Today is Christmas eve, and since Christmas day itself falls on a Saturday, today is a federal holiday. Yay! Next friday too, for the same reason. Yay again!

Mookie and I just finished watching Nosferatu, the silent classic and original vampire movie made in Germany in 1922. Good enough story to keep the MST3K moments to a minimum, and a riveting organ soundtrack added. My only complaint is that the Americanized version I have changed the names of the characters, making the story more familiar yet taking away from the original intent (for instance: Graf Orlok was changed to Count Dracula and Profesor Bulwer became Dr. Van Helsing). Still, that's a minor quibble, and if you can find a copy of this one, I highly recommend seeing it.

Posted by: Ted at 01:26 PM | category: Cult Flicks
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I'm hopeless when it comes to wrapping presents. They always come out looking like a first-grader did the job, using odd bits of tape to hold down randomly buckled areas of paper. I'm also stubborn enough to do it myself every year, because that's part of my gift too: that I went to the trouble of wrapping it myself so you can laugh at me and my inept pretty paper skills.

I believe the ladies have something in their DNA that lets them whoof out beautifully done giftwrapping without effort, which annoys the hell out of me.

I also believe though, that I've found the perfect solution. Better than those tacky gift bags or pre-folded boxes even. You will never hear a guy complain or kid you about your wrapping job if you put his gift inside a toolbox.

Posted by: Ted at 08:31 AM | category: Square Pegs
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1 One of my two brothers has come up with a way to avoid the whole gift-wrapping-by-a-guy dilemma; he brings all his gifts to my mom's house and has one of his three sisters do the wrapping for him. Since this usually happens in the midst of all the xmas eve party madness.

Posted by: Cindy at December 24, 2004 08:37 AM (MMDER)

2 It is nice to know that there is another person in the world who as good as wrapping presents as I am.
Merry Christmas and and Happy New Year to you and your family.

Posted by: Starhawk at December 24, 2004 09:17 AM (GlB9q)

3 Don't worry dad, I suck at wrapping too. I think it's a DNA thing, not a gender thing.

Posted by: Mookie at December 24, 2004 12:08 PM (ZjSa7)

4 I also suck at wrapping, so I think Mookie is right. Maybe we are distantly related?

Posted by: nic at December 24, 2004 04:26 PM (etHvD)

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Asian style, more cute than raunchy, although the last one has nudity.

Posted by: Ted at 06:23 AM | category: Links
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A magical site full of animated Christmas cards and music. Thanks to Gordon for pointing this one out.

Posted by: Ted at 06:17 AM | category: Links
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Richmond, Virginia.

Hundreds of passengers are stuck at Richmond International Airport, after an airplane edged off a runway Thursday morning and got stuck in the mud.

Of course, in true Murphy's fashion, the plane is stuck in the mud where 98% of airport traffic is blocked, at the intersection between the two main runways.

But it is Christmas, and you know there has to be some good news, right?

Bell told a WRIC reporter that the airport does not have the necessary equipment to pull the jet from the mud, and American Airlines is locating the equipment and will get it to Richmond.

Maybe not.

Posted by: Ted at 11:45 AM | category: Links
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Before I get into the movie review, I want to tell you to get over any bias against WalMart and check out their DVD collections. Up near the registers they've taken to putting out boxes of $1.00 DVD's, and there are some minor classics in the mix. This movie is one of them, and I've got several more in the stack to be watched in the near-future.

D.O.A. Starring Edmond O'Brien, this 1950 film noir release is about as good as it gets.

The plot is intriguing: a man on vacation is poisoned and will die within a week. In that time, he tries to discover who poisoned him and why.

Parts of this flick are sheer brilliance, while others are... let's say less brilliant. Things move along quickly, and I wouldn't be surprised if this film were at least indirectly the inspiration for the series 24.

Because of the pace and complexity of the plot, most characters flash in and out of the picture, sometimes returning later, sometimes never to be seen again. There's enough going on that I'm going to rewatch it and take some notes to tie up some loose ends in my mind. The film is good enough that doing that isn't going to be a chore, it'll be pure pleasure.

Since the movie is set in the 1940's, men are tough guys and gals are dames. A lot of the acting is broad and overdone, especially one love scene between the main characters that just drags on and on and on.

The relentless pace of the story masks a lot of odd leaps of logic and believability, which helps because there's little time to reflect on the "huh?" moments. One bit that defies understanding is an odd slide-whistle "wolf call" that's used every time the main character sees a good looking dame. It's presence is senseless and distracting and goes onto my top-10 list of stupid movie moments. What the hell was the director thinking?

There's no happy ending, if there were it wouldn't be film noir. All in all this is a satisfying little film and well worth the buck you'll spend to snag a copy.

Trivia:
Pamela Britton plays O'Brien's girlfriend, and she later played Dagwood's wife Blondie in the television series and the landlady in My Favorite Martian.

Beverly Garland, credited as Beverly Campbell, made her debut in D.O.A. and continues to be active both in movies and television to this day. She later went on to star in the TV series My Three Sons and most recently in recurring rolls in 7th Heaven and Port Charles.

Actor Nevil Brand also made his movie debut in D.O.A. as Chester the sociopathic thug. With his chilling performance, he stole every scene he was in and went on to a successful career playing tough guys including Al Capone on television's The Untouchables. Brand originally intended to make the Army his career and emerged as the fourth most-decorated US Soldier in WWII. He caught the acting bug while making US Army training films and used his GI Bill to study acting after his discharge.

Posted by: Ted at 11:37 AM | category: Cult Flicks
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Everyone has snuck candy and drinks into a movie theater, but I wonder how many of you can top my family.

Mookie once snuck a rootbeer float into the theater in her backpack. In order not to spill, she had to pretend she was an honors graduate of Miss Simmons' Charm School and put on her best posture ever. It was noticable enough that friends remarked on it.

Oldest daughter and wife once managed Chinese take-out. I am humbled.

So what's the craziest thing you've ever snuck into a movie theater?

Me? If there's a balcony, I'll bring a can of Campbell's Chunky Soup. Otherwise, I stick to the popcorn with psuedo-butter-colored liquid squirts and the 55 gallon drum o' soda.

Posted by: Ted at 05:23 AM | category: Square Pegs
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more...

Posted by: Ted at 04:47 AM | category: Square Pegs
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In pictorial format. Click on the links in sequence, they'll open in a new window.

Picture 1
Picture 2
Picture 3
Picture 4
Picture 5
Picture 6
Picture 7
Picture 8
Picture 9
Picture 10
Picture 11

Update: Victor points us to the indispensible Snopes, where we discover that the story is not entirely true.

Posted by: Ted at 04:27 AM | category: Square Pegs
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My buddy Rich (hahaha, I made a funny), gives the lowdown on the trendy new Senseo coffee maker that they've been pushing hard this holiday season.

He's moving his blog, so I'm going to copy the whole thing in the extended entry, and I'll update his link as soon as I get it. more...

Posted by: Ted at 06:02 PM | category: Links
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1 But you didn't copy the helpful embedded links! Hehe

Posted by: Maelstrom at December 22, 2004 08:58 PM (L64L8)

2 Gotta give folks something to look forward to when they head on over to your place.

Posted by: Ted at December 23, 2004 05:56 AM (blNMI)

3 The new address to my blog is:
http://ntshma.blogspot.com
(ntshma = nothing to see here move along)

Posted by: Maelstrom at December 23, 2004 08:34 PM (p+1Zn)

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Actually, it's stronger than cheesecake, but still oh-so-yummy (link definitely not safe for work)!

Thanks to Wegglywoo for pointing this one out.

Posted by: Ted at 01:16 PM | category: Links
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1 Ho.

Posted by: dawn at December 22, 2004 06:27 PM (Rgkju)

2 Tattletale.

Posted by: Ted at December 23, 2004 05:58 AM (blNMI)

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(in the extended entry) more...

Posted by: Ted at 12:08 PM | category: Square Pegs
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If they're flying, ya just lead 'em a bit more.

Posted by: Ted at 04:34 AM | category: Square Pegs
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The folks at Silent Running are going to be conducting an interesting experiment.

SIMTERROR '05

An interactive blog-based hypothetical scenario in which a terrorist attempt to stage an attack on Australian soil will be simulated in real time, over two weeks in January 1985.

Introduction

Bloggers have opinions. It's what we do. But how many of us have actually wondered what we might do, and how we might respond, in the event of a major terrorist attempt at replicating a 9/11 scale attack? It's all very well for us to opine to our hearts content about what the West ought to do in the face of a generalised threat from radical Islam, but how would the blogosphere respond in an actual emergency? Can we put ourselves emotionally in that position? It isn't easy, is it?

Would we fall to pieces? Would we be simply struck dumb? Would we urge massive lashing out in retaliation? Or would blogs become a useful resource of opinions, options, information, argument and debate? Would it become the closest thing this planet has to a gigantic neural network of linked minds, all concentrated on a single issue?

SIMTERROR '05 is an experiment designed to help us think about the ways blogs might be able to respond to a sudden crisis using a simulation of real world events, but getting blogs to respond as if the events were real. In a sense, SIMTERROR 0'5 will be the first test of the Emergency Blogger System.

The Simulation

Beginning on Sunday, January 1st, at 12 noon, Australian Eastern Time, the blog "Silent Running" will go live as the central information hub of the exercise. It will run news items in real time, based on the decisions taken by the various bloggers playing the roles of significant leaders in this exercise. Those decisions and actions will go through "Silent Running" blogger "Tom Paine", who will act as umpire.

The players will be presented from time to time with updates on the situation as it unfolds, and their responses will help shape the simulation. Once it starts, no-one, not even the umpire, will know how things will turn out.

They have a dedicated Yahoo group set up and the list of players includes many prominent bloggers. Set your bookmarks, because no matter what happens, it's going to be fascinating. I'll be watching this one closely.

Posted by: Ted at 06:10 AM | category: Links
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Forgive the title. Or not. Whatever.

San Francisco has decided to follow in the footsteps of our nation's capital and ban possesion of firearms within city limits. In case you didn't know, Washington D.C. is also the murder capital of the USA, and believe me when I tell you that it's not because of gang-related strangulations. They also expect law-abiding citizens to just turn in their firearms, which will go far in improving the survival rate of criminals in the city.

Practical example: rob a house where the owner might have a gun or rob a pizza place where corporate policy is "be unarmed". Tough choice, eh? Now apply that concept to an entire city.

I've seen this all over the net, but Publicola was the first to bring it to my attention. He's got more, including the text of the proposed law too.

Posted by: Ted at 05:45 AM | category: Links
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Which proves he's magical. If I did that, I'd be arrested.

Posted by: Ted at 04:55 AM | category: Square Pegs
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This is staying up top all day, so scroll down to see new posts.

Posted by: Ted at 11:49 PM | category: Square Pegs
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According to Kyle (who remains intermittently anonymous), the Nog still stands, and probably could even without the carton. We've long passed disgusting and have moved into the realm of the scary.

What is Nog Watch? Background story here and here and here and here and in the name of all that is holy please stop here and here.

Posted by: Ted at 11:55 AM | category: Square Pegs
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1 Could it be that there is now Chicken Nog? Could that be young chicken feathers growing on the outside of the carton?

Posted by: Bob at December 20, 2004 01:12 PM (blNMI)

2 Steps have to be taken to preserve that nog!

We CAN'T LOSE the NOG. We've come too goddam far in this.

Posted by: Paul at December 20, 2004 01:41 PM (vbP6L)

3 OMG, I forgot about that! IT'S STILL THERE!

Please remind me that, at least, the carton still sealed. If not, thems some nuclear-age preservatives in there and it's probably best that it wasn't consumed even when it was fresh.

Posted by: Tuning Spork at December 20, 2004 10:15 PM (Y5hVY)

4 Spork, the carton is half-full. I'd suggest sleeping with a light on from now on.

Posted by: Ted at December 21, 2004 10:18 AM (blNMI)

5 The Nog - a fine example of American Culture.

Posted by: Alan E Brain at December 23, 2004 10:46 AM (qMZW4)

6 Alan, you misspelled 'cuisine'.

Posted by: Ted at December 23, 2004 03:16 PM (ZjSa7)

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The CEO of Phizer has announced that they are not going to take Celebrex off the market.

For us, that's a good thing. You see, Celebrex is one of the suite of drugs that my wife takes that keeps her from needing to go back to her wheelchair. There are alternatives, and she's tried them as she and her doctors have tinkered with combinations and dosages over years. None of the alternatives work as well. Some don't work at all.

So yes, we're concerned about the eventual effects, but so far the increased danger has only been observed in one study. A second study showed no such problems, and we remain hopeful. And thankful for modern medicine that produces little pill-sized miracles that we too often take for granted. All of us are walking a chemical tightrope our entire lives, and sometimes even the safety net isn't 100% perfect.

Posted by: Ted at 06:10 AM | category: Square Pegs
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Just because I didn't make the playoffs doesn't mean I don't care how it turns out, especially since fellow Munuvians Daniel and Victor are in.

In the first game, Daniel easily handled the inexplicably mediocre Fire Ants. The Fire Ants shared a piece of first place the entire season, so their falloff in production came at the worst possible time for them. Buh-Bye.

In the other game, it looks like another upset in the making. This time Brendoman holds a fair lead over Victor's Rats of Chaos. Victor needs a big game tonight from Miami receiver Chris Chambers to pull this one out. It could happen.

Posted by: Ted at 06:03 AM | category: Links
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