in 1628 – within a mile of her starting point and in sight of throngs of people gathered to watch her launch. After more than 300 years on the bottom, she was salvaged and raised, and a museum built to display her and tell her story. There’s another nice site about her here, which includes detailed lists of the items salvaged from the wreck.
The Vasa wasn’t the first ship to sink in such a manner. The British ship Mary Rose had suffered a similar fate about 80 years before. This site gives a little history, as well as a look at underwater archeological techniques.
Unlike James Burke, who manages to neatly wrap everything up at the end of his columns (no longer in Scientific American – drat) or shows on the Learning Channel, I’m going to take the easy way out here. By the way, if you’ve never had the chance to read or watch his Connections, you should. It’s a fun look at history, in ways you’ve never dreamed of.
Anyway, back to my copout... The Mary Rose was a British ship, and Captain Cook was the leader of a British exploration voyage. All wrapped up into one neat little package, right back where we started from. C'mon, if I was any good at this, I'd get paid for it!
Here's a little personal map story. When we first got married my wife could not read a map. One long weekend we travelled to a nearby city to shop and just get away for a few days. When we got inside the city limits I handed my wife a street map and told her that she had to navigate every bit of the way around town. We spent most of that weekend lost, but by the end of it my wife could read a map and get us to where we wanted to go. To this day she keeps an accordian folder full of maps in her trunk, and she knows how to use them when she travels.
Dana at Note-It Posts tells of a great Google search result. Hilarious!
What caught my eye though was a little farther down the page, the listing for Dean Guitars. Way back when, I wanted one of these in the worst way. Not that I was hurting for a quality instrument, because at the time I was playing an Ibanez (the one on the right).
Then I got married and did some serious growing up and re-prioritizing in my life. (I'm going to bookend this whole post with another) Dammit!
I missed this when I put together Rocketing Around the Blogosphere last night, but that's ok, because it's worth a post all to itself.
Thanks to Mark of Not Quite Tea and Crumpets for pointing this out, and thanks to One Hand Clapping for originally posting it.
Welcome back Kin. You’ve been missed. Special thanks to Jennifer for letting me know.
Welcome also to the newest Munuvians: Heather, Don, Jim, and the Lady H. Stop by and say hello.
Interestingly enough (and this has nothing whatsoever to do with the new Munuvians), I saw on the referral list that someone visited Rocket Jones from a porn site. Possibly the one I wound up on today at work. Doesn’t matter, because the lesson to learn is: surf porn, increase hits!
Daniel points to a funny test to see if you’re a leftist. Here’s my favorite quote: "You believe President Bush is too dumb to be President and Arnold Schwarzenegger is too dumb to be Governor of California, but the Dixie Chicks, Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin, Barbra Streisand, Eddie Vedder and Jeanine Garofalo are qualified to discourse at length on foreign policy."
Hockey lovin’ blogger buddies! If you have to ask, you wouldn’t understand. Go Sharks!
I love these “xxx things about me/my car/whatever” lists that bloggers do. Really I do. Compile more of them, because I’ll read ‘em.
Serenity has reached her 6 month anniversary as a blogger.
Wind Rider pulls a fast one on Bill. It’s mean and funny as hell, but a little sad too. Like teasing the slow kid at school, ya know?
Starhawk has been posting regularly about WiFi hotspots and all. I have a WiFi story I’ll talk about tomorrow.
I don’t agree with most of what Norbi says, but I don’t have to. That’s the beauty of friends and laughter.
Glenn is... Glenn. He’s got a viewpoint that’s all his own, as well as weird fetishes for fish and Ivan Drago. He also posts near-naked women pictures and dedicates ‘em to me. Panderer. Works every time.
John cracked me up with this one. And just below that, another list! I’m doing the happy dance.
Kelley did not do the Cul-de-Sac last week, but promises one on Sunday. That’s ok though, because she’s headed to Hawaii to visit with Kate of Electric Venom. I look terrible in green.
Tiger points the way to the Hokey Pokey as done by Shakespeare. Good one Cherry.
Meet Al. Al’s in the Air Force. Al’s learning to fly AWACS. He already knows how to fly. Not fly by himself. Fly airplanes. The AWACS is an airplane. Why can’t he fly that then? If I knew that, I’d still be in the Air Force.
I’m going to finish up with one of the best posts I’ve read in a long time. If you haven’t already read about the Indepundit (aka LT Smash) having to fire someone, you should now. Seriously.
I don't remember where I first heard it, but the name Art Frahm always stuck in my mind, so I suspect it was in some sleazy True Detective magazine or some such nonsense I used to read as a kid. In truth it was his illustrations more than the name that caught my attention. Looking at it now, his work seems pointed directly at every young man raging through puberty. It's the stuff of adolescent (wet) dreams. It also helped that his name seems absurdly contrived to match his occupation.
Several years ago, I did an internet search for Art Frahm and found this site. This was long before I'd heard of James Lileks the writer or blogging.
You can find more of Art Frahm's work here, along with a little more history. It's still cheesy and crappy and wonderful all at once, just like I remembered. Have fun.
"Why can't this team just lose? Why do they have to write the greatest chapters in the history books of other teams? Stupid Angels. I mean, Marlins."
It's a San Fransisco Giants blog, but it's fun to read if you're a baseball fan.
The Day the Earth Stood Still is on right now. One of my all time favorites, and the first movie to use the phrase 'Klaatu Barada Nicto'. Do you know what the second was?
Ready for some great flash animation? An official Huffington production. Priceless!
Also, this from one of the lesser known California candidates. Does the name Abner Zurd mean anything to you? Thanks to Jockularocracy for the pointers to both of these.
Incommunicado is handing out a new sportscaster award. McCarvers, for inane and stupid commentary.
Laugh therapy, from Across the Atlantic.
Staying in the humorous vein, Mr. Helpful has a new series, Adventures of Bionic Dick.
This one made me laugh! Good one John. Maybe now my boss will see my point...
Cherry has an excellent explanation of moon orbit dynamics and the end of the dinosaurs.
Jon over at Q and O notes that Hillary gets her first international endorsement to be US President.
Paul writes a touching story about a town, a boy, and a mailbox. Keep the tissues handy.
I read Serenity every day, but Serenity is to serene like I am to terse.
Tasberry is an edgy slice-of-life blogger. She's also donated a pic of her self-described 'choco-rockets' to the boobie-thon, as well as some cash. Have you?
Meanwhile, Tiger holds a little contest of his own alongside the boobie-thon. The winner? The -thon, now $60 richer thanks to Tiger.
Tink fantasizes about straight single massage therapists, but settles for hot Krispy Kreme donuts. From a hetero point of view, I think she made the right choice.
You know when Pixy starts talking computer-tech and tosses around acronyms and terms that nobody understands? Well, Nic does the same thing about grammer. She must grind her teeth when she reads my blog, because for me 'creative writing' means I take liberties with words, spelling, grammer and everything else. Victor, if she wakes up screaming with nightmares, she's dreaming of me. Hah!
Are you a hockey fan? So are these guys... which reminds me. I need to check my fantasy hockey roster.
Update: draft not held yet.
Flea talks about the Chesapeake Mill. There is a restoration project underway to save this historic British building built from the timbers of the American Frigate Chesapeak, captured during the War of 1812.
Wind Rider bids a fond farewell to the Concorde.
Wanna beat on something? How about Ken Brashears virtual drum kit? Have fun! Kudos to the Ministry of Minor Perfidy for this one.
Look for a special photo caption contest tomorrow. Kevin of Wizbang did it firstest and bestest, but you'll want to check this one out.
From their website:
"The purpose of the Long Bets foundation is to improve long-term thinking.
Long Bets is a public arena for enjoyably competitive predictions, of interest to society, with philanthropic money at stake. The foundation furnishes the continuity to see even the longest bets through to public resolution. This website provides a forum for discussion about what may be learned from the bets and their eventual outcomes."
This is a fascinating concept. The basic idea is that you make a prediction that you think will come true some time in the future (2+ years), and your reasoning behind the prediction. Others bet against you, and explain why they disagree.
Bets may be time limited, such as "In a Google search of five keywords or phrases representing the top five news stories of 2007, weblogs will rank higher than the New York Times' Web site.". They can also be open-ended, as in "The first discovery of extraterrestrial life will be someplace other than on a planet or on a satellite of a planet."
Charities are designated by each bettor, and when a winner is determined the charity is given the money (plus interest).
Discussion is encouraged. You really should check this out.
Bill Whittle of Eject! Eject! Eject! has his newest essay posted. Power.
It's hump day people and you might be looking for new and interesting stuff to read. May I suggest the Cul-de-sac, courtesy of Kelley at Suburban Blight?
The first of the month is always the busiest day for me, and when it happens on a wednesday it just doubles the workload. Guess what tomorrow is? I also picked up a new end-of-the-month task, and I have to go into D.C. tomorrow for half a day, so things are going to be hectic in real time.
(Translation: if blogging sucks, blame anything and everything else.)
By the way, thank you for the long list of words for the next Google Junket. I really don't like to whine like that, but it works for Bill, so I figured I'd give it a try. Bill's not home right now, anyone care to take bets that's he lying in a gutter drunk with Collins?
Some out-of-the-way stuff for your reading pleasure:
King of Fools won this weeks New Blog Showcase. Excellent article.
Backstage writes about kitties and theater (theatre for you uppity types), which pleases Jennifer and Mookie.
Mookie also claims that my (alleged) jokes just come across as snotty. True? I don't think I have the charm to pull that off like Bill.
Casual Brain Rotting, courtesy of Random Nuclear Strikes.
Hold The Mayo - the truth served plain. Yum.
(aside: If Laughing Wolf ever invites you over for dinner, be fashionably late. He likes flava fava beans. [doh!])
Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you, The Ministry of Minor Perfidy. Where "evil isn't just our hobby, it's our job."
Enjoy your roasted stomach, infidel. Or maybe the pain is from laughing hysterically because Allah is in the house.
I'm a gardener. Much like Samwise to Frodo, I am to, uh... someone else. Ok, maybe not. But the point I'm trying to get to here (the looooong way around), is to go visit Starhawk. He posts beautiful pictures of cool growing things in his garden. He's also a WiFi wizard. What's WiFi?
Victor thanks everyone for remembering his birthday. He's made mention (repeatedly) that he's younger than I am, yet he can't remember telling anyone when his birthday was. Victor, when you're asking the doctor about Rogaine and Viagra, better check into the memory pills too.
Hmmm... that was testy, eh John?
Short and sweet, you should check the following out:
Shooters Carnival, firearm information without the politics.
Sports Blog. The name says it all.
Despite what the media is telling us, things are going pretty good in Iraq. There's a new effort being put together on the internet called Frontline Voices, which will let the troops actually there tell their stories. Watch for the link, I'll announce it when it officially kicks off.
Chief Wiggles is in Iraq, and an encounter he had with a young child inspired him to begin a toy drive. Read about it and please, if you can, help out.
Completely changing gears here, LeeAnn tells about what it's like to like on Sesame Diablo Street.
The Flea talks about an upcoming Alien vs. Predator movie. In my humble opinion, that's a much better premise than Freddie vs. Jason, but the one I'm really waiting for is Gumby & Pokey vs. Davey & Goliath.
I saw this exhchange over at Caught in the XFire.
Stevie: Stupid damn plastic ass-bitin' chicken-livered monkey-lipped brainless dickless sack 'o poop computer.
To which Pixy helpfully replied: Hey, that's the same model I've got!
Priceless.
Paul is sharing his wisdom on dating. There's pearls there among the laughs.
At Velociworld, we get the rundown on public washroom habits. Very funny stuff, and no, I’m not shaking his hand. He’s got a cool story about Goddard too. That always scores points with me.
Publicola is one of the good guys. I love this bit:
Of course it'd be cool if the producers of Cops & similar shows allowed me to just insert commentary over an episode or two for perspective. Instead of people seeing a police officer frisking a guy for everybody's safety that he/she stopped to ask some questions, you'd see the images along with a quick recitation of the 2nd, 4th & 5th amendments followed by an explanation of why the cop just threw some of the highest ideals of the framers out the window because that's what they taught him/her at the acedemy.
But my dream would be to feature the BATF. Then again a cursory glance would probably make people think they were watching a bad juxtaposition of F-Troop, Hogan's Heroes & 1984.
How can you not love this guy?
Those who don’t learn history are doomed to be California Republicans.
An emergency 911 call can be incredibly stressful. Or stupid, depending on who's making the call.
I keep telling you to go over to Random Nuclear Strikes. Do you listen to me? Now they've got froot-loop trolls entertaining them.
Stupidity of television programming? Surely you jest.
Kate warns of the dangers of rampant random altruism. Hey, it was faith-based. Does that make a difference?
She also offers up a site that will make you burn in hell if you visit. Really, don't go there. If you do, I'll save you a seat.
I saved the coolest for last. Megan points the way to a virtual apartment building, where you can design and add your own place. No excuses now for the virtually homeless, or something like that.
Over at Coyote's Bark, Terry points out a cool little flash clock.
Which got me to wondering about what else might be out there in Google-land. Wanna see what I found?
Here's a neat variation of the digital clock we all hate in the morning.
I really really really like this one, in a manic where-is-my-ritalin sorta way.
This concept appeals to the art lover in me. (bandwidth alert) Click on the ‘clock’ icon at the top, then ‘set’ your time, the clock updates once a minute.
I'm not a chrono-snob, here's something for those who must measure elapsed time.
Now here are a couple of overlapping collections of wallpaper clocks, the flash ones are kinda interesting. This one is my favorite of the bunch.
Once again, just to prove that you can find damn near anything on the internet, here's an interesting little collection of BBC clocks and flash cards.
Right, that last one wasn't quite on-topic. Oh well.
Good morning everyone! Let's jump right into it, eh?
I’ve been misspelling Kelley’s name now for a while, and she’s been kind enough not to have someone come by and break my kneecaps. Visit her at Suburban Blight, because she’s nice and her Cul-de-sac rocks.
Meanwhile, Kevin at Wizbang! survived Isabel while posting away despite losing power. That's dedication. In addition to that, he's always available to help people like me with technical problems. Check out the new in-line trackback ping-o-rama bling-bling at the end of my posts (those are my words, I'm sure Kevin would know the technical terms). Thanks Susie and Jen for pointing me at this.
Kevin also points to the story of the guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Honorable men like this are why we are free.
Post-Isabel pictures from Victor and Nic.
What do Wesley Clark and the Magic 8-ball have in common? Rattle their liquid-filled domes, and a random answer pops out. Read all about it at Jockularocracy.
Daniel expands upon the concept of moral relativism, and gets my vote for his entry in the New Blog Showcase. According to that concept, just because the other entrants exist, doesn't mean they're worth a crap, or something like that. I just skimmed the article, because it's full of big words.
Not Quite Tea and Crumpets shows another example of political correctness gone wild. No wonder our education system is all N’d up.
Rocket Man talks about ‘A Formidable Military Force’. Take his little quiz. You’ll learn something. I guarantee it. In case I'm not clear about this, I think this is a must-read. Why must I hint?
This guy is snotty and vicious, which is everything I like in recreational reading.
Megan, meet Tim. Tim, Megan. Two very good bloggers who happen to be devout Christians. Which reminds me of a t-shirt I saw once that said: "Be a Christian. Take a lion to lunch." Hey, I laughed.
Glenn over at Hi. I’m Black! is considering selling t-shirts. Pretty funny stuff, and make sure you read the comments. Unfortunately, when I tried to order one, he said I could never be considered an honorary black. That's why I used 'bling-bling' up above, I'm trying to build my street cred.
Harvey comes awful close to causing me to become curt with him by using a picture of my dog in his war of lies and propaganda. Note that my dog is an innocent bystander. Also note that it takes some doing to make me get curt. Unless you’re Mookie, in which case I can go from zero to “you’re grounded” in seconds.
Sanity’s Edge pointed out this endearing little screed. Thanks Paul! The last line is a classic. "...there's a reason why there are hundreds of statues of Charles Darwin and none of River Phoenix."
I forgot to thank Pixy Misa for his technical expertise. He keeps things running smoothly around Munuviana.
Finally, a quick tour of the weird. Mookie presents us with viking kitties. That's right, she wants to take us to a Gay Bar. This cracks me up every time.
Over at The Cheese Stands Alone, LeeAnn always seems to find the sublime. From the mildly odd to the entertainingly depressed, you owe it to your analyst to go visit.
Stevie, I reminded Mookie to get with you about your PC sounds. If she hasn’t contacted you yet, get ornery with her. I recommend grounding her, it does wonders for her cooperation and attitude.
Speaking of. FREE MOOKIE! Like Susie says, consistancy is for wimps.
Wow. I just realized that I used the following in a single post: moral relativism, Darwin, magic 8-ball, devout Christian, bling-bling, formidable military force, and street cred. Google is gonna turn up some interesting hits in the weeks to come.
I've told you before, and I'll tell you again: Go read the flea!
An Oxford museum has paid 240,000 pounds for a Renaissance plate which shows a male head made up entirely of phalluses.
The head is framed by a garland carrying the inscription: "Ogni homo me guarda come fosse una testa de cazi" (Every man looks at me as if I were a dickhead).
Archeology means intelligent ladies in khaki and glasses. Mmmmmmm. And no, I'm not talking about Lara Croft. Try the History or Discovery channels once in a while.
Meanwhile, over at Bad State of Gruntledness, Matt points the way to my new number 1 on the Christmas List. Hockey Lego!!! Matt and Victor, I'm in a (free) Fantasy Hockey League and last time I checked they need more teams... interested?
More later. Gotta go get ready for the dentist. Boy, that's a phrase I never thought I'd say so cheerfully.
I had mentioned over at Serenity's that she needed a Spider Frame. It's really a neat little idea, and a perfect point of interest in the garden. Easy to make too.
While you're at it, try some of these other variations for your garden residents. A butterfly house can be very cool. There are simple plans here to build your own.
And if you really want to keep the mosquitos down, how about one of these? The bathouse shown at the link looks to be more elaborate than is really necessary, but the extras look functional.
Just to be conventional, here's a simple birdhouse plan. The key to a successful birdhouse is the size of the opening and the interior space. Ours followed this basic plan, with just a few variations.
First, our lid was solid instead of hinged, and provided an overhang on both sides as well as the front. Under the eaves were small ventilation holes.
Second, on our house, the bottom was screwed on with small drywall screws. They're self-tapping, and removing the bottom allows you to clean out the old nest during the late winter or early spring. It's a good idea to cut a couple of drainage holes in the bottom too.
Third, and this was the most fun for us, was we cut two windows in the sides of the birdhouse. What I mean is, most of the two opposite sides were made of clear plexiglass, so that you could see what was going on inside the house. The birds don't mind. You can get scrap plexiglass cheap at the hardware store.
Here's another simple birdhouse plan. You can use plain pine board, not redwood or cedar, but stain the outside to protect it. Never use pressure treated wood.
Our birdhouse lasted five or six years, and all we really did was clean it out every spring and hit the outside with a coat of redwood stain every few years. We had birds every year.
In the springtime, if we give the dogs a haircut, we'll take the trimmings out back and put them on the ground. The local birds will find the hair and incorporate it into their nests as padding. Little scraps of cloth and yarn work well too.
I can't talk much, but I can type.
Over at Ambient Irony, Pixy Misa talks about his nephew’s second birthday and how kids today soak up technology without even trying. He has some interesting insights.
Susie discovers yet another odd characteristic she shares with Instapundit. As much as she tries to hide it, I think there’s an attraction there. Worst kept secret in the world there, Susie.
Jennifer treats everyone to a historical briefing on herself. I can relate to the whole spider thing, but she’s, well... you know, from Wisconsin. Doesn’t that mean you have to wear frozen wedges of cheese on your head and sit in snowstorms to watch football? That goes beyond eccentric and into the scary.
Tuning Spork of Blather Review has a bit of a keyboard problem, which he manages to relate in the modern version of pidgin english. Meanwhile, Stevie seems to be having other-than-keyboard troubles.
“Life is tough. It’s tougher if you’re stupid.” Cherry relates several funny stories about people having a stupid tough time.
Victor and his girlfriend went to see the stage production of one of his favorite movies. He also makes it clear that he’s not a Steve Spurrier fan. He also had several rat birthdays this month. Our cup runneth over.
Mookie is doing a poll to select her new header graphic. She’s a nut for the Geico gecko (I have no idea why), and one of her fashion statements is a pair of these huge nuts – as in ‘nuts and bolts’ that she wears on a chain around her neck. She is so much her own person.
It’s ‘sit by the phone day’ over at Chez Cheese.
The little one is getting ready for hurricane Isabel. So are we. For some reason, this one is beginning to scare me. Might have something to do with it being my first hurricane. My wife went through Agnes back in the 70’s (she was a little kid), but I’m a west coast boy and I grew up with earthquakes that last a few minutes, not storms the size of Colorado.
Fellow Munuvian Daniel had a good weekend for his fantasy football team. He’s also featured in this weeks New Blog Showcase over on The Truth Laid Bear. Link to his entry, because he makes some great points in his article. Or link to him because, like myself, people will say “Wow, Ted must be smart to read such intelligent stuff”. Just make sure you hide the comic books when they’re around.
Mr. Green has a life.
Alphecca is one blog that I try to read every day. Jeff has interesting things to say, and he’s a helluva writer. He’s also part of a group of firearm enthusiasts who’ve started the Shooters Carnival. If you don’t already, you should stop by Alphecca and catch up with Jeff. Also, check out the Carnival, regardless of your personal position regarding guns. Without educating yourself about the subject, how can you have an informed opinion, eh?
Wanna get controversial? Dean Esmay, Average White Guy and Tasberry all take a look at aspects of racism, each in their own style.
Starhawk over at Freedom Lives has done a redesign of his site. I like it a lot!
A is a hockey fan. Enjoy Owen Nolan, he’s fun to have on your team.
I’ve mentioned this before, when grieving families decide to go for the bucks. Publicola shows the perfect example, where the family admits that they’d get nothing from the killers – who are in prison – so they go after the gun store where the guns were stolen from and two burglar alarm companies.
Paul is having staff problems. Is there a fact-checker in the house? Experience preferred. I'd suggest introducing yourself to his wife at the earliest opportunity to avoid embarrassment in case anyone is miked.
Serenity has completed her trek to Houston. Safe and sound. Read her trip report, it reminds me of a few cross-country drives I made when I was young and foolish.
The guys at Silent Running talk about a danger that we can’t detect and can’t defend against, coming at us from the stars themselves. A cosmic fart of the ‘silent but deadly’ variety.
John has summed up this summer nicely with this cartoon. My backyard has stayed wet enough to grow moss on the stepping stones.
I’ve seen references to this (thanks Kelly among others), and haven’t paid it much mind. But with Isabel looming large, it’s beginning to seem like a damn fine time to cut loose and get a little silly before we have to get very serious. I’ll be on the widows-walk with me spyglass. Aye, there the beastie be!
Tiger redecorated. I know that everyone sees these pages a little differently depending on browser version and stuff, so take this for what it’s worth (absolutely nothing). I don’t like the new format, and apparently I'm alone in that opinion. On my machine, it’s just hard to read. I’ll give it a try at work over lunch, that might make all the difference in the world.
Al reminds us that it’s National POW/MIA Awareness Week. For more information, I’d suggest contacting your local American Legion or VFW post.
Oh yeah, I changed the name of my “Links Roster” category to “All the cool people and places”. Mainly because that way it’s almost at the top of my category list, and easier to find. Since I use that list more than my blogroll to get around, I’ll point you to a few blogs that I’ve been enjoying recently:
Terra Taco makes me think. Always a good thing. Rocketman also makes me think. Still a good thing. And he’s moved too (note to self: update his link). And these guys make me hungry. Never a bad thing. Enjoy.
I saw a story on the news this morning about the reopening of the National Archives exhibit of the US Constitution, Declaration of Independance and Bill of Rights in Washington DC. They’re doing a ‘citizens poll’ to select the 10 most important documents in American History. Read about it, and vote online, here. Now I’m annoyed, because I can’t find a link to it online, even from the news channel I saw the story on.
While googling for the 'poll' site mentioned above, I ran across this one at Liberty Story. I haven’t dug deeply into it yet, but it appears to be something worth spending time on. As an aside, I had the chance to view the original Magna Carta in Boston several years ago. It amazes me that simple ink and paper can become so awe-inspiring.
And here's another online archive site worth looking into, if you're into history.
I always wanted to write that. Speaking that would be another matter, because if the situation ever did come up, I'd cave in nothing flat and give in to temptation. Just something for my lovely lady visitors to mentally file away.
While I'm waiting in vain, here's a handful of eye candy. Some are educational, one is for two people to play with. Some of these use Java or Flash, so if they don’t work for you, oh well. Many of these are tiny little things and should load quickly. Have fun.
This is one of my all-time favorite sites on the web. I know Serentity is a science nut, so she'll especially enjoy this.
Balls. A hypnotic little time-waster.
More cool graphics stuff to watch.
Tres cool! Roll over the squares with your mouse and watch the fun.
Enjoy this little charmer.
Try this interactive guide to distances in the solar system and feel really really small. Use the scroll bar on the side of the screen to truly appreciate this one.
Tanks for the memories. I know, I know. Pretend it's me in the other one and take revenge for the rotten pun.
Nifty little kaleidoscope.
And lastly, I don’t care what you think, this one is kinda creeps me out.
"They've given you a number, and taken away your name."
Sorry. Old song, recently redone I think. They're everywhere nowadays, but what the heck are they saying? It's like some super secret code or something.
More than you've ever wanted to know about UPC's and barcodes. Well, maybe not. Gotta run, my shoe is ringing.
The redesigned twenty dollar bills will be coming into wide circulation in October this year. Here's a neat interactive demonstration of the features of this new bill.
What, no free samples?
In Kelly’s Cul-de-sac this week is a little gem about a little known feature of Google. I mentioned it to Mookie, and she told me about a nifty Google mirror site she’d heard about.
Google also changes their logo for special holidays and birthdays. M.C. Escher, Alfred Hitchcock, and Salvador Dali are among those who get special treatment.
This got me to wondering what other stupid Google tricks were out there. You’ve probably heard of most of these by now, because they’re not new and have been going around awhile.
For instance, type in “weapons of mass destruction” (with quotes) and hit the “I’m feeling lucky” button.
Try it again, this time for “French military victories” (with quotes). Snicker
For the terminally optimistic, try “who will be president in 2004” and hit the 'Lucky' button.
These guys tried a few things with the image search feature of google. (Warning: mature – but funny – content).
On the ‘not stupid’ end of the tricks spectrum, check out some of the neat stuff listed here.
And it was mentioned on at least one site above, but were you paying attention? Go to google and type in “answer to life the universe and everything” (no quotes this time).
I'll say it again. Google is your friend.
Not Quite Tea and Crumpets had the scoop on this story. A perfect example of what happens when firearms are used by law-abiding citizens.
Wind Rider over at Silent Running talks about the difference between journalism and 'professional' journalism. Hint: the sarcasm quotes are because he's talking about the BBC.
John gets asked that question that no man can ever answer correctly.
Tiger redecorates and talks about Texas football. Living in the DC metro area, the Redskins play the Cowboys twice a year, and I hate don't care for either team. I used to say that when those teams played each other, I was rooting for a sniper in the stands. Thanks Malvo for ruining a good joke.
Fixing the State Department. Interesting reading by Steven Den Beste over at USS Clueless, who is anything but.
Choices. What matters vs. what should matter. Read all about it and think, courtesy of Winds of Change.
This guy always has something interesting to read.
Men of Iron, Horses of Steel. These guys have become a daily read.
Laughing Wolf gives a concise brief on the Presidents remarks last night.
I don't agree with a lot of what she says, but she's an interesting read, and her school football team is named the Rockets, so she gets a mention.
Robert touches on many subjects and is always a good read. He's about as calm a rant as you can imagine, while still putting it out there for you.
If you're looking for some of these folks over on the right in my links section, they're not all there. If you check under "Poor Organization Skills" you'll see a category called Links Roster, and they're all there, plus many more. The format is still weirded out, because I rode the short bus to html school.
When you hear about Munuviana and Munuvians, do you hear the roar of the surf shooshing up over white sand beaches, while beautiful women in grass skirts and not much else bring you cold beer and cater to your every whim? Welcome to reality. Susie, Jennifer, Cherry and LeeAnn are liberated women, so we can go get our own damn beer, I'm sure. And Mookie is underage, so don't go there. I also have no desire to see the guys in grass skirts, although I'm sure Collins would enjoy it, as long as he got to wear panty hose like his hero.
Tuning Spork (a Munuvian) has written a great piece of satire (oops, now he's written two!). Funny stuff.
Ever heard of Burning Man? Coyote went. See his pictures, then google on it to learn more. Thanks to Annika for the pointer.
He's been described as an "eclectic cultural cuisinart", and the flea is where I go for something extraordinary. Enjoy.
Over at The Meatriarchy, "A" comes out squarely for the Instapundit camp.
This is a cool little site showing the growth of the U.S.A. It takes about 10 minutes, and it's worth the time. Enjoy!
If I could only listen to one kind of music for the rest of my life, I'd have to seriously consider Big Band.
My wife and I have 'our song'. It's You Make Me So Very Happy by Blood, Sweat & Tears. I also want And When I Die by the same group played at my funeral. Not the crappy shortened version they play on the radio, but the original version. Bruce Lee had that song played at his funeral too, but that has nothing to do with me.
I like Blood, Sweat & Tears (obviously), but they're not in my favorite 10 groups, maybe not the top 20.
With all the animal posts I've made lately, I've considered changing the name of this blog to 'Channeling Jane Goodall'. That would also annoy monkey-boy, and I'm petty enough to enjoy it.
Names are important to me, although I'm terrible about remembering them. I always make an effort to pronounce them correctly, which can be a real bear with some foreign names. I worked with a Chinese lady once, and everyone called her 'Sue' as an approximation of her real name. I tried real hard to correctly say her name, but always worried that I was really calling her 'suitcase tractor' or something.
She taught me some elementary Chinese writing. I taught her to swear in English.
The politically correct would call my wife 'vertically challenged'. They would call me 'circumferentially overachieving'.
Tip for guys: If you get sent to the store to pick up feminine pads for your lady, rather than standing there bewildered at the vast selection, just get the package with the most words on it. 'Super-maxi overnight extended-wear with wings' should be your starting point. They now put picture codes on the packages, but you'll feel like an idiot asking the clerk for the ones with the sunflower. Count words, it works.
The Phoenix Coyotes unveiled a new logo and color scheme. I like it a lot. I liked their old one too, but this one is simpler and better. I think sports logos have gotten better in recent years. The San Jose Sharks logo is inspired and the logo for the Minnesota Wild is just too cool. You can go overboard with logo modifications and color changes, and the Atlanta Falcons are the perfect example of that. It seems like they've changed things up 4 or 5 times in 10 years.
I've gotten speeding tickets in three countries.
'A' claims I've taken umbrage to the use of an initial instead of his whole name, but I hadn't considered the Canadian connection. It makes sense, no umbrage taken. I think he just wanted to show off his vocabulary. If you want further examples of that bad habit, read everything I've ever written.
Tim has changed his name from The Michigander to Stranger in a Strange Land. If I were 'A', I'd hunt down Tim and give him a Great White North whooping for calling my land strange.
Closer to home, Victor is making fun of Yuppie Scum. This despite the fact that he went to an organic grocery store to buy dandelion greens for his guinea pigs (which are rodents by the way, but I won't go there). Once, while watching a family pile out of an SUV, a friend cracked me up by referring to the children as 'yuppie larva'. I still use that term.
To be honest, I don't really care what happens in California -- this is all just some sideshow the rest of us can view with amusement. -- Jeff at Alphecca
I admit that I've looked at the California election in the exact same way, but Annika makes some points in this excellent post about why we should care and pay attention. She's changed my mind.
She also reminds us that California has the worlds 5th largest economy. But did you know that North Dakota has the worlds 3rd largest nuclear force?
My desk at work in inside a cage. Honest. It might impress you if I said what else was inside the cage, but I can't tell you. So just be impressed.
Tiger and Stevie have both had computer problems, while SilverBlue has had computer user problems, which can be much worse.
In other work-related news, they've been installing a new 'disintegrator' in the building. This is like a super-shredder that eats metal like paper, and it's a huge hulking thing about 20 feet tall with a conveyor belt that leads up into its maw. Ominous looking. Every time I look at it, I think of 'The Mangler' from Stephen King's Night Shift.
Wake up, I'm done.
Oops, that was supposed to be 'Rocketing Around the Blogosphere', wasn't it. Oh well, I spent time figuring out how to spell 'miscellania', so it stays (is that even a real word?).
Go visit SportsBlog. Kevin of Wizbang! will appreciate it (he’s one of the founders), and yours truly will be writing incisive and biting commentary on the San Francisco Giants, Oakland Raiders, and San Jose Sharks. Assuming, of course, that the sources I steal from are incisive and biting.
The Dodgers suck.
Speaking of the Dodgers, I’m sure that Annika will be visiting Chavez Ravine at some point. I hope that she wears her black and orange proudly, or at the very least, doesn’t go wearing Dodger blue (there are limits to acclimating to an environment, ya know). Anyways, I found this helpful and humorous guide to behavior at the ballpark. I’m sure it applies to some degree to most every stadium.
Tiger points to an excellent (and entertaining) usage of massive amounts of bandwidth. Mookie will like it, it’s got stick people in it! Also Susie gets a little crazy with slogans and battle cries! Scroll through to see them all, although my personal favorite has her clutching a thorned whip as she shouts:
"I'm going to spank you in such an unsafe manner, you will wake up from the Matrix!!!"
I bet Susie doesn’t have many problems with noisy kids in the theater.
Serenity points to a brilliant yet disturbing series of little movies (another bandwidth-intensive link folks).
Over at The Meatriarchy, ‘A’ gives a mouth-watering review of BBQ ribs he sampled at a weekend rib-fest. Makes me wanna fire up the grill. Oh, and 'A', there's no way I'm going to believe that's your real name, so you might as well give up the charade.
Star Trek. Jerry Springer. Combine them and you get 'Wild Sex Partners From Outer Space'. Courtesy of Mr. Helpful, who promises this next installment of his Shatner Chronicles tomorrow morning.
Kate has the Snark Hunt up this week, and I’m in it. See me at my worst, in a totally roundabout way: go to her site, scroll down to the Snark Hunt, find where she links my entry, then click it to get right back here (well, actually it’s down below a ways, which you would’ve known had you actually read it the first time). See? Pure unadulterated snark.
Finally…
Mookie and I had a moment yesterday. I’m surprised occasionally by something she does, not because it’s smart or dumb or good or bad, but because it’s part of her character that I don’t see very often.
She’s always said she hates earthworms (and squirmy things in general, what a girl), and my attitude has always been ‘pick the stupid thing up and throw it in the garden’. Which she does with great reluctance.
Yesterday we went out back to clean straighten up in between waves of thunderstorms. I was turning my compost pile and mentioned that there were a lot of earthworms in it, which is a very good thing. Rachael did her gag routine.
Since the work went quickly, I decided that we’d go ahead and relevel the shed. I put it in this spring, and despite some care the base settled unevenly, making the doors hard to open and close. It’s one of those plastic types that you snap together, not too big, but you need at least two people to move it.
We emptied the shed (garden tools, lawn mower, shovels and rakes, potting soil and such, etc.), and started to move it. As I shifted it, something ran out from underneath it and out the back gate. My split-second glimpse left the impression of a white shape moving fast. I thought it was a lizard, although the white color confused me. It was too small to be a rat, and too thin to be a mouse I think. So Mookie and I get this shed moved out of the way enough to relevel the brick base and there are... babies... uncovered.
Maybe 2” long, pink and hairless, not more than a day or two old, their eyes were not even open yet. They squirmed and kicked a little, but were too young to do much more. Definitely rodent, but unidentifiable as rat or mouse or vole or anything else. Rachael didn’t want anything to do with them, so I gently scooped them into a shovel and took them back to the creek* behind the house where I left them in the underbrush.
They’re dead by now, I’m sure. Snake or cat or exposure or neglect, because ‘momma’ was not coming back, that was certain. I feel a little weird about it, because I do believe that life is precious, but like they say, ‘nature is a mother’ and they weren’t looking at a long life anyways (especially in my backyard). Everyone reading this should realize that in the grand scheme of things, each of us is a big winner in the cosmic-lotto powerball game.
Two things: first, I’ll have to pour a solid concrete pad under the shed to keep the local fauna from nesting underneath. Maybe next weekend.
Secondly, this is going to bother me for a while.
*Creek is pronounced ‘crick’ as any native northern Californian knows. Don’t argue with me, because you’re wrong.
Update: Here are a couple more places to go and people to see, just because they're cool and/or interesting.
(bandwidth warning) Watch a sketch being done right in front of your eyes. Cool (said that already, didn't I)
50 Things al Qaeda Hates about America.
And some stuff you might not have known about the history of our Social Security system. (He's a real rocket scientist too)
Rolling Stone published their list of all-time greats. As with any such list, you have to wonder what they were thinking with some choices (or what they were smoking, it is Rolling Stone dont'cha know). I'd be interested to know exactly what criteria they had in mind when they made their rankings.
Link via Dean Esmay.
In an effort to bring you all things 'rocket', here's a downloadable game that's been recommended to me. I'm not much of a PC game player, but I've seen similar stuff, and it looks like fun.
I need a snazzy name for these rambling link-filled muse-o-rama's. C'mon peoples, gimme a hand here. I thought maybe "Around the Horn", but that's already used by a loser of a sports show. I also thought of "Link-o-rama" (lame), "The Melange" (sounds medically undesirable), or "Best Links on the Net" (delusional). Think about it.
Mookie is afk for the next day or so. She’s visiting her best friend, who moved about an hour south of us last year. They bought a few acres and built one of those log houses, doing most of the interior work themselves. Mookie spent many a weekend there helping out, framing walls and perfecting basic carpentry skills. They’ve worked their butts off doing it, and it shows, because the place is beautiful.
But Mookie and her best bud don’t get to see each other nearly enough because of the distance, so we took her down there Sunday so they could spend some time together before school started. Which also means that mom and I are child-free for a few days. Heaven!!!
Oooo, another bug story… this morning as I was getting into my truck I noticed something stuck in the rear window. It was still dark so I couldn’t see it real well, but the first impressions I got were ‘brown’ and ‘leaf’ and then something about the shape… I pulled the flashlight out of my lunchbag and took a closer look and it was a big ol’ moth. Yep, it was a mottled brown, and the wingspan was bigger than my palm. Kinda neat, if you’re into moths. I left him alone, because I'm a nice guy.
At this point, someone is thinking ‘flashlight out of my lunchbag’? (humor me) What kind of idiot does that? Short answer: guys do. I always carry a mini-mag flashlight in my bag, along with a Leatherman, and I always carry my Swiss Army knife. I notice on the knife page that they’ve reworked the ‘Angler’, which is what I have. Mine is an older version, and has scissors instead of those cheesy pliers, and a Phillips-head screwdriver instead of the corkscrew. I like mine better, in case you’re interested. Everyone, and I’m talking about you ladies too, should carry a knife all the time. It’s just a damn handy tool to have at hand. Try one of these Victorinox Classic (available in pink too), or even a good ol’ fashioned Boy Scout knife.
Al of You Can Call Me Al (go figure) mentions the movie Momento. He recommends it and I agree. Fair warning though, you’ll never see it on the Lifetime network. The other day I was rummaging through the bargain bins at Wal-Mart, and ran across a two-DVD set of old old old John Wayne movies. These are the one-reel flicks he made as a young man, classic black and white westerns from the 30’s and 40’s. I’m waiting for a rainy weekend podner. I also picked up Altered States, which is best viewed, well, in an altered state.
Here’s a new blog to check out: Ramblings of an Average White Guy. Robert is looking around and seeing all of the different styles and approaches to blogging, and trying to define his place in it all. Best advice I can give you is; Study Bill. Do the opposite. Bill whines a lot about his inadequacies, which gives him plenty to blog about. That doesn't work for everybody.
Personally, I keep a little piece of paper with notes and ideas, and I’m usually working on two or three things that need more research done, so I always have something to post. Unless I don’t feel like it, because this is for fun, and I refuse to obsess.
Welcome, Robert, and remember: PC’s are for people who lack the ability to think big (from one mainframe guy to another).
In War news, the forces of the evil superhero NetFlix-Man (no link without reciprocity) are still way behind the power curve, with debate heating up about what they shall be named. Weeks ago, I suggested ‘girlie-shirt wearing loser persons’. They should’ve taken my suggestion, because so far, they look to be the blogging equivalent of the U.N.
Also, I’ve noticed that somewhere along the line the allies of Glenn have been misidentified as the Axis of Evil Naughty. It ain’t true folks! Please keep the carnage tidy, there may be collateral damage civilians about.
Hey, I haven’t linked to Jennifer in a while. She thinks I’m “totally cool” (note the quote marks), and she’s not afraid to put it in writing. I think we’ve got a date too.
Victor is discussing beer, hooters, chicken wings, and women’s professional soccer. It’s not nearly as exciting as it sounds.
Tuning Spork (love that name) talks about Deep Throat not once, but twice! Woohoo! Close your raincoat, ya perv, we’re talking politics here. Good stuff, and interesting to read in the exact same way that Victor’s wasn’t.
Over at Winds of Change, read Ad Astra, without NASA for an excellent review of the ‘state of the space program’. Lots of good links to supporting information too.
For the best roundup of blogging links around, go see Kelly at Suburban Blight. Scroll down for the aforementioned Cul-de-sac, because she’s got mucho interesting stuff to say, and it’s worth a leisurely look.
Tiger gives us a peek into the law, Texas style. No six-gun blazin’ frontier justice here folks, though he does wear a nice tie.
In my world (which is infinitely more interesting than he-who-shall-not-be-named), life has lately been about my oldest daughter going to school way far away from home. I got to wondering if there were any rocket clubs in the general area of her school, so I did a little research. Lo and behold, within a day I got an email telling me about two local rocket clubs in Michigan, their websites (here and here), and an invitation to join them. I love the people in this hobby!
Come to think of it, I need a kickass closing line for this thing too.
Well, not really. Just a couple of interesting and unusual links for y'all.
I need a quick show of hands here. How many of you read Soldier of Fortune magazine? Ever? Ok then, who's ordered books from Paladin Press? This company offers some of the most unusual books on the market. Yes, I own more than a couple. I was young and stoopid once, ya know. And they are fun to read (disclaimer: use common sense and don't believe everything you read). Besides, how can you not love a company that has a category called 'Revenge and Humor', eh?
They claim that this site is wildly popular. Surf around a bit and you realize that it's not nearly popular enough.
Chainmail bikini's and lingerie. Google is your friend.
Ever try to assemble something where the instructions were translated into English by a Japanese who wasn't quite fluent in the original German? Welcome to Engrish.com! Featuring Pads of Mousing. Make purchase for Happy Time!
...and I've got some things to say today! Might as well wade in and hope for the best.
Annika points the way to a story that’s beyond weird. Don’t we have lab animals or something for that?
This is sweet (graphic-intensive). Thanks to Cherry’s Ramblings for the pointer.
And to cleanse the palette, Jeff at Alphecca discusses Gephardt.
Actually, maybe you should've read about Gephardt first, then gone to the sweet stuff to mask that nasty slimy political aftertaste.
Oh for crying out loud. Why don't you just tie a mattress to your back? Then again, no one will accuse Kin of conducting a half-hearted battle.
Rachel Lucas announced that she was goint to rent Bowling for Columbine and then review it. We haven’t heard from her since. Would one of our Texas friends please check the local hospitals for attempted suicides. Might want to check with the police too, for attempted homicides. No telling how she reacted, but ‘violent’ is probably somewhere in the description.
And finally, a quick tour around the War Front:
They called me “despicable”! Why, thank you, that’s quite kind. I'm taking this in the spirit it's intended, and using it as an opportunity to practice my cartoon impersonations. Tom Tuttle from Tacoma would approve! Furthermore, as a personal reply, I’ve added you to the blogroll over there on the right, and from here on out all references to the Alliance will be pink. (Lucky for you that I’m near-illiterate when it comes to html, or it would be bright pink instead of this black-looking pink you will see from now on. Ha!)
Bad Money has designed Alliance currency. Now how can you not like a guy who thinks you only need one coin, and that has naked women on both sides! Welcome to the blogroll.
Next up on our tour of the Alliance is Not Quite Tea and Crumpets. Clever and dastardly. I want to party with this guy.
Tiger felt a little left out. Sorry my friend, everyone always forgets Switzerland.
Oh yeah, new tagline.
Update: Rachel Lucas has posted her review of the movie. Her head didn't explode, but I bet it was a near thing. I'd also like to personally thank her for watching this and telling me about it, so that I don't have to.
I've been remiss in not inviting any and all to our club rocket launch this weekend. On saturday, from 9am-5pm, west of Manassas, Virginia. Check out the NOVAAR site, directions and a map are available from the main page. If you’re in the area, come check it out. If you’ve got rockets of your own to fly, bring ‘em along. If not, you’re welcome to fly one of ours.
Mookie is home. I heard about the music situation. My wife let the girls pick out their traveling music, and it was best described as a 'compromise'. Translation: no one was happy with it.
Thanks to DFMoore for this link. If I have to read Maureen Dowd’s crap, at least I can treat it like a word game and have some fun with it. Much easier on the blood pressure.
If this is true, then it’s your moral obligation to not go.
The Maestro composeth.
Victor is the originator of the InstaTactic. What an evil and twisted mind he has, which is a good thing since he’s on our side. Now if we could just get him to tweak those colors a tad. The text is about two shades too light on that background.
Kevin at Wizbang offers good advice:
Quick Tips for a successful Wedding Reception
Do: Have an open bar
Don’t: Invite trailer trash
Visit Susie. She’s recovering from Monkey Pox. If you must bring a gift, I'd suggest anything but tins of popcorn.
Need a suggestion for that hard-to-shop-for pervert on your list? Try this. Hell, I'm tempted, just for the conversation value. Makes a great paperweight for your desk at work too!
And finally, Jennifer seems to be having site problems. At least I haven't been able to get there. A conspiracy theorist whispered in my ear that it's sneaky plot to renege on her offer of cheesecake. Hmmmm…
