'Jeopardy!' Whiz Ends 74-Game Win Streak
NEW YORK - "Jeopardy" whiz Ken Jennings finally met his match after a 74-game run as a pop culture icon who made brainiacs cool, beaten by a woman whose own 8-year-old daughter asked for his autograph when they first met. [
more]
Right. ON! Australia Rules.
You're Drunk...who You Gonna Call?
CANBERRA (Reuters) - An Australian phone company is offering customers the chance to blacklist numbers before heading out for a night on the town so they can reduce the risk of making any embarrassing, incoherent late-night calls.
A survey of 409 people by Virgin Mobile, a joint venture of The Virgin Group and Optus, found 95 percent made drunk calls. [
more]
Ridge Resigns Homeland Security Post
WASHINGTON - Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, whose name became synonymous with color-coded terror alerts and tutorials about how to prepare for possible attack, resigned Tuesday. [
more]
Well, this just looks silly
The Ain't It Cool news Web site reported a rumor that Bungie Software, publishers of the popular Halo video-game series, are in talks with director Ridley Scott and Ronald Shusett to adapt the game and its recently released sequel into a feature film.
Kingdom Kong
Peter Jackson's 'Lord of the Rings' was one for the ages. Now he's remaking 'King Kong,' the movie that changed his young life. An exclusive visit to the set [
Newsweek Article]
Today is kinda crazy
After my very yummy lunch with the Adobe boys, I came home and discovered a very hecitc day ahead of me. Between organizing eBay stuff and packaging a basket full of stuff, organizing stuff for my employement people meeting tomorrow, figuring out lunches this week, cleaning up the disaster that is my house, organizing Christmas stuff, and getting a gig on Weds to earn extra cash, I haven't had a moments rest. I don't think I was this busy even when I had a job...
Chromosomes aged 10 years by stress
Psychological stress may be enough to age a woman’s chromosomes by 10 years, a new study suggests. [
more]
Man Robs Hotel, Gets Drunk, Gets Caught
HELSINKI (Reuters) - A 32 year-old man robbed a hotel in the western Finnish town of Turku, got drunk, passed out in a taxi and was picked up by police, tabloid Ilta-Sanomat reported on Saturday.
The man went to the hotel in the early hours of Friday, threatened the receptionist with a weapon, took money from the till and demanded bottles of drink, the paper said.
The receptionist was taken to a cashpoint to withdraw money and then forced into a taxi. The thief then drank to the point where he passed out. The taxi driver then alerted police.
Subject: Illegal Immigrants
This arrived in my inbox, and I thought I would share it. It does seem rather long, and yet, just long enough to be validated by the need to waste time on your Monday back after 4 days off. The one perk to being unemployed: No Monday back for me.
Illegal immigrants in Canada
Tuesday, November 16, 2004
The flood of American liberals sneaking across the border into Canada has intensified in the past week, sparking calls for increased patrols to stop the illegal immigration.
The reelection of President Bush is prompting the exodus among left leaning citizens who fear they'll soon be required to hunt, pray and agree with Bill O'Reilly. Canadian border farmers say it's not uncommon to see dozens of sociology professors, animal rights activists and Unitarians crossing their fields at night.
''I went out to milk the cows the other day, and there was a Hollywood producer huddled in the barn," said Manitoba farmer Red Greenfield, whose acreage borders North Dakota. The producer was cold, exhausted and hungry. ''He asked me if I could spare a latte and some free-range chicken. When I said I didn't have any, he left. Didn't even get a chance to show him my screenplay, eh?"
In an effort to stop the illegal aliens, Greenfield erected higher fences, but the liberals scaled them. So he tried installing speakers that blare Rush Limbaugh across the fields. ''Not real effective," he said. ''The liberals still got through, and Rush annoyed the cows so much they wouldn't give milk."
Officials are particularly concerned about smugglers who meet liberals near the Canadian border, pack them into Volvo station wagons, drive them across the border and leave them to fend for themselves. ''A lot of these people are not prepared for rugged conditions," an Ontario border patrolman said. ''I found one carload without a drop of drinking water. They did have a nice little Napa Valley cabernet,
though."
When liberals are caught, they're sent back across the border, often wailing loudly that they fear retribution from conservatives. Rumors have been circulating about the Bush administration establishing reeducation camps in which liberals will be forced to drink domestic beer and watch NASCAR.
In the days since the election, liberals have turned to sometimes ingenious ways of crossing the border. Some have taken to posing as senior citizens on bus trips to buy cheap Canadian prescription drugs. After catching a half-dozen young vegans disguised in powdered wigs, Canadian immigration authorities began stopping buses and quizzing the supposed senior-citizen passengers. ''If they can't identify the accordion player on The Lawrence Welk Show, we get suspicious about their age," an official said.
Canadian citizens have complained that the illegal immigrants are creating an organic-broccoli shortage and renting all the good Susan Sarandon movies. ''I feel sorry for American liberals, but the Canadian economy just can't support them," an Ottawa resident said. ''How many art-history majors does one country need?"
In an effort to ease tensions between the United States and Canada, Vice President Dick Cheney met with the Canadian ambassador and pledged that the administration would take steps to reassure liberals, a source close to Cheney said. ''We're going to have some Peter, Paul & Mary concerts. And we might put some endangered species on postage stamps. The president is determined to reach out."
Joe Blundo is a Dispatch columnist
Re: Metallica
Was actually not nearly as bad as I have seen them be, aside from rushing through the whole show, it was pretty ok. Godsmack was actually decent too, and the surprised me with the third best drum solo that I have seen. They had two drumsets that rotated and the lead singer is actually a better drummer than anything else.
Both bands had a hug square stage in the center of HP Pavilion so seating was not favored to one end at all. The entire stage rotated so everyone got to have them play to them at some point. Very cool. I like creative stage handling!
Metallica
Ugh, not only is it Metallica, but it's GodSmack too.
This is going to hurt...
Yeah, so these get old fast, but one my mom sent was pretty funny
You know you live in the Deep South when...
3. "He needed killin" is a valid defense.
*giggle* and *kinda scared*
Give Bush a Brain
This is great. If you get a brain into him, he'll say something - and you know how that goes!
re: Going to SF for the day
Went to SFMOMA - I loved the building and saw some very cool art and some very not art art... very fun over all. We walked around for a while and then ended back at Original Joe's. I very highly recommend the veal picatta - YUM!
Hope you all are having a wonderful weekend! Tomorrow night is Metallica for me - oh joy.
Going to SF for the day
Call my cell if you need me!
Dark Shadows
BTW, I am on Series 5 of Dark Shadows now. It's a 1960's Soap Opera with vampires, witches, and ghosts. Some of it is in black and white and some is in color, and it's really, surprisingly, captivating. What makes it really great is that it really is a soap. The content is obviously really fun, but they totally treat it very seriously and go out of their way to not let it be anything but a drama. Very fun, if you ever have the time.
Thanks to C & N for loaning me the DVDs and for introducing me!
Thanksgiving was Yummy
I hope you all got to have a really good meal somewhere!
Police Apologize for Sending Child Porn
SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian police apologized on Thursday after inadvertently sending Internet images of child pornography to 1,800 schools while trying to warn principals about children at risk of abuse. [
more]
17th Century British Porn to Be Auctioned
LONDON (Reuters) - The world's first known piece of printed pornography, described as the "quintessence of debauchery," is expected to reach up to 35,000 pounds ($65,040) when it is auctioned next month. [
more]
Free Martha on your tree
So, somehow, I found myself at a Save Martha Store and was intrigued to find that you can make your plee via your Christmas tree this year with a
Save Martha Oval Ornament.
OK, look, 1) It's only 5 months, she's been in there one already. 2) They aren't going to let her out, it's an example thing. 3) She Volunteered to go - send her a postcard telling her you think she's swell, but this whole deal with trying to get her freed is a waste of time and/or a moneymaking opportunity, and that's just sad (plus, she'd be appalled at those color combinations). 4) T-shirts, bumperstickers, etc, get the word out. Having an ornament on your tree does nothing except entertain your cat.
 | |
The Bachelor *Warning: this one hit me pretty hard*
Wow. I have been sucked into an awful voyeuristic situation. The last Bachelor was on tonight where the guy picked his woman. While he did pick the girl that I thought he should, I found myself just totally disgusted by the whole show, and, at the same time, I couldn't stop watching. In case you don't know, the guy has to eliminate women each day until he gets to three and then two and then he has to pick and propose.
I am happy that the two seem so in love with each other, but I know that at least the last 3 girls that were eliminated were absolutely devastated. I was crying for them. He was really good at treating them all the same, so they all were falling so in love with him. The last one booted was the hardest to watch. She had met his family and friends and he had met hers so it wasn't just them, it was an entire group of people that were having their hearts broken.
So I started thinking how this is an awesome show from a marketing perspective because it gets people so sucked in, but it so unbelievably awful from a moral point of view.
It's pre-meditated love murder.
This guy, for whatever reason, agreed to come on this show, knowing he would have to do this. These women came on the show knowing it would be done. They agreed to have their relationships taped for America to see while little love snipers came and fired bullets into their souls. I wish I was exaggerating - you should see how these women react when they aren't picked to move forward. You can see it in their eyes. It's horrible.
Having been in a situation where I was "one of" instead of "the one", I know how they felt. I know what it is like to be so madly in love, and believe that the other person feels the same, and yet know that you aren't the only one and could be eliminated at any time. I chose to not be "one of", not in case things didn't work out, but simply because I refuse to be in that position. These people chose to do it all, get the decisions, and have their hearts crushed for the world to see. I know first hand that that person stays in your head for a very long time, and it's one of the hardest and longest situations to try and get over, if you ever can.
It's awful. It's the television people, it's the people who go on the show, and it's people like me, who watch. I feel bad for helping to propagate this horrible show of inhumanity... I'm sorry America, for making you a more dispicable place tonight. I will try harder in the future.
Happy Birthday to me!
I am happy to announce that ABC has decided to celebrate the day of my birth with a 2 hour Alias. That just rules. People, whatever you are planning, January 5, 2005 from 8-10 pm will be spent on my couch. If you are silent, you can join me. All other celebrations will have to be at some other point in time.
New Foamy
"
PASSION OF THE ZOMBIES"
Wine? Exploding Zombies? The eternal debate...
Oh man, the song at the end of this one is just spectacular.
Um, why are there ads about mental disorders on my Bejeweled loading page?
I was just loading up a quick game of Bejeweled because I feel sorta antsy and it said " YOU COULD HAVE BIPOLAR DISORDER and not manic depressive disorder - a simple screening can give you the answers you need."
Um. Look. I am just wanting to play my little game here. I'm not looking for a diagnosis of or advertisement for my mental state.
I think they need to re-evaluate their targeted marketing.
JFK shooting game provokes anger
A Scottish firm has been criticised by the family of John F Kennedy for producing a game which recreates the president's assassination in Dallas. [
more]
Uh, yeah, that's pretty tasteless. Only people with scottish balls would dare put that game out.
Beauty Contest of the future
What was that that Carl said? "Men making women for men"?
Anyway, I present to you:
Miss Digital World.
Man bites dog (and a policeman)
Police say an officer and his dog were bitten by a man resisting arrest in Kansas City. [
more]
Researchers Develop 3-D Phone Technology
TOKYO - It's an idea that was popularized by Princess Leia's plea for help in Star Wars: sending a 3-D hologram. Now, two Japanese scientists have developed technology they hope will one day turn the humble telephone booth into a high-tech chamber for beaming holographic images. [
more]
Town Raffles Rifles to Raise Money for School
DALLAS (Reuters) - To raise money for a local school project, residents in Lampasas, Texas, are turning to a time-honored tradition, the raffle. But their fundraiser has a unique twist -- the winner walks off with two rifles. [
more]
War Hero Glow Worms Honored
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's most unusual war heroes -- including glow worms, elephants and monkeys -- will be honored Wednesday for their devotion to duty under fire.
Princess Anne will unveil a war memorial in London's Park Lane dedicated to all the animals and insects that endured hardship with the nation's armed services. [
more]
Genetic Factors Influence Female Infidelity -Study
LONDON (Reuters) - Genetic factors influence female infidelity and the number of sexual partners women have, British scientists said on Wednesday. [
more]
Dude, Where's My Dead?
November 22, 2004 - Let's be clear: This is all completely unsubstantiated, so Evil Dead devotees shouldn't freak out... The dTheatre website is reporting that Sean William Scott (Dude, Where's My Car?, The Rundown) is in the running to play Ash, the role made famous by cult movie fav Bruce Campbell, in the recently announced remake of Evil Dead. [
more]
Exploding Cell Phones a Growing Problem
WASHINGTON - Curtis Sathre said it was like a bomb going off. His 13-year-old son Michael stood stunned, ears ringing, hand gushing blood after his cell phone exploded. Safety officials have received 83 reports of cell phones exploding or catching fire in the past two years, usually because of bad batteries or chargers. [more]
Persistent coughs melt away with chocolate
An ingredient in chocolate may actually be a more effective cough medicine than traditional remedies, a new study suggests. [
more]
Serenity Bumped To Fall
Joss Whedon, writer and director of the upcoming SF movie Serenity, told the Whedonesque Web site that the film version of his canceled Fox TV show Firefly has been pushed back to Sept. 30, 2005, from its original April 22 opening date. "See, sometimes studios shuffle around release dates," Whedon told fans on the site. [
more]
Cheese Sandwich Bought for $28,000
MIAMI (Reuters) - An online casino won the eBay bidding for a decade-old cheese sandwich bearing what some people consider a likeness of the Virgin Mary and immediately began hawking Virgin Mary Grilled Cheese T-shirts. [
more]
Great Animal Story...
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Reuters) - A pod of dolphins circled protectively round a group of New Zealand swimmers to fend off an attack by a great white shark, media reported on Tuesday. [
more]
Superman too super a role model
Superman is too good a role model. Fans of the man from Krypton unwittingly compare themselves to the superhero, and realise they do not measure up. And as a result, they are less likely to help other people. [
more]
Dilbert quote winners
A magazine recently ran a "Dilbert Quotes" contest. They were looking for people to submit quotes from their real-life Dilbert-type managers.
Here are the top ten finalists:
10. One day my Boss asked me to submit a status report to him concerning a project I was working on. I asked him if tomorrow would be soon enough. He said, "If I wanted it tomorrow, I would have waited until tomorrow to ask for it!"
9. We know that communication is a problem, but the company is not going to discuss it with the employees. (Switching supervisor, AT&T Long Lines Division)
8. My sister passed away and her funeral was scheduled for Monday. When I told my Boss, he said she died on purpose so that I would have to miss work on the busiest day of the year. He then asked if we could change her burial to Friday. He said, "That would be better for me." (Shipping executive, FTD Florists)
7. Quote from the Boss: "Teamwork is a lot of people doing what I say." (Marketing executive, Citrix Corporation)
6. No one will believe you solved this problem in one day! We've been working on it for months. Now, go act busy for a few weeks and I'll let you know when it's time to tell them. (R&D supervisor, Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing, 3M Corp.)
5. Doing it right is no excuse for not meeting the schedule. (Plant Manager, Delco Corporation)
4. This project is so important, we can't let things that are more important interfere with it. (Advertising/Marketing manager, United Parcel Service)
3. E-mail is not to be used to pass on information or data. It should be used only for company business. (Accounting Manager, Electric Boat Company)
2. What I need is an exact list of specific unknown problems we might encounter. (Lykes Lines Shipping)
1. As of tomorrow, employees will only be able to access the building using individual security cards. Pictures will be taken next Wednesday and employees will receive their cards in two weeks. (This was the winning quote from Fred Dales, Microsoft Corp. in Redmond, WA)
| | |
Re: What Famous Pinup Are You?
Man Cuts Off Teens' Penises for Theft -Police
BANGKOK (Reuters) - A Thai house painter cut off the penises of two teenagers with a knife after he found out they had stolen 50,000 baht ($1,250) of his savings from an ATM machine, police said on Saturday. [more]
PEOPLE!!!!!! Penuses (Peni?) are not an option for severing. What is up with people cutting off penuses? Hands, fingers, toes, whatever... but not that!!!
Three Wives Attempt Suicide After Argument
TEHRAN (Reuters) - All three wives of a 67-year-old Iranian man took overdoses in an unsuccessful triple suicide attempt after the youngest wife bought an expensive pair of boots, a news agency reported on Sunday. [
more]
What Famous Pinup Are You?
Interview
Went well - we'll see - I don't get my hopes up anymore...
I'll be out Monday until afternoon
At an interview in the City. Call my cell if you need me.
I was wondering if they were going to do this...
D&D
Reminder to everyone, D&D Today - be here by 4:00.
Finding Neverland
Was Absolutley Fantastic! Go see it. I do have to warn you though that when the lights came on, there wasn't a dry eye in the theater - even the grampas were crying. Kate Winslett and Jonny Depp are amazing.
YAY!!!!!!!!! Calif. to Sue Over Sierra Nevada Logging Expansion
California plans to sue the Bush administration over its plans to expand significantly the amount of logging allowed in the Sierra Nevada mountains, the state's Democratic attorney general said on Friday. [
more]
It's about friggn time this started!
I'm taking the day off
from doing lame stuff that involves me having stress. I am going to go have comfort food at Apple with Wendy, and then I am possibly going to go to the bead store so can get more christmas work done, and then I think I am going to go see Finding Neverland if I can finda convenient showing... Try my cell today if you need me.
Are You Kidding Me?
BERLIN (Reuters) - Thieves have stolen scantily clad garden gnomes from a gnome peepshow in an eastern German amusement park, park manager Frank Ullrich said on Thursday.
"The gnomes display naked body parts -- the same ones you'd expect to see in a human peep show," Ullrich said of his missing stars.
The adults-only attraction at Dwarf-Park Trusetal, where visitors peep through keyholes to see the saucy German miniatures in compromising poses, was smashed open early on Thursday morning.
Ullrich said he feared the gnomes would not be traced.
"I doubt they're standing in someone's garden, they'll have to have been hidden inside."
ummmmmmmmmmmm, what kind of PERV wants to peep at gnome parts?????? Wierdo Germans.
Rocker Lee Talks Narnia
Amy Lee, singer in the rock band Evanescence, told MTV that she will provide music for Disney's upcoming book-to-film adaptation The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, according to a report on ComingSoon.net. Lee said that she was a fan of C.S. Lewis' books, about four children who discover a magical land in the clutches of an evil witch. [
more]
WOW. This looks like fun (but be careful not to get run over by a bus running from a ghost!)
Human PacMan hits real city streets
The new game, called Human PacMan, superimposes a 3D PacMan world on top of the city's streets and architecture. Players enter the game by donning a wearable computer, headset and goggles before choosing to play the role of PacMan or one of the Ghosts. Players' movements are tracked using GPS receivers and motion sensors and they are linked back to a central computer system by wireless Local Area Network. [
more]
Uh-Oh
 | So today I stopped for a sec to think about something and realized that I was standing there, in my bathrobe, drinking coke from a coffee mug, and having a cook-ay for breakfast, while staring at the wall for a while.
I don't think "oh shit" covers this one. |
Fossil Ape May Be Ancestor of All Apes - Report
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An ape that lived 13 million years ago in what is now Spain may have been the last common ancestor of all apes, including chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans and humans, researchers said on Thursday. [more]
San Francisco Mulls Ban of Beloved Elephants at Zoo
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - San Francisco officials pondered on Thursday whether to implement an unprecedented ban of elephants from its zoo because of concerns about their conditions in captivity. [
more]
THE EVIL DEAD gets remade
What's different about this remake from any others is the level of involvement with the movie's original creators in putting the new EVIL DEAD together. Unlike other remakes, the original principal players are all onboard the new version, creatively and financially. [
more]
Microsoft's Gates Is World's Most 'Spammed' Person
SINGAPORE (Reuters) - E-mail users inundated with unsolicited "spam" messages have reason to hope Microsoft Corp. will develop better tools for tackling the problem: Bill Gates is suffering more than anyone.
Gates, Microsoft's chairman, gets 4 million e-mails a day and is probably the most "spammed" person in the world, his Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer said Thursday. [
more]
Woman 'blessed by the holy toast'
A half-eaten slice of elderly cheese on toast purportedly showing the image of the Virgin Mary has attracted 100,000 hits on the eBay auction website. [
more]
eBay Auction Spoofs
DUDE!!!!!!!! Transformers - More than meets the eye!
Shape-shifting robot shows off its moves
A shape-shifting robot comprised of many independently moving components has been demonstrated walking, rolling and slithering for the first time. [
more]
Texas Officials Wary of Plan to Hunt by Internet
HOUSTON (Reuters) - Hunters soon may be able to sit at their computers and blast away at animals on a Texas ranch via the Internet, a prospect that has state wildlife officials up in arms. [
more]
For the sanity of my friends, I will omit the rant on this one.
From the "OMG, WTF????" Files
Mom Breastfeeds Puppy to Protect Baby
WELLINGTON (Reuters) - A woman in New Zealand says she is breastfeeding her pet puppy because she wants it to protect her baby daughter as they both grow up. [
more]
Nevermind
Fastest path to Mono is closed, and the other way is too long for a day trip so I guess I go later...
Going back to bed.
From the "WTF Are They Thinking" Files:
Moviehole reported that director Brett Leonard (Man-Thing) has signed to direct the next installment in the Highlander film series, Highlander: The Source, rumored to be the story of four new charismatic Immortals as they quest to locate the Holy Grail of their world.
DUDE. LET. IT. DIE. Sheesh, these people are like George Lucas over here.
Leonid meteor shower to light up night sky
(CNN) -- The annual Leonid meteor shower is set to rain space dust over Earth for the next few days, putting on a show for night skygazers. Astronomers disagree as to when the shower will peak -- some say Wednesday, others Friday. [
more]
Craft Day
Will never happen again, BTW, so don't ask.
Trainspotting
So I finally saw Trainspotting last night. I have no idea what to say about that movie. It was good. It was violent. It was funny. It was disgusting. It was a good "don't do Heroin" ad.
I'm not entirely sure I'd watch it again, but I would say it's something for people to watch with, perhapse, a warning.
I will be AWOL Tomorrow
Going to see the surreal Mono Lake. Feel free to post in my absence.
Diving Into Serenity's River
Summer Glau, who reprises the role of River in the upcoming SF movie Serenity, told SCI FI Wire that the film version of Fox's canceled Firefly will resolve many questions about her enigmatic character. [
more]
Disney moves forward with TOY STORY 3
A big step forward in making a second sequel to TOY STORY a reality happened today as word was heard of Walt Disney Studios intent on creating a new digital animation office in Glendale, California. [
more]
IQ and Politics
The correlation between the red and the Blue and IQ. What bothers me about this is that it reports (probably inaccuratley) that Connecticut has the highest average IQ and it is only 113. This is a sad, sad world we live in if the *best* avg. IQ we can do is 113....
Disney buys CrossGen
It was just a rumor before but today it became a hard fact: Disney Publishing Worldwide announced that it has indeed purchased the assets of comic book publisher CrossGen Entertainment. [
more]
Genetic variation gives a taste for alcohol
People with a gene variation that dulls their taste buds to bitter flavours drink twice as much alcohol as those with more sensitive palates, suggests a US study. The discovery may assist doctors in the battle against alcoholism, which is strongly connected to early drinking behaviour. [
more]
Peru Seizes Cocaine Haul Hidden in Giant Squid
LIMA, Peru (Reuters) - Peruvian police said on Monday they seized nearly 1,540 pounds (700 kg) of cocaine hidden in frozen giant squid bound for Mexico and the United States. [
more]
Very Sad...
So After a long debate, the Yahoo gig went to the other candidate, so no Yahoo for me.
I'm very sad about that.
Researcher Says Atlantis Found Off Cyprus
LIMASSOL, Cyprus (Reuters) - A U.S. researcher on Sunday claimed he had found the lost civilization of Atlantis in the watery deep off Cyprus -- adding his theory to a mystery which has baffled explorers for centuries. [
more]
Whatever You Do, Don't Open That Bedroom Door....
LONDON (Reuters) - A British house-buyer got more than they bargained for after the discovery of a badly decomposed body in an upstairs bedroom of their new home, the Daily Telegraph said Monday. [
more]
Powell and Three Others Leaving Cabinet
WASHINGTON - Secretary of State Colin Powell and three other Cabinet members have resigned, escalating the shake-up of President Bush's second-term team. Senior administration officials said Monday that national security adviser Condoleezza Rice was most likely to succeed Powell. [
more]
Re: Anybody know if AT&T gets phone reception at Mono Lake?
I would expect that they would have cell reception at Mono (Lee Vining in particular), but I don't know for sure. I
do know that there is coverage in and around Mammoth Lakes, which is about 25 miles to the south. My recollection was there was coverage on 395 at the Mammoth Lakes exit. I think there was coverage in ML too, but I don't remember. I think coverage on 395 near civilized areas is likely.
Wacky Christians...
TAIPEI, Taiwan (Reuters) -- A man leaped into a lion's den at the Taipei Zoo on Wednesday to try to convert the king of beasts to Christianity, but was bitten in the leg for his efforts. [
more]
So, some of you still think we live in a country ruled by the people huh?
Ashcroft says judges threaten national security by questioning Bush decisions
WASHINGTON - Federal judges are jeopardizing national security by issuing rulings contradictory to President Bush's decisions on America's obligations under international treaties and agreements, Attorney General John Ashcroft said Friday. [
more]
A Personal Favorite from sorryeverybody.com
Egypt Hopes to Solve Riddle of Tutankhamun Death
CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt plans to X-ray the mummy of Tutankhamun to find out what killed the king who ruled Egypt more than 3,000 years ago and died while only a teenager. [
more]
Given the bid deal about this guy, I am surprised it took them this long to get to this.
Judge to Rule on Georgia Evolution Disclaimers
ATLANTA (Reuters) - A public school board in Georgia violated the U.S. Constitution when it placed stickers that challenge the theory of evolution on biology textbooks two years ago, a lawyer for a group of parents said on Friday.
The stickers, which appeared after pressure from hundreds of parents, many of them religious conservatives, read:
"This textbook contains material on evolution. Evolution is a theory, not a fact, regarding the origin of living things. This material should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully and critically considered." [
more]
And so we find ourselves in a downward spiral
U.S. OKs Commercial Drilling in Alaska Oil Reserve
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Interior Department on Friday gave final approval to a plan by ConocoPhillips and partner Anadarko Petroleum Corp. to develop five tracts around the oil-rich Alpine field on Alaska's North Slope. [
more]
Bridget Jones 2
Somehow I got wrangled into an all-girl Bridget Jones inspired night to celebrate the premier of the second movie. Despite the fact that I had not yet seen the first (I come home to find it in my mailbox in a lovely green package from my new lover, Netflix), it was a pretty good movie. Feel good and funny and just what you need if you just want to enjoy something silly.
Lyndsay, Catherine, Rami, Tasha and I ate Turkey curry, drank chardonnay, and had a wonderful chocolate desert that rivaled Morton's godiva cake and then went to see the flick. All in all a good evening.
Favorite line from the movie:
"Everybody deserves a second chance."
"Except Hitler."
Behind the scenes of King Kong
Wow - this is as cool as any DVD extra. Peter Jackson looks like he has lost a TON of weight... Anyway,
check it out, there's no spoilers, it's all about method. Oh, well, you do see a jungle, but I don't think that's giving anything away. Looks Beautiful BTW.
Anybody know if AT&T gets phone reception at Mono Lake?
I want to go Monday, but I need to be reachable in the event that someone wants to give me a job...
If anyone knows, I'd appreciate it.
If I don't get this gig at yahoo, I may go look at this
And possibly this:
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Trailer
WWII Soldier Killed at Parade Honoring Veterans
BOSTON (Reuters) - William Hammond survived one of the bloodiest battles of World War II but died at a parade honoring him and others after a van at a Veteran's Day parade ran over him. [
more]
Big-Bottomed Mannequins Boost Profile in New York
NEW YORK (Reuters) - J.Lo and Beyonce can take another bow. The booty-shaking stars have shaped the newest generation of mannequins, with hundreds of well-rounded plastic backsides appearing in shop windows across New York. [
more]
Michael Moore Plans 'Fahrenheit 9/11' Sequel
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Director Michael Moore is planning a sequel to "Fahrenheit 9/11," his polemic against the Bush administration, to be released about the time of the next presidential campaign, a spokeswoman for his distributor says. [
more]
Overkill. Jesus, let it go man.
Gap, Wild Planet Get Together on Radio Sweatshirt
Oh man, this should really come with iPod hookup and in adult size. It's a FM radio sewn into a sweatshirt with speakers mounted in the hood. [
more]
RE:Ever wanted to see all those Apple ads again?
Also note in the Pencil Test credits, that the "coach" was John Lasseter. John's better known for directing several of Pixar's movies. He also drew the BSD daemon logo.
Microsoft Launches Web Search Technology
SEATTLE - Microsoft Corp. finally debuted its own Web search technology on Thursday, hoping to challenge Google Inc.'s long dominance of the field with results tailored to a user's location and answers from its Encarta encyclopedia. [
more]
Oh fun, that should make search engine optimization even more fun.
Oh Happy Day!
So JMS finally got it together and is finishing Rising Stars, a really awesome comic book that he stopped writing right in the very throws of the storyline (it's only 24 issues and he stopped at 21) a few years ago. Top Cow, the publisher, had pissed him off so he simply stopped. Apparently, they worked it out and now all the fans of the series get their ending!
After lunch with Nathan today, I stopped by Black Cat, and my issue 22 was in my box!! YAY!!!
| | |
OK, here's a question for all you iTunes users
I have my directory Structure for my music as such:
Folder [artist name] > Folder [album Name] > Songs [track number - Songtitle.mp3]
Yeah, iTunes imports them all as just the [track number - Songtitle.mp3] even though I selected the whole mp3 folder and that sucks. It no won't tell me the artist, or the album, even though it seems to know all that info from downloaded songs (not iTunes downloaded, just collected over the years). I don't understand why it has all the answers for the songs I pirated, but nothing for legitimatley owned CDs...
Anybody have a clue how I can get it to read my directory structure so whenever I do get my coveted toy, I can properly import said files into the machine? If the answer is that I have to re-rip them all using iTunes, then I retract my "Macs don't suck" comment from before.
And Finally, The Takaka Yumemi Kobo Dream Workshop
This tower of dreamy power looks something akin to a space-aged alarm clock, with purple embellishment for the Lt. Dangle in your life. Instead of just blasting ungodly sounds to scare off the Sandman, this unit also uses voice recording, music, lights and small to help influence dreams.
So, say you want to have PG-13 dreams about the boss' barely legal daughter — just flip on this unit and you might find yourself in REM that would give Jeremy Irons a run for his dirty money. We're not sure what kind of scents come with this thing, but let's hope there's not a midnight-snack/bologna-sandwich smell to elicit any nightmares about going to work sans pants. [
more]
American Ghost Society Paranormal Investigations Outfitters
Ever wanted to see all those Apple ads again?
Well, here they all are.
For someone with no Mac to speak of, I certainly do have a lot of Apple MArketing material on this blog.
For those of you animation nuts, check out the
Pencil Test Movie. It was made in 1988. CG has come a long way.
Bid on a Box of Objects Maybe For Time Travel Purposes
You are bidding on a box of objects that when used/combined/altered in the right way may either open a wormhole or create access to a parallel universe for the purposes of time travel. [
auction]
Palestinian Leader Arafat Dies at 75
PARIS - Yasser Arafat, who triumphantly forced his people's plight into the world spotlight but failed to achieve his lifelong quest for Palestinian statehood, died Thursday at age 75. [
more]
New Target Ad
With Lord Vader and Heidi Klum. It's pretty funny.
Check it out in Quicktime (the player officially endorsed by Noelle's Bloggy Goodness).
No, I don't know yet
Hopefully I will know by tomorrow.
Think happy thoughts at Yahoo!
SAD. :-(
I feel the way one does when one goes to rip their Talking Heads collection to their hard drive and realizes that the entire thing was in a certain binder of CDs that was previously stolen from one's car.
So today I earned $50 in 20 minutes
I'll let you all wonder how I did that...
Come Back Tomorrow, Cops Tell Bank Robber
ALBANY (Reuters) - An Albany man turned himself into police after seeing himself on TV news robbing a bank but was turned away by officers who told him to come back the next day, police said on Tuesday. [
more]
Happy Birthday to Neil!!!!
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The Mac did not bite me, but it did kick my ass all over the chess board
So I had my play date with the PowerBook (not iBook, I was corrected). It was fairly cool although some things it did, even Wendy could not explain. However, I did learn to navigate around and played with some of it's internal toys, like iMovie and stuff, and it seems like it won't hurt me (although the cost of switching all of my software certainly would).
I guess my issue with them still lies in their lack of capability to be upgraded piecemeal, but at least I know my way around now and can appreciate transparent windows more than most people want to know about. It would be possible, if one were handed to me, that I might add it to my network and play with it fairly often, but I am not yet ready to give up my PC and the love I have of being able to drastically improve the performance of my machine for $100 (not that I have the means to actually do this right now).
Anyway, yes, I see why you all love them, and I agree that they are cool and thoughtfully created, and much prettier than PC laptops, and one could, someday be integrated into my small farm I am cultivating here.
There. I am not yet at "switch" but I will admit to "add"... someday... when I can afford the incredible price these things seem to cost.
And one more before bed...
Amazon CEO Wants to Go Into Space on Own Rocket
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos has a loftier goal than dominating the online retail market -- he wants to help colonize space. [
more]
Check out their website.
FCC Rules in Favor of Net Phone Industry
WASHINGTON - Federal regulators gave a boost Tuesday to the fledgling Internet phone industry, removing a regulatory hurdle that threatened to drive up the cost of making calls through cyberspace. [
more]
This seems like good news...
Airlines Agree to Drinking Water Tests
WASHINGTON - The government and a dozen airlines struck a deal Tuesday requiring sanitation improvements and increased testing of drinking water aboard aircraft after officials found evidence of harmful bacteria in the water of one in every eight planes tested. [
more]
Ummmmmmmmmmmmm, testing seems like something that shouldn't have to be negotiated... Maybe it's just me. In the mean time, go ahead and order the scotch, at least you'll get your
glass plastic cup of ice sterilized.
WOW. Quite possibly the best rant I have ever read.
Oh man. This one is a doosie. Thanks Tasha!
http://www.fuckthesouth.com/
So Aki, Rachel, Paduan, Carl and I had dinner the other night and I posed the theory that we maybe should have let the south go in the war. I believe I used the phrase "let them have their own country." To my dismay, Rachel pointed out, "They have their own country, and you are in it."
*sigh*
If you'd like a break from the same old music
Head over to
janubia.com for some very cool International tunes. Click the jukebox link and you can listen to a whole array of her music.
A Liquid Thanksgiving: Turkey in the Straw
SEATTLE (Reuters) - Seconds, anyone?
After the startling success of its turkey and gravy-flavored soda during last year's U.S. holiday season, a Seattle soda company will be serving up green beans and casserole, mashed potatoes, fruitcake and cranberry flavors. [
more]
Ok, that's just gross.
Ashcroft, Evans Resign From Bush Cabinet
WASHINGTON - Attorney General John Ashcroft, a favorite of conservatives, and Commerce Secretary Don Evans, one of President Bush's closest friends, resigned Tuesday, the first members of the Cabinet to leave as Bush heads from re-election into his second term. [
more]
I'm betting 10:1 that he finds someone even more evil than Ashcroft to replace him. And that's not easy to do. This also leaves Ashcroft open for a seat on the Supreme Court...
Today
So today was fun. I went out to lunch with Aki and Paduan at yummy thai place. The headed over to Stanford to have a cop sign off my liscence plate fix it ticket, where the cop actually said that the other cop was "mean" for giving me a ticket for no front plate and that he "must have been in a dick mood." Nice.
Came back, deposited my newly gotten unemployment check, and tried out the new do-it-yourself postal worker replacements at the post office. Quick and easy and I didn't have to deal with lame postal people asking me a million questions. If it was hazardous, would I tell you???
Anyway, back now to do some chores before Wendy shows up with food and my playmate for the evening, the iBook. Hopefully I won't cause a system-wide failure. Come to think of it, hopefully it won't cause a system-wide failure in me either.... I'll let ya know.
10 x 10
10x10 shows images of the most important news in the past hour.
re: NOELLE'S CHRISTMAS PRESENT!!!!!!
Hey Carl, You should email this to people like Morgan and Amber who do not visit the blog. You could also email my mom, as I'm sure she'd be into helping with the cause.
Oh, and I get *very* excited when I hear that Wendy has an idea for a birthday present. Coveted toys will soon be mine Mwahahaahahaha... oh wait, I get so easily caught up in the whole evil villain thing... I meant "YAY! I like toys!"
Shhhh, don't tell Noelle.
Prize aims for orbiting space tourists
A new $50 million space prize has been launched with the aim of seeing tourists orbit the Earth by the end of the decade. [
more]
Figures. The money comes from Vegas...
Cells from babies help heal their mothers
Pregnancy certainly has its downside, but it may have an unexpected upside as well: cells from the baby may help heal wounds in the mother, even long after it has been born. [
more]
Wow. That's very cool.
NOELLE'S CHRISTMAS PRESENT!!!!!!
Shhhhhh.. So far there's 3 people going in on Noelle's ultra-secret portable DVD player christmas present. It be really great if we can get at least 3 more people to pitch in so the split will be more reasonable. So let me know if you're interested. Also, Wendy suggested doing the same thing for a birthday present which she has some ideas for. If anybody is interested in pitching in for a birthday present too let me know.
Polar Express
BTW, I met one of the guys that worked on this when I was in the Castro on Halloween and he said that the movie was "eh" but if you like Christmas films, go see it. He also said even if you don't like Christmas films, go see this when it comes out in the IMAX theaters. I guess the visuals are really cool.
Serenity Surprises Whedon
You have to watch everything so carefully, because every mistake that you make is going to be 40 feet high. Whenever you think, 'Well, maybe that's good enough,' I just say to myself: 'Cineramadome.'" [
more]
This is why I think this film will be good. Most other people don't seem to have this thought occur to them.
Sorry, but this was cracking me up today
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Go see it. It's beautiful.
The Incredibles
Was very good. Pixar makes amazing movies and their visuals are top notch. The story line was good - very worthwhile. If you haven't seen it yet, it's worth going to the theater for.
EP III Trailer
So here appears to be the official one from StarWars.com. Happy to see that Yoda busts out the saber again... Anyway,
watch it if you are not spoiler free (which I can't imagine being worth it given how crappy the other two were).
Bay Medows
So I went to Jolie's Birthday Party at Bay Medows Race Track today. It was actually kind of cool. I don't see myself at the track very often, but I got to learn about bettng and see the pretty horses for a couple hours, and it was very amusing all in all.
We'll be going to see the Incredibles tomorrow if anyone is interested - probably late afternoon/early evening. Call and I'll give you details if you are interested.
This makes me want to cry...
Seals Bludgeoned, Shot on Irish Island
DUBLIN (Reuters) - Up to 60 protected gray seals have been killed off the west coast of Ireland in what a wildlife group described as slaughter.
The Irish Seal Sanctuary said the seals -- most of them pups -- appeared to have been bludgeoned, shot or had nails driven into their heads. Some had been disemboweled. [
more]
Is Microsoft Ready to Assert IP Rights over the Internet?
Has Microsoft been trying to retroactively claim IP (intellectual property) rights over many of the Internet's basic protocols? Larry J. Blunk, senior engineer for networking research and development at Merit Network Inc., believes that might be the case. [
more]
Re: Giant squid 'taking over world'
Santa Cruz Beach
It's official - the platypus is weird
Scientists from the Australian National University have proved what many have thought for years - platypuses are really weird.
In the international Nature journal today they report a platypus has five chromosones determining sex, not one - like the rest of the species in the world. [
more]
Giant squid 'taking over world'
GIANT squid are taking over the world, well at least the oceans, and they are getting bigger.
According to scientists, squid have overtaken humans in terms of total bio-mass.
That means they take up more space on the planet than us. [
more]
For some good entertainment today
Happy Guy Fawkes Day!
In 1605, Guy Fawkes (also known as Guido - yes, really) and a group of conspirators attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament. [
more]
Congrats to Jen and Dave!
Well, they *said* that they were trying to keep it low profile, but since it is on their website, i guess it's time to say: Congrats to the proud parents of the little alien!!!
You can see alien pics and other interesting facts about the newest canadiamerican over at
maclachlans.net.
Unbelievable...
NEW YORK (Reuters) - A National Guard F-16 fighter plane mistakenly fired off 25 rounds of ammunition at the Little Egg Harbor Intermediate School in South New Jersey on Wednesday night. [
more]
Americans Flock to Canada's Immigration Web Site
OTTAWA (Reuters) - The number of U.S. citizens visiting Canada's main immigration Web site has shot up six-fold as Americans flirt with the idea of abandoning their homeland after President Bush's election win this week. [
more]
Read a Book, Get Oral Sex?
NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York officials were red-faced on Friday after they discovered that clothing ads on city buses that appeared to promote reading suggested a love of books could be rewarded with oral sex.
The advertisements that ran on about 200 buses across the city in recent months carried posters displaying a suggestively posed woman in hot pants kneeling among a pile of books beside the snappy slogan "Read Books, Get Brain."
What unhip, unsuspecting local transportation officials did not know was that "get brain" is street slang for oral sex. [
more]
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
Serenity Jumps From TV
Joss Whedon, who wrote and directed the upcoming SF movie Serenity, told SCI FI Wire that it's been a challenge adapting his low-rated Fox TV series Firefly for the big screen. [
more]
Newborn babies feed on themselves
Babies survive the period immediately after birth by feeding on the content of their own cells, research suggests. [
more]
Hubble spots triple eclipse on Jupiter
Three large moons hang in the daytime sky above Jupiter in a newly released image, casting a trio of shadows on the planet. Such a triple eclipse occurs only once or twice per decade. [
more]
Planets are cool.
Human Corpse to Be Shown Rotting on TV
LONDON (Reuters) - A British television channel is seeking a terminally ill volunteer to donate their body after death so it can be filmed as it decomposes. [
more]
Naked Man Climbs Onto Moving Jet
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A Canadian man, angry that he was refused a plane ticket to Australia at Los Angeles International Airport, stripped naked, sprinted across the tarmac and climbed into the wheel well of a moving jumbo jet, officials said on Wednesday. [
more]
Two Guilty in 1st Felony Spam Conviction
LEESBURG, Va. - A brother and sister who sent junk e-mail to millions of America Online customers were convicted Wednesday in the nation's first felony prosecution of Internet spam distributors. [
more]
EPISODE III trailer airs today
But if you look around the web, there's already some previews of what's to come [
more]
Looks lie a pretty reliable trailer is
here.
RE: *Walks over and pokes at the Apple Logo to see if anything happens*
No, Noelle! Don't touch it! It's Eeee-vil!
*Walks over and pokes at the Apple Logo to see if anything happens*
I have requested an official supervised play date between me and a certain infernal contraption to see what the heck you peple are talking about. I also busted open iTunes, since I have some time on my hands, and learned that interface. It's now going to spend about the next day cataloging the 80 gigs of music I have ripped down from CDs...
One thing I do have to say is that the folks that work there are thoughtful. Things seem intuative, which is nice for a change.
Update after I have had said play date.
iPod
Beat.
Makes me want one (those guys are geniuses - they even used Propellerheads music...)
CHRISTMAS PRESENT FOR NOELLE
I'm planning on getting a group of people to go in together on getting Noelle a portable DVD player, you know one of the little flippy things with the screen, for Christmas. So if anyone is interested in pitching in for this group present, email or call me. If you don't have my email or number just ask Noelle for either of them. Oh and shhhhh don't tell Noelle. :]
THE FIFTH ELEMENT is rediscovered
Two-disc Ultimate Edition arrives in January. [
more]
Will someone please buy this for me for my Birthday?
(Talk to eachother though so I don't get like 15 copies.)
Michelin Man Denies Paternity Suit
Fluffy Bunnies Make Me Happy
Medication for Those Difficult Days
LOL
Nader has a shirt that says "Bush and Kerry make me want to Ralph"
At least his people are clever...
Fish fossil confirms origin of nostrils
Land vertebrates can breathe through their noses thanks to an anatomical rearrangement of fish-style nostrils. That same rearrangement may explain why cleft lips and cleft palates are common birth defects in humans. [
more]
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS film franchise rolls saving throw vs. second sequel
Even though the first sequel isn't ready for release, plans are afoot for a third DUNGEONS & DRAGONS movie. Zinc Entertainment, a branch of Joel Silver's Silver Pictures banner, is working on a third D&D movie while post-production work continues on DUNGEONS & DRAGONS 2: THE ELEMENTAL MIGHT. Variety reports that, contrary to earlier speculation, the new D&D film will receive theatrical distribution first before heading toward home video. [
more]
Election Commentary
Bush lied his way into office and lied his way through his presidency, notes David Corn sadly in his weblog, Capital Games. "His reelection campaign was based on derision and disingenuousness; he mischaracterized Kerry and his positions and touted successes that did not exist. And now, it seems, he got away with it."
Bush Wins (Or Seems To)
CNN Declares Election Won
Calif. Voters Back $3 Billion Stem Cell Measure
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A controversial California ballot measure that would fund a decade of stem cell research with $3 billion in state money was headed for a resounding victory on Wednesday, initial returns showed. [
more]
Scientists Close in on Source of Cosmic Rays
LONDON (Reuters) - An international team of astronomers believe they have solved a mystery that has been perplexing scientists for 100 years -- the origin of cosmic rays. [
more]
Dissapointed in my fellow man
Well, it's over. If I had a surplus of money, instead of a deficit, I would be considering Australia/New Zealand as a lifestyle choice right now.
Anyone got like 60K I can borrow?
Prometheus caught stealing from Saturn's rings
In Greek mythology, Prometheus stole fire from the Gods. Now, Saturn’s tiny moon Prometheus is showing similar tendencies, repeatedly stealing material from planet’s rings, according to new images taken by the Cassini probe. [
more]
Dear Music Gods
Dear Music Gods,
I am so sorry that I have let you down. I am so sorry that I can walk into the Warfield, hear three chords of music and be able to turn to Paduan and say "Hey, check it out, they got ACDC to open for them" and be right. (Well 1/2 way at least)
It's really not my fault you see. I have never owned an ACDC album, and wouldn't think of polluting my collection with such horrible noises, but people, especially here in the Bay area, seem to be music heathens, and love trash. It's pervasive noise, and I can't help it if my subconscious takes a minute to catalog it for further repulsion later.
I am so sorry, please forgive me. I'll go listen to some Floyd now and try and cleanse my soul.
Noelle
Manson
Manson rocked, as usual, although they had the bass up way too loud.
His opening band, ACDCShe was an all femal cover band of ACDC, which made me afraid for my life. I think they forgot that ACDC sucks or something, although they did a good impression of them. Still, I felt like they were going to break into "we got the beat" at any moment because of their particular sound.
Anyway, had a lot of fun, Manson is always great in concertand worth seeing, even if you don't like his music otherwise.
November 2, 2004 Feast of All Souls
The Church has encouraged prayer for the dead from the earliest times as an act of Christian charity. "If we had no care for the dead," Augustine noted, "we would not be in the habit of praying for them." Yet pre-Christian rites for the deceased kept such a strong hold on the superstitious imagination that a liturgical commemoration was not observed until the early Middle Ages, when monastic communities began to mark an annual day of prayer for the departed members.
In the middle of the 11th century, St. Odilo, abbot of Cluny (France), decreed that all Cluniac monasteries offer special prayers and sing the Office for the Dead on November 2, the day after the feast of All Saints. The custom spread from Cluny and was finally adopted throughout the Roman Church.
The theological underpinning of the feast is the acknowledgment of human frailty. Since few people achieve perfection in this life but, rather, go to the grave still scarred with traces of sinfulness, some period of purification seems necessary before a soul comes face-to-face with God. The Council of Trent affirmed this purgatory state and insisted that the prayers of the living can speed the process of purification.
Superstition still clung to the observance. Medieval popular belief held that the souls in purgatory could appear on this day in the form of witches, toads or will-o’-the-wisps. Graveside food offerings supposedly eased the rest of the dead.
Observances of a more religious nature have survived. These include public processions or private visits to cemeteries and decorating graves with flowers and lights. This feast is observed with great fervor in Mexico.
What kind of blogger are you?
You Are a Link Blogger! |
Your blog is more about cool links than thougtful posts.
Better to be entertaining and breif than longwinded and boring! |
What kind of blogger are you?
re: Halloween
BTW, since people have been asking, Hallowen was fun! We went up to the Castro, and hung out at the street party there for a couple hours. Pics up for that probably tomorrow. Unfortunatley, the cab company that said that they were sending us a cab to take us back to Kevin's house never did, so we ended up walking a whole bunch, in the middle of the night an hour later than we wanted to to find one.
Kevin's pad is tres cool, with a view that most people would die for (I'd never be able to leave to porch if I was either of them).
Anyway, the Castro, once again, is recommended on Halloween night!
NaNoWriMo
It's National Novel Writing Month time again! Props to those of my buddies that are participating this year! [
more info]
All about the U.S. Electoral College
Pretty much everything you need to know to understand the process
here.
Taxpayer Dies After Official Error
WARSAW (Reuters) - A Polish taxpayer died from a heart attack after a demand for immediate payment in full of 80,000 zlotys ($23,560) following a mistake by the tax office. [
more]
Feast of All Saints
The earliest certain observance of a feast in honor of all the saints is an early fourth-century commemoration of "all the martyrs." In the early seventh century, after successive waves of invaders plundered the catacombs, Pope Boniface IV gathered up some 28 wagonloads of bones and reinterred them beneath the Pantheon, a Roman temple dedicated to all the gods. The pope rededicated the shrine as a Christian church. According to Venerable Bede, the pope intended "that the memory of all the saints might in the future be honored in the place which had formerly been dedicated to the worship not of gods but of demons" (On the Calculation of Time).
But the rededication of the Pantheon, like the earlier commemoration of all the martyrs, occurred in May. Many Eastern Churches still honor all the saints in the spring, either during the Easter season or immediately after Pentecost.
How the Western Church came to celebrate this feast in November is a puzzle to historians. The Anglo-Saxon theologian Alcuin observed the feast on November 1 in 800, as did his friend Arno, Bishop of Salzburg. Rome finally adopted that date in the ninth century.
