March 30, 2005

Out-of-context Quote of the Day

From Boudicca:

my husband's family are knife wielding bunny cutters

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Carfax fun

Ptiza is looking to buy a car, so she ponied up the bucks for a month of unlimited Carfax. Smart move, and we do the same when we're in the market.

But Ptiza's creative genius had me laughing my ass off when she combines unlimited Carfax and eBay auto auctions into a hilarious blog post.

Be careful, for her wit is sharp and the edge drips acid.

Posted by: Ted at 06:07 AM | category: Links
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Happy Birthday

Today is Cindy's birthday. If you feel so inclined, head on over to Dusting My Brain and wish her a happy. While you're there, check out the Ken & Squip Show, which is a weekly podcast they do.

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March 29, 2005

I have seen no evidence of this (darn it)

According to Mookie's friend's sister-in-law's sister's friend's coworker, our town is the Swinger's Capital of the East Coast.

Good enough for Dan Rather.

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Not worry free, but getting there

Over at Dustbury I saw an interesting snippet about changes in the 401(k) rules. Glancing over them quickly, I can see where they'll benefit a lot of people, if they're smart enough to take advantage.

The company I work for has an incredibly generous matching plan, and I was really surprised to learn just how few of the younger employees are taking advantage. We've always tried to beat it into our kid's thick skulls instill in our children the idea that you have to treat savings like a bill. Pay into it once a month at least and leave it the hell alone. It'll add up fast. We were mostly successful. Oldest daughter bought her first two cars herself and Mookie purchased her own PC when offered yet another hand-me-down model.

My plan comes in two parts: upon retirement I live simply and long enough to have to learn to like the cheap dogfood.

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March 28, 2005

When Dorks Collide

Rejected titles:

  • When Dorks Attack!

  • It's a dork, dork, dork, dork, dork world!

  • Dorks gone wild

It's a knock-down drag-out dork-o-rama over at The Ministry of Minor Perfidy.

Round 1.
Round 2.
Round 3.

It's not pretty, but it is pretty damn funny.

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New Blog Showcase

Before I knew what blogs were, I found Rachel Lucas. I googled "girls with guns" or some such nonsense and her site popped up. I read, and I was hooked. She's since retired her original place and resurfaced as the Blue-eyed Infidel, minus the internal censor and even more chock full of Ranty McRant opining.

Anyways, in honor of the very first blog I myself ever discovered, I've decided that the theme for this edition of the New Blog Showcase will be creepy floating baby heads.

Enjoy.


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Let's kick this off with a trip in the ol' wayback machine to a time when every toy we played with was dangerous and deadly. How in the world did we ever survive? Could it be that only the brightest of us did? *thinks about recent headlines* Nahhhh. Thanks to Melinama at Pratie Place for reminding me of that simpler if seemingly less-safe time.

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Welcome to Hermitville, a mostly fictional collection of monologues and observations. I was going to include a sample here, but couldn't decide on just one snippet. This crab can write!

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aTypical Joe chimes in with I say eat him. This is a very nicely designed blog, so I say read him (is there an echo in here?)

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Michael Minton is an experienced blogger who recently started The Gunner's Corner. He's going to focus on news with a conservative slant. According to the creepy floating baby head, you must go check it out.

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Scared Monkeys is two guys represented by the "see no, hear no, speak no" icon. Get it? Two guys... three monkeys? Nope, me either. Anyway, they invite you to drop in and read their take on a major US news media outlet. I notice that they don't promise to not fling poo at you. So, are you feeling lucky punk?

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The masthead at The Nose On Your Face reads "News so fake you'll swear it came from the mainstream media". If you like your news with a hint of onion and with a heaping side of satire, then this might be your new daily special. Don't miss the "Top 9" list either. No hints, just go.

hooah!

This next new blog is written by a reservist currently stationed in Iraq. Firstly, please accept my thanks for your service to our country, and pass those thanks on to your troops as well. Secondly, if the rest of you have ever wondered what the heck all that "hooah" business is about, well, Mustang 23 has the complete word. I almost forgot to mention that the name of his place is Assumption of Command, and if you hover your mouse over his creepy floating baby head (on your left... your military left) then you'll see that the enthusiasm starts young.

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Atlas Shrugged is another blog taking on today's big issues, and Pamela has started a very nice weekly roundup op-ed series. I note again that she does not promise to not fling poo at you. Hooah! (I really need to get some sleep.)

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Last but certainly not least is a very new blog called Constructive Ideas, with some intriguing analysis of our educational system from an angle that hasn't occurred to me before. He writes under the moniker of 'Positive' from the state of Florida. Did you know that Florida has the highest incidence of lightning ground-strikes in the world? That's something pilots and steely-eyed missile men know.


Every blogger started somewhere, and those first few weeks are the hardest of all as you try to build up your momentum. Check out these newest members of the blogging community, leave a comment and some encouragement, and you just might discover a new daily read. That might not be enough reason for some of you. Fair enough.

Do it for the creepy floating baby heads.


Mandatory informational type goodies:
Do you have a weblog that's been open for less than three months? To join the Showcase and get the word out, send an email to showcase.carnival@gmail.com with the following info:

* The name of your blog
* The title of the post
* The url of the post
* Your name

Or use the Multi-Carnival Entry Form.

Catch previous Showcases and volunteer to host new ones at the Showcase Home.

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March 24, 2005

Is no tradition sacred?

Even in that most tradition-ridden culture, Japan, the influence of modernization creeps ever closer...

A tussle has broken out in Japan's tradition-bound sumo world over the right to wear pants in the ring.

Sacrelege!

Gargantuan sumo wrestlers generally compete naked but for a "mawashi," an arrangement of wrapped cloth that preserves a bare minimum of modesty.

Sumo's amateur association hit upon the idea of allowing shy youngsters to wear "sumo pants," a more substantial garment similar to cycling shorts, to try to boost the dwindling numbers of children taking up the sport, the daily Yomiuri Shimbun said on Thursday.

What's next? A kabuki version of Gigli? I'm no hidebound stick in the mud, but you have to draw the line somewhere.

And if they start allowing pants, well, I'll just have to forego my career in Sumo. I already had a great name picked out too: Yomama.

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It's part of the job

Mookie was scheduled to host the New Blog Showcase this week, but instead zoomed off for the beach for Spring Break (I can totally understand that). So to cover for her, I'll be hosting the Showcase here on Rocket Jones on Monday, and Mookie will host one in the future.

Send submissions for the Showcase to:

showcase -dot- carnival -at- gmail -dot- com

Thanks!

Update: Around this place, confusion doesn't reign, it pours!

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March 23, 2005

Neat

Didja know that The Onion has a PDA compatible site?

Now you do.

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It's "Doo-maaaahhhh", dumbass.

Alexandre Dumas was an incredibly prolific writer, best known for his "The Three Musketeers". A lost work of his that was published in serial form in a French newspaper will be released in June.

The 900-page book appeared in serial form in a French newspaper and lacked just a few chapters when Dumas died in 1870. Claude Schopp, the Dumas specialist who made the discovery, has added a short section to bring the tale to its conclusion.

The story was discovered almost ten years ago, and it's existance has been kept secret while being made ready for publication. The title is "Le Chevalier de Sainte-Hermine" (The Knight of Saint-Hermine).

In typical Dumas fashion, his characters are inserted into real history, and this time the lead character is involved in the Battle of Trafalgar.

I'm looking forward to this one.

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Retro, but not safe for work

This is one of the coolest sites I've seen on the net, just for the implementation of the interface. The vintage pinups don't hurt either. Click and drag the pages to turn them.

Thanks to Rodger for pointing this one out.

PS. When you go to look (and I really urge you to do so), turn up your speakers and enjoy the background music too. This is a really well-done site.

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March 22, 2005

Faces of the Fallen

A new tribute has been opened at Arlington National Cemetary, outside of Washington, D.C.

"Faces of the Fallen," 1,327 individual portraits of the dead produced by 200 artists, opens to the public Wednesday at Arlington National Cemetery.

The images, each 6-by-8 inches, are mounted on plain steel rods that reach to near eye level. Each rod includes a label with the soldier's name, hometown and date of death.

The display does not include every soldier who've given their life to date.

The artists worked mostly from newspaper and Internet photos, and some sent by families of the dead.

One particularly poignant portrait was done by John R. Phelps, a Vietnam veteran chosen to design the World War II memorial in Lander, Wyo. He painted his son, Marine Pfc. Clarence Phelps, who died April 9 from head wounds.

The artists, who donated their time and paid for all the materials, plan to give the portraits to the families when the exhibit is over, Polan said.

The memorial will be on display until September 5th, and admission is free.

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Spacked upside with the meme-stick

From Stephen at Hold the Mayo.

You're stuck inside Fahrenheit 451, which book do you want to be?
Green Eggs and Ham, Sam I am.

Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character?
The only one I can think of that might apply is Corson, from the series Silverglass. She's a strong, stubborn, cagey sword-for-hire. I'd never be bored around her, and there's more to her than a pretty face and a sharp edge. Here's the cover illustration of her from the cover of the first book of the series: Corson (big graphic image).

The last book you bought is:
Tamales 101.

The last book you read:
I just finished rereading P.J. O'Rourke's Eat the Rich.

What are you currently reading?
Sams Teach Yourself PHP in 24 Hours, Third Edition

Five books you would take to a deserted island.

Hmmmm... I could read these over and over (and have). I'm shallow... deal.

1. Job: A Comedy of Justice. Heinlein. My all-time favorite book.
2. Starship Troopers. Heinlein. My all-time favorite book that isn't listed above.
3. Team Yankee. Coyle. War fiction. Love it.
4. Any anthology of H.P. Lovecraft. The closest thing to mind-altering drugs without involving actual drugs.
5. The Lord of The Rings. Complex and rich in texture, this is a story you can spend years understanding. Not one of my all-time favorites, but I'm thinking about whiling away many hours with this one.

Who are you going to pass this stick to (3 persons) and why?

Nic, who always has something interesting to say, even when she claims she's being trite.

Rob, who also goes to concerts at King's Dominion, and I don't hear from often enough.

Oorgo, another guy who has interesting opinions, even when we disagree.

Amy, because I have counting issues and her cute toes would've come in handy right about now. Besides, she only does one meme on her blog and I'm a sucker for rejection.

Posted by: Ted at 06:03 AM | category: Links
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Look at the funny man

A humorous look at President Bush contrasted with Senator Kerry, in pictures.

Thanks to Transterrestrial Musings for pointing it out.

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March 21, 2005

The banner up top

What it's all about:

On January 11, 2005, Greg Hammond hosted a comment based fundraiser on his blog, http://www.californiahammonds.com. The fundraiser was in memory of his lovely wife, Cheryl, who lost her battle with breast cancer after more than 5 years of fighting. The proceeds from the fundraiser totaled $2,846 and were donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation's education and screening programs.

The fundraiser worked by spreading the word of the need for donations and asking those who heard about it to please leave a comment on his blog. Sponsors pledged money for certain numbers of comments. For example, Greg himself donated $1 for each of the first 500 comments. A different sponsor donated $1 for each of the first 50. The another donated $1 for the 50 following those. And on and on.

On April 1, 2005, the one year anniversary of Cheryl's death, Greg plans to host another fundraiser. Again, the proceeds will go to the National Breast Cancer Foundation's education and screening programs, and the format of comments and sponsors will remain the same.

You can get more information here. Please consider clicking the banner and leaving a comment on April 1st.

Thanks to Tricia for pointing this one out and asking me to help.

Posted by: Ted at 12:32 PM | category: Links
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Whiny little bitches... bitch

I dunno Jennifer, apparently I don't have the knack for adding "bitch" to the end of every sentence... bitch.

See? Oh well.

Anyways, I get these emails griping about how the contest "wasn't fair" and "I didn't make it clear" and other crap like that.

I won't kid you and claim that I care. But I do see some possibilities here.

So, here's what we'll do. I won't name names (you know who you are), but I invite Rocket Jones readers to. Leave a guess in the comments about who you think sent me a complaint about the contest and results, and say something snarky about them. This has the potential to be hugely entertaining and I won't be happy unless we see at least three flame-filled linkwars started... bitch.

Hey, maybe I'm getting the hang of this!

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March 20, 2005

Food for that Hockey monkey

The Hockey Hall of Fame website is a nifty place to visit. For instance:

One Game Wonders

Brief bios of all the players who managed but a single game in the NHL. Don Cherry, the player, coach and hockey icon is on this list. Way cool.

The Players

A registry of every player who's ever played in the NHL. Built-in searches on Name, Birthplace, Position played, Team, and career milestones like number of goals scored or total games played. I've spent a lot of time here just browsing around.

The Legends

The members of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Players, builders, officials, media, each category is comprehensively covered with bios, stats and photos. Searchable too. Did you know that eighteen different clubs from Calgary are represented in the HOF?


Lots more to see too.

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March 19, 2005

Contest Winner!

Since I can't actually tell who the official Rocket Jones 100K visitor was, I've decided that Cindy of Dusting My Brain is the winner.

I had narrowed it down to her and Collins, until Paul made a late charge with his decision to use the word "mofo" more often in conversation. Despite the massive increase in street cred, Paul fell just short. So how did Cindy emerge victorious?

(in the extended entry) more...

Posted by: Ted at 07:44 PM | category: Links
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Rock 'n' Roll is a strange and wondrous place

I always thought that Dread Zeppelin was the oddest rock band out there. I mean, they've got it all. Led Zeppelin tunes done in reggae, and their lead singer is an Elvis impersonator.

Way more cool than "The Charmer", that calypso artist who changed careers and is now better known by his real name: Louis Farrakhan, outspoken head whackjob leader of the Nation of Islam.

But then, along comes Hatebeak. Self described as:

Face-crushing guitars, head-pounding drums, bass so low you'll vacate your bowels, and vocals so scorching, so extreme they simply can't be human! They're not. This death metal outfit with a parrot for a singer trashes the pathetic birdfeeder you call the metal underground!

Yep.

Songs are available for download.

Thanks to John of Texas' Best Grok for the pointer to The Charmer.
Thanks to Johno of the Ministry for pointing out Hatebeak.

Posted by: Ted at 07:18 AM | category: Links
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