Build your own outdoor ice rink. Link courtesy of the Hockey Pundits.

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Lynn from Reflections in d minor reflects on why Thanksgiving is special to Americans. This is a beautiful bit of writing and absolutely correct too.

President Bush visits the troops in Iraq for Thanksgiving. This man is amazing, and that was the perfect thing to do at the perfect time.

While I'm admiring leadership, let's give Hillary Clinton a hand as well, for visiting troops in Afghanistan over Thanksgiving. I've spent holidays working on the flight line, and visits like this are very much appreciated.

And although I'm at work today, that's a good thing too because Mookie and mom are putting up Christmas decorations. It's nice to come home and find that my only job is to haul boxes back up into the attic.

Oh yeah, it was a pleasant surprise this morning to find myself alone atop the standings in my Fantasy Hockey League. The top five or six teams have been tight all season, and it changes every day, but this is the first time I've been in first place all by myself. Woot!

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From the same artist who brought us the Oz painting from yesterday, say hello to Rocket the cat.

Now this is guaranteed to steam your buns! The Rocket Dog frankfurter vending system. It's Ergonomic too. Be still my heart.

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Finding Oz.

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Thanks to DeltaTangoBravo (and I even stole his excellent post title), you can now learn what your initials would be in the Radio Operator Alphabet. Military types might already know this, but it's still fun.

Alpha
Bravo
Charlie
Delta
Echo
Foxtrot
Golf
Hotel
India
Juliet
Kilo
Lima
Mike
November
Oscar
Papa
Quebec
Romeo
Sierra
Tango
Uniform
Victor
Whiskey
X-ray
Yankee
Zulu

Interestingly, many folks seem to wind up sounding like old porn stars and strippers.

This is Romeo Tango Papa signing off. Over and out.

Posted by: Ted at 10:48 AM | category: Links
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1 I referred to a project here at the office as a "charlie foxtrot" in a meeting once. My boss knew what I meant (and luckily agreed with my assessment), but I was a little embarrassed when he made me explain to the rest of the staff.

Posted by: nic at November 25, 2003 01:25 PM (nUOJD)

2 'completely fubar'?

Posted by: Ted at November 25, 2003 01:52 PM (Qj620)

3 Juliet November Lima.

Well, now I have a "stage name" in case I ever go Hollywood. (I'll just drop the Lima though.)

Posted by: Jennifer at November 25, 2003 05:10 PM (MWEk/)

4 ...and the fox you trotted in on!

Posted by: triticale at November 25, 2003 05:46 PM (YmQkS)

5 OK...Mine is Delta Mike Romeo, which sounds totally TOO MASCULINE for a chick like me. Even if I'm a tomboy.
Of course, if I use my 'net handle it becomes Delta Tango--which conjures up images of steamy evenings on the verandah with music in the background and a mint julep in my hand...I think I'll stick with that one instead... ;-)

--TwoDragons

Posted by: Denita TwoDragons at November 25, 2003 08:49 PM (yv+Dg)

6 Mike Whiskey: a fitting tribute to Madfish Willie.

Mike Juliet Tango: ? I don't know about that one.

Posted by: The Bartender at November 29, 2003 02:58 AM (EOu4A)

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More entries into the 'meant to blogroll these but forgot' category.

Quibbles and Bits is quirky and scattershot. Not for everyone, but definitely worth a look.

Enjoy one of the most beautiful blog layouts I've ever seen. Now if only the font size was just a tad larger. Welcome to Candy Universe.

Fellow Munuvian Daniel is one of the minds behind Bsurot Tovot. Check it out.

Primal Purge. She knows Kerpal, who kicked my dog. Oh, just go see her and click the link.

Margi Lowry is taking a short break for personal reasons. Worth waiting for.

The troll blog from On the Fritz has been on the roll for awhile. I've now added his main blog. His site is one of those that won't let you 'back button' out.

Conrad is the author of Gweilo Diaries. He's another expat in Hong Kong, ala our Simon.

Idiot Villager, where "solutions are not the answer". 'Nuff said.

More well-written randomness, courtesy of Travelling Shoes.

Allah. Yahweh. In the house.

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Evil little fuckers. Have you ever seen that Geico commercial where the squirrel runs out into the middle of the road, causing a car wreck? Of course you have.* And then they celebrate, getting all jiggy widit.

Need more proof of their sinister nature? Ask and ye shall receive!

I'm just glad they live in my neighbor's attic. In fact, I'm tickled pink about that, because he's a jerk.

*To my international friends, just smile and nod. It works for teenagers.

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1 HAHA, Mark deserves it...though it is mean to say that...oops O

Posted by: Robyn at November 21, 2003 03:21 PM (gWcjd)

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Most of these were previously mentioned, but never added to my blogroll for one very good reason: Mookie distracted me with her teenage attitude and crap.* I hope to remedy all of it this weekend.

Carol’s Chaotic Collection of Curiosities – Tino Martinez news, some good recipe links, and a roundup of spam news for which I was included for this. Why didn’t I see this coming?

Reflections in d minor – I don’t visit as often as I should, because I’m never disappointed by Lynn’s gentle good humor. She also makes me want to learn more about classical music.

This blogger named Taco lives in Norway and heÂ’s into politics and history. He has some interesting things to say.

Delusional Duck is a very news-oriented open blog. Everyone is invited to post, or as they put it “No rules, just write.” Somewhat local to me.

Left & Right. Salt & Pepper. Lea & Perrin. Rum & Coke. Some things are just naturally right (and left). HeÂ’s another local blogger too.

These guys kind of fell off of my radar. IÂ’m an idiot. Vote for me! (seemed like a natural followup)

Sheri canÂ’t come to the door right now. Anyone know whatÂ’s going on?

Glenn of Hi, IÂ’m Black! has a t&a blog called, appropriately enough, Not Work Safe. He doesnÂ’t update often, but I see someone from there visits me every day. So I return the favor. I know, itÂ’s a terrible imposition, having to visit a site with pretty and near-naked ladies. That tells you what a nice guy I am.

Fleshbot is fairly new and rather adult oriented. It’s not really a blog, but more like an e-zine. But hey, gotta love a site that points out a link to ‘Women of Wal-Mart’.

I stumbled across this blog while googling for images. Nice site and nice guy.

I'm sure there's more. I'll get to it when I get a chance.

*That was for her creepy post about the death row inmate that was executed on my wedding aniversary. She's a punk.

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Not one, but two books on the complex art of napping. Further proof that you can make money selling most anything on the internet.

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The Texas Department of Criminal Justice has created a web page detailing what each death row inmate had for his (or her) final meal. It's interesting that tobacco is prohibited, even to those about to be executed.

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For a wonderful report on a pro-US rally in Washington state, with lots of pictures, go see these guys. Say hello and thanks in their comments too.

Al points out a webring of sites owned and operated by military personnel.

Across the Atlantic. List of countries with troops in Iraq. How unilateral of us.

Every Monday, Jeff at Alphecca does a roundup of firearm related stories and some damn good analysis. WeÂ’re talking fair and balanced here, in itÂ’s original sense. Whatever your personal take on guns and related issues, you should visit him and read what he has to say. He also provides tons of links to sources.

Related to the above, Publicola relates the story of a woman who sees men with guns on her front porch. She shoots and wounds one of them, and is now being prosecuted because they were police SWAT team members preparing to break down her door unannounced. The first trial ended in a hung jury, but she faces the possibility of going through it all over again.

Being one of those twisted individuals who enjoys obscure and historical military trivia, I found this item at the Flea to be fascinating. Imagine being a member of one of the Canadian Tunneling Companies during World War IÂ…

Kelley has the new Cul-de-Sac up. Good links to several blogs IÂ’ve mentioned before, so if you didnÂ’t believe me, trust her. She also includes fellow-Munuvian Heather, of Angelweave fame.

Thanks to Jay at Sophont, we now know that art is shit. And vice versa. I'm so glad we've learned to synthetically produce that, because I live near Washington DC, and if the Saudis can run short of sand...

Let's finish up with a cool little optical illusion, courtesy of Jockularocracy.

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Of the various Radio Control hobbies, RC boats is a small part, almost an afterthought compared to cars and airplanes. Most RC boats are racers, but there is a small and dedicated group dedicated to military warships. This group is further divided into the scale-model contingent and the combat enthusiasts. The scale-modellers create miniature versions of real ships, taking great pains to fill them with exacting detail. The combat guys don't go to the trouble, since their goal is to sink everything else floating.

That's right, they build models of warships that have working guns. Most of the ships are at 1:96 scale or better, meaning that a scale WWII aircraft carrier like the Yorktown will be around six feet long.

There's a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions file) here with lots of information about this interesting hobby, including estimated starting costs and construction tips. My favorite part:

3. Do the ships actually sink?

Yes. There is no challenge otherwise.

The ships are built to rigid standards that ensure that they can be damaged easily and can be sunk if sufficient damage is sustained. Low-powered BB cannons are used to poke holes in the 1/32" balsa wood that is used on the hull of the ship. Ships also have homemade bilge pumps on-board that can be used to pump out as needed.

However, if the rate of incoming water exceeds the pumping rate, the ship will fill with water and eventually sink.

There's more information here at the Home Port of Big Gun RC Warship Combat. If you look around this site, you'll find a list of clubs in various areas of the US and around the world, as well as an extensive listing of materials suppliers and resources.

And if you look here, you'll find a list of links to many Australian battlegroups, among others.

Cool stuff, but the last thing I need is another expensive hobby.

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1 but the last thing I need is another expensive hobby.

Amen!

No, wait, as another guy, I'm supposed to talk you into it, aren't I?

Posted by: Victor at November 17, 2003 11:16 AM (L3qPK)

2 My stepdad, for what seemed like a large part of my junior high years, flew RC planes, big ones. I spent most weekends up to my armpits in one swampy field or another, looking for downed flights. My fondest memory is watching a huge one suddenly dive straight down and bury itself a foot into the ground about three feet away from him.
It was at least one I didn't have to chase.

Posted by: LeeAnn at November 17, 2003 05:27 PM (HxCeX)

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In fact, I don't even want any of these, so my ranking on the geek/fanatic scale should be adjusted downwards by a few points.

For the record, I don't own rocket jammies either.

But for those who feel a bit rocket-deficient, I offer the following suggestions.

Shaken, not cryo stirred.

And while you're sipping your martini, you can prepare a delicious dinner with the help of the RocketChef food chopper.

Toys! How about the Rocket Football? Or perhaps your youngster (or you yourself?) has one of those wooden Brio trains, in which case you couldn't pass up your very own Curious George and the Rocket Ship track add-on.

You just knew that this one had to be here - the Pocket Rocket.

Ooooo, rocket clip-art.

Go Google on Maurice 'Rocket' Richard and Roger 'Rocket' Clemens.

And finally, a whole page full of rocket-shaped crapola, presented with flair and humor.

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This edition is the Happy Birthday celebration for Bill, who just turned the big five-oh! It's all downhill from here, guy, so just settle into your rocking chair, put on your reading glasses, and try not to doze off.

I was going to link to this article over at Rocket Man, about the most recent technology involved in tomorrowÂ’s airships and how the US is planning to use them (you should read it and be amazed), but then I ran across the post where he relates his fatherÂ’s experiences in WWII. Both well worth the visit.

Over at Transterrestrial Musings, Rand Simberg points out an interesting discussion about how nanotechnology is described to everyday people, and how the metaphors used in that description could be part of the acceptance problem. Daniel, did you already see this?

Kate of Electric Venom is dealing with her military husband leaving for situations unknown. Harvey says it so much better than I could, so my thanks and best wishes to Kate and her family, and to Harvey and his. This particularly touched me because at this time we donÂ’t know exactly where our son is. IÂ’ve talked about him before, he serves on a US Navy attack sub. His last message was a middle-of-the-night phone call from the Med to let us know he was ok, but heading right back out again. No details other than to forget Christmas plans.

Also, on Jocularocracy, an excellent post about American sports figures who served their country.

Genital Warts: the Musical. Seriously. Which is also what this guy is. Seriously funny that is, not genitally warted. Uh, that I know of. I mean, I don't know for sure either way, ok?

Aaaaagh! My eyes! The flea must pay for this atrocity. Oh wait, he has. With thisÂ… IÂ’m in lust! (This excerpt brought to you by Lithium, trusted by multiple personalities the world over.)

StMack of Hold the Mayo goes on an analysis binge. HeÂ’s spot on about the current filibustermania and what it really means. HeÂ’s also done some introspection about his own postings and decided that it all breaks down into two categories: It Amuses Me, and It Pisses Me Off. Yin and Yang.

Now Alice (who is married to a much older man) is posting pictures from a pig roast. At least they claim it's pig. Pretty grotesque if youÂ’re not into whole roasted animals. Pretty yummy otherwise. Is it just me, or does that look like Alf lying there after the Feds finally caught up with him? Betcha WillieÂ’s doing hard time for that one, or maybe spending the reward moneyÂ…

Speaking of throwing meat-flavored animals on the fire, the Meatriarch posts about objectivist pickup lines, which probably pleases Don no end, because to hear him tell it, he needs all the help he can get.

Plus, Mr. A points to one of the coolest online toys/time wasters IÂ’ve seen in a while. I love this kind of stuff!

SantaHelpful has arrived. Be joyous and merry.

This kind of stuff is why you should read this guy.

Bill, wake up... Bill, we're almost done.

The AnalogKid at Random Nuclear Strikes is planning to show up to support the troops because the screwballs from Not In Our Name are planning to show up to encourage troop mutiny. HereÂ’s a followup post as well.

Ross at Rocket Penguin is going active duty. Drop by and wish him well, and encourage caretaker Phil.

Dead Pool anyone? The clock is ticking – no pun intended, Bill. Thanks to Paul for the pointer, and who hates the elderly (well, just one specific old guy).

Homemade pies and strip joints and antique silver.

McTroll meets TwoDragons and is warned: “you'll discover what "McAlteration of McComments" means.”

Bill has been bitching about his job quite a bit lately. My advice is to quit. Maybe McDonalds is hiring greeters. He's such a people person, ya know? Besides, folks expect the elderly to be grouchy.

Nic is riding the roller-coaster of Washington Capitals fandom, along with everyone else who roots for them. I wonÂ’t even mention mood-swings to Victor, because heÂ’s undoubtedly going through them too. What was that about Yin and Yang? Oh yeah, which Capitals team will show up on any given night.

All done. I'd call Bill a link-whore, but that would imply an active libido, and there's no evidence he can even get it up anymore. Anyway, stop by and say hello and wish him a happy birthday. Stop by again later, don't worry, he won't remember.

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1 Analysis binge! This amuses me.

Posted by: StMack at November 13, 2003 01:49 PM (UquFN)

2 Jennifer was kidding--Bill was waiting for his sitemeter to kick over 50K (which it did, with an Instalanche).

Posted by: Susie at November 13, 2003 02:57 PM (0+cMc)

3 I know!

Posted by: Ted at November 13, 2003 03:17 PM (Qj620)

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I haven't done one of these in a while, mainly because real-life has been kinda full lately. This one is a simple list of blogs I've recently started reading. Some you've probably heard of, but maybe some are new to you. Hopefully you'll find someone new and interesting to visit.

Quibbles and Bits

Gweilo Diaries

reflections in d minor

bsurot tovot

Allah is in the house

Yahweh is in the house

Idiot Villager

Left & Right

On the Fritz

Travelling Shoes

Forget who you are, and you'll fit right in

Margi Lowry

Primal Purge

Candy Universe

Posted by: Ted at 05:50 AM | category: Links
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1 One look at the San Jose Shark and I knew I'd like this blog.

Hi ho, neighbor!

Posted by: Anna at November 10, 2003 11:38 AM (tCv42)

2 Thanks for the link.

I used to have a friend in Oakland who was big time into both the Sharks and the Raiders but I guess he got a life or something. He's sort of disappeared.

Posted by: Lynn S at November 10, 2003 04:50 PM (EhDj0)

3 I grew up in San Jose, but live in Virginia now. Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you found something worth coming back for.

Posted by: Ted at November 10, 2003 07:11 PM (2sKfR)

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Take the test and identify your inner self.

Also, for your N/G/D entertainment, this is a cool look at video game and computer history.

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Sheri at Two Nervous Dogs damns us all to hell. That deserves a great big Munuvian hug and howdy!

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Hey, did you see this stuff?

Over at You Can Call Me Al, Alan posts a beautiful description of the US Flag folding tradition.

Meanwhile, Nic did exactly what I did this weekend, namely getting the yard ready for winter. She ate some spam too. Mmmmmm, spamÂ… For those of you who refuse to try it, well, that just means more for us barbarians.

Tink is enjoying the Indian Summer, and hoping for a moderate winter. I donÂ’t know about that, every farmerÂ’s almanac IÂ’ve seen is calling for a harsh winter. WeÂ’re kinda due for one too, because the last few have been relatively light.

Kevin of Wizbang fame has an interesting debate going on about certain required childrenÂ’s vaccinations and their potential dangers. His article focuses on the MMR vaccine, but I know that the DPT series also has occasional disastrous side-effects. You can read more here. The site is a little heavy on the scare-tactics, but the information is there.

Denita posts an original cartoon that captures the perfect afterlife – for homicide bombers. Brava!

I’ve told you about Wince and Nod before. If you need further convincing that it should be a regular visit, then you should check out his take on the media in Iraq, censorship via internet blocking in the name of ‘security’, and the Bill of No Rights.

Another debate, this time at Velociworld, about shooting your lawyer. Pro or con, you should go chip in with your two cents.

Jay points out an article about amateur groups building and launching ‘near spacecraft’. Fascinating stuff.

Personal ads from prisoners. TigerÂ’s analysis is a perfect example of why you need counsel if youÂ’re considering a little caged heat.

Speaking of crime and punishment, you should head over and check out the story of the executed murderer. How mundane, you say? They hanged an elephant (hung? nah, hanged sounds right.). Thanks to Say Uncle for the pointer!

From Silent Running:
Of course, the fact that Saddam was going out of his way to make everyone think he had WMDs is of no consequence to the 'where are the WMDs?' crowd.

Perhaps they actually never did exist, excepting in what Saddam wished for people to believe.

Case in point: be careful what you wish for. Someone might actually believe you are as scary as you want people to think.

Another classic fisking by Jon of Q and O, one of many. My favorite line:

It's magic! The President would tell the UN to "handle it" and it would be "handled". Magical Self-Determination Fairies would wave their Peace Wands and everything would be ok, again!

Finally, we'll finish up with some beauty.

Terry is a master with the camera, and his photographs continually amaze. His sunsets are particularly awe-inspiring.

I enjoy the photos posted by Starhawk as well. HeÂ’s done beautiful series on the World Trade Center site and his garden.

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Annika points the way to an interesting survey of blogs and bloggers.

A couple of things jumped out at me.

BlogSpot and LiveJournal are the two market leaders, each with 31% of these hosted blogs. While BlogSpot is growing more quickly, its retention rate is lower, and the two sites should continue to race neck-and-neck in the near term in terms of active users.

Making BlogSpot the AOL of blogging. That's not really a surprise, because I've noticed a bias against BlogSpotters in the blogosphere.

Also, this survey only included Blog-City, BlogSpot, Diaryland, LiveJournal, Pitas, TypePad, Weblogger and Xanga. Their rationale seems reasonable.

The report concludes that the blogosphere is like an iceberg, where a very few (the big boys) are read by thousands every day, yet the vast majority of blogs remain unseen by most, 'under the surface' if you will. They then discuss nanoaudiences (not to be confused with the off-Broadway production of Nano-Nanette) and the methodology used.

According to the report, this is the first in a series of surveys to be done. Future results will be interesting.

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Over at Rocket Penguin, a story about a Sergeant, a boy and his poncho.

Oops, I guess I should warn y'all that it's a .pdf file, if that matters. It shouldn't, because it's that good.

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