|
|
 |
Some friends of mine recently went to a corporate party for Oracle. Oracle hired the Who to play. The Who, you know, one of the greatest rock bands in history - Roger Daltrey, Simon Townshend, Zak Starkey and Pino Pallandino. Pino Pallandio? Eh?
They had a good time, which is I guess what counts.
2 Comments | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
To great not to repost. Courtesy of the AustinContrarian
******* I love the internets. Some religious group calling itself the American Family Association reposts AP news stories on a site it calls OneNewsNow, but with one slight modification: The AFA apparently uses an auto-replace featue to replace "inappropriate" words with the AFA-sanctioned synonyms. "Gay" is one of these inappropriate words. Or at least that is the conclusion most people are drawing from this article, which recounts Tyler Tyson Gay's record-breaking 100 m performances at the U.S. Olympic trials over the weekend: Tyson Homosexual easily won his semifinal for the 100 meters at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials and seemed to save something for the final later Sunday. His wind-aided 9.85 seconds was a fairly cut-and-dry performance compared to what happened a day earlier. On Saturday, Homosexual misjudged the finish in his opening heat and had to scramble to finish fourth, then in his quarterfinal a couple of hours later, ran 9.77 to break the American record that had stood since 1999. One of the men who talked about challenging Homosexual in the 100, his former Arkansas teammate Wallace Spearmon, failed to make it to the final by the slimmest of margins. The top four runners advance from each semifinal, and Spearmon finished fifth in his-all of .001 behind Michael Rodgers. . . . Homosexual didn't get off to a particularly strong start in the first semifinal, but by the halfway mark he had established a comfortable lead. He slowed somewhat over the final 10 meters-nothing like the way-too-soon complete shutdown that almost cost him Saturday. Asked how he felt, Homosexual said: "A little fatigued." H/t Houston's Clear Thinkers. ScienceBlogs has more, including some quotes that didn't make it into the Google Cache. (AFA has fixed the original article.) The people at Right Wing Watch catalogue other gaffes by these knuckleheads. ****
What are some gripping opening lines from films or books, and why do you think they work so well? <input ... > View other answers |
On my naming day when I come 12 I gone front spear and kilt a wyld boar he parbly ben the las wyld pig on the Bundel Downs any how there hadnt ben none for a long time befor him nor I aint looking to see non agen. He dint make the groun shake nor nothing like that when he come on to my spear he wernt all that big plus he lookit poorly. He done the reqwyrt he ternt and stood and clattert his teef and made his rush and there we were then. Him on 1 end of the spear kicking his life out and me on the other end watching him dy. I said, "Your tern now my tern later.' The other spears gone in then and he wer dead and the steam coming up off him in the rain and we all yelt, "Offert!'
Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
That Meme - from ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) scottobear
Post 3 things you've done in your lifetime that you don't think anybody else on your friends list has done. See if anybody else responds with "I've done that." If they have, you need to add another. Have your friends cut & paste this into their journal to see what unique things they've done in their life.
1. Been to the DMZ between North and South Korea.
2. Used the urinal right next to the one Frank Miller was using.
3. Threw up on a school bus. (scottobearhas done that too).
3. Got a tattoo.
6 Comments | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
One of the disadvantages of living out in the sticks, is my distance to work (and my wife's too when she is teaching at the University). It's very close to the girls' school (1/3 mile) but more of a hike to the City offices (12 miles).
But I have a fair number of options to get to work besides driving:
1) Biking - long but doable
2) Carpool
3) Bus via a park and ride lot
4) Vanpool
5) Some combination of the above (like riding my bike to the nearest bus stop)
Each option has its own combination of advantages and disadvantages. Mostly it's a trade off of time and flexibility versus money. Lately I've been taking some kind of transit every now an then. But I now I am going to try and turn the question around.
Not "Can I take transit today?" but "Why do I need the car today?" I will still drive in, but hopefully not near as much, and only when I have a reason to, not as an assumption.
Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
Fascinating article from Wired. The basic argument is that the ability process massive amounts of data makes traditional methods of sampling and extrapolation obsolete.
From the article: "Scientists are trained to recognize that correlation is not causation, that no conclusions should be drawn simply on the basis of correlation between X and Y (it could just be a coincidence). Instead, you must understand the underlying mechanisms that connect the two. Once you have a model, you can connect the data sets with confidence. Data without a model is just noise. But faced with massive data, this approach to science — hypothesize, model, test — is becoming obsolete. ... There is now a better way. Petabytes allow us to say: "Correlation is enough." We can stop looking for models. We can analyze the data without hypotheses about what it might show. We can throw the numbers into the biggest computing clusters the world has ever seen and let statistical algorithms find patterns where science cannot."
3 Comments | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
As I mentioned yesterday, our friends Shawn, Sydney and baby Annabelle are in town visiting.
They brought with them Quirkle, one of my new favorite games.
1) It's fun. An surprisingly overlooked prerequisite for games. And it's pretty quick. Most games run around an hour, and it's easy enough to shorten it, without compromising the flow of the game (play to a certain number of points, or take out half the tiles...)
2) The basic rules are simple, my seven year old daughter could play with about five minutes of explanation. But there's enough strategy and trickiness to be very engaging. This is huge, as I am always on the look out for games that we can play with our older daughter but are still fun for adults (Candyland does not qualify).
3) It's flexible - Two players works fine. And I don't see any reason why you couldn't play with 6 or even 8, even though the game probably plays best with four.
3) The components are nice. - Wooden tiles with painted patterns in a cloth bag.
2 Comments | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
My friend Shawn is in town this week from Arizona, with his wife and their granddaughter (!). Yes, Shawn is a grandpa. And has both a valid driver's license and a steady job (teaching English to 7th graders). According to him, these are all signs of the apocalypse.
He gave me a copy of Soon I Will Be Invincible, and although I have just started it, I can tell it's going to be a great ride.
The first chapter, at least, begins as the memoir of the super-villain, Dr. Impossible. If you enjoy classic four-color comics, I heartily recommend the book.
Of course, I should probably wait to review it until I have finished it.... Stay tuned.
1 Comment | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
 |
|
From Slashdot
An AP wire reports that DARPA has granted a $6.7 million contract to Northrop Grumman to develop 'brainwave' binoculars. The binoculars will be built into a helmet, which will include EEG electrodes that will monitor the wearer's brain activity for patterns consistent with object identification/recognition. From what I can gather, the idea is that when you look at a far-off or partially obscured object without noticing it, your subconscious probably did notice it and tried, unsuccessfully, to identify it. The EEG in these binoculars would pick up on that kind of subconscious activity and draw the wearer's attention to the object in question. The goal is that these binoculars would be able to pick up on any object anywhere in the wearer's field of view, where a person can only pick up on things that he focuses both his eyes and his attention on. This delves into some very interesting territory: it would be an electronic device that uses human eyes to collect data, and even uses a human brain to partially process the data. Since it also passes its results back to the human providing the data and initial processing, it essentially adds a second processing loop in parallel to the wearer's visual system."
2 Comments | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
 |
|
Just a great quote from a great book:
********
Foyle shook himself and abruptly jaunted to the bronze head of Eros, fifty feet above the counter of Piccadilly Circus. He perched precariously and bawled: "Listen a me, all you! Listen, man! Gonna sermonize, me. Dig this, you!"
He was answered with a roar.
"You pigs, you. You rut like pigs, is all. You got the most in you, and you use the least. You hear me, you? Got a million in you and spend pennies. Got a genius in you and think crazies. Got a heart in you and feel empties. All a you. Every you . . ."
He was jeered. He continued with the hysterical passion of the possessed. "Take a war to make you spend. Take a jam to make you think. Take a challenge to make you great. Rest of the time you sit around lazy, you. Pigs, you! All right, God damn you! I challenge you, me. Die or live and be great. Blow yourselves to Christ gone or come and find me, Gully Foyle, and I make you men. I make you great. I give you the stars."
He disappeared.
**********
3 Comments | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
In the morning, 95.1 does not come in so well.
Today, drifting in and out was a haunting acoustic song
A man and a woman singing
Guitar accompaniment
About the passage of time
About that surreal feeling when you realize that memory was from 20 years ago
The consideration of having less future that past
The richness of having the deep memories
And the shaking-your-head-wonder at the speed at which time passes
It was contemplative, but not melancholy
Can't find it on the web despite my best googling. The key words dredge up a host of angst-y, horrid poetry.
So for now it lingers out there. Elusive and free.
It's wonderfully maddening in this internet instant knowledge age to not be able to know a simple fact. Refreshing. Like walking to the store or opening the windows of your house.
But maddening too.
Post 86 of the not completely accurately name 100 Posts in 100 Days project.
8 Comments | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
Clearly, the daily posting thing has broken down a bit...
Tonight coming home late 95.1 played Broken Arrow. The song fades in and out with disconcordant cross sounds - calliopies, martial drums and live concert clips - which, by the end of the song blended into the edge of the little station's range, adding layers of tejano to the effect.
I'm not all sure what the song is about, but I like the images.
Broken Arrow
by Neil Young (lyrics courtesy of HyperRust)
The lights turned on
and the curtain fell down,
And when it was over
it felt like a dream,
They stood at the stage door
and begged for a scream,
The agents had paid
for the black limousine
That waited outside in the rain.
Did you see them,
did you see them?
Did you see them in the river?
They were there to wave to you.
Could you tell that
the empty quivered,
Brown skinned Indian on the banks
That were crowded and narrow,
Held a broken arrow?
Eighteen years of American dream,
He saw that his brother
had sworn on the wall.
He hung up his eyelids
and ran down the hall,
His mother had told him
a trip was a fall,
And don't mention babies at all.
Did you see him, did you see him?
Did you see him in the river?
He were there to wave to you.
Could you tell that
the empty quivered,
Brown skinned Indian on the banks
That were crowded and narrow,
Held a broken arrow?
The streets were lined
for the wedding parade,
The Queen wore the white gloves,
the county of song,
The black covered caisson
her horses had drawn
Protected her King
from the sun rays of dawn.
They married for peace
and were gone.
Did you see them,
did you see them?
Did you see them in the river?
They were there to wave to you.
Could you tell that
the empty quivered,
Brown skinned Indian on the banks
That were crowded and narrow,
Held a broken arrow?
1 Comment | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
Which is unlucky, except that today t it's lucky. Today is my daughter's 7th birthday!
I haven't posted in a couple of days, but I'm not going to backfill.
In the event of rapture, your letter can still get through.
4 Comments | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
From: B---, John
Sent: Tuesday, June 10, 2008 3:28 PM
To: NPZD Employees
Subject: RE: card reader not working
All – Lincoln Property Company is installing security plates over the electronic locks on the 5th floor. As with any new installation, there will be some “kinks” to work out. The lock at the end of the hallway is working, but it needs some adjustment. After you have placed your access card against the reader, you must push in slightly on the door before you pull it open. LPC is aware of the problem and has assured me the doors will be adjusted properly by end of business tomorrow.
Thanks for your patience! -----------------------------------------
From: H--, Robert
Sent: Tuesday, June 10, 2008 3:59 PM
To: B-, John
Subject: RE: card reader not working
Dear Mr. B---, As you are aware, the City of Austin is an organization devoted to diversity. As such, I would appreciate if you would refrain from pejorative language in your communication. While there may be "problems" with the new security plates, these problems should not be described as "kinks". Kinks are valid expressions of the diverse range of human sexuality. They are not "problems" that need to "worked out." To use the term "kinks" to refer to "problems" is to perpetuate the hurtful idea that there is only one way people may express affection and pleasure, and that other forms of loving expression are deviant and need correction. Thank-you for your careful consideration of the importance of inclusive language in all our communication. -Robert
2 Comments | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
Saturday and Sunday we took out old carpet and linoleum and laid down cork flooring at our friend's house. They are part of the group that helped paint our house a couple months ago. The cork was interesting. It was soft-ish, so it will make for an easy floor to walk on. I'm not wild about the mottled pattern, but it works in their house. The "snap-together" aspect of the boards worked okay, but it was more of a snap/pound together. At some point we want to take up the old carpeting in our bedroom, so it was good experience.
If you don't have plans this week you could head to Janesville Florida for Pork Fest.
3 Comments | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
I'm tired, and I think I'm getting sick. Blech. Meanwhile Frank Rich hits another home run.
"Mr. Obama is a liberal, but it’s not your boomer parents’ liberalism that is at the heart of his appeal. He never rattles off a laundry list of big federal programs; he supports abortion rights and gay civil rights with a sunny bonhomie that makes the right’s cultural scolds look like rabid mastodons. He is not refighting either side of the domestic civil war over Vietnam that exploded in his hometown of Chicago 40 years ago this summer, long before he arrived there. The selling point of Mr. Obama’s vision of change is not doctrinaire liberalism or Bush-bashing but an inclusiveness that he believes can start to relieve Washington’s gridlock much as it animated his campaign. Some of that inclusiveness is racial, ethnic and generational, in the casual, what’s-the-big-deal manner of post-boomer Americans already swimming in our country’s rapidly expanding demographic pool. Some of it is post-partisan: he acknowledges that Republicans, Ronald Reagan included, can have ideas. Opponents who dismiss this as wussy naïveté do so at their own risk. They at once call attention to the expiring shelf life of their own Clinton-Bush-vintage panaceas and lull themselves into underestimating Mr. Obama’s political killer instincts. The Obama forces out-organized the most ruthless machine in Democratic politics because the medium of their campaign mirrored its inclusive message. They empowered adherents in every state rather than depending on a Beltway campaign hierarchy whose mercenary chief strategist kept his day job as chief executive for a corporate P.R. giant. Such viral organization and fund-raising is a seamless fit with bottom-up democracy as it is increasingly practiced in the Facebook-YouTube era, not merely by Americans and not merely by the young."
Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
Just how big is a million? A billion? A trillion? And other fun uses for your extra pennies.
1 Comment | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
Thanks to scottobear, I know what I will do when I retire.
Eat ice cream and watch classic Sesame Street clips on Youtube.
Richard Pryor reads the alphabet.
Yo Yo Ma and the Honkers
Kermit and Cookie
It's all there...
6 Comments | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
 |
|
Played three cool games recently.
Circus Maximus - Chariot Racing in Ancient Rome! I used to play this in High School with my buddy Andrew. graypumpkin found a copy on ebay, and hosted a grand tournament. 10 chariots made for a crowded field and there was much tricky maneuvering and ramming. In the end, Pam with a light fast chariot with good horses managed to avoid enough of the fighting to win the day.
1960: The Making of the President - Nixon vs Kennedy for the White House. I played this with my friend and neighbor Tim. It's a two player game that does a great job of capturing the spirit and event of the times, using event cards that can be played or canceled by spending momentum. I was Nixon and made a heavy push to challenge Kennedy on his home turf. In the end I won New York and even Massachusetts, but at too high a cost. The time and effort I spent there put my safer states and risk and I lost California and the election. I also didn't pay enough attention to the great lakes / upper mid-west, which in 1960 held more electoral votes that it does today. And the sloppy shave I had before the debates didn't help either.
Incognito - Intrigue and Mystery during the Carnival in Venice. You are playing a spy and must find your partner to complete your mission, while avoiding your rivals. You try and discover each other's identities in a clue-like system. One of the twists is that one player is your partner, so you need to give them information, while hiding from the other team. It's designed for 4 players, but it can be played with three. I played with drrayne and her mom. It's a fun game, and pretty quick (an hour or so), but the record keeping can be a bit tricky.
Post 70 in the 100 Posts in 100 Days project.
3 Comments | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
I'm not sure why, but I always feel compelled to answer these very dogmatically.
</center>
Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
|
| |
|
|
