OK - this is really one of the coolest neat things that I have seen Goggle do in a BUTT-long time. Well, that's not 100% true. Cool things have been falling out of Google for some time now. BUT - For everyone who wants to look at their house, and then pretend to fly to Paris, and zoom in on the Eiffel Tower, may I recommend the following link? (MapGeek - THIS IS GONNA MAKE YOUR PANTS FEEL TIGHT.) Slashdot | Google Earth Launching For Free

Thanks to Slashdot for the link to a strangely tempting offer for a buncha books. The nice thing about this offer is that it's from a company (Penguin) which has one of the coolest ladies in the world working for a subsiderary. Everbabe's high school best friend, Nicole (so-called because of her unCANny resemblence to Nicole Kidman), works for Penguin Putnam, the sci-fi branch of Penguin. (Unlike the original Nicole, however, *our* Nicole has kept her hair, in all of it's ringleted glory. Link to Amazon's 1,082-volume Classics Collection: $7,989

A great time was had last night at Chastain by Everbabe, A, Ogre, and I. (Thanks to A for the planning!) Prarie Home Companion was being recording for broadcast tonight. I'm listening to it now, but am disappointed at the removal of some of my favorite parts (the parts behind the scene.) During the Catchup commercial, they had to vamp a little as they started the scene without scripts. That was funny. (they vamped pretty well.) Secondly, there was a local blueswoman who grew on me. Precious Bryant: "The Truth" | AccessAtlanta She's a little older than my Mom, and still wrote a song about Jessica Alba. I can *definately* respect that.

Two things - EverBabe has claimed not to want to NetFlix merely to sate my HUGE ego. Maybe your comments will make her choose differently. We can try!

Secondly, after watching a recent MythBusters on drinking & driving vs cell phone use and driving, I was reminded of Dr Johnny Fever's experiences upon an on-air drinking test. Enjoy this link to good quotes.

As a freshman at Ga Tech in the early 90's , I was first exposed to Unix. Now Linux is making a pretty strong headway into mainstream cultrue, and the little penguin guy is pretty cute. My favorite Unix memory, however, comes via Stephen Spielburg. Quoted this just the other day. Ode to Unix

(PS - I'm in this one too. {grin} )

The Deadly Trackers

EverBabe - I need you to put this movie on your NetFlix.

(because I am apparently in this movie. Or at least my namesake. )

Thanks, Google, for letting me know! Washington Heights (2002)

this next link is for MapGeek. P-Man - they can't stop the signal!NMU (06/16/2005): City must release electronic GIS mapping data

Later: Phew. Lost. Maybe next time? {grin}

AUGH.

Two words.

EBay. IstheDevilItellyoutheDevil.

I just was looking for Kareoke CD's. (long story, tell you later.)

And there it was: the grail. 500 songs on 27 discs. For only $40. So, I bid. ($33.00 bid, $7.00 shipping.)

Do you know how long it would take me to sing those songs? at 3.5 minutes a song (hopefully no american pie) & 500 songs, that's 1750 minutes, or almost one work week.

i'll let you know if i get beat.

Thanks to Justin for this link, reminescent of the DailyDancer. (Altho I am not 100% sure thanks are in order.) As he put it: "I wish I had some sort of explanation for this."numanuma (Justin: the world may be better off without it.)

Now, where was I that I completely missed all of this story the first go around? Murder, extortion, and jetpacks! Why isn't THIS story the plot of a Grisham thriller?

Two poo related stories from the news, in honor of my friends with new (and old) babies.

Mountaineers who ascend North America's loftiest peak are often brought down to earth by "virus-laden poo" left behind by previous climbers, a medical report says.
The unsanitary conditions created by piles of human feces on Mount McKinley can cause diarrhea among climbers, which can lead to widespread problems when combined with the physical stress of a mountain expedition, according to the report in the journal Wilderness and Environmental Medicine.

and

Four North Texas high school varsity cheerleaders put human feces on a pizza during a cheerleading camp and then returned the pizza to a rival high school squad, claiming the rivals had done the disgusting deed, school district officials confirmed this week.

You're welcome. ;-)

Quick little vignette:

This past weekend, went out to eat at a local restaurant. Now, Chinese food is my 'comfort food,' and buffets even more so. So when I found a Chinese Buffet called King Jade Palace China Garden Golden Buddha Dragon within 2 miles of my house, I was happy. So I went on Saturday night.

Ah, the pleasant sights, smells, and sounds of a traditional Chinese restaurant. The giant lighted picture of a harbour with little boats beside skyscrapers and a verdant mountain. Various seafoods, from shrimg to snow crab legs to stir-fried blue crabs (yum!) The sounds of a mariachi band coming from the back room.

(Mariachi Band?) {Yes. Apparently they rent out their back room, and there was a mexican wedding reception.} (Huh.) {Yup.}

In reality, that sounds like a good idea. I will keep it in my list of potential ideas for any potential receptions I have, along with the Truck Stop Reception. (TM) (And for any future Mrs Sean reading this, I'm not necessarly (sp?) kidding. With either one. Sorry)

Alrighty: Part two of my late transcript of 2 weeks ago in Charleston. This last was written as I waited to pick up my Mom from the Charleston airport. Brain -> Paper -> Pocket -> YOU, in only 2 short weeks... the power of the internets.

Graduation. Mine was 15 years ago, and I was never *this* cool. I am pretty sure that I spent a fair amount of my graduation weekend looking for a blonde crush of mine with a kitten in my shirt in a sportscar being driven by a sometimes suicidal friend of mine - but that is neither here nor there. (Although I do find myself wondering whatever became of that kitten.)

While sitting here in the airport, I'm reminded of the Ani DiFranco song "Arrival Gate." As I have my MP3 playa, I might just listen to it now. {pause} Found it. Wow, I had a lot of Ani to cycle through. (156/170 songs.) Stolen lyric: "I have determined it's a sure cure for cancer, watching excitement turn family dogs into dancers at the arrival gate." Mom's here - brb.

She apparently rode back into Chas from Philly with the entire Riverdogs baseball team, the AAA Yankees franchise. Cute buys? Yes. But then she said "10 years younger than my sons." Ouch. Thanks for the reminder, Mom.

WonderCon Clip 300k_wmv.asx

If you would like to look at something, something that attracts your attention almost unwillingly in the fashion of a trainwreck, check out this guy.Daily Dancer

As EverBabe pointed out, its like SuperMark made this video. Or series of videos. Although for a geek he really seems to be in pretty good shape. In his one room apartment, with tarps on the windows and a strange, mysterious hidden accomplice in the computer chair to the right.

The only reason it doesn't look like my dancing is that I would be singing along with the songs. Otherwise, it's pretty much right on.

EverBabe - another summer reality TV mustwatch. Nobody Puts Baby in?a Corner - Dancing With The Stars is an improbably goofy delight. By Dana?Stevens

So:

After a fair amount of working the past few days, I took off from work a little early yesterday and went over to spend some time with SeanJr and EverBabe. While there, for SOME unknown reason, I decided to do some situps and pushups.

Today, my pecs are VERY sore. Lesson learned? (A) do more pushups to build my muscles into shape? or (B) never do a pushup again.

Hmm. I'll let you know what I decide.

So: this is a transcript of my LiveBlog of T-man's High School Graduation. Play along at home to win!

I drove down to Charleston with Ogre & his wifey- turns out his nephew was also graduating, although no one knew that until the Saturday before graduation. (yay, English!) Got to Charleston about 30 minutes before the ceremony. It started out well enough, with the graduates all walking up the center of the aisle. Apparently, though, Thomas had a lot going on in his mind, cause he forgot that he was in Chorus, or at least that Chorus was singing the National Anthem. Miss Austin, my middle school Chorus teacher, was leading them. Wow. 20 years since I've seen her lead a singing group. {pause} She's still pretty good.

-> This current principal, less fired than mine, still had a lot of the blah blah blah.

-> Wando HS really seemed more rocking than when I was there. They had one of the Top 30 Literary Magazines, Top Student Newspaper in the US, and most members in All State Band, etc, etc.

-> The salutatorian speech sux0r3d. "Thanks for Everything, guys!" However, only speech to quote both Ecclisiates and "Yedi Master Yoda."

-> This was the first graduating class for the new building that Wando HS is in. They donated a picture of the (probably politically incorrect) Wando Warrior profile made up of their individual photos.

-> Rob Black. Who was he? Why did everybody keep quoting his Autobiography? Who killed him? What did he know, and when did he know it? Is it secret? Is it safe?

-> One of the graduating seniors had a better beard than my other brother did upon graduating COLLEGE. Heh.

-> Principal mentioned that there was a wonderful Latin band. Tuba, Tubar, Tubarum.

-> Long straight hair is apparently in for High School Senior girls. Ragamuffin hair for guys, with a couple of Citadel military cuts. Also open-toed high-heeled shoes.

-> Introduced as SC's next governor later in the evening, Joe S. couldn't figure out how to work the microphone. For like 2 full minutes. Probably seemed longer to him.

-> The valedictorian had a better Star Wars joke than the salutatorian. Perhaps the fact that she had four names gave her the edge not just in the classroom, but with the joke as well. Also: she said that word "chromosomes" like cah-ROH-mah-sohms. Only funny because she's getting a molecular biology degree from UT Texas.

-> Quick question: US Government (upon reflection, probably one of the more important classes out there- fail to understand the basic priciples of math, and you might get fleeced at the checkout counter; do the same with government and you end up in jail or convicted for treason.) So, why does it almost INVARIABLY get taught by frickin' COACHES? It would almost seem to be one of Bri's "Old White Men" consipracies.

-> September 11th: Now not just for US presidents to overuse, but High School presidents can overuse it as well! "Let's Roll."

-> I am CONTINUALLY reminded of the painfully awkward valedictorian farewell from "Say Anything." I'm going to need to rent it. (I could stand to see the 'Joe Lies" song again, too.)

-> I had a shout-out to OnlyAymie (but I don't remember why.) Still - consider yourself shouted.

-> SuperWow. Bri, my brother, has been growing to look more and more like me over the years. We have the same sqeauky lady voices, the same bald spot (Thanks mom!) and even similar builds. But I think that this last has really taken the case. As a fit of overachievement, he decided to get a sympathetic case of poison ivy. Wha whaaa? Same arm (right,) same hand (left) - and he even got it the same weekend as me.

-> Richard Andrew Young - Got by FAR the biggest applause in the evening, simply by virtue of being the last person called. This is probably the first and last time that his last name has served him well. UPDATE - As he walked across the stage, he glowed in the applause, and shook his arms in the air triumphantly (sorta like a WWF wrestler holding his prize belt.) The crowd ate it up. And the principal (Miss BlahBlah?) Apparently will be holding his diploma for a week, as punishment. Puh-leeze. What a ho. I think I'll call her 'Miss BlahBlahHo' from now on as MY causeless punishment.


So what have I been doing in Southern Illinois? I'll tell you later. If you care.

Quick update on how sad my life is:

Today someone brought in a 24 pack of Ramen (www.ramen.com) to work, and left it on the breakroom counter. My first thought when I saw it: "Yay! Now I don't have to pay the whole $0.18 for lunch - someone has done it for me!"

Interestingly, that's not the sad part.

Nope. Turns out that *5* different people came by, and asked me if I was the one who brought it in. Sad, sad, sad to be known by the WHOLE OFFICE as that 'guy who likes Ramen enough to buy it in cases.'

(Maybe if it had been "Oriental" flavor, instead of the omnipresent "Chicken") {grin}

PS - Coworker used 'synergistic' in a non-ironic way today. I thougt that just happened in 'Dilbert' or 'The Office'.

Just wanted to mitch and boan about the Georgia DOT, work practices of. Good lord'a mercy.

Yesterday, driving North on GA 400, there was construction. At 5 PM on a Saturday. Fine, whatever. I guess that's OK. Hmm. Sign saying that they are going to close a left lane. OK, move to the right. {EERRRRT} Wait - i'm completely stopped. Wait again - that wasn't one left lane, that was THREE left lanes closed. Hmm. Count lanes. One, two, thuh-ree. There are three lanes. And GDOT is closing the three left lanes.

I suppose it could have been worse - they could have closed *four* of the three lanes. SOB's.