Folks, the new Batmobile

Now this is a crimefighter's sled if there ever was one. I'd take this thing over a Hummer any day of the week.

BATMAN BEGINS

Oh that must have been a fun meeting. It's sad that while NPR tries to figure out the grant from Mrs. Krock, the member stations are suffering the backlash the timing of this move has caused.

I mean, I stopped giving to my station, WCBE, since it's broadcast license is held by the cash strapped and missmanaged Columbus Board of Education. They have cut 'CBE's budget to nothing (which I can understand) but as the holder of the broadcast rights for that FM signal, they could just up and sell it without any imput from me since I live in Gahanna (about 3 miles from the Columbus line).

Stormy days for NPR: " Kernis and Edwards have known each other since both were in their 20s, building the collaborative intimacy the studio fosters; Kernis was Edwards producer when Morning Edition was just starting in 1979.

That long history adds poignancy to Kernis role as the one who decided Edwards� fate.

Kernis stressed how he's been long devoted to Edwards. Edwards speaks of Kernis as his former producer, pushing me to try things I didn't want to do. A picture of the men together in the old days hangs in Edwards' office. Yet, recalling the meeting that marked the end as public radio's leading morning presence, Edwards said: "You don't do this to your friend."

"He may be right, he may be right, Kernis said, his voice trailing off. But I still have enormous affection for him."

Asked if this was a painful thing for him to do, Kernis said: "I can tell you it was difficult."

"Oh, great, said Edwards, with his typical wry wit. "He got the difficulty and I got the pain. Wanna trade ? "

Looks like the good folks of Fallujah either need to deal with the insurgents in some way (like telling us where they are) or risk not being blown to bits but have us hold back on things like water, food, power til they get the picture.
CNN.com - Four U.S. civilians killed in Iraq - Mar 31, 2004

OK, so Japan loves baseball...but do we have to open the season there?
ESPN.com - MLB/SPRING2004 - Olney: All or nothing

Wonder if it was such a good idea not to have Connie's testimony in private?
Wonkette: "Rice says there is no need to apologize for 9/11 failures and now acknowledges that Bush met Clarke on 9/12 to discuss Iraq; Clarke calls for full declassification of his earlier testimony; White House may move to declassify Rice's private testimony with the commission. [WP and NYT]"

Chernobyl by motorcycle. Stunning photos from the GhostTown
GHOST TOWN

Ms.Jolie with an eye patch... must...remain..clam..movie..not..coming..out..till..July..
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow

In "The Martain Chronicles", Ray Bradbury talked about the idea of Earth germs killing the Martians. I wonder what superbug the first people on Mars could run into if we ever make it up there?

New Scientist: "'I believe there is life on Mars, and it's unequivocally there, because we sent it,' Andrew Schuerger of the University of Florida told the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in Houston, Texas, recently. He has been granted funding from NASA's planetary protection office to help develop better sterilisation techniques for future missions. "

The visual guide to the 9/11 hearings

Ah, the question of our age: To do right by your shareholders or your empolyees? I wonder if Mr. Dreher (the analyst who complant is raised in the article) has ever whacked a stock due to it's CEO's compensation package?

WSJ.com - Costco's Dilemma: Be Kind To Its Workers, or Wall Street?

Meet the next generation in Game Development tools
Microsoft XNA

Man, of all the ways to go.

nbc4columbus.com - News - Man Remembered After Being Struck By Van At Shopping Mall: "Man Remembered After Being Struck By Van At Shopping Mall"

I just want them to get it right.. I'll wait.. then again I want to see this now.. Maybe even more than Hellboy

Sci Fi Wire -- The News Service of the Sci Fi Channel: "The release date for the upcoming SF live-action/animated film Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow has already been bumped once, and the production is now farming out post-production visual-effects work to nearly a dozen other F/X houses, according to The Hollywood Reporter. "

Oh does this woman need a way back machine to the 40's
:: LANA LANDIS - AMERICAs No.1 PIN-UP | HOLLYWOOD CALIFORNIA | SITE BY 247 MEDIA STUDIOS ::

You've got to be kidding me!
CNN.com - 'Morning Edition' replacing Edwards - Mar 23, 2004: "'Morning Edition' replacing Edwards"

Got this from one of the guys at work.. Will be interested to see which one Cheney will pick..

http://atrios.blogspot.com/2004_03_21_atrios_archive.html#107999847741730837

Out of the Loop

Moe Blues over at Bad Attitudes has the best take on Cheney's bizarre appearance on Big Pharma's show:


So Dick Cheney is making the rounds claiming that Clarke was "out of the loop" in the administration's counter-terror efforts. Therefore, Clarke doesn't know what he's talking about and anything he says should be instantly discounted.

It's amazing that Cheney does not seem to realize what he is actually saying: That the Bush administration's top expert on terrorism was not consulted about their counter-terrorism efforts. This presents several unpalatable choices:

1. Cheney is lying for political gain. If the public picks up on this, the backlash could be out of all proportion to the damage Cheney is trying to control.

2. The administration deliberately ignored its in-house expert, with September 11 being the result. This eliminates one more scapegoat, since the White House cannot simultaneously blame Clarke for failing to stop 9/11 while claiming he was "out of the loop" on counter-terrorism.

3. Assuming Cheney speaks the truth, it actually bolsters Clarke's claim to Cassandra-hood. Cut out of the loop, his warnings went nowhere and were ignored. That, too, is pretty damning of the administration.

What happens when a man attempts to eat a hotdog and drink a beer every inning for 9 innings. That's 9 dogs and 9 brews over about 3 hours. Read on to see the results
Page 2 - The dream: 9 dogs, 9 beers, 9 innings

Need to give this site a closer read.
The real first impression

Can't wait for the first of the months so I can start sim'ing my season of AAA baseball.
MVP Baseball 2004 (Xbox) Review at GameSpy.com

This is a test to see if AvantBlog works

Washing the feet of Berkeley's homeless / Ritual rinse relaxes weary and displaced: "The washing ritual, Bug said, is ''my way of keeping myself from killing someone out there. I come here every week to relax.'' "

This has got to be one of the stranger qoutes I've heard from a volunteer. Just hope they keep the nail clippers from this guy.

Wonkette: "Illinois Senate candidate Maria Pappas is suing a Vidal Sassoon Salon for $50,000 after a hair coloring sent her to the ER with 'severe redding and swelling of the scalp line, redness on the jaw extending to her neck, and redness and swelling across her cheeks and forehead.'. . "

Opps!

Zap2it.com MOVIES | MOVIE NEWS | STORY: "The 50-year-old James Bond actor says he'd like to see Keira Knightley or Monica Bellucci take the sexy franchise roles. Upon hearing rumors that Spears was interested in Bond-girl status, however, Brosnan added, 'Bless her cotton socks and good luck to her,' reports the AP."

OK, while I like Keira a lot, she's a bit too young unless it's a reto Bond set in the 60's (an idea I really, really like). Brittany would also work in a very small roll, with no lines..

Monica Bellucci would be a PERFECT choice to be the first Woman Bond villain. Not henchwoman or mistress but the full fledge Bad Woman Bond would have to take on. Give her a cigarette holder and some curve flattering dresses and it would be incredible!

I love The Hole

nbc4columbus.com - News - Customer Subdues Robber With Sledgehammer: "'After hitting him in the head with a hammer four times, he wouldn't go down.'
- J.R. Croy, customer"

Looks like bro picked the wrong pizza shop to rob. Can't imagine what would keep someone on their feet after 4 shots with a 2lb sledgehammer.

Between this and the Tide popping #1 Stanford.. It was a good week for Alabama hoops fans.

ESPN.com - NCB - UAB knocks out No. 1-seed Kentucky

Talk about a strangly cool sound. A bass national steel guitar
WB BASS

Oh this is going to be a great popcorn movie. Yes, I 've read the report that that the CGI is a bit crappy but Kate in the corset should distract me enough.
Van Helsing

I loved this:

Bush is my shepherd, I shall be in want.
He leadeth me beside the still factories,
He maketh me to lie down on park benches,
He restoreth my doubts about the Republican party,
He guideth me onto the paths of unemployment for the party's sake.
I do fear the evildoers, for thou talkst about them constantly.
Thy tax cuts for the rich and thy deficit spending
They do discomfort me.
Thou anointeth me with never-ending debt,
And my savings and assets shall soon be gone.
Surely poverty and hard living shall follow me,
And my jobless children shall dwell in my basement forever.

This could push the conflict into a new phase. I can see Hamas and Izzedine al Qassam looking for more blood. Given that he was killed en route to a holyy place could bring temples onto the target list for the first time.

CNN.com - Palestinians: Hamas founder killed in airstrike - Mar 21, 2004: "CNN) -- Hamas founder and spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin was killed in an apparent airstrike by Israeli forces Monday morning as he was being driven from a mosque, Hamas and Palestinian security sources told CNN."

First Jim Fixx and now Maxwell. Makes you wonder about running.

ESPN.com - SPORTSBUSINESS - PowerBar founder Maxwell dies of heart attack: "SAN ANSELMO, Calif. -- Brian Maxwell, founder of the multimillion-dollar PowerBar empire and a former world-class marathon runner, has died of a heart attack, friends said. He was 51."

Hope someone remembered to take that ugly neon Liberty Bell with them before she blew. Quick, someone pour a Yeungling over the pile before they hual it to the heap.

Oh how I hate the Phillies.. let me count the ways..
ESPN.com - GEN - Philly farewell: Veterans Stadium imploded

I don't care what kind of 'professor' you are.. Carrying a seal's head in your luggage is just wrong. I bet the folks on that flight were just happy it wasn't in his carry on.
CNN.com - Biologist stopped at airport with severed seal's head in luggage - Mar 20, 2004: "BOSTON, Massachusetts (AP) -- Airport security agents at Boston's Logan International Airport stopped a biologist after discovering the severed head of a harbor seal in his luggage."

Film4's guide to cussing

Gotta love the Brits.. Plus they let folks from SFU, West Wing and Scrubs get their potty mouths aflapping..

USA Today Says Reporter Faked Stories:

If this is true, does this make Jack Kelley the white Jayson Blair?

CNN.com - Mars rovers to embark on final mission - Mar 19, 2004: "With their primary goal of finding signs of water on Mars achieved, NASA's twin robot-geologists soon will make tracks across the Red Planet's barren surface until their batteries run out, NASA officials said on Thursday."

The rovers did a fine job. Word is the next generation rover is going to try and shoot a sample back home.

I sense that the rovers might want to qoute the words of Robbie Gallagher (Val Kilmer) from Red Planet:
"Well, thats about it. I hate this planet. I really miss Earth"

CNN.com - Mental health activist takes aim at 'Dr. Phil' - Mar 19, 2004

About time somebody called Phil on this.. The man is a bully

CNN.com - Pakistanis pound suspected al Qaeda fighters - Mar 19, 2004: "Pakistanis pound suspected al Qaeda fighters Al Qaeda No. 2 leader may be surrounded by thousands of troops"

Maybe it's me but notice how they found the guy after we forgave $1.5 billion in debit plus made them an ally?

WarrenEllis.com

Warren has got that gene I wish I had. The ablility to look at the way things are and twist them into stories of what they could become that is both realistic and entertaining. Plus the man doesn't sleep..

My Way News: "Red Lobster to Trim All-You-Can-Eat Deals"

I've seen my Dad flat out break the back of the wait staff on "crab Monday" when Jean and I were dating.

See Jean was a waitron at the Lobster in college and taught my Dad the proper way to chuck the crab legs. I think they pounded down close to 5 pounds before my Dad started to wonder aloud if he was starting to feel the effect of his shellfish allergy.. Needless to say Pop's spent the night at the ER and Mom forbid him from eating crabs ever again.

During my Dad's showing when my Mom and Sister didn't invite us to go to dinner with them, I looked at Jean and said "We're going to the Lobster" since that was the one place I knew they wouldn't go that Dad would have liked to have had one last time.

Beach Access, City and County of Honolulu

Forget the lawnchair.. I want this thing.. and a big picnic lunch of Korean BBQ Pupus (like Char Sui) with some Zippy's Chilli with a Zantac chacer!

- Back is still bugging but not as bad a last night
- Work is annoying at the moment since I'm thrashing about looking for test cases for a script that I'd don't fully understand
- I'm ready to go back to Hawaii', grab a chair and plant myself on the beach at across from Kualoa Regional Park Mokoli'i Island or Chinaman's hat

He might not have Karl Rove on the speed dial but the man has read his Orwell
Wonkette: "Richard Taylor, who produced doctored photo of Kerry and Jane Fonda: 'I wanted to illustrate what actually happened historically. [They were] speaking at the same rally, on the same day, on the same stage.' He added, 'Karl Rove is not on my speed-dial.' "

This disc has been stuck in my head for a week now. Plus Kat Maslich has that sexy mountain babe vibe working on top of her angelic voice.
eastmountainsouth

Ohhhh me like the Volcano King font set.. would make for a great luau invite
Welcome to the Font Diner! Have a seat, stay a while!

Nice to see that couples can discuss issues of faith in an open and affirming environment
CNN.com - Couple arrested after 'Passion' fight - Mar 18, 2004: "STATESBORO, Georgia (AP) -- A couple who got into a dispute over a theological point after watching 'The Passion of the Christ' were arrested after the argument turned violent."

Most Extreme Elimination Challenge...
This show.. What can I say.. It's freaking insane. It's funny in that slap stick kind of way..
SpikeTV.com

Spike is actual turning out some funny stuff since the name change.

SpikeTV.com

Wonderfalls
Funniest show I've seen on a network in years. Jayne works at a gift shop at Niagara Falls. She's a cynic and strives to disappoint her very successful family. But she has a problem, things like a deformed wax lion are now talking to her and urging her to get involved in people's lives.

Exchange of the night:
(the setting, Jayne is driving, her sister Sharon is in the back seat. Sharon has just come out of the closet after Jayne (who hates her) tried to set her up on a blind date with a guy.. who by the way is also in the back seat struggling to breath after eating peanuts. Yes their taking him to the hospital.

Also the reason she tried to set them up was that the deformed wax lion kept her up all night singing until Jayne 'finds a mate' for the guy who's gasping for air in the back)

Jaye: Your Gay?
Sharon: Yes
Jaye: Does Mom know?
Sharon: No, she'd unwind
Jaye: Can I tell her?

FOX Broadcasting Company: WONDERFALLS

I can't get over the fact J.J. was 62!
May the Lord grant you loved ones peace as you return home.

MTV.com - News -J.J. Jackson, One Of MTV's First VJs, Dies At Age 62: "J.J. Jackson, One Of MTV's First VJs, Dies At Age 62"

I can put a major hurting to my credit card on this site:
SnoopyStore.com

Felt 2nd flutter of the day which means that my stress to rest ratio is off. It also didn't help that I stood during the VP's meeting today with his organization. On the other hand, this kept me from falling asleep in the dark, body heated warmth of the room.

The Shrub strikes back!

NPR : Morning Edition for Thursday, March 18, 2004: "Foreign Firms Adding Jobs to U.S.

Figures from the Commerce Department show foreign employers added 3.4 million U.S. workers between 1986 and 2001 -- almost equaling the 3.5 million jobs U.S. companies moved offshore in the same period. Department data suggests many white-collar service jobs are also flowing from abroad to the United States. NPR's Scott Horsley reports. "

Dear God..
NPR : Morning Edition for Thursday, March 18, 2004: "'Morning Edition' Returns: Darwin Banned, Gays Next?

Commissioners in Rhea County, Tenn., vote 8-0 to request that state law be amended so the county can charge homosexuals with crimes against nature. The commissioner who introduced the measure also wants to ban gays from living in the county. In 1925, John Scopes was convicted of teaching evolution in Rhea County. "

This is a cool idea to bring 'the people of the book' together to share the singing of prase to our God
NPR : Festival Promotes Peace Through Sacred Music

No better way to sum up the current state of the American Political Process.

(PS: I love the Wonkette)

Wonkette: "Inside the Beltway: Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.): 'Politics in general, in a republic like ours, is a substitute for civil war. It is a very important process.' Washington Times @ http://insider.washingtontimes.com/articles/normal.php?StoryID=20040314-114744-9068r "

This guy needs a life but it you want your op-ed published, follow these 3 rules.

Poynter Online - Romenesko: "Erik Wemple writes: 'Read a few of his best works and a Marans Method sorts itself out: (1) Refer to a story in the targeted publication, as opposed to spouting off on your pet topics; (2) write strong, punchy sentences free of sarcasm; and (3) avoid gratuitous ad hominem slams.'"

My back is killing me
More job cuts at work are on the way
John is getting bigger everyday
Jean's 'drive' is back
I can't get into the purpose driven life book, haven't read it at all this week
I'm starting to look at doing all of my test cases with Excel now that I know how to get it to do more than auto sum

My Qoute of the day (riffed from Gil in Finding Nemo):

Man wasn't met to work in a cube, kid.. It does something to ya.