I'll probably post something more this evening or tomorrow. In the meantime, here's a picture from the last BattlePark launch (in the extended entry). more...

Posted by: Ted at 07:59 AM | category: Rocketry
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The teen years are all about fun, right?

Depends on which end of the paddle you're on.

(in the extended entry) more...

Posted by: Ted at 07:27 AM | category: Square Pegs
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Oldest daughter is taking French as part of her studies in International Business. I told her that when she's taking a test and doesn't know the answer, just write "I surrender".

Posted by: Ted at 12:10 PM | category: Square Pegs
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Just don't tell my wife. Kidding.

Forever and Ever, Amen

You may think that I'm talking foolish.
You've heard that I'm wild and I'm free.
You may wonder how I can promise you now,
This love that I feel for you always will be.
You're not this time that I'm killing.
I'm no longer one of those guys.
As sure as I live this love that I give.
Is gonna be yours until the day that I die.

Oh, baby, I'm gonna love you forever,
Forever and ever amen.
As long as old men sit and talk about the weather,
As long as old women sit and talk about old men.
If you wonder how long I'll be faithful,
I'll be happy to tell you again:
I'm gonna love you forever and ever,
Forever and ever, Amen.

They say that time takes it's toll on a body;
Makes the young girls brown hair turn grey.
But honey, I don't care, I ain't in love with your hair,
And if it all fell out, well, I'd love you anyway.
They say time can play tricks on the memory;
Make people forget things they knew.
But it's easy to see it's happening to me:
I've already forgotten every woman but you.

Oh, darlin', I'm gonna love you forever,
Forever and ever amen.
As long as old men sit and talk about the weather,
As long as old women sit and talk about old men.
If you wonder how long I'll be faithful,
Well, just listen to how this song ends.
I'm gonna love you forever and ever,
Forever and ever, Amen.

I'm gonna love you forever and ever,
Forever and ever, forever and ever,
Forever and ever, Amen.

Performed by Randy Travis

Posted by: Ted at 12:04 PM | category: Waxing Lyrical
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It's 30 degrees outside, the wind is howling, and these four poor shmoes are lashed up to the side of the building across the street, washing windows.

Posted by: Ted at 11:50 AM | category: Square Pegs
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Courtesy of Munuviana's very own Everyday Stranger.

"Oh God, I'm going to come, 10-4!"

Gotcha covered there, good buddy.

Posted by: Ted at 06:08 AM | category: Links
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There's nothing like a tender glance to let her know that this is going to be as much fun for you as it will be for her.

(in the extended entry) more...

Posted by: Ted at 05:27 AM | category: Square Pegs
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California Yankee (again!) posts links to an article about our unmanned Predator aircraft that fly in support of our troops, specifically, some video clips taken by on-board cameras:

Some of the footage was a clip of Marines under sniper assault during an August battle in Najaf. A Predator responds to a call for air support and fires Hellfire missiles at the building housing the sniper. The building crumbles in an explosion.

Unmanned isn't uncontrolled. Predators are in the skies of Iraq 24/7, remote controlled by their pilots from Nellis Air Force Base, 7000 miles away in Nevada.

Posted by: Ted at 04:32 AM | category: Square Pegs
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Everyone knows that most of an iceberg lies underwater. I have no idea if this photo is on the up and up (the lighting looks 'wrong' to me), but it's cool anyways. Here's the background that was attached to the photo.

EVER SEE AN ICEBERG FROM TOP TO BOTTOM?

This awesome picture came from a Rig Manager for Global Marine Drilling in St. Johns, Newfoundland. They actually have to divert the paths of these ice monsters away from the rig by towing them with ships!

On this particular day, the water was calm, and the sun was almost directly overhead. This allowed a diver to get into the water and click this photo. Amazingly clear water, isn't it?

They estimated the weight at 300,000,000 tons.

(in the extended entry) more...

Posted by: Ted at 04:07 AM | category: SciTech
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A common misconception among those who've never served in the military is that when you sign a contract to enlist, that the time to be served is stated in that contract. It's not. What you sign up for is the minimum time you promise to serve, and that the length of service ends only when the military says you can go.

This isn't a secret and it isn't hidden in the fine print. It's made plain and clear right up front before you sign on the line. I have no sympathy for those bozo's who sued the Government because their term of service was extended.

Eight soldiers either serving in Iraq or en route to Iraq, asked a judge to order the Army to release them from service immediately.

Instead, U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth for the District of Columbia said the enlistment contract does notify those who sign up that the government could extend their terms of service.

Got that exactly right. Yes, it can be a hardship, but if it happens, there's no way you can claim that you weren't warned about the possibility.

Thanks to California Yankee for the pointer. He's got a link to the whole article.

Posted by: Ted at 07:46 PM | category: Military
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I come from the land of Lorena Bobbitt, but compared to this lady, Lorena was a dream date!

A British woman was sentenced to two and a half years in jail Thursday for ripping off her ex-lover's testicle with her bare hands during a drunken brawl after he refused her sex.

Amanda Monti, 24, flew into a rage in May last year after Geoffrey Jones, 37, who had ended their long-term relationship, rejected her advances.

She grabbed him by the genitals, tearing off his left testicle, then hid it in her mouth before a friend of Jones handed it back to him saying "that's yours."

Monti, of Birkenhead, near Liverpool, pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding at an earlier hearing.

There's just too much there to comment on, I wouldn't know where to begin.

hid it in her mouth?

"that's yours?"

Posted by: Ted at 12:09 PM | category: Square Pegs
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Beautiful mood music.

Never My Love

The 5th Dimension

You ask me if
There'll come a time when I grow tired of you.
Never my love,
Never my love.

You wonder if
This heart of mine will lose it's desire for you.
Never my love,
Never my love.

What makes you think love will end,
When you know that my whole life depends
On you.

You say you fear
I'll change my mind and I won't require you.
Never my love,
No, never, never my love.

Now how can you think love will end,
When I've asked you to spend your whole life
With me.

Never my love.

I'll leave you never my love.
Oh, believe me, baby.
I want you forever and ever my love.
I want to be...

Oh yeah.

Posted by: Ted at 05:45 AM | category: Waxing Lyrical
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Lay's has a new flavor of potato chip out - Dill Pickle. They taste exactly like those chips at a picnic that get soggy from the pickle juice running around on your plate. Yum!!! Only problem is, I hope like hell we got a defective bag, because they're so salty you can only eat about 3 chips at a time.

Posted by: Ted at 05:20 AM | category: Square Pegs
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The most innocent beginnings can blossom into a romantic moment.

(in the extended entry) more...

Posted by: Ted at 04:37 AM | category: Square Pegs
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Me.

Posted by: Ted at 12:01 PM | category: Square Pegs
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Continuing the series. Can you feel the romance in the air?

(in the extended entry) more...

Posted by: Ted at 05:57 AM | category: Square Pegs
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1 That doesn't look like Errol to me--it looks more like Orson Wells! Are you sure they got the names right?

Posted by: Susie at February 09, 2005 01:49 PM (MYr06)

2 Of course not, I'm guessing. I've only seen bits and pieces of Gone With The Wind, I thought that was Eroll Flynn. What else was he in?

Posted by: Ted at February 09, 2005 02:54 PM (blNMI)

3 Oddly enough I'm all atingle. TMI?

Posted by: Kat at February 09, 2005 03:32 PM (PwX2K)

4 That looks like Clark Gable moret than Flynn, but it's hard to tell when they both had the little moustache.

Flynn was in 'Captain Blood', a fine swashbuckler movie, as well as Robin Hood, which has great dialog, but is campy as hell. Using fencing foils in the 12th century and the like.

Posted by: Paul at February 09, 2005 03:34 PM (vbP6L)

5 Kat, tingling is encouraged.

Paul, I should have thought about those two. I love the swashbucklers, but it's been a long time since I've seen those.

Posted by: Ted at February 09, 2005 07:34 PM (ZjSa7)

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Over at Sanity's Edge, Paul is hosting The Cavalcade of Blogs.

What is the Cavalcade?

ItÂ’s an opinion poll based on your reading habits and it requires your participation. IÂ’d like you to answer a few questions and IÂ’ll tally up the results and post some links.

In other words, he's got nothing.

Except that's not quite true, because right after that he starts a new meme. Something new and exciting and never-before-done anywhere except maybe on masochistic webrings. That's right, Paul cracks his head open for your entertainment. Now the meme bit is kinda my idea, about making it one of those since-you-did-it-I'll-do-it-too things that make their rounds on the blogs. I mean, what's funnier than personal injury, eh?

Coming soon to Rocket Jones, a story about a rickety wooden stool, a soldering iron, and a set of clackers I put together one drunken weekend out of two old bowling balls and some bungee cord. So, who's next?

Posted by: Ted at 11:53 AM | category: Links
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According to astronomers, under certain conditions some planets may form with a thick layer of diamond under the crust.

No diamond planet exists in our solar system, but some planets orbiting other stars in the Milky Way might have enough carbon to produce a diamond layer, Princeton University astronomer Marc Kuchner said in a telephone news conference.

Since they'll be worth mere pennies on the dollar in the near future, I'd suggest that you contact Rocket Jones and ask about our diamond-buyback program. Get your best deal now, before they're all worthless.

Posted by: Ted at 11:45 AM | category: SciTech
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And in this case, that's a literal description (hmmmm, where have I heard that phrase before...). The sculpture consists of 21 interlocking pieces made of brass, copper, aluminum, steel, stainless steel, cast iron, magnesium, titanium, tungsten, aluminum bronze and bearing bronze. Hidden inside is a one inch cube of solid silver or gold.

When fully assembled, this sculpture forms a beautiful three inch cube with softly rounded edges. It weighs 7-9 pounds depending on the metal composition.

Price is ~2k dollars, more if you want the gold ingot inside. I could never afford it, but I still think it's beautiful.

Posted by: Ted at 06:08 AM | category: Links
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I came home from work yesterday, putzed around the house a little, picked Mookie up from her after-school activity, ate some leftovers for dinner and went to bed. Slept straight through until this morning.

I must've needed to catch up. That is sooooo not me.

Posted by: Ted at 06:05 AM | category: Square Pegs
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