The Audacity!

I just found a great open source sound editor for Windows in Audacity.
The big excitement for me is that I have a large case of tape cassettes that I would love to have on my iPod without having to buy all of that music again.
Way to go, Open Source community!

Global Orgasm - Peace through Global Ecstasy

Peace through Global Ecstasy

Participate on the 22nd, and tell your friends! The response to the Global Orgasm project has been overwhelmingly positive, thanks to all of you. Remember to do your part to contribute to peace around the globe.

I am so there!

This is your wake up call!

The answer to global warming?

 
Small nuclear war could lead to cooldown - Yahoo! News

Nativity Jesus replaced with beer can

PLAISTOW, N.H. - A homeowner said Friday that whoever stole the baby Jesus from his manger scene was disrespectful by replacing it with an empty beer can.

The thief could have at least replace it with a full beer can!
    Source: Nativity Jesus replaced with beer can - Yahoo! News

What all the kids are gonna want for Christmas!

Edible squid-flavored postcards

I really don't get the whole reality TV thing

But even so, this might be humorous - for a minute or two.
Four new reality shows about women:

The women of My Bare Lady (Fox Reality, Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET) will actually appear on the London stage. The premise of the four-episode series—to apprehend the premise is to get the whole joke—is that four porn starlets head to England, take a crash course in acting, and make their debut on the legitimate stage. It's been reported that the play is Anton Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard, and I'm disinclined to report anything otherwise, as the title is just too perfect. I'm not familiar with the actresses—Nautica Thorn (Fashionably Laid, Good Girls Doing Bad Things 2), Kirsten Price (Put It Wherever 2, Hand to Mouth), Sasha Knox (Service Animals 23, Service Animals 24), and Chanel St. James (Jenna's Provocateur, Chanel No. 1)—but you must admit that those titles also suggest promise. Thursday's episode features an audition sequence in which the women, along with their colleagues who did not make the cut, read from the balcony scene in Romeo and Juliet, and the producers have a lot of fun with the various mispronunciations of Montague heaved forth. Despite the sneer on its face and the thinness in its soul, My Bare Lady is intermittently entertaining, so be careful if you come across it. Reality television is out to identify every perversity there is.

The real reason we went to war!

Iraqi marshlands partially restored
Bush just couldn't admit to the world that he's a closet environmentalist. His family & all their oil industry friends would have disowned him!

Iraq Study Group: The Way Forward

Download the report, appendices, & summary in separate PDF files.

Kid Rock & Pamela Custoday battle

 

Hezbollah Video Dating Service

 

Know when to hold 'em...

 
Jackpot blunder man begs for job back

Beer Goggles Explained

Scientists believe they have worked out a formula to calculate how "beer goggles" affect a drinker's vision.

Where:
An = number of units of alcohol consumed
S = smokiness of the room (graded from 0-10, where 0 clear air; 10 extremely smoky)
L = luminance of 'person of interest' (candelas per square metre; typically 1 pitch black; 150 as seen in normal room lighting)
Vo = Snellen visual acuity (6/6 normal; 6/12 just meets driving standard)
d = distance from 'person of interest' (metres; 0.5 to 3 metres)

Kansas Outlaws evolution!

Kansas Outlaws Practice Of Evolution

TOPEKA, KS—Any living being that undergoes genetic modification favoring survival could face jail time under the new law.

Everyone loves yogurt!

Seagate CEO: I help people "watch porn"

Let's face it, we're not changing the world. We're building a product that helps people buy more crap - and watch porn.

Source:
A candid interview with Seagate's CEO - Nov. 30, 2006

Bush: AIDS Pandemic 'Can Be Defeated'

President Bush marked Worlds AIDS Day as a time to remember the United States' responsibility to help the 39 million people living with the disease around the world.

Just like we've helped the Iraqis since they greeted us as liberators & threw flowers at our feet!
Oh, wait, those aren't flowers, they're roadside bombs... .

Source: Bush: AIDS Pandemic 'Can Be Defeated'

Going Christmas Shopping, Honey

 
I'll be back in the morning!

Doritos Anyone?

Spilled Doritos chips wash up on Outer Banks

Chess players to face anti-doping measures

Chess players to face anti-doping measures — because all those steroids make their fingers too fat to pick up the little pieces on the board.

Squirrel Melt, Anyone?

 

Honesty comes to Craigslist!

Make me food while I drink beer. - m4w

I am a 23/M/beeroholic, looking for a woman to make me food... While I drink beer.
If you do a good job with cooking I will have sex with you. But only if I can still get it up.

You must be:
Sexy.
If your vagina is gaping, don't reply
No fatties.
18+ and have sensitive nipples.

My favorite foods:
Pizza, burgers, spaghetti, beer.
You may make any of these while I drink beer.

A Thanksgiving Budget

Here's how 1,000 calories add up (courtesy of the Lean Plate Club):

• about four ounces of turkey


• half a cup of stuffing


• salad


• green beans


• sweet potatoes


• cranberry sauce


• a roll


• a glass of wine


• and a slice of pumpkin pie.

Of course, I had three smallish rolls, seconds on the sweet potatoes, and at least four glasses of wine.
But I took a long walk later with the dogs!
And no comments at all on the earlier feast at work!

Not Spam?

I can't believe this text got past my spam filters!?

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A Christmas Classic

From SNL!

Internet Explorer 7 Proves Buggy Already

Internet Explorer 7 Proves Buggy Already

IE 7 is not a panacea, in part because it still ties in to Windows for some of its work and can therefore pass along threats from buggy parts of the operating system (or other programs). We've seen a number of these types of problems recently, and now three more have been reported.

Dog is my co-pilot.

Finally, a good use for that internet thing!

Internet Extends Reach Of Bangladeshi Villagers - washingtonpost.com

Cellphone-Linked Computers Help Break Rural Isolation

While I agree...

...that no one may care what I had for lunch, there is a wonderful catering company located in our building, & they had extra today from a senior citizens Thanksgiving luncheon.

Is it rude go back for seconds on free food, even if you have to walk down three flights of stairs?
I mean, I'll probably totally work off those mashed potatoes on my way back down, right?
And then there's that nice dessert plate that I need to take back to them... . Maybe they've moved the other desserts to a carryout plate by now.

All of which begs the question, "Is it still ala mode if you put banana pudding on your peach pie?"

Childcare 101a

I sent this link to a couple of my co-workers.
One was upset because she thought it was an actual product.
Another was upset because he realized it wasn't!

Apple's new mp3 player

Apple Computer reported today that it has developed computer chips that can store and play music inside women's breasts.
This is considered to be a major breakthrough because women are always complaining about men staring at their breasts, and not listening to them.
And give a whole new meaning to the term surround sound!

Sigh...

Toys for Tots will now accept talking Jesus dolls

I'm sure they'll be passing them out to all the Jesus loving boys girls in Baghdad this Christmas... .

Get one for everybody on your Christmas list!

The ever-popular Interchangeable Rectal Dummy
The set includes an adult lumbar torso, normal rectal unit, rectal cancer A unit, rectal cancer B unit, rectal unit with polyps, prostate model, endocervix model, a jar of Vaseline and a handy carrying case.
The four different rectal units can easily swap in and out.
Get yo palpation on, word.

Creepy or Cool?

LifeGem:
Memorial Diamonds created from a lock of hair or cremated remains.

To desire a LifeGem diamond can mean only one thing.
You have experienced a love without equal.
You have had someone truly special in your life and mere words simply will not do.
Love knows no boundaries.
Love knows no end.

I wonder what kind of carat weight per pound can you expect in return?

Sooo.....

If you were to shave off your beard, & your wife didn't notice,
would that be a bad sign??

Thanks, Bob!

I was talking with one of the receptionists in our office yesterday, & she mentioned that her husband had a couple of extra deer shoulders that he was trying to find homes for.
Of course, I jumped at that chance, & now there is one are two four in the fridge!
Now we're trying to decide if we can cut it up ourselves, or if it would be wiser to take it to one of the local processing sites to have it done for us.
(Now that there are four of them in there instead of just one, I'm leaning towards letting the pros do the job for us... .)
From what I can find online, there is a shoulder roast (obviously), and the rest can come off the shank as stew meat, or burger.
And I know a couple of dogs who would just love to help out with the cleanup, too!

So thanks, Bob; we'll enjoy it immensely.

More noise than I've heard in a while

Apparently my boss lost his wallet somewhere in the course of the late morning/early afternoon.
I can't remember the last time I've heard such nasty, angry language coming out of his office, especially since it wasn't work related!
I foresee tequila in his future.
 

The Way it Works (cont.)

So I finished their project in a 20 hour turn-around time, because it was sooo urgent.
That was a week ago, & they can't seem to get around to approving it for distribution...
Because they have no idea how to treat people!

Who knew?

I would never have guessed that they have a world championship competition... .
Now, how do I get tickets to the next event?

Rumsfeld to Step Down as Defense Secretary

Rumsfeld to Step Down as Defense Secretary - washingtonpost.com

Beer lovers must have!

I definitely have to get one of these!
 

Best Cat Toy Ever!

Stuck in Irak

An Open Letter

This has been around for a while, but it's still true.

Dear Dogs and Cats,
The dishes with the paw print are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food.
Please note, placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.

The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack. Beating me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn't help because I fall faster than you can run.

I cannot buy anything bigger than a king sized bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort. Dogs and cats can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out the other end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm.

For the last time, there is not a secret exit from the bathroom. If by some miracle I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, meow, try to turn the knob or get your paw under the edge and try to pull the door open. I must exit through the same door I entered.
Also, I have been using the bathroom for years --canine or feline attendance is not required.

The proper order is kiss me, then go smell the other dog or cat's butt. I cannot stress this enough!

To pacify you, my dear pets, I have posted the following message on our front door:

• They live here. You don't.
• If you don't want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture.
  (That's why they call it "fur"niture.)
• I like my pets a lot better than I like most people.
• To you, it's an animal. To me, he/she is an adopted son/daughter who is short, hairy, walks on all fours and doesn't speak clearly.

Remember: Dogs and cats are better than kids because they:

• Eat less
• Don't ask for money all the time
• Are easier to train
• Normally come when called
• Never ask to drive the car
• Don't hang out with drug-using friends
• Don't smoke or drink
• Don't have to buy the latest fashions
• Don't want to wear your clothes
• Don't need a gazillion dollars for college, and...
• If they get pregnant, you can sell (or give away) their children

The Way it Works

A few weeks ago, one of our Graphic Designers approached me about an upcoming project; the new Pres wanted to send out an HTML newsletter & he would be working on the design, then sending it to me to get it to work.

In the past we have chosen not to send mass HTML email to our directory lists, because how it looks in the end is largely up to the user, & what client they use, how they've set their preferences. It's also generally accepted that HTML mailing lists should be opt-in, so that users are, in fact, getting what they want.

I checked with the designer a few times & he hadn't gotten any more info from the Great Poobah, so I tried not to think about it too much.

He called me at 4:00 this afternoon, & said that they had finally sent him the info he needed to get the layout going.
Oh, & by the way, they want to see something tomorrow... .

Idiots!

More Empowerment

Expanding from their original site, Hollaback NYC now links to fourteen other hollaback-ish sites from other areas in the U.S & Canada.

• HollaBackARKANSAS


• HollaBackBOSTON


• HollaBackCALIFORNIA


• HollaBackCANADA


• HollaBackCAPEANN


• HollaBackCHICAGO


• HollaBackCOLORADO


• HollaBackDC


• HollaBackMIAMI


• HollaBackPACIFICNORTHWEST


• HollaBackPENNSYLVANIA


• HollaBackSANFRANCISO


• HollaBackSEATTLE


• HollaBackTEXAS
  

Holla Back NYC empowers New Yorkers to Holla Back at street harassers. Whether you're commuting, lunching, partying, dancing, walking, chilling, drinking, or sunning, you have the right to feel safe, confident, and sexy, without being the object of some turd's fantasy. So stop walkin' on and Holla Back: Send us pics of street harassers!

Whale of a day!

Swimming With The Fishes

Are all men like that?

That was the question posed to me by a secretary in my office the other day.

She had gotten a new haircut recently, which I snapped a couple of pics with her cell phone so she could send them to her daughter. She?s also lost some weight recently, & takes pretty good care of herself.
The problem was that her husband thought that maybe she had done all of that because she was seeing someone on the side!
And T is definitely not the kind of woman, though just about every man I know looks at her wishing she was, if ya know what I mean.

Oh, well; hopefully with a weekend to get over it, her man will feel self-assured again, & just be happy to have such a hot wife!

The new Halloween Costumes are up!

Halloween Jesus Dress Up!
Design yours now!

Extreme Bed-Wetting?

Toilet ice rips hole in couple's roof

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said Thursday if the offending chunk of ice is from an airplane, then it is likely the cause of a leak in a holding tank of the aircraft's bathroom.

One more strike against freedom!

China moves toward "real name system" for blogs

The Internet Society of China has recommended to the government that bloggers be required to use their real names when they register blogs, state media said on Monday, in the latest attempt to regulate free-wheeling Web content.

I went to High School with guys like this!

That Reminds me, I have to go let Mom out of the Stocks

Hick coworker #1: There was nuthin' wrong with slavery. My family had slaves. They was like family.

Hick coworker #2: I know, I agree. My family's slaves didn't leave after emaciation because they were happy. We treated them like family.

Athens, Georgia
Overheard by: Happy I moved to a blue state
via Overheard in the Office, Oct 19, 2006

Public Schools' Access Soon to be Blocked by the Christian Right... .

Complete Darwin works put online

Korean "workout" chair

We may need one of these at home, eh?

The New Martin Scorsese Film!

Sesame Streets

Goodfellas version of our favourite street

Kitten Composer

A new composition from this promising new talent!

Not sure what to get your man for Christmas?

Try one of these for size... .

Feeling Blue?

Need a little something to cheer you up?
Then check out the Wall-O-Puppies!
Each thumb links to at least one adorably cute puppy who has been featured on their homepage at some time or other, as can be seen at the top of this blog.

I Think Everyone can Agree on some part of this!

The Internet Has Somewhat Dampened Joshua's Sense of Wonder

Dude: What I really wanna see is a baby shot out of a cannon through a waterfall of gasoline, over a bundle of lit sparklers, and knock an old lady off a horse, 'cause then I could say I really saw something. [notices cleaning lady]
Oh, shit.


Overheard by: dude thats fucked up

via Overheard in the Office, Oct 10, 2006

The 2006 Ig Nobel winners

Awarded Thursday, October 5th:

ORNITHOLOGY -- The late Philip R.A. May and Ivan R. Schwab, for exploring and explaining why woodpeckers don't get headaches.

NUTRITION -- Wasmia Al-Houty and Faten Al-Mussalam, for showing that dung beetles are finicky about dung.

PEACE -- Howard Stapleton, for inventing a teenager repellent, an electronic device that makes an annoying noise audible to teenagers but not adults.

ACOUSTICS -- D. Lynn Halpern, Randolph Blake and James Hillenbrand, for their experiments on why people dislike the sound of fingernails on a chalkboard.

MATHEMATICS -- Nic Svenson and Piers Barnes, for calculating the number of photographs you must take to ensure nobody in a group photo has their eyes closed.

LITERATURE -- Daniel Oppenheimer, for his report "Consequences of Erudite Vernacular Utilized Irrespective of Necessity: Problems with Using Long Words Needlessly."

MEDICINE -- Francis M. Fesmire, for his medical case report "Termination of Intractable Hiccups with Digital Rectal Massage"; and Majed Odeh, Harry Bassan and Arie Oliven for their subsequent medical case report.

PHYSICS -- Basile Audoly and Sebastien Neukirch, for their insights into why dry spaghetti often breaks into more than two pieces when bent.

CHEMISTRY -- Antonio Mulet, Jose Javier Benedito, Jose Bon and
Carmen Rossello, for their study "Ultrasonic Velocity in Cheddar Cheese as Affected by Temperature."

BIOLOGY -- Bart Knols and Ruurd de Jong, for showing that female malaria mosquitoes are attracted equally to the smell of Limburger cheese and to the smell of human feet.

Pakistan quake victims still living in Shelters

If you want them to quit supporting the Taliban, help the people of Pakistan recover from this earthquake that happened almost one year ago.
That would certainly be money better spent than sending our brothers & sisters to Iraq to be killed on the streets in a Liar's War.

Nearly two million Pakistan quake victims at risk from winter: Oxfam

At least 1.8 million survivors of last year's massive earthquake in Pakistan are to spend a second harsh Himalayan winter in makeshift shelters, aid agency Oxfam has said.
The 7.6-magnitude quake on October 8, 2005 killed more than 74,000 people and left 3.5 million homeless. Aid agencies say they prevented deaths from disease and cold last winter but fear for survivors this time around.
"With snow already falling, this winter seems to have arrived early," said Farhana Faruqi Stocker of Oxfam International on Wednesday.
Only 17 percent of people living in the 450,000 households destroyed or severely damaged by the quake have started building permanent homes, Oxfam said, quoting government estimates.

Creative debt consolidation

Man hands over wife to pay debt

A Romanian man has handed over his wife to a creditor as payment for his debts.
Emil Iancu, from tIghisu Nou, gave his wife Daniela to 72-year-old Jozef Justien Lostrie when he turned up on his doorstep to collect a £1,800 debt.
Iancu said: "I had no money to pay the debt and when I told Lostrie he said he would take my wife instead.
"I was scared of what he would do and so I signed a document saying Daniela would live with him."
But Daniela says the deal has proved better for her.
"Before I had to clean the house and look after our three children on my own, while Emil did nothing, but now I'm treated like a guest and hardly have to raise a finger," she said.

FUN!

There's nothing quite like a cool mud puddle on a hot day... .

Too many lives lost in Iraq

Dalai Lama: Too many lives lost in Iraq.

Mischievous people often use religious faith for their own interests and create conflict... .We have to look at the real message of all these traditions.

Anniversary

I was thinking of going some place special for an anniversary dinner.
This may be a little too special, though.

A relief for Maria's sore jaws!

SCHWARZENEGGER GIVES UP HUMMERS

Hasn't he already done that?

Bush to engage skeptical U.N. on Mideast
Sorry, I thought that read Bush to enrage skeptical U.N. on Mideast.

Village elders order trial by boiling oil

Now here's a great way to find out who's been stealing lunches out of the office fridge!

Just a Sad State of Affairs

Polar bears drown, islands appear in Arctic thaw

OSLO (Reuters) - Polar bears are drowning and receding Arctic glaciers have uncovered previously unknown islands in a drastic 2006 summer thaw widely blamed on global warming.

Apparently we're all dead!

Cult enters bunkers for one year.

MAUCHE, Kenya (Reuters) - Kenyan followers of a U.S.-based religious sect which predicted the world would end after a September 12 outbreak of nuclear war moved into bunkers on Wednesday despite the failure of their prediction.
Dozens of members of the House of Yahweh -- dressed in gas masks, gloves and long overcoats -- have built a network of underground hideouts in the small highland village of Mauche.

Dog Rescuer Arrested for Saving a Life

Tammy Grimes, founder of Dogs Deserve Better, was arrested September 11, 2006 for helping a dying chained dog named Doogie who could not stand.

I made a hard decision; this decision was that I could not have lived with myself or looked myself in the eye if I were such a coward as to leave Doogie lying there dying on the ground for fear of what would happen to me. I see this case as a travesty against justice...the true perpetrators of a crime are the people who left Doogie to lie there dying for three days without doing right by him.

If you feel that our pets deserve respect & humane treatment, please read this piece, & send to whomever you know, including local media outlets.

Keepin' up with the Times

I had an email today from my father, telling us all that he's finally figured out how to store phone numbers in his cell phone, so we should all get that information to him to have.
And he's only had the phone for two years!

Doshu - Moriteru Ueshiba at NY Aikikai

 

An excellent clip from Doshu's visit to the NY Aikikai on its 40th anniversary.

Pack of Dogs Kill Gator in Florida

Sometimes nature is cruel but there is also a beauty in that cruelty.
The alligator, as one of the ultimate predators, can fall victim to the kind of implemented 'team work' strategy which is possible due to the pack mentality and social structure of canines.

Make Time for the Pain

Pop legend Carly Simon makes time for the pain

Carly Simon has an unusual way of preparing to go onstage: She asks people to spank her because only physical pain can overcome her stage fright.

I'm sure that Bill wanted in on a little of that action himself!

The last knife you'll ever need!

The Most Incredible Knife

Don't call us. We'll call you. Maybe. Or not.

Madonna's nuclear powers

Madonna has been lobbying the Government about a 'mystical' Kabbalah fluid which she believes can be used to clean up radioactive waste.

Armor of God PJs

I'm not even sure what to say about this.

Oops!

Orthodox Mormons Have All the Fun

Guy on cell: Hello?...What do you mean you have bad news?...You're pregnant? How could you be pregnant?...I thought you were on the Pill? How did this happen?!...I just got engaged to your sister on the 4th of July...This is really bad news...How long have you known?...A week?! Why did you wait a week to tell me?...Your sister is going to go through the roof...No, she doesn't come back until Monday...So, I'll see you tonight?...I told you, I just got engaged to your sister. You can't be pregnant...Okay, have a good afternoon.

He makes another call.

Guy on cell: Hey...You know Claire*?...Yeah, Lauren's* sister...Yeah, the hot one...Well, she's pregnant...Me!

--46th between 5th & 6th
via Overheard in New York, Aug 20, 2006

Amber Alert

Brand new freshman girl on cell phone in Walmart:

I'm lost! I'm in the aisle with $9.99 accessories... .

A Visit From Sensei

T Shihan's visit last weekend was definitely a brain-full of new information about Aikido, & our schools place in it.
In Friday's class he spent a lot of time talking about te-waza & ashi-waza, & their importance to controlling uke's center for technique.
He talked in great detail about the importance of our Aikido; the uniqueness of it. I'm sure that some of that comes from our direct connection to the Omoto Kyo from T. Sensei & his father as Shinto priests.
He wasn't pleased with a good bit of people's technique — not using center, etc. He stressed the use of proper hip movement, & moving uke with te-waza.

But most of all, I was reminded, after we were on our way home, of the differences in opinion that my instructor & I have in how we see our connection to the organization.
Sensei has a good bit of well-founded cynicism from past experiences with our organization, including how this latest trip was put together on such short notice, leaving most of our students out of the testing loop since we're on break at the university & so many people are out of town.

I see that, too, but feel a real connection with T. Shihan when I can see him teach, feel his technique, & hear him talk about the art. He's almost seventy now, & was just slamming some people down when demonstrating some techniques -- he noted that he always likes to use young, strong uke's because they can take it .

Sensei's technique is solid, & strong, but he doesn't have a strong desire to follow T. Shihan's instruction to teach so closely to his technical expertise.

In respect to staying close to our traditions, I would rather be a dojo that is trying to promote, in that we are teaching a specific way of doing Aikido, & thinking about the world around us.
I think we need closer contact with our home U.S. dojo, which would require more commitment all the way around to train with them, for us to go there more frequently, & for them to come to us more frequently.
I think we would do better, in many ways, if we were to move our dojo off campus, & set up in town. Again, that would require a good bit of commitment from a number of people, & Sensei isn't ready to make that jump yet; though I'm hopeful that he might be in a couple of years when he retires from his position.

I guess I'm connected to the particular spirit of our style in a more traditional way than others.

As strongly as I feel about it, I don't want to be the kind of person who splits a dojo, though I know that happens occasionally & can't always be helped.

Last year, I ended up cancelling my weekend class after attendance dropped to just a few people each week. I'm trying to decide now whether or not to bring it back this fall, & encourage everyone to come as often as possible. I would try to make it a mix of kihon waza & more advanced technique, leaving time for people to have the free practice that T. Shihan likes to see in every class.
Sensei & I briefly discussed the possibility of doing that during the week, but I don't really see that happening, unless we can actually get back to a twelve minute warm-up every class, & not fall into his twenty minute warm-up that morphs into pseudo-technique, then we're out of time without looking at any kihon waza in detail.

The more I think about a community dojo, rather than a university club, the more I like the idea.
As we are now, we have the majority of our students for just two or three years; anyone who stays longer than that has graduated & stayed in the area, or is a faculty member. Right now there are three aikido students who aren't university students.
In the long run, it means that we will continue to have a relatively small number of yudansha in the dojo, & that teaching responsibilities will continue to fall on just Sensei & myself most of the time.
Were we to move into the community, we could have more long-term students, & eventually build a larger base for teaching the classes.
We were at the NC dojo this weekend with our three yudansha - an all time high for us - and nine of the thirteen from their dojo were present on the mat.
Seeing that makes me feel that we can do more if we change what we're about in some ways.

The breast job that saved a life

Now all the guys are gonna want to touch 'em!
Breast implants save Israeli from rocket

Way to go George!

Trying to do for America what he did as Governor of Virginia!
Allen on Damage Control After Remarks to Webb Aide

RICHMOND, Aug. 15 -- Sen. George Allen on Tuesday sought to contain the political damage from remarks he made to a Fairfax County man that dredged up charges of racial insensitivity -- allegations that have dogged him for years as governor, senator and now presidential hopeful.

Despite a quick apology Monday, criticism poured in about Allen's use of the word "Macaca" to address a volunteer for the campaign of his Democratic opponent, James Webb, and also about another Allen comment, "Welcome to America." Democrats, left-wing bloggers and civil rights groups called him "insensitive" and "racist," while some conservatives called him "foolish" and "mean."

Hooray!!

Madonna Promises To Quit Acting

Horseback Riding Machine

I think she's working more than just her abs!

Casual Friday

I love it!

PC update

My lovely GX270 was returned today from the shop.
The technician told me that anytime they work on one of these, & have to remove the heat sink, they're likely to pull out the CPU and damage it.

I thanked him for making me feel less embarassed!

Oops of the Day...

Boy do I feel embarrassed!
I have four computers in my office that run all the time, & even with the AC running, it gets a bit warm sometimes. So I tried to order a desk fan, thinking that I could use it to blow some more air over my machines.
But since we have air conditioning, the state won't purchase an extra fan... Go figure!

I did the next best thing, & ordered some cooling fans for the computers themselves, including a low profile heat sink fan for my Dell Optiplex. It was slow enough today that I decided to go ahead & get it installed.
Unbeknownst to me, however, Dell uses a superstrong thermal compound on their CPU with the OEM heat sink.
When I removed the heat sink, it pulled the CPU right out of the Ziff socket, bending quite a few of the 478 pins!

Now I've been forced to call campus Tech Support & tell them the whole story, much to my own chagrin. Admittedly, it helps that I used to work in that office, but the tech on the phone, who doesn't know me, said, "Wait, you took your processor out?!"

Even though Dell used a superglue based compound, I'll take all the heat (get it? take the heat). And I won't be able to show my face over in that part of campus for quite some time I'm sure.

It's nice that my boss is off this week, so he's not here to be (rightfully) pissed off at me over it.
And I'm sure that I'll be without my workhorse for the rest of the week, so I'll just hook my trusty tablet to the big monitor!

Kids Game?

I was just visiting www.nabiscoworld.com
Apparently, as well as nutritional information, they have online games for kids.
There's one on their homepage called Cornhole!
I'm not sure I want my kids playing that!

Why not just go with the clip-on?

Croatia to knot world's biggest tie

Full Text of Bush's Private Exchange at G-8 Summit

Full Text of Bush's Private Exchange at G-8 Summit

President Bush was caught on an open microphone talking with other leaders at the Group of Eight summit in St. Petersburg as they ate lunch before adjourning on Monday. At times the television camera was on Bush, at times it was panning the room. Some of the exchange was hard to hear over the clinking of plates and pouring of drinks.

Today's Horoscope

Pisces

For Saturday, July 15 - Poke around some potential new hobbies or diversions today -- you're in need of a distraction to take your mind off negative influences that may be popping up in your life.

Does an extra round of hot sex in the middle of the afternoon count as a potential new hobby?
'Cause it definitely counts as poking around!

Uh-Oh!

According to new research, women could make sperm.

A new scientific breakthrough may lead to women in future being able to produce sperm.
Scientists in England have turned stem cells from am embryo into sperm which are capable of producing offspring.
The breakthrough is likely to lead to new advances in treating male infertility and even the possibility that women could manufacture sperm.

Wondering where to Buy Your Next Fish bladder incased in a glass container?

Look no further!

Local Sports Editor Arrested by Karma Police

...Sentenced to Ride 'It's a Small World' in Perpetuity

City editor: Do you think they give you your money back if your kid dies at Disney World?
Editor-in-Chief: No, but Mickey Mouse volunteers to be a pallbearer at the funeral.
Sports editor, in a Mickey Mouse falsetto: Hey guys, what's in the box?

7 North Jefferson Street
Huntington, Indiana
Overheard by: tricky nikki

via Overheard in the Office, Jul 11, 2006.

How 'bout those Wheels of Justice?

Woman accused of witchcraft in 1706 cleared

Nice Day for a Drive

In this photo provided by Jerry Patterson, a bear cub sits in a vintage red Buick convertible in a Lake Tahoe neighborhood, in Stateline, Nev., in this Sunday, July 2, 2006 file photo. The bear drew a crowd of spectators as it munched on barbecue chicken & jalapeno pizza in the back seat of the 1964 Buick Skylark. It also apparently washed it down with a swig of a Jack Daniel's mixer, an Absolut vodka and tonic, and a beer taken from a cooler, the vehicle's owner said. (AP Photo/Jerry Patterson via The Tahoe Daily Tribune)

Compassionate Conservative

Do I sense a little hostility?

Compassionate Conservative

Black woman: You know that girl you bumped into? She was handicapped. And you didn't say, "Excuse me."
White boy: Um, she bumped into me.
Black woman: So, she's handicapped. Is it her fault?
White boy: Shut the fuck up and go pick up your welfare check, you entitlement-addicted bitch.


--53rd & 5th
via Overheard in New York, Jul 7, 2006

Thank God He's Not the Captain!

As a Fetus, He Redecorated the Uterus

Gay flight attendant, frantically running down aisle: Excuse me! Coming through. Scusa, signore. Excuse me, I need to get the back of the plane. It's an emergency! Excuse me!! [Runs past woman, stops, walks back.] Oh my God, your scarf is fabulous; did you buy it in Venice?
Woman's husband: Did you say there was an emergency?
Gay flight attendant: Not as big as the one that'll happen if I don't get that scarf!

--flight into JFK

via Overheard in New York, Jul 6, 2006

Fallen Soldier Gets a Bronze Star but No Pagan Star

I have to agree with the sentiment expressed in this piece that the VA is worried about offending all of those conservative Bible Thumpers out there that managed to foist George Jr. upon us lo those many years ago.

Fallen Soldier Gets a Bronze Star but No Pagan Star — Washington Post

At the Veterans Memorial Cemetery in the small town of Fernley, Nev., there is a wall of brass plaques for local heroes. But one space is blank. There is no memorial for Sgt. Patrick D. Stewart.

That's because Stewart was a Wiccan, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has refused to allow a symbol of the Wicca religion -- a five-pointed star within a circle, called a pentacle -- to be inscribed on U.S. military memorials or grave markers.The department has approved the symbols of 38 other faiths; about half of are versions of the Christian cross. It also allows the Jewish Star of David, the Muslim crescent, the Buddhist wheel, the Mormon angel, the nine-pointed star of Bahai and something that looks like an atomic symbol for atheists.

Stewart, 34, is believed to be the first Wiccan killed in combat... .