Closer to a documentary of some of my recent escapades:
Vodpod videos no longer available.
more about “The Matrix Runs on Windows – CollegeH…“, posted with vodpod
How about you? What’s your experience?
And if the Matrix ran on Windows?
November 14, 2008
2 Comments | 
Humor, Movies, Technology | Tagged: Humor, Movies, Technology, The Matrix, Windows | 
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Posted by Ed Darrell
Weird natural dangers: Amorous toads love fish to death
November 8, 2008From the Scarborough, England, Daily News:
AMOROUS toads have caused the deaths of scores of fish at a lake near Scarborough.In one incident around 70 carp, worth about £3,000, were lost after male toads tried to mate with them on the Wykeham Estate.
Manager Mike Heelis said the situation became so bad last weekend he had to cancel two club competitions.
The toads clamp themselves on to the carp’s face and push its eyes into the sockets – and, if several reptiles are involved, the carp drowns due to its gills being closed.
Mr Heelis said the fish had encountered the toads after swimming into the lake’s warmer, shallow waters during the recent mild weather.
He said: “The fish are stressed, you can tell, because they are lethargic. We have several thousand fish here and maybe a third of them had the toads attached to them. This is unnatural.”
Unnatural? I find it hard to work up sympathy for carp, after seeing what destruction they wreak on U.S. waters (carp are exotics in the U.S.) Unnatural? You mean, as if the toads choose their species orientation, sexual orientations, etc.?
Nature, unnatural? There’s a moral there, I’m sure, but neither Don Wildmon nor Rush Limbaugh couldn’t find it with both hands, or all four hands.
5 Comments | Biology, Humor, Natural history, Science, Zoology | Tagged: Animal Sex, Humor, Natural history, Nature, Science, Weird News | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Hockey mom attacks, bites Texas Democrat; 17 stitches
November 3, 2008Police are still looking for signs of lipstick.
Was it a real hockey mom? Who has time to check for lipstick when the thing lunges at you? How can you really tell?
From The Dallas Morning News:
Democratic judicial candidate Ken Molberg was attacked and bitten multiple times by a pit bull Saturday while walking a southeastern Dallas neighborhood as part of his party’s organized effort to turn out Democratic voters.
Mr. Molberg, a Dallas lawyer who is running for the 95th Civil District Court post, was going door to door on Lake June Road with fellow candidate Judge Don Adams when the attack occurred shortly after noon, local Democratic Party officials said. He was bitten on the upper leg and groin.
Steve Tillery, executive director of the Dallas County Democratic Party, said Mr. Molberg was walking up to a house and saw the dog through an open door. The dog ran out and attacked him, he said.
Mr. Molberg said he punched and kicked the dog then hopped onto a car to get away from the animal.
He said he received 17 stitches at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas and has about eight open puncture wounds. He was home by late Saturday afternoon.
Mr. Molberg is the most senior member of the party’s State Democratic Executive Committee.
“My crack to the family that helped me was that it must have been a Republican dog,” he said.
The candidate said the wounds will keep him out of commission for a while, but he’ll continue to talk to voters – by phone.
“I think I got a bunch of votes in the emergency room,” he said.
Molberg is famous for his cowboy hats and for his staunch support of the Democratic Party. His candidacy is endorsed by the Dallas Morning News.
- Democrat Ken Molberg, top right, listens to a delegate’s question on convention procedures during the Texas Democratic 23rd Senatorial District Convention, June 2008, well prior to his run in with a pit bull dog. Molberg , ever the gentleman, had removed his trademark cowboy hat, indoors. Photo copyright 2008, Ed Darrell
1 Comment | Humor, Politics, Texas | Tagged: Hockey Mom, Humor, Ken Molberg, Politics, Texas | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Don’t vote. Don’t tell 5 friends. Just don’t
November 1, 2008This one’s safe for work:
This one, not safe for work (profanity, usually mild – democratic ideas), but much funnier, and much more serious at the same time — I wish I’d known about it two months ago. Not nearly enough people have watched these, according to the YouTube counts:
If I can get five readers of this post, we’re home free, right?
Tip of the old scrub brush to UBZonker.
10 Comments | Campaigns, Citizenship, Civil Rights, Democracy, Democracy in action, Elections, Humor, Politics, U.S. Constitution, Voting Rights Act | Tagged: 5 Friends Vote, Campaigns, Citizenship, Constitution, Democracy, Elections, Humor, Politics, Voting Rights Act of 1965 | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
High cost of lipstick
October 24, 2008Now we know why the McCain campaign has been so sensitive about mentions of lipstick.
At more than $600 a day for what Delbert McClinton would call lipstick, powder and paint, can the U.S. afford Sarah Palin?
2 Comments | Campaigns, Humor, John McCain, McCain 2008, Politics | Tagged: Campaign 2008, Humor, Lipstick, McCain, Politics, Sarah Palin, Wasteful Spending | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
“See ya Red States,” and a paean to Texas
October 16, 2008You’ve seen it before — the letter saying toodle-oo to the red states, as the blue states muster the courage to let them go. Somebody passed it along, I forwarded it to a few people I thought hadn’t seen it.
A discussion broke out. Part of the discussion centered on Texas’s second secession from the U.S., and how nasty things can be in Texas (“It’s not the heat and humidity; it’s the hate and stupidity”).
A couple of exchanges in, I started to wince. God knows Texas has its problems. I haven’t even started in on the latest three months of lunacy at the State Board of Education where Creationist-in-Chief Don McLeroy is loosening his belt to drop his pants (figuratively, of course) and moon every kid in Texas before he eviscerates science education.
But — you know? — Texas has a couple of things going for it, reasons to smile while you’re stuck here.
Below the fold, the “So long, Red States” letter — but before that, a modest defense of Texas, as I wrote back:
I do regret that [y’all have] had such a difficult and unhappy time in Texas. Texas is far from my ideal place, especially for the weather and lack of mountains (I appear to be losing the retirement fight – I wanted Jackson Hole, Kathryn wants Kanab. Red rock wins with the family.)
And Yellowstone is a part of my soul, especially after we (probably illegally) scattered my brother’s ashes there in the last great family reunion before this past summer.
But, you know, Texas has some fine points that shouldn’t get overlooked. Especially, it doesn’t deserve to get every redneck.
Here are some of the great things about Texas:
- Big Bend National Park
- Dallas Symphony, and Jaap Van Zweden (the premiere of “August 4, 1964” last month was fantastic; Van Zweden has a magic wand instead of a baton); and the Meyerson Symphony Center, which is a vastly superior hall in my mind to Carnegie, Avery Fisher, or anything at the Kennedy Center.
- Dallas Museum of Art (King Tut is back!)
- Dinosaur Valley State Park (and the other 100 or so state parks)
- San Antonio
- Salado
- Houston Museum of Natural Science
- Kimbell Art Museum (the building itself is something to see – designed by Louis I Kahn)
- Bluebonnets; Lady Bird’s Wildflower Center (and all other Texas wildflowers)
- Dogwood Canyon
- Texas barbecue (no, it’s not like all the others; and most of the joy is in the journey to find it)
- LBJ Library
- Johnson Space Center
- John Henry Faulk
- San Marcos River
- Swimming holes along the (Texas) Colorado River
- DFW Airport (for access to the U.S., Canada and Mexico)
- Ann Richards
- Molly Ivins
- Monarch butterfly migration
- Birds and bird watching
- Pat Green
- Lyle Lovett
- Jerry Jeff Walker
- Tejano and Conjunto
- The Texas Observer
- It’s the origin of Walter Cronkite, Bob Schieffer, Jim Lehrer, and lots of others
- A dozen other things I’m forgetting for the moment
It’s been a rather miserable 21 years in Texas for us, for a lot of reasons. There are good things and good people in Texas. It ain’t all gloomy.
Wildflowers not only do blossom where they grow: They must blossom there.
Which reminds me, there are a dozen other wildflowers better than bluebonnets, and we haven’t even started on the magnificent grasses like big bluestem, little bluestem and side-oats grama.
(More humor below the fold.)
2 Comments | Botany, Education, Fiesta de Tejas!, Geography - Economic, Geography - Physical, Geography - Political, History, Humor, Molly Ivins' Ghost, Museums, Politics, Science, Texas, Texas history, Texas Music, Travel | Tagged: Blue States, Camping, Humor, Museums, Music, Red States, Texas, Travel, Wildflowers | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Quote of the moment: Book of Proverbs, on winking
October 12, 200812 A scoundrel and villain,
who goes about with a corrupt mouth,13 who winks with his eye,
signals with his feet
and motions with his fingers,14 who plots evil with deceit in his heart—
he always stirs up dissension.15 Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant;
he will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.
Proverbs 6 (New King James Version)
9 The man of integrity walks securely,
but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.10 He who winks maliciously causes grief,
and a chattering fool comes to ruin.11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked
Proverbs 10
29 A violent man entices his neighbor
and leads him down a path that is not good.30 He who winks with his eye is plotting perversity;
he who purses his lips is bent on evil.
Proverbs 16
2 Comments | Famous quotes, Humor, Literature, Politics, Quotes | Tagged: Bible, Humor, Literature, Politics, Quotes, Sarah Palin | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Quote of the moment: Mark Twain, on speculating in stocks
October 6, 2008
Mark Twain in 1907 - A.F. Bradley, New York, copyright, Mark Twain, three-quarter length portrait, seated, facing slightly right, with cigar in hand 1907. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress
October. This is one of the peculiarly dangerous months to speculate in stocks in. The others are July, January, September, April, November, May, March, June, December, August, and February.
- Mark Twain (pen name of Samuel Langhorn Clemens), Pudd’nhead Wilson’s Calendar; The Tragedy of Pudd’nhead Wilson, Chapter 13
Leave a Comment » | Books, Famous quotes, Financial literacy, History, Humor, Quotes | Tagged: Books, Famous quotes, History, Humor, Investing advice, Literature, Mark Twain, Quotes, Speculation, Stock Market | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Yeah, I wondered the same thing
September 20, 2008“Bong Recreation Area?” In Wisconsin?
Sign pointing to Bong Recreation Area, in Wisconsin. Named after Maj. Richard Bong, the pilot.
The Walrus covered it pretty well, three years ago. It’s not what you feared, or hoped.
It’s a recreation area made from a closed U.S. Air Force Base. Maj. Richard Bong, a native of Wisconsin, was the top fighter ace for the U.S. in World War II. He is a recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor.
1 Comment | Congressional Medal of Honor, Geography - Political, Humor, Travel, World War II | Tagged: Bong, Congressional Medal of Honor, geography, Humor, Richard Bong, Road Signs, Travel, World War II | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Scouts predict weather
September 8, 2008Bill Britt is Scoutmaster of Troop 509 in Hurlburt Field, Florida. In a missive recently he comments on the ability of his Scouts to predict stormy weather:
Subject: This is gettin’ old!!
Argggh!
We had an annual multi-troop campout scheduled for the weekend of August 22. Hurricane/TS Fay decides to go right over the camp, so we cancel early.
We schedule a flag retirement ceremony with the VFW for Labor Day and wake up to Tornado Warnings from Hurricane Gustav’s feeder bands.
Now Hurricane Ike is trying to visit us for next weekend’s Spectre Island campout.
We now figure we can offer our services to NOAA as a long term Hurricane predictor for the Gulf Coast. All we gotta do is check out the calendar for future Troop events through November when the season ends.
Bill Britt, SM
Troop 509
Hurlburt Field, FL
Providing accurate cyclonic prediction since 2008
Leave a Comment » | Boy Scouts of America, Climate change, Humor, Science | Tagged: Boy Scouts, Climate change, Humor, Weather | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Moth image not Jesus, but juggling elf!
September 1, 2008Thermopsis pointed the way from Bug Girl’s Blog — it’s not Jesus we see on the moth, but a juggling elf!
What do you think?
2 Comments | Humor, psychology, Rampant stupidity, Religion, Science | Tagged: Humor, Perception, psychology, Rampant stupidity, Religion, Science | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
What’s the difference between a burro and a burrow?
August 30, 2008Burro:
Burro
Burrow:
If you can click to this site, you should know the difference. Do you?
8 Comments | Education, Education assessment, Humor, Politics, Science, Words | Tagged: Education, Education Policy, Humor, Lexicography, Politics, school boards, Science, Words | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Top 10 reasons McCain chose Sarah Palin as a running-mate
August 30, 2008We old-line campaigners and politicos watched with great interest the news of Sen. John McCain’s choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his vice president ticket-mate. McCain’s choice offers glimpses of what is going on inside McCain’s campaign, and McCain’s head.
Python's Michael Palin and friend
Here are the top 10 reasons McCain chose Sarah Palin, in count-down order:
10. Michael Palin is not a U.S. citizen, it turns out.
9. Those pesky science fans will shut up and stop clamoring for a science debate, just to avoid hearing one more fool claim that intelligent design deserves time in classes.
8. Thought she was Nana Mouskouri.
Nana Mouskouri
7. Hillary already pledged to support Obama.
Buy your mukluks at MuklukStore.com
6. Two words: Mukluk.
5. Didn’t want to risk getting a religious nut, so Mitt Romney was out.
4. Harriett Myers was unavailable.
3. Impressed by the education plank in her campaign for mayor of Wassila, Alaska.
"No one expects the Spanish Inquisition" - Michael Palin models the robe Sarah Palin will be asked to wear, with Terry Jones, Carol Cleveland and Terry Gilliam - Monty Python publicity image
2. She didn’t object to wearing Michael Palin’s gown during government investigations of non-fundamentalist Christians.
. . . and the number one reason . . .
1. Britney Spears turned him down.
Britney Spears in 2003. U.S. Navy photo (no kidding)
Your turn: Surely there are other, better reasons. Tell us what they are in comments.
________
Update: Serious commentary on Gov. Palin’s qualifications, here.
33 Comments | Elections, Humor, McCain 2008, Politics | Tagged: Britney Spears, Humor, McCain 2008, Michael Palin, Politics, Sarah Palin, Spanish Inquisition | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Jesus and the lamp unto my porch
August 29, 2008Bug Girl has the story — and go see it at her site, and look at the photograph.
Friend, do you see Jesus? (I didn’t.)
Oh, sure. It’s from Texas. Maybe a trailer park.
On the plus side, there’s a poll you can crash: Do you see Jesus, someone else, or nothing at all? (“Moth” is not one of the choices.) The poll is by KLTV Channel 7 out in the Longview-Tyler area.
“I immediately thought it looked like Jesus and that was what was so cool cause you’ve seen His face in grilled cheese sandwiches and windows and things but on a moth’s back…we thought that was pretty neat.”
As if the moth weren’t cool enough. Feynman was right: The scientist appreciates this stuff better.
6 Comments | Humor, Rampant stupidity, Religion, Science | Tagged: Humor, Religion, Science | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
And now, the Nigerian scam investigation scam
August 22, 2008A few months ago I posted about a guy who issued a spectacular reply to someone trying the old Nigerian scam on him.
Yesterday that post got this comment:
Levy Says:
August 22, 2008 at 1:56 am editI have found good service for check nigerian. It’s
http://www.nigerianscamcheck.com
Go check that site out. If it’s not a scam itself, it should be. Just what you were looking for, a “good service for check nigerian.”
Especially note the certificate from the “Global School of Detectives,” the membership in “World Association of Detectives” (yes: W.A.D.), and the certificate from the California Board of Collections and Investigatives Services (P.I.s in California now are licensed by the much newer Bureau of Security and Investigative Services). (See the images of the certificates below.)
If you ever post again, Levy, I swear I’ll send your name and address to both the Latter-day Saints and Jehovah’s Witnesses.
2 Comments | Ethics, Humor, Internet, Life, Technology | Tagged: Caveat emptor, Ethics, Humor, Internet, Life, Nigerian scam, Technology | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Millard Fillmore's Bathtub 