Dad, upon observing two dead-ass daughters laying around the living room: "It's Mother's Day, you should make mom breakfast in bed."

Girls:

Dad: "Do we have cinnamon rolls? Mom likes those."

Robyn: "Yeah, mom pointed those out yesterday."

Dad: "Probably because she wants them this morning."

Girls:

Dad: "Someone should go into the kitchen and make Mom some cinnamon rolls. He said pointedly, with a hint of suggestion in his voice."

Rachael: "Huh? Sorry dad, I was zoned out."

Posted by: Ted at 11:11 AM | category: Square Pegs
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My favorite "fierce American" expressed surprise at the lack of hockey-related logos in the banner contest. So I'll put Maurice "Rocket" Richard (pronounced Ree-shard) up top for awhile. From his bio pages:

Richard became the NHL's first 50-goal shooter in 1944-45. This feat was accomplished in 50 games, a performance that wouldn't be equaled until Mike Bossy did it in 1980-81.

Now you shouldn't confuse him with a later legend who also played for the Montreal Canadiens, Henri Richard. For you heathens who don't know who "Pocket Rocket" Richard is:

The only individual to have his name on the Stanley Cup 11 times as a player. Incredibly, he played on a Stanley Cup winner in more than half the seasons he played.

More on his career here.

Posted by: Ted at 08:45 AM | category: Links
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"Und here is vhere ve install ze automobile batteries."

Posted by: Ted at 08:24 AM | category: Square Pegs
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1 Oooooh,I don't know........looks about right for the average Bavarian barmaid.HEHEHE!!!!

Posted by: Russ at May 08, 2005 12:50 PM (ObxzR)

2 You know that's a scene from Frau im Mond, right? And that the model rocket being examined was considered top secret by the Nazis? It's since disappeared; some think it was destroyed intentionally by the Nazis and others think it was destroyed during a bombing raid.

I liked Josephine the mouse. For some reason, the IMDB doesn't mention her, though Fritz Lang gave her screen credit...

Also, Fritz Lang invented the countdown for that movie.

Posted by: Victor at May 08, 2005 09:08 PM (Sx8zO)

3 Yep, sure did know where it came from, but not the missing/destroyed part. The picture is one of my wallpapers for my iPaq.

Posted by: Ted at May 08, 2005 09:14 PM (+OVgL)

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The Team America Rocketry Challenge happens in two weeks (click here for more info), and local newspapers across the country are starting to notice.

EDUCATION: It IS rocket science
Grand Forks Herald - Grand Forks, ND,USA
... perhaps the first thing the three-member Red River High School rocket team will check this afternoon after they launch the 3½-foot model rocket they designed ...

Houston, we have ignition
Delmarva Daily Times - MD,USA
... an invitation to compete in the Aerospace Industries Association's Team America Rocketry Challenge fly-off -- the nation's largest student model rocket contest ...

Counting down
Sun-Sentinel.com - Fort Lauderdale,FL,USA
... Right Stuff -- has placed the eight-student group in the coveted finals of the Team America Rocketry Contest, billed as the world's largest model rocket contest ...

Thanks to Bill S. for emailing the links.

Posted by: Ted at 09:34 PM | category: Rocketry
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Is up at TechnoGypsy, served up with plenty of Pascha basket related commentary. Good food and good reading.

Posted by: Ted at 12:06 AM | category: Recipes
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Just a reminder and an invitation to join us at the Potomac Nationals baseball game on the evening of May 14th. Here's your chance to see the future of the Washington Nationals, put some faces to blogger names, and there will be fireworks afterwards too.

Hope to see you there!

Already expressing interest:

Mookie (and at least my wife and one other kid)
Goddess Dawn
Nic of Shoes, Ships & Sealing Wax
Victor of Publius & Co.
Buckethead (and family) of the Ministry of Minor Perfidy
Newlyweds Rob & Big Hair from L&R

Details, details: The game starts at 7pm, and the ticket office opens at noon. Rob suggested the $10 box seats which looks to be right down on the field. I was thinking Section 3 of reserved seating ($9) because it might be easier to get a group of seats together there. What say you? Either works for me.

Directions and stadium map are here.

Posted by: Ted at 05:29 AM | category: Links
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1 The Big Hair reminds me that the DC101 Chili Cookoff is that day.

Sorry.

How about Sunday?

Posted by: Rob@L&R at May 06, 2005 10:34 AM (4a1Xa)

2 Not a problem, Rob. It's a long season, and we plan to attend several games. Sunday's a no-go for me, getting ready for the following weekend's Team America Rocket Contest event.

Posted by: Ted at May 06, 2005 04:18 PM (+OVgL)

3 I'm still in -- any seating area is fine. I'm a baseball illiterate and am all about getting to see the Rocket Jones entourage!

Posted by: dawn at May 07, 2005 10:27 AM (Dh1V0)

4 Victor and I will sit anywhere you say. It looks like there's not really a bad seat in the house.

Posted by: nic at May 08, 2005 07:31 AM (Sx8zO)

5 As I recently rejoined the ranks of the employed, I am very much up for this. While I won't have received my first, glorious paycheck by then; I know I have money in the pipeline. I no longer need to worry about every last penny, and how to best to allocate it. This is a very good thing, and celebrating with a baseball game seems fitting.

Keep me posted on all the pesky details, so that I can tell my wife and therefore not forget to go to the game, or go to the wrong stadium.

Posted by: buckethead at May 09, 2005 10:21 PM (r8pWR)

6 I wish I could on the 14th. But I have a previous engagement. A few of us are planning on getting together the evening of Saturday, May 21 for a few hours at a restaurant downtown. If you are interested, please drop me a line.

Posted by: The Maximum Leader at May 10, 2005 01:04 PM (jiSuM)

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Everybody knows that a lot of chocolate isn't good for you. Peanut butter is better for you than chocolate. And oatmeal is even better for you than peanut butter. Except that oatmeal is that kind of anemic tan color and peanut butter is the same color as baby poo. Ick. So the best way to make something look appetizing if it has peanut butter and oatmeal in it is to add a little chocolate, right? And it's still health food, you just have to hide that fact from the kids.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

Super-Duper Healthy No-Guilt Peanut Oat (and chocolate) No-bake Cookies
(does it get any easier and healthier than this?)

ingredients
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup peanut butter (smooth or chunky, doesn't matter)
1 3/4 cups quick-cooking rolled oats

directions
In a medium saucepan stir together the sugar and cocoa.
Add the milk and butter. Turn heat to medium and bring to a boil.
Boil 1 minute.
Remove from heat. Add peanut butter and oats. Stir well to combine.
Drop by teaspoonfuls onto foil-lined sheet pan.
Let stand until firm and cool.
Store in an airtight container.

That's it!

Note to visitors from the Carnival of the Recipes: While you're here, take a gander at the Rocket Jones Banner Contest and vote on your favorite.

Posted by: Ted at 07:22 PM | category: Recipes
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I always get those two holidays mixed up.

Posted by: Ted at 05:54 AM | category: Square Pegs
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Thanks to Victor, a link to a movie ad parody: Zombies make movies.

I think the undead chick is pretty darned hot.

Posted by: Ted at 10:15 AM | category: Links
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Over at SilverBlue (who has moved, let linkage adjustment commence), we are treated to this wonderful bit of fun:

The Top 15 Signs You Are Worshipping GodZILLA, Not God

15> Less smiting, more biting!

14> Every single story in the Old Testament ends with God destroying a city.

13> You insist that every courthouse display a copy of 10 instructions for destroying Tokyo.

12> Your hymnal is copyrighted by Blue Oyster Cult.

11> YouÂ’re expected to build a cross big enough for crucifying Godzuki.

10> You issue a fatwa for jihad on Mechagodzilla.

9> The whole “Bambi is Satan” thing should have been a big tip-off.

8> His sole commandment: Thou shalt run screaming through the streets.

7> Every time you kneel to pray, your Lord steps on you.

6> Golden calf? No response.
Sacrificial lamb? Not even a twitch.
Passenger train full of screaming Japanese passengers? Bingo!

5> The sermon is lovely, but Reverend TakoshiÂ’s words are out of sync with his lips.

4> Instead of a communion wafer, youÂ’re supposed to eat Tokyo.

3> Recently chosen Pope Megalon XVI crushes all attempts to alter church doctrine.

2> You just spent $20,000 on eBay for the Virgin Mothra stuffed calzone.

and Topfive.comÂ’s Number 1 Sign You Are Actually Worshipping GodZILLAÂ…

1> That thing about keeping the templeÂ’s lamps lit for eight days with no oil? Not a problem.

I posted the whole thing, but he posts good jokes and photos often, so you should visit him regularly.

Posted by: Ted at 09:43 AM | category: Links
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She's about to be sentenced for her role in the Abu Gharib prison abuses. This might be the first time I've mentioned the whole mess, but I'll say this much now:

When she pled guilty, Lyndie England didn't flinch or try to deflect the blame. She said that she knew it was wrong, and caved to peer pressure to participate. Once again, she admitted that she knew it was wrong, yet she chose to do it anyway.

That's called personal responsibility, and it's far more than Sergeant "Military Intelligence ordered us to do it" Graner has shown.

I hope that her sentence is less harsh because of her admission. It was wrong, it was stupid, but still, my respect for her has gone up a notch.

Posted by: Ted at 08:12 AM | category: Square Pegs
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Not one, but two nifty internet places to visit from Iceland, land of geothermal energy.

• Denita points the way to these beautiful photos of the Aurora Borealis.
• Stop by and say hello to Maria, a new Munuvian member who lives in Reykjavik.

Yay!

Posted by: Ted at 07:39 AM | category: Links
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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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