twenty-three is a magic number

Schoolhouse Rocks didn't see this coming! Bachelor's degree -- now very common, yields "jack" for pay. Let's see. I owe $22,000 - 45,000 for student loans. This job is paying me $23,000. How? Why? What?
"I'm wonder'n if a shake come wit dem fries"+

Twenty-three should not be the magic number. Now, I wouldn't expect 42, the answer to the meaning of life, but between 23 and 42 would be more reasonable, especially if you have experience.

What colleges need to do is cut the waste classes or brochure classes which you pay for a couple of paragraphs of information and move on to practical and useful classes. I wouldn't even mind paying for them, if they were online and I could finish twelve of those in a semester or faster.

How about an MBA. Okay, but what if I'm not a master salesman? I'm a "betterer" as MR put it. I have lots of ideas and I can improve things ... business or otherwise. I can read and comprehend post-doctorate scientific journals and pre-school scrawling. I can examine my old ways and build on them, making learning and doing faster.

I guess I'm just burned because middle and high school were a waste, followed by the useless classes in college which were wastes. I got debt and the salary I'm offered isn't real. Then, I have other political grievances, and I get to shoulder the financial burdon of bad action and planning by the government. When the blood is dried my this stone, me, it goes to the next generation and so on.

I want companies to pony up to qualified persons. I'm not asking for $50,000, and not $40,000, but $22 or $23 doesn't cut it. Perhaps the companies are more like France in that the old, old, old persons there, older than the walls of the building are not keen on change and forget that education costs and that some people wound up paying for it through loans. Perhaps they forgot that when they were hired, they struggled with debt and no money and were thinking, "give me a break ... a raise, please". When the cost of living rises and the gratuities and raises do not ... the nation will become the welfare state.

Whereas the terrorists plot to overthrow the government and to destroy its finances, the government and its complacency with companies overpaying CEOs and shipping jobs out of the country, the US will overthrow itself given enough time. At some breaking point, there will be rebellion or the reversal of democracy, since the clothes-wearing pigs seem to forget that some are not more equal than others.

American companies need a swift kick in the backside. A bachelor's degree in a field, not general studies

+ great communicator 50-cent

Up, longer, straighter

not an "enhancement" ad. I have seen a great number of people with Christmas decore clinging to houses inside and out. While in Lafayette, the spirit is still alive or lingers with trees still in a front window room. I could summarily dismiss this as "white trash" laziness, or I could view it as clinging desperately to a dream, hope, and meaning.

I didn't especially like my minimalist Christmas this year, yet I am happy that I have friends and family, life and health. In fact, I think that, apart from insomnia, I am slightly healthier than last year. I didn't get my typical sinus infection.

I haven't discarded my thoughts on Christmas, my angst with minimal cash, and my vain efforts in other ventures.

Kissin' counsins

Patch this together with Boyzvoice.

on the killing floor

This is a job where you supervise killing.

miscarriage of justice

While the woman who miscarried her child is suing the officers and that is a tragedy, I would follow up with Liar, Liar's quote of, "Quit breaking the law, ***hole!" It is a shame she miscarried. That is a sadness and worthy of grief. What I think the media missed on this one was she was arrested. Now, the infractions were minor, but they didn't arrest her for being pregnant nor for being Black. She had a few items noteworthy for arrest.

Let us hope the jury sees it this way too.

Harry Potter 7

Deathly Hallows. Hmmmmm
I'll buy it, then regret it in the morning.
July 21, 2007
Coming to a bookstored married to Starbucks near you.

Let me read through the books, with the knowledge that they are children's books.
Philospher's/Sorcorer's Stone: neat intro, humor, saving poor Harry and he find's he is someone in the Wizardry world. It is an okay book, bordering on very good. It was a start and finish that could either lead to other books as it did or end.
Chamber of Secrets: introduces deception and disguises, characters develop and grow, but not as well written as book 1
Prisoner of Azkaban: more fearsome creatures, new threats, new friends
Goblet of Fire: longer than other others, intriguing, two murders, more talk about wizardry, you know ... the backdrop to the book. By far, my favorite in the series.
Order of the Pheonix: 600 pages too long, angry was Harry and the reader as they sifted through the chapters of false starts. Nose goblins and the Weasley brothers were the only two highlights
Half-Blood Prince: better than OoP, but weak in so many ways and for so many reasons. Rowling has still kept Snape elusive in this book ... on which side is he. She has never revealed his true nature, unless "A muse has no place in battle. I was an artist!"+

If it was done like book 5 -- it'll blow nose goblins, if done like the highlights of the other books, it'll be grand.

+ Dogma, demon Azreal explains his planning and waiting during the angelic battle for control

Happy day, yesterday

She sits and laughs and the world slows to join her.

engraved benches ... Delphi

Location: Indiana. Man! This city doesn't have those. We ought to have those. "Solomon Grundy want pants too!"

Progress Smarter

That is my new philosphy, or rather my voiced philosophy. It has been one I have had. Progress, meaning to move forward. I try to gain something every day. I'd like to gain something from every experience, but sometimes I find little gain in some things. Today I had a two-hour interview. It went pretty well, I think. I don't believe in luck, but in fortunate randomness. I still not mention the name of the company for when I tout promise, even to myself, it often goes awry, falters then fails. Either it is related to my mentioning it, my subconscious dooming it, or it isn't in the stars (doubtful).

God willing, I will get a job soon -- better still, a career that challenges and rewards.

I learned quite a bit about a few things, hopefully I'll retain the important and remember the unimportant. I feel that today I can truly progress smarter.

Death's Acre

Well, the book was more of an autobiography, but contained some anecdotes, cases and defined the basis and development of the body farm in Tennessee. In the book, the author, in his seventies now, mentions his third marriage. His first two wives died. He is a heavy smoker and didn't develop too much trouble from the habit, but his first wife developed aggressive cancer. This was worsened by smoke. His second wife died, as then did his faith. I suppose the lesson is, treat others well.

book review

Death's Acre, forensic pathologist Dr. Bass recalls the development of the "body farm". His book is interesting because he points out his errors lead him to excellence. The body farm, a thought in his mind, decades later comes into being. His work in interesting, detailed and he includes history, annecdotes, and humor. I would certainly reccomend this book to those who find forensic study intersting.

Did I mention I was stupid?

I looked at an email or cover letter I sent. I removed the "resources" but left "human", so I sent Dear Human [person's name]. I suppose profanity is in order, but I'll stick with "I'm with stupid", arrow pointing to face.

on the backs of the workers

Yet another missuse of people and their abilities:
bilingual Spanish & English paid $9 per hour. Now, normally, if you are schooled and trained with a skill, like a language, you get a bump in pay. I guess they expect people to be bilingual and don't plan on playing any more for that person's ability, regarless how s/he obtained it.

putting BS to work

I saw two jobs in which the illustrious companies were offering to pay the rate of $10 per hour and one was < $8. Let's see. Applicant went to school and paid $25000 or more for a bachelors and you are willing to pay $15,500 - $20,000. If you don't get a lot of takers, understand that you want the impossible. The entry title is one catch phrase used by a company to entice people to use their degree. Um ... how?

Cosmos & Cosmos (forgotten entry)

Carl Sagan's Cosmos was an interesting show. I found them and watch them every now and then. A very interesting point made was in perception and limits. "What is the shape of the universe?" "What is the shape of time?"
Before seeing this show or shortly after seeing it in the 70s I thought some deep thoughts about limits.

In a sense, this episode delves into the bigger questions: is the universe expanding? What then is the universe's shape? If the universe is flat (remind yourself of Christopher Columbus)? At each level, all things on "lower" levels seem particularly fast, while all things on "greater" levels seem particularly slow. Is it possible that there is a cycle to what we consider existence? Each new creation then is different than the last.

Then I move on to Cosmos, a local restaurant that closed a building in a poorer section, in favor of keeping the north location. It wasn't my cup of tea, but the folks mentioned it, as they had been there on a few occasions. My father visted there more often due to golfing near there sometimes.

Let's hear it for the good folks here!

Consumer Reports is a great little magazine. Not only is it helpful, but they have growing sections that are funny. "Selling It" features poor placement and adverising, much like This is Broken site. They announce "Black Hole Awards" that are given to products and companies wasting space, like a 9 cubic foot box for an over-sized bottle of aspirin. They have the "Oyster Awards" for difficult to open packages.

This newest magazine I got, I've been a subscriber for years, is very funny. Thanks Consumer Reports and Comsumers' Union for the decades of successes and work. May Susuki bite their tongues regarding their litigations against your rightful statesments.

interesting for the wrong reasons

from the Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA — Indiana had the third-highest rate of black homicides in the nation last year, trailing only Pennsylvania and Louisiana, according to a study released Monday by a nonprofit research group.

Firearms, especially handguns, were used in the overwhelming majority of the nation’s 6,644 slayings with black victims, according to the Violence Policy Center, which supports gun-control efforts. Eighty-five percent of black victims were male.

Pennsylvania recorded 29.52 homicides per 100,000 black residents in 2004, the last year for which the FBI data was available, while Louisiana followed closely behind at 29.48, and Indiana was third with 29.3.

The national rate of black homicides was 18.71 per 100,000.

The national homicide rate overall was 4.86 per 100,000, and the national rate for whites was 2.97 homicides per 100,000, the group reported.

For cases in which the weapon could be identified, 79 percent of the victims were killed with guns, and 80 percent of those deaths involved handguns, the study found.

........... article copied because by the wonders of the press, this article wasn't found on AP, so I couldn't link to it.
What you might have missed is that "black" is lower case, instead of uppercase as it is generally printed. The report isn't from last year, nor the year before, but rather 2004. Lastly, this will undoubtedly be used as a platform for a loudmouth pushy guy ... Jessie Jackson comes to mind to make some statement distantly related to something related to something important.

News Tip

If someone has to tell you he or she is God or Christ, that person is a liar! When comes needs you, you don't need to ask who God is, you know at that moment you should do it. If God approaches you, you'll know. If Jesus sits next to you and wants to reveal himself as Christ, he doesn't have to say a word.

Haven't there been enough David Koresh's, Jim Jones, and others to clearly and definitively point out that those claiming to be Jesus and the Christ are liars?

60 year old man claiming his is Christ, huh ... not shocking. The fact that stupid desperate people are following him, not shocking. Newsweek covering it, shock --- not shocking. I guess I'm done typing here.

Snow, powdery snow

It was nice having powdery snow to move, unlike the wet slush Indiana usually gets. I forgot to mention that at 7:30, my butt and the rest of me was asleep. The doorbell rang. What the? Who the? Why the? I plopped, really, out of bed and peered out the window. A lone, unfamiliar white car on the street, a person nearby. I walked downstairs, nearly tumbling, and answered the door, shirtless. The guy called out through the wind and dark, "d'ya want me ta do da dr ..."
"No!"

That guy woke my sorry tail for that? I had finally gone to sleep fairly early for me and got some rest. I actually fell back asleep after that and snoozed longer. A fierce truck was moving snow from a neighbor's drive. I think he was a son-in-law, but am unsure. Okay ... okay, I'll get moving. I drank coffee and headed out into the windy cold. After snowblowing two drives, I returned to get a scarf. The wind continually blew the snow back into my face. It was miserable.

Still, the moving was faster since it was powder.

I made chili, which I thought was going to be too spicy, but was just fine. Now, it sits and grows in my gut. I wonder if I made stomach beer? It seems to be producing gas out the top. I'm sure later it will expell out the back too.

Sun finally rose this monring

9:00 am, Fishers, Indianapolis, IN

famous and the infamous

Ronald McDonald at a bench, on a third floor balcony office buliding. Located in Fishers, Indianapolis, IN

Ronald McDonald waiting for guests

Colts labels found on many vehicles all around town -- Indianapolis, IN

Colts pride at a bar

KFC, but not a diner or restaurant

The old cabbie car is odd, painted with americana and Dogs & Suds for the closed for season business. What's stranger still is the BMW dealership in the background.

eleven minus twleve

It isn't an equation, it was the temperature today and how it felt with "wind chill factor". -12 ... cold, cold, cold. It isn't rare, but odd considering the relative wimpy Winter we've had. I stepped out of my vehicle only a few times to take a couple of shots. I finally felt the unblocked wind and yikes, scurried back to the warmth of the recently running van for comfort. What a wimp!

I got to see what FW might be, with lots of businesses -- Lafayette and her sister West Lafayette. I was in Fishers (Indy) this morning driving for 75 mintues in the dark, which relented to charcoal and black like waste oil. Finally, at 8:08, the sun lovingly shown and brightened the city. Around Fishers the traffic nearly stopped. I heard on a radio ad about the "fastest way to warm your car is to drive it". The irony of me idling in traffic was not lost on me. It was an ad about the environment.

I got to my first interview early and needed it. I wondered within the building not finding the suite. On a door of another suite, was a handwritten note -- [name of comapny] is at end of hall. I then had time to spend before going to Lafayette. I looked for a coffee shop with wi-fi. I couldn't find a coffee shop, let alone one with wi-fi. I traveled up 65 was is starkly different than I-69. It is rough, not as well maintained. Also, the shanties are more visible than those on I-69. That's sad, really.

Throughout Indy there was Colts spirit. Sadly, the place I went this morning had "COLTS" printed correctly in the window, which means passersby would see colts backwars ... not well thought.

The man who interviewed my this afternoon was in a different field himself -- "someone who helped sex offenders , molesters. Some of them were M.R.+." At the end, he stated that I seemed like the best person he'd met so far and that he only had one person left. Well, that's hopeful.

This morning's interviewer was as frail as a Valentine's rose in April. She was probably my age, but noticeably frail.

+ mentally retarded at some level or to some degree

I watched this video, then pow!

I got a really bad feeling about this. I think the movie was called "One Week".

How would you like to be remembered?

Ronald Reagan, younger, as governor long-since an actor, but with Hollywood ties. He was on Dean Martin's Roast for at least two celebrities. If you are a fan of Reagan, this small glipse is a better portrait and way to remember him.

I'll have to work on Nixon ... he's a toughee.

Famous or not, I'd rather be remembered for a modicum of humility and humor.

Winter winner and whiner

I walked to my frozen car today, my print made semi-permanent in the super cold snow.

Frozen inside and out ... I gave up.

Saturday, I got a thank you card and check from a neighbor, whose driveway I plowed. Isn't that nice. Thanks!

rude comment of the day

"Crossing Jordan gets edgier"

Well, I'd start watching it when Jill Hennessy's character starts getting "nakeder". Wow! The smut that comes to my mind is astonishing! Okay, so I find her attractive.

old fart

I have reached the age where my nieces and nephews can say, "parents just don't understnad"+ about me. He's just weird. That is correct, but it is sometimes that nasty generation gap that leaves them in wonder and me in self-doubt. Crud! I'm old!

+ "Parents Just Don't Understand", by DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince aka Will Smith

Super Bowl XLI

For Indiana XLI is for Superbowl eXtra Large one, in that Indy is there and Chicago is there. Hooray; hoorah; the gang's all here! Yesiree, dis here game, da Bears and the Colts will be legendary. Either Colts win be a respectable 2nd or pull out a win. I'm still thinking that da Bears will win. I posted early that I think the spread will be 12 points, but I believe that I should drop that a bit. With the possibility of injury recoveries, I'll drop the point spread to 9. Bears should win by 9 points, but not likely 12.

Indy will have its larger dome and might sometime host the superbowl. I just hope that the Colts have this new dome and putter out after this year. "Looks like we made it ... " sadly droning on in the background, Shania's voice echoing, not the intentionally love song, but rather Colts losing focus.

Politics aside, the fanfare of the first two African-American (Black) head coaches making it to the Superbowl, I believe that they will, will, get some real hefty raises, regardless the outcome. You got your team to the Superbowl? Here's x (current salary), whereas x is a number between 2 and 9 inclusively. Ah, I see you've solved x for 12, very good.

week 2

I have looked through the job postings and found that FW still isn't hiring. Indy, Lafayette, and the Gary area area.

House of Flying Daggers was Over the Hedge

House of Flying Daggers started with dance choreography, featuring the accomplished dancer Ziyi Zhang. If you remove the beauty of the dance, you are left with a sloppy Bazooka Joe comic of a story. While the themes are culturally specific and the lust curtailed by duty and implied love, it is nontheless a sour mash of bad dialogue and circumstances. The Spy Kids animation in the movie takes away from the already weak story. It was all visual, so, technically you could strip away the soundtrack and replace it. I saw the English version, which was weaker still. Overall they did an alright sound remaster, but sound is intrinsically valuable in a movie about a blind woman/girl who uses sound. It was like watching an aquarium, while you were entertained visually, in the end you wonder why you sat that long.

Over the Hedge slipped into the area of one half of an idea with thirteen other ideas glued together for a miss. I like Wanda Sykes, but she wasn't enough to save it. When your star line up is Gary Shandling and Bruce Willis, well disaster looms. Hammy getty loopy on caffiene, where have I seen that before, oh yes ... in a better movie, Hoodwinked. Thomas Haden-Church as an overstuffed terminator -- nice touch. The movie's conclusion was just terrible. I tried to put it in perspective for a child, but the bear, "I'm going to kill you" and a few other adult references make me rate this one poor. The link of this to the comic strip is a S - T - R - E - T - C - H. I doubt that anyone watching the movie would hurry to start reading the comic.

Summarized:
House of Flying Daggers, visually interesting and that's where it ends. Over the Hedge, overdone with some samples of clever scenes.

I don't criticize movies ...

"I'm the last one to criticize someone's movie career; I've had a few disasters myself. I also don't criticize governors." +

+ Ronald Reagan, governor 1970s
Dean Martin Roasts Bob Hope

almost famous

Later to be king?

Kentuckiana

I thought it was a derogatory term for the "suthern" part of Indiana. As it turns out, it's the name of places and companies. Well, what do you know about that?

I heard this term given many times, instead of Hoosier Hick or Hoosier Redneck, we had the Kennessee part of Indiana where it's about to go to analog 1918. "We all related" as they say.

Harold's last day

So ... may I take it you quit or were fired?

Whatever the person's name is, I commend her/him for making this indellible mark on her/his work history.

so, technically if I had worked since age 8

I could work for them.

I wonder how many 19 year olds have 10 years documented work.

down home

Well, I was greeted well by my niece at Purdue when I was there to take her home.
As a side note, many girls there have long since worried about guys in the hallway. My niece and I were getting into the elevator when a girl walked through the hall wearing only her towel. She looked at me, smiled (perhaps to herself) and walked on to her room, I suspect. She was non-stop excited chattering.

When I got to her home, her sister, another niece of mine, first bounced like Tigger out the door and across the lawn to greet her sister. She then bounced over to me and happily hugged me. I was a good man to have brought her sister. I guess I serve a purpose afterall.

Angel, the dog, greeted me, but was especially happy to see my niece from college. A quick observation and there was something wrong with poor Angel. According to my niece, she has a fungal infection in a private area, quite dark, mutant growth noticeable. I presume she is on an anti-biotic medicine. While I was given no incling that she would call, I predict that family will invite everyone over for dinner -- to show the folks the sofa and to eat as a group, once again.

if Dave Letterman played with Spinal Tap

You'd have this show, but different music. "Balls To the Wall" is really a good song, especially considering the age.

plinks, links, clinks

I found Bango-Tango (interesting 1993 speed bass) after researching Faster Pussycat.
I had been looking for the name of the band Bango-Tango for quite some time.

And you thought Tammy Faye Baker wore a lot of makeup, check out these bands!

and I was egged for my comments

Despite being a Hoosier and regardless whether I want Colts to win, I predict the following result: Chicago Bears win over Indy Colts by 12 points.

splat, splat, TP, splat, flaming bag of poo, burning horseshoe in lawn ... boy are these hicks crazy!

I expect "Blue Sunday" to be followed by Blue (as in sorrowful and quite unproductive) Monday. The Colts just squeeze by, pull a win by a moment only. For this reason, I predict that they won't win. Chicago has been making a mess of the challengers and quite frankly the Colts have valuable players with injuries. I cannot honestly expect a win for the Colts.

sparse

Posted outside the dorm entry. Very likely, he left college on his own accord.
Wade, missing from Purdue University.

small bit of furniture in the breezeway access to the female dorm.

traveling back to the 70s for fast food

I went to Purdue, West Lafayette, today. On my way there I had essentially Rap that I didn't like, country to which I don't listen or 70s. I chose '70s music and near Lafayette (not West), there was a 10-mile fast food oil smell that was unavoidable. Now, I didn't see any fast food in the area where I smelled it. It was quite odd.

I heard around 75 minutes of 70s music .. feeling like I went back in time. I turned it to another station that mentioned DVDs, so I know I kept in this time period. Near Logansport I smelled the most wicked batch of sulfer ammonia -- undiscovered 2006 Easter eggs or the wonder of industry and farms -- as speculated by my niece, whom I picked up at Purdue. There are both pig and cattle farms there, as well as a wide section of river and industries. 25 miles East of that are quarries and a US-24 Mount Stinky, aka landfill about .4 miles off the highway.

Delphi had a neat dedication that I shot while stopped at a light.

Here is an ammo, gunshop on the highway. Was there thinking involved here?

oh, and I drove ... I drove so far away

I left early afternoon to pick up niece at Purdue. She is good and ready to leave for the weekend. This semester appears to be more challenging and she doesn't much care for all of that. She also had to switch her majors. The good news for the both of us is that I am not taking old clunker aka my car. I borrowed "the van" which is much more comfortable. It'll be 7 before I see this laptop again.

This sucks!

Super vampires. Holy bad cartooning!

done in

My father got a call yesterday from a fellow church member. He doesn't know the family much at all, still the call was distressing. The family's 41 year old son committed suicide.

Damn ... may God have him.

God in Heaven ... my only friend

"Badlands",
Metal Church

.........
I ride alone, the wasteland that I cross
Will take another life, we'll take another loss
I feel a dry wind, dust is in my eyes
The artic cold at night, the earth, it tells me lies

God in heaven, my only friend
Will I live to see my journey's end?
As the world awakens me so hard, my values have been changed
I make a promise to myself: Never again
A dusty godforsaken path, endless to my dismay
I know these are the badlands, somehow I'll find my way

No more paradise, no more soothing rain
All the sacrifice, the pain is all the same
Still I'm pushing onward, alone I can't deny
My presence fills the desert, my spirit never dies

Will these lonely nights ever end?
Will I live to see my journey's end?
As the world awakens me so hard, my values have been changed
I make a promise to myself: Never again
A dusty godforsaken path, endless to my dismay
I know these are the badlands, somehow I'll find my way

The vultures that circle, cloud the empty sky,
Patiently waiting, they wait for me to die
Tortured and beaten, blistered by the sun
Forceful and heartless, have the badlands won?

Still I'm pushing onward, alone I can't deny
My presence fills the desert, my spirit never dies
As the world awakens me so hard, my values have been changed
I make a promise to myself: Never again
A dusty godforsaken path, endless to my dismay
I know these are the badlands, somehow I'll find my way

What, huh?

By far the most bizarre, seemingly real video.

Sperm driver.

Poseidon 06

Unlike the "Adventure", this one is 90 minutes. I think the new version did a nice job of reminding you of the terror and mess involved with the moments after the ship flips. There was a scene where the survivors heard hundreds of screams, then they were silenced. The pace of the movie was quick, but the characters were all expendable. There was a messload of fire all thing considered. I have to submit the following criiques that bugged me.

Overall I think it was around 50-50, so you could watch it in the background doing something else. If you watch it hoping for a good-great movie, you'll be sorry.

[WARNING: SPOILER]

The small band of people were traveling up. They actived a pump that was manual. At the rate of filling, the person in a ship, rightsize up would drown almost instantly. There also isn't a real application regarding daisy chain effect. If the ship is upside-down and is taking on ballast ... where is it drawing ballast, the top?

I liked seeing Andre Braugher as the Captain, though he was used little in the film. Richard Dreyfuss, an old distraught gay man replaces (vibrant old guy who finds a seventeen year old quite attractive -- from Posseidon Adventure). Kevin Dillon as the ass who I thought was going to boink or rape one of the ladies.

The ship was completely sunk, with a ridiculous action scene with propellers moving. There wasn't as much story as flash here.

The survivors basically setting up the ship to sink did provide them with incentive to leave the dead where they were, no matter who they were. The raft with beacon sitting nicely near the ship regardless of explosions -- huh?

Further evidence of my own personal Tyler Durden

I felt a scratch and dried blood on my head. I don't remember injuring myself. I guess Tyler had an interesting time last night. He doesn't keep a journal, darn him!

K-Pax reference

Okay ... I thought about it and realized that few readers, as if I had many, would understand the K-Pax reference. Here is the story:

MR asked me one time for A movie that I liked ... just any, just name one. The exclusions were bigger known older movies like Star Wars and the like. "Now I heard the old man say the word at least 40 times a day. By in a flash I blurted out, 'Schwartz'"+. In my case, I blurted out K-Pax. While it was okay, it wasn't a good movie. Upon a preliminary review -- difficult as it was bad enough that no channel plays it, it was choppy, sloppy and unworthy of fanfare.

So, now if you see the reference to K-Pax, you may laugh along with us, as it was a bad word association. Name the first thing that comes to your mind ... K-Pax. okay ... [jots down note: either crazy, likes every movie he watches, or doesn't descriminate. check mark next to crazy]

+ dialogue from Christmas Story, while Ralphie sat on the toilet with Lifeboy soap in his mouth for the use of F - - - word.

I wound up not getting superpowers

I wasn't actually bitten. Spiders tend not to bite me. Venom tends to have little effect on me, so that in that case I am fortunate. This is a very common spider here, whitish or yellowish abdomen with red body. I don't think that this is very dangerous.

Huskies' return?

I remember in the 70s ... yes, I'm THAT old, the term "huskies". In The Ref, they refreshed my memeory of this ancient term for fatkid. "Husky", yeah. That makes the boy think, Alaska, Iditarod and his wide -- blubber eating butt trailing behind him like a somewhat manned sled.

Why don't they just say, odd circumstantially, "junk in the trunk boy" or "bubble butt", "wide end receiver"? "Husky" is well known, but "Maximal Gluteous Maximus (MGM)" pants have a certain Hollywood flair. Now, adults don't have to worry about husky this or that. It's 65" waist size and are you really worried about how fat your butt is?

Tougher than a toy

Dodge Ram ... when you want a truck that is tougher than a toy. Bam, bam, bam ... robot loses. Not the most convincing ad. Also ... what if people don't know what a rock 'em sock 'em robot is? They returned to production after Toy Story 2, of course.

Fight Club

I rewatched it. It is interesting, clever, and odd. In watching it, I always wonder if somehow, somewhere there isn't a Tyler who visited other places wearing my face. It would account for the number of people who supposedly recognize me, whom barely register a blip, let alone a flash or sold memory. I remember lots of faces, lots of names ... put generally can't put them together, with only one meeting and years/decades between the visits.

Worse still ... I think my Tyler would be starting Fart Clubs rather than fight clubs.

going Berserk

Berserk was an odd combination of graphic violence and timidity. It had your typical ridiculous violence. The protagonist Guts weilds his 200 pound sword as ably as others would a dagger. He goes berserk during his campaign to bring justice. In episdoe one, four vile men kick in the door to a bar. The occupants don't stir, not even to save the poor girl -- their captive.

I thought that they'd imply or worse have a rape scene, but thankfully no. No one in the bar came to her rescue as her face is planted into the table. The men want her to clean the table with her tongue. Then the killing begins.

I liken it a bit between two lesser scenes from American movies: Heavy Metal, the last story the barely clothed woman walks into the bar and slays three would-be gang-rapists. She wiped the blade on their newly decapitated bodies. Blood went much of everywhere making quite a mess.

The big evil guy in Berserk changed into his "real" appearance as a monster. He was twenty feet tall, but very similar to the lizard-like creature in Dreamscape. Berserk fell into one of the blunders so well discussed in Incredibles, monologuing.

At the end of this show, it did entice me to wonder ... what now? There was a scene from earlier in his life, before branding, where he was a more typical swordsman.

funny act

My mom came back from shopping and with her she had, earplugs. It seemed like an odd purchase until she told me they were for my sister. My sister's husband snores ... how shall I put it, as loud as thermonuclear devices. He was up one Christmas and with the door closed it was loud. Within the room itself -- painful. He was assigned a room with me. I left in favor of sleeping on some other furniture. I was not going get sleep with the loud snoring.

For this reason my mom bought the earplugs. I merely laughed loud, but it was about the first real laugh of my day.

Family here will be clowning around

My sister purchased tickets and so, they shall see, hear, listen ... perhaps enjoy! I expect they are still selling tickets.

Fig get about it

Thanks to PBS viewers like you, Nature presents Fig African Queen Tree. Sadly, Nature shows on PBS are durned hard to find, except for buy now on DVD through PBS at a price you probably aren't willing to spend.

nuclear daisy chain

I stopped writing a short novellete about the US cunningly destroying the Arab region starting with Iran, then Iraq. How abou this simplier way. Let Iran build nuclear power plants. Get drones or predators to slam into them ... poof, bam, boom, badda bing -- Iran becomes humans verboten land.

Addressing the address

My comment was, and I stand by this, that the address was bad. I don't really want to be the President, but woulnd't mind a short-lived coup (6-9 months) in which I could put things and people into place, where smart, ethical people are in power, making decisions for the nation. Too many smart (and some not-so smart) people are in power, and some of those are unethical. There is corruption in the government and there is corruption in the UN.

Essentially, I would prefer a bloodless housecleaning, and only a few changes in the law. Placing smart, ethical people in power alone would propell this fine nation of ours into a successful millenium. I would only want to make changes and would not be intersted in fame. I'd step down and leave as peacefully as I would like to enter. Change. Change is what is needed, but my post today on the address was:

the address wasn't good. It had errors, logical and others. paragraph 3: will not have the next generations shoulder the costs ... without raising taxes ... through free enterprise ... flush out the earmarked monies (interesting that it was mentioned after the change of congress and senate). There are others, but I'll stop there. I will ammend my comment on Webb's address retort.

Webb's designation as the spokesperson for the democrats was interesting, perhaps wise, but I didn't like his address either. I rank it 50-50 or 40-60 regarding applicability, reasoability and credibility. Highlights were middle class economy, job loss and disparity between highest official (CEO) and lower workers. The simplistic analogy, however oversimplified is good. A typical worker would have to work a year to earn what a (growing to be typical) CEO earns in a day.

So far Bush's surge plan, coming years later than many close people suggested, has had little chance to show efficacy. Statistics lean toward "ineffective". Webb's statement mentions a "way" but give as much detail as a government-released classified paper (large blacked out areas).

I thought today on the amount we are spending daily in Iraq. How about we just put up bounties on enemies. $1 billion for Osama, with required body to verify DNA, etc. That is one day's cost of the war. I think that is the right price for people to turn in neighbors and enemies, high profile persons. It would save America lives, time, and ultimately money.

in the news

AP wins bad catch phrase for January 24, 2006: "Mother never even exposed to males; breakthrough raises scientists’ hopes" The Komodo dragons were fertilized in a different manner, rather than through typical mating. The catchprase isn't helpful.

Chickens' deaths ruled mob trampling from boy's scared screaming, as reported by Reuters. Chickens are stupid. Who knew they were this easily frightened and stupid. Of course, if a giant stepped over NYC and started screaming, I'd expect a whole lot of trampling deaths. I might also expected, "panicked looting", for looting and pillaging

political shooing

Kerry bows out, for his fragile but luna-size ego couldn't take the loss that he certainly would gain.

Also in the news: teachers wanted in "ailing" New Orleans. They won't find housing or food or supplies or high pay or benefits, but they'll get the satisfaction of being paid half of any other area, those students who were failing in schools that were an issue before Katrina. Let's see. Worse conditions, worse pay and benefits, and the kids were essentially off a year. umm.... thinking ... heck, no!

Grey's Anatomy star uses slur that the news won't report. Apparently this terrible homosexual reference was worse than the many other slurs they put in print, those against race, color, religion, sex and others. Why, might I ask, is the homosexual slur so unworthy of printing? Stranger still is the counseling about it. So ... Isaiah, what would you call two guys holding hands? [bleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep]. Well, I guess we have a bit to do, right?

degrees of certaintity

7 degrees of Kevin Bacon or the easier game, 5 degrees of William Shatner.

Missed last year

Older, wiser, ready for Geekfest II, 07

missed a season

I watched pro football this year, at the tail end of the season (playoff games) Colts, Bears, oh my!

I saw the playlist on the wrist of the defense co-ordinator. I was reminded of Buzz, Buzz, Buzz Lightyear. In the back of my mind, I remember that they weren't introduced this year, but I had forgotten them. Quite funny!

Buzz Lightyear to coach Lovie. I am in hostile territory with linemen and runners. Am preparing to overcome odds and dismantle their formation.

hit & miss

It could happen to you.

Server error.

Another plug for new blogger

I used a new template. True, it has a gayer color and does not use a widescreen base. Setting up the template was so much more of a breeze than before. It wasn't too bad grabbing and moving code, but now it found the code and moved it, making it faster. I now have to put back a couple of things, but changing templates is so much easier, however limited.

Thanks blogspot/blogger!

State of the Union address

I overheard some of it last night, but I like to read it. As I am reading it, I am disheartened. I cannot and will not spend a long-winded blog about what I find wrong here and there. Suffice to say, I found many errors early on in the speech. I also heard Webb's post address commentary speaking on behalf of the democratic party.

I would rank the Webb response about 50-50 or 40-60 regarding success and reliability. I cannot give Bush as high of marks on his speech.

It was just bad to read it and remember when the listeners applauded or stood and applauded points of interest that with no thought, don't bear out reality.

It wasn't good, but it was grief.

exec asst

shortened, like my chance of getting it.

"Must type 65 wpm accurately"
What kind of words? I have done that while the words are in my head and generally with my eyes closed. I type better that way. If I'm reading from a source ... not possible.

reminded of

I found postings for jobs that I already applied. I guess they didn't choose me and they're still looking. The funny thing is that the one place sent me a notice that jobs "matched" my profile. I went there, answered the 90 questions, filled out the supplementary app, but nothing. They had me go there again and I had to answer the same type of questions and app again. The questions are generated from a database, much like fortune cookies. It is possible that you will find the same question as the same number in your questionaire, but it is very unlikely. I didn't help myself by sending comment to the third-party host that does the questions. My comment mentioned that the questions needed a minor review for English grammar and syntax. The questions also were poorly phrased so the optional answers may not encompass would-be candidates real perspectives.

New Blogger

It runs fluidly, so a big "yes" for that, but I can't edit a post when it's a draft. That's just odd.

I keep guessing, but I just don't know

Who's the "mystery" Arcola blogger who's reading my blogs? I'm not upset, just curious. "It makes me wonder ... wonder wonder."+

+ INXS

error message that means little to me

550 Could not open: Read-only file systemblog/37/37/0/eledteacher/archives/2007_01_01_eledteacher_archive.html

It would seem to me there is a date error, but it isn't on my machine that I know. My computer date is right.

After much effort to look at my own updated blog ... I stoppped

The archive was faulty. So, what does that mean? I see that I can post, but I can't re-read my own blog or see whether or not it is posting correctly. Blooger didn't seem to have a [click here to email blogger about issue].

Night Blogger Died

"For Pete's sake", was my mantra tonight. "There were errors", 502 Server error, etc. Man alive was it shotty for me tonight.

flagged or red-flagg?

Maybe Black Flagged (TM).

Some viewer marked something on my blog, "objectional content". Well, I guess so. I would have to say, that through much of it, I mark it fairly well that material isn't appropriate for all audiences. Thinking about it, I generally write in non-English. What did they read?

very naughty costume

woman dressed as Futurama's Bender. "I am Bender (you get this), please insert girder."
She needs to power her fuel cells with alcohol.
Then, like Father Guido Sarducci, "The Man Who Loved Swimmin'", I dove into the cold, cold pool for a quick wade.

another sign of dweebishness

I was watching Ice Age the Meltdown, trying desperately to find something so quiet, slow that I'd gently pass into sleep, not with this. I watched and the scene were Ellie, as a toddler mastodon crept under the tree, I thought:
if I were there with a depedant person (child), I would cut down the pine branches and make a round shelter and try to make layers and pockets of air to make it warmer and ...

man, I'm such a goober geek.
Ya know ... they aren't interested in science in this kids' show.
Yeah, I know.

roulette wheel employment

In looking at postings there are around ten companies that post daily or nearly daily. I'd say the turnover rate is indicative of a problem. Average employment duration .... 17 minutes.

Fast & competent in a flunky world

The dyer sounded like "a body rotating in the drum" and after a phone call, the technician correctly identified the simple problem. He fixed it in under 15 minutes, having brought the part with him and was courteous. The bill was a bit high, $118, but that's cheaper than a private service, hauling it in or guessing and replacing parts.

Thanks Stucky Brothers!

odd offering

Food, lodging, restaurant ... in the army.

outerview

I went to an interview and it started with a 6' 8" man who walked in, cursed at something in his area, and did two 10-second long belches in a row.  The job was an impossible sales job.  I wondered how the lard-laden sailer did his job.

More glitches in the matrix

I was looking for Cosmos, a series by Carl Sagen, aired on PBS decades ago. I found that there is a pron star with that name. Huh. I suppose next there will be Bill O'Reilly Sexfactor or CNN Hardballs or something. Can you all in the porn industry just cut it out a bit so a search is less of a chore, please? I shouldn't have to go to page 2 or page 6.

I'll look for Antiques Roadshow and see if it hints to porn. Guys, just stop it, okay? I've got it. Yank the porn out of every other channel ... each and everyone by just putting on cable, like some far-out number 92, with porn. Then Nip/Tuck can fold out and so can 99% of "supsense thriller with R near X rating", staring beautiful persons A-E with acting abilities of carpet. I could then turn to regular channels and not have to see it.

That would be nice to not have to have ogligatory sex scene in movie about the AIDS quilt or how Advanced Auto Parts started or any other show. I understand, from my sister, that According to Jim actually had a fart (and sound on it). After nakedness, rape, sodomy, graphic violence, puking, spitting, gutting, fecal matter handling, now, in 2007 they finally allowed the word and the sound, "fart". Boy! I thought getting tax code approved took a long while.

The channel I mentioned I would remove from my surfing. I removed the shopping channels, Spanish channel, music video channels and others. It would be just fine, fine, fine.

Ladybug

Ladybug
Originally uploaded by amayu.

Lori suggested that I do this with my car. I said, no!

other doors open?

I got a few phone calls today ... positive. Hmm, as doors close, others open.

Which way did he go?

What do you call a group of hawks? Nothing, they don't gather. The chicken hawk is here.
I looked at my shots and thought, 'why not'. Roger, what are these? Tweeting birds.
Read the script Roger, they're suppsoed to be stars!
I can give you stars Rolls!

babbadooba, not prince

Whoever he is, will be on display at halftime, likely with pole-riding or pelvis grinding dancers. Huh. The halftime show was just promptly rude, rather than "accidently" rude. I guess the planners just threw up their hands and left Howard Stern to direct the halftime. Prince interviewing some lady, while she talks about her petty little life and she strips down to a bluetooth on her ear.

Perhaps they could ask another person to put together the halftime show ... you know, with somebody more contemporary than Charlie Daniels, less blah than Bon Jovi, and stupid than Justin Timberlake-Janet Jackson. I don't like Barenaked Ladies, but I'd take them over some of the others. I'd rank them above Bon Jovi, and not as stupid of a choice as Jay-Z, Prince, Britney Spears, Madonna, etc.

Find a band ... that PLAYS intruments, has recent hits and that doesn't have to change or bleep out lyrics. That is a group you should choose. I'd actually like a carnival like halftime show or youth talent. This big-name, big-lame halftime does give me time to eat more chips, but I'd rather be entertained.

Prince ... blah. How about a comedy skit with forty some comedians, where each one gets a short round of standup and exposure. If you don't find her/him funny, it switches quickly to another person. I fear that they'll have a bum on stage performing music and then pull a Dixie Chicks. The comedian thing isn't long enough to remake a Michael Richards.

bitchcraft

I read a blurb by the AP that some folks are arguing about the State of the Union Address that President Bush has yet to make. Hey, you don't like what's going on, I get it, but wait for the speech, lamos! As I'm typing, in the background I hear NPR schpeel out the pre-address hype.

In the end, I'd like to see truth in advertising with the governing bodies. What clump of paper is signed into law. What did the committees put together that passed senate and congress and signed into law by the President? Better still, where does the money go? Funny, with all the bitching about the President, the other bodies are not listed as stage hands.

What the President needs to do: say what plans are, why they are and convice people that Iraq makes sense. I think most people are now pushing to the thought ... that crap isn't going to end. The question is, more troops yields faster results? That's a tough call. What I'd like to know is, after $1 billion daily in Iraq, which is what the congress/senate/Bush approved, what do we get? In the end, are we out of the Middle East? Are out no longer married to foreign oil? Do we get compensated for our investment?

I predict a no, no, no. So, we will spend more daily, may not finish faster, and won't get compensated nor divorced from foreign oil. I voted those losers into office so they can approved that? What kind of crap is that? I won't go on about Bush, but will focus instead on the government that does without writing things down for "the little people".

Why should I trade a tyrant 2000 miles away for 2000 tyrants next door? $1 billion daily now and it will cost more daily with 20,000 additonal troops.

I vote to have a pink slip sent to the lot of these people. Boot them and replace them with non-party people who are interested in following and writing law pertaining to American interests. War in Iraq I see no American interests there.

hawkish eyes

The birds fled and the squirrels were noisy. I wondered then saw this young lady waiting for the hungry, yet stupid, birds to journey back to the feeder to feed her. This hawk left in disgust. She also didn't like me taking her photo.

doors closed

I got a letter that a company "lucked into" getting a person with twelve years experience for the position I applied. Good for them, bad for me. I got a notice yesterday that a company went with another applicant. This was the third time this company told me the same thing ... kicking me when I'm down. I got another notice of, "no". I have potentials, but nothing I can hold.




It sucks navel lint out of a dog named Chunks, which blows

not worth a "yahoo"

I tried Yahoo pictures. While it runs like flickr, it has only a binary switch, which I don't like. You may either let EVERYONE look at your photo or only you. That needs fixing! It runs better than the flunky (small-size only when it was young). It has a slideshow feature, but it doesn't use the space that it has. I loaded some pictures up to it, but am not sure that I will use it. You cannot change a smart album to regular album or vise versa. I don't like the pressing on me or others to buy the flippin' pictures.

I haven't printed a picture in a long time. I'll be buggered if I'm getting them sent to me via post and pay lots of money for them, or pick them up at Target which isn't convenient. I'd download them, crop them, print them at Walgreens.

I would like a faster bulk download, even if it caps your download packet to ten or five pictures. I'll go back and play with it, but I like the fluidity of flickr better, as well as the versatility of who can see your photos.

predisposed to assinine behavior

That's me ABP, manifested in unlicensed mockery, satire and cynicism, marked with variable episodes of mania. I hope to find a treatment for act first, think later, but my discourteous impulsivity pervades my every action (missing thought). I do hope that one day I will not offend, by action or inaction.

I'll go back to the three "perfect" laws of iRobot.

Squeaker squeakin'

Colts squeak by by another game ... barely pulling out a win.

So -- SB 41 will be C vs C. I'm sure if the Colts do great in four years, Colt 45 will pressure to be the beer of the NFL. In any case, the Midwest and Chicagoland should be quite happy. Indy, generally 50-50 with Bears & Colts ought to be happier. Had Lions made it in ... MR would have had a team for whom to root.
The Colts have just about proven the reason why Indy is building a new stadium.

MR invited me to see SB 41 in HDTV ... sweet!

"Now, if you get as close to the TV as I do, you could see bush" +, regarding the cheerleaders.

+ Andrew Dice Clay regarding Barbara Eden in "I Dream of Jeanie".

buncha bombs in the air

I overheard the singer do the national anthem for the Colts game. Yikes! Look, Naked Gun made fun of the relative stupidity of people not knowing the words. Some people try to "make the song her/his own". Stop it! It is a difficult song enough without the yodeling involved or worse, [scratch, scratch, scratch ... yeah, boi ... tap tap tap]. It's a song. You wouldn't like someone doing Amazing Grace with pan flute, sung by Justin Timberlake or Milli Vanilli.

Just drop the flash, drop the crap, drop the Buckwheat version and just do the song. It isn't important that you make it a rock song or a radio hit pop song or a trendy alternative or rap song. Just sing it. If that's too tough -- leave!

redfaced and sore

Saints got spanked ... hard and often today by 'da bears'. I normally don't care a whole lot, but this year Bears make it to super bowl. I can only hope that Colts make it there, then THAT will be a game I will certainly want to watch.

If you didn't see the Bears game, well ... the turnovers (or bend overs the knees) on the Saints' part greatly contributed to the Bears winning. A very rare safety also helped and when it was 30+ to 14, well, that was bad, but the Saints' weren't yet finished with the spanking. They didn't have homefield advantage but will finish tied-third with the loser of Colts-Patriots game tonight.

cavernous not generous?

I got this new scan and I guess they found what looks like a mouth rather than a vault of goodness. A spot of activity for altruistic behavior, huh?

Well, I know what part of my brain is underdeveloped. All this time I thought it was my memory or my logic or my empathy or my memory, but ... lost the thought.

drives me snowy

I clicked on the electric starter ... chu-chink... chu-chink...chu-chink...rrrrrrrrrr ... ffoom! It started. Last year the snowblower saw only three days of action and little of it. Today I did my drive, and four neighbor's drives. While I have a sore back, a bit, I have a better health for the exercise. I suppose I feel a little good about cleaning off drives -- something good for another person.

Thankfully the snow was not 18 inches (around 9 inches high, as accumulation of snow is measured not in height of snow). This slight dusting was a taste of perhaps more. This isn't going to get any child off school or delayed tomorrow for sure. My neice will be so disappointed.

May Hell receive Australian millitant Muslim jerk

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16702195/

 

Children as martyrs. Hey, I've got an idea! Shut the #$#&$%@^##%$#!%@ up! Have a nice tall, steaming cup of it.

This guy should be put on a slow boat to Antarctica. What sort of sadist enourages people, children especially, to sacrifice themselves for a cause that cannot understand?

not shaken, but stirred, maybe blended

I'm not suggesting anything, but I did put together a compilation, which might roughly be a reality sometime, maybe, perahps, perhaps, perhaps ...



BTW: this was not endorsed or approved by any party featured above.

"Just Numbers" he said

Scott turned 40. Rachel had a party for him with family and friends.

My only complaint ... no group shot!

There were late and early guests and everyone seemed to have a good time welcoming Scott to 40, as if he had a choice. 40 years in and more to go, perhaps another 40. None of the older guys, "old-tymers" seemed to divulge any cunning tactics on how to be a cleverer 40, though I wasn't party to all of the conversations. Scott & Rachel will soon have a CD of pictures, so if you want them -- ask them. I have only my small sample of pictures.

Forty, geeky, happy, and there are more chapters yet to go.
Happy Birthday Scott!

The adults spoke ad nausium, while the kids (Charlie, Jake) played Wii and (Elise, Maddie, Lucas) played Gamecube, separately. Later, the bi-pedal animated toy, myself, went through the house with Lucas, Maddie, Charlie, playing chase NO CATCH. It was an interesting game where I was pummelled and the target of weapons, though I was not allowed to catch anyone.

Two other reviews

The Japanese animated feature Blood: the Last Vampire, was under an hour. Where it was strong, hinting at bits of story rather than have a "this is the long, boring part of the movie detailing blah, blah, blah". It moved fast and was fairly complete. It left you doubts, as though there was another part coming. The sound was good, mixed with jostling camera moving to simulate quaking. Only a few parts of the movie had choppy animation, otherwise it was more fluid than typical graphic novel to film transition. I would probably watch it again, but not right away. It thankfully didn't spend much effort with parts of no consequence or red herrings.

Trinity Blood (so-called official website) is a Japanese animated serial (not cereal). I saw episode 4, having not seen the others. I think this was like an early college submission of a Voltron cartoon series. It was as hacked and pointlessly dialogue-heavy as Voltron with spits of violence. The graphic nature of the violence and the evil of the characters is greater. Still, the story of space vampires, the Vatican having their own assault team (so that's where Van Helsing got it) is patentedly bad.

A vampiric nun (nun who was turned) sought at the end of this episode to go to the Vatican and help the reltions between the humans and vampires to keep them from hating each other. Now, this being part of the dialogue, you'd turn it off right there, but sadly it was at the end.

Let's figure this out ... vampires feed on humans (regardless of the specific mythos of the story, be it blood, flesh, whatever) and the humans are supposed to like that? Yeah, "the negotiations never took place" + would be the end results of that.

Summary: Trinity Blood, not so good. Blood: the Last Vampire was okay, if you like anime and vampire stories. It is interesting to note that the main character, a vampire herself, used the term "demons" rather than vampires. The other oversight was a traumatic situation where the main character is fine saying "**it", another guy in equal peril says, "shoot".

+ Star Wars: Phanton Menace