The things they come up with...

Concept cars, usually created by auto manufacturers to show the artistic direction their models are going, are usually very interesting to look at. Not so much the above Mazda Taiki, unveiled recently at the Tokyo Motor Show. The high, ungainly lines and curves say "Half pimp-mobile half Indycar, after getting a Redneck lift job." It might be cool to drive to a Star Wars convention in, with a little Palpatine plush doll in the rear "window," but I have a hard time imagining driving this vehicle with a straight face. I can't even imagine how much fun it must be to change one of the rear tires. If I had to provide a tag line for this entry, it would read, "With any other car, you simply hit a deer. We chop it into steaks for you."

Rocky the Frying Squirrel

Article Here

Given my enjoyment of mischief and destruction, an article about a squirrel blowing up a car (even if posthumously) is too good not to pass on. In the roadkill wars, this rodent deserves a Croix de Guerre. (Hey, there is precedent for animals receiving that award...)

Cross-examination fun

Thanks to Judge Buchmeyer for the following exchange in a Texas trial:

Q. On the day that Twine was shot, were you intoxicated?

A. I definitely was not.

Q. Had you been drinking that day?

A. I drank a few beers.

Q. How many beers did you drink?

A. About thirty.

Q. And you were not drunk?

A. No.

Q. What is your definition of drunk?

On Nobels

Gore uses the Force: "I find your lack of faith in global warming... disturbing."

I am still trying to figure out what "educating the world about man-made climate change" has to do with the purported purpose of the prize criteria: outstanding achievement in understanding or ameliorating human conflict. Armistice negotiations, protesting, humanitarian aid to displaced persons, and arms control I can see. But carbon emissions?

Life's too short to drink cheap beer

The merger of Miller and Coors won't have much effect on me. I tend to stick with the good brews.

The newest such brew (see also report by Wileyman) is the Wee Heavy Ale at Vintage 50


Of course, we shouldn't forget The Heart and my old favorite, Old Dominion Brewing Company (in particular, their Oak Barrel Stout).

The Realities of the Rebellion

Chruch Fathers

This actually wasn't one of the better online personality quizzes I have taken, as the answer choices were usually rather limited. Nonetheless, the topic makes it worth posting.

You’re St. Jerome! You’re a passionate Christian, fiercely devoted to Jesus Christ and his Church. You are willing to labor long hours in the Lord’s vineyard, and you have little patience with those who are less willing or able to work as you do. Your passions often carry you into temptation zones of wrath, lust, and pride. Find out which Church Father you are at The Way of the Fathers!

Funny

Funny line--
[After Instructor Brad describes the defense against an attack with a small stick ]
Sensei Dave: "And if you get attacked by a quarterstaff, you have been hanging around too many Renaissance festivals."

Funny toon--
Irregulary Webcomic on Elven poetry

Update on life

Having not been very good about updating recently, I offer the following in abbreviated form:

Tunes: Basil Poledouris' The Jungle Book is amazing. The Heart got me a copy; the theme is a very full, grand view of life, the adventure in the wild. The track "Attack of Shere Khan" has some very nice brass work which I think comparable in quality to the Asteroid Belt music from The Empire Strikes Back.

Books: Timothy Zahn's The Icarus Hunt is a sort of Firefly (for starship, bad guys, and plot) meets Ronin (for characters), and a lot of fun. Sci-fi is just better when it's about the down and out who can barely keep their ship running.

Activities:


It rocks.

Vehicles: Angus passed 233k, but inspections may catch up to him soon. Have to wonder how it saves the earth to downcheck a car based on emissions, requiring me to buy a new one, and thereby causing all the carbon emissions of refining, processing, and working two tons of steel, making carpet, glass, etc.

Work: I am working full time but not permanently. Nonetheless, reversing the cashflow hemorrhaging caused by education has been nice.

Alabama Constitution

I like some of the oddly (or oldly) worded laws legislatures come up with and don't change. I offer as an example the following, which is the sole grounds (beyond the general provisions for all state officers) for impeaching a county sheriff:

Whenever any prisoner is taken from jail, or from the custody of any sheriff or his deputy, and put to death, or suffers grievous bodily harm, owing to the neglect, connivance, cowardice, or other grave fault of the sheriff, such sheriff may be impeached...

Ala. Const. § 138.

Yep, in Alabama, sheriffs can be impeached for cowardice, if a prisoner gets lynched.

Oh, and since it also seems interesting, the governor and other high state officials can be impeached for "intemperance in the use of intoxicating liquors..." Ala. Const. § 173.

Quote of the Week

"[Mr. T's] veins bulge with smaller veins. He sweats animal blood. His armpit hairs are made of beef."

--Gene Weingarten, "Cattle Call," Washington Post, Aug. 19, 2007, p. W60.

Congratulations to the 1000th visitor

The counter (unobtrusively posted at the bottom of this page) has, as of 23:33 (EDT) last night, reached 1000 visitors since I started keeping track.

Thank you, person from Iowa State University for visiting. Your prize is the following message: GO CYCLONES!

And thank you, Cavie, for providing the link that led to the 1000th visitor.

Reminds me of a someone who just took the Bar...

Bad Inventions

It would be a bad thing if a combo copier/fax machine was set up so that hitting the start button in fax mode would automatically redial the last number called. Especially if the difference between fax and copy modes was a simple switch, button, or light which you might not notice.

As in, "Please copy this super-sensitive internal document." "Oops, left it on fax mode again. I wonder if the last fax we sent was to the other side's lawyer?"

After a long hiatus...

Expect more hiatus to come (for the next few weeks)

Where have I been? Studying.

And in case I don't pass the bar:
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