Archive for 6/6/2008 - 3 Sivan, 5768

spell your own words

This week’s Unshelved Book Club has hooked me. “A novel in verse about werewolves.” I need to check this out.

I’ve added to my blogroll on the left a list of comics I read in my feed reader

* Indexed
* My Life in a Cube
* Penny Arcade
* Questionable Content
* This Modern World
* Unshelved
* Wondermark
* XKCD

Any recommendations for other comics with available feeds I might enjoy reading? I’m particularly interested in those comics that don’t appear in newspapers, though I realize This Modern World does.

Over food tonight a group of writers were discussing what the modern version of the pocket protector might be. (One suggested a 4gb USB memory watch might qualify. I argued since it masqueraded as a normal watch, it really didn’t meet the comparison.)

This might fit the definition, though.

While not wearable, this is certainly a useful product every office should have. Seriously.

This, on the other hand, isn’t terribly useful. It’s modeled after the most useless eating implement ever invented. But still…titanium!

ThinkGeek is a dangerous website. A very dangerous website.

For results, Google is still supreme in my mind, but SearchMe, which is in Beta, certainly provides a unique new twist to search engine results.

I’m not going to attempt to describe it. You have to see it.

20% of all self-described atheists also say they believe in G-d. (and other fascinating results from a recent study)

Interesting article on Why Obama may actually have more relevant experience than McCain. (Why state-level legislators actually do more work, and spend more time learning about the issues, than US Senators.)

The author doesn’t state that he thinks Obama has more experience, just that his 8 years of experience as a state legislator should not be ignored.

Categorized under, “Why did this take so long?”

UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. Security Council affirmed Thursday that rape and other forms of sexual violence can constitute war crimes, and called for measures to combat such attacks.

LA Times - June 20, 2008

We’re hairy and horny and ready to shack
We don’t care if you’re yellow or black
Just take off your clothes and lie down on your back
‘Cause we’re the Cops of the World, boys
We’re the Cops of the World

- Phil Ochs, Cops of the World, 1966

Blair blogs about Google’s Gmail Web Clips that become Spam recipes or recycling tips, if you visit the spam folder or trash bin.

I received a ‘recycling fact’ today that I feel is not a fact at all. Or, at most, is an inaccurate fact.

There is no limit to the number of times you can recycle an aluminum can?

I’d like to see someone recycle an aluminum can less than 0 times. That’s the lower limit.
And when you recycle the can as a place to store hazardous waste, that’s the upper limit.

Slacktivist embeds two videos of Obama and McCain talking about Religion and the Separation of Church and State.

I agree 100% with his comments about their differences. Not only do I agree with his conclusions, Obama clearly has given the issues in the relevant section of the first amendment more thought than McCain has. (Note: This is an interview of McCain by Beliefnet…I am certain McCain was given ample time to prepare.)

Israeli humor at Holy Virals

and from KetaKeta

Ordering Pizza in 2010

Direct link to video

Lincoln may or may not have written the Gettysburg Address on the back of an envelope.

I’ve written poems on pieces of scratch paper - anything I can get my hands on when the muse strikes.

Shane Johnson, who draws the cartoon My Life in a Cube similarly uses whatever is lying around. And this tends to reflect the theme of his cartoon (post it notes, lined paper, envelopes). You can also occasionally spot liquid paper applied artistically.

Hopefully he gets work done - whatever his work may be.

Those of you who follow me on Twitter know that I purchased something recently that arrived in the mail over the weekend, and that I promised to blog about it.

I bought a wristwatch. I haven’t worn a wristwatch for about a decade. I’ve used pocket watches and cell phones, but I stopped wearing a wristwatch because it was so accessible I was looking at my wrist more often than necessary. (Like 10 seconds after I last did so.) One doesn’t want their friends or colleagues to know how bored they are.

So why did I risk buying a wristwatch?

Well…it’s not just a wristwatch.

It has a USB port. And 4gb of storage space. The idea of carrying 4 gb of backup on my wrist is appealing. If I find my old annoying habit returns, I can wear it in my pocket.

“A Roman Glass Gaming Die - Circa 2nd Century A.D. Deep blue-green in color, the large twenty-sided die incised with a distinct symbol on each of its faces.”

I’d love to throw this D20 - if it weren’t valued at $18,000.

View it at Christie’s

(Who knew there were ancient Roman geeks?”

For those who don’t know Latin and are freaking out with the subject header…
1) Think of the English word “incarceration”
2) You should be able to find the English translation of Draco in any good Harry Potter lexicon, or on Wikipedia
3) Once you’ve figured that out, the meaning of Quod should be obvious.

My height is 33 AA batteries end to end…or 1.3 Alaskan Moose Antler Spans.

My weight is 17 average domestic house cats, or 5.1 CRT computer monitors.

(I’d like to lose two house cats, or .6 of a computer monitor, and if I did, I would also weigh the same as 47 average physics text books.)

I’m not sure how sensible these units are, but they are certainly different.

I know there is a question on the minds of at least one or two readers:

Did a time traveler show up at the Time Travel BBQ that was thrown on Saturday? (see previous entry)

That’s a problematic question. You see, if I answer that question, it could create a paradox.

• If a time traveler did show up, and I proclaimed “Hey a time traveler showed up! Here’s a photograph of him! (or her, or it)” Then, 100, 200, 1000 years from now when that Time Traveler is born, they’ll learn they are destined to make the trip to our bbq. They might decide, ‘heck no, I won’t go!” And then they won’t go. Oops! Paradox!

So I can’t say. However, I can say that all appearances indicated that those in attendance, of all species, and of all time periods, had fun.

And at 9:10:11 pm, the moment where a message of some sort was supposed to be delivered by those in the future, at a specific set of GPS coordinate, those in attendance were watching those coordinates.

Copied from the host’s blog

Coordinates are as follows:

38.727110, -90.410170

584.11 FEET elevation, or 178.036728 meters

Planet Earth, Sol system

Starting at the time and date of 3 PM (15:00 hours) Central time (GMT -6) Saturday, June 7th 2008 there will be a barbeque (an outdoor cooking and dining event) in celebration and honor of Time Travelers. Vegetarian dishes will be the primary food grilled, if there is anyone who wishes to consume a dead animal, please bring said dead animal to be grilled, and some to share with others.

If time travel is ever proved to be possible, we wish that a time traveler would please send proof to mankind at the coordinates listed above on June 7, 2008 (06/07/08) at 9:10:11 pm Central Time. (GMT -6) Please send this message in such a way that no one will be harmed in its receipt. We here on earth will be waiting for your signal, and will welcome it with open arms.

Time travelers themselves are welcome to join the feast any time after 3 PM and before 11:59 PM. However, there is a STRICT NO PARADOX POLICY ENFORCED. Ok, only minor paradoxes. Little pet paradoxes. Travelers from other planets, alternate dimensions or alternate universes also welcome - bring a dish.

Events to be had are:
The great sport of Frisbee
Cooking and eating traditional “turn-of-the-century” delights
Automobile Show of traditional “turn-of-the-century” modes of transport
The consumption of fermented beverages
Games of chance and skill

*All events subject to weather and time constraints

No particular dress code enforced, other than please wear clothing. Those from our current time should RSVP before attending. Please spread the word now and for the next several years.

Original idea for the party.