tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38543662011-11-27T16:45:55.880-08:00If blogs are the way the winds are blowing, let no one say that I do not blow. ''I have a ham radio.''Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.comBlogger16841100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-61577427930062655392010-10-16T15:41:00.001-07:002010-10-16T15:41:36.873-07:00

Barbara Billingsley, dead at 94.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-91003463532324679452009-10-02T23:09:00.001-07:002009-10-02T23:09:57.003-07:00

Amy Farris, dead at 40.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-32200809720844960882009-07-22T23:25:00.000-07:002009-07-22T23:48:35.727-07:00

So, Comic-Con 2009 is underway. And I'm at home, because I kept putting off buying tickets, and when I finally got around to it, it was already sold out. So it sucks to be me. But I'll live; I think a break from Comic-Con will do me good. And there's still a chance I'll be able to get in Saturday, I've got some connections. But not having tickets doesn't mean I can't enjoy some of the

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-70107657145718545892009-07-19T21:26:00.000-07:002009-07-19T21:27:01.294-07:00

Frank McCourt, dead at 78.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-48893149380021111882009-07-18T12:19:00.001-07:002009-07-18T12:19:59.538-07:00

Walter Cronkite, dead at 92.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-52329624187454369412009-06-27T22:04:00.001-07:002009-06-27T22:04:55.589-07:00

Passing by on the trolley and seeing the tombstones, I'd wondered what the deal was. Now I know.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-85638780564610591962009-06-27T15:34:00.000-07:002009-06-27T15:35:00.823-07:00

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-63100354529186662422009-04-25T13:30:00.000-07:002009-04-25T13:31:28.895-07:00

Bea Arthur, dead at 86.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-26426322145189366692009-03-07T21:30:00.001-08:002009-03-07T21:33:52.575-08:00

Colbert turns his attention to Glenn Beck, again: .cc_box a:hover .cc_home{background:url('http://www.comedycentral.com/comedycentral/video/assets/syndicated-logo-over.png') !important;}.cc_links a{color:#b9b9b9;text-decoration:none;}.cc_show a{color:#707070;text-decoration:none;}.cc_title a{color:#868686;text-decoration:none;}.cc_links a:hover{color:#67bee2;text-decoration:underline;}The Colbert

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-67745065639959995222009-02-16T18:55:00.001-08:002009-02-16T18:55:45.705-08:00

Kittens!

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-32048715277738994212009-02-16T12:04:00.001-08:002009-02-16T12:06:29.372-08:00

I think Glenn Beck is seriously mentally ill: .cc_box a:hover .cc_home{background:url('http://www.comedycentral.com/comedycentral/video/assets/syndicated-logo-over.png') !important;}.cc_links a{color:#b9b9b9;text-decoration:none;}.cc_show a{color:#707070;text-decoration:none;}.cc_title a{color:#868686;text-decoration:none;}.cc_links a:hover{color:#67bee2;text-decoration:underline;}The Colbert

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-60025073209767286972009-02-13T20:46:00.001-08:002009-02-13T20:46:22.603-08:00

George "King" Stahlman, dead at 85.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-50861107273828380442009-02-07T23:17:00.000-08:002009-02-08T00:33:12.684-08:00

You know, some people would say spending Saturday night sorting through your RSS feeds is a colossal waste of time. But lo and behold, that's how I discovered that tomorrow, MTV will be premiering a new television news program based on the brilliant documentary How's Your News? Thanks, BoingBoing, for breaking the news to me. I miss Ron, of course, but apparently he'll be doing the narration

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-43887813550482349602009-02-07T20:36:00.000-08:002009-02-07T20:37:46.892-08:00

The Big Bang Theory: The first Asperger's Syndrome sitcom?

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-85091983587419169212009-01-11T22:37:00.000-08:002009-01-11T23:19:06.362-08:00

A happy 2009 to you all! Sorry it took nearly half of January before I shared my good will with you all, but I've been too busy and too sick to bother. In fact, I've been sick pretty much since I started at the library, which stinks, since I had lots of sick leave left at my old job and none yet at the library, so I've had to drag my sorry carcass in day after day. I suppose if it came to it,

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-16962537083258927192008-12-11T23:13:00.000-08:002008-12-11T23:14:21.467-08:00

Bettie Page, dead at 85.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-24141562133002887082008-11-25T21:44:00.000-08:002008-11-25T22:11:26.310-08:00

Hi, everybody! I'm still around, just been lazy. Unemployed at the moment, waiting for the results of my drug testing and physical, so while I've had plenty of free time, I also haven't been paid to sit in front of a computer for eight hours, so I imagine that's to be blamed for my non-blogging. I've been running regularly (even drove up to San Marcos to check out some of the running trails up

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-90257227208181360952008-11-16T13:07:00.000-08:002008-11-16T13:08:01.389-08:00

Fire: The Next Sharp Stick?

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-48999623502056130622008-11-10T14:37:00.001-08:002008-11-10T14:37:53.247-08:00

Majority of Americans never use physical education after high school.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-5151200002835769672008-11-09T21:11:00.000-08:002008-11-09T21:22:44.981-08:00

So, it's been an exciting week for me, and not just due to the epochal election results. I put in my notice at work, and accepted a full-time position with the county library. I've been volunteering with the library for over a year now, and have been eager to get started with them in a paying position, so I'm very excited to have finally gotten my foot in the door. The bad news is, despite

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-2837674595402983162008-11-03T11:11:00.000-08:002008-11-03T11:38:29.897-08:00

Oh, crap. Yma Sumac, dead at 86. Studs, Yma...they say these things come in threes, and two people I admire as immensely at these two makes me scared to think just who might be next. Last.fm has a good selection of her music. She also has her official web presence. And, of course, there's YouTube:

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-14477980417889110042008-10-31T15:24:00.001-07:002008-10-31T15:37:48.370-07:00

Studs Terkel, dead at 96. On Oral History: "When the Chinese Wall was built, where did the masons go for lunch? When Caesar conquered Gall, was there not even a cook in the army? And here's the big one, when the Armada sank, you read that King Philip wept. Were there no other tears? And that's what I believe oral history is about. It's about those who shed those other tears, who on rare

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-80258566658945678352008-10-31T09:44:00.001-07:002008-10-31T09:45:45.533-07:00

The latest Japanese technology for escaped rhino attacks: Rope netting and wooden sticks.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-87388426845573326492008-10-30T01:09:00.000-07:002008-10-30T01:10:08.446-07:00

God Hates Signs.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-14955467123652709792008-10-24T10:05:00.000-07:002008-10-24T10:07:16.343-07:00

With Intelligent Design's reputation in tatters, creationists seem to have a new strategy: revive Cartesian dualism.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-37431474003973112032008-10-23T20:49:00.000-07:002008-10-23T20:50:02.955-07:00

Opie endorses Barack Obama:

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-23456893009663781962008-10-10T10:51:00.001-07:002008-10-10T10:51:51.784-07:00

Unemployed, inebriated, wife-beating couch potato concerned about Obama's judgement.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-30996605667014922842008-10-06T14:06:00.001-07:002008-10-06T14:07:26.119-07:00

Obama's finally bringing up the Keating Five. I've been wondering what the hell he was waiting for.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-56196819643634088802008-10-05T23:10:00.000-07:002008-10-05T23:11:37.635-07:00

Ralph Stanley cuts radio ad for Obama.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-65337527993302180362008-10-03T14:37:00.000-07:002008-10-03T18:56:35.052-07:00

I'm speechless. UPDATE: The imbedded video was working, but doesn't seem to be working on my computer right now. In case it's still not working, here's a direct link. And if things are working, enjoy the Russian sequel to the video:

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-17394469400501625962008-10-03T11:23:00.001-07:002008-10-03T11:24:26.357-07:00

Is the Prosperity Gospel to blame for our economic woes?

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-42328772269359046882008-10-03T09:33:00.000-07:002008-10-03T09:34:26.081-07:00

Nick Reynolds, dead at 75.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-45856999412641597732008-10-02T18:34:00.000-07:002008-10-02T18:47:00.233-07:00

An addendum to yesterday's post about Netflix adding the Starz catalog: The picture quality sucks. A lot of the films are pan-and-scan, which is bad enough, but the poor picture quality is far more serious of an issue. I'm hoping it's a bandwidth issue, that lots of users are trying out the new movies, putting a strain on the server and forcing it to stream lower-quality videos. So we'll see

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-40660819288823494532008-10-01T11:53:00.000-07:002008-10-01T11:58:08.300-07:00

Netflix partners with Starz to expand its "Watch Instantly" line-up. Going through the list, I found quite a few movies worth watching (that's right, Netflix finally has films from the Ernest series available--though I must ask, would it have been to much to ask that Ernest Scared Stupid be included, with Halloween right around the corner?). I think the ultimate proof that this addition is a

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-73946216445490030522008-09-29T11:33:00.000-07:002008-09-29T11:35:38.899-07:00

House rejects bailout plan. The Republican alternative, as I understand, is to insure the bad bonds instead of a government bailout. Which seems like buying insurance after your house burns down. But it's okay; if the government won't save us, the LOLcats will.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-837841246547315462008-09-29T11:20:00.000-07:002008-09-29T11:21:02.464-07:00

Haile Gebrselassie breaks marathon record, finishing in 2:03:59.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-74366954313806057072008-09-29T10:30:00.001-07:002008-09-29T10:33:41.896-07:00

The New York Times looks back at This American Life's subprime mortgage expose "The Giant Pool of Money." This weekend, the show is revisiting the issue with "Another Frightening Show About the Economy."

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-82246866582497734822008-09-27T11:43:00.001-07:002008-09-27T11:43:50.976-07:00

Paul Newman, dead at 83.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-49364707319174425132008-09-22T21:30:00.000-07:002008-09-22T21:31:52.332-07:00

The 100th, and final, episode of You Don't Know Jack's online game is now up. Here's hoping they resurface soon, either on the Wii or Xbox Live.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-46365360794446994072008-09-21T09:21:00.000-07:002008-09-21T09:24:52.857-07:00

Online poker site allowed cheaters to exploit their site for three years. Software hidden on the server enabled cheats to see every player's hole cards. I had heard about this story, along with the Absolute Poker cheating scandal, but had no idea it went on that long.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-67639963516637082572008-09-19T23:39:00.000-07:002008-09-19T23:40:00.044-07:00

Jack Handey explains how to find a bookstore's humor section.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-4585565529828507912008-09-19T10:48:00.002-07:002008-09-19T11:51:19.881-07:00

Speaking of Talk Like a Pirate Day, Medium Large keeps the occasion up-to-date.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-60580071165744899622008-09-19T10:48:00.001-07:002008-09-19T11:41:47.914-07:00

I found this documentary about Stan Rogers on Google Video. I've only been able to watch the first half (keeps crashing Safari on my computer at work), but it looks like a good introduction to him, with some wonderful music. Playing it at work, my coworkers thought it was my contribution for Talk Like a Pirate Day, but to me every day is made for Sea Shanties.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-29619657173820674242008-09-19T10:48:00.000-07:002008-09-19T10:52:13.999-07:00

Oprah picks The Story of Edgar Sawtelle as her new book club selection. I totally called this weeks ago, if by "called this" you mean "read what other people cleverly deduced and agreed with them."

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-66415614923613802192008-09-13T22:47:00.000-07:002008-09-13T22:51:10.691-07:00

David Foster Wallace, dead at 46.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-49018489850637676422008-09-12T14:32:00.000-07:002008-09-12T14:43:29.982-07:00

Some classic Conan O'Brien: A 1997 interview with Norm McDonald. I don't know if I should admit that the last-minute zinger in the first clip had me in tears, mainly because Conan has to segue from that to an AT&T plug. But if you're only going to watch one clip, make it Norm sitting through the second interview, with Courtney Thorne-Smith, who had just left Melrose Place to do a movie with

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-34956787494945766702008-09-08T18:58:00.000-07:002008-09-08T19:09:56.255-07:00

The bizarre encounter of Pearls Before Swine and Hi and Lois has blown my mind. I disagree with the Comics Curmudgeon, though, as I would say it's slightly more likely as not that this was planned. Pearls Before Swine often singles out old "classic" strips (too often, I'd say; it tends to lose it's impact with repetition, though I always do respond in a Pavlovian manner regardless), and I could

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-13463502766049974792008-09-08T12:57:00.000-07:002008-09-08T13:01:06.169-07:00

A look at the history of the spelling reform movement, and their protesting of the National Spelling Bee. Note that the already well-funded movement might have been quite the political powerhouse had George Bernard Shaw's will been allowed to stand.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-65145286014953795872008-09-04T00:17:00.000-07:002008-09-04T00:18:40.381-07:00

Bill Melendez, Peanuts TV specials animator, dead at 91.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-39476125475133362552008-09-03T20:19:00.001-07:002008-09-03T20:19:55.897-07:00

Jerry Reed, dead at 71.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-35866578869176459342008-09-02T19:36:00.000-07:002008-09-02T19:38:01.261-07:00

Secret Service classified protocol for if the president falls down a well.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-4801224565107075812008-09-02T18:59:00.001-07:002008-09-02T19:01:02.679-07:00

Don LaFontaine, movie trailer narrator, dead at 68.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-51668221224212773952008-09-01T14:27:00.000-07:002008-09-01T14:28:37.341-07:00

'Captain' Mike Ambrose, dead at 69.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-49224103618126801092008-09-01T11:18:00.000-07:002008-09-01T13:18:45.852-07:00

One thing I forgot to mention in my previous post, is that my running has benefitted, I think, by an effort to run outdoors as much as possible. I used to not even consider a treadmill an option, but over the years I've gotten more and more dependent on the treadmills at the gym for the bulk of my running. It has the advantage of being lower-impact than running on hard street surfaces, but it's

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-40439602232643008702008-08-31T15:50:00.000-07:002008-08-31T20:12:07.807-07:00

Today is the last day of the month, and as good a time as any to reflect on my recent running experiences. I usually wait until January, to declare the year a failure and set some goal for the new year, that I will declare a failure twelve months out. But instead, this time, I think I will say now that most of this year was a failure, fitness-wise, but that last month was pretty good. A few

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-31904841247954366422008-08-31T11:27:00.000-07:002008-08-31T11:28:34.377-07:00

Agricultural department can ban meat processors from testing for Mad Cow Disease. Because if one butcher tests, it may force others to test, too. And that, apparently, is a bad thing.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-797390390493802452008-08-31T10:39:00.000-07:002008-08-31T10:52:14.435-07:00

Pima and Maricopa Indians reach record settlement on water rights, hope to return to healthy lifestyle of past. The tribes hope a return to a more traditional diet will lead to a reduction in obesity and diabetes; the Pima have the highest rate of diabetes of any population on earth. And at over 650,000 acre-feet a year, the water should provide economic prosperity, too. This especially caught

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-3038790260821582162008-08-25T09:17:00.000-07:002008-08-25T09:22:44.134-07:00

Librarian assistant fired for writing book about patrons. I'm of two minds on this one; as the fired author notes, libraries are supposed to be realms of free speech, but they're also supposed to be realms of privacy. It's hard to argue that patron records should be shielded from FBI intrusion when you're writing snarky books about said patrons. And its not hard to see how reading a

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-38008840896985619142008-08-23T21:03:00.001-07:002008-08-23T21:20:06.137-07:00

How the West Was Won will be screened in Cinerama September 7th. I just bought my tickets, and got the day off work to head up to L.A. I've long wanted to see a movie in the dome in authentic Cinerama, and now I have my chance. They're also showing 2001: A Space Odyssey from a 70mm print the same weekend. It's assigned seating, so if you're planning on attending, don't dilly-dally. (Thanks

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-29307104603152635902008-08-23T14:26:00.001-07:002008-08-23T14:42:07.375-07:00

Today I came upon yet another article about ultra-cheap music downloads for sale at Amazon.com. This one caught my attention because it mentioned Hayes Carll's new album being on sale for $1.99. From what I've heard, he seems to try a little too hard to hit all the right alt-country notes for my taste, but it's worth a listen. Which is why I had my name on the wait-list for the CD at my local

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-85386697909748239572008-08-10T18:50:00.001-07:002008-08-10T23:59:43.772-07:00

Getting caught up on some RSS feeds, I came across this mention of Johnny Cash: The Man, His World, His Music which premiered last week on PBS, as part of the P.O.V. series. Seemed about my luck, but checking the listings, I found my local affiliate is rerunning it tonight. So woo-hoo to me. Oh, and yeah, I'm alive and everything, just lazy, I'll get some pictures and thoughts about Comic-Con

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-89997698768257078902008-07-25T00:59:00.000-07:002008-07-25T01:09:24.723-07:00

Comic-Con 2008 is in full swing. Crazy, crazy, crazy. I'll recap things once it's all over, but for now, let me just say, I'm getting old. By the end of preview night Wednesday, I was already exhausted. And tonight I'm feeling quite drained. I went out back at one point to eat lunch, and decided to read a book for an hour or so, rather than go back out on the exhibit floor. And I've decided

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-7308065736438699802008-07-22T13:49:00.000-07:002008-07-24T23:01:34.376-07:00

Estelle Getty, dead at 84. I must admit, if you had told me when I was in elementary school, watching The Golden Girls in it's initial network run, that the first Golden Girl would not die for another 20 years, I would have called you a liar.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-44105449718069946002008-07-21T09:12:00.000-07:002008-07-21T09:13:59.988-07:00

At the Movies with Ebert and Roeper looks to be on its last legs. A shame, though I pretty much stopped caring once neither Siskel nor Ebert were still on the show.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-81540406191096768772008-07-18T19:48:00.000-07:002008-07-18T19:49:36.466-07:00

Oscar Pistorius won't compete in Olympics.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-33075821245084886792008-07-16T18:01:00.000-07:002008-07-16T18:22:26.003-07:00

Oscar Pistorius fails to qualify for the Olympics in his final attempt. He was gracious in failure, justifiably proud of his personal-best results. Then he became a whiny baby, threatening to sue after a senior track and field official expressed his opinion that Pistorius shouldn't be on the South African relay team. The guy has every right to his opinions, which seem reasonable to me, a

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-71258303384193897872008-07-14T12:53:00.000-07:002008-07-14T15:01:31.181-07:00

Final Fantasy XIII coming to Xbox 360. My god. This is the best news ever. This saves me close to $500. Well, no, I guess it only saves me the $400 I would have paid for a PS3, since I still need to pay for the game itself, regardless of system. But yes, I would have bought a PS3 just to play Final Fantasy. Just like I got my first Sony system, the original Playstation, just to play Final

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-20505806068875512762008-07-12T11:09:00.001-07:002008-07-12T11:09:35.740-07:00

Tony Snow, dead at 53.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-50250361586578129192008-07-11T09:23:00.000-07:002008-07-11T09:28:46.243-07:00

iPhone 3G launch a mess; Apple's phone activation system crashes. Apparently lots of people tried to activate their phone at 8 AM this morning; who could have expected that? Apparently some stores are letting people activate the phone at home, which means that's still possible (though the article mentions that didn't work, either). I browsed the iPhone app store last night, downloaded some free

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-1980045678565319132008-07-06T15:52:00.000-07:002008-07-06T15:55:49.821-07:00

Star Trek: The Experience to close. A real shame, I really enjoyed it. The original motion ride was a lot of fun, especially since (I suppose I can include a spoiler now) at the end you are transported to "modern" Las Vegas, which still included the Desert Inn and many other casinos that have since bit the dust. The newer Borg attraction was more elaborate, but probably not as accessible for

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-54431895616366226382008-07-06T15:35:00.001-07:002008-07-06T15:46:05.299-07:00

The New York Times Magazine looks at impulsive suicides. Apparently, just creating small obstacles to suicide can produce dividends; In Britain in the 1970s, they switched from coal gas to natural gas, which has very little carbon monoxide, and suicides fell by 1/3. The article's purpose seems to be to refute the "they'll just find another way" opposition to suicide barricades on bridges. They

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-20798572635501850182008-07-04T13:51:00.001-07:002008-07-04T14:22:50.274-07:00

Yes, that is the greatest thing you have ever seen or ever will see. But the upcoming documentary about the Rock-afire Explosion looks pretty sweet, too: I've never been to Showbiz Pizza Place, I don't think; it was all about Chuck E. Cheese around these parts. But they had a similar act, and I did have a huge crush as a child on the purple Hippo, who was based I believe on Dolly Parton. She

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-65436295007625340572008-07-04T09:45:00.001-07:002008-07-04T09:45:44.009-07:00

Jesse Helms, dead at 86. Yet again, we see that only the good die young.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-78551118676220109262008-07-03T14:03:00.000-07:002008-07-03T14:08:41.602-07:00

The Unshelved Book Club last week featured Sharp Teeth, the first time a text of recent origins was featured which I had already read. Made me feel all hip and ahead-of-the-curve. I recommend it, even if the ending was rather anti-climactic.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-33750910477494698662008-07-03T13:13:00.000-07:002008-07-03T13:21:17.725-07:00

Oscar Pistorius falls short of Olympic qualifying time. He has three more chances, but Pistorius himself seems pessimistic: "I let myself down. I’ve got to be realistic. I’m chasing something that may be unattainable. It’s starting to look impossible." Failure, here, would actually be a form of vindication. His opponents argued that allowing him into the Olympics was tantamount to permitting

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-68898263256208366332008-07-03T12:24:00.001-07:002008-07-03T13:05:34.701-07:00

Ticket to Ride vs. Ticket to Ride vs. Ticket to Ride. Once the novelty of Grand Theft Auto IV wore off, I've found myself getting my video game fix playing Catan virtually exclusively. But with the release of Ticket to Ride, that's where most of my video game time is now being channeled. I think long-term I'll stick with Catan, but Ticket to Ride is certainly addictive. Especially the neat

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-10754713929998709712008-07-03T12:11:00.000-07:002008-07-05T19:08:15.855-07:00

Game & Watch, a retrospective. Hard to imagine that those things cost $53 when they first came out. I don't think I ever owned one myself; I held off on joining the hand-held gaming revolution until the Game Boy Advanced. But had this super-keen ad ran in the States, I just might have taken the plunge: UPDATE: You can enjoy some Java-based classic Game & Watch gameplay here.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-10716818776147662222008-06-30T20:57:00.000-07:002008-06-30T20:58:25.127-07:00

Netflix relents, account profiles to stay. I'm relieved I won't have to follow-through on my threat to go down to the one-out-at-a-time plan.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-26417530929865400042008-06-24T18:29:00.001-07:002008-06-24T18:37:10.982-07:00

The applications are in from the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas class action settlement: 2,676 claim to be offended. Personally, I printed out a settlement form, because I was in the class covered by the lawsuit, but I decided it wasn't worth the loss of self-respect that would come from lying under threat of perjury and claiming to be offended. Of course, I was only getting $10; had I somehow

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-76658295005723274772008-06-22T22:43:00.000-07:002008-06-22T22:44:03.050-07:00

George Carlin, dead at 71.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-58584848179948906982008-06-21T13:36:00.000-07:002008-06-21T13:44:20.389-07:00

A fourth Helix High sex scandal emerges.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-49539841783561779742008-06-21T13:33:00.000-07:002008-06-21T13:35:58.842-07:00

A collection of photographs of Twin Peaks filming locations, then and now. Which reminds me: since the second season came out on DVD, I've repeatedly said I'm going to watch the series from beginning to end, and usually get distracted by a shiny object or something about four episodes in. I'll have to give that nother go.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-26642058448665907362008-06-20T15:44:00.000-07:002008-06-20T15:48:34.253-07:00

What killed the semicolon? Paul Collins suggests that the telegraph didn't help, as it priced the semi-colon at $5 a use. But the Semi-Colon will always have a place in my writing: Collins notes, "The semicolon allows woozy clauses to lean on each other like drunks for support." In any event, I'm just grateful this blog's semicolon label is getting some use; I'd hate to think I created it for

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-25931709320287913892008-06-18T21:22:00.001-07:002008-06-18T21:49:49.882-07:00

Netflix eliminating user profiles September 1st. In other news, I will be changing to the one-out-at-a-time plan September 1st. I added my mom to my plan a month or so ago, a sort of Mother's Day present, and she really enjoys getting movies in the mail and picking out stuff on her list (she's making her way through Nero Wolfe right now). And now they forced me to go in the other room and

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-66181692105219082742008-06-16T10:39:00.001-07:002008-06-16T10:40:14.203-07:00

FCC censorship dashes plans for Bloomsday. I suppose I should read Ulysses one of these days...

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-53739552533291511722008-06-13T14:14:00.000-07:002008-06-13T14:17:02.464-07:00

Tim Russert, dead at 58. He is survived, of course, by Big Russ.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-33044125360946847752008-06-08T23:22:00.000-07:002008-06-08T23:26:49.902-07:00

The Drive-in Theater turned 75 this week. Finding a functioning Drive-in may be getting more difficult, but it's easier than finding a functioning automat, the first of which opened 106 years ago today. Don't know why I long to experience the automat; I've had a similar experience, eating sandwiches from highway rest stop vending machines, and that was about one step above drinking out of the

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-29243619129600743332008-06-08T18:21:00.001-07:002008-06-08T18:22:33.283-07:00

Bob Dale, San Diego broadcaster, dead at 83.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-50225802146837458292008-06-06T15:44:00.000-07:002008-06-06T16:32:19.727-07:00

Video released of hit-and-run of elderly pedestrian. It is interesting to watch and see in action the bystander effect we learned about in my psych class this quarter, but I think the inaction of the witnesses, as discussed in the extensive media coverage, is being exaggerated. The cars that witnessed the accident and drove away deserve scorn, of course (and I wish nothing but suffering on the

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-8241967879668206872008-06-03T19:59:00.000-07:002008-06-03T20:06:34.807-07:00

Website offers to send post-rapture messages to friends and family. I've heard of similar services in the past, but this one has a new twist; users are encouraged to upload their financial data (bank accounts, passwords, etc.), so those left behind will have financial resources. I understand that "the victim was so stupid, they deserved to be ripped off" isn't a valid legal defense, but in the

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-31768991335339177622008-06-02T13:45:00.000-07:002008-06-02T13:46:11.803-07:00

Lithuanian avant-garde filmmaker Jonas Mekas again snubbed by MTV Movie Awards.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-33594130861095144702008-06-02T12:03:00.000-07:002008-06-02T12:34:40.430-07:00

Bo Diddley, dead at 79.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-62340987671681895812008-06-01T14:41:00.000-07:002008-06-01T15:14:03.453-07:00

It's been over two weeks since my computer died, and things are only just now approaching normalcy. Lots of hassles, most of which seemed to trace to Vista security settings. I did get Windows Media Center set up, so I could stream Netflix movies to my Xbox 360, which is a very nice thing to be able to do, so that made me feel somewhat better about upgrading to Vista. But lots of things were a

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-30452757145096803222008-05-30T14:42:00.000-07:002008-05-30T14:46:26.062-07:00

Sharon Stone apparently believes in the Hillary Clinton style of non-apology. I especially like that she made the offensive comment at an AIDS benefit; what better way to memorialize those lost to the disease by appropriating the "AIDS is God's punishment" argument for one's own means.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-68001417936918776922008-05-30T11:59:00.001-07:002008-05-30T12:02:24.221-07:00

Grease theft a rising problem. Yet again, The Simpsons was years ahead of the times. I even recall Homer being intimidated by the grease establishment; the grease bandit in the article was himself undone by a legitimate grease purveyor.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-54625945282260471552008-05-30T09:25:00.000-07:002008-05-30T09:43:23.892-07:00

Earle Hagen, Andy Griffith Show theme song composer, dead at 88. Also dead at 88, Alexander Courage, composer of the Star Trek theme. The two composers are also joined together by this fun fact: Both are most famous for instrumental theme songs that actually do have lyrics (though the lyrics to "The Fishin' Hole" were apparently written after the fact by a separate artist, and Star Trek's

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-31069313723489578832008-05-29T18:20:00.000-07:002008-05-29T18:21:38.025-07:00

Harvey Korman, dead at 81.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-33155936455689667312008-05-28T01:29:00.000-07:002008-05-28T01:31:30.943-07:00

Syndey Pollack, dead at 73. I recently saw They Shoot Horses, Don't They? for the first time; if you're looking for a good movie, and don't mind soul-crushingly depressing fare, there you go.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-10827053380381808382008-05-26T09:48:00.000-07:002008-05-26T09:49:48.538-07:00

Helix High's response to the teacher-student sex problem? More training. I'm sure, had anyone told him that having sex with a 16-year-old was wrong, Mr. Wilcox would have refrained.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854366.post-47872870850178955592008-05-25T22:54:00.000-07:002008-05-25T22:56:12.014-07:00

Thelma Keane, Family Circus matriarch, dead at 82.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800904752571205230noreply@blogger.com0