Here's a pic so you can see what I'm getting at:
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Dial For Men, The Soap Of Mall Ninjas
It has 3D odor-fighting ability! It is in a manly blue color! It has finger grooves just like a Glock, because when you're a manly Mall Ninja, you don't want to be dropping the soap in the shower, If You Know What I Mean And I Think You Do (wink, wink).
Here's a pic so you can see what I'm getting at:
Here's a pic so you can see what I'm getting at:
One Very Lucky Sailor
He went overboard off Cape Hatteras, but was rescued.
And he utilized training all sailors get in boot camp, using his uniform as a makeshift life preserver (catch a bubble of air in it by slapping it down on the surface of the water).
He's lucky because it's extremely hard to see a swimmer in the open sea, unless the water is very calm. In any sort of windy conditions it's nearly impossible to spot someone, especially when they are little more than a head sticking out of the water. US Navy life vests usually have dye marker packets attached to them, but of course this sailor wasn't wearing a life vest when he went overboard (wearing life vests during anything other than abandon ship drills isn't usually done, except by boat crews and flight deck personnel on aircraft carriers).
And he utilized training all sailors get in boot camp, using his uniform as a makeshift life preserver (catch a bubble of air in it by slapping it down on the surface of the water).
He's lucky because it's extremely hard to see a swimmer in the open sea, unless the water is very calm. In any sort of windy conditions it's nearly impossible to spot someone, especially when they are little more than a head sticking out of the water. US Navy life vests usually have dye marker packets attached to them, but of course this sailor wasn't wearing a life vest when he went overboard (wearing life vests during anything other than abandon ship drills isn't usually done, except by boat crews and flight deck personnel on aircraft carriers).
Demise of the Bidet
Not that you were ever likely to see one here in the US, save in places like Hollywood.
We had one in our apartment in Spain, but we never used it; we'd usually take a quick shower, instead. Only now, when I'm fat and have lots of folds and creases in the area of my privates, do I see the utility of being able to rinse off your privates without taking a full shower. TMI, no doubt.
We had one in our apartment in Spain, but we never used it; we'd usually take a quick shower, instead. Only now, when I'm fat and have lots of folds and creases in the area of my privates, do I see the utility of being able to rinse off your privates without taking a full shower. TMI, no doubt.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Note
I'm feeling a bit under the weather today, with a slight fever, chills, and general queasiness. I'm going to take the day off and rest. Naturally enough this happens on my payday.
*shakes head sadly*
*shakes head sadly*
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Mario Vargas Llosa On E-Books
Vargas Llosa just won the Nobel Prize for Literature, if any of you are uncertain of who he is.
``I have also seen many people reading e-books while traveling on planes,'' he said. ``And I have to confess that I felt some shudders the other day when I went to a book store on [New York's] Fifth Avenue and I found that the whole first floor was in effect dedicated to promoting e-books. Paper-made books, which in my mind has always been what I have associated with the idea of a book, have been expelled to the upper stories of the book store.
``Paper-made books will survive, but they will probably be condemned to the margins, and at the end of the day they will be on their way to the catacombs,'' Vargas Llosa said. ``Perhaps this marginal book will somehow compensate its lesser audience with greater rigor, greater quality, greater creativity.''
In the future, paper books will be relegated to the craftsman, who will painstakingly produce beautiful books for the wealthy and the collector to accumulate, much as someone might collect Ming vases now. The masses will all read books electronically, and won't need or be able to afford such books. As time goes on, the contents of such books will be less important than the skill of the craftsman to make them, so these books will become symbols only, a way for a (supposedly) educated person to preen about their education and taste.
``I have also seen many people reading e-books while traveling on planes,'' he said. ``And I have to confess that I felt some shudders the other day when I went to a book store on [New York's] Fifth Avenue and I found that the whole first floor was in effect dedicated to promoting e-books. Paper-made books, which in my mind has always been what I have associated with the idea of a book, have been expelled to the upper stories of the book store.
``Paper-made books will survive, but they will probably be condemned to the margins, and at the end of the day they will be on their way to the catacombs,'' Vargas Llosa said. ``Perhaps this marginal book will somehow compensate its lesser audience with greater rigor, greater quality, greater creativity.''
In the future, paper books will be relegated to the craftsman, who will painstakingly produce beautiful books for the wealthy and the collector to accumulate, much as someone might collect Ming vases now. The masses will all read books electronically, and won't need or be able to afford such books. As time goes on, the contents of such books will be less important than the skill of the craftsman to make them, so these books will become symbols only, a way for a (supposedly) educated person to preen about their education and taste.
Treasure Blog: Bulgari Blue Diamond
$15.75 million.
Pic:
It's a lovely thing, isn't it? How did Sherlock Holmes describe a similar stone?
"It's a bonny thing," said he. "Just see how it glints and sparkles. Of course it is a nucleus and focus of crime. Every good stone is. They are the devil's pet baits. In the larger and older jewels every facet may stand for a bloody deed. This stone is not yet twenty years old. It was found in the banks of the Amoy River in southern China and is remarkable in having every characteristic of the carbuncle, save that it is blue in shade instead of ruby red. In spite of its youth, it has already a sinister history. There have been two murders, a vitriol-throwing, a suicide, and several robberies brought about for the sake of this forty-grain weight of crystallised charcoal. Who would think that so pretty a toy would be a purveyor to the gallows and the prison? - - From The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle.
Pic:
It's a lovely thing, isn't it? How did Sherlock Holmes describe a similar stone?
"It's a bonny thing," said he. "Just see how it glints and sparkles. Of course it is a nucleus and focus of crime. Every good stone is. They are the devil's pet baits. In the larger and older jewels every facet may stand for a bloody deed. This stone is not yet twenty years old. It was found in the banks of the Amoy River in southern China and is remarkable in having every characteristic of the carbuncle, save that it is blue in shade instead of ruby red. In spite of its youth, it has already a sinister history. There have been two murders, a vitriol-throwing, a suicide, and several robberies brought about for the sake of this forty-grain weight of crystallised charcoal. Who would think that so pretty a toy would be a purveyor to the gallows and the prison? - - From The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle.
Good Thing We Won The Cold War...
...otherwise we might have been in a great deal of trouble.
I Told Monica They Were Cheat Codes For Grand Theft Auto, Now Look What's Happened...
Notice the coincidence about the two Presidents who didn't take good care of the nuclear codes? Both were DEMOCRATS.
update: additional information here.
Notice the coincidence about the two Presidents who didn't take good care of the nuclear codes? Both were DEMOCRATS.
update: additional information here.
Even the SMELL of Frying Bacon Offends Them...
...so you'll have to remove that ventilation fan from your diner.
Wouldn't want a fatwa on you now, would you? Be a good littlecitizen subject and do as you're told, hey?
Of course, if even the smell of frying bacon is so offensive to Muslims, maybe we have a great new weapon in theWar On Terror Overseas Contingency Operation. Just get some giant fans, and a lot of bacon, and...
Wouldn't want a fatwa on you now, would you? Be a good little
Of course, if even the smell of frying bacon is so offensive to Muslims, maybe we have a great new weapon in the
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Treasure Blog: Letter From Sailor, Battle of Trafalgar
A 205-year-old letter written by a sailmaker on board the HMS Temeraire at the Battle of Trafalgar has been given to the UK National Maritime Museum.
In the letter, the 25-year-old sailmaker, Robert Hope, describes the action of the battle as he saw it from one of Temeraire's gun decks.
Pic:
In the letter, the 25-year-old sailmaker, Robert Hope, describes the action of the battle as he saw it from one of Temeraire's gun decks.
Pic:
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Quote of the Day
Maureen "Mo" Tucker of the Velvet Underground (Tucker was recently re-discovered in a YouTube video in which she expressed sympathy for the Tea Party):
When you consented to an interview with that television reporter, did you envision that your words would be spread online a year and a half later?
No. I'm amazed at this.
What are your feelings about the online reactions? Many people seem upset or outraged.
I'm stunned that so many people who call themselves liberal yet are completely intolerant. I thought liberals loved everyone: the poor, the immigrant, the gays, the handicapped, the minorities, dogs, cats, all eye colors, all hair colors! Peace, love, bull! Curious they have no tolerance whatsoever for anyone who doesn't think exactly as they do. You disagree and you're immediately called a fool, a Nazi, a racist. That's pretty f'd up!! I would never judge someone based on their political views. Their honesty, integrity, kindness to others, generosity? Yes. Politics? No!
When you consented to an interview with that television reporter, did you envision that your words would be spread online a year and a half later?
No. I'm amazed at this.
What are your feelings about the online reactions? Many people seem upset or outraged.
I'm stunned that so many people who call themselves liberal yet are completely intolerant. I thought liberals loved everyone: the poor, the immigrant, the gays, the handicapped, the minorities, dogs, cats, all eye colors, all hair colors! Peace, love, bull! Curious they have no tolerance whatsoever for anyone who doesn't think exactly as they do. You disagree and you're immediately called a fool, a Nazi, a racist. That's pretty f'd up!! I would never judge someone based on their political views. Their honesty, integrity, kindness to others, generosity? Yes. Politics? No!
It's Official: The Royal Navy Is No Longer World Class
The UK is scrapping its only remaining aircraft carrier, the HMS Ark Royal, so will be without aircraft carrier capability until at least 2019. If even then.
Meanwhile, tourists at St. Paul's Cathedral in London report a strange, angry whirring sound coming from the vicinity of Lord Nelson's tomb...
Meanwhile, tourists at St. Paul's Cathedral in London report a strange, angry whirring sound coming from the vicinity of Lord Nelson's tomb...
Hey, Gun Control Works! The Robbers Didn't Have Guns!
They had pitchforks, machetes and baseball bats, though, which is all you need when you're robbing unarmed victims.
I'll bet that the victims are happy that they don't live in a society plagued by gun violence, huh?
I'll bet that the victims are happy that they don't live in a society plagued by gun violence, huh?
Meanwhile, In The United Arab Emirates...
...the country's Supreme Court ruled that it is okay, according to Islamic Sharia law for a husband to beat his wife, so long as he doesn't leave marks when he does so.
Which is the only scenario under which I'd be willing to marry Rosie O'Donnell or Joy Behar...
Which is the only scenario under which I'd be willing to marry Rosie O'Donnell or Joy Behar...
At Christ Covenant Church Here In Matthews, NC...
...Mormons just ain't quite Christian enough to serve as leaders in the church-sponsored Cub Scout program.
Which is sad for the family involved, but probably happy news for all you Glen Beck haters out there (and you know who you are).
Which is sad for the family involved, but probably happy news for all you Glen Beck haters out there (and you know who you are).
Monday, October 18, 2010
Wouldn't It Be A Great Idea...
...if trails in the wilderness were marked in such a way that a person hiking could use a trail marker as a reference point when calling for emergency help? Especially if those trail markers were input into the local 911 calling system, so that emergency workers would know exactly where to go to help the injured person?
A Boy Scout had such an idea, and made it happen in Guilford County, North Carolina.
A Boy Scout had such an idea, and made it happen in Guilford County, North Carolina.
Now This Is What I Call...
...a good start.
And it's something I've been advocating for the last few years. Nice to know that these guys will give up their ability to father children for as little as $320.
And it's something I've been advocating for the last few years. Nice to know that these guys will give up their ability to father children for as little as $320.
There's No Escape, No "Present" Button, Either
Dude, you are so screwed.
President Obama's first two years in office, described as an 80's-style text-based RPG game.
From the mind of Iowahawk.
President Obama's first two years in office, described as an 80's-style text-based RPG game.
From the mind of Iowahawk.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
It's A Crying Shame
Christina Hendricks is going on a diet.
She thinks this body is too fat:
And where did she get that insane notion? From endless articles in the MSM, from designers who refuse to dress her for awards shows, from catty little comments by other actresses who won't be happy until Christina is a bulimic bonesack like all the rest.
Buck up, Christina. You're gorgeous the way you are.
She thinks this body is too fat:
And where did she get that insane notion? From endless articles in the MSM, from designers who refuse to dress her for awards shows, from catty little comments by other actresses who won't be happy until Christina is a bulimic bonesack like all the rest.
Buck up, Christina. You're gorgeous the way you are.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Punch, the Drink of Dickens (and Pirates)
A New York Times feature story on the return of punch to the public consciousness.
The article focuses on the link with Charles Dickens, who was a punch aficionado, and with the modern renaissance in punchmaking in Manhattan.
But back in the 18th century punch was a favorite among pirates, and many primary historical accounts mention pirates manufacturing punch after taking a prize, using the punch to loosen the tongues of the crew so they would disclose the location of hidden loot. It was also used as a hazing ritual to torment captured prisoners, forcing them to drink large quantities of the stuff just for the entertainment value.
The pirate punch was made of found ingredients, and could include rum, gin, brandy, wine, sherry, port, and madeira, mixed with sugar, water, and fresh fruit or fruit juice.
The article mentions one recipe that probably originated at sea:
He made two batches for me recently at the JakeWalk, a bar he likes in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, using recipes from “Punch.” One, Meriton Latroon’s Bantam Punch, combined an Indonesian rum of sorts called Batavia Arrack with ambergris, which Mr. Wondrich defined as “clotted whale cholesterol,” and gula jawa, a funky Indonesian palm sugar. The drink tasted of spiked molasses, with some Worcestershire dribbled in, and entranced me.
Good article.
The article focuses on the link with Charles Dickens, who was a punch aficionado, and with the modern renaissance in punchmaking in Manhattan.
But back in the 18th century punch was a favorite among pirates, and many primary historical accounts mention pirates manufacturing punch after taking a prize, using the punch to loosen the tongues of the crew so they would disclose the location of hidden loot. It was also used as a hazing ritual to torment captured prisoners, forcing them to drink large quantities of the stuff just for the entertainment value.
The pirate punch was made of found ingredients, and could include rum, gin, brandy, wine, sherry, port, and madeira, mixed with sugar, water, and fresh fruit or fruit juice.
The article mentions one recipe that probably originated at sea:
He made two batches for me recently at the JakeWalk, a bar he likes in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, using recipes from “Punch.” One, Meriton Latroon’s Bantam Punch, combined an Indonesian rum of sorts called Batavia Arrack with ambergris, which Mr. Wondrich defined as “clotted whale cholesterol,” and gula jawa, a funky Indonesian palm sugar. The drink tasted of spiked molasses, with some Worcestershire dribbled in, and entranced me.
Good article.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Treasure Blog: 1st Edition of George Orwell's "1984"
Found in a charity donation bin in Australia.
Only 25,000 first edition copies were printed, so it's a relative rarity.
Only 25,000 first edition copies were printed, so it's a relative rarity.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Sarah Palin Has An Obama In The Woodpile...
...not that there's anything wrong with that.
You younger folks may have never heard this old expression. For that matter, you younger folks have probably never seen Walt Disney's Song of the South, either, at least not in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.
You younger folks may have never heard this old expression. For that matter, you younger folks have probably never seen Walt Disney's Song of the South, either, at least not in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.
Mark Twain's Autobiography Released This Saturday...
...100 years from the date of his death, as was his wish.
It's only Volume 1 of a multi-volume set. Among the revelations in the book is the attack on Twain by zombies one night in his Connecticut home, which he fended off with a pistol; here's a pic of Twain reenacting the event, executing a tactical reload:
Now you really want to buy the book, don't you?
It's only Volume 1 of a multi-volume set. Among the revelations in the book is the attack on Twain by zombies one night in his Connecticut home, which he fended off with a pistol; here's a pic of Twain reenacting the event, executing a tactical reload:
Now you really want to buy the book, don't you?
Monster Hunter Input Needed
Larry Correia has been tasked by his publisher with writing a Monster Hunter short story, and is soliciting story ideas.
Me? I want to hear how Holly was captured by vampires and endured in their feeding pit. Or a story about Ray "The Boss" Shackleford, how he lost his hand.
Me? I want to hear how Holly was captured by vampires and endured in their feeding pit. Or a story about Ray "The Boss" Shackleford, how he lost his hand.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
He's High Strung, Let's Leave Him Alone...
...we don't need the basement anyway.
Maybe the reason more parents don't kick out their layabout offspring is...they're afraid of being murdered.
Maybe the reason more parents don't kick out their layabout offspring is...they're afraid of being murdered.
Larry Correia, In His "About Me" Page On His Blog...
...had this to say about living in the South and Southerners:
I did fall in love with the South though. I had one assignment where I spent four months living out of a car and driving from small town to small town across Alabama, Tennessee, and Mississippi, so I saw a lot of country. The South is a wonderful place, and I decided that southerners get a bad rap. People ask me why MHI is set in the South, and that’s why. Southerners get screwed in fiction. They’re portrayed as hicks, racists, and illiterates. In real life they’re proud, heroic, smart, hard working, good people. So I made MHI a Southerncentric organization.
I find that kind of neat. Thank you, Larry.
I did fall in love with the South though. I had one assignment where I spent four months living out of a car and driving from small town to small town across Alabama, Tennessee, and Mississippi, so I saw a lot of country. The South is a wonderful place, and I decided that southerners get a bad rap. People ask me why MHI is set in the South, and that’s why. Southerners get screwed in fiction. They’re portrayed as hicks, racists, and illiterates. In real life they’re proud, heroic, smart, hard working, good people. So I made MHI a Southerncentric organization.
I find that kind of neat. Thank you, Larry.
Monday, October 11, 2010
USS Cole Bombing Ten Years Ago: Did the Terrorists Win?
Ten years ago, the USS Cole was bombed in the harbor at Aden, Yemen by bombers linked to Al Qaeda. This Navy Times article discusses the lessons learned.
But about halfway down the article is this:
Asked whether Navy ships still stop in Yemen’s Aden Harbor to refuel, Derrick-Frost replied, “U.S. Navy ships have not actively visited the port of Aden since the Cole tragedy.”
If the sole aim of Al Qaeda in the Cole bombing was to take American lives, then they succeeded in doing that; if they had a secondary mission to force the US Navy to stop using Aden as a refueling stop, then they succeeded with that, as well.
I'm reminded that Ground Zero, nearly ten years after 9/11, is still just a hole in the ground, and that we suffer horrible indignities when we travel by air. We haven't caught Osama bin Laden, either.
So are we really winning this thing, or are the terrorists simply absorbing the punishment, and will be ready to re-constitute the minute we stop pounding them?
But about halfway down the article is this:
Asked whether Navy ships still stop in Yemen’s Aden Harbor to refuel, Derrick-Frost replied, “U.S. Navy ships have not actively visited the port of Aden since the Cole tragedy.”
If the sole aim of Al Qaeda in the Cole bombing was to take American lives, then they succeeded in doing that; if they had a secondary mission to force the US Navy to stop using Aden as a refueling stop, then they succeeded with that, as well.
I'm reminded that Ground Zero, nearly ten years after 9/11, is still just a hole in the ground, and that we suffer horrible indignities when we travel by air. We haven't caught Osama bin Laden, either.
So are we really winning this thing, or are the terrorists simply absorbing the punishment, and will be ready to re-constitute the minute we stop pounding them?
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Saturday Ramblings
Saturday Sara and I decided to visit Love Valley, North Carolina. Love Valley was created by Andy Barker in 1954; he wanted a Christian community in his native state that looked like a cowboy town from the Old West.
The Wikipedia entry notes that the community is "100% white." Sara and I can vouch for that; we didn't see anyone in Love Valley who wasn't extremely white. To emphasize their whiteness, many of them wore the Confederate Battle Flag either as a clothing device or an accessory; we saw a Confederate Flag horse blanket on one horse, and even saw one bearded rider in a Civil War Confederate Kepi cap. They were very white. Very polite and gracious, too.
There were lots of riders there, apparently the place is a favorite weekend destination for horse owners.
Here's a few pics I took:
We decided to refrain from "dinning" (sic) at the "resturant" (sic) on the principle of if they're sloppy with their spelling, they're sloppy with the food. I'm sure we probably missed a great meal. There was a chili cook-off going on in part of the complex, with vendors and all-you-can-eat chili, but we decided to pass that one by, too, on the principle of lots of very white people and lots of very strong chili don't rightly mix.
There were lots of horses in town, and the resulting excreta had Sara exclaiming every few feet, "Ohmygod, this horse poop stinks. Don't step in it. Ohmygod, this horse poop stinks. Don't get it on you. Ohmygod, this horse poop stinks." I think that it was the horse excreta more than anything else that drove us out of town after only a half hour of investigation.
Love Valley. A fun place if you like horses. And if you're white.
The Wikipedia entry notes that the community is "100% white." Sara and I can vouch for that; we didn't see anyone in Love Valley who wasn't extremely white. To emphasize their whiteness, many of them wore the Confederate Battle Flag either as a clothing device or an accessory; we saw a Confederate Flag horse blanket on one horse, and even saw one bearded rider in a Civil War Confederate Kepi cap. They were very white. Very polite and gracious, too.
There were lots of riders there, apparently the place is a favorite weekend destination for horse owners.
Here's a few pics I took:
We decided to refrain from "dinning" (sic) at the "resturant" (sic) on the principle of if they're sloppy with their spelling, they're sloppy with the food. I'm sure we probably missed a great meal. There was a chili cook-off going on in part of the complex, with vendors and all-you-can-eat chili, but we decided to pass that one by, too, on the principle of lots of very white people and lots of very strong chili don't rightly mix.
There were lots of horses in town, and the resulting excreta had Sara exclaiming every few feet, "Ohmygod, this horse poop stinks. Don't step in it. Ohmygod, this horse poop stinks. Don't get it on you. Ohmygod, this horse poop stinks." I think that it was the horse excreta more than anything else that drove us out of town after only a half hour of investigation.
Love Valley. A fun place if you like horses. And if you're white.
Friday, October 08, 2010
Game Show Idea
Call it Redneck vs. College Professor, and make it a simple knowledge test, similar to Jeopardy. Categories would include the usual ones, but also such subjects as breeds of hogs, tractor parts, growing season, fertilizer types, fishing lures, rifle calibers, etc. So not only would the redneck have to answer questions about opera and broadway, but the college professor would have to know the difference between a shoat and a sow.
I think that you could have a lot of fun with such a concept.
I think that you could have a lot of fun with such a concept.
Unfortunate Headline Juxtaposition of the Day
"Police Dispute Rating For Violent Crime."
"Human Skull Found Near Uptown Charlotte."
And both stories are talking about the same area of uptown Charlotte, where a recent survey found that particular neighborhood among the worst 25 in the US for violent crime.
"Human Skull Found Near Uptown Charlotte."
And both stories are talking about the same area of uptown Charlotte, where a recent survey found that particular neighborhood among the worst 25 in the US for violent crime.
Thursday, October 07, 2010
Can We Hire Him For The Charlotte Police Department?
A North Dakota man was arrested for castrating a woman's dog without permission.
The Stutsman County sheriff's office said the purebred poodle was found at Gienger's home, along with scalpels and syringes.
Authorities said Gienger didn't have the owner's permission to castrate the dog.
Gienger told The Associated Press that the dog was running wild in the neighborhood and causing a nuisance.
I know a few neighborhoods here in the Queen City that could use Mr. Gienger's services. And not just on the four-legged critters, either.
The Stutsman County sheriff's office said the purebred poodle was found at Gienger's home, along with scalpels and syringes.
Authorities said Gienger didn't have the owner's permission to castrate the dog.
Gienger told The Associated Press that the dog was running wild in the neighborhood and causing a nuisance.
I know a few neighborhoods here in the Queen City that could use Mr. Gienger's services. And not just on the four-legged critters, either.
Heh.
Instapundit mentioned me.
No linky love, though. He hasn't linked me since I wrote this post back in 2009.
*laughs*
update: link fixed. Thanks to Wally for pointing it out.
No linky love, though. He hasn't linked me since I wrote this post back in 2009.
*laughs*
update: link fixed. Thanks to Wally for pointing it out.
With Liberty and Justice For All...
...except in Chancery Court Judge Littlejohn's courtroom, where failure to recite the Pledge of Allegiance can find you jailed for contempt.
And yah, it didn't happen in San Francisco, as you might expect, but in good ol' Mississippi.
It'd be interesting to know if Judge Littlejohn was an elected or appointed judge. I'm guessing elected. In any event he has no understanding of the First Amendment.
And yah, it didn't happen in San Francisco, as you might expect, but in good ol' Mississippi.
It'd be interesting to know if Judge Littlejohn was an elected or appointed judge. I'm guessing elected. In any event he has no understanding of the First Amendment.
Wednesday, October 06, 2010
Quasimodo, Driven Deaf By...
...the bags.
Those noisy Sun Chips bags. Have you heard them? Just grabbing one off the shelf can make you shudder and whimper a bit.
Those noisy Sun Chips bags. Have you heard them? Just grabbing one off the shelf can make you shudder and whimper a bit.
Monday, October 04, 2010
Sometimes They Come Back*
Rachel Lucas is re-activating her blog.
This is a Good Thing. If you read Rachel's blog in the past, you know this. If you haven't, you really should.
*Bonus points given for the commenter who identifies my inspiration for the blog post title.
This is a Good Thing. If you read Rachel's blog in the past, you know this. If you haven't, you really should.
*Bonus points given for the commenter who identifies my inspiration for the blog post title.
"So We Were Just Glad We Didn't Choose The Patio"
What with there being a corpse lying in the creek just a few feet away, you know.
That's about a mile from where I work.
That's about a mile from where I work.
Sunday, October 03, 2010
Saturday, October 02, 2010
Friends In Life, Friends In Death
Travis Manion and Brendan Looney were roomates at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
Manion became a Marine and died in Iraq in 2007. Looney, motivated by Manion's death, became a SEAL and died in Afghanistan. Now they're to be buried side-by-side in Arlington National Cemetery.
Manion became a Marine and died in Iraq in 2007. Looney, motivated by Manion's death, became a SEAL and died in Afghanistan. Now they're to be buried side-by-side in Arlington National Cemetery.
Everybody Hates the Joos*
Rick Sanchez of CNN certainly does.
Make that formerly of CNN. Evidently the Joos heard the recording of Sanchez' radio rant and fired his dumb ass in a tersely-worded statement:
"Rick Sanchez is no longer with the company. We thank Rick for his years of service and we wish him well."
Of course, hating on the Joos doesn't have to be the end of Sanchez' broadcast career, he can always get a job at Al-Jazeera. Or the BBC, for that matter.
Sanchez was a dumb scoundrel, too, once asking a scientist who expressed a measurement using the Metric system "how much is that in English?" and musing on-air about the Iceland volcanic eruption from earlier this year, apparently thinking that volcanoes are a warm-weather phenomenon only.
*I came up with the blog post title thinking of this old Motown song:
Make that formerly of CNN. Evidently the Joos heard the recording of Sanchez' radio rant and fired his dumb ass in a tersely-worded statement:
"Rick Sanchez is no longer with the company. We thank Rick for his years of service and we wish him well."
Of course, hating on the Joos doesn't have to be the end of Sanchez' broadcast career, he can always get a job at Al-Jazeera. Or the BBC, for that matter.
Sanchez was a dumb scoundrel, too, once asking a scientist who expressed a measurement using the Metric system "how much is that in English?" and musing on-air about the Iceland volcanic eruption from earlier this year, apparently thinking that volcanoes are a warm-weather phenomenon only.
*I came up with the blog post title thinking of this old Motown song:
Friday, October 01, 2010
Ladies! Worried About Chemical Warfare Attacks?
We knew that you would be, so we've invented the gas mask bra.
No, I'm not joking.
Pic:
Think about it, ladies: no more worrying when Hubby has eaten too many brussels sprouts or baked beans. If you're in the New York subway and Al Qaeda executes a chemical attack, presto! Whip off the bra and live while those around you die! Presumably you can save one of your children, because the bra has two cups, or if you're one of the unfortunate polycephalics in this country, your second head will also be protected!
Get yours now!
No, I'm not joking.
Pic:
Think about it, ladies: no more worrying when Hubby has eaten too many brussels sprouts or baked beans. If you're in the New York subway and Al Qaeda executes a chemical attack, presto! Whip off the bra and live while those around you die! Presumably you can save one of your children, because the bra has two cups, or if you're one of the unfortunate polycephalics in this country, your second head will also be protected!
Get yours now!
Gallery: Coastal Flooding
After the storm at Wilmington and the Cape Fear area beaches.
A nice gallery of photographs. Looks like Wilmington's Riverfest will be a damp one this year, if it hasn't been cancelled.
A nice gallery of photographs. Looks like Wilmington's Riverfest will be a damp one this year, if it hasn't been cancelled.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Medal Of Honor Winner Turned Away From White House Tour
"Because he was not previously cleared for the tour."
Another MOH winner's family was turned away because the man's grandson was wearing shorts.
You know, I think that winning the Medal of Honor is clearance enough for admission to the White House, but what do I know? I'm just a hick from Florida, not a Harvard graduate.
Another MOH winner's family was turned away because the man's grandson was wearing shorts.
You know, I think that winning the Medal of Honor is clearance enough for admission to the White House, but what do I know? I'm just a hick from Florida, not a Harvard graduate.
USS Independence In The News
In a nice puff piece in the UK Daily Mail, to be precise.
Click the link to read the article and check out pics such as this one:
Click the link to read the article and check out pics such as this one:
Heinlein On "One World"
Lastly, this trip around the world cured me of One-Worldism; I have fully recovered and am as immune to it as I am to measles. The idea of one sovereign world nation, free forever of the peril of war, working together in peace and harmony, is an appealing one. I do wish we could afford it. But, the earth and the human race being what they are, we cannot...not unless we are willing to accept the logical and inevitable consequences. "One World" means a situation in which the United States is not sovereign. That means that the United States would be outvoted...which just as certainly means that they would swarm over us immediately after counting the votes.
That which I am willing to fight for I am not willing to surrender as a result of counting noses in China and India. Therefore, no World State for me. It's a trap. (ellipsis in original)
- - From Tramp Royale
That which I am willing to fight for I am not willing to surrender as a result of counting noses in China and India. Therefore, no World State for me. It's a trap. (ellipsis in original)
- - From Tramp Royale
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
I Wonder If They'll Be Sued For Discrimination...
...by a skinny girl?
A new fashion magazine in UK promises to focus on the needs of full-figured women and not use skinny girls as models, and not offer diet tips.
I don't think I'd kick this one out of bed:
How say you?
A new fashion magazine in UK promises to focus on the needs of full-figured women and not use skinny girls as models, and not offer diet tips.
I don't think I'd kick this one out of bed:
How say you?
Ready For Yer Iron Man Suit?
Here it is:
From Raytheon, via UK Telegraph.
The articulation and movements of the suit remind me of the immortal Humpbot:
Still, it's a good start.
From Raytheon, via UK Telegraph.
The articulation and movements of the suit remind me of the immortal Humpbot:
Still, it's a good start.
More On The Pizza Hut Shooting
The usual suspects, and both of them convicted felons, as you might imagine.
Still more here.
The delivery driver was remarkably compliant with the robbery until it became obvious that his gun was about to be discovered, at which point he took action.
Still more here.
The delivery driver was remarkably compliant with the robbery until it became obvious that his gun was about to be discovered, at which point he took action.
America's Newest Entrepeneur/Inventor...
...and the device that will make him rich: Bill Moyer and his bedbug detector.
Pic:
You read it here first.
Pic:
You read it here first.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Follow the Bucks
Matt Drudge at play:
Harry Truman, of course, had a sign on his desk proclaming The Buck Stops Here. Obama usually passes the buck to George W. Bush, or looks desperately for the present button that he pushed so many times as an Illinois state senator. Biden, of course, was a counterfeiter, passing off other peoples' bucks as his own.
Harry Truman, of course, had a sign on his desk proclaming The Buck Stops Here. Obama usually passes the buck to George W. Bush, or looks desperately for the present button that he pushed so many times as an Illinois state senator. Biden, of course, was a counterfeiter, passing off other peoples' bucks as his own.
Catchphrase of the Day
"Sed quis custodiet ipsos cutodes."(sic) (Who watches the watchmen?)
h/t Instapundit.
I'm no Latin scholar, but that last word should be spelled custodes, I think.
h/t Instapundit.
I'm no Latin scholar, but that last word should be spelled custodes, I think.
Invoking Antaeus
Stanley Fish does so in a fine New York Times op/ed that chides leftists for disparaging the Tea Party.
That's stupid and if you believe it you're stupid, too has never really been a good way to persuade people that their opinion is incorrect.
That's stupid and if you believe it you're stupid, too has never really been a good way to persuade people that their opinion is incorrect.
In Other Book News...
...Monster Hunter Vendetta by Larry Correia is in stores today.
Also, just finished John Scalzi's The Ghost Brigades, which is a worthy sequel to Old Man's War.
Also, just finished John Scalzi's The Ghost Brigades, which is a worthy sequel to Old Man's War.
Over At Roberta's Place...
...a fine review of Volume 1 of William H. Patterson's biography of Robert A. Heinlein.
The Adventures of Roberta X: Robert A. Heinlein Bio: Book Report
The Adventures of Roberta X: Robert A. Heinlein Bio: Book Report
I'd Be Willing To Bet That's EX-Employee Now
Here in Charlotte, a Pizza Hut employee shot two armed robbers dead while a third escaped.
Since employees of corporate-owned businesses such as Pizza Hut aren't usually permitted to carry guns on the job, the employee in question will likely lose his job, even if the DA finds it to be a clear act of self-defense. It's how things work in the corporate world, and I was once in the same situation myself, so I sympathize. Still, it's nice to have two worthless sub-humans taken out of the local gene pool.
Since employees of corporate-owned businesses such as Pizza Hut aren't usually permitted to carry guns on the job, the employee in question will likely lose his job, even if the DA finds it to be a clear act of self-defense. It's how things work in the corporate world, and I was once in the same situation myself, so I sympathize. Still, it's nice to have two worthless sub-humans taken out of the local gene pool.
Fill Your Hands...
...you son of a bitch. Here I come!
That is to say, the remake of True Grit comes to theaters for Christmas. Here's the trailer:
I'm conflicted about this one. True Grit is my favorite John Wayne movie, and it was successful because it didn't stray too far from the Charles Portis novel, and in fact lifted huge chunks of dialog from the same. I really don't want to see the story made politically correct, and I don't want to see the injection of Hollywood bullshit into it either, such as snide references to the Tea Party or changing the name of the villain to Lucky Ned Palin. In other words, I don't want to see a leftist remake of True Grit.
At the same time, there are some things that were in the book that I'd like to see in the remake, since they weren't in the John Wayne film. In the book, the rattlesnake bite results in Mattie losing her arm, and there was a sequence in the novel after the conclusion in which Mattie's later life is sketched (she became a rich spinster bank owner) and her search for the aged Rooster, only to find that he had died.
Ah, well. We shall see what we shall see.
h/t Joan of Argghh! at Primordial Slack.
That is to say, the remake of True Grit comes to theaters for Christmas. Here's the trailer:
I'm conflicted about this one. True Grit is my favorite John Wayne movie, and it was successful because it didn't stray too far from the Charles Portis novel, and in fact lifted huge chunks of dialog from the same. I really don't want to see the story made politically correct, and I don't want to see the injection of Hollywood bullshit into it either, such as snide references to the Tea Party or changing the name of the villain to Lucky Ned Palin. In other words, I don't want to see a leftist remake of True Grit.
At the same time, there are some things that were in the book that I'd like to see in the remake, since they weren't in the John Wayne film. In the book, the rattlesnake bite results in Mattie losing her arm, and there was a sequence in the novel after the conclusion in which Mattie's later life is sketched (she became a rich spinster bank owner) and her search for the aged Rooster, only to find that he had died.
Ah, well. We shall see what we shall see.
h/t Joan of Argghh! at Primordial Slack.
Monday, September 27, 2010
This Woman Has a Tough Life
Judging BBQ up in Mayberry (Mt. Airy, NC).
Truly, though, this upcoming month is going to be big here in NC, lots of festivals and events going on, the biggest being the annual Lexington BBQ festival.
Truly, though, this upcoming month is going to be big here in NC, lots of festivals and events going on, the biggest being the annual Lexington BBQ festival.
WWII Naval Ship Vandalized
USS Emmons, a destroyer attacked by five kamikaze planes during the Battle of Okinawa and sunk by the Navy to prevent if falling into Japanese hands.
Divers apparently stole the ships brass builder's plaque.
Divers apparently stole the ships brass builder's plaque.
Man Dies In Segway Accident
Drove his Segway off a cliff.
Meanwhile, in other news, Titanic star Gloria Stuart has died at the age of 100, not while riding a Segway.*
*I'll call this a Segway segue.
Meanwhile, in other news, Titanic star Gloria Stuart has died at the age of 100, not while riding a Segway.*
*I'll call this a Segway segue.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Friday, September 24, 2010
Musical Interlude
One of those sad tunes that I just want to play over and over again: One Winter's Night by the supergroup Strength In Numbers. They made a CD in the early 90's that was played a lot on New Folk and New Age radio stations. The lineup was stellar: Mark O'Connor on fiddle, Bela Fleck on banjo, Jerry Douglas on dobro, Sam Bush on mandolin, and Edgar Meyer on bass fiddle.
Enjoy.
Enjoy.
Treasure Blog: 1960 World Series Broadcast
Sometimes treasure is a horde of silver coins, sometimes it's a huge gemstone.
Other times, it's the recorded video of a long-ago World Series Game.
Singer Bing Crosby, who at one time was a part-owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates, had Game 7 of the 1960 World Series recorded by Kinescope video. After Crosby watched it (he didn't attend the game live because of superstition that his presence would "jinx" the team) the reels of film found their way to Crosby's basement wine cellar/vault. There they stayed until recently re-discovered.
Yes, they'll be re-broadcast, so you will be able to see this remarkable game.
Other times, it's the recorded video of a long-ago World Series Game.
Singer Bing Crosby, who at one time was a part-owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates, had Game 7 of the 1960 World Series recorded by Kinescope video. After Crosby watched it (he didn't attend the game live because of superstition that his presence would "jinx" the team) the reels of film found their way to Crosby's basement wine cellar/vault. There they stayed until recently re-discovered.
Yes, they'll be re-broadcast, so you will be able to see this remarkable game.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Arrival
Brusletto Profileringskniv. A Norwegian Tollekniv-styled knife, stainless blade, birch handle. Excellently priced at $54. Fancier versions also available.
Found here.
These are good knives, Brusletto makes good blades. Some of the larger knives feature laminated blade construction, so you have a hard piece of center steel enveloped by two pieces of softer steel, making an extremely tough knife that holds a good, sharp edge. It's a good utility shape for most purposes.
Found here.
These are good knives, Brusletto makes good blades. Some of the larger knives feature laminated blade construction, so you have a hard piece of center steel enveloped by two pieces of softer steel, making an extremely tough knife that holds a good, sharp edge. It's a good utility shape for most purposes.
Forced To Dig Your Own Grave?
I understand the instinct for self-preservation, and how you'd want to prolong your life for as long as possible, but what self-respecting man or woman would let someone force him/her to dig his own grave?
Why wouldn't you just look the bastard in the eye and say Get it over with, fucker. I'm not going to dig.
Let's have a poll. I'm going to phrase this very carefully, so consider the options before making the knee-jerk response, look honestly into your own mind and give the response you'd probably give to the person holding the gun on you:
Why wouldn't you just look the bastard in the eye and say Get it over with, fucker. I'm not going to dig.
Let's have a poll. I'm going to phrase this very carefully, so consider the options before making the knee-jerk response, look honestly into your own mind and give the response you'd probably give to the person holding the gun on you:
Biden Worries About Dem "Lethargy"
Vice President Biden said Thursday the conservative Tea Party movement might be "the best thing to happen" to Democrats with the midterm elections approaching.
Biden, speaking at a fundraiser in Chevy Chase, Md., for Sen. Barbara Mikulski, said the energy of the Tea Party might inspire a lethargic Democratic base to turn out and vote in November.
“Maybe the best thing to happen to us lately is the Tea Party wins," Biden said. "Maybe it’ll shake some of our constituency out of their lethargy.”
Might one even refer to it as a malaise, perhaps?
Biden, speaking at a fundraiser in Chevy Chase, Md., for Sen. Barbara Mikulski, said the energy of the Tea Party might inspire a lethargic Democratic base to turn out and vote in November.
“Maybe the best thing to happen to us lately is the Tea Party wins," Biden said. "Maybe it’ll shake some of our constituency out of their lethargy.”
Might one even refer to it as a malaise, perhaps?
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
It's a First Amendment Case...
...because she's a member of the Church of Body Modification.
Something else that probably needs to be nipped in the bud, also.
*laughs*
Something else that probably needs to be nipped in the bud, also.
*laughs*
Who Ya Gonna Call?
Police have staged a 30-year ‘retreat from the streets’, allowing the ‘disease’ of anti-social behaviour to blight Britain, a devastating report reveals today.
Chief Inspector of Constabulary Sir Denis O’Connor said the basic task of keeping the peace had been relegated to a ‘second-order consideration’ for officers who were obsessed with meeting targets for actual crimes.
This had led to officers being pulled off the beat, handing control to yobs and allowing anti-social behaviour to ‘gather momentum’, he said.
Sir Denis added: ‘The public do not distinguish between anti-social behaviour and crime.
'For them it’s really a sliding scale of grief.’
Despite the scale of the problem, some officers don’t think dealing with it is ‘real policing’, Sir Denis said.
He called for early intervention to ‘nip in the bud’ problems so they did not spiral out of control, and an end to underestimating anti-social behaviour.
He added: ‘Make no mistake. It requires feet on the street.’
Oh, hell, we have just the man for nipping it in the bud:
Chief Inspector of Constabulary Sir Denis O’Connor said the basic task of keeping the peace had been relegated to a ‘second-order consideration’ for officers who were obsessed with meeting targets for actual crimes.
This had led to officers being pulled off the beat, handing control to yobs and allowing anti-social behaviour to ‘gather momentum’, he said.
Sir Denis added: ‘The public do not distinguish between anti-social behaviour and crime.
'For them it’s really a sliding scale of grief.’
Despite the scale of the problem, some officers don’t think dealing with it is ‘real policing’, Sir Denis said.
He called for early intervention to ‘nip in the bud’ problems so they did not spiral out of control, and an end to underestimating anti-social behaviour.
He added: ‘Make no mistake. It requires feet on the street.’
Oh, hell, we have just the man for nipping it in the bud:
Shoot-Out In Rock Hill, SC
A couple of the usual suspects tried to rob members of a band who were parked in an RV outside a club in Rock Hill, SC.
Just after 1 a.m. Tuesday two 22-year-old Rock Hill men, Demorrio Demarcus Burris and Dytavis Hinton, broke into the band's motor home, showed a gun and demanded money.
Scott Thomas grabbed a weapon and demanded the robbery suspects leave, the report states. His brother, a fellow band member, told police the suspect fired first and his brother returned fire, according to the report.
Three people, the suspects and Scott Thomas, were struck by bullets. Thomas was in critical condition at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, and Hinton was in stable condition Tuesday.
Burris was pronounced dead on the steps inside the RV where officials found him following the shooting.
I'd fault Thomas only for trying to get the two robbers to leave peacefully. If someone is pointing a gun at me and I manage to heel myself, I'm going to shoot that S.O.B. without stopping to discuss it first. He's forfeited his life by breaking into my home and threatening me with deadly force, so I'd have no compunction about shooting him down like the sub-human he is.
Just after 1 a.m. Tuesday two 22-year-old Rock Hill men, Demorrio Demarcus Burris and Dytavis Hinton, broke into the band's motor home, showed a gun and demanded money.
Scott Thomas grabbed a weapon and demanded the robbery suspects leave, the report states. His brother, a fellow band member, told police the suspect fired first and his brother returned fire, according to the report.
Three people, the suspects and Scott Thomas, were struck by bullets. Thomas was in critical condition at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, and Hinton was in stable condition Tuesday.
Burris was pronounced dead on the steps inside the RV where officials found him following the shooting.
I'd fault Thomas only for trying to get the two robbers to leave peacefully. If someone is pointing a gun at me and I manage to heel myself, I'm going to shoot that S.O.B. without stopping to discuss it first. He's forfeited his life by breaking into my home and threatening me with deadly force, so I'd have no compunction about shooting him down like the sub-human he is.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
That Old Mountain Dew
The New York Times notices moonshine and the microdistillery phenomenon.
Sara and I visited one such distillery during our recent visit to Charleston, SC. Firefly is listed among the microbreweries in a .pdf link in the article.
Here's That Old Mountain Dew sung by the man who wrote it, Bascom Lamar Lunsford:
Sara and I visited one such distillery during our recent visit to Charleston, SC. Firefly is listed among the microbreweries in a .pdf link in the article.
Here's That Old Mountain Dew sung by the man who wrote it, Bascom Lamar Lunsford:
Monday, September 20, 2010
Book Purchase
I don't purchase many new books, since each acquisition takes up precious space on my shelves, already so overloaded, but I had to get this one.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
We Have Met The Enemy And He Is Us
Brooklyn is regretting the decision to use opossums in an effort to control the rat population.
Now Brooklyn is overrun by opossums as well as the rats.
In case you young 'uns aren't aware of the source of the blog post title:
Walt Kelly's immortal Pogo.
Now Brooklyn is overrun by opossums as well as the rats.
In case you young 'uns aren't aware of the source of the blog post title:
Walt Kelly's immortal Pogo.
How Ya Liking Those Demographics?
Increasingly, the meat served in UK is halal, or killed in accordance with Islamic law.
And you didn't even know it, until now.
And you didn't even know it, until now.
Imagine My Surprise
As you might expect, the restaurant in Carolina Beach, NC, that received national and even worldwide media attention for putting up a sign prohibiting screaming children is being sued by the parents of an "autistic" child.
The confrontation between the traditional US culture of courtesy and respect for good manners and the modern culture of permissiveness and rudeness exemptions for damned near everyone can't be clearer than in this case, folks. The people bringing the complaint in this case aren't so much concerned about "autistic" children as they are about forcing their will on a business owner that they don't agree with, and are using the US government to do it.
The confrontation between the traditional US culture of courtesy and respect for good manners and the modern culture of permissiveness and rudeness exemptions for damned near everyone can't be clearer than in this case, folks. The people bringing the complaint in this case aren't so much concerned about "autistic" children as they are about forcing their will on a business owner that they don't agree with, and are using the US government to do it.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
Six Zombies Will Die Quickly
The Breda Fallacy: are you ready?
At Breda's place, a fun meme of battling the zombie menace with the object to your left, which in my case is a Ruger Vaquero in .45 Colt. After that it would get messy, with my custom Dan Koster Nessmuk knife being employed.
And yah, I really do keep a loaded revolver at my desk as I work at the computer.
update: make that 20 dead zombies, if I have enough time to reload. Just remembered I keep a box of cartridges on the desk, also.
At Breda's place, a fun meme of battling the zombie menace with the object to your left, which in my case is a Ruger Vaquero in .45 Colt. After that it would get messy, with my custom Dan Koster Nessmuk knife being employed.
And yah, I really do keep a loaded revolver at my desk as I work at the computer.
update: make that 20 dead zombies, if I have enough time to reload. Just remembered I keep a box of cartridges on the desk, also.
Maybe a Rat Trap Would Be Advised
A Clover, South Carolina woman accidentally shot herself with a .22 revolver while preparing to ambush a rat.
The story doesn't go into much detail, but the woman's hunting technique apparently consists of sitting in a chair on her porch with a revolver in her lap, and pieces of cheese on the porch floor around her. She reached down for a piece of cheese (hunger got the better of her?) and the revolver "went off," with a bullet piercing her jaw.
I'd be willing to bet that the revolver was cocked at the time, or perhaps was an old-fashioned single-action, with the hammer striking the floor after falling from her lap. Or hell, maybe it's a botched suicide attempt. It's unlikely we'll ever see more information than this single story.
The story doesn't go into much detail, but the woman's hunting technique apparently consists of sitting in a chair on her porch with a revolver in her lap, and pieces of cheese on the porch floor around her. She reached down for a piece of cheese (hunger got the better of her?) and the revolver "went off," with a bullet piercing her jaw.
I'd be willing to bet that the revolver was cocked at the time, or perhaps was an old-fashioned single-action, with the hammer striking the floor after falling from her lap. Or hell, maybe it's a botched suicide attempt. It's unlikely we'll ever see more information than this single story.
Anybody Out There?
No comments at all on my Charleston vacation blogging, either the text posts or the photographs. I'm a bit disappointed in both of my regular readers. Has no one been to Charleston, South Carolina beside myself?
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
