One of my Christmas presents was Sims2, which nobody played because none of our computers at home had enough horsepower to run it. Since we got the laptop, it's become the Sims machine when not being used for anything else.

I've futzed around with it for a few hours over the last couple of weeks, and on Monday night I killed my first Sim. He was a whiney snot and I got tired of his attitude. The killing part wasn't fun and I was amazed that his bladder lasted longer than his little electron heart.

People all over are playing God in these virtual worlds, but to me it's like a horrible training program on how not to take care of someone. Like, oh... the elderly? It strikes me as singularly stupid that we've given youngsters the means to refine and perfect their cruelty when it comes time to deal with an aging Mom and Dad.

Maybe I've just been in a mood lately, but a home isn't looking like such a bad thing any more.

Posted by: Ted at 05:42 AM | category: Square Pegs
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The latest meme I've seen around (Gir was first) is something about "How gay is your website". I submitted Rocket Jones and it came back with "50% gay - at least bisexual".

That surprised me, what with all the zombies and rockets stuff lately. My wife might be right. She says I'm overcompensating. Plans to redecorate the place have been scrapped, although I am thinking about building a deck off of the right sidebar. With a built in grill. And a beer cooler. With a tap.

Not that there's anything wrong with "bisexual" (he says in a deep manly voice while scratching himself). Especially if you're a woman.

Posted by: Ted at 07:50 PM | category: Square Pegs
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Zombie Prom, the off-broadway musical.

Sometimes the synergy of this ol' world is frightening.

Posted by: Ted at 06:10 AM | category: Links
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Be glad it wasn't something really scary like Abba.

And what about Zombies? You never hear from Zombies! That's the trouble with Zombies, they're unreliable! I say if you're going to go for the Angel bullshit you might as well go for the Zombie package as well. -- George Carlin

New tagline over on the sidebar too.

Posted by: Ted at 05:58 AM | category: Square Pegs
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They come a-running just as fast as they can.
Every girl's crazy for a sharp dressed man. -- ZZ Top

Posted by: Ted at 04:05 AM | category: Square Pegs
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Mookie and her date (an interpretation by Dad):

They all kind of look like this to me. If you have daughters, then you understand.

Posted by: Ted at 08:55 PM | category: Square Pegs
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Over at Transterrestrial Musings, Rand Simberg has been giving updates on the Space Access Conference in Phoenix, Arizona.

Teasers and snippets:

Three kinds of space people:

Saganites: "Space is big, billions of stars, isn't God's creation incredible...DON'T TOUCH IT."

Von Braunians: "We vill go boldly into space, and you vill watch on television, and you vill enjoy it." That's the current space program.

O'Neillians: "We will build the tools, go into space, and use its resources to expand humanity and freedom into the cosmos."

About Chuck Lauer of Rocketplane, Limited's talk:

Chuck actually gets quite emotional when describing the feeling of going into the hangar and seeing all the people working, earning a living, finally living the dream that he and Mitchell started working on a decade ago.

There's so much more. As they say, go read the whole thing. Scroll on down through the articles (or start at the bottom and read up) as it covers multiple posts.

Posted by: Ted at 11:52 AM | category: Space Program
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From Ace:

I didn't know a girl-on-girl tickling scene with Andie MacDowell could be so... disturbing.

A couple of things here. First, I was busy on the computer when the movie being talked about came on. When I realized something other than music was playing in the background, it took me a few minutes to realize that the character was supposed to be "special". She acted exactly like Rosie O'Donnell always acts. Loud and obnoxious.

Secondly, Andie MacDowell is an actress that I cannot stand. She was marginal in Groundhog Day, but I think she became irrevocably dead to me after her performance in Michael.

"Pie. Pie. Me oh my..."

Posted by: Ted at 11:28 AM | category: Links
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I was puttering around the house last night, half-watching some documentary about teaching youngsters or something like that. This caught my ear:

Boys have a penis. Girls have a vagina.

Anatomy? Sex-ed? Either way, those kids were way too young for that.

Damn. more...

Posted by: Ted at 05:27 AM | category: Square Pegs
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As promised, a photo of my daughter Rachael (aka Mookie) before heading out to prom.

(in the extended entry) more...

Posted by: Ted at 02:57 PM | category: Links
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Not "Dub", Bub!

Posted by: Ted at 10:45 AM | category: Cult Flicks
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BattlePark 2005 in Culpeper, Virginia was a complete personal washout for me. Dammit. Since the field is plowed farmland, I assume that anyone who shows up today is going to be hubcap deep in mud. It rained here all night both Friday and Saturday, which made for good sleeping, but lousy rocketry.

Oh well. That's weather for ya.

Posted by: Ted at 09:37 AM | category: Rocketry
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Q: What do you call zombies in your whirlpool?

A: Stew.

Posted by: Ted at 09:25 AM | category: Square Pegs
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"Do you have Prince Albert in a can?"

Posted by: Ted at 01:06 AM | category: Square Pegs
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From Murdoc Online, these pictures of a sandstorm in Iraq, about to engulf an airbase. Incredible.

Posted by: Ted at 08:51 PM | category: Links
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Pictures later of Mookie in her dress (if she'll let me).

Posted by: Ted at 07:14 PM | category: Square Pegs
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(alternate title: Less Talk, More Zombies)

Zombierama.

On a related note, I rewatched Day of the Dead last night while waiting for a loaf of bread to bake. Terribly underrated and not disturbingly gory until the last half hour (when it goes right on over the top).

Posted by: Ted at 10:45 AM | category: Cult Flicks
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Go visit and say Yay!

Kitty Says
Pole Dancing in the Dark
American Warmonger
Beekeeper
Eric's Grumbles
Alex in Wonderland
Weasel Manor
Nomen Est Omen
Hatshepsut
Angry In The Great White North
American Geek
Whatsakyer?
Phin's Blog
Oorgo Blog
Smiling Dynamite
Ogre's View
Life, or Something Like It
Camp HappyBadFun

Posted by: Ted at 09:15 AM | category: Links
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Someone was kind enough to scan and post a whole heap of Players Cigarette cards. This particular set of 85 cards is of Actresses, and were released during the late 1930's (from clues like "her latest film was...").

I'll post one of these every once in a while, with a couple of simple links to IMDB.com or a bio if I can find one. You might be surpirsed at some of the familiar names you'll see. The category is "Star Cards" (over on the right column), and you can click there at any time to see all that I've posted. Hope you enjoy.

(in the extended entry) more...

Posted by: Ted at 08:00 AM | category: Star Cards
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Just some thoughts.

I hate going to WalMart during the day, because all the senior citizens are there. Yesterday I watched a lady who probably shared a nice piece of fish with Christ himself on the mount as she tottered through the crosswalk. She was clutching her cart for dear life, and I'm positive it was the only thing holding her up. About a third of the way across (a two minute journey, I kid you not), she was almost flattened by another woman in a Cadillac who probably taught female gladiators to drive chariots in ancient Rome. That's entertainment. Like watching the Keystone Kops in slo-mo.

When I get old enough to drive a golf cart, I'm putting wheelie bars on the back.

Mookie's imagination has been fired by the speculative piece about Canada breaking up and parts joining the US, and now the Cambodian zombie story. She's been wandering through the house singing "Invade Canadaaaaaaah, with Zombies from Cambodiaaaaaah." She's such a special child.

It's looking like tomorrow is not going to be a go for the Culpeper rocket launch, due to a really lousy weather forecast. That's a personal decision, I'm sure there will be folks there and some flights will be made. I'm still on for Sunday though, which is supposed to be beautiful.

I may be putting a large "Sears sucks donkey dicks" banner up soon. Next week will tell the tale. Whatever happened to customer service?

Instead of sitting here, I should be cleaning something.

Posted by: Ted at 05:39 PM | category: Square Pegs
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