How Do You Spell That?

Drudge and few other places are reporting on the slowly growing bulge that is currently forming in Yellowstone National Park.

Now, my point isn't to panic you (unless you live right above the damn thing, then I suggest opening a day spa and milking it for all it's worth). But it does make me think about how damn lucky we are to live in a time where there isn't a famine, a plague, or even a little Ice Age. Think about this, when was the last time we saw a massive crop failure where no one could help? My recollection would be the Dust Bowl in the 1930's. But still, there was no world-wide starvation.

And we haven't had a nice harbringer of doom like in Deep Impact or even worse, Ishtar II.

So we have to admire the times we live in. Sure, we have an earthquake every now and then. And of course volcanoes do erupt, but with usually tons of notice. Enough time usually to get more people killed because we're pretty damn good at predicting an eruption far enough in advance and they get bored.

I guess there really wasn't a point to this post. Knowing that Yellowstone will still be there thousands of years after my descedents have forgotten to spell "Wohlgemuth" is a somewhat comforting feeling.

Posted by Brian at 11:56 PM | Permalink

Time to guess who got around to downloading off the digital camera today...

(Emily, Briana, Hannah, Audriana, Tyler, Anthony, and Catherine)

Update:
Duh, put in the kids names.

Posted by Brian at 11:40 PM | Permalink

You really have to admire a piece of machinery that can pull a 13' x 10' slab or concrete out like a rug on the floor.

Posted by Brian at 10:52 PM | Permalink

Today, I will be starting a blow-by-blow, highly detailed analysis of the intricacies of modern home improvement.

See this?

This is what my house looks like before

this machine decides to rip up chucks of concrete, stone, and really impossible to dig in clay to convert this mass of lumber, vinyl, and other assorted masonry products into my new office and patio.

Today they are removing the concrete slab and hopefully should get the footers dug. Tomorrow is concrete day. Too bad I haven't a clue what they are doing. :-)

Posted by Brian at 11:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

My job revolves around the concept of fixing broken networks. My job isn't as glorious as MacGyver or as dirty as an auto mechanics. But when it comes down to it, the same principles exist.

#1. If the circuit breaks then fixes itself, it's not fixed. And no, just as an auto mechanic can't work on a car while it's driving down the highway, I can't fix the problem and keep the site up. But, if the circuit goes down for two minutes, comes back up and stays up for three months, then goes down for one minute; it's probably not the same problem.

#2. If the circuit is back up at this point, I probably can't tell you what exactly broke. I can guess based on some of the data I have. No, don't ask for it in writing.

#3. If you won't give me testing access to the circuit until after 20:00, and there is no access to the site after 17:00; don't expect much to be done. Yes, I'm serious.

#4. No, I won't go replacing expensive pieces of hardware to make you feel better. If your car starts acting funny, do you replace the engine? It's a stupid way of fixing things (and also time-wasting and damn expensive) which only masks the original problem and makes things ten times worse.

#5. Yes I'm available 24/7 to answer your questions. Yes, I will drop everything and go out to your site if needed. Yes, I will yell at the local companies to get their crap together. But don't expect me to do it with a smile after you call me every name in the book.

There, I feel better now. :-)

Posted by Brian at 3:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The Counterrevolutionary has a really good writeup over the entire debate over Iraq's WMDs, Yellowcake, Quqagmires, State of the Union addresses, and the rest of the Democrats usual crap.

And for those of you that are convinced the Bush administration is the incarnation of Orwell's 1984; this is a must read for you. I'm just trying to figure out who Pelosi would be cast as...

Posted by Brian at 12:53 PM | Permalink

Apparently this guy forgot to read the fine print on the Bill of Rights.

Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

This genius walked onto a British Airways jet bound to London from San Francisco wearing a "Suspected Terrorist" button. He was asked to remove it by the flight steward, then by the captain. When he refused to listen to the captain, he had him booted from the plane.

Dumbass...

Posted by Brian at 11:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Dave Barry (yes, that Dave Barry) went on vacation and decided to have a little poetry contest on his blog. Here's my submission.

Toes He Not Mother's Ate

Dog eat toes not
Mother him heard scream
Force is strong not with this one
Toes dipped in shaving cream

Aargh dog he not go eat
Dog seems sad he
Dish supper not full
Of Kibble and Wee Wee Wee

Pigs go buy
They not impressed
Doggy chase them down
Filet them with wooly vest

Mother sad
Son full of woes
Doggy sleep well tonight
Dined on mother's toes

Freemont Yoda

Posted by Brian at 4:37 PM | Permalink

A country who was in an uproar over "Freedom Fries" has now banned the term "e-mail" in any government documentation.

Gotta love the French. :-)

Posted by Brian at 12:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Oh, and in other news. North Korea is now reprocessing spent fuel rods.

Sports and weather, after this commercial break.

You really have to ask yourself, what is more newsworthy?

Posted by Brian at 11:49 PM | Permalink

This kid did it.

Posted by Brian at 2:59 PM | Permalink

From Random Nuclear Strikes:

A petition has been put out to get the government to convert the aging M14 stockpile we have to servicable rifles for the general public.

Posted by Brian at 11:03 AM | Permalink

This is a true story. My wife told it to me tonight. It involves someone we know pretty well, so I won't post their name or even hint around at who they are. That being said, on with the story.

One of our friends dad's has been sick for a while. He's in his late seventies, so it's not much of a shock that he was most likely going to die. In his will, he had stipulated that he wanted his dog cremated with him when he finally did pass.

Except here's the problem. The dog was 100% healthy when gramps passed on. Grandpa knew this, and was clear (before he died) when he said "I want to be buried with my dog". So the day after grandpa dies, the family had to gather up the dog and put it to sleep so it could be buried with grandpa.

Only in Indiana....or maybe California too....

Posted by Brian at 11:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Now it's time for me to rant. Excuse the mess.

For the last twenty years of my life, I've been watching the white albatross (a.k.a. the Space Shuttle) shoot off every four to five months to ferry up pieces and parts of a Space Station that really no one wants to go to, and frankly, won't accomplish much with what we have planned for it.

It's not going to be the wonderful orbiting laboratory in the sky/hyper-advanced micro graivty lab. No, it has now 100% developed into a high-maintenance condo for the astronauts who kiss ass the best (which was 100% true when George Abbey was in charge, I really don't know about now).

I was watching 16 Days: The Final Columbia Mission when I was truly amazed at the science that could be completed by seven people stuck in space at the same time. There were tons of experiments which showed that the way things work in space is nowhere near what it's like on Earth.

I guess we're at a point where we need to do one of two things.

One, privatize the entire manned space program. Give Boeing, Lockmart, Whoever a challenge like the DOD. Build a cheap rocket to get into space and to bring enough cargo to do something. Expendable/Reuseable doesn't matter. Plan on 15 flights a year. Yearly budget, $3 billion. $2 billion startup.

Two. Build this.

I'd prefer option two, but I don't think my grandkids will be around to see something like it which makes 100% sense.

Update:
SpaceDaily has a good wrapup on this issue.

Posted by Brian at 5:46 PM | Permalink

From lgf:

...is just a few hundred miles from where Dan thinks it's taking place.

Posted by Brian at 11:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

OK, this is a plug for a guy who just from the few songs he's written in his house should be the next big thing.

http://66.83.132.70/sounds/

The name of the band is Phonophobic, they have a few songs on mp3.com which are definitely worth a listen.

Hope Nate doesn't mind the plug, but I really hate it when good music goes unheard.

Posted by Brian at 10:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Since we were gone on our lovely holiday to Greg's house, the Huntington area (of which I live in) received over six inches of rain. Now another storm is rolling in.

If anyone has an ark for sale, I might put a bid in on it.

Posted by Brian at 12:28 PM | Permalink