“Never ask for a name. Ask instead what those you meet would like to be called” – Doctor Occult
Well, I got boosted from bedski at the all-to-early hour of 5am, so I’m up up up, now. I’m pleased that the server is behaving the way it should, now, as there were errors getting into the primary login database last night.. I’m glad we have multiple servers for just such an occasion.
A little-noted clause of the Fiscal Year 2004 defense bill, which both houses of Congress passed with barely a shrug last week, puts the United States back in the business—after a decade-long moratorium—of developing, testing, and eventually building a new generation of exotic nuclear weapons.
In its budget proposal earlier this year, the Bush administration asked for four things along these lines:
1) The repeal of a 1992 law banning the research and development of “low-yield” nuclear weapons (i.e., nukes with an explosive power of less than 5 kilotons);
2) $15 million for work on an earth-penetrating nuclear weapon (popularly known as a “bunker-buster”);
3) $6 million for an “Advanced Concepts Initiative,” in which the national weapons labs would once again explore special-effects nukes—for instance, nuclear weapons that, like the long-abandoned “neutron bomb,” would enhance certain types of radiation; and
4) $25 million to gear up the weapons labs to the point where they could resume underground nuclear tests within 18 months after a presidential order to do so. (The United States unilaterally stopped nuclear testing in 1992, on orders of the first President Bush, then formalized the cessation in 1995 by signing the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.)
The House and Senate armed services committees, meeting this month in conference, approved all four of Bush’s requests, with one caveat—that the president would have to come back for additional approval before actually producing low-yield nuclear weapons, though everyone concerned knows there’s a fine line between “development” and “production.”
Welcome to the future. Mini-Nukes combined with the current “First Strike Policy” looks like a disaster for nuclear disarmament and world peace.
While I’ve heard the talk for a while, the worst thing about this is that right here is the first I’ve heard of it officially.
These are the sorts of things that *will* get used – traditional nukes are so powerful that you literally scare each other out of using them. These things get around (and you know that other powers will soon develop them) and that deterrent is gone.
We already have 7,650 nukes at last count… more than enough to destroy every major population center thirty times over.
Dr Who is 40 years old. Somehow, it seems not as aged and even older at the same time, so I guess it balances out.
Newton has discovered that whenever he touches silver objects, he’ll get a treat. That’s all well and good for tapping the treat bag next to the monitor… but he’s also taken to patting the remote control to the TV, my digital camera, and my palmtop cradle. What’s worse is that I reinforce this behavior because I say to him “Oh, looking for a snack?” and then give him a could of kibbles from the hidden treat-pouch.
Had a nice time with my sweetie last night, and the special on Kandula was really nicely done…adorable footage, and a lot of useful information. Interesting to me is that they aired it practically on his second birthday (Nov 25th). I was really impressed at the amount of tolerance Shanthi (his mother) had for humans, and for artificial insemination. More Kandula Info Elephant cam inside & outside More Egyptian stuff coming in the first week of December, and I’m already quite enthused about that.
I got some delightful treats from oneeyed and sedef! A stamp, Frankincense (not crack rock!) assorted teas, sage, cinnamon (un-ground) and some coins… and a very spiffy 30 min Home-movies in Dubai VCD. It’s so nice to see that whole family cruising around and having fun. (A lot of silly singing of Queen.. and Dr. Falafel the tooth-pulling incident. The whole crew is really adorable…and family intestinal issues) A lot of the outdoor scenes look like Florida, save for the gigantic shisha store, inverted cones of meat and such. All of the treats are so nice… and Newt is crazy for some scent in there.. think it’s the cinnamon. Thank you so much!
Sometimes I like the idea of living in a pod. (I figure if I can’t own the domain, at least someone else has something cool there.)
I’d like to visit the showing of Tokyo: The Imperial Capital… it just started showing this week at the Wolfsonian in Miami. The prints have a good, solid feel to them, and I’d like to see them up close and personal.
Well, groceries are restocked, bills are sent out, my pt taken care of, light office duty is going well, and it’s time for lunch! Not too shabby for a Monday! Until later, dear journal.
Where was I? I forgot
The point that I was making
I said if I was smart that I would
Save up for a piece of string
And a rock to wind the string around
I remember a time when you could knock someone out with the receiver of a telephone, at least you could if you were Jim Rockford on TV, fighting off thugs with mustaches who took him to a 70’s hotel room for interrogation… usually with a blond client. *bonk* The bad guy would get conked, and out they’d run.
I’m old enough to remember a time before touch tone phones, and when a phone call from a pay phone only cost a dime.
I actually remember seeing stores with ¢ on their signs. Menus, too. Woolworth’s, especially. When I was eight years old or or thereabouts… I must’ve been eight as it was just after the bicentennial. I’d wait out my mother’s shopping by getting a huge plate of french fries at the Woolworth’s snack bar for 45¢, (I forget how much the coke was) and sit and read my three comics that proclaimed a cost of 30¢.I remember really being happy that I could squeeze two dollars into a meal and a fistful of comics, with a little left over (not a lot, though. It usually got blown on gum or whatnot.)
Those were good times, for me… I got some solitary reading and junk food, with the Mom and 4 year old brother didn’t have to put up with my being a distraction in other parts of the store. I got to know a few of the regulars workers there, Middle-aged women in uniform, usually very nice, and the time of day meant that I wasn’t taking up valuable tip-space. I always left at least a dime as a tip, and it usually tickled the counter-staff that a young kid was being courteous enough to do something like that. My Mother had a job as a hairdresser at the same collection of stores, and I would spend a lot of time at the Woolworth’s or at the salon on days that I had no school, but she still had to go to work. My brother got a babysitter and sometimes I’d be called on to keep an eye on him… but I was pretty much left to my own devices, as long as I didn’t wander too far off. The times with the brother were fun too, but wandering solo at eight years old has a real magic to it. There were a lot of really nice people at the mall, and I fairly had the run of the place…at least the places that a kid would like.
So, anyway… I wonder if the cent sign is about used up, these days? I remember when the ¢ was on typewriters, too, but I can’t say as I’ve ever seen them on a computer keyboard. Fractions, as well. hmm.. come to think of it, I think the @ was a shift-¢ (or vice versa).
I’m really looking forward to watching the show about Kandula tonight on Discovery.
“On a seemingly ordinary day in November, 2001, something amazing happens at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, D.C. – Baby Kandula is born. His birth marks a rare success and huge scientific milestone for the zoological community: The 320-pound newborn is only the second Asian elephant to be born through artificial insemination.
Watch as this playful, rambunctious youngster grows up right before your eyes – taking his first steps, learning to feed and figuring out how to manipulate objects with his trunk in rare footage of an Asian elephant progressing through the newborn and toddler stages.
Baby Kandula cavorts and romps across the zoo grounds, yet is oblivious to his own importance globally. The pioneering science that made Kandula’s conception possible gives new hope to the worldwide network of pachyderm experts desperately trying to reverse the Asian elephants’ ever-quickening march toward extinction. The fervent efforts to understand a deadly virus that is sweeping through the elephant community may rest solely on this little one’s ample shoulders.”
Radar using existing cell-phone signals. Continue reading #6283 Whatever comes to mind, kid memory, cent sign, elephants
Talked to Danny earlier, and got to hear about his coming game with his students. It sounds like he’s going to have a lot of fun… six players, one DM… First level party comprised primarily of Halflings and half-elves. Dan helped Julian with some plotting and mapping, so he knows a few “surprises that will be popping up in the course of the adventure…I think that helped his enthusiasm. He also assisted many of the players with character backstory and general fleshing out of the party. As it stands now, there’s a rogue (Danny… going to multi-class with a ranger, I think), A pair of clerics (Each with bladed weapons.. is that allowed now?), a paladin, a fighter, and Ex-pirate Assassin-type turned good. They’re going to go on an old-school cave/dungeon crawl Wednesday after school (Half-day for thanksgiving) until 5:30. I look forward to hearing how it goes… I’m Happy that he’s found a little social gaming fun to squeeze into his burny-outie teaching schedule.
It looks like we’ll not be going to his place for thanksgiving… instead, I think my brother and I will just spend some time together and get Chinese or Mexican, and give thanks that someone else is cooking, and maybe catch that seagoing flick. In other, related news, bro never returned for his TV today.
MmMM… Chocolate Braaaiiiins.
RE: What I’ve been watching on CSPAN2
Also, if they are unsure, have them go here and click on their state. This is a report commissioned by the Institute For America’s Future about how this bill would brutalize the Medicare system for each state.
Emergency Campaign to Save Medicare – Reports by State
I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t know enough about this bill, but I think that the first sign of a bad deal is the fact that it’s getting rushed through without giving people any real time to go over all of it’s details. And those that I HAVE seen I find disgusting.
The NYT’s Paul Krugman on the bill, and AARP’s stance Continue reading #6282 Danny’s group, The Medicare bit, WWN, good movie possibilities, brains, Hitler.
Talked to Danny earlier, and got to hear about his coming game with his students. It sounds like he’s going to have a lot of fun… six players, one DM… First level party comprised primarily of Halflings and half-elves. Dan helped Julian with some plotting and mapping, so he knows a few “surprises that will be popping up in the course of the adventure…I think that helped his enthusiasm. He also assisted many of the players with character backstory and general fleshing out of the party. As it stands now, there’s a rogue (Danny… going to multi-class with a ranger, I think), A pair of clerics (Each with bladed weapons.. is that allowed now?), a paladin, a fighter, and Ex-pirate Assassin-type turned good. They’re going to go on an old-school cave/dungeon crawl Wednesday after school (Half-day for thanksgiving) until 5:30. I look forward to hearing how it goes… I’m Happy that he’s found a little social gaming fun to squeeze into his burny-outie teaching schedule.
It looks like we’ll not be going to his place for thanksgiving… instead, I think my brother and I will just spend some time together and get Chinese or Mexican, and give thanks that someone else is cooking, and maybe catch that seagoing flick. In other, related news, bro never returned for his TV today.
MmMM… Chocolate Braaaiiiins.
RE: What I’ve been watching on CSPAN2
Also, if they are unsure, have them go here and click on their state. This is a report commissioned by the Institute For America’s Future about how this bill would brutalize the Medicare system for each state.
Emergency Campaign to Save Medicare – Reports by State
I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t know enough about this bill, but I think that the first sign of a bad deal is the fact that it’s getting rushed through without giving people any real time to go over all of it’s details. And those that I HAVE seen I find disgusting.
The NYT’s Paul Krugman on the bill, and AARP’s stance Continue reading #6282 Danny's group, The Medicare bit, WWN, good movie possibilities, brains, Hitler.
Brother came by, wanting to borrow “$35 to do laundry, and to get by until he’s paid on Monday”… I told him that I couldn’t help him with cash, but if he wanted soap, bleach and softener that I could hook him up. He then tried to bargain me down to $20, and then just $10 to do his wash. “Because he borrowed it from a guy” I told him to tell the guy that he gets paid on Monday, and will take care of him then… Like he said he’d take care of me. It hurt to have to say no, but the fact that he’s communicating with his old cronies and showed up with a beer in his hand “that someone gave him” made it easier for me. He always smells of beer, when he comes by even though he claims that he’s not a problem drinker. My reply to the was “If it’s not a problem, I dare you to go until my birthday without having a drink… and if you do have a problem, you need to get it fixed”. I think that he’ll come back later for the TV of his that I’m storing here, in order to pawn it. I figure the whole reason he came down my way to “do laundry” was to try and hustle me for some funds. That’s not going to happen any more. I’ll give him supplies… laundry soap, detergent, etc, but I just can’t validate giving him any money. I just won’t support his habits or lack of forethought anymore. Dealing with Frankie recently has helped me to understand that I’m not doing my brother or myself any good by helping him to be an addict. I don’t want to see him descend to Frankie’s level as a result of my “assistance.” So, that’s got me a little cranky today. I love my brother, but I don’t like what he’s up to. I’m glad that I can rely on my sweetheart and Newt to bring good thoughts.
There are some who call me Kareem Adel Jabbar (No relation to basketball players)
Scotto’s Dirty little secret of the day – I’m fascinated watching the U.S. Senate debate on legislation on C-Span 2 right now. A place where people can still use the term “boondoggle” multiple times in serious conversation. (I still think of that as a Boy Scout reference when I hear it.) Paul Sarbanes (D-MD) seems to be a voice of reason, questioning elements of Dick Durbin’s (D-IL) statements about drug companies, Medicare, HMOs and seniors. (Medicare Prescription Drug plan).. Basically a Big sloppy Kiss to the Insurance industry, and harsh to folks on Medicare. It’s nice to see folks arguing for a social motive, rather than a profit motive…at least on the face of things. I really like folks that can think on their feet, rather than just delivering a canned speech, too.
It occurs to me that I have no idea where my blue dice bag & dice are. I’ve got some assorted 6-siders in boxed games, or with my minis, but the big blue bag has been packed away since I moved here. I could guess at the location, but don’t know for sure.
I had a crick in my right side, probably from over exerting myself on the stretching this morning, but I’m feeling better now.
Geek moment: The person I was most sad to see go as a result of Crisis was Clayface (Matt Hagan) . (Even more than The Flash or Supergirl.) I was really happy to see him back on the Batman Cartoon.
Wow… 40 years ago, JFK in Dallas. I was born after the fact, so it seems like it’s ancient history, not so recent.
Wonderful composite of Moon and Sun via apod
Having trouble toddling off to sleep tonight, so I’ll just type-type until I feel the desire to kick back and relax or read in a horizontal position.. My workout has some stretches that feel great. My favorite is one when I lay on my stomach and use a belt or sheet to bend my leg out and back behind me… the stretch is easy to do, and I can feel a very palpable difference. The only hazard is that Newt likes to come visit and play while I’m doing it, so I’m easily distracted..I end up losing count or the beat, and having to restart again later. He’s very fond of taking a swat at the ponytail or one of my mitts, and he’s too cute to turn down.
Well, in other news, the mother takes off for her Thanksgiving week cruise on Monday…. they’ll be out to sea until Saturday night. I’m glad that she and her husband get to travels so much, and see the world, even if they’re not really retired. They do it so much, though, that I’m likely to call it “retired-ish”.
Had a gab with the Bro for a bit yesterday, and I’ve got confirmation that he’s talked to Mike and Andy a bit lately, which is disappointing, but not surprising. I have to call Danny up, and see if having the brother along is ok, or see if Bro and I will do something non-traditional for dinner, instead. I’d like to be there to help spare Danny the “deal with family alone” stress, too.
Went and looked up the word “top” (like a dreidel) just to find out what it’s the top of…I was guessing it was a mutation of the word “tip” since it balances on a point. Nothing so unusual. Top comes from the old English toye, meaning plaything. Sometimes my quest for the rest of the story stops pretty quickly.
Cat in the Hat is getting EL STINKEROO reviews… Well, that’s too bad. Looks like Elf is the runaway hit this go-round. There’s always Master and Commander, too.
I’m surprised how good South park was last night. (All About Mormons?) They basically punched holes in the Mormon belief system and then turned it around at the end. Something that I’ve always liked about the show is that when it’s good, nobody gets away without a mark. Nobody’s perfect…. what’s more, they don’t have to be.
Last bit:
“Look, maybe us Mormons do believe in crazy stories that make absolutely no sense, and maybe Joseph Smith did make it all up, but I have a great life. and a great family, and I have the Book of Mormon to thank for that. The truth is, I don’t care if Joseph Smith made it all up, because what the church teaches now is loving your family, being nice and helping people. And even though people in this town might think that’s stupid, I still choose to believe in it. All I ever did was try to be your friend, Stan, but you’re so high and mighty you couldn’t look past my religion and just be my friend back. You’ve got a lot of growing up to do, buddy. Suck my balls.”
I’m not a Mormon…*very* far from it, in fact….but I can get behind that sentiment.
Handy Dandy guide to DC “Earths” Continue reading #6280 TV, Comics, Movies, Music, Family
New regimen for PT.. The stretching and weights seem to be really making a good, solid difference. Newt’s a little talker today… and he’s into playing fetch, which always makes me smile.
Something I’ve always wondered about Captain Marvel…when Billy Batson would say “SHAZAM!” each letter represented a different source of power (and the acronym varied according to the being using it, see below…)
| Captain Marvel | Mary Marvel | Black Adam | SHAZAM | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deity | Attribute | Deity | Attribute | Deity | Attribute | Deity | Attribute | |||
| Solomon | Wisdom | Selena | Grace | Shu | Stamina | Marzosh | Stamina | |||
| Hercules | Strength | Hippolyta | Strength | Heru | Swiftness | Arel | Speed | |||
| Atlas | Stamina | Ariadne | Skill | Amon | Strength | Ribalvei | Power | |||
| Zeus | Power | Zephyrus | Speed | Zehuti | Wisdom | Voldar | Strength | |||
| Achilles | Courage | Aurora | Beauty | Aton | Power | Elbiam | Courage | |||
| Mercury | Speed | Minerva | Wisdom | Mehen | Courage | Lumiun | Wisdom | |||
Umm. Solomon? What’s he doing in that crew of Greeks and Romans on Cap’n Marvel? I also thought it was kind of funny that he has a lightening bolt (The method of his transformation) on his chest… sort of like Superman wearing a big phone booth on his. Yes, I know it’s just a silly comic book, but when you’re eleven years old, these things make you wonder…. and if you’re me, they stay with you for life.
Carrying on a nice e-mail correspondence with the Gray Pumpkin. He’s going to be running a “super-teens/school” game over the Thanksgiving holiday while Pam’s visiting. Sort of a rag-tag bunch. Mrs.P is playing a Mimic, Pam’s got some sort of mutant-acrobat, and the remaining player (folks I’ve not met, but sound like a good crew) are doing a Sorcerer-type, A naive Atlantean Princess with a Monkey sidekick (Sea-monkey, that is), and I forget off the top of my head who, if any of the others might be.
GP was kind enough to give me an invite to come by sometime, too. It’d be nice to see them and goof around a bit. It’ll be a while before it happens, though. I used up a bit of off time during recovery. I wonder how Newt’d like visiting Austin?
I’ve got other places that I’d like to travel to, as well…Up the East coast to visit other family and loved ones.
Currently contemplating the topic of the next article I want to write. The runes one was some work, but turned out pretty good, I think.
ACIM got some more coverage on the news– Looks like Georgia is going to be picked up quickly. Continue reading #6278 GP’s TG play, sacred sites, ACIM in the news, old palm art, asteroid strike
Carrying on a nice e-mail correspondence with the Gray Pumpkin. He’s going to be running a “super-teens/school” game over the Thanksgiving holiday while Pam’s visiting. Sort of a rag-tag bunch. Mrs.P is playing a Mimic, Pam’s got some sort of mutant-acrobat, and the remaining player (folks I’ve not met, but sound like a good crew) are doing a Sorcerer-type, A naive Atlantean Princess with a Monkey sidekick (Sea-monkey, that is), and I forget off the top of my head who, if any of the others might be.
GP was kind enough to give me an invite to come by sometime, too. It’d be nice to see them and goof around a bit. It’ll be a while before it happens, though. I used up a bit of off time during recovery. I wonder how Newt’d like visiting Austin?
I’ve got other places that I’d like to travel to, as well…Up the East coast to visit other family and loved ones.
Currently contemplating the topic of the next article I want to write. The runes one was some work, but turned out pretty good, I think.
ACIM got some more coverage on the news– Looks like Georgia is going to be picked up quickly. Continue reading #6278 GP's TG play, sacred sites, ACIM in the news, old palm art, asteroid strike
Well, the Broward county fair starts today. I saw tarpo and his squeeze there a while back.. was it two years ago, already?
They sawed the legs off of the local Santa-Amazon, to put her indoors! The poor thing! ( I had to find out via Roadside America, because I don’t really go shopping out there, but it’s fin to drive past.)
I’m loving the cooler weather right now. I have more energy and enthusiasm with the atmosphere this way. PT went well today, though I forgot the Cafe con Leche until I got home. I may drift out and pick some up later this afternoon.
Bro swung by for a while, visited for a bit and picked up his “prize” radio thingamabob. It was a pleasant gab, talked back and forth about a few things. He seemed pretty on top of his game. I got a mailer from one of his sponsors for surfing, and it looks like he’s going to get back into that… They sent him approval for being on the regional team, as well as a fins and a few jerseys. He gave me one of the promo shirts… it’s nice, then first he’s gotten in a long while.. They sent him the V-5 flex and a standard v-5. He’s still not listed on the team page, but that’ll change once he wins a competition. He could stand the workout and environment. Any healthy habits are certainly to be encouraged.
Marvel Comics Media Update Continue reading #6277 – back from PT/ marvel media update
So, is Frankie out, at last? Not sure… I think so. If he is, it’s about dang time, sez I. Comfortably cool out right now… light rains, high 60s.
Let them sing it for you – type in lyrics, and it pulls clips from songs to play… sort of a cool way to write an audio ransom note. (I did “I want to eat your heart and eyes for dinner,” “store the money in a plain brown bag,” “Death to those who would dance with no voice” and “Was it a large cat you saw jump through my skin?”)
First New Space Ghost C2C since 2001 premieres on December 7 at 11:30pm (ET/PT) on Cartoon Network.
I’ve been getting a lot of these paypal virus emails lately… fortunately, I deal primarily with a web-mail client that catches this hubbub before it becomes a problem.
Also, Newt says hi from the Futon –
C at work has called me at home numerous times today. I have a procedures manual there that has everything typed out, step by step, written so that a monkey with a head wound could figure it out… but he can’t be bothered to look in the book, it seems. So, I get to talk him through it, and hope for the best… but it’s a little on the irritating side. I tell them where to find information, and instead, they prefer me to try to rack my brain and recall something I did two months ago.. and wrote down, because I was pretty sure that I wouldn’t remember it. Ah well, enough grumping. My own fault for not going in this week. I’ll have plenty to do next week, and then I can run with it.
Back on call now once 5pm rolls by, but that’s fine. Soft rains and dark skies along with thoughts of my sweetheart will make it float comfortably.
Cool little Flying robot. I’d like one, please. I’d also like to pick up a “Sticky Shocker“.
The average cruising airspeed velocity of an unladen European Swallow is roughly 11 meters per second, or 24 miles an hour.
The four capitals of Assyria were Ashur (or Qalat Sherqat), Calah (or Nimrud), the short-lived Dur Sharrukin (or Khorsabad), and Nineveh. The ruins of all four ancient cities fall within the modern state of Iraq
From “Mungo” at RPG.net, about old-school Gamma World:
“It’s hard to pick out a single memorable incident, but the campaign was filled with a sense of desperate hilarity. We were always getting in trouble and barely making it out the alive. When people talk about GW being ‘Yahoo’ this is what I think of – over the top situations and reckless adventure. Unfortunately, I think ‘yahoo’ has come to mean ‘silly’ for a lot of people (and perhaps the new GW designers from the sounds of it – though I have yet to read the new edition so I can’t say) which it isn’t. ‘Yahoo’ was fun, action packed and PC adventure focused – completely antithetical to prolonged angst, introspection, or detailed and often unusable background info, which is what people usually confuse with ‘serious.'”
Ahh.. yup. That’s the good stuff, and sums up a lot of the fun I had in the old gaming days. There’s a place for everything, of course, but I certainly preferred “Seat of your pants” scrambling and friendly character roleplay than moody, broody, grumps that many systems seem to favor. (Not like I’ve really played anything in an age.)
Near Extinct Whistling Language Returns Continue reading #6274 work, whistles, Jupiter, fun electronics, Holy Grail Answers, frp goodness
Yowza. Far too many jobs run last night. it seemed that as soon as I hung up with one PD, another would crop up. Fortunately, most were recoveries or other forms of good news.
Mike Myers is using his “Linda Richman – Cawfee Tawk” voice as The Cat in the Hat? That’s sort of weird. It’s not like I’m planning on seeing it in the theater, but I figure it’ll be on TV in the next year or two, for at least a month, all over cable. I wonder if it’ll be worth watching, or if it’ll be really hard to avoid seeing snips and snaps of it when I least desire to?
I have a confession, I think the Coffee Talk skits he did were pretty dang funny, if only because the character reminded me of all the Boca Raton Retirees clucking in their personal circles.