That was a huge weight falling from our shoulders. Liz heard from the cardiologist yesterday, and everything is absolutely normal. Everybody had already expected that, but it's great to hear it from the specialist. She's also been cleared to start back on her regular meds, and she's doing fine with her convalescence.

Thanks again to everyone who's sent email, left comments, and thunked good thoughts or sent prayers our way.

Posted by: Ted at 06:13 AM | category: Seriously
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Podcasting has been getting quite a bit of attention lately, but I haven't had much time to listen or learn about it. For those not already in the know, podcasting is something like home-made radio, in the same way that blogging is home-made journalism. People create podcasts, which can then be downloaded and listened to on your iPod (hence the name) or other .mp3 player.

Before going on vacation I downloaded several editions of the Ken and Squip Show. They describe themselves thusly:

The Ken and Squip Show, created in October of 2004, is a bicoastal comedy podcast featuring Kenster J and Cindy C. (aka 'squipper' or 'squip'.) Seat-of-the-pants banter is the name of the game for our audio program. It's news, gossip, technology, new music and sex -- a cornucopia of some, all, or none of the those.

Squip is also the proprieter of Dusting My Brain, long-time resident of my sidebar. You may remember her as the winner of a loaf of Rocket Jones cinnamon raisin bread a while back. Since she's still around, I assume that it didn't poison her... although I haven't heard from her since then... hmmmm...

Anyway, I listed to the podcasts and I gotta tell you, I'm hooked. These two are funny as hell. Their humor is often juvenile and the entire show is definitely R-rated. In fact, Apple's iTunes has censored their title because it contains the word "intercourse"! Gotta love that.

Among the highlights was an apology from another podcaster who inadvertantly lost the link to Ken and Squip on his site without realizing it (that's the short version). When he realized what had happened, he apologized to them via his podcast, and believe me, it was the King of all apologies. I had tears in my eyes from laughing so hard.

About the only thing I would change is that Cindy should spend more time talking about her breasts. But hey, that's just me. Oh, and I deserve a shout out, just because.

So yes, I recommend downloading the Ken and Squip Show and giving it a listen. I'll be checking out other podcasts, including the Simian Syndicate, because he's earned a shot after that hilarious apology. Blue, I'm still cracking up over:

I am lower than dinosaur shit. And not poop from some giant mean-ass carnivore, but shit from some pussy plant-eating dinosaur.

That's not an exact quote, but it's close. Yo, Blue, I should get a shout out from you too. Just because.

Posted by: Ted at 06:10 AM | category: Links
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1 Oh Ted, you have no idea how wonderful it was to read your post this morning. I'd had a dreadful night (nothing THAT bad, though there was a full moon last night and I can blame unpleasantries on that) and your words just - just - I'm sooooo very happy you enjoyed our little show. Thank you, thank you, thank you (shoutout to come!)

Meanwhile, I have indeed been keeping up with your blog but I've suffered from that quiet thing lately - plus being forced to use dialup while waiting for cable to come fix my broadband connection. I didn't realize I've been so rude and haven't commented here since the bread. Sorry and I'll try to be better about commenting here.

Ted - thank you again -- you really made my day and it was just great of you. *hug*

Posted by: Cindy at July 22, 2005 08:26 AM (ELSLq)

2 p.s. Blue lives in Virginia. Just thought I'd throw that in :-)

Posted by: Cindy at July 22, 2005 08:28 AM (ELSLq)

3 I knew he lived in Virginia because he owns a riding lawnmower. We all do, even if we live in townhouses. The trick is, we'll do the entire neighborhood because what's the point of having a riding lawnmower if it only takes 2 minutes to cut the grass?

Mine has RATO packs on it. (google it)

Posted by: Ted at July 22, 2005 02:14 PM (blNMI)

4 Yay!

The Squipper sent me a note about your post and I saw it this morning. Too bad I didn't check my email before I recorded our new show this weekend or I would have rendered appropriate shout-outs in the current show, but rest assured they will reside accordingly in the next one!

Thanks for the kind words!

Posted by: BLUE at July 25, 2005 10:27 AM (4Xncc)

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This just in:

This yearÂ’s contest challenges secondary school students to design, build and fly a model rocket that carries one raw egg to an altitude as close to 800 feet as possible and stays airborne for as close to 45 seconds as possible and returns the egg to the ground safely.

Hmmmm, altitude and duration. Very interesting...

Because of the need for altimeter's in the rocket (altitude measurement), they're limiting the number of entries to the first 750 teams. The National Finals are scheduled for May 20, 2006, at Great Meadow, The Plains, Virginia. Sponsors include 39 major aerospace companies. More information is available at www.rocketcontest.org.

Posted by: Ted at 07:23 PM | category: Rocketry
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Over at DynamoBuzz, Roberto has the lowdown on the NHL's New Jersey Devils' new home, built on top of an ancient cemetary.

Posted by: Ted at 11:28 AM | category: Links
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Rich attended our last club rocket launch (I couldn't make it, dang) and posted a mini-launch report. One of the flyers there is a rather unique individual who does unholy things with aerodynamics (translation: way fun). Rich has links up to the guy's site showing some of the unusual things he flies, as well as his typical nifty photo album full o' rockets and the folks who fly them.

Posted by: Ted at 09:58 AM | category: Rocketry
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Driving home from the grocery store, the radio station went into it's commercial break. Suddenly this Euro-techno-trance music started playing (not entirely misdirected at the demographics for this station), and after a few seconds, a raggedy-ass rap starts in.

Your front window's broke,

The gutters need cleanin',

Closet door stuck,

And your washer ain't machinin'.

Da roof been leakin',
Carpets need cleanin',
Room needs paintin',
And the hot water's broke.

(that's approximated by the way)

Ok, so the idea here is that you should call a handyman, right? Probably some ultra-cool handyhomey.

Not quite. The music fades to background and a veddy English voice starts to tell you about a plumbing company. Yep, just plumbing. I guess the rest of your problems are trivial as long as you got hot water.

And the company name is distinctly Anglophile. I mean, "White Boys with Monkey Wrenches" would be more 'street' than the actual name of the company.

Incomprehensible.

Posted by: Ted at 09:39 AM | category: Square Pegs
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My latest review is up over at Mozongo.

Posted by: Ted at 03:26 PM | category: PDA Reviews
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Kat, who's currently moving and on hiatus, also keeps a recipe blog full of her wit and wisdom. She's one of the funniest ladies out there:

Anyway, our cupboard was bare except for a very few staples like salt and pepper and flour. Have you ever tried salt and pepper flour balls? No? Then you havenÂ’t lived. Or youÂ’ve lived better than me. One of those.

I muchly recommend that you check her Kat's Kitchen out.

Posted by: Ted at 11:28 AM | category: Recipes
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Mozongo has just set up a new forum system to talk about Pocket PCs, Palms, Smart Phones and other gadgets and gizmos. Since it's so new, they're trying to kick-start community growth by offering a free games give-away.

So if you already use a PDA, or are interested in the latest news about phones and handhelds, give 'em a try. Registration is free.

Posted by: Ted at 10:06 AM | category: PDA Reviews
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Good morning, things around here are going all right.

My wife Liz had her sinus surgery yesterday and everything looks good (I'm calling it sinus surgery because they stuffed a camera and laser and bone shaver up her nose). It's too early to tell for sure, but now that the pressures on her optic nerves have been eased, we expect her vision problems to go away. She's also still a few days away from being able to go back on her regular medications - you know, the ones that keep her out of her wheelchair. During the last week or so we were treated to a fast-forward version of the physical deterioration that she went through over the course of about 10 years, before the current generation of drugs were developed and available. Personally, I'm a fan of big Pharma, and anyone who bitches about them ought to pick any three family members and imagine them dead and gone, because odds are they would be without those "evil profit-sucking global monsters".

Me? I'm exhausted and wrung-out and working my way through a nightmare list of things to get taken care of around the house. Happy as hell to do it too, because Liz is gonna be ok.

Thanks too for all the kind words and good thoughts and prayers, they're appreciated more than I could ever say.

Posted by: Ted at 09:27 AM | category: Square Pegs
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From QandO:

During a routine patrol in Baghdad June 2, Army Pfc. Stephen Tschiderer, a medic, was shot in the chest by an enemy sniper, hiding in a van just 75 yards away. The incident was filmed by the insurgents.

Tschiderer, with E Troop, 101st "Saber" Cavalry Division, attached to 3rd Battalion, 156th Infantry Regiment, 256th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, was knocked to the ground from the impact, but he popped right back up, took cover and located the enemy's position.

After tracking down the now-wounded sniper with a team from B Company, 4th Battalion, 1st Iraqi Army Brigade, Tschiderer secured the terrorist with a pair of handcuffs and gave medical aid to the terrorist who'd tried to kill him just minutes before.

They've got a link to the video too.

Posted by: Ted at 10:33 AM | category: Military
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Munuviana's very own One Happy Dog Speaks hosts this week's edition of the Carnival of the Recipes! Yay!

Posted by: Ted at 08:22 PM | category: Recipes
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In our Fantasy Baseball league, I'm currently sitting in sixth place out of ten teams.
You know what that means, right?

I'm all alone at the top of the second division!

All Half bow before me, for I am mighty.

Posted by: Ted at 07:05 PM | category: Square Pegs
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Today is her 17th Birthday. She's been very busy doing her school thing, and we don't get to visit her until Sunday (parents get 1 day during the month, and no cell phones are allowed), so we'll celebrate then.

One of the neat things is that each kid gets to nominate one teacher as most inspiring or influential, and those teachers are invited down for a day of recognition. Rachael chose her English teacher, who is also one of the drama teachers (if she'd gone to the Science curriculum instead of Humanities, her Physics teacher would've been the choice. She's been blessed with wonderful teachers).

Since today was the teacher day, we loaded her up with homemade cookies to deliver to Mookie and friends. So it worked out well enough.

Happy Birthday Sweetie!!!!! See you Sunday.

Posted by: Ted at 06:44 PM | category: Links
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My provider has informed me that they're aware of an outage in Northern Virginia. I can only occasionally get online, and not for any length of time in any one stretch.

Talk to you later when they get it fixed.

Posted by: Ted at 03:06 PM | category: Square Pegs
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If I have sex with my clone, is it masturbation or incest?

Don't remember where I heard that...

Posted by: Ted at 10:10 PM | category: Square Pegs
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From Boudicca's Voice:

... a hurricane is like a prostate exam. You dread it and it's uncomfortable going through it, but once it's over, you want to just wipe yourself off and get on with your life.

That's from Bou's Dad, aka The Great Omnipotent One.

Posted by: Ted at 10:43 AM | category: Links
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I haven't had time to keep up with the drama surrounding the latest Shuttle mission. All I can say for certain is that the astronauts recognize the risks in what they've chosen to do for a living, and that they willingly accept them. Now it's up to NASA to live up to their ideal.

The California Yankee has an interesting post up titled: Discovery Launch Scrubbed - Should It Have Been Scrubbed Earlier? There's an interesting discussion happening in the comments too.

Posted by: Ted at 08:34 AM | category: Space Program
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Our nine hour drive took twelve hours and fifteen minutes, thanks to two meal stops, two gas stops and two shopping stops. We had to stretch it out a little bit to make sure we missed the evening rush hour in Baltimore and DC. Everything went smoooooth.

We like to avoid the turnpikes and toll roads (probably $30.00 in tolls each way, I kid you not!), so we take a slightly longer but much more scenic route. I can't recall the precise road numbers right offhand, but we passed Yale University, and I had to laugh at Sodom Road. Who would want to live there?

We also passed Liberty Road, and it was cool that someone had fastened an American Flag to the streetsign post.

I thought it was great that the place where we met for lunch was on Boston Post Rd, aka Route 1. If you follow that road south long enough, you can hang a right in Woodbridge, Virginia and be within a few minutes of my house. Of course, down here Route 1 is known as Jefferson Davis Highway.

A note about the casinos in Connecticut (is that spelled right?): Both are nice, in very different styles. Foxwoods is Atlantic City nice, but Mohegan Sun is Vegas nice. If you've never been to Las Vegas, then you wouldn't understand. I much prefer Mohegan Sun, because there's so much to see and do, even if you don't gamble.

I gambled a grand total of $5.00 in two days at the casinos.

As we neared home, we were listening for traffic and weather reports. Apparently just south of us they've gotten hammered by rain. We heard that trees are down on the interstate and other major roads, and Route 1 is blocked by a mudslide. We've gotten a few sprinkles and that's it. The storms seem to be staying south too.

We have two very happy dogs.

Posted by: Ted at 09:48 PM | category: Square Pegs
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I had the pleasure of having lunch today with Robert, aka Tuning Spork of Blather Review and Stephen of Hold the Mayo.

I had a wonderful time, and we've already agreed to do it again next time I'm in the area. The conversation was better than the food, and the food was very, very good.

Thank you gentlemen, you made this vacation memorable!

Posted by: Ted at 07:40 PM | category: Links
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