The virgin Mary appears on this Pennsylvania garage door every night at 6pm.
"It's amazing. It's really amazing," said Cecelia Sell who traveled from another county to see the image.
From another country? For this?
And, may we present.... War a la Cheney (I mean Bush)
More than two dozen House members and senators have used the August recess to travel to Iraq in the hope of getting a firsthand view of the war.
Brief, choreographed and carefully controlled, the codels (short for congressional delegations) often have showed only what the Pentagon and the Bush administration have wanted the lawmakers to see. At one point, as Moran, Tauscher and Rep. Jon Porter (R-Nev.) were heading to lunch in the fortified Green Zone, an American urgently tried to get their attention, apparently to voice concerns about the war effort, the participants said. Security whisked the man away before he could make his point.
Oh yeah, and read the part about how the soldiers receive "background info" on each of the congressfolks' comments about the war.
From the Washington Post. (They're the conservative paper, right?)
Brief, choreographed and carefully controlled, the codels (short for congressional delegations) often have showed only what the Pentagon and the Bush administration have wanted the lawmakers to see. At one point, as Moran, Tauscher and Rep. Jon Porter (R-Nev.) were heading to lunch in the fortified Green Zone, an American urgently tried to get their attention, apparently to voice concerns about the war effort, the participants said. Security whisked the man away before he could make his point.
Oh yeah, and read the part about how the soldiers receive "background info" on each of the congressfolks' comments about the war.
From the Washington Post. (They're the conservative paper, right?)
Resigned.
Brownie
Rummie
Alberto Gonzales (what was his nickname? Gonzo?)
Karl Rove ("satan")
Tony Snow ("snowboy"?)
One can only pray for the resignation of DICK Cheney.
Rummie
Alberto Gonzales (what was his nickname? Gonzo?)
Karl Rove ("satan")
Tony Snow ("snowboy"?)
One can only pray for the resignation of DICK Cheney.
Love tapas?
If you do and you're traveling to Vancouver, we found a really good place in the Gastown area. It was "nuevo latino cuisine" and a tad pricy (~$100 for two without drinks), but the dishes were excellent and the atmosphere was fun. They only opened about a month before we got there, so they're probably still ironing out some kinks, but I didn't really notice any (ahhh..they had a problem processing my credit card at the table with their kewl device, so I guess that qualifies as a kink.)
The restaurant is called Cobre and it's located at 52 Powell Street, Vancouver. Tel is (604) 669-2396.
The restaurant is called Cobre and it's located at 52 Powell Street, Vancouver. Tel is (604) 669-2396.
Speaking Italian
so I'm starting to think a bit about my trip to Italy (1/2 work, 1/2 vacation) next month and last night I realized that the only words I know in Italian are curse words. I wonder if someone will give me the opportunity to use them?
(I'm going to Rome for a conference, then a couple of days of sightseeing before I go to Florence to sightsee. It's my first visit to Italy, so I'm excited. Yes, I'll be blogging and taking pix. Planning on getting a brand new digital SLR for the trip - Canon 40D, which, among other things has a 3" LCD instead of the 1" LCD on my Canon 20D.)
(I'm going to Rome for a conference, then a couple of days of sightseeing before I go to Florence to sightsee. It's my first visit to Italy, so I'm excited. Yes, I'll be blogging and taking pix. Planning on getting a brand new digital SLR for the trip - Canon 40D, which, among other things has a 3" LCD instead of the 1" LCD on my Canon 20D.)
Richard Jewell
Dead.
I'm sad about this one because of what this poor guy went through. This is the guy at the Atlanta Olympics who saw an abandoned knapsack and started clearing people away before it exploded. And then the government and the press decided that he had planted it so that he could be a hero and basically convicted him on their own. Until it turned out that wasn't true and that he was a real hero that saved many people's lives.
The NY Times had the appropriate title on the story though --> Richard Jewell, 44, Hero of Atlanta Attack Dies
I'm sad about this one because of what this poor guy went through. This is the guy at the Atlanta Olympics who saw an abandoned knapsack and started clearing people away before it exploded. And then the government and the press decided that he had planted it so that he could be a hero and basically convicted him on their own. Until it turned out that wasn't true and that he was a real hero that saved many people's lives.
The NY Times had the appropriate title on the story though --> Richard Jewell, 44, Hero of Atlanta Attack Dies
If the Bible disagrees with Science...Science is wrong
Bill Nye, the harmless children's edu-tainer known as "The Science Guy," managed to offend a select group of adults in Waco, Texas at a presentation, when he suggested that the moon does not emit light, but instead reflects the light of the sun.
As even most elementary-school graduates know, the moon reflects the light of the sun but produces no light of its own. But don't tell that to the good people of Waco, who were "visibly angered by what some perceived as irreverence," according to the Waco Tribune.
Nye was in town to participate in McLennan Community College's Distinguished Lecture Series. He gave two lectures on such unfunny and adult topics as global warming, Mars exploration, and energy consumption.
But nothing got people as riled as when he brought up Genesis 1:16, which reads: "God made two great lights -- the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars."
The lesser light, he pointed out, is not a light at all, but only a reflector.
At this point, several people in the audience stormed out in fury. One woman yelled "We believe in God!" and left with three children, thus ensuring that people across America would read about the incident and conclude that Waco is as nutty as they'd always suspected.
from Newspeakblog and Slog.
As even most elementary-school graduates know, the moon reflects the light of the sun but produces no light of its own. But don't tell that to the good people of Waco, who were "visibly angered by what some perceived as irreverence," according to the Waco Tribune.
Nye was in town to participate in McLennan Community College's Distinguished Lecture Series. He gave two lectures on such unfunny and adult topics as global warming, Mars exploration, and energy consumption.
But nothing got people as riled as when he brought up Genesis 1:16, which reads: "God made two great lights -- the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars."
The lesser light, he pointed out, is not a light at all, but only a reflector.
At this point, several people in the audience stormed out in fury. One woman yelled "We believe in God!" and left with three children, thus ensuring that people across America would read about the incident and conclude that Waco is as nutty as they'd always suspected.
from Newspeakblog and Slog.
Clearly this man isn't qualified to be President
Senator John Edwards wants to pass a law ensuring that federal agency heads are qualified for the jobs. That's treating the federal government like it's a business! That means that folks like "Brownie" will be stuck judging horse shows rather than taking care of the President. Do you know how hard it is to find "loyal Bushies" (to quote the current -but not for long- Attorney General) who are also qualified? It's unreasonable and clearly against the wishes of the people. I mean the President.
(I love that he's calling it "Brownie's law".)
Thanks Reuters!
(I love that he's calling it "Brownie's law".)
Thanks Reuters!
It's almost like I'm psychic or something
Gee...Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez resigned today (actually Friday, but they decided to tell us today). During Congress' vacation. When our fearless leader can do a recess appointment so that he can install someone in the gig without getting Congress' approval.
A person would have to be a genius or something to have predicted that.
They're all lying evil criminals.
Edited @9:13am to add:
Well, it turns out I'm not nearly the genius I was claiming to be. Gonzales' resignation isn't effective until Sept. 19, so the new Attorney General nominee will have to be confirmed by Congress. (hanging head) I guess they're not quite as evil as I thought. (But they are still plenty evil. And criminals. And liers.)
A person would have to be a genius or something to have predicted that.
They're all lying evil criminals.
Edited @9:13am to add:
Well, it turns out I'm not nearly the genius I was claiming to be. Gonzales' resignation isn't effective until Sept. 19, so the new Attorney General nominee will have to be confirmed by Congress. (hanging head) I guess they're not quite as evil as I thought. (But they are still plenty evil. And criminals. And liers.)
Young Frankenstein - the musical
Just got home from seeing this (it opens in NY in a few weeks) and wanted to jot down my thoughts while they were still fresh. In case you aren't aware, I'm a HUGE Mel Brooks fan - especially Young Frankenstein and High Anxiety. I enjoyed the Producers (saw it a couple of times, including in NYC with Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick, who I think is absolutely adorable). But I digress...
To me, the big difference between seeing this show and The Producers is that I am significantly more aware of (including knowing many lines from) the movie version of Young Frankenstein. I think this is the case with many Mel Brooks fans - Young Frankenstein was/is a more popular flick. So, I found that I really missed the cast from the film and found myself comparing the cast from the show to the original film cast. In general, I think that the musical's cast was very good and comparable to the originals (but I missed them all).
One of the interesting things about the crowd was that they were applauding when each character appeared (aka "entrance applause" which bugs me cause they haven't done anything yet). After they did it for the guy playing Igor (I never heard of him, I doubt they have), I realized that they were applauding the character rather than the actor - I've never seen that, but to me, it again illustrated that the crowd overwhelmingly was filled with folks who loved the movie - I think that makes it harder on the show because we were all comparing the two.
Dr. Frankenstein was played by Roger Bart. At first, I wasn't too thrilled with his performance, but I must say that he grew on me. He has an impressive panic bordering on hysteria, which is necessary when playing this part.
Frau Blucher was an understudy, but I hear that Andrea Martin is excellent in the part. I enjoyed the understudy.
Elizabeth (the role played originally by one of my all time favorites, Madeleine Kahn) was played by Megan Mullaly, who was "Karen" in Will & Grace. First of all, the role is completely different from the original. This Elizabeth was a spoiled rotten slut - hmmm...reminds me of some character on tv....let me think....ahhhhh! Karen in Will & Grace. I think that Madeleine Kahn's Elizabeth was much more likeable and quite frankly, thought that having such a well known actor in the role playing it similarly to the role for which she's best known was a distraction to the show. Her singing was very good - she's obviously a theatre actor, but I didn't really appreciate the changes.
I thought everyone else was very good. Mel did a great job of including the classic lines and adding in some new unexpected ones just when you thought they had come to the punch line. There was a new scene in Act 1 that explained why Dr. Frankenstein decided to build the monster that I thought was kinda unnecessary and one short scene/song about the townspeople deciding to go find the Dr. The first act was a bit too long -- I'm hoping they cut these before Broadway. I found that the first act started a little slow, then really got going but just was maybe 10 minutes too long.
The second act was excellent, including an updated version of "Putting on the Ritz" that's definitely a show stopper. The ending has changed a bit, so be flexible.
The sets and lighting were excellent. They will definitely get Tony noms for these categories and I expect they'll win for the sets.
Two of the folks who went to the show with me have never seen the movie, so I was interested to hear that they thought the show was great and really were glad they came. I was smiling for almost the entire time and spent quite a bit of time laughing out loud. If you live in the NY area, I recommend getting tickets before the show opens there because I think that although there will be many comparisons to The Producers & Nathan & Matthew, this show stands up on its own.
Mel Brooks, I heart you.
To me, the big difference between seeing this show and The Producers is that I am significantly more aware of (including knowing many lines from) the movie version of Young Frankenstein. I think this is the case with many Mel Brooks fans - Young Frankenstein was/is a more popular flick. So, I found that I really missed the cast from the film and found myself comparing the cast from the show to the original film cast. In general, I think that the musical's cast was very good and comparable to the originals (but I missed them all).
One of the interesting things about the crowd was that they were applauding when each character appeared (aka "entrance applause" which bugs me cause they haven't done anything yet). After they did it for the guy playing Igor (I never heard of him, I doubt they have), I realized that they were applauding the character rather than the actor - I've never seen that, but to me, it again illustrated that the crowd overwhelmingly was filled with folks who loved the movie - I think that makes it harder on the show because we were all comparing the two.
Dr. Frankenstein was played by Roger Bart. At first, I wasn't too thrilled with his performance, but I must say that he grew on me. He has an impressive panic bordering on hysteria, which is necessary when playing this part.
Frau Blucher was an understudy, but I hear that Andrea Martin is excellent in the part. I enjoyed the understudy.
Elizabeth (the role played originally by one of my all time favorites, Madeleine Kahn) was played by Megan Mullaly, who was "Karen" in Will & Grace. First of all, the role is completely different from the original. This Elizabeth was a spoiled rotten slut - hmmm...reminds me of some character on tv....let me think....ahhhhh! Karen in Will & Grace. I think that Madeleine Kahn's Elizabeth was much more likeable and quite frankly, thought that having such a well known actor in the role playing it similarly to the role for which she's best known was a distraction to the show. Her singing was very good - she's obviously a theatre actor, but I didn't really appreciate the changes.
I thought everyone else was very good. Mel did a great job of including the classic lines and adding in some new unexpected ones just when you thought they had come to the punch line. There was a new scene in Act 1 that explained why Dr. Frankenstein decided to build the monster that I thought was kinda unnecessary and one short scene/song about the townspeople deciding to go find the Dr. The first act was a bit too long -- I'm hoping they cut these before Broadway. I found that the first act started a little slow, then really got going but just was maybe 10 minutes too long.
The second act was excellent, including an updated version of "Putting on the Ritz" that's definitely a show stopper. The ending has changed a bit, so be flexible.
The sets and lighting were excellent. They will definitely get Tony noms for these categories and I expect they'll win for the sets.
Two of the folks who went to the show with me have never seen the movie, so I was interested to hear that they thought the show was great and really were glad they came. I was smiling for almost the entire time and spent quite a bit of time laughing out loud. If you live in the NY area, I recommend getting tickets before the show opens there because I think that although there will be many comparisons to The Producers & Nathan & Matthew, this show stands up on its own.
Mel Brooks, I heart you.
Posted lots of new pix
From Canada and elsewhere. All the featured galleries at http://amygeek.smugmug.com/ have new stuff.
More news from China
Whatever you do, if you're visiting China and plan on reincarnating, make sure you fill out the proper forms.
This is all related to the fact that China wants to be able to name the next Dali Lama after the current one passes away. See, the Dali Lama is reincarnated and there's a search for the child that is the new reincarnated Dali (Hello Dali!). The Chinese government wants to be able to pick one that likes China unlike the messy one that's all mad at them right now (for doing stuff like requiring that you fill out paperwork prior to reincarnation).
You can't make this stuff up, folks.
This is all related to the fact that China wants to be able to name the next Dali Lama after the current one passes away. See, the Dali Lama is reincarnated and there's a search for the child that is the new reincarnated Dali (Hello Dali!). The Chinese government wants to be able to pick one that likes China unlike the messy one that's all mad at them right now (for doing stuff like requiring that you fill out paperwork prior to reincarnation).
You can't make this stuff up, folks.
Creation of Balance (my dad sent this to me)
God was missing for six days. Eventually, Michael, the archangel, found him resting on the seventh day. He inquired, "Where have you been?"
God smiled deeply and proudly pointed downwards through the clouds, "Look, Michael. Look what I've made."
Archangel Michael looked puzzled, and said, "What is it?"
"It's a planet," replied God, "and I've put Life on it. I'm going to call it Earth and it's going to be a place of Balance."
"Balance?" inquired Michael, "I'm still confused."
God explained, pointing to different parts of earth. "For example, northern Europe will be a place of great opportunity and wealth, while southern Europe is going to be poor. Over here I've placed a continent of white people, and over there is a continent of black people. Balance in all things .."
God continued pointing to different countries. "This one will be extremely hot, while this one will be very cold and covered in ice."
The Archangel, impressed by God's work, then pointed to a land area and said, "What's that one"
"That will be Washington State, the most glorious place on earth. There are beautiful mountains, rivers and streams, lakes, forests, hills, and plains. The people from Washington State are going to be handsome, modest, intelligent, and humorous, and they are going to travel the world. They will be extremely sociable, hardworking, high achieving, and they will be known throughout the world as diplomats, carriers of peace, and producers of software."
Michael gasped in wonder and admiration, but then asked, "But what about balance, God? You said there would be balance."
God smiled, "There is another Washington. Wait till you see the idiots I put there."
God smiled deeply and proudly pointed downwards through the clouds, "Look, Michael. Look what I've made."
Archangel Michael looked puzzled, and said, "What is it?"
"It's a planet," replied God, "and I've put Life on it. I'm going to call it Earth and it's going to be a place of Balance."
"Balance?" inquired Michael, "I'm still confused."
God explained, pointing to different parts of earth. "For example, northern Europe will be a place of great opportunity and wealth, while southern Europe is going to be poor. Over here I've placed a continent of white people, and over there is a continent of black people. Balance in all things .."
God continued pointing to different countries. "This one will be extremely hot, while this one will be very cold and covered in ice."
The Archangel, impressed by God's work, then pointed to a land area and said, "What's that one"
"That will be Washington State, the most glorious place on earth. There are beautiful mountains, rivers and streams, lakes, forests, hills, and plains. The people from Washington State are going to be handsome, modest, intelligent, and humorous, and they are going to travel the world. They will be extremely sociable, hardworking, high achieving, and they will be known throughout the world as diplomats, carriers of peace, and producers of software."
Michael gasped in wonder and admiration, but then asked, "But what about balance, God? You said there would be balance."
God smiled, "There is another Washington. Wait till you see the idiots I put there."
Chinese PR
What do you do after one of your planes combust while on the runway? You paint over the company logo so that everyone forgets it was your plane. At least, that's what you do in China.
Back from Vancouver
Yes, I visited our friends to the north. They're not quite as friendly as I thought... Oh, of course they were plenty friendly to me - I've got $$$ to spend. I was surprised about how many homeless there were around my hotel. Granted, I think that the location of my hotel (on the water, near Gastown) had something to do with it - Gastown seems to be going through a transition period between being a pit and being an upscale hangout for the tourists. But I thought that the Canadians took better care of their citizens than we do. Since they provide health care for all, I just assumed they would care for the poorest citizens, but there they were - bumming cigarettes and asking for dough. It was sad - I think it bothered me more because I was sorta idolizing Canada for being the "nice" Americans.
Anyways, we drove up there through the rain (it's been unseasonally rainy lately in Seattle - it's usually very dry in August), and as soon as we crossed the border into Canada, it was sunny. Really! We did lots of sightseeing - I realized I wasn't so interested in the "city" type stuff as I was in the nature stuff. The nice thing about Vancouver is there is plenty of both. We did hit the Monet to Dali exhibit at the Vancouver Gallery (it's actually a museum) which was excellent. It did a great job of explaining how and why the Impressionists evolved from more realistic type painting and then how post-Impressionism, Cubism and Surrealism evolved from there. I really enjoyed it.
We drove up to Whistler, which is where the 2010 winter Olympics are being held (Whistler & Vancouver). It was about a 2 hour drive up the coast. Absolutely stunning views of the water, and mountains. We hung out at the ski resort for a few hours before driving back (turns out the views are even better driving south). I saw a bear there - it was just sorta walking across the path of the mountain bikers that were careening down the mountain.
At the aquarium, I saw four baby skunks. There were adorable. They weren't actually in the aquarium - they lived under a dumpster outside the aquarium, but that didn't make me love them any less. They have Beluga whales at the aquarium, which were gorgeous.
I'll be posting pix shortly, so watch this space...
Anyways, we drove up there through the rain (it's been unseasonally rainy lately in Seattle - it's usually very dry in August), and as soon as we crossed the border into Canada, it was sunny. Really! We did lots of sightseeing - I realized I wasn't so interested in the "city" type stuff as I was in the nature stuff. The nice thing about Vancouver is there is plenty of both. We did hit the Monet to Dali exhibit at the Vancouver Gallery (it's actually a museum) which was excellent. It did a great job of explaining how and why the Impressionists evolved from more realistic type painting and then how post-Impressionism, Cubism and Surrealism evolved from there. I really enjoyed it.
We drove up to Whistler, which is where the 2010 winter Olympics are being held (Whistler & Vancouver). It was about a 2 hour drive up the coast. Absolutely stunning views of the water, and mountains. We hung out at the ski resort for a few hours before driving back (turns out the views are even better driving south). I saw a bear there - it was just sorta walking across the path of the mountain bikers that were careening down the mountain.
At the aquarium, I saw four baby skunks. There were adorable. They weren't actually in the aquarium - they lived under a dumpster outside the aquarium, but that didn't make me love them any less. They have Beluga whales at the aquarium, which were gorgeous.
I'll be posting pix shortly, so watch this space...
I'm really liking the Beeb today
Beeb = BBC in English (England's English that is). Here's a headline from their web site:
A woman in Australia has been killed by her pet camel after the animal may have tried to have sex with her.
Ya know, in my world, they don't have to say anything else after that. By the way, if anyone was thinking of getting me a pet camel, please consider something smaller. Seriously.
(Apparently it smothered her. It must have wanted her to service him.)
A woman in Australia has been killed by her pet camel after the animal may have tried to have sex with her.
Ya know, in my world, they don't have to say anything else after that. By the way, if anyone was thinking of getting me a pet camel, please consider something smaller. Seriously.
(Apparently it smothered her. It must have wanted her to service him.)
Treat him the way he treated the dogs
He'll probably be some sort of celebrity in prison since he's a football player (now that he's pled guilty and accepted a plea bargain). I hope they lock him up for a good, long time.Murdering dogs is still murder in my book.
Rabbits everywhere
A friend missed the part about my posting (look down the page) about the Rabbit being a sex toy. Sorry for being coy about that...
Anyways, people are finding all kinds of imaginative things to do with their Rabbits. Recently, a guy in England was arrested for holding up a bank with a Rabbit. He pretended it was a gun. (I wonder what color Rabbit it was?)
It's true.
Anyways, people are finding all kinds of imaginative things to do with their Rabbits. Recently, a guy in England was arrested for holding up a bank with a Rabbit. He pretended it was a gun. (I wonder what color Rabbit it was?)
It's true.
Shame on You
I think the picture I posted (scroll down) of George Bush eating a kitten is about the funniest thing ever. And none of you commented. (bad readers!). It makes me smile every time I look at it.
I printed it out and put it on my door at work. It makes me smile every time I walk into my office.
I just scrolled down and looked at it and I literally laughed out loud. You people had best be smirking or something...oh well. At least I amuse myself.
I printed it out and put it on my door at work. It makes me smile every time I walk into my office.
I just scrolled down and looked at it and I literally laughed out loud. You people had best be smirking or something...oh well. At least I amuse myself.
Preparing for guests
Three (it's true) three friends from LA are flying up as I type to hang out. (that is a horrible sentence, but it's amusing, so I'm not going to translate it into English -heh- , cause there's no fun in that.)
Michel, Van and Jim are all coming this weekend. Michel & Van have never been to Seattle before, but aren't sightseeing types, so I'm thinking about an outdoor blues festival tomorrow and a bbq tomorrow night with a fewof my friends from up here (you know - a meeting of Amy's peeps). Jim's been here lots of times, so he's just about hanging out and relaxing.
Now I just need to figure out what to do today. Dog park just seems a bit anticlimactic....there's a KEXP outdoor music festival but that might be overkill. I'd love to check it out though...
I love that no matter where I am, I seem to find the fun folks. Just got an evite to an end of the summer redneck celebration. I have the best friends ever.
Anyways, Michel & Van return to LA on Monday night and then Jim and I are heading up to Vancouver to be tourists. It's a 2.5 hour drive so that's not bad at all (although I hear coming back to the US is a major hassle. What-ev...) I'll post pix, etc.
Michel, Van and Jim are all coming this weekend. Michel & Van have never been to Seattle before, but aren't sightseeing types, so I'm thinking about an outdoor blues festival tomorrow and a bbq tomorrow night with a fewof my friends from up here (you know - a meeting of Amy's peeps). Jim's been here lots of times, so he's just about hanging out and relaxing.
Now I just need to figure out what to do today. Dog park just seems a bit anticlimactic....there's a KEXP outdoor music festival but that might be overkill. I'd love to check it out though...
I love that no matter where I am, I seem to find the fun folks. Just got an evite to an end of the summer redneck celebration. I have the best friends ever.
Anyways, Michel & Van return to LA on Monday night and then Jim and I are heading up to Vancouver to be tourists. It's a 2.5 hour drive so that's not bad at all (although I hear coming back to the US is a major hassle. What-ev...) I'll post pix, etc.
10 Eco-friendly things to do with lemons
Just finished reading this piece about different things you can do with lemons and thought I should share. Did you know you can combat a cold, exfoliate & clean your feet and clean a bar with a lemon?
Holland under attack
by giant Lego men. They pulled this guy out of the sea the other day. He's 8 feet tall and made of Legos. I wonder where he was swimming to?
Thanks Yahoo!
Sit down and think of your safe place
before you read the rest of this post. Take a deep breath. Okay, here we go...
Siegfried and Roy are homosexuals. I know your head is spinning right now. It's shocking, but once you have some time to absorb the idea of it, you'll be okay.
They've got an autobiography "coming out". Hee.
Kickball injury
My team at work today had a morale event which involved kickball (which may have been my suggestion). So, I played. Briefly.
It was a decent kick - nothing spectacular, but made it over second base into the outfield. I was making my way to first base when someone pulled the astroturf out from under me and I crashed to the ground, banging my knee really hard on said astroturf.
It's just banged up but it hurts.
FYI - someone was injured more than me, so I'm only whining a tiny bit.
It was a decent kick - nothing spectacular, but made it over second base into the outfield. I was making my way to first base when someone pulled the astroturf out from under me and I crashed to the ground, banging my knee really hard on said astroturf.
It's just banged up but it hurts.
FYI - someone was injured more than me, so I'm only whining a tiny bit.
Wikipedia updates
The Guardian is reporting that the CIA, the Vatican and Fox News, among other organizations, are "correcting" key entries in Wikipedia.
The Vatican is editing entries on Catholic saints and Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams, while Fox News is revising reporter entries, including Shepard Smith who said "blowjob" on the air (but not according to Wikipedia - at least not any more).
The Republican and Democratic party, as well as those pesky Brits from the Labour party, have been changing entries to favor their views, too. Not to mention Diebold. Wikipedia Scanner, which is tracking all these changes, said that Diebold has made huge alterations to entries about its involvement in the controversial "hanging chad" election in the US in 2000. The company was criticised in the wake of the disputed results, but edits made by its employees on Wikipedia have included the removal of 15 paragraphs detailing the allegations.
So what has been the CIA been doing, apart from covering the JFK assassination, the fake moon landings, Area 51 and Elvis' exile to a secret island in the middle of the Pacific? Well, they have been editing the entries of Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon. However, they biggest contribution seems to be Jedis: A surfer using a CIA address also took the time to add extensive sections on lightsabre combat in the Star Wars movies.
[The Guardian]
The Vatican is editing entries on Catholic saints and Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams, while Fox News is revising reporter entries, including Shepard Smith who said "blowjob" on the air (but not according to Wikipedia - at least not any more).
The Republican and Democratic party, as well as those pesky Brits from the Labour party, have been changing entries to favor their views, too. Not to mention Diebold. Wikipedia Scanner, which is tracking all these changes, said that Diebold has made huge alterations to entries about its involvement in the controversial "hanging chad" election in the US in 2000. The company was criticised in the wake of the disputed results, but edits made by its employees on Wikipedia have included the removal of 15 paragraphs detailing the allegations.
So what has been the CIA been doing, apart from covering the JFK assassination, the fake moon landings, Area 51 and Elvis' exile to a secret island in the middle of the Pacific? Well, they have been editing the entries of Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon. However, they biggest contribution seems to be Jedis: A surfer using a CIA address also took the time to add extensive sections on lightsabre combat in the Star Wars movies.
[The Guardian]
Amy Update
Things have been pretty quiet up here in the Pac Northwest lately. A guy at work who's in the program asked me to mentor him at work - I told him I would if he would tell me about some good meetings hereabouts. (I haven't been hitting meetings here often - if you call not since 12/31/06 often). So, I tried out a meeting on Monday night that he recommended and really liked it and met some people and got invited to a party 'n stuff, so yay.
Have some folks from LA coming up this weekend (3 of 'em), so I'm looking forward to spending time with them and showing them why I like it here so much. Then, my friend Jim and I are heading up to Vancouver for most of next week. I've never been there, but I hear good things. I'll let you know.
Saw a really good flick last night -- Stardust. It's funny - I saw Michelle Pfeiffer and Claire Danes talking about it on various talk shows and they were having a hard time describing it. I think it's pretty simple - it's a fairy tale. It's got wicked witches, stars that fall to earth (and become Claire Danes), another world you pass into when you go through a wall...
I'd put it in the same broad category as The Princess Bride, but it's not as good as that flick (one of my favorites). (btw, if you haven't read the book, you should - it's grrrrrrr-eat!)
Anyways, getting back to the flick - it's a story where several characters (a guy from England, a prince and a witch) are all racing to find a star that fell from the sky. (That's the star that became Claire Danes when it landed). There's a lot of magic and some general sillyness (which I wholeheartedly approve of...) and there's probably a few morals in there that I didn't pay attention to. It looks nice and it's fun to see Michele Pfeiffer again - she looked like she was enjoying herself. (note to self: holy cow, she looks good. Either she's made a deal with the devil or found a really really good plastic surgeon. Hmmmm....) Ricky Gervais is in it for a small, but amusing part and Robert DeNiro is a sea captain who struggles with masking his inner need to dress like a woman when dealing with his crew.
It's no Princess Bride - if you haven't seen this flick, add it to your Netflix list immediately! But it's a very entertaining way to spend a few hours.
Have some folks from LA coming up this weekend (3 of 'em), so I'm looking forward to spending time with them and showing them why I like it here so much. Then, my friend Jim and I are heading up to Vancouver for most of next week. I've never been there, but I hear good things. I'll let you know.
Saw a really good flick last night -- Stardust. It's funny - I saw Michelle Pfeiffer and Claire Danes talking about it on various talk shows and they were having a hard time describing it. I think it's pretty simple - it's a fairy tale. It's got wicked witches, stars that fall to earth (and become Claire Danes), another world you pass into when you go through a wall...
I'd put it in the same broad category as The Princess Bride, but it's not as good as that flick (one of my favorites). (btw, if you haven't read the book, you should - it's grrrrrrr-eat!)
Anyways, getting back to the flick - it's a story where several characters (a guy from England, a prince and a witch) are all racing to find a star that fell from the sky. (That's the star that became Claire Danes when it landed). There's a lot of magic and some general sillyness (which I wholeheartedly approve of...) and there's probably a few morals in there that I didn't pay attention to. It looks nice and it's fun to see Michele Pfeiffer again - she looked like she was enjoying herself. (note to self: holy cow, she looks good. Either she's made a deal with the devil or found a really really good plastic surgeon. Hmmmm....) Ricky Gervais is in it for a small, but amusing part and Robert DeNiro is a sea captain who struggles with masking his inner need to dress like a woman when dealing with his crew.
It's no Princess Bride - if you haven't seen this flick, add it to your Netflix list immediately! But it's a very entertaining way to spend a few hours.
Rabbit Amnesty
Ladies - do you own a rabbit? For those of you who have a rabbit and have...worn it out...there's a website that will let you send them your old rabbit and get a new one for 1/2 price. Teehee. LoveHoney is an English site that's doing their bit to help save the environment:
New recycling regulations mean that all electrical equipment - including sex toys! - must be disposed of at a designated electrical waste collection centre. This means that you shouldn���t just chuck your dead vibrator in the kitchen bin!
More than 1,000 electrical waste centres have been set up at recycling sites around the UK. But who wants the hassle and embarrassment of taking your dog-eared defunct sex toy down to the tip? Nobody! That's where the LoveHoney Rabbit Amnesty can help.
New small Chrylser = bad
but why, Amy? This video isn't for a Chrysler- it's for some strange Chinese car (where the only way they could remove the dummy was to take it out in pieces).
Ahhh....but Chrysler just signed a deal for this manufacturer to make small cars for them. Go China!
(edited on 8/17 cause Chevy and Chrysler are different companies.)
Ahhh....but Chrysler just signed a deal for this manufacturer to make small cars for them. Go China!
(edited on 8/17 cause Chevy and Chrysler are different companies.)
And for those of you who don't live in LA....
(In LA, it's too smoggy to see much of the night sky, unfortunately.)
The annual Perseid meteor shower is expected to put on a great show this year, peaking in mid-August with a display of dozens of shooting stars each hour.
The Moon will be out of the way, leaving dark skies for good viewing as Earth plunges through an ancient stream of comet debris. Little bits, most no larger than sand grains, will vaporize in Earth's atmosphere, creating sometimes-dramatic "shooting stars."
"It's going to be a great show," said Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama. "The Moon is new on August 12, which means no moonlight, dark skies and plenty of meteors."
How many?
This year the Perseid meteor shower could deliver one or two visible streaks every minute during peak times, Cooke said in a statement yesterday. Urban skywatchers will see fewer due to local light pollution.
This year the Perseid meteor shower could deliver one or two visible streaks every minute during peak times, Cooke said in a statement yesterday. Urban skywatchers will see fewer due to local light pollution.
The meteors in this shower all appear to emanate from the constellation Perseus. The best times to watch will be late night Aug. 12 through dawn Aug. 13.
Observing tips
"Earthgrazers are long, slow and colorful," Cooke said. "They are among the most beautiful of meteors." But don't expect more than a handful in an hour, he said.
Later and during the overnight hours, the shooting stars will be higher in the sky as Perseus rises.
Telescopes and binoculars are no help, as the meteors move too swiftly and are best observed with the naked eye.
(Thanks Space.com!)
Potheads to save California
Marijuana growers in California have offered to pay taxes to the state...which they have estimated would be more than one BILLION dollars if the state would legalize California.
I've always felt that Marijuana should be legal and taxed, for a variety of reasons. I don't think that it's any more harmful than caffeine or other items available over the counter and I think it's significantly less harmful than alcohol. We certainly need the tax dollars and quite frankly, I want my police force focusing on violent crimes rather than chasing down potheads.
Disclaimer: In a former life a very long time ago, I was a huge pothead. But that ended when Reagan was still in office, so I think I have enough distance to speak about this in an educated manner (and not forget what I was talking about).
These growers even have put up a website called letuspaytaxes.com. There's a petition there, so if you're a California resident, you may want to sign it. Of course, that means you'll probably end up on some enemies list that the White House is keeping - but you're already on that list if you're not Christian or not going to church often enough or have ever purchased a sex toy.
Of course, the darned feds would never let it happen. They're still busy hunting down dying people who are smoking medical marijuana in California -- where medical marijuana is legal! If only California had a strong, outspoken governor who couldn't be pushed around and had nothing to fear from this administration cause he's never going to be able to be President anyways. If only wishes came true...
I've always felt that Marijuana should be legal and taxed, for a variety of reasons. I don't think that it's any more harmful than caffeine or other items available over the counter and I think it's significantly less harmful than alcohol. We certainly need the tax dollars and quite frankly, I want my police force focusing on violent crimes rather than chasing down potheads.
Disclaimer: In a former life a very long time ago, I was a huge pothead. But that ended when Reagan was still in office, so I think I have enough distance to speak about this in an educated manner (and not forget what I was talking about).
These growers even have put up a website called letuspaytaxes.com. There's a petition there, so if you're a California resident, you may want to sign it. Of course, that means you'll probably end up on some enemies list that the White House is keeping - but you're already on that list if you're not Christian or not going to church often enough or have ever purchased a sex toy.
Of course, the darned feds would never let it happen. They're still busy hunting down dying people who are smoking medical marijuana in California -- where medical marijuana is legal! If only California had a strong, outspoken governor who couldn't be pushed around and had nothing to fear from this administration cause he's never going to be able to be President anyways. If only wishes came true...
I'm only 96% feminist
| You Are 96% Feminist |
 You are a total feminist. This doesn't mean you're a man hater (in fact, you may be a man). You just think that men and women should be treated equally. It's a simple idea but somehow complicated for the world to put into action. |
China's not just trying to poison us
They're trying to confuse our little ones...these baby girl dolls made in China have an extra bit.
(thanks Boing Boing)
Edited to clarify that they're trying to confuse Russian little ones, so I guess it's okay.
What an incredible place
and also an incredible show. This is the trailer for BBC's Planet Earth. If you have a high def tv, be sure to watch it in high def. If not, just watch it anyways. Either way, check this out.
What candidate do you agree with?
you may be surprised...go to this site to find out. I did this for the last presidential election and found out I mostly agreed with Kucinich then too. Apparently for the folks likely to win, I mostly agree with Obama.
Here's my results (higher points means they agree with me on various issues) :
Kucinich 40 (disagreed on No Child Left Behind, Iran Sanctions)
Gravel 33 (disagreed on Iran Sanctions)
Obama 23 (disagreed on Patriot Act, Border Fence, Same-Sex Marriage)
Clinton 20 (disagreed on Death Penalty, No Child Left Behind, Patriot Act, Border Fence, Iran - Military Action, Same-Sex Marriage)
Edwards 19 (disagreed on Death Penalty, No Child Left Behind, Patriot Act, Iran - Military Action, Same-Sex Marriage)
Dodd 19 (disagreed on Death Penalty, No Child Left Behind, Patriot Act, Border Fence, Iran - Military Action)
Biden 18 (disagreed on Death Penalty, No Child Left Behind, Patriot Act, Border Fence, Same-Sex Marriage)
Richardson 17 (disagreed on Death Penalty, Assault Weapons Ban, Patriot Act, Iran - Military Action, Same-Sex Marriage)
Paul 1 (disagreed on Abortion Rights, Embryonic Stem Cells, ANWR Drilling, Kyoto, Assault Weapons Ban, Guns - Background Checks, Citizenship Path for Illegals, Border Fence, Net Neutrality, Iran Sanctions, Minimum Wage Increase, Same-Sex Marriage, Universal Healthcare)
and now for the folks which I definitely don't agree with -- they came up with negative numbers(why look -- it's the Republicans!):
Giuliani -13
Cox -15
McCain -15
Thompson -17
Brownback -23
Huckabee -27
Tancredo -32
Romney -36
Hunter -38
Here's my results (higher points means they agree with me on various issues) :
Kucinich 40 (disagreed on No Child Left Behind, Iran Sanctions)
Gravel 33 (disagreed on Iran Sanctions)
Obama 23 (disagreed on Patriot Act, Border Fence, Same-Sex Marriage)
Clinton 20 (disagreed on Death Penalty, No Child Left Behind, Patriot Act, Border Fence, Iran - Military Action, Same-Sex Marriage)
Edwards 19 (disagreed on Death Penalty, No Child Left Behind, Patriot Act, Iran - Military Action, Same-Sex Marriage)
Dodd 19 (disagreed on Death Penalty, No Child Left Behind, Patriot Act, Border Fence, Iran - Military Action)
Biden 18 (disagreed on Death Penalty, No Child Left Behind, Patriot Act, Border Fence, Same-Sex Marriage)
Richardson 17 (disagreed on Death Penalty, Assault Weapons Ban, Patriot Act, Iran - Military Action, Same-Sex Marriage)
Paul 1 (disagreed on Abortion Rights, Embryonic Stem Cells, ANWR Drilling, Kyoto, Assault Weapons Ban, Guns - Background Checks, Citizenship Path for Illegals, Border Fence, Net Neutrality, Iran Sanctions, Minimum Wage Increase, Same-Sex Marriage, Universal Healthcare)
and now for the folks which I definitely don't agree with -- they came up with negative numbers(why look -- it's the Republicans!):
Giuliani -13
Cox -15
McCain -15
Thompson -17
Brownback -23
Huckabee -27
Tancredo -32
Romney -36
Hunter -38
Bad Cop. Bad.
If you're a bad policeman in Thailand, they have a new punishment for you.
Hello Kitty.
That's right! Thai police officers who break rules will be forced to wear hot pink armbands featuring "Hello Kitty," the Japanese icon of cute, as a mark of shame, a senior officer said Monday.
Note: If this didn't come from a highly reliable news source such as USA Today (America's picture newspaper), I wouldn't believe it either.
Hello Kitty.
That's right! Thai police officers who break rules will be forced to wear hot pink armbands featuring "Hello Kitty," the Japanese icon of cute, as a mark of shame, a senior officer said Monday.
Note: If this didn't come from a highly reliable news source such as USA Today (America's picture newspaper), I wouldn't believe it either.
Voting in California just got more corrupt
If you live (and vote) in California, you're in luck! Your Secretary of State Debra Bowen has certified voting systems that failed security audits recently.
A group of University of California researchers hacked their way through security on nearly every voting machine certified by the state of California. What's interesting is that the research was initiated by....Secretary of State Debra Bowen! the team was able to "bypass physical and software security in every machine they tested." The group, which was sanctioned by the state, was given full access to the machines, as well as their source code and manuals. Some folks are complaining that this is "cheating"...but seriously, folks can get their hands on this stuff fairly easily if they want it.
So, this is easily resolved - the companies in question just need to supply their machines with updated firmware, disabled access to unused ports, kill the wireless connections, and so on. Basically, the companies that deny up and down their voting systems are even vulnerable are now directly responsible for making them less vulnerable per seemingly vague security-hardening guidelines.
Once again, I'll remind you - request an absentee ballot for any upcoming elections and don't forget to use it!
From Engadget.
A group of University of California researchers hacked their way through security on nearly every voting machine certified by the state of California. What's interesting is that the research was initiated by....Secretary of State Debra Bowen! the team was able to "bypass physical and software security in every machine they tested." The group, which was sanctioned by the state, was given full access to the machines, as well as their source code and manuals. Some folks are complaining that this is "cheating"...but seriously, folks can get their hands on this stuff fairly easily if they want it.
So, this is easily resolved - the companies in question just need to supply their machines with updated firmware, disabled access to unused ports, kill the wireless connections, and so on. Basically, the companies that deny up and down their voting systems are even vulnerable are now directly responsible for making them less vulnerable per seemingly vague security-hardening guidelines.
Once again, I'll remind you - request an absentee ballot for any upcoming elections and don't forget to use it!
From Engadget.
Send the Spice Girls to Iraq!
Apparently, you can vote for a city that they'll add to their tour. They promise to go to the city with the most votes and right now, that's Baghdad.
Click here to vote.
teehee.
Darn. You have to give them info to vote and all my fake info worked except I don't have a fake UK mobile number to supply. Now I'm sad.
Click here to vote.
teehee.
Darn. You have to give them info to vote and all my fake info worked except I don't have a fake UK mobile number to supply. Now I'm sad.
Happy Birthday Rush Limbaugh Show
19 years of passing on ignorance to the dummies.
May your circuits short.
May your circuits short.
One way to avoid parking tickets
shop at this guy's store.
Apparently, Martin Herdman really hates meter maids (or, as they call them in Jolly old England, "traffic wardens"). He put up a 1,000-watt public address system outside his shop and recruited a network of "spies" to alert him the instant they spotted a parking attendant in the area. Then, as soon as the alarm was raised, he started playing a recording of a Second World War-style air raid siren over the system. Mr Herdman's early warning system gives customers a chance to move their cars before they are ticketed by the warden.
Apparently, Martin Herdman really hates meter maids (or, as they call them in Jolly old England, "traffic wardens"). He put up a 1,000-watt public address system outside his shop and recruited a network of "spies" to alert him the instant they spotted a parking attendant in the area. Then, as soon as the alarm was raised, he started playing a recording of a Second World War-style air raid siren over the system. Mr Herdman's early warning system gives customers a chance to move their cars before they are ticketed by the warden.
Which is worse?
Blowing off a blind date or pretending you were kidnapped to avoid a blind date?
Gee...that's a tough one. Apparently it was for Sara Wright:
White planned to meet someone at the park that she had met via the Internet. White got cold feet about the date and called the man, stating that three men had hit her over the head and tossed her in the back of a car. White then claimed she was being driven all over the city in the trunk of the car.
All together now....D-R-A-M-A Q-U-E-E-N!
Off with her head.
Interested in knowing what blogs I read?
I use Google Reader to keep track of the blogs I read. It keeps an eye on them all and when something new is posted in any of the blogs it monitors for me, it displays the new entry. That way I can go to one place to read all the blogs I like.
Anyways, one of the things that Google Reader offers is for me to be able to share blog items. So, if I read something and I want to share it, I click on a Share button and then it's available publicly at page at https://www.google.com/reader/shared/04918726308220802242 (and there's a feed if you're using Google Reader or another RSS reader).
Just sayin.
Anyways, one of the things that Google Reader offers is for me to be able to share blog items. So, if I read something and I want to share it, I click on a Share button and then it's available publicly at page at https://www.google.com/reader/shared/04918726308220802242 (and there's a feed if you're using Google Reader or another RSS reader).
Just sayin.
Comments!
For those of you who are blog senior citizens/experts/know it alls, move on. Nothing to see here...
Recently, I've spoken with several friends who mentioned they read my blog (yay friends!). I know that many of my friends are new to the whole idea of blogging and wanted to splain that a blog isn't necessarily a one way street.
See, I write things on here cause they amuse me or infuriate me or whatever and I want my peeps to know about them. I want you guys to click on the Comments and tell me you agree or you think I'm crazy or tell me a kooky unrelated story.
It's way more amusing that way. Also, then I know that people are reading. Otherwise, I start to think I'm preaching to myself (in a non-preachy kinda way). My friends crack me up! I'd love for you guys to spread a little bit of that occasionally by commenting here. C'mon. Spread the silly.
Recently, I've spoken with several friends who mentioned they read my blog (yay friends!). I know that many of my friends are new to the whole idea of blogging and wanted to splain that a blog isn't necessarily a one way street.
See, I write things on here cause they amuse me or infuriate me or whatever and I want my peeps to know about them. I want you guys to click on the Comments and tell me you agree or you think I'm crazy or tell me a kooky unrelated story.
It's way more amusing that way. Also, then I know that people are reading. Otherwise, I start to think I'm preaching to myself (in a non-preachy kinda way). My friends crack me up! I'd love for you guys to spread a little bit of that occasionally by commenting here. C'mon. Spread the silly.
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