Archive for 1/4/2008 - 26 Tevet, 5768

No Idaho!

1/30/2005 - 20 Shevat, 5765

The existence of Idao is a hoax!

That’s right. There is no State of Idaho, and the nation’s cartographers have been playing a cruel joke on us. The evidence is astounding. Beginning with:

“Do you know anybody from Idaho? Do you know anybody who knows anybody from Idaho? According to the 1990 “census,” there are over one million (1,000,000, or 1 x 10^6) people living in Idaho. But if there are so many Idahoers, where are they? ”

You might be tempted to answer, “Idaho!” But that’s because you’ve been brainwashed.

Of Bowling

1/30/2005 - 20 Shevat, 5765

Last weekend I joined several StlBloggers for bowling at Tropicana. To put it simply, while I had a fun, enjoyable time, and I enjoyed meeting several of them for the first time, I played very sloppily.

This weekend I joined several friends I’ve known for over ten years at Olivette, and for whom I have no need to make a good first impression, and I bowled on the high end of my ‘average’. My evidence, the scoresheet, is below with the other names/initials erased to protect their anonymity.

bowling.jpg

(Numerologically there isn’t much to point out of note. One multiple of 18 in the second game - the 4th frame.)

Some readers may wonder why I am ‘bragging’ that the high end of my average is in the 80s and 90s. Well, it is significantly better than how I bowled at Tropicana. And the fact that I am able to get 3 strikes in 2 games might surprise a few of those I met last weekend.

I made the comment to one of my fellow bowlers last night that “if I actually took some lessons, and learned what I was doing, I could be dangerous.”

Obviously my problem last weekend had to have been the bowling alley. I’ll never bowl at Tropicana again.

Snapshot from Utah

1/30/2005 - 20 Shevat, 5765

The Internet Movie Database has an entire section devoted to Sundance. Below is a link to a ‘Portrait’ taken on January 24th.

Sundance Film Festival 2005 - Day 4

plugin’ away

1/28/2005 - 18 Shevat, 5765

I’ve been having some fun this evening installing some more plugins. One of the more obvious ones is the “DropCap” plugin. The first character of every entry is now in Chaucer font, font-size 36. If I went to the trouble of creating an image for each letter of the alphabet, I could use those images, rather than rely on a standard font. That’s something I might do in the future. (Or maybe see if one of my more artisitic friends would be interested in designing one for me.)

I’ve also installed a text-filter, as you probably can tell from this post. I can choose between Swedish Chef, Valley Girl, Cockney, Hunting Wabbits, Jive, German Accent, and Texas Drawl. I’ve decided to try out Cockney.

Unfortunately, the plugin doesn’t add the same options to the comments section.

mmmkay…

1/28/2005 - 18 Shevat, 5765

A man parks his SUV on a train track…as a means of suicide.
At the last minute, he has second thoughts, and exits the vehicle.
But the train crashes against the empty SUV and passengers die.

The State of California is considering punishing the individual with…execution.

Since this was originally a suicide attempt…wouldn’t a better punishment be forcing him to live?

Memory problems

1/28/2005 - 18 Shevat, 5765

Three conservative columnists have now confessed to being paid by Bush to promote his programs. However, what I found most incredible:

HHS had paid syndicated columnist and marriage advocate Maggie Gallagher $21,000 to write brochures and essays and to brief government employees on the president’s marriage initiative. Gallagher later wrote in her column that she would have revealed the $21,000 payment to readers had she recalled receiving it.

Hereís the direct quote from her column:

But the real truth is that it never occurred to me. On reflection, I think Howard is right. I should have disclosed a government contract when I later wrote about the Bush marriage initiative. I would have, if I had remembered it. My apologies to my readers.

To get paid $21,000 for a job, and a couple years later forget that it happened…I hope someday I’m earning enough for that to happen.

Of WayBack machines, and Winnie the Pooh

1/27/2005 - 17 Shevat, 5765

I installed a “WayBack Machine” plugin to the left. (No trademark infringement intended.) It should link to posts “on this date” in previous years. On February 4th, we’ll see if it links to both 2003 and 2004.

Browsing around January 2004 posts, I noticed this comment on a legal row between Disney and the owners of the character, Winnie the Pooh. Apparently, a trial was set for January of 2005. I thought to myself…”Wait, that’s now!”

So I did a news search and discovered, Disney has won the latest round (crap), but the battle continues.

(My loyalties are somewhat torn. AA Milne’s Granddaughter is trying to get back the rights from the Slesingers, the family her grandfather sold the rights to in the 1930s. Disney sides with her, but only because the Slesingers have sued Disney over lost royalties.)

You’ll notice even though I serendipitously noticed my year-old entry tonight, the current news article is dated today.

Aish-Pod

1/27/2005 - 17 Shevat, 5765

I like Aish — as a resource for information on all things Jewish.

And now they’re giving away an IPod monthly.
(I’m not sure if this is a lunar month or a solar month.)

All they require is a name and email address.
Those who register are subscribed to their weekly emails, and must remain subscribed for at least 60 days. But comparing the cost of receiving a weekly email (reading it isn’t required), to the magazine subscriptions or other methods of entering ‘free’ Ipod giveaways I’ve seen on the net — this certainly wins.

Good News, and Better News

1/25/2005 - 15 Shevat, 5765

William Safire is retiring from his op-ed writing. But he will keep writing his On Language column.

So basically, Nixon’s former speechwriter will continue writing the columns where he actually writes stuff I’m interested in hearing, and usually agree with.

Wonderful Birthday present, Bill. Thanks!

Props to the FCC

1/25/2005 - 15 Shevat, 5765

Considering I just turned 36, and 36 is double-chai, I find this news story significant.

L’Chaim!

What Woody Allen, Spike Lee, and I have in common…

1/24/2005 - 14 Shevat, 5765

I’ve always considered myself shorter than average, but I just realized the following people are my height or shorter:

Yogi Berra, Woody Allen, Winston Churchill, William Faulkner, Vlad Lenin, Spike Lee, Charlie Chaplin, Rod Serling, and Richard Dreyfus.

I feel much better now.

Thanks go to the Ranting Librarian.

Tolerance is Evil

1/24/2005 - 14 Shevat, 5765

A call for cartoon characters to start promoting intolerance

It makes sense to me. Cartoons should be “fair and balanced” too, right?

There are aspects of Canadian politics that I disagree with strongly. However, I love the Toronto Star.

R.I.P. Johnny Carson, 79

1/23/2005 - 13 Shevat, 5765

carnakjpg.jpg

Someone up on high has commandeered Heaven’s PA system, and is presently announcing to all who can hear: “Heeeeeeeeeere’s Johnny!”

I am so excited

1/21/2005 - 11 Shevat, 5765

I am currently sitting at Hartford Coffee Company, enteirng this blog entry.

A wireless card was my holiday/birthday gift to myself, and I am finally getting to use it. Wireless is free here at Hartford, and every St. Louis Bread co in town, and many other places.

I just downloaded the trailer to West Bank Story … I’ll listen to it later, but I wached it on mute, and it looks good. (Didn’t want to disturb other patrons, and I didn’t bring a headset.)

I probably should post this, and turn the computer off…the open mic is about to start, and playing around while everyone reads/sings would be rude.

Dear Abby

1/21/2005 - 11 Shevat, 5765

I received this in my email.
I don’t think it’s necessary to say, but just in case it is:
This is not a real letter to Dear Abby. (I don’t think.)

DEAR ABBY,
My husband has a long record of money problems. ÝHe runs up huge credit
card bills and at the end of the month, if I try to pay them off, he
shouts at me, saying I am stealing his money. ÝHe says pay the minimum
and let our kids worry about the rest, but already we can hardly keep up
with the interest.

Also he has been so arrogant and abusive toward our neighbors that most
of them no longer speak to us. ÝThe few that do are an odd bunch, to
whom he has been giving a lot of expensive gifts, running up our bills
even more.

Also, he has gotten religious in a big way, although I don’t quite
understand it. ÝOne week he hangs out with Catholics and the next with
people who say the Pope is the Anti-Christ.

And now he has been going to the gym an awful lot and is into wearing
uniforms and cowboy outfits, and I hate to think what that means.

Finally, the last straw. He’s demanding that before anyone can be in the
same room with him, they must sign a loyalty oath. ÝIt’s just so
horribly creepy! ÝCan you help?

Signed,
Lost in DC

DEAR LOST,
Stop whining, Laura. You can divorce the jerk any time you want. ÝThe
rest of us are stuck with him for four more years!

It’s my birthday, and I’ll blog if I want to.

1/21/2005 - 11 Shevat, 5765

I don’t feel any older than I was yesterday,
but I am officially double-chai.
(And that has nothing to do with cafe beverages.)

The network card on my office computer is currently as I type being replaced.
I am on another computer, which can’t connect to the office network, but can connect to the internet, which is cool. I can’t access the files I **should** be working on. But I can access my blog.

I will be at Hartford Coffee Company tonight reading poetry if any stalkers wish to stalk…and I’ll be at Tropicana bowling alley tomorrow for StlBloggers Bowling

Banning the Swastika

1/20/2005 - 10 Shevat, 5765

The EU is considering banning the swastika. (Partly due to the recent scandal of Prince Harry wearing a Nazi uniform to a costume party.)

Of course, this raised the question in my mind, will this be a ban on the ‘Manji’ as well? This issue came up in St. Louis not too long ago.

It seems UK Hindus are worried about this as well.

The BBC informs us that:

The British author Rudyard Kipling, who was strongly influenced by Indian culture, had a swastika on the dust jackets of all his books until the rise of Nazism made this inappropriate. It was also a symbol used by the scouts in Britain, although it was taken off Robert Baden-Powell’s 1922 Medal of Merit after complaints in the 1930s.

I feel banning the expression of hate is not the way to fight hate. But, I’m a foolish American.

Slow…but not surprising

1/20/2005 - 10 Shevat, 5765

The Online Sundance Film Festival site is extremely slow. But I’m not entirely surprised. Everyone wants to see my cousin’s film! (Or perhaps one of the others…I guess that’s possible too.)

Beside the link above, there’s a link to the left. You need to register to view the films, but it says it’s free. I haven’t yet managed to get to that step.

Not the Tsunami

1/19/2005 - 9 Shevat, 5765

Many of the so-called pictures of the tsunami (complete with fleeing people) being passed around are not real. (Oh my God! It can’t be! Another Hoax?!)

This PSA has been brought to you thanks to Snopes. The #1 place to go to check if what your email is telling you really is true. (In my opinion)

Note: Vmyths is my favorite choice for checking virus emails.

What is missing from this picture?

1/19/2005 - 9 Shevat, 5765

ovaloffice.jpg

Above is a picture of the Oval Office. This is where our President does his work.
What’s missing?

(Note: This isn’t new. It was missing during the Clinton years too.)

Big Hint:
Read the rest of this entry »

See John Buy. Buy John Buy.

1/18/2005 - 8 Shevat, 5765

I received an early birthday gift yesterday. (My birthday is Friday).
It was a gift certificate for Amazon.
I’ve already spent it.
One of my purchases is in the middle of a copyright dispute. (I knew I better act soon, before it’s removed from the shelves…)

How to Get Creative

1/18/2005 - 8 Shevat, 5765

CBBC (Chrilden’s BBC) guide to Creativity

Create your own magnetic Ribbon

1/18/2005 - 8 Shevat, 5765

Create your own Magnetic Ribbon

This place offers several suggestions, but they also have a text box where you can enter your own slogan. They also have several different colors to choose from.

Tony the Tiger says…

1/18/2005 - 8 Shevat, 5765

I haven’t written a book review in awhile. This is the most recent book I finished reading:

Good to Great, by Jim Collins:

Supposedly, it’s the “In” book to read in Corporate America. However, I don’t work in Corporate America. I work in Non-Profit America. The book is about how a company can become Great as opposed to just Good. Greatness being defined in terms of value of stock and profits over a sustained period of time. Which doesn’t exactly apply to Non-Profits, but management decided it was a great book, so everyone was told to read it. So I did.

I did find it interesting. And one of the points the author makes is the principles can be applied elsewhere — for example it can be personally applied — treating yourself as a company of one.

Some of the principles are difficult to apply to the individual, but many of them aren’t.

One could argue focusing on only that which you can be best in the world at is setting too high of a goal…however, why settle for mediocre? I know I can’t be the best at the job I am currently doing…it just pays the bills. (I can be good at it, don’t get me wrong, possibly even very good…just in case anyone from work is reading this.) I also can’t be best at the job I was doing before being laid off in 2002. Sometimes I think about learning a new computer language and trying to make a return to the IT field. It certainly could pay the bills better than the non-profit work I am donig now. But I would end up being a just-good computer programmer. I could be one of the best at my ‘dream job.’ I know I have the talent. But I have relegated the dream to my ’spare time’ as I know about 1% of those in artistic fields (whether it be acting, writing, painting, or sculpting) actually ever make enough to live off of their talents.

I envy my cousin’s courage. In some ways I wish I had had that at age 21. I wish I had that now.

Jim Collins book isn’t about to get me to quit my job. I have mortgage payments. But it may get me to focus more of my off-hours on my dream. I have an 8-4 job. 4-8 gives me 16 hours to play with a day. 7-8 once I delete sleep and travel. That’s a hell of a lot of time I could be spending on writing and marketing.

Blogging may be one of the things that needs to be cut back a bit in my pursuit.

One of the other things I am thankful for after reading the book, is I now have a greater understanding of Admiral Jim Stockdale. Previously, my knowledge of him was as the guy Ross Perot chose as his VP candidate. Stockdale had the most memorable remark of that campaign, probably, when he led it off the VP debate with the words, “Who am I, and what am I doing here?”

Because of the book, I know Stockdale was the highest ranking POW during Vietnam, and was tortured over twenty times during an 8 year imprisonment. I also received insight on how he survived those 8 years.

WiFi

1/17/2005 - 7 Shevat, 5765

Just got a WIFI card for my laptop, and remembered there was this discussion a few months back on StlBloggers.

I’m disappointed to discover the largest free wifi network in the country isn’t large enough to reach where I work. It’s 42 square blocks, and 4 more lousy blocks west, and it would have. Sure, I have hispeed access from my office computer…but I can’t surf porn (or download music). (Not that I would want to do either, of course.)

Broadway, Tucker, Washington, and Market. Those are the four alleged boundaries.

It’s probably a good thing Busch Stadium is just outside its boundaries too…or I might be tempted to bring my laptop to the next Cardinals game I attend….(Am I sick?)

Anybody know any good places within those boundaries with job openings? (Just kidding, I think.)

I believe Hartford Coffee Company has free wireless, and I’m there almost every Friday for their open mic. And of course, every St. Louis Bread Co has free wireless, and it seems the CWE (Schlaffly) branch of the St. Louis Public Library does too. So I have a few places I can connect.

A list of free Wifi - 20 mile radius of 63103

80s flashback

1/16/2005 - 6 Shevat, 5765

I’ve heard Arrested Development was supposed to be a good show, but I knew nothing about the show, so when Jason Bateman won the Golden Globe tonight for his role, I was kind of surprised. I didn’t know he’d done anything since “Valerie/The Hogan Family”.

(Apparently he has been acting pretty consistently since…I just wasn’t familiar with any of his roles.)

It looked like he was surprised too. “I wanted to be ready if hell froze over,” he said as he withdrew a piece of paper from his pocket with all the names he wished to thank.

Now we need to find a good role for his sister, Justine.

Looking for Movable Type

1/16/2005 - 6 Shevat, 5765

Does anybody have a full installation for Movable Type? Any version from 1.0 to 2.661?

Movable Type does still offer a free 2.661, but it appears to be limited to 1 user and 3 blogs, and this wasn’t the case prior to 3.0.

I saved my original 2.661 upgrade folder…so as long as I have 1.0 or later, I can upgrade it to their original 2.661.

scratch that I found exactly what I was looking for hidden in one of my folders…I had no idea I still had it.

4 More Days

1/16/2005 - 6 Shevat, 5765

My cousin on his first movie poster…

Caption This

1/15/2005 - 5 Shevat, 5765

Want a car magnet? How about this one?

1/14/2005 - 4 Shevat, 5765

Purchase Here

Asbestos lawsuit

1/14/2005 - 4 Shevat, 5765

St. Louis City and Lambert Airport are being sued for using an illegal asbestos removal method called the “wet method.” This method, apparently, is only allowable if the buildings are too dangerous to be entered, and few if any of the buildings were.

Apparently, “This will be the first legal action against a city for endangering public health by deliberately evading federal asbestos safety standards,” said Jim Hecker, the legal group’s environmental enforcement director.

The most amazing paragraphs in the entire news story?

Members of the citizens group are not seeking money for themselves. The suit asks that city and airport officials evaluate and eliminate health hazards from uncontrolled releases of asbestos and stop using the wet method, Hecker said.

If the court imposes civil fines, the money would be turned over to the federal treasury or placed in a special EPA fund, he said.

A lawsuit where people aren’t asking for money? Unheard of. (Of course, I’m sure the lawyer is getting paid.)

Not amazing? The politics behind the events:

The EPA ordered St. Louis to halt the use of the illegal method in spring 2003. Then-Airport Director Leonard Griggs Jr. immediately asked Missouri Sen. Christopher “Kit” Bond for help in getting the EPA to loosen its asbestos removal requirements…

Bond, the senior Republican on the Senate committee that oversees the EPA, wrote to Christie Todd Whitman, then the EPA administrator, saying he hoped “this uncooperative attitude will not continue.” Whitman notified Bond that the EPA and airport authority had reached an agreement allowing the airport to use the wet method until March 2004. When the deadline came, the EPA’s regional office in Kansas City, which covers Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri, extended the deadline for a year.

Bruce Buckheit, then director of the EPA’s Air Enforcement Division in Washington, said he had approved the extension only because he was assured “that there were no people at risk, that all the land had been purchased and the people removed.”

But that was not the case.

Not surprising one bit.

Seriously

1/14/2005 - 4 Shevat, 5765

“The one serious conviction that a man should have is that nothing is to be taken too seriously.” ñ Nicholas Butler

If this is an accurate quote, one wonders what he thought of this poem written by Rolfe Humphries, which appeared in the prestigious Poetry Magazine.

Humphries had been asked to write an original piece for Poetry Magazine in June 1939. He was given the title and asked to assure that the poem contain one classical reference per line and be in unrhymed iambic pentameter. Nicholas Butler had been Humphries former professor at Columbia Teachers University.

Humphries was banned from Poetry Magazine for life once the editors realized what they had published.

79. AN ODE FOR A PHI BETA KAPPA AFFAIR

Niobe’s daughters yearn to the womb again,
Ionians bright and fair, to the chill stone;
Chaos in cry, Actaeon’s angry pack,
Hounds of Molussus, shaggy wolves driven

Over Ampsanctus’ vale and Pentheus’ glade,
Laelaps and Ladon, Dromas, Canace,–
As these in fury harry brake and hill
So the great dogs of evil bay the world.;

Memory, Mother of Muses, be resigned
Untill King Saturn comes to rule again!
Remember now no more the golden day
Remember now no more the fading gold,

Astraea fled, Proserpina in hell;
You searchers of the earth be reconciled!
Because, through all the blight of human woe,
Under Robigo’s rust, and Clotho’s shears,

The mind of man still keeps its argosies,
Lacedaemonian Helen wakes her tower,
Echo replies, and lamentation loud
Reverberates from Thrace to Delos Isle;

Itylus grieves, for whom the nightingale
Sweetly as ever tunes her Daulian strain.
And over Tenedos the flagship burns.
How shall men loiter when the great moon shines

Opaque upon the sail, and Argive seas
Rear like blue dolphins their cerulean curves?
Samos is fallen, Lesbos streams with fire,
Etna in rage, Canopus cold in hate,

Summon the Orphic bard to stranger dreams.
And so for us who raise Athene’s torch.
Sufficient to her message in this hour:
Sons of Columbia, Awake, Arise.

The Royal Scandal continues

1/13/2005 - 3 Shevat, 5765

Apparently William helped Harry pick out his costume. Charles has advised both of his sons to visit Auschwitz.

This opinion from the UK Telegraph is on the mark, but I have one small problem with it:

We can all agree that Prince Harry is not very bright. If we are fair to him, we can also agree that his choice of costume for a fancy-dress birthday party in Wiltshire last weekend tells us nothing about his political views…

But, oh, what on Earth was going through Harry’s tiny little brain when he slipped on that swastika armband? It is not even as if his outfit fitted particularly well with the theme of the party - “Native and Colonial” - although I suppose he thought that anything suggestive of Africa would do. (Why not America, India, Canada or Australia instead?)…

All these excuses boil down to one: that Prince Harry is a stupid young man, who meant no harm. That is what I would like very much to believe. But if it is true, then we are not talking about an average level of stupidity. We are talking about stupidity on an absolutely monumental scale. This is not the stupidity of a 20-year-old, who has gone through 17 years of the best formal education that money can buy. It is the stupidity of a rather backward child of 12…

I bet that there were half a dozen people, at the very least, who saw Prince Harry in his fancy dress before he went to the party. Surely at least one them - a detective, a driver, a friend, perhaps even his brother - might have warned him that he was about to make a prize ass of himself. Is there nobody at all in the Prince of Wales’s household who dares offer the poor boy the wisdom that he so desperately lacks?

In a twisted way, I hope there isn’t. I mean, what is the Royal Family there for, if it isn’t to entertain? I know I’m an American, and my comparative-government education was deficient, but my understanding of the British government is that the Royal family doesn’t really do much. They cut ribbons, make appearances, and do their best to entertain the masses. And the British Parliament conducts the business.

Harry is very entertaining. I think he should be encouraged to start smoking pot again.

British Guide to Government and Legislation (This mentions that all legislation receives a ‘Royal Assent’…but in the description there doesn’t appear to be any provision for a Royal Dissent. Once the legislation passes the procedural hurdles in the House of Commons and House of Lords, the Royal Sovereign, currently the Queen, gives her rubber stamp. There doesn’t appear to be any other governmental role. So, unless this guide is incomplete, or I missed something, I believe I am correct. They are there for entertainment purposes. Let them entertain.)

Everybody appears to love writing their own captions

1/13/2005 - 3 Shevat, 5765

I recently subscribed to the Snopes.com RSS feed and now hear about new urban legends daily — before they hit my email box.

The three latest ones all bear a striking resemblance.

1) An alleged satellite photograph of the Tsunami It’s actually a satellite photograph of a hurricane off the coast of Florida. I haven’t received the hurricane email yet, so I am happy to see this. It’s a great photograph of a hurricane.

2) Alleged photographs of deep sea creatures discovered due to the tsunami. They’re real deep sea creatures, discovered elsewhere. Fascinating creatures.

3) Alleged photograph of packages of rats received by Atlanta Chinese restaurant. They’re real photographs of packaged rats, but they were not received by a Chinese restaurant. They are meant for the consumption of snakes. I understand snakes must eat, and rats aren’t the cutest animals, but my gut response looking at the pictures is: “poor rats.” It’s amazing I’m not a vegetarian.

Jolly Green Giant

1/13/2005 - 3 Shevat, 5765
I’m hopeful when I make it to my local comics dealer, they’ll still have an issue of Peter David’s Hulk in stock. PAD has a habit on his blog of announcing months ahead that he’s working on something, and then the next you’ll hear of it on his blog is “It’s out this week, what do you think?” And I scream, “Wait! I can’t make it to the store this weekend!.” Sure, it’s my fault. I knew in advance, and had lots of time to put it on hold, but he announced it so long ago, I procrastinated. You see, I’m not a huge fan of the character. I watched the TV show occasionally as a kid, but it wasn’t that appealing. I lean more towards the ‘intellectual’ superheroes. (I’m lovin’ the noir of Fallen Angel and Madrox) But I haven’t been disappointed by anything of David’s I’ve read, and that’s pretty amazing. 2 weeks ago I picked up his one-shot What If on the Hulk, just to see if I liked it. I figured “His 5-parter is coming out probably soon, so I’ll try it, and if I like it, I’ll put it on hold.” I didn’t realize it was only one week away.

At least Hulk is a big enough title, I suspect several extra copies were ordered.

I think I will try telling my dealer just to put anything with David’s name on it on hold for me. Then I can just sit back and relax. That way, when the new projects he just hinted at appear on the stands, they’ll be waiting for me.

Princes go to costume party

1/13/2005 - 3 Shevat, 5765

Prince Harry attended a costume party in a nazi uniform, causing a small furor. (pun not intended, but noticed whilst typing it, and left intact.)

Prince Harry, has of course apologized. The article mentions Prince William appeared dressed as a lion, though they provided no photographs of this outfit.

I’m still trying to figure out what a Nazi uniform has to do with the stated party theme of “colonial and native”. (Or a lion, for that matter, but I guess lions are native to some former British colonies)

Update

and here’s a fascinating history lesson about connections between the Royal Family and Nazi Germany.

And here’s a beautiful quote from Michael Howard, leader of Britain’s main opposition Conservative Party:

“I think it might be appropriate for him to tell us himself just how contrite he now is.”

I wonder exactly what Mr. Howard has in mind…

My outrage is most focused on the papparazzi who failed to get a picture of Prince William dressed up as a Lion. That would have been a much more enjoyable picture for the world to see in their morning newspaper.

It should also be noted that Harry, 20, was photographed holding a drink…assumedly alcohol. There of course is nothing wrong with this in Britain.

Let Victor Hugo write your love poem

1/12/2005 - 2 Shevat, 5765

Valentine’s Day is a month and a day away….and some may be fretting writing a poem to their loved one.

You might be tempted to fall back upon a variation of Victor Hugo’s most quoted, but least attributed, two lines he ever wrote:

Violets are blue, Roses are Red
Violets are blue, I love my love.

(The lines appear in the novel, Les Miserables, and are sung by the character Fantine)

But I am here to tell you, you have other options.

For example, the poem Hugo wrote entitled, To a Lady. (As translated by the English poet/novelist, Thomas Hardy)

Child, were I king, I’d yield my royal rule,
     My chariot, sceptre, vassal-service due,
My crown, my porphyry-basined waters cool,
My fleets, whereto the sea is but a pool,
     For a glance from you!

Love, were I God, the earth and its heaving airs,
     Angels, the demons abject under me,
Vast chaos with its teeming womby lairs,
Time, space, all would I give–aye, upper spheres,
     For a kiss from thee!

And if the above doesn’t appeal to you, perhaps one of these poems from the father of French Romanticism may be found useful.

Barely Legal

1/12/2005 - 2 Shevat, 5765

You Are 21 Years Old


21


Under 12: You are a kid at heart. You still have an optimistic life view - and you look at the world with awe.

13-19: You are a teenager at heart. You question authority and are still trying to find your place in this world.

20-29: You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel excited about what’s to come… love, work, and new experiences.

30-39: You are a thirtysomething at heart. You’ve had a taste of success and true love, but you want more!

40+: You are a mature adult. You’ve been through most of the ups and downs of life already. Now you get to sit back and relax.

What Age Do You Act?

Freedom of Speech not equal to Freedom to be Heard

1/12/2005 - 2 Shevat, 5765

New Alliance MetroLink ads

The KKK and the New Alliance have every right to publicly demonstrate, or to peacefully assemble at a public library. That I have no second thoughts about.

But I am also confident in the rightness of the US Govt. not funding organizations that discriminate. Whether this means not funding the Boy Scouts, or the KKK, it should apply to providing advertising space as well.

Especially advertising on public transportation visible to all. Placing such a restriction on advertising space ñ a limited commodity ñ shouldnít just be permitted, but it should be a logical extension of similar restrictions on government funding.

Apparently, however, this argument didnít work for Missouri in its attempt to prohibit the KKK from participating in the highway cleanup program. However, the courts may not have considered the signs along the highway, which are ignored and barely seen by most motorists, as significant advertising. The advertising on metrolink busses may be viewed differently. Hopefully. As I really donít wish to be subjected to this advertising in a public forum on a daily basis.

Maybe I will watch Mel Gibson movies again…

1/11/2005 - 1 Shevat, 5765

Mel Gibson on Michael Moore:

“I feel a strange kinship with Michael,” Mr. Gibson said. “They’re trying to pit us against each other in the press, but it’s a hologram. They really have got nothing to do with one another. It’s just some kind of device, some left-right. He makes some salient points. There was some very expert, elliptical editing going on. However, what the hell are we doing in Iraq? No one can explain to me in a reasonable manner that I can accept why we’re there, why we went there, and why we’re still there.”

Go Mel!


  • The article also quotes Moore as saying he saw Passion of the Christ twice.
  • As a geek, I love Mel’s use of ‘hologram’
  • Maybe the two could co-direct a movie. Everyone in America would go see it. It’s almost guaranteed.

infinite loops

1/11/2005 - 1 Shevat, 5765

Gmail has recently added the option of forwarding your email to another email account. I am already forwarding a couple email accounts to Gmail.

So, of course, I began to think of the infinite email loop. I am sure this has been done countless times already. Setting up two email accounts to forward to each other. (Kind of like setting up two phone numbers to forward all calls to each other…which I think results in a busy signal…)

So my question…if any of my readers have done this (with email):
1) Did you ever receive the test email you sent? (Or, to your knowledge, is it still being sent back and forth?)
2) If the loop ended, do you know how long it got forwarded back and forth?
3) Did either email provider get upset with you?

My suspicion is that failsafes are set and email providers won’t forward mail that was forwarded to them.

Naked Cheerleader Pyramids for Superbowl Halftime!

1/11/2005 - 1 Shevat, 5765

Graner’s attorney said piling naked prisoners into pyramids and leading them by a leash were acceptable methods of prisoner control. He compared this to pyramids made by cheerleaders at sports events and parents putting tethers on toddlers.

“Don’t cheerleaders all over America form pyramids six to eight times a year. Is that torture?” Guy Womack, Graner’s attorney, said in opening arguments on Monday to the 10-member U.S. military jury at the reservist’s court-martial.

I must have missed these nude pyramids in the past. I can’t wait for the next Superbowl Halftime show.

TD

1/10/2005 - 29 Tevet, 5765

I purchased a new domain today. I have absolutely no clue what I will do with it, but I’d recently described my ethnic heritage to several people in this manner, and everyone agrees it is most appropriate. I’ll figure out something.

Everest Cafe

1/10/2005 - 29 Tevet, 5765

I made my first trip to the Everest Cafe of the new year. It is still excellent! (Though I do miss their momos)

Kaballah Center - Exposed

1/10/2005 - 29 Tevet, 5765

“Just to tell you another thing about the six million Jews that were killed in the Holocaust: the question was that the Light was blocked. They didn’t use Kabbalah.” — Eliyahu Yardeni, of the London Kabbalah Centre

The BBC sent undercover reporters into the Kabbalah Center (beloved by Madonna, Demi Moore, Mick Jagger and others).


  • One undercover reporter, who has suffered from cancer, went to the London Kabbalah Centre - a £3.7million building off Oxford Street - seeking help, and was offered a package of remedies for the disease for £860. The cost included nearly £400 for 10 cases of Kabbalah water, £150 for “extra-strength” water and £289 for Zohar books - the Kabbalah “bible”.
  • In Israel, the authorities have refused to give the charity a certificate of proper management for three years running because of accounting inadequacies, and in Britain the Charity Commissioners have criticised the centre’s accounts for “significant shortcomings in transparency”.

read more

Poll

1/6/2005 - 25 Tevet, 5765

Which is most likely:

1) Voting irregularities in Ohio were due to intentional GOP tricks
2) JFK shot himself (ala Red Dwarf episode)
3) OJ Simpson was innocent
4) Michael Jackson is innocent
5) Chuck Barris was a CIA hitman
6) Regis Philbin is a CIA hitman
7) The Tsunami was caused by secret nuclear testing conducted by combined efforts of India, America and Israel.

One Egyptian newspaper picks #7

(I pick #6)

Missouri Pride

1/6/2005 - 25 Tevet, 5765

House Majority Whip Roy Blunt of Missouri: “Every time we doubt the process, we cast doubt on that fabric of democracy that’s so important … people do need to have confidence that the process works.”

So if there are voting irregularities,we should ignore them, because if we draw attention to them, people might lose faith in the system…and who knows…perhaps do something to fix it?

History

1/6/2005 - 25 Tevet, 5765

It happened in 1877, and 1969. and it will happen today.

The Joint Session of Congress to certify the electors will be interrupted. The Ohio electors will be challenged. The challenge will fail. But that’s not the point.

“Don’t be confused or misled. Today’s objection is not about an ELECTION RESULT, it’s about an ELECTION SYSTEM that’s broken and needs fixing.”

Fashion concept

1/6/2005 - 25 Tevet, 5765

Tshirt Underwear

Turning a top into a bottom and making your bottom tiptop
By Logan Billingham

I know you’ve got them, lurking in drawers, the back of the closet, in the “giveaway” pile: those T-shirts that are, for various reasons, both unwearable and indispensable. They are too small, too big, too short, have a stain, a hole, or some other flaw, and yet you cannot bear to part with them.

I took my old t-shirts and gave them new life. They were reincarnated as underwear.

Site contains links to 3 PDF pattens, including one for boxers.

Of course, if the t-shirt is just too small, and is still in good shape, and you can bear to part with it…Give it to Goodwill

West Bank Story update

1/5/2005 - 24 Tevet, 5765

West Bank Story’s official site has finally updated their Cast and Crew page to include the Cast.

For newcomers, it premieres Jan 20th at the Sundance Festival. It’s Romeo and Juliet/West Side Story set on the West Bank between Israeli and Palestinian Felafel stands. (It’s a musical comedy…though it’s only 22 minutes). My cousin has the male lead. It will be available to view online as of Jan 20 at sundance.org

Here’s a pic of my cousin from the film

I’m getting very excited to finally see it.