6.23.2007

HooplaHoop


HooplaHoop, originally uploaded by tedcompton.

This is Shenandoah. She has a web site at Alotta Hoopla. Check it out.

The pipers


The pipers, originally uploaded by tedcompton.

Woohoo!


Woohoo!, originally uploaded by tedcompton.

So I went to this Celtic festival at the fairgrounds today and actually managed a few keepers, which will be inflicted upon you in due course.

In the meantime, try to keep a positive attitude.

Ooops, another surge running a little slow

The sophisticated gunshot-detection system that Boston bought to stem shootings will not be operational until October, months later than expected and too late to stave off the usual summer rise in gunfire and homicides.
Ummm, wait a minute...gunshot detector? Gunshots need detecting now?

If the contract with Boston had been signed sooner, the system could have been installed by now, said Gregg Rowland, the company's senior vice president for sales and marketing.
Yeah. Sure.

Maybe a boondoggle detector is what we really need.

Link: Delays push setup of gunshot locator into fall, city says - The Boston Globe

Into the pool


Into the pool, originally uploaded by tedcompton.

Yeah, well, it's always something, Bunky

“Frankly, I think they knew an operation was coming in Baquba,” General Odierno said in a teleconference briefing with Pentagon reporters from the American military headquarters in Baghdad. “They watched the news....”
Link: Militants Said to Flee Before U.S. Offensive - New York Times

More tea?

“The executive order that Bush issued in March 2003 covers all government agencies that are part of the executive branch and, although it doesn't specifically say so, was not meant to apply to the vice president's office or the president's office, a White House spokesman said.
`You might just as well say,' added the Dormouse, who seemed to be talking in his sleep, `that ”I breathe when I sleep“ is the same thing as ”I sleep when I breathe“!'

Link: The Raw Story | President Bush claims he's exempt from security oversight too, Los Angeles Times to report

Disremember September: It's out by spring

Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno, the top day-to-day commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, did not predict any reductions in U.S. forces but said such redeployments may be feasible by spring. There are currently 156,000 U.S. troops in Iraq....

He also cautioned that, because the insurgents in Iraq have proven so resilient and adaptive, making any prediction is risky. “There's so many things that could happen between now and then,” he said, referring to next spring.
OK, maybe spring. And do they have a night-by-night commander too?

Link: US may reduce forces in Iraq by spring - Yahoo! News

6.22.2007

Pretty much sums it up

Perino later contradicted herself...
Perino, substitute White House spokesmodel, tries to spin Trickshot Dick at a press briefing and winds up opining Trickshot's claim the vice freaking president is not part of the executive branch is “an interesting constitutional question.” What constitution that might be is not made clear.

Link: Think Progress » White House On Cheney Ignoring Executive Order: ‘It’s A Little Bit Of A Non-Issue’

Somebody is seriously math-challenged here: Thee or me

The average American man has sex with seven women during his lifetime, compared to four male sexual partners for the average woman...
Those numbers just don't work out, do they? Or maybe...nawww...you don't think....that couldn't be, could it? A little exaggeration here somewhere? Ya think?

Link: The Newshoggers: Sex And Drugs And Average America

Yeah, I'm pretty sure I saw that in one of their TV commercials

When shown statistics from a new report indicating mental health problems among 30% of soldiers who were in combat 56 hours a week, McCaffrey shot back, “Oh, come on now” and invoked the Battle of the Bulge during World War II. “It's a tough life,” he insisted. “If you can't embrace the brutality of combat, you shouldn't be in the infantry.”. . .
“Be all you can be, embrace the brutality of combat.” Isn't that how it went?

Link: UNDERNEWS: GENERAL MCCAFFREY: “IF YOU CAN'T EMBRACE THE BRUTALITY OF COMBAT, YOU SHOULDN'T BE IN THE INFANTRY.”

Bug


Bug, originally uploaded by tedcompton.

Just permit me, modestly, to say...

...nyah, nyah.

Link: Families' Eldest Boys Do Best on Tests - Forbes.com

It's about time

BRAD BLOG - Debra Bowen, California's Secretary of State, has announced taking action against Election Systems and Software because the vendor of voting machines used in Los Angeles County has refused to turn over their source code as part of the state's review of all voting systems used in the state.
IF we had any brains at all the first thing we'd do, even before wrapping up this damn war (because this could be done in minutes by simply mandating paper ballots until a decent alternative could be worked out) is clean up the mess our system of elections has become.

That IF is getting bigger by the day.

Link: UNDERNEWS: CALIFORNIAN SECRETARY OF STATE GOES AFTER VOTING MACHINE SOURCE CODE

Next freaking week?

How much is an interview with Paris Hilton worth? Representatives of ABC News said yesterday that they had lost to NBC for the first interview with Paris Hilton after her release from jail next week because ABC was unwilling to make a “high six-figure deal” with Ms. Hilton’s family.
So it's true then: Time flies when you're having fun.

Oh, and something about networks paying for interviews, whatever, blah blah blah.

Link: ABC Says It Was Outbid for Paris Hilton Interview - New York Times

Lotta physics in this

Angular Momentum


From xkcd, a Webcomic of Romance, Sarcasm, Math, and Language

Do they still have those Internet grocery stores?

We never had them here, but you know the ones I mean, right? Where you order online and they deliver stuff? Because I've got to quit going to the grocery store myself. Really. I go to the grocery store and come home and worry for the rest of the day about Brad. I mean that Brad, he's having one helluva bad year. Both his wives are bonkers, or something.

And then there's Laura and Commander Guy, but I don't worry so much about them.

Oh, and speaking of the grocery store, would this be great in that parking lot or what?

Fastened


Fastened, originally uploaded by tedcompton.

That Rushdie guy must be almost as bad as Michael Moore

Pakistan hardliners honor bin Laden in Rushdie row

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - A group of hardline Pakistani Muslim clerics said on Thursday they had bestowed a religious title on Osama bin Laden in response to a British knighthood for author Salman Rushdie....

“If a blasphemer can be given the title 'Sir' by the West despite the fact he's hurt the feelings of Muslims, then a mujahid who has been fighting for Islam against the Russians, Americans and British must be given the lofty title of Islam, Saifullah,” the council's chairman, Tahir Ashrafi, told Reuters.
I don't know, I've never read any of his books (how pure is that?) but still, “Rushdie row” is pretty strong stuff.

And all because of the Brits and that silly “Sir” thing they have. Thank God they never made Darwin one.

Speaking of Darwin, in 2000 Darwin's image replaced Dickens' on the Bank of England ten pound note (that's how much it's worth, not how much it weighs). Reportedly (that is, according to Wikipedia), one reason for the bank's choice was that Darwin's “luxuriant” (Wikipedia, again) beard is difficult to forge.

So Dude, there you go. Want to be famous? Grow a really, really big beard. I (especially I) am not about to comment on Rushdie's.

Link: Pakistan hardliners honor bin Laden in Rushdie row | Reuters

Here it is!

The future of entertainment: the microseries:


Well isn't that just precious

A “cyber attack” forced the Pentagon recently to disconnect some 1,500 of its computers from the internet, says this report from Time.
When asked if his own e-mail account was affected, Gates revealed, “I don't do e-mail. I'm a very low-tech person.”
So here's this guy, Gates, heading the most high-tech military establishment on the planet - ever - and he's into this cutesy old-timey act? Ain't that sweet? Rummy couldn't have done it any better.

Are these guys really idiots or do they just play idiots on TV?

Link: Cyber Attack Hits Pentagon | TIME


Of course if he'd said he doesn't do email because all the Pentagon's email systems have been hacked, well, that'd be another matter. “It's actually a fairly serious matter,” some CNN guy says.

6.21.2007

Underpass


Underpass, originally uploaded by tedcompton.

Flier


Flier, originally uploaded by tedcompton.

It's summer


Ready for summer, originally uploaded by tedcompton.

The days are getting shorter. Is this fair?

Just when you think you've got it made, huh?

Good news!

U.S. not about to look past Canada
OK, it's only a soccer game, but anyway that's a start.

Link: U.S. not about to look past Canada :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Soccer

6.20.2007

I did...and sparks came out of my ears

Take the two latest rabbit holes out of hundreds that honeycomb the substrata beneath the banks of the Potomac, the holes into which 51 of 88 email accounts held by White House officials with the Republican National Committee vanished and our veterans’ mail temporarily disappeared from Walter Reed.

And then think of the Republican Party foaming at the moth like Cujo after eating a box of Alka Seltzer over the Clinton administration’s mailroom “scandal.”
Was that really necessary?

Yeah, probably so.

Link: Welcome to Pottersville: Ill Postino

Butterflight


Butterflight, originally uploaded by tedcompton.

From our Department of Recycled Headlines

U.S. Military Tries New Approach in Iraq
Link: NPR : U.S. Military Tries New Approach in Iraq

Butterfly at rest


Butterfly at rest, originally uploaded by tedcompton.

Oh oh...we're in serious trouble now

He added, “If a Marine can use (Microsoft) Word, he can get this plane to fly.”
Link: Why War Is Really Just a Game

Terrorists in high places

Her husband volunteered to defend this country, and he has been missing in the deserts of Iraq for more than a month. Now the US government is trying to kick her out of the country.

Army specialist Alex Jimenez married Yaderlin Hiraldo in 2004. Hiraldo entered the US illegally from the Dominican Republic in 2001, and when Jimenez petitioned for her green card while he was stationed in Iraq it alerted the government to her presence, according to a report on Boston television station WBZ.
Link: The Raw Story | DHS trying to deport missing soldier's wife

Scandal Alert: Bankers may have had too much fun

“This investigation may be completed as early as this week, and full disciplinary action will be taken against individuals who are found to have behaved unprofessionally and inappropriately. We expect all FDIC employees to adhere to the highest standards of professionalism.”

“And, at a minimum, to keep their clothes on.”
Woohoo! Naked bankers! FDIC investigators want answers. Or pictures, at least.

Link: The Raw Story | Government probes May 'Bankers Gone Wild' incident

LOL!

Yeah, right, pretty much what I expected. It's from a web site called Event Jar (huh?) which promises to reveal all the exciting things to do near you, Bunky - you! - but not, apparently, near me. Which doesn't make much difference, really, because it's raining anyway, but a guy likes to dream.

What we lack in events, though, we make up in places, including, for example, two - two! - Dunkin' Donuts and a public library. If you're up for it. The library, I mean. I'm not. I'm taking a nap. Then, who knows. Those chocolate-frosted ones are pretty good.

And now you know what he did to Massachusetts

Link: skippy the bush kangaroo: caption opportunities...priceless

Is there life after Second Life?

Second Life Dying A Slow Death As Growth Falls Dramatically
Link: YOUR NEW REALITY

Well, it's a start

US concerned about mental health of diplomats in Iraq, Afghanistan
Link: The Raw Story | US concerned about mental health of diplomats in Iraq, Afghanistan

Maybe we need a new Department of Homeland Security Security

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Homeland Security Department, the lead U.S. agency for fighting cyber threats, suffered more than 800 hacker break-ins, virus outbreaks and other computer security problems over two years, senior officials acknowledged to Congress....

The computer problems disclosed to the House Homeland Security subcommittee occurred during fiscal 2005 and fiscal 2006, and occurred at DHS headquarters and many of the department's agencies, including TSA, the Coast Guard, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Customs and Border Protection and others.
The department promises to work diligenty - diligently! - to get those darn computers to behave, starting with getting some expert computer security advice from...oh, wait...the Department of Homeland Security.

Come on, Bunky, quit giggling. This is serious.

Link: DHS Acknowledges Own Computer Break - Ins - New York Times

6.18.2007

What's with the dippy sippy cup?

The TSA has a “MythBusters” page showing videos of the Sippy Cup Terrorist incident.
Dude, I'm not even sure what a sippy cup is. I guess it's one of those cups with the thing on top, you know the kind I mean, but maybe not. Whatever it is, it doesn't sound all that freakin' scary, water or no. Come to think of it, water doesn't sound all that scary either. I'm just saying here.

Maybe it's just that, with Paris Hilton locked up in jail and the Sopranos-ending story finally fading away, sippy cups are just all we have left. If that's the case - I suppose there's nothing to be done about the Sopranos but damn, free Paris Hilton. At least then we can have some decent fake news.

Link: Boing Boing: TSA denies sippy cup incident

36


36, originally uploaded by tedcompton.

The worst thing that can happen...

...well, one of the worst, anyway, right up there in the top ten...is when you set up the coffee pot and forget to turn it on. And then you go back in a little while expecting a nice, fresh cup of coffee and find out you've got...nothing. Which is what just happened to me.

Bah.